Several business groups have made an eleventh-hour appeal to United States President Donald Trump as he weighs whether to restrict temporary work visas, warning of negative economic consequences if he blocks the flow of skilled foreign workers into the United States. More than 300 US companies, business associations and higher education groups that employ skilled workers sent a letter to Trump on Thursday that said reducing access to those workers -- even for a short period -- would result in "unintended consequences" and cause "substantial economic ... Hi Future Tensers, We love Money Heist, too, but its probably time for a break from Netflix. So, join us for our upcoming web events on bats (undeserved?) bad reputation, why medical misinformation is so contagious, how the pandemic has butchered the meat supply chain, and more. Wednesday, May 27, 4 p.m. Eastern: Are Bats Really to Blame for the COVID-19 Pandemic? Thursday, May 28, 4 p.m. Eastern: Wheres the Meat? Tuesday, June 2, 4 p.m. Eastern: Free Speech Project: Should We Think Twice Before Limiting Political Advocacy? Advertisement Thursday, June 4, 4 p.m. Eastern: Sciences Viral Misinformation Now for our editorial update. Earlier this month, Singapore unveiled Spot, a social distancing-enforcing robotic dog that is now patrolling a park. Its just the latest robot intended to help fight the pandemic. But as authorities in Connecticut to China begin experimenting with much-hyped health surveillance drones, Faine Greenwood warns that Fever-Detecting Drones Dont Work. The technology is as about effective as if you mounted a thermal camera on a pole next to the grocery store, Greenwood writes. She says that its the latest example of humanitarian experimentation, in which ambitious technologists test new innovations on vulnerable and disempowered people. If youre looking for a story where the disease surveillance robot does save the day, check out Future Tense Fictions When Robot and Crow Saved East St. Louis, by Annalee Newitz. Best of Future Tense Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mia Armstrong We Have No Idea How Many People in Prison Actually Have COVID-19 David Zipper Cities Have a Small Window to Save Themselves From Cars Rebecca Schuman Dont Take a Year Off From College Just Because Classes Are Online Wish Wed Published This One Country, Two Internets, by Nilesh Christopher and Varsha Bansal, Rest of World Three Questions for a Smart Person Chris Leonard is a former New America fellow and author of The Meat Racket: The Secret Takeover of Americas Food Business and Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America. I spoke with him about the corporate meat industry. Our phone conversation has been condensed and lightly edited. Margaret: Have you eaten meat since publishing The Meat Racket? Chris: Yes, absolutely. I never stopped eating meat at any time during reporting, writing, or after the book. Whats the grossest thing that you observed when researching the corporate meat industry? Its predictable, but I was in a Tyson Foods pork slaughterhouse in Storm Lake, Iowa, and to see pigs split in half and hung up like shirts at a dry cleaner with their eyes wide open is a pretty jarring sight. Advertisement What is it about meatpacking plants that have made them coronavirus hot spots? Theyre so crowded. The whole business strategy of these big companies is to consolidate production into as few slaughterhouses as possible and make the slaughterhouses as large as possible. To make as much as you can off of each slaughterhouse, you need to pack as many employees in as you can, shoulder-to-shoulder. Often these workers are working, getting dressed, and eating in close proximity. Advertisement For more, join us May 28 at 4 p.m. Eastern for Wheres the Meat?, a Facebook Live discussion about the meat shortage with Chris, Henry Grabar, and Susan Matthews. Future Tense Recommends I just devoured Margaret Atwoods The Testaments, the sequel to The Handmaids Tale. Perhaps its sacrilegious, but I didnt actually love The Handmaids Tale. The Testaments is one of those rare sequels that exceeds the original. Its captivating, suspenseful, and creative. And perhaps most importantly for the given moment, it is hopeful. Dark, for sure, but with optimism and the promise of a future that is better than the past. Jennifer Daskal, professor and faculty director of the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law What Next: TBD On Friday on Slates technology podcast, Lizzie OLeary spoke with Kara Swisher about what exactly is going in Elon Musks head. And last week, Lizzie spoke with Emily Oster, professor of economics at Brown University and co-founder of COVID-Explained, about decoding the flood of COVID data. Margaret from Future Tense Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. As both a health care worker and a small-business owner, Austin pediatrician Ari Brown was hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic. The public perception of health care right now is: You guys are inundated, and its like being in Greys Anatomy, Brown said. While that was true for hospital and emergency room doctors, she said, for independent medical practices, there was this abrupt halt in business as usual. Even with a swift rollout of telemedicine, her patient volume dropped by at least 50 percent for two months. To cope with the resulting cash crunch, Brown reduced her employees hours, began calling patients to remind them of mandatory vaccinations and met families in the parking lot for checkups. She hasnt taken a paycheck since March 15. An unlikely casualty of the coronavirus pandemic, independent medical practices are experiencing severe financial strain, according to a Texas Medical Association survey of physicians released Wednesday. The survey analyzed responses from 1,548 Texas physicians and found that 68 percent of practicing physicians have had to cut work hours and 62 percent have had their salaries reduced. Medical practices have been struggling since the onset of the pandemic, even as COVID-19 strained hospital resources. Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order in late March banned elective surgeries, ordering health care facilities and professionals to postpone all procedures that were deemed not medically necessary. As a result, the patient visits and elective surgeries that primarily drive revenue dropped precipitously and left clinics reeling. The majority of TMA-surveyed physicians reported stunning blows to income, with 63 percent of physicians reporting that their revenue decreased by half or more. Abbott lifted the ban on elective procedures April 22, but many patients were still hesitant to return. Brown said she was lucky enough to take early advantage of federal loans from the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan. But not all physicians were so lucky. From March 1 to May 2, more than 160,000 people in the health care and social assistance industry filed unemployment claims, a statewide Texas Tribune analysis shows. That represents 11.1 percent of all unemployment claims during the past two months. A $334 million lifeline proposed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which would have increased Medicaid payments to health providers, is still in limbo. Meanwhile, advocates say the model of the health care system is to blame and are calling for a revamp. Tom Banning, CEO of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, said telemedicine visits were often not equally reimbursed by health insurers, forcing doctors to work harder for less pay. There is no question that our entire system has entirely devalued primary care, and now were paying the consequences, Banning said. The state has levers they can pull to begin thinking differently about how we deliver health care here. In an early April statement signed by Banning and other advocates, health care advocacy organization the Health Rosetta blasted the unremitting stupidity of the current fee-for-service reimbursement system many clinics operate under. The vast majority of health insurance companies pay only for individual visits and tests rather than per patient. Without patients, primary care practices are like the airlines operating ghost flights, the statement reads. These practices need an immediate infusion of funding to implement a communitywide pandemic response. This would replace the severely flawed, fee-for-service model that has made our country more vulnerable to the pandemic. Brown, for her part, is optimistic that her business and other medical practices will begin to see an uptick in patient visits soon. I feel confident that things are heading in the right direction, Brown said. If someone feels comfortable going to a bar now, they can show up and get their wellness check. Anna Novak contributed to this report. Disclosure: The Texas Tribune, as a nonprofit local newsroom and a small business, applied for and received a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program in the amount of $800,000. The Texas Medical Association has been a financial supporter of the Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Senior leaders on Friday called for more efforts to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects when attending deliberations at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC). Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng -- members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee -- all gave their complete support for the government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the session. When joining deputies from Jiangxi Province in group deliberation, Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, asked legislators to well deliberate and improve a draft civil code, which will be the first basic law defined as a "code" of the People's Republic of China once adopted. He said establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security is completely consistent with China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR, and will be fully supported by all the Chinese people including the Hong Kong compatriots. Wang Yang, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, told deputies from Sichuan Province to counteract the impact of COVID-19 and ensure a victory in the fight against poverty. Wang Huning, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, underscored efforts to promote the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, boost the development of the Xiongan New Area and make good preparations for the 2022 Winter Olympics, when participating in deliberation with deputies from Hebei Province. While deliberating with deputies from Heilongjiang Province, Zhao Leji, secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, stressed strengthening supervision over the implementation of major decisions and arrangements. Deliberating with deputies from Shaanxi Province, Vice Premier Han Zheng underlined efforts to coordinate epidemic containment and economic and social development, take more measures on deepening reform and expanding opening up to solve difficulties facing development, and create bigger room for the development of market entities. I hope the Debenhams workers obtain every support they need, and a justice of settlement too - 2,000 people have lost their jobs with the liquidation of the 11 Debenhams stores in Dublin, Cork, Galway and elsewhere around the country. If the EU has a 100 billion fund to support businesses during the coronavirus, why shouldn't retail staff also be helped? It's a sad fact, however, that department stores have been having problems, or failing, in many parts of the globe. The prestigious Neiman Marcus in Dallas, Texas, filed for bankruptcy earlier this month. The famous Macy's in New York is struggling, as is the ultra-practical John Lewis in London. We have long mourned the loss of Clerys in Dublin, and the classy Robinson & Cleaver in Belfast is gone more than 30 years. In its heyday, the Belfast store, sited on the corner of Donegall Square, was a hub of attraction for cross-border shoppers, and in more hostile eras of partition politics, it softened relations with its reputation for courteous customer manners as well as stunning tableware and linens. The department store played a surprisingly central role in the emancipation of women. Le Bon Marche in Paris - still there in the Rue de Sevres - is considered to be the pioneering department store, opened in the 1850s. Within 20 years, the legendary Au Printemps in the Boulevard Haussmann was launched, with the deliberate aim of attracting affluent women shoppers, then often confined and restrained by rules of middle-class decorum. A respectable woman didn't go out alone. A respectable young girl had to have a chaperone. Middle-class women entertained their friends at home over a dainty meal. The department store changed that. It ensured that female customers would feel safe, and wouldn't be molested or harassed within its precinct. It encouraged browsing in the variety of its floors. It introduced the department-store cafeteria and restaurant, where women could meet each other, without the supervision of either a chaperone or a male. You could say that the department store prompted the practice of the 'ladies who lunch'. It certainly expanded the boundaries of freedom of movement for women, and by the 1890s that greater sense of liberty (enhanced by the bicycle) was feeding into suffragette politics and the push for higher education. But the department store also promised luxury and glamour, as Gordon Selfridge knew when he founded his Oxford Street store in 1900s London. The luxury department stores in every capital city in Europe "were built on a magnificent scale, with interiors like film sets", according to the historian Norman Stone, where "commercial transactions would be carried out to the strains of palm-court orchestras". As always, there was another side to the story: the socialist-realist writer Emile Zola described in his novel Au Bonheur des Dames the demanding conditions, long hours and straitened lodgings that staff working in the big department stores often endured. Although these improved as the 20th century wore on, life in the retail trade wasn't always rosy. Yet the department store did increasingly provide opportunities for women, not only to shop in a gorgeous emporium, but to advance up the career ladder as employees. Women became managers, professional buyers, window dressers, even bosses and directors. An outstanding example was a farmer's daughter from Co Limerick, Mary Leahy, who attended school in Dublin - at the Dominican, Eccles Street - and stayed on in the city to work at Guineys store on Talbot Street. She was such a dynamic presence that the boss, Denis Guiney, married her. Mary Guiney was a co-equal director of Clerys in the 1940s, when it became the largest, and most successful, department store in Ireland - despite wartime shortages, it managed to source all kinds of everything. (Mary Guiney only died in 2004, aged 103.) It helps to marry the boss, surely, but she was acknowledged, in her own right, as an outstanding businesswoman. The department-store business was hit by changing shopping habits well before the pandemic. By the 2000s, there were myriad shopping malls and, 10 years later, online shopping began making an impact. "Gucci sunglasses and Diane von Furstenberg wrap dresses could now be found on dozens, if not hundreds, of websites," wrote the Financial Times. The subsequent problems at Debenhams really became part of a trend. Erik Nordstrom, one of the big American department-store magnates, says department stores will rally after the coronavirus, but there will be fewer of them. The retail trade is something of a human need - the browsing aspect, and the human contact, too, of a good department store is irreplaceable online. Let's hope the Debenhams employees become part of that eventual recovery. I have a poignant enduring memory connected with the department store. When my sister was in a New York hospice, in her last week of life, she was still alert enough to notice a special offer in a Lord & Taylor sale. "Get over to Fifth Avenue right away," she told me, as I sat by her bedside. "Lord & Taylor's pure cotton nightdresses are the most beautiful bargain you'll ever possess!" Though the L&T is no longer as it was, either, as summer approaches, I take those nighties out, and think of my sister's last desire that I should possess such beautiful nightwear. Turkmenistan has set up a Reserve Currency Fund to regulate the foreign currency earnings by legal entities producing for exports. President Gurbanguly Bedymuhamedov signed a relevant decree to this effect at a government meeting. According to the document, the Funds reserves will be accumulated in the Central Bank. Foreign currency earnings by ministries, line agencies, their subordinate enterprises and institutions as well as all partially state-owned legal entities will be transferred to the Fund. While signing the document, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that in the current situation it is particularly important to use modern management methods in the financial sector and exercise strict control over the targeted use of the state budget and earnings from exports of products and provision of services. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2022 JK Rowling has described Dominic Cummings' 260-mile journey across the country during lockdown as 'indefensible hypocrisy'. Boris Johnson is facing calls to sack his chief aide after it emerged last night he'd travelled all the way from London to Durham, despite clear restrictions ordering people to stay at home. Ministers have today defended Mr Cummings and denied he broke the rules by taking his wife and young son to stay with relatives in March, with a No10 spokesman insisting the journey was 'essential' to ensure his young child could be properly cared for. However, there has been a strong public backlash over the last 24 hours, and the Harry Potter author also took to social media to slam the 48-year-old strategist. JK Rowling, pictured, has described Dominic Cummings' 260-mile journey across the country during lockdown as 'indefensible hypocrisy' As Chancellor Rishi Sunak jumped to Mr Cummings' defence, the Harry Potter author bemoaned the chief aide's 'selfishness' in a tweet She tweeted: 'People have missed funerals of loved ones because of lockdown. 'Many have had to look after their own young children while ill. 'One of the architects of the rules keeping those people housebound drove across the UK, knowing he had the virus. 'Indefensible hypocrisy and selfishness.' Other social media users have revealed the sacrifices they've made over the last two months, including stories of a father who hasn't held his new baby for nine weeks, countless families unable to visit their elderly parents, and a mourner who couldn't hug his father at his mother's funeral. Meanwhile, more than two-thirds of Brits think Dominic Cummings broke lockdown rules by driving to Durham while in self-isolation, with more than half believing he should resign, a snap poll has found tonight. The survey of 3,707 adults, carried out by YouGov today, found just 28 per cent think he should stay on, and another 20 per cent were on the fence. Earlier today, a defiant Mr Cummings responded 'who cares' when he was asked by reporters whether his actions looked bad. 'It's a question of doing the right thing. It's not about what you guys think,' he said. He also berated photographers for not following social distancing rules by staying two metres apart. Earlier today, a defiant Mr Cummings, pictured, responded 'who cares' when he was asked by reporters whether his actions looked bad His mother also let rip on a reporter. Speaking from the family home via intercom, she said: 'I have got one thing to say, Dominic's uncle died on Palm Sunday and you should be ashamed of yourself.' Meanwhile, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner said Mr Cummings had made policing the lockdown 'much harder'. In a statement, former Labour MP David Jamieson said: 'The police's job of enforcing the lockdown has been made much harder after both the actions of Dominic Cummings travelling over 260 miles and the flexibility with which the Government now seem to interpret the guidance. 'People will now say there is one rule for them and one rule for the Prime Minister's political advisers. 'Across the country, millions of people are making sacrifices, including scores of police officers and staff who have separated from their families to protect their health and the health of the nation. 'It seems beyond belief that to justify the breach of guidance they appear to now be questioning the honesty and credibility of Durham Police. 'The Prime Minster, Boris Johnson, should sack Dominic Cummings forthwith, to restore public confidence and some credibility to his handling of this dreadful Covid-19 crisis.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 22:05:10|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KAMPALA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Uganda on Saturday flagged off the exportation of the first batch of locally made mobile phones, a minister announced. Evelyn Anite, state minister for finance, investment and privatization, said in a tweet on Saturday she witnessed the flag-off of mobile phones made by a Chinese-owned company. "This morning, I had the pleasure of flagging off the first batch of Ugandan made mobile phones manufactured by Uganda's first phone manufacturing plant (SIMI Technologies) to Morocco," Anite said. "This is a step towards reducing Uganda's import bill on ICT products and boosting export earnings," she added. According to the minister, the company currently provides employment to over 400 youths. "This is as a result of the government of Uganda prioritizing investment in industrial parks to support industrialization and create quality jobs," the minister said. Anite said the plant was not only contributing to the economic growth and development of the country but it was immensely helping in building local capacity through transfer of ICT knowledge and skills. "In addition to manufacturing phones and laptops, SIMI Technologies has also started manufacturing protective eyewear and affordable Digital Temperature Guns which will go for as low as 50,000 Ugandan Shillings (about 13 U.S. dollars) in an effort to help fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," Anite said. She said SIMI phones have already hit the Ugandan market. The five-million-U.S.-dollar factor which is under Chinese electronics company Engo Holdings Group Limited, was launched by the country's President Yoweri Museveni in November last year to manufacture phones and laptop computers. SIMI is the first phone and laptop making factory in Uganda. It already has a factory in Ethiopia targeting markets in Cameroon and Morocco. According to National Information Technology Authority, a state-owned agency, there are about 22 million mobile phone subscribers in Uganda. It says the sector is growing at 27 percent per annum. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 04:36:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAMASCUS, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish forces on Friday sent 30 truckloads of logistics to Turkish observation points in northeastern Syria, state news agency SANA reported. The logistics were sent to the Turkish observation points in Ras al-Ayn city in the countryside of Hasakah province in northeastern Syria, said the report. On May 18, the Turkish forces sent shipments of logistics to consolidate its positions north of Ras al-Ayn. The Turkish forces have captured several areas in northern Syria following battles with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that erupted in October 2019. Enditem 23.05.2020 LISTEN The Ahafo Regional Security Council, Municipal District Chief Executives (MDCEs) and Council of Ahafo Chiefs assured the general public that, the additional closure of all weekly market centers, closure of everyday market on a weekly day and the directives given to all tricycle operators (PRAGIA) and all the other measures will be reviewed when the additional two weeks expire. Many people have eulogised the Authorities and the entire people of the Ahafo Region for their comportment amid this stubborn virus. Ahafo Region is among the regions which have not recorded a single case of Coronavirus Pandemic in Ghana. There was an imported case from Obuasi to Derma in the Ahafo Region but there has not been any positive case. The Coronavirus Pandemic is hitting the world so hard and leaving millions of people perplex. Many are dangling into a total pool of palpitations because, this Pandemic has infected close to five million (5 M) people globally and nearly three hundred and twenty-four thousand people have passed on worldwide while 1.7 million recoveries. According to the World Health Organisation's Executive Director Emergencies, Dr. Mike Ryan. 'I believe there was approximately thirty-five operatives paragraph in the resolution, one of which deals with the idea of evaluation, thirty-four of which dealt with how to end this Pandemic, and how to do that fairly. The actual operative paragraph, just before the one relates to evaluation was actually focused on scaling up development, manufacturing, distribution capacities needed for transplant equitable and timely access to safe, quality, affordable and efficacious diagnostic therapeutics and medicines, and many others are quite similar' Dr. Ryan stressed. The chairman of the Ahafo Regional Security Council, who is the Regional Minister and serves the good people of Asunafo North Constituency as their legislator, Hon. Evans Opoku Bobie chaired the meeting today. The minister commended the general public for their great commitment and obedience to the directives by the REGSEC for the past weeks. After an extensive racking of brains, all the Paramount Chiefs, Courtiers, MDCEs and the Security officials came to a consensus that, there will be more strict enforcement on the directives given to all the tricycles riders (Pragia) All the riders must take note that, they are to maintain the two passengers and make sure passengers are sanitised with an alcohol-based Sanitiser while wearing their nose mask before they set off to their destination. Whoever flouts these directives shall face the full rigorous of the law without any alibi. All ABOBOYAA RIDERS are to carry goods only. No passenger is permitted. The Ahafo REGSEC stated emphatically that, all traders in the various everyday market centers in the region must continue to adhere to the social distancing protocol, this will help them to triumph over the Coronavirus. They cautioned the market women and men not to allow their customers to touch their products in turns before making their final choice by exercising the purchasing power. Such a habit is so uncivilized on the part of customers and ought to be avoided without any hesitation. In a unanimous decision, the Ahafo Regional Security Council, chaired by Hon. Evans Opoku Bobie has opened all the weekly market centers and the daily markets which were closed on a weekly basis. The Authorities within the region have been tasked to ensure proper social distancing in all the market centers. It is mandatory for every tom, dick, and harry to wear a nose mask before going to the market centers. The National Road Safety Commission has commended the Ahafo Region for their great work against the Coronavirus Pandemic and encouraged them to keep on with the good work. For two weeks, Bharath Sathyajith has not stepped outside a hotel room in Keralas Palakkad town, where he is staying with his parents and sister. But the 14-year-old but hasnt complained even once. The reason: he is both elated and relieved to come back to his homeland after battling a harrowing month of pandemic-driven panic and bullying in Oman, where he was born and lived with his parents until last month. Bharath came back along with his mother Dhanya, father Sathyajith Krishankutty and sister Gowri on a flight from Muscat on May 9, and was put in mandatory quarantine at a local hotel. Despite the abrupt separation from his friends and the familiar environment of his school he studied in Class eight at the Indian School in Al Maabela in Muscat Bharath is happy. I feel more safe in Kerala now. It is a role model for the whole world, he said, referring to the efforts of the state government to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, though experts have expressed apprehension over the low rate of testing in the state. Kerala has reported 795 cases till date. In Muscat, which has more than 5,000 cases of Covid-19, Bharath often faced bullying that intensified when some of his classmates found out that he was returning to India. In contrast, he finds Kerala he would visit his grandparents every year during summer holidays quite calming. I love the countryside than hustle and bustle of the city. I love to run after calves and swim in village ponds, he said. Sathyajith Krishankutty, an automobile engineer, moved to Muscat in 2000 and steadily rose through the ranks in a private firm. But he met with an accident in February and started looking for an opportunity to shift base back to Kerala. The accident came as a blessing in disguise for me. It helped me to get into the first flight, Bharaths father says, adding that he is planning to open an auto garage in his hometown, Palakkad. Bharath, who will go to school in Palakkad once classes resume, now spends most of the day playing board games, chatting with friends from Muscat and listening to his mothers collection of Carnatic classical music. At times, news of the rapidly progressing pandemic and memories of his friends bother him. Watching the news is disturbing at times. But at the same time you need to know what is happening. I was upset leaving my school and friends. But my father said in life you have to face such circumstances, he said. He idolizes his father and wants to become an automobile engineer. The two weeks in the hotel have made Bharath realise the value of freedom, he said. Free movement was curtailed, playgrounds were cordoned off and we were forced to cover our mouth and nose. But this discipline brought other dividends also, clean air, water bodies and little garbage around, he said SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ramadan, which comes to an end this weekend, this year overlapped with the coronavirus lockdown. The confinement made a change in habits necessary, on top of the changes that Muslims make to their daily routines during this important month. The Covid-19 crisis has forced Muslims to rethink traditions and find new approaches to one of Islam's most important religious rituals. A unique experience For Shamil, a student who lives in Mijas Costa, Ramadan is a true school of transformation in which he can change his actions, habits and manners. He fasted for the first time when he was seven years old. Since then he has observed Ramadan. This year Ramadan under lockdown has been a unique experience for him. Shamil, tell more about yourself? I am from the Russian Federation. I know Russia is usually associated with the Orthodox Church. However, this country is large and multicultural. There are regions in the Federation where Islam and Buddhism also are practised. My family is from Dagestan which is in the very south of Russia on the border with Georgia and Azerbaijan, sharing the Caspian sea with Kazakhstan and Iran. My ancestors are from Kurush - the highest mountain settlement in Europe. Dagestan is also famed for its ethnic and linguistic diversity, being home to more than 30 languages. The whole of Dagestan is a religious area of Sunni Islam - the largest denomination of Islam. Why did your family buy a house on the Costa del Sol? My grandfather visited the Costa del Sol seven years ago and he fell in love with this region. Dagestan translates as "land of the mountains" and it is washed by the sea. Here it is almost the same. Moreover, everywhere in Andalucia there are lots of monuments, palaces, names and traditions remaining from the Muslim times on the peninsula. I read that there is much more connection between Spain and my native Caucasus. It turns out that the Iberian Peninsula somehow derivates from the Caucasian Iberia. In addition, it is believed, that the Caucasians migrated westwards to the Pyrenean where today the Basques live. That's why they find some similarities between the Basque language and the Caucasian languages. Shamil, is it hard for you to fast? As a Muslim, I am obliged to fast during the Ramadan month which, as a rule, in Dagestan starts and ends one day later than here. From Fajr, which is before sunrise, until sunset each day, I cannot eat or drink and I have to control my emotions as well. Frankly, it is only the initial part that is hard. Within three or four days, my body adjusts to this eating habit. In general, fasting on the Costa del Sol is not easier than in my country. The case is that in Dagestan the great majority of people are fasting. That's why, most restaurants cover their windows during the day and people do not eat in a public or common space. However, on the Costa del Sol, when lunch break comes, there are plenty of people around eating their sumptuous tapas. It intimidates a lot. As for the hours of fasting, the time varies a lot. For example, this year, as Ramadan falls between the months of April and May, some Muslims have fasted for as long as 20 hours, while others have not eaten for about 11.5. In Dagestan actually like in Spain - between 17 and 18 hours. It is worth it because Ramadan is about breaking bad habits. We make a lot of sacrifices to overcome our "normal" habits and to change ourselves. The most famous person from Dagestan is the UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov... Yes. Dagestan is a country of wrestlers. Khabib is a professional mixed martial artist from Dagestan. He got world's fame after beating Conor McGregor. By the way, Khabib Nurmagomedov is the first Muslim to win a UFC title. As a devout Muslim, he wears his religion on his sleeve during his public appearances. Moreover, he prefers not to fight during Ramadan because fasting makes training conditions more difficult for him, because of a state of weakness and dehydration. Khabib is currently observing the holy month of Ramadan in Dagestan. Recently, Khabib made impassioned coronavirus plea after his father was hospitalised being diagnosed with pneumonia and flu-like symptoms. A different celebration The majority of Muslims on the Costa del Sol are originally from Morocco. The chief of the Malaga Department of Tourism of Morocco, Azzeddine Bijjou, tells about how the local Muslims have found different ways to celebrate Ramadan during the pandemic. Azzeddine Bijjou. / SUR Bijjou, is this Ramadan really different? I have never experienced this way of spending our holy month. For example, families and friends didn't gather at sundown for iftar, the special meal that breaks the daily fast. We could not go to mosques. Like others here, we had to stay at home. But it was not that bad, because our ninth month is a very spiritual time. Actually, Ramadan is about reflecting with profoundness on the blessings each person has been given. In self-isolation and this (not easy for everyone) situation some people could better understand the suffering of those who go without having their basic needs, such as food and water. They said, fasting is a kind of risk during the pandemic... I know. They always say, that prolonged periods of not eating or drinking can weaken the immune syste. We are aware of this and we try to get enough calories during the hours you are permitted to eat. That's why, on the table there are lots of different fruits and vegetables, pulses and nuts. At the same time, I would stress, that scientists also say that intermittent fasting can speed up the body's process of regeneration, causing old cells to die and be replaced with new ones. And, of course, people who are ill, including those with Covid-19, are exempt from fasting. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. What about maintaining the other pillars? Apart from fasting there is faith, prayer, charity and the pilgrimage to Hajj. This year's Hajj was suspended. By the way, the Covid-19 is not the first pandemic that disrupted the Hajj for Muslims. There are reports that the first time it was an outbreak of plague and cholera which caused frequent disruption to the annual Hajj. In 2012 and 2013 Saudi authorities also encouraged the ill and the elderly not to undertake the pilgrimage amid concerns over Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. As for charity, I think, the lockdown could let people give more to charity and help the poor. Ramadan is usually a high season for visiting Morocco, isn't it? Usually yes... though this year the country is affected with the coronavirus pandemic. Morocco has extended the public health emergency at least through May 20. As you know, all passenger services between the ports of Morocco and Spain are suspended as a measure to contain Covid-19. When Jodie Gien and her husband Brandon chose their daughters name, they unwittingly entered one of the snarkiest arenas in town: the name blame game. Thats not even a name, what the hell is that? Gien, says her parents said of their daughter, Phoenix. [They said] 'Are you going to have 50 of them? Is that your idea? Phoenix, Arizona, Florida, youre going to name them from each state of the US?' Ryder Susman, left, and partner Sivaan Brook, from Melbourne, with sons, from left, Wolfgang Ezra and Zephyr Valentine, have found that it's becoming harder to choose a unique name. Credit:Jason South That was nine years ago. Now, that flak seems almost quaint, given the ferocious - and inventive - trolling Tesla CEO Elon Musk and musician Grimes copped earlier this month, after they announced the arrival of their son, X A-12. For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. The La Dadekotopon MP, Vincent Sowah Odotei has said the revocation of his appointment as a Deputy Minister of Communications had nothing to do with poor performance. In April, Mr. Odotei was replaced by Alexander Kodwo Kom Abban, the MP for Gomoa West and former Deputy Minister for Health. Speaking on the Point Blank segment of Eyewitness News, Mr. Odotei said he was neither incompetent nor corrupt while serving as Deputy Minister of Communications. The President has a prerogative to hire and fire. I am not incompetent and I am not corrupt. I will be forever grateful to him [for the opportunity to serve for some time]. He pointed out that he had a conversation with the President about the reasons for his revocation but refused to give details. The President called to tell me I had been relieved of my position. I will rather not discuss that [why I was relieved]. The former Deputy Minister also said he still has a good relationship with Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu. My relationship with her is very good. I do not have issues with her. If I have the chance I will work with her again. In Parliament, Mr. Odotei is a member of the Holding Offices of Profit Committee and the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee. In 2016, he defeated the incumbent Member of Parliament on the National Democratic Congress side, Nii Amasah Namoale, to become a member of the legislature. ---citinewsroom Timing is everything in acting - and for Barry Ward, his two latest projects have landed at a strangely opportune moment. The Netflix series White Lines - a blackly funny crime drama based in Ibiza - has, thanks to the lockdown, something close to a captive audience. Dating Amber, a comedy film due out next month, is a story about two teenagers' unorthodox relationship and is perfectly poised to capitalise on the success of Normal People. It even features one of that show's stars, Fionn O'Shea, Marianne's sadistic and patronising boyfriend Jamie. Ward's latest roles follow a star turn in last year's paranormal comedy film Extra Ordinary, but ask him about the variety of parts he has played in recent times, and he will not waffle on about fine-tuning his craft. A dyed-in-the-wool career actor, the Dubliner is more inclined to refer to each project as a 'job', making casual note of how fun or interesting the work was, or how sound the crew were. The White Lines shoot took him over and back to Spain and "wasn't the most taxing job", he says. The series was the most-watched Netflix show in Ireland and the UK last weekend. Ward knows that, in the current climate, the streaming service's offerings might draw a bigger audience than usual. "I mean, I thought it would be a popular show given that it's Alex Pina [the showrunner, also behind Money Heist, the most-watched non-English language series on Netflix]," he says. "It's about sex, drugs and music, which means it has the ingredients to be a massive hit show, but nowadays, I suppose people have no choice in a way but to watch it." Expand Close Family affair: Lola Petticrew and Fionn OShea in Dating Amber. Barry Ward plays Fionn's dad / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Family affair: Lola Petticrew and Fionn OShea in Dating Amber. Barry Ward plays Fionn's dad Ward plays Mike, the husband of Zoe, who decides to head to Ibiza to find out what happened to her brother, a superstar DJ who disappeared two decades earlier. Mike has a sensible head on his shoulders, until he and Zoe get sucked into the dark underbelly of the island's nightlife. In interviews, Pina has been enthusiastic about Ward's performance. "The truth is, he added very important facets to the character," Pina has said. "On one hand, he had to be a husband in an ordinary family, but on the other hand, his emotions had to be very strong and he had to go through a powerful transformation arc when he goes to Ibiza." Ward juggled his White Lines work with a Curragh-based shoot on David Freyne's Dating Amber. The film stars Fionn O'Shea and Lola Petticrew (A Bump Along the Way) as Eddie and Amber, two teenagers who decide to stage a fake relationship to stop others speculating about their sexuality. Ward plays Eddie's father, opposite Sharon Horgan. "There was a huge attraction in playing the parent of the lead," he says. "Working with Sharon, you're just thinking, 'I can definitely do something with this'." As to how his improv comic skills measured up against Horgan's: "Ah, I wiped the floor with her," he laughs. "Really though, she was so generous. It wasn't about hogging the limelight; it was about getting the best take, and Sharon gladly and willingly gave the floor on many occasions." When Ward landed the coveted lead role in Ken Loach's Jimmy's Hall in 2014, his fortunes could easily have gone either way. Leading man status was very much there for the taking. As is customary for young actors who have their image on the poster for a critically acclaimed film, he signed with a Los Angeles-based agent and was flown out for a week of pressing the flesh with Hollywood directors and producers. Video of the Day "A job with that kind of profile definitely opened doors," he says. "I spent some time out there introducing myself, and I've found it's not about who you know, but who knows you. [In LA], there's a bigger pool of people doing the same thing as you, and there seems to be a limited number of jobs." He has come a long way since being the class 'messer' in St Declan's College, Cabra, landed him his first TV role. As a 13-year-old, Ward worked with director Michael Winterbottom and Roddy Doyle on the BBC drama Family in 1994. He got the part entirely by chance. "I was in school in Deco's and BBC casting directors were going around the schools and streets of Dublin looking for someone to play the character [of John Paul]," Ward recalls. "I remember a teacher popping his head around the door and calling a few of us out, the real messers. I was thinking, 'Oh God, what have I done now?' But we did a meet-and-greet with these BBC producers, and over the course of a few months, we got called to auditions, and a few improv sessions. They just kept whittling it down and down, and eventually they said, 'We want you to do this job'." At the behest of his parents, Ward went to NUI Maynooth to study English and philosophy. Around this time, he was cast opposite Cillian Murphy in his first film role, 2001's Watchmen. "He was a bit older than me and he very much knew that this is what he wanted to do," Ward says of Murphy. "He was brilliant and so enthusiastic and I guess I got caught up in that and thought, 'Okay, so maybe this is a viable thing'. It's largely to do with him that I pursued [acting] and stuck at it." Minor successes on stage and screen followed - a stint on The Bill here, a role on Silent Witness there - but as a young actor, Ward often had to juggle his dreams of acting with day jobs. He worked in retail, in teaching and as a bike courier. He was working as a lifeguard when he met Loach. That was when his fortunes had an upswing. When he landed the lead role, Ward made sure to call his old boss, a fellow Loach obsessive with whom he had lost contact. "I had worked as the manager of a bookshop and I'd say to my boss, 'I'm really sorry, I'll need to leave early as I have an audition in town', and Mike would say, 'Don't worry. Don't ever forget me when you get your first lead in a Ken Loach film'," Ward says. "He must have said it a hundred times. Four or five years later I got to ring him up and say, 'Ask no questions, wear a nice suit, and meet me at this cinema in London on this date'. When he got there he was like, 'Lovely to see you, what's all this about?' and I told him I'd see him in 90 minutes and to enjoy himself. It didn't dawn on him until Ken Loach walked out on stage, and then I walked out beside him. He was gobsmacked." In 2015, he won the role of Dr Spencer in The Fall opposite Jamie Dornan and Gillian Anderson. A part in Maze with Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, followed, as did parts in The End Of The F***ing World and Sky's Save Me and Britannia. Ward has spent lockdown in London with his partner Laura Kavanagh, a production manager at Focus Features. The time has largely been spent "keeping this little guy amused and entertained", he says in reference to the couple's five-year-old son, Tom. "I suppose people are finding that they've loads of time on their hands," he adds. "But for most actors, our lives are like that normally - there's a lot of time hanging about the house, pretty much doing what we want." 'White Lines' is now streaming on Netflix. 'Dating Amber' premieres on Amazon Prime Video on June 4 Adam Ferman/For the Daily News Midland County Emergency Management and the Midland County Sheriffs Office urges residents to stay away from Wixom and Sanford lakes and the Edenville and Sanford dams due to ongoing safety concerns. Rapid changes in water levels and flow have created significant amounts of erosion at the dams and lakes, making it unsafe for residents to access them. Do not walk on lake beds, dams, river banks, or any areas near these bodies of water. These conditions are potentially life-threatening. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-23 00:02:38 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 788 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / May 22, 2020 / Silver Tiger Metals Inc. (TSXV:SLVR) ("Silver Tiger" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it will begin a safe, phased restart of exploration at its El Tigre property beginning June 1, 2020. This restart of exploration is following the Mexican Health Ministry's decree on May 13, 2020 that amends the March 30, 2020 decree to include mining as an essential service effective June 1, 2020.Silver Tiger has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement raising $675,000 through the issuance of 9,642,857 units at a price of $0.07 per unit. Each unit consisting of one (1) Common Share and one-half (1/2) warrant of the Company. Every two (2) one-half common share purchase warrants of the Company entitling the subscriber to acquire one (1) common share of the Company for $0.10 for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the closing date. The common shares issued pursuant to this private placement are subject to a 4 month hold period that expires on September 23, 2020. The proceeds from the private placement will be used for Silver Tiger's El Tigre Property in Sonora, Mexico and for general working capital purposes. The private placement remains subject to final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").CEO, Glenn Jessome states, "Our focus will always be the health and safety of our employees, contractors, their families and the neighboring communities as we begin to explore again. I would like to thank all of our employees and contractors for the ongoing support during this unprecendented time. Our exploration team is ready to get back to work at El Tigre. The historic El Tigre mine produced over 200 million silver equivalent ounces at an average grade of over 2 kgs per ton from 1903 to 1938. It is this tenor of grade on our large land package which we look forward to exploiting. I urge all to view the 3D Presentation and Slide Deck of the El Tigre property at Silver Tiger's profile page on https://vrify.com or on the VRIFY app." VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.Access the Silver Tiger Metals Inc. Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for Silver Tiger Metals Inc. can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/explore/decks/492 and on the Company's website at: www.silvertigermetals.com As previously announced on December 20, 2019, Silver Tiger has settled $392,121 of debt owed to geological service and drilling companies for exploration work conducted for the Company at its El Tigre Property by issuing 5,726,157 shares to SPM Mineria S.A. de C.V. and 809,209 shares to SPM Perforacion SA de R.L. de C.V. This shares for debt transaction was approved by the Exchange and is subject to their final acceptance.Silver Tiger compensates its non-executive directors and consultants with stock options only, in lieu of any cash payment. The last grant of stock options and DSU's to officers, directors and consultants of the Company was in January, 2019. Silver Tiger has granted 1,450,000 DSU's at a deemed price of $0.17 and 3,275,000 stock options at a price of $0.17 each with a 10 year expiry period to certain directors, officers and consultants.About Silver TigerFollowing the completion of the maiden El Tigre resource estimation (the full NI 43-101 technical report is posted to the Company's website at www.silvertigermetals.com and can also be accessed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com) the Company directed its exploration efforts at identifying other areas of silver-gold mineralization across the expansive property holdings (28,414 hectares). The Company's prospecting and mapping program identified in excess of 10 kilometers of favorable host stratigraphy (i.e. the El Tigre formation) with several areas of mineralization identified to the south, east and north-east of the old El Tigre Mine. The El Tigre formation is the rock package that hosts the historic El Tigre Mine, which operated from 1903 to 1938, and was reported to have produced a total of 353,000 ounces of gold and 67.4 million ounces of silver from 1.87 million tonnes averaging 7.54 g/t gold and 1,308 g/t silver (Steven D. Craig, B.A., M.Sc., P. Geo. 2012).The Company's drilling completed after filing its' 43-101 compliant resource estimate intersected similar-style silver-gold mineralization in the El Tigre formation at the Protectora, Caleigh and Fundadora areas to the north of the old mine, as well as to the south, past Gold Hill. Drilling to the north of the old mine by the Company returned the following impressive silver-gold intercepts:Hole IDCommentFromToLength(1)AuAgAgEq(2)(meters)(meters)(meters)(g/t)(g/t)(g/t)ET-17-14488.2591.403.1510.11,990.92,748.4including88.2589.100.8537.27,338.910,128.9and188.65190.151.500.0241,107.31,109.1ET-17-14528.5029.250.7510.92,830.43,647.9ET-17-14890.1090.600.509.832,247.12,984.35Notes to Table% China scraps numerical GDP growth target for 2020 for the first time in decades Global Times Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/22 9:16:40 Last Updated: 2020/5/22 11:59:51 China has scrapped a numerical economic growth target this year for the first time in decades, reflecting the profound challenges the Chinese economy faces, while injecting confidence that China is able to achieve its targets. China will work to ensure achieving the development goals of winning the battle against poverty and completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects this year, though setting no specific economic growth target for 2020, according to the Government Work Report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the opening of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress on Friday. Economists interviewed by the Global Times said this is within expectations. In the post-virus era, the fundamentals of the Chinese economy have stayed unchanged and will remain sound in the long run, said Tian Yun, vice director of the Beijing Economic Operation Association. "As long as we maintain stable employment and make sure workers have stable income, all the rest, including the two major goals, will work out eventually," he said. Yu Miaojie, deputy dean of the National School of Development at Peking University, told the Global Times that China's economy is expected to grow around 3 percent this year. Even if China could maintain 3 percent GDP growth in 2020, the country will still be the locomotive driving the global economy, he said. "As COVID-19 continues to devastate the world, major economies including the US, the EU, Japan and Canada may see contraction this year." China's economy shrank 6.8 percent in the first quarter amid the COVID-19 outbreak, which poses huge pressure for economic growth during the rest of the year. To shield the economy from the fallout, Yu said that the authorities should continue to pursue a proactive fiscal policy and relatively loose monetary policy so as to increase government investment in sectors like "new infrastructure" and raise residents' disposable income and companies' profits by cutting taxes and fees, and even by issuing consumption vouchers. China's deficit-to-GDP ratio this year is projected at more than 3.6 percent, 0.8 percentage points higher than that of last year, according to the Government Work Report. The deficit increase is projected at 1 trillion yuan ($141.6 billion) over last year's 2.76 trillion yuan. Li Daokui, a prominent economist at Tsinghua University and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, told the Global Times in a recent interview that even a fiscal deficit ratio as high as 5 percent is within a normal range and is sustainable because the country has a high savings rate and the government's overall debt burden is not too heavy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Journalist Patrick Radden Keefe has done plenty of extensive and gripping longform journalism, including his most recent book, Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland (which I could not recommend more highly). His newest project is a slight departure from covering topics of crime and radical separationists, but still deals heavily with espionage and subterfuge. It's about the Scorpions, the English-speaking German rock band who rocked you like a hurricane. And also the CIA. Here's the official blurb: It's 1990. The Berlin Wall just fell. The Soviet Union is on the verge of collapse. And the soundtrack to the revolution is one of the best selling songs of all time, the metal ballad "Wind of Change," by The Scorpions. Decades later, journalist Patrick Radden Keefe heard a rumor: the song wasn't written by The Scorpions. It was written by the CIA. This is his journey to find the truth. Told through exclusive interviews with former CIA officers, on the ground reporting, and more this podcast embodies the traditional tones of investigative journalism while keeping listeners on their toes through its cinematic pacing, simulating the theatricality of the critically acclaimed film Argo in a podcast. This 8-part series follows Patrick's search for the truth, a 10 year investigation that traces the 70 year history of our government's meddling into pop music, including everyone from Louis Armstrong and Nina Simone, to Bon Jovi and the Beach Boys. I've listened to the first two episodes available so far (which is also embedded below), and I'm absolutely hooked. Keefe's curiosity is instantly compelling, and his track record is enough to keep me from worrying about an ultimately disappointing journey. Say Nothing essentially solved the case of an IRA murder that was left unresolved for decades; whatever Keefe uncovers in his quest to get to the bottom of the CIA's propaganda pop song prowess, I'm sure it will be just as gripping. So far, it's already touched a lot on the CIA's cushy Cold War relationship with Hollywood, going even more depth into the happenings in and around the ones depicted in the movie Argo. The full 8-episode series is available to listen on Spotify right now; if you want to listen on your preferred podcasting platform, however, you're going to have to wait for the weekly installments. Wind of Change [Patrick Radden Keefe / Pineapple Street Studios / Crooked Media / Spotify] Rare '80s metal merch w/ a wild alleged C.I.A. connection [Blackbird Spyplane] Undated photos of Vietnamese blogger Nguyen Tuong Thuy who was arrested in Hanoi on charges of making, storing, and disseminating documents and materials for anti-state purposes, May 23, 2020. Police in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi arrested RFA blogger Nguyen Tuong Thuy Saturday, accusing him of making, storing, and disseminating documents and materials for anti-state purposes, his wife told RFA. Thuy, 68, was vice chairman of the Vietnam Independent Journalists Association and is the third member of the group arrested since November.. His wife, Pham Thi Lan, confirmed the arrest in a brief telephone interview with RFAs Vietnamese Service. She said police escorted him to Ho Chi Minh City from Hanoi, where he and his wife live. Details of his arrest were not immediately available. RFA called police investigator Tran Hoang Hiep, whose name is on Thuys warrant, for comment on the case, but he asked for proof the reporter was actually from RFA and then hung up the phone. Thuy, a 22-year military veteran, had been summoned by Hanoi police three times in connection with the arrest on Nov. 21, 2019 of Pham Chi Dung, the chairman of the Vietnam Independent Journalists Association. He is accused of propagandizing against the state. On May 21, police also arrested another member of the association, dissident writer Pham Thanh, on the same charges laid against Nguyen on Saturday -- "making, storing, disseminating documents and materials for anti-State purpose" under Article 117, of the Penal Code of Vietnam. Thuy, who has written weblog commentaries on civil rights and freedom of speech for RFAs Vietnamese Service for six years, visited the United States in 2014 to testify before the House of Representatives on media freedom problems in Vietnam. He told RFA at the time that he was interested in the development of social media in Vietnamese society. In Vietnam nowadays, freedom of press is restricted and the government only recognizes state media. In March, a court sentenced RFA Vietnamese blogger Truong Duy Nhat to to 10 years for abusing his position and authority in a decades-old land-fraud case that drew international condemnation because the writer had been abducted, apparently by Vietnamese agents, in Thailand. Prior to his disappearance, Truong Duy Nhat had been a weekly contributor to RFAs Vietnamese Service. He had earlier been jailed in Vietnam from 2013 to 2015 for his writings criticizing Vietnams government. Vietnam, whose ruling Communist Party controls all media and tolerates no dissent, ranks 175th of 180 countries on the 2020 RSFs World Press Freedom Index. According to the NGO Defend the Defenders, Hanoi has arrested at least 29 activists, including 19 bloggers, for writing posts online, and is currently detaining 238 prisoners of conscience. New York-based Human Rights Watch has said that authorities held 138 political prisoners as of October 2019. The country has been consistently rated not free in the areas of internet and press freedom by Freedom House, a U.S.-based watchdog group. Dissent is not tolerated in the communist nation, and authorities routinely use a set of vague provisions in the penal code to detain dozens of writers and bloggers. Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Paul Eckert. A woman has been arrested after 50,000 worth of suspected drugs were seized in Co. Roscommon yesterday. The suspected cocaine was discovered after gardai stopped and searched a vehicle on the N5 at Tulsk at around 7:30pm last night. On Thursday nights, Britons bang pots and pans and let out hearty cheers of support for doctors and nurses who care for coronavirus patients and for other essential workers amid the pandemic. But the organizer behind the weekly ritual says its time for it to end, pointing to concerns that the act of recognizing the workers had become politicized. Annemarie Plas, who started #ClapForOurCarers, said in an interview with the BBC on Friday that next weeks national applause, the 10th, should be the last. The future of the nightly clapping in cities like New York, where it began in late March and continues to go strong in some neighborhoods, remains unclear. I think that would be beautiful to be the end of the series, to maybe then stop and move to an annual moment, Ms. Plas said. I feel like this had its moment and then we can, after that, continue to something else. Trump wore a mask - but only where reporters could not see him - TWITTER Throughout the coronavirus crisis Donald Trump has been completely consistent in one regard - he will not wear a mask in public. According to aides there are several reasons, including that he thinks doing so makes him look "ridiculous" and doesn't want to give Democrats an opportunity to use the images in election adverts. Mr Trump also believes that wearing a mask would "send the wrong message," and by not using one he signals that he is fighting to reopen the country. It is a political statement that has resonated with many Americans who object to being told to wear masks themselves. "Theres such a strong culture of individualism that, even if its going to help protect them, people dont want the government telling them what to do, Linsey Marr, an engineering professor at Virginia Tech with experience in airborne transmission of viruses, said recently. The president also exists in a coronavirus-free bubble. Everyone coming into contact with him is tested and cleared beforehand. So there is, in fact, no need for him to wear a mask. However, Democrats argue that he should still set an example. Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat speaker of the House, has accused him of "vanity" and Andrew Cuomo, the Democrat governor of New York, called it disrespectful". On Thursday Mr Trump visited a Ford factory in Michigan which has been making ventilators and masks. He brought with him his own White House-branded mask - black with a presidential seal - but wore it only when he was out of the view of photographers. However, a photograph of him wearing the mask did find its way on to social media. Fords Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan has a policy of requiring people to wear masks. But video showed Mr Trump on the factory floor, without a mask, talking to company executives who were wearing them. Asked why he was not wearing a mask Mr Trump said: "Not necessary. Everybodys been tested and Ive been tested. Story continues The president said he "had one on before" in an area that was not visible to the media. He added, I didnt want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it. In a later statement Ford said: Bill Ford [the executive chairman] encouraged President Trump to wear a mask when he arrived. "He wore a mask during a private viewing of three Ford GTs [sports cars] from over the years. "The President later removed the mask for the remainder of the visit." We are finally in bank earnings season. When Canadas big bank stocks report earnings this quarter, the Canadian investing landscape will come to a standstill. Much like the 2008 Financial Crisis, investors will be watching closely and dissecting every word. This week, all five of Canadas big bank stocks report earnings. Here is the schedule: Tuesday, May 26 Bank of Nova Scotia Wednesday, May 27 Bank of Montreal Royal Bank of Canada Thursday, May 28 Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Toronto-Dominion Bank Economic bellwethers Why are Canadas big bank quarterly results so important? For one, they are largely considered economic bellwethers. That is, strong earnings are typically a sign of a strong economy. The flip side is also true poor earnings and a dire outlook could mean a recession. The financial sector accounts for approximately 33% of the S&P/TSX Composite Index. Likewise, Canadas big banks account for a good portion of the sector. In other words, they have significant influence over the Index. If Canadas bank stocks crash, there is a strong likelihood it is taking a good portion of the S&P/TSX Index along with it. Are dividends at risk? Canadas big banks form the cornerstone of individual retirement portfolios across the country. They are also the bedrock of large pension funds, all of which rely on the companies for reliable income. Without question, they are largely considered the safest dividend stocks on the planet. They escaped the Financial Crisis without cutting dividends, and they have paid out uninterrupted dividends for more than a 100 years. Quite simply, they deserve to be recognized for their impressive dividend history. Unfortunately, companies are cutting the dividend at a record pace. Thus far, there have been over 70 TSX-listed companies that have either cut or suspended dividends. In Europe, governments are mandating dividend cuts. Although it is unlikely Canadas Feds will follow suit, they have asked banks not to raise dividends. This will impact Bank of Montreal shareholders, as it would typically announce the bi-annual raise this quarter. Much like they did in the Financial Crisis, Canadas big banks are likely to escape this pandemic with dividends intact. Story continues However, dividend-growth investors need to keep their expectations in check. Give the situation, it is likely that dividend raises will be on pause for foreseeable future. The impact of COVID-19 measures on the economy wont be known for some time. What we do know is that provision for credit losses will skyrocket this quarter. This will eat into earnings and inflate payout ratios. Canadas big banks are a buy Are Canadas big banks a buy today? The banks are trading at levels not seen since the Financial Crisis. Just as they rebounded then, so too will they rebound in the future. If you are looking for a quick buck, then Id recommend staying away. The financial industry has a ways to go before it is on solid economic footing. However, Canadas big banks are some of the best capitalized banks in the world. This will enable them to weather the storm and come out strong on the other side. I am not a fan of timing the market. In my opinion, Canadas big banks can be bought at any time. However, they look particularly attractive today. Worried about earnings? Perhaps buying a partial position before earnings and topping up afterwards is the best course of action. Regardless, many years from now, investors will be looking back at todays prices as a once-in-a-decade opportunity. Dont miss out. The post Canadas Big Banks: Stocks Earnings Preview appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Mat Litalien owns shares of BANK OF MONTREAL and TORONTO-DOMINION BANK. The Motley Fool recommends BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020 Pedestrians wearing protective masks walk along the street as a screen displaying a live broadcast of Chinese President Xi Jinping at the National People's Congress in Beijing, China, on Friday, May 22, 2020. This is the way new eras unfold gradually at first and then suddenly. Chinese President Xi Jinping's apparent rolling of the dice on Hong Kong ahead of this week's National People's Congress is just one of his many calculated wagers designed to leverage COVID-19's disruptions for greater domestic control, regional influence and global gain. China's move to impose new national security laws on Hong Kong, the most serious threat yet to the city's democratic self-governance and territorial autonomy, prompted a 5.6% decline in the Hang Sang Index (the worst one-day performance in five years). Beyond that, the decision could ignite new Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, it should raise new concerns about Taiwan's sovereignty, it will feed the growing deterioration of U.S.-Chinese relations, and it may contribute to anxiety among world democracies about what values a Chinese-led world order might reflect. Seen in isolation, some analysts see the surprise Hong Kong move as reckless. Put the decision beside other recent actions, however, and the pieces fit neatly together into President Xi's long-standing strategic purpose: strengthening the party's domestic hold, solidifying China's regional power and expanding its international influence all in a sharpening competition with the United States. Those recent actions include, but aren't limited to, new technology investments of an estimated 10 trillion yuan ($1.4 trillion) over six years to 2025, reports that China's defense budget will grow by up to 9%, and its increased efforts to influence multilateral institutions as the Trump administration retreats, most recently through Beijing's $2 billion contribution to the World Health Organization. Most intriguing and least noticed, "China became the first major economy to conduct a real-world test of a national digital currency," wrote Aditi Kumar and Eric Rosenbach this week in Foreign Affairs. They describe a pilot project in four large Chinese cities which the authors see as putting China years ahead of the United States in developing this "central component of a digital world economy." The impact of that move, over time, could have greater global impact than anything Beijing does in Hong Kong or even to Taiwan. "U.S. policymakers are unprepared for the consequences," Kumar and Rosenbach write. In general, digital currencies weaken the power of U.S. sanctions and the ability of U.S. officials to track illicit financial flows. More specifically, a digital yuan combined with China's advanced electronic payment systems may provide a more effective platform for future influence than a fleet of aircraft carriers. I argued in this space three weeks ago that President Xi and his Chinese Communist Party, by emerging as the first major world economy to end virus lockdowns and restore growth, were seizing a window of opportunity one that could close as rapidly as it had opened. "Great historical progress always happens after major disasters," President Xi said recently at Xi'an Jiaotong University, telling professors and students of Chinese sacrifices of the past and the possibilities of the moment. "Our nation was steeled and grew through hardship and suffering." Those who wish to counter or contain President Xi's ambitions, would do well to study their origins and the deeper meaning in his use of that carefully selected word, "steeled." It is the same word his father, Xi Zhongzun, used to describe the impact of his time in prison. In The New York Times this week, Steven Lee Meyers and Chris Buckley chronicle how President Xi's father, "a famous revolutionary leader, was purged and held in solitary confinement under Mao Zedong." President Xi as a young man grew up in the shadow of his father's disgrace, was denounced by his own mother and then was exiled from Beijing to village labor for seven years. It's a matter for conjecture how this molded President Xi and resulted in his apparently unshakable party loyalty and leadership today. Whatever President Trump's commitment to this contest and his re-election might be, he would be wise not to underestimate President Xi's determination. Chinese anti-U.S. rhetoric has become disturbingly blunt, particularly when directed at President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Hu Xinjin, editor of the state-controlled Global Times and regarded as an unofficial government spokesman, tweeted his response to President Trump's claim that China wanted former Vice President Joe Biden to defeat him. "On the contrary," he tweeted, "Chinese netizens wish for your reelection because you can make America eccentric and thus hateful for the world. You help promote unity in China and you also make intl news as fun as comedy." It's the wrong question to ask whether coronavirus has rendered China as a stronger or weaker player on the world stage. It is weaker economically and reputationally, yet more determined geopolitically. It is more fragile and dangerous simultaneously. Even as the Xi's National People's Congress ditched its growth target for the first time, with a first quarter contraction of 6.8%, it at the same time moved on Hong Kong and ratcheted up actions against "foreign influence." That said, America's greatest weakness is its "Pogo problem," referring to the often-repeated phrase from the Walt Kelly cartoon character of the 1960s, who said, "We have met the enemy and he is us." Hard as it is to think and act for the long term in an election year, that's precisely what the United States must do. Here are just three suggested prongs of that strategy: 1. Strategic patience and defense reform. Washington must avoid major power military conflict, even more devastating in our modern age, while robustly reasserting Asia deterrence to shore up allied confidence. This is also a good time, with defense budgets likely declining, to invest more in future technologies and divest from high-cost legacy systems that have powerful political constituencies but declining real-world value. 2. Investing in American technology, infrastructure and jobs. As Stephen Hadley and Anja Manuel laid out in The Washington Post, the Trump administration should use the next stimulus package to invest in broadband, digital infrastructure, research and development, advanced semiconductors and strategic education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 3. Embracing allies and leading multilaterally. Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt provided a glimpse of "the post-American world on full display" from this week's annual assembly of the World Health Organization. Whatever you think of the WHO or multilateral bodies, it's hard to see how U.S. interests are served by Bildt's description of a more assertive and confident Beijing, an absent United States and a Europe hedging its bets to limit the multilateral damage. These are just three potential elements of a new American approach to regain some initiative, betting over the long term on our self-correcting ability to reinvent and the inherent brittleness of autocracies. The challenge is only partly Chinese intentions. The greater problem rests in the lack of an American strategy equal to our times. Frederick Kempe is a best-selling author, prize-winning journalist and president & CEO of the Atlantic Council, one of the United States' most influential think tanks on global affairs. He worked at The Wall Street Journal for more than 25 years as a foreign correspondent, assistant managing editor and as the longest-serving editor of the paper's European edition. His latest book "Berlin 1961: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth" was a New York Times best-seller and has been published in more than a dozen languages. Follow him on Twitter @FredKempe and subscribe here to Inflection Points, his look each Saturday at the past week's top stories and trends. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. It is an accepted fact that many of my friends and colleagues will emerge from this lockdown less surfer-blonde than checkerboard grey. I, on the other hand, have never felt more smug because way back in the brunette ages, I decided to let my 100-quid-a-month, chestnut hair dye grow out. I am so happy with my stripey grey hair. It gets compliments I have never had before. Actress Maureen Lipman was in desperate need of a haircut that she asked her PA, named Nats, to cut her hair The look is somewhere between the late Anne Bancroft and a badger. It works really well with black and brown clothes and scarlet lips and, though coarse in texture, its springy and soft to the touch. It works on the red carpet (chance would be a fine thing) and, pinioned with hairgrips, blends seamlessly into the Dobbses house in Coronation Street. It goes without saying that to achieve this level of naturalism I have to resort to falsehood. Every 12 weeks or so I visit Reluca in Notting Hill and get contrasting dark streaks popped in. In fact when my old friend, the actress Julia McKenzie, last went to the colourist and demanded dark streaks in her grey, she was asked: Just a few lowlights dear, or do you want the full Maureen Lipman? Trending darlings, trending! The Coronation Street actress confessed that her hair - which has been given so much praise in the past - was in desperate need of a cut after 50 days of lockdown Of course, it goes a bit sepia after 49 days of lockdown, and Lord, it could do with a cut. I suddenly look like the Pardoner in Chaucers Canterbury Tales, whose hair hung in colpoons, oon by oon. At such times as these, Ive often resorted to hanging my head over the waste bin and snipping into the length with the kitchen scissors. It ends up more Jo Brand than Joanna Lumley. So yesterday, with a Charity Zoom to 400 folk of all faiths, all tuned in to watch me make bean and barley soup for a needy soul in a pandemic world, my thoughts turned to my Worzel-like appearance. I was needy myself for a salon cut. Except there are no open salons in West London and, if there had been, just how near could your average masked and gloved crimper get to my head? The exercise would have to involve telescopic shears. So I asked my trusty PA, Nats, to cut it. She refused. She rooms in my house so it would be perfectly possible for her to do it but no, she was just too chicken. You wont like it, she said. Youll get all spiky. Fine, I said huffily, Ill do it myself, and headed for the bathroom. I put a tight rubber band around the tail of hair, as Id read on YouTube, and prepared to twist, angle and slice, but as I grasped the scissors I could feel her presence. Nats is an artist by vocation and a dab hand with a Stanley knife. And she could see that even if the dog bit off my hair, it would look better than what I was attempting. Go on then, Ill do it, she said, but its not my fault if it goes wrong. Just cut it up a bit at the bottom, I said, airily, it only needs about half an inch. Mmmm, she murmured, tail comb in teeth, and do you want to keep the tufty bits underneath? Tufty bits? I wasnt aware I had any tufty bits. Well, like on your nape thick bits under the length Yes all right, I barked. Well, I dont know, do I? Ive never seen my nape. When they show me the back view in the hand-mirror, Im usually scrabbling around for cash in my handbag. She started snipping. A tiny pile of hair fell. She snipped again. And again. The bathroom fell silent but for the snipping. Is that it? Havent you done it now? Not quite. The snipping had turned to sniping. Are we nearly there? One side is longer than the other. Ill just even it up this sides a lot longer Ill just take a bit more from here and here and where its all jaggedy Peripherally I could see the pile of hair building up, rug-like, on the bathroom floor. I put my hand up to my neck. I could feel naked nape. Er dont take too much Nats, will you? Im due back in the Street in June, you know and Evelyn cant have turned into a flapper. Ms Lipman will resume filming with Coronation Street in June and prayed her PA did a good job on her hair for the sake of her character Evelyn Plummer (pictured) But she was too busy being a seasoned hairdresser to respond. Oh, I see now, she whispered. If I just layer this bit slant the scissors The pile on the floor was big enough to silently subside into itself. So before she could say: Any plans for the weekend? I stood up. Another pile of hair fell from my collar. Right. Thats great, thanks. Wait, its not even, she said. No, I like it on a slope Yes, but it wont match up sit down! I sat down. She returned to her snipping. I gazed out the window at the mother blackbird pushing masticated worm into a fledglings open beak. Ive been riveted for weeks by the whole building, brooding, birth and empty-nest syndrome. There was just the runt left now, Betty, who refused to fly and huddled shakily in one corner of the flower bed. I snapped back to the snipping. Thassit enough! I barked, becoming, as predicted, all spiky. This bathroom aint big enough for the both of us. From the glint in her eye I could see she felt bereft, as if shed found her vocation and been denied the scholarship. If Id let her she would have evend it up until I just had the plain tonsure, as modelled by Friar Tuck. I looked in the mirror. Front good; right good; left good; back level. It was a bloody good haircut. Ms Lipman said that she was very pleased with the job her PA did on her hair despite the stress and drama that came with the haircut I should have given her a hundred quid and a fat tip instead of a cup of tea and an anti-bacterial wipe. This lockdown has shown me many new things. Ill never forget the male birds dance of joy when the first baby hatched, nor my own jump for joy when the fledglings appeared on the flagstones. It knocked Killing Eve into a cocked hat for drama and had a catastrophic ending. In the morning, when I crept out to look for Betty, she was lying face down in a pot of rainwater. Miserably, we buried her and I admit that I actually stood there with the Hebrew prayer book and said Kaddish for her. Listen, it cant hurt. So here I am, one old Baby Boomer, over-Zoomed and under-groomed, stuck indoors for the duration, literally caught red-handed from all that hand-washing, marooned with only my acrylics, my crochet hook, my intermediate French audio, my iPad, my bronchial dog, my yoga mat and my trusty PA/hairdresser for company. Time is the devourer of all things, said Ovid. And that was a few thousand years before Covid. HK national security law 'almost ready to be enacted' Global Times By GT staff reporters Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/22 22:23:01 Central govt to focus on intelligence work, counter-terrorism After a draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security was submitted to China's top legislature on Friday, the work of formulating the national security legislation would be accelerated, which would be signed into the law as early as in the coming weeks considering the urgency, some national lawmakers, top political advisors and lawyers said, as the central government prepared to set up national security agencies in Hong Kong to enhance information collecting and evidence to deal with acts like splitting the country, subverting state power, organizing and perpetrating terrorist activities. Wang Chen, vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, explained the draft decision to the NPC deputies at the third session of the 13th NPC, outlining the necessity and importance of formulating the law to defend the sovereignty and core interests of the country. Though he did not reveal detailed articles for the upcoming legislation, Wang addressed some of the most worrisome issues about the SAR, which have been posing severe risks to the overall national security of China, delivering key messages about what the new national security law for Hong Kong will include. After the issuance of the decision, the NPC Standing Committee would work with related parties to formulate relevant laws and bills which usually go through three readings in the committee before being put to a vote, according to the Legislation Law. Chinese lawmakers usually meet every two months, while interim meetings can be held when there is a special need, leading to speculation the draft decision would be signed into law within six months, or even sooner. "As far as I know, the legislation is ready, which will be passed in the next meeting of the NPC Standing Committee," Kennedy Wong Ying-ho, a member to the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and solicitor at the Supreme Court of Hong Kong, told the Global Times on Friday. After the lawmakers vote on all resolutions, the draft Civil Code, and the draft Hong Kong national security law on May 28, the NPC Standing Committee could hold interim meetings to sign the bill into law, Wong noted. Info and evidence collection The new Hong Kong national security legislation entitles the central government's national security organs to establish agencies in the SAR to safeguard national security, while the chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR government will report to the central government at regular intervals. The reports will include performance of duties in maintaining national security, conducting national security promotion education, and prohibiting acts that endanger national security according to law, details of the draft show. The draft decision empowers the NPC Standing Committee to add relevant laws to Annex III of the Basic Law governing the SAR. Given there is no specific organ in today's Hong Kong to handle intelligence work, especially counter-terrorism intelligence, after the Special Branch of the Hong Kong Police was disbanded before Hong Kong returned to the motherland, it's highly necessary to establish a specific organ to deal with matters relevant to national security in the face of an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, some lawmakers noted. "National security matters are tackled in a highly professional scope, and ordinary police officers or government officials do not have specific means, for example, investigation measures," Wong said, noting that the central government's special agencies to safeguard national security are likely to set up branches in Hong Kong to do relevant work. Witman Hung Wai-man, the principal liaison officer for Hong Kong at the Shenzhen Qianhai Authority and a Hong Kong deputy to the NPC, told the Global Times that such a branch should be granted the power to investigate and enforce the law, and it remains to be seen if it is fully independent or put under a certain organization, and the new agency can be set up under the HKPF. To propose such a law for Hong Kong aims to not only tackle the chaos in Hong Kong, but also respond to security threats in the SAR to the country, Lau Siu-kai, vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday, noting that while the riots continue in Hong Kong and the US increases its efforts to contain the Chinese mainland, Washington's intention of using Hong Kong as a pawn to counterbalance China has become increasingly palpable. The central government has zero tolerance toward any activities challenging the bottom line of the "one country, two systems," and it would not allow any act of secessionism, according to the draft document. The delayed passage of Article 23 of the Basic Law is widely believed to have become a major factor that has led to relentless radical protests in the city since last year, which has engulfed the once-prosperous Asian financial hub and plunged it into long-term recession. Horace Cheung Kowk-kwan, a member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong SAR, told the Global Times Friday that setting up national security branches is something completely new to LegCo and Chief Executive Carrie Lam may gather LegCo members to deliberate further moves. He said relevant Hong Kong authorities, especially the Security Bureau, will work closely with mainland counterparts. He said Hong Kong members of the Basic Law committee and the SAR government will give out suggestions with regard to the draft of the national security law. Cheung told the Global Times that the SAR government will continue pushing for Article 23 legislation. Given the legislation would be a national law, it can be written into the regulations that establish a central-level national security mechanism, noted Li Xiaobing, an expert on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan at Nankai University in Tianjin. In the future, if Hong Kong enacts Article 23 of the Basic Law on its own, it will hopefully form a "double-level" system to safeguard national security in Hong Kong, he said. Under the new Hong Kong national security law, it won't be bringing relevant suspects or personnel back to the mainland for investigation and interrogation as some people think. It's about designing a mechanism to enforce the law in Hong Kong while considering both the Basic Law and local laws, Li said. To establish and improve the legal system to safeguard national security, it is also necessary to solve the supporting mechanisms of Hong Kong's judicial system, such as the establishment of courts specializing in national security crimes, or learn from Macao to allow only Chinese judges and prosecutors to handle cases involving national security, or set up a special committee to safeguard national security, the expert suggested. Looming protests Akin to stagnated relevant laws to Article 23 due to sabotage and obstruction by those trying to sow trouble in Hong Kong and Chinese mainland at large, pan-democracy protesters and legislators in Hong Kong are mulling new protests to defy the legitimacy of the legislature, as online calls have been made for fresh protests on May 27 when the debate on the Chinese anthem bill resumes. Anonymous organizers on social network groups on Telegram are now preparing for anti-government protests on June 4 and July 1, which would mark the so-called anniversaries of fighting the government. Some foreign media claimed that the central government risks new protests by imposing a security law, as some activists consider the law an erosion of the high degree of autonomy of the SAR and "one country, two systems." Safeguarding national security does not contradict the principles of "one country, two systems," and the new law will lay a solid institutional foundation for the steady and enduring growth of the cause of "one country, two systems," said the liaison office of the central government in HKSAR and the State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office on Friday. Exercising a high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong means the city enjoys independent executive, legislative and judicial power including that of final adjudication, which is in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law. In accordance with the Basic Law, those who violate the Hong Kong national security law would be prosecuted by Hong Kong's Department of Justice, Wong noted. "I'm not worried about the judges, as they have to strictly follow the articles of the law, and proceed and rule on cases based on evidence," he said. Since the beginning of the year, some former and current public security officials told the Global Times they have been aware of an apparent shifting strategy in the central government's governance on Hong Kong affairs. "The country explains principles and the bottom line in a clearer way compared to previous years," former secretary for security Lai Tung-kwok and a member of the CPPCC National Committee, told the Global Times, expressing confidence in the HKPF in more effectively handling riots and illegal activities in the near future by enhancing intelligence work. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kerala will be able to survive any crisis after COVID-19: CM Vijayan India pti-PTI Thiruvananthapuram, May 23: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said the state would be able to survive any other crisis after COVID-19 as it was in the forefront of developing innovative wasy to fight the pandemic. "Kerala is in the forefront of developing innovative ways to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and will be able to overcome any crisis which might come. Most of the cases currently being reported in Kerala have come from outside the state. We must not alienate them. This land belongs to them too," Vijayan said, speaking at the first edition of #AskTheCM organized by Twitter India. He was responding to queries on the return of Keralites from abroad, their employment issues, upcoming monsoon and climate change,chances of a natural disaster and preparedness of the state to deal with it, the agriculture sector, the prerequisites of the lockdown relaxations, among others. Coronavirus outbreak: India has tested over 28 lakh samples for COVID-19, says ICMR Meanwhile, CM Vijayan has also urged the Railways to inform the state beforehand when special trains are allottedand the details of the passengers travelling. The request was made by Vijayan in an e-mail to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal. It was essential to have thelist of passengers, details regarding their address, telephone numbers, as otherwise it would adverselyaffect the government's fight against COVID-19, he stated. Kerala was not informed when a special train from Mumbai left for the state capital on May22, he said. Information about the passengers was needed to make arrangements for health check-upand their onward journey and quarantine facilities,he said. Kerala has seen a huge surgein coronavirus cases on Saturday with 62 fresh cases, including 49 returnees from abroad and other states, being reported. One of the biggest worries many have about the current COVID-19 lockdown is that it will hurt the job market, and many have already lost their jobs as a result. The National Treasury predicted earlier this month that over 7 million jobs could be lost in South Africa as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown. Business for South Africa predicted a figure of 4 million jobs being at risk, and said the economy could contract by 16% this year if lockdown rules arent eased at an increased pace. CareerJunctions figures show that new job opportunities are also scarce and demand for labour decreased by 36% in April, while job search activity decreased by 41% over the same period. To determine how the ICT industry has been affected by job losses, MyBroadband spoke to CareerJunction about job trends in the ICT industry on its platform. CareerJunction told MyBroadband that while most sectors have experienced a significant decrease in hiring activity due to the national lockdown, there are a few sectors that seem less affected by it. One of these is the ICT sector. Looking at ICT professionals specifically, the national lockdown had hardly any impact on recruitment activity for data analysis/data warehousing skills as well as software development skills, said CareerJunction. It added that software development remains the most in-demand skill in the South African job market. However, not all areas of the ICT field have held their ground as well. On the other hand, demand for ICT professionals such as business analysts, database administrators and developers, UX and GUI designers, system analysts, project managers, and systems and network administrators decreased by more than 24% since South Africa moved into lockdown, CareerJunction said. Overall, however, ICT remains a popular field in South Africa, CareerJunction said. ICT skills remain high in demand in the South African labour market. At CareerJunction, we foresee this trend to continue and evolve in the next few years. Sectors that have struggled In contrast to the ICT sector, CareerJunction said the following sectors have struggled when it comes to hiring activity: Building and construction Architecture and engineering Admin Office and support Warehousing The relative strength of the ICT market during the COVID-19 pandemic is in alignment with reports published about other countries. Analysis from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) found that IT and technology job vacancies are dominating the London hiring market. According to this data, IT accounts for 35% of all vacancies during lockdown compared to the usual 15%. The fact that hiring is still continuing with relative strength in IT is perhaps unsurprising due to the ongoing need across most sectors to conduct operations remotely, but is nonetheless encouraging during these testing times, said APSCo CEO Ann Swain. Now read: Dimension Data to cut 480 jobs Memorial Day Weekend 2020 brings a new batch of local spots opening for takeout and delivery, with temporary hours and limited menus, as we continue to shelter at home (*sigh*). Here are some highlights weve added to our updated list its getting big! Bacaro has begun offering a limited menu for pickup only, Thursday Sunday, 2p -8p. The menu is updated daily, depending on whats available, but they have sent word that they now have a slushy machine for frozen Margaritas and frozen Negronis just in time for the warmer weather. Order at their window (136 Division St.) or call: (212) 941-5060. Casa Mezcal is now open for pickup and delivery, Thursday Saturday from 1pm 8pm. Call: (212) 777-2600 or pre-order with Caviar or Seemless. Doughnut Plant has reopened for online orders only, for delivery & contactless pickup. They write: If you are passing by, you can order online while on line. This week we will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, only at our LES, Downtown Brooklyn and Queens shops. Three shops, Wednesday through Sunday, 8am-4pm as we navigate this new NYC landscape. LasLap, the new-ish Trinidadian rum bar on Orchard Street is now offering takeout on weekends, Friday Sunday, 12pm 8pm. Call: (646) 484-6002 or email for pickup: hurryuprum@laslapnyc.com LES Enfants de Boheme Thurs-Sun. 12-9 pm. Order by phone + schedule pick-up. (646)476-4843 Menu + details on our website. They write: Those of you missing brunch, please come and enjoy our Eggs Benedict (with French ham) and Kale Benedict this weekend! Beloved bistro Lucien has begun offering pickup and delivery (212) 260-6481. Scarrs Pizza is happily offering whole pizzas for pickup or delivery, with new temporary hours: WED-SUN 12:30-9PM. Call 212-334-3481 for curbside pickup or order online through Caviar. No slices for now. ALSO, they are doing a special colab with with Mission Chinese. Order way ahead though, theyve been selling out fast. Order online at pizza-and-wings.square.site Here is our updated list of places currently open for takeout and delivery on the Lower East Side: 169 Bar is offering food and drinks for delivery and pickup. Arancini Bros., the Italian rice ball specialist, is offering delivery (using GrubHub, UberEats, Postmates, etc) as well as pickup at The Essex Market, 7 days/week. They write: This includes hot and ready to eat Arancini as well as fresh frozen To-Go packages that are heated at home in oven or toaster oven, etc. Cafe Katja has re-opened, offering some a new takeout menu, plus a curated beer and wine selection. Order on Postmates or call: (212) 219-9545. Cervos is offering take home kits made up of food provisions, wines, spirits and batched cocktails, by pre-order only, available for Saturday pick-up. Order on their website here. Char Sue is offering special menus (a whole roast duck dinner!) for takeout and delivery. You can text your order: (646) 801-5438 Pre-order before 5pm for 15% off. Delivery fee waved for all orders over $20. Cheeky Sandwiches is open for takeout and delivery, but its a good idea before you head over or call 646 504-8132. Cheese Grille is open for takeout and delivery. We hear that Clandestino is now open for takeout cocktails and small bites, from 6pm 9pm, daily. Cocoron is offering fresh and frozen soba from their Kenmare Street location. More info here. Diller NYC is open for deliver and takeout. Dimes restaurant is closed, but the market is open, and the deli next door is open for takeout and delivery. Peruvian chicken is back at Essex Market. Mercado Lima, Don Ceviche, is serving up quarter chicken specials with two sides to-go and whole chickens from 11 am 6 pm. Also available for delivery on UberEats and Grubhub. Dudleys takeout window and delivery services are still available, with free delivery. If ordering online, use lower east side at checkout for 10% off. East Houston Wine and Liquor is open and offering pickup and delivery 7 days a week. They have an app that makes delivery a snap and are offering free delivery in Manhattan and Williamsburg: (212) 432-6322. (UPDATED) Eastwood is open for delivery and takeout: Monday-Saturday (closed Sunday) 5pm-10pm. Delivery and takeout through Grubhub or call Eastwood at: (212) 233-0124. Beer, cider and wine also available for delivery and take out. Visit @eastwood221 for more updates including how to help support their staff. Economy Candy is offering online delivery only with special candycare packs to keep things going. (UPDATED) El Castillo de Jagua II (521 Grand St.) has been closed but is now back to offering takeout and delivery: (212) 995-0244, 11a 7p, Mon. Sat. NOTE The Rivington location is ALSO open. Empanada Mama is offering pickup and delivery. Save 20% if you order directly, online here :https://www.empmamanyc.com/. (UPDATED) The Essex Market will remain open for the time being, but is scaling back hours. It is now open from 8am 7pm, Monday Saturday, and 10am 6pm on Sunday. Starting on Monday, March 30th, the hours will be 8am 6pm, Monday Saturday, and 10am 6pm on Sunday. They write: The market is reserving the hours of 8am 9am on Monday Saturday for patrons 65 and older, expecting mothers, and those with increased risk of illness to shop in the marketIf you do not fit into one of those criteria, we ask that you be respectful and avoid visiting us during this short window so that at-risk members of the community can safely purchase the items they need. A few vendors have decided to close temporarily, but all three grocers are operational and quite a few merchants offer delivery and takeout. The restaurants at the Market Line are closed but Ends Meat, the butcher downstairs, is offering distance pickups. Call ahead and they will facilitate pickup: (929) 306-6014. And Peoples Wine Shop (cellar level at the Market Line) from the Contra/Wildair team, is also offering pickup: (212) 202-2550. Flowers Cafe on Essex Street is open daily for pickup and delivery. Forgtmenot is open for takeout and delivery:(646) 707-3195 looks like theyve got a nice grocery set up, as well. Ginger and Lemongrass, the Rivington Street Vietnamese spot, is open for takeout and delivery. Call (646) 876-1237 to place your order. Golden Diner is open for takeout and delivery: Via Instagram, they write: Pandemic or not, we all still need to eat good right? Its a shit time for everyone now but more so for restaurants, the industry is tough enough with razor thin margins. Support your local spots that are still hanging on by a thread by ordering in and giving them a boost of morale. It also spares you the awkward conversation with your partner 3 days into their experimental cooking that they aint no iron chef so win-win. (You can also show support and give them some cashflow by buying gift cards *shameless plug* ours is linked in bio ) We heard your demands and are now rolling out an all day menu so you can get wings & quesadillas for breakfast, matzoh balls & breakfast burritos at night. Also selling alcohol by bottles at no up-charge for yall so lets get weird. The Granddaddy Cafe is open for takeout with limited hours: 8am 4pm. Hwa Yuan is offering a 20% discount on takeout and delivery starting March 17 until further notice. Order on Doordash or call: (212) 966-6002. Iggys Keltic Lounge is offering drinks and snacks To Go only, at their takeout window with limited hours. Ivan Ramen (@ramenjunkie) writes: Ivan Ramen and Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop are open for delivery! Please order Ivan Ramen if youre in the mood for ramen. If youre not cooking than please order food from anyone but order. We (independent restaurants) will make it somehow but we need your support! Hey New York, we can do this! Help us keep our employees working! Lots of love from Ivan Ramen! Izzies Cheesesteaks (47 Clinton St.) is open for delivery and pickup: (646) 850-8636 They offer 15% off on orders made directly through their app. Jadis wine bar is now open daily, from 1pm till Late. They write: Wine, beers, for sale by the bottle and by the glass. Food options available! Miss you all! Joey Bats Cafe on Allen Street is offering pickup and delivery. Kabisera Cafe, the Filipino-inspired cafe on Allen St. is open for pickup and delivery. Katz Deli is offering delivery and takeout: (212) 254-2246 (also via Seamless, Ubereats, Caviar, Doordash, Postmates, and delivery.com), and still shipping nationally: katzsdelicatessen.com/shipping.html Kings Co. Imperial writes: Delivery and pick-up are available from both our Williamsburg and LES locations from 4:30pm 10:30pm daily. Stay tuned for new lunch and just add ice cocktail options coming soon. LES Delivery options: Caviar, Doordash, Postmates, Seamless Check their updates here: @kingscoimperial. Kossars is open for takeout and delivery from 7am 3pm, every day: (212) 473-4810. Le French Diner is posting a daily menu, available for pick-up, on Instagram. They write: Hi neighbors, heres tonights menu. Call (212) 777-1577 to place your order and it will be ready for pick-up within 20min. Well be serving every day from 5pm to 9pm and we will hopefully be able to deliver starting next week. Youre welcome! $15 off every bottle of wine, $6 beer. Melt Bakery is offering pickup and delivery. They note: We are still open normal hours for takeout, and delivery on GrubHub, Postmates, UberEATS, and DoorDash! Weve got piles of sams ready to go, and have never needed your support like we do now. If you need ice cream, we got you! Michaeli Bakery is open and offering takeout and delivery: (646) 360-2284. They continue to offer delicious, fresh-out-of-the-oven pastries, savory and sweet. They have daily discounts on fresh pastries, as well. Mughlai Grill, Indian cuisine at 6 Clinton St., is open for takeout and delivery everyday from 1pm 9pm: (212) 533-2828 Nakamura is open 12pm 9pm Friday Sunday and 5pm 9pm Mon. Thurs. They are offering takeout and delivery: (212) 614-1810 or order on Postmates. North Dumpling is selling frozen dumplings from its storefront at 27 Essex St. Japanese restaurant, Otaku Katsu, the Lower East Side sando spot, is now open for take out and delivery with a limited menu and new hours: Wednesday & Thursday from 4pm 10pm; Friday & Saturday from 12pm 10pm; and Sunday from 12pm 9pm. Customers can order via their website directly, or through their app. Partybus Bakeshop remains open and they are baking fresh bread! with the following hours for pickup/delivery: Thursdays 11a -5p, Saturdays 11a 5pm and Sundays 12p 6p. They have breads, pies, cookies, pizzas, pizza crust! and sandwiches. Petees Pies is open for takeout and delivery from 4-10 pm and theyre also offering groceries. Petisco Vegano is offering takeout and delivery: (212) 387-0366. Rabbit House, the little Japanese restaurant on Essex Street is offering delivery and pickup. Rawsome Treats is available for pick-up or delivery by calling (646) 767-0373 or via their website from 12pm to 7pm Tuesday thru Sunday. They are also available on the Grubhub & Postmates platforms. Remedy Diner is offering pick-up and delivery from 8am midnight: (212) 677-5110 Russ & Daughters locations are closed but they are offering a variety of delivery, pick-up, and shipping options. For pick-up at 179 E. Houston, call at least 2 hours in advance: 212-475-4880. For courier, call at least 24hrs in advance: 212-475-48801. More info here. Saigon Social has been offering new menu options on a daily basis on their instagram feed here. They write: We hope everyone is well. [Heres] our menu for today! 11am-8pm. Were also still offering discounted/free meals for those in need. Call us at 646.609.3202 or email info@saigonsocialnyc.com. Theyve also been delivering a ton of food to health care workers and essential workers on the front lines. Sakamai is offering takeout and delivery. More details here. Saluggis is offering takeout and delivery, plus carryout specials, like a large red pizza and a bottle of wine or a 6-pack for $35: 636-896-1163. Souvlaki GR is offering contactless delivery, every day, 11am 10pm: (212) 777-0116 and https://www.souvlakigr.com/. Spaghetti Incident is open from 5pm 10pm for takeout and delivery is available on Grubhub, Seamless, Postmates, Caviar, Ubereats or calling the restaurant directly: (646) 896-1446. Sticky Rice is offering takeout and delivery not to mention happy hour drinks to go lychee martinis for everyone! Subject LES is offering cocktails to go, and daily specials, at their takeout window: Tuesday-Friday 5pm-9 pm. Sat/Sun 2pm -9 pm., noting, Feel free to text Brian at (402) 417-5815 for anything Monday or from 9-11 pm every other day. Sugar Sweet Sunshine Cafe is open. They write: We have modified hours at both locations. We have a full coffee bar, no seating, offer in-store pick-up, curbside pickup, deliveries through several platforms and Apple Pay. Still taking orders for birthday cakesJust trying to keep this shop sailing. Taco Mix if open for takeout and delivery. Taqueria Diana is offering pickup and delivery at 69 Clinton St., (646) 707-3826 Thailicious is still open for takeout and delivery: (646) 882-0343 Tinys Giant Sandwich Shop is open for takeout and offering delivery via Seamless and Grubhub from 10am 6pm: (212) 228-4949. Top Hops Beer Shop is open for takeout and delivery at their Essex Market location. Email takeaway-deliveries@tophops.com or call (917) 261-2561 during Essex Market hours, or order directly online at www.tophops.com. Delivery hours: 2pm 7pm. They write: We are very much open for take away and delivery with some incredible beers! We actually have cans of Other Half in stock right now which is nothing short of amazing. Two Bridges Diner is open for pick up and delivery, seven days a week, offering a full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu (including the former Cup & Saucer menu!) plus daily specials: (212) 925-2963 or (212) 925-2973. VinVero Wines & Spirits writes: For the safety and health of our reduced staff and our customers, we are revising our operating hours effective immediately. TuesdayFriday from 2:008:00pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12:008:00pm, moving forward we will be closed on MondayOrders can be placed online for pickup at our storefront during business hours. Placed online for local delivery with a 6 bottle minimum. Place your order and then call the store to schedule your delivery, WednesdaySaturday from 2:008:00pm. If youd rather give us a call at (646) 822-2867. Take care of yourself and each other. Wayla, the Thai restaurant on Forsyth, recently opened back up to offer takeout and delivery. You can find available items and order online here. Williamsburg Pizza on Broome and Allen is open for pickup and delivery. Calling them directly works quite well: (212) 226-4455. Yonah Schimmel is delivering/shipping through Goldbelly not offering takeout at this time. Zafis Luncheonette is open for takeout and delivery: (212) 533-2415. Zyara Mediterranean (not just falafal!) is offering curbside pickup and delivery: 57 Clinton St., (646) 894-1401 or (646) 559-4250 find updates here. EV Grieve has an excellent list for the East Village (above Houston Street), here. The Chinatown Partnership has a directory of Chinatown restaurants/shops doing takeout & delivery here. The Lo-Down is updating this list as things develop. Please let us know if there are additions and/or corrections to be made at: tips@thelodownny.com or tag us on Instagram @lodownny. Swimmers have complained of difficulties trying to book in for a swim at one of the few outdoor chlorinated pools that re-opened in Sydney last week. Following the state governments relaxation of restrictions, outdoor pools are allowed to open to ten people at a time, and no more than one swimmer per lane. A maximum of 10 swimmers is permitted at Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre under COVID-19 restrictions. Credit:Steven Siewert Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre reopened last Monday, with visitors limited to three sessions a week of no longer than 45 minutes which must be booked online. A spokeswoman for Inner West Council said it was "challenging" to operate the aquatic centre in line with COVID-19 restrictions: "Most pool users have been understanding and respectful of the constraints staff have been working under." Panaji (Goa) [India], May 23 (ANI): Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik on Saturday said that during his tenure in Jammu and Kashmir he had succeeded in holding panchayat elections, devoid of violence, despite the top leaders of the union territory not cooperating under pressure from Pakistan. Malik served as the Governor of J-K till October 2019, following which he has taken over the same role in Goa. "The Prime Minister had said that we will conduct panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir. I broke protocol and went to Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti's residence. They refused to participate under Pakistan's pressure. Terrorists also threatened yet elections were held successfully, Hurriyat boycotted them. But the elections were still held with record voting, barring a few places, and no violence took place during the elections," Malik said. He also said that the then administration was able to do so because the people of the union territory had accepted the system, as it was benefitting them. "We had conducted an exercise which revealed that close to 50,000 government jobs were lying vacant in the state. We had announced we will give jobs to 50 thousand Kashmiri youth. I hope that the government will give them to the people soon," Malik said. Speaking about his tenure in J-K he said, "When I was the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, I opened the Raj Bhavan for everyone. All my advisors were tasked to hear people's complaints once a week. 95,000 complaints were received by my office, I resolved 93,000 of them before coming to Goa. People felt comfortable because of this, they felt it was their government. Thus, anger was low." "We gave 52-degree colleges in one year, eight medical colleges, 282 junior schools were converted into higher secondary schools," he added. (ANI) NASA and SpaceX are going ahead with preparations for the historic launch happening on May 27. After two days of intensive tests and retro checks on May 20 and 21, NASA is giving Elon Musk's SpaceX the signal to launch its first astronauts to space next week. Before the launch can happen, however, there is still a lot more work to do for the two space companies to complete, including another check on Monday, May 25. The good thing is that the officials have deemed that there were no significant issues that would prevent the flight from happening. Read More: Warning: New Banking Malware 'Anubis' Knows You're Looking at Your Phone's Screen; Hackers Breach New iOS NASA gives SpaceX the 'Go For Launch' on May 27 but needs more tests before 'Dragon' can fly Jim Bridenstine went in front of a press conference and said, "It was a good review, great discussion, I think everybody in the room was very clear that now's the time to speak up if there are any challenges, at the end we got to a 'go'" "So, we are now preparing for a launch in five short days," he added. Bridenstine was also bombarded by several questions regarding the nature of the mission and discussions from the reporters present at that time. Read More: Australian Researchers Have Developed the World's Fastest Internet Speed SpaceX is planning to launch its first crew to space on May 27. It will bring NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken all the way to the International Space Station currently in orbit around Earth. The flight will be the final test for SpaceX for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, in which NASA enlists privately-owned companies to create starships to transport astronauts to and from the ISS. SpaceX has been working hard on their starship, and after six years of development, testing, and trials, the company is now less than a week away from finally have their turn to bring people out into space inside their very rocket. The review before launch is extensive in order to check for technical issues. They need to check on things like the crew's parachutes (which have undergone several tests over the past few years), unexpected technical problems that may arise (i.e., SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule exploded from just a ground test), and the company's ability to suppress unexpected fires within the Dragon. Steve Jurczyk, NASA's associate administrator said, "there are no significant open issues, I am happy to report, It was a very, in the end, was a very, very clean review." While NASA has given SpaceX the green light, they plan on doing a "dry dress rehearsal" on Saturday, May 23, in Behnken and Hurley. They will suit up in SpaceX's custom spacesuits and prepare as if it's the actual launch. The review on Monday will also be the final check; if it fails, no launch will happen next week. Read More: PSA: FBI Can Open Your Browser Without Any Warrant, And It's Legal 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. By PTI BARCELONA: Several thousand followers of Spain's far-right Vox party gathered Saturday in their cars and on motorbikes in the center of Madrid and other Spanish cities to protest the Spanish government's handling of the nation's coronavirus crisis. The party accuses the government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of lying about the impact of the health crisis and for violating Spaniards' rights by confining people to their homes and closing business during the lockdown. Vox called for protesters to attend the protests in their vehicles and thus skirt the current prohibition on social gatherings in effect under the nation's two-month long state of emergency designed to reduce contagion risks. Vox called the protest the "Caravan for Spain and Liberty." "We will never forget what they have done," Vox leader Santiago Abascal said from the open-top bus leading the car caravan as it inched down a Madrid boulevard. "Do not doubt that we will make them face justice. They know it and fear our freedom. That is why they try to intimidate us." Most cars and motorbikes were decked with Spanish flags. There were also small groups of people who participated on foot, with some not respecting the two-meter social distancing rules. More protests were held in Barcelona, Sevilla and other provincial capitals. Spain's government says that the confinement measures have been necessary to save the nation's hospitals from collapse and thousands of more lives. Over 28,000 Spaniards have been confirmed to have died from COVID-19. The government says that all the information it makes public on deaths and infections from the virus are provided by the regions, some of which are governed by opposition parties. No region has accused the government of relaying incorrect data. Spain's left-wing coalition government declared a state of emergency on March 14. The lockdown applied under the state of emergency, which has limited the right to free movement and assembly, has successfully reined in the outbreak. Abascal and another leading Vox politician both fell ill with the virus after holding a massive party rally in early March. The party apologised for going ahead with the rally but blamed the government for not warning the nation of the danger. Abascal and his cohort have recovered. Vox, which is strongly anti-migrant and anti-women's rights, won its first seats in Spain's Parliament in April 2019. It then made huge gains in a repeat election in November and is the third largest party in the national Parliament. I'm here to ask for the government to resign. We are tired of being kept in prison, said 47-year-old bank employee Almudena Camara at the Madrid protest. Saturday's car protest follows a week of small protests in one of Madrid's wealthiest neighbourhoods and other cities that Vox has backed. With its hospitals now able to handle the smaller load of cases, Spain is slowly moving toward gradually reactivating its economy and recovering social activities. On Monday, Madrid and Barcelona, the two hardest hit areas, will be able to join the rest of the country in reopening 50 per cent of outdoor seating at bars and restaurants and gathering in groups of under 10 people. Sanchez's minority government of his Socialists and the left-wing United We Can party is under increasing pressure from opposition parties and some regional leaders to move forward with the rollback to reduce the already huge impact to the economy. Spanish government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero said Friday that the right to protest cannot be confused with a right to infect. This is a country where people can protest freely, but we would like them to transmit the truth about what is happening in this country, where the right to expression is protected, Montero said. Campus News Tanzania study abroad program sets pace for virtual engagement By GINA CARBONE And while transitioning to a virtual program means students wont be able to visit Tanzania, Huber stresses they will still enjoy the benefits of studying abroad with the new structure of the program. The study abroad program normally began with a week of classes on campus to help students lay a foundation for their two-week trip to Tanzania. The classes included an overview of Tanzanian culture, history, politics and geography, paired with individualized readings based on students interests. When students returned to UB after their two weeks abroad, they spent the remainder of the summer attending classes and working on their final projects and presentations. Huber has been visiting the Mara region of Tanzania with members of the UB and broader Buffalo communities since 2009, engaging with partners on topics related to womens empowerment and social innovation. The program, which will incorporate photos and videos of activities and destinations from past trips, will take place during the fall semester and is open to all students. Mara Huber, director of UBs Experiential Learning Network, has transitioned the summer Tanzania study abroad program she co-developed and leads to an online setting, where students will complete mentored projects with Tanzanian partners and earn digital badges. With UBs study abroad programs being cancelled for the summer and fall 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one administrator has designed an alternative way for students to reap the benefits of studying abroad while staying at home. Students talk with an official from the Children's Dignity Forum about the organization's mission to empower girls by educating families about the damaging effects of early marriage and female genital mutilation. The discussion took place during the 2017 Tanzania study abroad program. Photo: Douglas Levere Having an entire semester will allow us to linger on different locations and topics, bringing in speakers in person and remotely and allowing students to explore areas of interest, both collective and individual, she says. Rather than squeezing in presentations at the end, students will work on their projects throughout (the semester) as a core component of the course. As the program shifts to an online platform, Huber explains that the ability to use Zoom for meetings and recordings, along with the ELN Project Portal that supports projects and digital badges, enables her to add evolving projects with Tanzania partners, as well as create new ones based on students interests and partners requests. I imagine that this will result in students getting a lot out of the course the projects will be more involved as students will be working throughout the semester with ongoing collaboration and feedback from partners, she says. It is funny that our study abroad students often end the trip wishing they had more more engagement, more time to explore, more time together. In essence, this is what well be giving them. Mary Odrzywolski, director of UBs Study Abroad Programs, notes that Hubers course is the only UB faculty-led program thus far that is being adapted to a virtual setting. Hubers virtual program has attracted the attention of CNBC, as well as SUNY, which enlisted her input in creating the SUNY Global COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) Commons model. The six-week, six-credit Global COIL program will run from July 6 through Aug. 15 and offer international education experiences to students via online learning. The program aims to provide flexibility to students, faculty and institutions by designing core modules with focus areas presented in an integrated package of content videos, readings, activities and discussions, followed by projects monitored and supervised by faculty. Students begin the program in the central square of the model, the Commons, where they participate in a module on intercultural storytelling and communications to set the context for their projects. Following a common introduction, students can direct their storytelling through the medium of their choice. Students then move toward their selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in partnership with a community-based or non-governmental organization. As the program concludes, students complete small group projects with community-based and nonprofit organizations from around the world that are doing work in the area defined by students chosen SDG. These projects will be based on telling the story of the work or issues faced by the community or organization in relation to the SDG. The creation of the SUNY Global COIL Commons program, as well as the transition of the Tanzania program to a virtual platform, underscores Hubers belief that technology plays an important role in learning. Technology is a powerful tool and global partnerships become dynamic platforms, she says. I think universities are especially poised to innovate in this arena we have faculty expertise, we have global relationships, we have access to resources and technology platforms, and most of all we have students who are eager to get close and make a contribution, learning and growing as they pursue their own goals and dreams. Students interested in the Tanzania program can contact Huber. The flagbearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama has said his vision is to address the issues that affect Ghanaians if elected President of Ghana again. As part of his vision, Mr Mahama in a Facebook post says he would build a peaceful, secure and prosperous nation, and provide sustainable jobs through industrialisation for rapid development. The NDC as a party notes that it believes in Ghanas future. We have a vision to build a country that will be a Regional Powerhouse, providing economic and social opportunities for all Ghanaians. Ghana under John Dramani Mahama will be a stable, vibrant and safe democracy, the party stated on Mr Mahamas website. As social democrats, the NDC said it subscribes to a compassionate political philosophy that seeks to create opportunities for all to develop to their fullest potential. We believe that our pursuit of economic prosperity for all Ghanaians can best be achieved through appropriate regulation and strategic investments. The NDC is, therefore, committed to using the legal, fiscal and trade instruments at our disposal, in an inclusive effort, to safeguard the jobs of today and create sustainable jobs for the future. The NDC is currently in the process of putting together what it describes as Peoples Manifesto, which is a social contract between Ghanaians and their flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama. According to the party, creating a bright future for Ghana and Ghanaians means delivering on their social contract and seeing the vision come to life. Source: John Dramani Mahama/facebook 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 Cesc Fabregas has revealed how Arsene Wenger cut short his holiday and took a private yet to convince him to sign for Arsenal at the age of just 15. Fabregas, who was then captain of his youth side at Barcelona's famous La Masia academy, was approached by a scout from Arsenal and it quickly became clear the north London club were set on bringing him to England. There was an offer from Manchester United on the table and the plan was to make one visit to London and another north to Manchester the following month - but Arsenal did all in their power to charm him so he axed his second visit. Cesc Fabregas explained how Arsene Wenger (left) cut short his holiday to get him to sign Fabregas (left) was 15 at the time but he explained to Rio Ferdinand (right) how it played out Speaking to Rio Ferdinand on his new 'Locker Room' series on YouTube, it emerged the two could have been team-mates at Old Trafford without the intervention of Wenger. 'I was 15 and I was the captain of that team and I was well valued,' Fabregas said. 'On top of me there was (Andres) Iniesta and other players who had potential to make it. One day, a scout came from Arsenal to talk to my parents. And I always like to listen. 'Even now, five years ago, I always listen to what people have to say. Out of respect, too. We did that and the guy told me he had been to watch me 50 times and that I was made to play for Arsenal and the Premier League. Wenger (right) took a private jet from Paris to show Fabregas (left) around their training facility 'When I went to London it was June and everyone was on holiday. Arsene Wenger was in Paris for holiday but he flew in a private jet to meet me. David Dean came to London Colney to meet me. 'This shocked me in a way, like "wow, Arsene Wenger", I am 15-years-old, I am nobody and this guy is breaking up his holiday to meet me. This for me was like "wow". 'And then we are talking, he spoke to my mother, asked what I was like when I was little. He showed me the training ground and I just fell in love, I fell in love with the whole project, the whole thing.' Fabregas went on to make 212 Premier League appearances for the club but went on to admit that he was motivated to leave and make a return to Barcelona when he could not bring the success he demanded of himself to north London. When quizzed on why he eventually left Arsenal, Fabregas explained his overall frustrations The Spaniard felt success 'wasn't coming' and that rival teams had an edge in big moments During his time at the club, Fabregas won the FA Cup, the Community Shield and came runners-up in the Champions League. 'I always felt that I was competing, the team in general, competing against the world. (Manchester United), Chelsea, sometimes Liverpool and even though I speak to guys at Chelsea and the Spanish guys at Liverpool and they would say they used to hate playing against us (at Arsenal). 'You used to hate it but we always lost - particularly in important moments. I felt always so frustrated to see big teams winning and always having that edge. I was young, passionate, and gave everything for Arsenal. 'I was hungry and wanted to win, I was a competitor and I would have done anything to win with Arsenal. But I felt this wasn't coming.' : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said the state would be able to survive any other crisis after COVID-19 as it was in the forefront of developing innovative wasy to fight the pandemic. "Kerala is in the forefront of developing innovative ways to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and will be able to overcome any crisis which might come. Most of the cases currently being reported in Kerala have come from outside the state. We must not alienate them. This land belongs to them too," Vijayan said, speaking at the first edition of #AskTheCM organized by Twitter India. He was responding to queries on the return of Keralites from abroad, their employment issues, upcoming monsoon and climate change,chances of a natural disaster and preparedness of the state to deal with it, the agriculture sector, the prerequisites of the lockdown relaxations, among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week? local ATLANTA (AP) Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, had a testy exchange with a prominent black radio personality on Friday over Biden's support among black voters and his choosing of a running mate. Charlamagne Tha God pressed Biden on reports that he is considering Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is white, to be vice president and told him black voters saved your political life in the primaries" and have things they want from you. OPEN THREATS?: Open Carry Texas plans rally to teach county sheriff 'a lesson' Im not acknowledging anybody who is being considered, Biden said. But I guarantee you there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple. A Biden aide then sought to end the interview, prompting the host to say, You can't do that to black media. Biden responded, I do that to black media and white media and said his wife needed to use the television studio. He then added: If youve got a problem figuring out whether youre for me or for Trump, then you aint black. The host countered that conversations about Bidens running mate arent about President Donald Trump, whom many black voters view as racist. Take a look at my record, Biden said, citing his work as senator to extend the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The NAACP has endorsed me every time Ive run. Come on, take a look at my record. Biden has emphasized his relationship with black voters, noting throughout the campaign his dependence on black voters in his Delaware Senate races and his partnership as President Barack Obamas top lieutenant. Black voters helped resurrect Bidens campaign in this year's primaries with a second place finish in the Nevada caucuses and a resounding win in the South Carolina primary after hed started with embarrassing finishes in overwhelmingly white Iowa and New Hampshire. NO MASK, BIG PROBLEM: GOP lawmaker kicked out of legislative session after refusing to wear face mask Older black voters especially sided with Biden over a wide Democratic field that included several black candidates, including Kamala Harris. The California senator is believed to be a contender for the vice-presidential nomination. Other prominent black women mentioned include Georgia voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Florida Rep. Val Demings, Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge and Susan Rice, Obama's former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to Biden, said his parting comment in Friday's interview was made in jest." Lets be clear about what the VP was saying, Sanders tweeted. He was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trumps any day. Period. Trump's campaign seized on Bidens comments on Friday. He truly believes that he, a 77-year-old white man, should dictate how Black people should behave, said Katrina Pierson, a senior advisor to Trumps campaign. The president has a history of incendiary rhetoric related to race. When he launched his presidential campaign in 2015, Trump called many Mexican immigrants rapists. In 2017, he said there good people on both sides of the clash in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists and anti-racist demonstrators that left one counter-protester dead. Last year, during a private White House meeting on immigration, Trump wondered why the United States was admitting so many immigrants from shithole countries like African nations. He also blasted four Democratic congresswomen of color, saying they hate America and should go back to where they come from, even though all are U.S. citizens and three were born in the U.S. Under new nationwide 24-hour curfew, people in 81 cities are banned from leaving home from May 23 to 26. Turkey has imposed a four-day nationwide lockdown for the Eid al-Fitr holiday, in a move aimed at curbing the spread of the new coronavirus that has killed more than 4,200 people in the country. The curfew came into effect across Turkeys 81 provinces on midnight on Friday, a day before Eid, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Markets, grocery stores, greengrocers, and butchers will continue to operate from 10am to 5pm local time (07:00 14:00 GMT) on May 23, but they will be closed from May 24 to 26. Bakeries will remain open during the four-day lockdown, the countrys broadest yet. This years Eid celebrations will be markedly constrained, with people unable to attend large gatherings and feast together, or travel to visit family and friends. Worshippers will also not be able to attend mosques, where congregational prayers have been suspended since March 16, although some will gradually reopen next week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted at an easing of restrictions after Eid, but warned of tough measures if people failed to follow physical distancing rules. Turkey has not had a stringent countrywide lockdown since reporting its first positive case on March 11, resorting instead to weekend curfews in some provinces. Critics say previous partial movement-restriction orders were badly organised and ineffectual. Earlier this week, shopping centres, barbershops and hair salons were allowed to reopen across the country after a nearly two-month closure. The easing of restrictions came with stepped-up safety and hygiene measures in place. As of Friday, the country had reported a total of 154,500 coronavirus cases, including 116,111 recoveries, according to data gathered by Johns Hopkins University in the United States. Earlier this month, Turkeys lira briefly fell to a record low against the United States dollar as Ankara sought to mitigate the economic effect of the outbreak. WASHINGTON : Revealing a little too much, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany committed a gaffe by disclosing President Donald Trump's bank information while displaying a cheque donating his quarterly salary to the Department of Health and Human Services. As McEnany held the cheque to show it to the reporters on Friday, it not only had the USD 100,000 amount to be given to the HHS but also displayed the president's private bank account and routing numbers, The New York Times reported. The donation was as per the quarterly tradition of Trump to forgo his USD 400,000 salary and donate it. In the past, Trump has donated to the Small Business Administration initiative to help veteran entrepreneurs, to the Office of the Surgeon General to fight the opioid epidemic, and to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, among other places. According to the nbcnews.com, the donation to HHS is being made to develop new therapies for treating and preventing coronavirus. "Here is the cheque," McEnany said as she held the cheque, which appeared to be a real Capital One bearing not just the president's name and signature, but also his bank information. The address of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and other personal details, like accounting and routing numbers, were also visible on the cheque, the nbcnews.com report said. The New York Times report quoted an administration official as saying that mock checks were never used in the briefing. Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, said that Trump's salary went to help advance new therapies to treat this virus, "but leave it to the media to find a shameful reason not to simply report the facts, focusing instead on whether the cheque is real or not." However, there were concerns over the revelation of the president's bank details in the media. It's not a best practice to share that information publicly," Eva Velasquez, the president and chief executive of the Identity Theft Resource Center, was quoted as saying in the report. If you don't have protections in place, there are sophisticated schemes and ways someone could access those funds knowing the account and routing number and the individual person it belongs to," she said. 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 Egypts production of natural gas stands at an average of 7.2 billion cubic feet (bcf) per day, the cabinet said in a statement on Saturday. Production stood at 7 bcf last September, up from 6.8 bcf at the end of June 2019. Rapid growth in Egypts natural gas supplies over recent years turned it from a net importer to exporter in late 2018. In January, Egypt began importing gas from Israel as part of efforts to turn itself into a regional gas hub. Search Keywords: Short link: Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, center, and other officials attend a press conference in Hong Kong after returning from China's National People's Congress meeting in Beijing, Friday, May 22, 2020. AP Hong Kong's leader vowed Friday to "fully cooperate" with Beijing over a national security law for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory, after lawmakers introduced a draft proposal to the country's parliament. The plan for the law was unveiled during the opening session of China's annual National People's Congress and follows seven months of fierce protests in Hong Kong last year against Beijing's rule. The draft said the security law would "guard against, stop and punish any separatism, subversion of the national regime, terrorist group activities and such behaviours that seriously harm national security". Hong Kong's embattled leader Carrie Lam said in a statement that the local government will "complete the legislation as soon as possible to discharge its responsibility". Lam said she "firmly" believed the law was aimed at "effectively preventing and curbing actions that seriously endanger national security". Her statement added that the legislation would "punish 'Hong Kong independence' and violent political elements." China has betrayed Hong Kong, former HK governor says Pompeo: China measure a 'death knell' for Hong Kong autonomy Hong Kong shares tumble as Beijing moves to tighten its grip The leader said the mass pro-democracy protests that rocked the Asian financial hub had "seriously undermined relations between the Chinese central government and the Hong Kong government, harmed national security and sovereignty, and challenged central authorities." The draft proposal will be debated by China's top leaders, although in practice proposals at the rubber-stamp parliament are usually agreed in advance. Lam said the proposed law would not affect the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers or the independence of the judiciary. She also said it would not replace Article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution, which requires the local government to enact its own legislation on national security separate from Beijing. Beijing batted away international criticism over the plan, including from the United States. "China's... resolve to oppose any interference in Hong Kong affairs by any foreign power is unshakable," said foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian at a press briefing. The State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Beijing's top-level body overseeing the city, said the law would "build a firm institutional foundation for the stability and longevity of 'One Country, Two Systems'." "Upholding national security is the core of the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle," a spokesman for the office said, referring to the handover agreement that has given Hong Kong a limited form of autonomy since returning from British to Chinese rule in 1997. An unnamed spokesman for Beijing's Hong Kong Liaison Office said the law was "necessary to plug in loopholes in Hong Kong's national security legislation". Somrita Ghosh By Express News Service NEW DELHI: After the mismatch on Covid toll, the Delhi government finds itself in a spot of bother with the civic bodies coming up with more numbers which they claim are from crematoriums and burial grounds. As per the MCDs, there were 559 cremations and burials till May 17 ever since the pandemic broke out in the city. The Delhi government had asked for figures and we gave them figures of how many bodies have been cremated or buried, so there is no question of us (MCDs) hiding any fact or data. Also, there is no discrepancy over bodies as they are specifically mentioned by hospitals which one is suspected and which one tested positive. MCDs are simply maintaining the list, said North MCD Standing Committee chairperson Jai Prakash. The official Covid toll was 160 on May 17. There, however, seems to be confusion on the protocol being followed for cremation and burial in this period. While one MCD official said there is only one protocol for cremation or burial, another official stated that there are two protocols one for positive and suspect cases, and the other for deaths due to other causes. Dismissing the discrepancy claims, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said no Covid death was missed in the official count. The South MCD had sent a letter to the Delhi Health Secretary dated on May 17 on which details of cremation ground have been mentioned stating report of burial and cremation of persons, both Covid suspect and confirmed. Till May 16, the letter says there have been 177 cremations at Punjabi Bagh crematorium of which 162 are corona positive and 15 are suspected. At ITO Kabristan, there were 129 burials of which 61 are positive cases and 68 suspects. At Madanpur Khadar burial ground, one positive case was confirmed later. Overall, there have been 307 cremations of which 224 are confirmed Covid cases and 83 are suspect. On the same day, counts from cremation grounds under the North MCD were also sent to the Delhi govt which states that 252 cremations and burials have taken place out of which 202 are confirmed cases patients and 50 are suspected. At Nigam Bodh Ghat, there has been 241 cremation of which 191 are confirmed cases and 50 are suspected. At Muslim Burial Ground Mangol Puri, there are 10 cases of which all are positive ones. One confirmed case was buried at Christian cemetery. Some of the statewide senior living facilities hardest hit by Covid-19 saw slight or no increases in the number of deaths linked to the virus over the last week, data released Friday shows. Nursing homes in Connecticut have reported 7,875 confirmed cases of the virus, representing about 20 percent of the states 39,017 cases as of Wednesday, according to data from the state. Confirmed cases of the virus at assisted living facilities account for about 2.5 percent of the statewide total with 973 infections. Data provided May 14 had showed 6,947 confirmed cases of the virus in nursing homes and 872 in assisted living facilities. There were 1,927 deaths in nursing homes and 276 in assisted living facilities associated with the virus. Confirmed and probable virus-linked deaths among nursing home residents reached 2,190 as of Wednesday, the data shows. There have been 306 virus-related deaths among assisted living facilities residents. Together, the deaths represented roughly 70 percent of the 3,529 coronavirus-related fatalities reported statewide as of Wednesday. On Friday, the state said Covid-19 related deaths have reached 3,637. Look, the nursing homes have been an incredible tragedy, theres no doubt about it and thats across the country, Gov. Ned Lamont said Thursday when asked whether he felt hed done enough on the nursing homes during his daily briefing. Among the nursing homes with the most confirmed and probable deaths was Danburys Saint John Paul II Center, which reported 34 as of Wednesday, up from 32 last week. East Hartfords Riverside Health and Rehabilitation saw an additional three confirmed and probable deaths as of Wednesday, putting this weeks total at 57. Litchfield Woods in Torrington reported 32 confirmed and probable virus-linked deaths, an increase of one since last weeks data was released. In Waterbury, Abott Terrace Health Center in Waterbury saw an increase of two deaths since last week, putting the facilitys total at 43. Some of the facilities which had the most reported virus-associated deaths over the weeks showed no increase in deaths since last week including Sheltons Bishop-Wick Health and Rehabilitation, Stratfords Lord Chamberlain Nursing and Rehabilitation and Kimberly Hall North in Windsor. Those facilities remain at 31, 32 and 43 deaths, respectively. We were one of very the first to go out and test everybody, which were doing right now. My biggest regret is when we started doing that early testing, as youve heard me say it took us four or five days to get the results back, and by then it was too late, Lamont said Thursday. The new deaths and infections come as state officials allowed some businesses to reopen on Wednesday, with restrictions in place intended to prevent the disease from spreading. Restaurants were allowed to open up outdoor dining, and retailers were allowed to reopen so long as staff and patrons wore masks. Statewide, Fridays numbers showed another 55 fatalities linked to the coronavirus pandemic for a total of 3,637. There were 432 more state residents confirmed positive for the virus, for a total of 39,640. But hospitalization continue to fall, down another 76 since Thursday, putting the total number of hospitalized coronavirus patients in the state at 740 the lowest since March 31. The drop in hospitalizations has also meant four nursing facilities originally set up as recovery sites for patients recuperating from the disease have seen a lack of use. On Wednesday, after the parent company of the four recovery sites suggested one or two of them might close, the Department of Public Health released new guidelines allowing residents who test positive for the disease to be sent to one of the facilities. Asked about the recovery centers Thursday, Lamont said he believed that was because theres enough quarantine space in some of those nursing homes. Later that day, the agency released findings from 19 nursing home inspections spurred on by the pandemic. The inspections cited four facilities for how they separated sick and healthy residents, according to a press release from the governors office. At one home, The Suffield House in Suffield, a staff member continued to come to work despite testing positive for COVID-19, the inspection reports show. Other inspections released last week included instances where staff failed to change gloves when moving from an area reserved for COVID-19 patients to helping healthy residents. The findings were released as staff from the Department of Public Health and National Guard are working to test the residents of all 215 nursing homes in the state, an undertaking state officials have said they want to finish by the beginning of June. Ideally wed also be testing our nursing home staff, Josh Geballe, Lamonts chief operating officer, said Monday during the governors daily briefing. He said efforts to test nursing home staff were being delayed by union-related concerns, including questions about where the testing would take place and whether workers would be compensated for the time it takes to be tested. That plan is in line with new guidelines put out by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Monday, which recommend states hold off on allowing families to visit nursing home residents until they have the capacity to test both residents and staff on a weekly basis. On Wednesday, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted living published an estimate that showed testing every nursing home resident and staff member in the U.S. once would involve nearly 3 million tests and cost $440 million. In Connecticut, 54,706 tests would be needed at a cost of about $8.2 million, the estimate shows. Just before February's South Carolina primary, Amy Klobuchar landed a coveted chance to address African American leaders. When the black activist and journalist Roland Martin learned about it, he was outraged. Martin fired off a text to Al Sharpton, the longtime civil rights leader hosting the event: How could he offer such a valuable platform to Klobuchar, who he felt had ignored the black community and brushed off his interview requests? Sharpton let the senator from Minnesota speak, but when she was done he instructed her to talk to Martin, pointing him out from the stage. "Y'all need to talk to the black press," he told her as the audience looked on. The unusual public scolding underlined a chief weakness in Klobuchar's current drive to be Joe Biden's running mate: her strained relations with African Americans. The tensions, rooted in part in her record as a Minneapolis-area prosecutor, hurt her presidential aspirations and have come storming back into the spotlight now that she is increasingly seen as a top candidate to join the ticket. In response, Klobuchar is urgently courting the black community. In recent weeks she has aggressively reached out to African American groups, introduced a voting rights bill, joined an NAACP town hall, worked with black leaders and granted interviews to African American journalists. But some say it's too late to improve her standing after decades of friction. "In the next two weeks? I don't know what that would look like," said Rashad Robinson, executive director of the Color of Change, a racial justice nonprofit. As a county prosecutor, Klobuchar was too harsh toward nonwhite defendants, particularly African Americans, critics say, and as a U.S. senator she's done little to help the black community. In seriously considering Klobuchar, Biden's camp is making "a dangerous and reckless choice," said Aimee Allison, a leading activist for women of color. Biden has strong support from African American voters, but many of his allies in the black community warn him not to take it for granted. On Friday, Biden told an African American radio host during a discussion of black issues, "If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black." After a furor, the Biden campaign rejiggered a conference call with black business leaders, having the candidate personally call in to the meeting instead of just staff as planned. "Perhaps I was much too cavalier," Biden told them. "I know that the comments have come off like I was taking the African American vote for granted. But nothing could be further from the truth." The radio host - Lenard Larry McKelvey, who goes by Charlamagne Tha God on the show - told The Washington Post that Biden should definitely not pick Klobuchar, especially after Friday's remark. "I think that would be suicide for Joe Biden's campaign," he said. "If he did that, especially at this moment, after the comments that he made. . . . He would be a fool not to put a black woman as his running mate." Black voters are a cornerstone of the Democratic coalition, especially in the swing states expected to decide the November election. Biden has promised to select a female running mate, and some Democrats, including Sharpton, are urging him to make it a black woman - such as Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., or former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Because Biden is 77 and many Democrats believe he will not seek a second term, his running mate could have an early shot at becoming the next president. That has ratcheted up the excitement level among both black leaders and women's groups, who see an elusive goal suddenly within reach. Supporters of Klobuchar, 59, view her as a tested choice, a pragmatic centrist who could instantly step into the presidency. "She'd be a very hard-working, tireless running mate," said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, the first African American elected to his post. Ellison was a criminal defense attorney when Klobuchar was a prosecutor, and he said his experience with her was positive, adding, "Amy would be an excellent vice president." Virgie Rollins, who chairs the Democratic National Committee's Black Caucus, said she had not heard of many of the activists now criticizing Klobuchar. Rollins said many women from her home state of Michigan support the senator, who spoke last year at a conference of African American elected officials. "She was brilliant," Rollins said. Klobuchar declined to be interviewed for this story. Klobuchar's home state is about 7% black, and the roots of her tensions with the black community go back to her tenure as Hennepin County attorney from 1999 to 2006. As chief prosecutor for Minnesota's most populous county, Klobuchar declined to file charges in more than two dozen cases involving people killed in encounters with police. During the Democratic primary, she garnered few endorsements from elected black leaders and claimed just 1% of the black vote in South Carolina, according to exit polls. She left the race two days after her sixth-place finish there. Some black leaders had called for Klobuchar to drop out even earlier, when the Associated Press published a story exposing flaws in the prosecution of Myon Burrell, a black teenager who was convicted of killing an 11-year-old in 2002. On her last full day as a candidate, Klobuchar canceled a rally after dozens of protesters took the stage for more than an hour to protest her role. Sharpton said in an interview he is not "anti-Amy Klobuchar," but he cited concerns about her prosecutorial tenure, including the Burrell case. He said the issue could compound criticism of Biden's record on criminal justice. "It would be playing to a weakness of his, rather than a strength," Sharpton said. The day after ending her campaign, Klobuchar met with Burrell's family. Two days later, she sent a letter to the current county attorney calling for "an independent investigation and an independent review of the case." That drew praise from prominent black leaders such as NAACP President Derrick Johnson, but others were not fully satisfied. Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer who has met with Klobuchar, said it was a "good gesture," but it "should not have taken so much effort" to devote attention to revisiting the case. She expressed "serious concerns" about Klobuchar potentially joining the ticket. Her current outreach to black communities is still getting mixed reviews. Beyond collaborating with black leaders, Klobuchar has been using her Senate platform to embrace high-profile measures designed to help African Americans and other disadvantaged groups. She successfully pushed a rule requiring phone carriers to lower their rates for prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic. She worked with members of the Congressional Black Caucus to combat price gouging and expand broadband Internet access. She has also suggested expanding early voting and voting by mail, winning praise from black leaders including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who endorsed her proposal. In an interview, Jackson noted that he also supports a voting plan offered by Harris. Shortly before a contested Democratic primary in Illinois, Klobuchar endorsed Cook County state's attorney Kim Foxx, who is African American and had drawn accusations of not being tough enough on actor Jussie Smollett. Foxx won renomination. Still, some black leaders said they remain skeptical of Klobuchar's record after feeling overlooked by her for so long. "I think for her she understands that she has to shore up that support because African Americans are a considerable constituency," said Martin, the black journalist who said he was snubbed by Klobuchar during the primary contests. But he contended there would be a "visceral" reaction against her by black voters if she becomes Biden's running mate, and "I think it's going to make it real hard for her to be the VP choice." Asked Thursday on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" whether Klobuchar was on his short list, Biden would not say, offering only, "Amy's first-rate, don't get me wrong." The former vice president suggested his search process is ramping up. He has assembled a team to "go down a preliminary list of people, ask their interests, ask them general questions," he told Colbert. "That process is coming to an end now." Biden has said he is looking at about a dozen candidates, but has been reluctant to divulge specific names. Klobuchar was not the only Democratic presidential contender who lacked strong ties with the black community, but activists say that unlike some others - such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. - Klobuchar did little to remedy that during the primary. For some activists pushing Biden to choose a black woman for his running mate, Klobuchar is an even less welcome choice than other white prospects. "There's a growing movement among folks that are really directly demanding a black woman on the ticket or woman of color on the ticket," said Robinson, of Color of Change. "And then there are folks who would probably be comfortable with some other women - white women - who have had relationships and built relationships with the community." Robinson said Klobuchar has canceled multiple meetings that he's tried to set up with her and has not consulted with his group about her voting rights legislation. Klobuchar missed a deadline to provide the Black Women's Roundtable Public Policy Network with answers to a presidential candidate questionnaire, answering it only after she was publicly criticized, said Melanie Campbell, who runs the organization. "My experience was that when you were running for president, you didn't respond until we put pressure - or at least your campaign was pressured to respond," recalled Campbell. "As a candidate, there was not a strong engagement with our community, especially black women." Martin grew so frustrated during the primary that after consulting with other top black journalists, he launched a #wheresamy hashtag on social media to push her to engage with African American journalists. It didn't work, he said. But after Sharpton called her out publicly in late February at Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, Klobuchar and Martin quickly connected backstage that day, Sharpton and Martin recalled. Klobuchar appeared on Martin's show after Sharpton scolded her. But that did not totally erase his feeling of being neglected. "That's the thing that campaigns don't get," Martin said. "You think you didn't need us at the moment. Now you're trying to be the VP nominee. And it's like, 'Damn, I wish I had done that.'" - - - The Washington Post's Matt Viser contributed to this report. Congress released a documentary on Saturday, highlighting the plight of migrant workers stranded in various parts of the country amid the lockdown imposed to combat the coronavirus outbreak Congress released a documentary on Saturday, highlighting the plight of migrant workers stranded in various parts of the country amid the lockdown imposed to combat the coronavirus outbreak. In an almost 16-minute documentary, party leader Rahul Gandhi is seen interacting with migrant workers walking from Haryanas Ambala till their village near Jhansi. He also demanded the government gives Rs 7,500 to the 13 crore needy families through direct cash transfer immediately. Talking about the problems they have been facing, the migrant workers tell Rahul in the video that both police and the people threatened to beat them up if they stepped out of their houses in Haryana. The also lamented running out of food and money in the cities, adding that they would be happy to return home and live on a smaller income. They also alleged that they had not received any money from the Centre and that they were told to pay around Rs 3,000 for a train ticket from Haryana. Some of the labourers also said that they will not return to cities if the Modi government returns to power. Migrant workers have been walking for hundreds of kilometers and travelling in cramped tempos and trucks to their villages even as they run out of jobs in cities. Last week, Gandhi was seen interacting with labourers under the Sukhdev Vihar flyover in Delhi. In the documentary, Gandhi says that of all the people that coronavirus has impacted, it has affected the migrant labourers the most. He is also seen assuring the migrants of help to ensure their return to native places. At the end of the video, the workers can be seen thanking Gandhi for his help after reaching their homes. At the end of the documentary, Gandhi's voiceover is heard saying, "My migrant labourer brothers and sisters, you are the strength of this country. You take the entire burden of this country on your shoulders. The whole country wants justice for you. It is everyone''s responsibility to strengthen the power of this country. With inputs from PTI The Supreme Courts setting aside of the Andhra Pradesh governments preference scheme for Scheduled Tribes in schools in Scheduled Areas shows up a world view which believes that Adivasis need to be pushed into the mainstream and compelled to abandon their backward culture. However, this goes against the constitutional vision, as made clear in the Andhra Pradesh High Courts majority judgment in the same case, which articulates a more nuanced and sensitive position on the rights of Indias Adivasis. Cultural theorist D R Nagaraj, in the essay The Tiger and the Magical Flute: Notes on Minorities, questions the categories ethnic minority and religious minority (2012: 308). He argues that these two categories insufficiently reflect the complex reality of such communities, and offers the terms civilisational minorities and societal minorities instead. Civilisational minorities, in Nagarajs essay, are those who have been left out or crushed by modern development, placing Indias tribal peoples in this category. According to Nagaraj, the difference between tribals and non-tribals is civilisational, that they are effectively part of two civilisations: one (modernity) seeing the others self-sufficiency and self-contained cultural world as being a threat to its own existence. Nagarajs categories give us a useful framework in understanding the recent, controversial constitution bench judgment of the Supreme Court in Chebrolu Leela Prasad Rao v State of Andhra Pradesh (2020; C L Prasad Rao case). The Court has unanimously held the policy of 100% reservations of teaching jobs for Scheduled Tribes (ST) in schools in Fifth Schedule Areas of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana to be unconstitutional. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached West Bengal to conduct an aerial survey of the damage wreaked by cyclone Amphan that made landfall on last week. He was accompanied by chief minister Mamata Banerjee who also boarded the helicopter with the PM. Amid high cases of COVID-19, the devastating cyclone has left the state of West Bengal ravaged as many parts show damage worth crores to property. And between all this, there is politics. PM Modi was accompanied by Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar and the CM herself on an aerial survey of the vast swamp that many districts have turned into after the cyclone dumped copious rain on Wednesday and the accompanying winds flattened homes, uprooted massive trees and plunged the city into darkness. While images and videos of the aerial view from the PM's window on the aircraft show visuals of a ravaged and flooded Bengal, two photographs-- of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister sharing space have gone viral on social media. One of the photos, screenshot from a video of the time when Modi arrived at the Kolkata airport, show the PM deplaning his aircraft to meet the Bengal CM as well as officials, even as Banerjee appears busy with, documents in her hand. PM Narendra Modi received by West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on arrival at Kolkata Airport. The PM will be conducting an aerial survey of the areas affected by #CycloneAmphan. pic.twitter.com/efrNAog2Sd ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2020 The second photo features PM Modi facing the camera inside the aerial review aircraft while looking out of the window while CM Banerjee sat in the window seat opposite and looked out with her back to the lens. The image reminded many of the tense and protracted political rivalry between the two leaders, who have often sparred with war of words to slam each other's governance and policies over the past years. PM Modi also chaired a meeting with CM Banerjee, the governor and other-level officials in Bashirhat following which he announced an interim relief of Rs 1,000 crore for the state where 80 people have so far lost their lives in the carnage wrought by the cyclone. While the PM's announcements brought cheer to some quarters, it drew brickbats from others. "Won't show papers" The photos and videos from the airport during Modi's arrival in which Banerjee can be seen seemingly attending to a sheaf of papers in her hands even as the PM descends the steps outside his aircraft took social media by a storm. And of course, trolls and memesters could not miss the opportunity to crack some "kagaz nahin dikhaenge" (won't show papers) jokes at the expense of the Bengal CM. As the photos with Mamata holding papers went viral at a time when the state was dependent on the centre's help to rebuild itself, trolls could not help take potshots at the Banerjee's politics. Mamata Didi Kagaz sath leke ayi hai pic.twitter.com/4RTjxZgZWX thejadooguy (@thepoliticalup2) May 22, 2020 Aap Chronology Samjhiye CAA CAA Chii Chii NRC Chii Chii We will not show Papers Back to current time: See whatever paper you want : I have got all!! pic.twitter.com/NTasDUwVaf The Spirited Bong (@Soum17785045) May 22, 2020 Did Didi get her : NRC paper?? Not Required didi!! Kagaaz Nahi Dikhaenge Today she is roaming with papers pic.twitter.com/rJUDd841pN The Spirited Bong (@Soum17785045) May 22, 2020 The memes are a reference to Banerjee's criticism of the Citizenship Amendment Act (2019) that was passed by the Modi government in 2019, leading to country-wide protests from activists, students and minorities from across India. After being a fierce critic of CAA and leading rallies and slogans against it (remember CAA CAA chii chii?), and even wielding her paintbrush against the Act, Banerjee was accused by political observers as well as Opposition parties for attempting to distance herself from anti-CAA protests by not attending meetings and rallies held by Congress and Left leaders against the BJP. Despite protracted and severe criticism of the Act which was tagged anti-minority by critics, Bengal became the fourth Opposition-ruled states in India to implement the CAA on January 27. Other images of the scene were also shared with captions that compared Modi's firm steps forward as a mark of his readiness toward helping rebuild states ravaged by natural disasters such as Cyclone Amphan while state heads such as Banerjee remained buried in bureaucracy. Pm shri @narendramodi ji is a Great leader of the Nation. Really feel proud to have such a great personality like Modi Ji with us as P.M. Thanks for showing support towards West Bengal. Honestly dedicated for the welfare of the people. Look at the Cm Mamata Banarjee. pic.twitter.com/g53Wgq37id GHASI CHOUDHARY (@GhasiChoudhary) May 22, 2020 Some, however, defended the attacks on Banerjee as well as her handling of the coronavirus crisis. One supporter even called her the "best thing that happened to Bengal". Many intellectuals are tweeting this pic and clapping. If you ignore names, Modi and Mamata, you can see one person is in power to build relation and ask for more aid and another can promise more aid which will help the state. pic.twitter.com/99Kjmjxah3 Subir (@subirsay) May 23, 2020 They are mocking people of Bengal & mamata saying she should fall on feet of modi to get some chillers also saying she stood infront of a plane like a begger with a paper to demand from modi. Prakash (@Prakash33286763) May 23, 2020 priority of a 65 year old woman, looking at reports of affected areas, priority of other people/opposition, why mamata banerjee is best thing to happen for bengal!, her focus is on people affected, other people's focus are on narendra modi. picture says it all, no need to write pic.twitter.com/nfxbjBGWJs Rahul Roy (@JoyBangla1984) May 23, 2020 Left-wing vs Right-wing The second photo from the survey aircraft also went viral due to the symbolic composition of both Modi and Banerjee's appearance in the photo. While Banerjee sat with her back to the camera on the window-seat to the left, Modi sat on the window on the right-hand side, facing the camera. Netizens were quick to notice the pointed distance between the two leaders and their preferred sides. Some even put a COVID-19 spin on it and called the image a testament to "political social distancing". One user commented that you could feel the tension in the airplane cabin from Twitter itself. Mamata near the left wing, Modi near the right wing. Makes complete sense. #AmphanCyclone pic.twitter.com/ZzrtgBGPj0 Rahul Fernandes (@newspaperwallah) May 23, 2020 Political distancing at an arms length Snigdha Basu (@SnigdhaBee) May 23, 2020 You can feel the tension in the cabin even from a picture. Arvind Jha (@jalajboy) May 23, 2020 Love-hate affair? It wasn't just the two photos mentioned above that caused a sensation on social media by drawing symbolic parallels to the TMC-BJP dynamic as well as the political equation between Modi and Banerjee. An image of the PM following Banerjee as she led the way inside the campus of Bashirhat University also went viral with many of Didi's supporters claiming that the Modi needed to follow in Banerjee's footsteps in order to become a "true leader". Pm Modi following the foot steps of Mamata didi on how to become a true leader... pic.twitter.com/kKgJ4veWha Nirlajja Tai (@evili_sh_aafi) May 22, 2020 Others, however, contended with pointing out that the pictures of Modi and Banerjee perfectly symbolised the flip-flop between Banerjee's stand on the BJP's policies and the latter's changing opposition of Banerjee. After his visit, PM Modi addressed the media and put in a rare word of praise in favour of Banerjee. Promising to continue helping the state to get it back on its feet at the earliest, the Prime Minister also praised the work done Banerjee in dealing with the disaster while also handing the coronavirus pandemic. Although the PM and the Bengal CM have been political adversaries, the two have promised cooperation in these testing times. The Prime Minister said the Centre will stand should-to-shoulder with Bengal and Banerjee also said her government will work with the Centre for relief and rehabilitation. Dealing with Covid-19 requires social distancing whereas battling the Amphan Cyclone requires people to move to safer areas. Despite these contradictions, West Bengal under leadership of Mamata ji is fighting well. We are with them in these adverse times, the PM said. However, Banerjee later slammed the PM's economic package for Bengal, accusing him of not providing complete clarity on the funding. Even as their current interaction was brought forth due to the destruction caused by the cyclone, many on Twitter surmised that what Modi and Banerjee shared was indeed a love-hate relationship. Believe me or not but Modi ji secretly loves Mamata Banerjee... Ritik Rai (@saRAIcasmi) May 23, 2020 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) The Department of Science and Technology said Tuesday that it is seeking to establish a virology institute in preparation for another pandemic. We have to be prepared. Pandemics such as what we are experiencing now can occur again in the future, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Pena told CNN Philippines' New Day. De la Pena pointed out that the development of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics 'requires very good research on viruses.' It is very important to keep a virus gene bank, virus genome laboratory and virus reference laboratory, he said. However, 'we have no facility for that,' he added. De la Pena also said the research center could pave the way for studies on viruses that attack humans, animals and crops such as abaca, papaya, mango and banana. He bared plans to look into the possible benefits of local herbal medicine lagundi and tawa tawa to COVID-19 patients, but he said they need to be sent to a specialty laboratory abroad, so scientists could learn about them as much as possible before they are tested on humans. The DOST chief said on Friday that they want to establish the Virology Science and Technology Institute in New Clark City. Research studies on viral agents will focus on vector/reservoir transmission, viral ecology, clinical virology, pathogenesis, pathophysiology, and host immune response to these viral pathogens, De la Pena said in a statement. Through strategic partnerships with some of the worlds leading scientists, virology centers, and institutes, the institute hopes to do groundbreaking and pioneering virology researches that will advance the frontiers of virology in the country, added de la Pena. The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) currently specializes in planning and implementing research programs for infectious and tropical diseases. The Muntinlupa City-based research institute is also the primary COVID-19 testing facility. The Muntinlupa City-based research institute is also the primary COVID-19 testing facility. In 2000, RITM was designated as the national reference laboratory for dengue, influenza, enteroviruses, measles and other viral exanthems, polio, tuberculosis and other mycobacteria, bacterial enteric diseases, mycology, emerging diseases, malaria and other parasites. It is also a WHO-recognized National Influenza Center. Liberal National MP Warren Entsch said the $60 billion shortfall was an "opportunity" for new spending. Credit:AAP Labor leader Anthony Albanese called on Mr Morrison to take responsibility for the costings blunder and reveal what it would cost to include more workers in the scheme. "If they can't manage a program like JobKeeper to the tune of a mistake of $60 billion then there has got to be a great question mark over how they'll manage the economic recovery," he said. Mr Entsch said the $60 billion shortfall was not a "sin" but an "opportunity" because workers in tourism and hospitality would need more help after the scheme was meant to end in September. "It means we're not going to borrow as much money as we thought we were, and that's fantastic," Mr Entsch said. "But even if we don't spend the full amount, there will still be a requirement for us to support some businesses and to give them special consideration, and tourism is one of those. There's no question that they're going to require an extended period of time. This is an opportunity to do that." Other MPs had ideas about where the money could be spent but were not prepared to speak on the record. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has acknowledged the need to help some industries more than others because of the way the economic shutdowns have hurt travel and services. "There are going to be sectors of the economy that are going to come out more slowly than others. This is an issue that the government is thinking about," he told the National Press Club on May 5. Asked on Friday about what he would do with the $60 billion, Mr Frydenberg said "this is not an invitation to spend more money" but the government would ensure payments were made to those who needed them most. Officials have begun preparing for a Treasury review of the scheme that will report at the end of June and shape any decisions on adjusting or extending the payments. Mr Frydenberg has asked for figures on the number of people who are receiving more under JobKeeper than they were paid in their jobs, a key issue yet to be quantified. Any decision on continuing the scheme, or helping industries such as tourism, would depend on economic conditions over the next few months. Liberal premiers also weighed in, with South Australian leader Steven Marshall saying there was a "really compelling" case for JobKeeper payments to be extended for some sectors, as did his Tasmanian counterpart, Peter Gutwein. Federal Liberal MP Dave Sharma, from Sydney, said the $60 billion the government had not spent on JobKeeper was good news. "Don't borrow any more": former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "It shows the economy is in better shape than we thought and it means we have more fiscal firepower if we need it," he said. "Any further fiscal decisions will depend on the economic conditions - that's what matters." Liberal senator Andrew Bragg said Mr Frydenberg had "built the plane while he was flying it" to launch the JobKeeper scheme, while fellow Liberal Julian Leeser said the error showed Australia was doing better than expected in the crisis. Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce said the $60 billion would be borrowed money, not money which was set aside, and rubbished suggestions it should be spent. "It's like discovering that you've got a higher limit on your credit card so your solution is to go back to the shop and buy more junk," he said. "You owe enough money to the Chinese already, don't borrow any more." But the union movement said the payments should go to up to one million more casual workers, while the Australian Industry Group said more employers should be included in the scheme. The row has cast a cloud over the governments economic forecasts, with Labor saying the shortfall shows there will be less stimulus flowing into the economy while government MPs saying it shows fewer workers need subsidies. "It means that people have been making decisions based on the wrong information," said Labor shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers. Labor is seeking crossbench support in the Senate for a motion that would strike out part of the JobKeeker rules so the money could flow to universities and state-owned businesses like dnata, which employers thousands of former Qantas workers in airport services and catering. The Lucknow administration on Saturday announced that centrally air-conditioned shopping complexes in the city can function without operating the air conditioners, in view of the lockdown 4.0 guidelines to combat coronavirus pandemic. This will become effective from May 26, an official statement said. Lucknow District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash said shopping complexes in the containment and buffer zones, will continue to remain closed. Shopping complexes where shops are opening should ensure that only one-third shops are open, and that social distancing is strictly adhered to. Entry to persons above the age of 65 years, children below 10 years and pregnant women should not be allowed, the statement said. There should be thermal scanners and sanitisers at the entrance of every shopping complex. Staff of every shop which is open must wear gloves and masks, and details of every visitor should be noted down, it said. The Chief Medical Officer must be informed if COVID-19 symptoms are found in any visitor at the shopping complex. The shops in the shopping complexes will open on decided days from 7 am to 7 pm, the statement added. Regular sanitisation of shopping complexes should be done using mixture of 3 per cent bleaching powder and 1 per cent hypochlorite solution. Only four persons should be allowed in a lift (if any) in a shopping complex. A lift operator should be present, and the lift should be sanitised after every hour, it said. Shops in Aminabad, La Touche Road, Nazirabad, BN Road, Cantt Road, those located from Kaisarbagh crossing to Kaisarbagh Bus Stand crossing, Kaisarbagh Bus Stand crossing to Maulviganj crossing, Maulviganj to Rakabganj crossing, Hewett Road, Lalbagh, Jai Hind market, Nadan Mahal Road, Charak crossing to Medical crossing and then to Covention Centre, Nakkhas market, area around Ali Jaan mosque in Cantonment and bylane-5 Nishatganj-will remain closed, the statement added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sometimes trichotillomania can be triggered by a traumatic event, she said, and there was a clear interrelation in many cases between B.F.R.B.s and high levels of anxiety or depression. Just as often, however, people can be content and happy save for their compulsive habit. What is it like to have trichotillomania? The psychological and emotional toll wrought by hair pulling can be significant. While few sufferers report feeling physical pain from pulling, when repeated thousands of times it can result in everything from bleeding and skin infections to permanent hair loss and scars. Constantly hiding these consequences can also be exhausting. Middle school was a rough time for me, said Taylor OConnor, 21, a psychology major from near Kingston, N.Y. She started pulling at her eyelashes and eyebrows when she was seven, around the time her father was given a cancer diagnosis. When she moved to a larger middle school, she pulled out most of the hair on her head while lying awake at night. I had some good friends who stuck by me, but there was bullying too. Swimming classes were nightmares, said Ms. OConnor, who started wearing a wig daily from seventh grade. Although sometimes uncomfortable, a wig didnt just hide her thinning hair and allow her to feel more comfortable in social situations; it prevented her pulling too. Therapy, and transitioning to college where she was able to be more open about her disorder also helped. Despite urges being strong during the lockdown, with nightly pulling sessions that hovered around the 15-minute mark it is my coping mechanism, Ms. OConnor said her natural hair had recently started to grow back. In some places it now went past her shoulders, a milestone that filled her with pride. Its like chasing a high, said Ms. Beaumont, who estimates at her worst she pulls for four to five hours per day. As soon as I have played with what was the perfect hair, I need to start looking for the next one. Ms. OConnor added that she doesnt just pull out just any hair they have to feel coarse and out of place. Pleasure is partly found from the run-up to the pull itself. I always know when I find the right strand, she said. A Florida mother who told police that her 9-year-old son with autism was abducted from the parking lot of a Home Depot in Miami has now been charged in his murder. Patricia Ripley was taken into custody late Friday night and charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and premeditated murder in the death of her son, Alejandro Ripley. Alejandro, who was nonverbal, was found dead Friday morning, hours after authorities issued an Amber Alert and launched an intensive search for him. Alejandro Ripley. (Miami-Dade Police Department) "We are very sad to report that the child was found deceased," the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said. Police have obtained a video showing that Ripley pushed Alejandro into a canal around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said at a news conference on Saturday. Residents heard screaming, found the child and they rescued him. Rundle said about an hour later, Ripley went to a different canal and this time, unfortunately, there was no one there to save him. Image: Patricia Ripley (Miami Dade Corrections) The tragic loss of the life of a 9-year-old boy, and the loss of any young life, leaves all of us grieving," she said. "This boys senseless death will stay with all of us. Ripley had told Miami-Dade police that she and her son were followed and ambushed Thursday night in a Home Depot parking lot by two men in a vehicle who demanded drugs. "The driver of the unknown vehicle attempted to side-swipe her vehicle," police said in a statement. "The vehicle then blocked her in while a male passenger ambushed her, demanding drugs." Ripley said she told the men she didn't have any drugs and that they then stole her cellphone and abducted Alejandro. Rundle said surveillance video from the parking lot shows Ripley sat in her car for about 15 minutes before reporting the alleged abduction. A child's body was found about four miles from where the Alejandro was reported taken, the Miami-Dade police said. Russia-led armed groups in the area of Joint Forces Operation (JFO) have broken ceasefire near Verkhniotoretske, JFO reported on Facebook. As reported, the Ukrainian serviceman was injured following the sniper attack. He received a medical aid and was evacuated to the medical establishment. The JFO opened fire in response using available firearms. Losses of the opponent are specified. As the PA does not control its borders, Palestinians face obstacles in returning home during the coronavirus pandemic. Diya Hasheem, a 23-year-old Palestinian studying in Cyprus, says he feels lost. Since early March, when the new coronavirus escalated its rapid spread around the world and countries began repatriating their citizens, he has been seeking government help to return home in occupied East Jerusalem to no avail. Hasheem, who studies international trading, said he first contacted the Palestinian embassy for repatriation, but there was no action on their part. As a non-Israeli citizen, Hasheem holds a Jordanian passport, so he then contacted the Jordanian embassy but was told other cases took precedence. I feel lost, Hasheem told Al Jazeera. Im not the priority of any country and this is how it is when it comes to being a Jerusalemite, he said. Take Us Back Home Hasheem is not alone. Thousands of Palestinians have been stranded abroad, unable to return home during the pandemic, as no government authority has been able to help them. Like Hasheem, many of them are in difficult situations running low on money and unable to pay for food and accommodation. Some have been drawing attention to their troubling situation by posting their stories online and spreading information on Facebook pages such as Rajouna a Byoutna (Take Us Back Home), which has more than 3,500 followers. For Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, travelling through Jordan is the only way to get home but flights to the country have shut down for non-citizens. Similarly, Egypt has also closed off its borders to non-nationals, which prevents Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to enter the country and cross into the blockaded enclave through the Rafah border crossing. According to Ahmad al-Deek, the political adviser of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authoritys (PA) foreign ministry, there are about 6,000 Palestinians stuck abroad. Al-Deek told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that repatriating Palestinians back isnt easy since the PA, which administers the day-to-day Palestinian affairs in parts of the West Bank, does not control its borders and has to coordinate with Jordan and Egypt. We sent formal letters to Egypt and Jordan to evacuate Palestinians along with their people and we didnt get an answer yet from the neighboring countries to accept our people so they can pass through their lands, al-Deek said earlier this week. Maybe its because their priority is [to repatriate] their citizens. But theres been no answer yet. But on Friday, there were indications the long wait may soon be over for some Palestinians. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said in a statement Jordanian authorities had agreed to open the airport in the capital, Amman, for Palestinians stuck abroad and would announce procedures and dates soon. Let us pass Ahmad Tibi, a member of the Israeli Parliament with the Joint List, the Palestinian-majority electoral alliance, said that due to a lack of effort by the Israeli government, he has been coordinating with Israeli airlines and the foreign ministry and has so far succeeded in repatriating 4,600 Palestinians from inside Israel, including 150 Jerusalemites. According to international law, Israel [as the occupier] is responsible for all affairs of the Jerusalemites, [but] the Israeli government didnt make any initiative to evacuate anyone, Tibi told Al Jazeera. Here, we took the responsibility to coordinate for the return of our people. Aseel Bader, who is from Hebron in the West Bank and studies in the Italian city of Prato, contacted the Palestinian embassy at the beginning of April as her scholarship was about to end and has since been waiting to hear for more information. Our government is the only door out of this crisis and the only party who can fix this situation and return us back home, the 26-year-old said. We see the other students returning to their homes while our government says theres nothing they can do but wait for neighbouring countries to help us by letting us pass through their lands. Telling the stories of the North By Paramie Jayakody View(s): View(s): Storytelling has been an art handed down through centuries, from the start of humankind itself. The ways and mediums have changed as a growing testament to our civilisation. Now, most stories are digital, and the expansion and multitude is something were still learning. Now, with this digital space, anyone can tell their story, and that is what this team has done with their page Jaffnapedia. Jaffnapedia aims to tell the stories of all the facets of life in the northern district, and tell it through pictures. We spoke to Kuganathan Priyatharsan, co-founder of Jaffnapedia and a medical student. He and his friend, Bhavana S, founded JaffnaPedia while they were studying a course on Digital Storytelling at the American Corner in Jaffna. JaffnaPedia is basically a Digital storytelling medium that seeks to capture everyday lives of Jaffna people and places. Kuganathan told us. With it, we aim to break away the stereotypic views on Jaffna. They give great credit to the course they followed, which empowered the youth to be citizen journalists by optimizing the power of Photography, Social media and Digital tools. During this course, they were introduced to Everyday Projects, which used photography to challenge the stereotypical views on countries and places. Everyday Projects focuses on different places like Africa, the Middle east, Everyday Afghanistan, and even Sri Lanka. Inspired by the simple brilliance of it, Kuganathan and Bhavana started a documentary of life in their shoes. With this inspiration we thought of starting our Digital Storytelling journey. We wished to stand different from the name Every day, and on our quest for a name for our project, my brother (Kuganathan Kowsikanth) came up with the name JaffnaPedia. The word Pedia is derived from Greek word paideia. Which means Upbringing or Education. This reflected our vision. Kuganathan said. JaffnaPedia was launched on November 5, 2017 as an Instagram Handle. While they initially created their content out of photos taken by them and photos provided by our colleagues in the course, once the popularity grew and they received a wider audience, many enthusiastic photographers started contributing to their platform. At the same time JaffnaPedia also aims to provide recognition and wider audience to their photographers and contributors, be they amateur and established. Jaffnapedia continues to operate mainly through instagram (https://www.instagram.com/jaffnapedia/) but with time, after receiving considerable reach in Instagram, they extended their work to Facebook and created a Facebook page. However, it didnt start out that easy. Kuganathan remembers that during the initial stages of this project, it was a challenge to find good photographs and expand their reach to a wider audience. He gratefully remembers the support of their digital story telling colleagues and friends who helped them to obtain the images. Progress was slow, but as the audience grew, content started coming to them. Even then, they had one big challenge: Time. Both Kuganathan and Bhavana were studying parallel to this venture. But they continue to learn new ways to balance their interests and they are positive about overcoming this challenge. The feedback they received was overwhelmingly positive. People loved to see the different stories of Jaffna through Photographs. Every photographer brought a different perspective of Jaffna to light. It was most exciting for expatriates to see how Jaffna was evolving, and they said as much to these creators. The following was one such comment they received I thank you so much for this page with all its stories and pictures. Youre bringing me that much closer to my yet unknown and unvisited paternal hometown which has been in my heart forever. Great and lovely work! Please do continue and post everything you get!! The duo state that the positive and constructive comments give them a huge boost to continue their work. Theyre both very satisfied and happy, and they consider Jaffnapedia a big source of their happiness. While they dont have immediate plans of expansion, they are waiting for inspiration to strike in the right way, and encourage followers to keep an eye out for new things coming up. But for now, you can expect a collection of photographs of Jaffna on various aspects like culture , places , tradition, Jaffna street photographs, Jaffna lifestyle and so on, Kuganathan told us. And of course, you can find photographers also. Theyre always open to receiving content through the Instagram hashtag #jaffnapedia or by email to jaffnapedia@gmail.com, and they also scour the internet in search of photographs that reflect their vision, in order to approach them and request to feature them on their page with credits. For jaffnapedia, its not just about the photographs, but the photographers as well. Not all the photographs make it, they tell us. They have a strict policy of avoiding photographs and captions that criticise individuals, traditions and institutions and hurt others in any way. Their vision, to build a Jaffna that is open, accepting, and defying stereotypes, is slowly becoming a reality. Hyderabad: Telangana witnessed a spike in COVID-19 cases on Friday, with 62 fresh cases being reported taking the number of infections in the state to 1,761, besides three virus-related deaths. Areas under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), which has been the hotbed of COVID-19 infections in the state, contributed 42 out of the 62 new cases. While one case was reported from Ranga Reddy district, neighbouring Hyderabad, the remaining 19 were "migrants" who arrived in the state in recent days. As many as 118 "migrants" have tested positive in the state as on Friday, a COVID-19 bulletin said. The number of deaths due to the virus rose to 48 after the three reported on Friday. State Health Minister E Rajender, who held a meeting with officials on the risein cases, appealed to the people not to panic but to take personal protection measures, an official release said on Friday night. He asked the officials to ensure that medical personnel are available in all hospitals as per the full capacity, it said. The minister sought a report on number of personnel who are still required to be recruited. Rajender, who spoke to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, congratulated him on assuming charge as Chairman of WHO's Executive Board and discussed with him the rise of positive cases due to the migrants, the release said. Referring to international passengers being kept in isolation in hotels for 14 days after their arrival from foreign countries, Rajender observed that cancer patients, pregnant women and kidney patients among the international passengers are facing difficulties (in such quarantine). He requested the Union Minister to allow such patients to be quarantined at home if they test negative after seven days of stay at hotels, the release added. 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 After 10 Sundays with an empty church, Pastor Alex McCormick is more than ready to preach before a live crowd again. His congregation at Impact Church in Burlington has an elaborate social distancing plan ready to go. It spells out exactly how parishioners will get from the parking lot to their seats, with gloved attendants opening doors and carefully marked spots where masked family groups will sit more than six feet apart. The non-denominational churchs gatherings were typically small before the coronavirus pandemic -- just 60 or 70 people at each Sunday service. They would likely be smaller now. So, why cant Impact Church fully reopen, McCormick asked. We take the safety of our parishioners very seriously, said McCormick, a pastor for nearly 20 years. Why would you say people can go to Lowes, Home Depot and the liquor store, but not church? McCormick is among 67 New Jersey pastors who announced Friday that they plan to sue Gov. Phil Murphy and the state unless they are allowed to reopen without restrictions by Wednesday. The group sent a letter and a copy of the already-prepared lawsuit to Murphy. "We can debate whether Gov. Murphy should dictate business closures, but the First Amendment protection of religious liberty is not debatable. No one, including our governor, can dictate to churches and their congregants when and how they choose to worship, said attorney Demetrios Stratis, who is representing the group. The lawsuit threat follows a similar letter from 100 New Jersey pastors who signed a letter last week asking Murphy to move churches to Phase 1 of the states reopening plan. The states plan does not specifically mention when places of worship would be permitted to reopen for indoor services. We have done our best to temporarily adapt to extraordinary circumstances, but this must not continue, read the letter, which was organized by the Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey, an arm of the fundamentalist Christian organization Focus on the Family. On Friday, President Donald Trump joined in calls for places of worship to be deemed essential" and said governors should allow them to reopen for services over Memorial Day weekend. In America, we need more prayer, not less, Trump said. A spokeswoman for Murphy said Trumps comments will not change New Jerseys current executive orders forbidding large indoor gatherings. In New Jersey, churches and other places of worship were never officially ordered to close. But, indoor gatherings of more than 10 people were banned by a series of executive orders signed by Murphy in mid March. Since then, many churches, synagogues, mosques and other congregations have been holding virtual online services as they try to maintain contact with the faithful from a distance. Murphy recently loosened the rules to allow in-car services in parking lots and outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people. But, that still does not allow for the larger services many religious institutions hold weekly. Many religious organizations say they are financially suffering as weekly collections and donations dwindle. Some religious leaders and lawmakers have begun pushing back against the Murphy administrations plan to hold off on allowing places of worship to fully reopen for the foreseeable future. Restarting religious services is one of the things Murphy said he gets asked about morning, noon and night. We get asked about faith all the time, rightfully by the way, across all faiths, Murphy said at Wednesdays coronavirus press conference. But, there are no simple answers. Giving the green light to allowing mass gatherings, indoors, with close proximity is difficult at a time when the virus is still in the population and the possibility of a second wave of infections is possible. Its a challenge, indoors, with faith, Murphy said, offering no timetable for when he might reconsider. Murphys conservative approach has had the backing of many of the states religious leaders. In April, another group of 100 faith leaders sent Murphy a letter asking him not to hastily reopen. We stand with you during these tragic times, and we implore you not to rush to open our state. Please make the best possible decision to protect lives, ensure residents have vote-by-mail ballots, and New Jersey families are kept safe. If you do this, history will forever remember your leadership in the State of New Jersey," said the letter signed by leaders at the Islamic Society of Central Jersey, Princeton Theological Seminary, Congregation Beth El in Voorhees and dozens of other religious institutions. Health experts say loud talking and singing, a cornerstone of most religious services, can easily transmit coronavirus through the air, even if people dont have any physical contact. Public health officials have also expressed concerns about the distribution of communion, which usually requires people to be within arms length of each other at a minimum to hand out communion wafers. Places of worship have reopened in other states with mixed results. Some states have reported large crowds at churches, synagogues, mosques and temples as people celebrate their ability to gather again. Experts have worried religious services could be hotspots where the coronavirus has a chance to spread, causing new outbreaks in states where cases had been falling. In Georgia, Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle in Ringgold, re-closed this month because members of the congregation tested positive for coronavirus within two weeks of its reopening under social distancing guidelines, according to local news reports. In Texas, Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Houston suspended services after one priest died and five other religious leaders tested positive for coronavirus after the church reopened for services earlier this month. Churches are considered essential in Texas and were not required to close. There have been bitter legal fights in several states over whether the government can keep religious institutions from holding worship services. In California, thousands of churches say they will defy their governors order and begin offering services on May 31 as they continue a legal fight over whether the state can force them to stay closed. In New Jersey, some churches, synagogues, mosques and temples remain open for private prayer, but large indoor worship services are still forbidden. Funerals and weddings are also severely limited in size. Police have made arrests and issued summonses when they have found religious institutions breaking the rules. On May 13, the state announced gatherings of vehicles, including drive-in movies and parking lot religious services, would be permitted. We are called by Jesus to be in communion, so the in-car Mass was a way that was possible to be in communion with my parish, - Ken Arko of Nativity Parishhttps://t.co/98VImg9lpk Diocese of Trenton (@TrentonDiocese) May 20, 2020 That allowed places of worship to begin offering services where people remain in their cars. The Catholic Diocese of Trenton was among those that issued guidelines for parishes to begin offering parking lot Masses, starting last Monday. Attendees need to stay in their cars and windows can only be open if the vehicles are six feet apart, Trenton Bishop David M. OConnell said in a message to his parishes. Masses may be celebrated at an outdoor altar with communion distributed afterward at the parking lot exits. A minister should be positioned at both sides of the vehicle. All sacred vessels should be appropriately purified immediately after use, OConnell said. St. Mary of the Lakes Parish in Medford was among the first to offer an in-car Mass last Monday. The 65 cars in the parking lot beeped their horns during the part of the Mass where the Catholic congregation usually shakes hands as a sign of peace. Even with the gradual easing of restrictions, some faith leaders have questioned if the state government has the legal right to restrict worship services. This is an alarming case of extreme governmental overreach, said Christopher Ferrara, special counsel to the Thomas More Society, a non-profit conservative law firm that takes on religious liberty cases. The Thomas More Society filed a federal lawsuit earlier this month on behalf of a Catholic priest in North Caldwell and an Orthodox Jewish rabbi from Lakewood who said local police frightened their congregations by breaking up small religious gatherings citing Murphys executive order. Murphys order is a violation of the religious leaders Constitutional rights, the lawsuit argues. These religious leaders were persecuted. Their rights to the free exercise of religion, their freedom of speech, assembly and expressive association were trampled upon, Ferrara said. More lawsuits may follow. Officials at the Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey, the fundamentalist Christian group that organized the letter signed by the 67 pastors calling for churches to fully reopen, said they are prepared to fight for their right to worship. Many states across America, including most recently Massachusetts, acknowledge that houses of worship can safely practice their faith with more than 10 people present. The pastors continue to pray for the Governor as they keep all their options on the table, including legal, to defend their religious rights and to be treated equally under the Constitution," said Shawn Hyland, the groups advocacy director. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Send it here. W armer temperatures will return on Sunday after a wet and windy start to the bank holiday weekend for much of the UK. The Met Office said that Saturday would be a windy day across the UK, especially in Scotland, with the west being cloudier and seeing further spells of heavy rain. But forecasters say temperatures could reach highs of 26C in London on Monday, with coastal areas likely to see highs of around 20C. After a day of cooler temperatures on Saturday, the mercury is expected to climb on Sunday and Monday, with wall-to-wall sunshine in the west and sunny spells in the east. Many areas will still see scattered showers throughout the weekend, the Met Office said. People observe social distancing during warm weather in London / PA On Sunday, many northern and central areas will start the day with clouds, but light spells of rain will fade and skies will start to brighten. Southern England and Northern Ireland should see sunnier conditions and it will feel warmer and less windy, the Met Office said. Monday will be warm and mostly fine for southern areas, forecasters said. A family making the most of the sunshine in Bournemouth / Getty Images Rain in the far northwest will move southeast into central areas on Tuesday with brighter drier weather expected for the rest of the week. But Brits are being warned to stay away from beaches and continue to abide by social distancing measures as sunny weather returns. Councillor Carmen Appich, from Brighton & Hove City Council, has urged anyone thinking of travelling to the city to consider very carefully how their journey will impact on others. Hastings Borough Council meanwhile has said the area is closed to visitors from outside the town. Visitors at Durdle Door in Lulworth on Saturday / REUTERS Holidaymakers are similarly being told that the clear advice from the Isle of Wight Council is they should stay away. After pictures showed crowds at Southend in Essex earlier this week, the councils leader said the easing of lockdown restrictions has put the council in a very difficult position. Councillor Ian Gilbert said on Friday: For many weeks we ran a successful Dont Visit Southend campaign, but the Governments lifting of restrictions have put us in a very difficult position as day trips and sunbathing are allowed, and takeaways can be open for business. An advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers by the Delhi government stoked a controversy on Saturday after it referred the people of Sikkim as "subject" along with those from Bhutan and Nepal, prompting the BJP and the Congress to launch a scathing attack on the AAP dispensation. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal suspended a senior official responsible for the "error" in the advertisement. A senior officer of Directorate of Civil Defence (HQ) has been suspended with immediate effect for publishing an advertisement which disrespects the territorial integrity of India by making incorrect reference to Sikkim on the same lines as some neighbouring countries, he tweeted. Zero tolerance for such gross misconduct! Direction has also been given immediately to withdraw the offensive advertisement, he said in another tweet. The advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers published in newspapers on Saturday mentioned under eligibility criteria "Citizen of India or a subject of Sikkim or of Bhutan or of Nepal and a resident of Delhi". A senior staff officer of Civil Defence (Headquarter) has been suspended with immediate effect, a Delhi government functionary said. "The official in-charge for the advertisement without applying his mind copy pasted the eligibility criterion from the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968 (amended in 1971 and 1973) issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, for recruitment to the Civil Defence Corps," he said. Sikkim became an Indian state in 1975. A home ministry official later said, after Sikkim's merger with India, a gazette notification was issued on September 8, 1975, for application of the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968, in Sikkim. "In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 9 of the Civil Defence Act 1968, (27 of 1968), the central government hereby directs that the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968 shall extend to and come into force in the state of Sikkim with effect on and from the 1st day of October 1975," the home ministry notification signed by the then joint secretary C G Somiah said. Reacting to the controversy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Sikkim is an integral part of India. Such errors also cannot be tolerated. Advertisement has been withdrawn and action taken against the officer concerned." The Sikkim government also took exception to the advertisement. "This is immensely hurtful to the people of Sikkim who take pride in being the citizens of our great country ever since it became the 22nd state of Indian Union on May 16, 1975," Sikkim Chief Secretary S C Gupta said in a terse letter to his Delhi counterpart Vijay Kumar Dev. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said it was "regrettable, objectionable and harmful" to the federal structure of India. "I am deeply hurt by an advertisement published by the Government of Delhi terming the people of Sikkim as different citizen equated with Nepal and Bhutan," he said in a Facebook post. Meanwhile, the opposition tore into the AAP-led city government for calling Sikkim "an independent country". Delhi BJP president Manoj slammed the government for the "serious lapse". "The Delhi government advertisement shows Sikkim as a country. Can a state government be so ignorant that it shows a state of India as another country? Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should answer to the people for this serious lapse," he said. Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar also took a dig at the dispensation over the issue. "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is so busy in publicity that he does not know if Sikkim is a part of India. Let me remind him, Sikkim is a part of India," he tweeted. The ruling AAP, however, hit out at the opposition by accusing the BJP and Congress leaders of doing "petty politics", saying the advertisement followed MHA guidelines. "At this difficult time when the Delhi government is trying to work together with other governments, the BJP and Congress leaders are busy in petty The Delhi government advertisement clearly follows the MHA guidelines. AAP appeals to rise above the and work for the people," the party tweeted. BJP's Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri too demanded a reply from the chief minister regarding the advertisement. Bidhuri, in a letter to Kejriwal, said he was saddened to see the advertisement issued by the Delhi government in various newspapers in which Sikkim was presented as a "separate country" along with Nepal and Bhutan. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor demanded an apology from Kejriwal over the issue. "My father Shankar Kapoor, Joint Secretary MHA, on behalf of the Government of India had signed the document of Sikkim's merger into India," he said. "Arvind Kejriwal should apologise to the people of the country, especially of Sikkim, whom his government has hurt," Kapoor added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The "Ivy Mike" nuclear bomb test on November 1, 1952. CTBTO The Trump administration and top security officials considered whether to conduct the first US nuclear test explosion since 1992, according to the Washington Post. The discussion came up in a meeting on Friday, May 15, after Trump officials accused Russia and China of both performing low-yield nuclear tests allegations both countries have denied. The proposal sparked disagreement and did not conclude with any agreement. But a senior administration official was quoted as saying the topic is "very much an ongoing conversation." The US signed The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996 alongside the four other officially recognized nuclear weapons powers, but the Senate voted not to ratify the treaty. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The Trump administration considered whether to conduct the first US nuclear test explosion in 28 years in a recent meeting with top security officials, according to the Washington Post. The prospect of restarting testing reportedly came up in a meeting with officials from top national security agencies on Friday, May 15, after Russia and China were accused of performing low-yield nuclear tests allegations both countries have denied. An anonymous senior administration official told The Post that a US "rapid test" could offer leverage in arms negotiations with Russia and China, as the White House pushes for a trilateral arms control deal. It would be the first time in 28 years since the US conducted a nuclear test explosion. After intense debate among the security officials, the discussion ended without any agreement. However, a senior administration official quoted said the proposal is "very much an ongoing conversation." Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, told The Post: "It would be an invitation for other nuclear-armed countries to follow suit." "It would be the starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race. You would also disrupt the negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who may no longer feel compelled to honor his moratorium on nuclear testing," Kimbal added. Story continues The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty that prohibits all nuclear explosions was signed by the US and the four other officially recognized nuclear weapons powers in 1996. But the Senate voted not to ratify the treaty. Conducting a nuclear test explosion could terminate the treaty, and could reignite fears of a new arms race. Hans Kristensen, director of the nuclear information project at the Federation of American Scientists, said: "I've heard officials speculate the US might have to test if confidence in the stockpile eroded, but never that it could be used to coerce anyone into negotiations." "That's completely nuts. They must be getting desperate. Instead, what it certainly would do is push China and all the other nuclear-armed states to test as well. How can someone in their right mind think that would be in the security interest of the United States or its allies?" To date, the US is the only country in the world that ever used a nuclear weapon during wartime. Since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, at least eight countries have collectively conducted about 2,000 nuclear tests. Of these tests, more than 1,000 were carried out by the US, according to The Post. Read more: Read the original article on Business Insider After filing a lawsuit May 15 against several county officials hoping for property tax relief for residents facing economic hardships amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Conroe Mayor Toby Powell is asking Gov. Greg Abbott to summon the state Legislature for a special session to amend the tax code to authorize reappraisals or use 2019 valuations instead of the 2020 valuations. The suit, which names Montgomery County Chief Appraiser Tony Belinoski and Tax Assessor Collector Tammy McRae and filed just hours before the deadline to protest property taxes, asks the court to order the chief appraiser to either apply an across-the-board reduction to the value of all properties or reassess each property individually. Alternatively, Powell, who filed the suit in his personal capacity, asks the court to order the appraisal district to extend the deadline to file individual protests until June 30. Property values for tax purposes are normally set as of January 1 of the tax year, and the values Montgomery County taxpayers received in the mail around April 15 were based on what their property was worth on January 1, Powell said in a statement. They do not reflect what has happened to our economy in the five months since that date. According to Powells office Friday, the Texas tax code allows the governing body of a taxing unit in a governor-declared disaster area to authorize reappraisal of all property damaged in the disaster at its market value immediately after the disaster. Abbotts office was not immediately available to respond to Powells request Friday afternoon. In March, Montgomery County health officials confirmed the countys first case of the new coronavirus. That announcement was followed by several local and state orders that closed all non-essential businesses and advised residents to stay at home for more than a month. We have been advised that the COVID-19 pandemic may not constitute a disaster for the purposes of authorizing reappraisal, Powell said. McRae called the lawsuit groundless and frivolous. She added in March, she along with commissioners James Noack, Charlie Riley and state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, began researching the issue for potential options. According to McRae, on April 13, Attorney General Ken Paxton issued Opinion No. KP-0299 noting without legislative change, current law allows for reappraisals only if there is physical damage to property, not economic loss. What we are asking for in this lawsuit is for the appraisal district to reappraise all of the property in the county based on what has happened to our economy since that time, Powell stated. Unfortunately, many of the properties in the county show a large increase in value because demand for new homes and real estate was high toward the end of 2019. But that has dried up because thousands of our fellow citizens have lost their jobs or their businesses have been shut down. Powell said his decision to file the suit came following dozens of phone calls from business owners and residents begging for help because they are unable to pay their property taxes. cdominguez@hcnonline.com Virus passports and travel corridors could allow families to travel abroad this summer. A quarantine regime will be introduced on June 8 requiring arrivals to the UK to self-isolate for 14 days. But ministers hope to strike quarantine-free pacts or 'air bridges with summer destinations such as France, Spain and Greece by August and possibly July. They are also examining the idea of 'Covid passports' to let those who have had the disease travel more widely and without having to go into quarantine on their return. Home Secretary Priti Patel said she is 'absolutely open' to the idea of air bridges between nations sparking fresh hope for Britons wanting to travel abroad in the summer months. The new border regime will apply to almost all arrivals, including incoming Britons. Rule breakers face an initial fine of 1,000. Further non-compliance could result in unlimited fines. Limited quarantine exemptions will be allowed for truck drivers, seasonal fruit pickers and a small number of essential workers. The ban is understood to have been opposed by multiple cabinet ministers, including transport Secretary Grant Shapps and business secretary Alok Sharma. Virus passports and travel corridors could allow families to travel abroad this summer. Pictured: Passengers wearing PPE queue up to board a China-bound flight at Terminal 2 of Heathrow Airport today Passengers wearing personal protective equipment queued up to board a flight at Heathrow Airport today Ms Patel said: 'When it comes to air bridges, look, I think we should be absolutely open to all ideas.' 'This is not for today, but this doesn't mean we should rule this out in the future.' Ms Patel said quarantine was vital to prevent new cases of coronavirus being brought in from abroad. But the policy was criticised by the aviation and tourism sectors, the wider business community and even some Tory MPs. Plexiglass panels protect an umbrella and sunbeds as a preventive measure taken to curb the spread of coronavirus in Santorini Priti Patel today announced all travellers returning to the UK from abroad will face a mandatory 14 days in quarantine The strict new rules What is going to happen? All passengers arriving in the UK will have to fill in a form before heading to Britain. This will include British nationals coming home, as well as foreign visitors. You must provide the address at which you will be staying in the UK and self-isolate there. You will not be allowed to leave that address at all, or receive visitors, for 14 days. How will it work? Passengers will be able to complete 'contact locator form' on the Government's website up to 48 hours before departure. There will be no paper versions of the form. Failing to complete the form before travelling is a crime, but there will be a short grace period and allow travellers to fill in the form electronically in the arrivals hall. How will this be enforced? There will be spot checks to ensure all passengers have completed a form. Border Force staff will interview people as they leave planes and at border checkpoints. What happens if I refuse to fill in a contact locator form? You will be given an on-the-spot 100 fine by Border Force officers. When will this come into force? June 8. What checks will take place during the 14-day period? Public health officials will carry out random checks by telephone. If these raise doubts, police will visit the address, issuing a fine where necessary. What happens if I leave the address I provide in the form? In England, you will be issued with a 1,000 spot fine. You could even be prosecuted, and face an unlimited fine if convicted. The fine could increase beyond 1,000 if the 'risk of infection from abroad increases', the Home Office says. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will have their own enforcement systems. Will foreign visitors be treated differently? Yes. They could be removed from the UK 'as a last resort' if they fail to comply, the Home Office says. Officials could also refuse entry to non-UK nationals who are resident here. But they cannot refuse entry to British nationals. Can I use public transport to travel from the airport to my isolation address? Yes, but the Home Office says it would be preferable if you used your car. Why is all this necessary? The Government says it must be able to contact you if it emerges, for example, that someone on your flight is diagnosed with coronavirus. And if you get sick, the authorities will be able to warn everyone you came into contact with. What if I don't have a suitable address to go to for 14 days? The Government will provide isolation accommodation possibly at similar venues to those used by travellers coming back from China earlier this year. The traveller will have to pay for this. Advertisement Backbencher David Davis claimed quarantine should not be used to 'punish' countries who 'have handled the coronavirus better than us'. Labour MP Ben Bradshaw responded to Mr Davis's tweet by stating: 'Not often I agree with David Davis, but he's right to say there's a stronger case for quarantining arrivals at Kings Cross from Yorkshire than on arrivals from low infection countries like Greece, Malta and Portugal.' Different parts of the UK have a different R rate, which is used to indicate how fast the virus is spreading. R rates calculated by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine this week suggest the East Midlands has the fastest spread of infection, with a rate of between 0.8 and 1.2. On the other hand, London, which was the hardest hit part of the UK, has a current R rate of 0.5 to 0.8, the lowest in the country. The government previously confirmed it will not vary the lifting of lockdown by region. Tim Alderslade, of the industry group Airlines UK, said: 'All a blanket quarantine will do is shut down aviation and the travel industry. 'We need to be much more targeted and risk-based, opening up travel corridors with low-risk countries that more effectively achieves our public health objectives while enabling people to get away this summer.' Adam Marshall, of the British Chambers of Commerce, said blanket restrictions would 'damage international business and investor confidence at a time when it is vital to demonstrate that the UK can open for business safely'. Charlie Cornish, CEO of Stansted Airport in Essex said: 'A blanket quarantine will seriously jeopardise the long term future of the sector and put tens of thousands of jobs, and billions of pounds of economic value, at risk.' The rules, which will be reviewed every three weeks and do not apply to Ireland, came as: It emerged London could lead the way out of lockdown, with talks next week on letting cafes and restaurants open for outdoor service An exclusive Mail poll suggested employees do not want to go back into work because they fear the lockdown is being eased too quickly; Health officials suggested that the two-metre rule could be eased; A row broke out over the official advice from Government scientists about the reopening of schools; The country's top obesity and diabetes doctor said families were likely to have piled on weight in the lockdown; Official figures showed government borrowing hit 62billion last month almost as much as the figure for the whole of last year; Scientists hit out at the official response to the pandemic, suggesting the lockdown delay may have cost lives; Council bosses and police forces began taking drastic measures to keep holidaymakers away from beauty spots over the bank holiday; The leader of the NHS suggested it could fill thousands of vacancies by retraining staff from troubled industries such as airlines; The testing tsar said thousands of kits posted to homes have not been returned; Who is exempt from the government's mandatory Here is the list of people exempt from the 14-day self-isolation requirement. - A road haulage worker and road passenger transport worker - A transit passenger, an individual transiting to a country outside of the Common Travel Area, who remains airside and does not pass border control - An individual arriving to attend pre-arranged treatment, when receiving that treatment in the UK - A registered health or care professional travelling to the UK to provide essential healthcare, including where this is not related to coronavirus - A person who has travelled to the UK for the purpose of transporting, to a healthcare provider in the UK, material which consists of, or includes, human cells or blood which are to be used for the purpose of providing healthcare - Quality assurance inspectors for human medicines - Sponsors and essential persons needed for clinical trials or studies - Civil aviation inspectors engaged on inspection duties - Eurotunnel train drivers and crew, Eurotunnel Shuttle drivers, freight train drivers, crew and essential cross-border rail freight workers operating through the Channel Tunnel - A Euratom inspector - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works, related to water supplies and sewerage services - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works related to a generating system, an electricity interconnector, a district heat network, communal heating, automated ballast cleaning and track re-laying systems or network - A worker undertaking activities in offshore installations, upstream petroleum infrastructure, critical safety work on offshore installations and wells - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works - Drivers and crew of trains operated by Eurostar International Limited, essential cross-border workers working for Eurostar International Limited - Operational, rail maintenance, security and safety workers working on the Channel Tunnel system - A worker with specialist technical skills, where those specialist technical skills are required for essential or emergency works or services - Seamen and masters - A pilot, as defined in paragraph 22(1) of Schedule 3A to the Merchant Shipping Act - An inspector, and surveyor of ships - Crew, as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Air Navigation Order 2016(h), where such crew have travelled to the UK in the course of their work - Nuclear personnel who are essential to the safe and secure operations of a licensed nuclear site - Nuclear emergency responder - Agency inspector - An inspector from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a specialist aerospace engineer, or a specialist aerospace worker - A person engaged in operational, maintenance or safety activities of a downstream oil facility that has a capacity in excess of 20,000 tonnes - A postal worker involved in the transport of mail into and out of the UK - A person involved in essential maintenance and repair of data infrastructure - An information technology or telecommunications professional whose expertise is required to provide an essential or emergency response to threats and incidents relating to security - A person who is engaged in urgent or essential work on electronic communications networks - A person who is engaged in urgent or essential work for the BBC's broadcasting transmission network and services - A seasonal agricultural worker - Members of diplomatic missions and consular posts in the United Kingdom - Crown servants or government contractors returning to the United Kingdom who are either: required to undertake policing or essential government work in the United Kingdom within 14 days of their arrival, have been undertaking policing or essential government work outside of the United Kingdom but are required to return temporarily, after which they will depart to conduct policing or essential government work outside the United Kingdom - International prison escorts - a person designated by the relevant Minister under section 5(3) of the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984(a) - A person responsible for escorting a person sought for extradition pursuant to a warrant issued under Part 3 of the Extradition Act 2003 or sought for extradition pursuant to any other extradition arrangements - Defence personnel and contractors doing work necessary for the delivery of essential Defence activities, including Visiting Forces and NATO - An official required to work on essential border security duties - A person who resides in the UK and who pursues an activity as an employed or self-employed person in another country to which they usually go at least once a week Advertisement Whitehall sources claimed Mr Shapps had fought to keep alive the idea of air bridges and travel corridors, which were initially resisted by Miss Patel who last night said the advice was not to book holidays now. But Mr Shapps has already set up a working group to consider how travel corridors could be established in time for the summer break. Ministers are also examining whether those who have had coronavirus could be exempted from quarantine. Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed on Thursday that Britain has purchased 10million antibody tests that can tell whether an individual has had the virus. The vice-chairman of the 1922 committee Sir Charles Walker told The Times: 'We need to get the country up and running, back on its feet again, generating revenue and wealth that can support families and ultimately be taxed to fund our first-world public health services. 'A second-world economy does not fund first-world expectations. We seem to be rushing headlong into a depression.' Former environment secretary Theresa Villiers added: 'A blanket application is not justified.' A police source said enforcing the quarantine ban will not be a priority due to the expected rise in crime rate. A spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents said quarantine would 'have a hugely damaging impact on the UK inbound and outbound tourism industries'. A spokesman for Ryanair said the airline was 'strongly opposed to ineffective non-scientific measures'. The quarantine could also have an impact on imports. With people less willing to fly, the number of passenger planes could be reduced. As a lot of passenger planes carry cargo, this would reduce air-freight capacity. Chief executive of Make UK Stephen Phipson told The Guardian: 'Industry will be disappointed with this measure which is isolationist and will prevent many essential daily cross-border journeys to provide service and maintenance.' Programme director of the business lobbying group London First said the quarantine is 'an indiscriminate response to an increasingly nuanced situation'. Chief executive of UK Hospitality Kate Nicholls added: 'The imposition of a quarantine period will inevitably damage international visitor travel, and the longer it is in place, the more damage it will wreak.' Former Brexit secretary David Davis said it was 'very, very difficult to see how this is actually effective or cost-effective or balanced'. Ministers fearful of a Tory rebellion over the issue have drawn up the new regulations in a way that means they will not need to hold a vote in the House of Commons. Her announcement comes against the backdrop of a mounting backlash from airlines and the wider business community with the aviation industry warning the move 'makes no sense' and could harm the UK's economic recovery. Virgin Atlantic has warned the quarantine requirement will mean passenger services cannot resume until August at the earliest and it has urged the government to rely on screening measures instead. Some of the more specific details of the new system are not expected to be finalised until the House of Commons returns from its latest recess at the start of June. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps had previously raised the prospect of 'air bridges' being put in place at a later date in order to connect the UK to low-infection countries and allow Britons to head abroad on holiday. The confirmation of the plans comes after Australia became the first country to push for an exemption. Australian PM Scott Morrison is believed to be seeking for his country to be left out of the curbs after it almost wiped out the virus. Ms Patel's announcement came as Britain announced 351 more coronavirus deaths, taking the official number of victims to 36,393. Speaking at the daily Downing Street press conference, Ms Patel said: 'The answer as to why we are bringing these measures in now is simple. It is to protect that hard won progress and prevent a devastating resurgence in the second wave of the virus. 'We are following the science and introducing public health measures that are supported by SAGE. 'This will require international arrivals to self-isolate for 14 days, that is the incubation period of the virus, so that if people have become infected overseas we can limit the spread of the virus at home. 'As we are taking this action we are taking it at a time when it will be the most effective. 'Passenger arrivals have been down by 99 per cent compared to the previous year, now we are past the peak of this virus we must take steps to guard against imported cases, triggering a resurgence of this deadly disease.' Ms Patel said that as the domestic rate of transmission continues to fall and the number of people coming to the UK rises, 'imported cases could begin to pose a larger and increased threat'. 'This is of course a different story from when domestic transmission was at its peak and when overseas travel was at an all time low,' she added. The latest Downing Street statistics show the number of daily coronavirus deaths is continuing to fall The R number, showing the rate of transmission, remains the same at between 0.7 and 1.0 with an estimated 61,000 new infections in England every week Passengers wearing protective clothing are seen at Heathrow Airport, London, today The Home Secretary said the UK needed to protect the 'hard won progress' it has made in the fight against the deadly disease French fury at quarantine exemption snub France last night reacted with anger to Britain's decision to place all visitors in a mandatory 14-day quarantine saying it would now do the same to anyone arriving from the UK. Amid a major backlash at the measures from business and airline groups, a French interior ministry spokesman said: 'We take note of the British Government's decision and we regret it. 'France stands ready to put in place a reciprocity measure as soon as the system actually comes into force on the British side.' France initially thought it had an exemption from the tough measures starting from June 8, but Home Secretary Priti Patel confirmed that this was not the case. She said the UK needed to protect its 'hard-won progress' in the fight against Covid-19 and would not let a 'reckless minority' undermine it. Everyone coming into Britain will have to give an address and phone number to public health officials. There will be spot checks and anyone found to be breaking rules faces an initial fine of 1,000. Advertisement Ms Patel said she believed the 'vast majority' of people will 'continue to act responsibly' and comply with the latest lockdown rules. But she warned: 'We will not allow a small minority, a reckless minority to endanger us all so there will be penalties for those who break these mandatory measures.' The devolved nations will be able to set their own enforcement approaches. Ms Patel said the Government will be 'unafraid' to increase the value of the initial fine if people flout the rules. Critics responded to the announcement by demanding to know why ministers had not imposed such restrictions earlier on during the outbreak. The SNP's shadow home secretary Joanna Cherry QC said that 'as usual the UK is behind the curve' and other countries have had similar measures in place 'for months'. 'The UK is finally catching up only to find other countries are in the process of moving on,' she said. 'The result is that hundreds of thousands of people have already arrived in the UK without any public health measures in place at ports of entry, to the annoyance and bemusement of the British public. 'Priti Patel needs to fully explain the scientific advice underlying her inaction to date and the action she now intends to take.' The final details of the quarantine plans are expected to be finalised when the House of Commons returns following its latest recess at the start of June Cyprus will ban British tourists from entering the country when it reopens on June 9 Cyprus will reopen its airports to commercial flights but British tourists will be banned from entering the country. Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said that airports would reopen to commercial flights from June 9 after nearly three months of lockdown. The phased reopening will initially allow passengers to fly to the small EU state from about 20 countries. Britain and Russia are the island's two largest tourist markets but both are not on the initial lists amid concerns coronavirus has not been sufficiently contained in those countries. British tourists account for a third of all arrivals in Cyprus. A second phase of easing restrictions will begin on June 20, the minister said after a cabinet meeting that agreed the measures. During the first phase, visitors will need to have tested negative for coronavirus within 72 hours of arriving in Cyprus with a certificate to prove it. Cypriot residents can take the test upon arrival in Cyprus and will have to self-isolate until the result is known. Advertisement Under the plans, travellers arriving at all ports and airports will be ordered to go into self-isolation for a fortnight and to provide an address and contact details. They will not be allowed to accept visitors, unless they are providing essential support, and should not go out to buy food or other essentials 'where they can rely on others', the Home Office said. There is likely to be a small number of exemptions for truck drivers and some other critical roles while transit passengers who do not formally enter the UK will also be exempt. Public health officials are expected to conduct approximately 100 spot checks every day to ensure people are sticking to self-isolation. Those checks will start from the middle of June. People who arrive in the UK without accommodation arranged will have to pay for Government-arranged accommodation themselves. Despite Ms Patel insisting the policy will be reviewed every three weeks, Whitehall sources have played down hopes that the measures could be lifted before the summer holiday season. Virgin Atlantic warned the plan would keep planes grounded. 'The safety and security of our people and our customers is always our top priority and public health must come first,' a spokeswoman said. 'However, by introducing a mandatory 14-day self-isolation for every single traveller entering the UK, the Government's approach will prevent flights from resuming. Britons may still be able to holiday in Ireland without having to quarantine Britons may still be able to holiday in Ireland later this summer even though the UK has implemented a blanket quarantine on all arrivals. Ireland's Minister for Health Simon Harris said: 'I am eager to get ahead and it's up to me to make sure we align as closely as possible with the UK and Ireland in relation to common travel areas, there's work ongoing in that area. When asked if that meant that people in the UK could holiday in Ireland this summer and visa versa he said: 'At the moment yes'. Advertisement 'We are continually reviewing our flying programme and with these restrictions, there simply won't be sufficient demand to resume passenger services before August at the earliest.' The airline instead called on the Government to introduce a 'multi-layered approach' with targeted public health and screening measures to allow the safe restart of international travel. The chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, Karen Dee, had earlier told the Home Affairs Select Committee that drastic reductions in passenger numbers 'may simply lead to a prolonged shutdown of all aviation'. A spokesperson for the Association of Independent Tour Operators told The Daily Telegraph: 'As with so many Government 'initiatives', the 14-day quarantine rule comes across as a bit of a stab in the dark, quite possibly to be changed as quickly as it was introduced, as with the mooted air bridges. Airlines have urged the Government not to go ahead with the plans. They believe thermal imaging could be used instead to prevent the spread of the disease 'Makes more sense to quarantine Yorkshire arrivals in London': Row as Priti Patel says EVERYONE arriving in UK will have to self-isolate for 14 days from June 8 Britain's mandatory quarantine on all arrivals has been slammed with some critics saying it would make more sense to quarantine those travelling from the UK's worst-hit regions to low-risk ones. Home Secretary Priti Patel today confirmed all travellers returning to the UK will face a mandatory 14 day period in quarantine from June 8. She said the move will help the UK protect the 'hard won progress' it has made in the fight against coronavirus and that tough border controls would help to prevent a 'devastating resurgence'. But the briefing was met with criticism from within her own party with backbencher David Davis claiming quarantine should not be used to 'punish' countries who 'have handled the coronavirus better than us'. Labour MP Ben Bradshaw responded to Mr Davis's tweet by stating: Not often I agree with David Davis, but he's right to say there's a stronger case for quarantining arrivals at Kings Cross from Yorkshire than on arrivals from low infection countries like Greece, Malta and Portugal.' Yorkshire and the Humber has reported 13,685 coronavirus cases. This is significantly higher than in the South West of the country where 7,476 diagnoses have been reported. Different parts of the UK also have a different R rate, which is used to indicate how fast the virus is spreading. R rates calculated by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine suggest the East Midlands has the fastest spread of infection, with a rate of between 0.8 and 1.2. On the other hand, London, which was the hardest hit part of the UK, has a current R rate of 0.5 to 0.8, the lowest in the country. The government this week confirmed it will will not vary the lifting of lockdown by region. Advertisement 'In reality, quarantine should have been put in place right at the start of the pandemic, as our European neighbours did we are now out of synch with them, as they emerge from quarantine and we go into it.' Earlier this week, RyanAir CEO Michael O'Leary - who has previously been an outspoken critique of some measures proposed to limit the spread of the coronavirus - again called on Irish and UK governments to abandon quarantine restrictions. 'We call again on the Irish and UK governments to abandon their unexplainable, ineffective, and unimplementable quarantine restrictions,' he said. Piers Morgan lead calls for transparency about why coronavirus carriers were able to fly into the UK in the first place. He wrote: 'Of all the inexplicable decisions this Govt has made during the coronavirus crisis, quarantining people who fly into the UK after 20 million people have already flown in and 62,000 people have already died is the most... inexplicable.' Nigel Farage tweeted: 'The government quarantine should have been three months ago, not now. Far too late.' Ms Patel insisted the Government does 'recognise how hard these changes will be for our travel sector' and that ministers will work with the industry to find 'new ways to reopen international travel and tourism in a safe and responsible way'. A former head of Border Force said today he was 'surprised' quarantine measures had not been brought in at UK borders sooner. Tony Smith, now chairman of the International Border Management and Technologies Association, told the Commons Home Affairs Committee today: 'Yes I was surprised that we hadn't seen earlier measures introduced at the UK border.' Mr Shapps on Monday raised the idea of 'air bridges' with popular tourist destinations such as Spain. Madrid yesterday signalled it might be prepared to welcome UK tourists from July without asking them to self-isolate for 14 days. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: 'We need to find a way that the vast, vast, vast majority of people who don't have a disease can still fly.' Mass coronavirus testing was stopped in mid-March due to the 'sheer scale of cases in the UK', says top official By Sam Blitz For Mailonline Hyderabad, May 23 : Leading vaccine maker Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) is developing a vaccine for coronavirus in a cross-continental collaboration. It is leading the cross-continental research collaboration in association with the Griffith University of Australia to develop 'live attenuated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine or Covid-19 vaccine' using the latest codon de-optimization technology. K. Anand Kumar, Managing Director, IIL and Prasanna Deshpande, Deputy Managing Director, IIL called on Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and briefed him on the Covid-19 vaccine programme. The chief minister appreciated the efforts of Indian Immunologicals Limited. The IIL officials also handed over a financial contribution of Rs 1 crore to the CM Relief Fund to combat Covid-19 pandemic. IIL and its employees have already contributed Rs 2.33 crore to the PM Cares Fund. "Being part of essential services and manufacturing life-saving vaccines, IIL plays a significant role in serving the needs of the country. This spirit of our company leads us to help the society around us in meeting some of its needs at the testing times," said Anand Kumar. Headquartered in Hyderabad, IIL is the market leader in veterinary biologicals and the third largest animal health and human health player in India. Set up by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in 1982, it is one of the largest producers of Foot and Mouth disease vaccine in the world and was the first company in India to launch the Purified Vero cell Rabies Vaccine for humans (PVRV). Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Thousands of Mail on Sunday readers have been thanked by the veterans charity behind the Tommy in the Window campaign for helping to raise more than 1 million. The Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) asked the public to buy Tommy figurines and stickers and put them in windows on May 8 for the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. British soldiers in both world wars were known as Tommies. The Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) asked the public to buy Tommy figurines and stickers and put them in windows on May 8 The Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) asked the public to buy Tommy figurines and stickers and put them in windows on May 8 It was to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day as British soldiers in both world wars were known as Tommies Orders for window stickers and figures soared after The Mail On Sunday featured the Tommy silhouette After The Mail on Sunday featured the 10in Tommy silhouette, orders for the window stickers and clear plastic figures soared as people who were unable to join street parties and celebrations found a way to pay their respects. Steve Sherry, the RBLIs chief executive, said: We wanted to thank Mail on Sunday readers for their support in helping us reach this incredible fundraising milestone. The Tommy in the Window campaign is about celebrating our national heroes and coming together in this difficult time, and its heartwarming to see how the British people continue to think of and support our veterans, no matter the circumstance. So far, more than 40,000 commemorative Tommy products have been sold. The funds will be used to support the UKs most vulnerable and disadvantaged military veterans both at the RBLIs Centenary Village in Kent and with projects and programmes throughout the country. Mr Sherry said: In challenging times like these, we have an even greater responsibility to support those who supported us and our country. The Tommy figures and stickers are still available to buy from the rbli.co.uk website. The funds will be used to support the UKs most vulnerable and disadvantaged military veterans Two Naxals who were involved in deadly attacks on politicians and security forces and carried cash rewards on their heads were on Saturday killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said. The gun battle broke out at around 12:45 pm in forested hills near Mankapal village under Gadiras police station area when a joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) and District Force was out on a counter-insurgency operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI. The operation had been launched on inputs provided by the State Intelligence Branch (SIB), he said. The exchange of fire lasted for about half-an-hour following which the ultras fled into the dense forest taking cover of the rough terrain, he said. During search, police recovered bodies of two male ultras, he added. They were identified as Gundadhur alias Sodhi Kesa, an LGS (local guerrilla squad) commander of Malangir area committee of Maoists, and Aaytu who was a security guard of senior cadre Vinod (a divisional committee member), the IG said, adding that they were carrying rewards of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh on their heads, respectively. Gundadhur was allegedly involved in the 2013 Jhiram valley attack on a convoy of Congress leaders in Bastar district wherein 29 people, including senior party leaders, were killed, and the Tahakwada attack in Sukma in which 15 security personnel lost their lives in 2014, he said. Besides, the duo were also involved in the killing of BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi and four security personnel in Dantewada in April last year and the 2018 Nilawaya attack in which three policemen and a Doordarshan cameraman were killed in Dantewada, he said. Two .315 bore guns, one muzzle-loading gun, three gelatin rods, one country-made grenade, electronic detonators were also recovered from the spot, he said. Blood stains found at the spot indicated that a few naxals might have been injured in the gun-battle but their colleagues managed to drag them inside forests, the IG said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When I heard Joe Bidens Friday interview with African-American radio host Charlamagne Tha God, I found myself thinking of Gerald Ford. Not because Ford ever went on a nationally syndicated radio show and made a foolish, flippant comment about his appeal to black voters. Just because Biden and Ford, as presidential candidates, shared the same problem. Both Biden and Ford were amiable if uninspiring career politicians with a penchant for running into verbal land mines. (Bidens gaffes generally result from him getting too loosey-goosey with the language, while Ford managed to screw up even when he was trying hard to be dull and robotic.) During Fords tough fight with Ronald Reagan for the 1976 Republican presidential nomination, the presidents pollster, Bob Teeter, determined that whenever Ford made campaign appearances, his national poll numbers dropped. Just before the Republican National Convention, Fords chief campaign strategist, Stuart Spencer, walked into the Oval Office, armed with this disturbing data. Mr. President, Spencer told Ford, as a campaigner, youre no (expletive) good. Someone needs to dish out some of that tough love to Biden. Ford was effective over the years when it came to communicating with the constituents in his Michigan congressional district, just like Bidens Average Joe shtick worked well with the voters of Delaware during his 36 years in the U.S. Senate. But both Ford and Biden proved to be inept campaigners on the national stage. Biden spent much of his 18-minute interview with Charlamagne bragging about how much support hes generated from African-American voters, as if primary victories are enough to shut down any questions about his legislative record. He periodically threw out a Cmon, man or Give me a break for no reason, and to no one in particular, as if even the act of having to explain why black voters should back him in November was an absurd exercise. When Charlamagne ended the interview by asking for a return visit and saying he had more questions for the former vice president, Biden fired back, If you have a problem figuring out whether youre for me or (Donald) Trump, then you aint black. Biden said it with a smirk. As he would later acknowledge, in a kinda-sorta apology, he was just trying to be a wise guy. At the same time, Biden cant be so clueless, so oblivious to the political winds, that he doesnt realize that a regular theme among Republicans is that Democrats take black voters for granted. In fact, during the interview Charlamagne pointed out that rapper Sean Puffy Combs recently made that very point about Democrats. The radio host suggested that he shared Combs view. Any top-echelon politician should understand that the onus is on you to convince voters that you will earn their support, that you will work to be deserving of their votes. You dont tell voters that theres something wrong with them if they dont vote for you. You dont, as a 77-year-old white man, tell black Americans that theyre not being true to their racial identity if they dont back your candidacy. As Biden frequently acknowledges, it was the support of African-Americans that saved his primary campaign. He might think twice about insulting the most loyal members of his coalition. He might want to show some humility in the face of that support, rather than treating it as proof that all unconvinced black voters need to get on the train. In a broader sense, Bidens radio gaffe provided a reminder that he, like Ford, is more successful the less he opens his mouth. Bidens rising poll numbers in recent weeks as Trump has commanded the news cycles with his briefings on the COVID-19 outbreak suggest that the former vice president would be well advised to adopt the rope-a-dope strategy that Muhammad Ali employed against George Foreman in Zaire, Africa, in 1974. Like Ali, Biden should let his opponent punch himself out, while doing the campaign equivalent of laying on the ropes. Over the past two months, while Biden has kept a low profile, Trump has looked more and more defensive in the face of questions about a crumbling economy and his stumbling response to a global pandemic. A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday had Biden leading Trump nationally by 11 percentage points (50-39). A new Fox News poll shows Biden gaining 8 points on Trump in the span of a month, prompting Trump to complain that his favorite news channel is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on Nov. 3. Its starting to look like Trump cant beat Biden in November. Only Biden can do that. Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Gilbert, become a subscriber. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 A cannon sits along Seminary Ridge during Spring. NPS Photo May 20, 2020 Contact: Jason Martz, 571-358-0516 Gettysburg, PA Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Gettysburg National Military Park is increasing access and services. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis. Beginning May 22, 2020, Gettysburg National Military Park, in response to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvanias move to Phase Yellow for Adams County, will begin to allow Licensed Battlefield Guide operations, commercial operators, and special park uses. Licensed Battlefield Guides, permits, and special park uses are to comply with state reopening guidance and public health guidance which include limiting gatherings to less than 25 people and maintaining social distancing. Park Rangers will provide informal interpretation services through intermittent roves, or visits, to different areas of the battlefield. Portable toilets are available throughout the battlefield (see map below) at the following ten locations: 10 at McMillan Woods Campground 1 at Weikert Farm 6 at the Park Amphitheater 1 at Slyder Farm 2 at Big Round Top Parking area 2 at Wheatfield Road near Little Round Top 2 at the PA Monument 2 at the South End Comfort Station 2 at the West End Guide Station 1 at the National Cemetery Comfort Station. The Museum and Visitor Center, Eisenhower National Historic Site buildings, Wills House, public restrooms, observation towers, and the Pennsylvania Memorial observation level remain closed. Park grounds, roads, trails, and parking areas remain open to the public. Park gates will be opened and closed at their normal times. There is no public parking available at Eisenhower NHS. Formal, scheduled interpretive programs with Park Rangers will not be offered. Landscaping and preservation activities have resumed in accordance with public health guidance. The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site, our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance and will be regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners. While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders for Pennsylvania State Phase Yellow, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities. The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health. We have amazing virtual tours of Gettysburg NMP and Eisenhower NHS available on our web site for people who are still home schooling or not traveling at this time. Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website at https://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm and social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. www.nps.gov About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Participants pay a silent tribute to the martyrs and compatriots who fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic while attending the third session of the 13th National People's Congress in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday. WANG YUGUO/XINHUA China's first draft civil code, which is under review at the annual session of the top legislature, is essential to comprehensive advancement of the rule of law and will offer stronger protection of people's fundamental interests, national lawmakers said. A key political and legislative task raised by the central leadership, the draft, with 1,260 articles, has been submitted to the third session of the 13th National People's Congress. "Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, generations of Chinese people have yearned for a civil code that they could truly call their own," said Wang Chen, vice-chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, while explaining the draft to national lawmakers on Friday. He said the Communist Party of China and the government had begun work on formulating a civil code on four occasions. "Through years of hard work many achievements have been made in China's development of civil law, laying solid foundations for the formulation of a civil code," he said. "As we embark on a new journey to uphold and improve the Chinese socialist system and modernize China's national governance system and capacity for governance, compilation of the civil code is a move that will have great and far-reaching significance." The compilation of a civil code is also a necessity for improving the basic socialist economic system and promoting high-quality economic development, as well as for enhancing public well-being and protecting the fundamental interests of the people, he said. Wang said the civil code would be the first law of the People's Republic of China defined as a code. The full text of the draft consists of general provisions and six sections on property, contracts, personality rights, marriage and family, inheritance, and torts. Li Zongsheng, a lawmaker from Liaoning province, said the draft code will give stronger legal support to people's personal and property rights after its adoption. "It's the right time for our country to have such a civil code, as our legislative capacity is strong enough," said Li, also deputy head of the Liaoning Lawyers Association. "I believe having such a code will contribute to business resumption and prosperity, especially in the current critical moment of epidemic control and economy recovery." Xiao Shengfang, another NPC deputy and a lawyer from Guangdong province, said on Friday that the civil code responded to public concerns and offered answers to many important issues people are concerned about. For example, the draft code prohibits people from throwing objects from high-rise buildings. Other hot issues, including stronger protection of personal information and banning loan-sharking, have also been written into the draft. by Fady Noun The aim of Pope Francis' gesture was to push other benefactors to support Catholic schools. 80% of them risk not opening their doors for the next school year. There are two problems: an unsustainable increase in wages and the fall in state subsidies. The distribution of scholarships is managed by the nunciature in Lebanon. Beirut (AsiaNews) - The 400 scholarships (200 thousand dollars) that Pope Francis donated for children in Lebanon are a drop in the ocean, according to many leading figures in the academic world. They specify that this "tangible sign of proximity" will be distributed preferably to poor children, who attend "semi-state" primary schools, those subsidized by the State and managed by the Catholic Church. These are special schools that have not received any subsidies from the state in the past three years. In theory, these schools should receive an average annual grant of 800 thousand Lebanese pounds, about 50% of the cost of the child's schooling; the other half is insured by parents. On the national territory there are a total of 640 schools of this type; their students come from urban and rural areas of limited resources. It must be said that in continuity with the gift from the Holy See and behind this example, the apostolic nunciature in Lebanon offered another 100 scholarships from the Isabelle Tyan Fund for education, administered by the nunciature. Other benefactors have indicated their willingness to contribute to the Pope's initiative, confirming the knock-on effect that the pontiff hoped to give rise to with his gesture. State of urgency A state of urgency has been declared in academic circles, especially after the recent statement by the secretary general of Catholic schools, Fr. Boutros Azar. Days ago, he announced that most of the schools run by the Catholic congregations in Lebanon, that is, not less than 80% of them, are heading in an inevitable direction towards closure, due to the economic difficulties and state negligence. "Because of this - Fr. Azar - these schools will not open their doors in the next year (2020-2021) ". Deprived of state grants, faced with enormous financial burdens due to wage increases in the public sector - which are also applied by law to teachers in private schools - these schools are now suffocating. Rules have been established for the distribution of scholarships, for which the nunciature is responsible; there have also been contacts with religious congregations that run state-funded primary schools. A good source ensures that the criteria for the distribution of the scholarships are: 1) Each scholarship application must be addressed to the nunciature; 2) there is no discrimination on the religious or ethnic grounds; 3) the grants will be distributed equally to boys and girls. President Donald Trump pressed for a further reopening of the United States as job losses mount from coronavirus shutdowns, while China's premier warned of "immense" economic challenges even as the Asian giant emerges from the worst of the pandemic. Calls to kickstart the world's two largest economies came as large parts of Europe continued to resume normal life as the crisis there abates, with more shops opening and beaches welcoming tourists. But the lifting of restrictions in some places comes despite virus cases passing five million globally, with the disease continuing its march in Latin America and Russia. Trump, with an eye on his re-election prospects in November, made it clear he hoped more US state governors would move towards a loosening of anti-virus restrictions. "We did the right thing but we now want to get going... you'll break the country if you don't," he told African-American leaders in Michigan. Another 2.43 million Americans were put out of work last week, the Labor Department said Thursday, bringing the total of newly jobless to 38.6 million since lockdowns were put in place. The Republican incumbent also talked about reopening places of worship, something he had initially hoped would be done by Easter Sunday, saying it was important to the nation's healing. "People want to be in their churches," Trump said. "They're so important in terms of the psyche of our country." The president has adopted the theme of "Transitioning Back to Greatness" as states reopen at different speeds. Deaths are still mounting in the US, with the total surpassing 94,000, and Trump ordered flags at federal buildings be flown at half-staff for three days for the victims. - Return to normal - Across the Atlantic, much of Europe pressed on with work to get life rolling again, with Cyprus lifting curfews and allowing outdoor restaurants, barber shops and beaches to reopen. But the Mediterranean island's airports and hotels remain closed. "I want my work back and my life back," said Sakis Siakopoulos, a restaurant owner in the capital Nicosia. In Denmark, the exit from lockdown also picked up pace as museums and zoos began reopening and health officials said the spread of the virus was slowing. France, one of the countries hit hardest by the outbreak, saw its daily death toll dip to 83, providing a cause for optimism. A closely watched survey by IHS Markit indicated the eurozone economy has now "likely bottomed out", sparking hope that a recovery is to follow. - 'It doesn't stop' - But while many European countries have significantly curbed the contagion, Latin America is becoming a new hotspot with cases on the rise. Brazil -- now home to the third-highest number of cases in the world after the US and Russia -- has recorded more than 20,000 deaths and hit a record 24-hour toll of 1,188. Grave diggers at a cemetery outside Sao Paulo are scrambling to keep up. "We've been working 12-hour days, burying them one after the other. It doesn't stop," said one worker at Vila Formosa, wearing a white protective suit, mask and face shield. Peru, Mexico and Chile have also seen steady increases in infections. "It's like a horror film," Miguel Armas, a nurse at the Hipolito Unanue hospital in the Peruvian capital, told AFP. The death toll worldwide has now surpassed 330,000, according to an AFP tally based on official sources. - War of words - Recriminations over the pandemic have continued to fly between the United States and China -- where the outbreak first erupted last year -- with Trump blaming Beijing's "incompetence" for the extent of the global crisis. China has rejected that criticism, insisting it has been forthright with the world about the origins of the virus and its work to tackle its spread. "It is neither responsible nor moral to cover up one's own problems by blaming others," said Zhang Yesui, a spokesman for China's legislature. On Friday Chinese Premier Li Keqiang took the rare step of not setting an annual economic growth target for the country in light of the "great uncertainty" created by the pandemic. At the opening of the National People's Congress he only said Beijing will "give priority to stabilising employment and ensuring living standards". "At present, the epidemic has not yet come to an end, while the tasks we face in promoting development are immense," he said. Virus cases in the Asian giant are now down to a trickle, and Beijing insists its efforts to curb the spread have been a success, but questions remain about whether it underreported the numbers affected by the contagion. - Second surge - Governments around the world are testing ways to live long- term with the threat of the virus amid fears of a second wave of infections. Already a common sight in Spain, masks were officially made mandatory Thursday for anyone over the age of six in public places where social distancing is not possible. "The more tools we use, the better," said Miguel Domingo, a 49-year-old architect taking his two dogs for a walk in Madrid, which is emerging from one of the toughest lockdowns. burs-axn/hg Fellow Ghanaians, it was Victor Hugo, the French literary war fighter, the Romanticist to be exact, who said that, "it is not easy to keep silent when silence is a lie!" And in his immortal words, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr said, "there comes a time when silence is betrayal." Agreeably, these are not the best of times in our clime. The Ghanaian political climate looks very bleak, gloomy and hopeless due to political bickering and bigotry of alarming proportions. According to Winston Churchill, "a fanatic is the one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject. And that, "an appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile - hoping it will eat him last." There's no gainsay the government of Ghana is feeding a huge alligator, and probably it is its leadership it will eat at last. One of the moonlight tales I enjoyed listening to over and over again from my grandma growing up, was a story about a certain epic war between Fools and Blind men which I believe is playing out non-fictionally between the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party. Once upon a time, a group of Fools and Blind men decided to go to war to settle their endless discord. The venue was decided and the date and time agreed upon. On the D-day, the blind men happened to get to the location earlier waiting for their enemies to show up. Unfortunately, where they congregated was under a big mango tree that had very riped mangoes. Amid their anxiousness, wind blew and some ripe mango plugged and dropped on the leader. Without hesitation, he announced and commanded with ferocity: "our enemies have arrived, attack!" Then they got up and engaged one another, fighting to kill! Interestingly, when the Fools arrived in the battle scene little later and saw how ferocious the blind men were fighting among themselves, they thought it was only in a training session. So, the leader of the Fools yelled, "guys! we must retrieve! If this is their rehearsal session, I can't imagine what they can do to an enemy when the war starts." That was how the blind men won the war having killed one another because nobody could tell them to stop for they were fighting themselves due to a drop of a ripe mango on their leader. Fellow Ghanaians, the NPP government is in a war with itself because "a ripe mango" fell upon President Akufo Addo. Unfortunately, unlike the Fools, their "enemies" the NDC is not ready to retrieve. President Mahama is enthusiastic with unbroken resolve to wait and "finish" the survivors of Nana Akufo Addo's government's war against itself. The adamance of the Electoral Commission to compile a new register at all cost with a skewed and grossly lopsided depopulated voters, is nothing more than a Frankenstein monster created by the NPP. Unbelievably in this whole issue, is the lackadaisical attitude of Ghanaians especially traditional leaders and opinion leaders. The government has refused to listen to wise counsel from impartial intellectuals in the country. Yet, the real rulers of the people, traditional leaders, have been quiet over this dangerous path the Independent EC (may Allah forgive me for combining such two words together) is dragging this country on. Talking of the traditional rulers, I wonder the spell cast upon the National Peace Council today. Every man seems to be under the jackboot and manipulation of the influential political capos. Majority of the kings and chiefs have been silenced with gifts by politicians. Was it not shameful that the National House of Chiefs was divided along political lines regarding the rendering of MMDCEs partisan? Was it not equally disgraceful, that the Peace Council came out at a breakneck speed to condemn President Mahama's "boot-for-boot" comment but has since been missing in this gross logical mistake on the part of government in tandem with the EC to compile voters register with a miasma population data? You see, "tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that he or she looks forward to the trip!" Politics in Ghana has tactically blindfolded every independent-minded man and institutions in this country. The beginning of our wahala. In Dagbani we say, "lana piligu ka a yen-bang ni din ning poli". It is in the cradle one may tell the size of a scrotum is capable of developing into hernia or not." One thing President Akufo Addo overly spoke about in his speeches immediately after the 2016 presidential election, was his consistent acknowledgments of President Mahama's conduct to our democracy being a plus. In his acceptance speech after President Mahama called him to concede defeat, he spoke about his amazing conduct; During his inaugural speech, he reminded Ghanaians about president Mahama's conduct; In his first State of the Nation Address, he hammered on the character of the former President after the election. President Akufo Addo on many platforms saluted the conduct of former President Mahama after the election. Fellow Ghanaians, one may have thought the President was simply giving credit where it was due for the statesmanship and responsibility president Mahama provided after the election. But I think we were dead wrong! It is now that the reality is dawning upon us about president Akufo Addo's perpetual compliments heaped upon the former President. President Akufo Addo was simply hinting that, had it been him he would never have conceded defeat to become a one-term president! So, he was therefore taken aback at the meek and relaxed posture of President Mahama, because perhaps were he the one he would have continued to hold on to power by every possible or impossible means. The reality is now obvious for all to see. In fact, there's no fear of contradiction that it is the same reason the President has decided to go on with the compilation of the new voters register by hook, or by crook despite the implications looming! Because he has beheld defeat staring him in the face after a colossal failure of his government. According to the quintessential USA inventor, Thomas Alva Edison, "show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I would show you a failure." There has never been a government in the annals of Ghana's history that is not only intellectually thoroughly satisfied of themselves but brimming with pomposity of governmental muscle like the current NPP administration under President Akufo Addo and his gathering of angel ministers. For the record, I'm not against making our electoral process being made democratically credible. I am against a jaundiced attempt to rig election in the name of getting rid of a so-called bloated register with a fraud register. The question is, isn't the new voters register already bloated on arrival, if chunkiest of Ghanaians are going to be disenfranchised? Won't it amount to an exercise in futility if nothing is done to avoid the same circumstances that rendered the current voters register bloated with the yet to be compiled voters register? Nevertheless, the NPP could be shooting itself in the foot if they continue with the exercise for three reasons. One, if the number of cases of the novel corona virus continue to increase in the greater Accra and the Ashanti Regions, there's going to be possible curfew or another partial lockdown in those Regions with consideration of the compilation of the new register, no doubt, as one of the essentials. The government indeed would have the power to determine what is essential but the people can decide for themselves. Hence, there's likely going to be low turnout in the Ashanti Region in particular, which would be an electoral bloody nose for the NPP should they proceed with the exercise. Again, there's the expectation of NPP's votes to dwindle significantly in the Ashanti Region due to the internal political cannibalism which got the General Secretary Kwabena Agyei Agyapong and Company, indefinitely suspended. Followers of his and his colleagues who sympathised with the NPP, would embark on an electoral sit down strike on the election day. Also, the continuous sidelining and political ostracization of some prominent members of the party who labored laboriously to bring the NPP to power, has the tendency to bring about voter apathy in that "political IMF" of the NPP. And there's no two ways about that. There are dire and bitter electoral consequences to be learnt by the Akufo Addo government in this year's election in the Ashanti Region, their stronghold. Therefore, targeting the population of the Region to win by disenfranchising majority of voters in NDC's strongholds, can backfire big time! The last thing that would hunt down the NPP in this year's election, is their seemingly lost of confidence in God who undoubtedly gave them the power in 2016. President Akufo Addo and his party appear to have forgotten that it was not their strategies which brought them to the Flagstaff House! To the NPP, the battle is no longer the Lord's in 2020 because they have everything State under their watch. That defines their unfortunate Machiavellian politicking having adopted every foul means, including character assassination, intimidation of their political opponents, and gagging of the media through "terror" and peddling thousand and one falsehood to Ghanaians. The NPP is really committed to burning down a house in order to get rid of a salamander! Fellow Ghanaians, "the word which God has written on the borrow of every man is Hope." Let's keep hope alive, and pray for peace before, during, and after the elections. Let's pray to God to entrust Ghana in the hands of those leaders who would not squander our tax and bully us in addition. May Allah appoint for us leaders who are compassionate and passionate about our real welfare. May Allah snatch from or deny, the leadership of this country, those crooks who only do more in order to steal more through kickbacks! I leave you with the words of Victor Hugo again, when he said, "Civil War? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?" May Allah take care of every war-monger. Barka Da Sallah to all Ghanaians. Abdul Hakeem Iddrisu, The Young Prof. Contact: 0261669954 (Whats Up Only)/0557762967 Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 20:10:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JAKARTA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian authorities have arrested a Pakistani and a Yemeni in a drug bust in the province of Banten. At a press conference in Banten's city of Serang on Saturday, the National Police's criminal investigation department chief, Listyo Sigit Prabowo, said that the police arrested the suspects on Friday evening when the suspects were trying to move about 820 kg of methamphetamine to boxes. The contraband smuggled from Iran was hidden at a house in a residential area in Serang, Prabowo said, adding that the bandits pretended to be spice traders. He said the investigation into the case has been underway since last December. Prabowo said the police received information about groups of drug traffickers who were set to make some transactions on Friday. "Last night, the two targets were moving the methamphetamine to boxes they had prepared. The team raided them," Prabowo was quoted by Indonesian news website Detik.com as saying. The suspects may face death penalty in Indonesia if they are proven guilty. Enditem Pubs and clubs are seeking further tax breaks from the NSW government on millions of dollars of gaming revenue as they prepare to reopen poker machines next week, arguing it is vital to their recovery after months of pain. Pokies can be switched back on from June 1, but punters will have to adhere to social distancing measures, with machines likely to be separated or every second machine switched off. Gaming lounges can reopen from June 1. Meals are not required but operators will need to enforce physical distancing. Credit:Peter Braig The state government has already deferred poker machine taxes from previous quarters, which were were due in March and June, until September 1. It is now in discussions with ClubsNSW and the Australian Hotels Association about further leniency. AHA NSW director John Green said it would "take some time" before revenue returned to normal and any deferred tax bills "are likely to cause financial hardship in the months to come". He suggested the taxes could be waived entirely. WASHINGTON - The federal judge who refused a Justice Department request to immediately drop the prosecution of former Trump adviser Michael Flynn has hired a high-profile trial lawyer to argue his reasons for investigating whether dismissing the case is legally or ethically appropriate. In a rare step that adds to this criminal case's already unusual path, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan has retained Beth Wilkinson to represent him in defending his decision to a federal appeals court in Washington, according to a person familiar with the hire who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. The U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is now examining the judge's actions and the larger case against Flynn after lawyers for President Donald Trump's former national security adviser asked the court to force Sullivan to toss Flynn's guilty plea. Wilkinson, known for her top-notch legal skills and get-results style, is expected to file a notice with the court in the coming week about representing the judge. She declined to comment when reached Friday evening. Sullivan also declined to comment through his office. A federal judge doesn't typically hire private counsel to respond to an appeals court, and yet so much about Flynn's case has been a departure from the norm. A defendant doesn't normally plead guilty under oath and then try to withdraw that admission, as Flynn did. The Justice Department almost never drops a case once it has essentially won a conviction, a signed guilty plea, as Attorney General William Barr ordered earlier this month. About two weeks ago, Sullivan pushed off Barr's request and paused Flynn's case to invite outside groups and a retired federal judge to argue against the Justice Department's proposal. Sullivan also asked retired New York judge John Gleeson to examine whether Flynn may have committed perjury while pleading guilty to lying about his pre-inauguration contacts with Russia's ambassador. Flynn's lawyers then accused Sullivan of bias and asked the U.S. Court of Appeals to intervene. On Thursday, that higher court took the extraordinary step of ordering Sullivan to answer within 10 days. The court also invited the Justice Department to comment. In asking the District Circuit to intervene, Flynn's attorneys are arguing that prosecutors have exclusive authority to decide whether to drop a case and accusing Sullivan of judicial overreach. Sullivan's orders "reveal his plan to continue the case indefinitely, rubbing salt in General Flynn's open wound from the Government's misconduct and threatening him with criminal contempt," Flynn lawyer Sidney Powell wrote. Conservative legal analysts and commentators have weighed in on the controversy, saying the Justice Department should be allowed to undo Flynn's conviction without judicial interference. Wilkinson, a go-to advocate for prominent officials snared in major Washington investigations and high-stakes legal battles, now joins the fray. Wilkinson represented Brett Kavanaugh when he was a Supreme Court Justice nominee and battling accusations he had sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford when they were both teens. Her firm also represented the lawyer and longtime confidant of Hillary Clinton amid an investigation into whether Clinton, then secretary of state, had mishandled classified information while trying to avoid using government emails. But the Flynn case has expanded far beyond a simple charge of false statements to federal investigators, into one used as a rallying cry for Trump to accuse a covert "deep state" of seeking to entrap him and his campaign advisers. Legal scholars argue the demand that Sullivan drop the case at this point has dramatic implications for judicial independence and the constitution's separation of powers. Flynn admitted his conduct under oath three times before two federal judges, including Sullivan, before reversing course. "This case does not involve a decision by the Executive Branch simply to 'drop' a prosecution," but a "virtually unprecedented decision" to dismiss a case after it has been won, wrote a bipartisan group of about 20 constitutional experts, led by Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe, in a brief the group requested to file Friday. The twists and turns of Flynn's prosecution have in many ways become a reflection of the long-running war that Trump and his allies have waged against special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Mueller's team of investigators inherited Flynn's case and obtained his sworn admission that he had lied to the FBI about his conversations with a Russian ambassador while serving then-President-elect Trump. Trump and his supporters, and Flynn's defenders, later argued Flynn had been set up by the FBI. But during a dramatic hearing in 2018, Flynn repeatedly assured Sullivan that the FBI did not trick him, that he was responsible for his lies about the calls and he was pleading guilty willingly. However, Flynn later fired his lawyers and argued he was a victim of FBI overreach. This year, after Mueller completed his investigation and disbanded his team, Barr sought to scrap the case, arguing the agents who questioned Flynn about his contacts with the ambassador didn't have a legitimate investigative or counterintelligence basis to do so, so any lies Flynn told were neither important nor criminal. The former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has expressed sadness over the passing on of the retired Supreme Court judge, Adolphus Karibi-Whyte. The renowned jurist who was the chairman of the 1994/95 Nigerian Constitutional Conference, died Friday night at the age of 88 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The former president described him as an eminent jurist and bright scholar who contributed so much to the progress of Nigerias jurisprudence. In a condolence message to the Karibi-Whyte family and the government and people of Rivers State, Mr Jonathan said: Justice Karibi-Whyte stood out as an accomplished scholar and consummate jurist who commanded a vast and nuanced knowledge and understanding of the principles of law. He stood unmistakably on the side of equity and fairness and he will be remembered for his landmark pronouncements on the bench and their implications for the growth of our justice system. He was also a distinguished and prolific academic whose broad-based works will continue to illuminate the path of scholarship across generations. On behalf of my family, I pray for God to comfort members of his family and grant his soul eternal repose, he said. Clothing and home furnishings retailer JCPenney announces bankruptcy after decades of losses Along with the collapse of the retailer, garment and textile companies in Vietnam like Pi Vina Danang Co., Ltd., Vitex Vina Co., Ltd., Habac Export Garment Co., Ltd., and Binh Minh Garment Co., Ltd., will probably be affected. According to a representative of Vina Danang, all export orders for JCPenney have been halted and they are waiting for a new announcement from Korean leaders. The closure of retailers is not the only news devastating the textile and garment sector. Since the COVID-19 crisis began at the end of 2019, its impact has been felt across the global fashion, textile and garment supply chain, and is becoming a nightmare for both workers and owners. A series of brands and customers around the globe are cancelling orders, putting the livelihood of millions of workers and factory owners at risk. This is becoming more frequent as countries take more extreme measures to close borders, limit public movement, and enforce quarantines, adding to the weak demand from the global epidemic. JCPenney, the iconic department store chain which owns over 846 brick-and-mortar locations across the US, has reached the age of 118 with more than 90,000 workers before declaring bankruptcy. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in May after prolonged decline over the past 20 years, joining some of the largest retailers to fall during the COVID-19 pandemic. JCPenney is the fourth US retailer to file for bankruptcy just this month. On May 4, clothing retailer J.Crew filed for bankruptcy, followed by a filing from Neiman Marcus and Stage Stores. COVID-19 pandemic does not constitute a major reason for the filling, but the point is more consumers are shopping online. Moreover, the growth of big box discounters such as Walmart, Target, and Costco, which provide lower prices and a selection of items not found in department stores, such as groceries, overshadow the sector. In addition, JCPenney has been hit by a decade of bold reform decisions under CEO Ron Johnson. Those mistakes led to executive instability, massive losses, and mounting debt. Since the profitable year of 2010, the company have reached total net losses of $4.5 billion. It has projected that sales at its stores will be down 60-70 per cent during the current fiscal year compared to last year. Since the start of 2011, JCPenney has closed more than 20 per cent of its stores while cutting more than 40 per cent of its staff. "Until this pandemic struck, we had made significant progress rebuilding our company," CEO Jill Soltau said on Friday night when the company announced the bankruptcy. "Implementing this financial restructuring plan through a court-supervised process is the best path to ensure that JCPenney will build on its over 100-year history to serve our customers for decades to come," Soltau said. WASHINGTON - In the final days before the United States faced a full-blown epidemic, President Donald Trump made a last-ditch attempt to prevent people infected with the coronavirus from reaching the country. "To keep new cases from entering our shores," Trump said in an Oval Office address on March 11, "we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days." Across the Atlantic, Jack Siebert, an American college student spending a semester in Spain, was battling raging headaches, shortness of breath and fevers that touched 104 degrees. Concerned about his condition for travel but alarmed by the president's announcement, his parents scrambled to book a flight home for their son - an impulse shared by thousands of Americans who rushed to get flights out of Europe. Siebert arrived at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago three days later as the new U.S. restrictions - including mandatory medical screenings - went into effect. He encountered crowds of people packed in tight corridors, stood in lines in which he snaked past other travelers for nearly five hours and tried to direct any cough or sneeze into his sleeve. When he finally reached the coronavirus checkpoint near baggage pickup, Siebert reported his prior symptoms and described his exposure in Spain. But the screeners waved him through with a cursory temperature check. He was given instructions to self-isolate that struck him as absurd given the conditions he had just encountered at the airport. "I can guarantee you that people were infected" in that trans-Atlantic gantlet, said Siebert, who tested positive for the virus two days later in Chicago. "It was people passing through a pinhole." The sequence was repeated at airports across the country that weekend. Harrowing scenes of interminable lines and unmasked faces crammed in confined spaces spread across social media. The images showed how a policy intended to block the pathogen's entry into the United States instead delivered one final viral infusion. As those exposed travelers fanned out into U.S. cities and suburbs, they became part of an influx from Europe that went unchecked for weeks and helped to seal the country's coronavirus fate. Epidemiologists contend the U.S. outbreak was driven overwhelmingly by viral strains from Europe rather than China. More than 1.8 million travelers entered the United States from Europe in February alone as that continent became the center of the pandemic. Infections reached critical mass in New York and other cities well before the White House took action, according to studies mapping the virus's spread. The crush of travelers triggered by Trump's announcement only added to that viral load. "We closed the front door with the China travel ban," New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo said last month as officials began to grasp the magnitude of the failure. In waiting to cut off travel from Europe, he said, "we left the backdoor wide open." Trump has repeatedly touted his decision in January to restrict travel from China as evidence that he acted decisively to contain the coronavirus, often claiming that doing so saved more than a million lives. But it was his administration's response to the threat from Europe that proved more consequential to the majority of the more than 94,000 people who have died and the 1.6 million now infected in the United States. White House officials noted the president was widely criticized for the move to limit travel from Europe, with many saying it was too draconian at the time. "The president took bold, early action that I think few leaders would be willing to take - and because of that he saved countless lives," spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said. The lapses surrounding the spread from Europe stand alongside other breakdowns - in developing diagnostic tests, securing protective gear and imposing social distancing guidelines - as reasons the United States became so overwhelmed. The travel mayhem was triggered by many of the same problems that plagued the U.S. response to the pandemic from the outset: Early warnings were missed or ignored. Coordination was chaotic or nonexistent. Key agencies fumbled their assignments. Trump's errant statements undermined his administration's plans and endangered the public. "We kept foreign nationals out of the country but not the virus," said Tom Bossert, who served as adviser of homeland security at the White House until last year. The move to restrict travel came when it was more urgent to arrest the spread of infections already in the United States, Bossert said. "That was a strategic miscalculation." This article tracing the administration's response to the Europe threat is based on interviews with dozens of current and former U.S. officials, as well as public health experts, airline executives and passengers. Some spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer candid assessments of events, decisions and internal administration debates. - - - The Europe restrictions, which remain in effect, bar entry to non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents from 26 countries. Britain and Ireland were at first excluded from the list before being added on March 17. The decision came at a time when the country was still resisting other measures critical to containing the outbreak. Schools remained open, states were not yet issuing stay-at-home orders, and many officials were still emphasizing hand-washing as an adequate means of preventing infection. The lack of urgency was driven by a failure to understand the threat's true dimensions. There were only 3,714 confirmed cases in the United States on March 13, the day the travel restrictions were implemented, and just 176 deaths had been recorded. Those numbers are considered woefully inaccurate, artificially suppressed by the scarcity of tests. Within days, Trump would assert that he grasped the full magnitude of the danger soon after the virus escaped Wuhan, China. "I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic," he said on March 17. Yet Trump spent much of the preceding month predicting the virus would quickly recede and downplaying its severity. "It will go away," he declared on March 10, one day before his address from the Oval Office. "Just stay calm. It will go away." Behind the scenes, senior officials had been agitating for weeks to consider expanding travel restrictions beyond China. Deputy national security adviser Matthew Pottinger, who had been based in Beijing as a journalist, argued during meetings in February that transmission was higher than being reported in China and that if community spread began in Europe there was little prospect of containing it. Pottinger made the case that "once it was in Europe, it was going to go 'whoosh,' " a senior official said. Members of the administration's coronavirus task force were even presented with charts showing that the number of flights arriving from Europe dwarfed the influx from China. By the third week in February, the fears about Europe were becoming reality. On Feb. 22, Italy issued quarantine orders on 11 municipalities in the northern part of the country. It closed schools, canceled public events and halted train travel in the same region. Because there are no constraints on crossing borders within continental Europe, the developments in Italy meant that spread into other countries was inevitable. But Pottinger and a handful of other officials who shared his concerns faced opposition from powerful administration figures fearing enormous economic fallout. Among those arguing most vehemently against curbing travel from Europe, officials said, were Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Larry Kudlow, the president's chief economic adviser. Even health experts at times seemed skeptical. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, at first reacted skeptically to limiting travel from Europe, saying in a February meeting in the Situation Room that the available data did not support such a move , the senior official said. A spokesperson for Fauci declined to comment, referring questions to the White House. Few countries were then imposing travel restrictions on nations other than China and its neighbors in Asia. Europe did not issue comprehensive travel restrictions until after the United States had done so. Debate on the issue was also derailed by turmoil on the coronavirus task force. Trump put Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the panel on Feb. 26 as Italy confronted a surging outbreak. Officials said it took a week or more for Pence to get up to speed on the threat and array of possible responses. Serious deliberations about Europe didn't resume until mid-March. By then, Pottinger had gained a new ally. Deborah Birx, who had joined the task force earlier that month, entered a White House meeting armed with worrisome data on a surge in cases in northern Italy, as well as numbers that showed accelerating spread across Europe. Then, on March 11, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a global pandemic. A tense meeting of task force members and other White House officials followed that afternoon in the Cabinet Room. A small contingent then gathered around Trump in the Oval Office. Mnuchin remained against the move, officials said, vociferously arguing about its potentially damaging effects on the economy. But others present, including Robert O'Brien, the national security adviser, and Alex Azar, the secretary of health and human services, argued the United States could no longer justify the risk of allowing travel from Europe to continue unimpeded. Trump sided with the majority. But the magnitude of the undertaking - constricting one of the busiest air travel corridors on the planet - seemed to escape him. And the logistical requirements of implementing this plan on a 48-hour timetable were not even meaningfully discussed, officials said. Instead, Trump and his inner circle seemed focused on staging the announcement for maximum political impact, officials said. Jared Kushner, the president's adviser and son-in-law, urged Trump to deliver a formal speech that evening and argued that the details should be kept close-hold to prevent them from leaking. Kushner then gathered with senior policy adviser Stephen Miller in the latter's office to work on a draft. The duo were joined at times by Pence and were still making edits until shortly before Trump was scheduled to go live on television at 9 p.m. No drafts were shared in advance with members of the task force or any of the agencies that would have to carry out Trump's decision, officials said. "The president was in a bad mood," one official said. As he settled into his chair, Trump cursed about a stain on his shirt. "He wasn't convinced the speech was a good idea." It was only the second Oval Office address of his presidency, reflecting the gravity of the moment. But the result was a stumbling performance in which Trump struggled to follow the text on the teleprompter and committed a series of gaffes. "Never has a less prepared set of remarks been delivered from that room," said a former administration official. The actual policy included no plan to cut off cargo shipments between the continents, for example, but Trump indicated otherwise. The restrictions "will not only apply to the tremendous amount of trade and cargo," he said, "but various other things." The new restrictions included "exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings," he said. But few caught that important caveat after his opening declaration that the United States was "suspending all travel from Europe." As networks cut away, Trump was caught muttering a drawn out "okayyyyy" as he slumped in his seat. Afterward, he groused about his performance, officials said, while subordinates issued statements and tweets to clarify or correct his misstatements. Within days, he was blaming Kushner, telling aides that he shouldn't have listened to his son-in-law. - - - Even the timing of the speech turned out to be ill-considered. It came at the tail end of a three-hour window during which dozens of red-eye flights depart the United States each night for cities across Europe. As a result, thousands of passengers learned about the new policy while over the Atlantic and scrambled upon arrival to alter their plans. At Dulles International Airport outside Washington, the cabin door on United Flight 989, headed for Frankfurt, Germany, had just been secured when Trump's speech began airing on television networks. As he spoke, passengers began rising from their seats in panic. Brandishing bulletins about the speech on their cellphones, some pushed for the exits. "He said they're closing the borders," one passenger said. "I want off this plane." The pilot and cabin crew began making frantic calls to supervisors for guidance. Bobbie Mas, a veteran flight attendant, dialed a hotline for United employees, then the company's staffing office at Dulles, but no one had answers. She then entered the cockpit to speak to the captain, who would be first in line for any major air travel advisories. The captain contacted United's operations desk - the nerve center of the airline - but officials there were similarly scrambling for details. The only warning conveyed to the airline was a call that United's then-chief executive, Oscar Munoz, got from an administration official "literally minutes" before Trump began speaking, a company spokesman said. The official provided no details about what Trump would be saying except that it pertained to air travel. By the time the Boeing 777 departed for Frankfurt two hours later, nearly every U.S. citizen had gotten off the plane. For many, the decision was driven by the erroneous impression created by the president that they risked being stranded in Europe for a month or more. Among those who deplaned was Mas, who is also a union representative with the Association of Flight Attendants. Worried that she had not packed enough prescription medicine to last a month trapped in Europe, she said she asked to get off an aircraft for the first time in her 21-year career. "There was fear and chaos," she said. Save for the tense days that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, she said, "I have never seen anything like it." Even more chaos was in store. Airlines' websites and phone lines were inundated in the hours after Trump's Oval address. American Airlines fielded about 700,000 calls on March 12, a spokesman said, more than five times the number on a typical day. Travel across the Atlantic surged. The number of passengers arriving from countries targeted by the restrictions soared 46% in a single day, up from about 31,000 on the day Trump delivered his address to 45,399 the next, according to data from Customs and Border Protection. Friday's traffic was even higher, topping 46,000. Many were U.S. citizens racing to get home before midnight March 13, when the restrictions were scheduled to take effect - unaware that they were exempt from the policy and faced no deadline. Even when given accurate details on the policy, many refused to put off their travel fearing the administration might abruptly switch course and end the exemption. One airline industry official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that gate attendants at multiple airports began making panicked calls after encountering symptomatic passengers. "We had customer agents calling the security desk by the hundreds, telling us about individuals that have the symptoms," the official said. "Our answer was to follow policy," the official said, which meant they were not to be kept off aircraft unless they were demonstrably unfit to fly or had recently traveled to China. Those who arrived before the restrictions kicked in faced crowded planes and extended waits even without the additional layer of medical screenings. But the next wave of travelers, which began arriving March 14, confronted scenes out of a public health nightmare. - - - Trump has spent much of his presidency fixated on U.S. borders and denying entry to foreigners. Of the possible responses to a pandemic, imposing travel restrictions is the one move Trump should have mastered. The travel ban on majority-Muslim countries that Trump declared during the first days of his presidency triggered chaos at airports and border entry points. The fallout delivered an early lesson on the consequences of wielding power without adequate planning. When Trump moved to block travel from China in January, there were few indications of disruption at affected airports. But while the president has depicted that decision as one he made before anyone else recognized it was necessary, in reality major airlines were forcing his hand. Delta and American had announced on Jan. 31 they were suspending routes to China before Trump announced the restrictions. United informed the White House it had already decided to do the same but was willing to hold off on announcing it publicly if Trump was prepared to act swiftly in issuing an order, officials said. Eager to claim credit for acting to contain the virus, Trump's announcement came within hours. The Europe restrictions followed six weeks later but unleashed chaos in ways that surpassed even that of the Muslim ban. Current and former officials said key agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security and Transportation, had no meaningful input in the nature of the Europe restrictions or how and when they would be executed. An administration official said officials from both agencies were present at meetings where the ban was discussed. The administration scrambled to round up contractors to conduct temperature checks on tens of thousands of passengers. Officials said the magnitude of the mobilization was unprecedented. Even so, the contractors were overrun by the rush of travelers that Trump had helped unleash. Even the most basic screening steps seemed to backfire. The CDC failed to distribute a new paper questionnaire in time for it to be shared with airlines in advance, meaning passengers had to fill it out upon arrival. As a result, travelers found themselves reaching around one another for slips of paper and pencils, risking transmission as the bottlenecks got worse. The number of arriving passengers had in fact plummeted by the first day under the new restrictions. Just 19,418 passengers arrived from designated countries in Europe, according to CBP, less than half the number from the previous day. But even the dramatically reduced passenger volume seemed to overwhelm airport screeners. Alarming photos and expressions of outrage lit up social media throughout March 14. "To find yourself waiting four hours in a crowded customs hall is not social distancing," a passenger arriving in San Francisco posted. "Fix that or fail." A photo showed thousands of travelers in line at Dallas-Fort Worth without masks or other protection. "This will not flatten the curve," the caption accompanying the tweet said. Even JFK Airport in New York had "turned into a #CoronaVirus breeding ground," one traveler tweeted, where teeming crowds were being subjected to "useless enhanced #COVID19 screening measures." But the most disturbing scenes emerged from Chicago's O'Hare. By late evening, the conditions had become so unsafe that Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker began delivering broadsides on Twitter. "The crowds & lines at O'Hare are unacceptable and need to be addressed immediately," he tweeted at 10:50 p.m. "Since this is the only communication medium you pay attention to," he said, taking explicit aim at the president, "you need to do something NOW." He ended with one final blast: "The federal government needs to get its s@#t together." Pritzker's aides had struggled to get answers from the administration earlier in the day, but the Twitter outburst got the White House's attention. Within minutes, Douglas Hoelscher, director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, phoned Pritzker. But instead of vowing to fix the problems at O'Hare, Hoelscher began criticizing the governor for insulting the president and said Pritzker should have just contacted the White House. The conversation grew heated, with the governor saying the White House had failed to communicate or properly implement its plans, according to two people familiar with the exchange. "There was a lot of yelling," one of them said. Others responded in more productive fashion. At 12:30 a.m. on March 15, Chad Wolf, the acting DHS secretary, tweeted that his department was "aware of the long lines for passengers who are undergoing increased medical screening requirements." He said the department was "working to add additional screening capacity" and pleaded with the public for patience. The next day, DHS officials identified procedural problems at O'Hare that helped explain why waits and lines there were worse than at other airports. Acting on instructions of supervisors, CBP agents were holding up passengers until all the screening data collected from them had been entered into department computers. Other airports had scrapped the paperwork, putting it off until later, soon after lines began to bulge. Once O'Hare did so, officials said, the crowds and lines began to dissipate. The critical problems had largely subsided by late Sunday. The lines continued to shrink in the ensuing weeks as Europe travel plunged. - - - Within hours of Trump delivering the Oval address, experts were warning that it was already too late. Bossert, the former homeland security adviser at the National Security Council, raised fundamental questions about the travel ban in an email he sent public health experts and others late in the evening on March 11. "Can anyone justify the European travel restriction, scientifically?" Bossert asked the group, which had given itself the moniker Red Dawn in reference to the 1980s movie. "Seriously, is there any benefit?" The resounding answer he got from others was, "No." The virus was already too widespread in the United States for travel curbs alone to make any difference. The only chance to contain the outbreak and save lives, some argued, was to impose drastic mitigation measures that would bring social interactions, as well as the economy, to a standstill. Much of the data that has emerged about the pandemic in the ensuing months appears to validate that view. Comparing genetic signatures of different strains of the virus has enabled researches to map its global detonation with growing precision. After surfacing in China in late December, the contagion had migrated to Europe by early February. There was a fleeting window of perhaps weeks when blocking travel from Europe might have shielded the Eastern Seaboard. But by mid-February, European strains were established in New York, where they multiplied in the city's crowded streets and subways before fanning out to the rest of the country, according to findings released by Trevor Bedford, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington. The virus then continued crossing the Atlantic - probably in both directions - for weeks before the Trump administration acted. In February alone, more than 1.8 million air travelers from Europe entered the United States, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Those travelers wouldn't have faced even a temperature check. An April study led by researchers at Northeastern University in Boston concluded that New York probably had more than 10,000 undetected cases by March 1 - two weeks before the Europe restrictions were imposed - with thousands more cases in San Francisco, Chicago and other cities. "Horse out of the barn," said Stuart Ray, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University and expert on infectious diseases. The travel restrictions "could have bent the curve downward" only if deployed alongside massive testing, distribution of protective gear on an enormous scale and clear public messaging about social distancing. "Without those," he said, "transmission would have overtaken any benefit of travel ban." Some in the Trump administration argue that such assessments are too pessimistic. Without the Europe restrictions, "you would have probably seen a higher seeding in the United States," and infections would still be rising, one official said. "This is the advice we were getting from Birx, Fauci and others." But setting aside the issue of timing, key components of the screening measures appear to have failed. Temperature checks, for example, have proved to be an unreliable way to identify carriers of the coronavirus because many of the most infectious individuals are, at least for the moment they face a thermometer, asymptomatic. The plan also depended on authorities' ability to trace individuals exposed by incoming travelers. This typically entails obtaining passenger manifests from airlines and contacting anyone who sat within several rows of someone who tests positive. Officials said the CDC has struggled to get information needed for "contact tracing" in a timely manner from airlines. But that protocol was rendered pointless by the chaotic scenes in airports, and the resulting contacts that would be impossible to trace. Siebert, the student who studied abroad, appears to have encountered all of these issues upon his return from Madrid. After filling out the CDC questionnaire and reporting his previous symptoms, the screener took his temperature and stepped away briefly. "You're good, just go self-isolate," the screener said when he came back, according to Siebert. Exhausted, the New York University drama student retrieved his bags and was greeted by family members who took him home. Siebert, 21, said he was never contacted about any of the information he reported to officials at the airport. The next day, he independently went to be tested at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. A day later, the results came back confirming his infection. "Ultimately, I am a culprit in bringing coronavirus back to the United States," he said. His mother also came down with the illness, though her symptoms appeared before Siebert's return. The two isolated themselves for weeks in the household, he said, and no other family members became sick. Siebert was among 110,000 passengers screened during the first four days of the Europe travel restrictions. According to the CDC, only 140 cases of infection were identified either by airport evaluations or subsequent test results reported to the center by local health authorities. If other travelers were exposed by Siebert's infection, it is unlikely any of them were ever told. A CDC spokesman said the center has conducted "contact tracing" investigations on nine Europe-to-United States flights since the restrictions began. Iberia Flight 6275 - the one Siebert took to get home - was not among them. - - - The Washington Post's Julie Tate contributed to this story. Experts dealing with anti-microbial resistance (AMR) have feared uncontrollable pathogens bacteria as well as viruses much before COVID-19 spread across the globe Experts dealing with anti-microbial resistance (AMR) have feared uncontrollable pathogens bacteria as well as viruses much before the novel coronavirus spread across the globe. They know that the world is fast running out of the basket of limited antibiotics that can treat a range of diseases, and, in many ways, are central to the modern medicine system. And if we dont collectively step-up and ensure that antibiotics are used responsibly be it in the medical community, animal-rearing industry, the agricultural world, the corporates or people in general, we will reach the dead-end of modern medicine sooner than we think. It is dangerous how the world is inching towards that, and that too with so little knowledge about it. By 2050, 10 million people could be losing their lives every year to AMR globally, of which one-fifth will be in India. Already, over 50,000 newborns die in India from sepsis because of pathogen resistant to first-line antibiotics. This conservative estimate is already almost a quarter of the estimated 2,14,000 neonatal sepsis deaths annually that are attributable to resistant pathogens. However, scare-mongering will not take us far. We need a fuller understanding of where we stand and what we can do to avert a deadly crisis while also buying ourselves more time to create options to avert that epic-disaster. It is now proven that more usage of antibiotics is linked to higher resistance to it at an individual level as well as at a community level. As a nation, India is one of the top consumers as well as producers of antibiotics. One of the alarming trends is that the sales of latest generation antibiotics are rising very sharply in the country. Over time, due to several factors, Indians have developed a casual almost callous approach towards popping pills. Dr Google hasnt helped either with internet emerging as a prescribing source for many. Patients and chemist shops, even when they are managed by professional pharmacists, know very little about the dangers of resistance to antibiotics. The public must be empowered to ask their doctor a question do I really need this antibiotic at this stage? We dont have to wait for an antibiotic awareness week to educate the public about this. Doctors, at times, anxious to cure fast, or, under unethical incentives of pharma companies, or, simply not having diagnostic tests nearby, overprescribe and may irrationally prescribe third-generation and fourth generation anti-microbials even when the infection is viral. Antibiotics are also prescribed by alternative therapists and doled out freely by quacks in this country. The countrys central drug regulator in 2014 banned over the counter sale of later generation antibiotics, mandating that the pharmacies keep a record of prescription of these. But how are we auditing the four-five lakhs chemists across country to implement this? The prime ministers 'red-line' campaign, where a red line marker on the packet warns the public of the danger associated with its misuse, has been an innovative step. But we need more participation from direct stakeholders. The hospitals must step up efforts to audit the use of antibiotics and improve sanitation to control infection acquired in their facilities. There are clear revised guidelines from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on use of antibiotics, which the hospitals must stick to. These sites, also release effluents with high antibiotic residue, making them fertile source of spreading resistance. Indi and China produce four-fifth of the worlds antibiotics. It is absolutely essential that the country controls the level of antibiotic residues in the effluents discharged from the pharmaceutical manufacturing units. When hospitals and drug-making units do not control the antibiotic levels they are releasing into the environment, particularly water, and that contaminated water is consumed by humans, the transmission of AMR is unstoppable. The notorious NDM-1, a superbug traced to New Delhi, which has in the last decade travelled to over 100 countries reaching the Arctic, was said to be a product of such slippage. The environment ministry is finalising the limits of antibiotic residue in effluent discharge, which will be a remarkable initiative for the country. All the states must see to it that this is implemented fully to curb AMR. States like Kerala are already leading the way by releasing their action plan on AMR and kicking in measures to ensure unused antibiotics are disposed-off properly. In fact, India should go a step further than limiting antibiotic residue and build safeguards for AMR in the good-manufacturing practices (GMP) it prescribes for industries. Our animal husbandry players in the poultries and fisheries, as well as the agriculturists have become the unwitting creators of transmission grounds for AMR. Poultry and other food animals are fed antibiotics not only to treat but to promote growth and prevent infection. Reports have shown that our farmers are unaware of what they are doing, when they are indiscriminately spraying a combination of antibiotics on crops vegetables and fruits. We definitely need policy guidelines to put brakes on non-therapeutic use of antimicrobials in animal-rearing and agriculture. But that would just be the starting point. In parallel, we need urgent surveillance mechanism across food, animals, clusters of drug factories and hospitals to measure and understand patterns of AMR. The ICMR has been running a limited surveillance network to get data from a set of tertiary hospitals and some labs. But this must be scaled up across touchpoints from where AMR spreads, to be fully representative of AMR threat that we face today. There is a deep understanding of the gravity of the issue at the national and international level. The WHO and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) are collaborating to work on environment and health, under which they are stepping up action on AMR. And finally, every doctor, patient, farmer, food animal handler and citizen must internalise one fact: while popping antibiotics cures a disease, it also creates a future possibility of never getting cured one day. The author is a senior consultant of health at NITI Aayog 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. Australia has joined the UK and Canada in expressing 'deep concern' over China's proposed Hong Kong security laws, which they say will undermine the city's autonomy. The Chinese Communist Party unveiled the details of the legislation on Friday, which critics say will affect rights, freedoms and judicial independence for the 7.5 million people who live there. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne joined her counterpart in the UK Dominic Raab, and in Canada Francois-Philippe Champagne, in saying the laws would be contrary to the legally binding Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984. Under that pact China agreed to allow Hong Kong to continue as a capitalist economy after the 1997 handover, with its people extended the same democratic rights and freedoms enjoyed under the British for 50 years 'We are deeply concerned at proposals for introducing legislation related to national security in Hong Kong,' the foreign ministers' statement said. Pro-democracy lawmaker Eddie Chu is removed by security after protesting China's proposal for new security laws over Hong Kong on Friday in the Legislative Council in Hong Kong Australia has joined the UK and Canada in expressing 'deep concern' over China's proposed Hong Kong security laws, which they say will undermine the city's autonomy. (pictured: protester at legislation meeting on Friday in Hong Kong) 'The legally binding Joint Declaration, signed by China and the United Kingdom, sets out that Hong Kong will have a high degree of autonomy.' The ministers said the joint declaration provides that rights and freedoms, including freedoms of the press and of people to assemble and associate, be ensured in Hong Kong law. The provisions of the UN covenants on human rights also remain in force under the joint declaration. 'Making such a law on Hong Kong's behalf, without the direct participation of its people, legislature or judiciary, would clearly undermine the principle of 'One Country, Two Systems', under which Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of autonomy,' the ministers said. Britain, Australia and Canada have large populations of naturalised Hongkongers, thousands of whom fled the city before handover to China in 1997, and Hong Kong expatriates. Pro-democracy activists and politicians in Hong Kong have for years opposed such legislation, arguing it could erode the city's autonomy. Some pro-democracy lawmakers have denounced the plans as 'the end of Hong Kong'. Pro-democracy party members speak to press and distribute flyers against China's proposed law for security over Hong Kong Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne (pictured) has joined the UK and Canada in condemning the proposed laws During the proposal at the Hong Kong Legislative Council on Friday, a protest kicked off involving many pro-democracy lawmakers. One protestor, Eddie Chu, was removed by security. Pictures and footage show opposition legislators holding signboards that read 'CCP tramples on Hong Kong legislature' and 'Hong Kong will become Xinjiang' before some of them got dragged away. US President Donald Trump said America would act 'very strongly' if China was to go ahead with the proposal. 'I don't know what it is, because nobody knows yet. If it happens, we'll address that issue very strongly,' Mr Trump told reporters. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo labelled the proposal as 'disastrous'. 'The United States strongly urges Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal, abide by its international obligations, and respect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions, and civil liberties, which are key to preserving its special status under US law,' he said. It comes after months of violent protests in Hong Kong last year over plans to extradite Hong Kong residents to mainland China. Hong Kong was plunged into its biggest political crisis since the former British colony's return to Chinese rule in 1997, with a wave of protests against a now withdrawn extradition bill which would see people sent to mainland China for trial in Communist Party-controlled courts. The protests which started in April 2019 and the bill was eventually withdrawn in September. Retail officially returned to Cumberland County on Friday as it became among the first counties in the Harrisburg region to move to the states yellow phase. Shoppers came out in full force at some places on a rainy day. At Community Aid on the Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township, the line wrapped around the thrift store building before the store opened. Parking lot is full at Community Aid on the Carlisle Pike this morning @PennLive pic.twitter.com/KtTn3dPCn4 Daniel Urie (@DanielUrie2018) May 22, 2020 With some items as low as a dollar, shoppers were buying up clothes. But it wasnt just clothes, people were buying books, vases, large furniture items and home decor as well. And a number of people were also looking at items likes records and CDs. Platos Outlet in Hampden Township, which sells gently-used brand-name clothing, was very busy. People were bringing in clothes to sell at the store, while others were buying. And while some stores closed the fitting rooms, there was a line to try on clothes at the store, located on the Carlisle Pike. Faith Burling of Dillsburg decided on Friday to go over to Platos to look at clothing, but this was the only store she was planning on visiting. I dont expect to go to other places, she said. When asked if she was nervous about going out to shop, she said, No, not at all." Platos Closet on the Carlisle Pike is open and busy. pic.twitter.com/7Zyg8trdrS Daniel Urie (@DanielUrie2018) May 22, 2020 Hope Lins of Lemoyne was busy browsing the clothing racks outside of Platos on Tuesday and she too only had plans to visit one store. This is the only place Im going," she said. Lins said she was looking for shirts for work. Ive been shopping here for a couple of years, she said. Kind of a loyal customer I guess. At Feet Fleet Mechanicsburg in Silver Spring Township, shoppers had to wait outside before an employee let customers in the door, one at a time. Fleet Feet Mechanicsburg is open but if you want to try on sneakers youll have to schedule an appointment online. All slots are taken for today and most of tomorrow but Sunday is wide open. pic.twitter.com/hqbGskuLFl Daniel Urie (@DanielUrie2018) May 22, 2020 Please wait, a sign at the store read. Our store has capacity restrictions. Our store member will meet you here and escort you inside. Thank you. There were a few people inside. Shoppers could look at some of the clothes but customers needed to make an appointment on the stores website in order to try on a pair of new sneakers. As of the morning, the store was fully booked for Friday and most of Saturday. Over at Hobby Lobby in Hampden Township, the store had a number of customers but, because the store is so large, it wasnt overcrowded except at the checkout line. An overhead announcement reminded customers to social distance. Employees were busy cutting fabric. And the popular item on Friday seemed to be the artificial floral arrangements (they were on sale). At Kohls in Silver Spring Township, there were a few customers waiting outside when the doors opened at 11 a.m. Later in the day, the store remained uncrowded, with a few shoppers buying clothing. Stop, a sign read. All customers are required to wear a mask while shopping. At Normans Hallmark in Silver Spring Township, a few customers were glimpsed browsing. A sign at the door reminded them to practice social distancing. One of the largest shopping centers in the area, the Capital City Mall, was closed on Friday, as malls are prohibited to open in the states yellow phases, although stores with their own entrances can reopen. Dicks Sporting Goods, Sportsmans Warehouse, the state liquor store and Mavis Discount Tire were open while, Primanti Bros. and Outback Steakhouse were only open for takeout. Anchor stores like JCPenney and Macys remained closed despite the ability to open. And the Sears appliance store at the mall, which has its own entrance also remained closed. Large empty parking lots at the Capital City Mall, which is prohibited from opening. JCPenney is permitted to remain open but is closed. pic.twitter.com/sVyJRXSIQA Daniel Urie (@DanielUrie2018) May 22, 2020 A steady amount of customers were shopping at Sportsmans Warehouse, with a number of people browsing the fishing, and firearms departments. A sign on the door advised that anyone entering the building must wear a face mask. Parking lots were full at places like Wegmans and Ollies Bargain Outlet that have been open all along. And there were long waits at drive-thrus at places like McDonalds, Chick-Fil-A, Burger King and Dunkin Donuts. But just because retailers could open on Friday, that doesnt mean they did. In addition to JCPenney and Macys, other large retailers that werent open on Friday included stores like T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Ulta Beauty, Lane Bryant and Ross Dress for Less. Boscovs in Camp Hill will open on Saturday while Party City on the Carlisle Pike will open on June 5. And Goodwill will open three stores in Cumberland County on May 30. Bed Bath & Beyond on the Carlisle Pike is doing only curbside pickup but you can apparently browse the summer furniture selection outside the store and then buy it online and then pick it up curbside pic.twitter.com/4UgufX59Fl Daniel Urie (@DanielUrie2018) May 22, 2020 Best Buy in Silver Spring Township and Bed, Bath & Beyond only had curbside pickup available. The latter had some summer furniture outside the store for people to look at but only could be purchased online. HomeGoods and Marshalls on the Carlisle Pike remain closed pic.twitter.com/fMKna978FN Daniel Urie (@DanielUrie2018) May 22, 2020 As of Friday, there were 66,258 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in the state almost 5,000 deaths from the virus statewide. And with retail reopening there is definitely a new normal, a new way to shop and a new way to sell as COVID-19 goes on. Most people at the newly reopened stores were wearing face coverings, which ran the gamut from medical masks to homemade face masks and bandannas. There were a few people on Friday that didnt have a face mask on while shopping inside area stores. A few shoppers went one step further and had on gloves. And some retail employees did as well. At Kohls, hand sanitizer dispensers were placed near the door and near the checkout. At most stores employees at the front of the stores were sanitizing the shopping carts. Entrances and exits were kept to a minimum. A large side entrance at Kohls was closed, while Hobby Lobby had a separate exit and entrance for customers. A number of stores had arrows on the ground, including Stein Mart, which had encourage people to walk one way in the shoe aisles. At Community Aid and Dicks Sporting Goods the fitting rooms were closed. Perhaps the biggest difference at many of the stores that reopened are the changes at the checkout. Community Aid had blue tape on the floor six feet apart at the checkout. At Hobby Lobby, Sportsmans Warehouse and Dicks Sporting Goods there were screens at the checkouts separating the employees from the customers. Customers at Kohls had to wait in a line before employees told them to go to the next cashier. At Sportsmans Warehouse, yellow and black tape in six-foot increments were placed on the ground near the stores various counters and checkouts. Large green circles were painted on the floor six feet apart at Dicks Sporting Goods to remind people to social distance. For Lins, coming out to shop on Friday wasnt a big deal because she has been working for over a month, but she was prepared. I have hand sanitizer, she said. I have a mask. I told myself if its crowded inside Im going to leave, she said as she browsed through clothing on a rack outside at Platos Closet before entering the store. If theres only a few people Ill stay. --Business Buzz --Sign up for PennLives newsletters 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. You can follow Daniel Urie on twitter @DanielUrie2018 and you can like PennLives business page on Facebook at @PennLiveBusiness What the palace probably looked like after it was built in 1712. Sign board at the site in 2014. Robert Neff Collection By Robert Neff In September 1884, Ensign George C. Foulk, a naval officer attached to the American Legation in Seoul, traveled to the Bukhan Mountain Fortress. He was somewhat impressed with the fortification (although he seems to have been more impressed with himself, being the first foreigner to visit the site) and described it in some detail in a report to the State Department and in a letter to his parents. With his camera, he also captured some of the earliest images of the fortification unfortunately, few of these images remain. It is a shame, however, that there are no images of "an old palace, small, crumbling with age, yet gay in well-preserved colors and carvings" that he spied nestled in a nook of the fortification. This old palace was Bukhan Haenggung the emergency palace. The palace in the early 1910s. Robert Neff Collection Built in 1712 during King Sujong's reign, it was designed as a command post and a place of refuge for the royal family should Seoul be taken by the enemy. Fortunately, it was never used. In fact, members of the royal family seldom visited it. King Sujong visited shortly after it was built and his second son King Yeongjo visited twice in 1760 and 1772. Another early visitor to the palace was Horace Allen, a missionary, who along with a small group of Western residents of Seoul picnicked in the fortress area in the late 1880s. Allen noted that the palace "was somewhat out of order but could easily be repaired and life in it would certainly be pleasant with the fine scenery all about."? In fact, the fortress area would eventually become the summer retreat for the Western residents of Seoul. In the early 1910s, the Anglican Church in Seoul "obtained a lease of the old derelict and half ruined 'Palace' up among the peaks of the Pouk Han hills, about ten miles to the north of Seoul, as a house of rest and refuge from the heat." Bishop Trollope wrote, "In lieu of rent we undertook to put and keep it in repair, and a most useful place we have found it summer by summer." Hyunuk Park explaining the excavation of the site. November 2014. Robert Neff Collection But that all ended in July 1915 when heavy rain caused a huge mudslide that wiped away the palace along with a small village nearby. More than 30 people perished in the disaster and the palace was no more just about everything was buried under debris. As time passed, it was forgotten and lay undisturbed for nearly a century. In October 2012, the first excavation of the palace began. I had the good fortune to visit the site in 2014 and have included some of my photographs. My feelings are mixed as to what should become of the site. Should it be rebuilt or should it be allowed to remain in ruins a visage of Joseon's past. My appreciation to Hyunuk Park, Senior Researcher, Cultural Heritage Team of Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation, for his invaluable assistance. Asked "What was the most important find at the site?" Park provided this image a piece of a lamp. He claims it is a long story but promises to tell me the next time we meet. Courtesy of Hyunuk Park Excavation on the steep slope where the palace once stood. November 2014. Robert Neff Collection Excavated walls being supported by large sticks. November 2014. Robert Neff Collection Evidence of the mudslide's strength. November 2014. Robert Neff Collection Proud to be Latinx: Why some Latinos are embracing a new identity Nation BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan will allow cafes and restaurants to reopen in the capital Baku and other big cities on Monday, but working hours and the number of customers will be restricted, the government said. The SMS-controlled system of going out will be lifted, as will a ban on those over 65 leaving their homes. Walking on the street and in parks will also be allowed, but in small groups only. The Muslim-majority country imposed a month-long lockdown on March 24 and extended it until May 31. Its dominant oil sector has continued operating, with workers separated by shifts. The government began to lift some restrictions last week, allowing shops, beauty salons and hairdressers to reopen in Baku and some other regions. The country of around 10 million in the South Caucasus has recorded a total of 2,980 coronavirus cases, with 36 deaths. (Reporting by Nailia Bagirova; Writing by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Nick Macfie) Bir-Lehlou (Liberated Territories) 23 May 2020 (SPS) - President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Brahim Ghali, has congratulated President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, H.E. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on the occasion of the blessed Eid Al-Fitr, wishing the Algerian people further progress and prosperity. With the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the advent of the blessed Eid al-Fitr, I am pleased, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people and government of the Sahrawi Republic, to extend to your Excellency and through you to the brotherly Algerian people our best congratulations and sincere wishes, said the President of the Republic. This is an opportunity to renew to your Excellency our firm determination and will to consolidate the ties of brotherhood, friendship and cooperation, rooted between our two countries, to serve the interests of our peoples and the peoples of the region and their ambition to enshrine peace, security, stability and prosperity, with mutual respect and good neighbourliness, he added. (SPS) 062/SPS Tech pioneer Elon Musk has carved out a name for himself and is now a billionaire owing to the success of his companies Tesla and SpaceX. But what is it like to be a neighbour of the billionaire innovator? Not so good, apparently. People living in the calm location of Boca Chica, a remote beach community in the southernmost part of Texas, had a life filled with tranquillity. Most of them were retirees and loved spending their time in peace. But all that changed when Musk decided to start his SpaceX company in the area. Now, loud thuds and sounds of trucks are all common there. SpaceX was growing at a rapid pace and Boca Chica residents soon got to know that that meant trouble for them. At the end of last year, the private space company offered to buy their homes. "Expansion of spaceflight activities will make it increasingly more challenging to minimize disruption," SpaceX said in a letter to the residents. Boca Chica isnt the ideal place to construct a base for a space exploration company, says Esquire. The nearest grocery store is a 30-minute drive away, the cell service is poor and there is very little fresh water. But it was quiet, which it isnt anymore. Also infuriating -- SpaceX says residents have to move bc it's not safe for them to remain in Boca Chica. But as @DaveMosher has reported, the company was secretly planning to turn the whole (lovely!!!) area into a resort for employees https://t.co/hN2Z4Wj2wC Rachel Monroe (@rachmonroe) May 21, 2020 Rachel Monroe, the writer of the Esquire article, goes on to post about the experience of being Musks neighbour in a Twitter thread. "This is a thread about what its like to be Elon Musks neighbour," she said. This is a thread about what its like to be Elon Musks neighbor. Rachel Monroe (@rachmonroe) May 21, 2020 "This quiet community by a wildlife preserve now had 24/7 construction, big trucks at all hours, bright lights at night, awful disruption," she added. So: Elon is essentially taking over public resources (beaches, wildlife preserves) & other peoples property just bc he wants it, and Texas is not only permitting but encouraging him. (This state pretends to love private property, but it loves corporations more.) Rachel Monroe (@rachmonroe) May 21, 2020 After describing the town and its life before Musk came in the picture, she talks about the changes thereafter. "So: Elon is essentially taking over public resources (beaches, wildlife preserves) & other peoples property just bc he wants it, and Texas is not only permitting but encouraging him. (This state pretends to love private property, but it loves corporations more)," she elaborated. Erdogan urges Turks to sell foreign currency for liras Azerbaijan not yet returned about 300 sheep of Armenia villager Media: Israeli President thinks about visiting Turkey Dollar quite stable in Armenia Trade turnover between Ukraine and Armenia increases by 24% Armenia legislature speaker meets with of International Republican Institute president, and director for Eurasia Kremlin does not exclude new call between Putin and Biden EU Special Representative for South Caucasus to soon visit Armenia, Azerbaijan State Duma discusses work of biolaboratories near Russia's borders US lawmakers to parliament speaker: Armenian POWs must be returned to their homeland immediately Security Council chief: Armenia expects OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to visit region Armenia government does not approve plan to considerably raise minimum wage Turkish FM: Armenian representatives invited to diplomatic forum in Antalya Twitter suspends Mexican billionaire's account over offensive behavior Armenian PM says Omicron strain is slowly spreading Azerbaijan says it supports launching border delimitation process with Armenia with no conditions Zakharova speaks on Aliyev's visit to Kyiv Zakharova does not comment on Azerbaijan president's threats against France presidential candidate for her Artsakh visit Cavusoglu: Steps to increase mutual trust will be discussed at next meeting with Armenia US gives go-ahead to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to send missiles and other American-made weapons to Ukraine Zakharova: Russia, as OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, supports continuation of work in this format Cyber attack on Red Cross: data of over 515,000 people compromised Pashinyan: UK has been strong partner of newly independent Armenia Israel hopes UN will unanimously condemn Holocaust denial Armenia, Ukraine depositories sign memorandum of cooperation Azerbaijan advises Armenia to correctly assess the new geopolitical realities and draw conclusions Australia, UK to fight back against cyberattacks from China, Russia and Iran Protesting residents of Armenias Parakar community march to territorial administration ministry Armenia government approves protocol on implementation of readmission agreement with Lithuania Iran suspends gas supplies to Turkey MFA: Armenia has no preconditions for border delimitation 621 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Paris to have place named after Hrant Dink Armenias Parakar enlarged community residents protesting outside government building Turkey opposition party MPs petition for parliamentary inquiry into Hrant Dink assassination France, Germany, Italy and Spain call on Israel to halt construction in East Jerusalem Armenia parliament speaker in US, meets with Nancy Pelosi Iranian MFA: Relations between Iran and Russia have moved into a new diverse, intensified direction Biden says invasion of Ukraine will be disaster for Russia Newspaper: Armenia PM Pashinyan plans to hold Presidents office Newspaper: Opposition Armenia bloc, led by ex-President Kocharyan, starting new processes Taliban PM calls on Muslim countries to be first to formally recognize their government Saudi Arabia records lowest temperature in 30 years Erdogan's visit to Ukraine scheduled for February 3 Russian peacekeeping contingent establishes order of passage through Lachin corridor French Senate votes to ban hijab at sporting events Armenian FM: All necessary conditions to be created for Demarcation Commission work Olaf Scholz: Borders in Europe cannot be changed by force Lavrov presents Armenian Ambassador to Russia, with the Order of Friendship Bill Gates warns of pandemics far more serious than COVID-19 FM on mirror withdrawal of troops: Not a single Armenian village will be left without proper protection Macron: EU countries must work together on agreement for stability and security PM Pashinyan assumes accountability for Armenia special representative for negotiations with Turkey Turkey Central banks and UAE sign agreement worth almost $5 billion Blinken: Western countries need unity to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine Iranian President performs evening namaz in Kremlin after talks with Putin Turkish police detain women protesting price hikes in hygiene products Delegation headed by Chief of the Cypriot National Guard General Staff has meetings in Armenia Merkel refuses job in UN structure Greece receives the first batch of French Rafale fighters NEWS.am daily digest: 19.01.22 Azerbaijan hopes Pope to mediate in relations with Armenia Talks between presidents of Russia and Iran start in Kremlin Armenian FM: This is not first time Baku makes nonconstructive statements Armenian Investigative Committee: 3,809 people die in the 44-day war Ombudsman: I urge not to give in to Azerbaijani manipulations, to visit Artsakh Armenian FM: Armenia passes a package of proposals to Azerbaijan France names the main favorite of presidential election Garo Paylan concludes address in Turkey parliament in Armenian Russian Foreign Ministry believes there is no risk of large-scale war in Europe Dollar goes up in Armenia Sharmazanov: Armenia ex-President Sargsyan did not decide to hold press conference, he did not change his mind Blinken: Russia has plans to increase force on Ukraine borders : Azerbaijani military participate in Turkish drills Taliban say all conditions for recognizing legitimacy of government are met Azerbaijan MFA statement distorts events of Armenian massacres in Baku 32 years ago Karabakh ombudsmans office: Azerbaijans anti-Armenian, genocidal policy has clear chronology US official, Barzani are photographed against backdrop of Greater Armenia and Kurdistan map Armenia ex-defense minister, army General Staff chief, some others criminal case court hearing kicks off FM: Most important direction continues to be international recognition of Artsakh Armenia revenue committee chief on opening of Turkey border: Shall we live with closed borders? In fear? US selects Los Angeles to host Summit of the Americas in summer 2022 Karabakh Foreign Minister: Return of refugees can only be like mirror Iranian president arrives on official visit to Moscow All CSTO peacekeepers leaves Kazakhstan Artsakh Foreign Minister: Unacceptable to bracket NKAO and NKR together Karabakh FM: Format of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs' visits needs to be restored Media: Air communication between Turkey and Armenia will start on February 2 Artsakh FM: Azerbaijan attack on Karabakh will mean attack on Russia Gold prices hardly change American professor angers Erdogan's son-in-law Hovhannes Khachatryan is elected Armenia Central Bank Deputy Governor 15 years pass since Hrant Dink assassination 563 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Guterres offers Merkel job at UN Armenian church revamped in Iran World oil prices going up Newspaper: ECHR rulings increase after Armenia revolution in 2018 Newspaper: Armenia ex-President Sargsyan to give interview instead of press conference Numerous school districts in Texas will be hosting outdoor graduations this summer for seniors and taking measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. But some experts say these measures may still not be enough. The Texas Education Agency announced in early May they would be allowing graduation ceremonies to proceed outside beginning June 1, with certain guidelines required to be followed to avoid spreading coronavirus. And many school districts in the area are doing just that, including Spring ISD, Tomball ISD, and Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, who will host outdoor ceremonies in June with strict guidelines enforcing social distancing. SPRING PLANS FOR GRAD CEREMONIES: Spring ISD announces details for outdoor graduations in June Graduation ceremonies mark a major milestone for students and their families, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said in a statement. All educators are committed first and foremost to ensuring the health and safety of our students, families and staff. By taking the necessary precautions developed by medical experts, we can ensure we appropriately honor our Class of 2020 graduates while keeping everyone safe. But some experts arent so sure. Daniel Nichols, an assistant professor in biological sciences at Seton Hall University, researched virus-host interactions. He said that social distancing precautions such as wearing face masks and spacing the graduates apart and having hand sanitizer available are good measures, but he said his largest concern would be having a large amount of people in the area. Spring ISD, for example, could hold up to 1,500 people in Planet Ford Stadium for one of their ceremonies. CLASS OF 2020 REFLECTS: Spring ISD seniors discuss graduating during the pandemic Nichols also said he was unsure about the efficacy of face masks, which has seen differing opinions on their effectiveness from the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. If people are thinking about going out to these graduations, they should know there is a risk theyre taking when they are going out in a group, Nichols said. Even having a face mask on is not a guarantee they wont get infected with a virus. Anthony Fehr, an assistant professor at the University of Kansas, researches virus-host interactions as well, and has worked on various coronaviruses as models for his work. He said he understands schools are doing everything they can in terms of safety measures and having them outside does help. The problem herein lies in that are people going to stay six feet apart the entire time, Fehr said. Youre going to have entries and exits where youll be closer. Undoubtedly, people will not stay exactly the same distance apart the entire time. Fehr said he didnt want to give a total recommendation whether people should go to these graduations or not, and said he thought UV light from the sun in the summer could somewhat mitigate the risk of viral transmission. I think people should absolutely be cautious, try to stay away from people as much as they can, Fehr said. And I think a lot of its going to be determined by what the real case numbers are that are coming out at that point. If I knew the case numbers were low and there were very few cases a day, then I would feel better about going to these types of events. paul.wedding@hcnonline.com New Delhi, May 23 : The Gautam Buddh Nagar District Surveillance Officer has prepared a report on Covid-19 cases found in Zee Media and found that in a very short duration, a large number of cases have been detected in the organization. The report has found that the transmission of the disease has occurred at the workplace in the Zee Media office in Sector 16, Noida. It has recommended extreme containment measures to prevent the spread of the disease. The recommendations include keeping the fourth floor area sealed till all reports of employees are received. The other measures include active surveillance of all employees and surveillance of all family members of employees of Zee News, which is being done. The district administration has recommended that if there is any other patient who is positive, then the area will be sealed for sanitization and containment. Contact tracing of all the employees will be done and a health department team will continue daily visits to screen the employees for development of symptoms. The report said that in Zee Media situated at Sector 16, a worker, who is a resident of Delhi, was tested for Covid-19 and found positive on May 15. This information was given to the District Surveillance Unit, G.B. Nagar. Rapid response teams were immediately dispatched to the location and screening of all employees was undertaken. The close contacts of positive patients were selected and sent for tests. A total 51 samples were collected and sent for testing, of these 28 'positive' patients were found. Out of this, `15 patients were resident G.B. Nagar while the rest were residents of Delhi and Ghaziabad. They were all admitted in GIMS Greater Noida. For the last three days, a health camp for screening of all 400 employees of this company was undertaken to find close contacts of positive patients. The entire building has been sanitized repeatedly daily since May 15 to prevent spread of the infection. The report said that 267 employees were screened and given medication in the health camp. 50 employees were selected as close contacts. They were sent for testing of Covid-19. All of them are currently in institutional quarantine. As many as 252 employees who were in home-quarantine were listed out and put on surveillance. Every day, health personnel are calling them and collecting data regarding development of symptoms. One more employee of Zee Media has tested positive yesterday. He has also been admitted in the hospital for treatment. The entire fourth floor, where the index case was found has been sealed to prevent entry of employees and contain the infection. As per assessment, the employees who tested positive were only working on the fourth floor of the building and all employees who worked on this floor have been shifted to a neighbouring building. Currently only 150-200 workers are reporting for work in this organization. They are asymptomatic. Medical teams are screening every one coming for work. The surveillance officer has noted that in a very short duration, a large number of cases have been detected in this organization. Abhilash Chandran By Express News Service KOTTAYAM: Around 6.30 am on Thursday, Kottayam District Collector PK Sudheer Babu suddenly was woken up from deep sleep by the incessant ringing of the mobile phone. He had a late night. It was a state cabinet minister on the other end who wanted him to check his WhatsApp. The minister had forwarded him the Facebook post of an expatriate woman, who had described the ordeal of her 62-year-old mother, undergoing institutional quarantine in Kottayam on her return from Abu Dhabi. The FB post had elaborated on the "ill-treatment" meted out to her mother, right from the time of boarding the special flight operated as part of 'Vande Bharat' mission, to her bad experiences at the quarantine centre arranged by the Kottayam district administration. The woman complained that no one had helped her mother pick her luggage at Kochi airport and had not even provided a SIM card. Above all, she was not given a quarantine centre near her house, but put up in a building which is around 37 km from her house, without even a fit-for-use bathroom. Since the FB post didn't mention any names, it took nearly two hours for the collector to identify the Abu Dhabi returnee. Interestingly, the collector found that the woman was given accommodation at a brand new working women's hostel building, which has not been opened for its original purpose so far. Anyhow, the collector enquired about her grievances and the minister himself spoke to her over the phone. Finally, her complaints were redressed after the local village officer brought for her a hot water flask from his home. This was not an isolated incident. The huge influx of expatriates from various countries and Keralites from other states have put the government officials, especially senior officers in various departments, in a spot. With nearly 80,000 people returning to Kerala from COVID-hit countries and other states within two weeks, officials are struggling hard to handle the situation and ensure all are quarantined either in their respective homes or in government's isolation centres. As the number of returnees is increasing day by day, the situation is likely to worsen in the coming days. "Without realising the real situation, returnees demand more facilities, as if senior government officials and employees are staffers of a hospitality sector. The officers are forced to address their silly demands of candles, soaps and combs for fear of rebuke from higher-ups," said a top official on condition of anonymity. "Misconceptions about COVID-19 also play an important role in making situations difficult for officers. For instance, though people above the age of 75 are allowed to choose home quarantine, a 83 year-old woman and her 85-year-old husband had to opt for institutional quarantine only because the couple's grandson feared of a possible transmission of virus from them to his kids. "In another incident, a man called me to complain that his 72-year-old mother was given accommodation in a building which doesn't have a lift. Another complainant said nobody had picked up her mother's luggage at the airport," said the officer. Besides, complaints are galore over quarantine rule violations and local residents denying home quarantine options for returnees. In Kanjirappally, a foreign returned nurse had to face stiff resistance from a local body member to proceed to her own house. The Mahatma Gandhi University registrar had to contact the district Collector with a complaint that some students from other states, who were quarantined at the university's hostel, are walking around the campus, violating quarantine rules. In another incident, a few contract carriage buses dropped a few Bengaluru-returned students heading for various districts in Pala who wanted transportation facilities to go to their houses. The same is the situation in other districts as well. As per the statistics of the government, 78,096 people have arrived in the state from various COVID-hit countries and other Indian states till Thursday. Ensuring quarantine facilities for all and putting them under surveillance has become a tough task for the government. Any lapse or negligence from the part of the returnees will definitely destroy all achievements in managing the Covid-19 spread in the state. Thousands of families are furious with the state government's decision to order students back to school from Monday and will either defy the directive or comply with "gritted teeth". But it is likely there will be fewer school refusers than in March before the onset of remote learning, with students returning to school in greater numbers than expected in the first half of this term. Ash and Niketa Parmar will keep their daughters Natalia, 8, and Aaliya, 5, home from school longer. Credit:Edwina Pickles Ash Parmar from Toongabbie has started a Change.org petition, with almost 4000 signatures so far, demanding the NSW Education Department give parents a choice. "Just to open up schools for political mileage or different pressures other than health, I don't think that I want to make my kids guinea pigs to that kind of behaviour from the government," Mr Parmar said. "This is just a bullying act to get everybody in." ALBANY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office has blocked its administration from releasing data on the number of state workers who are doing their jobs at home during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a person briefed on the matter but not authorized to comment publicly. The decision to withhold the information comes as Cuomo's administration has not said whether it has developed detailed plans for "non-essential" state workers to return to their offices. The administration, facing a $10 billion deficit, also has not revealed its plan for what it predicts will be a necessary 10 percent reduction in "state agency operations," including whether that plan would require layoffs, furloughs or pay freezes. But multiple state employees said supervisors have told them recently that working staggered shifts is being discussed in anticipation of the reopening of some state offices, potentially in June. That would also entail workers altering the days they work in the office or stay home and telecommute, to limit the number of people who are working in close quarters, sharing elevators or walking in hallways. Wayne Spence, president of the Public Employees Federation, the state's second-largest public labor union, said he has not been provided estimates on the number of workers who are telecommuting. But Spence said that he has received anecdotal reports that telecommuting is working effectively at many agencies and, in some instances, employees are more productive than they were when commuting and working in offices. Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements The latest coronavirus numbers in NY Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter Full coronavirus coverage "A lot of these managers who were fearful are actually seeing an increase in production," Spence said. "People are working more hours." Although there have been some glitches, the wider use of telecommuting, which is becoming more common in the private sector, may be a way to prevent reductions in the state workforce, Spence said. "Weve suggested that telecommuting is an opportunity to get the state out of spending a lot of money on real estate and reinvest that money in the state workforce," Spence said. "We believe telecommuting actually worked out way better than a lot of managers had predicted. We also believe that telecommuting allows single parents and millennials to enter the workforce. Cuomo has commented frequently on what is necessary to reopen private businesses, many of which were shut down in March by a series of executive orders he issued as the pandemic struck New York. "We understand what has to be done, how the workforce has to have personal protection. They have to be socially distant," Cuomo said earlier this month. "The workspace itself in some cases has to be adjusted, reconfigured. How do you have people work but they are six feet apart? ... There's no gathering. That's what we're trying to avoid, and then what processes do we have in place to test those employees or if the employee is symptomatic you can get them testing right away." Questions about those concerns were challenged following the state Department of Labor's recent decision to deem employees of its Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board as "essential" as they were ordered to return to their offices earlier this month. The union for those workers filed a complaint with the Department of Labor last week, noting that many of the employees report to a Brooklyn office that requires them to use public transportation. "No accommodations have been made for staggered scheduling which would help staff avoid crowds during their commutes," the complaint states. "Although DOL has indicated that masks and hand sanitizer will be provided to UIAB staff, there is no training on the correct use of masks. DOL also indicated that high touch areas around UIAB offices will be cleaned more frequently ... (but there was) no information about who will do the cleaning, and with what products." For those state offices and agencies that will continue with telecommuting, it has not been without its problems. At the Department of Taxation and Finance, where some employees have worked remotely for years, other employees have been connected from their computers at home to the state's secure computer servers in only the past two weeks, despite being out of their offices for more than two months, according to interviews with employees. That agency has also used online teleconferencing services to conduct audits and hold meetings, but its level of audits has decreased significantly. At the Office of Medicaid Inspector General, an employee told the Times Union this week that it took weeks for the state to set up the employee's laptop computer with the virtual private network needed to connect to the state's servers. The use of VPNs has also unnerved many state employees, who have been cautioned by union leaders that the agencies can monitor their online activity when they are connected to the state's servers. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. On top of the inability of many workers to be able to do their jobs effectively from home, the stay-at-home telecommuting orders have also taken an emotional toll. "Were seeing a lot more mental health issues, anger, depression," Spence said of his union's members. "Were saying to the state we need more EAP (employee assistance program)-type services available because of some of things were starting to see. But for a majority of the members, most of our members like it." Still, the union is bracing for workforce reductions and adjusting its own budget accordingly. "Something is coming so I have to be prepared for that," Spence said. "We have to be realistic and know that with the budget shortfall thats out there, something is going to happen to the state workforce." On April 30, Cuomo had suggested members of the state's workforce, who had experienced reduced job duties as a result of their offices being closed, could be used as "contact tracers" who would be tasked with finding and alerting people who may have had contact with a person infected with COVID-19. "You also have a lot of government employees who are at home now getting paid, but are not working," he said during his daily briefing that day. It's unclear why Cuomo's office blocked the release of the information regarding the number of telecommuting employees. The agencies, offices and departments that the Times Union asked for the information on May 14 included the Governor's Office of Employee Relations, Department of Civil Service, Department of Health, Office of Medicaid Inspector General, Department of Transportation, Division of Criminal Justice Services, Thruway Authority, Department of Motor Vehicles, State Police, Department of Public Service, Gaming Commission and Office of General Services. Those branches of state government all are controlled by the governor's office and their public information officers are routinely required to forward information on press inquiries to Cuomo's staff before responding. After the Times Union requested the telecommuting figures, and was assured by several of the public information officers that they could provide that information, most stopped responding to follow-up telephone calls and emails. But other state offices outside the governor's direct control promptly released the information that week. The state Education Department said 2,174 of its 2,670 employees are working remotely, with just 229 reporting to an office regularly. The attorney general's office said that roughly 95 percent of its 1,950 employees are telecommuting. Telecommuting has not been as frequent among the tens of thousands of Civil Service Employees Association workers. "The overwhelming majority of our state workforce were considered essential and have been working since the beginning of this crisis," said Mark M. Kotzin, a spokesman for CSEA. "That said, were still having active conversations with (the administration) all the time about people who have been continuing to work all along. ... Personal protective equipment is part of that. Weve largely worked out any problems in the supply chain for PPE for our members in the state." Non-jury trials of terrorists and gangland criminals may be abolished if a new government is not formed within the next month. Cabinet was told a new government must be formed if legislation underpinning the Special Criminal Court is to be passed by the Dail at the end of next month. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan brought a memo to Cabinet seeking permission to renew the Offences Against the State Act by June 30. The legislation, which allows for non-jury trials, is renewed every year by the Oireachtas. However, the legislation must pass through the Dail and Seanad to ensure the court is legislated for. A Cabinet source said Attorney General Seamus Woulfe was asked at the meeting if it is possible to pass the legislation in the absence of a new government. Mr Woulfe said the legislation cannot pass until there is a properly constituted Seanad. At present, the Seanad cannot pass legislation because it requires the appointment of 11 nominees from the Taoiseach. This cannot be done until the next government is in place. "It is the first example of a very immediate challenge," a Government minister said. Even if a resolution could be found for how the Seanad votes, there are still concerns over how Sinn Fein and the Green Party would vote on the legislation. Sinn Fein votes against the legislation that allows non-jury courts to prosecute terrorists and criminals every year. The Green Party has also opposed the Offences Against the State Act due to concerns over civil liberties in the non-jury courts it provides for. Both Eamon Ryan and Catherine Martin have voted against the Special Criminal Court at various times during the last Dail. However, during the General Election, Mr Ryan said he would expect his TDs to vote for the legislation in this Dail. He said he was changing his position on the act in light of the gang violence which emerged from the Drogheda feud. His comments came after unsuccessful Green Party election candidate Saoirse McHugh said the Special Criminal Court should be abolished. Sinn Fein's opposition to the legislation was a major campaign issue for the party in the 2016 General Election. The party continued to oppose the Special Criminal Court despite the outbreak of gangland violence after the Regency Hotel attack. During the recent election, the party said it was reviewing its position. Last night, a Department of Justice spokesperson said the Government is "determined to renew the measures by the end of June in the interests of national security". She said if the legislation lapsed "any implications for any cases would have to be considered on a case-by-case basis". In a briefing after Cabinet, a Government spokesperson said: "The legislation requires that the sections in question must be renewed by the Oireachtas at specified intervals. "The relevant sections were continued in force for a period of 12 months beginning on June 30, 2019," he added. The Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 was enacted in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing. The legislation contains anti-terrorism provisions making it an offences to direct an unlawful organisation, and training persons in the making and use of firearms. A group of economists, intellectuals and activists on Saturday redrafted their seven-point Mission Jai Hind proposal to deal with the Covid-19 crisis after one of their suggestions of treating all resources of the nation and its citizens -- cash, real estate, property and bonds -- as national resources triggered a controversy. Some of the plans signatories also opposed the idea. The controversial part was changed to say the government must explore emergency ways of raising resources going beyond the usual set of taxes and levies to cope with the problem of funding large relief packages. The group has also proposed universal access to ration, free healthcare, employment guarantee, compensation for job losses, a moratorium on interest payments, and transportation of stranded migrants to their homes. Swaraj India national president Yogendra Yadav, who is one of the signatories of the plan, said the contentious clause 7.1 has attracted undue attention and interpreted to mean a call for nationalisation/expropriation of private property. He called this far from their intention while hoping the focus will remain on the plan outlined to address health, economic & humanitarian crisis. In a series of tweets, historian Ramachandra Guha, another signatory, said he did not endorse the clause 7.1. The Mission Jai Hind Statement that was sent to me had this broad statement of principle as clause 7.1, which I approved, namely: All resources within the nation are national resources, available for this mission, he tweeted. The published version had a radically different clause 7.1: All the resources (cash, real estate, property, bonds, etc) with the citizens or within the nation must be treated as national resources available during this crisis. I have not and do not endorse this. This clause, that has become deeply tendentious with the major changes made without the consent of some signatories, has taken attention away from the many sensible suggestions made in the Statement, Guha added in a third tweet. Maitreesh Ghatak, a professor at the London School of Economics who also endorsed the proposal, said the controversial point had raised some legitimate questions about what we mean. It is not intended to be confiscatory or to advocate large-scale nationalisation. All it means is that in crisis situations... the government has to explore emergency ways of raising resources going beyond the usual set of taxes and levies, he tweeted. Guha called the reformulated point extremely appropriate and added all controversy should now be set at rest. I trust that fellow citizens shall focus on the many important recommendations in our plan and will urge Central and State Governments to implement it. In a press release, the group said the governments stimulus package announced this month to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has virtually ignored the urgent need for economic support to ordinary citizens whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered. Economist Shamika Ravi, a former member of the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council, hit out at the controversial proposal. Such leading economists have done enough damage already in this country. This document is an assault on private property in India, Ravi tweeted. Bharatiya Janata Partys national media panellist, Tuhin A Sinha, called it a devious plan to legitimise usurping of private property and assets. Other signatories of the proposal include former member of now-defunct Planning Commission Abhijit Sen, former chief economic advisor Deepak Nayyar, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor Jayati Ghosh, JNU associate professor Himanshu, Azim Premji University associate professor Amit Basole, social activists Jean Dreze and Harsh Mander and academic Rajmohan Gandhi. - Willie Revillame, through his show Wowowin, continues giving away prizes despite the countrys current crisis - One of the shows lucky winner however failed to recognize Willie when the host called on her mobile number - The Wowowin-Tutok To Win winner even called Willie a scammer after the TV host told her that she won P10,000 - Willies epic reaction was caught on camera which became viral online PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Willie Revillame, through his show Wowowin, continues giving away prizes despite the countrys current crisis due to the pandemic. However, one Wowowin-Tutok To Win lucky winner had a hilarious reaction after the TV host shouted "Ten thousand bigay ng Shopee over the phone. "Sabi ko mayroon kang ten thousand bigay ng Shopee," Willie said again. "Scam ata 'to," the lucky winner assumed. "Si Willie 'to, si Willie 'to. Si Willie Revillame 'to, nanonood ka ba? Scam ba ako." "Mayroon kami ipinamimigay dito Spam, pero hind kami scam, he quipped. O, nanonood ka ba ng TV? The winner said, "Io-open ko lang po 'yung TV." Then, Willie laughed. PAY ATTENTION: Shop with KAMI! The best offers and discounts on the market, product reviews and feedback Shortly, the winner on the line screamed. "O, naniniwala ka ba?" Willie asked the winner after she confirmed from her television that she was really talking to the Wowowin host. Watch the video below: 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, Willie Revillame was suddenly cursed by a winner while talking on the phone. The hilarious reaction of the said television host was caught on camera and became viral on social media. Willie Revillame is one of the most well-known and seasoned game show hosts in the Philippines. He stayed for a number of years in the Kapamilya network but later on transferred to GMA-7. 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! Source: KAMI.com.gh Police arrested and charged a 34-year-old welder with murder Monday after DNA testing linked him to the death of a high school student 10 years ago. Guadalupe Chino Sandoval of Marion was being held on $250,000 bail at the Guadalupe County jail in the 1992 death of Eglena Diaz DeLeon. DeLeon was a 15-year-old Seguin High School student who was last seen alive Sept. 18, 1992, during a community celebration. The next morning, her nude body was found in the courtyard of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. She had been strangled and stabbed in the neck. The case was reopened as part of the Department of Public Safety's Cold Case Unit. The unit worked on the case for three months with the Seguin Police Department. Texas Ranger Tony Leal helped lead the investigation. He refused to say what evidence was tested for a DNA match. "This murder has haunted this community," Seguin Police Chief Gary Hopper said in Tuesday's editions of the San Antonio Express-News. "It was a brutal, brutal murder. It's been personal for this entire community. It was always in the back of people's minds." Sri Lanka will ease the coronavirus lockdown restrictions from May 26, limiting the curfew hours from 10.00 pm to 4.00 am among other relaxations. The curfew will be lifted during the day across the country, including hot-spot districts of Colombo and Gampaha, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's said in a statement. The two districts were identified as coronavirus hot-spots and placed under round-the-clock curfew since March 20. Inter-district movement will be permitted from Tuesday, except to Colombo and Gamapaha. Though the curfew will be lifted during the day, social-distancing and other practices to check the spread of COVID-19 will be implemented strictly, officials said. The coronavirus has claimed nine lives in the island nation with 1,068 confirmed cases. This is the second round of curfew relaxations in the island-nation after certain changes were effected on May 11 to revive economic activity, as part of which employees of state and public sector companies were allowed to travel to work. Senior police official Ajith Rohana said the curfew will be strictly enforced on Sunday and Monday. Id will held in Sri Lanka on Monday. "There will be over 900 roadblocks during the curfew on both days," Rohana said. : The continuous exodus of migrant workers from the hosiery hub of Tirupur has so far not made any major impact on readymade garments, as the exporting units are awaiting orders from major consuming countries to start production. Tirupur, with nearly 9,000 garment manufacturing and its allied units like dyeing, cutting, embroidery, including 1,500 exporting units, totally employ a little over 6 lakh workers, of which 25 per cent, approximately 1.7 lakh, belonged to other states like Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Due to production stoppage following the coronavirus-induced lockdown the units stopped manufacturing from March-end, throwing the workers jobless for the last two months. About 10,000 workers might have moved to their respective states for lack of jobs since there were no employment opportunities back in their states, sources in the Tirupur Exporters Association say This could be a temporary break for them for two months and they were likely to return once the production started in the units in Tirupur, the sources say. As the exporting units have started sending samples for the spring-summer collections to the consuming countries, orders are expected within a few months, as the retail centres will also open there by that time, they say. The production has started with 50 per cent workers only a few days back even though there was no major order from other countries and production for domestic use was also not started in full swing in Tirupur, which has a total business of Rs 43,000 crore, with exports contributing Rs 25,000 crore, they say. All the units are expecting the workers to return to work in another two months, they add. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Oxford University and British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca Plc have started hiring over 10,000 subjects for advanced human studies of coronavirus vaccines they are developing to treat COVID-19 patients. Part of these trials will be undertaken on children from 5 to 12 years of age as well as adults in the age group of 56 and older, according to a statement cited by Bloomberg. The other, larger stage will test the drug's effectiveness in volunteer subjects 18 years and older. Companies across the world are pacing up to develop vaccines to fight COVID-19 pandemic that has sequestered populations and battered economies. AstraZeneca's efforts got a boost to get its vaccine tested and ready for use when the US promised around $1.2 billion towards the drug development on Thursday. Oxford University, on the other hand, has reportedly begun advanced human trials of its vaccine. The university said on Friday that its researchers have started hiring adults and children to conduct advanced human trials of the vaccine. The said trials will include up to 10,260 volunteers across the United Kingdom, the news agency reported. COVID-19 trials conducted so far The initial phase of trials started in April this year with around 1,000 trials. The first trial's results were concluded and are being followed up presently. The advanced trial phase will comprise stage 2 and 3 trials of the COVID-19 vaccine. In Phase 2, the range of subject groups is being broadened, with the vaccine being administered in a small group of older adults and children aged between 5-12 and 56-69 years, as well as those above the age of 70. This trial stage will help researchers comprehend how the vaccine generates an immune response in bodies of various age groups. Stage 3 of the trials will include studying the vaccine's performance in bodies of a large count of adults, aged 18 years and above. This will help scientists fathom how the vaccine will help in preventing coronavirus infection and its complications. COVID-19 advanced trial stages In order to carry out the advanced trials, the adult candidates in both stage 2 and 3 of the trials will be administered one or two doses of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or another licenced drug called the MenACWY, which will be given in the control group. "The clinical studies are progressing very well and we are now initiating studies to evaluate how well the vaccine induces immune responses in older adults and to test whether it can provide protection in the wider population," Andrew Pollard, head of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said in a statement cited by the news agency. The researchers will study the number of infections between the two groups to check the efficacy of the vaccine as well as see if the newly developed drug made any difference in infection or its complications. Countries across the world are pinning their hopes on the Oxford University's vaccine with pharma behemoths like AstraZeneca already aboard for the expeditious production of the vaccine. Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: How Serum Institute could be world's door Also read: Coronavirus crisis: ICMR approves HCQ for frontline COVID-19 warriors; Lancet has reservations 1st. Lt. H. Conor McDowell, a troop commander, standing in the turret of his light armored vehicle at Camp Pendleton in August 2018. (Courtesy of the McDowell family) Five young Marines from Camp Pendleton died in preventable "rollover" accidents in the last year. How many more of our military will die, needlessly? This past year, nearly as many young men and women were killed in high-risk training in America as in combat abroad. On May 9, 2019, our only child, 1st. Lt. H. Conor McDowell, a troop commander with the Marines' 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, was crushed to death in seconds when his light armored vehicle (LAV) plunged into a hidden crevasse just after he yelled out rollover warnings, saving the lives of the other Marines in the vehicle. Conor died because the range safety unit at Pendleton failed to identify a vast hole completely concealed by 8-feet-high grass, weeds and shrubs. That cover had sprung up over two weeks, following unusually heavy rains. Conor was leading a group of LAVs on daylight training maneuvers. He had recently turned 24 and was engaged to the love of his life, Kathleen Bourque. He knew that training could be very dangerous, and he also knew that his unit had had several near-fatal rollovers in the previous months. As he wrote in a private journal about a rollover that involved a LAV with seven Marines on board: Its a miracle no one was killed. This is a reminder that at any moment, through careless action, even in training, Marines can die. Conor didn't know that he would be the next person to die. A month before Conor's death, Marine Raider Staff Sgt. Joshua Braica, 29, of Sacramento, was killed at Pendleton, in a different area, when his dune buggy-like MRZR toppled over on a hill, violently throwing him out of the vehicle, severely damaging his spine. Braica died in the hospital hours later. He left a wife and newborn boy. In October 2019, 21-year-old Marine Pfc. Christian Bautista, attached to Pendleton, died in an up-armored Humvee rollover at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, Calif. Story continues In March, Marine Cpl. Eloiza Zavala, 20, attached to Pendleton but temporarily based in the United Arab Emirates, was catapulted out of a tactical vehicle (known as a "7-ton truck") as it hit a road bump, killing her within minutes. Zavala, whose parents are from Mexico, had been promoted to corporal in record time, and was widely respected for her kindness and can-do attitude. Sadly, her funeral in Sacramento, her hometown, was restricted to eight family members and a small Marine honor guard because of COVID-19 restrictions. In addition to these lives lost from Camp Pendleton, 10 other service members have been killed in the last year in military vehicle rollovers. Why is a Marine or soldier dying every single month in military vehicle rollovers? Can anything be done to reduce this appalling death toll? All military tactical vehicles Humvees, LAVs, Bradley fighting vehicles, MRZRs, 7-ton trucks are top-heavy and prone to tip over, without careful attention. In addition, extra armor or weaponry have been added to these war machines, often on top, making them even more unstable. In a rollover, even a nonfatal one, injuries can be severe: traumatic brain injury from being tossed around in a multi-ton metal box, loss of limbs and other wounds. Some people never recover and have to leave the military. Thousands of these vehicles now in use are up to 30 years old, worn out by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and repaired by taking parts from other vehicles. Too often they are pushed through maintenance inspections, which they should fail. There are precious few new vehicles available. For example, new LAVs are years from arrival. Range safety at places like Pendleton, where the terrain is changeable and dangerous, has not been sufficient to keep people safe. The risk is heightened by insufficient training of drivers/operators, particularly on off-road driving, resulting in fatal accidents, which the military cavalierly labels "mishaps." We and other grieving families have successfully lobbied Congress to ask the Government Accountability Office to begin a yearlong forensic inquiry into all military vehicle rollovers, going back a decade, and to consult with other NATO countries with similar death tolls. Several members of Congress, including Rep. John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove), chair of the subcommittee on readiness of the House Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Anthony G. Brown (D-Md.), vice chair of the Armed Services Committee, have been focused and ready to help on this problem. We are expecting a GAO report and public hearings on remedies in the fall. Meanwhile, we have worked with combat engineers and other experts, who have recommended a range of safety improvements. Among these are mandatory use of seat belts/safety harnesses; new instruments giving advance indication of sharp terrain drops; meters warning that a vehicle is nearing rollover tilt; improved maintenance and inspections of vehicles; intensive driver training, particularly in rough terrain; and better range safety inspections to mark dangerous terrain. None of these reforms would be a burden on military readiness. But they can most definitely reduce needless deaths and serious injuries. There is no reason other parents, wives, partners, children and family members have to suffer as we have. Conor is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. At that resting place of heroes, we do not want to have to visit the graves of any more young men and women who died in training. It is time for change. Susan. M. Flanigan and Michael H.C. McDowell live in Chestertown, Md. It has emerged that the first man diagnosed with Covid-19 at the Rosderra meat plant in Roscrea became gravely ill and remains in hospital. Covid-19 has been identified as a major issue in meat plants across the country with 865 cases confirmed in those settings in recent weeks, over 300 over which have been confirmed in the last week. Approximately 200 of that total number of cases occurred in Rosderra Meats factories in Roscrea and Edenderry. Almost 70 cases were diagnosed after widespread testing of staff in Edenderry just last week. The issue has come before the Dail on a number of occasions in recent weeks and has been a particular bone of contention for Sinn Fein's Brian Stanley. Deputy Stanley said he is aware of a case of a man from South Offaly who worked in the Rosderra plant in Roscrea who became seriously ill with coronavirus having been diagnosed in March. "He almost lost his life. He is walking on a Zimmer frame and is still in hospital recovering. This guy was a physical worker, a hardy fella, and was hit hard by this virus." The man and his wife wish to remain anonymous. Brian Stanley said another young factory worker in his early 20s from the Moneygall area was also taken very ill with Covid-19. "He was on the broad of his back almost suffocating in the bed for three weeks. The weight just fell off him, he lost two stone. During the time he was locked in his room, he was contacted by work to see if he could go back because so many were out sick," Deputy Stanley claimed. A mess "What we have here is a mess." That was the declaration of Brian Stanley to Minister for Business, Heather Humphreys and Minister for Agriculute, Michael Creed, in the Dail on Thursday evening prior to a robust exchange. "This is a very worrying situation for the workers' health and their jobs," he added. "I've been raising this with you since Easter week and you've continuously told me that your officials in these plants are sure that all precautions are being taken. Whoever is telling you that is telling you a load of bull," the Laois-Offaly deputy exclaimed to Minister Creed. "None of that tallies with the situation in many meat processing plants and whatever about wearing masks, some must be wearing blindfolds because it doesn't tally with what workers are telling me for the last seven weeks. "Some factories have taken the correct action and I applaud them for that; others have not and that is the reality." Deputy Stanley went on to explain that the first case in Rosderra in Roscrea was in a man who became "critically ill" and "almost lost his life" with Covid-19. He blasted the fact that this case arose on March 20 and "no testing was done at that time on close contacts of that worker." "I have spoken to the families of other workers that got infected by that cluster. Testing of all workers was not done until April 24/25, a whole five weeks later. And after the tests were done, workers were sent back onto the production line without having the outcome of the test, in some cases, until the following Wednesday. Some of them turned out to be infected anf they, in turn, infected more workers." Referring to a similar situation in Rosderra in Edenderry, Deputy Stanley said: "The first case there was early April and even when this cluster became 10 cases, all workers were not tested. When they were tested last week, they were sent back in on the production line without having the all-clear, never mind a deep clean or anything else. This is crazy stuff." The Sinn Fein TD said families and workers are "very concerned" and added that "workers are not being consulted" about safety procedures and practices. Deputy Stanley claimed some workers were being told they can "do it or go home." He said they had to battle to get basic PPE and social distancing put in place. Deputy Stanley also pointed to an issue in the Kildare chilling plant where he said he has confirmed that no temperature testing was taking place there and that a department [Department of Agriculture] official was even out sick with Covid-19 from that facility. He said no HSE-led inspections were carried out at meat plants until this week. He also claimed that management in some factories "seem to know exactly when inspections are going to take place and that issue needs to be cleared up." Deputy Stanley asked if it would be made mandatory for all workers at meat plants to have their temperature checked daily. He also asked for the number of inspections carried out for Covid-19 in meat factories. He asked that the Department officials engage with ordinary workers and not just company management. In response, Minister Heather Humphreys said: "In terms of the Health and Safety Authority, I don't have the exact number of inspections in meat plants. That information is confidential to them. They don't share that information with me but I can say since last Monday, they have had 240 inspections in an overall mix of businesses, and included in those 240 inspections were meat plants." At this point, Deputy Stanley interjected: "Why can't the HSA share those with you; you're the minister. Have you asked them?" he quipped. Again Minister Humphreys insisted the information on the number of tests carried out at meat plants was confidential. Deputy Stanley said, "it's not confidential. We should know how many inspections in meat plants are carried out." He again rose to his feet in the chamber and said: "You mean to tell me we're here today seven weeks on and we don't know how many inspections in meat plants have been carried out. That's disgraceful." Minister Humphreys refuted that claim and explained that "the HSA work with employers and employees and that information is dealt with on a confidential basis and I don't have access to it nor you don't have access to it but the matters are resolved." Deputy Stanley said the Minister should know how many tests are carried out. She replied: "I don't need to know but what I can tell you is in the period from March 1, 2020, to Friday, May 15, 2020, the HSA work contact unit received 3,188 requests for information and 547 complaints. 53% of complaints were related to Covid-19 and 240 inspections [in a mix of workplaces] were carried out since last Monday." Minister Creed also bit back at Stanley and said: "Deputy Stanley has categorised all of this as a mess but it is easy to be a hurler on the ditch commenting on everybody else's best endeavours." "With every individual who contracts the virus and every industry grappling with the consequences, there is a challenge. Everybody is doing their best, including those workers deemed to be essential by this House when it approved the regulations. It should be acknowledged that these people have done fantastic work in keeping food supply chains going," the Minister added. "My Department has had ongoing engagement with meat plants and there were 11 engagements since early March, with four involving me, and the rest involving Department officials. Since the end of February, there has been ongoing engagement with representative bodies and executives. It has always been about ensuring that in keeping the food supply chain going, the welfare of the employees is put front and centre. "If somebody is involved in running a business and wants to keep it functioning, it is clearly in that person's interest to keep those employees safe. To argue there is some kind of conspiracy with employers to damn their workers with Covid-19 would surely be counter-intuitive." The agriculture minister had earlier told the Dail that since the start of this pandemic, "the protection of public health has been the Government's overriding priority." "The Government categorised farming and food production as essential services under the Covid-19 regulations. Irish food supply chains have continued to operate effectively to ensure the security of supply of safe healthy Irish food for consumers at home and abroad," he said. "In respect of Covid-19 and meat plants, as in all other aspects of the pandemic, we must all listen to the public health experts and adhere strictly to their recommendations. We are all part of the whole-of-government response to Covid-19 and in this instance are focused on ensuring the health and safety of all workers, including staff from my Department in meat plants. Since the start of the pandemic, my Department officials and I have had regular meetings with meat industry representatives. "At all times we have emphasised that their priority must be safeguarding human health and following HSE guidelines at all levels of operation. Meat industry representatives have outlined to my Department the type of measures put in place in plants, including, for example, the extension of operating hours, reduced throughput rates at individual plants, the provision of additional PPE, the installation of Perspex screens, temperature checks on entry and the provision of additional facilities to support physical distancing measures. Because meat plants remained open as an essential part of the food chain, these measures were put in place in an evolving situation with new information and advice emerging on an ongoing basis." Speaking to the Offaly Express on Friday, Deputy Brian Stanley took major issue with the ministers' response to the outbreak in meat plants. Asked for his reaction to Minister Heather Humphreys saying she didn't need to know the number of inspections carried out at meat plants, Brian said: "It's outrageous. It's a complete failure and dereliction of duty. We're in the middle of a major pandemic here, we have a serious crisis in our meat industry and my reason for raising this more than six weeks ago was to protect workers' health, number one, protect jobs and to protect this industry which is important for food supply and employment." "If a Minister thinks 878 cases of an outbreak isn't a major issue, or Minister Creed, they're completely missing the point here. This is a serious threat to the industry; it's a serious threat to the workers' health. The fact that they [Ministers Humphreys and Creed] didn't know how many HSE or HSA inspections had been carried out in meat plants is absolutely incredible." "Then she [Minister Humphreys] tries to make out that it's confidential. Of course it's not confidential. In fact, the Ministers should make it their business to go down and see what's going on in some of these plants. It's important that they know how many inspections are done. It's important that they know how many of those are unannounced inspections," Deputy Stanley remarked. Deputy Stanley had been informed earlier this week by way of a Parliamentary Question that there had been a mix of announced and unannounced inspections carried out. "The workers tell me that there's no mix; they're all announced," Brian commented. It is their view that management knows about inspections because they always seem to happen when there is a lower number of people on the factory floor." He said he will continue "chipping away" at this and calling for more action from ministers and officials to ensure a safe response to the outbreak in meat plants. He wants transparency on inspections, split shifts to reduce staff levels appropriately, proper PPE and leave for workers awaiting test results. He is also calling for close contacts of confirmed cases in meat plants to be tested. The federal lawsuit filed by an attorney who is the landlord of a Westfield gym that was told to shut down by cops due to coronavirus restrictions did not get very far after it was rebuked by a judge. The suit claimed Rowdell Petterway, the owner of Rowdells Fitness, was denied due process when Westfield police told him to close his business on May 6. The suit claimed the gym owner does one-to-one personal training, sanitizes equipment after each session, socially distances and everyone inside wears masks. The suit was voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiff two days after it was filed. The defendants, Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro and acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay Ruotolo, declined to comment on the outcome. Petterway was not a plaintiff in the case. He leases space on the first floor of the law offices of Schiller McMahon, and the sole plaintiff was the gym owners landlord: SM 123 South LLC. Joshua McMahon, an attorney at the law firm who is also a manager in the LLC, filed the lawsuit. Hes been an outspoken critic of Union County officials. The federal judge on the case said his filing was patently deficient legally and procedurally and denied his motion that wouldve allowed the gym to continue to operate with coronavirus precautions in place. Counsel, this is not good on this filing," said U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez during a telephone conference, a transcript of which was obtained by NJ Advance Media. Its so bad that its frustrating that Ive got to spend time to tell an attorney how to do his job. McMahon, in a court filing, said he withdrew the lawsuit after he learned that Gov. Phil Murphy may re-open gyms soon. He added in a statement that he disagrees with the judges characterization of the lawsuit. We believe the issues we raised were important, that we made a strong case in support of a small business owner desperate to avoid financial ruin, and we will not apologize for standing up for civil liberties, no matter how much politicians or their surrogates dislike challenges to their power, McMahon said. McMahon previously told NJ Advance Media he did not sue the governor, whose executive orders have temporarily closed gyms, because the Westfield police told Petterway to close his business. McMahon claimed Ruotolo was liable since the township police had her backing as the countys chief law enforcement officer. The judge took issue with Petterway not being named as a plaintiff in the suit, which complicated the legal argument for the landlord. One of the issues with the suit, the judge said, was that there was no imminent, irreparable harm to the landlord. Petterways business was shut down in early May and his rent is due the first of every month, so the landlord has not yet missed a payment. The landlord was suing under the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments, which both guarantee people cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The Fourteenth Amendment says, No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States. But the judge said the Fifth Amendment only applies to federal employees, not municipal or state ones. The lawsuit failed to show that rent payments were property protected under the Fourteen Amendment, the judge added. A South Jersey gym, meanwhile, reopened in defiance of the governors executive order, but a state judge ordered it to remain closed for the time being. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. 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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 County Mayor Cllr Ian Doyle with, from left), Tim Lucey, Cork County Council chief executive; Noelle Desmond, Carrigaline MD officer; Ray Lee, Centra, Charleville and Liz Maddox, chair of Cork County Older Persons Council at the launch of Project ACT at County Hall. Photo by Brian Lougheed. More than 20 towns across the county, including in the north and mid-Cork regions, are set to benefit from a new initiative aimed at relieving the burden imposed by COVID-19 on local communities and businesses. Cork County Council's has set aside money from its own coffers to fund its Activating County Towns (Project ACT) initiative, which will see 23 towns benefit from a suite of measures aimed at stimulating local economies impacted by the Coronavirus restrictions. The initiative will see the formation of 23 dedicated 'Town Teams' comprised of representatives from different sectors, who will draw up town specific plans aimed at supporting and stimulating their local economies. Under the first phase of the scheme the council has set aside a war chest of 6 million from its own coffers to fund community festivals and events and town enhancement works. Welcoming the scheme Cork County Mayor, Cllr Ian Doyle, pointed out the council has committed the money at a time when its own income streams, such as pay parking and rates payments, have been "severely impacted." "The funding will be used to build on the remarkable community resilience that has been sustained since the restrictions were introduced in mid-March," said Cllr Doyle. In preparation for the phased return to business and community life, the teams have already introduced a raft of measures including creating additional footpath space, changes to traffic flow and outdoors support for businesses requiring socially distancing queueing. Other elements of the initial phase have included deep cleaning retail and pedestrian areas, de-cluttering and fixing street furniture, replanting flora and fauna and putting additional road/pavement markings in place. Cllr Doyle said that supports for vulnerable and elderly people will form a key part of the strategy through the authority's Older Persons CARE programme, allowing them to enabling them to return to "full land active daily life." "Our message to communities across Cork is a simple one. Cork county Council will walk along with you on every step along the road to recovery. Activating our county towns will reward the civic pride that has resulted in stronger communities and an optimism that this strength will see us through this crisis." Meanwhile, the authority has reaffirmed its commitment to its county-wide investment programme, with Project ACT seeing funding released for a mix of capital investment and business supports. This is bring made available through a combination of loans from the Council of Europe Development Bank and the European Investment Bank. These include progressing projects worth more than 22 million that have gone to tender since mid-March, measures to support the SME sector facilitating business to re-open or diversify and a targeted domestic tourism campaign for each of the 23 towns. Cork County Council Chief Executive, Tim Lucey said the measures have been designed to both stimulate the economy during the phased lifting of restrictions and prime it for future growth. "People across County Cork have shown incredible solidarity in recent weeks. Cork County Council was at the forefront of the Community Call initiative, but we also recognised that the road needed to be prepared for life after COVID-19. There are many challenges that lie ahead, but by taking this action now and investing in our communities and our businesses, we can plan with a degree of confidence," said Mr Lucey. "From making public spaces suitable for social distancing, to supporting businesses through various initiatives, Cork County Council will do everything it can to support the entire community. This is the first time in the council's history that activity of this scale has been focused directly on towns and their communities. Our staff will work directly with businesses and communities, as we weather this storm. We started this together, and we will finish it together," he concluded. A Palmyra restaurant isnt waiting on Gov. Tom Wolf to give the green light to open its doors, and if you want a seat at its tables it says you might want to make a reservation. Because the Taste of Sicily, a family-owned Italian eatery, says it has been so slammed with traffic that its looking at expanding its hours. We are at maximum capacity today until 7 (p.m.), the restaurant wrote on its Facebook May 19. However in order to allow our patrons a wonderful dining experience that we all MISS, we will stay open later if customers desire to dine with us. We will NOT turn any customer away, but there may be a wait for a table. Lebanon County Commissioners voted 2-1 to move the county into the yellow phase, but Wolf has not yet give the county permission to move into that phase. According to The Lebanon Daily News, Michael Mangano, whose mother, Silvana Drill, owns Taste of Sicily, said the restaurant has been busy. We got slammed, we were busy, he told the Daily News. Mangano told the Daily News the restaurant consulted with lawyers before making the decision to open. We need to make a living, he said. We are all tied to that paper called money, and we need it to pay our bills and pay our taxes and basically buy what we need. The restaurant said on its Facebook page that it has adopted social distancing guidelines provided by the CDC which has led to limited seating. It encouraged patrons who were not comfortable dining in to order take out. We encourage everyone to do what makes them feel safe at this time, the Facebook post read. So, if that means staying home, we honor and respect your decision! During a virtual town hall on May 21 with public health professionals and labor leaders, Sen. Bernie Sanders ripped big companies for spending money on advertisements hailing frontline workers as "heroes and heroines" while refusing to pay these essential employees higher wages as they perform their jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic. "I personally get really sick and tired of turning on the TV and seeing these companies run these ads, 'Thank you heroes and heroines, but of course we're not going to pay you any more money,'" said the Vermont senator. "That is just, to my mind, nauseating." A number of major and notoriously abusive corporations including Amazon, Walmart, and Uber have run television spots and YouTube ads in recent weeks praising their employees while simultaneously continuing to pay low wages and failing to provide adequate safety equipment. Workers sickened at Amazon warehouses At least 32 workers at the Amazon campus in Kenosha have contracted coronavirus in the past two months, according to messages sent to employees and shared with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Jen Freiheit, health officer for Kenosha County, told the newspaper that Amazon officials have not fully cooperated with public health workers trying to track cases, inform workers who might be at risk or offering testing and other safety measures. She said that shed consider trying to shut down the facility if it continues to deny access to health officials. Amazons Kenosha plant is but one of many examples of the companys failure to protect its workers. On March 27, Amazon posted a video celebrating the company's "retail heroes" and vowing to do "everything we can" to ensure their health and safety. Three days later, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island walked off the job to protest the company's refusal to implement adequate workplace safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Amazon is headed by world's richest man Jeff Bezos. Hes added $34.6 billion to his wealth since coronavirus-related lockdowns began, according to a report from Americans for Tax Fairness and the Institute for Policy Studies Program for Inequality. Companies halting hazard pay increases Amazon has announced it is planning to end a $2-an-hour hazard pay increase for warehouse employees on May 31, even as company's CEO sees his wealth skyrocket. According to an analysis released by Americans for Tax Fairness and the Institute for Policy Studies, Bezos' fortune grew by nearly $35 billion between March 18 and May 19. Pull Quote At least 32 workers at the Amazon campus in Kenosha have contracted coronavirus in the past two months. Amazon is not alone in ending small pay increases even as the coronavirus crisis continues. As Vox reported, Kroger's "hero bonus" raises ended on May 16, even as coronavirus cases continued to rise across the country. The grocer isn't alone other companies that instituted some form of additional pay for workers earlier this year in recognition of their position on the front lines are now rolling back those increases, even though the danger is far from gone. Starbucks, for example, is planning to end a $3-per-hour raise for workers at the end of May. Meanwhile, some companies that employ essential workers right now have seen increased sales and boosted executive pay in recent months. Kroger, for example, saw same-store sales increase 30 percent in March as customers stocked up on groceries, according to Winsight Grocery Business. And Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen received a 21 percent increase in compensation last year, boosting his income to more than $14 million. Members of Congress and President Donald Trump have also come under fire for failing to pass hazard pay increases for frontline workers even as they honor the heroism of essential employees with military flyovers and words of praise at press conferences. The HEROES Act $3 trillion legislation passed by the House includes a $200 billion "Heroes Fund" aimed at providing hazard pay for frontline workers, but the proposal's fate is unclear in the Republican-controlled Senate, which left town for Memorial Day recess on May 21. Louis Weisberg contributed to this report. Judge Dismisses OAN Defamation Lawsuit Against Maddow, MSNBC A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by One America News Network (OAN) against Rachel Maddow and her employer, MSNBC. The complaint alleged Maddow targeted OAN one week after OAN President Charles Herring registered his objection to Comcast, MSNBCs parent company, for refusing to carry his network. Maddow claimed on-air that OAN really, literally, is paid Russian propaganda. U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant, appointed by former President Barack Obama, ruled that Maddows statement was an opinion. Considering the totality of the circumstancesincluding the general context of the statements, the specific context of the statements, and the statements susceptibility of being proven true or falsea reasonable fact-finder could only conclude that the statement was one of opinion, not fact, she wrote (pdf). According to California defamation law, the elements of a defamation claim are: publication of a statement of fact that is false, unprivileged, has a natural tendency to injure or cause special damage, and the defendants fault in publishing the statement amounted to at least negligence. Maddow was speaking about a story about Kristian Rouz, an OAN employee who had articles published by Russian-owned Sputnik. OAN said Rouz was a freelancer who received $40 from Sputnik if the outlet accepted his articles. Bashant acknowledged Maddow used the word literally. But the MSNBC host had inserted her own colorful commentary into and throughout the segment, laughing, expressing her dismay (i.e., saying I mean, what?) and calling the segment a sparkly story and one we must take in stride,' the judge wrote on May 22. For her to exaggerate the facts and call OAN Russian propaganda was consistent with her tone up to that point, and the Court finds a reasonable viewer would not take the statement as factual given this context. The context of Maddows statement shows reasonable viewers would consider the contested statement to be her opinion, she added. In a statement sent to The Epoch Times, OAN said the statement in question was demonstrably false, considering the network is owned by the Herring family in California and neither the Herrings nor OAN receive money from the Russian government. The courts finding that no reasonable person could conclude that Maddows statement was one of fact is incorrect. Herring Networks plans to appeal the decision to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the statement said. Amnon Siegel, a counsel for Herring Networks, said the judge did not squarely address the fact that Maddow prefaced her false statement with really literally, which is used to emphasize the truth of a statement. In fact, the courts decision recognizes that Maddows statement that OAN is paid Russian propaganda is capable of being proven false. And it is, in fact, false, he said. That should have been enough for the court to deny the motion and allow a jury to decide the issue. Maddow is known for repeatedly making unsubstantiated claims about President Donald Trump, his campaign, and their purported links with Russia. Special counsel Robert Muellers team couldnt establish any collusion between Trump or his campaign and Russian actors. MSNBC declined to comment on the ruling. SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone was incredulous Friday as he announced that only a last-minute action by President Donald Trump could save the long-standing tradition of Memorial Day weekend flag placement at national cemeteries, including Calverton National Cemetery. Recently, Bellone said the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, out of an "abundance of caution" due to the coronavirus crisis, decided that flag placement would not be allowed this year. Last week, in light of the decision by the National Cemetery Administration to suspend group flag placement, Bellone wrote a letter to Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie asking for the directive to be amended. "All we have asked from the VA is that they do not have a blanket, one-size-fits all policy for the whole country," Bellone said, adding that in Suffolk County, there are many volunteers who place and remove the flags every year at national cemeteries and are ready to step up. On Friday, he said, despite a safety plan certified by county health officials, the request to hold the traditional flag placing event at the national cemeteries had been denied. "The answer, it turns out, is 'no,'" Bellone said, adding that he'd received a letter saying that despite the county executive's numerous requests, the group placement and flag retrievals would not take place this year, with the "health and safety" of volunteers, visitors and others the prime consideration. "There's not a word of that statement we do not agree with 100 percent," Bellone said. "That's why we put together a safety plan with Frank Bailey." Bailey, the flag placement coordinator at Calverton, said the flag placement has taken place since 1995. The plan was crafted with an eye toward proceeding with caution and adherence to social distancing protocols, Bellone said. "It's just common sense," Bellone said. "If we can reopen our beaches and have thousands coming to those beaches, how can we not have Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts on over 1,000 acres at Calverton National Cemetery, that wide open, expansive cemetery." Story continues He added: "It is a decision I cannot understand, cannot fathom. To me, this letter comes from a lower level bureaucrat, the kind of decision that was made by a lower level bureaucrat in an abundance of caution. We should be bending over backwards trying to figure out how to get this done and do it safely." Bellone said he believed President Donald Trump would agree. "I am 100 percent certain that the president doesn't know anything about this," he said. "He is talking every day about reopening the country and the economy. We are talking about allowing flags to be placed to honor our heroes. I believe if the president were aware, he'd be appalled." As it stands, without an under-the-wire save, the tradition will come to an end this year, Bellone said. "I think it is a shame, and a terrible thing," Bellone said. Even if a last-minute decision was made to save the tradition Friday night, Bellone said, he was sure scores of volunteers would be ready to place the flags Saturday. Flags will still be placed at more than a dozen local cemeteries across the county at the gravestones of the nation's heroes during Memorial Day weekend. The county will work with local Boy Scout troops and veterans organizations to conduct the group flag placement at non-veteran cemeteries on Saturday, May 23 at 9:30 a.m. Bellone said. Volunteers are needed; to register, click here. As part of the effort, Bellone will join 18-year-old Eagle Scout Kieran Monaghan, a member of Boy Scout Troop 443 from Middle Island, to place a flag at a local, non-veteran cemetery in Babylon. For a full list of participating cemeteries, click here. County campgrounds set to reopen Suffolk County campgrounds will reopen on June 1 for those with existing reservations. The reservation system will begin taking reservations at 7 p.m. Friday for future reservations, for those with self-contained units. No bathrooms or showers will be available and no tent camping will be allowed. Virtual run to honor veterans The annual Suffolk County Veterans Run Series kicks off on Memorial Day weekend with a virtual CpL Christopher G. Scherer MemorialI Did The Grid four-mile run / walk. While there may be no bell rung at the end of the race as in other years, Bellone said the event will honor America's heroes, including Scherer, Chief Warrant Officer John W. Engeman, United States Coast Guardsman Nathan Bruckenthal, and Master Sgt. Chris Raguso of the NY Air National Guard 106th Rescue Wing in Westhampton, who was an Air Force master sergeant, a lieutenant in the FDNY and a volunteer firefighter for the Commack Fire Department; he was one of four killed in a helicopter crash in Iraq in March 2018. "When you finish the race, voice the names of these American heroes aloud," Bellone said. Friday's numbers of new coronavirus cases As of Friday, a total of 119 people tested positive in 24 hours, bringing the total to 38,672 countywide. A total of 12,013 individuals had positive antibody test results. As of May 20, the number of hospitalizations across Suffolk County decreased by 28 to 425; the number of patients in ICU increased by two to 131 over a 24-hour period. Hospital capacity stands at 3,009 with 882 hospital beds available in Suffolk County, or 70 percent, Bellone said. There are 547 ICU beds, with 193 available, or 65 percent, he said. Over the past 24 hours, 58 patients went home to their families. And the county saw an additional 12 deaths, bringing that total to 1,814. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases by towns is as follows: Islip: 12,394 Brookhaven: 9,528 Babylon: 7,044 Huntington: 5,129 Smithtown: 2,471 Southampton: 1,006 Riverhead: 679 Southold: 412 East Hampton: 276 Shelter Island: 8 County saves Southampton COVID-19 testing site A pop-up COVID-19 testing facility that opened on April 30 in Southampton Village thanks to the efforts of Southampton Village Mayor Jesse Warren and Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman will continue to operate Suffolk County agreed to continue to fund the free testing, Bellone said Friday. The testing site was funded with private donations from the Hampton Health Society, which raised enough to set up the test site and operate it through May. Schneiderman said he reached out to Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming and Bellone with the hopes of continuing testing with county funding. The drive-thru COVID-19 testing site is operated by Hudson River Health Care and is located at the Kraus Family Health Center, adjacent to Southampton Hospital. The Southampton COVID-19 testing site will continue to operate every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.. To schedule an appointment, call 845-553-8030. New testing coming CVS, Bellone asid, will open 16 new drive-thru testing sites and provide self-swab tests to individuals. A CVC pharmacy team member will observe to ensure the individuals are administering the swab test correctly, he said. This article originally appeared on the East Hampton Patch A huge fire at one of Suva's largest markets blanketed the Fijian capital in thick smoke before it was brought under control Friday, firefighters said. The blaze engulfed the Suva Flea Market, a major tourist attraction near the waterfront, sending plumes of acrid black smoke into the air. The National Fire Authority said an adjoining shop was also badly damaged but there were no reports of injuries. "It's been stopped now and no one was injured but that's all we can say at the moment," a spokesman told AFP. The said the cause of the fire was being investigated. New Delhi: The Sikkim government on Saturday (May 23) wrote to Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev expressing disappointment over an advertisement, published by the Delhi government, which referred to the state as an independent country and clubbed it with other nations like Nepal and Bhutan. In a letter to the Delhi government, Sikkim chief secretary SC Gupta, said that the offensive ad must be withdrawn immediately since it is immensely hurtful to the people. Gupta added that the people of Sikkim have been immensely hurt as they pride in being a part of India ever since Sikkim became a state in 1975. "This is immensely hurtful to the people of Sikkim who take pride in being the citizens of our great country ever since it became the 22nd state of the Indian Union on May 16, 1975," he wrote. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Saturday said that a senior officer of the Directorate of Civil Defence has been suspended for publishing the advertisement which disrespects the territorial integrity of India by making incorrect reference to Sikkim on the same lines as some neighbouring countries, reported news agency ANI. The L-G said authorities have been directed to immediately withdraw the offensive advertisement. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal later took to Twitter and said Sikkim is an integral part of the country and such errors cannot be tolerated. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang had also expressed his disappointment over the advertisement and had asked the Delhi government to rectify it. Anticipating the need for more oxygen than ventilators to treat patients of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the Delhi government has set out to procure 2,000 oxygen concentrators. An oxygen concentrator is a device that removes nitrogen from the ambient air to enrich it with about 93% concentrated oxygen for patients in need of respiratory support, with a mask, whereas a ventilator is a machine that pumps air in and out of the lungs through a tube. In India, only 0.45% of Covid-19 patients are still on ventilators, while 2.94% of them are on oxygen support, according to data from the union health ministry. The data also goes to show that 0.4% of Delhis patients are on ventilators but does not elaborate upon how many are on oxygen support. A senior official from Delhis health department said on condition of anonymity, After treating so many Covid-19 patients, weve realised that most of them do not need ventilators. Oxygen support is good enough to improve their respiratory rate and oxygen concentration. Therefore, the Delhi government has decided to purchase oxygen concentrators. The Delhi government is preparing for a worst-case scenario of 30,000 active cases simultaneously. There are 5,720 active cases in Delhi as on May 20, according to Delhi government data. The official quoted above said that oxygen concentrators would not only be used within hospitals where there arent any gas pipelines but also in hotels or dharamshalas where Covid-19 patients could be treated if the number of cases increases. There are gas pipelines in most designated Covid-19 hospitals that deliver oxygen to patients. However, some hospitals make use of oxygen cylinders. Oxygen concentrators can be used in these hospitals instead, eliminating the need for oxygen cylinders. Also, if the number of cases goes up, and people start receiving treatment in hotels and dharamshalas, these machines can be transported there, the senior official said. According to the official, the Delhi government was looking at purchasing 500 ventilators earlier. There are around 306 ventilators in government hospitals and 800 in private hospitals in Delhi as of now. An internal committee of the Delhi government has also started examining the standards for procuring personal protective equipment. According to Delhi government officials, the tender for two lakh PPE kits floated by the Delhi government has failed at least twice within a month as none of the 32 manufacturers could match the quality of the componentscoveralls, respirators (N-95), gloves and gogglesthat has been prescribed by the health ministry. The health ministry guidelines have referred to international standards for goggles, masks, coveralls and gloves and several good quality products cannot be purchased if they are not certified according to these standards. Hence, the tenders failed. Now, an internal committee is looking at the products whose quality we can examine and if we find it satisfactory, procure them even if they do not have the requisite certification according to international standards, another official from the health department said on condition of anonymity. According to the second official, there is no immediate shortage of the kits as the government-run company HLL Lifecare Limited sent 40 trucks full of PPE kits to the Delhi government earlier this week. HLL Lifecare Limited had been designated to procure PPE kits through global tenders; however, the company has now stopped procurement, the kits will now be available on Government E-Marketplace for state governments and hospitals to procure. In an earlier shipment last month, from HLL Lifecare Limited, the Delhi government had received only 1,700 goggles and masks (components of the PPE kits) for a total of 15,000 kits, because they were in short supply. The N-95 respirators were in a short supply in the open market as there were just two of the ten existing Indian manufacturers of the masks in operation during the lockdown. They supplied mostly to HLL. The import from other countries had also gone down. However, the BIS has now allowed companies to get their products certified from approved laboratories outside. Earlier, one of the requirements for a manufacturer was to have a complete in-house testing facility, which usually cost 50 lakh to set up and around 2 lakh each year to maintain. Now, mostly MSMEs (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) make these respirators and cannot afford the testing facility. Several companies have now come forward to make the masks and the shortage should reduce within the week, Sanjeev Relhan, chairman, Preventive Wear Manufacturers Association of India (PWMAI), said. There is a shortage of goggles, though, as per the standards mentioned by the ministry of health, but there are enough face shields and visors available, which are actually more comfortable to work in, especially for those who wear spectacles. State governments could, perhaps, modify the health ministrys guidelines. The guidelines for rational use of the kits have helped, he said. The health ministry guidelines have clearly specified what kind of protective gear has to be worn in what parts of the hospital. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON 23.05.2020 LISTEN The NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Krachi West, Justice Amankwa Mensah, and the District Chief Executive, Douglas Osei Nti have together donated food items to the Muslim communities in the Krachi West district. The items included 80 bags of rice, 50 bags of sugar, cartons of milk, teabags, among others. Mr. Peter Krah, the party's Secretary, and Mr. Rabiu Bio, the Party's 1st Vice-Chairman who presented the items on behalf of the PC and the DCE, urged the Muslims to pray fervently to Allah to forgive and heal the nation of the novel coronavirus disease, which had killed many people in the world, they also requested a prayer for the visionary President, the leadership of the great Elephant party at the National level, Regional level and the Constituency level. They asked the Muslim youth to adhere to the good teachings of the Quran and avoid negative lifestyles and irresponsible acts such as fighting, disrespect for authority, vandalism, and other acts, which could affect their lives in the future. Ahmed Yakubu, the Nasara Coordinator of Krachi West and Amarley Mustapha, the Nasara Wing Chairman who received the items, commended the Parliamentary Candidate popularly known as JAM1 and the DCE for thinking about the welfare of the Muslims in Krachi West District. The Nasara Coordinator said, " The food items had come at the right time since this year's Eid-al-Fitr will be celebrated in a grand style because there will be no gathering due to the invisible enemy the whole world is battling with, which has slowed down businesses and many other things, the food items will help the Muslim Ummah celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr with their families and friends. Special packages were handed over to the founding fathers of the Nasara Wing. Communities and Mosques that benefited include Bomodin, Chokosi, Ehiamankyene, Osramanae, Gyanekrom, Kete Central Mosque, Ahlusunna Mosque, and Ahmadiya Mission. Over 23 other youth groups also benefited from the donation. The opinion piece offered by PhD Dominic Sisti and three other PhDs urging shutdown protesters to refuse treatment if they are infected with COVID-19 is unreal. Its pretty easy to surmise that these four highly educated individuals (whose egos required a need to include an entire paragraph of their educational/career qualifications in said article) got together and literally wished death on those that had the audacity to protest a government that is causing folks to lose everything in life they have worked very hard to achieve. The type of elitism exhibited by these individuals is exactly why these protesters decided to travel to Harrisburg and risk COVID-19 exposure. Its predictable of elites to look down over their glasses at these protesters and view certain segments of the population as lesser beings. This is the type of discrimination that the great Martin Luther King spent his life trying to fight. When business does finally open, I pray that these PhDs are refused service on moral grounds when their Mercedes needs repair, their mansion loses heat or their MAGA hats need alteration to fit their enormous heads. Rich Baker, Gettysburg Thank you for reading The Cascadia Advocate, the Northwest Progressive Institutes journal of world, national, and local politics. Founded in March of 2004, The Cascadia Advocate has been helping people throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond make sense of current events with rigorous analysis and thought-provoking commentary for more than fifteen years. The Cascadia Advocate is funded by readers like you and trusted sponsors. We dont run ads or publish content in exchange for money. Help us keep The Cascadia Advocate editorially independent and freely available to all by becoming a member of the Northwest Progressive Institute today. Or make a donation to sustain our essential research and advocacy journalism. Your contribution will allow us to continue bringing you features like Last Week In Congress, live coverage of events like Netroots Nation or the Democratic National Convention, and reviews of books and documentary films. Become an NPI member Make a one-time donation The plane crashed at 2.37pm local time (late Friday evening AEST), officials said, after turning around on its first approach to the airport. Descending a second time, it clipped the rooftops of several houses in the nearby Model Colony neighbourhood, where it crashed in a narrow street. The pilot reported having lost engines, before declaring "mayday, mayday". Thick plumes of smoke billowed from the crash site, according to images on local television, which showed charred rooftops, the gnarled, blackened remains of the aeroplane and several burning houses and vehicles. Nadir Butt, an engineer with a mobile phone company, was driving to the airport to pick up a colleague when he saw an aeroplane with the PIA logo crash. His colleague, Dilshah Ahmed, had asked Butt to take him to his home in Karachi so he could spend the Eid holiday with his wife and children an eight-month-old daughter and two-year-old son. "He was excited to celebrate Eid with his family after being separated for two months under lockdown," said Butt, interviewed outside one of the hospitals where the bodies were taken. "When I saw the plane going down in the neighbourhood, I started calling his phone but it was dead," Butt said in tears. Loading Instead of continuing to the airport, Butt sped to the scene of the crash and saw residents and rescue workers pulling bodies from the smouldering remains of the plane and the rubble of houses. "We have not found his body so far," Butt said at one point. "There is still more hell for us to go through." Nearly 11 hours after the crash, Butt got confirmation that Ahmed was dead. As news of the crash emerged, relatives and friends of the passengers and crew rushed to the crash site and to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, the city's largest state-run hospital, where most of the bodies were taken. Some lined up to give their DNA samples as they waited for a list of the dead. The Sindh Health Ministry said 80 bodies had been brought to hospitals. "Shocked & saddened by the PIA crash," Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a Twitter post. "Prayers & condolences go to families of the deceased." As night set in, the recovery efforts were complicated by darkness. Flood lights were installed to aid rescue efforts, said Wahab, of the Sindh government. Fire brigade staff try to put out fire caused by plane crash in Karachi, Pakistan, on Friday. Credit:AP Model Colony, the scene of the crash, is crammed with houses and winding, narrow streets. Several survivors and bodies were trapped under the rubble and the rescue operation could take two to three days to complete, Arshad Malik, the chief executive officer of PIA, said at a news conference. Rizwan Khan, who was taking part in the rescue operation, said workers were struggling to get into the damaged homes to search for survivors. "In the beginning, we tried to rescue the people, but because of severe heat, they could not do it," he said. The pilot of the aircraft was "a senior-most A320 pilot with extensive flight experience," according to a statement from the Ministry of Aviation. The plane was 16 years old, was in good condition and underwent its last checkup in March, the ministry said. Mohammad Zubair, pictured in a hospital bed, survived the plane crash in Karachi. Credit:Sind Press Information Department, via AP As he was trying to land, the pilot told the control tower that he was having technical difficulties, according to Malik, adding that the airline was trying to determine the nature of the problem. "The pilot was told that both runways were ready for him to land," Malik told a Pakistani TV channel. "However, the pilot decided to do a go-around. Why did he do that, due to what technical reason, that we will find out." A recording of the pilot radioing in to the control tower as he tried to land circulated among Pakistani media and was confirmed as authentic by officials. "Sir, we are proceeding back. We have lost engines," the pilot said in the recording. After the control tower told the pilot he was clear to land, the reply came in: "mayday, mayday." An Airbus spokesman, Stefan Schaffrath, said the company was aware of the crash but had no details about the circumstances. In a statement, Airbus said it was providing "full technical assistance" to Pakistani authorities. A woman has died from coronavirus in the Gaza Strip marking the first death in the Palestinian territory since the pandemic started. The health ministry said the 77-year-old woman had suffered from a chronic illness prior to contracting Covid-19. She had made the trip to Gaza via Egypt on 19 May and had been in quarantine to curb the spread of coronavirus, officials at the ministry said. Authorities say 35 new coronavirus cases have emerged in Gaza in recent days which makes the total estimated number 55. All of those who have tested positive for the virus have recently returned from outside Gaza and are currently quarantining in sites at the border. Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Show all 13 1 /13 Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Cheryll Mack, 46, a registered nurse in the emergency department, poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift outside the hospital where she works. "The Covid-19 spread has affected a lot of livelihood, a lot of people's lives. It has created a crisis, death in general. So I would like to ask not one single person, but all people worldwide, to converge and join the platform that this is something that nobody can fight individually," said Mack. Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Dr Laura Bontempo, 50, an emergency medicine doctor wears her personal protective equipment she uses when she sees patients, while posing for a photograph after a nine-hour shift, outside the hospital. "The hardest moments have actually been separating families from patients, there is a no-visitor policy now and taking people away from their loved ones is very challenging," Bontempo said. "I'm used to treating sick patients. I treat sick patients all the time. It's very different knowing that the patient you are treating, is actually a risk to you as well. That's the main difference here. No one who works in hospitals is afraid of treating sick people. Just want to keep staff safe and the patients safe at the same time." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Ernest Capadngan, 29, a registered nurse who works at a biocontainment unit poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift, outside the hospital. "The hardest moment during the shift was just seeing Covid patients die helpless and without their family members beside them," Capadngan said. Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Martine Bell, 41, a nurse practitioner in an emergency department, poses for a photograph after a six-hour shift outside the hospital where she works. "The hardest thing in all of this, has been taking care of fellow healthcare providers. It really hits home and it's really scary when you see someone that could be you coming in and now you're taking care of them. It's also hitting home that once healthcare providers start getting sick, who is going to be taking care of the public," Bell said. "It's very stressful, everyone is on edge. We don't know who's coming in next, or how sick they're going to be, or if we are going to get a whole bunch of people or if we're not going to get no one. It's a really stressful and just a completely unusual time for all of us." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Kaitlyn Martiniano, 25, a registered nurse who works at a biocontainment poses for a photograph after a 12.5-hour shift, outside the hospital. "We have a lot of patients and they are pretty sick right now but we have not yet been hit as hard as New York or Seattle, so I feel like we are very lucky with that so far. Every day you have to just be optimistic." Said Martiniano. "I think the reason that we are not being hit as hard right now is because so many things are closed, and because so many people are staying at home." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Tracey Wilson, 53, a nurse practitioner in an intensive care unit (ICU), poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift, outside the hospital where she works. "I had a patient fall out of bed today and I had to call his wife and tell her and she couldn't come see him, even though she pleaded and begged to come see him," Wilson said. "There is a lot of unknowns and with that unknown is a lot of anxiety and stress that we're not used to dealing with." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Meghan Sheehan, 27, a nurse practitioner in an emergency department, poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift, outside the hospital where she works. "I think the hardest moment has been the fear that lives within all of us. There is a lot of unknown right now. We fear what's going to happen tomorrow, how the emergency department will look next week when we come in. We have fears about our own colleagues, whether they will fall ill. We also fear that we could be asymptomatic carriers and bring this virus home to our families and our loved ones. There has been a lot of fear over our supplies and whether we'll run out. And then obviously there is the fear that we will see patients and not be able to do everything we normally can to help save patients' lives," Sheehan said. Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Kimberly Bowers, 44, a nurse practitioner in an ICU, poses for a photograph after a 13-hour shift, outside the hospital. "The hardest moment was a young woman who died and her family wasn't able to be here with her," Bowers said. "I think right now, it's just frustrating and scary just not knowing what comes next." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Tiffany Fare, 25, a registered nurse who works at a biocontainment unit poses for a photograph after a 13-hour shift, outside the hospital where she works. "One of the hardest moments was having to see a family member of a Covid patient, say goodbye over an iPad, rooms away. That was a tough one, I can't imagine how hard it would be to be saying goodbye, you can't see your loved one and then they're gone," Fare said. "My team has been really great to me. We've worked really well together and we've really come together in this crisis. We don't really know each other, we all come from different units within the same hospital, so for us to come together and work so well as a team, it's been a journey but I think that's what is giving me hope." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Dr Kyle Fischer, 35, an emergency medicine doctor, poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift, outside the hospital where he works. "Since it's a new virus, we don't have any experience with it. For most diseases I am used to seeing it and taking care of it and this, I don't have any starting place. I know what I'm hearing from New York, I've read all of the papers it seems like, but no one knows what the correct answers are, so there's a huge amount of uncertainty and people are really, really sick. So it's hard to second guess whether or not you are doing the right thing when you think you are but you never quite know," said Fischer. Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Julia Trainor, 23, a registered nurse at a surgical ICU, poses for a photograph after a 14-hour shift, outside the hospital. "The hardest moment was having to put a breathing tube in my patient who could no longer breathe for herself and after the breathing tube went in, we called her family and the husband, of course, couldn't visit her because of visitor restrictions at the hospital. So I had to put him on the phone and hold the phone to her ear, as he told her that he loved her so much and then I had to wipe away her tears as she was crying," said Trainor. "I'm used to seeing very sick patients and I'm used to patients dying but nothing quite like this. In the flip of a switch, without the support, they're completely isolated. They're very sick. Some of them recover and some of them don't. But the hardest part, I would think, is them having to go through this feeling like they are alone." Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Lisa Mehring, 45, a registered nurse who works in a biocontainment unit with Covid-19 patients, poses for a photograph after a 12.5-hour shift, outside the hospital where she works in Maryland. "Seeing these new moms have babies has been the hardest moment along with having do their pumping for the new moms and them not being able to be with their newborn children, it's hard to think of the family that they are missing," Mehring said. Photos Reuters Inside US hospital: A day fighting the coronavirus Jacqueline Hamil, 30, a registered nurse in an emergency department, poses for a photograph after a 12-hour shift outside the hospital. "The hardest moment of my shift today, I was in charge, and we had a really sick patient that was in a really, really small room and usually, when we have sick crashing patients, we can have a ton of resources and a ton of staff go in and help with the nurse and the doctors that are taking care of that patient. But due to the patient being ruled out for the coronavirus, we could only have five or six people in the room at a time and putting on all the gowns and gloves and masks and face shields to protect us in case the patient does have coronavirus, it takes a while, so the nurse that was in there, ended up being in the room for you know 6, 7 hours with minimal breaks and it was hard being in charge and knowing that she was stuck in the room and really nothing I could do to help her," Hamil said. Reuters Experts have previously warned a coronavirus flare-up in Gaza would prove disastrous due to a severe shortage of personal protective gear, ventilators and medicine. The enclave is home to two million people but only has roughly 60 ventilators. The International Committee of the Red Cross predicts healthcare services, which has been weakened by a blockade implemented by Israel and Egypt, could only be able to handle 100 to 150 serious cases at the same time. Gyms, schools, and wedding halls have been shut in Gaza but there has not been a total lockdown. Mosques were allowed to open their doors to the public for Friday prayers for the first time since March. "The number of new cases reported from Friday 5 p.m. to Saturday 5 p.m. is 216," said a health official. Bengaluru: A spate of Covid positive cases in Karnataka with inter-state travel history continues, even as 196 cases have been reported, the highest single-day rise, raising the state's tally to 1,959, an official said on Saturday. On Saturday, 195 of the 216 cases had inter-state travel history, mostly to Maharashtra, India's Covid hotspot. The lion's share of inter-state travel happened to Maharashtra, 187 out of the 195 cases. Travel to other states included two cases each from Gujarat, Delhi and Tamil Nadu. Only 13 of the new cases were contacts of earlier cases. Unlike earlier days of the pandemic in the state where most new cases were contacts of other cases, currently, most of the new cases have travel history. Of the new cases, Yadagiri contributed (72), followed by Raichur (40), Mandya (28), Chikkaballapura (26), Gadag (15), Dharwad (5), Hassan and Bengaluru Urban (4 each), Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kolar, Ballari, Bidar and Davangere (3 each), Uttara Kannada (2) and Kalaburagi and Belagavi (1 each). As of Saturday, 1,307 cases are active, isolated in hospitals across the state, 608 got discharged and 42 patients died of Covid-19. Thirteen patients are admitted in the ICU while 11 patients got discharged on Saturday. The state has tested 1.96 lakh people for Covid, out of which 1.92 lakh turned negative. One of the reasons for rising number of cases in the state was because of the increased testing. Earlier, the state was testing less than 5,000 samples a day and had kept a goal of testing at least 10,000 per day by the end of May. As part of this increased testing, the state is working towards setting up 60 Covid testing labs. On Saturday, the state tested 9,670 cases. Incidentally, Mandya is leading with the highest number of active cases in the state, 211, followed by Bengaluru Urban 124, Davangere, 89, Yadagiri, 87 and Hassan 84 among others. On Saturday, a 32-year-old man from Bengaluru Urban succumbed to Covid-19. "Positive case 1,270, a resident of Bengaluru Urban, was admitted to the designated hospital on Tuesday with breathing difficulty. He died on Saturday due to cardiac arrest," said the official. The deceased also suffered from comorbidities. His death is Karnataka's 42nd Covid-19 death and Bengaluru Urban's 10th. Another patient died during on Saturday, but due to a non-covid reason -- second such death in the state. "Positive case 1,783 died due to a non-Covid reason," said the official. The 55-year-old man from Dakshina Kannada had returned from Maharashtra. Of the 42 Covid deaths in Karnataka, Bengaluru Urban has seen 10 deaths, followed by Kalaburagi (7), Dakshina Kannada (5) and Davangere and Vijayapura (4 each), and remaining from other districts. Among 1,947 cases, 9 per cent were senior citizens, 62 per cent men and 38 per cent women. The state's patient discharge rate has fallen to 31 per cent. Jharkhand on Saturday reported its fourth death due to Covid-19 pandemic after a 39-year-old migrant worker who had recently returned from Mumbai tested positive posthumously. The state also reported 27 new cases in the last 24 hours taking the total count of coronavirus positive cases to 350. The man died at Koderma Sadar hospital two days ago. His samples were taken after death and the report confirming his positive status was received on Saturday. The patient was admitted to hospital after he complained of chest pain. At the time of admission, he had no symptoms of coronavirus infection. He died of cardiac complications. Since he was a migrant worker and returned from a Covid-19 hotspot, Mumbai, his samples were taken. On Saturday, his test report appeared positive, said state health departments principal secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni. He added, Now, the case will be treated as Covid-19 death. Besides this, Koderma district also reported 10 new Covid-19 cases, all migrant workers. The district now has 27 positive cases including one recovery and one death. Meanwhile, Simdega, East Singhbhum and Ranchi districts, too, reported four, three and two new cases respectively. On Friday late night, Gumla district detected seven migrant workers to be infected with SARS-COV-2 virus. Two women from Ranchis Angara and Harmus Ganganagar locality were also tested positive. The 21-year-old woman from Harmu is pregnant. She went to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) a few days back for check up. She had no travel history. We are trying to find out the source of her contagion. We have initiated contact-tracing exercise to identify people who came in direct and indirect contact with her, said Ranchi civil surgeon Dr VB Prasad. He added that the second woman was aged about 19 years and had a travel history. She had returned from Rajasthan and was observing home quarantine, Prasad said. In Simdega, four migrant workers including two women were tested positive for the virus. For Coronavirus Live Updates All the four had returned early this week from Mumbai. They had been staying in quarantine centres in Jaldega, Kolebira and Qurdeg blocks, said Simdega civil surgeon Dr PK Sinha. On Friday late night, seven new positive cases were detected in Gumla district. Five of these patients were from Sisai block and two from Basia block. The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19 The two from Basia block had returned from Mumbai on May 17. They worked as labourers for the Mumbai metro rail project. Of the five patients from Sisai block, three came from Mumbai and two from Pune, said Gumla deputy commissioner Sashi Ranjan. Opportunities only in theory In April 2020, exports were heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Export turnover to major markets had decreased, in which the EU market fell by 28.6%. It is expected that in May and June, the situation will not be very satisfactory either because the canceled and delayed orders are still pending. Even when the Covid-19 pandemic is under control in Europe, it will be difficult for export industries such as textiles, leather, shoes or furniture to bounce back because the demand for fashion or furniture after the pandemic ends will not be a priority. This means that the push from EVFTA will not come this year for many commodity groups. Once EVFTA takes effect, fruits and vegetables will be one of the agricultural products that will benefit. Accordingly, the EU is committed to open very strongly for Vietnamese vegetables and fruits by eliminating 94% of the total 547 tariff lines for vegetables and fruit products immediately, including many products that are strengths of Vietnam such as lychee, longan, rambutan, dragon fruit, pineapple, and melons. Most EU tariff lines will be abolished right away and have an average MFN tax rate of about 10%. There are fruits and vegetables that are subject to tax rate of about 20% also. Thus, this level of commitment will create a great price advantage for Vietnamese vegetables and fruits, especially in competition with other countries with the same non-FTA sectors such as Thailand, China, Malaysia and Indonesia. According to statistics of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), the proportion of exports to the EU account for only 3-5% of the total export turnover of the whole industry. With the tax rate decreasing to 0%, turnover is forecast to grow strongly. But it is a theoretical calculation. In fact, to enter the European market we have to go through very strict technical procedures. Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of Vinafruit, affirmed that the requirements on food hygiene and safety, chemical residues and plant protection drugs in Europe are very strict and Vietnamese goods must first receive Global GAP certification to enter. Currently the area of growing vegetables and fruits under Global GAP certification in Vietnam accounts for only 5-10% of total area. The conversion requires time, capital and the support of the State. Meanwhile, shrimp is one of the products that enjoy many advantages from EVFTA. Specifically, frozen black tiger shrimp will reduce from 20% tax to 0% right after the agreement comes into effect. Other shrimp products will reduce as per the three to five-year schedule. This will contribute to increasing competitiveness in our shrimp products to the EU compared to competitors such as Thailand and India, which are not entitled to preferential tax rates. However, according to Mr. Ho Quoc Luc, General Director of Sao Ta Food Company, the advantage is still in theory because we have not resolved many internal bottlenecks. Shrimp entering the EU must have a source of ASC standard, while the current ASC farming area is still very modest. Concerns over standards of origin According to many experts, although EVFTA takes effect right from the beginning of the third quarter, industries such as textiles and footwear will hardly get a big push. Currently, Europe is ranked 2nd in Vietnam's textile and apparel import market, however, a new issue of the textile industry is to meet the standards of origin. Accordingly, in order to be eligible for a tax reduction under the agreement, the product must strictly follow the rules of origin and satisfy the two conditions, namely, fabric used to produce finished products must originate from Vietnam or EU and cutting and sewing must be done in Vietnam or EU. However, EVFTA also has a flexible commitment to cumulative rules of origin. Specifically, if enterprises use fabrics originating from countries with FTAs, their products are also considered valid origin to enjoy tax incentives as prescribed by EVFTA. However, according to Mr. Pham Xuan Hong, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Textile and Garment Association, currently we still import the main materials from China, and very little from South Korea because this is not a big supply market of raw materials. Of course, garment enterprises also expect that with EVFTA, investing or attracting investment in support industries for garment industry in Vietnam will have a chance to make a breakthrough. Because the initiative of raw materials will help businesses switch to goods with higher forms such as FOB or ODM, instead of simply processing with low value-added as today. In order to remove difficulties for the fruit and vegetable industry, Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen said that it is necessary to have agricultural research institutes to guide farmers on how to grow, research high-resistance crop varieties, and invest in importing or manufacturing micro-biological medicines to repel disease, so that it can transform the longstanding cultivation model of farmers. For shrimps to reach EU standards, Mr. Ho Quoc Luc stated inadequacies which require building ASC shrimp farms over large areas and capital investment. Most shrimp farmers are now small scale so it is difficult to grow fast. In addition, rigorous standards of EU traceability have set many regulations and not all enterprises can meet such stringent requirements. Thanh Lam Fixing a broken system begins with more accountability, Cohn, May 12 I agree that accountability, inspection and responsibility are incredibly important and necessary to protect the most vulnerable people in our society. Relying only on complaint-based investigations is not adequate. A return to spot checks, unannounced comprehensive inspections and complaint-based investigations is crucial to protect seniors and children. Providing care to seniors, children and people with disabilities, is a very labour-intensive service. High quality care is costly, and we must rely on the government to fund or subsize it, so we can all count on a level playing field. Public funding must stay in the public or non-profit system. The outcomes in profit versus nonprofit/public LTC homes is no surprise. To make a profit, you must charge clients more for the same service to compete with non-profit/public and find places to cut the budget. Salaries, food, equipment, supplies are the only places to cut. We need more public investment in LTC homes and child care. The only way to guarantee that is to run these services as not-for-profits or public entities. Janet Teibo, Toronto Isolated and lonely, caged seniors driven to despair, May 19 In April, Canada was forced to end extended solitary confinement in its prisons. Yet, this cruel and unusual treatment continues in Ontarios retirement homes where there are no COVID outbreaks. Healthy seniors are confined to their rooms, against their will and in violation of the Residential Tenancies Act, having human contact only when their meals are delivered and retrieved. This article details the tragic consequences of this for the elderly, including loss of cognitive and motor skills, and even starvation. One geriatrician described his patients as caged for no health-based reason. Families pleading for compassion and a request from seven seniors advocacy groups for Ontario to follow Alberta in redefining what is an essential visitor were rejected. The iron ring that was supposed to protect vulnerable seniors is actually a shackle. Kristina Bendikas, London, Ont. I keep thinking of the brilliant 1951 sci-fi classic The Day The Earth Stood Still. In it, the alien (played by Michael Rennie) comes to Earth to warn us. As we invented nuclear weapons, yet were still such a savage war-making species, Earth was now seen as a threat to other planets. Rennies alien came to tell us that if we dont get it together, they would destroy us. To prove they were capable of it, he offered a demonstration by stopping the world, for one hour. Everything ground to a complete halt, the world over. The parallels to this pandemic are striking. Since we are now a threat to the very survival of the planet, the planet has taken on Rennies role, and is warning humanity that if we dont get it together, we will be destroyed. And it offers a demonstration that it can do this: An invisible, ingenious virus that does one thing: it isolates every human from every other human in the world. This is the year the Earth stood still. The warning is clear: change, the world over, or perish. Will we listen? Peter Dick, Toronto I work as a supervisor at a homeless shelter in Toronto, and I barely make a living wage. In January, like many Ontarians, I lost my paid sick days due to Fords Bill 47. Until my employer recently successfully lobbied the city for paid sick days in our budget, I had to make the difficult decision to work with vulnerable individuals (some immuno-compromised) while sick, or work 16-hour shifts when I felt well again, to pay the bills. If I cant afford a sick day making nearly 60 per cent above the provincial minimum wage, what about those making less? Ontario has the highest percentage of minimum-wage earners of any province and many of them have been on the front line of this pandemic. If we arent paying these heroes a living wage, the least they deserve is the dignity of seven paid sick days, plus an additional 14 emergency leave days. Megan Brown, Toronto Deferred rent and mortgages become overwhelming in very short order for most households and businesses. After a couple of months of missed payments, tenants and homeowners are looking at an almost insurmountable financial crisis. If family or business cash-flow is sufficient to meet monthly liabilities, but not for an emergency as missed payments due to the COVID-19 virus, then the parties involved in the contract need to work out a solution. Landlords dont want empty stores or office space and banks dont want to own your house. Now is not the time to panic. Now is the time when the parties need to come together and work out an amicable solution. Doug Haughton, Caledon Why streaming services need to rescue musicians, Opinion, May 16 As a member of the Music Workers Alliance, an organization based in New York City and representing indie musicians and DJs, I couldnt agree more. Our live work is shut down and likely to remain so for 12 to 18 months. The market for our recorded work remains severely distorted by the mass infringement business models of Google/YouTube and their ilk. Music Workers Alliance has launched a petition demanding major online corporations profiting from music donate one per cent of their income to relief efforts for the duration of the crisis. So far, although Sony music and Netflix have stepped forward with generous donations, the response of other Silicon Valley corporations has been shameful, inadequate and self-serving. Marc Ribot, New York City We all know for sure now that online learning cannot replace the magic of a caring, expert teacher. We also know that our schools are facing the challenges of a lifetime. Teachers will need to find a way to heal the traumas left behind, re-establish the discipline, attention and motivation needed to learn, and lead students back to environments where they can truly work and learn together. All while protecting the health of their students and their own families. Who knows more about the true nature of the challenges ahead? Why is it that front-line teachers, the experts, are not involved in planning for opening schools in September? Presumptive Democratic Nominee Joe Biden has come under fire for comments he made during an interview with The Breakfast Club radio program, in which he quipped that if African American voters support President Trump over him in November, they arent black. "Well, Ill tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black," Biden told radio personality Charlamagne tha God, who hosts the program, which is particularly popular among black millennials, a voting bloc the former vice president is hoping to woo. "It don't have nothing to do with Trump, it has to do with the fact -- I want something for my community," Charlamagne replied. Take a look at my record! I extended the Voting Rights Act 25 years' I have a record that is second to none. The NAACP has endorsed me every time I've run. I mean, come on, take a look at the record," Biden fired back. (MORE: Bidens veep search enters new phase as selection committee steps up activity) Later Friday, Biden joined a call with the National Black Chamber of Commerce and conceded that he was much too cavalier in his remarks, and said he did not take the black vote for granted. "I know the comments have come off like I was taking the African-American vote for granted. But nothing could be further from the truth, Biden said on the call. "I shouldn't have been such a wise guy," Biden added, I don't take [the black vote] for granted at all. And no one, no one should have to vote for any party, based on their race, their religion, their background. There are African-Americans who think that Trump was worth voting for. I don't think so, I'm prepared to put my record against his. That was the bottom line and it was really unfortunate, I shouldn't have been so cavalier, Biden said. Biden also offered strong criticism of President Trumps rhetoric on race. Donald Trump...this is the same man who called Africa -- you know -- s-hole countries, while also claiming there were fine people on both sides in Charlottesville as those racists came out of the fields carrying torches. He's lied about President Obama's birth certificate, Biden said. Story continues Biden has consistently criticized Trumps rhetoric on race, frequently charging in speeches on the campaign trail that the president is fanning the flames of white supremacy and hate in America. The presumptive Democratic nominee has also made the tragic 2017 events in Charlottesville, Virginia, when a woman was killed protesting a rally attended by white supremacists, a centerpiece of his campaign, as well as Trumps comments that there were very fine people, on both sides that took part in the event. PHOTO: In this screen grab taken from a video posted on YouTube, Joe Biden appears on The Breakfast Club. (Breakfast Club Power/YouTube) Earlier Friday, Bidens campaign said the comments were made in jest and were intended to show Bidens confidence in his record supporting minority communities as opposed to President Trumps record which has included a travel ban that affected people coming from predominantly Muslim countries, hardline immigration policies and comments about blacks and Latinos seen as offensive by many. Vice President Biden spent his career fighting alongside and for the African American community. He won his party's nomination by earning every vote and meeting people where they are and that's exactly what he intends to do this November, Symone Sanders, a senior advisor for Biden tweeted following the interview. The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but lets be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trumps any day. Period, Sanders continued. Bidens comments that sparked criticism, which came towards the end of a nearly 20-minute long, at times combative, interview that touched on Bidens views on criminal justice reform, marijuana legalization, and delved into his role in crafting the controversial 1994 Crime Bill that critics argue had a disproportionate impact on minority communities and which critics say helped lay the groundwork for mass incarceration. In a statement given to the news website Mediaite, Charlamagne said his response to Biden during the interview stood on its own. We have been loyal to Democrats for a long time, black people have invested a lot into that party and the return on investment has not been great, he wrote. As Biden said in our brief interview when I asked him if Dems owe the black community ABSOLUTELY was his answer. So lets see what you got!!! Votes are Quid Pro Quo. You cant possibly want me to Fear Trump MORE than I want something for my people, the statement read. President Donald Trumps reelection campaign quickly sought to cast the comment as racist and condescending. "Joe Biden believes Black men and women are incapable of being independent or free thinking. He truly believes that he, a 77-year-old white man, should dictate how Black people should behave," Katrina Pierson, a senior adviser to Trumps campaign, who is also African-American, wrote in a statement released Friday morning. That is the most arrogant, condescending comment Ive heard in a very long time and thats saying something, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., the lone black Republican in the U.S. Senate, said in an interview Friday on Fox News. Until the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the American economy, Trump has often attempted to appeal to black voters by citing record low unemployment levels. The Democrats always play the Race Card, when in fact they have done so little for our Nations great African American people. Now, lowest unemployment in U.S. history, and only getting better, Trump said in a July 2019 tweet. While black unemployment has reached record lows during the Trump administration according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many economists view the continued economic growth since the middle of 2009, when Democratic President Barack Obama was in office, as the primary explanation for hiring, according to a fact check of Trumps claims done by the Associated Press. (MORE: Biden campaign focuses on diverse coalition building with new senior leadership) Bidens remarks drew criticism from some activists who say he still has work to do to engage minority communities and win their votes this November. The comments were offensive, insensitive, out of touch...Its just not good for the presumed future leader of the Democratic Party in our nation to say anything like that, Yvette Simpson, an ABC News contributor who leads the progressive group Democracy for America, said Friday of Bidens comments on The Breakfast Club. I think it sounds like [Biden] is taking this for granted. I think he believes that anybody who doesn't like Trump is automatically going to vote for him. And that he doesn't have to earn the vote of base voters, whether they be women or black and brown people or what have you. That's false, Simpson added. Others urged Biden to show that he values the voters that comprise the base of the Democratic Party, and will only win their votes if they feel his dialogue with them is genuine. Joe Biden doesn't get to decide who is black, or what black voters want, or what women of color voters want. He can decide that the issues and concerns of black voters matter, and engage us in conversations that can ultimately turn the election, Aimee Allison the founder and president of She the People, a political network that aims to elevate women of color in politics, wrote in a statement provided to ABC News. In an interview Friday afternoon, Sanders said that Biden was not taking any votes for granted. If the question people have is does Vice President Biden believe that he has to earn the votes of black voters, of Latino voters, of young people, of progressive of women, of working class voters, of blue collar voters in this country? Absolutely, Sanders said on MSNBC. Other experts say Bidens comments fundamentally misunderstand the lack of representation that has historically driven black voters to disengage from the political process. Ultimately, the choice between Biden and Trump is not a choice between: if you're black, whether you're going to support a Republican, or if you're black, youre going to support a Democrat. Historically black voters tend to not engage at all, because neither of the choices really reflect their political desires or political goals and what they think is best for their community at the time. So in that sense...it's not so much offensive or even insulting, but just mis-recognizes the complexity and sophistication of black voters really at this point in time, Dr. Mark Anthony Neal, a professor of African and African American Studies at Duke University, told ABC News. However, Neal said there remains a difference between how some black Americans may react to Bidens comments, and how many feel about the rhetoric and policymaking coming out of Donald Trumps White House. The disconnect, when we think about the same kind of rhetoric coming from the White House at the moment, is that Donald Trump, other than lip service to black historical figures and certain black folks that he has a relationship with, he hasn't enacted policies that suggest he has the best interest of black folks, Neal said. So its not so easy for some of [Trumps] more problematic statements to just roll off the backs of black folks in the way that Joe Biden is such a known entity and known for making the kind of comments that he made this morning, Neal added. Throughout the interview with Charlamagne, Biden defended his involvement with the 1994 crime bill, an issue that he has faced intense scrutiny on throughout his third run for the presidency. When asked why he was hesitant to acknowledge the negative impact the bill and other legislation had on communities of color, as Hillary Clinton did on the program in 2016, Biden pushed back. She was wrong. What happened was, it wasn't the crime bill. It was the drug legislation. It was the institution of mandatory minimums, which I oppose, Biden shot back. Biden was also asked about his current views on marijuana, and his advocating for decriminalization instead of legalization until more scientific studies are conducted about the long-term impacts of the drug. "No one should be going to jail for a drug crime. Period," Biden said. I think we got decades and decades of studies from actual weed smokers though, Charlamagne argued. I know a lot of weed smokers, Biden replied. Biden relied heavily on support from the African-American community throughout this years Democratic primary, especially among older black voters, who propelled him to a landslide victory in South Carolina that many credit with reviving his campaign. I won overwhelmingly. I told you when I got to South Carolina. I won every single county. I won a larger share of the black vote than anybody has, including Barack [Obama], Biden said. Biden won black voters in the South Carolina primary in February by 44 points over the second place finisher in the contest, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, according to exit polls. The former vice president will likely need to turn out black voters this fall at higher rates than were seen in 2016, when Hillary Clinton narrowly lost to Trump. A poll conducted this week by Quinnipiac University showed Biden with a 78-point lead with African-American voters over Trump. In 2016, Trump carried just 8% of the black vote according to exit polls after making a stark and unorthodox pitch to them during one campaign event in the battleground state of Michigan. "You're living in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58% of your youth is unemployed -- what the hell do you have to lose?" Trump said in an off the cuff comment during an August 2016 rally in Dimondale, Michigan. (MORE: Biden hires Chavez granddaughter to help on Latino outreach) During his interview on The Breakfast Club on Friday, Biden was also asked about who he is planning to vet to be his vice presidential running mate, and while he did not offer any specific names, he committed that there are multiple black women that are in the running. I'm not acknowledging anybody who is being considered but I guarantee you, there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple, Biden said. Several prominent African-American lawmakers, nearly all of whom have backed Bidens bid including House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., Civil Rights icon and Georgia Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga. and Reverend Al Sharpton, have urged Biden to strongly consider choosing a woman of color to round out the presidential ticket. I think Vice President Biden should look around. It would be good to have a woman of color...It would be good to have a woman, who looks like the rest of America, Lewis told reporters in early April. ABC News' Will Steakin and Rachel Scott contributed to this report Biden on comment to black radio host: 'I shouldn't have been such a wise guy' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Farmers feel hugely betrayed by the Tory Party after a bid to protect Britain from low-standard food imports was torpedoed, an award-winning farmer said last night. Andrew Ward, who has 1,600 acres of arable land in Lincolnshire, claimed Conservative MPs had kicked farmers in the teeth after they failed to agree a legal protection that would stop food being sold here that was produced abroad using lower safety or animal welfare standards. The Conservatives had pledged in last years Election manifesto: In all of our trade negotiations, we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. Andrew Ward, who has 1,600 acres of arable land in Lincolnshire, claimed Conservative MPs had kicked farmers in the teeth Earlier this month, senior Tory MP Neil Parish tabled an amendment to the Governments landmark Agriculture Bill which would have prevented future trade deals from allowing food into the UK not produced to the equivalent standards required of farmers and processors here. But it was defeated after failing to receive Government support. Mr Ward, who was awarded an MBE for his services to agriculture in 2014 and was crowned Arable Farmer of the Year by Farmers Weekly in 2009, said the vote had rocked his faith in the Conservative Party after he backed them at last years General Election. I was undecided but at the last minute I thought, No I will stick with the Conservatives, so I voted for them, he said. The trust that we have put in our Conservatives to look after industry and look after businesses has not materialised. Dairy cows in Cheshire are typically kept in fields and are free to roam around In Kersey, Colorado, it is a very different picture. This cattle feedlot operated by JBS Five Rivers Cattle Feeding has a capacity of 98,000 cattle Polls show we want high food standards Ministers face a fierce public backlash if they allow US chlorinated chicken or hormone-treated beef to be sold on Britains supermarket shelves. An overwhelming 93 per cent of Britons want our high food standards to be protected in post-Brexit trade deals, according to polling commissioned by Which? One survey found that 80 per cent of the more than 2,000 adults quizzed would not be comfortable eating beef that had been reared using growth hormones. Another poll of 2,399 Britons found 68 per cent were not happy about eating chicken washed with chlorine. In a separate online survey by the consumer watchdog involving 21 adults, every participant believed that maintaining or improving food standards should be a post-Brexit priority. Our biggest opportunity when we leave the EU is to introduce the most stringent food safety and standards in the whole world, one 53-year-old man from South West England told Which? researchers. The US Department of Agriculture has dismissed concerns over food safety standards as unfounded. Advertisement That is where we feel hugely betrayed. A lot of us wrote to MPs before this amendment was discussed to highlight how important food standards are and we really do want them protecting and they wrote back to us all and said they fully appreciated where we were coming from and really did understand and agree that food standards need maintaining. And then when the votes took place they completely turned tail and they all voted against it thats another betrayal. It really kicked us in the teeth. Mr Ward, who grows wheat, spring barley, sugar beet and oilseed rape, has been praised for the innovative methods he uses. Rapeseed from the farm is processed into oil blends used by McDonalds and it is one of only two farms in the country to be awarded flagship status by the fast-food giant. He said arable farmers were concerned about cheap wheat and barley imports, while livestock farmers were worried about beef, pork and chicken produced abroad to much lower standards. Earlier this year, The Mail on Sunday revealed leaked emails in which one of the Governments most senior officials made the incendiary suggestion that Britain does not need its own farming industry. Influential Treasury adviser Tim Leunig argued that the food sector was not critically important to the economy and that agriculture and fishery production certainly isnt. Mr Ward said our story sent shockwaves through the whole industry. He added: The Government really needs to decide, do they want an agricultural industry where we produce our own food while looking after the environment or do they want to import it all and not have an agricultural industry? What they're saying... but who do you believe? Boris Johnson: We will not accept any diminution in food hygiene or animal welfare standards. (February 2020) Prince Charles: The aggressive search for cheaper food has been described as a drive to the bottom which I am afraid is taking farmers with it. They are being driven into the ground by the prices they are forced to expect for their produce and this has led to some very worrying shortcuts. In the UK, as elsewhere but particularly in the US the consequences of this are ever more apparent in the deteriorating state of our public health. (May 2013) Environment Secretary George Eustice: In the UK we have built a very special market based on provenance, with particular attention to food safety and animal welfare standards. We will not jeopardise that through trade deals in the future. (February 2020) International Trade Secretary Liz Truss: We will never undermine our high domestic environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards ensuring that in any agreement British farmers are always able to compete. (May 2020) Shadow Environment Secretary Luke Pollard: Labour will vote against this [Agriculture] Bill because the issue of farm standards for our food is not a technical one; it is fundamental to what kind of country we are. (May 2020) Minette Batters, National Farmers Union president: We must not tie the hands of British farmers to the highest rung of the standards ladder while waving through food imports which may not even reach the bottom rung. (February 2020) US President Donald Trump: Working on major Trade Deal with the United Kingdom. Could be very big & exciting. JOBS! The EU is very protectionist with the US. STOP! (July 2017) Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly: Of course we are not going to have chlorinated chicken. (January 2020) Woody Johnson, American Ambassador to the UK: Millions of Britons visit America every year and I would wager most eat chicken while there. Ask them and I am sure they will tell you that American agricultural products are safe, nutritious and delicious. These products should absolutely be included in a US-UK free trade agreement. (January 2020) Conservative Party manifesto 2019: In all of our trade negotiations, we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. Advertisement Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 23:12:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KABUL, May 23 (Xinhua) -- With registering 782 new COVID-19 positive cases over the past 24 hours in Afghanistan, the number of patients infected with the disease has risen to 9,998 in the country, Tawhid Shakohmand, a spokesman for Public Health Ministry said Saturday. Expressing concern over what he described "fast spread of coronavirus" in the country, the official called upon countrymen to respect the Public Health Ministry's advice and stay at home during Eid-ul-Fitr holiday. The spreading of the COVID-19 in Afghanistan has claimed the lives of eight persons over the past 24 hours, totaling the number of COVID-19 related deaths to 216 since the outbreak of the virus in February in Afghanistan, Shakohmand said. According to the official, 44 patients have recovered over the past 24 hours, bringing the number of recovered ones to 1,040 in the country. A deputy for Public Health Ministry has also called upon people to stay at home during Eid-ul-Fitr festival to stay safe, warning any ignorance to respect the lockdown would lead to catastrophe. Kabul governor Mohammad Yaqub Haidari said that strict measures had been put in place during Eid-ul-Fitr days in Kabul to enforce the lockdown in the city. Enditem A Linfield College graduate said this week the private school failed to intervene as promised after she alleged that longtime board member David Jubb, after drinking too much, groped her and two other students three years ago. The woman said she felt hurt and betrayed by Linfield after she learned that Jubb later was accused of abusing another student under similar circumstances in 2019. My hope is that Linfield does what they can to make amends, she said Thursday. Do the right thing going forward and listen to students, listen to sexual abuse survivors and take them seriously. Jubb was indicted last week on eight charges related to the graduate, now 24, and two of her friends in 2017, as well as the 2019 incident, which involved an undergraduate representative on the board of trustees. The accusations and fallout from the administrations response have rocked the 2,000-student liberal arts college in McMinnville. The 162-year-old school cites its mission to inspire the courage to live by moral and spiritual principle and to defend freedom of conscience. I reported this misconduct so that no one would ever be hurt by David Jubb again, the Linfield graduate said in a statement she sent to college faculty this month. I was ignored, and thus, another student fell victim. Jubb has pleaded not guilty in Yamhill County Circuit Court to one count of first-degree sexual abuse and seven counts of third-degree sexual abuse. The Oregonian/OregonLive generally doesnt name alleged victims in sex crimes cases. But the graduate agreed to be identified by her initials A.K., which are included in the indictment. Jubb is accused of touching her buttocks without consent, which is one of the third-degree sexual abuse charges. A.K. described the alleged encounter with Jubb, how she registered a complaint a year later with college officials and how they gave assurances then that the college would deal with Jubb. She singled out the boards current chair, David C. Baca, for criticism. He is the subject of a petition signed by dozens of students and faculty calling for his resignation over his handling of allegations against Jubb. A.K. said the schools general counsel told her in 2018 that Baca gave his word that David Jubb would never have contact with students again or be allowed at events that served alcohol, as she recalled. Baca didnt return email or phone messages seeking comment. Baca was on the board but not chairman in 2017 when the alleged incident involving A.K. occurred, Linfield spokesman Scott Nelson said, though records show Baca was board chair by the time A.K. made her complaint to a school official. Nelson acknowledged Baca was made aware of the agreement to exclude David Jubb from board-related activities that involved students and alcohol. He said Jubb also had been asked not to attend dinners at faculty homes with trustees and graduating seniors. But Nelson disclosed that Baca last year purposefully joined the trustees at a bar in McMinnville after a faculty-trustee dinner and sat next to the student trustee. He did so, Nelson said, after learning the student would be present with Jubb and other board members. The student later reported Jubb had sexually abused her that night at the bar. The student, AnnaMarie Motis, said Jubb aggressively bumped her legs under the table and thrust his hand under her dress and touched her genitalia as he sat across from her at the bar in February 2019, according to her suit. She sued the college in December, and the college settled the suit for $500,000. Motis allegations are part of the indictment. She has agreed to be identified in news articles. Baca did not allow anyone to sexually abuse a student and did not witness any assault or groping, Nelson said. The after-dinner 2019 gathering that Motis attended wasnt a college activity, Nelson said. Individuals went of their own accord, and Linfield had no role in planning it or authority to stop them, the college spokesman said in an email. Jubb, now 71, remained on the board until last June, when he resigned after Motis allegations. Jubbs attorney, Stephen Houze, declined comment, citing the criminal charges against his client. *** A.K. said her May 5, 2017, encounter with Jubb began at a campus dinner for senior student leaders and board trustees. She and two of her friends had been sitting at the same table as Jubb and then-college President Thomas Hellie. Afterward, the president asked A.K. and her friends if they could drive Jubb to downtown McMinnville, A.K. said. Jubbs hotel was downtown and he was too drunk to drive, she said. Once downtown, Jubb accompanied the students to a concert at Willamette Valley Vineyards Tasting Room on Third Street and then he suggested they all walk over to the nearby Oak Bar, according to A.K. At the bar, Jubb was making sexually inappropriate comments to them, she said, and when they chose to leave because they were uncomfortable, Jubb did too. He was so drunk he could barely walk and hung on them and groped the students, A.K. said. The indictment accuses Jubb of making unwanted sexual contact with the two other students, touching the tongue and buttocks of one and the groin and buttocks of another. What should have been a night of celebration became a negative experience and left me questioning the values of Linfield College, A.K. wrote in the statement to faculty. A.K. went to college officials in April 2018, she said. By then, she was working as a teacher in another state and said she felt a deep need to help and protect students. She contacted the college not because I was gravely affected, she said, but because she felt it was her duty to protect others. *** A.K. said she called the college and asked to speak with President Hellie but was instead routed to the colleges general counsel, John McKeegan, and Dan Preston, then a vice president for enrollment. She said she spoke to them by phone, gave them her full name, the year she graduated, her elementary education major and her account of what happened. They were really apologetic about everything, she recalled. They also told her they would talk to the college president and Baca, the board chair, and get back in touch with her. The next month, she said, she heard from McKeegan. In May of 2018, John McKeegan informed me over the phone that he had shared my experience with David Baca. McKeegan told me that Mr. Baca was shocked. I was told Mr. Baca gave his word that David Jubb would never have contact with students again or be allowed at events that served alcohol. I had no reason not to trust that the issue was taken care, A.K. wrote in the statement. A.K. said she heard nothing more until someone from the college contacted her last July and asked if Linfield could share information regarding her complaint about Jubb with McMinnville police. She agreed. A detective interviewed her in August and said police had received a new complaint from another student but provided no details. *** A.K. said she discovered that the student was Motis only after reading The Oregonian/OregonLives story about the federal lawsuit Motis filed against Jubb and the college. Motis in the lawsuit accused Jubb of touching her buttocks and genitals. A.K. said she wrote the statement and is talking publicly now because Baca and the college allowed Jubb to remain on the board and interact with students. When I found out what happened to AnnaMarie I was so unbelievably disappointed and appalled by the lack of action, A.K. said in her statement. Baca, a 1978 Linfield graduate and a partner in the Davis Wright Tremaine law firm, recently was elected to another three-term on the board and remains chair. McKeegan is leaving Linfield, the college announced last month, to start June 1 as president at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pa. McKeegan also did not return a phone message for comment. A Linfield faculty assembly meeting has been called for Tuesday night to discuss the schools responses. -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Subscribe to Facebook page Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter Technavio has been monitoring the blast furnaces market and it is poised to grow by USD 869.14 million during 2020-2024. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200522005356/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Blast Furnaces Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will decelerate during the forecast period. Danieli C. Officine Meccaniche Spa, Gillanders Arbuthnot and Co. Ltd., IHI Corp., Larsen and Toubro Ltd., MECON Ltd., Metallurgical Corp. of China Ltd., Nippon Steel Corp., Noble Industrial Furnace Co. Inc., Primetals Technologies Ltd., and SMS Group GmbH are some of the major market participants. The large installed base of blast furnaces will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Large installed base of blast furnaces has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Blast Furnaces Market 2020-2024: Segmentation Blast Furnaces Market is segmented as below: Application Capacity Additions Revamping Projects Geography APAC Europe North America MEA 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=IRTNTR43130 Blast Furnaces 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 blast furnaces market report covers the following areas: Blast Furnaces Market Size Blast Furnaces Market Trends Blast Furnaces Market Industry Analysis This study identifies the increasing adoption of telerehabilitation as one of the prime reasons driving the blast furnaces market growth during the next few years. Blast Furnaces Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the blast furnaces market, including some of the vendors such as Danieli C. Officine Meccaniche Spa, Gillanders Arbuthnot and Co. Ltd., IHI Corp., Larsen and Toubro Ltd., MECON Ltd., Metallurgical Corp. of China Ltd., Nippon Steel Corp., Noble Industrial Furnace Co. Inc., Primetals Technologies Ltd., and SMS Group GmbH. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the blast furnaces market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. 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Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Blast Furnaces Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024 Detailed information on factors that will assist blast furnaces market growth during the next five years Estimation of the blast furnaces market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the blast furnaces market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of blast furnaces market vendors Table Of Contents: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2019 Market outlook: Forecast for 2019-2024 Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Application Market segments Comparison by Application Capacity additions Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Revamping projects Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by Application Customer Landscape 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 by geography Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendor landscape Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors Danieli C. Officine Meccaniche Spa Gillanders Arbuthnot and Co. Ltd. IHI Corp. Larsen and Toubro Ltd. MECON Ltd. Metallurgical Corp. of China Ltd. Nippon Steel Corp. Noble Industrial Furnace Co. Inc. Primetals Technologies Ltd. SMS Group GmbH Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ 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/20200522005356/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/ Medical staff members wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) is seen during training of resuscitation techniques for COVID-19 coronavirus patients at the School of Military Health Enforcement in Libreville on May 13, 2020. (Photo by STEEVE JORDAN / AFP) (Photo by STEEVE JORDAN/AFP via Getty Images) A server brings out sweetener to patron Francesca Macartney Beale at Douro restaurant in Connecticut at outdoor seating at socially-distanced tables. Employees must wear masks. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) It is still advised to avoid all non-essential travel overseas and those who come into the country are "strongly advised" to self-isolate for 14 days. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin Follow the latest coronavirus news in Ireland and across the world on the Independent.ie live blog. 19:30 23/05/2020 'All the locals are very happy' - Dublin pub starts drinks delivery service Cate McCurry, PA A Dublin man has joined the growing number of enterprising publicans to bring freshly-poured pints to the homes of his customers. Publican Albert Martin decided to reopen his doors to The Willows pub in north Dublin to reconnect with his customers in an innovative way that complies with the lockdown laws. After receiving assurances from the gardai over the delivery of sealed drinks, Mr Martin and his team have been visiting the homes of his punters in Dublin. The family-run pub had plans to celebrate 55 years in business this July, however the coronavirus measures has forced the family to postpone the event. Mr Martin is now calling to the homes of his customers, new and old, with freshly poured drinks including pints, wine and cocktails. Mr Martin said: "We only just started it on Friday but already people have been calling up and ordering different drinks." The proprietor has enforced a 20-euro minimum spend and delivers within a one kilometre-radius to ensure the pints are kept fresh. "People have been really enjoying it - a lot of the customers who ordered on Friday were back again today," Mr Martin added. "All the locals are very happy about it." On the drinks menu includes pints, bottled beer, alcopops, wine and number of spirits. "The most popular has been Guinness draught. They love the Guinness and it looks very good when its poured. "All the customers ring us up and make the order and pay over the phone. So far it's mainly been our regulars but we've had a few new people calling us. "We'll have to wait until August before we can have people back in the pub again. I think people are getting a bit tired of sitting at home so they are happy to see freshly poured pints delivered to them." Read More 19:00 23/05/2020 Drug hailed as coronavirus 'game-changer' by Donald Trump is 'more likely to kill' Ariana Eunjung A study of 96,000 hospitalised coronavirus patients on six continents found those who received an antimalarial drug promoted by President Donald Trump as a "game-changer" in the fight against the virus had a significantly higher risk of death. People treated with hydroxychloroquine, or the closely related drug chloroquine, were also more likely to develop a type of irregular heart rhythm, or arrhythmia, that can lead to sudden cardiac death, it concluded. The study, published yesterday in the medical journal 'The Lancet', is the largest analysis to date of the risks and benefits of treating Covid-19 patients with antimalarial drugs. It is based on a retrospective analysis of medical records, not a controlled study in which patients are divided randomly into treatment groups - a method considered the gold standard of medicine. But the sheer size of the study was convincing to some scientists. "It's one thing not to have benefit, but this shows distinct harm," said Eric Topol, a cardiologist and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. "If there was ever hope for this drug, this is the death of it." Read More 18:35 23/05/2020 No new coronavirus cases confirmed in China for the first time Yuri Kageyama, PA Coronavirus cases continued to drop in much of Asia on Saturday but surged in Latin America, as the world grappled with balancing the urge to restart economies with fears about health risks. China, where the outbreak began late last year, reported no new confirmed cases for the first time. In South Korea, there were 23 fresh infections, mostly from the densely populated Seoul area where authorities shut down thousands of nightclubs, bars and karaoke rooms to stem transmissions. The encouraging signs are likely to set off a much-awaited thrust to get back to business as governments have been readying social-distancing measures to reopen economies. Read More 18:00 23/05/2020 Three children hospitalised with rare illness which may be linked to coronavirus Eilish O'Regan Three children in the Republic have been hospitalised with a mysterious 'inflammatory syndrome' thought to be caused by the coronavirus. The children, who were treated in Dublin, have since recovered. A rapid alert was issued by the Department of Health last week about the illness. The illness has been likened to Kawasaki disease, a rare disorder which causes rashes and a red mouth and eyes. Experts believe the illness is almost definitely caused by COVID-19 in some way but scientists can't prove it. Read More 17:00 23/05/2020 13 more people have died of coronavirus and 76 new cases confirmed Another 13 people have died of coronavirus in Ireland, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has confirmed. There have now been a total of 1,604 coronavirus-related deaths in Ireland. 76 more people have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 24,582. Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland the HSE is working to identify anyone who had the patients may have had contact with to give them advice on how to prevent coronavirus spreading further. Todays data from the HPSC, as of midnight, Thursday (24,451 cases), reveals: 57pc are female and 43pc are male The median age of confirmed cases is 48 years 3,211 cases (13pc) have been hospitalised Of those hospitalised, 393 cases have been admitted to ICU 7,813 cases are associated with healthcare workers Dublin has the highest number of cases at 11,830 (48pc of all cases) followed by Cork with 1,420 cases (6pc) and then Kildare with 1,387 cases (6pc) Of those for whom transmission status is known: community transmission accounts for 60pc, close contact accounts for 38pc, travel abroad accounts for 2pc 16:00 23/05/2020 Another person has died of coronavirus in Northern Ireland One more person has died from coronavirus in Ireland and 41 new cases have been confirmed. The total number of people who have died in Northern Ireland has risen to 505. There have been 4,545 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland. 14:10 23/05/2020 Spains far-right holds car protest against virus lockdown Joseph Wilson and Alicia Leon, Associated Press Several thousand followers of Spains far-right Vox party gathered in their cars and on motorbikes in the centre of Madrid and other cities on Saturday to protest over the governments handling of the nations coronavirus crisis. The party accuses Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezs administration of lying about the impact of the health crisis and for violating Spaniards rights by confining people to their homes and closing business during the lockdown. Vox urged demonstrators to attend the Caravan for Spain and Liberty in vehicles in order to get round the current ban on social gatherings in effect under the nations two-month long state of emergency designed to reduce contagion risks. Read More 12:50 23/05/2020 Expert nursing home panel set up to 'safeguard' residents from Covid-19 Health Minister Simon Harris has today announced the establishment of a Covid-19 expert nursing home panel to "safeguard" care home residents from the virus. The panel has been set up following recommendations made by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet). It is part of the health services response to the expected ongoing impact Covid-19 could have on nursing homes over the next 6 to 18 months. The panel will report to Mr Harris by the end of June 2020. Mr Harris said: I believe that the establishment of a Covid-19 Nursing Home Expert Panel to examine and advise on these matters is a crucial aspect of good planning to support Irelands navigation through the Covid-19 landscape and ensure the best possible safeguards are in place to protect the many people who call nursing homes their home. The panel will be chaired by Professor Cecily Kelleher, Principal of the College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, UCD. Professor Kelleher will be joined by Professor Cillian Twomey (Retired Geriatrician), Petrina Donnelly, Group Director of Nursing, RCSI Hospital Group, and Bridget Doherty. It is expected that the panel will meet early next week. 12:10 23/05/2020 Public urged to hold firm as number of hospital patients with Covid-19 falls Cate McCurry, PA The head of the Health Service Executive has urged the public to hold firm over Covid-19 restriction measures. Paul Reid, chief executive of the HSE, acknowledged that the public are worried about jobs and bills, but added that there are bright days ahead. The number of patients with #Covid19 in hospitals across Ireland is thankfully continuing to fall. This is down to you, your family & your community. Your efforts are keeping people well, keeping people out of hospitals & saving lives. Please keep up the public health measures pic.twitter.com/8Y0cYTW9to Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 23, 2020 He made the comments as the number of patients with Covid-19 in hospitals continues to fall. 10:42 23/05/2020 Naming a date is just the start of rugby's road back with complex challenges lying ahead Ruaidhri O'Connor According to the plan unveiled by IRFU chief executive Philip Browne yesterday, rugby will return on the weekend of August 22/23. The news was delivered during an hour-long press briefing, held by video conference, as Browne laid bare the "catastrophic" financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on rugby and other sports. The date gives the union a target to work towards after months of uncertainty, but they have work to do to convince public health officials and the Government that their plan is the right one. Read More 09:45 23/05/2020 Data on Covid-19 clusters reveals communities most at risk from second wave Catherine Fegan Pockets of Dublin became Covid-19 'hotspots', according to new data, sparking calls for greater clarity about where clusters emerge Communities in north Dublin have been the worst affected parts of the country for coronavirus, figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) show. Dublin North West and Dublin North have had the greatest number of infections and deaths, with communities in the south of the county reporting smaller figures. Read More 08:20 23/05/2020 Virus cases drop to zero in China but surge in Latin America Yuri Kageyama, Associated Press Coronavirus cases continued to drop in much of Asia on Saturday but surged in Latin America, as the world grappled with balancing the urge to restart economies with fears about health risks. China, where the outbreak began late last year, reported no new confirmed cases for the first time. In South Korea, there were 23 fresh infections, mostly from the densely populated Seoul area where authorities shut down thousands of nightclubs, bars and karaoke rooms to stem transmissions. The encouraging signs are likely to set off a much-awaited thrust to get back to business as governments have been readying social-distancing measures to reopen economies. Read More 08:15 23/05/2020 New York eases ban on group gatherings By Karen Matthews and Deepti Hajela, Associated Press New York Governor Andrew Cuomo dropped the states absolute ban on gatherings of any size on Friday, allowing up to 10 people to group together as long as they still abide by social distancing regulations. The order, issued on the eve of the Memorial Day weekend, represents one of the biggest steps yet the state has taken to loosen rules adopted in March that have barred anyone but essential workers from gathering unless they live in the same household. However the order still requires people assembling to follow social distancing protocols and cleaning and disinfection protocols required by the Department of Health. That means people still need to stay at least six feet away from other people, or wear a mask or face covering when they cannot maintain that distance in public. Read More 08:00 23/05/2020 Push to reduce two-metre rule as Government considers lifting more restrictions Philip Ryan, Eilish O'Regan and Colm Keys Ministers have pushed for the two-metre social distancing rule to be eased as the Government considers lifting more Covid-19 restrictions. Separately, it emerged that new measures to alleviate the strain inflicted on children due to the coronavirus and allow them more freedom for activities this summer are expected shortly. At a Cabinet meeting last night, some ministers suggested Ireland should follow other European countries in reducing the strict social distancing rule to one metre. Screen shot of a Hana Kimura tweet on Friday, the day she died. (Twitter) The death of 22-year-old Hana Kimura, a Japanese pro wrestler starring in the newest season of the Netflix reality show "Terrace House," is swiftly morphing into a narrative about the possible perils of cyberbullying. An official cause of death has not yet been announced. However, speculation grew Saturday that Kimura killed herself Friday. Fan translations of Kimura's tweets from earlier in the day indicated that she felt weak and no longer wanted "to be a human," according to media reports. Kimura's tweets have since been taken down so the translations can't be verified. Kimura was part of Stardom Wrestling, which confirmed Kimura's death Friday night in a tweet. Stardom fans, We are very sorry to report that our Hana Kimura has passed away. Please be respectful and allow some time for things to process, and keep your thoughts and prayers with her family and friends. We appreciate your support during this difficult time. We Are Stardom (@we_are_stardom) May 23, 2020 Kimura was one of six people living together in front of cameras for "Terrace House." The reality series claimed to have no script and said its goal was to observe what happens behind closed doors when strangers cohabitate. Drama ensued, including an exchange that fans have said led to extensive bullying of Kimura. Social media posts with #RIPHanaKimura focused on the torrent of online criticism targeting the star after a "Terrace House" episode in which she acts aggressively toward a housemate for washing her wrestling costume. In the episode, Kimura cries over the ruined costume and questions why her roommate had been careless. "These are as important as my life," she says of the expensive costume. The backlash against Kimura has now shifted to outrage over her critics and the pain they apparently inflicted from the safety of their keyboards. Story continues Pro wrestler Adam Pacitti tweeted: "The death of Hana Kimura is an absolute tragedy. I hope this serves as a reminder that interactions on social media can have a serious effect on the mental health of anyone, no matter who they are. Be kind. RIP." The death of Hana Kimura is an absolute tragedy. I hope this serves as a reminder that interactions on social media can have a serious effect on the mental health of anyone, no matter who they are. Be kind. RIP. Adam Pacitti (@adampacitti) May 23, 2020 Netflix told The Times on Saturday that it was postponing the release of new episodes of "Terrace House." Production on the series already had been stopped because of the coronavirus outbreak. Mr. President: The Constitution is a higher authority President Trump declared Friday that houses of worship were essential services and governors should allow them to reopen right now. He vowed to override any governor who resisted. He did not take questions. One obvious question was why Trump thought he had the legal authority to overrule such state regulations. He doesnt. This appeared to be a shameless play to his base of evangelical support, which has been slipping in recent polls. The presidents move came just days after the U.S. Justice Department sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a letter raising civil rights concerns about the selectivity of Californias stay-at-home order, which has kept churches closed since March. The letter suggested the order facially discriminates against religious exercise. Measured as ever in this crisis, Newsom noted at his Friday briefing that there is a difference between a megachurch and a neighborhood chapel, and that distinction should be reflected in the guidelines, which he he assured were days away. True respect for people of faith includes keeping them safe. John Diaz, editorial page editor New Delhi, May 23 : Almost a year after an investigation began into a racket involving trafficking of Bangladeshi girls in various cities of India for sexual exploitations, the NIA finally got a breakthrough on Saturday in the case and arrested a key member of the gang from Hyderabad. The National Investigation Agency arrested Justin alias Abdul Salam from Hyderabad. Justin was arrested during a search operation conducted at his ancestral as well as rented house, the NIA said, adding incriminating documents have been recovered during the raid. The anti-terror agency also managed to rescue two young women from Justin's house during the operation. Officials said the two were trafficked into India a few months back from Bangladesh for sexual exploitation through Justin's associates. In his late 40s, Justine and his network brought girls illegally from Bangladesh and forced them into prostitution. The accused was involved in running brothels at various places in Hyderabad and other parts of India. NIA investigators claimed that Justin was a key conspirator. The agency took six months of rigorous attempts to unearth the gang after it took over the case from Hyderabad police on November 17 last year. The state police had filed a case under charges of the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act at Chatrinaka police station in Hyderabad. "The case relates to immoral trafficking of persons from Bangladesh to various cities in India, including Hyderabad, for sexual exploitation," the NIA said. Three Bangladeshi nationals -- Mohd Yousuf Khan, Bithi Begum and Sojib Shaik -- and an Indian national Ruhul Amin Dhalli have already been arrested and a charge sheet against them was filed on March 12 this year. About 150 firefighters battled a four-alarm blaze that destroyed a quarter of the structures on Pier 45 in San Francisco early on Saturday morning, the authorities said. One firefighter had a severe cut to an arm, Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a spokesman for the Fire Department, said at a news conference. He said the firefighter was taken to a hospital and was expected to recover. No other injuries were reported. Officials were investigating the cause of the fire, which was reported around 4:15 a.m. at a warehouse. The fire broke out at Fishermans Wharf, a commercial tourist district with attractions, including restaurants and museums, that is home to Pier 45. We traditionally dont have fires of this magnitude with warehouses, Lieutenant Baxter said in an interview on Saturday, adding that the pier was being evaluated for structural integrity. It was an impressive, massive fire. As religious leaders await new rules from Gov. Gavin Newsom that could allow houses of worship to reopen with social-distancing adjustments, concern is mounting in Mendocino and Butte counties as more coronavirus cases tied to churches there have emerged. Mendocino County health officer Dr. Noemi Doohan said Friday that her countys six most recent confirmed cases were all connected to an outbreak at Redwood Valley Assembly of God. The county had previously reported that three people including the pastor who participated in a live-streamed Mothers Day service at the church had contracted the virus. Most parishioners did not attend the service in person. When we have an outbreak of such a large magnitude, its very concerning because we know that these individuals have had other contacts since contracting the disease, Doohan said. In addition, a second case out of a Butte County Mothers Day church service has emerged, according to the Chico Enterprise-Record. More than 180 people attended the service, which was held in violation of the states shelter-in-place orders. One attendee had tested positive not long after the service. On Thursday, county Public Information Officer Lisa Almaguer said a second person tested positive, the Enterprise-Record reported. Butte County has 34 coronavirus cases. Dr. Andy Miller, the county health officer, said in a video update Friday that Butte officials have seen a pretty dramatic increase in cases, though he did not say whether any additional cases were connected with the church. Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to announce a schedule Monday for the resumption of in-person services, with social-distancing adjustments. But that is not soon enough for some California pastors, who want to be able to hold services at a time of rising spiritual needs. On Friday, a divided federal appeals court refused to order Newsom to allow in-person services at this stage of the pandemic. Over a dissent by an appointee of President Trump, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco denied an injunction sought by a Pentecostal church and its pastor in San Diego County, who argued that Newsom was violating freedom of religion by refusing to allow churches and other places of worship to reopen. 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. Upholding a federal judges refusal to allow immediate reopening of the South Bay United Pentecostal Church in Chula Vista, the appeals court said Newsoms decisions have not selectively targeted or burdened religious conduct. Were dealing here with a highly contagious and often fatal disease for which there is presently no known cure, Judges Barry Silverman and Jacqueline Nguyen said in the 2-1 ruling. In dissent, Judge Daniel Collins said the state was probably violating the religious freedom of the church, its pastor and members. Newsoms defenders are making an extraordinary claim that the current emergency gives the governor the power to restrict any and all constitutional rights, as long as he has acted in good faith, Collins said. Bob Egelko, Kate Galbraith and Lauren Hernandez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com, lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com, kgalbraith@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko, @ByLHernandez, @kategalbraith Journalist Ronan Farrow reportedly tried to stop New York magazine from publishing a story about Soon-Yi Previn, the adopted daughter of his mother, Mia Farrow, and wife of his estranged father, Woody Allen. New York Post reports that the Farrow family launched a pressure campaign at top New York Magazine staff in the days before they published a deep profile on Previn. Daphne Merkin, 65, the reporter who wrote the piece, said the sheer influence of Farrow and his family was overwhelming. 'I wasnt used to this level of fear fear of Ronan, of being sued, of the power of Mia and Ronan, simply culturally, their power on Twitter,' said Merkin. Daphne Merkin (left) revealed to New York Post that Ronan Farrow (right) tried to kill her profile story on his adopted sister, Soon-Yi Previn Allen, 84, began an affair with Previn, now aged 49, when the director was still in a relationship with Mia Farrow, 75, in 1991. Mia adopted Previn from an orphanage in Korea in 1977 with her former husband, Andre Previn. Previn was 21-years-old when news broke of the affair and the subsequent family conflict morphed into a media frenzy that topped national headlines. Allen and Previn have now been married more than 20 years. Merkin's profile included Previn's stinging analysis of Mia's parenting and denial of decades-long allegations that Allen sexually assaulted his seven-year-old adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, in 1992. It was revealed in 1991 that Soon Yi-Previn (left), the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow, started an affair with her mother's boyfriend, Woody Allen (right) Mia Farrow (right) adopted Soon-Yi Previn with her former husband, Andre Previn, before dating Allen (left) At the time, Previn said: 'Whats happened to Woody is so upsetting, so unjust. [Mia] has taken advantage of the #MeToo movement and paraded Dylan as a victim. And a whole new generation is hearing about it when they shouldnt.' The campaign reportedly involved a call from Farrow - who authored the #MeToo era novel 'Catch and Kill' - to former New York Magazine Editor-in-Chief Adam Moss. During the call, Farrow demanded the 9,000-word profile on Previn be scrapped, according New York Post. 'Ronan did call Moss and Moss expressed unhappiness about the call. [Farrow] definitely tried to prevent New York magazine from publishing,' said a source familiar with the conversation. New York Magazine confirmed that Farrow tried to 'discourage' the profile. 'Ronan is a powerful journalist now with lots of connections. It had absolutely influence on what were doing,' Laura Abraham, Merkin's editor, told her in a September 10 email about the call. Merkin said several emails from lawyers and other representatives of Dylan, now 34, contacted New York Magazine as well. The publication confirmed Dylan and the Farrows did contact them, but insisted it was 'standard for a controversial piece' and no lawyers were involved. But an email to Merkin from Abrahams viewed by New York Post reportedly mentioned the 'assertiveness of Dylans legal team' and mentioned that Moss was 'nervous.' Additionally, Merkin said the Farrows secured at least a partial, but potentially full, draft of the story before it reached publication. At the time, Merkin admitted this was a serious concern she raised to her editors. Abrahams: 'Ronan is a powerful journalist now with lots of connections. It had absolutely influence on what were doing' Dylan Farrow (pictured) told the New York Post she contacted the magazine to 'respond to inaccuracies and flat-out lies' 'In my long journalistic experience, which has included writing critical profiles of Madonna and the Kabbalah Center, both media heavyweights, neither ELLE or The NY Times ran the pieces by the story subjects,' Merkin said. 'I feel there is some cowering going on in the face of The New Yorkers holy status & Ronans cultural capital.' Farrow is a contributing writer to the New Yorker, where Merkin previously worked as a staff writer. Dylan revealed intervening against 'falsehoods that Woody Allen has been pushing for a long time' was necessary. 'I did my best to respond to inaccuracies and flat-out lies about my assault and my family, and I was shocked that a magazine I respected was planning to run a one-sided piece on such a sensitive topic pertaining my childhood sexual abuse,' said Dylan. 'So, yes, I expressed my very real concerns about that, and Im glad I did, because if I hadnt, there would have been even more misinformation in what was already a puff piece about my abuser written by his friend.' The alleged pressure campaign also reportedly knocked the profile off the cover of the September 17 issue, a stipulation Merkin said she was promised for agreeing to make changes to the story for the Farrows. Merkin has dealt with much over her decades of reporting, but never at the large scale brought forth by the Farrows. 'I had never had this much interference [and] oversight. I said more than once that maybe I should pull it,' she said. The fact that the pressure campaign was reportedly coming from someone who exposed disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein and helped spark the #MeToo movement is clear to Merkin. 'This is someone who is big on women telling their stories. This was a woman telling her story and the effort to simply invalidate it and simply stop it was pretty steady,' said Merkin. Daphne Merkin (pictured): 'I had never had this much interference [and] oversight. I said more than once that maybe I should pull it' Additionally, the Farrows also demanded that a line be added admitting that Allen and Merkin had been 'friends' for more than 40 years, according to New York Post. They pointed to her 2014 book, 'The Fame Lunches,' where she wrote that she had a correspondence with Allen after she wrote a fan letter to him. Allen is also said to have encouraged her writing career and helped her when she was suffering from depression. When the profile was released, critics suggested Merkin's friendship with Allen made it impossible to report fairly. 'I wasnt that friendly with Woody Allen saw him maybe once or twice, if that, a year for a drink,' Merkin said. 'I was never invited to his Christmas parties or any of that stuff.' However, a person close to Farrow told New York Post he 'didnt want to kill that story' and alleged the magazine of 'deeply unethical behavior.' Farrow 'only wanted to understand the story better, so he could advise his sister, who was worried about a piece that discussed her sexual assault.' A New York Magazine spokesperson pushed back on Merkin's claims that she had been promised the magazine's cover or that the Farrows saw a version of the story before publication. 'The decision not to put it on the cover was an editorial decision by the magazine that had nothing to do with pressure from Ronan Farrow or the Farrow family,' they said. DailyMail.com reached out for Ronan Farrow for further comment. Interviewees have been known to walk out if they dont like a question. Even DJ Envy, a host, once walked out on the show. No one who enters the studio or, now, joins a video call with any member of the hosting trio is safe from commentary and criticism. And when the hosts upset listeners, people take to Twitter, where Charlamagne has been called out for his own gaffes and homophobic, transphobic and sexist comments. In its nearly decade-long run, the show has created viral moments with rappers, actors, and politicians. As it has carved out a space for serious conversations about politics, it has become an important stop for candidates who desperately want to appeal to black voters. After all, it was on this show that Hillary Clinton said that she carried hot sauce in her bag, just like Beyonce. Mrs. Clinton appeared in April 2016, and since then the show has become an even more crucial campaign stop for presidential hopefuls who want to reach the shows mostly black, young listeners and viewers. The show has eight million monthly listeners on more than 100 stations nationwide and, according to Nielsen data, 70 percent of the audience is African-American and 10 percent is Hispanic. The shows YouTube channel has some four million subscribers. Most of the listeners and viewers are under 45. Morning show radio, especially for communities of color, has always been a big portion of how we shape ourselves politically, how we talk about issues, not just political, but cultural issues, too, and I think The Breakfast Club has carved out a really special niche in being very emblematic of that, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, said in an interview at the shows studio after her own appearance in February. Andrew Yang, Julian Castro, Marianne Williamson, and Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker and Kamala Harris all appeared on the show at least once while running for president, and some of them have been back on since. I cant tell you how many people said I heard about you on The Breakfast Club, Andrew Yang said, describing young supporters who approached him at campaign events around the country. You seldom feel like there was a direct result from any show. I definitely got the sense that after I was on, there was an impact. The Syrian government has announced the largest single day jump of recorded cases in the country, where so far testing has been limited. The health ministry said Saturday that 11 people tested positive upon their return from Kuwait, and that they were among Syrians repatriated from the Gulf country. It brings the total recorded infections in Syria to 70 and four deaths. The war-torn nation has limited testing capabilities and a heavily damaged health system. Two regions in the country's north with a population of nearly 8 million people are outside of government control, so testing there has also been even more limited. Health authorities have reported no infections in the rebel-held northwest. In the northeast, the Kurdish-led government began carrying out its own testing and has so far recorded three infections and one death. Search Keywords: Short link: US Surgeon General Jerome Adams holds a face mask during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House on April 22, 2020, in Washington, DC. MANDEL NGAN If you've tuned into the daily news cycle during the coronavirus pandemic, you've probably noticed circumstances where scientists seemed reluctant to share information, debated the latest research on social media or downright changed their views. In our culture, we often hold politicians, corporate executives and other leaders accountable for the consistency of their positions. In political debates, candidates will often point out on the debate stage that a rival swung to the left or right over a controversial issue. It suggests a lack of authenticity, or even careerism, and indicates that they can't be trusted to do what's right for their constituents. In the scientific world, it's expected that even the highest-ranking academics will evolve their thinking and many have done so during this Covid-19 pandemic. But some scientists fear that the public doesn't understand this, and is losing faith in scientists who change their minds. And that's having real consequences on the front lines. Changing minds on face masks Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency physician who works at the Rhode Island Hospital, said some patients are coming into her emergency department refusing to wear masks. When she prompted them to wear one, they often told her that public health authorities like the World Health Organization and the CDC initially advised against wearing masks, saying there was little evidence that it would help prevent people from getting sick. That recommendation later changed, as studies began to show evidence that people with no symptoms might be spreading the disease. Now, the CDC encourages all people in public to wear masks where social distancing measures cannot be maintained, including cloth-based coverings, to prevent the disease from spreading -- exactly what citizens in some countries, like Hong Kong and Japan, had guessed during the early days of the pandemic based on past experiences. As of the time of publication, The World Health Organization recommends masks for sick people or anyone caring for them, but has no guidance on masks for healthy people. But as Ranney pointed out in an interview with CNBC, it's "part of the process" that leading public health authorities would adapt their thinking based on new information. Carl Bergstrom, a biology professor of the University of Washington and an author of a book about misinformation, explained that very little was known about the virus back in January and February. So infectious disease specialists and epidemiologists had to do their best without much data at their fingertips. Even today, notes Dr. Bergstrom, there isn't always a clear answer on important metrics like the case fatality rate (Dr. Bergstrom provided a range, when asked about that, and not an exact percentage). Sometimes the only response is "it depends," or the even less satisfying "we're still figuring that out." That can be difficult to hear when the public is searching for answers, and policymakers are looking for clear advice to pass on to their constituents. "When you take a completely novel virus, you are starting out from a position of by default knowing nothing," Dr. Bergstrom explained. "You can at best make guesses based on what you know about previous coronaviruses and prior outbreaks of other respiratory viruses." As a pandemic progresses, scientists will get more data as more cases occur. "That gives us more time to do basic investigation into the molecular biology of the virus and the interaction between the virus and host," he explained. "You get more opportunity to watch how transmission works. And you come up with new conclusions based on more evidence, and then you make those public because it's the best of what you know." Others in the community say that it's even a badge of honor for a scientist to update their thinking when confronted with new evidence. Vinay Prasad, a hematologist-oncologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco, said that best scientists are "continually re-evaluating themselves to see what we got right and what we got wrong." As he put it: "It's a high mark to be able to say, 'I'm going to change my mind'." Peer review in public With the situation moving so quickly, scientists are rushing to publish papers before they're peer-reviewed. Those papers are increasingly getting picked apart on social media by communities of their peers -- a process that previously would have happened behind closed doors. The so-called "preprint servers" like bioRxiv and medRxiv feature research that is disseminated far more rapidly than the usual peer-review process, which can take weeks or months. Consumers are now witness to these discussions and occasional fiery disagreements. One particularly noteworthy debate during this pandemic concerned a group of academics, including Dr. John Ioannides, at Stanford University, who have consistently argued there's a lack of evidence to support shelter-in-place orders. That same group published research via one of these preprint servers indicating that the virus might be more prevalent than initially believed, and therefore potentially less deadly. It was pilloried by other scientists on Twitter and other social media platforms and picked apart for the problematic methodologies. "These discussions used to take place over email or by phone," Bergstrom said. "Sometimes there are just different groups working on the same problem, but with a different hypothesis or a different theoretical framework," he added. "So if you see scientists arguing, it doesn't necessarily mean that anyone is a bad actor." Prasad believes that scientists are right to point out flaws in data or methodology, particularly if the paper has been published in a preprint server or the conclusions that the public are jumping to might be dangerous. But he takes exception with the personal attacks he's seen on social media. For consumers without scientific training, he notes, it can be extremely challenging to determine the true experts in a field, especially when a person's credentials appear to be solid. He suggests looking a researcher's publication history, but recognizes that not everyone has time to do that. If you spot scientists disagreeing, he notes, recognize that it's somewhat normal especially given that the stakes are so high right now. "The more eyeballs on the paper, the more likely it is to get critiqued," he said. "Because of Covid-19, someone has turned up speed on factory line and it's not pretty sometimes." "Science is under pressure and you're seeing how the sausage is made," agreed Bergstrom. Mistakes made Chennai, May 23 : The Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (DMK) President M.K.Stalin on Saturday condemned the arrest of the party's Organising Secretary and MP R.S.Bharathi, saying that DMK will not be cowed down by false cases. In a statement issued here, Stalin said Bharathi had given an explanation to his speech made at a party office and also expressed regret. Stalin said there are two cases in the Madras High Court to quash the First Information Report (FIR) registered pertaining to the case. Without taking that into account the AIADMK government led by Chief Minister K.Palaniswami has arrested Bharathi which is nothing but shameful, the DMP President said. The Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Stalin said Bharathi had complained against corruption in the government and hence his arrest was to divert the attention. CLEVELAND, Ohio A 15-year-old boy a judge found incompetent to stand trial in three prior criminal cases is accused of attacking and attempting to sexually assault a 74-year-old woman after he forced his way into her apartment. The teen is charged in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court with attempted rape, kidnapping, aggravated burglary and felonious assault. He is being held in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center. The teen on May 8 knocked on the 74-year-old womans front door at her apartment in the citys Old Brooklyn neighborhood and asked for a cigarette. The woman asked the teen if he lived in the apartment building. The teen shoved the woman and barged into the apartment, according to police reports. He pushed the woman down and pinned her to the ground. The woman tried to fight back, but the teen punched her in the face, slapped her and choked her, police reports say. He held the woman down and tried to pull off the her shorts. The woman told police she continued to fight back and screamed, and that may have scared the teen into running away. Police noted the attack drew blood. The woman was taken to Fairview Park Hospital with bruises on her arms and cuts on her arms and legs, according to police. Cleveland police arrested the teen on Saturday. Messages left with his attorneys Michael Weiss and Jean Brandt were not returned. The teen last year was found incompetent to stand trial after he was accused of grabbing a woman by the neck near MetroHealth hospital, dragging her several feet and threatening to kill her. Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court records in that case say Judge Jennifer OMalley found him incompetent for trial, meaning the judge found he was unable to understand the court proceedings because of mental illness or learning disability. OMalleys order does not say specifically why she deemed him incompetent. The court allowed him to enter a program where social workers would work with him for 90 days to see if they could help him understand the charges. OMalley found that program failed to work. The teen was released into the custody of Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services, but court records do not say what programs were put in place for the teen, nor where he was placed to live. Juvenile court spokeswoman Mary Davidson said programs and placement are decided by Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services. Cuyahoga County spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan said the county could not comment what programs are in place for the teen, citing juvenile privacy rights. The teen was also found incompetent to stand trial in two other prior criminal cases, including one in which he was referred to the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Positive Education Program, a non-profit that specializing in helping kids with severe mental illness and behavioral issues. Read more from cleveland.com: One dead, three hurt in shooting outside deli in Clevelands Union-Miles neighborhood Cleveland teen killed in accidental shooting recently lost mother, was best friends with slain teen Alianna DeFreeze North Royalton businessman didnt pay IRS more than $760,000 in taxes withheld from employees, feds say Afghan cyclist Idrees Syawash is determined to help curb the spread of the coronavirus so he pedals across rural areas encouraging people to wear masks and wash their hands. "When coronavirus came to Afghanistan, I went to some villages and saw that people were not aware of it at all," Syawash, 27, told AFP as he travelled across the eastern province of Nangarhar this week. "I decided to use my bicycle... to launch a door-to-door awareness campaign." Afghanistan reported its first case of the virus in the western city of Herat in February and now has more than 8,600 confirmed infections, with the capital Kabul as its epicentre. Authorities have imposed a nationwide lockdown since March to curb the spread, but that has not stopped Syawash, a resident of Afghanistan's eastern Laghman province, from hitting the road. He personally met with the governor of Nangarhar province to seek permission for his campaign in light of lockdown rules. "The local government is supporting me because I am doing this work for a good cause," Syawash said. He has previously campaigned for wider educational opportunities in Afghanistan, also on his bicycle. This time he travelled to more than 120 villages across often rough terrain, covering almost 1,000 kilometres. His blue bike has a wooden box attached to it containing booklets that Syawash distributes to villagers with information on personal hygiene. Wearing a mask, gloves and a white protective suit, he often stops at road intersections and village squares to brief residents about the pandemic, careful to keep two metres apart. Children flock behind his bicycle while he performs a demonstration of how to wash your hands properly for 20 seconds. "They don't know, they are small, they are innocent," Syawash said. His campaign has taken him to some of the most remote parts of Afghanistan where there is often no electricity or internet. Many villagers do not even acknowledge the virus exists, he said. "If they don't acknowledge it, they don't follow the rules," said Syawash. Health officials also say the biggest challenge for Afghanistan is convincing people the illness is real and dangerous. In Nangarhar, people had not heard of COVID-19 or the concept of social distancing until they met Syawash. "We were greeting, we were hugging, we were sitting together," said Rahim Gul, a local man, as he looked through a booklet given to him by the hygiene crusader. "This man... told us not to, and to wash our hands with soap for 20 seconds." Syawash acknowledges that his family are worried about the risk of him contracting the virus. "But that won't stop me from helping people learn about the disease and ways to keep safe." str-emh-us-jds/ecl/axn We have been through this before, you know. From the mid-19th century until nearly into the 20th, deadly epidemics regularly ravaged Texas towns and cities. Yellow fever and other insidious maladies swept through Houston, Galveston, Huntsville, San Antonio, Navasota and elsewhere, often leaving hundreds of dead in their wake. Those experiences changed the way Texans lived - and died. The states busiest port city was particularly vulnerable. In the summer of 1852, a yellow fever epidemic killed more than 500 Galveston residents; it was one of nine mass outbreaks of the mosquito-borne illness to sweep across the island city between 1839 and 1867. That final epidemic killed more than 1,100 before spreading to Houston and to Corpus Christi, Indianola and other coastal towns. Cemeteries around the state bear mute witness to a more recent mass illness, as Native Texan reader Walker Taylor of Houston recently discovered. On a family trip to far West Texas in late February BC Before Covid-19, that is the Taylors drove into Terlingua, the desolate, old quicksilver mining town west of Big Bend National Park. Wandering through the cemetery, Walker Taylor and daughter Kathryn Taylor Reddy discovered that many of the men interred in the rocky ground beneath weather-silvered wooden crosses were miners who died of the Spanish flu. If we think the Big Bend country feels remote now, imagine how remote it must have felt in 1918! Taylor emailed a few days ago. And yet the contagion had made its way there and wreaked havoc. That little history lesson taught us that no place in Texas or the U.S. was going to be able to hide from the coronavirus. My own encounter with a relic of the Spanish flu pandemic took place on a long-ago Thanksgiving morning. That may have been the Thanksgiving when my brothers and I realized that the feast the five of us (plus a stray relative or two) enjoyed every year didnt just miraculously appear on the dining-room table. Maybe Mom deserved a break. Why not a cookout? Early Thursday morning we loaded steaks, baking potatoes and salad makings into an ice chest and headed to our granddads farm outside Hillsboro. Turning off the gravel road onto the Place, as my dad and his siblings called the small cotton farm where they had grown up, Dad slowly drove our Plymouth sedan into a post-oak woods beyond the old farmhouse. Once he got a fire going for Mom - traditional gender roles prevailed even in the woods back then - he led my brothers and me on a meandering hike through the woods he had known as a boy. I can still see Lady, our black and white fox terrier, racing ahead nose to the ground and tail wagging, chasing squirrels through fallen leaves. I can still hear her echoing bark. The oft-told family story usually focused on finding Mom in tears when we got back. Using the open front door of the car as a wind break, she explained, she had laid a hot metal cooking fork on the front seat. The woven-plastic seat covers had burst into flame. (Cars had seat covers back then, young readers.) All turned out fine, including the steaks. Eventually, Mom herself could laugh when the story was told. These days, though, another part of the tale is more pertinent. We had ambled through the woods for an hour or so that morning when we came to a clearing atop a small rise. There among dry grass and weeds stood a dozen or so irregularly shaped sandstone slabs, reddish brown and about knee-high. They were homemade tombstones, with names and birth and death dates crudely carved into the soft rock. The men, women and children buried on that lonely hill had all died within a few days of each other. In 1918. As we headed back through the woods, Dad explained that they were victims of something called the Spanish flu. I dont remember whether he knew the people or whether they were members of the same family. I do remember him saying that what happened to those Hill County farm folks happened to people the world over. One fall morning a couple of decades after our Thanksgiving hike, I found myself sitting outside the office of an English professor at Columbia University. I had never met him, but I had read about him. As I waited, I could hear his voice on the phone. His jovial East Texas twang made me homesick. In his book-cluttered office four floors above Broadway, the late William A. Owens was a long way from his birthplace near Detroit - Detroit, Texas, that is - in a Red River County hamlet called Pin Hook. Bill grew up around Pin Hook and Blossom and other tiny farming communities. His widowed mother and her five kids toiled in the cotton, corn and peanut fields to keep from starving to death in the early decades of the 20th century. Bill wrote about those years in two remarkable memoirs, This Stubborn Soil (1966) and A Season of Weathering (1973), both still available in libraries and on Amazon. The writer I consider my mentor is the only person I ever met who experienced the 1918 pandemic firsthand. In the simple, unadorned prose of This Stubborn Soil, he recalled how his older brother Dewey came home from the Great War afflicted with an illness that killed more people than the war itself. Bills brother recovered in a few days, but with his mother it was a different story. Struggling to breathe on a night when death was near, she shivered under blankets even as she burned with fever. Her only hope was a doctor from Detroit - if he could get to the farmhouse in time through a cold, driving rain. Bills Aunt Nellie called him into the kitchen. Your mammies about to die, she said. If the doctor dont come quick, there wont be a thing in the world he cn do. Jessie Ann Owens survived, although she was still in bed when the flu struck her children. Bill had it almost as bad as his mother. It was February and corn planting time before the smell of the flu and fever was out of the house. . . . he wrote. With all of us just going to bed or just getting out of it, we were better off than many families we heard about on the way to Blossom and Paris. We were going to get well and strong again. In some families the last one was taken to the graveyard. Some 50 million people around the world took that last, lonely trek. The pandemic claimed approximately 675,000 American lives, including more than 2,100 Texans. Soldiers living in close quarters in places like Camp Logan in Houston and Camp MacArthur in Waco were hit especially hard. Houstons death toll was an estimated 111 people. Sociologist Robert Wuthnow, author of a 2014 book about Texas called Rough Country, contends that our forebears familiarity with danger, disease and epidemic death helps explain why Texas is like it is. Their encounter with hardship has shaped our politics, our culture, our religious views. If Bill Owens were still with us, I suspect he would tell you that the 1918 epidemic helped shape him. It hammered home lifes mutability. It reminded him that were all in this together. We too will be shaped by Covid-19. Will we be stronger, better people? Well know in due time. djholley10@gmail.com Twitter: holleynews Nearly 90% of California wildfire victims who voted on PG&E Corp.s plan to pay them and restructure its finances have accepted the proposal, but the companys problems are far from over. PG&E must now steer its $57.65 billion restructuring plan through a pivotal monthlong period that will determine whether its blueprint to exit bankruptcy succeeds and how fire victims are ultimately paid. PG&E needs to get its plan to exit bankruptcy approved in court and by state regulators by June 30 to access a $21 billion fund to pay claims from victims of future major wildfires. In the coming days, the company is expected to face two major steps toward that goal: Regulators at the California Public Utilities Commission will weigh whether to approve the plan, and a confirmation trial should start in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Its all coming together, said Jared Ellias, a UC Hastings law professor who has been following the case. The fact that theyre this close to landing the plane is really impressive. But the outcome is not guaranteed. Attorneys for various creditors have filed many objections to the companys bankruptcy plan, and some important elements of the case remain unresolved. Also, if PG&E fails to meet the June deadline, it could be forced to put itself up for sale, according to the terms of a deal the company previously reached with Gov. Gavin Newsom. And some wildfire victims who object to the way PG&E intends to pay them still want changes to the deal, while other critics of the company have said its bankruptcy plan falls far short. As it races to wrap up the case, PG&E also faces the looming specter of the 2020 wildfire season, which could prove highly dangerous because of the relatively meager amounts of rain and snow that fell this winter. The company desperately needs to avoid causing more catastrophic wildfires like the ones it started in 2015, 2017 and 2018, all of which prompted it to file for bankruptcy protection last year. About 51,000 victims of fires blamed on PG&E power lines voted on the companys bankruptcy plan, and 88% of them chose to approve it, according to court papers filed Friday. PG&E needed two-thirds support, and attorneys previously told The Chronicle after the May 15 voting deadline passed that the plan had won widespread approval. PG&E Corp. CEO Bill Johnson said in a company statement that the favorable vote put the company one step closer to compensating fire victims and emerging from Chapter 11 as a stronger, financially sound company positioned for long-term success. PG&E remains committed to prioritizing safe operations and customer focus while meeting Californias energy needs and clean energy goals, Johnson said in the statement. Nearly 80,000 individual fire victim claims were filed in the PG&E bankruptcy case, suggesting that the total vote count fell far short of full participation. But thats normal, according to Ellias, the UC Hastings professor. Thats as good as you could have possibly gotten, he said of the number of fire victim voters. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle Still, some fire victims have voiced serious concerns about the way the voting process unfolded, pointing to people who said they received their ballot at the last minute or did not get one until the deadline passed. Those issues motivated San Diego attorney Bonnie Kane, who represents some fire victims involved in the case, to seek an outside review of how the vote occurred. Mikal Watts, a San Antonio lawyer with the largest client base of fire victims, has opposed the effort. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali is set to consider the matter at a hearing June 4. Lisa Williams, who survived the 2018 Camp Fire, said victims felt intense pressure to vote for the PG&E plan despite any reservations they may have had. Then many people encountered problems when the time to cast ballots actually arrived, said Williams, who has been involved with a vocal group of fire victims that raised concerns about the plan. People gave up, she said. It was too difficult. There were so many problems with this whole voting thing. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Regulators at the state utilities commission were supposed to vote on PG&Es bankruptcy plan on Thursday. But commission officials delayed the vote one week because they said someone involved in the proceeding, 2017 fire survivor Will Abrams, violated the regulators communication rules when he sent them an email two days before the scheduled vote. Abrams says he thought his message was allowed at the time. Regardless, the commission vote has attracted attention from protesters who are urging state officials to be much tougher on PG&E as they consider the bankruptcy plan. Demonstrators gathered in front of the commissions San Francisco offices Wednesday, drawing human outlines on the ground with chalk to represent people killed in fires that PG&E started. Protesters also unfurled banners directed at the governor, one of which read, We need #powertolive. Mari Rose Taruc, coordinator of the Reclaim Our Power Utility Justice Campaign, said the public needs a better deal from the PG&E bankruptcy. Such a deal would, in her words, place higher priority on the health and well-being of frontline communities, of frontline workers, of our disabled and medically vulnerable community members. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle Protesters said the PG&E plan has not gone far enough to protect the state from wildfires and the impact of mass power shut-offs intended to prevent more fires. We see the crisis that is coming around the corner during fire season, Taruc said. An administrative law judge for the utilities commission has recommended that the agencys governing body approve the plan. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris The smartest insight and analysis, from all perspectives, rounded up from around the web: The U.S. moved last week to tighten the vise on China's technology ambitions with a "one-two punch of industrial policy" said Ana Swanson at The New York Times. First, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., one of three companies in the world capable of making the most advanced microprocessors, announced it would build a $12 billion plant in the United States, a longtime White House goal. A day later, the U.S. issued a rule that effectively "bars companies around the world from using American technology" to create any products shipped to the Chinese telecom giant Huawei. That puts "survival at stake" for Huawei, a company China sees as a national tech champion. The new plant and the divorce from Huawei effectively pull TSMC which also fabricates chips for Apple and Qualcomm into the U.S. orbit, bringing it closer to "becoming a trusted member of the U.S. military's supply chain" while locking China out of crucial advances. That TSMC is based in Taiwan, whose sovereignty China rejects, adds "a dash of geopolitical insult to the injury." We are witnessing the "great uncoupling" of the world's two largest economies, said Keith Johnson and Robbie Gramer at Foreign Policy. "Rolling back U.S. reliance on Chinese factories, firms, and investment was always the endgame of the endless trade war" and a particular obsession of President Trump. The pandemic has "turbocharged" that initiative by shaking "decades of faith in the wisdom of international supply chains." When China shut down, "medical suppliers, automakers, electronics makers, and factories of all sorts struggled to keep operating," deepening convictions that "the U.S. is too cozy" with China. If a "fundamental reshaping of the global economy" is to begin, the pandemic created "an opportunity to start with something like a clean slate." Story continues Getting cut off from TSMC risks "setting off a dangerous game of chicken," said Alex Fang and Yifan Yu at the Nikkei Asian Review (Japan). Huawei lost no time in firing its own shots across the U.S.'s bows. Huawei chairman Eric Xu said he does not think "the Chinese government would sit and watch Huawei be slaughtered," and Chinese officials are already threatening to "restrict or investigate U.S. companies such as Qualcomm, Cisco, and Apple, and suspend the purchase of Boeing airplanes." A "tit-for-tat conflict" would make decoupling very costly for the United States. "U.S. companies are doubling down on China anyway," said Trefor Moss at The Wall Street Journal. Despite the "heated rhetoric," U.S. business is betting that nothing will change in the long run. To see why, just look at Shanghai, where "hundreds lined up around the block" last week, "defying coronavirus social-distancing advice," to visit the first of 1,500 planned Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen outlets. Walmart, Tesla, Exxon Mobil, and Costco are all expanding their footprint in China. For its part, China is "entirely pragmatic" when it comes to trade, said David Fickling at Bloomberg. The government will issue fiery statements, as it has about South Korea, Brazil, and Australia, but trade will continue. The "real ties between nations are among people and businesses," not diplomats and presidents. This article was first published in the latest issue of The Week magazine. If you want to read more like it, you can try six risk-free issues of the magazine here. More stories from theweek.com Trump keeps falsely accusing Joe Scarborough of murder, and it's long past weird Trump denies wanting to move the Republican National Convention to his Doral resort, citing ballroom size Brazil's Bolsonaro accepts little blame for his country's COVID-19 disaster, but he wears a face mask Jigawa State has joined the league of states in Nigeria lifting ban on religious gathering despite increasing cases of COVID-19 among residents at community level. The spokesperson of Governor Muhammad Badaru, Auwal Sankara, in a statement, said Eid prayers would be observed as usual, including places under lockdown. He said congregants are advised to observe social distancing rules and wear face masks. However, Mr Badaru advised women, children and the elderly and other vulnerable persons to stay away and say their prayer at home instead. He added that places under lockdown would continue to be locked after the prayers and all Sallah festivities are banned. The Eid prayers would be observed on Sunday, to mark the end of Ramadan fast. The development is coming after Mr Badaru warned that the state may record 20,000 COVID-19 cases if the pandemic spirals out of control while reaching a worst case scenario. He acknowledged that the disease is fast spreading in the state, reaching eight out of 27 local council areas of the state. PREMIUM TIMES reported how governors are relaxing bans on large gatherings, despite spread of the virus. According to the statistics by Nigeria Centre of Disease Control (NCDC), Jigawa was the worst hit state in Nigeria on Friday, second only to Lagos, with 16 new infections. Also, the NCDC said Jigawa now has a total of 241 confirmed cases. The state is the sixth in rating of states worst hit by the dreaded coronavirus in Nigeria. The state has also commenced discharging of patients tested negative once, to provide for more space in the 240-bed isolation centres in the state. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi VIjayan has made it clear that despite a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases, Kerala will not shut its doors on people who arrive from outside. The chief minister said that the state was preparing for the influx of returnees. Among them would be people who need critical care. More people may need hospitalisation. We have arranged sufficient facilities, including ventillators. The state will lay focus on such interventions in the coming days, he said. Terming the situation serious, Pinarayi said steps will be taken to protect the returnees and also the residents here. The state will never take a stand against the return of its people. Quarantine is mandatory for people coming from red zones, he said Pinarayi said the allegation that Kerala is against bringing back its people as part of the amnesty announced in Kuwait was a blatant lie. On the Sprinklr issue, the government informed facts to the court. The government does not plan to allow marriage ceremony at temples. It is customary to conduct Christian marriages in church which is not the case with other communities. If it is allowed in Guruvayur, many more requests would come and the rest is imaginable, he said in reply to a question. Boris Johnson The Prime Minister plans to reduce Huaweis involvement in Britains 5G network in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the Telegraph has learned. Boris Johnson has instructed officials to draw up plans that would see Chinas involvement in the UKs infrastructure scaled down to zero by 2023. It comes as Mr Johnson is poised to visit the US for the G7 summit next month in his first trip abroad since the crisis began. Having called for the UK to become more self-sufficient and less reliant on China for goods, he is expected to ramp up trade talks with US President Donald Trump as Brexit negotiations with the EU have become increasingly fractious. The rethinking of the Huawei deal follows a growing backlash among Tory MPs against Chinese investment following the global pandemic, which originated in Wuhan. The Communist state has been accused of covering up the initial scale of the infection while Chinese hackers are suspected of breaking into US Covid-19 research. A recent cyber attack which exposed the data of around nine million easyJet customers has been also linked to Beijing. There is mounting suspicion in the West over Beijings repeated attempts to leverage economic advantage from the disaster. Conservative MPs had previously liked Huawei to heroin and argued the rushed deal had angered allies and left Britain utterly friendless after members of the Five Eyes alliance raised fears over spying. Insiders have told the Telegraph Mr Johnson always had serious concerns about the 5G agreement, which was brokered by Theresa Mays government, but signed off by her successor in January. A well-placed source said: He still wants a relationship with China but the Huawei deal is going to be significantly scaled back. Officials have been instructed to come up with a plan to reduce Huaweis involvement as quickly as possible. Story continues He has taken a great many soundings from his own MPs on this issue and shares their serious concerns. The deal was struck before the pandemic hit but coronavirus has changed everything. The revelation came as Downing Street revealed ministers were in close contact with Washington over President Trumps proposals to hold a number of G7 sessions at the White House and Camp David from June 10-13. The Commander-in-chief has been highly critical of the UKs decision to allow Huawei to build 35 per cent of its network, despite Britain branding the Shenzhen-based telecoms giant a high risk vendor. He threatened to restrict Britain's access to Five Eyes intelligence which is gathered and shared by the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, following what was described as an apoplectic phone call with the Prime Minister over the deal in February. Mike Pence, US vice-president, said afterwards that the Huawei decision that the Trump administration had made its disappointment at the UK decision very clear to them. President Trump has led the global outcry over Chinas role in the coronavirus crisis, accusing authorities of manipulating information and failing to adequately warn other countries about its deadly nature. In its latest power grab, China on Friday set in motion a controversial national security law for Hong Kong, bypassing its lawmakers, in a move seen as an attempt to stifle the citys special freedoms. The UK, Australia and Canada released a joint statement condemning the move, saying it undermined the principle of One Country, Two Systems under which Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of autonomy. It came amid escalating fears the socialist superpower is seeking to assert its influence by buying up companies at risk of going bankrupt due to the crisis. Mr Johnson flagged new measures to protect British technology in the wake of coronavirus during Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday. Asked by Conservative MP Richard Drax if the UK should copy Frances review of defence supply chains, the PM replied: He is absolutely right to be concerned about investment, to be concerned about the buying up of UK technology by countries that ... may have ulterior motives. "And we are certainly bringing forward measures to ensure that we protect our technological base and ... you'll be hearing a lot more about that in the next few weeks. Reports later emerged that Mr Johnson wants the UK to be more self-sufficient and less reliant on China for supplies and goods. His spokesman said on Friday that the aim was to shore up the resilience of the countrys international supply chains. Were looking at making sure that we have resilient supply chains around the world. The first bit of the work is going on separately, so we are significantly increasing the domestic production of PPE...in another field we have significantly increased our testing capability and so on. The plans are being led by the permanent secretary of the Department for International Trade, who is reporting directly to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. Before the pandemic hit, MPs mounted a significant rebellion in the Commons which saw 36 Tories cross the floor on a Huawei-amendment attached to an unrelated bill in March. The amendment, tabled by former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith and supported by former ministers David Davis, Damian Green and Owen Paterson, called on the Government to eliminate all Huawei technology from the UKs mobile phone networks by the end of 2022. Just 13 more MPs would have been needed to change the Telecommunications Security Bill when it is put to the Commons, as has been promised in the next two months. Many more MPs voiced their support for the rebels but not their tactic of pushing it to a vote on an unrelated bill - making the possibility of a Government defeat a real possibility. In March, Sir Mike Rake, the former chairman of BT and now a non-executive director of Huawei, warned Mr Johnson in an open letter that any attempt to "further restrict Huawei 5G equipment, or to remove existing 4G equipment will not only incur very significant costs, but prejudice trade relationships with China and will significantly set back the Government's broadband ambitions." It came after junior culture minister Matt Warman said during a Westminster Hall debate the government was committed to a phase-out of Chinese kit. Last month, a caucus of Tories, many of them newly elected in Mr Johnson's December landslide, have formed a China research group, similar to the Brexit-backing Eurosceptic European Research Group (ERG) to examine the rise of China. Announcing its launch last month, its head Tom Tughendhat, who is also chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, said: "Beijing's long pattern of information suppression has contributed to the unfolding crisis. The (Chinese Communist) Party are now using the current emergency to build influence around the world." Last night, Sir Iain welcomed Mr Johnsons decision to review the Huawei deal saying: This is very good news and I hope and believe it will be the start of a complete and thorough review of our dangerous dependency on China. Downing Street declined to comment. Atilis Gym, which opened this week in defiance of Gov. Phil Murphys executive order, will remain closed for now, at least as state officials again forced the doors closed. New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal on Friday filed a civil complaint and an order to show cause against the Bellmawr gym after authorities spent the week grappling with the business to abide by restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Atilis Gym reopened on Monday, with crowds of supporters outside. The owners and some patrons were issued citations. Overnight Wednesday, the Camden County health department and the state Department of Health posted notices on the windows of the gym ordering it to remain closed. It didnt open on Thursday, largely because of a sewer problem, but welcomed back members on Friday. Co-owner Ian Smith said in an Instagram post that the gym had a great day Friday, until Slime ball Governor Murphy pulled a fast one on us at the end of the day and put a court order in to a state judge. Smith said this latest legal action will keep the gym shuttered Saturday through Tuesday because violating the Attorney Generals order becomes much more serious than defying the previous ones. Governor Murphy is running scared, as he should be, Smith said in the video. We have a lot of momentum and he got this one off on us. The gym will file an emergency injunction in federal court on Tuesday against Gov. Murphy, because we have been robbed of due process and violated of our constitutional rights, Smith said. If all goes well, Smith said, the gym will reopen on Wednesday. Lt. Mike Draham of the Bellmarw Police Department issues summons to Atilis Gym owners Frank Trumbetti and Ian Smith, left, a day after they opened the doors for business despite the state's order that all such facilities remain closed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Tuesday, May 19, 2020. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com An attorney for the gym and a spokesperson for the attorney generals office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The order to show cause requires the owners of the gym to appear before a Mercer County Superior Court judge via live-stream on June 8. The gyms fight against state authorities has drawn national media attention and spurred a GofundMe page that has raised more than $70,000 in donations to pay for legal fees. The owners of Atilis Gym Bellmawr have said they took over the gym less than a year ago and that the lockdown has strangled their business. Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Via ABC News: Russian state news agencies have reported that Ramzan Kadyrov, the authoritarian leader of Russias southern region of Chechnya, has been transported to a Moscow hospital with suspected COVID-19 symptoms. Ramzan Kadyrov has been flown to Moscow with suspected coronavirus. He is currently being monitored by doctors, an unidentified source in the Moscow medical community told Tass agency, adding that Kadyrovs condition is stable. Kadyrov, 43, has run predominantly Muslim Chechnya with an iron fist since 2007. The Kremlin has relied on him to keep the North Caucasus region stable after two devastating separatist wars. International rights groups have accused Kadyrovs feared security forces of extrajudicial killings, torture and abductions of dissenters Since 2007,. Kadyrovs rule has been characterised by high-level corruption, a poor human rights record, widespread use of torture, the murder of homosexuals and a growing cult of personality. Since 2017, Kadyrov has led a murderous campaign against Chechen gays and lesbians saying that gays are inhuman devils and that Chechnya must purify our blood of their presence. At least 100 gay men are believed to have been tortured and a unknown killed by Kadyrovs vigilantes including Chechen pop star Zelimkhan Bakaev. Thoughts and prayers you murderous motherfucker. Thoughts and prayers. BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China aims to reduce corporate burden by more than 2.5 trillion yuan (about 352 billion U.S. dollars) throughout the year, according to a government work report submitted to the national legislature for deliberation on Friday. Of the total, 500 billion yuan will be tax and fee cuts, said the report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the opening meeting of the annual national legislative session. China will continue to implement the preferential policies including lowering value-added tax rates and the share of employees' basic old-age insurance paid by enterprises, said the report. The tax and fee cut policies introduced early this year that are due to expire by June will all be extended till the end of the year. The country will also move to reduce enterprises' production and operating costs by extending the 5-percent electricity price reduction for general industrial and commercial businesses to the end of the year and by cutting rates for broadband and dedicated internet access services by 15 percent on average, said the report. New Delhi, May 23 : Cheering up all K-pop fans, Korean Cultural Centre India, the culural wing of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, has announced the virtual opening of this year's K-Pop Contest, a pan-India talent hunt for the popular cultural genre. "There is no doubt that K-Pop has reached staggering heights of popularity in India. The youngsters of India are also inclined towards the Korean language, K-Drama, and also Korean Cuisine. K-Pop has become a phenomenon among the young generation and they enjoy together by establishing fan clubs in major cities of India and play a significant role in K-Pop contest as well," Mr Kim Kum-pyoung, Director, KCC India told IANSlife over email. Last year, the annual contest that began in 2012, saw the highest number of participants - 3,475 participants in 1,952 teams. The competition is for Indian nationals who love K-Pop, Korean pop music, a genre that has boomed in popularity worldwide. One of the most notable K-Pop songs in India has been 'Gangnam Style'. Recently, there were several paid K-Pop concerts held in India for the first time, which opened the opportunity of having concerts of big K-Pop stars. The Centre is conducting the contest's first and second round online with single person entry only. Participants can post their performance video on YouTube, and register at www.kpopindia.com June 15 for Round 1. According to the organisers, the regional round will be held online with performance videos of the selected winners from the first round in these 18 cities of Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Guntur, Hyderabad, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, and Pune. "This year as a precautionary measure for the COVID-19 pandemic, we will hold regional round online with 18 cities, in cooperation with the fan clubs. Although it is sad that we cannot allow group entry this time, but only single person entry to ensure the safety of participants by adhering to social distancing rules, we are still hopeful for a greater number of participation and enthusiasm of K-Pop fans," the spokesperson said. (Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in) With Corona picking pace, doubling rates gets halved Corona almost doubled from 1000 to 1939 in 8 days Bengaluru: A whopping 196 coronanvirus cases were reported in Karnataka on Saturday, sending anxieties soaring in the medical and executive establishments here. Going by the pace, the state is expected to cross 2,000 cases tonight or Sunday. The state breached the 1000 mark on May 15, when the number of corona cases stood at 1056. They have doubled in a matter of eight days, reaching 1939. It took the virus 16 days to double its detected infections from 600 cases (May 2) to 1200 (May 18). But with the daily spurts of new cases topping 100 mark for four times this week, the state's doubling rate has fallen to eight days. This hurtling pace is majorly due to the influx of workers from Maharashtra. Of the 196 cases taken on record on Saturday, 172 are returnees from Maharashtra. Staturday's spurt broke the previous record of 149 cases for a single-day surge. The toll due to Covid-19 inched up with the death of an 32 year old male from Bengaluru. The toll is now 42. The geographic distribution of the new cases is thus: 72 from Yadgir, 39 from Raichur, 28 from Mandya, 20 from Chikkaballapura, 15 from Gadag, 4 each from Hassan and Bengaluru, 3 each from Davangere and Uttara Kannada, 2 each from Dakshin Kannada and Kolar and one each from Belagavi, Dharwad, Udupi and Kalburgi. All the 72 cases from Yadagiri, 37 out of 39 cases from Raichur, all 28 from Mandya, 20 from Chikkaballapura, 3 from Gadag, 4 from Hassan, 2 from Uttara Kannada, one each from Udupi, Bengaluru, Kalburgi, Dharwad and Belagavi, Dakshin Kannada are all returnees from Maharashtra. One positive patient has infected nine of his primary contacts in Gadag. The remaining three cases from Bengaluru are one returnee from Tamilnadu, one from New Delhi and one with Influenza like Illness. The case of a government doctor at Moodigere which was a cause of concern for the locals has turned out negative. New York, May 23 : Beaches in New York have reopened for Memorial Day weekend, while strict restrictions are in place to prevent COVID-19 spread. The opening was announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo last week, as the state, the epicentre of the pandemic in the US, saw a downward trend in coronavirus infections, reports Xinhua news agency. He said local governments could make their own decisions on this issue. Memorial Day falls on May 25 this year. On New York beaches which reopened on Friday, capacity is limited to 50 per cent, and people are mandated to wear a mask if social distancing is not ensured. Concession stands remain closed. At the Jones Beach State Park, some 64 km southeast of Manhattan, dozens of beach-goers were seen lying on the beach or walking on the boardwalk on Friday morning. Rangers kept patrolling for violation of social distancing, and hand sanitizer stations are installed at the park. In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said earlier that it would not open its public beaches for Memorial Day weekend because "we are the epicentre of this crisis nationally". However, the New York Police Department (NYPD) said late Thursday that city beaches would be open, just for sunbathing. People can be in the water up to their ankles but any kind of swimming is banned. People are also advised to avoid mass transit to get to the beaches as crowding on buses and subways would add to the risk of virus spreading. "We all have fought to get as far as we've gotten in these last weeks. We've got a lot of momentum now. We've got to hold onto it. "If we get too loose we'll start going backwards and the last thing we want is more restrictions on our lives," said de Blasio on Friday. The state of New York has reported over 356,000 COVID-19 cases, with over 192,000 in New York City, according to official data. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text May 23 : Christopher Nolans time-warping thriller with international espionage as centre plot, Tenet has dropped a new trailer and it is stunning. Tenet is a science fiction action thriller film written and directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, and Kenneth Branagh. John David Washington is the new protagonist in Christopher Nolans original sci-fi action spectacle Tenet. Armed with only one word Tenet and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time. Not time travel. Inversion. In the new trailer, Sir Kenneth plays a "Russian national" who can "communicate with the future". The trailer features a car chase in which vehicles move both backwards and forwards, close-combat fights and shots of a plane crashing into a hangar. Nolan took his team around the world to shoot the film in seven countries Denmark, Estonia, India, Italy, Norway, the UK and the US, with a budget of 205 million dollars, making this his second most expensive film after The Dark Knight Rises. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday condemned Chinas effort to take over national security legislation in Hong Kong, calling it a death knell for the high degree of autonomy that Beijing had promised the territory. Pompeo called for Beiing to reconsider the move and warned of an unspecified US response if it proceeds. Meanwhile, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said China risked a major flight of capital from Hong Kong that would end the territorys status as the financial hub of Asia. Shortly afterward, the Commerce Department announced new restrictions on sensitive exports to China. The contentious measure, submitted Friday on the opening day of Chinas national legislative session, is strongly opposed by pro-democracy lawmakers in semi-autonomous Hong Kong. Pompeo called the proposal an effort to unilaterally and arbitrarily impose national security legislation on Hong Kong. Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of liberty. The United States strongly urges Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal, abide by its international obligations, and respect Hong Kongs high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions, and civil liberties, which are key to preserving its special status under US law, Pompeo said in a statement. He said the decision to ignore the will of the people of Hong Kong would be a death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised for Hong Kong under a decades-old agreement known as the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The US has limited leverage with China over Hong Kong but it could end preferred economic privileges that Hong Kong currently enjoys if the Trump administration determines that the declaration, which was supposed to give the territory 50 years of special status after it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997, has been violated. The proposed bill is aimed at forbidding secessionist and subversive activity, as well as foreign interference and terrorism. It comes after months of pro-democracy demonstrations last year that at times descended into violence between police and protesters. Speaking in an interview with the Fox Business Network on Friday, Hassett suggested the damage that would come from Chinas proposal would be mostly self-inflicted. Theyre going to see a lot of economic harm from what theyre doing, he said, adding that businesses would not want to invest or keep money in a place where theyre basically sneering at the rule of law. And so, I would expect that theyre going to have serious capital flight problems, Hassett said. And Hong Kong, if they follow through this, will no longer be the financial center of Asia, and they themselves will bear very, very heavy costs. Later Friday the Commerce Department struck yet another blow to Chinese industry, announcing plans to bar the export of US technology without a license to 33 companies and government institutions including major research labs. It accused two dozen of the targeted entities of threatening US national security because they could help China develop weapons. They include Chinas top cybersecurity company, Qihoo 360, the robotics and artificial intelligence firm Cloudminds Inc., and various research institutes involved in laser and other advanced technology. The other targets, named in a separate news release, included the Institute of Forensic Science at Chinas public security ministry and companies that make facial recognition products. Commerce accused them of complicity in human rights abuses targeting Uighurs and other ethnic minorities. The restrictions compound previous sanctions the Trump administration imposed on US technology sales to Chinese companies involved in supercomputer development, facial recognition and other areas the White House deemed a threat to national security. That includes the technology giant Huawei. A week ago, Commerce issued a new rule designed to bar foreign semiconductor makers from making chips for Huawei that it has designed. China contends Washington is using national security as an excuse to try to crush its rise as a global competitor in the tech sector. Tech expert Paul Triolo of the Eurasia Group political risk research firm said it appeared from the list of new targets that the Commerce Department was applying a rather sweeping definition of military end-use. Its ratcheting up the pressure, Triolo said of the newest sanctions. I keep thinking, Whats the straw that breaks the camels back here and provokes retaliation from Beijing against US companies that do business in China. China has threatened countermeasures against US businesses many of which have major manufactoring operations in its territories but so far has held off. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Air Canada will lay off as many as 22,800 workers, equivalent to 60 percent of its total workforce. The announcement, coming after weeks of consultations with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), underscores how big business is determined to make working people pay for the economic and social devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadas national carrier, which employs some 38,000 people, is intentionally carrying out the layoffs in a way that will prevent flight attendants and other workers from accessing the Canadian governments coronavirus-related support programs. According to CUPE, the company is offering workers the choice of involuntary unpaid leave for between six and 24 months, reduced working hours, or resigning from Air Canada. Because all these options are considered voluntary, CUPE says that workers will not be eligible to apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which provides a meagre $2,000 each month for a maximum of four months. Instead, they will likely have to apply for Employment Insurance at a reduced rate. Moreover, the voluntary character of the layoffs means that Air Canada was not obliged to provide the federal Labour Ministry with the customary advance notice before implementing its job cuts. The layoffs are being imposed in spite of the federal Liberal governments widely-touted Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS). Under the CEWS program, the government pays 75 percent of employee wages, whilst the employer remains responsible for pension and other benefits and payroll contributions. After announcing 16,500 job cuts in March, Air Canada reversed course in April after the CEWS program had been modified to better suit the demands of big business and rescinded the layoffs. However, it refused, with CUPEs consent, to top up the remaining 25 percent of workers salaries. Now Air Canada management has concluded that even the burden of paying benefits and pension contributions is too great. The companys participation in the CEWS program will end June 7, forcing thousands of workers onto layoff and into poverty. Air Canadas brutal treatment of its workforce would not be possible without the connivance of the trade unions. CUPE has been in extensive consultations with the company over the past two months, and has assumed the role of justifying the savage job cuts to its members in language virtually indistinguishable from a corporate executive. The reality is that COVID-19 has severely impacted the demand for air travel over the past few months and into the foreseeable future, a CUPE bulletin to flight attendants read. As such, there is no denying that we are dealing with the largest surplus of cabin personnel in our history. CUPEs insistence on accepting market-dictated demand and its contemptuous reference to the surplus of cabin personnel dovetails with Air Canadas focus on ensuring continued returns for its super-rich shareholders and investors. As a publicly-traded company we have fiduciary duties to multiple stakeholders, Air Canada declared in a statement announcing the job cuts. The final confirmation of the layoffs came just days after S&P downgraded Air Canadas credit rating. Events at Air Canada reveal certain basic truths about Canadian capitalisms response to the coronavirus pandemic. First, the Trudeau governments claim to be safeguarding workers jobs through the CEWS program is a fraud. In reality, the programs serves to subsidize employers labour costs while they come up with restructuring plans to be paid for by the working class. There is no obligation for businesses who place workers on CEWS to protect their jobs, even during the five months, set to end in August, that the program is functional. Secondly, the premature back-to-work campaign that is being pushed relentlessly by the political establishment, the corporate elite, and the trade unions does not mean that workers will return to their old jobs and under the same conditions. Having looted more than $650 billion in public funds in the form of Liberal government and Bank of Canada bailout measures, the ruling elite is determined to drastically intensify the exploitation of the working class through mass layoffs, wage cuts, and the gutting of workplace benefits. In this context, Air Canadas actions are a foretaste of what big business has in store for hundreds of thousands of workers in the coming months. On Thursday, it was revealed that WestJet, Air Canadas main domestic competitor, has requested the federal Labour Minister exempt it from its group termination obligations under the Canada Labour Code. According to the Labour Code, a federally-regulated company wishing to permanently terminate more than 50 workers at one time must provide 16 weeks notice instead of the statutory two weeks. The employer must also establish a joint planning committee with the union to explore alternatives to termination. Air Canada avoided this requirement by relying on job-cutting approaches that are, formally at least, voluntary and temporary. However, if WestJet is granted the exemption, it would clear the way for the airline to permanently terminate the 6,400 WestJet employees currently on the payroll under the CEWS program. The third basic truth revealed by Air Canadas job massacre is that the trade unions function as arms of management and the state, justifying and imposing job, wage and benefit cuts while smothering all resistance by workers. Although it has been clear since March that Air Canada was trying to offload the crisis onto its workforce, CUPE and the other unions that represent workers at the airline, including Unifor and the International Association of Machinists (IAM), have done nothing to mobilize worker opposition. Instead, they have created the phony impression that they are fighting tirelessly to protect workers interests in talks with management that start from the premise of how best to ensure Air Canadas long-term viabilityi.e. its profitability for investorsthrough a savage cost-cutting drive. CUPE even drafted proposals for Air Canadas consideration on how it could slash costs, including through an early retirement initiative. After the announced layoffs, all the IAM had to offer was a public statement pleading for the retention of the CEWS, the very mechanism that has facilitated the jobs massacre. All this is in keeping with the unions involvement in imposing concessions and suppressing working class opposition for decades. In the airline industry, CUPE, Unifor, and the IAM have given their stamp of approval to one round of worker givebacks after another, since they aided and abetted the industrys restructuring at workers expense as Canadian Airlines International financially unravelled in the late 1990s. CUPEs role provides a practical demonstration of the type of corporatist alliance with government and big business that the unions, led by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and Unifor, have been championing since the pandemic erupted in North America. CLC President Hassan Yussuff, who in early March called for a collaborative front with big business, and Unifor President Jerry Dias signed a joint statement April 15 with Labour Minister Filomena Tassi, the Canadian Bankers Association, and Canadian Federation of Independent Business that outlined the purported common goals of workers and their bosses. Prominent among these was the need to keep Canadian businesses ready to come roaring back and ensure the economy can recover. Three weeks later, Yussuff penned a joint article with Canadian Chamber of Commerce President Perrin Beatty. In words that must now read like a cruel joke to Air Canada employees and hundreds of thousands of workers set to face the same fate, the two allies declared, The pandemic has tied our wellbeing to one another like never beforeOur fellow Canadians are relying on collective effort to overcome this crisis. The pair continued, declaring that post-pandemic, a trading nation like ours will face transformational changes and strategic challenges, including how to pay down massive public and private debt, and prosper amid the growth of protectionism and trade war. (See: Canadian unions cement anti-worker corporatist alliance with government and big business ) From the standpoint of the unions, no less than corporate Canada, the goal is to restore Air Canada as a source of lucrative profits for investors and ensure that it remains an important asset for Canadian imperialism. The existence of a globally competitive Canadian airline industry is viewed by Canadas ruling elite and their union accomplices as crucial in enabling a trading nation like ours to compete on the world stage with rival powers for markets, raw materials, and spheres of influence. While the unions endeavour to strengthen their companies and nationally-based capitalist elites and to convince workers that they share common goals with their bosses, the reality for workers is that job cuts and attacks on conditions are in full swing across the globe. This is especially true of the airline industry. The 22,800 Air Canada workers set to lose their jobs will join up to 18,000 workers at German airline Lufthansa, 4,900 at Scandinavian Airlines, and 12,000 at British Airways on the unemployment rolls. The corporate onslaught on working people can only be halted if workers build rank-and-file action committees, independent of and in conscious opposition to the pro-capitalist trade unions. At Air Canada and every other airline affected by the crisis, these committees must demand the guaranteeing of all jobs, full pay for all workers during the pandemic, and comprehensive testing and safety measures for pilots, cabin crew and other workers who must work to provide essential flights. This program should be paid for by a concerted attack on the financial oligarchy that has swelled its wealth and incomes over the past four decades through a never-ending assault on the jobs, social protections and rights of working people. The starting point should not be, as CUPE claims, the demand for air travel or the profit demands of Air Canada shareholders, but the right of workers to secure, decent-paying jobs and a safe working environment. These basic rights can be secured only through the transformation of Air Canada and all other privately-controlled airlines into publicly-owned utilities, democratically controlled by working people. To fight for this, workers organized in rank-and-file committees at Air Canada must unite their struggles with fellow airline workers internationally on the basis of a socialist program. This author also recommends: Canadian authorities failed to notify locked-out Regina oil refinery workers of threatened bomb attack [20 May 2020] Canadian unions cement anti-worker corporatist alliance with government and big business [16 May 2020] Germanys Lufthansa: Billions in state aid and mass layoffs [2 May 2020] Thiruvananthapuram: A few private photographs, allegedly involving a Kerala church priest and a woman, have viral on social media, leading to massive outrage in the state. Some reports suggested that the photos were leaked online from a mobile phone shop in Idukki district after which the owner of the shop, Vellayamkudy, filed a police complaint seeking investigation into the matter. The priests mobile phone was reportedly brought to the shop for repair earlier. But the shop owner denied the accusations of images being leaked from his shop. Idukki Diocese was quick to take action against the accused priest, Fr James Mangalassery, from Catholic church in Vellayamkudi of Kattappana in Idukki district. Mangalassery was suspended from his role as a Vicar on March 24, 2020, the Diocese said in a press release dated May 21.The churchs investigation is currently on, it said. The woman in question is reportedly an employee with one of the institutions under the Parish. The priest had left the place before the controversial visuals made headlines. It is learnt that he sought treatment at an eye hospital and later moved into an ashram in Malayattoor in Ernakulam District. The woman is married and a mother of two, sources close to her said, adding that she may file a petition with the police. Meanwhile, Circle Inspector of Kattappana said they are yet to receive any complaint from the priest or the woman. As the complaint lodged by the mobile phone shop owner amounts to defamation, police may launch an investigation after thorough perusal of the event. Police added that neither the priest nor the woman needs to file a complaint regarding the issue. (With inputs from MS Aneesh Kumar) The husband of a cheating police officer hacked into her phone and framed her ex-lover for revenge porn. Constable Nicole Boyd had an affair with Senior Constable Kevin Riboldi for three months after she started working at Wyong Police Station in 2018. But her husband Matthew Boyd discovered their secret conversations by hacking into her SnapChat, prompting the cops to end their affair in December, 2018. Boyd also downloaded 'intimate videos' of the pair and sent a screenshot to his wife while pretending to be Mr Ribolid, prompting his wife to take out an AVO against her former lover. But police eventually traced the email to Boyd and charged him with eight offences. He pleaded guilty to four of those offences at Wyong Local Court this week, according to The Daily Telegraph. Matthew and Nicole Boyd with their young daughter. Mrs Boyd has an affair with her police colleague Kevin Riboldi for three months after she started working at Wyong Police Station in 2018 During her affair, Mrs Boyd and Mr Riboldi sent each other messages, videos and photos on Snapchat, WhatsApp and Keepsafe, according to an agreed statement of facts shown in court. The statement also detailed how the pair consensually recorded two 'intimate videos' together in the spare room of the Boyd house on November 27, 2018. But Boyd found out about his wife's affair by hacking into her Snapchat account to read her private conversations with Mr Riboldi. Mr Riboldi woke up on December 26, 2018 to find that Mrs Boyd had attempted to call and message him overnight, including WhatsApp texts at around 4am. 'Don't write back but he (her husband) has found out. He's hacked my Snapchat and read everything. I've told him we haven't slept together,' she wrote. Mrs Boyd and Mr Riboldi met at Charlestown Shopping Centre later that day to discuss their affair being exposed. Mr Riboldi encouraged Mrs Boyd to take out an AVO against her husband, who she shares a young daughter with. Mrs Boyd with her daughter, who she shares with Mr Boyd. The mother sent messages, videos and photos on Snapchat, WhatsApp and Keepsafe to her former lover Mr Riboldi Mr Riboldi (pictured) recorded two 'intimate videos' with Mrs Boyd in the spare room of the Boyd house on November 27, 2018 Mrs Boyd said she wanted to be leave her husband and be with Mr Riboldi during messages between the two on the same day. But she ended her relationship with Mr Riboldi at 10:45pm via WhatsApp. 'I'm sorry Kev, I'm ending our relationship tonight . If you truly love me you'll respect my decision and not contact me again. I've spoken to Matt and told him we have slept together,' she wrote. Mrs Boyd's husband sent a threatening Facebook message to Mr Riboldi the next day, but he did not read it until months later when he installed Facebook Messenger. The scorned husband also left two crude voicemails on Mr Riboldi's mobile number on January 1, 2019 and a threatening text the next day. In the following days, Boyd hacked into his wife's KeepSafe account and changed her password, allowing him to download the intimate videos she recorded with Mr Riboldi two months prior. He created a fake Gmail account that appeared to look like Mr Riboldi's email and sent his wife the intimate videos, framing her former lover. The email was titled 'enjoy' and made to look like it had been forwarded a couple of times to suggest Mr Riboldi was sharing the video with multiple people. Mrs Boyd believed Mr Riboldi sent the videos to her husband to harass her, prompting her to call her sergeant and file an AVO against her colleague. Mr Riboldi was shocked when he was hit with an AVO, saying he had been set up - but was stood down from his duties on January 7, 2019. Mrs Boyd in her police officer uniform. She believed Mr Riboldi sent intimate videos to her husband to harass her, prompting her to call her sergeant and file an AVO against her colleague Hacker husband Boyd said he recognised Mrs Boyd from her Chinese tattoos when he viewed the videos during a police interview. 'The male was sitting on a bed and her face was down between his legs,' he told police. But police eventually traced the email account to Boyd and charged him with making false accusations subject to an investigation and knowingly provide misleading information regarding police conduct. Mr Riboldi was cleared of any wrongdoing and the AVO against him was withdrawn on July 15 last year. In court this week, Boyd pleaded guilty to making false accusations subject to an investigation, hacking his wife's social media accounts, knowingly provide misleading information regarding police conduct and intimidation. Four charges of accessing restricted data in a computer and one charge of intentionally distributing an image without consent were withdrawn and dismissed. Boyd will be sentenced on July 21. Mix 98.1, another local adult contemporary station, instituted feel-good weekends at the beginning of May. While the playlist hasnt changed, the most positive songs already on the playlist are getting played more, said Zac Davis, a vice president for Entercom, which owns the station. 1980s hits Flashdance What a Feeling by Irene Cara and Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley are two favorites of feel-good weekends that are getting more air time. The station dubbed Fridays as fan-favorite Fridays, inviting listeners to make requests. One of the first songs asked for after the pandemic arrived was We Are The World, a 1985 hit crafted by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and performed by dozens of the countrys most famous artists at the time. It calls for the world to come together as one during a time when people are dying. How perfect to bring that song back now, said Jeff Wicker, a Mix 98.1 morning show host. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order late Friday allowing non-essential gatherings of up to 10 people. The executive order stipulated that small gatherings would be permitted as long as people continue to maintain social distancing, as well as other precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Despite New York City not yet meeting the metrics for phase one of reopening, the new executive order applies to all regions of the state. The executive order, which expires June 21, came in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, according to a report in The New York Times. 45 Photos of the pandemic in NYC: Our lives changed forever Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that New York City can start reopening in the first two weeks of June. The mayors latest prediction comes as the city has seen its three daily reopening indicators it has been tracking to determine when New York City can begin relaxing its coronavirus restrictions stay consistently low. Those indicators include the number of New Yorkers being admitted into the citys hospitals, patients in the citys 11 public hospitals intensive care units, and the rate of New Yorkers testing positive for coronavirus. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK*** The city has been keeping track of these indicators for nearly five weeks, but has not included Staten Islands two private hospitals and private hospitals all across the city in its ICU indicator count. In addition to the citys reopening indicators, before New York City and regions across the state can reopen in phases, they must first meet seven state-mandated reopening metrics. Once those metrics are reached, different regions across the state can reopen their economics in four phases. FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER A Houston state representative is asking Gov. Greg Abbott to establish an emergency task force to focus on how COVID-19 is affecting Texas black community. Rep. Shawn Thierry wrote Abbott last month, and since then has had conversations with the governors office about the concept. However, no specific timeline has been given for when it would start. Im praying and hoping that we dont have an advance second wave of this after the summer, but many experts around the country, including Dr. (Anthony) Fauci, have said that its reasonable to expect that during flu season, said Thierry, a Democrat who represents parts of southwest and southeast communities in Houston. Where does that leave African-Americans? Where does that leave Latino Americans or just communities of color for this second time? Will it be worse and will it be too late at that point? Abbott has indicated publicly that he would be discussing the task force with state leaders, according to Thierry. The governors office did not respond directly to inquiries about the matter, instead referring a Chronicle reporter to the Texas Health & Human Services Commission, which said Friday it planned to study COVID-19s impact on the states vulnerable populations. The commissions top priority is protecting the health and safety of all Texans, so our agency is launching a study to understand how and why COVID-19 could have a greater impact on vulnerable populations in Texas as defined by race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, geographic location, chronic illness, presence of a disability, and employment status, wrote Christine Mann, the commissions chief press officer. Texas needs to understand the health impact of COVID-19 on these vulnerable populations to determine which of these factors may be putting some Texans at greater risk. The commission said it expects to prepare a preliminary analysis in the fall with additional monitoring and data collection moving forward. In the city of Houston and Fort Bend County, African-Americans represent the highest number of deaths from the new coronavirus compared to other races, according to a Chronicle analysis of government figures. African-Americans have also died at disproportionate rates from COVID-19 in other U.S. cities. Some Texas counties initially didnt break down COVID-19 cases and deaths by race, but more began to do so amid reports about the diseases devastating impact on the black community. In her letter, Thierry notes that Fauci, a leader in the federal response to the new coronavirus, said African-American patients are more likely than patients of other races to end up on a ventilator because of COVID-19. Nationwide, the morbidity and mortality rate for African-Americans is as high as five times that of other racial groups. Thierry said communities such as South Park, Sunnyside and Almeda Plaza, all of which she represents, are among those getting hit hard by COVID-19. Among the lawmakers to sign Thierrys letter is state Rep. Ron Reynolds, a Missouri City Democrat. Reynolds has been handing out face protective masks and holding weekly Facebook Live events reminding people to wear masks and practice social distancing. We know for a fact that this disease has disproportionately impacted the African-American community more than any other particular race, Reynolds said. We have to be more diligent, more careful, more guarded, more aware of our surroundings and how we operate. Thats the only way we can protect ourselves and our families. According to data from local officials, as of Friday evening: In the city of Houston, 44 African-Americans had died of the illness compared to 40 Latinos, 31 whites and seven people of Asian descent. Two deaths are unknown. In total, 124 people had died. In Fort Bend County, 15 African-Americans had died of COVID-19 compared to 12 whites, eight Latinos and six people of Asian descent. African-Americans comprise about 21 percent and 22.5 percent of the populations of Fort Bend and the city of Houston, respectively. African-Americans do not represent the majority of deaths in parts of Harris County outside of the city of Houston. The death toll there includes 32 whites and 24 blacks, according to data from that countys health department. And in Galveston County, blacks accounted for only two deaths compared to 24 whites. African-Americans represent 19 percent of the population in Harris County and only roughly 13 percent in Galveston County. Statewide, African-Americans account for 13.7 percent of deaths compared to 36.7 percent of whites. The state only has information available so far for 490 deaths, though it is estimated that more than 1,400 have died. According to Thierrys letter, a task force should look at reducing the COVID-19 contagion rate while also trying to determine how to increase the survival rates for African-Americans. The letter proposes that a panel collect information and data to help lower the coronavirus morbidity and mortality rate for African-Americans. Thierry hopes the task force can be made up of medical experts, elected leaders, epidemiologists, public health officials, faith leaders and other community influencers. A future task force should also address the possibility of implicit bias on COVID-19 testing, emergency-room protocols and medical treatment plans for the most at-risk patient population, according to the letter. It should start a public awareness and education campaign that targets underserved communities, with an emphasis on decreasing community spread of the new coronavirus. This is the time now for us to huddle up and put the infrastructure in place, so that we will not then be in this reactive mode if it is to happen again in the winter, said Thierry. brooke.lewis@chron.com In the wake of the resumption of domestic air travel from Monday, Director General of Police, Karnataka has stated that all passengers coming to Karnataka via domestic flights from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh will be required to undergo a 7-day institutional quarantine which will be followed by home quarantine. In a Twitter post on Saturday morning, the office of DGP, Karanataka announced the same. Also read: No movement pass needed for people with flight, train tickets, says Noida Police Incoming domestic flight passenger from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi & Madhya Pradesh will undergo 7 day institutional Quarantine followed by home quarantine. DGP KARNATAKA (@DgpKarnataka) May 23, 2020 Incoming domestic flight passenger from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi & Madhya Pradesh will undergo 7 day institutional Quarantine followed by home quarantine, the tweet read. Earlier this week, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced that domestic air travel will resume from May 25 with conditions. The ministry has urged vulnerable people, like the elderly, pregnant women and children, to avoid travelling. It also said that, as of now, only one-third of operations will be resumed. A comprehensive list of guidelines for air passengers was also issued which laid out the dos and dont of air travelling amid the coronavirus crisis. As per the guidelines, passengers must wear masks and follow social distancing norms. Only one cabin bag and one check-in baggage will be allowed per passenger. Web check-ins are encouraged and health update on Aarogya Setu - as well as self-declaration - is also a must. This comes when the number of coronavirus cases in the country breached the 125,000-mark on Saturday. According to the Ministry of Health, the Covid-19 tally in the country stands at 125,101. There are 69,597 active cases of coronavirus in the country while 3,720 people have succumbed to death. The number of patients who have recovered or have been discharged from the hospitals has jumped to 51,783. Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, speaks during a coronavirus task force briefing at the White House, Saturday, April 4, 2020, in Washington. Associated Press/Patrick Semansky Dr. Deborah Birx, lead coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, expressed concern about lingering outbreaks in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC. DC and its suburbs have the highest rate of positive coronavirus tests in the country, Birx said at a news briefing on Friday. LA and Chicago also continue to report high daily case counts. But all three cities have their sights on reopening. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. As many US cities witness a decline in reported coronavirus cases, three cities still struggle to contain their outbreaks. At a news briefing on Friday, Dr. Deborah Birx, the lead coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, identified lingering hotspots in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC. "Even though Washington has remained closed, LA has remained closed, Chicago has remained closed, we still see these ongoing cases," Birx said. She added that she had asked the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to work with these municipalities "to really understand where these new cases are coming from and what do we need to do to prevent them in the future." Washington, DC and its suburbs have the highest rate of positive coronavirus tests in the country, Birx said on Friday. Around 18% of the district's coronavirus tests have come back positive since the start of the outbreak, the Washington Post reported. That share dropped down to 11% over the last week, but Maryland's weekly rate is still around 18%. In Northern Virginia, the weekly rate of positive tests was 25% as of May 18. Birx said 42 states have seen weekly positive-test rates of less than 10% an indicator that they have reached sufficient testing capacity, according to Harvard's Global Health Institute. The positive-test rate in LA recently dropped to 9%, but the county confirmed more than 1,000 new coronavirus infections on Friday. According to California guidelines, LA would need to maintain a positivity rate of 8% or lower for more than a week in order to reopen. Story continues As of May 17, the northeast region of Illinois, which includes Chicago and its suburbs, had a positive-test rate of around 18%. If that rate stays below 20% for two weeks straight, the region could begin reopening non-essential businesses like salons and barbershops. But Illinois state health officials announced more than 2,700 new infections on Friday. LA, DC, and Chicago are still headed toward reopening A woman waits to cross Michigan Avenue along the Magnificent Mile shopping district on March 20, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. Scott Olson/Getty Images Local officials in each city still have their sights on reopening. "Overall the data points are looking pretty good on our journey to recovery," Dr. Barbara Ferrer, LA County's public health officer, told Courthouse News on Friday. "We are moving in the right direction." LA's coronavirus hospitalizations and death rates have started to decline in the last week. Data suggests that the virus is now infecting less than one other person, on average, throughout the county. Epidemiologists usually interpret that as a sign that an outbreak is contained. In Chicago, coronavirus hospitalizations have also started to decline, along the number of coronavirus patients in the ICU and the number of coronavirus patients on ventilators. "Everything is trending cautiously in the right direction," Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said at a briefing on Friday. "We're keeping an eye on it, but feeling confident that we are are starting to get on the other side of our peak." DC has also seen a steady decline in community spread of the virus. "We're heading in the right direction, but not with a steep drop like you see in many other places," Dr. Lynn Goldman, dean of the George Washington University School of Public Health, told NPR about the district's outbreak. White House guidance suggests that states should see a two-week decline in cases before reopening. LA, DC, and Chicago may be nearing that point but they haven't reached it yet. Read the original article on Business Insider Cyclone Jawad likely to weaken, move northwards during next 12 hours Bengal seeks Army's support to restore infrastructure hit by cyclone Amphan India oi-Deepika S Kolkata, May 23: West Bengal government has sought Indian Army's support to restore essential infrastructure and services in cyclone-ravaged areas. The government urges railways, port, private entities to provide support for restoration of essential services in cyclone-hit areas. In a series of three tweets this evening, the state's Home Department called for mobilization of "maximum strength in unified command mode on 24x7 basis" to help get essential services like drinking water, sanitation and power supply back on track. Responding to the state government request, the centre said that ten fresh teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are being rushed to West Bengal in order to speed up the relief and rescue operations post cyclone 'Amphan'. "Ten additional teams have been mobilised and are being rushed at the earliest from NDRF locations outside West Bengal. Teams are likely to reach Kolkata by late night Saturday," an NDRF spokesperson told PTI. Cyclone Amphan: Death toll rises to 85; Kolkata residents stage protest over basic needs A total of 26 NDRF teams are deployed in six cyclone affected districts of West Bengal for restoration work at present and with the addition of the fresh ones the total number of teams will be 36. The death toll due to the cyclone in West Bengal has risen to 85, as angry Kolkatans resorted to protest and road blockades in various parts of the city over the administration's failure to restore normalcy even after three days. Lakhs of people were rendered homeless as cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in half-a-dozen districts of the state on Wednesday, flattening houses, uprooting thousands of trees and swamping low-lying areas. Around 1.5 crore people of the state have been directly affected and more than 10 lakh houses destroyed due to the cyclone. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, May 23, 2020, 17:10 [IST] Trump warns of strong reaction over China new Hong Kong move Iran Press TV Friday, 22 May 2020 1:05 AM US President Donald Trump has warned the United States would react "very strongly" against what he calls an attempt by China to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong. A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry's office of the commissioner to Hong Kong has said Beijing is determined to implement the "one country, two systems" policy with regards to Hong Kong and opposes any external interference in Hong Kong's affairs. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, Trump, who has ratcheted up his anti-China rhetoric in the run-up to November election, said that "nobody knows yet" the details of China's plan. "If it happens we'll address that issue very strongly." Without elaborating, Trump said he would have a full statement on the proposals at an "appropriate time". Meanwhile, Zhang Yesui, spokesman for the China's National People's Congress, said details would be released Friday when the parliament holds its annual session. "In light of the new circumstances and need, the National People's Congress (NPC) is exercising its constitutional power" so that a new legal framework and enforcement mechanism are established to help safeguard national security in Hong Kong, he told a briefing. China has said the United States is "blackmailing" Hong Kong by invoking domestic legislation and threatening to end the US's especial treatment of the Chinese territory over its treatment of violent anti-government protesters. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed the treatment of what he called activists in Hong Kong complicated the assessment of whether the territory remained highly autonomous, a requirement for special treatments the city gets under the so-called Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. The semi-autonomous Chinese territory was rocked by turbulent protests starting in June last year, when some people began protesting against a proposed extradition bill across the city. The proposal has since been withdrawn. The protesters often heavily vandalized shops and public property and attacked citizens believed to be pro-government. However, since the government imposed a ban on public meetings at the end of this March to curb the coronavirus outbreak, Hong Kong has been relatively calm. Also on Thursday, Democratic and Republican US senators vowed to introduce legislation aimed at strengthening the Hong Kong act's sanctions provisions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address By Rebecca Spalding May 22 (Reuters) - A group representing some of the largest U.S. employers has asked Congress for a year-long ban on mergers and acquisitions among hospitals and doctors groups that received government money to cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pacific Business Group on Health, whose members include Boeing, Salesforce, Tesla, and Walmart, said in a letter addressed to congressional leaders this week that it feared that further consolidation in the healthcare industry could lead to higher costs. Physician practices revenues have plummeted across the United States since shutdowns were imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, as patients stay home except for emergencies. Even before the pandemic, well-funded hospital systems were taking over smaller doctors groups and hospitals to increase market share. PBGH said it fears these larger players will be even better positioned to buy struggling practices coming out of the crisis, raising healthcare prices for employers. The group asked for a year-long M&A ban for any healthcare provider receiving any of the $170 billion government relief approved for the industry. "Anti-competitive practices are increasingly concerning to large employers. What were seeing happening right now is the collapse of independent primary care," Elizabeth Mitchell, chief executive officer of PBGH, told Reuters. Politicians and regulators have already been scrutinizing mergers in the hospital industry. The Federal Trade Commission moved to block a merger between two Pennsylvania hospitals in February, on the grounds that consolidation would mean the systems would have fewer incentives to keep costs down. (Reporting by Rebecca Spalding in New York Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, May 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian families with dogs spending more time at home due to COVID-19 may have noticed their dogs behaviour initially changed when people were present 24/7. Anyone elses dog barking like five times more than usual during quarantine? one person asked on Twitter. Because I am going to lose my mind. Changes in routine can worry dogs and create stress. Coronavirus may have reduced the number of quiet daytime naps, while sleepy streets meant less to bark at. Now, two months later, dogs have finally become at ease with the new routine just in time to have it change again. There will be yet another adjustment for dogs as families slowly return to work, said Helen Prinold, Chair of the Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers (CAPDT) and behaviour consultant at Dog Friendship Training Academy in Guelph, Ontario. Dog experts suggest you start getting back into your work routine now to help prevent problematic boredom and distress from happening. Key tips include getting back in the work schedule now, even while you are at home. Randomly take a walk without your dog or step out for a few minutes without Fido. Leave a new puppy a crate with a good chew while taking a conference call. Slowly start increasing the time your dog is crated in a separate room, walking back when they are quietly settled to let them out. Slow and gradual changes now can help pave the way to a smooth transition. Most puppies and dogs are resilient individuals who will easily bounce back from this second change. People with these types of dogs may, however, see an increase in house-soiling (as dogs are not let out on demand) and see more signs of boredom. Fun-seeking can include increases in monotonous barking, destruction of couches (or other chewables) and getting into the garbage. For both these issues, a dog walker may be a good option to help with the transition back to a life with less human presence. Boredom can also be managed by increasing exercise before going to work and removing what the dog can get into (such as trash cans or food on the counter). Rather than punishing dog behaviour (which serves only to increase stress), trainers recommend using tactics proven to create calm. Leave dogs with low volume classical or light pop music playing in the background, plenty of strong rubber food-filled toys to keep them entertained, and a pheromone diffuser. Local pet stores may also sell anti-anxiety treats. Look for products containing science-backed ingredients like L-theanine, omega-3 fatty acids and milk proteins. Trainers suggest you begin giving food-filled toys and treats at least two weeks prior to your full return to work, so dogs dont associate them with departures and an empty house. For dogs with past separation anxiety diagnoses- particularly those whose treatment included medication - now may be a good time to talk with your veterinarian about adding these products back temporarily to help with the transition. Just as some people may temporarily miss friends who are not around - while others fall into full-blown depression when social supports are missing, says Prinold, dogs can have either temporary stress reactions or develop more serious mental health symptoms that require more long-term management. Separation anxiety is a dogs full-out panicked response to being left alone. Genetics, incomplete socialization and weaning, previous anxiety disorders and multiple rehoming when young can all contribute to the development of the problem. Think of nature as a gun, says Prinold, with environment pulling the trigger. Signs of separation anxiety and isolation distress include: pacing and refusing to settle or eat high pitched barking and whining, and destruction aimed at scratching or digging around doors and windows in order to escape. For these dogs, confinement in a small room or crate tends only to make the problem worse. If your dog has not had separation issues in the past (but you have recently noticed clingy Velcro dog behaviour) or you have a pup who has never been alone before, now is a good time to check if there is a significant problem. Clinginess may be some pain surfacing from all of the extra walks and play (and something to touch base with your veterinarian about), but it can signal unhealthy attachment. You can easily check for isolation distress. Start by practicing short departures of less than five minutes for a day or two. Then set up an in-home videocam that captures the area your dog usually sleeps in (add another camera near the door if the two areas are separate). At least two hours after a meal, hide 3 4 handfuls of dog kibble mixed with a few dry treats in easily-found locations, press record and head out for about 20 30 minutes. Review the video on your return. If your dog has devoured the kibble, barked or explored the house for a bit and settled for a nap afterwards there is unlikely to be a significant problem. However, if Fido paces, becoming more frantic and refuses to eat, its important to consult with a specialist as soon as possible. A directory of training professionals (including specialists in treating problem dog behaviour) committed to a strong professional code of ethics and humane training methods can be found at www.capdt.ca . CONTACT: Andrew Perkins, Communications Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers (CAPDT) (416) 576-5001 best.friends@sympatico.ca www.capdt.ca A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3a1aa16d-86d6-4a8f-b3b1-66378a6622a1 New Delhi: The ongoing trouble in Kashmir should be "dealt with politically" and everything cannot be managed within judicial parameters, Supreme Court said on Monday. The apex court also asked the Solicitor General to help activist lawyer and Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) leader Bhim Singh to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue. "This issue has various dimensions and therefore should be dealt politically and moreover, everything cannot be managed within the judicial parameters," a bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said. The bench, which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, referred to a meeting on Monday between a delegation of the state's opposition parties led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked Singh to join the delegation. When the senior lawyer said the "RSS-dictated" government would not invite him, the court, which asked Solicitor General (SG) Ranjit Kumar to facilitate Singh's meeting with Modi, was annoyed. "Don't make a political statement here. You tell us whether you want to go and meet the political leadership or not," the bench said. The SG said with regard to facilitating the meeting with the Prime Minister, he would "personally talk" to the Home Secretary. In his plea, Singh, who sought various reliefs, also demanded imposition of Governor's Rule in Jammu and Kashmir. The bench also asked Singh to file his response on the status report filed by the Centre on prevailing ground situation in the Valley. At the outset, the Centre said the Jammu and Kashmir High Court was already seized of the matter and hence the plea, pending in the apex court, be disposed of. The bench said the statements made by Bhim Singh may not be "relevant judicially" but they may be "relevant politically". Earlier, the Centre, in its status report filed in the court on August 5, had said that the law and order situation in the Valley has improved considerably with incidents of violent protests having gone down from 201 on July 9 to 11 on August 3. The Valley has been witnessing a spate of violent protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. EUCLID, Ohio -- Three people are dead in three separate crashes Saturday morning, police say. The crashes happened between 12:45 and 5 a.m., Euclid police spokesman Lt. Mitch Houser said. The first crash happened about 12:45 a.m. on Ohio 2 near the Lloyd Road exit, Houser said. A 43-year-old Cleveland Heights man was riding a motorcycle west on the highway when he went off the curve at the I-90 east ramp and struck a guardrail, Houser said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The man did not have a passenger on the motorcycle. The second crash happened about 4:45 a.m. on I-90 east near the Babbitt Road exit, Houser said. A 26-year-old Strongsville man was standing in the traffic lanes when he was struck by a car and was killed instantly, Houser said. The third crash happened shortly after the Strongville man was struck. A 24-year-old Richmond Heights woman was standing in the roadway on I-90 near the man, possibly attempting to provide first aid, Houser said. A car struck her. The woman was taken to a local hospital, but died from her injuries, Houser said. Police do not know if the two were walking together or if the incidents were related. The drivers in the second and third crashes drove off from the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call Euclid police at 216-731-1234. Read more stories from cleveland.com: Ohio coronavirus death toll at 1,956, cases climb to more than 31,000: Saturday update Cuyahoga County corruption trials, criminal probes delayed by coronavirus Cleveland teen accused of attacking, attempting to sexually assault 74-year-old woman Ohio siting boards poison pill to kill pioneering Lake Erie wind project shows a state in thrall to major energy interests Lorain County prosecutor wants 16-year-old Lorain boy accused of murder to be tried as an adult Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to reduce Chinese telecom giant Huawei's involvement in Britain's 5G network in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a UK media report on Saturday. According to The Daily Telegraph', Johnson has instructed officials to draw up plans that would see China's involvement in the UK's upgraded telecom network scaled down to zero by 2023. He still wants a relationship with China but the Huawei deal is going to be significantly scaled back. Officials have been instructed to come up with a plan to reduce Huawei's involvement as quickly as possible, the newspaper quoted a well-placed source as saying. He has taken a great many soundings from his own MPs on this issue and shares their serious concerns. The deal was struck before the pandemic hit but coronavirus has changed everything, the source said. The move follows a tough stance taken by the US against China over spying concerns related to its involvement in the 5G network. Johnson is due to meet US President Donald Trump next month for the G7 summit, with Britain hoping to scale up talks over a bilateral trade deal in the wake of Brexit. MPs in the UK prime minister's own Conservative Party have ramped up the charge against Huawei's involvement, a movement that has gathered pace following China's actions during the coronavirus crisis. Downing Street declined to comment on the reports but Johnson had flagged some new measures in the works to protect British technology in the wake of coronavirus in the House of Commons earlier this week. We are certainly bringing forward measures to ensure that we protect our technological base and... you'll be hearing a lot more about that in the next few weeks, he said. Reports later emerged that Johnson wants the UK to be more self-sufficient and less reliant on China for supplies and goods. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A highway blockade on Provincial Road 280 led by members of Tataskweyak Cree Nation this week drew the RCMP, armed with a court injunction ordering participants to leave or face arrest. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion A highway blockade on Provincial Road 280 led by members of Tataskweyak Cree Nation this week drew the RCMP, armed with a court injunction ordering participants to leave or face arrest. Tataskweyak is one of four First Nation partners (alongside War Lake, York Factory, and Fox Lake) in the multi-million-dollar Keeyask hydroelectric generating project. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, a reduced group of 600 had continued work at the construction site some 960 road kilometres north of Winnipeg. On May 1, Manitoba Hydro announced plans to rotate in new workers. The First Nations partners believed this would follow current pandemic restrictions and non-travel protections for area communities. Shortly after, First Nation leaders say they found out Hydro convinced health authorities to exempt the project and send roughly 1,000 workers (including 200 from outside Manitoba) to the North. On May 15, Tataskweyak Chief Doreen Spence announced a blockade on the north access road to the site because "bringing in a significant number of new workers to the Keeyask camp is an unacceptable and dangerous risk to our community... We have no other choice in order to protect our community, and all others in northern Manitoba." Filing a court injunction, Manitoba Hydro argued the blockade endangers onsite workers and, if not removed, costs the Crown corporation $1.7 million per day in wages, costs, and future lost revenue. Spence was clear in her reaction when RCMP arrived to deliver the injunction papers: she tore them up. Meanwhile, Fox Lake issued a state of emergency and instituted a blockade on the site's south access road. (Leadership at War Lake and York Factory support the blockades, too.) RCMP have announced no plans to enforce the court order. Hydro countered Friday by halting the shift change, and reducing on-site staff to only about 100 people for security and maintenance. Asked about the blockades this week, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister said: "We need to follow the rule of law and we need to make sure that we respect it." The Manitoba government also announced a plan but no start date for an end to the ban on northern travel, with a recommendation that citizens, "avoid visiting local communities, including First Nations communities, as much as possible." This, despite the pretty-much-unified response by First Nations governments saying: no. This isnt the "rule of law." This is the rule of one law, the law First Nations partnerships, treaties and rights surrounding consultation, land claims, and self-government are only useful insofar as they benefit Canada. If they get in the way of Canadas economy, laws, or goals, they are ignored, denied, or "illegal." In the coming months, a battle is looming. There have been glimpses of it in the continuation of construction projects such as the Site C dam in B.C. resource extraction projects fought by First Nations but have been deemed "essential services" by Canadas leaders. First Nations leaders and communities have demanded their land claims and rights and Canadas constitutional responsibility for "prior and informed consent" be respected. But, despite having no basis beyond their own interpretation of the law, Canada has continued unabated. If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a blessing to provincial governments and the feds, as it has forced First Nations communities to retreat from the blockades and focus on protecting their families. These fights, however, are not going away. 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. To use Spences words, First Nations are being left with "no choice" to protect themselves in Canadas rush to "return to normality." Canadian normality has been defined by building economies off taking First Nations lands and resources and until the past few decades anyways ignoring First Nations rights. Up to now, First Nations have mostly believed in the "rule of law," working in courts and at negotiation tables for solutions. If burning is the only choice left though, where do we go from here? Where does it stop? niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca Four men and a woman appeared in court today charged with the murder of a 19-year-old law student gunned down in an alleged drive-by shooting. Innocent passer-by Aya Hachem was walking to Lidl supermarket near her home when she was hit by a bullet fired from a passing Toyota car. The first of two shots struck a building but the second fatally pierced her chest. Feroz Suleman, 39, Abubakir Satia, 31, Uthman Satia, 28, Judy Chapman, 26, and Kashif Manzoor, 24, are charged with murdering Aya and the attempted murder of Pashar Khan - their intended victim. The defendants, from Blackburn and Great Harwood, spoke only to confirm their name and address when they appeared at Preston Magistrates' Court. The court was told that the allegations were so serious they could only be heard at the crown court and no applications for bail could be made. Innocent passer-by Aya Hachem, 19, was walking to Lidl supermarket near her home when she was hit by a bullet fired from a passing Toyota car Four men and a woman appeared in court today charged with the murder of a 19-year-old law student gunned down in an alleged drive-by shooting All the defendants were wearing grey tracksuits, except for Suleman, who wore a Gucci jumper and blue jeans. Suleman is the boss of RI Tyres firm in Blackburn which has three branches. Magistrates agreed to a three-month closure order of the business following an application by Lancashire Police. Abubakir Satia is a director of travel company Satia Tours, and appeared on an episode of Crimewatch in 2017 after being seriously injured after he attempted to stop a thief stealing his 35,000 BMW. The five defendants will appear for a bail application hearing at Preston Crown Court on Wednesday. Two men, aged 34 and 39 and from Blackburn, remain in custody on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Feroz Suleman, 39, Abubakir Satia, 31, Uthman Satia, 28, Judy Chapman, 26, and Kashif Manzoor, 24, are charged with murdering Aya and the attempted murder of Pashar Khan Lebanese-born Ms Hachem, a second year student at the University of Salford, was shot in King Street, Blackburn, Lancashire last Sunday at 3pm Lebanese-born Ms Hachem, a second year student at the University of Salford, was shot in King Street, Blackburn, Lancashire last Sunday at 3pm. Paramedics battled to save the Children's Society charity volunteer, but she died a short while after she was taken to hospital. Ms Hachem's distraught parents said Aya, the eldest of four siblings, was the 'most loyal, devoted daughter' who enjoyed spending time with her family. Her father Ismail Hachem arrived in the UK 10 years ago as an asylum seeker. According to family friends, he had been shot in crossfire in Lebanon and moved to England hoping for a new life. He spent nine years as an asylum seeker before gaining British citizenship last year. Ms Hachem's former school paid tribute to her as 'a beautiful young girl who fled her home country in search for a better life in the UK'. A vial of the investigational drug remdesivir is visually inspected at a Gilead manufacturing site in March 2020. (Gilead Sciences via AP) Remdesivir Speeds COVID-19 Recovery but Needs Supplement, Researchers Find The antiviral drug remdesivir sped up recovery from COVID-19, but researchers said the drug requires a supplement and showed little benefit in many groups of patients, peer-reviewed data from a study promoted by health officials shows. The data shows that the experimental drug shortened the average time to recovery from 15 days to 11 days. One group was given a 10-day course of remdesivir intravenously while another was given standard care and a placebo. The double-blind, randomized trial included 1,063 patients in 10 countries. Preliminary results of this trial suggest that a 10-day course of remdesivir was superior to placebo in the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19, researchers wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine. The results are preliminary because an independent data and safety monitoring board recommended to unblind the results after an analysis showed remdesivir sped up recovery from COVID-19. Its not clear whether the trial is continuing. Researchers noted a high mortality rate in patients, despite the use of remdesivir. These preliminary findings support the use of remdesivir for patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19 and require supplemental oxygen therapy, with the largest benefit observed among patients who required oxygen supplementation but werent mechanically ventilated, said the team, which was led by scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). However, given high mortality despite the use of remdesivir, it is clear that treatment with an antiviral drug alone is not likely to be sufficient. Future strategies should evaluate antiviral agents in combination with other therapeutic approaches or combinations of antiviral agents to continue to improve patient outcomes in COVID-19. A study launched earlier this month is evaluating remdesivir with baricitinib, an anti-inflammatory medicine, compared with remdesivir alone. Treatment should start before the progression of COVID-19 advances so much that patients need assistance breathing, according to the new findings. Vials of investigational COVID-19 treatment drug remdesivir are capped at a Gilead Sciences facility in La Verne, Calif., on March 18, 2020. (Gilead Sciences via Reuters) Reactions Zain Chagla, an infectious disease physician at St. Josephs Healthcare Hamilton in Toronto, said the study showed that no groups recovered faster except for patients requiring supplemental oxygen. Bottom line if you come to hospital and you need a bit of oxygen, this drug may get you home faster. But in some cohorts your risk of dying is very small if you fit into that category (some studies 0 percent). This is not a gamechanger. This is a negative trial, he said in a statement. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, told STAT News that the study shows remdesivir is a very safe and effective drug, although there was no sign of improvement for patients with the most severe cases. We now have a definite first efficacious drug for COVID-19, which is a major step forward and will be built upon with other drugs, [and drug] combinations, he said. Initial results from the trial were released last month and quickly promoted by health officials, including NIAID head Dr. Anthony Fauci, who said remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant positive effect in diminishing the time to recover. While questions arose about the endpoint being changed during the trial, the Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of remdesivir to treat CCP virus patients, and federal health officials started distributing doses donated by maker Gilead Sciences to over a dozen states. Findings for mortality werent statistically significant enough, researchers said, but suggested a survival benefit, with a mortality rate of 7.1 percent for those given remdesivir versus 11.9 percent of the placebo group. Forty-nine patients had to discontinue remdesivir treatment before day 10 because of an adverse event or because they withdrew, researchers said. Serious adverse events occurred in 21.1 percent in the remdesivir group and 141 patients, or 27 percent, in the placebo group. Gilead, based in California, responded positively to the results. These findings support the use of remdesivir in this population, with the largest benefit observed among individuals who required oxygen supplementation but were not mechanically ventilated, Dr. Merdad Parsey, Gileads chief medical officer, said in a statement. The company expects results from a separate phase 3 study to be published soon. A sign for BlackRock on its building in New York on July 16, 2018. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters) US Charges Ousted Hollywood Executive With Defrauding Pandemic Loan Program, BlackRock Fund NEW YORKU.S. prosecutors have charged the recently ousted owner of a Hollywood movie distributor with defrauding a federal CCP virus emergency relief program and a BlackRock investment fund, including to pay for a Beverly Hills mansion and other luxuries. Prosecutors said William Sadleir, 66, diverted much of the $1.7 million of loans he received on May 1 from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for personal expenses. He allegedly did this after falsely telling JPMorgan Chase and the Small Business Administration the funds were meant for his former company Aviron Group, which had terminated him in December and where he has no current role. A sign hangs on One Chase Plaza in lower Manhattan, New York City, on Oct. 14, 2014. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) The PPP was meant to help small businesses stay afloat during the financial crisis, and we will act swiftly against those who abuse the program for their own personal gain, U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna in Los Angeles said in a statement. Sadleir was also accused of having previously induced the closed-end BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust Fund to invest $75 million in Aviron to support its films. Prosecutors said he then created a sham company to conceal his use of the money, and assumed the fake identity Amanda Stevens to communicate by email with the BlackRock fund about its investment. In a related civil case, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Sadleirs lavish lifestyle also included a $127,000 Tesla. A lawyer for Sadleir could not immediately be identified. A BlackRock spokesman declined to comment. A sign for BlackRock Inc hangs above their building in New York on July 16, 2018. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters) Avirons films have included Halle Berrys Kidnap and Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaways Serenity. The BlackRock fund had $574 million of assets as of May 21, and normally invests most assets in debt and loans. It sued Sadleir for fraud in a New York state court in December. Sadleir faces up to 124 years in prison if convicted on all charges. By Jonathan Stempel Epoch Times staff contributed to this report. An explosion occurred in the community center of the Chokhataur district (Guria region), Georgian media reported. The accident with the Liberty Bank ATM took place in the village of Kokhnari at 22:30 local time (21:30 Moscow time), Sputnik Georgia informs. According to preliminary data, no one was hurt as a result of the accident. The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs does not comment the situation. It is known that a criminal case has been opened under the article Damage to or destruction of a thing. Help India! By TCN News As organizations and individuals continue speaking in favour of Muslim activists arrested on false charges of inciting violence in anti CAA-NRC protests, a community of activists took to virtual space for an online press conference on Thursday to condemn the witch hunt of students and activists by Delhi Police. Support TwoCircles The spate of arrests of anti-CAA activists by the Delhi police, in the middle of the pandemic and lockdown refuses to stop, resonated the statement as the latest arrest of another student activist, Asif Iqbal Tanha was reported. Asif was taken by Special Cell of Delhi Police for interrogation on May 16 and was produced in front of a magistrate and declared arrested on May 17, in connection to the case pertaining to police brutality on students at Jamia Millia Islamia on December 15. The online conference, coordinated by activist Nadeem Khan noted: it was the Jamia students who bore the brunt of the violence on that dreadful night when police barged into the university and the library premises and brutalized the students unprovoked. Several other professionals like Supreme Court senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan, human rights activist Teesta Setalvad, Delhi University Professor Apoorvanand Jha, Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, civil rights activist Kavita Krishnan, All India Muslim Majlis e Mushawarat president Navaid Hamid and Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Mohammad Salim Engineer participated in the briefing. The conference has addressed media houses across the nation, raising some significant points about detention of anti-CAA protestors. The judge granted Asif judicial custody of 14 days but his friends who went to meet him in Crime Branch to deliver clothes had informed that Asif was beaten up by Special Cell Police on May 16 while one of his close friends received a call from him saying that he was beaten up by a jail Munshi because he was a Jamia student. The online briefing highlighted that in arresting Safoora Zargar, Meeran Haider and Shifa Ur Rehman and the recent most of Asif, Delhi Police disclosed a similar pattern where they are linking up anti-CAA Muslim activists with Delhi riots. With a deeper examination of FIRs filed in connection to the riots, it is revealed that in the beginning all the arrests of Popular Front activists Mohammad Danish, Pervez Alam and Mohammad Illyas, arrested on March 12 had bailable positions. These leaders who had got bail on March 14 were not granted Station House bail on the day of the arrest. The judge had reprimanded the Investigating Officer (IO) for the same but there has been no explanation by the IO as to why he had not offered bail to the accused persons at the first instance as per the constitutional as well as a procedural mandate. The pattern revealed that this particular FIR was again evoked when Ishrat Jahan was arrested along with Khalid Saifi and this time, more stringent sections like 302 was inserted in the FIR and Ishrats bail was subsequently rejected. Similarly, Gulfisha, another student and anti-CAA activist was arrested. Now with Asif, the same is repeated, in addition to four sections from the UAPA. The participants of the briefing concluded that the chronology of arrests are similar in that first a person is arrested under some case, and when they are about to get bail in the case, they are implicated in this particular FIR. It is to note that FIRs which started with all bailable offences have now been turned into almost an anti-terror case and it is particularly targeting anti-CAA activists and students and framing them as dreaded terrorist who was responsible for the Delhi riots. Moreover, these FIRs are most vaguely worded and makes sweeping generalizations and accusations which make it easy to be used against anybody, said the statement. The distinguished community of activists, scholars, lawyers and other professionals stated that although the majority of victims in Delhi riots were Muslims, all the arrested persons under this FIR so far are also Muslims, thus revealing the prejudiced behaviour of the Delhi Police and how they are using the pretext of the Delhi riots to target, frame and witch hunt anti-CAA activists. With regards to the Coronavirus pandemic, the conference accused Delhi Police of insensitivity as despite the lockdown, Police continued to call activists from outside to Special Cell office even after one of the head constables was found COVID positive. Particularly revealing in the address was the fact that Police are constantly pressurizing and harassing the activists called for interrogation to turn approvers for them, thus showing that the Police do not have an iota of evidence for these arrests and are doing this to create a fake narrative and intimidate activists, particularly the ones who were vocal against CAA. The statement singled this out, urging the higher authorities to stop the desperate attempts by Delhi Police to make people sign on blank papers to pressurize them to turn approvers as it is disturbing and highly illegal. The collaborated efforts of the activists community through the online press address ended in a strong condemnation of the witch-hunting of anti-CAA activists and the use of UAPA to intimidate students and activists in their peaceful democratic movement. While this weeks weather is not expected to be as extreme as the storm last year that cut power to millions and led to hundreds of deaths, experts still have their eyes on the weak link of the states energy system. As the coronavirus crisis continues to unfold, our nations families and communities are facing extraordinary challenges that require an extraordinary response. Unemployment is at historic highs, the state of Michigan is facing a $3 billion budget deficit, and thousands of lives have been lost to this vicious virus. Families are scared, angry, and frustrated. We know folks still need help. Its time for Congress to deliver. As we look ahead to future relief efforts, I remain committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on many bipartisan priorities that could realistically pass and be signed by the President to help everyday Americans. First, it is abundantly clear from my discussions with Governor Gretchen Whitmer and local leaders that our states and small communities need help now. Since this virus first landed on American soil, states and local governments have been working overtime to address this crisis, and many including Michigan now face severe revenue shortages. The solution here is not to let states go under, but rather Congress must provide fiscally responsible relief to states and local communities to help keep essential workers on the payroll and Michigan residents safe. To achieve this, I cosponsored the bipartisan, bicameral State and Municipal Aid for Recovery and Transition (SMART) Fund to provide $500 billion in emergency funding to every state, county, and community in the country. We cannot turn our backs on our states and essential workers, and this legislation will get much-needed resources into the right hands. Second, Congress must continue to support small businesses and their employees throughout this crisis. Small businesses serve as the backbone of our local economies, and we must go above and beyond to keep mom and pop shops open and workers employed. When Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), we made a solemn promise to small businesses across the country that help was on the way. We cannot allow this fund to run dry so long as small businesses need this critical relief. But there are improvements to be made. The House will vote this next week on a bill that I cosponsored called the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act. This legislation will make urgent, commonsense reforms to the PPP that relax restrictions on these federal loans and ensure that all small business have access to the help that they so desperately need. Third, Congress must work on a solution to support the auto industry and help protect countless auto jobs here in Michigan and around the United States. I know well that our auto workers power our nations tremendous manufacturing capability, and we must do everything possible to support this industry that employs roughly 10 million American workers and generates more than $953 billion in annual economic activity. My colleague, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), and I have worked closely to urge Congressional leadership to work with us to protect auto jobs, strengthen local supply chains, and support domestic auto manufacturing, especially now as we rethink our reliance on foreign production and global supply chains. Lets be clear - we are not asking for a bailout. Rather, we are working on a solution to support our auto industry that will be consumer driven and focused on incentives. Its no secret that our country is enduring tough times and folks are suffering. So many have lost loved ones myself included and my heart breaks for them. As we move forward as a nation, lets remember that we are all in this together Democrats and Republicans alike. Frankly, we do not have time to let politics get in the way of solutions. I stand ready to work with anyone from either party to deliver real solutions that put American families and workers first always. Fred Upton (R) is the U.S. Representative for Michigans Sixth Congressional District and served as the former Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. In a bid to promote communal harmony, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi temple has started providing sehri and iftari to Muslims quarantined in Katra, Jammu, during Ramzan. The move comes amidst the coronavirus crisis, with over 500 Muslims quarantined in Katra's, comes as Muslims around the world await the end of the holy month of Ramzan. In a video shared by Hindustan Times, cooks wearing preparing the meals in large pots and pans to serve those in the quarantine centre. As per the report, the shrine has been serving two meals a day to help Muslims amid the pandemic. #Watch | Vaishno Devi Shrine prepares sehri, iftari for 500 Muslims amid Ramzan. pic.twitter.com/jPSFWulQzx Hindustan Times (@htTweets) May 22, 2020 Ashirvad Bhawan was turned into a coronavirus quarantine centre by the shrine body in March, even as the number of cases had just started to spike in India. As per the CEO of the shrine's board, Ramesh Kumar, the shrine had been providing the traditional sehri and iftari meals all through the holy month of Ramzan, even as the government in Jammu and Kashmir decided to bring back migrant Kashmiris from other states. As per reports, most of the people quarantined at Ashirvad Bhawan were migrant workers. Even as Muslims around India are waiting with baited breath for the end of Ramzaan amid the lockdown, many were left stranded in quarantine centres. For many, Ramzan is a time to get closer to God, family and community, but the pandemic has upended those traditions. The move won the hearts of netizens, many of whom claimed this was the face of real India. This is what Hinduism is and should be! https://t.co/8r57tEO2kG Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) May 22, 2020 This is #kashmiriyat MOHAMMAD SADEEQ SHAH (@msideeqshah) May 22, 2020 Amazing to see a religious shrine give back to the society during difficult times. And serve agnostic to their religious affiliation!! Santosh K (@santoshukamath) May 22, 2020 Good Cause.Let humanity prevails throughout the world. Mujeeb jubair (@JubairMujeeb) May 22, 2020 In wake of the news, bigoted users communalised the issue and slammed authorities at Vaishno Devi for their decision to help minority migrants stuck in quarantine. While most reacted warmly to the news, some on Twitter responded with Islamophobia. The news also attracted communal trolls who slammed and mocked the temple board for helping the minority community. Some demanded to know if mosques would perform similar services for Hindus. Others lashed out vitriol at Muslims in wake of rising COVID-19 cases, many of whom were linked to a religious congregation held by Tableeghi Jamaat it is Markhaz headquarters in New Delhi's Nizammudin. Sure...let mosques serve clear and pure food for people going on pilgrimage to vaishao devi and other Hindu pilgrimage ! Krishna (@Preetiapril) May 23, 2020 I have never heard of any mosque that hosted any kind of hindu traditions Desi (@Star_Lightt01) May 22, 2020 Quarantine centre mein khana to khilyenge na . Media ab usse "food serve kiya" bhi bol sakti hai ya "iftaari ". Jai ho Indian journalism ki Food served = Not sensationalIftari served = mudda + reaction Sirfsach (@Sirfsach3) May 22, 2020 Vaishno devi board is stuffed with money.. Hope they also provide income support to poor priests atleast in j n k who r suffering amidst this lockdown... Ya woh news headline nai banege!! Rohit - (@stupiddentist) May 23, 2020 The tweets indicate increased hostility against Muslims, even as the cases of COVID-19 swelled to 125,000 with over 3700 deaths. EDWARDSVILLE Madison County has now seen more coronavirus-related deaths this year than those associated with drug overdose. Since Jan. 1, the county has recorded 43 deaths due to substance abuse, according to Madison County Coroner Steve Nonn. The countys first COVID-19 death was recorded April 15; as of Thursday, the county had recorded 47 virus-related deaths. We have been educating the public about opiate addiction and drug abuse deaths as a public health crisis for years, said Nonn. We still have drug related deaths being investigated, and they are certainly as tragic as the loss of any life is. But now we are seeing the elderly and infirm being victimized by an invisible threat. Within a few short weeks, we have death numbers that surpass our overdose statistics, Nonn said. Experts predict that we are a long way from being done. Nonn said that, as the death toll from narcotics and dangerous drugs continued to rise, along with the other collateral damage substance abuse brings, his office began to focus on the problem as a matter of public health. The numbers of overdose-related fatalities nationwide were staggering, he said. But the COVID-19 pandemic brought a new perspective. We still have drug-related deaths being investigated, and they are certainly as tragic as the loss of any life is, Nonn said. But now we are seeing the elderly and infirm being victimized by an invisible threat. Nonn said that in February his office began coordinating with Madison County Health Department Director Toni Corona and Emergency Management Director Tony Falconio on the ramifications of COVID-19. He said his office has long had an excellent working relationship with Corona and her staff. We assist them with their epidemiology data on a regular basis and have always had them involved whenever our death investigations lead us to the slightest possibility of infectious or communicable disease, he said. We have excellent communication with Director Corona, whether it is day, night, or weekend. Upon receiving a death report, she is notified immediately, he said. She definitely is hands-on and has been readily available to assist in formulation of best practices and providing intelligence as this pandemic has evolved and continues evolving. Nonn said his office assists the health department by screening each death for COVID-19 indicators. Coroners investigators obtain nasal swabs for testing where indicated. Additionally, the coroners office has been the point of dispensing for personal protective equipment and related supplies for the countys funeral service providers and death care professionals to assure crisis responders from all of the disciplines involved in the pandemic response were effectively managed. Nonn said his office also has developed investigative guidance documents, assessed and inventoried resources available through funeral homes, and made contingency plans for fatality management for worst-case scenarios. Fortunately, the mortality models have not played out the worst-case scenario, he said, But still, families are experiencing loss all the same, and their grief is compounded by restrictions on the funeral industry that the family must endure when they want to say their final goodbye to their loved one. Nonn said his office temporarily suspended vacation requests for staff until they had a better idea of how this was going play out. Vacation requests have resumed, but all days off are subject to cancelation if COVID-19 spikes and a surge develops. He said there is a continuing concern that a fatality surge that would cause a temporary disruption in normal funeral service activity, requiring remains to be held temporarily for the area hospitals and mortuaries. It falls to us that, if the need arises, the coroners office must be able to step in and relieve the hospitals of the responsibility of decedent affairs so that they may focus on patient care while we provide for the safety, security, and care of a deceased loved one until funeral arrangements can be made, Nonn said. He said the COVID-19 deaths do not present the same investigative challenges as other coroners cases since the deaths mostly occur in clinical setting with most investigative details available through that avenue. The attending physician of a decedent decides on the cause of death and certifies the death certificate as opposed to the coroners office. They (the treating physicians) are quite well equipped for that function, Nonn said. They know the patients clinical picture, the medical history, and the test results. The attending physician can best assess whether the COVID-19 virus was the direct cause of death or contributed to death by hastening or exacerbating other medical conditions. We all hope and pray that both of these public health crises end and the sooner the better, he said. Until then we continue to perform our job by giving voice to the dead when it is needed and compassion to those who are left behind. LOS ANGELES (AP) - The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday warned the mayor of Los Angeles and the county's top health officer that an extension of the coronavirus stay-at-home order may be unlawful. The vague letter sent to Mayor Eric Garcetti and LA County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer did not spell out any specific violations, but noted concern about statements both had made publicly that restrictions may be prolonged without a vaccine. "Reports of your recent public statements indicate that you suggested the possibility of long-term lockdown of the residents in the city and county of Los Angeles, regardless of the legal justification for such restrictions," Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband wrote. "We remain concerned about what may be an arbitrary and heavy-handed approach to continuing stay-at-home requirements." Dreiband acknowledged that Garcetti had broad authority to protect residents during the pandemic. Garcetti said the city would be guided by science and data rather than politics. He said the city's 7-day average of deaths is holding and he feels confident about measures the city is taking. "We are not guided by politics," Garcetti said at a briefing. "Theres no games, theres nothing else going on, and thats the way were going to continue to safely open." FILE - In this March 12, 2020 file photo Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, at podium, speaks at a news conference with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, left, in Los Angeles. The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday, May 22, 2020, warned the mayor of Los Angeles and Ferrer, the county's top health officer that an extension of the coronavirus stay-at-home order may be unlawful. The vague letter sent to Garcetti and Ferrer did not spell out any specific violations, but noted concern about statements both had made publicly that restrictions may be prolonged without a vaccine. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes,File) "Theres no city in the world that right now doesnt have some sort of orders and restrictions because we know this virus kills," Garcetti added. Even as more of California reopens restaurants and shops, Los Angeles is among a small number of Californias 58 counties that either have not sufficiently contained the virus to reopen more activities and commerce or, in the case of several San Francisco Bay Area counties, have chosen to move more slowly. The letter came the same day the White House coronavirus response coordinator named the LA region as an area where spread of the virus is a concern. Los Angeles County, with a quarter of the states nearly 40 million residents, accounts for nearly half of its COVID-19 cases and about 55% of the states more than 3,600 deaths. Dr. Deborah Birx asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help look into the source of new cases to help prevent future outbreaks. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The Justice Department has recently sided with churches that want to resume services in the face of policies in many states that forbid such gatherings until the spread of the virus is under control. The department has intervened in several court cases challenging stay-at-home orders as a violation of the constitutional right to freedom of religion. President Donald Trump on Friday said churches and other houses of worship are "essential" and called on governors across the country to allow them to reopen this weekend. Earlier this week, Dreiband sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom warning that his plan to ease restrictions discriminated against churches by allowing secular businesses, such as restaurants and shops, to reopen under certain guidelines in the second phase of his four-part reopening plan. "Simply put, there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights," the letter said. He used the same line in the letter to Garcetti and Ferrer but never mentioned religion or any other potential violation of the law. Newsom said he would likely allow for religious gatherings within weeks, though he said he will offer a plan Monday for churches to reopen. More than 1,200 California pastors have said they plan to violate his order, if necessary, to resume worship May 31. The Los Angeles letter mentioned remarks made last week when Ferrer said that absent a COVID-19 vaccine, some form of restrictions would last "the next three months," and Garcetti said the city would "never be completely open until we have a cure." Ferrer later clarified her remarks, saying restrictions would be gradually eased. ___ Associated Press reporters Michael Balsamo in Washington, D.C., and Michael R. Blood in Los Angeles contributed to this report. Mahmood Nadvi, standing on the rooftop, delivers the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, at King Fahad Mosque in Culver City. Amid the pandemic lockdown, many mosques in Southern California got permission from local authorities to broadcast the adhan during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) The call to prayer rang out at 7:49 on a Saturday evening as the sky glowed pink from the setting sun. Women in hijabs and masks gazed up at the mosque as the Arabic hymn floated down: Allah is the greatest. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. Mahmood Nadvi stood on King Fahad Mosque's roof, 60 feet above the street, nearly level with the palm trees, singing into a handheld microphone. For over 1,000 years, Muslims have relied on the human voice to call the faithful to prayer. It's become tradition that wherever a mosque is built, there is a place for the muezzin, or prayer caller, said Aslam Abdullah, a Muslim scholar based in San Bernardino. While the adhan echoes five times a day in Islamic countries, like a Roman Catholic church bell signaling Mass, it is unusual to hear the adhan publicly broadcast in the U.S., where it is more likely to be heard in Hollywood movies. People stop in their tracks to watch Mahmood Nadvi deliver the Islamic call to prayer from the roof of King Fahad Mosque in Culver City. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Which is what made the scene in a Culver City neighborhood, near a gun shop and a church with a sign reading "Jesus Saves," unusual. Even historic. Like the life-altering pandemic that inspired it from here to Minnesota to New Jersey during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. In extraordinary times, when Muslims are unable to break the fast and pray together because COVID-19 has forced mosques to close as it has some churches and other places of worship the adhan has brought comfort. Cities across Southern California, including Redlands, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga and Claremont, have allowed mosques to broadcast the call to prayer publicly. Outside the Culver City mosque, some pedestrians stopped in their tracks when they first heard the adhan, seemingly surprised. This was something new, and it was not altogether clear how it would be received as with many things Muslim in the U.S. Mahmood Nadvi uses a handheld microphone to share the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, at King Fahad Mosque in Culver City. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) "It is indeed historical," said Abdullah, who in the last week has heard the call to prayer broadcast in Redlands and Fontana. "Its more than tolerance, it is our acceptance, I think. Thats a remarkable thing that this country has shown once again." Story continues But in Culver City, the call to prayer did not go unchallenged for long. After four days, on May 18, the city's police department revoked the amplified noise permit, citing people congregating at the mosque in violation of the county health order, as well as "numerous loud noise complaints from area residents." "We have had and will continue to have a great relationship with mosque leadership," said Capt. Jason Sims with the Culver City Police Department. "We are certainly happy to help with facilitating any type of service that is not in violation of county health orders." Three days later, the city changed course again, reinstating the permit on the condition that the mosque lower the volume. Meanwhile, on the Nextdoor social networking app, debates raged between neighbors. "I'm glad I don't live near there," someone commented, spawning a string of responses. "There are a lot of bitter racists in CC," someone replied. "What has a Muslim ever done to you?" one user said. "Make me unhappy," another responded. Another commenter added: "You should ask people from Europe what they think about the muslims? I don't think you get many people cheering them on." People stop in their tracks to watch Mahmood Nadvi deliver the Islamic call to prayer from the roof of King Fahad Mosque in Culver City. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Across the U.S., the closure of churches has prompted pushback, with some filing lawsuits and a few defying stay-at-home orders. The U.S. Justice Department warned in a letter Tuesday that the measures Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus and his plans to unwind them might discriminate against religious groups and violate their constitutional rights. More than 1,200 pastors have vowed to hold in-person services on May 31, Pentecost Sunday. On Friday, Trump declared houses of worship essential and called on governors to allow their reopening. In the U.S., the question of whether to broadcast the adhan publicly has been controversial over the years. When the City Council in Hamtramck, Mich., approved the local mosques request to amplify the call to prayer in 2004, it sparked anger in the town. With so much going on in the world with terrorism, people are afraid maybe theyll be saying things [in Arabic] that we dont understand," a bakery manager said at the time. Despite the initial controversy, the adhan continues being broadcast there today. Many mosques across Southern California got permission from local authorities to broadcast the adhan, or call to prayer, which is unusual to hear publicly broadcast in the U.S. Above, a small group gathers outside King Fahad Mosque in Culver City. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) In 2015, Duke University called off its plan to sound the prayer call from the chapel's 210-foot bell tower for the first time, in the face of anti-Islamic tirades on social media and concerns about security. So this year, when mosques received permits to share the adhan through Ramadan, starting in Minnesota, some worried about what could happen. I'm very excited but ... deep inside I also have some concerns. Not because its not the right thing to do," said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Los Angeles chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "But because we also still have people in our country who harbor prejudice towards Muslims or people who are not part of the majority." Last week, in Fontana, Ar-Rahman Islamic Center began broadcasting the adhan four times a day omitting the earliest one around 4:30 a.m. The only issue the center had, director Juma Darwish said, is that the prayer caller was too loud and actually broke the speaker outside which the center is working to fix. The mosque has no end date on the broadcast. "Were just going to keep doing it until we feel any neighbor has discomfort with it, Darwish said. Were not going to do it if a neighbor complains about it." Rauf Patel, director of King Fahad Mosque, and his wife, Anisa, were excited when they heard that the adhan was being publicly broadcast in Minnesota. Anisa convinced her husband to request a permit to do the same in Culver City. In his letter to the city, Patel said broadcasting the adhan "would be a beacon of light in this trying time." The mosque has been closed since March. "During these difficult and unusual times of COVID-19, staying away from the mosque during our holy month has been challenging," Patel wrote. "Being able to call to prayer out loud ... would not only lift all of our spirits, but also bring back [a] sense of our unity in our community and get us through our last few days of Ramadan." Soon after, the Police Department issued the permit. It would last until May 22, the day before the start of Eid al-Fitr, a celebration known as feast of the fast-breaking. On the first day, May 14, Ahson Syed, the mosque's religious director, stepped on overturned milk crates and up three steps that allowed him to peer over the roof at the people gathered below. In Saudi Arabia, Syed was accustomed to hearing the call to prayer five times a day. In the U.S., he typically heard it only inside of mosques or community centers - certainly not from the rooftops, broadcast across neighborhoods. That evening, he was the first one to recite the adhan publicly, his voice ringing with emotion over the black loudspeaker. Half of the attendees that night were crying. On the third night, Suzan Alrayes stood below with her 3- and 5-year-old sons, her husband and her parents. It had been a hard Ramadan, one in which she struggled to explain to her children the lurking, viral danger that prevented them from coming to the mosque. That Saturday evening, there were plastic containers of dates and water bottles for attendees to take for the breaking of the fast. The first time Alrayes heard the adhan from the roof of the mosque, she said, "it just gave me goose bumps." "I cant even describe the feeling, she said. Were not used to having the adhan in public in the United States." She just hoped, she said, that it wouldn't disturb the non-Muslim community in any way. "That would be my only concern," Alrayes said. Neighbors living around the mosque were surprised to hear the permit had been revoked, albeit briefly. Many of them said they couldn't hear it, even though they live nearby. The mosque, one resident, Liliana Cruz said, is "very much a part of the neighborhood." She wondered about who would call to complain about the noise, calling them "jerks." "I don't know who those people are," Cruz said. "I don't even want to know them." Another neighbor, who only gave his name as Eddie, said he wished neighbors had been given a heads-up about the call to prayer. He has stereo equipment, but said he could still hear the adhan from his home, which stands in view of the blue and white minaret. "If you don't have anything to avoid it, it can be a form of distress," he said. Debra Sugarman, who has lived in the city for 10 years, said she's spent a lot of time in the Middle East and enjoys hearing the call to prayer. Sugarman, who lives a few blocks from the mosque, said she strained to hear the adhan the first few nights. She wished, she said, that it had been louder. "It's Ramadan," Sugarman said. "They should be allowed to practice their religion." Times staff photographer Irfan Khan contributed to this report. A 77-year-old woman with underlying health conditions has died from the coronavirus in Gaza, health authorities announced Saturday, per the New York Times. Why it matters: This marks the first confirmed fatality due to the virus in the Gaza Strip, which has reported 55 COVID-19 infections, per the Times. Details: The deceased woman, Fadila Abu Raida, died in intensive care in a hospital on the Palestinian side of the border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, a health ministry spokesperson told the Times. She had high blood pressure and diabetes. Go deeper: Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon reports first coronavirus case British travellers hoping to reach parts of the Mediterranean this summer face new barriers partly in reaction to the governments imposition of quarantine, and partly due to the high incidence of coronavirus in the UK. The French embassy in London has tweeted: France will reciprocally ask travellers arriving from the UK to go into #quarantine. The move follows the announcement that all visitors to the UK from 8 June will be required on arrival to spend 14 days in self-isolation at home. The home secretary, Priti Patel, said: We are introducing these new measures now to keep the transmission rate down and prevent a devastating second wave. Quarantine does not apply to a list of 39 exempt professions, nor to travellers who route themselves via Ireland to exploit the so-called Dublin dodge. The French embassy said: All those travelling from the UK, whatever their nationality, will be asked to place themselves in quarantine on their arrival in France, as soon as the quarantine system in the UK comes into force. Cyprus has announced the list of nationalities who will be able to return to the Mediterranean island from 9 June. It includes Austria, Germany and Greece, but not the UK. More countries will join the permitted list from 20 June. They include Switzerland, Poland and the Czech Republic, but not the UK, France, Spain or Italy. Cyprus has today opened its beaches, and from 1 June museums and archaeological sites will resume operations. On Thursday, the Greek tourism minister, Harry Theoharis, said Greece will want to see UK infection rates decline before British visitors will be accepted. I think that the UK has a big difference in terms of the current medical status of the country with Greece, so I dont think its likely it will be there, he told ITV. In an accompanying tweet, the tourism minister wrote: Always guided by the absolute safety of Greeks and our visitors. The European Unions Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has included 13 British airports on its watch list of areas with high risk of transmission of the Covid-19 infection. They include Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester, but not Bristol or Edinburgh. More airports from the UK appear than those from any other country. Two countries have said they will welcome British visitors. Speaking on the BBCs Today programme, Raffaele Trombetta, the Italian ambassador to the UK, said: There is always a large number of British tourists coming to Italy, its one of Britains preferred destinations. We know how much they love Italy. We are still open, welcoming them. Italy is to open up to tourism on 2 June. Croatia has announced it is already open for business without restrictions on specific nationalities, providing visitors can show an accommodation reservation on arrival. No direct flights are currently operating from the UK to Croatia, though connections are available from Heathrow airport via Frankfurt. But the Foreign Office advises about all but essential travel abroad. Anyone who ignores the warning is likely to find their travel insurance policy is no longer valid. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has told foreign tourists that the country 'will be waiting for them' from July. The country's decision to open the holiday mecca in just over a month's time comes a day after the UK government urged Britons not to book their holidays as they will be forced to quarantine for 14 days on their return. Mr Sanchez told the nation: 'Spain receives each year more than 80 million visitors. 'That's why I'm announcing to you that from the month of July the entry of international tourism to Spain will restart in safety. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has told foreign tourists that the country 'will be waiting for them' from July The holiday mecca will open up its borders in just over a month's time giving hope to Britons wanting to spend the summer in the Costas. Pictured: A woman walks past a closed-off beach in Benidorm Tourists and locals returned to bars and terraces in Benidorm after the government relaxed lockdown measures last week Travel firms ALREADY planning to exploit 'Dublin dodge' loophole in 14-day quarantine period Travel firms are already looking to exploit a 'Dublin dodge' loophole in Britain's new quarantine rules that allows those arriving from Ireland to avoid having to isolate at home. Home Secretary Priti Patel announced plans for a tough new quarantine regime requiring almost all arrivals into the UK to immediately self-isolate for 14 days as of June 8. The move, unveiled on Friday, received widespread backlash both at home and abroad, with France threatening to impose a 'reciprocal measure' on Brits arriving at its borders. The travel industry also lambasted the rules, labelling them as 'ineffective and unenforceable' given that those travelling to the UK from Ireland were exempt from the rules. It means flyers can first travel into Dublin and then either jet into the UK or get a bus across the border with Northern Ireland, avoiding the self-isolating rules. Mike Woolridge, founder of Flyaway Weekends, predicted that travel firms would be quick to cash in on the loophole. He said: 'We can see a real demand for short-notice travel once restrictions are slackened, and are already looking at offers that divert via Dublin so were ready to help plan weekend breaks as demand starts to return.' Travellers coming into the UK from Ireland are exempt from the restrictions due to it being a member of the Common Travel Area, along with the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. Meanwhile, Ireland's own coronavirus rules stipulate that travellers do not need to quarantine if they are getting an immediate connecting flight or bus into the UK. Advertisement 'Foreign tourists can now start planning their holidays here.' Whether Britons will choose to take advantage of Spain's easing of lockdown remains to be seen. The government's strict quarantine regimen will come into force on June 8. Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday confirmed that all arrivals to the UK must self-isolate for 14 days on landing. European leaders reacted with fury at the plans, with France last night saying it 'regretted' the decision and would look to impose a 'reciprocal measure' on Brits arriving at its borders. Meanwhile Italy, which at one point was the epicentre of Europe's coronavirus crisis, said it hoped Britain would rethink its rules and called for a 'coordinated approach'. But ministers have said they hope to strike quarantine-free pacts or 'air bridges with summer destinations such as France, Spain and Greece by August and possibly July. In other developments to Britain's coronavirus crisis today: There were calls for Boris Johnson's top aide Dominic Cummings to resign after it emerged he flouted lockdown rules to travel 260miles to his elderly parents' home; It emerged that travel firms are already planning to exploit a loophole in the 14-day quarantine period by flying holidaymakers into UK via Dublin (which is exempt from new isolation rules); Labour leader Keir Starmer revealed his children have attended school throughout the coronavirus crisis as he called for classes to resume 'as soon as possible'; Employers were told they will have to pay 25 per cent of wages of furloughed staff from August, raising fears of a wave of redundancies; Boris Johnson will drop drop the 'track' in his 'test, track and trace' system that is designed to get Britain out lockdown because the NHSX app will not be ready for weeks. Mr Sanchez insisted Spain's business needs were not being put ahead of public safety with his plans. 'Spain needs tourism and tourism needs safety, safety in origin and safety once visitors are here,' Mr Sanchez said in a televised TV address. 'That's why we will guarantee that tourists will be under no risk and also that they won't bring any risks.' Without detailing exactly measures would be taken to ensure zero risk for and from foreign holidaymakers, he added: 'Spanish tourism will now have two new seals, the seal of health security and the seal of environmental sustainability.' A new easing of lockdown measures is due to kick in on Monday in Spain as many areas move onto phase two of a four-phase recovery programme. Benidorm has taken another step towards recovery and brought Brit expats some cheer by allowing bars to serve alcohol until the early hours Portugal has also eased lockdown restrictions with beaches reopening to eager tourists. Pictured: Sao Pedro do Estoril beach in Cascais, Portugal Bathers on the beach of Povoa de Varzim, Portugal, after lockdown restrictions were eased by the government It will mean that in all of the Balearic Islands and many parts of the mainland Spanish coastline, people will be able to enjoy their first dip in the water for more than two months. July has been signalled for some weeks now as the moment when Spain could reopen to international tourism, although hoteliers and other travel bosses have been complaining rival destinations like Portugal, Greece and Italy were getting the upper hand by setting specific dates. Mr Sanchez's comments were the most encouraging and decisive yet towards potential holidaymakers from abroad. Many Spanish town halls have already indicated social distancing through limits on the number of tourists who can enjoy their beaches will be top of their list of priorities. The Costa del Sol resort of Fuengirola has said it will use artificial intelligence to control numbers. Authorities in Lloret de Mar on the Costa Brava have said they intend to put different age groups in different areas of their beaches. Travellers entering Spain are currently being forced to quarantine for 14 days but the order will be lifted when the country ends its current state of emergency at the end of June at the latest unless there is a dramatic change in the health situation. Benidorm mayor Toni Perez insisted earlier this month before Mr Sanchez mentioned his restart date that he was hopeful of seeing British tourists back this summer. European fury at Britain's chaotic quarantine rules: French hit back with their own isolation rules for Brits after their exemption was rejected and UK reveals full list of 39 categories of people who WILL be let in By Alexander Robertson For Mailonline European leaders have reacted with fury after Britain revealed its plans for a tough new quarantine regime requiring arrivals into the UK to self-isolate for 14 days. Home Secretary Priti Patel has received widespread backlash both at home and abroad after unveiling the measures, which have been dubbed 'ineffective and unenforceable' by the travel industry. Ms Patel's announced yesterday that anyone arriving into the UK from June 8 would be legally required to self-isolate for two weeks or face fines of up to 3,200. France immediately hit back at the UK last night, saying it 'regretted' the decision and would look to impose a 'reciprocal measure' on Brits arriving at its borders. Meanwhile Italy, which at one point was the epicentre of Europe's coronavirus crisis, said it hoped Britain would rethink its rules and called for a 'coordinated approach'. Miss Patel last night confirmed that the new quarantine regime would apply to almost all arrivals, including people returning from holidays abroad. But she also revealed a list of 39 categories of people who would be exempt from the rules, including healthcare workers, pilots and those coming over from Ireland. Home Secretary Priti Patel has received widespread backlash both at home and abroad after unveiling the new quarantine measures on Friday Pictured: Passengers wearing PPE queue up to board a China-bound flight at Terminal 2 of Heathrow Airport on Friday Who is exempt from UK government's 14-day self-isolation rules? Here is the list of people exempt from the 14-day self-isolation requirement. - A road haulage worker and road passenger transport worker - A transit passenger, an individual transiting to a country outside of the Common Travel Area, who remains airside and does not pass border control - An individual arriving to attend pre-arranged treatment, when receiving that treatment in the UK - A registered health or care professional travelling to the UK to provide essential healthcare, including where this is not related to coronavirus - A person who has travelled to the UK for the purpose of transporting, to a healthcare provider in the UK, material which consists of, or includes, human cells or blood which are to be used for the purpose of providing healthcare - Quality assurance inspectors for human medicines - Sponsors and essential persons needed for clinical trials or studies - Civil aviation inspectors engaged on inspection duties - Eurotunnel train drivers and crew, Eurotunnel Shuttle drivers, freight train drivers, crew and essential cross-border rail freight workers operating through the Channel Tunnel - A Euratom inspector - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works, related to water supplies and sewerage services - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works related to a generating system, an electricity interconnector, a district heat network, communal heating, automated ballast cleaning and track re-laying systems or network - A worker undertaking activities in offshore installations, upstream petroleum infrastructure, critical safety work on offshore installations and wells - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works - Drivers and crew of trains operated by Eurostar International Limited, essential cross-border workers working for Eurostar International Limited - Operational, rail maintenance, security and safety workers working on the Channel Tunnel system - A worker with specialist technical skills, where those specialist technical skills are required for essential or emergency works or services - Seamen and masters - A pilot, as defined in paragraph 22(1) of Schedule 3A to the Merchant Shipping Act - An inspector, and surveyor of ships - Crew, as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Air Navigation Order 2016(h), where such crew have travelled to the UK in the course of their work - Nuclear personnel who are essential to the safe and secure operations of a licensed nuclear site - Nuclear emergency responder - Agency inspector - An inspector from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a specialist aerospace engineer, or a specialist aerospace worker - A person engaged in operational, maintenance or safety activities of a downstream oil facility that has a capacity in excess of 20,000 tonnes - A postal worker involved in the transport of mail into and out of the UK - A person involved in essential maintenance and repair of data infrastructure - An information technology or telecommunications professional whose expertise is required to provide an essential or emergency response to threats and incidents relating to security - A person who is engaged in urgent or essential work on electronic communications networks - A person who is engaged in urgent or essential work for the BBC's broadcasting transmission network and services - A seasonal agricultural worker - Members of diplomatic missions and consular posts in the United Kingdom - Crown servants or government contractors returning to the United Kingdom who are either: required to undertake policing or essential government work in the United Kingdom within 14 days of their arrival, have been undertaking policing or essential government work outside of the United Kingdom but are required to return temporarily, after which they will depart to conduct policing or essential government work outside the United Kingdom - International prison escorts - a person designated by the relevant Minister under section 5(3) of the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984(a) - A person responsible for escorting a person sought for extradition pursuant to a warrant issued under Part 3 of the Extradition Act 2003 or sought for extradition pursuant to any other extradition arrangements - Defence personnel and contractors doing work necessary for the delivery of essential Defence activities, including Visiting Forces and NATO - An official required to work on essential border security duties - A person who resides in the UK and who pursues an activity as an employed or self-employed person in another country to which they usually go at least once a week Advertisement She said that 'air bridges' could be agreed with certain countries with a similar or lower Covid-19 infection rate, meaning citizens could travel between each nation without the imposing of self-isolation. However no such agreements had been finalized as of Friday's announcement, while preliminary talks between the UK and France about a quarantine-free corridor with no checks abandoned two weeks ago. Currently, Britons can only fly to France on 'essential' business, a position it said earlier this week would be reviewed on June 15. Responding to the UK's announcement last night, a spokesman for France's Interior Minister said: 'We take note of the British governments decision and we regret it. 'France is ready to put in place a reciprocal measure as soon as the system comes into force on the British side.' Raffaele Trombetta, the Italian ambassador to the UK, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that no discussions had yet taken place between the two countries. He said: 'There is always a large number of British tourists coming to Italy, it's one of Britain's preferred destinations. 'We had 40 million trips from the UK to Italy last year. We know how much they love Italy. We are still open, welcoming them. 'We believe that this is pandemic is a global problem so the best thing to do is to tackle it with a coordinated approach.' Mr Trombetta pointed to Italy's own plans to lift quarantine rules for those travelling from the UK and the EU as of June 3. He said: 'We have made it clear what we are going to do and its important for British people to know that they can come to Italy. 'We understand that the UK's new rules will be reassessed after three weeks so hopefully there will be an easing of the measures as we are doing in Italy.' Several exemptions to the new rules were announced last night, including those living in Ireland, healthcare workers pilots. However Ms Patel's plans were also panned by the travel industry, which pointed out that those arriving in the UK will be allowed to use public transport to reach their address, possibly infecting others. They also said that people could get around the rules by first flying into Ireland, which is exempt from the quarantine rules, before then travelling into Britain. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, was among the first to hit out at the new guidelines, which Ms Patel has already admitted would be under constant review. In a statement, it described the regime as 'unenforceable' and said it was 'strongly opposed to ineffective non-scientific measures'. A spokesman added: 'This isolation measure simply does not work unless passengers arriving in international UK airports are detained in airport terminals or hotels for the 14-day period. 'Once these arriving passengers have travelled on the crowded London Underground, or the Heathrow and Gatwick Express, or buses or taxis to their destination, the subsequent quarantine is pointless. 'If this measure had any basis in science, then the Irish visitors would not and could not be exempt.' France immediately hit back at the UK last night, saying it 'regretted' the decision and would look to impose a 'reciprocal measure' on Brits arriving at its borders British ministers are said to be examining the idea of 'Covid passports' that could allow those who have had the disease to travel more widely without the need to undergo quarantine on their return to the UK. The plans to get tourism moving are being promoted by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who is said to have the backing of both Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Miss Patel last night confirmed that the new quarantine regime would apply to almost all arrivals, including people returning from holidays abroad at ports and airports. Under the plans, travellers arriving at all ports and airports will be ordered to go into self-isolation for a fortnight and to provide an address and contact details. They will not be allowed to accept visitors, unless they are providing essential support, and should not go out to buy food or other essentials 'where they can rely on others', the Home Office said. There is a small number of exemptions for truck drivers and some other critical roles while transit passengers who do not formally enter the UK will also be exempt. Public health officials are expected to conduct approximately 100 spot checks every day to ensure people are sticking to self-isolation. Those checks will start from the middle of June. People who arrive in the UK without accommodation arranged will have to pay for Government-arranged accommodation themselves. Despite Ms Patel insisting the policy will be reviewed every three weeks, Whitehall sources have played down hopes that the measures could be lifted before the summer holiday season. Virgin Atlantic warned the plan would keep planes grounded. 'The safety and security of our people and our customers is always our top priority and public health must come first,' a spokeswoman said. 'However, by introducing a mandatory 14-day self-isolation for every single traveller entering the UK, the Government's approach will prevent flights from resuming. 'We are continually reviewing our flying programme and with these restrictions, there simply won't be sufficient demand to resume passenger services before August at the earliest.' The airline instead called on the Government to introduce a 'multi-layered approach' with targeted public health and screening measures to allow the safe restart of international travel. The chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, Karen Dee, had earlier told the Home Affairs Select Committee that drastic reductions in passenger numbers 'may simply lead to a prolonged shutdown of all aviation'. Passengers wearing personal protective equipment queued up to board a flight at Heathrow Airport on Friday A spokesperson for the Association of Independent Tour Operators told The Daily Telegraph: 'As with so many Government 'initiatives', the 14-day quarantine rule comes across as a bit of a stab in the dark, quite possibly to be changed as quickly as it was introduced, as with the mooted air bridges. 'In reality, quarantine should have been put in place right at the start of the pandemic, as our European neighbours did we are now out of synch with them, as they emerge from quarantine and we go into it.' Piers Morgan lead calls for transparency about why coronavirus carriers were able to fly into the UK in the first place. He wrote: 'Of all the inexplicable decisions this Govt has made during the coronavirus crisis, quarantining people who fly into the UK after 20 million people have already flown in and 62,000 people have already died is the most... inexplicable.' Nigel Farage tweeted: 'The government quarantine should have been three months ago, not now. Far too late.' Ms Patel insisted the Government does 'recognise how hard these changes will be for our travel sector' and that ministers will work with the industry to find 'new ways to reopen international travel and tourism in a safe and responsible way'. A former head of Border Force said today he was 'surprised' quarantine measures had not been brought in at UK borders sooner. Tony Smith, now chairman of the International Border Management and Technologies Association, told the Commons Home Affairs Committee today: 'Yes I was surprised that we hadn't seen earlier measures introduced at the UK border.' Mr Shapps on Monday raised the idea of 'air bridges' with popular tourist destinations such as Spain. Madrid yesterday signalled it might be prepared to welcome UK tourists from July without asking them to self-isolate for 14 days. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: 'We need to find a way that the vast, vast, vast majority of people who don't have a disease can still fly.' Many would surely love to look 20 years younger than their actual age without using cosmetics or plastic surgery, but for Melanie Bell, an adult in her 30s with a career as a writer, its no fun getting mistaken for a 12-year-old. Bell, an author who migrated from Canada to the United States before finally settling in the United Kingdom, recalls how she is often mistaken for her dates daughter while being carded at bars and asked if shes old enough to go through airport security alone I have always been small compared to my peers, Bell writes in Huffington Post. Melanie Bell is an author and creative writer who looks far younger than 30 Bell wrote of her frustration of being constantly mistaken for someone nearly 20 years younger Bell said that people often think that she is her date's young daughter As a child, I was consistently one of the shortest in my class, lagging behind the others when we ran laps in gym. I would get asked if I was one or two years younger than my age, which irritated me but only to a point. On good days, Id imagine myself as Cinderella due to my uncommonly small shoe size. Once I became older, the perceived gap increased dramatically. My friends filled out while I remained spindly. I was given the freshman nickname Itty-Bitty, and people began calling me tiny as a matter of course. Bell is perfectly healthy. She has not been told by a doctor that she suffers from any sort of growth hormone deficiency. But, I do have a confluence of genetic markers that signal youth: a round face, slight bone structure, minimal chest definition, and wide eyes, she writes. These are all features I cant change. Bell says she is perfectly healthy and does not suffer from any deficiency in human growth hormone Bell also has a youthful complexion that that would make others envy her Bell writes that she has relatives on both sides of her family whose height reached 5ft. Early in her mothers marriage, she, too, was mistaken for her husbands daughter, according to Bell. It appears the apple doesnt fall far from the tree. Bell writes: Getting IDed is a matter of course for me: Thats really your age? Are you sure? Hahaha, you must get IDed all the time! She writes that she has tried to keep a sense of humor about it, but it has been challenging since her responses to nosy strangers who inquire about her age have left them looking confused. I have attempted to improve my confidence and posture with little effect; its hard to stand tall when I have to look up to speak to everyone, no matter how straight my spine, she writes. In Western countries, adults who enter their 30s, 40s, and 50s spend hours and large sums of money to look and feel young, but Bell writes that no one should envy her. Youre so lucky, people tell me as they roll their eyes jealously whenever I mention getting IDed or mistaken for a preteen, she writes. I want to tell them that theyd change their minds if they were the ones who had heard infantilizing remarks for over three decades. But Bell also writes that she is tired of being asked for ID in airports and bars Would they enjoy repeatedly being mistaken for a dates child or asked if they were old enough to sit in an airplanes exit row? When she was getting her Masters degree, she said she was asked: Are you starting junior high next year? People would often mistake her for her brothers little sister, even though she is five years older than him. Thats because hes 6ft tall. Situations like that one make me want to ask people who insist that a youthful appearance is a gift: Would you appreciate having your educational efforts and experience reduced or erased with a glance? she writes. Maybe they would - but Im sick of it. Bell writes that she experiences peace when reading emails from colleagues who treat her like an adult though thats because they cant see my face. Among the most unpleasant things Bell has been told is that she suffers from an eating disorder and that she wears doll clothes. Others refuse to believe that I hear the things I hear, or tell me these comments shouldnt bother me because of course you look 12, she writes. I may look young, but Im old enough to recognize that these comments are neither helpful nor constructive. Many of us are culturally conditioned to feel insecure about our bodies. Thats no excuse to make derogatory comments about how other people look. Bell also writes of the pain of being 'body shamed' with people wondering if she had an eating disorder Others also make hurtful comments by asking if she wears 'doll clothes' Sometimes I look in the mirror and have trouble taking myself seriously or connecting the voice inside my head with the elfin creature looking back at me. Bell writes that she has relied on a few hacks to minimize the problem. Dressing in business clothes while traveling, wearing massive platform heels when an occasion permits, relying on tailored items, darker colors, bold lipstick, and keeping my hair short have all, at least on occasion, seemed to silence questions, she writes. She writes that the COVID-19 pandemic, which has kept many indoors and limited social interactions to the online space, has provided one benefit to her she is less likely to be judged by her body. It seems in a world where anyone might be capable of infecting someone else, public remarks on each others bodies have dwindled for a time, she writes. Ironically, while a respiratory illness floats around the globe, I breathe more easily. My physical concerns are focused on sanitation, eating well, and exercising keeping myself healthy in the ways that I can. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard has urged young people with very mild respiratory symptoms to be tested for coronavirus, while flagging an "imminent" easing of restrictions in the beauty therapy industry. Three new coronavirus cases were recorded in NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday, bringing the state's all-time total to 3086. NSW Healths Acting Public Health Controller, Christine Selvey, said all three people had arrived from overseas and did not pose any risk to the community because they were in hotel quarantine. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard. Credit:Rhett Wyman In NSW 50 people have died, there are 383 active cases and 2653 have recovered. A Victorian man in his 60s died in hospital with COVID-19, bringing the national death toll to 102. Mr Hazzard said two out of five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in NSW were people aged in their 20s and 30s and this could be a source of community transmission as pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants reopen. India is committed to strengthening the multi-faceted ties with Sri Lanka, especially the historical and deep civilisational, religious and cultural bonds, said the new Indian envoy to the island nation on Saturday. Gopal Baglay, the new High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, on Saturday visited the religious cultural sites here which he said were important in furthering the historical bonds between the two South Asian neighbours. Baglay visited the prominent Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple, which is over 120 years old, and prayed for the health, peace and prosperity of the people of Sri Lanka and India and their friendship and cooperation, the Indian High Commission said in a statement. This was his first movement from his official residence after observing stipulated health protocols since his arrival on May 8 on a special flight carrying a gift consignment of medicines and medical items from India to Sri Lanka. Baglay presented his credentials to President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on May 14 during a ceremony held in Colombo through video-conferencing, a first of its kind conducted due to the coronavirus pandemic. The High Commissioner stressed the commitment of India's leadership to strengthen multifaceted ties, especially the historical and deep civilisational, religious and cultural bonds, with Sri Lanka. He later visited the St Anthony's Church to pay homage to the victims of the last year's Easter Sunday terrorist attacks that killed nearly 260 people, including 11 Indians, in one of the country''s worst terror incidents. Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gesture of solidarity in visiting Sri Lanka and the Church at the first possibility after the Easter attacks, the High Commissioner prayed for peace, safety and security of the two countries. The Indian envoy reiterated India's abiding commitment to develop even stronger all-round cooperation with Sri Lanka, including in the sphere of people-to-people relations. Earlier while presenting his credintials, the High Commissioner recalled that as Sri Lanka's closest maritime neighbour, India has been the first responder when Sri Lanka faced difficulties, be it natural calamities, or the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. India has sent four consignments of essential life-saving medicines and medical material weighing over 25 tonnes to Sri Lanka in the last few weeks as goodwill support from the people of India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrated their second wedding anniversary with an LA favourite - Mexican food and margaritas, royal biographer Omid Scobie has revealed. Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, who are said to be isolating in actor Tyler Perry's Hollywood mansion with little Archie, 1, reportedly enjoyed a quiet day of celebrations together, joining family and friends on Zoom. British journalist Omid, who has co-written their upcoming biography Finding Freedom, revealed the couple 'reminisced about what a beautiful and magical day' their wedding was. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrated their second wedding anniversary with an LA favourite - Mexican food and margaritas, royal biographer Omid Scobie has revealed (seen during a charity Zoom call this month) Writing in Harper's Bazaar, Omid said the couple chatted with a number of people - including some of the vendors who 'helped bring the ceremony and reception to life' -about exchanging their vows in May 2018 at Windsor Castle. 'They all reminisced about what a beautiful and magical day it was', a source told the publication, adding that they video-called friends and family'. Omid added: 'And with the Sussexes now based in Los Angeles, it only seemed right to celebrate with a Southern Californian favorite: Mexican food. 'The couple, who also exchanged cotton-based gifts per tradition, enjoyed a number of favorite dishes together, washed down with margaritas.' British journalist Omid, who has co-written their upcoming biography Finding Freedom, revealed the couple 'reminisced about what a beautiful and magical day' their wedding (pictured) in May 2018 was The celebrations were said to be a rare day off for the couple, who are busy with their new charity foundation Archewell. Last month the couple announced they were launching the new charitable foundation. The couple said they 'look forward' to getting started with the foundation, which will replace their Sussex Royal brand. The pair also have plans to include their own charity as well as a website, as part of their new venture. They previously revealed the Greek word in the project Arche meaning source of action was the inspiration behind the name of their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, baby Archie is pictured above with his mother and father in South Africa in September last year Harry and Meghan also revealed the Greek word in the project Arche meaning source of action was the inspiration behind the name of their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. Further details about the organisation have been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Telegraph has previously reported that paperwork regarding their new brand was filed in the United States last month and the couple are considering how to create their own charity and volunteering services. Plans also include a wide-ranging website and sharing 'education and training materials' via films, podcasts and books, according to the newspaper. Protestors gathered outside the city hall of Grass Valley, California, on May 22, demanding an end to Nevada Countys COVID-19 restrictions. Footage shows Rep. Doug LaMalfa addressing the press at the ReOpen Nevada County rally, saying: So really, they are correct, all business is essential, its all part of the fiber of our economy, and it needs to be going again. Prior to the rally, the Grass Valley Chamber and Visitors Center had rescinded granting a parking lot as an event space, posting to Facebook: We wholeheartedly agree with your outpouring of concern about public safety and hope that anyone who may attend follows the CDC and Nevada County Health protocols. Also, earlier this evening we learned that our supervisors will not be speaking. To that end, the board of directors has reversed our position and we rescind our support of this event. Credit: YubaNet.com via Storyful Vietnam's most critically ill COVID-19 patient, a British pilot, has now been deemed to be coronavirus-free, and the health ministry is considering the option of bringing him back to the UK for further care depending on his condition. National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control convened a meeting on Thursday in Ha Noi. Assoc. Prof. Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the Medical Examination and Treatment Management Department under the health ministry, made the announcement at Thursday's meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. The 43-year-old British pilot working for national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, identified as the countrys Patient No. 91, has tested negative six times for the novel strain of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. A sample of the virus taken from the patient and cultivated in the HCM City Pasteur Institute shows that he has developed immunity and wont get reinfected by the virus. Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City has received the patient from the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases, where he has been treated since he was confirmed to be positive for the virus in mid-March, to continue providing intensive care, treat his underlying conditions, and manage the infections. The patient will receive frequent consultations from the leading medical experts of the country to determine the optimal time to carry out a lung transplant operation, as his lung functions have deteriorated and he remains on life support. Khue said via the UK embassy in Viet Nam, the health ministry has not been able to contact any of the patient's direct relatives. They have received information about a relative of the patient in the UK, but there has not yet been any response regarding the patient's treatment and possible repatriation, given that organ transplant can only be conducted with the relative's consent as long as the patient remains unconscious. Khue said that a foreign doctor working in medical transport in Viet Nam has contacted him and volunteered to bring the patient back to the UK, but the matter is being considered by the health ministry's leadership. The patient reportedly has no insurance, but the costs for a lung transplant is already covered by donations from a benefactor organisation. In just a week, more than 59 people the oldest 76 years old, and the youngest 21 years old have come forward to register to donate their lungs for the patient following reports of doctors looking at the possibility of a lung transplant to save his life, Khue said, adding that this showcases the spirit of solidarity and compassion of the Vietnamese people. We are touched and grateful for the goodwill gestures of those who want to donate their organ, but this patient requires the whole two sides of the lung and not just a part of the lung so we are looking for a brain-dead donor, Khue continues. Another option on the table is to repatriate the patient since he is now treated of COVID-19, but there are many complicating issues that may render the plan infeasible. The patient remains in a coma and still relies on ECMO (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) for survival, so we need to wait until the patient is awake and recovers, then we can make an appropriate plan, the health official remarked. So far, the treatment for the British pilot has lasted two months and three days, with the patient needing to be placed on life support for 46 days. The latest CT scan of the patients lungs show they have improved by about 20-30 per cent, while the patients pulse and blood pressure have stabilised. All critical cases treated With the British pilot now virus free, all critical COVID-19 cases in Viet Nam have been successful treated, and there have been no deaths so far, Khue continued. He also commented on another serious patient in the country, an 88-year-old woman (Patient No. 161) who suffered from cerebral haemorrhage prior to getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 but has been given the all-clear for the virus after treatment at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ha Noi. She was then transferred to Bach Mai Hospital and has also been released from medical care after her situation improved, Khue told the press. COVID-19 Patient No.19, the aunt of the countrys Patient No.17 who marked the second wave of imported cases in Viet Nam in early March after a lull of no new cases when Chinas Wuhan remained the worlds epicentre, who suffered from three episodes of cardiac arrest during treatment has also now recovered well. She is undergoing physical therapy and is soon to be discharged from the hospital, he noted. Managing borders Regarding the specially arranged repatriation flight bringing 299 Vietnamese home from Thailand, the committee announced that all of them have tested negative for the virus. They were, however, still quarantined on arrival. For the repatriation flight from the US, CDC Ha Noi said that all 25 cabin members have tested negative for the virus. The health ministry has also responded to the increasing number of requests from foreign-invested manufacturers in Viet Nam and local administrations to allow the entries of foreign experts and technicians into the country to ensure production progress, as the countrys border remains tightly shut against foreigners to prevent imported cases. In the procedure, the companies with special entry requests make their case to the provincial or municipal authorities only technicians and experts are allowed, not low skilled workers. Then the local authorities compile and submit the list to the public security ministry, who will discuss the matter with the transport ministry to arrange the flights, while quarantine sites are prepared. VNS Part of the reason as to why many of us suffer from rapidly fluctuating internet speeds boils down to the current infrastructure. While the relatively recent spread of optic fibre connections has boosted speeds greatly in metropolitan cities, things are far from perfect - but one group of Australian researches is out to revolutionise the way we transmit data, and the difference is absolutely incredible. According to The Independent, the team from Australian universities - Monash, Swinburne and RMIT - used a 'micro-comb' optical chip containing hundreds of infrared lasers to transfer data across existing communications infrastructure in Melbourne. The result? A staggering 44.2 terabyte per second connection - a solid one million times faster than the equivalent local internet connection. The research was led by Monash University's Dr. Bill Corcoran, RMIT's Arnan Mitchell and Swinburne's Professor David Moss. RMIT Mitchell explained that the future ambition of the project was to scale up the current transmitters from hundreds of gigabytes per second towards tens of terabytes per second without increasing size, weight or cost. "Long-term, said Mitchell, we hope to create integrated photonic chips that could enable this sort of data rate to be achieved across existing optical fibre links with minimal cost. "Initially, these would be attractive for ultra-high speed communications between data centres. However, we could imagine this technology becoming sufficiently low cost and compact that it could be deployed for commercial use by the general public in cities across the world." The researcher also elaborated on the need to scale up infrastructure at the base level - allowing more people to receive access to more data, and doing so at a rate that will leave our old memories of dialup connections back in the dust. "At 40 terabits per second, we were able to put through one single fibre about three times the peak data rate that the NBN has ever seen over its entire network. If you've got 400 gigabit per second to share amongst a bunch of people, that cake only gets chopped up so many times before the slices become too thin. If you've got a bigger cake, then you can give people bigger slices." According to an RMIT press release, the internet was tested on 76.6km of 'dark' optical fibres between RMIT's Melbourne City Campus and Monash University's Clayton Campus. This is known as the testbed. The team used a new device that replaces 80 lasers with one single piece of equipment known as a micro-comb, which is smaller and lighter than existing telecommunications hardware. Swinburne University It acts like a rainbow made up of hundreds of high quality infrared lasers from a single chip. Each 'laser' has the capacity to be used as a separate communications channel. Researchers placed the micro-comb - contributed by Swinburne University - onto the testbed optical fibres and sent maximum data down each channel, simulating peak internet usage, across 4THz of bandwidth - a first-ever achievement for telecommunications scientists across the world. Meanwhile, Twitter began to react - first of all with disgruntled Aussies expressing disbelief after having to deal with famously overpriced and underperforming internet providers for years. Researchers in Australia claim they logged a data speed of 44.2 terabits per second At that speed, users could download more than 1,000 HD movies in less than a second https://t.co/L59cD4kol4 BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 22, 2020 Meanwhile having sky broadband is like having these as your reception... pic.twitter.com/KJFXDprw1x jimmy thompson (@jimmy_thompson5) May 22, 2020 In a lab? Because you know Australia went for the cheap broadband & has some of the slowest speeds anywhere Richard (@Rdonair) May 22, 2020 Servers when this is tested. pic.twitter.com/5C3OtodYAv Declan Robinson #StayHomeSaveLives (@declan_robinson) May 22, 2020 Others flared up conspiracy theories about Chinese tech-thieves showing up in Australia, Communist China may be aiming to steal the tech. Thats what they do. Take highest precautions - especially when they are located in Victoria. Kobrick Chan (@ChanKobrick) May 22, 2020 Hopefully, the researchers may prove all the skeptics wrong, and one day well have this tech available across the world. Until then, we hope that cat video youve queued doesnt take any longer to load. British Ambassador to the Holy See, Sally Axworthy, tells us what makes their embassy green', and how Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato si' inspired this - as the world prepares to celebrate 5 years since its publication. By Francesca Merlo The British Embassy to the Holy See has had many sources of inspiration and we have been working hard to make our operations greener, says Sally Axworthy, British Ambassador to the Holy See. In Laudato si, the Holy Father calls on us all to act, taking personal and corporate responsibility to protect our planet, she says. At the same time, the Foreign and Commonwealth office is equally committed, with an ambitious programme to become a responsible green, global operation. The British Embassy has in fact implemented their #BeyondPlastic campaign, which aims to get rid of all single use plastics, says the Ambassador. We have, for example, asked our main food supplier to stop sending us food packaged in plastic, she says. So what does the British Embassy do to be more green? We are using homemade cleaning materials where possible - vinegar for windows, and baking soda and lemon juice for general cleaning, going back to our grandmothers know-how. We have also introduced organic, biodegradable detergents. When we were still hosting events, we were serving more vegetarian menus made with local produce, reducing our demand for meat and our carbon miles. In the office we have compostable coffee pods, recycled paper and pens made of paper, says the Ambassador. The British Embassy also uses 100% green energy and has an electric car, adds Ambassador Axworthy. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has made it possible for embassies like ours to buy electric vehicles and install charging points: 30 other UK missions around the world have replaced their official cars with all-electric or hybrid vehicles. The team at the British Embassy to the Holy See have driven the agenda with creative ideas and personal commitment, adds the Ambassador and "we continue to be ambitious, setting ourselves the target of reducing paper consumption by 50% this year. The importance of Laudato Si Sunday 24 May marks the 5th anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis's second encyclical " Laudato si". Laudato si was an important contribution to the global debate at a key moment, says Ambassador Axworthy. The encyclical, came out just a few months ahead of the Paris meeting, COP21. It undoubtedly raised ambition for the Paris Agreement, says Ambassador Axworthy. It reminded us that faith leaders can chart the path to the kind of future that we want and need. 5 years on According to Ambassador Axworthy, five years on there has been a shift in public attitudes. She says this has been driven partly by Laudato si, but also by climate change campaigners, and by the effects of climate change that we are all seeing as temperatures rise and our weather becomes less predictable. Next year, the UK and Italy will co-host the UN Climate Change Conference COP26, postponed from this autumn, she says. The UK Presidency is committed to taking a collaborative, inclusive and all-of-society approach to COP26, encouraging real-world action from business, civil society, cities and the science community. Ambassador Axworthy says that building on the science-led approach and decisive action that we have seen in response to coronavirus, we hope that COP26 will galvanise action to limit the worlds temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius. She concludes by saying that the leadership of Pope Francis and other faith leaders will again be essential to achieving that aim and expresses her delight that between now and then we will be celebrating a year of Laudato si events, keeping the focus firmly on the environment. Finally, Ambassador Axworthy writes that as an Embassy, the British Embassy to the Holy See will continue to work at the local and the global levels to secure a more sustainable future for our planet and for the next generation. The National Green tribunal building complex was shut on Friday after an official posted in the courts administrative section tested positive for Covid-19. According to a notification issued by the NGT, the official, who was posted in general administration section of the principal bench, had attended office on May 19 and was hospitalised after testing positive on Friday. This is the first Covid-19 positive case to be reported from inside the NGT complex. All necessary protocols are being followed. Contact tracing is in progress and high risk contacts shall be asked to self quarantine for 14 days. The NGT premises shall remain under deep sanitization and with effect from May 23, no officer, staff, lawyers, litigants, and public shall be permitted to have access to NGT (principal bench) premises, a notification released by the green court read. The notification said that a decision on the reopening of the court will be taken on May 25 after the entire premise is disinfected and contacts of the officials are traced. This will be done only as per advice of the health authorities, the green court said in the statement. The NGT had earlier issued instructions regarding its functioning stating that the chairperson, members and officers (deputy registrars rank and above) will attend office with 100% attendance. For the remaining, up to 33% of the staff will be required to physically attend office as separately notified from time to time, the NGT had said. According to the office order issued by the NGT, the section heads were ordered to prepare rosters of staff required to attend office physically by rotation and the staff members and list staff not required to be present physically at the office. It had said that only online filing (e-filing) of cases will be allowed and no physical filing is permitted for now. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Photo credit: Matthew Simmons From Delish So much has changed since the coronavirus pandemic broke out, and one place that has seen quite a bit of frenzy is grocery stores. Outside the stores, customers stand six feet apart and wait hours to get their items. Inside, customers quickly scamper about wearing masks, trying to get what they need and leave the company of strangers as soon as possible. All of this change has put pressure on grocery store employees, who are bravely working as essential workers during this time. But the change that impacted Trader Joe's crew member Matthew Simmons the most was the implementation of face masks. Simmons, who works at a Trader Joe's location in Vancouver, Washington, is deaf, and is usually able to assist customers and communicate with his team members by reading their lips. When everyone began wearing face masks, that quickly changed. "I had been noticing customers and crew members wearing their masks, and that caused me to have some anxiety, because as a deaf person, I rely heavily on using my lip-reading skills that I have acquired since childhood," Simmons told Woman's Day via e-mail. "When the customers wearing masks came up to me to ask a question on the floor, I always said 'I am deaf, and need to read your lips so I can help you.' Sometimes, customers didnt want to lower down their masks and shook their heads 'no' and walked away from me. It made me upset because I couldnt help and left me feeling defeated." He also noticed the problem while working the registers when customers in masks were talking while he rang them up, and he couldn't tell because of the masks. "I was not ignoring them or being rude, but I simply did not know they were speaking to me." Simmons says that wearing a face mask cuts of the majority of facial communication, and that even if you do know American Sign Language, communication remains tricky with a mask because ASL is heavily based on facial expressions to communicate tone of voice. Story continues When Simmons raised the issue with his assistant manager, they tried to come up with a plan that would keep them and the customers safe while also allowing Simmons to communicate effectively. Step one was personalizing Simmons' Trader Joe's T-shirt, which was inspired by a shirt he saw online. "I happened to find a shirt online that said 'I'm Deaf' on the front and 'Tap On the Shoulder' on the back," Simmons said. Photo credit: Matthew Simmons Step two involved some old-school tool: white boards. "In case any customers had questions, they could write it down for me and not have to lower their masks," he said. And when working the register, he was allowed to write on the plexiglass: Hi My name is Matthew. I am Deaf and read lips, along with an arrow directing customers to the white board below for any questions or comments to be written down. The sign on the register helped from the first customer Simmons rang up, who wrote on the white board, It must be hard with everyone wearing masks! Thank you for your help." Photo credit: Matthew Simmons Seeing the customer's message was a relief to Simmons who said he was "able to start smiling again." He even had one customer who told him that her daughter has hearing loss, and smiled when she heard about what Simmons was doing. "She wanted to come meet me," Simmons said. "But due to the virus, that is going to have to wait for now." In the meantime, Simmons will be with the rest of his essential crew on the floor at Trader Joe's helping to make the chore of grocery shopping just a little bit more pleasant for the customers he encounters. You Might Also Like A body matching the description of a missing kayaker off Cape Cod was found on Saturday morning, officials said. Early Saturday morning, the United States Coast Guard said it was working with Provincetown police in search of 50-year-old Carol Madru, who was reported missing in the area and was last seen in a red kayak. Around 9 a.m. Saturday, the Coast Guard said an unresponsive body matching the description of Madru had been found along the shore in North Truro. A search for 51-year old Marc-Oliver Czarnecki, who was reportedly with Madru on Friday night, is ongoing, the Coast Guard said. Anyone with information is asked to call 508-457-3211. A year ago on May 15, a black man older than 65 and younger than 80 was found in cardiac arrest on the sidewalk at the corner of Wood and Grove in Bridgeport. He was dressed casually - black warm-up pants, size 12 black sneakers -- and had with him two laundry bags - one black and one light blue. He was also wearing a cap that said We Hold The Cards Since 1775 and U.S. Army with a pin that marked him as a Vietnam veteran. He carried no identification- or if he had any, it was gone by the time the ambulance arrived. There was little to go on, other than the cap and pin, so a Bridgeport detective contacted Bridgeports Homes for the Brave (Applied Behavioral Rehabilitation Institute Inc.), which offers transitional housing and support services to get veterans. The detective had a photo, but no one recognized the man, said Vincent Santilli, CEO/executive director. He wasnt one of theirs. A little less than two weeks after he died, the nameless mans particulars were entered into the national clearing house for missing and unidentified persons, National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUS. For more than 10 years, Na m US has offered free access to information about people like the man found in Bridgeport, with incredibly detailed files (right down to photos of the missing peoples socks). The service is run out of University of North Texas Center for Human Identification. The Bridgeport man was given a name, as such: NamUs #UP57617. His height (59) and weight (210 lbs.) were entered into the system, as was a photo of his face in death. Meanwhile, his remains were stored at the Far mington office of the states medical examiner, and most of the world - sadly - moved on. Another nameless dead man. Another story ending sadly. If this was a movie, a hotshot forensic scientist would track down the mans name. It would take just hours, and a grateful family would be given a sense of closure about their lost loved one. Then again, if this was a movie, no man would die alone and nameless on a Bridgeport street. And this isnt a movie. Advocates and activists in the state have done a heroic job of housing its veterans, and providing services for them. Even during this pandemic, the impact of a virus that has decimated veteran populations at facilities in Massachusetts and New Jersey has been relatively light in Connecticut. But people - veterans, people who are homeless, people who arent tethered to family or friends -- go missing all the time. Sometimes, Connecticuts veterans end up among the unnamed dead. Once the pandemic kicked into high gear, the everyday identification of missing people slowed. It wasnt that people stopped caring. It was that they had to care about other things, like the increasing body count left by a confounding virus, like coming up new ways to track down information, to grieve, to find rituals that keep us sane. The lean staff at Homes for the Brave scrambled to work with their 25 residents remaining in a transitional house. Bridgeport police department issued masks and gloves and began sending officers out by them selves, rather than as two-person teams. All over the state, nation, and world, things shifted to crisis mode. In normal days, the state tends to allow some time for family or loved ones to come forward in cases like that of NamUs #UP57617. The pandemic stretched that time a little longer, said Dr. James Gill, the states chief medical examiner. Eventually, if no one comes forward, the state takes care of the final arrangements through the Department of Social Services. The final arrangements for NamUs #UP57617, said Gill, would have been taken care of as the pandemic wanes. But at the one-year anniversary of his death, I thought it was worth it to ask: Did any one ever find out the identity of the man who died nameless in Bridgeport last year? Even in crisis mode, people are capable of doing incredibly decent things. Gill asked an investigator to check again. As it turns out, Bridgeport PD had a missing persons report that matched the description of the man, whose name is Stacy Gause, age 71, late of Bridgeport and perhaps a life-long resident. (Isnt that him in an online Harding Highs 1967 yearbook, looking serious in tie and glasses?) The family will take care of the arrangements, said Gill who, given the circumstances, could have been excused had he not bothered to take one more look. The same goes with the investigator, and Bridgeport PD. With everything else that demands their attention right now, some people decided to help, and now Mr. Gause can come home. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on May 12, spoke of using the current crisis as an opportunity to make India self-reliant. He then laid out an ambitious blueprint for economic reform. Irrespective of whether the package is substantial or not, and whether it will help provide immediate relief and help the economy recover in the short-term or not, there is no doubt that the government has unveiled some key structural reforms. But the same framework of using the crisis as an opportunity must be used for something which is as broken as the economy, politics. India has its political strengths: A democratic Constitution, regular elections, institutional checks and balances, a relatively free media, and vibrant civil society. But there is little doubt that key elements of Indian politics too need structural reforms, and unless that happens, India will continue to be a flawed democracy. And in that spirit, Chanakya recommends five key structural reforms in Indian politics. The first is with regard to individual rights. While personal freedom is the cornerstone of fundamental rights, this is under jeopardy. The executive, through a range of draconian laws, has succeeded in curbing the extent of liberty. Your political affiliation, your location, your caste and class background often become a determinant in shaping the extent of your liberty. Governments, across party lines, have cracked down on free speech and political activity when it has not been convenient, even if they fall within democratic norms. As political theorist Pratap Bhanu Mehta has consistently argued, India requires a charter of freedom. This should have bipartisan support. Among other measures, it should include a commitment to scrap the sedition law that is used indiscriminately to silence dissent; institute the right to access the Internet within fundamental rights; make defamation a civil rather than criminal offence; and dilute the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act, placing adequate safeguards to ensure that the right to life is not undermined. At the same time, freedom cannot mean breaching the reasonable restrictions stipulated in the Constitution; nor can it extend to hate speech which is increasingly witnessed during elections and on social media. The second reform is institutional autonomy. The executive has its powers but it is important to constrain these powers and ensure that it operates within the framework of the law. This, then, requires an Election Commission (EC) which ensures that the ruling party does not have an unfair advantage in polls; it requires a strong Parliament which ensures that the executive is accountable to the legislature in a meaningful way; it requires a judiciary that is solely guided by the Constitution and is both independent and seen as independent of executive influence; and it requires independent investigative and vigilance bodies which track the corrupt, but are not used as political instruments to hound rivals. Over the past few decades, Indian institutions have seen an erosion in their autonomy. The EC is perceived as playing favourites; the SCs decisions and sometimes the absence of decisions have been questioned; Parliament seems weak in front a strong executive; and the Central Bureau of Investigation is seen as a political tool. The party in power intervenes in institutions today, only to then be at the receiving end when it is in Opposition; in the process, the faith of citizens in the wider system gets broken. The second urgent reform, therefore, is a charter of institutional autonomy which restores the spirit with which these institutions were envisaged in the Constitution. The third is with regard to federalism. This crisis, more than ever, has shown the importance of states in the governance structure. PM Modi has often spoken of the idea of cooperative federalism. He is also unique in that no other Indian PM has had as long a stint as chief minister of a state as Modi in Gujarat. But there remains a trust deficit, especially with states which are ruled by Opposition parties. This is compounded by an increasing sense of the centralisation of power within the Indian State. This then requires a charter for cooperative federalism. Within it, two reforms are essential. The first is ensuring that the governor is not just a political representative who is advancing the interests of the party at the Centre but an honest intermediary between the state and the Centre. The second is ensuring more devolution of funds to states: the Goods and Services Tax regime has tilted the balance of fiscal federalism towards the Centre with adverse consequences. A somewhat longer-term exercise must be a review of the Union, State and Concurrent lists to see if there are subjects better dealt with at a level distinct from what is currently stipulated. The fourth reform is with regard to political parties. Parties are the bedrock of electoral democracy. But in India, barring a few honourable exceptions, political parties are run like fiefdoms. They are centred around a leader or a family; they are run autocratically; there are barriers for growth within the party; patronage is the norm; the structure of parties is such that it creates disincentives for people who may want to actively participate in political life; ticket distribution is arbitrary; and leadership is often hereditary. All of this undermines the idea of open political platforms. While parties perfunctorily follow EC rules and norms to hold regular elections, this is often a mere formality. And that is why a charter for political party reform, with an eye to making it more democratic, is essential. And the fifth reform has to be in the realm of electoral finance. Elections are expensive; parties and leaders rely on funds; this then creates a flawed set of incentives, for it creates room for candidates with criminal backgrounds, it creates room for crony capitalism and policy corruption once a party is elected to return favours to private donors; it deprives many good candidates even of having a chance to make a mark in the electoral exercise; and it undermines the spirit of equality. The government brought in electoral bonds, but there are now serious questions with regard to the opaqueness with which it was introduced, and the lack of transparency in the process of financing through bonds. If India has to get its democracy right, it has to get electoral finance right. And so here are the real structural reforms India needs more freedom for citizens, more autonomy for institutions, more power for states, more openness in political parties, and a cleaner electoral system. It may diminish his own power in the short-term, but Prime Minister Modi will truly leave a democratic legacy behind if he uses the crisis as an opportunity to reform Indian politics, with all other political parties on board. letters@hindustantimes.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's president on Saturday warned the United States not to interfere with a shipment of oil bound for Venezuela after the South American nation said it would provide an armed escort for the tankers. In a statement posted on his website, Hassan Rouhani said the United States had created "unacceptable conditions" in different parts of the world, but that Iran would "by no means" be the one to initiate conflict. "If our tankers in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world face any problems caused by the Americans, they will face problems as well," he added. "We hope the Americans will not make a mistake." Rouhani made the remarks in a call with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the ruling emir of Qatar, which has close relations with both Iran and the United States. The five Iranian tankers now on the high seas are expected to start arriving in Venezuela in the coming days. They are carrying gasoline to alleviate severe fuel shortages in the country that have caused days-long lines at service stations, even in the capital, Caracas. Venezuela said Wednesday that planes and ships from the nations armed forces will escort the tankers in case of any U.S. aggression. A view of the vessel the Clavel sailing on international waters crossing the Gibraltar stretch on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. Five Iranian tankers likely carrying at least $45.5 million worth of gasoline and similar products are now sailing to Venezuela, part of a wider deal between the two U.S.-sanctioned nations amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington. (AP Photo/Marcos Moreno) President Donald Trump imposed heavy sanctions on Iran after he withdrew the U.S. from Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The administration has ramped up sanctions on Venezuela to try to force President Nicolas Maduro from power. A force of U.S. vessels, including Navy destroyers and other combat ships, patrol the Caribbean on what U.S. officials call a drug interdiction mission. Venezuelan officials paint them as a threat, but U.S. officials have not announced any plans to intercept the Iranian tankers. Independent traders are moving into vacant high street stores across parts of London in a bet that people will shop more locally when the coronavirus lockdown ends. Property agent Strettons said that since the crisis began in March it had seen a wave of interest from independent butchers, fruit and vegetable retailers and restaurateurs running takeaways. It said small traders were looking for sites on high streets in so-called urban 'villages' that are growing in popularity. In London, he named Brixton in the south, Walthamstow and Hackney in the east and Deptford in the south-east as hotspots. Independent traders are moving into vacant high street stores across parts of London People who live in urban areas have been shopping less often in big supermarkets during the crisis, partly because of long queues due to social distancing restrictions and having been told to travel less. Experts think this trend could continue after lockdown, with people turning to local goods and services more often to avoid crowds. A boom in local shopping would be another big boost for struggling small firms, following The Mail on Sunday's groundbreaking scheme to give away 5million of free adverts. Our newspaper group is helping 1,500 small firms back on their feet with adverts from next Sunday in The Mail on Sunday, Daily Mail, Metro and the i newspaper, as well as online at Mail Online and Metro.co.uk. Today, bosses at community-focused businesses The Co-operative Group and the Post Office throw their weight behind our campaign to revive the firms that are the heartbeat of our communities. Co-op chief executive Steve Murrells said: 'The past few weeks has shown what we can achieve as a nation. As we move forwards in managing the consequences of Covid-19, I would encourage everyone now to support their local businesses where they can. 'A thriving local community, driven by small business and enterprise, delivers much more than pure economic benefit for the area. It can fuel community wellbeing, bring neighbourhoods together and create a sense of pride and belonging.' Cottage industry: Caroline Brook says our adverts will help her firm Post Office chief executive Nick Read said: 'We were thrilled The Mail on Sunday has launched this campaign to support small firms that are the backbone of the UK.' High streets have been decimated by more than a decade of retail failures, from Woolworths to BHS, and more recently the collapse of restaurant and coffee chains such as Carluccio's and Patisserie Valerie. Chris Collins, at Strettons, said big operators were not currently in the market for high street properties but independents were. He said: 'Our experience shows they are grasping the opportunity to move to, or open up in, a prominent location in an up-and-coming area.' Collins said independent retailers were 'viewing this as the right time to secure themselves a more prominent location at a good price'. Post Office boss Nick Read backs the Mail on Sunday's campaign to support small firms One company retailers might turn to after the lockdown is Creative Download one of the recipients of our advertising giveaway. The visual merchandising consultancy was founded by Iain Kimmins, who has worked at Harrods and Selfridges. He said: 'I help retailers with the overall look of the store, from shop windows and fixtures to the layout, to create 'retail theatre'.' Getting the advertising, worth over 3,000, was 'absolutely amazing', he said. Another winner is Caroline Brook, 41, who runs Moonrise Lodges to boost income from her family dairy farm in the Shropshire hills. 'The farm is going through a difficult time because of the fall in the price of milk a knock-on from the catering and hospitality industry disappearing overnight,' she said. 'We're taking bookings from July on when we are hopeful we will be given the go-ahead to open. This grant will really give my business a much needed boost going forward in this year and into 2021 as well.' Bihar government is all set to the accede to demand of the university and college teachers and modify its earlier order to facilitate payment of arrear accruing following the implementation of the 7th UGC pay in the state in 2019. Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said the modification would be carried out in a few days as per the revised recommendation of the department of education. The matter has been brought to my notice and the necessary changes will be carried out. If the pay verification cell has authenticated sixth UGC pay salary of teachers, there is no need to repeat the same for the 7th pay, as the education department has suggested, he added. Delay in arrear payment to working teachers as well as thousands of retired ones had caused a lot of resentment and many teachers bodies had written in this regard to the department of education, seeking modification in the order of May 18, which had put a cap on payment without authentication from the pay verification cell. The retired teachers are also worried over the delay. They have not got any arrear payment so far in any university, while some universities have not even fixed the revised pension in the light of the 7th UGC pay. Patna University is giving revised pension to retired teachers since January 2020, but arrear payment is still due. The cell had been constituted in 2013 for verification of salary claims of teachers amid allegations that some of them had got it fixed in a higher grade. However, seven years on, its job still remains unfinished, as the department alleged a section of teachers did not cooperate. Some of the teachers also alleged corruption in the cell. The teachers had also challenged it in the Patna High Court, which outlined the boundaries of the cell and observed that it could not supersede the statutory pay-fixation committee of the universities, but could raise audit objections and apprise the university of it. In Bihar, after the implementation of 7th UGC pay with effect from January 1, 2016, teachers were entitled to arrear to be paid in instalments. In February 2020, the government released grant for arrear payment to all universities. Except Pataliputra University, all universities paid 7-month arrear from April 2019. Now, the teachers were supposed to get the remaining 39-month arrear, when the department of education put a rider. Interestingly, the government has been paying 7th pay salary for months now and already paid first instalment. The BRA Bihar University has also started paying the 2nd instalment. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA) said it was also doing more education to sensitize the public on what to look out for when they go to buy the nose masks. Mr Albert Ankomah, the Upper West Regional Head for the FDA, said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Wa. He said it was necessary to educate the producers of the nose masks on the FDA requirements as some of them did not know the requirements to adhere to. Per the Public Health Act 2012, once your product is not registered, it is illegal, but the FDA is currently educating the public to comply with the requirements for registration of the home-made nose masks, he said. He explained that as part of the education, his outfit had met with the leadership of the Ghana Tailors and Dressmakers Association in the region to sensitize them on the need to follow the FDA requirements to produce safe and quality home-made nose masks for public use. Mr Ankomah noted that as part of the specifications, people who wished to produce the home-made nose masks and sell to the public must register with the FDA before they could do so. He, thus, entreated the general public and any person who would want to produce home-made nose masks to follow the FDA specification to effectively fight against the COVID-19. He said, currently, about 147 companies have registered to produce the nose masks in Ghana, but there was no individual or a group in the region who had registered to produce the home-made nose masks. The FDA Regional Head explained that producers were required to pay annual registration fees of GH250.00 while those producing for non-commercial purposes were also required to pay listing fees of GH150.00. Mr Ankomah added that registration requirements included submission of twelve samples of the home-made nose masks with specifications of three layers of Calico-Stiff (hard/medium)-Calico or Calico-Calico-Calico, application letter and completed application form for Class One Medical Device. Face or nose mask should cover the nose, mouth and chin area with a three-layer thickness of not less than 0.759mm, Mr Ankomah explained. He also urged the public to buy registered and quality nose masks, which were effective in fighting the deadly COVID-19. Mr Ankomah said buyers should look out for the three-layer Calico-Stiff (hard/medium)-Calico or Calico-Calico-Calico when purchasing the home-made nose masks. Mr Ankomah said reducing the spread of the CVID-19 was paramount and that the FDA led by its Chief Executive, Mrs Delese A. A Darko had intensified public sensitization on the specification for production and use of the home-made nose masks. ---GNA (Newser) North Korea's official newspaper is reporting that Kim Jong Un can't actually bend space and time. As the regime's Rodong Sinmun newspaper revealed this week: "In realistic terms, a person cannot suddenly disappear and reappear by folding space." A South Korean official told Yonhap News the development was "noteworthy" and said "it appears to stress patriotism and love for the people rather than mystification of the leaders." Indeed, the Telegraph portrays this as an attempt to de-mythologize North Korea's leaders and dispel a decades-old belief in "chukjibeop"the notion that certain people can travel long distances in a short time by folding space. story continues below It also jibes with a Kim quote after he and President Trump failed in 2019 to hammer out a denuclearization agreement for a second time. "Mystifying a leader's revolutionary activity and appearance would result in covering the truth," Kim said last March. "Absolute loyalty would spring up when (they) are mesmerised by the leader humanly and comradely." For the curious, "chukjibeop" apparently derives from East Asian mythology and translates as "distance-shrinking magic," per the International Business Times. There was a hit North Korean song called "General Uses Chukjibeop" about Kim's dad, Kim Jong Il, using the supernatural power. (Read more North Korea stories.) 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 ATLANTA Joe Biden declared he should not have been so cavalier on Friday after he told a prominent black radio host that African Americans who back President Donald Trump aint black. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee quickly moved to address the fallout from his remark, which was interpreted by some as presuming black Americans would vote for him. In a call with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce that was added to his public schedule, Biden said he would never take the African American community for granted. I shouldnt have been such a wise guy, Biden said. No one should have to vote for any party based on their race or religion or background. That was an acknowledgement of the stinging criticism he received in response to his comments, which he made earlier in the day on The Breakfast Club, a radio program that is popular in the black community. The rebukes included allies of Trumps reelection campaign anxious to go on the offense after weeks of defending the Republican presidents response to the coronavirus pandemic and some activists who warned that Biden must still court black voters, even if African Americans overwhelmingly oppose the president. None of us can afford for the party or for this campaign to mess this election up, and comments like these are the kinds that frankly either make black voters feel like were not really valued and people dont care if we show up or not, said Alicia Garza, a Black Lives Matter co-founder and principal of Black Futures Lab. Near the end of Bidens appearance on the radio program, host Charlamagne Tha God pressed him on reports that he is considering Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is white, to be his vice presidential running mate. The host told Biden that black voters saved your political life in the primaries and have things they want from you. Biden said that I guarantee you there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple. A Biden aide then sought to end the interview, prompting the host to say, You cant do that to black media. Biden responded, I do that to black media and white media, and said his wife needed to use the television studio. He then added: If youve got a problem figuring out whether youre for me or for Trump, then you aint black. Trumps campaign and his allies immediately seized on Bidens comments. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, a Trump supporter and the Senates sole black Republican, said he was shocked and surprised by Bidens remarks. I was struck by the condescension and the arrogance in his comments, Scott said in a conference call arranged by the Trump campaign. I could not believe my ears that he would stoop so low to tell folks what they should do, how they should think and what it means to be black. Charlamagne Tha God later said on CNN, A black woman running mate is necessary, especially after today. He added that the question of what makes somebody black is a discussion for black people, not for a white man. Trump himself has a history of incendiary rhetoric related to race. When he launched his presidential campaign in 2015, Trump called many Mexican immigrants rapists. Campaigning in 2016, he asked black voters, What the hell do you have to lose? In 2017, he said there are good people on both sides of the clash in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists and anti-racist demonstrators that left one counterprotester dead. In 2018, during a private White House meeting on immigration, Trump wondered why the United States was admitting so many immigrants from shithole countries like African nations. He also blasted four Democratic congresswomen of color, saying they hate America and should go back to where they come from, even though all are U.S. citizens and three were born in the U.S. Black voters helped resurrect Bidens campaign in this years primaries with a second-place finish in the Nevada caucuses and a resounding win in the South Carolina primary after hed started with embarrassing finishes in overwhelmingly white Iowa and New Hampshire. Sixty-one percent of black voters supported Biden during the primary season, according to AP VoteCast surveys across 17 states that voted in February and March. Biden is now seeking to maintain his standing with black voters while building the type of multiracial and multigenerational coalition that twice elected Barack Obama, whom he served as vice president. He has already committed to picking a woman as his running mate and is considering several African American contenders who could energize black voters. But Biden is also considering candidates such as Klobuchar, who could appeal to white moderates. There is little chance of a sudden shift in support for Trump among black voters. A recent Fox News poll shows just 14% of African Americans who are registered to vote have a favorable opinion of Trump, compared with 84% who view him unfavorably. Seventy-five percent of African American registered voters say they have a favorable view of Biden; 21% hold an unfavorable opinion. There is a risk, however, of black voters, especially those who are younger, staying home in November, which could complicate Bidens path to victory in a tight election. The Breakfast Club is a particularly notable venue for Bidens comments because the program is popular among younger African Americans. Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC, a national organization that works to mobilize black voters, said many black Americans are loyal Biden supporters. But she said his comments make it harder to attract people who are on the fence about voting. The first thing I thought about was to what degree did this just turn off those voters and how much more work the rest of us are going to have to do to convince people that it is worth their time and their efforts, she said. Bidens selection of a running mate, along with his pledge to appoint the first black female Supreme Court justice, could help motivate voters. Hes begun vetting vice presidential contenders, a process hes said will likely last through July. Several black women are among those under consideration, including California Sen. Kamala Harris, Georgia voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Florida Rep. Val Demings, Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge and Susan Rice, Obamas former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. ___ Stafford reported from Detroit. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Hannah Fingerhut and Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report. Update 1:30 p.m.: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has canceled an alert for a 15-year-old girl who was reported missing in Childersburg. She was found and is safe. No other details were released. Original story: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has issued a missing child alert for a 15-year-old girl last seen in Childersburg. According to the alert, Miyaa Markia Latoya McCormick was last seen at 10:30 p.m. Friday in the area of 16th Court NW in Childersburg. She was last seen wearing red pants, a white T-shirt and gray jacket. McCormick was last seen getting into a white and gray vehicle with faded/rusty paint on the passenger side. Authorities are encouraging anyone with information on McCormicks whereabouts to contact the Childersburg Police Department at 256-761-1556 or call 911. Officials revealed that the Florida Unemployment System suffered a data breach that impacted some residents who have made unemployment claims. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity revealed that the Florida Unemployment System suffered a data breach that impacted some residents who have made unemployment claims. It has notified 98 people that have been impacted by the incident, government representatives didnt disclose when the breach took place either the number of the affected individuals and the type of information compromised. The agency spokeswoman Paige Landrum announced that the breach was addressed within one hour after the officials became aware of it. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is offering tho the impacted citizens identity protection services for free. Impacted users should be vigilant and report any unauthorized activity on their financial accounts. The DEO has received more than 2 million claims seeking unemployment benefits from Floridians since the coronavirus pandemic caused mass business closings around the state, though only 1.6 million claims have been verified. reported the AP agency. Just under 1 million jobless workers in Florida have been paid more than $2.6 billion in benefits. State Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, expressed concern about the response of the agency to the security breach and the measures it has adopted to prevent future incidents. Stewart sent a letter to Department of Management Services Secretary Jonathan Satter, whose office oversees information technology for other state agencies. Given the agencys (DEO) track record with processing unemployment applications, Im sure you will understand the great concern I have that all remedies have been quickly taken and that Floridians can be assured that their personal information is now secured and will be protected from future attacks, Stewart wrote. The good is that the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is not aware of malicious activity abusing exposed data. Pierluigi Paganini (SecurityAffairs Florida, hacking) Share this... Linkedin Share this: Twitter Print LinkedIn Facebook More Tumblr Pocket Share On By PTI MUMBAI: Cyber racketeers are duping people by offering to sell blood plasma of recovered COVID-19 patients, advertising it as a miracle cure for coronavirus infection, a senior police official said on Saturday. Plasma therapy is being used on experimental basis to treat serious cases of COVID-19 in India and other countries. Taking advantage of the hype surrounding it, fraudsters are offering to sell plasma (a component of blood) of recovered patients, which is supposed to contain antibodies for the virus, as a "miracle cure" on Dark Net, said Yashasvi Yadav, Special IG (Cyber Cell), Maharashtra Police. "Our team is investigating this. We have got screen shots of such claims," he said. He said that the sites were on Dark Net, the unlisted and secretive networks within Internet. Besides monitoring such illegitimate activities, cyber police are also monitoring spread of objectionable content and misinformation on social media, he said. In a first in the country, Maharashtra cyber police are sending notices under section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code to those circulating objectionable content online, he said. Section 149 gives police the power to take steps to prevent a possible offence. Yadav said that so far notices have been sent to 122 online users, and offensive content posted or shared by more than 60 people has been deleted. A fugitive who was on the National Crime Agency's most wanted list for drug trafficking has been arrested by police on his 45th birthday. David John Walley had been wanted by the NCA for trafficking cocaine and MDMA, and possession of false identity documents, since 2013. He was finally arrested by Greater Manchester Police on Thursday, at a property in Alderley Edge, and appeared at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Saturday. Walley, of Stockport, is accused of arranging the large-scale import of cocaine to Manchester between November 2012 and 2013. Pictured: David John Walley at the time of an earlier arrest. Walley is accused of importing large quantities of heroin, cocaine and MDMA between 2012 and 2013, and possession of false documents in 2014 He was also found in possession of a false ID in Holland in 2014, a year after a European Arrest Warrant had been issued for him, according to police. In a separate investigation by Greater Manchester Police, Walley was also charged with possession with intent to supply cocaine and heroin, and possession of 150,000 in criminal property. The arrest is one of over 100 made by the NCA during the coronavirus lockdown - for crimes as wide-ranging as rape, drugs trafficking and exploitation. Jon Hughes, operations manager for the NCA, said: 'Walley has been on the run for seven years but law enforcement doesn't forget about fugitives. 'The NCA will relentlessly pursue fugitives and use our international reach and domestic partnerships to make sure wanted criminals live a life of high anxiety. Pictured: Manchester Magistrate's Court where Walley appeared today for allegedly trafficking class A drugs 'GMP did brilliant work in this case to arrest a suspect wanted as part of an NCA investigation.' Detective Superintendent Danny Inglis of Greater Manchester Police added: 'I hope this arrest goes to show that enforcement agencies will work in partnership in order to bring those wanted into custody. 'No matter how long has passed since any alleged offence, we will always be on hand ready to support colleagues in tracking down fugitives. 'In the current climate there has been added pressure on policing and frontline staff and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved who work incredibly hard every day to serve and protect the public..' New Delhi: The Islamic holy month of Ramadan or Ramzan comes to an end with Eid-ul-Fitr, also known as Eid-al-Fitr in many places. With Eid-ul-Fitr or Eid-al-Fitr, the 30-day long period of fasting (also known as Rozas) comes to an end. Muslims across the globe celebrate the day with much gusto and fervour. Eid-ul-Fitr is the first and only day in the month of Shawwal during which Muslims are not permitted to fast. The day and date of Eid may vary depending upon different time zones and moon sighting. ALSO READ: Eid-ul-Fitr 2020: India timings, moon sighting and here's when the country will celebrate Eid However, due to the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak, this time festivities might have a new way of celebrations. With people confined to their homes and social distancing the new norm, spending time with family at home can be a new way of expressing gratitude and celebrating the essence of the festival worldwide. ALSO READ: Eid-ul-Fitr 2020: Top WhatsApp, Facebook and Text messages to wish your loved ones! The crescent moon was not sighted in Saudi Arabia on Friday, May 22, 2020, therefore Eid will be celebrated in Gulf countries on May 24 - Sunday. Here's how Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr across the globe: After waking up early in the morning and taking a shower, everyone gets dressed up in new clothes. Men join community prayers which are conducted either in an open field or a large hall, while women offer their prayers with their folks at home. But this time because of the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak, gatherings might be avoided and social distancing practised. Muslims believe in giving Zakat al-Fitr to the poor which means giving charity to the needy towards the end of the holy month of Ramadan or Ramzan. People then exchange gifts with family, friends and greet each other with the grace of Allah by wishing 'Eid Mubarak'! After greeting and embracing each other, people gorge on sweet vermicelli (mithi sewayian), an Eid speciality. Also, children in the house are given Eidi (gifts or money) by elders or visiting guests and this brings joy in the faces of the little kids waiting eagerly for their presents. Ramadan word has Arabic root ramida or ar-ramad, which means scorching heat or dryness. It is believed that the holy book of Quran was written during this month. Thus, the people practise fasting in this month to purify their souls and seek forgiveness from the Almighty Allah. Eid Mubarak to all everyone! A former emergency room doctor at Vermont's largest hospital who was charged last month with setting up a video camera in a staff bathroom is now facing federal child pornography charges. Eike Blohm, 38, of South Burlington appeared in court Friday where he was ordered held pending trial. In a Friday news release, prosecutors said state investigators found hundreds of videos from a secret camera that were taken in a staff bathroom at University of Vermont Medical Center and other locations. Among the videos are 21 that allegedly show a child bathing at a location associated with Blohm. Blohm's attorney declined to comment Friday on the case. Investigators said they also found more than 130 images of child pornography, involving other minors after receiving a warrant to search Blohm's iPad. Last month Blohm was charged in state court with multiple counts of voyeurism. He has since been fired by the hospital, which is the largest in the state. The former doctor, who holds both U.S. and German citizenship, is facing a 15-year minimum prison sentence and he has significant financial resources, prosecutors said. Experiencing the precipitous fall from successful doctor to inmate in federal prison may be too much for Blohm and, given the foregoing, makes it very likely that he would choose to flee, prosecutors wrote in court documents. He presents a significant risk of flight. Officials noted Blohm's case is part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood, which is an initiative designed to protect minors from online exploitation and abuse Blohm is scheduled to appear in federal court on June 1. A chill wind is blowing through some of Melbourne's best-known food and retail strips, as the COVID-19 lockdown threatens to escalate shop vacancy rates already in the double digits. While the easing of social-distancing restrictions in Victoria has seen people flock back to shopping centres, high streets continue to struggle under difficult conditions. Vacant shops along Chapel Street in South Yarra. Credit:Joe Armao The return of customers to restaurants, pubs and cafes on June 1 is the light at the end of the tunnel for venue owners, however it hasn't come soon enough for some. On Chapel Street, at least 10 businesses have already closed permanently since the lockdown began. It's shaping up to be a tough period for Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (NYSE:AHT), which a week ago released some disappointing quarterly results that could have a notable impact on how the market views the stock. Earnings fell badly short of analyst estimates, with US$282m revenue falling -12% short, and statutory losses of US$0.94 per share being -17% greater than forecast. The 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. So we gathered the latest post-earnings forecasts to see what estimates suggest is in store for next year. Check out our latest analysis for Ashford Hospitality Trust NYSE:AHT Past and Future Earnings May 23rd 2020 Taking into account the latest results, the five analysts covering Ashford Hospitality Trust provided consensus estimates of US$1.10b revenue in 2020, which would reflect a stressful 23% decline on its sales over the past 12 months. Per-share losses are expected to explode, reaching US$3.84 per share. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$1.10b and losses of US$0.62 per share in 2020. So it's pretty clear the analysts have mixed opinions on Ashford Hospitality Trust even after this update; although they reconfirmed their revenue numbers, it came at the cost of a per-share losses. With the increase in forecast losses for next year, it's perhaps no surprise to see that the average price target dipped 9.3% to US$1.37, with the analysts signalling that growing losses would be a definite concern. 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 Ashford Hospitality Trust analyst has a price target of US$2.00 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$0.60. As you can see the range of estimates is wide, with the lowest valuation coming in at less than half the most bullish estimate, suggesting there are some strongly diverging views on how analysts think this business will perform. As a result it might not be a great idea to make decisions based on the consensus price target, which is after all just an average of this wide range of estimates. Story continues Of course, another way to look at these forecasts is to place them into context against the industry itself. We would highlight that sales are expected to reverse, with the forecast 23% revenue decline a notable change from historical growth of 4.8% over the last five years. Compare this with our data, which suggests that other companies in the same industry are, in aggregate, expected to see their revenue grow 5.0% next year. So although its revenues are forecast to shrink, this cloud does not come with a silver lining - Ashford Hospitality Trust is expected to lag the wider industry. The Bottom Line The most important thing to note is the forecast of increased losses next year, suggesting all may not be well at Ashford Hospitality Trust. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply revenues will perform worse than the wider industry. Furthermore, the analysts also cut their price targets, suggesting that the latest news has led to greater pessimism about the intrinsic value of the business. With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. We have forecasts for Ashford Hospitality Trust going out to 2022, and you can see them free on our platform here. Even so, be aware that Ashford Hospitality Trust is showing 4 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about... Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. The Supreme Court has been asked to stop the release of federal prison inmates vulnerable to the coronavirus in another emergency appeal from the Trump administration. (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to intervene for the first time in a case related to COVID-19, to block a judge's order that a low-security federal prison in Ohio transfer, release or send home some of its elderly and medically vulnerable inmates. "The government is currently facing numerous suits challenging conditions of confinement in federal prisons across the nation," Solicitor Gen. Noel Francisco said in an appeal filed Friday evening, and the prisoners' lawyers are seeking to require the wholesale release of inmates from low-security prisons by imposing "a constitutional six-feet-at-all-times rule" for social distancing. The court, which could act this weekend, is thrust into the fray as state and federal prisons nationwide have become hot spots for infections and illness from the coronavirus, and prison officials have searched for ways to thin their populations. Earlier Friday, lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union told the justices it would be "a tremendous mistake" for the high court to intervene. They noted the Ohio judge had yet to order the release of a single inmate. Granting the appeal would "block an order that will save lives," said David Cole, the ACLU's national legal director. "Around the country, courts have been slow to step in and take responsibility to protect the tens of thousands of incarcerated people who are at risk from this virus. Bold leadership from courts will be required to mitigate the humanitarian crisis were facing." The Elkton Federal Correctional Institution in northeast Ohio has been hard hit by the coronavirus. By early May, nine inmates had died, and one in four of those tested were positive. A lawsuit filed on behalf of four inmates alleged that the conditions there were inhumane and unconstitutional, with 2,500 in mates housed in cramped dormitory-style facilities, and crowded together when they slept, ate or bathed. Story continues In response, U.S. District Judge James S. Gwin on April 22 ordered the prison to evaluate its prison population and identify those who were at high risk because they were 65 or older or had medical conditions like asthma or a heart ailment that put them in danger if they contracted the virus. The prison subsequently said 837 inmates were in those categories. But officials later said only five of the inmates were suitable candidates to be confined at home or released. The lawyers who brought the suit expressed surprise, given that Atty. Gen. William Barr had told the federal Bureau of Prisons in late March to consider early release or home confinement in response to the virus. Frustrated, the judge issued a new order on May 19 telling prison officials to send home or release the high-risk inmates or transfer them to another prison, or explain why they did not do so in each case. He said he wanted all the inmates to be reevaluated by May 26. On Wednesday , the solicitor general went directly to the Supreme Court. Francisco said the justices should stay the judge's order, blocking it while the government appeals to the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, or, if that fails, seeks a full review before the high court. The case is Williams vs. Wilson. In past administrations, the government rarely sent emergency appeals to the high court. Typically, the solicitor general seeks review of a lower court ruling once the case has been finally decided by an appeals court. But since President Trump took office, the pattern has shifted. As his actions have been quickly challenged in federal courts, and often blocked by judges, just as regularly Francisco has gone directly to the high court and asked the justices to lift or set aside a lower court order. Francisco has been successful most of the time. On Wednesday, for example, the justices issued a brief order to temporarily block House Democrats from seeing files and interviews from the investigation of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Two lower courts ruled the material must be turned over to the House, but the justices agreed to put those rulings on hold while Francisco submits a full appeal. In the Ohio prison case, Francisco argued that the judge had overstepped his authority and evaded the Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which bars inmates from challenging prison conditions in federal court until they have tried to obtain relief through the prison grievance system. Gwin had found that Elkton's inhumane conditions violated the 8th Amendment banning cruel and unusual punishment, and said the need to remedy this constitutional violation justified his intervention. Francisco called the action "judicial second guessing." He said Gwin's order "fails to account for the practical constraints facing prison administrators managing the nations prison system during a public-health emergency, and ignores the actual and extensive steps that they have taken to protect inmates from the risk of infection within those constraints." The ACLU lawyers said the pandemic requires an emergency response like the one Gwin ordered. "COVID-19 poses a particularly acute danger at Elkton, where prisoners are forced to live in a single dormitory room along with approximately 150 other people," they told the court. "The government has limited the ability of [the inmates] to maintain adequate distance from each other, requiring them to sleep, eat, and live, just a few feet from other potentially contagious prisoners." The justices also have before them a similar, but more narrow appeal from a New Orleans lawyer who is seeking relief for a Louisiana inmate who has diabetes. In that case, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked a federal district judge's order in favor of the inmate. Two weeks ago, the high court turned down an emergency appeal from two elderly inmates in a Texas state prison who sought more protections from COVID-19. The 5th Circuit also had blocked a judge's order for those inmates, citing their failure to file an appeal or grievance with the prison system. Justice Sonia Sotomayor agreed with the narrow ruling in the Texas case, Valentine vs. Collier, but wrote in a statement joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg that judges needed to do more to protect inmates during this emergency. "It has long been said that a societys worth can be judged by taking stock of its prisons. That is all the truer in this pandemic, where inmates everywhere have been rendered vulnerable and often powerless to protect themselves from harm," she said. "May we hope that our countrys facilities serve as models rather than cautionary tales." Dan M. Frangopol elected to National Academy of Construction Dan M. Frangopol, the inaugural Fazlur R. Khan Endowed Chair of Structural Engineering and Architecture at Lehigh University, has been elected to the National Academy of Construction (NAC). NAC members are selected through a rigorous peer nomination and election process and come from all sectors of the built environment--owners, contractors, designers, government agencies, professional service firms, and academia. The mission of NAC "is to select, honor, and recognize those individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to our industry," as stated by Tom Sorley, the president of the academy. NAC currently has 326 distinguished leaders from every segment of the engineering and construction industry. Members apply their corporate experience and talent toward enhancing the strength of the industry and well-being of the nation. "It is an extremely high honor for me to join the 2020 class of 36 new members elected to NAC and represent Lehigh University," says Frangopol. This is Frangopol's fifth academy membership: three foreign national academies (Royal Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, Romanian Academy, and Academy of Technical Sciences of Romania) and one European (Academy of Europe). Frangopol is regarded as a worldwide authority on life-cycle engineering, structural reliability, and optimization. His main research interests are in the development and application of probabilistic concepts and methods to civil and marine engineering including life-cycle cost analysis; structural reliability; probability-based assessment, design, and multi-criteria life-cycle optimization of structures and infrastructure systems; structural health monitoring; life-cycle performance maintenance and management of structures and distributed infrastructure under extreme events (earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and floods); risk-based assessment and decision making; multi-hazard risk mitigation; infrastructure sustainability and resilience to disasters; and climate change adaptation. Throughout his distinguished career of research, education, and service, Frangopol has received many honors, including four honorary doctorates and 14 honorary professorships, as well as medals, prizes, and awards from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), including Distinguished Membership; International Association for Structural Safety and Reliability (IASSAR); International Association for Bridge Engineering (IABSE); International Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International); International Association for Life-Cycle Civil Engineering (IALCCE); International Association for Bridge Maintenance and Safety (IABMAS); and other professional organizations. Frangopol is the founder and editor-in-chief of Structure and Infrastructure Engineering, an international peer-reviewed journal launched in 2005, and the founding editor of the book series Structures and Infrastructures. He is the author or co-author of three books, 50 book chapters, and more than 400 articles in archival journals (including 11 award-winning papers from ASCE, IABSE, and Elsevier). Frangopol will be formally inducted as a member at NAC's next annual meeting to be held October 29-31, 2020, in Boston. This story has been published on: 2020-05-22. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. 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 we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Fenix Resources Limited (ASX:FEX). What Is Insider Buying? It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise. View our latest analysis for Fenix Resources Fenix Resources Insider Transactions Over The Last Year Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by insider Gavin Argyle for AU$178k worth of shares, at about AU$0.044 per share. Even though the purchase was made at a significantly lower price than the recent price (AU$0.07), we still think insider buying is a positive. Because it occurred at a lower valuation, it doesn't tell us much about whether insiders might find today's price attractive. You can see the insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! ASX:FEX Recent Insider Trading May 22nd 2020 There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Insider Ownership of Fenix Resources For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Fenix Resources insiders own about AU$4.1m worth of shares. That equates to 20% of the company. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment. Story continues So What Do The Fenix Resources Insider Transactions Indicate? It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Fenix Resources shares in the last quarter. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders own shares in Fenix Resources and we see no evidence to suggest they are worried about the future. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Fenix Resources. To help with this, we've discovered 4 warning signs (1 can't be ignored!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in Fenix Resources. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Indias crude oil imports in April recorded their biggest year-on-year fall in 10 months as coronavirus-induced lockdown restrictions halted economic activity and sapped demand. Crude oil imports in April fell 12.4% to 17.28 million tonnes from a year earlier, its steepest decline since June 2019, data on the website of Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell said. Oil product imports also dropped 6.5% to 3.35 million tonnes, their first year-on-year decline in 16 months. But exports of refined products had their biggest rise year-on-year since October 2016 because of a slowdown in domestic demand. Fuel demand in April plunged more than 45% as coronavirus lockdown restrictions hit industrial activity. This prompted Indian refiners to continue prompt exports of refined fuels to avoid a complete shutdown. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended the countrys coronavirus lockdowns to May 31, but relaxed rules in areas with lower numbers of cases, raising hopes fuel demand will recover. Producer Kona Venkat has shed some light on the release status of his upcoming multilingual thriller Nishabdam, starring Anushka Shetty. He has clarified that they will only go for OTT release as their last resort. Putting an end to rumours about Nishabdam being already snapped by Amazon Prime for direct OTT release, Kona Venkat tweeted: Lot of speculations are being made on the release of our film Nishabdam in the media. We would like to clarify that theatrical release is our top PRIORITY. If the situation isnt favorable for a long time then our alternate would be to release on OTT platform. Hope for the best (sic). Lot of speculations r being made on the release of our film NISHABDHAM in the media.We would like to clarify that "Theatrical release is our top PRIORITY.If the situation isnt favourable for a long time then our alternate would be to release on OTT platform". Hope for the best kona venkat (@konavenkat99) May 22, 2020 Directed by Hemant Madhukar, the film also stars Anjali, Shalini Pandey and Hollywood actor Michael Madsen in crucial roles. The first look poster of Anushka Shettys character from Nishabdam was unveiled in September. The poster introduces Anushka as Sakshi, a mute artist who expresses through her art. In it, Anushka is seen gazing at something and painting it on the drawing board in front of her. Anushka plays a deaf and mute character while Madhavan plays her husband in the film which revolves around the murder of a key character and the subsequent investigation to find the killer. The entire film has been shot in Seattle, USA. Also read: Nawazuddin Siddiquis wife Aaliya says he humiliated her in front of Manoj Bajpayee, makes excuses to avoid meeting his kids Originally shot in Tamil and Telugu, the makers also plan to release Nishabdam in English, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada. The film has been titled Silence in English and Hindi. Last seen on screen in a cameo in Chiranjeevis Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, Nishabdam will be Anushkas major release since Bhaagamathie, which is all set to be remade in Hindi with Bhumi Pednekar as Durgavati. Anushka will soon join hands with filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon for a yet-untitled Tamil-Telugu bilingual. Rumoured to be a sequel to Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya, the film might also stars R Madhavan in a crucial role. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Passengers who refuse to tell authorities where they are quarantining for two weeks after arriving in Ireland could face six months in prison or a 2,500 fine. The Cabinet has agreed to make it mandatory for everyone arriving here to fill in a location form outlining where they will be self-isolating for a fortnight. The new regulations will come into force next Thursday and be reviewed on June 18. It will mean gardai will be able to check on passengers who fill in the form. Charges can be pressed against anyone found to be not staying at the address they listed. It will be an offence to refuse to fill out the form and to enter false information. Breaching the regulations will be punishable by a fine of up to 2,500 or six months in prison. Passengers transiting to another jurisdiction, certified international transport workers, air and maritime pilot/masters and crew will not have to complete the form. Individuals from the North will only have to fill out a part of the document. Health Minister Simon Harris called the new measures "extraordinary", but said they were "necessary in a time of a public health crisis". Nationality "We continue to advise everyone against non-essential travel. However, if a person does arrive into Ireland, they will legally be obliged to fill out this form, regardless of their nationality," he said. "The form will be used to facilitate a system of follow-up checks to make sure people who travel to the country are staying where they said that they would. "The form will also ensure more accurate and quicker contact tracing, should we have a confirmed case on a flight or ferry coming into Ireland. "Every measure we take is aimed at stopping the spread of Covid-19 and protecting people from this virus." Sinn Fein deputy Darren O'Rourke said every passenger arriving in Ireland should have their temperature checked. "Temperature screening can also act as a deterrent for those thinking of travelling who may be unwell and provide a level of reassurance to other members of the travelling public," Mr O'Rourke said. "While some airlines have now introduced their own requirement on the wearing of face coverings on flights, we believe this should now be introduced for all those flying into and out of Ireland." UPDATE: 10:34 AM State Police: We are asking people to stay away from the area. UPDATE: 9:35 AM State Police said Peter Manfredonia - the Willington deadly assault suspect - is believed to be armed with pistol and long guns in the area of Osbornedale State Park in Derby. Expect to see a heavy police presence in the area. Do not approach, call 9-1-1 immediately if you see the individual, state police tweeted. Osbornedale State Park is closed. EARLIER STORY WILLINGTON Authorities continue to search Sunday for a man they say is a suspect in a major assault that left one man dead and injured another Friday morning. Just after 9 a.m., troopers from Troop C responded to an incident on Mirtl Road to find two victims both elderly men suffering from injuries after an assault with an edged weapon, State Police said. One victim, identified by police as 62-year-old Willington resident Theodore Demers, later died from his injuries. State police on Saturday released the identity of a potential suspect: 23-year-old Peter Manfredonia, who they say was seen leaving the scene of the homicide and serious assault on Mirtl Road. Manfredonia, state police said, is considered armed and dangerous. It is unclear what prompted the assault, state police said. Manfredonia was last seen wearing dark clothing and was on a large red sport motorcycle, wearing a multicolored helmet, possibily red and white. Manfredonia, a 2015 graduate of Newtown High School, is majoring in finance and mechanical engineering at the University of Connecticut. A GoFundMe campaign set up Friday to support Demers family raised $41,950 as of Sunday morning. The Demers family has suffered an unspeakable and incomprehensible tragedy, wrote Matt Emond, Willington resident and the creator of the GoFundMe page. We are trying to raise some money to assist the family in any way possible. Please feel free to share and support a wonderful family. Anything helps. Connecticut State Police are actively looking for this suspect that has had ties to Newtown, Newtown police said Saturday night. While police do not believe he is currently in Newtown, that certainly can change. The Newtown Police Department urged its residents to be aware and on the lookout for Manfredonia as a precaution. Anyone who sees the suspect is asked to call 911 immediately. Do not approach the suspect. Anyone with information about the assault is asked to call Troop C at 860-896-3200. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) Seoul, South Korea Sat, May 23, 2020 13:04 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9c7f6e 2 News South-Korea,travel,coronavirus,COVID-19,medical-exam,health Free Foreign long-term residents of South Korea will need to obtain a re-entry permit before leaving the country, and a medical exam before returning, to help stem coronavirus infections, according to government notices posted online. Some foreign embassies began issuing notices dated Thursday, and the new policies were outlined in Korean on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Asked about the notices, the presidential Blue House on Friday confirmed the changes but said the Ministry of Justice would make a formal announcement, possibly as soon as Sunday. According to the notices, starting on June 1, South Korea will temporarily require re-entry permits, which are usually waived for long-term visa holders. If the permit is not obtained at a local immigration office before departing South Korea, the resident will lose their visa. The provision does not apply to diplomatic or official visas or 'overseas Korean' visas - given to people with a foreign parent or grandparent who once held Korean nationality. Shortly before returning to South Korea, the resident will need to undergo a medical examination, and then present a signed certificate to immigration officials upon arrival. Read also: China, South Korea consult Japan on easing business-travel curbs: Yomiuri "The diagnosis shall be written in English or Korean, signed by a medical examiner and issued by an authorized medical institution," the Indian Embassy to South Korea said in a statement. "It shall also include the date of examination and the presence or absence of fever, cough, chills, headache, breathing difficulty, muscle pain, and pulmonary symptoms." Like all arrivals from overseas, returning long-term residents must still be tested and submit to a mandatory two-week quarantine, though they can self-isolate at home if they do not have symptoms. South Korea reported 20 new coronavirus cases as of midnight Thursday, bringing its total to 11,142, with 266 deaths. Nine of the new infections were imported cases. A total of 1,200 infections are from overseas, and nearly 90 percent of them are Korean nationals flying back from abroad. Draft decision on HK national security law submitted to top legislature, stresses zero tolerance to secessionism, foreign interference Global Times By Chen Qingqing Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/22 15:18:51 A draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security was submitted to China's top legislature for deliberation on Friday. Wang Chen, vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, explained the draft decision to the NPC deputies at the third session of the 13th NPC, outlining the necessity and importance of formulating the law in defending the sovereignty and core interests of the country. The central government has zero tolerance toward any activities challenging the bottom line of the "one country, two systems," and it would not allow any acts of secessionism, the draft document said while highlighting the necessity of improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for Hong Kong to safeguard national security. The draft entrusts the NPC Standing Committee to formulate relevant laws on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security. Besides, the NPC Standing Committee will exercise its functions and powers of legislation under authorization, Wang said. It also stipulates that the relevant legal obligations of the NPC Standing Committee are to effectively prevent, stop, and punish any activity occurring in the HKSAR turf that are attempted to split the country, subvert state power, organize and perpetrate terrorist activities, including other actions that seriously endanger national security. The draft also calls for an end to the interference of foreign and external forces in the affairs of the HKSAR. After the issuance of the decision, the NPC Standing Committee will work with related parties to formulate relevant laws at an earlier date for the HKSAR to safeguard national security, actively push for resolving pressing issues in the HKSAR's national security system, bolster the establishment of special institutions, enforcement mechanisms and law enforcement forces, so as to ensure the relevant laws' effective implementation in the HKSAR, Wang said. Li Xiaobing, an expert on Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan from the Nankai University in Tianjin, told the Global Times if there are special requirements, the committee might convene temporary meetings, "accelerating the legal process of the national security law for Hong Kong, which is expected to be passed within half a year, or even sooner." The NPC Standing Committee makes the decision to include relevant laws into Annex III of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, and the HKSAR promulgates and implements them, according to the decision. Since the return of Hong Kong to the motherland, China has been resolutely implementing the principles of "one country, two systems," "the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong," and a high degree of autonomy, Wang said, noting the practice of the principles have achieved unprecedented success in Hong Kong. However, during its practice, new circumstances, new problems, and new challenges, with visible threats to the national security in the HKSAR, have also emerged, the vice chairman said. Referring to the social unrest triggered by the withdrawn extradition bill in Hong Kong in 2019, and the anti-mainland forces that sparked chaos and troubles in the SAR, he said, these activities have openly instigated secessionism in Hong Kong. The unrest seriously damaged the unification of the country and harbored separatist activities. Radical protesters bluntly desecrated the national flag, defaced national emblem, and ignited anti-mainland, anti-Party sentiments in Hong Kong. Wang also emphasized in recent years, foreign forces have been openly interfering in Hong Kong affairs through legislature, administration, and non-government organizations, and created a fuss by supporting anti-mainland forces and activities, which seriously challenged the bottom line of "one country, two systems. " In addition, such meddling by foreign forces harmed the rule of law, and threatened national sovereignty, security, and development interests in Hong Kong. Considering Hong Kong's current situation, efforts must be made at the state-level to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms, for the HKSAR to safeguard national security, to change the long-term "defenseless" status in the field of national security, Wang noted. "Sovereignty is a top priority, there is too much interference of foreign powers, NED/CIA in Hong Kong," Angelo Giuliano, an observer of Hong Kong affairs, told the Global Times, noting that these forces are plotting a color revolution. "The only way to prevent further chaos is to reinforce sovereignty of China over Hong Kong," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address WASHINGTON Much of the country remains unlikely to venture out to bars, restaurants, theaters or gyms anytime soon, despite state and local officials across the country increasingly allowing businesses to reopen, according to a new survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That hesitancy in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak could muffle any recovery from what has been the sharpest and swiftest economic downturn in U.S. history. Just 42% of those who went to concerts, movies, theaters or sporting events at least monthly before the outbreak say theyd do so in the next few weeks if they could. Only about half of those who regularly went to restaurants, exercised at the gym or traveled would feel comfortable doing so again. About a quarter of Americans say someone in their household has lost a job amid that downturn, and about half have lost household income, including layoffs, pay cuts, cut hours or unpaid time off. The majority of those whose household suffered a layoff still believe they will return to their previous employer, but the share expecting their job will not return has risen slightly over the past month, to 30% from 20%. Amber Van Den Berge, a teacher in Indiana, held off on immediately returning to her second job as a fitness instructor. She would need to pass a test for COVID-19, get her temperature checked each morning and lead class while wearing a protective mask. Wear a mask to teach a fitness class? Im not ready for that, said Van Den Berge, 39. The speed and strength of any economic rebound could be thwarted because many fear the risk of new infections. Consumers make up roughly 70% of U.S. economic activity, so anything less than a total recovery in spending would force many companies to permanently close and deepen the financial pain for 39 million people who have lost jobs in roughly the past two months. Forty-nine percent of Americans approve of how President Donald Trump is handling the economy, the poll shows. That has slipped over the last two months, from 56% in March. Still, the issue remains a relative positive for Trump, whose overall approval rating stands at 41%. Trump has at times downplayed the threat of the coronavirus and the benefits of testing and has criticized the leadership of Democratic governors. Meanwhile, many Democratic lawmakers have insisted on the importance of containing the disease and sustaining the economy with federal aid. Greg Yost, a Republican from Rockaway, New Jersey, says he wishes the president would defer more to medical experts, rather than speak off the cuff. But he added that he thinks Trump believes he must defend himself against personal attacks. Hes between a rock and a hard place, Yost said. But ShyJuan Clemons, 45, of Merrillville, Indiana, says Trump has made the fallout from the pandemic worse by initially denying its dangers and failing to display much empathy for those hurt by the coronavirus. Even my cat knows that hes terrible, said Clemons, referring to his 14-year-old Siamese mix, Shinji. Clemons works with special needs people and worries about his hours if Indiana starved of tax revenues because of the disease cuts its budget. But it also shows how an atmosphere of political polarization may be feeding both an eagerness by some to return and a reluctance by others to resume their previous lifestyles. Among those who did so at least monthly before the outbreak, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say theyd go to restaurants (69% to 37%), movies, concerts or theaters (68% to 28%), travel (65% to 38%) and go to a gym or fitness studio (61% to 44%). Sixty-nine percent of those who regularly shopped in person for nonessential items before the outbreak, including majorities among both parties, say theyd be likely to wander malls and stores again. But Republicans are more likely to say so than Democrats, 82% to 61%. Yost expressed no qualms about going out because he believes the economic damage from shelter-in-place orders will be worse than the deaths from the disease. Whats going to happen with depression, homelessness a lot of other problems are going to arise because we shut down the economy? said Yost, a vice president of operations at an insurance agency. I would go to a restaurant and feel comfortable with my kids and not even have masks on. Still, theres an exception to the partisan divide, with 76% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats who get haircuts on at least a monthly basis saying theyd do that in the next few weeks if they could. The poll finds an overwhelming majority of Americans, 70%, describe the economy as poor, but their outlook for the future is highly partisan. Sixty-two percent of Republicans expect improvement in the coming year, while 56% of Democrats say it will worsen. At the same time, two-thirds of Americans say their personal finances are good, which has remained steady since before the outbreak began. Many families have been able to survive the downturn because of aid such as direct payments to taxpayers and expanded unemployment benefits that will expire in July. Mitchell Durst, 74, has watched the job losses from the sidelines as a retired mathematician in Keyser, West Virginia. He was already cautious about going out because of a compromised immune system from cancer treatments. The disease stopped his weekly poker game. He lived through the polio crisis, dealt with gas rationing during the 1970s and worked in Nigeria during the Ebola scare. He calculates the United States will need to be patient about an economic comeback. Until we have a vaccine, particularly for those folks at risk, its going to be awhile, Durst said. If we get something in two years, if were so fortunate to be able to do that, I think that would be fantastic. The AP-NORC poll of 1,056 adults was conducted May 14-18 using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points. Online: AP-NORC Center: http://www.apnorc.org/. A chance discovery by a volunteer dinosaur digger has unearthed an unusual toothless dinosaur, known as an elaphrosaur, that roamed Australia 110 million years ago. In early 2015, Dinosaur Dreaming volunteer Jessica Parker found a strange and delicate bone during the annual dig at the Cretaceous-aged fossil site known as Eric the Red West, near Cape Otway in Victoria. The five centimetre long bone was identified at the Melbourne Museum as a vertebra. It was thought to be from a flying reptile called a pterosaur, albeit one quite different from the Ferrodraco lentoni, discovered in Queensland. When Swinburne palaeontologists Dr Stephen Poropat and PhD candidate Adele Pentland attempted to work out what type of pterosaur it was, they hit a snag. Pterosaur neck vertebrae are very distinctive, says Ms Pentland. In all known pterosaurs, the body of the vertebra has a socket at the head end, and a ball or condyle at the body end. This vertebra had sockets at both ends, so it could not have been from a pterosaur. After extensive research Dr Poropat and Ms Pentland reached a startling conclusion. We soon realised that the neck bone we were studying was from a theropod: a meat-eating dinosaur, related to Tyrannosaurus rex, Velociraptor, and modern birds, says Dr Poropat. The only catch this meat-eating dinosaur probably didnt eat meat! The new Victorian fossil is an excellent match for vertebrae from a strange group of theropods called elaphrosaurs or light-footed lizards. And its a dinosaur out of time. Most of its known relatives like Elaphrosaurus from Tanzania, and Limusaurus from China lived near the end of the Jurassic Period, around 160145 million years ago. By contrast, the new Victorian elaphrosaur dates to almost 40 million years later, from the Early Cretaceous Period and is one of only two Cretaceous elaphrosaurs ever found. At around two metres long, it was also rather small for an elaphrosaur. Elaphrosaurs had long necks, stumpy arms with small hands, and relatively lightly built bodies, Dr Poropat says. As dinosaurs go, they were rather bizarre. The few known skulls of elaphrosaurs show that the youngsters had teeth, but that the adults lost their teeth and replaced them with a horny beak. We dont know if this is true for the Victorian elaphrosaur yet but we might find out if we ever discover a skull. Swinburne palaeontology team Professor Patricia Rich, Adele Pentland and Dr Stephen Poropat on another dinosaur dig in Winton, Queensland. The dinosaur graveyard at the Eric the Red West site awaits further exploration. Proposed digs this year have been postponed twice because of the bushfire season and the COVID-19 pandemic. Palaeontologists hope to be able to return safely to Cape Otway to unearth more fossils soon. The paper describing the new Victorian elaphrosaur, is available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1342937X20301234, It was published in Gondwana Research. On Friday, the New York Times reported that attorney Douglas Wigdor would no longer be representing Tara Reade, who has accused presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden of sexual assault. Wigdor said in a statement that the decision is by no means a reflection on whether then-Senator Biden sexually assaulted Ms. Reade. The move comes, however, following a series of investigative reports questioning Reades general credibility or weakening the previous corroboration of the alleged attack. Last year, Reade was one of seven women who accused Biden of touching them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable. Specifically, Reade told a local newspaper that while she worked in Bidens Senate office in 1993, he used to put his hand on my shoulder and run his finger up my neck. Then last month, beginning in a podcast interview with Katie Halper, Reade went public with a claim that Biden had cornered her in a semiprivate area like an alcove somewhere between the Senate office building and the Capitol, pushed her against a wall, forcibly kissed her neck, and then penetrated her with his fingers. Reade also said she was forced out of her job due to the harassment she experienced in Bidens office, and that she had filed a formal complaint at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden adamantly denied the claim. The New York Times and other major outlets followed up on Reades account and reported that her brother and a friend, who sought to remain anonymous, had corroborated her story. More inquiries turned up more evidence consistent with Reades account, including video of an episode of Larry King Live on CNN in 1993, in which Reades mother called in and said my daughter has just left [Washington], after working for a prominent senator, and could not get through with her problems at all. It was also soon after reported that her ex-husband during divorce proceedings in 1996 had filed a court document saying that Reade had experienced sexual harassment while working in Bidens office. Advertisement Finally, Rich McHugh published a piece in Business Insider in which a former neighbor of Reades said she recalled Reade telling her about the assault when they were living in the same apartment complex in the mid-90s. In that story, a former colleague of Reades in the California State Senate also recalled Reade telling her that she had been harassed by her boss during her time working in Washington. All of this information, which came out over the course of April and early May, seemed to support the claim that Reade was assaulted by Biden. This month, though, other reporting has come to light that has piece by piece, and with varying degrees of persuasiveness, challenged Reades general credibility or specific elements of the statements of her corroborating witnesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As in previous cases, some of that reporting seemed as though it had come from an old playbook of tarnishing victims of sexual harassment and assault by raising unrelated financial difficulties in their lives or what seemed like relatively minor squabbles with personal acquaintances. Reporting by Politico and the Associated Press depicted Reade as having left a trail of acquaintances who had felt they had been conned by her. However you value these stories of a half-dozen acquaintances who claim Reade lied to them or bilked them out of money, though, other reporting found inconsistencies in Reades story or in the corroborating witness accounts that directly bear on her claim against Biden. Advertisement Advertisement On May 7, Laura McGann at Vox described how she had for months struggled to report out Reades story. In one particular challenging element, McGann noted that an anonymous corroborating witness had initially independently and explicitly volunteered to McGann that Biden never tried to kiss [Reade] directly. He never went for one of those touches. That friend now claims that Reade had told her of the assault and the forced kissing in 1993 at the time it happened. When McGann asked the friend why she had told McGann the opposite, the friend said it just organically rolled out that way and she did not want to betray Reades confidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On May 15, Daniel Bush and Lisa Desjardins of the PBS NewsHour published a report based on interviews with 74 former Biden staffers, 62 of whom were women. Some of their responses were just testimonials to their belief in Bidens character, but multiple sources disputed specific facts in Reades account. One of Reades former colleagues, Ben Savage, went on the record directly contradicting Reades claims that her job duties had been diminished because of the assault and harassment claim, telling PBS that Reade had been mishandling a key part of her job and an essential office taskprocessing constituent mail, something they worked on together and that he recalls reporting these issues to his boss, deputy chief of staff Dennis Toner, after which the office began diminishing Reades duties, taking over some of her tasks and rerouting parts of the process to exclude her. (Reade declined to be interviewed by PBS.) Fifty of the former staffers specifically challenged Reades claim that she had been asked to serve drinks at a Biden fundraisera request that she said contributed to a pattern of harassmentnoting that Bidens staff was prohibited from doing campaign work and that none of them recalled him holding fundraisers in Washington. On the subject of the attack itself, staffers also noted that there were no private areas in the Senate office building and that if the attack occurred where she described it happening, it would have been a brazen attack in an area with a high risk of being seen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, CNNs MJ Lee and Ellie Kaufman reported that Savage recalled Reade saying she had been fired for medical reasons. Reades anonymous friend also gave CNN a new explanation for the false statement to Vox, saying what shed meant was that Biden hadnt tried to kiss Reade in front of staff. It is also worth noting that Reades strongest corroborating witness at the time it was reported appeared to be her former neighbor Lynda LaCasse, who seemed to offer independent, near-contemporaneous corroboration of the full assault claim on the record in her conversations with Business Insider. Unfortunately, that piece failed to include in its initial roundup one key detail that was published alongside the article in an interview transcript that was behind a paywall: LaCasse only remembered her conversation with Reade after she was reminded of it during a phone call with Reade. Advertisement Meanwhile, the reporting on Reades overall credibility has had results beyond the question of what may have happened between her and Biden. CNNs reporters, for instance, found that Antioch University denied Reades claims that she had received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the school and that she had been a visiting professor there. Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, the New York Times further reported that public defenders in California were seeking to challenge convictions in which Reade had been an expert witness based on the possible falsification of her credentials. In addition to allegedly misrepresenting her educational background, Reade also told courts that she was a legislative assistant in Bidens staff, when in fact she had been a more junior staff assistant. In at least one case, public defenders had raised objections to Reades testimony because of skepticism that she was qualified to be an expert, the Times reported, but were overruled by the judge in the case. Reade once testified in court that she had been an expert witness in more than 20 cases. Attorneys in some of those cases are now seeking to challenge convictions on the basis of Reades apparent false statements about her credentials. For more of Slates news coverage, listen to What Next. The Railway Passengers Association for commuters from Karjat and Kasara has written a letter to Central Railway (CR), requesting it to allow women employees from these areas working in emergency services like Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), hospitals, and the police department in Mumbai, to travel in local trains operating for railway staff. Employees from these areas are being provided with buses for their daily commute. However, they have complained that no social distancing is followed due to the maximum number of passengers in each vehicle. The passengers association has therefore requested CR to allow at least women passengers to travel in the locals which are functional for railway employees. The letter with the above request was written to the CR headquarters in Mumbai and was also addressed to the railways minister Piyush Goyal, on 22 May. At present, there are around 1 lakh citizens from the Kalyan-Karjat-Kasara belt who are travelling towards Mumbai daily to attend their jobs in emergency services in various government agencies. These employees are provided with Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses, at specific stops, said Shyam Ubale, general secretary, Railway Passengers Association (Kalyan, Kasara, Karjat). The employees travelling in these buses have noticed that no social distancing is followed. Hence, we have requested that at least women passengers should be allowed to travel in the local trains functioning for railway employees, said Ubale. A 33-year-old woman passenger from Vasind, who works at Mumbai Police headquarters, has to travel around eight kilometres from her home, to board the BEST bus at Asangaon. Its difficult to maintain social distance on the bus as every seat is accommodated by passengers. If extra passengers board, we also have to adjust and make space for them to sit. In such cases, it increases the risk as far as the spread of the pandemic is concerned. Permission to travel in local trains operational for railway workers could help to resolve this issue, she said. Another 35-year-old woman passenger from Kasara, who works as a bank employee in Mumbai, said, As the passengers increase in the bus, its difficult to follow social distancing. After returning home, we may pose a risk to our family members, especially our children. Train travel will also reduce our daily commute time. We request CR to consider our request, at least for women passengers travelling to CSMT, who are serving in various government agencies, she said. Local train services were made functional only for railway employees since Thursday, with limited services, informed a CR official from Mumbai. Though the trains have been made functional, they are limited and exclusively for railway staff who have been deployed for essential services like operations of Shramik special trains. At present, these local services for railway employees are operated in the morning and evening between CSMT and Karjat and Kasara, said a senior CR official. There are about 90 Plainview High School students signed up for a new horticulture program in the fall. On Thursday night, the Plainview Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to let the district put out a job order contract to construct a greenhouse for the program. Superintendent H.T. Sanchez told the board the proposed greenhouse would be located across the street facing north from the Career and Technical Educations current wing at PHS. It would be right adjacent to the portable on the west side of the property, he said. Planning for the new facility is still in the early stages. Sanchez said he and other district officials looked over some plans on Thursday morning to get a feel for how much it would cost. Chief Operations Officer Rick Garcia said theyve about narrowed down the structures to a 20-by-40-foot facility or a 24-by-48-foot facility. The building would also be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant. We want to make sure its going to last through time, he said. A high-end estimate for the entire project, including design, plumbing, electrical and engineering is about $150,000, Sanchez noted, but the actual cost of this project is anticipated to be much lower. He also anticipates the program to pay for itself. We have a potential to pay the cost back by the students participating in this, Sanchez said, noting that it could benefit more than just the horticulture CTE program. He anticipates culinary students growing their own food there, science classes being able to utilize the greenhouse for certain lessons and floral design students being able to grow their own flowers there. The board voted unanimously to move forward with a job order contract with the project during Thursdays meeting. Board members Tyler James, Adam Soto and Amber Bass were absent. The next step will be finalizing the plans and putting the project out for bid. Ideally, the district hopes to have the greenhouse complete and open by the fall. Its exciting when we can come up with something like that, Sanchez said. We give credit to the folks at the high school for dreaming big. A New York man was stabbed to death by his son during a virtual meeting on Zoom Thursday, according to a Good Morning America report. The report said Dwight Powers was in a virtual meeting with a about 20 people when his son, Thomas Scully-Powers, attacked him just after noon Thursday in Long Island. Several people in the Zoom meeting called police, and Scully-Powers, 32, was eventually apprehended. The report said he was charged with second-degree murder. The report said a witness said participants in the chat could see Powers fall and another person appeared on the screen. It said they could also see bed sheets being ripped off his bed by a gentleman who appeared to be naked as well as bald and he had a tattoo on his left arm. Cisco has upgraded its core networking software to include better support for enterprise multicloud integration and management as well as tools to help telcos or hyperscalers tie together large scale data-center networks. The new features are part of the 5.0 release of Cisco's Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) software, which runs on the company's core data center Nexus 9000 systems. ACI is Cisco's flagship software-defined networking (SDN) data-center package. It also delivers the company's intent-based networking technology, which lets customers automatically implement network and policy changes on the fly and ensure data delivery. Over time, Cisco has extended ACI through its ACI Anywhere package which includes other extensions, such as Cloud ACI that gives customers the flexibility to run and control applications anywhere they want across data centers, private or public clouds, or at the edge while maintaining consistent network and security policies across their entire domain. For example, Cisco says ACI Anywhere would let policies configured through Cisco's SDN Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) use native APIs offered by a public-cloud provider to orchestrate changes within both the private and public cloud environments. Cisco Multisite Orchestrator then helps provision and manage the implementation across multiple sites and services, the vendor stated. ACI 5.0 continues the ACI Anywhere and Cloud ACI expansion to now include support for Amazon Web Services Transit Gateway (TGW). Cisco promises future support for Microsoft Azure cloud peering. The TGW is a central component of Amazon's Outpost platform, which lets customers connect their Amazon Virtual Private Clouds (VPC) and their on-premises networks to a single gateway. With ACI 5.0, customers can now automatically set up, provision and manage workloads across VPCs linked with Cisco ACI. "It brings automated route-programming on TGW route-tables for all combinations of East-West and North-South traffic patterns," said Srini Kotamraju, senior director of product management in Cisco's data center business group. ACI 5.0 continues work Cisco has been doing to support the AWS cloud world. For example, in December Cisco extended its SD-WAN technology to manage and automate connectivity between branch offices and the AWS Cloud via the TGW. With that support, customers will be able to apply network segmentation and security policies to cloud traffic flows, and the package will also enable policy exchange between Cisco's SD-WAN Controller and TGW, which will enable IT teams to implement consistent SD-WAN and data security rules. Cisco is also working closely with other cloud titans, and ACI 5.0 bolsters support for another frequent partner, Microsoft. In ACI 5.0, customers will be able to set up Azure Virtual Network (vNet) peering that lets customers connect two vNets in the same region through the Azure backbone network. Peering lets the combined networks appear and be controlled as a single entity within the Azure Virtual Network, while using the Azure backbone for low-latency, high bandwidth interconnects between virtual networks, Kotamraju said. In other Azure work, Cisco recently extended its relationship with Microsoft Azure to make it easier and more efficient for SD-WAN customers to set up and run direct Internet access to enterprise applications such as Office 365 and other Azure Cloud services. This amalgamation will let customers extend their WAN to Microsoft Azure Cloud and, in parallel, deliver optimized, secure Office 365 communications, according to Cisco. In addition to extending ACI to cloud resources, ACI 5.0 also extends its reach into telco or hyperscaler environments. For example, service providers can now interconnect their ACI-based telco cloud to a 5G transport backbone network with end-to-end segmentation, Kotamraju said. "5G transformations are challenging the telecom providers to develop the data center networks of the future, which should seamlessly scale, automate and integrate their infrastructure from the edge to the central data center and across the transport network," Kotamraju said. Ultimately, ACI 5.0 further simplifies the way enterprise customers can implement and consume cloud resources on premise no matter where they are located, Kotamraju said. Along with the ACI features, Cisco bolstered its Network Insights application to help customers manage multicloud environments. Network Insights is software Cisco data-center customers use to monitor and record hardware and software telemetry data over time to identify anomalies in the fabric and help automate troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, capacity planning and remediation, according to Cisco. For example, Network Insights can watch over network component usage patterns and audit logs, events, and faults as well as latency conditions from ACI. The new release supports improved management of geographically distributed multiple fabrics with a single instance of Network Insights. It also ties into Ciscos AppDynamics to help customers detect, locate and troubleshoot application connectivity issues faster, by correlating network and application telemetry, Cisco stated. "Basically we only supported one fabric in the past, but now Network Insights can manage multiple fabrics from one place. And with the AppDynamics integrations, customers can quickly find out whether or not they have an application problem or a capacity issue," Kotamraju said. Batavia, NY (14020) Today Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. Much colder. High 12F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Bitterly cold. Mostly cloudy. Low 1F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Standing in front of Redoubt 10 at Yorktown Battlefield in Virginia, I imagined how much courage it must have taken Alexander Hamilton to lead a battalion of soldiers in a charge there during the American Revolutionary War. They took British soldiers inside the fort by surprise in the middle of the night on October 14, 1781, charging forward with no ammunition (only bayonets to stay quiet), then rushing over logs with treacherous spikes to enter the fort and jump on the well-armed British. Hamilton, whose brave work as an American founding father is now celebrated in the hit Broadway show and soundtrack Hamilton, led his men to capture the fort for George Washingtons Continental Army. In a matter of minutes, Hamiltons soldiers overpowered the British, who were caught sleeping and unprepared despite their ammunitions advantage. That critical achievement led to victory at Yorktown, which became the last major battle of the war to win American independence from Britain and create the USA. But Hamilton could have chosen not to fight at Yorktown. His wife Eliza was expecting their first child soon. Instead of staying at home in New York, he asked Washington to appoint him to lead the dangerous charge at Yorktown. He wrote to Eliza about his decision shortly before the battle: I am going to do my duty. Our operations will be so conducted, as to economize the lives of men. Exert your fortitude and rely upon heaven. Hamilton was confident that he could take on the challenge well, because of his faith in Gods help. Hamilton became known for taking all sorts of major risks to invest in our nations future. He created our nations first bank and formed much of its commercial laws working diligently despite criticism from those who were suspicious of his new ideas. He wrote the majority of essays in The Federalist Papers to inspire divided Americans to unite behind the new US Constitution and learn how to work together to build our new country. Today, we celebrate Hamilton for his remarkable, and even audacious, courage. He did what many others were afraid to do and he did so without knowing how it would all turn out. Why? Hamilton made a lifelong habit of asking God one key question: How can I be bolder? Heres how asking God that same question yourself can lead you to make your own great contributions to Gods work in America: Remember who youre asking for courage. God is all-powerful, and he wants the best for you. So you can be confident in trusting God when you take the risks he calls you to take. Like everyone else, you will encounter doubt in your life. But if you respond to your doubts by searching for a deeper faith, as Hamilton did, God will meet you where you are and help you grow. Hamilton, who was a lawyer as well as a military officer, looked for and found evidence that he could trust God. As he once wrote, I have examined carefully the evidence of the Christian religion, and if I was sitting as a juror upon its authenticity, I should rather abruptly give my verdict in its favor. When you ask for greater boldness, youre asking your trustworthy Creator, who can reliably give you courage in any situation. Take a stand for what you believe in by taking action. Hamilton was a man of action. He didnt hesitate to work hard on causes that he believed God led him to pursue. Sometimes, Hamiltons projects were controversial. He upset some people by acting on his beliefs including political rivals Thomas Jefferson (who argued with Hamilton about federal versus states rights when they served in Washingtons administration together) and Aaron Burr (who ended up killing Hamilton in a duel). While God doesnt want you to make enemies as Hamilton sometimes did, he does want you stand up for your convictions. The Bible story of three faithful young men (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) who faced a fiery furnace rather than back down from their convictions (Daniel, chapter 3) shows that God honors those who act on their beliefs. Those who stand for nothing will fall for everything, Hamilton once wrote. What convictions is God calling you to act on? How is he leading you to do so? Dont be afraid to move forward. Be prepared to make sacrifices for a cause. Too many great ideas die because people dont invest time, money, and energy into following through on them. When God calls you to support a cause, he will provide what you need to do it but not necessarily all that you want. Hamiltons Yorktown experience exemplifies that. He and others in the Continental Army had to march hundreds of miles south from New York City to Yorktown, carrying heavy loads of supplies and equipment with them. Once they encamped at Yorktown, they sacrificed their comfort in order to fight for freedom. Hamilton and his colleagues endured separation from loved ones, hunger, exhaustion, and constant life-threatening danger. Some men were killed in combat; more (including Washingtons adopted son) died from camp diseases like typhus, typhoid fever, and malaria. In Luke chapter 14, Jesus advises counting the cost of the work you undertake for his kingdom, saying in verse 27: whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Trust God to do what you cant. Simply do your best, day by day, with the work God leads you to do. When you do your part faithfully, God will faithfully do his part. Philippians 1:6 says you can be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Hamilton, who worked so hard for Americas liberty, said he did so with confidence that Gods power was at work even more. The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records, Hamilton wrote. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself, and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power. God created you just as he did Hamilton with a unique purpose to fulfill in our nation and the whole world. Lets Hamiltons life inspire you to boldly discover and fulfill that God-given purpose. The last song on the Hamilton soundtrack asks Who lives, who dies, who tells your story? You can be confident that your legacy will be great if you ask God how you can be bolder each day, and rely on the Holy Spirit to empower you! Whitney Hopler works as Communications Coordinator at George Mason Universitys Center for the Advancement of Well-Beingand has written for Crosswalk.com since 2001. She also writes for Thrive Global and blogs. Learn more on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus. Photo credit: Thinkstock/GeorgiosArt An Indian Navy ship carrying a medical team and ayurvedic and essential medicines reached Port Louis in Mauritius on Saturday to assist the island-nation fight the coronavirus pandemic. The assistance being provided to Mauritius is under Mission Sagar, an outreach programme by India. The 14-member medical team aboard INS Kesari comprised Indian Navy doctors and paramedics and they will assist their Mauritian counterparts in COVID-19 related emergencies, the Navy said in a statement. An official ceremony to hand over the medicines to Mauritius from India was held on Saturday in the presence of Mauritian Health Minister Kailesh Jagutpal and Indian High Commissioner Tanmaya Lal. "This Indian Naval Ship Kesari is carrying COVID-related essential medicines and a special consignment of ayurvedic medicines for the people of Mauritius," the statement added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) MIDLAND, MI The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it is part of an effort to evaluate any releases from Dow Chemical Co. during a flood that sent water surging into Midland, commingling with material from a pond at the Dow site, and rushing through a Superfund site nearby. Catastrophic flooding occurred in Midland County this week when one dam failed and water went over the top of a second dam, both located upstream of Dows Midland facility. Floodwaters rushing downstream inundated low-lying areas and resulted in the evacuation of thousands in the city of Midland and elsewhere. Dow said it implemented a flood preparedness plan at its Midland chemical manufacturing and research facility, which included the safe shutdown of operating units on site and evacuation of all but essential staff. Later that day, company officials said floodwaters had mixed with an on-site pond used for storm water and brine system/groundwater remediation. Related: Dow critics skeptical of companys claim floodwaters pose no threat of contamination But a Dow spokesperson said floodwaters commingling with the containment pond pose no threat to the environment or residents. The material from the pond commingling with the flood waters does not create any threat to residents or environmental damage. There has been no reported product releases," Dow said in a statement. Downstream of the Dow facility is the Tittabawassee River, Saginaw River and Bay Superfund site. The companys previous release of chemicals, including dioxins, led the EPA to designate the area a Superfund site. EPAs cleanup plan for this site requires Dow to conduct post-flood assessment to determine if there is re-contamination or if the constructed cleanup remedies have been damaged. The federal agencys assessment following a major flood in 2017 determined impacts to the Superfund site were minimal, and Dow completed necessary, minor repairs as required, the EPA said. EPA is working closely with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal and state agencies to help the people of the Midland area recover from the flood, which occurred during already very difficult times, the EPA said. Read more: View full Michigan flooding coverage The agency is prepared to assist the state of Michigan in assessing and responding to any public health and environmental impacts from the Tittabawassee River Superfund Site and Dows Midland facility due to the ongoing flooding. EPA emergency response personnel will be deployed to the area if requested by FEMA or the state, according to the EPA. A member of a Michigan environmental group said she does not trust the companys statement that there is no threat to residents or the environment, pointing to a history of releasing harmful chemicals into the environment. More from MLive: Michigans high-hazard dams: This is something were going to wrestle with Dow donates $1 million, DuPont donates $100K to Midland flood relief efforts More rain coming, but will it bring new flooding surge? Our whole life is gone, says woman whose Sanford home was washed away in Midland floods Its devastating: Midland flood victims take shelter, then assess damage to their homes Youre seeing The Post and Courier's weekly real estate newsletter. Receive all the latest transactions and top development, building, and home and commercial sales news to your inbox each Saturday here. Former Mount Pleasant grocery store to open as offices by fall A 50,000-square-foot space that once housed a Bi-Lo supermarket on Shelmore Boulevard in Mount Pleasant is slated to open as retrofitted office space by the fall. Collett Capital partnered with Lions Gate Capital LLC and WECCO Development to transform the empty big-box site into what will be called The Shelmore. Frampton Construction Co. began demolition and rebuilding of the 774 S. Shelmore Blvd. property in February. LS3P Associates is the project architect. The new space will feature a spacious lobby with a two-story jewel box entry, 18-foot ceilings, and the potential for a variety of floor plans for small and large office users. The existing retail surrounding the building will also receive exterior upgrades to match the new facade. Complete demolition of the interior is underway to make room for office space, and more than 30 windows and 10 skylights will be added to the buildings exterior to provide lots of natural lighting. Other improvements call for a new roof, two new entrances and the installation of a curtain wall and storefront around the building. Upgraded landscaping and an outdoor dining patio are also in the plans. Frampton President and CEO Chad Frampton called the site "an underutilized space" that's being transformed to a new, creative use. "With perks like walkable dining and its proximity to downtown (Charleston), The Shelmore will be a strong addition to the Mount Pleasant office and retail market," Frampton said. Bi-Los parent company, Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers, closed the store in early 2018 as part of a bankruptcy reorganization plan that included vacating 94 stores across the Southeast, including 19 in South Carolina and four in the Charleston area. Want to receive this newsletter in your inbox every Saturday? Sign up for free. The North Carolina-based supermarket chain is building a new store on U.S. Highway 78 in the Jedburg community just west of Summerville. Sign up for our real estate newsletter! Get the best of the Post and Courier's Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday. Email Sign Up! By the numbers 3: Number of stores Pier 1 Imports could close in the Charleston area after asking a court to approve its latest plan to liquidate assets amid bankruptcy. It operates five others across South Carolina that could go dark as well. 6: Number of coffee shops a Virginia-based company will have when it opens a new location on King Street in downtown Charleston. 7: Number of states on the short list of those in the running for a Canadian vehicle manufacturer's first U.S. assembly plant. 8: Percentage decrease in electricity use reported by Moncks Corner-based utility Santee Cooper during the coronavirus lockdown in April. 738: Number of locations that Texas-based Stage Stores Inc., parent of national chain Goody's and other brands, could shutter across the U.S. unless it lines up a buyer after filing for bankruptcy protection. This week in real estate + Better showing: Home showings across South Carolina continue to improve after falling 71 percent at the height of the pandemic lockdown in April. The upward trend toward pre-virus levels continues and was off less than 4 percent on May 20. + Missed connections: Many rural South Carolina residents lack access to the internet, but the coronavirus pandemic could speed up improvements as people try to stay connected from home. + Eviction concerns: With the statewide moratorium on evictions now lifted, the federal stimulus law offers protections for some through Aug. 24, but verifying properties that are covered could be difficult. + Step by step: With nowhere to go during pandemic, many residents starting doing home improvement projects. Charleston County officials vow to make changes to Joseph Floyd Manor, a senior housing facility on Charleston's upper peninsula where residents say living conditions are deplorable and complain of vermin running rampant. Did a friend forward you this email? Subscribe here. Craving more? Check out all of the Post and Courier's newsletters here. New Delhi: A Station House Officer (SHO) of Rajgarh police station in Rajasthans Churu district allegedly committed suicide, reports stated on Saturday (May 23). News agency PTI cited an unnamed police officer as saying that the body of Vishnudutt Bishnoi was found hanging inside his official accommodation. DGP Bhupendra Singh expressed grief over the death of the Churu SHO saying, "Bishnoi was one of the best police officers and his death has come as a big loss to the police department." According to preliminary information, Bishnoi was investigating a murder case in the area till Friday night. Later, he reached his official accommodation and committed suicide. His body was found hanging from the ceiling on Saturday morning at the official quarter. Also Read: SHO commits suicide in Churu; body found hanging inside quarter The police have recovered two notes from the spot. In the first, addressed to the Churu Superintendent of Police, he cited stress and increased pressure on himself as the reason for taking the extreme step. He also mentioned that he is not a coward, but is taking the step due to the compulsion. The other note was addressed to Bishnoi's parents. He, however, did not accuse anyone in the note. Following the incident, an activist shared the WhatsApp conversation between Bishnoi and a police officer on social media. The activist alleged that Bishnoi committed suicide under pressure and demanded that his death should be investigated. Several people gathered outside the Rajgadh police station in Churu today and demanded a CBI investigation into the death of the SHO. Speaking on the matter, the DGP said that Bishnoi was known for his honesty and was always praised for his work. He said that IG Range and ADG (In-charge) have gone to the spot and the case has been handed over to the Crime Branch. SP Vikas Sharma from Crime Branch has left for Jaipur for investigation. The case will be monitored by Crime Branch ADG BL Sony. The Afghan Taliban announced a three-day cease-fire on May 23 to mark Eid al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Shortly afterward, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered security forces to abide by cease-fire as well. In a post on Twitter, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the movement's leadership has ordered all fighters to "conduct no offensive operation against the enemy anywhere." In addition, they have been told to ensure "the security of fellow citizens." The cease-fire is set to begin on May 24. Ghani posted on Twitter that government forces would reciprocate. "As commander in chief, I have instructed [Afghan security forces] to comply with the three-day truce and to defend only if attacked," Ghani wrote. U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalizad, described the cease-fire as a momentous opportunity to accelerate a stalled U.S.-Taliban peace process. Other positive steps should immediately follow: the release of remaining prisoners as specified in the US-Taliban agreement by both sides, no returning to high levels of violence, and an agreement on a new date for the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, Khalizad wrote on Twitter. In February, the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement aimed at ending the longest military action in U.S. history. The deal lays out a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in return for security commitments from the Taliban. A deadline for the Taliban to hold talks with the Afghan government passed in March amid a spike in violence and disagreements between the two sides over prisoner swaps. The prospect of direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban gained a boost on May 17 when Ghani and his political rival, Abdullah Abdullah, reached a power-sharing agreement nearly eight months after disputed elections that led to a parallel government and hampered efforts to broker a peace deal. The United States has about 12,000 troops in Afghanistan. Washington pays about $4 billion a year to maintain the Afghan military. Taliban militants control about half of Afghanistan's territory and have continued to carry out attacks since the deal was signed. More than 85 percent of Afghans have no sympathy for the Taliban, according to a 2019 survey by the Asia Foundation. In April, the Taliban rejected a government call for a Ramadan cease-fire, saying it was "not rational." Afghan intelligence service spokesman Javid Faisal said on May 23 that at least 146 civilians were killed and 430 wounded in Taliban attacks during Ramadan. With reporting by AFP and AP Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Saturday (May 23, 2020) said that they have called for the Indian Army's support for immediate restoration of the essential infrastructure and services in the state after the Cyclone Amphan's havoc. The West Bengal's Home Department said that the GOWB mobilizes maximum strength in unified command mode on a 247 basis for immediate restoration of essential infrastructure and services as soon as possible and Army's support has been called for. They also said that the NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed and Railways, Port and private sector have also been requested to supply teams and equipment. GOWB mobilizes maximum strength in unified command mode on 247basis for immediate restoration of essential infrastructure and services asap. Army support has been called for;NDRF and SDRF teams deployed; Rlys,Port & private sector too requested to supply teams and equipment(1/3) HOME DEPARTMENT - GOVT. OF WEST BENGAL (@HomeBengal) May 23, 2020 They further stated that the drinking water and drainage infrastructure are getting restored fast and the generators are being hired where necessary. More than a hundred teams from multiple departments and bodies are working for cutting of fallen trees which is the key to the restoration of power in localities. ... which is the key to restoration of power in localities. WBSEDCL & CESC asked to deploy maximal manpower, even while lockdown significantly affects the deployment potential of the latter. Police on high alert.(3/3) HOME DEPARTMENT - GOVT. OF WEST BENGAL (@HomeBengal) May 23, 2020 The West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar appreciated the step and said, "A good move Mamata Banerjee to seek support and assistance of Army. These are trying time and appeal to people to keep calm. Authorities must restore connectivity, electricity and other services at the earliest." A good move @MamataOfficial to seek support and assistance of Army. These are trying time and appeal to people to keep calm. Authorities must restore connectivity, electricity and other services at the earliest. Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) May 23, 2020 Meanwhile, ten additional NDRF teams have been mobilized and are being rushed at the earliest from NDRF locations outside West Bengal. Teams are likely to reach Kolkata by late night today (May 23). Presently, 26 NDRF teams are deployed in Cyclone Amphan affected areas of the state for restoration work. The additional deployment of 10 teams will bring the total deployment to 36 teams of NDRF across the 6 districts of West Bengal affected by Cyclone Amphan. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Port Division, and DCP Traffic, Kolkata also shared numerous photos of their staff during the restoration process. We are trying our level best to make roads accessible across the Port Divison.#WeCareWeDare @CPKolkata @KolkataPolice pic.twitter.com/40DtqSAfqQ DCP Port Kolkata (@KPPortDiv) May 23, 2020 We are regularly on the the road, cutting the fallen trees and making it more and more accessible across the Port Division area. #Wedarewecare @KolkataPolice @CPKolkata pic.twitter.com/2L1992x2pP DCP Port Kolkata (@KPPortDiv) May 22, 2020 Earlier on Saturday, the West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said on the power outrage, "I would urge all to not engage in politics in the present times. Yes, there is power outage but Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) is not under the state govt. It is a private company but we have been telling them for three days to restore power." She added, "I have personally called them several times. Theres no mobile connectivity and no internet service even in the secretariat. Even Im not being able to make calls. We are working on war footing to restore everything. Those protesting, this is a request dont do so. We will also take appropriate action against those who are not trying to restore power." She also commented on the 1,000 crore relief package announced by the Centre and said, "There is widescale damage, I dont want to get into a confrontation with the Central Government immediately." According to the latest reports, the death toll in West Bengal due to the devastating cyclone stands at 86. Out of the 86 deaths -- 22 were electrocuted, 27 after being hit by uprooted trees, 21 in a wall collapse, 7 in a house collapse, 3 drowned, 1 was bitten by a snake, 3 due to cardiac arrest and 2 from the uprooted lamp post. Residents in Spain's biggest cities are gearing up for an easing in their lockdowns from Monday. People in the capital Madrid and second city Barcelona will be allowed to dine outdoors and have gatherings of up to ten people as infections slow. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT IRENE FERNANDEZ, SAYING: "We all cannot wait to go outside, but we know we must be responsible and behave in a civil manner so I think it will be great." Spain started phasing out one of Europe's toughest lockdowns earlier this month. But full restrictions had remained in Madrid and Barcelona where the outbreaks were more severe. In other regions, which account for about half of Spain's population, the lockdown restrictions will be relaxed even further. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Saturday the country will open to international tourism from July. Summer tourism is a major earner here, as well as in Greece and Italy, whose picturesque Amalfi coast is preparing for the possibility of tourists post-lockdown. Italy was one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic. Lockdown measures are easing there but Italians are still not allowed to travel outside their region and foreign travel has ground to a halt. UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. disarmament chief warned Friday that cyber crime is on the rise, with a 600% increase in malicious emails during the COVID-19 pandemic. Izumi Nakamitsu told an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council that the coronavirus crisis is moving the world toward increased technological innovation and online collaboration. But she said there have also been worrying reports of (cyber) attacks against health care organizations and medical research facilities worldwide. The high representative for disarmament affairs said growing digital dependency has increased the vulnerability to cyberattacks, and it is estimated that one such attack takes place every 39 seconds. According to the International Telecommunication Union, she said, nearly 90 countries are still only at the early stages of making commitments to cybersecurity. Nakamitsu said the threat from misusing information and communications technology is urgent. But she said there is also good news, pointing to some global progress at the United Nations to address the threats by a group of government expert who developed 11 voluntary non-binding norms of responsible state behavior in the use of such technology. Estonias Prime Minister Juri Ratas, whose country holds the Security Council presidency and organized Fridays meeting, said the need for a secure and functioning cyberspace is more pressing than ever. He condemned cyberattacks targeting hospitals, medical research facilities and other infrastructure, especially during the pandemic. Those attacks are unacceptable, Ratas said. It will be important to hold the offenders responsible for their behavior. Russia did not attend the informal council meeting broadcast online, which was the centerpiece of Estonias council presidency. The other 14 council nations did, along with about 50 other nations that spoke. Russias U.N. Mission said in a statement on its website that it did not attend because Estonia, the U.K. and the U.S. violated the established practice that all council members attend informal meetings regardless of whether they approve or disapprove its topic. The three countries did not attend a Russian-sponsored informal meeting on Crimea on Thursday. All three oppose Russias seizure and annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Story continues In March, the U.S., U.K., and Estonia accused Russias military intelligence of conducting cyberattacks against the government and media websites in Georgia, calling the attacks part of a continuing pattern of reckless ... cyberoperations against a number of countries that clearly contradict Russias attempts to claim it is a responsible actor in cyberspace. Estonia was the target of a massive three-week cyberattack during a dispute with Russia in 2007 over Estonias removal of the Bronze Soldier Soviet war memorial from the center of the capital, Tallinn. The attack disabled the websites of government ministries, political parties, newspapers, banks and companies. Since then, Estonia has built its cyber defenses and become one of the most wired societies in Europe and a pioneer in the development of e-government. Being highly dependent on computers, it is also highly vulnerable to cyberattack. Russia has taken on the issue of cybercrime at the United Nations, and won General Assembly approval in December for a resolution that will start the process of drafting a new international treaty to combat cybercrime over objections from the European Union, the U.S. and others. They said it would undermine international cooperation to combat cybercrime. We have witnessed malicious cyber activity that appears designed to undermine the United States and our international partners efforts to protect, assist, and inform the public during this global pandemic, Acting U.S. Deputy Ambassador Cherith Norman Chalet told Fridays meeting. She warned that actions hampering hospital and health care systems that perform critical services could have deadly results. Russias U.N. Mission posted the speech it would have delivered at the council meeting, which says the world literally finds itself now before a choice between global cyber peace or cyberwarfare. Russia said the COVID-19 pandemic introduced dramatic changes to peoples lives and showed that the worlds dependence on information and telecommunication technologies is now unprecedented. Moscow accused an `elite minority, whose members it did not identify, of actively pursuing the militarization of cyberspace by pushing forward the concept of `preventive military cyber strikes, including against critical infrastructure. According to media reports, Kolkata based English daily, Telegraph, has sacked 35 staffers that operated out of Jharkhand and North East. May 31 will be the last issue of the daily in the respective regions. The newspaper has compensated the staff by offering three to nine months basic pay along with gratuity pay for employees associated with the publication for more than a decade. All communication to the staff has been verbal and there has been no official email or statement released by the newspaper. The Kogi Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has upheld the election of Governor Yahaya Bello. A petition against his election had been filed by Musa Wada, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election. The judgment on Saturday was two against one. Also Read: BREAKING: Tribunal Dismisses SDP, Akpotis Petition Against Yahaya Bellos Election Advertisement Delivered by the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Kashim Kaigama, the panel held that the petitioner failed to prove the allegations of over-voting, massive thumb printing, voter intimidation, and other electoral malpractices. It awarded a cost of one million naira to be paid by the petitioners, PDP and Musa Wada to INEC, Yahaya Bello and APC who are the respondents. But on the contrary, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele nullified the election. He said INEC should conduct fresh elections in seven local government areas where the petitioners proved their allegations of over-voting, thuggery, voter intimidation, massive thumb printing, and other electoral malpractices. Ukraine needs more decisive and more robust cooperation with regional partners - Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, former Ukrainian Prime Minister and Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum Arseniy Yatsenyuk has said. He emphasized that Ukraine has to become a part of a number of regional initiatives. The Three Seas Initiative. I dont see a reason why Ukraine is not part of this initiative. And Bucharest Nine which is more correlated with the NATO issues. Ukraine has to be a partner in this type of regional initiatives, he said during the Kyiv Security Forum online discussion on May 22. We need more decisive, more robust and stronger international cooperation with our regional friends like Lithuania, Poland, Hungary. We need to turn the page of past discrepancies and dramas, to reconcile, and to look into the future, he underlined. This is the aim. To have a joint prosperous and bright future. For Ukraine, for the European Union and for our friends in the United States, Yatsenyuk added. The participants of the latest Kyiv Security Forum online discussion Strategic Outpost: How to Boost Ukraine's European Integration and Strengthen Eastern Europe?: Linas Linkevicius, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania; Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden; Ivannna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Integration of Ukraine to the EU; Marcin Bosacki, Polish politician, Senator, Deputy Chairman of the Foreign and European Union Affairs Committee of the Polish Senate; Kurt Volker, US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations (2017-2019); Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Prime Minister of Ukraine (2014-2016), Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum. Moderator of the discussion - Danylo Lubkivsky, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine, member of the Board at Open Ukraine Foundation. There are two subjects that I have written a lot about over the last dozen years at TreeHugger: the future of the office, and the healthy home. These days, they are conflated because of the pandemic. In an earlier post, I complained that there was a fundamental problem in the American Way of Building: crappy heating and air conditioning. I referenced Reyner Banham and his 1969 book, "The Architecture of the Well-tempered Environment" (Amazon $52), which was a profound influence on me when I was at the University of Toronto School of Architecture. I wrote: The problem is the American Way of Building, as Banham described it: fast and light, and if you have a problem, throw smart tech and cheap fuel at it. And of course, the failure of architects and designers, who have abdicated their responsibility for indoor comfort, designing without consideration of the consequences for the indoor environment, and just handing the whole thing over to the engineers and contractors to solve it for them. After writing that post I kept going and re-read the book in its entirety; here are some of the other lessons I was reminded of. Banham starts with a description of environmental management before we had modern systems. Most architecture was massive. Thick and weighty structures had thermal advantages; the mass of masonry stores the heat of the fire during the day and keeps one warmer at night. "Alternatively, the thick walls of a hot climate will hold solar heat during the day, slowing down the rate to which the interior becomes hot, and then, after sunset, the radiation of that hit into the house will help temper the sudden chill of the evening." Thomas Edison house in Fort Myers. Public Domain But not everywhere. In tropical and humid climates (like the southeastern United States), houses had elevated living floors to offer maximum exposure to prevailing breezes, huge parasol roofs, continuous porches and balconies to protect walls from slanting sun, large floor-to-ceiling windows and doors for maximum cross ventilation, tall ceilings, central halls, and vented attics. All forgotten since the development of air conditioning, now we just move the same air around and around again inside the house. It's why you get the same house or building anywhere in the country: you can throw energy and air conditioning at it instead of designing it for the climate. Banham writes about modern HVAC, "a neat box with control knobs and a mains [electrical] connection": By providing almost total control of the atmospheric variables of temperature, humidity and purity, it has demolished almost all of the environmental constraints on design that have survived that other great breakthrough, electric lighting. For anyone who is prepared to foot the consequent bill for power consumed, it is now possible to live in almost any type or form of house one likes to name in any region of the world that takes the fancy. Given this convenient climactic package one may live under low ceilings in the humid tropics, behind thin walls in the arctic and under uninsulated roofs in the desert. For sale: single garage with single bathroom house. CC BY 2.0 In the United States, air conditioning has made the established lightweight tract-developers' house habitable throughout the nation, and since this is the house that the US building industry is geared to produce above all others, it is now endemic from Maine to California, Seattle to Miami, from the Rockies to the Bayous. And he wrote this fifty years ago! All that is solid melts into MacBook Air. Open office, 1935. Edwin Levick/Getty Images Banham has a lot to say about office buildings and skyscrapers too, which is applicable to the situation today. He suggests that too little credit is given to the environmental factors in their design. Skyscraper office blocks in particular introduced novel discomforts and difficulties which required urgent solution. Such matters normally receive scant treatment in the historical literature, which commonly assumes that the steel frame and the elevator were all that were needed to make tall office blocks possible. In fact, a gaggle of other devices, such as electric lighting and the telephone, were equally necessary for business to proceed at all, and without the ability for business to proceed, skyscrapers would never have happened. New Equitable Life Building. Public Domain It's no surprise that the first skyscrapers in New York City were built for insurance companies; the whole point was to bring together massive numbers of clerical workers to copy and file and type and phone customers, all tied together by subways and telephone lines and electrical wires. The file cabinet and the phone, and then the typing pool are what made the office useful; the ventilation, wiring, and plumbing make it habitable. Banham quotes a writer from 1902: Professor Elihu Thompson once very shrewdly observed to the writer that if electric light had been in use for centuries and the candle had just been invented, it would have been hailed as one of the great blessings of the century, on the ground that it is perfectly self-contained, always ready for use and perfectly mobile. Give these workers a window!. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Phones, electric lights, electric typewriters and photocopiers, and then desktop computers were, until recently, fixed by wires, whether electric, telephone, or CAT-5. Filing cabinets are big and heavy. Now, like that candle, all our tools are always ready for use and perfectly mobile. When "all that is solid melts into MacBook Air" (a play on the title of a classic book about social and economic modernization), does the office building serve a useful function? Banham wrote, "Without the ability for business to proceed, skyscrapers would never have happened." When they are no longer needed for business to proceed, will they disappear? I suspect that this lockdown has been a real education for a lot of company managers, who are realizing that they are spending a whole lot of money and time supporting a way of working that no longer makes much sense. What would Banham think of Passive House? Passive house or Grandma's house?. Public Domain I used to think we should build like we did before Banham's regenerative systems (see Steve Mouzon's Original Green), writing many posts about the lessons we can learn from old buildings designed before the thermostat age. But then I saw how that "neat box with knobs" changed everything, and that in many climates, those old ways didn't deliver the level of comfort people have come to expect. I came to realize that people are not going to be willing to live without air conditioning in hot climates or in apartments without cross-ventilation, fanning themselves on the veranda while sipping iced tea. That's when I went from Grandma's house to Passive House. Here was a concept where you don't have those "consequent bills for power consumed" because of the recognition that you really can't separate the design of the building from its environmental constraints. Energy consumption and air movement actually define it; hitting the energy consumption targets often drives the building form and the architectural design. But this means that architects have to understand how to deal with environmental management. And as Banham notes, architects really weren't interested. Rather, they were "happy to hand over all forms of environmental management to other specialists, and have taught young architects to continue in this dereliction of manifest duty." It is obviously too late in the day to begin blaming architects for the fact that this situation exists, especially since the blame lies also with society at large for not having demanded of them that they be any more than the creators of inefficient environmental sculptures, however handsome. We can and should demand more. As an example, during a recent Passive House Happy Hour, engineer and consultant Sally Godber of WARM described how she worked with Mikhail Riches on the design of a Passive House social housing project that was so smart and so gorgeous that it won the Stirling Prize, the most prestigious in the UK. (It starts at 10:30 in the video.) Complexity audit. Video screen capture It becomes so clear that if you don't come in after the fact and say "make this work" but think of it as an integrated process right from the beginning, the architecture evolves to be both a handsome environmental structure and also an efficient, affordable project. Then you can have a healthy building with good air quality and you don't just throw smart tech and a big heat pump at it. Tim Crocker via RIBA This is the way we have to design everything now, so that our buildings are healthy, energy-efficient, and beautiful. I suspect that Reyner Banham would have approved. Banham updated "The Architecture of the Well-tempered Environment" in 1984; according to the publisher, Banham has added considerable new material on the use of energy, particularly solar energy, in human environments. Included in the new material are discussions of Indian pueblos and solar architecture, the Centre Pompidou and other high-tech buildings, and the environmental wisdom of many current architectural vernaculars. That edition might be even more relevant to today's conditions; I have been reading the 1969 edition and the message seemed as fresh as ever: We can't just throw technology and energy at a building anymore. The design for energy performance and comfort are inseparable from the architecture. The US House of Representatives will soon vote on legislation recently approved by the Senate that would pave the way for sanctions on Chinese officials over the treatment of ethnic minority groups in China's northwest, three congressional staffers said on Friday. Lawmakers introduced the legislation last year as a response to Beijing's mass internment of Uygurs and other largely Muslim ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR). The Uygur Human Rights Policy Act will move to the House floor on Wednesday, two staff members said. There are no changes to the Senate's bill, they said, meaning that if the lower chamber approves the legislation " as it is expected to " the bill will go to President Donald Trump to be signed into law. He could reject the bill, but presidential vetoes can be overturned by a two-thirds majority in Congress. Along with other hot-button human rights issues such as Hong Kong, there is overwhelming and bipartisan support among lawmakers for a stern US response to Beijing's actions in Xinjiang. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, has accused the Chinese government of subjecting Uygurs in the region to "unabated abuse and repression". The bill is expected to be considered on Wednesday under suspension of the rules, said one Democratic House aide, referring to a procedure commonly used to expeditiously move non-controversial legislation. The House's anticipated approval of the bill will bring to an end a months-long back-and-forth between the Senate and House over the language of the legislation, with discrepancies between various versions previously passed by the two chambers preventing it from moving to the White House. The bill passed by the Senate on May 14 removed a section on tightening US export controls that had been introduced in a version approved by the House in December. Only one lawmaker in the House, Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie, voted against the bill then, citing concerns that the use of sanctions as required by the legislation would invite foreign countries to "meddle in our affairs". Story continues Beijing, which calls the mass internment camps in Xinjiang "vocational training centres", routinely lambasts any US lawmaker who speaks out or offers legislation on the matter. When the House passed the previous version of the bill in December, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman called on the US to "prevent this bill from becoming law" and threatened countermeasures "according to how the situation develops". If signed into law, the Uygur Human Rights Policy Act would require the US administration issue a report within 180 days identifying all foreign individuals deemed responsible for human rights abuses in Xinjiang, including torture, extrajudicial and prolonged detention, and "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment". The administration would then be required to freeze their US-held assets and bar them from stepping foot on American soil, though the president could waive sanctions under certain circumstances. The bill also requires that the administration deliver to Congress detailed reports into human rights abuses in Xinjiang, any efforts by Beijing to intimidate or harass US residents or citizens, and the security and economic implications of the Chinese government's measures in the region. Senator Marco Rubio, the Republican of Florida who introduced the bill, said its Senate passage last week sent "a clear message to Chinese officials responsible for egregious human rights abuses committed against the Uygurs that they will be held accountable". Senator Marco Rubio introduced the initial Uygur bill. Photo: AP alt=Senator Marco Rubio introduced the initial Uygur bill. Photo: AP Pressure from Capitol Hill on the executive branch to punish China over the camps has remained high even as the Trump administration has enacted some punitive measures, including the imposition of sanctions last October on a number of Chinese government and private entities over their implication in "human rights violations and abuses" in Xinjiang. On Friday, the Commerce Department announced that it would soon add nine more entities to that first tranche, including the Institute of Forensic Science under China's Ministry of Public Security. The designations restrict US companies' ability to export items to the targeted entities, which also include a number of companies alleged by the Commerce Department to have enabled "high-technology surveillance in the XUAR". 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. A Wicklow woman rejected an offer to evacuate from south- east Africa so she could help prevent the spread of Covid-19 in one of the world's poorest countries. Eleanor Carty (30), from Roundwood, had the option of being evacuated from Malawi where she works with Irish aid agency Concern Worldwide - but instead she decided to stay and help with their life-saving COVID-19 prevention work. 'My hope is that by staying, I can contribute in any way that I can,' said Eleanor. 'Ever since finishing university, I have wanted to be one of those people working for Concern, to assist the extreme poor anywhere in the world to experience major improvements in their lives. For that reason alone, I was never going to leave Malawi when there was already a need for this kind of work even before coronavirus arrived here. 'This line of work is not a job, it's a vocation. It's in you and becomes part of you. The focus of humanitarian and development workers is always to help and I am here trying to do that. 'I was also very confident in my family's dedication to the guidelines and restrictions that the Irish government put in place - so I had comfort in the belief that they will hopefully be safe during the pandemic. 'Both my parents work in the medical industry. My dad, Justin, works in the medical technology sector and my mum, Sarah, works in a hospital setting - so they are both very aware of the dangers of COVID-19 and the importance of diligently adhering to the measures.' Eleanor is an expert in humanitarian logistics and emergency management and is a European Union-funded volunteer with the charity. Like so many, she is reliant on online communication tools like WhatsApp and Zoom to stay in touch with her friends and family in Ireland - which included a special video call on May 2 when her family had hoped to witness her brother, Cormac, getting married. 'The wedding was postponed until October, but it is possible that I could still be here in Malawi, depending on the situation then,' she said. Malawi currently has 56 confirmed cases and three deaths as of May 11, but there are fears that many more are going undetected in a country that has 20 ventilators with a population of over 17 million people. Eleanor's role with Concern includes organising aid movement, human resources, security and information technology needs. She and her colleagues are helping raise awareness of the virus amongst the poorest communities and how they can prevent themselves from getting it, such as by washing hands and good respiratory hygiene. They are also providing washing facilities, soap and other essential items. 'The needs here in Malawi are so great in terms of vulnerability to COVID-19 but also in terms of access to healthcare,' said Eleanor. 'People have pre-existing conditions like HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and malnutrition and it is unclear at this time if these pre-existing conditions will increase a person's vulnerability, or risk and by how much. 'Living conditions are such that many individuals live in communities where households are very close together and you could have multi-generational families living in each dwelling. 'There may or may not be running water in each house. Frequently there is a stand of taps in the centre of the community where residents go with buckets to fill and bring back to their home.' Eleanor said a donation of 50 can supply enough hand washing soap and detergent for washing clothes for a whole month for 25 families in Malawi. 'Any donation will go to good use to fight COVID-19 in these vulnerable communities and a little goes a long way,' she said. Anyone who wants to support Concern's work or learn more about it can do so at Concern.net. Pune: The police in Satara district of Maharashtra were in for a surprise today when they received a congratulatory note on cracking a serial killing casefrom the alleged killer himself. Doctor Santosh Pol, arrested for murdering at least six persons between 2003 and 2016, sent a hand-written note addressed to Superintendent of Police Sandip Patil. Pol, whose academic qualification is dubious but worked as a doctor, hailed Patil for catching him and said, If you ask me why I am doing all this, then the question should be asked to the corrupt officials from the (police) department and the dormant society between 2003 and 2016. It was a police inspector from the local crime branch and the in-charge officer of Wai police station who cracked the case last month, Pol claimed. Patil told PTI that Pol apparently wanted to say that the murders remained unsolved until now because the concerned officers during this period were corrupt. It shows how he is trying to be over-smart and how deceitful he is, said the SP. Pol has been dubbed as Dr Death by the local media. He confessed to the killings during the interrogation, according to the police. Pol was earlier known for setting up the police officials and getting them caught in anti-corruption bureaus traps as well as resorting to blackmailing. Police officers would stay away from him because of his reputation of being a nuisance, an official said. As per the police, Pol killed Surekha Chikane on May 20, 2003. On August 12, 2006, he killed Vanita Gaikwad; on August 13, 2010, he killed Jagabai Pol. Nathamal Bhandari, a jeweller, was killed on December 7, 2015. On January 17, 2016, he murdered Salma Shaikh, and on June 16 he killed Mangala Jedhe. It was Jedhes disappearance which led the police to him. The murders were committed for looting the victims, or to eliminate those who could spill the beans on previous murders, police added. It is 40 years since Choi Jung-ja saw her husband, who has been missing since South Korea's military dictatorship killed hundreds of people when they crushed the pro-democracy Gwangju Uprising, a scar that burns in the country's political psyche to this day. On May 18, 1980 demonstrators protesting against dictator Chun Doo-hwan's declaration of martial law confronted his troops and 10 days of violence ensued. But conservatives in the South still condemn the uprising as a Communist-inspired rebellion backed by the North, while left-leaning President Moon Jae-in wants to enshrine it in the constitution. Choi's husband was 43 when he left their house in the southern city to buy oil for a heater at the family pub, never to return. Once the violence was over Choi frantically searched for him, even opening random coffins in the streets covered with blood-stained Korean flags. "I couldn't continue after opening the third coffin," she told AFP. "The faces were covered with blood -- there were no words to describe them. The faces were unrecognisable." She still takes medication to deal with the trauma, she said, and curses whenever Chun appears on television. - 'Fuel for the fire' - There is no agreed toll for Gwangju, with reports of secret burials both on land and at sea. The military remaining in power for another eight years offered ample opportunity to dispose of the evidence. Official bodies point to around 160 dead -- including some soldiers and police -- and more than 70 missing. Activists say up to three times as many may have been killed. But the search for justice has gone through multiple twists and turns and Gwangju is one of the most politicised historical events in a viciously polarised country. The South is still technically at war with the nuclear-armed North. At the time of the Gwangju Uprising, Chun's military regime described it as a rebellion led by supporters of then-opposition leader Kim Dae-jung, who comes from nearby Sinan, and pro-Pyongyang agitators. Kim was arrested, convicted of sedition and sentenced to death. But the penalty was commuted under international pressure and he was granted asylum in the US, before being elected president himself in the 1990s after the restoration of democracy and winning the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize. Chun was convicted in 1996 of treason over Gwangju and bribery and condemned to hang, but his execution was commuted on appeal and he was released following a presidential pardon. He still denies any direct involvement in the suppression of the uprising. Today, the South's president Moon -- who as a student took part in other anti-dictatorship protests -- regularly highlights Gwangju, promising to reopen investigations into it and calling for it to be included in the constitution. South Korea's opposition seeks to paint Moon as a Pyongyang sympathiser, and Hannes Mosler of the University of Duisburg-Essen said the right sought to use Gwangju to discredit liberals by linking them to the "absolute evil" of the North. "North Korea lies at the heart of polarisation strategies in South Korea," Mosler told AFP. "Once a fake narrative is built around the Gwangju Uprising that connects it with North Korea, this provides the fuel for the polarisation fire to burn further and further." Moon's Democratic Party won a landslide election victory last month largely on the back of the government's successful handling of the coronavirus epidemic in the country. But while the city of Daegu was at the centre of the outbreak, it is the last stronghold of the right and Moon's party lost every one of the seats there. - Last wish - Last year the remains of around 40 people were discovered at the site of a former prison in Gwangju, where 242 relatives of missing people have given DNA samples in the hope of identifying corpses that have yet to come to light. Among them is Cha Cho-gang, 81, whose son never returned after setting out to sell garlic at a market in the city, aged 19. "My husband died three years ago," she said. "His last wish was to bury our son's remains before his own funeral. "I have the same wish, but I don't know if it will ever come true." The only remaining photo of Jung Ki-young, one of more than 70 South Koreans who disappeared during the Gwangju Uprising in 1980 The May 18 National Cemetery holds the remains of victims from South Korea's Gwangju pro-democracy uprising Official counts estimate around 160 people died in the Gwangju Uprising, but activists say up to three times as many may have been killed Jung Ho-hwa, whose father Jung Ki-young disappeared during the Gwangju Uprising The May 18 National Cemetery holds the remains of victims from South Korea's Gwangju pro-democracy uprising Cyber racketeers are duping people by offering to sell blood plasma of recovered COVID-19 patients, advertising it as a miracle cure for coronavirus infection, a senior police official said on Saturday. Plasma therapy is being used on experimental basis to treat serious cases of COVID-19 in India and other countries. Taking advantage of the hype surrounding it, fraudsters are offering to sell plasma (a component of blood) of recovered patients, which is supposed to contain antibodies for the virus, as a "miracle cure" on Dark Net, said Yashasvi Yadav, Special Inspector General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber. "Our team is investigating this. We have got screen shots of such claims," he said. The sites were on Dark Net, the unlisted and secretive networks within Internet, he said. Besides monitoring such illegitimate activities, cyber police are also monitoring spread of objectionable content and misinformation on social media, he said. In a first in the country, Maharashtra cyber police are sending notices under section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code to those circulating objectionable content online, he said. Section 149 gives police the power to take steps to prevent a possible offence. So far notices have been sent to 122 online users, and offensive content posted or shared by more than 60 people has been deleted, Yadav said. T Muruganadham and Sahaya Novinston Lobo By Express News Service CHENNAI: The principal sessions judge in Egmore remanded DMK organising secretary and Rajya Sabha member R S Bharathi in judicial custody till June 5 within a few hours of his arrest on Saturday on charges of insulting judges from the Scheduled Caste. The judge R Selvakumar, however, granted interim bail to Bharathi till May 31. The judge pointed out that a prima facie case is made out in the FIR under the relevant provisions of the SC/ST Act against the accused. Remand can be refused only when there is no prima facie case made out from the prosecution records. "Under these circumstances, this court finds no reason to refuse remand. Hence, the accused is remanded custody till June 5," he said. He added that it was submitted that the family members of the accused are doctors. In view of the prevailing, COVID-19 situation, there are possibilities of the spread of infection to other inmates of the jail due to the admission of the accused in prison under judicial custody. "Hence, this court is of the considered view that pending orders on the criminal original petition (of the accused) before the Madras High Court (seeking to quash the criminal proceedings and seeking advance bail), which is posted on May 27, it is better to grant interim bail till May 31, rather than keeping him in jail. Accordingly, the accused is released on his executing a personal bond for Rs 10,000," the judge said. Bharathi shall surrender before this court on June 1 without fail, subject to the result of the CoP pending before the High Court, the judge said. The case was based on certain remarks he made during an internal party meeting held in February. Bharathi had recalled how a particular judge from the Dalit community was appointed in the higher judiciary during the regime of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and that Dalits coming to such prominent postings was an "alms made by the Dravidian movement". After portions of his speech went viral in social media, Bharathi had subsequently apologised. He stated that his intention was only to highlight the schemes which was implemented by the former Chief Minister Karunanidhi for the betterment of Dalits. The case was registered against Bharathi based on the complaint from one Kalyanasundaram of Aadhi Tamilar Makkal Katchi and that his remarks amounted to insulting judges and those belonging to Scheduled Caste community. Meanwhile, DMK MP and senior advocate P Wilson has moved the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court seeking permission to quash a petition along with an application for advance bail for another DMK MP T R Baalu, who is also facing a similar charge. Following a complaint lodged by K Sekar of Coimbatore, a case was registered against Baalu under the SC/ ST Act. The CJ has directed the Registrar (Judicial) to place the file before the portfolio judge -- Justice M Nirmal Kumar -- and the same is likely to be taken up shortly. Earlier, senior police officers confirmed the arrest to Express and said Bharathi has been booked under sections 3(1)(U), 3 (1)(V) of the Prevention of SC & ST Atrocities Act, 1989. The case was initially registered at the Teynampet police station and later transferred to the Central Crime Branch of the Chennai police. He was taken into custody from his Alandur residence early on Saturday morning and a senior police officer told Express that the Central Crime Branch police is questioning Bharathi. The action comes in the backdrop of National Commission for Scheduled Caste recently issuing a notice to the Tamil Nadu government asking for an action taken report against another DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran for his recent comments. Maran had expressed disappointment over the manner the Chief Secretary K Shanmugam treated the DMK MPs when they met him to hand over petitions from public seeking relief during the lockdown. He commented whether they are "people from downtrodden" community to deserve such a treatment. The National Commission for Scheduled Caste is also probing an allegation that the office of DMK's party newspaper 'Murasoli' is located on a Panchami land that belongs to the Dalit community. Incidentally, RS Bharathi was appearing before the commission to represent Murasoli in the case and he is also one of the trustee members of the Murasoli Trust. Also, L Murugan, who was a few months ago appointed as the Tamil Nadu president of the BJP, was heading the National Commission for Scheduled Caste when the commission began the probe into the Murasoli case. DMK deputy general secretary VP Dursisamy, who also hails from the Dalit community, on Friday joined BJP after his met the BJP leader Murugan and subsequently removed from the post by DMK. The DMK has condemned the arrest. Bharathi has said that he has been arrested to "satisfy someone else". He said his remarks made on February 15 in an internal party meeting was twisted out of context. Senior DMK leader TR Baalu condemned the arrest while AIADMK MLA S Semmalai denied political motives behind the arrest. Semmalai said Bharathi has been arrested on the basis that all are equal before the law. Meanwhile, BJP national secretary H Raja welcomed the arrest of Bharathi. In a tweet, he said, "Next, Dhayanidhi Maran in the waiting list?". On Friday, Bharathi had moved the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Principal Sessions Court here to consider his bail application the same day and he would prefer to surrender in connection with a case booked under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Meanwhile, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran has filed an urgent plea in the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail. DMK advocates said that Justice M Nirmal Kumar has agreed to hear the plea and the hearing is expected to commence later in the day. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday said that the arrest of DMK Rajya Sabha MP RS Bharathi was a legal action taken by the police based on a complaint filed by an individual Kalyanasundaram under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Speaking to reporters at Salem, the CM further said, There is no political intention or government interference in the arrest of DMK MP RS Bharathi. When a functionary makes derogatory comments against SC/ST, the opposition party leader should condemn the functionary and should not blame the ruling party. A newspaper mogul ranked among France's richest 25 people has admitted he was a teenage spy who hacked the mobile phone of President Mitterrand. Xavier Niel, 52, is the co-owner of Le Monde newspaper and the 21st richest person in France with an estimated fortune of 8 billion. Speaking to the Parliamentary Channel, Niel admitted that he was hired by the Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DST) in the mid-1980s. The security service run by France's interior ministry called Niel in after he was caught hacking the French channel Canal Plus aged 17 having dropped out of education. Xavier Niel, 52, (left) has admitted that as a teenager he worked as a spy for the French interior ministry after being caught hacking Canal Plus. Pictured: Niel and his wife Delphine Arnault, 45, attend the French Open on June 9, 2019 Niel quit his hacking job aged 20 to run erotic sites on Minitel, France's precursor to the internet. Pictured: Niel and his wife Delphine Arnault attend the state visit of Grand-Duc Henri of Luxembourg, Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa of Luxembourg on March 19, 2018 He said: 'I wasn't in the secret service. I was a sort of part-time correspondent who would tell them regularly what we're finding, what we were seeing, in our world of hacking.' The security service wanted Niel to set up a group of hackers made up of other bright young individuals who could help explain the world of cyber security to them in an age when the technology was still brand new. This even involved hacking the mobile telephone of President Mitterrand in 1986. President Mitterrand's administration later caught up in a phone hacking scandal dubbed the 'French Watergate' where he had the phones of hundreds of French personalities tapped. Niel was also tasked with hacking car manufacturer Renault. His group learned that the company was being hacked by people from Australia who were downloading large chunks of data. Though for Niel, it was all just a bit of fun. 'We were doing all this for ourselves as a game and we would pass on the information,' he said. 'It was just fun. It was thrilling to get around the system. They told us it was impossible.' Niel did not say how the information he gathered was used by the DST. Niel even hacked the mobile phone of French President Mitterrand (pictured) as well as car manufacturer Renault. Pictured: President Mitterrand (middle) opens the channel tunnel in 1994 alongside Queen Elizabeth II Aged 20, Niel retired from his hacking job and began running erotic sites on the French forerunner of the internet, Minitel. Niel said that he wanted to share details about his teenage hacking years 'as an example for kids today to show how you can do silly things and come good.' He has also spent some of his fortune trying to help give young people a helping hand at the start of their careers. In 2013 he spent 41million on a free coding school in Paris as well as nearly 250million on Station F, the world's largest start-up laboratory that houses 1,000 start-up companies. The Minsk-Yerevan-Minsk and Moscow-Yerevan flights are expected on May 25. This was reported by the Civil Aviation Committee of Armenia, News.am reports. "The Minsk-Yerevan-Minsk flight will be conducted by Belavia company (arriving in Yerevan at 02:45, departing from Yerevan at 03:35) on May 25 of this year. The Moscow-Yerevan flight by Red Wings airline (arriving at 21:10) will be conducted on May 25 of this year. According to the Commandant's instructions, the Tourism Committee of the RA [Republic of Armenia] Ministry of Economy will accompany the arriving passengers to the places of self-isolation; that is, to the addresses given in advance by the passengers," the statement said, in particular. The Indian construction industry is expected to contract by 1.7 per cent this year, as the slowdown in 2019 has been compounded by the two-month lockdown due to Covid-19, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. The slowdown in the construction industry in 2019 was due to liquidity crisis and slowing domestic demand in the residential segment. Although, the situation was expected to improve in 2020 due to government initiatives such as improving liquidity position and expanded infrastructure investments under the National Infrastructure Program, but the Covid-19 outbreak and the government containment measures will affect the construction industry in the short-term, stated the report. Dhananjay Sharma, the construction analyst at GlobalData, said: "The residential sector, which was already facing weakness due to the liquidity crunch and a decline in new residential projects launched across major cities, will struggle to recover due to the supply and demand downturn that will be created by the lockdown." "Construction work on residential projects across the country will be delayed amid the lockdown, while the temporary unemployment will have an impact on the income of people, thereby affecting demand for residential buildings over the short-term," noted Sharma. Recently, India announced an extension of the lockdown by another two weeks, till May 31, 2020, taking the total lockdown period to 69 days. However, the government has eased restrictions on economic activity across most of the country except in the containment zones, stated Sharma. "In the second half of the year, the construction industry will benefit from the oil price crash, which would slash the countrys import bills and help the government to invest heavily on its flagship National Infrastructure Pipeline," he added.-TradeArabia News Service CLEVELAND, Ohio Sherwin-Williams work toward building new facilities in Cleveland and Brecksville slowed but not stopped in recent months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The paint giant said in a statement in April that spending related to both new facilities is paused near term as the Company focuses on the health and safety of our employees, customers and communities. A spokeswoman for the company, which has had its employees work from home, said this week that the statement still stands. Planning continues at a slower pace, though the timeline to complete the facilities as early as 2023 and have staff move into them remains in place, the statement read. The company has yet to announce an architect. We will continue to work with state and local partners and look forward to finalizing the remaining economic development package agreements, the companys statement said. Sherwin-Williams, currently headquartered downtown in the Landmark Office Towers, announced in February that it would build its new headquarters west of Public Square on a tract of parking lots, along with a research and development facility off Interstate 77 in Brecksville, on the site of a former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. Sherwin-Williams employs about 4,400 people in Northeast Ohio. The companys places call for new facilities with the capacity to hold at least 3,500 employees, with room to expand. The company spent $49.4 million in March for nearly seven acres in Cleveland, stretching from Public Square into the Warehouse District. The projects are expected to cost more than $600 million combined, though not all of that money is coming from the companys pockets. Cleveland, Brecksville, Cuyahoga County and the Ohio government have pledged generous incentives to the company to remain in the area. JobsOhio in April awarded the company $37.5 million in grants for the projects, while the Port of Cleveland announced Thursday that it approved up to $50 million in taxable lease revenue bonds for the projects. The Ohio Controlling Board, meanwhile, hit pause on a plan to loan the company $70 million because of the coronavirus. Some civic leaders wonder whether Sherwin-Williams will shrink its original plan, thinking the company may need less space than originally thought if portions of its workforce permanently work from home. The companys statement said the reasons it wants new facilities remain unchanged." Sherwin-Williams operates out of a 90-year old headquarters building that is no longer able to meet the needs of our 21st century, growing workforce, it said. While weve been sheltering during the last 10 weeks of the coronavirus crisis, news from before the pandemic continued to develop. Cleveland.com has a guide to the stories you might have missed and what might come next. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Parents have been told to stay away from school grounds, workers are being urged to drive or walk to work, and the city is on high alert with marshalls patrolling the public transport network as Sydneysiders prepare for life with COVID-19. NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Sunday reported one new infection and an unconfirmed case involving a female high school student who had developed mild symptoms. "It is crucial that people don't relax over the weekends as we go forward," he said. The latest industries to be unlocked will be beauty and nail salons that can begin treatments from June 1 under strict COVID-safe guidelines. Zoos, reptile parks and aquariums will also be opened next month. The government and health authorities were also discussing how gyms and community sport might reopen. "We are working on it and I as Health Minister am very keen to get the gyms reopened," Mr Hazzard said. Read more here. Sohum Shah puts an end to speculations around Tummbad 2, says he's working on another project Abhas Jha, an Indian economist, has been appointed by the World Bank to a key position on climate change and disaster management in South Asia, the global lender said. Jha's appointment comes at a time when Cyclone Amphan has badly hit West Bengal, Orissa in India and Bangladesh. In his capacity as World Bank's Practice Manager for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management for South Asia, one of the top priorities of Jha will be to encourage and help the South Asia region (SAR) Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change team to connect and collaborate across Global Practice boundaries, the bank said in a statement on Friday. And also to the World Bank to conceive and deliver innovative and high-quality development solutions to respond to client demands and strengthen disaster risk management and climate action in the region, the statement said. Based out of Singapore, Jha will also work closely with other Practice Managers, Global Leads and Global Solutions Groups to incubate, pilot and scale-up innovative and high-quality development solutions, and to promote the generation and flow of global knowledge to serve these countries, the bank said. According to the bank, Jha's mandate is to nurture, lead, inspire and deploy a team of highly qualified professionals to deliver the best solutions for these countries. Jha, an Indian national, joined the Bank in 2001 in the office of the Executive Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka and has since worked in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia, and East Asia and the Pacific regions. His most recent assignment is Practice Manager for Urban Development and Disaster Risk Management in the East Asia and Pacific region. His area of jurisdiction includes India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Maldives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) About 20% SBI borrowers avail loan repayment moratorium; banks can go for debt recast says SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar. (PTI Photo) Mumbai: State Bank of India chairman Rajnish Kumar on Friday said close to 20 percent of the bank's borrowers have availed moratorium on repayment of term loans instalments. On 27 March, the central bank had announced a three-month moratorium on payment of all term loans falling due between 1 March 2020 and 31 May 2020. On Friday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed banks and other lending institutions to extend the moratorium on loans by another three months -- from 1 June 2020 to 31 August 2020. "In case of State Bank of India, the percentage (of borrowers who have availed the moratorium) is very small around 20 percent," Kumar told reporters through a video conference. He said not all who have availed the moratorium are facing any liquidity issue. "Many of them could have serviced their loans but as a matter of strategy they would want to preserve their cash and have opted for the moratorium, he said. Kumar also advised borrowers to pay their loans if they are not facing any funding challenge. "If people are able to pay (EMIs) they should pay. If they are unable to pay then only they should take the benefit of the moratorium," he said. According to Kumar, the RBI's moratorium will take care of the cashflow disruption of borrowers and there might not be any urgent need for a dispensation of one-time restructuring of stressed accounts from the RBI. "Right now, the moratorium will take care of the situation around the cash flow disruptions. I would not be obsessed with one-time restructuring at this particular point of time when we have time till 31 August," he said. He, however, said banks can go for debt recast even today as per 7 June circular of the RBI. Banks and NBFCs have been requesting the RBI to allow them for one-time restructuring of their accounts where the borrowers are facing funding issues. Weekly briefing: Ravi Zacharias dies, Trump calls churches 'essential,' pro-lifers on 'Jane Roe' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment We've compiled the top stories of the week. Here's what you need to know: Apologist Ravi Zacharias dies after cancer battle; many pay tribute Prominent Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias died Tuesday after battling cancer. He was 74. Tributes for the influential thinker poured in from pastors, evangelists, lay persons as well as Vice President Mike Pence. Ravi Zacharias resurrected the faith of many doubters and illuminated the truth for many skeptics. He articulated the validity of the Christian faith better than anyone I know. Jentezen Franklin, Free Chapel Trump calls churches essential, want them to reopen Amid ongoing lawsuits and debates over restrictions on church gatherings, President Donald Trump said Thursday that he considers churches essential and said governors are hurting their states by keeping them closed. He said he spoke with the CDC about guidelines for houses of worship to reopen. Churches, to me, they are so important in terms of the psyche of our country. Trump His comments come after First Pentecostal Church of Holly Springs in Mississippi, which filed a lawsuit against a town ban on worship gatherings, was destroyed by a fire Wednesday. Investigators believe it to be an act of arson. The phrase Bet you stay home now you hypokrits was found spray painted in the parking lot. Meanwhile, Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle in Georgia, decided to close again after learning that several families contracted COVID-19. The church had restarted in-person services late April. Pro-lifers slam documentary claiming Jane Roe was paid to be pro-life FX is releasing a new documentary on Friday that claims Norma McCorvey, the famed woman behind the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion, was paid to become a pro-life activist later in her life. Pro-lifers who have known her for many years, including Father Frank Pavone, rejected the claim, arguing that McCorvey was sincere about her beliefs. She spent more years trying to overturn Roe v. Wade than she spent as a pro-abortion activist There is no way her Christian faith or her pro-life beliefs were false. Operation Rescue President Troy Newman Christians win American Idol, The Voice Two Christians, including a pastor, who have not been shy about their faith, swept the popular singing competitions American Idol and The Voice this week. Samantha Diaz, also known as Just Sam, was crowned the winner of American Idol. Her final performance of You Say was a duet with Christian artist Lauren Daigle. Todd Tilghman, pastor of Cornerstone Church in Mississippi, won The Voice after singing MercyMes I Can Only Imagine. I sure am grateful for every moment. Tilghman In case you missed it Stroke survivor Katherine Wolf on finding God in suffering Aimee Byrd on why the Church needs to focus more on discipleship than biblical manhood and womanhood Small churches hit by pandemic: Were in this for the souls Pray for 8 Christians in India who were arrested while packing relief supplies New releases Album: Freedom EP by Tommy Payne (May 22) Books: Corona Crisis: Plagues, Pandemics, and the Coming Apocalypse by Mark Hitchcock (May 19) Chasing a God You Dont Want to Catch by Darren Wilson (May 12) Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 17:12:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Luo Jie, a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), is interviewed via video link before the opening meeting of the third session of the 13th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, May 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Li He) BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Before sharing his stories in a live broadcast interview at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Luo Jie had been fighting COVID-19 on the front line for months in one of the hardest-hit areas in China. The 53-year-old president of the Taihe Hospital in Shiyan, central China's Hubei Province, is in Beijing attending the annual session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, which opened on Friday. Luo, an NPC deputy, is among about 3,000 national lawmakers and 2,000 political advisors gathering in the capital for the "two sessions," a major political event that also includes the annual session of the country's top political advisory body. Though this year's two sessions are shortened, lawmakers and political advisors still take questions from reporters on the sideline of the meetings, mostly via video links in light of the current COVID-19 epidemic situation. Luo was joined by deputies from all walks of life -- from primary-level community workers, janitors to lawyers and ministers. Their experiences offer a glimpse into how the country's lawmakers fulfill their duties as NPC deputies. Drawing on his professional experience, Luo offered suggestions concerning public health emergency responses. Through arduous efforts, China has achieved decisive results in the fight against COVID-19. The novel coronavirus is dangerous, but frontline doctors and nurses went all out to save every single life, Luo said. More than 3,600 COVID-19 patients aged over 80 have recovered in Hubei, seven of whom were centenarians, Luo told reporters. "We value every life with our whole heart." He also took advantage of the live broadcast to express his gratitude to those who have helped people in Hubei. "Tens of millions of Hubei people will never forget those medical workers coming from across the country to save lives day and night, and we are grateful for every mask, every protective suit sent from around the world," he said. As epidemic prevention and control becomes a regular practice, China is making its final push toward poverty elimination and completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects in this year. The third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) The national endeavor to fight poverty is also a priority concern for Shi Liping, an NPC deputy of the Miao ethnic group in southwest China's Guizhou Province. A folk craftsman of the traditional Miao embroidery herself, Shi said the craft has created jobs for half a million Miao women. Statistics show that Guizhou relocated 1.88 million people from inhospitable areas in 2019. "We have built 100 anti-poverty Miao embroidery workshops in the resettlement sites," Shi said. NPC deputy Zhu Guoping, a community worker in Shanghai, shared her experience of getting local residents involved to contribute to law revision. "I made my cell phone number public to the residents and led my colleagues to make door-to-door visits to listen to their voices and help them solve problems," Zhu said in front of the camera. According to Zhu, her community has participated in the revision of 35 laws, including laws on domestic violence and minor protection, with 610 opinions brought forward. On Friday, the national lawmakers started deliberating a draft civil code, which, after approval, is expected to further refine China's basic legal system and rules of conduct in the civil and commercial fields. In addition to a general provision and a supplementary provision, the 1,260-article draft has six parts on property, contracts, personality rights, marriage and family, inheritance, and tort liabilities. The draft was prepared after extensive suggestions were solicited from the public. Xiao Shengfang, an NPC deputy and head of the Guangdong Lawyers Association, made 170 suggestions on revision since 2014 when the decision to compile the civil code was announced. Considered "an encyclopedia on social life," the civil code concerns every aspect of people's lives, Xiao said. "I am glad that some of my contributions have been accepted." Women experiencing family violence would be able to get help through supermarkets under a plan by Victoria's key crisis response service for women and children, Safe Steps. Secure spaces and phone access to call police or other services would be provided by trained supermarket staff under the proposal by Safe Steps chief executive officer, Rita Butera, and supported by senior police. In April, Safe Steps had an increase of 20 per cent in referrals from hospitals of women who have experienced family violence. Under the proposal, signs would inform women of certain words or phrases to alert staff they need help accessing safety support. A similar strategy is being used successfully in pharmacies in some European countries in lockdown. Ms Butera said Safe Steps data showed perpetrators are exercising greater control over women and children during lockdown which means some women are struggling to make contact. Some were "using the virus as a weapon" to control women. It starts with a trickle at 7:25 p.m. People walk north from Bloor, some wearing masks, carrying groceries, others carry children. A few ride bikes, but most come on foot, everyone heading toward the same Annex house. Vanessa Fralick walks with a trombone in one hand, her other hand in her pocket. Neil Deland carries his French horn. Kyle Windjack bikes with his trumpet case in a milk crate. Marcus Thompson leaves his apartment across the street, also carrying a trumpet. The musicians gather in the laneway and front yard of the home where Adam Seelig and Nomi Rotbard stand on the porch with their teenage sons. The place is blooming with tulips, daffodils and music stands. More front doors open and porches fill in as Seelig gives last-minute notes to the musicians. What started as a way for his family to thank front-line workers has become a nightly ritual for dozens in this neighbouhood. On this cloudy May evening, they are celebrating their 60th song in 60 nights. At 7:30 p.m., pots and pans are clattering in other parts of the city, but you cant hear them on this Annex street as the brassy gallop of 9 to 5 takes over. The physically distanced crowd members nod, tap their feet, and a few hit the handles of their bikes and scooters in time with the country classic. Some hold up their phones to capture a gathering that none could have imagined months ago, a gathering that will soon dissipate as quickly as it appeared. Most of you probably get that that was a song by Dolly Parton called 9 to 5, Seelig shouts, because there is no sound system here. Something Im not sure many of you are experiencing right now. Its more like 24-7. People laugh. Their days have been long, their days have been different, but they have come to count on this bright spot. The newly assembled band Horn on the Cob and the Social Distance reprises a song from an earlier show, announces a birthday, and the neighbourhood sings a mask-muffled rendition to a neighbour who cant believe her parents in Brazil were able to get the message to the band. Then, Seelig closes with a variation of what he says every evening around 7:36 p.m: Stay safe. Well see you tomorrow. When it was clear they were going to be at home for a long stretch, Adam Seelig and his family started thinking about a creative project to add more structure to their days. Seelig is the artistic director of One Little Goat Theatre Company. While he primarily plays the piano, he and his teenage sons can play other instruments, too. Shai Rotbard-Seelig, 17, plays the trombone in his school band, but picked up the tuba a few weeks before COVID-19 hit the city. Arlo Rotbard-Seelig, 13, brought his trumpet home on a whim for March Break. They decided to arrange and play a different song each night to honour front-line workers. Their first performance was the first day of spring, but it was still very cold as they stood on the front porch wearing toques and gloves, playing a trombone, tuba and a trumpet. Nomi Rotbard started it off with a cheer for front-line workers, and then the trio played the swelling theme song from 1980s television show The A-team. In the neighbouring homes, doors opened. Tim Hadwen and his family walked outside: And there they were. A couple days later, Toronto Symphony Orchestra musicians Vanessa Fralick and Neil Deland were having a cocktail on Zoom when they heard the live music, something they were both missing. They told their friends they had to go, but by the time they walked a few doors down, the Rotbard-Seeligs were gone. Their front door was still open so Fralick and Deland yelled a greeting, and were invited to join the band any night they wanted to. We ended up going every night, Fralick says. Not long after, the TSO musicians were in the driveway for the concert when Fralick recognized two young guys getting out of a car across the street. They had both been faculty assistants at the National Music Camp of Canada, and one of them, Marcus Thompson, happened to be moving into the neighbourhood for a summer sublet. Do you have your trumpets? she asked. They did. Sometimes the band feels a little bit like the Doobie Brothers or the Sun Ra Arkestra, where we have this revolving door, Seelig says. Sometimes someone will be away and someone else will come. The audience has also grown. (They asked the Star not to publish the street, so they can keep physical distancing manageable.) One day, trumpet player Marcus Thompson saw two nuns on the street and invited them to that nights concert. I didnt think they were going to come but then a couple of weeks later they came with all the nuns, he says, counting seven religious sisters in the audience. Theyve performed the Backstreet Boys, songs by Seeligs favourite pianist and composer Abdullah Ibrahim, songs for Passover and Ramadan, tributes to musicians John Prine and Ellis Marsalis, who both died of COVID-19 complications. Requests are sometimes incorporated. They never reveal a song in advance. Theyve done Bobcaygeon by The Tragically Hip in honour of long-term-care homes, and the personal losses people in their neighbourhood are enduring. They take turns arranging the music, although most of the work is done by Seelig or his son Shai, says Neil Deland, who is the principal horn with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Each day, they practise their parts on their own and then come together for the performance. Aside from Fralick knowing the guys from camp, they were strangers to each other before this. Deland calls the musical output of the Rotbard-Seelig family unprecedented. Especially for two teenage boys to be playing this much new music every day, Fralick adds. The Rotbard-Seeligs moved into the Annex neighbourhood about 15 years ago, when Shai was a toddler. Adam Seelig knew his immediate neighbours, but life was busy. Its different now. The musicians, the audience, everyone knows each other better. They have celebrated at least a dozen birthdays together. They have mourned together. Basically, social isolation has brought us closer, Seelig says. Weve become close with neighbours of several generations through music. Theres a paradox there and its been a beautiful one. Tim Hadwen live two houses away. You know a lot of days, its the highlight of the day, he says. We all go back inside feeling a little better. Neighbour Stephanie Koenig hasnt missed a show since her roommate stumbled upon a concert during a walk. Koenig recently posted a few videos to Facebook with a note that read: In 7 years, Ive never met my neighbours. Now, seeing them is the best part of my day. People from other parts of Canada wondered how that was possible. Its not intentional, Im sure everyone is really nice, but that is just the way Toronto is. Its just never really happened, the event planner explains, adding that like many Toronto neighbourhoods, the Annex has a lot of apartment buildings and multi-unit houses. Its not really the same as a neighbourhood in rural New Brunswick. But now she knows Seelig and his family, and shes getting to know more of the others. A few weeks ago the audience serenaded the band with a surprise rendition of The Beatles With a Little Help From My Friends as their way of trying to pay back in amateur kind for this professional music that were getting every night, Hadwen explains. Trumpet player Marcus Thompson, 23, was impressed: An audience doesnt get that creative usually. Its usually a one-dimensional kind of a thing. Super cool. Every night at 7:30 (if hes not working) Toronto paramedic Mark Dempster and his wife tell their children that its concert time, and they run outside. Each show starts a cheer for front-line workers. It gives you a little bit of chills just to know that people support you and they support what youre doing, Dempster says. My daughter, she says, Oh this is for you Daddy, this is for you. Marcus Thompson sums it up: No one would have predicted that that was going to happen. Adam (Seelig) just thought he was doing it with his kids, and a couple days later TSO musicians come over, and a couple days later we come over. Now, Thompson has new friendships and feels privileged to be a part of the nightly show. After each performance he gives 13-year-old Arlo a trumpet lesson in the driveway. Even on the coldest day we can hear them playing trumpet down the street for another half-hour afterwards, Vanessa Fralick says. Adam Seelig was surprised at first by how meaningful this has been to his neighbourhood, but now he understands. Its wonderful to have the regularity, and at the same time something novel and unusual, he says. There are layers of gratitude: Gratitude for people working through difficult circumstances, gratitude from musicians for the jitters of playing for a live audience, gratitude from the neighbours for the chance to listen, to be surprised, to think of something else for a few minutes. It doesnt feel so much like a city street these days. It feels like a village. Seelig says that even if each show only lasts five minutes, the feeling lasts long after. We have so little human interaction, other than within our own small bubble, he says. To come out of that bubble a little bit and still do it safely is a great feeling to just know we are all still connected and music can do that for us. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind K. Jugnauth on Saturday and praised their efforts in handling Covid-19 outbreak. Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister said: "Thank you, Prime Minister @PKJugnauth for our warm conversation today! Congratulations for successfully controlling Covid-19 in Mauritius." "Our people share warm and special ties, based on shared culture and values. Indians will stand by their Mauritian brothers and sisters at this difficult time," Modi tweeted. Hailing Rajapaksa, Modi said: "Sri Lanka is fighting Covid-19 effectively under his leadership. India will continue to support our close maritime neighbour in dealing with the pandemic and its economic impact." However, the chat with the Sri Lankan President wasn't limited to Covid-19 alone. Modi said, "We agreed to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka, and also strengthen investment links." The Prime Minister has been talking to heads of states regularly. USS Portland fires laser weapon: Screengrab US Navy A high-energy laser weapon which can destroy an aircraft mid-flight has been successfully tested by the US Navy, its Pacific Fleet has said. Video footage and images released by military top brass show a beam emanating from the USS Portland ship which appears to take out a drone. The power of the weapon was not disclosed as part of the revelation but a 2018 report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies said it was expected to be a 150-kilowatt machine. In effect, that means it could be deployed to wipe out drones and small boats with a single strike. "With this new advanced capability, we are redefining war at sea, said Captain Karrey Sanders, commanding officer of the Portland, in a statement. He added that such lasers called directed energy weapons or DEWs could now be developed to be highly effective defences across a range of American navy ships. Eventually it is also hoped so-called laser cannons could be deployed to destroy long-range missiles already in mid flight essentially neutralising the most advanced means of attack currently available to any potential enemy anywhere in the world. "By conducting advanced at sea tests against UAVs and small crafts, we will gain valuable information on the capabilities of the Solid State Laser Weapons System Demonstrator against potential threats," said Capt Sanders. The Navy's development of DEWs like the Laser Weapons System Demonstrator provide immediate warfighter benefits and provide the commander increased decision space and response options. According to the navy, the weapon system is being developed due to "an increasing number of threats" that include UAVs, armed small boats, and adversary intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. Although China was not mentioned, the fact the testing was carried out in the Pacific would appear to carry its own message. The Navy has used other laser weapon systems on its ships, including its 30-kilowatt class Laser Weapon System (LaWS) aboard the USS Ponce but it is said the new weapon is its most powerful DEW yet. Read more US Navy accuses Iran of harassing its ships in the Gulf 23.05.2020 LISTEN Deputy Secretary of the largest Opposition Party, National Democratic Congress (NDC) of the Ejura Sekyedumase Constituency, Mr. Kwa-sam Samuel confidently reveals that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is good at rigging elections and election-related activities and therefore cannot be trusted with its new loving Electoral Commissioners going into the Presidental and Parliamentary elections in December. Speaking during a morning show discussion with the host, Stephen Block-man on Ejura based Radio, Today's FM, the NDC communication team member advised Ghanaians to be vigilant in the upcoming December general elections. "NPP is very smart when it comes to election matters. They are good at rigging elections. We know them, we hear from their own people. So I am not surprised about what is happening in Ghana with respect to EC and NIA. Making reference to some wild revelations from some key members of the ruling NPP government like Assin Central Member of Parliament, Hon. Kennedy Agyapong, he read on the show what the MP said some time ago on election rigging. https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Akufo-Addo-didn-t-win-2016-election-fairly-Kennedy-Agyapong-reveals-555687 Also a suspended New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Aspirant for Nalerigu-Gambaga Constituency in the North East Region, Mr. Peter Wuni Baaga gave shocking details of how the party won the seat in 2004. https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/I-rigged-elections-for-Hajia-Alima-to-become-an-MP-Suspended-NPP-aspirant-claims-951982 Kwa-sam added that "we the NDC and discerning Ghanaians will continue to let Ghanaians know the truth and the truth shall set us free. The only hope for NPP is the electoral commission but we can't afford to jeopardize our democracy in that manner" New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had two significant phone conversations on Saturday. One with the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and another with his Mauritius counterpart Pravind Jugnauth. The two are islands in the Indian Ocean, but more importantly China has been engaging with both and increasing its footprints there aggressively. In the call with President Rajapaksa, there was an agreement on the need to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka. India also promised to promote investments and value-addition in Sri Lanka by the Indian private sector, according to a press release issued by New Delhi. India has been trying to open a new chapter with Sri Lanka after Rajapaksa took the reins of the island nation last year. Within hours of his victory, external affairs minister S Jaishankar dashed off on a sudden, unannounced visit to Colombo and extended him an invite to visit India. He reciprocated by making his New Delhi visit the first foreign visit after taking charge. India's caution stemmed from the fact that the 10-year regime of his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, from 2005-2015, made New Delhi uncomfortable with its open closeness to China. Mahinda Rajapaksa was accused of driving Sri Lanka into a Chinese debt trap and pushing the Hambantota port in his constituency, one that was considered economically unfeasible but strategically significant. China managed to get the port on a 99-year lease from Sri Lanka despite Indias opposition. The only solace India could draw was from the fact that the port cannot be used for military purposes without Lankas consent. During Gotabayas visit to New Delhi, India announced a $400 million line of credit for development projects in Sri Lanka and a $50 million fund to fight terrorism in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday terror attack. Significantly, India chose to once again reiterate its commitment to Colombo during the Covid-19 pandemic, similar to the supplies India is sending to Mauritius during this tough phase. In the call with PM Pravind Jugnauth, he thanked PM (Modi) for sending the Indian Naval Ship 'Kesari' to Mauritius as part of 'Operation Sagar', with a consignment of medicines and a 14-member medical team to help the Mauritian health authorities fight the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, India also offered enhanced cooperation in various areas, including measures aimed at supporting the financial sector of Mauritius. Strategic Affairs Analyst Commodore Uday Bhaskar explained to News18 why these calls are significant. India is extending a hand of friendship to its smaller neighbours in a very non-transactional manner and this adds to Indias credibility, he said. He added that while China may not have been directly mentioned, any effort by India to enhance its reliability, as a partner as a friend in need, would stand New Delhi in good stead in the long run. The call assumes significance as the skirmishes on the Line of Actual Control with China have gone up significantly over the last few weeks. After initially dismissing them as events arising due to a difference in perception of the LAC, the MEA on Thursday not just rubbished allegations of activities on the Western and Sikkim sector but also counter-alleged that all Indian activities are entirely on the Indian side of the LAC. In fact, it is the Chinese side that has recently undertaken activity hindering Indias normal patrolling patterns, the MEA spokesperson said. Simultaneously, boundary issues with Nepal have also taken a rather unusual turn, with the KP Sharma Oli government issuing a new map, including Kalapni, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura. India dismissed the move as a unilateral act and an unjustified cartographic assertion. Indian army chief General Naravane had indicated that this could be at the behest of another country, indicating a China hand here too. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne speaks during a press conference at Parliament of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 4, 2019. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Australia Deeply Concerned at Hong Kong Laws: Marise Payne Australia has joined the UK and Canada in expressing deep concern over Chinas proposed Hong Kong security laws, which they say will undermine the citys autonomy. The Chinese Communist Party unveiled the details of the legislation on May 22, which critics say will affect rights, freedoms and judicial independence for the 7.5 million people who live there. Foreign Minister Marise Payne joined her counterpart in the UK Dominic Raab, and in Canada Francois-Philippe Champagne, in saying the laws would be contrary to the legally binding Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984. Under that pact China agreed to allow Hong Kong to continue as a capitalist economy after the 1997 handover, with its people extended the same democratic rights and freedoms enjoyed under the British for 50 years We are deeply concerned at proposals for introducing legislation related to national security in Hong Kong, the foreign ministers statement said. The legally binding Joint Declaration, signed by China and the United Kingdom, sets out that Hong Kong will have a high degree of autonomy. The ministers said the joint declaration provides that rights and freedoms, including freedoms of the press and of people to assemble and associate, be ensured in Hong Kong law. The provisions of the UN covenants on human rights also remain in force under the joint declaration. Making such a law on Hong Kongs behalf, without the direct participation of its people, legislature or judiciary, would clearly undermine the principle of One Country, Two Systems, under which Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of autonomy, the ministers said. Britain, Australia and Canada have large populations of naturalised Hongkongers, thousands of whom fled the city before handover to China in 1997, and Hong Kong expatriates. Pro-democracy activists and politicians in Hong Kong have for years opposed such legislation, arguing it could erode the citys autonomy. Some pro-democracy lawmakers have denounced the plans as the end of Hong Kong. By Marty Silk Australias eastern seaboard boasts three hugely successful cities. The output of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane was just over $1000 billion last financial year, equivalent to 53 per cent of Australias gross domestic product. The trio is consistently ranked among the worlds most liveable cities and their residents report high levels of wellbeing. The latest World Happiness Report, which analysed life evaluation data across 186 cities, found Brisbane to be the 10th happiest city in the world with Melbourne 15th and Sydney 20th. Connecting the population centres of the eastern seaboard makes sense. Credit:Wayne Taylor Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are routinely cast as rivals. But it's time for them to become more connected and collaborative. An eastern seaboard megaregion that links our three biggest cities more effectively would deliver major social and economic benefits. Theres growing global evidence that when large regional economies become more integrated and co-ordinated they become more productive. 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. Certain cuts of meat are not available because the workforce in packing plants is down and we are killing one-third as many animals right now, Uden said. Uden, a Dawson County rancher, said the biggest challenge right now is making sure they can get their market-ready cattle to the processing plants. On average, Darr has 45,000 cattle in its feedlot. We use Tyson Foods in Lexington very heavily and have a good relationship with them, Uden said. We need them to stay open. Not being able to harvest market-ready cattle backs up the feedlots, Uden explained. That, in turn, backs up the younger feeder cattle, which are still on pasture, and trickles down to the calves ranchers hope to sell this fall. Everyone will lose. The feeder loses; the stocker loses. It goes down the chain, he said, adding that the industry will have to make adjustments and come up with new ideas. Melody Benjamin, vice president of member services for the Nebraska Cattlemen, said if people are going to have food, then meat processing must continue. The Cattlemen has been working to find both short- and long-term solutions. The eight Australian states and territories, plus New Zealand, are in a horse race. They have rounded into the home straight. NZ, Western Australia, South Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory are leading the pack, with very low or zero COVID-19 cases reported in the past two weeks. But what really matters is notified cases of COVID-19 that cannot be traced to an already known case as these signify hidden community transmission. For the two weeks from May 8 to 21, there were zero such cases in the ACT , the NT, WA, Queensland, Tasmania and NZ. SA had two while Victoria had 10 (out of a total of 136 cases, mostly associated with known outbreaks) and NSW had six (out of 41 total cases). Loosening up slowly ... people gather at a cafe at Bronte Beach. Credit:Getty Images The winner will be the state or territory that first reaches 28 days of no apparent community-acquired infection. Why? Because this comfortably includes two incubation cycles of COVID-19, and we would assume that if it was still circulating in the community a symptomatic case would have popped up somewhere during 28 days. Nothing is guaranteed, but modelling has suggested a 95 per cent probability of "elimination achieved" if there are no community-acquired cases after a month. And depending on which way you look at the data, and its quality, the ACT, the NT, Tasmania, WA and NZ may have even crossed the finish line, having reached 28 days with no reported community-acquired cases. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), a part of Tata Motors is in talks with the British government requesting for temporary state funding of more than 1 billion pounds, Sky News reported. According the report, JLR lodged the loan request with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. "The claim is inaccurate and speculative," Jaguar Land Rover said in an emailed statement to Reuters. The statement said the company was in "regular discussion with government on a whole range of matters and the content of our private discussions remains confidential." The world is in a state of turmoil as people look to contain the spread of COVID-19, and one of the worst-hit industries is energy. But don't run for the hills. There are some interesting companies in the sector that have what it takes to survive this rough patch. They will likely thrive when this situation eventually passes. For those with a little moxie, it may actually be a good time to look at energy stocks Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD), and Total SA (NYSE:TTE). 1. A conservative giant Chevron is one of the largest and strongest integrated energy companies on the planet. The best example of the company's strength is its rock-solid balance sheet, where financial debt to equity sits at roughly 0.25 times -- the lowest among its closest peers. Moreover, like its peers, Chevron's business spans from the upstream (drilling) space through to the downstream (chemicals and refining) sector, providing diversification to its business. To be fair, everything the company does is facing headwinds at the moment, since demand across the spectrum has fallen as countries basically shut down to slow the spread of COVID-19. With a solid balance sheet, however, Chevron can lean on its strong financial foundation to keep spending and supporting its fat 5.5% dividend yield; it has 33 years of annual dividend hikes. And it isn't sitting still. In fact, like the rest of the industry, it's pulling back on spending. The widespread pullbacks in the industry, meanwhile, will help to balance out supply and demand, and will eventually lead to higher energy prices. This downturn may be historically bad, but such volatility isn't unusual in the highly cyclical energy space. Meanwhile, oil remains an important global energy source, and will likely continue to be vital for many years to come. Chevron is basically in a strong position relative to peers. Past spending has been bearing fruit and pushing up production. Going into this downturn, the energy giant's spending was already relatively low and now this conservative oil major has simply gotten even more conservative. That means investors can collect a fat yield while waiting for this difficult cycle to pass, just like every energy downturn before it has. 2. Happily stuck in the middle Chevron's top and bottom lines are tied directly to oil prices, so there's still plenty of volatility ahead on the company's income statement. If that's too much for you to bear, then consider Enterprise Products Partners, one of the largest midstream players in North America. This master limited partnership owns a vast collection of pipelines, storage, transportation assets, and processing facilities, all of which help get oil and natural gas, and the products they get turned into, from the drill hole to end customers. It would be close to impossible to replicate Enterprise's portfolio. That size and diversification is an important differentiator, but even more important for income investors is the fact that roughly 85% of the partnership's top line comes from fees. Effectively, it gets paid for the use of its assets, with the often-volatile price of oil playing only a minor role in its cash flows. That's nice to know, but so, too, is the fact that Enterprise covered its distribution by 1.6 times in the first quarter. That should provide ample leeway for the partnership to muddle through this downturn without having to cut its distribution. Meanwhile, Enterprise has long been among the most conservatively financed midstream players in the sector, providing another layer of protection. Yes, Enterprise is pulling back on capital spending, just like virtually every other energy company. That will likely slow growth, but survival is the big issue on investors' minds today. And if history is any guide, Enterprise will still be standing when the energy sector eventually recovers. To back that up, consider that the partnership's hefty 9.8% yield comes after more than two decades of annual distribution increases. Distribution growth has never been exciting, sitting in the low-to-mid-single digits -- but if slow and steady is your speed, then you need to do a deep dive here. 3. Mixing things up The last name on this list is a bit of a different story. French energy giant Total isn't one of the most conservatively financed companies in the industry. Its spending plans aren't particularly modest, either, though it is pulling back on capital spending just like its peers. In fact, if you look at Total as an oil and natural gas company, Chevron is really a better bet today. But there's a big difference between the two companies, beyond Total's much higher 8.2% yield. (Note that Total's dividend has remained the same or risen for 35 years running, which is impressive, but not quite as good a history as Chevron's.) Chevron is focused exclusively on oil and gas, but Total is working to expand its portfolio to include electricity. It started this shift years ago, and it's still pretty early in the process. But it has been willing to make some notable moves, including paying $1.6 billion in 2018 to buy a European utility. It just announced plans to acquire another utility operation in Spain, too, so increasing its diversification outside of its core oil business is obviously still a key priority. More to the point, it places Total in a position to provide the energy source that most believe will replace oil and natural gas over time. Put simply, this energy giant is working to transition today for the eventual disruption of its core business. That sounds like a pretty solid plan, with Total using its core operations as the foundation on which it builds for the future. And if that seems like a good compromise during a difficult period for energy stocks, then you should take a closer look at Total and its budding electric operation while the shares are still being beaten down because of its legacy oil business. A hard sector to love There's no question that the global market for oil and natural gas is in a state of disarray thanks to COVID-19. However, there are industry players that are built to survive this type of disruption, like Chevron and Enterprise. Because Wall Street fears the worst, you can collect fat yields while you wait for this painful cycle to run its course. Meanwhile, the negative sentiment has put Total on sale, too. And while it isn't quite as conservative as the other two names on this list, it is working to prepare for the world's long-term shift toward electricity. It wouldn't be too bad to collect Total's hefty dividend checks while you watch it make that transition. Keeping in view the rise in coronavirus cases, Bihar government has announced that migrants labourers returning from seven states will be lodged in quarantine camps. According to the order by Disaster Management Department, Government of Bihar, migrant labourers coming to Bihar from Surat, Ahmedabad in Gujarat; Mumbai, Pune in Maharashtra; Delhi; Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida in Uttar Pradesh; Kolkata, West Bengal; Gurugram in Haryana and Bengaluru, Karnataka will be kept in quarantine camps. Bihar: Migrants returning to the state from Surat, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurugram, Noida, Kolkata & Bangalore to be kept in quarantine camps. People returning from other places to be home quarantined if they don't show #COVID19 symptoms. pic.twitter.com/OCS8IuqxYQ ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2020 The order stated that District Magistrates may add to the current list of cities depending on the situation. Migrant labourers returning to Bihar from the above-mentioned cities will be lodged in regional quarantine facilities for 14 days, it stated, adding that asymptomatic migrant labourers will be allowed to go home after 14-day quarantine and will be required to observe home quarantine for 7 days. People returning from other places, on the other hand, will be required to follow home quarantine if they dont show symptoms of Covid-19, the order read. According to the order, strict social distancing norms will be followed at all quarantine facilities. Standard protocol, as laid down by the Ministry of Health, will be followed in cases where migrant labourers show symptoms of Covid-19. So far, Bihar has reported over 2,000 cases of coronavirus. On Saturday, the state Covid-19 tally jumped to 2,177. Eleven people have died from coronavirus in Bihar while 629 patients have recovered from Covid-19 in the state or have been discharged from hospitals. The national Covid-19 tally breached the 125,000-mark on Saturday. India has reported 125,101 coronavirus cases till date of which 3,720 patients have died while 51,783 have recovered. There has been a recent and significant increase in Covid-19 cases in India. From an average of 3,829 cases in the six days between the May 10 and 15, the number has risen to 5,407 in the last six days between May 16 and 21. However, this surge is not surprising. Relaxations were eased after Lockdown 2.0, which ended on May 3 and further concessions have been made when lockdown 3.0 ended on May 17. Also, testing has increased and India is moving closer to its peak which is expected sometime in June. Given these factors, Indias rate of increase in cases hasnt been even close to as alarming as it could have been. The growth in the number of new infections has still been linear and nowhere close to exponential as was predicted by some experts. But what continues to surprise is the low number of Covid-19 deaths in India, even as the cases report a surge. According to tracking site worldometers, India hasnt reached 200 single-day deaths on any day, the maximum being 175 on May 4. Even as 5000-plus cases were recorded in the last four days, the number of deaths did not exceed 150 on even a single day. The average number of deaths just saw a marginal rise from 109 between May 10 and 15 to 138 between May 16 and 21. These are low numbers when considered relatively given the ease in the lockdown restrictions and the stage the virus India is in currently. We compare the average number of cases per death in India to some of the other severely affected countries in the world when they saw their worst surge in cases. Some of these countries (Western Europe and USA) are past their peak while some others like Brazil, Peru and Russia are yet to experience their worst. Indias cases per death during May 16-21 (its worst period) is 39.18. What is stunning is the disparity between India and almost all the other countries analysed. USA saw its worst period recording more than 30,000 cases on six consecutive days between April 6 and 11. Its average number of deaths in this period were 2,045. This implied that USA had a cases/death ratio of almost 16 during its worst surge period. The corresponding ratio for UK and Italy is 6.29 and 7.18. Germany, which was hailed as a model for containment of Covid-19 deaths, has a ratio similar to India (37.27). It is also interesting that while Germany had its worst spike in cases between March 30 and April 4, the average number of deaths were highest only between April 13 to 18 unlike most other nations where the worst periods for surge in cases and deaths coincided. It is not surprising to see Russia recording 115 cases per death during its worst phase (May 7-12) as there is serious under-reporting of deaths from the country. Controlling the loss of lives has been the real success story for India so far. It has reported 3,600 Covid-19 deaths thus far. Among the 14 nations who have registered at least 70,000 cases, Indias mortality rate (MR) of 3.01% is the fourth-lowest only after Russia, Turkey and Peru. However, there are credible reports of under-reporting from Moscow and Istanbul. And just for contrast, Brazil has a mortality rate of 6.44%, USA (5.94%), Spain (9.97%), Italy (14.24%), UK (14.36%) and France (15.52%). Indias tests/death at 755 is second only after Russia. Brazil is recording one death for every 37 tests, France 49, UK 86, Italy 100, USA- 140, Canada 224 and Germany 432. There are many reasons why our mortality rate could be low - a high percentage of young and rural population, the BCG vaccine for tuberculosis, the hot temperature and a milder strain of the virus. But amongst these there is one definite reason the early and stringent lockdown. Lockdowns 1 and 2 managed to avert between 1.4 and 2.9 million coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases and 54,000 deaths, according to government data released by Niti Aayog member Vinod Paul on Friday. A recent study by the Boston Consulting Group, in which they adopted two approaches for projections, estimated 36 lakh to 70 lakh cases averted, and 1.2 lakh to 2.1 lakh lives saved as a direct consequence of the lockdown. Another estimate by the Public Health Foundation of India stated that 78,000 deaths had been averted. Covid-19 is a highly contagious disease thus it is not surprising to see a surge in the number of cases in India. But this should not create panic. The only thing which matters in the end is the number of lives lost. Apple has a reputation for generally paying more attention to user privacy than many of its competitors. However, according to the whistleblower that brought to light the contractual Siri transcription gaffe from last year, Apple is not quite being held accountable enough for what it is doing with user data. In an attempt to do this, Thomas le Bonniec has written to all of Europe's data protection regulators, alleging that Apple "continues their massive collection of data" something that is in violation of fundamental human rights, as well as Europe's data protection laws. In his letter, which was viewed and reported by The Guardian, le Bonniec has accused companies like Apple for "wiretapping entire populations despite European citizens being told the EU has one of the strongest data protection laws in the world." On this note, he has further called for the European regulators to actively investigative Apple's dealings with user data, which according to him have not been investigated enough. Excerpts of le Bonniec's letter, which has been published by The Guardian, says: I listened to hundreds of recordings every day, from various Apple devices (eg. iPhones, Apple Watches, or iPads). These recordings were often taken outside of any activation of Siri, eg in the context of an actual intention from the user to activate it for a request. These processings were made without users being aware of it, and were gathered into datasets to correct the transcription of the recording made by the device. The recordings were not limited to the users of Apple devices, but also involved relatives, children, friends, colleagues, and whoever could be recorded by the device. The system recorded everything: names, addresses, messages, searches, arguments, background noises, films, and conversations. I heard people talking about their cancer, referring to dead relatives, religion, sexuality, pornography, politics, school, relationships, or drugs with no intention to activate Siri whatsoever. These practices are clearly at odds with the companys privacy-driven policies and should be urgently investigated by data protection authorities and Privacy watchdogs. With the current statement, I want to bring this issue to your attention, and also offer my cooperation to provide any element substantiating these facts. Although this case has already gone public, Apple has not been subject to any kind of investigation to the best of my knowledge. Apple has typically had a far stronger reputation in terms of data collection and privacy, in comparison to rivals such as Amazon, Facebook and Google. In 2019, however, its general privacy reputation was disrupted when le Bonniec anonymously brought to light Apple's contractual programme, which employed third party human sub-contractors across the world to listen in on snippets of real world conversations from unsuspecting users, all in an attempt to "improve" Siri functionality. Ever since it was brought to light, Apple promptly issued an apology for such a practice, that too without adequately informing its users. It then stated that the Siri transcription review programme was moved in-house, which adds accountability and made sure that no user remained identifiable through these recordings. Now, it remains to be seen if investigations into the matter are renewed based on le Bonniec's letter, and if so, what repercussions would the brand require to face. I saw more graduation ceremonies in the past week than I had in my entire life. They were all virtual, of course, young men and women celebrating a rite of passage on social media. Personally, I didnt know any of the graduates, but, as is the case these days, someone invited me into their world by posting the pictures and uploading videos. I didnt know the one whose mom filled the house with Class of 2020 balloons. Or the one whose dad set up a stage on the driveway in front of two folding chairs: one for the grad and one for her mom. Or the one who walked across the backyard and shook hands with an Irish setter. They might have been informal, but they were well-earned; celebrations such as this will continue for the next couple of weeks, thanks to social distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Having ones party derailed by plague isnt anything new. Poxes and such have gotten in humanitys way before and, unless someone in a lab figures out a way to make us immune to everything, they will again. Pandemics, like wars, dont care whether they get in the way of humanitys plan. And economic downturns dont care if they crash the after-party, bringing unemployment and social unrest as tag-alongs. But this time, things are different we have the internet. And, as those young men and women walking across the web and celebrating with the whole world showed, thats something. Former President Barack Obama posted a couple of commencement speeches online, one meant for high school seniors finishing school and the other for graduates of historically black colleges and universities. In both speeches, Obama pointed out that todays young people are best equipped to make changes in how humanity gets things done. No generation, Obama said, has been better positioned to be warriors for justice and remake the world. Hes right. Boomers went to war, not just in Vietnam but over lunchroom counters and buses. Gen Xers work hard at paying dues, waiting for the tireless boomers to retire. And millennials got Napstered and Friendstered before anybody figured out the parental controls. But if any group can pair experience and technology, its the group that can bring us together with the power of Zoom provided we want to be together. Their plans might have changed, but as generations before can attest, thats life. And with the help of the constantly changing internet, they can figure out how to pivot. But theyre not the only ones. The city of San Antonio and Bexar County are trying to figure out how to use dollars from the federal CARES Act to retrain workers who found themselves unemployed during the shutdown. The idea is to reboot 5,000 workers through job-training courses at local colleges and universities, with an eye toward those in the service industry, which was hit hard by closures. This kind of aid opens a new window for workers, provided theyre not opposed to following the direction the young people are going. Sadly, the internet can be fickle. When classes get tough, its easier to log off, switch screens to Netflix or just give up than to keep learning online. Its easy to be distracted by memes that float conspiracy theories about why Kohls was closed while Walmart remained open. (Big refrigerated cases, thats why.) Its easy to share every single detail of your life with people you dont know, or at least people whom you wouldnt invite to your graduation if you actually thought they might show up. Then again, I think the young people figured that one out, too. Virtual is, after all, a legitimate reality. The point is that technology has changed who we are. If theres one thing the shutdown has shown us, its that those who dont know a mortarboard from a motherboard are at a disadvantage, but thats easily fixed with education and the idea that knowledge really is power. Its always been that way. mariaanglinwrites@gmail.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) Vienna Sat, May 23, 2020 09:09 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9bfbd5 2 News Austria,coronavirus,COVID-19,Tourist,tourism,travel Free Austria plans a hefty expansion of its coronavirus testing just to screen hotel staff, in the hope of luring Germans and other tourists this summer and banishing the uncomfortable memory of a massive outbreak at a fashionable ski resort. Like Germany, Austria introduced a lockdown to stem contagion early in its outbreak, and it has now been gradually easing restrictions for over a month. Shops, restaurants, bars and some museums have reopened and hotels will follow from May 29. "We will invest a great deal ... to test as many staff as possible who are in contact with guests as often as possible, to prevent them becoming multi-spreaders," Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told a news conference on Thursday. Tourism accounts directly for 8% of Austria's economic output, or about 15% including related sectors. Neighbouring Germany is the biggest source of foreign visitors, and the shared border will open fully next month. Memories are still fresh in Germany of Austria's biggest coronavirus cluster, at the hard-partying winter resort of Ischgl, where the virus spread through crowded apres-ski bars for a month before the town was quarantined in March. Hundreds of tourists from Germany, Norway, Iceland and elsewhere were believed to have been infected. Austrian Chamber of Commerce chief Harald Mahrer said a consortium of private labs was being assembled to test 65,000 hotel workers a week from July 1. Currently, the Alpine nation tests 6,000 to 8,000 people a day. Kurz added: "In which country in the world can you go on holiday and say the staff you come into contact with, the waiters, are tested regularly? ... It will be very few countries." As the longtime companion of Jeremy Emerich, Shana Konek has been overwhelmed with support rising from the goodwill hed built up with a lifetime of service. Where do you begin? she said Saturday when asked to recall what stands out about Emerich. She had to pause to respond to a message, another person reaching out in her time of grief. Emerich died Thursday at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township, after a monthlong battle with COVID-19. He was 40 years old, a critical care EMT on the ground for the hospital networks Medevac and, near his home in Berks County, a career officer with the Exeter Township Fire Department and a volunteer with the Fleetwood Fire Co. and Bally Community Ambulance. Emerich was also a veteran, having joined the Pennsylvania National Guard four months shy of his 18th birthday. He served for 13 years, including tours in Iraq and Germany to provide security for U.S. Army explosives teams, and was discharged in 2010 as a sergeant. His obituary is scheduled to be published on Memorial Day, through Bean Funeral Homes. Very kind-hearted, very family oriented, would give the shirt off his back to anybody, was always helping out in the public, finding out whatever way he could help, Konek said Saturday of Emerich. Even with his friends and stuff, he was always there and willing to lend a hand. Jeremy Emerich worked as a critical care EMT on the ground for Lehigh Valley Health Network's MedEvac, and was a firefighter and ambulance volunteer in Berks County where he lived. He died May 21, 2020, following a monthlong battle with COVID-19.Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com Thats who he was, his sister, Melanie Emerich, told The Reading Eagle. If Jeremy could help somebody, thats what he did. Jeremy Emerich fell ill around April 21, 11 days after his younger brother, Liborio Lara, died from the coronavirus illness. Lara was 30 years old, and Berks Countys youngest person to have died from COVID-19, WFMZ-TV 69 reports. When Emerich spiked a fever April 25, Konek took him to the hospital. The two were able to talk until he was put on a ventilator. "I was able to be bedside for his passing. The staff there was phenomenal working with him when he was in the ICU," said Konek, who has been with Emerich for nearly eight years. The two lived together in Fleetwood. Emerich was healthy, aside from high blood pressure and allergies, his sister told The Reading Eagle. A shadow box made by Jeremy Emerich's longtime companion, Shana Konek, features a collection of military memorabilia from his 13-year enlistment with the Pennsylvania National Guard. Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com Among his survivors are two sons, Zach and Collin, and a daughter, Cara. Zach Emerich is serving with the U.S. Army at Fort Hood, Texas, and returned home Wednesday. He got to talk to his father via phone. "Jeremy couldn't answer him," Konek said. "He spoke to his father and told him he loved him." Twelve hours later, Jeremy Emerich was gone. Emergency responders lined stretches of the route from the hospital to the funeral home to pay their respects as a procession carried his remains on Thursday. Medevac flew overhead. Services for the family are scheduled for this Thursday morning, and are slated to be live-streamed by the funeral home at 11 a.m. from the cemetery. Pennsylvania has had 66,983 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 5,096 people have died. A gofundme.com account is set up to help with Emerichs medical expenses related to his hospitalization. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. The Congress has arranged for transport for students from Wayanad and other parts of Kerala who were stuck in the Madhya Pradesh capital due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, a party leader said on Saturday. Wayanad is the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The step was taken after the stranded students contacted Rahul Gandhi, who in turn informed Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath, the state Congress leader said. "One such bus carrying the students, including those from Wayanad, left for Kerala on Saturday morning," Madhya Pradesh Congress media cell in-charge Jitu Patwari told PTI. He said the party has been sending buses as soon as they receive instructions and information about stranded students from the southern state. Patwari said such arrangements have also been made for the students stranded in Bhopal who belong to other districts, including Indore, of Madhya Pradesh. Recently, the Congress and the Uttar Pradesh government had locked horns over plying of buses for migrant labourers in the BJP-ruled northern state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) HARRISBURG-Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday announced that he expects that all areas under stay-at-home orders, including Chester County, will move to the less restrictive yellow phase of COVID-19 mitigation efforts as of June 5. The governor, who has come under fire from those both outside his Democratic Party and some inside it, contends that the states efforts at keeping the coronavirus from spreading had been a public health success, even though many say it has cost the state economically. We know not only that we succeeded in slowing case growth, but that our actions, our collective decisions to stay at home and avoid social contact we know that saved lives, he said. My stay-at-home order did exactly what it was intended to do: it saved lives and it bought us valuable time. Leaders in the county, including the three county commissioners who had acted in a bipartisan fashion in the past week to urge the governor to relax COVID-19 restrictions here by June 4, welcomed the announcement. We are pleased that the governor has responded to our appeal to relax restrictions in Chester County, and on June 5, Chester County can begin to move forward in a safe and cautious way, the trio Democrats Marian Moskowitz and Josh Maxwell, and Republican Michelle Kichline said in a statement Friday afternoon in anticipation of the move to yellow, which allows some businesses to begin reopening and loosens what activities residents can participate in. The commissioners said they had been putting in place plans and programs that would help the county recover from the damage the virus has caused, both economically and socially. Our Restore Chester County program is rolling out next week to begin preparing businesses and organizations to re-open, and informing residents of all safety measures that employers are using to welcome employees and customers back without fear, their statement read. Cautious is the watchword for our yellow phase. State Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19th, of West Whiteland said in an email he was grateful for the lifting of restrictions on business and social interactions, while still calling into question some of the Wolf Administrations actions in handling the pandemic. While we are thankful to begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel, the administrations process for reopening seems just as hazy as its criteria for closing and granting waivers, said Dinniman, a frequent critic of his fellow Democrat in COVID-19, and other, matters. I fully supported the Chester County commissioners in their plea to move to yellow on June 4. However, I want to be clear that I only asked for transparency, fairness, and clear criteria. Dinniman also cautioned residents of the county not to give up their personal restrictions and abandon social distancing practices. And I also want to caution residents that despite this potential breakthrough in planning our reopening and recovery, restaurants and bars will remain closed to in-person, and gyms, salons, malls, and movie theaters also remain closed. All our hard work to stay home and stay safe is paying off, said state Rep. Carolyn Comitta, D-156th, of West Chester following Wolfs announcement. I am so grateful to the people of Chester County for all your sacrifices over the last nine weeks and for the sacrifices we will continue to make to help keep our community healthy and safe. However, Comitta cautioned that, there is still a lot of work to do. We need to find ways to support those small businesses that are not yet able to open or wont be open fully, she said Friday. The risk is not over. People will still need to follow all the social distancing and hand washing we have learned to stay safe. I thank Governor Wolf for his science-based leadership during this unprecedented time. But number one, I thank each of our neighbors for taking care of each other during this very difficult time. State Rep. Danielle Friel-Otten, D-155th, of Uwchlan, said that she and her staff would begin to assist the process of re-opening the county in the coming weeks. We have done extremely well at flattening the curve, and our commissioners and county Department of Health are optimistic that our numbers will support moving to yellow by June 4, Friel-Otten said in response to questions from the Daily Local News. In the next two weeks, we will be working to help our constituents to plan and prepare for what life in the yellow phase looks like, and we look forward to seeing some relief for both local small businesses and everyone who has been diligently doing their part to flatten the curve of COVID-19, she said. Wolf is accelerating his reopening plan even though more than 20 Pennsylvania counties remain above the states target for new infections that were supposed to qualify them for an easing of pandemic restrictions and eight counties are more than three times over. Local elected officials, Republicans and Democrats alike, have been pressing for shutdown relief amid skyrocketing unemployment, as have small business owners who are struggling to keep afloat. Wolf is taking action amid a partisan blame game over whether governors or the president is responsible for the economic wreckage. That fight could have enormous implications in the November election in this presidential battleground state. The Democratic governor is moving Philadelphia, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Northampton and Montgomery to yellow on June 5, meaning that people will be able to freely leave their homes and retailers and other kinds of businesses will be allowed to reopen, though other restrictions remain. Eight counties are moving to yellow a week earlier, on May 29: Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lebanon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike and Schuylkill. Wolf also announced the first batch of counties moving to green, the least restrictive phase of his reopening plan: Bradford, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango and Warren. All of them are lightly populated counties across a northern swath of the state. After shutting down most of the state to stop the spread of COVID-19 in March, the governor established three phases to reopen: red, where Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Bucks counties had the most restrictions including stay-at-home orders, restaurants and bars limited to carry-out or delivery and only life-sustaining businesses could be open; while yellow allows in-person businesses to operate following safety guidelines and stay-at-home orders are lifted. Gatherings in the yellow phase, however, are limited to 25 people. The green phase is the most relaxed with mitigation lifted but safety guidelines in place. The divisions proved deeply unpopular. Several state representatives, including state Reps. Stephen Barrar, R-160th, of Upper Chichester, and Chris Quinn, R-168th of Middletown, wrote a letter to Wolf Tuesday asking for him to allow for retail operators to offer curbside pickup and for reopening if county health departments deemed it safe. It is simply unfair that big box retailers and the state-run wine and spirits stores are allowed to offer curbside pickup and continue to turn a profit when small mom-and-pop stores are on the verge of never opening their doors again, they wrote. These businesses deserve the same opportunity as their competitors. We need to stop choosing winners and losers and allow those who can operate safely within state and federal guidelines to do so. The county commissioners here, however, kept their comments neutral in urging the governor to let them show the county could keep its residents healthy while beginning to re-open businesses. Cautious is the watchword for our yellow phase, their statement read. We know the inevitable question is when will we get to green? It is our goal that Chester County will move to the green phase no later than the end of June. But we must all continue to make every effort to contain the coronavirus. Wear masks, continue social distancing, work from home if you can, and continue all hygiene recommendations, the statement said. Heed the yellow phase restrictions so that Chester County is ready to go green safely by the end of June. The Associated Press contributed to this story. To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Britain could be poised to launch its first ever sovereign wealth fund under plans being examined by the Government, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Officials are understood to be 'actively considering' a 25billion taxpayer-backed fund to reboot struggling regional firms in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Under the plan, the Government would buy shares in key businesses outside of London as part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's agenda to strive to 'level up' the entire country after lockdown ends. The Government would buy shares in key businesses outside of London as part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's agenda to strive to 'level up' the entire country after lockdown ends Eventually the shares would be returned to the original owners typically families which founded the businesses meaning the taxpayer would recoup the initial investment. Deep-pocketed City investors are understood to have expressed an interest in the scheme, raising the prospect of the private sector putting in money alongside the taxpayer. Sovereign wealth funds are popular around the world, but the planned fund would be the first of its kind in Britain if Ministers give it the go-ahead. In many nations across the Middle East such funds invest state money in companies and other assets to generate income and returns for their home economies. Sovereign wealth funds in that region also invest vast amounts of money generated from oil fields into global stock markets and assets. Norway's sovereign wealth fund is the biggest in the world, boasting 900billion worth of investments in shares, bonds and property. It earned a record 140billion in 2019, which is equivalent to 26,400 for every Norwegian citizen. Britain's more localised plans are based on a proposal made by Jim O'Neill an ally of former Chancellor George Osborne calling for sweeping public investments Britain's more localised plans are based on a proposal made by Jim O'Neill an ally of former Chancellor George Osborne calling for sweeping public investments. The peer has outlined a plan for the Treasury to set up a 25billion fund to invest in struggling family-owned firms that have the potential to become world-class companies. The Government might take so-called preference shares in the businesses, meaning that taxpayers would be first in line for dividend payouts and proceeds which could be funnelled into public spending projects. Lord O'Neill said companies could also use the taxpayer funding to convert any onerous debt incurred during the crisis into an equity stake. He proposed that the Government should try to sell its shareholdings back to the original owners within ten years. Lord O'Neill said the scheme could help spur entrepreneurial companies to lift the country out of recession. Chancellor Rishi Sunak predicted last week that there would be no 'immediate bounceback' from the economic meltdown triggered by coronavirus. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said that investing in different regions throughout the UK is a 'critical part' of returning the economy to normal after the crisis Lord O'Neill told The Mail on Sunday: 'My feeling is you should never let a crisis go to waste. Why not use this mess to invest in British businesses while also helping manage our debt coming out of this?' The former Goldman Sachs chief economist is now the vice chair of Osborne's Northern Powerhouse initiative. He thinks the North could benefit from taxpayer funding into companies specialising in advanced engineering, life sciences and green energy. 'There are plenty of good ideas and innovations coming out of universities, but we are not great at turning them into businesses that then create loads of jobs and wealth inside the UK,' he said. 'The start-ups are often acquired really quickly from overseas or they fail to grow. Something like this would help in the areas where the North has world-class potential and I'm sure you could do something similar in the Midlands too.' Britain's sovereign wealth fund could also support investments into companies that have the ability to help the Government meet net-zero climate ambitions for 2030. Sunak has said that investing in different regions throughout the UK is a 'critical part' of returning the economy to normal after the crisis. The Government's budget deficit is poised to soar to 300billion this year, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility, while the Bank of England has warned of the worst recession in 300 years. Unemployment claims rose by more than 800,000 last month and Rolls-Royce, British Airways, P&O Ferries and JCB have already announced significant job cuts. Yesterday, Sky News reported that Jaguar Land Rover had entered talks about a 1billion state support package. It has been suggested that the Government could take an equity stake in JLR as it seeks to prop up key industries. The Treasury declined to comment. After protests in several cyclone-affected areas of West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday urged people to have patience as the administration was working tirelessly to restore water and power supply. She also denounced the "negative campaigning" against her government, saying "this is not the time to do politics". The chief minister conducted an aerial survey of the worst affected regions of South 24 Parganas district for the second consecutive day, after accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday. "We are facing four challenges at a time, COVID-19, lockdown, issues related to migrant labourers and now the cyclonic disaster," she said. After holding a review meeting at Kakdwip in the district, the chief minister said that devastation caused by cyclone Amphan is "more than a national disaster". Banerjee said that the people should understand the "ground reality" and cooperate. At the meeting, she directed the district administration to utilise local people in order to restore normalcy in the region. "Take the help of the local people. They may not be able to help you technically but at least they will be able to help you remove the posts or do some basic work... include them in the 100 days' scheme and also utilise people of self-help groups," Banerjee said in the presence of senior district officials, including District Magistrate Dr P Ulaganathan She said that the Odisha government has agreed to send personnel to help in the process of cutting trees which were uprooted during cyclone Amphan. The chief minister also directed the district magistrate to ensure that people get enough drinking water and there is no complaint about it. "There are huge losses in your district. Our challenge is to restore normalcy. Ensure that all people get drinking water. If needed, start supplying drinking water pouches" she said. She said since the state government does not have much fund, it must spend accordingly. The chief minister also said that those injured in the cyclone will get 25,000 each and the state will bear expenses for their treatment. Three days after Cyclone Amphan hit West Bengal, several areas of the city are still without power and water supplies, triggering protests by residents. "There are a few areas in Kolkata where there is no electricity (after cyclone Amphan) hampering water supply. I have called up the CESC (Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation) at least 10 times. Even I do not have a proper phone network... I cannot watch television at home...," the chief minister said. "People should understand the ground reality and have patience. Some of you have started negative campaigning against the government. This is not the time to do politics," Banerjee said. Until power supply is normalised, the chief minister said, she has mooted an idea to the CESC to hire 150 generators. The CESC is a private organisation which was set up during the erstwhile Left Front government, she said. A dearth of manpower due to the lockdown has also hit restoration work, the chief minister said. "Several people have left (the city) because of the coronavirus pandemic. In some places, 25 per cent of men are working while in some places only 30 per cent are on the job. So we do not have the required manpower and because the lockdown is still on, they cannot come for work," she said. The chief minister said she has asked Firhad Hakim, Chairman of the Board of Administrators of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), to make arrangements for supplying water to areas facing water crisis due to absence of power. "Now because these days there is no load-shedding people have forgotten it. Even two days' problem has become a big trouble for the. I can understand the pain," Banerjee said. Not only in the state capital, people took to the streets demanding immediate water supply in Howrah also after which police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the protesters. A similar incident was reported from Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas. Cyclone Amphan has claimed 86 lives in West Bengal and caused havoc in at least 14 districts mainly in South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, East Midnapore. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has defended sending more than 4,300 patients confirmed or suspected of having coronavirus from hospitals to nursing homes, arguing it was White House guidance. The governor hit out at the criticism during his Saturday press briefing, placing the blame with President Donald Trump by saying 'don't criticize the state for following the president's policy'. Cuomo has come under fire since it was revealed on Thursday that the 4,300 recovering coronavirus patients were sent to New York's already vulnerable nursing homes. In total, there have been more than 5,800 nursing and adult care facility deaths in the state. He was pushed to comment on the policy during his Saturday briefing and said that 'New York followed the president's agency's guidance'. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told a press briefing on Saturday 'don't criticize the state for following the president policy' after he was criticized for sending patients confirmed or suspected of having coronavirus from hospitals to nursing homes under state guidelines It was revealed Friday that 4,300 recovering coronavirus patients were sent to New York's already vulnerable nursing homes under the state's guidelines. Pictured EMTs wheel a man out of the Cobble Hill Health Center nursing home in Brooklyn, New York. The state directive, which said nursing homes could not refuse to accept patients from hospitals who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, was issued on March 25. It was ultimately scrapped amid widespread criticism that it was accelerating the nation's deadliest outbreak as patients went into the homes and infected more residents, ultimately leading to more than 5,800 nursing and adult care facility deaths in New York. Cuomo has previously denied that the directive contributed to any of the deaths. I have no political agenda, I have no political aspirations, theres no politics here, Cuomo said Saturday when asked about the policy. I can say that but were still in an election year and people are playing politics and this is a hyper partisan environment to the extent that people want to politicize this issue and Republicans are saying "well, New York did this". New York followed the president agencys guidance. That depoliticizes it,' he added. What New York did was follow what the Republican administration said to do. Thats not my attempt to politicize it, its my attempt to depoliticize it. 'So dont criticize the state for following the presidents policy.' Cuomo also turned to his top aide Melissa DeRosa, who reiterated that the state had only followed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. 'The policy that the New York Department of Health put out was directly in line with the March 13 directive put out by the CDC and CMS that read, and I quote Nursing Homes should admit any patients from hospitals where COVID is present. Not could, should,' De Rosa said. The is President Trumps CMS and CDC. Gov. Cuomo has come under fire since it was revealed that the 4,300 recovering coronavirus patients were sent to New York's already vulnerable nursing homes. Pictured medical workers attend to a patient outside Harlem Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in early May 'So I know that there has been a lot of discussion on this topic, there were over a dozen states that did the exact same thing who were concerned about hospital capacity,' she added. Cuomo's response to the backlash over the nursing home admissions came after a Fox News senior meteorologist revealed she blames the New York governor for her parents-in-law dying of COVID-19 in a nursing home. Janice Dean told Fox News on Thursday that she felt compelled to speak out after the governor appeared on CNN, where Chris Cuomo teased his older sibling for having a large nose. Dean said that her mother- and father-in-law, Michael and Dolores Newman, both died of COVID-19 after they were exposed to the virus in nursing homes. Her father-in-law, Michael, an Air Force veteran and former New York City firefighter, was placed in a nursing home after it became apparent he was suffering from dementia. Dean said that she and her husband were notified a week before Michaels death that the nursing home was moving him to another floor. Janice Dean (right), a Fox News senior meteorologist, told Tucker Carlson (left) on Thursday that she believes New York State's requirement that nursing homes admit recovering COVID-19 patients led to the deaths of her in-laws and criticized Governor Andrew Cuomo Dean said that Michael and Delores Newman both died of COVID-19 just two weeks apart. She believes they may have been exposed to the virus while they were in nursing homes in New York State and has blamed Gov. Cuomo for her parent-in-laws deaths I believe that floor was used for recovering COVID patients, Dean said. I cant prove that. We cant get any confirmation on any of this. Cuomo, a Democrat, on May 10 reversed the directive, which had been intended to help free up hospital beds for the sickest patients as cases surged. But he continued to defend it this week, saying he didnt believe it contributed to the more than 5,800 nursing and adult care facility deaths in New York - more than in any other state - and that homes should have spoken up if it was a problem. Governor Cuomo also announced Saturday that the Mid Hudson and Long Island regions are getting closer to meeting all the criteria that will allow them to begin phase one of reopening but no mention was made of when New York City could expect the same. New York City is still only meeting four out of the seven criteria that need to be met in order to begin phase one of reopening. It still needs to have more hospital and ICU beds available Gov. Cuomo said the Mid-Hudson region could open this week once more contract tracers are trained over the Memorial Day weekend. It has currently met six of the requirements Mid-Hudson is hitting the criteria allowing it to open Tuesday and Long Island potentially following suit by Wednesday. New York City is to remain closed, however, as it does not yet have an acceptable percentage of hospital beds or ICU beds available. The three areas holding New York City back from reopening are the lack of free hospital beds and contact tracers which have to be hired by the local government The number of hospital beds available is lagging at 28 percent, just below the 30 percent threshold needed. The governor announced that there were 84 new deaths from coronavirus in the state on Friday, a decline that continues to be 'good news'. This was the first time New York state's daily death toll dipped below 100 since March 23. Gov. Cuomo said on Saturday that at the height of the pandemic, he had been aiming to reach below 100 on the advice of a medical professional. Seventy of those deaths were in New York City where the official death toll is now 16,403. There are also a further 4,735 deaths related to coronavirus. Case in New York City rose on Friday by 716 to 194,667. Friday was the first time New York state's daily death toll dipped below 100 since March 23 Coronavirus hospitalizations are also continuing to decrease in New York state Hospitalizations and new cases arriving into hospital emergency rooms are also continuing to decrease but the governor warned that residents must remain vigilant over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. New cases in New York state rose by 1,772 on Friday to a total of 356,926. The death toll stands at 23,285. Cuomo was asked about the ability to prevent visitors from other states with worsening outbreaks from traveling to New York but said that he didn't think it was legally possible. The governor fired off at being unable to prevent visitors arriving to New York from Europe when the outbreak first began because they state was not told that the virus had already spread from China but added that the state would not have had the capacity to implement a ban. 'I dont know if legally one state can bar other states from entrance and I dont think it is good policy, Cuomo said 'and I know when they shoe was on the other foot, I thought it was wrong then and I think it is wrong now.' ANOTHER NYC field hospital is dismantled despite beds being needed to open up the city again - as deaths in the state fall below 100 to 84 for first time in two months Another New York City field hospital is being dismantled after taking in zero patients, while the city continues to be told it must stay closed into June due to a lack of hospital beds. The 670-bed makeshift hospital at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook is being demobilized before it takes a single COVID-19 or non-COVID-19 patient, despite the city only needing an extra 420 hospital beds to meet one of state Governor Andrew Cuomo's requirements for the city to begin reopening. Cuomo has set a target that all regions must keep 30 percent of their hospital beds free - something New York City is two percent or 420 beds short of. This comes as New York state's daily death toll dipped below 100 for the first time in two months, as Cuomo announced another 84 deaths from coronavirus on Friday. NYC residents are growing increasingly weary as the city's lockdown rumbles on, while all other regions of the state are expected to reopen by the end of next week. The 670-bed makeshift hospital at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook (pictured in busier days in 2006) is being demobilized before it takes a single patient, despite the city only needing an extra 420 hospital beds to meet one of state Governor Andrew Cuomo's requirements for the city to begin reopenin The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal has already been converted into a facility offering 670 beds at a staggering cost of $20.8 million, but city officials said the hospital is now being dismantled. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the plans to convert the idle site into a hospital back on March 31. The contract was handed to Texas-based contractor SLSCO under a no-bid emergency deal and the site was scheduled to open mid-April. It wasn't ready until May 4 and, just over two weeks later, is being taken down before any patients pass through its doors. The hospital was just one of many sites set up to ease the burden on the city's overwhelmed hospitals when the outbreak ramped up and transformed New York City into the global virus epicenter - all of which have been or are in the process of being dismantled. The USNS Comfort Navy hospital ship was drafted in to Manhattan at the height the pandemic on March 30, but was waved off a month later on April 30 after it treated just 182 patients within its 1,000-bed capacity. The USNS Comfort Navy hospital ship was drafted in to Manhattan at the height the pandemic on March 30, but was waved off a month later on April 30 after it treated just 182 patients within its 1,000-bed capacity The Javits Convention Center treated around 1,100 patients before it too was converted back into its former role as an exhibition space earlier in May. Then there was the 14-test makeshift hospital erected in Central Park at the end of March by Samaritan's Purse, which after treating 315 patients began packing up at the start of this month. Over in Flushing, the Billie Jean King Tennis Center was also converted into a 350-bed hospital at a cost of $19.8 million to help ease the burden on the nearby Elmhurst Hospital in Queens. City Hall officials revealed it too shuttered earlier this month after taking in a meagre 79 patients. NYC residents are growing increasingly weary as the city's lockdown rumbles on, as all other state regions are expected to reopen by the end of next week Other facilities also include a site at Stony Brook on Long Island. Both Cuomo and de Blasio have said New York City will not begin phase one of its reopening until the first or second week of June. Long Island and mid-Hudson, the two regions surrounding it, are expected to reopen next week, which will mean all regions other than NYC have started reopening. Cuomo set out seven reopening requirements that regions must reach before they can begin easing lockdown restrictions. New York City is short on three requirements: the city needs to keep 30 percent of its ICU beds and 30 percent of its hospital beds free and needs to have 30 contact tracers per 100,000 residents. New York City is just two percent or 420 beds short of meeting the requirement to keep 30 percent of its 21,000 hospital beds free. When the presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden was vice-president to Barack Obama, a photograph of young Joe Biden went viral online. It showed the now-77 year-old as a 26-year-old in a red button-down shirt, smiling into the camera. He looked like the perfect American boyfriend, from a cosier time when women wore sweater-sets and men opened car doors for them. Joe Biden and his accuser, Tara Reade. Credit:AP Biden was a benign and popular figure with Americans. His role as right-hand man to the first black president is considered a strong reason why he has polled so well with African-American voters, and this played a large role in his trouncing of rival Bernie Sanders in the nominations process. But Bidens early status as apple-pie sex symbol has morphed into a murkier reputation when it comes to women. There have been multiple claims from women that Biden made them uncomfortable in public settings, by invading their personal space, or hugging them just a beat too long. The most serious allegation against Biden is from Tara Reade, a 56-year-old woman who worked for him when he was a senator for the US state of Delaware. Reade says Biden pinned her against the wall in an office corridor and digitally penetrated her. There were no witnesses to the alleged assault but three people say Reade told them about it at the time. Paris, France (PANA) - UNESCO joins the African Broadcasting Union and the organization Most Beautiful African Dream Academy for Youth (MOBADAY) to celebrate Africa Day, May 25, which will be marked under the slogan 'Together united, together we are WAN' Looks like you typed in the wrong url. To visit the SiliconIndia Home page click here To view the SiliconIndia blogs page click here What is SiliconIndia? SiliconIndia is one of the largest content and community networks for Indian professionals, entrepreneurs and students worldwide. Since 1997, we have inspired successes for Indian professionals through our thought provoking SiliconIndia career events and magazines. Now, through the addition of the online professional network, we combine the power of news, magazine and events, with an online network that can exclusively help you develop deep professional and social relationships with the SiliconIndia member community. Some of the member benefits are: Your own trusted network, discussion groups, Messages and the Lounge to interact with and expand your professional and social network. Write on what you are passionate about and publish to the entire internet using our professional Blogs. Special web seminars and career events on topics of interest exclusive to SiliconIndia network members. Oportunities to get personalized one on one advice from experienced professionals for career growth, entrepreneurship and higher education through our unique mentorship program. Mentors are invited from within the SiliconIndia network. The opportunity to contribute to our leading magazine, online news and events, to help enhance your professional profile in the growing SiliconIndia community. Sir Richard Branson has been forced to sell a stake in Virgin Galactic. Photo: Getty Sir Richard Branson has sold off another chunk of Virgin Galactic in order to raise finance for his other businesses. According to the Financial Times, Virgin Group has sold 366m ($445.3m) shares in the New York listed space travel company and given up majority control. Virgin now has 40% of the business. Billionaire Branson flagged the stake sale two weeks ago. The sale comes as other parts of Bransons business have continued to struggle, in particular Virgin Atlantic which has been grounded due to the pandemic. READ MORE: Devastation for airlines as UK confirms 14-day quarantine post-travel Virgin Group said it would use the stake sale proceeds to support its portfolio of global leisure, holiday and travel businesses that have been affected by the unprecedented impact of COVID-19. Branson had initially asked the government for a loan in order to keep the Virgin Atlantic afloat and even offered to put his luxury Caribbean retreat Necker Island up as security against the loan. But Chancellor Rishi Sunak has held firm ever since he wrote to airlines and airports in March saying the taxpayer would only step in as a last resort. A rescue package for the airline would have been politically toxic given its super-wealthy backer has not paid personal tax in the UK for 14 years after moving to the British Virgin Islands a well-known tax haven. As a result Virgin Atlantic has been left fighting for survival after the coronavirus pandemic caused it to cancel thousands of flights. READ MORE: Virgin Atlantic delays resuming flights over 14-day quarantine plans It has already cut 3,150 jobs and announced it will end its presence at Gatwick Airport, while its sister airline Virgin Australia has gone bust. Bransons Virgin Group empire owns stakes in a slew of companies, from Virgin Wines and Virgin Money to social media giants such as Twitter and Pinterest. Virgin Galactic was founded by Branson in 2004 and had initially hoped to launch tourist flights into space by 2009. But the mission has been beset by a series of delays, not least the death of copilot Michael Alsbury during a disastrous test flight of the VSS Enterprise craft in 2014. Editors note: This is the 15th and final story in our series marking the 40th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980. The entire collection of stories published is available on TDN.com. Also, see a group of photos attached to this story from the day after the eruption on May 25, 1980, the only one to cause significant ashfall in Cowlitz County. VANCOUVER No amount of scientific research could have alerted Carolyn Driedger to how much the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens would recast her role at the U.S. Geological Survey. Shed signed on with the USGS in 1978 with plans to work as a field hydrologist. And, like many others, she set her sights on researching Mount St. Helens when it rumbled awake two years later after lying dormant for 123 years. The reason I was down here on May 18 was because it was so cool. I didnt want to miss it. It didnt matter what the risk was. This is the geologic event of a lifetime for me, Driedger said. The day of the blast, details of the destruction started pouring in almost as quickly as calls to USGS scientists. Although it wasnt part of her job description, Driedger was directed to sit down at the phones and start answering questions. She spoke with scared residents, and she watched her supervisors parse through how to help local officials and first responders manage the disaster. Shed later reflect on the experience as a moment when she realized her job was not just about gathering science. She needed to share those discoveries with others to prepare them for hazards like this. So she shifted her mindset from that of a hydrologist to that of a communications professional, too. Mount St. Helens was a wake-up call for everybody, Driedger said. It was a wake-up call for the public that this could happen in their own backyard. It was a wake-up call for officials that they needed to be ready. It was a wake-up call for the scientists that they needed to interact with everyone. Overall it revolutionized with how to deal with volcanic eruptions. Exactly what emergency managers tell you not to do The USGSs outreach program didnt exist when Driedger, now 67, started at the agency. There was no plan for how to talk with reporters. Most scientists had never met the local government officials and emergency responders theyd eventually work alongside while recovering from the blast. When the volcano awoke with earthquakes on March 20, 1980, the USGS scientists did exactly what emergency managers tell you not to do: Shake hands at the start of a crisis, Driedger said. In the two months that would follow, hardly anyone was on the same page. Reporters expected black and white answers from scientists who couldnt give any level of certainty. Some scientists shared conflicting predictions for the eruption, while others avoided getting involved in policy discussions with government officials. Government officials lacked a well-thought-out emergency response plan. There was a plan made in 1974 with the state. (USGS volcanologist) Dwight Rocky Crandell in particular worked with them to get a plan to address what do do if volcanoes of Washington state should reawaken, Driedger said. But of course that got thrown in the back of a filing cabinet. ... Either people didnt know it existed, or they knew it existed but they couldnt find it. USGS scientists made on-the-spot decisions about what information to share, which facts were definitive, Driedger said. They did their best to explain potential volcanic hazards to emergency responders who would face danger as they searched for survivors around the blast zone. It quickly became apparent we needed to do several things. We needed to work with officials. We needed to have meetings with them to explain things, Driedger said. We basically got pulled to the table and realized we had a role to apply science. Not just to do the science but to make sure stakeholders understand how to use it. That was a big change. That was a big mental shift. Science isnt done until its shared Now the USGS has two scientists dedicated to outreach: Driedger and her protege, Liz Westby. Driedger serves as a sort of face for the agency among news media and Cowlitz County officials, coordinating interviews, meetings and safety trainings. Westby, 58, joined the USGS in 2015 and now acts as the voice of the agency on social media. Together the women participate in regular hazard response exercises, educate non-scientists about the mountain and speak on the importance of creating an emergency response plan. The reality is that we all need to be ready. Everyone has a role, and we need to be in step, Dreidger said. Advanced preparation and communication saves lives, as was the case in the 2018 eruption of Kilauea in Hawaii. Westby, who posted more than 700 social media posts about the event for USGS, said not a single person died because the community knew what to do. The USGS explained the hazards and science ahead of the blast, and people could track the events on social media as they happened. The philosophy behind educating the public and posting on social media is that interest begets ownership: If people fall in love with Mount St. Helens, theyll be more inclined to learn about all aspects of the volcano adn get involved in the hazard response planning, Westby said. It isnt just a scary volcano with hazards if you know what to do when ash is falling, she said. But that level of communication was something the USGS lacked in the 1980s, Driedger said. The Mount St. Helens eruption made very clear that scientists concerned about public safety were devoid of any influence if we werent plugged into the existing system, Driedger said. Its not just enough to learn about the volcano, Westby added. We need to apply what we know so we can keep others safe. Both Carolyn and I have the same perspective: The science isnt done until its shared. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The state of Nevada intends to reopen casinos in Las Vegas on 4 June, governor Steve Sisolak has said. The bedrock of the states tourism industry, all casinos were ordered to close on 17 March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Mr Sisolak said the proposed statewide reopening date is contingent on data indicating that cases of Covid-19 are trending downward. Tourism accounts for one third of employment in Nevada and the shutdown has led to mass layoffs and furloughs of workers. Department of Labour data for April shows that the state has the highest unemployment rate in the country at 28.2 per cent, almost six percentage points more than the next state, Michigan. The Nevada Gaming Control Board is holding a meeting on Tuesday regarding reopening plans that will also include recommendations from public health officials. Casinos have already been told to limit occupancy to 50 per cent, as well as to implement social distancing measures, as well as strict cleaning practices. Not every casino will rush to reopen, with the owners of larger properties saying that they will reopen in phases based on demand. The first returning tourists will likely drive from neighbouring states such as California and it will be a long time before Las Vegas sees anything like the 42 million tourists that visited in 2019. The shuttering of casinos as part of the lockdown measures drew much media attention in late April after the mayor of Las Vegas said in an interview on CNN that she would like to see them reopened and offered the city as a control group. Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman calls for businesses to reopen, while saying she won't provide social distancing guidelines on how to do so safely Governor Sisolak did not agree with the mayors desire to reopen the states economy at the time. Nevada began reopening its economy two weeks ago in Phase 1 of its Roadmap to Recovery. To date the state has confirmed 7,531 cases of Covid-19 and recorded 387 official deaths from the virus. Its one of the most exciting days of the year, so how do you make your childs birthday special during social distancing? For August Chessman, who celebrated his first birthday last Friday, parents Alexandra Whiting and Christian Chessman turned to the craft box to create a day the whole family would remember. Just because it wasn't going to be the big gathering we'd hoped, didn't mean we couldn't decorate, says Sydney-based Whiting. I made a backdrop and party hats, which the adults humoured me by wearing, and we had two party sessions at home so both sides of our family could come and celebrate. Alexandra Whiting hosts a social-distancing first birthday party for her son, August. Credit:Dean Sewell Ahead, weve found four options the kids will love and some grown-up get-together ideas too. Just because guest numbers are limited, it doesnt mean the imagination has to be. NORRISTOWN Emergency rooms across Montgomery County are filling up as the area continues to deal with another surge in the COVID-19 pandemic. We have encountered a dramatic rise in the number of emergency department visits recently, said Dr. Kisha Martin, chairwoman of emergency medicine for Redeemer Health. Health officials met virtually on Wednesday morning in [] Temperatures ahead of Memorial Day weekend have already delivered a taste of warmer weather a signal, under ordinary circumstances, to beachgoers to start packing their coolers. But, as officials work to contain the virus and get a grip on the public health data, are urging residents to continue to practice social distancing measures, to wear a face covering and wash hands, as beaches are set to reopen this coming Monday. Five days after lifting some restrictions on businesses, allowing some to resume certain operations, Gov. Charlie Baker again appealed to residents to follow the public health guidance to honor the collective sacrifices made by ordinary people, businesses and front line workers during the health crisis. Its very important for us to respect the power of the contagion in this virus, Baker said on Friday. Baker, who spoke to reporters in Lawrence earlier on Friday, acknowledged that the states efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus the publics adherence to the guidance has bent the curve." But he warned that that progress will be jeopardized if people dont be careful. Dont let a few nice days step on that, he said. Theres a lot at stake here Another stark reminder of the fact the crisis is still ongoing came in on Friday, after health officials confirmed another 80 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to 6,228. Officials also said another 805 residents have tested positive for the virus, which brings the total number of cases in Massachusetts to at least 90,889. Thats based on 10,158 new tests reported on Friday. The state adjusted its stay-at-home advisory on Monday to a safer at home advisory, which encourages people to avoid unnecessary travel, except for health care, permitted work, shopping and outdoor activities. Related Content: President Trumps advisers are increasingly concerned about Senator Kelly Loefflers campaign in Georgia, a newly competitive state where the presidents own poll numbers have tightened against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., according to people briefed on the discussions. Ms. Loeffler, a financial services executive with no previous government experience, was appointed to the position in December 2019 after the long-serving Republican, Johnny Isakson, announced he would retire for health reasons. She is running in a special election for the seat this fall, facing nearly two dozen candidates in the jumbled race, including two well-financed Democrats. One opponent in particular Representative Doug Collins, a Republican ally of Mr. Trump has gained strength in the field. His rise has come as Ms. Loeffler faces questions about stock trades she made soon after being briefed about the threat of the coronavirus she has denied any wrongdoing and as Mr. Trump, in two recent Republican polls, has found himself in a statistical dead heat with Mr. Biden in a state the president won in 2016. The Large Red Damselfly is the only red damselfly found in Ireland and is flying at present. Damselflies are quintessential summer insects, so it is nice to see them on the wing again heralding the imminent approach of summer days. Damselflies have long, slim bodies, two large, bulging eyes that are separated by a distinct gap and they seldom venture far from vegetation or the water surface of ponds and other water bodies. They are a small group with just eleven species recorded in Ireland. All eleven are resident breeders. Mature males are easiest to identify as they are brightly coloured and boldly marked. Females and immature males are more difficult to identify as their colours can be very variable, often with several different colour forms. The following key identifies the mature males of the eleven species. The first division is that two of the eleven species have coloured wings; the other nine have clear wings. The Beautiful Demoiselle has dark colour almost all over its wings whereas the Banded Demoiselle has just a large brown band, like a thumb-print, across the central portion of its wings. The remaining nine have clear wings and are separated by the colour of the body: one is red, two are green and six are blue. The red one is the Large Red Damselfly pictured above. It has bright red eyes and a red body with some black markings. It is the only red damselfly found in Ireland and it is the first to emerge being on the wing in April. It is common and widespread. Our two green members of the group are the Emerald Damselfly and the Scarce Emerald Damselfly. Both have some parts of the body coloured a metallic emerald green often with a bronzy sheen. They may also have some powdery blue markings. They are unusual among damselflies in that they rest with their wings spread out flat or partially so. That leaves the six blues. Two of them are more black than blue but they have a striking patch of bright blue on their tails, so as 'blue-tails' they qualify as blues. The Blue-tailed Damselfly is more common and widespread than the local Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly. The remaining four are called 'bluets', and are more challenging to identify. That said, many damselflies are relatively easy to identify using close-focusing binoculars. If you see a Large Red or other damselfly, Biodiversity Ireland would love to hear about it for their Dragonfly Ireland 2019-2024 monitoring scheme; full details and lots of helpful resources at https://www.biodiversityireland.ie/projects/monitoring-scheme-initiatives/dragonfly-ireland-2019-2024 Want to get Basically content way before these articles hit the site? Subscribe to our print magazine, where we explore a single subject every month. This time around: how to start a spice collection and put it to use. As Stings uncle says in Dune, He who controls the spice controls the universe. Back here on earth, the sentiment is not far off. For centuries, trade routes have been carved, fortunes made, and people subjugated all for spicenutmeg and pepper, saffron and cardamom, vanilla and cinnamon. That fraught history means its worth taking a second to pause next time you find yourself reupping on coriander. Flavor is certainly one reason to take care with where you source your spices. Depending on the type and whether its whole or ground, spices can lose their potency in as a few as six months. A jar of ground cumin could conceivably have been sitting on a grocery store shelf for several months, its valuable volatile oils evaporating all the while. Your supermarket cinnamon is also likely to be cassia cinnamon instead of Ceylon cinnamonwhich isnt bad, just...less goodand if youre not thoroughly scrutinizing labels, you could wind up with artificial vanilla flavoring instead of pure vanilla extract. Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova But knowing where your spices come from is important for other reasons as well. Most spices still reach your kitchen in much the same way they did when the Dutch East India Company was operating in the 17th centurythey were grown or foraged by someone in a country close to the equator, and they have passed through multiple hands before reaching their final destination. Because there are so many brokers, traders, processors, and other middlemen, those supply chains generally lack transparency. And with spice being a catch-all term encompassing scores of different crops grown in scores of different countries, each individual supply chain comes with its own challenges. Are the foragers making a living wage? Have the spices been adulterated by middlemen? Is climate change forcing farmers off their land? Story continues Your best bet is to buy from a company with the shortest supply chain possibleideally one that sources spices straight from their origin and sells them directly to you. By cultivating personal relationships with their farmers and foragers, these companies not only ensure that their customers are getting flavorful, fresh, high-quality spices, but also that their suppliers are being paid fairly. For spice growers, many of whom live in some of the poorest countries in the world, a trusted partnership with an ethical importer can mean a pathway to economic security. Below, weve rounded up some of our favorite players in the spice worldfrom companies that source directly from farmers to artisan blenders who concoct complex spice mixes to shops where you can compare Kampot and Tellicherry peppercorns. Spice Sourcers Diaspora Co. : Mumbai-born, California-based Sana Javeri Kadri works directly with smallholder farmers in India to source heirloom, single-origin turmeric, chiles, cardamom, and pepper. Shell expand to cinnamon, cumin, and coriander in the fall. Our editors love this company not only for its vibrant, fragrant turmeric, but also for its commitment to ethical and transparent supply chains. Burlap & Barrel : Like Diaspora Co, Burlap & Barrel co-founders Ethan Frisch and Ori Zohar source their heirloom spicesincluding Basically editor Sarah Jampels favorite cinnamonfrom smallholder farms and farmer cooperatives. By cutting out the middleman, they ensure that farmers earn a higher price for their product. Their direct relationships with suppliers mean that farmers can focus on quality rather than quantity, knowing that they have a partner who will reward their efforts. Spicewalla : James Beard-nominated chef Meherwan Irani sells his carefully curated spices both individually and in sets, including a Kitchen Essentials pack of 18 spices that is beloved by Healthyish editor Amanda Shapiro and currently on sale. Rumi Spice : Founded by US military veterans with on-the-ground experience in Afghanistan, Rumi Spices goal is to increase the economic opportunities for Afghan farmers and agricultural workers, many of whom are women. Their focus is on saffron, but theyve recently expanded into cumin and spice blends. Frontier Co-op: This member owned co-op headquartered in Iowa was founded in 1976, and its spicesas well as its 100% organic line, Simply Organicare a good grocery store option. Frontier Co-op introduced the first Fair Trade Certified spices in the United States in 2009, and their Well Earth program supports spice growers and foragers by providing multi-year contracts and capital for new agricultural equipment. Spice Blenders New York Shuk : Best known for its signature harissa, New York Shuk creates spice blends that reflect founders Leetal and Ron Arazi s Middle Eastern heritage. Unlike many commercially available zaatar blends which rely on dried oregano and thyme, New York Shuks actually contains zaataran herb unto itself that grows wild in the Middle East. They source theirs from the Zawtar Farm Collective in Lebanon. Spice Tree Organics: Egyptian-Americans Doaa Elkady and Freda Nokaly source their organic spices from reputable suppliersincluding Burlap & Barreland then toast, grind, and mix them into evocative blends like NYC Halal Cart and baharat. Spice Shops The Spice House : Ruth and Bill Penzey, Sr. opened The Spice House in 1957, a time when garlic was still considered "exotic" by much of America. Their daughter Patty ran the business until 2018, when it was purchased by business partners with backgrounds in finance and tech. Penzeys Spices : Bill Penzey, Jr. followed in his parents footsteps and started his mail order spice business in 1986. He now has 70 retail locations and is nearly as famous for his progressive politics as he is for his seasoning blends and his Vietnamese cinnamon. Oaktown Spice Shop : With two locations in the East Bay, Oaktown sources its wares from hundreds of importers and offers everything from amchur powder to single-origin Pemba cloves. Spices are ground and seasoning blends are mixed in-house. John Beaver , who owns the shop with his wife Erica Perez , cut his teeth under Bill Penzey, Sr. at the Spice House. Curio Spice Co: Curio Spice Co sources many of the spices it sellsfrom Japanese sansho pepper to Ethiopian besobeladirectly from small farms. Founder Claire Cheney Curios female founder places special emphasis on supporting other female-owned businesses and cooperatives that contribute to the economic empowerment of women. All products featured on Bonappetit.com are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Originally Appeared on Bon Appetit Like so many Portlanders, I have not forgotten Fallon Smart, nor what we have learned about justice and foreign policy in the wake of her death. In August 2016, the 15-year-old was killed as she crossed Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard at 43rd Avenue. The driver of the gold Lexus, Abdulrahman Sameer Noorah, was passing cars at 55 mph on Hawthorne before he ran Smart down. He then drove off in the damaged sedan. When Noorah later circled back to the crash scene, he was arrested, and eventually charged with first-degree manslaughter and felony hit-and-run. Two weeks before Noorahs trial, however, the 21-year-old Saudi national disappeared. A black GMC Yukon XL picked him up at his Southeast Portland home. He cut off his ankle tracking monitor at a sand-and-gravel yard. He was then spirited away, probably on a private plane, to the sanctuary of his homeland, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Thanks to extensive reporting by Shane Dixon Kavanaugh of The Oregonian/OregonLive, we learned these vanishing acts are a grand tradition for the Saudis. More than 20 times since 1988, Saudi diplomats and intelligence officers have helped Saudi students take flight before court dates on serious criminal charges. Republican and Democratic administrations alike have raised no serious objection. They care more about Saudi oil reserves or Saudi support in the endless scrap with Iran. In April 2019, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., demanded that the Trump White House confront this wide-ranging coverup. Anything less amounts to a craven betrayal of Americans interests on behalf of a murderous, autocratic regime. In January, Wyden pushed a law through Congress, allowing the FBI to declassify an intelligence bulletin that describes the extent to which the Saudis are undermining the U.S. judicial process. In the heavily redacted 8-page bulletin, the FBI confirmed what law enforcement sources told Kavanaugh: Saudi Arabia almost certainly helps its citizens flee this country when they are accused of violent crimes. The Saudis are unlikely to alter this practice, the FBI argues, unless the U.S. Government directly addresses this issue with (Saudi Arabia) and ties U.S. cooperation on (Saudi) priorities to ceasing this activity. How has the Trump White House responded? Predictably. Infamously. With the same contemptuous indifference it showed the Saudis assassination and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The Trump White House, Wyden said Friday, is prepared to give the Saudis a free pass. Trump would hand the Saudis far more than that. As The New York Times reported in detail last week, the administration has removed any and all barriers to arm sales to the Saudis, even when those weapons are killing civilians and extending the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The Obama administration originally backed the Saudis in Yemen, then balked as civilian fatalities which topped 12,000 in 2019 began to climb. It cut off delivery of bomb parts to the Saudis in December 2016. Trump, however, is far more energized by defense industry jobs than the devastation in Yemen. He ordered trade adviser Peter Navarro to, in Navarros words, bring to heel a bunch of career bureaucrats who stood in the way of Raytheons arms deals with the Saudis. Economic security is national security, a State Department spokeswoman informed the Times. And lest anyone mistake that profit-based diplomacy, NBC News brought us the guest list to Januarys Madison Dinner. The monthly dinners, on the taxpayers dime, are hosted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife, Susan. The affairs at the Diplomatic Receptions Room now suspended by the pandemic are thick with Republican politicos, GOP donors, and Fox News personalities. Januarys dinner, NBC said, also featured the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Princess Reema bint Bandar; Raytheon CEO Thomas Kennedy; and, as a final flourish in the cozy team photo, national security adviser Robert OBrien. If you look at the history of Donald Trump, it always comes back to who can be the most helpful to him financially, Wyden says. Their connection to Saudi money is a lot more important to them than the truth about whether the Saudi government helped fugitives get out of the country. That is precisely why it took an act of Congress, Wyden adds, to declassify that FBI bulletin. (Wyden is also the key player in the passage of another law requiring an unclassified report on those complicit in, or responsible for, Khashoggis death.) Its easy to understand Wydens passion here. Fallon Smart was killed in Southeast Portland, a few miles from my house, he says. I cant tell you how many neighbors, how many men and women on the police force and community leaders, have asked, Is there going to be any accountability? Im going to keep demanding answers until we get some. Trumps ongoing subservience to that murderous, autocratic regime? Thats really not hard to figure, either. -- Steve Duin stephen.b.duin@gmail.com Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) is ready to commence the sale of its sacred laddu prasadam from Monday (May 25) onwards across 13 districts in Andhra Pradesh. While on the first day of the sale of laddus in Tirupati, no one maintained social distance or took any safety precautions despite TTD's advice to devotees to wear masks and observe social distancing when they take delivery of laddus. The TTD board has decided to sell the laddus at its function halls in the districts at 50% discount rates till the commencement of Srivari darshan. In the case of Krishna District, the sale of laddus will be carried out from TTD Kalyana Mandapam located at Vijayawada. The laddu, weighing 175gm, is the most special prasadam of Lord Venkateshwara Swami. It is priced at Rs 50 and will be sold at fifty per cent discount at Rs 25 each, during lockdown period. In the event devotees require more than 1000 laddus they will have to submit their name, mobile number and mention the details of their requirement atleast five days in advance. The devotees willing to procure bulk laddus will get the details of modalities of procurement to their mail. They shall procure the laddus based on the availability from counters located at Tirupati or from the respective district Kalyana Mandapams. Meanwhile, TTD information centres located in Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad are awaiting approval from the state governments for the inter-state transportation of laddus. TTD will resume supply of laddus once it gets the approval. Devotees can email their details for bulk requirement of laddu prasadam at: tmlbulkladdus@gmail.com. For more details devotees can call toll free numbers - *18004254141* or *1800425333333.td to commence laddu prasadam sales from may 25 across all district hq in ap Governor Cooper Introduces Safer at Home Phase II COVID-19 Updates: Staying Informed & Prepared Governor Cooper Holds Kids Q&A with DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen Where You can Get Tested for COVID-19 Get All of the Latest Information in Spanish Tweet of the Week The state of North Carolina is providing personal protective equipment to long-term care facilities and the @NCNationalGuard has stepped up to help distribute. Thank you for your dedicated service to our state. https://t.co/DrghoL6eI7 Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 20, 2020 Governor Cooper and NC DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen announced that North Carolina will move to Safer At Home Phase 2 on Friday, May 22 at 5 pm. This order encourages people to continue staying home, especially those at high risk for serious illness, as well as encourages teleworking. North Carolina is guided by the data, which shows that the state's key indicators and trends are mostly stable. The increase in the daily case counts signal a need to take a more modest step forward in Phase 2 than originally envisioned.Governor Cooper said.Phase 2 adjusts restrictions allowing certain businesses to open at 50% capacity with social distancing and increased hygiene practices in place. Retail businesses will continue to operate under the provisions of Phase 1. Childcare services will also be allowed to open to all families with enhanced cleaning and screening requirements.Some businesses will remain closed in Phase 2 including bars, night clubs, gyms, bowling alleys, indoor fitness facilities, and movie theaters. Mass gathering limits in Phase 2 will be no more than 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors in most circumstances.The Safer At Home Phase 2 runs through at least Friday, June 26. DHHS public health recommendations are provided online for various sectors.The three Ws are even more important now. So remember wash your hands frequently, wait six feet apart from other people, and wear a face covering.Read Executive Order 141 and the FAQs Read the Press Release View the slide presentation It's important to rely on trusted sources of information about COVID-19. Keep up with the latest information on Coronavirus in North Carolina HERE Texttoto receive general information and updates about COVID-19 and North Carolina's response. Dial 2-1-1 provides free, confidential information and is available 24 hours a day to help you find resources within your community. They can connect you with people and groups that can help with questions about access to food, shelter, health care, employment and child care.Families who need food assistance for their children can texttoto find free meal sites in their communities.Make sure to prioritize your overall wellness and don't hesitate to seek additional help. Optum has a toll-free 24-hour Emotional Support Help Line atfor people who may be experiencing anxiety or stress due to Coronavirus.You can track the disease in real time through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' COVID-19 NC Dashboard . It includes detailed information about the state's COVID-19 confirmed cases, hospital capacity and more.On Wednesday, Governor Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen teamed up to answer questions from North Carolina's young people about the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the Kid's Q&A North Carolinians can now go online to find a testing site on the DHHS website . The list will be updated regularly as testing sites may shift in the coming weeks. There are more than 200 sample site locations in 54 North Carolina counties, some at no cost to the test taker. Doctors and clinicians may also do in-office testing.During this time it is imperative that everyone is informed about what is going on in our state. Governor Cooper's administration has been working to get information and resources translated for the Spanish speaking population in our state. Many of the Governor's press conferences press releases , and executive orders are available in Spanish. Resources are also available in Spanish on the DHHS website. People relax on the Beach amid the CCP virus pandemic in Tybee Island, Ga., on April 25, 2020. (Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images) Memorial Day Weekend: Americans Visit Beaches and Attractions With Pandemic Warnings in Mind The country has started a most unusual kind of Memorial Day weekend. Beach days, cookouts, and park visits are underway, but with health officials pleading in the background: get some fresh airbut watch how you do it. After weeks of being holed up with stay-at-home orders because of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, Americans in all 50 states have seen their restrictions loosened to varying degrees. As the country nears 100,000 recorded Covid-19 deaths, epidemiologists warn cases will spike as people increasingly get around. But the White Houses top CCP virus advisers also said people should feel free to venture outside with proper precautions. Many Americans are taking them up on it. In coastal southern Georgia, beachgoers laid out on towels, sat under umbrellas, and splashed in the Atlantic Ocean at Tybee Island on Saturday morning. They largely respected rules requiring groups to stay 6 feet apart and have no more than 10 people. Its like letting the air out of a balloon right now, Tybee Island resident Don McLemore said about visitors. Everybodys coming out, and theyre anxious to get out. Very few people were wearing masks. If its my turn to go, Im going. If not, Im enjoying life, a maskless James Dixon told a CNN crew there. In Daytona Beach, Fla., beachgoers will be asked to stay at least 10 feet apart. Though the city says masks are advised, Mayor Derrick Henry conceded Friday that its not realistic or practical to ask people to go to the beach and wear a mask. Some statesNew York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delawarereopened beaches Friday just in time for the holiday week. Most beaches will be open in Florida while those in hard-hit areas such as Fort Lauderdale and Miami-Dade County will remain closed. Rain will keep people inside in some parts of the country this weekend. But where beaches and other attractions are open, officials generally have issued social distancing restrictions and capacity limits. White House CCP virus task force member Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the nations top infectious disease experts, told the public this week that going outside was fine, with cautious measures. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks during a COVID-19 response meeting at the White House in Washington on April 29, 2020. (Carlos Barria/Reuters) Go out, wear a mask, stay 6 feet away from anyone so you can have the physical distancing, he told a CNN CCP virus town hall. Go for a run. Go for a walk. Go fishing. As long as youre not in a crowd and youre not in a situation where you can physically transmit the virus. More than 1.6 million people in the United States have tested positive for the CCP virus, which has killed more than 96,000 nationwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. Officers And Mascots Are Patrolling Beaches And Attractions Natural-resource officers were patrolling Georgias Tybee Island on Saturday. At Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., police will enforce guidelines by giving warnings or asking people to leave, Mayor Paul Kanitra said. In Floridas Orlando area, the Gatorland wildlife theme park reopened Saturday after weeks of closure. Among its many safety measures: A Sasquatch-looking mascot with a 6-foot wingspanthe Social Distancing Skunk Apewill wander the grounds, encouraging guests to keep well apart. The park will offer free masks to guests, and it has added 100 hand sanitizer stations, CEO Mark McHugh told CNN. We had hand sanitizers everywhere to begin with. You cant even turn around without running into one now, McHugh said. In Texas on Friday, bars joined the list of businesses allowed to reopen, though with capacity limits. In that states capital, Austin, plenty of people were out getting drinks into early Saturday morning, Taylor Blount told CNN. Several images he posted to Twitter showed one street teeming with people in the night. Other businesses may reopen as the weather warms up. In Nevada, Gov. Steve Sisolak says he hopes to be able to allow casinos to reopen on June 4. Sisolak announced Friday that the states Gaming Control Board will make a final decision in its next meeting Tuesday. Nevada casinos have been closed since March 17. Navajo Nation Enters Another Weekend Lockdown The Navajo Nation, with one of the highest per-capita CCP virus infection rates in the United States, has entered another weekend lockdown. The Native American territory spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. During the lockdown, from Friday night to early Monday, residents are generally required to stay home, with exceptions for essential workers. Were doing our best to flatten the curve, so lets think of the health and safety of others and stay home this weekend, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said. The Navajo Nation, with a reported population of 173,667 on the 2010 census, has recorded 4,529 CCP virus cases, and 149 deaths since the pandemic began. With that number of infections, the territory has more than 2,600 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people. Thats higher than any U.S. states per-capita rate. New York, with the highest rate for states, has 1,841 infections per 100,000 people. Federal Officials Accuse Two Groups Of Selling Fake CCP Virus Vaccines And Treatment Federal officials issued warning letters to two groups this week, accusing them of selling fraudulent and unapproved products related to Covid-19. The first group, Apollo Holding, was offering NoronaPak products, including cannabidiol derived from the cannabis plant, according to the letters from the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission. Apollo Holding claimed it can fight off the CCP virus with NoronaPak, according to the letter. The products purported to mitigate, prevent, treat, diagnose or cure Covid-19 in people, but were unapproved drugs sold in violation of federal law, the letters said. The second letter was issued to North Coast Biologics, which was allegedly offering a vaccine. In March, a person involved with North Coast Biologics bragged about the purported vaccine on Facebook, the letter said. Just vaccinated 12 people in west Seattle tonight 12 more to vaccinate in Burien, it said. The group allegedly said it would make the vaccine available to those who are either at risk or for anyone who simply needs reassurance. It edited its social media post last month, saying it was no longer available because of a cease and desist letter from the Attorney General. But the misleading claims remained online, federal officials said. Both groups did not immediately respond to CNNs request for comment. The CNN Wire and Epoch Times staff contributed to this report. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The past 60 days have stripped my family, my ministry and me of almost every pattern and practice established in my life over the past 37 years. Subtly, yet suddenly, a global pandemic called COVID-19 deconstructed normalcy and ushered in apocalyptic reality for us all. I confess being stunned and amazed by this entire experience and yet, grateful to date Ive not seen or experienced personal illness or loss as a direct result of this virus. Yet, changes and challenges have been multiplied in these days, and I find myself repeatedly rehearsing this question: Could God be stirring the church by stripping the church? Im not suggesting I know or understand the will and way of God in these days. Like you, Im seeking the Lord for wisdom, guidance and grace. But as I see events unfold, I wonder about the path of Gods hand and His plan in the adversity created by the coronavirus pandemic. Think about it 1. Weve been stripped of gatherings. In previous days, church attendance was an optional priority for many people. But shelter-in-place mandates and the continued echo of social distancing have created a pause to consider the value of a church family and community. As a result, are we poised to recast and recapture the vision of biblical community found in the book of Hebrews? And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV). 2. Weve been stripped of styles and systems. Nearly three decades of worship gatherings and church meetings have been marked by endless debates and discord over music, schedules and church polity. The COVID-19 crisis has now moved us beyond the option of such divisions and debates, and has shifted our focus to the substance of our witness and worship through the Word. We cannot and we must not let our styles and systems create stumbling blocks for us if we are to do the work of ministry in transitional times. 3. Weve been stripped of programs and resources. With church programs and resources on lockdown, weve all had to return the focus of ministry to relationships. Its funny how easy it is to be in the people business and yet, focus on business and busyness. When our church recognized we would be separated and scattered for an undefined period of time, we immediately prioritized personal contacts with mature adults, vulnerable communities, children, students, families and volunteer leadership. The interruption of gatherings and groupings in our buildings prompted us to go after people, and as a result, our focus shifted from programs and resources to personal relationships. 4. Weve been stripped of schedules. Through the years when initiating and planning ministry, Ive always tried to let our strategy determine our schedule rather than letting our schedule determine our strategy and structure. In these days, online church platforms for worship and life groups have given us opportunities to explore and develop new patterns along with the freedom to move beyond the unyielding structure of our established schedules. Are you battling preferences and listening to the whine of weve always done it this way? Now is the time to let your strategy determine your schedule. 5. Weve been stripped of our buildings and budgets. One of the most amazing outcomes of this global pandemic is the way we have been moved out of the space that defined us to find equal dependence upon the One who unites usthe Spirit of God. The church in its truest sense is a people inhabited by God. It doesnt matter how big or small our habitations. No church can thrive or survive apart from the indwelling, infilling and empowering work of Gods Spirit. Our dependence is on the Spirit who calls and enables us. Like no other time in my life and ministry, I have prayerfully remembered and rehearsed, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts (Zechariah 4:6 ESV). 6. Weve been stripped of control. So often we want to control the rate of change and degree of comfort in our churches. But God has taken control of ministry-management in recent days, and its time for each of us to reset our lives spiritually and strategically. We cannot and must not seek our former normal, but rather, seek His transformational plan through this experience. Lets not come out of the no wake zone and go full throttle toward the past. Its time to quit doing church and start being church in real time and with a greater purposeful resolve. 7. Weve been stripped of come and see methods and now were focused on a go and tell mandate. Many of us have had access (at a social distance) to our neighbors and neighborhoods in ways most of us have never experienced before. We have identified new people, new needs and new opportunities to share Christ. I confess Ive lived in the same house with little knowledge of those in my community, apart from those living next door or across the street. These days have brought new contacts, awareness and association with neighbors and workers in healthcare, first responders and other essential civil servants. We must not waste these missional encounters that open doors for sharing Christ. 8. Weve been stripped of our church and have been pressed to My Church So much of the chatter in the darkest days of the COVID-19 crisis has focused on the need for more data to enable scientists, physicians, politicians and leaders at all levels of society to make wise judgments regarding precautions and possible outbreaks. As individual pastors and churches, weve tried to listen, learn and lead with cautious compassion and with responsible decision. Yet for all the debates regarding what data and whose data is right in providing baselines and boundaries for responses, it is important to remember, as I heard Sean Morgan express during a recent podcast interview with Carey Nieuwhof, that the church has over 2,000 years of data having not only survived, but thrived through every imaginable crisis in history. Gods church is on mission and has been gathered and called to carry His redeeming message to the world. Neither the mission nor the message is up for debate. Jesus said, I will build My church (Matthew 16:18 ESV). We advance in faith even amid the adversity of the coronavirus to the end that Gods church will be preserved and His purpose accomplished. Even if all the systems and structures we have relied upon are stripped away, the church will surge ahead having been stirred by God for a greater plan He has for us. So I ask again, could God be stirring the church by stripping the church? Our God is the Creator who creates anew in each generation for His glory. Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:19 ESV). O God, let us not fear being stripped if this is Your way of stirring us to bring greater fame and acclaim to the name of Jesus. Amen. Description GIS 22 May, 2020 : A total of 101 052 tests including 26 339 PCR and 74 713 Rapid Antigen tests have been carried out in Mauritius, and some 8% of the population already tested for Covid-19. This percentage has been recorded from mass screening of the public including all frontliners. The spokesperson of the National Communication Committee on Covid-19, Dr Zouberr Joomaye, provided the updates on the situation, this evening, during a press briefing at the Treasury Building, in Port Louis. The Minister of Tourism, Mr Joe Lesjongard, and the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal, were also present. Mauritius, Dr Joomaye underlined, has experienced a 25-day streak of no new Covid-19 cases since 26 April 2020 which, according to him, is encouraging. He added that some 319 passengers are currently in six different quarantine centres across the country following the recent repatriation exercise of stranded Mauritians. For his part, Minister Lesjongard underscored that the Covid-19 has caused a world-wide slowdown of several important economic activities in various sectors including tourism which has worsened with the closure of frontiers. However, he reassured that the Government along with key stakeholders are working together to curb these impacts on the tourism sector which generates around 120 000 direct and indirect employment. As for Minister Jagutpal, he highlighted that the gradual resumption of activities in the public health sector has led to a significant increase in the number of patients in hospitals, dispensaries, Area Health Centres and Medi-clinics. Since 15 May 2020, he observed, some 16 500 patients were registered in casualties and 25 000 in dispensaries. Moreover, during the same period, 2 500 admissions have been recorded in hospitals and 550 operations were carried out. The Minister made an appeal to all persons suffering from high fever to get screened at the different Covid-19 testing centres which are operational since one week in four hospitals across Mauritius. He recalled that an appointment-based system has been put in place in the hospitals to avoid overcrowding and cases requiring urgent care are being attended in a timely manner. #ResOuLakaz #BeSafeMoris 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 Emily Ratajkowski ventured outside her Los Feliz abode on Friday afternoon to pose for some stunning snapshots with her precious pup Colombo. The 28-year-old model showed off her slender frame in a patterned cowl neck dress that stopped just below her knees, while her dog acted as the perfect accessory. In one shot, Emily - who adopted Colombo last summer - held onto his teal toned leash as she kneeled on the ground and flashed her sultry brown eyes at the camera lens. Strike a pose: Emily Ratajkowski ventured outside her Los Feliz abode on Friday afternoon to pose for some stunning snapshots with her precious pup Colombo Another showed Emily posing in front of a vehicle parked outside her home while Colombo stood on his hind legs. For the final picture, she put her phone on selfie mode so she could capture an up-close image of herself and her furry best friend as she sipped on a Babe wine drink. Her brunette tresses were styled in a neat middle part and flowed down past her shoulders. Emily opted for a minimalist makeup look that included a few dabs of peach blusher, plenty of lip gloss, and a soft winged eyeliner. Selfie time: For the final picture, she put her phone on selfie mode so she could capture an up-close image of herself and her furry best friend as she sipped on a Babe wine drink Partner: The 28-year-old model showed off her slender frame in a patterned cowl neck dress that stopped just below her knees, while her dog acted as the perfect accessory Shortly after the mini photoshoot, Emily returned to Instagram to flaunt her indoor boredom to her 26.3million followers. In a short clip, Emily tried on an Instagram filter for size that gave her butterfly wings as she sat idly on the floor of her living room. She followed-up that clip with a video of herself taking a bite out of snack before zooming the camera in on her glowing mug. Face of the day: Emily started out her morning by taking selfies, which she later shared to Instagram Simple chic: The California native wore a pair of stunning gold earrings and sported a navy blue crop top that buttoned up the front One particularly noteworthy Instagram Story post happened to be an outtake from her photoshoot with Colombo that showed him with his tongue out and his paws in the air. Emily started out her morning by taking selfies, which she later shared to Instagram. The California native wore a pair of stunning gold earrings and sported a navy blue crop top that buttoned up the front. In the house bored: Shortly after the mini photoshoot, Emily returned to Instagram to flaunt her indoor boredom to her 26.3million followers Outtake: One particularly noteworthy Instagram Story post happened to be an outtake from her photoshoot with Colombo that showed him with his tongue out and his paws in the air Glowing: She followed-up that clip with a video of herself taking a bite out of snack before zooming the camera in on her glowing mug For the self portraits, Emily leaned into the camera with her full pout on full display, while her hair fell effortlessly around her. Emily was up bright and early because she happened to be the special guest of fellow model Kaia Gerber's virtual book club. Ratajkowski proudly discussed her favorite book titled Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion with Gerber - who is the daughter of Cindy Crawford. Like the rest of Los Angeles, Emily has been hunkered down at home with dog Colombo and her husband of nearly two-years Sebastian Bear-McClard, 31, amid COVID-19. By Trend The COVID-19 tests have revealed 681 healthcare workers of Azerbaijan to be infected, Chairman of the Management Union of Medical Territorial Unit (TABIB) Ramin Bayramli said at a briefing of the Operational Headquarters under Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers, Trend reports on May 22. He noted that this made up 18 percent of the total number of infected. Of all infected, 537 health workers recovered and were discharged from the hospital, treatment of the remaining personnel continues. To date, four healthcare workers infected with coronavirus have died. According to Bayramli, last week the Operational Headquarters continued anti-pandemic measures, discussions were held and decisions made. Today, 106 people tested positive for coronavirus. In total, 3,855 cases of infection have been recorded in the country as of now, 2,399 people recovered and discharged from the hospital, reminded the chairman. The Week In Russia: Coffee, Tea, And High Technology By Steve Gutterman May 22, 2020 Coffee has won Russia's hot-drink Cold War, outpouring tea for the first time in a major shift in traditional values. President Vladimir Putin says the country needs to do better at high-tech to preserve its status as a "separate civilization," while an expert calls it a "declining power" that must be watched warily by the West. And Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is hospitalized as COVID-19 marches on. Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward. Tea Leaves? When Russians try to forecast the future based on scant information at hand, they read the coffee grounds, not the tea leaves. Aside from that, though, tea has taken precedence over coffee in Russia. Until now. In "the land of the samovar," as Bloomberg called it, the unthinkable has happened: Coffee overtook tea in 2019, according to an industry association that, judging by its name, ought to know. RusTeaCoffee said that Russians drank 180,000 metric tons of whole bean, ground, instant, and coffee mixes, while tea consumption dropped to under 140,000 metric tons, falling behind after the rivals were poured at equal measure 160,000 metric tons for two years running. Unthinkable, that is, unless you think back -- to the options on offer in the decades during which tea reigned supreme in the Soviet era. No Starbucks, no Kofe Khaus, no Kofemania or Kofein, no mocha lattes in a cup with your name or an approximation thereof scrawled on the side. Tea sometimes in colorfully labeled cubes that declared it Georgian or Indian -- was easier to come by and, arguably, harder to ruin. The attraction of a cup of coffee and a cigarette is diminished when it's unclear whether the former contains real coffee and the latter tobacco. "Since the communist era, Russians have preferred tea, while coffee was considered an elite drink," Bloomberg quoted RusTeaCoffee chief Ramaz Chanturiya as saying on May 14. "Over the last decades, coffee has been growing and finally won, led by the younger generation's consumption outside of the home." In the past decade alone the third decade since the collapse of the Soviet Union coffee consumption nearly doubled, state-run TASS cited the association as saying. In addition to countless coffee chains in a country that once had only a handful of spots like Shokoladnitsa near the statue of Lenin at the start of Lenin Avenue on Moscow's October Square, coffee is of course available at mini-marts, supermarkets, and hypermarkets nationwide. In 2018, 11 years after opening its first Russian branch, U.S.-based Starbucks opened Russia's first coffee drive-thru, the English-language Moscow Times reported, in a "sleepy suburb" that is perhaps a little less sleepy now. Then And Now With baristas and all the rest, Russia is in some ways far more like the Soviet Union's Cold War foes than it was nearly 30 years ago or even 20, or 10. But in remarks broadcast on state TV on May 17, President Vladimir Putin suggested Russia has some catching up to do in at least one department: high-technology. Putin often couches expressions of concern in bravado or hides acquiescence behind a show of defiance. In this case, his argument was that Russia risks losing what he asserted is its status as a distinct civilization if it lags behind the West and the rest. To be less like them, in other words, we need to be more like them or at least do what they do, as well or better. "Russia is not just a country, it's really a separate civilization," Putin said. "If we want to preserve this civilization, we should focus on high-level technology and its future development. "These new technologies have appeared and they will change the world -- they're already changing it," he said in remarks that were recorded in September. The Moscow Times pointed out that they were aired "days after Putin chaired a meeting on genetic technology where the CEO of state oil giant Rosneft" close Putin ally Igor Sechin "asked for a tax exemption for its investments in the field." American political scientist Joseph Nye, a champion of "interdependence" in international affairs, suggested that Russia's shortcomings in high-technology are among the reasons that the United States should watch Moscow closely. Risky Russia? Nye, whose influence helped shape Western thought in the latter stages of the Cold War, also downplayed the notion that Europe might be eager to significantly boost ties to Russia or China at the expense of transatlantic relations. Russia is a "declining state" due to factors such as a diminished workforce and its failure "to adapt its economy to a modern-technology economy as opposed to an energy-based economy," Nye, a former dean at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, told RFE/RL's Balkan Service in an interview on May 11. A vast country with "talented people" and a nuclear arsenal, Russia cannot be ignored and "has to be taken very seriously," Nye said. "After all, sometimes it is declining countries which are the most dangerous, because they're the most willing to take risks," he said. "So Russia should not fall below the radar." Oil And Genes Efforts to reduce Russia's reliance on energy exports, or the absence of those efforts, have been a perennial issue throughout Putin's 20 years as president or prime minister, with the urgency sharpening when the global financial crisis hit the economy after years of oil-fueled growth during his first two Kremlin terms, in 2000-08. More than a decade later, that dependence remains, despite much discussion of and Putin's repeated calls for a "breakthrough." In early March, Sechin and Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova signed an agreement between Rosneft and the government to further "the accelerated development of genetic technology." Aims include reducing reliance on foreign countries and turning Russia into "one of the leaders" in the field by 2027. That was then, this is now. On March 1, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia was zero. More than two weeks after that, Putin said the situation was under control and the authorities "have managed to prevent the mass penetration and spread of the illness in Russia." Today amid persistent doubts about the accuracy of its official numbers Russia is second only to the United States in terms of confirmed infections, with more than 325,000, and has recorded more than 3,200 deaths. Chechnya And COVID-19 The Russian economy has been hit hard, in part because of the continuing reliance on exports of oil at a time when demand has been severely depressed by the virtual shutdown of world travel and the decreased industrial activity. Some of Putin's closest associates have contracted COVID-19. His spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, has been hospitalized since May 12 or earlier, while Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin was released this week. And on May 21, Ramzan Kadyrov the former rebel fighter Putin put in charge of the Chechnya region in 2007 was reportedly flown to Moscow and hospitalized with a suspected coronavirus infection. If Kadyrov is incapacitated for a substantial period of time, it would raise questions about how the Kremlin will manage Chechnya. Rights activists say that Kadyrov rules through repressive measures and has created a climate of impunity for security forces in the region. They claim Kadyrov is ultimately responsible for abuses of political opponents by Chechen authorities that include kidnappings and forced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings. Kremlin critics say Moscow turns a blind eye to his conduct because it relies on the former rebel commander to control separatist sentiment and violence in Chechnya, the site of two devastating post-Soviet wars and an Islamist insurgency that spread to other mostly Muslim regions in the North Caucasus. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/the-week-in- russia-coffee-tea-and-high-technology -gutterman/30628844.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 By PTI JAIPUR: A mentally challenged girl was allegedly raped and killed by her brother and his three friends in Manoharpur area of Jaipur district, police said on Saturday. The four suspects, aged 19-21, took the minor to a nearby forested area on May 17 and allegedly raped her. They then allegedly strangled her to death and dumped the body in a drain, police said. The girl's father lodged a missing complaint on the next day after which police launched a search operation, Manoharpur SHO Ramswaroop said. The girl's brother also accompanied the search team, he added. After a detailed investigation, police zeroed in on the four suspects and detained them on Saturday, the station house officer said. Telugu industry bigwigs such as actors Chiranjeevi, Akkineni Nagarjuna, filmmaker SS Rajamouli and producer Dil Raju have met Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) to discuss various issues pertaining to the film industry in the wake of coronavirus pandemic and the road ahead. A producer on the condition of anonymity told Hindustan Times that KCR responded to the demands positively. The meeting took place on Friday. In the meeting, it was decided that post-production work on films and TV serials will begin immediately in a phased manner. The decided that film shooting can begin from June; however, it will be done with lot of restrictions. The decision of reopening theatres will be taken after a review, he said. Talasani Srinivas Yadav, minister for animal husbandry, fisheries,dairy development corp. and cinematography and chief secretary Somesh Kumar were also part of the meeting. Chirnjeevi, SS Rajamouli and Nagarjuna among others met the Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. On Thursday, several leading members of Telugu filmdom met at the residence of Chiranjeevi to discuss the current scenario and how they need to address various roadblocks going forward. At the meeting in Chiranjeevi sirs residence, they discussed various plans for resuming shooting from next month. They want to begin shooting of some films and see how things pan out as they have to do it with lot of restrictions, the producer added. Also read: Nawazuddin Siddiquis wife Aaliya says he humiliated her in front of Manoj Bajpayee, makes excuses to avoid meeting his kids In his recent interview to Deccan Chronicle, Chiranjeevi said Telugu film industry bounce back strongly in post pandemic era. We cant estimate the losses right now. But I feel that it will run into hundreds of crores. I dont know when the theatres will reopen, and when we can start shooting again. But I am confident that the cinema industry will bounce back once normality is restored. After the lockdown, we will discuss how to go forward. We have to talk to the financiers too and request them to reduce the interest and help the producers. Not just the film industry, but all other industries are incurring losses, he pointed out. We have to stand united and overcome this situation once everything gets back to normal, he added. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Welsh nationalist MP Jonathan Edwards has been suspended from the party pending a police investigation after he was arrested on suspicion of assault on Wednesday. Edwards, 44, who has represented Carmarthen East and Dinefwr for Plaid Cymru since 2010, was arrested earlier this week at his home address in Ammanford. Police confirmed a 44-year-old man from Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, had been arrested on suspicion of assault on Wednesday, adding that he had been released on bail. Pictured: Welsh Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards, who was arrested on suspicion of assault on Wednesday, has been suspended from the party pending a police investigation Pictured: Plaid Cymru MP Mr Edwards addresses the Secretary of Health about Covid-19 testing in Wales on Tuesday, the day before his arrest Officers from the Dyfed-Powys force are not releasing any further information about the allegation. Plaid Cymru confirmed it had withdrawn the whip from Mr Edwards. This means an MP is effectively expelled from the parliamentary party temporarily and must sit as an independent until the whip is restored. A Plaid Cymru statement said: 'The party whip has been withdrawn pending the conclusion of a police investigation. 'Mr Edwards has accepted this course of action and is complying fully with the police enquiries. Pictured: Edwards meeting constituents while campaigning in Carmarthenshire, Wales 'It would be inappropriate for the party to comment further at this time.' Edwards has three children with his wife Emma and lives in his constituency. The 44-year-old acted as Plaid Cymru's Brexit spokesman and was critical of the knock-on effect of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union on the Welsh economy. On the 19 May, the day before his arrest, Edwards uploaded a video of himself to his Facebook page asking the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about the availability of a COVID vaccine in Wales. 'Considering that Wales has been undermined by the British government over the distribution of PPE and testing,' he said. 'What confidence can the people of Wales have that we will have our fair share of vaccines once one is developed.' The European Union has decided to provide an initial funding of 500,000 euros (USD 5,45,000) to India in order to help the country in its response following Cyclone Amphan, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, announced on Friday. Lenarcic said that the EU has also decided to provide 1,100,000 euros (USD 11,98,936) to support the immediate response in Bangladesh. In a statement, Lenarcic said: Dozens of people have lost their lives as cyclone Amphan has come ashore southwest of Kolkata in eastern India and is making its way further north-east towards Bangladesh, causing further destruction and flooding. I am saddened to learn about fatalities in both India and Bangladesh, and the extent of destruction caused by strong winds, flooding and landslides, also damaging houses, infrastructure and livelihoods, he added. He said that the European Union will address the immediate needs of populations affected by the cyclone, as well as protect humanitarian aid and health workers from their exposure to the epidemic. The EU is determined to start helping people in need with no further delay and provides an initial funding of EUR500.000 for India and EUR1.100.000 to support the immediate response in Bangladesh, he announced. Cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in the states of West Bengal and Odisha and causing loss of lives and property. At least 72 people have died in West Bengal. Also Read: COVID-19 dampens Eid festivities in Old Delhi, restricted entry and social distancing followed at Jama Masjid Also Read: Rahul Gandhi to share migrant labourers incredible story of grit, determination and survival on his YouTube channel Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, Cyclone Amphan has badly affected 26 districts, causing damage to the tune of 1,100 crores Bangladesh Taka. It has claimed at least 20 lives in Bangladesh, reported Dhaka Tribune. As per a report in Dhaka Tribune, around one crore people in the south-western and north-western regions have been left without electricity as the storm disrupted the power supply system. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the authorities to take prompt measures to provide money and relief materials to those affected by the cyclone and reconstruct their houses. Also Read: NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant says though the lockdown had been successful in controlling the virus outbreak, migrant crises were handled poorly For all the latest National News, download NewsX App To the editor: The Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network held its seventh mobile food pantry of the year on Wednesday, May 6, in the parking lot of Blessed Sacrament Church in Midland. The food giveaway was funded by an anonymous family and many friends in caring response to the increased need for food due to the effect on the economy created by the COVID-19 virus. Thirty-five family members and friends, with guidance of 10 EFPN volunteers, served 171 families (457 individuals) with 16,956 pounds of food purchased from the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan. The food distribution included milk, cabbage, oranges, watermelon, assorted meats, bell peppers, soup, bread and bakery goods. In accordance with the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines, recipients of food remained in their vehicles for registration and for food delivery during which time the volunteer workers wore face masks. (This drive-up process will be the standard for upcoming MFP events.) We are very thankful to the Midland Police who provided assistance during this food giveaway; this assistance is planned for future mobile events. The next MFP provided by EFPN is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, at Trinity Lutheran Church, located on Jefferson Avenue in Midland. As a reminder: In addition to food assistance from the mobile events, Midland County residents in (financial) need of food and personal care items and cleaning supplies during the year also may call 989-486-9393 to leave your name and phone number. You will receive a call to set up an appointment at one of our eight food pantries in Midland County to receive a weeks supply of food. During your appointment, you will remain in your vehicle as the pre-packaged food and other items are placed in your trunk by the pantry volunteers. Please visit us at midlandcountyfpn.org or on Facebook for additional information. The network is very grateful to the many donors of food, money and time throughout the year to the networks mission of Always food in every home. SALLY ANN SUTTON Midland County EFPN The coronavirus pandemic continues to exact a devastating toll on the American population. The death toll will surpass 100,000 over the weekend, with nearly 1,300 new deaths recorded yesterday. At the same time, mass unemployment is at levels not seen since the Great Depression, with 40 million filing for unemployment benefits since March. US billionaires, however, are doing fabulously well. The Institute for Policy Studies and Americans for Tax Fairness reported Thursday that since mid-March, Americas billionaires have added $434 billion to their net worth. Collectively, the richest 630 Americans now control $3.4 trillion in wealth, a 15 percent increase in two months. The top five US billionairesJeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett and Larry Ellisonsaw their wealth grow by a total of $75.5 billion, or 19 percent, the report states. Together they captured 21 percent of the total wealth growth of all 600-plus billionaires in the last two months. The fortunes of [Amazon CEO] Bezos and [Facebook CEO] Zuckerberg together grew by nearly $60 billion, or 14 percent of the $434 billion total. This rise has been fueled by the implementation of unlimited quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve, which is pumping $80 billion a day into the stock market, and by the $2.2 trillion CARES Act bailout passed unanimously by the Democrats and Republicans in Congress. The Fed now holds $7 trillion in assets on its balance sheet and the stock market has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels. While the oligarchs receive unlimited handouts, the broad mass of the population confronts an earthquake that has triggered a tsunami of social devastation. The official jobless figure of 40 million vastly understates the level of unemployment. Millions of people are either ineligible for unemployment benefits or have been unable to get through to overwhelmed state systems. Many of these jobs will never come back. The University of Chicagos Becker Friedman Institute estimates that 42 percent of job losses through April 25 are permanent. This means that 11.6 million people will not be able to go back to work. The current crisis may be so severe, a co-author of the report, Jose Maria Barrero, wrote, that the fraction of temporary layoffs that become permanent ends up being much larger than the historical evidence would suggest. Already devastated by the 2008 crash, a whole generation of young people graduating from high school or college face the abyss of years of unemployment and underemployment, unable to start a family or own a home. Millions of restaurants, shops and other small businesses will go bankrupt and never reopen, leaving small business owners and their employees with nothing. At the same time, city and state budget shortfalls arising from the loss of tax revenue will be used to justify further massive cuts in education and other social programs. After a temporary moratorium, states are moving to resume evictions of people who are behind on rent and mortgage payments. Oklahoma is beginning evictions on May 26. In Iowa and Wisconsin, evictions can proceed on May 27. In Texas, a statewide ban on evictions expired last Tuesday and a surge of new cases is expected in the coming days. The policy of the financial oligarchy can be summed up as: death and social devastation. The rich have utilized the coronavirus pandemic to hand trillions of dollars to themselves, while nothing has been done to address the needs of the population. The massive accumulation of debt must be paid for through the intensified exploitation of the working class. With each passing day, the homicidal character of this campaign becomes ever more apparent. On Friday, Trump declared that churches and other places of worship are essential and demanded that they be reopened right now, warning that he would overrule any governor who does not comply. Epidemiologists have repeatedly warned against resuming all large gatherings that can serve as vectors for the virus to spread rapidly throughout a community. The reopening of churches, synagogues and mosques to in-person serviceson top of the resumption of production at the auto plants and other workplaces in recent weekswill facilitate the spread of the deadly virus, which has already infected more than 1.6 million people in the United States and taken the lives of nearly 100,000. The thinking of this oligarchic ruling layer can be found in the comments of some of its representatives. Arguing against social distancing measures to limit the spread of the virus, former CEO and Chairman of Goldman Sachs and Democratic Party financier Lloyd Blankfein tweeted Thursday, Hospitals are not overwhelmed; most of us will be exposed anyway since we cant sequester until theres a vax [sic]; and we know which groups need protection from worst outcomes. Is the public health benefit from broad lockdowns at this point worth such extreme damage to livelihoods? Blankfeins main concern, of course, is not workers livelihoods, but the damage that may be done to his stock portfolio if workers do not resume generating profits. Then there is hedge fund manager Ricky Sandler, CEO of Eminence Capital, who has created a website, ichooseherdimmunity.com, to demand that the US government openly declare that it is pursuing herd immunitythat is, to allow the virus to run rampant. Sandler has called for coronavirus benefit concerts, where young people gather to be infected with the coronavirus so the antibodies in their blood can be harvested as a treatment. Some of these people may even benefit as they are new to learn they have some compromise in their immune system, Sandler glibly wrote. The economy which the ruling class is concerned with saving has nothing to do with protecting or improving the lives of the working class. Rather, it intends to implement a vast restructuring of class relations, using the social crisis confronting tens of millions of people as a whip to reduce wages and slash benefits. The pandemic has vastly exacerbated the class divide between the rich and the working class. The open looting of society by the ruling class and its homicidal drive to reopen the economy will produce massive social unrest and revolutionary upheavals. In these struggles, the working class must advance its own political program. The Socialist Equality Party, in its statement published on May 21, called on workers to build rank-and-file safety committees in their factories and workplaces to coordinate actions and ensure they are protected from the virus at work and do not spread it to their families at home. The organization of opposition in the working class, the SEP stated, is inseparably linked to a struggle of workers against the ruling classthe corporate and financial oligarchyand its dictatorship over economic and political life. It is, therefore, a fight against capitalism and for socialism, the restructuring of society on the basis of social need, not private profit. If the pandemic has demonstrated anything, it is that the interests of the working class, the vast majority of the population, stand in fundamental and irreconcilable conflict with the interests of the oligarchy and the capitalist system upon which their wealth and power depend. An election fraud case in Philadelphia has reignited a long-smoldering partisan political issue and stirred up the 2020 presidential race with less than two weeks before the states primary. A South Philadelphia election judges March guilty plea to taking bribes to inflate votes for Democratic candidates was kept quiet by federal prosecutors until Thursday, a day after President Donald Trump was again making broad claims about Democratic voter fraud. He offered no evidence to back them up, and threatened to withhold money from states that make it easier to vote by mail. Trumps campaign and the Republican National Committee seized on Domenick J. DeMuros plea Friday, calling it proof that voter fraud exists despite what they said was the news medias reluctance to report on the issue. Democrats have a clear and blatant history of committing voter fraud in Pennsylvania," Melissa Reed, a spokesperson for the RNC and Trumps campaign, said in a statement. She said the GOP continues to fight back against the Democrats nationwide vote-by-mail push to destroy the integrity of elections. But Trumps campaign, along with the RNC and the Pennsylvania Republican Party, also have been urging voters to sign up for the very vote-by-mail ballots that the president keeps declaring instruments for voter fraud. It was not clear why U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain, appointed by Trump in 2017, waited more than two months to make the DeMuro case public and did so just before an election. A spokesperson for McSwain declined to comment Friday. DeMuro, a former judge of elections and Philadelphia Democratic committeeperson, admitted accepting bribes to stuff the ballot box for Democratic candidates from 2014 to 2016. Among the races he sought to influence were the elections of three candidates for Common Pleas Court judge, according to court documents. In announcing the guilty plea, McSwain said, Our election system relies on the honesty and the integrity of its election officials. If they are corrupt, the system is corrupt, which creates opportunities for election fraud and for the counting of fake votes. DeMuro, according to Board of Elections records, changed his voter registration from Democratic to Republican just before he pleaded guilty. Neither court records nor prosecutors have identified the political consultant who, according to charging documents, paid DeMuro to add votes for Democratic candidates running for the bench and other federal, state, and local offices. Republicans have long claimed that voter fraud is a rampant, unpunished crime and that restrictions must be put in place to stem the practice. Democrats have pushed back, noting that Republicans who push for legislation that, for instance, requires photo identification to vote offer no evidence of a widespread problem with fraudulent voting. Trump took this rhetoric to new levels in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election, repeatedly warning the vote would be rigged against him in urban areas like Philadelphia. Even after he won the presidency, Trump claimed, again with no proof, that millions of illegal ballots prevented him from winning the national popular vote. Voter fraud has been caught and prosecuted in Philadelphia and other jurisdictions. But no evidence exists to prove the crime is rampant. The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office charged four polling place officials in 2017, accusing them of casting bogus ballots and certifying false results during a special election for the state Houses 197th District. Three votes were impacted. They did not change the elections result, according to prosecutors. An Inquirer review just before the 2016 presidential election found that nine people had been prosecuted for some version of election fraud in the previous three years. Those cases were filed because polling place officials reported what they saw. Four polling place officials in the 18th Ward were charged in 2014 with adding six votes to a ballot machine to make the numbers match with the number of voters who signed in that day. Those changes were unlikely to have affected an elections outcome in an overwhelmingly Democratic ward. In other cases, a woman voted on behalf of her mother, a polling place official voted for her son and a woman wrote her name in on a ballot being used by another voter. The citys largest election fraud case occurred during a 1993 special election for the state Senates 2nd District seat. A federal judge threw out every absentee ballot in the race, ruling that election officials had illegally distributed them to campaign and Democratic Party workers. The results of that election were overturned. Massachusetts has seen a roughly 50% drop in reports of suspected child abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic as advocates urge the community to look out for the health of parents and children while maintaining a physical distance. As coronavirus cases grew in Massachusetts, schools closed their doors and people started to stay at home. At the same time, reports of alleged child abuse or neglect to the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families began to drop. Comparing the week ending May 5 to the week ending March 7 - prior to the statewide stay at home order - there was a 47% decrease in intakes of reports of child abuse or neglect, according to recent DCF analysis of data. Certain professions, including teachers, are considered mandated reporters and are obligated to report alleged child abuse or neglect. Other people can also file those reports, known as 51A reports. A Massachusetts DCF report dated May 15 indicates a decline in reports of neglect or abuse of children, known as 51A reports. Mandated reporters like teachers, as well as health care providers and first responders, typically account for about 80% of the reports DCF receives. The closure of schools during the pandemic is likely the reason for a decline in 51A reports in Massachusetts, as well as for the trend across the country, officials said. The number of 51A reports by mandated reporters has dropped 54% from mid-March to mid-May this year when compared to the same period last year, according to DCF data. Anonymous reports and reports from non-mandated people have also declined. In total, 51A reports have dropped by 51% in 2020 compared to the same period last year, per the DCF data. DCF continues to make in-person contact to check on the safety of children. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) relies on mandated reporters such as teachers and physicians, who are required by law to file a report if they suspect a child is being abused or neglected. In recent weeks there has been a slight uptick in reports as social workers continue to respond to emergencies in person and make home visits when serious child safety concerns arise," said Andrea Grossman, a DCF spokesperson. Children are safest when they are visible in the community and, since the onset of these unprecedented circumstances, DCF has been coordinating efforts with our partner child-serving organizations to stay connected with children. Furthermore, DCFs approach remains consistent with federal guidance, which includes the addition of videoconferencing to maintain contact with children, families, and foster parents, Grossman continued. A Massachusetts DCF report dated May 15 indicates a decline in reports of neglect or abuse of children, known as 51A reports. Tammy Mello, the executive director of the Childrens League of Massachusetts, said the trend in Massachusetts mirrors what is being reported across the country. What we know through research is that financial stress and social isolation are significant indicators to increase parental stress and thats whats happening" during the pandemic, Mello said. Our biggest concerns right now are how are we making sure that people are communicating with their neighbors and their families and checking in and just trying to really reduce that social isolation. Is there food insecurity? Are people worried about paying their rent? How do we help parents reduce their stress, which we know helps to mitigate child abuse and neglect. Mello said everyone should make it their own responsibility to check in with family members, friends and neighbors who are parents. In the case of serious concerns, anyone can make a report to DCF. During school vacation weeks and summer months, it is common to see a decrease in abuse reports because children arent in school, Mello said. Right now, children are facing a roughly six-month period away from school, at least. I think its really important to note that our expectation is theres going to be a surge in reports in the fall once kids are back in school, Mello said. We really worry about making sure there arent cuts that impact those services and supports and, quite frankly, we believe that if people now are reaching out to families we may be able to mitigate that surge. In Massachusetts, abuse is defined as any non-accidental act to a child that causes or creates a risk of physical or emotional injury, including sexual contact. Neglect is defined as the failure by a caretaker, either deliberately or through negligence or inability, to provide a child with minimal care. About 85% of the cases every year are neglect cases, according to Maria Mossaides, the director of the Office of the Child Advocate. Mossaides said that advocates and law enforcement are all concerned that the pandemic means there are situations harmful to children that are staying under the radar. Just like during snowstorms we ask people to reach out and check on their elderly neighbors, I think its very appropriate to say we need for the community at large to protect our children," said Mossaides, who urged community groups and organizations to check in with their local families. Obviously we need to maintain the social distancing but at the same time, we also want there to be some attempt to make sure that if there are some situations, that they come to the attention to the Department of Children and Families. The heads of the Massachusetts Childrens Alliance, Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA) and Childrens League of Massachusetts, in issuing a joint call to the public for help detecting possible abuse, said some signs of abuse include: Physical appearance: signs of bruises, marks, injuries, hygiene, or attire Environment: signs of violence, drug and alcohol abuse, or family dysfunction Behavior and affect: change in mood or presentation, distress, or outcries of abuse Engagement: changes in participation, interaction, and communication Supervision: access to a responsible adult and their level of involvement The groups noted that a report does not automatically trigger a child being removed from a home or a parent being in trouble and said the most common outcome is supplying services and supports to families that are in need. We know that child abuse does not go away, said Thomas King, the executive director of the Massachusetts Childrens Alliance. All the things that really contribute and can amplify child abuse scenarios really are here during the COVID pandemic. The Massachusetts Childrens Alliance has a list of resources on its website. In Suffolk County, there has been a significant decline in reports of child abuse to the office of District Attorney Rachael Rollins. From mid-March through mid-May, Rollins office has received 234 child abuse referrals, a 39 percent drop from the 386 received in the same period of 2019, according to a statement. In this time, many people are dealing with heightened job insecurity, housing insecurity and food insecurity, all of which can be accelerants for violence and abuse," Rollins office said. Rollins office said that the same mid-March through mid-May time period also shows that the amount of online crimes against children has almost doubled to 31 this year compared to the same period last year. Mossaides said the district attorneys offices in the state receive the most severe cases and not necessarily all reports or cases of abuse or neglect. Restrictions on daily life can be even more isolating and dangerous for victims of abuse, especially those for whom the only place to go is a household shared with the person responsible for the harm. Social interaction is often a lifeline; work and school are often temporary respites from abuse and trauma and classrooms are places where children find caring adults to whom they can disclose safely and those adults are also mandated reporters for abuse and neglect," Rollins office wrote in the statement. Rollins office is also collaborating with the Childrens Advocacy Center of Suffolk County to create a community safety net guide, #CommunitySafetNet, to share information and resources on how to protect and support children at risk. Anyone who wants to report suspected abuse or neglect can call the DCF Child-At-Risk Hotline at (800) 792-5200, which is operational from 5 p.m. to 8:45 a.m. During business hours of 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday, callers should make reports to the office local to the childs community. A list of offices and phone numbers is online. Related Content: Employers have warned that millions of staff will be laid off when the Government starts asking them to pay 25 per cent of their furloughed staff's wages in August. Chancellor Rishi Sunak last week extended the coronavirus job retention scheme in which the Treasury covers 80 per cent of wages of workers' wages up to a ceiling of 2,500 a month, but this could change from August. Under the plans, expected to be announced next week, all firms on the scheme will be told to fork out a quarter of their staff's wages even if they remain closed, The Times reports. The effect of the change could be substantial, with several firms saying they will not be able to pay the share because their employees won't be back at work. One unnamed employee in an office based in London said that 35 out of 42 staff placed on furlough at the beginning of April would be made redundant by the end of June, while another's employer said that once it had to pick up some of the tab, people would have to go. Employers will have to pay 25 per cent of their furloughed staff's wages from August under plans set to be announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak The worker, who has been furloughed since March, was told that because of expected changes to the job retention scheme her position is being made redundant at the end of July. Neither wish to be named or identified in fear of retaliation from their employers. More than 70 per cent of companies had furloughed at least a portion of their staff, according to a survey from the British Chamber of Commerce. Jaguar Land Rover seeking Government support Britain's biggest carmaker is in talks for a huge taxpayer support package as coronavirus continues to devastate the manufacturing sector. The Coventry-based firm, which employs around 38,000 people, is believed to have submitted a loan request Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and was being considered by ministers. The size of the loan is believed to be over 1 billion, although a suggestion it could be almost 2bn were called inaccurate and speculative by a spokesperson. The company told Sky News: Jaguar Land Rover [is] constantly in discussion with government on a whole range of matters relating to COVID and we will not discuss details which are confidential and private. It operates three main production sites: at Castle Bromwich and Solihull in the Midlands, and Halewood on Merseyside. Approximately 20,000 of its employees have been furloughed under the government's emergency wage subsidy programme, according to a spokesman, although about 2000 employees at the Solihull site returned to work this week. Its cash position has been made far less robust by the pandemic, with the ratings agency Standard & Poor estimating recently that the company was burning through 1bn every month. Total retail sales for the fourth quarter dropped by almost 31 per cent to 110,000 vehicles as a result of the pandemic. JLR added that it had ended the financial year with cash and investments of 3.6bn, while it also had undrawn bank facilities of 1.9bn. Advertisement Vistry Group, previously known as Bovis Homes, had already announced in February that 8 per cent of its workforce would be cut following a tie-up with rival Galliford Try in January, but said it anticipated 'further headcount reductions.' Like most major UK housebuilders, Vistry placed staff on furlough while the construction industry shut down throughout the nationwide lockdown. Around three-fifths of its staff were initially furloughed but this has now fallen to 30 per cent as the construction industry has begun returning to work. A Vistry spokesperson said the redundancies were the result of both the acquisition of the housebuilding arm of Galliford Try, which trebled the group's size, along with the coronavirus outbreak, which it said 'has presented the most challenging period in our industry's long history.' They added: 'We have used and will use the furlough scheme fairly, responsibly and as it was intended - to protect people who would have otherwise lost their jobs as a result of coronavirus, to date topping up all salaries to 100 per cent.' Reacting to the changes to the job retention scheme, the GMB Union called for a 'credible recovery plan' to be put in place. National Secretary Rehana Azam said: 'Either the Government is serious about protecting people against a harsh recession or they're not. 'This pandemic has laid bare the inequalities ingrained across our communities and we need a plan thats going to guard against mass job losses. 'If this retention of jobs package is to be eroded or cut back then the Government needs to set out an alternative peoples bailout. Doing nothing, or rolling back measures currently in place, isnt an option. 'We need the Chancellor to fulfil his duty of care and keep workers in jobs and work with unions and industry to safely get Britain back to work.' Firms will however be permitted to bring furloughed workers back as part time staff with the amount of hours per week chosen by the employee. While the government will keep paying pension contributions, firms will need to pay national insurance. The total cost of the furlough scheme could hit 80 billion - the Office for Budget Responsibility has warned - and more than eight million people have been furloughed. The retail sector, which has seen sales nosedive as shops remain shuttered, will 'inevitably' have fewer store staff going forward, it is feared (Oxford Street in London pictured) Google Trends found a huge spike in people searching for information about furloughing in May (red line), while searches for redundancies (blue) has shown a small increase recently Bosses have already warned there will inevitably be mass job losses when employers are asked to start sharing the cost of the furlough scheme. Industry experts also claim Chancellor Rishi Sunak's extension to the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) - where the Treasury bankrolls 80 per cent of wages - is merely delaying redundancies. Mr Sunak's announcement that the scheme would be prolonged until October but that firms would 'start sharing' the financial burden with the Exchequer set alarm bells ringing throughout UK Plc, which demanded assurances for companies in 'dire straits' unable to foot even a fraction of their furloughed staff's wages. What is happening to the furlough scheme? The multi-billion pound furlough scheme is being extended to October. Employees on the scheme will continue to receive 80 per cent of wages, up to a ceiling of 2,500 a month. Until the end of July, there will be no changes to the scheme whatsoever. From August to October there will be 'greater flexibility' so furloughed employees can return to work part-time. Businesses will be expected to share the costs of paying their salaries from this point - meaning some that remain largely shut will have to choose whether to make people redundant. Further details of the arrangements will be announced by the end of the month. Advertisement Small businesses completely starved of any income since the crisis are particularly nervous about how they will afford to pay. Jay Lee, director of online learning company uAcademy, which employs 14 furloughed people, initially hailed the JRS as a 'godsend'. But he told MailOnline: 'The recent announcement of the government sharing the cost of the furlough scheme would be a big blow to us as we won't be able to cover part of the wages, this is simply because the business has no revenue and it's essentially closed.' Executives facing grim balance sheets will be confronted with tough choices when the changes to the JRS kick in in a few months time. Ian Girling, chief executive of the Dorset Chamber of Commerce, anticipates firms 'will need to look closely at staff costs in what will no doubt be a challenging climate'. He added: 'Many businesses will need to restructure as they look to the future and inevitably and regrettably we will see redundancies.' Representatives from the sectors hardest hit by the lockdown have voiced concern that the Chancellor's multi-billion-pound bailout will not go far enough. The retail sector, which has seen sales nosedive after shops shuttered, will 'inevitably' have fewer store staff going forward, it is feared. Richard Lim, chief executive of Retail Economics, told MailOnline: 'There's no two ways about this there will be fewer jobs in retail as we emerge out of this crisis. 'There will be administrations that are yet to happen. The government's support measures are providing a lifeline to keep businesses afloat and preserve cash and continue to operate and allow them the working capital to do that. He added: 'For some businesses, they will have some staff on furlough who they will realise that are unlikely to be coming back to the same roles as before, if they have those roles at all.' Mr Lim added that retailers would likely shift more weight behind online selling and would 'absolutely try' to retain store staff if possible, but this could mean fewer hours or job sharing. The picture in the travel sector looks equally as bleak, with summer holidays abroad all but cancelled for Britons. Airlines have been forced to furlough thousands of staff as countries around the world enforce flight freezes to stem the spread of the virus. IAG, the parent company of British Airways, said the Chancellor's extension to the furlough funding will not plug the enormous loss of revenue in the long-term. It said in a statement to MailOnline: 'We welcome the Chancellor's decision to extend the Job Retention Scheme and, as Willie Walsh said at the Transport Select Committee yesterday, we applaud his swift action in dealing with this crisis. 'However, while this brings some welcome relief, it's not a permanent financial solution. 'It merely buys us a few extra days to address the restructuring that our business requires to survive this unprecedented crisis.' The immediate future of hospitality businesses also remains uncertain, with warnings that pubs and restaurants could remain closed for many months. It is feared bosses with no revenue stream and lofty overheads will not be able to pay half their furloughed employees' wages. Patrick Langmaid, who owns the Mother Ivey's Bay holiday park in Padstow, forecast making tough job cuts. 'We are very worried about how we, as employers, are going to make contributions through August, September and October,' he told the BBC. 'I've already started briefing my team that there will have to be redundancies.' Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, which represents the industry, welcomed the scheme's extension, but warned: 'The full 80 per cent may need to be extended past July for some businesses in sectors like hospitality that will still operate at much reduced levels of trade, or not yet be able to open.' The Chancellor has also been warned that extending the scheme, and draining the public purse, will actually increase the likelihood of redundancies in the long-haul. Professor Len Shackleton of the Institute of Economic Affairs said: 'The longer businesses are dependent on the furlough scheme, and unable to begin reorganising staff and adjusting their business models, the less likely it is that people will have jobs to return to once the lockdown ends. 'It will also delay individuals' plans to seek other jobs where this is clearly going to be necessary.' But he suggested that company executives are under pressure to keep staff on furlough, rather than making them redundant now, because of the backlash if they were to turn turn down the government's funding. He told MailOnline: 'They would certainly be criticised by employees and unions for making staff redundant and forcing them on to Universal Credit, when the government is offering more money on the Job Retention Scheme.' The Institute of Directors said: 'We now need further clarity around employers' contributions. Many firms that would normally be on strong footing are still in dire straits.' Edwin Morgan, Director of Policy, added: 'Firms don't want to be as reliant on government support as they are at the moment, but the response to coronavirus has shut down much of the economy. 'It's important the Government designs changes to support programmes with care, because winding them down will inevitably force companies to make difficult choices around whether they can keep staff on if demand hasn't returned.' Police are investigating a potential homicide after a man was found dead Friday evening at the Pearl Inn in southwest Houston. First responders were sent around 7 p.m. to the motel at the corner of Beltway 8 and W. Bellfort Avenue on reports of an unresponsive person. Married At First Sight star Mishel Karen has launched a new career as an influencer. And on Saturday, the former teacher treated her 98,000 Instagram followers to a rundown of her $600 nightly skincare routine. Sharing a short clip of herself getting ready for bed in her Brisbane home, the 49-year-old revealed the six products she simply can't live without. Age-defying! Married At First Sight star Mishel Karen, 49, revealed her $600 nightly skincare routine in a video shared to Instagram on Saturday With a towel wrapped around her head, Mishel told fans that she wanted to share her favourite Synergie Skin products, despite not being paid by the brand to do so. The reality star began by cleansing her face with the UltraCleanse, retailing for AU $72, followed by 'two or three drops' of the $69 Dermiotic Elixir. Mishel talked through the benefits of the $115 Vitamin B cream, describing it as the 'building block' and an 'essential' in boosting collagen production. Dedicated: Filming from the bathroom of her Brisbane home, Mishel said she begins her nightly regimen with the UltraCleanse, followed by 'two or three drops' of the Dermiotic Elixir To make her skin feel 'brand new', the brunette said she uses a sample of the $108 Masquerase face mask once a week, and on the other six days the $139 Elastense neck and decolletage firming cream. 'This is a range that I love and I believe works,' she concluded her post. 'It is scientifically formulated with pure, safe active ingredients. Synergie Skin is an Australian company that also invest in initiatives to assist women that need support.' Regimen: The former teacher said she uses a sample of the $108 Masquerase face mask once a week, and on the other six days the $139 Elastense neck and decolletage firming cream Branching out: Mishel recently announced her new career as a social media influencer While many of her former co-stars have struggled to capitalise on their 15 minutes of fame, Mishel has been snapped up by a PR agency and effortlessly transitioned into a new job as a social media influencer. In a recent Instagram post, the mother-of-two said: 'Yes! I signed with a PR agency. Why? Simple... I don't know what I'm doing!' The owners of Modern Currency also issued a statement on social media. 'We're so excited to be representing the beautiful and incredible powerhouse that is Mishel,' they wrote. Building her brand: Unlike some of her Married At First Sight co-stars, the mother-of-two has been able to capitalise on her 15 minutes of fame The flower farmers of Haryanas Jhajjar district have appealed the government to provide them a relief package as they had faced huge losses amid the lockdown. The farmers say the flowers planted in the fields have withered and they have incurred losses worth crores. It costs us Rs 25, Rs 40 and Rs 50 to grow lilium, carnation, and gypsophila flowers, respectively, said Silak Ram, farmer. It takes a lot of hard work and money to grow flowers in an area like Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar. But now farmers have started uprooting these dried flowers, said Silak Ram. Flower buyers are locked in their homes, and the flowers are withering away in the fields. Floriculture is neither insured nor has the government given relief to the flower growers. The farmers have requested the government for help, said Harishankar, a farmer. These flowers are in great demand from March to June, during marriages, and on Ram Navami and Eid, they generate good revenue. But the lockdown has broken the back of the flower producing farmers, added Harishankar. Having one child sit the Leaving Cert is a challenge but when you have quintuplets, it's a whole other ball game! Ireland's only quintuplets - Conor, Cian, Rory, Amy and Dearbhail Cassidy - have had a year to remember, as have their parents, Veronica and Kevin. In August the quintuplets celebrated their 18th birthdays at the Rotunda Hospital, where they were born on August 16, 2001. The birth of the 'Famous Five' that year was national news - (rightly so as quintuplets are a one in every 55 million births natural phenomenon) - and saw the babies feature as tiny guests on The Late Late Show. Bridgetown couple Veronica and Kevin were originally told that she was carrying just one child. At the following scan, consultants told them it could be twins or perhaps triplets. Then, at the 11-week scan, they confirmed it was quintuplets. Born on August 16, at just over 25 week's gestation in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), they weighed between 1lb 6oz to 1lb 11oz at birth. The children remained in hospital until December of that year. Now fully grown, they each have their own distinct personalities. Being under one roof for eight weeks has been a breeze, mostly, as they all get on famously, Rory told this newspaper. 'We do get along and this has brought us a little bit closer together as, literally, we can't do anything else but spend time in each other's company. Like all siblings we have our moments; it's not going to be harmonious all of the time.' Up until March 12, they attended Bridgetown Vocational College, where Kevin works as caretaker. When the school was closed, they were happy with how their studies were progressing. Rory said: 'The mocks were pretty good. They gave us a good idea of where we stood and we were using them to progress on to the Leaving Cert in June. Then that day in March came along and everything was torn apart very quickly. If someone would have told us that this was the way it would end up at the start of the year I would have laughed.' Describing the months of April and early May as 'messy' as there was no certainty as to the Leaving Cert start date, Rory said: 'We were led one way and then led the other and now we are in a new situation. It has not been an easy couple of months but it has been interesting. We have learned a lot.' As for studying under one roof trying to attend Zoom class meetings and do online study, it posed big challenges. 'Luckily our broadband is fibre so it's good. We had our own areas where we were able to study, either in our rooms or at the kitchen table. We had three laptops, so two had to work on the phone. It wasn't ideal; we kinda worked at it the best we could.' As for maintaining discipline and getting up early to study, there were varying results. 'I'll probably be shot for saying this but Cian had the most difficulty getting up in the morning.' He said all five worked away on their studies, managing to ramp up their work as the days ticked down through March towards the Leaving Cert. 'I do really think we worked well, given the situation we found ourselves in. We worked until something changed then we adapted and worked until it changed again.' For Rory, who is a keen athlete, running gave him head space and some of the siblings enjoyed long walks within the 2km radius. Veronica kept them fed and their spirits up, while Kevin continued maintenance work at the school. To pass the time, they enjoy family quizzes on Zoom. 'We have talked more and, like everyone, we have a bit more time to do things so we have benefited from that.' When it was announced by Minister for Education Joe McHugh that the Leaving Cert had been cancelled in favour of calculated grades, there were five collective exhalations of relief in the Cassidy household. The mental toll of the past few weeks had been relieved, but there was also disappointment. 'There was an element of relief, but there was also an element of disappointment that our secondary school years were gone in the click of a finger and we won't get them back again.' Having gone to school together since they were little children, first to Kilmore NS and later to Bridgetown Vocational College, the siblings will soon be going off to different universities, all going to plan. Being in each other's company is all they have ever experienced. 'It's all we've ever known. For us it's normal even if it doesn't sound like normalcy. I think we'll definitely miss the school. We were six years there and we got used to going in every day. It becomes a routine, so [it's hard] especially how it ended. We left on March 12 and thought we'd be back in there in a week. We will miss the school, the teachers and our friends.' Rory hopes to study Journalism in DCU or English and History in Maynooth. Amy is also hoping to expand her knowledge of the media with a Media & TV Production course. Conor aims to study Irish and Business at Maynooth and to go on to become a primary school teacher. Dearbhail wants to study Veterinary Nursing, while Cian is considering a career working with horses. Rory and his siblings have accepted the minister's decision but would be happier if there was an option to sit the exams this summer or early autumn, so that they have a second pathway into third level this year. Rory said: 'I have a concern as they are talking about a school profiling system possibly being used to factor in results from previous years in the school. I don't think that would be fair as it's your own work that should be assessed.' As for two of the Famous Five being interested in pursuing careers in media, Rory admits that being in the glare of the media spotlight most of their lives may have factored into their interest in the career. For now they are enjoying their time together, grateful for one another's company during these long summer days. 'Going to the Rotunda in August was a real eye-opener. It was really striking. They took us to the intensive care unit where we would have been and we walked around and saw mothers and babies and learned all about how we were born.' After meeting the midwives and doctors who helped with their high-risk delivery, Conor, Cian, Rory, Amy and Dearbhail, were presented with a giant birthday cake and balloons to mark the occasion. When asked if the cake was finished, Rory laughed, saying: 'Well there are seven of us. Of course we did!' We do get along and this has brought is a little bit closer together as literally we can't do anything else but spend time in each other's company. Istanbul: Turkish authorities scrambled today to identify a child suicide bomber acting on the orders of Islamic State jihadists who killed 54 people including several children at a Kurdish wedding close to the Syrian border. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the IS group needed to be completely pushed out of the border zone inside Syria, as activists said Ankara-backed rebels were preparing an offensive against the group. The attack late Saturday on a crowded street wedding in the city of Gaziantep was the latest in a devastating series of bombings in Turkey at a time when the country is riven by internal upheaval and shaken by the civil war in neighbouring Syria. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the bomber was aged between 12 and 14 and that initial findings showed it had been perpetrated by Daesh (IS). Media said the majority of those dead were children or teenagers, with 29 of the 44 victims identified so far aged under 18. At least 22 victims were under 14, a Turkish official added. There were no further details on the bomber, but Erdogan said IS had been trying to position itself in Gaziantep, which lies just 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Syria and is a major hub for refugees from the more than five-year civil war. The death toll rose to 54 after three more died in hospital in the early morning, the Dogan news agency reported. Sixty-six people were still in hospital, 14 of them in a serious condition. Television pictures showed fire brigade workers hosing down the area of the attack with water in a clean-up. The Hurriyet daily said DNA tests were under way to ascertain the bombers identity, nationality and gender. The bomber may have come over the border from Syria but IS is also known to have built homegrown cells inside Turkey in Gaziantep and even Istanbul, wrote its well-connected columnist Abdulkadir Selvi. He said Turkish security forces believed the attack had been timed as retaliation by jihadists for offensives both by Kurdish militias and pro-Ankara Syrian opposition forces against IS in Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, hundreds of rebel fighters were preparing inside Turkish territory to launch an offensive on the IS-held Syrian town of Jarablus. Without explicitly confirming the rebel offensive, Cavusoglu said Turkey backed anyone fighting against IS and would itself fight the group to the end. Our border must be completely cleansed from Daesh, he said in televised remarks, using an Arabic acronym for the IS group. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A baby with a face shield waits to board a plane at an airport in Wuhan, China (Kyodo News/AP) Coronavirus cases continued to drop in much of Asia on Saturday but surged in Latin America, as the world grappled with balancing the urge to restart economies with fears about health risks. China, where the outbreak began late last year, reported no new confirmed cases for the first time. In South Korea, there were 23 fresh infections, mostly from the densely populated Seoul area where authorities shut down thousands of nightclubs, bars and karaoke rooms to stem transmissions. The encouraging signs are likely to set off a much-awaited thrust to get back to business as governments have been readying social-distancing measures to reopen economies. In Japan, a group representing bar hostesses and other nightlife workers issued guidelines to protect employees as venues reopen, telling them to wear masks, gargle every 30 minutes and disinfect karaoke microphones after each use. The Bank of Japan, which recently announced measures to ensure easy lending in the worlds third largest economy, said in a joint statement with the government that both sides will work together to bring the Japanese economy back again on the post-pandemic solid growth track. Japans new cases have dwindled lately to double-digit figures each day. Deaths related to the coronavirus are below 800 people. South Korea had been reporting around 500 new cases a day in early March before using aggressive tracing and testing to stabilise its outbreak. More than 200 of the recent infections have been linked to clubgoers in Seoul as the country began easing restrictions. Expand Close Street vendors sell vegetables in Lima, Peru (Rodrigo Abd/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Street vendors sell vegetables in Lima, Peru (Rodrigo Abd/AP) In the US, some regions were opening more quickly than others. In Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer extended the states stay-at-home order by slightly more than two weeks, until June 12, while keeping theatres, gyms and other places of public accommodation closed until at least then. The Democratic governor also kept her coronavirus emergency declaration until June 19. Both the stay-at-home measure and state of emergency had been set to expire late next Thursday, though Ms Whitmer said extensions were likely. While the data shows that we are making progress, we are not out of the woods yet. If were going to lower the chance of a second wave and continue to protect our neighbours and loved ones from the spread of this virus, we must continue to do our part by staying safer at home, said Ms Whitmer, whom President Donald Trump has pushed to reopen the state. Michigan on Friday reported 5,158 confirmed deaths due to Covid-19 complications, the fourth largest tally of any state. The daily death toll rose by 29 and the number of new confirmed cases in the state increased by 403, to nearly 54,000 since the pandemic started. Nevada is preparing to reopen its shuttered casinos, including glitzy ones in Las Vegas. Governor Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, has set a tentative June 4 date, as Nevada continues to see decreasing cases of the coronavirus and Covid-19 hospital admissions. Some restrictions began to be lifted nearly two weeks ago. Nevadas gambling regulators plan to meet on Tuesday and will consider reopening plans submitted from casinos, which need to be approved at least seven days before restarting. By country, the US has been the hardest hit, with more than 96,000 deaths among 1.6 million confirmed cases. Expand Close A city worker, dressed in protective gear, delivers a box of food to a vulnerable family in Santiago during a mandatory quarantine ordered by the Chilean government (Esteban Felix/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A city worker, dressed in protective gear, delivers a box of food to a vulnerable family in Santiago during a mandatory quarantine ordered by the Chilean government (Esteban Felix/AP) Meanwhile, the United Nations said there have been 75 cases of Covid-19 in the UNs 13 far-flung peacekeeping missions, which have a total of 110,000 troops, police and personnel. UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters that preventive measures taken early on in the crisis appear to have prevented the spread of the virus, with the exception of conflict-torn Mali where 58 cases were reported. He said there have been no deaths and none of the cases was serious. Latin Americas two largest nations Mexico and Brazil have reported record numbers of infections and deaths almost daily this week, fuelling criticism of their presidents, who have dragged their feet over shutdowns in an attempt to limit economic damage. Brazil has reported more than 330,000 confirmed cases, surpassing Russia to become the nation with the second-highest number of infections, behind only the US, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Brazil also has recorded more than 21,000 deaths, though experts believe the numbers are higher. The virus does not forgive, Uber driver Bruno Almeida de Mello said at the burial of his grandmother Vandelma Rosa, 66, in Rio de Janeiro. It does not choose race or if you are rich or poor, black or white. Its a cruel disease. Mr de Mello said his grandmothers death certificate reads suspected of Covid-19 but the hospital did not have the tests necessary to confirm it. That means her death was not counted in the official toll. Experts said the surging deaths across Latin America showed the limits of government action in a region where millions have informal jobs and many police forces are weak or corrupt and unable to enforce restrictions. Infections also rose and intensive care units were swamped in Peru, Chile and Ecuador, countries lauded for imposing early and aggressive business shutdowns and quarantines. Colombias Ministry of Health also reported its biggest daily increases on Friday, with 801 new confirmed infections and 30 deaths. Nearly 20,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus in the country, which has been locked down for nearly two months. Photo credit: Frederick M. Brown - Getty Images From Harper's BAZAAR The cast of Big Little Lies has teamed up once more, this time to provide food to frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Monterey Five, Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Kravitz, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, and Shailene Woodley, are working with Frontline Foods. Funds raised support local businesses to prepare and deliver food to essential workers during this challenging time. Even though Big Little Lies Season 3 is still just a dream, the stars of the show continue to demonstrate why we all fell in love with them in the first place. Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Kravitz, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, and Shailene Woodley are donating meals to frontline workers in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Rhode Island, Atlanta, and Flint, Michigan. The Monterey Five has committed to working with Frontline Foods to support female-owned restaurants, which will make and deliver meals to essential hospital and healthcare workers on the frontline during the pandemic. Witherspoon shared an update about the deliveries on Instagram and wrote, "The Monterey Five are back and this time for a great cause!" She continued, "The #BigLittleLies cast teamed up with @FrontlineFoods to sponsor meals for medical heroes in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Nashville, New Orleans, and New York City who are working tirelessly to keep us safe and healthy. This amazing cause not only supports frontline workers, but also supports local restaurants!" {{ this.render( "@app/views/shared/embed-accessibility-text.twig", { embedName: "Instagram", })|raw}} {% verbatim %} {% endverbatim %} Story continues The Legally Blonde star also thanked Kerry Washington and the cast of Scandal for inspiring the Big Little Lies stars to get involved with the incredible endeavor. Dern also posted about the cause and wrote on Instagram, "All of the restaurants we partnered with are women-owned small businesses or have a female chef! The cities we sponsored are very close to our hearts and the communities have been hit hard." {{ this.render( "@app/views/shared/embed-accessibility-text.twig", { embedName: "Instagram", })|raw}} {% verbatim %} {% endverbatim %} You Might Also Like The COVID-19 disease, which seems likely to be with us for a long time, has done its part to define history. But it has not suspended history. Though there is much we still dont know about the disease, we do know that all nations have been affected by it. The death toll is significant but does not threaten to annihilate populations as other diseases have. It has, however, inflicted damage on economies that will take years to repair. Either science will defeat it or the world will adjust to living with it. But that branch in the logic will not come for a while. Domestic passenger flights will resume at Delhi airport from May 25, airport authorities informed on Saturday. All domestic flights will operate from Terminal 3 of the airport, they further added. Cancelled since March 25 in view of the coronavirus lockdown on March, the Aviation Ministry had allowed airlines to restart domestic flights from Monday after a gap of 61 days. ALSO READ: When will international flights start? Here's what Aviation Minister says As domestic flights resume, certain guidelines have been put in place for passengers travelling from Delhi airport. Flyers have been asked to arrive at the airport two hours prior to their flight. To distribute passenger load, airlines have been allocated specific entry gates at Terminal 3. Vistara and SpiceJet have been allocated gates 1 and 2, while gates 3 and 4 have been designated to AirAsia and Air India. Passengers for GoAir and all other domestic flights will enter from gates 5 and 6.Gates 7 and 8 have been reserved for international repatriation flights. {blurb} Passengers have also been asked to download Arogya Setu app on their phones before arriving at the Delhi airport. Authorities have assured that provisions for thermal scanning of passengers as per government guidelines. Baggage at Delhi airport will be sanitised using UV disinfection tunnels at both departure and arrival points. ALSO READ: Airlines allowed to resume flights with riders; here's all you need to know Domestic flight passengers have been asked to do online check-ins, while designated check-in rows have been allocated to airlines. Check-ins for Vistara will happen on row A, for SpiceJet on row B, for AirAsia on row D, for Air India on rows E and F, and for GoAir on row G. Rows C and H have been reserved for check-ins for all other domestic flights. Check-ins for international repatriation flights will happen on rows K, L and M. Passengers will receive their boarding passes only after they file a self declaration stating that they are fit for travel and will adhere to health protocols laid down by authorities. People who have tested positive for COVID-19 and residents of containment zones have been prohibited from flying. Airport authorities said that passenger not permitted to fly undertaking air journey will be liable for penal action. ALSO READ: Fewer domestic flights to be allowed, frequency guidelines issued With Californias economy racked by the coronavirus pandemic, a growing number of GOP congressional candidates are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to move much more quickly to fully reopen the states economy. In Orange County, Mission Viejo Councilman Greg Raths, who will challenge Democratic Rep. Katie Porter in November, sued Newsom this month after the governor ordered the countys beaches closed. The people of Orange County deserve better than this, he said. In the Central Valley, former Turlock (Stanislaus County) Councilman Ted Howze has started a campaign called Trust the Valley, urging Newsom to let local officials decide when to let businesses, schools and other institutions reopen. Central Valley towns and cities are very different from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco. What works for those metropolitan areas may not be appropriate for our communities, said Howze, who will face Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, in the fall. Associated Press Newsoms measured, stage-by-stage reopening process has to move faster, said Michelle Steel, an Orange County supervisor running against Democratic Rep. Harley Rouda of Laguna Beach. Nearly every week, I field calls from business owners who have been forced to lay off employees or employees who are barely scraping by, she wrote in the Los Angeles Daily Pilot. This simply cannot go on forever. While Newsom has eased the statewide restrictions for a number of counties, he has warned that moving too quickly risks rekindling the virus, bringing more deaths and even greater economic disruption. The Republicans are gambling that voters are more worried about the states plunging economic numbers and soaring unemployment than they are about a pandemic that appears to be on the downswing. That economic argument is a strong one, especially in counties where the financial impact from the shutdown has been far worse than than the health effects of the virus. Much of the Central Valley, for example, has avoided the worst of the pandemic. Los Angeles County has reported more than 42,000 cases of the coronavirus and 2,000-plus deaths. Contrast that with Fresno, Californias 10th-largest county, with 1,372 cases and 22 deaths. In smaller Central Valley counties, the virus health impact has been even smaller. If you pick a random voter off the street, most of them dont know anyone who has had the coronavirus, said Nathan Monroe, a political science professor at UC Merced. But they all know someone who has lost work or who is barely making it because of the shutdowns. A call for rapid reopening plays well in many parts of the Central Valley, Monroe added. Its not necessarily a partisan, Democrat versus Republican, issue, since the economic suffering crosses party lines. More Information Correction: Candidate Michelle Steel's name was misspelled in an earlier version of this story. See More Collapse Republicans are echoing the concerns of President Trump, who in recent days has all but declared victory over the coronavirus and is calling for California and other states to ease their restrictions and focus on jump-starting the economy. But in California, a solidly Democratic state where Trump is deeply unpopular, GOP congressional candidates say their concerns are strictly about the local effects of Newsoms antivirus efforts. I always have and I always will fight for the citizens of Orange County, Steel said. Brian Maryott, a San Juan Capistrano (Orange County) councilman who will face Democratic Rep. Mike Levin in November, has been one of the loudest voices calling for the state to back off from its restrictions. California needs to safely restart our economic engine right now, Maryott said in an email to supporters last week. He started an online petition urging Newsom to reopen the state, held a virtual meeting to hear from people about their concerns and had a news conference Friday at a beauty salon, where he bemoaned the fact that personal care businesses still cant reopen in most of the state. Its been a long, drawn-out, micromanaged-from-Sacramento process, he said in an interview. Three weeks ago, people were anxious, but now theyre distressed. We all want to be safe ... but we also want to get some normal life back. That normal life includes a return to in-person campaigning. Earlier this month, Maryott and his supporters were back out on the streets, knocking on doors and talking with voters. We used appropriate parameters, knocking and talking, he said. We found that people wanted very much to chat about the coronavirus and current affairs. In a clash thats likely to be repeated across the state in coming weeks, Levin slammed Maryotts decision to return to political business as usual. While his team is working virtually and checking with voters by phone, my Republican opponent is ignoring recommendations from health experts and knocking (on) doors anyway, Levin said in a fundraising email. Its totally reckless. The Republican candidates focus on the financial effects of the coronavirus and the attempt to draw a contrast with the states Democratic leadership was inevitable, said Graeme Boushey, a political science professor at UC Irvine. The economy is the best issue they have, he said. But theres still a lot of bipartisan support for the coronavirus restrictions, even among those who have been hurt and taken the hit. But an issue that pits Republicans and independents in swing districts against the all-Democratic leadership in the state capital has some political advantages, Boushey said. In California elections, he said, railing against Sacramento is a tried-and-true strategy. John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth Potholes are seriously aggravating anomalies. Heck, they arent even anomalies anymore owing to the sheer number of plotholes that can often be uncovered in a single movie alone. They are huge upsets that throw off your entire film viewing experience due to that one teensy (or huge) inconsistency thats ruining what may otherwise be a great film. Or sometimes, the entire film is plagued with an ineptly thought-out chain of events which throws off even the most oblivious fans. However, the buzzing bees of the internet, constantly at work to find inconsistencies or loopholes, often declare something to be a plothole, when in reality it may not be one. David Fincher, director of the stellar film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button called out this abysmal level of scrutiny by saying hes sad for those who go through movies and look for inconsistencies and continuity errors. While pointing out jarring errors is often welcome, nitpicking can seriously deteriorate the film viewing experience. Additionally, this behaviour can also incorrectly point out false inconsistencies since the viewers may not be reading between the lines, maybe reading excessively in between the lines, or a host of other reasons. So, lets delve into some alleged movie plotholes that have been debunked or at least, attempted to have been disproved. Warning: SPOILER GALORE! Citizen Kanes unheard last words The highly-acclaimed Citizen Kane by Orson Welles is often regarded as one of the best films ever made, however, netizens have still managed to find flaws in it. One extremely popular flaw is that supposedly there was no one around to hear Kane say rosebud, essentially meaning that there was no catalyst for this plot point. However, it has been noted that Kanes erstwhile employee, Raymond the butler, was with him in his final moments, just out of frame. Another theory or point brought out by bmovielover on forums.tcm.com was that We, the audience heard, and thats all mattered to Orson. We cannot deny this explanation is too darn poetic to ignore and may very well be the directors intention. The Death Star is laughably weak For decades, fans have critiqued the appalling weaknesses in the Death Star. How is it that a single laser bolt fired down an exhaust vent blew up the entire galactic superweapon? Why was the architect oblivious to such a glaring issue? Why was the exhaust vent linked to the reactor core? Enter 2016s Rogue One, which gave a convincing reason for this weakness. The reason was that Jyn Ersos father, Galen, a gifted architect, was forced to build the Death Star. Nevertheless, he planned to foil the Imperials superweapon by designing a fatal flaw into the Death Star. So, evidently Galen set up these weaknesses that Luke Skywalker ultimately exploited. Magically-reattaching poster In the Shawshank Redemption, which has one of the most satisfying payoffs in the history of films, fans have often wondered how Andy Dufresne reattached the poster of Raquel Welch over his secret hole after he escaped through it. This one is laughably simple to solve, yet was one that had fans and movie-watchers going ballistic. If you watch the scene where he escaped carefully, you will see that the poster was merely attached at the top. So, it just flapped back into position as Andy escaped. The McFlys fail to recognise their child Back To The Future is often hailed as a film that tackled the perplexing concept of time travelling relatively well. The film focuses on the teenager, Marty McFly, who travels back in time and accidentally stops his parents from ever meeting. He has to quickly remedy this before hes erased from existence. Hes successful but when he goes back (to the future), his parents, George and Lorraine McFly have no recollection of meeting 16-year-old Marty in 1955. The plothole while discernible has a simple explanation. Pipthepirate on Reddit opines that in the future, Martys parents are 30 years older and how many of you will be able to remember someones face you saw 30 years ago for a week or so? Also, the McFlys raise Marty as a child and will not possibly make the association, because of how bizarre it is. Theyd see him every day, watch him grow up, his features change and simply see him as their child. Dumb Malcolm? M. Night Shyamalans masterpiece, The Sixth Sense, still holds enough power to shake first-time watchers to the core. The impactful, unforeseen ending undeniably shooketh all of us. In hindsight though, it does seem a little absurd how Malcolm (Bruce Willis) has absolutely no idea hes dead seeing that no one talks to him, and some other ghosts in the film seem like theyre aware of their passing. The answer, however, is artfully written into the films narrative. Cole explicitly explains that ghosts dont usually come to terms with their death. Some of them go as far as creating their own distorted version of reality in order to keep living (in denial). So, Malcolm would rightfully have his Eureka moment when he came to terms with it, which was exactly the moment the film gives it to us and him. Bifrost bridge conundrum In the very first Thor film, it is explicitly stated that the Asgardians use the Bifrost bridge to travel between worlds. However, Thor destroys this bridge during the conclusion of the film. Nevertheless, in the Avengers, he just appears on Earth? Fans have been baffled by the seemingly-large plothole that ultimately brings Thor back to Earth without any answers. Or, so they think In the Avengers, Loki does state, With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did the Alfather have to muster to conjure you here? This implies that Odin mustered a ton of dark power to send Thor back to Earth, as explained by notsterling on Reddit. In Infinity War as well, Heimdall conjures up this mystical dark energy to transport Hulk to Earth. The Boy Who Never Dies The Boy Who Lived seems to live through a whole lot he wouldnt be called that if he didnt, would he? However, the books and films make one fact abundantly clear any Horcrux will be cease to exist when destroyed by something stronger than itself (Godric Gryffindors sword, Basilisk venom, etc). However, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry gets bitten by the gigantic Basilisk but still refuses to go down, ultimately having Fawkes, the phoenix, heal him? It seems a bit absurd, yes. JK Rowling herself debunked this plothole. She said Horcruxes need to be destroyed beyond repair. You can see this in the Chamber of Secrets, where the diary needed to be stabbed a considerable number of times before Tom Riddles ghostly form eventually faded away. So, by that logic, Harry would have to have been killed by the Basilisk in order for the Horcrux within him to be destroyed. Since Fawkes saved him before he could meet his maker, the Horcrux within him continued to live on. Indiana Jones was useless? This is a popular one, so much so that one episode of the Big Bang Theory also explored this life-altering plothole (for staunch Indy fans, that is). Amy effectively ruins Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark for superfan Sheldon, much to his dismay, by pointing out that Indiana Jones plays no role in the outcome of the story. Regardless of Indiana Jones part in the film, the Nazis would have still found the Ark, taken it to the island, opened it and died. Several loyal Indy fans have debunked this plothole in multiple ways. Firstly, the Nazis had no idea where the Ark was in the city of Tanis. Until Toht showed up with half the map burned onto his palm, that is. Why did he get those instructions? Because the Nazis were tracking Indy. Indy went on to lead the Nazis to Marion Ravenwood. Indiana Jones later goes to Cairo and gets the complete set of map instructions, but the Nazis discovered him and the Ark. Thanks to Indys direct involvement. One argument still states that they could have found the Ark by blindly digging years, or decades down the line. Nevertheless, without Indy, the Ark would have surely just sat there in the city of Tanis. This could lead to grave consequences such as more Nazis finding it and learning how to weaponise it. So, Indy did save the world and all you fans can rest easy now. THREE WAYS YOU CAN HELP SHAD GASPARD'S FAMILY A memorial gathering for former WWE star Shad Gaspard was held last night in Venice Beach, CA to pay tribute to Gaspard, who drowned last week after he and his ten year old son were caught in a rip current. Gaspard instructed lifeguards to assist his son instead of him and was then lost after being hit by a wave that pulled him under. There were about 200 in attendance at the memorial gathering. There are currently three official ways to assist the Gaspard family during this trying, tragic time: 1 - There is an official GoFundMe Campaign ongoing that has seen a number of those from the pro wrestling world personally contribute to help, including AEW President Tony Khan, who donated $10,000, Cody and Brandi Rhodes, who donated $1,000 and many, many others, publicly and privately, including former WWE and New Japan star Travis Tomko. Over $32,000 has already been raised already. You can assist at this link. 2 - The CollarxElbow t-shirt company has produced a special t-shirt in honor of Shad Gaspard, who passed away earlier this week. PWInsider.com has confirmed that all proceeds will indeed go to the Gaspard family. For more details and to order the shirt, see the embedded tweet below: 100% of the proceeds from this shirt will go directly to Shads family. If you cant afford a shirt but still want to donate send donations via PayPal to collarxelbow@gmail.com and put BEAST in the notes. Also there will be a go fund me set up shortly. https://t.co/2unUusOjIe pic.twitter.com/Ja5g2TAP6U COLLARxELBOW (@COLLARxELBOW) May 20, 2020 3 - ProWrestlingTees.com has also released a t-shirt in honor of Gaspard, with all proceeds going to Gaspard's family: With the approval of Shads family @OneHourTees is offering this commemorative t-shirt. The proceeds will go directly to Shad's wife and son. "All heroes don't wear capes. Some wear Timbs." There is a Memorial Day https://t.co/8eBFldssj9 MVP (@The305MVP) May 22, 2020 PWInsider.com again sends our deepest condolences to Shad Gaspard's friends, family and fans. He was, without question, an absolute hero. 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! A fire early Saturday morning destroyed a fish processing and storage warehouse at San Franciscos Fishermans Wharf and for a time threatened part of the popular tourist area But firefighters saved the Jeremiah OBrien, a World War II Liberty ship. Flames from the blaze shot more than 100 feet in the air and billows of black smoke shrouded the waterfront as 150 firefighters with 50 trucks and other pieces of equipment, including fireboats, fought the blaze on Pier 45, where a large warehouse known as Shed C is home to fishing and maritime businesses. One firefighter was injured, with hand cuts. She was treated at a local hospital. The Jeremiah OBrien is also moored at the pier. Flames licked at the historic vessel but it escaped with only cosmetic damage, thanks to efforts by firefighters. Philip OMara, senior shipkeeper for the OBrien, said the ship was in great shape and just got singed a bit. OMara credited the citys fire boat, the St. Francis, for saving the day. I am very grateful, said OMara, who has worked on the ship for 20 years. This ship, shes something else. Shes been through a lot. Shes not going to be taken down by a shed fire. Fire Department Lt. Jonathan Baxter credited our aggressive and quick, swift actions with saving the OBrien. If youre looking for one positive, he said, saving a historic World War II vessel at the beginning of Memorial Day weekend is something we should be proud of as a community. The fire was contained at 11:30 a.m., Baxter said, after firefighters spent several hours spraying water on the smoldering debris from the ground and from three aerial ladders. The fire broke out around 4 a.m. and firefighters rushed to the scene. Although a cause for the blaze has yet to be determined, Baxter said that fire investigators are looking at the possibility that homeless people were inside. That investigation was expected to last several days. A fisherman whose boat is docked at Pier 45 said that homeless people hang out in the warehouse and sometimes build fires for cooking. Workers were in the warehouse when the blaze broke out. Lloyd Dizon, a salesman for Aloha Seafood, was taking orders when the fire began. It started like a little thing, then the whole structure started, he said. A few seconds later, the building started caving in. Other workers reported an explosion before the fire erupted. Alejandro Arellano, who works for La Rocca Seafood, was cleaning out a fish storage locker. I saw a lot of smoke. A few minutes later, fire everywhere, he said. It was very, very scary. Ive never seen anything like it. Hours after the fire broke out, about two dozen workers from the warehouse, many still wearing their yellow fish-processing aprons, gathered behind Aliotos restaurant to watch firefighters pour water on the collapsed shed. They showed each other cell phone pictures they had taken of the fire and wondered when and how they will be going back to work. The streets around the pier were almost paved with yellow hoses, some stretching for as many as four blocks to a hydrant at Beach and Taylor streets. Firefighters from at least a dozen trucks were spraying water on the blaze, with three ladder trucks drenching the warehouse from 50 feet above. The first call came at 4:15 a.m. Truck 13 from the Sansome Street Station in the Financial District was the first on the scene, and fast action by its crew prevented the fire from spreading, Baxter said. The truck company nearly paid a heavy price. Flames from the blaze rolled out and singed the truck, forcing firefighters to turn their hoses on the vehicle to save it, Baxter said. The truck was slightly damaged, but no one was hurt. The blaze was confined to the north end of the pier, well away from the Musee Mecanique and its historic arcade games and the restaurants and other businesses in the popular tourist area. Kenny Belov, owner of TwoXSea, a sustainable seafood wholesaler in a building only about 50 feet from the warehouse, learned of the fire in a phone call from one of his employees at about 4:45 a.m. Then his plant manager sent a video taken on the loading dock facing the fire. Just breathtaking, Belov said. It was this massive blaze. Five of Belovs employees were in the building at the time, he said, and they all evacuated safely. There was no damage to TwoXSea as far as I know, he added. Belov said hundreds of vehicles typically are parked in the warehouse, mostly a mix of employees cars and delivery trucks. He acknowledged the crazy timing of the fire, atop the closure of restaurants caused by the coronavirus pandemic and shelter-in-place orders. Belov abruptly pivoted his business to home delivery, and he had several deliveries scheduled Saturday that wouldnt be going out. He also was worried a prolonged blackout could ruin the fish in his deep freezer. 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. Not that it would ever need this, but the seafood industry didnt need this now, Belov said. Its surreal. Weve obviously had a tough go the last couple months, with restaurants (closed). Of all the problems in the world, this is not a big one. But its frustrating. A longtime crab and salmon commercial fisherman said he lost Dungeness crab, rock crab and shrimp pots to the blaze. Im basically out of business because its unlikely he can get his gear replaced before the November crab season, said the fisherman, who gave only his first name, Mike. He estimated there are 19 fishermen with gear stored in the warehouse that was destroyed. The fishing fleet lost over 7,000 crab pots, worth about $265 each. The offices of the Red and White Fleet, a bay tour company, also were destroyed, fire officials said. Thick black smoke rolled over the bay from the blaze, which at its height sent flames climbing into the sky in the predawn darkness. Even as firefighters brought the blaze under control, a thick pall of choking smoke hung over the waterfront. Department fireboats were used to fight the blaze. Coast Guard and police marine units also were assisting, keeping other vessels from the area. Fire officials urged tourists, swimmers and boaters to stay away from the area. An investigation into the fire continued throughout the day, along with efforts to secure the area. Traffic was blocked at Taylor and Jefferson streets. Heavy smoke, visible across the city, hung over the area. Correction: The name of Philip OMara, senior shipkeeper for the Jeremiah OBrien, was misspelled in earlier editions of this story. San Francisco Chronicle staff writers John Wildermuth and Tara Duggan contributed to this report. Steve Rubenstein and Ron Kroichick are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com, rkroichick@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SteveRubeSF, @Ronkroichick With massive disruptions to global immunisation programmes from the COVID-19 pandemic, health experts now fear that much of the developing world will not be able to get a vaccine for the virus even once it is ready. According to the UN agencies and the GAVI vaccine alliance, nearly 80 million children in at least 68 countries may be at risk of diphtheria, measles and polio because routine immunisation efforts have been thrown into disarray by travel restrictions, delivery delays and parents fear of leaving home. As per the press note released by World Health Organisation (WHO), GAVI chief executive Seth Berkley said that much of the world may also be unprepared to administer vaccines against COVID-19 being delayed by more than 100 projects worldwide. Berkley pointed out that if the world neglects the supply chains and immunisation infrastructure that keeps these programmers running, then the risk of harming the ability to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine is also high. READ: Two Flights Carrying 189 Mexican Nationals From US Land In Mexico According to reports, while London will be hosting a virtual Global Vaccines Summit on June 4 where GAVI is seeking $7.4 billion for 2021-2025 to immunise an additional 300 million children, fragile health care systems are coming under strain from COVID-19. Meanwhile, the WHO also noted that South America has become a new epicentre of the disease. While in parts of Africa cases are escalating, Brazils count of people stricken is now at over 300,000 with over 20,000 deaths. READ: Steady Rise In Coronavirus Cases Worries Many Guineans Immunization is the most powerful With more than five million people infected across the world, WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, however, noted that immunization is one of the most powerful tools for preventing diseases and any disruption would halt the decades-long progress made in combatting the disease. Tedros said, Immunization is one of the most powerful and fundamental disease prevention tools in the history of public health. Disruption to immunization programmes from the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to unwind decades of progress against vaccine-preventable diseases like measles. (Image credit: Rep/Unsplash) READ: Balcony Church Gains Popularity In Kenya Amid Pandemic READ: Israel's Netanyahu, Unbeaten In Elections, Is Going On Trial Raipur: A railway line in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Dantewada district was damaged by the Naxals following which two engines and 14 wagons of a goods train derailed, police said today. However, no casualties were reported, they said. "The Naxals damaged railway line near Pujapara Dhurli village following which two engines and 14 wagons of a goods train which was on its way to Kirandul from Visakhapatnam derailed," police officials told PTI. Police have rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation, the officials said. Railway officials have started repairing the railway line and investigations are underway, they added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. : Coronavirus cases continued to see a surge in Kerala with 62 people, including 49 returnees from abroad and other states, testing positive on Saturday, while more than 91,000 are under observation. With this addition, the COVID-19 tally in the state has climbed to 794, of whom 275 are presently undergoing treatment at various hospitals. Thirteen, including seven health workers-- three from Palakkad, two each from Kannur and Kozhikode --have been infected through contact. While 18 of the infected came from various countries-- UAE (9),, Saudi Arabia (3), Kuwait (2), Muscat, Qatar, Maldives and Singapore (one each), 31 have come from other states-- Maharashtra (13), Tamil Nadu (12), Gujarat (2), Karnataka (2), Uttar Pradesh and Delhi (one each) have been admitted to varioushospitals. On Friday, Kerala had reported 42 cases. Nineteencases werefrom Palakkad, which included a 11- year-old girl, who had come by road from Gujarat. The child's parents have not been infected, health department sources told PTI. Health Minister K K Shailaja said in a press release that only three of the infected have been discharged and that 515 people had so far recovered. While Palakkad has 19 cases, Kannur, 16, Malappuram eight and Alappuzha five, Kozhikode, Kasaragod districts reported four cases each, Kollam 3, Kottayam 2, Wayanad one person has been infected, the release added. Totally 88,640 people have come to the state. While 7,303 people arrived through airports, 1,621 came through seaport, 76,608 from checkposts and 3108 through railways. At least 91,084 are under observation at homes or Insitutional quarantine facilties, 668 in various hospitals, including 182 admitted on Saturday. So far, 52,771 people samples have been sent for testing of which results of 51,045 have turned out to be negative. Nine more regions have been broght under hot spots, taking the total number to 37 in the state. Kannur district has the highest number of cases at 55, followed by Malappuram and Palakkad with 44 each. Health department sources said all Non Resident Keralites coming from abroad have to undergo 14 days institutional quarantnineand are shifted to hospitals if they test positive. However, asymtomatic pregnant women, children below 10 years and elderly above75 years of age are exempt from this rule and are allowed to undergo the quarantine at their homes. People coming from other states, if not symptomatic, have to undergo the mandatory 14 day quarantine at home provided therehave a single room to themselves with attached toilet. If such a facility is lacking , they will have to undergo the quarantine at corona care centres, they said. The government has made it clear that those under quarantine should strictly adhere to the norms to protect themselves and others. Meanwhile, Kerala police registered 700 cases on Saturday for lockdown violations, arrested 783 people and seized 287 vehicles from various parts of the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The sons of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi say they have forgiven their father's killers - a declaration that could allow Saudi authorities to commute the death sentences of five Saudi officials convicted of Mr Khashoggi's assassination. The statement was posted on the Twitter account of Salah Khashoggi, the journalist's eldest son, who lives in Saudi Arabia. "We, sons of the martyr Jamal Khashoggi, announce that we forgive those who killed our father," said the message, which cited a tradition of granting pardons during the holy month of Ramadan. The Saudi justice system allows families of victims in some capital cases to grant clemency to convicted killers. It was not clear whether their expression of forgiveness was extended willingly or coerced. Pardon Mr Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz criticised the statement. "No one has the right to pardon his killers," she tweeted. "I and others will not stop until we get #JusticeForJamal." Mr Khashoggi, a veteran journalist who contributed to 'The Washington Post', was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 when he went to collect documents that would allow him to remarry. The killers were agents sent on the orders of top advisers to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to Turkish and Saudi prosecutors. In the recently organized virtual meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at United Nations, Maldives defended India when Pakistan reportedly made attempts to push its narrative of rising Islamophobia in India into the agenda. Thwarting the move the Maldives claimed that singling out India alleging Islamophobia would be factually incorrect. The reply from the Maldives came after Pakistans Ambassador to the UN, Munir Akram proposed that India is actively promoting Islamophobic agenda. READ | 'Nation stands in solidarity', says PM Modi assures Centre's full support to WB & Odisha Maldives Permanent representative to the United Nations, Thilmeeza Hussain taking a dig at the Pakistan propaganda against India said alleging Islamophobia in the context of India would be factually incorrect as the country is home to over 200 million Muslims. She further said disinformation campaigns on social media should not be construed as representative of the feelings of 1.3 billion. "Let me state that singling out India, the largest democracy in the world and multi-cultural society and home to over 200 million Muslims, alleging Islamophobia would be factually incorrect," she said. "Isolated statements by motivated people and disinformation campaigns on social media should not be construed as representative of the feelings of 1.3 billion". READ | RBI's decision in line with PM Modi's vision, will keep economy strong: JP Nadda The Maldives representative further said that the allegation of Islamophobia could be harmful to the religious harmony in the South Asian region as Islam has existed in India for centuries and it is the second-largest religion in the country. "It would be detrimental to the religious harmony in the South Asian region. Islam has existed in India for centuries and it is the second-largest religion in India, with 14.2% of the country's population," she added. "The world has seen an alarming rise in the culture of hatred, prejudice and racism. Violence has been exploited as a tool to promote political and other ideologies/ agendas. The Maldives stands firmly against such actions anywhere in the world, including Islamophobia, xenophobia or any form of violence to promote political or any other agenda", Thilmeeza Hussain said. "Maldives cannot support any action within the OIC that singles-out or targets India," she added. READ | No time for showmanship, Opposition wants PM Modi to consult them: Sharad Pawar India and Maldives share friendly and multi-dimensional relations and have attended several important events of each other country. India was among the first to recognize the Maldives after its independence in 1965 and to establish diplomatic relations with the country. READ | Karachi Plane Crash: PM Modi expresses grief over lives lost, prays for those injured File photo The family of a 55-year-old man, Henry Obatenuh, a trado-medical doctor, has demanded justice for the murder of their father, Nigerian Tribune reports. Obatenuh was killed and his penis cut off allegedly by one Collins Adodokome and his son in Masaka, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Adodokome had accused the deceased of sleeping with his wife. The suspect, who is now in custody alongside two accomplices, his son and security guard, at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Nasarawa State police command in Lafia, had on Wednesday, in Angwan Tiv, Masaka, hacked Obatenuh to death and cut off his manhood for allegedly having an affair with his wife, Evelyn. It was gathered that Adodokome had reported Obatenuh to the police and eventually taken him to court some years ago and the deceased was kept in custody for some weeks before being released and asked to sign an undertaken to desist from having any further affair with Evelyn. According to police sources, the suspect, who is said to be a friend to the victim, confessed to the crime, alleging that his son caught the deceased having sexual intercourse with his wife on his matrimonial bed. The wife escaped and Adodokomes son engaged the late Obatenuh in a fight and he eventually killed him. He later chopped his penis off out of anger, said one of the sources. The source disclosed further that Adodokome claimed that the killing had been done before he arrived at the scene and he promptly walked into Masaka Police Station to report the matter. He said the body of the victim was moved to Uke General Hospital mortuary, even as the police continue with investigation. But the family of the victim is not convinced with the explanation on the cause of his death. They are pleading for in-depth investigation by the police to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing of their father. Speaking to Saturday Tribune at Obatenuhs residence in Angwan Tiv in Masaka, the first son of the deceased, Courage Obatenuh, said the family was asking for justice in the murder of their father who he claimed was set up and killed by Adodokome and his son. We vehemently speak against the perpetrators of this heinous act and we demand a very thorough investigation by the police so that justice will be truly served, he said. Courage, who said was with his father the night before the incident, explained that at about 9.00 p.m., as he was about to serve his father food, he quickly went out after receiving a call. As I was about to serve him food, I met him on the phone. He then told me he was going out to get something. He left without eating. I waited for hours for him to return until I slept off, he stated. Courage said that the next day, he sensed that something was amiss when he discovered that his father did not return home and his phone line was not connecting. He said as he was about to leave the house to search for his dad two policemen met him outside the house and asked if he was Courage. He said on confirming his identity to them, they told him to come with them to the station and on arrival at the Masaka Division Police Station, he saw his father lying face down in a pool of blood with a machete cut. According to him, no immediate explanation was offered as to the cause of his fathers death. Courage, who was flanked by other relatives and friends of the victim, accused the suspects of trying to use the police to justify the killing of his father. The same police that are charged with protecting the citizens of the country are trying to twist the matter. Our questions are: where is the adulterous woman they claimed they caught my father having sex with? How come she escaped and my father was caught and brutally killed and his manhood cut off? Did the woman escape naked, because they claimed they were caught in the act? Where is his phone for us to verify the last call he received before leaving the house and eventually getting murdered? This and many more questions we demand answers to. Nothing should be swept under the carpet. We demand justice. We also want the perpetrators to be brought to book. We are begging the police to unravel the truth of this matter and see to it that justice is served, he said. When our correspondent visited the home of Mr Adodokome within the same axis, he met a young man who told him that Evelyn was still on the run. According to the man, the woman is taking refuge in her daughters house at a location in Mararaba Karu. Efforts to get her number were futile and calls put through to her daughters phone line were not answered. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nansel Rahmnan, who confirmed the development to Saturday Tribune, said the suspects were in custody. Towns in lower Litchfield County have taken different approaches to enforcing the states temporary ban on short-term renting in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak. In an effort to prevent unnecessary travel and slow the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order March 10, prohibiting nonessential short-term lodging during the pandemic. The executive order applies to hotels, timeshares and other types of lodging, including Airbnb, VRBO and other properties rented for 31 or fewer days. The order has the effect of state law and its enforcement falls on municipalities. The town of New Milford has taken a proactive approach to enforcing the executive order, but smaller towns in lower Litchfield County have been more laid-back. New Milford New Milford Mayor Pete Bass signed an emergency order March 27, suspending Airbnb-type lodging within New Milfords border until June 16. Eleven days later, the police department opened an investigation into short-term, nonessential lodging in town. The focus of our work was to identify short-rental properties in New Milford and educate the owners as to the emergency orders in effect, said Lt. Lee Grabner. The police department identified 15 properties listed on various vacation rental websites, he said, and contacted each owner. Compliance was later verified on each website that the property was blocked from being rented, Grabner said. As of last Tuesday, he said here had been no reported violations of the short-term rental ban in town. Everyone has been cooperative in working together to meet the requirements of the emergency orders, Grabner said. Bridgewater We dont enforce this directive unless violations are brought to our attention, First Selectman Curtis Read said. He said the one VRBO rental and one bed-and-breakfast he knows of in Bridgewater have been following the governors order since inception are self-regulating. Roxbury First Selectman Barbara Henry said a lot of rentals in her town were occupied before the ban was put in place, and people are still in them. Ive heard of residents who are renting their homes to family members from out of state, but to say we know exactly every situation? No, that is not the case, Henry said. I dont know of anyone getting caught violating the executive order, she said. Washington First Selectman Jim Brinton said real estate agents, as well as part-time and rental residents in his town have been very cooperative in following the guidelines put in place. Kent The town of Kent is depending on any resident who provides short-term rentals to follow the rules, said the towns land use administrator, Donna Hayes. Hayes said she was not aware of any violations in town as of Thursday. Dennis Kwok was with his two children, hiking through the lush jungles of Hong Kongs Victoria Peak in April, when he realized how far China was willing to go to quell dissent in the former British colony. Kwoks phone lit up with texts and calls asking about an alarming and unprecedented statement from Chinas top agency overseeing Hong Kong. It said Kwok -- an opposition lawmaker who was participating in a filibuster effort in the citys elected legislature -- may have committed misconduct and violated his oath of office, offenses that could cost him his seat. It ruined the day with my kids, Kwok, 42, said. But the London-trained lawyer also realized that something fundamental had changed in the months while Hong Kong protesters had withdrawn from the streets to escape the coronavirus. The Communist Party pulled back the curtain, he said. This week, China intervened even more dramatically. President Xi Jinpings government announced Thursday that the National Peoples Congress would write sweeping legislation into Hong Kong law to criminalize the harshest criticism of China and the ruling party. Although details remain secret, a similar security bill withdrawn in 2003 carried life sentences and drew massive street protests. All could potentially become law without a local vote. The move represents the biggest challenge yet to the one country, two systems framework set up to guarantee Hong Kongs liberal institutions and capitalist financial system after its return to Chinese rule in 1997. While the option of handing down such national security legislation has been in the citys Basic Law since the handover, Xis predecessors avoided exersing it due to widespread opposition and concern about damaging the citys reputation as a legal safe haven. Disastrous Proposal Now, China has decided to ignore critics such as Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, who indicated Friday that the disastrous proposal could lead the U.S. to reconsider the citys special trade status. The action raises the stakes for another round of violent and destructive street protests ahead of legislative elections in which pan-democrats like Kwok were hoping to gain their first majority. The Chinese have taken off the gloves in Hong Kong, said Bonnie Glaser, who directs the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and has advised the U.S. government. Surrounding the elections in September, there could be massive protests again. Hong Kongs Beijing-appointed leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, attempted to reassure the international community on Friday night that the city would remain a very free society, where freedom of expression, freedom of protest, freedom of journalism, will stay. The Hong Kong branch of Chinas foreign ministry said the provisions were necessary to ensure social stability and would affect very few people. Hong Kongs financial markets and independent courts have long provided global companies, entrepreneurs and the Chinese elite with a lucrative refuge from the mainlands high taxes, capital controls and party-run justice system. Moreover, Beijing gained international prestige by tolerating a raucous democracy under its authority, an arrangement that party leaders hoped would also appeal to self-ruled Taiwan across the South China Sea. All that began to change when Hong Kong erupted in historic protests last year to block Lams attempt to pass legislation that would have allowed the extradition of criminal suspects to the mainland. Demonstrators paralyzed the city for months, shutting down shops and keeping tourists away as they criticized China and demanded free elections to replace Lam. Protesters chanted Liberate Hong Kong! Revolution of our times! in largely peaceful marches that drew more than a million people. One band of radicals broke into the Legislative Council on the handovers anniversary, ransacking the chamber and defacing the citys emblem. Meanwhile, U.S. officials including President Donald Trump expressed support for the activists, fanning Beijings suspicions of foreign efforts to exploit its domestic weakness. Many pro-establishment figures put the blame on the failure of Hong Kongs government to reform the citys colonial-era security laws referring to Her Majesty with measures to protect the Chinese state. None of Lams predecessors had tried since the 2003 effort failed. Beijing has clearly run out of patience with the Hong Kong governments unsuccessful attempts to end the protest movement by enacting its own draconian security legislation, said Hugo Brennan, principal Asia analyst for Verisk Maplecroft in London. The proposed national security law is likely to prove a death knell for the one country, two systems model and the facade of Hong Kong autonomy. The April 14 statement from the Hong Kong & Macau Affairs Office accusing Kwok of violating his oath and other sleazy tactics was just one of a series of steps toward a more interventionist approach by Beijing. The shift was first signaled in an October communique from a Communist Party Central Committee meeting led by Xi, and quickly followed up a legislative officials pledge to exercise all powers vested in the central government over Hong Kong. Later, as Hong Kong and the rest of the world were focused on a deadly new pneumonia in central China just named Covid-19, Xi put someone in charge with a record of executing controversial policies. On Feb. 13, China named Xia Baolong to head the Hong Kong & Macau Affairs Office atop a newly revamped reporting structure that created a clear chain of command from Hong Kong to Beijing. The choice of Xia, a former close aide to Xi, set off alarm bells. In 2014 and 2015, he had overseen a crackdown on Christian churches in eastern Zhejiang province, in which crosses were cut from the roofs of houses of worship. Meanwhile, Luo Huining, a cadre known for executing Xis anti-corruption campaign, was appointed to head Chinas top agency in Hong Kong, the Liaison Office. It was Xia who briefed Hong Kong representatives Thursday night in Beijing on the plan to pass the new security law before the end of next week. Theyve got two guys who are totally not familiar with Hong Kong issues, and who have governed provinces in China in a heavy-handed way and think they can do the same in Hong Kong, said Kwok, who has a law degree from Kings College, University of London. They want to use a new strategy of terror, fear, attacks, criticism, direct intervention. In April, as Hong Kongs own coronavirus outbreak began to subside and the citys old political fights resumed, the two officials turned their attention to the gridlocked Legislative Council. There pro-democracy lawmakers including Kwok had used a quirk in the rules to stop action by the bodys agenda-setting House Committee. The statement from the Hong Kong & Macau Affairs Office accusing lawmakers of crimes and demanding action was seen by some lawyers as a violation of constitutional provisions banning interference by Chinese agencies. The Liaison Office responded that the restriction didnt apply because the Basic Law was approved by the National Peoples Congress and the parliament had created the agencies to oversee Hong Kong. It was a sign of things to come. Days later, Hong Kong police arrested 15 high-profile democracy activists including 81-year-old Martin Lee -- often called the citys Father of Democracy -- on charges related to participating in illegal rallies. Several of those arrested were frequent targets of Chinese state media criticism, even though they were seen as having little role in the more recent leaderless protests. Last Election? All these gestures are to show: Were in control. Were going to crack down. You guys have to respect the parameters set down by Beijing and that political struggle is futile, said Joseph Cheng, a retired political science professor and veteran democracy activist. Events accelerated in mid-May as pro-establishment lawmakers, aided by security guards, seized control of the House Committee from Kwok and moved to pass legislation criminalizing disrespect for the Chinese national anthem. On May 15, a police watchdog group exonerated the citys police force from accusations of using excessive force against protesters, despite international criticism. The moves have left Hong Kongs pro-democracy camp reeling just six months after winning 85% of seats in local council elections. Now, many government critics fear the new laws could be used to disqualify candidates for Legislative Council seats or expel winners after the vote -- actions the government has taken repeatedly in recent years. For Kwok, the statements showed hes a top target. We need to focus on the September election and tell people, This may be the last election for Hong Kong, he said. People really need to come out to vote. When restaurants closed across the country, oyster farmers Mike and Isabel Osinski lost almost all of their clients. The couple, who live and work on the North Fork of Long Island, depend on restaurants to serve their oysters at raw bars and happy hours to break even. But stay-at-home orders killed sales, leaving the Osinskis oysters ready to be shucked and slurped yet with nobody to eat them. In April, a study conducted by Virginia Tech found that 97 percent of mollusk businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and only 24 percent said they could get through the next three months without external intervention, like a government bailout. The industry is suffering, and oyster farmers like the Osinskis face a serious problem: Many Americans dont know how to shuck or cook oysters at home and nobody knows when restaurants will go back to business as usual. While some farms have pivoted to selling the seafood online, Bob Rheault, the executive director of the East Coast Shellfish Growers Associations, said even those doing it well can only recoup about 20 to 30 percent of their profits. At-home orders help, but most Americans dont know what to do with 50 live oysters, Rheualt said, and during a pandemic and a recession, its tough to justify buying a food thats widely seen as a luxury. The Osinskis, though, have proposed a solution to the industrys problem: Grow oysters bigger and get them back on the kitchen table. Large oysters, proponents say, mean the shells stay in the water longer, which allows producers to weather market instability. They also filter more water, build up artificial reefs and provide a substantial and healthy portion of protein. Isabel Osinski says oysters have huge health benefits too, pointing to their high zinc content as a well-known and documented way to boost your immune system. But the problem with bigger oysters is that Americans prefer to eat small ones. Farmers have mastered the timing of when to pull their oysters so theyre the right size and are able to grow the shells in the shape consumers prefer. But delivering the petite oysters diners want means they generally have to be harvested anywhere between eight months to two years in the U.S., depending on where theyre grown. If farmers leave their oysters in the water during the pandemic, theyll get much bigger than consumers are generally willing to buy or consume. Story continues At the Osinskis farm, Widows Hole Oyster Company in Greenport, New York, now is the time they would be putting in seed for next year, but they arent sure how much to plant. We dont know what the future holds, Mike Osinski said. The Osinskis say people laugh when they suggest growing oysters bigger, but Dan Barber, the award-winning chef and co-owner of Blue Hill in New York City and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, New York, thinks its a good idea and buys some of the Osinskis larger shells. The fact that oyster farmers are suffering so much has to do with the restaurant business, Barber said, citing a culture that shifted away from oysters as a bedrock to the diet, and went to cocktail oysters. Isabel Osinski said big oysters are a sustainable source of protein that can be included in pasta, soup or even eaten for breakfast with eggs. But Barber said that as much as hed love to see a return to eating large oysters, theres no market for eating at home. Americans dont know how to shuck, and there arent many processing centers to package them for consumers, like there are for meat or fish. Chefs, Barber said, are somewhat to blame for our cultures narrow view of oysters. We never pushed for expanding the oyster territory, beyond the little cocktail chasers, he said. Cainnon Gregg's oyster farm (Mariana Keller / NBC News) The infrastructure and the demand simply dont exist to fulfill the Osinskis dream of people eating larger oysters, like they might steak or salmon, and theres scant money to build it, unlike 150 years ago, when that infrastructure was robust. Oysters were once so ubiquitous in the Northeast that settlers found the shells to be a navigational hazard when they reached the mouth of the Hudson River, Robert Jones, the global lead of aquaculture at the Nature Conservatory, said. New Yorkers of all classes consumed more oysters than beef in the late 19th century, and the mollusks were a staple food for many along the coasts. Back then, oysters were often larger, sometimes five to seven inches long, and there was a whole system for categorizing them, said Christine Keiner, an oyster historian and professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The Campbell Soup Company was known to buy up all the small ones for canned soup, and people often cooked larger, meatier ones at home. But overharvesting during the 19th and 20th century flattened the reefs, Keiner said, and despite oysters ability to clean the waters they inhabit, widespread pollution killed off much of the wild oyster population. In addition, a few typhoid deaths from oyster consumption caused panic, and people started to turn to other forms of protein that were becoming more affordable. Oysters moved to the raw bar, and have stayed there ever since. Jones, of the Nature Conservancy, said trying to rebuild oysters' ecosystem to where it once was, and let some grow larger in the process, would help the industry and the environment. Oysters can be beyond sustainable, he said, explaining that one small oyster can filter up 50 gallons of water a day and bigger oysters can filter even more. Its not just about the minimization of impact, but oysters provide ecological value. But Rheault, of the Shellfish Growers Association, said the key to the industry's future is teaching people how to shuck at home, not larger oysters. Its nice larger oysters filter more water, he said, but the industry is still consumer-driven. In all honesty, we got into this to produce oysters. We didnt do it for the wonderful ecosystem that oysters provide, Rheualt said. We have to produce what the customer wants, and the customer wants a small, deep cup, uniform tasty piece. The problem right now, he said, is that theyre just not buying it. Were only two days away from Memorial Day, and were renewing our call for you to join us in honoring our fallen veterans. At 10 a.m. on Memorial Day, were asking you to come out to sing or play the Star Spangled Banner from your driveways, your porches, your rooftops. This show of solidarity was the brainchild of Gail Van Prooien, a woman who said shes never missed a Memorial Day parade. As parades and other traditional ceremonies were canceled the coronavirus pandemic, she wanted to find another way to share her love and respect. She asked NJ Advance Media to help get the word out. And its spreading across New Jersey veterans groups and some mayors have signed on and beyond. A disc jockey in Maryland is planning to pay the national anthem from her front porch so neighbors can join in while social distancing. A woman from Alabama will be meeting family members in Tennessee, and she said she plans to get them on board. Members of the NJ.com Facebook page are signing up. You can do that here. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage You can also participate in a poll showing where you plan to sing or play the national anthem. So far, the majority say they will be on their front porch or at their front door, followed by backyards, veterans cemeteries, driveways and by their flagpole. Join us in singing The Star Spangled Banner at 10 a.m. on Memorial Day to honor fallen veterans. (Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) You can cast your vote here. Van Prooien said shes been notifying her neighbors. One is planning to distribute lyrics to The Star Spangled Banner into mailboxes down her street. Another will play the music from her opened car windows. And another, a high school student and artist, is planning to decorate the street with chalk drawings of flags. Were going to broadcast the event on Facebook Live at 10 a.m. on Monday. We encourage you to take photos or videos you and your family, or your neighbors, participating. Then you can post them to the event on Facebook. Show your intent to join us by RSVPing here. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Karin Price Mueller may be reached at bamboozled@njadvancemedia.com. Two families of 10 gray-shanked douc langurs (pygathrix cinerea) a critically endangered (CR) species have been newly found in the 30ha secondary forest in Tam My Tay Commune of the central provinces Nui Thanh District. A gray-shanked douc langur (pygathrix cinerea) is found living in a forest in Nui Thanh District of Quang Nam Province. Two new families with some 10 gray-shanked douc langurs have been found in the area. Photo courtesy of AI Tam A report on the existence of the CR gray-shanked douc langurs population in the area was released yesterday after a six-month survey by the Centre of Biodiversity Conservation, GreenViet. Director of GreenViet, Tran Huu Vy, said the new families of the gray-shanked douc langurs were found in the expanded mountains outside of the Do Mountain home to the most crowded population of the langurs increasing the number of the CR primates to eight families with a total of 60 individuals from 2018. He said the survey had been done on six other mountains Rom, Duong Choi, Na Lam, Bang Truc, Ba and Giang Thom 500m away from the centre of six families with 50 of the gray-shanked douc langurs at the Do Mountain. He said the result strongly confirmed that the population of the CR primates species has been well protected and grown, but it has not yet identified reproduction among the new families. The new families of the langurs were found living in two mountains of Na Lam and Bang Truc, he added. Biologists from GreenViet also reported that 323 flora and fauna species, of which 11 species were listed as endangered in Vietnams Red Book. However, biologists also warned the provincial peoples committee and rangers on the dangers including fire, snares at log farms, honeybee and orchid exploitation in the 120ha forest and log farms. The human activities among local farmers would badly impact the langurs in the area in the coming years. GreenViet has been co-operating with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Vietnam and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Green Annamites Project in promoting protection and conservation of the langurs. Quang Nam Province had been seeking a fund of $4.4 million to restore a 120ha area as a safe habitat for the gray-shanked douc langurs. According to Frankfurt Zoological Society, some 1,000 gray-shanked doucs have been found in forests of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Kon Tum and Gia Lai. The gray-shanked douc langur is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list as one of the worlds 25 critically endangered primates. The primates can only be seen in Vietnam. VNS Strict patrol set for protection of endangered langurs from COVID-19 Strict protection and limited human contact, as well as constant patrols, have remained in place for the protection of a herd of gray-shanked douc langurs (pygathrix cinerea) living in Dong Co village, Quang Nam province. As coronavirus restrictions are slowly eased across Australia, tradies have called on Bunnings to let customers know when their famous sausage sizzles will return. Bunnings stopped hosting their sausage sizzles as part of health measures to protect staff and customers during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Gold Coast tradesman from iPlumb Solutions in Queensland said a sausage sandwich was an important part of their day. But the hardware giant said sausage sizzles will remain suspended for the foreseeable future. Bunnings stopped hosting their sausage sizzles as part of health measures to protect staff and customers during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic 'The sausage sizzle is an integral community fundraiser and we know both our team and customers are eager to see it return,' said Debbie Poole, Bunnings Chief Operating Officer. 'Unfortunately, this and other in-store activities remain suspended while we focus on providing a safe environment in our stores during this time.' Owner of iPlumb Solutions, Daniel Weuffen, said the sausage sizzle is an iconic part of the shopping experience at Bunnings. 'It's part of the trip to Bunnings, it goes hand-in-hand,' Mr Weuffen told The Courier Mail. 'You take your young fella there as well, it's a tradition.' Mr Weuffen detailed his go-to sausage sandwich and hoped he will be able to enjoy one soon. 'I pick up a sausage in bread every time. I go the whole works and jerks I like to be a rebel with the onion on top.' Gold Coast tradesman and owner of iPlumb Solutions in Queensland, Daniel Weuffen (pictured) said a sausage sandwich was an important part of their day Bunnings and other retailers may have avoided becoming coronavirus hotspots because they have followed strict social distancing and hygiene measures. Alongside enforcing these measures, the layout of Bunnings provides significant space between customers which limits close interactions. Bunnings said they have taken a 'common-sense' approach to find ways to adapt during the changing environment due to the coronavirus pandemic. 'One initiative is the introduction of a contactless Drive and Collect service, which is available at 250 of our larger stores across Australia,' the Bunnings spokesperson said. 'We've also been encouraging customers to plan ahead for their visit and shop alone where possible.' Donald Trump lashed out at Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel in a pair of late-night tweets after she called him "a petulant child". Her remarks came after the US president's refusal to wear a face mask at all times during his visit to a Ford factory in the state on Thursday. "The president is like a petulant child who refuses to follow the rules," Ms Nessel said in an appearance on CNN. "This is no joke." Ms Nessel, who wrote a strongly worded letter to Mr Trump ahead of his visit telling him he had a "legal" and "moral responsibility" to wear a mask, unleashed her criticism on the president in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. She slammed Mr Trump for sending a "terrible message" and said his unwillingness to adhere to Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer's executive order and Ford's policy mandating face coverings showed he does not care about anyone but himself. "He is a ridiculous person and I am ashamed to have him be president of the United States of America," she said. "I hope that the voters of Michigan will remember this when November comes. That he didn't care enough about their safety, he didn't care about their welfare, he didn't respect them enough just to engage in the very simple task, the painless task, the easy task of wearing a mask when he was provided one." She continued: "I hope that we'll have a new president soon enough who does respect people more than this president does." The state's chief law enforcement official doubled down on her previous threat to take action against any company or facility in Michigan that allows Mr Trump inside without a mask, telling Mr Blitzer her office is "going to have to have a very serious conversation with Ford in the event that they permitted the president to be in publicly enclosed places in violation of the order." Ms Nessel's criticism did not go over well with Trump. "The Wacky Do Nothing Attorney General of Michigan, Dana Nessel, is viciously threatening Ford Motor Company for the fact that I inspected a Ventilator plant without a mask," the president tweeted. "Not their fault, & I did put on a mask. No wonder many auto companies left Michigan, until I came along!" Less than five minutes later, Mr Trump fired off another attack aimed at the "Do nothing A.G. of the Great State of Michigan." Ms Nessel, he wrote, "should not be taking her anger and stupidity out on Ford Motor - they might get upset with you and leave the state, like so many other companies have - until I came along and brought business back to Michigan." In a statement after Mr Trump's visit, the company said that executive chairman Bill Ford had "encouraged" the president to wear a face covering on his tour inside the Detroit-area factory repurposed to produce ventilators and masks. "He wore a mask during a private viewing of three Ford GTs from over the years," the company's statement said. "The President later removed the mask for the remainder of the visit." Mr Trump said as much to reporters on Thursday after he was questioned about his decision to go without a mask. "I had one on before," he said, standing barefaced in front of several men wearing masks and a large sign advertising the facility's mask-making efforts. "But I didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it." Washington Post Sorry! This content is not available in your region In a heartwarming post on Facebook, a history teacher shared how one of his top students offered to give his bonus points to the lowest scorer in a test. Winston Lee is a history teacher teaching 11th-graders in Letcher County Central High School in Whitesburg, Kentucky. While he was marking one of the scripts for a history exam on World War 2, a note written below the multiple-choice answers caught his eye. In the note, the student wrote, If you could, can you give my bonus points to whoever scores the lowest? The student had gained five bonus points from participating in an exam review game the day before the test. With those five points, his test score would have increased from 94 percent to 99 percent. The guy is awesome, Lee said, according to Bored Panda. Weve had huge political debates in class this year (we keep it friendly), and my man always has some awesome, intelligent input. But Lee was moved by his students selflessness. Most honor students cling to every point possible! he said. Lee decided to accede to his students request. No doubt a peculiar situation, but the points are his and he wishes to kindly gift them to someone else, he said. Honored and granted! He awarded the bonus points to a girl who scored 58 percent. With those points, she made the passing grade of 60 percent. She was really thankful so it turned out great, Lee said. She does not know who gave her the points. Lee shared a shot of his students note on Facebook on Feb 21. Within a few days, his post had garnered more than 76,000 likes, 55,000 shares, and thousands of comments. Many praised the students kind gesture. Seeing how some students struggle so hard yet still score near the bottom, this young person showed empathy and generosity toward another classmate, Janice Davis said. What a wonderful thing it is to bring joy to another. However, some did not agree. Kevin LaFreniere said, giving away points to someone who didnt earn them doesnt really help the person. Regarding the girl who received the points, Lee said, She was grateful for the mystery points and I pray she pays it forward. Was it the correct classroom procedure? Lee said, Im not sure. Is being led by compassion, kindness, and love, ever considered a wrong answer? Oddly enough, the student has taught the lesson. (Illustration Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock) Lee had been teaching for 12 years, and this was the first time he received such a request from a student, he told Good Morning America. This note gave me so much hope. Let us all be a little more like this young man!! Letcher County Central High School is a public high school teaching grades 912. It receives federal funds for needy students. We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc President Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn upon return to the White House on May 17, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) As Trump Donates Salary to Fight Virus, Press Secretary Seems to Reveal Presidents Bank Details White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany seemed to inadvertently disclose the presidents personal banking information when announcing he was donating his salary to fight COVID-19. McEnany said at a May 22 briefing that President Donald Trump would donate his quarterly paycheck to the Department of Health and Human Services, as the agency responds to the COVID-19 outbreak. Trump, upon taking office, pledged to donate his quarterly $100,000 salary, which he has given to a range of government agencies, including to the departments of Transportation and Veteran Affairs, as well as to the Department of Homeland Security. McEnany, at the briefing, held up a paycheck and said, Here is the check, amounted to $100,000, that will go directly from President Trump and his paycheck that he does not take, but rather donates it to various noble initiatives, adding that this time it would go to supporting the administrations fight against COVID-19 and in honor of those whom the disease has killed. White House spokesperson Judd Deere said in a statement that on this occasion, the presidents donation would help in the development of new therapeutics to treat COVID-19 infections. Multiple media outlets speculated whether, in making the announcement, McEnany held up a genuine check that featured the presidents banking information, including Trumps private bank account and routing numbers. According to The Independent, if the Capital One check McEnany held up was indeed authentic, the information on it could be exploited by hackers. Eva Velasquez, head of the Identity Theft Resource Center, told The New York Times that Trumps bank account is likely to have additional security features making it a harder target for a malicious cyberattack. The New York Times speculated whether the check was a mock-up for publicity purposes and cited an administration official as saying that fake checks havent been used in past briefings. In a May 22 statement, Deere expressed disappointment that the focus of media coverage appeared to be skewed on whether the check was a prop and not on the donation itself. President Trump has donated his entire salary since he took officea promise he made and has keptand today his salary went to help advance new therapies to treat this virus, but leave it to the media to find a shameful reason not to simply report the facts, focusing instead on whether the check is real or not, Deere said, according to CNBC. Mike Chapple, academic director of Notre Dames Master of Science in Business Analytics program, told The New York Times that the controversy surrounding McEnanys displaying of the check shows why oversized mock-ups of checks are often used for publicity purposes. Theyre not only a nice prop onstage, but they also omit the sensitive account information that normally appears at the bottom, Chapple told the paper. The rest of us should play it safe and keep our account numbers to ourselves, he said. Researchers, politicians and farm leaders have long been flagging concerns about rising levels of stress and the overall state of mental health among farmers. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 23/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Researchers, politicians and farm leaders have long been flagging concerns about rising levels of stress and the overall state of mental health among farmers. Meanwhile, farm-management professionals have worried about the relatively small proportion of farm business owners who follow written business and succession plans. It turns out the two are connected. A new report called Healthy Minds, Healthy Farms released this week by Farm Management Canada (FMC) connects the dots between the key stresses messing with farmers ability to cope and the degree to which those stresses can be reduced by a higher degree of business planning. FMC worked with Wilton Consulting Group and Farm Credit Canada to review the research, survey farmers, conduct focus groups and do one-on-one interviews to tap into the psychological complications inherent to running a farm business. Farmers tend to be more emotionally invested in their farms because that is where they live as well as work. They are often working land that is tied to their family heritage and there can be multiple generations engaged with the operation. The top stressors cited by farmers were the unpredictability of markets, weather and production challenges, a heavy workload and financial uncertainties. On top of that, imagine living with the possibility that you might wake up one morning to find your operation invaded by media-savvy activists scoring points for their cause, or opening up your social media account to hear how the work you take pride in is destroying the environment and the tools you use to support your crops cause cancer. Fear of public censure also makes it harder for farmers to reach out for mental health help unless they can find resources staffed by people who understand their business. It all eats away at ones resilience and the effects can manifest themselves in a variety of ways, ranging from depression or anxiety to substance abuse to domestic violence. More often than not, cases of livestock neglect or abuse on farms can be traced back to the operators mental health. While modern farms tend to be multi-million dollar businesses, the FMC report found only 21 per cent of farmers follow a written business plan. On one hand, it is amazing farmers can even function with all thats going inside their heads. On the other, however, its becoming clear that all that cranial noise is taking a toll. Upwards of 62 per cent of Canadian farmers are expressing mid-level stress scores, with 14 per cent in the high-stress category. Women and young farmers were more likely to report higher stress. Women not only work on farms, they are usually on the front lines of child care and often bring in off-farm income. The report found that young farmers, who are more likely to be part of growing operations, were less equipped with healthy coping skills. The FMC project looked at the connection between mental health and business management from two angles: how effective farm business management affects or supports farmer mental health and conversely, how mental health affects or supports farm business decision-making. 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. Researchers found a positive correlation from both perspectives. Farmers who had business plans not only reported feeling less stress they were more apt to employ positive coping strategies for dealing with their stress. Its not that business planning can make the markets or weather more predictable or reduce the amount of work that needs doing, but it can set in place strategies to help farmers reduce their exposure to those market vagaries and it can show where some of that workload can be offloaded to external professionals. Knowing where you stand financially is empowering, even if the spreadsheet looks ugly. When all of those worries, pressures and ideas swirling around in a farmers head get spilled onto a spreadsheet, the path forward and the steps to get there often become more clear. The correlations are compelling and provide ammunition to those promoting increased business-management resources tailored specifically to farmers. Aside from the humanitarian need, these investments strengthen a sector fundamental to the health and security of Canadians. Laura Rance is vice-president of content for Glacier FarmMedia. She can be reached at lrance@farmmedia.com Writers shed light on the times were in. So in the time of COVID-19, the Star wanted to hear what some of the best in Canada had to say. We present the next in a series of essays that share ideas, emotions, ways to cope and bring us together. The world is opening up, meaning that well have to see each other again. Get to see each other. My bad. Yay. Many of my friendships are threadbare. Sure, we Zoomed, we messaged, we sent photos of galettes, puppies, facial hair, but this moment feels like were emerging from a theatre after a first date, realizing that we didnt really interact with each other for two hours or two months. Well make small talk to salvage the date. What did you think about the movie? I dont like apocalyptic movies. Remember the part in France with the people singing from their balconies? It was Italy. Do you like Trudeau with or without the beard? Look, do we want to see each other again? Its going to take time to get used to people and their bodies again. Especially their legs. I found myself overwhelmed in a grocery store recently. All the fruit was so bright, all the people were awkwardly following the arrows on the floor. I was trying to open those impossible plastic bags for produce but couldnt look down for too long because I needed to know where everyone was in relation to me so I could calculate their path trajectories. Whenever I looked up, I did not know where to rest my eyes on peoples bodies. Age, gender, fashion, mask status, glove status all complicated the calculation. The part of my brain that processed crowds had atrophied in quarantine. People were reduced to a level below stranger; they became objects to avoid along a course. Ive been on the flip side of this objectification. A few days ago, a masked, ungloved, middle-aged female stranger was opening a door to a building. I was on course to enter two metres behind her. Trust me, one of the big winners of the pandemic is the metric system; now we all know what two metres looks like. But this woman, she got frantic and fumbled with the handle. She turned back and shouted, Six feet please! I stopped where I was. That demand soured much of my afternoon. My intention was not to crowd her. There was nothing remotely malicious or threatening or impatient in my manner. Surely, there was a kind way to ask for space. May I No. Would you mind No. She did say please. Her tone, though. To her, I was a slimy green alien. To me, she was the space police. I wonder whether Ive inadvertently objectified myself, whether I present myself as an object to manipulate. I work out in the virtual company of a woman from a gym in Chicago who sweetly instructs me to do impossible things until I quake and collapse. She purports to strengthen the body, I often think while panting, but shes in fact trying to destroy the body altogether. The extremist wing of objectification is vilification. Good job, she says at the end, regardless of my performance. Her laugh is wicked. Despite her arbitrary system of rewards and punishments, I have come to appreciate how she affirms my bodys potential, not its dangers, while in seclusion. Yet, as with all strangers, I know I am nothing to her. As a writer, Im fascinated by strangers. My novel, Reproduction, is about how strangers become family. After winning the Giller, I was supposed to jog around the country with a flag around my shoulders like Usain Bolt after a sprint. A weird FOMO gripped me for a while, not so much for the destinations my calendar says I would be in Banff this week, in Jasper before that, in Italy before that, but instead Im at home, considering the peaks and valleys of gas prices beyond my window but for the people Id miss out on meeting. I feel bad for the writers who, after years of work, published books this spring only to have them waterlogged in the daily deluge of COVID updates. One of the joys of being a writer, in my opinion, is standing around after an event and talking to chatty Ben from Oshawa who doesnt read much fiction but thought your book was worth a shot. A lot of writers wont see Ben this year. The most amusing strangers, though, are those people in books. No offence. You wanna hear what Ive read lately? Elena Ferrantes four Neapolitan novels (why you women so mean to each other?); Garth Greenwells Cleanness (a book with no women in it, weirdly, but men who hurt each other, though I dont find that surprising); Zadie Smiths Swing Time (ever wondered about the people who work for celebrities?); poetry manuscripts (poetry is forgiving but stop punching it in the face); a Chinese language workbook (Am I tall? Yes, youre very tall.); Mens Health Muscle After 40 (Chapter 18: Crush Your Goals, Not Your Body). The accompanying image in the magazine is of a man, covered in mud, scaling part of an obstacle course, GoPro camera strapped to his forehead. Is he a person or a character? Ive missed so much of the world while thinking about people. My neighbourhood is teeming with purple things that had no names until recently: Japanese maple, lilac, lavender, wisteria. I missed the yellow bulbs of chives, the ragged edges of kale, a cat on a fence that presides over the morning, a gaggle of geese on the perimeter of their goslings. During the lockdown I developed a deeper intimacy with the world around me, precisely because time outdoors was so measured and therefore precious. When a stranger seemingly intrudes on this public solitude, I perplex myself with questions: who gives way? does woman with stroller trump man with quad cane? where am I in the spectrum of concessions? And sometimes none of that matters. A stranger dances toward you with such ballon, youd swear an old friend were approaching. A few days ago, I was stretching before a run. A guy walked by, holding a cup of coffee. He smiled. I smiled. I nodded. He nodded. He said, Hey. I said, Hey, you look happy this morning. He said, Im going to work. I said, Must be a good job. He said, The walks the best part. Then off he went. Strangers emerge into familiarity and dissolve into strangeness. In and out, in and out. You think you know them, but youre only casting them. You think they disappear, but they leave their afterimage on your day. Ian Williams is a poet and the Giller Prize-winning author of the novel Reproduction. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged government at various levels to prioritise the welfare of the people when planning for the post-COVID-19 era. He gave the advice in a Sallah message on Saturday to Nigerians. Atiku who said COVID-19 was a test from Allah, urged Nigerians to continue to abide by the guidelines issued by health authorities. All these strictures could not have made our fasting less valid because, as Muslims, we believe that everything that happens is with the command of Almighty Allah. We are taught in the scripture and the Sunnah of Noble Prophet Muhammad (SAW) that God would test our faith individually and as an Ummah, Atiku said. The current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic is a test from Allah and, having fasted as we are enjoined as Muslims, let us continue to remember that it is part of our faith to protect all lives and to abide by regulations from those in authority, especially during a time of great uncertainty like this. Those protocols about avoidance of crowded places, social distancing and regular washing of hands are for our own benefits and the benefits of humankind in general. As Muslims, it is incumbent upon us to do our best both in action and in prayers to ensure that the world is healed of this deadly virus in the earliest possible time. People in leadership positions all over the world should learn from countless examples of how Prophet Muhammed (SAW) and his immediate disciples took the welfare of the people as a priority in the administration of a state. This time calls for sacrifice in leadership. This is no time for extravagance and living in luxury. This years Eid-el-Fitr celebration is already a special one. But I wish all Nigerian Muslims and their counterparts across the world a more special celebration, filled with pleasant moments as we pray together and enjoy the day with our families. Share this post with your Friends on Eight Covid-19 patients were rescued by firefighters after a fire broke out at a private hospital designated for treatment of Covid-19 patients in south Delhis Hauz Khas on Saturday evening. All patients are safe and were handed over to the hospital staff for further care, senior fire department officials said. This is the first time the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) team had to pull off a rescue operation of people infected with the highly contagious Sars-Cov-2 virus. The rescued included five men and three women. Atul Garg, director, DFS, said the rescue operation was a big challenge but was carried out efficiently with none of the patients sustaining any burn injury. We received a call around 5.45pm reporting that Cygnus Orthocare hospital opposite IIT-Delhi campus has caught fire. Five fire tenders were rushed to the hospital to contain the fire and later three more units had to be sent, Garg said. Our firefighters who reached the spot found that it was a three-storey building with a basement. We found that fire started in an operation theatre on the third floor. Ensuring proper precautions, wearing gumboots, gloves, goggles, helmet and fire suits, our men entered the hospital in two teams, with three men in each team, Garg said. He said because the building was full of smoke, their men were wearing breathing apparatuses to be able to locate those trapped inside. After successfully locating each of the patients, because none of them were injured due to the fire, our firefighters guided them out of the building, Garg said. The team that was involved in the rescue operation said that it was only upon reaching the hospital that they got to know that there were Covid-19 patients admitted there. Sumesh Kumar Dua, divisional officer, who led the rescue operation, said the only focus of his team was to evacuate the occupants of the building safely. We have dealt with all kinds of rescue operations, but this was a first of its kind. It was natural for us to be a bit scared. We, too, are human but all that we had in mind was to safely get everyone out of the building and to douse the flames, Dua said. He said the firefighters were attired in their helmets, gumboots and overalls, apart from masks and gloves. The team was directed to follow all Covid-19 safety protocol such as avoiding contact with the patients' faces to prevent any infection possibility. The fire was doused in less than an hour and afterwards, the entire team was thoroughly sanitised, and so were the tenders and equipment used in the operation, Dua said. He said the patients were handed over to the hospital staff for further care. Cygnus Orthocare Hospital said that there was no major damage was reported in the fire. The fire was first reported on the third floor of the hospital, which houses the operation theatres. The Delhi Fire Services along with the hospitals fire division have controlled the fire and are still on the job. There has been no loss or damage to life, said Dr Amit Vig, unit head, Ujala Cygnus Orthocare Hospital. Without specifying details of where the eight coronavirus positive patients were moved to, Dr Vig said all of them were moved to safe areas. We are well trained to manage situations like these and our team responded immediately. Everyone (the patients) was moved to safe areas promptly in an organized fashion, he added. Fire chief, Garg, said it was the first such operation where they had to rescue coronavirus patients. Our firefighters did a splendid job. All of them underwent deep cleaning which has been mandated after every rescue operation, he said. He also said that the probable cause of the fire was a short-circuit in an air-conditioner in the operation theatre. However, he said the exact cause will be confirmed following a detailed inspection. Garg appealed to people to get air-conditioners serviced by authorised professionals as short-circuits in ACs is one of the most common causes of fire in summer months. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marsetio (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, May 23, 2020 08:51 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9bf66a 3 Opinion Cold-War,COVID-19,US-China-tension-COVID-19,US-China Free The year 2020 has seen the Earth stand still as the spread of COVID-19 has pushed countries throughout the world into lockdowns and has limited the movement of society for months. It might seem that the world is at relative peace as industries, businesses and government offices close and people practice rigid social and physical distancing. That idea, however, is a false hope. The fact that COVID-19 has infected more than 4.7 million people and killed over 300,000 globally as of May 17 apparently has not stopped some of the worlds major powers from continuing their arch-rivalries. The United States has deployed warships to the South China Sea, launched medium-range missiles and sent its bomber planes to fly over the waters. In the East China Sea, Washington deployed USS America, a light aircraft carrier. The US has even made it clear that its nuclear arms and personnel remain prepared and ready in the case of a major traditional armed conflict among states. Similarly, Chinas assertiveness in the regions disputed waters remains unabated. In April it announced two new administrative districts in the Spratly Islands (Fiery Cross Reef) and the Paracel Islands (Woody Island) and named 80 islets and reefs. Furthermore, its naval forces continue to venture into the Exclusive Economic Zones of littoral states along the South China Sea. Read also: US-China war of words clouds WHO meet focused on pandemic Meanwhile, the US economy is being ravaged by the pandemic and its military is no exception. Two US Navy aircraft carriers, the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Ronald Reagan were forced to return to base after discovering that sailors aboard the ships had been infected by COVID-19. China, on the other hand, may start to push its economy forward again, after successfully decreasing its cases of COVID-19, as evinced by its loosening of lockdowns and reopening of cities, businesses and industries. But it is now facing the threat of a second wave of the virus along with the significant impact of the pandemic on the economy, including unemployment and sluggish growth. Over the past decade, China has grown into one of the worlds most major powers. Its economy, second only to the US, provides significant leverage and capital to develop and expand its power and influence. The Belt and Road Initiative, in which Indonesia is taking part, is just one example. China has also changed its naval warfare doctrine into a blue water navy doctrine with the addition of its two Liaoning-class carriers and a new overseas military base in Djibouti in Africa. The beginning of the 21st century has also seen Washingtons superiority in the global arena heavily tested. In 2020 alone, in the Persian Gulf, 11 Iranian naval vessels taunted US warships, a Russian fighter jet intercepted the US Navys maritime surveillance aircraft P-8A a number of times in the Mediterranean Sea, and in the Taiwan Strait, China sent its first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, to the waters of Japan, one of the US Asian allies. Read also: US savages WHO as it promises pandemic review, but China pledges $2 billion Many countries have been questioning US leadership on the global stage, both before and during this pandemic. This may be the reason why it is flexing its muscles and military might in the region in an apparent message to China and the world that the pandemic has not affected its power and sphere of influence in the region. These current strategic environment dynamics pave the way for the arrival of a second Cold War, one between the US and China, when the pandemic is over. The return of the rivalry between great powers began to materialize with the US-China trade war. The pandemic, during which the two powers have accused each other of being responsible for the health crisis, only makes things clearer. The possibility of an armed conflict exists if the race between China and the US for influence and hegemony persists in the post-pandemic world. Unless peace is given a chance, World War III is within sight. None of these scenarios benefit todays globalized world, especially Indonesia. Its strategic geographical setting places it at the heart of the US-China rivalry, which is the South China Sea. From a defense perspective, in particular maritime defense, the escalation of tension between the two great powers in South China Sea and the potential for a spillover of their conflict will put Indonesia in danger. For one, the rising tension in the area may intensify the activities of ships, including fishing boats and coast guard vessels, in the waters of littoral states, including Indonesia. Read also: Indonesia steers clear of COVID-19 resolution politicization On the other hand, Indonesias current and post-pandemic defense budget will understandably diminish as the government prioritizes the countrys economic revival. Therefore, Indonesias maritime forces, particularly the Navy and Coast Guard, should assess the impacts of the great powers rivalry in the South China Sea in order to decide the priority of their fleet deployment and projection of power in the North Natuna Sea. Furthermore, formulating responses to possible worst-case scenarios in the South China Sea will allow Indonesia to utilize its available strength and define priority defense spending and military force deployment. *** Professor of maritime defense science at the Indonesia Defense University and former Navy chief of staff (2012-2015) Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. A man exercises at Gold's Gym, one of the businesses that reopened after a shutdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Augusta, Georgia, April 26, 2020. Maranie Staab | Georgia Joe Cirulli has spent thousands of dollars in enhanced cleaning and sanitation practices for his chain of Florida gyms. Cirulli, the founder of Gainesville Health and Fitness, said he's spent the last two and a half months since his business closed due to the coronavirus outbreak researching and preparing to meet, and go beyond, rigorous health standards implemented by the state when it lifted its statewide gym closure on Monday, he said. He ordered gallons of electrostatic cleaning supply to spray workout equipment daily, enough hand sanitizer and wipes to place throughout the entire gym and installed ultraviolet lighting in the air-conditioning systems to filter out additional bacteria, although health experts say UV lighting should not be used on people's skin. "We ordered everything, everything," Cirulli said. "I don't know how much more we can do, especially when the guy working on the air conditioning system told me if we do one more thing, we'll be able to do surgery inside our clubs." As some states across the country slowly begin to lift restrictions implemented to halt the spread of the coronavirus, gyms and other businesses prepare to operate under stringent new health restrictions. They've increased cleaning supplies, are checking temperatures at the door and encouraging members to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet. While members are enthusiastic, some epidemiologists warn that the virus hasn't gone anywhere even as restrictions are reduced. Extra precaution States like Texas, Florida, Georgia and Arizona have been given the green light to resume most operations with reduced occupancy and expanded safety rules. In Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott allowed gyms to reopen Monday at 25% capacity with modifications, gym owners say they've stocked up on cleaning supplies in anticipation of returning crowds. When members return to Dallas-based gym Trophy Fitness, the first thing that's required is a temperature reading, followed by a prepared statement recited by an employee on coronavirus symptoms, founder Kelley Gray said. The gym's locker rooms are still closed to patrons and there are no group workout classes. Cher Harris, the general manager of the Houstonian Club, a Houston-based hotel, spa and fitness facility that reopened on Monday, said the longest the club was ever closed before the coronavirus was during Hurricane Harvey when its doors were shut for nine days. "From my personal standpoint, this is this is the toughest thing that I've ever gone through in my career," Harris said. The club has ordered nearly triple the amount of cleaning supplies they would typically use in a month to begin reopening, Harris said. Some items have been difficult to order, however, such as face masks for employees, she said. Staff are required to wear gloves to handle towels and other materials, the club requires all members and employees to have a temperature check before entering and all furniture was moved 6 feet apart, she added. "It's like you're operating a completely different business," Harris said. Gym-goers return Although gyms are slowly coming back online, Gold's Gym CEO Adam Zeitsiff said that he expects the industry to take nearly six to nine months to recover from lost business due to the coronavirus. The fitness chain filed for bankruptcy on May 4. Gold's Gym plans to permanently close around 30 company-owned gyms, but its franchised locations will reopen as coronavirus restrictions are lifted. Zeitsiff said while members in their company-owned and franchised gyms have adhered to health guidelines, it's taken one or two visits to the gym to become accustomed to working out in a mask, which the company recommends. "What we're seeing so far, people have been very respectful. They've been coming in the gyms. They're wearing their masks. They're working out," Zeitsiff said. Cirulli, who was able to open his gym on Monday at 50% capacity as part of Florida's eased lock-down restrictions, said members were lined outside the door ready to enter the gym on its reopening day. Gray also said Trophy Fitness members were happy to return on opening day, although he the gym didn't reach its full occupancy limit. "They're just saying thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. That's all you hear," Cirulli said. "The members are very excited that the clubs are open." The virus isn't gone Epidemiologists warn, however, that the coronvirus still has room to spread and are worried about gyms and other public spaces reopening in their state too soon. "I think we need to remember that this is primarily a virus spread by airborne droplets that we breathe out in the air," said Cindy Prins, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida. While the transmission of the virus may be manageable by wiping down surfaces, Prins said that people coughing into the air in a shared space like a gym or restaurant could spread Covid-19. Wearing a face covering while working out isn't required in Florida and many other states that have reopened gyms. "I miss the gym, I really want to go back. I'm not comfortable yet with that," Prins said. 'Nothing has changed' Looks like senior actress Mallika Sukumaran is having a tough time dealing with flood waters, be it 2018 or 2020. The actress was one among the others, who were rescued by the fire officers from her flooded house, when Karamana river near her house overflowed due to heavy rainfall. Mallika was taken to her brother's house at Kowdiar in Trivandrum. The actress, who is known for her outspoken attitude, blamed the authorities for causing the flood by opening the gates of the Aruvikkara Dam without warning the people. Up to 13 houses in Kundamonkadavu were flooded, and the residents were rescued with the help of rubber boats. Surprisingly, the actress faced a similar situation in the year 2018. The picture of the dramatic rescue attempt went viral then, as people carried the actress in a large metal tub to cross the street. On a related note, her actor-son Prithviraj recently made it to the headlines as he returned to India amid the COVID-19 lockdown. The actor was stranded in Jordan while shooting for his upcoming big project Aadujeevitham. Prithvi, along with 57 cast and crew members of the movie, was flown to Kochi via Delhi from Amman (Jordan) by a repatriation flight. The effort was a part of the Vande Bharat Mission, to bring back Indian citizens stranded abroad. The actor had earlier announced that in spite of all the challenges amid the lockdown, the crew had managed to complete the shoot in Jordan. The Aadujeevitham team was shooting at the Wadi Rum desert in the Arab country. The film, based on the award-winning Malayalam novel Aaduvjeevitham, penned by Benyamin, is directed by ace filmmaker Blessy. Bankrolled by AG Abraham, the survival drama has Amala Paul essaying the female lead role opposite Prithviraj Sukumaran. AR Rahman will be composing the music for the highly-anticipated film. Aadujeevitham: This Is Why Prithviraj Sukumaran & Team's Return Is Delayed! Prithviraj Sukumaran & Aadujeevitham Team Are Back In Kerala! Click Here to go to PublishersWeekly.com WATERLOO REGION Even in a pandemic, it appears flowers can make everything better. From the vibrant colours to fragrant scents, fresh-cut flowers are being delivered more than ever across Waterloo Region, say some florist shops. Its been incredibly busy, said Linda Nelson, owner of Camerons Flower Shop in Kitchener. The flower shop opened in Belmont Village in 1954 and Nelson has owned the business for 25 years. She has never experienced a Mothers Day boon like she did two weeks ago. Nelson said she was working up to 19 hours a day getting orders ready for the popular flower-giving occasion. Ive never seen anything like this in my 15-year career, said florist Haley Zaharia, who owns Charmed Flowers in Uptown Waterloo. She, too, works 10 hours a day and barely has had a day off in two months. Im part of some florist groups and Ive been hearing it from all over the country, she said. If you were able to remain open with an online store, the demand was just more than you could keep up with. When the COVID-19 pandemic was first announced in mid-March, it wasnt clear if flower shops were essential and people werent buying flowers. Some florists were forced to dump their flowers, said Jack Vandermaas, general manager of Ontario Flower Growers Co-operative, who sells to Ontario florists. Many grocery stores slowed their orders of flowers as they prioritized bringing in items in high demand, such as toilet paper, said Andrew Morse, executive director of Flowers Canada (Ontario), an agricultural trade association representing about 180 flower producers across the province. During that period of confusion, there were a lot of growers who were throwing out product because they didnt know how to get it to market, he said. If you wanted flowers at that crucial time period, there werent really a ton of options other than to try and order online from florists as well, Morse said. But it turned around pretty quickly, said Vandermaas, and florists were soon ordering and selling more flowers. Both Camerons and Charmed Flowers say plenty of orders are marking occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries and even childrens birthday parties, as people cant gather to celebrate or go out for dinner. Zaharia said the majority of her orders are simply people being nice to each other during a global health crisis that has forced people to stay indoors. I read every card message ... and its just a ton of messages of support, she said. Keep your chin up or Thinking of you are the general sentiments of the messages. Its definitely been the best side of humanity, Zaharia said. People just trying to lift each other up. The flower supply has been steady with a plentiful bounty of Ontario-grown flowers. In season now are daisies, alstroemerias, Fugi mums and lilies. My cooler is totally full, said Nelson. And around her shop, there are buckets full of flowers. On an average day, she would deliver 30 bouquets but that has doubled. With both stores closed to the public, browsing space has turned into a full-fledged workspace for incoming orders. Nelson said she was able to bring back some staff and her son, a chef who was laid off, has been cutting flowers. Nelson is still able to get flowers from her importers, including roses from Colombia. But orchids from Thailand and greenery from Italy arent coming. Zaharia said she has had trouble getting flowers grown outside of Canada. My roses typically come from Ecuador or Holland, so they are typically being imported and thats where were seeing the most difficulties, is with the imported product, she said. So shes focused more on locally grown blooms such as tulips and hyacinths and now peonies are in season. But not every floral shop is feeling the surge. Some havent been able to recover losses. For Melanie Martin, co-owner of Le Jardin Flower Shop in Cambridge, its been a different story. Her business specializes in making floral arrangements for occasions, such as weddings and corporate events, and they also host workshops. Business has essentially dried up this year as the pandemic has forced the cancellation or postponement of weddings to next year. Others have downsized, hosting small backyard ceremonies with fewer flower arrangements. For many, flowers make people feel happy. People cant get out and give someone a hug so they are sending something pretty and colourful. What better way to do that than with flowers? Nelson said. Its a feel-good kind of business, Vandermaas said. There are so many different colours. Flowers just brighten up a room, said Lindsay Oldham, third-generation owner of Butts Berry and Flower Farm just west of Guelph. We do need them in this time of pandemic, said Oldham, who grows dahlias, most of which are sent to the Mississauga-based Ontario Flower Growers Co-operative that sells to Ontario florists. Oldham is busy planting dahlia tubers and by mid-July expects up to 200 varieties ready for picking from his eight acres. From July to September, his farm cuts about 5,000 stems of dahlias each day. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 8 pm on May 29 at the Quang Ninh Exhibition Centre and will be broadcast live on Quang Ninh Television. A street circus show will be held along Bai Chay Beach and at the Bai Chay tourist site as part of the programme. The event is co-hosted by the Quang Ninh provincial authorities and the Vietnam Circus Federation with an aim to introduce the latest interesting circus acts to the public while providing an opportunity for participating circus artists to show off their skills and exchange experience with their colleagues. It is also among the series of activities being held this summer to stimulate tourism in Ha Long City, and Quang Ninh Province in general, and promote the locality as a safe, friendly and interesting destination for tourists. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 18:36:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Workers make brooms at a poverty alleviation workshop in Huade County of Ulanqab, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 11, 2020.(Xinhua/Peng Yuan) Through precise measures, the pairing-up of aid, the fostering of industries, e-commerce and tourism, relocation and the dispatching of officials to poverty-stricken villages, China has achieved miraculous results in reducing poverty and is determined to eradicate absolute poverty this year despite challenges. BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Early in the morning, Migmur enters a workshop, sits down at a table and strikes the burin with a small hammer. With the "tink tonk tink tonk" sound reverberating, the image of auspicious clouds appears on a brown leather waist belt. One of Migmur's legs was paralyzed in an accident when he worked at a construction site over a decade ago. The 38-year-old ethnic Ewenki herder in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is unable to raise livestock or toil in the field. He participated in a training workshop on leather carving in a cultural industrial park funded by the local government. Last year, Migmur crafted 152 ethnic leather products, which brought him 23,200 yuan (around 3,267 U.S. dollars) and helped him cast off poverty. "With traditional handicrafts, I can raise my family and have got rid of the mire of poverty," Migmur said. The cultural industrial park provided traditional ethnic handicraft training for around 300 impoverished households last year, bringing them jobs as well as fortune. The poverty-stricken population had been reduced to just 16,000 by the end of 2019 from 1.57 million in 2013 in the autonomous region, according to official statistics. After having accomplished historic achievements in poverty reduction over the past seven years, China is in the final push to securing a decisive and complete victory in this regard, despite the COVID-19 impact. President Xi Jinping has underscored firm confidence and concrete action in the country's final battle against absolute poverty. In a recent instruction on the poverty elimination of the entire Maonan ethnic group, Xi also stressed that not a single ethnic group can be left behind in the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. At this year's annual two sessions, legislators and political advisors are expected to pool wisdom on how to realize the goal of poverty elimination while keeping those who have been lifted out of poverty from returning to poverty. A breeder feeds sheep in Yanchi County, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, May 27, 2019. Located on the southern edge of the Maowusu Desert, Yanchi County was once poverty-stricken and suffered from desertification. But after years of efforts, the environment there has been restored, and the county has also shaken off poverty. (Xinhua/Wang Peng) FISHING, NOT FISH As morning sunshine beams down onto Yangling Village, 46-year-old Ma Junlin and his wife wake up and make their way to two barns housing a total of 12 cattle. Last month, Ma sold three cattle and earned 15,000 yuan. Through raising cattle, the per capita income for Ma's family has increased to 10,000 yuan a year, and they live in a new brick house with a television, a refrigerator and other home appliances. Like Ma, a native of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, many of his fellow villagers had shaken off poverty through raising cattle by the end of 2018. Over the past four years, animal husbandry has become a pillar poverty alleviation industry for Ma's village thanks to the government's financial and technical support. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in late 2012, the country has achieved significant progress in poverty reduction, with over 93 million rural people lifted out of poverty over seven years. There were still 5.51 million impoverished people by the end of last year. As a fundamental means to advancing poverty alleviation, industries have been fostered according to local conditions, playing a key role in consolidating poverty reduction achievements. In Yunzhou District, Datong City in north China's Shanxi Province, growing daylilies -- a kind of edible flower and traditional Chinese medicine for soothing nerves -- has become a local pillar industry. Impoverished counties in Shanxi have developed the planting of apples, potatoes and daylilies into industries to guarantee farmers stable jobs and incomes. HOUSE, JOB AND HOPE Sitting in her spacious new home in Ludian County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Zhan Wenhua said she was still terrified by the 5.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the neighboring Qiaojia County. "I'm not sure if our old house in Qiaojia could have survived the earthquake. It's lucky that we had been relocated to Ludian before the disaster," the 48-year-old said. Zhan's family used to live in a dilapidated adobe house in Qiaojia's Fala Village deep in the mountains. Last December, they moved to an apartment in a resettlement site in Ludian, thanks to a government-led poverty-relief relocation program. "Life is much better now because I can look after my kids while working at home," she said. Zhan and her husband now work as cleaners at the resettlement site, each earning about 2,000 yuan a month. The relocation of people like Zhan from inhospitable areas is another important approach to poverty reduction. Earlier this month, 84 registered poor households living atop a cliff were relocated to the local county seat of Zhaojue in southwest China's Sichuan Province, embracing a new modern life. A total of 18,000 impoverished residents from 92 villages moved to their new homes at the newly built community. It marked the near completion of poverty alleviation programs involving the relocation of 1.36 million people in Sichuan. Across China, more than 9.6 million poor people have been relocated to more habitable areas over the past several years, getting access to more job opportunities and better public services. Through precise measures, the pairing-up of aid, the fostering of industries, e-commerce and tourism, relocation and the dispatching of officials to poverty-stricken villages, China has achieved miraculous results in reducing poverty and is determined to eradicate absolute poverty this year despite challenges. A meteor shower show was caught on cam by the residents in Victoria, Australia, on Friday, May 22. The shining blast of what appears to be a meteor was said to be slowly moving towards the skies around the area. However, experts have told the media that the supposed meteor was not entirely space rock; after all, it was a piece from a Russian spacecraft. Australians get excited by watching what they thought was a meteor shower According to local reports in Australia, video footage in Victoria of what assumed by many as the meteor was already circulating online in the country. Residents living in Ballarat to Kyneton and Colac were alarmed about what they saw on skies that lasted for about 20 seconds before finally disappearing. pic.twitter.com/1KuldCy6OJ EPIC!! Check out this incredible vision captured by Mel Aldridge not long ago at Cashmore near Portland! We're getting plenty of reports. @abcmelbourne Vic Storm Chasers (@VicStormChasers) May 22, 2020 Not sure what it was but wow pic.twitter.com/5aoitUnMwc Paul Campbell (@vege07) May 22, 2020 Nothing to be alarmed, its just a Russian space-junk, says experts After receiving reports about the supposed meteor shower, Victorian SES Chief Officer Tim Wiebusch issued an alert saying what they saw was "just some space junk re-entering the atmosphere." This claim was supported by The Astronomical Society of Victoria, which said that the object was the third stage of a rocket used to launch a Russian satellite. Jonti Hunter, Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Southern Queensland, explains that the object was surely a space-junk due to its slow pace crossing in the skies. "The slow speed, about 6 kilometers per second, is a very telltale sign that it is space junk," he said. What is a 'meteor'? Meteors or space rocks are seen on skies anywhere around the world. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), space rocks are common objects that begin to transcend from space to Earth. "When meteoroids enter Earth's atmosphere, or that of another planet, like Mars, at high speed (they) burn up. This is also when we refer to them as 'shooting stars," said NASA. "Sometimes meteors can even appear brighter than Venus - that's when we call them 'fireballs'. Scientists estimate that about 44,000 kilograms of meteoritic material fall on Earth each day." 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. LANSING, MI -- While Michigans Secretary of States latest effort to expand access to absentee ballots was met with criticism from the president and others this week, the League of Women Voters has filed a lawsuit saying the efforts havent gone far enough. The lawsuit, filed in the Michigan Court of Appeals on Friday, calls for the state to require local clerks to count absentee ballots postmarked by or on Election Day, regardless of when the local office actually receives the ballot. The Michigan League of Women Voters was a vocal supporter of Proposal 3 in 2018, and as part of our mission to advance democracy in Michigan, we believe voting must be accessible and convenient for every registered voter, said Christina Schlitt, President of League of Women Voters of Michigan, in a press release. The unconstitutional barriers to absentee voting in Michigan need to be removed as they hamper participation in the democratic process and go against the will of the people. The League points to a century-old state election law that says an absentee ballot is not counted unless the local clerk receives it by 8 p.m. on Election Day. When Proposal 3 was approved by Michigan voters in 2018, it required all absentee ballots postmarked on or before Election Day to be counted by the clerks. The League is concerned that thousands of absentee ballots may not be counted because of confusion over the law. Given COVID-19, vote by mail will play a critical role in the 2020 elections as voters look to protect their health and participate in democracy," said Theresa Lee, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, in another press release announcing that groups involvement in the same lawsuit. "Right now, Michigans absentee ballot voting process is not ready to meet its biggest test ever when millions attempt to vote by absentee ballot. This lawsuit seeks to resolve those issues, The lawsuit also seeks to have the state more strictly enforce the language in Proposal 3 that requires absentee ballots be made available to voters 40 days prior to the date of an election. The League claims that has not been enforced as directed by voters when they approved Proposal 3. As part of enforcement of the Proposal 3, the League says local clerks also must process absentee ballot applications within 24 hours of receiving them. Finally, the lawsuit also seeks a mandate that the state cover the cost of postage for all voters who request absentee ballots. Proposal 3 needs to be implemented and enacted the way it was written, which is what voters approved, Schlitt said. The way our elections are conducted must be consistent with Proposal 3, especially ahead of these upcoming elections to prevent the disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of voters. PREVENTION TIPS In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces. Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. READ MORE Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus Friday, May 22: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan Gardai at the scene of the fallen tree on Clonliffe Road A woman was rushed to hospital yesterday after strong winds and gusts of up to 110kph toppled a tree that crushed her car. The woman was left shocked but escaped serious injury when the tree, on Clonliffe Road, Drumcondra, was blown down at around 9am. Local people said its roots had recently been exposed. "A number of trees came down overnight throughout the city due to high winds," a spokesperson for Dublin City Council said. Havoc "One of them was on Clonliffe Road. As usual, any incident resulting from a fallen tree will be examined." More than 12,000 ESB customers across the country - 700 in Dublin - were left without power as the conditions wreaked havoc. Repair crews were aiming to restore electricity by yesterday evening to homes, businesses and farms that were left without power after high winds toppled trees and brought down power lines across the country. A status yellow wind warning remained in place for most areas until 9pm yesterday. "The damage is mainly attributed to trees, now in full leaf, causing damage in the high winds," ESB Networks said. Met Eireann had warned that "unseasonably strong winds" would bring potentially damaging gusts of between 100kph and 110kph to some areas throughout the day. Forecasters said detached branches from trees and unsecured outdoor items could prove hazardous. Exposed mountains and hills and coastal areas were most at risk of being battered by the strongest gusts from the south-westerly winds. In Galway, a chimney at the Old Connacht Laundry site on St Helen's Street collapsed, forcing the closure of the road for a time. AA Roadwatch urged motorists to exercise extreme caution and added that "pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and high-sided vehicles are most likely to be blown off-course in high winds". The blustery conditions are expected to continue for most of today. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > COVID -19: Repercussions on the Human Security of Bangladesh by Debtanu Majee Introduction The outbreak of COVID-19 in December at the Wuhan province of China escalated a new crisis of human security. Being a communicable disease it has spread globally and was termed as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. With no exceptions, the people of Bangladesh are also infected by COVID-19. As a result, the country was shut down from 26th March 2020. In this article, it is argued that the occurrence of COVID-19 in Bangladesh will enhance the problems related to human security. An immediate impact will be on the health security of the country and gradually the economic and food security will be jeopardized. Therefore hypothetically it can be stated that human security in Bangladesh is going to face a major challenge due to this pandemic. The country has passed many difficult times due to political instability and natural disasters. Political violence, terrorism, fundamentalism coupled with cyclones, droughts, and famines ravaged human security in Bangladesh. But the emergence of COVID-19 provided a new dimension to the problems of human security in Bangladesh. Communicable diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, and dengue were prevalent in the country but they have never engendered a total shutdown. Thus the challenge of COVID-19 is different and it is perceived to bring a change in the policies of the government in the coming days to prioritize human security needs. Implications of COVID-19 on the health, economy, and food security of the country are massive. Proximity of the Population can Jeopardized Health Security Bangladesh is home to nearly one hundred sixty-four million people. Furthermore, the population density of the country is 1265.19 km2 (World Population Review 2020). In recent times, Bangladesh though has been successful in reducing the mortality rate of the children and maternal women along with improvements in the immunization coverage, the country lacks adequate health infrastructure. Communicable disease like COVID-19 can get transmitted very easily in a country like Bangladesh due to the proximity of the population. Physical distancing is not feasible in the overpopulated slum areas of the country. Previously also Bangladesh failed to tackle the issues related to communicable diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, and dengue. In the year 2019 all the districts of Bangladesh were periled by dengue fever which escalated a crisis of health security (Mammon, Misty, Griffiths, and Goal). Similarly the increasing COVID-19 cases are also going to cause health insecurity in the country. As of 27th April 2020, the total number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Bangladesh are 5,416 and 145 people have died in the country due to this pandemic (World Health Organisation, 2020). The mortality rate due to COVID-19 is related to the age of the person. Persons belonging to the 80+ age group are more vulnerable to this disease while the population belonging to below 50 age group are at less risk of being infected. (For more details please see table 1.1). It can be estimated that Bangladesh being a country with a young population will have fewer deaths but the chances of getting infected with the disease are more. Lack of sanitation among the people of Bangladesh increased their chances of being contaminated with COVID-19. Furthermore, the people of Bangladesh also lack hygienic senses. Prior to eating they do not wash their hands properly. In this context, it is pertinent to mention that in a research study it was found that only 1% of the population uses soap and water to wash their hands before having foods. In the same research, it was claimed that 0.7 % of mothers wash their hands with soap and water before feeding their children and 25% of people after defecation (Shewa B Programme Health Impact Study Report 2014). Diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular, and chronic respiratory diseases are common among the people of Bangladesh (Muhammad, Chowdhury, Arifuzzaman, and Chowdhury 2016). So the people already victims of these diseases are at high risk of getting infected with COVID-19. If the number of cases increases in Bangladesh the government will find it difficult to address the COVID-19 patients adequately and as a result, the health security of the people will be endangered. It has been found in many previous studies that the patients were not treated properly in Bangladesh due to a lack of health infrastructure. However, if Bangladesh fails to tackle the corona infected patients adequately by keeping them in isolation wards and following the measures suggested by World Health Organisation the mortality rates will exacerbate. It has also been reported that due to lack of testing kit in the country aggressive testing was not possible at the initial stage. However, the Gono Shasthaya Kendra in Bangladesh developed a low cost corona testing kit which is expected to facilitate the testing of corona virus in the country. At the moment lack of awareness is also observed as a problem related to the maintenance of health security. Mass gatherings were prevalent even after the eruption of COVID-19 in the country. If the citizens do not follow the measures implemented by the government to stop the dissemination of the virus, consequences will be direful. A few days back when I asked some Bangladeshi people about COVID-19 situation in their country they opined that only Allah can save them. They were depressed with the lack of health infrastructure in their country. Some of them also pointed to the fact that public hospitals cannot manage if the number of corona infected patients increase. Furthermore, in a country like Bangladesh where many people are struggling to fight against poverty it will be tough for them to get admission in private nursing homes if the public hospitals fail to treat them. Private nursing homes are expensive to afford for these poor people. Rural areas of the country are going to face more trouble. In my opinion the village clinics operating in Bangladesh are lacking capacity to treat corona virus infected patients. Maintaining health security was always a challenge for Bangladesh since its inception. The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh is going to intensify the crisis of human security. Table: 1.1 AGE DEATH RATE confirmed cases DEATH RATE all cases 80+ years old 21.9% 14.8% 70-79 years old 8.0% 60-69 years old 3.6% 50-59 years old 1.3% 40-49 years old 0.4% 30-39 years old 0.2% 20-29 years old 0.2% 10-19 years old 0.2% 0-9 years old no fatalities Source: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/ , accessed on 27.04.2020 Growing Economy of Bangladesh will be Disrupted Bangladesh achieved significant development in the realm of economy recently by lowering the poverty level and maintaining the GDP growth. But at present the country is observing lock down like most of the countries in the world. The GDP growth rate of the country will be severely affected as a consequence of this lock down (World Bank 2020).It is observed that the export industry of the country has become dysfunctional because of lock down. Informal sector consists 90% of the workers in Bangladesh and it is not possible for them to work from home due to absence of internet connectivity (Islam and Divadkar 2020). Collapse of trade and economic activities engendered by the pandemic is escalating a tremendous economic crisis. Unemployment rates will also increase. People working in the garments sector are already in fear of losing their jobs as the demands for manufactured goods are decreasing both at national and global level. According to World Bank the poor will face more economic hardship (World Bank 2020 : Press Release). Economic inequality in the society will upsurge as a result of the pandemic. People working in the transport, retail trade and hospitality sector are going to experience economic insecurity. The economy of the country also relies on the service sector and at the moment the sector is struggling to coup up with the lock down. One of my friends from Dhaka said that the streets are mostly empty and the flow of goods and finance has reduced significantly. Think of a rickshaw puller who earns 400 taka a day at normal times is earning nothing at the moment. How much savings did he have to feed his family? Following the safety measures will require him to use hand sanitizer and mask which seems to him a luxury at the moment. The growing economy of Bangladesh is going to be jolted due to this pandemic. It is anticipated that the rising economic crisis in the coming days will upset the possibilities of the growing economy of Bangladesh. Possibilities of Food Insecurity Food security is an important perquisite for maintaining human security. Addressing the issue of food shortage caused by the lock down procedures is not going to be easy. Even the post COVID-19 world will engender mass starvation as the people will lack the purchasing power to buy foods. Some experts are also of the opinion that the country may face food insecurity due to lack of availability of foods. David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Programme advocated the possibility of a famine if the countries of the world cannot adequately address the problems related to disruption of trade and funding shortfalls( World Food Programme: Press Release). In the context of Bangladesh the risk of famine cannot be undermined. However the Prime minister of the country Sheikh Hasina in her thirty one directives to tackle corona virus advocated that in order to maintain food security, food production system should not be stopped and all the lands must be cultivated. It can be argued that the possibilities of the food insecurity will depend upon the production system and the economic status of the population. Earlier we have observed the 1974 famine in Bangladesh was engineered artificially (Seabrook 2001: 11). Political leadership of the country will have to play a pro active role to save Bangladesh from any kind of artificial famine. By an artificial famine I mean that the food though available to feed the population is not distributed to them due to naive market policy. It is observed during lock down due to economic hardship many people are unable to eat sufficiently twice a day. The government is though helping the poor by providing relief it is claimed that most of this relief items are distributed disproportionately. Corruption is one of the features of Bangladeshs administration and they are indulging corrupt practices even at a time of major humanitarian crisis. The consequences of COVID-19 are not only endangering health security but the economic and food security of the countries are also jeopardized and Bangladesh is no exception to that. Conclusion The lives of the marginalized section will be disrupted the most due to this disease. In other words, social structural and power relations in society will also determine the severity of the pandemic to the lives of the people. The only optimism for Bangladesh is that the country has always turned up at the moment of crisis. They have innovated strategies to deal with humanitarian crisis many times before. More state intervention is needed to deal with this crisis of human security. Access to food and income should be ensured by the government at this hard time. This pandemic has falsified the limited role of the state propagated by the neo-liberal theorists and clearly made visible the need for a welfare state. In the arena of security studies it is assumed a dramatic change will take place in the post COVID-19 world. The concept of human security though emerged in the post cold war phase it was hardly prioritized at the policy level by the government of the countries. They focused gathering arms and strengthening the state security system. But now it is high time to realize the fact that human security needs to be prioritized at the policy level along with state security. In the context of Bangladesh also it is pertinent to mention that the state must employ a humanitarian approach at this hour of crisis to save the people of Bangladesh. References World Population Review (2020), https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/bangladesh-population/ , accessed on 26.04.2020 Mamun, A, Mohammed, Jannatul Mawa Misti, Mark D Griffiths and David Gozal (2019): The Dengue Epidemic in Bangladesh: Risk Factors and Actionable Items, Lancet, 14th December Shewa B Programme Health Impact Study Report (2014): https://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/WASH_SHEWA-Bangladesh_health_impact_eval.pdf, accessed on 26.04.2020 Muhammad, Faisal, Moniruddin Chowdhury, Mohd Arifuzzaman and ABM Alauddin Chowdhury (2016): Public Health Problems in Bangladesh: Issues and Challenges, South East Asia Journal on Public Health Speedometer (2020): https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/ , accessed on 28.04.2020 World Bank (2020) : Press Release ,Bangladesh Must Ramp Up COVID-19 Action to Protect its People, Revive Economy , https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/04/12/bangladesh-must-act-now-to-lessen-covid-19-health-impacts , accessed on 28.04.2020 Islam, Tanjeb, Sheikh and Divadkar, Nitin, Yash (2020): How Bangladeshs Leaders Should Respond to The Economic Threats of COVID-19, World Economic Forum Report, 13th April. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/covid-19-coronavirus-bangladesh/ , accessed on 28.04.2020 World Food Programme (2020) : Press Release , WFP Chief Warns of hunger pandemic as COVID-19 Spreads , https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-chief-warns-hunger-pandemic-covid-19-spreads-statement-un-security-council , accessed on 20.04.2020 Seabrook, Jeremy (2001): Freedom Unfinished: Fundamentalism and Popular Resistance in Bangladesh Today, Zed Books Ltd, London, p.11 Debtanu Majee is Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science . Bidhan Chandra College affiliated to University of Calcutta, Rishra, Hooghly, West Bngal PhD Research Scholar, Department of Political Science, Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol Email id : debtanu.polsc[at]gmail.com A Pediatrician at the Bolgatanga Government Hospital, Dr Gillian Bogee has affirmed that it is real for people to recover from coronavirus (COVID-19), thus, stigmatization against infected persons must stop. The reality is that most people who are infected recover. The higher the number of cases, the higher the number of people who recover. Having COVID-19 does not mean you will have it the rest of your life neither is it a death sentence, she said. The Senior Medical Officer was sharing her story on having contracted the disease in the line of duty and her process of recovery at a press briefing in Accra yesterday. According to her, despite showing symptoms of COVID-19 upon coming into contact with a patient at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the hospital where she works on March 29 this year, her test results had initially showed negative for the virus. Though my result was negative, I realised I was de-saturating. I had severe body pains, headache and dry cough so after my sample had to be taken again for another test. By then, I had lost my sense of smell, developed diarrhea, difficulty in breathing and sore throat so I started writing down messages in my diary and taking pictures and videos of my condition, she said. Dr Bogee recounted how she was saved by a hairs breadth having spent eight days on oxygen and in intensive care after being airlifted from Bolgatanga to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) for treatment. From the ICU, I then spent 12 more days at the normal ward where I received a lot of psychological support from colleagues and other relatives and on May 2, I was discharged after my second negative test, she added. The medical practitioner called for the highest support for persons suffering from the disease saying, let us listen to them and stop the stigmatisation because history will judge the way we treat these people. We must remember that it is the virus that is the enemy so we should not let stigma divide us and turn us against one another. It is important that we practise social distancing but not social isolation, she advised. Source: The Ghanaian Times 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 Enniscorthy-based independent fund depositary and oversight business INDOS Financial has appointed Elaine Breen to the position of head of Legal and Compliance for the company's Irish operations. Ms Breen is the former General Counsel at Blackbee Investments in Cork and she also held senior roles at IFG Group and Willis. She is also a former member of the judging panel for the global Women in Compliance Awards and the Early Irish Career Awards and is an assessor for the Good Governance Awards which are presented within the not-for-profit sector. Ms Breen was also recognised in the 2019 Ireland General Counsel Powerlist. Bill Prew, CEO of INDOS Financial, welcomed the appointment and said Ms Breen will establish and develop the business's in-house legal and compliance capabilities. 'Elaine's first task will be to complete INDOS' application to gain Central Bank of Ireland authorisation to provide depositary services to Irish domiciled private equity and real estate funds,' said Mr Prew. Ms Breen is a qualified Irish solicitor and she is also qualified under the Solicitors Regulation Authority in England and Wales. Her qualifications include a BA (Hons) in business and law, LLB (Hons), a master's in law (LLM practitioner) and certificates in international risk management and compliance. Her base will be INDOS Financial's offices in Enniscorthy. The business set up its Irish operations base in Enniscorthy in 2013 and currently employs 23 of the 49 employees within the INDOS group. It develops solutions within the fund oversight and depositary service sector. Up to last month, the business's client assets under depositary oversight had grown past $35bn. Home Department of the West Bengal government, in a tweet, after NDRF and SDRF teams, Army support has been called to tackle the natural calamity. The West Bengal government has called for Army support, while NDRF and SDRF teams are already working, for the restoration of infrastructure and essential services after Cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in the state. Government of West Bengal mobilises maximum strength in unified command mode on a 247 basis for immediate restoration of essential infrastructure and services asap. Army support has been called for; NDRF and SDRF teams deployed, according to a tweet by the Home Department of the West Bengal government. The Department further said that the most essential services, like water and electricity, are being restored fast. Drinking water and drainage infrastructure getting restored fast. PHE asked to supply water pouches in gap pockets. Generators being hired where necessary. More than a hundred teams from multiple departments and bodies working for cutting of fallen trees which is the key to restoration of power in localities, it read. WBSEDCL and CESC asked to deploy maximal manpower, even while lockdown significantly affects the deployment potential of the latter. Police on high alert, it added. Earlier yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to the state, had praised the WB governments efforts under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to tackle the situation caused by Cyclone Amphan and COVID-19 crisis. The Prime Minister has also announced Rs 1,000 crore relief package for West Bengal and Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured in the destruction caused by Cyclone Amphan. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close A hair stylist in missouri has potentially exposed 91 people to coronavirus after showing up to work sick and symptomatic for eight days, health officials said. The stylist, who has not been identified, worked shifts at the Great Clips in Springfield from May 8 to May 12 after traveling to another part of Missouri with a higher intensity of cases. While both the stylist and the clients wore masks, and the business kept detailed records that allowed contact tracers to identify the clients, health officials expressed frustration with the situation. 'This scenario is well within the ability of our staff to contact trace and contain. But I'm going to be honest with you, we can't have many more of these,' said Clay Goddard, director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department. 'We can't make this a regular habit, or our capability as a community will be strained.' Clay Goddard, director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, announced the potential exposures on Friday Barbershops and hair salons were allowed to reopen in Missouri on May 4. Officials say that the hair stylist had 84 clients during the eight days, and potentially exposed another seven coworkers. 'The 84 clients potentially directly exposed will be notified by the Health Department and be offered testing, as will seven coworkers,' the Springfield-Greene County Health Department said in a statement. 'It is the hope of the department that because face coverings were worn throughout this exposure timeline, no additional cases will result.' The department said that the stylist also visited a fitness center, Dairy Queen and Walmart while potentially contagious. A stylist at this Great Clips in Springfield worked for eight days while sick and symptomatic It's unclear exactly when the stylist was infected, but the person had just returned from a trip elsewhere in Missouri with a high concentration of cases. Goddard said he was pleased with the deep cleaning measures taken by Great Clips, adding that he now considers the business safe. Greene County, where Springfield is located, has seen a low incidence of COVID-19, with 121 confirmed cases and seven deaths. That is the equivalent to one confirmed case for every 2,422 residents, compared to a hotspot like New York City, where the number is 1 in 42. WEVE all become unhappily accustomed to restrictions on our movement. One lot at Woodwards first-ever online-only auction in Cork next Saturday demonstrates that lockdown comes in many forms, and that there is nothing new about it. People can be confined to their own property, then forced to flee in most dramatic circumstances, as happened long ago in Cobh. Lot 285 at Woodwards is a detailed painting of the Queens Hotel, Queenstown, Ireland (now the Commodore Hotel, Cobh) by Walter Richards. It dates to the first decade of the last century. Around that time the hotel, which first opened in 1854, was taken over by Otto Humbert, a naturalised British subject of German birth. The noted hotelier had electricity and phones installed and an American-style bar on the ground floor. Fast-forward to May 1915. Survivors of the Lusitania were brought ashore at Cobh. Some were billeted in the Queens Hotel. Feelings about the killing of 1,200 civilians aboard a passenger liner torpedoed by a German U-boat ran very high. Survivors were horrified to discover the proprietor of the hotel was German. The fact that he was blameless, that nothing against him was known, counted for nothing. A mob surrounded the hotel demanding it be burned to the ground. Otto Humbert and his family were forced to hide in the wine cellar for three days until the rioters dispersed. By then he had prudently decided to leave. He fled from his own hotel and made it to Liverpool. There he boarded a ship bound for New York, a fact reported by The New York Times on May 30, 1915. Many of those who died on the Lusitania are buried at Old Church cemetery in Cobh, just five minutes from the hotel. The sinking propelled America into the First World War and Queenstown into global war headlines. The painting depicts a much more tranquil, Edwardian-style, harbour-front hotel with attractive red and white awnings. It is estimated at just 400-500. A few years earlier, in 1912, some of those who set off on the Titanic spent their last night ashore at this historic hotel with its long history of servicing the liner trade. Woodwards will offer 338 lots of antique furniture, fine art, silver and collectibles in an online auction which has already aroused much interest. Auctioneer Tom Woodward reports that he has already received a deluge of inquiries about particular lots. Recycled and beautifully restored antiques are the ultimate green object which combine years of use with a low carbon footprint. The estates of Fr Michael Lomasney of Castlelyons, Co Cork, and Mrs June Buckley of Shanakiel, Cork, are included and, because it is all online, viewing is whenever it suits you. Desks six feet apart, lunches eaten in classrooms, deep cleanings of every heavily touched surface and only one student per seat on school buses. Those are some of the suggestions made by the Centers for Disease Control in a newly released guide on how school districts should begin to approach reopening building this fall. The interim guidance released by the CDC this week is part of a 60-page document designed to help various sectors of the U.S. as they try to reopen while ensuring safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. But as school districts all across the country begin trying to process the CDCs suggestions and how they can be implemented locally, its become clear that a uniform approach is highly unlikely. Schools have been closed in Michigan since March 12 when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered them shut down following confirmation of the first COVID-19 cases in the state. Schools across the state have implemented distance learning programs to meet some of the educational needs of students while the buildings have been closed. Michigan has had 53,912 confirmed cases in the state and 5,158 deaths since the pandemic began. Related: Michigan averages fewer new coronavirus cases as Kent County overtakes Wayne County in most positive tests The CDCs guidance explains the various suggestions through three different steps. Those steps are based on the presence of COVID-19 in each community, how many cases are in the area and other factors that will be considered by the state governments. The scope and nature of community mitigation suggested decreases from Step 1 to Step 3. Some amount of community mitigation is necessary across all steps until a vaccine or therapeutic drug becomes widely available, reads a portion of the guide. While some of the obvious suggestions from the CDC regarding social distancing, staff wearing masks, deep cleaning of facilities and keeping groups of students in the same group as much as possible may seem simple enough, implementing them could be a challenge. David Crim, spokesperson for the Michigan Education Association, said its reasonable to expect some of those measures will be in place. Limiting visitors inside schools, staggering pickup and drop-off times, canceling field trips and extracurricular activities, for example, shouldnt be a problem. But some of the suggestions will be difficult to pull off no matter how important they are. For example, Crim said many schools will run into space issues if desks must remain six feet apart from each other at all times. We get extremely concerned about reopening schools and expecting social distancing in overcrowded classrooms, Crim said, adding that classrooms in the state have long been overcrowded before the pandemic began. Related: Whitmer extends stay-home order, closures of gyms, salons and other businesses to June 12 With classrooms already filled with more students than the MEA would prefer, trying to fit 30 desks inside a classroom with desks six feet apart may not be possible. That will mean the districts will have to get creative to address spacing issues, Crim said. Each district is going to have to develop their own plans. Its important that there be some local control in this, Crim said. Ann Arbor Public Schools unveiled preliminary plans for how it will handle the upcoming school year Wednesday, a day before the CDC guidelines were issued. The plan calls for a modified face-to-face instruction, combined with blended and virtual learning settings. Parents will be given an option to choose which type of learning will work best for the student. The district is also going to consider specific class, grade, school and district-wide decisions when determining how learning will continue. In our plan, we are going to be a little more nuanced, Ann Arbor Public School Superintendent Jeanice Swift said. Well be waiting and watching the health progress and infection rates. It will be more of a dial that we turn between the face-to-face, blended and a full virtual model. The district said more details will be released as the plan is developed and will likely be in place by July. John Helmholdt, spokesperson for Grand Rapids Public Schools, said it will take some time to thoroughly review the guidelines. We just want to assure our students, parents, staff and community stakeholders that we take this very seriously," he said. The district has been working on a several different plans for reopening in the fall and will now look at the CDC guidelines as well to help shape the strategy. While he couldnt get into specifics, Helmholdt said the districts plan will include input from various groups, including teachers, parents, health experts and more. Our top priority is the safety, health and wellbeing of students, staff, parents, visitors and anyone who visits our schools," Helmholdt said. The same can be said for Kalamazoo Public Schools, where administrators expect to discuss the CDC recommendations next week and plan to bring in outside experts to help shape a plan. As Kalamazoo Public Schools is developing its plans for the 2020-21 school year we are carefully reviewing the CDC recommendations. We will also continue to work closely with our local health officials as well as our state agencies, said Kalamazoo Public Schools Interim Superintendent Gary Start in a statement. The health and safety of our students and students will be our primary consideration with any reopening plans. We know that any plans developed will have to be flexible and implemented in collaboration with families and our community partners. Crim went on to say including input from staff is extremely important for educators who will also be potentially exposed as they return to schools. There are tremendous obstacles to reopening our schools. However, MEA and our 100,000 members are willing to work with local districts and parents to ensure all voices and all concerns are heard so they can open safely for both educators and students. PREVENTION TIPS In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces. Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. READ MORE Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus Friday, May 22: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan Dog lovers in Maharashtra's Pune city have come to the rescue of pets, especially dogs of foreign breeds, who have been abandoned by their owners over misplaced fears of contracting coronavirus infection from them. Over 50 volunteers from Animal Adoption and Rescue Team (AART) have been patrolling the streets of Pune, looking to rescue abandoned pets and feeding strays during the COVID- 19 lockdown. "Since the lockdown was imposed, we have seen a rise in cases of dog owners abandoning their pets, especially those of imported breeds such as Dobermans, Labradors and German Shepherds," said Ajay Pujar, one of the volunteers of the NGO. The organisation had so far rescued over 40 such dogs from different parts of the city and sent them to shelter homes in the outskirts of Pune, he said. Many dog owners were abandoning their pets over misplaced fears and misconceptions that coronavirus infection was transmitted from animals, he said. "Another reason for this phenomenon is that several pet owners, including students, have left the city because of the pandemic, leaving the animals behind," he added. After the lockdown was imposed, the organisation had received a call from a housing society, where some students had returned to their hometowns, leaving their two dogs locked in their flat. "We rescued the dogs who were left behind without any food or means to survive," he said. Abandoning pets had become a common phenomenon during the health crisis, said Vineeta Tandon, who heads the organisation. "As abandoning pets is a crime, dog owners don't call shelter homes directly and instead leave these canines tied to gates of dog shelters or abandon them in areas where they know strays are fed regularly," she said. The health ministry has clarified that coronavirus cannot be transmitted from dogs and cats to humans, said Tandon, who runs a shelter home in Kharadi area. The organisation has so far rescued dogs of 23 foreign breeds since the lockdown, she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An ex-psychologist has been banned for two years after having a "destructive" intimate relationship with her patient and straddling him on the patient couch in her consultation room. Sheridan Leanda Meulblok admitted to three allegations of professional misconduct in her treatment of the patient, named only as Mr XY, between August 2017 and February 2018. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Credit:Pat Scala Mr XY was referred to her private practice in 2016 for excessive drinking, depression, anxiety and stress, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard. She eventually grew attracted to him by mid-2017 and began using 'heart' emojis in emails, in increasingly personal correspondence. Due to the imminent likelihood of the land sliding away from the home, this sub-application was prioritized, Hartley said. Montana DES staff reviewed the application for required materials before it was sent to FEMA Region 8, which reviews the application again and approves the grants. A few documents were still needed earlier in May before it was sent to FEMA Region 8. For some counties, its the first time local DES coordinators have applied for this grant. Everyone has an interpretation of what the questions mean, so sometimes we have to get to those specifics and it takes a little bit of time, especially when a county or homeowner may not have done this before, said Mike Hillenburg, FEMA Hazard Mitigation branch chief. FEMA Region 8 spokesperson Lynn Kimbrough said that the application arrived at the office on Monday, and hopes that the review process will be completed by early next week. Usually, that process can take up to 45 days. Kimbrough noted that the application is being met with urgency, but not at the expense of other applications in the queue. Russia censures US for planning to withdraw from Open Skies Treaty Iran Press TV Friday, 22 May 2020 2:34 PM Russia says a planned move by the United States to withdraw from a major international treaty on unarmed surveillance flights would undermine global security. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Friday that Washington had provided no concrete evidence proving its claims that Moscow had violated the terms of the Open Skies Treaty, a pact which gives its 35 member states the right to unarmed overflights. However, Ryabkov regretted the planned US withdrawal from the treaty, saying it would undermine international security. Other members to the 35-nation pact also regretted a Thursday announcement by the US government on the issue, which showed the administration of President Donald Trump is intent on withdrawing over alleged Russian violations. A joint statement by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Sweden issued on Friday described the decision as regrettable, saying, however, that they would remain committed to the key treaty. The statement reiterated that the treaty remained "functional and useful" despite the withdrawal plan, which is expected to go into effect within the next six months. NATO, an alliance which includes many European countries, said it would discuss the future of the Open Skies Treaty after the United States, the dominant power in the alliance, announced it is planning to withdraw. "Allies continue to consult closely on the future of the treaty and the North Atlantic Council will meet today to discuss the issue," said a NATO official while raising concerns about Russia's selective way of implementing the treaty. The US announcement comes against the backdrop of similar moves by the Trump administration to pull out of major international agreements since he came to office in early 2017. Many fear Trump's move on the Open Skies would lead to a halt to the 2010 New START accord, a deal which imposes limits on the number of deployments by the US and Russia for strategic nuclear arms. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chiba Prefectural Police have arrested a fireman stationed in Ibaraki Prefecture over the alleged possession of marijuana, reports the Sankei Shimbun (May 20). At around 10:05 a.m. on Wednesday, Jun Otsuchi, 25, allegedly possessed an unspecified amount of marijuana in a bag at a his residence in Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki. The suspect admits to the allegations. aI have it for my own use,a the suspect was quoted by the Sakura Police Station said. During the search of the residence, police also found cannabis plants in pots. Otsuchi is a member of the Ishioka Fire Department in Ishioka City, Ibaraki. According to the department, Otsuchi does not have a history of work-related problems. Tsutomu Okano, the chief of the department, apologized after the arrest. aAfter confirming the facts, we will deal with [the matter] strictly,a the chief said. An arrest has been made in the deadly shooting of a 38-year-old Birmingham man. Birmingham police on Friday night announced formal charges against Derick Lamont King, 40, in Thursdays slaying of Sanquez Anton Giddens. The shooting happened at 12:44 a.m. at a residence in the 8500 block of Third Avenue North. Birmingham police and fire medics responded to the home and found Giddens wounded. He was taken to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:28 a.m. Sgt. Rod Mauldin said the preliminary investigations suggests the motive in the homicide to be drug related. Additional details werent released. Detectives presented their evidence in the case to the Jefferson County District Attorneys Office for review. A warrant for manslaughter was issued. King was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 4:48 p.m. He is being held without bond because he has failure to appear warrants on robbery and kidnapping in an unrelated case. Those crimes happened in 2018, and King is awaiting trial. His bond in those cases was revoked earlier today. Today we are going to look at China Water Industry Group Limited (HKG:1129) 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 of all, we'll work out how to calculate ROCE. Second, we'll look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. And finally, we'll look at how its current liabilities are impacting 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. Generally speaking a higher ROCE is better. Overall, it is a valuable metric that has its flaws. Renowned investment researcher Michael Mauboussin has suggested that a high ROCE can indicate that 'one dollar invested in the company generates value of more than one dollar'. How Do You Calculate Return On Capital Employed? 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 China Water Industry Group: 0.085 = HK$241m (HK$4.8b - HK$1.9b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2019.) Therefore, China Water Industry Group has an ROCE of 8.5%. Check out our latest analysis for China Water Industry Group Does China Water Industry Group Have A Good ROCE? ROCE is commonly used for comparing the performance of similar businesses. We can see China Water Industry Group's ROCE is around the 8.0% average reported by the Water Utilities industry. Setting aside the industry comparison for now, China Water Industry Group's ROCE is mediocre in absolute terms, considering the risk of investing in stocks versus the safety of a bank account. Readers may find more attractive investment prospects elsewhere. In our analysis, China Water Industry Group's ROCE appears to be 8.5%, compared to 3 years ago, when its ROCE was 4.2%. This makes us wonder if the company is improving. The image below shows how China Water Industry Group's ROCE compares to its industry, and you can click it to see more detail on its past growth. Story continues SEHK:1129 Past Revenue and Net Income May 23rd 2020 When considering ROCE, bear in mind that it reflects the past and does not necessarily 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. How cyclical is China Water Industry Group? You can see for yourself by looking at this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow. How China Water Industry Group's Current Liabilities Impact Its ROCE Current liabilities are short term bills and invoices that need to be paid in 12 months or less. The ROCE equation subtracts current liabilities from capital employed, so a company with a lot of current liabilities appears to have less capital employed, and a higher ROCE than otherwise. To counteract this, we check if a company has high current liabilities, relative to its total assets. China Water Industry Group has current liabilities of HK$1.9b and total assets of HK$4.8b. Therefore its current liabilities are equivalent to approximately 41% of its total assets. China Water Industry Group's ROCE is improved somewhat by its moderate amount of current liabilities. Our Take On China Water Industry Group's ROCE Unfortunately, its ROCE is still uninspiring, and there are potentially more attractive prospects out there. You might be able to find a better investment than China Water Industry Group. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar called on his forces on Saturday to rally against Turkey, which has helped his Tripoli-based rivals turn the tide of a military conflict around the capital. Recent advances by forces aligned with the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), including the seizure of a key air base, have thrown a year-long offensive on Tripoli by Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) into jeopardy. They have also drawn a threat by the LNA, which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia, to carry out a massive air campaign in retaliation. On Saturday the GNA forces pressed forward in some outlying districts of Tripoli, where they say they have had to pick their way through mines and other explosive devices laid by the LNA. The LNA said it had withdrawn from some areas, but had also staged an ambush at Yarmouk military camp in Tripoli and killed or captured rival combatants. Haftar, in an audio message addressed to his forces, urged them to battle the "colonial" intervention by Turkey until its defeat, in a reference to one-time Ottoman control of Libya. "You are creating glory while fighting the odious coloniser greedy for our wealth," he said. "And you are waging war on all fronts, a war in which there is nothing but victory." Haftar's comments were released as U.S. President Donald Trump appealed for a rapid de-escalation of the conflict in Libya in a call with Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said separately his country had "changed the balance" in Libya and averted a "full-blown civil war." "The only solution in Libya is a political solution and Haftar needs to understand this," he said in a TV interview. (Reporting by Ayman al-Warfalli, Hani Amara, and Jonathan Spicer; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Richard Chang) Sign of the times: US President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up after stepping off Air Force One in Detroit. Photo: AP Photo/Alex Brandon A study of 96,000 hospitalised coronavirus patients on six continents found those who received an antimalarial drug promoted by President Donald Trump as a "game-changer" in the fight against the virus had a significantly higher risk of death. People treated with hydroxychloroquine, or the closely related drug chloroquine, were also more likely to develop a type of irregular heart rhythm, or arrhythmia, that can lead to sudden cardiac death, it concluded. The study, published yesterday in the medical journal 'The Lancet', is the largest analysis to date of the risks and benefits of treating Covid-19 patients with antimalarial drugs. It is based on a retrospective analysis of medical records, not a controlled study in which patients are divided randomly into treatment groups - a method considered the gold standard of medicine. But the sheer size of the study was convincing to some scientists. "It's one thing not to have benefit, but this shows distinct harm," said Eric Topol, a cardiologist and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. "If there was ever hope for this drug, this is the death of it." David Maron, director of preventive cardiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, said "these findings provide absolutely no reason for optimism that these drugs might be useful in the prevention or treatment of Covid-19". Past studies also found scant or no evidence of hydroxychloroquine's benefit in treating sick patients, while reports mounted of dangerous heart problems associated with its use. As a result, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month warned against the use of the drug outside hospital settings or clinical trials. The new analysis - by Mandeep Mehra, a Harvard Medical School professor, and colleagues at other institutions - included patients with a positive laboratory test for Covid-19 who were hospitalised between December 20, 2019, and April 14, 2020, at 671 medical centres worldwide. Nearly 15,000 of the 96,000 patients in the analysis were treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine alone or in combination with a type of antibiotics known as a macrolide, such as azithromycin, within 48 hours of their diagnosis. The difference between patients who received the antimalarials and those who did not was striking. For those given hydroxychloroquine, there was a 34pc increase in risk of mortality and a 137pc increased risk of a serious heart arrhythmias. For those receiving hydroxychloroquine and an antibiotic - the cocktail endorsed by Mr Trump - there was a 45pc increased risk of death and a 411pc increased risk of serious heart arrhythmias. Those given chloroquine had a 37pc increased risk of death and a 256pc increased risk of serious heart arrhythmias. For those taking chloroquine and an antibiotic, there was a 37pc increased risk of death and a 301pc increased risk of serious heart arrhythmias. Cardiologist Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic said the new data, combined with data from smaller previous studies, suggests the drug "is maybe harmful and that no one should be taking it outside of a clinical trial". Peter Lurie, a former top FDA official who now heads the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, called the report "another nail in the coffin for hydroxychloroquine - this time from the largest study ever". He said it was time to revoke the emergency use authorisation issued by the FDA, which approved the drug for seriously ill patients who were hospitalised or for whom a clinical trial was not available. The new study's findings cannot necessarily be extrapolated to people with mild illness at home or those, like Mr Trump, who are taking the antimalarials as a prophylactic. The president stunned many doctors earlier this week when he said he was taking a pill "every day" - despite FDA warnings that the use of the drug should be limited to those in a hospital setting or in clinical trials. Mr Trump has since said he is close to finishing his course of treatment and would stop taking the medication in "a day or two". It has been a happy homecoming for 28-year-old Pebam Lanchenba Meitei and two of her friends who returned from Bengaluru and were shifted on Saturday to the first and only government quarantine centre for the transgender community in Manipur. We are overwhelmed. We are thankful to everyone who made this possible. We undertook a bus journey from Bangalore on May 14 and it took four days to reach Imphal. We were first quarantined at the community quarantine facilities in our respective districts where they had only two sections male and female. Now that we have been transferred to our own community centre for transgender persons, it feels wonderful, quite like an achievement, said Pebam who had been working as a hotel front desk agent in Bengaluru. Possibly Indias first quarantine centre for the transgender community, the 40-bedded government facility was set up by the state health and family welfare department in coordination with the social welfare department at the Government Ideal Blind School in Takyelpat. There are a number of quarantine centres in Manipur for stranded people returning from other states, and while attending to them, we realised that those from the transgender community were facing inconvenience when accommodated with either male or female inmates, said Ngangom Uttam Singh, director of the social welfare department. "The health and family welfare department helped us with medical supplies and protective gear, and we took care of the logistics to set up this dedicated quarantine centre for transgender persons in Manipur. We are expecting 40-50 people from the trans community returning from different parts of the country, he added, stating that it will only house people returning from green and orange zone states. Santa Khurrai, a Manipuri transgender activist who leads the All Manipur Nupi Maanbi Association (AMANA), had approached the state government with a proposal to build a separate quarantine unit for members of her community returning from other states. We are in a situation for which we were not prepared. The transgender community has always lived in the margin and has been vulnerable to any situation with or without coronavirus. To bring them back and push them to live in the government community quarantine centre could be problematic. They have certain issues associated with their privacy, and they need a comfortable environment, said Khurai. With Manipur setting an example, the transgender community in Assam, too, wants a separate quarantine facility for their returnees. Assams prominent transgender advocate and activist Swati Bidhan Baruah said it is imperative of the state government to address the health issues of her community. We, too, want a separate quarantine centre for transgender persons because it is essential in matters of health, a vital aspect. Due to hormone replacement therapy, one would never know what treatment is best suited for them. If any trans member is found to be Covid-19 positive, there is no separate centre for them in Assam yet, said Baruah. However, trans community members from Assam living in Kerala are unwilling to return home. We are more than happy to be in Kerala. There are so many Assamese living here and earning a livelihood. We feel very safe and secure here. Hospital facilities in Kerala are better than any other state, said Avinash Chetia, a renowned trans make-up artist in Kerala. Along with Avinash, three others from the trans community hailing from Assam have decided to stay back in Kerala. We are settled here. In good and bad times, we are with Kerala. And as transgender persons, we are much respected by one and all here. The government has done much for us and we have never faced any racial discrimination. They are providing food and essentials regularly for the trans community. I availed this benefit for the fourth time in two months, and we also got our special Ramadan goody bag, said 31-year-old Jaanmoni Das, another celebrated trans make-up artist who has made Kerala his home for the past 10 years. I wish people everywhere would treat the transgender community with kindness in these difficult times, said Das. Veterans Advantage logo "We are creating new offers all the time, and we are excited to be adding these most recent new benefits because they share valuable savings with the whole family," said H. Scott Higgins, Veterans Advantage Co-Founder, and Co-CEO. With COVID-19 hitting our nation and world, Veterans Advantage has rolled out exclusive offers for those who served in our military and their family members as a tribute to our brave men and women during Military Appreciation Month and Memorial Day Weekend. These offer Claire's retail exclusives for young girls, Icing for bridal and beauty essentials for young women, and food essentials from D'Artagnan and Maple Leaf Farms, premier producers of organic & grass-fed beef, poultry & game, foods and gifts. "We are creating new offers all the time, and we are excited to be adding these most recent new benefits because they share valuable savings with the whole family," said H. Scott Higgins, Veterans Advantage Co-Founder, and Co-CEO. "During Military Appreciation Month, its important to celebrate the role the whole family plays in supporting our servicemembers who wear the uniform of the U.S. Armed Forces." Veterans Advantage has also been doing its part to support those who served and their families amid the economic downturn during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Since the mandated coronavirus lockdown has swept the nation, our members have been enrolling with COVID-19 50% OFF sale on its premium VetRewards subscription. The 50% OFF savings cover the entire family to help with savings on household essentials, medical, and food purchases. Veterans Advantage has been updating members weekly on online shopping discounts with free shipping benefits for household & medical essentials with the current social distancing recommendations. And with the nation beginning to open its doors for business & leisure, Veterans Advantage has been publishing COVID-19 updates from its airline, hotel, and car rental partners providing "VetRewards Exclusives" to Veterans Advantage. Finally, in honor of Military Appreciation Month leading up to Memorial Day, Veterans Advantage calls on all Americans to participate in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 pm local time this Monday, May 25. "Every year, during the National Moment of Remembrance, we pay silent tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This is the true meaning of Memorial Day, the most solemn national military holiday of the year," added Higgins. About Veterans Advantage, PBC Veterans Advantage, PBC, a registered public benefit corporation, is a military marketing, media, and technology company with a socially-responsible mission of delivering greater respect, recognition, and rewards to those who serve our country. Co-founded in 1999 by Scott Higgins, a Vietnam War Veteran, and Lin Higgins, the proud daughter of a U.S. Marine who served in World War II, Veterans Advantage provides a platform for companies to create and promote exclusive military offers for their customers who are active-duty military, veterans, and their families enrolled in Veterans Advantage. The Veterans Advantage team is passionate about advocating for the creation of new, exclusive military benefits for its members and subscribers to VetRewards, its premium benefit plans, redeemed with the VetRewards Card ID. The company works with its Fortune 500 partner coalition of travel industry leaders, top national retailers, and major service providers offering technology to seamlessly verify their customers as eligible for military discounts and protect their military offers from fraud and dilution while delivering A Real Thank You to the men and women who have given so much to protect our freedoms. Palestinians Stop Sharing Intelligence With CIA Over West Bank Land Grab Plans Sputnik News 06:43 GMT 22.05.2020(updated 06:59 GMT 22.05.2020) Palestinians in the West Bank have ceased all security cooperation with both the United States and Israel, while Palestinian security forces have reportedly withdrawn from most of the West Bank, paving the way for a new spike in violence. The Palestinian Authority has stopped sharing intelligence with the CIA, a senior Palestinian official has confirmed. "It has been 48 hours since the American Intelligence Service have been notified that the agreement with them is no longer in force," Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, told reporters on Thursday. "Security cooperation with the US no more. Security cooperation with Israel no more." The announcement came two days after the Palestinian Authority (PA) president, Mahmoud Abbas, declared an end to security cooperation with both nations, citing the imminent threat of West Bank 'annexation'. "As far as the direct co-operation between the American intelligence agencies and the Palestinian intelligence agencies, I think it stopped as of the end of the president's speech," Erekat said. Although the PA started boycotting Trump-led mediation efforts in 2017, intelligence cooperation continued to fend off violence in the West Bank. The PA's security services, the Preventive Security Organisation and the General Intelligence Service, have never disclosed the details of their cooperation with the CIA, but it is understood to have been particularly focused on Hamas. The rival Palestinian group, which controls the Gaza Strip, is designated as a terror organisation in both Israel and the US. It was reported in 2009 that Palestinian security forces were working with the CIA to detain Hamas supporters in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority announced the suspension of all ties with the US and Israel this February after rejecting Donald Trump's peace plan, that recognised Israeli settlements in the West Bank and hence undermined the idea of a contiguous Palestinian state. Meanwhile, Haaretz and Reuters reported that Palestinian security forces began pulling back on Thursday from the West Bank's Areas B and C to Area A. Under the 1990s' Oslo accords, Area A is administered exclusively by the Palestinian Authority, Area B is under joint Israeli-Palestinian military and Palestinian civil control, and Area C is fully administered by Israel. The withdrawal of Palestinian forces is likely to cause a new spike in violence in those territories. Israel is expected to take over a third of the West Bank area, including about half of Area C, which is home to 180,000 Palestinians. The United States has approved the move, which has been strongly condemned by Palestinians, who seek an independent state in all of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as their capital. As part of a coalition deal with Benny Gantz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can bring up an annexation proposal to the new government as early as 1 July. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A single photo posted to the Woolworths Facebook page earlier this week prompted other customers to call on the supermarket giant to not sell imported prawns. One person shared the photo of Woolworths thawed green prawn cutlets, with the sign indicating the prawns were a Product of China, adding the photo was taken at a Tasmanian store. Shame on you Woolworths, the person wrote on one of their Facebook posts. Then, others began sharing the same photo to Woolworths Facebook page and making posts about the imported goods. Not good enough Woolies, another person said sharing the photo. Australian please. Customers were outraged by the sign which indicates the prawns were imported. Source: Facebook Woolworths did respond to many of the Facebook posts about the imported prawns, saying the company supports Australian prawn producers. Around three quarters of our prawn range behind our seafood counter is either wild caught or farmed locally in Australia and we're always looking to source more, Woolworths said on Facebook. The importation of prawns are - quite rightly - subject to strict conditions and screening by the Department of Agriculture and we comply with these at all times. While there has always been a keen interest in buying locally sourced goods and Australian made products, Ben Lazzaro, Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive previously told Yahoo News Australia there had been a heightened interest in doing so in recent months. Supermarkets work to offer range of choices for consumers Professor Gary Mortimer, from Queensland University of Technology explained there was a simple reason for importing products like prawns to satisfy the needs of all customers. Ultimately supermarkets will want to offer a range of choices to consumers, he told Yahoo News Australia. Some consumers, when we think about prawns, are very happy to pay $29 or $35 a kilo for farmed prawns or wild prawns and domestic products. But equally there will be those consumers that are looking for a value offer and would prefer to pay maybe $15 or $16 a kilo for an imported prawn. Story continues Industry expert Gary Mortimer explains the reason supermarkets import products is to give customer more options. Source: Bloomberg Prof Mortimer said of course this does not just apply to prawns, but products found in almost every aisle of the supermarket. While imported prawns may be cheaper, Prof Mortimer said there are still appropriate protocols which need to be met. International food trade is not anything that is out of the norm, he says. We [Australia] certainly export lots of food into other parts of the world, and equally, Australian supermarkets will also source globally produced products for an Australian market. Consumers were perhaps wondering why the sign also says not to be used for bait. Seafood industry hit hard by pandemic Veronica Papacosta, acting CEO Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) told Yahoo News Australia in a statement the industry had been impacted due to the pandemic, with export markets closing and necessary restrictions placed on the foodservice industry. Resilience and hard work will be the key to rebuilding our sector, but community support is essential to our immediate survival, she said. We need the community to support us and eat Australian seafood. Due to the industry being disrupted the SIA launched their Eat Seafood Australia campaign and a Fish Finder directory. The seafood industry has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Source: Getty Images Our Fish Finder directory helps consumers find and purchase fresh or cooked Australian seafood online, or direct from retailers, for delivery or pick-up, Ms Papacosta said. Meaning the community can support us without even leaving their couch. While retailers are required to have country of origin labelling on food, the SIA is however calling for more transparency in the food service sector, lobbying for the industry to follow the same regulations as the retail sector. There is nothing wrong with serving, ordering or eating imported seafood, Ms Papacosta said. But, as an industry, we believe there needs to be better clarity of labelling so that consumers are provided with the same country of origin information in a restaurant or cafe as they are at a supermarket or fishmonger. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. There's a lot more to music festivals than the music. The bands might be what draws the crowds, but today's festivals bill themselves as immersive cultural experiences with a host of fringe events, from yoga to poetry. Each festival has its own vibe and this is often signalled by the art installations which grace the festival site. One artist who has been working on the festival circuit for several years now is German-born Ulrike Lietbrau. A trained occupational therapist who has been living in Ireland for the past 13 years, Ulrike first got involved in making installations for festivals when a friend asked her to help out at Vantastival when it was held in Bellurgan Park. Having always had an interest in art, Ulrike was immediately hooked on this form of public art. This is normally a busy time of year for her, but with the festival season cancelled, she is concentrating on preparing work for her first solo exhibition in The Basement Gallery of An Tain Arts Centre, next January, as well as posting videos of crafty ideas for parents to keep their children busy during lockdown. When she first came to Ireland 13 years ago, she originally lived in Cork city and then Kinsale. She first came to the Wee County nine years ago and now lives in Bellurgan. Ulrike makes her light installations and sculptures for festivals from recycled materials. This is driven by her desire 'to raise green awareness and inspire people to recycle, reuse and upcycle every day'.' 'My preferred medium is rubbish art, using recycled material and stuff people throw away, making collages and sculptures,' she explainss. 'I love the challenge of making things with what I have and what I can get my hands on. People frequently bring me stuff, saying 'I am sure you can make something awesome out of this'. I create this 'out of reality space' to tempt visitors to get lost in art, to let the hardship of life go for these moments and wonder in amazement.' She loves the outdoors, mountain biking, surfing, hiking, airsoft as well as dancing, and draws inspiration from these for her installations, My main inspiration is nature in all its facets, nature creates every day, all the details, diversity, it is constant, nature survives and adapts... it never stops and is beautiful. Fire, wind, mountains, water, sun and all the living things inspire me every day to create. Using rubbish and recyclables as material to create is not only a budget decision it also is my respect for all things, that most things still have a value and a purpose.' She says that her hands are her most important tools as she fashions these large pieces out of recycle materials, and she uses a variety of tools including a jigsaw, staple gun, drill, mitre saw, pallet breaker and a wireless glue gun. She enjoys the collaborative aspect of working on installations for festivals. 'Creating for events adds another layer to creativity as many minds work together,' she says. Her work graces the fields at Bellurgan Park where she created pieces for numerous festivals including Vantastival, Lunasa, Arcadian Field, Absolute Deep, as well as working on the annual 'Festival of Horrors. She has also created work for Electric Picnic, Body and Soul and Knockanstockan festivals. Ulrike has also worked with local bands like Nix Moon, Elephant and T.P.M. and has created stage props for local theatre groups including Dundalk's M.A.D Youth Theatre, and with community projects at Creative Spark and the Focus Family Resource Centre, Killeshandra, Co Cavan. Her work has taken to festivals around the country and in Germany, but not this year. 'All my gigs this year are cancelled this year due to the pandemic.' I am still creating every day, and when it started I felt called to make short clips with ideas for people they can do at home with stuff they might have already there, posting video tutorials on how to make simple crafts from everyday items on her YouTube channel. She is also using the time to prepare for her first solo exhibition, sharing snippets of her work on Twitch.TV Ulrike says she also likes sharing her work with the world around her 'to bring a bit of light, magic and colour into other people's lives to make them happy. Creating something that wasn't there before feels so good.' 'At the moment, I making 99 roses from drinking cans, keeping in touch with my audience and provide an online space for a cup of tea and a chat.' 'After working for years at events that only last one to three days, I am craving a longer exhibition, and more creative freedom for my art pieces as these installations need to be waterproof and indestructible. It's also time to bring the labyrinth gallery to a wider spread demographic in the heart of the town. I want to enchant the public and lure them into a new perception of colour, shapes and space,' she says. 'In a world of creation I can dream up anything and its up to me to make it work and transform my ideas into reality. It's like magic. I document my progress with time lapse videos on YouTube and live stream once a week on twitch while creating small details for the Labyrinth Gallery.' Urlike also posts regular updates on the Patreon website, an on-line platform which allows artists to get support from subscribers. As Texas lifts restrictions, people have geared up to resume postponed travel plans and outdoor recreational activities after lifted stay-at-home orders and reopened businesses. Families and outdoor enthusiasts are looking to continue their journeys to the popular southwest region of the U.S., where areas in Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado invite them every summer with beautiful natural landscapes. Going to hike the Grand Canyon or camp in southeast Utah might seem like a good way to both social distance and tour the southwest, but your road trip is very likely to take you through Tribal lands. Tribes continue to be locked down and encourage their members to stay home because Indigenous peoples have been among the hardest hit by the novel coronavirus. If millions of tourists drive through and vacation in Tribal communities, it could prove disastrous for their efforts to stop the spread. Many southwest Tribal communities have become hotspots for COVID-19 cases. The Navajo Nation, which spans across Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, has recorded more than 4,200 cases and 140 deaths as of May 20, and has the highest per capita rate of infection in the country. In New Mexico, Native Americans currently comprise the highest percentage of positive cases among all demographic groups. The 19 Pueblo Nations within the state began closing their borders to non-residents and ramping up testing in reaction to serious outbreaks in Zia Pueblo and San Felipe Pueblo. If states open quickly, they may undermine ongoing attempts by Tribes to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within and between Tribal communities. Already we see conflict between Tribal leaders and state representatives on relinquishing safety protocols. There is much concern over how increased tourism and inter-state movement will contribute to the spread of the disease, especially for Tribal communities located around popular outdoor areas. These natural landscapes are first and foremost the homelands of Indigenous peoples. Regions such as the Grand Canyon, Bears Ears and Chaco Canyon are considered sacred, and Native communities still inhabit or return to the regions that their ancestors once occupied. Today, Tribal lands are often either included in or immediately adjacent to popular tourist attractions. For many Tribal businesses, tourist activity is essential for their incomes, and as a result, have been hard hit by shutdowns. Additionally, Indigenous cultural sites in areas such as these are extremely vulnerable now that there is less monitoring of on-the-ground activity to deter vandalism and looting. Many sensitive locations rely heavily on public outreach and education to teach visitors about respectful behaviors to practice around sacred ancestral sites. Bears Ears, located in southeast Utah, is an area of extreme concern as it lacks comprehensive protection and is considered one of biggest cultural heritage sites in the world. As such, traveling through Tribal lands be detrimental to the health of Tribes and the landscapes they work to protect. Due to historical, racial, socioeconomic and cultural factors, Indigenous communities are more at-risk for the rampant spread of COVID-19. Consistently underfunded Tribal health care services struggle to test and slow outbreaks. High rates of chronic illnesses in Indigenous communities diabetes, heart disease, obesity make it easier for the virus to spread. In addition to inadequate health resources, there is the issue of access. In some areas, running water is not readily available, which can make washing hands difficult. Native households are more likely to be intergenerational, with children growing up in the same space as their grandparents. Routine cultural and communal gatherings are a foundational component of Indigenous lifeways. These factors make addressing the virus difficult and complicated. Tribes have implemented strict safety measures to protect their people especially their elders. In Indigenous communities, elders are the caretakers of oral teachings, songs, stories and other irreplaceable information. They hold Traditional Knowledge that is paramount to their cultural foundation and survival, and Native families are working tirelessly to keep them safe. For Native communities, lockdown and social distancing measures are not merely an inconvenience, but a necessity to ensure their continued existence. We need to stand in solidarity and respect Tribes efforts to combat COVID-19 by avoiding trips through and/or stopping in Tribal lands. Its likely that many Tribal governments will enforce isolation measures, roadblocks, and distancing rules long past state guidelines. Such measures will continue to uproot normal life by impacting communal gatherings and ceremonies as well as prove increasingly difficult for their own economies. Despite these disruptions, Tribal communities continue to carry out intense safety protocols to ensure the survival of their people and culture. We should remain attuned to Tribes requests and needs and seek out opportunities to aid their relief efforts. Lets demonstrate the power of interconnectedness by postponing road trips and outdoor activities in areas surrounded by Indigenous communities. Indigenous peoples are not unfamiliar with hardship and resilience. As a people, they have survived and persevered through disease and epidemics since the arrival of colonists to their homelands hundreds of years ago. While Tribal communities are facing new challenges presented by COVID-19, they are meeting them with the same diligence, creativity and wisdom of their ancestors. The Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition represents a historic consortium of sovereign Tribal nations the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, and Uintah and Ouray Ute Indian Tribe united in the effort to conserve and protect the Bears Ears cultural landscape. In February, 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was shot dead in the south Georgia neighborhood of Satilla Shores. In the two months that followed, no arrests were made. But local residents and lawmakers protested what they said was a deadly combination of racial profiling and flawed self-defense laws. When they stop you, make sure you got your cameras on. Make sure you got a video. Police did eventually arrest 2 suspects, but it was days after this video of the fatal shooting emerged. Gregory McMichael and his son Travis were charged with murder and aggravated assault. The case has reignited the national debate over racial violence. Im sure you saw the news about Ahmaud Arbery. It looks like murder. The American public saw the video. What exactly happened in the last moments of Mr. Arberys life? Using security camera footage, cellphone video, and 911 calls and logs, The Times has reconstructed the critical 12 minutes from when Mr. Arbery appeared on Satilla Drive to his death, less than 300 yards away. Its around 1 p.m. on Feb. 23 when Ahmaud Arbery is out, less than 2 miles from his home. A security camera at 219 Satilla Drive is recording when Mr. Arbery enters the frame at around 1:04 p.m. He may have been jogging in the area, but he stops on the front lawn of 220 Satilla, a house being built across the street. Arbery glances around and wanders into the open construction site. Inside, security footage briefly captures him looking around. Meanwhile outside, a neighbor walks from Jones Road towards Satilla Drive and calls 911. The neighbor waits by the street corner. He will later tell the dispatcher that Arbery resembles a recent trespasser in the area. On multiple occasions before Feb. 23, several trespassers were caught on camera at 220 Satilla. The owner routinely alerted the police. On four occasions, what appears to be the same man was filmed. Its unclear if this was Arbery, but even if it were, this does not justify his shooting by neighbors outside on the street. The sites owner says nothing was ever stolen from the house during these incidents or on Feb. 23, and no property was ever damaged. But neighbors were aware of the trespasses and the community was on alert. Now, back to the day in question. Its 1:08 p.m. and Arbery is walking around inside the house. Four minutes after he entered, he walks out and runs off. In the top corner of the security footage, we can see down the street to 230 Satilla, the home of Travis McMichael. At 1:10 p.m., Travis and his father, Gregory, grab their guns, jump in a white truck, and leave the house to pursue Mr. Arbery. We dont have footage showing the next 3 minutes, but testimony Gregory McMichael gave police at the scene, and interviews by another witness, Roddy Bryan, indicate what happened. Gregory and Travis McMichael follow Arbery onto Burford Road. Their neighbor Roddy Bryan sees the pursuit, gets in his car and follows. The McMichaels try to cut Arbery off. Arbery doubles back and passes them. Bryan tries to block Arbery, but Arbery runs past him and toward Holmes Road. Gregory McMichael climbs from the cab to the bed of the truck armed with a handgun. We dont know exactly what happens next. But Bryan and the McMichaels end up following Arbery on Holmes Road. And we next see Arbery at 1:14 p.m. running back down Holmes Road away from Roddy Bryan and toward the McMichaels. Roddy Bryan is filming and a warning these scenes are distressing. Gregory McMichael dials 911 at this time. Lets watch this back and break down what happens. This is Arbery. He has been running from the vehicles for almost 4 minutes. Travis is standing by the drivers side of the truck, armed with a shotgun. Gregory is in the bed of the truck on the 911 call. Arbery doesnt know where to run. He veers right, then left and then darts around the right side of the vehicle. Arbery comes around the front of the truck. We see his white T-shirt through the windshield and here is Travis now leaning toward him. This is the instant the first shot is fired. Arbery is hit in the chest, his right lung, ribs, and sternum are injured. The two men wrestle over the gun. Gregory shouts: Travis! Arbery punches Travis. In the back of the truck, Gregory drops the cellphone. A second blast goes off out of frame. But we see the shotgun smoke here. Arbery is heavily bleeding. He throws another punch. Travis fires a final shot, which hits Arbery in his left upper chest. Travis walks away holding his gun. Gregory gets off the truck clutching his .357 Magnum. According to the police report, Gregory rolled Arbery over to see if he had a weapon. He did not. Police officers arrive within seconds of the shooting, and a minute or so later at 1:16 p.m., Police Officer R. Minshew reports: Two subjects on Holmes Road. Shots fired. Male on ground bleeding out. The police took Gregory McMichaels testimony and let the two men go. But now the McMichaels both face serious charges. Hi, this is Malachy and I reported this story. For transparency, a note about the security footage used in this video, which was first published by The Atlanta Journal Constitution. The time code you see here is incorrect. We know this because we lined up what we see in this video with what we hear in two 911 calls and we confirmed the time of those calls. These details and police logs also allowed us to determine that Gregory McMichael called 911 from his sons phone just before the fatal shooting. So in this video, we used the real time that events happened. Thank you for watching. Migrant workers travelling on Shramik special trains allegedly damaged railway property at separate places in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday while protesting against scarcity of food, water and unscheduled stoppage during their travel, officials said. Unnao district magistrate Ravindra Kumar said the migrants complained that a Bengaluru-Darbhanga (Bihar) train, which had left for its destination four days back, was running much behind the schedule and even toilets had no water. Officials said the passengers threw stones, damaged furniture and the station masters room at the Unnao railway station when the train halted there for over an hour. They said the railway protection force and government railway police personnel pacified the passengers before the train started its onward journey. Officials said the workers allegedly damaged benches and threw stones on the railway property at Ajgain and Sonik railway stations when the train stopped there. The workers were again pacified and assured of all possible help. Residents ran away from their houses when around 1,000 workers entered a residential area looking for water after another special train headed to Chapra in Bihar from Dadri (Mumbai) arrived at the Kanchausi railway station in Uttar Pradeshs Auraiya. Stationmaster Vishambhar Dayal Pandey said the train was stopped for two hours to let superfast trains pass first. The local police had a tough time in getting the workers out of the residential area. Migrants also protested over Vishakhapatnam-Muzaffarpur Shramik trains unscheduled five-hour stoppage at Uttar Pradeshs Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Junction (Mughalsarai), a railway police officer said. Senior officials rushed to the spot and pacified the migrants. Passengers of a Deoghar-bound train from Ahmedabad also joined the protest. Government railway police inspector RK Singh said the migrants were angry as the train was halted. The Vasai Road-Gorakhpur Shramik train to Uttar Pradesh, which left Mumbai on Thursday, was diverted to a different route via Odisha due to heavy traffic congestion. Indian Railways on Saturday said it will ferry another 3.6 million migrant labourers stranded across the country because of the Covid-19 lockdown on 2,600 Shramik trains over the next 10 days and will continue running such trains till all of them reach their homes. Railway officials said that till Saturday as many as 4.5 million have been ferried on the special trains since their launch on May 1. The trains were launched as migrant workers left jobless because of the lockdown imposed in late March to check the Covid-19 spread were forced to walk or cycle back to their homes. Many of them have continued to do so despite these trains and buses that were arranged for them in late April. In some cases, migrant workers have been unable to travel on these trains for the want of identity documents. Officials said about 80% of the Shramik trains so far have transported migrant workers to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Indias two most populous states where the bulk of the workforce comes from. As per the 2011 Census, around 40 million workers migrate for work within the country annually. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 16:52:14|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LANZHOU/TIANJIN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- In a small farmhouse in Qin'an County, northwest China's Gansu Province, a gradient plank was laid on several steps where a girl five and a half years of age, who goes by the name of Xiaoyi, walked gingerly from end to end to practice keeping balance. Suffering from cerebral palsy, Xiaoyi's language ability and physical coordination are far behind other children her age, thus mastering even a seemingly simple skill requires great efforts. The sudden coronavirus outbreak that emptied public places including rehabilitation centers has brought much inconvenience to children like Xiaoyi, but it has not blocked their path to recovery. To help these children tide over the difficult time and continue practicing, groups of people in China are taking actions together to offer much-needed assistance. Parents have the most important role to play. Over the past few years, Kang Yali, Xiaoyi's mother, has accompanied her daughter to many places for medical treatment, spending more than 100,000 yuan (about 14,031 U.S. dollars), not a small sum of money for an ordinary rural family. During the epidemic, Kang insisted on giving simple treatment to her daughter with great patience. To improve the flexibility of Xiaoyi's tongue, the mother placed grains of rice on the child's lips and let Xiaoyi lick them one by one. She also cut out rectangles and squares to help her daughter acquire knowledge of different shapes. For even a simple word like "sofa," Kang spent several days teaching her child how to read it out loud. As a second force, many rehabilitation teachers have offered remote training courses to disabled children in China, with the help of their parents. Hua Yinan, a rehabilitation teacher, has not yet returned to her workplace after the Spring Festival due to the COVID-19 epidemic. However, she managed to continue her children's rehabilitation courses online. For several months, she has been instructing remotely for many disabled children including Xiaoyi on China's popular social media platform WeChat and other mobile applications every day. While professional assistive devices were unavailable during the epidemic, Hua instructed Kang to use materials at home to make simple rehabilitation equipment. Kang used wooden sticks and benches as obstacles to train the child's physical coordination and made small sandbags with old clothes to strengthen the physical power of the child. "Rehabilitation of disabled children is a long-term process requiring continuous efforts. Though we cannot go back to the rehabilitation center now, the training at home cannot stop," Hua said. Apart from the parents and rehabilitation teachers, Jia Xiufang, an entrepreneur, has also devoted herself to helping disabled children for a long time. In 2019, Jia, often called "Mother Jia" by children, set up a rehabilitation center providing treatment free of charge for disabled kids with the support of the local government in Jinnan District in north China's Tianjin Municipality. "This year, we plan to enroll 80 more children with cerebral palsy to our rehabilitation center," Jia said. Last year, local authorities in Jinnan integrated social resources and professional experts to establish a rehabilitation center. "The center serves for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, enabling disabled children from poverty-plagued and low-income families to access rehabilitation services free of charge," said Liu Shuxin, director of the disabled persons' federation of Tianjin's Jinnan District. So far, more than 100 children with disabilities from Tianjin and provinces including Gansu and Hebei have received rehabilitation treatment in the center. Xiaoyi was among the lucky children in the center. When the girl first arrived in Tianjin last October, she could not speak a single word, but now the girl can say "I love you" to her mother. Enditem On May 23, 1995, the popular 80s and 90s sitcom Full House came to an end. And for one character, that finale was a traumatic experience. Since Michelle Tanner didnt continue her arc on Fuller House like the rest of her family, heres a theory as to why that appearance exactly 25 years ago was her last. Full House completed its eight-season run 25 years ago The cast of Full House Season 7: Dave Coulier, Bob Saget, Jodie Sweetin, Mary-Kate Olsen, Candace Cameron, Andrea Barber, Blake Tuomy-Wilhoit, Lori Loughlin, Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit, John Stamos. | Craig Sjodin/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Full House follows a not-quite-nuclear family, made up of father Danny Tanner (Bob Saget); his daughters D.J. (Candace Cameron), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), and Michelle (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen); his brother-in-law, Jesse (John Stamos); and his best friend, Joey (Dave Coulier). The latter two come to live with him after the death of his wife, Pamela, to help him raise his children. Over time, the family grows. By the end of the series, living in one of San Franciscos famed Painted Ladies are the aforementioned six, plus Jesses wife, Becky (Lori Loughlin), and their twins, Nicky and Alex (Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit). The cast was filled with assorted side characters including D.J.s best friend, Kimmy (Andrea Barber) In the series finale, Michelle loses her memory RELATED: How Will Fuller House Season 5 Explain Michelles Absence at Her Sisters Wedding? Not only did the family expand, but, naturally, they grew up. At the beginning of the series, Michelle is just a baby. Like many very young children, she was portrayed by twins. However, actors Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were 8 years old by the time the series ended, so the writers came up with creative ways to put both on screen. Take the series finale, for example. While horseback riding, Michelle falls off and hits her head. In what is one of the shows darker episodes, she spends most of it acting cold toward her family, having lost her memory. But in the final moments, her memory comes back to her in physical form (see the video above). Years later, the spinoff series, Fuller House came to be This was a bit of a strange ending for Full House, but ultimately, it was a fairly happy sendoff for the characters. However, it wasnt the last time fans would see most of them. Twenty years after the finale, a spinoff, titled Fuller House, began filming. The revival brought back D.J., Stephanie, and Kimmy as the central characters, with the latter two helping out the former as she raises her three boys following the death of her husband. The Netflix original series debuted in February 2016 and will come to an end on June 2, 2020. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen refused to be on the show RELATED: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Made an Insane Amount of Money on Full House Aside from the main returning cast, many other former Full House stars reprised their roles in a recurring capacity. Danny, Joey, Jesse, and Becky are all in the pilot and continue to make sporadic appearances throughout. Even Nicky and Alex show up as guest stars. But one character has never been seen. There was a whole back-and-forth situation with the Olsen twins when the project was first announced, and they apparently decided against coming back. Actor Jodie Sweetin told ET Online in 2016 that they had kinda given up on a Michelle cameo, and that appears to be the case to this day. Maybe Michelle really did forget her family Perhaps this is why its intriguing to think back to the last appearance of Michelle. What if, things end as we saw them on screen but Michelle was never the same again after her accident. Maybe her memory only comes and goes. This would explain why shes not at the major family events in Fuller House. Maybe Dannys explanation that shes running her fashion empire is just an excuse, and Michelles fate was much darker. It doesnt exactly fit with the tone of Fuller House, but it is a compelling theory. No time is the right time to advocate sanity in South Asia. by Irfan Husain I hope regular readers will forgive me for sounding like a broken record: this must be the umpteenth time Im writing about a normalisation of Indo-Pak ties. Dal Lake, Srinagar Obviously, this must seem like a bad time to suggest that the two countries should live like well-behaved neighbours, and not like adolescent hooligans throwing rocks to smash each others windows. Of course, no time is the right time to advocate sanity in South Asia. Each time I have written on this subject, I have been subjected to a barrage from both sides of the border. Indian readers immediately bring up the generals and the jihadists. Pakistanis recall Indian perfidy and the refusal to hold a UN-mandated plebiscite in Kashmir. Now Modi and his Hindutva have pre-empted the debate by a constitutional change revoking India-held Kashmirs autonomous status. And as they calculated, after token international criticism, the world has moved on, its brief attention span diverted by other crises, principally the Covid-19 pandemic. At the risk of more brickbats, let me say that while I admire the courage and resilience shown by Kashmiris in their fight for freedom, some priorities should be questioned. Should the rights of around 15 million supersede those of over 1.5 billion living in South Asia? The stand-off over Kashmir has rendered Saarc, the regional bloc, completely redundant. Tourism and trade are virtually non-existent, and in the Pakistan-India context, even cultural visits are met with hostility. Let me repeat: Pakistan should certainly support the Kashmiri cause diplomatically and morally. But it has gained nothing through its previous interventions. While many blame Zulfikar Ali Bhutto for the 1965 and 1971 wars, the fact is that generals were in charge in both conflicts. There are two broad strands within the Kashmir movement. One, which is supported by the Pakistani establishment, wants the Valley to become part of Pakistan. The other one, consisting mostly of young Kashmiris who are dying as they face the vast Indian security apparatus, want independence. They argue that it makes little sense to go from subjugation under India to living under Pakistani rule. We are not in a position to force a diplomatic solution. India is just too big and powerful for other countries to antagonise. Its credentials even under Narendra Modi make it easy for it to counter the diplomatic efforts of an establishment-dominated Pakistan. Even our closest friends have steered clear of taking sides, and advised us to seek a bilateral dialogue. Apart from the more obvious dimension of the conflict over land, people and resources, the two countries carry a lot of historical baggage to the negotiating table, should they ever get there. For India, the memories of centuries of Afghan raids and Mughal rule that destroyed temples and defeated Hindu armies have been rekindled by the Hindutva movement. For many Muslims of South Asia, even though many are descended from Hindus who converted to Islam, one Muslim soldier is equal to 10 Hindus. And since they ruled much of India for centuries, they feel a misplaced sense of superiority. And yet, despite the years of fighting and bickering, we do need to put the past behind and move on. This is easier said than done, I know, but it has to be done nevertheless. For Pakistan, the gains of a rapprochement would be enormous. Nawaz Sharif, being a businessman, recognised this, but his peacemaking efforts were torpedoed by both the establishment and Imran Khan. Its hard to separate the two. Remember the PTI campaign slogan of Jo Modi ka yaar hai, ghaddar hai (Modis friend is a traitor)? But you dont have to be a businessman to understand that trade and tourism have always boosted GDP and increased employment. And while India has a far larger economy, its exporters, too, would benefit. Its military would no longer have to sustain a vast presence in disputed areas, and diplomatically, too, it could claim much of the credit for reducing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. All this goes against the grain of current thinking: the public and the media have been brainwashed into accepting the ongoing hostility as normal. But few other conflicts have lasted as long, and caused so much unnecessary bitterness and bloodshed. So the argument for ending it must be made. I accept that reversing decades-long policies will take exceptional leadership, a quality neither side has displayed thus far. But at least a rational debate should replace the dreary arguments over the past, and who did and said what. We need to remember that just as Kashmiris have the right to fight for their freedom, the rest of South Asia should have the right to end poverty, disease and ignorance. Ifran is a writer based in Islamabad and regular columnist for DAWN where this piece first appeared. He can be reached at irfan.husain@gmail.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Eisya A. Eloksari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, May 23 2020 The COVID-19 outbreak, which has disrupted almost all business sectors in the country, has had a positive impact on the e-commerce sector as the virus has created a new normal in online shopping habits, a survey indicates. A recent survey by management consulting company Redseer showed that Indonesias e-commerce growth trajectory would remain positive with an expected 50 percent year-on-year growth to reach US$35 billion this year from $23 billion in 2019. The e-Conomy SEA 2019 report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company even predicted that Indonesias internet economy was well on track to cross the $130 billion mark by 2025. 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 Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar on Saturday warned action against private medical colleges if they do not pay stipends to students on a par with what the government paid. Many students raised the issue with Sudhakar who was live on Facebook for an interaction hosted by DH. Specifically, students from the JJM Medical College in Davangere, which is run by a trust belonging to senior Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, complained of non-payment of stipend. "Im calling for a meeting with the management (of the institution). We will have to raise it with the Medical Council of India (MCI) also. Its a serious issue, its an offence and inhuman. We will write to the MCI and take strict disciplinary action, the minister said. Earlier this month, the government hiked the stipend for medical students at all 17 government medical colleges. House residents, postgraduate students, superspecialty students and those on fellowship had their stipends hiked by almost 40%, Sudhakar said. "We did this despite economic difficulty as a token of gratitude," he said. "Private colleges have to just follow the kind of stipend the government is giving. This is the MCI guideline, he said. "But I am told that students havent been paid since 18 months. I want to help them. We will solve this issue, he said. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Ministry of Armenia tweeted congratulations to Muslims on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr. We convey our warmest greetings to all our Muslim friends and colleagues celebrating Eid Al Fitr. May this holy occasion bring peace and prosperity to your families and friendly nations, the foreign ministry tweeted on May 23. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan Editor's take: Its difficult to say just how much of an impact the leak will have on the final product, good or bad. Having leaked so early, its almost a certainty that Apple has added some new features and cut others since December. And while hackers are having more time with this version than any other to hunt for vulnerabilities, Apple no doubt has moles within the community that monitor for such discoveries and could get a jump on fixing them before a public release. Apple has historically kept a tight lid on hardware and software during development. Such secrecy is needed to protect its IP from the competition and makes the eventual unveiling all the more special for the audience. Occasionally, however, things slip through the cracks and beyond Apples control. It happened in 2010 when a prototype iPhone 4 found its way to Gizmodo months before Apples reveal and according to Motherboard, the cycle is now repeating itself albeit on the software side. The publication claims that hackers and security researchers have had access to an early build of iOS 14, the mobile operating system that Apple is expected to unveil at WWDC next month, since at least February. Multiple sources in the jailbreaking community told the publication that they believe someone obtained a developer version of the iPhone 11 running a build of iOS 14 dated December 2019. The general consensus is that this mystery person bought the device from a vendor in China for thousands of dollars then extracted the iOS 14 build and shared it online with enthusiasts. According to at least one anonymous source, this is the earliest that a version of iOS has leaked in advance of its release. Image credit: nikkimeel, Hadrian Fire brigade staff try to put out fire caused by plane crash in Karachi, Pakistan, on Friday. AP Photo/Fareed Khan A passenger plane carrying more than 100 people crashed in Pakistan on Friday. The Airbus A320, operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), crashed near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. Pakistan's aviation authority told the BBC that 107 people were on board flight PK 8303. The crash, the first such incident involving a commercial airline since the coronavirus pandemic decimated global travel demand, came just days after Pakistan began allowing domestic air travel to resume following a lockdown to contain the virus. Pakistan and PIA, the national airline, have had a history of safety incidents: In 2016, a Pakistan International Airlines turboprop plane crashed after one of its engines failed. The ATR 42-500 burst into flames, killing all 48 on board. In 2013, a PIA jet's landing gear collapsed as it landed in Oman. There were no injuries, but the plane was damaged beyond repair. In 2010, an Airbus A321 operated by Pakistani airline Airblue crashed into the hills near Islamabad, killing all 152 on board. The pilots of Friday's flight aborted their initial approach into Karachi airport, according to audio of air traffic control communications posted by Live ATC, a website which gives access to air traffic control radio transmissions. Air Vice Marshal Arshad Malik, the airline's chief executive, told a local TV station that the landing was aborted due to a technical issue, The New York Times reported. While preparing for the subsequent approach, pilots appeared to report difficulty maintaining altitude, responding to air traffic control instructions that they were "trying to maintain." Story continues During the subsequent approach, the pilots reported that both engines had failed. "We have lost engines," a pilot can be heard saying. "Mayday, mayday, mayday." It was the final transmission from the plane. Read the original article on Business Insider The Student Union of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, has condemned the administration for withholding the results of students who havent been able to pay their fees. Some students, beneficiaries of the Government of India- Post-Matric Scholarship (GoI-PMS), graduating in 2020, have not been able to pay their fees owing to a delay in the disbursement of scholarship funds. Amid the lockdown, following the Covid-19 outbreak, it has become furthermore difficult to gather funds. Meanwhile, the institute has withheld the results of students with overdue fees. We the members of TISS Students Union 2019-20 unreservedly condemn the arbitrary and unethical action of TISS administration in withholding the access for viewing the semester-end result by students of the graduating batch of 2020 on account of dues not being cleared. Furthermore, this has been followed by a complete lack of transparency in additional charges being levied on the students, said the union in a statement. The student body has sought a waiver of the fees for these students, most of whom are first-generation learners. The institute has, however, indicated that it is not in a position to waive-off fees as it was facing a fund crunch. May 23 : Action superstar John Abraham took to social media profile and shared an important message with all his fans. The actor urged people to lend a hand to those with disabilities going through difficult conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. John Abraham shared a message by Deaf Child Worldwide and HI (Handicap International) on Twitter. John urged people to stand in support of people with disabilities, and make sure that they are not left behind. He tweeted, "With the number of #COVID19 cases increasing every day in #India it is very important people with disabilities are not left behind & get the support they need. Follow my friends at @DeafChildWW @HI_INNESKA & local organizations like @APD_India & @yadindia. With the number of #COVID19 cases increasing every day in #India it is very important people with disabilities are not left behind & get the support they need. Follow my friends at @DeafChildWW @HI_INNESKA & local organizations like @APD_India & @yadindia . pic.twitter.com/FuFBj9YgZf John Abraham (@TheJohnAbraham) May 22, 2020 The 'Mumbai Saga' star shared a picture with the guidelines to support the specially-abled. The note talks about the guidelines on handling special-need child or adult, it also included directions for community members, workers and officials as they need to be alert for warning signs because, during lockdown at home, some disabled people and particularly children with disabilities are at increased risk of abuse and trauma. Meanwhile on the work front, John Abraham has three big projects in his kitty, such as Mumbai Saga, Attack and Satyameva Jayate 2. Sanjay Gupta helmed Mumbai Saga also stars Emraan Hashmi, Jackie Shroff, Kajal Aggarwal, Suniel Shetty, Prateik Babbar, Pankaj Tripathi, Rohit Roy, Amole Gupte, Samir Soni, Gulshan Grover and Sharman Joshi. Set in the 1980s and 1990s, the story shows changing faces of Mumbai people by closing mills to make malls and high rise buildings. The film is set to release on 19 June 2020. CID, TID chiefs to be transferred View(s): The National Police Commission has approved the transfers of the Directors of the Criminal Investigation Department and the Terrorism Investigation Department. The request for the transfers were made by the Acting Inspector General of Police, citing service requirements. An NPC spokesman said permission had been sought from the Elections Commission for the transfers as the elections were pending. Accordingly, CID Director W. Tilakaratne is to be replaced by TID Director Prasanna Alwis. The replacement for the TID director has not been given as yet. The Director CID is to be transferred as the Director, Ministerial Security Division. Technavio has been monitoring the industrial floor mats market and it is poised to grow by USD 806.15 million during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 4% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200522005413/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Industrial Floor Mats Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. 3M Co., Apache Mills, Bergo Flooring AB, ES ROBBINS Corp., Kleen-Tex Industries Inc., Ludlow Composites Corp., Mountville Mills Inc., NoTrax, Unimat Industries LLC, and Wearwell LLC are some of the major market participants. The incorporation of multiple safety features in mats will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. The incorporation of multiple safety features in mats has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Industrial Floor Mats Market 2020-2024: Segmentation Industrial Floor Mats Market is segmented as below: Product Ergonomic Floor Mats Entrance Floor Mats Geography 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=IRTNTR43140 Industrial Floor Mats 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 industrial floor mats market report covers the following areas: Industrial Floor Mats Market Size Industrial Floor Mats Market Trends Industrial Floor Mats Market Industry Analysis This study identifies the introduction of new designs and technologies in materials as one of the prime reasons driving the industrial floor mats market growth during the next few years. Industrial Floor Mats Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the industrial floor mats market, including some of the vendors such as 3M Co., Apache Mills, Bergo Flooring AB, ES ROBBINS Corp., Kleen-Tex Industries Inc., Ludlow Composites Corp., Mountville Mills Inc., NoTrax, Unimat Industries LLC, and Wearwell LLC. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the industrial floor mats market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. 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Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Industrial Floor Mats Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024 Detailed information on factors that will assist industrial floor mats market growth during the next five years Estimation of the industrial floor mats market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the industrial floor mats market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of industrial floor mats market vendors Table Of Contents: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2019 Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024 Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Product Market segments Comparison by Product Ergonomic floor mats Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Entrance floor mats Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by Product Customer Landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024 South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Key leading countries Market opportunity by geography Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Overview Vendor landscape Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors 3M Co. Apache Mills Bergo Flooring AB ES ROBBINS Corp. Kleen-Tex Industries Inc. Ludlow Composites Corp. Mountville Mills Inc. NoTrax Unimat Industries LLC Wearwell LLC Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ 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/20200522005413/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/ WILTON My message really is, school is going to look very different in the fall, Kevin Smith, superintendent of schools, told the Board of Education Thursday night, May 21, during its online meeting. The Re-Entry Planning Committee has begun meeting, and while its still a long way from drawing up specific plans for implementation, Smith said progress is being made in formulating a wider look at what the considerations need to be for school to start up again in the fall. He shared some pieces of an early document, which builds off of several areas of focus, including public health risks, concerns for the economic hardships on families, impact on student learning, health and behavioral norms, physical infrastructure issues, transportation, food services, scheduling and staffing. The committee intends to explore each area of concern in detail, he said, creating guideline questions and a set of actions targeted to those questions. Along with specific considerations for each area such as whether screening measures should be age specific, or if there should be creation of isolated areas for people who might become sick during the day there are also secondary issues that must be weighed, such as how food allergies come into play if students have to eat in their classrooms, reasonable time expectations for students to have to wear masks, and just general issues like security, fire drills and random social and emotional concerns. Well be meeting weekly as we move forward to flesh out these assumptions to create an action plan, Smith said, noting the group found itself getting into the weeds of details very quickly at its first meeting this week. Jarret Liotta / For Hearst Connecticut Media Having just received its preliminary guidelines from the state on Wednesday, May 20, on protocols for opening summer school, Smith said more detailed guidelines on reopening schools in the fall are expected by mid-June. It does seem really daunting and really challenging and really overwhelming, board member Ruth DeLuca said, but I do have absolute faith in our ability to see it through and to get there and to have a plan that makes going back to school successful. She noted that other countries were already doing it and its being done well, so the possibility is there. Click here to receive The Bulletins free online newsletter, Online Today. Smith also spoke to the possibilities he saw in the district of using this entire crisis as an opportunity to correct failures or shortcomings in terms of how it has served some students in the past. Our traditional system doesnt serve all kids, he said, so we had gaps in the way we had been doing things. I share the sentiment that this is really an opportunity to better serve many of the kids that we were underserving, he said. Smith was also frank about the current e-learning system, which he said was adequate to meet the immediate needs for an emergency situation, but it is absolutely not sufficient for what is to come. We have the time, we have the opportunity, to be better, he said, noting a unique paradigm shift from teaching being an individual act, to teaching as a team act, opening it up to new possibilities. Jarret Liotta / For Hearst Connecticut Media Team building In terms of team building, Chair Deborah Low said she was inspired by a video Smith sent to his staff asking them to reflect on the next school year and what it will require. She asked the same of her board in a letter prior to the meeting. What attitudes should we bring to this? she asked. What skills should we put to use? What are our roles and expectations? Member Mandi Schmauch cited consistency and making sure that we maintain the consistency, as well as keeping up good communication with the public. No one has all the answers, she said. Toward that end, member Gretchen Jeanes put in a plug for flexibility. We can come up with this wonderful plan and there might be a hiccup somewhere, she said. I think that we as a board need to make sure we can come back and scramble and be here Its not the same board work that we were doing last year, she said. Theres going to be a lot of trials and tribulations as we go through this process, Vice Chair Glenn Hemmerle said, citing patience and positivity. Other members also noted a focus on safety, resiliency, health and closing the gaps in academic progress. Theres plenty to be overwhelmed about, Low said, but as we see this as an opportunity were going to come out stronger and be more adaptable and be able to face the next crisis. Were going to be embarking on something completely new, she said. Its going to take courage. China to Crack Down on Dissent, 'Foreign Interference' in Hong Kong 2020-05-22 -- China's National People's Congress on Friday revealed plans to send its feared state security agents into Hong Kong to pursue people suspected of "sedition," "subversion," or to be doing the work of 'foreign forces' during the city's months-long protest movement. In a move that likely signals the end of Hong Kong's promised autonomy and traditional freedoms of speech and association, the ruling Chinese Communist Party tabled a draft "decision" to China's National People's Congress (NPC) on the first day of its annual session. Citing "notable national security risks" in Hong Kong, NPC vice chairman Wang Chen said "forceful measures must be taken to prevent, stop and punish such activities," state news agency Xinhua reported. Under the terms of the handover, Hong Kong was expected to bring in legislation banning acts of "treason, secession, sedition [or] subversion," Wang told a news conference in Beijing on Friday. The laws were also intended "to prohibit foreign political organizations from conducting political activities in Hong Kong, and to prohibit political organizations from establishing ties with foreign political organizations." "More than 20 years after Hong Kong's return, however, these laws are yet to materialize due to sabotage and obstruction by those trying to sow trouble in Hong Kong and China at large, as well as external hostile forces," Wang said. The decision will enable the authorities to "prevent, stop and punish" any activities deemed by Beijing to be subversive, or instigated by "foreign forces." When needed, state security police from mainland China will set up shop in Hong Kong to fulfil their duties under the new law, according to a precis of the decision supplied by Xinhua. Once the decision is approved by the NPC, the NPC standing committee will formulate the necessary legislation and insert it into Annex 3 of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, whereupon it will become law in Hong Kong, without the need for scrutiny by the city's Legislative Council (LegCo), the report said. The NPC standing committee would continue to "actively push" the Hong Kong authorities to build "special institutions, enforcement mechanisms and law enforcement forces," to implement the laws in the city, Xinhua quoted Wang as saying. End of autonomy Commentators in the city said the announcement had marked the end of Hong Kong's promised autonomy under the "one country, two systems" formula. Civil Human Rights Front convenor Jimmy Sham, who organized several peaceful protests last year, including three attended by more than a million people, said it was still unclear what is meant by "subversion of state power," or "interference by foreign forces." But he called on the city's seven million people to come out on the streets to oppose the new law. "[In 2003], half a million of us stood against [this] legislation, and up to two million of us stood up against the extradition laws [last year]," Sham said. "I want to tell everyone in Hong Kong ... that they should stand up now, not just for Hong Kong's human rights, democracy and the rule of law, but also for your livelihoods." "I hope that [next time] there will be more than two million of us," he said. Chung Kim-wah, assistant professor of social policy at Hong Kong's Polytechnic University, said the NPC decision paves the way for people to be targeted for their speech and writing under subversion and sedition laws, much as they already are in mainland China. "If you use terms like subversion or state security, you can make them mean whatever you want," Chung said. "That could mean that just calling for one person, one vote could result in accusations that you are subverting the regime." "This is a danger to Hong Kong people across the board, and to our way of doing things," he said. Former 2014 pro-democracy protest leader Joshua Wong, who now heads the political party Demosisto, said the NPC's move is a form of revenge against those who joined the protest movement last year. "This is payback time for the success of the people of Hong Kong in persuading the U.S. to pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act last year," Wong said. "[Under the proposals], we could be charged for trying to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law for Hong Kong internationally," he said, but said international lobbying would continue. Rubber stamp NPC Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam dismissed the fears, saying her administration would work with the NPC to bring in the new legislation as soon as possible. The NPC, which has never rejected a draft law or proposal put before it, will "vote" on the decision next Thursday. Pro-democracy lawmakers said Beijing is demolishing Hong Kong's autonomy. "It's a complete disruption of the Hong Kong system of course when they impose a national security organization in Hong Kong, set up by the Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong," Lee Cheuk-yan, former lawmaker and secretary of the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, told journalists. He said it is a signal that Beijing is directly taking control of the city. Democratic Party lawmaker Helena Wong said that allowing state security police to operate in Hong Kong meant that not even the Hong Kong government would be able to regulate them. The Justice & Peace Commission of the Catholic Diocese said it is concerned the national security laws will be used to suppress religious activities, government broadcaster RTHK reported. The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong kong said the fact that LegCo was being bypassed could jeopardize international business in the city. "Hong Kong today stands as a model of free trade, strong governance, free flow of information and efficiency," AmCham chairman Robert Grieves said in a statement. "No one wins if the foundation for Hong Kong's role as a prime international business and financial center is eroded." AmCham president Tara Joseph added: "People may also ask whether Beijing's concern over foreign interference adds an element of risk to foreigners living here." The Hang Seng Index plummeted around 1,349 points on the announcement, on the back of major falls in real estate companies. Reported by Qiao Long, Tseng Yat-yiu and Man Hoi-tsan for RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Copyright 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content May not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Testosterone could be the key reason why so many men are dying from coronavirus, doctors believe. Twice as many males are succumbing to the disease as women in a pattern that has baffled scientists around the world. Although theories put forward to explain the difference include men being more likely to smoke and the possibility of genetic differences that make their immune systems weaker than womens, it could be simpler than that. Prostate cancer experts have now uncovered intriguing clues that the sex hormone testosterone seems to play a crucial role by inadvertently helping the virus infect cells. Italian medics discovered that prostate cancer patients given powerful drugs, known as androgen deprivation therapy, to radically cut testosterone levels were four times less likely to die of Covid-19 than those not on them. Testosterone drives up levels of a protein called TMPRSS2, which is implicated in prostate cancer. But scientists have recently found that the coronavirus also uses this protein to unlock cells. Stock image: A man takes a Enzalutamide pill, which works by blocking the effect of testosterone on prostate cancer cells. Such treatments could be used to help coronavirus patients Now medics at Londons Institute for Cancer Research are examining the link further, while counterparts at the University of California, Los Angeles, are looking at testosterone-blocking drugs as a potential Covid-19 therapy for patients in hospital. Professor Nick James, of Londons ICR, said it was biologically plausible that testosterone made men more susceptible to the coronavirus. He explained: One of the proteins the virus appears to bind to in lungs is TMPRSS2. Its a sort of lock and key thing: having bound to this protein, it provides the virus with a route into the cell. You would therefore predict that men on treatments for prostate cancer that reduce their testosterone levels should be protected [from coronavirus] relative to men who are not on such treatments meaning most men. Prof James is now looking at data from around 8,000 NHS prostate cancer patients in a trial he runs, to see if those on hormone reduction therapy have been less likely to be hospitalised with Covid-19. Using such drugs as a coronavirus treatment is a possibility, he said, but not one to be taken lightly due to their serious side effects. Being on these drugs is the male equivalent of going through the menopause, he said. As a result, using them as a large-scale preventative was a non-starter. You would almost certainly cause more harm than good, he added. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 08:43:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HOHHOT, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A big family dinner was held Thursday for Sarna whose family of various ethnic groups in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region gathered to see her off, as the 24-year-old master's graduate left Friday for Shanghai to work. She put into her suitcase masks, sanitizers, disinfectant wipes and casual shoes sent by her aunts and uncles reminding her of self-protection tips against the novel coronavirus disease. After graduating from a college in London in November 2019, Sarna returned to her home in Yakeshi, Hulunbuir City. The young lady of the Mongolian ethnic group has family members of Han, as well as Ewenki and Xibe ethnic groups. "There were different languages spoken at the dinner of 17 people. All children in the family can speak Mandarin and their own ethnic languages," said Sarna. Milk tea and Mongolian lamb, stir-fried Han dishes and dumplings, and Ewenki dried cheese were served on the table. All relatives in the family respect each other's customs and living habits. "In Hulunbuir, multi-ethnic mixed families are actually very common," she said, proud of her big family. China has upheld equality among all ethnic groups, striving to create a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation to work jointly for common prosperity and development. The country's leadership has stressed that the national rejuvenation requires all ethnic groups to strive together, hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder. Tong Wenquan, director of the Hulunbuir municipal commission of ethnic affairs, said ethnic unity is among China's great achievements in safeguarding national unity and developing economy in ethnic minority areas. According to the Inner Mongolia regional commission of ethnic affairs, the region has 55 ethnic groups. About one-eighth of the families in Inner Mongolia are multi-ethnic families. The Inner Mongolia region has a population of 25 million, of which more than 4.6 million are of the Mongolian ethnic group. In 2019, the per capita disposable personal income in the region reached 30,555 yuan (about 4,294 U.S. dollars), up 7.7 percent over the previous year. Enditem President Donald Trump demanded on Friday that governors allow churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship to hold in-person services immediately -- threatening to overrule them with unspecified authority if they don't comply. "The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now, for this weekend. If they don't do it, I will override the governors," President Trump said in remarks to reporters Friday as his administration rolled out detailed guidance for religious institutions for how to safely reopen amid the virus. It is unclear what legal authority the president could exercise to overrule a governor and the White House could not point to a specific provision that would give the president that power. PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to the press on May 22, 2020, in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) "The president will strongly encourage every governor to allow their churches to reopen," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said. But while the president called for all governors to ensure that houses of worship can reopen by this weekend, White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx emphasized the importance of community-level decision-making and said there should be extra precautions to protect congregants who may be at high-risk for the virus. I really firmly believe a knowledgeable community can really make judgments for themselves. I think each one of the leaders in the faith community should be in touch with their local health departments so that they can communicate to their congregants," she said. "Certainly people that have significant comorbidities, we want them protected. I know those houses of worship want to protect them. And so really ensuring that maybe items -- maybe they can't go this week if there's high number of COVID cases, maybe they wait another week." The detailed guidelines released by the CDC include a long list of best practices for places of worship, including recommendations to encourage cloth face coverings, hold services in well-ventilated area or outdoors when possible, schedule services far enough apart to allow cleanings in between, continue to limit gathering sizes to comply with state guidance and directives, and consider limiting singing, because it may contribute to transmission of the virus through saliva droplets. Story continues The president's focus on churches this week is part of a broader push to encourage reopening the country. He described churches in particular as important in terms of the psyche of our country." I just got off the phone with CDC and talked about churches. I said I want the churches to open, the people want the churches to open, and I think you'll have something come down very soon, from CDC, we want to get our churches back, Trump said on Thursday at a roundtable with African American community leaders on his trip to Michigan. 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. The presidents determination to reopen places of worship comes as he has urged the people of the country to view themselves as warriors in prioritizing a return to a semblance of normal life even as the coronavirus remains a major threat to public health. PHOTO: President Donald Trump participates in a roundtable with African American leaders at the Ford Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti, Mich., May 21, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images) People want to be in their churches, the president told African American leaders and reporters Thursday. It's wonderful to sit home and watch something on a laptop, but it can never be the same as being in a church or be with your friends and they want to have it open and I think that's going to be happening very shortly. Back in March, the president had envisioned packed church pews by Easter Sunday in a bid to reopen the country, but ultimately relented from the Easter goal. "I would love to have it open by Easter," Trump said on March 24. "It's such an important day for other reasons, but I'll make it an important day for this, too. I would love to have the country opened up, and just raring to go by Easter." MORE:Coronavirus map: Tracking the spread in the US and around the world As he again pushes for churches to return to in-person fellowship, the federal government is in a position to offer guidance, but it will be state and local governments that continue to bear responsible for setting the terms of reopening based on the conditions in their communities. But that hasnt stopped Trump from casting the issue in political terms. The president has criticized some Democratic states for taking approaches that he views as overly cautious and on Thursday blame a lot of Democrat governors for keeping churches shuttered. The churches are not being treated with respect by a lot of the Democrat governors. I want to get our churches open, he said. And were gonna take a very strong position on that very soon. Attorney General William Barr has threatened the Justice Department will intervene in lawsuits brought by churches opposing restrictions if it thinks constitutional rights are being violated. Public health officials continue to urge caution as states begin to relax social distancing guidelines that reopening too quickly could lead to another spike in virus. While there has been a recent downward decline of new cases on the national level, some states and cities have reported increases. 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 Trump demands governors allow houses of worship to open immediately but authority unclear originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A Delhi business executive who has an all-important business meeting in Bengaluru can now fly to the southern city -- domestic airline services are being restored from Monday -- but faces the prospect of a seven-day quarantine at a state-run institution and another seven days out of it. To avoid it, travellers will have to provide a Covid-19 negative certificate from an Indian Council of Medical Research approved laboratory , based on a test and dated two days before the date of travel. Karnataka, Punjab, and Kerala have decided on a 14-day quarantine for domestic passengers, with variations. Karnatakas is restricted to travellers from areas with a high incidence (such as Delhi); Punjab and Kerala have mandated a 14-day quarantine for anyone entering the state on any means of transport. Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana are also considering quarantines. While the Ministry of Civil Aviation last week allowed states to formulate their own procedures regarding passenger movement, civil minister Hardeep Puri hasrepeatedly emphasized that those taking domestic flights need not (and should not) be quarantined. We have clarified that if anyone has the Aarogya Setu app, its like a passport and you are safe; why should anybody want any quarantine, Puri said in a Facebook live discussion on Saturday. His reference is to the governments contact-tracing app that has been downloaded by 1.2 million people and which is recommended, although not mandatory, for anyone wishing to travel by plane, or train. But the states do not seem to be listening. In a statement on Saturday, Karnataka said passengers travelling from high incidence zones, such as Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, will have to stay under institutional (state-run) quarantine for a period of seven days and home quarantine for another seven days. Those flying in from states not considered high incidence zones will be home quarantined for 14 days. Medical professionals, members of the defence services, paramilitary and railway services will also be home quarantined for 14 days. However, businesspersons travelling with a Covid-19 negative test certificate from an Indian Council of Medical Research-approved lab two days before the date of travel will not be quarantined. An official in the Andhra Pradesh government told Hindustan Time that the state is considering following the Karnataka line. We want to be a little careful about people coming from Ahmedabad, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi since we cant quarantine a very large number of people, the official said, but we are yet to decide. The official added that the state was earlier considering taking swab samples of all those flying in, along with a form to collect their details. In 24 hours, we would have informed them if they were at high risk and needed to go to a hospital, others could have been home quarantined. But after seeing the Karnataka order, we are reviewing how to go about it. We should know by Sunday morning. The Punjab government has also announced a 14-day home quarantine for those entering the state via flight, train or bus. Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh on Saturday said that rapid testing teams would check on all who have been home quarantined within a period of 14 days to ensure no violation and strict compliance of rules. Those travelling to Kerala, an official in the chief ministers office said will be home quarantined for 14 days. If any of them show symptoms then they will be immediately sent to a hospital. A senior official in Telangana said that the matter is still under discussion . Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has asked the Civil Aviation Ministry to make a 14-day quarantine period at a state or paid facility mandatory for all those taking domestic flights. It is unlikely that the civil aviation ministry will intervene although whats needed would appear to be a universal set of guidelines applicable across India. States have been given the option to take their own decisions, said an official in the aviation ministry who asked not to be named. Many (states) were on board with opening the domestic airspace, we hope other states will realise that a mandatory quarantine will not make sense. Airlines such as Air India and Spicejet are planning to resume operations starting Monday. Spicejet will be flying passengers to and fro from 41 destinations. Air India will be operating 102 flights as of now. Spicejet will be operating 204 daily and 1431 flights every week. Representatives of both airlines said that a reasonable number of bookings have been made for Monday. We expect very good bookings over the next few weeks, an Air India representative said. The response has been more than satisfactory. Vistara spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment and IndiGo representatives could not be reached for comment. A GoAir spokesperson said the airlines is set to resume operations from June 1. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Iran monitoring US military, to respond to threat to interests anywhere in world: Top general Iran Press TV Friday, 22 May 2020 5:06 PM Iran's top military commander says Iranian Armed Forces have a full intelligence command of United States military movements in and far beyond the region and will respond to any move that endangers Iranian interests at any location in the world. Major General Mohammad Baqeri, the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, said in a statement on Friday that the Iranian Armed Forces routinely monitored every big and small move made by enemy forces. "The Islamic Republic's Armed Forces consider as a permanent, unchanging task on their agenda [the preservation of] a thorough intelligence command of the status, location, tactics, and movements of [Iran's] enemies big and small, including America's adventurist, terrorist, and antihuman military, in the region and remote territories," Major General Baqeri said. The Armed Forces "will give an appropriate response to any miscalculated move by those forces against Iran's national interests anywhere in the world," the general added. The statement was issued on the eve of Khordad 3 (May 23), the date on the Iranian calendar when the Iranian military liberated the city of Khoramshahr from invading Iraqi forces in the Iran-Iraq War in 1982. It also came amid reports that the US military may attack a number of Iranian fuel tankers carrying gasoline to Venezuela in the Atlantic Ocean. Reuters reported last Thursday that the US was weighing measures to confront the Iranian vessels, and other reports said the US military had dispatched warships and a patrol aircraft for that purpose. Iran has not deployed its military to accompany the tankers but has warned against any act of aggression against the vessels, which are conducting normal business and are sailing to Venezuela through international waters. The US has imposed rounds of sanctions against Venezuela in an attempt to strangle its economy and unseat the elected government of President Nicolas Maduro. The sanctions have hit the country's energy sector, and it has recently faced shortages of fuel. On Thursday, and following the reports about potential US aggression, the Venezuelan army said it would dispatch military vessels and aircraft to escort the Iranian ships. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Mali celebrates the Eid El Fitr on Saturday, marking the end of the Muslim fasting month, after the crescent moon was sighted on Friday in several localities in the country A hard worker and one who always ran to time, the late Margaret Deegan may have perhaps timed her departure on March 8 to perfection. For Margarets death and funeral occurred just before the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions and was one of the last normal funeral and burials in her adopted village of Ballymore Eustace. A Waterford woman by birth, Margaret never forgot the Deise (Waterford) which was always referred to as home. Born Margaret Dunne on August 13, 1941, to Eileen and Edward Dunne, she grew up in a happy household with sisters Mary, Ann and Eillen, and two brothers Martin and Eddie at Knockenduff, Tramore, Co Waterford. Like so many of her era, Margaret left school at 14, and with her cousin Joan Cowman, she went to work in a nursing home in London, and obviously sending a good deal of money home to her mam in Knockenduff also the name she and Jim gave to their home at Golden Falls in Ballymore Eustace. Hard work was the norm for that generation, but throughout her life, the late Margaret never shirked a tough job and was always and ever busy. It was in London that she met Jim Deegan from Ballymore Eustace and, according to her daughters, fell for him, hook, line and sinker. Our dad then christened her Mag, said Elizabeth and Jacqueline. She always said I was never a Mag till I met your father!. The newly christened Mag and Jim were married on April 4, 1964, and in March the following year, they welcomed their first born, Elizabeth, a well known hairdresser. Initially, the family moved to Briencan in Ballymore Eustace before moving back to Coventry in the UK where daughter Jacqueline was born. The fact they had me, the perfect child, read Jacqueline at the funeral service, they felt their family was complete with their two girls! However, a surprise was in store and in 1985, their first grandson Shay was born and as you all know, Mummy totally adored him. It was another 14 years before Luke, grandson number two arrived, followed shortly by Jake, then Paul, Conor and Simon six grandsons and (apparently), no favourites, she adored them all! Margaret was ace at ironing and no matter how heavy her workload or family commitments, she never refused work. She also was a great knitter and every year, she took over the window display in Elizabeths Hair Salon where her knitted toys, seasonal gifts and clothing were sold. There is many a household in the village who will have purchased her knitted cribs, all the figures from the nativity from the Holy Family to the visiting shepherds, angel and of course, the Three Wise Men. It is a treasured item in this house as over the decades, Margaret and Jim Deegan showed exceptional kindness to my late Uncle John Kelly, with whom they had shared digs during their early life in London. In later life, when John suffered a serious stroke, they showed great hospitality and friendship to John on his visits home a kindness Johns children and family will never forget. In recent days, said Jacqueline at Margarets funeral service, there have been many great and lasting friends Mummy made throughout her life, from her childhood friends in Tramore to those made in London and in Ballymore, even those new found friends made in hospital wards since she became ill last June. There are too many to name here individually but you all know who you are. Your kindness shown over the past days and weeks have overwhelmed us with so many positive messages and lovely stories about Mummy, some wed never heard before. All this was so comforting but one message in particular sums up Mummys mischievous character and thats from our cousin Steve. Here is what Steve wrote: Im trying to think of something to say but its impossible. I can only imagine what the last few weeks have been like. Aunty Margaret, I would never have dared call her Mag! I have a little story that nobody knows; for years after my 21st birthday, many of my college friends would ask after my mad auntie Mags. It seems Auntie rang Paddys the day after my party to encourage opening the pub early so my celebrations could continue! From then, they thought she was a legend. So did I, she was one feisty lady, didnt suffer fools gladly but had a heart of gold. Steve, who was working in South Africa at the time, added: Im so sorry I cant be there to give you both a hug. And if I rang, Id be a blubbering edjit within seconds. My thoughts are with you all and the grandkids, love to you all up the Deise! What must be noted here is Margarets tireless energy. She worked hard but loved to enjoy a night or two out at the weekend and supported every fundraiser or project in the village. She loved a dance and sing-song, a night out with family and friends. She was also a straight talker as in, if Margaret had something to say, she said it, with all guns blazing! If she felt strongly about something, she let rip but never held a grudge and once she spoke her mind (and the grazes healed), Margaret continued with you as before. She adored her girls and her fine batch of grandsons. Her illness was born in typical Margaret fashion, upfront looking well, dolled up to the nines and getting on with it, no moaning and whinging, live every minute till life is gone. Sadly, the family bid farewell to Francie, Margarets brother-in-law in recent years, when Margaret herself was battling illness. At the end, she wanted privacy with her family, and despite their heartbreak, she was only a short time in St Brigids Hospice when God called her, and just in advance of the coronavirus restrictions. Perhaps she had a quiet word with God (or threatened him) and warned him but one way or another, Margarets passing pipped the ensuing restrictions. Not a woman who wanted fussing over, the family celebrated her life with a night of chat and memories at a family home, and afterwards her funeral service, teas and snacks were hosted in Mick Murphys at the Square. A straight talker, hard worker, and family woman, the late Margaret Deegan, one of a kind. May she rest in peace, amen. The Deegan family would like to thank all who supported Margaret during her illness; to friends, nursing and medical staff all your support and kindness was most appreciated. Rose Barrett ODonoghue A gruesome incident unfolded during a Zoom video conference in a home in Amityville, New York. The participants of the video call witnessed a horrific crime after one of the call's participants was murdered by his own flesh and blood. The suspect, 32-year-old Thomas Scully-Powers, stabbed his father to death in their apartment near South Oaks Hospital in Suffolk County. According to The Guardian, The 72-year-old victim, Dwight Powers, was in a Zoom video conference when the brutal murder occurred during noontime. Suspect used 3 knives to kill father The participants of the Zoom call phoned 911 after realizing that something had gone awfully wrong. Although the victim was out of sight behind a counter, they can hear the victim's moans and cry for help. But by the time the police arrive at the home, it was already too late. They found the elderly victim's body wrapped in a blanket and discarded on the floor. After stabbing his father on the chest, Scully-Powers turned him over and stabbed him multiple times on the back for good measure, according to prosecutors. When law enforcement authorities found the mangled body, the father's throat was cut down to the bone from ear to ear. It was later found out that the suspect used three knives during the crime, claiming that the knives kept on bending, according to ABC News. In the apartment, investigators found a plethora of evidence that paints a gruesome picture. In the trash bag, they found a bedsheet covered with blood. They also found a mop and bucket in the toilet, proof that the suspect tried to cover up his crime. Read also: Suspect Who Dumped Bodies of Two Sisters With Bags on Their Heads Arrested Trying to conceal his tracks After trying to cover-up his crime, Scully-Powers immediately fled the crime scene. He sustained minor injuries after jumping from the second-floor window of their apartment. He had only gotten 1 mile away when police caught him in a nearby deli. During the capture, Scully-Powers was trying to wash off the blood in his body with bottles of Dr. Pepper. In a statement, Scully-Powers' attorney Jonathan Manley has declined to divulge any details of the case, saying that he hasn't got the chance to talk with his client yet, as per Newsday. During the arraignment, they entered a plea of not guilty. "I haven't had the opportunity to discuss anything with my client with regards to the facts of the case. And we haven't been able to conduct our own independent investigation. I expect I will have a video conference with him on Monday." If proven guilty, Scully-Powers face 25 years to life behind bars. What triggered the ferocious attack In a confession, the son admitted to the murder and claimed that he brutally stabbed his father multiple times until he was dead. Moments prior to this attack, Scully-Powers claimed that they had a disagreement. His father expressed concern over his self-harm and accused him of trying to cut his wrists. On the other hand, this is not the first time that the suspect has been linked to crimes. A background check revealed that he was previously charged with criminal mischief in third-degree after a shooting incident that occurred in a pizzeria. Read also: Bystander Who Took Graphic Footage of Ahmaud Arbery Attack Arrested @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) - Residents of Bohol may see tourism businesses reopen in the coming months amid the COVID-19 pandemic, officials from the Task Force on COVID-19 said on Saturday. Task Force Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. said they hope to turn the island-province into a "model" of the "new normal" by slowly reviving its tourism industry. "Unang una, ang (plan) namin is matulungan ang Bohol to open up its businesses," he said in a statement after his visit to the province. "So ang nakikita natin na ang primary needs sa Bohol (na kailangang aksyunan) is yung tourism and travel." [Translation: First of all, our plan is to help Bohol open up its businesses. So the primary needs we see from Bohol (that needs action) is tourism and travel.]] He said they hope to conduct simulations in June and July, followed by partial reopenings, and eventually open all tourism businesses in coordination with the local government and the Trade and Tourism departments. Deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon said increased COVID-19 testing capacity will also play a vital role in this plan. He added that the government is eyeing a testing laboratory in the Bohol-Panglao International Airport while Galvez said they want another laboratory at the seaport and one for the provincial government. "It will be an absolute necessity now for all international airports to have their own laboratory, and Bohol is a top priority because of the strength of the tourist industry in Bohol," said Dizon. Bohol only listed two cases of COVID-19, according to the Department of Health's case tracker, despite being known as a tourism-rich province. It is known for its Chocolate Hills spot, white-sand beaches and for being the home of the tarsier. The province is currently under general community quarantine meaning non-essential businesses are also allowed to operate. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat earlier this week told the Senate 54 percent of the sector's revenues have dropped. The industry did not gain any revenue in April due to imposed travel restrictions, she said. This prompted the department to request a stimulus package of P70 billion to aid 5.4 million employees. The tourism sector comprises 12.7 percent of the country's economy, Puyat added. New Delhi, May 23 : The Finance Ministry has ruled out GST waiver or deference to businesses as part of the economic relief package to help them cope with the situation arising in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant nationwide lockdown. In discussions within the ministry, it has been said that Goods and Sales Tax exemption or deferral is not required as it would not given any benefit to industry but seriously impact the revenues of both the states and the Centre. With the Centre announcing a mega relief package of Rs 20 lakh crore as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, there have been oft-repeated demands for the GST wavier, this time for a period of six months. The argument given is that GST exemption would lead to revival of demand due to reduction in prices and hence benefit in the fight against Covid-19. The government has provided exemption and moratorium on payment of various taxes and debt as part of the package. Contrary to what is being suggested, government sources said on the condition of anonymity that GST exemption would seriously jeopardise the industry's interests and not result in any significant gains to consumers. Therefore, there is no point to exempt businesses from this tax that would lead to blocked input tax credit (ITC), resulting in increase in manufacturing cost and a higher price for consumers. "Hopefully, the Centre is not considering the demand. Exemption of GST on the final product is never a good idea. It distorts the value chain. It does not necessary lead to reduction in prices. In fact, it adversely impacts domestic industry," Najib Shah, former chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), told IANS. The issue for GST exemption has surfaced particularly with respect to items needed in the fight against the pandemic: Ventilators, personal protection equipment (PPE), Covid-19 test kits, sanitisers, etc. At present, the liability of the inputs "be it 5% or 12% or 18%" is more than offset when discharging the 5% or 12% GST liability on PPE or ventilator, the entire liability being 'paid' by the credit of taxes accumulated at the earlier stages of manufacture. If GST is exempted, this credit facility will be unavailable, leading to higher final price of the equipment. In the past also, when the GST exemption on sanitary napkin was allowed, it led to similar hardship for domestic manufacturers of sanitary napkins. Later, domestic industry complained of adversity. It is also equally important to keep in mind that GST waiver provides much larger incentive for imports because imports do not come with any baggage of input side taxes compared with the domestic supply. GST provides a level playing field to domestic industry vis-a-vis the imports. Illustratively, waiver of tax on a mobile would mean that domestically produced mobile phone has suffered the taxes on its inputs, while the imported mobile phone does not. Hence, imported mobile would be cheaper, making the domestic one non-competitive. "Any decision to review the GST rates cannot be taken unilaterally by the central government. It is the recommendation of the GST Council that prevails in respect of GST rates. With the situation of dire economic crises and states requiring resources more than ever to deal with the post Covid-19 pandemic situation, the Council may not have comfort of this option. It is an option that causes hardship to the businesses and the state finances, while providing virtually no relief to customer in the first place." States GST revenue may see steep fall of 80-90 per cent in April, the first full month of lockdown that saw business and economic activity coming to a standstill. Help India! Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net Hyderabad: Battling hunger and the scorching heat of May, nearly 2 lakh migrant workers have crossed the Telangana state on foot carrying luggage and small children on their shoulders. Support TwoCircles In Telangana, it is estimated that there are nearly 6 lakh workers who have come from different states like Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. Telangana had become a hub for many migrant labourers and many were engaged in industrial units, on construction sites, for tiles and marble work, carpentry, in garment units where they skillfully embellished stones and sequins on saris and dresses, embroidery, making stone bangles while the not so skilled ones are engaged in hotels, milk dairies, shops or had their own roadside chaat shops and so on. But all work came to a standstill with the sudden announcement of lockdown in March this year following the outbreak of COVID-19. Before the lockdown, the migrants lived a dignified life earning enough to get 2 square meals and save something for their families back home. For a few days initially after the lockdown the workers managed to feed themselves with what little they had. This was followed by the flow of food in form of cooked meals and dry rations which they thankfully accepted, while waiting for the lockdown to end. But with the lockdown being extended, the patience of these workers is running out. The workers were discouraged from travelling out of the state even by private vehicles after the government services were stopped by the lathi wielding policemen spread all over the roads. Those found travelling were brought back and kept in shelters run by the GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) and NGOs. Those who managed to escape the government officials took the long journeys to their home on foot. At the shelters, they were given cooked food in the form of rice. Obviously it was not just food they wanted. They were tired of not doing any work, they were bored, frustrated and anxious about their families back home with whom they were in touch through phones, said Shivarani, a volunteer who was distributing food through some donor agencies. One day they refused to eat saying they do not like rice. They asked for bread or even biscuits but not rice. The food packets were left untouched the whole day and they slept hungry she says about the workers from North India sheltered in a GHMC shelter home. The next day they were given bread and also stoves and flour to make rotis, she added. Another donor cum volunteer, Syed Jalaluddin, who distributed not just dry ration, vegetables but even medicines for those suffering from diabetes, hypertension, dialysis in the old city of Hyderabad where there were mainly workers from Kolkata said, All these workers are addicted to gutka and pan. And we were not giving that. So I discovered later that they were selling part of the rations we gave, in exchange for betel leaves and gutka, he said. We cant do much, it is their lifestyle, and how can we preach to them to give up chewing pan just because we are giving them rations? Do we have the moral rights to do that?, he said and adds, But on the other hand I do feel bad that when people are pooling in their hard earned money to help them out they are selling away the ration to buy harmful substances. Some donors said that they saw cooked rice packets being thrown away by these people who bluntly told them on the face, We dont want to eat rice anymore. But is it fair to blame them for refusing food? Nobody wants to see that they have needs beyond just packets of food. Throwing away the food is their way of protesting, said an activist engaged in collecting donations for the migrant labourers. Explaining in a little more detail about this strange behavior one would normally term as ungrateful, Sharifa Siddiqui, activist and counselor said, See we must remember that these people are hard workers and willing to go far to earn an honest days wage, not rely on doles for survival. The fact that they have to be dependent and to stand in lines hurts their dignity. They would like to assert that though their situation is bad, they still can protest and assert their will, that they are not beggars. At another shelter home run by Ankkuram an NGO, the situation was slightly different. The migrant workers were brought in there by the Government officials who stopped them at the border of the state. We provided the 50 migrants sheltered in our NGO with both rice and flour along with other ingredients. They were free to cook whatever they wanted as there was a proper kitchen in the shelter home shared Sumitra, who heads Ankuram, who also distributed to nearly 500 other migrant workers who were living around the industrial units in the suburb Kesara. Our work with the migrant workers around our shelter and in our shelter has made us popular with them. They are from UP, Bihar, Maharashtra and MP. And they made us promise that we will visit them in their home towns at least once. That was such a nice feeling of bonding, she said. At the Ankuram shelter home at Bogaram, the workers were engaged in different activities apart from cooking such as orientation on Inter-state Migrants Act, Building and other construction Workers Welfare Act, Domestic Violence Act, fun games and so on. However, one worker named Om Prakash, kept asking for work saying that he feels guilty for eating and sleeping without work, Sumitra said. Jitesh Premwal, a worker from Balaghat UP said, Every time I eat a meal here I think of my parents back home suffering for lack of food. I used to regularly send money back home and they were dependent on me. Jitesh was engaged as a tiles worker. Another migrant worker, Ashok Nageshwar had left behind a 3 year old daughter in his village in MP. He made a video call to his wife in their village which he shared with the shelter home manager Jagdeesh. He said, I miss my daughter and I need to be there with her now in these times but here I am stuck in Hyderabad, so far from home. Ashok worked at a construction site as a daily wage labourer. Another youth whose marriage was fixed on 9 April but he could not go due to the lockdown said the marriage was cancelled which upset him. Another daily wage labourer Manoj from Maharashtra said that his family had not received any help from the Government apart from 10 kgs of rice. Manoj is worried about his family as they did not even have enough money to buy food. He is desperate to go back to them. The workers formed small groups of 15 and left for their homes on foot. We persuaded them to stay back and that trains will start running soon. They called us after reaching their home after walking for 4- 5 days, said Jagdeesh. They were put in a school that was serving as a quarantine center, he said. Others who waited left by train as and when their turn came. The staff of Ankuram helped them get the trains. Travelling by train was not so easy either as narrated by Saddam who said, I had given a Xerox copy of my Aadhar, a photo and Rs.500/- at the office and was told they would contact me when my turn came. But every day they gave me just empty assurances so I decided to travel by a private vehicle and somehow managed to get a seat in a truck that was travelling towards Bihar. Saddam, a travelling salesman, from Kishanganj, Bihar, used to sell saris all over Maharashtra and Telangana and was stuck in Warangal for the last 2 months and was desperate to go home. He was lucky to have found shelter in the office of Students Islamic organization (SIO) where other migrant workers were also staying. They were all working in different establishments such as cloth shops, hotels, etc and sharing rooms in lodges before the lockdown. Once the lockdown was announced the hotel owner threw them out as they could not pay the rent. The volunteers of SIO brought them to their office and gave them ingredients to cook food. Though they were thankful for the shelter and food, it was evident that they were all anxious to go back home, said Abdullah Faiz of SIO. The procedure for traveling by trains is neither easy nor fast. It is like drawing lots, explained Syed Jalaluddin who helped one youth Sajnoy Gayento go back home. You have to first apply and then wait for an SMS on the phone if you are chosen. The SMS will come a few hours before the time of the train and you have to be ready all the time, he said. Sanjoy had come from Howrah, West Bengal just 4 days before the lockdown and had not even found a proper job. He was stuck with no job and no money. While he was here his father fell seriously ill and was hospitalized. Being the only son of his parents, Sanjoy wanted to go back home. With a lot of effort Jalaluddin managed to help and it took 5 days to get Sanjoy to board the train to Calcutta. Normally there would be at least 10000 passengers in a train but now not more than 1500 to 2000 passengers can travel in the train, he said. With no money, no work, no food the remaining migrant workers are also ready to leave Hyderabad at the earliest either by train, private vehicle or by foot. The Spanish government's ambitious and expensive welfare plans will have to be put on hold, possibly abandoned, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. That was one of the underlying messages conveyed by Bank of Spain governor Pablo Hernandez de Cos in his address to Congreso on Monday. De Cos also made a rare excursion into the political realm, calling for the country's opposing forces to unite over a fiscal plan to minimise the damage caused by Covid-19. According to the Bank of Spain's flexible predictions, public debt could rise from its current level of just under 100% of GDP to around 124% in 2021. Next year could also see the budgetary deficit, which Spain's current government finally brought beneath the EU-imposed ceiling of 3% in 2019, rise to around 11%. The only way to avoid hitting these dangerous levels of debt, said Hernandez de Cos, was to "eliminate superfluous spending" and "amend the tax system". In other words, the governor recommends a reduction in public expenditure and tax hikes, only one of which was on the Socialist government's agenda before Covid-19 came along. The challenge issued by Hernadez de Cos doesn't just extend to Pedro Sanchez's Socialists and their junior partner, leftist Unidas Podemos. He also claimed that the only way Spain could avoid a public debt crisis was by formulating a fiscal programme covering "several terms" (and therefore, potentially, several changes of government) and securing cross-party support for it as soon as possible. But since the pandemic broke, Spain's leading parties haven't even been able to agree on the necessity of lockdown extensions lasting fifteen days, let alone discuss the possibility of a plan spanning years. In fact, so deep is the animosity between the Spanish left and right over Covid-19 that Vox has promised to take legal action against the government for the way in which it has dealt with the pandemic. Even when faced with increasingly dire economic forecasts, it's highly unlikely that the opposition - represented by Vox as well as the conservative Popular Party - will suddenly drop its criticism of Sanchez and adopt a more conciliatory stance. And why should it? Over the last couple of months, the Spanish government's decision-making has seemed hasty, ill-informed and opaque. There was, incidentally, a bizarre discrepancy between two of the governor's predictions. Hernandez de Cos warned that Spain's economic activity might not even have returned to pre-Covid-19 levels by the end of 2021, but nevertheless also forecast potential growth of 6.1%-8.5% for next year. Combined with a projected contraction of up to 13% this year, that would be a monumental turnaround. But then again, none of these figures is even remotely concrete and will probably be revised several times before this difficult year is finished. Uber has carried out the layoff of 6,700 full time employees; 3,000 on May 18 and another 3,700 on May 6, and the shutdown of 45 offices. This action comes in response to an 80 percent drop in rides due to the outbreak of COVID-19, leading to a drastic drop in the companys share values. Since it announced the layoffs, Ubers stock has sharply risen. On the May 18 announcement shares rose 3.8 percent. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi (net worth of at least $200 million) took the cynical step of renouncing his salary for 2020 in supposed solidarity with the workers he fired. Khosrowshahi was previously the CEO of Expedia Group, a member of the board of directors of BET.com, Hotels.com, and served on the board of the New York Times. He was tasked with the job of cleaning up Ubers public image after co-founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick stepped down after being caught on video insulting an Uber driver. Kalanick, seated as a passenger with two young women, responded to the drivers concerns on fare cuts by responding Some people dont like to take responsibility for their own actions. The firings account for a 25 percent reduction of full-time employees for Uber and the company says more firings will follow. The cuts in jobs and closure of offices is a result of the companys decision to shut down its program Incubator, envisioned as a means to utilize the mental labor of employees and independent startups to develop products and services on top of Ubers platform. Uber has also discontinued and is looking for alternatives for its program Uber Works, which sought to pair gig workers with small businesses in need of temporary labor. The layoffs are expected to save the company over $1 billion per year. Uber is seeking to utilize these savings to expand its food delivery business; the company is currently in talks to buy its rival Grubhub. Alongside Uber, the rideshare company Lyft announced layoffs of over 1,000 employees, and Ubers Middle Eastern subsidiary Careem has slashed headcount by over 30 percent and suspended its bus transport app. The job cuts are among Ubers white-collar labor force such as customer service representatives and recruitment agents, to whom the company will be providing severance pay. The layoffs mark a continuation of Ubers attacks on its entire workforce. The brunt of this attack has been shouldered by Uber drivers, a 3 million-strong force globally at the beginning of 2020, who are not classified as employees but as independent contractors. This designation allows the multi-billion dollar company to evade providing the bulk of its workforce with benefits and securities such as health insurance. These workers collectively made 6.9 billion trips for Uber in 2019, creating over $14 billion in revenue for the company. With the drastic decrease in rides and the high risk of COVID-19 infection, working for Uber is no longer a sustainable venture for the majority of drivers. Drivers are increasingly reliant on unemployment benefits, although many have been unable to collect jobless pay due to being classified as self employed. Michael ODell, a driver in Columbus Ohio told National Public Radio, I have really cut my driving down, probably like 90 percent. If I do need available cash to pay a bill or two or even buy food, I'll go out and drive for a little bit. But I definitely don't put the time into it like I normally did, because I'm not going to get good rides." As for unemployment, Ive been applying every week, every single week I get denied regular unemployment." According to a 1,000 person survey of California Uber and Lyft drivers commissioned by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), two-thirds of respondents said they may not be able to pay their May rent or mortgage and nearly half will need food assistance this month. Under these conditions, 100 workers staged a caravan protest outside Ubers headquarters in San Francisco on May 11. The protest was organized by We Drive Progress, a group under the arm of the SEIU. On the part of the union, which is notorious for maintaining substandard pay for service workers while pocketing their dues payments, the action amounted to merely a token protest designed to release workers anger. The SEIU action was directed toward appealing to the conscience of Uber executives. It asked the company to comply with gig worker protections law AB 5, pay into the California unemployment insurance fund and drop the ballot initiative that Uber along with Lyft and DoorDash aims to use to keep gig workers classified as independent contractors. Meanwhile, Uber has indicated that it will further escalate layoffs and restructuring. The SEIU, in spite of having 1.9 million members, primarily in healthcare, has not organized a single mass strike despite the fact the hundreds of thousands of nurses and other essential workers are being exposed to COVID-19 due to a lack of adequate personal protective equipment. Recently in Illinois, the union forced 10,000 nursing home workers to remain on the job with poverty wages and no serious protections against COVID-19. On top of this, millions of dollars of dues collected by the union goes towards funding Democratic Party politicians. In 2016, it gave over $17 million worth of workers dues to the Super PAC United We Can, which then spent over a million dollars to support the election of war hawk and corporate stooge Hillary Clinton. Uber workers are determined to resist the ongoing decimation of their jobs and income. They will not find leadership in the pro corporate unions. The Socialist Equality Party and the World Socialist Web Site call for the building of factory and workplace committees to mobilize the independent strength of workers in a fight to defend jobs and basic workplace protections. Islamic State group foreign fighters returning home from the conflict in Iraq and Syria should be charged with war crimes, an EU-backed body said on Saturday. Many such suspects currently only face charges under domestic terrorism laws, said the Genocide Network, a body set up in 2002 by the European Union to coordinate between national investigators and prosecutors. But they could face wider charges under international laws covering some of the worst crimes that happen during conflict, including genocide and crimes against humanity, said the network which is based at Europes judicial cooperation agency Eurojust. ISIS should not only be considered as a terrorist organisation, it said in a new report. The jihadist group could be treated under international humanitarian law as a party to a non-international armed conflict in Iraq and Syria acting as an organised non-state armed group, it said. Therefore, its members and foreign terrorist fighters could be responsible for committing war crimes and other core international crimes. Examples of returned foreign fighters being prosecuted under cumulative charges already exist in France, Germany and the Netherlands, the network report said. For instance, a German jihadist who recorded a video on a mobile phone of him cutting off the ears and nose of a dead Syrian soldier outside the Syrian city of Aleppo, was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years behind bars. He was convicted of the war crime of the war crime of outrage upon personal dignity. In the Netherlands, a Dutch jihadist fighter was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for posing laughing next to a man crucified on a cross and sharing the picture on Facebook. Eurojust and the Genocide Network say that such prosecutions could also be established on a global scale to prosecute other foreign fighters returning to their countries of origin. Prosecuting terrorism offences combined with acts of core international crimes ensures the full criminal responsibility of perpetrators, results in higher sentences and delivers more justice for victims, the report said. By recognising and naming these crimes for what they are, justice can hence be brought to victims, it added. The report quoted a study done by the London-based International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation in mid-2018, saying there were 7,252 people in eastern Europe and 5,904 people in western Europe associated with the IS group including former fighters, women and children. Some 2,000 fighters are still detained by Syrian forces and another 1,000 are in detention in Iraq, many of them European citizens mainly from France, Britain and Germany. Victorians should prepare for fundamental changes to the way they travel around Melbourne and the rest of the state, health authorities have warned, as it emerges from its COVID-19 shutdown in the coming months. The Department of Health is meeting daily with public transport agencies, developing plans to move millions of commuters around the city and state each day safely as the economy re-opens. Public transport advocates are calling for cloth masks to be worn on buses, trains and trams. Credit:Christopher Furlong Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen said on Saturday that staggered timetables could be on the agenda as wall as changes to allow social distancing on commuter services. But no decision has been made on forcing travellers to wear masks on public transport, as demanded by Victorias Rail Bus and Tram Union on Friday with the backing of a leading international public health expert. Welcome to Shaker. The utopian spot of Ohio, where anything is possible - assuming you're rich and don't let your lawn grow above the mandatory two inches. Episode one sees Reese Witherspoon's Elena (part Elle Wood, part Cher Horowitz, 100pc Clueless) merrily chirrup about her land of opportunity, and it almost seems too Stepford to be true. However, Shaker Heights exists. Created in 1912, this planned community was at the forefront of "integration". Scratch the veneer, however, and writer Celeste Ng says her home town "still struggles with the same race issues as the rest of the nation". Based in 1997, this Hulu original sees nomadic artist Mia and daughter Pearl taken under Elena's wing - almost by force. While Pearl (superbly portrayed by Lexi Underwood) enjoys the company of The Richardsons, Mia is understandably more hardened after a lifetime of surfing a perma-prevalent wave of white privilege. This Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington co-production ticks many boxes, thanks to its ability to meld comedy, teen drama and a stark portrayal of class inequality. It seamlessly addresses the layers of abject ignorance, perfectionism, plus the mother-daughter minefield. Okay some of the fashion/music references are more 1992, than 1997, and Mia's intensity can be to the point of parody, but you'll invariably want to "devour it whole - seeds and all". Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 04:56:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HELSINKI, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto on Friday said that full admittances of travel into Finland from neighboring Sweden and Estonia would still take time. Talking to the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, Haavisto said a "Nordic travel bubble" is unlikely in the near future as the infection rate in Sweden is higher than in Finland, Norway or Denmark. The "Nordic Bubble" is a zone supposed to be created by Nordic countries, allowing their citizens to travel freely between each other under certain conditions. Commenting on the idea put forward by Lithuania this week that Finland in the North and Poland in the south could join the newly established "Baltic corridor" of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, to allow their citizens to move freely among them, Haavisto said it's too early for Finland. Haavisto's comments followed a strong warning on Wednesday by Finland's key epidemic official, Mika Salminen, director at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. Salminen cautioned against border relaxation towards Sweden, saying that "admitting Swedes into Finland will be a health risk." . Earlier on Friday, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said at a press conference that he does not believe relations with Sweden will be affected, "even though Finland hesitates about opening the borders to Swedish tourists." According to the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare, as of Friday afternoon, Finland has confirmed 6,537 COVID-19 cases, up by 44 from a day earlier. The death toll remained at 306 as no new death was reported in the last 24 hours. Enditem Illinois Lawmakers Approve Bill Making Vote-By-Mail Easier Ahead of November Election Illinois state lawmakers have approved a vote-by-mail expansion for the November general election. The House on May 21 passed Senate Bill 1863 by a vote of 7243; the measure cleared the Senate on May 22 by 3719. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, is expected to sign the legislation. The bill makes sweeping changes to how voters will go to the polls in November, with the biggest change being an expansion of mail-in voting. With the expansion, anyone who voted in 2018, 2019, and 2020, or people who previously registered to vote by mail, will be sent a vote-by-mail application, local outlet WICS/WRSP reported. Around 5 million Illinoisans will receive a vote-by-mail application, the report said. The drive to expand mail balloting options amid the pandemic has emerged as the centerpiece of a growing political fight ahead of Novembers election. Broadly, President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers have challenged the idea of expanding vote-by-mail, arguing that its vulnerable to fraud. Democrats and voting rights groups say its a way to protect voters from the virus. They say a failure to guarantee that option amid a pandemic will disenfranchise millions of Americans. Pritzker told the Belleview News-Democrat he would have preferred that a vote-by-mail application to be sent to every eligible voter in the state, but said the bill is a reasonable compromise. State Rep. Kelly Burke, a Democrat and the bills chief sponsor in the House, said the legislation would balance public health concerns with robust participation in elections. It will make vote-by-mail more user-friendly, efficient, secure and accessible, Burke told the full House chamber, which convened at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield, instead of its chamber in the Illinois Capitol building, to ensure more effective social distancing amid the pandemic, the Capitol News Illinois reported. House Republicans opposed the bill, with state Rep. Ryan Spain warning of the risk of voter fraud. My concern isnt how those ballots become postmarked, but the opportunity for ballot stuffing that can take place unsupervised after hours by political operatives, Spain said, according to WICS/WRSP. Spain and his Republican colleague state Rep. Lindsay Parkhurst expressed fears that unscrupulous campaign workers will harvest ballots and try to improperly influence the election. Theres not enough checks and balances, theres not enough security, theres not enough integrity to this ballot-harvesting drop-box system, Parkhurst said, according to the Belleville News-Democrat. No one knows what this pandemic is going to be looking like in November, said St. Clair County Clerk Thomas Holbrook, who supports the plan on grounds that it cuts down on the risk of infection for election judges and voters, the Belleville News-Democrat reported. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has long raised the alarm about the dangers of mail-in ballot fraud. Absentee ballots are the tools of choice of election fraudsters because they are voted outside the supervision of election officials, making it easier to steal, forge, or alter them, as well as to intimidate voters, Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Hans A. von Spakovsky wrote in an op-ed. While the Heritage Foundations own database of all reported instances of election fraud, dating back to 1979, lists only 1,277 proven instances of voter fraud, the organizations communications manager told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that the database is only intended to represent a small sampling of the types of voter fraud that can occurit is by no means a comprehensive report of all the voter fraud that happens around the country. We dont know when or if discussions (in Washington) will come to fruition. We dont know when or how much, if they do come to fruition, will come to Illinois. And we dont know when that happens if we would be physically able to return to Springfield to reappropriate monies if we decided to take no further action today, Harris said of the dependence on borrowing. Dodger Stadium was closed on March 26, what would have been opening day if not for the coronavirus outbreak. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Dodger Stadium might finally host big crowds, but not yet for ballgames. On Tuesday the city is planning to open a new drive-through coronavirus testing site at the stadium, Los Angeles. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Friday. "This site isn't special just because of where it is and all those amazing memories we have of going to Chavez Ravine to see the boys in blue play. It's remarkable because we'll be able to test up to 6,000 people a day," Garcetti said. "That's three times larger than any testing site that we have. And we've designed the site to move as many people as quickly through that site as possible, alleviating long wait times and long lines." The city will partner with the Los Angeles Fire Department and the nonprofit Community Organized Relief Effort to operate the site in the stadium parking lot, Garcetti said. Donated big screens will show videos of "how to complete a test, so when drivers get to the front of the line, they'll know exactly what to do and how to do it quickly." The new testing site will open after what's expected to be a hot Memorial Day weekend, one that officials worry will bring L.A. residents in contact with one another as some beach parking lots and recreation areas open. Garcetti has been encouraging residents to get tested, with or without symptoms. "If you have a cough and you don't know if it's just allergies or if you've been around somebody that's been exhibiting symptoms," Garcetti said, residents can find a testing site or sign up for a test by calling (213) 978-1028 or visiting the city's coronavirus website. Unable to hold protests during the lockdown, farmer unions have adopted a digital way to register their issues and press for their demands. Several such unions and groups have launched an online campaign to garner support of the farming community in raising their issues on the social media, especially on Twitter. We are requesting the farmers to support #Karja_Mukti_Pura_Dam trend on twitter on June 6 so that maximum impact is achieved, said Haryana BKU leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni. The decision was taken in accordance with several unions supporting as a tribute to the farmers killed in a firing in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, he added. Farm leaders #Kisan_Karja_Mukti launched on May 5 remained a top trend on Twitter for two hours with over 1.65 lakh tweets from farmers in Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, UP, MP, Telangana. Now they have set a target of 3 lakh tweets for June 6 trend. Agriculture expert Devinder Sharma has termed the development a new beginning for farmers. The support to the previous trends reflects that farmers now understand they have to highlight their issues on social media platforms as they cant lodge protests on the streets right now. This is a weapon that will at least start a debate on farmers issues, he added. Ramandeep Singh Mann, an agriculture activist from Delhi, said, Now, farmers understand that if they tag the Twitter handles of PM and agriculture minister, their issues will reach the concerned ministers. Secondly, they feel that highlighting their issues on Twitter will also find resonance among fellow citizens. We will arrange workshops to bring maximum farmers on Twitter, as it is the best and cheapest way for them to raise their voice amid the lockdown, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A picture of a signboard of a medical shop in Ludhiana, Punjab is now gaining praise from people and for all the right reasons. Shared on Twitter, the image shows something which is not an unusual sight around us it shows Gupta and Daughters written on the board. Its usually a common practice to open businesses in the name of sons and to write and sons to signify the same. That is the reason, this image showing something different has now won people over. Gupta and daughters, wrote Twitter user Dr Aman Kashyap and shared the image along with two applaud emojis. Unlike all the shops opened in the name of Sons, a medicine shop in association with Gupta & Daughters spotted in Ludhiana. Be the change you want to see in this world, Kashyap added. Gupta nd daughters .... Unlike all the shops opened in the name of Sons, a medicine shop in association with "Gupta & Daughters" spotted in Ludhiana. Be the change you want to see in this world pic.twitter.com/rRE2JiYHpK Dr Aman kashyap (@DrAmankashyap) May 22, 2020 Now, people are applauding this gesture and sharing all sorts of appreciative comments. A few also tweeted images of similar signboards. Breaking the norm, Gupta and Daughters instead of routine Gupta and Sons wrote a Twitter user. Love it, tweeted another. All respect for this person, wrote a third. Feeling happy to see this, expressed a fourth. Heres what others shared: A few also used the applause and the folded hand emojis to express their reactions. What do you think of the tweet? SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board which has been taking care of several people put up in quarantine centres in Katra in Jammu and Kashmir has decided to serve special recipes to Muslims housed in quarantine centres on the occasion of Eid on Monday, March 25. Eid or Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in India on Monday since the moon could not be sighted on Saturday as per Delhi Jama Masjids Shahi Imam. The shrine board said they have been providing Sehri and Iftar meals to the Muslims after changing their schedule to meet the requirement of food for those fasting early morning and in the evening. Now, for Eid they will make special recipes and provide to the faithfuls. We were informed that Muslims at the quarantine centre are observing fast & need food early in the morning & in the evening. So we changed our schedule accordingly. We will try to provide special recipes to them on Eid, ANI quoted Ramesh Kumar, CEO of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board as saying. He added that the board has been providing meals to around 500 Muslims quarantined at Aashirwad Bhawan in Katra during the holy month of Ramazan. In the month of Ramazan, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has been working overnight to provide sehri and iftari to our Muslim brethren in the morning and the evening, he said. Aashirwad Bhawan in Katra has been turned into a quarantine centre after the epidemic broke out in India in the month of March. Chief executive officer of the board Ramesh Kumar said the facility has 500 beds and most of the Muslims staying there were labourers who fasted during the day during the month of Ramazan. We are running a quarantine centre at Aashirwad Bhawan, which has a capacity of 500 beds. Since its the holy month of Ramzan and the government of Jammu and Kashmir has been bringing back its residents from different parts of the country, we converted Aashirwad Bhawan in Katra into a quarantine centre in the month of March, Kumar claimed. He said the decision was taken in line with the spirit of brotherhood as per the best traditions of Jammu and Kashmir. Those brought to Aashirwad Bhawan are mostly labourers, who are fasting during the month of Ramazan. So, we decided to provide them sehri and iftari everyday, he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Several of these migrant labourers have come to the state riding on special Shramik trains and buses which dropped them to Udhampur town. Katra is around 40km away from Udhampur. The shrine board, according to Kumar, has also been providing food to others housed in different quarantine centres in Katra and that their services were not limited just to Aashirwad Bhawan. He said other people who have not been fasting have been given breakfast, lunch and dinner in other government-run quarantine facilities in Katra. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine is one of the most famous Hindu shrines located in Jammu and Kashmir is also considered to be among the richest. The board has spent Rs 80 lakh on providing food to the needy people since March 20 in various quarantine centres at Katra, Kumar claimed. In addition to this, it has also spent Rs 1.5 crore to fund the fight against Coronavirus. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON SPRINGFIELD Money cant bring her brother back. But maybe, Cindy J. Cowles says, a bill introduced this week by U.S. Sen. Edward Markey designating hundreds of millions of dollars for safety improvements at railroad crossings will save other lives. If it passes as part of the next surface transportation package in Congress, the Warren Cowles Grade Crossing Safety Act would add $250 million to the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program in the next fiscal year alone. Markey said the bill was inspired by his work helping to broker the plans and funding for warning lights, gates and bells at the Longmeadow crossing where Warren P. Cowles, a town worker plowing snow in a blinding storm, died in a collision with an Amtrak train on March 14, 2017. Cowles was the fifth person killed in seven collisions at the crossing at Birnie Road and Tina Lane since 1975. The work to install safety equipment at the crossing wrapped up in late 2019. This experience highlighted an unfortunately widespread problem, and how preventable these tragedies are, Markey told The Republican. Thats why I am committed to continuing to honor Warrens memory by preventing unnecessary deaths everywhere we can with this legislation. Cindy Cowles, of Springfield, said Markeys office sought her permission to use her brothers name on the bill. There was a conference call with staffers in Boston and Washington, and she gave her blessing. My first thought was, if using the name can help save others, I cant say no, she said. When an editor told her the amount of the proposed funding, which she heard for the first time during an interview, her one-word response wow lasted several beats. It still stings to think about the lives lost over the decades before the crash as local, state, federal and railroad officials failed to compromise on whether upgrades at the crossing were needed and if they were, who would pay for them. When Cowles first heard about the bill, she wasnt without reservations. The mixed feelings were, why did it have to take my brothers death to get this taken care of? And then the other side of it is, I cant bring him back it is what it is, she said. So, if it can help others anywhere else in this country then its still a good thing. Longmeadow officials began discussing the need for safety improvements at the crossing as early as 1981, town records show. Warren Cowles death reignited the effort. Federal funding for 90% of the $775,800 project was approved in September 2017. The money came from MassDOTs share of the federal Railway-Highway Crossings Program also known as Section 130 which sends money for safety improvements at railroad crossings to state departments of transportation. Before any work could begin, though, Amtrak needed to approve a design and construction plan and agree to pay the remaining 10%. In October 2017, Markey along with U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal sent a letter to Amtrak President and co-CEO Richard H. Anderson calling for action at the crossing. State Sen. Eric Lesser, a Longmeadow Democrat, has said Markey helped unstick the process by discussing the crossing with an Amtrak administrator during an oversight hearing. In addition to his work on a funding agreement, the senator who sits on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation pressured Amtrak at Congressional hearings in 2018 and 2019 to expedite the project, his office said. The residents of Longmeadow rightfully demanded action to prevent future harm, and I was proud to help broker the plans and funding for long overdue safety improvements at this particular site, Markey said. Cindy J. Cowles of Springfield and U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey, center, cut a ribbon with other state and local officials and members of the Cowles family in November 2019, marking the completion of safety upgrades at the crossing.Greg Saulmon / The Republican file Markeys office said the annual $250 million listed in the bill, which potentially would increase in fiscal 2022 and beyond based on the Consumer Price Index, came from recommendations by the American Public Transportation Association. At a February hearing on railroad safety, association president and CEO Paul Skoutelas urged Congress to approve a total of $1.5 billion over six years for crossing safety projects through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program. Skoutelas said that while his organization is grateful for funding through the Section 130 program, more needs to be done. While both federal programs provide money for crossing safety improvements, Markeys office said the new bill targets the Consolidated Rail program because a wider group of stakeholders including rail carriers such as Amtrak as well as counties, cities, towns and other entities is eligible for funding. The program creates an opportunity for federal assistance even if a crossing isnt state-owned. In Longmeadow, Amtrak owned the tracks at the crossing where Warren Cowles died. If MassDOT hadnt agreed to pay a significant share through Section 130 funding, the project would have stalled out unless the railroad agreed to pay the entire cost. The Consolidated Rail program offered $312 million in fiscal 2020 for eligible projects which, in addition to crossing safety improvements, include other capital projects, planning and workforce training. The money Markey is seeking to add would only be available for highway-rail grade crossing improvements. The surface transportation reauthorization package is usually passed by Sept. 30, according to Markeys office, but the timeline could shift this year due to the coronavirus crisis. The railroad crossing bill does not have an official bipartisan co-sponsor yet, but talks are underway with Republican members of the transportation committee and Chairman Roger F. Wicker, a Mississippi Republican. Ben Heckscher, co-founder of the local rail advocacy group Trains In The Valley, said he applauds Markeys efforts. "Lives have been lost at the Birnie Road crossing in Longmeadow, that could have been saved, if only the unsafe conditions at this crossing had been corrected earlier, he said. Increasing federal funding on safety improvements at railroad crossings is a wise investment that yields immediate and long-term benefits over time in accidents prevented and lives saved. In the months and years after the crash, Cindy Cowles became an outspoken advocate for the safety improvements, regularly calling officials to check on the projects progress. If we can save one life then thats one life that we saved, she said of the legislation. Just that alone would be worth it. If we can save even more lives, then thats even better. Related Content: A pedestrian wears his face mask while walking past a closed Nickel Diner in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 7, 2020. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) Businesses Suffer as Orange County Board Grapples With Funding While the Orange County Board of Supervisors decides how to allocate federal relief money, local businesses desperate for assistance are fighting to survive. Katia Bagatta learned how to prepare meals from her hardworking, immigrant parents in their Laguna Niguel, California, restaurant. In 2008, she finally opened a restaurant of her own, Bistro K, in the same city. On May 19, Bagatta pleaded in front of the Laguna Niguel City Council to allow her restaurant to reopen, following its forced closure by the states March 19 stay-at-home mandate. With high rent, payroll, and expenses building, Bagatta is eager to reopen before she loses her business. We immigrated to this country in 1980 to enjoy the freedom America has to offer, she told them. I feel like weve all sacrificed enough, and its time to start getting business rolling again. On the same day, the Orange County Board of Supervisors debated in Santa Ana how to allocate $101 million of the $554 million the county received from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Two opposing plans designed to help small businesses were discussed, but neither were approvedleaving the fate of many businesses like Bagattas up in the air. Katia Bagatta and her father cook up a meal inside Bistro K restaurant in Laguna Niguel, Calif. (Courtesy of Katia Bagatta) Katia Bagatta stretches her arms while standing behind her father and employees at Bistro K restaurant in Laguna Niguel, Calif. (Courtesy of Katia Bagatta) A Concerned Restaurant Owner I feel like my freedoms have been taken away to be able to feed my family, Bagatta told The Epoch Times. Its very disheartening to not know what your rights are especially when you feel like youve done the right thing your whole life. Like many other business owners, Bagattas debts are mounting. Though she laid off five employees, she is still paying 16 others. The restaurant is still open for takeout, but neighbors have complained to the health department about the waiting customers, making her feel like a criminal. Bagatta said shes known many of her customers for years. A dozen patrons have given her thousands of dollars to help cover expenses. One customer even bought $4,000 in Bistro K gift cards. Ive been fighting for my PPP [Paycheck Protection Program] money, Bagatta said, referring to a Small Business Administration loan that was part of the original CARES package. Initially, she thought she would receive $80,000but the actual number dwindled to half of that. She said the $40,000 would be gone in six weeks. Not only are we behind in rent, but were behind obviously in payroll, and these people need to make money, she added. She will owe $50,000 by July 1, she said, including deferred sales tax. Laguna Niguel Mayor Laurie Davies told The Epoch Times she supports opening as soon as possible, since shes a business owner herself. She runs her own weddings and events company. Her constituents have been on the phone crying, she said, telling her they cant survive this much longer and we cant afford to pay rent. Ive had a business for 30 years and its going to go down, one owner told her. Davies was one of 31 Orange County mayors who submitted a joint letter on April 16 to the Board of Supervisors, requesting that the county secure funding from the CARES money and quickly allocate it to cities based on their population. The Board Votes At the May 19 Board meeting, Supervisor Don Wagner and Chairwoman Michelle Steel proposed a business recovery program that would allocate $75 million directly to the countys cities. The plan was backed by the 31 mayors who signed the letter. Vice Chairman Andrew Do and Supervisor Lisa Bartlett supported the HEART Plan, which would distribute the money evenly among the countys five districts. HEART stands for: Help for small businesses; Expenditures to support communities; Assistance to nonprofits; Reimbursement to Orange County cities; and Temporary food assistance. It provides for a more equitable way to get the funding out to really help the small businesses, Bartlett said. The cities are separate. I want to make sure that all of our small businesses are taken care of. Following a handful of public comments, the Wagner-Steel proposal was shot down by a 3-2 vote. By the same vote, the board opted instead to have county CEO Frank Kim draw up a new plan that would allocate $75 million of relief funds directly to businesses and nonprofits. We want to help businesses not only in the short term, but long term as well, Bartlett said. She also cited the need to deal with a recession, and the possibility of leveraging the money to get additional loans. The board unanimously approved $26 million of the CARES Act money for distribution to the countys cities, to help with costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am beyond disappointed by the unnecessary delay in dispersing funding to our cities, Wagner said in a press release. Local leadership wanted this funding, the businesses wanted it, and the people wanted it. Wagner said he still plans to give $15 million to the cities in his district. I want the Mayors in my district to prepare for the receipt and disbursement of the stimulus money, he said. Were very disappointed it didnt go through, said Davies. OC Mayors Perturbed Mayor Christine Shea of Irvine told The Epoch Times shes very disturbed by the meetings outcome. We have people that are out of work and suffering, she said. Some board members are out of touch, she added, because they have $180,000 salaries, perks, and car allowances. We have supervisors in our county that dont understand the immediate need and impact that residents are feeling, she said. I am just appalled that our Board of Supervisors have received $550 million of federal money that came to the state, and they literally want to take time to think about how theyre going to help businesses out. Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido also supported the Wagner-Steel plan. He said businesses are suffering more than ever. Weve never had to face anything like this, and Ive been through the Orange County bankruptcy back in 1984, Pulido told The Epoch Times. Pulido, who has been mayor since 1994, called the economy the fundamental fabric of society, adding this is also an economic pandemic. For Bagatta, the current situation reminds her of the 2008 recession, when she was just starting out. It was a horrible time. We were in such bad debt, she said. We live in the best country in the world, but lately I am very confused about what my freedoms are and what my legal rights are. She added, Thank God we have such loyal customers. A father-of-three has been left paralysed after developing suspected food poisoning on a dream holiday to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary. William Marsh, 57, was in a coma for 10 weeks and spent seven months in hospital after becoming ill on a holiday to the Dominican Republic with his wife Kathryn. He has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological condition which is a known complication from food poisoning. Mr Marsh, from Mountain Ash, Wales, has now called on specialist serious injury lawyers to investigate his 'devastating' ordeal. William Marsh, 57, was in a coma for 10 weeks and spent seven months in hospital after becoming ill on a holiday to the Dominican Republic with his wife Kathryn He started suffering from stomach cramps and diarrhoea towards the end of a week-long all-inclusive at the Riu Naiboa resort to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary. When he got back home, the symptoms continued and on the day he was due to return to work as an engineer he woke up to find he had no feeling in his legs. That sensation then started to spread across his entire body and William was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Mr Marsh was on a ventilator in Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil and after a long period of treatment he was able to return home. But two years on from his diagnosis, his life has now completely changed, being unable to walk and essentially confined to his living room. He has been unable to return to work, and requires a hoist to be lifted into a wheelchair. He also has severe weakness down his left-hand side. Mr Marsh's holiday at the Riu Naiboa was booked through TUI UK Limited, who have said they are 'sorry' to hear of his 'experience'. The father-of-three, who is confined to his living room and has described the incident as 'devastating' and 'very frustrating', now has lawyers investigating the ordeal The father-of-three, who has described the incident as 'devastating' and 'very frustrating', now has lawyers investigating the ordeal. He wants help in accessing the specialist rehabilitation that he requires. Representing, Jatinder Paul from Irwin Mitchel said: 'This is a truly devastating case which clearly highlights the impact that gastric illness can have in some instances. 'Guillain-Barre syndrome can emerge following a bacterial infection and can cause anything from numbness to muscle weakness. In very severe cases like William's, it can even cause long-term, or permanent, paralysis. 'William has faced the most challenging period of his life and continues to hold many questions regarding what he has been through. Mr Marsh started suffering from stomach cramps and diarrhoea at the Riu Naiboa resort to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary (with wife Kathryn) 'We are determined to help him establish what happened and also secure him access to the specialist support he needs to ensure he gets the best from life. 'His life has been completely turned upside down by his condition and we are committed to doing everything we can to help him look to a brighter future.' Mr Marsh said: 'I need so much help to do even the simplest of tasks now and we have carers visiting the house every day. We have also had to make a range of changes, as we needed a wet room, new central heating and an adapted car. I have to spend most of my time in the living room as I struggle to access other areas. It's been devastating. 'The process of recovery has been incredibly slow and it has been very frustrating at times. It is still hard to believe everything that has happened to me and it has been tough facing up to the fact that I may never walk properly again.' A TUI UK spokeswoman said: ' We're sorry to hear of Mr Marsh's experience. As this is now a legal matter, it would be inappropriate to comment further. 'We'd like to reassure customers that we regularly audit all of the hotels we feature in respect of health and safety, including hygiene.' Mr Marsh has also received support from the charity Guillain-Barre and Associated Inflammatory Neuropathies (GAIN), the only national organisation in the UK and Republic of Ireland dedicated to helping people affected by Guillain-Barre syndrome, CIDP and the related conditions. Madrid, May 23 : The Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Services has confirmed slight increases in the number of new deaths and cases of COVID-19. Within the 24-hour period from midnight Wednesday to midnight Thursday, 56 people lost their lives to COVID-19, more than the 48 confirmed in the previous 24-hour period, taking the country's death toll from the disease to 28,628, Xinhua reported. The total number of deaths is considerably higher than Thursday's total of 27,940, due to the inclusion of over 630 prior deaths in Catalonia which had not previously been included, the Ministry said on Friday. There was also an increase in the number of new cases of COVID-19 detected by PCR tests (which discovers if the coronavirus is active in the body). The Health Ministry reported 446 new infections, compared with 344 new cases 24 hours earlier, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 234,824. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The consumer in India is progressing through the phase of restricted living in India and is looking at opening up the restrictions. As they move towards a more precautionary living in the new normal, significant adjustments in their behaviour and consumption dynamics is expected. COVID-19 has had a multifaceted impact on consumers lives. Hence, the potential unfolding of consumer sentiment and behaviour in the new normal across three time-horizons of restricted living condition enforced or self-inflicted. Navigating to regeneration Factoring in macroeconomic conditions and the resulting impact on consumers lifestyle and consumption, Nielsen has identified three exit scenarios as markets lift restrictions and begin to return to a new normal. These horizons build on the 6 consumer behaviour thresholds and provide a framework for understanding the changing consumer dynamics, as well as the intensity and permanence of that change over time. Rebound: In markets where consumers spend less time in lockdown (Q3 2020). COVID-19 cases will level off, but continue to spread. People will be cautiously optimistic as they emerge into a new normal. As income levels are impacted, in general, the majority will adopt the cut back & save mindset cutting down on non-essential travel (holidays) and other discretionary spends. Reboot: Consumers spend longer periods in restricted living (Q4 2020) with travel restrictions eased but significantly limited. Secondary outbreaks/ hotspots continue to challenge. Unemployment rises as well as reduced pay/ hours, as companies initially insulated feel the knock-on effects. Governments would tend to bail out key industries & companies, and shall promote buy local campaigns via subsidies & incentives. Reinvent: Consumers may spend up to nine months or more in highly restricted living conditions Hotspots & outbreaks will hinder cross border trade, and recession & unemployment will accelerate as major businesses fold. This would result in frustration and will grow more among low income groups. Consumers in times of COVID-19 What They Think There are two systems in our brain (System 1 and System 2, Thinking Fast & Slow, Daniel Kahneman). In normal times, System 1 and System 2 work in tandem and allocate attention effectively. In times of disruption and stress, like that during COVID-19, System 2 is adversely impacted causing an imbalance towards System 1 leading to an emotion-led behaviour than usual. Another impact of this imbalance is that our memory systems have reduced capacity. This means that our brain cannot encode information into memory as efficiently as it did before. This makes consumers veer towards things that are familiar. Thirdly, because of the strain and impaired decision-making ability, the brain relies more on mental shortcuts or heuristics than before. Heuristics are mental shortcuts which develop in the brain when something is done again and again. Implications for Consumer Behaviour Selective attention leads to consumers connecting with products and brands that are highly relevant to them at this time. Default to familiarity: This results in consumers choosing what is familiar (which their brain has marked out as safe from past experience). So, consumer memories around products/ brands that are visible (and relevant) will get strengthened With emotions heightened and consumers facing stress, consumers will connect with positive, forward-looking communication rather than those evoking fear, anxiety or stress With a disruption of routines, old habits will be disrupted and new ones will be formed. New habits will continue, and some will be worth reinforcing (for example, increased attention to health and hygiene). For some old habits to come back, consumers will need strong cues to encourage them to move back to their old habits. As the anticipation and announcements of lockdown opening up begin, the volume of conversations are now plateauing. Conversations peaked on the day PM Modi announced a financial boost in the economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore. A call to action for an Atmanirbhar Bharat and Choice of Local is seen to be building a new sentiment of getting back to life with a renewed mindset. What consumers express? Social media conversations are an early indicator of India inching towards the new normal. Topics of conversation The previous conversations of scare precaution, fighting back as a community and a nationalistic rise are now not trending very high. New themes of getting back with a new normal have emerged as the new topic of conversation. This was evident in the emergence of hashtags #AtmanirbharBharat, #20lakhcrores, #, #vocalforlocal, #helpsavesmallbusinesses, #restartingIndia, #reimaginenewnormal, #newnormal2020. What are consumers buying: Shifts from pre-lockdown to successive lockdowns FMCG Performance After a 3 per cent decline in March 2020 (versus March 2019), FMCG industry clocked a 34 per cent decline in April Traditional Trade channels led this sharp drop, while Modern Trade continued to grow in April 2020. The sharp degrowth of traditional trade channels can be attributed to area/ shop closures on an average, a traditional retail shop was closed for 12 days in April due to various restrictions and constraint. This number was significantly higher for outlets other than Chemists (4 days) and Grocers (8 days). Organised Trade Consumer buying behaviour in organised trade saw shifts from pre-lockdown period to successive lockdown stages (Lockdown I: 23rd March to 12th April, and Lockdown II: 13th April to 3rd May). The FMCG industry increased sales in the weeks prior to the lockdown announcement across organised retail and organised wholesale channels. This can be attributed to stockpiling and as we entered the lockdown phase, we saw a steep decline in sales across channels. This was caused by mobility restrictions and supply side challenges. Modern Trade sales continued to slow down as we moved from Phase I to Phase II of the lockdown. Cash & Carry and E-Commerce channels, on the other hand, were severely impacted in lockdown I and showed some signs of recovery in Lockdown II. As we moved into the lockdown phases, growth especially in the Non-Foods segment started shrinking, as constituent categories were classified non-essentials or they were low on consumers priority. Within Non-Foods, slowdown was witnessed across Home Care and Personal Care categories. Only evolved hygiene categories consisting of hand wash, hand sanitizer & floor cleaners continued to grow in lockdown phase I (11% vPY) and remained flat in lockdown phase II on account of heightened focus around health and hygiene. The Foods basket of Modern Trade shoppers witnessed pantry loading of staples and convenience food items in the pre-lockdown phase. However, as we moved into the lockdown period, their focus reduced on staples; convenience categories, however, continued to grow. Slowdown in Fresh Produce Another interesting trend was slowdown in sale of fresh produce Fruits & Vegetables, Eggs, Meat and Sea Foods among Modern Trade banners. This seems to be driven by both supply and demand side factors. In a Nielsen consumer study (10th to 14th April 2020) among 1,330 respondents across 23 cities, more than half of the respondents said they will be avoiding non-veg food as a precautionary measure. This percentage was still high at 37% in the March (17-19) round of the study. Forty per cent of respondents in the April round stated they would buy less of meat and fish. Along with the demand side factors there were factors on supply side as well, the top few being lesser foot fall and supply chain/ low shelf life worries for fresh produce. Where do we go from here? At an emotional level, different narratives emerge across different consumer cohorts. Differences emerge across primarily around lifestage and socio-economic backgrounds of consumers. The insights are gathered from the qualitative study conducted by Nielsen in May across key cities in India. Older consumers, around 35+ feel that this time of disruption is temporary. As with other crises that they have as reference points (riots, emergency), they feel that this situation will in time resolve itself. The sentiment is that This too shall pass. Younger consumers of 20+ feel anxiety and a loss of control. Their nascent start in career and an upward trajectory is at a halt. They are fearful of the uncertainty around pay cuts and job losses. They feel this disruption could be a game changer. There is renewed respect for uniformed personnel the medical care givers, the police, garbage collectors, etc. The Invisible have become Visible. Constant narratives of migrants and the less privileged have brought this cohort into the collective consciousness. The well-off feel the weight of privilege. This brings with it great social mindedness and a desire to support the less well off in their immediate ecosystem or in the larger community. Consumers who belong to higher socio-economic status are relatively buffered against financial crises. They navigate this time by finding joy in reconnecting with simple pleasures such as spending time with the family, cooking together, DIY activities. Consumers belonging to the lower socio-economic status, on the other hand, feel that livelihood is becoming more important than life! This disruption and the lockdown are coming between their earning and survival. They feel abandoned and helpless. Meanwhile, majority of Indians (77%) across all key metros believe that spread of COVID-19 in their city/ state will come under control in the next three months, however, only 30% are completely prepared for the crisis, financially. This further drops to 17% among low income groups (having household income less than Rs 50,000). Businesses will need to carefully (re)consider and plan for how to solve and adapt to the future conditions through the new unfolding lenses. Brands which pivot or reposition themselves based on renewed purpose will be likely to reap benefits, as they demonstrate empathy and continued caring for consumers. New Delhi: The very suave actor-host Samir Kochhar's is one of the most charming actors around. Playing a lot of unconventional roles Samir has managed to add a feather to the cap. While audiences loved him in 'The Test Case', they equally enjoyed his role in the 'Typewriter'. He chose to stand alongside Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the path-breaking web series 'Sacred Games.' An exceptional actor who has always managed to make his mark in the industry recently played a pivotal part in the second season of Four More Shots Please. The actor has proved time and time again that he is quite good at what he does. He celebrates his birthday on 23rd May at his residency in Mumbai. On the special occasion, Samir quoted, "This quarantine birthday will always be remembered. Last year, I was working on my birthday, so this time being at home truly feels great." Every year Samir Kochhar used to be busy in anchoring for the IPL and he would get to celebrate only post-birthday but the pandemic has resulted in the world coming together and he is getting time to celebrate his birthday with his family this time. The virtual party with friends along with the home-made cake made by his wife Radhika and his children, this one for sure, holds a special place in his heart. Advertisement A passenger list from the doomed Pakistan International Airlines Airbus A320 has revealed where the two survivors were sitting when the aircraft plowed into a residential neighbourhood in Karachi. Nineteen of the 97 bodies recovered from the wreckage have been identified and were collected by loved ones for funeral prayers this morning. Two men survived the devastating crash - President of the Bank of Punjab, Zafar Masud, was sitting in seat 1C, and was filmed being pulled alive from the smoking wreck. The second survivor, engineer Mohammad Zubair, 24, who was sitting in seat 8F, spoke from his hospital bed in a video clip circulated on social media. 'After it hit and I regained conciousness, I saw fire everywhere and no one was visible,' Zubair said. Bank of Punjab president Zafar Masood, who was in seat 1C when the plane crashed, was dragged from the smoking debris of the Pakistan International Airlines flight after it smashed into houses in Karachi yesterday The other survivor, engineer Muhammad Zubair, told Geo News the pilot came down for one landing, briefly touched down, then took off again A huge fireball was then witnessed before a thick black plume of smoke could be seen rising into the air 'The cries were everywhere and everybody was trying to survive. I undid my seat belt and I saw some light and tried to walk towards it. Then I jumped out.' The passenger list from the PIA Airbus A320 show that Masud was sitting at the very front of the plane and Zubair was behind the bulkhead, 10 seats back. Masud suffered fractures but was 'conscious and responding well', the Bank of Punjab said. The other survivor, engineer Zubair, told Geo News the pilot came down for one landing, briefly touched down, then took off again. After around 10 more minutes of flying, the pilot announced to passengers he was going to make a second attempt, then crashed as he approached the runway, Zubair said from his bed in Civil Hospital Karachi. 'All I could see around was smoke and fire,' he added. 'I could hear screams from all directions. Kids and adults. All I could see was fire. I couldn't see any people just hear their screams.' The other 97 passengers and crew are believed to have died. 'Thank you so much. God has been merciful,' Mr Masood, the banker who was in seat 1C said, according to officials who spoke to him in hospital after the crash. Mourning families were pictured carrying their loved ones from local hospitals for funeral services today, on the morning of Eid - the celebration of the end of Ramadan. Relatives of Pakistani Army Major Adnan, a victim of plane crash, attend his funeral a day after a passenger plane of state run Pakistan International Airlines, crashed in a residential colony, in Karachi, Pakistan, today A rescue worker checks bodies of the victims the day after a passenger plane of state run Pakistan International Airlines crashed in a residential area, at a mortuary in Karachi, Pakistan today People mourn around the body of their relative, who was killed in the Friday's plane crash, at a morgue in Karachi, Pakistan, today. An aviation official says a passenger plane belonging to state-run Pakistan International Airlines carrying passengers and crew has crashed near the southern port city of Karachi Relatives attend the funeral of the victims a day after a passenger plane of state run Pakistan International Airlines, crashed on a residential colony, in Karachi, Pakistan today Relatives of a plane crash victim recover the body a day after a passenger plane of state run Pakistan International Airlines crashed on a residential colony in Karachi, Pakistan today 'Eid has become meaningless not only for Karachi but the whole of Pakistan,' said Zia ul Huq Qamar, who lives near the crash site. Several members of the armed forces who were flying home to their families to celebrate the holiday were among the dead, the military said. Shahbaz Hussain said his mother, who was also among the victims, had been flying back to Karachi after becoming stranded by the lockdown in Lahore while visiting her daughters. The University of Karachi is collecting the DNA of the remaining bodies in the hopes of identifying them. An airline spokesman said today that the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been recovered and will be handed over to an inquiry board for an investigation. Witnesses said the flight from Lahore had made three failed attempts to land at Jinnah International Airport before ploughing into the Model Colony area of the city on a fourth landing attempt. Pakistan's civil aviation authority said the plane had 91 passengers and a crew of seven. The pilot told air traffic control that he had lost both of his engines and a recording has emerged of the captain making a final mayday call before the crash. The Airbus A320-214 model uses a CFM56 engine made by CFM International, a joint venture between US-based General Electric and France's Safran. A photo of the aircraft on approach also shows that the landing gear is still up and black scorch marks under each engine. The air traffic control recording starts after the pilot has already made one failed landing attempt. In this picture taken today and released by Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), Pakistan's Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Awana (C-R in black jacket) visits along with Governor of Province Sindh, Imran Ismail (C-L in blue jacket), at the site a day after a Pakistan International Airlines aircraft crashed in a residential area in Karachi People carry the casket of the victims of Friday's plane crash for funeral prayers in Karachi, Pakistan today This picture shared by plane enthusiasts in Pakistan today shows the aircraft shortly before the crash, after it suffered an apparent engine failure. Black scorch marks can be seen beneath each engine and the landing gear is still up A bulldozer works in the wreckage of the Pakistan International Airlines crash today after the Airbus A320 smashed into a residential area of Karachi on Friday This was the scene as emergency crews rushed to the scene of the plane crash in the Model Colony in Karachi Volunteers carry an injured woman from the crash site after a Pakistan International Airlines came down in a residential area The plane had been flying from Lahore to Jinnah, which usually takes 90 minutes, before it went down in the Model Colony area as it began its final approach to land at Karachi airport The pilot says: 'We are proceeding direct, sir - we have lost engine'. 'Confirm your attempt on belly,' the air traffic controller said, offering a runway. 'Sir, mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday Pakistan 8303,' the pilot said before the transmission ended. Videos uploaded on social media show the plane's final moments as it steadily descends to the shrieks of terrified residents. Witnesses say the plane was so low they felt the walls of their houses tremble and saw the plane tilted on one side. The chequered safety record of CFM56 engine mounted on Airbus A320 According to Flightradar24, the particular model which crashed today was an Airbus A320-214, which uses an engine called a CFM56-5B4. CFM International is a joint venture between General Electric of the United States and France's Safran. The failure of a pair of CFM engines was blamed for the Kegworth air disaster in 1989, when 47 people were killed after a Boeing 737 crashed into a motorway embankment in Leicestershire. A fan blade in one of the engines failed around 13 minutes into the British Midland Airways flight, investigators said. The engine was subsequently modified and cleared to fly again. In 2018, a CFM56 engine on Southwest flight 1380 blew apart over Pennsylvania about 20 minutes after the Dallas-bound flight left New York. The explosion sent shrapnel ripping into the fuselage of the Boeing 737-700 plane and shattered a window. One person died. Advertisement Plumes of smoke smothered the skyline after the Pakistan International Airlines plane smashed into houses among the poor and densely populated area of Model Colony that is two miles from the airport. The A320 can carry up to 180 passengers, depending on how its cabin is configured. The Sindh provincial government press department later distributed a photo depicting a second survivor identified as Mohammad Zubair, recovering in a Karachi hospital. Safety record of the Airbus A320... There have been 119 aviation incidents and accidents across the Airbus A320 fleet. The narrow-body airliners are designed and produced by Airbus, and the first A320 was launched in 1987. The fleet's first crash happened just a year later in 1988 after the captain of an Air France Flight 296 delayed applying full power as he climbed away, crashing into trees beyond the runway. Four further crashes happened in the 1990s, including in Bangalore, the Vosges mountains, Warsaw, and the Philippines. Nine incidents took place in the 2000s and a further 13 happened between 2011 and 2019. It is believed that 18 of the accidents have been fatal, including more than 1,400 deaths. A total of 47 hull loss incidents - when the plane is damaged beyond repair - have occurred among the fleet. Advertisement Footage showed scenes of chaos with burning rubble and plane debris strewn across the area as hospitals ready themselves for a flurry of victims and the Pakistani Army desperately hunts for survivors. The Prime Minister has pledged to hold an 'immediate inquiry' into the crash. In Pakistan there is fevered speculation that model and actress Zara Abid, who has more than 80,000 Instagram followers, was one of the victims but this has not been confirmed. However, tributes were being paid to her on Twitter by Pakistani fashion designers and actors. The official statement confirmed two survivors and said that 17 of the bodies had been 'identified so far.' Earlier the airline's chief executive Arshad Mahmood Malik said in a press conference that only one survivor had been confirmed from the wreckage - the president of the Bank of Punjab, Zafar Masud. The Airbus had been flying from Lahore to Jinnah, which usually takes 90 minutes, before it went down in the Model Colony area as it began its final approach to land at Karachi airport. 'The last we heard from the pilot was that he has some technical problem,' a PIA spokesman revealed. 'He was told from the final approach that both the runways were ready where he can land, but the pilot decided that he wanted to do (a) go-round... It is a very tragic incident.' A recording posted on monitoring website liveatc.net reveals the pilot told controllers the plane had lost power from both its engines on its second attempt to land. As it called off an earlier attempt to land and tried for a second time, a controller radioed the pilot and told him he appeared to be turning left, suggesting he was off-course. The pilot replied, 'We are returning back, sir, we have lost engines,' and the controller cleared the plane to land on either of Karachi airport's two West-Southwest-facing runways. Twelve seconds later the pilot cried 'Mayday, Mayday, Mayday' and was again cleared to use either runway. A resident of the area, Abdul Rahman, said he saw the aircraft circle at least three times, appearing to try and land before it crashed into several houses and caused roofs to cave in. 'The aeroplane first hit a mobile tower and crashed over houses,' witness Shakeel Ahmed said near the site, a few miles short of the airport. The Sindh provincial health department said it had recovered 57 bodies, while PIA chairman Arshad Malik said finding all the dead could take two to three days. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sources said the captain had reported a technical fault before the plane vanished from the radar. They told News One that communication with the plane was cut off one minute before it was scheduled to touch down. In Pakistan there is fevered speculation that model and actress Zara Abid, who has more than 80,000 Instagram followers, was one of the victims but this has not been confirmed However, airworthiness documents showed the plane last received a government check on Nov. 1, 2019. PIA's chief engineer signed a separate certificate April 28 saying all maintenance had been conducted. It said 'the aircraft is fully airworthy and meets all the safety' standards. Seemin Jamali, executive director at the nearby Jinnah Hospital, said 17 dead bodies and six wounded people had been brought in. Three people who were on the ground in the area where the plane crashed were injured. Rescue workers and local residents pulled people from the debris as firefighters battled to put out the flames. 'I heard a big bang and woke up to people calling for the fire brigade,' said Karachi resident Mudassar Ali. Teenager Hassan said: I was coming from the mosque when I saw the plane tilting on one side. The engines' sounds were quite weird. It was so low that the walls of my house were trembling.' CCTV appears to show the moment the plane crashed into the residential area of Karachi A relative of one of the victims was pictured standing outside a mobile morgue which was parked near the scene Rescue workers also used stretchers to carry bodies from the wreckage of the crashed airliner Another of the survivors, Mohammed Zubair, was pictured in hospital in Karachi as he was spoken to by Pakistani minister Saeed Ghani The plane wreaked devastation when it ploughed into a poor residential area Emergency responders spray the wreckage of the Airbus A320 after it crashed into houses in the densely populated Model Colony area of Karchi Pieces of the wrecked plane lie among the burnt debris at the crash site in Karachi after the crash today Rescue workers descend on the site of the passenger plane crash in a residential area near an airport in Karachi, Pakistan Rescuers have pulled a number of people from the debris caused by the crash. It is understood that two passengers survived the crash A wrecked door from the plane is seen in the residential area of Karachi Model Colony where the Airbus A320 crashed Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted: 'Shocked & saddened by the PIA crash. Am in touch with PIA CEO Arshad Malik, who has left for Karachi & with the rescue & relief teams on ground as this is the priority right now. 'Immediate inquiry will be instituted. Prayers & condolences go to families of the deceased.' The crash comes as Pakistanis across the country are preparing to celebrate the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr, with many travelling back to their homes in cities and villages. Airbus did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the crash. The flight typically takes an hour and a half from the northeastern city of Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, to Karachi. The plane which crashed is pictured above flying above Dubai International Airport in 2017 A rescuer was seen carrying a baby from the disaster scene. The child is believed to have been from a family living in the residential area where the plane came down Photos of burning rubble were circulated online in the immediate aftermath of the crash (left) as the Pakistani army is pictured above right rescuing a young child covered in ash Officials sift through the wreckage of the passenger plane as they work next to one of the fallen aircraft's engines The battered remains of the plane's engine can be seen above mere moments after the crash This was the scene of devastation as fire brigade staff used jet hoses to put out the fire. The plane crashed down as it approached Karachi's Jinnah International Airport Plumes of smoke billow after the Pakistan International Airlines plane smashed into the residential area A burning car in the aftermath of the crash sits among rubble (left) as plumes of smoke billow in the air (right) The crash comes just days after the country began allowing commercial flights to resume Emergency crews inspect the destruction as they stand in the rubble after the plane smashed into buildings on Friday Video footage that has appeared online appears to show the low-flying plane low over houses (left) moments before the fatal crash (right) as smoke bursts into the air The jet has been indentified by tracking website flightradar24.com as a 15-year-old Airbus A320. In 2016, a Pakistan International Airlines plane burst into flames after one of its two turboprop engines failed while flying from the remote northern to Islamabad, killing more than 40 people. PIA, one of the world's leading airlines until the 1970s, now suffers from a sinking reputation due to frequent cancellations, delays and financial troubles. It has been involved in numerous controversies over the years, including the jailing of a drunk pilot in Britain in 2013. The crash comes as Pakistanis across the country are preparing to celebrate the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr, with many travelling back to their homes in cities and villages. A child survivor, with its cheek and head bandaged, looks on at the unfolding horror (left) while a Pakistani Army soldier (right) leads another away from the scene A victim is taken away on a body board as medics scramble to find survivors Hospital staff prepare to receive the victims of the passenger plane crash Ambulances arrive at the scene ready to rush victims to hospital Police have also been spotted blasting water on the charred remains of the aircraft Emergency authorities have been scrambled to the scene in a desperate attempt to find survivors injured in the crash A plume of smoke is seen in the aftermath of the crash Arshad Malik, PIA boss, posted a message of condolence on Twitter The Pakistan military tweeted that security forces had been deployed to the area and helicopters were being used to survey the damage and help ongoing rescue operations. The crash comes just days after the country began allowing commercial flights to resume. Pakistan has a chequered military and civilian aviation safety record, with frequent plane and helicopter crashes over the years. Bengaluru: A whopping 196 coronanvirus cases were reported in Karnataka on Saturday, sending anxieties soaring in the medical and executive establishments here. Going by the pace, the state is expected to cross 2,000 cases tonight or Sunday. The state breached the 1000 mark on May 15, when the number of corona cases stood at 1056. They have doubled in a matter of eight days, reaching 1939. It took the virus 16 days to double its detected infections from 600 cases (May 2) to 1200 (May 18). But with the daily spurts of new cases topping 100 mark for four times this week, the state's doubling rate has fallen to eight days. This hurtling pace is majorly due to the influx of workers from Maharashtra. Of the 196 cases taken on record on Saturday, 172 are returnees from Maharashtra. Staturday's spurt broke the previous record of 149 cases for a single-day surge. The toll due to Covid-19 inched up with the death of an 32 year old male from Bengaluru. The toll is now 42. The geographic distribution of the new cases is thus: 72 from Yadgir, 39 from Raichur, 28 from Mandya, 20 from Chikkaballapura, 15 from Gadag, 4 each from Hassan and Bengaluru, 3 each from Davangere and Uttara Kannada, 2 each from Dakshin Kannada and Kolar and one each from Belagavi, Dharwad, Udupi and Kalburgi. All the 72 cases from Yadagiri, 37 out of 39 cases from Raichur, all 28 from Mandya, 20 from Chikkaballapura, 3 from Gadag, 4 from Hassan, 2 from Uttara Kannada, one each from Udupi, Bengaluru, Kalburgi, Dharwad and Belagavi, Dakshin Kannada are all returnees from Maharashtra. One positive patient has infected nine of his primary contacts in Gadag. The remaining three cases from Bengaluru are one returnee from Tamilnadu, one from New Delhi and one with Influenza like Illness. The case of a government doctor at Moodigere which was a cause of concern for the locals has turned out negative. The investors who were part of the suspended schemes at the time of sidepocketing will get their dues as and when recoveries are made in the segregated portfolio Debt funds have confronted one bad news after another. The two of the worst affected categories in debt funds -- credit risk funds and medium duration funds -- have seen highest redemptions due to heightened apprehension of liquidity concerns and defaults. Now ABSL Mutual Fund has suspended two debt funds -- Aditya Birla Sun Life (ABSL) Credit Risk Fund and ABSL Medium Term Fund -- for new investors. These schemes will not accept any new lumpsum, SIP or STP investment requests. However, it will allow redemptions and existing SIPs and STPs to continue. It has hardly been a month since Franklin Templeton closed six of its debt mutual funds due to unprecedented redemption pressure. In such a scenario, closure of two debt funds by ABSL fund house may give an impression that another scheme is biting the dust. The perception is not totally unfounded. These two funds saw substantial redemption during the last one month after the Franklin Templeton fiasco. The AUM of ABSL Credit Risk Fund, which was Rs 4,052 crore on April 23, 2020 fell down by 50.25 per cent to Rs 2016 crore on May 20. ABSL Medium Term Fund lived the similar fate as its AUM fell by 37.67 per cent from Rs 3,441.59 crore to Rs 2,144.87 during the same period. However, the story appears a little different here. The fund house is claiming that existing investors may incur substantial benefit due to intended debt recoveries from existing bad assets. The suspension of funds for new investors as per them is intended to stop speculators from entering into the schemes and diluting the advantage of existing investors. "Investors are hardly affected due to these restrictions. On the contrary, it will benefit the existing investors in these schemes. New investors will have to wait to invest in these Schemes," says Nitin Shahi, Executive Director of FINDOC Group. The fund house was significantly affected when the debt fund crisis unfolded in August 2018 with IL&FS default as it had exposure in debt securities of troubled firm. Many other debt securities held by the fund house also appeared on the shaky ground. The fund house had to sidepocket some of its troubled exposure on November 26, 2019, by creating a segregated portfolio of troubled assets to help the fund focus on recoveries. After the sidepocketing, existing investors were not given their due from this segregated portfolio. They were to be paid only when recovery was made in the portfolio. In case of ABSL, the schemes appear to make some recoveries from the bad assets and hence are expected to bring substantial gain for existing investors. The gain could be diluted to a great extent if new investors invest significantly. The investors who were part of the suspended schemes at the time of sidepocketing will get their dues as and when recoveries are made in the segregated portfolio. "From the viewpoint of those who are currently invested in the debt schemes (that have discontinued inflow), it's a welcome move because this is a measure to check dilution of their gains. The existing investors will be paid off for the risk that they have taken. This is due to the expected recovery of funds written off by Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund over the last few months," says Pranjal Kamra, CEO, Finology. However, as per Morningstar the fund house had marked down 35 per cent of its exposure in some of the troubled assets three weeks before the sidepocketing on November 26, 2019. So, investors who suffered losses before the sidepocketing happened may not get any benefit. "In our view the AMC should have opted for side-pocketing earlier in these schemes. This would have benefited those who have exited the schemes in losses," says Kamra of Finology. At a time when debt investors are tired of getting bad news, this will give a fresh lease of hope. "The out of the way thinking by the Birla MF will boost confidence towards the existing investors. The measure will present the fund house as more responsible towards their investors and these measures can be used by other fund houses as well," says Shahi of FINDOC. This should lead the way for debt funds to take extra care of their investors' interest. Also Read: Coronavirus impact: What the future holds for battered restaurant industry Also Read: India's auto industry to take 6 years to recover: Bosch Also Read: Jet Airways' resolution timeline extended till August 21 amid coronavirus lockdown Schools have been forced to cut the number of students at their boarding houses, ban parent visits and limit boarders' freedoms under strict rules imposed by health authorities to limit transmission of COVID-19. While social distancing does not apply to day students, boarding schools are at higher risk of outbreaks so have been told to keep dormitories at 25 per cent capacity, stagger meal times, and restrict movements in and out of accommodation areas. Common rooms designed to bring students together now have crosses on cushions to keep them apart, while the kitchen self-serve "conga line" has been replaced with separately-prepared meals, individually-wrapped condiments and one diner per table. Boarding students at Kambala School in Rose Bay have their temperature checked Credit:James Brickwood While schools are bringing day students back to full-time face-to-face classes, some boarders will continue to do lessons remotely because their boarding house can no longer accommodate all its students, said Richard Stokes, chief executive of the Australian Boarding Schools Association. Odishas headache over institutional quarantine migrants returning home continued as 400 workers from Andhra Pradesh got down from a Shramik Special train at the railway station near Chilika lake on Saturday in a bid to escape compulsory quarantine, officials said. The Shramik Special train carrying about 1,200 migrant workers from Namburu in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh was on its way to Bhadrak district this afternoon when about 400 migrant workers of Ganjam pulled chain at Chilika railway station. They were supposed to get down in one of the two railway stations of Ganjam district. However, the train did not have any stoppage in Ganjam and was supposed to halt at Khurda road railway station from where they were supposed to travel to their respective quarantine centres in their panchayats. So when the train crossed Chilika, the migrant workers pulled the chain, said a East Coast railway official. The Government Railway Police later detained the workers at the Chilika Railway Station and informed the officials of Ganjam district who arrived with vehicles to ferry them to the quarantine centres. Saturdays incident has come on the back of dozens of such incidents involving migrant workers who are reluctant to stay in 21 days of institutional quarantine after long gruelling travel from their workplaces in other States. Since May 1, about 2.32 lakh migrant workers in different States have come back to Odisha and are being quarantined for 21 days in about 16,000 quarantine centres in rural areas. For the migrant workers, the quarantine centres have become virtual jails. Most of the centres dont have basic facilities. After losing their jobs in their workplaces, the quarantine centres are adding to their stress, said Pradip Pradhan, social activist. With 90 per cent of the total 1,269 Covid cases being reported from those in quarantine centres, the government acknowledges the importance of the centres in containing the spread of pandemic, Yet in several quarantine centres, the migrant workers say the arrangements leave much to be desired. Early this month, over 150 migrant workers fled the quarantine centre protesting lack of drinking water while in another such centre, they alleged that the food was inedible. On Saturday, 54 inmates of K Ramchandrapur quarantine centre of Ganjam district had blocked the Aska-Sorada road alleging lack of electricity and drinking water supply at the centre. A couple of days ago, the video of inmates of a quarantine centre of Bolangir district boycotting the food had gone viral. With few clean and adequate number of toilets in several quarantine centres, there have been reports of many inmates defecating in the open. The government through advertisements in social media had said the migrant workers would have a comfortable stay of 21 days in the quarantine centres. But on ground that is not happening, said Sarbeswar Behuria of Jajpur district, a local panchayat leader. In the quarantine centre of Dhunkapada grampanchayat in Ganjams Polasara block, the inmates alleged of dirty toilets and lack of hand sanitisers. The rising positive cases among those quarantined has led to fear and apprehension among villagers towards migrant workers. On Friday, hundreds of people in Bajipur village of Balasore district, a Covid hotspot staged a road blockade demanding that six migrants who had returned from Maharashtra be put in quarantine. We have asked sarpanch, police and local tehsildar to keep the migrant workers in quarantine. However, no one seems to pay any heed, the locals alleged. Epidemiologist Binod Patra of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said unless the government successfully manages the quarantine centre, the risk of community transmission may not be ruled out. At least 3-4 lakh migrant workers are expected to arrive in the coming days. If the government fails to keep them at the quarantine centres for 21 days, the cases may just gallop in monsoon months, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 21:02:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MUMBAI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Following the relaxation in norms allowing e-commerce companies to resume deliveries, Amazon's Indian subsidiary is on a hiring spree for 50,000 temporary workers to meet a surge in online shopping in the country. After close to two months of nation-wide lockdown and curbs on shopping malls and retail outlets being still prevalent due to rising cases of the COVID-19, the Indian government last week allowed the resumption of e-commerce activities for both essential and non-essential deliveries across the country. "We want to continue helping customers all over India get everything they need so they can continue to practice social distancing. To enable this, we are creating work opportunities for close to 50,000 seasonal associates across our fulfilment and delivery network. This will also keep as many people as possible working during this pandemic while providing a safe work environment for them," said Akhil Saxena, vice president, Customer Fulfilment Operations, APAC, MENA & LATAM, Amazon on the company's blog. These associates will be deployed across Amazon India's fulfilment and delivery network and assist them to pick, pack, ship and deliver customers' orders placed for sellers more efficiently, said the blog. India, which now ranks 11th among all countries in terms of over 125,000 confirmed cases, has seen a huge migration of workers from metro cities to the hinterland leading to shortage of workforce in manufacturing and services activity. According to London-based data analytics firm GlobalData, the pandemic will push India's e-commerce market to 92 billion U.S. dollars by 2023 "While the current lockdown in the country has led to the overall decline in consumer spending, this is being partially offset by a rise in online spending, as wary consumers stay at home and use online channels to purchase goods," said Ravi Sharma, banking and payments lead analyst at GlobalData. Enditem SAN FRANCISCO - Ivan Salgado, a 32-year-old bartender and server at his family's Mexican restaurant in Chicago, volunteered to stop working in late March so his aunt wouldn't have to lay off any other servers. There weren't many opportunities for hospitality workers such as Salgado under the city's shelter-in-place order. But Salgado had his own car and figured he would have an easier time finding a side hustle than his co-workers. To make rent, he threw himself into working full-time for grocery delivery company Instacart, which has exploded in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic and is hiring 550,000 workers to keep up with demand. "Honestly, I feel like I have no other choice," he said. "There's really no other place to work unless it's working at a grocery store, doing delivery service like this." More than 38 million people have filed for unemployment nationwide in the last two months. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of gig jobs became available from businesses including Amazon, DoorDash, Instacart and Shipt, a delivery app acquired by Target. Like Salgado, many workers who have been furloughed, laid off or can't work from home are rushing into the gig economy, lured by the promise of an immediate and flexible way to earn money. This massive influx of new gig workers could become a more permanent fixture of the economy if consumer demand for home delivery stays strong after the pandemic or if tech companies normalize replacing employees with gig jobs. That means more Americans could face the same inequities exposed by the virus, such as access to health care and sick leave. Even in the best of times, gig work offered few protections. But the virus crisis has increased the stakes of operating without a safety net. Most on-demand companies offset thin profit margins by offloading the risk onto workers, who are classified as independent contractors and have to provide their own vehicle and gas. There is a lack of basic employee protections. Take-home pay is volatile, and there is no minimum wage or overtime. "It's one of the most vivid illustrations of how work has become more precarious," said Molly Kinder, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, a public-policy think tank. "In a moment where we are all feeling vulnerable - about our jobs, our family and our health - it makes us think: Is this really what we want the work of the future to be?" State and local officials have now deemed these workers essential, but companies continue to treat them as replaceable. Workers say packages of face masks and hand sanitizer have arrived delayed or damaged. DoorDash charges drivers $5 per shipment of face masks and hand sanitizer. Instacart told Salgado on April 11 that his safety gear was in the mail, but he still hasn't received it. In response to questions from The Washington Post, Instacart said the kit was still in transit and the company would expedite a new one to Salgado. DoorDash declined to comment. There were 1.6 million gig workers in the United States in 2017, according to the most recent survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Surveys conducted around that time by McKinsey Global Institute and the Freelancers' Union found that 25 to 30% of all U.S. workers engaged in nontraditional or gig work, as either a primary or supplementary income. Silicon Valley, led by Uber and Lyft, spent a decade pitching this labor arrangement as both empowering and inevitable. But, illustrating the volatility of gig work, Uber's ride-hailing business has fallen by 80% during the coronavirus crisis, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said during an earnings call this month - meaning many fewer rides for its drivers. Forty percent of the app's drivers in the United States and Canada were cross-dispatched in April to Uber Eats. Despite a rising number of covid-19 cases among workers at grocery stores and Amazon warehouses, the companies have filled the majority of their new positions. Instacart, founded in 2012, more than doubled its workforce in two months, thanks in part to Facebook ads with the coronavirus-sensitive slogan "Make money without passengers." Target's Shipt brought on 100,000 workers, doubling the size of its fleet in two months after six years in business. DoorDash launched a program to quickly approve furloughed restaurant workers for gig jobs on its platform. And Amazon has seen more new drivers sign up for Amazon Flex, a gig service where workers use their own vehicles to deliver packages or groceries from Whole Foods, said spokeswoman Rena Lunak. (Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.) In interviews with 20 people who signed up for these jobs since the coronavirus crisis hit two months ago, workers said the barrier to entry was low, requiring little more than a background check, driver's license and car insurance. But many found a steep learning curve in navigating company policies that shape pay and hours. Nearly all recruits said the availability of work and pay dropped off after a few weeks. In online forums, workers blame the drop on bots or the deluge of new workers. Instacart said its gig workers, known as shoppers, "appreciate the choice and flexibility that shopping on the Instacart platform affords them," according to spokeswoman Natalia Montalvo. She added that most shoppers "use Instacart primarily to supplement their income from other forms of work - providing a critical lifeline for people during this economic downturn." Shipt spokeswoman Julie Coop said policy changes during the pandemic have benefited workers. "We are committed to our people, and work closely with our independent shoppers to ensure working opportunities that meet their needs," Coop said. Max Rettig, head of public policy for DoorDash, said, "We will continue to do everything we can to promote the health and safety of those we serve through our platform while providing meaningful, flexible earning opportunities during this time of economic crisis." He added that its drivers earned on average more than $23 per hour last month, including tips. Lunak said Amazon Flex offers workers an opportunity to set their own schedule and that, on average, workers drive 13 hours per week and earn more than $25 an hour. Lawmakers have expanded benefits like unemployment to gig workers in recent months, despite the fact that companies have not paid into state unemployment funds. (In some states, income from gig apps can reduce the amount of unemployment workers are able to collect, but laws vary.) In May, California sued Uber and Lyft for denying workers minimum wage, overtime and sick leave, in violation of a state law that went into effect in January, but companies say it does not apply. "Sometimes it takes a pandemic to shake us into realizing what that really means and who suffers the consequences," California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said during a news conference announcing the lawsuit. In the meantime, the flood of new gig workers has become the most high-stakes test of flexibility versus precarity. "A lot of them don't know how to schedule themselves, navigate through the app or see their earnings," said Nicholas Trinidad, who has been working for DoorDash and other delivery apps for two years and fields questions from recruits while waiting in restaurant parking lots or at the grocery store. Many recruits are learning by doing. Debbie Everitt Welker has worked as a hair stylist in Texas since 1984 but found herself temporarily out of a job when the Dallas salon where she cuts hair had to close to comply with shelter-in-place orders. Welker signed up for Instacart after an ad popped up on Facebook promising up to $25 per hour. Grocery shopping sounded simple enough. After all, she'd been doing it for decades. Welker knew she would still have to deduct money for gas, taxes, and wear and tear on her car, but she figured even $15 an hour was worth her time. "I never imagined it would be under $10 an hour," she said. Instacart's algorithm organizes grocery orders into "batches," which can include up to three different customers. Workers then select gigs from a Twitter-like feed, which shows earnings per batch in one lump sum, including tips. Welker soon discovered that customer tips are reduced when items are not in stock, an inevitable occurrence during a pandemic. "I thought when you accepted a batch, that was what you made," she said. The reliance on tips also hurt Salgado, the restaurant worker in Chicago. For a while, he made $150 a day for five or six hours of work, slightly more per hour than he made during shifts at the restaurant. But he also had a customer who lowered his tip from 53% to zero after the groceries were delivered, a practice known as tip-baiting, where customers offer a high tip to try to snatch a delivery slot and then claw it back. Instacart allows customers to increase or decrease their tip up to three days after an order is complete. "I'm grabbing all these groceries that other people have touched," Salgado said. "I'm still putting myself at risk just for them to take the money back?" Some recruits who opted for gig work because of the flexibility found themselves devoting unpaid hours refreshing the app to find work - especially after the number of gigs seemed to drop off after a few weeks. Kelly, a former corporate marketing consultant, has been flipping houses in Pittsburgh since 2018. But in mid-March, the real estate market essentially shut down after city inspectors and appraisers were sent home. Kelly, who declined to give her last name out of fear of retaliation from Amazon, signed up for Amazon Flex because she wanted to work only two or three days a week. But three weeks after starting, the 47-year-old had such a hard time finding orders that for a few weeks she set an alarm for 4 a.m. to grab shifts before they disappeared. And despite completing all the online video tutorials, she didn't know that Flex drivers could ask to be compensated if it takes them longer to deliver all the packages than the time Amazon estimates. Amazon calls this an "adjustment," but "most people out in the real world would call [it] overtime pay," Kelly said. When the app is down, it can cost drivers money as well as time. Meredith Troy, who started working for Instacart last month in Oviedo, Florida, said the app crashed just as she had almost finished shopping. Troy was new to gig work after her other three jobs fell through: tutoring and child care - paused during shelter-in-place - and caregiving at an assisted-living facility from which she says she was fired after a disagreement with her manager. At first when the app crashed, Troy was resigned to losing an hour putting all the items back on the shelves. But when she tried to cancel, a pop-up in the app warned her that too many cancellations could affect her internal ratings. "I was looking at the pork loins in the shopping cart, thinking, 'Oh, my god, these things are going to go bad, it's going to reflect badly on me, the customer is going to put in complaints,' " she said. So Troy got out her credit card and paid $229.92 herself. When the app came back online later that day, she explained the ordeal to several service representatives, showing photos of the receipts and screen shots of the customer orders. Troy waited weeks for her full reimbursement, which came through only after The Post asked Instacart about it. Online forums for workers on Facebook, Reddit and Discord are dotted with stories like Troy's about getting the runaround from the companies, even when it comes to the two coronavirus-related health benefits promised to most gig workers: free safety gear and paid leave for those with the virus or officially instructed to self-quarantine. Even workers who have been told by a doctor that they contracted the coronavirus, but were not tested, have had trouble accessing health benefits, according to interviews with veteran workers. Some people who recently signed up for gig work were laid off or furloughed from jobs that didn't easily cross the digital divide. Shaylie May, a 22-year-old dance instructor who teaches modern dance, ballet and other classes at a studio in St. George, Utah, is able to do a couple of classes a week on Zoom, but it's not enough to pay the bills, so she signed up to deliver food for DoorDash in late March. St. George is a resort town without many tourists now, and May can find orders only during peak hours. When she posted on social media about working for DoorDash, a friend who teaches dance at the same studio called and asked if she was serious. "What's the other option?" May said she asked her friend. "Either that or I don't make bills for a couple months." The friend ended up signing up, too. Professor Adrian Hill - Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine trial has only 50 per cent chance of success because virus is disappearing so fast - REUTERS It began in January as a little lab project after a curious new disease emerged in China. Little more than four months later, the eyes of the nation - and perhaps the world - are firmly upon Professor Adrian Hill and his team at Oxford University. This week, the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced a $1.2 billion deal with the US government to produce 400 million doses of the unproven coronavirus vaccine first produced in Prof Hill's Oxford lab. Meanwhile, the British Government has agreed to pay for up to 100 million doses, adding that 30 million may be ready for UK citizens by September. The stakes could hardly be higher. If proven effective, the ZD1222 vaccine would allow people to leave their homes, go back to work, and rebuild the economy. But Professor Hill, director of the universitys Jenner Institute, revealed that his team now faces a major problem, throwing the September deadline into doubt. In short, their adversary is disappearing so rapidly in the UK that the next phase of trials has only a 50 per cent chance of success. Without Covid-19 spreading in the community, volunteers will not catch the disease, leaving scientists unable to prove that their vaccine makes any difference. Professor Hill said that of 10,000 people recruited to test the vaccine in the coming weeks - half of whom will be given a placebo - he expected fewer than 50 people to catch the virus. If fewer than 20 test positive, then the results may be useless, he warned. It is a race, yes. But it's not a race against the other guys. It's a race against the virus disappearing, and against time, Professor Hill, 61, told the Telegraph from his university laboratory, long emptied by the lockdown. We said earlier in the year that there was an 80 per cent chance of developing an effective vaccine by September. But at the moment, theres a 50 per cent chance that we get no result at all. Story continues Were in the bizarre position of wanting Covid to stay, at least for a little while. But cases are declining." At the Downing Street press conference on May 17, Business Secretary Alok Sharma suggested half the UK population could be given the jab this autumn, should it prove effective. But Prof Hill said success was far from guaranteed, and warned against over-promising. I wouldnt book a holiday in October on the back of these announcements, put it that way, he said. The number keeps going up. Thirty million doses is quite hard, and one hundred million is harder still by September. Remember, even if we get a result in August, we can't start vaccinating everyone the next day. Theres a danger of over-promising here. This is the way I usually say it: this is our ambition. There are multiple risks. It's never been done before. We don't know if we can do it. We think we can. "You know, mistakes happen. Accidents happen in cooking as well. That needs to be understood. Early next month, Oxford will release the crucial results of a first trial of more than 1,000 UK volunteers conducted in April, when the disease was at its peak. The first trial is going fine. Were still in business, I can tell you that, Prof Hill said. But were not going to do what others have done - say weve got something good, but were not showing you yet. Thats just bonkers. You either disclose your results or you dont. Around the world, eight potential Covid-19 vaccines have gone to human trials: four in China, two in the US, and one in Germany. Many of those teams - including Oxford - are planning to move their next trials to Covid-19 hotspots overseas, but that will take time. The Oxford team has already arranged further trials in the US, and are in talks with other countries where the virus is still spreading. You think we've got a problem?" Prof Hill said. "What would you do if you were in China? There are three Chinese companies looking for phase three and theres no Covid in China. So what do they do?" The Oxford team had a strong head start on their rivals. Most of the other scientists searching for a vaccine across the world have been forced to hold small clinical trials to prove their treatment is safe. But the Jenner Institute already had a vaccine tested against an earlier coronavirus, which was proven to be harmless to humans. The technique grew from Prof Hills search for a vaccine to combat malaria, a scourge he first witnessed in the 1980s while visiting an uncle working as a priest in a war-torn part of modern Zimbabwe. Over the past two decades, the Jenner Institute learned how to alter the genetic code of a familiar virus, first to neutralise its harmful effects, and then to make it imitate a deadlier disease. Injected into the bloodstream, the harmless virus can induce the body to produce an immune response, providing long-lasting protection. Prof Hill's long search for a viable malaria vaccine has so far been fruitless, despite more than 70 clinical trials. But last year, his colleague Professor Sarah Gilbert modified the same chimpanzee virus to vaccinate against MERS, a coronavirus, which then passed human trials in the UK. When Covid-19 began to spread, Prof Gilbert decided to do a little lab project to see whether the Oxford technique could work on the new disease. Tests were promising, and in April six rhesus macaque monkeys were given single doses of the Oxford vaccine at a US lab, and were then exposed to the virus. A month later, all six monkeys were still healthy. If the next phase of human trials is a success, the Government has pledged that people in the UK will get the first access, helping to protect thousands of lives. Next in line will be the US government, which has secured 300m doses to protect its own citizens, under Donald Trumps so-called Warp Speed programme. But Prof Hill said Oxford University had secured hardwired assurances against so-called 'vaccine nationalism' - the prioritisation of treatment toward rich Western nations at the expense of others. The reputational damage to the university would be enormous if we provided the vaccine only for the UK and US and not for the rest of those countries of the world where it's very likely the pandemic would still be raging, he said. Ive been thinking about it day and night for weeks. We care about Africa. We know the people there. We know there's going to be a significant problem at some stage. Brazil looks terrible and India is getting there fast. The vaccine should be supplied to the countries of greatest need at the moment that it works, rather than the countries who got there first. And that will happen. A deal has already been signed with the Serum Institute of India, the worlds largest vaccine producer. If the Oxford vaccine works, Prof Hill said he would be happy for other countries to use his research principles to protect their own citizens. We might feel a little peculiar about that. We got there first, but everyone else piles in. We might feel that we've done the heavy lifting. But actually we wouldn't care. We're not competing in a cutthroat way. If someone else can produce a billion doses, well have a party. Despite the billion dollar price tag, Oxford will not be making vast amounts of money from the breakthrough, Prof Hill insisted. "Simple arithmetic will tell you that theres no money being made by the university. Its pretty amazing that it can be manufactured at that selling price. Were coming clean and saying: during the pandemic, we will not make money. Until last week, the Oxford vaccine was considered the clear frontrunner in the global race. Last week, however, a widely-reported article in Forbes cast doubt on the results of the monkey trial, suggesting that results actually showed the vaccine did not prevent the animals from catching or spreading the virus because traces were found in the creatures noses. Prof Hill said the article was misleading because the monkeys had been deliberately overdosed on coronavirus in order to test for safety. The honest truth, I think, is that the author is a long-retired senior Harvard virologist, infectious disease guy. He's not a vaccine developer, he said. We used a really high dose and these guys gave it not just into the lungs and the nose. They gave it into the mouth, and they gave it into the eyes. They gave a huge dose. I mean, seriously, its that level of basic. Even so, Prof Hill accepts the chances of success still hang firmly in the balance. The US government, the UK government, loads of charities and philanthropists are all saying well pay to have it manufactured, before you finish the trial. I mean, it's a huge kind of vote of confidence in what we're doing. It's really flattering, he said. But that doesn't guarantee the result. It could be nothing or could be great or somewhere in between. "We're conflicted. We believe in our technology, and I suppose we're more likely to overestimate than underestimate. We try to be as objective as we can, but we spent 16 years developing this technology. If it suddenly looks like it might be useful to the whole world, you really want it to work. Every week our Holiday Hero Neil Simpson takes an in-depth look at an important holiday topic, doing all the legwork so you dont have to. This week: travel firms to trust for your next holiday. Look ahead to 2021 and youll find a series of amazing holiday deals already appearing. Trailfinders is offering savings of more than 1,500 per couple on seven-night wellness holidays in St Lucia stays in an all-inclusive five-star hotel with complimentary spa treatments each day and dinner in a choice of five restaurants every night now costs 2,699pp. Turn to Kuoni and you can find flights and ten-night self-drive tours through Florida to take in the Art Deco buildings of Miami, the shabby chic of Key West and Fort Lauderdales sandy beaches from 1,695pp. Alternatively, get away from it all on a 12-night tour of remote lodges and safari hotels in Namibia, on offer from Exodus from 3,199pp, including flights. Putting on the style: The iconic Art Deco buildings of Miami can be seen on a Florida self-drive tour But is it wise to book 2021 trips while the travel industry is in the midst of a storm over slow refunds on many of this years breaks? No one can say where we may be next summer. But it is already clear which companies have treated their customers best throughout the coronavirus crisis to date. Heading our hall of fame is Trailfinders (trailfinders.com), which tops the list for service and strong finances. While most rivals are offering customers only vouchers for cancelled holidays, it continues to offer refunds on demand. It has also won fans for its virtual appointments, with staff connected to their usual research and reservation systems from home. Kuoni (kuoni.co.uk) is singled out by researchers at Which? for a fair-play refund policy, while Exodus (exodus.co.uk) has won plaudits for its flexible deposits plan. This means customers booking now can switch to any other holiday for free up to ten weeks before departure. Solo traveller firm Friendship Travel (friendshiptravel.com) also has a good record for flexibility and refunds. Premier Inn (premierinn.com) gets a mention for recrediting cards quickly, while Caribbean specialist Sandals (sandals.co.uk) is on the list for helping pioneer discounts to NHS workers booking for next summer. Its equally important to know your tour firm wont abandon you if things go wrong while youre away. Experts in the Travel Counsellors group (travelcounsellors.co.uk) went to extraordinary lengths to repatriate clients when borders began to close in March. Rare treat: Spot leopards on a bargain safari tour of Namibia One Norfolk-based counsellor started organising emergency paperwork at 4am while tracking a series of back-up flights to get one couple home from Vietnam and another from the South Pacific. Staff at Titan Travel (titantravel.co.uk) did similarly sterling work, including putting customers in Australia on a non-stop flight from Darwin to the UK when the original route via Singapore was cancelled. And while those who booked travel through international firms such as Expedia say they were left hanging on phone lines for hours when the first wave of flight cancellations hit, clients of smaller, UK-based firms had no such problems. Holidaymakers with Inn Travel (inntravel.co.uk), Newmarket Holidays (newmarketholidays.co.uk) and Leger Holidays (leger.co.uk) have all won praise. Leger, for example, instantly moved this years cancelled bookings for the Oberammergau Passion Play in Bavaria to the rescheduled 2022 dates while honouring 2020 prices. A police constable was shot dead and a 16-year-old girl was left grievously hurt in a suspected honour killing incident in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday, officials said. Shafi Muhammad indiscriminately shot at his sister's lover after he found them in a 'compromising position' at their home in Cherat Palosai Payan in Nowshera district, officials said. Muhammad is currently on the run. His 16-year-old sister (name withheld) is in critical condition at the hospital after receiving eight bullet injuries during the firing. The police have recorded the girl's statement and investigation is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As proud as they are of their Hong Kong identity, people here dont always know what to call themselves. In English, some say Hong Kongers, others Hong Kongese. Still others use the unwieldy, if factual, term Hong Kong people. Whatever they are called, many share in a rejection of China that embodies Beijings soft-power failure, an inability to capture the hearts of a populace that should have been naturally sympathetic to it. The British had stinted on political reform in Hong Kong until the twilight of their rule. Meanwhile, the Communist Party transformed Chinas backward, agrarian society into the worlds second largest economy. Hong Kong profited. In 2008, when Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics, Hong Kong fielded its own team, as befitted a city governed under the one country, two systems model. But the five stars of the Chinese flag flew proudly in the city. Hong Kong residents who had fled for safe harbor in countries like Canada or Australia returned. More than a decade on, the disappointments have accumulated. Just as under colonial rule, the people of Hong Kong can neither choose their own leader nor fully shape how their government is run. Promised political reforms never materialized. Booksellers critical of the Chinese leadership were snatched from the streets of Hong Kong and ended up in China. The catalyst for last years mass protests, a now-revoked extradition bill, underlined Beijings ability to, at any moment, threaten Hong Kongs freedoms. Starting last June, an acute sense of anxiety about the future brought millions of peaceful marchers to the streets. Fury at the police for deploying rubber bullets and tear gas against holiday shoppers and students alike fueled each subsequent rally, even as unease grew over front-line agitators unleashing Molotov cocktails. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 01:02:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- As South Africa is preparing to further ease the COVID-19 lockdown, two major political parties have raised conflicting views over the issue. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Saturday cautioned against easing the lockdown as the pandemic continued to spread, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) called for an immediate end to the restrictions. Easing the lockdown prematurely would put the lives of people, particularly the blacks, at great risk, the EFF said in a statement. "The voices that are calling for premature, unscientific reopening of the economy are led by white monopoly capital that has never cared for the lives of our people," said the EFF, which claims to represent the black majority. "Their view of black lives has always been as cheap and easily disposable; hence historically, blacks have always been subjected to risky working conditions that have shortened their lives or leave them with disease," the party said. But the DA argued that "the hard lockdown is doing more harm than good and will cost more lives than it can possibly save." The lockdown "is generating long-term poverty which will reduce South Africa's life-expectancy and destroy millions of lives," said the DA. The party urged the government to end the lockdown and allow South Africans to go safely back to work. From June 1, the country will ease the lockdown from level four to level three which will allow more businesses to reopen and greater movement of people, to be accompanied by the return of children to school. With social distancing regulations set to be less stringent, the EFF voiced concern over "increased infections, hospitalizations and death." "The reopening of schools and the different sectors must absolutely be informed by the absolute certainty that this will not lead to increased infections, hospitalizations and death,"the EFF said. Opening the economy will only lead to massive death of black people, the party claimed. "The white monopoly capital believes that its privileged white population will be less exposed if not exposed at all because their working conditions have guarantees of occupational health, safety and general access to quality healthcare," said the EFF. The DA said however that even if the country locks down for a year, the virus will still be there when South Africans go back to work. The purpose of the hard lockdown was to delay the virus spreading, not to eliminate the virus, the DA said. The DA criticised the South African government for enforcing "the world's longest and harshest" lockdown that started on March 27. "Unlike other governments with long lockdowns, the South African government is not providing the safety net to poor people and small businesses, so millions of people are starving and hundreds of thousands of businesses are going bankrupt," the DA said. South Africa remains the epicenter of COVID-19 in Africa, with daily confirmed cases around 1,000 for days. The country recorded a total of 20,125 confirmed cases and 397 related deaths as of Friday. The World Health Organization has praised South Africa for taking tough action against COVID-19 and advised against easing the restrictions before cases are brought down. On Saturday, President Cyril Ramaphosa engaged with traditional leadership to discuss how to further ease the lockdown. The engagement was part of a series of consultations the president has held with leaders across various sectors of society since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that the national effort to combat the crisis is inclusive and enjoys the support of all stakeholder groups, Ramaphosa's office said. Enditem Mukesh Ambani (Image: Reuters) Reliance Industries on May 23 expanded its JioMart service to customers across metro cities, after successfully conducting a pilot service across Navi Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan, as per a CNBCTV18 report. The website is powered by Reliance Retail's Smart and Fresh stores. The previous reliancesmart.in currently redirects to the newly launched jiomart.com. Customers can now login to the jiomart.com website to place an order. The website has various categories such as fruits and vegetables, dairy and bakery, personal care, home care, and baby care. While the company has not confirmed the list of cities where the service has been launched, punching in PIN codes from various metros such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata shows that those areas are service-able. The minimum amount to avail free delivery is about Rs 750, if the amount is less, Rs 25 delivery charges will be levied. For payments, it currently only supports payments through netbanking and credit/debit cards while more options will be added later. During the pilot project across Navi Mumbai, Thane, and Kalyan, Jiomart went live last month with a WhatsApp business account. Customers could simply add a number to their contact and place their order. However, this service is still limited to selected PIN codes. Reliance Retail is one of the biggest offline retailer in India with 11,784 outlets. It plans to converge with JioMart offline and online trade not only by driving the online service via inventory from its Smart and Fresh stores but also by spreading hyperlocal Reliance Smart Points across the region. It also plans to register small Kirana stores on its networks, enabling customers to order online and deliver food from their neighborhood. Last month, Facebook announced that it is investing $5.7 billion in Jio Platforms. Analysts expect Reliance to ride on WhatsApps omnipresent reach (owned by Facebook) to integrate the messaging apps seamless shopping experience, which is about to launch a payment service. : Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. Australia is bracing for a weekend of wild weather with torrential downpours, cyclones and fearsome waves predicted for huge swatches of the country. Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia are wrapping up for a cold weekend, after enduring two consecutive cold fronts. Meanwhile, Western Australia is bracing for the fiercest autumn weather in years as the remnants of a tropical cyclone collide with a cold front. It is set to whip up damaging winds, heavy rain and massive waves from Sunday onwards. A severe weather warning is in place in NSW, with remarkable pictures showing brave surfers tackling huge swells on Saturday. Scroll down for video Huge swells were seen at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Saturday (pictured) as the east coast experienced another weekend of wet and wild weather Western Australia is bracing for the wildest autumn weather in years as the remnants of a tropical cyclone (pictured) collide with a cold front to whip up damaging winds Crowds of onlookers gathered to watch them tackle the monster waves at Bondi Beach, with similar scenes at Manly. Damaging surf is expected in Metropolitan, Illawarra and South Coast regions, with dangerous winds in Wollongong, Bulli, Port Kembla, Kiama, Huskisson and Ulladulla. Rain is expected to continue pouring all weekend across Sydney with a maximum temperature of just 17C and a minimum of 10C. Ex-category one tropical cyclone Mangga brought rain and gusty winds to Cocos Keeling Islands, off WA's northwest coast, overnight. The remains of the system are expected to combine with a cold front to the south, creating dangerous weather, with wind gusts up to 100 km/h possible for nearly the whole of the west coast. Surfers on Saturday at Bondi Beach (pictured) are seen tackling monster waves as high winds continued to battle the east coast A severe weather warning was issued for Western Australia this weekend (pictured) with heavy rainfall, destructive wind and an abnormally high tide forecast Strong and squally winds will hit the state's north on Sunday morning, then move south to Perth and Albany in the afternoon and evening. Peak gusts of about 130km/h are possible, the Bureau of Meteorology says, and could prove destructive to homes and property. 'By late Sunday night, the worst of the weather is expected over the southwest of the state,' the Bureau of Meteorology said. Heavy rain could lead to flash flooding from Kalbarri to Onslow on Sunday. Peak wave heights in excess of eight metres are predicted for the southwest coast on Monday, causing significant beach erosion. A woman watches as a huge wave crashed against rocks in Bondi on Friday (pictured) as the high winds continued Surfers are seen tackling the huge waves on Saturday (pictured) as surf warnings were issued for NSW 'This is a rare event for WA due to the extent of the area affected and the possibility of multiple areas of dangerous weather,' the BoM said. 'A similar event to this one occurred in June 2012, which led to over 600 calls for assistance and over 170,000 homes losing power.' People are urged to prepare their properties, and ensure pets and animals are in a safe area. Queenslanders are set to shiver as a wet pre-winter cold snap brings record-breaking chilly weather to much of the state. Cool dry air, rainfall and thick cloud blanketing the interior and central coast means temperatures may plummet from Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology says. Crowds gathered at Ben Buckler Point in Bondi on Friday (pictured) to watch the huge waves Snow is seen scattered across a playground at Blackheath Soldiers Memorial Park on Friday (pictured) 'It could see cooler daytime maximum temperatures up to 10 to 12 degrees below average across large parts of the state,' meteorologist Shane Kennedy said on Thursday. 'Temperature records may be broken.' The cool weather is expected to persist into next week, with frost possible in the southern tropics on Sunday or Monday. Victoria is also having an icy weekend, with Melbourne enduring lows of 9C omn Saturday today and 10C on Sunday, with a chance of rain on both days. Snow falls in the Blue Mountains on Thursday night (pictured) as Australia experienced two cold weather fronts consecutively Rain is forecast across the state including in Carins, Townsville, and Mackay and Rockhampton. Even South Australia has suffered a relative cold front, with maximum temperatures of 16C in Adelaide this weekend. Even the Northern Territory is experiencing below average temperatures, with wind and rain forecast. Darwin is seeing lows of 19C and highs of 26C, while in Alice Springs, the temperatures could drop as low as 1C. Hobart is also forecast to see lots of rain and cloud, with temperatures between 13C and 16C on Saturday. A US judge on Friday approved moving forward with the sale of Venezuela's prized US-based CITGO refineries, allowing a Canadian mining company to collect USD 1.4 billion it lost in a decade-old takeover in the South American nation by the late socialist President Hugo Chvez. The ruling strikes a blow to Venezuela's opposition led by Juan Guaid, which was banking on profits from the Houston-based company to finance the crisis-torn nation's recovery if they were ever able to force President Nicols Maduro from power. The order by Chief Judge Leonard P Stark of US District Court in Delaware follows a decision by the US Supreme Court on Monday that upheld an earlier ruling by Stark authorizing CITGO's liquidation. Before moving ahead with CITGO's sale, the bankrupt Canadian mining company Crystallex must first get a license from US Treasury officials, which had temporarily shielded Venezuela's opposition from losing CITGO. Crystallex and attorneys for Venezuela also have to agree on how it will sell CITGO, Stark's latest ruling said. Chavez took over the gold mining firm's Venezuela concession and the local operations of other international companies as part of his Bolivarian revolution that has left Venezuela spiralling into deepening economic and political turmoil. Crystallex, which went bankrupt, sued Venezuela to recover its lost investment in Venezuela. The case is unique, because the court allowed Crystallex to attach assets of CITGO's parent company, the Venezuelan state-run oil firm PDVSA, finding that Venezuela had erased the lines between the government and its oil firm. Venezuela has owned CITGO since the 1980s as part of PDVSA. It has three refineries in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois in addition to a network of pipelines crisscrossing 23 states. It provides between 5% and 10% of US gasoline. Guaid, the head of Venezuela's opposition-led National Assembly, claimed presidential powers in early 2019, vowing to end Maduro's rule and two decades of socialist leadership. After the Trump administration recognized Guaid as Venezuela's legitimate leader, US courts granted approval to a board appointed by the opposition to take control of CITGO, valued at an estimated USD 8 billion. However, more than a year later, Maduro remains in power, with firm military support at home and backing from key international allies including Russia, China and Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former President, John Dramani Mahama has said the coronavirus pandemic has brought to fore the structural defects in Africas economic paradigm. In a Facebook post commemorating Africa Day, the former President said the occasion calls for the need for Africa to commit to achieving the objectives of #Agenda2063, a strategic framework aimed at ensuring inclusion and sustainable development. The former President, however, believes that with innovative leadership and a belief in especially our enterprising and dynamic young people, we can and we should turn the wheels of the African Economy back on track. Ghana currently has 6,617 confirmed cases of Coronavirus. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 100,000 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Africa with 31,000 confirmed deaths on the vast continent. Below is the former Presidents Facebook post Nine years ago, I joined my colleague Heads of State in Addis Ababa to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our Continental Union, the African Union. We adopted # Agenda2063 as our blueprint for transforming our continent into a future significant global partner. Today across our continent, as we celebrate # AfricaDay , we must dedicate ourselves as a people and governments towards realising the objectives of # Agenda2063 and building # TheAfricaWeWant . COVID-19 has exposed the structural weaknesses of our economic paradigm as exporters of primary goods and importers of finished products. But with innovative leadership and a belief in especially our enterprising and dynamic young people, we can and we should turn the wheels of the African Economy back on track. Happy AU Day. ---citinewsroom Criminal Minds Credit: CRIMINAL MINDS Series return 8.30pm, Seven There are hints of an Australian accent in the first doomed minor character to wander into the path of the serial killer (played by Michael Mosley the Scrubs actor, not the TV medico), who has thus far evaded the crack team of criminal profilers. His misguided assurance that he has no worries is also a dead giveaway. Meanwhile, theres much clucking at the office baby shower, presided over by goofy tech queen, Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness). Kerala recorded 62 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases on Saturday, the highest single-day spike since the viral outbreak was first reported in the state in end-January, raising concern for the state government to call an all-party meeting on Wednesday to discuss strategies to fight the pandemic. The state has reported 794 Covid-19 positive cases, of which 275 are still active, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday. Among the 62 new cases, 18 people have returned from abroad, 31 came back from other states, while 13 contracted SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, in Kerala, the CM said. The state government is also worried that seven healthcare workers have tested Covid-19 positive among the 62 new cases. The authorities have declared nine more places in the state as hotspots, where strict containment measures have been enforced. Palakkad district has reported the maximum number of new Covid-19 positive cases at 19, followed by Kannur in north Kerala (16). A spike in Covid-19 positive cases was expected, as people have started returning to their native places from abroad and other states amid the easing of lockdown restrictions. Weve to strengthen our containment measures. People and society need to play a bigger role. If we enforce quarantine norms strictly, we can win this war, the CM said while announcing that an all-party meeting has been called on Wednesday to tackle the pandemic. Earlier, the Congress had criticised the CM for taking all decisions unilaterally and the opposition was never consulted. Kerala is likely to report more Covid-19 positive cases in the coming days, as domestic flight service operations, which were suspended since the lockdown restrictions were imposed on March 25, will resume from Monday. However, the state government has made it clear that it would insist upon entry passes and compulsory home quarantine facility for all domestic air passengers. Those who fail to obtain passes would have to undergo institutional quarantine for two weeks. The state governments proposed move is at odds with Union Minister for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri, who has said that domestic air travellers need not be quarantined, as they would travel by short-haul flights. The state government has tightened its surveillance norms and taking strict action against those who flout quarantine norms. Over 200 people have been booked in the last two days for violating home quarantine norms. The state government recently launched a motorbike squad to monitor people, who are under quarantine at home. Besides, the authorities are strict about letting people travel from the worst Covid-19-hit states in the country such as Gujarat, as a Shramik Special train was twice rescheduled and cancelled last week. Though the Gujarat government had said the trains were cancelled at Keralas behest, CM Vijayan skirted the issue. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has called on the head of the UK's civil service to investigate the rule-breaking and the Tory Governments cover-up of Dominic Cummings lockdown journey to Durham. The British Prime Ministers top aide has come under fire after it emerged he had driven 250 miles despite the guidelines on travelling and showing symptoms of coronavirus. In the letter to Sir Mark Sedwill and Boris Johnson, Mr Blackford highlights the matter of serious public concern with several questions for the PM including when he found out about the trip and what role the UK Goverment played in keeping the public in the dark for eight weeks. He also continued his calls for Mr Cummings to resign over the fiasco, stating his position as completely untenable. I've written to Sir Mark Sedwill calling for a swift investigation into Dominic Cummings' rule-breaking and the cover-up. This matter goes to the heart of public trust in the UK government and its response to Covid-19. If Mr Cummings won't resign he must be removed from post. pic.twitter.com/hm90Fd95Em Ian Blackford (@Ianblackford_MP) May 23, 2020 Mr Blackford said: I have written to Sir Mark Sedwill seeking an immediate investigation into the rule-breaking and the Tory Governments cover-up and to call for Dominic Cummings to resign or be sacked. Boris Johnson must answer serious questions about his role in this incident and the cover-up including when he found out, when he heard about the police action, why Mr Cummings wasnt sacked immediately, and why he kept the public in the dark for eight weeks until a newspaper broke the story. Dominic Cummings position is completely untenable. This is a matter of leadership and judgment for the Prime Minister who must prevent lasting damage to his Government and his own reputation. Millions of us have made huge sacrifices over the months to obey the rules, while Boris Johnsons most senior adviser was breaking them. Scotlands former chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood resigned last month (Jeff J Mitchell/PA) Last month Scotlands then chief medical officer was forced to resign after being criticised for not adhering to social distancing advice. Dr Catherine Calderwood apologised and was backed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to remain in the role, despite twice visiting her second home in Fife. Photos of her and her family near a coastal retreat in Earlsferry a drive of more than an hour from her main Edinburgh residence were published in a national newspaper. Mr Blackford also referred to Dr Calderwoods resignation and the reaction of the Scottish Conservatives in his reasoning for the letter addressing Mr Cummings actions. The Tories vociferously demanded the resignation of Catherine Calderwood He added: The excuses are not credible. There was absolutely nothing in the list of reasons under the law for leaving the house that allowed someone to travel the length of the country to stay with their parents, particularly not someone who was known to have the virus. The Tories vociferously demanded the resignation of Catherine Calderwood that same weekend. As Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw said at the time There cannot be one rule for bosses and another for everyone else. People are understandably questioning Boris Johnsons judgment. He must show Dominic Cummings the door and answer for his own role. Questions over the Tory cover up will only grow unless credible answers are provided or until Mr Cummings is removed from his post. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a new measure that allows elections at all levels and referendums to be conducted by mail and via the Internet, according to the Kremlin's website. The law was rushed through all three readings in the State Duma on May 13 and approved by the Federation Council, the upper house of the legislature, one week later. Although the bill was introduced by lawmakers from the ruling United Russia party, media reports have asserted that it was drafted by the presidential administration. The new law will not apply to the planned national vote on proposed constitutional amendments -- including a provision that would allow Putin to seek two more terms as president. That vote was set for April 22, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The new law allows the Central Election Commission to organize voting by mail or via the Internet. Lawmakers said the bill was necessary because of the restrictions on public gatherings imposed to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Under the new law, the gathering of signatures needed to qualify for elections can be conducted through a special government website. Putin also signed a law that would bar people convicted of "moderate" crimes from seeking public office for a period of five years after their sentence is completed. Previously, only those with "serious" felony convictions were barred. The new law would block anyone convicted under a law criminalizing multiple violations of the laws on public protests or of making public calls for "extremism." With reporting by Meduza SAN FRANCISCO, May 21 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese American community leader called for U.S.-China cooperation and an end to bigotry at a webinar held on Thursday. Lillian Kwok Sing, Northern California's first Asian American female judge, said the climate in the United States is a frightening one for Asian Americans and reminds her of what happened in history when Chinese Americans were terrorized simply because of their origins. The webinar was organized by the Commonwealth Club of California with the theme of halting bigotry in its tracks. Sing, who retired in 2015, reviewed the dark era of the Chinese Exclusion Act, the first law enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1882 to target Chinese and restrict Chinese immigration to the United States. "Whenever there's a crisis, they have to find somebody to blame," said Sing, who is also the co-founder and co-chair of the San Francisco-based Comfort Women Justice Coalition. The Chinese have been blamed during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially dangerous, she noted. "There are so many hate crimes going on right now." In response to the alarming escalation in xenophobia and bigotry resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council, Chinese for Affirmative Action, and the Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University launched the Stop AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Hate Reporting Center to collect and track incidents of anti-AAPI hate violence. "They started on March 19 and in two months they got 2,000 reports of hate incidences," Sing said. "The American dream sometimes turns into an American nightmare when this ugly head of racism and discrimination is raised," she said. Sing also called on the United States and China "to work together to solve the world problems like this pandemic." "We cannot split up." Malaika Arora and Kareena Kapoor are the thickest of friends, and are a part of a girl gang that also includes their sisters Amrita Arora and Karisma Kapoor. Malaika has now taken a leaf out of Kareenas fashion book at home and ditched her summer dresses for kaftans. The yoga freak shared glimpses of her new ensemble on Instagram along with a message for her friend. Malaika shared a selfie in a printed kaftan and a boomerang video to show her blow dried hair. She wrote, Yeah my bebo ,, I have swapped my #gym wear for kaftans , blow dry hair for messy hair n make up for no make up in lockdown ..... @kareenakapoorkhan #kaftantales#stayhomestaysafe #summeressentials. Reacting to the post, Kareena wrote on her Instagram stories, The only thing you haven't replaced is juice for wine. Heres how Kareena Kapoor reacted to Malaika Aroras post. Malaika and Kareena often bond on video calls during lockdown. The group of friends was regularly spotted on outings before things came to a standstill due to coronavirus pandemic. Kareena had recently shared a glimpse of her self-care routine at home amid lockdown. She shared a selfie with a green facepack on and captioned it, Messy bun, Kaftan, and homemade masks. She called the three things her summer essentials. Also read: Mira Rajput plays fashion police for Shahid Kapoor, complains about his habit of overloading pockets Kareena, who made her Instagram debut this year, has been very candid with her posts on the picture sharing platform. Talking about her unadulterated posts, the actor had told Bombay Times in an interview, I cant be dressed in couture all the time. And, I do have days when my hair is out of place. The thing is, I want to be as real as possible and be dressed in what makes me comfortable. I cant sit dressed up all day. It gets to me that people are looking at what Im wearing all the time and scrutinising it. There are times when I just want to chill in a simple set of clothes and feel like myself, keep my hair tied or loose and just let things be. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A week since central New York started its phased reopening of select businesses, three more Cayuga County residents tested positive for COVID-19. The new positive cases, according to the Cayuga County Health Department, are three women two in their 40s and one in her 20s. One is an Auburn resident, while the other two live outside of the city. Contact tracing is complete. Forty-five people are in mandatory quarantine, up from 36 on Friday. Quarantine is ordered when someone has direct contact with a positive case. Including the new cases, 12 people are in mandatory isolation. If someone tests positive for COVID-19, they are directed to isolate themselves until they recover. There were two more recoveries reported on Saturday, bringing the total number of recoveries up to 66. So far, there has been one COVID-19 death in the county a man in his 40s who had underlying health problems. Three people remain hospitalized due to COVID-19. There has been no update on their conditions. Two of three patients have been hospitalized since Tuesday, according to the health department's situational updates. Since mid-March, the county has reported 79 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Fifty-nine cases are outside of Auburn. The health department released town-level data earlier this week that showed Scipio and Genoa continue to have the most cases outside of the city. There have been 19 cases involving city residents and one out-of-state resident. The gender breakdown is nearly equal, with 41 men and 38 women testing positive for COVID-19. The 30-39 age group has the most cases (22), followed by 20-29 (18), 50-59 (11) and 40-49 (10). Until recently, there were no cases among the 70-plus age group. There are now three people in their 70s who tested positive for COVID-19. The county has increased testing an important part of the state's requirements for the regional reopening process. The health department said Saturday that it has received 2,877 test results, up from 2,551 one day ago. The department, which held another testing clinic for essential workers and phase one workers on Friday, is awaiting the results of 115 tests. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 20:23:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Tafara Mugwara HARARE, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Trapped inside his house, Whatmore Pasi said hunger will soon knock at his doors without government intervention, as his only means of money-making curtailed and his savings depleted. "When hunger knocks at your door you have to answer. If you try to ignore the knock, hunger will just knock louder until you give in. You don't want a situation in which hunger has to break the door for you to address it," he said. Pasi used to work as a commuter omnibus, or "kombi", driver in Harare before informal transport was outlawed in a bid to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the country. The father of two, from Epworth, a high density dormitory town south-east of the capital Harare, said the indefinite extension of a lockdown announced by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week has proved to be a final nail in the coffin. "Most of us here are living hand to mouth," he said through text message. "In this economy you don't eat if you don't kill, and we haven't been in the wilderness since lockdown started almost two months ago." Pasi said the situation has become dire and in the minds of many locals, hunger is a more lethal threat than the coronavirus. Pasi is not alone. With no other means of supporting their livelihoods, some commuter omnibus owners are now using their vehicles as mobile shops. A former commuter omnibus conductor, Amos Meda recently told the H-Metro newspaper that he is now selling groceries in one of the vehicles he used to operate in. "This is what has become of us after the ban and we are doing anything to make some money. We have to make use of the kombis because they cannot be idle until they lose value," he said. Zimbabwe imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 30, and is currently on level 2 of the lockdown which permits some formal businesses to resume operations under strict supervision. The Southern African country had 56 coronavirus cases including four deaths and 23 recoveries as of Saturday, according to the Ministry of Health and Childcare. Despite some relaxations of the lockdown, private taxis and commuter omnibuses locally known as kombis remain banned from operating. State-owned Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) and operators franchised by ZUPCO are the only ones allowed to provide public transport, although private transport operators who meet ZUPCO prerequisites can register to offer franchised services. Zimbabwe's Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing July Moyo recently said the ban on privately-owned commuter omnibuses might extend beyond the COVID-19 lockdown. Moyo said the move is part of government's elaborate plans to de-congest urban centers and modernize Zimbabwe's public transport system. The development also comes at a time when the government is intensifying efforts to import high volume buses for inner and inter-city travel. Over the past decade, many Zimbabweans had ventured into the taxi and commuter omnibus business following the collapse of ZUPCO which the government is now trying to revive. The informal transport sector has also become a lifeline for many young men like Pasi who cannot secure formal jobs given the economic situation in the country. Roy Bakasa, a commuter who uses public transport almost daily said although he believes that adopting a centrally managed urban transport system is the way to go, kombis should not be banned, but their operations should be regulated to ensure the safety of commuters. "Banning kombis is not the solution, and that decision will have far reaching consequences. "By removing kombis on the streets a whole ecosystem will be disturbed -- from kombi owners, drivers, conductors, touts -- all these people will lose their jobs, and at this moment the last thing the government wants is a situation in which destitute testosterone-filled youths will have no option but to join the ranks of the unemployed forces," he said. Bakasa said while banning kombis might bring sanity in urban centers, ZUPCO can't meet the number of commuters. Government recently made calls to private operators to join ZUPCO for them to resume work during the lockdown. However, not all private transporters will join ZUPCO since their vehicles have to meet certain standards for them to be accepted. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum recently said in a statement that forcing private transport operators to register under ZUPCO was an unfair practice and would greatly inconvenience both employers and their commuting employees. "This has resulted in a critical shortage of transport for workers commuting to and from their respective places of employment. As a result, most employers have enlisted transport companies to ferry their employees to work and back, which is an additional cost on companies that are trying to resume operations," read the statement. Enditem Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said that government is working to resume international flights and will try to start good percentage of international passenger flights before August. While announcing the resumption of domestic flights from May 25, Minister Puri said that the decision on resumption of international flights is yet to be taken. The Vande Bharat repatriation flights, however, will continue, but as of now, the ministry is focusing on the domestic operations. He further added that govt will be able to bring around 50,000 citizens back through special flights during first 25 days of Vande Bharat Mission. The minister said that currently, they are going to observe how the domestic operations perform and then take the experience and learning from these flights in order to make a decision on international flights in the future. He earlier said that they are observing how other means of public transport is doing in the coming days. He added that there is currently a problem of local transport which needs to be cleared out and is waiting for services like railways and buses to resume in order to be able to serve those better who wish to take an international flight in the future. The domestic flight services in India will resume from May 25 in a calibrated manner and with a fare cap on minimum and maximum ticket prices basis the duration of flight. By Tina Bellon NEW YORK (Reuters) - An Uber customer on Friday asked a Manhattan federal judge to overturn an arbitration win for the company in a price-fixing case, arguing that the arbitrator only ruled in Uber's favor because he was scared. Spencer Meyer initiated the high-profile 2015 antitrust lawsuit alleging that Uber Technologies Inc engaged in an illegal conspiracy with its drivers to coordinate high "surge pricing" fares during periods of heavy demand by agreeing to charge prices set by an algorithm in the Uber ride-hailing app. Uber takes a cut from drivers' earnings, and ride-hailing trips in North America make up the bulk of the company's revenue. The lawsuit sought a nationwide ban against surge pricing. Uber argues its drivers are independent contractors and that its app is merely a technology platform connecting drivers with riders. Uber on Friday declined to comment on the court filing. The company has previously said it believed the law was on its side, pointing to the fact that no antitrust agency has raised issues. The lawsuit went through several courts before it was sent into arbitration in 2019 in accordance with Uber's terms of service that mandate arbitration behind closed doors for most lawsuits. The appointed arbitrator, attorney Les Weinstein, on Feb. 22 ruled in Uber's favor and dismissed the lawsuit, but according to Friday's filings he did so out of "evident partiality." A transcript excerpt of the arbitration, attached to the filing, cited him saying: "I must say I act out of fear. My fear is if I ruled Uber illegal, I would need security. I wouldn't be able to walk the streets at night. People would be after me." Weinstein also questioned whether he had the legal power to ban surge pricing nationwide. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Uber has a week to respond to the filing in court. (Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis) By Akbar Mammadov Today, Azerbaijani and world Muslims celebrate Ramadan Holiday, also known as Eid Al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the most sacred and anticipated month in Muslim calendar. Throughout Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset. While fasting, believers should also avoid all forms of sinful behavior during the holy month. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. The Night of Power, when the Quran, the holy book of the Islamic world, was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, falls in the final 10 days of Ramadan. Celebrations start with the sighting of the new moon, which means the end of the holy month of fasting. The dates change annually as theyre determined by the sighting of a new moon. During Eid Al-Fitr, Muslims usually visit a mosque and participate in mass prayer, give charity, abstain from committing sins. The Eid prayer is performed in congregation in open areas or mosques. After the prayers, Muslims visit their relatives, friends, and acquaintances and exchange gifts or hold large communal celebrations in homes, community centres, or rented halls. Delicious pastries are baked for the occasion of the great holiday, the graves of relatives are visited, and people pray in mosques. This year's Eid Al-Fitr is rather quiet as most countries are in lockdown due to the coronavirus parndemic across the world. The social distancing rules make it impossible for Muslims to perform mass prayer on the last day of Ramadan. Earlier, on 24 March, Azerbaijan banned religious gathering as part of the special quarantine regime. The country also banned the gathering of more than ten people as part of the lockdown. The Caucasus Board of Muslims said it is impossible to resume mass prayers in Azerbaijan, including the Ramadan prayer, due to the ban on gatherings of more than 10 people amid COVID-19. The Caucasus Board of Muslims also said that on the Ramadan holiday, people can congratulate each other, but collective prayers are not necessary. There is no need to pray in a group of 3-5 people at home. Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country, has been celebrating the Ramadan officially since 1993, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The country has always been one of the historical and cultural centres of the Islamic world. Paris, May 23 (IANS) France is set to make UK arrivals self-isolate in response to the British government's quarantine rules which will come into effect on June 8, the media reported. UK Home Secretary Priti Patel announced on Friday travellers entering the country would have to self-isolate for 14 days or they could face a 1,000 pounds fine, the Metro newspaper reported. It was confirmed France would not be exempt following reports earlier this week its citizens may not be forced to self-isolate. Responding to the announcement, a spokesman for France's Interior Minister said: "We take note of the British government's decision and we regret it. "France is ready to put in place a reciprocal measure as soon as the system comes into force on the British side." As part of the UK's new regime, travellers will be asked to fill in a form with their contact information, and health officials will perform spot checks to ensure they are complying with the measures. Road hauliers and medical officials will be exempt, while the common travel area with Ireland will be unaffected. Arrivals from France will not be exempt, the official confirmed, following confusion earlier this week. The government has previously said the measure would be reviewed every three weeks following implementation. --IANS ksk/ The American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City (AmCham Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City) gifted the municipal Center for Disease Control (HCDC) an automated protein and nucleic acid extraction system on Friday. The medical equipment was presented with view to helping HCDC respond effectively to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as improving the citys capacity to handle other contagious outbreaks. This is a King Fisher system manufactured by the Massachusetts-based Thermo Fisher Scientific company. The KingFisher Flex is a bench-top automated extraction instrument in the lab for 24 or 96 samples per run. It has high-throughput extraction and purification of DNA, RNA, Protein, and Cells. The world has now recognized Vietnams successful containment campaign against the COVID-19 pandemic, said Mary Tarnowka, executive director of AmCham Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City. The success has opened the path for Vietnams reopening, becoming one of the first economies in the world to have started recovery, Tarnowka remarked. Because of this, the community of American entrepreneurs in Vietnam feel grateful and want to contribute a minor part to the rebuilding in the wake of the epidemic, she added. The automated extraction instrument is not merely useful for Vietnams ongoing drive to curb the COVID-19 outbreak, but it enhances the Southeast Asian country's and Ho Chi Minh Citys capability to observe, detect, and contain communicable diseases. AmCham Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City would like to show its commitment to not only supporting the pandemic containment strategy but also developing a world-level health system in the city, said Tanowka. We would like to have an opportunity to form strategic partnerships via specific activities in the near future, both in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam," she added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 10:49:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Early in the morning, Migmur enters a workshop, sits down at a table and strikes the burin with a small hammer. With the "tink tonk tink tonk" sound reverberating, the image of auspicious clouds appears on a brown leather waist belt. One of Migmur's legs was paralyzed in an accident when he worked at a construction site over a decade ago. The 38-year-old ethnic Ewenki herder in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is unable to raise livestock or toil in the field. He participated in a training workshop on leather carving in a cultural industrial park funded by the local government. Last year, Migmur crafted 152 ethnic leather products, which brought him 23,200 yuan (around 3,267 U.S. dollars) and helped him cast off poverty. "With traditional handicrafts, I can raise my family and have got rid of the mire of poverty," Migmur said. The cultural industrial park provided traditional ethnic handicraft training for around 300 impoverished households last year, bringing them jobs as well as fortune. The poverty-stricken population had been reduced to just 16,000 by the end of 2019 from 1.57 million in 2013 in the autonomous region, according to official statistics. After having accomplished historic achievements in poverty reduction over the past seven years, China is in the final push to securing a decisive and complete victory in this regard, despite the COVID-19 impact. President Xi Jinping has underscored firm confidence and concrete action in the country's final battle against absolute poverty. In a recent instruction on the poverty elimination of the entire Maonan ethnic group, Xi also stressed that not a single ethnic group can be left behind in the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. At this year's annual two sessions, legislators and political advisors are expected to pool wisdom on how to realize the goal of poverty elimination while keeping those who have been lifted out of poverty from returning to poverty. FISHING, NOT FISH As morning sunshine beams down onto Yangling Village, 46-year-old Ma Junlin and his wife wake up and make their way to two barns housing a total of 12 cattle. Last month, Ma sold three cattle and earned 15,000 yuan. Through raising cattle, the per capita income for Ma's family has increased to 10,000 yuan a year, and they live in a new brick house with a television, a refrigerator and other home appliances. Like Ma, a native of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, many of his fellow villagers had shaken off poverty through raising cattle by the end of 2018. Over the past four years, animal husbandry has become a pillar poverty alleviation industry for Ma's village thanks to the government's financial and technical support. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in late 2012, the country has achieved significant progress in poverty reduction, with over 93 million rural people lifted out of poverty over seven years. There were still 5.51 million impoverished people by the end of last year. As a fundamental means to advancing poverty alleviation, industries have been fostered according to local conditions, playing a key role in consolidating poverty reduction achievements. In Yunzhou District, Datong City in north China's Shanxi Province, growing daylilies -- a kind of edible flower and traditional Chinese medicine for soothing nerves -- has become a local pillar industry. Impoverished counties in Shanxi have developed the planting of apples, potatoes and daylilies into industries to guarantee farmers stable jobs and incomes. HOUSE, JOB AND HOPE Sitting in her spacious new home in Ludian County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Zhan Wenhua said she was still terrified by the 5.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the neighboring Qiaojia County. "I'm not sure if our old house in Qiaojia could have survived the earthquake. It's lucky that we had been relocated to Ludian before the disaster," the 48-year-old said. Zhan's family used to live in a dilapidated adobe house in Qiaojia's Fala Village deep in the mountains. Last December, they moved to an apartment in a resettlement site in Ludian, thanks to a government-led poverty-relief relocation program. "Life is much better now because I can look after my kids while working at home," she said. Zhan and her husband now work as cleaners at the resettlement site, each earning about 2,000 yuan a month. The relocation of people like Zhan from inhospitable areas is another important approach to poverty reduction. Earlier this month, 84 registered poor households living atop a cliff were relocated to the local county seat of Zhaojue in southwest China's Sichuan Province, embracing a new modern life. A total of 18,000 impoverished residents from 92 villages moved to their new homes at the newly built community. It marked the near completion of poverty alleviation programs involving the relocation of 1.36 million people in Sichuan. Across China, more than 9.6 million poor people have been relocated to more habitable areas over the past several years, getting access to more job opportunities and better public services. Through precise measures, the pairing-up of aid, the fostering of industries, e-commerce and tourism, relocation and the dispatching of officials to poverty-stricken villages, China has achieved miraculous results in reducing poverty and is determined to eradicate absolute poverty this year despite challenges. Enditem A Cork businessman who has imported a consignment of rapid COVID-19 tests has told The Corkman that the Irish Government has not been in touch about the possibility of using the kits to support the easing of restrictions. Pat Phelan - who founded the SISU aesthetic therapy firm which has clinics in Cork and Kerry, and has a track record in starting pioneering tech start ups - believes the COVID-19 test kits, which give a result within 15 minutes, could be used as part of a nationwide scheme to progress the country towards being virus free. Pat, who took his latest test at the weekend - and tested negative - believes that testing everyone in the country at the same time on the same day with these testing kits, and inputting the results on an app or website, could give the Government the most accurate picture yet of how widespread the virus is in the country. The tests, which are the only kits approved by the US Food and Drugs Administration, are already being used by Emirates Airline to test its passengers. The tests cost approximately 10 each and Pat himself is not proposing this scheme for any personal advantage. "It would cost about as much as one day's rental of the private hospitals," he said. Having made the proposal a month ago, Pat has not had any contact from the Government which has come under fire for not meeting ambitious targets for testing and the ongoing lack of a contact tracing app. "I didn't get any follow up or contact from the Government - I suppose the ball is in their court. "I have been testing with these kits for a while now and whilst it's a non-clinical test it is an absolute indication and gives you a positive or negative, much like a pregnancy test from a very simple finger prick," he said. "I'm not a doctor or anything like that, just an ordinary decent citizen looking for practical ways to help get Ireland going again." His proposal - publicised in this newspaper - which he wants to spark a public discussion, is to send one of these tests to every citizen in the country over the next two weeks. "They take their own test, the result is then entered into the contact-tracing mobile App. "This means we could do this almost immediately and at relatively little cost. With the test we will be able to see where we really are, in real time, when combined with the contact tracing app being developed now," he said. "This is doable within a couple of weeks." Prominent TCD epidemiologist Professor Luke O'Neill has said the proposal was well worth considering. However, he cautioned against viewing the test as a conclusive indicator to lift the current restrictions. He said other measures would also have to be used before restrictions could be lifted. "As long as the test is robust and well validated, why not?" he said. File photo The total recoveries from coronavirus infection in Lagos State rose to 662 on Thursday, following the discharge of 13 more patients from the states isolation centres. The states Ministry of Health gave the update on its Twitter handle on Thursday, saying the patients tested negative to the infection. This is the first set of patients to be discharged without two consecutive negative readings as noted in the ministrys update. 13 COVID-19 Lagos patients; 4 females & 9 males, all Nigerians have been discharged from our Onikan, Eti-Osa (LandMark), Lekki & LUTH Isolation facilities to reunite with the society. The patients; 1 from Onikan, 4 from Eti-Osa (LandMark), 3 from Lekki & 5 from LUTH Isolation Centres were discharged having fully recovered & tested negative to COVID-19. With this, the number of COVID19 cases successfully managed & discharged in Lagos State has risen to 662, the Ministry wrote. Discharged cases in Nigeria also rose 1,907 on Thursday, with confirmed cases shooting above 7,000. The Director-General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, said on Thursday that Nigeria will switch to only one negative testing for COVID-19 patients as against the two negative testings which was the former practice. Mr Ihekweazu noted that this will aid the decongestion of isolation centres across the country which are already being overwhelmed by the number of confirmed cases. On our discharge criteria, we changed it from two tests 24 to 48 hours apart to a single negative test, he said. The reason is that most of our cases that tested negative also tested negative for the second time. Of course, there will be some exceptions. Given the pressure we have on bed spaces especially in Lagos, Kano, and the FCT, we made a pragmatic decision to move to one negative test sufficient to discharge people, he said. While reacting to the plan to discharge patients with one negative test, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health said at a press briefing the state will adopt the model. The practice of using one negative tests to discharge patients is something that we accept and we adopt. By the time you get one negative, there is a chance that a day or two later, you may become positive again because the virus has managed to escape your immune system and start secreting itself in very small quantity. And then maybe a week later you clear it finally. Mr Abayomi said with the practice of home-based care, discharging people with one negative test will be effective. When we discharge people, we still advise them to go home and isolate themselves for another seven days, because within the seven days, if you turn positive, you will clear it a day or two later, Mr Abayomi said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Los Angeles, United States Sat, May 23, 2020 16:05 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9cee24 2 Entertainment Hollywood,producer,Fraud,Movie,film,crime,coronavirus,COVID-19,William-Sadleir Free The ousted chairman of a movie production and distribution company was arrested in Los Angeles on Friday for his alleged role in a nearly $30 million fraud scheme and for bilking a COVID-19 fund set up to help businesses. William Sadleir, 66, of Beverly Hills, was taken into custody by FBI agents and other law enforcement following complaints filed both in California and New York. Prosecutors say Sadleir, the former head of indie distributor Aviron Pictures, fraudulently filed bank loan applications seeking more than $1.7 million from a federal scheme set up in the wake of the pandemic. Sadleir allegedly made false statements claiming he still had a role at Aviron in order to obtain the forgivable loans. "Immediately upon receiving the funds, a significant amount was diverted to Sadleir's personal accounts and used for personal expenses," the California complaint said. Some of the money was used to make payments to American Express cards belonging to Sadleir and his wife, as well as to pay off a car loan, according to the charge sheet. A separate criminal complaint filed in New York charged Sadleir with engaging in multiple fraudulent schemes relating to investments in Aviron Pictures and its affiliated entities. Read also: Malaysia drops 1MDB money laundering case against 'Wolf of Wall Street' producer Prosecutors accuse Sadleir of illicitly transferring $25 million in Aviron funds and using much of the money -- $14 million -- to purchase a private residence in Beverly Hills. "He allegedly even went so far as to pose as a female employee of the sham New York based company he created to further his illegal activity," said William Sweeney Jr, the FBI assistant director for New York. Prosecutors said Sadleir also illicitly sold and refinanced $3 million in assets that had been used as collateral to secure loans to Aviron. Sadleir founded Aviron and was removed as top executive late last year. The company has only five titles to its name, including After, its most successful project, Serenity and the sequel to the horror franchise The Strangers. If convicted on the four fraud charges in California, Sadleir faces up to 82 years in prison. The New York charges -- two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft -- collectively carry up to 42 years in prison. An Islamic Scholar, Malam Bello Yabo has been arrested for allegedly making disparaging remarks against the Governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir El-rufai. The Islamic scholar based in Sokoto was reportedly arrested around 4pm on Friday and was transported to Kaduna where he would be charged, Daily Trust reports. According to the newspaper, Malam Abdullahi Abubakar Yabo, who claimed to be the nephew of the scholar, said some plain-clothed policemen came to his residence while they were saying their Asr prayer and immediately after the prayer, they called him aside and showed him a paper which turned out to be a warrant of his arrest issued by a Magistrate court in Kaduna. After reading the paper, Malam did not utter a word, he just moved into his house, came back and entered their vehicle. Advertisement It was after they left that he called and notified us about the arrest , that the Attorney General of Kaduna state had written a petition against him over his recent remarks against their Governor, Abdullahi Said Abdullahi said Malam called again and told them he would be taken to court after the Sallah break. Yabo, in a video clip believed to be recorded in one of his Ramadan preachings, condemned Governor El-rufai and scholars of Kaduna state for the continuous ban on religious gathering in the state. It was also reported that this was not the first time the scholar was arrested at the instance of a sitting Governor, as it would be recalled he was arrested and detained during Governor Attahiru Bafatawas tenure in Sokoto state over a similar offence. By Aftab Ahmed and Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has drafted rules proposing tighter scrutiny of new Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) from China and Hong Kong, three government sources told Reuters, its latest effort to check foreign inflows during the coronavirus pandemic. The discussions come weeks after India said it will screen all foreign direct investment (FDI) from countries with which it shares a land border, a move it said was aimed at staving off takeovers when asset prices are depressed during the coronavirus pandemic. The Chinese government described the policy as discriminatory. FDIs are longer-term direct investments that typically provide control over a firm's management. But concerns had risen in the government the policy change could prompt Chinese investors to ramp up their investment in India as portfolio investors, purchasing company securities such as equities to gain control, officials in New Delhi said. Two senior government sources said India could set up a body to scrutinize new FPI registrants from countries such as China, and the rules will also apply to Hong Kong, a special administrative region from where substantial Chinese investments are routed. The officials said a draft proposal had been drafted in consultation with the trade ministry and the capital market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and was currently being reviewed by the federal finance ministry. The finance ministry and the trade ministry declined comment, while SEBI did not immediately respond. The two sources added New Delhi is also considering the possibility of mandating a so-called "security clearance" from India's home (interior) ministry for new FPI registrants from these nations. "We are not saying that any investment would be stopped, we just want to add a layer of vetting to protect the value of our companies," said one official who has direct knowledge of the discussions. Story continues A third government source said India was concerned about Chinese state-run companies buying stocks of Indian companies. The source added the FPI rules were likely to be similar to the recently announced FDI policy which didn't name China but applies to countries with which India shares a land border. It was not immediately clear if the rules will extend to other countries and if existing registered FPIs will face such scrutiny. There are currently 111 registered FPIs from Hong Kong and 16 from China. Foreign portfolio investors are among the biggest drivers of Indian financial markets. Data from the National Securities Depository showed net FPI inflows in 2019 stood at $18 billion. Concerns around FPI investments had particularly risen in recent weeks after shareholding disclosures by Indian lender HDFC in April showed China's central bank had marginally increased its stake in the company. Atul Pandey, a partner at Indian law firm Khaitan & Co., said government screening could hit new capital inflows from China and Hong Kong and delay investment plans. "(This will) have an immense impact on investor sentiment," said Pandey, who advises several Chinese investors. The FDI policy change has already spooked Chinese investors, many of whom have put their investment plans on hold as they await clarity, Reuters has reported. (Reporting by Aftab Ahmed and Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Additional reporting by Abhirup Roy in Mumbai; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday urged the Railways to inform the state beforehand when special trains are allottedand the details of the passengers travelling. The request was made by Vijayan in an e-mail to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal. It was essential to have thelist of passengers, details regarding their address, telephone numbers, as otherwise it would adverselyaffect the government's fight against COVID-19, he stated. Kerala was not informed when a special train from Mumbai left for the state capital on May22, he said. Information about the passengers was needed to make arrangements for health check-upand their onward journey and quarantine facilities,he said. Kerala has seen a huge surgein coronavirus cases on Saturday with 62 fresh cases, including 49 returnees from abroad and other states, being reported. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 228 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 2,394, the health department said here. Sasaram, the headquarters of Rohtas district, reported the maximum number of fresh cases at 33, including five females -- two of them aged five and eight. The number of cases in Vaishali almost doubled to 48 as the district reported 25 fresh cases -- all of them males in the age group of 20-45. Most cases have been reported from Raghopur block. Significant numbers of cases were also reported from Madhepura, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Khagaria, Katihar, Begusarai, Aurangabad, Banka and Begusarai districts. With a few cases recorded in Patna's rural areas, the number of COVID-19 cases in the district remained the highest in the state at 195. Patna also has the highest number of active cases at 141. While 52 people in the district have recovered, two have died. Other districts which have reported a high number of cases are Rohtas (154), Munger (140), Madhubani (133), Begusarai (130), Khagaria (116), Buxar (114) and Jehanabad (106). The contagion has spread to all 38 districts of the state. With six cases, Sheohar is the only district with a single digit tally. Bihar has recorded 11 COVID-19 deaths. While Patna, Vaishali and Khagaria have reported two deaths each, East Champaran, Munger, Sitamarhi, Rohtas and Begusarai have reported one each. Altogether, 653 people have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the respiratory disease. Bihar has witnessed a surge in the number of coronavirus cases since May 03, when it breached the 500-mark and migrant workers began to pour in on special trains and via other modes of transport. Of the nearly 1,900 COVID-19 cases reported since May 03, a staggering 1,409 are linked to migrants who returned to the state from other parts of the country like Delhi (363), Maharashtra (326), Gujarat (236), Haryana (115), West Bengal (67), Uttar Pradesh (66), Telangana (62) and Rajasthan (61). Over a million migrants, including 8.25 lakh on 580 special trains, are said to have returned to Bihar from other states since the beginning of the month, according to government data. They are lodged at quarantine centres set up at district, block and panchayat levels for two weeks. Samples of those who show symptoms of COVID-19 during thermal screening are sent for testing. They are moved to isolation wards if their reports come back positive. According to Secretary for Information and Public Relations Department Anupam Kumar, 9.68 lakh people are currently lodged at nearly 20,000 quarantine centres across the state. A total of 61,220 samples have been tested till date and roughly 3,000 tests are being conducted daily for the past few days. Efforts are on to raise the testing capacity to 10,000 per day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Governments across the world and Islamic leaders have urged the Muslim community to offer Eid prayers from home and not congregate in large numbers The holy month of Ramadan is nearing its end and Muslims across the world are gearing to celebrate Eid- al-Fitr or Eid-ul-Fitr. The celebrations include large feasts, family gatherings, and exchange of gifts. However, festivities for Eid al-Fitr 2020 will be a subdued as most countries are under lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19. Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated on the day when the first sight of the new moon is seen in the sky. In India, the festival is likely to be celebrated either on 24 May or 25 May. Eid-al-Fitr is also called the festival of breaking the fast. During entire month of Ramadan, Muslims observe a fast from dawn to dusk. As large gatherings are prohibited and people have been asked to maintain social distancing, Eid celebrations this year will be different. Governments across the world and Islamic leaders have urged the Muslim community to offer prayers from home and not congregate in large numbers. Furthermore, Darul Uloom Deoband, India's leading Islamic seminary, issued a fatwa urging Muslims to offer Eid prayers at home instead of congregating at mosques. The Muslim Council of Britain too has issued a similar directive asking people to observe Eid keeping the COVID-19 situation in mind. Muslims are being encouraged to celebrate Eid from home, and virtually with friends and family. Saudi Arabia will enforce a 24-hour countrywide curfew during the five-day Eid-al-Fitr holiday. The lockdown will be imposed from 23 to 27 May. In Turkey, countrywide Eid prayers have been cancelled, as has been the case for Friday prayers since March. The Turkey government has also announced a new four-day curfew during Eid-ul-Fitr across the country to curb the spread of COVID-19. Despite the lockdown, one can celebrate the festival keeping in mind the guidelines issued by the governments. Here are five ways you can enjoy Eid-ul-Fitr 2020 while following COVID-19 lockdown rules: Dress your best: You must have purchased your Eid dress and even though it is lockdown, dress up and motivate your family to do the same. What would be better than a close knit celebration with just the members of your house? Virtual get together: With most of us staying indoors, you can connect with your friends and family this Eid via video conferencing. Exchange greetings and wish them and assure them of having a grand celebration once the situation normalises. Virtual Iftaar feast: Since food is one of the most important part of the celebration, plan ahead and whip up a traditional feast. Connect with your relatives on video call and relish the feast together. Maintain social distancing: There are some areas where people have been allowed to step out. For your safety and well-being, maintain social distancing and wear face masks when you step out. Also, regularly wash your hands and keep them sanitised. Exchange gifts online: Governments in most part of the world and even in India have allowed e-commerce portals to deliver non-essential goods. If you are worried that you might not get to gift anything to your loved ones this Eid, don't fret. Instead order a gift online and it will be delivered to them. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 04:45:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ROME, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Italian flagship air carrier Alitalia said on Friday that it would restart operations starting June 3, when Italy reopens its borders to unrestricted travel from most parts of Europe. According to the company, the social distancing of 1 meter means flights using Airbus aircraft will fly at 33 percent of full capacity while those on Boeing aircraft will fly at up to 50 percent of capacity. It will also schedule more time between flights in order to disinfect each aircraft before boarding of passengers for the next flight. Alitalia said it would fly 30 routes from 25 airports, with the longest being the route between Rome and New York. Italy will formally lift travel restrictions between it and other European countries in the Schengen area on June 3. Alitalia is in the midst of a major relaunch under state control. The Italian government announced last month it would take over the struggling carrier after it failed to attract a buyer. Enditem The Congress on Saturday demanded a judicial probe into the use of a ventilator on COVID-19 patients in Gujarat that, it said, has not been approved by the DCGI, alleging the mortality rate was highest at the hospital these machines were installed. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said almost six weeks after Dhaman-1 ventilators were installed at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on April 4, doctors there sought more ventilators claiming these machines did not work on patients and were not capable. The Dhaman-1 ventilator has been developed by Rajkot-based firm Jyoti CNC which "donated" 866 of them to the state government last month in view of acute shortage of the machines, according to senior Gujarat government official. A row erupted when the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital wrote to the government, stating that the ventilators were not up to the mark, and sought sophisticated machines. The senior official, however, sought to put the controversy to rest, saying Dhaman-1 was "as good as other such machines" and was certified by a Centrally accredited laboratory. On Saturday, Khera alleged the Vijay Rupani government projected the mechanised AMBU (Artificial Manual Breathing Unit) bag as ventilator, "playing with the lives of patients". "Why was Dhaman-1 approved and installed when it had been tested on just one patient? Why was Dhaman-1 approved and installed without a licence by DCGI (Drug Controller General of India)," he asked. "We also want to know if the PM Cares Fund was used to buy 5,000 pieces of Dhaman-1 through HLL Lifecare. All these answers can only be found through an independent judicial inquiry," Khera said. Training his guns on Chief Minister Rupani, he asked why Gujarat had "such shocking data" on COVID-19 patients as 11 per cent of the total coronavirus cases in the country were in the state, but 22 per cent of the deaths related to COVID-19 in the country were from Gujarat. "Why this high mortality, Why the high mortality in Ahmedabad in particular and in Ahmedabad, why the highest mortality is in the civil hospital, where these machines were installed," he asked. "Whatever be your compulsions, Mr Rupani, we understand there are compulsions. But you cannot play with the lives of the people, just because you are in a position of power," he alleged. He alleged the machines were donated under CSR funds by a company in which a Surat-based businessman, who donated the monogrammed suit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi which was worn by him during former US President Barack Obama's visit to India, has a stake. He asked why Dhaman-1 was marketed within and outside the state as a "ventilator when it is not a ventilator". The Congress leader asked why was Dhaman-1 allowed to be sold to other states and why was HLL Lifecare, a PSU, allowed to order 5,000 pieces. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bengaluru, May 24 : The South Western Railway (SWR) zone has run 11 Shramik special trains to transport 16,972 migrants back home to five states, an official said on Saturday. "First Shramik special train from SWR left Hassan at 2 p.m. carrying 1,520 passengers to Katihar in Bihar," said a railway zone spokesperson. Saturday's second special train departed from Bengaluru Cantonment at 2 p.m. with 1,545 migrants, including 25 children to Bhagalpur in Bihar. Third Shramik special train left from Bengaluru Cantonment with 1,520 passengers at 5:12 p.m. to Katihar. The fourth special train departed from Hosur in Tamil Nadu at 5:52 p.m. with 1,616 migrants to Bokaro in Jharkhand. Friday's fifth special train left KSR Bengaluru Cantonment at 6:25 p.m. with 1,600 migrants to Khurda Road in Odisha. Similarly, the sixth special train departed from Chikka Bannavara station near Bengaluru to Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh (UP) at 6:45 p.m. with 1,544 passengers. The seventh special train left from Bengaluru Cantonment at 7:40 p.m. with 1,640 migrants to Jiribam in Manipur. Friday's eighth special train departed from KSR Bengaluru at 8:50 p.m. to Bokaro Steel City with 1,529 migrants. The ninth special train left from Chikka Bannavara to Dalton Gunj in Jharkhand at 9:42 p.m. with 1,555 migrants. The 10th special train departed from Bengaluru Cantonment at 10:25 p.m. with 1,496 migrants to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. This was the first Shramik special train to Kerala from Karnataka. Saturday's 11th special train left from Bengaluru city at 10:55 p.m. with 1,407 migrants to Dhanbad in Jharkhand. Hitherto, the railway zone has run 140 Shramik specials to ferry more than 1.9 lakh migrants. The special trains are being run following the Ministry of Home Affairs' permission for the movement of stranded migrant labourers, workers, students, tourists and others. Millions of mobile phone devices recently showed data, specifically the changing behavior across America this month as people started going up in response to the relaxing of stay-at-home directives. Almost all smart phone devices of every version leaves a virtual footprint. In fact, it is easy to view the behavior of any mobile user by checking on locations. As indicated in a Reuters analysis, Americans went back to gas stations, restaurants, and parks first. In the majority of the US, however, people continued staying away from religious institutions, fitness centers and bars, which, based on the analysis of what Reuters described as "anonymized smartphone data" from SafeGraph Incidentally, grade school and high school visits, as well as visits to colleges dropped at almost 80 percent compared to the percentage in early March. Nevertheless, specialty food and grocery shops, where visits rose by 17 percent amid the "peak panic buying," also in the middle of March, had another, although smaller, bump this month as the restrictions for stay-at-home orders started to lift. Across the nation, the analysis showed, foot traffic middle of this month at pubs and bars was 60 percent lower compared to the percentage in early March prior to the taking place of the stay-at-home directives. Nevertheless in Alabama, bar visits increased by 11-percent "above pre-lockdown levels" after establishments like breweries, restaurants, and bars were permitted to restart operations on May 11. Millions of People Tired of Quarantine Went Out to Eat In Texas, where, on May 1, the restrictions on restaurants, malls, movie theaters, and retail stores were loosened by Governor Greg Abbott, millions of people who are said to be tired of quarantine reportedly went out to eat. However, a considerable part of the population remained careful about eating at restaurants. Foot traffic to restaurants, reports indicate dropped at 20 percent middle of this month from "early March levels," a bounce from its biggest 54-percent drop. In Washington D.C., where residents need to wait until June 8 before the stay-at-home rule gets lifted, recorded foot traffic to restaurants at a 66-percent decline. However, visits to nature parks middle of this month increased by 21 percent in Wisconsin, where more than 30 forests and state parks reopened early this month. Trends Across the City Citywide, the data indicated the manner nuances in government policies and lifestyle can result in behavior bucking national trends. In San Francisco, for instance, where ride-sharing apps dominate the streets, gas station visits stayed 22 percent below levels in early March. The data also showed that "foot traffic to bars" started to recover in Brooklyn and Houston earlier than the other parts of the country after several spots started to offer takeout service, responding to the relaxed liquor orders. Meanwhile in New York City, where limitations on the number of clients allowed to enter establishments, specifically grocery shops resulted in long lines, "foot traffic to food and grocery shops" stayed at 44-percent which was lower than in early March. Visits to religious establishments, according to the data, recovered a bit in St. Louis, after religious services were allowed to resume by Missouri Governor Mike Parson on May 4. SafeGraph gathers the so-called "anonymized location data" from mobile gadgets and matches it with footprints to buildings to gauge traffic. Lastly, Reuters compared food traffic which SafeGraph observed from early March until the middle of May, making adjustments for the fluctuating number of mobile gadgets for SafeGraph recorded daily. Check these out! Considering the possibility of a resurgence of the coronavirus this fall, the City of Laredo and the citys two school districts are collaborating to create a public WiFi network so that students without internet at home will still be able to learn remotely. Unfortunately there are a lot of people that are at or below the poverty line and theres a significant amount of people that dont have access to internet, Councilman Marte Martinez said. The eventual goal will be to create a citywide mesh network, explained the citys IT Director Homero Vazquez. With federal or state grants, this could be accomplished within a year, he said. In the short term, the citys plan is to create neighborhood access points working with the school districts and the citys existing infrastructure. Hot spots would be placed in recreation centers, libraries and schools. Within Laredo ISD, they could create WiFi access points at eight rec centers, 12 schools and four libraries. United ISDs boundaries are much larger, so the access points would not be as close together. They would include three rec centers, 24 schools and three libraries. This public WiFi network would be separate from the citys and would therefore require separate tech support and upkeep. Vazquez said it would cost about $3,000 to install WiFi at each site, plus an annual reoccurring cost of $8,200 per site. So for the citys initial 16 sites, this initiative would cost about $180,000 in its first year, Vazquez reported. He said they are looking at utilizing city parking lots first so that people could easily maintain a social distance while using the network. Judd Gilpin and Claudia Balli, school board trustees from UISD and LISD respectively, both expressed that they would like to parallel the citys efforts. Economic Development Director Teclo Garcia noted that the importance of this effort cannot be under-emphasized. In economic development, having broadband and internet available to schools and the educational system is absolutely essential, he said. As everyone knows, Laredo along with places like Brownsville and places in West Virginia are at the very, very bottom of internet access, broadband access. Councilman Roberto Balli, husband of Claudia Balli, noted that LISD will soon be distributing Chromebooks to all middle schoolers. This effort is pointless if they dont have access to WiFi, he said. Mayor Pete Saenz clarified that these access points would be available to the entire public, not only only students. Council voted to collaborate with the school districts and any other agencies that wish to participate to create a WiFi grid for the city. Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com Part of the coal operations at the Port of Newcastle, NSW, Australia on Nov. 18, 2015. (William West/Getty Images) Communist China Tells State-Owned Power Plants to Avoid Australian Coal There is government concern that Australian coal exporters could face another threat from the Chinese communist regime in its one-sided trade dispute with Australia. While the Australian government has decided not to play tit for tat trade games with China, the Chinese regime is reportedly warning state-owned power plants not to buy new shipments of Australian thermal coal and instead favour domestic products. Australian Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack told reporters in Canberra on May 22 that the trade minister and diplomats were working to fix the issues. Of course were very concerned by it, he told the ABC on Friday. Workers are seen on the top of an iron ore pile as a machine works on blending the iron ore, at Dalian Port, Liaoning Province, China on Sept. 21, 2018. (Muyu Xu/Reuters) He said China needed Australia as much as we needed our largest trading partner. China is the worlds largest steel exporter, it needs iron ore to produce steel. McCormack said Chinese steel mills and power plants would need high-quality Australian coal to operate. China has also announced new supervising rules for iron ore, but opinion is divided on its impact on Australian exporters. Labor Frontbenchers Concerns Meanwhile, Opposition Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon has accused the government of demonising China and its communist regime. Opposition Labor leader Anthony Albanese dodged questions from reporters in Sydney about Fitzgibbons comments but admitted that they hadnt spoken. MP Anthony Albanese speaks to media during a press conference at the Unity Hall Hotel in Balmain in Sydney, Australia, on May 19, 2019. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) Asked if he had an issue with Fitzgibbon freelancing on China, Albanese said: I speak on behalf of the Labor Party. Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud said Fitzgibbon was openly undermining his boss and should get the sack. Beef and Barley Trade tensions have also embroiled Australias barley and beef industry, with Beijing angered by Canberras call for an international inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Australias call for an independent investigation into the origins of the CCP virus was supported by over 120 nations at the World Health Assembly which passed a resolution on May 19. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced the Chinese regimes hostility towards Australia and said the world now has a more realistic understanding on the nature of the regime after Beijings lack of transparency surrounding the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus. Australias Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on May 14: Well work on those trading relationships. But what we will never do is trade away our values. Finbar OMallon, Canberra. John Xiao contributed to this article. Photo: (Photo : Instagram/kyle_newman) Jamie King filed for divorce and a domestic violence restraining order against her husband, Kyle Newman. In return, the filmmaker requested an emergency order accusing the actress of long-term drug and alcohol abuse. The "Black Summer" actress's publicist told People that this is another vicious, failed attempt of Newman to continue abusing King and manipulating the court system. The publicist also said that the judge denied Newman all requests for emergency orders and granted King shared legal custody of their two children. Adding to that, the publicist also said that to protect King, the temporary domestic violence restraining order remains in place. Newman requests emergency order On Friday morning, Newman filed his request saying that King's chronic addiction issues have affected her parenting ability. He shares two sons with King, namely, James Knight, 6, and Leo Thames, 4. He also said that the actress was also doing drugs when she was pregnant with Leo. They found out during her 20-week prenatal appointment that their son inside her womb was also addicted because of his mom's continued drug use. The judge denied both of their emergency order requests, and their two children will remain in Pennsylvania with Newman until a non-emergency hearing takes place. King filed divorce petition On May 18, King filed a divorce petition where she said that she had suffered verbal, emotional, and physical abuse for years. She also said her ex has been withholding their children in Pennsylvania amid the coronavirus pandemic, but Newman denies this allegation. King said that Newman screamed and harassed her after appearing at a friend's house, then he chased her in his car, isolated her from her friends, professional contacts, and employers while at the same time, telling lies about her. She also said that Newman even staged a fake intervention to force her into confinement. Finally, she added her ex is now refusing to bring their children back to their home in Los Angeles. Related Article: 9 Helpful Tips to a Long-Lasting Marriage King suffered trauma In her filing, King also said that she had suffered the most confusing trauma-filled experiences that involve emotional manipulation and gaslighting caused by Respondent. She is afraid of and is feeling anxious and sick to her stomach at every encounter with Respondent. The two met on the set of the film that was directed by Newman entitled "Fanboys." In 2007, they got married at the Greystone Park and Manor Los Angeles, where they first dated a year before the ceremony happened. Newman raised the issue about the split in a statement released by his rep after King was granted a temporary restraining order earlier that week. Newman's spokesperson said that the filmmaker was deeply saddened by King's attempt to obtain court order by false claims and not allowing Newman to respond. Related Article: Divorce Papers: 7 Excellent Ways to Avoid Reaching the Stage to Sign One In the statement, Newman was extremely pleased that the judge allowed the children to remain in his care. He also stated that he is still entirely focused on putting their children's welfare and stability as he has done throughout the pandemic of being a solo parent to them. VICTORIABritish Columbias premier is paying tribute to nearly 400 South Asians who were forced to leave Canada due to discriminatory policies more than a century ago. John Horgan says racism faced by the Sikh, Muslim and Hindu men who arrived at Vancouvers harbour aboard the Komagata Maru on May 23, 1914, hurt generations of people. Horgan says in a statement that when he looks out the window of his Vancouver office, he can see the exact spot where the ship was moored for two months as those aboard endured cruel conditions. Federal laws banned immigration of South Asians and the vessel had to return to India. Horgan says the anniversary of the ships arrival in B.C. makes him wonder how the students, labourers and ex-soldiers from the British Indian regiment aboard would have enriched Canada if given the opportunity to stay in the province. B.C. formally apologized in the legislature chamber in 2008 for its role in the Komagata Maru tragedy. Horgan has spoken out against racism toward Asians during the pandemic and says in the statement that it has tarnished the communitys response to COVID-19. People have been attacked and assaulted. Racism has no place in our province. We must stand firm against hate and learn from our past as we build a better, more inclusive future, he says. Vancouver police said this week that the number of anti-Asian racism cases since March has jumped markedly compared with the same period last year. Police say they have opened 29 cases since B.C. declared a state of emergency over the pandemic, compared with only four cases of racism in 2019. The first case of COVID-19 was found in China. Read more about: Chennai: The Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to formulate within four weeks a proposal for installation of CCTV inside courts across the state. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan gave the interim order on a PIL after orally observing that allegations of alteration of witness depositions can be prevented if closed-circuit television (CCTV) is available inside court halls. Petitioner S Kasiramalingam, an advocate, has sought a direction to the state government and Registrar General of the high court to install CCTV in all courts. The bench agreed with the submissions of the petitioner's counsel that as per the counter-affidavit filed by the government, the cost for setting up CCTV in all court premises in the state would not go beyond Rs five crore. Noting that funds were stated to have been released for a proposal for CCTV system in the Madras High Court and its bench in Madurai, besides district courts in the city, both inside court halls and the outer areas as well, it said a similar proposal has to emanate for courts in all districts. Directing government departments concerned to fully cooperate in formulation of the proposal?within four weeks, the bench adjourned the matter to October 17. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, is meeting with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Sunday to decide if the state government would allow churches in the state to open their doors for worshippers, as the state continues to fight the spread of coronavirus. Mr Emmanuel disclosed this on Saturday during a phone-in live radio interview in Uyo. He said the government would receive a report from CAN on the issue and thereafter come up with a guideline for churches to meet if they are to open for Sunday services. It is not in our best interest not to allow corporate prayers prevail in this state, Mr Emmanuel said. I am worried, I am aware that people are eager to go to church. The governor advised the people to be patient and allow CAN present its report, first. The governor a few days ago had explained why his administration permitted businesses, and not the churches, to reopen in the state. The problem is not the church; the problem is after church (service) what happens? Mr Emmanuel said on May 9 during a similar radio interview. People come into the church, they come in individually, so thats not a problem you use hand sanitisers, you use face mask. But when once they share the grace after the church service, somebody you have not seen in one week that is when people begin to hug, that is when people begin to share fellowship, brotherhood, sisterhood, and so on, that is where we are scared of, he said. At that point the pastor wouldnt be able to control the crowd, wouldnt be able to control how those people interact after church service. The governor, in his latest interview, however, said the ban on weddings, burials, and other social gatherings would still be in place. Mr Emmanuel thanked health workers and other professionals in the state for their dedication to the fight against the novel coronavirus. He said Akwa Ibom State has achieved more than 90 per cent success in contact tracing and a huge success too in the treatment of COVID-19. There are 21 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Akwa Ibom State as of May 23. Despite the increasing number of coronavirus infection across Nigeria, several state governors have eased the restriction on religious gatherings in their states due to pressure from religious leaders. Taraba, Nasarawa, Bauchi, Borno, Cross River, Jigawa and Katsina are among the states that have eased religious restrictions. There are 7,261 cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria as of May 22, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The number of deaths from COVID-19 in Nigeria so far are 221, while 2007 persons have been treated and discharged from hospitals. Jules Crittenden, the Boston Heralds managing editor and one of the daily newspapers last longtime journalists, left his role at the company on Thursday. Crittenden had been with the Herald, the city's second-largest daily, for 27 years, and in a text message to the Business Journal he said his years at the tabloid were the best years of my career. I wish nothing but the best for the Boston Herald as it goes forward in these difficult times, and I have full confidence in those who will do the job, he said. I am glad we still have a voice in Massachusetts that challenges the status quo. Crittenden declined to answer who will take his place, and didnt elaborate on the terms of his departure. A tweet from a former Herald writer, ORyan Johnson, suggested Crittenden was laid off around noon on Thursday. The Heralds publisher, Kevin Corrado, did not respond to an email requesting comment on Thursday. Crittenden first joined the Herald from the Lowell Sun in 1993 and spent 12 years as a reporter covering science, military affairs, foreign policy, security issues, business, crime and other topics, according to his LinkedIn page. He was an embedded reporter with the US Army armor unit that led the initial assault on Baghdad in April 2003, and covered conflicts in Kashmir, Kosovo, Nagorno Karabagh, Israel and the Palestinian areas, Crittenden said in a text message. He then was promoted to city editor, and worked his way up. He was named managing editor in March 2018, after MediaNews Group (formerly called Digital First Media) won a $12 million bid to buy the paper out of bankruptcy. MediaNews Group is owned by hedge fund Alden Global Capital and known for aggressively cutting staff at its newspapers nationwide to reduce expenses. One former Herald journalist who did not want to be named described Crittenden as a tough, old-school Herald type who encouraged his reporters to physically get out of the office for a story. He'd get on your ass if you didnt produce. But he would also fight for you if you struck out and a higher ranked editor was on you but he knew you busted your ass, the former staffer said. Crittendens departure comes six months after its longtime editor-in-chief, Joe Sciacca, left to take a job heading the investigative team at WHDH Channel 7. Sciaccas former role has not been filled, essentially leaving Crittenden as the newspapers top editor. The size of the Boston Herald has gone from about 240 employees at the end of 2017, before its purchase by MediaNews Group, to just a few dozen today. The Heralds print circulation was just under 30,000 as of the first quarter of 2020, with more than half of that from single-copy sales at newsstands around and outside the city. Thats down 46% from four years earlier. And while the Herald doesnt disclose revenue, newspapers everywhere are seeing steep revenue declines due to the coronavirus pandemic, even as online readership has spiked. Last week, Kayvan Salmanpour, chief commercial officer at Boston Globe Media, told the advertising news publication DigiDay that advertising revenue was down about 30%, while online subscriptions surpassed 200,000 for the first time in that newspapers history. This article originally appeared on the Boston Business Journals website. The Jhansi district administration has directed fire brigade to keep its vehicle ready with chemicals following a sudden movement by a swarm of locusts. District Magistrate Andra Vamsi, who chaired a meeting in this regard said, "The villagers along with the common public has been told to inform control room about the movement. The locusts will go places where there is green grass or greenery. Hence, details about the movement at such places must be shared." Deputy Director Agriculture Kamal Katiyar said, "The swarm of locusts, which is moving is small in size. We have got that nearly 2.5 to 3-kilometre long swarm of locusts has entered the country. A team has come from Kota (Rajasthan) to tackle the locusts." At present, the locust swarm is at Bangra Magarpur. "Spraying of insecticides will be done in the night," he 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 Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, May 23, 2020 07:34 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9bc266 1 National KPK,Firli-Bahuri,OTT,Education-and-Culture-Ministry,ristek,Ditjen-Dikti,THR,holiday-bonuses,Nadiem-Makarim Free The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested a state university official on Wednesday for allegedly giving illegal holiday bonuses to officials from the Education and Culture Ministry. However, the commission ended up confiscating a relatively small amount of money: US$1,200 and Rp 27.5 million ($1,850). The KPK later announced, After we questioned some people, we did not find the involvement of state officials, so we transferred the case to the police. The operation was the first to be both initiated and executed under the leadership of KPK chairman Firli Bahuri. In early January, the KPK conducted an operation in East Java, but the investigation had been started by KPK leadership before Firli took his current position on Dec. 20, 2019. In cooperation with the ministrys Inspectorate General, the KPK arrested Dwi Achmad Noor, the head of staffing at Jakarta National University (UNJ) on Wednesday, reportedly catching him in the act of bribing officials. KPK law enforcement deputy director Karyoto said in a statement made available on Thursday that UNJs rector, Komarudin, had allegedly collected Rp 5 million from each of the universitys departments and institutions through their respective deans. About Rp 55 million was reportedly gathered on Tuesday from eight departments, as well as two research and postgraduate institutions. The money was meant to be given to Mohammad Sofwan Effendi, the resources director at the ministrys Higher Education Directorate General, alongside other human resources staff. On [Wednesday], Dwi Achmad Noor brought Rp 37 million to the Ministry of Education and Culture and then gave the ministrys human resources bureau head Rp 5 million, the bureau staffing analyst Rp 2.5 million and Parjono and Tuti [members of] the ministrys human resources staff Rp 1 million each, Karyoto said. Read also: KPK shows lack of willingness to fight corruption in natural resources sector: Activists The KPK claimed they found no indication of the involvement of state officials in the case. After questioning several people, including Komarudin, they handed the case over to the police. Zaenur Rohman, a researcher at the Gadjah Mada University Center for Anti-Corruption Studies (Pukat UGM), questioned the reasoning behind the transfer because Komarudin, a rector of a state university, was, in fact, a state official according to the 1999 Law on Corruption Eradication. The law designates the leaders of state universities and state-owned enterprises as state officials. If the reason for passing the case over is that there are no state officials involved, it raises questions because it was said that the collection and distribution of money was done at the rector's orders, Zaenur told The Jakarta Post on Friday. Danang Widoyoko, a researcher at Transparency International Indonesia, said that hastily passing the case over to the police might prevent the KPK from finding other suspects and developing a larger case. Im worried that the police will only focus on the Rp 27.5 million of confiscated money and the giving and receiving parties in the case, Danang told the Post, adding that those delivering graft money were not usually the core actors. It may be troublesome for the KPK to view the whole picture and the fundamental problem of the case, he said. Read also: Months in, two of KPK's key graft suspects remain at large In 2019, Indonesia Corruption Watch said that the now-defunct Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry had the fourth-highest number of civil servants involved in corruption cases nine people just below the Transportation Ministry, the Religious Affairs Ministry and the Public Works and Housing Ministry. The Directorate General of Higher Education was previously part of the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry, before President Joko Jokowi Widodo renamed the ministry the Research and Technology Ministry and gave responsibilities for higher education to the Education and Culture Ministry. Indonesian Anticorruption Community (MAKI) coordinator Boyamin Saiman said the operation was unprofessional and lacked adequate planning, adding that the amount of alleged graft money was too little for the KPK to take the case. He said he would file a complaint with the KPKs supervisory council. All information is usually discussed by the KPK and is explored thoroughly and in much detail, from the receipt of public complaints to the decision to make an arrest, he said. This arrest was only made to seek attention so that the KPK would be perceived by the public as having done some work. Zaenur said the case demonstrated state officials bad habit of exchanging gratuities, including holiday bonuses, between colleagues and third parties. This is a habit that has been happening for a long time, and this case should be a lesson so that the practice of giving gratuities on Idul Fitri, which is clearly a crime, is stopped, he said. Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim said in a statement made available on Friday that he would investigate the case further. He promised to increase supervision to ensure good governance in the ministry. Every official in the Ministry of Education and Culture must uphold their integrity and carry out their duties according to regulations and good governance, he said. A commemorative event to mark the 11th anniversary of the death of former President Roh Moo-hyun was held Saturday at his hometown of Bongha Village near the southeastern city of Gimhae. The ceremony was participated in by key political figures, including ruling Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Hae-chan, former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, and Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) On May 23, 2009, Roh jumped to his death from a cliff behind his retirement home amid a corruption investigation into his family and aides. As the country's 16th president from 2003 to 2008, the reformist leader is praised for his efforts to eliminate regional divisions and authoritarianism. The commemorative event used to be attended by thousands of mourners and supporters, but this year it was held on a smaller scale due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the organizer, the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation. But a large crowd of people visited his grave, wearing yellow visors and carrying yellow umbrellas, to pay tribute to the late leader. The color symbolizes the former President. "We will continue to strive to realize the values that former President Roh sought and left to us by making a world for the people without privilege and unfairness," DP leader Lee said in an address. President Moon Jae-in, a longtime friend and colleague of Roh, sent a condolence bouquet. He attended the commemorative ceremony in 2018 and said it would be the last time for him to attend the ceremony for Roh as the incumbent president. (Yonhap) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 22, 2020) - Destiny Media Technologies Inc. (TSXV: DSY) (OTCQB: DSNY), the makers of Play MPE, a cloud-based music distribution, collaboration and content discovery platform, today announced the appointment of Sam Ritchie as Chief Financial Officer effective May 1, 2020. Mr. Ritchie is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with over 15 years of accounting, audit, and financial reporting experience. Mr. Ritchie has provided financial reporting services to public companies in the software industry, both in the United States and Canada. About Destiny Media Technologies Inc. Destiny Media Technologies ("Destiny") provides software as a service (SaaS) solutions to businesses in the music industry solving critical problems in distribution and promotion. The core service, Play MPE (www.plaympe.com), provides music collaboration and performance tracking platform to efficiently and securely promote, distribute, receive and discover pre-released promotional music releases. The platform is used by the world's largest record labels and thousands of independent artists and record labels in six continents. Contacts: Fred Vandenberg, fredv@dsny.com CEO, Destiny Media Technologies Inc., 604-609-7736 x236 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56442 Spain will open to foreign tourists from July, its prime minister said on Saturday, promising that the country would guarantee the safety of visitors as it emerges from one of the most draconian coronavirus lockdowns in Europe. I am announcing to you that from the month of July, entry for foreign tourists into Spain will resume in secure conditions, Pedro Sanchez said at a press conference. Foreign tourists can also start planning their holidays in our country. Spain needs tourism and tourism needs safety in both origin and destination. We will guarantee that tourists will not run any risks, nor will they bring any risks to our country. He added: We are sending everyone a message today: Spain will be waiting for you from July. Spains tourism sector, which accounts for 12.5 per cent of its GDP and over 12 per cent of employment, suffered huge damage from the pandemic. More than 18 million British tourists visited Spain on holiday last year, the biggest market by nationality. Mr Sanchez had a special message to British tourists. The connection between Spain and Britain is total in many ways from the point of economy and tourism. We would like to offer our absolute solidarity to the British society in this critical moment, Mr Sanchez told The Independent at the briefing. He said the Spanish government had been planning to open up to safe tourism for weeks. This message was designed to give British tour operators and companies some confidence, a source at the Spanish tourism ministry told The Independent. It is very important to give this sector a date July so that British tourists know they can book their holidays. Popular destinations like the Balearic Islands, the Canaries and the Costa del Sol, where Covid-19 infection rates have been lower than in Madrid and Barcelona, will be prioritised by the government, the source said. Guidelines on implementing sanitary checks at hotels, restaurants and airports, and avoiding crowding on beaches, are being drawn up by the Spanish authorities. Spain, one of the worst-hit countries, imposed a two-week quarantine on foreign visitors earlier this month to try to halt the spread of coronavirus, which has claimed 28,628 lives and infected 234,824 people. Mr Sanchez announced Spain would launch a basic income next month to help 2.5 million of the poorest families at a cost of up to 3.5bn (3.1bn) each year. The country has suffered economically with hundreds of thousands losing their jobs. Good news: Its the weekend. Want more good news? Youll find it in these awesome stories from our #TogetherNJ project, where we share the heart-warming ways us resilient New Jerseyans are helping friends, neighbors and even strangers during this time of crisis. Plus, you can listen to them in podcast form while you finish that puzzle or clean out your basement or do whatever youre doing to pass the time. So sit back, relax and dive into these lovely stories of people doing good. Theyre guaranteed to put you in a better mood. Making a wish for us all This 13-year-old is in a fight for his life and was looking forward to his Make-A-Wish trip. Then the coronavirus hit. But his perspective on all that? Leave it to a kid to make us feel better about the world. Making one last call Before Dr. Frank Molinari lost his life to COVID-19 the virus he once helped others overcome he was able to have one last call with his family, all thanks to a special stranger. Heres the unforgettable reunion between that stranger and Molinaris very grateful family. Take from the fridge and give to the poor Restaurants have gotten creative to stay in business, but this Montclair neighborhood got even more creative to help not only their favorite local burger shop, but tons of others in need. Protect, serve and feed Who knew that grocery shopping was going to get so hard? And if youre a senior, its even more daunting. Heres how a certain brave group of folks in Sayreville came to the rescue of their local seniors. Stay home and cuddle New Jerseyans are showing love in big, small and furry yes, furry ways. Heres a tale for the animal lovers. Warning: It may make you want to go out and adopt a pet immediately. You can listen to Together NJ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. Subscribe so you dont miss our latest episodes, which are released on Thursdays, and our short briefings on Mondays. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Have a great story to share? Wed love to hear it. You can submit them at nj.com/togethernj. I have been in the nursing home industry for over 25 years. I chose this profession because I have a passion for the elderly and the care they receive during their final journey. I am passionate about what I do and want nothing more than to do the right thing, and that is protect our patients during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. We were not prepared for this virus as a nation, a state, a health care system or a long-term care industry and its no ones fault. I truly believe we are all out there doing the best we can, battling this invisible enemy that we dont fully understand. Nursing homes have been impacted in a way that no other industry has. We have lost thousands of precious lives and not because we did anything wrong, but because we are in a congregate setting that allows this virus to spread before you even know it is present. It doesnt matter how good your infection control practices are, once the virus hits, it spreads silently, maliciously and uncontrollably. From the beginning Before it was imposed on us by the state government, we stopped visitors, eliminated all group dining plus activities and essentially quarantined every patient to their room. We began screening every employee on every shift, even before the virus reached us and we trained the staff endlessly. For each employee, clinical and non-clinical, screening is done by taking the temperature of each personnel. Visual screening is done as well, which means if the employee looks flushed or washed out, you hear sniffles and coughing, that does not go unnoticed and the employee is told to turn around and go home for the state guidelines of 14 days. This is done in a serious fashion, because all you need is one person and that equals an outbreak. So the nursing homes are, without a doubt, the epicenter of the COVID-19 story. The regulations and guidance changed almost daily and we retrained the staff. We had to teach them how to use special PPE in an environment that, before this pandemic, never had an N95 mask, because we would never take a patient with something infectious enough to need this type of protection. We did all this preparation to protect the valuable lives we treasure. These are those who are unable to live at home due to health issues, behavioral issues, or various other reasons. Some have families, while many do not, and for them, the caregivers and staff are their families. As in hospitals and jails, the skilled nursing facility is a place, for the most part, where social distancing doesnt have a prayer unfortunately. Residents do practice social distancing inside as they eat alone, some get window visitors but most communicate with families via Skype, FaceTime, email and text. Its the best anyone can offer during this pandemic. When this dreadful invader makes its way into a nursing home, things happen very quickly. Suddenly you get your first positive. Some nursing homes were required to take recovering patients, which is how it arrived and, in many cases, it is an employee that brings it in who is asymptomatic. Then there is a patient who goes to dialysis three times a week, who may have caught it from someone who is working at the dialysis center and that person is also asymptomatic. Once the first positive is received and the magnitude of what is about to happen to so many precious lives hits us, this is when we jump into action. The resident is isolated in a private room and the entire unit where that patient is located is put on droplet precautions. This means that all employees wear appropriate PPE, such as N95 masks, gowns, gloves and eye protection. Please keep in mind that the room where the positive patient is located is just steps from 60 other patients who are negative that we work diligently to protect. So we hope and we do this every day. Unrealistic expectations How do we stop this tidal wave from happening? The governor released a mandate to force nursing homes to take COVID-19 patients on March 25. This order triggered a tsunami of COVID-19 patients away from the hospitals and into a place already sparked by incoming COVID-19 patients and from elsewhere. The scariest question, aside from what would be the historical global numbers in the end, is asking, when did this really begin? People just started learning about the Kirkland, Washington situation as soon as New York started getting hit quietly. Then Governor Cuomo signed an executive order to start the week of May 10, 2020, mandating that all nursing home staff must be tested twice per week. In theory, that sounds like a great idea, and one that I agree with. However, the magnitude of this order is something the state, counties, health departments, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are not prepared to handle. Why? Its all in the math. There are approximately 101,000 nursing home beds in the state of New York. For every nursing home bed, there is approximately 1.5 employees. There are approximately 50,000 assisted living beds, and for each there is about one employee. This means there are over 200,000 employees that are supposed to test twice per week. The long-term care industry in New York State is going to need to do 400,000 tests per week, or over 57,000 tests per day. The state is currently testing about 20,000 people per day, but is trying to get that number to 40,000. Essentially, we are being asked to perform more tests per day than the entire state of New York is able to do. Immediately questions come to mind such as: Where are we going to get these tests? Who is going to perform them? Who is going to pay for them? How are we supposed to have a plan in place so quickly? Nursing homes are told to figure all of this out without financial support and not having the amount of tests needed to do this. Its like someone trying to get dressed for the first time after losing their right arm in a war and being blind. In addition, many of the nursing homes in upstate New York were contacted by their county health departments during the first week in May with offers of testing all residents and staff. The local health departments have been incredibly helpful during this time, and the nursing home operators were appreciative of their efforts to assist. Then each facility was contacted and told they would not be getting the tests for the employees, because the governors order dictated that the providers would be responsible for securing their own tests. With unrealistic expectations still the norm for our nursing homes, talk about re-opening the state and country, while understood, is still difficult to comprehend. In this Together We are an industry devoted to caring for your loved ones. We are fighting this virus just like everyone else. Hospitals and their personnel are in the media as heroes. we are too. Governor Cuomo hasnt ordered hospital employees to be tested because he knows if he did, they would lose half of their staff. He allowed COVID-19 positive nurses and doctors to come to work sick to ensure hospitals had enough employees to care for the patients. They were not required to take a test unless they were symptomatic. Now he is ordering all long-term care employees to be tested twice a week, and they have to wait 14 days to return, regardless of symptoms, which is longer than the CDC recommends. This is not a bad thing and will do more to protect our residents, but the cost will be a statewide staffing crisis and we need to prepare for that. Im frustrated with non-solutions to serious problems. Finally, I ask, why cant we all just admit that we, as a nation, were not prepared or equipped to handle this pandemic? I wish everyone could say that they made the best, most informed decisions possible during a crisis that we never even dreamed possible. Rather than place blame on one group or another, the people and the government should make every effort to support every branch of health care. If we dont work together, we cant win this war. We are all struggling. We all want to do this correctly. I dont have all the answers and I dont know how to fix this. I do feel that if we came together as a health care industry, we could make more progress than we are now. Before 2020, no one ever heard of flattening the curve or social distancing, so this is all new to everyone. From health care workers to the schools, from government to manufacturing companies, and from banks to the blue-collar laborers, we are all new at this. This has become a world where we are grateful to our health care workers, our supermarket personnel and our mail carriers. Nursing homes, before COVID-19, have always battled the myth that residents sit in their wheelchairs all day watching television, eat three meals a day, play bingo, watch more TV and then go to bed. Most people think that this is what goes on. Sure, there may be a birthday party and thats it, but that couldnt be further from the truth. Recreation teams work off calendars that they create monthly where live music is present, mini-horses tour the facilities, arts and crafts, ice cream socials and every holiday is celebrated, from Halloween to Christmas to Easter. So yes, applaud the hospital workers, but dont forget that nursing home workers, the people who have dealt with this most vulnerable population during this crisis, should get applauded and be given a standing ovation as well. Grace Pfordresher lives in Saratoga Springs and is a veteran health care executive in the long-term care industry and currently works as an administrator for Centers Health Care, a group of local long-term care facilities. She wrote this column as an individual and not as a representative of her company. Love 34 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 1 Although the Canadian cannabis market has evolved more slowly than expected, Canopy Growth Corp (NYSE: CGC) has the potential to become a long-term leader in this sector, according to BofA Securities. The Canopy Growth Analyst Bryan Spillane reinstated coverage of Canopy Growth with a Buy rating and CA$30 ($21.61) price target. The Canopy Growth Thesis Canopy Growths recent developments, like management changes and "right-sizing" of operations, as well as its strong cash and market share position, make the company a good candidate to become a leader in the cannabis sector, Spillane said in a Friday note. (See his track record here.) A robust balance sheet has allowed Canopy Growth to scale its business in both Canada and abroad faster than its peers, the analyst said. While Canopy Growth had initially adopted a be-first approach, management now seems to be focusing on striking a balance between growth, productivity and financial returns, he said. The company has already reduced capacity in Canada, scaling back the organization as well as some international projects, Spillane said. While there are some near-term risks for Canopy Growth, like executing the roll-out of derivative product forms in Canada, these are appropriately reflected in Street estimates and valuation on shares, the analyst said. CGC Price Action Shares of Canopy Growth were trading 6.38% higher to $19.34 at the time of publication Friday. Related Links: Cannabis Stock Gainers And Losers From May 21, 2020 Seth Rogen's Houseplant Launches THC Beverages In Canada Courtesy photo. Latest Ratings for CGC Feb 2020 Stifel Nicolaus Maintains Buy Jan 2020 BMO Capital Upgrades Market Perform Outperform Nov 2019 Bank of America Upgrades Neutral Buy View More Analyst Ratings for CGC View the Latest Analyst Ratings See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Verzuz has evolved into a phenomenal online event that celebrates music, culture, and various eras. On May 23, the event welcomes two reggae-dancehall icons: Beenie Man and Bounty Killer. It is the first time two artists from this musical genre are appearing on Verzuz, and not only is all of Jamaica excited, but so is the rest of dancehall-loving world. For the uninitiated, dancehall artistscalled deejaysessentially rap over riddims (beats) in patois about any topic they choose. Much like hip-hop, some songs are socially conscious, and some are about sex, faith, the streets, or taking out ones enemies. Back in the day, Bounty Killer and Beenie Man had a rivalry that makes the energy of Verzuz all the more worthwhile. If you dont know who they are or are unfamiliar with their track records of hits, heres a little about their backgrounds. Beenie Man | JMEnternational/Redferns/Getty Images; Bounty Killer | Scott Gries/Getty Images Bounty Killer is a dancehall king As an up-and-coming deejay in his youth, Rodney Bounty Killer Price worked under the name Bounty Hunter and did some of his first songs with Jamaican sound systems such as Metromedia and Bodyguard. He began recording singles around 1990 and at the same time, built became popular in Jamaica for the dubplates he made with the famous sound systems. By 1992, things really started to pop with the release of tracks Coppershot, New Gun, the eternally loved Spy Fi Die, and more. His debut album Jamaicas Most Wanted (aka Roots Reality & Culture) was hard, and featured the aforementioned classics as well as Gun Thirsty, Girl Say Yes, and Dub Fi Dub. Throughout the early 90s, his albums made him hot in Jamaica, the US, and internationally. Bounty Killer linked up with some of hip-hops finest for his 1998 album, Next Millennium, which included songs with Mobb Deep, Smif-N-Wessun, and Killah Priest. Hes dropped more than one dozen albums and collaborated with reggae (e.g. Richie Stephens, Dawn Penn, Junior Reid), dancehall, and hip-hop artists. He and nemesis Beenie Man even joined forces to make music. From 92 to 2005, hes dropped a number of classics with lyrics about street life, social issues, and of course, his competition. And hes still making music. In 2002, he was nominated for a Grammy for Bounty Killer has a voice thats unmistakable and style that makes him one of dancehalls most recognizable stars. Beenie Man is also a legendary deejay Beenie Man is a self-proclaimed king of dancehall, and though he hit the studio in the 80s, his career really blew up in the 90s. Born Moses Davis, he found success working with sound systems but after releasing a few singles with his brother, 1992 turned into a hot year for him. That is also when his beef with Bounty Killer was sparked. It all started with claims of style-jacking and who coined the phrase People dead! something youll hear on both of their records. Theyve squashed the beef since then, but their music and performances often had people choosing sides. Beenie Mans huge discography includes the albums Many Moods of Moses, The Doctor, Guns Out (with Bounty Killer), Maestro, and the Grammy-winning Art and Life. Hes collaborated with other stars in reggae and dancehall such as Dennis Brown, Wayne Wonder, and Barrington Levy. Over the years, hes also made crossover songs with artists such as Mya, Janet Jackson, the Neptunes, and Lil Kim. Who Am I and Girls Dem Sugar are big tunes that still light up a party. Bounty Killer and Beenie Man have shared the stage many times While their rivalry is as famous as Batman and Jokers, both Bounty Killer and Beenie Man were not averse to rocking the same stage at the same time. One of their most epic clashes was during Jamaicas Sting in 1993. If you werent there in person, you had to catch the lyrical stage battle by watching the VHS tape. The energy! That same year, they made peace. In 1995, they hit the Sting stage again and have shared the bill for multiple shows since then, with their on and off rivalry manifesting itself here and there. The most recent hit-for-hit show between Beenie Man and Bounty Killer was at Sumfest in 2019 and was all about their unity as musical brothers. Their Verzuz battle has the same vibes and fans cant stop talking about it. Watch it on Instagram Live or catch the replay on YouTube. RELATED: Why Sean Paul Is Dying to Hear Rihannas Dancehall Album It certainly wins the prize for the most surreal conversation I have had during lockdown and when youre living with two young children, there is tough competition. I was on the phone to an emergency dentist trying to get urgent treatment for my five-year-old son Ted who was in pain with a decaying molar after a filling became dislodged. Were only open for extraction under local anaesthetic, the dentist at the local hospital said when I finally got through. Or, to phrase it another way, they wouldnt bother to assess him and it was up to me with zero dental knowledge to decide whether it was bad enough to justify putting my child through the trauma of having his back tooth yanked out. There was, she continued hesitantly, another course of action. Great, Im all ears. Did I have any Babybel cheese? I paused as my brain raced through the contents of the fridge while trying to work out how the cheese I buy for my toddler could possibly help. I know, I know but hear me out, she said. The red wax case of a Babybel can be used to make your own filling when it is cut up, rolled into a ball, mixed with saliva and fixed into the hole, she explained. I was flabbergasted. Even if I could pull off this level of dentistry, were talking about a child in excruciating pain who would surely take it out or perhaps even swallow it. Still in pain: Kate with son Ted, five, who has been plagued by toothache In disbelief I messaged a friend who, trying to calm my rage, replied that it brings a new meaning to the photographers maxim: Say cheese! But Im struggling to see the funny side. Is this the state of Covid dentistry? Yank it out or do it yourself? Its medieval. Dentists even private practices were ordered to close two months ago at the start of the lockdown, and the mere fact that I managed to get a dentist on the phone at all was something of a miracle. It had been the result of a dozen calls to our usual clinic, voicemails and texts to an emergency mobile number, and calls to NHS 111 staff who sent me back to square one by telling me to call my usual clinic. I tried my GP surgery and finally posted a desperate message on a local Facebook forum. Eventually, the emergency clinic at a local hospital called back. My sons case began last year when, to my horror, he was given a filling. I took it personally as I thought Id been good by banning sugary snacks from an early age. A kindly dentist said that raisins or middle-class sweeties as he called them were most likely to blame. But during lockdown, the filling had become dislodged causing him pain and I had hoped, not unreasonably, that a dentist might take a look. Dentistry in England now, however, is largely limited to phone consultations and the three As antibiotics, analgesics and advice. The Department of Health says it has set up more than 500 urgent dental care centres but the location of these places is a mystery and treatment is mostly limited to extraction under local anaesthetic. The reason for this is to avoid aerosol-generating procedures, which means any treatment likely to spray around spit or blood. With such scant provision, desperate people are taking matters into their own hands. Ive heard a huge number of stories from people who have got out a pair of pliers to do it themselves because of the desperation of waiting so long. Its barbaric, says Eddie Crouch, vice-chairman of the British Dental Association. James Goolnik, a dentist in the City of London, has tales of woe that will have you clutching your face. People tell me they have been using knives, nail files and trying to stick crowns back on with superglue but getting them the wrong way round, he says. Then there are some who have ulcers with no idea if they have cancer. Unless its a life-threatening infection, the emergency centres wont see them. Thats not acceptable. As dentists, were frustrated because we want to help but weve been held back. We have PPE and we can work. We have been dealing with the risk of HIV for years and lots of other viruses. The case of Angela Wood highlights the sheer lunacy of the situation. The 49-year-old housewife from Sheffield started experiencing agonising toothache at the beginning of lockdown and was told by an emergency dentist that, under normal circumstances, a root canal would be performed and a new crown fitted. However, now all they would do was take it out. She reluctantly agreed but when the pain returned to the same side of her face two weeks later, she went back. They said the only thing we can do is take the tooth next to it out, too. I couldnt believe what I was hearing. Where does it end? Do we keep taking my teeth out until we find the problem? Mrs Wood now spends most of her days at her computer, having gathered an extraordinary online community of people with similarly harrowing stories. She leads a renegade alliance of patients helping each other access dentists. Today were trying to help a lady in Devon find treatment, says Anthony Foster, 39, who has joined Mrs Woods campaign. The financial services worker from Essex had to fight to save one of his front teeth after a dentist at an emergency hub told him the only option was to have it removed and, no, he wouldnt be given a replacement. It beggars belief that its such a shambles. Someone will die from it, he says. Those fears are shared by Dr Philip Lewis, president of the Mouth Cancer Foundation. Dentists are trained to spot mouth cancer and they detect about 24 cases a day in the UK often picked up by chance during routine check-ups. With clinics shut for nine weeks, there are hundreds of cases going undiagnosed, not to mention a huge backlog when clinics do eventually reopen. It seems likely that even when general dental practices reopen, it may be a considerable time before a full service becomes widely available, says Dr Lewis. Sadly, many cases of all head and neck cancers could be going undetected. Pictured: Babybel Cheese, stock image, the wax from which Kate Mansey was suggested by a dentist to make a temporary filling from So how does Britain compare to the rest of the world? Ireland has reopened its dentists, and Norway opened dentists a month ago. Germany has said dentists are low risk when it comes to transmitting the infection, while 42 out of 50 states in America have dentists operating again. Even within the UK, there are huge discrepancies, with England faring the worst. Its a postcode lottery if ever there was one, says Eddie Crouch. Ive been speaking to colleagues in Gloucester and they had only one urgent care centre set up and theyre seeing seven patients a day for the whole of the county, which is pathetic. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have more authority to make decisions quickly, whereas the Chief Dental Officer in England is an employee of NHS England, so the decision-making is as slow as can be. When this is all over, there has to be an inquest into how the decision-making process in England has been so snail-like. Its not clear, however, that there will even be much relief once the lockdown has ended. Financially, many clinics are in dire straits, with dentists furious that they havent been awarded the full business rate relief extended to bookmakers, for example. Even NHS practices, which rely on private work to supplement their income, are suffering. It means many more of us may be providing DIY dentistry long after coronavirus has been wiped out. As for me, Ive ordered a DIY dental kit online. I wont be using Babybel cheese wax any time soon. Eid Al Fitr marks the end of the holy Ramadan. On this day, Muslims across the globe break their fast and celebrate the end of the Ramadan month. Moreover, this is the only day of the Shawwal month during which Muslims are not allowed to fast. On this day, Muslims have huge processions along with large prayer gatherings. This year, Eid Al Fitr will be celebrated on May 23, 2020, and May 24, 2020. The festivities will begin on the evening of May 23 and will go on until the evening of May 24. Here are some Eid Al Fitr wishes in English that you can send to your friends and family. Eid Al Fitr wishes in English Also Read | Happy Eid Al Fitr 2020: 5 Hina Khan Outfits To Take Inspiration From This Eid Before we ask for happiness and prosperity, we should ask for mercy. May Allah shower his mercy on us. Eid Mubarak! Eid Mubarak! Seize the moment and be happy. Because very little is needed to make a happy life, its all within yourself and your way of thinking. Let this Eid be the occasion of sharing the love and caring for the people who need to be loved and cared. Eid Mubarak to all! Also Read | When Is Eid Al Fitr 2020 In Saudi Arabia And How Will It Be Celebrated This Year? Eid is a day of sharing what we have and caring for others. May you have a wonderful Eid this year! May the God Almighty show you on the right path and help you in every step of your life. Eid Mubarak! May you receive all the joys of life on the occasion of Eid. Eid Mubarak! The first and the foremost thing that we should ask from Allah is mercy to make it a purposeful Eid for all of us. Eid Mubarak! May Allah accept your good deeds, forgive your transgressions and Sins and ease the suffering of all peoples around the globe. Also Read | What Is Eid Al Fitr? Know About Its History, Significance And Celebration May this day bring peace and smoothness in your life, may it provide you with the best time of your life. Happy Eid day! Eid Mubarak, my friend. I pray that after eating some delicious delicacies on Eid, you'll regain some common sense. Love you! On Eid-ul-Fitr, wish that Allah's blessings light up the path and lead to happiness. Also Read | Is Eid Al Fitr A National Holiday In India And In Other Countries Around The World? Mixed results from clinical trials of several promising treatments and vaccines against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) released this week brought both cheer and gloom to a world desperate for a safe and effective treatment or vaccine against a disease that has infected at least 5.3 million people and killed 340,000. At least 100 vaccines are being developed against Sars-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19, with many using new platforms that have not been used in a licensed vaccine before. Vaccines work by training the bodys adaptive immune system to recognise and neutralise invading viruses, bacteria and other pathogens to prevent infection. Hydroxychloroquine In the absence of a treatment or vaccine, one of the major drugs being repurposed to treat this new disease against which humans have no immunity are anti-malarial drugs, hydoxychloroquine and chloroquine, which US President Donald Trump said he has been popping daily to prevent infection. On Friday, a study of 96,000 hospitalised patients in six continents published in The Lancet journal delivered the disappointing news that those treated with the drug had a significantly higher risk of death compared with those who were not. The drug raised the risk of irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that can lead to sudden cardiac death, concluded the largest analysis on the risks and benefits of treating Covid-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine. India is the worlds biggest producer of hydroxychloroquine, which is approved for use as a prophylaxis to be given to asymptomatic health workers and contacts of Covid-19 patients since March 23. This was expanded to include frontline workers from May 22. Several studies are underway in India, and, as the results emerge, we shall be able to provide more insights into the experiences locally. However, early reports from the pharmacovigilance programme indicate that there are no unexpected spikes of adverse reactions from the use of hydroxychloroquine in the country, said health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, in an interview to HT earlier this week. As a prophylactic drug, the medicine has shown results in India, which is why it is advised for a larger group now. The Lancet paper that has come out will have implications for treatment regimen, not prophylaxis, said an official from Indias apex research organisation, the Indian Council of Medical Research, which led a hospital-based retrospective study that found the drug protected healthworkers working on Covid-19 isolation wards from infection. Remdesivir Remdesivir became the only drug to receive an emergency-use authorisation in the US to treat Covid-19 after early data showed it shortened recovery time from 15 days to 11 days in hospitalised adults with lower respiratory tract infection. A study of 1,063 patients that included 538 who received remdesivir and 521 who were given a placebo showed death in the remdesivir group was 7.1%, compared to 11.9% for the placebo group, but it brought no benefits for severely ill patients on mechanical ventilation, who are at highest risk of death, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. These findings support the use of remdesivir in this population, with the largest benefit observed among individuals who required oxygen supplementation but were not mechanically ventilated. We anticipate that results from our Phase 3 SIMPLE-Severe study [randomised, open-label, multicentric trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of two dosing durations 5 days and 10 days of remdesivir in adults diagnosed with Covid-19], which is evaluating remdesivir in a similar population of Covid-19 patients requiring oxygen but not on mechanical ventilation, will be published in the near future. These data from the SIMPLE-Severe study support treatment of some patients for 5 days rather than 10 days, depending on clinical status, said the drugs manufacturer Gilead Sciences, in a statement. Fewer people get severely ill from Covid-19 in India, and fewer need ventilation support. Of the around 70,000 people currently infected with Covid-19, 2.94% are on oxygen support and 0.45% are on ventilators, according to data from the Union health ministry . Gilead Sciences has signed non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements with four generic pharma companies -- Jubilant Life Sciences, Cipla, Hetero Labs, and Mylan for manufacture and distribution of remdesivir to 127 countries, including India. The promoters of HT Media Ltd, which publishes Hindustan Times, and Jubilant Life Sciences are closely related. There are, however, no promoter cross-holdings. Oxford vaccine Following preclinical animal studies showing Oxford Universitys ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine protected six monkeys from pneumonia, recruitment of around 10,260 adults and children has begun to assess the immune response to the vaccine across ages. The vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold adenovirus (ChAdOx1) that causes infection in chimpanzees, and has been genetically changed so it cannot cause infection in humans. The Covid-19 vaccine trial team has been working hard on assessing the safety and immunogenicity of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, and preparing to assess vaccine efficacy. We have had a lot of interest already from people over the age of 55 years who were not eligible to take part in the Phase I study, and we will now be able to include older age groups to continue the vaccine assessment, said Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, on Friday. Oxford University has licensed the experimental vaccine to AstraZeneca, with who the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) is in talks about mass production. Our discussion with AstraZeneca is ongoing and we can comment further once the deal is concluded. However, we can certainly say that we will be able to provide them with more than 100 million doses, said an SII spokesperson. Sino Biotech vaccine Sino Biotechs inactivated Ad5-vectored Covid-19 vaccine is among at least seven such where teams are using traditional platforms to develop vaccines using a weakened or inactivated form of the virus, such as those used in measles and polio vaccines. The Sino Biotech vaccine was found to be safe, well tolerated, and able to generate an immune response against Sars-CoV-2 in humans, according to new research published in The Lancet. The Ad5 vectored COVID-19 vaccine is the first vaccine to be tested in humans and demonstrated a strong immune response after 28 days in 108 healthy adults. The final results will be evaluated in six months after there is data about how effective and long-lasting the protection is against SARS-CoV-2 infection. If successful, the vaccine will be produced in China and, as of now, India has no role in its development and production. Moderna vaccine Moderna announced earlier this week that its experimental vaccine mRNA-1273 produced virus-neutralising antibodies at levels similar to those found in recovered patients. It said early data showed the vaccine raised the levels of neutralising antibodies in eight vaccinated people to levels found in the convalescent plasma of recovered patients. The vaccine is the most advanced among at least 20 experimental nucleic acid vaccines against Covid-19 in various stages of clinical development that use the messenger RNA (mRNA) platform to elicit an immune response against Sars-CoV-2, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)s draft landscape of Covid-19 candidate vaccines. If it is approved, it will be the first messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine against any disease in the world. The US-based company, however, is drawing flak for not publishing data in a peer-reviewed medical journal. Moderna has developed the vaccine in partnership with US National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which is expected to publish the data . Moderna has never brought a vaccine to market, though it has several vaccines in the pipeline. This is not the most advanced mRNA vaccine being developed by Moderna, they have started others much earlier. Some are more advanced in terms of actual development (phase 2) but none are approved so far, said Dr Anurag Agrawal, director, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, New Delhi. 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 Medical experts and healthcare institutions are concerned about how the industry might be omitting this crucial information after being given the choice to not provide the data. This could limit the accuracy of the federal data collection effort to fully understand the impact of the pandemic to the elderly according to a news report. The administration's decision to not require nursing homes to report COVID-19 cases that happened before May 6 was included in the memo published earlier this month by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Under-identification of cases Under the FAQs section, one of the questions asked if the facilities were required to report data prior to the date of the interim final rule, which was May 6th. The response was that there was no requirement to collect older data despite that the system was capable of retrieving data as far back as January 2020. It continued that the CMS would refrain from taking action if a nursing home failed to accurately report information at the given time. Various news outlets covered that nursing homes failed to report coronavirus infections before the outbreak. These facilities were now scheduled for investigation for cases of neglect. More than 20,000 residents from nursing homes died prior to May 6th. This can also pose as an undercount of the true figure. Speaking on behalf of the University of California San Francisco, nursing professor emerita Charlene Harrington said she suspected there was a "huge under-identification" of the coronavirus in nursing homes. She believed that the underlying problem was that local authorities were not prioritizing nursing homes, where the most susceptible groups lived in. Harvard Medical School professor David Grabowski said that there was no way to get ahead of the pandemic unless health experts had data to tell them there was a problem, like shortages of personal protective equipment or of understaffing or poor management. Check these out: Patients at nursing homes being "wiped out" Last month, when infections and deaths in nursing homes began rising, the Democrats in Congress have gradually become more critical against the administration's measures to assist these healthcare facilities. Senator Ron Wyden said in a joint statement that the federal government's response to the ongoing crisis in the nursing homes of the United States was inadequate. He said, while the country's most vulnerable groups were more at risk than ever, the administration failed to make necessary data available for weeks. The nursing home industry acknowledged that knowing the scope of the virus and which facilities needed priority was crucial amid the reopening of regular operations. Harrington suspected the government was helping the nursing home industry through covering up death rates in their facilities. LeadingAge, a non-profit organization for long-term care facilities, said that older Americans were taking their own precautionary measures to avoid being entirely "wiped out" from the pandemic. The most feasible solution was better access to testing and protective equipment. The Center for Diseases Control and Prevention launched a tool last month for these facilities to report COVID-19 cases and deaths. On top of that, the program allowed the input of medical supplies and equipment, staffing, and testing access. WASHINGTON - You can bet there will be a wave of business school case studies on how companies did or didn't manage the coronavirus. Maybe Flock, Lisa Wise's Washington-based property management company, will be among them. I wrote about Wise just a few months ago, so her 52-person company - which runs the day-to-day operations for more than 100 condominium associations and 1,000 rental properties in the District of Columbia - was fresh of mind. Like so many businesses, the pandemic's toll on Flock's bottom line was predictably sharp: 2020 revenue is projected to drop 17 percent, to $5.8 million from $7 million in last year. The profit forecast has gone from $1 million to a worst-case $245,000 loss. The good news: Wise sees the company surviving, thanks to preparation and a solid cash position. "I don't know if it was luck or brilliance, but we were totally prepared," she said. Flock currently has $1 million in government stimulus and loans in the bank. Nearly all of its pre-covid employees are still collecting full pay, though the six-member executive team took a 5 percent pay cut. Wise took a 75 percent hit. "Anybody whose position couldn't be performed in this environment and could be repurposed was repurposed," Wise said. Though she initially cut the five-member maintenance staff, she has since rehired two of them. Every staffer has retained health care benefits and, except for executives, the 5 percent match on the 401(k) retirement plan remains. (Wise is a big believer in long-term savings.) Business is not bad. In fact, Flock is using the shutdown to expand a nascent home-repair business - think plumbing, electrical, emergency - called BirdWatch to capitalize on people sitting around the house, thinking up "to-do" lists. Flock is a holding company. Its biggest and most lucrative division is Nest, which manages the 1,000 rentals of single-family homes and condos in the District and supplies 75 percent of Flock's revenue. Nest charges 90 percent of one month's rent to find and land a tenant and then collects a monthly management fee of 8 percent of the rent for a condo and 10 percent for a house. Nest revenue is down 40 percent so far due to the pandemic lockdowns that have devastated the U.S. economy, but is slowly clawing back. Interestingly, Wise said Nest is performing better than expected because of the effect of the virus on human behavior. "There have been people moving out of New York, coming to D.C., to escape the crowd and shutdown," she said. "There have been some breakups, couples who couldn't live in close proximity. Some people are moving back home. Some are combining households to save money. Some are moving from condos into homes." Wise said she and her executive team had been discussing the coronavirus threat since late 2019. After hearing what happened in Wuhan, China, which shut down its city and told everyone to stay home for weeks, they started planning. "We saw this coming," Wise said. "The second week of March, we started outlining a shift from in-person workspaces to moving everybody home. We began mulling different scenarios and their impact on our business. How can we manage what we can't touch?" Money was going to be a problem, so Wise began thinking of ways to stay afloat. They went on an austerity plan. Anything that would not affect the company's creditworthiness was game. Every recurring expense was reviewed: office food, lunches, subscriptions, even the composting service were all cut. Flock delayed paying bills as long as it could. It even held off on the property tax payment. "I will suffer the penalty for that," Wise said. "It's worth it to have the cash." Wise, who is wired into Washington's small-business scene, said she heard early on about new federal program to help business. Laura van de Geijn, Flock's vice president for growth and Wise's chief troubleshooter, pulled financial data, tax information and anything else they thought might be required for a federal loan application. They contacted a Crystal City, Virginia, bank to partner with them on the loan. After five days of preparation, they applied for a $650,000 loan through the Small Business Administration's new Payroll Protection Plan. Wise checked her bank account on April 21 and saw the $650,000 deposit. "They freakin' delivered," she said. "It was difficult. Rules were changing and criteria and documentation were changing by the hour. But the anxiety relief from the PPP funds is immeasurable. We truly have never had so much cash in our account. " Flock also received a $500,000 loan from the SBA disaster relief fund. At 30 years and 3.75 percent, the loan will cost a manageable $2,700 a month, with the first payment not due for months. "The repayment schedule is so favorable, we went for it," Wise said. "Maybe we turn around and give it back, but for now it's allowing me to sleep at night." After reading headlines about PPP running low and some companies giving back the money, Wise said she and her team are being extra careful. "We are being extremely cautious about the way we manage the documentation of how the money is spent," she said. "We can use it and we are using it. We have taken money out of a bank credit line as well to help meet payroll." Wise had to improvise so other parts of the company that do fix-ups and routine maintenance for current and incoming tenants, could keep the revenue flowing. Ninety-five percent of the daily maintenance work is being done virtually, by either instructing occupants on how to unclog a sink or change a fuse on the phone or using a virtual maintenance service that her tech team cooked up. "We walk folks through their issues via Zoom/FaceTime/Google Hangouts and teach them how to change air filters, reset a garbage disposal, clear a drain, et cetera," she said. I asked Wise is she sees any permanent changes in the way she manages her business once the world gets back to normal. "We will absolutely continue with a modified telework model," said Wise. "We know it works, but we know it can't replace in-person collaboration or the work we need to do with clients face-to-face. That said, for those wanting to reduce commutes, have more flexibility for family and more - we can certainly see a strong future for a hybrid workplace that works." She is betting that the birds won't return to its two offices, Flock East and Flock West, until January 2021. "That's when things will return to normal," Wise said. "And I would put 'normal' in quotes." What took so long? The Iowa Department of Education collects data three times a year, and most of what is collected is directly tied to a state or federal requirement, said Jay Pennington, chief of the Bureau of Information and Analysis Services. Data about unilateral removals is reported in the spring, at the end of the school year. Even though Davenport had a citation based on removals, Amy Williamson, chief of bureau of school improvement, said the Department of Education didnt know the reported removals were so high until the end of the year. It took us a while to get to that one, she said, citing the laundry list of citations Davenport was confronting at once. For the 201819 school year, Williamson said, they were focused on IEP re-evaluations for students and getting compensatory education underway. Over the summer, she said, they were concerned with Superintendent Robert Kobylskis licensure, which was held up because he was transferring from out of state. It wasnt until fall 2019 when they werent seeing a downturn that Williamson said they addressed the issue with administrators. Back in April TCL made the 10 Pro and 10L official, and they went on sale earlier this month. These are the two Android smartphones that the company is primarily using to make a name for itself outside of China. While TCL has made a lot of Alcatel and BlackBerry branded handsets over the years, few people in the Western world know about it in this respect. Neither the 10 Pro nor the 10L are proper flagship devices, instead TCL is apparently emulating HMD Global's initial strategy with the revived Nokia brand - go after the mid-range first. Though nowadays even in that price segment, software updates are important. TCL 10 Pro With that in mind, you may want to know that TCL is promising at least one major Android upgrade for the 10 Pro and 10L, along with security updates every two months for two years. This means the phones will at some point run Android 11, although the company isn't making any promises with regard to how long it will take it to issue that update. And of course the "at least" wording might make you hopeful that a second Android update could arrive too (aka Android 12), but you probably shouldn't hold your breath. However, TCL deserves to be praised for being straightforward about its plans in this area. TCL 10L To learn more about the TCL 10 Pro and 10L, don't miss our hands-on review. Source Witnesses claim that after an ambulance tried to resuscitate the man, the team left the corpse to rot on the sidewalk. Relatives and neighbors suspect that Valnir Mendes da Silva died undiagnosed. It was thought that the coronavirus might have led him to die of a cardiac arrest. Removal of corpses not their responsibility, says ambulance team According to the man's stepson, Marcos Vinicius Andrade da Silva, the ambulance arrived on Saturday, but did not bring the body. The death certificate said that paramedics declared the cause of death was cardiac arrest and one more unknown cause. They added they were not responsible for handling the removal of the corpse. They did not test Silva's body for COVID0-19. Marcos said he tried to find local officials who would bury his stepfather's body. He called police officers on patrol that day, and they alerted colleagues at the police station, but they appeared to have refused. While countries like Vietnam, Switzerland, and South Korea are well on their way to recovering their economy following success on slowing down the transmission, Brazil, among other Latin American countries, seems to be approaching its peak of the curve. Last week Brazil surpassed Great Britain in the number of positive coronavirus cases. With over 17,000 people dead, the country comes third after Russia and the United States. The healthcare crisis led to overwhelmed capacities in intensive care units and shortages in emergency services in Rio state especially. Check these out: Coronavirus cases likely three times as more than reported Apparently, data of coronavirus deaths in Brazil suggest that more young people are dying of COVID-19 than the elderly. With over 200 million in the population, South America's largest country reported over 310,000 positive cases of coronavirus. The death toll was at 20,000 this Thursday. Medical researchers estimate that the country has over 3 million infected people. Due to the lack of testing and compliance to presidential orders against social distancing and home isolation, people might be sicker than they realize. It was approximated that the age groups who most likely contracted the disease are 20 - 29 and 30 - 39, with almost 600,000 from each group, which was twice as many as the figure for those aged 60 - 69. National School of Public Health doctor Patricia Canto said that the statistics were a big concern, since young people appeared to not be following mitigation measures. Staying at home in Brazil was difficult to do, especially since 20% of the population lived with less than $6 a day. The employee population in the impoverished communities most often worked in the informal sector, where jobs like cleaning, cooking, and childcare required them to leave the house. University of Brasilia epidemiologist Mauro Sanchez acknowledged that Brazil had a younger population, and so it was natural for the number of cases to be higher among people aged below 60 years old. He did say that it was also because young adults were staying home less. Sanchez added that young Brazilians were more exposed to the coronavirus because they did not have a choice. New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the renovated Stor Palace in Kabul with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani via video conference. Speaking strong of India-Afghanistan relations, PM Modi spoke at length about the bilateral ties about both the nation. Here are the highlights from PM Modis video conference with Ghani: # It is indeed matter of great pleasure to be with you again. Afghanistan is India's immediate neighbour # In our hearts and minds, Indians and Afghans have always been close friends # Today we once again come together to celebrate yet another achievement of our friendship # Indians & Afghans hv always been close frineds. Today we once again come together to celebrate another achievement of our friendship # India, Afghanistan & Iran transit corridor that we sighed this year is other landmark in our partnership # Salma Dam will renew not just economy &agri of of Afghan's Herat,but will build strong pillar of support for Afghan's overall growth # To those who cant see beyond shadows of violence in Afghanistan, restored Stor palace is reminder of glory of Afghanistan's traditions # India, Afghanistan & Iran transit corridor that we signed this year is other landmark in our partnership # To those who cannot see beyond shadows of violence in Afghanistan, this palace is a reminder of glory of Afghan's rich tradition # In your quests to build a prosperous Afghan and bring peace, security & stablity1.25 billion people of India will always be on our side # Let me assure people of Afghanistan that in your quest to build a prosperous Afghan, 1.25 billion people of India will always be on your side For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Defence Ministry on Saturday decided to send five columns of Indian Army to help Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to restore infrastructure in state capital Kolkata. The Centres decision followed a request from the West Bengal government that appeared to have been overwhelmed by the magnitude of the relief work needed in the state battered by cyclone Amphan. In a string of tweets, the home department said the Bengal had mobilised just about everyone it could within the constraints of the lockdown in a unified command mode but it needed more help. The National Disaster Response Force had earlier said they were putting together 10 more teams to help the state. The state already has 26 NDRF teams in the cyclone affected areas of Bengal. Based on the request from the government of West Bengal, Indian Army has provided five columns to assist the Kolkata City Civil Administration in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan, a person familiar with the development told Hindustan Times. Each column has about 35 personnel. More than a hundred teams from multiple departments and bodies working for cutting fallen trees, which is the key to restoration of power in localities, the home department tweeted. GOWB mobilizes maximum strength in unified command mode on 247basis for immediate restoration of essential infrastructure and services asap. Army support has been called for;NDRF and SDRF teams deployed; Rlys,Port & private sector too requested to supply teams and equipment(1/3) HOME DEPARTMENT - GOVT. OF WEST BENGAL (@HomeBengal) May 23, 2020 It added that the Bengal government had also reached out to the railways, port authorities and the private sector to join the gigantic task ahead. Cyclone Amphan, the most severe storm in the Bay of Bengal since the super cyclone of 1999, made landfall around 20km east of Sagar Island in the Sunderbans on Wednesday afternoon, cutting off road links, snapping telecommunications and power lines. It killed about 85 people in West Bengal including about 15 in state capital Kolkata. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had told Prime Minister Narendra Modi who visited the state on Friday that the cyclone had, according to the governments back of the envelope calculations, caused destruction worth Rs 1 lakh crore. PM Modi, who announced an interim relief assistance of Rs 1,000 crore, had praised Banerjees handling of the double whammy for Bengal, which is already battling to contain the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak. The Bengal government had earlier in the day asked the railways ministry to stop the Shramik Special trains from reaching the state till May 26, pointing that the district administration was already stretched to its limits As the district administrations are involved in relief and rehabilitation works, it will not be possible to receive special trains for the next few days. It is therefore requested that no train should be sent to West Bengal till May 26, Bengals top bureaucrat Rajiva Sinha told the Railway Board in a letter. Between Monday and Saturday Indias Covid-19 tally went up from 95,000 to 1,25,000 while the global count reached 5 million. A total of 3,720 people have died so far in the pandemic while 51,784 have recovered. Maharashtra continues to be the worst hit state in India, accounting for 44,582 cases of out of the 1.25 lakh cases. The only silver lining that the state has is that the Covid-19 mortality rate has fallen from 4.76% to 3.49%, in the past one month, according to the data from the Maharashtra Health Department. But during the same period, the number of deaths went up drastically to 1,454 on Thursday, from 269 deaths on April 22. On Saturday, Maharashtras death toll was 1,517. Tamil Nadu with almost 15,000 cases, Gujarat with over 13,000 and Delhi with almost 13,000 cases are three other states with high numbers of Covid-19 cases. During the week, the Covid-19 tally in Odisha crossed the 1,000 mark and Goa saw the return of the disease after the first seven patients were cured last month. Goas tally now stands at 54. Kerala, which continues to have the highest recovery and lowest mortality rates, is also battling to contain rising after a large number of Malayalees returned from overseas and other states. Keralas tally has reached 732 with 220 active cases. Assam also has seen sharp rise this week with the total now at 259. At one point the tally had doubled to 204 in four days prompting the government to improvise its quarantine programme. In Kashmir, five doctors tested positive for Covid-19, sparking fear among the population. Four of the doctors had treated a patient who died of Covid-19. Meanwhile as the race continues to find a vaccine for Covid-19, researchers say that a vaccine developed in China, that has reached phase one clinical trial appears to be safe and may protect people from the coronavirus, the New York Times reported. The report, based on a Lancet study, cited an early-stage trial conducted by researchers at several laboratories involving 108 participants aged between 18 and 60. In the trial, those who received a single dose of the vaccine produced certain immune cells, called T cells, within two weeks while the antibodies needed for immunity peaked at 28 days after the inoculation. Also on Saturday, China reported zero new coronavirus infections for the first time since it started reporting data in January. Covid-19 cases in China have dwindled dramatically from the peak in mid-February as the country appears to have brought the virus largely under control. In the United States, New Yorks Governor Andrew Cuomo dropped the states absolute ban on gatherings of any size on Friday. Under a new order, up to 10 people are now allowed to be together as long as they abide by other social distancing guidelines adopted during the coronavirus pandemic. New York has been one of the worst hit cities in the US. The order represents one of the biggest steps yet the state has taken to loosen rules adopted in March that have barred anyone but essential workers from getting together unless they live in the same household. On Friday, Brazils health ministry said there were 3,30,890 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country. That figure took it past Russia, which had the second-highest number of cases in the world on the Johns Hopkins University tally. Evangelist and prophet Emmanuel Kwaku Apraku, popularly known as Apraku My Daughter, was found dead in his apartment in Accra on Wednesday, May 20. According to reports, he was found dead after his family searched for him for four consecutive days. The founder of the defunct King Jesus Evangelistic Ministry International was once a vibrant, powerful, revered, influential and rich pastor in the late 90s and early 2000s but things fell apart along the way. In one of his last interviews he granted Kofi TV, he revealed that he was so wealthy in his prime that he had over 300 luxury cars but lost all of them including his properties. He was speaking on why he wept when Rev Obofuor, the founder of Anointed Palace Chapel (APC) gifted him a four-wheel drive when he made this revelation. According to Apraku, he gave out all his cars to friends and church members when his church crashed which is why he went broke and lost all his properties. Watch the full interview below. View this post on Instagram Kofi TV/Facebook A post shared by Ghanafuocom (@ghanafuodotcom) on May 21, 2020 at 3:04pm PDT Source: pulse.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 Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 01:05:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Investigations into Tanzania's national health laboratory show several shortcomings, including a faulty machine for testing samples of COVID-19, a senior official said on Saturday. The management of the national health laboratory housed in the National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) headquartered in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam did not repair a faulty machine, said Ummy Mwalimu, the Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children in a statement issued by the ministry. Mwalimu made the revelation when she announced investigation results released by a 10-member team she had appointed on May 4 to probe the collection of COVID-19 samples at the laboratory, said the statement. She said other shortcomings identified by the probe team included lack of technical supervision for testing of COVID-19 samples, poor quality assurance of results and poor storage of tested samples for COVID-19. Mwalimu added that the probe team also revealed that the laboratory established in 1968 was facing shortage of professionals in biotechnology and molecular biology, according to the statement. Following the release of the investigative report, said Mwalimu, the Ministry of Health has moved the testing of COVID-19 samples to a newly built national health laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art high-tech facilities at Mabibo area, also in Dar es Salaam. "The new national health laboratory has a capacity to test 1,800 COVID-19 samples within 24 hours compared to the old laboratory at NIMR that tested 300 samples within 24 hours," said Mwalimu. She said the new national health laboratory whose construction was completed in May 2020 has been equipped with high-tech facilities manned by competent laboratory professionals. On May 4, Mwalimu formed the 10-member probe team headed by Eligius Lyamuya of the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences to investigate the collection of COVID-19 samples at the laboratory. She also suspended the director of the national health laboratory, Nyambura Moremi, and the quality assurance manager Jacob Lusekelo over allegedly questionable COVID-19 test results. The suspension of the two officials followed concerns raised by President John Magufuli about the accuracy of COVID-19 test results released by the national health laboratory. Enditem (CNN) Have you ignored your Netflix account since the first season of "House of Cards"? Well, you might want to stream something soon, or you could lose your subscription. Netflix will start asking its inactive users if they want to keep their membership. If they don't want it, or if they don't respond, the company will automatically cancel their service, Netflix said on Thursday. "You know that sinking feeling when you realize you signed up for something but haven't used it in ages?" Eddy Wu, Netflix's director of product innovation, said in a statement. "At Netflix, the last thing we want is people paying for something they're not using." The company will be reaching out to everyone who has not watched "anything on Netflix for a year since they joined," Wu said. The company will do the same for anyone who has stopped watching for more than two years. Netflix added it will start sending out emails or in app notifications this week. Netflix noted the inactive accounts "represent less than half of one percent of our overall member base," or "only a few hundred thousand." "We've always thought it should be easy to sign up and to cancel. So, as always, anyone who cancels their account and then rejoins within 10 months will still have their favorites, profiles, viewing preferences and account details just as they left them," Wu said. "In the meantime, we hope this new approach saves people some hard-earned cash." Netflix is coming off one of its strongest quarters ever, which saw its subscriber base surge as the coronavirus pandemic forced people to stay at home. The company added 16 million subscribers in the first quarter of 2020, which blew past its own forecasts. The streaming company has 183 million subscribers worldwide. This story was first published on CNN.com "Haven't used Netflix in a while? Your subscription could get canceled" Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Camellia Webb-Gannon, Jaime Swift, Michael Westaway and Nathan Wright (The Jakarta Post) The Conversation Sat, May 23, 2020 10:41 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9c4061 3 Opinion West-Papua,Papua,human-rights-abuse,The-Conversation Free Indonesia has recently indicated it is considering investigating the killings of hundreds of thousands of people in the 1965 anti-communist purge under authoritarian leader Soeharto. If the inquiry goes ahead, it would mark a shift in the governments long-standing failure to address past atrocities. It is unclear if they will include other acts of brutality alleged to have been committed by the Indonesian regime in the troubled region of West Papua. According to Amnesty International, at least 100,000 West Papuans have been killed since the Indonesian takeover of West Papua in the 1960s. While the number of killings peaked in the 1970s, they are rising again due to renewed activism for independence in the territory. In September 2019, as many as 41 people were killed in clashes with security forces and Jihadi-inspired militia. Clashes between security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army have escalated since January, which human rights groups say have resulted in at least five deaths. At least two other civilians were killed in another incident. The latest violence was sparked by racial attacks on Papuan university students in Java last year, which prompted thousands of Papuans to protest against the government. The protests brought renewed media attention to human rights violations in the region and Papuans decades-long fight for autonomy. However, because the international media have been prohibited from entering West Papua, the broader conflict has received relatively little attention from the outside world. (This weeks feature by ABCs Foreign Correspondent program in Australia was a rare exception.) New project to map past atrocities Late last year, we embarked on a project to map the violence that has occurred in West Papua under Indonesian occupation. This was in part inspired by the massacre mapping project of Indigenous people in Australia by the Guardian and University of Newcastle, and the Public Interest Advocacy Centres mapping of violence in Sri Lanka. Our aim was to bring renewed attention to the protracted crisis in West Papua. We hope that by showing the extent of state-sanctioned violence going back decades, we might encourage the kind of international scrutiny that eventually led to intervention in East Timor. The map only documents some of the massacres that have taken place in West Papua since the 1970s, as conditions in the territory make it difficult to accurately record and verify deaths. The challenges include a lack of resources for record-keeping, internal displacement and frequently destroyed properties, and a fear of reporting deaths. Others have disappeared, and their bodies have never been found. We also encountered a relative dearth of data from the 1990s to 2010s, in part due to few journalists reporting on incidents during this period. For the purposes of our project, we relied largely on reportage from the Asian Human Rights Commission and the International Coalition for Papua (both of which have strong connections within West Papua), as well as research by the historian Robin Osborne, Papuan rights organisation ELSHAM, Indonesian human rights watchdog TAPOL and a comprehensive report by academics at Yale Law School published in 2004. Among the most recent attacks is the torture and murders of scores of protesters on Biak Island in 1998, according to a citizens tribunal held in Sydney. Some estimates say the death toll may have been as high as 200. Though far from complete, our mapping project reveals several broad trends. The majority of massacres have taken place in the West Papuan highlands, the region with the highest ratio of Indigenous to non-Indigenous West Papuans many killings were committed while Papuans were peacefully protesting for independence from Indonesia given the numbers of troops posted to West Papua and the types of weapons at their disposal, the government should have had full knowledge of the extent of devastation caused by attacks by security forces and militia groups. (Indonesian security forces are generally known for being out of the governments control) in the vast majority of killings, the perpetrators have never been held to account by the government. The government claims the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) is conducting inquiries into some of the more recent incidents, although there are concerns the body doesnt have sufficient powers and the government has previously been reluctant to accept findings of abuses. Why has the world stayed silent? Both Australia and New Zealand have been hesitant about intervening in human rights crises in the region, particularly when Indonesia is involved. In 2006, Australia signed the Lombok Treaty, which assured Jakarta it would respect the sovereignty of the Indonesian state and not support separatist movements. However, Australia and the rest of the world did finally act when it came to the independence referendum in East Timor. In his memoir, former Prime Minister John Howard mentioned East Timor independence as one of his key achievements. However, in office, he showed very little appetite for supporting East Timor independence and ruffling Indonesias feathers. It was largely the diplomatic intervention at the international level by US President Bill Clinton, alongside the deployment of Australian Federal Police (AFP) working as unarmed civilian police for the UN mission in East Timor, that eventually secured the referendum. Author provided Media coverage played a critical role in persuading the world to take action. In West Papua, the media have not had the same effect. This is in part due to what the Indonesian security forces learned from East Timor on how to control the media. The Indonesian government has frequently cut internet services in West Papua, enacted a complete ban on foreign journalists and denied requests from the UN Human Rights Commission to investigate human rights violations. Despite this, mobile phone videos of abuse continue to leak out. In the absence of extensive media coverage, Papuan pro-democracy advocates and their supporters have been calling for a UN-sanctioned human rights investigation. There is also significant support from human rights defenders in Indonesia for such an inquiry. As it now has a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, Indonesia should fully support such a move. However, the military retains considerable influence in the country, and holding commanders suspected of human rights abuses to account remains politically difficult. In fact, President Joko Widodo last year appointed as his new defense minister Prabowo Subianto, who himself has been accused of human rights abuses. Given these challenges, what will it take for the world to show enough moral courage to force change in West Papua? The right way forward is clear. As a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Indonesia needs to put an end to the media ban in West Papuan, support an independent UN investigation and hold accountable those responsible within the government for violent acts. If Indonesia does not take this course of action, then diplomatic pressure from the world will be required. --- Camellia Webb-Gannon, Lecturer, University of Wollongong; Jaime Swift, DPhil (PhD) candidate, University of Oxford; Michael Westaway, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Archaeology, School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, and Nathan Wright, Research Fellow, The University of Queensland This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. William Sadleir, 66, was arrested on Friday in Los Angeles on federal charges U.S. prosecutors have charged the recently ousted owner of a Hollywood movie distributor with defrauding a federal coronavirus emergency relief program and a BlackRock investment fund, including to pay for a Beverly Hills mansion and other luxuries. William Sadleir, 66, was arrested on Friday in Los Angeles after federal prosecutors said he diverted much of the $1.7 million of loans he received on May 1 from the Paycheck Protection Program for personal expenses. Prosecutors say he filed a phony loan application with JPMorgan Chase & Co and the Small Business Administration saying the emergency funds were needed for his former company Aviron Group, which had terminated him in December and where he has no current role. Aviron's films have included Halle Berry's Kidnap, Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway's Serenity, and A Private War starring Rosamund Pike. The PPP was meant 'to help small businesses stay afloat during the financial crisis, and we will act swiftly against those who abuse the program for their own personal gain,' U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna in Los Angeles said in a statement. Sadleir was ousted late last year as CEO of Aviron Pictures, whose credits include Halle Berry's Kidnap and Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway's Serenity Prosecutors say that Sadleir used the PPP funds to pay off his and his wife's American Express cards and make a $40,000 payment on a car loan. Sadleir was also accused of having previously induced the closed-end BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust Fund to invest $75 million in Aviron to support its films. Prosecutors said he then created a sham company to divert at least $25 million of the money, and assumed the fake identity 'Amanda Stevens' to communicate by email with the BlackRock fund about its investment. In a related civil case, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Sadleir's 'lavish lifestyle' also included a $127,000 Tesla. In February, the BlackRock executive who approved the $75 million investment in Aviron was fired for conflict of interest after it emerged that the studio had cast his aspiring actress daughter in a movie. BlackRock exec Randy Robertson (standing left with Sadleir) was fired after approving at $75 million loan to Aviron Studios, which later cast his daughter Rebecca Lee Robertson (right) Randy Robertson was let go by BlackRock in light of the claims, leaving the fund scrambling to take 'vigorous steps to recover value for shareholders' and 'enhance the level of oversight and due diligence related to these type of transactions'. According to The Wall Street Journal, Robertson loaned the $75 million sum to Aviron Pictures in 2017. Two years later, the film studio released the romantic drama, After, starring the fund manager's actress daughter, Rebecca Lee Robertson. At the time of the loan, BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust had $750 million in assets, so it appeared 'an unusually aggressive bet' to funnel 10 percent of that sum into Aviron, a 'small, privately held movie company'. Sadleir told the Journal that Robertson agreed to release $10 million in financing for the romantic drama, After, when he learned that Aviron had finally cast his daughter in a film. 'I can't tell you that he made the decision purely because his daughter was in the movie, but I can tell you BlackRock approved that financing after turning down the opportunity to finance several earlier movies,' Sadleir said. After, released last year, has a 17 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was panned by Variety as 'an innocuous teen pulp soap opera'. Sadleir is a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan and a deputy secretary of state who later moved into the indie movie business. A lawyer for Sadleir could not immediately be identified. A BlackRock spokesman declined to comment. The BlackRock fund had $574 million of assets as of May 21, and normally invests most assets in debt and loans. It sued Sadleir for fraud in a New York state court in December. Sadleir is charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, making false statements to a financial institution, and making false statements to the Small Business Administration. Sadleir faces up to 82 years in prison if convicted on all charges. Anyone with information about fraud related to COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Departments Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721. South Africa: Final year students to return to varsity under level 3, free data Final year students and those graduating in 2020 may return to campus under level 3 lockdown. Briefing the media on measures in response to COVID-19, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, said under level 3 which is still to be announced, a maximum of 33% of the students will be allowed to return to campuses, delivery sites and residences. He told the media this is on condition that the tertiary institutions are in line with the health and safety protocols as directed by the department. Another group of student free to return to university once the country is downgraded from level 4 include the final year and postgraduate students who require access to laboratories, technical equipment, data, connectivity and access to the residence and private accommodation. Students in all years of study that require clinical training in their programmes provided that the clinical training platforms have sufficient space and can accommodate them while adhering to the safety protocols, he explained. He said a two to three weeks period would be given after the level 3 announcement depending on the readiness and capacity of each institution. Should level 3 be announced to begin on 15 June, then students would be recalled to start two to three weeks thereafter. In other words, a period of two to three weeks will be given to allow students to travel back to their campuses and institutions to ensure that the campuses are effectively prepared for the return. The Minister said he would publish guidelines in terms of the Disaster Management Act to permit such travel that will be issued by institutions. It is critical that we adhere to these criteria to ensure that campuses are ready for students to safely return, and the effective health screening, cleaning protocols are in place to keep everyone safe. President Cyril Ramaphosa is currently in consultations with different stakeholders, as the country gets ready to move from level 4 to level 3 of the national lockdown. Meanwhile, Nzimande said all the other students would be supported through remote multimodal teaching, learning and assessment until they can return to campus. It is recognised that some institutions may identify other groups of students in line with their particular contexts. However, any deviation from these criteria must be approved by my department and must fall within a maximum of 33% of the student population. He acknowledged COVID-19 has disrupted the 2020 academic year but said they were determined to salvage what is left of it while saving lives. I would like to reiterate that our sectors response to COVID-19 is guided by measures announced by the National Command Council (NCC) and approved by Cabinet, he added. Free data for struggling students Nzimande recognised that the cost of connectivity remains a huge barrier for students who want to use the digital learning mode as part of the multimodal and remote learning. However, he said they have already struck a deal with all network providers and mobile network operators to have zero-rated educational content sites of the public universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Community Education and Training (CET) Colleges, including Agricultural and Nursing Colleges. Zero-rating means that access to institutional websites will be free, although some of the embedded content like YouTube and videos will be charged for, he explained. He said they are now working on making Educational Data Bundles available to all National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) students in universities and TVET Colleges that they can use to pay for additional content not covered through the zero-rating. I am pleased to announce that we have successfully negotiated with all mobile network operators very favourable rates for our NSFAS students, including the Funza Lushaka students who will receive 10GB daytime and 20GB night-time data for three months, starting from 1 June till the end of August, as subsidised by government. The department will then give detailed information on how to access these offers. However, government is currently not in a position to subsidise students who fall within the so-called missing middle category and those who study in private institutions. We, however, appeal to mobile network operators to work with institutions to also offer affordable packages to such students. I am however working towards the establishment of an affordable higher education loan scheme involving the private sector. He has urged NSFAS and the Funza Lushaka students to register their cellphone numbers with their respective institutions. We advise that during this period, they must also not change their sim-cards so as to enable network operators, through their institutions, to load data to their devices. Nzimande has also stressed that this data must be only used for educational purposes. The department has also made free digital content available specifically to TVET College students through the DHET website, the National Open Learning System (NOLS) of the department, institutional websites and other sites, where students can find digital materials which will assist them in their learning and preparation for exams. I, therefore, call upon all our TVET students to visit these sites and see for themselves the myriad of content available to assist them. He said universities will also be delivering paper-based teaching and learning materials to students who do not have the resources to engage electronically or online. The department is also working around the clock to ensure NSFAS students have access to laptops. Level 4 (Started 1 May 2020) Under level 4, medical students have been returning to clinical training platforms from 11 May, and other final students in other programmes requiring clinical training will begin returning from 1 June 2020. All other students are supported through remote multimodal teaching, learning and assessment until they can return to campus. Level 2 Nzimande said when a district moves to level 2 of the strategy, then the reintegration of the next group of students to return to contact tuition on campuses located in that district will take place according to the following criteria. Once again, a two week period will be given to allow students to travel back to their campuses and for institutions to ensure that the campuses are effectively prepared for the reintegration. The department said a maximum of 66% of the student population will return to campus for teaching, learning and assessment in line with the following criteria under this level. The group will include students in all years of study who require laboratory and technical equipment to complete the academic year, students in all years of study who require practical placements, experiential and workplace-based learning to complete the academic year provided the workplaces and platforms are open and prepared. First-year students in all undergraduate programmes will also go back. Again, institutions may also consider selected return of other categories of students to residences who may face extreme difficulties in their home learning environments provided that the above categories are prioritized, and all safety and logistical requirements are met. Level 1 In the same way, when level 1 is announced, a two-week period will be given in order for students to travel back to their campuses and for institutions to ensure that the campuses are effectively prepared for the reintegration. All students should return to campus. We are therefore going to require the strictest enforcement of physical distancing and health protocols, he said, adding that guidelines will be outlined in the Government Gazette. The department has facilitated the training of almost 17 750 frontline health workers, the leadership and membership of trade unions, and shop stewards on dealing with COVID-19. TVET Colleges The department has drawn a tentative academic calendar for TVET Colleges pending any new announcements on the different levels of the lockdown by the President. In terms of the tentative calendar, the following return dates apply: NATED Trimester (Engineering) students N6 & N3: 10 June N5 & N2: 15 June N4 & N1: 22 June NATED Semester (Business Studies) students N6: 25 June N5: 29 June N4: 06 July NC (V) students level 4: 13 July level 3: 20 July level 2: 27 July Community education and training With regards to the CET College system preparation for the return of students and staff to colleges and community learning centres, he said the department continues to engage with a variety of stakeholders including labour and churches to strengthen the capacity of the system. Guided by the principle to save lives and the academic year, the CET colleges will spend the rest of May 2020 preparing the central offices and the learning centres to be ready for the safe return of staff and students. Subject to the readiness of the colleges and centre, the following are the dates for the return of different categories of staff to their workstations: 25 May 2020: Principals, Deputy Principals and Supply Chain Management staff. 1 June 2020: Centre managers. 8 June 2020: all Lecturers. 17 June for students registered for General Education Training Certificate, Senior Certificate as well National Occupational Certificates qualifications or part-qualifications. The return of Adult Education and Training (AET) levels 1 to 3 students will be synchronised with the return of learners in the lower grades in the public schools. In the unfortunate event that some learning sites are located in districts and metros that remain on lockdown level 4 such learning sites shall be closed or remain closed. He said affected student registered for General Education and Training Certificate, Senior Certificate, National Occupational Certificates shall only get an opportunity to sit for the examination in May/June 2021 to enable them to complete the 2020 academic year. Sector education and training authorities Nzimande said SETAs are currently engaging the employers and skills development institutions in public and private regarding the return of learners. We are all aware that under Risk-Adjusted Strategy Alert Level 4, there is a limited number of employees who can return to the workplaces, however, I would like to make a call to all employers, both in the public and private sectors even during Alert Level 4, to turn their workplaces into training spaces. This also goes beyond this level, he pleaded. Remote multi-modal teaching and learning plans Nzimande said all public universities have developed detailed strategies for remote multimodal teaching and learning during the period of the current lockdown. Institutions have developed their detailed institutional plans, as each institution is unique and we cannot follow a 'one size fits all' approach, he said. The department is working with institutions and committed to ensuring that all students are given a fair opportunity to complete the academic year 2020. University Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Campus Readiness Plans have been submitted to the department along with a detailed costing of the additional funding required to implement them, he said, adding that they are currently reviewing them. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-05-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Dubai: At present, the world is constantly battling the global outbreak of Corona. In view of this, lockdown is in force in many countries and economic activities are badly affected. The global economy is in great disarray. Various countries of the world have taken many steps for the faltering economy. In the sequence, after raising the VAT to 15% in view of the falling economy of Saudi Arabia, now the United Arab Emirates (UAE) economy is also seen with a cloud of apprehension. Many businesses in Dubai have reached the verge of closure. The oil-based semi-system UAE has been suffering heavy losses due to reduced demand for crude oil and prices, which have led to the closure of businesses in Dubai. A survey by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce has revealed that about 70% of the UAE's businesses may close in the next six months due to the Coronavirus epidemic. The survey said that according to more than 90% of Dubai's companies, their sales and turnover have fallen drastically in the first quarter of 2020. If this continues, then in the coming days, 70% of these companies could be locked up. Also Read- These issues were discussed in the meeting of Arab Space Cooperation Group Big statement from the President of Tanzania, says "Virus is defeated by prayer" Know why World Turtle Day is celebrated The grim milestone comes as the WHO calls South America a new epicentre of the deadly virus. Brazil has confirmed more than 330,000 cases of the coronavirus, surpassing Russia to become the nation with the second-highest number of infections, behind only the United States. The grim milestone on Friday came as the World Health Organization (WHO) called South America a new epicentre of the deadly virus, with the WHOs emergencies director, Mike Ryan, expressing most concern for Brazil. In a sense, South America has become a new epicentre for the disease. We have seen many South American countries with increasing numbers of cases, Ryan told a virtual news conference. Clearly there is a concern across many of those countries, but clearly the most affected is Brazil at this point, he said. Brazil registered 1,001 daily coronavirus deaths on Friday, taking the total deaths to 21,048, according to the health ministry. However the true number of both cases and deaths is likely higher as Latin Americas top economy has been slow to ramp up testing. View of the intensive care unit treating COVID-19 coronavirus patients in the Gilberto Novaes Hospital in Manaus, Brazil [File: Michael Dantas/Reuters] The death toll has doubled in just 11 days, according to the ministrys data. The majority of the cases are from the Sao Paulo region, Ryan said. But in terms of attack rates, the highest attack rates are actually in Amazonas: about 490 persons infected per 100,000 population, which is quite high, he said of Brazils vast northwestern state. Hydroxychloroquine Brazils health ministry has recommended using the anti-malarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat even mild cases of COVID-19 treatments President Jair Bolsonaro has pushed for despite the lack of conclusive evidence of their effectiveness. An analysis published on Friday in the medical journal The Lancet found that patients treated with the drugs had a higher risk of death when compared with those who had not been given these medicines. Ryan stressed that neither hydroxychloroquine nor chloroquine has been proven to be effective in the treatment of COVID-19 or in prophylaxis against the disease. The two drugs are among a handful involved in WHO-coordinated clinical trials to find effective treatments for the disease. Some 3,000 patients are taking part in the trials in 320 hospitals across 17 countries. Our current clinical and systematic reviews carried out by the Pan American Health Organization, and the current clinical evidence, does not support the widespread use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 not until the trials are completed and we have clear results, said Ryan. New Delhi: Charu Lata and Preeti Lata, sisters who hail from Bihar and currently live in a rented accommodation in Delhi, have grown up sharing their clothes, books, food and even secrets. It was all going fine for them until the advent of online classes due to the Covid-19 lockdown last month. Away from home and living in a small accommodation in New Delhis Khajuri Khas, the two are now having to share the only smartphone they possess for their online classes. They sit and stress over questions like, whose class is less important that it can be missed? and always realising that all classes are crucial. Charu and Preeti are enrolled in BA and History Honours programmes in different colleges of Delhi University Vivekananda and Lakshmi Bai College. About 90 km away in Hapur, another student Khushi is using her sister Bahaars smartphone as her phone conks off and becomes non-functional with no network or connectivity. While sharing the phone is not a problem, she feels she is invading someones space. I need to keep her privacy in mind even if she is younger, said Khushi about frequently using her sisters phone who is yet to join college in Madhya Pradeshs Gwalior. Priya Singh, another student from Vivekananda College who is enrolled in the History Honours course, is sharing one phone with two other sisters who are pursuing BA and Hindi Honours programmes. Everything is fine until the datesheet shows that we have the classes at the same time, she said. These stories have reached the teachers and also the college Union. Chayya Gautam, joint secretary of the Vivekanada College Union, said, Many students have approached me with troubles in online education. Sometimes there are no smartphones and, in some cases, the siblings have one phone and have to share it between three or four of them. In this scenario, I ask them to see which class is more critical and then they prioritise among themselves and decide who will attend the class in that duration. More Fights, Anxiety of Missing Out The online education is proving difficult for a lot of students as not only do they have to attend classes, they first have to make arrangements to attend these classes. With online classes, we only see problems. Some students have the arrangement but with students like us with only one phone have to share it for our classes. Weve faced a lot of problems. Like the burden to learn is all on us you have to make all efforts to be there in the online class, missing out means one of us has to suffer, said Charu. Charu and Preeti discussed their situation at home with teachers and while the teachers empathised, they said classes cannot be changed as per their circumstances all the time. So on certain days one of us has to miss the class. Our education is running on each others compromise. We sit and decide whose class is less important, said Preeti. The sisters have another fear: What if they will also have to sit for online exams the same day? One of us will have to drop the idea of sitting in the exam. There is no way we can have another phone, forget about having a laptop. But why should we have exams in the first place? We have not gone back to our home inBihar and stayed here in the Delhi accommodation. We are doing everything on our own. And there is so much of anxiety. Many students are away from their families in these times, said Preeti. The two have more compromises and fights over the phone. If my classes extend beyond a certain limit and come close to my sisters, she starts panicking. This leads to fights between us aur phir mood kharaab ho jaata hai, said the two. Sometimes network becomes an issue and none of them get to attend the classes on time. They said they cannot buy a new phone. kahan se layenge? (Where do we get a new phone from?), they said, pointing out that they are already spending Rs 1,000 for three months. When they came to Delhi, they decided to buy only one phone to prevent unnecessary expenditure and to avoid spending too much time on the phone. Both want to appear for civil services exam so phone was bought for only its basic purpose of keeping in touch with family. But some of my friends who have gone home dont have a smartphone. Theyve missed a lot of classes. In our case, one just has to skip a class for another if the timings overlap, added Preeti. Khushi, who is studying English Honours from Delhis Vivekananda College and returned to her home in Hapur just before the announcement of lockdown, admires her younger sister for being generous and happily giving away her phone for her online classes. I have borrowed my sisters phone. Mine is good for nothing in this area. But the phone is not mine, even if she is kind enough to give it to me. Thats her phone and I am the other one in her space, she said. I am very careful about how much of the study material I can download on her phone and how much mobile data can be spent on my requirements, she added. Khushi has a poor eyesight and look looking at the phone screen for long intervals makes things difficult for her. I dont know how much more peace of mind we will lose over online classes. Some of my friends are not even in the WhatsApp groups created for the classes. They are not part of these classes because they either dont have connectivity in villages or they dont own a smartphone. Then there were times when the power supply was cut off for two days and she could not charge her phone. Online Education Push The chairman of UGC, DP Singh, had told ANI that apart from looking into the immediate need for a new academic calendar and online examinations, the commission has constituted another committee. One more committee has been formed for the promotion of online education. We are seeing at this time of Covid-19 and even later when all of this is over, to give a push to online education. It is important for improvement in the gross enrolment ratio (GER) in the country, he said. A panel under Nageshwar Rao, Vice Chancellor of IGNOU, is working on the overall digital education that includes exams and learning". The experts News18.com spoke to were of the opinion that online education is a contingency measure and cannot be made a permanent one. Delhi University is holding online OBE examinations for its third-year students in regular colleges, School of Open Learning and Non Collegiate Women's Education Board which the Delhi University Teachers' Association has been protesting against. Sandhya Sharma teaching History in Vivekananda said that the online push in education is cruel and will take what students have achieved so far. Out of 50 only 22 attended the online class or submitted assignments. "We know that some students don't have any access to high technology, especially in our college where they come from villages, children of vendors, they have gone back and don't have smartphones or network. On the other hand some of them are having problems because there is only one smartphone to be shared between siblings. In this case one has to miss the class." (Names of Delhi University students have been changed on request.) DOJ Warns Los Angeles Mayor That Stay-at-Home Extension Could Be Unlawful The Department of Justice warned the mayor of Los Angeles and the countys top health officer that a potential extension to the CCP virus stay-at-home order may be unlawful. A letter (pdf) sent to Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Friday expressed concern about recent statements both had made that restrictions may be prolonged. In particular, Ferrer said on May 12 that some form of stay-at-home restrictions will remain in Los Angeles County for the next three months unless there is a vaccine for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus. Garcetti said on May 13 in an interview with ABC Newss Good Morning America that Los Angeles would never be completely open until we have a cure for the CCP virus. Reports of your recent public statements indicate that you suggested the possibility of long-term lockdown of the residents in the City and County of Los Angeles, regardless of the legal justification for such restrictions, Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband wrote. Any such approach may be both arbitrary and unlawful. We remain concerned about what may be an arbitrary and heavy-handed approach to continuing stay-at-home requirements, Dreiband added. The Justice Department acknowledges that Garcetti has broad authority to protect residents during the pandemic, Dreiband wrote. Temporary emergency measures may restrict our constitutional rights, but they must also have some real or substantial relation to the emergency, he added, noting a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court some 115 years ago. The Justice Department is charged with protecting the federal statutory and constitutional rights of all persons in our country, and ensuring that governmental restrictions are not unconstitutionally burdensome, Dreiband wrote. Even in times of emergency, when governments may impose reasonable and temporary restrictions, the Constitution and federal statutory law prohibit arbitrary, unreasonable actions, he added. Simply put, there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights. Garcettis office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the contents of the letter. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in an emailed statement that the quote from Ferrer cited by the Justice Department was taken out of context. Public Health is modifying Health Officer Orders on a regular basis to support reopening sectors and relaxing restrictions, the public health department noted. County officials had earlier clarified that Ferrers comments were taken out of context and the county aims to relax restrictions in the coming months. On May 19, officials announced the goal of a broad, safe reopening of the county by July 4. They also announced that some businesses, including pet groomers and car washes, could reopen immediately. Garcetti said the city would be guided by science and data rather than politics. He said the citys seven-day average of deaths is holding and he feels confident about measures the city is taking. We are not guided by politics, Garcetti said at a briefing, reported The Associated Press. Theres no games, theres nothing else going on, and thats the way were going to continue to safely open. Theres no city in the world that right now doesnt have some sort of orders and restrictions because we know this virus kills, Garcetti added. Los Angeles County, which houses about a quarter of the states nearly 40 million residents, has had more reported COVID-19 deaths than the rest of the state combined and near half of the states CCP virus cases. As such, business reopenings may look different there than in the rest of California. Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, expressed concern on Friday over the spread of the CCP virus in the Los Angeles region, and asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the source of new cases to help prevent future outbreaks. LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - China has betrayed the people of Hong Kong so the West should stop kowtowing to Beijing for an illusory great pot of gold, said Chris Patten, the last governor of the former British colony. "The Hong Kong people have been betrayed by China," Patten was quoted as saying by The Times newspaper. Britain has a "moral, economic and legal" duty to stand up for Hong Kong, he said. "What we are seeing is a new Chinese dictatorship," Patten said. "We should stop being fooled that somehow at the end of the all the kowtowing theres this great pot of gold waiting for us. Its always been an illusion." (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge. Editing by Jane Merriman) Huawei Malaysia introduced the Huawei ASEAN Academy, a dedicated training module set to empower digital talent in the region. In its commitment, Huawei aims to nurture 50,000 talents over the next five years, spread across various businesses and technology sectors. The academy will provide more than 3,000 ICT courses involving 100 skilled trainers to nurture digital talent. The Huawei ASEAN Academy in Malaysia is the first in Asia Pacific region which plays an important role in ICT development towards digital economic growth. It is more than ever, to nurture and develop local talent to ensure that they are well equipped with the proper ICT knowledge to adapt to this ever-changing globalization landscape. The Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) and Huawei have had a long collaborative relationship in ICT since 2001 when Huawei Technologies was first established, we hope to have more successful collaborations in the future between both parties to steer digital economy in the right path, said YB Dato Saifuddin Abdullah, Minister of Communications and Multimedia of Malaysia. The academys ICT training programs and courses are designed to target government bodies, industry professionals and university students, providing a holistic approach in growing the countrys ICT ecosystem. It will implement established and diversified educational methods namely scenario-based and online live training, and overseas study tours. The academy also provides multi-dimensional solutions for different types of talent and levels of need to ensure that these solutions effectively match the current talent gaps for enterprises. As we all adapt to this new normal of social distancing, the importance of having a strong digital network and infrastructure is more obvious now than ever. The backbone of a strong digital network and infrastructure still remains with the people that builds and maintains such services for Malaysians to enjoy. The trainings and programs provided by the ASEAN academy will empower local talents to be future-ready and actively contribute to accelerating the countrys digital transformation journey, said Michael Yuan, CEO of Huawei Malaysia. Based on the industry requirements, the academy addresses pain points of the countrys talent gap within the three core pillars which are ICT Industry Trend Guidance, Ecosystem Talent Enablement and Skill Improvement. The academy uses technology as a key enabler in skills and talent development to provide a solid foundation for the countrys digital economy. As a global leading ICT solution provider, Huawei advocates for an open, shared, ICT talent ecosystem that benefits all parties. The Huawei ASEAN Academy presents another significant milestone in Huaweis journey to develop local ICT talent and enable the digital transformation. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 22:30:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HELSINKI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Finland is working on ways of increasing defence cooperation with Norway, Finnish Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen told the media here on Saturday. Military cooperation with Norway is one of the goals in the programme of the current Finnish coalition government. Kaikkonen said the fact that Norway is a member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is not an obstacle to wider cooperation. "It is true that Norway's NATO membership separates us, but it does not prevent cooperation as such," Kaikkonen told Finnish national broadcaster Yle. Finland and neighbouring Sweden have deepened their military cooperation in recent years. Unlike Norway, the two countries are militarily non-aligned, but have an enhanced partner status with NATO. Kaikkonen singled out the North Cape area as an obvious scene for joint efforts for Finland, Norway as well as Sweden. He noted that the air forces are already training jointly in the skies over the three countries in the area. A report by Defence Ministry staff on developing Nordic operation, also including Norway, will be submitted to the Finnish parliamentary defence committee this coming week. Kaikkonen said there are no details "to publish now, but perhaps later this year." Kaikkonen noted the three Nordic defence ministers meet regularly. The last meeting about cooperation was on Wednesday over secure video connections. The existing Nordic cooperation between Finland and Sweden does not constitute a formal alliance. In the "military strategic concept" the two countries signed late last year for deepened cooperation, Finland and Sweden defined "the ability to conduct operations together both during peace and war" as the core of the cooperation, but operations would be subject to "separate national decisions". Enditem Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. "Innovation is making propelled openings in the car VVT and begin stop framework market, and organizations are endeavouring hard to take most extreme favourable position of the new innovation. Innovations, for example, cam-staging in addition to changing, which join the valve lift instrument alongside valve timing, are being received by different makers in their vehicles. The begin stop framework producers are concentrating on creating and conveying frameworks that can take care of the expanding demand for efficiency and discharge standards. 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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is planning to reduce Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huaweis involvement in the United Kingdoms 5G network, according to a news report. Johnson has asked officials to make plans to reduce Chinas involvement in British infrastructure to zero by 2023, the Daily Telegraph reported late on Friday, citing a well-placed source. He still wants a relationship with China but the Huawei deal is going to be significantly scaled back, the source was quoted as saying. Huawei questioned the veracity of the story on Saturday. Weve seen the reports from unnamed sources which simply dont make sense, Huaweis Vice President Victor Zhang told Al Jazeera in a statement. The government decided in January to approve our part in the 5G rollout, because Britain needs the best possible technologies, more choice, innovation and more suppliers, all of which means more secure and more resilient networks. As a private company, 100 percent owned by employees, which has operated in the UK for 20 years, our priority has been to help mobile and broadband companies keep Britain connected, which in this current health crisis has been more vital than ever. The UKs reported move would be a change in direction, just weeks after the government confirmed in late April that the country would allow Huawei to have a role in building its 5G phone network. The UK decided in January to allow Huawei into what the government said were non-sensitive parts of the network, capping its involvement at 35 percent. The Daily Telegraph source said: The deal was struck before the pandemic hit but coronavirus has changed everything. The report said Johnsons party members were concerned with the fact that China was accused of covering up the initial scale of the infection while Chinese hackers were suspected of breaking into US research on COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. US ties Johnson is expected to use less reliance on China as a means to boost trade talks with US President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the UKs departure from the European Union, according to the newspaper. The UK prime minister is expected to visit the United States for the G7 summit next month in his first trip abroad since the coronavirus crisis began. Washington has raised security concerns about Huawei equipment, and warned that allies that use it in their networks risked being cut off from valuable intelligence sharing feeds. Trump has criticised Beijing for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak, which began in China late last year. Beijing denies US allegations it has not been transparent about the outbreak. The Times reported on Friday that Johnson has instructed civil servants to make plans to end the UKs reliance on China for vital medical supplies and other strategic imports. SECAUCUS, N.J., May 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Freshpet, Inc. (Freshpet or the Company) today announced that it has agreed to settle the shareholder derivative litigation Meldon v. Freshpet, Inc. et al., which had been pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against the Company, as a nominal defendant, and certain of the Companys current and former directors and executive officers. The settlement is subject to Court approval. The Court has granted preliminary approval, pursuant to which the Company is issuing this release and making disclosure of the settlement to its shareholders in the attached Notice to Current Freshpet Stockholders (Notice). In connection with the proposed settlement, all of the defendants deny any liability and the Company has agreed to continue certain corporate governance practices and to adopt certain others. The full Notice is included as Exhibit 1 to this release below. About Freshpet Freshpets mission is to improve the lives of dogs and cats through the power of fresh, real food. Freshpet foods are blends of fresh meats, vegetables and fruits farmed locally and made at our Kitchens in Bethlehem PA. We thoughtfully prepare our foods using natural ingredients, cooking them in small batches at lower temperatures to preserve the natural goodness of the ingredients. Freshpet foods and treats are kept refrigerated from the moment they are made until they arrive at Freshpet Fridges in your local market. Our foods are available in select mass, grocery (including online), natural food, club, and pet specialty retailers across the United States, Canada and Europe. From the care, we take to source our ingredients and make our food, to the moment it reaches your home, our integrity, transparency and social responsibility are the way we like to run our business. To learn more, visit www.freshpet.com . Connect with Freshpet: https://www.facebook.com/Freshpet https://twitter.com/Freshpet Story continues http://instagram.com/Freshpet http://pinterest.com/Freshpet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshpet https://www.youtube.com/user/freshpet400 Forward Looking Statements Certain statements in this release constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on managements current opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, not historical fact, and involve certain risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions. Actual results or events could differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release. Freshpet undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. CONTACT ICR Katie Turner 646-277-1228 katie.turner@icrinc.com Exhibit 1 NOTICE TO CURRENT FRESHPET STOCKHOLDERS On May 4, 2020, Freshpet, Inc. (Freshpet or the Company), in its capacity as a nominal defendant, entered into a Stipulation of Settlement (the Stipulation) in the abovecaptioned shareholder derivative action filed derivatively on behalf of Freshpet, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (the Court), against certain current and former directors and officers of the Company and against the Company as a nominal defendant (the Derivative Action). The Stipulation and the settlement contemplated therein (the Settlement), subject to the approval of the Court, is intended by the Settling Parties1 to fully, finally, and forever compromise, resolve, discharge, and settle the Released Claims and to result in the complete dismissal of the Derivative Action with prejudice, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Stipulation. In exchange for dismissing and releasing the Released Claims against the Defendants, the proposed Settlement requires the Company to adopt and continue certain corporate governance measures and procedures, as outlined in Exhibit A to the Stipulation. In addition, Defendants agree to pay, or cause to be paid, a Fee and Expense Award to Plaintiffs Counsel of two hundred ten thousand dollars ($210,000.00) and Service Award to the Plaintiffs of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) to be paid from the Fee and Expense Award, subject to Court approval. This notice is a summary only and does not describe all of the details of the Stipulation. For full details of the matters discussed in this summary, please see the Stipulation posted on the Investors section of Companys website, www.Freshpet.com , contact Plaintiffs Counsel at the address listed below, or inspect the Stipulation and its exhibits filed with the Clerk of the Court. Summary On May 18, 2020, the Court entered an order preliminarily approving the Stipulation and the Settlement contemplated therein, and providing for notice to be posted by an 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, via press release and also, along with the Stipulation, on the Investors section of the Companys website, (the Preliminary Approval Order). The Preliminary Approval Order further provides that the Court will hold a hearing (the Settlement Hearing) on July 21, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. before the Honorable Madeline Cox Arleo in Courtroom 4A of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Martin Luther King Building & U.S. Courthouse, 50 Walnut Street, Newark, NJ 07102, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23.1, to among other things: (i) determine whether the proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate and in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; (ii) consider any objections to the Settlement submitted in accordance with the Notice; (iii) determine whether a Judgment substantially in the form attached as Exhibit D to the Stipulation should be entered dismissing all claims in the Derivative Action with prejudice and releasing the Released Claims against the Released Parties; (iv) consider the agreed-to Fee and Expense Award to Plaintiffs Counsel of attorneys fees and the reimbursement of expenses; (v) consider the Service Award to Plaintiff, which will be funded from the Fee and Expense Award; and (vi) consider any other matters that may properly be brought before the Court in connection with the Settlement. Any Freshpet Stockholder who wishes to object to the fairness, reasonableness, or adequacy of the Settlement as set forth in the Stipulation, or to the proposed award of attorneys fees and expenses, may file an objection. To object, a Stockholder must, no later than fourteen (14) days prior to the Settlement Hearing: (1) file with the Clerk of the Court and serve upon the below listed counsel a written objection to the Settlement setting forth: (a) the nature of the objection; (b) proof of ownership of Freshpet common stock through the date of the Settlement Hearing, including the number of shares of Freshpet common stock held and the date of purchase; (c) any and all documentation or evidence in support of such objection; and (d) the identities of any cases, by name, court, and docket number, in which the stockholder or his, her, or its attorney has objected to a settlement in the last three years; and (2) if a Current Freshpet Stockholder intends to appear and requests to be heard at the Settlement Hearing, such Stockholder must, in addition to the requirements of (1) above, file with the Clerk of the Court and serve on the below counsel: (a) a written notice of such Stockholders intention to appear at the Settlement Hearing; (b) a statement that indicates the basis for such appearance; (c) the identities of any witnesses the Stockholder intends to call at the Settlement Hearing and a statement as to the subjects of their testimony; and (d) any and all evidence that would be presented at the Settlement Hearing. Any objector who does not timely file and serve a notice of intention to appear in accordance with this paragraph shall not be permitted to appear at the Settlement Hearing, except for good cause shown. The objector must file such objections and supporting documentation with the Clerks Office, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Martin Luther King Building & U.S. Courthouse, 50 Walnut Street, Newark, NJ 07102 not later than fourteen (14) days prior to the Settlement Hearing, and, by the same date, copies of all such papers must also be received by each of the following persons: Counsel for Plaintiffs: Michael J. Hynes HYNES & HERNANDEZ, LLC 101 Lindenwood Drive, Suite 225 Malvern, PA 19355 Counsel for Defendants: Jay A. Dubow, Esq. PEPPER HAMILTON LLP 3000 Two Logan Square Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 An objector may file an objection on his, her or its own or through an attorney hired at his, her or its own expense. If an objector hires an attorney to represent him, her or it for the purposes of making such objection pursuant to this paragraph, the attorney must effect service of a notice of appearance on the counsel listed above and file such notice with the Court no later than fourteen (14) days before the Settlement Hearing. Any Freshpet stockholder who does not timely file and serve a written objection complying with the terms of this paragraph shall be deemed to have waived, and shall be foreclosed from raising, any objection to the Settlement, and any untimely objection shall be barred. Any submissions by the Settling Parties in opposition or response to objections shall be filed with the Court no later than seven (7) days before the Settlement Hearing. Any objector who files and serves a timely, written objection in accordance with the instructions above and herein, may appear at the Settlement Hearing either in person or through counsel retained at the objectors expense. Objectors need not attend the Settlement Hearing, however, in order to have their objections considered by the Court. If you are a current holder of Freshpet common stock and do not take steps to appear in this action and object to the proposed Settlement, you will be bound by the Judgment of the Court and will forever be barred from raising an objection to such settlement in this or any other action or proceeding, and from pursuing any of the Released Claims. If you held Freshpet common stock as of May 4, 2020 and continue to hold such stock, you may have certain rights in connection with the proposed Settlement. You may obtain further information by contacting counsel for Plaintiffs at: Michael J. Hynes, Esq., Hynes & Hernandez, LLC, 101 Lindenwood Drive, Suite 225, Malvern, PA 19355, Telephone: (484) 875-3116, Email: mhynes@hh-lawfirm.com. 1 All capitalized terms used in this notice, unless otherwise defined herein, are defined as set forth in the Stipulation. Ben Seewald married Jessa Duggar in 2014, after courting for several months. The couple made quick work of growing their family. Just one year from their wedding date, they welcomed their first child, Spurgeon Elliot. In February 2017, Jessa gave birth to the couples second child, Henry Wilberforce, and they welcomed their third child, Ivy Jane, in 2019. While they appear to have a happy marriage, based on their social media accounts, family critics cant shake the feeling that the couples initial meeting was kind of creepy. The story might not be as sweet as the Duggars try to spin it Ben and Jessa have often claimed that they met when he was the new guy at the familys church. They have described locking eyes and feeling an instant attraction. Theyve discussed Ben visiting the familys home a short time later, and theyve even reported feeling nervous to approach each other. All of the memories they recount seem to be pretty typical of young love, but something feels off about the story. There is a significant issue with Jessa and Bens story, at least, family critics think there is. When Jessa and Ben first met, Ben, at 17, was living with his family in Hot Springs, Arkansas. While the Duggar family has often claimed that Bens family lived nearby, that isnt the case. Hot Springs is more than 200 miles away from the Duggars home base in Springdale, Arkansas. RELATED: Counting On: Jessa Duggars Description of Her Marriage Is Kind of Depressing The story of Ben visiting the familys church seems a little out of place. After all, who piles into the family minivan to visit a church more than 200 miles away from their home when there are surely perfectly good churches nearby? Noone, surmise family critics, unless, of course, they are interested in a particular attendant of that church. Fans have long suspected that Ben specifically went looking for Jessa after watching her on 19 Kids and Counting, and he has pretty much admitted to doing just that. Basically, it seems like Ben stalked Jessa because he saw her on TV Ben doesnt seem to see a problem with his past behavior. He was more than happy to share the details of what led to his marriage in the familys book, Growing Up Duggar. In an amended version of the memoir, Ben and Derick Dillard added excerpts, from their perspective, about meeting their wives. In his passage, Ben admits that he watched Jessa on television regularly, and decided, through his regular viewership, that he needed to meet her. RELATED: With a Growing Subscriber Count Could Jessa Duggar Have a YouTube Career? To get that job done, he showed up at her familys church, hoping to catch her attention. He managed to do just that, and eventually, the duo began courting. His passage in the book, however, has left some family followers feeling a little uncomfortable. After discussing how he basically stalked a reality TV star down, he went on to list all of the things he liked about Jessa. Bens list, however, wasnt particularly personal. He focused almost entirely on her religious beliefs and didnt mention a single unique personality trait that he likes about his wife. Ben once mused that he didnt care about Jessas personality Hatching a plan to meet his now-wife because he saw her on TV isnt the only thing that strikes family critics as strange about Ben. He also has some strange thoughts on attraction. In the book, he went on to suggest that personality isnt essential in a relationship, but attraction sure is. In one passage he mused, My perspective was that if I got to know a girl, I was attracted to her, and, most important, she was a woman of God, then these things were far more important than personality compatibility from the worlds perspective. In short, Ben doesnt think that two people need to have compatible personalities to make a relationship work. They just need to find each other physically attractive, and they must share the same thoughts on religion. RELATED: Heres What Might Happen if One of the Duggars Wanted to Get a Divorce Family followers point out that Bens take on relationships doesnt exactly bode well for the couples long term prospects. While things seem to be working out thus far, many family followers have noted that the pair doesnt appear to have much in common. Based on Bens statements, that might have been by design, but will that lead to a lasting happy union? Only time will tell. VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria on Friday outlined plans to start allowing seated cultural events of up to 100 people in two weeks' time, ramping up to 1,000 people from Aug. 1, as it eases coronavirus restrictions. Austria flattened its curve of infections with an early lockdown and has been loosening curbs for a month. Shops have reopened in phases and on Friday, restaurants, bars, cafes, churches and some museums followed suit, under strict social-distancing rules and with face masks required in many places. Theatres and cinemas, however, have remained closed and the conservative-led government has come under growing pressure from the cultural sector to allow events, to the point that the junior minister for culture resigned on Friday. "We will in a first step allow cultural events of up to 100 people both indoors and outdoors," Health Minister Rudolf Anschober told a news conference. "We will in a second step do the same for artistic and cultural events of up to 250 people from July 1. That is a big step, a very big step." Cinemas would also be allowed to open from July 1, with the same capacity limit, he added. There will be a general requirement that people in an audience stay 1 metre apart. From Aug. 1, events of up to 500 people would be allowed, Anschober said, with the possibility of holding events of up to 1,000 people when a "special security concept" is prepared for the event in question. The formerly imperial nation is a heavyweight in classical music and German-speaking theatre. It also hosts many cultural events, particularly in summer, like the Salzburg Festival of opera, theatre and classical music, where German Chancellor Angela Merkel is a frequent visitor. Austria and Germany, which have similarly low coronavirus infection and death rates, said on Thursday they had agreed to reopen their shared border on June 15. Kurz said on Friday the same deal was reached with Switzerland and Austria. Austria's tourism sector contributes about 8% of economic output in a normal year, and it relies heavily on German visitors. Hotels and other forms of tourist accommodation will be allowed to reopen on May 29, the government has said. (Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Nick Macfie) A British expat who stayed in China during the coronavirus pandemic has documented how ordinary people coped with the country's draconian lockdown and high-tech surveillance. Yu Kung, a former London advertising executive, used his camera to record his neighbours dealing with unprecedented life changes after the killer infection erupted in the Far East. One of them is a front-line doctor who had to send her family away to prevent them from getting infected. Another family run a wedding dress studio, and they lost all customers overnight. The 50-minute film zooms in on the emotional, economic and psychological impact the pandemic brought on the faceless millions something you don't see on China's state-controlled news. Yu Kung (pictured), who grew up in Horley, Surrey, has offered the Western audience with an intimate insight into the struggle of everyday folks in Shanghai during the coronavirus crisis Yan Ye, or Jasmine, wears personal protective equipment while at work in a Shanghai hospital. Jasmine is a front-line medical worker and had to send her husband and young son away from Shanghai to avoid passing the deadly disease to them should she catch it from her patients Yu's neighbour Xiaolin Yu learns to cut hair for his mother Yutang during the crisis. Yu and his family run a wedding dress studio and had no customers for seven weeks due to the lockdown Yu, 48, was born in Hong Kong but moved with his family to Horley in Surrey when he was five. He says he was hoping to explore the 'symptoms' of the COVID-19 lockdown being felt by everyday folks in Shanghai, where he has lived for the past 10 years. He and his Chinese wife Crystal Liu, a writer and producer, decided to make a film after the deadly disease had brought the couple's work to a halt. 'We put a notice up in the building's lift asking our neighbours if they would like to get involved with our film project,' the couple told MailOnline. And to their surprise, many people replied and were keen to share their stories. The building's cleaner sprays bleach at lift buttons to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The husband and wife cleaners, Wenling Cao and Quanli Chen, are migrant workers in Shanghai A street in Shanghai is left deserted during the height of the coronavirus outbreak in China Their film also features a naughty schoolboy who thought the lockdown was the best thing in the world because all he needed to do was to 'stay at home and sleep'. The building's live-in cleaner couple had to work overtime to bleach every corner to stop the spread of the virus. Also, an American kindergarten teacher whose class got shut down due to flu-like cases was struggling to work from home. At the same time, a lawyer had to become a stay-at-home dad after his civil servant wife had been sent to inspect inbound travellers to prevent 'imported cases'. Conducting any independent filming in China is never easy due to the nation's authoritarian media censorship policy. 'We had been through nearly three weeks of isolation before we had the idea for the film. Filming only began after we sought permission from the building management and the Residents' Association representative,' the duo explained. 'They were very supportive of the project.' He and his Chinese wife Crystal Liu (pictured together) decided to make a film about the lockdown life of their building after the deadly disease had brought the couple's work to a halt Their tower block in Shanghai has 110 families. 'All the residents in our building had been in isolation for weeks. The security staff did not allow any visitors into the compound,' they said Since the deadly disease of COVID-19 emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December, it has swept across the world and killed more than 338,000 people globally. When the epidemic started to accelerate in January, the Chinese government took what was deemed as the unthinkable and drastic steps at the time: to seal off the epicentre Wuhan from the world and order residents in other parts of the country to stay at home. Although Shanghai is a four-hour train ride from the ground zero of the outbreak, to impose strict quarantine measures had big challenges because of the city's sheer size. The sprawling financial hub is nearly four times the size of Greater London, and most of its 24million residents live in densely packed buildings, making absolute seclusion a tough task. 'Our security guard has become more like a policeman, he is responsible for protecting all residents living in the compound,' Yu said in his film, called 'COVID: Our Lockdown in Shanghai'. 'I remember the first time when they held the temperature gun and pointed it at our heads, we thought "oh my god, this is a bit crazy".' With the help of the world's most advanced surveillance system and the widespread use of facial-recognition technology, officials in China have been able to keep every citizen in check to prevent the transmission of the bug. China has resorted to its powerful mass surveillance system and widespread facial-recognition technology to help track virus carries in the outbreak. The file photo shows a man standing at the entrance at an office building in front of an AI computer in Shenzhen on March 6 Although Shanghai is a four-hour train ride from Wuhan, to impose strict quarantine measures had big challenges too. The picture shows a little girl playing at a park in Shanghai on May 19 Such level of state control might raise a few eyebrows in the West. But residents of Yu's building seemed to have no opposition to heightened scrutiny from authorities. Yu's wife Crystal calls such monitoring 'good' due to its virus-containing nature. The 34-year-old is seen in the film having to use a government-approved, AI-powered virus app to gain access wherever she goes. But she explained: 'I think if you understand the initiative, you kind of accept it.' For Yu, the constant inspections and digital tracing 'weren't really much of a choice'. 'This crisis has brought out new dilemmas, that's for sure,' he told MailOnline. 'In China, almost everyone uses integrated social and payment apps like WeChat that covers much of your daily life, so a lot of your data is already tracked for advertising purposes. I guess, during these times, they're just re-purposing the existing data. 'The irony of this situation appears that the detailed approach to tracking and tracing is what has allowed me to move around more freely.' Tian Mi, a video producer, talks to the filmmakers via Facetime while she is under self-quarantine. Yu says shooting the film allows him to get to know his neighbours better American kindergarten teacher Tiffany White exercises at home while in quarantine. Her class halted due to multiple flu-like cases, and she confessed that she was struggling in isolation Yu's documentary is produced by UK-based Wonderhood Studios. The London-based production team says the film presents 'intimate, domestic, everyday experience' in a national emergency, which can now be felt worldwide, and 'it's like watching our lives in fast-forward'. A spokesperson from the studio told MailOnline: 'One of the most extraordinary aspects of making this film has been documenting something so life-changing unfolding ahead of us on another continent, which we have all been experiencing in their wake. 'It has been a moving production process for all members of the team. Cutting and crafting scenes portraying the physical reunion of family members in Shanghai whilst we are still separated from our own loved ones has been particularly poignant.' Yu (pictured) and Crystal are aware of the sensitivities while telling a Chinese story to the world. But they say they just want to is telling everyday human stories based on what they see The pandemic has so far been the most sensitive topic to the Chinese government this year, with reports, social media videos and independent dispatches carefully censored by Beijing. Fang Fang, a Wuhan writer who wrote about her life in quarantine, even faces death threats after publishing her diary in the West. Yu and Crystal are aware of the sensitivities while telling a Chinese story to the world. 'But what we documented was factual and based on our personal experiences as well as that of our neighbours,' the couple noted. 'All we are doing is telling everyday human stories based on the circumstances that we found ourselves in.' 'COVID: Our Lockdown in Shanghai' airs on Smithsonian Channel on May 25, 9pm BAGHDAD Hundreds of people were killed and thousands wounded in the antigovernment protests in Iraq last fall and winter that halted political life and immobilized cities from Baghdad to Basra. In addition to that, more than 100 people were abducted, and some tortured, by armed groups opposed to the protests, according to a report released Saturday by the Human Rights Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq. The report documented 99 cases of abductions and disappearances involving 123 victims, 25 of whom are still missing. None of the perpetrators have been detained or tried for the crimes, the report said. The report underscores that the complete toll of the violence against the protesters has yet to be fully documented, much less adjudicated. While some Iraqi security force members were among the victims, the vast majority of those killed or wounded were unarmed civilians. OTTAWABetter testing, tracing and data sharing to track the spread of COVID-19 are more critical now as the pandemic enters a potentially risky new phase with social restrictions lifting and complacency setting in, one public health expert cautions. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set out those measures Friday as key conditions to easing restrictions and allowing the economy to reopen, pledging Ottawas support to the provinces but providing few specifics to make it happen. Taking strong collaborative action to expand testing and contact tracing is important for both Canadians and businesses to have confidence that were on the right foot, he said during his daily pandemic briefing. Yet as provinces lift restrictions, opportunities for social interaction increase and with it, the risk the disease will spread unless vigilant testing and tracking are in place, said Susan Bondy, an associate professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. As the number of new social contacts per period increases, the spread should increase. Its the mathematics of human contact within infectious diseases, Bondy said Friday in an interview. The question is whether we can enhance our capacity to detect a new case, to prevent the next transmission and mitigate the spread, she said. Curbing the spread will require extensive testing anyone who wants a test should get one and what she dubs shoe leather epidemiology, dedicated efforts to trace the contacts of those who test positive. The logistics are daunting. If a person with the virus has five recent contacts, all of them require daily phone calls to check on their health. If any of them get the virus, their network of contacts in turn has to be contacted. And so and so on and so on, Bondy said. Im not sure the public understands how intense it is, Bondy said. On Friday, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported 81,754 confirmed cases including 6,180 deaths. Just over 1.4 million people have been tested. Trudeau set out better testing, tracing and data sharing as key conditions to reopening the economy, even as many provinces are already lifting some social restrictions. In order for people to move around freely and start getting back to normal life, we have to improve our ability to quickly pinpoint the virus and isolate it, he said. Scaling up testing is needed to more quickly identify new cases, Trudeau said. And once those cases are recognized, more extensive tracing is needed to track down everyone they may have been in contact with. Finally, that data has to be better shared, with one top federal health official bemoaning the different ways numbers are compiled and shared across the country. Trudeau said he pledged Ottawas support for all those steps during his weekly call Thursday with premiers, stressing the need for a co-ordinated approach. In a statement, Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada, noted that health experts have been calling for a massive, co-ordinated effort to increase testing and contact tracing and improve data-sharing. Its the only way to get out in front of the virus and build the public confidence needed for a sustainable recovery, Hyder said. We welcome the federal governments offer of more resources, he said. But Trudeaus plan was short on details, beyond the offer to make available federal civil servants to make upwards of 20,000 phone calls a day for contact tracing. Still, with his province one of the hardest hit by the virus, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he would take all the help he could get. Well take as much as we can get right now, Ford said, noting that the feds have offered help with paying for testing, swabs and reagents to process the sample along with 224 civil servants to help with contact tracing. Ford said the premiers decided in their weekly conference call with Trudeau to set up a committee of technical experts to make sure the tracing and tracking apps provinces will use are compatible. When we fully reopen the economy and people are flying from lets say Vancouver to Toronto or Calgary or out east to Halifax, those apps have to be able to talk to each other. It seems like every province has their special kind of homemade app that they really enjoy using, but its so critical that we communicate to each other. Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott noted the systems all have to work together so that we can react as a country to the zigs and zags of COVID-19. We are actively looking for the right app for Ontario right now for management of COVID-19 to indicate to people that if theyve been in contact with someone with COVID, that gives them the ability to then follow up with their own health provider, Elliott said. All of Ontarios contact tracing and management is now being done manually, she added. Ford cautioned that any apps used must take account of privacy considerations. Trudeau said his government hopes to be able to recommend an app next month perhaps one being worked on by Apple and Google that can help with tracing. As social restrictions lift, there is the added worry that several months into the health crisis, people are letting down their guard. Canadians will be acutely aware of the economic and social harm of the pandemic but except for those who have contracted the virus or know someone who has, the health danger may no longer be seen as such a threat, Bondy said. We habituate to risk, Bondy said. Its like clockwork that people will become complacent and begin to take more risks. Were all different but on average, people will start to take more chances, she said. Read more about: Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Sat, May 23, 2020 08:07 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9bd0c5 2 Entertainment Netflix,Last-Days-of-American-Crime,trailer,Movie Free An early June release for near-future heist movie "The Last Days of American Crime" adds to Netflix's stable of original action movies about one last mission in adverse circumstances. After the success of Chris Hemsworth's hard nosed post-"Avengers" mercenary exploit "Extraction", Netflix is being quick to bolster its selection of tough, take-no-prisoners, disaster-in-waiting action movies. Starring Edgar Ramirez, Anna Brewster, and a scene-stealing Michael Pitt, "The Last Days of American Crime" makes sure the "graphic" stays in "graphic novel". It's based on a three-volume set about taking on one final, enormous score before illegal acts become literally impossible. Ramirez comes in from playing the menacing Bodhi in 2015's "Point Break" and Gianni Versace in "American Crime Story". Here, he becomes Graham Bricke, a career criminal persuaded to engage in this high-risk heist attempt. Read also: Netflix has unveiled a trailer for Damien Chazelle's 'The Eddy' Pitt is a fathom away from his "Dawson's Creek" hearthrob, Henry -- instead, there are hints of a calculating Joker reborn away from the DC Comics universe -- with Brewster of the sumptuous "Versailles" present as the team's femme fatale, elite computer hacker Shelby. Debuting on June 5, "The Last Days of American Crime" arrives hot on the heels of April 24 release "Extraction". Despite attracting criticism for inaccurate portrayals of Bangladesh and appearing to indulge in white savior cliches, it attracted an estimated 90 million viewers in its first four weeks. (Netflix released this projection after two weeks rather than four, further increasing awareness of the movie.) Before the bleak and bloody "Extraction", Netflix had 2019's "Triple Frontier", in which five ex-military buddies team up for an ill-fated crossborder raid and, just last week, the streamer snapped up veteran's vengeance story "Trigger Warning" with Jessica Alba as its lead. "The Last Days of American Crime" is directed by Versailles-born Olivier Megaton of "Colombiana", "Taken 2" and "Taken 3". Edgar Ramirez can next be seen in Nicole Kidman's therapist drama "The Undoing" on HBO later this year, and Michael Pitt in 1920s hobo memoir "You Can't Win". "Extraordinary measure" will help with contact tracing, says Harris. From next Thursday onwards, any person coming to Ireland from abroad will now be legally required to fill out a form telling authorities where they will be self-isolating for 14 days. The Covid-19 Public Health Passenger Locator Form is already in use but has now been placed on a mandatory footing following a meeting of Cabinet. Health minister Simon Harris said that the form represents an extraordinary measure but said that it will help health authorities carry out contact tracing, as well as help prevent an imported outbreak of the virus. Exemption is made for those transiting to the North or any other country; certified international transport workers; and air and maritime pilots and crew. People from Northern Ireland will have to fill out a portion of the form. A person who has filled out the form will be spot-checked by phone and if there is a suspicion that they are not at the address listed, a member of the gardai can visit the address. Anyone found to have wrongly filled out the form is liable to be fined up to 2,500 or imprisoned for up to six months. We continue to advise everyone against non-essential travel. However, if a person does arrive into Ireland, they will be legally obliged to fill out this form, regardless of their nationality. The form will be used to facilitate a system of follow-up checks to make sure people who travel to the country are staying where they said that they would. The form will also ensure more accurate and quicker contact tracing, should we have a confirmed case on a flight or ferry coming into Ireland, said Mr Harris. Every measure we take is aimed at stopping the spread of Covid-19 and protecting people from this virus. This is no different. I think from talking to lots of people across the country that people want to know these measures are in place. If theyre working really hard, and sacrificing so much, they want to know that were making sure that were on top of such things. Cabinet also approved the deployment of up to three permanent Defence Force personnel to a new EU operation in the Mediterranean. Codenamed Operation Irini, the plan will not see an Irish naval vessel deployed, but it does provide for the possible future deployment of up to two permanent Defence Force personnel to the force headquarters at sea. In the memo for Cabinet, ministers were told that Operation Irini follows the core task of preventing arms trafficking in the Mediterranean. Operation Sophia officially closed on Mar 31, 2020, following a number of technical rollovers of the operation mandate between September 2018 and March 2020 in light of the ongoing lack of agreement around disembarkation and redistribution of migrants rescued at sea, defence minister Paul Kehoe told Cabinet. Ministers also signed off on a revised Department of Social Protection spending estimate for the Department of Social Protection, 6.8bn higher than originally planned. TDs will vote on the measure on Thursday, allowing the Department to avoid hitting a legal spending ceiling. Other measures Cabinet approved included a vote on the renewal of provisions of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan secured Government approval to bring the renewals before the Oireachtas. Without any clear authority to do so, Mr. Trump said that he was calling houses of faith, including churches, synagogues, and mosques, essential services and urged governors to reopen them right now. Today I am identifying houses of worship churches, synagogue and mosques as essential places that provide essential services, Mr. Trump said at a hastily scheduled briefing at the White House on Friday. Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential but have left out churches and other houses of worship. Its not right. After he spoke, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a number of long-delayed guidelines with suggestions for steps that houses of worship can take to curb the spread of the virus. Among them was a recommendation that religious officials defer to the directive of state and local governments. Still, the president threatened to override the governors if they did not follow his order, though it was not immediately clear what powers he was claiming. I call upon governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now, he said. If theres any question, theyre going to have to call me, but theyre not going to be successful in that call. When the C.D.C. recently released a set of guidelines for reopening, its report largely mirrored an earlier draft version that the White House had rejected because Trump administration officials worried that the suggestions infringed on religious rights. On Friday the C.D.C.s new guidelines for religious communities suggested that they consider a number of limitations to keep congregations safe. Among them: Take steps to limit the size of gatherings in accordance with the guidance and directives of state and local authorities. Consider suspending or at least decreasing use of a choir/musical ensembles and congregant singing, chanting, or reciting during services or other programming, if appropriate within the faith tradition. The act of singing may contribute to transmission of Covid-19, possibly through emission of aerosols. Consider temporarily limiting the sharing of frequently touched objects that cannot be easily cleaned between persons, such as worship aids, prayer rugs, prayer books, hymnals, religious texts and other bulletins, books, shared cups, or other items received, passed or shared among congregants. Mr. Trump said Friday at the White House that the nation needs religion. In America, we need more prayer, not less, he said. He left without taking questions. David Postman, the chief of staff for Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, said the state didnt know what the presidents comments meant and noted the state had not seen any formal order. We dont believe the president has the ability to dictate what states can and cannot open, Mr. Postman said. IRISH troops who have been delayed in returning from peace-keeping duties in Lebanon due to the coronavirus crisis will be home by the end of June. Defence Minister Paul Kehoe made the announcement after the United Nations granted a partial exemption on its order that no troops leave any mission until July 1 at the earliest. The Irish troops had been due home this month but they will now return on June 21 and 29. Mr Kehoe yesterday acknowledged the impact of the delays on members of the Defence Forces and their families, and said the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs had extensive engagement with the UN and the Unifil mission headquarters to secure the earliest possible rotations. After their arrival home from Lebanon, members of the 115th Irish battalion will be required to spend 14 days in self-isolation, in accordance with HSE guidelines. The 116th battalion, taking over the Irish area of responsibility in south Lebanon, will depart after they have completed a 14-day quarantine period in Coolmoney Camp and Gormanston Camp, in compliance with the UN directive. Separately, Ireland is to resume its involvement in EU naval activities in the Mediterranean. But the number of Naval Service personnel taking part in the new operation, codenamed Irini, represents a major reduction in Ireland's role and there are no plans at the moment for the deployment of an Irish naval vessel to the area. Irini has been established with the core task of contributing to the prevention of arms trafficking within the area it will patrol in the Mediterranean. It is a follow-up to Operation Sophia which focused largely on migrant rescues but it was officially closed last March following a series of disagreements between countries over the redistribution of migrants rescued at sea. During his tour of the Ford factory in Michigan, U.S President Donald Trump stated that he will not close the country if it gets hit by a second wave of the coronavirus infections. The second wave of the coronavirus is predicted to happen this winter. Not closing the country President Trump said while answering press questions that he won't close the United States and that they will "put out the fires, whether it is an ember or a flame" they are going to put it out but the country will stay open. The president toured the Ford factory which is currently producing ventilator parts to help out the overwhelmed health system. He did not wear a face mask during his tour, despite it being a requirement in the state. Leading experts have disputed the nature of the second wave of coronavirus infections. Some experts predicted that it will hit the country this fall or winter, which is known to be the flu season, while others predicted that it will be a series of acute eruptions of the virus in communities across the United States, which will then be impossible to predict. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the leading member of the White House coronavirus task force, sent an email to the New York Times and said that his intention is to get across the danger of trying to open the country even when it is still not ready. Dr. Fauci fears that there will be multiple outbreaks in the country if the reopening guidelines will be skipped over by numerous states. He said that it will not only result in the suffering and death of thousands of Americans, but it would also set the country back to their goal to return to normal. Also Read: Pres. Donald Trump is Confident Vaccine Will be Developed by End of the Year President Trump avoided shutting down the country even when the virus started to spread rapidly through the U.S. This decision left the individual states to make their own decision about whether they will close their borders or not. In his press conference in April, Trump claimed that he had the absolute power to compel governors to discontinue their stay-at-home orders amid the pandemic, but he soon retreated his statement. Trump has pushed the states to reopen to combat the failing economy even though it was against the advice of numerous health experts. Reopening of states Currently, all 50 states in America are starting to reopen their businesses through phases. Alaska announced that it would be skipping phases three and four and it will be scrapping lockdown, as businesses will be allowed to operate at 100% capacity. Even though the president does not want to close the country again if the second wave hits, he won't be able to do anything if a state decided to do so. President Trump had criticized states who were slow in reopening their economy and even went as far as accusing Democratic governors of playing politics. He has based his 2020 reelection bid on a stable and strong economy, which was also a part of his 2016 campaign. Political experts believe that this is the reason why he wanted businesses to reopen fast, even if the pandemic is still ongoing. The coronavirus has infected more than 1.6 million Americans and has killed over 90,000. Because of closed businesses, 36 million Americans filed for unemployment, which is the highest number since the Great Depression. Related Article: U.S President Donald Trump Introduced 3-Phase Plan to Reopen Economy @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- Construction season is kicking off in Ottawa County with a couple of major projects that may disrupt some residents commutes. Among the projects is a rehabilitation of the 68th Street bridge north of Allendale. One of only four north-south Grand River crossings in the county, the bridge will close to traffic from June 8 to July 31 as crews rehabilitate the bridge deck and improve the approach. Alex Doty, a spokesperson for the Ottawa County Road Commission, said the temporary inconvenience will mean a smoother drive for residents once finished. People will definitely notice a difference in the ride quality of that bridge now versus what it will be like when it's done, Doty said. The project cost totals $1.6 million and is fully funded through state bridge repair dollars. The only other Road Commission project this summer resulting in a temporary full road closure is the reconstruction of Port Sheldon Street between 48th and 40th avenues. The project is currently out to bid but is expected to take place sometime this summer. The project calls for widening the mile-long section of road to add a center turn lane. Currently, the stretch of road has only one lane in each direction. While through traffic will be barred from entering, people living in that area will still be able to access their homes. This project, too, will cost about $1.6 million, with about $1.2 million coming from the countywide road millage and the remainder from the state. The Michigan Department of Transportation this summer is planning to mirror a project on I-196 last year. The $25 million project will reconstruct about 5 miles of eastbound I-196 from Kenowa Avenue to 32nd Street in Hudsonville. Last year the state did the same project on the westbound lanes in the stretch of highway. The project will start in June and end in November, according to MDOT spokesperson John Richard. During that time, eastbound traffic will be shifted onto the westbound side and not have access to the 32nd Avenue exit. Eastbound I-196 traffic will be diverted onto M-6 for the duration of the project, Richard said. In the second stage of the project, which will start in mid-to-late July, eastbound traffic will be diverted at 32nd Avenue onto one lane of the westbound side before it is diverted off onto M-6. Westbound traffic during this stage will be reduced to one lane and separated by a concrete barrier from eastbound traffic. Ottawa County Road Commission has a number of resurfacing projects this summer that will also impact traffic but wont result in full closures. Some of the more traffic-heavy roads being resurfaced, according to Doty are: 14th Avenue/Port Sheldon Street from 44th Street to Main Street in Georgetown Township; 44th Street/Port Sheldon Street from Chicago Drive to 8th Avenue in Georgetown Township; and Lakeshore Drive from Rosy Mound Drive to Buchanan Street in Grand Haven. Doty said many of the roads projects this summer wouldnt be possible without residents support through the Ottawa County road millage. Altogether, the road commission is using about $6.84 million of those dollars to complete about 22 miles of roadways, Doty said. Read more on MLive: Flood insurance: Can you get it now and how does it work? U.S. fatal crash rate rose alarmingly in March, despite fewer cars on road during pandemic Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids to resume Mass services on May 29 Washington: A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a legislation in both the chambers of the US Congress proposing major reforms in skilled non-immigrant visa programmes by giving priority to US-educated foreign technology professionals in issuing H-1B work visas. The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act, as introduced in House of Representatives and Senate, will require US Citizenship and Immigration Services to prioritize for the first time the annual allocation of H-1B visas. The new system would ensure that the best and brightest students being educated in the United States receive preference for an H-1B visa, including advanced degree holders, those being paid a high wage, and those with valuable skills, proponents of this major legislative reforms said Friday. In the Senate, it was introduced by Senators Chuck Grassley and Dick Durbin. In the House of Representatives, it was introduced by Congressmen Bill Pascrell, Paul Gosar, Ro Khanna, Frank Pallone and Lance Gooden. The legislation reinstates Congress's original intent in the H-1B and L-1 visa programmes by increasing enforcement, modifying wage requirements and securing protections for both American workers and visa holders, the lawmakers said. The legislation, among other things, explicitly prohibits the replacement of American workers by H-1B or L-1 visa holders, clarifying that working conditions of similarly employed American workers may not be adversely affected by the hiring of an H-1B worker, including H-1B workers who have been placed by another employer at the American worker's worksite. These provisions address the types of abuses that have been well-documented. Importantly, the legislation proposes increased crackdown on outsourcing companies that import large numbers of H-1B and L-1 workers for temporary training purposes only to send the workers back to their home countries to do the same job. Specifically, the bill would prohibit companies with more than 50 employees, of which at least half are H-1B or L-1 holders, from hiring additional H-1B employees. The bill gives the US Department of Labor enhanced authority to review, investigate, and audit employer compliance with programme requirements, as well as to penalise fraudulent or abusive conduct. It requires the production of extensive statistical data about the H-1B and L-1 programs, including wage data, worker education levels, place of employment, and gender. In addition, the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act encompasses several reforms of the L-1 visa programme, including establishment of a wage floor for L-1 workers; authority for the US Department of Homeland Security to investigate, audit, and enforce compliance with L-1 program requirements; assurance that intra-company transfers occur between legitimate branches of a company and don't involve "shell" facilities; and a change to the definition of "specialized knowledge" to ensure that L-1 visas are reserved only for truly key personnel. Asserting that Congress created these programmes to complement America's high-skilled workforce, not replace it, Grassley said that unfortunately, some companies are trying to exploit the programmes by cutting American workers for cheaper labour. "We need programmes dedicated to putting American workers first. When skilled foreign workers are needed to meet the demands of our labour market, we must also ensure that visa applicants who honed their skills at American colleges and universities are a priority over the importation of more foreign workers. Our bill takes steps to ensure that the programs work for Americans and skilled foreign workers alike," he said. Reforming the H-1B and L-1 visa programmes is a critical component of fixing the broken immigration system. For years, outsourcing companies have used loopholes in the laws to displace qualified American workers and facilitate the outsourcing of American jobs, Durbin said. This legislation would end these abuses and protect American and foreign workers from exploitation, Durbin said. Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna said that American immigrants come to this country with some of the most innovative, transformative ideas this world has ever seen. "If we're going to continue to foster a culture of creativity, we must reform the H-1 and L-1 visa programmes to protect all workers from abuses. Immigrants coming here on H-1B visas have made important contributions to Silicon Valley's leadership in the digital revolution. We want to make sure that talent is coming to the US, but we also want to make sure that it's being done with proper compensation," Khanna said. Congressman Pallone said that the US must ensure that qualified American workers have access to job opportunities in this country. On Tuesday, two central Michigan dams breached, causing a chain reaction of flooding, which culminated in the destruction of significant portions of Midland County, including most of the village of Sanford and the downtown area of the city of Midland. While the overrun Sanford dam continues to stand, the privately-owned dam in Edenville was blown out, triggering the collapse of dikes and dams throughout Midland County, including the Smallwood dam and the Poseyville dike. The flooding has displaced over 10,000 residents and washed out multiple bridges and roads, forcing many to gather at emergency shelters established at local school buildings. These concentrated gathering areas now have the potential to become hotbeds for the COVID-19 pandemic. Compounding this disaster, which is a manifestation of decades of infrastructural neglect and the impact of climate change, the goliath Dow Chemicals sprawling facility, based in Midland since 1897, has been flooded, threatening damaging chemical leaks. While admitting that flood waters mixed with its on-site containment ponds, the company has not released any further information. Local and state officials have effectively left Dow to operate without any supervision for decades, resulting in their ability to claim that no chemicals leaked during the flooding of the Tittabawassee River, which runs alongside the sprawling company complex. Dows emergency sirens did go off but were reported by the company to only have done so accidentally. In the face of the chaos caused by the flooding and the shock and worry of residents compounded by the ongoing pandemic, Michigans Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, has pumped out platitudes about unity and reassured residents that we will get through this too. There has been no effort on her administrations part to criticize or raise questions about Dow and its lack of preparation for flooding of this magnitude, especially given its well-known role in the contaminating the Tittabawassee river. The overarching explanation of the disaster coming from Whitmer has been that the flooding is the result of a 500-year weather event. Such rhetoric is Whitmers not-so-subtle attempt to divert criticism from Michigans failing and neglected dam and flood protection infrastructure. The dangers posed by Michigans crumbling infrastructure, which finds parallels across the country, becomes especially relevant when one considers the statements given to the WSWS by a rain spotter for the National Weather Service in nearby Bay City. The catastrophic flooding was not caused by a one-in-500-year rain event. Thats nonsense, the rain spotter noted. This is a one-in-500-year disaster, but it was caused by the failure of the dams. I measure rain precipitation rates. The amount of rain I measured was just shy of four inches. Weve gotten four inches before. If it werent for the dam breaking, there would not have been this amount of damage. The spotter noted further, Both the state of Michigan and the federal government issued non-compliance orders regarding these private dams. The upshot? Dont put money into something that doesnt make money. This is capitalism at its finest. Residents have taken to social media to get in touch with relatives and friends to offer or ask for meals and other resources. Others are seeking to assess the scale of the damage, with one resident asking on Facebook, What is a recommended process for when you have flood/water damage but your insurance agency denied your claim because you actually werent allowed to carry flood insurance on your house because it was believed to never be possible? Expressing the grave nature of the crisis for many, one resident wrote, All right Sanford, a painful and awkward question to ask ... has anyone seen my home? It was the house on the way into the ball diamonds. I know its been destroyed. I just wonder if any small part of it is still around. Another, outlining the dire medical repercussions of the disaster, stated We just got a request in our network at www.findthehelpers.us that is of urgent need. A person on oxygen with no power. Does anyone have a generator that they can loan? A resident of Midland explained to WDIV Local 4 news that they didnt know how fast we would be able to recover from this, especially given the hit the community had already taken from flooding in 2017. Many local small businesses in Sanford and Midland have been destroyed, a death knell for many that were already suffering under measures implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Members of the Dow Chemical Employees Credit Union have also faced restrictions with withdrawal caps and limited service due to power outages and other hindrances faced by the bank. Thus, under the fused crisis of the pandemic and the flood, some Midland residents already facing financial hardship or ruin must now deal with unnecessary financial restrictions. In response to the widespread devastation, Whitmer has only mentioned her hopes for Trump to give residents aid while announcing her request for support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Only in hindsight did Whitmer lament the underinvestment in the states dam infrastructure, briefly mentioning that she didnt think that they [private companies] should run critical dams. Whitmer said, responding to the criminal mismanagement of the now crumbling dams by private owners, Where theres culpability, we will pursue ... holding people accountable. Given her administrations treatment of Dow, there is no reason to expect any fundamental changes. The larger question to be asked is why private owners control the dams and critical flood protection infrastructure in the first place. This is an easy question to answer since one only needs to look at the substantially criminal role played by decades of rule by Republican and Democratic administrations in Michigan. Whether Republican or Democrat, the ruling classs political puppets have made every effort to capture every scrap of wealth that they can harvest from Michigan for decades, selling fresh water supplies to Nestle, allowing fracking, poisoning the water of Flint and throwing Detroit into bankruptcy. The most apparent message one can glean from Whitmers statements is one of complacency. In the minds of those in positions of local and state authority, residents must wait out the flood just as workers must tough out the pandemic. Even if people can wait out the flooding, the threat posed by chemical leaks leaves returning residents and small business owners at the mercy of whatever chemical cocktail is left behind. Federal agents have announced that it will take some time before the area surrounding Dow is safe enough to test, making the threat of residual contamination that much more imminent. Conway Elementary School in the Escondido Union School District is one of 18 schools nationwide chosen for a $5,000 grant from EL Education. The grant will support documentation of the way EL Education, a nonprofit that works with 150 schools serving diverse populations, is helping students learn. Working with EL Education, Conways fourth-grade teachers created a project in 2017, Protecting and Serving Our Local Watershed, which explores the impact of humans and shows how to become better environmental stewards. That project led to Conway being one of the first eight not 18, there was an initial group of 8 schools chosen from among 50 EL Education schools to be part of EL Educations Better World Project group. The Better World Project will showcase projects at those 18 schools as national models for the positive changes theyre making in their communities. The recognition is a milestone for Conway, one of the lowest-performing schools in EUSD for a significant amount of years, said Principal Cristina Meglich. A lot had happened in Escondido growth, reboundarying, changes in demographics in a short period of time. EUSD was really looking to change its image and figure out how to better serve students. Advertisement Conway has been working with EL Education for several years to revamp the way it educates students, said Meglich. Initial funding for the first three years came from a district grant of $100,000 per year. This year, the EUSD board approved $48,000 to fund the annual contract. EL Education, formerly Expeditionary Learning, was created more than 25 years ago by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, working with Outward Bound. It uses a research-based approach and focuses on having students master rigorous content, develop positive character, and produce high-quality work, according to its website. Conway Elementary Principal Cristina Meglich. (Laura Groch ) Meglich says she has seen a noticeable difference in the students, who meet for 20 minutes at the beginning and end of each day to discuss issues as part of the new approach. We want students to be in charge of their own learning, she said. That doesnt mean ignoring state standards. The students set goals based on those standards, said Meglich. For example, They will identify their reading level, and what they need to work on next. The school has hit its educational targets two years running, she added, and the fifth-graders pretty much doubled their scores in math and language arts. A big part of EL Educations approach is character development. At Conway, that means emphasis on the schools EPIC norms Excellence, Perseverance, Integrity and Compassion. Every Friday, the students reflect on their learning for the week, and give themselves a score, said Meglich. Behavioral problems have fallen significantly, she added: Suspensions went from 18 to four last year. That character piece is essential to what theyre doing. Parental engagement has increased, she said. A recent event had a 90 percent parental attendance rate far above previous norms. Students are communicating the importance of them (parents) coming and understanding what is going on at the school, she said. The EL Education Better World Project grants will document how students are learning. Videos of school projects will become instructional models for other schools. A video will also document the changes at Conway. Adam Krusi-Thom of EL Education is working with Conway teachers. My job is to help teachers do these things, and bring the community in. Thats what the Better World Project gives to the community the kids get a sense of something greater than themselves. Education Manager Simon Breen of The Escondido Creek Conservancy inspects two-week-old trout with Conway Elementary fourth-graders Ezekiel Acosta and Karla Gonzalez in 2017. (Charlie Neuman/U-T file photo ) North County campuses become schools of trout Fourth-grade teachers Steve Palomino, Lana Brady and Bonnie Diamond designed Conways project, which explores the local watershed with the help of the Escondido Creek Conservancy. The citys cement culverts have degraded the creeks water quality so it can no longer support trout, said Diamond. So we are able to introduce to the kids what the ramifications of humans are on the creek. Biology, geology, pollution and other related subjects are investigated. Students raised trout fingerlings from eggs and released them into Miramar Lake in February. Learning about the trouts development was the focus of the fourth-grade expedition, a broad learning theme that integrated reading, writing, science and math. Education Manager Simon Breen of The Escondido Creek Conservancy speaks to Conway fourth-graders in 2017. Clockwise from top left: Bianca Martinez, Osvaldo Gonzalez, Jocelyn Toled and Lydia Scott. (Charlie Neuman/UT file photo ) Students wrote letters and presented their findings to city officials. They created a field guide, they made informative trading cards, said Brady. There is more buy-in. The students are excited about something and actually feel like they have a voice. Its giving them real-world skills talking to adults. Added Diamond, They question, What is my role, and how can I change a minus to a plus? The teachers are happy about the recognition from EL Education. When you look at how many schools were involved here for our school to be chosen? said Diamond. Added Brady, Most of the other EL schools are charters with smaller student bodies. Meglich says her goal is for Conway to become an EL Education-credentialed school, similar to an IB (international baccalaureate) school. That will take four to five years of implementation and annual review. To say its rigorous is an understatement, she said. The planning is unlike anything Ive ever experienced, but thats what makes it meaningful to students. Its something that they care about. laura.groch@sduniontribune.com By Clare Jim and Yew Lun Tian HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's foreign ministry branch in Hong Kong dismissed concerns that its proposed national security laws for the city would harm foreign investors, hitting back at "meddling" countries as Beijing's ties with Washington soured further. The security legislation, which could see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases in Hong Kong, has sent chills through the business and diplomatic communities, spooked financial markets and escalated geopolitical tensions. U.S. government officials have said the legislation would end the Chinese-ruled city's autonomy and would be bad for both Hong Kong's and China's economies. They said it could jeopardise the territory's special status in U.S. law, which has helped it maintain its position as a global financial centre. Hong Kong is caught in the cross-hairs of a Beijing-Washington conflict developing on many fronts. After trade disputes and reciprocal accusations over the source and handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Washington on Friday accused the Chinese government of making it impossible for U.S. airlines to resume service to China. Britain, Australia and Canada expressed "deep concern" in a joint statement about the proposed security laws which they said would undermine the "one country, two systems" principle agreed when Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Bankers and headhunters said it could lead to money and talent leaving the city. Hong Kong stocks slumped 5.6% on Friday, and sent chills through global markets. A spokesperson of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Hong Kong said in a statement the city's high degree of autonomy "will remain unchanged, and the interests of foreign investors in the city will continue to be protected under the law". Beijing's move comes after pro-democracy protests in 2019 plunged Hong Kong into its biggest political crisis since the handover. Communist authorities see the protests as a security threat and blame the West for fomenting unrest. Story continues The commissioner's office described statements by "meddling countries" as "double standard and gangster logic". "No matter how venomously you smear, provoke, coerce or blackmail us, the Chinese people will remain rock-firm in safeguarding national sovereignty and security," it said. "Doomed is your plot to undermine China's sovereignty and security by exploiting the troublemakers in Hong Kong as pawns and the city as a frontier for secession, subversion, infiltration and sabotage activities against China." Chris Patten, the last governor of the former British colony, said China has betrayed the people of Hong Kong. HALF-WAY DEAD As Hong Kong braced for its first major protests since the proposal of the legislation on Sunday in the centre of the city, police said in a statement they "will deploy adequate manpower in relevant locations." Despite reassurances from Beijing and Hong Kong authorities, many Hong Kongers fret over losing rights. Lok, 42, a clerk at an investment company, said she felt there was no prospect for her children, aged 16 and 9, and she hopes they will move away: "I think Hong Kong is half-way dead. I didnt expect Hong Kong would deteriorate that quickly." Hong Kong publishing tycoon Jimmy Lai, an outspoken critic of Beijing who faces charges of illegal assembly, said on Twitter the legislation would bring the end of "China's last miracle" and the communist party was slaughtering "the proverbial golden goose." Over the past 24 hours, Hong Kong's pro-Beijing politicians have also responded to concerns that the national security legislation could reduce freedoms. Upon her return from Beijing late on Friday, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the stock market "goes up and comes down" and blamed protests for destabilising the business environment. Henry Tang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, said the legislation was "beneficial" for business, bringing stability. In an interview with Reuters, Lam's predecessor as Hong Kong chief executive, Leung Chun-Ying, said the legislation was needed to "stamp out terrorism". He noted that the British had maintained a police special branch, dismantled before the territory was handed over to Chinese rule in 1997. Singapore has a Special Branch. We dont. America has all kinds of law enforcement agencies that are tasked to deal with national security threats. We dont. So its not surprising that as part of the efforts to fill the national security legal gap, we need to have a body, Leung said. (Editing by Peter Graff) A new legislation in the US, which proposes to give preference to individuals educated in the US while granting H-1B and L-1 work visas, might spell trouble for Indian IT firms if it becomes a law. According to immigration experts, though many such bills have been proposed during the presidency of Donald Trump, most have not become law. However, the high unemployment rate in the US because of the Covid-19 crisis might make such a legislation a reality. If this turns into a law, it will definitely impact Indian IT services firms. Firstly, if preference is given to US-educated ... Seventeen more people tested positive for coronavirus in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 186, officials said. Six of the fresh cases were reported from Kangra, five from Solan, four from Mandi and one each from Hamirpur and Una, they said. While nine of these people are Mumbai returnees, five had visited West Bengal and two came back from Jalandhar, the officials said. The details about the person who tested positive in Una were not immediately available. In Kangra, two women, aged 70 and 44, from Lambagaon, Jaisinghpur and Bhawarna, respectively, tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, according to a district official. Similarly, three men, aged 48, 49 and 50, from Lambagaon, Palampur and Jaisinghpur, respectively, tested positive for the respiratory disease. All of them returned from Mumbai on a special train on May 18 and were quarantined at Paraur in Palampur sub-division. The 70-year-old woman is being shifted to Dedicated COVID Health Centre (DCHC), Dharamshala, whereas the other four patients are being shifted to PRI, Baijnath. Besides, a 68-year-old man who recently returned from Jalandhar tested positive in Kangra. Currently, he is admitted to SARI, Tanda. In Solan, all five people who tested positive for the respiratory disease are West Bengal returnees, District Health Officer (DHO) N K Gupta said. All of them were quarantined at Ramshehar upon their return, he added. In Mandi, the four cases include three members of a family -- a woman, her son and daughter -- who had recently returned from Mumbai. They were already lodged at a quarantine centre, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Jeevanand Chauhan said. The woman's husband had also travelled to Mumbai, but his report came back negative, he said. A 61-year-old taxi driver, a resident of Mumbai, also tested positive for COVID-19. He had brought back some residents from the commercial capital a few days ago and was quarantined after he showed symptoms of influenza-like illness, the CMO said. In Hamirpur, a 72-year-old woman from Dugha village tested positive for COVID-19 two days after her husband. She suffers from a liver infection, district Deputy Commissioner Harikesh Meena said. She had gone to Jalandhar for treatment and was admitted to the district government medical college after she returned, he said. She was referred to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla for treatment as her condition worsened. Her sample was taken there and her report came back positive on Saturday, he added. Meena said one more patient from Seedhi village of Hamirpur's Kakker area has been cured and will soon be sent to home quarantine for 14 days. The number of active COVID-19 cases in Himachal Pradesh now stands at 121 and 61 people have recovered so far, according to the officials. Hamirpur has the maximum number of active cases in the state at 54; followed by 35 in Kangra; 10 in Solan; eight in Mandi; five in Bilaspur; three in Una; two each in Sirmaur and Chamba; and one each in Kullu and Shimla, they said. Four people have died due to COVID-19 in the state till now. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Theres something innately enticing about Instagram stories. Theyre a powerful outlet for content creators, and even the general user base, to express their creativity and share moments of their lives. The primary idea behind Instagram stories was simple, it was an outlet for people to share their moments conveniently and quickly. However, it has quickly transformed into something much more powerful, if used right. It can catapult the success of brands, social media marketers, influencers, celebrities and even make people ridiculously popular by sharing simple, yet well-thought-out and executed content. If you want to up your Instagram stories game to put yourself or your brand on the map, heres a few lesser-known Insta-story hacks. Create hype stories The saying goes Curiosity killed the cat, however, in the social media-driven world we live in, we should say Curiosity roped in followers. Creating a certain shroud of mystery around your posts and stories can be infinitely useful in attracting attention and retaining it for the long haul. This is why you probably see a ton of influencers creating stories with hype for their next post, story or giveaway. One example is, say youve bought a new phone and you are going to be putting up a post revealing your spanking new gadget. You could grab the attention of users by putting up an Instagram Question story and ask them to guess what new phone youve bought. This will usually ensure that your followers make the trip back to your profile to check what you actually purchased because curiosity is a powerful driving force. Another way to do this is by uploading the image youre going to be posting soon as a story and then clicking on the Paint tool (looks like a squiggly line) on the top right of the screen. Now, select a colour from the bottom and simply tap and hold your photo. The entire screen will now be filled with the bold colour you have chosen. Now, simply pick the Eraser tool and draw a few dots or lines over the images, which will only partially reveal the image. You can ask your followers to stay tuned and check your page to see the reveal soon, which boosts post engagement. Turn Live Photos into Boomerangs The Live Photos feature is a nifty one, however, it is mostly overlooked due to the extra space it consumes and because theyre merely short videos. Until now. Instagram can let you turn these Live Photos into Boomerangs! Sadly, this feature can be only used on iOS Live Photos and not on say, Samsungs Motion Photos. Theres one small caveat though before you can go ahead creating your Boomerangs out of your Live Photos. The Live Photo on your camera roll must be less than 24 hours old. To make these Live-Photo-Boomerangs, simply open Instagram stories and pick a Live Photo from your camera roll. Next, press and hold the Live Photo on the Instagram story screen for a few seconds until you see the word Boomerang appear fleetingly. And, thats it. Your Live Photo is now a Boomerang ready to share. Veil your hashtags While hashtags in stories certainly boost your reach, they can seriously deteriorate the aesthetic of your Instagram story. You wouldnt want to see a scenic landscape with a bunch of words scrambled across it, now, would you? There are a couple of neat ways you can hide unsightly hashtags in your Insta stories. Firstly, if you are going to use a GIF in your story, you can simply type out all your hashtags (Insta allows a maximum of 10) and then resize them to be smaller. Note that Instagram wont register hashtags if you make them too small. Next, simply choose your GIF and place it strategically over your hashtags. If youre going the no-GIF, clean image route, you can type out your hashtags and make them relatively small yet again. However, this time around, tap on the hashtags and change the colour to best match your background. If you have blue skies, simply select blue and hide it in plain sight in the sky backdrop. Additionally, if you wish to pick the shade of blue closest to the shade of the sky and mask the hashtags more efficiently, just tap and hold the colour blue until youre greeted by a colour spectrum panel. Select the closest shade and mask your hashtags. Create a colour gradient text or shadow text Text can be pretty boring on Instagram even though it gives you a decent array of font options. If you want to add a bit of flair to your text, you can try these nifty tricks. Firstly, you can create a gradient or rainbow text effect. This is not a predefined effect but it is something you come across when you play around with Instagram stories a fair bit. Firstly, type any text into your story, which could be a plain text story or one with an image. Next, highlight that text by tapping and holding. Now, you will see the colour options below. Tap and hold the colour you want your gradient or rainbow to start at. Youll now see the colour spectrum (as mentioned in the previous trick). Now, the next part is tricky. With one finger, slide across the colour spectrum and with the other slide across the highlighted text. With some practice, you will have transformed your dreary, monotone text into a vibrant colour gradient text. Similarly, if you want to spruce up your text, you can also create a drop shadow effect on your text. Firstly, type your text in the story, choose your font and resize as you see fit. Next, repeat these exact same steps with the same font and size, but a different colour. All you need to do now is layer the top layer of text slightly off-centre from the bottom layer. You will have successfully created a pretty neat-looking drop shadow text effect. Create a photo collage story You can create a quick, little collage right within Instagram without the help of other collage-making apps. Its quite simple on iOS and a bit more complicated (not by much) on Android. On iOS, simply go to your gallery and tap on Export on an image on the bottom left on the screen. Click Copy and then toggle to your Instagram story. Tap the screen to get the text cursor and then, simply paste it on a solid colour background. You can do this with as many pictures as you like, creating an aesthetic, freestyle collage by placing images in the space, with some slightly overlapping one another. To do the same on Android, you will need to open your gallery and screenshot the images you want in your Instagram story. Crop these images to edit out the navigation buttons and status bar. After you have individually screenshotted and cropped each picture, go to Instagram and add a story. Then, simply apply a solid colour background. Now, tap the screen once so that the cursor arrives. Tap and hold the cursor and then the Clipboard option should be seen. Click on this and select the image you want and keep repeating the same process until you have taken all the relevant images from Clipboard. Thats it, you have created a makeshift photo collage directly on your Insta story. Apps to up your Insta story game Here are a couple of nifty apps that can elevate the quality and aesthetic of your stories on Instagram. Word Swag Word Swag can automatically transform your text into gorgeous photo text designs for your story with their powerful Typomatic type engine. Unfold Unfold allows users to use and even create beautiful, minimalist templates for their Instagram stories. They host an array of themes such as Film Frames, Ripped paper, Classico and more. Kirakira+ Kirakira+ is an odd but useful app that lets you add an animated shimmer to any real-life sparkling or metallic object. It can be applied to both photos and videos. Microsoft Hyperlapse Microsoft Hyperlapse is incredibly useful since it not only lets you easily shoot hyperlapse videos but it also converts existing videos on your phone to hyperlapse ones. 8mm Vintage Camera 8mm Vintage Camera is an exquisite paid app on iOS that lets you shoot videos in retro formats such as 8mm, 16mm and more. It even lets you apply retro effects to existing videos. Later Later, formerly known as Latergramme, is a simple app that lets users plan and schedule Instagram posts and stories. New Delhi: Former Bigg Boss 13 contestant and popular television actress Rashami Desai has a huge fan following - all thanks to her amazing roles on the small screen. Rashami has over 3.3 million followers on Instagram alone and that explains how much people love her. In her latest post, Rashami can be seen flaunting her bold and daring avatar. Her photo caption reads: Dare to begin. #ItsAllMagical #IAmMagic#RhythmicRashami #RashamiDesai #BoldAndBeautiful Rashami Desai can be seen wearing a long boyfriend denim shirt with white lingerie. Her bold and beautiful look has set the internet on fire. Inside the 'Bigg Boss 13' house, Rashami remained one of the most talked-about celebrities, hogging the limelight. The actress has now entered yet another popular show 'Naagin 4' by Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms. She even posted pictures from the sets and introduced her character Shalakha. Rashami, who has a strong fashion sense is an avid social media user and her fans continue to shower their immense love upon her. Like some other upcoming AAFP events -- including the Direct Primary Care Summit and the National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students -- the vote is going virtual. NCCL delegates typically elect their peers to fill a variety of leadership positions every spring in Kansas City, Mo., but because of the pandemic, most members elected during the 2019 NCCL will serve another year, with the exception of the new physician Board member and the AAFP delegate to the AMA Young Physicians Section. The AMA-YPS seat will be appointed this month by AAFP Board Chair John Cullen, M.D., of Valdez, Alaska, in accordance with the NCCL Rules of Order. Meanwhile, AAFP members and chapter staff can get to know the candidates vying for the new physician Board position during an online forum on June 4 at 8 p.m. CDT. The candidates and their nominating chapters are Gerald Banks, M.D., M.S., Texas AFP; Rupal Bhingradia, M.D., New York State AFP; Danielle Carter, M.D., Florida AFP; and Michael Richardson, M.D., Massachusetts AFP. Registration for the forum is required and is limited to AAFP members, chapter staff and AAFP staff. Voting is limited to chapter-designated new physician delegates, who will receive a link to an online ballot at the conclusion of the candidate forum. The ballot will remain open for up to one week. Members can submit questions for the Q&A portion of the forum, which will be moderated by current new physician Board member Brent Sugimoto, M.D., M.P.H., and NCCL convener Marie-Elizabeth Ramas, M.D. The NCCL Advisory Group and past conference leaders will host a virtual member constituencies forum on June 13 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. CDT. The event will include breakout sessions focused on challenges members are dealing with during the pandemic, including discussion of issues members may want their chapters to address via resolutions during the Congress of Delegates. Registration for this forum also is required and is limited to AAFP members and chapter staff. National Conference The National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students will still take place July 30-Aug. 1, but the annual event, which traditionally is held in Kansas City, Mo., will happen online. The event will offer 11 hours of live workshops and main stage sessions, and recorded sessions will be available for 30 days after the conference. The virtual Expo Hall will still offer students a chance to meet representatives from hundreds of family medicine residency programs, including the ability to schedule one-on-one appointments. Congress business sessions will not take place. However, students and residents will have the opportunity to submit and discuss issues of significant concern during virtual breakout room sessions. After the conference, submissions will be forwarded to the Subcommittee on Resident and Student Issues, which will review them and make recommendations for actions to the Commission on Education. Elections for resident and student leadership positions will be held, but the specifics for that process have not yet been finalized. Registration costs have been reduced for both attendees and exhibitors. Anyone who has already registered will be refunded the difference in registration price. Direct Primary Care Summit The Direct Primary Care Summit also is moving online. The event, now changed to two days, is set for July 17-18 and will offer nationally recognized faculty with real-life experience in DPC; practical content for physicians interested in starting a practice, growing a practice and carving a niche in DPC; and an opportunity to network with hundreds of like-minded physicians interested in revolutionizing patient care. Like National Conference, the price has been reduced for the virtual event. Many Illinois residents are traveling to the five neighboring states that have eased or removed coronavirus restrictions, as Gov. J.B. Pritzker has extended most stay-at-home orders through the end of May, The Washington Post reports. Why it matters: Pritzker warned, People who are traveling across the border and ... gathering in large groups and who are going into restaurants or bars ... will asymptomatically come back to Illinois and spread it." The lack of coordination between state officials has some in Chicago worried there could be another surge in cases and deaths this summer, the Post notes. Pritzker has said he is no rush to loosen coronavirus restrictions as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise and there remains a lag in testing. The state of play: Cook County, the most densely populated county in Illinois, has nearly 69,000 confirmed cases and over 3,000 deaths, according to John Hopkins University. The state's third phase of reopening is expected to begin May 29. Gatherings of up 10 people will be allowed at that point. Illinois' total reopening, Pritzker said Friday, will be guided by the science and the data, and its unclear because, as you move forward, the science is evolving and the data is giving us more information on what we ought to be doing. The bottom line: "The pandemic is seen less as a public health emergency and more of an economic one in downstate and more rural counties," the Post writes. Go deeper: U.S. coronavirus updates Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has reportedly cut all security ties with Israel and the United States after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to annex the Jewish settlements in the West Bank region, which international organization deems illegal. The cut of security cooperation between Palestine and Israel was confirmed by Israeli media on May 23. The Palestinian officials have provided little or no information about the halting of security ties with Tel Aviv and Washington but told the press that they have started to withdraw forces from 'Area B' which is under Israeli security control but is inhabited by Palestinian people. Read: Iran Approves Creation Of ''Virtual Embassy'' In Palestine According to Palestinian media, Abbas made the announcement during an emergency meeting in the city of Ramallah wherein he said that the State of Palestine and the Palestine Liberation organization were absolved of all agreements and understandings with American and Israeli governments, including the security ones. He further said that the Israeli occupation authority would have to shoulder all responsibilities and obligations in front of the international community as "occupying power" over the territory of the occupied state of Palestine. Read: UN: COVID-19 Resulted In 'inspiring Examples' Of Cooperation Between Israel, Palestine Palestine-Isreal conflict Tensions in the region rose after the United States shifted its embassy to Jerusalem, which received international condemnation. The United States in January this year offered a peace deal, which gave Isreal the Palestinian territories that are currently occupied by Jewish settlers. The deal was rejected by Palestine who said that they will no longer recognize the United States as a mediator in the peace process. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu regained power after cracking a deal with opposition and vowed to annex parts of Palestine as promised earlier during the election campaign. The new deal between Netanyahu and his principal opposition Benny Grantz will see both the leaders occupying the chair of the prime minister of 18 months each. Read: Palestine's President Announces All Agreements Signed With Israel, US Null And Void Read: UN: COVID-19 Resulted In 'inspiring Examples' Of Cooperation Between Israel, Palestine (Image Credit: AP) Legislators have stressed the need for foreign investment laws to incorporate the safeguard of national security and defense. Speaking at a parliamentary session Friday, National Assembly delegate Truong Trong Nghia noted that the Politburo, the Communist Party's decision-making body, had issued a resolution on foreign investment last August that not only highlighted the sector as an important component of Vietnam's economy whose long-term development is encouraged and facilitated, but also called for the addition of provisions on "national defense and security conditions." The resolution said that such provisions needed to be part of the process of reviewing and issuing registration certificates for new investment projects, including investments made through capital contribution or purchase of stakes. Late last month, the government issued an action program to implement this resolution and tasked the Ministry of Planning and Investment with developing regulations to tackle the issues of "thin capitalization" and "undercover" investment. "This is an issue that has been receiving widespread attention from the public and experts. It is a fact that some foreign investors have taken advantage of loopholes in the law, as has been seen recently," Nghia said. He cited a recent report by the Ministry of National Defense that highlighted instances of Chinese investors using various ruses to acquire land in areas of great importance for Vietnam's national security and defense. Nghia noted that several of his colleagues had already questioned ministry leaders in previous National Assembly sessions on the issue of foreigners buying land, or even taking up residence in areas sensitive to national security and defense, but they did not receive clear, specific answers. In one instance, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha even claimed the authorities had yet to detect any case of foreigners buying land in Vietnam. Vietnam allows foreigners to buy apartments, but no more than 30 percent of a residential quarter or an apartment project, as long as the project is not located in areas deemed vital to national security. They are not allowed to buy land. "So far the defense ministry's response to voters' inquiry has been fairly detailed and very true to the issue mentioned in the Politburo's resolution," Nghia said, reiterating the need for formulating a foreign investment law that clearly regulates issues of national security and defense. He noted that under the current Law on Investment, projects must receive the National Assembly's approval if they have a major impact on the environment or use upstream, border area or forest land of at least 50 hectares (124 acres), but major projects that affect national security and defense or projects that use under 50 hectares of border land are outside the National Assembly's purview at present. "A small area of just 5-10 hectares or even less, but in important locations such as near military airbases could still affect national security and defense, and must be clearly regulated in the law in order to form a 'filter" to defend national sovereignty," Nghia added. Major General Nguyen Minh Duc, deputy head of the NA's Committee on National Defense and Security, agreed that there have been cases of capital contributions, mergers and acquisitions that involve "sensitive matters" but there has been no effective control mechanism to deal with them. Functional authorities therefore need to soon institutionalize the Politburo's resolution to overcome these limitations and shortcomings, he said. Duc also requested that the government look into developing regulations on ensuring national defense and security in economic activities to adjust four groups on: foreign investment projects; indirect investments, mergers and acquisitions; borrowing and asset transfer activities; and major trade contracts in the fields of aviation and telecommunications. Le Thanh Van, standing member of the NA's Finance and Budget Committee, proposed the development of a Law on Economic Security, which he argued was necessary because there were eight risks that could undermine Vietnam's economic security. The first risk was from foreign economic activities violating Vietnam's sovereignty, like businesses with Chinese elements releasing products with the illegal nine-dash line or implementing real estate projects in coastal areas. Other risks listed by Van included the risk of instability in macroeconomic balance through indicators of growth, public investment, safety and fiscal policy, the risk of corruption and economic manipulation through cooperation projects and risks to the environment from industrial parks. "The Law on Economic Security will, in principle, be a combination of solutions to handle related violations," Van said. WEST CHESTER The three Chester County commissioners have issued a plea to Gov. Tom Wolf to let them show that the county is ready to move toward reopening its businesses and relax the stay at home measures now imposed on all suburban Philadelphia counties. Chester Countys data indicates that we should be able to safely move to the yellow phase on June 4, and that is what we are strongly urging the governor to agree to, Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline said in a statement posted on the countys website Wednesday and emailed to news organizations across the region. The entire statement can be found here: https://www.chesco.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1096. The Wolf administration set three levels of restrictions on residents and non-essential businesses in its March shut-down order, enacted to mitigate the statewide spread of the deadly coronavirus: red, the highest level, which the county is currently under; yellow, a less restrictive, but still cautiously protective, status; and green, a return to full open status, with some social-distancing recommendations in place. For the commissioners, two Democrats and a Republican, the issue is whether the county must remain under the high level of restrictive mitigation even though its data show it in far better condition than its suburban neighbors in Bucks, Delaware and Montgomery counties, not to mention the city of Philadelphia when it comes to the COVID-19 outbreak, or whether it can move to the lesser category and see businesses reopen and restrictions on residents loosen. Moving to yellow is really a cautious step forward, the trio said in urging Wolf to grant it the new status on June 4, the date the countys mission-essential service level is set to expire. This date gives us sufficient time to expand access to testing and the time needed to see a steadier pace of daily new cases. This date also gives us time to make ready our businesses and organizations so that our residents their customers can be confident that they will be safe. The tone of the plea to Wolf respectful, and not demanding is in contrast to the stance taken by at least seven counties earlier this month, including Lancaster and Bucks counties in which officials vowed to defy the states restrictions. A county spokeswoman confirmed Thursday that the statement was not meant to incite a confrontation with the state, nor to serve as a call for businesses and residents to engage in acts of disobedience of the shut-down orders, as have taken place in some areas of the suburbs. Please support us as we continue to appeal to the governor about our thoughtful, data-driven reasons for naming June 4 as the date to relax restrictions in Chester County, the trio stated. Because the other reality is, we truly do not have the power to decide when to move to yellow; the governor does. Defiance by a few could cripple many of Chester Countys businesses through state licensing restrictions. That factor weighs heavily upon us too. But the plea comes at a time when many in the suburbs, including Democrats not prone to pick fights with Wolf, have been calling for eased restrictions. Last week, Wolf ordered 12 counties from the eastern part of the state moved to the yellow level; 18 counties remain in the red. How and when do we relax restrictions in Chester County in light of COVID-19? the commissioners wondered. This is a question that drives us constantly, and that is the foundation for our daily (and often nightly) meetings and conversations. We continue to seek the answer to this question in our talks with regional partners, the governors office, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and Chester Countys business leaders and employers. The reality is we are close, but we are not there quite yet, the statement read. We need to see a bit more of a decline in the number of new positive cases we see each day, and we need to increase access to testing. On Wednesday, the county Health Department data showed a total of 2,242 positive cases of COVID-19 through Tuesday, with 224 deaths attributed to the virus. That compares with 4,662 cases in Bucks County, 5,844 in Delaware County, 6,154 in Montgomery County, and 16,645 in Philadelphia. No other suburban county had fewer than 430 deaths from the virus. The growth in the countys positive cases has been gradual since the first positive case was recorded on March 13. Over the seven days prior to May 19, there were 246 new cases, or an average of 32 a day. The governor has established a complicated set of metrics to determine when a county or region can move to yellow,' the commissioners statement said. One metric that has been the focus of many is 50 new cases per 100,000 people over a 14-day period. Honestly, we dont think this is a very good metric. At nearly 525,000 people, Chester County has a population density that makes achieving this number very difficult. They said the county had been fighting hard to use metrics that make better sense, given our demographics, such as contact tracing, done in the county from the start, the statement said, and access to testing which we are rapidly building, including our action as the only county in Pennsylvania to undertake antibody testing. The commissioners replied to those residents they say contend that the county should be allowed to reopen because the overwhelming majority of deaths are related to long-term care facilities. While this is true, the overall number of daily new positive cases are not related to long-term care facilities. The overall number of daily new positive cases are related to community transmission. Finally, the commissioners urged residents and businesses to continue the practices that have led to the overall mitigation numbers in the county. We also recognize that you have been doing your part. You have followed the guidelines and have stayed home. You have supported small businesses and local restaurants that continue to operate under restrictions. You have supported essential workers in their tireless fight against this invisible enemy. The entire statement can be viewed at www.chesco.org. To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544. Eid this year, amid the ongoing global Covid-19 crisis, would be of a different kind. But not one to let negative thoughts dampen her spirits, Gauahar Khan plans to celebrate the festival at home with her mother Razia Khan, and she is looking forward to make the day special by rustling up mouth-watering sheer khurma and biryani at home. I usually cook something special every year on Eid along with Nigaar (elder sister) and my mother. While we would divide most of the work, this year I have decided to cook sheer khurma and biryani for the three of us (her mother, herself and their house help). I wish I could distribute some of the delicacies to neighbours and visitors, but this year we cant do that, she says. As for celebrating with her other family members and relatives in the UAE, UK and the US, the 36-year-old plans to do it virtually. They follow the Saudi date of Eid, which is one day ahead of India. We all will be wishing each other and celebrating Eid for two days, adds Khan, whose sister Nigaar stays in the US and their brother Asaad is in UK. She even has a new outfit ready for the day. Im grateful that I have generous designer friends who keep sending me beautiful outfits, and which is why I have something new to wear. But I will keep the celebration subdued, realising that not everyone will be fortunate enough to do what they usually have been doing on the day, says the actor, who has fond childhood memories of the festival. As a kid I remember getting a new wallet every time to keep our Eidis. After growing up, Eidis from my brothers have made me happy. This year, I guess they will have to make a bank transfer. she quips, but goes on to say, Those warm hugs, conversations, laughter over good food and positive vibes will be badly missed this year. In Islam, we dont have many festivals, but on Eid which comes twice a year, everyone comes together. But this time things would be really different. Praying for everyones good health and for a better world, Khan adds, I have been reciting the Quran, and this year I have learnt a six-page long Surah (prayer) which is called the Surah Ar-Rahman. It has been a good month of Ibadat (prayers) and I hope that it helps the rest of the world. I know this is our festival and Muslims step out to meet and greet, but this time please dont do that as it would harm the little progress we have made in the last two months. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Bulgarian side has noted the importance of maintaining the national, cultural and linguistic identity of the Bulgarian national minority in Ukraine. Deputy Foreign Minister Vasyl Bodnar and Bulgarian Ambassador to Ukraine Kostadin Kodjabashev following their meeting held Friday, May 22, concluded that there were no disagreements between the two countries on the issue of ensuring the rights of the Bulgarian community in Ukraine. That's according to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. "Diplomats always find a common language. There are no disagreements between Ukraine and Bulgaria on ensuring the rights of the Bulgarian community in Ukraine. We agreed to resolve all pressing issues in a constructive spirit," the statement says. The interlocutors also praised the role of the Bulgarian community of Ukraine in the development of relations between Ukraine and Bulgaria. Read alsoZelensky sends message to Hungary's Orban on Day of Victory over Nazism media Vasyl Bodnar noted that the administrative-territorial reform that is ongoing Ukraine in no way affects the level of ensuring the rights of national minorities, in particular the Bulgarian community of Odesa region. The Bulgarian side noted the importance of maintaining the national, cultural and linguistic identity of the Bulgarian national minority in Ukraine. As UNIAN reported earlier, the Bulgarian parliament in a statement released on Wednesday criticized Ukraine's plans to implement an administrative reform in Bolgrad district of Odesa region, which is home to a major part of the Bulgarian minority living in Ukraine. Subsequently, the Foreign Ministry expressed protest, called unacceptable any attempts of a foreign state to meddle in the internal affairs of Ukraine. Joanna Lumley has revealed she has been dyeing her own hair and running up and down stairs to keep her youthful looks during lockdown. The Absolutely Fabulous actress, 74, who shot to fame playing the iconic Patsy in the BBC comedy series, is 'terrified' she won't be allowed to leave her house if she looks too old. She told The Mirror: 'I'm terrified they're going to lock me in. So I keep dyeing my hair yellow. DIY hair: Joanna Lumley has revealed she has been dyeing her own hair and running up and down stairs to keep her youthful looks during lockdown 'I'm running up and down the stairs to show that although I'm old, I'm still OK.' The actress and activist also urged her fans to pay attention to the state of the world during the coronavirus pandemic. She said: 'This plague is ghastly beyond words. But what is more important is the state of the world, we have to look at that and how the ice caps are melting.' Quarantine partner: The 74-year-old Absolutely Fabulous actress has been isolating in London with her husband of 34 years - Stephan Barlow Joanna, who is currently isolating in London, said that while the UK has recently seen some bright blue skies, she believes this is only because there aren't any aeroplanes flying across it. Although Joanna owns up to presenting regular travel shows on ITV from across the globe she said that people need to change their ways to stop the damage caused to the planet by it. She said: 'It's like the headmaster has banged the desk and said, ''Everybody, you have to do better or you'll all be kept in forever''.' Terrified: Joanna, who shot to fame playing the iconic Patsy in the BBC comedy series, is 'terrified' she won't be allowed to leave her house if she looks too old Joanna, who has won two Baftas for her role as Patsy, is isolating with her husband of 34 years - Stephen Barlow, 65. She believes that she can beat coronavirus because she has been through similar crises in her past. In 1957 she was at a convent school in East Sussex when the Asian flu was prevalent. But she says that although some of the nuns fell ill with the disease, she didn't believe she's 'not often ill'. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- President Trump demanded on Friday that states deem houses of worship essential and allow them to reopen. Churches, mosques, temples and synagogues have not been able to hold normal services due to limits on gatherings during the coronavirus shutdowns. The President said during a press briefing that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be issuing guidelines for communities of faith on how to safely begin reopening. Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential, but have left out churches and other houses of worship,'' Trump said. "Its not right. I call upon governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now. The President said he would override governors who did not deem places of worship essential, but did not say how he would do so. The guidelines published by the CDC recommend communication with local and state authorities to determine current mitigation levels in your community." According to the CDC, the guidelines are non-binding public health guidance for consideration only, and are not meant to regulate or prescribe standards for interactions of faith communities in houses of worship. Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator, also urged communication with state and local officials, but said social distancing is possible in houses of worship. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has launched an interfaith advisory council to plan a religious reopening, said Thursday that the state is working with houses of worship and that currently up to 10 people are allowed to gather for religious gatherings. Mayor Bill de Blasio said if gatherings go over 10, city agencies including the NYPD will ask people to move and issue summonses if they dont move or disperse. 30 Photos of the pandemic in NYC: The gradual return to normalcy *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** Also on Thursday, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, announced the archdioceses initial plans to reopen its 288 churches in Staten Island, Manhattan, the Bronx, and several upstate counties. The plan outlines stages that dont have definite dates and likely will vary between urban and less populated areas such as Sullivan, Dutchess and Ulster counties. The phases probably will be separated by a week or two. Small celebrations of baptisms and weddings are at least two weeks away, the cardinal said. Pastors are encouraged to form a reopening task force consisting of three to four parishioners to assist in reviewing these guidelines and implementing them as will best fit the needs of their parish, according to a statement from the archdiocese, which did not respond to a request for comment on the Presidents statement. Imam Karim Azzat, who leads the Islamic Center of Staten Island, said the mosque has been conducting some of its services in a socially-distanced way that avoids people congregating, like drive-in movie nights. Its Eid al-Fitr celebration for the end of Ramadan will feature a drive-thru parade. As long as there is an increased risk in public gathering, even if essential businesses are allowed to function, we are trying to hold a higher standard and set an example, he said. For as much as we think the mosque is an imperative part of our communitys spirituality and just an essential part of their life, at the same time we dont want to be at the forefront of potentially adding to the problem either. The government of Akufo-Addo is highly determined to phase out the double track system next academic year if all contractors handling emergency infrastructural projects in various senior high schools (SHSs) in the country work according to plan. Evans Kusi Boadu, Bono Regional Coordinator of Free SHS, gave the assurance when he joined regional executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to inspect ongoing projects in some SHSs to ascertain progress of work and also track government's projects. Some of the projects inspected included library blocks, dormitories, dining and assembly halls, ICT blocks, most of which, according to the team, are about 85 per cent complete. Some of the schools that have benefitted include Koase Senior High Technical School, Wenchi SHS in the Wenchi Municipality, Badu SHS, Nsawkaw State College, and Nkraman SHS, also in the Tain District. Besides, the team inspected ongoing works at Our Lady of Providence, Drobo, and Drobo SHS, also in the Jaman South District. The Regional Free SHS Coordinator said the emergency projects would clear the double track system which was introduced by the government to deal with unprecedented high enrolment following the introduction of the Free SHS by the Akufo-Addo government. The double track system would soon be over due to the massive infrastructure being undertaken by the government to improve the secondary school infrastructure, he noted. He asked all contractors who are on the projects to work assiduously and do quality work for government to achieve its aim. According to him, there are 37 SHSs in the region and out of that, 28 have benefitted from the government emergency projects. After the tour, the Bono Regional NPP Chairman, Kwame Baffoe Abronye said there were 980 of such projects across the country. He said the government had also supplied metal tables, chairs, bed and mattresses, so that every student can access accommodation when schools reopen. He estimated that there would be about 450,000 to 500,000 students in the next academic year, insisting that the projects which are about 85 per cent complete be handed over to government before September when schools reopen. ---Daily Guide Daughter on Call has been fined more than $5,000 for failing to comply with a public emergency health order. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 23/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Daughter on Call CEO Gail Freeman-Campbell is pictured behind the wheel of a staff vehicle in 2018. (File) Daughter on Call has been fined more than $5,000 for failing to comply with a public emergency health order. According to a list of Manitoba Health protection reports, the Brandon-based home-care organization received two separate fines, both for $2,542. The first fine was issued on May 15 against one of the organizations residential care homes in Brandon. The fine is for failing to comply with the public emergency health order, "namely direction given to take immediate and adequate precautions to control or minimize the risk of transmission of a communicable disease." The second fine was issued on May 21 against a Daughter on Call residential care home in Carberry. According to the provincial list, which is published online, the fine was issued for failing to comply with a May 14 Medical Officer of Healths health hazard order. Daughter on Call CEO and owner Gail Freeman-Campbell could not be reached for more details Friday afternoon. A spokesperson for Manitoba Health also declined to provide more information on the incidents when reached Friday afternoon. "Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living continues to work with the organization on compliance and no further details will be provided at this time," the spokesperson said in an email. Under the provincial public health order, businesses can be fined $2,542 for breaking COVID-19-related public health measures while individuals can be fined $486. Brandon police Sgt. Bruce Verhelst said Brandon police were called to 138 27th St., where Daughter on Call runs a personal care home called The Nest, on May 15. He said police "assisted public health there, just as a standby," but didnt have any more details. On Wednesday, the Sun reported that a health-care aide at the Brandon-based organization that cares for seniors and runs personal care homes had tested positive for COVID-19 on May 10. Another staff member tested negative for the virus after coming into contact with the person who was ill at a private residence. In three phone calls with The Brandon Sun on Friday of last week and Tuesday, Freeman-Campbell repeatedly denied a Daughter on Call employee had tested positive for COVID-19, despite the Sun having evidence to the contrary in the form of internal memos sent to staff as well as anonymous former and now-former employees speaking out. On Wednesday afternoon, Freeman-Campbell said she had denied the case in an effort to protect the sick employees confidentiality. On May 14, the province announced it was stepping up enforcement of public health orders, a framework dubbed Operation Safe Apart. It includes recruiting volunteers to help with public awareness and giving hundreds of provincial personnel authority to enforce COVID-related public health orders and issue tickets for non-compliance. The roster includes safety and health officers under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, Liquor Gaming and Cannabis Control Act inspectors, public health officers, park patrol officers, and Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development public health officers (food safety and animal health inspectors, and animal protection officers). Municipal police, First Nations police and RCMP officers can also enforce public health orders. dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ Officials in Kazakhstan have recently begun easing the lockdown that was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the country. That means people are coming back out onto the streets, businesses are reopening, and life is slowly returning to something resembling normal. But while the lockdown was in force, there were some in the government and others connected to it who were busy going after civic activists. Yevgeny Zhovtis is a well-known human rights lawyer based in Almaty and the director of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR). Zhovtis and his organization have been critical of the proposed revisions to the law on assembly that parliament has been debating, even while the lockdown was in place in big cities around the country and people were unable to gather to publicly express their opinions about the new legislation (the Mazhilis, Kazakhstan's lower house of parliament, approved the bill on April 8 and approved changes to the draft law on public assembly on May 20). The law defines how many people can attend a demonstration, what venues are available for rallies, and what permission is needed to conduct such public events. 'Unjustified Restraints' KIBHR released a statement on April 20 that said the law was "generally not compliant with international human rights standards and there are severe and unjustified restraints on the time and place of assemblies, and burdens placed on the organizers of assemblies," and recommended Kazakh authorities send the draft law to the OSCE Panel of Experts on Freedom of Assembly and Association or the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights for review before adopting it. According to a May 11 statement released by the international Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OPHRD), "on April 28, 2020, a large-scale, well-orchestrated smear campaign was launched in the media and social networks against Mr. [Yevgeny] Zhovtis, the KIBHR, and other civil society organizations critical of the draft law." The OPHRD said that, between April 28 and May 2, "Several dozens of publications appeared on social networks and online media, that systematically receive funds from the state" that were "primarily accusing the KIBHR of defending the right of foreigners to peaceful assembly [and] also focused on the ethnicity of the KIBHR employees and on the fact that the organization receives funding from foreign donors." The statement added: "Besides ordinary Internet users and fake accounts, among the authors of publications are public figures known for extreme nationalist views and owners of a government-linked 'troll factory.'" The KIBHR posts its statements on the organization's website, so it would have been easy for Kazakh authorities to notice KIBHR's criticism, but even if the criticism had been only on social networks, it would also likely have been noticed. Since it was not possible to stray far from home in Kazakhstan in recent weeks due to the pandemic, social networks have seen increased activity. 'An Excuse To Prosecute' RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, known locally as Azattyq, reported on May 21 that Kazakh authorities have hired firms to keep track of what is being said on social networks accessible in Kazakhstan. These firms are contracted to search for posts that could create a "threat" to sociopolitical stability and also, as part of the fight against the spread of the coronavirus, the dissemination of false information about the virus or government measures to battle it. But in the process they also find people's messages criticizing the government. The OPHRD said in its May 11 release that "Kazakhstan authorities seem to use a state of emergency as an excuse to prosecute its critics and opponents." The statement pointed to the case of Danaya Kaliyeva, who on May 4 was summoned for interrogation "because of a repost of a publication concerning the construction of hospitals for patients with COVID-19, which she made on her Facebook page," and charged under Article 274.4 (2) of the Criminal Code -- dissemination of knowingly false information -- and made more serious as it came "in a state of emergency or in a state of combat, or in wartime, or in the course of a public event." RFE/RL also reported on the detention of activist Alnur Ilyashev on April 17 on charges of spreading false information for his posts on social networks criticizing the ruling Nur-Otan party. Ilyashev has been helping to organize protests against the government since 2019 and took the Almaty mayor's office to court, unsuccessfully, after his requests to hold peaceful public meetings were rejected some 35 times. The Observatory report lists other cases. Serikzhan Bilash is an ethnic Kazakh who originally came from China's western Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and moved to Kazakhstan where he obtained citizenship and, in 2017, founded the group Atajurt Eriktileri (Volunteers of the Fatherland). Shedding Light On Abuses The organization has been instrumental in shedding light on the abuses against ethnic Kazakhs, Uyghurs, and others in Xinjiang at the hands of Chinese authorities in the so-called reeducation camps set up by Beijing. Bilash's work has complicated the Kazakh government's relations with its large eastern neighbor, the more so because China has become a leading investor in Kazakhstan and one of the country's main trading partners. Kazakh authorities already moved to mute Bilash and his group when a splinter faction of Atajurt Eriktileri that was much less critical of China was registered in September 2019. Bilash continued his group's work, slightly altering its name to Naghiz Atajurt Eriktileri (the Authentic Volunteers of the Fatherland) in an effort to differentiate itself from the former group taken over by the government. On April 25, RFE/RL received a message from Bilash saying he was under investigation for inciting social, national, tribal, racial, class, or religious hatred, the same charge he was on trial for during 2019 and eventually convicted, but fined only the equivalent of some $300 and freed. On April 29, RFE/RL reported that the registered faction of Atajurt Eriktileri was filing a lawsuit against Bilash's faction, charging that his group was using emblems, symbols, names, and other property that belong to the registered Atajurt Eriktileri. Bilash was summoned for questioning again. There were concerns by many in some countries that as authorities introduced measures to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus, they might also use the opportunity to clamp down on dissent and neutralize perceived threats. Many would now point to Kazakhstan as an example of this fear being put in practice. There's cool then there's Chief Minister of Meghalaya cool. Conrad Sangma, who has been at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus in his state Meghalaya, is a rockstar by night. Sangma, on Friday, decided to unwind himself after "hectic" assembly sessions by shredding some Iron Maiden tunes on his electric guitar. "After a hectic 3 day Assembly session .. unwinding with some iron maiden stuff .. its been a long while I havent played so I guess a few mistakes ... (sic)," the Meghalaya CM captioned his now-viral video. The video which has already been viewed nearly 30K times by metal fans since its upload, shows Sangma playing iconic heavy metal band Iron Maiden's "Wasted Years" from its 1986 album Somewhere in Time. Impressed by his guitar-shredding skills and taste in music, many residents of his state, as well as the fans of Iron Maiden in the country, united to praise the CM. "This is too good Sir Refreshing!" wrote one Instagram user. "Wasted years...one of my fav," commented another. "wow Sir you got talent," chimed in another. Twitter users soon got the whiff of Sangma's video and they were delighted to see the "rockstar" side of Meghalaya CM. "Thats my states Chief Minister for you my friends," commented one Twitter user. Meghalaya Chief Minister Shri. Conrad Sangma, who never fails to impress us .@SangmaConrad @nppmeghalaya pic.twitter.com/meis4qsuif WeTheNagas (@WeTheNagas) May 23, 2020 #Meghalaya CM @conradsangma on guitar playing #IronMaiden.In a social media post Sangma said, "After a hectic 3 day assembly session.. unwinding with some iron maiden stuff.. it's been a long while I haven't played so I guess a few mistakes..." #life_in_the_northeast_india pic.twitter.com/YaILT9SyKo Life in the northeast india (@in_northeast) May 23, 2020 Thats My Chief Minister: On Camera, Conrad Sangma Strums Iron Maiden: https://t.co/9MfXNdDpsF JobsVacancy.in (@JobsVacancyIN) May 23, 2020 Thats my states Chief Minister for you my friends. @SangmaConrad killing it!! pic.twitter.com/P06r9SOKWB Riccha Dwivedi (@RicchaDwivedi) May 22, 2020 Last week, Sangma posted a throwback picture from his younger days, and gave a fitting caption to the Instagram post. "Those were the times ...saga ... when we played the music ... well now .. we face the music ... times change I guess ... team saga thank you for those great times and memories..:) (sic)," Sangma wrote. You can watch the OG "Wasted Years" by Iron Maiden here: Italian man in Cherng Talay Phukets latest COVID case, total reaches 226 PHUKET: An Italian engineer who lives in Cherng Talay with his family has been confirmed as Phukets latest confirmed case of COVID-19 infection, bringing the total number of people in Phuket recognised by officials as infected with COVID-19 since the outbreak began to 226. COVID-19Coronavirushealth By The Phuket News Saturday 23 May 2020, 03:22PM Image: PR Phuket The Phuket Communicable Disease Committee in its daily report for today (May 22) reported that the man, 49, was an engineering manager who stayed at a house in Moo 6, Cherng Talay. He traveled back from Shanghai, China, in the middle of March. After returning from China, the man, Case 226, took himself and his two children, 10 and 15 years old, to be tested for the virus at a private hospital. All three tested negative. The man took himself and his children to be tested again, as he planned to return to China, this time taking his children with him, the report said. This time the children tested negative, but the man tested positive, the report explained. None of the three showed any signs of infection, the report noted. It was not reported when the man had presented himself for testing a second time. Of note, the Phuket Provincial Health Office, which serves as the Phuket Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Incident Command Center, has yet to post its daily report for today. The Phuket office of the Public Relations Department of Thailand (PR Phuket) announced through a post on its official Facebook page today that so far 10,775 people in Phuket had been classified as at risk of contracting COVID-19 since the outbreak began, an increase of 70 on the 10,705 reported yesterday. Of those, 10,549 were found not infected with the virus. The PR Phuket report also noted 6,740 people had so far been classified as Persons Under Investigation. Of those, 6,686 had been cleared. PR Phuket today reported that 54 people remained in hospital, up four from yesterday. The 54 comprised 14 people already confirmed as infected (down one from yesterday), and 40 people still waiting for test results, up three from the 37 reported yesterday. So far three people in Phuket have died as a direct result of being infected with COVID-19, including an Australian hotel manager from Khao Lak whose family lived in Nai Harn. Volunteers and gardai have been working together in Ballincollig to ensure everyone who needs help during the Covid-19 pandemic is being looked after. Under normal circumstances a team from the Cork Volunteer Centre would be out and about across the city and county this week hosting a programme of events to mark Cork Volunteer Week. Held annually, it is a welcome opportunity to recognise and celebrate the vital work undertaken in communities across Cork by both individual volunteers and non-profit organisations. However, as we are all too well aware, these are far from normal times and the spirit of volunteerism has come to the fore like never before as people come together to help those most impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. With this in mind Julie Connolly, manager of the Cork Volunteer Centre, said that with face-to-face events and activities such as their popular well-being workshops, raising the profile of the volunteer sector has never been more important. Eager to ensure the annual initiative goes ahead in some form, Julie and her team have been going online for a 'virtual' Volunteer Week, delivering, mindfulness tips and sharing cups of coffee with their own "very much missed" reception volunteers via zoom. "We are sharing stories on social media of the amazing work volunteers are doing across the city and county as part of the community response (to COVID-19, as well as the other invisible work that continues to go on behind the scenes by tidy towns, homeless services, cancer support groups and so on," said Julie. She did say that some volunteers are supporting non-profit groups by delivering meals and vital supplies to those cocooning while others are assisting by volunteering from home. "Many volunteers are disappointed because they would love to assist in some way but the only thing they can do is stay at home and follow public health advice because the organisations they have volunteered with for months or even years are currently unable to deliver their services," said Julie. She said people are invited to contribute to their virtual programme by making a short video thanking volunteers for their work and sharing it with @VolunteerCork on social media during the course of this week using the hashtags #CVW2020 #RebelResponse and encourage other people to do likewise. People and organisations can also host an online event, training, coffee morning, music video celebrating volunteers," said Julie. "Our main goal with this week is to say thank you to all the volunteers across the city and county for their excellent work and dedication, not just in response to COVID-19, but especially this year when communities and individuals would be lost without them. They are Corks volunteer heroes." Meanwhile, nominations have opened for the Cork Volunteer Awards 2020, with details on the scheme and how to nominate a volunteer available at www.volunteercork.ie/cork-volunteer-awards. 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. Usually, Ramadan is a busy month for Asma Ali, who normally spends every weekend with friends and family for fast breaking, or iftar, over plates of roasted dates in ghee, platters of fruit and Indian snacks, curries and desserts. This year, however, things are different. Its been very solemn, says the Redwood City resident. With the current shelter-in-place order, the communal aspect of iftar seems lost. Yet more than 90 families now sit at her familys extended table, albeit virtually. Thats the number of families and individuals on the Peninsula receiving free hot meals to break the fast through a program Ali created with a few like-minded members of the Belmont mosque. The mosque is run by the Yaseen Foundation, a Muslim community-based organization in San Mateo, so the group calls itself the Yaseen COVID Response Group, which also delivers free bags of groceries to families in need living in the greater Bay Area. Through the hot meal deliveries, the group is simultaneously supporting halal restaurants that are struggling with a sharply decreased customer base. Its kind of two birds with one stone, she says. We help the needy, but we help the vendors as well. Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle The annual monthlong holiday of Ramadan began April 23 and concludes Sunday, May 24, with Eid al-Fitr, also known as the Festival of Breaking the Fast, in many regions celebrated with copious amounts of sweets and particularly festive dishes such as biryani in Pakistan and beef rendang in Malaysia. During this month, Muslims worldwide fast during the day and usually celebrate breaking the fast every night with communal meals, prayer and social activities at private homes, religious centers and mosques. As the shelter-in-place orders in the Bay Area were extended through May, it became impossible for the community to honor regular rites and traditions. Instead, festivities moved to the virtual sphere, says Dr Rania Awaad, clinical director at the Khalil Center, a Muslim community mental health clinic with branches in Union City, Santa Clara and Pleasanton. She has heard of people doing virtual iftars, breaking fast together through FaceTime or video conferencing, yet these are the privileged members of the community, she adds. Its the folks that dont have those options that are bearing the brunt of this, says Awaad, also a member of the Bay Area Muslim Leadership group. There has been a surge of community members who are struggling with poverty, Awaad says. We have seen those who dont have even the basic necessities, let alone worry about WiFi connecting and connecting with people. They are just trying to make ends meet at this point. Salah Elbakri, founder of the nonprofit Support Life Foundation in Santa Clara, estimates that a high percentage of the Muslim community in the Bay Area works in the so-called gig economy. With no incoming paycheck, families struggle not only with the absence of community, but also to put food on the table. Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle Ali, a project manager at an international insurance company, also noticed this need in the community: Some people might be fasting and they cant even break their fast with a decent meal. If youre an Uber driver or cleaner, and youre the main breadwinner of your family, now youve got no money coming in through the door. Initially, her group at the Yaseen Foundation planned to serve food at the mosque to community members in need, as part of an annual Ramadan tradition, but quickly reorganized the system to adhere to the shelter-in-place orders. Families and individuals could express their need through an online form, and volunteers and donors could get in touch through another. One thing we noticed is that everyone wants to help, Ali says. Within the first few days, dozens of volunteers signed up, more than there were even families in need. This allowed the group to set up an elaborate delivery system with strict hygiene guidelines. By now, more than $60,000 has been raised for the program, supporting 92 families with 312 individuals in total. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. The restaurants providing the food are located all over the Peninsula and showcase the breadth and diversity of the Muslim world: Champa in San Jose specializes in the cuisine of the Muslim Cham minority of Vietnam; Lados, a Pakistani American restaurant and food truck in Sunnyvale, serves both burgers and biryani, and Torshi is a self-described Mexiterranean restaurant in San Francisco. Volunteers pick up individually packed meals from the restaurants and deliver them to the mosque, where other volunteers pack them into parcels for each family; the parcels are then delivered to the families doorsteps. Support Life Foundation created a similar program for groceries. Pooling together the resources of over 40 Muslim and non-Muslim organizations in the Bay Area, it collected more than 50,000 pounds of food for its You Are Not Alone! food drive, delivering boxes of food staples and personal protective equipment to over 900 families. Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle The food doesnt make a whole meal, but its staples of expensive items that will feed a family for two months, Elbakri explains. Each box contained 25 pounds of flour, 10 pounds of rice, a gallon each of olive oil and canola oil, 10 pounds of split peas and a large can of hummus or garbanzo beans, among other staples. Every box came with a handwritten card, Elbakri adds, wishing Ramadan Mubarak or Blessed Ramadan: So you open the box and feel love. That seems to be almost as important as the food itself. Some people are affected by the virus, but everybody is affected psychologically, in one capacity or the other, says Awaad, who has noticed a sharp rise in the inquiries for mental health support. Normally, we might average around 10 new intakes (daily), but currently its something like 50. Despite all the struggles, Awaad believes that this unusual Ramadan has provided an opportunity for introspection and to really reconnect with the spirit of the holiday: It has actually been really nice to see the different communities, the Muslim communities, work together, along with people who are not Muslim, too. Its a massive communal feeling. Aida Baghernejad is a freelance food and music journalist. Twitter: @aidabaghernejad and Instagram: @aida_berlin. Email: food@sfchronicle.com Ticket owners are promised 120% refunds of their costs in loan to buy goods and services of the company, or 100% of cost of tickets returned to a bank account or credit card Wizz Air low-cost air company has extended the delay in flights to the Ukrainian direction until June 15 due to the decision of the government to extend the period of travel restrictions. The press service of the company stated, Wing.com.ua reports that. Ticket owners are promised 120% compensation for their cost in the form of a loan. It can be used over the next 24 months to purchase Wizz Air services and products. The condition for this option is to indicate the account holder in the reservation. Also, passengers can send a request for a 100% refund for tickets for canceled flights; however, this procedure will take longer. Clients will receive a separate email with information on the necessary steps to transfer the money to a bank account or bank card. Passengers who booked through travel agencies, as well as through online travel agencies, must contact the company, in which they purchased the tickets. Passengers who booked tickets directly on wizzair.com or through the airlines mobile application will be automatically informed by email when they change their bookings. On May 20, the government of Ukraine adopted Resolution No. 392, which allowed flights of passengers with passengers in regions with a favorable epidemiological situation from June 15. As we reported before, Lufthansa air company plans to resume international flights from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. The flights will be performed three times a week. In an embarrassing mix-up in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, a coronavirus positive man was discharged from hospital on the basis of a negative report that actually belonged to another person with the same name, officials said on Saturday. The authorities at civic-run Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Hospital admitted the mistake and issued an apology on Saturday, adding the human error was rectified soon with the wrongly discharged person being brought back and admitted in the facility within hours. "On Thursday, the hospital received reports of samples of two patients with the same name within a gap of around five hours. The first report the hospital received at around 2 pm was negative for coronavirus, based on which one of the duo was discharged," the hospital said in a statement. "However, the report of the sample of the second patient with the same name was received at around 7 pm and it was coronavirus positive. It was only after the second report was received that it was realised the patient discharged in the afternoon had actually tested positive for coronavirus," the hospital statement added. On learning about the "human error", the discharged patient was informed, and an ambulance was immediately rushed to bring him back to the hospital, it said. The medical team has been directed, in strong words by the hospital management, to take special precaution in such matters, the statement informed. It also said SVP Hospital had so far treated 4,131 COVID-19 patients. Till Saturday morning, Ahmedabad city reported 9,577 COVID-19 cases, including 638 deaths. The city currently has 5.190 active cases. SVP Hospital is a super-speciality public hospital of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In her Sahitya Akademi Award-winning book The Princess and the Political Agent, author Binodini chronicles the love story of Manipur princess Sanatombi and British colonel Maxwell that unfolded following the events of the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891 In her Sahitya Akademi Award-winning book The Princess and the Political Agent, author Binodini chronicles the love story of the Manipuri princess Sanatombi and British colonel Maxwell that unfolded following the events of the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891. It is set against the backdrop of the annexation of the Tibeto-Burmese empire by the British colonial forces, and translated from Manipuri into English by her son L Somi Roy. The novel tells the story of a forgotten albeit dramatic chapter from Manipur's history, drawing out characters who were otherwise hidden behind old, forgotten records and historical documents. The excerpt that follows features the initial encounters between Sanatombi and Maxwell, and their flourishing relationship amid the political ups and downs in Manipur. A list of important characters who find mention in this excerpt: Princess Sanatombi: The consort of British Political Agent Maxwell. Married to Manikchand. Oldest child and daughter of Maharaja Surchandra. Favoured great-grandchild of the Grand Queen Mother. Cousin of Maharaja Churachand. Lt Colonel Henry St Patrick Maxwell, CSI: Arrives as Major; British Political Agent of Manipur. Consort of Princess Sanatombi. Serves in Manipur: 189192; 189496; 18981905. Mainu: Companion to Princess Sanatombi Tembi: Princess Sanatombi's maid Maharaja Surchandra (188690): Father of Princess Sanatombi. Succeeds his father Maharaja Chandrakirti and is deposed in 1890 by his half-brothers led by Prince Koireng. Prince Koireng: Uncle of Princess Sanatombi. Half-brother of Maharaja Surchandra. Also known as Bir Tikendrajit. He is executed in 1891 by the British after the Anglo-Manipuri War. *** One time Sanatombi washed her hair with fragrant herbs late in the day. Her hair loose about her, she came out towards the pond that was at the edge of the compound. Her mother-in-law had gone to fetch yarn as they had finished a weave on the loom. Mainu had also not come that day. Sanatombi felt empty on the days that Mainu did not come. She felt very empty. One could not talk with Tembi. The reservoir in the Nongmaithem household was obscured by the front gazebo and so it could not be seen from the house. It was a pool that was kept very neat and clean. It even had steps leading down to it. As Sanatombi walked towards it she saw Maxwell was standing looking towards the pond. She did not know what he was doing. Sanatombi called out happily, Mesin, what are you doing? You didnt even tell me you were coming. Maxwell turned to her and smiled. Where are you coming from? There. Whos going to understand if you just say there? Where were you? Sanatombi. Yes? Do you eat the pond? Sanatombi laughed out loud, Say, Do you drink the pond water? Yes, do you drink the water? Where else would we drink from if not from the pond? We dont have a river, do we? It is bad, do not eat. What bothered Maxwell most was not being able to express all that he wanted to say, and not being able to understand all that Sanatombi was saying. He thought, How difficult Meiteilon is! But Sanatombi could now understand what he was saying. She had gotten used to the way he spoke. She was getting used to him. Not too long after this, he sent Chonjon over one day to teach Sanatombi how to boil drinking water. There was nothing in Manipur that terrified the sahebs more than cholera. Not long after they had taken possession of Manipur, their soldiers had been mowed down by cholera. One saheb was also among the casualties. Maxwells alarm knew no bounds when he heard that Sanatombi drank water from the pond. He said to Chonjon over and over again, Tell Sanatombi, tell her not to forget to boil water. Hearing this her mother-in-law laughed and said, He is just like our Manikchand, my son is also very fussy. How nice it would have been if he were here. Sometimes Maxwell would not come for five or ten days. He would go abroad. Sanatombi would say to herself, Whatever has happened to Mesin? He has stopped coming. Mainu said, I dont know whats happened to him. Your Highness, I am thinking something. What are you thinking? This Saheb, I dont know, there is something about him. So, what is it? I dont know, Your Highness. He must be crazy about you He comes around much too often. What nonsense. He is just dropping by. I am not at all comfortable with this. Hes got a strange look in his eye. Youre just being mean, thats all. Let him be crazy about you, just you dont get involved, Your Highness. You dont speak the same tongue nor are you friends . As she was saying this they heard the sound of Maxwells horse. Sanatombi heard it first. She said, Mesin is here. When Maxwell saw that Mainu and Sanatombi were by the gate, he got off his horse and said happily, I went to the hills. Your hills are very beautiful. I like. I bring for you. Saying this, he took off the tribal shawl of red cotton he was wearing and threw it over Sanatombi. He was different that day. He looked very happy. He babbled a lot of things in his language like a young man. They could not understand what he was saying. Then, saying he would come again, he galloped away. Whats the matter with him? Has he gone mad or what? You will have to bathe again now. Why, did he touch me? Whats the matter with you, did he not put that cloth on you just now? Oh. Really, this Saheb is going to cross a lot of boundaries, Your Highness. It is better if we dont let him in Your husband is not here either. Who knows what he will say when he comes to hear? Sanatombi did not answer. She woke up to the realisation upon hearing Mainus words It was true, Manikchand was not around now. But she always kept thinking that Maxwell would come, she always thought she heard him riding his horse in. On another day, Maxwell had a long conversation with her. She had asked, Mesin, do you know my Sovereign Father, my father Surchandra? No, but I have seen his picture. Let me ask you something. People say my father Surchandra was kept in jail, is it true? They say he was kept surrounded by white soldiers, is that true? Who told you that? Did you see it? Do you know? No, I do not know. Sanatombi asked him about other things too. Maxwell did not want to talk about these matters but she cornered him. Maxwell could not escape her questioning. Even though he could not understand all of Sanatombis questions, he knew Sanatombi had many frustrations. This fallen princess harboured a profound grief. Maxwell and Sanatombi had a deep conversation that day. Mainu did not approve of this. When he was about to leave, Sanatombi said, Wait, one more thing. They say you killed Koireng. That you sat in judgment, is it true? Maxwells face reddened. He gave an evasive answer and left. But he left unhappily. Sanatombi, too, was left unhappy. Maxwell did not come for quite a long time. Sanatombi wondered if he was angry. It was not right to have spoken to him so harshly. One day around evening, after a long time, Maxwell showed up as if nothing had happened, and said, Sanatombi, your road is finished. Let us go look, I will take you. Without giving it a thought, Sanatombi followed him out, leaving Mainu watching, disturbed. Sanatombi came back after a fairly long time after looking at the road but she said nothing to Mainu. Mainu also waited for her to tell her about it for quite some time, but there was not a word. Tears came to Mainus eyes. She felt hurt. When Sanatombi bathed and went in that day, she could not hide anything from Mainu. It was fairly late at night but without any fear or hesitation Mainu went home without even saying goodbye. She wept a great deal when she got home for Sanatombi. Sanatombi cried secretly that night too, but Mainu never knew that. What Maxwell had said as they were coming back from looking at the road was, Sanatombi, I know about your father Surchandra. He did not stay in jail. I am sorry. I am sorry for you all. A woman can reign in England. If Manipur had this custom I would have recommended you. Do not take me wrong. This was plain bad luck. If you want to know who sat in judgment over Koireng I will tell you. They were Lt Colonel St John Forcourt Mitchel, Major Richard Kerly Ridgeway and CAW Davis. It was done by a tribunal of these three. It was my bad luck. It was my bad luck that the day Koireng died, I was the one who bore witness to his death. I am your enemy, but I am not a greedy enemy. Believe me. Maxwell said all this slowly so that Sanatombi could understand. He had recited it slowly, remembering it like homework he had memorised well. He had struggled to express himself but Sanatombi could understand what he was saying. The two of them had this talk standing at the gate. Maxwell had felt happy. He had felt a relief after opening up to Sanatombi. He had felt lighter. Sanatombi had said to Maxwell after she listened to his words, Mesin, we had nobody in those days. And saying this she had burst into tears. Dont cry, and saying this Maxwell stroked Sanatombis head. Then he had left on his horse. He did not gallop away. He had wanted to comfort Sanatombi more. And so, he left. He left slowly upon his horse. The above extract from L Somi Roy's The Princess and the Political Agent has been reproduced here with permission from Penguin Random House. I think the axiom, "if you don't want to get the same results, then do things differently" is a universal one. But this notion has been particularly adapted to fit Ghanaian society's way of life. We do things the same way all the time but expect different results Ghanaian opinion leaders and intellectuals agree on this I don't know how exactly the idea of the biometric election came into being, but there is something constitutionally sketchy about the process, especially the article that stipulates fundamental freedom and liberty of every citizen Imagine going to the poll to exercise your franchise only to be disenfranchised in another way. Biometric voting is literally fingerprinted collation, submission, and verification. In other functioning systems, it takes judicial order to obtain fingerprints - except for national identification purposes, the appropriate authority is allowed to conduct fingerprint recordings. One will wonder if it is right for our fingerprints to be recorded while voting in Ghana Personal data are private and legitimate virtual representations of ourselves. So I was particularly stunned at Electoral Commissioner, Jean Mensah's babbling revelation to the world, that, as for our data are just at fingertips and that, anybody can have access to them. She inadvertently created international security and diplomatic lapsus linguae Professional ethics awareness would have prevented the disclosure. But she said it without blinking her eyes. Such carelessly unprofessional take, will nevertheless, one day, hamper President Nana Addo's affinity cum infinity for globetrotting. On one of his usual trips abroad, other skeptical authorities will want to know if somebody is using the president's identity or he is himself So much power for Electoral Commissioner will go to promote the parochial interest of the appointing power. Electoral Commission is not exempt from corruption, the go-betweens, and the kickbacks. Barely cases of corruption have been allowed to leak for the first time Awarding Prof Attafuah to compile National Identification data is equally sketchy. Why should we task private entity to engage on the mandate as important as national identification without consultation with the constitution as to which entity or establishment legitimate to carry it out Is the attaching fingerprint impressions to Ghanacard as a form of positive identification, if not, why? If yes, does Prof. Attafuah have the constitutional authority to collate fingerprints of every Ghanaian? When these questions are properly answered, we will arrive at only one conclusion: cronyism Even with the possibility of exposing the people to the deadly novel Coronavirus, the time frame and in face of scarce logistics, the duo remain adamant Curiously, how can politically appointed individuals have that independent mandate to conduct and declare the victors and the vanquish of elections? Live update on media outlets of counting exercise, then minister of interior's announcement, ultimately stakeholders - the political parties - who write the playbook of conceding and congregating of each other, is completely poignant, then we have national elections Is more, interpretation the act of oaths of allegiance that determines the powers-that-be and how elected members should be sworn in gives the understanding that attests to the fact that - elsewhere, electoral commissioners are merely salary-structured state employees where the electoral business is strictly state's not partisan These state employees or functionaries do not have access to the big-chunk budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Interior, to spend at whim. What I call electoral profligacy, is when the Jean Mensah defies judicial order to organize a meeting at a hotel instead of EC premises How is EC boss going to conduct credible elections while millions of eligible candidates will be excluded from the new register? Electoral success and failures are largely by the number. We know that the number of electorates plays a very significant role. The fewer turnout, the advantage is to some and disadvantage of others, the larger the turnout, vice versa. That all potential voters have their rights preserved is a constitutional provision John Boadu, the NPP General Secretary is a very interesting personality. The man still revels in blatant myopia. He echoes the hocus-pocus theory of facial recognition technology in desperate attempt to discredit the old register. Mr. Boadu is in a desperate bid to pave the way for Jean Mensah to compile a new register. Needless to say that Jean Mensah's 'New' appointment is political predisposition which ultimately resonated with new voter registration. This is what other stakeholders, to be specific, NDC, calls 'diabolic plan to rig 2020 elections We don't need facial recognition technology to conduct elections in any way or form. Facial recognition claim is just a ruse by NPP then and Mr. Boadu is ignorantly clinging onto it. We know, NPP rejected 2008 presidential elections when they were in power, so was 2012 elections Boadu's penchant could be interpreted to mean, a false flag to reject 2020 elections should they lose it There is nothing wrong with the old register. After all, a mechanism like biometric machines and vigilant polling agents should be enough to guarantee a free and fair election No well-meaning Ghanaian will ever desire political chaos in the country. Because, the talk of civil war is not good for anybody. But the fact that EC boss has started to defy judicial orders and hellbent to new register compilation have all the pithy elements to put the stakeholders at the edge Major (rtd) Boakye Gyan's premonition is just brotherly advice. This advice ought to be taken seriously when dead-enders are at work. Police intimidation of the former military and/or stateman means absolutely nothing. We have been told that the man is yet to appear before the police for further interrogation of what, I do not know Doing things differently: The solution to electoral brouhaha is hindsight not far in front of us. Since neither EC nor Prof. Attafuah can protect our personal information while police can. Exclusively rather inclusively, police compilation - everywhere in the world - of centralized national identification database with fingerprints attached, is all that we need to save millions of Cedis The database will have access to inlets and outlets to all state institutions with EC including. After the successful registration of all Ghanaians. The newborns will be issued with a Ghana card. The child goes to vote at 18. Solid computer programming, just as ATMs, to different one voter from the other while maintaining ballot papers to counter potential ominous occurrences. It is as simple as such! A screenshot of Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden's virtual campaign event on in Chicago, Illinois, on March 13, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Biden Addresses Fallout From You Aint Black Comment Says he 'shouldnt have been such a wise guy' Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Friday said that he should not have been so cavalier after he told a radio host that African Americans who back President Donald Trump aint black. The comment was interpreted by some as presuming black Americans would vote for him. I shouldnt have been such a wise guy, Biden later told black business leaders in a call with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce that was added to his public schedule. No one should have to vote for any party based on their race or religion or background. I dont take it for granted at all and no one should have to vote for any party based on their race, religion, or background. There are African Americans who think Trump is worth voting for, Biden added, according to The Hill. I dont think so and Im prepared to put my record against his, that was the bottom line and it was really unfortunate, I shouldnt have been so cavalier. Biden had received criticisms in response to his comments made earlier in the day on The Breakfast Club, a popular radio program in the black community. On the radio program, host Charlamagne Tha God asked Biden about reports that he is considering a certain senator to be his vice presidential running mate. The host told Biden that black voters saved your political life in the primaries and have things they want from you. Im not acknowledging anybody who is being considered, but I guarantee you, there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple, Biden responded. A Biden aide then sought to end the interview, prompting the host to say, You cant do that to black media. Biden responded, I do that to black media and white media, and said his wife needed to use the television studio. Charlamagne Tha God attends the 2020 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards at the iHeartRadio Theater in Burbank, California, on Jan. 17, 2020. (Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for iHeartMedia) Listen, you gotta come see us when you come to New York, VP Biden, the host said. Its a long way until November, we got more questions. I will. You got more questions but I tell you, if youve got a problem figuring out whether youre for me or for Trump, then you aint black. It dont have nothing to do with Trump, it has to do with the fact I want something for my community, the host responded. The interview ended amicably, and Biden expressed that he looked forward to seeing the host in person. Trumps campaign said that Bidens remarks were dehumanizing. White liberal elitists have continuously dictated which black Americans are allowed to come to the table and have a voice. It is clear now more than ever, following these racist and dehumanizing remarks, that Joe Biden believes black men and women are incapable of being independent or free thinking, Katrina Pierson, a senior adviser to the campaign, said in a statement. He truly believes that he, a 77-year-old white man, should dictate how black people should behave. Biden has a history of racial condescension and today he once again proved what a growing number of black Americans and I have always known: Joe Biden does not deserve our votes. The Biden campaign didnt immediately return a request for comment. Symone Sanders, a Biden adviser, wrote on social media that the former vice presidents comments were in jest. Vice President Biden spent his career fighting alongside and for the African American community. He won his partys nomination by earning every vote and meeting people where they are and thats exactly what he intends to do this November, Sanders wrote. The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but lets be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trumps any day. Period. Zachary Stieber and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Justice Jane Inyang of the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State,sentenced Yinusa Dalhiru to 26 years imprisonment for abducting then 14-year-old teenage girl, Ese Oruru, from her home in Bayelsa state to Kano state where h married and impregnated her. Ese went viral in 2015 after the story of her abduction by Yinusa was reported. Yinusa had met the 14 -year-old Ese at her mothers shop where he and his peers go to buy food. He abducted and took her to Kano on August 12th, 2015 where he forcefully married her and had her name changed to Aisha after she was converted to a Muslim. After months of outcry from her parents and Human rights activists, she was returned to Bayelsa in March 2016, pregnant with a child. She was delivered of her baby girl on May 26th, 2016. When she was interviewed, Ese said she did not know how she followed Yinusa to Kano. Yinusa was arrested and arraigned in court on charges bordering on child trafficking, child abuse, ra.pe, kidnap, infringement of right of religion, and holding a person against their will. After four years of litigation, Justice Inyang on Thursday morning May 21, convicted him and sentenced him to 26 years in prison. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Cardinal Timothy Dolan visited Staten Island on Saturday to help families whove been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Dolan, joined by Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Catholic Charities director, handed out dozens of financial aid packets, which included monetary support for needy families at Our Lady of Good Counsel R.C. in Tompkinsville. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, joined by Catholic Charities Director Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, visited Staten Island on Saturday to help families whove been affected by the coronavirus pandemic by handing out dozens of financial aid packets at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Tompkinsville on Sunday, May 23rd, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Shane DiMaio) I wish I could hug you all, said Cardinal Dolan to the socially-distanced crowd. However, its an honor for Catholic Charities New York (CCNY) to accompany you today. After handing out envelopes to the crowd, a face-masked Dolan said he knows people need food, but they also need financial help for rent and other expenses. 13 families in total received $500 bank gift cards to use for everyday expenses, said a CCNY spokeswoman. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, joined by Catholic Charities Director Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, visited Staten Island on Saturday to help families whove been affected by the coronavirus pandemic by handing out dozens of financial aid packets at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Tompkinsville on Sunday, May 23rd, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Shane DiMaio) The Cardinal then visited the Mount Loretto Residential Care Facility in Pleasant Plains for people with developmental disabilities to offer blessings and speak with staff and clients about the challenges theyre facing during COVID-19. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, joined by Catholic Charities Director Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, visited Staten Island on Saturday to help families whove been affected by the coronavirus pandemic by handing out dozens of financial aid packets at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Tompkinsville on Sunday, May 23rd, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Shane DiMaio) CCNY has given away over 250,000 meals citywide since the coronavirus crisis began in March, including 7,000 meals on Staten Island, thanks to a partnership with FreshDirect, according to the Archdiocese organization. CARDINAL DOLAN OF CHURCHES RE-OPENING After distributing aid to families, Cardinal Dolan was asked by media members whether or not he thought all houses of worship should be opened during this current phase of the pandemic. He said while be believes, church, religion and faith are essential services, each organization needs to operate and open responsibly. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, joined by Catholic Charities Director Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, visited Staten Island on Saturday to help families whove been affected by the coronavirus pandemic by handing out dozens of financial aid packets at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Tompkinsville on Sunday, May 23rd, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Shane DiMaio) We want to be open as quickly as possible; our people are urging it, he said. "But we also need to be attentive to the healthcare precautions that have been wisely outlined by our professionals and elected officials. We know its going to have to be done in a gradual, layered way, the Cardinal added. On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced houses of worship can resume services this week, under the guidelines that there are 10 people or less. Strict social distancing measures must take place and all attendees must wear a mask at all times, Cuomo said. Services will be allowed to take place statewide. Cuomo has asked that houses of worship also consider holding services in parking lots or using a drive-in method. And President Donald Trump demanded on Friday that states deem houses of worship essential and allow them to reopen. The President said during a press briefing that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be issuing guidelines for communities of faith on how to safely begin reopening. By Express News Service KOCHI: Two days after a mentally ill person threw petrol at a tea shop at Pachalam which led to a fire, one of the four victims succumbed to high-degree burns here on Friday. The deceased, Rejin Das, 34, a native of Ezhupunna, was an employee of Lourdes Hospital at Pachalam. According to the police, he had sustained 75 per cent burns. Rejin breathed his last in the hospitals ICU around 5am. After completing the autopsy and other inquest procedures, the body was handed over to the relatives before afternoon. The last rites were held at his residence in the evening, said V B Anas, SI, Ernakulam North.Rejin was working with the ESI department of the hospital. After his wife joined the hospital as a nurse, they got a house on rent and settled in Pachalam around eight months ago. Many who know him said he was a very jovial person. Though the attack was not directed at him, he unwittingly became a victim just because he was present at there, the officer said. The incident occurred on Wednesday night when Philip, 64, an autorickshaw driver who resided in the area, threw petrol at the tea shop run by P V Pankajakshan near the Shanmughapuram temple. Pankajakshan, who is stable now, was admitted to a private hospital after sustaining 20 per cent burns. Two others who were present at the shop suffered minor injuries. Though Philip had targeted the security man at a nearby ATM, the latter escaped unhurt. Later, Philip set his autorickshaw ablaze and immolated himself. The woman with whom Philip was staying told us that he had been disturbed and unable to sleep for the past few days. The tea stall is located near the autorickshaw parking area. Once Philip saw a group of people at the tea stall crack a joke. He thought he was the subject of the joke. Ever since, he had been nursing a grudge against the group and wanted to take revenge. He had also been taking medication for mental illness, a police official said. As the accused committed suicide, we will file a final report at the court on completion of the probe, he said. We are grateful, excited and humbled that Woods Charitable Fund, through its generosity, has entrusted Lincoln Literacy with such an awesome responsibility by providing this grant, said Lincoln Literacy Executive Director Clayton Naff. Even before the pandemic hit, many Lincoln families were mired in poverty for lack of skills to land living-wage jobs. Now, the challenge is greater and more urgent. Together with our partners and our volunteers, were ready to rise up and meet it. Woods Charitable Fund also continued support for Collective Impact Lincoln, a collaborative project led by Civic Nebraska that received WCFs Breakthrough Initiative Grant in 2017. The project, partnering with South of Downtown Community Development Organization and Nebraska Appleseed, creates resident-led investment and change focused in six core neighborhoods. The largest percentage of the granted funding 58 percent will support civic and community organizations serving Lincoln. Additionally, 29 percent will fund education agencies and projects, while 12 percent of the grants will benefit human services organizations. About 1 percent will support arts and culture agencies. A woman has sued a Portland psychologist for $2 million, alleging he sexually abused her over a period of more than three years while she was his patient. The former patient alleges Dr. Laurence Christensen escalated physical contact with her over time, starting with holding hands with her and embracing her during their appointments in 2015, and eventually having sexual intercourse with her. In a lawsuit filed last week, the plaintiff said she sought therapy with Christensen in summer of 2014 to address her childhood sexual abuse, difficulties in her marriage and other personal matters. In the time she was his patient, the lawsuit alleges, the plaintiff told Christensen highly personal information she had never told anyone else, and that Christensen seemed sympathetic and positioned himself as her protector. The lawsuit states that the patient grew to trust him, but several months into the relationship, Christensen began initiating physical contact with her. He would also verbally counsel the patient, and would often tell her intimate details of his own life, the lawsuit said. The patient alleges that Christensen pressured her not to report his behavior, and that she did not do so until 2018 when she started seeing a new therapist. The plaintiff is not identified by name in the suit. Christensen did not respond to a request for comment. According to a stipulated order from the Oregon State Board of Psychology, Christensen had previously been disciplined in 2007 for inappropriate conduct with another patient. Christensen was ordered to practice under a supervising psychologist for one year, after accusations that he failed to maintain appropriate boundaries with a client. The stipulated order also states that Christensen withdrew from practicing psychology in 2017, and admitted that he had violated boundaries, either verbally or physically, with four different patients between 2004 and 2018. The board issued a proposal in February of 2018 to revoke Christensens license to practice psychology and fine him $40,000, alleging he violated state laws and engaged in unprofessional conduct with a patient. Its a devastating breach of trust, said Barb Long, the attorney for the plaintiff. She began therapy from a place of vulnerability, and Christensen used that vulnerability to exploit her. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New Chinese national security restrictions imposed on Hong Kong could draw a U.S. revocation of the former British colony's "special status" under U.S. law, a move that would have far-reaching trade and investment implications. U.S. businesses oppose any change in Washington's recognition of Hong Kong as a sufficiently autonomous city, where major U.S. companies enjoy access to China and Southeast Asia, and where bilateral trade flourishes across various parts of the economy, from wine to financial services. A new U.S. law requires the State Department to certify at least annually that Hong Kong, which experienced widespread protests last year over China's extradition plans, retains enough autonomy to justify favorable U.S. trading terms. President Donald Trump warned on Thursday that Washington could react "very strongly" to China's new restrictions. Here is a look at some of the consequences of a change in that status. CORPORATE HEADACHES A revocation of the special status would cause problems for the more than 1,300 American companies with business operations in Hong Kong, including nearly every major U.S. financial firm. The State Department said 85,000 U.S. citizens lived in Hong Kong in 2018. Visa-free travel access to Hong Kong could revert to strict Chinese visa rules, impeding business travel and work visa approvals. As of 2018, the stock of U.S. foreign direct investment in Hong Kong stood at $82.5 billion, an increase of $1.2 billion that year, according to U.S. Commerce Department data. Hong Kong's investment in the United States rose $3.5 billion in 2018 to $16.9 billion. Hong Kong's autonomy, civil liberties, rule of law and access to China make it attractive to international companies, and a change in that status could push some U.S. firms into costly moves elsewhere in the region. "Numerous American companies invest in Hong Kong because of its special status, its geographic location and market-based economic system," the U.S.-China Business Council said in a statement. "Any change to this status quo would irreparably damage American global business interests." Story continues TRADE Some $67 billion in annual Hong Kong-U.S. trade of goods and services could be put at risk as Hong Kong would lose its preferential lower U.S. tariff rate. Hong Kong is treated separately from mainland China's more managed economy, and its exports to the United States are treated differently. Hong Kong has a zero tariff rate on imports of U.S. goods, which also could be at risk. Hong Kong was the source of the largest bilateral U.S. goods trade surplus last year, at $26.1 billion, based on U.S. Census Bureau data. According to Hong Kong's Trade and Industry Department, the former British colony in 2018 was the United States' third-largest export market for wine, its fourth-largest for beef and seventh-largest for all agricultural products. BROADER U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS A U.S. revocation of Hong Kong's special status would be viewed by Beijing as interfering with its sovereignty, and China has previously threatened to "take strong countermeasures." Eswar Prasad, a trade professor at Cornell University and a former head of the International Monetary Fund's China department, said Hong Kong is a "hot-button" economic and political issue for China, much like U.S. sanctions on Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. A precarious U.S.-China trade truce, already strained by Trump's anger at China over the coronavirus pandemic and a slow start to Beijing's purchases under the Phase 1 trade deal between the two countries could collapse into new tariffs and counter-sanctions, he said. The United States also maintains export control offices and academic exchanges in Hong Kong separate from mainland China. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Paul Simao) Mumbai, May 23 : Covid-19 continued its death march in Maharashtra, claiming 60 more lives on Saturday and infecting 2,608 more persons, the second-highest number of cases on a single day after 2,940 notched on Friday, health officials said. This comes to roughly one death every 24 minutes, and a staggering average 108 new cases recorded every hour in the state for the day. The western state has been recording fatalities above 50 and new patients over 2K daily for the past one week now. With 60 fatalities -- down by 16 from highest 76 notched on May 19 -- the state death toll has touched 1,577 and the total coronavirus patients to 47,190 on Friday compared with 44,582 on Friday. The Health Department said of the total cases, 32,201 were active, swelling by a new high of 3,747 over Friday's 28,454. Of the total 60 new fatalities, 40 were recorded in Mumbai alone, taking the city deaths up from Friday's 909 to 949, while the number of positive patients here shot up by 1,566 cases to touch 28,817. Besides Mumbai's 40 deaths, there were 14 in Pune, 2 in Solapur, and one each in Palghar, Thane, Satara and Nanded. The dead included 41 men and 19 women, with nearly 60 per cent suffering from other serious ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, and asthma. On the positive side, 821 cured patients returned home on Saturday, taking the total such numbers to 13,404. Responding to the Chief Minister's call recently, over 21,750 people have applied to work as corona warriors, including 12,100 directly connected to the health sector as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lab technicians, ward boys, and paramedics etc. The remaining 9,650 are from IT, teachers, security services, social workers etc. More than 3,700 of the total have expressed their readiness to serve in the Red Zones across the state, besides 3,750 who want to work in the huge Wuhan-type hospital set up in Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray said. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (Thane division, comprising Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad) continued to cause grave concerns with 1,069 Covid-19 deaths and positive cases shooting to 36,173. Though trailing a distant second after Mumbai, Pune division's fatalities touched 297, besides 6,118 corona patients. The next major area of concern is Nashik division with 103 deaths and 1,535 positive cases, followed by Aurangabad division with 43 fatalities and 1,407 cases, and finally Akola division with 34 deaths and 689 cases. Latur division has 7 deaths and 220 cases, Kolhapur division 5 deaths and 455 patients, and finally Nagpur division 8 deaths and 545 cases. Meanwhile, the number of people sent to home quarantine increased from 469,275 to 485,623 on Saturday -- a jump of 16,348 -- and those in institutional quarantine went up from 28,430 to 33,545, a spurt of 5,115. The state's containment zones shot up from 1,949 to 2,345 on Saturday. As many as 16,414 health teams have carried out a survey of a population of around 65.9 lakh in the state. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Iran's product export to Afghanistan is stable at the moment, Chairman of Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce Hossein Salimi said, Trend reports citing Fars news agency. According to Salimi, following the spread of the coronavirus in Iran, a number of restrictions were imposed by Afghanistan. At present, these restrictions have been lifted. Salimi added that at present, visas are being issued to drivers of Iranian trucks transporting Iranian products to Afghanistan and there are no problems. The official said that Afghanistan is an important country for the development of Iran's exports. Salimi said that at the same time, Afghanistan is important as a transit country for the development of trade relations between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union. "The exported products from Iran to Afghanistan are mainly food products. The value of trade turnover between the two countries is about $3 billion a year, he said. The Iran exported $125 million worth of products to Afghanistan in the first Iranian month (March 20-April 19, 2020). The Afghanistan's share in Iran's exports was 7.6 percent and exports decreased by 45.9 percent compared to the same month last Iranian year. Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 133,500 people have been infected 7,359 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 104,000 have reportedly recovered from the disease. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease. The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. More than 40 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus following a church service in Frankfurt, Germany's financial centre, earlier this month, the head of the city's health department told a news agency on Saturday. "Most of them are not seriously ill. As far as we know only one person has been admitted to hospital," Rene Gottschalk told the dpa agency. The service took place on May 10 at a Baptist church, the department's deputy chief Antoni Walczok told local newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau. On its website https://www.seidheilig.de the church says it holds services in both German and Russian. "The situation is very dynamic," Walczok told the paper, adding the church did not violate official guidelines aimed at containing the spread of the virus. Churches in the German state of Hesse, where Frankfurt is located, have been able to hold services since May 1 provided they adhere to official social distancing and hygiene rules. Frankfurt's health department was not available for comment outside business hours on Saturday. Kylie Scott, a social worker turned film student, was dutifully obeying stay-at-home orders in California when she caught a clip of the president riffing on antibiotics and coronavirus. On TikTok, where lip-syncing is a popular pastime, somebody had mimed the president's monologue as if he were a clueless substitute teacher, forced to lecture on a subject he knew nothing about. But to Scott, the president's speech seemed like something much more basic: the 3 a.m. ramblings of a drunk girl in a club. So that's what she turned it into. Scott threw on a sparkly top, grabbed a bar glass, and spent 30 minutes learning to lip-sync the president's address - "The germ has gotten so brilliant" - before recording her reinterpretation and throwing it on TikTok, where it promptly gained more than a million views. If you've had an extra hour or 90 to stare at a screen in the past two months, you might have seen one of Scott's videos. The settings change, from bar crawl to birthday toast to Uber ride, but her character remains the same: Scott is a runny-mascara'd hot mess who is definitely going to borrow your purse and then puke in it. She just happens to be delivering the monologues of the president of the United States. "I'm not splicing anything together," Scott says. "They're all full sound bites that he's said directly." It wouldn't be accurate to classify Scott's work as impersonations. There is no donning of orange wigs; this isn't Alec Baldwin slinking his voice down half an octave to inhabit the correct vocal range. This is Scott sprawled in the back seat of a ride-share, waving around a slice of pizza as she pontificates in Trump's actual voice. Comedians have long complained that Trump is difficult to parody: He says things that are weirder than what any writers' room could come up with, with a delivery that's practically beyond exaggeration. Lip-sync remixers like Scott have found a way to revive presidential satire by simply keeping the word vomit and changing everything else. Sarah Cooper is another master of this method. Wearing her own street clothes and in her own Brooklyn apartment, she's filmed a whole series, including "How to Medical" - using Trump's comments about injecting disinfectant to kill the virus - and "How to Obamagate." Already an author and working comedian, her Twitter following has grown from 60,000 to 600,000; when I talked with her on the phone this week, she said she'd been "taking meetings," one of those Hollywood terms that often means somebody powerful wants to make you into somebody famous. But in the beginning, her first video came from a simple premise: what would it look like if she, a 35-year-old black woman, spoke with the blustering confidence of the president? "The more I get into impersonation, the less funny it becomes," says Cooper. "I'm trying to present the words as me, Sarah Cooper, as earnestly as possible." The effectiveness of her videos comes from the vast chasm between her identity and Donald Trump's. "He is an older, rich white guy, in a suit, at a podium, with a presidential seal, and people standing behind him, nodding. All of these things mess with your head and make you think that what he says must makes sense," Cooper says. "I'm taking that setting away and putting those words into the mouth of someone who is much more low status and low power." Stripped of the suit, the podium and the seal, she says, "you focus more on the words. And focus just on how ridiculous those words are." Cooper's performance isn't only about Donald Trump. It's also about context and pageantry play a role in how authority is vested. When she points out the president's preposterous statements, she's also making the point that certain kinds of people's preposterous statements are assumed to be smart - a twist on Nixon's infamous claim, "When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal." When an aging man in a suit says it from behind a presidential seal, and an entourage of high-powered officials react with stoic deference, that means it is not crazy. I don't think it's coincidence that Cooper and Scott are both women (Cooper doesn't either: "This doesn't work as well when men do it," she says). Some of the sharpest political commentary on TikTok involves women impersonating male politicians - witness Maria DeCotis as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo - a trend carried over from television. "Saturday Night Live's" smartest casting decision of the 2016 election wasn't Baldwin as Trump. It was Melissa McCarthy as former press secretary Sean Spicer, throwing red-faced tantrums and plowing her motorized lectern through the White House pressroom. The skits reportedly made the president furious, as did the ones featuring Kate McKinnon as then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "Trump doesn't like his people to look weak," a top donor anonymously told Politico, and the president felt that casting women had done just that. Of course, that was backward. Melissa McCarthy behaving like Sean Spicer didn't make Spicer ridiculous. Spicer behaving like Spicer made Spicer ridiculous. (Any insistence that he needed help in that department evaporated a year later, when the former press secretary appeared on "Dancing With the Stars," playing the bongos while dressed like a Day-Glo can of Pringles.) But, again, a lot of bonkers behavior can be overlooked when it's committed by a man in a suit at a lectern. McCarthy's performance didn't invent Spicer's absurdity. "(It) didn't highlight anything weak - that is to say, in Trump translation, 'feminine' - about Spicer," wrote Alexandra Schwartz in The New Yorker. "She didn't mince around or giggle or bat her eyes. Rather, she played Spicer as a bruised, bloviating alpha male. ... From the start of the sketch, her gender was beside the point, neither provocation nor distraction." I disagree with only that last bit. McCarthy's gender was absolutely part of the point, and it was a provocation. Not to Sean Spicer, but to the rest of us. A male cast member would have been mocking Spicer personally. McCarthy's casting mocked the whole "bruised, bloviating" system of alpha-maleness that made Sean Spicer a credible figure to begin with. In other words, it's not that the drunk girl in the club sounds like Donald Trump, it's that Donald Trump sounds like the drunk girl in the club. If you can't tell which statements were made by the leader of a country, and which were made by a lush on her fifth vodka soda, then why should anyone bother listening to that man on the podium? "What's a little scary about this is, I started this six weeks ago," Cooper says. She now finds herself in a conundrum: Demonstrating that the statements of a powerful man sound nutty when spoken by an un-powerful woman has made her own voice more powerful. What happens if people start to listen to her with the same deference they might listen to Donald Trump? The humor falls apart, she says, and so does the commentary. "The more status I get," says Cooper, "the less this works." Only two-fifths of all Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings made their way to the sea in Maharashtra between 2019 and 2020. According to data collated from different forest ranges by the state mangrove cell and Maharashtra Mangrove Foundation on World Turtle Day (May 23), 12,149 hatchlings survived from 27,254 eggs during 2019-20, which is a survival rate of 44.5%. In 2018-19, the survival rate was 54.4%, with 12,601 hatchlings that made it to sea from a total of 23,131 eggs. Sporadic nesting of turtles is reported from an average of 33 sandy beaches across three districts in Konkan Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg. While Sindhudurg witnessed a marked improvement in survival rate, from 47.3% in 2018-19 to 74.3% in 2019-20, Ratnagiri observed a decline to 34% in 2019-20 against 57.4% in 2018-19. Raigad also witnessed a drop from 65.4% to 52.2% over two years. We must realise that this is preliminary information, and there might be several data gaps since this annual statistical collation from three districts is a relatively new process. We need to study the pattern for at least 10 years to come up with exact trends, said Virendra Tiwari, additional principal chief conservator of forest (mangrove cell). Olive Ridley sea turtles are found in warm tropical currents of the Indian and Pacific oceans. A schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, they travel thousands of kilometres in the ocean, with only the females returning to their original nesting sites within a minimum of two years, to lay eggs. After a 50 to 60-day incubation period, juvenile turtles break the eggshell, dig through the sand, and crawl to the sea. While females return to their place of birth, males never return to land. Female turtles use geomagnetic imprinting [navigating to their geographic area of origin using magnetic field] and olfactory [relating to the sense of smell] cues to find their natal areas, said Harshal Karve, marine biologist, Mangrove Foundation. Changes in weather patterns are the main reason for the fall in survival rate, said Mohan Upadhyay, livelihood assistant, Mangrove Foundation. Firstly, nesting was delayed due to a series of extreme weather events including heavy rain coupled with cyclones in the Arabian Sea last monsoon. The winter was much warmer than previous years for coastal districts. Following this, there was a spike in maximum temperatures this year from late February. When temperatures rise, it affects the incubation period, resulting in a lower survival rate, said Upadhyay. Independent experts, however, said the survival rate does not depend completely on extreme weather factors. Hatchling survival is affected by rising beach temperature and prolonged rainy days can damage some nests. But proper management and protection for natural nests can address these issues. However, even a 44% survival rate for natural in-situ nests is not bad. Focused conservation can help improve this, said Basudev Tripathi, senior scientist, Zoological Survey of India and member of International Union for Conservation of Nature. Meanwhile, the Mangrove Foundation has commissioned a research study to assess the incubation temperature of nests along the Maharashtra coast. The project is being undertaken by a PhD scholar from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. Atmospheric temperature plays a major role in developing and determining the sex of baby turtles. Temperature data loggers have been deployed at various turtle nesting sites in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, and the results will help us understand the nesting ecology, said Karve. A similar study undertaken by the Mangrove Foundation comparing nesting data from 2002 to 2006 and 2014 to 2019 has shown that the peak nesting period had shifted from winter months (December) to early summer months (February-March). Many nests which are now being laid along the Maharashtra coast during the February-March period hatch out in the summer months of April-May when the ambient and sand temperatures tend to be on the higher side [above 32 degrees Celsius], which may lead most of the turtle hatchling to be females. Also, higher nest temperature data suggests a lower survival rate for hatchlings, said Tiwari. We are therefore developing solutions to ensure that the hatchlings are protected from higher temperatures through the use of sheds, regular monitoring, and litter-free turtle nesting habitats. Using some of the results, this year green sheds were installed to cover nesting sites from direct sunlight and high temperatures. However, the Covid-19 lockdown made material transport difficult, said Upadhyay. The state forest department, with local NGO Sahayadri Nisarg Mitra, has been educating local communities on sea turtle conservation. From locating nesting sites, excavation, relocation of eggs, fencing nets, and preventing poaching and flooding, around two persons per nesting site have been trained. The volunteers have begun collating information about the process from nesting to hatching, said Karve. To further boost turtle conservation, earlier this month the forest department introduced an honourarium of 15.63 lakh to locals in Ratnagiri, while the Sindhudurg district administration provided 6lakh to 8 lakh annually under its conservation management plan. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The move comes after months of fighting with Afghan forces since the group signed a landmark agreement with the US. The Afghan Taliban has announced a three-day Eid ceasefire starting on Sunday, a spokesman for the armed group said in a statement, in a move following months of bloody fighting with security forces. The Taliban statement also instructed its fighters to refrain from entering government areas and also said that Kabul forces were not allowed to enter territories under their control. The leadership instructs all the mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate to take special measures for security for the countrymen, and conduct no offensive operation against the enemy anywhere, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement. Following the Taliban announcement, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani welcomed the groups offer of a three-day ceasefire and ordered his forces to also comply. I welcome the ceasefire announcement by the Taliban, Ghani said on Twitter. As commander-in-chief, I have instructed ANDSF to comply with the three-day truce and to defend only if attacked, he said, using the acronym for the Afghan National Defence Security Force. In a similar holiday truce in 2018, there were unprecedented scenes of fighters from opposite sides embracing each other and taking selfies. 200518181140165 Saturdays announcement comes just days after the Talibans leader Haibatullah Akhunzada urged Washington not to waste the opportunity offered by the deal the armed group signed with the United States that set the stage for the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country. The US-Taliban deal is also aimed at paving the way for the fighters to hold direct peace talks with Kabul. The Islamic Emirate is committed to the agreement and urges the other side to honour its own commitments and not allow this critical opportunity to go to waste, Akhunzada said in a statement, using the Talibans name for Afghanistan. Last month, the Taliban rejected a government call for a ceasefire across Afghanistan for the holy month of Ramadan, saying a truce was not rational as they ramped up attacks on Afghan forces. At least 146 civilians were killed and 430 wounded by the Taliban during Ramadan, Javid Faisal, a spokesman for the countrys main intelligence and security office in Kabul, said on Saturday. Say what you will about unauthorized immigrants, but they are not a drain on the Texas economy. In fact, a new report from Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy finds that from one perspective, Texas is getting the better end of the bargain in its dealings with this population. The reports analysis is straightforward. And although its conclusion is controversial, it shouldnt be. I dont remember growing up, when my family was undocumented, my parents having a tax exemption card at the grocery store, said state Rep. Ana Hernandez, a Houston Democrat. Immigrants do contribute. The report crunches the numbers as follows: Texas is home to some 1.6 million of the countrys roughly 11 million unauthorized immigrants, about 70 percent of whom are from neighboring Mexico. These migrants made up 8.2 percent of the states workforce in 2018, the year on which the report is based. In fiscal year 2018, it concludes, the state spent $2 billion on residents without legal status in this country, and collected roughly $2.4 billion from them, for a net gain of approximately $421 million. Thats not even counting the considerable contributions these residents make, directly and indirectly, to the states gross national product. Some on the right bridled at this news. Even in normal times, the assertion that low-wage illegal aliens provide a net fiscal benefit to the state strains credulity, said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, in a statement. Under current circumstances, such claims are a laughable attempt to sell the people of Texas snake oil solutions to an unprecedented economic and fiscal crisis. As a Texan, it sounds to me like Stein and the organization he leads are based in Washington, D.C. Its true that we are facing an unprecedented economic crisis, as a result of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Nearly 2 million Texans have filed for unemployment benefits in the past two months, and the states unemployment rate soared to 12.8 percent in April a record. But its long been established that, under normal circumstances, unauthorized immigrants are net contributors to Texas. The report seeks to update a 2006 report from the Texas Comptrollers office, then led by Republican Carole Keeton Strayhorn. That report found unauthorized immigrants in Texas were net contributors to the states piggy bank in 2005, as well as responsible for $17.7 billion in state GDP that year. Every cost-benefit analysis of unauthorized immigrants in Texas and there have been several, notes study author Jose Ivan Rodriguez-Sanchez has reached a similar conclusion. The Texas model gets the credit, or the blame, depending on your ideology. Like everyone else in Texas, unauthorized immigrants pay sales and property taxes, in addition to spending money on lottery ticket and utilities. And again, like everyone else in Texasthese migrants dont benefit from lavish state spending. In California, a state with high taxes and far more services, it may be a different story. But in Texas, you have to massage the data pretty aggressively to argue that unauthorized immigrants are hurting the economy. Republican lawmakers have in recent years rejected several proposals from Democrats to update the 2006 comptrollers study, perhaps because we all know the results would be at odds with the Texas GOPs increasingly draconian views on illegal immigration and border security. Texas Republican leaders once took a pragmatic approach to these subjects, but that ethos was waning even before Donald Trumps election. Rodriguez-Sanchezs conclusions arent surprising. But his report is timely, given that unauthorized immigrants are among the groups of Texans being hit hardest by the pandemic that Stein mentions, as well as the pandemic that triggered it. Immigrants living here without legal authorization make up a disproportionate share of workers at the meat packing plants that have emerged as hot spots for coronavirus infections. And those who have lost their incomes in the past two months arent eligible for unemployment benefits or the one-time federal stimulus payments that have helped sustain other displaced workers in recent weeks. Ignoring the health and economic needs of undocumented immigrants is dehumanizing, counterproductive to our collective efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, and inhibits economic recovery, argued Martin Martinez of the Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin. The new report is unlikely to cause a change of heart among Texass Republican leaders. Still, Rodriguez-Sanchez is right to remind us that unauthorized immigrants are all too often wrongly vilified as a burden on society. If anything, its the opposite. Hernandez, the state representative, said: Its important to set apart the emotions and the demonization of immigrants and look at the data and the positive impacts that immigrants have on the Texas economy. erica.grieder@chron.com Eid al-Fitr is the festival of breaking the fast that marks the end of Ramadan. This year, Russian Muslims begin to celebrate the holiday with the sunset and continue tomorrow during the day. The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation and the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia informed that there will be no collective prayers in mosques on this day due to the coronavirus pandemic. In Moscow, the main worship is traditionally held in the Cathedral Mosque, but this time only the clergy will take part in it. Everyone can watch the broadcast on Rossiya-1 TV channel, TASS informs. "The sermon will be broadcasted at 09:00 Moscow time on Rossiya-1, and at 08:30 Moscow time, broadcasting of holiday takbirs (praises of Allah) will take place on our websites. They will proceed for half an hour until the beginning of the sermon conducted by the mufti (chairman of The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation and the Council Muftis of Russia Ravil Gaynutdin), the Administration specified. Mufti Albir Krganov, chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia, said that Muslims accept the measures taken amid the spread of COVID-19 with understanding. Earlier, at a meeting with the leadership and representatives of Dagestan, Russian President Vladimir Putin asked Muslims to celebrate Eid al-Fitr at home, not to attend collective prayers and get together with friends in big companies. The holiday is officially declared a day off in Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Chechnya and Adygea. According to the calculations of the Shamakhy Astrophysical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences and the fatwa of the Caucasus Muslims Office, in Azerbaijan, Eid al-Fitr falls on May 24. Deputy Chairman of the CMO, Dean of the Islamic University of Baku, Ph.D. Haji Fuad Nurullaev explained that on the eve of the holiday, it is necessary to gather with family at the festive table, and after the meal to allocate fitra from the family budget that before the morning holiday prayer should be given to the poor, needy or orphans. Carmel, Indiana--(Newsfile Corp. - May 22, 2020) - Kimball International, a leading manufacturer and designer of furnishings with brands such as Kimball, National, and Kimball Hospitality, signed a 3-year contract with GyanSys Inc. ("GyanSys"), a leading IT services provider headquartered in Indiana, to provide AMS for its global IT operations. Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6522/56394_83ff522e03d9e3b3ee848f49c170.png Steve Snyder, IT Director - Business Applications of Kimball International - "We have selected GyanSys as our preferred technology partner to provide enhancements and support for our enterprise applications in this 3-year AMS agreement. GyanSys will be an extension to our team with service-level agreements and a flexible model through local and global interactions to address our strategic business requirements." Rajkishore Una, President & CEO of GyanSys - "We are excited about this long-term relationship to provide strategic multi-platform support for Kimball International's SAP, Salesforce, Microsoft, RPA, and custom applications environment. Our team's commitment is to provide quality delivery with our flexible engagement model to adapt to our customer's changing needs. This agreement demonstrates our joint commitment with Kimball International to invest and grow our businesses." About Kimball International: For over 70 years, Kimball International has created design-driven furnishings that have helped our customers shape spaces into places, bringing possibility to life by enabling collaboration, discovery, wellness and relaxation. We go to market through our family of brands: Kimball, National, Kimball Hospitality, and D'style by Kimball Hospitality. Our values and high integrity are demonstrated daily by living our Purpose and Guiding Principles that establishes us as an employer of choice. We build success by growing long-term relationships with customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and the communities in which we operate. Story continues About GyanSys Inc.: GyanSys is a mid-tier global systems integrator specializing in SAP, Salesforce, Microsoft, and ServiceNow Platforms to improve the Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Operations, and HR business processes to support digital transformation. Headquartered in Indiana, GyanSys was founded in 2005 and has approximately 1,000+ professionals globally serving 125+ customers across various industries, including the manufacturing, automotive, high-tech, CPG, and life sciences industries. For more information about GyanSys, visit www.gyansys.com. For press inquiries and more information, contact: Cliff Saito Digital Marketing Manager E-mail: cliff.saito@gyansys.com Related Links Kimball International Website GyanSys Website To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56394 Netflix has greenlit its hit Spanish-language series "Elite" for a fourth season. The teen drama thriller, created by Carlos Montero and Dario Madrona, is about the the misadventures of a group of teens who attend an exclusive private school in Spain called Las Encinas. The was shared by the show's cast, including Miguel Bernardeau and Claudia Salas, in a video message by the streamer's Twitter handle See What's Next. "I wanted to tell you that we have got the scripts of season 4 and they look so good," Bernardeau said in the video. "You better be prepared," said fellow cast member Aron Piper, teasing that the fourth season will be more "intense". "Elite" also stars Georgina Amoros, Itzan Escamilla and Omar Ayuso. The show's third season premiered on Netflix in March this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scoil Mhuire Realt Na Mara won't be losing one of their teachers for the school year ahead, as was feared. The Brittas Bay national school was initially informed that they would lose one of their teachers at Christmas for the upcoming school year. The Department of Education threatened to cut a teaching position because the school has less than 150 pupils. The school argued that they desperately required a sixth teacher to help enforce social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the appeal was rejected. The school hasScoil ho gym hall, no resource rooms and small, compact classrooms. Deputy Stephen Donnelly backed the school's stance and insisted that all six teachers were required. If a teacher is out sick, for the first day of sick leave there is no sub cover allocated. If a teacher is absent due to family weddings, funerals, graduations or is uncertified sick, there is no substitute cover. The possibility of losing a teacher meant the school faced the prospect of 37 children being crammed into the already overcrowded classrooms. 'I wrote to the Minister on behalf of the school pointing out just how vital a sixth teacher was in order to prevent overcrowding during the Covid crisis,' said Deputy Donnelly. 'Parents and staff at the school had written to me outlining why this decision was so important for the school to be able to function properly. This is a school which does not have a PE hall or any resource rooms so has a limited ability to reduce class numbers. Without a sixth teacher in place it would have been almost impossible for them to operate in a sustainable way. 'Both teachers and pupils are already dealing with an extraordinary level of stress and disruption. It would have made it almost impossible for the children to be able to settle back into school life if the school was short staffed. It was absolutely vital they retained their sixth teacher which is why the eventual decision to allow it to happen was absolutely the right one.' Deputy Donnelly is also calling for the school to be included in the Government's 40 million package to upgrade schools for next year. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. During a visit to a flower greenhouse in the Azatavan community in Ararat Province, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan got acquainted with the business and talked with the owner. The farmer told Pashinyan that his work isnt that much of successful given the current situation, but he isnt complaining. He said he wanted to take a loan from bank but got rejected. He claimed that he has never had any repayment problems in the past, and is unaware why he was rejected. The Prime Minister was surprised and tasked his aide to take the details of the farmer and find out why the bank has refused his application. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan SANTA FE Its not often that two candidates face off against each other three different times. But thats happening this year in Albuquerques Senate District 17, where incumbent Democrat Mimi Stewart is facing off against old foe Shannon Robinson, a former senator, in the June 2 primary election. Theres a bit of a deja vu aspect to it, Stewart acknowledged in a recent interview. Stewart has a big fundraising advantage in this years contest, having raised $58,485 so far for her reelection campaign, including several hefty contributions from labor unions. In contrast, Robinson has reported raising $1,400 via two separate donations to his own campaign and said he is not soliciting outside donations. Weve got to prove to young people that you dont need money to win, Robinson told the Journal. He also cited large contributions that have been made to Senate Democrats caucus committee, which Stewart is helping to run. But Stewart, who is the Senate majority whip, said shes focusing less on her opponent and more on her constituents, many of whom have been calling with questions during the coronavirus pandemic. If reelected, Stewart, a retired educator, said she would focus on efforts to diversify New Mexicos economy, in part by expanding the states renewable energy portfolio. I am really sick of the boom and bust of the oil industry, Stewart said. We cant keep doing this. She also said she would fight to avoid spending cuts to public schools, early education programs and health care services during an upcoming special session. For his part, Robinson, an attorney, said he would prioritize funding for safety net programs and push for a New Mexico green new deal, a package of legislation aimed at combating climate change. The history between the two candidates dates back to 1992, when then-incumbent Robinson defeated Stewart in a tight primary election race. The 2016 rematch was won by Stewart, who was appointed to the Senate in 2014 after serving 20 years in the House of Representatives. In between the two contests, Robinson was ousted from the Senate in 2008 by now-Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. He then ran unsuccessfully as a Republican against Keller in 2012, but now says that was an emotional response to his defeat and that he supports policies like abortion rights. The past results make this years contest a rubber match, though both candidates say theyve evolved over the years. Stewart describes herself as a political pragmatist, and says she has learned over her tenure in the Legislature the value of collaborating with other lawmakers. I have finally learned the art of compromise, she said, citing her work on bills with Sen. Gay Kernan, R-Hobbs, as an example. During his tenure in the Senate, which stretched from 1989 through 2008, Robinson headed what he called the bull moose alliance of Republicans and conservative Democrats in the Senate, which worked to protect outdoor traditions and rural life. But he said, if elected this year, he would work with other Senate Democrats to defeat a conservative coalition that has stymied bills dealing with abortion and marijuana legalization in recent years. The Senate District 17 seat encompasses a large swath of Albuquerques east side. Whoever wins the primary race will face Republican Rodney Deskin in the November general election. Chennai, May 23 : Hours after Rajya Sabha MP and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Organising Secretary R.S. Bharathi was arrested from his residence here on Saturday morning on charges of making derogatory statements against judges and Dalits, a local court released him on interim bail. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami said the state government played no role in the arrest as the police took action as per law. Bharathi's speech on February 15 at a party office against judges and Dalits was considered insulting and a police complaint was lodged by the leader of Athi Tamilar Makkal Katchi Kalyanasundaram under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Speaking to reporters, Bharathi said his speech was twisted in the social media and his arrest is to "satisfy someone". The Rajya Sabha MP said that he had lodged a complaint against Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam for corruption. Meanwhile, DMK President M.K.Stalin condemned Bharathi's arrest and said the party would not be cowed by false cases. Stalin said Bharathi had given an explanation about his speech made at a party office and also expressed regret. He added that there are two cases in the Madras High Court to quash the First Information Report (FIR) registered in the case. Without taking that into account, the AIADMK government led by Palaniswami had arrested Bharathi which was nothing but shameful, the DMP President said. Stalin said Bharathi had complained against corruption in the government and hence his arrest was to divert attention. Coming out in support of Bharathi, MDMK General Secretary and MP Vaiko demanded the government withdraw the case. Vaiko said Bharathi had expressed regret about his controversial speecht. Lori Vallow's best friend is speaking out for the first time, revealing new details about the 'cult mom' whose two children haven't been seen since last September. On Friday, Melanie Gibb sat down for an interview with journalist Nate Eaton, after spending five months 'in hiding' following an unsealed arrest warrant alleged that Vallow had asked her to lie about her kids' whereabouts. Vallow is currently behind bars on charges of child neglect and desertion in connection with the disappearance of her daughter, 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, and her son, seven-year-old son Joshua 'JJ' Vallow. In a sneak peak of Gibb's interview - set to air in full on Tuesday - she does not address whether Vallow actually asked her to lie about Tylee and JJ's whereabouts. However, Gibb does disclose that Vallow's husband, Chad Daybell, called her sounding 'very nervous' and 'very scared' and asked her not to pick up the phone if police called. She further claims that best friend Vallow became increasingly obsessed with 'dangerous teachings' after she met Daybell - a prominent Doomsday author. 'On one occasion, Lori said to me "If Chad is Satan, he sure is a good one"', Gibb states in the sneak peak. Lori Vallow's best friend Melanie Gibb (right) is speaking out for the first time, revealing new details about the 'cult mom' whose two children haven't been seen since last September. Vallow reportedly asked Gibb to lie about the kids' whereabouts Valloow's children, Tylee and JJ disappeared in September but were never reported missing by their mother Gibb further claims that Vallow believed her seven-year-old son JJ was 'a zombie' and slowly began to believe 'that everyone in her life was turning into zombies'. In the interview, Gibb does not reveal whether she is still on friendly terms with Vallow. However, she says that Vallow failed to tell her for four days about the death of the husband she was married to before Daybell. Vallow's fourth husband, Charles Vallow, was shot dead last July - just four months before she married Daybell. Gibb reveals that Vallow's husband, Chad Daybell, called her sounding 'very nervous' and 'very scared' and asked her not to pick up the phone if police called. Timeline of JJ and Tylee's disappearance July 11 2019: Lori Vallow's husband, Charles Vallow, is killed by her brother, Alex Cox, in Arizona August: Lori moves children JJ and Tylee to Rexburg, Idaho September 23: The last time JJ was seen at his school in Idaho October 19: Chad Daybell's wife Tammy dies at their Idaho home October 25: A friend of Tylee receives a text from her phone November 5: Lori and Chad marry November 26: Out-of-state relatives ask Idaho police to perform a welfare check on JJ. Lori and Chad claim he is in Arizona with relatives. Police also learn Tylee has not been seen since September, either November 27: Police execute a search warrant at Lori and Chad's home, discovering the couple have fled Idaho December 11: Tammy Daybell's body is exhumed from the Utah cemetery December 12: Lori's brother, Alex Cox, believed to have died in Arizona December 21: Police issue a press release about JJ and Tylee, revealing they believe their disappearance is linked to Tammy's death December 24: Lori and Chad issue a statement through an attorney saying they love their son and daughter and look forward to addressing 'allegations once they have moved beyond speculation and rumor' December 30: Police accuse Lori and Chad of lying to investigators and say they believe the couple know where the kids are or what happened to them January 26 2020: Lori and Chad are seen for the first time in months as police serve two search warrants in Kaua'i January 30 Lori misses court deadline to produce the children to authorities February 20: Lori is arrested in Kauai Advertisement The interview with Vallow's best friend Melanie Gibb comes after Vallow's mother Janice Cox and sister Summer Shiflet broke their silence for the first time to defend her in an interview with CBS News last week. In a new clip from the interview, reporter Jonathan Vigliotti asked the women whether they believed it was possible Vallow's missing children were 'in a bunker somewhere?' 'I think that's possible,' Cox said, but she did not elaborate on where she believed the children were. Lori Vallow's mother Janice Cox said 'it's possible' the 'cult' mom's missing children are hiding in a bunker somewhere during an interview with CBS News Investigators say Tylee was last seen hiking in Yellowstone National Park with her family on September 8. Meanwhile, all traces of JJ vanished on September 23 but Cox claims to have spoken to the missing 7-year-old by phone on October 1 She and Shiflet also failed to explain why Vallow has so far refused to cooperate with investigators trying to find out what happened to her children. When asked about the matter, they replied in unison: 'Well, that's a great question,' laughing towards one another as they spoke. But the women insisted that Vallow would never hurt either of her kids. 'She's invested her whole life in those children,' Cox said. 'So we know there's another whole side to this. We don't know what it is. But we know her.' Tylee and JJ vanished eight months ago in September, shortly after they moved to Rexburg, Idaho from Arizona. Investigators say Tylee was last seen hiking in Yellowstone National Park with her family on September 8. Meanwhile, all traces of JJ vanished on September 23 but Cox claims to have spoken to the missing seven-year-old by phone on October 1. 'I talked to him,' she said, before vaguely continuing, 'He just takes the phone, you know, and he knows you know, he knows who we are.' Cox provided CBS News with a phone bill that she says shows the alleged call. Rexburg Police have not yet returned a DailyMail.com request for comment on Cox's claim. During the same fall the two children disappeared, Vallow married Chad Daybell. Daybell's wife of 29 years, Tammy, had died just weeks before. Vallow and Daybell fled Idaho for Hawaii in late November, one day after police began asking questions about JJ and Tylee's whereabouts. 'I talked to him,' she said, before vaguely continuing, 'He just takes the phone, you know, and he knows you know, he knows who we are' Vallow's request to have her bond lowered from $1million to between $100,000 and $250,000 was denied by an Idaho judge last month Authorities later tracked the pair down in the Kauai town of Princeville on January 25 and served the mother with a court order requiring her to physically produce the children to authorities in Idaho within five days. After she failed to do so, Vallow was arrested on charges of child abandonment and desertion on February 20, and then brought back to Idaho where she is being held on a $1million bond. Despite the couple fleeing to Hawaii seemingly without JJ and Tylee, Cox insisted that Vallow 'never' expressed any resentment towards her children or blamed them for the failure of her previous four marriages. When asked why, as a 'loving grandmother' and 'loving aunt', they hadn't approached Vallow to reveal to them where the children are, Shiflet replied: 'She can't tell us. 'She's in jail. She's not everything's recorded. So she's not gonna tell us, she can't discuss anything about the case,' Shiflet said. 'I'm positive beyond any doubt that they hasn't harmed those kids,' chimed Cox. The case of missing JJ and Tylee captured nationwide attention when revelations that police are were also investigating three mysterious deaths linked to Vallow and Daybell surfaced. Four people with links to Lori Vallow have suffered untimely deaths(top in court on March 6). Those deaths are: Lori's brother Alex Cox (left), her new husband Chad Daybell's previous wife Tammy Daybell (second left), her fourth husband Charles Vallow (center), her third husband Joseph Ryan (second right). Her sister Stacey Cox Cope (right) died in 1998. It's not clear what the cause of Cope's death was The first death linked to the case was Tammy Daybell. Her death was initially listed as natural causes when Chad Daybell declined an autopsy. Many friends of Tammy have insisted that the 49-year-old was in great shape, casting doubt on the initial ruling. Authorities exhumed Tammy Daybell's body in December after determining that her death could be linked to the disappearance of JJ and Tylee. The results of the autopsy and toxicology tests have not yet been released. Despite the couple fleeing to Hawaii seemingly without JJ and Tylee, Cox insisted that Vallow 'never' expressed any resentment towards her children or blamed them for the failure of her previous four marriages The second death was that of Charles Vallow, Lori's husband of more than a decade who filed for divorce from her five months before he was shot and killed by her brother Alex on July 11, 2019. Charles and Lori had gotten into an argument when he came to pick up JJ, their adoptive son, at her home in Chandler, Arizona. Alex intervened and fired two fatal shots into Charles' chest. Police initially determined that Alex acted in self defense - but the case was reopened with the search for JJ and Tylee, who had moved to Idaho, where Chad lived, with their mother in August. An email from Phoenix police that was leaked earlier this month revealed that investigators were close to charging Lori in connection with Charles' death. Court documents from early December indicated that Charles' death was being investigated as 'conspiracy murder'. Less than two weeks later, Alex was found dead in Gilbert, Arizona, on December 12, the day after Tammy's body was exhumed. His death, at aged 51, is now under investigation as police wait for an autopsy to determine the cause. An additional untimely death close to Lori was unearthed this week: her older sister Stacey Lynne Cox Cope. Stacey died aged 31 in 1998. The cause is unclear and there is no suggestion Lori was involved in her death. Social workers can order that children in state care have MMR vaccinations even if their parents object, appeal judges ruled yesterday. They said vaccination is in the child's interests, and parents of youngsters in care cannot stop the single jab inoculation against measles, mumps and rubella no matter how strong their views. The panel of three judges' ruling does not affect the rights of mothers and fathers in general to refuse immunisation. But it sends a signal the courts regard parents who oppose MMR as standing against what is good for their children. Social workers can order that children in state care have MMR vaccinations even if their parents object, appeal judges ruled Lady Justice King said: 'Although vaccinations are not compulsory, the scientific evidence now clearly establishes that it is in the best medical interests of children to be vaccinated... unless there is a specific contraindication.' The Appeal Court ruling overturns earlier cases which said social workers have to go to court to get permission to immunise children among the 70,000 in state care. The MMR vaccine has been fiercely debated since 1998 when a paper written by Dr Andrew Wakefield claimed there was a link with autism. This was subsequently discredited and Dr Wakefield, who failed to disclose conflicts of interest, was struck off. Yesterday's test case revolved around a year-old baby who is one of a number of siblings removed from their parents. The infant is now in foster care under the supervision of social workers from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. However, the parents opposed vaccination for their children. The court ruling against them comes as MMR vaccinations have fallen by a quarter during lockdown. The Appeal Court ruling overturns earlier cases which said social workers have to go to court to get permission to immunise children among the 70,000 in state care Uptake in 2019 was already at a seven-year low, driven by harmful anti-vaxx messages distributed online, on top of busy parents struggling to get to clinics. The Daily Mail has launched a campaign to end ignorance over the jab and reverse falling rates of immunisation. Students can expect individualized invites, social distancing decals and an emphasis on outdoor activities when schools partially reopen next month to offer limited instruction and closure to an unusual school year. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Students can expect individualized invites, social distancing decals and an emphasis on outdoor activities when schools partially reopen next month to offer limited instruction and closure to an unusual school year. The province surprised teachers, school staff and students alike on Thursday when it unveiled a draft plan for reopening phase two, which would see students return to classrooms in a limited capacity June 1 and the 2020-21 school year start on Aug. 31. As the premier announced the tentative next steps, Brian Pallister emphasized community feedback and consultation with stakeholders, the Manitoba Teachers Society included, would be undertaken before firm decisions are made. Since learning the latest, school divisions have been scrambling to plan for June. While divisions and individual schools will vary in their approach to inviting students back, teachers are expected to resume working from schools next month. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The province surprised teachers, school staff and students alike on Thursday when it unveiled a draft plan for reopening phase two, which would see students return to classrooms in a limited capacity June 1 and the 2020-21 school year start on Aug. 31. No one will be allowed to enter schools if they exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms, including coughing, sneezing, fever, shortness of breath or a runny nose or sore throat. "June offers us the opportunity to plan for a larger-scale opening of classes in the fall. Obviously, the hygiene situation, the numbers, the physical distancing all of this will be part of the conversation going forward," said MTS president James Bedford, who represents upwards of 15,000 public school teachers across the province. Pallister was clear that regular classes will remain suspended, although teachers will soon be able to hold one-on-one tutoring and small sessions with students who have struggled with distance learning. Schools will not be allowed to surpass 50 per cent of their regular capacity. The Seven Oaks School Division has unveiled the most detailed plan to date; the division expects all students will return to their schools at least once a week in June. Invitations to return will be on an individualized basis. Superintendent Brian OLeary said the hope is teachers can connect with students to check in on their wellbeing and distance learning progress and students can get some closure on the school year and find out what to expect as they transition into next year. "June offers us the opportunity to plan for a largerscale opening of classes in the fall. Obviously, the hygiene situation, the numbers, the physical distancing all of this will be part of the conversation going forward." MTS president James Bedford, "A lot of this is just getting everyone comfortable with the idea that you can come to school and be safe," OLeary said Friday. He said it will also be an opportunity for students in hands-on classes, such as auto or wood shop, to resume lessons in small sections. The main safety measure will be restricting how many students are invited into schools at a time, while the division will also set-up controlled entrances, screenings, additional signage and encourage frequent handwashing and outdoor activities. Desks will be spread out and there will be markers to encourage six-feet separation on the floors. OLeary said he doubts the division will be using hula hoops or tape measures to maintain protocols. At the Winnipeg School Division, parents will be asked to monitor their childrens symptoms and use the provincial assessment tool before the children come to class, if the children are invited to do so. Division spokeswoman Radean Carter said students will likely be given appointments to come in to visit a teacher or do an assessment. "It's really going to work as a transitioning period for us," Carter said, "so it's definitely not business as usual." Carter suggested there wont be more than two or three students meeting with an instructor at a time. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The main safety measure will be restricting how many students are invited into schools at a time. Administrators will do site visits of area schools in the coming days to figure out what social distancing measures need to be put in place. The division is also reviewing its staffing levels to determine whether any educational assistants will be asked to return. Other city divisions told the Free Press Friday administrators are waiting on a template from the province about how their partial reopenings should look. The department of education did not provide any details about the template Friday. Louis Riel, St. James-Assiniboia, Pembina Trails and River-East Transcona school divisions sent generic messages to their communities about the draft plan this week. As planning gets underway, Dr. Philippe Lagace-Wiens, a medical microbiologist at St. Boniface Hospital and parent of two school-aged children, is prescribing as much of a robust return as possible. Lagace-Wiens is critical of the provinces modest reopening of schools; he cites minimal cases in Manitoba, fairly low rates of infection among children and students deteriorating mental health as arguments to resume classes in full. Were certainly going to have a conversation with the minister about that early start, and whether its necessary and whether, quite frankly, its in the best interests of students and their families. MTS president James Bedford Also an assistant professor of medical microbiology and infectious diseases at the University of Manitoba, he said schools can take extensive precautions to keep students safe. 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. Schools should space out desks in classes, open windows whenever possible to circulate fresh air and implement staggered entries and recesses, as well as alternative day-schooling, he said. Classes could also be isolated from one another, allowing only for a small group of students to socialize, he said, adding that specialized teachers, equipped with masks, could visit classrooms to teach their subjects. The reaction to even a slight return has been mixed; some teachers are keen to greet their students while others are anxious, especially those who have their own children at home. On Friday, Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen spoke for a half an hour to delegates at MTS annual general meeting, which was held virtually, about whats ahead. Partial reopening aside, the province has proposed classes resume before Labour Day and some non-instructional days in 2020-21 be converted for remedial learning. "Were certainly going to have a conversation with the minister about that early start, and whether its necessary and whether, quite frankly, its in the best interests of students and their families," Bedford said, adding that its important to respect teachers summer plans too. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie Shapiro+Raj Promotes for NY Leadership Role In the US, brand and marketing insights company Shapiro+Raj has promoted Senior Director Lisa La Brooy to the role of Vice President, in charge of its New York Office. Headquartered in Chicago, with additional offices in New York and Pune, India, Shapiro+Raj was formed in 2014 when business transformation specialist Zain Raj acquired a majority interest in independent MR firm Shapiro. La Brooy (pictured) joined in 2016 as Insights and Strategy Director of its Health Wellness Practice (formerly known as CarbonSix). Earlier she worked for Hall & Partners as Strategy Director, and Forethought Research as Senior Insights Consultant, having begun her career at Research International. In her new role, La Brooy will lead the New York office and core client teams for some of the firm's pharmaceutical, health and wellness clients. She will also help to identify and develop methodological innovations in collaboration with S+R's Brand Strategy Group, while collaborating with other company leaders to further develop the Digital Insights and Intelligence Practice. CEO Zain Raj says La Brooy has been 'instrumental in bringing our mission of delivering market-ready insights to life', and says the promotion is 'a recognition of her leadership and ability to make an impact' as the firm continues to grow. Web site: www.shapiroraj.com . Spain said on Saturday it would let in foreign tourists and restart top league football in the coming weeks, accelerating Europe's exit from strict coronavirus lockdowns, even as the disease continued its deadly surge in parts of South America. Brazil saw its death toll passing 22,000 on Saturday from more than 347,000 infections, the second biggest caseload of any country in a pandemic. And as much of the United States tiptoed out of lockdown at the start of the Memorial Day weekend which unofficially marks the beginning of summer, President Donald Trump sent a clear signal he was personally embracing normalization -- he went golfing, his first such outing since March 8. Some 5.26 million people have been infected globally, and 340,000 killed by the virus. But with infection levels stabilizing across Europe, many governments were trying move away from economically ruinous lockdowns toward lighter social distancing measures that they hope will revive moribund business and tourism sectors. In Spain, which has enforced one of the world's strictest lockdowns since mid-March, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the resumption of tourism -- a vital sector for much of Europe -- and football. Sanchez sought to reassure visitors, saying that from July 1, "entry for foreign tourists into Spain will resume in secure conditions" and La Liga football could return on June 8. Spread of the coronavirus / AFP The United States, meanwhile, still faces the world's worst outbreak -- the toll is less than 3,000 deaths away from the grim milestone of 100,000 -- but Trump has aggressively pushed to reopen the economy, defying the advice of health experts. The US economy has shed almost 40 million jobs this year and many companies, most recently car rental giant Hertz, have gone to the wall. But most states have begun easing their lockdowns and many on Saturday reopened public beaches. "We just get tired of being stuck in the house. There's not much else to do. So I came to the beach," stay-at-home mother Kayla Lambert said, as her two children played in the surf in Galveston, Texas. New York, once a virus epicenter, on Saturday announced its lowest daily statewide death toll since early March -- 84. "We are making real progress," said Governor Andrew Cuomo. - Latin America - As Europe and the United States took clear steps toward reopening, Latin America emerged as a new virus hotspot. "In a sense, South America has become a new epicentre for the disease," WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan said, singling out Brazil. In the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesia, people were scrambling to get around the rules to celebrate Eid al-Fitr / AFP Many deaths in Brazil have been among younger people, who are often driven by poverty to work despite the threat of infection. Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who like Trump has played down the severity of the pandemic, has faced increasing pressure amid a rising death toll, with two of his health ministers resigning within weeks. Scrutiny intensified after release of a video of a cabinet meeting on April 22 -- as the country was fast becoming a virus flashpoint -- in which Bolsonaro and his deputies barely mentioned the pandemic. One of the few mentions of COVID-19 came when the environment minister suggested the government take advantage of the distraction created by the pandemic to relax environmental protection rules. Neighbouring Peru was also struggling. The country of 32 million has registered more than 3,100 deaths. Ecuador, however, has seen nearly that many deaths -- 3,096 -- in a country of just 17 million. Tourism Minister Rosi Prado told AFP the pandemic could cost the country's important tourism sector $400 million a month. Brazil led the surge across South America, with its death toll passing 21,000 from 330,000 infections, the third highest caseload of any country / AFP By contrast, China, where the virus was first identified late last year, passed a milestone on Saturday with no new infections reported for the first time since January. The outlook was also brightening elsewhere in Europe, particularly in hard-hit tourist hubs. Italy is due to reopen its borders to foreign tourists from June 3. Scenes on a beach near Rome looked strikingly normal -- except for the occasional mask-wearing sunseeker. "I was in such a hurry, I missed the sea so much," said Rome resident Arianna Tucci. "Breathing a little iodine, putting my feet in the sand, in the water, eating a little plate of spaghetti! And that's enough for me." - British scandal - In the Middle East, Iran's museums and historical sites will reopen on Sunday, with holy shrines following on Monday. And Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre will reopen on Sunday, the Christian authorities there said, but with tight restrictions. Thousands gathered in Madrid to demand an end to the virus restrictions and the resignation of the prime minister, in a protest led by far-right party Vox / AFP However, the virus is still a cause for concern in the region, with tightly packed Gaza registering its first death on Saturday. Illustrating the political difficulties of managing virus restrictions, Britain faced a scandal on Saturday: top government advisor Dominic Cummings was seen visiting his parents 250 miles (400 kilometres) away from his London home during the lockdown, despite suffering from virus symptoms. He denies any wrongdoing but faces calls to quit. - 'It's like 20 years ago' - Experts have warned that restrictions will be needed in some form until a vaccine or treatment is developed. An aerial view shows painted circles in the grass to encourage people to social distance at Washington Square Park in San Francisco, California / AFP With no end in sight, sporadic anti-lockdown protests have been taking place across the world. Thousands gathered in Madrid on Saturday to demand an end to the rules and Sanchez's resignation, in a protest led by the far-right party Vox. People were scrambling to get around rules in the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesia, so they could reunite with family for the Eid al-Fitr festival. One man told AFP he got a fake certificate for his daughter to travel home from university in the capital, Jakarta. "We want to celebrate Eid al-Fitr together like in past years," he said. Some Europeans were finding a bit of solace in their new mode of life, reclaiming their cities and towns from the tourist hordes. Laia Torra, in Barcelona's UNESCO-listed Park Guell, said the park has become too crowded in recent years. "It's wonderful, it's like going back 20 years," she said as her children played. burs-acb/st New Delhi, May 23 : Two members belonging to Pinjra Tod, a far-Left women rights group, were arrested on Saturday for their involvement in the north-east Delhi riots early this year, police said. The group was involved in oraganising women protesters at the Jaffrabad metro station where the riots took place. The police said they have arrested two members -- Natasha and Devenagana -- for their involvement in the riots. During probe it was found that the far-Left women rights group mobilised locals in north-east Delhi. It was found that on February 22 evening Pinjra Tod members had mobilised local residents for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and directed them to gather at Jaffrabad metro station. "Anti-CAA protesters gathered at the metro station on February 22 night at 10 p.m. We thought they would gather at the old site at Seelampur service lane, which is around a kilometre away," sources said. A new set of protesters then came out and took shelter under the metro station. There were 500 women, children aged 5-6 years and 400 men. They came out of congested bylanes and gathered at the metro station. The core group consisted of outsiders. The police personnel deployed to remove them were outnumbered. "We had limited women personnel. Besides, there were orders from the High Court and Supreme Court over the right to protest. However, we did not allow tents at the site," said a police source. By February 23 morning, the crowd swelled to around 2,000. "We had limited staff. Pinjra Tod members were mobilising the crowd and locals supported them," said another source. Explaining the situation, sources said Delhi's North-East district is very congested. The area around Jaffrabad and Maujpur has a population of 80,000 people per sq km. Seeing the crowd swell at Jafrabad metro station, a kilometre away at Maujpur metro station, another community members also gathered and started a sit-in, saying would soon jam the entire stretch of Maujpur. It was here that BJP leader Kapil Mishra came and addressed the crowd and then left. The situation worsened and more people started gathering at both the places, leading to rioting. The police are also investigating the role of other members of Pinjra Tod. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) The fencing that separates the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve from the human habitation was damaged in at least three places as cyclone Amphan has ravaged West Bengal but there was no incident of big cats straying into localities, a top forest department official said. The control rooms in Gosaba in South 24 Parganas district and Salt Lake near here have not received any incident of tigers or other wild animals straying into adjacent villages in the past three days, Chief Wildlife Warden Ravikant Sinha told PTI. "There was no report of animal casualty in the core forest area or nearby villages during the cyclone," he said. Sinha said parts of the fencing were damaged in Kultali, Bidya, Sajnekhali areas and these affected points are being repaired on an urgent basis by field workers of the forest department. Lakhs of people were rendered homeless as the cyclone cut a path of destruction through half a dozen districts of West Bengal, including Kolkata, on Wednesday night, blowing away shanties, uprooting thousands of trees besides swamping low-lying areas. The death toll due to the natural calamity has risen to 85 in the state. Sinha said the Jharkhali camp, a gateway to the Sunderbans, a vast mangrove forest, was partially affected due to the cyclone, and the sluice gate, which regulates water flow to the camp from nearby creeks, has already been repaired. Asked about the image of the carcass of a tiger being circulated on social media, Sinha said, "It was not true. All the animals in different zoos and forests including the Sunderbans are safe." According to the latest tiger-census, the number of big cats in the Sunderbans Reserve Forest has increased to 96 from the previous estimate of 88. "Post-Amphan, the number will remain the same," he said. A fawn was born at the Jharkhali Deer Park on the day of storm and this is good news, he said. Meanwhile, Alipore Zoo director Asis Samanta said a total of 35 trees were uprooted in the zoo during the cyclone and the work are being carried out at war footing to clear the area. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the zoo remains closed since March 17. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Singapore: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong underwent a precautionary checkup tonight after he took ill while delivering his National Day Rally speech. Television footage showed the 64-year-old leader, the son of late founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, being assisted off the stage, shocking his live television audience. PM Lee took ill while speaking at the National Day Rally. The medical team is attending to him right now. They assess that his condition is not serious, his office said in a statement. Ive never had so many doctors look at me all at once. They think Im all right but Im going to have a full check-up after this, Lee said. Media reports cited Member of Parliament Chia Shi-Lu posting on Facebook that Lee was having a precautionary check-up. The Prime Minister's Office said Lee was feeling unsteady because of prolonged standing, heat and dehydration during the rally speech. His heart is fine and he did not have a stroke, said the PMO. Lee took a short rest and resumed the rally. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Manual worker talking with supervisor inside factory warehouse. Credit: Getty. Employers will be expected to pay up to 30% of furloughed wages from August, in new plans drawn up by the government. The Treasury will be asking businesses to cover 20% to 30% of people's wages in the job retention scheme, according to a report in The Times. The initiative was extended by four months on 12 May in a bid to prop up the UK economy during the coronavirus pandemic. The Treasury has drawn up plans that would require employers to cover between 20% and 30% of peoples wages, The Times reported. They would also be required to cover the cost of employers national insurance contributions, on average 5% of wages. READ MORE: Chancellor warns of 'severe recession' and 'more hardship to come' as unemployment spikes Chancellor Rishi Sunak declined to comment on the report but is expected to announce the changes next week. He previously said the furlough scheme would be in place until at least October with companies asked to "share" the cost from the start of August. The support package pays 80% of a worker's salary, up to a maximum of 2,500 ($3,041.92) a month. It currently supports 7.5 million UK jobs but the chancellor said earlier this month that he was preparing to "wean" employees and business off the programme before the nation became "addicted" to it. Sunak said on Friday that Britain was facing a very serious economic crisis and jobs would be lost in the days, weeks and months to come. Activists say Beijings ban on activity considered subversive signals the end of autonomy and have called for demonstrations. Hong Kongs authorities are braced for protests this weekend after China announced plans to impose a new security law on the city. It would ban activity Beijing considers subversive. Activists say the law signals the end of autonomy and have called for demonstrations. Al Jazeeras Adrian Brown reports. BUIKWE A salt processing factory has opened up in Lugazi town council, Buikwe district, with its managers saying that it will save the country high costs of importing the product. The Managing Director of Kampala Salt Factory, Mr. Alok R.Kala, said the factory has a production capacity of 16,000 tonnes which will go up with time. He said putting up the factory currently employs 100 people but that they will employ 300 at full capacity production. I developed the idea of setting up a factory here after realizing that there was a lot of dollars being spent on imported salt, he said. Mr Kala also said they are currently faced with a problem of raw materials, which are imported. Speaking at the commissioning of the salt factory on Saturday, May 23, State minister for Finance in charge of privatisation and investment Evelyn Anite said the factory will boost local production and reduce on the import bills. According to Minister Anite, Uganda imported 177,178 tons of salt and saw an expenditure of about $25 million on imported salt in 2019. Ms. Anite said Ugandans have been buying salt at Shs2000 but since the factory has been put in place the prices will reduce to Shs500 and definitely to Shs300. She asked the factory owners to mainly recruit locals. The minister also advised them to use the raw materials from Katwe and should only aim at adding value than importing raw materials that are expensive. Ms Anite has asked Ugandan businessmen to Change to manufacturing saying its the only way to avoid a situation where they cant do business like it is during the COVID 19. The situation should teach our importers a lesson for them to change to manufacturing so that to remain in business during such difficult times, she said. Related An advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers by Delhi government stoked a controversy on Saturday after it referred the people of Sikkim as 'subject' along with those from Bhutan and Nepal New Delhi: An advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers by the Delhi government stoked a controversy on Saturday after it referred the people of Sikkim as "subject" along with those from Bhutan and Nepal, prompting the BJP and Congress to launch a scathing attack on the AAP dispensation. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal suspended a senior official responsible for the "error" in the advertisement. A senior officer of Directorate of Civil Defence (HQ) has been suspended with immediate effect for publishing an Advertisement which disrespects the territorial integrity of India by making incorrect reference to Sikkim on the same lines as some neighbouring countries, he tweeted. Zero tolerance for such gross misconduct! Direction has also been given immediately to withdraw the offensive advertisement, he said in another tweet. The advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers published in newspapers on Saturday mentioned under eligibility criteria "Citizen of India or a subject of Sikkim or of Bhutan or of Nepal and a resident of Delhi". A senior staff officer of Civil Defence (headquarter) has been suspended with immediate effect, a Delhi government functionary said. "The official in-charge for the advertisement without applying his mind copy pasted the eligibility criterion from the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968 (amended in 1971 and 1973) issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, for recruitment to the Civil Defence Corps," he said. Reacting to the controversy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, Sikkim is an integral part of India. Such errors also cannot be tolerated. Advertisement has been withdrawn and action taken against the officer concerned. The Sikkim government also took exception to the advertisement. "This is immensely hurtful to the people of Sikkim who take pride in being the citizens of our great country ever since it became the 22nd state of Indian Union on May 16, 1975," Sikkim Chief Secretary SC Gupta said in a terse letter to his Delhi counterpart Vijay Kumar Dev. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang also condemned the advertisement and said it was "regrettable, objectionable and harmful" to the federal structure of India. "I am deeply hurt by an advertisement published by the Government of Delhi terming the people of Sikkim as different citizen equated with Nepal and Bhutan," he said in a Facebook post. Meanwhile the opposition tore into the AAP-led city government for calling Sikkim an independent country". Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari slammed the government for the serious lapse . "The Delhi government advertisement shows Sikkim as a country. Can a state government be so ignorant that it shows a state of India as another country? Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should answer to the people for this serious lapse, he said. Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar also took a dig at the dispensation over the issue. "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is so busy in publicity that he does not know if Sikkim is a part of India. Let me remind him, Sikkim is a part of India," he tweeted. The ruling AAP, however, hit out at the opposition by accusing the BJP and Congress leaders of doing "petty politics", saying the advertisement followed MHA guidelines. "At this difficult time when the Delhi government is trying to work together with other governments, the BJP and Congress leaders are busy in petty politics. The Delhi government clearly follows the MHA guidelines. AAP appeals to rise above the politics and work for the people," the party tweeted. BJP's Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri too demanded a reply from the chief minister regarding the advertisement. Bidhuri, in a letter to Kejriwal, said he was saddened to see the advertisement issued by the Delhi government in various newspapers in which Sikkim was presented as a "separate country" along with Nepal and Bhutan. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor demanded an apology from Kejriwal over the issue. "My father Shankar Kapoor, Joint Secretary MHA, on behalf of the Government of India had signed the document of Sikkim's merger into India," he said. Arvind Kejriwal should apologise to the people of the country, especially of Sikkim, whom his government has hurt, Kapoor added. Sikkim became an Indian state in 1975. Most of the questions people were raising were about irrigation water. Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said this live on his Facebook page Saturday, summing up his visit to Ararat Province. "I believe if those issues are solved or were solved, it is the same; it will not solve the problem, because one year the harvest will be more than it should be, as a result, the price of the harvest will fall, one year it will be less. I still hold my opinion that the solution is a change of mindset," he added. According to the Prime Minister, it is possible to cultivate ten times more land and get ten times more crops with the available water. "The culture of land cultivation in our country must change, because with this culture it is impossible to see to it that it enriches the farmers. I pass by and look at the trees, and the appearance of most of them says that this tree will not bring income. Every year, the modern farmer thinks not to see how much harvest there will be, but plans. In modern agricultural conditions, the harvest does not depend on the weather, the harvest does not depend on other factors, but depends on the planning," he said. Pashinyan said that it is necessary to switch to modern agricultural technologies. "We have only three problems in agriculture; the first is knowledge, the second is knowledge, the third is knowledge," he said. Pashinyan added that his visit today further strengthened his aforesaid observation, and that he was pleased to note that many farmers accept this. We wont see scenes like this in the summer of 2020 after radical changes to the Leaving Certificate. A Rush secondary school principal has spoken of her students' relief over the cancellation of this year's Leaving Certificate exams, and how the Minister for Education's decision on May 8 has finally ended weeks of speculation and uncertainty. Welcoming the Minister's announcement, Ms Patricia Hayden, Principal at St Joseph's Secondary School in Rush, spoke recently of how the decision offered closure for her Leaving Cert students: 'I suppose it's a cancellation really, I know there's a postponement element but I think it's the only practical solution in a situation where it was interminable plans which may not have come to fruition, and the students had no guarantee that on the 29th of July that public health would have allowed them to have progress the exams. 'The situation was extremely stressful for the students, and actually the teachers have been really doing their best, nobody wanted to say look, we have to stop this at some point, because obviously it's such a high stakes exam.' She said: 'The reality was, there's only so much you can keep doing when the students themselves were finding it so difficult to just keep going, and you'd have to ask yourself the problems that would have arisen in the practicalities of actually trying to hold the exams safely. I don't think it could have been done.' Under the Minister's instructions, students will now receive 'calculated grades' while retaining the right to sit the Leaving Cert at a later date if they are unhappy with those grades. Despite reservations expressed by educators, Ms Hayden welcomed 'calculated grades' as a method of assessing students' learning, which she said would finally allow them to 'move onto the next stage in their lives'. She said: 'I think that this is the best thing that could have happened, I think this will bring an end and I think about 80% of students will be very happy with this. They are very happy and we know that already, and there was relief all around. 'There will be a few students who have really, really worked and have a very fixed goal who will feel that they didn't get to run the race kind of thing, but I think calculated grades have allowed students to move to the next stage of their lives. It is a system that has a lot of checks and balances and it also allows a lot of freedom for students to appeal if necessary.' The Rush principal concluded: 'We had an assembly for students yesterday, and they're relieved and their parents are relieved. The time-line is tight for us to turn everything around. There's a lot of data, when you put it all on a spreadsheet, I think we have 104 students and eight subjects it's a lot of data to compile, and I hope we will get more guidance from the department shortly in relation to the detail.' Senator Bernie Sanders political team has asked some of his delegates to sign an agreement preventing them from criticizing Democratic Party leaders on social media, including the presumptive presidential candidate Joe Biden, or talking to reporters without approval. The rules for Sanders delegates to this summers Democratic convention, which were leaked to the Washington Post, include a social media policy, a nondisclosure agreement and a delegate code of conduct. Sanders and Biden Delegates were told that they are expected to follow the guidelines, and that failure to do so may result in disciplinary action, including but not limited to your removal from the delegation. The orders, five pages long, are designed to stifle any opposition to the Democratic presidential nominee and prevent any exposure of divisions within the party. The most significant and controversial rule explicitly prohibits delegates from criticizing the Biden campaign. It reads: Refrain from making negative statements about other candidates, party leaders, Campaigns, Campaign staffers, supporters, news organizations or journalists. Instead, delegates are encouraged to share campaign-approved content. The document continues: If a member of the media contacts you about a posting of any kind: do not respond. Delegates are instructed to refer all inquiries to the Sanders press office. In one particularly ominous passage the document advises delegates to think twice about posting anything controversial: Before tweeting or posting from your personal social media accounts, ask yourself these questions: If this appeared on the front page of The New York Times, would it compromise Bernie Sanderss message, credibility, or reputation? Could it potentially risk your standing as a delegate? The move to suppress free speech among his delegates marks a new low for Sanders and further exposes his fraudulent political revolution. The essential function of the Sanders campaign has, since its beginning in 2015, been to contain mass opposition among workers and youth to the entire political establishment, Democratic and Republican, and funnel it back into the Democratic Party. At the onset of both of his presidential bids, Sanders won support among sections of workers and youth on the basis of his class appeal. He regularly railed against the billionaire class and insisted that workers had basic human rights such as health care. He made lofty claims and promises to his followers regarding the purpose of his campaign. In his 2016 book, Our Revolution: A Future to Believe, he wrote that his campaign was never just about electing a president of the United States but rather it was about transforming America. What has been the actual outcome of the Sanders experience? In 2016, Sanders worked to channel support behind Hillary Clinton, the widely despised candidate of Wall Street and the CIA, providing Donald Trump with the opportunity to posture as the only candidate opposed to the status quo. Sanders, who had obtained the votes of 13 million youth and workers in the Democratic primaries, endorsed Clinton and actively campaigned for her. On the eve of the Democratic National Convention, he berated his own delegates for not supporting Clinton. Amid boos, Sanders scolded a section of supporters, admonishing them that this is the real world we live in, i.e., the real world of capitalism and the capitalist two-party system. The next evening Sanders rose from the floor of the convention to motivate the nomination of Clinton by acclamation. Despite Sanders efforts to whip up support for Clinton, many of his supporters remained vehemently opposed to her campaign. Democratic Party leaders, including Clinton herself, largely blamed her 2016 loss to Donald Trump on Sanders, accusing him of delaying his withdrawal from the primary race and refusing to rein in his dissident supporters. Now, under conditions of a combined public health and economic-social-political crisis of the capitalist system without precedent in American history, Sanders is pulling out all the stops in his defense of the capitalist status quo. Even before the coronavirus outbreak, the United States had been in the grips of an escalating crisis of capitalist rule, with the Democratic impeachment drive and Trumps open incitement of fascistic forces coinciding with an upsurge of working class strikes and protests on a scale unseen for decades. This is what has driven Sanders even further and more openly to the right, and dictated his naked effort to police and muzzle left-wing opposition to Biden. Since ending his second bid for the presidency last month, Sanders has carried out an aggressive campaign to browbeat his supporters into backing Biden. Sanders and Biden have gone to great lengths to promote party unity under the explosive social and political conditions of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The unity campaign started with Sanders groveling endorsement of Biden, in which he made no criticisms and placed no demands on the Biden campaign. This was followed by an interview with the Associated Press in which he slandered as irresponsible any of his supporters who failed to campaign for Biden. Former top advisors to the Sanders campaign moved quickly to launch a new super PAC, Future to Believe In, to direct resources to electing Biden. Biden and Sanders established phony task forces composed of leading members of their respective campaigns to promote party unity ahead of the Democratic convention. This included a friendly agreement over the number of delegates Sanders would be permitted to keep for the convention. The idea was to create the illusion that Sanders supporters had representation and could push the veteran right-wing political operative Biden to the left. Sanders silencing of delegates with threats of removal proves all the more clearly the purely ornamental character of the delegate deal and his role more broadly. Sanders is well aware that Biden, who personifies the Democratic Party as a party of Wall Street and the military, has no intention of adopting any of his mildly reformist policies. When asked in an interview Friday morning if he would govern as an economic progressive, Biden evaded the question, saying, I have a record of over 40 years, and Im going to be Joe Biden. Look at my record. Even the most superficial look at Bidens record reveals a nearly fifty-year history of servitude to big business, including his role in the Wall Street bailout, the expansion of war in the Middle East and austerity against the working class during the Obama administration. If elected, Biden will carry out a pro-corporate domestic policy and a violently militarist foreign policy. The coming together of Sanders and the Biden campaign underscores the fraud of Sanders central claim: that the Democratic Party, the oldest capitalist party in the world, can be transformed into an instrument of progressive change. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the Democrats, including Sanders, have voted unanimously for the CARES Act multi-trillion-dollar bailout of Wall Street, and are now working with Trump to force workers back to work under unsafe conditions even as the pandemic continues to spread. They are implementing the back-to-work drive knowing full well that it will lead to the deaths of tens and perhaps hundreds of thousands of people. Sanders actions have fully confirmed the analysis made by the World Socialist Web Site at the outset of his first campaign in 2015 that he is a capitalist politician seeking to corral opposition behind the Democratic Party and its policy of war and social reaction. Nothing remains of the Sanders campaign except hollow slogans and deceitful phrases. NASA gave the green light on Friday to next week's launch of two astronauts aboard a SpaceX vessel -- the first crewed space flight from US soil in nine years and a crucial step towards ending American dependence on Russian rockets. Top officials at the US space agency and Elon Musk's company had been meeting since Thursday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for final checks of the Crew Dragon space capsule ahead of its maiden May 27 crewed mission. "At the end we got to a go," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine told reporters by video of the meticulous Flight Readiness Review, which provided the go-ahead. US astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley are scheduled to blast off from Kennedy's historic Launch Pad 39A at 4:33 pm (2033 GMT) on Wednesday for the International Space Station, arriving the next day. Asked about going ahead with the mission in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Behnken told reporters: "Where there's a will, there's a way." Behnken and Hurley have been in strict quarantine since May 13 because of the pandemic, but they said their actual isolation began as far back as mid-March. "We have been in quarantine probably longer than any other space crew has ever been in the history of the space program," Hurley said. He said he and Behnken have been tested twice so far for COVID-19 and "rumor has it we might be tested again before we go." American astronauts have been flying to the ISS, which currently houses two Russians and one American, on Russian rockets since the US space shuttle program was shelved in 2011 after three decades of service. Should the SpaceX mission succeed, the United States will have achieved its goal of no longer having to buy seats on Russian Soyuz rockets to send astronauts to the ISS, which has been occupied by US and Russian astronauts since 2000. 'Embarrassing' - NASA has awarded contracts worth 3.1 billion dollars to SpaceX and 4.9 billion dollars to Boeing in a bid to give the US independent access to space once again. The original target for crewed flights replacing the shuttle was 2015, a hiatus that the late Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, once described as "embarrassing." Behnken and Hurley have been training for five years on the Crew Dragon capsule, which features touchscreens as opposed to the switches and buttons of the Apollo capsules of the 1960s. Unlike the space shuttle -- which suffered two fatal accidents -- the SpaceX capsule includes an emergency escape system in the event there is a problem after liftoff. At the end of the mission, which is expected to last several months, Crew Dragon will splash down in the ocean like the Apollo capsules did, slowed down by four enormous parachutes. SpaceX and Boeing are being called upon to carry out six crewed voyages each to the ISS over the next few years. If next week's Crew Dragon mission -- baptized Demo-2 -- is successful SpaceX will be the first private company ever to deliver astronauts to the ISS. Demo-1 was a flight conducted successfully in March 2019 with a mannequin aboard. Boeing conducted an uncrewed test flight of its capsule, known as Starliner, in December but it suffered multiple glitches. US-Russia cooperation is not expected to end once Crew Dragon goes into service. NASA plans to use Soyuz rockets to send some astronauts into space. SpaceX will also provide flights to non-American astronauts and Musk's company wants to eventually send tourists into space. A private three-passenger mission is planned for the second half of 2021 with tickets expected to run in the tens of millions of dollars. 23.05.2020 LISTEN The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established in the 3rd Quarter of the Year 2000, under the Act No.6 of the National Assembly which provides for the repeal of the defunct Oil Mineral Producing Areas Commission Decree 1998. This bold move was geared towards a re-organized management structure for an effective Commission by the Federal Government, in favour of the Oil producing areas of the Nigeria, otherwise referred to as the Niger Delta region. The agitation for resource control by the Niger Delta region which has resulted in the 13 percent derivation fund, paid directly to the Niger Delta States, is obviously not commensurate to tackle the ecological challenges and environmental degradation which is the Siamese twins of oil exploration. The NDDC was therefore envisioned to stand in the gap, as a direct presence of the Federal Government in the region. After 19 years of the establishment of NDDC, it is worrisome, that the vision of the founding fathers has remained far-fetched, rather, the Commission became a prisoner of sorts, to vested interests who had turned it into an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM). The annual budget of NDDC, which runs into billions of Naira has not made deeply felt impact in the lives of the people of the region. It turns out that a few people have become billionaires by constantly calling the shots in the Commission. Nobody dares ask any questions, else, one would have dared to ask how NDDC awards contracts for the supply of desks and chairs, to schools in the region, to the same contractor, at over N3bn annually. There is evidence that this annual contract is never executed. Rather, the contractor delivers a couple of desks and chairs to his own warehouse, and uses same to service similar contracts from State Governments in the Niger Delta region. The rot in the Commission had eaten to deep that despite billions of Naira allocated to meaningful projects, only activities like Training, "Desilting", "Solar Power" and Workshop get quick attention, and gulp huge sums of money, like the N6.4 billion that generated controversy, sometime ago. The IMC of NDDC reportedly received a request for payment of some phantom skills acquisition programme, to the tune of N3.842bn, representing about 60 percent of the total sum of N6.404bn. The refusal of the IMC to honour such spurious request, it is believed, is partly the reason for the numerous petitions and "sudden" probe. President Mohammadu Buhari chose to rejig the Commission after several scandals and petitions bothering on fraud, but decided that it will be worthwhile to know the history of funding of the Commission, so as to chart a course for the future. This resulted in the Forensic Audit of the 19 years of the Commission, which, of course, includes the first 4 years of the Buhari administration. No sooner had the Audit began, than fireworks rented the air, in the guise of petitions. A barrage of petition has inundated the Presidency, all in an attempt to stop the audit. When it seemed like the petition wouldnt yield the desired result, the sponsors of the faceless group of petitioners resorted to using another arm of the Government, to stop the President. This time, they resorted to the National Assembly! It may sound funny, but how come the National Assembly wants to probe, as a matter of urgency, the Prof. Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei led Interim Management Committee (IMC), charged by the President to run the affairs of the Commission during the period of the Forensic Audit? One would have expected that any lapses stemming from the audit, would be addressed upon completion of the audit but the haste to initiate an audit of the supervisors of the Audut looms a garb of a well-conceived distraction attempt. Obviously, the forensic audit will expose contract padding and duplication, multiple contracts by selected folder companies, shady and underhand dealings of colluding Civil Servants, including those who resort to petitions when affected by routine transfer, from the juicy Headquarters among other anomalies. It appears that the bold move by the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio to usher in a new lease of life at the Harold Dappa Biriye building, Headquarters of the NDDC, by redeploying some of the old hands there, meant a threat of extinction to those who have, over the years, made brisk business with those contacts. The uproar that trailed the transfer is not ordinary. The outcry has dwarfed that of a baby hastily withdrawn from the mothers breast! It is important to note, at this juncture, that the Civil Servants are just small fishes, in the big river of things happening in NDDC. They are, though, indispensable in the happenings, but small fishes, nonetheless. It is alleged in some quarters that the major clog in the wheels of progress of the Niger Delta region are those in whose hands it is to create the enabling laws for the success of the NDDC. And as an Ex-lawmaker, Sen. Akpabio is obviously bringing to bear, his wealth of experience in the National Assembly, which only complements his experience as an Ex- Governor of a critical oil producing state in Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State. No wonder he quickly cancelled the consultancy contracts for the collection of statutory payments of 3 percent of the annual budget of oil companies in the region. These contracts which were being handled by Candour Capital Limited as well as Starline, was a huge surge pipe for siphoning billions of naira accruing to the NDDC, which was paid to these contractors as their commission. The companies are believed to be owned by former and serving Legislators, Politicians, albeit through fronts. The cancellation of these contracts certainly unsettled the real owners of the companies, and so, the move to probe the IMC, while they are yet to complete their 19 years audit, needs no further explanation. It is what it is; a distraction! Apart from these consultancy contracts, most of these legislators, especially those heading the various Committees on NDDC and Niger Delta, in the National Assembly, allegedly have several funny contracts, to their name, most of which are fully paid for, but never executed. A certain Senator from Delta state and a House of Reps member from Ondo state were fingered in this regard. Yet these contacts are an annual feature in the budget of the Commission. These are among the various infractions in the Commission that the forensic audit was meant to unravel. Again, it is worrisome that the NDDC, has after 19 years, not been able to complete her Headquarters complex, in Rivers state. Thus, NDDC, has remained a tenant, at the Harold Dappa Biriye House, where they were paying a whooping N300m annually, even when evidence shows that the building was a donation by the Rivers State Government under Dr Peter Odili, a decision that is yet to be rescinded! It is a matter of probe for the Forensic Auditors to ascertain who is fraudulently collecting this money. This amount, ordinarily, should be a reason to hasten the completion of the Headquarters, to stop the bleeding of scarce resources, but how can that be when there are people gladly fishing in the troubled waters? This is also the situation in most state offices of the NDDC. The Imo State office of the Commission, for example, which is located along Owerri-Port Harcourt road, near the Appeal Court Complex, has not seen any activity in years. It was abandoned on the first floor. Who knows if checks may reveal that provision is made in the annual budget of the Commission for this project. This piece should not be misconstrued as an attempt to shield the IMC from probe. No! The IMC is peopled by equally falling humans, who must, by nature, have their flaws. It therefore means that theyre not foolproof. But it is only reasonable to allow them complete the very daunting task of a holistic audit of the Commission, after which their own tenure will be scrutinized. This will ensure that there is no compromise and that the very wonderful idea of a forensic audit is not botched. To this end, the various studs thrown at the IMC, only gives one primary indication; some people are definitely not comfortable with the reality of a forensic audit. So, who is afraid of the probe? Is it the IMC that has spent only 6 months in office? What harm would have been dobe in 6 months, that 'urgently' needs to be addressed, so urgently, that the forensic audit of 19 years should be thrown under the bus? Is it possible that the 6 months old IMC has seen more funds, in a COVID-19 era of crashed oil prices, than the last 19 years, some of which were an era oil boom? One can easily deduce that someone, somewhere is dead-scared of the outcome of the NDDC Forensic Audit, and can do anything to make sure it does not succeed. These faceless enemies of the region must be stopped and the Forensic Audit concluded in record time, for the benefit of the beleaguered people of the Niger Delta region. It is no gainsaying that Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the IMC need the support of all the Niger Deltans, at this time, to help stop the NDDC cabal that has taken into their custody the collective patrimony of the people of the region. President Muhammadu Buhari must not allow himself to be misled into endorsing such an attempt at undermining his good intentions to sanitize the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and by implication, the Niger Delta region. Francis Udoka Ndimkoha, National Publicity Secretary/ Imo State Coordinator, Citizens Quest For Truth Initiative, writes from Owerri. Email: [email protected] It looks like Raymond Industrial Limited (HKG:229) is about to go ex-dividend in the next 3 days. You can purchase shares before the 26th of May in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 9th of June. Raymond Industrial's next dividend payment will be HK$0.04 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed HK$0.06 to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Raymond Industrial has a trailing yield of 7.3% on the current share price of HK$0.82. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! As a result, readers should always check whether Raymond Industrial has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut. Check out our latest analysis for Raymond Industrial Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. It paid out 89% of its earnings as dividends last year, which is not unreasonable, but limits reinvestment in the business and leaves the dividend vulnerable to a business downturn. It could become a concern if earnings started to decline. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. Thankfully its dividend payments took up just 40% of the free cash flow it generated, which is a comfortable payout ratio. It's positive to see that Raymond Industrial's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut. Click here to see how much of its profit Raymond Industrial paid out over the last 12 months. SEHK:229 Historical Dividend Yield May 22nd 2020 Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing? Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it's easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. This is why it's a relief to see Raymond Industrial earnings per share are up 2.3% per annum over the last five years. A payout ratio of 89% looks like a tacit signal from management that reinvestment opportunities in the business are low. In line with limited earnings growth in recent years, this is not the most appealing combination. Story continues The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Raymond Industrial has delivered 4.1% dividend growth per year on average over the past ten years. It's encouraging to see the company lifting dividends while earnings are growing, suggesting at least some corporate interest in rewarding shareholders. The Bottom Line Has Raymond Industrial got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? While earnings per share growth has been modest, Raymond Industrial's dividend payouts are around an average level; without a sharp change in earnings we feel that the dividend is likely somewhat sustainable. Pleasingly the company paid out a conservatively low percentage of its free cash flow. It might be worth researching if the company is reinvesting in growth projects that could grow earnings and dividends in the future, but for now we're not all that optimistic on its dividend prospects. With that in mind, a critical part of thorough stock research is being aware of any risks that stock currently faces. For example, we've found 1 warning sign for Raymond Industrial that we recommend you consider before investing in the business. If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. - Christopher Omare and Michael Otachi had argued they had title to ownership of the programme which enables customers to obtain emergency air time credit - The two said they forwarded their proposal to the company in 2006 but the telco did not respond until March 2009 when they launched a product called Okoa Jahazi - Safaricom through the evidence of Daniel Ndaba a principal in house counsel argued that prior to receiving the proposal, they had knowledge of the concept - Justice Mary Kasango dismissed their claim stating the duo failed to specify how Safaricom infringed on their copyright Giant telecommunications company Safaricom has won the fight for Okoa Jahazi rights after the High Court dismissed a copyright infringement suit by two men. Justice Mary Kasango dismissed the claim by Christopher Omare and Michael Otachi, stating the duo failed to specify how Safaricom infringed on their copyright. READ ALSO: My grandmother would get more votes than Kindiki - Mutahi Ngunyi Safaricom launched the Okoa Jahazi product in March 2009. Photo: Wikipedia. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Uhuru cautions Jubilee MPs against launching impeachment motion against William Ruto According to the ruling seen by TUKO.co.ke, the judge said the concept presented by the plaintiffs was too general and was not original as claimed. "The plaintiffs proposal is so general that even if the defendant took that general idea they cannot be said to have infringed. It simply states that mobile subscribers can be given emergency airtime, by the mobile services provider which would then give the mobile provider a return. Apart from these general statements the proposals bears no other details of how that concept could be worked out," part of the ruling read. Justice Mary Kasango said the concept presented by the plaintiffs was too general and was not original as claimed. Photo: Business Daily. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Mwili wa mwanamke wapatikana umetupwa kando ya mto Kasongo noted the concept had been applied in Lesotho before as confirmed by the petitioners. "The plaintiffs claim is therefore to be rejected for lack of originality in that the plaintiff knew of the concept being used in Lesotho. The question that the plaintiff did not address is how much of Lesothos concept the plaintiff copied in the proposal," she said. Omare and Otachi had argued they had title to ownership of a mobile telephone programme which would enable a subscriber to the mobile network to obtain emergency air time credit in Kenya shillings. READ ALSO: Battle of learned friends: Orengo, Murkomen tear into each other's academic prowess during Kindiki's ouster motion They called it emergency credit service (ECS and its purpose was to provide emergency credit air time to subscribers who might have been travelling and run out of air time, were in an area where airtime cannot be obtained or those who might not wish to buy in available outlets credit for as little as KSh 50 or KSh 100. The two said they forwarded their proposal to the company in 2006 but the telco did not respond until March 2009 when they launched a product called Okoa Jahazi. Safaricom however, through the evidence of Daniel Ndaba a principal in house counsel of the defendant, argued that prior to receiving the proposal, they had in its possession and knowledge the concept by virtue of learning about it from Vodafone operators. 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 Our locally made PPEs are of better quality than the imported ones - CS Mutahi Kagwe | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke Fox News legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano says that President Donald Trump has no legal authority to override governors who decide not to allow religious gatherings for safety and health concerns. Napolitano was responding on Friday to Trumps demand that houses of worship, which he declared are providing essential services, open right now. Trump added: I will override the governors if they refuse to allow it. Does he have the power to do that? Fox News host Dana Perino asked Napolitano. In a word, no, said Napolitano. As ill-advised as these gubernatorial orders are, as essential as is the right to worship, as fundamental as it is, as absolutely protected by the First Amendment as it is, the president does not have any authority to override the governors. The president on his own, no matter well intended he may be and I believe hes well intended here is without authority to do that, Napolitano added. Trump could, however, dispatch the Department of Justice to file lawsuits challenging states where a judge could override the governors. Napolitano said Trumps threat alone is enough to appeal to the presidents base. TRUMP: "Some governors have deemed liquor stores & abortion clinics essential, but have left out churches ... it's not right. So I am correcting this injustice & am calling houses of worship essential. I call upon governors to allow churches & places of worship to open right now" pic.twitter.com/e0VU8XeLEm Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2020 Sources told Politico that Trump demanded that houses of worship reopen because of slipping poll numbers among white evangelicals and white Catholics, who have been crucial backers. Check out Napolitanos comments in the video above. Continue reading on HuffPost US President Donald Trump has consistently disregarded coronavirus guidelines that one should follow to safeguard themselves from the deadly disease of Covid-19, the spread of which has killed nearly 1 lakh people in his country alone. Trump has also constantly been vocal against the lockdown restrictions in his country, social distancing be damned. To make matters worse, Trump faced flak for saying disinfections could be injected inside people's bodies to fight COVID-19. Only later did he admit he was being "sarcastic". More recently, Trump admitted to popping hydroxychloroquine pills to stay away from the deadly infection, despite medical warnings about the use of the malaria drug. On Thursday, Trump travelled to the crucial US election battleground state of Michigan to visit a Ford Motor Co plant amid tensions with its Democratic governor during the coronavirus pandemic, opting not to wear a protective face mask for the cameras. The US president did not "wear" a mask during any of his public events at the plant in the city of Ypsilanti even though Ford on Tuesday reiterated its policy that all visitors must wear them. Surrounded by Ford executives wearing masks, Trump told reporters he had put one on out of the view of cameras. "I had one on before. I wore one in the back area. I didn't want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it," Trump said. When asked if Trump was told it was acceptable not to wear a mask in the plant, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford said, "It's up to him." Just a few days ago, a research paper suggested that men are less likely to wear a face-mask since they view it as 'a sign of weakness.' The study, which was authored by researchers from Middlesex University London in the UK and the Mathematical Science Research Institute in Berkeley, California, found that mandatory face coverings has a larger effect on men than on women. The study also found how men in the US had less intention of wearing a face cover than women, especially especially in counties that dont make face-masks compulsory. So, who's even surprised that Trump doesn't want to be spotted wearing a mask? "Honestly I think I look better in a mask," Trump added jokingly But the photos floating around on the Internet tell a different story. Trump briefly wore a mask complete with a presidential seal on it during his Ford visit but avoided being seen in one in front of the cameras or media. Trump wore a mask at Ford briefly when he thought media wasnt watching. He didnt want to give media the satisfaction of seeing him in a mask. But the media won. Again. Trump would hate for this picture to get RT'd... pic.twitter.com/KabFwfsEOn Toure (@Toure) May 22, 2020 Trump in a mask! A win for America. #FocusOnTheTrumpDeathToll100K pic.twitter.com/hYhov3HbwV Scott Dworkin (@funder) May 22, 2020 Trump refused to wear a mask when cameras were around because he didnt want images to get out. I cant believe people are posting them anyway, especially when they know how much he hates it. #FocusOnTheTrumpDeathToll100K pic.twitter.com/nbo8PMGERR W Smith Prez Dumbass Is Dangerously Insane (@WesSmith123) May 22, 2020 Trump didn't want press to see him wearing a mask but someone took a picture anyway I'd hate to see this go viral#TrumpWearingMask pic.twitter.com/6yHhTRfIce Stone (@stonecold2050) May 22, 2020 In a back room. Away from the media. Bc @realDonaldTrump didnt want his cultists to see him weak & hypocritically wearing a mask. So please DO NOT retweet this bc itll only anger him & cause him more embarrassment w/his rapidly-declining brainwashed base...#Trump #Ford pic.twitter.com/geV6N6bUlj Andy Ostroy (@AndyOstroy) May 22, 2020 Are the photos "fake news"? Not really. The President himself clarified in one of his tweets later. Delhi recorded 23 more deaths due to Covid-19 on Saturday, taking the death toll from viral infections in the city to 231, according to the daily official health bulletin. Of the total deaths, 158 were recorded in the past 12 days, after a three-member death audit committee started clearing the backlog of deaths that hadnt been added to the cumulative report. An order issued by Delhi chief secretary Vijay Dev on May 10 had directed all designated Covid-19 hospitals to report deaths by 5pm each day to ensure timely reporting. This was done after a discrepancy was detected between cumulative data and deaths recorded at the hospitals. The additional deaths put the mortality rate due to Covid-19 in Delhi at almost 1.8%, up from 1% recorded on May 11, before the pending deaths were added to the bulletin. The mortality rate is still lower than the national average of almost 3%. On Saturday, Delhi recorded 591 new infections, taking the total to 12,910. The number of cases have been steadily increasingly in May, with the city recording more than 500 cases a day for the past five days. Even as Delhi is recording a high number of cases, the doubling rate an indicator of the pace of spread of infections -- has gone up to almost 15 days. We will be comfortable when the doubling rate goes up to 20 days, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain had earlier told a news briefing. Of the 6,412 people still with the infection, 1,886 with severe symptoms were admitted to designated Covid-19 hospitals. A total of 184 people are in intensive care units and 27 people are on ventilators. The numbers would certainly go up now that the lockdown has been eased. There are so many asymptomatic cases, how will you stop the infections? The numbers would increase further as migrant workers reach their home towns, and after the two-week incubation, said Shobha Broor, former head of the department of microbiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). However, what the numbers would look like, I do not know. None of the mathematical models have so far been able to predict the rise in cases accurately. Plus, we say 80% of cases are asymptomatic but we havent really done any serological studies to estimate the burden of the disease so far. We have to do antibody tests in selected cohorts, both in high burden and low burden areas, to find out the number of asymptomatic cases, said Broor. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Coronavirus looking disinfectant robots have been deployed in a containment zone in Chennai to sanitize the worst-affected parts in the city. According to reports, the robots are a prototype and the builders are working on a better design. The robots are designed to store 30 litres of disinfectant and it was installed on a green three-wheeler auto-rickshaw that was deployed in the area. Read: WATCH: Chennai 'Corona Helmet' Cop Turns Gladiator; Adds Corona Mace And Shield The pictures of the disinfectant robots were shared on social media by news agency ANI. Designer Gowtham while talking to the press said that they are working on a better design of the robots and the ones deployed are just prototypes. Tamil Nadu: Coronavirus shaped robots were deployed in a containment zone in Chennai to sanitize the area. Gowtham, designer of the robots says, "It can store around 30 litres of disinfectant. This is a prototype, we are building better ones". (20.05.2020) pic.twitter.com/BeZdx3HZgg ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2020 Read: Now, Tamil Nadu To Introduce Robots To The Coronavirus Fight; Here's What Zafi Will Do Policeman wears corona helmet Last month, a police officer wore a corona helmet and carried a corona strick and a shield to spread awareness about the dangers of the disease. He was seen going close to the people with the stick and urging them to maintain social distancing even if they have to venture out for essential needs. Many hospitals in India are also looking up to robots to help contain the virus spread. Hospitals are deploying robots to avoid physical contact with patients as much as possible. They are using robots to deliver food, conduct health checks, etc. Read: 'Hero' Robots Helping Medical Staff Fight Coronavirus Pandemic Across The World Read: From Drones For Sanitising To Robots In Isolation Wards: How India Is Fighting Coronavirus Anti-Semitism enabled the Nazis to exploit a centuries-old and ever-present hatred and use it to undermine governments and recruit fifth columns. And to augment Germanys massive rearmament, they now had the means to communicate through radio, newsreels and the telephone, as well as use railways and roadways to transport their victims. All that was left was the failure of politics and diplomacy. The Holocaust was a long time in coming. Daniel E. Karson Mamaroneck, N.Y. Long Read To the Editor: In his May 3 By the Book interview, Michael Cunningham, talking about reading The Magic Mountain, asks, How many of us, in 2020, can devote two months to reading one book every single night? Well, I have devoted the last seven months to that great opus, Marcel Prousts Remembrance of Things Past. I think I read the first volume, Swanns Way, a hundred years ago, in college, but this was a more determined journey. I had as a companion a friend who spent a year and a half on the books, and heard of another fellow who gave it a year. I consider it the Mount Everest of 20th-century Western European literature. Reading it helped me understand something about myself: My bucket list is not places to go nor things to see my bucket list is books. Next, already down from the shelf, is Ulysses. All my strength is being mustered for the journey. Elmera Goldberg New York To the Editor: I was pleasantly surprised by the intellectual bookends you gave us in the May 3 issue: on the front end, in By the Book, the temporal depth and intellectual breadth demanded by Michael Cunninghams suggestion that we reread every 10 years a book that has been important to us; and, at the back end, Sergio Garcia Sanchezs magnificent illustration of Walt Whitmans call, in his unforgettable poetry collection Leaves of Grass, for the often-hidden joy found in natures smallness and everyday lifes routine. What a way to challenge the lockdown through intellectual nurture and creativity. Alejandro Lugo Las Cruces, N.M. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan had a phone conversation with Argentinas Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Felipe Sola. Mnatsakanyan congratulated his counterpart on the upcoming national holiday, wishing the friendly people of Argentina success and welfare. They discussed the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing the challenges and steps for overcoming the social-economic issues. The sides reiterated mutual readiness to take practical steps for boosting the bilateral relations and further deepening the historically strong Armenian-Argentine cooperation. In this context both sides especially emphasized the bridging role of the Armenian community of Argentina for strengthening and boosting the ties and rapprochement of the two peoples. Among discussed directions of cooperation were trade, IT, tourism, agriculture. The FMs were pleased to note the existing effective cooperation in multilateral formats based on common values and approaches. In this context they highly appreciated Armenias and Argentinas close cooperation around the agenda of preventing genocides and crimes against humanity. International and regional issues were also discussed. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan Do you hear that? Its the sound of the money printer whirring trillions of dollars getting pumped into a collapsing economy, making the bailouts following the 2008 financial crisis look like small change. The Price of Peace, Zachary D. Carters outstanding new intellectual biography of John Maynard Keynes, offers a resonant guide to our current moment, even if he finished writing it in the time before COVID-19. Its rare for a 600-page economic history to move swiftly along currents of lucidity and wit, and this happens to be one of them. (Carter pays tribute to Robert Skidelskys three-volume biography of Keynes in the acknowledgments.) Carter begins with a love story, and ends with an elegant explanation of a credit default swap; even readers without a background in high finance will learn how to appreciate the drama of both. Ideas, no matter how abstract, always originate in lived experience. Carter situates the development of Keynes economic thought in relation to his social milieu. Keynes, born in 1883, came of age amid the bohemian experimentation of the Bloomsbury Group, exchanging lovers and gossip with a set that included Virginia Woolf and Lytton Strachey. The Bloomsberries could be at turns backbiting, encouraging, critical and adulatory; their radical and subversive code of conduct, coupled with a refined taste for the good life, shaped Keynes approach to economic questions. He was trained as a mathematician, but unlike more doctrinaire economists, he viewed markets as social phenomena. Those who studied economics, he insisted, should be curious and intellectually nimble, with an abiding interest in human psychology and ethical questions. Keynes had little trouble changing his mind, and he tended to project that intellectual flexibility onto others, even when they didnt deserve it. It was a quality that made him hopeful, optimistic and sometimes dangerously naive, Carter writes. At the end of World War I, as an emissary from the British Treasury at the Paris peace conference, he argued vehemently against trying to wrest crippling reparations payments from Germany. His argument was both moral and pragmatic. If Germany is to be milked, he patiently explained to his colleagues, she must not first of all be ruined. But Germany was ruined, and Keynes fears were borne out. The humiliated German people suffered under austerity conditions demanded by a crushing debt. Demagogues thrived on festering resentments. The Economic Consequences of the Peace, Keynes compact and devastating attack on the Treaty of Versailles, quickly became an international bestseller when it was published in 1919, though the full extent of its import and prescience would be revealed only in time. More immediate and undeniably delicious was its scathing invective (another Bloomsbury influence). Keynes famously likened President Woodrow Wilson to a blind and deaf Don Quixote, and was hardly gentler on his own prime minister. David Lloyd George, Keynes wrote (in lines that were excised from later editions), was a vampire who was rooted in nothing. Keynes would spend the next decade living it up, speculating on foreign currencies, hunting foxes and throwing dinner parties, meeting the Russian ballerina who would eventually become his wife. (For some of the Bloomsberries, this was an unexpected turn; until then, Carter writes, Keynes had been enthusiastically gay.) He also started developing his ideas about monetarism, explaining how governments could cultivate economic growth and stability by managing the money supply. Carters explications of macroeconomic theory are so seamlessly woven into his narrative that theyre almost imperceptible; you only notice how substantive they are once you get to his chapter on Keynes notoriously dense 1936 book, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, and realize that youre riveted by a passage on fluctuations in liquidity preference because you somehow know exactly what it is that Carter is talking about. The General Theory aside, the rough outline of the Keynes story is that nobody with any power listened to his visionary proposals before the crisis of the Depression hit; after that, almost everyone did. Keynes ideas were radical, Carter writes, but he was staunchly anti-revolutionary: Having been traumatized by World War I, Keynes was at pains to persuade some of his Marxist students at Cambridge that a more just and equitable society didnt have to come at the point of a gun. An activist government and deficit spending could alleviate suffering and spur growth, he reasoned, and the world eventually obliged. As much as Franklin Roosevelt didnt like running a deficit, his New Deal offered one version of how Keynesianism worked; World War II offered another. Carters protagonist dies about two-thirds of the way through The Price of Peace, on Easter Sunday in 1946, but the narrative keeps going. In the postwar years, Keynesianism settled into its perch as the new economic orthodoxy in the United States. Carter traces the splintering of Keynes intellectual legacy and the neoliberal backlash of Joseph Schumpeter and Friedrich Hayek. Both Keynesians and neoliberals claimed that their theories were bulwarks against authoritarianism, but neither side could claim the moral high ground by the mid-1970s. Neoliberals like Milton Friedman were advising the Pinochet military dictatorship in Chile, while successive U.S. administrations resorted to Keynesian fiscal maneuvers to fund the prolonged bloodshed of the Vietnam War. Republicans like to talk about fiscal rectitude, but Republican administrations since Ronald Reagan have been big spenders, bloating the deficit by splurging on the military and expensive wars. Carter says it was a Democratic administration that wavered from Keynesianism in the 1990s, when Bill Clinton tried to triangulate a space beyond the partisan fray by chipping away at financial regulations and fixating on balanced budgets. But Keynesianism could never get stamped out for too long. Keynes tools proved to be too useful, especially when paying for a forever war or a bank bailout. Carter argues that whats been largely missing is an overarching sense of purpose, a vision of the good life. He faults Presidents Clinton and Barack Obama for squandering their chance to figure out what that might be in a futile bid to appease the right. As this brilliantly incisive book shows, being fair and judicious doesnt necessarily mean trying to reconcile all sides. Publication Notes: The Price of Peace Money, Democracy, and the Life of John Maynard Keynes By Zachary D. Carter. 628 pages. Random House. $35. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. A 34-year-old Nepalese national, staying in a quarantine centre near here after his return from Delhi, died of unknown causes on Saturday, said officials. "Dev Bahadur, a native of Syangja district in Nepal died today morning," said Nautanwa Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jasdhir Singh. "The cause of his death is being ascertained. He was unwell for the last two days and was undergoing treatment at the Community Health Center here, he said. The SDM added that Dev Bahadur had returned to Sonauli border on May 18 and had been quarantined at the Nautanwa quarantine centre. "His condition worsened late on Friday night and he died early today, said Singh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ask any Muslim how they feel about Ramadan and Eid, and irrespective of their level of piety, their faces will light up and they will give you details of all their Ramadan memories with the excitement of a child. Because Ramadan is a lot more than just the holiest time for Muslims, it is true we bow our heads to Allah a lot more during this month, we recite the Quran which is unfortunately often left unread for most of the year, but we also strive to become kinder, more compassionate and charitable, selfless, less angry and we do our best to stray clear of gossip and negativity. So one thing all Muslims have said to me when I ask them about their Ramzan is, I feel so calm and at peace as if Im doing what I was always supposed to. They tell me how they can focus on their life, profession and relationships a lot better during Ramadan, because they try to see things from others perspectives and let go of things which they wouldnt otherwise, how they feel proud to starve all day even when they have to work long hours, and how that first sip of water makes them feel so grateful but also worried for their Muslim brothers and sisters who may not have as much as they do. Ramadan, is truly a beautiful time, it is such a spiritually encapsulating experience, that for those thirty days we believe we can be better people and we do our best to become them. In India, for me, my memories of Ramzan in Bombay have been the best. Before you begin your fast, you eat Suhoor or Sehri (the pre-fast meal), and every child who still stays with their parents knows how much yelling happens around that time. Being one of six kids, someone or the other was always forgotten during Sehri time by my mother, who would later be accused of not loving all of us equally. I remember the days when Id wake before time, Id find my mother standing by the window, listening to the musahratis (a public waker for suhoor during Ramadan) singing, Baharon phool barsaao maahe Ramzan aaya hai, maahe Ramzaan ayaa hai, his loud voice echoing through the streets of Colaba as he sang to the tune of his dafli. Mom would often send food for them so they could have their Sehri too, when Id ask why shed say, Isnt what theyre doing noble? Do you think youd sacrifice the few hours you get to eat just so you could make sure everyone else woke up? It was a truly noble deed, they walked all the way from Mohammed Ali Road to Colaba which is over an hours walk easily, and to do that during Ramadan, every day, that is some conviction. Come Iftar time, all of us would rush to help Ammi cook, fry snacks and set the table, our mouths watering from the smells of homemade samosa, chana and on the cheat days, bhajia, wafting through the air. Being from a family of true food lovers, we love food in a way that makes us not want to waste it. So although the variety of fruits and food on the table was aplenty, it was only enough so as to not be wasted, and with eight people at the table, that never happened anyway. Then just 10 minutes before Iftar, the youngest of the house, my brother and I, would be handed trays of food to distribute to our neighbours, building staff, etc. It was a nice thing to do, but back then we didnt understand why my parents did it. My father has always hosted Taraweeh prayers (special prayers during Ramadan) on the terrace of his office for which over 200 people would assemble, and a grand feast would be organised on the last day of prayers for all the devotees as well. However, this year, there were no songs to wake up my family in Bombay, no food was sent over to anybody to maintain safety, no prayers on the terrace and all charity was done from a distance. Ever since government-mandated lockdowns were imposed all over the world and in India on account of the coronavirus pandemic, people have been advised to stay indoors, and this has had quite an effect on the spiritual and social aspect of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims go out for Iftar (post-fast meal) parties, Suhoor parties, they go the mosque for prayers, and to the markets for shopping, buying food and plenty more with their friends and family. This year when nothing went out, my mother told me she got several calls telling her how grateful people were to have her in their lives, and they couldnt wait to eat her delicious food again. Ramadan has indeed been a bit glum this year, with most of us stuck indoors, unable to go to the mosques for community prayers, unable to head to the beautifully lit up streets near mosques (be it Jama Masjid in Delhi or Mumbais Mohammed Ali Road), where often after prayers one could see people gorging on street food. It is the first time in many years, that the streets are desolate, and it has definitely dampened our spirits. Speaking to several Muslims from across the world, and learning their stories of Ramadan and their plans for Eid, it was easy to see, that despite our differences when it came to culture and upbringing, there are many things that are inherently the same. Mother of two and high school teacher Arshi Azam, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, says, Ramadan was very different this year, I was a lot more connected and involved in it. And on account of the Movement Control Order in Malaysia we couldnt go out like we usually do in Ramadan, the lack of distractions helped us focus wholly on improving ourselves spiritually. I also took a lot of online classes to improve my Arabic, cooking and painting, which I havent done in over 15 years since I left Bombay. The situation allowed me to connect with the world from my couch. Unlike India, we dont have house help here, so my sons and I do all the chores ourselves, so it was about the same workwise. With school closed and not having to go to work, I was able to do other things, so I often cook and send hygienically packed food for the building staff and my friends. The grim situation in the world has made us a lot more grateful for all we have, brought us closer to Allah and we are finally beginning to care for lesser fortunate people like we should have. Coronavirus is proof that the tables can turn at any point, it is very important to be kind. If nothing, it brings you peace. Original from Bhatkal, Karnataka presently staying in Mumbai, 26-year-old Sadaf Mohtesham, mother to one, spoke of how the fear of the pandemic renewed her faith. She says, This year I could focus on myself, in reciting the Quran and offering salat. I barely used my phone and didnt even binge watch any show. Also given that we couldnt go out to shop as often for food the number of delicacies was also limited and we actually ate healthier. Also the fear of the pandemic, the desperation to be in the safe led to a new faith in dua.. in Allah... and more importantly, I felt this was the easiest Ramadan so far. It didnt feel like summer at all. Talking about her Eid celebrations she says, I usually head over to my parents for Eid, and on the day visit my in-laws and other relatives. This year Ill be with my in-laws, and I have no idea when I will visit my family. I buy new clothes for me, my family and the help, but this year nobody has bought anything new, I used to go to my cousins place to apply mehendi, get dressed, but nothing of that sort will happen this year. Usually we find a way to lift our spirits, especially on Eid, but with the increasing number of Covid cases in India, all this excitement has disappeared. Its almost sad, but I think this year when I was so bound and restricted, I finally realised the plight of the poor. Im happy to celebrate Eid in a simple way, and share what I have with who I can. 26-year-old event planner Saeema Madhiya admits she has been more pious this year but cant deny missing socialising at Suhoor and Iftar parties. She says, Ramadan this year felt more spiritual, we were actually doing what we are meant to. Offering more prayers than usual, reciting the Quran more. We also have a lot of gatherings at Iftar and Suhoor parties where we meet and dine with friends and family. So lockdown, the pandemic and all this distance has really torn us away. It feels like a major piece of Ramadan has been missing and although we do our best to keep our spirits up, because we have a lot more to be grateful about, it feels very lonely this Ramadan. Dubai local Ayesha Ali works in construction, which has been listed as an essential sector, and has been working from home for the past two months. Ayeshas family has decided to not overindulge this year and has just one delicacy for Iftar, no bhuna-tala this time is her fathers rule this Ramadan. The 27-year-old admits that this was her best Ramadan except for the fact that she couldnt go to the mosque for Taraweeh prayers, Im an anomaly because I never really enjoyed going out in Ramadan that much, but not being able to go to the mosque for Taraweeh is a bummer. Although I think that people secretly like the solitude this Ramadan. The coronavirus did have an effect on Ramadan, but it was good in a way because theres been less waste, no hectic shopping. It has been the best Ramadan, but I have to admit, not being able to meet one another on Eid is the worst and thinking about it is depressing. Eid will be low spirit wise. Because that is the one day when everyone lets loose, from sales, shopping, gathering, dinners, all of it. But this year, with the five day lockdown imposed by the government, spirits are bound to be low. And 100% less Eidi too. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ghanaian born human rights lawyer, Afia Asantewaa Asare-Kyei is enthused about her new role as a member of the Oversight Board for Facebook and Instagram content. She is even happier that the global platforms would open themselves up for scrutiny, a process she says many businesses would cringe at. But that is about how far her admiration and praise singing come, for she says there is a job to be done and doing anybodys bidding, not least Facebook and Instagram, is not part of the bargain. I think together with my other colleagues on the Board, we have an onerous duty to mediate fairly and help raise the standards both for the large global community of users and managers of the platforms. I dont see it as an opportunity to do Facebook or anybodys bidding, the Programmes Manager at the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) told Graphic Online in an exclusive interview. The new global independent board will review controversial content decisions by Facebook and Instagram and make binding decisions based on respect for freedom of expression and human rights. Also among its terms of reference, the Oversight Board will tackle increasingly complex and contentious debates about what types of content should be permitted on Facebook and Instagram and who should decide that. The Board will prioritize cases that potentially impact large communities of users, and are of critical importance to public discourse, or raise questions about Facebooks policies. Decisions by the Board are expected to be implemented by Facebook as long as they do not violate the law, with the Oversight Board members independent from the company and funded by an independent trust. They cannot be removed by Facebook based on their decisions. Asked if she really trust Facebook to listen to her voice and those of her colleagues and implement their counsel, she said she strongly believes so. I think so, that Facebook will abide by the decisions of the Board. I believe so because the commitment has been made. In the first place the very idea of creating this Oversight Board is a testament to that. In addition to that they have even made funds available in an independent trust to hep the operations of this board, so the public commitment of Facebook to abide by the decisions of the board even when they are not in agreement is something that I think is laudable. Afia says she feels strongly the Board needs to be truly representative, not just in terms of geography, but age, subject matter and breadth of issues covered as well, for which she believes the culturally diverse 20-member board comes well-structured to impact its work positively. She said in terms of cultural awareness, members of the board come from very rich diverse geographic, gender and ideological dispositions so contextualising cases with a view to providing culturally or regionally appropriate resolutions should be a natural course. Asked how the board would handle issues of minority interests where for instance, a community, per ways that are customary to it, punishes a member with strokes of the cane for waywardness yet Facebook says a video of such nature is violent? Let me say that the board is to serve the global community and not just Africa but yes, there are some of us from Africa and we will be able to provide the needed African perspectives and context to the board Our decisions will be made public and we expect Facebook to respond to them publicly. That is why I talk about transparency, the role of the board is structured with transparency in mind so the board will issue written reports on its work as well as annual reports. So, the board is not taking responsibility away from Facebook, it is rather introducing a new level of oversight and make them more accountable and improve the way they make their content decisions. It will eliminate any unilateral decisions some of which can have consequential effects on content. She insists the board is not about protecting Facebook but will make its decisions without any regard to its economic, political or reputational interests. She particularly desires that content creators and owners would get familiar with Facebooks community standards and various content policies so that administrative, ethical and legal matters that are better addressed by Facebook itself are handled with dispatch while matters bordering on content and require the boards intervention are appropriately addressed by the board. So, if you are an individual or a group or a community on these platforms whose content has been removed, yes you can appeal to Facebook. So the board in away provides another layer where you as a user, you are not happy of the decision that Facebook made because you dont believe that it is in contravention of any of their content or policies of community standards, then you would be able to apply to the Board. Afia was sure the Board, soon to start work, would take steps to make its offices openly accessible to Facebooks community of users and content creators to appeal on disagreements for quick resolutions, except that the issues must be about content that are of great public interest and stand to advance the public discourse. So, you know every well that while Facebook and Instagram and other social media platforms have essentially revolutionalised our lives and given voice to billions of peoples, there are comments, there are contents that are on some platforms that are not helpful, that are not thoughtful. Some comments that are hateful, that are harmful and can be deceitful and so those are some of the things that the Board will be dealing with. How do you balance the need for safety and you know, healthy online debate and thus ensure that you promote peoples freedom of expression? I certainly will give my best, hoping to contribute as well as learn from the rich profile of other Board members. We have board members who come from all over the world with very diverse, unique and incredibly rich background and experience. So yes, I will give my best. 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 Representative image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Domestic flights are set to resume from Monday, May 25. In an order issued on May 21, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA) has said that the operation of domestic flights can resume from May 25 onwards. The ministry has issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) that airlines need to follow. While domestic civil operations will commence from May 25th, international operations remain suspended. The operations would begin with one-third of the approved capacity for the summer schedule and would be ramped up based on the experience after opening up. As per the government guidelines, the present order is valid till August 24, 2020 during which fares would be regulated with a floor and a cap based on the flying time. The sector - which has been struggling for many quarters on the fronts of revenue and decline in profit - continues to wait for the government stimulus to get some relief as the lockdown triggered by coronavirus has posed the question of their survival. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did announce some structural reforms a few days ago but no stimulus or package was announced for Indian airline companies that are currently surrounded by various operational and existential challenges. Some positives Many see the resumption of domestic operations as a major relief for the aviation players which seems true. Brokerage firm Centrum Broking believes that one-third of scheduled capacity is a reasonable starting point for the sector given that demand is likely to remain low. "Experience of other countries which have gone through the COVID-19 lockdown and restart process indicate that after 3-4 months of the peak of virus spread the airlines are operating or likely to operate at about 50 percent of the capacity," said Centrum. Airlines could have significantly benefitted from the relatively higher ticket prices at this juncture. Could the regulation of ticket prices deal a blow to them? "The price regulation is a political necessity at this time and as long as it does not prevail beyond this extraordinary period, we do not see it as a de-rating factor," Centrum said. Centrum pointed out that while low load factors and absence of ancillary revenue streams would mandate a higher than historic ticket yield, low fuel prices also bring down the threshold yield requirement. "Overall the price caps dont seem to be imposing hardships for the industry on a per aircraft basis. At the company level obviously the profitability would remain impacted due to the curtained operations," said the brokerage. Hazy sky Airlines, globally, are struggling with the issue of falling demand. Globally, various airline companies have withdrawn their earnings guidance indicating uncertainty in the aviation industry. In the 55th annual general meeting (AGM) of Berkshire Hathaway on May 2, Warren Buffett had said he was wrong about valuing airline stocks and revealed that Berkshire had dumped its entire airline stake. Buffett underscored that the world had changed after the pandemic for the airline industry. The world has changed for the airlines. And I dont know how its changed and I hope it corrects itself in a reasonably prompt way, he said. I think there are certain industries, and unfortunately, I think that the airline industry, among others, that are really hurt by a forced shutdown by events that are far beyond our control, he added. Berkshire had been among the biggest shareholders in the four largest US airlines American, Delta, Southwest and United. The sky looks hazy for aviation players. Brokerage firm Motilal Oswal Financial Services point out that despite the proposed reforms by the government, demand, in the long run, would be a major challenge for the industry and companies need to re-strategise their path ahead. "We remain keen on hearing management guidance and commentary from Indian companies before taking a leap of faith in the industry and stocks," Motilal Oswal said. Sameer Kalra, Founder, Target Investing has a negative view on the sector. "The restart of flights is an experiment of which the result is unknown. Revenues seen in FY20 will take years to return which will hamper cash flow generation, resulting in further cost cuts," Kalra said. As far as stocks are concerned, Centrum Broking is positive on IndiGo. "IndiGo with its unrestricted cash balance of Rs 9,410 crore as of December 2019 is in a relatively comfortable position. We have a 'buy' rating on IndiGo with a target price of Rs 1,340 and 'reduce' rating on SpiceJet with a target price of Rs 33," Centrum said. The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Craftsy entrepreneurs are doing brisk business in the new cottage industry of selling artisanal face masks. What's happening: Online stores are selling out of face masks within minutes of listing new stock in some cases, after being featured in an article from the likes of GQ, Vogue or the lifestyle blog Man Repeller. Etsy, long seen as a purveyor of artisan-made goods, reported in a recent earnings call that in April the platform saw $133 million in sales of fabric face masks. What they're saying: Adrienne Antonson, founder of STATE the Label in Athens, Ga., says that from the moment her small-batch, hand-painted clothing company started offering masks, it could barely keep up with demand. The company is selling and donating masks, and published a pattern for others to use. "We sold out of 25 masks within minutes." says Antonson. "We said, 'Lets restock.' By the end of the day, we had sold 200 masks within 14 minutes." To date, STATE has donated 800 masks and sold just over 200. Naomi Mishkin, the Brooklyn-based designer behind made-to-order clothing line Naomi Nomi, had a similar experience. (Her company is donating a mask for every one sold.) At first specifically, on Friday, April 3, at 5:50 p.m. her company had about 500 requests to be on a waitlist for masks. Ten minutes later, the New York Times blasted out an alert saying the CDC had officially recommended wearing face masks. Minutes later at 6:05 p.m. "GQ dropped an article saying 'here are 5 brands that are selling them,'" Mishkin recalls. "We were #3. By the end of the weekend, we had requests for 10,000 masks." Designers largely aren't profiting on mask sales but they're keeping their businesses alive and their employees on payroll, and in some cases expanding their customer base. Kevin Hart (R) and wife Eniko Parrish pose as Hart is honored with a Hand And Footprint Ceremony at TCL Chinese Theatre on December 10, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/WireImage) Hollywood star Kevin Hart has opened up on his relationship with wife Eniko Parrish, explaining why she didnt dump him after he was exposed for cheating on her in 2017. Parrish discovered the actor had an affair while she was heavily pregnant with their first child Kenzo. The Jumanji star has now explained why Parrish did not dump him, but reveals the relationship has not been a walk in the park. Read more: Comedian Kevin Hart announces gender of new baby The 40-year-old said on the The School of Greatness podcast: "She came to an amazing conclusion of, 'I like the fact that we have a family, that we have a household, and I like the fact that we now got a job to do to get better. Thats what you owe me. You owe me the get-better'. And she held me accountable. It wasnt a walk in the park, but it was her understanding that we dont let the outside world affect our inside, and I credit her for setting that tone." He went on to refer to Parrish, who is currently pregnant with their second child, as "the strongest person in the world". Hart, who has two teenage children from a previous relationship, revealed they were expecting a baby girl while wishing his wife a happy Mothers Day on social media earlier this month. He wrote: "Happy Mother's Day to this beautiful woman & wife of mine. We love you @enikohart ....And we are thrilled about the arrival of our baby girl....Family of 6 WOOOOOOOOW!!!! "God is unbelievable. We are blessed to have you in our lives. All I can say is thank you honey." Parrish has previously explained why she decided to give him a second chance talking on Netflix documentary series, Kevin Hart: Don't F**k This Up. She said: "I have to maintain a level head, I think thats the only thing that really got me through. I wasnt ready at the time to just give up on my family. I wanted Kenzo to be able to know his dad and grow up, so it was a lot. Story continues Read more: Kevin Hart addresses Oscars 2019 controversy She added: It was a lot for me, but weve been through it, weve gone through it, we passed it and hes a better man now because of it. I believe in second chances. Im all about forgiveness, and you only get two times. Three strikes youre out, youre out of here. So, as long as he behaves, were good. The School of Greatness is available online now. Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure Credit: LEN AND AINSLEYS BIG FOOD ADVENTURE 7.30pm, SBS Food Representing the resolutely unadventurous British palate, Strictly Come Dancing judge, Len Goodman, does his bit for culinary change by allowing effervescent chef, Ainsley Harriott (aka the GELF chief from Red Dwarf) to introduce him to dishes more exotic than spotted dick. The amiable, if mismatched pair visits a Caribbean eatery in Bristol to sample the flavours of Harriotts childhood. Good on Goodman for encouraging his similarly afflicted countryfolk to widen their experiences of food, and by extension, other cultures. A woman has admitted procuring two dozen schoolgirl friends some as young as 14 for paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and being paid $200 for each victim. In a harrowing interview for a new Netflix documentary series, Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, which premieres on Wednesday, tearful Hayley Robson is the first of Epsteins so-called recruiters to admit introducing children into his twisted sexual pyramid scheme for money. Ms Robson, who was 16 when she began working for Epstein, says she was racked with guilt for years, until she realised that she was also a victim. Hayley Robson, 33, admitted to being a 'recruiter' for billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein when she was 16 in a new Netflix documentary She was introduced to Epstein in 2003 by a friend at Royal Palm Beach High School in Florida who said she could make money giving an old guy massages. But when she went to Epsteins 25million mansion in Palm Beach, he tried to molest her in one of the bedrooms. Ms Robson, 33, says: He was naked on the table. I remember feeling really scared. He tried to touch me below the belt. I declined. I told him I didnt feel comfortable, and no, its not going to happen. At that moment he was like, Okay, well this isnt going to happen so if you have any friends and you bring them to me, I will give you $200. I would recruit girls who were friends. I would casually bring it up and we would drive together to his house. I would take them to his room and then Id walk out. Sometimes I would wait by the pool. When the girls would leave, Jeffrey would come out and pay me. I probably recruited 24 girls. Those girls brought other girls too. They were all underage. She says the youngest was 14. In Florida the legal age for consent is 18. In the harrowing interview, Ms Robson said she was racked with guilt for years for her involvement in Jeffrey Epstein's web of recruiters, until she realised she was a victim too Ms Robson says she was destroyed by guilt every day for years until she realised she was also a victim: I was 16. He was the adult. He shouldnt have asked me to do those things. The gripping four-part Netflix series tells how Epstein who killed himself in jail last summer after being arrested on child sex charges set up a sophisticated web of recruiters, using girls to lure their friends from at least four high schools near his home. Epstein preyed on girls from difficult backgrounds. Psychologist Kathryn Stamoulis described Epsteins recruitment system as a sexual pyramid scheme, saying: He was a brilliant, narcissistic billionaire. Adolescents could not cope with that. The shows director, Lisa Bryant, who spent 20 months making Filthy Rich, used a secret computer server and kept all footage under lock and key for fear of retribution from the billionaire. The programme claims he kept surveillance tapes from all his homes to blackmail the rich and powerful. Ms Bryant said: We started working on this before Epstein was arrested. He proved time and again that power and money helped him evade justice. We knew we couldnt be too careful. Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the woman who claims Epstein forced her to have sex with Prince Andrew three times the first when she was just 17 in 2001 also speaks out in the documentary. Prince Andrew has vehemently denied the claims and any wrongdoing. During his infamous car crash interview on BBCs Newsnight last November he denied ever knowing Ms Roberts Giuffre. She was interviewed by Netflix two days after the Newsnight programme aired and says: Im watching it on my tablet. I wanted to throw my tablet in the pool. As a victim, the one thing you ask for is some acknowledgement, some remorse. This guy [Prince Andrew] didnt have any remorse at all. A fund run by Christopher Mills has quietly built up a stake in AIM-listed Urban Exposure, which provides finance to property developers. The Oryx International Growth Fund has snapped up 3.8 per cent of Urban Exposure, which is trying to offload its loan book after a deal was called off because of the pandemic. It has set tongues wagging in the City as to whether the respected activist investor is plotting a campaign to shake the company up or even make a bid for the whole group. The Oryx International Growth Fund has snapped up 3.8 per cent of Urban Exposure Urban Exposure recently came under fire after it emerged that it made a secret 1.2milion loan to a charity run by the company's chief executive Randeesh Sandhu and his wife, Daljit, to finance the refurbishment of a nursery school. The Oryx fund sits within Mills' Harwood Capital, which bought tenpin bowling firm Essenden in 2015. An investment vehicle controlled by Graham Wellesley, the 8th Earl of Cowley, also has a substantial stake in Urban Exposure while property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz owns 13 per cent. Both of them submitted separate 'proposals' to Urban Exposure, which have been rejected. It's shaping up to be an interesting three-way tussle between Mills, Tchenguiz and the Earl. SIG Fears of the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on SIG have hammered the insulation and roofing giant's shares largely because investors are fretting over an equity fundraising that could dilute existing shareholdings. On Thursday, SIG may address that fear with an update on liquidity as it reports final results. Number-crunchers at Peel Hunt are looking for SIG to update investors on talks with lenders too. It won't have helped that the planned 37.5million sale of its building solutions business has now fallen through, which would have relieved pressure on the balance sheet. Is that fundraising now looking more likely? Britvic Are fizzy drinks being guzzled in great quantities in the lockdown? Scribblers at Swiss bank UBS think so, though it might not be children drinking more Pepsi but adults buying mixers for cocktails to cool down in the sun. Are fizzy drinks being guzzled in great quantities in the lockdown? Swiss bank UBS thinks so The analysts reckon Britvic, which reports its half-year results on Wednesday, has seen a 6.5 per cent jump in sales of carbonated drinks in the six months to the end of March. Britvic sells mixers and Tango, and makes and sells Pepsi's drinks in the UK, including 7Up. The big issue for Britvic in 2018 was the introduction of the sugar tax, but it looks to have weathered that particular storm. British Land Investors in British Land will keep a close eye on the London office and retail landlord's rent collection numbers when it releases its annual results on Wednesday. Tenants are struggling to pay and the FTSE 100 company has already cut its dividend to save cash. While British Land might feel the worst of the coronavirus crisis this year, last year's financial results to the end of March will also take a hit. Analysts reckon adjusted profits will tumble about 6 per cent based on a 4 per cent fall in gross rental revenues to 552million, which is largely down to a few crippling weeks during the pandemic. Chennai: Rajya Sabha MP and DMK Organising Secretary RS Bharathi was arrested by Chennai Police from his residence on Saturday in connection with the alleged hate speech made by him against the judges and people from scheduled castes (SC) community on February 14 this year. Soon after his arrest, the DMK leader was granted interim bail by Egmore court in Chennai. A police complaint was filed against the DMK leader for alleged hate speech against judges and the members of the scheduled castes (SC) community. The police complaint was lodged by the leader of Athi Tamilar Makkal Katchi Kalyanasundaram under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Speaking to reporters, Bharathi said his speech was twisted in the social media and his arrest is politically motivated. The Rajya Sabha MP said that he had lodged a complaint against Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam for corruption. Coming to the support of Bharathi, the MDMK General Secretary and MP Vaiko demanded the government to withdraw the case. Vaiko said Bharathi had expressed his regret about his controversial speech. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 20:22:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUWAIT CITY, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait on Saturday reported 900 new cases of COVID-19 and 10 more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 20,464 and the death toll to 148, the health ministry said in a statement. Currently, 14,569 patients are receiving treatment, including 192 in ICU, according to the statement. The ministry also announced the recovery of 232 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 5,747. The Kuwaiti government has imposed a full curfew in the country to curb the rapid rise of coronavirus cases. On March 13, Kuwait suspended all commercial flights. The government also closed stores, malls and barbershops in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. Enditem The price of freedom remembered at salute to the fallen View(s): As with many major events over the past two months, the coronavirus pandemic had a tangible impact on the 11th anniversary commemoration of the end of the war against terrorism in Sri Lanka. The health and social distancing measures enforced throughout the island meant that most commemorations, including religious events, were not possible. Even the main National War Heroes Commemoration in Battaramulla was scaled down this year due to the coronavirus, with a limited number of guests and relatives of war heroes invited. Most who attended wore face masks. Chief Guest President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was an exception, as he chose to forgo a face mask for the occasion. The ceremony at the National War Heroes Monument was also attended by two former Presidents; Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, under whose presidency the war was brought to an end, and former President Maithripala Sirisena. Government ministers, officials, former and current senior officers of the armed forces and police were also present. Speaking on the occasion, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that with the end of terrorism, an environment where people could live without fear or anxiety and enjoy their human rights freely was created. Our war heroes and their families made immense sacrifices to usher in peace to the country which was engulfed in terror. War is not a bed of roses. The war heroes had to face numerous bitter experiences and difficulties when battling one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations in the world which did not respect law, he stressed. The prime objective of the Humanitarian Mission was to bring lasting peace in the country. Because of the exceptional sacrifices made by our war heroes, today we have the opportunity to live in peace and harmony in a unitary state. The motive of the extremists was to divide us. If they were successful in their attempt, our history could have taken a different course. Sri Lanka could have become a country where communities hate each other, engage in continuous battles for borders, fear of war is a common norm of life and another hapless and divided country. As an officer who had served for around 20 years and as the Secretary of Defence for 10 years, Mr Rajapaksa said he was well aware of the sacrifices made by war heroes. Pain of the war is not strange to me, he emphasised, insisting that he will not allow any attempt to discredit and destroy the dignity of war heroes who made countless sacrifices to bring peace to the country. I assure you that under my administration, we will take every measure always to protect the dignity of our heroic forces. It is a national responsibility to ensure their rights. If any international body or organization continuously targets our country and our war heroes, using baseless allegations, I will also not hesitate to withdraw Sri Lanka from such bodies or organizations, Mr Rajapaksa emphasissed. The highest honour that can be bestowed on them is to transform this country which was protected by them by laying down their lives to a land where every citizenry can live in peace, harmony and with dignity, the President concluded, inviting all patriotic citizens to make their fullest contribution towards this endeavour. The ceremony ended with guests and several relatives laying wreaths at the foot of the monument to war heroes. Three helicopters from the Sri Lanka Air Force also scattered flowers over the monument. Thousands elevated to higher ranks More than 14,000 Sri Lanka Army officers and other ranks received promotions to coincide with the National War Heroes Commemoration Day.Accordingly, 177 officers and 14,617 other ranks of the army were promoted this week.Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa promoted 177 officers. The promotions were made with the concurrence of the Ministry of Defence and the recommendation of Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva.Among the newly-promoted officers are five new Majors General, four Brigadiers of Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, 39 Lieutenant Colonels, 69 Majors and 60 Lieutenants. The promoted Majors General and Brigadiers are Major General C.U Marasinghe, Major General T.J Kodithuwakku, Major General H.P Ranasinghe, Major General A.P.I Fernando, Major General C.D Weerasuriya, Brigadier S.N Samarawickrama, Brigadier H.M.N.B Herath, Brigadier N.G.S Thilakarathne and Brigadier K.N Perera. The army added that the promotion of 14,617 other ranks is also the highest number of such promotions granted on one occasion in the armys history. ATLANTA Joe Biden says he should not have been so cavalier after he told a prominent black radio host that African Americans who back President Donald Trump aint black. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee quickly moved to address the fallout from his Friday remark, which was interpreted by some as presuming black Americans would vote for him. In a call with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce that was added to his public schedule, Biden said he would never take the African American community for granted. I shouldnt have been such a wise guy, Biden said. No one should have to vote for any party based on their race or religion or background. That was an acknowledgement of the stinging criticism he received in response to his comments, which he made earlier in the day on The Breakfast Club, a radio program that is popular in the black community. The rebukes included allies of Trumps reelection campaign anxious to go on the offense after weeks of defending the Republican presidents response to the coronavirus pandemic and some activists who warned that Biden must still court black voters, even if African Americans overwhelmingly oppose the president. None of us can afford for the party or for this campaign to mess this election up, and comments like these are the kinds that frankly either make black voters feel like were not really valued and people dont care if we show up or not, said Alicia Garza, a Black Lives Matter co-founder and principal of Black Futures Lab. Near the end of Bidens appearance on the radio program, host Charlamagne Tha God pressed him on reports that he is considering Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is white, to be his vice presidential running mate. The host told Biden that black voters saved your political life in the primaries and have things they want from you. Biden said that I guarantee you there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple. A Biden aide then sought to end the interview, prompting the host to say, You cant do that to black media. Biden responded, I do that to black media and white media, and said his wife needed to use the television studio. He then added: If youve got a problem figuring out whether youre for me or for Trump, then you aint black. Trumps campaign and his allies immediately seized on Bidens comments. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, a Trump supporter and the Senates sole black Republican, said he was shocked and surprised by Bidens remarks. I was struck by the condescension and the arrogance in his comments, Scott said in a conference call arranged by the Trump campaign. I could not believe my ears that he would stoop so low to tell folks what they should do, how they should think and what it means to be black. Charlamagne Tha God later said on CNN, A black woman running mate is necessary, especially after today. He added that the question of what makes somebody black is a discussion for black people, not for a white man. Trump himself has a history of incendiary rhetoric related to race. When he launched his presidential campaign in 2015, Trump called many Mexican immigrants rapists. Campaigning in 2016, he asked black voters, What the hell do you have to lose? In 2017, he said there are good people on both sides of the clash in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists and anti-racist demonstrators that left one counterprotester dead. In 2018, during a private White House meeting on immigration, Trump wondered why the United States was admitting so many immigrants from shithole countries like African nations. He also blasted four Democratic congresswomen of color, saying they hate America and should go back to where they come from, even though all are U.S. citizens and three were born in the U.S. Black voters helped resurrect Bidens campaign in this years primaries with a second-place finish in the Nevada caucuses and a resounding win in the South Carolina primary after hed started with embarrassing finishes in overwhelmingly white Iowa and New Hampshire. Sixty-one percent of black voters supported Biden during the primary season, according to AP VoteCast surveys across 17 states that voted in February and March. Biden is now seeking to maintain his standing with black voters while building the type of multiracial and multigenerational coalition that twice elected Barack Obama, whom he served as vice president. He has already committed to picking a woman as his running mate and is considering several African American contenders who could energize black voters. But Biden is also considering candidates such as Klobuchar, who could appeal to white moderates. There is little chance of a sudden shift in support for Trump among black voters. A recent Fox News poll shows just 14% of African Americans who are registered to vote have a favorable opinion of Trump, compared with 84% who view him unfavorably. Seventy-five percent of African American registered voters say they have a favorable view of Biden; 21% hold an unfavorable opinion. There is a risk, however, of black voters, especially those who are younger, staying home in November, which could complicate Bidens path to victory in a tight election. The Breakfast Club is a particularly notable venue for Bidens comments because the program is popular among younger African Americans. Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC, a national organization that works to mobilize black voters, said many black Americans are loyal Biden supporters. But she said his comments make it harder to attract people who are on the fence about voting. The first thing I thought about was to what degree did this just turn off those voters and how much more work the rest of us are going to have to do to convince people that it is worth their time and their efforts, she said. Bidens selection of a running mate, along with his pledge to appoint the first black female Supreme Court justice, could help motivate voters. Hes begun vetting vice presidential contenders, a process hes said will likely last through July. Several black women are among those under consideration, including California Sen. Kamala Harris, Georgia voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Florida Rep. Val Demings, Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge and Susan Rice, Obamas former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. ___ Stafford reported from Detroit. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Hannah Fingerhut and Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report. The NXNSAttack Method Israeli cybersecurity researchers have disclosed details about a new flaw impacting DNS protocol that can be exploited to launch amplified, large-scale distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks to takedown targeted websites.Called NXNSAttack , the flaw hinges on the DNS delegation mechanism to force DNS resolvers to generate more DNS queries to authoritative servers of attacker's choice, potentially causing a botnet-scale disruption to online services."We show that the number of DNS messages exchanged in a typical resolution process might be much higher in practice than what is expected in theory, mainly due to a proactive resolution of name-servers' IP addresses," the researchers said in the paper."We show how this inefficiency becomes a bottleneck and might be used to mount a devastating attack against either or both, recursive resolvers and authoritative servers."Following responsible disclosure of NXNSAttack, several of the companies in charge of the internet infrastructure, including PowerDNS ( CVE-2020-10995 ), CZ.NIC (CVE-2020-12667), Cloudflare, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle-owned Dyn, Verisign, and IBM Quad9, have patched their software to address the problem.The DNS infrastructure has been previously at the receiving end of a rash of DDoS attacks through the infamous Mirai botnet , including those against Dyn DNS service in 2016, crippling some of the world's biggest sites, including Twitter, Netflix, Amazon, and Spotify. recursive DNS lookup happens when a DNS server communicates with multiple authoritative DNS servers in a hierarchical sequence to locate an IP address associated with a domain (e.g., www.google.com) and return it to the client.This resolution typically starts with the DNS resolver controlled by your ISPs or public DNS servers, like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google (8.8.8.8), whichever is configured with your system.The resolver passes the request to an authoritative DNS name server if it's unable to locate the IP address for a given domain name.But if the first authoritative DNS name server also doesn't hold the desired records, it returns the delegation message with addresses to the next authoritative servers to which DNS resolver can query.In other words, an authoritative server tells the recursive resolver: "I do not know the answer, go and query these and these name servers, e.g., ns1, ns2, etc., instead".This hierarchical process goes on until the DNS resolver reaches the correct authoritative server that provides the domain's IP address, allowing the user to access the desired website.Researchers found that these large undesired overheads can be exploited to trick recursive resolvers into forcefully continuously sending a large number of packets to a targeted domain instead of legitimate authoritative servers.In order to mount the attack through a recursive resolver, the attacker must be in possession of an authoritative server, the researchers said."This can be easily achieved by buying a domain name. An adversary who acts as an authoritative server can craft any NS referral response as an answer to dierent DNS queries," the researchers said.The NXNSAttack works by sending a request for an attacker-controlled domain (e.g., "attacker.com") to a vulnerable DNS resolving server, which would forward the DNS query to the attacker-controlled authoritative server.Instead of returning addresses to the actual authoritative servers, the attacker-controlled authoritative server responds to the DNS query with a list of fake server names or subdomains controlled by the threat actor that points to a victim DNS domain.The DNS server, then, forwards the query to all the nonexistent subdomains, creating a massive surge in traffic to the victim site.The researchers said the attack can amplify the number of packets exchanged by the recursive resolver by as much as a factor of more than 1,620, thereby overwhelming not only the DNS resolvers with more requests they can handle, but also flood the target domain with superfluous requests and take it down.What's more, using a botnet such as the Mirai as a DNS client can further augment the scale of the attack."Controlling and acquiring a huge number of clients and a large number of authoritative NSs by an attacker is easy and cheap in practice," the researchers said."Our initial goal was to investigate the efficiency of recursive resolvers and their behavior under different attacks, and we ended up finding a new seriously looking vulnerability, the NXNSAttack," the researchers concluded."The key ingredients of the new attack are (i) the ease with which one can own or control an authoritative name server, and (ii) the usage of nonexistent domain names for name servers and (iii) the extra redundancy placed in the DNS structure to achieve fault tolerance and fast response time," they added.It's highly recommended that network administrators who run their own DNS servers update their DNS resolver software to the latest version. Indian Armys oldest artillery man, Major (retd) Gurdial Singh Jallawalia, who fought four wars, including World War II and two wars with Pakistan, passed away at the age of 102. (Photo-SocialXYZ)) New Delhi: One of Indian Armys oldest artillery man, Major (retd) Gurdial Singh Jallawalia, who fought four wars, including World War II and two wars with Pakistan, passed away at the age of 102 years on Thursday in Ludhiana, Punjab. The centurion veteran, served as a gunner for more than three decades in the Indian Army and with the British Army before Independence. Major (retd) Jallawalias family has a history of being in armed forces. His father Risaldaar Duleep Singh was in 15 Lancers and fought in World War I and his two sons participated in Operation Vijay at Kargil in 1999. His grandson is also serving in Army. My grandfather was in Army and his three sons, including my father also served in Army, Col (retd) Harmanderjeet Singh, elder son of Major Gurdial, told this newspaper over phone. Major (retd) Jallawalia was a pioneer in developing surveillance and target acquisition in Indian artillery after the country got Independence. He joined the Army as gunner at the age of 17 in 1934 and did his initial training at Mountain Artillery Training Centre Ambala Cantt. On completion of training, he was posted to 14 Rajputana Mountain Battery at Abbottabad (now in Pakistan). He suffered a bullet injury during World War II in 1945 in Burma. He was also veteran of Ahmadzai-Waziristan operation in NW Frontier Province (now in Pakistan) in 1939-40. He also took part in J&K Operations in 1948-49 and in 1965s Indo-Pakistan war in Amritsar-Lahore Sector, he served as Counter Bombardment officer in XI Corps. After retirement in 1967, he settled down in Ludhiana. His elder son Harmanderjeet Singh retired as a Lt. Colonel and younger son Harjinderjeet Singh retired as a Group Captain from Indian Air Force. Tony Blair's favourite banker is set to leave one of the City's most powerful firms. City sources said Russell Chambers will leave Credit Suisse next month. He joined in 2007 to become chief executive of its UK investment bank but has recently been working as a senior adviser to the Zurich-based firm. Chambers is one of the best connected bankers in the Square Mile in 2004 the then Prime Minister Blair was pictured on his yacht off Barbados and has advised on some of the biggest deals. Russel Chambers is one of the best connected bankers in the Square Mile in 2004 the then Prime Minister Blair (pictured) was pictured on his yacht off Barbados Chambers, 58, still takes a big interest in politics and led the fund-raising for the short-lived Independent Group, the centrist party set up last year by rebel Labour and Conservative MPs. Insiders said Chambers who also works at US private equity firm Bain Capital has no immediate plans to join a rival bank but may join a company board as a non-executive director or chairman. Chambers has been a prolific investor in restaurant companies. He owns a stake in the British franchise of American burger chain Five Guys alongside Carphone Warehouse founder Sir Charles Dunstone. Credit Suisse and Russell Chambers declined to comment. "They just drink vodka and attend weddings," Reznikov says. Head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas settlement in Minsk, Oleksiy Reznikov, says the recently-spun statement by self-styled leaders of occupation authorities in Donbas on their armed formations being allegedly put in "combat readiness" is an infowar provocation. Speaking at a panel show on Friday, May 22, Reznikov said that indeed, there are two Russian army corps deployed in the territory of the occupied Donbas that the reports say have been "brought to full combat readiness." Read alsoDonbas war update: Russian invaders open fire 12 times over past day, one soldier injured "How does it actually looks there is that in some areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, they have really been put on alert, while in other areas of Luhansk region they attend weddings and just drink vodka... So much for their high combat readiness. Therefore, this is all nonsense," he said. According to him, the working meeting of the TCG will be held next Wednesday as scheduled. Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says the nation cant be fooled into believing that the Covid-19 team put together by the opposition National Democratic Congress was to fight a national cause and not to do pursue a political agenda. He observed that the NDC has even been engaging in subtle jubilation when Ghanas case count goes up, affording them the opportunity to point to the public that the government has failed. Mr. Oppong Nkrumah told Stephen Anti, sit-in host of TV3s The Key Points, Saturday, May 23, that the NDCs Covid-19 team had regularly undermined governments efforts. He noted that Ghana is the only country in the world with the opposition party having its own Covid-19 response team alongside that of the state. It is now becoming clear that it was just a political exercise. Because it was an exercise to give them the platform to be taking hotshots at the states efforts and to be regularly attempting to undermine or critique or question what the state was doing even including the data that the scientists are putting out. He for instance cited the former president John Mahamas facebook live sessions, which he said is consistently used to shift the nations attention from substantive issue to delve into political banter. So lets not be fooled anywhere, it was an attempt to politicize the matter, it drew out political responses from our side, he stated. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah also suggested that it was apt for Vice President Dr. Bawumia to compare how the government is handling the coronavirus pandemic to the erratic power supply (dumsor) the country experienced under the Mahama-led government. The vice president was justified in coming out with a strong checkmate, he asserted. He would not agree that President Akufo-Addo has himself been engaging in some level of politics in his regular address to the nation. The president will do his politics in due time, he said, insisting, Mr. Akufo-Addo is not dabbling in partisan politics at this time. Meanwhile, the minister admitted that the NDC Covid-19 team submitted materials on the deadly pandemic that were forwarded to the government response team. This, he said, to reject concerns that the government team has not been engaging other interest groups, noting that the concern is blatant untruth. Source: 3news.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 A woman from Missouri has filed a complaint and is suing to have her husband's corpse returned. The woman, Barbara Watters, allegedly stored her husband's corpse in a freezer inside their bedroom before authorities seized the body last year. Watters stated that Hasper County Coroner Rob Chappel ignored her requests to return her husband, Paul Barton's remains after she was charged for abandoning a corpse which was later dismissed. Keeping your spouse close In November 2019, Watters was charged by police after they discovered her husband's body. Officials believe that Barton was last seen alive in 2018 and that Watters kept his corpse refrigerated for most of 2019, according to Fox News. The lawsuit that Watters filed against the Joplin Police Department along with the city and coroner's office stated her husband lost his life in September 2019, a mere two months before authorities discovered the corpse. Watters also claimed in the suit that Chappel denied requests to provide a death certificate. Watters informed police officers that arrived for a wellness check that her husband had Lou Gehrig's disease, which targetted the victim's brain. She was afraid that her husband would be experimented on by doctors which led her to hide her husband's corpse from authorities. "She kept making mention of Paul's body being used for research," reported one wellness check conducted beforehand. "She said they did not want his body to be taken apart. Barbara said due to them refusing to consent to research; they were having a hard time finding a doctor to help them." Newsweek reported that an anonymous witness tipped police off on November 5 about Barton's body being kept in a freezer while the authorities were in the vicinity investigating a different case. Also Read: Mother Intentionally Sets Car on Fire While Toddler Son is Trapped Inside The witness also told officers that Barton died on December 30, 2018, and that Watters threatened their lives if they told law enforcement. An autopsy of Barton later revealed no proof of foul play. Director of the division of senior and disability services, Jessica Bax, said that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was prohibited from giving out any information regarding the case or the investigations. Baseless accusations Captain of the Joplin Police, Nick Jimenez, said that Watters' claims had no evidence that their department was aiding a doctor who, according to her, was aiming to take her husband's brain, as reported by the Associated Press. The charge against Watters was punishable by up to four years in jail was filed after police received a report of the death of Barton on December 30, 2018. On Thursday, Watters was transferred to house arrest and her attorney, Cobb Young, said that her husband's body was to be kept in their home as required by statute even with her failure to report of his death. Cobb Young refused to comment regarding the reports that police repeatedly arrived at Watters' residence saying, "I have no knowledge of any of that." In June 2018, two Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services employees were shown to have visited the couple's home after Watters allegedly refused to give her husband care. Related Article: Bystander Who Took Graphic Footage of Ahmaud Arbery Attack Arrested @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Oil is one of the most important drivers of the global economy. The price of oil affects pretty much everything, especially what you pay at the pump when you gas up your car. When the price goes up, so does the price of most goods and services. When the price goes down, the opposite tends to happen. The price of oil can be affected by several factors, most notably changes in the economy and geopolitical events. The most significant factor weighing on oil prices now is the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the spread of COVID-19 has led the price of oil to plunge so low, that at one point, the price dropped into negative territory. Heres why: Demand for Oil Takes a Nosedive The outbreak of COVID-19 around the world has led many countries to enact strict measures to contain its spread. These measures include lockdowns where everyone is generally confined to their homes and all but essential businesses are shut down. The lack of economic activity has contributed to a dramatic drop in demand for oil. At the same time, oil producers were not cutting production in response to the reduced demand. In fact, two of the biggest oil producers, Russia and Saudi Arabia, were engaged in a price war that saw both countries undertake measures designed to lower the price of oil even further. Too Much Supply, Too Little Demand Oil prices went negative because warehouses were full and more oil was still on the way. Photo by Robert Laursoo on Unsplash Regardless of the demand for oil taking a nosedive, there is always at least some demand for the commodity. Thus, a big drop in demand still doesnt entirely explain why prices went negative. So what does? Well, it has to do with how the market for oil works. When discussing the price of oil, it is usually in relation to future contracts, meaning that the actual price is set for a future date. And because demand fell to the point where producers were paying buyers to take their oil, the price of oil went negative. There was simply too much supply and too little demand. Also, it was actually the price for a particular type of oil that went negative. That oil is called West Texas Intermediate (WTI). This type of oil is the benchmark for oil in the U.S., making it the most important factor to watch for determining future American contracts. Bear in mind that the United States is the biggest country in terms of oil consumption. WTI oil is stored in Oklahoma, a landlocked U.S. state. Its a lot harder to move oil elsewhere from a landlocked territory, and since the storage space in Oklahoma was almost at capacity, there was more downward pressure on the global price of oil. Just imagine that you had a warehouse full of goods that you couldnt sell, even when youve already tried to reduce the price. At the same time, new goods keep coming into the warehouse and youre running out of space. To top it off, youre expecting even more goods to arrive in the future. But youre out of room, so in a desperate effort to create space for the arrival of future goods, you pay people to take the goods you already have so that youll have space in your warehouse for the goods that havent arrived yet. Back in the Black The negative price of oil was very short-lived. Oil prices are now back in positive territory, though the price remains very low compared to what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The founders of one of the best-known walking tours of the Troubles are responding to the Covid-19 pandemic by running a virtual experience that is already attracting visitors from around the world. DC Tours is also ramping up marketing of its online tour to colleges, schools and study groups - as current lockdown and travel ban has temporarily shuttered its in-person business. The company is not only targeting those interested in modern Irish history, but also psychology, English language and political geography, among others, said Mark Wylie, who co-founded the company seven years ago. In response to the coronavirus shutdown, DC Tours developed the just over two-hour online experience that includes a tour and a question and answer session with travel guide, Paul 'Donzo' Donnelly, also a founder of the company. It has been running now for two weeks with tours on Saturday and Sunday evenings. The tour has attracted visitors from the UK, Ireland and the US, which reflects the demographics of the 'in person' walks, Mr Wylie said, adding that those that supported the company through crowd funding in recent weeks were invited to join. The shutdown has focused the minds of those in the company to think differently, and they are now sending messages out to schools and universities, including those the company had a relationship with previously, the company founder said. "It is a fantastic opportunity for the education market, schools, universities, study tours," said Mr Wylie. "The idea was there beforehand...but (we) did not realise the opportunity." The company recognises that the virus will have a long-term effect, even when the lockdown is eased considerably. It may be not possible to host walking tours with 20 to 25 people for some time, the DC Tours owner said. "From the start of the crisis we have been determined to find a way to keep the company going while keeping our guests and guides safe," said Mr Wylie, who added that the company is grateful for the crowdfunding support from guests who "wanted us to get through this because they loved the tour so much. "They gave us the vital support we needed to re-imagine the business and create something completely new and unique to Belfast," said Mr Wylie. "That support allowed us to spend some time thinking about the sort of experience of Belfast we might be able to offer people in the current climate," he added. "And so we did our research and created a brand new 'virtual tour' where guests who can't make it to Belfast this year can still learn about our city's history from a local. "The result is 'The History of the Troubles' which launched a few weeks ago and is already proving to be a big hit, with its first dates selling out within hours." On post shut-down, Mr Wylie said: "Even if we can only run smaller tours, we still believe there is a good local audience - people who want to find out more about their own history, or those with children who are studying the conflict as part of their history or politics curriculum." Viking Dark Ale Malt via MoreBeer More Info From the product description, check product page for current description, price and availability: 11.8-15.6 L The curing temperature of Viking Dark Ale Malt is 105 110 C. A special malting program and prolonged kilning ensure the right flavor. The enzymatic activity of Dark Ale is low. Flavor of Dark Ale malt is cereal and sweet with some nice aromas of roasted nuts and fruits. Dark Ale is an aromatic malt recommended for any beer to enhance color and aroma. Ideal for Brown Ales and Dark lagers. Recommended usage up to 30 % of the grist. In 2016 Viking Malt and Danish Malting Group joined forces to better serve their customers. Now the new Viking Malt is the leading malting company in Northern Europe and supply raw materials and services to the global brewing, distilling and food industries. Viking Malt has 6 malthouses in areas where our distinctive Nordic barley is sourced: in Halmstad, Sweden; Vordingborg, Denmark; Lahti, Finland; Panevezys, Lithuania and in Sierpc and Strzegom, Poland. The annual malting capacity is close to 600 kilotons. Malt Specification: Moisture % max. 5.0 Extract fine % dm min. 78.0 Color L 11.8-15.6 Wort pH max. 5.8 Protein % dm max. 11.5 In the span of less than 15 days, the state has tested every prison in the Michigan Department of Corrections system for COVID-19. The testing covered 38, 130 prisoners at 29 prisons. Of all prisoners, 3,263 prisoners tested positive so far, 18,316 tested negative, with results pending on 16,551 tests. The testing wasnt the first COVID-19 test for many prisoners. Some have been tested multiple times to make sure it was safe for them to return to their prisons general population. The mass testing in May came after the MDOC began testing symptomatic prisoners in late March, followed more comprehensive testing at various prisons in mid-April. Related: Michigan averages fewer new coronavirus cases as Kent County overtakes Wayne County in most positive tests More recently, prison administrators set a more lofty goal. The vast majority of the prisoners we found who tested positive had no symptoms and were making it more challenging to control the spread of this illness. Heidi Washington, MDOC director, said in a written statement. The Michigan National Guard helped accomplish the system-wide testing. Authorities said the goal is to slow the spread of COVID-19 within the prison system. As of Friday, the Michigan Department of Corrections has 3,275 cases of COVID-19 within the system and 60 deaths. Prison officials say they now are offering voluntary testing to MDOC employees as well and more than 1,000 employees have agreed to it. Related: Protesting inmates refuse to return to cells at Michigan prison as coronavirus cases surge Coronavirus a death sentence in Michigan prisons, inmate says Exposure of Ulterior Motives Behind Stigmatization of China with COVID-19 (Part IV) By Jun Sheng The blames that certain American politicians have been trying to shift to China have all backfired on themselves, and the hardest-working blame-game player Mike Pompeo is considered by many American media and netizens as one of the worst Secretaries of State in history. Shifting the blame to others has eventually boomeranged against themselves. What exactly have they done to shift the blame then? At first, the American politicians played face change repeatedly. They praised Chinas anti-virus efforts when COVID-19 first broke out in the country. Then all of a sudden, they changed their tune and began to criticize China. The U-turn in their attitude came at a subtle timing when the outbreak quickly escalated in the US. With a mentality of speculation and adventurism, the anxious and upset US politicians felt no qualms about going back on their own words. What an eye-opening farce for the world! Later, they joined efforts to stigmatize China. As the pandemic spread ever more quickly across the US to the brink of going completely out of control, some politicians couldnt wait to stand up and collectively slam and smear China, using very tough and strong words even though they knew the accusations carried no weight. Being incompetent in controlling the pandemic at home, they have been adamant about scapegoating China and put forth all sorts of China-bashing fallacies. But the truth always beats lies in the end. The false accusations made by those politicians were not bought even by their own people, not to mention the rest of the world. When asked if they had any evidence to prove that the virus came from China, the politicians just beat around the bush, unable to give a direct answer. Their bluffing trick, after playing for a long time, was seen through. The continuously worsening pandemic situation in the US has infuriated its media and people so much that criticisms of the government and its officials for their slow and bungled response have never stopped. Facts have proven that these politicians, failing to shift the blame, have finally shot themselves in the foot. Now that the blame-game doesnt work, the true situation about Americas pandemic prevention and control can no longer be covered up. It is exactly because of those American politicians who, instead of concentrating on bringing the outbreak under control, are only focused on smearing other countries and shifting the blame to others that the US has left the world far behind in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. As of May 23, the US has reported more than 1.6 million confirmed cases. Closer scrutiny would show that their blame-game just revealed their incorrigible sinophobia paranoia. Some American politicians have been trumpeting the end of history theory. They dont want to see a fast-developing and strong China, much less a successful socialist country. Still, history rolls forward irrespective of personal wishes, and no force can stop Chinas progress. Thanks to the tremendous efforts made since the outbreak, China has achieved remarkable success in containing the virus, and resumed business operation and production across the country. In contrast, the US has become the epicenter of the global pandemic, with the virus spreading further, and the number of infections and deaths still on the rise. Such a comparison is the last thing that those infected with sinophobia paranoia want to see. So, they played the blame-game to pass the buck for their poor epidemic response, and defame and throw obstacles at Chinas development. How insidious! Justice lies in peoples hearts. The people of the world have seen clearly that the fancy slogans like America first and making America great again should be based on bearing responsibilities rather than shirking them. The irresponsible and unconscionable move of shifting blame will in no way help with the anti-epidemic efforts; rather, it will only lead to an irremediable situation where the US has no choice but to eat the bitter fruit of its own making. There is an old Chinese saying that goes lift a rock only to drop it on ones own feet, which is similar to shift the blame only to have it backfire. We advise those American politicians, who confuse right with wrong, cling to the past, maintain biased viewpoints and randomly shift blame, to stop making anti-China noises and face up to justice, reason, and public opinion. After all, blaming China wont cure your disease or make your wish to curb Chinas development come true. That the US insists on going its own way stubbornly and recklessly will only make itself a laughing stock and the target of disdain. The Kogi state governorship election petition tribunal has affirmed the election of Yahaya Bello as governor of Kogi State, north-central Nigeria. Naija News reports that the election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja, Nigerias capital, dismissed the case filed against Governor Bello by Musa Wada, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigerias main opposition party on Saturday. The three-man panel of judges, led by Justice Ibrahim Kaigama, after hours of delay, unanimously dismissed Musa Wadas petition for lack of merit and asked him to pay N500,000 as costs to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Independent National Election Commission (INEC) for his frivolous claims. Naija News recalls Musa Wada scored 189,704 votes on the platform of the PDP to emerge the first runner-up of the November 16, 2019 election but displeased with the outcome of the election, he went to the tribunal to challenge the victory of Yahaya Bello, who polled 406,222 votes. Also displeased with the decision of the tribunal today, the PDP candidate has vowed to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal to seek justice and reclaim what he termed as stolen mandate. Meanwhile, before todays ruling, the Kogi state governorship election petition tribunal had also dismissed two other petitions against Bello. Share this post with your Friends on The Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu congratulated all faithful Muslims in the country as they celebrate the 2020 Eid-El Fitri. The IG in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday, May 22 by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba, boast of the forces commitment in ensuring security of lives of citizens during and after the festival. He, however, warned that no religious gathering is allowed at this moment until the Coronavirus disease subsides in the country. Mba noted in the statement that a proactive and robust anti-crime measures, including the deployments of tactical and intelligence assets of the Force were already in place. He expressed confidence Nigeria will soon come out victorious from the battle against the pandemic, urging citizens to, however, adhere to preventive regulations made known by the government and health agencies. the COVID-19 prevention regulation orders, the inter state movement restriction, national curfew and the prohibition of religious gatherings were still in force, the IGP reiterated. Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has rolled out a gradual guideline process for reopening of its economy in motion, with the rollout of Register-to-Open guidelines. Share this post with your Friends on Manitoba Hydro claims the illegal blockade at the Keeyask megaproject is costing the utility $1.7 million a day, as the construction site moves to barebones staff. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba Hydro claims the "illegal blockade" at the Keeyask megaproject is costing the utility $1.7 million a day, as the construction site moves to barebones staff. The chiefs blockading entry at three points around the megaproject say they dont want to endanger anyones safety, including those left at the plant. On Monday, a Winnipeg judge issued an injunction, allowing the RCMP to remove blockades that four First Nations started a week ago, over fears a massive shift change would introduce COVID-19 to northern Manitoba. The injunction gives Mounties until May 28 to remove the blockade, but RCMP say they only plan to respond if safety is put at risk. Hydro has moved some staff into the plant from the Gillam airport via helicopter. "By forcing the decision to go into a care and maintenance mode, the continuing blockade is costing the Keeyask Project approximately $1.7 million per day, plus a one-time cost of up to $50 million for demobilizing and remobilization as well as contractor claims," reads an internal memo Hydro sent to its employees Friday morning. "These costs will be borne by Manitoba Hydros customers." Hydro spokesman Bruce Owen confirmed the utility pared down staff late Thursday "due to the illegal blockade," and that roughly 100 staff are staying on to ensure safe maintenance of the construction site. Owen added that Keeyask was proceeding ahead of schedule prior to the blockade. A group from Tataskweyak Cree Nation block Provincial Road 280 to Manitoba Hydros Keeyask generating station construction site. (Facebook) The internal memo also claims the blockades are preventing food from reaching the site. That came as news to those leading the protests, who said they could negotiate with Hydro if the utility asked to bring in needed supplies. "The blockaders () are also holding back essential shipments of food and other supplies and services," Dave Bowen claimed in the internal memo Friday. "Without perishable foods like bread and milk, or the ability to remove accumulating food waste that is already attracting bears into the camp, the situation is no longer safe." The memo said Hydro had "no clear timeline from the RCMP for when they will move to permit safe passage of people, food or other critical supplies." Nathan Neckoway, a Tataskweyak band councillor who helped organize the blockade, argued that the memo illustrates Hydros spotty communication. 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. "They cant just assume that were not going to work with them; they got to talk to us," said Neckoway. "They never involved us in the process; thats what started us having to make our stand. Hydro does not acknowledge us as partners." Hydro offered Wednesday night to have CEO Jay Grewal speak with chiefs by teleconference. The chiefs were discussing the proposal Friday afternoon, but some want an in-person meeting at the blockade site. In a statement, Hydro said its been in touch with the four First Nations about pandemic planning since mid-March. The chiefs dont dispute that, but say they werent fully consulted on the plan to bring in as many as 1,200 staff, including up to 200 from outside Manitoba. Hydro only shared that plan after the province had approved it, and then extended the required quarantine period, based on chiefs feedback. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Nepali labourers are not only the backbone of the state's apple economy but also part of the highly grounded manpower in the orchards, setting an example for other states struggling with the migrant labour question, reports Ashwani Sharma. Disturbing images of migrant workers, in their millions, walking miles almost barefoot to return to their villages after being pushed out of jobs and workplaces, tell horrifying stories of human misery amid concerns over the spread of coronavirus. The nationwide lockdown has already sent the stranded migrant workers -- men, women and children into a state of chaos and despair on national highways, their progress marred by road accidents and train tragedies. The images are unlikely to fade away soon even if things progress to a gradual exit from the lockdown in the post-COVID 19 scenario. But, at least in the hills of Himachal Pradesh, the labour migration has not impacted life as seriously as it has in states like UP, Delhi, Bihar, MP, Jharkhand or West Bengal. The state governments estimates reveal that some 85,000 migrant labourers want to return home as do an equal number of Kashmiri migrants, of who around 50,000-60,000 have already returned to the Valley with the administrations assistance. We are in touch with their native states and also Indian Railways to facilitate their phased mobility. So far, the district administrations and employers and industrialists at Baddi-Barotiwala, Nalagarh and Kala Amb included, have been able to prevent distress migration unlike other state governments, claims Principal Secretary (Disaster Management ) Onkar Sharma, who is the nodal authority handling inter-state movement of those stranded at different places. However, the real story that makes Himachal Pradesh a perfect example of labour relations exists in the states apple belt that has been around for decades, so much so today it has evolved into one of mutual trust and inter-dependence. In the centre of this fiduciary relationship, as many call it, are Nepali labourers who are not only the backbone of the apple economy but also part of the highly grounded manpower in the orchards. Almost every orchardist, big or small, has an inhouse Gurkha family in the backyard handling most farm operations, both off-season and peak season activities. Some orchards have more than one family residing in the orchards, and earning their subsistence locally. I have nine Nepalis (Gurkhas) with me. The main person, Dhan Bahadur, 56, has been with us for years that I dont even remember since when. He handles all my orchard activities from pruning, sprays to harvesting operations. Besides his daily wages and dues, which I pay him in advance, I also take care of all his basic needs like housing, rations, medical care and education of children, says Joginder Chauhan, joint commissioner (legal), Municipal Corporation of Shimla. So strong are the ties between them that Chauhan helped Dhan Bahadurs son Kamal Magar not only complete his college education at Kotkhai but also his vocational course in food craft. After his internship and advance training at Pune, Magar is now employed at Radisson, Shimla. Chauhan has even gifted his motorcycle to Magar. Feeling proud of his sons rise, Dhan Bahadur gives full credit to Chauhan. Babuji (Chauhan) has always treated us as his extended family, helped each one of us, and took care of all our needs. I never felt myself as a labourer in his orchard. He always reposed an utmost trust in me, Bahadur says. This is not just one story in the apple bowl. Many believe that Nepali labourers living with orchardists have indeed gained full expertise in farm operations. Their knowledge about apple varieties and timing, use of different pesticides, fungicides, fertilisers and manure can beat some of the apple orchardists who live in Shimla. Its only during the apple season that this inhouse labour force is joined by additional manpower from Nepal, for which also the former act as contacts and contractors. During the harvest reason there is a huge labour demand for plucking, grading, packaging, loading and unloading of the boxes. This migratory Nepali labour arrives in May-June and stays up to October-November. They are very sturdy and carry loads of apple boxes up and down the narrow tracks. Naturally, they have a major demand in the apple belt, says Chander Bimta, an orchardist at village Badaiun (Kotkhai). The apple economy in Himachal Pradesh is worth Rs 3,500 crore -- which is 49 percent of the total fruit economy of the state. Areas like Jubbal-Kotkhai, Rohru, Chopal, Chirgaon, Narkanda, Thanedar, Kotgarh, Rampur and Kumarsen are prime apple growing belts of Shimla. Kullu, Mandi, Sirmaur and Kinnaur are also major apple producers. For the last some years even Lahaul-Spiti has started producing apples. There is high labour demand during the apple season, which is met mainly from Nepal. Of late, labourers from the states districts like Sirmaur, Mandi (Karsog), Bilaspur and from other states like Bihar, Uttarakhand and UP have also been working in the orchards during the peak apple reason, or harvesting of other fruits like cherry, almonds, plum and peaches. Rohit Thakur, former Jubbal-Kotkhai MLA who is a leading orchardist, says, There is no match for Nepali labour in handling the apple harvesting season. Now the roads have reached every orchard gate but earlier these Gurkha labourers used to carry apple boxes on their backs five to six km to the road heads, climbing up and down the mountains for loading trucks. About the inhouse Nepalis, he terms them as domesticated labour who have been with orchards for years. Their children are enrolled in the local government schools and go to colleges for higher studies. They have ration cards and live in quiet peace with families to look after the orchards. Tikender Panwar, a former deputy mayor and CPM leader claims, Orchardist patronise the fiduciary relationship with Nepali labourers because their surplus wealth is basically a result of hard work these labourers put in during the whole year. No doubt they (labourers) are looked after very well. Thus, this relationship is surviving well unlike industrial or construction labour, which got pushed out when the lockdown started .There is no such case noted in the case of Nepali labourers. Fearing that the lockdown will result in a shortage of labour in the orchards, the apple orchardists have approached the government asking it to make arrangements for bringing Nepali labourers ahead of the upcoming apple season. There is a need to allow inter-state movement of buses for bringing in the labour before harvest time, says Rohit Thakur. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Sunshine early followed by mostly cloudy skies this afternoon. Much colder. High 22F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 10F. Winds light and variable. The government has launched gov.gr, an online platform combining all public services and simplifying online access. In 2019, 20 percent of the active population in Greece had no access to the Internet, nearly double the EU average of 10 percent according to Eurostat figures. EUs worst digital laggards Greece forced by coronavirus to give e-governance a push The government has rolled out gov.gr, an online platform combining all public services and simplifying online access. Athens: The coronavirus crisis has forced Greece to take rapid steps to computerise its lumbering civil service and belatedly introduce e-governance in one of the EUs worst digital laggards, experts say. After recording its first coronavirus death on March 12, Athens took unprecedented measures totally at odds with its previous love affair with paperwork and red tape. Diomidis Spinellis, head of the department of management science and technology at the Athens university of Economics, says that the COVID-19 crisis accelerated Greeces digital turnthough critics say the country has a long way to go. Between March 23 and May 4, when a nationwide lockdown was imposed, Greeks were required to inform authorities when leaving their homes. A special SMS service was introduced for those unable to print a special form created by the government. Eventually, some 110 million messages were sent free of charge during this period, in an initiative praised by the OECD. The government also rolled out gov.gr, an online platform combining all public services and simplifying online access. Greeces minister of digital governance Kyriakos Pierrakakis said the platform freed thousands of usersespecially high-risk groupsfrom having to turn up at public services, as they were now able to sign documents digitally. Previously at civil services physical attendance (by the public) was the norm and remote activity the exception, Pierrakakis told AFP. Archaic In 2019, Greece was among the EUs laggards in digital performance, ranking 25th in the Digital Economy and Society Index published by the European Commission. That same year, about 20 percent of the active population had no access to the Internet, nearly double the EU average of 10 percent according to Eurostat figures. Nikos Smyrnaios, an associate professor of digital media at the University of Toulouse, said the 2010-2018 Greek debt crisis had already forced the country to overhaul its archaic civil service, but the process was often haphazard. Lets hope the trend doesnt come to a halt once we are out of this emergency, said Spinellis. Not everything has gone according to plan. On May 11, the government faced criticism after large crowds gathered outside the main Athens offices of just-reopened state electricity company PPC to settle bills. Officials later insisted that customers had received ample warning that most transactions could be handled online or by telephone. Many users have lamented a lack of network bandwidth, while noting that their own homes could not be turned into office work areas at the flick of a switch when the lockdown was imposed in March. We are celebrating the disappearance of the fax in 2020, jeers Dimitris Tsingos, a tech entrepreneur and founder of the Hellenic startup association. Hardly revolutionary There are efforts by the government but its hardly revolutionary... there is still a lot of work to be done, he said. Diamanto Zafiraki, a 38-year-old economy ministry employee, has her personal laptop to work with, but has to share with her eight-year-old twins when its time for homework. I dont have a dedicated work area at home. I work from my kitchen, using equipment that is not made for this purpose, she said. Zafiraki also frequently battles slow connection and software glitches. This takes up a lot of my time and energy, and work with colleagues is much more difficult at a distance, she says. With thousands of school pupils at home because of the lockdown, the process of education continued online mainly due to the initiative and persistence of the teachers themselves, says Thanasis Goumas, a senior member of the teachers association. The education ministry gave neither guidelines nor equipment during this period, Goumas told AFP. Goumas also notes that many school pupils dont have a computer at home, or an internet connection. And there was uproar among teacher unions earlier this month when the education ministry announced that cameras would be set up in classes during teaching hours, to enable pupils not attending school to follow courses from home. The government claims this helps distance learning, but (schools) are not reality shows. We are completely against this, Goumas said, citing a possible violation of privacy rights. The press service of the Special Investigation Service (SIS) of Armenia has issued a statement on its grounds for not launching a criminal case on the recent incident in the National Assembly (NA). In particular, it is noted in the statement that the Court of Cassation, in a precedent decision adopted in 2012, expressed a legal position that "beating" is characterized by striking more than one blow to the body of the injured party, under which one blow cannot be considered as "beating" and lead to criminal liability. As per the SIS statement, in such conditions, the body conducting the proceedings came to the conclusion that there was no corpus delicti in the actions of NA deputies Sasun Mikaelyan and Edmon Marukyan, alike, as well as of the other MPs who were involved in the incident. This decision has been sent to the parties, who were also informed of their right to appeal it. On May 8, a scuffle took place in the NA between Edmon Marukyan, leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party and its parliamentary faction, and Sasun Mikaelyan, an MP of the ruling My Step bloc, which led to a mass brawl in the legislature. Iran has participated at a virtual meeting of the health ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) pursuing to bring nations together against the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19), Trend reports citing IRNA. Baku of Azerbaijan hosted the summit and Director General of the International Cooperation Department of the Iranian Health Ministry Mohsen Asadi Lari took part at the event. The Iranian representative called for the key role of the World Health Organization in combating the virus. In the wake of the virus outbreak, Iran has launched a variety of healthcare measures, such as the National Mobilization of COVID-19, he noted. Over 78 million Iranians were screened and the number of patients admitted to the hospitals were remarkably reduced, he undelined. In the second round of screening, Iran targeted 22 million high-risk individuals; he said, adding, the laboratory capacities, outpatient clinics, tracking emergencies, segregation as well as home treatment were expanded. He voiced Irans support for the UN Secretary-General's plans to fight the pandemic, condemning unilateral coercive measures against member states that breach the UN Charter and international law. Nguyen Van Hien, former Deputy Minister of National Defence and former Commander of the Vietnam Peoples Navy, was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a case of violations of naval land management regulations. Nguyen Van Hien at the court inh Ngoc he, deputy general director of the Thai Son Corporation under the Ministry of National Defence, and chairman and general director of the Thai Son Development and Investment JSC, received 20 years imprisonment for acting fraudulently to appropriate a Navy land lot in HCM City. Bui Nhu Thiem, former head of the Economics Division at the Viet Nam Peoples Navy, was given nine years in prison for Bui Van Nga, former director of the Hai Thanh Service and Sea Island Tourism One-Member Limited Liability Company; oan Manh Thao, former head of the Navys finance division and Tran Trong Tuan, deputy director of the Hai Thanh Service and Sea Island Tourism One-Member Limited Liability Company, were sentenced to eight, seven and four years in prison respectively for violating regulations on land management. Pham Van Diet, general director of the uc Binh Group Joint Stock Company and managing director of the Yen Khanh Production, Trading Service Limited Company; and Vu Thi Hoan, director of the Yen Khanh Production, Trading Service Limited Company and director of the Yen Khanh Hai Thanh Limited Company got 15 and seven years in jail, respectively. According to the court, as a leading official, former deputy minister Hien failed to complete his management tasks and lacked supervision at work. He was banned from holding positions at organisations for three years after completing his jail term. According to the verdict of the Central Military Procuracy, when Hien was deputy defence minister and commander of the Viet Nam Peoples Navy, he approved the use of defence land on Ton uc Thang Street, Ben Nghe Ward for economic purposes without verifying information provided by his subordinates. This broke Defence Ministry and Government regulations, as well as the 2013 Land Law. Hien failed to supervise financial contributions and ignoring orders from the Defence Ministry. These included his duty to verify why authorisation was given to a Hai Thanh Company director to sign venture contracts, which resulted in partners using land-use rights certificates to take out mortgages, change the nature of the ownership and transfer the land to third parties. inh Ngoc He and Bui Nhu Thiem were accused of acting fraudulently by forging signatures to transfer land use rights from Hai Thanh Company to Yen Khanh Hai Thanh Company for use as collateral for bank loans. As a result, the Navy lost the right to manage and use three plots of land for 49 years, causing losses of VN939 billion to the State budget. VNS If you were at Hollys Hill Vineyards when it first reopened last weekend, you might, for a moment, have forgotten about the coronavirus altogether. For the first time since shelter-in-place orders began, visitors descended on the Placerville (El Dorado County) winery. After picking up bottles and pizzas at an outdoor bar, they retreated to picnic tables around the property and poured themselves the winerys Rhone-style wines in plastic GoVino glasses. It wasnt exactly the way wed usually do it, said winery co-owner Josh Bendick. But it kind of felt back to normal. It also might be a preview of the new normal for all California wineries. El Dorado is among the counties that have been given the green light to partially reopen their economy. The initial phase allows restaurants to resume dine-in service, but does not allow wineries to reopen their tasting rooms unless they offer full meals. Hollys Hill has been offering takeout food and wine since the beginning of the shutdown, and to Bendick, letting people consume that takeout at its outdoor picnic tables seemed like a logical next step. Some Sonoma County wineries introduced similar concepts over the weekend, after receiving permission Friday from the California Department of Public Health to begin offering outdoor sit-down meals. Bricoleur Vineyards, a brand-new winery in Windsor that had originally planned to open to the public this month, rushed to push its reservation system live soon after the order was announced. Small groups can reserve one of Bricoleurs approximately 40 outdoor tables and will get a guided wine flight plus pizza. Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle 2019 But for now, Hollys Hill and Bricoleur are anomalies. Unlike in Oregon, where wineries have fully reopened, most other California tasting rooms remain closed because most wineries either arent allowed to serve full meals, particularly in Napa County, or dont want to deal with the logistics or safety risk. In Sonoma County, Andrew Mariani, who co-owns Scribe Winery and has a permit to serve food, says he plans to wait a few more weeks before reopening. That leaves Bay Area residents, including Wine Country locals, unable to visit their favorite wineries when the weather is getting perfect for such an excursion. It also leaves many vintners confused and angry. Their businesses are hurting, and many argue that winery tasting rooms which often have ample outdoor space are better suited to social distancing than restaurants. In Napa County, which has resumed dine-in service at restaurants, the Board of Supervisors has requested permission from the state to also reopen wineries. A San Mateo County winery owner agrees. We have the capacity to do outdoors. We have the capacity to do distancing in our seating, said Tommy Fogarty, owner of Thomas Fogarty Winery in Woodside. The only difference is that we wouldnt be serving food, which to me would be safer. One argument against reopening tasting rooms is that they tend to draw visitors from far away. Napa Valley alone sees 3.85 million visitors in a typical year, according to Visit Napa Valley president Linsey Gallagher. But, she adds, 65% are day trippers. Similarly, Birgitt Vaughan of Sonoma Countys tourism board said most tourists live within driving distance. The crowd at Hollys Hill for its inaugural weekend were mostly locals, Bendick said, though he did have one customer drive from the Bay Area. He said it was the longest hes ever driven for pizza, Bendick laughed. In the meantime, the forced closures continue to deal devastating blows to Californias wine industry, which employs 325,000 Californians. Were almost 100% direct-to-consumer through our tasting room and wine club, said Mike Heringer, winemaker at Heringer Estates in Clarksburg (Yolo County), of his familys business model. Since shelter-in-place orders began, to keep sales up, he has personally driven wine to customers homes as far away as San Diego. Yolo County wineries have not yet been allowed to reopen for wine and food service. But two weeks ago, Heringer Estates did reopen for nature hikes. Visitors who make a prior reservation can walk a 1.67-mile trail that follows Elk Slough, a tributary of the Sacramento River. Its free for guests, though there is a suggested $5 donation toward a scholarship fund. Some visitors buy wine to go at the end of the walk. Jordan Winery in Healdsburg introduced a similar concept on May 23: 4-mile guided hikes through its property, with a picnic box of wine and food to take home, for $220 per couple. John Storey / Special to the Chronicle 2019 While wineries await the green light to reopen more fully to visitors, theyre frantically planning for the changes theyll have to implement. Navarro Vineyards in Mendocino County is an insistently casual spot, with free tastings and often a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd at its homey tasting bar. Now, owner Deborah Cahn plans to put up Plexiglas screens at the bar. But most people wouldnt stay indoors for long, she added: Well be discovering how to use the picnic grounds. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Flowers Vineyards in Healdsburg, which tentatively plans to reopen June 1, will implement a contactless experience, said general manager Stephanie Peachey. The year-old tasting room already featured private, cabana-like outdoor seating areas. Now, visitors will find a provisions bag awaiting them at their table and will do all the opening, pouring and serving themselves. Get used to making prior reservations; practically every winery will require them. Our permit allows us to see up to 100 people per day, but well be limiting it to 20, said Stephanie Honig, president of Honig Winery in Napa Valley. To minimize contact, staff will no longer be polishing glasses, and there will be a dedicated bathroom attendant sanitizing the bathroom between every use. Want to try tiny tastes of lots of different wines? Forget it many wineries will offer only bottle service. Madrona Vineyards in El Dorado County is hoping to find a workaround, by letting customers order tasting flights from their phones, then delivering the pre-poured wines on a platter so that staff doesnt touch the glasses, said owner Maggie Bush. If you have questions about what youre drinking, you can bring up a one-minute explanatory video on your phone. Will it feel weird? Yes. It wont be the same as your past experiences, said Gallagher of Visit Napa Valley. Some wineries might even ask customers to wear masks, which would make tasting awkward, to say the least. John Storey / Special to the Chronicle 2019 Still, theres little doubt that there will be a market for it. No matter how adulterated the experience, California has plenty of wine lovers eager to get out of their homes and drink wine among beautiful scenery. Every week were getting more calls from people asking if they can come and taste wine, said Bendick of Hollys Hill. Theres just a lot of energy for it. Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob FILE - In this May 14, 2020, file photo, California Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses his revised 2020-2021 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. Newsom's proposed budget cuts include canceling billions of dollars in climate change spending, a blow to environmental advocates who look to the state as a stopgap for the Trump administration's weakening of federal protections. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool, File) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed budget cuts include canceling billions of dollars in climate change spending, a blow to environmental advocates who look to the state as a stopgap for the Trump administration's weakening of federal protections. In January, Newsom proposed a $12 billion climate budget that, over the next five years, would offer incentives for companies to convert to electric vehicles, give low-interest loans to businesses to clean up their practices and spend billions on projects preparing for floods, droughts and wildfires. But Thursday, Newsom proposed eliminating most of the foundation for those programs to balance a budget that will have an estimated $54.3 billion deficit. The economic downturn has been brought by a statewide stay-at-home order to limit the spread of the coronavirus. The order has closed most businesses for two months, putting more than 4.5 million people out of work and sending state tax collections plummeting. The proposed cuts come as the state is battling the Trump administration over water quality and auto emissions, among other environmental issues. At a time when the Trump administration is mounting an unprecedented assault on environmental and public health protection, it's absolutely devastating and horrifying, said Kassie Siegel, director of the Climate Law Institute at the Center for Biological Diversity. The Newsom administration says the cuts represent unprecedented times that have forced the state to make sacrifices that we didn't think six months ago we would have to do. The administration chose to protect programs to clean up the air in disadvantaged communities and to provide safe drinking water. All the leaders around the world from Germany to Denmark to Japan are all suffering similar economic fates, said Jared Blumenfeld, secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency. What California is doing is prioritizing and making sure, as the governor said, our values come first. The biggest cut was scrapping a proposal to borrow $4.75 billion to prepare the state for climate-change disasters like sea level rise that threatens the coastal cities and devastating wildfires that have destroyed tens of thousands of buildings and killed more than 100 people. Story continues That proposal could be revived in the Legislature, where lawmakers view it as a type of economic stimulus to create jobs during a coronavirus-induced economic downturn. But they would first have to convince Newsom not to veto it over cost concerns. Newsom canceled a $250 million contribution to the climate catalyst fund, aimed at jump starting investment in technology to help clean up private sector polluters. But the most ironic impact is on the state's cap and trade program, which requires big businesses to purchase credits that allow them to pollute. Coronavirus-related closures since mid-March have shut down most businesses and kept cars off the road, leading to a dramatic improvement in air quality. But it's also reduced the demand for credits, meaning the state is likely to make less money when it sells them. That means less money for a host of programs offering incentives for companies to convert their diesel-powered fleets one of the largest sources of air pollution to electric vehicles. The good news is emissions are decreasing. However, there is a lot of funding that has occurred in the past that may not occur in the future as a result of that, Blumenfeld said. The Newsom administration canceled a plan to hire 53 more people to regulate the state's oil and gas industry. The cut surprised environmental advocates because the new employees would have been paid for not by state income tax collections, but by fees paid from the oil and gas industry itself. Oil and gas won, said Kathryn Phillips, director of Sierra Club California. But people who breathe and live near ports are losing. State Oil and Gas Supervisor Uduak-Joe Ntuk said the economic downturn and historically low demand for oil and gas has impacted operators, "many of whom are facing layoffs and cutbacks. Requesting additional fees during this crisis would be a difficult challenge, he said. We all need to stretch our limited resources, and CalGEM is committed to continuing its critical core enforcement and regulatory work with its current resources. Problems such as high blood pressure are usually picked up at a GP surgery Do you know if your blood pressure is dangerously high? Or if your blood sugar levels mean youre on the verge of type 2 diabetes? These problems can usually be picked up during vital tests carried out at your GP surgery. But, at present, routine screening and annual health check-ups are suspended, to allow more time to deal with acute problems and Covid-19 cases. So, with heart health and diabetes being risk factors, monitoring your own health has become crucial. With this in mind, here are the essential health checks you can do right now, from home. Theres every chance they may save your life. At present, routine screening and annual health check-ups are suspended, to allow more time to deal with acute problems and Covid-19 cases, says Eve Simmons A TOE TAP TO CHECK YOUR HEART How often: Once a month More than a million Britons suffer a common heart rhythm problem, putting them at risk of a deadly stroke. Yet the condition, called atrial fibrillation, often goes unnoticed, with the symptoms passed off as tiredness or anxiety. But a 60-second test, completed roughly once a month, can flag-up warning signs. Sitting on a chair, put your first two fingers of one hand over your wrist on the other arm, or at the side of your neck, until you can feel your pulse. For one minute, tap your feet every time you feel your pulse beat. If the heart rhythm is normal, toe taps will be evenly spaced. But if the tapping is irregular very fast and then slower it could be a sign of atrial fibrillation. If youre tapping regularly, its OK, but if the tap is consistently uneven you should visit your GP, says Dr Howard Marshall, a consultant cardiologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. The doctor will do further tests and can prescribe a range of treatments. THE CHAIR TEST THAT WARNS OF A PAINFUL FALL How often: Twice weekly to monthly Falls are the most common cause of injury-related fatality in the UK. Muscle mass declines sharply as we age, causing a third of over-65s to suffer an accident every year. Health chiefs recommend twice- weekly strength-boosting activities, such as yoga or lifting weights, to prevent this. But first, find out how much exercise you can manage with a simple strength test. More than a million Britons suffer a common heart rhythm problem, putting them at risk of a deadly stroke (file photo of a woman checking her pulse) Standing with your back to a chair and feet wide apart, slowly sit down, but dont let your bottom reach the chair. Then slowly stand again. Try to repeat the exercise continually for 90 seconds. If you can manage more than a minute, your strength is above average. Anything under 30 seconds indicates very poor strength in the thighs and buttocks the largest muscle groups. If you perform poorly, practise the exercise twice weekly, or perform gentle yoga to build up strength. Otherwise, over-65s should test themselves monthly, or before adopting a new exercise regime. A PIN-PRICK FOR DIABETES How often? Every two to three months With regular health checks for over-40s on hold this year, millions will miss their first warning sign of type 2 diabetes. A blood test called HbA1c which measures average blood sugar levels can indicate diabetes, and prediabetes when levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetic. Simply prick your finger to draw blood and send off the sample, which is analysed in a laboratory (file photo) Diagnosis at this point is crucial, as lifestyle changes such as weight loss can stop the condition progressing. Home HbA1c tests available online are almost identical to the one carried out by the GP. For a kit, go to a reputable pharmacist, or try monitormyhealth.org.uk, which is NHS-backed. Simply prick your finger to draw blood and send off the sample, which is analysed in a laboratory. The measurement used is mmol/mol. Anything below 42mmol/mol is considered normal. If you have no other symptoms but score highly, repeat the test once a month for three months to see if you get the same result. Regardless of the test, if you have telltale symptoms of diabetes, such as feeling constantly thirsty and going to the toilet more than usual, tiredness, blurred vision and thrush, call your GP. TAKE A LIFE-SAVING PICTURE How often: Every two months No one knows your skin better than you do. Thats why self-checking is the best way to spot the suspicious changes in moles that might indicate skin cancer. If you have more than 20 moles on one arm, you may be at a higher risk of developing melanoma the deadliest form of skin cancer according to scientists at Kings College London. While there are hundreds of smartphone apps that claim to track and monitor skin changes, dermatologist Justine Hextall suggests taking pictures of high-risk areas, and reviewing them every two months. Use the dermatologist-recommended ABCDE rule to help you spot something worrying. If you have more than 20 moles on one arm, you may be at a higher risk of developing melanoma (file photo of a big skin mole that should be inspected by a dermatologist) Watch for A: asymmetrical shape, B: borders that are jagged, c: colour change, d: diameter above 6mm and e: evolution from its regular appearance. If you notice any of the above, or bleeding or itching, call the GP immediately. Non-melanomas are far less risky and dont develop from a mole, but spread occasionally. These usually appear as a bump that is red, cracked, blistered and spot-like. THE VITAL CHECKS YOU SHOULD NEVER STOP DOING Life-saving screenings for bowel, cervical and breast cancer are now delayed potentially denying millions that crucial, early diagnosis. So spotting your own lumps and bumps is more important than ever. But this doesnt mean doing a specific test monthly or even every week. Instead, experts advise touching and examining your body as regularly as possible, such as in the shower. This helps you get to grips with your normal, so you are more likely to notice abnormalities. Get used to how breast tissue feels and looks at different times of the month. If you notice any change in the breast or nipple shape, size or sensation, call your GP. A similar approach applies to the size and shape of the testicles. Look out for blood in the loo, as changes in bowel habits can be a warning sign for bowel cancer. Its important you flag this up with a doctor as soon as you notice it. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 00:25:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PARIS, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Ten European nations on Friday issued a joint statement regretting the United States' withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty, which they consider "a crucial element of the confidence-building framework that has been created over the past decades to increase transparency and security across the Euro-Atlantic area." "We regret the announcement by the government of the United States of its intention to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, although we share its concerns regarding the implementation of treaty provisions by Russia," said the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Sweden in the statement. "We will continue to implement the Open Skies Treaty which has obvious added value for our conventional arms control architecture and our common security," said the statement. "We reaffirm that this treaty remains functional and useful. The withdrawal becomes effective after a period of six months," it added. "On matters relating to the implementation of the treaty, we will continue dialogues with Russia as previously agreed between NATO allies and other European partners in order to resolve outstanding issues such as undue restrictions imposed on flights over Kaliningrad," it said. German Minister of Defense Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told the German broadcaster n-tv on Friday that her country will make an effort to salvage the international Open Skies treaty. "I deeply regret the U.S. announcement on the abandonment of the treaty," said Kramp-Karrenbauer, adding that in close coordination with Germany's Foreign Office, "we will do everything we can to ensure that at the end of the day everyone will be able to stick with this contract." The U.S. administration revealed on Thursday its intention to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies, which allows its states-parties to conduct short-notice, unarmed reconnaissance flights over the others' entire territories to collect data on military forces and activities. The Treaty on Open Skies, which aims at building confidence and familiarity among states-parties through their participation in the overflights, was concluded in 1992 and entered into force in 2002. Currently, 35 nations, including Russia, the United States, and some other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, have signed it. Kyrgyzstan has signed but not ratified it yet. Enditem Practising an age-old faith in extraordinary times With the Ramadan festival falling on Monday concluding a month of prayer and fasting, Adilah Ismail talks to Muslims across the country on how they adjusted to the new normal View(s): View(s): Like many medical workers, Sabith Liaquat is accustomed to navigating hospital shifts during Ramadan. For the past four to five years, he has been on call during Ramadan and as a doctor, he now knows how to calibrate the rhythms of work life to the rigours of fasting. This year, he takes extra precaution to stay hydrated. As the number of COVID-19 patients increased around the country, Kattankudy Hospital, where he currently works, was swiftly transformed in mid-April into a hospital equipped to treat Coronavirus patients. While methods such as cameras, intercoms and PA systems were put into place to help observe and interact with patients at a distance, to cross into the specialized treatment centre for COVID-19 positive patients required personal protection equipment (PPE) crucial equipment to stop the spread of COVID-19 and to keep healthcare workers on the frontlines safe. Think of it as being inside an airtight polythene bag, he explains. You cant wear it for a long time, you sweat a lot and you get severely dehydrated. To have to fast and to wear this is a bit difficult and I make sure that I have a lot of water (for suhoor) if I am on duty. Thats been the most challenging part this year. Hailing from Aluthgama, Sabith opted not to go back home to visit this month due to his exposure working on the frontlines of the pandemic. He has kept physical social interactions to a minimum and spent a quiet Ramadan, using the extra time to stay connected with family and friends through social media and messaging applications. M.R.Husni Ahamed is also spending a socially distanced Ramadan, away from his wife and three-year-old daughter. Husni, who works as a doctor at the newly opened Respiratory Ward at the National Hospital in Colombo, left his family in his hometown in the east coast during their last visit. For Husni, Ramadan has been a blur of work and adjusting to the new normal. Solo prayer sessions and recitations have replaced communal gatherings this year and in his free time, he has been memorizing chapters of the Quran and reading up on translations. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world abstain from food and water from dawn to sunset. As a month that emphasizes community, spiritual rejuvenation, charity and introspection, this year, Muslims around the world were faced with a Ramadan like never before. In Sri Lanka, the Muslim Mosques and Charitable Trusts or Wakfs and Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs issued directives to mosques to curb the spread of the Coronavirus. Mosques were requested to remain closed to the public, refrain from all congregational prayers and activities such as iftar and to also refrain from preparing and distributing kanji usually eaten while breaking fast within their premises.Trustees of mosques were also urged to implement systems to distribute alms in a collective manner to those struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic. Ramadan and fasting is a key tenet in Islam and the changed conditions have had scholars delving into Islamic legal traditions and jurisprudence known as fiqh to provide new solutions from an age-old faith for an extraordinary time. The Coronavirus has served as an opportunity for faiths to innovate, aligning religious tradition and spiritual solace to new living practices and safety measures. After our conversation, Sheikh Muiz Bukhary will break his fast and ready himself for a speaking engagement at 1 a.m. which will be live streamed from Colombo to the UK. Usually a busy month involving travel, things have slowed down for the Islamic theologian, preacher and educator. In one sense, he has had the opportunity to spend time with his family at home and introspect; the community feel replaced with a quieter, intimate setting. On the other hand, there has been an urgent need to transpose the spiritual experience Muslims seek during the holy month into virtual mediums and to also address developments and questions which arose in the backdrop of the pandemic in Sri Lanka. As the religious leadership, we didnt have time to be in shock because we had to rise to the situation. People wanted comfort and solace we needed to be there to give that to them, says Sheikh Muiz. We need to maintain a positive outlook and nurture hope and faith. And as a community leader, I choose to light up peoples lives rather than plunge them into more darkness and fear than we are in. The social media savvy theologians platforms are used to regularly disseminate sermons and information on how Muslims can adapt Ramadan traditions while adhering to national guidelines and safety regulations. Sheikh Muiz, who also has an interest in video editing and graphic design, has relaunched a youtube channel while the classes his foundation conduct have been moved online. Updates are posted about donations done around the island with zakaath contributions received and a recent video suggests guidelines to celebrate Eid responsibly under lockdown. Its important for us to remember that we as the human race are all in this together. Unfortunately while we have the pandemic on one side, we also have certain elements using the pandemic to fuel divisive agendas. Unity and empathy are of the utmost importance, he notes. And as Muslims, we also have to remind ourselves that our Prophet was an optimist and preached optimism. Yes, we are in the middle of a pandemic and things are turbulent and chaotic, but we have to strive to thrive and come out of it as better individuals not bitter ones. Sri Lankas Dawoodi Bohra community was also swift to adapt to changing conditions brought on by the Coronavirus. The community kitchen which usually delivers freshly cooked meals began supplying dry rations instead menu cards with recipe suggestions, giving the boxes a personal touch. Rations and assistance were also dispatched to daily wage earners and those unable to access essentials. Even as lockdown measures began unfurling around the world, the communitys Central Office urged everyone to strictly adhere to national regulations while issuing guidelines to ensure no congregation in mosques. Bohra communities all over the world received exercises to keep children occupied until home-schooling routines was established, documentaries, tips to manage businesses in a post-COVID-19 environment, virtual prayer sessions, sermons and more. While Rashida Badani Tajbhoy misses the communal aspect of Ramadan, the apartment complex she lives in has seen a blossoming camaraderie among its residents and has been a source of warmth. Every evening when she breaks fast at sunset, there is a food offering from one of her neighbours. Produce is bartered and dishes are exchanged while neighbours check in on each other regularly. Its so lovely to see everyone come together, she says. Shanaz Mohideen* (name changed on request) describes a subdued Ramadan within the Galle Fort, which otherwise thrums with activity during the fasting season and the holidays in April. With guesthouses shuttered and tourist shops closed, the Fort remains silent. This is the first time I have seen the Fort like this. Though we had a curfew last year, it was entirely different to what we have now, she says. For Shanaz, a restrained Eid is on the cards with a simple home cooked meal with her family. Every year for Eid festival, Haleema Dane goes to the mosque with her neighbour in the morning. After offering Eid prayers, she recites a special prayer for her loved ones buried in the burial grounds behind the mosque, comes home to have kiribath for breakfast and then entertains relatives and neighbours who drop in throughout the day. Haleema, a Past President and currently a Committee Member of the Womens Association of Sri Lanka Malays will be spending a very different Eid this year. While house calls will be swapped for phone calls and congregational prayers and social gatherings are eschewed, she remains hopeful. This is something all of us have to undergo globally. We will bear it up this year and pray that things will be better next year, says Haleema. Fake ID papers used by Nazi SS leader Heinrich Himmler to try and escape Germany at the end of World War Two have been unearthed 75 years after his death. The fake document said Himmler was a sergeant named Heinrich Hizinger and was vital to his capture just a few weeks after the end of WWII. When Himmler received the news of Hitler's death, he travelled to Flensburg where he remained for the first week of May. On May 15, 1945 he dismissed his staff and left with two companions for a hide-out in the Harz Mountains. Heinrich Himmler (pictured) was head of the SS, a key architect of the Holocaust during WWII and was one of the most-wanted Nazis still alive after Hitler's death When Himmler received the news of Hitler's death, he travelled to Flensburg before planning to hide-out in the Harz Mountains. Pictured, Adolf Hitler (left) congratulating Heinrich Himmler (right) in 1943 The three men set out on foot, moving across country, seeking cover in the woods, and sleeping in sheds or haystacks. Himmler's group were stopped on several occasions but managed to bluff their way through, until they tried to cross through Meinstedt in Bremervorde, northern Germany, on May 22. They were asked for their identity papers, which were given to German soldiers at the end of the war and listed their name, rank and date of birth, the BBC reported. But on the document was an official stamp that British military intelligence had seen being used by members of the SS trying to flee the country. Anyone with these details was to be detained, Himmler was arrested and the next morning the three men were taken to a detention camp. Fake ID papers (pictured) used by Nazi SS leader Heinrich Himmler to try and flee Germany at the end of World War Two have been unearthed 75 years after his death The fake documents (pictured) said Himmler was a sergeant named Heinrich Hizinger but an official stamp on the papers, which were known to be used by fleeing Nazis, caused his arrest Himmler committed suicide after he was detained and questioned by MI5 officers. A medic inspected his mouth and tried to remove a cyanide capsule, but Himmler crushed it with his death. Pictured, Heinrich Himmler after his death Upon arrival, Himmler asked to see a senior officer and, even though his cover was still intact, he revealed his real identity. Himmler was head of the SS and the Gestapo, a key architect of the Holocaust during WWII and was one of the most-wanted Nazis still alive after Hitler's death. He was given a 'gentle interrogation' by British MI5 officials and medical officer Captain Wells was told to check Himmler over. Capt Wells found a blue-tipped object hidden in his mouth and tried to pull it out, but Himmler crushed the capsule with his teeth. It was a cyanide capsule and Himmler was dead within minutes. The papers were recently donated by the great niece of Lt Col Sidney Noakes. Noakes (pictured left) was thought to have been given the fake ID papers and the Himmler's braces (pictured right) by superiors following an MI5 interrogation Himmler was detained when he tried to cross through Meinstedt in Bremervorde, northern Germany, on May 22. Pictured, chief of police Heinrich Himmler (left) with Adolf Hitler (right) The fake documents, key to the Nazi's capture, have been donated to the Military Intelligence Museum in Shefford, Bedfordshire. The papers will go on display when the museum reopens and will be seen publicly for the first time in 75 years. Alongside the papers, the braces that Himmler was wearing when he was captured were also found. Most of Himmler's personal items were taken by officials, with the sergeant who arrested him getting his slippers and someone else claiming his shaving foam and razor blades. These papers were donated by the great niece of Lt Col Sidney Noakes. Noakes was a lawyer who joined the Intelligence Corps in 1943 but was seconded to MI5. His role at MI5 remains a mystery but after the war he continued his career as a lawyer and died in 1993. Himmler's fake documents key to the Nazi's capture have been donated to the Military Intelligence Museum in Shefford, Bedfordshire, who will display them for the first time. Himmler committed suicide using a cyanide capsule the day after his arrest on May 22, 1945 It is thought that Noakes was one of the unnamed MI5 staff assigned to Himmler's interrogation and could have been given permission to keep the papers by superiors. No matter how he came across the items, the documents and braces have stayed with Noakes' family until now. The fascinating documents explain how the senior Nazi was caught - by a stamp used by his own people. Bill Steadman, curator of the Military Intelligence Museum, said: 'Without this damning stamp on the document it is possible that Himmler may have been able to pass through the system unnoticed, and escape as did many other wanted Nazis. 'What appeals to me most about this story is that the Germans themselves made his unmasking an absolute certainty.' Huawei Says 'Survival' at Stake After New US Sanctions By John Xie May 22, 2020 Once poised to become a global leader in the coming advent of 5G wireless networks, Chinese tech giant Huawei warns its survival is at stake following the latest U.S. decision to cut it off from semiconductor suppliers. "Survival is the key for us now," said Guo Ping, rotating chairman at Huawei's annual analyst conference on Monday. "We will now work hard to figure out how to survive." Washington's latest ban, announced by the U.S. Commerce Department on Friday, requires foreign manufacturers using U.S. chipmaking gear to get a license before being allowed to sell semiconductors to Huawei. The United States has long been concerned about the security implications of Huawei's 5G network, contending that the technology could be used to spy on Americans, allegations the Chinese tech firm has repeatedly denied. In its first official reaction to the new planned U.S. restrictions, Huawei says it is undertaking a comprehensive examination of this new rule. "We expect that our business will inevitably be affected," Huawei said in a statement. Cutting off global suppliers In May 2019, the Commerce Department added Huawei and 114 of its overseas-related affiliates to the Export Administration Regulations Entity List, requiring U.S. companies wishing to export their items to Huawei and its affiliates to obtain a license. However, the department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said last Friday that Huawei has continued to use U.S. software and technology to design semiconductors, undermining the national security and foreign policy purposes of the Entity List. In an email to VOA, Kevin Wolf, former head of the Commerce Department's export control section, said the rule thus expands the scope of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) Entity List-related prohibitions "over otherwise uncontrolled foreign-made commodities, software, and technology outside the United States related to computers, telecommunications, and electronics, particularly semiconductors, in Huawei's contract manufacturing supply chain." Huawei has in recent years successfully developed five series of chips that are used in different products. Huawei has used Taiwan's chipmaker TSMC to fabricate some of its key components, and under the new restriction, Huawei's access to TSMC could be limited. Because Huawei and its designated affiliates are on the EAR's Entity List, "applications for licenses to ship such foreign-made items to the listed Huawei entities will be presumptively denied," said Wolf, now a Washington lawyer. Huawei has been looking to diversify its chip production to the Shanghai-based firm SMIC. However, analysts said that SMIC does not have the ability to produce all the chips Huawei needs. John Feffer, director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies, said this new U.S. Commerce Department restriction will hurt Huawei a great deal in the short term, "since it relies on TSMC for 90% of Huawei's smartphone chips." By some analysis, Huawei has about 50 core foreign suppliers, and TSMC is only one of them. "Other major suppliers would also be subject to the same restriction, since they also use U.S.-made equipment." Feffer told VOA in an email. Huawei remains defiant One day after the latest U.S. ban, Huawei posted a headline on its official Weibo account that reads, "Apart from victory, we have nowhere to go." Under the slogan is a photo featuring an Ilyushin Il-2 aircraft that keeps flying, despite being hit by antiaircraft shells and machine-gun fire during World War II. While Huawei's chairman said Monday the company is now fighting for survival, Guo also said there is no doubt that the tech giant will pull through. "Huawei is confident that this aircraft will continue to fly forward, and Huawei will never give up." said Guo. Gan Bin, Huawei's vice president in charge of the company's 5G development, claims China has a complete supply chain. "Regardless of base stations and terminals, China has a complete 5G industry chain, including equipment manufacturing," Gan said in a keynote speech at a 5G forum held in Beijing on Sunday. Shen Dingli, a professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, said he believes the new U.S. restriction will bring certain challenges to Huawei, but the Chinese firm can survive. "This might hinder Huawei's competitiveness, but will not suppress its domestic market and certain international market," said Shen. Hours after the U.S. ban was published on the Commerce Department's website, a huge package of investment in chipset development, $1.5 billion from China's National Integrated Circuit Fund II, and $750 million from the Shanghai Integrated Circuit Fund II, were announced by the Chinese government. "In the medium term, it's possible that with an enormous amount of investment provided by the Chinese government combined with corporate R&D spending, the domestic industry can address the current technology gap between the capabilities of the TSMC and U.S. technology supply chain, " said Ross Darrell Feingold, a lawyer and political risk analyst. US-China relations affected The latest ban on Huawei has also dealt a fresh blow to the already souring ties between the U.S. and China amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. China on Sunday warned it would retaliate to protect Huawei. "China will take all necessary measures to resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms," an unidentified spokesperson for China's Commerce Ministry said in a statement. On Saturday, China's Foreign Ministry called on the United States to stop its "unreasonable suppression" of Huawei and other Chinese companies. The Foreign Ministry told Reuters that it would "firmly defend its companies' legal rights," in response to a question about possible retaliation in response to the U.S. While the Chinese government ministries did not directly threaten to push back in their response, Global Times, a Beijing-controlled publication, Friday quoted an anonymous source as saying China was planning countermeasures, such as "imposing restrictions" against U.S. companies like Apple, Cisco and Qualcomm. The source also suggested China may stop buying Boeing airplanes. Jin Canrong, associate dean of Renmin University of China's School of International Studies in Beijing, said Monday on Weibo, a Twitter-like social media platform, the U.S. decision could seriously affect U.S.-China relations. "It may affect Huawei's bottom line and even survival, but it will definitely actually affect the future direction of the entire Sino-U.S. relationship," said Jin. "The U.S. decision will surely open a Pandora's box." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 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 White House Condemns Khamenei's 'Anti-Semitic Rhetoric', Threats Radio Farda May 22, 2020 In a tweet on Thursday the White House National Security Council condemned "anti-Semitic rhetoric and threats by Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei against Israel". "We stand with our friends in Israel and recognize Israel's absolute right to defend itself," the White House National Security Council declared. Another tweet that followed quoted President Donald Trump who in March 2019 said: "We will not avert our eyes from the dictatorship that chants 'Death to America,' 'Death to Israel,' and calls for genocide against the Jewish people. We won't let them even consider that". The remarks had been made at signing of a presidential proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereign rights over the Golan Heights. On May 19 the official website of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei published a poster in Persian and English in which the term "final solution" had been used in reference to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Khamenei's official Twitter account promptly replied when the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "final solution" evokes Nazi slogans, by declaring that "eliminating the Zionist regime doesn't mean eliminating Jews". "We aren't against Jews," the tweet said declared that abolishing Israel means that Muslim, Christian and Jewish Palestinians can choose their own government and "expel thugs like Netanyahu," another tweet by Khamenei said. On Thursday U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Khamenei's remarks "disgusting and hateful". "They have no place on Twitter or on any other social media platform. We know Khamenei's vile rhetoric does not represent the Iranian people's tradition of tolerance," Pompeo said in a tweet that quoted Khamenei's posts. The Foreign Policy Chief of the European Union Josep Borrell also took to Twitter to condemn the threat against Israel "in the strongest possible terms", calling it a threat to international peace and security. Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi reacted to the stance taken by the foreign policy chief of the EU on Friday. "Stunning is Europe's captivity to Zionist lobby," he wrote in a tweet. "Europe has historically failed to stop Zionist regime's violation of International law (i.e. Palestinians' suppression, lands' annexation) committed in the name of Israel's security," he charged and added: "Why afraid of 'referendum' in Palestine as a lasting solution?" Many Iranian social media users have been criticizing the controversial poster and condemning the use of the "final solution" slogan. Some also say the Islamic Republic must first hold a referendum in Iran to see if the people want to maintain the Islamic system of government. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/white-house- condemns-khamenei-s-anti-semitic- rhetoric-threats/30627419.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 FILE PHOTO: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks at a news conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York By Deisy Buitrago and Luc Cohen CARACAS (Reuters) - The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel for gasoline-starved Venezuela entered the South American country's exclusive economic zone on Saturday, despite a U.S. official's warning that Washington was considering a response to the shipment. The tanker, named Fortune, reached the country's waters at around 7:40 p.m. local time (1140 GMT) after passing north of the neighboring dual-island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, according to vessel tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon. "The ships from the fraternal Islamic Republic of Iran are now in our exclusive economic zone," tweeted Tareck El Aissami, Venezuela's economy vice president and recently named oil minister. Venezuelan state television showed images of a navy ship and aircraft preparing to meet it. The defense minister had pledged that the military would escort the tankers once they reached Venezuela's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) due to what authorities described as threats from the United States. The tanker flotilla is carrying a total of 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and alkylate to Venezuela, according to both governments, sources and calculations by TankerTrackers.com. The desperately needed shipments have caused a diplomatic standoff between the United States and Iran and Venezuela, which are under U.S. sanctions. Gasoline is scarce in Venezuela due to a near-complete breakdown of the OPEC nation's 1.3 million barrel-per-day refining network. Washington is considering measures in response, a senior U.S. official said without elaborating. The United States recently beefed up its naval presence in the Caribbean for what it called an expanded antidrug operation. A Pentagon spokesman said on Thursday he was unaware of any operations related to the Iranian cargoes. The shipment has drawn condemnation from Venezuela's opposition, which is concerned about growing ties between Iran and socialist President Nicolas Maduro, who has overseen a six-year economic crisis. The shipments are bringing enough fuel for just a month of consumption at current rates in the nation, once a prominent fuel exporter. Story continues "(The ruling party) is trying to turn an embarrassment into an epic victory," said Oscar Ronderos, a lawmaker on the opposition-controlled National Assembly's energy commission. Earlier on Saturday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned of retaliation if Washington caused problems for tankers carrying Iranian fuel to Venezuela, the semi-official news agency Mehr reported. "If our tankers in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world face trouble caused by the Americans, they (the U.S.) will also be in trouble," Rouhani said in a telephone conversation with Qatar's Emir, Mehr reported. The two OPEC nations have previously helped each other in the face of U.S. sanctions. In 2010-2011, state-run oil company PDVSA [PDVSA.UL] sent fuel to Iran, which was under sanctions aimed at stifling its nuclear weapons program. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom, Deisy Buitrago in Caracas, Luc Cohen in New York and Marianna Parraga in Mexico City; Editing by David Evans, Jonathan Oatis, Sonya Hepinstall and Richard Chang) Shiv Sena senior leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday met with Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. A Raj Bhavan statement described the meeting between the Sena MP and the governor as a "courtesy call". Raut's visit came on the heels of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray skipping a meeting called by the governor to assess the state government's preparedness to tackle COVID-19 crisis on Wednesday. Earlier this week, the Opposition BJP had visited the governor and complained that the state government had failed in checking the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, Raut told reporters that it was a courtesy visit. "The governor and the chief minister had no conflict between them. Their relations are like that of a father and a son, and they will remain like that," Raut said. Governor Satya Pal Malik on Saturday said that no part of the country is as clean as Goa and now when the state is corona free so domestic tourists will also visit the coastal area. Expressing confidence that tourists will return to the coastal state, Governor Satya Pal Malik on Saturday said that Goa is free from Coronavirus so domestic tourists will visit the state. Everyone knows that Goa is corona free so domestic tourists will come here. People will come here. No part of the country is as clean as Goa. People from various parts of the country will visit here. Foreigners will take time to come here, Malik told ANI. He stressed that the industries do not affect much due to COVID-19 lockdown, stating that this is not a long-term loss to the industry. Most of our industries are working. Labourers and migrant workers are being taken care off. They are here so industries are functioning well, he said. On being asked about rising unemployment, he said: Unemployment is not a problem of Goa. If mining is restored in a legislative way then we will get 3,500 crore revenue which will boost Goas economy. He said a committee has been formed for land reforms to make agriculture a big economic activity. The Goa Governor further praised the State government for following all COVID-19 lockdown norms. Also Read: Cyclone Amphan: West Bengal asks Railways not to send Shramik special trains till May 26 When I was J&K Guv, I opened Raj Bhavan for everyone. All my advisors were tasked to hear people's complaints once a week. 95,000 complaints were received in my office, I resolved 93,000 of them before coming to Goa. People felt comfortable because of this,anger was low: SP Malik pic.twitter.com/SWBJlNT5rq ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2020 The Goa government followed lockdown restrictions as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We started screening people since January. No community transmission took place. The only problem is now due to people coming from outside. They are either being shifted to state quarantine centre or they are being told to quarantine themselves at home. Goans did not violate lockdown norms, he said. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App MIDLAND, MI Midland City manager Brad Kaye said he had the opportunity to fly over the flood-affected areas Friday morning, a tour he called sobering. The devastation is unbelievable. I observed a lot of people in their yards with their entire lifes contents of their home laying out in the yard, much of it damaged. I saw houses that, literally, the foundation was 60 feet away from where the house is. And I saw houses that arent there, theres simply debris left in their place. He added, The enormity of what were dealing with is hard to fathom, quite frankly. Focusing a little more on the city of Midland, certainly, we feel that, but we also just extend our heartfelt wishes to our neighbors upstream and the damage they have, as well as those downstream because theyre still experiencing those flooding activities. Midland officials provided more updates on catastrophic flooding that swept through the county and led to two dam failures on the Tittabawassee River during a press conference Friday afternoon, May 22. Midland City Manager Kaye, Midland County Administrator/Controller Bridgette Gransden and others provided updates and answered questions during the 2 p.m. press conference, which was broadcast via Facebook Live. Replay it below or by visiting the Midland County Emergency Management (MI) Facebook page. Riverside Place, a senior living facility in downtown Midland, is closed Riverside Place, located at 400 E. Main St., is closed until further notice because of flooding and related damage. All residents have been displaced. The lower level of the facility was completely flooded and there is extreme damage throughout the first floor. In addition, the fourth level was affected by leaks in the roof. Kaye said the city has contracted with a flood restoration company to contain the damage and restore the lower level. Crews are on site now, but a timeline for the work and reopening the facility is to be determined. City of Midland residents, put your damaged property at the curb now Kaye said city residents should put damaged furniture and other possessions at the curb. Our crews will be actively picking that up. There is no schedule. Dont wait for a heavy pickup day or what your normal collection cycle would be, simply get it out there, he said. Despite the upcoming holiday, that service will run Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 23, 24 and 25. Officials will also expand landfill access for Midland County residents. Beginning on Saturday, hours are being extended to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those hours will continue Sunday and Monday, when the landfill is normally closed. Bring your ID to prove youre a Midland County resident. Treat all trash as contaminated The city is enacting an anti-scavenging ordinance and officials will enforce it, Kaye said. The purpose is to discourage people from picking through potentially-contaminated garbage and protect public health. There is contaminated material. All of this should be treated as contaminated material, he said of the damaged items residents will leave at the curbs. It needs to go to a landfill. It is not safe to take, it is not safe to move to your homes and we would strongly discourage anyone from doing so. In addition, officials urged residents to stay out of the water for both public health and public safety reasons. Stay away. Do not go in the water. The water can be contaminated. If nothing else, its very dirty, its moving fast in many areas, Gransden said. Wastewater service, power being restored Kaye said wastewater service continues to be restored, with two more pumps being brought online Friday afternoon, including the pump that services MidMichigan Health. Five pumps were shut down because they were inundated with water. If all goes well, we will have the majority of the area that had to be evacuated and the majority of the area that has residential uses in it restored today and this afternoon, Kaye said. In addition, Consumers Energy is in the process of restoring power to downtown Midland. Books, pieces of history saved at Grace A. Dow Memorial Library Kaye also thanked everyone who worked to save books, historic editions of the Midland Daily News and other artifacts from floodwaters at Grace A. Dow Memorial Library, which he called a community gem. Volunteers included members of the Michigan National Guard, United Way, library staff and others, who evacuated the buildings entire lower level Thursday. We lost almost nothing in that flood, which is great news because there was about $2 million worth of materials sitting in that lower level, he said. Those rescued materials included 120 years of local history in the form of every edition of the Midland Daily News ever printed, he said. Document your damage Kaye said as residents return to their homes and pick up the pieces, they should continue to document the damage. We cant stress that enough, because that will be important as we move forward with the emergency declarations and, eventually, the FEMA assistance that we are hoping to receive in the future, he said. What about the Sanford Dam? Gransden said the Sanford Dam is essentially failed. The entire earthen berm dike on the west side of where the gates are is gone. The east side is intact and thats holding back a little bit of water, but on the west side the water is flowing freely, she said. So its not operating as it should." The water is receding and approaching more normal flood stage levels, she said, but more rain is coming. We dont know what the water levels are going to do, particularly when we have a whole week of rain forecasted," she said. Weve been keeping in good contact with the National Weather Service to try to make sure that were monitoring that. And, the fact of the matter is, it doesnt matter where water comes from, any more water could have an impact on this event and how were responding. And dont forget about the pandemic Kaye also urged area residents to continue to wear face masks to help prevent the spread of coronavirus/COVID-19. As always, were still wearing the masks. COVID still applies, it hasnt gone away, he said. We continue to encourage people to be safe as they go about their business. Learn more about Midland County disaster resources for both COVID-19 and the flood by visiting reliefmidland.org. RELATED STORIES: Dow donates $1 million, DuPont donates $100K to Midland flood relief efforts Michigan National Guard helping in Midland-area flood relief however long its required Its devastating: Midland flood victims take shelter, then assess damage to their homes Flood damage extends beyond Midland County, causing millions in damage in northern Michigan Video shows Michigan dam break as it happened: Catastrophic is the only thing I can call it Midland officials give flooding update, say river to crest 3 feet lower than expected Officials work to dispel rumors amid record-breaking Michigan flooding Pilot captures aerial footage of roaring water as Edenville Dam bursts in Midland County The Pune district and civic administration held a meeting with representatives of around 60 private hospitals here on Saturday after the Maharashtra government issued orders for taking control of 80 per cent beds in such private facilities amid the coronavirus outbreak. Collector Naval Kishore Ram said the meeting to regularise 80 per cent beds in private hospitals was constructive. Pune Municipal Corporation Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said, with this decision of the state government, other over 2,000 normal beds, 800 ICU beds with ventilators and oxygen facilities of around 100 hospitals will be available for the district and civic administration. Non-government health care providers in Maharashtra have been asked to accommodate maximum number of patients with 80 per cent of the operational bed capacity to be regulated by rates sanctioned by the government. Gaikwad said, if needed, ICU beds at accident and gynaec hospitals can also be taken over to treat COVID-19 patients. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 23:28:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian security forces killed 21 terrorists during raids on their hideouts in North Sinai province northeastern the country, the Egyptian Interior Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The security campaign targeted two hideouts in farms of North Sinai where the militants hid and plotted anti-security operations to be carried out during the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic feast that kicks off on Sunday, according to the statement. After intensive shootout, 21 terrorist were killed and the police found 17 machine guns, five explosives devices and two explosive belts in their possession. "Two policemen were injured during the operation," the police said in the statement. In early May, the Egyptian Interior Ministry said the forces killed 18 terrorists in North Sinai, a couple of days after a terror attack on a military armored vehicle left 10 soldiers either killed or wounded. Egypt has been fighting a wave of terrorist activities that killed hundreds of policemen, soldiers and civilians since the ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and the later security crackdown on his Muslim Brotherhood group, which is currently blacklisted as a terrorist organization. Most terrorist attacks in Egypt over the past few years were claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the Islamic State regional terrorist group. Meanwhile, the Egyptian security forces killed hundreds of terrorists and arrested thousands of suspects during the country's anti-terror war declared following Morsi's ouster. Enditem Vietnamese enterprises are required to pay attention to the new regulations in order to meet their partners requirements. The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment noted that the new proposed interim import conditions aimed to manage the biosecurity risks associated with Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP). These conditions were issued following consultation with relevant agencies at the Animal Biosecurity Advice 2020-A02. Accordingly, all uncooked prawns imported from all countries will be deveined during the processing stage. All shipment seals will continue to be checked during customs clearance in Australia. The proposed import conditions for uncooked prawns will remain interim while Australia finalises its review of the biosecurity risks of prawns imported into Australia for human consumption. A draft report is expected to be announced in mid-2020. Notably, the country has also issued a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Notification to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) SPS Committee to inform its trading partners. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Australia is the seventh largest prawn import market of Vietnam, accounting for 3.8% of total prawn export value. Vietnam's prawn exports to Australia reached about US$127 million in 2019, a year-on-year increase of 10.8%, and US$29.6 million by April 15, 2020. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, apologized Friday afternoon for telling a radio host that black voters torn between voting for him and President Donald Trump aint black, remarks that ignited a firestorm online. I shouldnt have been such a wise guy, Biden said in a call with the U.S. Black Chambers. I shouldnt have been so cavalier. He later said that he had not been expected to join the call, a possible sign of a hastily arranged appearance. Bidens remarks came hours after a testy exchange with Charlamagne Tha God, a host on The Breakfast Club, a nationally syndicated morning show popular with black millennials. In the interview, during which the former vice president sidestepped a question about marijuana legalization and his running-mate selection, Biden also made clear that he felt there was no reason black Americans would consider voting for Trump. If you have a problem figuring out whether youre for me or Trump, then you aint black, Biden said. The remark sparked immediate pushback on social media, with liberal activists and conservatives alike jumping on Biden, 77, for acting as the arbiter of blackness. His words also exposed wounds among Democrats that date to 2016, when many leaders felt the party took black voters for granted. I dont take it for granted at all, he said later Friday. No one, no one, should have to vote for any party based on their race, their religion, their background. There are African Americans who think that Trump was worth voting for. I dont think so. Im prepared to put my record against his. That was the bottom line, and it was, it was really unfortunate. This is not the first time Biden has had to walk back a remark related to race. Last summer, after weeks of criticism, he apologized for warmly reminiscing about working relationships with segregationist senators. Despite that and a series of other controversies throughout the primary, Biden was the overwhelming favorite of older black voters, who played the central role in reviving his candidacy after bruising early losses. Now, though, as he competes against Trump and his unified Republican base, Biden is also seeking to win over and energize younger, more progressive black voters who were skeptical of him in the primary. The Trump campaign has seized on Bidens earlier remarks. On a call with reporters Friday, a top adviser, Katrina Pierson, and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only black Republican in the Senate, rapped Biden for the comment. Joe Biden has a history of saying dehumanizing things when it comes to black Americans, Pierson said. Scott accused Biden of negative race-baiting. But Pierson grew defensive in response to questions about Trumps own history of racist remarks, a record Biden highlighted on the Friday afternoon call. She pointed to Trumps efforts on issues like criminal justice reform and said that compares favorably to the crime bill of the early 1990s that Biden supported. I know the president, and I know his heart, and I know his intent, she said, accusing the news media of taking Trump out of context. Scott released a statement on Twitter before the call with reporters, reminding Biden that 1.3 million black Americans already voted for Trump in 2016. This morning, Joe Biden told every single one of us we aint black, Scott said. Id say Im surprised, but its sadly par for the course for Democrats to take the black community for granted and browbeat those that dont agree. Symone Sanders, a senior adviser for Biden, said in a tweet after Bidens radio appearance that the comments were in jest. In another part of the interview, Biden assured the radio host that he intended to inspire black voters in the general election. Using the appeal that worked for him in the Democratic primary, Biden said black voters knew him and his record and would value his close kinship with former President Barack Obama. Separately, in a television interview with CNBC on Friday morning, Biden pledged that he would repeal the tax cuts signed by the president in 2017 and raise the corporate tax rate. He added that he would not raise taxes on anyone making less than $400,000, as he seeks to outline his plan for the U.S. economic recovery in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic. Biden gave some of his most detailed explanations of his economic policy. He rejected the idea that he would govern as an economic progressive, saying, I have a record of over 40 years, and Im going to be Joe Biden. Look at my record. Biden also said he thought large corporations like Amazon should begin to pay their taxes, though he sidestepped a question on whether the large conglomerate should be broken up by the government. I think Amazon should start paying their taxes, Biden said. I dont think any company, I dont give a damn how big they are, Lord Almighty, should absolutely be in a position where they pay no tax. He continued, Whats the capitalist system all about? The capitalist system is about everyone dealing fairly and dealing straight-up with the American people and with their employees. The details come as Biden continues his transition from apparent primary winner to general election nominee. He is seeking to unite the party around a forward-looking agenda that promises economic change while matching the historic economic challenges now posed by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The latest jobs report showed millions more workers joined the ranks of the unemployed this week, bringing the total of jobless claims to nearly 39 million in just over two months. Biden has tried to pin the devastation on Trumps administration, saying that it did not respond quickly enough to the looming pandemic threat. His slowness is costing lives and costing jobs and costing our ability to rebound, Biden said Friday. However, Bidens comments were met with some criticism as several progressive Democrats questioned whether his outlined corporate tax rate and his pledge to only raise taxes on Americans making more than $400,000 was a sign he could not deliver the programs capable of expansive change. Biden has, at times, oscillated between moderate policy proposals and embracing the rhetoric of systemic upheaval, a choose-your-own-adventure strategy which can allow progressive and moderate allies to see in his campaign what they want. In other news media interviews this week, Biden addressed his ongoing search for a running mate and his agenda for black Americans, a key constituency in the Democratic electorate that helped save his primary campaign. Several of the candidates on Bidens vice presidential short list have publicly confirmed they have spoken with his team, including Rep. Val Demings of Florida and Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire. After a news report said that Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota had been contacted by his vice presidential committee, Biden was asked about her on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. No one has been vetted, Biden said. There is a team put together to go down a preliminary list of people, ask their interests, ask them general questions. Of Klobuchar, he said, What you dont want to do is let out all the names that youre vetting because if someone is not chosen, the presumption is not necessarily true that there must be something wrong. Thats not the process. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Celebrities share the stories behind their favourite snaps. This week its daytime television legend Lorraine Kelly, 60. Daytime television legend Lorraine Kelly, 60, reveals the stories behind her favourite snaps 1962: My shop assistant mum Anne was only 18 when she had me and I always remember her as such a stylish woman, as you can see from this picture of her with her beehive hairdo and me out shopping in Glasgow. I was a much-loved child and both my mum, now 78, and dad John, 79, who worked as a TV engineer, put a real emphasis on education, which gave me and my younger brother Graham, 54, a head start in life. Im still close to my parents, who live near Glasgow, and I call them every day 1982: joined the East Kilbride News in Scotland straight from school at 17. I was going to study Russian and English, but Id always wanted to be a reporter and was lucky to get the job. I worked there for five years, doing everything from reviewing plays to judging baby shows, before joining BBC Scotland as a researcher. This picture was taken at my leaving do 1990: I adored the late Mike Morris, and this is me on the TV-am sofa with him. I think Mike was the most underrated television presenter theres ever been he made live TV look completely effortless and I learnt a huge amount from him. He was my first co-presenter, an absolute joy to work with and a complete gentleman. Its so sad that hes no longer with us 1992: Here I am with my cameraman husband Steve on our wedding day in Dundee. The day before it poured with rain but we woke to brilliant sunshine. Id first met Steve, whos from Dundee, in 1986 when he was my cameraman. And our first date was going to watch Dundee Utd his team, and soon also mine. Very romantic and sadly we lost too! Our wedding was so happy, surrounded by family and friends. I know the bride is supposed to leave early but we stayed to the bitter end, waving our guests away 2012: Since 2009 Ive been an honorary colonel of the Black Watch, and this photo was taken at the launch of a charity event. I zoomed down a zip wire from the top of Wellington Arch in London helped by Royal Marines. One had to give me a push as Im not great with heights and I froze, but it was great fun. Last year I was also made an honorary colonel of the Army Cadet Force, which helps young men and women learn vital skills that set them up for life 2016: Steve and I took our daughter Rosie for this special lunch in London to celebrate her 21st birthday. She had a party with all her pals, then went straight to Singapore to work for a kids charity and then a PR firm. Im so proud of her. Shes bright, funny, kind, sensible and organised. She was supposed to come back several weeks ago but was stuck out there as the country was in lockdown. But she managed to get a flight out and now shes home for good. Im thrilled as I really missed her 2017: To celebrate our silver wedding anniversary Steve and I went on an expedition to Antarctica, following in the footsteps of my hero Sir Ernest Shackleton. I took a polar dip in the freezing waters of Deception Island, got up close to these king penguins on South Georgia, and also visited Shackletons grave and toasted him with the traditional large glass of malt whisky. We then flew to the Falklands, which reminded me so much of the Western Isles of Scotland. It really was the trip of a lifetime 2019: I wanted to be an astronaut as a kid, and for my 60th birthday last November the fantastic team on my show sent me to the US for a zero gravity flight (the closest thing you will get to actually being in space) and astronaut training. When I went back to the hotel in my flight suit, a woman at reception asked if I actually was an astronaut the proudest moment of my life! Watch Good Morning Britain from 6am and Good Morning Britain With Lorraine from 9am to 10am, weekdays on ITV. Chinese online food delivery giants, including Meituan and Eleme, are setting up smart cabinets for customers to take orders in Shanghai, something that has played a role in the recent COVID-19 prevention and control. Meituans smart food cabinets. (Photo via Meituan) Meituan first adopted the facilities for contactless delivery in Shanghai on Feb. 21. Equipped with ultraviolet disinfection and heat preservation functions, the food cabinets can ensure proper hygiene standards while reducing the risk of cross-infection. With the consent of customers, deliverymen will place the food in the cabinet. If the customers fail to pick-up their orders within 12 hours, they will be informed. Meituan has installed the smart food cabinets in roughly 100 public places in Shanghai, some locations include hospitals, office buildings, and residential compounds, according to the company. The platform plans to reveal 1,000 new food cabinets across China before the end of the epidemic, as trial runs currently operate in various buildings, community health centers and hospitals in Beijing and in Guangzhou, capital of south Chinas Guangdong province. Now, each cabinet under trial operation can receive about 200 orders per day, according to Meituan, adding that the facilities will be installed in most of the areas with a high demand for takeout food and a heavy flow of people. Eleme, Meituan's main rival, is also launching smart food cabinets in Shanghai. The company plans to launch 1,000 dining cabinets in the city, and 3,000 across the country, according to Wu Xuewei, head of the companys smart logistics division. The platform will mainly distribute its facilities in office buildings. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 19:50:57|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits national political advisors from the economic sector attending a joint panel discussion at the third session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, May 23, 2020. Xi joined them in the discussion and heard their comments and suggestions. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, also attended the discussion. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Saturday stressed analyzing China's economic situation from a comprehensive, dialectical and long-term perspective, urging efforts to foster new opportunities amid challenges and make new advances amid changes. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when joining a joint panel discussion attended by national political advisors from the economic sector. Enditem / -- A few days ago, the Aviation industry took a great sigh of relief, when the Civil Aviation Ministry gave its green signal for starting domestic flight operations in a calibrated manner. The latest entrant to this club is Star Air, a Scheduled commercial airline, which has also declared the commencement of its daily flight operations again from 25th May 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union Government had restricted all modes of travel including air travel since 25th March 2020. However, the impact of the nationwide lockdown and the growing demand from passengers for safe travel encouraged the Government to start domestic flight operations. Star Air is a prominent airline services company, which has made a significant presence in the airline space with its impressive and qualitative services. The airline operates under the RCS-UDAN scheme and provides services in far deeper pockets of the country. Many see it as the most promising airline brands in making. It is known for providing world-class flight services to various metros as well as Tier-II and Tier-III Indian cities at a very affordable cost. Star Air operates in ten Indian cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Tirupati, Hubballi, Belagavi, Delhi (Hindon), Kalaburagi, Indore, and Kishangarh (Ajmer). Star Air has already started bookings for its various travel routes and is getting a phenomenal response from the customers across India. It has decided to implement numerous precautionary measures to ensure passengers' safety as per the directives of the Union Government. Daily sanitization of aircraft with effective disinfectants, enabling employees to wear PPEs while serving passengers, providing a web check-in facility to reduce physical contact, and many other such measures have been implemented byStar Airto maximize its passengers' safety. Experts say that travelling in Star Air in these challenging times would be far more comfortable and safer than any other airline. Star Air uses 50-seater Embraer aircraft with an alpha seating arrangement facility. This seating is unique because it has dual features of aisle and window seat. Travelling in this arrangement makes any passenger less exposed to other fellow passengers, due to fewer people density and wider distance amongst passengers inside the aircraft. Its extra legroom space of total 31 inches between the seats is far greater than what most of the established airline giants offer and thus ensure more comfort while maintaining maximum distancing. "It is a delight that DGCA has given its nod to start operations in the domestic skies. Millions of people are stuck in different parts of our country due to lockdown. Now, these people can easily reach their homes safely. We are ready to serve our passengers with utmost safety as per guidelines issued by DGCA," says Mr. Sanjay Ghodawat, Chairman - Star Air. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/942915/Star_Air_Bengaluru. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) They always underestimate us. First it was King George III, then it was Kaiser Wilhelm. Then came the fascists of Japan, followed quickly by Adolf Hitler. Then came Stalin, followed by a succession of Russian communists. Now it's the chairman of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping. Our 40th President, Ronald Reagan, promised to dump the Russian communists on the ash heap of history and proceeded to do just that. We will do the same to the Chinese communists, and we will do it as a united nation, with all partisanship set aside. The American people demand nothing less. We've finally found something Speaker Pelosi and President Trump agree on. With their crackdown on the brave people of Hong Kong, the communists have crossed their red line. If exporting the Wuhan virus wasn't enough, this brutal betrayal of the people of Hong Kong demonstrates beyond doubt that the Chinese communists are just like all the communists all over the world. They are reckless, indifferent to human life and suffering, and hungry for world power. They will stop at nothing unless they are stopped. Our policy with China must be nothing less than regime change. We want the people of China to overthrow the Communist Party and replace it with a new government of their choosing. Hopefully, it will be democratic, but that's up to them. We will not go to war with the Chinese communists, just as we didn't have a shooting war with the Russian communists. It won't be necessary to put boots on the ground. There will be no military conflict unless they choose to somehow confront the United States Navy in the South China Sea. But they can't be that foolish, can they? Because we're coming out of the worst economic recession since World War II, we must not disengage with China hastily. Our economy needs to heal. The vital industries that are needed to produce strategic materials need time to prepare. Global supply chains must be detached from China. This will all take time. President Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden must both tone down their rhetoric. We cannot publicly announce that our goal is the destruction of the communist regime. Let our actions speak louder than our words. There were some who took exception to my post from Thursday when I suggested opening our arms to the inevitable refugees from Hong Kong. If we were ever to take in any refugees, from anywhere in the world, they should be the English-speaking, capitalist, entrepreneurial, wealthy, and democratic people of Hong Kong. Once they're here, they will be invaluable in the long struggle ahead with the Communist Party of China. And they'll be prouder to be Americans than many of us born here. Fritz Pettyjohn blogs at ReaganProject.com. Fiscal responsibility is a priority of the board and of Dr Rippe. Dr. Rippes administration has obtained a $1.25 million grant from the Department of Defense Education Activity and a $1.4 million grant from the DOD, and has partnered with Discovery education to create and promote STEM learning. The BPS board of education has made informed and measured decisions regarding the pay increases of all the employees of the district. Perhaps the next time the World-Herald editorial board has some questions about our methodology or decision-making, they will ask us. Sarah Centineo, Bellevue president, Bellevue Public Schools Board of Education A students view As a student, I dislike this coronavirus pandemic and I hope this all goes away, because the news always talks about the coronavirus and more coronavirus. There is only half of a week of school from home left yay, it is summer. However, the bad thing about this school from home is that we do not get to see our friends and our teacher. The good thing about this home school is we get to play outside more than in school. By PTI LONDON: The UK government on Friday announced a further extension of all expiring or expired visas of foreign nationals, including Indians, unable to return to their home countries due to the coronavirus pandemic, until July 31. The extension, initially announced until May 31, has been extended by two months and will apply to anyone whose leave to remain in the UK expired after January 24 and they are still unable to leave the country because of travel restrictions or self-isolation. "By extending people's visas further, we are giving them peace of mind that they are able to stay in the UK until the end of July if they are unable to leave the country safely," said UK Home Secretary Priti Patel. "This is one of a number of unprecedented measures the government has made to support people during this time, however, as we begin a cautious return to normality those currently in the UK on expired visitor visas should return home as soon as possible," the Indian-origin Cabinet minister said. The Home Office said that while extension is offered to help all who are unable to get home prior to 31 July, those currently in the UK on temporary visas, such as visitor visas, should return home as soon as it is safe and possible to do so. It said that a dedicated coronavirus immigration team is continuing to work with individuals to make the process as "straightforward" as possible. "Those who contact the Home Office for these visa extensions will be expected to return to their home countries as soon as possible once flight and border restrictions are lifted. "No immigration enforcement action will be undertaken during this time for those who email the Home Office as outlined above," the Home Office said. "To help those who want to apply for visas to stay in the UK long-term, the Home Office is also extending the in-country switching provisions until July 31," it added. This will mean people can apply to switch into long-term routes whilst remaining in the UK, usually possible only from outside Britain. Many foreign nationals have found themselves unable to return home since the outbreak of coronavirus due to flight cancellations and border restrictions. In light of the current advice on self-isolation and social distancing, the Home Office said it is also waiving a number of requirements on visa sponsors, such as allowing non-EU nationals, including Indians, here under work or study routes to undertake their work or study from home. The UK announcement came as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in Delhi allowed some Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card holders to be able to access the Air India repatriation flights being scheduled between London Heathrow Airport and various cities in India. OCI cardholders with an emergency in India and university students are among those who will now be able to access these flights, so far restricted only to Indian passport holders. A Houston Fire Department captain and his wife were found dead in a gruesome scene, as their toddler cried in their Brazoria County home Friday, according to law enforcement officials. The childs cries were loud enough for Brazoria County Sheriffs Office deputies to hear outside the Rosharon home as they performed a welfare check. A relative requested deputies stop by the home in the 12000 block of Rio Nueces Lane because they had not heard from the family since Thursday night, according to investigators. Deputies forced entry into the home and found the 1-year-old child unharmed, the sheriffs office said. Briana Warren, 25, and Joe Robinson, 38, were found dead, according to media reports. Houston firefighters are stunned by the deaths of Joe Robinson and Briana Warren, the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association said in a statement Friday. Robinson served Houston as a firefight for more than 15 years, according to the statement. He worked the B-shift at Station 48. This is a terribly sad, but urgent reminder that we should watch out for and take care of our family members and friends in distress, the statement reads. Whether for line-of-duty behavioral health issues or other life challenges, help is available - no matter what. Please keep the Robinson and Warren families and everyone affected by their tragic deaths in your thoughts and prayers. A Houston Fire District Chief and others wearing HFD shirts were at the scene Friday evening. Investigators said the causes of their deaths are unknown at this time, but said a weapon was recovered at the house. The home did not appear to have been broken into, according to officials, and there are no suspects at large. hannah.dellinger@chron.com Education is a hot topic this Legislative session. Here's what bills we're watching. Here are some of the hot-button education bills were tracking at the Argus Leader. Check back each day to see where they stand as we update. By PTI AHMEDABAD: With the addition of 363 COVID-19 cases in Gujarat in the last 24 hours, the tally of patients in the state grew to 13,273, an official said on Friday. Coronavirus claimed the lives of 29 more people during the same period, which took the death toll to 802 in the state, said Principal Secretary, Health, Jayanti Ravi. A total of 392 people were discharged from different hospitals in the state, due to which the count of recovered persons has reached 5,880, she said. Ravi said that the recovery rate is gradually improving and now stands at 44.3 per cent. "The number of discharged patients in the last 24 hours, that is 392, is more than 363 positive cases registered during that time. So far, total 5,880 patients have recovered and the recovery rate has now reached 44.3 per cent, which is a good sign," she said in a video message. Of the 363 new cases, 275 were from Ahmedabad district alone. Other districts where a significant number of cases have been reported are Surat (29), Vadodara (21) and 11 cases in Sabarkantha. Of the 29 people who succumbed to the infection during the last 24 hours, as many as 26 died in different hospitals of Ahmedabad, two in Gandhinagar and one in Kheda. Till now, Gujarat has conducted 1,72,562 tests, of which 13,273 came out positive, while 1,59,289 were negative. Of the total number of cases recorded in the state so far, as many as 9,724 were reported in Ahmedabad district alone, followed by 1,256 in Surat and 771 in Vadodara. Majority of the deaths were also reported in these three districts. While 645 have succumbed to the infection in Ahmedabad so far, 57 have died in Surat and 35 in Vadodara. Gujarat's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 13,273, new cases 363, deaths 802, discharged 5,880, active cases 6,591 and people tested so far 1,72,562. Meanwhile, eighty-seven staffers of the Gujarat Cancer Research Institute (GCRI) have tested positive for novel coronavirus in the last 40 days, its deputy director Pariseema Dave said on Friday. A premier cancer institute jointly managed by the state government and the Gujarat Cancer Society, GCRI, situated in the sprawling campus of the civil hospital in Asarwa here, has been designated as a facility for COVID-19 treatment. "Over a period of 40 days, 87 of our staff have tested positive for novel coronavirus. They include over 20 doctors, nurses and other staff members. Majority of them were asymptomatic and found positive after testing. Barring a nurse, everyone who tested positive before 10 days have recovered and been discharged," Dave said. GCRI is an also a regional cancer centre of the Union government getting assistance under the National Cancer Control Programme. Jack Barth opens up about dealing with Richard Curtis on Yesterday (Image by Universal Pictures) Jack Barth, the original writer of Yesterday who now only has a co-story credit on the romantic comedy, has opened up about Academy Award nominee Richard Curtis taking over the project. 62-year-old Barth told Uproxx that, in his eyes, Curtis has taken credit for everything to do with Yesterday, something that he didnt realise the screenwriter was going to do until the publicity for the film started to hit in the week of its release. At that point, Barth considered questioning Curtis version of events, but he didnt want to jeopardise the film, and when he did finally get in contact with lawyers Curtis own attorneys then just dragged it out. Read More: 'Yesterday' trailer: Ed Sheeran ribbed in first look at Danny Boyles' Beatles musical According to Barth, after writing a treatment for the film, which at the time was called Cover Version, in 2012, his agent gave it to producer Matt Wilkinson in 2013. However, Wilkinson was unable to get the film off the ground. That was until the project was mentioned to Curtis many years later. Richard said, Thats a great idea, I want to do it because he had a deal with Working Title/Universal to make a couple of films, explained Barth. He wanted [Cover Version] to be one of the films that he made. LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 18: Richard Curtis attends the UK Premiere of "Yesterday" at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on June 18, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) Barth originally believed that Curtis was just going to be a producer. But when they got into the final negotiations Barth was told that Curtis was adamant on being the sole screenwriter for Yesterday, and hed just be given the co-story credit. Barth reluctantly accepted the offer, as he had been working on the film for five years. During promotion for Yesterday, Curtis repeatedly played down Barths contributions, insisting that hed only seen the one-sentence pitch, and hadnt even read the original material. Read More: Richard Curtis, writer of 'Notting Hill' and 'Love Actually', worries Netflix will sanitise British cinema By the time I realised I needed to get the story out there myself, Barth continued, It was really hard to pitch something that was for a film that had come out eight months earlier. Most of the media is concerned with just promoting the current films, theyre not interested in a story about the abuse of the powerless by the powerful. Story continues Barth even went as far as to say that his co-story credit for Yesterday has hampered rather than enhanced career, especially when he tries to get in contact with potential producers, agents and studios. This is why Im so upset. This is why I actually feel like Richard has damaged me financially. I write and say, Im the guy who created the film Yesterday, and they look and they go, No, youre not, thats a Richard Curtis movie, you moron. Shiv Sena senior leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday met with Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan here, days after Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray skipped a meeting called by the governor to assess the government's preparedness to tackle the COVID-19 crisis. Raut later told reporters that the governor and the chief minister share relations like between a father and a son. A Raj Bhavan statement described the meeting between Raut and the governor as a "courtesy call". The Sena leadership was apparently angry over leaders of the Opposition BJP visiting the governor earlier this week and complaining that the state government had failed in checking the spread of the coronavirus. "The governor and the chief minister had no conflict between them. The governor and the chief minister share a father-son relationship between them and it will remain like that," Raut told reporters. Later, the Raj Bhavan tweeted a photograph of Raut bending with folded hands in front of the governor. To which Raut tweeted, "well! @bskoshayari is elder to me so this namaskar. Otherwise we had a good interaction, I told him bot to worry,our MVA government under leadership of @officeofUT is running fine". The relations between the Shiv Sena and the Raj Bhvaan became a talk of political circles after Koshyari sat on two recommendations made by the state cabinet asking him to nominate Thackeray, who heads the Sena, as an MLC from the governor's quota. Raut, executive editor of the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', had then criticised the Raj Bhavan and suggested that it should not become a centre for political conspiracies. As it was Constitutoinally obliging for Thackeray to become a member of either Houses of the state legislature before May 27, he approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi and flagged the potential political instability in the state. Recently, the election commission ordered elections to nine vacant sets of the legislative council. With only nine candidates filing their nominations, Thackeray made his debut to the state legislature unopposed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wrexham companies helping to manufacture personal protective equipment This article is old - Published: Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 Companies across Wrexham have been helping to manufacture and produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for front line workers. Riva UK Ltd, based on the Wrexham Industrial Estate, began designing a protective face visor back in early April. It now has to capacity to produce thousands of protective items each week. Carl Bird, managing director said: Despite national shortages of materials and, thanks to the support of some key local suppliers providing components to our production line, we now have capacity to produce 100,000 visors per week. The product is now CE Certified and is being used to help protect NHS staff and workers across the UK. Advance Spares Ltd (ASL) based on Vauxhall Industrial Estate in Ruabon is one of the suppliers supporting the production of these visors, and ASL are supplying the visors, as well as a range of other PPE equipment including masks, gloves, thermometers and hand sanitiser, to their customers in the automotive and other industries around Wrexham. Adrian Tant, sales director at ASL said: We really want to support local industry as we know these products are hard to obtain and are so needed to get our local economy up and running. We are still supplying our core fastener products globally as well as supporting many manufacturers who are currently making ventilators and other medical equipment. We have had to adapt our working practices to ensure we can stay open, it has been a very steep learning curve of which I am very proud of the ASL team. Another local company, Silvergate Plastics have also joined the fight against Covid-19 and they have seen a significant spike in orders coming in from manufacturers of hand-sanitiser and disinfectant bottles. Lead Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Cllr Terry Evans, said: All Wrexham companies involved in the provision of essential goods including PPE during the pandemic are to be commended and thanked for their massive contribution to keeping people safe. They have stepped forward during a time of national crisis and changed what they produce and how they organise their workforce which has meant a huge steep learning curve for all those involved. Thank you for your contribution and to all businesses across Wrexham who have answered the call to help. Local ward member and Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr David A Bithell, said: I would like to add my thanks to all the companies involved. Its very reassuring to see a local company so willing to step up to answer the call to help during these very difficult and challenging times. Well done everyone and please stay safe. Pilots from the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard will conduct honor flights of F-15 Eagle aircraft across the commonwealth on Monday in remembrance of those who died in defense of the country. Memorial Day is a day to remind us of the sacrifices Americans are willing to Make to protect others, said Col. Tom Bladen, 104th Fighter Wing Vice Commander. These Memorial Day flyovers are a tribute to honor of those who have died serving our great nation and protecting our American way of life. The flights begin at the Bourne National Cemetery on Cape Cod between 11:30 and 11:40 a.m., then move on to the Fallen Heroes Memorial in Bostons Seaport District between 11:40 and 11:50 a.m. The flyovers continue across the state to the following locations: Grafton 11:50 to 12:00 The Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam 12:00 to 12:10 Ludlow 12:00 to 12:10 p.m. Hadley 12:10 to 12:20 p.m. Florence 12:10 to 12:20 p.m. Cheshire 12:20 to 12:30 p.m. Lenox 12:20 to 12:30 p.m. Naugatuck, Conn. 12:30 to 12:40 p.m. Kent, Conn. 12:40 to 12:50 p.m. The scheduled flyovers are weather dependent and arrival times are estimated. Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Give a man too much free time, and well - you knew where we were going with this. Its no surprise that the internets favourite method of procrastination tends to default towards pornography. According to Statista, roughly 20% of all mobile web searches direct users towards porn - while these figures were substantially higher in the early 90s dialup-era version of the worldwide web, modern internet speeds and streaming services such as Pornhub have resulted in every fantasy imaginable just a few clicks away. Intro Image While this, no doubt, reflects a great deal on how modern society has come to rely on digital stimulation to get by, whats particularly interesting about porn use is how the traffic on porn websites seems to respond almost instantly to major events across the world - resulting in unexpected porn searches and overall traffic shooting up with changing times. Here are five incidents when these unexpected side-effects occurred: 1. Coronavirus Pandemic Reuters; Social distancing has plenty of side-effects, especially at home. Unsurprisingly, the rise of work-from-home culture and massive chunks of free time landing on the plates of internet users across the globe, have resulted in one of the most unprecedented spikes in porn use weve ever seen. While the world has seen huge spikes all over, Indians, in particular, went on porn sites during the national lockdown, with Pornhub reporting an unprecedented 95% rise in traffic as April came around this year. 2. The U.S. Federal Government Shutdown Reuters; One of the major reasons for this shutdown was Donald Trumps insistence on a $5.7 billion fund to create a US-Mexico border wall. In a historical move that pitted thousands of voters against U.S. President Donald Trump, December 2018 to January 2019 marked a 35-day shutdown of federal government operations - resulting in nine executive departments with around 800,000 employees shutting down partially or in full. What no one expected was a sudden rise in porn viewership as government employees whittled away the hours at home - an average of 6.32% on average and late viewing after midnight spiking by 12% in the American capital of Washington D.C. 3. Instagram And Facebook Outage Reuters; Millions of users faced similar error messages as they tried to log in during the rare shutdown of Facebooks services. When Facebook went down for about 10 hours on March 13, 2019, it took Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp away from our needy little hands. It looked like everybody migrated to Twitter, where the memes were popping, but there is another platform that usurped a whole lot of that flailing attention: Pornhub. With that social media itch left unscratched, thousands of users flocked to Pornhub to kill time - a staggering 19% surge from average levels taking place on that fateful day. 4. Area 51 Raid Reuters; People walk near a gate to Area 51 as an influx of tourists responding to a call to 'storm' Area 51. With countless memes and references piling on the Area 51 Raid from September 2019, we were certainly expecting the internet to take advantage of the ridiculous alien joke-fest - although users truly outdid themselves in ways that surprised even Pornhubs staff. During the months leading up to the event, the website reported a mind-blowing 217% spike in searches for aliens, and a staggering 160,000 total searches for Area 51 in just a five day period. 5. Hawaii Missile Threat Reuters; Defense personnel monitor global events in real-time at the Civil Defense command bunker in Honolulu, Hawaii. Hawaii's mistaken missile alert from January 13, 2018, prompted many of us to think about what we'd do in the last moments of our life if a bomb came hurtling towards us. Pornhub released statistics for the island state after the alert was sent out, revealing a sharp drop of 77 per cent below the average in the minutes immediately following the emergency notification. Once authorities confirmed that the alert was erroneous, thousands of Hawaiians decided to celebrate - by rubbing one out. In the hours that followed, Pornhub recorded an amusingly high 48% above average spike in traffic as relieved islanders realised that all wasnt lost. After an thorough investigation, the suspect of the recent murder of the two sisters with bags on their head whose bodies were dumped off a bridge was finally arrested. The double murder in Rome, Georgia that woke up the county early in the morning to the discovery of two hooded corpses is now solved. Suspected for the murder of the two sisters was a Georgia man who was nabbed as the suspect. He was placed under police custody last Tuesday when reasonable doubt of his guilt in connection with the investigation. The suspect A news report from Georgia confirmed the arrest of the suspect, Desmond Lavonte Brown, aged 28. He was charged for obstruction that is linked to the murders of Vanita Richardson, 19, and Truvenia Campbell, 30. Brown incarcerated at the Callier Forest Apartments, located in Dodd Boulevard, Rome. The police encountered the suspect at 2 p.m. last Monday. The police told Brown to stay a distance from the car. This was done to get a search warrant to allow them to look for evidence of the double murder. The police noticed that the suspect was intent on getting an item, he went inside the car and did not follow the orders of the authorities. Brown was very insistent on getting an item. One official from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), identified as Nelly Miles did not add anything related to the homicide, with the case 'very active' too. The case of the hooded sisters The location where the dead and hooded sisters were discovered by accident is right under the East Rome Bypass bridge, located south of Grizzard park. Also read: Wife Accidentally Kills Husband in Utah But Further Investigation Reveals a Different Story On May 12, the bodies of the women would have been unnoticed, had it not been for city workers who chanced upon their corpses under the bridge. Three workers from the GDOT, made the gruesome find. The hooded corpses were brought in for examination and identification in the office of Floyd County Chief Deputy Coroner Connie Chandler. She positively identified both women as Vanita Richardson andTruvenia Campbell. Part of the report said that both slain sisters were wearing hoods and with suspicious shotgun shells near their corpses. The police were still trying to find out, why the shotgun shell was there, it was not explained. Helping the local authorities was the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), which made the statement about a missing vehicle, that was missing a day earlier, and happens to be owned by Vanita. A search was initiated to look for the car in the Atlanta locality. It seems that finding the car will reveal more about the case. The vehicle in question is a 1997 Toyota according to the GBI on the case. Clues and leads during case have yielded some new information. A report said that Vanita Richardson and Truvenia Campbell were spotted in the car on a Tuesday night, last May 12, 2020. For now, that is what authorities have on the two sisters with bags on their heads and were dropped off a bridge. Related article: Bodies of Two Dead Sisters With Bags on Their Heads, Tossed Off a Bridge @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Twitter may be the first big technology firm to face a fine over tougher data protection rules after the European Unions lead regulator submitted a preliminary decision in a probe into the social media firm to other member states. Irelands Data Protection Commission (DPC) also said on Friday that it had sent a preliminary decision to Facebook-owned WhatsApp for their submissions and made further progress in three other investigations related to Facebook. Ireland hosts the European headquarters of a number of US technology firms, making the DPC the EUs lead regulator under the blocs General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) one-stop shop regime introduced in 2018. The new rules give regulators the power to impose fines of up to four percent of a companys global revenue, or 20 million euros ($22m), whichever is higher. Under GDPR, the DPC must share its preliminary decision with all concerned EU supervisory authorities and consider their views in its final verdict. Each of the blocs regulators may be called on for a majority decision if agreement cannot be reached. The DPC is not commenting on the substance of the preliminary Twitter decision at this point, Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle told Reuters. The Twitter ruling relates to a 2019 probe into a bug in its Android app, where some users protected tweets were made public. Twitter is the subject of two of the 20 other inquiries the DPC had open into big tech firms at the end of 2019. A spokeswoman for Twitter declined to comment. Facebook has come under the most scrutiny, with eight individual probes, plus two into WhatsApp and one into Facebook-owned Instagram. The DPC said it had moved to the decision-making phase of a complaint-based inquiry that focuses on Facebook Irelands obligations to establish a lawful basis for personal data processing. It said it had also sent draft inquiry reports to the complainants and companies concerned in two further inquiries concerning Instagram and WhatsApp. 'People are already sending congratulatory messages. But I have said, "Please don't until the trials are over".' Ritwik Sharma reports. IMAGE: A quality control test conducted at the Serum Institute. All photographs: Kind courtesy seruminstitute.com India, a vaccine manufacturing hub, is in the thick of the action as the global pharma industry races to find a cure or vaccine for COVID-19. The Serum Institute of India is one Indian manufacturer that is developing a vaccine and is hopeful of a successful partnership with researchers at Oxford University. But its optimism is guarded, given the uncertainties involved in the various stages of vaccine trials. The Pune-based company also plans to start trials on people to assess whether the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine for tuberculosis can also protect against the COVID-19 virus. It has also collaborated with American biotech firm Codagenix to develop a 'live attenuated vaccine' (which reduces the virulence of a pathogen while keeping it alive). The vaccine developed by an Oxford University group led by Andrew Hill, director of the Jenner Institute, has held out the most promise in the global race. The Serum Institute has partnered with Hill's team to mass-produce the vaccine. Human trials were carried out in the UK last month, backed by government support. At the time, the Oxford attempt was reported as faring better than other research projects. The New York Times reported that six rhesus macaques were healthy after they were inoculated with the vaccine in March and exposed to the COVID-19 virus. The Oxford scientists now intend to conduct trials on over 6,000 people by May-end, and hope that a vaccine will be developed by September. "People are already sending congratulatory messages. But I have said, 'Please don't until the trials are over'," says Adar C Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by the number of doses produced and sold globally. The Serum Institute will be ready with 40 million to 50 million doses of the vaccine by September-October, Poonawalla says. The company is preparing for a best-case scenario, as Poonawalla recognises that developing an effective vaccine could take up to a year or longer. IMAGE: From left Dr Cyrus S Poonawalla, founder, Serum Institute of India, Bill Gates and Adar C Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute, aat the Serum Institute of India offices in Pune. Cyrus S Poonawalla established the Serum Institute of India in 1966. His son Adar joined the company in 2001 and took over a decade later. The company produces 1.5 billion doses annually -- including for polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, BCG, measles, mumps and rubella -- mainly from its two facilities in Pune. It has acquired two smaller plants in The Netherlands and the Czech Republic in 2012 and 2017, respectively, and supplies vaccines to 170 countries. In Pune, the pandemic hit the company's operations as its plants are functioning with less than half its employee strength of 6,000. Its exports, which make up more than half of its turnover, have also ground to a halt. "Parents of children in other countries are not going to clinics for vaccination as they are afraid of COVID-19. So it's a domino effect," says Adar Poonawalla. The Serum Institute's readiness to manufacture a vaccine before it is a proven success owes to its strength in terms of additional capacity. It is investing Rs 642 crore (Rs 6.42 billion) to set up a dedicated plant that can eventually churn out half a billion doses, but that will take at least two years. Meanwhile, says Adar Poonawalla, the company had already set up two facilities to add to its capacity for producing existing vaccines. "So capacity (to produce a new vaccine) is not an issue at all," he says. As the lockdown foists a new order in our social lives and prioritises the pandemic over all other diseases, there are concerns over disruption of immunisation in general. The Serum Institute has stocks of vaccines for other diseases but demand is currently low. "Only with fears going down will we be able to vaccinate children against diseases such as pneumonia and measles, and ensure there are no other serious outbreaks which could further strain our health system," says Adar Poonawalla. IMAGE: A vaccine manufacturing lab at the Serum Institute of India. The COVID-19 crisis has fuelled unprecedented research for a vaccine, with 100-odd vaccines in preclinical stage and eight in human trials as of the middle of last week. In India, half a dozen major companies, including Zydus Cadila, Bharat Biotech and Indian Immunologicals, are developing vaccines. The Indian pharma industry supplies more than 50 per cent of the global demand for several vaccines, and accounts for 20 per cent of the exports in generic drugs, according to data published in January 2019 by the India Brand Equity Foundation. Adar Poonawalla realises it is a gamble, and a vaccine other than Oxford's might win this massive global race. But even as the enormity of the crisis offers an opportunity and pits private profit against public health, he is confident that the successful company and researcher would out-license to multiple manufacturers just like Oxford has done. Besides the Serum Institute, the UK-based AstraZeneca has entered into a partnership with the university to manufacture the drug. The Serum Institute plans to sell the COVID-19 vaccine at Rs 1,000. The central government will distribute it for free under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, it has said. IMAGE: The Serum Institute's bio-parma Park in Pune. One eminent scientist, who did not want to be named, feels the Oxford scenario is overly optimistic. If the experimenters are extremely lucky, proof of concepts could be available in three to four months. But we will probably not get a vaccine for at least a year, says the scientist. The Oxford study yielding positive animal and antibody results has led to the hope that it will work on humans too and quickly overcome regulatory and manufacturing hurdles. But the process is more complicated than that. "Just having an immune response doesn't mean that a vaccine protects you against the virus. We have to know what exactly constitutes a protective immune response and then determine whether a vaccine produces that effect," the scientist says, adding that many pharma companies also overstate the ease of manufacturing. Mass access to the vaccine will also remain a critical issue, notwithstanding the promise of free distribution among the poor. Much will depend on all stakeholders working together, and the fate of initiatives such as the Access to Covid Tools Accelerator (ACT Accelerator), a collaborative taskforce recently launched by the World Health Organisation. Just before India's lockdown ends, the rapid spread of COVID-19 cases with record single-day spikes puts a question mark on all efforts. What lies ahead after restrictions are lifted? Dr Jayaprakash Muliyil, an epidemiologist and former principal of the Christian Medical College, Vellore, has pointed out that herd immunity (when more than half of the population is infected) is a natural progression. To attain this, he has suggested allowing transmission in the young, which is a low-risk category compared to the elderly. Of course, he points out, a vaccine is a superior option simply because it can grant immunity to people without harming them, unlike natural infection. "Unfortunately, for a vaccine to develop, we have to make sure it is safe. And that takes a while. There are two issues: Does a vaccine work and protect? And does it do any harm? So it should be a vaccine without any side effects." India has produced fairly good vaccines in large amounts in the past, and the government has been able to negotiate with companies and fetch them at competitive prices. But, for now as a company like the Serum Institute of India would attest, it's a race against time unlike any in recent memory. Production: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com Shiv Sena senior leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday met with Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. A Raj Bhavan statement described the meeting between the Sena MP and the governor as a "courtesy call". Raut's visit came on the heels of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray skipping a meeting called by the governor to assess the state government's preparedness to tackle COVID-19 crisis on Wednesday. Earlier this week, the Opposition BJP had visited the governor and complained that the state government had failed in checking the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, Raut told reporters that it was a courtesy visit. "The governor and the chief minister had no conflict between them. Their relations are like that of a father and a son, and they will remain like that," Raut said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is visiting the Province of Ararat to get acquainted with the ongoing agricultural works. I will visit several communities to get acquainted with the process of agricultural works, Pashinyan said on social media. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan Advertisement Amazon has opened a purpose-built permanent homeless shelter inside its downtown Seattle headquarters. The opening of the shelter, which has been three years in the making and will be operated by local nonprofit Mary's Place, comes as employees of the internet giant have been working from home amid the coronavirus outbreak. Built inside one of Amazon's office buildings in the Denny Regrade neighborhood, the eight-floor, 63,000-square-foot shelter is being kept separate from Amazon's offices through private entrances and acoustical isolation. It is a family shelter than can house up to 200 people. While the coronavirus pandemic is ongoing, the shelter is housing 50 families - each in private rooms - and following a strict cleaning schedule and social distancing rules. It is also offering access to coronavirus testing. Under normal circumstances, the shelter is expected to be able to provide housing for more than 1,000 families a year. Mary's Place executive director Marty Hartman said: 'This new shelter, opening when it did, has been our saving grace. 'It was our neighbors at Amazon who recognized what we needed before we ever realized it, and this space ensures we dont have to return families to homelessness during this unprecedented and trying time.' It is now the largest family shelter in Washington state, according to Amazon and Mary's Place. Amazon and non-profit Mary's Place announced the opening of Marys Place Family Center in The Regrade on Thursday. It's located inside one of Amazon's headquarter buildings in Seattle The family shelter sits on eight floors of an Amazon office building and takes up 63,000 square feet. The other half of the building is comprised of Amazon office space Among the shelter's facilities are an industrial kitchen (pictured), large dining room - big enough for social distancing - and space for Amazons legal team to provide pro bono support A view of a common space in the new shelter, featuring a variety of clothing and shoes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos thanked Mary's Place for partnering with Amazon on the shelter The family shelter and the Amazon offices feature acoustical separation and have their own entrances. Plazas and other public spaces are for use by both families and Amazon workers Amazon founder Jeff Bezos pictured in 2019 Hartman also noted that at the new shelter, 'our kids are able to safely finish school our employees watch children for extended hours to support working parents who lost access to childcare and moms and dads are able to search for new jobs on new laptops'. Among the shelter's features are a large dining room - big enough for social distancing - an industrial kitchen with commercial cooking equipment, space for Amazons legal team to provide pro bono support and recreation spaces for children and teens. Amazons VP of global real estate and facilities John Schoettler told Fast Company that the office building was 'essentially divided in half lengthwise. Half of it is divided for use by Amazon. The balance on the other side is used by Marys Place.' Acoustical separation between the two halves of the building was crucial 'because Marys Place is a 24/7 operation, therell be a lot of children and different activities going on one side, while on the other side there could be a lot of heads-down work and quiet space or a lot of meetings,' he said. Plazas and other public spaces around the building were created to be used by both Amazon employees and the families staying at the shelter, though. One of Mary's Place's requests, when converting the office building into a shelter, was to have separate rooms for the families to sleep in peacefully, creating a challenge since the building is a typical office tower. The project designers found a solution to the problem after realizing that 'for the highest-quality sleep that you can get in a communal environment, you dont need a window', Graphite Design's Peter Krech told Fast Company. Instead, 'you need an acoustic door, you need an acoustic ceiling, and you need a really comfortable space. But you can give the daylight and the high-value experiential spaces to the community and social spaces, and you can take the sleeping program and really make it purpose-built', he added. Two of the floors in the new shelter are dedicated to medically-fragile children. There's also a program for new moms and their babies The shelter is practicing strict sanitary measures and social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. Only 50 families are staying in the shelter right now Bunk beds are shown set up in a space for families to sleep in with a privacy curtain Project designers created windowless spaces specifically dedicated to getting a good night's sleep, saving windowed spaces for communal areas The interior of a sleeping space, featuring bunk beds and a sink. The sleeping areas have soundproofing to ensure a restful night A communal bathroom space in the shelter is shown here with changing areas for babies The shelter also has communal laundry machines and dryers for residents to use Communal meeting spaces have been set up for residents to use while practicing for job interviews or filling out school forms and getting legal help The shelter offers computers for residents to use while job searching or doing homework An outdoor communal space at the shelter, which can also be used by Amazon workers Two of the shelter's eight floors have been set aside for medically-fragile children and on-site healthcare is available to them, while rooms have also been set aside for residents and volunteers - including Amazon employees - to use as community center-like meeting spaces. The shelter plans were first announced in 2017, with Amazon offering free rent and utilities to Mary's Place. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos posted pictures of the new space on his Instagram account Thursday and thanked Marys Place 'for their partnership in bringing this creative solution to life. #NoChildSleepsOutside.' Amazon's corporate workers have been told they will be able to work from home until at least October amid the pandemic. Who says that WHO (World Health Organization) is merely inefficient, irrelevant and mainly preoccupied with promoting Chinas agenda? WHO has other interests as well and it pursues them with a remarkable consistency. For example, WHO never misses an opportunity to single out Israel for condemnation and demonization. Here is an excerpt from a petition sent to WHO, circulated by Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre for Holocaust Studies: [I]t is ironic to single out Israel as a violator of health rights, some of the reasons being: Israel is routinely among the first countries to deploy aid and emergency medical response teams to disaster sites around the world such as cyclone-battered Mozambique and earthquake-stricken Haiti Thousands of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank receive world-class health care in Israeli hospitals every year, including Palestinian leader Jibril Rajoub who was recently admitted to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv notwithstanding his open support for terror attacks against Israelis Thousands of victims of the Syrian civil war have received lifesaving health care in Israel while Syrian hospitals have been bombed out by Russian and Syrian jets According to the Jerusalem Post, which covered WHOs 72nd Assembly in 2019, the Assembly had 21 items on its agenda, yet only one item focused on a specific country. That country was Israel. The Assembly voted 97-11 for an anti-Israel resolution. The 11 countries opposing the resolution were the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary and Israel. Many WHO-provided documents lament the lack of resources in Gaza hospitals, yet they conveniently omit the link between the poor state of health care in Gaza and Hamas priorities. Why can Hamas find resources for thousands of rockets to fire at Israeli civilians, and resources to acquire equipment to dig underground tunnels to smuggle terrorists into Israel, but cant find resources for medications? The standards that WHO applies to Israel, the only predominantly Jewish state in the world, are vastly different from the standards it applies to all other countries. If that is not anti-Semitism, what is? Finally, the following may explain why improving health care in Gaza is not the highest priority for Hamas. In 2014, Reuters ran a story that was carried by several news outlets all around the world. Here are two excerpts from it: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's daughter was admitted to an Israeli hospital for emergency medical treatment this month after she suffered complications from a routine procedure; Israeli media has reported that one of Haniyeh's granddaughters was treated in an Israeli hospital last November, while his mother-in-law sought treatment in a Jerusalem hospital in June. Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us. That is a quotation usually attributed to Golda Meir. Apparently, the Hamas leader loves his children and grandchildren enough to send them to the Zionist entity, fully expecting that Jewish doctors will provide the best treatment to all their patients. Now Hamas has a chance to reallocate their resources in a way that will benefit all Gaza children by providing their resources to the Gaza hospitals, rather than tools of death to kill Jews. As for WHO, it can either be conducive to achieving this goal; or it can continue the pain, the demonization of Israel and promoting the narrative of Palestinian victimhood. Image credit: Pixabay public domain A uthor Michael Rosen has left intensive care after 47 days, his wife Emma-Louise Williams confirmed on Saturday. Mr Rosen, the author of childrens books such as Were Going on a Bear Hunt, spoke about the initial stages of his illness on Twitter. The 74-year-old has not tweeted since late March but his wife continued to update his followers while he was very poorly. On Saturday, she said her husband had left intensive care eight weeks after being admitted to hospital. "His recovery is continuing on the ward and will take time," she tweeted. "He has done so well to get through this but please don't expect him back here yet." Ms Williams retweeted the post on her husband's account and praised the amazing efforts of the lovely kind staff at Whittington hospital in London, where he has been receiving treatment. It has not been confirmed whether the author is battling coronavirus. Describing the symptoms of his illness on March 22, Mr Rosen said: Cant stop my thermostat from crashing: icy hands, hot head. Freezing cold sweats. "Under the covers for bed-breaking shakes. Image of war hero biting on a hankie, while best mate plunges live charcoal into the wound to cauterise it." The following day, the poet and broadcaster questioned whether he was suffering from a bad case flu. He tweeted: Have had no chest pains. No persistent cough. So all along it could have been a heavy flu and not corona. Today the fevers are ebbing. In their place a deep muscle exhaustion. In every corner." Mr Rosen was admitted to hospital later that week and his wife has been providing updates to his followers since. Civil Aviation ministry increases cap on India-UK flights to 60 services per week from Aug 16 onwards Aviation Ministry allows airlines to serve meals on all domestic flights Centre mandates Air Suvidha portal for ease of travel: All you need to know Domestic travellers with green status on Aarogya Setu app do not need quarantine: Puri India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, May 23: Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri said that he would try and resume International flights before August. The operations of the domestic flights would begin on Monday, the government had announced earlier this week. We will try to start a good percentage of international passenger flights before August, Puri said during a question and answer session on Facebook. He also went on to say that he does not see the need for people for quarantine if their status shows green on the Aarogya Setu app. These are the minimum and maximum prices you would have to pay for flights Do not understand the need for quarantine of passenger who has green status on Aarogya Setu app. He also said that he is hopeful that before August or September, the government will try to start a good percentage of international operations. This would however depend on the situation, he also said. Earlier today Karnataka said that those passengers flying in from six states will have to undergo 14 days quarantine upon landing in the state. {quiz_123} Karnataka's DGP said that those landing from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat will have to under a seven day institutional quarantine, followed by 7 day home quarantine. Domestic flights to resume: Everything you need to know about SOPs, fares | Oneindia News Incoming domestic flight passenger from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi & Madhya Pradesh will undergo seven day institutional Quarantine followed by home quarantine, the DGP said in a tweet. Domestic flight rules: From web check in to Aarogya Setu, what you should know This comes in the backdrop of the Civil Aviation Ministry allowed domestic air travel from May 25 onwards. The ministry has also imposed several conditions on air travel. The ministry urged vulnerable people like the elderly, pregnant and children to avoid travelling. It also said only a third of the operations would resume in the first phase. While several Infosys Pune volunteers and organisations are providing a helping hand with cooked meals and packed ration, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) team has taken it a step further by adopting a slum and looking after its needs during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. A team from CSR Infosys along with additional commissioner Ashok Morale, Ravindra Shisve and Sanjay Shinde adopted Lohiya nagar slum, near Timber market and handed over 10,000 masks to the residents living there. The Infosys team were helping the police in kind by donating masks and protective kits when the idea was suggested by the commissioner of police Dr K Venkatesham and Morale. While we were in discussion to help the Pune police as part of our CSR activities during Covid-19, Ashok Morale mentioned this call for help to adopt a slum, which we found worth looking into. Since the first lockdown, our employees and the company has been working towards donating rations early in the lockdown period to various people in need, then shifting to providing cooked meals to those in various shelters, where the first batch was in Bhokharewadi in Hinjewadi phase II, thus as and when requested, we were providing help, said Pravin Kulkarni, vice president, and development centre head, Infosys Pune. According to Kulkarni, Infosys has also given 20 ventilators to civil hospitals and municipal hospitals. We have also donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to doctors, hospitals, and police, giving santisers and masks. Most of the women came forward to take the set of reusable cotton masks. This slum has 50,000 people living in congested small homes, mostly labourers who work in and around timber market and it was in the main peth area, said Dattatreya Pandit, member of the CSR team, who was present for the donation drive. This is just the beginning, we also plan to give them either soaps or sanitisers which are limited resources for them next which is important and plan to educate them on hand hygiene, added Pandit. Morale confirmed this adoption and said, his team met the Infosys team when they came to help Pune police with 2,000 masks and while discussing with them, it was appealed to them to help adopt a slum, which has more than 300 positive cases and lacks basic amenities. We had given them four slums that we have identified like Patil estate, Tadiwala road, Gadital and Lohiyanagar. This is the first IT company to come forward and adopt a slum and we hope others will follow soon to help break the chain and prevent Covid-19 from spreading further. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON MBABANE Taxes are meant to finance, among other things, health systems. Such finances become even more vital during times of crisis, including the present COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the whole world, with Eswatini also feeling its impact. The name of Sihle Dlamini, the Assistant Private Secretary and Director Administration at the Kings Office, features prominently alongside a Chinese supplier and a local clearing agent in tax-related documents that reflect how an original invoice of US$46 856.81 (about E815 727.39) was reduced to US$17 584.57 (E305 572.41). This then resulted in Dlamini, who is well-known for, among other things, being His Majesty King Mswati IIIs interpreter, allegedly paying a lesser amount to the Eswatini Revenue Authority (SRA). The transaction is in relation to 1 508 items that Dlamini bought in China for his local businesses. classified investigation A classified investigation conducted by the Times SUNDAY has found that because of the reduced amount in the invoice, Dlamini ended up paying SRA about E127 401.71 as tax (VAT and custom excise) in respect of four containers that were shipped into the country from the Peoples Republic of China. The payment was done in February 2020. However, it has transpired that when these containers left China with Dlaminis goods in November 2019, the Chinese Pacific Property Insurance issued documents reflecting that the containers had goods amounting to US$46 856.81 (about E815 727.39). An independent tax expert told this publication that the US$46 856.81 is the amount Dlamini would have received as insurance payment for the goods he purchased in China had the consignment got lost or stolen along the way to Eswatini. The containers, according to the documents seen by the Times SUNDAY, were delivered at Matsapha Eswatini Railway (Swazi Rail Terminal) on January 17, 2020 and they had a gross weight of 35 020 kilogrammes. According to an arrival notice, these containers had items including furniture, tiles, mattress and ceramic fittings. Dlamini, who also serves as a pastor at the Jesus Calls Worship Centre, is the owner of Open House Boutique Hotel at Trelawney Park in Manzini. The goods, as reflected in the invoice, were purchased by Dlamini at Xinyang Industrial Company whose address is number 11 first floor block 9, Chaonan KaiXuanhui Beijing at Qingyuan City in Guangdong province in China. The goods were loaded at Nansha China port and transported to Durban, South Africa, before they were delivered in Matsapha through vessel no. MAERSK ENSHI 949N. While the original invoice and insurance certificate shows a figure of US$46 856.81, the invoice that was eventually submitted to SRA reflects the lesser amount of US$17 584.57. This invoice with a lesser amount does not have any stamp or signature from its original source. It was, however, submitted to SRA, as is, for filing. authoritys system Further investigations have found that the receiving officer at SRA also did not take note that the invoice had not been stamped. It is currently in the authoritys system. The Times SUNDAY has also found that the insurance policy certificate was never attached or submitted to SRA during the payment of taxes for the declared goods. In fact, from this document, SRA would have managed to spot the anomaly in the difference between the actual purchase price and the invoice that was eventually submitted by Dlamini to the authority for tax payment. The investigations further found that had the original invoice been paid as is, Dlamini would have dug deeper into his pockets for a sum of E464 372.30 as total tax. This amount would have included a VAT (value added tax) and custom excise amounting to E284 000 plus additional costs such as freight and insurance for the four containers that were shipped into the country with the goods. However, he only paid a total of E127 401.71 an amount he paid through three tax invoices. According to the documents, Dlamini paid E61 778.42 to SRA on February 11, 2020 through receipt number R2049. Again, he paid E52 189.84 as tax through receipt number R2449, and E13 433.45 through receipt number R1949. If you subtract the E127 401.71 which he paid in total to SRA as tax for the containers, it reflects that SRA was short changed a sum of E336 970.59. An officer at PPV Clearing and Forwarding Company asked not to comment when approached to explain the figures reflected in the invoices. The officer, who emphasised that he was not allowed to speak to the media, however, acknowledged that Dlamini was and still is their client. divulging information I cant say anything about what you are asking. Speak to Sihle, the officer said. He said this before he was allegedly suspended from work for, among other things, divulging information about Dlamini to strangers. Meanwhile, Vusi Dlamini, SRAs Head of Corporate Communications, said the law prevents them from discussing taxpayers issues with the public. Firstly, we have to emphasise that as an organisation we do not discuss taxpayers issues in the public domain; except in a court of Law. This is in line with the Legislation we administer as well as our policies which emphasise confidentiality of taxpayer information. So we cannot therefore respond to the specific case that your publication is investigating, Dlamini said. He continued: However, it is important to highlight a few principles in general, without reference to the matter at hand; as SRA our job is to drive Voluntary Tax Compliance and we always encouraged our taxpayers, to cooperate with us on the various Legislation we administer and pay all their taxes on time and correctly. In the course of doing our business, we do note that through our Systems we discover some acts of non-compliance among some delinquent taxpayers and we have the Laws of the land to deal adequately with non-compliance and in particular tax evasion; which robs the state of the needed resources. We also must commend members of the public who use our whistle blowing line to report suspected cases of tax fraud and corruption; and we must say; in some instances we discover that some of our own staff members sometimes assist those delinquent taxpayers to circumvent our processes; however, we ultimately discover such and we ensure that those rotten potatoes are terminated from the employ of the organisation if found guilty; as such is a dismissible offence according to our policies. Those delinquent taxpayers would also face the full wrath of the Law, Dlamini said. He further encouraged members of the public to continue reporting cases of tax evasion to SRAs number 800 8000 so that the authority can deal with the scourge of tax fraud and corruption. Meanwhile, when Sihle Dlamini was called to give his side of the story regarding the documents, something that happened about two months ago, he first demanded to be provided with the invoices and documents seen by the Times. position to explain In the process he asked for a questionnaire or that a message should be sent to him so that he could respond in writing. The questionnaire was sent on March 20, 2020 to both his email address and WhatsApp contact. He responded on the following day through his email and this is what he said: Thanks for the questionnaire unfortunately my agent is not feeling well to be in a position to explain to me the content of your email, she has asked me to come see her Monday (March 23, 2020), so I can only rightly answer on Monday after my meeting. Secondly, its a pity that I have not seen all these documents you are referring to for comparison and ethical journalism determines that one is shown every evidence or accusation levelled against him nasenkantolo bakhipha konkhe bakukhombise bese uticambela akho emanga nawufuna, so your reluctance to show me the documents is suspect. I would like to ask though, if this matter is indeed lena bewungifunela ngayo kutsi sitokhulumela phansi ngoba tidla ekhaya on the 6th of March 2020? The Times has, for some time, been making attempts to meet Dlamini but such efforts hit a snag. Even though Dlamini had agreed through a corresponding message between the Managing Editor, Martin Dlamini, to arrange a meeting where the Times SUNDAY would have presented the evidence in its possession, the meeting could not been convened due to issues of security. undated video The meeting was scheduled for April 9, 2020 and Dlamini wanted the meeting to be convened at Nkhanini even though he had been invited to the Times offices. Recently, Dlamini has been seen in an undated video claiming he would build roads and bridges for the country for free 15 years from now. He has also alleged in another circulating video that there is a certain journalist who writes anything he likes about him and this journo is sent by the devil. In the same vein, he issued threats against the Times Group of Newspapers. What the General Import & Export Rules say: IMPORTATION Goods imported into Swaziland may be cleared under one of the following customs procedures within seven (7) days of the date on which they are deemed to have been imported: l Home consumption l Warehousing (later cleared for home consumption or re-export) l Transit/in bond l Temporary admission For customs clearance purposes, the importer should submit the following: Customs declaration document - Form E for personal declarations worth less than E15 000 and SAD500 for all other declarations. Supporting documents - invoice, transport document, certificate of origin, permits and any other document that may be required for verification purposes). During the compiling of this report the exchange rate used was that of january 2020. Coronavirus has fuelled a 600 per cent rise in malicious emails as hackers launch an attack every 39 seconds, the UN disarmament chief has warned. Izumi Nakamitsu told an informal meeting of the UN Security council, organised by the rotating presidency-holder Estonia and held online, digital dependency was causing more cyber attacks. She added: 'There have also been worrying reports of (cyber) attacks against health care organizations and medical research facilities worldwide.' The high representative for disarmament affairs said it is estimated that one such attack takes place every 39 seconds. Izumi Nakamitsu told an informal meeting of the UN Security council, organised by the rotating presidency-holder Estonia and held online, digital dependency was causing more cyber attacks (file image) According to the International Telecommunication Union, she said, nearly 90 countries are still only at the early stages of making commitments to cybersecurity. Nakamitsu said the threat from misusing information and communications technology 'is urgent.' But she said there is also good news, pointing to some global progress at the United Nations to address the threats by a group of government expert who developed 11 voluntary non-binding norms of responsible state behavior in the use of such technology. Estonia's Prime Minister Juri Ratas, whose country holds the Security Council presidency and organised Friday's meeting, said the need for 'a secure and functioning cyberspace' is more pressing than ever. Russia did not attend the informal council meeting broadcast online, which was the centerpiece of Estonia's council presidency. Pictured, Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting in Russia yesterday He condemned cyberattacks targeting hospitals, medical research facilities and other infrastructure, especially during the pandemic. 'Those attacks are unacceptable,' Ratas said. 'It will be important to hold the offenders responsible for their behaviour.' Russia did not attend the informal council meeting broadcast online, which was the centerpiece of Estonia's council presidency. The other 14 council nations did, along with about 50 other nations that spoke. Russia's UN Mission said in a statement on its website that it did not attend because Estonia, the UK and the US violated 'the established practice' that all council members attend informal meetings 'regardless of whether they approve or disapprove its topic'. The three countries did not attend a Russian-sponsored informal meeting on Crimea on Thursday. All three oppose Russias seizure and annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. In March, the US, UK, and Estonia accused Russia's military intelligence of conducting cyberattacks against the government and media websites in Georgia, calling the attacks part of 'a continuing pattern of reckless cyberoperations against a number of countries' that 'clearly contradict Russia's attempts to claim it is a responsible actor in cyberspace'. Estonia was the target of a massive three-week cyberattack during a dispute with Russia in 2007 over Estonia's removal of the Bronze Soldier Soviet war memorial from the centre of the capital, Tallinn. The attack disabled the websites of government ministries, political parties, newspapers, banks and companies. Since then, Estonia has built its cyber defences and become one of the most wired societies in Europe and a pioneer in the development of 'e-government.' Being highly dependent on computers, it is also highly vulnerable to cyberattack. Estonia was the target of a massive three-week cyberattack during a dispute with Russia in 2007 over Estonia's removal of the Bronze Soldier Soviet war memorial from the centre of the capital, Tallinn (file image) Russia has taken on the issue of cybercrime at the United Nations, and won General Assembly approval in December for a resolution that will start the process of drafting a new international treaty to combat cybercrime over objections from the European Union, the US and others. They said it would undermine international cooperation to combat cybercrime. 'We have witnessed malicious cyber activity that appears designed to undermine the United States and our international partners efforts to protect, assist, and inform the public during this global pandemic,' Acting US Deputy Ambassador Cherith Norman Chalet told Friday's meeting. She warned that actions hampering hospital and health care systems that perform critical services 'could have deadly results.' Russia's UN Mission posted the speech it would have delivered at the council meeting, which says 'the world literally finds itself now before a choice between global cyber peace or cyberwarfare.' Russia said the COVID-19 pandemic introduced dramatic changes to people's lives and showed that the world's dependence on information and telecommunication technologies 'is now unprecedented.' Moscow accused an '"elite" minority,' whose members it did not identify, of actively pursuing 'the militarisation of cyberspace by pushing forward the concept of "preventive military cyber strikes", including against critical infrastructure.' Small and perfectly formed, or sprawling spreads shared with friends and family. Whatever the size, all good picnics should make you feel as if youve packed a holiday into a hamper. Part of the skill is in knowing what to take, and what to leave at home. Here, our finest foodies share their memories of the feasts they will never forget and their tips for an occasion to remember. RICHARD CORRIGAN Award-winning chef and Great British Menu judge Richard Corrigan, award-winning chef, says eating outdoors is one of the finest pleasures Ill never forget the picnics I had with my dad out in his boat. He was a great fisherman but, honestly, when we werent eating Id long to get off that boat. Once he was on it hed never get off. We might set off at 6am and finally come in at 9pm. I was about seven when I first went out with him, wed fish for wild trout on Lough Sheelin, County Meath and for lunch hed cook us a perfect brown trout over a few embers. He made a potato salad which I still make now, with onions and extra vinegar. Outdoor eating is one of the finest pleasures. Occasionally, Ill leave my restaurant in London and pop a few things from the kitchen in a box or bag, ideally plenty of dressed crab my favourite picnic food plus bread, butter and a chilled bottle of Chablis. Or I might have some smoked eel. I take it to Hyde Park when theres a concert that I can eavesdrop on. Let me tell you, this is the greatest free treat in London. You dont get to see the band or musicians, but you can hear every note, which is just as good. ESSENTIAL: Maldon sea salt and an old fashioned butterhead lettuce salad. NUISANCE FOOD: Spanish hams (Iberico, Serrano) and pate they sweat, its a waste. SIGNATURE PICNIC DISH Potato Salad serves 2: 500g waxy potatoes, peeled Sea salt and freshly ground pepper 4 tbsp white wine vinegar 2 tbsp chopped white onion 2 hardboiled eggs Cook the potatoes in boiling water until they are just tender enough to pierce through with a knife. Drain them, allow them to cool then place in a bowl and mash to soften the edges. Season with the salt and pepper. Put the vinegar in a small saucepan and heat until it simmers. Continue to cook until the volume is reduced by half. Cool, add the onion then stir it properly into the potato. Chop the hardboiled eggs, scatter over the salad, and serve. NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: Big serving spoon and fork. PRUE LEITH Bake-Off judge and founder of Leiths School of Food and Wine Prue Leith, Bake-Off judge, says her signature picnic dish is guacamole My best picnic memories are hardly gastronomic. When my son was at Eton, 30 years ago, someone told me that the thing to do was to go to the June 4 celebration, taking a picnic which you could eat in Agars Field. I had no idea what any of that meant, but a picnic in a field sounded good, so I bundled a rug (actually an old bedspread quilt) into the car, made a pack of smoked salmon and cream cheese wholemeal sandwiches and a yogurt pot of Eton Mess for each of the family. Thats my favourite picnic. Delicious, easy to eat, and no washing up. But when we arrived we realised wed missed the point. Agars field was packed with Range Rovers and Bentleys. Out of these cars came picnic tables, tablecloths, linen napkins, crystal glasses, buckets of champagne, vases of flowers and even the odd butler. Canopies and pagodas were erected, while several families had caterers. No one else was driving a clapped-out Subaru and dressed in shorts. We crept away to the bank of the river, under a willow tree, perfectly placed to see the main event, the Procession of Boats. It was a heavenly day, as we knocked back champagne and watched the adolescent rowers standing upright in narrow racing eights, holding their oars aloft and then shaking the flowers off their boaters before serenely rowing down the river, the petals drifting in their wake. A romantic, eccentric, wonderfully English sight. ESSENTIAL: My favourite drink half ginger ale, half fizzy water (or prosecco), elderflower cordial, lemon juice, mint and ice. NUISANCE FOOD: Hot supermarket BBQ chicken it goes tepid, soggy, greasy and, left in the sun, its positively dangerous. SIGNATURE PICNIC DISH My Best Guacamole serves 4: 2 avocados, roughly chopped 2 ripe tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped 1 large clove garlic, crushed 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp balsamic glaze Sea salt and ground black pepper 6 basil leaves, shredded Mix the garlic, oil and balsamic together, season with the salt and pepper and mix with the avocado and tomato pieces. Tip into a container and sprinkle with the basil. NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: A wet J-cloth in a plastic bag. Wasp-Ease. A corkscrew. MARK HIX Top chef and restaurateur Mark Hix, top chef and restauranteur, said his most recent picnic with the founder of the Pig hotel was a delight I picnic often, and remember every one of them as being perfect, but the most recent was a delight. I was in Hampshire with my friend Robin Hutson, founder of the Pig hotel group. We always cook on our picnics. I took a rib of Hannans aged beef and cooked it on the barbecue it was blue-ish rare on the inside, absolutely outstanding. I made a version of the Sicilian dish caponata and we ate it with burrata, a creamy, richer version of Buffalicious mozzarella, made in Somerset. Robin always brings the wine often a good red so theres no need to faff about chilling it. Food aside, the making of a great picnic is about good company just one friend or many more, as long as theyre convivial and the scenery is pretty. Because I like to cook when I picnic, I need the Land Rover nearby for the equipment Im not one for walking miles with a backpack full of food. ESSENTIAL: A spice mix to season meat and fish. NUISANCE FOOD: Supermarket sausage rolls not worth the extra weight. SIGNATURE PICNIC DISH Cardoon caponata with burrata serves 4: 1 cardoon stalk* (300g) 2 medium aubergines, cut into rough 1cm cubes 3 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, sliced thinly 4 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 heaped tbsp capers 1 heaped tbsp raisins 1 tbsp sugar 75ml passata 50ml red wine vinegar 1 tbsp grated dark chocolate (80-100 per cent cocoa solids) To serve: toasted pine nuts, flat parsley leaves * Or use 4 celery sticks, pared of strings and chopped Cardoons are cousins of artichokes but you use the stalks only. Pare the leaves from the stalk, then pare lengthways to remove the strings. Cut into 3cm dice then simmer in boiling water with a pinch of salt and sugar to soften them. Drain, refresh in cold water then set aside. Meanwhile, salt the aubergine pieces and leave in a colander to sweat for half an hours. Rinse and pat dry. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan/casserole and fry the onions until soft. Add the aubergines and cardoons and cook for a few minutes until they colour a little then add the tomatoes. Cook until bubbling then add the capers, raisins, sugar, passata and wine vinegar. Simmer until slightly reduced then finish by stirring in the chocolate. Season with salt and allow to cool. Place the burrata on top, then scatter pine nuts and parsley. DONT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: An Easy Stove. Top outdoor tricks Burn sage bundles on the barbecue or firepit to keep the mozzies away. Place a shower curtain under your picnic rug to avoid damp bottoms. Wrap sandwiches in grease-proof paper tied up with string and write ingredients on the outside. Fill egg boxes with charcoal a portable, clean way to light the fire. Take a ball of string to secure wine bottles put in a stream or pond to cool. Make night-time feasts glow with lightweight LED strings they last for ever. Use upside-down paper pastry cases to protect drinks from flies. Pack undressed salads individually in lidded cups or old jam jars. Forgot the corkscrew? Use your sharpest house key, pierce at a 45-degree angle, then slowly lever cork out. Advertisement CHERRY MENLOVE Cookery book writer and baker Cherry Menlove, cookery book writer, reminisces on her favourite picnics The sun, high in the sky over the South Downs. Acres of grass to lay on, beautiful old oak trees to give shade, unlimited space for the children to yell their lungs out; chilled glasses of wonderfully tasty English fizz. These are the memories that come flooding back when I think of my favourite picnic. We started at midday in the glorious grounds of Petworth Park, a National Trust property in West Sussex near my bakery, Cherrys Deli, and went on until very, very late. I cooked lots of my special picnic pies, enough to feed everyone with seconds. The children munched on a fresh harvest of tiny tomatoes perfect no-prep food. It was June and warm enough that we didnt need jackets and the sun didnt go down until late in the evening. Each person Id invited was able to come and everyones children, including my own, were on their absolute best behaviour. If I have one wish this summer, it would be to repeat it all again. ESSENTIAL: Focaccia. Easy to tear and share. Bottle of English Fizz. NUISANCE FOOD: Pre-dressed salad (ends up as pond sludge). SIGNATURE PICNIC DISH Petworth Picnic Pie, pastry for 8-10 quiches serving 4 each: Use 8-inch pie tins. 500g plain flour 500g wholemeal flour 500g butter or margarine 6 cherry tomatoes Handful of grated cheddar Half a courgette 3 stems of tenderstem broccoli or asparagus Fresh basil, mixed herbs. 6 olives 200ml of semi-skimmed milk 2 large free range eggs Put all of the flour and butter into a mixer and mix until a breadcrumb like consistency. Add a few tablespoons of water until the dough sticks together in a ball. Roll out the dough until its 2cm thick and place it in the quiche tin. Allow the pastry to flop over the sides and dont worry about it being too neat and trimmed. You want a slight crust as this give the pie texture and stops it from being too sloppy when baking. Sprinkle cheese on to the pastry in the base of the tin. Add the courgette, tomatoes and broccoli or asparagus chopped, olives cut in half and fresh basil leaves placed evenly around the other vegetables, three large pinches mixed dried herbs. Whisk the eggs into the milk and pour in to the pie dish covering the ingredients. Bake at 200c for about 15-20 mins until browned on top. NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: Biodegradable wet wipes. ALEX HOLLYWOOD Author and food writer Alex Hollywood, author and food writer, says food taste better in the fresh air I grew up by the beach in Kent so picnics were mandatory! When I had my son, it was only natural wed carry on this great tradition. I firmly believe food tastes better in the fresh air and we have many happy memories; sitting together with friends at Westgate-on-Sea on the big blue beach blanket with the candy-striped windbreaker, small toes wiggling in the sand and eating delicious offerings from my large Victorian wicker picnic basket with the cups and plates all neatly stored inside. When I pack for a picnic, I use up whatevers in my fridge. My sticky wings with soy, lime, maple, orange juice and ginger are always a huge hit, perfect for little fingers, and I like to pack a tin of my squidgy brownies, a couple of punnets of strawberries, slices of Grandmas fruitcake and a litre of homemade frozen lemonade because no great picnic is complete without fruitcake and lemonade, is it? ESSENTIAL: Mint, can be put into salads, grilled wraps or drinks. NUISANCE FOOD: Pre-sliced tomatoes, they make everything limp en route. SIGNATURE PICNIC DISH Grandmothers Pain Farci serves 4: 1 sourdough loaf 1 mozzarella 6 slices of ham or chicken 10 pitted black olives 200g ricotta or cream cheese 100g sun-dried tomatoes Slice the top off the sourdough and hollow out the middle. Stuff tightly with layers of whatever you have, dried ham, roast chicken slices, chargrilled vegetables, mozzarella, brie, sun-dried tomatoes, basil or rocket. Replace the lid and squash it down with a chopping board; then wrap and chill overnight. Slice up when you arrive. NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: A rubbish bag! TAMASIN DAY-LEWIS TV chef and food critic Tamasin Day-Lewis, TV chef and food critic, says other people's picnics always tasted better as a child When I was a child, I always thought other peoples picnics tasted best. It didnt matter whether it was a cold sausage or soggy tomato sandwich, there was nothing quite like opening up the picnic tins with a fierce wind ripping through the dunes in the wild west of Irelands County Mayo, and seeing what delights had been packed for us by the cook at Old Head Hotel. My three childrens summers have been spent in Mayo, too, where the most sublime picnic is all about gathering driftwood on the beach, netting shrimps from rock pools to cook over the fire in an old tin can filled with sea water and dipping them into home-made mayonnaise delicious. Or I take a cold box with dressed crab, curried mayonnaise and salads and strawberries and cream to eat with lemon drizzle cake. Equally memorable. ESSENTIAL: Bars of Golden Crisp, milk chocolate. NUISANCE FOOD: Avoid ready-made food as it doesnt quite cut it. SIGNATURE PICNIC DISH Curried mayo for crab, seafood, or a dip for crudites: 1 egg yolk 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 clove wet garlic tsp mild chilli powder tsp smoked paprika tsp garam masala Olive oil Lemon juice + lime juice if you have a lime 1 tbsp full-fat Greek yoghurt 1 heaped tbsp mango chutney Sea salt 1 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped, or coriander if you prefer 1 small medium red chilli, or green if you like less heat 2 spring onions finely chopped Stir the egg yolk together with the mustard and squished garlic with a wooden spoon in a bowl. Add the three spices and then begin by dripping the olive oil in, a drop at a time as you stir, until it has emulsified and thickened and you can pour it in and stir a little faster. After roughly pint, you should have a very thick emulsion. Squeeze in up to half a lemon, stirring as you go, or half and half lemon and lime juice. Dollop in the yoghurt and mango chutney and stir in. Add the other ingredients, stir and taste for seasoning. If you are not going to eat it for a while, pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface, pat down a piece of cling film onto the surface, cover with a secure top and stir in the oil before eating. This makes sure the top doesnt form a skin. NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT: Chillys flask keeps soup hot or drinks cold for 12 hours. Sikkim reported its first COVID-19 case on Saturday as a 25-year-old student who recently returned from Delhi tested positive for the disease, a senior official said. The sample of the student was sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri for testing. The report came back positive, Health Department Director General-cum-Secretary Pempa Tshering Bhutia told reporters here. The student, who hails from Rabangla in South Sikkim district, is undergoing treatment at Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital here, he said. The student was in Delhi to prepare for competitive examinations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sinduja Jane By Express News Service CHENNAI: Are a few private hospitals referring severe COVID-19 patients to government medical facilities once it becomes clear that they cannot be saved? Health Department officials have given verbal instructions to hospitals to not indulge in such practices, or face action for denial of service. Two multi-speciality hospitals in Chennai have been doing this regularly, a senior health official told Express. They have been referring patients in serious condition to government hospitals -- especially to Stanley hospital and RGGGH. The matter got serious after two persons died, minutes after being handed over. The patients did not survive for even 30 minutes after being brought to the GH. So the government has given clear instructions, to refer patients well in advance. And to bring then in the day time, not at midnight. The official added that the initial plan was to sent an official notice to both hospitals. But we later decided to give them a verbal warning. If the practice continues, the government will not hesitate to take action. The official added that sending severe patients to other hospitals is not a good idea as ambulances, unlike hospitals, have only basic infrastructure. If the travel time is around an hour, then the patients recovery is affected. Dying cases neednt be referred to. How much is too much As the warning is only verbal, Express is not at liberty to name the private hospitals. When contacted, one of the two hospitals said, only patients willing to move are being sent. They wanted to go to another hospital, so we sent them after they signed a declaration form. The second hospital in question even denied that it was treating COVID patients. When asked about this, an official source told Express that many patients, who initially went to private hospitals, wanted to move later to government facilities as they could not afford the bill. They were referred after all their money was drained out, the official said. When we asked them, the hospitals said those patients could not afford to pay the bill even after being given a 50 per cent concession. Most of these private hospitals charge around Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 per day. Someone I know was admitted to a hospital in Vanagaram for three weeks. The bill came up to Rs 14 lakh. However, the patient died, after which the hospital gave a concession of Rs 1 lakh on the bill, said a woman who assisted a patients family. Pregnant women not spared? Senior government doctors tell Express that even pregnant women are not spared. Three weeks ago, a pregnant woman was brought to our hospital from a private facility in Arumbakkam, says a senior doctor at the Kilpauk GH (KMC). The woman was COVID-19 positive. The private hospitals ambulance dropped her at our entrance and left. The staff at the KMC took her in, completed her admission formalities, and began treatment. She delivered recently, and is being treated for COVID-19. The official in the Health Department said such complaints have been coming to them. Recently, another pregnant woman was denied service by a hospital in T Nagar. They then took her in after our department officials intervened in the matter. When asked why these hospitals were being let off with just a verbal warning, instead of official action, the official said: Certain things must be solved amicably. We hope they will fall in line soon and cooperate. The official added that only a few private hospitals were indulging in these behaviours. The department, he said, is taking serious measures. Recently, a meeting was held with over 400 doctors and the Indian Medical Association,) where the issue was discussed. IMAs State president CN Raja says such practices have not been happening for a while now. Initially a few hospitals were doing it, but we are conducting regular meetings and sensitising members, Raja said. The government has not fixed the treatment cost for private hospitals. It must consider covering the treatment under CMs Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme. On April 22, after a bond reduction hearing, his bail was lowered to a $10,000 I-bond with electronic monitoring as a condition of release, but he remained in custody because of a state law prohibiting the release of defendants charged with domestic violence from being released on electronic monitoring to a residence where the victim resides, and no suitable alternate location could be identified, Walberg said. JUBA South Sudan Ministry of Health reported 134 new cases of coronavirus infection, sending the cumulative total to 481. Dr. Makur Koryom, Health Ministrys Undersecretary told reporters in Juba that the new cases were confirmed positive after the public health laboratory tested 271 samples in the last 48 hours. Koryom disclosed that 80 percent of all the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country are males, adding that only one patient at the Dr John Garang Infectious Diseases Unit is critically ill. The health official also announced two more discharges, hence bringing the total number of coronavirus recoveries to six. He added that the country has so far registered five deaths. Koryom expressed concern over increasing COVID-19 cases in the country and called for concerted efforts to control the spread of the deadly disease. The undersecretary denied reports that health workers at the public health laboratory are not working, noting that the public laboratory is working to clear a backlog of 3,000 samples awaiting testing. I want to assure our people that all health workers are working around the clock. It is important to remind ourselves of the importance of social distancing as this disease has no cure, he said. He added, We are also seeing a lot of deaths happening in the community, suspicious deaths. It is important that we take patients to hospitals as early as possible. Koryom noted that the Dr. John Garang Infectious Diseases Unit is equipped to provide supportive treatment for COVID-19 patients in the country. Related , We're sorry, this article is not currently available GALVESTON A loose line of customers snaked down the walkway to The Spot, waiting to sit down and enjoy marvelous views of the Gulf of Mexico. A Social Distancing 101 sign plastered on the side of the two-story restaurant explained protocol, and a hostess wearing a mask greeted customers. Were making sure that weve got people properly spaced, putting stickers and lines on the ground so that we can properly space and ask (customers) to keep a safe distance, said Javier Velez, The Spots general manager. Basically every other table has been closed. We all understand that thats what we need to do. Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer This is Galvestons new normal approaching Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kickoff of the islands tourist season. Three weeks into Texass phased reopening after the coronavirus outbreak, Galvestons tourism economy has boomed once again, a hopeful sign for an industry that sustains over 11,000 jobs and attracts more than 7 million visitors a year on average, not to mention crucial sales tax revenue for the city. Short-term rentals were flooded with bookings the first day the state reopened, with hotels seeing a sharp uptick as well. Beaches that sat dormant for weeks during the states stay-at-home period are now teeming with families and couples, some of whom strictly abide by social distancing requirements, with others openly flouting them. Public health experts also caution that while Galveston County hasnt seen a major spike in coronavirus cases since the state reopened, there has been a slight increase in infections in the last week. With as many as 500,000 visitors expected to flood Galveston over the three-day weekend and bars now reopening across the state at limited capacity, the potential for a second surge looms. Were kind of preparing for (a second surge) to occur, it hasnt occurred yet and weve had some pretty robust weekends here the last few weekends, said Brian Maxwell, Galvestons city manager. Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Dr. Philip Keiser, Galveston Countys local health authority, strikes a note of caution. He said while the county last week reported its lowest number of cases since the outset of the pandemic, with only 22 cases, cases began to increase this week, with 38 reported as of Friday. He mentioned particular concern about a recent study that found that traffic to non-essential businesses has jumped especially in Texas and Florida. I wouldnt be surprised if we see an increase in cases and a statistically significant increase in cases, Keiser said. Im not sure its gonna be big enough where something needs to be done about it, but time will tell. Maxwell is primarily encouraged by the marked increase in tourist traffic on the island over the last three weeks. Even with cruise ships a major pillar of Galvestons tourism industry sidelined through at least July, Maxwell believes the island is poised to attract many visitors from the Houston-Galveston region, and anywhere in Texas within driving range. Theres not a lot of people flying or going places so Galveston being next to such a large center of people like Houston, were getting a majority of folks coming down and taking their vacations here because they cant get to the east coast, west coast, Hawaii, Florida, places like that, Maxwell said. Michael Woody, chief tourism officer for Galvestons Convention & Visitors Bureau, said market research indicates that people are looking for outdoor and beach experiences for vacations because it is easier to socially distance in open spaces. The bureau considers the Galveston drive market to be anyone within 300 miles of the island. Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Even from the first weekend of the beaches being open back in the beginning of May, we had over 10,000 cars at our beach parks that were down here on the island enjoying the opportunity to be outside and on the beach, Woody said. Hotel occupancy rates this month, while still less than completely full, are already outpacing last years rate. The visitors bureau reported 70 percent of hotels were occupied so far in May, compared with 66 percent in 2019. Short-term rentals are also seeing a major boost. While March and April are typically the prime booking months for short-term rentals, Mary Branum, president of the Short Term Rental Owners Association of Galveston, said reservations took off as soon as Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the states stay-at-home order on May 1. Were completely booked, Branum said. Not just Memorial Day weekend, we are basically full for the summer. Claire Reiswerg, co-owner of Sand N Sea Properties, which manages more than 150 properties mostly on the islands West End, said that while customers were certainly eager to book vacations they are fully booked they came armed with many questions about sanitary practices. Reiswerg said the company has been more strict about check-in and checkout times at their properties because of the deep clean its housekeepers are doing between guests. We re-trained our inspectors, who go in after our housekeepers, because we have to make sure, down to the doorknobs and lockbox, everythings disinfected, Reiswerg said, adding that they use a commercial laundry service that cleans everything at high temperatures to ensure it is sanitized. Yi-Chin Lee, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer As for the islands beaches, Maxwell said the city wont be directing cops to enforce social distancing and that every access point on the island would be open through the long weekend. Peter Davis, chief of the islands beach patrol, which had been tasked with ensuring social distancing, said they simply dont have the capacity to do so with the expected volume of visitors. The visitors bureau has commissioned an airplane to fly along the beachfront trailing a banner that says 6 Feet Saves Lives. On a weekend like this, its very important for people to assume that personal responsibility, do their own social distancing, wear their masks, wash their hands, all the stuff that (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) keeps trying to get us all to do, Davis said. Keiser is hopeful that the images and viral videos that emerged from Bolivar Peninsulas Jeep Weekend last week, where thousands flocked to the beaches for a weekend-long party aggressively defying social distancing requirements, wont happen over the three-day weekend. It was really people with a sense of invincibility, Keiser said. You could see there was no social distancing at all, no attempt at it all. When you see that, its worrisome and well see what the effect of it is. nick.powell@chron.com Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker listens to a question after announcing a shelter-in-place order to combat the spread of the CCP virus, during a news conference in Chicago on March 20, 2020. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Photo) Department of Justice Backs Challenge to Illinois Stay-At-Home Order The Justice Department has expressed its support for a lawsuit that argues Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker exceeded his authority in imposing sweeping stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday filed a statement of interest in the case against Pritzker, saying the protective measures meant to mitigate the outbreak of the deadly bug go beyond the governors remit. However well-intentioned they may be, the executive orders appear to reach far beyond the scope of the 30-day emergency authority granted to the governor under Illinois law, said Steven D. Weinhoeft, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, in the release. Even during times of crisis, executive actions undertaken in the name of public safety must be lawful, he added. Darren Bailey, a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 109th district, argued in his lawsuit that Pritzkers actions were illegal because his stay-at-home order went beyond the 30-day period imposed by the legislature. Bailey filed the lawsuit in state court and Pritzker was ordered to respond to a motion for summary judgment by Thursday, but instead, the governor sought to get the case moved to federal court, which the DOJ argued against, saying, the governor cannot show that any federal issue is necessarily raised in the complaint. The governor of Illinois owes it to the people of Illinois to allow his states courts to adjudicate the question of whether Illinois law authorizes orders he issued to respond to COVID-19, said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. Pritzkers spokesperson responded to the DOJ statement, telling ABC7, Its unfortunate the Department of Justice is opposing state efforts to protect the people of Illinois from a virus that has already caused the deaths of 4,750 people here. Dreiband argued that, in view of the constitutionally-mandated system of divided and limited governmental power, the DOJs actions seek to secure the blessings of liberty to all people in our country. The Department of Justice remains committed to defending the rule of law and the American people at all times, especially during this difficult time as we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Dreiband said, adding, Under our system, all public officials, including governors, must comply with the law, especially during times of crisis. The move is part of Attorney General William Barrs recent initiative ordering Drieband and Matthew Schneider, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, to review state and local policies to ensure that measures imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, do not violate constitutional rights and civil liberties of Americans. If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID-19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court, Barr said in an April 27 memorandum (pdf). Many policies that would be unthinkable in regular times have become commonplace in recent weeks, and we do not want to unduly interfere with the important efforts of state and local officials to protect the public, Barr wrote. But the Constitution is not suspended in times of crisis, he added. We must therefore be vigilant to ensure its protections are preserved, at the same time that the public is protected. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday requested the ministry of railways to not send any Shramik Special trains to the state till May 26 as officials are busy in relief work after the havoc wreaked by Cyclone Amphan. As the district administrations are involved in relief and rehabilitation works, it will not be possible to receive special trains for the next few days. It is therefore requested that no train should be sent to West Bengal till May 26, the Bengal CM was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India. The letter from state chief secretary Rajiva Sinha to Chairman of Railway board V K Yadav on May 22 stated that the state has been severely impacted by Super Cyclone Amphan which caused extensive damage to the infrastructure. At least 86 people in Bengal have died due to Cyclone Amphan. It was the regions worst weather disaster and the authorities have been scrambling to restore normalcy. West Bengal has received the least number of Shramik Special trains since such service began to ferry migrant labourers back home amid the coronavirus-forced lockdown. Home Minister Amit Shah in a letter had alleged that Bengal was not allowing its migrants to return. Later, it was decided that the consent of the destination state was not required to operate these trains. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state and conducted an aerial survey of the Cyclone-hit areas with CM Banerjee. Lending support, Modi said that the central government stands with Bengal in these testing times and announced 1,000 crore for the relief and rehabilitation of people affected by the Cyclone. The current ongoing saga of the trials of General Flynn calls to mind a similar situation that occurred in France at the turn of the 20th century. This was the so-called Dreyfus Affair. Capt. Albert Dreyfus, an officer in the French army, was accused of being a spy for Germany bypassing them secret weapons documents. He was tried and convicted, publicly cashiered from the Army, and sentenced to life in prison on Devil's Island. Subsequently, the actual spy proved to be a French Army major. The major was tried and exonerated. He was allowed to leave France and spend the rest of his life in England. Captain Dreyfus was retried and re-convicted. The sentence was overturned only after several newspaper writers, principally a journalist named Emil Zola, publicly accused the Army of demonizing Dreyfus. The fact that Alfred Dreyfus was Jewish was the primary reason for his selection and conviction as a spy. The issue became the Army and Church versus a more liberal population. The affair is neatly summarized in the Wikipedia article about Dreyfus. Eventually Dreyfus was exonerated. He served in the French army through the First World War and died in 1935. The rift in the French population has apparently never healed. Echoes continue until the present day. The wholesale betrayal of the French Jewish population to the Nazis is felt to be a result of the Dreyfus affair. While the liberals may have won the Dreyfus battle the war is never over. The general acquiescence of the French population to ongoing attacks on French Jews by immigrant extremists from the Middle East is probably related to the same forces. There is a lesson here for us in the trials of General Flynn. He may ultimately be absolved but the hard feelings and general prejudices will continue. Instead of hatred toward the Jews, the prejudice this time will be against the current president and what has come to be known as the Trump Derangement Syndrome. Theodore A. Feintuch, M.D. Chattanooga Sunday- Monday all-island curfew to be lifted on Tuesday in all districts except Colombo, Gampaha Curfew hours maybe relaxed in these 2 districts from first week of June View(s): View(s): The curfew effective on Sunday and Monday throughout the island will be lifted on Tuesday morning, in all districts, excluding Colombo and Gampaha. The curfew lifted in districts other than Gampaha and Colombo will be reimposed at 8 p.m. on the same day. Curfew will be imposed and lifted at the same times (8 p.m. to 5 a.m.) in these districts throughout the week. In Colombo and Gampaha districts the curfew will continue while trying to restore normalcy in a similar manner as last week. Meanwhile the Sunday Times learns that authorities were considering relaxing curfew hours in the Colombo and Gampaha districts from the first week of June, if there is no community spreading reported. The number of COVID 19 cases in Sri Lanka was at 1055 by Friday morning while over 600 have recovered. The number of persons who succumbed to COVID19 remained at nine. BEIJING, May 23 (Reuters) - China's new national security law may be used to establish a domestic intelligence agency in Hong Kong similar to the colonial-era Special Branch, the territory's former leader, Leung Chun-ying, said on Saturday. China's parliament, the National People's Congress, announced on Thursday a draft decision on "establishing and improving a legal system and enforcement mechanism for Hong Kong to safeguard national security". In an interview with Reuters, Leung referred to the British colonial era Special Branch, which was dismantled before the territory was handed over to Chinese rule in 1997. "Singapore has a Special Branch. We don't. America has all kinds of law enforcement agencies that are tasked to deal with national security threats. We don't. So it's not surprising that as part of the efforts to fill the national security legal gap, we need to have a body," he said. (Reporting by Yew Lun Tian Editing by Tony Munroe and John Stonestreet) It was designed as a cross-country tour to lift the spirits of Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. It was designed as a cross-country tour to lift the spirits of Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Operation Inspiration became a source of national sadness last Sunday when a Canadian Forces Snowbirds aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff in Kamloops, B.C., killing Capt. Jennifer Casey, a military public affairs officer, and seriously injuring Capt. Rich MacDougall, who was piloting the aircraft. The tragedy the aerobatics teams second crash in less than a year has prompted a national outpouring of grief and raised troubling questions about the safety of the Snowbirds 57-year-old Tutor jets, which had been targeted for retirement 10 years ago. "I think there are very good questions being asked by a whole lot of people about safety," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged on Tuesday, "first and foremost by the (Royal Canadian Air Force), and there is going to be a proper investigation and were going to allow them to do their work before we make assumptions about what might be the outcome of that investigation." The Canadian Forces Snowbirds over Brandon on May 5. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) With the planes approaching six decades in service, some experts argue the latest tragedy the eighth fatal crash in the 50-year history of the Snowbirds should be the swan song for the beloved aerobatics team. The CT-114 Tutor jet has been a staple of the precision demonstration flight team since its founding in 1971. It also served as a training aircraft from 1963 until being retired from that role in the early 2000s. The Tutors were set to retire in 2010, but that date was extended by 10 years, despite an internal 2003 report that warned of escalating technical, safety and financial risks and urged the fleet be replaced immediately. The federal government has a plan to replace the Tutor jets between 2026 and 2035, at a cost of between $500 million and $1.5 billion. The upgrades are set to begin in 2022, but the Tutors are currently cleared to fly until 2030. Snowbirds commander Lt.-Col. Mike French was quick to come to the defence of the aircraft, noting the Tutors are regularly torn down and rebuilt like new and undergo regular maintenance to ensure they are safe. The CT114 Tutor jet has been a staple of the precision demonstration flight team since its founding in 1971. It also served as a training aircraft from 1963 until being retired from that role in the early 2000s. 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. Not everyone agrees. Arthur Rosenberg, an aviation engineer and lawyer, told CTV News this week the jets should be taken out of service now. "Theyre a national treasure for Canada and to be flying around, with all due respect, in these putt-putts, is just not a good thing," Mr. Rosenberg said of the Snowbirds pilots. "In my opinion, they do not belong flying these old planes anymore." The Snowbirds have rightly become a national icon as they race through the skies flying up to 590 kilometres an hour, often with a separation between aircraft of 1.8 metres at air shows and national celebrations, such as the Grey Cup game and Canada Day. But it is vital to remember these are not professional entertainers or daredevils joyriding in the stratosphere for the amusement of adoring fans. The Snowbirds are Canadian service personnel who should not be asked to risk their lives in aircraft that increasingly appear to be past their best-before date. The team is on an "operational pause" now, and that should continue until the cause of the crash is found. If mechanical failure is to blame, the team should remain grounded until the aging fleet is replaced. The Snowbirds deserve to be admired for their spectacular skills and dedication, not because they are putting their lives on the line in antiquated aircraft. Despite confirmed cases of COVID-19 at several US auto factories this week, automakers are defending their current totally inadequate safety measures and opposing universal testing of workers. Even as the virus continues to spread among autoworkers, the auto companies claim it is impossible and inadvisable to carry out mass testing. Dearborn Truck workers stage protest over COVID-19 response In the latest report of COVID-19 among autoworkers on Thursday, General Motors reported that two workers at its components plant in Lockport, New York had tested positive for coronavirus. The plant normally employs more than 1,400 and resumed operations May 6, though it is not clear how many workers were called back. A GM spokesman said that one worker had experienced symptoms at home and called in sick. There were no details on the other case. The plant was not closed for cleaning, and production continued without interruption. GM attempted to downplay the report, issuing a bland statement declaring, "We believe there is very little risk that anyone inside the plant has been exposed to the virus at work because everyone, including the individual, has been following our extensive, multilayered health and safety procedures, which include wearing masks, hand washing and sanitizing, temperature screening and physical distancing." Earlier in the week, two workers at the Ford Chicago Assembly Plant (CAP) and one worker at the Ford Dearborn Truck Plant outside of Detroit had tested positive for coronavirus. There were also confirmed cases at the Toyota Georgetown, Kentucky plant and at the Lear seating plant in Hammond, Indiana. Though not confirmed, there were reports on Facebook of cases at the Magna Seating plant in Detroit and the Fiat Chrysler Jeep complex in Toledo, Ohio. A cell phone video shows angry A shift workers at the Dearborn Truck Plant (DTP) refusing to work Wednesday after hearing reports that a worker on that shift had been sent home the previous day and had tested positive for COVID-19. After failing to restart production, management eventually sent the shift home and closed the plant temporarily for cleaning. The temporary shutdown of DTP follows the temporary shutdown Tuesday of production at CAP following reports of COVID-19 cases. There is widespread opposition to the premature return to work being carried out by the auto companies with the blessings of the political establishment and the bought-and-paid-for United Auto Workers. Typical were the comments of one worker writing to the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter: Its very premature for workers to return back to work during this period of time (Pandemic). I feel if the UAW members are allowed to get tested before returning to work, and or, not have to return to work during this time: ALL workers should be given the same equal options. Workers are returning to work with symptoms, and later being tested Positive for Covid-19. This puts everyone, and their families lives at risk!!! Dearborn Truck shift change A worker at the Fiat Chrysler Belvidere, Illinois Assembly plant told the Autoworker Newsletter, No one has really been inside the plant yet. But no one really wants to go back. They are mandating masks and are telling the workers that we also can't have our fans on inside the plant. Our plant has zero climate control and can easily get to 120 in there, especially now. Only the corporate office has air conditioning. Having to use those masks in that hot factory, without any type of fan, is absurd. People will pass out in that plant. Hopefully no one dies. He continued, No testing has been discussed. Just that we got to get our temp checked at the door and we have a questionnaire to fill out. It's a joke. Everyone I've talked to about it, thinks it's very messed up they want us back. We do not need to be back in there. Despite workers misgivings, the auto companies have been able to use growing economic distress and threats of loss of benefits to restart assembly lines, which are set to gradually ramp up over the next two weeks. There are reports that General Motors is delaying adding a second shift to its Flint Truck Assembly Plant and Fort Wayne Assembly due to an inadequate supply of parts. The plants produce highly profitable light trucks. Supplies of the vehicles were depleted due to the 40-day autoworker strike last fall. Meanwhile, the Mexican government headed by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has given GM permission to reopen its plants in Mexico, including its massive assembly plant in Silao, Guanajuato that builds the Chevrolet Silverado. Production was set to begin at the Silao plant Friday. Mexico had originally set a June 1 date for the reopening of factories under conditions of the rapid spread of COVID-19 at Mexican maquiladora factories. Workers have reported that even the largely cosmetic safety measures introduced by the auto companies in collaboration with the United Auto Workers are not being adhered to. In many cases it is impossible to maintain distancing on the assembly line and break rooms are overcrowded. These conditions underscore the need for rank-and-file factory and workplace committees, as advocated by the Socialist Equality Party and the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter to enforce standards of health and safety. The growing anger on the part of workers to the conditions in the auto plants has evoked nervousness in the boardrooms of the auto companies. In an attempt at damage control, GM and Ford officials toured auto plants this week to try to assuage workers fears. This was followed by a visit by President Trump to the Ford Rawsonville facility in Michigan, which has been repurposed to make ventilators. Trump praised Fords safety record while launching into a fascistic rant against the foreign rivals of US capitalism. On Thursday, CNBC published a worried piece on the potential for disruption caused by reports of confirmed COVID-19 cases at auto plants. They write, Production interruptions because of new infections is expected to be an ongoing issue for the foreseeable future as plants across the country continue to ramp up manufacturing. They go on to quote Kristin Dziczek, an analyst with the Center for Automotive Research, who declares, This is going to be rocky in reference to attempts to restart production. CNBC reports that GM, and by implication other automakers, remain opposed to mass testing. They write, Gerald Johnson, GM executive vice president of Global Manufacturing, told CNBC last month that mass testing is impractical and not even the smart thing to do. GM spokesman Jim Cain on Thursday reaffirmed the companys position: If all the protocols are followed, mass testing isnt necessary, he said. Earlier in the week, Ford CEO Jim Hackett told National Public Radio that mass testing was just not practical. The opposition to the auto companies to mass testing, a basic measure needed to control the pandemic and ensure workers health and safety, speaks volumes. In fact, from the standpoint of the ruling class, anything that impinges on the profits of the corporations is impractical, which is why states are lifting all restrictions on nonessential production. In other words, workers lives must be sacrificed for the sake of share values. In support of the argument that mass testing is not necessary, CNBC reports in passing that only six members of the UAW international staff tested positive for COVID-19 in a recent mass screening. In fact, six positive cases out of a staff consisting of only perhaps several hundred people is not an insignificant number. A similar percentage, if applied against the 150,000 Detroit Three employees, would translate into several thousands of cases. Given the highly transmissible nature of COVID-19, the rapid spread of the disease in the auto plants is inevitable without a strict regime of testing, quarantine and contact tracing. That is why recent reports that UAW officials would be tested, but not factory workers, evoked so much anger. In their fight to defend health and safety, workers must depend on their own strength and organization. The insistence on the right to health and safety brings workers into direct conflict with the profit-driven capitalist system. Workers can only prevail if their struggles are guided by an internationalist and socialist perspective aimed at reorganizing economic life on the basis of production for human need, not private profit. HEFEI, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Exchanging garbage for daily goods? This seemingly impossible concept has become a reality in more than 170 special supermarkets in the city of Huangshan, east China's Anhui Province. According to the promotion's regulations, people can earn one reward point by collecting five spent batteries or 30 cigarette cases and two points can be exchanged for a bag of salt and four points for a bottle of detergent. Since its establishment, Yu Zhujin has frequented one of these supermarkets in Qiankou Village, lured by the prospect of receiving free items at first. "But gradually, it has become a habit. Seeing litter outside, I naturally pick it up, not just for the sake of a reward," said Yu, 66. The supermarkets set up to mobilize the public participation in environmental protection are part of a cross-provincial eco-compensation scheme aiming to improve the water environment in east China. About two km away from Yu's house stands the Fengle River, a tributary of the Xin'an River that runs through Anhui and Zhejiang provinces, where environmentally unfriendly behaviors a decade ago caused serious deterioration of the water quality. With the trunk stream stretching for about 360 km, Xin'an serves as a crucial ecological protective screen and water resource for the Yangtze River Delta, an area spanning Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui. In flood season, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of garbage floated all the way along Xin'an to downstream basins including Qiandao Lake in Zhejiang, resulting in an abnormal bloom of blue-green algae in the lake in 2010. "To jointly address water quality concerns in the Xin'an River basin, a pilot cross-provincial ecological compensation scheme was introduced by Anhui and Zhejiang," said Bi Mengfei, head of the Xin'an River ecological protection center. In the first three-year phase, an eco-compensation fund totaling 500 million yuan (about 70.3 million U.S. dollars) was allocated with the support of the central government and the two provincial governments. Under the scheme, the water quality is subjected to periodic assessments at the interprovincial section. If the water quality meets agreed standards, Zhejiang should compensate Anhui to defray the ecological protection cost. Otherwise, Anhui should compensate Zhejiang to pay for additional water treatment costs. The protection of the water environment, however, inevitably limited industrial development around the river. According to Bi, the city of Huangshan has shut down more than 180 companies and relocated over 110 industrial enterprises since 2011, investing 6 billion yuan to build an eco-industrial park. Also, 16 teams with several hundred people were formed to clean up the garbage in the waterways. The unremitting efforts have gradually paid off, with upstream water quality at the Xin'an River registering the best quality from 2012 to 2018, sending nearly 7 billion cubic meters of clean water to Qiandao Lake every year. The third three-year phase is set to end later this year. Except for witnessing a clean river running east, local people have also been sharing the benefits brought by sustainable development. In recent years, Huangshan has promoted the development of green industries and ecotourism. The total income of tourism last year reached 65.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of 15 percent. Not far from the Xin'an River, Donghong Village has become a hit online due to its natural environment and the preservation of ancient features. "I was once a pig farmer and then a migrant worker, just able to make ends meet. But last year, we earned 2 million yuan by running a farmhouse," said Jin Yigen, a resident of Donghong. He bowed out of Coronation Street in January. And Nigel Havers appeared in good spirits as he headed out on his Vespa to pick up some fish at a fishmongers in Notting Hill on Friday. The actor, 68, looked casually cool in a white shirt and black trousers and was joined by his wife Georgiana Bronfman. Zoom zoom: Nigel Havers appeared in good spirits as he headed out on his Vespa with his wife Georgiana Bronfman in Notting Hill on Friday Nigel teamed the look with white trainers and wore a pair of driving mitts as he zoomed around on his Vespa. Georgiana, meanwhile, took safety precautions and wore latex gloves amidst the coronavirus pandemic. She cut a stylish figure in white linen trousers, black sandals and a blue shirt. The couple have been married for nearly 13 years after tying the knot in 2007. Picking up some fish! The actor, 68, looked casually cool in a white shirt and black trousers as he headed to the fishmongers Back in November, Nigel said he would 'always' love to return to the soap as conman Lewis Archer. Speaking on Loose Women the actor said he 'absolutely loved' playing the villainous character, before he dramatically died of a heart attack on New Year's Day. While it seems unlikely that Nigel could ever return to the soap, the panel went onto say that there are still conspiracy theories that his character is alive. During the interview, Nigel reflected on his time playing Lewis, alongside his ongoing romance with Audrey Roberts. Coming back? Back in November, Nigel said he would 'always' love to return to the soap as conman Lewis Archer Despite his wicked ways, many soap fans grew to love their relationship, and fans were stunned when he dropped dead of a heart attack with an engagement ring for Audrey in his hands. When asked whether he could ever be resurrected, Nigel said: 'I'd always go back. I absolutely loved doing it. 'The people are so nice and the story lines are so great. I call myself a letterbox actor which means anything that comes through the letterbox, I do.' He continued: 'I played a charmer years ago and this was an updated version. In the end I turned out to be really nice. I had the engagement ring in my pocket.' The panel went onto reveal that there are conspiracy theories rife that Lewis is still alive, and Nigel refused to confirm or deny the possibility that we could see him in Weatherfield again in the future. He added: 'You just don't know. Or he has a twin brother somewhere. Or maybe I'm in Barbados waiting to come back.' Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ALUNBRIG (brigatinib) for adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as detected by an FDA-approved test. This approval expands ALUNBRIGs current indication to include the first-line setting. ALUNBRIG is a potent and selective next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) designed to target ALK molecular alterations. Were extremely proud of the positive results ALUNBRIG has shown for newly diagnosed ALK+ NSCLC patients, particularly those with brain metastases, said Teresa Bitetti, President, Global Oncology Business Unit, Takeda. Through a robust clinical development program and ongoing investigations across the NSCLC treatment landscape, Takeda is committed to uncovering solutions for people living with devastating forms of lung cancer in need of new options. We believe this approval for ALUNBRIG is a substantial step in the right direction and represents significant progress for Takedas broader lung cancer portfolio. The approval is based on results from the Phase 3 ALTA 1L trial, which is evaluating the safety and efficacy of ALUNBRIG compared to crizotinib in adult patients with ALK+ locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have not received prior treatment with an ALK inhibitor. Results from the ALTA 1L trial add brigatinib to the very short list of first-line treatment options for ALK+ lung cancer patients that have proven to be superior to crizotinib. Compared to crizotinib, brigatinib demonstrated superior efficacy, especially among those with brain metastases at baseline, and a low pill burden, at one pill a day, which is an important factor when we could be controlling disease for years, said Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, Joyce Zeff Chair in Lung Cancer Research, University of Colorado Cancer Center. These data have established brigatinibs potential in the first-line setting, and Im confident the FDA approval will open a new window of possibilities for physicians and their patients. After more than two years of follow-up, results from the ALTA 1L trial showed ALUNBRIG demonstrated superiority over crizotinib, with significant anti-tumor activity observed, especially in patients with baseline brain metastases. ALUNBRIG reduced the risk of disease progression or death twofold compared with crizotinib (PFS hazard ratio = 0.49), with a 24-month median progression-free survival (PFS) as assessed by a blinded independent review committee (BIRC) versus 11 months for crizotinib. ALUNBRIG demonstrated a confirmed overall response rate (ORR) of 74% (95% CI: 6681) for ALUNBRIG and 62% (95% CI: 5370) for crizotinib as assessed by a BIRC. ALUNBRIG demonstrated a confirmed intracranial ORR for patients with measurable brain metastases at baseline of 78% (95% CI: 5294) for patients treated with ALUNBRIG and 26% (95% CI: 1048) for patients treated with crizotinib. As with many forms of lung cancer, ALK+ NSCLC is a complex and aggressive cancer that presents various treatment challenges for patients who are newly diagnosed, including those whose disease has spread to their brain, said Andrea Stern Ferris, President and CEO, LUNGevity Foundation. Having this option for newly diagnosed patients is exciting news for the ALK+ NSCLC community and adds to the remarkable progress we have witnessed in lung cancer treatment over the past decade. About the ALTA 1L Trial The Phase 3 ALTA 1L (ALK in Lung Cancer Trial of BrigAtinib in 1st Line) trial of ALUNBRIG in adults is a global, ongoing, randomized, open-label, comparative, multicenter trial, which enrolled 275 patients (ALUNBRIG, n=137, crizotinib, n=138) with ALK+ locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have not received prior treatment with an ALK inhibitor. Patients received either ALUNBRIG, 180 mg orally once daily with seven-day lead-in at 90 mg once daily, or crizotinib, 250 mg orally twice daily. The median age was 58 years in the ALUNBRIG arm and 60 years in the crizotinib arm. Twenty-nine percent of patients had brain metastases at baseline in the ALUNBRIG arm versus 30% in the crizotinib arm. Twenty-six percent of patients received prior chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic disease in the ALUNBRIG arm versus 27% in the crizotinib arm. Blinded independent review committee (BIRC)-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) was the major efficacy outcome measure. Additional efficacy outcome measures included confirmed overall response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1 and intracranial ORR. The warnings and precautions for ALUNBRIG are: interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis, hypertension, bradycardia, visual disturbance, creatine phosphokinase (CPK) elevation, pancreatic enzyme elevation, hyperglycemia and embryo-fetal toxicity. In the ALTA 1L trial, serious adverse reactions occurred in 33% of patients receiving ALUNBRIG. The most common serious adverse reactions other than disease progression were pneumonia (4.4%), ILD/pneumonitis (3.7%), pyrexia (2.9%), dyspnea (2.2%), pulmonary embolism (2.2%), and asthenia (2.2%). Fatal adverse reactions other than disease progression occurred in 2.9% of patients and included pneumonia (1.5%), cerebrovascular accident (0.7%), and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (0.7%). The most common adverse reactions in the ALTA 1L trial (10%) with ALUNBRIG were diarrhea (53%), rash (40%), cough (35%), hypertension (32%), fatigue (32%), nausea (30%), myalgia (28%), dyspnea (25%), abdominal pain (24%), and headache (22%). About ALUNBRIG (brigatinib) ALUNBRIG is a potent and selective next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that was designed to target anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) molecular alterations. ALUNBRIG is currently approved in more than 40 countries, including the U.S., Canada and the European Union (EU), for the treatment of people living with ALK+ metastatic NSCLC who have taken the medicine crizotinib, but their NSCLC has worsened or they cannot tolerate taking crizotinib. ALUNBRIG is also approved in the EU as a monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with ALK+ advanced NSCLC previously not treated with an ALK inhibitor. ALUNBRIG received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA for the treatment of patients with ALK+ NSCLC whose tumors are resistant to crizotinib and was granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for the treatment of ALK+ NSCLC, ROS1+ and EGFR+ NSCLC. About ALK+ NSCLC Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85% of the estimated 1.8 million new cases of lung cancer diagnosed each year worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.1,2 Genetic studies indicate that chromosomal rearrangements in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) are key drivers in a subset of NSCLC patients.3 Approximately three to five percent of patients with metastatic NSCLC have a rearrangement in the ALK gene.4,5,6 Takeda is committed to continuing research and development in NSCLC to improve the lives of the approximately 40,000 patients diagnosed with this serious and rare form of lung cancer worldwide each year.7 ALUNBRIG IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)/Pneumonitis: Severe, life-threatening, and fatal pulmonary adverse reactions consistent with interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis have occurred with ALUNBRIG. In the ALUNBRIG arm of trial ALTA 1L (180 mg once daily), ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 5.1% of patients receiving ALUNBRIG. ILD/pneumonitis occurred within 8 days of initiation of ALUNBRIG in 2.9% of patients, with Grade 3 to 4 reactions occurring in 2.2% of patients. In Trial ALTA, ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 3.7% of patients in the 90 mg group (90 mg once daily) and 9.1% of patients in the 90180 mg group (180 mg once daily with 7-day lead-in at 90 mg once daily). Adverse reactions consistent with possible ILD/pneumonitis occurred early within 9 days of initiation of ALUNBRIG (median onset was 2 days) in 6.4% of patients, with Grade 3 to 4 reactions occurring in 2.7%. Monitor for new or worsening respiratory symptoms (e.g., dyspnea, cough, etc.), particularly during the first week of initiating ALUNBRIG. Withhold ALUNBRIG in any patient with new or worsening respiratory symptoms, and promptly evaluate for ILD/pneumonitis or other causes of respiratory symptoms (e.g., pulmonary embolism, tumor progression, and infectious pneumonia). For Grade 1 or 2 ILD/pneumonitis, either resume ALUNBRIG with dose reduction after recovery to baseline or permanently discontinue ALUNBRIG. Permanently discontinue ALUNBRIG for Grade 3 or 4 ILD/pneumonitis or recurrence of Grade 1 or 2 ILD/pneumonitis. Hypertension: In the ALUNBRIG arm of trial ALTA 1L (180 mg once daily), hypertension was reported in 32% of patients receiving ALUNBRIG; Grade 3 hypertension occurred in 13% of patients.In ALTA, hypertension was reported in 11% of patients in the 90 mg group who received ALUNBRIG and 21% of patients in the 90180 mg group. Grade 3 hypertension occurred in 5.9% of patients overall. Control blood pressure prior to treatment with ALUNBRIG. Monitor blood pressure after 2 weeks and at least monthly thereafter during treatment with ALUNBRIG. Withhold ALUNBRIG for Grade 3 hypertension despite optimal antihypertensive therapy. Upon resolution or improvement to Grade 1, resume ALUNBRIG at the same dose. Consider permanent discontinuation of treatment with ALUNBRIG for Grade 4 hypertension or recurrence of Grade 3 hypertension. Use caution when administering ALUNBRIG in combination with antihypertensive agents that cause bradycardia. Bradycardia: In the ALUNBRIG arm of trial ALTA 1L (180 mg once daily), heart rates less than 50 beats per minute (bpm) occurred in 8.1% of patients receiving ALUNBRIG. Grade 3 bradycardia occurred in 1 patient (0.7%). In ALTA, heart rates less than 50 beats per minute (bpm) occurred in 5.7% of patients in the 90 mg group and 7.6% of patients in the 90180 mg group. Grade 2 bradycardia occurred in 1 (0.9%) patient in the 90 mg group. Monitor heart rate and blood pressure during treatment with ALUNBRIG. Monitor patients more frequently if concomitant use of drug known to cause bradycardia cannot be avoided. For symptomatic bradycardia, withhold ALUNBRIG and review concomitant medications for those known to cause bradycardia. If a concomitant medication known to cause bradycardia is identified and discontinued or dose adjusted, resume ALUNBRIG at the same dose following resolution of symptomatic bradycardia; otherwise, reduce the dose of ALUNBRIG following resolution of symptomatic bradycardia. Discontinue ALUNBRIG for life-threatening bradycardia if no contributing concomitant medication is identified. Visual Disturbance: In the ALUNBRIG arm of trial ALTA 1L (180 mg once daily), Grade 1 or 2 adverse reactions leading to visual disturbance including blurred vision, photophobia, photopsia, and reduced visual acuity were reported in 7.4% of patients receiving ALUNBRIG.In ALTA, adverse reactions leading to visual disturbance including blurred vision, diplopia, and reduced visual acuity, were reported in 7.3% of patients treated with ALUNBRIG in the 90 mg group and 10% of patients in the 90180 mg group. Grade 3 macular edema and cataract occurred in one patient each in the 90180 mg group. Advise patients to report any visual symptoms. Withhold ALUNBRIG and obtain an ophthalmologic evaluation in patients with new or worsening visual symptoms of Grade 2 or greater severity. Upon recovery of Grade 2 or Grade 3 visual disturbances to Grade 1 severity or baseline, resume ALUNBRIG at a reduced dose. Permanently discontinue treatment with ALUNBRIG for Grade 4 visual disturbances. Creatine Phosphokinase (CPK) Elevation: In the ALUNBRIG arm of trial ALTA 1L (180 mg once daily), creatine phosphokinase (CPK) elevation occurred in 81% of patients who received ALUNBRIG. The incidence of Grade 3 or 4 CPK elevation was 24%. Dose reduction for CPK elevation occurred in 15% of patients.In ALTA, CPK elevation occurred in 27% of patients receiving ALUNBRIG in the 90 mg group and 48% of patients in the 90 mg180 mg group. The incidence of Grade 34 CPK elevation was 2.8% in the 90 mg group and 12% in the 90180 mg group. Dose reduction for CPK elevation occurred in 1.8% of patients in the 90 mg group and 4.5% in the 90180 mg group. Advise patients to report any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. Monitor CPK levels during ALUNBRIG treatment. Withhold ALUNBRIG for Grade 3 or 4 CPK elevation with Grade 2 or higher muscle pain or weakness. Upon resolution or recovery to Grade 1 CPK elevation or baseline, resume ALUNBRIG at the same dose or at a reduced dose. Pancreatic Enzyme Elevation: In the ALUNBRIG arm of trial ALTA 1L (180 mg once daily), amylase elevation occurred in 52% of patients and Grade 3 or 4 amylase elevation occurred in 6.8% of patients. Lipase elevations occurred in 59% of patients and Grade 3 or 4 lipase elevation occurred in 17% of patients.In ALTA, amylase elevation occurred in 27% of patients in the 90 mg group and 39% of patients in the 90180 mg group. Lipase elevations occurred in 21% of patients in the 90 mg group and 45% of patients in the 90180 mg group. Grade 3 or 4 amylase elevation occurred in 3.7% of patients in the 90 mg group and 2.7% of patients in the 90180 mg group. Grade 3 or 4 lipase elevation occurred in 4.6% of patients in the 90 mg group and 5.5% of patients in the 90180 mg group. Monitor lipase and amylase during treatment with ALUNBRIG. Withhold ALUNBRIG for Grade 3 or 4 pancreatic enzyme elevation. Upon resolution or recovery to Grade 1 or baseline, resume ALUNBRIG at the same dose or at a reduced dose. Hyperglycemia: In the ALUNBRIG arm of trial ALTA 1L (180 mg once daily), 56% of patients who received ALUNBRIG experienced new or worsening hyperglycemia. Grade 3 hyperglycemia, based on laboratory assessment of serum fasting glucose levels, occurred in 7.5% of patients. In ALTA, 43% of patients who received ALUNBRIG experienced new or worsening hyperglycemia. Grade 3 hyperglycemia, based on laboratory assessment of serum fasting glucose levels, occurred in 3.7% of patients. Two of 20 (10%) patients with diabetes or glucose intolerance at baseline required initiation of insulin while receiving ALUNBRIG. Assess fasting serum glucose prior to initiation of ALUNBRIG and monitor periodically thereafter. Initiate or optimize anti-hyperglycemic medications as needed. If adequate hyperglycemic control cannot be achieved with optimal medical management, withhold ALUNBRIG until adequate hyperglycemic control is achieved and consider reducing the dose of ALUNBRIG or permanently discontinuing ALUNBRIG. Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: Based on its mechanism of action and findings in animals, ALUNBRIG can cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women. There are no clinical data on the use of ALUNBRIG in pregnant women. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective non-hormonal contraception during treatment with ALUNBRIG and for at least 4 months following the final dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 3 months after the last dose of ALUNBRIG. ADVERSE REACTIONS In ALTA 1L, serious adverse reactions occurred in 33% of patients receiving ALUNBRIG. The most common serious adverse reactions other than disease progression were pneumonia (4.4%), ILD/pneumonitis (3.7%), pyrexia (2.9%), dyspnea (2.2%), pulmonary embolism (2.2%), and asthenia (2.2%). Fatal adverse reactions other than disease progression occurred in 2.9% of patients and included pneumonia (1.5%), cerebrovascular accident (0.7%), and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (0.7%). In ALTA, serious adverse reactions occurred in 38% of patients in the 90 mg group and 40% of patients in the 90180 mg group. The most common serious adverse reactions were pneumonia (5.5% overall, 3.7% in the 90 mg group, and 7.3% in the 90180 mg group) and ILD/pneumonitis (4.6% overall, 1.8% in the 90 mg group and 7.3% in the 90180 mg group). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 3.7% of patients and consisted of pneumonia (2 patients), sudden death, dyspnea, respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism, bacterial meningitis and urosepsis (1 patient each). The most common adverse reactions (25%) with ALUNBRIG were diarrhea (49%), fatigue (39%), nausea (39%), rash (38%), cough (37%), myalgia (34%), headache (31%), hypertension (31%), vomiting (27%), and dyspnea (26%). DRUG INTERACTIONS CYP3A Inhibitors: Avoid coadministration of ALUNBRIG with strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors. Avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice as it may also increase plasma concentrations of brigatinib. If coadministration of a strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitor cannot be avoided, reduce the dose of ALUNBRIG. CYP3A Inducers: Avoid coadministration of ALUNBRIG with strong or moderate CYP3A inducers. If coadministration of moderate CYP3A inducers cannot be avoided, increase the dose of ALUNBRIG. CYP3A Substrates: Coadministration of ALUNBRIG with sensitive CYP3A substrates, including hormonal contraceptives, can result in decreased concentrations and loss of efficacy of sensitive CYP3A substrates. USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS Pregnancy: ALUNBRIGcan cause fetal harm. Advise females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to a fetus. Lactation: There are no data regarding the secretion of brigatinib in human milk or its effects on the breastfed infant or milk production. Because of the potential adverse reactions in breastfed infants, advise lactating women not to breastfeed during treatment with ALUNBRIG. Females and Males of Reproductive Potential: Pregnancy Testing: Verify pregnancy status in females of reproductive potential prior to initiating ALUNBRIG. Contraception: Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective non-hormonal contraception during treatment with ALUNBRIG and for at least 4 months after the final dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ALUNBRIG and for at least 3 months after the final dose. Infertility: ALUNBRIG may cause reduced fertility in males. Pediatric Use: The safety and effectiveness of ALUNBRIG in pediatric patients have not been established. Geriatric Use: Of the 359 patients enrolled in the ALTA 1L ALUNBRIG arm and in ALTA, 26.7% were 65 and older and 7.5% were 75 and older. No clinically relevant differences in safety or efficacy were observed between patients 65 years and younger patients. Hepatic or Renal Impairment: No dose adjustment is recommended for patients with mild or moderate hepatic impairment or mild or moderate renal impairment. Reduce the dose of ALUNBRIG for patients with severe hepatic impairment or severe renal impairment. Please see the full U.S. Prescribing Information for ALUNBRIG at www.ALUNBRIG.com Takedas Commitment to Oncology Our core R&D mission is to deliver novel medicines to patients with cancer worldwide through our commitment to science, breakthrough innovation and passion for improving the lives of patients. Whether its with our hematology therapies, our robust pipeline, or solid tumor medicines, we aim to stay both innovative and competitive to bring patients the treatments they need. For more information, visit www.takedaoncology.com. About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Diseases, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries. For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com. USO-BRG-0125 05/20 Important Notice For the purposes of this notice, press release means this document, any oral presentation, any question and answer session and any written or oral material discussed or distributed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) regarding this release. This press release (including any oral briefing and any question-and-answer in connection with it) is not intended to, and does not constitute, represent or form part of any offer, invitation or solicitation of any offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, exchange, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction. No shares or other securities are being offered to the public by means of this press release. No offering of securities shall be made in the United States except pursuant to registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom. This press release is being given (together with any further information which may be provided to the recipient) on the condition that it is for use by the recipient for information purposes only (and not for the evaluation of any investment, acquisition, disposal or any other transaction). Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of applicable securities laws. The companies in which Takeda directly and indirectly owns investments are separate entities. In this press release, Takeda is sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Takeda and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words we, us and our are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies. Forward-Looking Statements This press release and any materials distributed in connection with this press release may contain forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions regarding Takedas future business, future position and results of operations, including estimates, forecasts, targets and plans for Takeda. Without limitation, forward-looking statements often include words such as targets, plans, believes, hopes, continues, expects, aims, intends, ensures, will, may, should, would, could anticipates, estimates, projects or similar expressions or the negative thereof. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements: the economic circumstances surrounding Takedas global business, including general economic conditions in Japan and the United States; competitive pressures and developments; changes to applicable laws and regulations; the success of or failure of product development programs; decisions of regulatory authorities and the timing thereof; fluctuations in interest and currency exchange rates; claims or concerns regarding the safety or efficacy of marketed products or product candidates; the impact of health crises, like the novel coronavirus pandemic, on Takeda and its customers and suppliers, including foreign governments in countries in which Takeda operates, or on other facets of its business; the timing and impact of post-merger integration efforts with acquired companies; the ability to divest assets that are not core to Takedas operations and the timing of any such divestment(s); and other factors identified in Takedas most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and Takedas other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, available on Takedas website at: https://www.takeda.com/investors/reports/sec-filings/ or at www.sec.gov. Takeda does not undertake to update any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statements it may make, except as required by law or stock exchange rule. Past performance is not an indicator of future results and the results or statements of Takeda in this press release may not be indicative of, and are not an estimate, forecast, guarantee or projection of Takedas future results. 1 World Health Organization. Latest Global Cancer Data. https://www.who.int/cancer/PRGlobocanFinal.pdf. Accessed May 11, 2019. 2 American Cancer Society. What is Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-small-cell-lung-cancer/about/what-is-non-small-cell-lung-cancer.html. Accessed May 11, 2019. 3 Kris MG, et al. JAMA, 2014;311:1998-2006. 4 Gainor JF, Varghese AM, Ou SH, et al. Clin Cancer Res. 2013;19(15):4273-81. 5 Koivunen JP, Mermel C, Zejnullahu K, et al. Clin Cancer Res. 2008; 14(13):4275-83. 6 Wong DW, Leung EL, So KK, et al. Cancer. 2009; 115(8):1723-33. 7 Chia PL, Mitchell P, Dobrovic A, John T. Clin Epidemiol, 2014;6:423-432. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200522005448/en/ The Covid-19 pandemic has brought huge swaths of the publishing industry to a halt, but one channel remains open and thriving: mobile webcomics. What began as an experiment by several companies in the mid-2010s to import the vertically scrolling digital comics format, which is popular in Asia, to North America has grown into a sizable niche within the comics industry. It now reaches hundreds of millions of readers, providing new revenue as well as an audience to a new generation of creators. The acknowledged leader in this market is Webtoon, a webcomics platform which is owned by Naver, a search engine/portal series in Korea. Webtoon had more than 60 million monthly active users over the past year and whose content had more than 100 billion views worldwide. Webtoon pioneered a successful model of publishing comics in a vertical-scroll format, readable on mobile phones and tablets, and is building a paying audience for serialized stories across a range of genres.. Webtoon began operating in the U.S. in 2014 with modest expectations. The company focused on building its brand, curating a line of original English-language content, and developing a community of fans and creators. For five years, Webtoon invested heavily in these areas, establishing a trove of user-created content on its Canvas platform, a self-publishing unit for emerging artists, while turning many of its top titles into gigantic hits. A quick glance down Webtoons Best 30 list released at the end of 2019 reveals how popular its U.S. content has become. Rachel Smyths Lore Olympus, which reimagines the Greek pantheon as a soap opera, clocked nearly 300 million views since its debut. Un-ordinary, a quirky take on superheroes by uru-chan, and True Beauty, a teen romance series by Yaongyi, have also racked up more than 200 million views each. Indeed the Best 30 list alone draws massive traffica combined 2.4 billion views worldwide, according to the company. David Lee, Webtoons head of content for North America, said the popular titles are just the tip of the iceberg. Were trying to grow all our genres, not pigeonhole ourselves into a specific kind of comics. Our goal is to spread the medium. The popular stories are powering a platform that people can grow with their own content. Webtoon took a big step in 2019, shifting from a completely ad-supported revenue model to introduce Fastpass, a paid service tier that lets subscribers see the latest installments of their favorite series weeks before they hit the free-to-read portion of the platform. Reading can still be free, but Web-toon and creators can monetize for people who want to read ahead, Lee explained. That helped Webtoon leap into the upper echelon of the AppAnnie in-app purchase rankings in 2019. What makes [the revenue model] work is the weekly release schedule, Lee said. We implemented Fastpass for creators who can deliver episodes on a regular basis, with strong endings that motivate readers to want to see whats coming next without having to wait. Webtoon primarily appeals to readers ages 1324, skewing about 60% female, according to Lee. These are the same young consumers who cant get enough teen-oriented prose fiction and graphic novels, and who flock to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp. Webtoon isnt the only company focused on the mobile/social digital world of vertical-scroll, bite-size content. Tapas, an American startup with strong Asian partners, has been steadily growing an audience with the same combination of proven imported work, user-created content, and originals. We saw a huge jump in our key metrics last year, said Tapas CEO Chang Kim. We have about 2.2 million monthly active users, and our revenue increased nearly 250% in the last year. Kim said that 65% of the audience is women ages 1824. They enjoy the sites mix of fantasy, romance, and slice-of-life series. Its not the traditional comic book audience and its not the traditional comic book reading style, he noted, describing Tapas as an open community that encourages feedback and user support. Most of Tapass growth in the past two years has come from original content. Kim said his team tracks data on the performance of user-created content to identify stories that are building followings, then works with creators to develop them into professional-quality work. These creators receive revenue shares, advances, and participation in any licensing or media development opportunities. The massive growth of the mobile audience also attracted Stela, a U.S. company with Chinese funding that pivoted from mobile gaming to mobile comics in 2015. Rather than going with user-generated content, Stela tried to build a studio model along the lines of animation or game development, with staff writers and artists working on company-owned IP. Stela produced about 30 series and was just starting to build a significant audience when the U.S.-China trade war forced its Chinese partners to withdraw financing. Nevertheless, Stela founder Jason Juan said he sees massive potential in a new generation of digital-focused creators, especially as publishers learn the strengths of the mobile format and the vertical swipe/scroll. The major factor is making the story a mobile-first experience, he said. You dont necessarily need technical skills if you understand the storytelling, and a lot of younger creators do. David Lee agrees, citing the importance of developing Webtoon readers and amateur creators into professionals. Thats why both Webtoon and Tapas are so eager to grow the user-generated content on their platforms. More creators are seeing us as a legitimate option, Lee said. That will help us develop content for the upper end of our audience demographic, so they dont age out of our platform. Will this mobile webcomics boom spill over into other media? Both Webtoon and Tapas hinted at some major media announcements in the coming months. Webtoon has successfully propelled many of its Korean properties into live-action or animated adaptations in its home market. Asked about the potential for print, the mobile webcomic publishers were guardedly optimistic. Strong stories and strong characters work well in any medium, Lee said. However, we want our creators to think natively digital. He added that the company is working on some deals with top-tier publishers, the details of which he wouldnt disclose. In the meantime, while most of the comics industry is flat on its back as the distribution of physical products is frozen in place, content by creators on the mobile-digital side is doing just fine. It seems reasonable to believe that this new model, which has already found an audience of younger readers, may offer the kind of evolution comics need to lead the medium forward out of this crisis and into a post-pandemic marketplace. Correction: the description of Webtoon and a sister company in an earlier version of this story were inaccurate. A teenager who plunged to his death from a balcony during a party was trying to escape after three men allegedly stormed the room carrying a knife. Cian English, 19, fell from the balcony on the fourth storey of the View Pacific resort in Surfers Paradise at about 3am on Saturday. Police allege three men, aged 18, 20 and 22, stormed the unit carrying a knife and robbed guests in the building prior to Mr English's death. The trio were arrested overnight and all charged with one count of murder and two counts of armed robbery. Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith alleged they were trying to steal clothes and a mobile phone at the time. 'What we will be alleging is... the three main offenders have robbed the victim and his friend at knifepoint and in the course of this the victim has attempted to escape and gone over the balcony and died,' he said. Police believe there were two separate parties in the same complex and that guests at both events interacted with each other and 'took some illicit drugs' before things got out of hand. Cian English, 19, fell to his death from the fourth storey of the View Pacific apartment around 3am on Saturday 'Given the circumstances, the consequences of the robbery and the threats made to the victim put the consequences on those three offenders.' The 18-year-old is due to appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday while the other two men will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court. Four other teenagers aged between 16 and 19 were found in the apartment in varying states of consciousness and were taken to Robina Hospital for treatment for drug overdoses. A woman said she had seen the tragic night unfold via video footage on Instagram and Snapchat. 'The videos I have seen, they are sickening and so very sad,' she told the Courier-Mail. 'It's not in the best interest of this poor boy's family to see him like that.' A passer-by discovered Mr English's lifeless body on the pavement before calling emergency services who later found a stash of drugs inside the unit. Four other teenagers were taken to hospital to be treated for drug overdoses following the wild party Paramedics tried to perform CPR on the 19-year-old, who was from Hawthorne in Brisbane's eastern suburbs - but they were too late. Two other 16-year-old boys, believed to be a part of the group, were arrested at around 2.20am between View Avenue and the Esplanade for possessing prescription drugs. They were also treated by paramedics for showing symptoms associated with drugs. One party guest told Nine News they left the gathering when someone started waving a knife around and after noticing ice pipes in the apartment. Up to 12 people were believed to have been at the party which ultimately resulted in the death of Mr English A total of seven people were found in the unit and four taken to hospital in stable conditions. Up to 12 people were believed to be at the party. Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) Senior Operations Supervisor Neil Stead said the teen had 'traumatic injuries'. The drugs involved were reportedly diazepam or Valium. 'There was some kind of drugs involved in this situation which caused the incident to occur. Drugs are simply not safe. Even prescribed drugs taken the wrong way are not safe,' Mr Stead said. 'No one wants a deceased person, whether they are young or old. 'Especially a young male who has got his life ahead of him, to have it cut off like this.' The emergency crews that tried to resuscitate Mr English have since been given welfare checks due to the traumatic incident. Investigations into the incident are ongoing. You might think Im successful, but I have been rejected many times When I was 11, newly enrolled in Brentwood County High School for Girls, we were encouraged to have a French pen pal. The teacher had a pile of letters from a school in Brittany, with little black and white passport photos of the girls. I chose Chantal, as she was the prettiest: long, dark hair, big eyes. I duly wrote to her in careful French, attaching my own photo: greasy hair with split ends, an awful round-necked regulation sweater over a white shirt. I posted the letter. Hurrah! My first pen pal! I started to imagine going to stay with her family in the summer holidays. It would be exactly like Bonjour Tristesse. Oh, how I loved Cecile, with her long brown limbs and confidence. And do you know what? Chantal never wrote back. I was gutted. I still think about her. You might think Im successful, but I have been thwarted and rejected many, many times. Dont even get me started on the number of times I have been turned down for a job. As editor of Elle. As fashion editor on a broadsheet. Books have been rejected. I sent one, a fictional account of the life of suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, killed under the kings horse on Derby Day, to a super-agent. His note with the returned manuscript consisted of just one word: Poor. Ive gone up for numerous TV jobs. Im a Celebrity I went to loads of meetings about this, and even a fortnight before filming Id receive calls saying, Are you still free? Have you got your passport? only to be usurped by Lorraine Chase at the last minute. I was up for something to do with being abandoned on a tropical island without a can opener and sunscreen by Bear Grylls; the producers eventually said no as I have too many psychiatric issues. There was an older womans dating show set in Greece called Our Shirley Valentine Summer. The TV execs grilled me for ages about this one, Are you absolutely sure youre single? they said, given I was still hot with David. YES! YES! I lied. Id have dumped him to get cast. I was up for Celebrity MasterChef but was told that, being vegan, I wouldnt get past the invention test. There were talks about Splash!, remember the diving show with Tom Daley? We even got as far as my agent saying, They want to know the maximum height you will dive from, and do you mind people seeing your cellulite? Even though Im scared of heights, nudity and water I once went on holiday in Africa to learn to scuba dive, discovered I didnt like the thought of all that water over my head, and for two weeks was tied to a boat with a rope and given a childs snorkel I said ten metres and no. And I still didnt get it! I go to extreme lengths to get what I want. In a car, on assignment in Peru with the Hunk photographer (my life sounds so exciting, when at the moment the highlight of my day is watching Kirstie Allsopp sew buttons on to lampshades), he suddenly asked our driver to pull over. Yikes! He got out and led me to a rickety wooden tower. If we climb to the top, well be able to see the Nazca lines that could only have been made by aliens! So, despite my fear of even standing on a chair, let alone a stepladder, I let him lead me to the top, me clinging on for dear life, feeling giddy, head spinning. I didnt get him, as we all know. But Ive just got a text from him; at least I think its him, given the country code. Its been in my inbox for a week, but I havent had the courage to open it. Its like when I (rarely) get an email from the National Lottery, saying, Congratulations, you have won a prize! I once let that sit for six months, the only rubber ring in the swamp of my life. When I eventually logged on it turned out to be 2. I will open the text next week, I promise. Maybe once, just once, I will be one of the winners in life. Not an also-ran. To contact Liz tweet #lizjonesgoddess or visit lizjonesgoddess.com LISTEN TO LIZ JONESS PODCAST! Join Liz as she dissects her weekly You Diary, delves into the archives and screams, Why did I write that?! Find it now at mailplus.co.uk/lizjones, iTunes and Spotify. UK school apologizes for homework asking kids to define 'hardcore' porn, 'sexting' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A religious school in the United Kingdom is apologizing after a homework assignment required students to define several kinds of pornography. The headteacher of Archbishop Sentamu Academy in Hull said he is "sorry" if the homework led some students to research it online and access illicit content. The assignment, which asked students to define terms such as "sexting," "revenge porn," "hardcore porn" and "transgender pornography," was given to children ages 11 through 14 as part of the "Personal, Social and Health Education" curriculum, the BBC reported. Students were also asked to define the topics of female genital mutilation and breast ironing in addition to questions about alcohol and drug use. Local parents were outraged. "I'm just thinking is there kids out there who have done this work? You would be scared at what you saw. At 11 I was playing with Barbies. If they have seen it they can't unsee it," one mother told The Daily Mail, who asked only to be quoted as Mrs. Taylor. The 34-year-old mother continued: "'She was only in primary school last year living her best life, now she is being asked to search for hardcore pornography. She's 11, she should be doing stranger danger, and don't share your info online, but genital mutilation is another thing. It was asking about male circumcision, breast ironing ... I don't even know what that is myself." "They have been told to use Google and she would have searched it. I did Google hardcore porn and some of the images that came up was quite disturbing." The mother explained she was not opposed to all sex education but objected to content that would destroy their minds. Another local man, Leon Dagon, a 25-year-old with a 13-year-old sister at the school took to social media to voice his disgust: "The majority of children nowadays will now go on the internet to help them with their homework and if you type that kind of thing on the internet, God knows what's going to pop up." "Luckily I found the work otherwise she would have typed this stuff into Google and you know what would have come up and that makes me feel sick. I felt sick thinking she was going to go onto the computer to search it up," he said. Chay Bell, principal of the school, said in response to the issue that he was "genuinely sorry if parents or students have unnecessarily researched any of these phrases and for any offense caused." "I have asked that any future materials of this nature have a clear statement ensuring students and their parents are aware of any potentially sensitive content and will ensure all materials are fully age appropriate," he said. He maintained that students were not instructed to research the topics on the internet because the answers to the questions that students posed were contained in the teacher-produced materials that had already been shared. "The PSHE materials that we share with students are produced in line with government guidance, the PSHE Association Programs of Study and the Sex Education Forum's definition of Sex Education. They also cover the Equality Act of 2010." In recent years, what is known as comprehensive sex education has generated significant controversy around the world, particularly with the rise of transgenderism where it is being suggested to young children that some people were "born in the wrong body." Archbishop Sentamu Academy is a Church of England school that serves "children and families of all faiths and of none." Its mission statement says, "Through Christian principles, we aim to offer an education that transforms lives and communities." The old adage that one cannot pursue an active foreign policy without a robust economy is proving true once again in the case of Turkeys ruling party. With Turkish troops now on the front lines in Syria and Libya, the partys claim at a bold foreign policy has been realized, but Ankara lacks the wherewithal to sustain its high-cost ambitions, as evidenced by its desperate quest for currency swaps with various countries, which has been going on for weeks. While the COVID-19 pandemic has badly aggravated its economic woes, Ankara feels pressed to open new chapters with estranged partners, trying to turn this extraordinary global turmoil into an opportunity. Atop gestures to the United States, Ankara has asserted commitment to its ties with the European Union and messaging with Israel has warmed amid rising stakes in the energy rivalry in the eastern Mediterranean. Not all of those steps have underlying economic rationales. Since the botched coup attempt in 2016, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been increasingly surrounded by Euroasianists who support Ankaras drift away from the West and are said to be influential in the military. Erdogan appears fearful now that this could trigger a fresh coup scenario that would bring his own end; hence, another reason to seek a reset with Washington. The COVID-19 pandemic came as a godsend in this respect, providing the pretext for Turkey to postpone the activation of the Russian S-400 air defense systems, which was scheduled for April. The postponement makes it much easier for President Donald Trump to maintain his lenient attitude toward Erdogan in the face of congressional pressure for sanctions. And as a gesture of solidarity against the pandemic, Ankara sent medical gear to Washington in late April. In an accompanying letter to Trump, Erdogan said regional developments, especially in Syria and Libya, have shown how important it is to maintain the Turkey-US alliance and cooperation in the strongest way. Furthermore, former Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik told a panel in Washington on May 13 that Turkeys ties with Russia are not strategic but tactical a statement that was certainly not detached from the current air in Ankara. Previously, government officials did describe ties with Russia as a strategic partnership. Turkeys messages are not without reciprocations. Washingtons Syria envoy James Jeffrey said last week that, despite outstanding problems, the United States gets along fairly well with Turkey on most of the issues from Libya to NATO to the [Caucasus], Black Sea area and including Syria and Iraq. NATO Secretary-General NATO Jens Stoltenberg, for his part, spoke of helping the Government of National Accord, Turkeys ally in war-torn Libya. On the European front, Erdogan says the COVID-19 crisis should serve as an opportunity to revitalize relations, though he was threatening the EU with a new wave of refugees in the early days of the pandemic. In a message on May 9, Europe Day, he said, I hope that the EU, which has so far displayed a discriminatory and exclusionary stance toward Turkey on various issues, has understood that we are all on the same boat. We are determined to reach full membership to the EU. Meanwhile, warm breezes have blown between Turkey and Israel. A message from Israels official Twitter handle, which is managed by the Foreign Ministry, caused quite a stir May 7. In response to a Twitter user asking whether Turkey and Israel could be friends again, it said, We are proud of our diplomatic relations with Turkey. We hope our ties grow even stronger in the future. Sending love to all of our Turkish followers! Also, Israel was absent from the signatories of a joint statement May 11 slamming Turkeys actions in the eastern Mediterranean, which many thought to be a telling sign. The group included Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, France and the United Arab Emirates. Ankara would like to draw Israel to its side in the energy rivalry in the eastern Mediterranean to reinforce the balance it has managed to set by signing a maritime demarcation accord with Libyas Government of National Accord. Proponents of a similar deal with Israel believe that energy cooperation with Israel is possible despite outstanding problems in bilateral ties. A Turkish argument goes that Israels maritime zone would have been 6,000 square kilometers (2,316 square miles) larger had it signed a deal with Turkey and not Cyprus. Israel has pursued cooperation with littoral states, but appears to be steering clear from further polarization involving non-regional players such as France and the UAE. In the complex outlook of Turkish-Israeli ties, the Palestinian issue remains an area of confrontation, while bilateral trade continues and the two sides remain open to negotiation in the energy field. Though Israel has been keen to use Turkey as a route for gas exports to Europe, it is unlikely to join a camp involving turbulent Libya and alienate its current partners in the energy field. Turkey has failed to win over partners other than Libyas Government of National Accord, which is embroiled in a civil war and needs Turkeys military support. On May 13, the Israeli Embassy in Ankara denied reports that Israel was intending to sign a deal with Turkey on delimiting maritime zones, which are crucial for exploration and development rights. And Alon Liel, a veteran Israeli diplomat, told the Turkish media that such a deal was unlikely because Turkeys partner Libya sees Israel as an enemy, while Greece and Cyprus are political allies of Israel. According to Liel, the ongoing chill between Ankara and Cairo also stands in the way of Turkish-Israeli normalization because Israel cooperates with Egypt in the energy field. Nevertheless, Israel remains open to negotiations on a gas pipeline via Turkey. According to Israeli media reports, Turkish and Israeli officials exchanged messages in December expressing readiness to resume talks on a pipeline to carry Israeli gas to Europe via Turkey. In an article published May 21 on a Turkish website, Roey Gilad, charge daffaires of the Israeli Embassy in Ankara, highlighting common interests, argued in favor of normalizing ties. The recent escalation in Syrias Idlib has exposed how Irans presence in Syria works against Turkeys interest, Gilad wrote, stressing that Iranian militia played a dominant part in the battles in which Turkey lost dozens of soldiers. Turkeys opposition has also called for normalizing ties with Egypt and Israel to extricate Turkey from its predicaments in the eastern Mediterranean. Some factors, however, are dampening such prospects. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the helm of a newly formed coalition government - is bent on a plan to annex 30% of the West Bank, which he wants to present to the Cabinet while Trump remains in office. Such a move is bound to generate harsh reactions from Ankara, meaning that bilateral ties are headed for another critical test this summer. And Gabi Ashkenazi, Israels former chief of general staff whom Turkish prosecutors had indicted over the Mavi Marmara incident in 2010, is now Israels foreign minister. All in all, Turkey could gain some room to maneuver by winning over this or that country against another, but such a strategy is unlikely to produce lasting results as long as its ties remain on a polarization track. In ties with Washington, Ankara aims to cool an array of rows, including on the S-400s, the Syrian Kurds and Halkbanks embroilment in an Iranian sanctions-evasion scheme, but what happens if Trump loses in November is a big question mark. On the EU front, hopes for moderation are marred by tensions with France, which Ankara calls the patron of the axis of malice against Turkey. An authoritarian tilt since 2013 has driven Turkey further away from EU norms after its membership talks stalled in 2007. In his appeal to revitalize ties, Erdogan portrayed Turkey as a powerful country, from which even EU nations have sought help during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying nothing about democracy and reforms. Such rhetoric speaks not of an intention to return to efforts to align with EU norms but rather a hope that the EU accepts Turkey with its current democracy record. So, is Ankara really aiming at a reset or is it just hoping to regain wiggle room for its adventurist foreign policies? The latter option looks likelier. On April 24, Ameena Begum chose to celebrate her daughters birthday in a novel way. Nearly a month into the lockdown, Ameena, a 44-year-old resident of Mupkal village in Telanganas Nizamabad district, cooked a meal large enough to feed several families. Together with her four children, Azharuddin, Mazharuddin, Tahseen and Heena whose birthday it was Ameena bought groceries as well. And then, the anganwadi worker who earns around 10,500 a month, distributed the ration to poor families and fed workers who were journeying home on foot during the lockdown. Ameena Begum, lives close to National Highway 44 that leads to Nagpur. Her oldest son, Azharuddin, runs a chicken shop started by her now deceased husband, while 22-year-old Heena is undergoing a teachers training course. During the holy month of Ramzan, her home became a stopover for tired and hungry migrants. WATCH | HT Salutes: Ameena, an Anganwadi worker feeding hundreds of migrant labourers They were all migrant labourers coming from Hyderabad, about 200 km away, on foot and going to their native places in Maharashtra. Their children were crying as they had not eaten anything for the past two days, Ameena said. I told them to wait for some time, so that I could cook some rice and curry for them. That was just the beginning. Ameena made it a mission to serve the migrants walking on the highway, and her children assisted her. She used her savings of about 2,500, and put in money from her monthly salary cut by 10% to 9,500. Heena, who has a part-time job of tailoring and embroidery, pitched 20,000 and Azharuddin promised to give her 500 a day. Initially, it started with about 100 people, but it went up to 300 every day. The daily expenditure went up from 2,500 to 6,000 per day, she said. Ameena received help from unexpected quarters one Krishna Murthy from Guntur sent her 25,000; another in Choutapalli village gave her 200 kg rice and 15 kg red gram. Farmers from neighbouring villages supplied fruit. An owner of a private bus company gave financial assistance and sent four buses to transport the labourers with due police permissions, she said. Ameena wakes up at 3 am daily and after prayers begins to cook. By 6 am, she has cooked rice, khichdi, curry, vegetables and sometimes even biryani. The serving starts at 6am and continues till 10pm, she said. Now, Ameena has started transporting the food to neighbouring villages, where migrant workers are either staying or stopping over. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Srinivasa Rao Apparasu Srinivasa Rao is Senior Assistant Editor based out of Hyderabad covering developments in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana . He has over three decades of reporting experience. ...view detail Government says 10 elephants put down in the past month after they moved into farming areas during harvest season. Namibia culled 10 elephants over the past month after they moved into farming areas and destroyed crops during harvest season, according to the countrys wildlife authority. The animals were shot after they endangered human lives in the north of the country and were marked as dangerous, Romeo Muyunda, spokesman for the ministry of environment, forestry and tourism, said on Saturday. More: He said the decision was necessary to protect farmers and their crops. The carcasses have been given as compensation to community members whose harvests have been damaged. Normally during this season people are terrorised by elephants. We had no choice but to be proactive, Muyunda said, adding however that problematic elephants can only be put down if no other solution can be found. Like several other African nations, Namibia has grappled with balancing protection for species like elephants with managing the danger they pose when they encroach on areas of human habitation. The country has enjoyed international support for a conservation drive that has seen its elephant population grow from just over 7,500 in 1995 to 24,000 last year, according to government figures. Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer and founder of Facebook Inc., arrives for a House Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., Oct. 23, 2019. Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images Facebook has gone through an extensive metamorphosis since the 2016 U.S. presidential election, to combat the misinformation and other abuse of its social networks, and to rekindle growth after a stall in 2018. The shift has spurred numerous changes to the company's executive leadership. Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reshuffled his deck of lieutenants while remaining one of the few constants at the helm of the company and taking a more active role in aspects of the company he'd previously left to other execs. This is who leads Facebook in 2020. Mark Zuckerberg: Founder and CEO Zuckerberg has been the key decision maker for Facebook since he founded the company as a student at Harvard in 2004. Throughout his career, Zuckerberg has made bold decisions, never afraid to go against the wishes of his users or his executives. That was the case in 2006 when the company rolled out the News Feed, which many users hated, and when Zuckerberg rejected a $1 billion acquisition offer from Yahoo, to the dismay of his deputies. Zuckerberg has also led the company through several notable acquisitions, starting with the $1 billion purchase of Instagram in 2012, and the $19 billion deal for WhatsApp and $2 billion acquisition of Oculus in 2014. More recently, Zuckerberg has directed Facebook through numerous scandals, including the battle against misinformation and foreign manipulation of the platform following the 2016 U.S. election and the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal. Zuckerberg has reportedly told his top executives that the company is at war, and he has taken on a more aggressive approach to his leadership. In January, Zuckerberg told analysts that his "goal for this next decade isn't to be liked, but to be understood" and a few days later he said that his new approach is "going to piss off a lot of people." This new style of leadership has been on clear display since February, as Facebook has taken a number of bold actions in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Facebook has been among the most progressive companies in terms of allowing employees to work from home, set up a $100 million grant program to support small businesses, and has released numerous new products geared to consumers who are stuck at home and going online more than ever. Zuckerberg has personally been involved with many of these decisions, and the results have been clear: The company's stock price reached an all-time high this week. Sheryl Sandberg: COO Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg speaks at the DLD conference in Munich on January 20, 2019. Facebook Since the moment Sandberg joined Facebook in 2008, she has been Zuckerberg's no. 2. Most notably, Sandberg has been in charge with running all the parts of the business Zuckerberg had little interest in, such as growing the company's ad business and handling its communications. Sandberg came to Facebook from Google, where she was vice president of global online sales and operations. Upon joining Facebook, Sandberg was tasked with growing Facebook's revenue and advertising businesses in preparation for an inevitable IPO. Before her arrival, Facebook had generated a little more than $150 million in revenue in 2007. Sandberg helped grow that figure nearly 2,400% to $3.7 billion by 2011. Over the past decade, Sandberg's profile has had a meteoric rise alongside Facebook's own growth. This was perhaps most emphasized in 2013 when her book "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead" was published. More recently, however, Sandberg has come under fire. Although employees still praise her work, her influence at the company has reportedly diminished following the numerous scandals the company has gone through in recent years. A report by the New York Times says Zuckerberg's increased involvement in the company's numerous dealings has been "an effective sidelining of" Sandberg. Another report from Variety said Sandberg is now a "flight risk." (Sandberg swiftly rejected both contentions.) Whether or not her influence has diminished, she remains a prominent face for the company. Mike Schroepfer: Chief Technology Officer Facebook Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer. Press Association | AP Zuckerberg vision for Facebook's tech prowess knows few bounds, and his CTO Schroepfer is often the man tasked with bringing those ambitions to reality. "Schrep," as everybody in the company calls him, is the top technical executive at the social network, and he's often praised for his technical chops and being a thoughtful leader. One of his key roles is leading Facebook's efforts in the development of artificial intelligence. That AI technology is key to how the company moderates content to prevent the spread of misinformation, harassment and other types of abuse on its services. Besides AI, Schroepfer is also the top guy when it comes to Facebook's other big bets, including development related to the Libra digital currency, the company's hardware devices and Facebook's development of brain-computing technology. Adam Mosseri: Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri, Facebook Beck Diefenbach | Reuters Instagram is indisputably the coolest part of Facebook, and Adam Mosseri is the head of that division. Mosseri started at Facebook as a product designer in 2008 and is known for his tight relationship with Zuckerberg. He has played many key roles: He previously ran the company's News Feed -- the core feature of Facebook's flagship social network -- then cofounded the integrity team that combats misinformation. Zuckerberg handed the Instagram keys to Mosseri in October 2018, after the original co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger suddenly quit the previous month. Since then, Mosseri has become one of the most public-facing executives at Facebook. He often appears on podcasts, responds to tweets and live streams from his Instagram account. Andrew Bosworth: Head of AR/VR Andrew Bosworth AKA Boz, an advertising expert for Facebook, gives a talk at the Online Marketing Rockstars marketing trade show in Hamburg, Germany, 03 March 2017. Photo: Christian Charisius/dpa | usage worldwide (Photo by Christian Charisius/picture alliance via Getty Images) Christian Charisius | picture alliance | Getty Images Bosworth and Zuckerberg go back to their days at Harvard, and since joining Facebook in 2006, Bosworth has gained a reputation for being a guy who gets things done. Bosworth led the company's development of software for Facebook's ad business, which generates more than 98% of its revenue As Facebook got serious about diversifying its revenue stream through hardware development, Zuckerberg turned to his trusted deputy and made him the head of hardware in August 2017. He now leads the development of Facebook's efforts with the Oculus virtual reality unit, the Portal video-calling smart-home devices and some experimental long-term projects, including its development of brain-computing technology. He's also known for his blunt insights into the company's business, which he posts on his blog and internal message boards -- sometimes causing trouble, such as a leaked 2016 memo that appeared to praise the company's "growth at all costs" mentality (Bosworth later said the post was meant sarcastically). Although many have feared the wrath of Boz, few can argue with his results. Fidji Simo: Head of Facebook Fidji Simo, Director of Product at Facebook Frederick M. Brown | Getty Images Everyone knows Sandberg, the top woman at Facebook, but few know the second-most-powerful woman at the comany. It's Fidji Simo, who runs the core Facebook product, which is known internally as the "blue app." After joining in 2011, Simo quickly rose the ranks at the company through her skills as a product manager. She's known for her distinctive European style and for having Zuckerberg's ear. That's key considering she now holds the same job Zuckerberg had when he first invented Facebook. Javier Olivan: Vice President of Growth In April, Facebook announced that it now has nearly 3 billion monthly users across the company's family of apps. That type of growth is unprecedented for any product in human history, and it wouldn't have been possible without Javier Olivan. Olivan keeps a low public profile, but within the company, his contributions are stuff of legend. As the VP of Growth, Olivan has one of the most difficult jobs at Facebook: he's responsible for ensuring Facebook shows impressive user growth to investors quarter after quarter. A stumble can have devastating effects on the company's stock price. "Javi," as he is known, has been described as the jewel in Facebook's crown. Numerous companies have tried to poach him, including rival Snap, but Zuckerberg has never let him go. Zuckerberg counts on Olivan to make sure Facebook keeps attracting new users, and gives Olivan the freedom to experiment and the resources he wants to make it happen. David Fischer: Chief Revenue Officer Facebook makes money by running targeted ads, and the executive in charge of that global business is David Fischer. Fischer came to Facebook from Google, following the path blazed by Sandberg. Since then, he has built the company's ad business while staying out of the limelight. Fischer is known for avoiding the spotlight -- he allows others to bask in the glory while focusing on results. Dave Wehner: Chief Financial Officer David Wehner, CFO at Facebook. Harriet Taylor | CNBC Dave Wehner is among the less influential c-suite executives at Facebook, but that doesn't change the significance of his role. While others innovate and build, Wehner lays in the background as a passive CFO. Wehner's main job is ensuring that teams stay within budget. Facebook rarely has a shortfall, but Wehner makes sure the wheels keep turning financially. Where Wehner truly shines is every three months when it's time for Facebook to release its quarterly earnings. Alongside Zuckerberg and Sandberg, Wehner is the only other executive who speaks on the quarterly report, explaining to Wall Street why Facebook is doing what it's doing. David Marcus: Head of Calibra David Marcus, now head of Facebook Financial or F2, testifying about Facebook's proposed digital currency previously known as Libra, during a Senate Banking, House and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, July 16, 2019. The cryptocurrency was renamed Diem in December 2020. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images David Marcus is one of the most notable hires in the history of Facebook. The company nabbed him to run the company's Messenger division after his tenure as president of PayPal. Marcus ran Messenger until 2018 when he left the division to run a mysterious new blockchain project at Facebook. That project turned out to be the Libra digital currency and Facebook's Calibra digital wallet. The vision was to build a digital currency that Facebook users could send to one another virtually and across international borders. Facebook announced the project nearly one year ago, but after facing severe pushback from regulators and lawmakers worldwide, Libra and Calibra have yet to see the light of day. As head of Calibra, Marcus has had to go to congressional hearings and face rigorous questions from lawmakers skeptical of trusting Facebook with their money. At the time of Libra and Calibra's unveiling, Marcus promised a 2020 launch. So far, that hasn't happened. Stan Chudnovsky: Head of Messenger Stan Chudnovsky of Facebook Horacio Villalobos | Corbis | Getty Images In March 2019, Zuckerberg wrote a 3,000-word memo foretelling that Messenger and WhatsApp would become the main ways people communicate on Facebook. He also outlined his desire for interoperability between those apps and Instagram. Stan Chudnovsky leads a major part of that project as head of Messenger. He's a product guy with a reputation as a growth hacker. His strength is in getting users to adopt products. Will Cathcart: Head of WhatsApp Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp, leads the other half of that project. Cathcart joined in 2010 and was among the first 50 product managers at the company, a key group at Facebook. When new employees Facebook, Cathcart is shown as a role model for starting there young and working his way up. Cathcart cut his teeth working on the core blue app, and he was elevated to the head of WhatsApp after Chris Daniels left the company in March 2019. Nick Clegg: Vice President of Global Affairs & Communications CEO and co-founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg poses next to Facebook head of global policy communications and former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg (L) prior to a meeting with French President at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on May 10, 2019. Yoah Valat | AFP | Getty Images Facebook hired Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister of the U.K., in October 2018 after facing numerous scandals, most notably Cambridge Analytica, where it was revealed that a political research firm had improperly acquired information about Facebook users and then used it to target political ads, including ads favoring Donald Trump for the presidency. Clegg's arrival came as talk of antitrust investigations and privacy violations by Facebook began to reach a fever pitch. Europe tends to be more proactive than the U.S. when it comes to this type of regulatory action against tech companies, and Clegg is well-versed in European politics and bureaucracy, putting the company in better position to deal with any legal actions that may come its way. Joel Kaplan: VP of Global Policy Facebook vice president of global public policy Joel Kaplan and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg leave the Elysee Presidential Palace after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on May 23, 2018 in Paris, France. Chesnot | Getty Images When it comes to dealing with Washington, Joel Kaplan is Facebook's point person. An alum of George W. Bush's presidential administration, Kaplan is well connected in the nation's capital, and his Republican ties have also been an asset for the company during the Trump presidency. However, Kaplan has also drawn some controversy -- most notably, some Facebook employees were outraged when he attended a Supreme Court nomination hearing for his friend Brett Kavanaugh, who faced accusations of sexual assault. (Kavanaugh has denied these accusations. He was confirmed and now sits on the court.) Despite that incident, Kaplan remains an influential person at Facebook, and was reportedly instrumental in setting up a meeting between Zuckerberg and Trump last fall. His tight relationships with Sandberg, whom he dated at Harvard, and Zuckerberg ensure a right-wing perspective is always represented at the social network. Ime Archibong: Head of New Product Experimentation Ime Archibong, director of product partnerships at Facebook, speaks on stage during the Facebook F8 conference in San Francisco, April 12, 2016. Stephen Lam | Reuters Ime Archibong is the highest-ranking person of color within Facebook. Archibong has been with the company since 2010, and he has a close relationship with Zuckerberg, with whom he used to go on runs for exercise. Archibong previously led the company's connectivity efforts to get more people around the world online, but in August, Archibong became the head of Facebook's New Product Experimentation division, according to his LinkedIn profile. NPE is a brand new unit within Facebook, and it's responsibility is to build new consumer apps. If Archibong can score a hit or two, NPE will have been a success. Marne Levine: Vice President of Partnerships Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, and Marne Levine, VP of Global Partnership, Business Development and Corporate Development, arrive for the annual Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, July 9, 2019 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Drew Angerer | Getty Images News | Getty Images As VP of Partnerships, Marne Levine's job is to handle Facebook's relationships with its numerous partners, no matter how diplomatic or strained they may be. Levine has been at the company since 2010, and she is one of Sandberg's most trusted allies. Prior to her current role, Levine served as the chief operating officer of Instagram. Naomi Gleit: VP of Social Good Facebook's VP of Social Good Naomi Gleit during Facebook's 2016 Social Good Forum. Kevin Mazur | Getty Images A much-anticipated coronavirus vaccine trial only has a 50 per cent chance of success, the professor leading the project has warned. High hopes have been pinned on the vaccine from Oxford University, with a deal for 30million doses by September already in place. But Professor Adrian Hill said the upcoming trial of 10,000 Britons may flop and produce 'no result' because the virus is vanishing in the UK. Normally in large-scale trials, participants will be given the vaccine and mingle among society to see if the jab is effective at preventing them picking up the virus - in this case SARS-CoV-2. But the virus is circulating at low levels. Around 0.25 per cent of the population is currently infected and this will drop further if lockdown continues to work. Volunteers will find it difficult to catch SARS-CoV-2, meaning scientists can't prove whether the vaccine actually makes any difference. The fear has also been expressed by Imperial College London researchers, Britain's second vaccine contender which is not yet in clinical trials. The dilemma has led scientists to consider purposely infecting volunteers with the virus to see if the vaccine protects them. It would speed up vaccine development and save lives - but would be difficult to push through on ethical grounds. A much-anticipated coronavirus vaccine trial only has a 50 per cent chance of success Professor Adrian Hill (pictured) has warned Oxford University's jab was known as ChAdOx1 nCoV but has now been called AZD1222 since a partnership was pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca was secured The Oxford jab, previously called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, has been in clinical trials on humans since April 23 to prove it is safe and the team say it is progressing well. The jab is now called AZD1222 since a partnership was pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca was secured in order to produce billions of doses. Just days ago, AstraZeneca announced it had the capacity to make one billion doses of Oxford University's promising jab. Britain has agreed to pay for up to 100million 'as early as possible' - with ministers hoping for a third of those to be ready for September if proven effective. At that point, people would be allowed to go back to work and businesses given the green light to reopen and start rebuilding the economy. AstraZeneca has also announced a deal with the US to produce 400million doses of the vaccine - which is still not proven. Professor Adrian Hill, the director of the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, told the Telegraph the rapid disappearance of the virus itself in the UK has thrown doubt on the team's ability to meet the deadline in four months' time. If Covid-19 is not spreading in the community, volunteers will find it difficult to catch, meaning scientists can't prove whether the vaccine actually makes any difference. Some 10,000 people are being recruited to test the jab over the coming weeks. Phases II and III involve vastly increasing the number of volunteers while expanding the age range to include elderly people, who are most at-risk of falling seriously ill with the infection. But Professor Hill said he expected fewer than 50 of those to catch the virus. The results could be deemed useless if fewer than 20 test positive. 'We said earlier in the year that there was an 80 per cent chance of developing an effective vaccine by September,' he told the paper. 'But at the moment, there's a 50 per cent chance that we get no result at all. 'We're in the bizarre position of wanting Covid to stay, at least for a little while. But cases are declining.' The coronavirus is still infecting 61,000 people per week in England, according to testing data revealed on May 21, with as high as 11,000 people every seven days and as low as 29,000. Around 0.25 per cent of the population is believed to be infected with the virus right now - around 137,500 people, with a possible range of 85,000 to 208,000 - and experts say the rate of infection is 'relatively stable'. This proportion has dropped by a tiny amount in the past week, from 0.27 per cent last Thursday, according to the Office for National Statistics, and could continue to drop in the coming weeks. AstraZeneca has signed a deal to mass-produce Oxford University's promising COVID-19 jab and has agreements to supply 400million doses to the US and 100million to the UK already There have been talks of infecting volunteers with the virus on purpose in order to close the gap, known as a 'challenge trial'. Lawrence Young, a professor of molecular oncology at the University of Warwick, recently told MailOnline infecting healthy people with the virus would speed up finding a vaccine. He said: 'There are clearly ethical issues in exposing otherwise healthy individuals to a potentially lethal virus. But the only way to fast-track a vaccine for CoV-2 is to test by deliberate infection of individuals. 'We know that the majority of individuals infected with CoV-2 undergo a mild cold-like infection and that this is more likely in fit, young individuals. If we also had a good anti-viral drug (perhaps remdesivir) then it would be even safer to perform a post-vaccination exposure trial.' Sir Terence Stephenson, who chairs the Health Research Authority (HRA), which approves research on NHS patients in England, recently said the most probable way vaccine research will move forward is if healthy, young people are purposely exposed to the deadly virus. He told The Times: 'Presumably, if you were to do that you would choose healthy young people with no other conditions, but it wouldn't be without risk. 'It's certainly not for me to give a judgment on whether that would be approved or not: giving ethics approval does not sit with the chairman. 'But my sense, having talked to people in the field and to some people on the research ethics committee, is that that is something they would have to look at very carefully.' Jonathan Ives of the Centre for Ethics in Medicine at Bristol University, summed up the debate in The Observer today, saying: 'If we were to do this, we would basically be asking healthy people to put their wellbeing and their lives at risk for the good of society at large. 'On the other hand, taking that risk could speed up vaccine developement and save many, many lives. 'So i think there could be grounds for going ahead with challenge trials, though it would be based on a very finely balanced argument.' Another option is to trial the vaccine in another country where the virus is still spreading. Professor Sarah Gilbert, who is running the Oxford trial, said they may have to continue their trials in other countries where more of the virus is circulating in the community. The lead of Britain's other vaccine contender, at Imperial College London, has said they are in the same position. Robin Shattock, a professor of mucosal infection, has said: 'If social distancing and lockdown work really well, it will take us longer to determine whether a vaccine works. 'As we are better at reducing the number of infections in the UK it gets much harder to test whether the vaccine works or not. 'There are no certainties, no guarantees in developing any of these candidates so I think it is important not to have a false expectation that it is just around the corner. 'It may be longer than any of us would want to think.' Business Secretary Alok Sharma said earlier this month the Government is ambitiously hoping to be in a position to roll-out a mass vaccination programme in the Autumn of this year. Professor Hill urged caution of 'over-promising' a vaccine, adding: 'We don't know if we can do it. We think we can. You know, mistakes happen. That needs to be understood.' It comes ahead of plans next month for the university to release results of a first trial conducted on more than 1,000 volunteers during the disease's peak in April. But top scientists dealt a blow to the hopes of millions of Britons longing for an end to the pandemic when they warned a working vaccine is unlikely to be ready until 2021. Doubts have been cast about the jab one of eight front-runners in the world's vaccine race after studies on monkeys suggested it didn't stop them getting infected. After trials of the vaccine carried out on rhesus macaques, all six of the participating monkeys went on to catch the coronavirus. Dr William Haseltine, a former Harvard Medical School professor, revealed the monkeys who received the vaccine had the same amount of virus in their noses as the three non-vaccinated monkeys in the trial. But Professor Hill said today the article in Forbes magazine was 'misleading' and that Dr Haseltine was not a vaccine developer. Meanwhile, stock markets were sent into a frenzy this week after promising results that showed another experimental vaccine, made by US firm Moderna, could block the virus in humans. The vaccine from Oxford University and Imperial College London are Britain's two leading contenders. They have different approaches, however Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment In February, the Alliance Defending Freedom filed suit on behalf of three female high school track athletes who are being forced to compete against biological males. During the oral arguments, the presiding judge demanded that ADF attorneys refer to the biologically male athletes as females, and to do otherwise would not be consistent with science or human decency. Of course, as ADF attorneys noted, the entire case is based on whether its a fact that biological males are males, and whether a chosen gender identity is consistent with science or reality. ADF has called for the judges recusal, and rightly so since, at least in this case, hes not capable of adjudication, only activism. Francis Schaeffer and Chuck Colson were among the loudest prophetic voices of decades past, warning of the loss of what Schaeffer often called true truth, the idea that truth is objective and, to a large degree, knowable. When a federal judge announces that affirming observable biological reality is indecent, it demonstrates that more than our views about gender have changed. The basic definition of truth has changed. In other words, the most basic conflict in our culture is not just what is considered to be truth and what is not, but what we mean by truth in the first place. The classic definition is that truth refers to that which corresponds to reality. For decades now, beginning among intellectual elites and then shaping the academy and now various segments of culture, the correspondence theory of truth has been challenged by another definition: that truth is nothing more than a social construct, or views imposed on us by previous generations and those in power. As the comments of this judge make clear, this new definition of truth is now largely taken for granted, not just in universities but across different segments of our culture. How this happened is important to understand. At a very simple but hopefully not simplistic level, humans can look to three resources in seeking knowledge: revelation, reason, and experience. By revelation, I mean we can know something because God said it. By reason, I mean that through our intellects and logic, we can arrive at truth. By experience, I mean we can know because of what weve been through, or what we feel or know to be true. Throughout history, different religions and philosophies would emphasize one or more of these over the others. For example, religions that believed in God would prioritize revelation. Classic Greek thought often prioritized reason, as did the ideas of the secular Enlightenment. The Christian worldview teaches that God has revealed Himself through His creation, in His Word, and ultimately in Jesus Christ. By revelation, we know that as Image Bearers of God living in His orderly universe, our reason and intellect can grasp certain truths about the universe. In this view, knowledge is nothing less than what astronomer Johannes Kepler described as thinking Gods thoughts after him. In the decades since the Enlightenment, and especially into the 20th century, as scientific discovery and technological innovation exploded, reason became elevated as the central and definitive means of knowing truth. Skepticism about the supernatural led to a cynical distrust of revelation. Theres so much more to this story than I have space for here, but the violence and bloodshed of the twentieth century, especially among those nations and cultures considered most scientifically advanced, damaged trust in reason. If revelation was a myth and pure reason a catastrophe, whats left? Experience. This is largely where we are today, where both revelation and reason are secondary, and even expected to serve our own internal sense of reality. Experiences may not be questioned. And so, here we are, with judges who insist that males are females, governors who call abortion life sustaining, and with politicians claiming their own facts. Its easy in such a situation for Christians to miss the deeper aspects of the real challenges we face, but its not simply this issue over here or that battle of ideas over there. The struggle of our time is, at its most basic level, a struggle to define reality. Thats why, as a friend of mine says, we so often find ourselves using the same vocabulary but not the same dictionary. The battle for hearts and minds is quite often the battle over the definition of words. Defining truth is as essential as defending it. Originally posted at breakpoint.org Raipur, May 23 : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday denounced the Centre's decision to resume domestic flights from May 25 allegedly without following any standard operating procedure and said that effective steps were lacking to check the spread of Covid-19. "When there is a spike in corona positive cases in the country, if domestic flight services are resumed, it would further aggravate the situation," Baghel said in a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The Chief Minister asserted that the domestic flights should be made operational only after following strict and effective guidelines to curb the spread of the virus. He told the Union Minister that details of each passenger should be shared with states concerned in view of increasing number of corona cases. Baghel also suggested a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all passengers at a paid or state-operated facility. He said this should be conveyed to air passengers when tickets are booked. The Chief Minister said that effective guidelines on flights resumption will help the state governments to take action to control the coronavirus infections. Customers miss going to the pub for a drink. Photo: Getty Consumers have pledged to spend 3.8bn ($4.62) in the first week restaurants, pubs, bars and hotels open post COVID-19 lockdown. Almost a third are planning to go to the pub within a week of being allowed to, increasing to over half in London, according to a new survey. The public are keen to support the hospitality sector with 51% of Britons wanting to get "back to normal," says research by Caterer.com. The survey of more than 2,000 people revealed the things they missed most were seeing friends and family, socialising in restaurants, pubs and bars, going for a pint and barista-made coffee. Some 24% of men and 13% of women said pubs and restaurants closing had put a strain on their relationship at home. READ MORE: Employers face uphill battle to get workers back in the office The government has suggested that restaurants, pubs and bars may begin to re-open from 4 July. And this will be a welcome relief for the 63% of Brits keen to support local hospitality businesses as soon as possible, providing the right safety measures are in place. Nearly half of people surveyed said they had new-found appreciation of the sector, with 35% pledging to dine out more and 43% planning on tipping more. The insights from Caterer.com show that 62% of customers would feel comfortable eating in restaurants that occupied every other table only but 70% would avoid buffet-style restaurants until a vaccine is found. Some customers would even be prepared to pay a premium for enhanced cleaning in restaurants, bars and pubs (41%) and also for social distancing practices (40%). Neil Pattison, Director at Caterer.com, said: While measures like having more hand sanitiser available and training staff to introduce new cleaning regimes may be more simply implemented, social distancing measures will mean far fewer customers can be served at one time. As a result, there is deep concern about how hospitality businesses will survive economically in the short and long term. Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive from UKHospitality added: Consumer confidence is going to be key once businesses begin to reopen. It is going to be a long, hard road back to normality and venues are going to need the support of their communities." Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 20:28:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's First Lady Margaret Kenyatta on Saturday called for the need to intensify ongoing efforts to end obstetric fistula even as the country is battling with COVID-19 pandemic. Margaret said although Kenya has in the past couple of years registered encouraging decline in maternal mortality, pregnancy-related complications such as obstetric fistula and other morbidities continue to be a public health concern. "During this COVID-19 pandemic period when health concerns have been prioritized to fight the pandemic, our healthcare facilities are not only strained but also disrupted," she said in a statement on this year's International Day in Ending Obstetric Fistula being observed globally on Saturday. Margaret said she has made a firm commitment to champion advocacy in ending obstetric fistula in Kenya by 2030, by creating awareness on prevention and also by encouraging women living with the condition to seek treatment through surgical repair. "We have supported these women to integrate back into their communities and supported the training of 136 community healthcare workers who are the frontline caregivers for our women and girls," Margaret said. Obstetric fistula affects women who lack access to quality obstetric care. The disease is more prevalent among women living in communities whose cultural practices encourage early marriage and female genital mutilation, both factors increase the risk of prolonged obstructed labor leading to the condition. Enditem A group of migrants, waiting outside a Lajpat Nagar school for health screening, were sprayed with a disinfectant by an area civic body worker on Friday. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation later said it happened by mistake as the worker could not handle the pressure of the jetting machine and its official present at the spot had "apologised" to the public. Scores of migrants had gathered outside the Hemu Kalani Senior Secondary School for screening in Lajpat Nagar-3 before boarding a Shramik Special train. A video clip of the incident was circulated on social media. A worker engaged in a sanitation drive can be seen spraying disinfectant on some of the migrant workers present there. Since the school is in a residential colony, there was huge demand from residents for disinfecting the compound and the road. But due to the pressure of the jetting machine, the worker could not manage it for some moments. "The staff has already been instructed to be more careful and attentive while doing the job in future. The official present at the site apologised to public, the SDMC said in a statement. A massive number of migrant workers and their family have been attempting to reach home, by any means of transportation, while a large number of them have been undertaking the journey on foot. Also read: Coronavirus crisis: Providing free foodgrains to migrant workers not enough, says Raghuram Rajan Also read: Yatra.com to offer free bus service for 3,500 UP migrants in Delhi, Gurugram Otto Waterlander, Naftogaz Group Chief Executive Officer - Chief Transformation Officer The Ukrainian gas market has changed dramatically over the past six years: demonopolized access to the gas transmission system, dozens of Ukrainian and international traders importing gas from Europe, hundreds of suppliers competing in prices and services for Ukrainian customer. However, only the industrial sector and business are enjoying it now. Meanwhile, Ukrainian households are still enslaved by incumbent regional gas suppliers. Because of several inconsistencies in gas supply regulations, Ukrainians find it very complicated to change their gas supplier. We believe that it should be the other way round, with Ukrainian customer put in the focus of the gas market. They should be barraged with letters offering better conditions, additional options and discounts, rather than haunt offices of gas suppliers and the regulator in order to terminate or conclude a contract. The liberalized gas market should protect Ukrainians through encouraging effective competition among suppliers offering best price to their customers. Instead of a consistent solution to the problem, we continue to hear criticisms about further liberalization of the gas market for households. Something like Ukrainians will stop paying their gas bills if they change their supplier; or new suppliers may happen to be mala fide. International practices show that these problems are solved by the free market with freedom of supplier choice, competition and better services for customers. For Ukrainians to enjoy fair and market pricing, there should be competition among gas suppliers like in any other product or service market. This is the only way to make suppliers most flexible, efficient, innovative and consumer friendly. Naftogaz group participated in each stage of the gas market liberalization for the industrial sector, including successful GTS unbundling, reverse gas flow from Europe and contribution to the liquidity of the market. Thanks to the integration in the European market, gas prices for industrial users have almost halved over the past three years. Naftogaz is ready to be a driver of the gas market reform for households as well. We can play the most difficult part of a last resort supplier at the initial stage of the market, ensuring gas supply to any customer who is left without a supplier. Meanwhile, we want to participate in growing competition among suppliers. Currently, Naftogaz is supplying gas directly to just 2% of its household customers, while due to the PSO regime, we cannot compete with intermediaries that are reselling our gas to Ukrainians. The market liberalization for households will enable our Naftogaz of Ukraine Gas Supply Company to provide services to Ukrainians in any region of the country. To cope with the rest of difficulties, we need support from the government, parliament and regulator. Customers need to be enabled to switch to a new supplier freely and quickly (with a single click). All transactions should be performed by operators of gas transmission and distribution systems as well as new and previous suppliers without consumers personal attendance. Like an industrial customer, a household should be able to switch by providing EIC code to a new supplier. To introduce effective influence on mala fide customers, the utility legislation needs to be amended to include civilized international collection practices. Suppliers and customers should be free to decide on payment conditions and procedures, as the new market enables to mix products, for example, to provide service packages including gas and electricity or gas and Internet. Why do we suggest that the market reform be accelerated and completed this year? Because now is the best time to shift from government control to transparent market pricing. Prices in both European and Ukrainian gas markets are exceptionally favorable this year. They are more than 50% lower against the previous year and continue to go down. These market conditions encourage competition among suppliers and clearly demonstrate the advantages of the market to customers. This shift will release the government from constant political risks of being blamed for unfair pricing or covering up someones abuse. The market will set price and conditions while customer will get the best offer. The Socialist Equality Party and our election campaign denounce the escalation of the Trump administrations fascistic attack on immigrants. Trump has expedited the deportations of over 1,000 children since March, shipping them to dangerous home countries before they can claim asylum in the US. The unaccompanied minors have primarily been deported to Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, the United Nations childrens agency UNICEF said Thursday, despite grave concerns for their safety. An additional 447 migrant children have been deported to Guatemala and Honduras by Mexican authorities over the same period, according to UNICEF. In many instances, children are fleeing countries and hometowns where they have been raped, beaten or had a parent killed, according to attorneys and advocates. The agency warned that children returned by the United States and Mexico faced added discrimination because they are perceived as infected with COVID-19. Immigration lawyers and human rights advocates have stated that some children have been woken up in the dead of the night in detention centers and loaded onto planes with zero notice to relatives. Others have been pushed back into Mexico just hours after being taken into custody. They have joined the tens of thousands of migrants forced to eke out an existence in squalid tent camps and crowded shelters along the US/Mexico border. A total of 95 unaccompanied minors traveling without their parents were deported to Guatemala in March, a figure that is up 500 percent since January, according to the Guatemalan government. At least 92 have been deported to Guatemala during the first half of April. The American government is directly responsible for the widespread infection of immigrants in detention facilities with the coronavirus. Adding insult to injury, many of the adult and child deportees arriving by plane to Central America are shunned. Twenty percent of known cases have been linked to the arrival of deportees. In a statement this past week, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said, COVID-19 is making a bad situation even worse. Discrimination and attacks are now added to existing threats like gang violence that drove these children to leave in the first place. As of May 16, ICE reported that out of 2,368 tested, there were 1,181 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among those in custody. That the number of confirmed cases is not much higher is no doubt due to the absence of any serious testing. The Trump administration is also using the threat of COVID-19 to coerce parents to separate from their children. Lawyers representing clients in family detention jails say ICE is telling parents they will allow children to leave the facility but not parents. A horrific tragedy is unfolding. The international laws and statutes for children that once offered special protections for immigrant youth seeking asylum have been made a dead letter by this administration. The Trump administration is justifying the new practices under a 1944 law that grants the president broad power to block foreigners from entering the country in order to prevent the serious threat of a dangerous disease. Washingtons sweeping anti-immigrant laws, border closures and travel bans have been presented as a response to the pandemic, when in fact they have long been prepared by a team of fascists, including the main architect of Trumps immigration policy, Stephen Miller. According to White House officials, Miller had long viewed the special protections offered to minors as a major hurdle to carrying out full immigration bans and an obstacle for speedy deportations. Additionally, anonymous officials told the Times that Miller had long pushed for the invocation of the presidents broad public health powers. He tried this in 2019, when an outbreak of mumps spread throughout immigration jails across six states. Miller tried again that same year when Border Patrol stations were hit with an aggressive flu season. The Trump administration is using the pandemic as an opportunity to escalate its fascistic attacks. The Democratic Party, for its part, is complicit. From the beginning of the administration, the Democrats worked to channel all opposition to Trump, including over the attack on immigrants, behind their reactionary, militarist anti-Russia campaign. Earlier this week, Joe Biden, the Democrats presumptive presidential nominee, feigned concern over the deportation of the children, tweeting, Donald Trump is using a global health crisis as an excuse to deport children and continue separating families. The statement is nauseating in its hypocrisy. The Obama administration laid the basis for mass deportations and ICE raids, and it built the majority of detention prisons in the country. For this, Obama came to be known as the deporter-in-chief, with Biden his vice president. The Democratic Party has never had any qualms regarding deporting children and adults, or making them suffer in the freezing cold detention centers known as hieleras or iceboxes, where sexual, physical and verbal abuse is rampant. The Socialist Equality Party demands an immediate end to deportations. All immigrants and refugees must be provided with safe housing, a livable income and universal access to testing and health care. These rights must be guaranteed to all workers as part of the necessary response to the coronavirus pandemic. The SEP rejects all attempts to divide workers through the promotion of nationalism and xenophobia. Immigrants in the US have been particularly exposed to the coronavirus, with large numbers of immigrant workers in meatpacking and other industries where the virus has spread rapidly. Along with native-born workers, their lives and safety are in immense danger as a result of the back-to-work campaign of the ruling class. The SEP fights for the international unity of the working class. The coronavirus pandemic demonstrates that all the problems confronting mankind are global problems, and that the interests of workers in every country are the same. We stand for a socialist policy of open borders: the right of all workers to live in the country they choose, with full equality and citizenship rights. The resources exist to ensure the safety and livelihood of all workers. The problem is the capitalist system which monopolizes the vast majority of humanitys wealth into the hands of a tiny corporate and financial elite. The ruling class has utilized the pandemic to fill their pockets, handing itself trillions of dollars all while spearheading the campaign with the Trump administration for workers to return to work and risk their lives, as well as the lives of their loved ones. The fight for the rights of immigrants is inextricably connected to the fight to unify the entire working class in opposition to capitalism and for socialism. We call on all workers to take up this struggle by joining the SEP and supporting our election campaign. When Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan, the last ruler of the Mongol empire's Ilkhanate, surveyed his domain in the year 1330, he must have been really pleased with himself. He held power over a vast region stretching from the Indus River to the Mediterranean. It included a network of trade and military routes that stretched thousands of miles across Persia and the Fertile Crescent into Anatolia. The caravans carrying spices and fabrics generated vast wealth for him and his courtesans. Profits from tolls, taxes and tributes sustained a life of splendour for him, his wives and his offspring. He was only 25 years old. Within five years, it was all gone. The Ilkhanate had disintegrated into a collection of squabbling armies overseen by lesser warlords, his achievements and successes forever obscured by time. Abu Sa'id himself was dead, either at the hands of his own men, or by a surging disease that was the primary cause of the unrest and agony throughout his domain: the Black Death. The pandemic had swept across Eurasia and left tens of millions dead. Just as the coronavirus spread across the world via jet planes that are the lifeblood of today's global economy, the deadly 14th-century pathogen traversed the same desert trade routes and sea channels that were the source of the empire's power and wealth. The Black Death killed as many as 70% of the people in the cities, towns and villages through which it swept. According to scholars, it wiped out an estimated 50 years of economic growth. In recent years, scholars and scientists have done genetic tracing of skeletal remains to sketch out the Black Death's course through the world. The coronavirus pandemic now gripping the planet is a once-in-a-lifetime disaster that has drastically changed the rhythms of global commerce and daily life. The passenger planes crisscrossing the world have largely stopped, decreasing by 60%. Streets and motorways filled with cars during commuting hours are still. One report suggests UK road traffic has dropped to 1955 levels. The disease threatens the livelihoods of billions of people, as well as the lives of millions. Even in the unlikely event a vaccine is developed by year's end, as Donald Trump has predicted, the aftermath of the disruption will reverberate for decades. Throughout history, disease has frequently reshaped politics and society, altered the course of empires, changed the trajectories of wars and drastically impacted civilisations. "People are waking up to pandemics," says Uli Schamiloglu, a professor of the history of diseases at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan. "Throughout Eurasia, you have had outbreaks of disease that have changed the course of history." Despite the Aids and Ebola epidemics of recent decades, historians of disease say we've been living in a golden age of maladies that followed the introduction of penicillin, used to treat bacterial infections, vaccines to prevent viruses and public health and hygiene innovations, which have stemmed the tide of illnesses such as cholera. For much of history, plagues have shadowed us, shaped relations between people, feeding into bigotry and prejudices, wiping out fortunes and creating new ones. Smallpox famously ravaged the indigenous populations of the Americas, paving the way for European colonisation. Measles wiped out the monarchy overseeing the Hawaiian islands in 1848. We've already had tastes of the sorts of impacts disease can have. Mad cow disease badly damaged UK agriculture and swine flu dealt a near death-blow to Egypt's pork industry, which struck hard at the country's Coptic Christians. According to a Centres for Disease Control paper, a 2015 outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) in the Republic of Korea, which caused only 32 deaths, cost the country's tourism sector $2.6bn. The Black Death wiped away decades of economic progress in 14th-century Eurasia, destroying skilled crafts, draining labour supplies, and leaving harvests uncollected. The current pandemic is already laying waste to industries such as air travel and tourism and economists worry that coronavirus could wreak lasting havoc on much of the world. The World Bank predicts sub-Saharan Africa will experience its first recession in a quarter of a century, with half of all jobs lost, and South Asia will suffer more than at any time since the 1970s. It could take decades to make up the shortfalls. "This pandemic doesn't strike proportionally," says Stephen Casper, a professor of the history of science and associate director of the honours programme at Clarkson University in upstate New York. "It will hit pilots and doctors harder than bankers. It takes a long time to train a doctor. It takes a long time to train a pilot." In contrast to previous pandemics, the fear of coronavirus - speeding through the global electronic media - is having as much, if not more, of an impact than Covid-19 itself. Just as the 9/11 terrorist attacks reshaped our perceptions and protocols about security, so, too, will this pandemic reformulate the way we think about engaging in public spaces - everything from going to restaurants, to taking public transportation, to working in open-plan offices. "It's not that everyone's dying of coronavirus," says Paul Buell, a scholar who has studied the impact of diseases throughout Asia. "It's that the panic is destroying us slowly. I don't think anywhere near as many people are going to be dead as the Black Death. The casualty is going to be our society and the way we live." In an ideal world, a global pandemic brings people together. What better time to acknowledge our common humanity and shared goals than an attack by an invisible pathogen that threatens all of us regardless of race, class, or national origin? But far more often than not, disease has increased hatred and polarisation, driving wedges between social classes and ethnic groups. Throughout world history, diseases have been associated with the poor, or untouchables. Carriers, or suspected carriers, have been shunned, barred, quarantined in isolation - recall the leper colonies - or further stigmatised, as gay men were during the Aids epidemic of the 1980s. Even during the first few months of the coronavirus crisis, there have been recriminations and divisions, with older people hysterically demonising the youth who flouted social distancing guidelines and celebrated spring break on the beaches of Florida. The pandemic has also amplified discrimination against the elderly, with many seemingly blaming their frailty and susceptibility to the pandemic for lockdown and social distancing measures that have brought the world economy to a halt. "Sacrifice the weak, re-open (Tennessee)," said a sign held up by one woman in the southern American state last month. "There is a need to say that this group of people did something bad here," says Casper. "To foreground a group of people strikes me as poorly thought-out, but consistent with what we've seen in past epidemics." On May 8, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guiterres, warned that the pandemic had unleashed a "tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering" - targeting Jews, Muslims, migrants, refugees and the elderly. Covid-19, he pleaded, "does not care who we are, where we live, what we believe, or about any other distinction". "Could it not be contrived to send the smallpox among those disaffected tribes of Indians?" Jeffrey Amherst wrote. "We must, on this occasion, use every stratagem in our power to reduce them." And though military conventions stigmatise and international laws strictly forbid the use of biological weapons, even today's combatants are not above exploiting a pandemic for military gain. In Libya and Yemen, for example, both combatants have sought to use the coronavirus pandemic to make battlefield advances, despite the entreaties of international aid organisations. Iran and the United States have sharpened their rhetoric and brinkmanship, each convinced the other is too distracted grappling with the pandemic to respond. Just this week came word of a thwarted attempt by a group led by former American military officials to overthrow the government of Venezuela, which is struggling despite a battered economy to contain the pandemic. And Israel has been accused of using the cover of Covid to step up its bombing campaign in Syria. Disease has been an underrated catalyst for political change, but the outcome is never wholly predictable. For example, while the Black Death devastated the Mongol system, it seems to have led to the rises of the absolute state in Europe, and bolstered the power of the Church. "What happens when you have huge amounts of demographic decline in a short period of time?" asks Schamiloglu. "In the nomadic states, it leads to total anarchy. For Russia and Europe, it seems to have helped more states become stronger. There was increased religiosity, increased morbidity and an obsession with death." Plagues and pandemics repeatedly pummelled British-controlled India. Authorities responded by blaming the hygiene habits of the poor; and there are accounts of families being turned out of their homes and their meagre possessions burnt in early-20th-century Bombay for being suspected carriers of disease. Expand Close The Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918 The Spanish Flu (1918-20) killed about 50 million people worldwide. Up to 12 million people died in India, although historians cannot agree on a real number. The state's mishandling of the pandemic fanned the flames of a new nationalism that would eventually lead to massive political change and the eventual birth of modern India. "When the pandemic ended, you had deep anger at the ruling elites," says Sanjoy Bhattacharya, a professor of the history of medicine at the University of York. "It brought out the nationalists such as Mahatma Gandhi." Just as disease tends to pit the well-off against the poor, its aftermath often forces scrutiny of power, and brings about political change. Outbreaks of cholera in the 19th century eventually gave birth to public health in the 1870s, to decent sanitation and sewerage systems and the rise of progressive mass politics in Western states. Modern science explained the origins of disease in viruses and bacteria rather than the moral failings of the poor or underclass. The rich and captains of industry came to realise that allowing the poor to fester in disease-stricken Dickensian urban hellscapes was not only economically damaging and morally repugnant - and a threat to themselves. It was the outbreak of malaria among US soldiers during the Second World War that prompted the creation of what became the Centres for Disease Control, the once-admired and frequently copied American institution that battles pandemics. It was the 2003 outbreak of the SARS coronavirus in Far East Asia that prompted the founding eight years later of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, which has been celebrated for devising the city-state's relatively successful response to the coronavirus pandemic. In the US, Britain and elsewhere, the coronavirus is forcing scrutiny of the neo-liberal elites and the dismantling of the welfare state in favour of the gig economy. Bankers, corporate lawyers and CEOs get to shelter in luxury condos while underpaid supermarket clerks, nurses and delivery guys risk their health to keep them sustained. A reckoning may come. "What pandemics do is expose the rifts between the haves and the have-nots," Bhattacharya says. "Those fractures come out. Unchecked pandemics and disease are certainly a threat to the structures that support our economic systems today." All is not lost. The global economy could well pull through. The Spanish Flu pandemic killed an estimated 50 million people. But while there is evidence that it caused immediate economic distress, it was followed by a decade of immense growth that was only curtailed by the market plunge of 1929. "There was a lot of effort on a public level to forget about what happened," says Casper. "This 'moving-forwardism' is the way newspapers were talking and the way captains of industry and leaders are now speaking. I imagine we'll also see a similar push for normalcy." The world also hustled past the 1968 Hong Kong flu pandemic, which killed millions worldwide, but didn't appear to calm that era's can-do spirit. But careful handling of the aftermath of a pandemic is of crucial importance. An extraordinary study, released recently by the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, traced the rise of extremism in Nazi Germany to the aftermath of the Spanish Flu pandemic. The study, prepared by economist Kristian Blickle, found a correlation between high influenza deaths and an increase in the share of votes won by Nazis in crucial 1932 and 1933 elections. Why? Possibly because those areas of Germany that suffered the highest population loss during the pandemic wound up spending less per capita in the following decade on people, including on education and programmes for youth. Historical texts, newspaper accounts and dry economic analyses fail to draw a full picture of the effects of disease. The countless ways in which disease destroys human lives are often lost to history. Polio decimated entire communities, destroying individual potentials and draining families of income. Even the current pandemic is hurting children forced to stay indoors, depriving some of precious months of schooling - especially if their parents are too harried, or simply not intellectually capable of teaching them. Bhattacharya notes that sometimes he takes his students out for coffee or lunch, to talk about their work and careers. Giving occasional lectures over the internet, he's no longer able to do that. "If you multiply that exponentially, you can see what a deep economic impact it could have," he says. What we fail to really understand about diseases is the magnitude of their impact on private lives. "One of the things that we learn from any sort of pandemic or outbreak is that the stress and implications for individual families is very high," says Clarkson. "And it's easy to force people to take their grief private." In the aftermath of any pandemic, people should take the time to grieve, and to consider and account for all that has been lost. Buell, the scholar, recalls a story of an Italian priest in Europe after the Black Death singing the verses of a well-known religious hymn to a tune that sounded strange and unfamiliar to a visitor from abroad. "Why do you sing it this way?" the visitor asked. "Everyone who knew how to sing it," explained the priest, "has died." The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected the University of the Incarnate Words argument that it is immune to a wrongful-death lawsuit stemming from the fatal 2013 shooting of a student by a campus police officer. After five years of appeals, the suit filed by the family of Cameron Redus, who was a senior when he was killed, can proceed in state District Court in Bexar County. Brent Perry, the Houston-based lawyer representing the Redus family, said he anticipated a trial sometime next year, citing the delays the coronavirus pandemic has imposed on jury trials. Were glad that were going to get a chance to seek justice for Cameron and his family, finally, Perry said. Its never good to have justice delayed this long. The university issued a statement late Friday thanking the court for its detailed and thorough opinion, acknowledging the grieving family of Cameron Redus, and saying it looks forward to the resolution of this matter for the Redus family and our UIW community. Former UIW Police Department Cpl. Christopher Carter suspected Redus of driving drunk near the university in December 2013 and tried to arrest him in an apartment complex parking lot. Redus fought the officer, who after a prolonged struggle shot him multiple times. A grand jury in 2014 declined to indict Carter, prompting the Redus family, of Baytown, to sue. Required Reading: Get San Antonio education news sent directly to your inbox The university, represented by Austin-based attorney Amy Warr, argued that its police force, with state-licensed officers, is a governmental agency entitled to sovereign immunity, which protects the state against costly litigation at public expense. The university said a financial verdict against it could force the closure of its police force. In an opinion written by Justice Jane Bland, the court ruled private universities with police departments are not arms of state government and giving the university sovereign immunity isnt consistent with the doctrines purpose. Although the university obtained state approval to form its police department, the universitys governing board is in charge, Bland wrote. That board is not accountable to the taxpayers or to public officials. Chief Justice Nathan Hecht disagreed. The issue is not whether private universities should have sovereign immunity but whether private-university police departments, as distinct operations, should have the same immunity as city police departments have, Hecht wrote in his dissenting opinion. A state district court initially ruled against UIW and the 4th Court of Appeals ruled in 2015 that the university could not appeal under the law that governs sovereign immunity because it did not meet the definition of a government unit. The Texas Supreme Court in 2017 said the university was covered for purposes of law enforcement by the statute that allows appeals, and sent the case back to the appeals court to consider the immunity claim. The appellate court ruled against the university in 2018, a decision the Texas Supreme Court upheld Friday. The university initially rejected public records requests concerning the Redus shooting by claiming it did not have to comply with the Texas Public Information Act as a private institution. That changed after a 2015 law required private universities police departments to follow state public records rules. Alia Malik covers several school districts and the University of Texas at San Antonio. To read more from Alia, become a subscriber. amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 06:35:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 22 (Xinhua) -- African Americans and Latinos are nearly three times as likely to personally know someone who has died of the coronavirus than white Americans, according to a new poll released Friday. Thirty percent of black adults and 26 percent of Latino adults across the country said they know a victim of the coronavirus, who died either from the disease or from complications related to the virus. For white adults, the corresponding figure is only 10 percent, the ABC News/Ipsos poll found. The findings are consistent with local and national data reported by states and cities that revealed racial and ethnic minorities suffer a disproportionate share of the negative health and economic outcomes from the pandemic. In New York City, black Americans and Latinos are two times more likely to be hospitalized and to die from COVID-19 than whites, said an ABC News report. In the southern state of Louisiana, although black residents only comprise a third of the population, they accounted for 70 percent of the deaths in the state, as of last month, according to the report. The new poll came as the death toll approaches 100,000 and confirmed cases of COVID-19 top 1.5 million in the country. Enditem The stake purchase was undertaken at a price of B4 per share, said the source. The purchase cut the Finance Ministrys holding in the national carrier to 48%, immediately stripping the carrier of its state enterprise status. The Vayupak 1 Fund has the status of a juristic person, not a state enterprise, even though it was established by a 2003 Cabinet resolution, the source told the Bangkok Post. THAI shares closed at B4.90 on Friday, down B0.35 or 6.67%, in trade worth B285.2 million. A source at the Finance Ministry said the airline will now submit its application to the Central Bankruptcy Court for rehabilitation under the bankruptcy law, with THAI proposing itself as the rehab planner. "That process needs to be done as soon as possible, otherwise creditors may submit themselves to the court as planners," said the source. In addition, if the government wants to have its representatives serve as plan administrators, they must first sit on the THAI board. By law, only members of the board can be nominated as plan administrators by the debtor. Creditors, however, can oppose the debtors proposal. THAI has outstanding debts worth B200 billion, 30% of which is domestically owned. Meanwhile, the Finance and Transport ministries will jointly set up a "superboard", a new panel to monitor the rehabilitation plan for the carrier. The board will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, who oversees the governments legal affairs. The superboard itself will not implement the plan but only "scrutinise" the work and report its progress to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said yesterday after talks with Mr Wissanu and Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana. It was earlier reported that the two ministries were locking horns over the composition of the new board set to supervise the airline after the Finance Ministrys stake sell-off. The Transport Ministry, for example, wanted to pack the board with its own people. Mr Saksayam said the superboard will submit a list of candidates to serve as potential rehab planners for court approval. The Transport Ministry already has four representatives in mind to form the superboard, he said. They are deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senneam, who supervises THAI; Chaiwat Tongkamkoon, permanent secretary for transport; Chayathan Promsorn, chief of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning; and Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, a former justice minister. Other members will be nominated by the Finance Ministry after the cabinet officially allows it to play a role on the superboard. But Mr Uttama said what he is really concerned with at the moment is the ongoing trade of THAI shares on the stock market, whose price has skyrocketed "unusually". "Ive asked the Stock Exchange of Thailand to look into the issue to find out whether its normal," Mr Uttama said. Black money gets the no questions asked whitewash Secret elite who benefit from coronavirus calamity View(s): View(s): Two weeks ago, the Lankan branch of a worldwide anti-corruption monitoring body raised the alarm over the Lankan governments decision to allow the inflow of foreign exchange into the country on a no questions asked basis that runs contrary to the existing legal framework. Two weeks ago, the Lankan branch of a worldwide anti-corruption monitoring body raised the alarm over the Lankan governments decision to allow the inflow of foreign exchange into the country on a no questions asked basis that runs contrary to the existing legal framework. Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) the local chapter of Transparency International which has 90 chapters worldwide, stated Whilst TISL recognises the need for policies to bolster foreign currency reserves, we strongly believe that any new policies should be consistent with Sri Lankas anti-money-laundering framework. The Lankan governments extraordinary decision to lay the red carpet of welcome for foreign money from whatever source on a no questions asked basis came just two weeks after the country was embroiled in the coronavirus crisis and under an indefinite curfew. While the nation was gripped with the corona fear and its resources were being marshalled to meet its deadly threat, the bugle was being blown of the need to attract foreign money to provide the government the financial wherewithal for the virus war. The man chosen to play host and do the honours of garlanding every coveted shady foreign exchange package with a rose wreathe of incentives is the Governor of the Central Bank, Professor W. D. Lakshman, who, with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers, appealed on April 2 to all Sri Lankans and well-wishers here and abroad to consider depositing their savings and other funds in foreign currency within the Sri Lankan banking system as a gesture of goodwill and assistance. The danger in granting approval carte blanche to Lankans and to all foreigners to park their foreign money in Lanka is that if the Government is not careful and does not introduce some measure of safeguards to prevent its misuse, the Central Bank Governors Cabinet sanctioned letter may well be misunderstood to mean that it is an open invite for the spoils of corruption and the evil gains of the international drug mafia to flow freely to the Lanka Launderette Inc. for a thorough whitening rinse and a tumble dry with no questions asked as to its stained origins. And what are the carrots dangled to trigger the bonanza rush? To make the manna fall from a hazy heaven? The Central Bank Governor in his letter of invitation issues a guarantee on behalf of the Central Bank and the Government. He states: that the Government, the Central Bank or any other Government authority guarantees that the foreign currency deposits into the Sri Lankan banking system will be accepted without any hindrance that it further guarantees the future convertibility of these deposits into foreign currency whenever it is desired to do so, that all forex remittances will be exempted from exchange control regulations and taxes, an that it will be protected under banking secrecy provisions; that this offer will commence on 2 April 2020 and will remain valid for a period of three months. Thus those who havent still availed themselves of this opportunity still have the opportunity until 2 July 2020 to do so, These exemptions from the strict provisions of the Financial Transactions Reporting Act (FTRA) which is the main legislative tool for detecting and investigating money laundering has been prompted, perhaps, by the exigencies that have risen from the COVID crisis. In fact the Central Bank Governor expressly cites the COVID crisis as the reason. He writes in his invitation letter that this is in support of a wide ranging effort to safeguard the people from the coronavirus, to bring its spread under control and to provide healthcare and social security to the people. Your foreign currency deposits in Sri Lanka banking system at this difficult stage will be of immense help to the authorities to tide over the present crisis. But the CB Governor has so far failed to explain to the Sri Lankan public how the sudden influx of questionable foreign exchange deposits to the Sri Lanka banking system will help the authorities to tide over the present crisis? Especially when the Central Bank and the Government guarantee that the foreign deposits can take sudden flight, in the same foreign currency it was brought in, to realms elsewhere at the whim of the depositor? Or explain how it will help the authorities to tide over the present crises, when there seems to be no bar for it to remain in the Sri Lanka banking system but can be withdrawn the instant the money is deposited in the banks and even kept idle under his bed if the depositors whim and fancy so dictate it? It does not seem to be even a temporary loan to the Government returnable on demand, nor does there seem to be any proviso making it mandatory that it be invested in Government Treasury Bills or other ventures during its sojourn in Lanka. On the face of it, as things have been explained in the Central Bank Governors invitation letter, it appears to be that all the attendant privileges have been granted to it, including the waiver of all taxes, not to help the authorities tide over the present coronavirus crisis by one iota. Instead it seems designed to be the gateway for depositors the world over to bring their foreign exchange hoards to Lanka in complete secrecy without fear and on a no questions asked basis, use it any which way they like, even to finance terrorism, and send it packing off to another banking system probably attached with a clean bill of health. A certificate that will excuse the hoard from being quarantined in another nations central bank, pending queries as to its legitimate status. The Central Bank Governor also states in his letter: This announcement and appeal is made following a decision of the Government of Sri Lanka, made during the April 1st meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. The Cabinet has decided to suspend all restrictions on foreign currency inflows to Sri Lanka during COVID-19 preventive period, defined as the three (3) months commencing 2 April 2020. The Finance Transactions Reporting Act provides for the collection of data relating to suspicious financial transactions to facilitate the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of the offences of money laundering and financing of terrorism. The task and the overall objective of the Financial Investigative Unit set up under the same Act, is to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and related crimes in Sri Lanka. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act was enacted to prohibit money laundering in Sri Lanka and to provide the necessary measures to combat and prevent money laundering. While the general norm in criminal law, enshrined in Article 13 (5) of the Lankan Constitution, is the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the Money Laundering Act is the exception to the rule, whereby the accused is presumed guilty unless he can prove his innocence. Under this act, it is presumed that any movable or immovable property acquired by a person has been derived or realised directly or indirectly from any unlawful activity, or are the proceeds of any unlawful activity, if such property has been acquired beyond the known income of a person. The onus of proving his innocence by evidence to the contrary will lie on the accused. Today, the operation of these two Acts have been deemed suspended on account of Cabinet approval having been granted to keep it in limbo for three months between 2 April and 2 July. On March 2, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolved Parliament and called for elections to elect a new Parliament. With the dissolution, all members of Parliament ceased to be members forthwith. Only a skeleton cabinet, as sanctioned by the constitution, remained in office, to temporarily oversee the governments day to day administration until a new Parliament was elected. Thus, when the Cabinet of Ministers met on April 1, it was merely the meeting of a temporary caretaker Cabinet; and the question, therefore, arises whether the temporary caretaker Cabinets approval on that day to suspend the provisions of existing legislation, namely, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and Financial Transactions Reporting Act, both, ironically, enacted during Mahinda Rajapaksas first presidential term in 2006, has the compelling force of law? As Transparency International Sri Lanka Executive Director Asoka Obeyesekere said: At a time when there is an unprecedented lack of parliamentary and judicial oversight on Government actions, coupled with limited proactive disclosure of information, corruption risks and vulnerabilities are exacerbated. It would therefore be unwise for a caretaker Government to implement policies which could encourage money-laundering, with potentially far reaching detrimental effect to the Sri Lankan economy. On May 7, the European Commission de-listed Sri Lanka from its list of High Risk Third Countries. Lanka was removed from the Grey List of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). But with Lankas new money-laundering exposure, it risks FATF blacklisting again, which has far-reaching consequences on domestic banking and economic activity. What a pity when the nation is on the right track to attract bona fide investments and strengthen the banking systems credibility, it has chosen to make a U-turn under cover of COVID expediency and despoil it. And created a new set of sacred cows to park their deposits of dubious origin with no questions asked in the safe haven of Lankas banking system: A shadowy moneyed elite whose names and the amounts deposited are granted complete anonymity under the blanket of banking secrecy with how such deposits will help win the COVID battle, still unexplained. By Online Desk Beginning Monday, the Kempegowda International Airport will start buzzing with activity after a lull of two months. A total of 215 flights on an average will arrive or depart from here daily from May 25 to June 30. In every 10 minutes, there will be a flight taking off from the airport. Airport operator, Bangalore International Airport Limited, officially announced that flights will resume operations from May 25. Meanwhile, the nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases neared 1.3 lakh on Saturday with over 6,000 new cases getting detected. More than one lakh people have tested positive for the deadly virus infection and over 3,000 have lost their lives in the past one month itself. Former billionaire Anil Ambani was ordered by a London judge to pay more than $700 million to a trio of Chinese banks following a dispute over defaulted loans. Ambani offered a personal guarantee on the banks loans to his Reliance Communications Ltd. in 2012, Judge Nigel Teare said in a ruling Friday. The tycoon, who has said his net worth is zero, has 21 days to make the payment. Ambani had always contested that he had made a personal guarantee -- something hed dismissed as an extraordinary potential personal liability -- but the summary judgment ruling means a full trial will no longer go ahead. A spokesman for Ambani said that other Reliance group operations will not be affected by the ruling. Reliance Communications filed for bankruptcy last year. The Chinese banks made their claim based on an alleged guarantee that was never signed by Mr. Ambani and he has consistently denied having authorized anyone to execute any guarantee on his behalf, the spokesman said. The amount ordered to be paid based on an alleged guarantee, will in any case reduce substantially upon the imminent resolution of Reliance Communications debt. The 60-year-old is the younger brother of Mukesh Ambani, the wealthiest man in Asia. Mukesh has bailed his brother out in the past, making a last-minute payment in an Indian case that could have seen Anil imprisoned. Meanwhile, Anil Ambani told a London court earlier this year that the value of his investments has collapsed. I do not hold any meaningful assets which can be liquidated for the purposes of these proceedings, he said in February. The claim was filed by three state-controlled Chinese banks including Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. By Trend President of the Republic of India Ram Nath Kovind has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani presidential press-service. I have the pleasure of extending warm greetings and felicitations to Your Excellency and the friendly people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of your Republic Day, the letter said. India and Azerbaijan share close cultural and historical links which are reflected in our mutual desire to strengthen our bilateral cooperation, the letter said. I hope that our joint efforts would further strengthen our multi-faceted cooperation. The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented challenge to humankind, the letter said. India remains committed to work together with the international community to defeat this disease. I convey my best wishes for Your Excellencys good health and personal well-being, as well as for the continued progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Azerbaijan, the letter said. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration, the letter said. The Trifecta of Black Disempowerment: Poverty, Pollution, and the Pandemic They say what doesnt kill you makes you stronger. But what hasnt been killing us has actually made us weaker. Last month, I joined a coalition of more than 50 prominent African American community leaders in Los Angeles to issue 55 demands to public officials on the needs of Black men, women, and children in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The countrys largest cities released numbers showing the novel coronavirus is having a disproportionate impact on racial minorities. Epidemiologists say this is because my Black and Brown brothers and sisters often live close together in multigenerational households, work in jobs in which we interact closely with others, and have higher rates of asthma, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and other conditions. Officials in Los Angeles County said that Black people alone accounted for 17% of COVID-19 deaths where race was known yet African-Americans make up only about 9% of the countys population. ADVERTISEMENT Thats just a fancy way of saying Black and Brown people are getting screwed. Again. This nexus between health and race was further highlighted when the environment became part of the discourse. Researchers at Harvard University just published a study linking coronavirus deaths and patients with long-term exposure to pollution, especially fine particles. Unsurprisingly, air pollution weakens the immune system. The COVID-19 impact is simply a new twist in what I refer to as the same old story. Its not that pollution per se harms Black and Brown people more; its not that the coronavirus per se harms Black and Brown people more. Its that poverty creates conditions that make us more susceptible to death, time and again. And 22% of African Americans live at or below the poverty line. Martin Luther King Jr. said the three major evils of America are racism, poverty, and war. This COVID-19 epidemic has cruelly illustrated another epidemic, one that is so deeply ingrained in our culture, weve become accustomed to it. We have allowed those living in poverty to become invisible and it is costing us our lives. Enter South Los Angeles, where I have pastored for over 20 years. Historically, this is a predominantly African American community and now a largely Latino community. It is located just south of Downtown Los Angeles at the intersection of the heavily trafficked 110, 105 and 10 freeways, near the worlds third busiest airport. We are no strangers to poor air quality. Communities of color throughout this state often live in neighborhoods with poor air quality, and as a result, disproportionately suffer from environmentally sensitive diseases such as cancer and asthma. We dont need expensive, aspirational goals that would take years to make a difference. We need immediate action that saves lives now. ADVERTISEMENT On the novel coronavirus front, Chicago Mayor Lightfoot shifted larger transit buses into predominantly Black neighborhoods so riders could social distance more easily. Detroit Mayor Duggan coordinated $2 rides for people who wanted to be tested, but dont have easy transit to testing centers. Were calling on California leaders to be equally decisive and immediate on both the pandemic and pollution front, since we know these issues are inseparable. Eliminating emissions by relying solely on electric vehicles will take considerable time and money two luxuries that many communities across California simply cannot afford. More extensive public transit is great, but given the size of Los Angeles, it may be more aspirational than practical. Lets work with the solutions we have on hand now. We can upgrade old diesel trucks that pollute our air with near-zero emissions technologies. We can ban highly toxic additives in gasoline that are slowly poisoning our families. We can hold petroleum companies accountable for the damage their products have inflicted on our urban communities, especially as they are poised to get millions, if not billions, in bailout money. Environmentalism has traditionally been the purview of elite, yet the cost is borne mostly by the down and out. We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines as decision-makers ponder theoretical solutions. Our lives depend on practical and immediate action. It very well might be the key to true strength and survival, not only for my community, but also for all of Earths people. Pastor William D. Smart Jr., Co-Pastor Christ Liberation Ministries President/ CEO Southern Christian Leadership Conference -Southern California Haiti - FLASH : Presidential decree setting the general rules for protecting the population from Covid-19 President Jovenel Moise published in the official journal Le Moniteur #88 of Thursday, May 21, 2020, the decree establishing the general rules for the protection of the population in the event of a Pandemic / Epidemic, with numerous obligations and sanctions, which we invite you to discover. Decree : "[....] Article 1.- This Decree sets the general rules for protecting the population in the event of a pandemic / epidemic. These rules apply from the entry into force of the Decree declaring a state of health emergency until its repeal. Article 2.- In order to slow down the spread of the pandemic, hygiene and social distancing measures, known as 'barriers', defined at national level, and all other necessary measures depending on the nature of the pandemic, adopted by Order adopted Council of Ministers, must be observed in all places and in all circumstances. Article 3.- Any driver of vehicle or transport equipment shall cleaning with disinfectant of the vehicle or transport equipment at least once a day. The vehicle or transport equipment is permanently ventilated. The violation of these provisions by the driver is liable to three thousand (3,000.00) Gourdes of fine, five (5) days imprisonment or fifteen (15) days of community service to be determined by the Municipal Council. Article 4.- The driver of a vehicle or transport equipment communicates to travelers the hygiene and social distancing measures, called 'barriers', or any other measures necessary according to the nature of pandemic / epidemic, including in particular the obligation for the travelers to wear a protective mask or personal protective equipment protecting at least the mouth and nose. The driver ensures that these measures are respected by travelers. In the event of a violation, he is liable to one of the penalties provided for in the third paragraph of article 3. Article 5.- The driver is authorized to refuse access to the vehicle or transport equipment to any person who refuses to wear a protective mask or personal protective equipment protecting at least the mouth and nose or who does not comply not to the other measures to combat the pandemic / epidemic adopted by Decree taken in the Council of Ministers. Article 6.- Any gathering, meeting or activity bringing together more than five (5) people simultaneously, in an enclosed or open environment, is prohibited on the territory of the Republic, under penalty of three thousand (3,000.00) Gourdes of fine, five (5) days imprisonment or fifteen days of community service to be determined by the Municipal Council. Article 7.- Having regard to the health situation: 1) Conservation care is prohibited on the body of the deceased suffering from or probably suffering from the virus responsible for the pandemic / epidemic at the time of their death; 2) The deceased, affected or probably affected by the virus responsible for the pandemic / epidemic at the time of their death, are immediately put in Berre. The practice of mortuary toilet is prohibited for these deceased, to the exclusion of post-mortem care by health professionals. The care and toilet which are not prohibited by this article are practiced in appropriate sanitary conditions. The violation of these provisions is punished with three thousand (3,000.00) Gourdes of fine, five (5) days of imprisonment or fifteen (15) days of community service to be determined by the Municipal Council. Article 8.- The wearing of a protective mask or personal protective equipment, protecting at least the mouth and nose or any other equipment for combating the pandemic / epidemic, determined by Decree taken in the Council of Ministers, is mandatory for anyone on or on public roads, under penalty of three thousand (3,000.00) gourdes fine, five (5) days imprisonment or fifteen (15) days of community service to be determined by the Municipal Council. This obligation applies in all shopping centers and establishments, public and private institutions and all spaces or areas open to the public. The provisions of the first paragraph do not apply to children under five (5) years of age, people with breathing difficulties or those who can justify other situations of necessity or force majeure. The mask should not cover more than 30% of the nose. It should leave the ears visible. Any other device used for health protection purposes must leave more than 70% of the nose, eyes, ears and forehead visible. In no case can a hood replace or be substituted for a mask. The heads of these centers and institutions, the guards of these spaces and zones ensure compliance with these provisions under penalty of fine of three thousand (3,000.00) gourdes, five (5) days imprisonment or fifteen (15) ) working days of general interest to be determined by the Municipal Council. The obligation to wear a mask or personal protective equipment, protecting at least the mouth and nose, does not preclude being asked to remove it for the strict necessity of checking the identity of the carrier. Article 9.- The curfew is maintained from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. in the event of a pandemic / epidemic, under penalty of three thousand (3,000.00) gourdes of fine, five (5) days imprisonment or fifteen (15) days of general interest work to be determined by the Municipal Council. The curfew hours can be modified by Decree taken in the Council of Ministers according to the nature and the evolution of the pandemic / epidemic. The provisions of the first paragraph do not apply to journalists, law enforcement officers on duty, medical personnel, firefighters, paramedics on duty, or other categories of professionals or persons with an authorization issued under the conditions provided by Decree taken in the Council of Ministers. Anyone using a false professional identity card to pass themselves off as the professionals provided for in the third paragraph is prosecuted and punished in accordance with the Penal Code. Article 10.- Police officers, who are not on duty or who are not in uniform, are required to respect the curfew like any other citizen, under penalty of five thousand (5,000) fine gourdes , ten (10) days imprisonment or thirty (30) days of community service to be determined by the Municipal Council. Article 11.- any law enforcement officer, who checks the identity of a person, must wear his mask or personal protective equipment protecting at least the mouth and nose and respect a distance of at least one (1) meter of the person it controls or any other measures to combat the pandemic / epidemic adopted by Decree taken in the Council of Ministers, under penalty of five thousand (5,000) gourdes fine, ten (10) days imprisonment or thirty (30) days of work of general interest to be determined by the Municipal Council. Article 12.- Anyone who has been in close contact with a patient, suffering from the pandemic / epidemic virus, must automatically quarantine himself or go for screening within a period not exceeding forty-eight (48) hours or all shorter period of time provided for by the Ministry of Public Health, and comply with all other measures to combat the pandemic / epidemic provided for by Order adopted by the Council of Ministers. Article 13.- All forms of stigma and discrimination are prohibited, under penalty of the sanctions provided by law. Article 14.- The taking of photo, video or any other image capture technique of a patient suffering from the pandemic / epidemic virus is prohibited without his authorization, under penalty of ten thousand (10,000) Gourdes fine, fifteen (15) days imprisonment or thirty (30) days of community service to be determined by the Municipal Council. Article 15.- The publication of photos, videos or any other image capture technique, on social networks, of corpses of people who died from the pandemic / epidemic is prohibited, under penalty of twenty thousand (20,000) gourdes of fine, fifteen (15) days imprisonment or thirty (30) days of community service to be determined by the Municipal Council. Article 16.- The publication of a patient's test results is prohibited without his authorization. Article 17.- Any movement of a person affected by the pandemic / epidemic is prohibited except to go to the hospital or on authorization granted under the conditions provided for by Order adopted by the Council of Ministers. Article 18.- Anyone affected by the pandemic / epidemic, who voluntarily shares the virus with another person, incurs a fine of twenty-five (25,000) thousand gourdes, without prejudice to the other penalties provided for by the Penal Code. Article 19.- Any unhealthy speech or any form of disrespect manifested towards doctors, nurses, auxiliaries or any other member of the nursing staff, is prohibited in treatment centers for persons affected by the pandemic / epidemic. Article 20.- The use of firearms in the premises of treatment centers for people affected by pandemics / epidemics is prohibited without the authorization of the Chief of Police. Article 21.- Any worker with a symptom similar to a pandemic / epidemic must stop working to go home or go to the hospital. He is remunerated in accordance with the Law. Article 22.- With the authorization of the Minister responsible for Territorial Collectivities, the Mayors may, if necessary, take other necessary measures, in terms of travel restrictions, public gatherings, quarantine, for the purposes protection of public health in their municipality. Article 23.- The penalties provided for by this Decree are pronounced by the Single Police Court competent for all discontinuing cases, without surrender or rotation, without prejudice to damages. Article 24.- For the purposes of the application of the Decree, the Municipal Councils communicate to the Single Police Courts the list of works of general interest in their commune twenty-four hours after the publication of this Decree in the Official Journal "Le Moniteur" . This list is updated periodically in the forms and conditions determined by Order adopted by the Council of Ministers. Article 25.- The particular and special rules for the protection of the population in the event of a pandemic / epidemic, as well as the related sanctions in the event of violation, are determined by Order adopted by the Council of Ministers. Article 26.- The state of health emergency, declared by the Decree of March 19, 2020 and renewed by that of April 20, 2020, is renewed for an additional period of two (2) months from the publication of this Decree. Article 27.- This Decree repeals all Laws or provisions of Laws, all Decrees-Laws or provisions of Decrees-Laws, all Decrees or provisions of Decrees which are contrary to it and will be published and executed at the behest of the Prime Minister and all the Ministers, each as far as he is concerned. Given at the National Palace, in Port-au-Prince, on May 20, 2020, Year 217 of Independence. [...]" HL/ HaitiLibre Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. D.P. writes: We run a small country pub in Herefordshire, and due to the forced closure, we are struggling to make ends meet. We do have pandemic insurance, but our insurers are refusing to pay out. I paid the premium, now it feels like the insurers don't give a damn. Our reader was insured with Lloyd's of London syndicate DTW1991 I am sure the insurers do give a damn about their own bank balance, but not yours. They represent everything that is stinking and rotten in the insurance industry. They were happy to pocket your premiums, providing cover against a disaster they thought would never happen, and now that it has happened, they try to convince you that your policy does not really mean what it says. You are insured with Lloyd's of London syndicate DTW1991 and your policy covers 'business interruption' caused by events that include public health closure arising from 'contagious or infectious human disease, an outbreak of which a competent public authority has stipulated shall be notified to them, manifested by any person whilst at the premises or within a 25-mile radius of it'. But when you made a claim, the Lloyd's syndicate called in loss adjusters Woodgate and Clark. They decided that you had not lost a penny because of Covid-19. Instead, loss adjuster Ian Hartley ruled: 'Your closure has occurred as a result of a downturn in trade due to the general Government guidance on social distancing etc.' In other words, if you unlocked your doors, your customers would stay away anyway. In any case, they added, cover only kicks in if there has been a case of the virus on your premises. This last ruling was quite simply 100 per cent nonsense, and the loss adjusters later admitted this. They then shifted their ground, with Hartley claiming: 'The premises were not ordered to close by a competent authority as a consequence of any specific local occurrence.' Impartial? Jane Nicholson of the Lloyd's syndicate There is no such wording in your policy. This is a term dreamed up by Hartley and his firm. I challenged them to justify it, but they offered no explanation. Do they really believe that the Government's closure order to all pubs has to include a town-by-town listing of all Covid-19 cases in order to be valid? Or do they just find it easier to add a new condition to your policy after the event? With Woodgate and Clark's shaky ground for rejecting your claim, you asked the actual insurers, Lloyd's syndicate DTW1991, to reconsider. Unbelievably, Jane Nicholson told you: 'I have conducted an independent investigation of your complaint.' Why unbelievable? Because Jane Nicholson is a senior figure at DTW1991, the people who should be paying out on your policy. How she can claim to be independent is a total mystery that she and her employers refused to explain. Nicholson also decided that your policy would only apply if the Government specifically closed your pub because of a local outbreak of Covid-19. Logically, this seems to mean that if there were a hundred cases in your area, plus one case elsewhere, then DTW1991 would refuse to pay out because the virus had ceased to be local. In the crazy world of Lloyd's of London, Nicholson even says she does not believe 'that there is any obvious reason why specific cases of Covid-19 within the 25-mile radius would have caused interruption to your business.' Really? As I write, the latest figures available for Herefordshire show well over 400 cases and almost 50 deaths. I suspect that even if there was not a single case anywhere else in the world, your pub and almost every other business in the county would have been closed. Santander blow for scouts Ms I.D. writes: I am Treasurer of a local Scout Group, and we have hit a brick wall with Santander, which now has the account we originally opened with the Post Office. As Santander did not offer online dual signatures, which we need, we opened accounts at Lloyds. We left 15,900 deposited with Santander, and unknown to us, Santander decided this was dormant and blocked it. 'I am Treasurer of a local Scout Group, and we have hit a brick wall with Santander' You found Santander rejected Gift Aid payments that arrived from Revenue & Customs, and even bounced a cheque that you issued. Things got even worse when Santander told you its records were incomplete, meaning you could not transfer the money to Lloyds. This problem is not unusual with voluntary organisations. Bank signatories move away or retire, and over time contact is lost. The last transaction on your Santander account was in 2016, and the bank made the account dormant a year later, when it received no reply to correspondence. However, you did manage to supply proof of identity from two of three possible signatories. That should have been enough to reopen the account. I asked staff at the bank's head office to look into this, and they agree the account should have been revived. It has now been brought back to life, and Santander has added backdated interest plus a further 100 by way of an apology. Nicholson does at least accept that your losses have been caused by the regulations that closed your business. But she fails to acknowledge that this forced closure was not some whim of Boris Johnson's, but a direct result of Covid-19. But what really takes the biscuit is Nicholson's final reason for turning you down. She points out that your policy excludes cover for 'pollution or contamination' and, she says, 'the presence of Covid-19 may be considered contamination'. If Nicholson really believes this then she has found a reason to reject any claim by any policyholder whose business is closed on similar health grounds. And that means she and her mates can pocket premiums for insurance that does not exist. Not all businesses have business interruption insurance, but of those that do, so many have reported that their claims have been rejected that this has become a scandal even in the eyes of the Financial Conduct Authority. Meanwhile, Woodgate and Clark, and Lloyd's syndicate DTW1991, have done nothing but reduce the reputation of their own industry. Shame on them. If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. People returning to Manipur from various parts of the country and abroad will have to undergo mandatory quarantine, failing which they will be arrested and put in jail, Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said. Singh said those found violating the protocol will be prosecuted under the National Disaster Management Act, 2005. "This is a very serious issue. Returnees flouting the protocol will be arrested and put in jail," Singh told reporters on Friday. He said returnees testing negative for novel coronavirus will be allowed to be home quarantined. "Our primary task is to prevent community spread of the disease," the chief minister said. However, those facing inconvenience during home quarantine will be accommodated at community quarantine centres, he said. Urging people not to panic over the recent rise in the number of active cases to 24, Singh said his government is fully prepared to handle the situation. He said 200-300 samples are being tested every day at laboratories in state-run RIMS and JNIMS hospitals and 700-800 samples are being collected daily. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maharashtra government will soon come out with a package to help small businesses and artisans, Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif said on Saturday. Opposition BJP has demanded that the Shiv Sena-NCP- Congress government offer a package on the lines of the Centre to help those hit by the lockdown to contain coronavirus. "Ministers have been demanding that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announce a package for the 'Bara Balutedar'," he said. Bara Balutedar was a term originally used for various constituents of the village economy, including artisans. "We are sure the Maharashtra government will soon declare a package which will stun the opposition," Mushrif told PTI over phone. It will help small traders, rickshaw drivers, barbers, fruit vendors and others "who could not do business and whose dreams were destroyed in the past two months", said the NCP leader. "The chief minister and deputy chief minister have started working on it," he added. Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Mushrif dismissed the Centre's Rs 20 lakh crore package. "They declared Rs 3 lakh crore loan facility for MSMEs. Will banks give them money? Nobody gives money to them. There is a big difference between spending and lending. This is nothing but loan facility, people are not going to benefit," he claimed. State BJP chief Chandrakant Patil had on Friday demanded a Rs 50,000 crore package for those affected by the lockdown. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukraine has a unique practical experience in neutralization of the cyber attacks that might be useful for the partner states, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba reported. "I would like to stress that Ukraine in fact being a testing platform for the use of the cyber tools with malicious purposes has unique practical experience in countering the cyber attacks that can be useful for the partner countries, and we offer you our experience and knowledge," Kuleba said in an appeal to the UN Security Council during an informal open UN Security Council meeting on the an Arria-formula meeting on: "Cyber Stability, Conflict Prevention and Capacity Building" on Friday. The minister emphasized that, starting from 2014, Ukraine has been facing a hybrid aggression of the Russian Federation, which uses information and communication technologies as one of the methods of hybrid warfare. "We are a country where the new cyber warfare is being tested by Russia against us, and where the hybrid war once forced our nation to reconsider our national security strategy," he explained. The head of the foreign affairs agency noted that Ukraine was aware that, using information and communication technologies as a political tool, the Russian Federation is involved in a number of cyber operations aimed at disinformation campaigns, interference in sovereign election processes, cyber espionage and cyber attacks on critical infrastructure in several countries Europe and beyond it. "During 2019, the relevant authorities of Ukraine discovered and immediately reacted to more than 1,500 cyber incidents in critical infrastructure facilities. Moreover, other Western countries also encountered hostile cyber behavior in Russia and blamed the Kremlin for destructive cyber attacks with a sophisticated new malware," added Kuleba. WASHINGTON - FBI Director Christopher Wray has ordered an internal review of how the bureau handled its investigation of Michael Flynn, President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, the bureau said in a statement Friday. The review, which will be handled by the FBI's inspection division, will both seek to "determine whether any current employees engaged in misconduct," and evaluate broader FBI policies and procedures to "identify any improvements that might be warranted," the statement said. The review is unusual, particularly because Attorney General William Barr already had commissioned St. Louis U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen earlier this year to examine the handling of Flynn's case. The statement said the FBI's review would "complement" that work, and Jensen's examination would take priority. Jensen is one of a number of U.S. attorneys whom Barr has commissioned to investigate matters of interest to Trump. "I don't know what the point is, other than to appease the attorney general," Gregory Brower, a former FBI official who served under Wray, said of the new review. "There's a pattern of wanting to be able to say certain things are being investigated." Trump has complained publicly about Wray for "skirting" the debate about the FBI's 2016 investigation of possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign to influence the election, of which the Flynn case was a part. He has even suggested Wray's future as FBI director might be in doubt. People close to the president, though, have said he does not seem inclined to fire Wray, and Barr has publicly defended the FBI director, calling him "a great partner to me in our effort to restore the American people's confidence in both the Department of Justice and the FBI." Trump appointed Wray as FBI director in 2017, and he is supposed to have a 10-year term to keep his position insulated from politics. "It's disappointing," Trump told Fox News earlier this month when asked about Wray's role in ongoing reviews of the FBI's handling of the Russia investigation. "Let's see what happens with him. Look, the jury's still out." Wray's move could partially placate Trump, as it suggests the FBI director is heeding his repeated calls to explore what the president sees as malfeasance in the Russia investigation. But the FBI statement made clear its impact would be limited. Trump has pushed for criminal prosecutions of those involved in the case. The FBI noted it "does not have the prosecutorial authority to bring a criminal case." While the FBI said current employees could face discipline, most of those involved in the matter that have drawn Trump's ire - including former FBI director James Comey, former deputy director Andrew McCabe, and former counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok - are no longer employed there. "As for former employees, the FBI does not have the ability to take any disciplinary action," the statement said. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to agents about conversations he had with a Russian diplomat. Trump had fired him as national security adviser for lying to the vice president about the same thing. But as he awaited sentencing, Flynn changed legal teams and sought to undo his plea, alleging a host of misconduct, including that he was entrapped by the FBI agents who interviewed him. At Jensen's recommendation, the Justice Department this month took the rare step of asking the court to throw out the case entirely, deciding that agents did not have a good reason to interview Flynn in the first place. Two FBI agents had been detailed to Jensen's team, and officials said there had been discussions about an internal FBI review after he made his recommendation to drop the case. The department's move has proven controversial, with many legal observers asserting that Barr seemed to be trying to help a friend of the president. A career prosecutor assigned to the case withdrew from the matter before the department changed its position. But many on the political right hailed the move, and Trump heaped praise on his attorney general. The case is now mired in complicated legal proceedings. After U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan appointed a retired judge to oppose the Justice Department's position and consider whether Flynn could be held in contempt of court, Flynn's legal team asked an appeals court to intervene. A three-judge panel on Thursday ordered Sullivan to explain his actions. The Bible Belt is the 'death belt,' Shane Claiborne says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christian activist, author and self-proclaimed recovering redneck, Shane Claiborne, said this week that Americas Bible Belt should really be known as the death belt, warning that the pro-life ethic should be applied consistently. Claiborne, a progressive Christian speaker based in Philadelphia and a leader in the New Monasticism movement, joined the leader of the conservative-leaning think-tank Institute on Religion & Democracy Wednesday for a conversation on subjects including just war theory, the death penalty, and abortion. Claiborne, who grew up in the hills of East Tennessee, spoke about how he used to be in favor of the death penalty but later had a hard time reconciling that belief. He contends that capital punishment undermines the redemptive work that Jesus did on the cross and the possibilities of redemption. I got involved in the death penalty partly because I saw that there were a lot of Christians that were vocal on abortion and other issues, he said. But gun violence and the death penalty, we actually havent been the champions of life. We have been the obstacles. That is why I wrote a book around both of those because I saw the death penalty. The death penalty wouldnt stand a chance in America if it werent for Christians, Claiborne asserted. The Bible Belt is the death belt. Where 85% of the executions happen is in the Bible Belt. Its also the states that held on to slavery the longest. That became very problematic for me. I think the questions that are raised by the death penalty, they are very deeply theological questions, right? Claibornes 85% figure comes from 2016 research done by the advocacy group I Was In Prison, which found that over 85% of the 1,419 executions at state prisons since 1976 have been carried out in Bible Belt states. The Bible Belt is an informal region of the southern and Midwest U.S. The area became known for its predominance of adherents to conservative Protestant faith traditions. Amnesty International found in 2012 that since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, 82% of death penalty cases have occurred in the southern U.S. In a 2015 op-ed published by The Washington Post, Claiborne quoted Catholic Florida death row chaplain and I Was In Prison founder Dale Recinella, who said: The Bible belt has become the death belt. Is anybody beyond redemption? Claiborne asked IRD President Mark Tooley. How much do we trust imperfect institutions like our government with the irreversible power of life and death? Claiborne was also critical of the rate of gun ownership among evangelical Christians. Of course, with gun violence, Christians own guns at a higher rate than the general population. The highest-owning gun demographic in America is white evangelicals, he said. Particularly, advocating [against the] legality of assault weapons and things like that has been a big passion of mine. To me, these are very personal [issues]. In every corner of our neighborhood, we have stories of people who died from guns here. It is not just a debate for me. I think proximity makes a world of difference. Claiborne is a founder of the Simple Way community a nonprofit in urban Philadelphia. When it comes to holding an authentic pro-life ethic, Claiborne assured that he is for the eradication of abortion, like many conservatives in the Bible Belt are. Claiborne, who's been identified as left-leaning, said he doesnt like the labels of left and right. Instead, he'd rather the context be framed in terms of right and wrong. The problem is in our partisan politics where you dont have a party or a candidate that is very consistent, Claiborne said. Even in the last election, Hillary Clinton she was for the death penalty and had a terrible track record on abortion. On the other side, Donald Trump, his life ethic is just an absolute train wreck on almost everything. I didnt find a home very easily in that [election]. Claiborne garnered national attention in 2018 for helping to organize the "Red Letter Revival: A Revival of Jesus & Justice" in Lynchburg, Virginia, that aimed to contrast their movement from "America First" Christianity and Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. and pro-Trump Christians. At the time, IRD's Chelsen Vicari attended the event and said what she witnessed was "more of a rally intended to stir a partisan base rather than a Holy Ghost revival." When it comes to reducing abortions and gun violence, Claiborne said he doesnt think in terms of legalization. I dont think the answer to our gun problem is to just overturn the Second Amendment. I dont think the answer on abortion is to just overturn Roe v. Wade, Claiborne contended. I do believe that we all have to be asking how we can do a better job at protecting life. He criticized both Democrats and Republicans for what he calls the toxicity of self-righteousness. I think sometimes for folks on the left, the conversation has just been about rights and not about life and the dignity of the [baby] and of the mother, he said. How do we really try to be a stronger advocate for life? I think, on the other hand, some of the rhetoric on folks on abortion has been a hindrance to actually reducing abortions in real ways by just having an ideology that is so polarizing in our country, he said. I think we need a better conversation around abortion and we also need a conversation on what a consistent ethic of life could look like. I am considering writing a book on that. Claiborne also warned that self-righteousness is what Jesus called the yeast of the Pharisees. I think it does so much damage when we say: I think I am not like those people, Claiborne added. When we can find common ground, I think that is so important and we can have a posture of humility. Thats what I am trying to do. University of Oxford, which is in race to develop the coronavirus vaccine, has confirmed that they will be moving to the next level as they begin recruiting over 10,000 people for the second phase of human trials. BBC Last month, the first phase of the trial had begun and over 1,000 healthy adults aged 55 and under were recruited as volunteers. Now in the next phase, more than 10,200 people, including over 70s and five to 12-year-olds, will be enrolled in the study, to see the effects on their immune system. A recent study had found that the vaccine, named ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, had shown some promising results in a small study with monkeys. The vaccine contains a weakened version of a virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees. They then combined this virus called the adenovirus with a coronavirus protein called spike protein. Representational Image For the latest set of volunteers, researchers will be assessing the immune response to the vaccine in people of different ages, to find out if there is variation in how well the immune system responds in older people or children. The Phase III part of the study involves assessing how the vaccine works in a large number of people over the age of 18. This group will assess how well the vaccine works to prevent people from becoming infected and unwell with COVID-19. Adult participants in both the Phase II and Phase III groups will be randomised to receive one or two doses of either the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or a licensed vaccine (MenACWY) that will be used as a control for comparison, the university said. AP Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President for BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca, which has a partnership with the university for the production of the vaccine if it is proved effective, was quoted by PTI as saying: The speed at which this new vaccine has advanced into late-stage clinical trials is testament to Oxfords ground-breaking scientific research. We will do everything in our power to engage with governments, multilateral organisations and partners around the world to increase production and distribution and ensure rapid, fair and equitable distribution of a globally accessible vaccine. The study aims to assess how well people across a broad range of ages could be protected from Covid-19 with this new vaccine. It will also provide valuable information on the safety aspects of the vaccine and its ability to generate good immune responses against the virus. The team behind the vaccine have previously said they are aiming to have at least a million doses of a coronavirus vaccine by September this year. However, the UK government has repeatedly warned that there are no guarantees a vaccine will be discovered against the deadly virus. The Oxford University trial is among several experimental vaccines being developed worldwide to try and combat the spread of Covid-19 and help lift strict restrictions on human movement in place in most countries. Admission season in Delhi University means brisk business for the many vendors that line up North Campus. These hole-in-the-wall establishments serve tea, coffee, snacks and other knick-knacks at pocket-friendly rates, making them a hit with students. But a no-go for colleges, as well as extended lockdowns have rendered them out of business. The otherwise bustling lanes of the campus lie barren, painting a picture of gloom. Sudama Prasad of Sudama Tea Stall near Ramjas College had to shift from his accommodation in Kamla Nagar to Sonia Vihar to save rent. He used to employ four boys at his stall, all of whom he sent back with two months advance payment. He is sceptical of reopening, lest anyone complains about him. Daily 1,500 kamaa lete the. Koi madad nahi mili hai kisi se. Dukaan khol bhi le toh koi baccha complaint bhi kar sakta hai isliye abhi toh soch bhi nahi raha hoon. 28 saal ho gaye yahaan par kabhi aisi majboori nahi dekhi, he says. Sudama Prasad of Sudama Tea Stall near Ramjas College before the lockdown. (Photo: Instagram) With no money coming in and expenses to take care of, many have been forced to go back to their villages. Sarfuddin, who used to manage Saroj Juice Hut near Arts Faculty, has gone back to his village in Kaiserganj, Uttar Pradesh. The shop owner had called him back, but he feels that its a long way before business picks up pace. Jiska dhanda-paani bandh ho jaaye uska guzaara kaise chalega. Maalik ka phone aaya tha ki vaapis aa jaao, lekin mujhe nahi lagta kaam raftaar pakdega kyuki zyada dikkat toh khaane-peene mein hi aa rahi hai, he says. The shop would make a sale of around 5,000 every day and employed four people. Manchanda Snacks was established in 1997 by Satish Manchanda outside the old Law Faculty building, and now his son, Vinay, manages the shop. He had employed two people to help man the shop, both of whom left for their homes. We would make 6,000- 7,000 per day easily because this used to be peak time for us. Now we are not sure of the future, at least till June, he says, adding, The losses are manifold. We would also need to do something about the expired stock at the shop once we reopen, so thats also a financial loss we will have to incur, says Vinay. Read: DU open book mode exams: Over 170 teachers ask VC to not hold online exams, say will compromise sanctity Some stall owners have found ways to continue business, albeit not without losses. The shop is closed. We are taking orders at home, and delivering them on our own. There are only a handful of orders which we make in our kitchen. Earlier we would sell 100-150 plates of maggi, making a sale of upto 10,000 per day. Hopefully, after June 1, we will get some clarity to reopen, says Sandeep Kataria of Tom Uncle Maggi Point, located near Ramjas College. Appealing to the government to let the stalls ply during specific hours, Sunil Kashyap, says, I would request the government to let us reopen our stalls with a time limit. I would make 15,000-. 20,000 a month but its all gone now. Ek yehi kaam kiya hai poori zindagi aur yehi kaam aata hai. Naya kaam lagaane ka matlab hai ki jo thodi bahut savings hain, usse bhi risk karna, says Kashyap who used to sell bread pakoras and aloo tikkis at his stall in Kamla Nagar market. Nostalgia and memories surround these shops, and the owners each have tales galore of their own to share. An evening of exchanging notes over sweet, milky tea at Sudama bhaiyya, or a birthday treat of noodles and chilled soft drinks at Tom Uncle these shops have been an intrinsic part of the students journeys. With renewed practices and a little push from the authorities, one can only hope to see this sight again. Interact with Etti Bali @TheBalinian Follow @htcity for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON It's been revealed that Meghan Markle organised a touching surprise for Prince Harry's 35th birthday. A source spoke to People Magazine, revealing the pair "always give each other incredibly romantic gifts" and explained that for Harry's 35th birthday last September, Meghan went above and beyond. A source has revealed the touching surprise Meghan Markle gave Prince Harry for his birthday last year. Photo: Getty "Last year, for Harry's birthday, Meghan recreated their Botswana camping adventures in their backyard," the source said. "It's a place that means so much to them and to Harry in particular so Meghan wanted to bring that happy place to him on his day so she set up a tent, got sleeping bags, cooked dinner and recreated Botswana where they fell in love." When the pair first got engaged in 2017, Harry revealed they headed to Africa together after just two dates in London. "And then it was I think about three, maybe four weeks later that I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana," he said. "And we camped out with each other under the stars. She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic." Prince Harry and Meghan spent their second wedding anniversary with son Archie, who recently turned one. Photo: Getty They later returned to Botswana in 2017 to assist Dr Mike Chase from Elephants Without Borders to aid in conservation efforts. Harry and Meghan celebrated their second anniversary this week and likely exchanged meaningful gifts. "They love to do their own take on traditional wedding gifts," another insider said, adding, "The first anniversary was paper, and Meghan wrote out the wedding speech and had it framed for him." "This year, they both gave each other gifts based on 'cotton.' Undoubtedly, it was a very creative and romantic gesture as all their gifts are to one another." The pair reportedly spent their second anniversary with their son Archie, who recently turned one. Got a story tip or just want to get in touch? Email us at lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com. Small business in Laois and Offaly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic have been urged to tap into the new 250 million fund to help them reboot operations. Laois/Offaly TD and Minister for Justice & Equality, Charlie Flanagan, is encouraging micro-enterprises to apply for the Governments new Restart Grant. The application form for the Governments new 250 million Restart Grant is now available on the on both Laois County Council & Offaly County Council websites The grants available range between 2,000 and 10,000 and can be used to help with the costs associated with reopening and re-employing workers following COVID-19 closures. The grant is available to eligible businesses who have stayed open throughout the crisis, as well as those who are reopening under Phase 1 (from 18 May) and Phase 2 (8 June) of the Governments Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business. Minister Flanagan urged businesses that have had to freeze operations to apply. "This scheme will provide much needed direct grant aid to micro and small businesses in the constituency to help them get going again as the country re-opens. I applaud all the small businesses who have kept going in some way throughout the pandemic, and I want to reassure those who have had to close that we are doing everything to support them to reopen. Small businesses are the lifeblood of the local economy across Laois & Offaly and they will be crucial to Irelands economic recovery. This grant support is part of a wider package of supports for firms of all sizes worth a total of 12 billion nationally. These include the Wage Subsidy Scheme, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help to improve cashflow amongst our SMEs and have helped to keep many going throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Applications must be made by August 31. Any further queries about the application you can contact the Business Support Unit in the Council. LAOIS HERE The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has also established a Business Support Call Centre for information on the supports available to businesses and enterprises affected by COVID-19. It can be reached at infobusinesssupport@dbei.gov. ie or (01) 631 2002. FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE RESTART GRANTS To avail of the Restart Grant, applicants must be a commercial business and be in the Local Authorities Commercial Rates Payment System and: 1. have an annual turnover of less than 5m and employ between 1 to 50 people; 2. have suffered a projected 25%+ loss in turnover to end June 2020; 3. commit to remain open or to reopen if it was closed; 4. declare the intention to retain employees that are on The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and re-employ staff on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment as business recovers. The grant will be equivalent to the rates bill of the business in 2019, or a minimum payment of 2,000, whichever is the higher, and will be subject to a maximum payment of 10,000. If a company is currently in a rateable premise but was not rate-assessed in 2019 it is still eligible to apply. The local authority can pay the grant based on an estimate of what the rates demand for 2019 would have been. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) -- The Philippine Navy said on Saturday that the countrys first missile-capable warship BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) has arrived in Subic, Zambales after a five-day sail from South Korea. The arrival of FF150 in the country is yet another major leap toward the fulfillment of the PNs [Philippine Navy] thrust of having modern platforms and systems which provide opportunities for its personnel to develop modern mindsets and propel the whole organization into becoming a multi-capable naval force responsive to our maritime nations defense and development, the Philippine Navy said in a statement. The warship arrived Philippine waters early morning of May 21, and exchanged signals through radio with BRP Quezon, which is currently deployed in Mavulis Island, Batanes. The following day, it was welcomed by Naval Forces Northern Luzon in Bolinao, Pangasinan through a meeting procedure with its first patrol boat division. Then in the afternoon, BRP Andres Bonifacio and Augusta Westland 109 helicopter and C-90 Fixed Wing Aircraft conducted a meeting procedure in Sta. Cruz, Zambales. BRP Andres Bonifacio then led it to its anchorage area. On May 23, a traditional passing honors was given to BRP Jose Rizal with BRP Andres Bonifacio and three multi-purpose assault crafts. The sailing crew will still undergo a 14-day quarantine in compliance with the countrys health safety measures against COVID-19. A Technical Inspection and Acceptance will be held after the quarantine period, while an arrival and commissioning ceremony is scheduled on June 19, which coincides with the birth anniversary of its namesake Dr. Jose Rizal. Offshore Combat Force commander Commodore Karl Decapia led the arrival of the warship and said that this signals the realization of a modern navy that is capable of imposing the Navy's territorial defense mandate. We are one with the Filipino people in expressing our profound gratitude in bringing pride and honor to the Philippine Navy and the AFP. Our countrymen expect nothing less than the selfless and honorable service that we in the Fleet have sworn to uphold and protect, Philippine Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Loumer Bernabe was quoted saying. BRP Jose Rizal will be focused on conducting anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and electronic warfare operations. It has a maximum designed speed of 25 knots, a cruising speed of 15 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles. Its delivery in April was delayed due to the travel restrictions imposed to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This is the first of the two frigates contracted by the Philippine Navy under Hyundai Heavy Industries. The second one, BRP Antonio Luna, is expected to be delivered by year-end. Over five lakh migrant workers from Madhya Pradesh, who were stranded in different parts of the country due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, have been brought back to their home state, a government official said on Saturday. As of Friday, the state government had brought back over five lakh migrants, mostly by buses, additional chief secretary ICP Keshari said. At least 3.52 lakh migrants have returned to MP by buses while 1.46 lakh others returned on 119 special trains, said the senior bureaucrat, who is in-charge of state control room. Keshari said 2.02 lakh migrants were brought back from Gujarat, 1.12 lakh from Maharashtra and 1.10 lakh from Rajasthan. Apart from these, stranded migrants were also brought back from Goa, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, he said. The state government has also been transporting migrant workers coming from other states to the Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh border. In view of the plight of migrant workers stuck in different parts of the country amid the lockdown, the Railways started operating Shramik Special trains on May 1. The Centre had announced considerable relaxations during the third phase of the lockdown, which had kicked in on May 4, regarding the inter-state movement of migrant labourers, students, tourists and other people with priority accorded to those stranded in green and orange zones. The lockdown was subsequently extended till May 31. On just one day this month, 50 Tanzanian truck drivers tested positive for the coronavirus after crossing into neighboring Kenya. Back home, their president insists that Tanzania has defeated the disease through prayer. All the while, President John Magufuli has led a crackdown on anyone who dares raise concerns about the virus's spread in his East African country or the government's response to it. Critics have been arrested, and opposition politicians and rights activists say their phones are being tapped. The country's number of confirmed virus cases hasn't changed for three weeks, and the international community is openly worrying that Tanzania's government is hiding the true scale of the pandemic. Just more than 500 cases have been reported in a country of nearly 60 million people. While many African countries have been praised for their response to the coronavirus, Tanzania is the most dramatic exception, run by a president who questions or fires his own health experts and has refused to limit people's movements, saying the economy is the priority. Fatma Karume, a human rights activist and former president of the Tanganyika Law Society, said authorities are discouraging people from going to hospitals to avoid overwhelming them, but they are not giving adequate guidance about the virus. "When you are disempowering a whole nation by withholding information and creating doubt on how they should respond to the crisis, the outcome can be disastrous," Karume said. The president has refused to shut churches, mosques and other gathering places, such as pubs and restaurants. He has questioned the accuracy of tests done by the national laboratory, saying the swabs used may themselves be tainted with the virus. He has suspended the head of the laboratory and fired the deputy health minister. On Thursday, Magufuli ordered the Health Ministry and other agencies not to receive personal protective equipment from donors until tests are done to ensure it works and is safe. While Magufuli halted international passenger flights in April, he is now allowing them to resume and says any visitor who doesn't have a fever will be allowed in. For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and lead to death. The president has argued that if restrictive measures are adopted, Tanzanians may have nothing to eat. In fact, rather than urge Tanzanians to keep their distance, one Magufuli ally encouraged them to flood the streets this weekend to celebrate. "Make all kinds of noise as a sign of thanksgiving to show our God has won against disease and worries of death that were making us suffer," Paul Makonda, the regional commissioner of commercial hub Dar es Salaam, said at a news briefing. In March, Magufuli ordered three days of national prayers against COVID-19 and has since said they have been answered. While health experts say recorded coronavirus cases and deaths the world over are undercounts, opposition leaders accuse Magufuli's government of hiding the outbreak's true toll. Government spokesman Hassan Abbas told The Associated Press that it would be impossible to cover up an outbreak. He also dismissed reports that hospitals were overwhelmed, noting that one, which has room for over 160 patients, only had 11. "It is unfortunate that COVID-19 has come up with lots of misinformation, propaganda and false news," he added. He said Tanzania has taken measures to curb the disease, and infection rates are falling, though he gave no data. He said the country's health officials have been working hand in hand with international experts, including at the World Health Organization. Calls to share data Officials outside Tanzania remain worried. "We strongly call on Tanzania, encourage Tanzania, to share data in a timely fashion," the head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, said this month, adding that fighting the virus is more difficult without accurate data from all member states. "No country is an island," he warned. On Thursday, Nkengasong said Tanzania still had not provided the body with any more information but officials were still hoping the government would eventually cooperate. Kenya closed its border with Tanzania this month except for cargo traffic and imposed stringent testing measures on Tanzanian truck drivers after more than 50 of them tested positive for the virus in a single day. The U.S. Embassy in Tanzania has issued an unusual statement, warning its citizens that "all evidence points to exponential growth of the epidemic" and that hospitals in Dar es Salaam have been overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases. "On Tanzania, yes, it's very disappointing," the top U.S. diplomat for Africa, Tibor Nagy, told reporters this week. "Obviously, they are very concerned with the economic impact that the loss of the tourism industry is going to have on them, but I can't imagine any tourists flocking back there in such an uncertain environment." In a more subtle note of concern, the British High Commission announced a charter flight for British nationals who want to leave. Critics: Climate of fear Meanwhile, the climate of fear has grown inside Tanzania, rights groups and critics say, as Magufuli seeks a second term in an October election that shows no sign of being delayed despite the pandemic. Magufuli has stifled independent journalism since taking office and severely restricted the work of non-governmental organizations, according to rights groups. "People in Tanzania cannot express themselves," said Roland Ebole, an Amnesty International researcher based in neighboring Kenya. Lawyer Albert Msando was arrested in late April after a video circulated showing him distributing masks to journalists and talking about the importance of the news media's role in informing the public, according to the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition. Tanzanian authorities have also targeted media that have attempted to report on the pandemic, according to Amnesty International. Three media organizations were fined for "transmission of false and misleading information" about the government's response, and a newspaper had its online publishing license suspended for publishing a photo that it said showed the president flouting "global social distancing guidelines." Authorities contend the photo was not recent. Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. The Telangana governments decision to regulate crop cultivation has not gone down well with farmer organizations which have demanded that the state withdraw its unilateral" decision, which also includes farmers losing out on benefits if they fail to adhere to the new policy, which was announced by chief minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) earlier this month. The organizations will also hold a protest on 27 May in the state. At a meeting held by farmer organizations on Saturday in Hyderabad, farmer organizations also opposed the expansion of cotton cultivation to 70 lakh acres in the state, which was announced earlier this week by Rao. Government should consult farmer organizations and experts to make a comprehensive agriculture policy promoting crop diversity, sustainability and farm incomes. Incentives should be based on this," said a press release from the farmer groups. The meeting was called by Rythu Swarajya Vedika, which works with farmers in Telangana and Andhra, and was attended by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-affiliared All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and a representative from the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA), etc. The attendees strongly opposed the state governments decision to decide which crops should be grown and to what extent across all the 33 districts. KCR, while announcing his intention to form a new policy to regulate crop cultivation, also said that farmers who do not follow it will stand to lose benefits of the Rythu Bandhu scheme, under which all lad-owning farmers receive Rs.5000 in both the Rabi and Kharif crops every year (Rs.10,000 cumulative). Farmer organizations have however also taken exception to this. They demanded that the government should hold first come up with a comprehensive agriculture policy through extensive consultation with farmer organizations and experts. The appropriate cropping pattern and how to incentivize it should be part of such a broader plan, not a knee-jerk announcement dictating 3 or 4 crops," added the release from the farmer groups. Sarampalli Malla Reddy, vice-president of the AIKS said that the government should first ensure all support systems for farmer including minimum support prices (MSP), procurement and marketing facilities, timely crop loans, crop insurance and disaster compensation. Moreover, the organizations also said that tenant farmers, who have been left out of the Rythu Bandhu schemes ambit, should also be offered the same support. Prof. M. Kodandaram, president of the TJS, an opposition party, said, It is clear that the unilateral decisions of the Telangana government will harm the farmers. Changing the cropping pattern takes a whole generation to work hard and take risk in the field, and cannot happen because of decisions in AC halls in Hyderabad." On Saturday, a press release from KCRs office also said that a majority of people depending on agriculture is not a symbol of progress" and that is why industrialisation is needed. Telangana is congenial for agri(culture)based industries. Hence a lot of effort should be put in to get more agri(culture) based industries in the state. With this, both the industries and service sectors will expand," it added. Prior to that, KCR, after meetings with experts and officials from the states agriculture department had said that paddy should be sowed on about 70 lakh acres in the state. The new policy change is likely to come into effect from this monsoon. The state government is also all set to undertake a massive survey, district-wise, to understand the cropping pattern as part of the new policy. 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 The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use Yancoal Australia Ltd's (ASX:YAL) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Yancoal Australia has a P/E ratio of 3.95, based on the last twelve months. That means that at current prices, buyers pay A$3.95 for every A$1 in trailing yearly profits. View our latest analysis for Yancoal Australia How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio? The formula for P/E is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Yancoal Australia: P/E of 3.95 = A$2.150 A$0.545 (Based on the year to December 2019.) (Note: the above calculation results may not be precise due to rounding.) Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good? The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. All else being equal, it's better to pay a low price -- but as Warren Buffett said, 'It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price'. How Does Yancoal Australia's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers? The P/E ratio indicates whether the market has higher or lower expectations of a company. If you look at the image below, you can see Yancoal Australia has a lower P/E than the average (7.0) in the oil and gas industry classification. ASX:YAL Price Estimation Relative to Market May 23rd 2020 This suggests that market participants think Yancoal Australia will underperform other companies in its industry. Many investors like to buy stocks when the market is pessimistic about their prospects. 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. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. And as that P/E ratio drops, the company will look cheap, unless its share price increases. Story continues Yancoal Australia saw earnings per share decrease by 19% last year. Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. Theoretically, a business can improve its earnings (and produce a lower P/E in the future) by investing in growth. That means taking on debt (or spending its cash). 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 Yancoal Australia's Balance Sheet Tell Us? Yancoal Australia's net debt is 84% of its market cap. If you want to compare its P/E ratio to other companies, you should absolutely keep in mind it has significant borrowings. The Verdict On Yancoal Australia's P/E Ratio Yancoal Australia trades on a P/E ratio of 3.9, which is below the AU market average of 14.9. When you consider that the company has significant debt, and didn't grow EPS last year, it isn't surprising that the market has muted expectations. Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. If the reality for a company is not as bad as the P/E ratio indicates, then the share price should increase as the market realizes this. So this free visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Thousands of exoplanets hiding within the faraway cosmos have been found by astronomers but they fail to know much of their origins. A dramatic image in now offering a rare glance of one of the universe's most mysterious processes: the birth of a new planet. With the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory, a glowing orange spiral with a twist which marks the spot where a planet may be emerging has been caught by the researchers. On Wednesday, a study has been published in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal noted that what has been witnessed would be the first immediate evidence of a forming planet. Anthony Boccaletti, lead author of the Observatoire de Paris at PSL University in France, stated in a press release that there are thousands of spotted exoplanets but only a few of how they are formed are known. Boccaletti uttered that in order to capture the moments of planet formation, very young systems must first be observed. As observed by astronomers the baby planet forms a dust spiral and gas around the juvenile star known as AB Aurigae, which is 520 light-years away from Earth in the Auriga constellation. Based on what scientists know planets usually form over a billion years as dust and cold gas collide with each other around stars, but crucial information is provided by the new observations to create a clearer picture of the process. For years, researchers used Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile in studying the star system. But they have failed to capture this process' clear images to discover the important "twist" that signifies the new planet's birth. Read also: Parallel Universe? NASA Scientists Found Evidence That May Prove a Realm That Runs in Reverse Exists The system's deepest images manifest extraordinary swirls around AB Aurigae, which signals the existence of a baby planet, described by Emmanuel Di Folco, co-author of the Astrophysics Laboratory of Bordeaux (LAB) in France as swirling, kicking, and twisting that create interference in the form of a wave in the disc, just like boat's wake on a lake as stated, were taken with the use of SPHERE instrument on the VLT. As the planet revolves around the central star, it creates a spiral. Based on the forecasted images, the team gives credence to the idea that the planet forms in the very bright yellow "twist" region near the image's center, which is positioned at about the same distance from its star as Neptune is from the sun. Anne Dutrey, a co-author at LAB, said the twist is anticipated from a number of theoretical models of planet formation. She added that it complements to the connection of two spirals- one winding inwards of the orbit of the planet, and the other expanding outwards- which join at the planet position, gas and dust are allowed from the disc to build up the forming of the planet and make it grow. After the ESO'S Extremely Large Telescope, which will become the world's biggest eye on the sky in 2025, is completed, astronomers anticipate having a clearer image of the growing planet. Related article: Scientists Might Have Witnessed the Birth of a New Planet for the First Time @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend: The total number of coronavirus-infected people in Uzbekistan has reached 3,078, Trend reports on May 23 with reference to the Ministry of Health. To date, 2,492 patients have fully recovered in the country, 13 have died. Uzbekistan has previously divided the country into certain "red", "yellow" and "green" zones, with regards to the level of COVID-19 pandemic spread level. The Special Republican Commission for the preparation of a program of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Uzbekistan has extended the quarantine until 1 June 2020. Since May 15, the Special Republican Commission has lifted some restrictions on certain activities in Uzbekistan. The "red" zones include Uzbekistan's Karakalpakstan Autonomous Republic, Andijan, Namangan, Fergana, Samarkand, Bukhara, Syrdarya and Tashkent regions (also divided into "zones"). The "yellow" zones include Khorezm region and Tashkent city. The "green" zones include Navoi, Jizzak, Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya regions. Recently, Zarafshan city of Navoi region was transferred from the "yellow" zone to the "red" zone. Moreover, Uzbekistan declared Jizzakh, Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya regions were declared free from COVID-19. The first case of coronavirus infection in Uzbekistan was detected on March 15 in the laboratory of the Research Institute of Virology; it was an Uzbek woman who returned from France. The Ministry of Health later announced that her son, daughter, husband and grandson also tested coronavirus-positive. --- Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday advised Reserve Bank of India governor Shaktikanta Das to bluntly tell the government to do its duty (and) take fiscal measures to firepower the national economy struggling due to coronavirus and the resultant lockdown imposed to combat its spread. Governor @DasShaktikanta says demand has collapsed, growth in 2020-21 headed toward negative territory. Why is he then infusing more liquidity? He should bluntly tell the government Do your duty, take fiscal measures, tweeted the Congress leader. On Friday, Das admitted that growth will be in negative territory this year, the first time anyone in the government or the central bank has admitted that Indias gross domestic product (GDP) will shrink this year. Chidambaram said the RSS should be ashamed of how the government has dragged the economy into negative growth territory. Governor @DasShaktikanta says demand has collapsed, growth in 2020-21 headed toward negative territory. Why is he then infusing more liquidity? He should bluntly tell the government Do your duty, take fiscal measures. P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 23, 2020 The governor cut the policy rate by 40 basis points to 4.0% yesterday, acknowledging the adverse impact on the Indian economy of the coronavirus disease. Das announced the cut, and other measures aimed at keeping financial markets working, ensuring access to funds to everyone, and preserving financial stability. Chidambaram, who has also been a former finance minister, hit out at PM Narendra Modi and FM Nirmala Sitharaman for the Rs 20 lakh crore relief package that has fiscal stimulus of less than 1% of GDP. The PM had claimed that the relief package was worth 10 percent of the GDP. Even after RBIs statement, is the @PMOIndia or @nsitharaman lauding themselves for a package that has fiscal stimulus of less than 1% of GDP?, said Chidambaram in another tweet. Yesterday, Sonia Gandhi, while addressing a meeting of 22 like-minded parties, also described PM Modis May 12 announcement of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package as a cruel joke on the country. This package is about 10 percent of Indias GDP. With this various sections of the country and those linked to economic system will get support and strength of 20 lakh crore rupees. This package will give a new impetus to the development journey of the country in 2020 and a new direction to the Self-reliant India campaign, said the PM while announcing the package. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) Retailers are now allowed to sell face mask in packs of 10 for every buyer as supplies stabilize, the Department of Trade and Industry said Saturday. Ibig sabihin nun, nag-no-normalize na, nakakahabol na ang supply sa demand, DTI chief Ramon Lopez told a Laging Handa briefing. [Translation: This means that supply normalizes, that supply is catching up to demand.] Lopez also assured the public of ample supply of alcohol, with more local manufacturers producing critical health products. The recent development comes amid the mandatory face mask use for people going outside their homes. Two months ago, DTI limited the purchase of face masks of any type or brand to five pieces per consumer to control panic buying and hoarding over the coronavirus outbreak. The DTI previously urged consumers to purchase basic goods and essential medical supplies in quantities enough to meet their household needs for a maximum of a week. Burundi's ruling party appeared headed for victory Friday in general elections, as official results from over 60 percent of municipalities country put them far ahead of the opposition, which dismissed the figures as "fantasy". Burundians voted on Wednesday to elect their president, lawmakers and local officials in a poll marked by allegations of fraud and conducted with scant attention to the coronavirus pandemic. The vote comes five years after the highly contested re-election of Pierre Nkurunziza for a third term, which sparked violence that left at least 1,200 dead, saw 400,000 flee the borders and plunged the country into turmoil that persists to this day. After Nkurunziza's surprise decision not to run this time, his handpicked heir Evariste Ndayishimiye is the frontrunner, with results published on state media handing him around 80 percent of the vote. His rival, Agathon Rwasa, leader of the National Council for Liberty (CNL), was attributed around 20 percent of votes, while the remaining five candidates barely scored one percent combined. Rwasa has already rejected the results streaming in, and his party accused authorities of arresting their agents, and preventing them from observing the vote and taking part in counting. "Absolutely I reject these results. These results being declared are a fantasy. They do not reflect reality," said Rwasa said as the first results came in late Thursday. "We have won -- whether in the presidential, legislative or local elections. We have the results to prove it." In one case, the ruling party captured three-quarters of votes in the opposition stronghold of Kabezi, one of Burundi's 119 municipalities. The CNL attracted just under one quarter. CNL spokesman Therence Manirambona on Friday denounced "a carefully prepared hold-up", repeating accusations that there had been proxy voting, instances of people voting multiple times, and opposition agents chased out of polling station and the counting process. Rwasa drew large crowds during the campaign, and observers said he was riding on a wave of despair in the country. As a fellow former Hutu rebel during the country's 1993-2006 civil war with the minority Tutsi-dominated army, he was seen as having as much legitimacy to lead as Ndayishimiye. The election commission and ruling party have yet to react to the opposition accusations. However the ruling CNDD-FDD's news website Intumwa announced in the middle of the day that following the election, its supporters will "spend three days before God for a prayer of thanks" from May 28 to May 30. On election day, Pierre Nkurikiye, the spokesman for Burundi's public security ministry, accused members of the CNL of attempted fraud, confirming some of their members were arrested for minor incidents. The campaign was marked by violence and arbitrary arrests -- the kind that has persisted in the shadows since the 2015 poll. Since that election Burundi has been increasingly isolated on the world stage and cut off by donors, with state security forces accused by rights groups and the United Nations of crimes against humanity and severe rights abuses such as torture, disappearances, sexual violence and executions. str-fb/ri . A 19-year-old man has died after a suspected fall from a Gold Coast high-rise balcony while partying with friends, with four other people taken to hospital over drug-related issues. Police were called to the View Avenue apartment complex in Surfers Paradise about 3.15am on Saturday after reports of a person found dead outside. A crime scene was declared, though the fall appeared likely to be a party-related accident, a police spokesman said. Investigations were expected to continue throughout the day. Boats docked at the wharf on a beautiful summer's day in Nova Scotia's iconic fishing community of Peggy's Cove. (Getty Images) The future of Canadians being asked to stay at home as much as possible is still unknown, but as different regions battle different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the outlook for summer weather across the country is expected to be equally as varied. According to AccuWeather, much of the west is expected to be hot and dry, while significant storms head for Ontario and people in the Maritimes can prepare for a pleasant summer this year. AccuWeather British Columbia, Alberta and the Prairies So far, the wildfire season has been off to a slow start but higher than normal temperatures and low precipitation this summer could become increasingly problematic. A hotter, drier summer in the west, thats probably going to lead to...more fires, more smoke, during the summertime into the early fall, Brett Anderson, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather told Yahoo Canada. Well really have a good clue probably sometime in June what the fire season is going to look like. AccuWeather is forecasting the Prairies will be drier and warmer than normal this summer as well, with concerns about expanding drought conditions that are particularly problematic for farmers. The ground is dry in Saskatchewan especially and southeastern Alberta, Anderson said. What Im afraid of is that there are pockets of drought already, that may expand and we may be getting into a severe drought situation. AccuWeather Ontario While the west manages dry conditions, Ontarios summer will be on the opposite end of the spectrum in terms of precipitation. AccuWeather is predicting much of the province will see the stormiest summer in Canada this year, particularly around the Great Lakes region. This will also bring more humidity than usual to the area. I think well see a lot of thunderstorms, increased threat of severe weather including tornadoes during the course of the summer, Anderson said. Thats going to keep the heat down during the day but the night is probably going to be warm and muggy. Story continues AccuWeathers senior meteorologist added that water lake levels in Ontario remain near record highs, which means there is an increased threat for immediate lakeshore flooding this summer. AccuWeather Atlantic Canada People living in the Maritimes will likely be particularly compelled to get outside this summer with the region expected to have the best seasonal weather. I think it looks warmer than usual up in that area,...it doesnt get that hot up there, so it looks fairly pleasant up across Atlantic Canada, Anderson said. Below normal precipitation across a good part of Atlantic Canada. Warmer temperatures shouldnt be too extreme throughout much of the region but there is a threat of an active hurricane season. Although there are concerns for when the tropical season starts heating up, AccuWeathers senior meteorologist said it is too early to predict the frequency of any storm activity in the Maritimes. Its a little bit too early to tell if theres going to be any threats across Atlantic Canada in terms of tropical activity but we are predicting an active hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this year, Anderson said. That does increase the risk of seeing something coming up into that area late this summer into the early fall. Quebec Quebec is expected to be less stormy than Ontario but will be hotter than most Atlantic provinces., which may make anyone working from home without air conditioning this summer a bit uncomfortable, even around the Montreal region. The area to keep an eye on is in the northern part of Quebec, which will likely see some fires later in the summer season. I would not be surprised if by late summer we get into a significant fire threat there as well, Anderson said. It might get worse than usual. 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. - Alex Gonzaga has finally updated her social media account with a new video featuring her mother, Pinty Gonzaga - In her latest online post, Alex did a house tour vlog alongside her uncle and Mommy Pinty - However, at one point in the video, Mommy Pinty called Alex "bastos" after being 'fed up' with her comedic antics - The said video elicited various reactions and comments from netizens afterwards PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Alex Gonzaga, aside from being known as an actress and as a celebrity vlogger, is also famous for her comedic antics and jokes. Especially when it involves her mother, Pinty Gonzaga. Just recently, KAMI learned that the celebrity vlogger recently did a house tour vlog. During her Kris TV-like house tour vlog, Alex gave her fans a tour around their house together with her uncle, Jojo Cruz, as well as Mommy Pinty. PAY ATTENTION: Shop with KAMI! The best offers and discounts on the market, product reviews and feedback However, Alex could be heard and seen teasing and cracking jokes at her mother for the most part of the video. "Mommy, never kita nakitang magwalis. Magwalis ka dali," Alex jokingly said to Mommy Pinty as she tried to give her the broom. At one point in the video, Mommy Pinty eventually scolded Alex after the latter drank directly from the pitcher. When the actress got caught, Alex jokingly spit the mouthful of water she was drinking back into the pitcher which surprised Mommy Pinty. "Oh shocks! Catherine, ang bastos mo. Umalis ka diyan," Mommy Pinty said afterwards. Watch the video below: Alex's latest vlog update elicited various reactions from the online community as well. "Alex : You're so disrespectful Pinty. Meanwhile... UMINOM NG TUBIG TAPOS BINALIK HAHAHA." "Tawa lang ako ng tawa the whole time. Galing talaga sumabay ni Uncle Jojo sa mga kabaliwan ni Alex." "The best thing about Alex's vlogs, is that before you clock in it, you know that it'll make you're day." "I really love you, Alex! You know, in times like this we really need a positive vibe. And we really thank you for giving that happiness. Much appreciated. Much love. Much respect to you, Alex!" PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! As reported earlier by KAMI, Toni Gonzaga was accused by a basher of not doing anything to help the needy amid the COVID-19 crisis in the Philippines. Alex Gonzaga decided to fire back against the basher to defend her older sister. The younger Gonzaga said that her sister has already provided a lot of help during the crisis but she just did not want to publicize it. Alex also showed a picture of the fourth batch of donations from her sister to prove her point. Catherine "Cathy" Cruz Gonzaga, most popularly known as Alex Gonzaga, is the younger sister of Toni Gonzaga. Alex is currently dating businessman, Mikee Morada. The couple became open about their relationship last January 2017. Aside from acting and hosting, she also runs her vlog about makeup tutorials and travel adventures. POPULAR: Read more news about Alex Gonzaga Please like and share our Facebook posts to support KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinion about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts! Source: KAMI.com.gh The Army on Saturday said its personnel provided assistance to a large number of stranded people on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway after it was blocked for several hours due to heavy landslide in Panthiyal area of Ramban district. Nearly 700 vehicles with commuters plying towards Jammu got stranded for 24 hours due to the blocking of the highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, on Friday, a defence spokesman said. He said the landslides blocked the 270-km highway forcing suspension of the vehicular traffic for a long duration, leaving a large number of commuters stranded. On receipt of the information, the Army immediately swung into action and reached the location along with a medical team, the spokesman said. He said the stranded travelers were provided with hot tea and food. First aid was also provided by the medical team. The passengers and the civil administration officials were deeply touched by the humane effort by the men in uniform, the spokesman added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Norman J. Ornstein, an American Enterprise Institute political scientist, suggested presidents nominate inspectors from a list of candidates submitted by a panel of experts such as current or former inspectors. While Ornstein is critical of Trumps dealings with IGs, he also blamed the Republican controlled Senate for not conducting better oversight of a president who sees any independent ability to maintain integrity in government as a direct affront to him. Muslims in the US state say theyre mentally prepared for a COVID Eid, but its still very challenging. Eid al-Fitr in the US state of Michigan this year is going to be very different, said Mahmoud Al-Hadidi, a physician and chairman of the Michigan Muslim Community Council. There will be no mass prayers in the mosques, no communal breakfasts, no carnival and no evening parties. Even family gatherings will be limited. Usually we have a huge party at my house with 400 to 500 people, Al-Hadidi told Al Jazeera. Im not gonna be doing that this year, Al-Hadidi said. Im going to be with my immediate family, and were staying at home. But the curbs on mass social gatherings put in place to contain the spread of the coronavirus, expected to last through at least May 28, have not dampened the holiday spirit. And residents of southeast Michigan, home to one of the largest Muslim communities in the United States, say they have found innovative ways to welcome the three-day holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, while adhering to social-distancing measures. We are determined to celebrate and be happy despite all the circumstances, we will adapt, Al-Hadidi added. Thousands are expected to tune in on Sunday morning for a live Eid sermon that will be aired on local television and streamed on social media. Later in the day, cars will be able to line up outside several mosques to enjoy live music and to receive gift bags for children, in this years first-ever drive-thru Eid event. Thousands attending the Ramadan Suhoor Festival in Dearborn Heights, Michigan last year [File: Carlos Osorio/AP Photo] Like most Muslims around the world, those of southeast Michigan, a community of over 250,000, traditionally celebrate Eid by visiting friends and relatives in their homes or attending large gatherings where people eat and socialise together. Normally we go to the mosque for prayer and breakfast, and at night we go out for dinner, Lama Samman Nasry told Al Jazeera, we spend most of the day out of the house. Samman Nasry a resident of the Detroit suburb Franklin who works as a manager at an urgent care clinic and is the mother of four children said she will be one of dozens who will be volunteering to hand out presents and food, hoping to help spread some joy. Its going to be a quieter celebration, she said. It will be a different kind of celebration, definitely. Michigan has been one of the hardest-hit states during the coronavirus pandemic, with over 53,000 cases of COVID-19 and over 5,000 deaths the fourth-highest death toll in the country, according to Johns Hopkins University statistics. The state also imposed one of the strictest stay-at-home orders, which prompted small groups of protesters, some armed, to demonstrate at the state capitol. On Thursday, Michigans governor Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced steps to reopen the states economy and presented timelines for the resumption of some businesses and allowing some social gatherings. Weve taken significant steps forward to re-engage our economy safely and responsibly over the past few weeks. Now we are going to take some time to ensure that these new measures are working, Whitmer said during Thursdays news briefing. On Friday, US President Donald Trump said that he has deemed houses of worship as essential and called on governors across the country to allow them to reopen this weekend despite the threat of spreading the coronavirus. These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united, he said at a news conference at the White House. The people are demanding to go to church and synagogue, go to their mosque, he said. Trump said that if governors do not abide by his request, he will override them. It remains unclear what authority he has to do so, and how governors including Michigans will respond. Meanwhile, Firas Bazerbashi, a physician, says most residents in Michigan are fully aware of the health risks and will forego the customary community celebrations. He added that after weeks of quarantine, people have learned to replace family visits with phone calls and Zoom sessions, despite a renewed need to be physically close to family. It will be remarkably different, Bazerbashi told Al Jazeera. Its really hard to be isolated from family and friends and being disconnected from the community. We are mentally prepared to have a COVID Eid, but it is still very challenging, he said. Former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten in Hong Kong / Reuters China has betrayed the people of Hong Kong so the West should stop kowtowing to Beijing for an illusory great pot of gold, said Chris Patten, the last governor of the former British colony. Beijing is set to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong after a sustained campaign of pro-democracy protests last year in the city, which enjoys many freedoms not allowed on mainland China. "The Hong Kong people have been betrayed by China," Patten was quoted as saying by The Times newspaper. Britain, he said, had a "moral, economic and legal" duty to stand up for Hong Kong. Patten, now 76, watched as the British flag was lowered over Hong Kong when the colony was handed back to China in 1997 after more than 150 years of British rule - imposed after Britain defeated China in the First Opium War. Hong Kong's autonomy was guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" agreement enshrined in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration signed by then Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. But China's plans to impose the security laws on Hong Kong risk destroying the declaration, Patten said. Menifee, Calif. Syracuses adopted son and rocker Benny Mardones is bedridden and isolated from his wife in a California assisted-living facility, according to his wife, Jane. She recently shared a picture of him sitting in a wheelchair behind a window. He holds a sign for her, written with a pen thats running out of ink. The message is legible, but barely: I love you. Mardones, the voice behind the 1980s global hit Into the Night, is staying at the Sunny Rose Glen facility. He was moved to hospice care there in mid-April to ensure he gets better care, not because he is on his deathbed, Jane said. But his condition is not good, she said. The 73-year-old has Parkinsons disease, which has caused major health complications. He has trouble breathing and speaking. He recently beat back pneumonia, though he is on another round of antibiotics in hopes of clearing his lungs, she said. And he is lonely. He speaks with his wife on the phone each night, but she only sees him once every two weeks, when she can convince nurses to wheel him out to the window, she said. He cant see his grandkids, either. Its really, really hard, not to be able to give him a hug and a kiss and hold his hand, she said. He definitely feels sad. Thank God we can talk on the phone. Benny Mardones condition makes him susceptible to contracting Covid-19, she said. The facility is on lockdown, but there have been no cases there, fortunately, she said. Despite the lockdown, he still gets mail. He loves getting cards from fans, she said. And hed love it people found some time to send one. Heres the address: Sunny Rose Glen, 29620 Bradley Road, Menifee, California 92586 Attn: Benny Mardones I know that it lights up his day to get a card, Jane said. It puts a smile on his face, knowing people are thinking of him. Mardones has called Syracuse his hometown after moving to Central New York in 1985. The Maryland-raised musician needed to dry out after spending the previous decade in L.A. and New York, racking up lots of debt from his cocaine addiction. When I was addicted to drugs, Syracuse opened its arms to me, he once told syracuse.com. It gave me my life back." His time in Central New York coincided with a comeback: Into the Night became a top 20 hit in 1989, nine years after it first achieved the same feat. Only Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen has a similar claim to fame. Mardones hit is one of the most frequently played in radio history: an estimated 4.5 millions plays, according to Mardones website. When he moved to Syracuse, he quickly became one of the citys biggest concert draws, regularly bringing 24,000 fans to the Weedsport Speedway. Jane said she is doing her best to keep his spirits up. Whenever they talk, he seems more concerned about her. Thats typical Benny, she said. In the meantime, shes done her best to feel his presence despite being separated from each other. I listen to Bennys music all the time," she said. Every night I put it on, and it feels like hes in the house. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources After mom dies of coronavirus in NYC, Syracuse woman takes on a final promise: a place to rest Who can get a coronavirus test in NY? Cuomo widely expands eligibility for thousands Cuomo: No more New York lockdowns planned, even as coronavirus is expected to slowly spread Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Contact reporter Patrick Lohmann at 315-766-6670 or PLohmann@Syracuse.com. The coronavirus pandemic is rapidly transforming this year's elections, changing the way tens of millions of people cast ballots and putting thousands of election officials at the center of a pitched political fight as they rush to adapt with limited time and funding. In a watershed moment for American voting, nearly 30 states have changed rules or practices for this year's primaries or the general election in response to the public health threat posed by covid-19, according to a tally by The Washington Post. The new policies affect roughly 86.6 million registered voters - including more than 40 million people who now have the temporary right to cast an absentee ballot because of the virus. This striking shift in the voting landscape encompasses nearly every part of the country, red and blue states alike. But with November less than six months away, the largely bipartisan wave of change has been hit by political turbulence as President Donald Trump raises unfounded doubts about the security of voting by mail and threatens to punish states where Democratic leaders are facilitating it. Battles over voting in the age of the coronavirus are defining the 2020 presidential cycle, with intense partisan fights over the rules erupting in states such Wisconsin and Texas. The outcome will shape how easy it will be for people to cast their ballots in November - and in some cases, whether certain mail-in votes will be counted. Asmore than two dozenlegal battles wend their way through the courts, local and state officials are racing to figure out how to administer the election amid the health crisis, propelled by an unyielding calendar. "There's so much debate in Washington, particularly as a result of comments from the president, around the questions: 'Are people going to be voting by mail?' 'Should they be allowed to vote by mail?' And the fact of the matter is, they're doing it," said Larry Norden, director of the Election Reform Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. "The election officials have to essentially create a new infrastructure for handling that," he added. "They prepared for one election and got another." This year, more than 168 million of the nation's nearly 198 million registered voters are eligible to vote absentee in either midyear contests or the general election. In the fall, the country could see a huge surge in mail voting compared to 2016, when more than33 million ballots were cast absentee or sent in by mail for the general election, about 24 percent of the vote, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. The process has already been messy and costly, posing challenges for local election clerks, the U.S. Postal Service and voters trying to navigate the shifting rules. The next big test will come June 2, when eight states and the District of Columbia are holding primaries. At the same time, many jurisdictions are face looming deadlines to order ballot materials and specialty equipment for the general election. "We're all looking at it like this is our dry run and multiplying it by what could happen in November," said Roxanna Moritz, auditor for Scott County, Iowa, of the June 2 contests in her state, which has seen a massive spike in requests for absentee ballots. "As soon as we're finished, we're in a dead heat." - - - The shift toward absentee voting has been rapid and widespread over the past two months since the coronavirus began to claim thousands of lives throughout the country. At first, political debate was muted as elected officials made changes to voting procedures they said were necessary to protect the public. Starting with Louisiana on March 13, more than a dozen states postponed primaries. Officials cited a number of practical challenges arising from the pandemic, including elderly poll workers withdrawing from their jobs out of concern for their health and a shortage of sanitizing equipment for polling places. "This decision has been made out of an absolute abundance of caution for Louisiana's voters, voting officials and the general public as a whole," said Kyle Ardoin, the Republican secretary of state, as he announced that his state was delaying its primary more than two months. Officials later delayed it again for three more weeks. Since then, state leaders from both parties have announced decisions to facilitate absentee voting for people who fear contracting the coronavirus by casting ballots in person. This national shift has drawn comparisons to other periods of large-scale transformation in U.S. voting, such as the overhaul that followed the 2000 presidential election debacle, which set new minimum standards for election administration and provided federal funding to replace aging voting equipment. Decisions about expanding absentee voting this year have in some cases been made by secretaries of states, often in partnership with governors - both Republican and Democratic. In others, court rulings, new state laws and decisions by local officials are playing a role. While only a handful of states have made decisions about how they will hold their elections in November, many have already put in place a wide range of changes for their midyear contests, The Post's review found. Eleven states that require an excuse to vote absentee have announced that voters may cast ballots by mail for the primaries this year if they are concerned in-person voting will make them sick. These decisions temporarily make voting by mail accessible to more than 40 millionpeople. Another 12 states and the District of Columbia are proactively sending absentee ballot applications or request forms to voters specifically because of the coronavirus. Roughly 34.7 million people will receive the forms, according to state figures on registered and active voters. In the most controversial move, four states - Maryland, Montana, Nevada and New Jersey - are proactively sending absentee ballots for the primaries to approximately 11.3 million voters in the coming months. They join five states that already mail ballots to voters. Critics say this practice substantially increases the risk of ballot fraud. Proponents argue that with the right safeguards, such as signature requirements and verification measures, mailing ballots is secure. "This decision, which was not made lightly, both ensured the primary election could move forward as scheduled and provided a way to protect the health and safety of voters and election workers in Nevada," Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, a Republican, said in a statement last week. The swift changes have forced local election administrators to overhaul their operations to prepare for a surge in absentee voting. That's also the case in 34 states that already do not require an excuse to vote absentee or by mail, where officials are bracing for millions more voters to embrace that option than in past elections. In Pennsylvania, voters had submitted approximately 1.6 million applications for mail-in and absentee ballots for the June 2 primaries as of last week, a figure Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar called "off the charts." And in Georgia, almost 1.5 million people have requested absentee ballots for the June 9 primaries as of last week, a dramatic increase over previous elections. State officials estimate that as many as half of voters will cast absentee ballots - compared to just 5 to 7 percent in a typical election. The pressure on local election clerks is now intense in states such as Iowa, where Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate announced in March that active registered voters would receive absentee ballot request forms in the mail ahead of the June 2 congressional primaries. As of mid-May, the number of absentee ballot requests had spiked more than 10 times on average over 2016, according to a breakdown provided by Moritz. Election offices are now scrambling to keep up as they process the requests, ensure the correct ballot is sent to each voter, purchase extra supplies and educate the public about the process. Meanwhile, the state is also reopening businesses, raising the possibility of another viral outbreak. "We are in uncharted territory," said Moritz, a Democrat who leads the state association of county auditors. "Our governor is opening up . . . and we're three weeks from an election. What does that mean for us?" Moritz and other local election officials across the country are already contending with the mounting costs of making voting safe during the pandemic. A $2.2 trillion virus relief package that passed March 27 included $400 million in voting funds for states. But while nearly all that money has been dispersed, it was only a fraction of what election officials sought, and a few states have struggled to fulfill a 20 percent match requirement. County auditors in Iowa received just $300 per precinct from the secretary of state under the act to help purchase additional equipment, Moritz said. But when a single sneeze guard costs about $125 - and every polling place requires several - it is clear that money will only go so far. Even in states that have received their full allocations, it is unclear how much of the funding will trickle down to local officials. In Defiance County, Ohio, officials are still tallying up costs from the state's primaries this spring. Additional expenses totaled approximately $20,000, including about $10,000 just for postage, said Deputy Elections Director Kim Smith, a Democrat. "In Ohio,we're already utilizing a lot of the federal funding that has come down," said Smith. "That's not going to cover two elections here." Some are holding out hope for the next federal relief bill. The version passed by the House included $3.6 billion for election assistance and a series of voting mandates favored by Democrats but is considered dead-on-arrival in theGOP-controlled Senate. - - - Just four states have so far changed their voting rules for the November general election, but many more are expected to join them in the coming weeks, as officials confront deadlines for ballot printing orders and purchases of equipment like high-capacity ballot scanners. In New Hampshire, people concerned about contracting the coronavirus will be allowed to cast absentee ballots, a decision affecting roughly 875,000 registered voters. Connecticut and Michigan will send absentee ballot applications to about 8.7 million voters in those two states. And in California, more than 20 million voters will receive actual absentee ballots in the mail. Trump has balked as states have made voting by mail easier, claiming without evidence that it will lead to fraud and hurt Republican candidates. The president triggered the latest public conflict on Wednesday when he threatened to "hold up" federal funding for Michigan and Nevada because the states are lowering barriers to absentee voting this year, claiming without evidence that such moves are illegal. Later, he told reporters that he believes voting by mail encourages "forgeries," "duplication" and "thousands and thousands of fake ballots." "We don't want them to do mail-in ballots because it's going to lead to total election fraud. So we don't want them to do mail-in ballots. We don't want anyone to do mail-in ballots," Trump said Thursday. Experts say that while mail voting poses a risk if there are not safeguards in place to protect the chain of custody of ballots, episodes of election fraud have been rare, and there is not evidence to support Trump's claims that it has caused widespread cheating. Many Republicans now share the president's skepticism of voting by mail. While 70 percent of Americans favor letting any eligible voter cast ballots by mail, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are split with 49 percent in favor and 50 percent opposed, according to a survey published last month by the Pew Research Center. Eighty-seven percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents support universal access to mail voting, the survey found. Roughly half of adults supported conducting all elections by mail, up from about one-third who said this two years ago. As the primary season has gone on, partisan fighting over voting across the country has intensified. Perhaps the most dramatic showdown came in Wisconsin, where the state Supreme Court sided with Republican lawmakers and forced in-person voting to proceed on April 7, overruling Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and public health officials. Facing mass cancellations by poll workers, election administrators were forced to consolidate voting locations. Milwaukee opened only five polling places of its typical 180, while Green Bay opened only two out of its typical 31, leading to hours-long lines. Nearly 1 million ballots were ultimately cast by mail - more than 60 percent of the total vote - breaking the state's previous absentee ballot record, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. But some voters who requested absentee ballots did not receive them, officials acknowledged - and others had their votes tossed out amid rapidly changing legal decisions in the days before the vote. Scott McDonell, clerk in Dane County, Wisconsin, called the April elections a "total disaster." "I had never seen anything like it before," said McDonell, a Democrat whose jurisdiction includes Madison. "The constantly changing rules, the inability to plan intelligently, all the fear . . . our institutions seem to be breaking down." The volume overwhelmed both local election officials and the U.S. Postal Service, the state election commission concluded. The day after the election, the commission's staff received a call from a USPS official in Chicago, which reported that it had located "three tubs" of absentee ballots from the eastern part of the state with about 1,600 ballots. The commission said it has been unable to get further information from USPS about the ballots. USPS spokesman David Partenheimer said the post service's inspector general is conducting an investigation "regarding potential issues with absentee ballots in Wisconsin," declining to comment further. Another high-stakes legal drama is now playing out in Texas, where Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is fighting to maintain strict limits on who may vote absentee this year. State law limits absentee voting to people who are age 65 or older, traveling, in jail or disabled. Paxton has argued that fear of exposure to the coronavirus is not a valid excuse, a position being challenged in federal and statecourt by the Texas Democratic Party. The state has approximately 15.2 million registered voters. "A Texan who wants to exercise his fundamental constitutional right to vote should be able to do it by mail" this year, party chair Gilberto Hinojosa told reporters this month. "What we don't understand is why the attorney general of the state of Texas is fighting so savagely on this issue." Earlier this month, a federal judge granted the Democratic Party's request for a temporary injunction, saying the state's restrictions are unconstitutional. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily stayed the lower court's ruling Wednesday after Paxton appealed. The case could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. "Protecting the integrity of elections is one of my top priorities, and allowing universal mail-in ballots would only lead to greater fraud and disenfranchise lawful voters," Paxton said in a statement Wednesday. As they wait for the next development, election administrators in Texas's 254 counties are already coping with a higher-than-average number of absentee ballot requests ahead of the July 14 primary runoffs. Cynthia Jaqua, elections coordinator for Comal County, which lies between Austin and San Antonio, said she will follow a strict interpretation of the absentee rules unless the secretary of state directs otherwise. From a logistical standpoint, expanding eligibility for absentee voting before the upcoming contests would be a "real nightmare," she said. "We would have to have people working 24 hours a day just to get it out," she said. "People think, 'I'm going to ask for a ballot. There's nothing to that.' Oh yes, there is." - - - The Washington Post's Lenny Bronner and Scott Clement contributed to this report. A new statistical model from Imperial College London has claimed to show that coronavirus continues to spread 'uncontrolled' in 24 U.S. states, and predicts the U.S. death toll will triple in the next two months. The study published on Thursday, which has not been peer reviewed, uses mobility data and case information to estimate the reproduction rate of the virus, or how many other people are infected by the average case. A reproduction rate, or R0, of less than 1 indicates that the virus is in decline and will eventually die out. A rate higher than 1 means each case will infect more than one other person on average, and is considered 'uncontrolled'. It is the latest model from the highly influential Imperial College, which has come under harsh criticism for shoddy code and questionable methods after issuing a string of dire predictions, including one that 2.2 million Americans would die in the epidemic. Its most prominent scientist, Professor Neil Ferguson who co-authored the new study, also drew outrage when he admitted that he flouted the very lockdown rules he'd lobbied the UK to imposed while having secret trysts with his married mistress. The chart above shows the Imperial estimates of viral reproduction rate for each state, with those under 1 in green and those above 1 in magenta A list of states shows the Imperial estimates for current rate of transmission (triangle) and initial rate of transmission (circle) 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson is co-author of a new Imperial College London Study. He was forced to resign a government advisory after breaking lockdown rules to have an affair The new study uses cell phone location data and case information to estimate the reproduction rate in each state. With restrictions now easing and mobility increasing with the approach of Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer, the researchers developed an estimate of viral spread as of May 17. 'We predict that increased mobility following relaxation of social distancing will lead to resurgence of transmission, keeping all else constant,' the authors write. In California and Florida, the death rate could spike to roughly 1,000 a day by July without efforts to mitigate the spread, according to the report. The authors say that their model does not account for things like the widespread wearing of masks or contact tracing efforts. However, the authors predict that in two months, the American death toll in the epidemic will have more than tripled to exceed 288,000. To date, 96,000 people have died in the U.S. It comes after Imperial College epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, who co-authored the report, was described as 'totally unreliable' by other experts. The coding that produced the team's original apocalyptic death figures was impossible to read, and therefore cast doubts on its strength, The Telegraph reported. It is also some 13 years old, it said. When other scientists have tried to replicate the findings using the same model, they have repeatedly failed to do. Ferguson's model is understood to have single-handedly triggered a dramatic change in the British government's handling of the outbreak, and the decision to move away from herd immunity to a lockdown. But critics have today described the coding used by Imperial as 'totally unreliable'. John Carmack, an American developer who helped refine the code before the paper was published online, said some parts of the code looked like they were 'machine translated from Fortran', an ancient coding language used on mainframes in the 1950s. After growing pressure, the Imperial team released their code, which simulates homes, offices, schools and people movement, and skeptics were quick to point out it was 13 years old. Furthermore, when analyzing the validity of the staggering death estimates, scientists have claimed that it is almost impossible to reproduce the same results from the same data, using the same code as Imperial, The Telegraph reported. University of Edinburgh researchers reportedly found bugs when running the model, getting different results when they used different machines, or even the same machines in some cases. The team reported a 'bug' in the system which was fixed - but specialists in the field remain staggered at how inadequate it is. Four experienced modelers previously noted the code is 'deeply riddled with bugs', has 'huge blocks of code bad practice' and is 'quite possibly the worst production code I have ever seen'. Weeks after the model's grim prediction, the University of Edinburgh's Professor Michael Thursfield criticized Ferguson's record as 'patchy'. He was referring to Ferguson's predictions in the early 2000s that up to 136,000 people could die from mad cow disease. As of 2018, a total of 231 cases of mad cow disease had been reported globally. Imperial College's heavy reliance on complex statistical models is also coming under question as ever-more real-world data becomes available. A recent JP Morgan study has suggested that coronavirus lockdowns have 'destroyed millions of livelihoods' but failed to alter the course of the pandemic given many US states have seen lower infection rates after easing restrictions It suggests that the lockdown measures have not only resulted in economic devastation but could have also resulted in more deaths. A competing study from JP Morgan says that most states that have lifted lockdown restrictions have actually seen falling infections rates The report also includes a chart showing that 'the vast majority of countries had decreased infection rates' after lockdowns were lifted. The chart, however, doesn't name the countries The strict stay-at-home measures put in place by the governors of most states in mid-March has so far seen nearly 39 million American lose their jobs and forced businesses to close. 'Unlike rigorous testing of potential new drugs, lockdowns were administered with little consideration that they might not only cause economic devastation but potentially more deaths than COVID-19 itself,' author Marko Kolanovic, a trained physicist and a strategist for JP Morgan, said. The JP Morgan report says that restarting the US economy may not lead to a second surge in infections that health experts have feared given the falling infections rates seen since lockdown measures were lifted in parts of the country. Almost all states have seen lower infection reproduction rates (R rates) after lockdown measures were lifted, according to the report. Meanwhile, Nevada, Rhode Island, Texas, North Dakota and Pennsylvannia are the states where infection rates increased after lockdowns ended, according to the report. Infection rates have continued to decline even once a lag period for new infections to become visible is factored in, according to the report. MICHIGAN CITY A Rolling Prairie man is in custody after allegedly breaking in and stealing an office safe from Schoop's Hamburgers in the middle of the night Wednesday. Michigan City police were dispatched at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday to the burger joint at 4105 Franklin St. after the restaurant's alarm sounded. A witness in the area called 911 to report they saw a person running north from towards U.S. 20, according to a Michigan City Police Department news release. The person, later identified as Kyle James Reese, 27, was caught and arrested, police said. Later that morning, at 6:15 a.m., officers were called back out to Schoop's Hamburgers, where employees were arriving for work, police said. They said an office safe was missing. Officers checked the area and found the safe in the landscaping of a nearby Starbucks at 4103 Franklin St. On Thursday, Reese was charged with one count of burglary, a level 5 felony, police said. Reese is being held at the LaPorte County Jail on a $15,000 cash-only bond, police said. Liquor contractors in over a dozen groups in Ludhiana kept their shutters down on Saturday, ruing the governments failure to provide them relief against the losses incurred during the lockdown period. The city has 96 liquor groups, each having three to four vends on an average. Contractors in other groups are expected to follow suit in the coming days. Areas where vends have been shut include the Model Town market, Malhar Road, Link Road (near Preet cinema), Model Town-Jawaddi road among other areas. Earlier, too, when the state government had allowed the sale of liquor in the state, contractors in Ludhiana had refused to open the vends for at least a week. They had finally relented on May 15 after government assurance that relief would be provided soon. Liquor contractor Varinder Sharma Bobby, who is leading the contractors, said, Not only in Ludhiana, vends have been closed in Bathinda, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and some other places too. We had met ministers, including Vijay Inder Singla (education) and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria (housing and urban development) last week and they had assured that relief would be provided soon. However, nothing has been done. Another contractor, on the condition of anonymity, said many were reluctant to open the vends due to low sales but they had earlier opened it under pressure from government and administration. We want compensation for the loss incurred in the last financial year due to imposition of curfew on March 23. Huge sales are witnessed on March 31 every year but this year, the vends remained closed due to the curfew, said the contractor, adding, We also want the withdrawal of quota condition in the excise policy 2020-2021. Deputy excise and taxation commissioner (DETC) Pawan Garg said that government is expected to announce a relief for contractors in the coming few days. In the meantime, the department is trying to convince the contractors to open their vends, said Garg. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The first study from India documenting a cluster of Covid-19 has reconfirmed higher rates of transmission among close contacts and has reinforced that public health measures such as physical distancing, personal hygiene, and infection control measures are necessary to prevent transmission. The report titled A cluster of SARS-CoV-2 infection among Italian tourists visiting India, March 2020 published in the Indian Council of Medical Researchs Indian Journal of Medical Research analysed a group of 23 Italian tourists, who along with 3 Indians visited several tourist sites before 17 of them were detected to be infected. Of the nine who developed symptoms, six were mild, one was severe and two were critically ill who later died, said the report prepared by epidemiologists with the ICMR and clinicians in Gurugram and Jaipur who treated these patients. The researchers have investigated this cluster to describe the epidemiological, clinical, radiological and laboratory findings. Our analysis reinforces the need to ensure early detection and aggressive contact tracing in order to contain the outbreak, said Dr. Tarun Bhatnagar, a scientist with the ICMRs National Institute of Epidemiology who co-authored the study. The investigation has shown that the median duration between the day of confirmation for COVID-19 and RT-PCR negativity was 18 days with a range of 12-23 days and two patients died with a case fatality of 11.8 per cent within the cluster. The first patient, 69-year-old male, resident of Lombardy in Italy and family physician by profession had developed fever, cough and difficulty in breathing on February 23 within two days of arriving in India however it was five days later, after his condition deteriorated that he was tested for SARS CoV 2 at the SMS Medical College, Jaipur. Seventeen of the 25 other persons who were all asymptomatic at that time, including his wife, tested positive. The median age of the COVID-19-positive individuals was 69 year and nine (52.9%) were female. Of the 17 patients, nine (52.9%) had or developed symptoms, whereas eight (47.1%) did not show any symptoms, said the report. Among the affected, one had symptoms of COVID-19 on day 0 of hospitalization and six developed symptoms by day 3, while two became symptomatic by day 8. By day 12, symptoms subsided in all the mild patients, it added. The most common symptoms were fever (66.7%), cough (44.4%), and sore throat (33.3%). The median interval between the day of confirmation for COVID-19 and RT-PCR negativity was 18 days. The median duration of hospital stay was 20 days with a range of 14-37 days. Eleven of the 17 (64.7%) had any chronic comorbidities, the most common being hypertension, dyslipidaemia or high blood cholesterol levels, and diabetes. Of the seven who had hypertension, two progressed to severe critical illness, whereas one became RT-PCR negative on day 23. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Paramedics transported a 13-year-old boy to the hospital Friday night after a shooting in West Brighton. A spokesman for the FDNY said an ambulance took the boy to Richmond University Medical Center in the North Shore neighborhood with non-life-threatening injuries. Emergency personnel transported the boy from an apartment at the West Brighton complex of the New York City Housing Authority on Henderson Avenue at around 6:10 p.m., according to a spokesman for the NYPD. Police said the boy was shot in the shoulder, and was taken to the hospital in stable condition. The spokesman said the teen was not being cooperative with the investigation, which is ongoing. 23.05.2020 LISTEN The Ghana National Gas Company Limited (GNGC), has described as misleading and mischievous claims by the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), Mr. Duncan Amoah, that LPG supplied by Ghana Gas Company at its Atuabo Gas Processing Plant is more expensive compared to imported LPG. According to GNGC, it is mindful of its strategic role and impact on the downstream LPG market. Unlike other suppliers of LPG who add the producer's premium to the benchmark pricing, the company says as a matter of responsiveness to the Ghanaian consumers, it does not add a premium on the benchmark free on board (FOB) price. In a statement issued by the Company, Head of Corporate Communications of Ghana Gas, Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah Bonsu, explained that, The pricing mechanism for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) produced by Ghana Gas at the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant is derived from NPA's bi-weekly market-driven Argus Butane ARA/UK large cargo price index, which is also the guideline for the commodity portion of imported LPG. The non-commodity charges are outside Ghana Gas' domain. He also explained that the Bi-Weekly pricing comprises two pricing windows for each month. The first pricing window for any current month references the Argus Butane CIF ARA cargoes price assessment for the period between the 12th to 26th of the previous month. The second pricing window references the Argus Butane CIF ARA cargoes price assessment from 27th of the previous month to the 11th of the current month. Addressing other issues, Mr. Bempah debunked the claim that GNGC supplies contaminated Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) from the Atuabo Gas Company as alleged by COPEC. He said, Ghana Gas ensures that the quality of LPG and the standard for quality determination of LPG are in alignment with both Local and International Standards. The average vapour pressure of the Ghana Gas LPG over the last six months is 7.46kg/cm2, which is well below the 9.5kg/cm2 required by the Ghana Standards Authority. We have consistently marketed LPG of exceptional performance and the highest quality while ensuring that the propane content is always within the acceptable specifications of the Ghana Standards Authority, GSA, and the National Petroleum Authority, NPA, he added. He further noted that COPEC's claim that the Atuabo LPG is quite high in Propane without providing a standard measure of high is mischievous. LPG is a gas mixture mainly made up of Propane and Butane. The presence of Propane in LPG amongst many other constituents to the vapour pressure, density and calorific value of the LPG, he said. The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) produced from the Atuabo Gas Plant is from a rich and sweet feedstock with negligible/trace amounts of undesirable compounds, he added. Background On May 21, 2020, the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, COPEC, petitioned the Ministry of Energy to address some issues with Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, supplied by the Ghana National Gas Company, which have contributed to the increase in the price of the product in some parts of the country. According to COPEC, LPG supplied by Ghana Gas at its Atuabo Gas Processing Plant is more expensive compared to imported LPG. They also said that despite the price differentials, some Oil Marketing Companies are being forced under a policy of zonalisation to buy and sell to consumers. ---citinewsroom Right now, millions of Americans face difficult financial circumstances. Record high unemployment has caused many families to draw down personal and retirement savings and some have had to decide between paying their bills and getting their prescriptions, because their savings have been depleted. In March, Congress and the Federal Reserves first priority was to prevent corporate bankruptcies. These actions make clear that corporate businesses are more critical to them than working families, small businesses and state governments. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, I would certainly be in favor of allowing states to use the bankruptcy route. This would be detrimental to our schools, first responders, and communities. Measures taken to stem the spread of the pandemic, although necessary, have slashed local and state government revenues. Initial forecasts show a significant drop in state income, as well as sales and business tax collections. According to the May 15 consensus estimating revenue conference, Michigan may have a $6 billion revenue shortfall over the next two fiscal years. Our states spending is concentrated largely in public health, education, public safety, and funding local governments. We face deep cuts to those core government functions given the projected magnitude of lost revenue. Police and fire, teachers, nurses, childcare providers, direct care workers, and thousands of government workers have demonstrated a patriotic commitment to public service during the pandemic. They deserve our praise and paychecks, not pink slips. Unfortunately, these are the very people whose jobs will be at stake without additional funding. Resolving the budget with deep cuts will create a long-term ripple effect of lost economic and educational opportunities in every corner of our state. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said, Additional fiscal support could be costly but worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery. Multiple opinion surveys show that residents want us to protect essential services and consider other options for filling budget gaps. In particular, they believe its long past time we demand corporations and the wealthy finally start paying their fair share. Unlike the federal government, Michigan must deliver a balanced budget each year. Despite the strains of budgetary requirements on states, Senate Majority Leader McConnell still chooses to inject partisan rhetoric like blue-state bailouts and other derogatory language that hollows out faith in our institutions and puts people at risk. We will have to make the tough decisions to balance budgets with or without federal relief. However, resolving the impending budget crisis with deep cuts will have devastating effects on public health and safety and further delay our recovery. The devastation will be even more significant if additional relief is not provided to American families facing long-term financial losses. Inaction at the federal level will lead to more lives lost, severe cuts to crucial public services, and long-term economic strain. Americans are relying on our representatives to act swiftly and boldly to preserve our communities and needed services. Jon Hoadley represents Michigans 60th House District and the residents of Kalamazoo and portions of Portage Kalamazoo Township. Hoadley is also challenging Congressman Fred Upton in the election for Michigans 6th District seat. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: As if the COVID-19 pandemic is not bad enough, some districts of Assam are now in the grip of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and floods. Official sources said 82 cases of JE and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) were reported from districts such as Cachar, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, Kamrup, and Morigaon. So far, there have been no deaths. We have recorded 79 cases of AES and three cases of JE. Two JE patients have been discharged from hospitals. The remaining others are under treatment and stable, Dr. Lakshmanan S, who is the Mission Director of National Health Mission in Assam, told this newspaper. He said the third JE patient was stable but she had multiple infections. The challenges are innumerable but we are working hard. The reality is there will be people whom we will not be able to save because of the natural course of the disease, Lakshmanan added. Assam has been vulnerable to JE all along. The combined number of deaths due to JE and AES last year was 600 154 of them in JE. JE alone accounted for 94 deaths in 2018, 87 in 2017, 92 in 2016, 135 in 2015, and 165 in 2014. First flood the year Meanwhile, the first flood of the year, triggered by incessant rains and the release of water from a dam, affected 2,980 people in three villages of two districts such as Barpeta and Lakhimpur. According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority, Puthimari and Jia Bharali rivers were flowing above the danger level at two places. Cropland affected was in areas of 105 hectares in Lakhimpur. A river embankment breached while a bridge collapsed. Highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases Assam on Saturday recorded 70 cases of COVID-19 which was by far the highest single-day spike. It took the states tally to 329. As many as 44 cases were reported from one quarantine centre in Guwahati while the remaining others were reported from some districts. On Friday, the state had recorded 49 cases. Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said nobody, arriving from outside the state, would be allowed to go for home quarantine without undergoing seven days institutional quarantine. Earlier, he had made an appeal to people from the state, stranded outside, not to return saying Assam is not safe now. Over the past two months, more than 17,000 domestic pigs died in the state due to African swine fever. The Kogi state governorship election tribunal sitting in Abuja has affirmed the election of Yahaya Bello as Kogi state governor. Bello was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC ) in the November 16, 2019 poll in Kogi State. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Musa Wada, had petitioned the state election tribunal, challenging Yahayas election. They alleged that the election was characterized by irregularities, violence, ballot snatching and stuffing, and non-compliance with the electoral act, constitution and INECs guideline for governorship elections. The tribunal in its ruling delivered today May 23, struck out the petition for lack of substantial evidence by the opposition. The post Kogi state tribunal affirms election of Yahaya Bello as Kogi state governor appeared first on . Share this post with your Friends on Business Roundup Irrawaddy Business Roundup -- YANGONIt was a busy week for lawmakers in Myanmars capital, Naypyitaw, with serious discussions on additional budgets and whether to take loans from intentional development organizations to help recover from the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the countrys major cities, garment factories, wholesale markets and some businesses have reopened as the government has eased some business restrictions. This week, a Chinese financial services group backed by the Alibaba Group announced that it will invest US$73.5 million in Myanmars largest mobile money company to upgrade its technical capabilities. The World Bank Group also committed to help Myanmar recover from the COVID-19 pandemic over the next few years, particularly by supporting economic growth in the country. Mandalay, Myanmars second commercial hub, is set to reopen its largest wholesale markets as the region has not found any new cases of COVID-19 for several weeks. Additionally, the COVID-19 economic impacts relief committee promised it will prioritize businesses across Myanmars states and regions rather than those in Yangon Region for its fourth batch of loan programs. Operator of Chinas Alipay to invest over US$73 million Chinas Ant Financial Services Group plans to invest US$73.5 million in Myanmars leading mobile money company, Wave Money. Owned by Alibaba Group, Hangzhou-based Ant is the operator of the online payment service Alipay. Wave Money, a joint venture between Telenor Group and Yoma Strategic, runs a network of more than 57,000 agents across 295 out of 330 townships in Myanmar, covering approximately 89 percent of the country. Yoma Strategic said in a press release on Monday that the investment would promote access to financial services for people in Myanmar as well as upgrade the technological capabilities and security of the countrys mobile financial services. More than 21 million people have used Wave Moneys services, including Wave Pay, for remittances, utility payments, airtime top-ups and digital payments, according to the company. The press release said that as part of the strategic partnership, Wave Money will be able to take advantage of Ant Groups experience building mobile payment platforms to enhance its digital competence, capabilities and services. Last year, Wave Moneys transfer volume more than tripled, reaching 6.4 trillion kyats (US$4.5 billion) in the country, according to the company. World Bank promises to help Myanmars economic growth The World Bank said on Monday it will help Myanmar to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by assisting with economic growth under a new country partnership framework (CPF) which lasts from 2020 to 2023. The World Bank said it will assist economic growth with a strong focus on social inclusion, including conflict-affected areas by focusing on three themes: building human capital and fostering peaceful communities; stimulating responsible private sector-led growth and inclusive economic opportunities; and enhancing the resilience of Myanmar to cope with natural disasters while ensuring that natural resources and the environment are managed sustainably. Under the new partnership framework, we will support national reforms that are critical to the transition process, help build well-governed and capable institutions and target our support to benefit poor and underserved parts of the country, including those affected by conflict, said Mariam Sherman, World Bank country director for Myanmar, Cambodia and Lao PDR. According to the World Banks latest indicators, Myanmars economic growth is expected to decline sharply from 6.3 percent in 2018-2019 percent to 2 percent in 2019-2020 with significant downside risks. While the economy is expected to regain momentum next year if the global pandemic is brought under control and global trade resumes, serious risks remain which could delay the countrys recovery, the bank said. The economic impact of COVID-19 is expected to take a severe toll on Myanmars poor and vulnerable people who make up about half the workforce of the countrys garment and tourism industries and up to two-thirds of workers in the agricultural sector, said Yuan Xu, country manager for Myanmar and Thailand at the International Finance Corporation, the private sector lending branch of the World Bank. With the impacts threatening peoples livelihoods, its all the more important to focus on responsible private sector-led growth to generate jobs and inclusive economic opportunities for all the people of Myanmar, Yuan Xu said. Under the new CPF, the bank aims to support Myanmars inclusive growth and job creation by working with the private sector to help meet development challenges in areas such as infrastructure, agriculture and tourism and by increasing peoples access to finance. Fourth batch of COVID-19 loans will prioritize businesses in states and regions The Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations (MIFER) said on Wednesday it will prioritize businesses in states and regions other than Yangon Region for the governments latest loans program. Recently, business people have criticized the government for mostly choosing businesses in Yangon for the first three batches of loans for COVID-19 relief despite the businesses in other states and regions also being hit hard by the pandemic. The government has dispersed loans in stages from a 100-billion-kyat (US$70.9 million) COVID-19 fund set up in March to help local businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises in the garment, manufacturing and hotel and tourism sectors, which have been badly hit by COVID-19. Last month, the government announced the fund size will increase to 200-500 billion kyats by the end of 2020, depending on the market response. MIFER head U Thaung Tun said decisions for the fourth batch of loans were made during a recent meeting of the committee to address the economic impacts of COVID-19 and said that this time it will give chances to businesses in other states and regions. Myanmars second commercial hub reopens major wholesale markets Myanmars second commercial hub, Mandalay, announced that its seven major wholesale markets will reopen starting Friday, as the city has not seen a new case of COVID-19 for several weeks. The Mandalay Municipal Committee said it has given permission to reopen to wholesale markets including Zaycho wholesale market, Man Myanmar Plaza, Zaycho Plaza, Yadanabon markets and Zaycho night market. The committee said major markets will open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every day except some religious holidays. The committee said customers will have to pass body temperature checks before entering the markets and must wear masks. Officials have added handwashing facilities in the markets and ordered sellers and buyers to strictly follow social distancng rules. Sellers who do not follow COVID-19-related instructions will have to shut down their shops for three days, the committee said. You may also like these stories: The Irrawaddy Business Roundup World Bank Loans Myanmar $50M for COVID-19 Response Chinese lawmakers deliberate draft civil code People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:51, May 22, 2020 BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers started deliberating a draft civil code Friday at the annual session of the country's national legislature. Wang Chen, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), read an explanatory document on the draft civil code to deputies attending the third session of the 13th NPC. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A court in Myanmars Thanintharyi Region on Friday handed a former high-ranking official from the ruling National League for Democracy a 30-year prison term on four counts of corruption and abuse of power. Lae Lae Maw, who had served as the NLDs chief minister for the Thanintharyi region, was dismissed from her position following her March 2019 arrest after residents of the region petitioned State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars de facto ruler, for the officials ouster. She was convicted under Article 55 of Myanmars Anti-Corruption Law after a year-long trial on four separate counts, local media sources said. Convicted with Lae Lae Maw were two directors and a general manager of Myanmars Global Grand Services (GGS) firm, who were charged with abetting and conspiring under Articles 55 and 63 of the Anti-Corruption Law. The two directorsThein Htwe and Aung Myatwere sentenced to prison terms of 10 years each, with the general manager, Thura Ohn, given a five-year term, according to a May 22 in the Irrawaddy online news service. Hla Maw, a member of the 88 Generation Peace and Open Societys committee from Thanintharyis Myeik District, welcomed the courts decision on Friday, saying the conviction of a former high-ranking official of the ruling party will improve peoples perception of both the government and the judicial system. I think that todays severe court sentence was appropriate, considering the high-level position of the person involved in the corruption. The ruling NLD government is sending the message that it will now take action against corrupt officials, he said. Reached for comment, defense attorney Naing Lin Tun said he will consult with Lae Lae Maws family on whether to appeal her sentence. We havent made any decision regarding an appeal, he said. I havent discussed this with the family yet, so I cant say anything about it. Bribes, abuse of power Lae Lae Maw had been charged with abusing her authority as the regions chief minister to improperly allocate nearly 2 billion kyat (U.S. $41,427,046) to the regions Road Development Department, for which she acquired a house and two plots of land in her husbands name free of charge. Additional charges against the former chief minister cited bribes received for assigning land-clearing and construction work for festivals and at a local airport and university without requiring tender, and the sale of her family home to the GGS firm at a vastly inflated price in exchange for granting permission for the firm to engage in highly profitable business ventures. Lae Lae Maw was sentenced fairly according to the law, NLD Information Committee member Monywa Aung Shin told RFAs Myanmar Service on Friday. As for the [NLDs] regulations, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly said that there are two things she will not tolerate within the partysexual misconduct and the taking of bribes. These are the partys rules, he said. Reported by Kyaw Lwin Oo for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Richard Finney. Sammi Awuku has asked the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to blame themselves and not the Electoral Commission (EC) for the situation they currently find themselves in. The NPP National Organiser holds the view that the largest opposition party shortchanged itself. He believes had the NDC encouraged their members to fully participate in the registration when the National Identification Authority first started the exercise; they will not be worried about the number of people likely to be disenfranchised. He was reacting to the brouhaha surrounding the compilation of the New Voters' Register and the opposition party's assertion that the use of only the Ghana card and passport for the registration exercise - excluding NHIS card and driver's licence holders - is an indirect way of vausing people to lose their right to vote. "The NDC is setting a dangerous precedent and gradually they will send themselves to the slaughterhouse...when we starting registering for the NIA card, the NDC asked their supporters not to participate but their MPs, the former President registered; now because of that earlier position they took, they feel that they didn't encourage many of their supporters to register so if the NIA card becomes means of identification, their numbers will be limited. But who cause am? he queried while speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FMs morning show 'Kokrokoo'. The Electoral Commission has laid before Parliament to amend Constitutional Instrument (C.I) 91 to use only the Ghana card and the passport for the registration exercise, which means NHIS card and driver's licence holders are not eligible to register their names except they provide the two legitimized documents.The EC has justified their decision saying their approach will help to eliminate unqualified names and ensure a credible register. 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 23.05.2020 LISTEN The Members of the New Patriotic Party have replied to a petition by the National Democratic Congress seeking to bar President Akufo-Addo from coming to the Savannah Region over his alleged involvement in the imprisonment of a Gonja chief. According to Frederick Abubakari Tahiru, President Akufo Addo has no influence over the judiciary system in the country and that he had no hand in the imprisonment of the Gonja Chief. "The NDC sought to twist issues as if it was President Akufo-Addo who jailed Alhaji Salifu knowing full well that President Akufo Addo has absolutely no control, influence or authority over the courts of Ghana." Earlier an Accra High Court presided over by His Lordship Justice Kyei Baffour, found three ex appointees of former President John Dramani Mahama guilty for causing financial loss to the state and sentenced to sixteen years in prison. One of them was Alhaji Dinpewura Alhaji Osman Salifu Mimina the former Deputy National Security Coordinator and a sub-chief of the Salaga Traditional Council who was sentenced to five years in prison for his involvement in the procurement of some equipment. His sentence has provoked arguments from many people in the region much particularly among NDC activists for convicting a chief. But the NPP had an opposing view on the matter, "Alhaji Salifu was afforded all the opportunities under the laws of our country and he fully defended himself. At the end of the criminal trial, Alhaji Salifu was found guilty of the charges of conspiracy to willfully causing financial loss to the state in contravention of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 921) and intentionally misapplying public property. Our brother Alhaji Salifu unfortunately could not run away from the long arm of the law and has been handed a jail term of five (5) years." Briefing the media at the Savannah Regional capital Damongo Frederick clarified that the region was also a beneficiary of the President's promised district and regional hospitals and not been left out by the government. "The two (2) District Hospitals will be situated in Daboya, the Capital of the North Gonja District and Kpalbe, the Capital of the North East Gonja District. The Regional Hospital will be situated in Damongo, the Capital of the Savannah Region. With the construction of these hospitals, all the seven (7) districts in the Savannah Region will have District Hospitals. This desperate claim also fails in the face of the evidence before us. Mr. Frederick Tahiru noted that the act of the NDC to petition the President through the Yagbonwura could brood criminals at the various palaces across the country and subsequently jeopardize with national security, "The action by the NDC to draw the office of his Royal Majesty of Gonjaland Yagbonwura Tumtumba Boresa Jakpa I into the issue is misplaced, highly mischievous and will open the doors to other Ghanaians to run for refuge in palaces of our revered chiefs when the laws of the land catch up with them. " He also accused the NDC of attempting to cause mayhem among the people in the region, "Clearly, this act by the NDC, led by an inexperienced Regional Communication Officer, Mr. Basintale, who failed to appreciate the complexities and nature of this matter is exceedingly divisive, highly tribalistic and has the tendency of creating chaos in a young united Savannah Region." He also blamed the leadership of the NDC saying, " In spite of our differences with the NDC, we acknowledge that there are some serious-minded persons who are members of the Party and the situation where the childishness of Mr.Basintale is allowed to be the norm for the NDC is a very unfortunate circumstance. Unguided and unwise youthful exuberance is leading Mr.Basintale wayward and the earlier he is called to order by the elders of the NDC, the better for our Region. The embarrassment he is causing the Savannah Region is getting out of hand." The NPP also urged the Yagbonwura Tutumba Boresa I to disregard the petition by the biggest opposition party in Ghana and assured of the NPP's commitment to developing the area: "We are confident and certain that our revered and distinguish Overlord, Yagbonwura Tumtumba Boresa Jakpa I, wise and great as he is, will not give any attention to these shameful and infantile claims by the NDC. "Savannah Regional politics should be a serious enterprise and the NPP assures the good people of our beloved Region that it will play a constructive role in the development and progress of our society." Mr. Frederick Abubakari Tahiru advised the lawyers of the convicted chief to go for an appeal at the courts Instead, "At this trying period, we of the NPP in the region are with Alhaji Salifu Mimina in prayer. All is not lost, he has the right to appeal and we urge that he exercises that right." While other industries complain about the lack of jobs, enterprises in supporting industries have been operating at full capacity to satisfy a high number of orders. Great opportunities Amid widespread job losses, hundreds of workers at An Phat Industrial Engineering Co Ltd in Dong Nai have had to work overtime to implement orders from partners. We have to expand production capacity to be able to deliver products on schedule, An Phats CEO Nguyen Hoa An said. An Phat is one of thousands of enterprises in the supporting industries in the eastern part of the southern region that have seen numbers of orders increasing rapidly since the epidemic outbreak. Since FIEs cannot import components when other countries apply measures to prevent the coronavirus spread, they have had to seek domestic supply sources. According to the Binh Duong provincial Department of Industry and Trade, some woodwork, electromechanical and ceramic enterprises in the province have enough orders until Q2, and their input materials are large enough to maintain production until May. Kim Vinh Thang Co Ltd in Bien Hoa 1 Industrial Zone also reported an increase in orders. We just had a working session with Japanese partners and found that the demand for components from them is very high. We can expect more orders in the time to come, said Kim Vinh Thangs CEO Phan Van Tu. According to the Binh Duong provincial Department of Industry and Trade, some woodwork, electromechanical and ceramic enterprises in the province have enough orders until Q2, and their input materials are large enough to maintain production until May. Le Tri Minh, head of the Dong Nai provincial association of enterprises in supporting industries, confirmed that the number of orders has increased by 30-40 percent compared with the same period last year. Most orders are from FIEs. Minh said FIEs lack components for manufacturing because of the restrictions in importing products from China. Meanwhile, foreign experts working for FIEs cannot come to Vietnam to supervise production. Therefore, FIEs decided to place orders with domestic enterprises. Worries Though more opportunities are coming, Vietnamese enterprises fear they will miss them because of the lack of input materials. We need to import some specific steel and iron products. Its OK now, but if the epidemic lasts one or two more months, material supply will be short, Tu of Kim Vinh Thang said. Vietnam has now become more aware of the importance of domestic supplies and the need for development of domestic supporting industries. According to Tran Duc Dan, director of Casum Shoes JSC in Bien Hoa City, previously, shoes companies had to import 80-90 percent of materials, but now they have to import 60-70 percent of materials. The localization ratio is up to two thirds for some products. Thanh Lich Vietnam businesses eyed by foreign investors Instead of following procedures to become nvestors, foreign enterprises are preferring to take a shortcut by taking over Vietnamese businesses, which allows them to penetrate the market more quickly. The miniseries, Waco, about David Thibodeau and David Koresh moved to Netflix on April 16, 2020, although it originally premiered on Paramount Network Jan. 24, 2018. The miniseries is gaining popularity on Netflix, so viewers are searching for more information about what happened in Waco, Texas. David Thibodeau played by Rory Culkin in the series recently shared in an interview that even what was shared throughout the series is not historically accurate. Wacos David Thibodeau | Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Viacom What is the miniseries Waco about on Netflix? Waco dramatizes the 51-day standoff that occurred in 1993 in Waco, Texas. The six-episode miniseries begins with some background information on the Branch Davidians a religious group led by David Koresh (Taylor Kitsch). The Davidians live together at their Mount Carmel Center in Waco, learning scripture through Bible studies conducted by Koresh. Koresh also performs with a small group of the other Davidians in a cover band at a local bar, where he meets Thibodeau. He invites the 23-year-old man back to the Mount Carmel Center to learn scripture with him. Thibodeau ends up staying to the bitter end of the Waco tragedy. RELATED: Waco on Netflix: FBI Negotiator, Gary Noesner, Believes His Situation Was Similar to Dr. Fauci and President Trump Meanwhile, viewers also get some background about an 11-day siege on Ruby Ridge. Gary Noesner, head of the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit, helped to diffuse the situation after the ATF killed several of the people in the house at Ruby Ridge. Noesner is also the head negotiator for the FBI after the ATF attempts to serve a warrant with full tactical gear guns blazing. After the death of four ATF agents and six of the Branch Davidians, the 51-day standoff ensued. The standoff ended when the FBI sent tear gas into the building. The remaining 76 people who did not get out died, including 25 children who were trapped inside. Why does David Thibodeau believe the Waco tragedy was portrayed inaccurately? There were a lot of firearms at Mount Carmel, Thibodeau admitted in an interview with Brown Political Review. But its not as many as people think. I believe 76 firearms came out of the building altogether. It was made to sound as though there were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds. There werent, because we were selling a lot of the guns at a gun show. So, both things were going on there. I dont want to just whitewash this one way or the other. I want to tell the truth. Thibodeau wants to give both sides of the story accurately. Thats why he wrote a book Waco: A Survivors Story about what happened. RELATED: Waco: David Thibodeau Still Does Not Believe David Koresh Was a Con Man They gassed kids to death, and they have the gall to say it was all David Koreshs fault? They gassed the kids to death. American law enforcement officers gassed American children to death. They went to the structure where the kids were and put so much tear gas in there that they anesthetized all the mothers and children in that little concrete structure. Most young men with good physiques could not have gotten out of that situation. What happened was not fair, and worse, the way it has been portrayed is not historically accurate. David Thibodeau wants Netflix to create a docuseries about Waco After Netflix picked up the series, Thibodeau spoke out, thanking the streaming giant for encouraging people to talk about the tragedy again. However, he had another message, too. Id like to see a documentary series because this was a drama, Thibodeau told TMZ. There is so much more to the tale. There are whole episodes we can talk about concerning the trials in San Antonio and the cover-ups that occurred there. Thibodeau wants to see a full documentary so that the truth can come out. RELATED: Waco: The Real David Thibodeau Made a Cameo in the Series Finale Theres a lot of people that want to come forward and tell their stories, Thibodeau continued. I survived. Im a survivor. Somebody has to speak for a community that was gassed and killed and burned down. He wants the world to hear the stories from all of the survivors, not just him. The only reason I even wrote my book was because I was so angry at the misrepresentation of who those people were the demonization that the government and the media put in place, the survivor concluded. Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar on Saturday warned action against private medical colleges if they do not pay stipends to students at par with what the government paid. Many students raised the issue with Sudhakar who was live on Facebook for an interaction hosted by Deccan Herald. Specifically, students from the JJM Medical College in Davangere, which is run by a trust belonging to senior Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, complained of non-payment of stipend. Im calling for a meeting with the management (of the institution). We will have to raise it with the Medical Council of India (MCI) also. Its a serious issue, its an offence and inhuman. We will write to the MCI and take strict disciplinary action, the minister said. Earlier this month, the government hiked the stipend for medical students at all 17 government medical colleges. House residents, postgraduate students, superspecialty students and those on fellowship had their stipends hiked by almost 40%, Sudhakar said. We did this despite economic difficulty as a token of gratitude, he said. Private colleges have to just follow the kind of stipend the government is giving. This is the MCI guideline, he said. But I am told that students havent been paid since 18 months. I want to help them. We will solve this issue, he said. The two astronauts who will test-drive private-spaceflight company SpaceX's brand new rocketship and return human orbital launches to the U.S. are classmates and friends. They're also veteran spacefliers, married to veteran spacefliers and fathers of young sons. Retired Marine Col. Doug Hurley will be in charge of launch and landing, a fitting assignment for the pilot of NASA's last space shuttle mission. Air Force Col. Bob Behnken will oversee rendezvous at the International Space Station. They'll end a nine-year launch drought for NASA when they blast off aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida. Liftoff is set for Wednesday. Behnken was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2000 and is a veteran of two space shuttle flights. A native of Missouri, Behnken flew STS-123 in March 2008 and STS-130 in February 2010, logging more than 708 hours in space, and more than 37 hours during six spacewalks. Hurley, who grew up in Apalachin, New York, was also selected as an astronaut in 2000. A veteran of two spaceflights, he was the pilot on STS127 and STS135. Hurley holds a bachelor of science in civil engineering from Tulane University. Before joining NASA, he was a fighter pilot and test pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps. Hurley and Behnken are married to fellow members of their 2000 astronaut class at NASA: newly retired Karen Nyberg and Megan McArthur. Each couple has one child, boys 10 and 6 years old. Being married to an astronaut, both men acknowledged, has made it easier in the unexpectedly long run-up to their SpaceX flight. Their wives and sons joined them in quasi-quarantine back home in Houston when the coronavirus hit, so theyre able to travel to Kennedy for the customary countdown farewells. The pandemic slashed the rest of their guest lists. The Associated Press contributed to this report Airbus has stepped up its US production capabilities with inauguration of the completed A220 commercial aircraft final assembly line (FAL) in Mobile in the state of Alabama. This 270,000-sq-ft which can produce both the A220-100 and A220-300 versions houses five primary assembly stations where major airframe component assemblies come together for a completed aircraft. An A220 first for JetBlue Airbus production team in Mobile, Alabama also marked another milestone, welcoming the first component assemblies destined to become an A220 for JetBlue. This low-cost carrier will be the second airline customer receiving US-built A220s when the aircraft is delivered in late 2020. The team is excited to start working in their new facility and to welcome a new customer, said Paul Gaskell, president of A220 USA and head of A220 Program in Mobile. Its a strong endorsement from JetBlue in this challenging time. Airbus announced plans in October 2017 for the addition of A220 manufacturing at Mobile which is situated on the edge of Mobile Bay along the Gulf of Mexico. The company began producing A220s at Mobile in August 2019 using space in an existing Final Assembly Line hangar for US-built A320 Family aircraft, and in newly-constructed support hangars. With the start of operations in the dedicated A220 final assembly line, Airbus production site in Alabama has now officially doubled in size. The expansion of our commercial aircraft production in Mobile from the A320 Family to the A220 further solidifies Airbus standing as a truly global aircraft manufacturer, and confirms that Airbus remains an important part of the American manufacturing landscape, added Gaskell. Mobile, Alabama is the second assembly site for the A220, which is Airbus latest addition to its product line of single-aisle commercial aircraft. The A220s primary production facility and program headquarters are located in Mirabel, Canada, where dedicated functions including engineering expertise and support functions also are situated. TradeArabia News Service When the coronavirus crisis first started, market watchers were eager to see if Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B) would make a big move. The Berkshire chief has lamented for years that stocks and companies are too expensive, and he hasn't "bagged an elephant" since his 2015 acquisition of Precision Castparts. The end of an 11-year bull market seemed to present a perfect opportunity from him to make use of the $137 billion Berkshire's squirreled away. After Berkshire's shareholder meeting earlier this month and the company's 13-F filing revealing its first-quarter stock moves, we now know that Buffett has not made any big purchases. In fact, he's done the opposite. Buffett's been a net seller of stocks, ditching his stake in the four major airlines and cutting back on holdings of Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, even though he's historically been a fan of bank stocks. The man who famously said "Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when they are fearful" now seems fearful. Based on his recent comments, we have some sense why. There's a ton of uncertainty out there Buffett has consistently expressed long-term optimism through the crisis, but he has been more cautious about what the near term holds. In comments at Berkshire's shareholder meeting in early May, Buffett said: When we started on this journey, which we didn't ask for, it seemed to me that it was an extraordinary wide variety of possibilities on both the health side and on the economic side. There was DEFCON 5 on one side and DEFCON 1 on the other side, and nobody really knows, of course, all the possibilities that there are, and they don't know what probability they are. But in this particular situation, it did seem to me that there was an extraordinary range of things that could happen on the health side and an extraordinary range in terms of the economy. Buffett went on to acknowledge that the worst-case and best-case scenarios had been eliminated, but there's still a wide range of possibilities out there -- which makes it particularly difficult for a value investor like Buffett to make smart buys, as there's a wide range of possibilities in future cash flows and earnings. Despite his faith in airlines, for example, Buffett believes that the industry has fundamentally changed. Demand will be down for the foreseeable future, which is especially problematic for an industry with high fixed costs. Buffett's right about the uncertainty. Even with the recent announcement from Moderna about a successful phase 1 vaccine trial, we don't know if there will be an effective vaccine within the next year or two, or even ever. We don't know if there will be another wave of infections and if businesses will have to close again. The future is especially hard to predict right now. Prices are still too high It's not surprising that Buffett, who has complained about the market being overvalued for the last several years, would still believe that stocks are overpriced. Though prices are still down double-digit percentages from February's highs, the near-term earnings picture has significantly deteriorated, and the uncertainty clouds the ability to make an accurate forecast. Asked why Berkshire had not acted as a lender of support as it did several times during the financial crisis, taking favorable stakes in the form of preferred stock and warrants, Buffett said, "Well, we haven't seen anything attractive." Buffett added that the Federal Reserve stepped in to support businesses that may have otherwise come to Berkshire for help, saying, "But that means that a lot of companies that needed money and probably should have done their financing a little earlier, but they're perfectly decent companies, got the chance to finance in huge ways in the last five weeks or thereabouts." Buffett said he was getting calls from companies in distress, but didn't find any of them appealing, so Berkshire has held its purse strings. Sometimes it pays to wait Buffett is no fan of market timing, saying that he doesn't know anyone who can do it, but he did observe that in the last crisis he may have acted too soon. Referring to the purchases Berkshire made in the fall of 2008, Buffett said "Now it turned out that we would have been a lot better off if we'd waited four or five months to do similar things." The Berkshire chief also made some of his best deals toward the end of the crisis. For instance, in 2011 he bought $5 billion in preferred stock in Bank of America, yielding 6%, a deal that has netted the company more than $20 billion, including some investments in B of A later on. Buffett may sense that better opportunities will present themselves as the crisis plays out. It's only been about two months since the shutdowns started, so for struggling businesses liquidity is likely to be tighter a few months from now that than it is today. Cautiously optimistic Buffett retained his usual optimism about the American economy, saying, "We haven't faced this exact problem. In fact, we haven't really faced anything that quite resembles this problem, but we faced tougher problems. The American miracle, the American magic has always prevailed, and it will do so again." Indeed, over the long term, U.S. stocks and the economy have always bounced back and continued to grow -- and over a five or 10-year horizon, the coronavirus may prove to be just a dip. But Buffett's cautious tone was noticeable, and it's clear that there's a high level of uncertainty ahead. Whether Buffett will go elephant-hunting this year remains to be seen, but for now the Oracle of Omaha seems content to keep his powder dry. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Friday swore into office, Justice Clemence Jackson Hoenyenuga, an Appeal Court Judge to the Supreme Court. Justice Hoenyenuga has had a career in the Judiciary spanning over 39 years, with the last 15 years spent as a judge on the Appeals Court. In March, the President nominated him, along with three others, to replace some Justices of the Supreme Court who have since retired. The four nominees were vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament, and their appointments were unanimously approved by the Legislature, on Wednesday, May 20. At a short ceremony at the Jubilee House, Accra, President Akufo-Addo, who administered the Allegiance, Judicial and Secrecy Oaths to Justice Hoenyenuga, congratulated him on his appointment to the apex court. He said the judge had met the stringent requirements of the Constitution and demonstrated the independence of spirit, proven integrity, high moral character and impartiality of mind to hold the office. The President told Justice Hoenyenuga that his track record both on the Bar and Bench spoke for itself, saying, "Your appointment to the highest court of the land is as truly well-deserved and merited." He expressed the hope that Justice Hoenyenuga, with his experience in high judicial office, would help strengthen the development of the constitutional and other jurisprudence in the Supreme Court, which had developed a positive reputation for many decades. With all other courts bound to follow the decisions of the Supreme Court in the matters of the law, President Akufo-Addo noted that it was critical that justices of the apex court possessed a sound knowledge of the law. The situation where judges preferred judgements on the basis of decisions from the lower courts and cited them as law "is not acceptable and even less so when judges cite no authority at all for their rulings and give orders without reason". "Judges, more judges of the Supreme court must learned, know their case law, and ensure their decisions and judgements are properly motivated....It is in this manner that judges contribute to the orderly development of the nation," he said. However, to Justice Hoenyenuga, the President said though he had a difficult journey during his vetting, 'happily, you comported yourself in a dignified manner," and, "I can only urge you to overlook these events, which is only a mere blip on your public career and dispense justice in accordance with your conscience and the rule of law." "It is extremely important that you ensure the strict application of the laws of the land and in the words of the Judicial Oath that you have just taken, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, and therefore without recourse to the political, religious or ethnic affiliations of any citizen of the land," he admonished. He expressed confidence that Justice Hoenyenuga would distinguish himself creditably at the Supreme Court. On his part, Justice Hoenyenuga expressed gratitude to the President and to all other institutions that were instrumental to "granting me this mantle." He declared: "I would, to the best of my ability, uphold the faith reposed in me to ensure the 1992 constitution is upheld and for that matter the rule of law. I will, therefore, do my best not to disappoint." Justice Hoenyenuga has worked in various capacities, including as an Assistant State Attorney, private legal practitioner, Judge Advocate of the Ghana Navy, Justice of the High Court, additional High Court Judge sitting on many cases in narcotics, robbery and other violent crimes. He was also the Director of the Remand Prisoners Programme, Justice for All. Mr Justice Issifu Imoro Tanko Amadu, also a judge of the Court of Appeal, Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, a professor of Law at the University of Ghana, Legon, and President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences; and Mr Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, a renowned private legal practitioner are also to be sworn in by the President. 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 Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 22, 2020) - C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. (TSXV: CMI) today announced pursuant to the requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange, that it has granted options to purchase 625,000 common shares of C-COM to officers of C-COM. The stock options were granted pursuant to the terms of C-COM's stock option plan and are exercisable at $1.95 per share. These grants form part of the overall annual remuneration package for the company's directors and officers. Stock option grants are subject to necessary regulatory approvals. About C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. is a pioneer and world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of transportable and mobile satellite-based antenna systems. The Company has developed proprietary, auto-acquisition controller technology for rapid antenna pointing to a satellite with just the press of a button, enabling Broadband Internet via Satellite across a wide range of market applications worldwide, including regions unserved or underserved by terrestrial access technologies. C-COM has sold more than 8,500 antenna systems, in over 100 countries, through a dedicated dealer network that provides service to a wide range of vertical markets such as Oil & Gas Exploration, Military Communications, Disaster Management, SNG, Emergency Communications, Cellular Backhaul, Telemedicine, Mobile Education, Government Services, Mobile Banking, and others. The Company's iNetVu brand is synonymous with high quality, reliability and cost-effectiveness. C-COM is in late stage development of a potentially revolutionary Ka-band, electronically steerable, modular, conformal, flat panel phased array antenna. In cooperation with the University of Waterloo, C-COM is engaged in the design of this unique antenna with the intent of providing low-cost, high-throughput mobility applications over satellite for land, airborne and maritime verticals. iNetVu is a registered trademark of C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. The Company is publicly traded on the Canadian Venture Exchange (TSXV: CMI) (CVE: CMI) and on the US OTC Exchange (OTC: CYNSF). ### 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. Contact: Investor Relations C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. Tel: (613) 745-4110 ext. 4950 Fax: (613) 745-1172 lklein@c-comsat.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56431 Boris Johnson suggested a test and trace system would be in place by Thursday Ministers told to drop the 'track' after negative reaction from focus groups Ministers have been told to drop the 'track' in test, track and trace after focus groups showed that the concept scared people, it has emerged. The 'tracking' portion refers to the NHS mobile app that can detect if someone has been in close contact with a Covid-positive individual, which is still going ahead. The Government is now believed to be discussing a new 'test, trace and isolate' phrase, as wording for the strategy becomes increasingly more confusing for the public. The Welsh government have opted for a 'Test, Trace, Protect' strategy, with 'protect' referring to people with the virus self-isolating to prevent a spread to the rest of the population. Ministers are being told to drop the 'track' in test, track and trace after focus groups showed that the concept scared people, as Boris Johnson attempts to start a test and trace system before June 1 And the Scottish government have gone one step further with their 'test, trace, isolate, support' strategy, with support including help with food and medicine as well as financial support. At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Labour leader Keir Starmer challenged Boris Johnson over the governments failure to track the spread of the disease after mid-March. 'Thats nearly 10 weeks in a critical period without effective tracing. Thats a huge hole in our defences, isnt it prime minister?' he said. The 'tracking' portion refers to the NHS mobile app that can detect if someone has been in close contact with a Covid-positive individual, which is still going ahead Coming under pressure for details, Mr Johnson claimed that the UK would have a 'world-beating' test, track and trace system in place by June 1. The scheme would include 25,000 contact tracers who should be able to track 10,000 new cases a day. But during the cabinet meeting on Thursday, the Prime Minster suggested that while the scheme would be ready, it would not be comprehensive, according to The Times. 'He suggested it wouldn't be all singing, all dancing but the system would be ready,' a minister told the publication. 'He was optimistic that we would be able to move into the next phase of easing the lockdown, but it was too early to make that decision.' This app-based system will be deployed in conjunction with traditional contract tracing methods and is not intended to be a silver bullet, Apple and Google representatives said Mr Johnson will announce the next steps on Thursday. Matt Hancock, the health secretary, urged people yesterday to 'do their bit' and go into self-isolation if they had had contact with someone with the virus, even if they had no symptoms. No 10 has not ruled out fining people who fail to go into isolation. The Office for National Statistics showed that of all those who said they had self-isolated over the past seven days, only 28 per cent had not left their home. While the data was unclear, it set alarm bells ringing. 'The difficulty doing the isolate approach is that the numbers of people who are self-isolating look appalling,' one official said. 'People who think they might be symptomatic still are not self-isolating.' It comes as a senior health official said that mass coronavirus testing was stopped in mid-March due to the 'sheer scale of cases in the UK'. Professor Yvonne Doyle, medical director of PHE, said that widespread testing and contact tracing was scrapped by ministers on March 12 due to the huge number of cases being seen across the country. Public Health England director Yvonne Doyle (pictured) said that the decision to abandon widespread testing and contact tracing on March 12 was due to the sheer scale of COVID-19 cases in the UK The Government changed their stance on trying to combat the virus on that date as they believed the NHS was the better resource to test those with coronavirus compared to more widespread testing. However, Professor Doyle's comments contradict those of Matt Hancock this week, with the Health Secretary telling the House of Commons on Tuesday that community spreading of the virus was low in early to mid-March. She said: 'So we have multiple introductions, with many hundreds of thousands of people by March who had now been exposed to this virus in this country. 'Contact tracing could not possibly have had the capacity to address that. 'And with the capacity of lab testing and our contact tracers, we felt the most important thing to do was to focus on where there was national concern, which was the capacity of the NHS, to accrue that testing.' Professor Doyle admitted that the UK had looked into replicating South Korea's treatment model and even stated that the two nation's methods were very similar in the month of March. She added: 'We did not reject the South Korean model, in fact we were very interested in what was happening internationally from the get-go. 'The testing capacity and testing profile of PHE's approach in the contain phase - which is between January and March - was very close to the one of South Korea for quite a long time, into early March.' Screengrab Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Pete Hegseth on Thursday night defended the use of racist terms to describe the novel coronavirus, all while wondering why Democrats are sucking up to China by decrying these phrases. Taking aim at Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) for introducing a Senate resolution condemning anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19which includes the use of the phrase Wuhan virusCarlson claimed Harris was denouncing basic facts. Why is she sucking up to the government of China, exactly? Carlson wondered aloud before introducing Hegseth, a Fox & Friends co-host and informal Trump adviser. Say it with me, Tucker, Hegseth excitedly declared. Wuhan virus, Chinese virus, maybe even the Kung Flu. A little off-color, but funny and you know, we still live in a free country the last time I checked. Back in March, when President Trump and many Republican allies were making a show of calling the disease the Chinese virus, Chinese-American CBS reporter Weijia Jiang said a White House official referred to coronavirus as the Kung Flu right to her face. Trump would later brush off the controversy, insisting Asian-Americans agreed 100 percent with his use of Chinese virus to describe COVID-19. Hegseth complained that the left wants to weaponize language and control it in an effort to make conservatives appear to be the bad guy, something that Carlson agreed with wholeheartedly. They control language to control your thoughts, Carlson declared. Hegseth would then go on to hawk his latest book, American Crusade, claiming America is now in a holy war and the righteous cause for human freedom before snarking that the left should file a class-action lawsuit. They should seek reparation because theyve been damaged forever with the title they were given based on the racist notions of Americans who name something after where it came from, he exclaimed. As were staring down the communist Chinese who want to end our civilization. So, join the crusade, thats what its going to take to save our country. Story continues Hate crimes against Asian-Americans, meanwhile, have continued to rise amid the coronavirus pandemic, as people of Asian descent have increasingly reported being verbally assaulted, coughed at, and spat on by assailants who blame them for the virus. Kellyanne Conway Spars With Reporters Over Kung-Flu Coronavirus Slur 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. Spain said on Saturday it would let in foreign tourists and restart top league football in the coming weeks, accelerating Europe's exit from strict coronavirus lockdowns, even as the disease continued its deadly surge in parts of South America. Brazil saw its death toll passing 22,000 on Saturday from more than 347,000 infections, the second biggest caseload of any country in a pandemic. And as much of the United States tiptoed out of lockdown at the start of the Memorial Day weekend which unofficially marks the beginning of summer, President Donald Trump sent a clear signal he was personally embracing normalization -- he went golfing, his first such outing since March 8. Some 5.26 million people have been infected globally, and 340,000 killed by the virus. But with infection levels stabilizing across Europe, many governments were trying move away from economically ruinous lockdowns toward lighter social distancing measures that they hope will revive moribund business and tourism sectors. In Spain, which has enforced one of the world's strictest lockdowns since mid-March, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the resumption of tourism -- a vital sector for much of Europe -- and football. Sanchez sought to reassure visitors, saying that from July 1, "entry for foreign tourists into Spain will resume in secure conditions" and La Liga football could return on June 8. The United States, meanwhile, still faces the world's worst outbreak -- the toll is less than 3,000 deaths away from the grim milestone of 100,000 -- but Trump has aggressively pushed to reopen the economy, defying the advice of health experts. The US economy has shed almost 40 million jobs this year and many companies, most recently car rental giant Hertz, have gone to the wall. But most states have begun easing their lockdowns and many on Saturday reopened public beaches. "We just get tired of being stuck in the house. There's not much else to do. So I came to the beach," stay-at-home mother Kayla Lambert said, as her two children played in the surf in Galveston, Texas. New York, once a virus epicenter, on Saturday announced its lowest daily statewide death toll since early March -- 84. "We are making real progress," said Governor Andrew Cuomo. - Latin America - As Europe and the United States took clear steps toward reopening, Latin America emerged as a new virus hotspot. "In a sense, South America has become a new epicentre for the disease," WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan said, singling out Brazil. Many deaths in Brazil have been among younger people, who are often driven by poverty to work despite the threat of infection. Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who like Trump has played down the severity of the pandemic, has faced increasing pressure amid a rising death toll, with two of his health ministers resigning within weeks. Scrutiny intensified after release of a video of a cabinet meeting on April 22 -- as the country was fast becoming a virus flashpoint -- in which Bolsonaro and his deputies barely mentioned the pandemic. One of the few mentions of COVID-19 came when the environment minister suggested the government take advantage of the distraction created by the pandemic to relax environmental protection rules. Neighbouring Peru was also struggling. The country of 32 million has registered more than 3,100 deaths. Ecuador, however, has seen nearly that many deaths -- 3,096 -- in a country of just 17 million. Tourism Minister Rosi Prado told AFP the pandemic could cost the country's important tourism sector $400 million a month. By contrast, China, where the virus was first identified late last year, passed a milestone on Saturday with no new infections reported for the first time since January. The outlook was also brightening elsewhere in Europe, particularly in hard-hit tourist hubs. Italy is due to reopen its borders to foreign tourists from June 3. Scenes on a beach near Rome looked strikingly normal -- except for the occasional mask-wearing sunseeker. "I was in such a hurry, I missed the sea so much," said Rome resident Arianna Tucci. "Breathing a little iodine, putting my feet in the sand, in the water, eating a little plate of spaghetti! And that's enough for me." - British scandal - In the Middle East, Iran's museums and historical sites will reopen on Sunday, with holy shrines following on Monday. And Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre will reopen on Sunday, the Christian authorities there said, but with tight restrictions. However, the virus is still a cause for concern in the region, with tightly packed Gaza registering its first death on Saturday. Illustrating the political difficulties of managing virus restrictions, Britain faced a scandal on Saturday: top government advisor Dominic Cummings was seen visiting his parents 250 miles (400 kilometres) away from his London home during the lockdown, despite suffering from virus symptoms. He denies any wrongdoing but faces calls to quit. - 'It's like 20 years ago' - Experts have warned that restrictions will be needed in some form until a vaccine or treatment is developed. With no end in sight, sporadic anti-lockdown protests have been taking place across the world. Thousands gathered in Madrid on Saturday to demand an end to the rules and Sanchez's resignation, in a protest led by the far-right party Vox. People were scrambling to get around rules in the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesia, so they could reunite with family for the Eid al-Fitr festival. One man told AFP he got a fake certificate for his daughter to travel home from university in the capital, Jakarta. "We want to celebrate Eid al-Fitr together like in past years," he said. Some Europeans were finding a bit of solace in their new mode of life, reclaiming their cities and towns from the tourist hordes. Laia Torra, in Barcelona's UNESCO-listed Park Guell, said the park has become too crowded in recent years. "It's wonderful, it's like going back 20 years," she said as her children played. burs-acb/st People enjoy a night out on Pedregalejo Beach in Malaga on May 23, 2020, as Spain said it would reopen for foreign tourists after one of the world's strictest lockdowns flattened the rate of coronavirus infections there World map showing official number of coronavirus deaths per country, as of May 23 at 1100 GMT In the world's most populous Muslim country, Indonesia, people were scrambling to get around the rules to celebrate Eid al-Fitr Brazil led the surge across South America, with its death toll passing 21,000 from 330,000 infections, the third highest caseload of any country Thousands gathered in Madrid to demand an end to the virus restrictions and the resignation of the prime minister, in a protest led by far-right party Vox An aerial view shows painted circles in the grass to encourage people to social distance at Washington Square Park in San Francisco, California The 360 shows you diverse perspectives on the days top stories and debates. Whats happening In March, millions of college students saw their worlds upended by the coronavirus pandemic. Fears of spreading the virus forced Americas universities to hastily shut down in-person instruction and transition to an ad hoc system of distance learning. With the spring semester ending for many, all eyes have shifted to whether colleges will welcome students back to their campuses in the fall. There are more than 4,000 higher-education institutions in the U.S. Each is developing its own plans for the fall semester. Its impossible to know what the state of the pandemic will be in August and September, when the school year typically starts. With students, parents and faculty members eager to know what the coming semester will look like, schools dont have the luxury of waiting a couple of months to make their decisions. About two-thirds of colleges are planning for in-person instruction in the fall, according to a database kept by the Chronicle of Higher Education. That doesnt mean things will be back to normal. A return to school could mean staggered class schedules, no large lectures, and a variety of public health measures interwoven into campus life. Several schools, including the University of South Carolina and Notre Dame, have adjusted the academic calendar so the fall semester will end before Thanksgiving, possibly ahead of an expected winter resurgence on the virus. Other universities have decided to keep campuses closed in the fall. The California State University system, the nations largest collection of colleges, will conduct its semester entirely online. Many of the countrys most prestigious private universities are considering a range of scenarios that may include a hybrid of online and in-person instruction. Why theres debate The idea of bringing thousands of students and faculty together on college campuses in the fall has raised significant concern among some epidemiologists. Universities are particularly problematic when it comes to transmission of viruses because of the number of people who filter in and out on a daily basis and the social lives of many college students, some argue. If the virus does prove to be seasonal, low case counts over the summer could provide a false sense of security that may lead to a devastating outbreak if another wave hits near the end of the year. Story continues Distance learning will likely be much more worthwhile in the fall, others say, after schools have had several months to build their programs to replace the hastily thrown together plans they rolled out in March. Though they acknowledge the potential risks, advocates for bringing students back say a variety of steps can be taken to limit virus transmission. Even a significantly modified version of campus life may be preferable to distance learning, which many students and faculty members have expressed dissatisfaction with. The shift to online education has led many students to consider taking a year off and educators fear some may never come back. For some colleges, the decision may be largely financial. Some schools could permanently close if forced to go without income from tuition, events, housing and other on-campus revenue streams for another semester. Others say there is not a one-size-fits-all policy that could be applied to the countrys incredibly diverse collection of colleges. The decision to open campus may depend on location, nature of the student body, university resources, local laws and a long list of other factors. Whats next Most schools that are planning to hold in-person classes in the fall are simultaneously developing backup plans in case coronavirus cases dont drop over the next few months. The nation's ability to contain the pandemic and monitor future outbreaks will likely play a major role in whether those contingencies prove necessary. Perspectives The benefits of in-person education outweigh the risks if the right protocols are in place Colleges and universities have a lot of work to do if they want to welcome students back on campus this fall. But in-person instruction, and the benefits that accompany student life in institutions across the United States, are essential parts of the higher-learning experience. Its an effort well worth making. Lanhee J. Chen and Vanila M. Singh, Washington Post Bringing students back means inviting a major on-campus outbreak If anything, the desire of the virus to propagate and the desire of the university to educate are in dangerous harmony. A properly functioning university is a never-ending festival of superspreader events, and to open campuses in the fall will be a challenge. Graeme Wood, Atlantic Schools should open, but have a high-quality backup plan At this point, probably the smartest strategy for most institutions is to take an optimistic stance that campus will reopen in the fall, but be prepared with a long list of contingency plans that would quickly revise the approach should conditions dictate. Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes Money shouldnt be the main motivator for reopening College presidents have a right to be terrified. But opening campuses in the fall is the wrong move if the primary motivation is to avoid bankruptcy. Public health comes first. William G. Tierney, Inside Higher Ed Campuses can only open if they enact major changes to keep students safe I don't think there's any scenario under which it's business as usual on American college campuses in the fall. This idea that we can somehow just get back to normal and go back to school in the fall, because we always have, it's not reasonable, actually. I think we're going to have to figure out other ways of doing this. Sociologist Nicholas Christakis to NPR Some schools may not survive without bringing students back Social distancing could still be in place and medical experts say a second wave of coronavirus cases is possible in the fall, but for many universities, the revenue blows that would come with an online semester are too severe to weather. They've got no option but to figure out how to reopen. Erica Pandey, Axios The decision should depend on the local situation With stay-at-home orders in various stages across the country, a school in Texas may feel emboldened to open up sooner than a school in New York. Each institution is following its own playbook and timeline. Meredith Deliso, ABC News Another semester of distance learning would hurt students futures As amazing as videoconferencing technology has become, students face financial, practical and psychological barriers as they try to learn remotely. ... If they cant come back to campus, some students may choose or be forced by circumstances to forgo starting college or delay completing their degrees. Brown University president Christina Paxson, New York Times Online education can still be worthwhile While its appropriate to mourn the campus experience lost, its also time to think about online college along a different binary: Not online vs. in-person, but a good use of your pandemic time vs. a bad use of it. Rebecca Shuman, Slate Is there a topic youd like to see covered in The 360? Send your suggestions to the360@yahoonews.com. Read more 360s Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Getty Images A 28-year-old COVID-19 patient on Saturday gave birth to twin boys in a hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, the district worst-hit by the outbreak in the central state. It was a normal delivery though it was a month ahead of full term, Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar (MTH) Hospital in charge Dr Sumit Shukla told PTI. "The weight of the twins is around 1.6 kilograms each, which is lower than that of normal newborns. A team of doctors is at hand to ensure mother and newborns are fine," he added. According to experts, babies born after normal period of pregnancy weigh between 2.5 to 3.5 kilograms. Indore, classified as a red zone, has 2,933 COVID-19 patients, and 111 people have died of the infection so far. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Spain will reopen its borders to tourists in July, and its top football division will kick off again in June, the prime minister has said, marking another phase in the easing of one of the worlds strictest lockdowns. Pedro Sanchezs dual announcements on Saturday coincided with calls for his resignation over the lockdowns effect on the economy from the far-right Vox party, which called for protests in cities across Spain, drawing thousands of horn-blaring cars and motorbikes. From July, foreign tourism will resume in safe conditions. We will guarantee tourists will not take any risks and will not bring us any risks, Sanchez told a televised news conference, without giving further details. Foreign visitors contribute approximately an eighth of Spains economic output and the government curbs taken to contain one of Europes severest coronavirus outbreaks shuttered everything from hotels, bars and restaurants to beaches and leisure parks just as its tourism season got under way. Spains overnight death toll from the coronavirus rose by 48 on Saturday to a total of 28,678, the seventh straight day that the fatality rate has been less than 100, while the total number of cases rose to 235,290. Spain is one of the worst-hit countries by the virus, with more than 28,000 dead among nearly 235,000 infections [Jon Nazca/Reuters] Close to a million jobs were lost in March alone when the lockdown began and the Bank of Spain has forecast the economy will contract by up to 12 percent this year. Sanchez also said another national money-spinner, top-flight La Liga football, would resume on June 8 with matches played in empty stadiums. Saturdays protesters called on him and Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias head of left-wing Podemos, the junior partner in Socialist Sanchezs coalition to resign for their handling of the crisis and, in particular, the economic fallout. It is time to make a big noise against the government of unemployment and misery that has abandoned our self-employed and workers, Vox said. The government says the lockdown has allowed it to get the pandemic under control. Al Jazeeras Marta Herrero, reporting from Madrid, said the protesters in the capital were mainly adhering to the safety guidelines, wearing face masks and keeping a safe distance from each other. She noted the anti-lockdown sentiment had started earlier as an isolated movement in a very wealthy, rich neighbourhood here in Madrid, with people banging pots and pans at nine oclock. Herrero said anger gradually grew over the alleged mishandling of the coronavirus crisis by the government. They (protesters) are saying that the government is using the state of emergency to gain power and take away civil liberties, she added. Saturdays mobile rally saw demonstrators mainly driving their cars in a procession or riding motorbikes [Javier Soriano/AFP] Authorities are set to ease more coronavirus restrictions on Monday, including in Madrid and Barcelona. The two cities account for almost half of the cases recorded in the country. Outdoor dining and gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed from next week. Some schools will restart in other areas. Cinemas and museums can also reopen, but only at a third of their capacity. The Michigan Board of State Canvassers rejected two petitions aimed at recalling Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel Friday afternoon, citing factual errors and unclear language. During a virtual meeting, the four-member bipartisan board unanimously dismissed the recall language against Whitmer and Nessel, both of which were submitted by Albion resident Chad Baase, 39. In the Whitmer recall petition, Baase cited a number of the governors executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic as reasons she should no longer hold her current office, as well as her decision not to remove Jackson Sheriff Steve Rand from office. City officials have formally requested her to use her executive authority to remove Rand, pointing to his use of racial slurs and inappropriate remarks about employees. Baase sought to recall Nessel over her handling of the Flint water crisis criminal cases - although Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy, not Nessel, are handling the criminal investigation as Nessel focuses on resolving the civil cases. Baase said he compiled the petitions based on publicly available information and said the board shouldnt reject his petition based on minor clerical or syntax errors. As long as people can understand what that word is, that has never been an issue, from my understanding, he said. Board members found the recall petition against Whitmer lacked specificity and paraphrases instead of presenting statements of fact. Board member Norm Shinkle said there are a number of misspellings in what was submitted and said some of the summaries of Whitmers executive orders included in the petition language wasnt factually accurate. Theres many, many reasons why I would vote no, he said. Steve Liedel, who represented Nessel at the hearing, said the proposed language to recall Nessel was factually inaccurate and describes actions outside of Nessels control. The board agreed. Baase, an entrepreneur who paints and maintains water towers, previously tried to recall Albions mayor and mayor pro tem in 2017. The petition was withdrawn due to the financial burden a special election could create for Albion taxpayers, Baase wrote in a letter to the county clerks office. In February, he was paroled from prison, where he was serving two years and six months to 20 years for a 2014 conviction of making a false report or threat of terrorism. He previously told MLive he was intoxicated when he sent a series of threatening Facebook messages related to a custody case and said he has since learned to use the proper legal protocols to get things done." The petitions language was initially scheduled to be reviewed Thursday, April 30 by the Michigan Board of State Canvassers via a virtual meeting, however, the governors legal counsel took issue with how Whitmers office was notified of the petition. Any recall effort against a statewide elected official in Michigan approved for signature gathering would need to collect more than 1 million signatures from registered voters in 60 days or less to trigger a recall election. Photo: Nicholas Johansen Notices outside the Kelowna courthouse ask those experiencing symptoms to stay away. The recent sentencing of an armed robber in Prince George, who's now moving to the Okanagan, shines some light on how judges are balancing concerns over COVID-19 in Canadian prisons with the need to separate offenders from society. This week, Judge Cassandra Malfair accepted a joint submission from Crown and defence counsel, sentencing 24-year-old Kyler Stevens to time served for robbing a man and woman inside a Prince George hotel room with a hammer and imitation gun in December 2018, injuring the victims in the course of the robbery. He was on probation at the time. With enhanced credit for just under two years of time served, Stevens was released from custody on three years probation that sees him banned from being within 100 kilometres of Prince George. As a result, Stevens told the court he would move to Penticton to live with a family member. While Judge Malfair said a fit sentence for Stevens, given the crime and his significant criminal record, would usually start at four years of incarceration, he ultimately accepted a joint submission that's significantly lower. While Stevens' defence and the Crown argued the risk posed by COVID-19 in some of Canada's prisons warranted the reduction in sentence, Judge Malfair rejected this rationale. In her reasons for sentencing, Judge Malfair referenced a letter from the Assistant Deputy Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The letter explains that inmates are likely more vulnerable than the general population of contracting or transmitting COVID-19 due to the confined conditions of jail, Judge Malfair said. B.C. Corrections is taking a number of steps to mitigate this risk through the imposition of a number of protocols, but seeks co-operation from other participants in the criminal justice system to reduce the prison population by considering alternatives to incarceration for individuals who are not a public safety risk. Judge Malfair said Stevens, who she considers a public safety risk, does not have any particular health issues that would make a prison sentence during the current pandemic unduly harsh or punitive. In her reasonings, Judge Malfair referenced an Ontario Supreme Court judge who said in late March that COVID-19 has not created a get out of jail free card, but that sentencing during COVID-19 becomes a question of balance. Even in these very challenging times, the court must fully recognize the potential harmful health impact on detained persons in the various institutions, while at the same exercising the balancing required to sustain its fundamental role in the administration of justice and protection of the public," Ontario's Justice Andrew Goodman said. Despite rejecting the COVID-19 reasoning, Judge Malfair accepted the joint submission of time served, equalling just under two years with enhanced credit. I cannot reject the joint submission only because the proposed sentence is not fit, she wrote. I may only depart from the joint submission if the proposed sentence is contrary to the public interest or would bring the administration of justice into disrepute. Stevens will be under probation conditions for the next three years while living in Penticton. These conditions include a curfew between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. for the first year, and avoiding a 100 km radius from the Prince George. Stevens was also handed a lifetime firearms prohibition. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 20:06:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A woman walks a dog near the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C., the United States, May 15, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) "It appears that short-sighted interests and partisan politics prevailed over reason and good foreign policy. This is a regrettable decision that will have lasting consequences." WASHINGTON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democrats on Friday denounced the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, saying it's illegal and demanding an explanation. In a letter to U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel and Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith said that the withdrawal from the treaty without consultation with Congress violates Section 1234 of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. "This provision of law stipulates that you must notify Congress not later than 120 days before the intent to withdraw from the treaty is presented to either treaty depository ... To date, this requirement has not been fulfilled," the two Democrats said in the letter, demanding an explanation for this "intended illegal action." Engel and Smith also said that they strongly oppose the withdrawal decision, which they believe would "specifically negatively impact U.S. leadership in NATO and the transatlantic relationship with its allies and partners." "It appears that short-sighted interests and partisan politics prevailed over reason and good foreign policy. This is a regrettable decision that will have lasting consequences," they added. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a press briefing in Washington D.C., the United States, on March 5, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Pompeo announced on Thursday that the United States would submit the notice of its decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty to all other state parties on Friday, citing Russian noncompliance as a motivating factor for its decision. The withdrawal would formally take place in six months, based on the treaty's withdrawal terms. Pompeo said Washington might reconsider its decision if Moscow returns to "full compliance with the Treaty." The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that Russia is open to dialogue with the United States on the Open Skies Treaty, but only if it is based on equal rights and aimed at mutual consideration of interests and concerns. The United States and Russia have blamed each other for noncompliance with the treaty. Washington and Moscow have each put a few limits on flights over their territories -- Hawaii and some other U.S. bases have been off-limits, as has Kaliningrad, among others, according to media reports. The treaty, which became effective in 2002, allows its states-parties to conduct short-notice, unarmed reconnaissance flights over the others' entire territories to collect data on military forces and activities. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform aerobatics during the 57th annual Abbotsford International Airshow in Abbotsford, Canada, Aug. 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Liang Sen) Currently, 35 nations, including Russia, the United States, and most members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, have signed it. Kyrgyzstan has signed but not ratified it yet. The treaty is aimed at building confidence and familiarity among states-parties through their participation in the overflights. Over 1,500 Open Skies flights have been conducted since the deal entered into force in 2002, according to media reports. Analysts noted that the U.S. pullout, rumored for months, would cause concern among European allies. "A unilateral U.S. exit from Open Skies would undermine our security and that of our European allies, all of whom strongly support the treaty," said Thomas Countryman, former U.S. acting undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, and now chair of the board of the Arms Control Association. "It has the effect - and perhaps this is the intention - of signaling a diminished U.S. commitment to its NATO allies," he added. U.S. Air forces AH-64 Apache helicopters participate in Saber Strike military exercise at Central pylon in Tapa, Estonia on June 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Sergei Stepanov) Ten European nations on Friday issued a joint statement regretting the United States' withdrawal. "We regret the announcement by the government of the United States of its intention to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, although we share its concerns regarding the implementation of treaty provisions by Russia," said the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Sweden in the statement. "We will continue to implement the Open Skies Treaty which has obvious added value for our conventional arms control architecture and our common security," said the statement. It was the latest in a string of moves by the Trump administration to withdraw from major international treaties. Washington abandoned the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Moscow last year. The pullout of the Open Skies Treaty further raised doubts over whether the Trump administration would extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty in force between Washington and Moscow. The New START, which expires next February, can be extended for at most five years with the consent of the two countries. Russia has expressed willingness to extend the treaty, while the Trump administration has yet to officially reply. Australian women are suffering more job losses, worse anxiety and more-dire long-term financial prospects than men due to the economic shutdown caused by COVID-19. Academics and advocates including Sex Discrimination commissioner, Kate Jenkins, say more women are likely to be pushed into poverty, which will extend into later life unless gender-specific solutions are included in the recovery. A joint Melbourne University Policy Lab and La Trobe University study found April labour force figures showing greater job losses for women: it found 15.8 per cent had experienced job loss compared with 11 per cent of men. The closure of Target, announced on Friday, will put between 1000 and 1300 more retail workers out of jobs. Credit:AAP The Life During Lockdown study found women are less likely than men to be working at home with their hours and pay unchanged and are suffering from more sleep disturbance and greater fear about funding their retirement. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam Sat, May 23, 2020 15:20 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9cca77 1 National Densus-88,antiterrorism,Batam-terror-group,Batam,Katibah-Gonggong-Rebus,counterterrorism Free The National Police's Densus 88 counterterrorism squad arrested a 16-year-old boy in his house in Merapi Subur housing complex in Batam, Riau Islands on Wednesday evening. Recent arrests also occurred in Tasikmalaya, West Java and Kendal in Central Java. The neighborhood unit (RT) head of the housing complex, Adip Kurniawan, told The Jakarta Post that personnel of the squad and from the Riau Islands Police arrested the boy and he was taken to the Riau Islands Police headquarters. Adip said the terrorism suspect was the eldest of two siblings and the family had just rented the house in March. Theyre new here and theyre friendly, but the one arrested is a child, Adip said. Riau Islands Police chief Insp. Gen. Aris Budiman confirmed the arrest during his inspection of Idul Fitri holiday security. So far, the security in Riau Islands and Batam is under control, he said. Aris, however, did not divulge more information about the teenagers arrest. In 2016, Densus 88 unraveled a terrorist network calling itself Katibah Gonggong Rebus (KGR), led by 31-year-old Gigih Rahmat Dewa in Batam. The police said they once planned to shoot a rocket to Marina Bay in Singapore from Batam. Gonggong rebus is actually the name of a Batam dish of boiled snails. The Trump administration has discussed whether to conduct the first US nuclear test explosion since 1992 in a move that would have far-reaching consequences for relations with other nuclear powers and reverse a decades-long moratorium on such actions, said a senior administration official and two former officials familiar with the deliberations. The matter came up at a meeting of senior officials representing the top national security agencies last Friday, following accusations from administration officials that Russia and China are conducting low-yield nuclear tests an assertion that has not been substantiated by publicly available evidence and that both countries have denied. A senior administration official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive nuclear discussions, said that demonstrating to Moscow and Beijing that the US could rapid test could prove useful from a negotiating standpoint as Washington seeks a trilateral deal to regulate the arsenals of the biggest nuclear powers. The meeting did not conclude with any agreement to conduct a test, but a senior administration official said the proposal is very much an ongoing conversation. Another person familiar with the meeting, however, said a decision was ultimately made to take other measures in response to threats posed by Russia and China and avoid a resumption of testing. The National Security Council declined to comment. During the meeting, serious disagreements emerged over the idea, in particular from the National Nuclear Security Administration, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The NNSA, an agency that ensures the safety of the nations stockpile of nuclear weapons, did not respond to a request for comment. The US has not conducted a nuclear test explosion since September 1992, and nuclear nonproliferation advocates warned that doing so now could have destabilising consequences. It would be an invitation for other nuclear-armed countries to follow suit, said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association. It would be the starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race. You would also disrupt the negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who may no longer feel compelled to honour his moratorium on nuclear testing. The US remains the only country to have deployed a nuclear weapon during wartime, but since 1945 at least eight countries have collectively conducted about 2,000 nuclear tests, of which more than 1,000 were carried out by the US. The environmental and health-related consequences of nuclear testing moved the process underground, eventually leading to a near-global moratorium on testing in this century with the exception of North Korea. Concerns about the dangers of testing prompted more than 184 nations to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty, an agreement that will not enter into force until ratified by eight key states, including the US. Barack Obama supported the ratification of the CTBT in 2009 but never realised his goal. The Trump administration said it would not seek ratification in its 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. Still, the major nuclear powers abide by its core prohibition on testing. But the US in recent months has alleged Russia and China have violated the zero yield standard with extremely low-yield or underground tests, not the type of many-kiloton yield tests with mushroom clouds associated with the Cold War. Russia and China deny the allegation. Since establishing a moratorium on testing in the early 1990s, the US has ensured that its nuclear weapons are ready to be deployed by conducting what are known as subcritical tests or blasts that do not produce a nuclear chain reaction but can test components of a weapon. US nuclear weapons facilities have also developed robust computer simulation technologies that allow for modelling of nuclear tests to ensure the arsenal is ready to deploy. The Trump administration has been pushing to negotiate a follow-on agreement that includes China in addition to Russia, but China has rejected calls for talks so far (Getty) The main purpose of nuclear tests has long been to check the reliability of an existing arsenal or try out new weapon designs. Every year, top US officials, including the heads of the national nuclear labs and the commander of US Strategic Command, must certify the safety and reliability of the stockpile without testing. The Trump administration has said that, unlike Russia and China, it is not pursuing new nuclear weapons but reserves the right to do so if the two countries refuse to negotiate on their programmes. The deliberations over a nuclear test explosion come as the Trump administration prepares to leave the Treaty on Open Skies, a nearly 30-year-old pact that came into force in 2002 and was designed to reduce the chances of an accidental war by allowing mutual reconnaissance flights for members of the 34-country agreement. The planned withdrawal marks another example of the erosion of a global arms-control framework that Washington and Moscow began hashing out painstakingly during the Cold War. The Trump administration pulled out of a 1987 pact with Russia governing intermediate-range missiles, citing violations by Moscow, and withdrew from a 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, saying Tehran was not living up to the spirit of it. Recommended US pushing to punish Iran by invoking nuclear deal Trump abandoned The primary remaining pillar of the arms-control framework between the US and Russia is the New START pact, which places limits on strategic nuclear platforms. The Trump administration has been pushing to negotiate a follow-on agreement that includes China in addition to Russia, but China has rejected calls for talks so far. Mr Trumps presidential envoy for arms control, Marshall Billingslea, warned that China is in the midst of a major buildup of its nuclear arsenal and intent on building up its nuclear forces and using those forces to try to intimidate the United States and our friends and allies. One US official said a nuclear test could help pressure the Chinese into joining a trilateral agreement with the US and Russia, but some nonproliferation advocates say such a move is risky. If this administration believes that a nuclear test explosion and nuclear brinkmanship is going to coerce negotiating partners to make unilateral concessions, thats a dangerous ploy, Mr Kimball said. The Washington Post A man was arrested for allegedly supplying illicit liquor in Delhi, police said on Saturday. The accused has been identified as Manish, a resident of Sonipat in Haryana, they said. Following a tip-off that illicit liquor will be transported in a car through Bawana area, a trap was laid, the police said. Policemen asked the driver of the vehicle to stop but he sped away. The policemen chased the vehicle and nabbed the accused at Mungeshpur village in Bawana, a senior police officer said. A total of 50 cartons with 600 bottles of illicit liquor were recovered from the possession of the accused, the police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Demonstrators were abducted by armed actors commonly referred to as militia since last October, new UNAMI report says. Dozens of Iraqi protesters disappeared during five months of anti-establishment demonstrations, with many being abducted and subject to ill-treatment and torture, a new United Nations report has said. The report (PDF), published on Saturday by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), said all of those targeted had participated in protests or provided support to demonstrators demanding an overhaul of the countrys political system. In its fourth special report on the demonstrations in Iraq, UNAMI based its findings on accounts of incidents that took place between October 1, 2019, and March 21, 2020, and was able to verify the disappearance of 123 people. Of these, it confirmed the whereabouts of 98 people but said 25 remained missing or were in an unknown status. According to interviews, at least 28 individuals were abducted in circumstances indicating that the perpetrators may be armed actors commonly referred to as militia', the report said. All abductees interviewed described being forced into vehicles by armed or masked men in the vicinity of protest sites, or on their regular daily routes, with none reporting appearing before a judge. While all were interrogated by their abductors, males in particular reported being subject to some form of ill-treatment, including severe beatings, electrocution, hosing/bathing in cold water, hanging from the ceiling by the arms and legs, death threats and threats to the family, as well as degrading treatment. Although the report did not name who might be behind the abductions, it pointed to the involvement of armed actors with substantial levels of organisation and access to resources. J ustice and accountability The report said the abductions and disappearances occurred amid various incidents involving additional violations and abuses targeting activists and protesters, including deliberate killings, shooting and knife attacks, threats and intimidation, and excessive and unlawful use of force at demonstration sites. Since the protests erupted in October last year, when frustrated Iraqis took to the streets to decry rampant government corruption, unemployment and poor services, the UN has verified 490 deaths of activists and the injuries of 7,783 others. Rights groups have accused security forces of using excessive force, including live fire and tear gas, against the demonstrators. Iraqs previous government repeatedly said it could not find the unidentified gunmen who fired on protesters. But the countrys new Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, has promised to not hide the the truth about everything that happened during the months-long protests as well as to hold to account all those who shed Iraqi blood. The establishment of a high-level fact-finding committee by the new Government to investigate casualties and related harm is a crucial step toward justice and accountability, said Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, special representative of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for Iraq. The governments commitment to provide medical treatment for injured demonstrators and compensation to the families of victims is encouraging. Al-Kadhimi also pledged earlier this month that all anti-government protesters would be released from detention but courts have not acted so far. In recent weeks, protesters have begun gathering again despite the outbreak of the new coronavirus. An implosion of oil prices during the pandemic has raised concerns that Iraq will have little option but to impose austerity policies that could give rise to renewed demonstrations. Protesters say the political parties that are responsible for the failures of the past government are still controlling Parliament, meaning their demand for a complete system overhaul remains in place. The Zylofon FM radio personality and reggae musician Abubakar Ahmed popularly called Blakk Rasta has said that, the day the parliament of Ghana passed a law legalising marijuana for industrial use was the day he felt exonerated, happy and joyful. The reggae musician who also describes himself as a freedom fighter, lecturer, poet, Pan Africanist and a vegetarian (vegan type) in responding to how he's able to combine all these responsibilities said "in life one must add to one to make two but coming on Radio especially with the kind of show I host which is not one that you just come and play music and walk away. It deals with intellectuallity" and that isn't easy at all. He was speaking to Original Ras Kofai on GBC Radio Central's show "Joy in the noon day" today Saturday 29th May, 2020. When asked how he felt when the news broke out that Ghana had legalised marijuana for industrial purposes, he said "I felt exonerated and I felt that yeah, this man hear is far, far away from the present generation". Just yesterday the MP for Lambusie, Edward Derry called me and said that I was angry the day that marijuana was legalised". According to Blakk Rasta, the MP now feels the parliament of Ghana is being hypocritical because some of its members ridiculing him when he called for the legalisation of same in 2015. But, in 2020, what Blakk Rasta proposed to be done has come to fruition. He added that now "it is a feeling of exoneration, happiness and joy and for everyone who believes in herb." Recounting his music journey so far, the poet Blakk Rasta explained that, he started singing other people's song in 1995 but started recording his own album in 1999 and that came out in 2000 called "The Rasta Shrine" with songs such 'slave master', Rasta carry on' and a host of other good songs on the album. "From 2000 up till now we have eleven crazy albums and the last one came out only in November and that was Timbuktu my road," he narrated. "Well, in this times, when you read the book of Jeremiah and read some other books you would get to know that it is time for Jah to pour his spirit on his people that our old, old men shall dream dreams and our young men and women shall prophesy and those times are now". He said this when answering a question as to whether he was a prophet or not because he composed a song for Barack Obama and he latter became president. He further explained that some people have made prophesy so weird as one has to go to a shrine or mountain to be able to get" but in his view "Jah Jah created us in his own spirit, in his own image and so He has poured unto us His spirit so that we can look at people and tell or foretell what is going to happen". He continued that it was with that same spirit and feeling when he received and did the song 'Barack Obama'. That brought him to Ghana as the first African country he visited when he became president of the USA. "I met Barack Obama, we ate and we drank". Expatiating on how he writes his songs, the radio personality said all his songs are inspired by Jah and that he never attempts writing any song without inspiration. "I write a song because Jah tells me to write a song and before I write a song He has already put the song there". He continued that he shall put a music in our heart and He shall put a joyful song in our hearts" he added. He ended his interview by thanking all persons who have helped him along the ladder of life and also thank Radio Central for the opportunity given him to speak on a wide range of issues concerning his career. He added that the songs on his new album are available on all the digital shops and also all shell shops across the country. "32 crazy tunes pon it and you can pick this up in any shell shop in Ghana". Aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce will be cutting at least 9,000 jobs becuase of the slump in demaind for air travel during the Covid-19 pandemic, said a report. The majority of job losses are expected to fall in Britain, said a reort in BBC. "This is not a crisis of our making. But it is the crisis that we face and we must deal with it," said the engine manufacturer's CEO Warren East. "We must take difficult decisions to see our business through these unprecedented times," he added. Rolls-Royce, which employs 52,000 staff around the world, manufactures engines for wide-body aircraft used on long-haul intercontinental routes. The aviation industry is expecting business from long-haul flights to remain sluggish for some time in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the report said. Instead of walking across a stage, Southgate Anderson High Schools graduating seniors will drive across a finish line this year. Anderson will hold a drive-up graduation ceremony at Flat Rock Speedway at 6:30 p.m. June 10. Graduates will remain in their vehicles and no spectators will be allowed. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Downriver-area schools have postponed graduation ceremonies or rescheduled for later in the summer. Anderson is just one week behind its original date of June 4. At the Flat Rock Speedway ceremony, each student will drive his or her vehicle onto the race track and will be introduced by Anderson Principal Duane Lyons over the public address system. Each vehicle will stop at the tracks finish line, where the graduate will have a photo taken with the checkered flag and with the school banner above them. The graduate will not get out of the vehicle, as the photo will be taken through an open window, and they will have already received their diploma a week earlier. While spectators are not allowed at the ceremony, Lyons said family members will be permitted to ride in the same vehicle with each student. The national anthem will be played that day, along with the schools alma mater and the schools fight song. Many high schools around the country have opted for a similar drive-up format to replace the traditional graduation this spring. Lyons said that Andersons idea was inspired by a plan in Florida. One of our graduate committee members talked with a friend in Daytona Beach, Florida, and found out how they are doing it at Daytona Speedway, Lyons said. Ninety percent of our students who responded to our survey really liked the (Flat Rock) idea. Anderson also will recognize its seniors on the original graduation date of June 4. Lyons said the 2020 graduates will drive around the school that day, with staff members cheering them on. In addition, Lyons said a stage will be set up inside the Anderson gym for photo purposes from June 1-3. Parents must sign up for a specific time to come in and take pictures of their graduating senior walking across a stage, wearing the cap and gown. Delhi: The Air Force will build a sprawling new Aerospace Museum in the national capital focusing on the nation's rich aviation history. The new Aerospace Museum will be close to the international airport. Museum will Spread over 43 acres of land it would have extensive indoor and outdoor displays including huge aircraft parked and hanging in flying attitude with mural depicting the golden era of the Indian Air Force. A proposal for new Air Force Aerospace Museum was cleared by Ministry of Defence and final financial sanction on the Detailed Project Report is awaited. After approval new museum would be ready for tourists within 3-5 years. The museum is not only meant to preserve the glorious tradition of the IAF but also to create awareness in general public about India's rich Aerospace heritage. The IAF believes that the museum would be a popular tourist attraction and a landmark in country's capital city. A dedicated children's area would be part of the museum where children could enter cockpits of displayed aircraft and get the feel of flying controls. A video arcade would also be created. As per the plan internal displays would have a history section in which all IAF Squadrons' history would be displayed along with aviation legends major campaigns and wars fought by the IAF along with this history major humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations undertaken by the IAF would also be highlighted. The IAF presently has a museum near the technical area of Air Force Station Palam which was established in 1967. The museum has an average footfall of 500 tourists daily and exhibits details about combat operations undertaken by the IAF depicting IAF's rich history since its formation in 1932 to present date along with the display of various aircraft and equipment on the IAF's inventory since its inception. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday described chief minister Mamata Banerjees decision to seek the armys deployment to restore infrastructure in Kolkata damaged by cyclone Amphan as a good move. A good move @MamataOfficial to seek support and assistance of Army. These are trying time and appeal to people to keep calm. Authorities must restore connectivity, electricity and other services at the earliest, Dhankhar tweeted. The Defence Ministry on Saturday sanctioned five columns of the army to restore infrastructure in state capital Kolkata following a request by the state government. The army was also deployed in North and South 24 Parganas districts which have been badly hit by the cyclone, a Defence official said according to PTI. The Governor, whose differences with Mamata Banerjees Trinamool Congress Congress government run deep, had surveyed the cyclone damage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the chief minister on Friday. The cyclone has caused widespread damage to infrastructure in Kolkata and other places. Several areas of Kolkata were rocked by protests on Saturday as residents took to the streets as many localities remained without water and power since the cyclone swept through southern Bengal on Wednesday. People armed with placards blocked roads with empty buckets and utensils. The protesters said they are under extreme hardship as there was no electricity and water for the past three days and repeated calls to power utilities CESC and WBSEDCL went unanswered. Kim Kardashian looked absolutely hot in her new photo that just broke Instagram. Showing off those obvious curves and finely toned physique, the mother of four surely made her quarantine time all about working out. Quarantine Workout The "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star gave her fans a peek of her life at home during the quarantine. In a brown leopard print bikini, Kim displayed a shorter blonde hairdo while leaning against a Stairmaster and giving everyone a sultry stare. To complete her gym look, she wore a pair of chunky brown sneakers. The new post also featured a close up look at her high-cut bikini. Kim Kardashian is definitely one hot momma. "Quarantine Workout," she wrote as a caption to the photo. The post has garnered more than 2 million likes and a number of comments, too. Most of them were of fire, red hearts, and a smiling heart emoji. However, one user wrote, "Do you need a bill paid? DM." The comment came with a bag of cash emoji. Another fan wrote, "Perfect." While some knew exactly what to say, many who liked her post were left stunned. Perhaps her super hot bikini-clad workout photo has left everyone speechless. Kim K has always been known for her sexy style and alluring photos, but this one is definitely one for the books. Trouble In Paradise? Recently, there were speculations that Kanye West and Kim are having trouble in their marriage. Kanye reportedly packed up his bags and left their home with all four of their kids tagging along. While their critics may be quick to speculate that there's a problem, what really happened to Kim and Kanye was the exact opposite. Kanye took their kids on a short trip to Wyoming to give his wife Kim some alone time. Kim has been given a break from her kids after the family had been stuck inside their mansion for weeks since the quarantine protocols were put in place. The KKW Beauty mogul has her plate full with her business and other gigs, which eventually exhausted the mom of four. With that said, when Kanye left her alone in their Southern California mansion, it gave Kim the break she needed. "Everyone is chipping in and trying to do their part while balancing their work. It's a crazy hectic time and they are trying to find ways to make it work for the family," an insider told The Mirror. Easing Into The New Normal While everyone is still trying to ease their way into the new normal, things in the Kardashian-West household are slowly adjusting as well. On May 19, news came out that the production of "KUWTK" is trying to find innovative ways to continue filming the reality series during this pandemic. Farnaz Farjam, the executive producer, said she coordinated with Kris Jenner at the beginning of the quarantine period. They talked about the work-from-home situation they could set up so that the show could carry on. "She hired a director of photography and a technician, who put on a precautionary hazmat suit and configured brightly-lit rooms in Kim's self-described 'minimalist monastery' mansion and in Khloe [Kardashian]'s Calabasas home," Farjam told E! News. "There they set up phone-friendly tripods, which were carefully cleaned with sanitary wipes to combat the transfer of any germs. The family waited 24 hours before entering the rooms to further avoid any potential COVID-19 contamination." The fans of the Kardashian-Jenner familycertainly can't wait to have new episodes of the series on-screen. By Marianna Parraga (Reuters) - A flotilla of five tankers carrying Iranian fuel for gasoline-starved Venezuela is approaching the Caribbean, with the first vessel expected to reach the South American country's waters on Sunday, according to Refinitiv Eikon tracking data. Iran is supplying about 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and alkylate to Venezuela, according to both governments, sources and calculations made by TankerTrackers.com based on the vessels' draft levels. The shipments have caused a diplomatic standoff between Iran and Venezuela and the United States as both nations are under U.S. sanctions. Washington is considering measures in response, according to a senior U.S. official, who did not elaborate on any options being weighed. The United States recently beefed up its naval presence in the Caribbean for what it said was an expanded anti-drug operation. But a Pentagon spokesman, Jonathan Hoffman, said on Thursday he was not aware of any operations related to the Iranian cargoes. "We have continued to say that Iran and Venezuela - both two outliers in the international order - (are) clearly violating international sanctions on both nations with this transaction," he told reporters. Venezuela's defense minister said its military will escort the Iranian tankers once they reach the nation's exclusive economic zone. Iran-flagged tanker Fortune, the first in the flotilla, was approaching the Caribbean Sea on Friday. It has been navigating with its satellite signal on since it passed the Suez Canal earlier in May. The four other vessels are following the same route across the Atlantic Ocean, the Eikon data showed. The OPEC-member country desperately needs fuel for up to 1,800 gasoline stations that have been partially closed for weeks due to insufficient supply from state-run PDVSA's refineries, which until March worked at about 10% of their joint capacity of 1.3 million barrels per day. PDVSA's gasoline output is now limited to a single facility, the Amuay refinery, but most fuel produced is low octane as most of the country's alkylation units are out of service, according to company sources. Imported alkylate could improve the quality of domestic gasoline. Story continues PDVSA did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Venezuela was consuming 170,000 bpd of gasoline before coronavirus-related lockdown measures. Fuel sales at stations declined to about 40,000 bpd due to rationing, according to analysts. Over a decade of mismanagement and lack of staff, combined with U.S. sanctions that since 2019 have limited imports, Venezuela's refineries are in poor condition. Shipments of equipment in flights by Iran's Mahar Air have arrived in Venezuela in recent weeks to start repair work. The U.S. Treasury Department this week blacklisted the Chinese firm that provided the refinery parts. Beijing called the sanctions "illegal." (Reporting by Marianna Parraga; additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick and Phillip Stewart in Washington and Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Dan Grebler) The Congress released a documentary film on Saturday on Rahul Gandhi's interaction with a group of migrant labourers last week, demanding justice for such workers who are walking hundreds of kilometres to their homes amid the coronavirus lockdown. At the end of the documentary, Gandhi says the government should immediately give Rs 7,500 to the 13 crore needy families through direct cash transfer. The documentary captures the pain and helplessness the migrant labourers and their families are feeling, as they long to return to their villages after losing their means of livelihood in cities due to the lockdown over the novel coronavirus pandemic. Gandhi had interacted with a group of migrant labourers near the Sukhdev Vihar flyover in Delhi last Saturday and asked them about their problems as they walked home amid the lockdown. SEE: Documentary on Rahul's meeting with migrants In an over 16-minute documentary capturing this interaction, Gandhi says that coronavirus has hurt a lot of people, but it has hit the migrant labourers the most. Gandhi, dressed in black pants and a white kurta, is seen sitting on the pavement and giving the migrant workers a patient hearing while assuring them of all help so that they reach their destination safely. In the meeting with the group of 20 migrants, including women and children, walking from their work site near Ambala to their village in Jhansi, Gandhi is heard asking them about the problems faced by them due to the sudden announcement of the lockdown and the loss of livelihood. The migrant labourers also allege that people threatened to beat them in Haryana if they went out of the house. The documentary also shows Rahul Gandhi promising help and subsequently they being transported to their village near Jhansi in vans and cars. Upon reaching their homes, the migrant labourers and their families thank Gandhi for his help. At the end of the documentary, Gandhi's voiceover is heard saying: "My migrant labourer brothers and sisters, you are the strength of this country." "You take the entire burden of this country on your shoulders. The whole country wants justice for you. It is everyone's responsibility to strengthen the power of this country," Gandhi says in the documentary. Prisoners should be used as guinea pigs for Covid-19 vaccines to speed up the race for a cure, a top Russian politician is demanding. Inmates who have committed serious crimes would have their sentences halved in exchange for being injected with experimental vaccines, said Vladimir Zhirinovsky. The pro-Vladimir Putin ultranationalist said: 'We need to test faster on people - volunteers. 'I assure you, those currently imprisoned would gladly agree to have new medication, drugs, vaccine tested on them if their term in jail and penal camp is halved. 'Say a prisoner is serving a ten year term. 'We'll tell him: 'Here is a new medication. Russian Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) Leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky has suggested that thousands of prisoners would take up the deal 'It will be laboratory tested on you during two or three months and your term will get halved. You will only serve five years. 'Thousands of people will respond.' Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, the third largest in the Russian parliament, was speaking to Rossiya-24. A prominent MP, he came third in the 2018 Russian presidential election. His plan has triggered an angry response. Prisoners' rights foundation Rossiya Sidyashchaya warned: 'The proposal to use convicts as cattle is absolutely normal practice for Russia. ' The foundation's lawyer Alexei Fedyarov likened it to the way the Soviet Union exposed its own people to nuclear tests in the Cold War. Vladimir Zhirinovsky is a pro-Vladimir Putin ultranationalist. Russia's President Vladimir Putin is seen in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence during a videoconference meeting of Russian government officials to discuss the situation in Russia concerning the pandemic of the novel coronavirus disease on Friday But he admitted some convicts may agree 'just to reduce time and try to survive in unbearable conditions'. A member of the Russian president's human rights council, Alexander Brod, urged Vladimir Putin not to embrace the plan. 'Our convicts are not guinea pigs, on which experiments can be carried out. 'Thank God, we left behind the practices of the Gulag, when prisoners were perceived as free slaves who could be thrown to work on construction sites, paving roads, the development of the tundra', he said. Many had become disabled or their bones lay under Stalin's roads across Siberia, he said. Several Russian institutes are working on coronavirus vaccines, and are keen to speed up human trials. The Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology - part of the Russian. Health Ministry. - is due to start human trials by June 15. The institutes's head Vladimir Gushchin has predicted a vaccine being ready by autumn. Separately the the Biocad biotechnology company is planning imminent human trials in St Petersburg. The Institute of Experimental Medicine and Vector State Research Centre for Virology and Biotechnology are also in the race for a viable vaccine. Vector, a former top-secret Soviet biological weapons research plant in Siberia, developed 13 possible vaccines for coronavirus which are undergoing tests on laboratory animals. Dismissed Punjab Police inspector Gurmeet Singh Pinki on Saturday appeared before the special investigation team (SIT) and recorded his statement in the case registered against former Punjab director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini in connection with disappearance of Balwant Singh Multani, a Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO) employee, in 1991. Multani had died due to torture in custody and his body was later disposed of. The story of handing over his custody to the Qadian police and his later escaping from there is just a cover-up, said Pinki who appeared before SIT as a witness. He was with the probe team for more than three hours and reiterated what he had said in an interview to a magazine in December 2015. Multani, a son of an IAS officer who worked as a junior engineer with CITCO, was allegedly picked up by two police officers after a terrorist attack on Saini, then senior superintendent of police (SSP), Chandigarh, in which four policemen in his security were killed. The police later claimed that Multani had escaped from the custody of the Qadian police and his whereabouts since then are not known. However, 29 years later, a case was registered against Saini and six others under Sections 364 (kidnapping or abduction in order to murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 344 (wrongful confinement), 330 (voluntarily causing hurt to exhort confession) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) in Mohali on May 6 on the basis of a complaint filed by Multanis brother Palwinder Singh Multani. Former deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Baldev Singh Saini and former inspector Satvir Singh and four retired cops -- sub-inspectors Har Sahai Sharma, Jagir Singh and Anoop Singh and ASI Kuldip Singh -- were also named in the case. Saini and the four retired cops have got anticipatory bail in the case and joined investigations. Pinki, who had come to the Mataur police station at 10 am and left at about 1.15 pm, answered questions regarding how he met Saini, his closeness to the ex-DGP and how Multani died in custody, officials said. Talking about his association with the ex-DGP, Pinki reportedly said, I have known Saini since December 1988 and have worked with him in Bathinda, Hoshiarpur and Chandigarh. The officials said Pinki will be asked to come again before the SIT. The FIR registered against Saini and other policemen was based on the disclosures made by Pinki in Outlook magazine in 2015. The FIR mentions that through the interview, complainant Palwinder Multani came to know about the details of torture of his brother and his subsequent elimination. The matter is under investigation, said Harmandeep Singh Hans, superintendent of police (investigation), Mohali, refusing to divulge any details. The apprehension was not just about fatalities, injuries and damage to equipment due to defects but also on the overall preparedness for the Indian Army. After an accident at Rajasthan's Mahajan field firing range on 2 February, 2019, due to defects in ammunition of L-70 air defence guns, a meeting was called by senior Indian Army officials. Two officers from the manufacturer, the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), were invited to discuss the reasons for the accident. Both failed to turn up for the meeting on 14 February, which triggered serious discussion within the defence establishment about lackadaisical approach of OFB in resolving the quality concerns of armed forces. The apprehension was not just about fatalities, injuries and damage to equipment due to defects but also on the overall preparedness for the Indian Army. An assessment report with the defence ministry unraveling the poor quality control of OFB stated that since 2014, there has been an ammunition-related accident once a week. So, when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced corporatization of OFB to improve autonomy, accountability and efficiency, it was not surprising. Though the government move is facing opposition from OFB workers union, which wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September and requested him to shelve the proposal, it nevertheless went ahead with the plan, which puts the OFB performance under the scanner. Chinks in armour According to the internal assessment report with the defence ministry reviewed by Firstpost, serious concerns related to OFB products have not been resolved despite periodic investigations and recommendations in the last two decades. Besides accidents, there are issues of defects in ammunition, slow development, delay in production of ammunition required by Indian Army, poor packaging and high return for rectification. The report further said there is an ammunition-related accident every 5.5 days on average. It also pointed to a large number of accidents involving 130mm guns firing full variable charge ammunition with range of 27.5 km. The report said: Non-availability of reliable full variable charge 130mm ammunition has serious operational ramification as maximum range of 130mm guns reduces from 27.5 km to 16.5 km. In spite of number of committees ordered, with the first one more than 20 years ago, issue of accidents with ammunition of 130mm guns remains unresolved. According to sources, in 2016, the Shardendu Committee recommended dynamically balancing 130mm shells. The exercise of dynamically balancing of 130mm ammunition was done on a trial basis, sources said. However, validation firing for dynamically balanced full variable charge and reduced variable charge ammunition, when conducted at Mahajan field firings range in October 2018, failed and resulted in accidents and damage to two guns. Currently, 5.7 lakh non-dynamically balanced full variable charge ammunition of 130mm is held with Indian Army. Sources further added that there is a shortage of replacement components which aren't fit to use. This affects operational readiness and also leads to shortage and safety issues. The report further noted that a clear surge was noticed in accidents in light field guns and Indian field guns related to barrel burst, barrel bulge, and chipping of muzzle brake, due to faulty ammunition and eight accidents were reported in 2018. Director General, Artillery expressed his concern over a series of mishaps in 155mm Calibre guns involving Nashem design 155m extended range full bore ammunition being manufactured by Ordnance Factory, Nalanda, the report observed. A detailed questionnaire sent to Hari Mohan, chairman, Ordnance Factory Board, did not elicit any response. C Srikumar, general secretary, All India Defence Employees Federation, said OFB alone cannot be blamed for quality control and delay in production because many a time ordnance factories receive the order at the eleventh hour which leads to various other complications with suppliers of raw materials. Past investigations into accidents also revealed problems with storage or mishandling of weapons, Srikumar said. But this aspect was never highlighted. Corporatization is not the answer to the problem. We came together to fight COVID-19 and manufactured PPE kits, mask, sanitisers, but the government took advantage of the crisis and announced this decision without considering our suggestions. We have written letters to prime minister and defence minister opposing this move. On Thursday, OFP employees sent 82,000 emails to the government requesting this decision be reversed. We are government employees and cannot be converted into private employees. All the labour unions are with us on this issue. OFB unable to meet demand As per reports, the Indian Army is dependent on OFB for its ammunition requirements but it has failed to deliver certain category of critical ammunition. The Indian Army had to outsource detonators for hand grenades to private industry after OFB failed to deliver. Similarly, OFB was supposed to manufacture anti-tank mines with improved design but there has been serious lack of ownership on the part of OFB and the project has been delayed despite intervention by the defence ministry, as per reports. There are 41 Ordnance Factories involved in manufacturing of wide variety of products such as tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery guns, small arms along with ammunition used by the Indian Armed Forces. The defence ministry note for Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had observed that OFB has largely remained as a production centre with transfer of technology from foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and according to a rough estimate, nearly 75 to 80 percent of the production by OFB units is based on imported technology while the capacities in the factories remain underutilised. Among the critical ammunition delayed by OFB, the internal assessment report observed that Indian Army is facing a severe shortage of Mine NMM 14. This is relatively simple to manufacture but the Chanda Ordnance Factory near Nagpur delayed the production despite push from the Master General Ordnance Branch. Four category of 40 mm under barrel grenade launcher ammunition has been under development by Ammunition Factory, Khadki, Pune since last 8 years. It needs to be expedited being the main ammunition of T-72 / T-90 Tanks. It is of serious concern that even after a series of defects, accidents in particular ammunition OFB and Directorate General Quality Assurance (DGQA) are unable to arrest the problem and user continues to suffer accidents and casualties during firing, the internal assessment report observed. Sources said poor quality control, archaic infrastructure coupled with lack of accountability of OFB is considered to be the major reasons for recurring accidents and defects in ammunition. Indian Army is solely dependent on OFB for ammunition and that's why it can get away with substandard products, sources further added. It's rare that production of ammunition is stopped due to deficiency in material, process or quality, which exhibits lack of accountability in OFB. The ordnance factories mission should be to compete with global leaders in ammunition industry but that will not happen unless serious reform measures are undertaken by the government. Accidents are causing loss of precious lives and have serious operational ramifications. It has been suggested in the assessment report that OFB must strive to provide ammunition quality which is on par with the best in the world and prevent cases of blackening, deterioration of primes, carts driving bands and other components. Same if not addressed, shall lead to accidents, defects, reduction of shelf life, early replacement or disposal, all of which is avoidable. There is an urgent need to ensure stringent quality assurance, control measures during entire process of manufacturing to restore user (army) confidence, the report stated. R Srinivasan, general secretary of Indian National Defence Workers Federation, however, said the OFB is entering the global market which shows quality is improving. Government says there is problem with efficiency, quality and accountability but OFB is receiving export orders which means the all-round improvement is visible on the ground. This decision goes against the hard work put in by OFB employees. Corporatization will lead to privatization which is not in the interest of national security, Srinivasan said. PHOENIX If theres any doubt that wildfire poses a high risk to property in Arizona, the U.S. Forest Service would like to paint a different picture in blazing reds and flaming yellows. Those colors blanket the state in a tool the service released last month that attempts to show wildfire risk to communities across the nation, using wildfire data from recent years to project the risk to homes, exposure types, vulnerable population statistics and wildfire likelihood. The Forest Service said the interactive website provides a starting point for community leaders and fire experts when assessing and taking steps to reduce risk to homes, businesses and community resources. In Arizona, the map shows not just a high likelihood of wildfire across the state, but a high risk of wildfire damage to many Arizona homes and communities. It says 24% of homes in that state are likely to be exposed to a direct wildfire threat from forested areas and 32% are faced with the threat of an indirect exposure, which can be spread from home to home. That put Arizona in the 88th percentile among states for the level of risk to homes. Andrea Thode, a professor in fire ecology at Northern Arizona University, said the risk in the state comes from the surprisingly high amount of infrastructure in the wildland-urban interface, the zone where homes and forests meet. Thats why the new tool is needed, said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. As the challenge of catastrophic wildfires and growing populations converge, we need more cross-boundary, collaborative tools to manage and mitigate risk, she said in a press release announcing the new tool. This website provides community planners, community leaders and fire managers more information at their fingertips, creating opportunities to better understand, assess and prepare for wildfire risk. Arizona fire experts say it is important to have such tools to help homeowners and firefighters prepare since wildfire knows no boundaries. Molly Hunter, a research scientist at the University of Arizona and senior adviser of the Joint Fire Science program, said populated areas like Flagstaff and Prescott Valley that are built right into the wild lands are at high wildfire risk. She said when prolonged spring dry spells follow a wet winter, it builds up fuel that contributes to fire danger. Tiffany Davila, a public affairs officer with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, said that properly assessing wildfire risk in specific areas is the biggest component in taking preventive action, in training and preparing resources. She said fire officials work with federal and state partners to make sure all areas of the state are covered, to inform communities of the role they play in wildfire prevention and more. While the Forest Service tool aims to help officials plan their efforts, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management has its own wildfire risk portal aimed at helping individual communities and homeowners prepare. The site lets homeowners type in their address to see their individual wildfire risk and threat. One of the biggest pushes that we do throughout the year is working with homeowners to create defensible space around their property, Davila said. Its a two-way street. We have to do our part and the homeowners have to do their part as well. For homeowners, that means making sure their grass is cut, their gutters and roofs are clean, there are no dead trees and limbs hanging over their houses, grills are moved away from homes and more. Thode said there are other preparations that are often overlooked: Whether there is a prescribed fire or wildfire, she said, people tend not to prepare for the amount of smoke in the air, making it harder to breathe and see, especially with high winds. Being prepared ahead of time, having a plan for your family, having a list of the kinds of things that you would take if you were evacuated, those become even more important for elderly folks and people with disabilities so that those lists are in place and someone could come in and help after being handed a list, Thode said. She said its particularly important to take preventive actions this year, when firefighters will face the challenges of battling blazes while coping COVID-19. Arizonans should be raking their pine needles, cleaning out their gutters, holding off on starting campfires at the wrong times and taking other measures to work ahead of time because that always keeps the risk to our firefighters down. Its harder to fight fire safely this year, Thode said, noting that fewer fires will mean less time firefighters and others are exposed to the COVID-19 virus. Davila said officials in Arizona now find themselves fighting wildfires year-round, but that activity picks up when temperatures start to rise and vegetation dries out, until monsoon season. With no real start and end date of wildfires, she said state officials work on fuel mitigation and prescribed burns throughout the year to reduce risk. She said Arizona has already started seeing an uptick in fire activity, since were in higher temperatures than normal at this time of the year. Hunter said while theres a whole spectrum of things that people could do to try to reduce their own risk, people should take communal action. Its better to act as a community because what your neighbor does influences your own threat and your own safety, Hunter said. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When everything seems uncertain during a pandemic, colorful art can uplift the community's spirit. And that's why Sarah Wanek, a 25-year-old painter who is part of the Noyes Art Gallery, will strive to bring positivity when she showcases her work with seven other artists in June in the gallery's Focus room at 119 S. Ninth St. The other artists will include Therese Bauer, Kelsey Doley, Marsha Schoff, Tammy Schuett, Kevin Slaby, Jena Wanek and Susan Woodford. Their works range from acrylic paintings, painted bottles and metal sculptures to oil portraits. Due to social distancing guidelines, the gallery will livestream Wanek's opening on the first Friday of June (June 5) on Facebook at 7 p.m. The show will be on display at the gallery during its regular hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The theme of the show is "Experiencing Color," and each artist will represent color in his or her own way. As a painter, Wanek's work stands out among the 100 other artists in the gallery because of her distinct impressionistic style of bravely using colors and fitted shapes, especially rectangles, says the gallery's owner, Julia Noyes. FLINT, MI--The majority of public officials named in a consolidated federal class action lawsuit related to the Flint water crisis should remain in the case, judges determined. A panel of three United States Sixth Court of Appeals judges on Friday upheld a lower courts decision to not dismiss cases against public officials like Gov. Rick Snyder and former Flint emergency managers Gerald Ambrose and Darnell Earley. The sole exception was former Treasurer Andy Dillon. The appeals court judges remanded his case back down to U.S. District Court where he could potentially be discharged from the class action suit, according to court records. Judge Karen Nelson Moore wrote the opinion and was joined by Judge Gilbert S. Merritt. Judge Eric E. Murphy dissented in part, according to records. The opinion was published Friday evening. Many of the defendants in the massive class action lawsuit have filed motions to be dismissed from the case based on immunity. In addition to Snyder and Dillon, the defendants in the federal lawsuit include Howard Croft, Michael Glasgow, Daughtery Johnson, Liane Shekter-Smith, Stephen Busch, Patrick Cook, Michael Prysby and Bradley Wurfel. The officials argue that qualified immunity shields them from suit. This protects government officials from being sued for discretionary actions performed within their capacity unless it clearly violates someones constitutional rights. In her opinion, Moore upheld the district courts denial of the motions to dismiss based on immunity, including the former governor. Snyders alleged role in creating, failing to mitigate, and covering up the crisis plausibly demonstrates deliberate indifference, Moore wrote in the opinion. Dillion was the only exception. The district court recently discovered that Dillon was not Treasurer at the time of the actual switch to Flint River water in April 2014, Moore wrote. In light of that, the district court found that Dillon did not have authority over the switch and, therefore, that he cannot be found liable. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit allege that the officials created a public health crisis between June 2013 and April 2014. Flint residents Luke Waid and Michelle Rodriguez claim in the lawsuit that they were harmed as a consequence of lead and other toxic substances in the city's water supply. Waid and Rodriguez are seeking to recover monetary damages for gross negligence of the defendants, including various employees of the state and city of Flint. Officials ordered and set in motion the use of highly corrosive and toxic Flint River water knowing that the [treatment plant] was not ready, according to the complaint. "By January 29, 2015, State officials understood that the public health crisis was caused by the corrosion of the entire infrastructure of the Flint water system. Yet no action was taken to warn the public of the health crisis or to correct the harm. The complaint alleges that officials violated the peoples constitutional rights. The first is the period leading up to the April 2014 switch to the Flint River and the second is the 18-month period between April 2014 and October 2015 when officials were callously indifferent to the mounting evidence that the water was actually causing serious harm, including death. Murphy agreed with the judgment and dissented in part. He wrote that Gov. Rick Snyder was too far removed from the situation to be held liable for it. He also wrote there is no evidence the former governor himself deceived the public. Instead, it raises generic claims of deception against his (administration)," Murphy wrote. The judges referred to a different lawsuit, a state case, when writing their opinions. The lawsuit alleges state and city officials violated Flint Shari Guertin, her minor child, and Diogenes Muse-Clevelands bodily integrity by exposing them to lead-contaminated water and hiding it. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to intercede in Guertins case on Jan. 21 meaning it can move forward against city and state officials over their role in the water crisis. Read more: Michigan Supreme Court to decide if Flint residents get day in court against Snyder and state Attorney says Supreme Court decision on Flint water brings federal trial closer to reality Flint water crisis lawsuit allowed to move forward after appeal Mark works for a Denver-area company that handles medical billing. In mid-March, he said he and his co-workers were told they would work from home as per the local stay-at-home COVID-19 mandate. Mark said he was also told by the manager that they had ways of monitoring their time and productivity as they worked from home with a program that had been installed on their work-issued laptops. MORE: How apps could change the workplace after coronavirus crisis While Mark and his co-workers were also monitored while working on-site prior to the novel coronavirus outbreak, remote monitoring is creating some unforeseen issues, he told ABC News. Since the employees on his team have been working from home, "about four or five people have been terminated" for what he assumes is a lack of production, he said. Because fewer people are going to the doctor, Mark said fewer claims need to be processed, so it's hard for the employees to hit their daily claims quota. "It can be kind of annoying, especially since we still have a production number to fill," Mark -- a pseudonym he asked to be used out of fear of retaliation -- said. The company has not adjusted its quota during the pandemic, he said. ABC News could not independently confirm the quota, and the health care system in the Midwest state Mark works in has not responded to a request for comment. However, in addition to being monitored for productivity, privacy advocates say Mark and the estimated 62% of Americans now working from home during the pandemic, face other concerns as more employers adopt surveillance technology to keep tabs on remote workers. Among some concerns, they say, is the intrusion of monitoring technology into private homes and even into employees' health information. While revenue numbers and adoption rates of employee monitoring software are hard to secure because the software market leaders are largely private companies that don't readily disclose that data, there is evidence that monitoring software is seeing unprecedented adoption rates since the onset of COVID-19. Story continues One recent business survey from ActivTrak, one of the leading makers of monitoring software found that more than 98% of small and medium-sized business respondents now have a remote workforce and that ensuring productivity is a top concern. Brad Miller, the CEO and chairman of Awareness Technologies, the parent company of InterGuard, another market leader in employee monitoring software, told ABC News he's seen three to four times growth in the company's customer base since COVID-19's spread in the U.S. Monitoring technology is not new. This technology has been in use for years in everything from email security systems that log an organization's inbound and outbound email to sensors on delivery trucks that track drivers locations and speeds. Yet, it is getting more sophisticated with data analytics, cloud platforms and other technology advancements. Teramind is software that offers several employee monitoring features. As with many monitoring tools, it can be installed without a user even knowing, although the company urges transparency on its website. With Teramind, an employer can monitor emails, applications, instant messages, keystrokes, social media usage and more on an employee's computer. InterGuard allows employers to take screenshots and record activity on an employee's machine in addition to a host of other monitoring capabilities. "You used to go into the office -- you had a supervisor or manager who could see what time you came in, what time you left, whether you are generally working or not," said Miller. InterGuard, Miller said, allows employers to "reclaim some visibility" of what an employee does during the workday. He said most of his customers are using the software "in the context of, 'Can I confirm that you started working at 9, you stopped at 5, and you are generally working in applications like Excel, PowerPoint, Word, email' -- things of that nature." And of course, with the rise in videoconferencing, employers have virtual access into employees' homes. Many employers are hosting mandatory virtual meetings, which can result in an employee's children and other household members being caught on camera. Privacy concerns Many critics of so-called snooping software also call it "tattleware" -- a phrase actually used in the computer security industry since the '90s -- and they say it's raising privacy concerns. "How much privacy is an employee entitled to in their own home?" said Ifeoma Ajunwa, professor of labor relations, law and history at The ILR School at Cornell University. "A lot of these emerging technologies can seem really useful for employers and, of course, there is an employment interest in monitoring workers, and legally we have to consider that interest as a business interest." MORE: Bringing America Back: Experts warn of limitations of tech for contact tracing "On the other hand," she added, "we have to weigh that against the employees' interest in maintaining privacy. And unfortunately, the COVID situation actually makes that privacy interest heightened because now the employee is no longer working in the workplace, they're actually working from the home." Software that records what happens on a computer may be particularly fraught. If software is "monitoring your screen at any given time" and "you're checking your bank information or opening an email from your doctor" that's sensitive financial or health information that could be recorded, said Alexandra Claudia Mateescu, a researcher at Data & Society, an independent nonprofit research organization that studies social implications of data-centric technologies and automation. Privacy advocates believe monitoring employee health is likely to ramp up as states begin lifting restrictions on business closures and stay-at-home orders. PHOTO: Workers leave Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant on May 20, 2020 in Chicago. (Scott Olson/Getty Images, FILE) One company, LiveSafe, recently launched an app, WorkSafe, that lets businesses track employee health data in real-time. Through the mobile app or a browser, companies can require employees to self-assess their health and then the company can determine if an employee is OK to come into the workplace. Most customers use WorkSafe to push the self-check assessment questions the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has on its website, said Carolyn Parent, CEO of LiveSafe. "Our whole idea, before people even leave their home: Can we find a way to get them to self-check?" Parent said. New 'workplace normal' or overreach? There's some thought that employee surveillance extending into the home and detailed health monitoring may just be part of the "new normal." Data privacy laws vary by state. California has the most stringent data privacy protection in place. But there are no federal laws directly addressing or limiting employer surveillance of workers according to Ajunwa and her co-authors, Kate Crawford and Jason Schultz, as they reported in a 2017 whitepaper titled "Limitless Worker Surveillance." In it, the authors assert that protection of workers privacy is a civil rights issue. Questions also surround the limits of surveillance. For example, while most employers are mainly interested in monitoring employees during office hours, the nature of surveillance software could allow them to constantly monitor an employee's activity on whatever devices onto which the monitoring software is installed. Monitoring health data could allow employers to store employee's health information, although Plant said most customers using WorkSafe choose not to do so. Some say such extensive monitoring is unnecessary. "Employers are always free to -- and should -- evaluate the work product produced by employees. But you don't have to surveil someone's every move or screenshot their computer every five minutes to do so. That's monitoring the inputs. Monitor the outputs instead, and you'll have a much healthier, saner relationship," David Heinemeier Hansson, co-founder of Basecamp, a project management platform, and the creator of the Ruby on Rails web development software, wrote in an email to ABC News. Employees' right to privacy "is being grossly violated by surveillance applications," Heinemeier Hansson added. "When people feel like they're trusted to do good work, they actually tend to deliver just that. The irony of setting up such invasive surveillance regimes is that it's causing the distrust and motivation to goof off and beat the very systems that were set up to catch such behavior. In February, before most Americans knew much about the COVID-19 outbreak, Ajunwa spoke before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor. During a hearing on "The Future of Work: Protecting Workers Civil Rights in the Digital Age," she urged Congress to protect workers' privacy, stating that technology has created a "quantified worker" subject to the whims of an employer. "Just because the technology exists doesn't mean that it's ethical for you to actually engage with that technology," Ajunwa said. As employee monitoring extends to workers' homes and health, some see civil rights threat originally appeared on abcnews.go.com YEREVAN. My family is being harassed for the past two day. At first glance, it seemed like the matter was domestic, but in reality it turned out not to be so. Lawyer Tigran Atanesyan said this Saturday, referring to the attack on his house. Right next to my house is the old movie theater of Kanaker; it is currently a recording studio. There is a small playground there, my children always go and play [there]. However, the owner's son, who is 40 years old, demands, says that my children no longer have the right to play there," he said. According to Atanesyan, he has no relations with that person, and there are bars separating his house and that institution. "On the second day, they decide to completely block those bars, my wife calls, I say, 'Let them block, don't pay attention.' Meanwhile, seeing that we are not giving in to provocation, they start cursingwith the worst sexual insultsat my 7-year-old son, who is looking, from the first-floor window, what they are doing (): They want to hit my window, my wife runs out, for 5-6 minutes they make the most insidious curses at my wife; my children, everyone locks themselves in the house, he said. According to Atanesyan, they attacked his house, said they would demolish the house and again mentioned that he was a lawyer. "My wife calls me, I rush home, I realize it's a provocation. There is no excuse for attacking the house, even if those people had a problem with me; but I again say that there is no problem. I called the police, and they reached our house almost at the same time as me, the incident now continued with me. They attack me, and if it weren't for the police, I would probably be behind bars today because I didn't know how all that would have ended after the swearing. One [of them] is a well-known drug dealer, and the others were nothinglike him, he said. The lawyer noted that this incident was related to his professional activities, and also said that he had applied to a security service to provide round-the-clock security around his house. "But if someone tries to frighten me with this, he is sorely mistaken. I will fight against this disgrace with double the energy," he said. To note, the press reported on Friday that Tigran Atanesyan's house was attacked, and insulting remarks were made against his family, and they had attempted to injure his 7-year-old son. The Trump administration will not require nursing homes to provide data on coronavirus cases and deaths that occurred prior to May 8, according to the government agency that oversees the facilities. The government has asked nursing homes to send the data from before the date, but the only information required only has to go back to a week leading up to their first filings with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which was by May 17. Older dates are optional but nursing homes are to report their data at least weekly, the Wall Street Journal reports. Long-term-care facilities across the country have been slammed by the virus, with more than 28,000 deaths in the U.S., according to a recent Journal tally. Nursing homes are compelled by the government to send the data from before May 6 but it is optional. The Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, pictured in March when it was the epicenter of the virus in the state Earlier forms from the CDC required nursing homes to provide data going back to January 1. The new rule for reporting was issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which encouraged nursing homes to still release earlier data. In a May 6 memo from the CMS, the agency stated that facilities are not required to report the date that predates 'the effective date of the interim final rule.' The final rule was published on May 8, according to the agency. 'The NHSN system has capability for retrospective reporting from January 2020 onward, consistent with CDCs mission-critical work, but CMS will not take enforcement action if a nursing home is unable to accurately report information from that time,' the CMS added. 'However, we encourage facilities to report older data as it will help with CDCs ongoing surveillance and response efforts to assess burden of COVID-19 in nursing homes, and support a comprehensive national surveillance of the pandemic.' The American Health Care Association, among other groups, asked the CDC to 'clarify if reporting was mandatory or voluntary prior to May.' The CDC reportedly said that 'reporting prior to May 8 would be voluntary per regulation.' 'As guidance and surveillance systems are put in place, clarifying revisions are made to meet the needs [of] our partners, health organizations, and other federal agencies,' the CDC added. Some states do have data providing insight as to the pandemic's impact on nursing home, the data from the CDC was to provide a full national overview of its impact. The rule was issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which encouraged nursing homes to still release earlier data. View of refrigerated trucks at Isabella Geriatric Center in New York on Saturday, May 2. The nursing home lost 46 residents confirmed to have COVID-19 According to the state data, the virus caused a crisis in many long-term-care facilities across the country. 'We're going to get a very incomplete picture,' said David Grabowski, a professor at Harvard Medical School. 'How do we understand what's happening if we only have data back to' early May? Grabowski said 36 states were offering some tallies from long-term-care facilities, while 17 are listing individual locations. Senator Bob Casey of (D-Penn) has pressed for more nursing-home data to be made public. He said data prior to May should be made public because 'families deserve this information. Public health officials need this information.' Senator Bob Casey of (D-Penn) has been pressing for more nursing-home data to be made public. He said data prior to May should be made public because 'families deserve this information. Public health officials need this information' Without the older data, researchers will struggle to find answers about what led to the boom in cases in nursing homes, along with what strategies worked in curbing the virus. 'You're basically throwing away the experience of March and April,' said Vincent Mor, a professor at Brown University. According to Lori Smetanka, executive director of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, consumers also wanted to know the data as it could help them understand how they handled the virus. 'Having the information will tell the story of what's been happening in the facility during the pandemic,' she added. CMS hopes to make the findings public by the end of May through their consumer-focused Nursing Home Compare site. The agency has also instructed nursing facilities to notify families directly of individual coronavirus cases. Assisted-living facilities are not included, as they are not overseen by CMS. 'The data that we're going to be getting from the nursing homes will give us a better picture, a national picture of the extent of coronavirus in nursing homes as well as the deaths that have occurred,' CMS Administrator Seema Verma said Monday. No swimming at inland state parks, 15-feet social distancing on shorefront beaches, portable toilets, fewer parking spaces and lifeguards are among the new measures the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is doing to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Wednesday - days before the start of the Memorial Day weekend - DEEP released its plan around the operation and use of Connecticut state park grounds, trails, beaches and boat launches. RELATED: CT beaches open Memorial Day, and the rules you have to follow The Circuit Court in Accra presided over by His Honour Emmanuel Essandoh has adjourned the case in which a private security man Bless Amedegbe, alias Don Dada Bless, 24, has been charged with assault on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The accused person was earlier arraigned without a lawyer and remanded into custody to appear In court today. However, in court today, when he was represented by counsel Yaw Danquah, he (lawyer) said he had had a conference with the accused person. According to him, he had applied for the records of the previous proceeding to be able to represent his client well but he was yet to receive the proceedings. He subsequently prayed for an adjournment to enable him to get the proceedings and scrutinize it before returning to court. His Honour Mr. Essandoh remanded the accused remanded again to reappear on Thursday, May 28, 2020. Charges He has been slapped with two charges of circulating false communication and assault on a public officer contrary to sections 76 (1) of the electronic communication act, 2008 (Act 775) and section 205 (A) of the criminal and other offences act 1960, Act 29, respectively. Brief facts The brief facts of the case as presented to the court were that, the complainant is an operative of the Bureau of National Communication, National security, while the accused person is a private security guard of VIP Security company and lives at Mamombi. The prosecutor explained that, during the month of April 2020, when the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had imposed lockdown in the Greater Accra Region and Greater Kumasi to curtail the spread of COVID-19, the accused made a video of himself and circulated same via YouTube and Whatsapp platforms including the General public to defy the Presidents Executive Orders. According to the prosecutor, the accused did so on grounds that the lockdown and social distancing for COVID-19 was a hoax, deliberately made by the President to deceive the public and allow the telecommunications companies to install 5G networks which causes death. The accused he said further incited the public to rise up against His Excellency the President and to set his personal house ablaze. The accused in his self-made video again incited the public to kill any police officer executing the COVID-19 duties. He added that, on May 12, 2020 the accused person was tracked and arrested. He admitted it in his investigation caution statement of having made and circulated misleading video on his Whatsapp and YouTube platforms. After investigation, the accused was charged with the offences before the court. Source: kasapafmonline.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 The explosive revelations about Dominic Cummings come against the backdrop of growing tensions between the maverick aide and the Whitehall establishment leading some Tory MPs to speculate about whether dark forces were behind the expose. Shortly before the story broke in two Left-leaning newspapers yesterday, sources claimed that Mr Cummings had been at the centre of an attempt to oust Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill, something which No 10 sources deny. The claims have circulated in the wake of the appointment of the Duke of Cambridges private secretary, Simon Case, to the previously-dormant role as No 10s own Permanent Secretary. The explosive revelations about Dominic Cummings come against the backdrop of growing tensions between the maverick aide and the Whitehall establishment The move has been described by one political aide as a shot across Sedwills bows but has also been seen as an attempt to dilute Mr Cummingss all-pervasive influence. Mr Cummings has been a long-standing critic of the Whitehall establishment, describing the permanent Civil Service as an idea for the history books and proposing the abolition of senior civil servants roles. A senior source admitted that tensions had been running high in No 10, with many officials exhausted by the Covid-19 crisis, but played down the idea that Mr Cummings had been the victim of a hit job by his enemies in Government. Sources claimed that Mr Cummings had been at the centre of an attempt to oust Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill (pictured), something which No 10 sources deny Mr Case, an experienced mandarin and a former security official at GCHQ, has been appointed to serve as a bridge between Mr Johnsons political team and the Civil Service, in an effective admission that the crisis has put the current No 10 structure under huge strain. Mr Johnson personally phoned Prince William last week to ask his permission for Mr Case to be seconded to Downing Street to help tackle the crisis. To add to the tensions in No 10, and the sense that Sir Marks wings are being clipped, Whitehall official Helen Macnamara has been promoted to Deputy Cabinet Secretary as well as head of the Cabinet Secretariat. The role coordinating the work of Cabinet had previously been held by Sir Mark. One source added: There is a view that a few things have been kept out of the Prime Ministers view by Sir Mark and that the PM needs a better grip on what he is up to. Hes clearly been too thinly spread and now thats changing. The claims have circulated in the wake of the appointment of the Duke of Cambridges private secretary, Simon Case, to the previously-dormant role as No 10s own Permanent Secretary One Tory MP said: Dom has made enemies everywhere, and you cant help wondering whether dark forces have been at play to exact their revenge. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps defended Mr Cummings, as he faced a barrage of questions about the case at yesterdays Downing Street press conference. Mr Shapps went out of his way to insist that the aide had been doing what was best for his four-year-old son, saying: In moments of crisis, we seek to have our family around us. But he appeared irritated that he was forced to deal with repeated questions about Mr Cummings rather than the raft of transport announcements including a cross-Pennine dual-carriageway plan he was making. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps defended Mr Cummings, as he faced a barrage of questions about the case at yesterdays Downing Street press conference Mr Shapps insisted that Mr Johnson was aware of his key aides decision to travel to County Durham so his young son would be safely looked after, saying: The Prime Minister would have known he was staying put, and he didnt come out again until he was feeling better. Pressed on the lockdown advice, deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries said interpretation of the rules was for others, adding: All of the guidance has a common sense element to it including safeguarding children. Downing Street under pressure to come clean over what it knew about Cummings affair By Ian Gallagher and James Heale for the Mail on Sunday Downing Street was under pressure last night to come clean over what it knew and when about the Dominic Cummings affair. Amid accusations of a cover-up, reports have suggested the aides inner circle knew he was in County Durham with his parents during lockdown. It remains unclear whether Boris Johnson was among them, but Opposition MPs said it seemed inconceivable he was kept in the dark. Asked directly during the Downing Street press conference, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps would only say that the PM knew Mr Cummings was unwell and that he was in lockdown but of course the PM was also unwell during the same period. Amid accusations of a cover-up, reports have suggested the aides inner circle knew he was in County Durham with his parents during lockdown. It remains unclear whether Boris Johnson was among them However the PM continued working after testing positive on March 27 and only entered hospital nine days later the same day Mr Cummings was reportedly spotted for a second time in the North East. It was also on March 27 that Mr Cummings was seen running out of No 10, heading home, it is believed, to see his wife, Mary Wakefield, who had virus symptoms. Soon afterwards he, too, fell ill. He wrote: At the end of March and for the first two weeks of April I was ill, so we were both shut in together. The first official acknowledgment of his illness came on March 30. Downing Street confirmed he was self-isolating after developing symptoms but did not say where. By now he and his wife and their four-year-old son were reportedly already 260 miles away. The following day, No 10 offered the same information, but this time crucially said he was self-isolating at home. This was the same day Durham Police were made aware of reports that he was staying in the city. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps would only say that the PM knew Mr Cummings was unwell and that he was in lockdown but of course the PM was also unwell during the same period Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, the SNPs Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, said: What I find interesting is that [according to reports] members of Downing Street knew about this so, first and foremost, Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer over what now appears to be a cover-up. Mr Blackford has written to the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill, calling for a swift investigation into Dominic Cummings rule-breaking and the cover-up. He added: This matter goes to the heart of public trust in the UK government and its response to Covid-19. If Mr Cummings wont resign he must be removed from post. He branded the alleged actions the height of irresponsibility, and added: Demonstrably, this is an individual who has broken the advice he has been... the architect of delivering. Ms Wakefield commissioning editor at The Spectator wrote an article for the magazine during the pairs isolation but did not say they had left their London home. The Islamic Republic's head of Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization (HPO) says that applicants have already registered for nearly ninety percent of Iran's share in the annual Hajj pilgrimage. However, Saudi Arabia had earlier called on Muslims around the world to refrain from planning for the Hajj until the coronavirus outbreak comes under control. Nonetheless, the head of the HPO, Alireza Rashidian, claimed that although Saudi Arabia's officials had not yet officially announced their position toward the current year's Hajj, registration process and selection of the Hajj caravans have taken place in Iran. According to Rashidian, 88% of the capacity of the Irans Hajj allotment has been completed so far, and their training classes are being held online due to the pandemic. Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mohammed Saleh bin Taher Benten, called on all Muslims around the world on April 1 to refrain from planning for Hajj until the deadly virus outbreak was settled. As of May 22, the official number of Saudis tested positive for coronavirus exceeded 67,000, while it is believed that the country's official numbers are usually lower than the real figure. Therefore, it is not yet clear whether the current year's Hajj will take place. Iran also has at least 130,000 cases and estimates put the real number much higher. Nevertheless, Rashidian expressed hope that the Hajj ceremony would be held "under health protocols," depending on "Saudi capabilities." Iran and Saudi Arabia are bitter regional rivals. However, Rashidian did not elaborate on what would happen in about a month, when the annual Hajj begins, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Saudi Arabia and other countries to ensure a safe pilgrimage. During the Hajj, about 2.5 million Muslims from all over the world, including about 87,000 people from Iran, travel to Saudi Arabia every year for two weeks. Most Iranian Hajj pilgrims are elderly, and at greater risk for developing COVID-19. Comparing figures given by Rashidian with the numbers of Hajj registration in the same period last year shows that many Iranians have decided to give up their turn for attending the annual ceremony, lest contract the coronavirus related deadly disease, COVID-19. The registration fee for this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Iran has been announced from 320 million rials (approximately $2,000) to 410 million rials (about $2,500). The exchange rate is calculated based on the unofficial, free market median value. Google has launched helpful Android features and apps for people with hearing loss, deafness and cognitive differences. For people with limited mobility, the tech giant has introduced Action Blocks, a new Android app that allows them to create customizable home screen buttons. They can create an Action Block for any action that the Google Assistant can perform, like making calls, sending texts, playing videos and controlling devices at home. Pick an image for the Action Block from your camera or photo gallery, and place it on your home screen for one-touch access. Action Blocks is available on the Play Store and works on Android devices on Android 5.0 and above. In 2019, Google launched Live Transcribe, an app that provides real-time, speech-to-text transcriptions of everyday conversations for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The company has now rolled out new features in Live Transcribe app. "Set your phone to vibrate when someone nearby says your name. If you're looking elsewhere or want to maintain social distance, your phone will let you know when someone is trying to get your attention," said Google. People can add custom names or terms for different places and objects not commonly found in the dictionary. It's now easier to search past conversations by simply using the search bar to look through past transcriptions. To use the feature, turn on Saving Transcriptions' in Settings. Once turned on, transcriptions will be saved locally on your device for three days. Google said it is expanding the support for Live Transcribe of 70 languages to include Punjabi. Live Transcribe is pre-installed on Pixel devices and is available on Google Play for devices Android 5.0 and up. Sound Amplifier, a feature that clarifies the sound around you, now works with Bluetooth headphones. Connect your Bluetooth headphones and place your phone close to the source of the sound, like a TV or a lecturer, so that you can hear more clearly."On Pixel, now you can also boost the audio from media playing on your device whether you are watching YouTube videos, listening to music, or enjoying a podcast. Sound Amplifier is available on Google Play for devices Android 6.0 and above," informed the company. Many Republicans now share the presidents skepticism of voting by mail. While 70 percent of Americans favor letting any eligible voter cast ballots by mail, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are split with 49 percent in favor and 50 percent opposed, according to a survey published last month by the Pew Research Center. Eighty-seven percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents support universal access to mail voting, the survey found. Roughly half of adults supported conducting all elections by mail, up from about one-third who said this two years ago. Washington: Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has apologised for saying voters "ain't black" if they are weighing up a vote between him and President Donald Trump in the November election. At the end of an interview with Charlamagne tha God, a prominent African-American radio presenter, Biden said: "Well I tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether youre for me or Trump, then you aint black." Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said he shouldn't have been so "cavalier" in his comments about black voters. Credit:AP The gaffe was instantly leapt upon by Trump's campaign team and prominent black conservatives, who accused the former vice-president of taking African-American voters for granted. "Id say I'm surprised, but it's sadly par for the course for Democrats to take the black community for granted and brow beat those that dont agree," said Tim Scott, the Republican Party's only black senator. Borno governor, Babagana Zulum Chairmen and top officials in six Local Government Areas were absent from work when the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, paid unscheduled visits to their secretariats on Thursday, The PUNCH reports. According to a statement by the governor on Friday morning, the officials failed to resume duty two weeks after being directed to report to work after the ease of lockdown occasioned by coronavirus pandemic. Zulum said he had gotten reports that even before the pandemic, senior officials of Chibok, Bama, Gwoza, Damboa, Konduga and Askira-Uba LGAs were notorious for abandoning their local government to operate in Maiduguri only to return there for few days when allocations are received, or when they know the governor is heading there. None of the heads of departments was around, neither the Secretary nor the other principal officers reported to duty. Look at the Secretariat, termites all over, an indication that nobody is operating in the Secretariat. The government cannot allow this situation to continue. We came from Maiduguri to determine the presence of senior public servants at their places of work. We have been pleading with them for quite some time to operate from these local government areas so that citizens will feel the impact of governance at the grassroots but from all indication, many are not listening. We will take punitive measures because we cannot allow this system to continue, he said. The governor lamented that the Gwoza LGA new secretariat which he commissioned a few months ago was locked. The recent release of social housing 'new build' statistics shows an overall increase of 51pc in the quantity of housing delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies. Output was up from 3,753 new build social houses in 2018 to over 5,000 last year. This appears good news, but unpicking the headline figures - not easy from the way they are presented by the Department of Housing - highlights disconcerting trends in who is delivering housing, who is not, and how it is being done, particularly by local authorities. What is evident is a noticeable shift away from the traditional practice of councils directly building houses. Overall, in 2018 houses that local authorities built directly comprised about one in three of the overall social housing new build output. Last year that was down to less than one in five. In areas of highest social housing demand, the decline in builds by local authorities is even more acute. Dublin City Council's own output decreased by more than 75pc from 2018 to 2019, going from 201 directly built houses to just 45 year to year. Of this 45, some 24 were refurbishments of apartments in Priory Hall, hardly new build. Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown local authority, the country's wealthiest, built 17 houses last year, which was a sharp decline from 120 in 2018. Fingal is down from 75 directly built houses in 2018 to 54 in 2019. South Dublin went from 238 to 112 over the same period, and Galway City Council's own direct build output declined from 14 houses to zero, despite their social housing waiting list of over 1,500 households. Of the major city areas, only Cork City Council managed to increase its direct build output from 93 to 110 year on year, and Limerick City and County Council from 45 to 57 social houses. Overall, 11 counties saw their own social housing direct build output decrease in 2019. Some councils built no houses, including Roscommon, Tipperary and Westmeath. In Laois, the county council built one social house itself last year, with an additional 10 being supplied by an Approved Housing Body. Laois's social housing waiting list has over 800 households and local councillors there, like others nationwide, are rightly frustrated with the slow pace of delivery. The number of new build social houses supplied by Approved Housing Bodies has also declined from 415 in 2018 to 350 in 2019, a 16pc drop. If councils are not building themselves, as they did so well for decades, then how are they managing to increase the new build output? The answer is through the acquisition of turnkey housing. These are houses delivered ready to occupy (in 'turnkey' condition), usually destined for the private market and especially first-time buyers, but then bought by the State. Sometimes builders who are running short of finance, or to whom banks are curtailing a line of credit, approach local authorities asking them to buy all or a phase of their housing development. This helps keep the builder in business. Often, local authorities approach builders and offer to buy the part-built housing when complete. Overall, turnkey purchases have gone from 55pc of all new build social housing output in 2018, to 74pc last year. This is a phenomenal increase in the use of the private sector to deliver housing. Politicians argue that it does not matter who delivers the housing, but this is simplistic. Firstly, as the private sector developer has land costs, finance to pay, and profit to make, so the purchase price of turnkey housing will usually be more expensive than direct build by the local authority. As the housing is not built by the local authority, the control of quality is also difficult. In buying developments from builders, local authorities are then contravening government policy on not having estates comprised entirely of social housing. Finally, analysis shows the State accounted for almost 30pc of market housing last year - this is new estate houses and apartments. Local politicians will feel the brunt of younger constituents' frustrations when they see what is usually more affordable housing bought by their council to house social tenants. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's 2018 report on social housing said that in areas of high housing demand it makes more financial sense to build than to rent properties for social housing. Yet it is in these areas that we have seen the highest increases in new houses being acquired from the private sector, up 70pc in the four Dublin local authorities last year. Questions need to be asked about why local authorities have abandoned house building in favour of increased reliance on the private sector. Are there skills and capacity shortages in local authorities? Is Government ideology favouring the private sector over the public, influencing council housing decisions? Or, most likely, has the Department of Housing made the process of building so difficult that councils have simply given up trying? Dr Lorcan Sirr is a senior lecturer in housing at the Technological University Dublin National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Saturday hit out at former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik for lying frequently, saying he does not live up to his name. According to media reports, Malik, currently the Governor of Goa, said two regional parties had refused to participate in the polls (in Jammu and Kashmir) under Pakistan's pressure. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that we will conduct panchayat elections (in J&K). I broke the protocol and went to Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti's residences. They refused to participate under Pakistan's pressure. Terrorists also threatened yet the election was held successfully, Malik said on Saturday. Reacting to the remarks, Omar said the former J-K governor never tires of lying. Only naam ka satya not kaam ka. He never tires of lying. Lied to people of J&K before 5th August & lying now. Hiding behind walls of Raj Bhavan protected from defamation suits so feels emboldened to shoot his mouth off. Let him say all this when he is no longer governor & see (sic), he wrote on Twitter. Ordinarily I wouldn't have replied to his nonsensical drivel but then some people start believing he's telling the truth, I learnt that the hard way with his rubbish, so now I don't take any of his lies lying down, he said in another tweet. In September 2018, the PDP and National Conference boycotted urban local body and panchayat polls, saying the central government was not committing to safeguarding the special constitutional provisions for Jammu and Kashmir. Both the parties had announced not to contest the polls until the Centre and the governor administration clarified the position on Article 35-A which conferred special rights and privileges to Jammu and Kashmir. On August 5, 2019, the Centre removed both Article 370 and Article 35A of the constitution and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Jayant Patil on Saturday praised Bollywood actor Sonu Sood for arranging buses for migrant workers desirous of returning to their homes. Noting that Sood has played a villain in some of his films, the water resources minister termed the actor as an inspiring hero in reality. Sonu Sood is arranging buses for migrants who want to go back to their homes. He is trying to help as many migrants as he can. The on screen villain is an inspiring hero in reality! God bless him @SonuSood, tweeted Patil, who heads the state NCP unit. He also shared a picture of Sood standing near the buses reportedly arranged by him to ferry migrant workers. Sonu Sood is arranging buses for migrants who want to go back to their homes. He is trying to help as many migrants as he can. The on screen villain is an inspiring hero in reality! God bless him @SonuSood #SonuSood pic.twitter.com/cokoowzjhU Jayant Patil (@Jayant_R_Patil) May 23, 2020 Sonu had earlier said he is pained by the plight of migrant workers who are unable to go back home amid the nationwide lockdown and he will do everything he can to arrange for transport for them. Sonu arranged more buses for the migrants after obtaining special permissions from the government of Uttar Pradesh. The actor had earlier organised multiple bus services for many such workers heading to Gulbarga, Karnataka from Maharastra. Also read: Nawazuddin Siddiquis wife Aaliya says he humiliated her in front of Manoj Bajpayee, makes excuses to avoid meeting his kids It has been an extremely emotional journey for me as my heart pains to see these migrants staying away from their homes walking on streets. I will continue sending migrants home until the last migrant reunites with his family and loved ones. This is something really close to my heart and I will give it my all, Sood, 46, said in a statement. As per arrangements, multiple buses left from Wadala and various parts of UP, including Lucknow, Hardoi, Pratapgarh and Siddharthnagar, as well as to states like Jharkhand and Bihar. The Happy New Year actor was present to bid goodbye to these workers who were stranded in the city since the lockdown began on March 25. Follow @htshowbiz for more Open source Lviv region's police reported suspicion to a man who was allegedly involved in an act of child molestation. The press service of the Lviv region National Police. It is noted that the residents of one of the villages in Zhovkovsky district contacted the police, who said that an unknown citizen had committed perverted acts against their daughters aged 6 and 7 years. The investigation established that a 45-year-old resident of the same area was involved in the commission of a crime. He was informed of a suspicion of committing a crime under Part 2 of Art. 156 (corruption of minors) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The sanction of the article provides for imprisonment of up to eight years. Soon, the court will choose a measure of restraint for the suspect; pre-trial investigation continues. As we reported before, the Presidential Ombudsman for Children's Rights, Mykola Kuleba opposed commercial surrogacy in Ukraine. Commercialization and permission to receive such a service in Ukraine facilitates the uncontrolled sale of Ukrainian children abroad. The situation with the babies in the hotel, which became widely known, once again shows the disempowerment of children born to surrogate mothers. The birth of a child far from the mother is unnatural. Thus, Ukraine is simply becoming an international online store with babies. And we dont know the actual number of such children that Ukraine supplies in this way, Kuleba said. The Chandigarh International Airport is all set to commence flight operations from May 25 after the Centre announced resumption of domestic commercial passenger flights from Monday. All scheduled commercial passenger flights had been suspended in India since March 25 when the central government imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The Chandigarh airport will resume operations with 13 domestic flights from Monday onwards in a phased manner. The sectors which will be served include Srinagar, Delhi, Mumbai, Leh, Bengaluru, Dharamshala and Ahmedabad, the airport officials said on Saturday. The Chandigarh airport has also made arrangements to ensure social distancing between passengers at the premises. A special equidistance is marked on the floor to help passengers stand with a minimum required gap of one meter. The security personnel of CISF have been provided with transparent plexiglass sheets to avoid any physical contact and protection. The airport has also formulated standard operating procedures for safety of passengers and airport staff which include social distancing and stringent thermal screening. The process of sanitisation and disinfecting the airport premises is also being ensured. All the food and beverages and retail outlets inside the airport have been instructed to promote take away and encourage digital payment, the officials said. Passengers have been requested to adhere to all the instructions and carry printed boarding passes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Watchdogs have launched a probe into claims online stores and other websites are failing to do enough to tackle fake reviews. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is concerned Britons are spending billions on dodgy products, holidays and tradesmen based on the reviews. Online shopping has become increasingly vital during the coronavirus lockdown, so the CMA has said it will examine how sites currently detect and respond to fake reviews. It has not identified the businesses involved other than to say they are 'major websites'. Those which have been criticised in the past include Amazon, eBay and TripAdvisor However, those which have been criticised in the past include Amazon, eBay and TripAdvisor. In addition Facebook and Instagram have been accused of allowing rogues to promote fake review 'factories'. Its investigation will look at issues including suspicious reviews, businesses manipulating the presentation of reviews and how websites handle reviews where the reviewer has been paid or received an incentive to post. Chief executive of the CMA Andrea Coscelli said it 'will not hesitate to take further action' if sites are disobeying the law. TripAdvisor said 'no other review platform does more to fight fake reviews', while eBay said it was 'committed to cooperating with the CMA' and Amazon said customer trust was 'at the heart of our approach'. The watchdog has previously gained similar assurances from Facebook and eBay on tackling the issue of fake reviews. The CMA said it is not currently alleging that any website has acted illegally, but wants to ensure robust systems are in place and would take enforcement action to secure any necessary changes if it needed to, including pursuing court action. Andrea Coscelli said: 'Most of us read online reviews to help decide which products or services to buy. 'During lockdown, we're more dependent than ever on online shopping, so it's really important that the online reviews we read are genuine opinions. 'If someone is persuaded to buy something after reading a fake or misleading review, they could end up wasting their money on a product or service that wasn't what they wanted. TripAdvisor said 'no other review platform does more to fight fake reviews' 'Our investigation will examine whether several major websites are doing enough to crack down on fake reviews. And we will not hesitate to take further action if we find evidence that they aren't doing what's required under the law.' Consumer group Which? has previously warned of the prominence of fake or misleading reviews across a number of websites and earlier this year called for a CMA investigation over the issue. Neena Bhati, head of campaigns at Which?, welcomed the launch of the investigation. 'It is good to see the regulator turning its attention to review sites as Which? investigations have repeatedly exposed fake or incentivised reviews being used by unscrupulous sellers to mislead people on some of the world's biggest websites,' she said. 'Online platforms must take greater responsibility for helping to prevent users from being duped by fake reviews and today's announcement should serve as a warning to companies that are failing to crackdown through a lack of proper oversight. Bhati added: 'We are providing further evidence to the CMA that we hope will prove useful in the next phase of its investigation and we expect the regulator to take appropriate action against platforms found to be falling short in their responsibilities to protect consumers.' An off-duty garda who lost his life in a diving tragedy died without knowing he was to secure a promotion to sergeant just weeks later. The revelation came as the Wexford-based family of Dave Hearne (47) paid a moving tribute to the father of four to mark his first anniversary. Garda Hearne died in a freak diving tragedy off the Wexford coast on May 25, 2019. He was a former member of the Garda Water Unit, but had latterly been with the Waterford Traffic Corps. The officer had saved nine people over previous years thanks to his life-saving skills. His family revealed they were visited by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris after the tragedy - and he confirmed Garda Hearne was to have been promoted to sergeant just weeks later. He died without realising he had secured his dream promotion. The Hearne family said they only managed to cope with their grief thanks to the outpouring of support from the Wexford and Waterford communities, Garda Hearne's colleagues and those of his wife, Barbara, as well as ordinary members of the public he had helped. "We wish to thank everyone for the kindness, sympathy, support and love. We have been comforted by the number of people whose lives Dave touched both professionally and privately. We have drawn great solace from so many stories of his unrelenting bravery and strength," his mother Gemma said. His sister, Brighid, said they were deeply touched by the high regard in which he was held, while his sister Maeve said the family were bowled over by the incredible public support. Researchers say that a vaccine developed in China, that has reached phase one clinical trial appears to be safe and may protect people from the coronavirus, according to a report in New York Times. The report, based on a Lancet study, cited an early-stage trial conducted by researchers at several laboratories involving 108 participants aged between 18 and 60. In the trial, those who received a single dose of the vaccine produced certain immune cells, called T cells, within two weeks while the antibodies needed for immunity peaked at 28 days after the inoculation. As the coronavirus pandemic shows no sign of abating with the global cases of Covid-19, the disease caused by coronavirus surpassing 5.2 million and deaths crossing 338,000, the race to find a cure for it including a drug and a vaccine has also gained momentum. Governments, drugmakers and researchers are working on around 100 vaccine programmes but experts say that a safe and effective vaccine could take 12 to 18 months to develop. The vaccine in China reported on Friday was made with a virus, called Ad5, modified to carry genetic instructions into a human cell, says the NYT report. The cell begins making a coronavirus protein; the immune system learns to recognize the protein and attack it, in theory preventing the coronavirus from ever gaining a foothold. The final results of the trial will be evaluated in six months, the study said, reports news agency PTI. These results represent an important milestone. The trial demonstrates that a single dose of the new adenovirus type 5 vectored COVID-19 (Ad5-nCoV) vaccine produces virus-specific antibodies and T cells in 14 days, said study co-author Wei Chen from the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology. Based on the results, Chen said the vaccine is a potential candidate for further investigation, reports PTI. However ,the NYT report said only a subset of people in the new trial produced neutralizing antibodies to the coronavirus, the kinds of molecules needed for immunity. People between 45 and 60 years of age also produced weaker immune responses following vaccination than younger participants. Also, the results of the trial of Chinese vaccine are based on data from a short period and it is not clear how long its effect may last. The participants in the trials also experienced many side effects depending on the potency of the dose administered. Those with the highest dose showed the most side-effects with about 80 percent of the participants reporting at least one side effect, all expected with a viral vaccine, experts said. Almost half of the participants reported fever, fatigue and headaches, and about one in five had muscle pain, the NYT reported. Also, scientists, including those from the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology in China said further research is needed to confirm whether the vaccine protects against SARS-COV-2 infection, PTI reported. Of the other vaccine trials around the world, US-based Moderna Inc announced earlier this week that its vaccine appeared to be safe and effective, based on results from eight people in its trial. Developers of a Covid-19 vaccine at the University of Oxford in UK described their efforts as progressing very well, moving to the next phase after completing 1,000 immunisations by its candidate-vaccine on healthy human adults. The human trials were first initiated in April. The next phase, the second in the typical three phases of trials that a vaccine goes through, involves enrolling up to 10,260 adults and children to assess the immune response to the vaccine in people of different ages and assess if there is a variation. (With inputs from PTI) The Sierra Club has come a long way from its start as a conservation group founded by John Muir, both celebrated as the father of national parks and reviled for holding racist ideas about Native Americans. For more than a century, the Sierra Club also curried to the interests of moneyed elitists. It has confronted those origins in recent decades and transformed itself into a progressive organization that fights against environmental degradation as much as it does environmental injustice. The Sierra Club has done that internal work just as the environmental movement has faced its greatest setbacks. Its in these best and worst of times that the grand dame of environmentalism elected its first Latino president. Ramon Cruz laughed, a little nervously, about it this week, his first as Sierra Clubs new president. A Puerto Rican-born Brooklynite and expert in sustainability, energy policy, urban planning and climate change, Cruz has held several leadership positions. He worked for Puerto Ricos environmental regulatory agency, then came stateside to work for the Environmental Defense Fund, the Partnership for New York City and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. He directs the latters international policy program. His credentials include a bachelors degree from American University and a masters in public policy and urban planning from Princeton University. Hell now lead the groups national board of directors in overseeing its budget and agenda. Cruzs rise is not only consistent with his career but with the Sierra Clubs journey. Ask him about where the movement is today, especially given the global coronavirus pandemic, and hes direct and downcast. If youd asked me five years ago, I was so hopeful about everything happening in the world, Cruz said. Almost 200 countries had signed the Paris agreement to lower global warming. The major economies of the world were working together collaboratively on the most important challenge of my generation climate change, he said. Then the Trump administration pulled out of the Paris accord, a decision on climate change that mirrors its handling of a global pandemic. In both cases, the United States is worst off, and its Latino, African American and Asian populations have suffered disproportionately in one way or another. The Sierra Club has also opposed the administrations evisceration of air and water standards, its decision to open public lands to mining and drilling and the construction of a border wall. The environmental group abhors the wall not only for ruining ecosystems, but because its a monument to the presidents overarching anti-immigrant policies. In the same vein, Cruz lamented that Dreamers have been denied a path to citizenship and children detained in cages and separated from parents seeking asylum at the border. Its no surprise environmentalists now see all roads leading to the Nov. 3 presidential election. With that just six months away, the Sierra Club plans voter engagement in four states: Arizona, Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The most important demographic group in two of those states is the Latino population, Cruz said. Its also relevant in Michigan and Pennsylvania. We cannot think of winning those states without winning the Latino population. While demographic data has pointed to the importance of that population to the nations future, Cruz said the pandemic has made it clearer. He was referring to all the low-paid essential workers in cities and towns throughout the country helping to keep the economy afloat. So many of them are people of color. Cruz was also referring to U.S. farmworkers, largely Latino immigrants in the country legally and illegally, who are chiefly responsible for the nations food supply. This despite the Trump administrations continued contempt for them. It has done little to protect this fundamental workforce from COVID-19, leaving protections to farmers and states on a voluntary basis. In the middle of a pandemic, the administration also wants to cut the wages of foreign workers to help struggling farmers. Its no surprise then that reversing Trumps environmental record is the No. 1 priority of the Sierra Club right now. Its the No. 1 priority of my presidency and term. Cruz is just settling in to what may be a two- to three-year term. eayala@express-news.net Charter school at epicenter of COVID-19 crisis steps up to help through the pandemic A great education "should not only be for students who are super rich," asserts Graham Browne, executive director and founder of Forte Preparatory Academy, a tuition-free, public school alternative for fifth to eighth grade students. But with school closures across the country, the socioeconomic gap between disadvantaged and affluent children is further widening. As unemployment numbers rise to staggering heights, and families face tremendous financial challenges, low-income youths continue to be disproportionately affected by the consequences of coronavirus, and particularly with their education. Many students lack the essential digital tools and resources needed to study remotely. Forte Prep is in East Elmhurst, New York, one of several working-class neighborhoods at the epicenter of New York City's coronavirus crisis. Despite the ravaging pandemic, the school is determined not to let the virus impact the education of its students. The power of education as an equalizer was experienced first-hand by Browne, the son of Caribbean immigrants, who was raised in New Jersey, and graduated from Brown University and the Yale School of Management. 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. Browne's local high school was among the lowest-performing, but his parents did not have the means to move. His mother found a scholarship program that allowed him to attend the prestigious St. Paul School in New Hampshire. The experience changed Browne's perspective on opportunities and education. "It was a real eye-opener," Browne told ABC News. "This school was so focused on making sure that everybody was succeeding." His education inspired him to establish Forte Prep in 2017, with Justin Smith, the school's founding principal. "Students should not have to travel 250 miles away from home to get a world-class education," Browne said, "It should be available right in New York City." Story continues The school strives to prepare students to excel academically and behaviorally, with the goal of ultimately ensuring college becomes a reality for every student. Its 270 students are mostly from low-income and minority families and many of them are first-generation Americans. As a group, "they're incredible, thoughtful, and just great," Brown explained. "There's a lot riding on our academic performance, so that students will be successful in high school and college and life," added Browne. This Spring, Forte Prep was named in the top 13% of high-performing schools in New York state. "This is the most rewarding and important work that I can think of doing," Browne said. Erika Espinoza, whose 13-year-old daughter, Hailey Munoz, is a seventh grader at the school, told ABC News that sending her daughter to Forte Prep was the best decision she ever made. "They have become like our second family because we have always been with each other," Munoz said. Fearing for the health of his students, and their families, and acutely aware of the challenges of continuing to operate in such a densely populated community, Browne opted to close the school in mid-March, days before the city's decision to shutter all schools. "At the time it seemed a scary and bold decision, but it very quickly became clear it was the right call," Browne explained. There were numerous challenges to shifting to remote learning, the first ensuring all students were connected to the internet and able to work from home. The school loaned two-thirds of its computers to students. Families without internet, were shown how to access Wi-Fi for free. Because of its small size, the school was able to act more nimbly than schools with a larger student body. Students were set up with remote learning within a week of the school's closing. Espinoza, who also has a son enrolled in New York City public school, stressed how well-organized Forte Prep was from the very beginning. "My experience with my son has been a disaster. The Department of Education just hasn't had it together. Forte was just much more organized from the start. Once they shut down, by the next week, they were in class," Espinoza said. However, "It was and continues to be tough," Browne admitted. Many students live in cramped home settings, making it difficult for them to find productive spaces to get work done -- further complicated when family members get sick and have to be quarantined. "Our team has been creative and innovative, bringing their classes to life and finding new opportunities in the challenge, rather than being beat down by it. It has been an all hands-on deck process," said Browne. "Our teachers have done literally everything humanly possible to get our kids learning as much as they can," added Smith. Another challenge for the school has been funding. Although public charter schools receive state and federal funds, many also rely on private donations, a process complicated by the current economic crisis. The school has reached out to some corporations and to foundations for grants, but the response has been low. Fundraising efforts have been redirected to supporting the students and their families. Many students have faced devastating personal loss because of the virus, so the school's community came together to provide care packages for families in need. PHOTO: Erika Espinoza's 13-year-old daughter, Hailey Munoz, was in the first class of students at Forte Prep Academy. (Courtesy Erika Espinoza) To date, the school has $14,000 for its family relief fund to buy grocery store gift cards for families ineligible for the federal stimulus checks. "Our job is to make sure they are learning, it is also to make sure that they're safe at home and their families have the support they need. We take both of those equally seriously," Smith said. "It has changed from our kids being sort of silly and cavalier, to being afraid to go outside, and being worried anytime anyone they know is a little bit sick because they know what the consequences can be." "Our support to them is holistic," said Browne. "I think they really appreciate the care and the time that we are spending to try to help them meet their needs." As with all schools in the nation, there is uncertainty about the summer and fall. Browne said there are several contingency plans to prepare the school for all scenarios. "I worry about a potential COVID slide with students who have been making steady progress from September to March, will lose up to half or more of what they've learned when they return back to a school seat. I think this scenario will have pretty acute impact on our students and other students. We have to develop a new model to return to some version of normalcy." Despite all the difficulties, the team at Forte Prep continues to serve its community, and push its students to persevere. "My dream is to finish my education, that's for sure. I think the sky's the limit," Munoz said. 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 U.S. and worldwide: Coronavirus map Charter school at epicenter of COVID-19 crisis steps up to help through the pandemic originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Maharashtra sets new record with 2,940 Covid-19 cases on Friday Government has decided to take control of 80 per cent of all private hospital beds in the state till August 31. (PTI Photo) Mumbai: As the number of positive coronavirus cases is setting a new record daily in Maharashtra, the government has decided to take control of 80 per cent of all private hospital beds in the state till August 31 and also capped the cost of 270 procedures and surgeries, including cancer treatments. The state on Friday reported 2,940 new coronavirus patients, highest single-day spike till date. Following complaints of exorbitant fees charged by private hospitals for treatments, the government issued orders on Thursday night stating the decision of capping treatment charges. It also said that the fee regulation decision applies to both isolation and non-isolation beds in private and charitable hospitals. Non-government health care providers in Maharashtra have been asked to accommodate a maximum number of patients with 80 per cent of the operational bed capacity to be regulated by rates sanctioned by the government. According to the government notification, healthcare providers may charge their own rates to the remaining 20 per cent beds. There will be no difference in quality of treatment in 80 per cent and 20 per cent categories, it said For Covid-19 patients, there will be three rate slabs on a per day basis `4,000, `7,500 and `9,000 based on the category of wards they have been admitted in. For non-Covid patients, hospitals which have agreements with insurance companies will follow the rate of lowest slab irrespective of the category of beds occupied by the patient. If there is no agreement between the two sides, hospitals will follow slab-wise rates depending on beds in hospitals. Meanwhile, with 2,940 new Covid-19 cases, the state tally is now 44,582 and 63 patients have succumbed to the deadly disease, taking the death toll due to the pandemic in the state to 1,517. This was the sixth consecutive day when the state reported more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases, a state official said. On Thursday, Maharashtra reported 2,345 positive cases with 64 fatalities. These numbers have built a pressure on the government and it has forced the state to take unprecedented steps. Out of 63 deaths on Friday, 27 were reported from Mumbai, nine from Pune, eight from Jalgaon, five from Solapur, three from Vasai-Virar, three from Aurangabad city, two from Satara and one each from Malegaon, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, Ulhasnagar, Panvel, Nagpur. In the overall figures so far, Mumbai alone accounts for 27,251 cases and 909 deaths. There are 1,949 containment zones in the state. 4,69,276 people are in home quarantine and 28,430 in institutional quarantine. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 03:42:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The total number of COVID-19 cases in Yemen's government-controlled areas increased to 212 on Saturday, as seven new cases were confirmed. The Yemeni Health Ministry said in a brief statement that "during the past 24 hours, seven cases of COVID-19 were detected in the country's southeastern provinces of Hadramout and Shabwa." The ministry said that the number of recoveries in the government-controlled areas increased to six since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus on April 10. Also, the government announced that the death toll from the virus climbed to 39 in different areas under its control, including the southern port city of Aden. The Yemeni government has taken several measures to contain the outbreak of COVID-19, including imposing a partial overnight curfew in Aden and other major cities under its control. The government called on donors and relevant international humanitarian organizations to provide support to help contain the pandemic. The Houthi health authorities in the capital Sanaa declared on May 16 that a total of four COVID-19 cases were recorded in the Houthi-controlled areas in northern Yemen, including one death. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa. Enditem May 23 : Filmmaker Goldie Behl shares his some behind the scene incidents when the entire team of Rejctx2 got stuck in Thailand due to Covid-19 imposed lockdown. Goldie Behl along with the entire cast and crew were shooting in Thailand and Indian Government called for total lockdown, which cancelled all International flights and team was stranded overseas. Sharing on the same, Goldie said, There was no problem with shooting in Thailand. Actually, the problem was that India was shutting down the International flights from 22nd March and we still had a few portions left for the shoot. But I was really happy that my entire, my actor, technicians, and others stood shoulder to shoulder. We shot round the clock and in a nick of time got a flight back to India In fact, the flights to Mumbai got cancelled so we had to catch a flight to Chennai to enter back again to our own country. But when I was shooting in Thailand in the month of February and most of March, I realized that this country is much quicker to handle this unfortunate disease, because they had already dealt it from the past. They had a protocol to use masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer Even while shooting each persons temperature used to be checked before entering the set. There was a little stress on the sets. We also organized a few vaccines for the entire unit while this was going out. The vaccine was to give extra immunity to the entire unit so that they dont get common cold and flu. I am really lucky that we managed to come back on time in our country, otherwise we would have stuck abroad said Goldie. REJCTX 2- Official Trailer Rejctx is a crime web series on Zee5. The streaming platform is back with Rejctx season 2. The musical web series has grabbed the attention of viewers while keeping them quite curious with its twists and thrill. The second season stars Sumeet Vyas, Esha Gupta, Kubbra Sait, Anisha Victor, Ahmed Masi Wali and Ridhi Khakhar along with many others. STAMP IT OUT President Trump wants to block a congressional bill to help the Postal Service. I find it awfully funny. Is it just a coincidence that he has several mega-donors who would become extremely wealthy if this post office was ever done away with? ANGRY ON ACRE COVER UP Everyone is getting tired of wearing a mask. It is still needed for our protection Two or three times I went into the store and everyone is just shopping without masks. The stores need to put a sign on a door to protect everybody to please wear a mask. Thank you. MAKE EM PAY My opinion regarding the college admissions cheating scandal is that any punishment should include paying off some lower- to middle-class students loans. Winners could be chosen via a lottery and/or essay. Of course there has to be a stern no skimming or cheating protection policy in play. RNB THE BILLS COME IN Ridley Township and other school districts still need maintenance. They also need heat and light bulbs and to keep the parking lots clean and security around the clock. So stop and use your head and realize what they are raising taxes for. I also have three relatives who are school teachers. Be blessed and have a good day. PRIORITIES So glad that Gov. Wolf has allowed us to have cocktails to go in this pandemic. Now that we have that important topic signed off on could I get the governor to sign off on the Federal CARES act for Catholic and non-public schools, please? Not quite sure if this is a priority at this time but we have not forgotten about it. BUZZY BERT IN DELCO BOOZE COMES FIRST? You have got to be kidding me, Gov. Wolf, with what youre choosing to allow and not allow. As a health care worker, I totally understand the fears. Believe me. I totally understand and believe that your people are trying to keep others safe. I believe that. But with that being said Are you joking about allowing cocktails to go but yet your people are playing with the education of our children, the future of our society? Trying to divert Federal CARES Act money from Catholic and non-public schools! What? So what you are saying is that alcohol is more important than children and their education? Please explain how this is humanly possible to put an unneeded luxury like alcohol above our children! We are listening. BUZZY BERTS GIRLFRIEND IN DELCO GO FISH Aqua said they are transparent in their dealings. Maybe some of you recall the wonderful fishing at Springton Reservoir. Many children learned to fish on the section that was open for fishing, courtesy of Suburban Water Company. They provided a parking lot for those wishing to fish. Well along comes Aqua and buys Suburban Water. Very shortly afterwards they closed the parking lot and all fishing. They blamed 9/11 and said it was for security reasons. If you believe that I have land in Florida for sale. Of course it was the cost of maintaining the parking lot, etc. They are your typical large company that is greedy and only say they care about their customers. Could be the reason their water rates are nearly double the Chester Water Authoritys rates. Hey, Aqua, open up the fishing and prove you really care. ONE WHO KNOWS BIG BAD WOLF Wolf is out of control. Now. He says hell punish lockdown rebels. People need to open up their businesses. They need money Gov. Wolf is a bully. He doesnt care. Hes a Democrat who doesnt care about our state or country or economy. People arent stupid. They can open their business or office and still follow safety rules, use masks and distancing. Who died and left him boss? Hes got to go. He is a power-hungry nut case. BAD APPLES Both Trumpty Dumpty and no-sense Pence think it is perfectly fine to go here and there without a face mask. This sets a very bad example for our people. However, neither of them seem to care. SMH The top poker sites in the online gambling industry are always looking to add players to their poker rooms. One of the best ways to find a site to play poker online is a through a no deposit poker deposit. The basic concept is free money to play poker online. Jump to: Photo credit: Images_of_Money on VisualHunt / CC BY Best No Deposit Poker Bonuses 2 $5 blast tickets + 100% up to $1,000 Match Bonus Go to WSOP Must be 21+ and be physically located within the state of New Jersey to participate. T&Cs apply. 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Phil Murphy said Friday, theres no strict statewide ban on doing so, even if youre sharing the space with people youve not been isolating with during the pandemic. But there are limitations. Officials said indoor gatherings remain limited to 10 people in the state and local municipalities have the right to ban rentals and hotel stays during the crisis. Some have and some havent, Matt Platkin, the governors chief counsel, said during the states daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton Murphy also strongly encouraged people to be careful about mingling indoors with those you havent been quarantining with. I would just say: Go into that with your eyes open, the governor said. I would keep your distance. Thats a personal opinion. I would not be sitting side by side tightly indoors with someone youve not been hanging around with yet. Murphy has allowed beaches, boardwalks, and lakes to reopen with certain guidelines as of Friday, even though New Jersey continues to deal with the second-most COVID-19 deaths and cases among American states. Towns are required to enforce social-distancing restrictions, including reduced capacity. Eateries are limited to takeout and delivery. People are also strongly encouraged to wear face coverings, though not mandated. Arcade games, boardwalk rides, concerts, and fireworks are not allowed. The move is one of several steps Murphy has taken in recent days to gradually lift his near-lockdown orders during the pandemic as the states daily number of deaths, cases, and hospitalizations continue to drop. On Friday, the state increased the limit on outdoor gatherings from 10 to 25 people and allowed campgrounds to reopen immediately. Some critics have worried that reopening the beaches could cause another surge of deaths and cases, especially if out-of-state visitors pour into the Shore. And some towns have expressed concern that they dont have enough special police to enforce restrictions. Murphy acknowledged that Point Pleasant is one town worried about that. Col. Patrick Callahan, superintendent of the State Police, said law enforcement officials have been working with the states police training commission to make sure there are enough officers, in addition to State Police troopers. We think well be well-positioned with staff throughout the summer to support the Shore towns, Callahan said. Murphy also said he doesnt have a timeline yet for when arcades or boardwalk shops can reopen. If we continue to have another couple of good weeks here, my hope is we get to that, particularly if theyre outdoors, he said. Nonessential retail stores throughout the state are allowed to offer curbside pickup. Murphy also said he will be at the Shore at some point this weekend, if the weather is nice (rain is expected on Friday and Saturday). He said hell either run on the boardwalk or stroll with his wide in the Seaside Heights and Seaside Park area. I dont have an exact moment as to when, he said. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has reported at least 10,985 deaths attributed to COVID-19, with at least 152,719 cases, since the outbreak began March 4. Only New York has more deaths and cases among American states. Officials reported 146 new deaths and 1,394 new positive tests in New Jersey on Friday. Murphy said Thursday more businesses such as salons and gyms may be allowed to reopen with guidelines in a matter of weeks. Still, with the economy suffering massive losses, some lawmakers, businesses, and residents have been pushing him to move more quickly, allowing more businesses to allow customers inside as long as there are safety precautions. The state Republican Party announced Thursday it is suing Murphy to reopen small businesses, arguing he for arbitrarily declared which businesses are considered essential. More than 1.1 million New Jersey residents have filed for unemployment since mid-March, though the number of claims has fallen in recent days. Many say theyve been waiting for weeks to get paid and have struggled with the states busy phone and online systems. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. The Medical Superintendent of the Maamobi General Hospital, Dr Dorcas Anfu Okine has asked the public to bring an end to the stigmatization of persons who have recovered from COVID-19. In her view, Ghanaians should be happy that these persons have recovered. We are begging them to stop it. It is not a crime or shame to have COVID-19 and recover. You should rather be glad that God has saved them. They are well and back into the community. We shouldn't shun them; it is wrong. She added that: as for hand washing we all already know its relevance, it is the stigmatization that is now disturbing us. Let us learn to love our neighbours as ourselvesAfter all, they have recovered and not infectious now. This comes on the back of earlier calls by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for Ghanaians to stop stigmatizing. As has been aptly stated by the Ghana Medical Association, being infected by the Coronavirus is not necessarily a death sentence. I have noticed, with great concern, the stories of some persons, who have recovered from the virus, now being confronted with another problem, i.e. stigmatization. This is not right, as it will rather drive people away from getting screened, tested and treated. The stigmatization of recovered persons must stop because if the virus did not end their lives and livelihoods, the stigma from members of their communities should not, the President said. There have been a number of media reports of stigmatization against persons who have recovered from COVID-19. One of them was a father of four, Frederick Drah who faces stigmatization in his community at Mataheko, near Afienya. Frederick Drah, was badly affected by the stigma that he said he preferred returning to the treatment centre at the Ga East Municipal Hospital, from which he had been discharged. I even wish, maybe, I could go back to the [quarantine] camp again, he lamented when a Citi News team visited him. Medical Superintendent of the Maamobi General Hospital, Dr Dorcas Anfu Okine made the call during a presentation of sanitary items to some eight health facilities within the urban centres of Accra and Tema of the Greater Accra region by the Zongo Development Fund (ZoDF). Beneficiary facilities which are situated within the Zongo communities included Maamobi General Hospital, Mallam Atta Government Clinic, Nima Government Clinic, Salvation Army Urban Aid Clinic, Prince of Peace Clinic located at Fadama, Hajia Damata Maternity Clinic, Tema Polyclinic and Ashiaman Polyclinic. The facilities received an average of 10 boxes of liquid soap, 2 boxes of hand sanitizers and 200 hundred pieces of reusable nose masks to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The Deputy Chief Executive Officer in Charge of Finance and Administration, Hajia Aisha Salifu indicated the relevance of catering for the health needs of the Zongo communities which she said was linked to all other communities in the country and therefore cardinal to the COVID-19 fight. The focus of the exercise, according to her, was to ensure that health facilities like those situated in the Zongo communities who might have been neglected due to their far-off locations also benefit from philanthropic support. She added that strategies had been mapped out to ensure the items get to 40,000 households on the basis of equity and fairness across all regions in the country. ---citinewsroom Two women and a man who lived together as a 'throuple' sparked a bitter legal battle for the home they shared after they broke up with each other. Lilach and Brett Paul, from New Zealand, married in 1993 before meeting blonde vet Fiona Mead six years later. After falling in love, the threesome moved into a farm in Kumeu, north-west Auckland in 2002 to start a new life. At the time the sprawling four hectare property had been bought in Fiona's name for $533,000 ($498,000 AUD). As a sign of their devotion Fiona, Brett and Lilach exchanged rings in a special ceremony and slept in the same bed most nights. Lilach (pictured, left) and Brett Paul (right) moved into a farm with Fiona Mead after starting a 'throuple' but they are now in a bitter legal battle Over the next decade or so Fiona and Lilach enjoyed making jewellery together while Brett and Lilach ran a paintballing and lawnmowing business together. Each of the three also formed other 'secondary relationships' with other parties during their time together but agreed that their 'throuple' was paramount. However after 15 years living together in harmony Lilach decided to leave the alternative relationship in 2017. Brett and Fiona tried to maintain their own relationship but they eventually broke up a year after Lilach left the farm. The property they had called home for more than decade was now worth around $2.1 million ($2 million AUD). Lilach applied to New Zealand's family court in 2019 to determine her share in the home under the Property Relationships Act. Fiona Mead (pictured) was in a three-way relationship with married couple Lilach and Brett Paul, with them all living together on a farm Fiona (pictured) worked as a vet during their time together and the Pauls between them ran paintball and lawnmowing businesses Fiona Mead (pictured) met the married couple in 1999 and moved in with them on a farm in 2002 Fiona had objected to the application and said their three-way relationship did not constitute a de facto relationship. In a first-of-its-kind judgement published on Friday the country's High Court ruled the act could not be applied to multi-partner polyamorous relationships. The court said that only two-person relationships were covered by the Property Relationships Act. It would mean that if they were to use any of the current legislation to divide the assets one person would get 50 per cent while the other two would get 25 per cent each. 'For all of the above reasons, not only does the Act on its face not apply to a polyamorous relationship such as the parties', but it would be unworkable to stretch the legislation to 'fit' this case,' Justice Anne Hinton said in her ruling. In an affidavit tendered to the court Lilach said Fiona, Brett and herself were free to 'love others' but had an understanding that 'the relationship between the three of use was the main relationship'. The court also heard how the throuple had a ceremony after Lilach and Brett moved in and that they wore rings, although she admitted to losing hers a few years ago. A polyamorous relationship is one with more than one partner involved but with the consent of all three parties. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Zain Zaman Janjua (Agence France-Presse) Islamabad, Pakistan Sat, May 23, 2020 22:05 606 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9d4380 2 Entertainment Pakistan,Turkey,film,Movie,Resurrection-Ertugrul Free Dubbed the Muslim Game of Thrones, a drama about the makings of the Ottoman Empire has sent Pakistan wild this Ramadan, smashing television records but exposing the country's lack of original content. The Turkish-made series has earned praise for its focus on historical figures from the Muslim world who have been framed as role models for Pakistani youths, and the Urdu-language version of the show has racked up more than 240 million views on YouTube alone. "I prefer to watch it with kids, so they can have real-life superheroes instead of fictional ones," said Hassam Mustafa as he settled down at his Islamabad home to watch the series with his nieces and nephews after breaking his fast. Resurrection: Ertugrul has gripped audiences with its daring protagonist, cliffhangers and high production values since it began broadcasting on the first day of the Islamic holy month, which is due to end Sunday or Monday. Usually state broadcaster PTV fills its Ramadan programming with live charity fundraisers, quiz shows and religious content. But with the virus stifling television studios, Prime Minister Imran Khan issued special instructions to the broadcaster to air the series in a bid to boost Islamic culture and values among young people. "Over here, we go to Hollywood then Bollywood and back again -- third-hand culture gets promoted this way," Khan told a group of YouTubers recently, referring to the influence of foreign shows. The five-season series tells the story of Ertugrul, the father of Osman I who founded the Ottoman Empire, which ruled parts of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa for more than 600 years. "The response has been incredible, it's really great to see how the show is resonating with Urdu speakers around the world," said Riyaad Minty, digital director of TRT, which produced the series. PTV said viewership has been unprecedented, with the drama fetching ratings five times higher than average. Read also: Dirilis Ertugrul: The new Game of Thrones? 'Cheap re-run' Featuring heartthrob heroes, westernized heroines and picturesque scenery, dozens of Turkish soap operas have made it onto Pakistani television channels since 2012. But a dependence on imported content is a source of frustration for some Pakistani artists, producers and directors who bemoan prime-time slots being given to a foreign show. PTV once used to produce the subcontinent's best soap operas but has suffered in the face of rising competition from private channels. "It is a good opportunity for PTV management to look at themselves, shake their conscience and wonder how they are unable to produce a prime-time drama," Aehsun Talish, a Pakistani drama producer, told AFP. The channel has profited from advertising breaks during the broadcasts but experts warn it is on shaky ground. "It's a cheap re-run, a temporary filling. If we truly want PTV's revival we will have to bank on local talent," Samina Ahmad, a veteran television actress, told AFP. Read also: Indonesian filmmakers share Netflix recommendations Turkish soft power Turkish television has become a major vehicle of soft power, with viewers in the Muslim world becoming voracious consumers of the country's soaps. Resurrection: Ertugrul is another strategic asset for Turkey, said South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman from the Wilson Center think tank. "There's strong backing among many in Pakistan for pan-Muslim solidarity, which translates in many cases to support for strong Muslim leaders from Malaysia to Turkey and many places in between," he said. Turkey has backed Pakistan on the international stage, particularly in the dispute with New Delhi over Kashmir, and the two nations have enjoyed strong relations. Egypt, however, fearing Turkey holds a desire to revive the Ottoman Empire and rule the Arab Muslim world, quickly issued an Islamic legal ruling against the hit show. Saudi Arabia stopped its state broadcaster from airing all Turkish soap operas in 2018. But Pakistan is set for more Turkish dramas, with the prime minister already lining up another show for screening. At Mustafa's home, his nieces and nephews follow the Turk leader's sword battles with excitement in Resurrection: Ertugrul. "This historical Turkish drama has provided us with a nice escape from stereotypical Pakistani dramas, which always center on the affairs of 'saas-bahu'," he said, referring to relationships between controlling mothers and their daughters-in-law. Photo: The Canadian Press A proposed national security law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong and viewed by pro-democracy activists as the death knell of the citys once-guaranteed autonomy is an affront to Canadian economic interests and values, says Member of Parliament Kenny Chiu. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is supposed to honour the 50-year One Country Two Systems agreement, established in 1997 when Hong Kongs colonial territory was handed over by the British to the Peoples Republic of China, said Chiu. However, with this law, and other infringements, the CCP has failed in this respect and that shows a lack of respect for Canada, and for Hong Kong, and for Canadian and Hong Kong values, said Chiu, speaking Thursday morning at a bipartisan online conference with prominent figures of Hong Kongs democratic movement. Chiu noted Hong Kong is the third-largest financial market in Asia and Canadas second-largest destination for foreign investment on the continent. Canada has over $10 billion invested in Hong Kong and Hong Kong has over $12 billion invested in Canada, he said. But money is not everything nor the most important value we share with Hong Kong, said Chiu, who represents Richmond, home to one of the most concentrated Hong Kong populations in Canada. He spoke to the estimated 300,000 Canadian citizens who live and work in Hong Kong and the diaspora that lives in Canada now, largely as a result of the 1997 handover. The knowledge of the appetite for power of the CCP and the destruction it brings drove people to leave Hong Kong and come to Canada. Their instinct was proven right in watching the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and pro-democracy advocates. This instinct that this regime cannot be trusted has been proven right again. Hong Kong plays a large role in Canadian history, said Chiu, noting Canada made attempts to liberate the city from Japanese invasion in the Second World War. And since that war, Hong Kong has served as an important hub of finance and western values in Asia, said Chiu, a Conservative MP Hong Kongs future is unavoidably linked to Canada. We must actually take action and for now we will have to keep watch and keeping for Hong Kong, he said. So far, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed concern and a call for dialogue. The national security law, likened to the failed 2003 Article 23, undercuts the citys democratic system, which should be protected under the 50-year One Country Two Systems agreement, the conference heard from Lee Cheuk-Yan, a member of Hong Kongs legislative council from 1995 to 2016, a trade union leader and pro-democracy activist. The intrusion of China into Hong Kong is being demonstrated now, at this moment, said Lee, speaking literally as Beijings National Peoples Congress met to implement the law communist officials claim stamps out terrorism, foreign interference, subversion and sedition but what critics say effectively eliminates freedom of political expression. And so, criticizing the Chinese government in Hong Kong will be codified as illegal, said Lee, adding the law was being passed even without the pretence of going through Hong Kongs legislature. They transplant the whole part of the law into Hong Kong, said Lee. He likened the move as the unmasking of the One Country Two System principle, using the analogy given China is using the coronavirus pandemic as a means to further infringe on human rights. Chiu and fellow Conservative MP Garnett Genuis moderated the conference. Around the world we are seeing escalating abuses of human rights where governments are trying to take advantage of the situation that exists, said Genuis. I think this is a battle of values and money. I hope people can be on the side of values, said Martin Lee, founding chairman of the first pro-democracy party in Hong Kong. Avery Ng, chairman of the League of Social Democrats, said, the situation in Hong Kong is dire. Whatever weve been experiencing in the past six months the deterioration of the rule of law, the encroachment of fundamental human rights as well as the breakdown of trust between the people and the government whatever happened in the past six months was so rapid and the scale is so huge that weve never seen before since the handover, said Ng. Benedict Rogers, founder of Hong Kong Watch, said Hong Kong is trying to hold the frontline of freedom for the rest of us, as China attacks the rules-based international order. The almost certain introduction of Article 23 at the NPC in Beijing tonight is a sign that Beijing is turning the screws on Hong Kong at an extremely alarming rate, said Rogers. The business case to save Hong Kong from China, said Rogers, may need to be made in order to protect the citys human rights. On that note, he said Hong Kong is a key conduit with its equity and debt markets being used to attract foreign funds. The city mediates nearly two-thirds of direct investment in and out of China. It hosts over 1,500 regional head offices for multinational corporations. Its stock market is 10 times the size of Singapores, Rogers noted. International financial services would be imperilled for the world, but also for China itself if the Hong Kong system is overthrown, said Rogers, from London, England. Need need to address CCP abuse and racism from the same mouth, says Chiu Back in Metro Vancouver, Chiu addressed the angst now being felt on several fronts by Canadians of Chinese descent. The upheaval in Hong Kong adds to anti-Chinese sentiment and acts of racism during the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China. Right now in the Chinese community I sense a high sense of insecurity among our Canadians of Chinese descent. There have been quite a few racist and borderline-on-hatred incidents across Canada. Muddying this matter is how some people equate criticism of the Chinese government with racism. Chinese-Canadians themselves do not want to weigh in on the matter for their own personal security, the conference heard. That is probably why they want to stay away from criticizing China; they fear that because they are identified as Chinese and criticizing China may actually cost them more trouble for themselves, said Chiu. We need to stand with them and provide a strong opposition line that this [racism] is not acceptable in Canada. But at the same time, from the same mouth, we need to criticize where it matters. If it is the CCP government; it is the CCP government, said Chiu. Ng said the CCP has propagandized its cause, likening it to a representation of all Chinese people. The key message is, they have successfully equated CCP to the Chinese people and vice versa as well. And the problem is with the coronavirus pandemic and the rising xenophobia overseas people are also buying the rhetoric, especially on the right, that the Chinese people equals CCP. And that is exactly what the CCP wants. And so thats something we see and even on the international level we need to tackle, to separate the regime, which doesnt have any mandate at all, from the people. I understand it will be extremely hard, said Ng. Chiu concurred. A lot of people of Chinese descent [have] a challenge of differentiating race, nation and the party. Criticizing the Chinese Communist Party would have been thought of as criticizing the nation or the race. This has to be sorted out amongst us Canadians, said Chiu. Genuis said extremists on both sides want to equate the CCP with the Chinese people. But, its a political system that betrays the Chinese culture, asserted Genuis. However, there are co-ordinated abuses occurring in Canada by CCP-friendly people when trying to raise this issue, said Genuis, MP for Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan and critic for Canada-China Relations. When theres co-ordinated intimidation or efforts to suppress free speech by diplomats, those diplomats always need to be expelled right away, he said. A May 20 annual report by the Canadian Securities Intelligence Agency warns of growing foreign influence campaigns in Canadian diaspora communities aimed at undermining Canadian interests, both economic and social. The report does not name China. Canadian civil rights activists speaking out against the CCP regime have frequently alleged in media reports how Chinese consulates have co-ordinated intimidation campaigns against them. The consulates have denied these allegations. The further relaxation of the isolation regime continues in Iran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani informed. "Rouhani said that the country has managed to take control of the coronavirus outbreak, and the trend towards a decrease in mortality is good news," Interfax reports with the reference to Mehr news agency. Rouhani said civil servants stop working remotely on May 30. Tomorrow, after Eid al-Fitr, the holy sites and mosques will be reopened in Iran. Here's a quick look into the holiday's history. Ukrainian Marine Crops on May 23 marks its professional holiday. UNIAN tells about the holiday's history and traditions. Marines Day: date It is celebrated annually, on May 23. Until 2018, the celebration took place on November 16. The new date is related to the anniversary of the decree issued by Hetman Skoropadsky "On the beginning of the formation for service of a Marine Corps Brigade consisting of three regiments." Since 2018, Ukrainian Marines have been celebrating their professional holiday in May. Who are the Marines? The Marine Corps is an independent branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They consist of advanced landing units operating as part of tactical and operational tactical landing groupings. Marines are also tasked with defending naval bases, islands, coasts, ports, airfields, and other strategic sites. The Marine Corps is subordinate to the Command of the Coast Guard of the Armed Forces, being part of the joint spearhead forces. Since 2018, Lieutenant General Yuri Sodol has been at the helm of the Ukraine Marine Corps. Marine Corps Command are headquartered in Mykolayiv. Backlash: Vladimir Putin's popularity is on the slide in Russia Thrown off course by the coronavirus pandemic, Vladimir Putin is moving to regain the political initiative for his plan to remain as Russia's president potentially until 2036. Mr Putin may announce a snap ballot within weeks on proposed changes to the constitution that allow him to sidestep term limits, said four people familiar with Kremlin discussions on the matter. Electronic voting will be used as well as polling stations to boost turnout and the result, the people said. Mr Putin delayed the referendum on constitutional amendments originally scheduled for April 22 when the coronavirus crisis erupted. What had seemed a formality then now looks a harder sell. Like millions around the world, Russians were thrust into hardship and uncertainty about their jobs after Mr Putin in late March ordered a nationwide lockdown that sparked a 33pc plunge in economic activity in the country. "Putin is in a real hurry to get the constitutional reform through," said Sergei Markov, a political consultant to the Kremlin. "He wants to get it done as quickly as possible." While there are signs the Covid-19 epidemic is starting to wane in Russia, which has the world's second-highest number of infections, the turmoil unleashed by the virus and an unprecedented slump in oil prices continues to rip through the economy. As regional officials gradually ease lockdown restrictions, the Kremlin remains wary of a potential second wave of coronavirus cases in the autumn. That's all driving pressure for Mr Putin to call the referendum for late June or early July. Officials fear it's too risky to delay the vote until September or later because public discontent may be at a peak by then. It took less than a week for parliament and the Constitutional Court to rubber-stamp the changes endorsed by Mr Putin in March that allow him to seek two more six-year terms after his current presidency ends in 2024. However, he made the amendments conditional on public approval in a referendum, effectively handing voters a veto that Mr Putin's opponents may now seek to exploit as his popularity slides. Even state-run pollsters say only about half of Russians now support the plan. Mr Putin has opted to introduce electronic voting to ensure millions of state employees casting their ballots via a government portal will back the changes out of concern their votes won't be anonymous, said two people close to the Russian leader. The use of electronic ballots means election observers will have far less ability to detect fraud, said Grigory Melkonyants, co-head of the Golos vote-monitoring group. Covid-19 cases are rising in Uttarakhand with the return of migrants labourers. Twenty new cases were detected in the state on Saturday, taking the coronavirus tally to 173. All twenty patients who have tested positive are men. The hilly district of Rudraprayag is the only one in the state now to not have any positive cases of coronavirus so far. Covid-19 cases were also reported from Champawat and Pithoragarh on Saturday - districts which were previously untouched by Covid-19. A bulletin released by the state health department mentioned that fresh cases were reported from Almora (3), Champawat (7), Dehradun (2), Haridwar (1), Nainital (2), Pithoragarh (2) and Uttarkashi (3). Also read: Can sanitisers left inside hot cars explode? Here is what you should know Over 75 migrants labourers have tested positive for Covid-19 in Uttarakhand till now. Of the total 173 cases reported, 43 cases - nearly 25% of the cases - have been reported from the hilly districts which has become a matter of concern for officials in Uttarakhand. The Covid-19 recovery rate in the state has also been reducing gradually and dipped by almost 30% in the past ten days. The recovery rate now stands at eight days for the past seven days. On May 4, when lockdown 3.0 began, Uttarakhand had reported 60 cases while the tally now stands at 173. On Friday, seven fresh cases were detected all of whom were men. Three of these cases were reported from Dehradun, two from Haridwar and two from US Nagar. Of three patients in Dehradun, one had returned from Delhi while another from Mumbai. The third patient is a Thalassemia patient. In US Nagar, one had returned from Delhi and another from Mumbai. In Haridwar, one is a resident of Luxer area in the district, while the another one had returned from Mumbai. Guwahati/Imphal/Agartala, May 23 : Several northeastern states, including Assam, Manipur and Tripura have warned of strict action, including imprisonment, if anyone defies the quarantine protocols. A spike in positive coronavirus cases, especially in Assam has led the state governments to further tighten the measures to check the spread of COVID-19. With the return of thousands of people into Assam and other northeastern states from southern and western regions of India, 105 new cases have been reported in Assam alone in the past 24 hours, taking the state's total count to 319 on Saturday noon. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, his Manipur counterpart N. Biren Singh, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other CMs of the northeastern region have warned the quarantine violators of action, urging the people to maintain the quarantine rules to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. Deb, who also holds the Health and Home portfolio, said punitive actions, including six-month imprisonment, would be taken if the people especially those who are coming into Tripura outside the state violate the rules. He urged the people to observe "border curfew" along Tripura's 856 km international borders to prevent people from entering the northeastern state from Bangladesh, where since March 18, 432 people have succumbed to the dreaded virus and 30,205 people have been infected. Tripura has so far reported 175 COVID-19 positive cases, including 161 Border Security Force personnel and their family members, with active cases count of 25. In Imphal, the Manipur Chief Minister said those found violating the quarantine protocol would be prosecuted under the National Disaster Management Act, 2005. "This is a very serious issue. Returnees from different parts of India breaching the procedure would be arrested and put in jail. People returning to Manipur from others parts of India and abroad would have to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine", Singh told media. Manipur was declared COVID-free by the Chief Minister on April 19, after two coronavirus patients recovered, but with the return of a number of people from southern and western region of India, 24 people have tested positive during the past two weeks. The Assam government has launched "Ruthless Quarantine, With Big Heart" scheme to check the spread of coronavirus, under which suspected patients must remain in 7-day instiutional and 7-day home quarantine. After she made quite the splash with her debut film opposite Salman Khan in Maine Pyar Kiya, actress Bhagyashree went on to work in some more Bollywood, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada and Bhojpuri films. Then came a long gap. Now, she will be seen again in two major releases, one of which is the Kangana Ranaut-starrer Thalaivi and a Prabhas-starrer, tentatively titled Jaan. So why didnt we see more of her in movies, we ask her. When I leave my home and family behind for a project, it has to be something that triggers the artist in me and makes me feel nice about doing it. Fortunately, Ive always been able to choose the people Id like to work with and the projects, says Bhagyashree. Elaborating further, she explained, But mostly, in the industry, when youre a certain age, the roles you get are basically that of a mother or sister-in-law, with usually nothing much to do than stand in the background with two lines to deliver. That wasnt the kind of work I wanted to do. Soon, Thalaivi and Jaan happened. Yes, those happened when I was ready to take on work, she tells us. However, I am not at liberty to speak about the films yet until the producers give me a go-ahead. But the shooting for my part in Thalaivi is almost over, with just one more schedule left. Jaan, with Prabhas, is the working title of a film that appears to be yet another huge addition to her repertoire given its ensemble star cast. It is a period film revolving around a love story based in Europe, for which Bhagyashree was shooting abroad even a little before the lockdown was announced. I returned home just in the nick of the time, she tells us of the film that is still halfway through. I have two more schedules to complete in it. Sharing space with Prabhas What was it like for a Bhagyashree to work with Prabhas, the current heartthrob! Oh, hes a lovely person and very down-to-earth. He was especially welcoming on the sets when I started shooting for the film, which felt nice because I was restarting after a long gap and was feeling slightly nervous. But soon, we discovered we were both big foodies and had many discussions about food and cuisines. But it is not only Prabhas the actress has a good word for. She shares her regards for the directors of both films, too A.L Vijay for Thalaivi and Radha Krishna Kumar for Jaan. I remember theyd come up to me at the start of the shoots and said, Maam, we are such big fans of you. We never thought we would get an opportunity to work with you, she adds with a chuckle. When you start off on that note, the experience is something else. Since Maine Pyar Kiya, fans have also been hoping to watch Salman and Bhagyashree together again. Does she see something like that happening soon? Im blessed to be a part of a film that people have enjoyed for almost three decades across three generations. Its a rare occurrence in an artists life. And while I would love for something like that to happen, itd depend on Salman and Sooraj Barjatya ji also, she says. Speaking of Salman Khan Just as wed imagined, Salman Khan was a topic that conjured up nostalgia for Bhagyashree. She tells us about an unpleasant scene during her debut film, involving Salman. There was a very popular photographer back then, who is no more, says Bhaygashree insisting that she would not like to name him. He wanted to take some not-so-complimentary photographs of Salman and me some sort of hot photographs. So, he took Salman aside and told him, Main jab camera set up karunga (When I set up the camera), you just catch her and smooch her. All of us were new-comers and this photographer thought he had the liberty to do something like that. Back then, smooching scenes were not prevalent. I dont think he or Salman knew that I was standing by very close and could hear every word. For a second, I remained shocked, but just then, I heard Salman say, I am not going to do anything of that sort. If you want any pose like that, you need to ask Bhagyashree. I really respected Salmans response, and thats when I realised I was among safe people. Can we see another Maine Pyaar Kiya? I would rather say that certain cult films remain as they are. One should not try and build on something like that to remake it again. That being said, it would be a pleasure working with both Sooraj ji and Salman again, she says. The Karnataka government has made 14-day home quarantine mandatory for all passengers coming into the state except for those arriving from high virus prevalence states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, who will have to undergo seven days of institutional quarantine and seven days of home quarantine. Those coming from the six states that are worst hit by coronavirus will be allowed to complete the second week of quarantine at home if their Covid test comes out to be negative when tested 5-7 days after their arrival. However, pregnant women, children under 10 years of age, senior citizens over 80 years of age and terminally ill patients will be allowed to be in home quarantine but only if they are found not infected with coronavirus when tested immediately after their arrival in the state. Businessmen coming to state for urgent work will also be exempted from institutional quarantine as long as they furnish a test report confirming their negative status. The test report, however, cannot be more than two days old from the date of travel and must be issued by an ICMR approved laboratory. The strict measures were announced on a day when the state recorded its single biggest day rise with 216 new Covid-19 positive cases. Almost all of them are returnees from Maharashtra, except for 12 people. More than half of the 1,307 active Covid-19 cases in the state have been recorded in the last one week after the return of a large number of migrants from the neighbouring states. The state till date has registered 1,959 patients of coronavirus including 42, who died and 608, who were discharged. An official of the state health department said 442 passengers who arrived by air on Saturday from Doha, Jakarta, Male and Kula Lumpur had been quarantined. Meanwhile, there was some chaos and confusion near palace grounds located in the heart of Bangalore as thousands of people mainly from Odisha and the northeastern states thronged it in the hope of catching a Shramik train back to their native places. A state health department official, who did not want to be identified, said the confusion was the result of a miscommunication. The official said that about 1,500 people, registered on the Seva Sindhu app for migrants looking to return, had been sent SMS asking to assemble near palace grounds for a medical check-up and onward bus journey to the train station for catching their respective Shramik trains. For Coronavirus Live Updates However, they forwarded the messages to their friends whose turn had not yet come. This resulted in a huge number of people assembling near the grounds, he said. When HT spoke to several of the migrants on Saturday afternoon, they said, they had been waiting since 6 am in the morning with no food or water or any toilet facilities but only with their luggage, in the hope that they could board a train and head back to their native states. The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19 Karnatakas medical education minister K Sudhakar, who landed at the spot, tried pacifying the migrants. KPCC President D K Shivakumar, who also visited the spot, reiterated the partys offer to foot the travel bill and castigated the government for not making proper arrangements and making them wait under the hot sun without food and water. On Friday the Karnataka government headed by BS Yediyurappa had announced that it would bear the cost of travel for all migrants looking to return to their native states. By Trend President of the Republic of India Ram Nath Kovind has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani presidential press-service. I have the pleasure of extending warm greetings and felicitations to Your Excellency and the friendly people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of your Republic Day, the letter said. India and Azerbaijan share close cultural and historical links which are reflected in our mutual desire to strengthen our bilateral cooperation, the letter said. I hope that our joint efforts would further strengthen our multi-faceted cooperation. The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented challenge to humankind, the letter said. India remains committed to work together with the international community to defeat this disease. I convey my best wishes for Your Excellencys good health and personal well-being, as well as for the continued progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Azerbaijan, the letter said. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration, the letter said. I have the pleasure of extending warm greetings and felicitations to Your Excellency and the friendly people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of your Republic Day, the letter said. India and Azerbaijan share close cultural and historical links which are reflected in our mutual desire to strengthen our bilateral cooperation, the letter said. I hope that our joint efforts would further strengthen our multi-faceted cooperation. The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented challenge to humankind, the letter said. India remains committed to work together with the international community to defeat this disease. I convey my best wishes for Your Excellencys good health and personal well-being, as well as for the continued progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Azerbaijan, the letter said. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration, the letter said. Mumbai: Gangster Chhota Rajan, prime accused in the journalist J Dey murder case, thought that the veteran crime reporter was working for his rival Dawood Ibrahim and ISI, according to the charge sheet filed by CBI. Dey was killed, allegedly upon Rajans instructions, in suburban Powai on June 11, 2011. According to CBI, Rajan told one Manoj on phone that journalist Jigna Vora (a co-accused) used to tell him repeatedly that Dey is writing wrong things and is in touch with the other gang, and was a traitor. Transcripts of Rajans telephonic conversations are part of the charge sheet filed by CBI in a local court last week. Rajan further said that Dey was not a good person, and was working for Dawood and ISI. Jigna used to tell him that Dey was a traitor, he said. Deys wife told CBI that for a month before his murder, he was very upset. Once he told me that he was going to die but not due to illness, her statement reads. According to Deys mother, around 15 days before his death he had told her that he would be visiting the Philippines. A few days before his death she also received a call from the accused Vinod Chembur (who later died) enquiring about Dey. Fifteen days prior to the murder Dey had signed agreement with actor Ajay Devgn for writing a film script, she said. The charge sheet also contains statements of journalists with whom Rajan spoke on phone after Deys murder. Rajan told one of them that he regretted killing Dey. A news reporter has to remain in his limits and work...if you are writing lies..you are inviting serious trouble, Rajan said. According to another journalist, Rajan told him that Dey was hand-in-glove with traitors, and he killed Dey. A close friend of Deys told the investigators that Dey had told him that Rajan was calling him frequently. He found the gangster to be very polite. I told him...one should be alert...because dons are polite when they want to deceive someone, he told CBI. On the day of the murder, Dey had told this witness on phone that Rajan had again spoken to him recently. As Dey was worried about getting frequent calls from Rajan, the witness suggested that he should see if he had made any mistakes (so as to offend the gangster). Dey said so far he had done nothing wrong... but he had shared a very secret information with Vinod Chembur and from that day calls from Rajan increased, the witness said. According to a police constable, who is a witness in the case, Chemburs son Sanjay told him Dey wanted to get Rajan killed and was supplying information to Dawood gang. According to CBI, Rajan was upset with Dey over certain articles written by him, and also because Deys planned book described Rajan as chindi (a small fry). The book, ChindiRags to Riches, was to tell stories of 20 gangsters with humble origins. It was supposed to describe Dawood, Rajans friend-turned-foe, as being superior to the gangster. Rajan was arrested at Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25 last year and deported to India. The 300-page charge sheet against him was filed at the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court here last week. The first charge sheet filed in the case in 2011 names Satiah Kaliya, Abhijeet Shinde, Arun Dake, Sachin Gaikwad, Anil Waghmode, Nilesh Shendge, Mangesh Agawane, Vinod Asrani, Paulson Joseph and Deepak Sisodia (all arrested). Another charge sheet was filed against Vora next year. Accused of instigating Rajan against Dey owing to her own professional rivalry, she is currently on bail. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. by Mathias Hariyadi To curb the spread of the pandemic, travel is prohibited, but there are millions who have escaped control to visit relatives. No religious parade at the end of the fast. Everyone is urged to pray at home. But in Tegal, Kudus, Ciamis, Sidrap will be prayed in public. Jakarta (AsiaNews) - To avoid the risks of a spread of the pandemic from Covid-19, the political and religious authorities of Indonesia have been busy for days advising, urging, obliging faithful to observe the Eid al-Fitr festival staying at home, without travel or by going to massive prayer gatherings in the mosque. Eid Festival ends Ramadan. In Indonesia it falls tomorrow, May 24th. The celebration begins tonight with the family gathering that dissolves the last fast. The family gathering lasts at least two days and is called Silahturahmi. The authorities demand that Silahturahmi be celebrated only among close family members and in social distancing this year. Traditionally, in the country with the largest number of Muslims in the world, millions of people leave the cities days before Eid to return to their villages and gather in the family. It is a real exodus which in the local language is called mudik. This year, due to the pandemic, mudik is prohibited and the communication routes are controlled by the police. Despite this, there are many people - perhaps millions - who have managed to escape the controls, traveling at night or by secondary routes. Tradition also has it that on the eve of the evening, after dinner, by motorbike or car, a religious parade will take place on the streets, which lasts until midnight. But even this is prohibited this year. A large prayer at the mosque would also be planned for the following day. But for days, even with video messages, Prof. KH Nazaruddin Umar, head of the Istiqlal Grand Mosque, explains that this year "it is better to pray at home". Even on a rainy day in Medina - he explains - the Prophet advised his followers not to carry out prayer in the mosque, but in their homes. Today we are faced with a 'torrential rain of coronavirus' and therefore his appeal rings out louder: we must pray at home. " In some cities, local authorities have set more stringent rules. Public prayers are likely to be held in the Grand Mosque of Tegal and in Kudus (Central Java), Ciamis (West Java) and Sidrap (South Sulawesi). For the occasion, masks and social distancing are mandatory. Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday pressed Libya's Turkish-backed government for a ceasefire and criticized the flow of weapons as Tripoli pushes back against a year-old rebel offensive. Pompeo placed a phone call to Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj to "reiterate US opposition to the continued level of weapons and munitions being brought into the country," the State Department said. Pompeo and Sarraj "emphasized the importance of an immediate halt to the fighting and return to political dialogue," a statement said. Sarraj's UN-recognized Government of National Accord has scored a series of successes in recent weeks in pushing back against warlord Khalifa Haftar, including seizing a strategic airfield near Tripoli on Monday. Haftar -- who is backed by US allies Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia -- launched an offensive in April 2019 to seize Tripoli that has killed hundreds. A recent UN report on Libya's widely violated arms embargo also showed support for Haftar by mercenaries from a Russian security group seen as close to President Vladimir Putin. Pompeo's statement did not name any country for sending in weapons, but the Government of National Accord's key military supplier is Turkey, which signed a pact with Tripoli in November. A report last month by the International Crisis Group said that Turkey has sent into Libya at least 100 military officers, shiploads of weapons and aerial defenses as well as at least 2,000 pro-Turkish fighters from Syria. The United States officially backs the UN-recognized government and opposes Haftar's offensive. But its position has caused confusion as President Donald Trump, who has close ties with Haftar's Arab allies, in April 2019 spoke with the strongman by telephone and praised him. Ice Cube has revealed he was once sued by children's TV icon, Mr Rogers, for using his show's theme tune without permission. The beef occurred soon after the American rapper's first solo album came out in 1990. He recalled how Fred Rogers was not happy with Ice Cube using the theme song to Mister Rogers' Neighborhood show called Won't You Be My Neighbor? in the track A Gangsta's Fairytale. Scroll down for video Ice Cube has revealed that Mr. Rogers sued him for using his theme song in the track A Gangsta's Fairytale The beginning of the track featured the theme song from Rogers' show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, and saw the late television host, pictured, sue the hip hop star The surprising feud was revealed during an Instagram Live listening party to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his album AmeriKKKA's Most Wanted which came out in 1990. 'I actually wrote this for Eazy-E. But y'all know what it is, we wasn't getting down at the time so I had to take it myself,' Cube said. 'It's a trip. Because, of this song, Mr. Rogers sued us. He was mad because we had the 'Mister Rogers' theme at the beginning of this s***. 'It's a Wonderful Day in the Neighborhood' and all that.' Cube said that Rodgers was even receiving royalties for using the song and that he was 'getting like five cents a record until we took that part off.' 'That's just a fun fact!' Cube concluded. The solo album came after Cube left the hip-hop group N.W.A. reports Fox News. The surprising feud was revealed during an Instagram Live listening party to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his album AmeriKKKA's Most Wanted which came out in 1990 The rapper celebrated the 30th anniversary of his album AmeriKKKA's Most Wanted with an Instagram Live listening party on Wednesday Rogers was 74-years-old when he died in 2003 from stomach cancer. He is remembered for teaching children abut kindness and life lessons through songs and talks in his Mister Roger's Neighborhood show that ran from 1968 until 2001. Rodger's popularity experienced something of a resurgence thanks to the 2019 biopic A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood in which Tom Hanks played role of the television star. Cube explained that Rogers was getting 'five cents a record' until the clip was removed Rodger's wife, Joanne is now 91 and spoke warmly to People about the man whom she was married to for 51 years. 'People were important to him,' Joanne Rogers told People magazine for its inaugural Kindness Issue in November. 'He was to me and to the family who he is to everybody else.' Rogers married Joanne, a pianist, in 1952 and they went on to have two sons. The couple stayed together until his death. 'If Fred found out a friend was ill, he would make regular calls and visits,' she said. 'When a high school friend in South Carolina had cancer, Fred went, even though he had hurt his ankle and was on crutches. It was very important for Fred to be there.' The amount of places on our planet that fill us with wonders each day is immeasurable. The beauty of nature truly is breathtaking, and it should be everyone's goal to experience as much of what Earth has to offer as possible. Some of the places are even human-made, which proves that we can also be architects of something that will fill others with a feeling of wonder. Many places fill us with awe, but some make us wonder if what we are seeing is true. Sometimes we are faced with a place so unbelievable that our reactions are hard to describe. This article will try to name some of the more impressive ones. Our planet has been around for many millions of years, so it is only natural that it contains many places that can be described as unbelievable. Also, all of these places you can visit, so try and use that opportunity someday. 10. Lake Natron Located in Tanzania, this lake can best be described as terrifying. Located in Tanzania, this lake can best be described as terrifying. Animals that die in this place are turned into statues through the process of calcification. The sodium bicarbonate that is present in abundance in this lake mummifies all of the animals and creates an incredible, but scary sight. During the summer, the lake starts to turn red in color, which makes it even more terrifying. 9. Slope Point Slope Point is the southernmost point of New Zealand, and what is interesting about this place is the trees. Slope Point is the southernmost point of New Zealand, and what is interesting about this place is the trees. They are permanently twisted due to the wind blowing, and it makes for an incredibly strange view. All of the trees have taken a weird shape that points in the direction of the wind. When combined with the cliffs they are surrounded by, it looks like a scene out of a Tim Burton movie. Of course, the strong winds make it even more spooky. 8. Underwater Park This park can be found in the Green Lake in Tragoess, Austria, and even though you may not believe it, the name describes it perfectly. This park can be found in the Green Lake in Tragoess, Austria, and even though you may not believe it, the name describes it perfectly. It is an actual park that exists underwater that anyone can visit during spring and summer. The lake itself is considered incredibly beautiful, and when you add the fact that you can actually have fun in a park underwater, there is no reason why this should not be on your list of places to visit. 7. Christ Of The Abyss A statue of Jesus Christ that is placed underwater and is more than 8 feet tall. A statue of Jesus Christ that is placed underwater and is more than 8 feet tall. The statue is made out of bronze, and it is a popular place among divers. It is an incredibly strange sight, especially if you like diving. The statue itself was made by Guido Galletti and can be found between Camogli and Portofino, in the Mediterranean Sea. 6. The Silfra Rift This is another unbelievable place that you can visit by diving underwater. This is another unbelievable place that you can visit by diving underwater. It is located near Iceland, and it is a place that separates two continents and two tectonic plates. Yes, you read that correctly, you can actually see the place where two tectonic plates are separated. The plates in question are the North American and the Eurasian plates. Many consider this place to be one of the most unique phenomena on our planet, and for a good reason. It is absolutely breathtaking. 5. Sea Of Stars Found in Malaysia, at Vaadhoo Island, the Sea of Stars actually refers to a natural phenomenon. A special kind of plankton found in these waters glows in a specific blue light during the night, which makes the sea look like it was made out of stars. Millions of tourists visit this place every year, and it was used as a set piece in multiple movies as well. It is also incredibly cheap to get there, so what are you waiting for? 4. Huashan Mountain, The Road To Heaven This one is reserved only for the adrenaline junkies. Image credit: Jose L Vilchez / Shutterstock.com This one is reserved only for the adrenaline junkies. A narrow wooden road that climbs a mountain in China, surrounded by gorgeous scenery with nothing but a tea house waiting for you at the end? We are sure that some of you will feel excited just thinking about a place like this. Most commonly known as the Road to Heaven, this place would probably make anyone feel dizzy. However, it is definitely a unique experience. 3. Crooked Forest You can find this forest in Poland, near the town of Gryfino. You can find this forest in Poland, near the town of Gryfino. One look at a picture of this place and you will want to visit it. Similarly to the Slope Point in New Zealand, this forest looks like scenery that came straight out of a Tim Burton movie. It is bizarre, but beautiful and will make you feel like you are in a fairy tale. The reason why the trees are curved is unknown, so it only adds to the mystery. 2. Pink Sands Beach If you ever decide to visit the Bahamas, this beach should be on the list of places you will definitely want to visit. If you ever decide to visit the Bahamas, this beach should be on the list of places you will definitely want to visit. The color of the sand on this beach is pink because of the combination of various minerals and plankton. There are not many beaches like this in the world, and this one is arguably the most breathtaking of them all. 1. Richat Structure This structure can be found in the desert in Mauritania, and it is quite hard to describe it. This structure can be found in the desert in Mauritania, and it is quite hard to describe it. It almost looks like a giant fossil, 30 miles in diameter. Some even go so far as to describe it as a place where an alien ship landed. It looks amazing and unbelievable, and it is a good way to finish off this list. Producers of the three blockbuster musicals set to open in Australia have confirmed their shows won't proceed if social restrictions aren't lifted to the point where they can play to full houses. The producers of Frozen, which pushed its Sydney opening date from July to December; Hamilton, which is set to open in Sydney in March; and Moulin Rouge, which is pegged to the middle of 2021 in Melbourne, all confirmed their productions are on track but will require a full easing of social restrictions for the shows to be viable. Hamilton producer Michael Cassel said unless the restrictions introduced to combat coronavirus, such as the cap on the number of people allowed at indoor gatherings and enforcement of the four-square-metre rule, were rolled back, it wouldn't make commercial sense to go ahead with the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical at the 2000-seat Lyric Theatre. "Any production of this scale has to be able to play to capacity," he said. "It's just not viable to be playing to a reduced capacity. So if that's the case, everyone will have to take stock and come up with a plan B. Our approach to opening in March is with a fully sold-out audience," he said. Despite California forecasting a $54.3 billion deficit next year, Gov. Gavin Newsome intends to continue funding illegal immigrant legal fees with public school funds. Newsom is targeting the largest of his draconian cuts on the states $71 billion K-14 school budget that would be slashed by $15.2 billion and require teachers to take a 10 percent pay cut, according to the non-partisan Legislative Analyst Office (LAO). Despite the grim financial picture, Newsome is focused on the fact that 11 million of Californias 39.5 million population are immigrants, with 5.5 million naturalized citizens, 2.75 million with employment visa, and 2.75 million illegal aliens (undocumented). Foreign-born residents also represent at least one-third of the population of five counties: Santa Clara (39%), San Francisco (36%), San Mateo (35%), Los Angeles (34%), and Alameda (33%). Plus, half of children in California have at least one immigrant parent. With the percentage of states immigrant population tripling since the 1970s and over half being Latino, the Democrat Party has made huge politically gains because only 11 percent of Latinos identifying Republican, versus 54 percent that identify as Democrats. To continue maximizing the number of immigrant voters, the governor intends to make no cuts to the $45 million a year funding for Legal Services for Immigrant Residents to provides free services for immigrants of all ages including: (1) community-based outreach, (2) application assistance to become naturalized citizens, (3) consultations for undocumented individuals to discuss with an attorney options for obtaining legal status visas, (4) assistance with DACA renewals, and (5) lawyers to prevent deportations. He also intends to direct K-14 schools to transfer $10 million a year of constitutionally required Proposition 98 education funds to the California Department of Social Services to be allocated at the discretion to provide similar legal services to illegal aliens attending public colleges; including the 4,000 at the University of California system, 10,000 at State University system, and 50,000 to 70,000 attending community colleges. The Legislative Analyst Office disclosed for the first time that contracted providers of legal services to illegal alien college student are not public defender law firms, but rather top sanctuary city advocates. The DSS chosen top three recipients of K-14 educational funds include $2,250,000 to the United Farm Workers; $2,159,000 to the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights, and $1,250,000 to the Central American Resource Center. The LAO suggests that the Legislature consider that the state budget condition in 201920 and 202021 has deteriorated significantly since the Governor introduced his January budget proposal and reject Newsoms proposal to expand these services. Moodys Credit Rating Service on May 20 issued its latest public budget stress test that projects state revenues will decline, and social service spending will increase over the next year at the fastest pace since the Great Depression. On average, states must cut 18 percent of spending, or twice the cuts during the 2008-2010 Great Financial Crisis. Moodys added that due to the sheer magnitude of the current crisis, states like California that have a heavier revenue reliance on international trade and are have highly volatile tax collections due to very progressive personal income taxes may need to cut up to 25 percent of all spending. President Muhammadu Buhari has sent condolences to the government and people of Rivers State over the passing of the retired Supreme Court judge, Adolphus Godwin Karibi-Whyte. Mr Karibi-Whyte died at the age of 88. He was called to the bar in 1961 and was appointed judge of the federal revenue court in 1976 after obtaining a doctorate degree in law. He rose to the court of appeal four years later, and was promoted to the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1984. President Buhari prayed that God will comfort all who mourn Mr Karibi-Whyte, especially his family, the academia, Nigerian Bar Association and Body of Benchers, friends and associates, commending his contributions to law and jurisprudence in the country, and beyond, leaving a legacy of integrity and nationalism, spokesperson Femi Adesina said in a statement. President Buhari notes, with deep conviction, that the legal luminary used his knowledge, wisdom and experience in serving the nation he loved so much, working diligently as a scholar for many years, before transiting to the judiciary, and pursuing his passion of ensuring fairness through the Federal Revenue Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Nigeria, the statement said. The President affirms that Justice Karibi-Whyte played many historic roles in growing Nigerias legal system, strengthening democratic institutions and shaping the policy direction of many governments and international agencies, as he served as Chairman, Nigerian Constitutional Conference, 1994-1995, Counterfeit Currency Tribunal, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities, and Judge and Vice-President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia at The Hague. The President believes the erudite jurist lived and led by example, set a standard for resourcefulness and patriotism, and brought honour to the country, praying that the almighty God will grant his soul a peaceful rest. Lupus patients from around the country this week voiced frustration at President Trumps latest endorsement of hydroxychloroquine, a drug they say they desperately need and that has been in short supply since Trump began touting it as a shield from coronavirus. Im angry, disappointed, and scared, said Jen Incandela in South Barrington, Illinois, who has fought lupus for eight years and has been unable to refill her prescription of hydroxychloroquine since April 4. Trump announced Monday that he was taking the drug, despite warnings of side effects and a lack of evidence of its efficacy. He touted its use against COVID-19 as early as March 19. State and local governments, among others, started snapping up the drug. It hit the Food and Drug Administrations list of drugs in shortage on March 31, and supplies never caught up with demand, even after the initial explosion of orders eased. Based on member purchase data shared by Vizient, a group purchasing organization that serves about 3,000 hospitals in the U.S., the demand of hydroxychloroquine in April was about 17 times bigger than in January. Although supply expanded during the period, volume available last month was only about half of units ordered. Known by the brand name Plaquenil, the antimalarial drug is commonly prescribed to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Life without hydroxychloroquine is hard for lupus patients, who usually suffer from joint pain, severe fatigue, and rashes. The FDA has approved the drug for decreasing flare-ups of the disease. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, about 1.5 million Americans have a form of lupus, and 90% are women. More: 'Medication I can't live without': Lupus patients struggle to get hydroxychloroquine Incandela, 35, said her days are exceedingly difficult without her daily dose of two 200 milligram pills. The cost used to be $10 monthly. Shes gone without for more than a month because her regular pharmacy ran out, and the one her doctor recommended wanted the equivalent of 13 times as much monthly, according to a document Incandela shared. Story continues Jen Incandela, 35, of South Barrington, Illinois, said users of Alinker-brand walking bikes like to name them. Hers is called "BEautiful View." Incandela said when she wants to move these days, she relies on her mobility aid an Alinker walking bike. Im pretty much in bed, she said. The hydroxychloroquine shortage has also had repercussions for 39-year-old Tamika Rodriguez in Deltona, Florida, who said she hasnt been able to get her hydroxychloroquine refilled since April 8. When the medication was available, I was in less pain, I was able to cook dinner, I was able to clean up, Rodriguez said. Now Im not on it, and I'm looking around my house, and I don't even know where and when I'm going to be able to pick up the pieces. She said she cant do small things like taking a shower without help. I feel useless, Rodriguez said. FDA: Hydroxychloroquine isn't safe or effective in treating, preventing COVID-19 Jamie Manson, a 43-year-old lupus patient in Long Island, recently managed to find a 90-day refill from a local CVS but worried that someone might try to steal it or could break into my house looking for my hydroxychloroquine. This time, Manson said she received a generic in place of her regular brand, Plaquenil. The CVS pharmacist told her the store was giving out whatever the warehouse sent and had no idea when the name brand would be back in stock again. We have to have a president that is not putting out misinformation, Manson said. Trump continued to defend his position on the drug after his Monday remarks. But Jennifer McCollom, whos struggled with lupus for eight years and couldnt get her medication for more than two weeks, said the drug she needs should not be used as a prophylactic. It shouldn't be hoarded away from people who are sick like us, said McCollum, 48, of Thornton, Colorado. It feels to me like survival of the fittest right now. Dian Zhang is a data reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at dzhang@gatehousemedia.com or @dian_zhang_. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hydroxychloroquine in short supply for lupus patients who need it WASHINGTON - Chief Justice John Roberts told graduating seniors at his sons high school that the coronavirus has pierced our illusion of certainty and control and he counselled the students to make their way with humility, compassion and courage in a world turned upside down. Humility. The pandemic should teach us at least that, Roberts said in a seven-minute video message posted Saturday on the website of the Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut, where his son, Jack, is a senior. Roberts didnt talk at all about the Supreme Courts hefty load of high-profile cases that include disputes over President Donald Trumps taxes, abortion, LGBT rights and protections for young immigrants. Instead, the 65-year-old Roberts said students should show compassion, and not just for those who were sickened by or died of the virus. Others are suffering, too, and many will be for a long time. Those who have lost jobs or small businesses or whose hopes and dreams may be slowly drifting out of reach, he said. Roberts said people they encounter even years from now may bear scars you cannot see. He also told members of the Class of 2020 that they will need courage in this uncertain time. This is your moment, your time to begin leaving your mark on the world, he said. The virus outbreak forced big changes at the Supreme Court, where the justices heard arguments by telephone earlier in May and made live audio available, both for the first time. Some justices participated from home, Roberts said, and he said someone asked him if his colleagues wore their robes. Roberts said he was left to wonder, judicial or bath? Around 3,300 Jammu and Kashmir residents, including 1,200 students who were stranded in various parts of Maharashtra have been sent back to their homes by four Shramik Special trains during the past 10 days, officials said. This is the highest number of Shramik Special trains deployed in any single state for the evacuation of stranded J&K residents. Around 600 stranded people from J&K including 200 students, left for Udhampur Railway Station from Mumbais Bandra Terminus Saturday evening in the fourth and last Special Shramik Train. People who boarded this train were mostly stranded in two key districts of Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban. These stranded persons include patients, traders, handicraft vendors, labourers and employees of banks, private sector and government employees. There are also residents from the union territory of Ladakh on this train who were stranded in Mumbai and its adjoining areas. Around 30 cancer patients from J&K and their attendants were stranded in Mumbai since the countrywide lockdown was announced by the Government in March. Almost all of them have been evacuated except a couple of such patients who are staying back for treatment. Around 700 of those evacuated, including 100 students, had left for Udhampur from Thane Railway Station in Navi Mumbai by a Shramik Special train on May 22. Earlier, around 1,000 others, including 500 students were evacuated from Pune by a Shramik Special train on May 19 while another 1,000 residents, including 400 students, were evacuated from Nagpur on May 14. District administrations in Jammu and Kashmir and local NGOs in Maharashtra had reached out to the stranded people during the lockdown to ensure adequate provision of food, rations and other basic amenities. In the south-western region, around 800 J&K residents including 35 students were evacuated by Shramik Special train from Kerala on May 20. Around 1,800 people including 17 students were evacuated by two trains from Goa on May 10 and 12. A total of 5,700 people including 1,200 students from J&K have so far been brought back to the union territory by seven special trains from Maharashtra, Kerala and Goa. When the Great Recession hit in 2008, community colleges saw record enrollment rates amid widespread layoffs and unemployment, says Mike Hansen, president of the Michigan Community Colleges Association (MCCA). Hansen said there are those that believe that the current economic state could spur another increase in enrollment at community colleges, but there is a flipside. The counter-argument to that would be, well, if you know people are staying home and not venturing out because of fear and the governor were to open up more parts of the economy, would people feel comfortable gathering in large groups like classrooms or other places to go back to school? Hansen said. Hansen said hes hopeful that people who are unemployed will seize the moment and go back and either finish their degrees or get trained in a new area. But its simply too early to tell what fall enrollment at Michigans community colleges might look like, Hansen said. Theres just too many moving parts to really predict with certainty what fall enrollment will look like at this point," Hansen said. About half of community college enrollments in Michigan are in skill-oriented programs like auto mechanics, welding and machining, Hansen said. While some of those programs are entertaining the idea of having an online semester, those kinds of courses simply wouldnt be able to replace hands-on experience. But in general, many community colleges were well-equipped to handle the transition to online classes amid the coronavirus outbreak because in many cases, entire programs were already online. Some schools faced larger challenges than others, however. At Oakland Community College, over 600 faculty members converted more than 1,500 classes to a remote environment during the winter semester, according to OCC Chancellor Peter Provenzano. OCC plans to add more online classes and mostly remote instruction in the fall to limit the amount of activity on campus, because theres uncertainty about where things are headed, he said. What we plan on doing is reducing the amount of activity on campus by offering mostly remote instruction, Provenzano said. In addition to remote classes, were going to offer something that we call a hybrid class, which means maybe the lectures will be online and the lab may be face-to-face. Instead of coming to class several times a week, Provenzano said students might have face-to-face classes once a week at the most. OCC hopes to offer face-to-face classes, but with three different modalities: remote classes, an online hybrid class and face-to-face classes, with the amount of activity on campus being very limited. Creating three different ways for students to learn, Provenzano said, might deter some students from taking a gap year. We dont want to see students derail their dream of obtaining a higher education, and so we want to make sure that not only are they safe, but we offer them instruction thats high quality and allows them to keep moving forward in the direction that theyve set their goals, Provenzano said. Washtenaw Community College offers over 25 programs with more than 100 courses online, according to the colleges website. However, WCC President Rose Bellanca said skilled trades courses will need to be held in person when the fall semester rolls around, some in a hybrid model similar to what Provenzano described. Maybe you take a class and it meets online one day and another day on ground, and you split the class up like that, Bellanca said. All of the faculty and deans have completed plans of how we plan to do this. The real challenge, Bellanca said, will be taking appropriate safety precautions, including social distancing, taking everyones temperature and sanitizing surfaces every day. She also echoed Hansen, saying some might be fearful of being in a classroom with other people, especially if they have children to go home to. Even with many new challeges ahead, Bellanca is optimistic about fall enrollment at WCC. It is too early to tell, but I think its going to be surprisingly strong... Im leaning more toward the positive, Bellanca said. Grand Rapids Community College announced that the fall 2020 semester will consist of a robust schedule of hybrid and enhanced distance learning options as administrators plan to offer some classes on campus. GRCC will deliver instruction for most classes online for a second seven-week summer session, which begins June 30, but some classes in the School of Workforce Development and Job Training programs will be offered on campus. Online or in-person, GRCC plans to reopen this fall with a hybrid course model According to GRCC Communications Director Dave Murray, GRCCs finance team is projecting a 3% drop in fall enrollment. Murray also said recent high school graduates will consider gap years, but community colleges are still good options. Community colleges are an attractive option for them because of the affordable tuition, accessible schedules and credits that can easily transfer, Murray said in an email. Lansing Community College Provost Sally Welch said LCC will be offering some traditional online classes, but also some hybrid courses that allow some face-to-face meetings if its deemed safe to have them. The hybrid designation will be used for skilled trades and health care courses. There are two main issues that LCC is looking at, Welch said: where the state of COVID-19 will be in August and how to get ready to have both online and in-person classes. Trying to understand if we will be able to hold classes or not based on where the virus is, thats our biggest challenge. Its just an unknown, Welch said. And were basically trying to get ourselves ready for both situations so we can be on campus and we can be online. At the end of the day, Hansen said that for most community colleges, having a strong fall semester will some down to preparation. Colleges are making all kinds of contingency plans and will be ready to serve students, no matter what the situation is and, hopefully, we can get back to more of a sense of normalcy in higher education sooner than later, Hansen said. More: University of Michigan gradually resuming laboratory, studio-based research in coming weeks Eastern Michigan University planning to resume in-person operations for fall 2020 semester Concordia University Ann Arbor faculty, staff create personalized videos for 2020 graduates Employees taking reduced pay, work schedule at Eastern Michigan University due to coronavirus pandemic Construction crews resume work at University of Michigan buildings Michigan State University board approves tuition freeze for 2020-21, chooses new provost Delhi police on Saturday arrested two women in connection with a protest in Jafrabad area in February, officials said. Natasha and Devangana belong to Pinjra Tod (Break the Cage) group, a collective of women students and alumni of colleges from across Delhi that seeks to make regulations for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation less restrictive for women students. Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CHARLOTTETOWN - Prince Edward Island is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 today. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CHARLOTTETOWN - Prince Edward Island is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 today. The province has had 27 cases, and all are recovered. The province is moving to the next phase of its Renew PEI Together plan. Indoor gatherings of up to five people and outdoor gatherings of no more than 10 people from different households are now allowed. Retail businesses can open when they are ready. Chief medical health officer Dr. Heather Morrison says the province must proceed with caution and ensure that public health measures are followed. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2020. Haiti - FLASH : USA will expel 78 Haitians including the former Head of FRAPH Emmanuel Toto Constant The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) planned a 4th expulsion flight of Haitians from the United States to Port-au-Prince on Tuesday May 26, 2020, while Haiti is in the grips of the Covid-19 which has already contaminated 800 people and killed 25 Among the 78 Haitians who will be deported for having lived for the most part in an irregular migratory situation at least 6 tested positive in April for Covid-19 and it is not known if they are cured or if other cases in this flight have previously tested positive. In addition, according to the May 26 flight manifesto, the Trump administration plans to expel one of the death squad leaders, Emmanuel "Toto" Constant (63) whose name is on the list. Recall that in the years following the military coup in Haiti in 1991, Constant was the Head of the Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti (FRAPH), a paramilitary organization, whose death squads terrorized supporters of the ousted President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Squadrons responsible for more than 3,000 assassinations, countless rapes and tortures... Constant had been convicted in absentia in Haiti with 14 other people for the massacre of Raboteau in 1994. Note that Constant has just served a 12-year sentence in a New York prison after being convicted, among other things, of mortgage fraud and various thefts. His deportation to Haiti will only complicate the situation to an ill-prepared justice which is trying to respond to litigants and to enforce the law between gang violence and the Covid-190... However, it should be noted that Emmanuel "Toto" Constant was already on the list of May 12 and that for some unknown reason (pressure from Haiti ?) His expulsion had been postponed... Previous evictions : May 12, 50 evictions: https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30751-haiti-usa-50-haitians-including-14-criminals-aboard-the-3rd-deportation-flight-from-the-usa.html April 22, 128 evictions: https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30608-haiti-social-128-haitians-repatriated-by-the-trump-administration-arrived-in-the-country.html April 7, 68 evictions: https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30473-haiti-flash-the-united-states-expels-68-haitians-in-the-middle-of-a-pandemic.html See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30752-haiti-usa-congresswoman-wilson-presents-a-bill-to-stop-the-deportations-to-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30703-haiti-covid-19-msf-demands-that-the-united-states-end-repatriation-to-latin-america-and-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30579-haiti-usa-haitian-deportation-relief-act-a-bill-to-suspend-the-deportation-of-haitians.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30608-haiti-social-128-haitians-repatriated-by-the-trump-administration-arrived-in-the-country.html TB/ HaitiLibre Activist Jolovan Wham. (FILE PHOTO: Yahoo News Singapore) SINGAPORE Activist Jolovan Wham has apologised for making corruption claims against Manpower Minister Josephine Teo in relation to COVID-19 community care facilities developed by Surbana Jurong. In a statement put up on his Facebook page on Friday (22 May), Wham acknowledged that the claims he made in a prior Facebook post on 16 May are false and completely without foundation, and he apologised unreservedly to Teo for making them. My statement alleged and is understood to mean that Mrs Josephine Teo, the Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Home Affairs, had acted improperly and corruptly in relation to the development of emergency housing facilities by Surbana Jurong Pte Ltd, he wrote in his signed statement. I admit and acknowledge that these allegations are false and completely without foundation. I apologise unreservedly to Mrs Josephine Teo for making them. I have removed the statement and undertake not to publish any further statements on this, or to make any allegations to the same or similar effect, in any manner whatsoever. Both individuals have apologised to Teo With Whams apology statement, both individuals who were issued letters of demand from Teos lawyers have apologised and withdrawn their claims. On Thursday, Facebook user Donald Liew had published a similar apology, and also admitted that the allegations are false and completely without foundation. Temasek-owned company Surbana Jurong was involved in developing the community care facilities at Singapore Expo and Changi Exhibition Centre. The facilities house COVID-19 patients with mild or no symptoms, or recovering patients who have been discharged from hospital. Teos husband, Teo Eng Cheong, is the companys chief executive (international). In a statement issued by law firm Allen & Gledhill on Wednesday, Minister Teo said that the allegations of profiteering and corruption against her and her husband are untrue, scurrilous and completely baseless. Story continues Donation waived for Donald Liew The statement also said Wham and Liew would be required to make a donation of $1,000 each to the Migrant Workers Assistance Fund. According to lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam, whose law firm represents both men, Wham has made the donation. Liew, on the other hand, was not able to make the donation due to his personal circumstances, and had asked Mrs Teo to waive the requirement. According to CNA, the law firm said that Teo has kindly agreed to his request for which he is grateful. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Related story: Josephine Teo takes legal action after 'baseless' corruption claims over COVID-19 community care facilities A Georgia man who allegedly faked a coronavirus diagnosis to his employer, leading the business to temporarily shut down, is facing federal charges. Santwon Antonio Davis, 34, of Morrow, about 15 miles south of Atlanta, is charged with defrauding his employer after he allegedly faked a medical excuse letter. He has since admitted to authorities that he did not have the virus, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta. Davis, who was employed by an unidentified Fortune 500 company, told his supervisors in March that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and emailed a letter stating that he had been admitted to the hospital and needed to quarantine for 14 days, an affidavit states. Days prior, the company had told employees that if they have the virus they would receive paid time off while they quarantined. Image: Santwon Antonio Davis (Fulton County Sheriff Dept.) "The Companys Human Resources Manager reviewed the excuse letter and observed some indicia of fraud," according to the affidavit. "For example, the letter stated that Davis was discharged on November 10, 2019, months before the purported admission date. The letter was unsigned. The letter did not appear to be on formal letterhead." The company called the hospital where Davis said he was treated and was told that he was not a patient there in March. Davis' employer also asked for a copy of his positive test result, but he refused to give it to them, according to the document. Out of an abundance of caution, the company shut down for cleaning, and at least four workers had to quarantine. The prosecutor said Davis' alleged scheme cost the company more than $100,000. He has since been fired. The defendant caused unnecessary economic loss to his employer and distress to his coworkers and their families, said U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak for the Northern District of Georgia. Davis was released on a $15,000 bond. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. The use of antibiotics in animals on US factory farms is increasing despite warnings that the practice risks spreading deadly superbugs. Figures obtained by The Mail on Sunday reveal that the sale of antibiotics to American farms jumped from 5,559 tons in 2017 to 6,036 tons in 2018 a 9 per cent rise. Over the same period, antibiotic sales to UK farms dropped by 9 per cent from 248 tons to 226 tons. It comes as experts warn that the routine use of treatments on farms risks returning medicine to the 'Dark Ages', as bacterial resistance turns once-trivial infections into killer illnesses. The use of antibiotics in animals on US factory farms is increasing despite warnings that the practice risks spreading deadly superbugs (file photo) And it will deepen fears that British supermarkets could be flooded by cheap food from vast US 'mega-farms' where the mass use of antibiotics is widespread as Ministers rush to strike a coveted transatlantic free trade deal. The biggest US intensive beef farms known as feedlots have up to 150,000 cattle housed in outdoor pens with little or no shelter, while at least two pig farms each have an astonishing 800,000 animals. The largest US mega-dairies boast 30,000 cows. Ministers have pledged not to undermine animal welfare, environmental and food standards with low-quality imports as they thrash out a deal with US negotiators. Figures obtained by The Mail on Sunday reveal that the sale of antibiotics to American farms jumped from 5,559 tons in 2017 to 6,036 tons in 2018 a 9 per cent rise But farmers and environmental campaigners were furious earlier this month when a bid to enshrine the promise into law was defeated. 'Quite possibly we will end up in a situation where we are allowing imports of products that would not be allowed here,' said Rob Percival of the Soil Association. Polls show we want high food standards Ministers face a fierce public backlash if they allow US chlorinated chicken or hormone-treated beef to be sold on Britain's supermarket shelves. An overwhelming 93 per cent of Britons want our high food standards to be protected in post-Brexit trade deals, according to polling commissioned by Which? One survey found that 80 per cent of the more than 2,000 adults quizzed would not be comfortable eating beef that had been reared using growth hormones. Another poll of 2,399 Britons found 68 per cent were not happy about eating chicken washed with chlorine. In a separate online survey by the consumer watchdog involving 21 adults, every participant believed that maintaining or improving food standards should be a 'post-Brexit priority'. 'Our biggest opportunity when we leave the EU is to introduce the most stringent food safety and standards in the whole world,' one 53-year-old man from South West England told Which? researchers. The US Department of Agriculture has dismissed concerns over food safety standards as 'unfounded'. Advertisement 'That could negatively affect public health.' In comments last year before he joined the Cabinet, Environment Secretary George Eustice called animal welfare law in the US 'woefully deficient'. Up to a million chickens are crammed together on some farms in vast hanger-like facilities, while tens of thousands of cows are housed in dusty outdoor pens. Most US states still allow pregnant pigs to be housed in metal 'sow stalls', while slaughtered chickens are sometimes washed in chlorine. US cattle farmers can use steroid hormones to speed growth by up to 20 per cent a practice banned across the EU since 1989. One of the six drugs routinely used 17 beta oestradiol is a known carcinogen, and Mr Percival pointed to evidence that meat produced using the hormone 'increases the cancer risk to consumers'. Nearly three-quarters of US pigs are estimated to be fed with ractopamine, which was originally used to treat asthma. It is, however, the overuse of antibiotics on US farms that experts fear could pose one of the gravest risks to long-term public health because it threatens to boost rates of drug-resistant superbugs. Such illnesses already account for 700,000 deaths worldwide each year. But top economist Jim O'Neill has warned that by 2050, drug-resistant infections will kill an extra ten million people a year worldwide equivalent to one every three seconds and a cost to the planet of $100 trillion. Sales of antibiotics to British farms dropped by 50 per cent between 2014 and 2018, according to official figures analysed by Coilin Nunan, of the campaign group Alliance To Save Our Antibiotics. US farms were banned in 2017 from using antibiotics solely to make animals fatter, resulting in a 33 per cent fall in drug sales to farms from 8,356 to 5,559 tons. But Mr Nunan said sales increased again in 2018 as farmers switched to giving large numbers of perfectly healthy animals antibiotics as a way of preventing disease. Over the same period, antibiotic sales to UK farms dropped by 9 per cent from 248 tons to 226 tons In comments last year before he joined the Cabinet, Environment Secretary George Eustice called animal welfare law in the US 'woefully deficient' He calculates that US livestock receive dosage levels five times higher than those in the UK. Mr Nunan added: 'The US already uses enormous amounts of antibiotics in farming and this increase suggests that they are replacing some of their former use of growth promoters with more routine preventative use of antibiotics.' Meanwhile, the rush towards a trade deal could also see Britain importing more genetically modified foods. Senior UK officials have refused to rule out whether GM food, which is widely used in the US but heavily restricted in the EU, will be on the table in any talks. Q&A on looming threat to our way of life How does the EU subsidise UK farmers at the moment? Since 1972, our farmers have relied on subsidies distributed through the EU's much-derided Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Under it, UK farmers are paid around 3 billion a year with the average basic payment worth 22,700 per farm. However, this subsidy will be phased out in England from next year (and 2024 in Scotland and Wales) as part of a post-Brexit agricultural revolution. How will the Agriculture Bill change that? It introduces the concept of 'public money for public goods' into farming for the first time. Landowners will receive cash to enhance the environment, such as planting trees. They will be expected to sign so-called environmental land management contracts detailing their commitments to issues including flood management and improving public access. But the Bill has been criticised by some farmers for being too 'green-focused' and for failing to support food production. Who will be the winners? Super-rich landowners could receive thousands of pounds in taxpayer support without growing a single carrot. Details of the new environmental contracts remain vague and the system could prove fiendishly complicated and open to abuse. How, for example, will the protection of a peat bog be rewarded compared to planting a hedgerow or maintaining a footpath? Who will be the losers? For many smaller family-owned farms, the annual EU subsidy is all that keeps them from insolvency. The National Farmers' Union estimates about 40 per cent of UK farms would make an annual loss if the payments are taken away. Payments are being cut by between 5 and 25 per cent next year before the new system has even been introduced. What is the concern about imports from US mega-farms? America stands accused of having much lower animal welfare and environmental standards. It is feared a flood of cheap food from US mega-farms would undercut British farmers and result in lower standards here. Despite a Tory pledge not to compromise our high food standards, a backbench bid to enshrine this into law was defeated earlier this month. The US continues to insist agricultural goods are included in any free trade agreement. What are the UK's animal welfare rules? Britain boasts world-leading welfare standards, with detailed rules governing issues such as transport and slaughter. The UK has banned battery cages for hens since 2012 and so-called sow stalls since 1999. Since 1997, animals have been recognised under EU law as sentient beings which means it is acknowledged they are able to feel pain and suffer. How do US animal welfare standards compare? There is no federal US legislation governing the welfare of animals while they are on the farm, and only weak and patchy regulations at state level. The rules governing slaughter are much less detailed and do not exist at all for poultry. Only ten states have banned sow stalls. There is also a general resistance to acknowledging sentience in farm animals. How are UK and US food production rules different? Chicken in the US is washed in chlorine to remove harmful bacteria a practice banned in the EU in 1997 over fears it allows poor hygiene standards in the production process. Hormones given to pigs, sheep and cattle on US mega-farms to boost their growth rates or milk production are banned in the EU and other countries. And the use of antibiotics in US cattle is far higher than in the UK, despite fears by experts the treatments will spread deadly drug-resistant illnesses. Advertisement In 2019, 94 per cent of soy beans and 80 per cent of maize from the US was genetically modified and GM food does not have to be declared on labels. In contrast, all foods in the EU which contain more than 0.9 per cent of GM ingredients must say so on the packaging. Nick von Westenholz, of the National Farmers' Union, suggested last night that low-cost US food imports could spark a 'race to the bottom' as the competition forces more UK farms to adopt industrial practices to survive. Top economist Jim O'Neill has warned that by 2050, drug-resistant infections will kill an extra ten million people a year worldwide equivalent to one every three seconds and a cost to the planet of $100 trillion He said: 'UK farmers would be asked a question they would never want to have to answer: do they just let themselves go out of business or do they demand a lowering of their standards the race to the bottom. 'Why would we want to pose our farmers that question?' Mega-farms are already on the march in Britain. The Welsh county of Powys has 100 large-scale intensive chicken farms and 60 times as many chickens as people. Philip Lymbery, of Compassion in World Farming, warned that crowded conditions in US-style factory farms could be a 'ticking time bomb for future pandemics'. Last night, a Government spokesman said the UK was renowned for its high food safety and animal welfare standards and vowed to safeguard the agriculture sector. Woody Johnson, the US ambassador to the UK, has defended American agricultural products as 'safe, nutritious and delicious'. Stand up for British farmers against a US invasion of chlorinated chicken and hormone-stuffed beef, says Winston Churchill's grandson SIR NICHOLAS SOAMES in an urgent message to Ministers We are extraordinarily lucky in this country to be served by some of the most effective and efficient farmers in the world, and never should we have been more conscious of this than now. Our farmers have worked round the clock, in all-weathers, to ensure we remain fed, even at the depth of the crisis. Food has been diverted from all manner of supply chains into our supermarkets and high street grocers. British agriculture is renowned throughout the world for its productivity, very high standards and its skill in getting food from farm to fork. Yet, today, facing an unprecedented economic slump and a radical overhaul in our international trading agreements, our farmers face their biggest challenge since the Second World War. We are extraordinarily lucky in this country to be served by some of the most effective and efficient farmers in the world, and never should we have been more conscious of this than now, writes SIR NICHOLAS SOAMES MP We are truly at a critical juncture for farming, the countryside and the environment. It has barely registered in public debate, yet radical legislation is now going through Parliament that will set the future arrangements for domestic agriculture for the first time since 1947. And within this Agriculture Bill, there is no protection against substandard imports. It is of profound importance that all of us realise this. We are being sleep-walked into negotiations with the United States which are of profound importance, even though there is still no clear trade policy for our agriculture and our farmers. This is why I was deeply saddened to see so few of our parliamentarians stand alongside our farmers last week, with so few of them voting for vital changes to the Bill. These amendments would have protected consumers and the farming industry from damaging food imports, the type of cheap food that would be illegal to produce here and which threatens serious harm to the high standards of our own agriculture. We have many MPs who make great play regarding Britain's high standards in both farming and the environment. This vote was a real opportunity for them to ensure that our farmers would not be undermined by future trade deals, especially when such agreements could see imports of low-quality food with a damaging environmental impact undercutting the very standards we rightly demand at home. So the question is, will Liz Truss and her Department for International Trade do their duty and stand up for British farmers and the public interest, and block the truly dismal prospect of chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef? Many of these are produced at well below the high standards we insist our own farmers adhere to. These mean that we don't need to wash chicken in chemicals to get rid of harmful bacteria, or bulk up our cattle with artificial substances to make them grow faster. Ministers have already insisted the UK will not import chlorinated chicken or hormone-treated beef under a trade deal with the US The Government must ensure that there are cast-iron guarantees that British farmers and the public will not be betrayed over this. The farming industry has suggested we establish a Food and Standards Commission in order to examine trade deals and make informed recommendations to MPs. This is an extremely good idea and would offer essential parliamentary scrutiny, something that appears sadly lacking today. There has been considerable and welcome support for such a commission, including from successive Secretaries of State at the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs: Michael Gove, Theresa Villiers and currently George Eustice. I understand, however, that the proposal remains firmly stuck on the doorstep of Liz Truss's Department for International Trade. We need to know why this urgent matter has not been dealt with and when the Government is going to protect the public interest. This is emphatically not about protectionism. This is about leadership. This is about the values that should and most of us understood would underpin 'Global Britain'. We should be leading the world towards our own, hard-earned high standards, not lowering the bar so we can join the rest of them. When I was an MP, I saw our former Prime Minister, Theresa May, take the bold decision to legislate this country's commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The farming industry has suggested we establish a Food and Standards Commission in order to examine trade deals and make informed recommendations to MPs That was about brave leadership. Indeed, it showed the world we were absolutely committed to and serious about climate change. We must continue that legacy. We should be embracing the vital role agriculture has to play in tackling climate change and its unique position to suck harmful gases out of the atmosphere and store it in our soil. If we import food which has been grazed amid the burning remains of the Amazon rainforest, what on Earth does that say about Britain and its principles? I have lived in the countryside all my life. I was an Agriculture Minister in John Major's government and I have developed a profound respect for all that our farmers do for the nation, often under great difficulties. Our consumers can be is assured of very high-quality food produced by our excellent farmers, to some of the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental protection in the world. We must settle for nothing less. Our countryside, in which everyone shares equal pride, is a blessing and a joy to us all. All across our country, the patchwork of family farmers maintains our footpaths, bridleways and dry stone walls, and are truly part of the very backbone of British life. They bind together often remote, sometimes fragile, communities. Many of these farmers and their hard-working families are already going through extremely tough times, and living on incomes perilously close to the edge of viability. Which is why I also believe the Government should now pause its plans to phase out direct financial support for food production next year, as it currently intends to do. If it wishes to continue the welcome development of its new 'public money for public goods' policy, then it can and should, but it must not take money away from food production at such short notice and at such critical times. With farmers facing great uncertainty and disruption due to the immediate impact of the coronavirus, it is short-sighted and truly foolish to press ahead with an overhaul in arrangements for farmers. In the US, a Farm Bill is injecting billions of dollars into agriculture. A decision by this Government to leave our farmers exposed at this time and unable to compete on a level playing field, would be an unprecedented dereliction of duty with severe consequences for our farmers and the public interest. My grandfather, Winston Churchill, recognised after two World Wars the profound importance of being able to feed this island nation. My grandfather, Winston Churchill, recognised after two World Wars the profound importance of being able to feed this island nation My grandparents' and my parents' generations lived through an era of food rationing in the 1940s, conscious that Britain produced a dismal 30 per cent of its own food. Important lessons were learnt and the landmark 1947 Agriculture Act put us on a new path. We are now roughly 60 per cent self-sufficient in food, which is a very considerable achievement, although we can and will do better. History offers us many of the answers to the great difficulties we face in modern life, if only we would listen to them, not least that it is one of the most important duties of any government to feed its people. This Government has committed itself to taking back control, to building a bigger, better Britain. Surely that is about a truly independent nation that will maintain exceptionally high standards of animal welfare and environmental protection, and continue to care for our magnificent countryside and the farmers that have shaped it. Achieving this will ensure that Britain can be the global leader that our planet desperately needs. This is a time for our Government to aim high and negotiate trade on our terms. We must not give away the keys to British farming and open the door to deep and lasting damage. The Zhangjiajie detachment of the Chinese People's Armed Police strives to provide assistance to Lianhuatai village, Sangzhi county of Central China's Hunan province, which used to be one of the country's 14 contiguous poverty-stricken areas and a main battlefield of poverty alleviation. Soldiers of the Zhangjiajie detachment of the Chinese People's Armed Police play games with students in Mihu township, Sangzhi county. Luo Xianghua, Zhangjiajie detachments leader, did research on poverty alleviation after visiting Lianhuatai village. After learning that besides studying most children had to take care of the elderly, farming, cooking and other housework, he was determined to encourage young and middle-aged people to return home to start a business. Soldiers of the Zhangjiajie detachment of the Chinese People's Armed Police teach students to operate a drone in Kongkeshu township, Sangzhi county. "With the development of assistance to students, in addition to one-on-one help, a 'barracks scholarships' was also set up, which benefited 33 students that year. In September 2016, students moved into the brand-new Milhu Township Central Primary School. I was no longer the only one to teach students from grades one to six," said Chen Yinyu, a local teacher. The Zhangjiajie detachment of the Chinese People's Armed Police builds a library for students in Lianhuatai village, Sangzhi county. "Last year the army helped us develop the collective economy, invest in the leading enterprise 'Jintudi', and register to set up a handicraft professional cooperative called Qiaoshou in Sangzhi county, all of which brought a lot of benefits and provided a large number of jobs for entrepreneurs returning to their hometowns," said Peng Qubo, a villager, noting that this is the best witness of the army force and the common people's joint efforts to overcome poverty in the new era. Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis move to release a new political map this week and escalate tensions with New Delhi was designed to consolidate his loosening grip on the party and government, people familiar with the development said on Saturday. The governments strategic experts told Hindustan Times that PM Oli appeared to have been driven by three objectives, closely linked to each other, to put out a new political map that placed Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh in Nepal. One was to consolidate himself in the Nepal Communist Party government where he believed, two former prime ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Madhav Kumar Nepal had been trying to pull the rug from under him. PM Oli, according to the assessment in New Delhi, has been trying to outdo the two former PMs and it was only after the intervention of Beijing that the three power centres in Nepals ruling party agreed to stick together. For now. Two, the new political map puts the focus back on the differences over Indias boundary over the tri-junction point of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura in Nepals northwest that separates China and the Tibet Autonomous Region to the north and Indias Kumaon to the south. Also Read: Lipu Lekh: The past, present and future of the Nepal-India stand-off | Analysis This means China isnt the only country with whom India has a substantive border dispute. Or conversely, China isnt the only country that has a border dispute with its neighbours. This effort to put the spotlight also gives China a handle, particularly since it had endorsed Indias position on these territories in 1954 and 2015. There is a strong view in the government that there had been a change in Nepals pitch and tenor on the boundary question, a person familiar with the government;s assessment said. It was this view that Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane was echoing when he last week underlined that the noisy protests over the 80-km road to Lipulekh for pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar could be at the behest of someone else a veiled reference to China. Also Read: When China and Nepal became strategic partners | Analysis For example, New Delhi was surprised when Nepal had protested Indias map released after splitting Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, complaining that the map inaccurately showed parts of Nepal to be in India. The government hadnt made a change in the map so far as the boundary with Nepal is in question, one official said, calling that protest a reflection of Nepal letting China dictate its relations with India. The third factor, a national security planner, said had a lot to do with Chinas growing footprint in Nepal that has caused some unease in the country, and the government. Some of this discomfort often gets reflected on social media also. But when you whip up ultra-nationalistic sentiments against India, you end up channeling the public resentment from China to target India, he said. Also Read: China cannot dictate terms to a free media in Nepal. Can PM Oli resist?| Analysis There have been several instances of the standard Chinese ham handed effort to propagate its belief, culture and projects in Nepal, right from the hard push to popularise Mandarin language to the increasing presence of its enterprises in small and micro-enterprises of Nepal. Local traders in Nepal around its tourist hubs are slowly feeling the heat due to the Chinese presence, an Indian official familiar with the situation in Nepal said.. Of course, the attempt by Chinese companies to palm off sub-standard kits related to the Covid-19 outbreak hasnt helped either. The sharp public opinion over quality concerns around Covid-19 kits and protective gear did finally force the Nepal government to cancel the contract. At an administrative level, a source said, resentment was also building around the slow progress over the mega projects to be built by Chinese companies that China had pushed under its Belt and Road Initiative. Kathmandu had accepted only 9 of the 35 projects proposed by China including the Kathmandu-Kerung Railway that alone is estimated to cost at least $ 2.3 billion, about 10 percent of Nepals GDP. The utility of the railway line, which has been projected to end Nepals dependence on India for supplies, has been questioned given that the military strategic mileage would be drawn by China. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Press Release May 23, 2020 Drilon prods OWWA to use P20-B trust fund to assist displaced OFWs Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon reprimanded the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) for its inadequate assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who lost jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Panahon na para ang OWWA ay tumulong nang todo sa mga OFWs. Ako ay nakikiusap na gawin ninyo ang lahat para naman mabawasan ang problema ng ating mga kababayan sa ibayong dagat," Drilon said in an interview over radio station DwIZ on Saturday. Drilon said he will file a resolution to look into the plight of the OFWs and how the OWWA is assisting them. Drilon prodded the OWWA to provide more services to the OFWs using its P20-billion trust fund, as he found it "insensitive" that the agency seems to be more concerned about their return of investment than helping the OFWs to cope with the pandemic. "Hindi pwedeng gamiting rason na maapektuhan yung kanilang investment. Sa pera ng OFWs nanggaling iyang P20-billion trust fund. The purpose of the trus fund is not for investment but to help the OFWs in times like this" he stressed. "Huwag silang umasa sa gobyerno dahilan sa maraming pangangailangan ang national government," he added. "If OWWA is able to help our OFWs, that is also an investment, because if they find another jobs overseas, they can send remittances again to their families and that will help our economy," Drilon said. There are around 50,000 OFWs who are expected to return to the country in June and the OWWA is asking the government for additional funding to assist them, fearing that their trust fund would be depleted. But Drilon stressed tthe OWWA does not need any augmentation of its budget from the national government as it can use its almost P20 billion trust fund pooled primarily from the US$25 membership contributions of OFWs. The OWWA has 1.6 million as of 2017 data. "OWWA can tap into its trust fund to provide financial and livelihood assistance to our OFWs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from this, they receive an annual subsidy from the national government," Drilon said. The OWWA has a total budget of P1,588,778,000 under the 2020 General Appropriations Act. Drilon said he is saddened that OFWs are not being provided with sufficient support from the government in this most challenging time. He said the OWWA should provide more for the OFWs during this trying time and give them small livelihood to be able to continue to provide to their families. "Panahon na para lahat gawin nila para sa OFWs. Napilitan silang umuwi dahil walang trabaho sa kung saan sila nanggaling," said Drilon as he noted how the OFWs have fueled the economy for decades. The records showed that the remittances of the OFWs accounted for 9.3% of our gross domestic product and 7.8% of our gross national income in 2019. Russian Court Bans Prominent Group Promoting Ethnic Bashkir Rights By RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service May 22, 2020 UFA, Russia -- The Supreme Court of the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan has banned the Bashqort group, which for years has promoted the Bashkir language and culture as well as equal rights for ethnic Bashkirs. The court on May 22 labeled the group extremist and banned its operations based on what it called the "presence in the organization of individuals who had been convicted on extremism charges." The group's leader, Fail Alsynov, said earlier that extremism charges against members of his organization were often politically motivated. The group's lawyers said they will appeal the ruling, which they believe will "have a negative effect on all national and ethnic movements of Bashkirs and civil rights activists in the Republic of Bashkortostan." Bashqort has faced pressure in recent years after staging several rallies and other events challenging the policies of both local and federal authorities, including Moscow's move to abolish mandatory indigenous-language classes in the regions with large populations of indigenous ethnic groups. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian- court-bans-prominent-group-promoting- ethnic-bashkir-rights/30629173.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 By Associated Press MOSCOW: Russia has reported the highest daily spike in coronavirus deaths on Friday, as health officials registered 150 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the country's toll to 3,249. Russia's comparatively low mortality rate has raised eyebrows in the West, with some suggesting that the country's government may be underreporting virus-related deaths and manipulating the statistics. Russian officials vehemently deny the allegations and attribute the low numbers to the effectiveness of the measures taken to curb the spread of the outbreak. Russia's coronavirus caseload has exceeded 326,000 on Friday, with health officials reporting almost 9,000 new infections. Earlier this month President Vladimir Putin announced gradually lifting lockdown restrictions, saying that Russia was able to slow down the epidemic and it was time for gradual reopening. The vast majority of the country's regions have been on lockdown since March 30. The death toll from the Pakistan International Airlines crash has risen to 97 with reports of two survivors. On Friday, the flight which was enroute from Lahore crashed in Karachi's Model Colony near Jinnah International Airport during landing. Pakistan news organisation Dawn quoted Sindh health officials, who confirmed the death of 97 people of the 99 people on board which included 91 passengers and 8 crew members. The two survivors are said to be in a stable condition. As per reports, the pilot encountered technical difficulties with the landing gear while trying to land the plane. He had communicated about 'a technical difficulty' to the air traffic control moments before the aircraft crashed near the runway. According to eyewitnesses, the Airbus A320 attempted to land a few times before crashing in a residential area near the airport. Around 4-5 houses and 6-7 cars were destroyed in the crash. Soon after the crash, an emergency was declared in all major hospitals of Karachi. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan offered his condolences. He tweeted, "Shocked & saddened by the PIA crash. Am in touch with PIA CEO Arshad Malik, who has left for Karachi & with the rescue & relief teams on ground as this is the priority right now. Immediate inquiry will be instituted. Prayers & condolences go to families of the deceased." Meanwhile, rescue efforts are currently under way as military personnel and rescue workers attempt to retrieve bodies from the debris. MBABANE Does government feel relieved? Year after year government appeared before the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to respond to allegations of workers rights violations. This year, Makhosi Vilakati, the Minister of Labour and Social Security, should breathe a sigh of relief as the governing body of the ILO deferred the upcoming session of the annual conference originally scheduled for May 25 to June 5 in Geneva due to the spread of COVID-19. The 109th session of the conference will now take place in June 2021. Since the era of Jan Sithole, Eswatini has been in and out of the bad books of ILO. In 2014, former US President Barack Obama relied on ILOs report on the country to withdraw it (Eswatini) from African Opportunity Act (AGOA) eligibility. demonstrated progress The US government found that Eswatini had not demonstrated progress on the protection of internationally recognised worker rights. In particular, the country had failed to make continual progress in protecting freedom of association and the right to organise. Of particular concern was the kingdoms use of security forces and arbitrary arrests to stifle peaceful demonstrations, and the lack of legal recognition for labour and employer federations. Is government off the hook now that the ILO conference will take place next June? The burning issue that was to be discussed this year is the suspension of Mbongwa Dlamini, the President of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) from work. doing nothing He is on full pay suspension, which he recently said he was enjoying as he was paid his monthly salary for doing nothing. The suspension also gave him enough time to do SNAT work, he said. In September 2019, ILO sought updates on Dlaminis fate from the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) and Government of Eswatini. Another issue reported to ILO is the alleged assault of workers by the Royal Eswatini Police Service. It was alleged that the Secretary General of the Manzini Branch of the National Public Services and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) Dumsani Nkuna was shot with live rounds of ammunition at the back, just close to the spinal cord. He was admitted to RFM Hospital in Manzini. allegations These are allegations whose veracity is yet to be tested when government officials appear before ILO on this matter. In an interview, Mduduzi Gina, the Secretary General of TUCOSWA, said government should not consider itself off the hook. He said the federation had been advised by the ILO Committee on the Freedom of Association that the issues they reported to them have been referred to the Committee on the Application of Ratified Conventions and Recommendations for deliberation in September 2020. He said the same issues would be considered in the 2021 ILO Conference. This committee works closely with the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, which constitutes the cornerstone of the ILOs supervisory system on international labour standards. Makhosi Vilakati, the Minister of Labour and Social Security, said the deference of the ILO conference would give government ample time to work on the issues raised and further consult extensively with social partners. The minister said it did not mean, however, that government was not doing anything to address labour issues as there was a lot of work that his ministry had done. travel restrictions Meanwhile, the governing body of ILO stated that it took its decision to defer this years ILO conference in the light of severe worldwide travel restrictions due to the pandemic, and the need to ensure the health and well-being of delegates and staff. As a consequence of this decision, the associated 338th and 339th sessions of the ILO governing body, scheduled for May 25 and June 6 2020 respectively, will also not take place. Despite the deferral of the Conference, the ILO and all its offices around the world were operational and were expected to continue to work closely with its constituents, development partners and the multilateral system. The organisation is directing significant efforts towards addressing policy and technical responses to the pandemic, for the immediate and long term. The International Labour Conference meets once a year in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss key world of work issues, craft and adopt international labour standards and monitor their implementation. It brings together government, worker and employer representatives of the ILOs 187 member States. With the Covid-19 pandemic forcing the cancellation of the 2020 editions of BookExpo and BookCon, event organizer ReedPop has joined the growing ranks of companies taking the virtual route to connect their different constituencies in the online world. For ReedPop, that means scheduling six days of free programming that it will make available on Facebook and other social media platforms. Though Reed had initially moved the in-person BookExpo and BookCon from their original dates in late May to late July, the virtual programs will run this week, with BookExpo Online events set for May 2629 and BookConline programs planned for May 3031. Our goal for these virtual editions of BookExpo and BookCon is to fill the void that this virus has left by decimating face-to-face events and book tours, says Jenny Martin, event manager for BookExpo and BookCon. We are aiming to support the industry and readers the best way that we can during these unprecedented and difficult times. We are in a unique position to be able to do this because of our relationships with our customers and our attendees. All panels are open to the general public, and Martin says many publishers are planning to have ARC and galley giveaways for both BookExpo and BookCon. In addition, Reed is providing links to Bookshop for consumers interested in buying books. BookExpo Online will kick off with Librarians Day on Tuesday, May 26. The day will begin with a panel of library leaders, organized by PW, who will take stock of how libraries are handling the pandemic thus far and how the public library might change in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. The conversation will be led by PW columnist Sari Feldman, former executive director of the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Ohio and past president of the American Library Association and the Public Library Association. Scheduled to join Feldman are Kacie Armstrong, director of the Euclid (Ohio) Public Library; R. David Lankes, director of the University of South Carolinas School of Information Science; Lisa Rosenblum, director of the King County (Wash.) Library System; and Ramiro S. Salazar, director of the San Antonio Public Library. Other panels set for May 26 include Audiobooks and Consumer Behavior, at which Audio Publishers Association executive director Michele Cobb will discuss the newest trends in the booming audiobook market, and Pivoting Through Crisis: A Global Pandemics Impact on the Future of Library Services, which will be moderated by Veronda Pitchford and will examine how libraries are adapting to new demands for their services caused by Covid-19. Reed will follow Librarians Day with author dinners on May 27 and 28. The two panels will feature all the authors who were set to appear on BookExpos traditional authors breakfasts. We are really excited that 98% of our originally programmed authors are still on board to participate in the virtual show, as well as some new ones who would not have been available prior to all of this, Martin says. Both former breakfasts will now take place 5:307 p.m. ET, to allow interested industry members from across the country to participate. The adult author dinner, set for May 27, will feature poet laureate Joy Harjo, Carmen Maria Machado, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Rebecca Roanhorse discussing their forthcoming works and initiatives with MSNBC political analyst and SiriusXM radio personality Zerlina Maxwell. The childrens author dinner will be held May 28 and will bring together Judy Blume, Misty Copeland, Raj Haldar, Marie Lu, Kwame Mbalia, and Natalie Portman. BookExpo Online will conclude with Buzz Day on May 29. Adult, young adult, and middle grade editors buzz panels are planned, along with new picture book and new graphic novel showcases. The editors buzz panels will be presented in an updated format that brings together a discussion between editor and author for each featured title. The adult buzz panel will feature editors from Crown, Flatiron, Knopf, William Morrow, Putnam, and Simon & Schuster discussing upcoming books with their authors. Editors from First Second, Levine Querido, Random House Graphic, Razorbill, and Tor Teen will be on hand talking to authors about new titles due out over the next several months on the YA panel. And the middle grade buzz panel will feature editors from Atheneum Books for Young Readers; Crown Book for Young Readers; Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers; Scholastic Press; and Viking Books for Young Readers. The sixth Buzz Day panel is the ninth annual book club speed dating event, set for 13 p.m. ET. Carol Fitzgerald, founder of ReadingGroupGuides, will host the event, which will feature representatives from 25 publishers. Each will share selections from their publishing houses in a speed-dating format designed to give booksellers, librarians, and book group leaders an inside look at new and upcoming titles that book groups will want to know about. (Advance sign-up is required.) Participating publishers are And Other Stories, Blair, Coffee House, David R. Godine, Dundurn, Europa, Forest Avenue, Grove Atlantic, Hachette, Harlequin, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, House of Anansi, Liveright, Morrow, Norton, Random House, Scribe, Simon & Schuster, Soho Press, Sourcebooks, Tin House, Tor, Turner, Unbound, World Editions. BookConline 2020 will offer fans a virtual gathering place to interact with a variety of authors. The two-day event will feature a full slate of q&as and panel discussions with nearly 100 bestselling and debut authors including Judy Blume, Cassandra Clare, Zoraida Cordova, Mike Curato, Jenny Han, Jodi Picoult, and Nic Stone discussing topics such as the new age of superheroes, LGBTQ characters in YA and middle grade literature, and social justice. All BookExpo Online programming will be viewable on the BookExpo Facebook page, and all BookConline programming will be viewable on the BookCon Facebook page and BookCon Facebook group. Reed will archive all presentations on YouTube. Martin says Reeds BookCon virtual author series events have had more than 30,000 views on Facebook and drew another 4,000 views on BookExpos page. She expects views for the virtual events to top those numbers. Even before results from the week are in, Martin says virtual events will be part of future BookExpos and BookCons. This virus is going to change our landscape. We will adapt to fit the new world, as will our customers. Things may look a lot different, but people will still love to read, and great content will spread across media platforms to delight consumers. As long as thats true, we are committed to serving this industry. We embarked on a path to reinvent this show before Covid-19, and in some ways this has reinforced the path to value. LIVONIA, MICH. More than 50 employees from Madonna University and the other Felician Ministries in Livonia held a musical prayer vigil on the Feast of St. Felix of Cantalice, May 18, 2020, to celebrate the lives of the 12 Felician Sisters who passed away recently. The blending of voices in musical prayer also served to lift the spirits of the beloved Sisters at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Central Convent, who have been quarantined during Governor Whitmers stay home, stay safe order. Blessings to all who attended in person or on the Facebook Live event, and all those who helped make it a very touching and joyful vigil service, including Diane McDonald, director of mission integration and spiritual care at Marywood Nursing Care Center, who suggested the idea, and Jackie King, therapeutic recreation specialist at Marywood, who led the singing with her beautiful voice. The rain held off for most of the vigil, but when it rained for just a bit, Sr. Mary Ann Smith commented on Facebook, God is sending His blessings upon all for your love and support of His Felician Sisters. The following Madonna University staff helped organize the vigil: Connie Tingson-Gatuz, Claire Ofiara, Sr. Nancy Marie Jamroz, Jennifer Kennedy, Christopher Nickin, Paula Fournier, Sue Boyd, Dan Boyd, Emma Kent, and Karen Sanborn. Faculty and staff from Madonnas broadcast and cinema arts program videotaped the vigil so that those Sisters unable to participate could watch it below: Prayer Vigil Video Sister Nancy Marie Jamroz shared this message of gratitude, "How can we ever thank you all, for that special, precious moment that well remember forever... And as I stood there in the window, I asked God to bless all who joined us and double bless all who helped make it happen! I also felt ALL the Sisters who have lived here and ministered here were Up There telling God to watch over you and your loved ones as preciously as you took care to prayer-sing your message of love and support!" ### President Donald Trump's administration has discussed holding the first US nuclear test since 1992 as a potential warning to Russia and China, the Washington Post reported Friday. Such a test would be a significant departure from US defense policy and dramatically up the ante for other nuclear-armed nations. One analyst told the newspaper that if it were to go ahead it would be seen as the "starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race". The report, citing one senior administration official and two former officials, all who spoke anonymously, said the discussion had taken place at a meeting on May 15. It came after some US officials reportedly claimed that Russia and China were conducting their own low-yield tests. Moscow and Beijing have denied the claims, and the US has not offered evidence for them. The senior administration official said that demonstrating Washington's ability to "rapid test" would be a useful negotiating tactic as the US seeks a trilateral agreement with Russia and China over nuclear weapons. The meeting did not conclude with any agreement, and the sources were divided over whether discussions were still ongoing. Nuclear non-proliferation activists were quick to condemn the idea. "It would be the starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race," Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, told the Post. He added that it would also likely "disrupt" negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, "who may no longer feel compelled to honor his moratorium on nuclear testing." The Trump administration has repeatedly shaken up US defense policy. The Washington Post report came one day after Trump announced that he plans to withdraw from the Open Skies treaty with Russia, which was designed to improve military transparency and confidence between the superpowers. It is the third arms control pact Trump has abrogated since coming to office. Russia has insisted it will abide by the 18-year-old agreement, which seeks to lower the risk of war by permitting each signatory country's military to conduct a certain number of surveillance flights over another member country each year on short notice. European nations have also urged Trump to reconsider. Facing re-election in November, Trump has also significantly hardened his rhetoric against China in recent weeks, repeatedly criticizing Beijing's handling of the coronavirus pandemic which first emerged there. He has made repeated but vague threats of retaliation against the chief US economic rival, which has denied all his accusations. Earlier this month Trump called for involving China in new arms control talks with Russia, telling his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin they need to avoid a "costly arms race". It is not the first time Trump's defense policy has raised concerns the administration is elevating the risk of nuclear war. In February the Pentagon announced it had deployed a submarine carrying a new long-range missile with a relatively small nuclear warhead, saying it was in response to Russian tests of similar weapons. Critics worry that small nukes would be more likely to be used because they cause less damage, thereby lowering the threshold for nuclear conflict. But the Pentagon says it is crucial to deterring rivals like Moscow who might assume that, with only large, massively destructive nuclear weapons in its arsenal, the US would not respond to another country's first use of a small, "tactical" nuclear bomb. Press Release May 23, 2020 POE: IMPLEMENT FEEDING PROGRAM FOR WASTED CHILDREN As more Filipino families go hungry amid the quarantine, Sen. Grace Poe said undernourished children deserve access to free, healthy meals or equivalent subsidy under the government's school-based feeding program. Poe said she is relying on the commitment of Education Secretary Leonor Briones at a Senate committee of the whole briefing, when the senator asked about safe and effective ways of continually implementing the program amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. "Ang mga silid-aralan ay maaaring walang laman habang ang mga bata ay nasa kanilang mga tahanan, ngunit hindi ang kanilang mga tiyan. Hindi dapat ikompromiso ang kanilang nutrisyon," Poe said. Briones earlier assured that her department has started meetings with the National Nutrition Council, pro-child organizations and local government units (LGUs), including barangays, to update their data on the beneficiaries and to find out how to reach them. Poe explained, "For a number of children, the meal they get in school could be the only meal they get for the day. Without it, they go hungry, risk falling sick, dropping out of school and losing their chance to get a better life." Poe co-authored and co-sponsored Republic Act No. 11037 or the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act, which institutionalized a national feeding program for about 12 million public elementary school students and children in daycare centers to address hunger and malnutrition in the country. One of its three components is the Department of Education's (DepEd) school-based feeding program, which ensures undernourished children from kindergarten to Grade 6 at least one fortified meal for a minimum of 120 days in a year. "Makakarating ang pagkain sa mga bata sa maraming paraan kung gugustuhin," Poe emphasized. The senator said that by fortifying the immunity of the children, they will be less vulnerable to illnesses amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Poe lauded the initiative of LGUs cited by Briones, such as Valenzuela and Davao City, which were able to establish centralized facilities in order to reach out to as many children. "It can be done, as demonstrated by other LGUs effectively implementing feeding programs," Poe emphasized. Amid school opening challenges, the DepEd vowed to do all it can to make continued education possible and inclusive, considering students' lack of resources and tools for online learning. The Social Weather Stations survey reported that 4.2 million Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger, 3.5 million of whom faced moderate hunger, while 699,000 suffered severe hunger in the last three months amid the pandemic. Our Divisions Copyright 2021-22 DB Corp ltd., All Rights Reserved This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. The oil and natural gas capital of the world is going all-in on solar power. Houston will begin a new five-year contact in July with NRG Energy Inc. to power all of its city-owned properties, from fire stations to airports, with renewable energy. The move means the nation's fourth-largest city will reach its goal of 100% renewable power five years sooner than anticipated. It's just the latest milestone for a community that's quietly been going green for more than a decade. Mayor Sylvester Turner, who is actively courting Elon Musk to relocate Tesla and SpaceX to Houston, hopes the deal maxing out municipal use of renewable power will help change the image of a city best known for the oil and gas companies that do business there. "All they see in the city of Houston is Chevron and Shell and Exxon," Turner said Thursday in a telephone interview. "They kind of look past the city of Houston, but there are some incredible things that are happening in the city of Houston when we start talking about renewables." In fact, Houston is the greenest city in America, buying more renewable power than any other, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It currently powers 92% of all city properties with a combination that includes mostly wind and a little bit of solar. The new contract includes options to extend it by up to two years. "We're getting pricing that is at or better than market prices," Robert Gaudette, senior vice president of business solutions for NRG, said in a phone interview. "When we have customers who are willing to sign up long term, like in this case, then we can pass along some of that savings on to the customer." The city, which is working on a climate action plan, is in the process of building 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) of bike lanes as well as preserving and enlarging parks to mitigate global warming. It is hoping its latest boost in renewable power encourages residents and businesses within the city to follow suit. Going green has steadily gained traction through previous mayors, beginning in earnest with Bill White, who ran the city from 2004 to 2010. City-owned properties account for less than 10% of electricity demand in the region. Homes, businesses and other private properties in the city will continue to get their power from a mix of fossil fuel and clean-energy plants. But solar installations for homes and businesses in Houston have doubled over the past two years, ending 2019 with 42.5 megawatts, according to the watchdog group Environment Texas. "Houston is quickly moving up the ranks of American cities for solar," Luke Metzger, executive director of the nonprofit, said in an email. "We're seeing similar growth in the suburbs as well." Turner said he hopes to attract a developer who could turn a 300-acre dormant landfill sitting in a heavily populated, low-income community into one of the largest urban solar farms in the U.S. Such a development may be a difficult sell in a state that has seen plans for at least 13 solar farms scrapped since crude prices began plummeting in March. Turner emphasized, however, he won't be turning his back on the industry that put Houston on the map. "We owe a great deal to oil and gas companies and I don't run away from that," the native Houstonian said. "The city is not trying to put anybody out of business and we're not trying to push anybody aside. We're trying to do something that's uniquely Houston that will have a global international impact." By PTI CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu reported nearly 800 cases of coronavirus on Friday, pushing the cumulative tally of the infections in the state well past the 14,000 mark, even as the death toll from the virus stood at 98. The state saw 786 new infections of the deadly virus on Friday, raising the number of such cases to 14,753, while four fatalities were reported, the health department said. The number of peopledischarged from hospitals outnumbered the new positive cases on Friday, with as many as 846 being cured of the contagion. With this the number of people who have been cured after treatment has gone up to 7,128 in Tamil Nadu. Among those who tested positive for the virus today were 92 people who had returned to Tamil Nadu from other states. One passenger who had come back from Philippines tested positive in the exit test conducted after seven days of the arrival, though having tested negative earlier. According to the health department bulletin, Chennai continues to top with most number of cases, at 9,364, with 569 cases on Friday. This is the third straight day the state is reporting 700 plus COVID-19 cases. On May 21 and 20 it had recorded 776 and 743 new cases respectively. According to a report from Erode, the district recorded its first case of COVID-19 after 36 days when a 52 year-old employee at a bakery tested positive for coronavirus. He has been kept in isolation at the Salem Government Hospital. Revenue officials have kept 17 of his family members under quarantine, sources said. Besides Erode, Kallakurichi, Krishnagiri, Madurai and Ranipet have reported one case each on Friday, the bulletin said. Meanwhile, city-based Lifecell International has received the government's approval for conducting tests, taking the total number of such facilities in the state to 67. Nearly 3,85,185 samples were taken for testing and the total number of active cases including those in isolation was at 7,524. As many as 66 people who returned from Maharashtra, 13 from New Delhi, six from West Bengal, two from Andhra Pradesh and one each from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Telangana tested positive for the virus. Two transgenders and 312 women were among the 786 new cases on Friday. Five people above the age of 80, including an 88 year old man, and a three month old baby were among the newly affected people, the bulletin said. Neighbouring Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur districts recorded 40 and 39 fresh cases, respectively. Fifteen districts have reported 'nil' cases on Friday. As many as 62 passengers who had returned from other countries have tested positive till today. Twenty-six individuals, who returned from other countries and initially tested negative, have turned positive during exit screening after seven days, the bulletin said. African countries have been told they need to urgently expand food reserves, keep food supply flowing and boost their agriculture budgets to avert a possible hunger pandemic, partly caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Delegates at a two-day webinar hosted by the African Development Institute (ADI) who counselled the focus in a clarion call for action, also said Africa must now, more than ever, develop and implement policies to enhance capacity to compete in the agriculture sector, processing, trade and industry. Noting that COVID-19 has fast-tracked the transition to the 4th Industrial Revolution era, participants also called on African governments to scale up technology for agriculture production, including private sector-led initiatives, to build resilience and grow the sector to self-sufficiency. The webinar, titled, Building Resilience in Food Systems and Agricultural Value Chains: Agricultural Policy Responses to COVID-19 in Africa, examined the pandemics impacts on Africas agri-food systems and offered policy recommendations to make them more resilient and efficient. The dialogue, which drew 770 experts from 57 countries, was the second in a series ADI organised under its Global Community of Practice (G-CoP) to provide evidence-based policy guidance to African Development Bank Group member countries. Participants urged governments to prioritise agriculture and agribusiness in national security agenda by implementing structural reforms. Reforms proposed include merging ministries of agriculture, health, trade and industry and environment into One Health Ministry for greater impact. Introducing trade or non-trade barriers is not a welcome policy in Africa, especially during the pandemics, the forum noted. It therefore called on Africa to establish green corridors and domestic food systems and keep inter-regional food supply chains open during the pandemic. Many African countries must import food to meet domestic demand and so face dangerous food shortages due to COVID-19 related supply-chain disruptions. Further, a number of countries in East Africa and the Horn are grappling with another food security threat: locust swarms. Participants noted that food insecurity had been a problem prior to the pandemic, as many African countries lack adequate strategic food reserves. Other challenges, including climate change, water scarcity, and poorly developed agricultural markets were also discussed. These factors driving extreme hunger could kill far much more than COVID-19 in Africa if lockdowns persist without clearing the choke-points in the food supply chain to the vulnerable, the meeting observed. Without COVID-19, many of our people were already hungry. The pandemic has worsened the situation. Lets call this an emergency for food production and let this crisis not waste, they noted. Speakers likened this to a silent war on the most vulnerable populations without guns. Participants offered several policy solutions, including promotion of research; enhancing capacity; and expansion of regional agricultural trade, with the African Continental Free Trade Area representing one pathway to resilient regional food supply chains. The experts also called for the establishment of national agricultural productivity accelerator funds to support smallholder farmers and SMEs to ramp up production. Women represent a large share of the agriculture workforce, and participants urged the deployment of funding and technical support, including cash transfers to women and smallholder farmers, to accelerate agriculture and food production. They proposed that long-term contracts should be signed with local producers, urban farmers and suppliers to help safeguard supply. The Banks Technologies for African Transformation (TAAT) and the Special Agricultural Processing Zones (SCPZs) were identified as good stimulators for building resilience in African food systems and agricultural value chains. The webinar, organized in partnership with African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE), featured speakers from the World Bank, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), universities of agriculture, and agricultural policy research institutions and networks. The African Development Institute (ADI) is the African Development Banks focal point for Capacity Development. Its goal is to lead efforts at building sustainable capacity for development effectiveness in the Banks regional member countries. 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 New Delhi, May 23 : The fragrance of 'sewain, the giggle of little ones running amok in the house, the stain on the new 'kurta caused by spilling mutton 'rogan josh -- all these trademark moments of Eid are bound to get subdued this Eid, as people continue to struggle against a deadly global pandemic which has already infected more than one lakh persons in the country. Ever thought how Eid and social distancing could find place in the same sentence? Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi was the Chief Election Commissioner and a distinguished administrator. He, like most of those who practice Islam, loves to spend Eid with close family and friends. However, it would not be the same this time around. "My plans are simple. Stay at home, offer namaz alone, pray for peace in India and the world," Qureshi told IANS. He said that rather than interpersonal greetings, he will send his best wishes through phone calls and social media this time. "Be positive. Remember this is a special Eid. It will be remembered for long" -- is how he sees Eid under the shadow of lockdown. In the power circles of Lutyens' Delhi, one of the most famous Eid celebrations take place at BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain's residence since decades. Journalists and top political leaders cutting across party lines assemble there over glasses of Rooh Afza and a scrumptious lunch. During the course, the most sworn political enemies laugh it out over chats where politics is a taboo for a day. But this year, Hussain too will have a rather quiet Eid. "I have been having this Eid luncheon for 21 years now. But this time things are different. No invitation has been sent. I will spend the Eid in a simple way by distributing food among the poor," said Hussain. The contagious virus that can spread through physical contact or even close proximity has infected more than 1,25,000 people in India. In the national capital itself, the death toll has reached 231, with 23 deaths getting reported in the past 24 hours, the Delhi Health Department said on Saturday. Such data leave very little room for anyone to be dismissive of the dystopian self-restriction rules. Most places of religious worship continue to be off limits for people due to the lockdown. In spite of relaxation of restrictions, footfalls in market places have been minimal. Globally, Eid restrictions are quite stringent with Turkey announcing a four-day curfew during the festival while Saudi Arabia will implement a 24-hour nationwide curfew on Eid. Ghuam Nabi Azad, a senior leader of the Congress party and a powerful voice inside the Parliament, will also stay at home this Eid. "When we can't meet each other, there will be no prayers at the Eidgah, what can I say? Stay home and stay safe," Azad told IANS when asked about his Eid plans. Latest updates on Eid al-Fitr 2020 May 23 : Bollywood celebrities such as Shabana Azmi, Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher and Patralekhaa expressed condolences over the loss of lives in a plane crash in Karachi. The actors took to social media to express grief over the demise of people and also prayed for the speedy recovery of the ones who are injured. Veteran actress Shabana Azmi wrote, #AmphanSuperCyclone #PakistanPlaneCrash how many more disasters are going to come our way in the midst of #Covid 19? Condolonces to families who have lost their loved ones. Pray that rehabilitation efforts are put in place immediately Actor Anil Kapoor shared, Deeply saddened to hear about the #planecrash in #Karachi. My heartfelt condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones and sending my prayers for the speedy rescue & recovery of the ones who are injured" Deeply saddened to hear about the #planecrash in #Karachi. My heartfelt condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones and sending my prayers for the speedy rescue & recovery of the ones who are injured. Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) May 22, 2020 Actress Patralekhaa wrote, This is so heartbreaking and shocking. May God give strength to the families of the victims who have lost their lives and the ones that are injured...#pakistanplanecrash This is so heartbreaking and shocking. May God give strength to the families of the victims who have lost their lives and the ones that are injured..#pakistanplanecrash https://t.co/kh8ND9zO7X Patralekhaa (@Patralekhaa9) May 22, 2020 Actor Anupam Kher expressed, Deeply saddened to know about the tragic #PIAPlaneCrash. It is so so sad. My heartfelt condolences & prayers for the families who lost their loved ones. May God give them the strength to deal with this tragic loss. Prayers for the injured" Deeply saddened to know about the tragic #PIAPlaneCrash. It is so so sad. My heartfelt condolences & prayers for the families who lost their loved ones. May God give them the strength to deal with this tragic loss. Prayers for the injured. Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) May 22, 2020 A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft with 90 passengers on board crashed in a residential area near the Karachi airport on Friday. A Prayer for When Your Spirit Starts to Fade By: Maggie Meadows Cooper "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of the Lord stands forever." - Isaiah 40:8 Last summer my family went and picked up leftover pieces of sod for our backyard from a local sod farm. We put the pieces together like a puzzle: a little brown, a little yellow, and some bright green mixed in for good measure. And as I sat admiring our work, the Lord showed me something. Each of those grass squares, when cut off from their lifeline-roots and water, are left to die in the scorching heat. Some of the pieces that had just been cut were still green and damp. Those cut a little earlier were yellowing and dry, and those cut the longest ago were brown and brittle. The ladies at the farm assured me that the yellow pieces could be brought back to life with water and care...that their roots would grow and bring vibrant life back to them. And, y'all, as I thought about it, I realized that I have felt like one of those yellowing pieces recently. This is so like our walk with the Lord. When we are rooted and grounded in the Word, spending quality time in fellowship and prayer, we are filled with Living Water, green and bright and vibrant. And even if we pull up roots for a time...we can stay green and full for a little while...we can fake it til we make it. But the longer we are away from the Word, we start to yellow a little. We begin to fade in areas, maybe, where others can't see, but we can behind closed doors. Our joy, our peace, our love, our kindness and gentleness... even our faith can start to fade. But here's the beauty...we can get all of that bright vibrant joyful, hope-filled abundance back, y'all! We just have to take care with what we sow. We have to grow our roots down deep by sticking close to those who are close to the Lord, who will speak truth and lift us up and away from the things of this world! We need to drink up the Living Water and not hold back. We need to be patient in the waiting of reaping a harvest. We can't give up, no matter what this world or the people of it throw at us. I share this for all of you who may be in this place. You may have been cut off...you may not be full. You may be in a really dry, hard place. But I am here to tell you that the Lord is there with you, urging you to come back to Him and let Him be your fulfillment in this world. He sees you and knows right where you are. Look for Him and He will be there. If you are green and bright and in an amazing place with the Lord right now, come alongside your friends and offer His love and comfort and encouragement for those who need it, because one day you may need them to return the favor. Check in on your people. Pray for the Lord to give you wisdom and discernment for those who may be fading right before your eyes. Dig in the Word. And drink up the Living Water that only He can give. "I rejoice in your Word like one who discovers a great treasure." - Psalm 119:162 Dear Lord, Forgive me for wandering from you and your Word. Draw me back to you and the Life that only you can give. Help me to resist the things of this world and keep my focus on you alone. In Your Mighty Name, Amen Maggie Meadows Cooper is a wife, mother, educator, and blogger with a longing for women to grow a heart for Jesus and others. She is the author of the childrens book Bumper, helping others to see that the heart is what counts most. She blogs at www.thelittlemoments.org and contributes to IBelieve Truth:A Devotional for Women, Blogs by Christian Women, Devotional Diva, and the Connecting Ministries Blog. An educator with a M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from Auburn University (War Eagle!), she has nineteen years experience in education. She loves all things chocolate, real Coca-cola, and watching anything mystery related! She lives with her husband, three children, and two rambunctious dogs in Opelika, Alabama. Now that you've prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. Former DUP North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds is now working on internal party matters, his wife has said. The senior party figure lost the seat to Sinn Fein's John Finucane last year after 18 years. He had also served as the party's leader in the House of Commons and played a high-profile role in advocating for Brexit. However, he and his party consistently voted against the Prime Minister's Brexit withdrawal agreement, and against the Brexit deal negotiated by Boris Johnson's predecessor Theresa May. Read More Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, the Economy Minister and Upper Bann MLA Diane Dodds said her husband had been keeping well since the end of his Westminster career. "He's grand. He's working on some internal party stuff at the minute. He's fine, totally fine," Mrs Dodds said. In the context of the suffering of many people directly affected by Covid-19, she added: "We're very fortunate, we're well, that's all that matters." She said coronavirus had also affected the grieving process of families who had lost loved ones to causes other than the virus due to restrictions on the numbers who can attend funerals. "Having 10 people at the funeral, no grieving ... it's terrible," she said. Mrs Dodds became Economy Minister in January after 11 years as an MEP. She has faced a challenging time in office as her department has reacted to the impact of coronavirus and lockdown on the economy. "I thought this would be the simpler life," she joked when asked how her present role compared with being an MEP. Mrs Dodds said the department would be distributing over 400m in support to stricken businesses through grant schemes of 10,000, 25,000 and a separate micro-businesses hardship fund, which opened to applications last Wednesday. She said it had been a very busy time dealing with the concerns of businesses, and this week had been communicating with up to 180 businesspeople at a time through video conferencing. She said the Executive had put health at the heart of its strategy for dealing with coronavirus and economic recovery. LOS ANGELESThe Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP) is participating in the virtual edition of the Latin America Adult Business Expo (LALExpo), taking place May 25 to 29. The expo is an In-Kind Media Sponsor of ASACP and is providing the association with a virtual booth at this breakthrough event, to be held at www.virtual.lalexpo.com. LALExpo promotes awareness of child safety and doing business at the highest levels of safe and responsible operation throughout Latin America and beyond, said ASACP Executive Director Tim Henning, who will participate in the event. By going virtual, this edition of the event takes safety to a new level and underscores the brands commitment to protecting people, regardless of their age. Henning said that this outreach is vital in LATAM where the live cam industry is a major driver of opportunity and prosperity for independent performers and companies of all sizesand where both fans and the performers must be of legal age to participate. LALExpos continued support of the association sends a powerful message and is so necessary during these uncertain times, Henning said. Travel restrictions have hampered ASACPs outreach, which includes face-to-face meetings with stakeholders around the world as part of our efforts; and as such, we welcome the opportunity to engage with the vital LATAM audience through this event. The online edition of LALExpo is a follow up to the recent real-world event held in February at the Valle del Pacifico Convention Center in Cali, Colombia, which reportedly drew more than 3,800 attendees. The B2B show for Central and South America traditionally attracts international and Latin American audience of business professionals, representing all aspects of the industry, including many models, cam studios, clip site operators and more. Anthony Rivera, an organizer of the event and co-founder of AJ Studios, said LALExpo provides an opportunity for ASACP to reach out to professionals operating in the Latin American and Spanish-speaking digital media markets. LALExpo promotes excellence and responsibility among the companies that are making a living and supporting their families and themselves through technology, Rivera said. This technology is also allowing businesses to continue despite the unprecedented quarantine that many people face. As part of its efforts to protect children, LALExpo restricts attendance at its event, including the online version, to just adult companies and talent. In addition to educating businesses about the mechanics and need for online child safety, ASACP uses industry events such as LALExpo to connect with prospective sponsors, while re-connecting with established sponsors, whose generous support funds initiatives such as its Child Exploitation Tipline, which has processed more than 1 million reports since its inception; and its multiple award-winning Restricted To Adults (RTA) meta labeling system that helps prevent a minors access to adult-oriented webpages and mobile apps. Its market-specific Best Practices and universal Code of Ethics also help guide digital media companies in child-safe operation and are among ASACPs notable achievements. To learn how adult companies can make a difference in online child safety by sponsoring ASACP, email [email protected]. For more information, visit www.ASACP.org. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Saturday agreed to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka and discussed the possibility of promoting investments by Indias private sector. The move assumes significance against the backdrop of Chinas concerted push to develop infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka and other countries under its Belt and Road Initiative, which has led to criticism from the US about these countries being exposed to predatory loans. The development projects figured when Modi spoke on telephone with Rajapaksa regarding the Covid-19 pandemic and its health and economic impacts in the region. Rajapaksa briefed Modi on steps being taken by his government to restart economic activity. In this context, both leaders agreed on the need to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka. They also discussed the possibilities of promoting investments and value-addition in Sri Lanka by the Indian private sector, the external affairs ministry said. Modi assured Rajapaksa that India will continue to provide all possible support to Sri Lanka for mitigating the impact of the pandemic. The Indian prime minister also had a telephone conversation with his counterpart in Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth, and discussed enhancing cooperation in several areas, including measures to support the financial sector of Mauritius. Jugnauth conveyed his condolences for losses caused by cyclone Amphan in India and thanked Modi for sending the Indian warship INS Kesari to Mauritius with a consignment of medicines and a 14-member medical team to help health authorities fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Kesari arrived in Port Louis on Saturday with a second consignment of essential medicines, which were received by health minister Kailesh Jagutpal. The shipment includes 10 tonnes of Ayurvedic medicines. The Indian medical assistance team that arrived on board Kesari includes a community medicine specialist, a pulmonologist and an anaesthesiologist. The supply of medicines and the team was arranged at the request of the government of Mauritius. The first consignment of 13 tonnes of essential medicines from India, including 500,000 hydroxychloroquine tablets, arrived on a special Air India flight on April 15. Modi conveyed his appreciation for the Covid-19 response mounted by Mauritius, which has resulted in no new cases being reported for several weeks. He said Mauritius should document its best practices, which will be helpful for other countries. The man who crashed into a western Sydney hijab shop was allegedly involved in a similar incident earlier this year. Sabry Moustafa Nassar, 51, applied for bail when he appeared in Parramatta Bail Court but was successfully opposed by police prosecutors because of the risk to the community and fears of a repeat incident. The court heard the crash was similar to an incident at Lakemba in January for which he has also been charged. Magistrate Holly Kemp said there were elements of 'predatory or deliberate behaviour' in that offence which occurred in January. Sabry Moustafa Nassar, 51, applied for bail when he appeared in Parramatta Bail Court but was successfully opposed by police prosecutors because of the risk to the community and fears of a repeat incident (pictured, scene of the crash in Greenacre on Friday) 'The material before me concerns, in my view, two similar incidents over a short period of time and represents a serious example in this alleged offence,' Magistrate Kemp said. She added no bail conditions would mitigate her fear for the community or concerns Nassar could reoffend. Nassar's lawyer Mostafa Daoudie told the court his client was unconscious during the Greenacre incident and denied he deliberately drove into the store. Nassar is facing a maximum possible jail term of two years and Mr Daoudie said that due to court delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, time in custody would be likely to outweigh any sentence. Nassar was re-arrested on Friday and charged with a number of offences relating to Thursday's crash which injured 14 people. He has been charged with driving furiously in a motor vehicle causing bodily harm, reckless driving, negligent driving, proceeding through a red traffic light and failing to notify authorities of a change of residential address. Nassar has also been charged with driving recklessly and not giving his details to another driver in relation to a separate traffic incident at Lakemba on January 14. Ten people were hospitalised and at least two people suffered broken bones when Nassar's Mitsubishi SUV crashed through the front door of Hijab House at Greenacre on Thursday afternoon. A car is seen in a shop after it crashed through the front in Greenacre Nassar's lawyer Mostafa Daoudie told the court his client was unconscious during the Greenacre incident and denied he deliberately drove into the store CCTV footage shows the wagon initially stopped in the left lane 30 metres before the traffic lights at the intersection of Boronia and Waterloo Roads with other cars moving around it. When it takes off, it rear-ends a white sedan, causing a series of minor collisions between other cars waiting at the traffic lights. Smoke can be seen billowing into the air as the wagon's wheels spin for at least 20 seconds behind the white sedan. The sedan is eventually pushed around the corner and the SUV continues through the intersection and ploughs into the store. Nassar was conscious when arrested and was taken to hospital for testing under police guard. After being interviewed at Bankstown Police Station, Nassar was released without charge, before being re-arrested at a Greenacre home on Friday night. By PTI THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said the state would be able to survive any other crisis after COVID-19 as it was in the forefront of developing innovative ways to fight the pandemic. "Kerala is in the forefront of developing innovative ways to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and will be able to overcome any crisis which might come. Most of the cases currently being reported in Kerala have come from outside the state. We must not alienate them. This land belongs to them too," Vijayan said, speaking at the first edition of #AskTheCM organized by Twitter India. He was responding to queries on the return of Keralites from abroad, their employment issues, upcoming monsoon and climate change, chances of a natural disaster and preparedness of the state to deal with it, the agriculture sector, the prerequisites of the lockdown relaxations, among others. Rana Daggubati Miheeka Bajaj photos: Rana Daggubati has opened up about proposing Miheeka Bajaj and getting engaged amid lockdown in a recent interview with Lakshmi Manchu. Rana Daggubati Miheeka Bajaj photos: South Superstar Rana Daggubati is in love and he is no mood to keep it hidden from the world. After making it official with Miheeka Bajaj and getting engaged amid coronavirus lockdown, Rana Daggubati in a latest interview with Lakshmi Manchu has shared all the details that we were all waiting for. The actor expressed that he thought they should it quickly and it happened for the very first time. She must have done something. He doesnt ask questions when things are good. It felt like he can do this long term with her so he went with the flow. He cannot put it into words but it happened quick and in the most simple manner. When asked to share his familys reaction on his engagement with Miheeka, Rana Daggubati said that they were shocked but really happy because it was something that they wanted for a really long time. Same with Miheeka. She was initially shocked but then extremely happy. When prodded if hed like a grand wedding or an intimate one, Rana said that it all depends on the worlds situation because he has found the strangest time to get married. Also Read: Kehne Ko Humsafar Hai season 3 trailer: Ronit Roy, Mona Singh, Gurdeep Kohli starrer is a chaotic mess Also Read: Nishabdham: R Madhavan, Anushka Shetty starrer makers issues clarification on film release, producer says theatrical release remains top priority In the interview, Rana Daggubati also shared how he proposed his lady love. He revealed that he had called her and she knew where he was getting at. They met in person and he said a bunch of things. It was serious and it was commitment. After meeting her, he felt that he is ready to do this and it was as simple as that. Check out some photos of Rana Daggubati and Miheeka Bajaj: Also Read: Mahira Sharma, Akhil announce their upcoming music video on live video chat, singer croons a few verses For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App Last year, Vanessa and Mason Peters bought Mikes Parcel, a business in Pembina, North Dakota that essentially functions as an American address for Canadian residents looking to ship and store everything from T-shirts, to car parts, to motorcycles while avoiding international charges. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Last year, Vanessa and Mason Peters bought Mikes Parcel, a business in Pembina, North Dakota that essentially functions as an American address for Canadian residents looking to ship and store everything from T-shirts, to car parts, to motorcycles while avoiding international charges. The business had been around since 2000, when it was started by the eponymous Mike. Over two decades, it grew, with hundreds of Canadians, mostly from southern Manitoba, making the short drive south down Highway 75 each day to pick up their orders. Eventually Mike wanted to sell, and in stepped the Peters, who, 20 years after leaving Steinbach to work in the ministry in Pembina, wanted a change. "We weighed all the possibilities, and in jest, we said the one thing that would be the worst-case scenario would be if the border closed," Vanessa Peters said in an interview. "At the time, we all just laughed. But here we are." We weighed all the possibilities, and in jest, we said the one thing that would be the worstcase scenario would be if the border closed." Vanessa Peters A day earlier, the Canadian and American federal governments agreed to keep the border between the two countries closed until at least June 21, extending the restriction of international non-essential travel thats been in place since March For Mikes, which relies on the business of Canadians near the border, the situation and its uncertainty has been calamitous for business. The business is still running, and it does have options to store orders for up to a year in its large warehouse, but revenues have dropped more than half compared to last year as orders dwindled. "The faucet is turned off in a way," Peters said. A short drive north to Emerson tells a different story. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mike Caners of Runnin Red, a cross-border courier, unloads packages from Emerson in their warehouse. Runnin Red co-owner Trevor Froese says that currently they are probably doing four to five times the normal volume. There, Runnin Red, a five-year-old parcel retrieval service for individuals and small businesses, is thriving. Because the business regularly hauls stock like medical supplies across the border, it has clearance to cross commercially as an essential business, and a lot of Manitobans are calling the business line asking whether Runnin Red can pick up the packages in Pembina theyd normally retrieve themselves. "It seems like every time the governments announce border restrictions, we get an influx of people calling to schedule a pick-up," said Trevor Froese, a co-owner with a background in customs brokerage. "Were probably doing about four to five times volume as compared to normal, and its definitely because of the border closure. People just want their parcels." If anything, Runnin Red is experiencing a boom at a time when many businesses are seeing their bottom lines bust. "People just want their parcels. Trevor Froese Froese and partner Jeff French, both from Emerson, started the business in March 2015, combining their backgrounds in customs and transportation to fill what Froese said was a gap in the market. They started out with a small van and a solid business plan, and expanded to over 15 employees and several more vehicles. When the pandemic hit, Froese said it was expected that business would slow. Runnin Red had to ponder the idea of layoffs, but the demand for personal and small business shipment retrieval from Pembina locations like Mikes actually went up. All staff were kept on, and the company hired another driver and has a posting for its office staff. A five-tonne truck, a van, and a semi cross the border every weekday for pickups, and several other vehicles criss-cross Winnipeg to make deliveries, too. "80 per cent of our customers are new ones weve just started dealing with," said Froese. That influx can be attributed at least in part to a sharp increase in online orders over the last three months. According to data compiled by marketing firm Emarsys and GoodData, Canadian online retail orders skyrocketed as lockdowns began: on March 8, sales were up about 82 per cent compared to 2019 already a high volume. But by March 22, orders had increased by 200 per cent; that level of online retail has been sustained. However, Emarsys found online order revenue has begun to taper down, while still outpacing last years revenue by a healthy 66 per cent. At Runnin Red, thats been welcome news. At Mikes, the business has yet to reap the benefits, although revenues have begun to climb incrementally in the past few weeks. Overall, order volume is down significantly to the Pembina outpost. But Peters is optimistic that once border restrictions are lifted, the new converts to online shopping will mean Mikes will experience a bump-up in revenue, albeit a delayed one. We really would like to see this business succeed and come back to the other side of this, but first we have to trudge through the mud." Vanessa Peters 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. North Dakota, like Manitoba, has thus far managed to evade disastrous levels of COVID-19 infection. Statewide, there have been 1,994 confirmed cases, with 1,269 recoveries and 45 deaths. In Pembina County, six cases have been confirmed, with three recovered. Both Froese and Peters hope the situation improves to the point of the border opening up, however, its impossible to accurately predict when exactly that will occur. Froese knows unless businesses like Mikes Parcel survive, his vans wont even be able to make their pickups. "Its not good to see them struggling," he said. "We rely on them just as they rely on us, so we are trying to help out as much as possible." Peters likened the business struggles to that of a farmer with hail-damaged crops: the situation is beyond her control, but that risk is a part of doing business. "We really would like to see this business succeed and come back to the other side of this, but first we have to trudge through the mud," she said. ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca A motorcycle rider was killed in an early evening crash in Atlantic County Friday, the State Police said. The motorcycle collided with a Chrysler sedan just after 6 p.m., at the intersection of State Highway 54 and Friendship Road in Buena Borough, said Trooper Alejandro Goez, a spokesman for the State Police, which responded to the crash. The rider died from his injuries, Goez said, adding that his identity was withheld pending notification of next of kin. Goez said the crash was still under investigation Friday night, and that details of how the crash occurred were not available. The intersection is in a rural area of western Atlantic County, about a half-mile east of the village of Landisville. Route 54, also known as Blue Anchor Road, is a two-lane highway running north-south, while Friendship Road is a two-lane road that intersects Route 54 at an angle, with a stop sign for traffic turning onto Route 54. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Przepraszamy! Ogoszenie na stanowisku: Senior Financial Controller wygaso z dniem 2020-06-21 Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Nordea Bank Abp SA Oddzia w Polsce Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia oferty to: oferta zamieszczona przez pracodawce zostaa usunieta z naszej bazy firma zakonczya proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc CV firma zmodyfikowaa tresc ogoszenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem url dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych niewasciwy adres url ogoszenia Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Bankowosc / Leasing, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Bankowosc / Leasing Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku Senior Financial Controller, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Senior Financial Controller Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w miescie: odz, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca odz Pamietaj, ze mozesz takze rozpoczac poszukiwanie pracy od strony gownej, kliknij tutaj. Inne ogoszenia, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan: Holi was always Nandini Mahtos favourite festival but this year, she was looking forward to the week after the celebrations. The nine-year-old was supposed to accompany her father, 34-year-old Kailash Mahto, her mother, Babita Devi, and two brothers, Mayank and Karan, from their cramped two-room hutment in Bihars Sitamarhi district to Ahmedabad. Mahto worked as tailor, stitching jeans at a private firm in Ahmedabad, and hoped to give his children a better future by educating them at a school in the Gujarat capital where teaching standards were far higher than the institutions which were back home in rural Bihar. He had returned home to celebrate Holi and the plan was to return to Ahmedabad after the holiday, this time with everyone in tow. She was supposed to start Class 5 the Brigadier Star School in Ahmedabad, an English-medium school where the monthly fees would have eaten substantially into Mahtos monthly salary of Rs 15,000. I would have enrolled my two sons also in good schools. Once educated, they would do well in life. We didnt study and so we have to wander here and there for livelihood, said Mahto. Nandini, who had never stepped outside her neighbourhood before or boarded a train, was eager to travel hundreds of kilometers away, spend more time with her father and see a new city. But that was not to be. Barely two days after she reached Ahmedabad on March 23, the government clamped a nationwide lockdown to arrest the spread of Covid-19. I didnt get to see anything of the city. Papa had said he would take me to a new big school, but I could not even see the building, she said. For almost two months, she and her family were cooped up in one room. With the factory closed, the family barely managed to eat two meals a day though the businessman Mahto worked for waived the rent for the room. However, Nandini felt suffocated as she was forbidden from stepping out of the house. Papa said due to the coronavirus, nobody should move out, the nine-year-old said. When on May 1, the government started trains for stranded migrant workers, the family felt relieved. Mahto borrowed money from his father and brother-in-law in Delhi to buy two tickets for himself and his wife at Rs 900 apiece the travel was free for their three children. On May 21, the family boarded the train from Ahmedabad station with Nandini having seen little of Ahmedabad except for one room and the railway platform. She was disappointed, but relieved that she was going back home after the ordeal. Now at a quarantine centre in Sonbarsa block of Sitamarhi, Nandini was recently told by her parents that they would not be returning to Ahmedabad. The move may hurt her ambitions of becoming a doctor, but her father is clear that he will not leave his native village even if he doesnt find a job there. Nandini wants to go back to her old school, Pavirti Shishu Public School, and meet her friends. But I dont know when the school will reopen. Here, we are in the quarantine centre and everything is closed, she said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Stormont leaders have warned that Covid-19 remains a threat and that "no one can afford to be complacent" as lockdown restrictions begin to ease. The First and Deputy First Ministers, Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill, appeared alongside Chief Constable Simon Byrne yesterday and urged the public to keep their focus. It comes as the Department of Health reported a further three Covid-19 related deaths in Northern Ireland yesterday, bringing the total to 504. More complete figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) have recorded 664 deaths up until May 15. Nearly half of the deaths recorded by Nisra have taken place in care homes. Across the UK the death toll has risen to 36,042, while in the Republic the current total is at 1,592. Mrs Foster also noted that Nisra figures indicated the death rate in Northern Ireland was lower than other regions at 26 per 100,000, compared to a figure of 46 in England and Wales, and 51 in Scotland. "Our success will depend on everyone being responsible, on thinking about others and respecting the social distancing and hygiene advice that is critical in keeping the virus spread low," she said. "Restoring liberties in the face of the deadly virus has been hard won, but we can win back even more freedoms if everyone remains patient, remains disciplined and remains focused on controlling the rate of infection. "In the absence of a vaccine, the threat from coronavirus is no less than it was when we had to implement the lockdown. "Covid-19 is still lurking, it thrives when people become complacent and it spreads when people become blase about public health advice, and it kills when people start acting as if the threat is no longer with us." Expand Close Michelle O'Neill PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michelle O'Neill Ms O'Neill also made clear that any deviation from the current efforts could risk a second wave of the virus. "We've said before that there is no relaxation of any measure without risk. That's why it's so important that our approach is cautious and incremental," she said. "Of course we don't want to be in a position where we reimpose any restrictions at a future point in time. "If we can help avoid that scenario then that's what we need to do." She added: "Our success will depend on everyone being responsible, on thinking about other and respecting the social distancing and hygiene advice that is critical in keeping the virus spread low." Answering some of the most common questions on the restrictions, she said those shielding at home could not yet go out to meet others, for their own safety. For others, she said travelling for exercise and to meet in a group of up to six people outside was allowed if done responsibly. Mr Byrne said anyone tempted to breach the rules should remember the very real consequences for loved ones. "So, think twice about 'do I really need to do this'. If I can't convince you and the [First and Deputy First Ministers] can't convince you, then can you go home and look your elderly parents in the eye and say, 'What I did, was that responsible, and was it reasonable?'" As the initial peak of the pandemic has slowed, Mr Byrne said the PSNI would refocus their efforts from fighting the virus to fighting crime by restoring neighbourhood policing. Mr Byrne warned that the PSNI would still be acting against large gatherings of people in breach of lockdown restrictions. He noted that the past nine weeks had seen an overall drop in crime figures, with the exception of domestic violence. He predicted that there would be a rise in "acquisitive crime" - burglaries and thefts - if the economy does not start to recover soon. Asked about proposals for quarantining travellers entering the UK, Mrs Foster said that the quarantine issue was a reserved matter for the UK Government alone to decide upon. She did welcome that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had agreed that the restrictions would not apply in the Common Travel Area between the UK and Ireland. "I think that is a generous move by the UK Government, and it's something I hope that the Republic of Ireland government will also implement so we can make sure people can travel across the British Isles." Meanwhile, the First and Ddeputy First Minister have written an open letter to the public thanking them for the personal sacrifices they have made during the Covid-19 crisis. Church steps in to help nearby mosque comply with German physical distancing rules by hosting part of its worshippers. A church in Germanys capital, Berlin, has helped a nearby mosque comply with physical distancing guidelines by hosting Friday prayers, in a move hailed as an amazing sign of solidarity. Places of worship reopened in the country earlier this month, but worshippers must maintain a minimum distance from one another of 1.5 metres (five feet). The Dar Assalam mosque in Berlins Neukoelln district, which sees hundreds of Muslims on Fridays, can only accommodate 50 people at a time under the guidelines issued to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The nearby Martha Lutheran church stepped in to help, hosting Muslim prayers in Arabic and German. These associations happen because of solidarity. The church saw how Muslims were suffering and asked us: Do you need space to pray? That is an amazing sign of solidarity in these times, said Mohamed Taha Sabry, the mosques imam. This pandemic has made us a community. Crises bring people get together, said the imam, who led his congregation in prayer watched over by a stained-glass window depicting the Virgin Mary. Samer Hamdoun, one of the Muslim worshippers, said the church environment took some time to get used to. It was a strange feeling because of the musical instruments, the pictures, said Hamdoun. But when you look, when you forget the small details, this is the House of God in the end. Closer together The churchs pastor, Monika Matthias, said she had felt moved by the Muslim call to prayer. I took part in the prayer, she said. I gave a speech in German. And during prayer, I could only say yes, yes, yes, because we have the same concerns and we want to learn from you. And it is beautiful to feel that way about each other. The pastor said the partnership was a community decision to do the best in times of coronavirus. This has brought us closer. Whether this partnership will go on and how it will go on, that is still open, but I think getting to know each other and what we have experienced together in this time is strengthening for whatever may lie ahead, she said. The Islamic Council, an umbrella group of 400 mosques, said in April that many face bankruptcy because the closures stretched into the holy fasting month of Ramadan, usually a vital period for donations. Realme Buds Air Neo is likely to be an affordable version of the Buds Air which launched last year. Realme has already confirmed a bunch of features of the new wearable. Realme is working on second-generation truly wireless earbuds, dubbed as Realme Buds Air Neo. The TWS earbuds is going to be officially announced on May 25. The company has already begun building hype around the product with a dedicated promo page on its India website. The page also gives away some key details about the design and features of the TWS earbuds. As pointed out by GSMArena, the Realme Buds Air Neo is seen without the silver ring which is found at the stem of Buds Air. The dual microphones arent there as well which means the wearable could skip the Environment Noise Cancellation (ENC) technology. According to the listing, Realme Buds Air Neo will feature 13mm Large Bass Boost Driver. The wearable is said to deliver 17-hour playback. The device will be available in three colour options green, red, and white. Other confirmed features are touch feature to control calls, music, voice assistant, and more. These are available on the Buds Air as well. Realme will showcase the Buds Air Neo on May 25 alongside Realme Watch and Realme TV. While theres no official word on the pricing, Realme Buds Air Neo is likely to be an affordable version of the Buds Air. According to a recent leak, Buds Air Neo will be priced at 2,999. Buds Air Neo will also compete with Pocos upcoming Poco Pop Buds which is going to be the companys first audio device. The Madras High Court on Saturday found fault with the authorities for not informing in advance about precautions taken for the burial of a doctor, who died of COVID-19 infection here, while granting bail to 12 people arrested in connection with the prevention of his interment. It observed that the accused obstructed the burial of the 55-year-old neurosurgeon fearing spread of the virus in their locality and that they would not have done so if the authorities had informed in advance about the precautions taken. Justice M Nirmal Kumar granted bail to the 12 accused in the case. On April 20, a mob falsely fearing that the burial of the remains may lead to the spread of contagion had attacked the corporation health employees and associates of the deceased doctor. The doctor's wife and son also had to leave the burial ground at Velangadu here in view of the violence. The body was brought to Velangadu as people of Kilpauk area had opposed his burial there. Over a dozen men involved allegedly in violence were arrested and remanded to judicial custody. "... if the authorities had informed in advance about the procedure of burial and the precaution measures followed by them, the residents apprehension about the spread of virus would have been dispelled and such protest would not have occurred. Further the burial was at odd hours," he observed. However, as a condition for bail, the court directed that the accused not to commit any offence of similar nature. Seeking bail, the accused submitted that they were local residents, living near the burial ground and were not educated and worldly wise. "On the date of occurrence, news spread among them that a body of person who died from Covid-19 is to be buried near their resident cemetery without taking any precautions, they apprehended the virus would spread and affect the local residents. When they sought an explanation, the authorities took the body to some other place," they said. Opposing the bail, the prosecution submitted that the officials were not allowed to discharge their duties and that the body of the doctor was not allowed to be buried at the Kilpauk cemetery. The officials were chased away. Despite the explanations given by the officials, the residents objected to the burial of the doctor's body at the crematorium and forced the officials to retreat with the remains. Their acts were offensive, he said. Mumbai, May 23 : Malayalam star Prithviraj Sukumaran is "pumped" up about getting back in shape. So, he has set up a mini gym in his quarantine room. The actor along with over 50-member cast and crew of the Malayalam film "Aaadujeevitham", was stranded at a desert camp in Jordan since March 12 following the COVID-19 outbreak. He recently returned to India on a special flight as part of the Centre's Vande Bharat Mission. Now, he is looking forward to getting back in shape. "When you're so pumped about getting back into shape that you have a mini gym set up in your quarantine room even before you arrive," Prithviraj wrote on Instagram. He also shared a photograph of gym equipment in his room. Earlier this week, he shared a picture of himself wearing a mask and gloves at the airport. "BACK! #OffToQuarantineInStyle," he wrote along with the picture. The actor made his debut in 2002 with the critically acclaimed Malayalam film "Nandanam". As a producer, he has backed several projects like "Indian Rupee", "Kadal Kadannu Oru Maathukutty", "Double Barrel" and "Anuraga Karikkin Vellam". In Bollywood, he has worked in the films "Aiyyaa" (2012), "Aurangzeb" (2013) and "Naam Shabana" (2017). The south central and Central Highland regions have witnessed a sharp decline in rainfall since the beginning of this year compared with the average. The water level in many irrigation and hydropower reservoirs have dropped to 20-60 percent of their designed capacity. Many small ones have even dried up. Drought and severe water shortage have occurred in some localities. A canal has dried up amid severe drought in the central region of Vietnam (Photo: VNA) The Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration has forecast that the heat will last until the end of August while water flow in the rivers will continue to decrease. It has also predicted the possibility of widespread drought and water scarcity, which will seriously affect the production activities and lives of local residents, particularly south central coastal provinces. To cope with the situation, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc told ministries, sectors and localities to take urgent measures to deal with it. The PM asked the Peoples Committees of Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan to dredge irrigation systems, canals, ponds and wells or build makeshift dams to store water. Water supply project should be sped up and pumping stations should be installed to ensure there would be enough water for local residents, schools, hospitals and health facilities. A campaign should be launched to guide people on storing water and using it effectively. Localities were requested to instruct relevant agencies to assess the water maintained at irrigation and hydropower reservoirs to have appropriate plans for water usage. Priority should be given to supplying water for peoples daily lives, animal husbandry and industrial crop cultivation of perennial trees. Localities were supposed to restructure cultivation and adjust crops based on water sources and capacity. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) was assigned to direct and support localities in carrying out measures against drought and saline intrusion. The ministry was also asked to work with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) and Vietnam Electricity (EVN), hydropower plants and localities in unifying plans to regulate water at reservoirs on each river basin to supplement water for downstream, serving agricultural production and peoples daily lives. The MONRE was directed to monitor the weather, increase forecasts and provide timely information on drought and salt water intrusion to serve production and proactively take measures to prevent and combat drought, water shortage and saltwater intrusion. The PM requested the MoIT to instruct the EVN to ensure the supply of electricity for production and local residents and coordinate with media agencies to raise awareness on energy saving, especially in the dry season. The Ministry of Finance was authorised to coordinate with the MARD in summing up localities request for support relating to drought water shortage and saltwater intrusion prevention and combat effort, and submit to the Prime Minister. The Ministry of Information and Communications, Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam Television, Vietnam News Agency and other media agencies were asked to strengthen campaigns to raise awareness on water and energy saving in response to drought and water shortage which might occur more often./. For long parts, northeastern state of Sikkim was COVID-19 free, but that has now changed after a person returning from Delhi tested positive for coronavirus, according to regional news site EastMojo. As per a report in EastMojo citing sources, the person was kept at the quarantine centre in Rabangla after he came back from the national capital. He was first tested after he began showing symptoms for the novel coronavirus. Later, his samples were sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) to confirm if he had contracted the disease. The test came out to be positive, EastMojo reported. So far, Sikkim was the only state in India that had zero cases of COVID-19. ANI The state government had earlier announced that schools and colleges will reopen on June 15. The decision was taken keeping in mind the importance of higher classes and board exams, Education Minister Kunga Nima Lepcha had said. Both government and private schools will resume for classes 9 to 12 by complying government's guidelines regarding Covid-19, the education minister told reporters according to PTI. On the opening of colleges and universities, Lepcha said that classes will be held in two shifts by duly adhering to social distancing and other guidelines. The annual examinations will be postponed to February 2021 so that the focus is more on studies, he said. The Kogi State governorship election petition tribunal on Saturday affirmed the election victory of Yahaya Bello at the November 16, 2019 gubernatorial polls. As earlier reported by Naija News, the election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja, Nigerias capital, dismissed the case filed against Governor Bello by Musa Wada, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigerias main opposition party. The three-man panel of judges, led by Justice Ibrahim Kaigama, after hours of delay, unanimously dismissed Musa Wadas petition for lack of merit and asked him to pay N500,000 as costs to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Independent National Election Commission (INEC) for his frivolous claims. Reacting to the tribunals ruling, Governor Yahaya Bello, in a statement by Onogwu Muhammed, his Chief Press Secretary, described the judgment as an affirmation of his landmark victory on November 16, 2019. He added that the ruling has given him more motivation to serve the people of Kogi State. The statement noted that: The rule of law once again came to the defense of democracy by affirming the collective will of the people, which was expressed on the 16th of November, 2019 when a vast, compelling majority of the electorate cast their votes for me to serve them for a second term. He added that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and all hands must be on deck to move Kogi State forward. It will be recalled Yahaya Bello, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled a total of 406,222 votes to emerge winner of the election and remain in office for a second term. Share this post with your Friends on Two vital bridges constructed by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) which will help in the faster movement of people and armed forces to the Indo-China border were on Saturday dedicated to the nation. The 50-metre-long Tawang Chhu Bridge constructed over Tawang Chhu river in Tawang district and the 45-metre-long Sukha Bridge across Sukha Nallah in West Kameng district were dedicated to the nation by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. "Both the bridges will allow faster movement of civilians and military towards the McMahon line," Khandu said. The chief minister lauded the BRO for securing the borders of the country and also providing employment and business opportunities to locals through their activities in constructing roads and bridges. Khandu dismissed fears of the locals on the possibility of transmission of COVID-19 in Arunachal Pradesh through the personnel of the central paramilitary forces, Army and the BRO. The forces have their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) which are being followed strictly, the chief minister said. Later in the day, the chief minister also inaugurated a police station at Jang, in presence of local MLA Tsering Tashi, the officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nigerian -pop star, Olamide Adedeji has signed an ambassadorial deal with the Smartphone brand, itel Mobile Naija News Understand that Smartphone brand, itel Mobile unveiled Afro-pop star, popularly known as Bado as its official brand ambassador. According to the smartphone company, the signing of the Shakiti Bobo crooner is informed by the brands desire to enhance consumer engagement and endear more fans to her community. Confirming and speaking on the new ambassadorial deal Olamide said, it feels very special working with a great brand that shares similar goals with you. This is more than a mere partnership, it is a relationship that would bring satisfaction and happiness to both our audience. I look forward to the great things we will do together in the days ahead. Share this post with your Friends on Puducherry: A 50-year-old private vehicle dealer was arrested at nearby Kalapet village on Tuesday for allegedly sexually abusing his two minor daughters. Balasubramanian had been sexually abusing the girls for the past few months, police said. The matter came to light after the girls narrated their ordeal to the staff of Childline during a counselling session at the school a few days back, they said. The girls, aged 13 and 14, were later produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) which recorded their statements and also of their mother. CWC, later, lodged a complaint with the police in Kalapet and a case was registered under section 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. The man was arrested on Tuesday and remanded to judicial custody, police added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Ramping up the stock market View(s): Sudden change of plans. The Sunday Times being printed early this week meant I would be missing the usual Thursday morning conversation at the gate of Kussi Amma Sera, Mabel Rasthiyadu and Serapina. No more listening to snatches of their conversation this week. Sudden change of plans. The Sunday Times being printed early this week meant I would be missing the usual Thursday morning conversation at the gate of Kussi Amma Sera, Mabel Rasthiyadu and Serapina. No more listening to snatches of their conversation this week. On this Wednesday morning, Kussi Amma Sera was preparing breakfast kiribath and katta sambol while she had already brought my morning tea into the office room as I prepared to write my column on the developments in the Colombo stock market. At that moment the phone rang. It was Koththamalli Fernando, the Kokatath Thailaya (oil for many ailments) expert who has a remedy for any issue, on the line. I was happy to take the call as I hadnt spoken to Koththamalli for a long time and it would be nice to listen to his herbal remedy of solving the COVID-19 crisis. Hello hello, I said greeting him. Hello, he replied, adding: Wanted to call you for many weeks but didnt have the time. What are your thoughts on the coronavirus pandemic? Does Ayurvedic medicine have an answer to this pandemic? I asked. Yes yes our village doctors should come up with some concoction as a cure. But this is not the reason for this call, he said. So what do you want to know, I asked. Well one of my friends who has a small business which has been affected by the pandemic applied for a loan to pay salaries to staff but there is a long delay in approving these loans which are part of the concessions offered by the government to affected businesses. Why is there a long delay? My friend is struggling to sustain his business, he said. From what I have learnt the banks have got thousands of applications and you are right, there is a delay. There seems to be some clarification required from the authorities as many of the applicants dont have any collateral to offer, I said. How can the government expect them to provide any collateral because their properties have already been pledged to banks for previously-acquired loans? he asked. We then discussed many issues pertaining to the many crises that the country is facing. One crisis is the stock market and the fact that it was shut for more than a month unlike stock markets in the rest of the world which quickly, amidst curfews and lockdowns, switched to online trading. The fact that the Colombo Stock Exchange was closed for a long time and only opened last week was criticised by many in the trade. Other auctions like the Colombo Tea Auction and the Coconut Auctions swiftly moved to online trading after 1-2 weeks of non-trading. The stock exchange is perceived as a barometer of confidence in a countrys economy. Thus to most foreign and local investors, the market closure for nearly two months for the first time in its history was a bad decision by the CSE and affected its reputation while the regulatory body, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), did not intervene to get it started. As the Business Times reported last week, the stock market closure during the crisis was a badly managed affair. Thomas Hugger, CEO Asia Frontier Capital told the Business Times, in our report last week, that it is difficult to understand why the market was not being operated remotely like many other exchanges in the region or in the world. Hopefully, the management of the CSE has learned from this and will have a better contingency plan in the future. Another institutional investor, Mattias Martinsson, CEO and CIO of Tundra Fonder in Stockholm said the closure will certainly hamper future investments in Sri Lanka from emerging market funds. Foreign investors will require a higher risk premium and will be more careful on their allocation to the CSE, he was quoted as saying. Such comments are not at all encouraging to potential foreign investors seeking to invest in equity markets in this part of the world. For the record, the CSE had 290 companies representing 20 key industry groups as at January 2020, with a market capitalisation of Rs. 2,748 billion. When the market re-opened on Monday, May 11, after the long closure, share prices fell sharply and the CSE had to apply the brakes on sinking prices, announcing a halt in trading on three occasions to prevent the benchmark S&P SL20 index from falling below 10 per cent. The fall in share prices meant billions of rupees worth of share value being wiped out. The same situation occurred on Tuesday with a halt in trading called until the index recovered. By the end of the week, Rs. 61.7 billion worth of share value had been lost due to nervy trading by local and foreign investors, many of whom wanted to exit the market, uncertain of the future. During the week, the SEC and the CSE formed a joint committee to restore some order. It is hoped that, as mandated, this committee will fix the issues of digitalised trading and be right up there with other global exchanges in having an active and vibrant online trading platform. Latest reports and advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) are that the COVID-19 pandemic could be here for a longer spell than first anticipated and the UN agency is also urging countries to be cautious in relaxing curfews and lockdowns. A second wave of infections in many of the affected countries hasnt been ruled out, the more reason why the UN health agency is expressing concern. This is another reason why the CSE with the support of the SEC needs to lift its game and actively explore an online trading platform and make it work. One of the reasons why this didnt happen is that brokers had client settlement issues to deal with since there were curfews on and most banks had restricted trading hours, this was a problem. Thats a feeble excuse since much of the economic activity like the tea auction, rubber auction and the coconut auction would have had similar issues but they found ways to circumvent these problems. If Sri Lanka is to attract foreign investment though this year would be a difficult year a well-oiled stock market is a measure of confidence to investors with highest standards maintained to ensure non-stop trading even when crises like these occur. On Tuesday, turnover at the stock market was Rs. 1.2 billion while the S&P SLS20 gained by 2.11 per cent to 1,886.65 points and the ASPI was up 2.04 per cent to 4,701.03 on Tuesday. While the market seems to have recovered this week after its devastating 2-day run last week, the stock market regulators and the CSE need to wake up and ensure a market that fits other trading patterns in the world. As I sipped my second cup of tea and was winding up this column, I was alerted by a friend to a catchy Konkani baila song titled Ami Dogi Sezara that has gone viral over social media. You can catch it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlByMBfdgNg if you like. Konkani baila originates from the Indian city of Goa and was introduced by the Portuguese invaders. Here in Sri Lanka, it has been popularised by the Batticaloa Burghers. One thing was clear during the COVID-19 lockdown: There has been a lot of lovely music and original compositions, many COVID-19-related that have helped to ease the boredom in homes during the lockdown. Music has indeed been a saviour in these trying times. A revised government advisory on Friday recommended use of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive medication for asymptomatic healthcare workers working in non-COVID-19 hospitals, frontline staff on surveillance duty in containment zones and paramilitary/police personnel involved in coronavirus infection-related activities. As was mentioned in the earlier advisory, the drug against the infection is also recommended for all asymptomatic healthcare workers involved in containment and treatment of COVID-19 and household contacts of laboratory confirmed cases. Track live updates on coronavirus here The revised advisory issued by the ICMR, however, cautioned that the intake of the medicine should not instill a sense of false security. Read: CQ, hydroxychloroquine can't be used to fight COVID-19, they actually increase chances of death: New study The recommendation was made after the Joint Monitoring Group under the Chairmanship of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and including representatives from AIIMS, ICMR, National Centre for Disease Control, National Disaster Management Authority, WHO and experts drawn from central government hospitals reviewed the prophylactic use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in the context of expanding it to healthcare and other frontline workers deployed in non-COVID-19 and COVID-19 areas. Also Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases Three new categories ---all asymptomatic healthcare workers working in non-COVID hospitals/areas of COVID hospitals/blocks, asymptomatic frontline workers such as surveillance workers deployed in containment zones and paramilitary/police personnel involved in COVID-19 related activities ---have now been included. According to the revised advisory, at NIV, Pune, the report of the in-vitro testing of HCQ for antiviral efficacy showed reduction of infectivity and log reduction in viral RNA copy of SARs-CoV2. The drug is contraindicated in persons with known case of retinopathy, hypersensitivity to HCQ and cardiac rhythm disorders, it said. The drug is not recommended for prophylaxis in children under 15 years of age and in pregnancy and lactation, the advisory said. COVID-19 Pandemic Tracker: 15 countries with the highest number of coronavirus cases, deaths Rarely the drug causes cardiovascular side effects such as cardiomyopathy and rhythm (heart rate) disorders, it said. "In that situation the drug needs to be discontinued. The drug can rarely cause visual disturbance including blurring of vision which is usually self-limiting and improves on discontinuation of the drug," the revised advisory said. The drug has to be given under strict medical supervision with an informed consent, it stated. The National Task force (NTF) for COVID-19 constituted by the ICMR reviewed the use of HCQ for prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection for high risk population based on the emerging evidence on its safety and efficacy. The data on assessment of HCQ prophylaxis among 1,323 healthcare workers indicated mild adverse effects such as nausea (8.9 per cent), abdominal pain (7.3 per cent), vomiting (1.5 per cent), hypoglycemia (1.7 per cent) and cardio-vascular effects (1.9 per cent), the advisory said. However, as per the data from the Pharma covigilance programme of India, there have been 214 reported instances of adverse drug reactions associated with prophylactic HCQ use, it said. Of these, seven were serious individual case safety reports with prolongation of QT interval on ECG in three cases, it added. Highlighting the studies on prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the advisory stated that a retrospective case-control analysis at ICMR has found that there is a significant dose-response relationship between the number of prophylactic doses taken and frequency of occurrence of SARSCoV-2 infection in symptomatic healthcare workers who were tested for coronavirus infection. Another investigation from three central government hospitals in New Delhi indicates that amongst healthcare workers involved in COVID-19 care, those on HCQ prophylaxis were less likely to develop SARS-CoV-2 infection, compared to those who were not on it. The benefit was less pronounced in healthcare workers caring for a general patient population. Besides, an observational prospective study of 334 healthcare workers at AIIMS, out of which 248 took HCQ prophylaxis in New Delhi also showed that those taking HCQ prophylaxis had lower incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection than those not taking it. According to the advisory, the drug has to be given only on the prescription of a registered medical practitioner and it is advised to consult with a physician for any adverse event or potential drug interaction before initiation of medication, it said. Front line workers should use PPEs in accordance with the guidelines issued by the health ministry and they should be advised to consult their physician (within their hospital/surveillance team/security organisation) for any adverse event or potential drug interaction before initiation of medication, the advisory said. If anyone becomes symptomatic while on prophylaxis, he/she should immediately contact the health facility, get tested as per national guidelines and follow the standard treatment protocol, it said. Apart from the symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, breathing difficulty), if the person on chemoprophylaxis develops any other symptoms, he should immediately seek medical treatment from the prescribing medical practitioner, it said. All asymptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases should remain in home quarantine as per the national guidelines, even if they are on prophylactic therapy, the advisory added. May 21 Warrant Search At two Burson residences CCSO Evidence Photo View Photo San Andreas, CA Local narcotics enforcement and probation investigators teamed up to bust three felons at two residences on multiple drugs and weapons charges. Calaveras Sheriffs spokesperson Sgt. Greg Stark tells Clarke Broadcasting that the County Narcotics Enforcement Unit coordinated efforts with the Probation Office to simultaneously search two residences yesterday. The former served a search warrant in the 12000 block of Cheyenne Drive in Burson where they located a rifle, a loaded shotgun, four loaded handguns, a stun gun and ammunition along with 3.4 pounds of processed marijuana, 5.2 grams of methamphetamine, 14 methamphetamine smoking pipes, and items associated with drug sales. The recovered rifle was an AR15 style weapon that did not appear to have been commercially manufactured and did not have serial numbers. Stark details that the recovered rifle was an AR15 style weapon that did not appear to have been commercially manufactured and did not have serial numbers, adding that investigators also found and seized two suspected stolen trailers and a suspected stolen all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Arrested on the scene was 42-year-old Burson resident Joseph Lee Fisher. He was charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; possession of controlled substances and marijuana for sale along with misdemeanor charges of altering a VIN number, possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal fireworks, and a stun gun. Booked into the Calaveras County Jail with a bail of $85,000, Fisher was released last night after posting bail. Probation officers and deputies at the same time searched another Burson residence in the 11000 block of Arapaho Drive in Burson. They found and seized Xanax pills without an associated prescription, a revolver, ammunition, two methamphetamine smoking pipes, 7.3 grams of meth, .7 grams of heroin, drug sales-related articles, and loaded syringes containing heroin and meth. Stark says 31-year-old Zachary Day and 47-year-old Brandy Rachell Felts-Patelzick, both Burson residents, were arrested on scene. He was booked into jail on charges of revocation of supervision, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possessing a stolen firearm, and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Day was also wanted on a felony warrant out of Stanislaus County. As he is not eligible under the Covid-19 zero bail judicial order, he is being held without bail. Felts-Patelzick, who was booked and released, faces felony charges of probation violation and felon in possession of ammunition as well as misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Once the facilities are able to operate safely for four weeks and get acclimated to new requirements, they will be allowed to expand to larger group sizes but not their full capacities, Pritzker said. Room limits for child care centers then would be adjusted to eight for infants, 12 for toddlers, 12 for 2-year-olds, and 15 for children ages 3 and older. Government, opposition condemn China plans for new HK security laws ROC Central News Agency 05/22/2020 04:52 PM Taipei, May 22 (CNA) Taiwan's government and leading opposition party spoke out Friday against plans by the Chinese government to enact new national security laws in Hong Kong. At a press conference Thursday, Chinese officials announced that the National People's Congress, China's Legislature, would review a bill "on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to safeguard national security." While the text of the legislation has yet to be released, Chinese state media signaled that it will provide legal grounds for the central government to intervene against activities in Hong Kong it deems subversive to state power. In response, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Friday that the proposed legislation demonstrates the Chinese government's inability to reflect on the true causes of dissatisfaction in Hong Kong, as it instead seeks to blame its problems on foreign interference and independence activists. Alex Huang (), a spokesperson for Taiwan's Presidential Office, called on Beijing to respect Hong Kongers' legitimate democratic aspirations and to enter into dialogue with them, rather than further restricting their freedoms. Both of Taiwan's major political parties also issued statements condemning the legislation. Hung Yu-chien (), a spokesperson for the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), said Taiwanese people across party lines are concerned about the situation in Hong Kong and called on Beijing to respect the region's autonomy. The proposed legislation will bypass Hong Kong's Legislature and violate the Sino-British Joint Declaration's guarantee of autonomy for the region, Hung went on, adding that Hong Kong people's distrust of Beijing, which led to major protest movements in 2014 and 2019, would only be exacerbated by the plans. As far as the KMT is concerned, the Republic of China (Taiwan's formal name) is a sovereign country, and the "one country, two systems" model espoused by China is absolutely not on the table, Hung said. The governing Democratic Progressive Party, meanwhile, said the plans made it possible that anyone in Hong Kong could end up as the next Lee Ming-che (), and "declared again to the world that 'one country, two systems' is dead." Lee, a Taiwanese pro-democracy activist, disappeared in March 2017 after entering China from Macau and was subsequently jailed for "subverting state power." In an opening address to the People's Congress on Friday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang () said the country would continue to oppose Taiwan independence and promote reunification with China. (By Yu Hsiang, Wen Kuei-hsiang and Matthew Mazzetta) Enditem/AW NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Illegal migrants in thousands from Pakistan are using the route of Bosnia and Herzegovina to make a back door entry to European Union (EU), according to a report in The Times, London. "Thousands of Pakistani migrants appear to be using a back door through Bosnia and Herzegovina to reach the EU, creating a political and diplomatic crisis in the fractured Balkan country," the report said, adding that Bosnia has turned into a bottleneck on the people-smuggling route into Europe in recent years, with more than 9,200 people who entered the country illegally stuck there as they try to cross into Croatia. The Bosnian border force claims that 3,000 Pakistani citizens have been fraudulently granted visas through the countrys embassy in Islamabad, enabling them to cut out a big part of the 4,000-mile people-smuggling route from Pakistan into Europe, according to the report. It said: "To reach Bosnia, Pakistani migrants would normally have to travel overland through Iran, Turkey, Greece, Albania and Macedonia in the hands of traffickers, spending weeks and thousands of pounds in the process and risking arrest, attacks by criminals and even death. With a visa, however, they can fly from Pakistan to Sarajevo, cross the border into Croatia, an EU member, and continue their journey north on the smuggling routes." The report said despite crackdowns over the past five years by Europol the traffickers still openly tout their business. "One Urdu-language group on Facebook offers Bosnian visas with a phone number that customers can contact via Whatsapp, while another offers a route from Bosnia to Italy by taxi, warning that it is a 'harsh' journey to attempt on foot," the report said. The report said the allegations of the Bosnian forces are backed by the UN refugee agency. "They show that only about 100 Pakistani migrants arrived in Bosnia in January 2019, but that the numbers started rising sharply in the following months, even though the numbers of arrivals of other nationalities remained constant," it said. "There was then a sharp increase in arrivals of Pakistanis in July last year, with more than 2,000 arriving that month compared with fewer than 1,000 in June. After that the numbers dropped off slightly and then fell sharply again after October," it said. The Bosnian state prosecutor has opened an investigation into the countrys embassy in Islamabad, while Fahrudin Radoncic, the security minister, has seized on the allegations as evidence of a security threat, according to The Times report. Radoncic, the report said, has been pushing to pass a law that would enable all irregular migrants, apart from Syrians, to be deported from Bosnia. Last month he threatened to make the Pakistani ambassador to Bosnia persona non grata if he refused to co-operate, it said. Sakib Foric, the Bosnian ambassador to Pakistan, has denied the allegations, and said that the Pakistani government was willing to repatriate its citizens if they are proved to be true. Bisera Turkovic, the foreign minister, and Sefik Dzaferovic, the president for the Bosniak part of the country, have also backed Mr Foric and the Pakistani ambassador. According to Geneva-headquartered The Global Initiative, which comprises a network of over 500 independent global and regional experts working on human rights, democracy, governance, and development issues, since 2018, around 60 000 refugees and migrants have registered temporarily Bosnia. "Why are so many migrants now being smuggled through Bosnia and Herzegovina? What has changed in the past five years to bring about this shift? How organized is this criminal activity, who is involved and what are the routes?" it asks. It underlined the following key points: Smuggling routes historically used to transport fuel, cigarettes and livestock are today popular paths used by migrants to cross the borders into and out of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Border fences erected in the region (e.g. on the HungarianSerbian border) triggered a shift in migrant routes. Border police are understaffed and lack the technology needed to secure the border. Migrants who end up in Bosnia and Herzegovina find it increasingly difficult to move on, particularly to cross the border into Croatia. Conditions in the migrant camps have been poor and overcrowding widespread. Vulnerable migrants turn to smugglers to help them continue their journey to the European Union. Closing the Balkan route may have reduced the number of refugees and migrants entering the EU, but it is increasing pressure on Bosnia and Herzegovina. War Machine can never catch a break. First, the initial actor who was supposed to play him all throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Terrence Howard, gets pushed out of the series. Then, when doing what he thought was right in the Team Cap/Team Iron Man fight, he is critically injured after getting caught in friendly fire. Is it any wonder hes mad? Actually, that doesnt really explain why he was mad at Steve Rogers in Captain America: Civil War, but such an explanation is not hard to find. Marvel fans have been revisiting the movies, and they have thoughts about the fight that tore the Avengers asunder. What happened in Civil War? Don Cheadle | Amy Sussman/Getty Images RELATED: War Machine Was More Than Just Iron Mans Sidekick, and Fans Want Him Back To understand why Rhodey was mad, its important to set the context. Captain America: Civil War is largely about the fallout from Avengers: Age of Ultron, when the heroes went to the fictional country of Sokovia to fight Ultron. They won the day, but caused a lot of collateral damage, and many innocent bystanders died. Tony Stark was taking this especially hard, after a grieving mother whose son died in Sokovia blames Tony for her sons death. Tony comes to believe the Avengers need to be put in check and promotes accords that would give government oversight to the team. Steve, still smarting from the revelation that the trusted SHIELD was infested by Hydra, does not trust this move, saying the safest hands are still our own. Complicating matters is the fact that Steve is still trying to protect Bucky, who is recovering from his brainwashing as the Winter Soldier, and who has been wrongly accused of killing Black Panthers father. The Avengers divide into factions: Team Captain America, with Sam, Bucky, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, and Ant-Man; and Team Iron Man with War Machine, Vision, Black Widow, Black Panther and new recruit Spider-Man. What do fans say about War Machine and Captain America? When Steve Rogers initially tries to take custody of Bucky, its War Machine who goes after him, and when he apprehends him, he tells Steve sternly, Congratulations, Cap. Youre a criminal. Harsh words from a supposed friend, so on Reddit, a topic-starter asks Was Rhodey disappointed by Caps actions or simply doing what the Accords demanded? One fan said: I mean look at it this way. Another countrys military goes after a wanted criminal and captain America interferes and stops them. That is how it looked to the world. Even if Bucky is truly innocent, what Capt did was stupid and one of the worst things at the time. Just caused more trouble for The Avengers, which they literally had the world already wanting them to be in checkand Capt just kinda proved them right in a way. Another fan got to the heart of the matter, pointing out that Rhodey is a colonel in the military, and that puts him in the frame of mind of siding with authority. The key difference between Rhodey and the other heroes is that Rhodey is a commissioned colonel in the US military who is in active duty doing his job he doesnt get to act on his philosophies and ponder right from wrong like the others.Hes a classic Lawful Good to contrast Tonys Chaotic Good; he just wants peace and order and to do his duty. What finally happened to War Machine? RELATED: War Machine Is Now the MCU Character that Has Taken the Longest to Get a Solo Movie Of course, things got even worse for Rhodey in the battle at the airport in Germany. War Machine is in the air and Falcon is after him. Tony tells vision to target Falcons jetpack and turn him into a glider. But Falcon dodges Visions blast which hits War Machine instead, knocking out his flight capabilities. He plummets to the ground, and the crash leaves him paralyzed. Of course, he lives on to fight another day against Thanos and his forces, being one of the heroes not taken by the snap. One could argue that War Machines injury was the end of his story some fans consider that unjust, which is part of why they push for a War Machine movie and/or Disney+ series. Rhodey might well be back in some way or other in a future MCU project, even if its not his own Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said East Bexar County residents can expect to see a flurry of activity from deputies as they continue to hunt for suspects in recent shootings and document gang members in the area. The sheriffs Friday progress report included the number of novel coronavirus cases at the jail. Since Thursday, 30 inmates have recovered from COVID-19 , bringing the number of inmates testing positive to 96. Salazar said 85 of the inmates with the virus are asymptomatic. Were doing the right thing to continue to get these folks get through the illness, Salazar said from inside BCSOs mobile command center setup near Walzem and Gibbs Sprawl roads. Out of 200 inmates tested in last couple of days, only four were positive. According to Salazar, 23 deputies are showing signs of the virus and 46 deputies have recovered and returned to work. There are still 248 inmates awaiting transfer to the Texas Department of Corrections when that operation resumes, he added. Salazar said deputies arrested Dajuon Shykief Wannamaker, 23,who is accused of shooting at a home in the 8700 block of Glen Mont Drive on May 12. Wannamaker went to the home looking for someone the current residents said no longer lived there, Salazar said. He then went to his 1995 Toyota Camry and fired several shots at the home before driving away, investigators said. No one was injured. Deputies arrested him Friday at 9511 Perrin Beitel and he has since been charged with deadly conduct with a firearm. Salazar said they recovered the weapon used in the shooting. Wannamaker was the second suspect arrested since the operation began. The first suspect arrested Tuesday was Taron Larry Bowie, 23, accused of shooting two men on May 13 after they met up with him to buy an Xbox in the 6600 block of Lake View Drive. Salazar said deputies are also investigating a drive-by shooting at a cemetery Thursday in the 7600 block of Gibbs Sprawl. At least two suspects fired shots at about two dozen mourners, investigators said. The mourners told investigators that the same thing happened last year. Sure enough, yesterday was the decedents birthday and it was known that (family) were going to be there celebrating his life and these people took it as an opportunity to go out and intimidate folks, Salazar said. The shooting was gang-related, he said. Salazar reported that deputies have recovered high-powered weapons during traffic stops in the area over the past several days. Its an issue out here, but were not going anywhere until we cool it off a bit, Salazar said. Deputies are still looking for suspects suspects in other shootings, including another drive-by that occurred May 15 in the 6600 block of Steep Drive. No one was injured in that shooting. Salazar said he hopes several other law enforcement agencies will be joining the operation and said announcements would be made over the next several days. Salazar said anyone with information in these incidents may call the sheriffs office at 210-335-6000 or Crime Stoppers at 210-224-7867. Jacob Beltran is a reporter covering San Antonio and Bexar County. To read more from Jacob, become a subscriber. jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA Even as scientists around the world race to develop treatments for Covid-19, New York has become the centre of a parallel effort to investigate an unnerving aspect of the outbreak: an illness that is sickening a small but growing number of children. The ailment has now been reported in at least 161 children in New York. Hundreds of other children across the US and Europe have also been sickened with the illness, now called multisystem inflammatory syndrome. The syndrome can be characterised by severe inflammation of the heart, blood vessels, the gastrointestinal tract or other organs, ... As a nation and a society, we found ourselves not fully prepared for the sudden global pandemic of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. One of many ways that our society is struggling to keep up is for the public to understand basic concepts about medication and how to battle this new virus. We heard about the couple in Arizona who drank a fish tank cleaner designed to kill parasites in fish aquariums. This was somehow blamed on President Donald Trump even though the wife is alleged to be a Democrat donor, not a Trump fan. There are some basic concepts that professionals take for granted that everyone knows. Apparently, some things should be better explained. Your author reviewed these issues with doctors, including a preeminent physician among the top ten finalists for the Nobel in medicine. First, no one should take medication without being screened by his physician and advised to take it. Too much criticism about COVID-19 is based on the assumption that everyone might run out and start popping hydroxychloroquine pills like candy. President Donald Trump recently announced that he has been taking hydroxychloroquine together with zinc supplements for almost two weeks now. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, always classy, then called Trump "morbidly obese" as a risk factor and gave her medical advice that the medication would be dangerous for Trump. But medications that are not over the counter require a doctor's prescription. A physician evaluates a patient and screens for risk factors, allergies to medications, and other "contraindications." In Trump's case, the White House physician, Sean Connolly not Pelosi would decide if Trump's weight argues against the medication or whether hydroxychloroquine makes sense in decreasing the president's chance of coronavirus infection. For every drug or therapy, the medical community identifies "indications" signs that it may benefit a patient. But there are also "contraindications." Those are times when a pill or shot should be avoided because of likely adverse side-effects in spite of possible benefits. In pharmacology, this is the "benefit/risk ratio." These are individualized decisions. It is not a "do it yourself" project. Second, we should not be looking for only one solution. Doctors need to select the best medication for each individual, often trying one and then trying another. The antiviral remdesivir looks the most promising at the moment. We would celebrate that great news if remdesivir is unequivocally proven. But we should hope to have several treatments that allow physicians to select the best answer for each individual patient, at different stages of the disease, different symptoms, and different severity. We should not be looking to shut down any lines of research. Remdesivir is an antiviral that targets specifically an enzyme in the viral genome (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase; RdRp). Directly targeting the virus would seem to be the most rational approach, rather than treating the subsequent inflammatory responses caused by the virus. Also, remdesivir has fewer risks than hydroxychloroquine for severe side-effects. Hydroxylchloroquine is an anti-rheumatoid drug, often used when combined with the antibacterial azithromycin (AZT, or Z-pack). It can fight inflammation and/or help transport zinc into cells, which reduces viral reproduction. Other medications being worked on are targeting completely different phases of COVID-19, such as trying to treat the "cytokine storm," which happens in many of the most severe infections. COVID-19 often produces only moderate flu-like symptoms, but sometimes it generates a catastrophic collapse, sometimes unexpectedly. It is believed that a cascading overreaction of the immune system can causes mass death of cells, including in the sensitive tissues of the lungs, leading to death by oxygen starvation. Researchers are hoping to directly target the genesis of a cytokine storm, which should blunt the worst symptoms of the disease. Third, treatment is not "set it and forget it." Even with the best decisions, a patient may not respond as expected; monitoring and making changes are what the treating physicians do. Medications can affect different people differently. Some people actually experience an opposite effect compared to other people. Some have allergies. Genetic differences can change how people respond to any medication. Fourth, we are seeing a steady march forward of clinical trials. These are being rushed because of the worldwide crisis against what would normally be a 12- to 24-month timeline. These accelerated efforts involve smaller study groups seeking quicker partial answers than would normally be used. Our modern culture is impatient for quick answers. As is to be expected in quick, small trials, results can be controversial. But one purpose of such clinical trials is to discover when in the life cycle of a disease a treatment might help, and under what circumstances. So does a drug prevent a disease from becoming severe? Or can it beat back a disease that has already flared up with the worst symptoms? There is a serious concern when sometimes the worst symptoms of COVID-19 dramatically overwhelm a patient, leading quickly to death. One drug may be able to prevent the disease from getting bad in the first place. A different drug might (or might not) be able to pull a victim back from COVID-19's final death spiral. It is the wrong question to ask if a drug is a "one-size-fits-all" therapy under all circumstances. In clinical trials we hear criticism of bad results with some patients. But that's what doctors do in cooperation with medical researchers. Clinical trials help improve our understanding of who should take which drug and who should avoid which drug. Doctors informed by this growing body of research decide who should get a prescription and who shouldn't. There are reasons why a doctor's prescription is required. This is not just "make work" to make doctors practice their handwriting. Some people are not the right candidates for a particular drug. Fifth, medications are actually complicated. Virtually all drugs exhibit no effect in some people, are beneficial in most patients, and can be toxic to an unfortunate subset of people. Therefore, early quick and sloppy trials might not be able to delineate all the nuances of any test drug. We hear that patients are pulled from some study due to adverse reactions. This information can help physicians in prescribing a balance of several medications, taken together and at the right dosage. Sixth, there has been confusion about the word "cure." Our information so far is that COVID-19 runs its course, on its own, in apparently 2 to 8 weeks. We don't talk about a "cure" for the flu. We just manage it until the body's immune system defeats the infection. The real challenge is whether symptoms become so severe that the body cannot overcome the virus so that the patient dies before the immune system can win the battle. Therefore, treating symptoms matters. If the body can be protected and strengthened from the worst effects of the disease, the body will gain the time and resilience to kill the infection on its own. Some treatments might not be a "cure," but still very important. Even as the government has started Shramik Special trains to ferry migrant workers to their native states, there are thousands of workers who are facing difficulties in reaching their native places in other states. In the thick of the dark, thousands of migrant workers, including women and children, jump into river Yamuna with worn out tubes tasked with saving their lives, as they quietly attempt to cross over into Uttar Pradesh from Haryana. Yamuna doubles up as the border between the two states on a 70 kilometre stretch in Saharanpur. The river also marks UPs border with Haryana in Shamli and Baghpat districts. After heightened vigil at state borders, migrants taking another risk of dangerously crossing river. Video of migrants trying to enter Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh from Haryana by crossing Yamuna river on water tubes. pic.twitter.com/kKRAHXAjoi Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) May 19, 2020 Saharanpur divisional commissioner, Sanjay Kumar, told The Times of India that "close to 3,000 people could be doing this every night, at great risk to themselves and their families. They pay between Rs 200-300 to use the worn out tubes, which are already in bad shape and might burst any moment putting the lives of those holding it in the middle of the river in jeopardy." Recently, three people were arrested in Saharanpur for allegedly facilitating migrant workers crossover in lieu of money. There are strict instructions that only those medically screened be allowed in the state. However, there are thousands of workers who have not gone under the mandatory process and are trying to cross over, even if it is life-threatening. .@VijaytaL and I walked down the Yamuna in Delhi and found hundreds and hundreds of migrant workers lying abandoned and hungry. No food served for two days, they say. This, 10 km from the offices of Indias prime minister and Delhis chief minister https://t.co/eE0p0FuhmU Supriya Sharma (@sharmasupriya) April 15, 2020 Bordering Haryana and Uttarakhand, the movement of migrants in Saharanpur is high. Many from states like Punjab and even Kashmir take this route, the report says. Workers say they are crossing the river at night to avoid daytime heat. The water level is low in peak summer and before monsoon, which is why workers are resorting to crossing it. Kayleigh McEnany is only 32 and has been the White House press secretary for just six weeks, but shes already proving herself to be one of the best press secretaries in remembered history. This is impressive considering that, in following Sarah Huckabee, she has had big shoes to fill. Over and over, when Democrat party operatives disguised as journalists try to catch her with gotcha questions, McEnany comes back at them with facts. On Friday, McEnany hit the White House press corp with a homework assignment intended to get them to direct some of their questions to Obama. McEnanys gift is that, like Trump himself, shes a happy warrior. Shes never unprepared, shes never angry, and she never has the cornered quality of a trapped rat. No matter what the question, shes got a sunny answer that throws shade on the angry, smug people assembled in the White House press room. With a few exceptions, these people are neither reporters nor journalists as those terms are understood. Instead, theyre political operatives trying to frame a narrative. McEnany understands this and denies them opportunities. For those who were paying attention, McEnany was already showing her chops back in 2016. Ignore the obscene rap music that ends this video and just enjoy the way McEnany handles an enraged leftist: I was looking for this amazing #thuglife video of @kayleighmcenany on youtube to share in a comment on @thedonaldreddit. To my surprise (I'm not surprised) YouTube had removed it. So I'm uploading it to my Twitter account for historical purposes. pic.twitter.com/zMTd8QoWm2 spanglevision (@spanglevision) November 4, 2019 Most people, though, are like me and try not to waste time watching CNN. We only figured out that McEnany was something special when she fielded a gotcha question about her support for Trump. She threw that issue right back at the dishonest media and their habit of playing mean girl politics rather than doing actual reporting: McEnany, asked about her 2015 comments that Trump's remarks on Mexican immigrations were "racist," says this was because "I was watching CNN and I was naively believing some of the headlines." She says there's now "no questioning" that she supports Trump https://t.co/9T8aUPjUrs pic.twitter.com/9BFgjewgFx CBS News (@CBSNews) May 8, 2020 In one press conference after another, McEnany shows this factual mastery and emotional resilience. She did it again on Friday when she told the assembled media that it was high time they pretended to act like real journalists. Thus, when asked, yet again, about Michael Flynn, McEnany instead suggested that the press might want to start asking Obama some questions about the terrible things his administration did to General Flynn. She even had prepared slides to help them understand what they need to do: .@PressSec brought slides to the press briefing with a series of questions "any good journalist would want to answer about why people were unmasked" by the Obama administration. pic.twitter.com/yWsr6xFsDd Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 22, 2020 The questions she proposed were as follows: Why did the Obama administration use opposition research, funded by a political organization and filled with foreign dirt, to spy on members of the Trump campaign? Why was Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn unmasked by Obamas chief of staff, Joe Biden, Susan Rice, and others? Why was Flynns identity leaked a criminal act to the press? Why did the DOJ learn about the FBIs interest in Flynns conversations with the Russian Amb. from a conversation with Obama in the Oval Office? Why did James Clapper, John Brennan, Samantha Power and Susan Rice privately admit under oath that they had no evidence of collusion while saying the opposite publicly? Having given the media an assignment for the long weekend, the redoubtable Kayleigh McEnany closed her folder and walked away. Shes schooling the White House media and, because shes obviously a good teacher, they might even learn to be actual reporters rather than party hacks. They've been in lockdown for weeks at their home in New York City, amid the coronavirus pandemic. And on Friday, Hugh Jackman, 51, and wife Deborra-Lee Furness, 64, stepped out with their daughter Ava, 14, to grab some groceries. The trio cut casual figures and wore face masks and disposable gloves on the outing, and were seen carrying up bags of food into their apartment. Picking up the essentials? Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-Lee Furness wore face masks as they went grocery shopping with daughter Ava, 14, in New York on Friday Wolverine actor Hugh cut a casual figure in a grey longsleeve top and navy trousers, that he paired with blue sneakers. Actress Deborra-Lee wore a black jumpsuit, black sneakers and a trendy beige hat. Their daughter Ava wore a red hoodie and a pair of white pyjama pants, which featured pictures of cookies and milk. Trendy: Actress Deborra-Lee wore a black jumpsuit, black sneakers and a trendy beige hat Trying times: They've been in lockdown for weeks at their home in New York City, amid the coronavirus pandemic Cosy: Their daughter Ava wore a red hoodie and a pair of white pyjama pants, which featured pictures of cookies and milk Speaking to WHO Magazine earlier this month, Hugh said that he's worried for his children amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hugh and Deborra-Lee share two adopted children together, Ava and son Oscar, 20. 'I mainly worry for my kids right now. I'm not scared for myself,' he told the publication. 'I am worried about them, their mental state, school, not being around friends and the disruption,' he added. Concerned: Speaking to WHO Magazine earlier this month, Hugh said he's 'worried' for his kids amid the coronavirus pandemic Family: Hugh and Deborra-Lee share two adopted children together, daughter Ava and son Oscar, 20 Hugh compared NYC to a 'post-apocalyptic movie', adding that the once-bustling city was 'tranquil and bizarrely empty'. The Australian star is trying to keep up a regular routine by meditating daily, as he takes six months off work. He is also using his home as a makeshift theatre while rehearsing for his upcoming return to Broadway. Hugh also told the publication he was talking to his neighbours more while walking his dogs around the streets of New York. 'People seem to have more time, and the optimist in me hopes that'll continue, and there'll be a shared sense of community when it's over,' he said. New Delhi, May 23 : A fire broke out at Cygnus Orthocare Hospital, a COVID-designated hospital, in the national capital on Friday evening. The fire broke out at the Operation Theatre and recovery room of the hospital on the third floor. According to Delhi Fire service, eight fire tenders were rushed to the hospital site to douse the fire. Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Service, said, "There were eight patients in the hospital who have been evacuated." Unexpectedly, films that attracted the greatest attention of many audiences and were highly appreciated by the experts won convincingly. In 2019, the countrys cinema faced and solved many difficulties, especially in capital mobilisation, production and constant improvement of cinematic quality. In addition, due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the appraisal of submissions to the Golden Kite Awards 2019 was also interrupted. During the social distancing period, cinemas were temporarily closed, so the jury for the feature film category could only see all entries in early May and many communication activities were delayed or cancelled. Overcoming these obstacles, the positive development of local cinema has been recognised by the Golden Kite Awards The awards organising board received 113 cinematographic submissions from over 40 film production facilities, including 16 feature films, 13 TV series, 46 documentary and scientific films, 15 cartoons, 17 short films and six theoretical studies. Hanh phuc cua me (The Happiness of a Mother) by director Pham Huynh Dong won the Golden Kite Award 2019 in the feature category. Awards were also presented to the TV series Ve nha di con (Come Home, My Dear) by Nguyen Danh Dung; to the cartoon Con chim go (Wooden Bird) by Tran Khanh Duyen; the documentary Chu Tan Kra by Vu Minh Phuong; the scientific films The fight against SARS by Luu Ngoc Anh and The incinerator of domestic waste by Nguyen Le Van and Nguyen Hong Viet. The VCA handed out prizes to the best individuals, including screenwriters, directors, cameramen, actors and actresses. Notably, many Golden Kite Awards winning works had gained many high prizes at the 21st Vietnam Film Festival in late 2019, such as the documentary and scientific films Chu Tan Kra and The fight against SARS which took the Silver Lotus Awards. In term of the feature film category, the Vietnam Television Film Centre (VFC) achieved a great victory, pocketing the most important prizes. Beside the Golden Kite Awards, the film Ve nha di con created a good impression when it was put on the air as well as having won many other prestigious awards. Many members of the film crew were honoured at the awards ceremony, including director and Meritorious Nguyen Danh Dung (the best director) and Bao Han (promising actress). The Silver Kite Award also went to Hoa hong tren nguc trai (A rose on the left chest) by director Vu Truong Khoa, another film produced by the VFC. The films actor and actress Ngoc Quynh and Hong Diem were named best main actor and actress, respectively. On the occasion, VFC movie Nhung ngay khong quen (Unforgettable days) received the VCAs certificate of merit for its contributions to Covid-19 prevention and control communications. The Golden Kite Award winning film The Happiness of a Mother was hailed by the experts. In addition to the highest evaluation, the artwork was honoured along with many individual awards, including the best feature film director (Pham Huynh Dong), screenwriter (Nguyen Thi Ngoc Bich), cameraman (Vo Thanh Tien), sound effect (Vu Thanh Long), main actress (Cat Phuong) and promising actor (Huy Khang). The film praised sacred motherhood as its story revolved a mother overcoming all challenges and complexities to accompany her autistic child towards the future. Chairman of the VCA, People's Artist Dang Xuan Hai, said that the submissions to the Golden Kite Awards were diverse in both topic and creation method, creating a colorful picture of local cinema. Several outstanding issues, which were pointed out at the Golden Kite Awards 2018 such as the lack of films recalling the nations revolution, embracing the breadth of lif international integration and reflecting pressing social issues, have been somewhat remedied. However, in general, the Golden Kite Awards 2019 still witnessed very few works that deeply highlighted the great achievements across this period of innovation and integration. This deficiency has inspired many thoughts on the relevant agencies management and investment in cinematographic creation. In order to continue its journey and contribute to the countrys development, the cinema industry in general and cinematographic and television workers should constantly renew their awareness, thinking and creation in an enthusiastic and professional manner. Accordingly, they should further explore and promote the beauty of the land and people of Vietnam in a new era as well as closely follow the cultural values of the nation, contributing to affirming the position of an attractive arts industry towards serving the public through noble human values. By Express News Service Actor Nicholas Hoult, who was set to play the villain in the next Mission: Impossible, has exited the film due to scheduling conflicts. He has been replaced by Esai Morales, best known for starring in series such as Ozark, Titans, NYPD Blue, and How to Get Away With Murder.The films shooting in Italy was suspended in February due to the Covid-19 outbreak. It was earlier said the delay might cause a conflict with Hoults schedule as he had already committed to shoot for the second season of Hulus The Great. Helmed by Christopher McQuarrie, Tom Cruise will reprise the role of Impossible Mission Force (IMF) agent Ethan Hunt in the upcoming films. The cast also includes Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson and Vanessa Kirby. The seventh and eighth installments of the film were set to be released on July 23, 2021, and August 5, 2022, respectively. Paramount Pictures has pushed the release dates to November 19, 2021, and November 4, 2022. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP president Sharad Pawar on Saturday held a review meeting on the COVID-19 situation in the state. This was the third meeting on the issue between the two leaders in the last eight days. The NCP tweeted that its Maharashtra unit chief and the state water resources minister Jayant Patil, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut and chief secretary Ajoy Mehta too were present. The meeting took place after Raut met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari earlier in the day, which a Raj Bhavan statement described as a "courtesy call". The NCP chief has been insisting on resumption of economic activities in a phased manner and also restarting road transport within the state. Pawar has also been insisting on holding dialogue with industrialists and experts to increase imports, exports and inland shipping. As on Friday, Maharashtra has 44,582 COVID-19 cases, and 1,517 deaths from the infection, both figures the highest in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dr. Julio Frenk Mora said that one way to prevent this from happening would be mass testing. In order for people to leave their homes and resume regular operations, testing with contact tracing provided the essential security and protocols for better security. He said that closing the businesses for weeks would all have been for nothing if they reopened too soon, which would result in "losing control" of the coronavirus once more. Mexico's the only country that's not doing it In a flurry of criticisms, Dr. Julio Frenk Mora believed that the federal government would be guaranteeing Mexico's early closure as soon as they reopened. He said in a report, "It's irresponsible to say that the economy can be opened without testing." Data by the Health Ministry showed that 1,600 tests were done for every million Mexicans, and this was consistent with the figures provided by global statistics website worldometer. Despite that the pandemic was showing no signs of slowing down and more so stopping, the Lopez Obrador administration still decided to push through plans to reopen this June. In fact, work deemed essential like mining, construction, and production of automotive parts already resumed as early as mid-May. Dr. Julio Frenk Mora thought that the nueva normalidad was not running smoothly and advised against it. He acknowledged that while some parts of the country were at much lower risk than others, it was not worth endangering the high-risk areas. "In general, [Mexico] is definitely not [ready to reopen]," he said. He added that even with low-risk areas, testing was still essential to be able to ensure safety. As the president of the University of Miami and public health academic, Dr. Julio Frenk Mora said that the administration's unwillingness for mass testing was "inexplicable". He believed that if the authorities did not know the true magnitude of the pandemic, a solution would be further out of reach. "Mexico is the only country that's not doing it," he said, referring to mass testing. Other countries have opted to do mass testing to control the pandemic. Check these out: Early window of opportunity lost Current Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez repeatedly said in interviews that mass testing would be for naught since most of the results would come back negative anyway. He did say that the government would be planning to do more tests, just not in the scale that mass testing would be. Lopez-Gatell and other health officials called the idea of mass testing an "inefficient assessment strategy" that would only deplete resources. He insisted that cases were going down especially in the capital, which he believed was representative of the rest of Mexico. And even then, there lacked follow up visits to hospitals. Dr. Julio Frenk Mora said that it would be a mistake for the federal government to imply that Mexico had already seen the worst of the pandemic, even suggesting that the peak is still yet to come. When the administration downplayed the seriousness of mitigation measures against the coronavirus on the period of the outbreak, an early window of opportunity to prevent further spread was lost. Countries like Vietnam, South Korea, and Switzerland successfully implemented mass testing and other measures to ensure public safety at an earlier date. Frenk added that populist governments like that of Mexico tended to undervalue the opinion of health experts, and so the coronavirus became more difficult to control. He rejected the president's announcement last month declaring the virus had been contained when the government had done minimal effort to control it in the first place. Frenk said that to call reopening the economy as a 'success' would be premature. BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Sadraddin Agjayev - Trend: Azerbaijani AzDimension game and app development company is currently working on development of new games, projects, CEO and Founder of the company Farid Haqverdiyev told Trend. He added that the company is presently developing two games. The first game will be in the genre of action-fantasy under the name Axilon: The Legend of Artifacts. The games story is based on the similarly-named book of Timur Azizov, a member of our team. The action takes place in the world of Axilon, consisting of many kingdoms living in peace and harmony. The game itself is designed for computers, if it works out, we are going to release it on Playstation 4 and Xbox One in the future, said Haqverdiyev. The second game is called UpMan. It is being developed jointly with the local Bad Button Game Development Studio. In it, we will play for a guy who, with the help of an alien glove, gains superpowers, turning into a big robot that is trying to save the Earth from an alien invasion. The game is planned for mobile platforms, said the CEO. During the quarantine regime the mentioned studio launched several demo versions of projects for further development. The studio prefers the idea of developing games in the style of cyberpunk, that is, a genre of science fiction that reflects the future amid the technological progress in the computer age, the founder noted. The cyberpunk consists of topics such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, hackers, and cyborgs. Cyberpunk has its own stylistic features. The action mainly takes place at night, and often the streets are lit with a large number of neon advertising signs. Not without reason we called the project of our game Rainly neon Baku, he added. Also, during the quarantine regime, literally within a week I made a demo reel of such a game, which caused great interest in Azerbaijan. If there is an investor, we would love to make a very interesting game on this topic. In general, many of our games are to some extent related to Baku and Azerbaijan. We have chosen this direction and, if possible, we will always follow it, added Hagverdiyev. All projects are developed on the most famous game engines, such as Unreal Engine (UE4) and Unity. In one word, these engines are mainly used to create games or interactive applications. With their help, games can be created for any platform, both mobile and computer, the CEO noted. "We use Unity engine mainly for mobile games, and UE4 for a computer platform, AzDimensions CEO said. AzDimension was founded 10 years ago by a group of students from various educational institutions. The developers have created four large-scale computer games, including three from the series Under Occupation (Isgal altnda) and one about Old City (Icri Shr) - The Last Deadend (Sonuncu dalan). Most of these games were created with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan. At the same time, the company won two grants from the country's Ministry of Transport, Communications of High Technologies to create games for mobile devices. --- Follow the author on Twitter: agdzhaev Date: Friday, 08 May 2020, 11:55PM -07:00 Subject: VERY URGENT ROM THE DESK OF (CSP) OLAOLU ADEGBITE, EFCC DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND FUND RECOVERING UNIT, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION, REGIONAL OFFICE, LAGOS-NIGERIA. TELL: +234-814-851-9796 . EMAIL: PRIVATE EMAIL: efccfundsrecoveryunits@inbox.ru / efccoperation.fundrecoveryunit@gmail.com PRIVATE EMAIL: olaolu.adegbite@yahoo.com Dear EFCC EFFORTS TO GET YOUR RECOVERED FUND RELEASE TO YOU. Sir you have a great opportunity to receive your Fund right now, but Devil just want to discourage you. Do not allow your PAST to deny you what GOD has for you at this PRESENT. We fought a great battle to secure and recover this Fund for you and you shouldn't allow your past experience to DENY you the GOOD things coming to you at this moment. Heed to my advise and send to them the required fee, and you will confirm this Fund within the next 48hours. Having promised to assist you with $500 out of $1000 needed process this payment to you, so rush to nearest Western Union, or Moneygram or Walmart to Walmart and transmit the balance $500 to the paying bank affiliate office in Houston Texas USA for them to proceed in processing your payment with immediate effect. Send through Moneygram, Western Union or Walmart to Walmart to this below name: Receiver name: JAMES LORENZO Destination : Houston, Texas - USA Amount: $500 Follow my instruction and get back to me with the payment information, so that I can for ward the paying bank for the to commence the processing of your payment. Regards, CSP OLAOLU ADEGBITE EFCC DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & FUND RECOVERY UNIT. DIRECT HOT LINE: +234-814-851-9796 . From: EFCC DIRECTOR OPERATIONS efccoperation.fundrecoveryunit@gmail.com Date: Friday, 08 May 2020, 11:55PM -07:00Subject: VERY URGENT Date: Saturday, 09 May 2020, 04:16PM -07:00 Subject: YOU ARE ADVISE TO SEND Him TEXT ON THIS NUMBER 1 818-962-8711 WITH YOUR ADDRESS SO THAT I WILL DELIVER TODAY ATTENTION :Sir/Madam This is to bring to your notice that i have approved your payment via ATM CARD and we are going to deliver the ATM card to your address . You are advise to reconfirm your address and telephone number because Mr. Colin James Ellard is already in United States of America already , you can contact him via direct number + 1 818-962-8711 or Email: colinjamesfinance@gmail.com YOU ARE ADVISE TO SEND Him TEXT ON THIS NUMBER 1 818-962-8711 WITH YOUR ADDRESS SO THAT I WILL DELIVER TODAY CONGRATULATION IN ADVANCE Yours sincerely, GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI,RTD.,GCFR. PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA DIRECT TELEPHONE 234:8135609149 NOTE :Please you are advise to stop any further dealing any other person or group of person because they are just taking advantage of you . From: petrathoene@t-online.de PetraThoene@t-online.de Date: Saturday, 09 May 2020, 04:16PM -07:00Subject: YOU ARE ADVISE TO SEND Him TEXT ON THIS NUMBER 1 818-962-8711 WITH YOUR ADDRESS SO THAT I WILL DELIVER TODAY From: muhammadubuhari@officeofpresidency.com Date: Thursday, 21 May 2020, 01:02AM -07:00 Subject: PRESIDENTIAL PAYMENT ADVISE. Attention: , OFFICE OF MUHAMMADU BUHARI (GCFR) PRESIDENT, COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA , ASO-ROCK VILLA ABUJA , NIGERIA . E-MAIL: muhammadubuhari@officeofpresidency.com Our Ref: PRS/COM/00452/IMP/20 Date:21st MAY. 2020. PRESIDENTIAL PAYMENT ADVISE. Attention: I received a notification Letter from CSP. OLUOLA ADEGBITE, the EFCC Director of Operations and Fund Recovery Unit this morning, notifying this office over your RELUCTANT and Refusal to comply to the Transfer requirements, which will enable them to Release/Transfer this Fund to you as planned. As a President of this great nation, I am not happy that you are the one WITHHOLDING your payment now, after the good efforts the EFCC made to recover and secure this fund for you. I was told that Mr. Olaolu even assisted you with $500 out of the $1000 required to process this transfer to you, but still you find it difficult to send the $500 balance as they instructed till now. This your attitude and refusal to send them $500 balance to complete the delivery of this Fund to you, has showed that you are not serious and not ready to receive your Fund, and I want you to know that the consequences of your actions could lead to the cancellation and confiscation of your Fund, as you are quit aware that CSP OLAOLU ADEGBITE is under mandate to complete this transfer, and the mandate given to him will soon elapse. So am advising you, for your own good to Contact CSP. Oluola Adegbite at this email address now: efccoperation.fundrecoveryunit@gmail.com OR: olaolu.adegbite@yahoo.com and send them the balance of $500 to complete the delivery of this Fund to you now or RISK loosing this Fund at this final stage. Failing to comply to my instruction and advice will result my office granting CSP OLUOLA ADEGBITE cancellation permission to cancel and terminate the transfer/release of your Fund to you, which I wouldn't want you to loose this Fund at this Final stage. So listen and follow my advice to receive your Fund now, hence the EFCC confirmed to me that every other arrangements concerning the remittance of your Fund to you has been perfected, and you are the only one holding them from completing the release of this Fund to you. Follow my advise to receive your Fund now, and desist from communicating with any other office in respect of this payment and direct all your Communication to CSP. OLUOLA ADEGBITE, he is the only one in possession of your Fund and he is the only Tested and Trusted Officer assigned to handle this payment/transaction. Nigeria Government and my office will not be held responsible, if you fail to follow our advise and get defrauded or cheated by the impostors and fake peoples pretending to have access to your Fund. My Government is committed in Paying all our Debts and fighting Crimes and Corruption to make this Country a better place to live and do business, to attract more Foreign Investors and others, so make use of this great opportunity to receive your Fund or RISK loosing it to the Government. Your urgent compliance to my advise will be for your own benefit. Best regards, PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI GCFR, PRESIDENT, COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA . Note that this message was sent to you by the Personal Secretary to the President, based on his Excellency request and directives. From: EFCC DIRECTOR OPERATIONS efccoperation.fundrecoveryunit@gmail.com Date: Friday, 22 May 2020, 02:34AM -07:00 Subject: Attached File herein is your EFCC FUND RELEASE BOND & OFFICE OF PRESIDENCY FUND APPROVAL FROM THE DESK OF (CSP) OLAOLU ADEGBITE, EFCC DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND FUND RECOVERING UNIT, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION, REGIONAL OFFICE, LAGOS-NIGERIA. TELL: +234-814-851-9796 . EMAIL: efccfundsrecoveryunits@inbox.ru / efccoperation.fundrecoveryunit@gmail.com PRIVATE EMAIL: olaolu.adegbite@yahoo.com Dear EFCC FUND RECOVERY RELEASE UPDATE. TIME IS RUNNING OUT. I received your message and I have noted your comment . If you go through the attached documents, you will see that your Fund has been programmed to be release to you, and its you that is holding the remittance of this Fund to you. To avoid stoppage of the Fund Transfer to you, and for a successful delivery of this Fund to you, you must obtain the Final Fund Transfer clearance, so that the transfer can confirm instantly in your bank account without any delay or stoppage. Due to your financial condition, I have promised to assist you with $500 out of $1000 needed to process this payment to you, so rush to nearest Western Union, or Moneygram or Walmart to Walmart and transmit the balance $500 to the paying bank affiliate office in Houston Texas USA for them to proceed in processing your payment with immediate effect. Send through Moneygram, Western Union or Walmart to Walmart to this below name: Receiver name: DENNIS RAYMOND ZAYAS Destination : Houston, Texas - USA Amount: $500 OR Alternatively, you can buy $500 iTunes Gift Card and send the Card Information , and they will convert it to cash and pay for the required final clearance and forward to us, so that we can complete the Release of this Fund to you now, hence every other arrangements concerning the remittance of this Fund to you have been perfected. Follow my instruction and get back to me with the payment information, so that I can forward to the paying bank for them to commence the processing of your payment as programmed. Regards, CSP OLAOLU ADEGBITE EFCC DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & FUND RECOVERY UNIT. DIRECT HOT LINE: +234-814-851-9796 To: Date: Thursday, 28 May 2020, 03:29AM -07:00 Subject: FINAL NOTICE BEFORE TRANSFER ,PLEASE CALL ME ON 234: 8151895265 OR TEXT ME NOW FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA PRESIDENT ADVISE ON FOREIGN PAYMENT & INHERITANCE FUND ASO-ROCK - ABUJA TEL: 234: 8151895265 Email:presidentofnigeriang58@gmail.com CHANGES OF BENEFICIARY ATTENTION:Sir/Madam This is the second time we are notifying you about this said fund. We hereby send to you the information submitted by Mr. John T. Kehoe U.S.A of California, with an application to receive your Award Payment of $32,000.000.00.on your behalf from this office .Please as a matter of urgency, you are required to verify the following information and inform us if you are aware or know anything about this. This morning Mr. John T. Kehoe came to the office claiming that you have instructed him to come and receive the payment on your behalf with some representatives. I have ask them to come back tomorrow as they did not provide any power of an attorney from you which will proof that you thoroughly send them, This was to enable me contact you to verify how genuine this people are to you. 1. Did you instruct one Mr. John T. Kehoe of 122 Fitch Way, Sacramento, Ca. 95864. whose information's is below, to claim and receive the payment on your behalf? 2. Did you sign any 'Deed of Assignment' in his favor thereby making him the current beneficiary with the following account details: Account Name: Mr. John T. Kehoe Group Ltd, A/C #004792442195 Bank Name: Bank Of America Swift Code: 111000025. Finally, you are hereby advised to indicate to this honorable office with immediate effect, if you are the person that instructed Mr. John T. Kehoe to come for the claim of your fund worth of $32,000.000.00. NOTE: your full name and telephone number is needed for easy communications. THE STATED BELOW INFORMATION IS REQUIRED FOR SWIFT PROCESSING OF THIS PAYMENT 1. YOUR NAME:. . 2. YOUR FULL ADDRESS:. 3. YOUR TELEPHONE. . 4. AGE. . . . 5. SEX:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. YOUR OCCUPATION . . . . . . . . 7. YOUR VALID ACCOUNT DETAILS:. . . . . . 8. A COPY OF YOUR IDENTITY. . . . . . For your information we have three mode of payment . 1 , Bank to bank transfer. 2, ATM CARD 3, Through our cash payment center here in London We wait for your call on 234: 8151895265 via email, so that you will be giving an immediate Response. Yours sincerely, GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI,RTD.,GCFR. PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA DIRECT TELEPHONE THE PRESIDENCYFEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIAPRESIDENT ADVISE ON FOREIGN PAYMENT & INHERITANCE FUNDASO-ROCK - ABUJATEL: 234:Email:presidentofnigeriang58@gmail.comCHANGES OF BENEFICIARYATTENTION:Sir/MadamThis is the second time we are notifying you about this said fund. Wehereby send to you the information submitted by Mr. John T. KehoeU.S.A of California, with an application to receive your Award Paymentof $32,000.000.00.on your behalf from this office .Please as a matterof urgency, you are required to verify the following information andinform us if you are aware or know anything about this.This morning Mr. John T. Kehoe came to the office claiming that youhave instructed him to come and receive the payment on your behalfwith some representatives.I have ask them to come back tomorrow as they did not provide anypower of an attorney from you which will proof that you thoroughlysend them, This was to enable me contact you to verify how genuinethis people are to you.1. Did you instruct one Mr. John T. Kehoe of 122 Fitch Way,Sacramento, Ca. 95864. whose information's is below, to claim andreceive the payment on your behalf?2. Did you sign any 'Deed of Assignment' in his favor thereby makinghim the current beneficiary with the following account details:Account Name: Mr. John T. Kehoe Group Ltd,A/C #004792442195Bank Name: Bank Of AmericaSwift Code: 111000025.Finally, you are hereby advised to indicate to this honorable officewith immediate effect, if you are the person that instructed Mr. JohnT. Kehoe to come for the claim of your fund worth of $32,000.000.00.NOTE: your full name and telephone number is needed for easycommunications.THE STATED BELOW INFORMATION IS REQUIRED FOR SWIFT PROCESSING OF THISPAYMENT1. YOUR NAME:. .2. YOUR FULL ADDRESS:.3. YOUR TELEPHONE. .4. AGE. . . .5. SEX:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6. YOUR OCCUPATION . . . . . . . .7. YOUR VALID ACCOUNT DETAILS:. . . . . .8. A COPY OF YOUR IDENTITY. . . . . .For your information we have three mode of payment .1 , Bank to bank transfer.2, ATM CARD3, Through our cash payment center here in LondonWe wait for your call on 234:via email, presidentofnigeria58@gmail.com and urgent respond to this officeso that you will be giving an immediate Response.Yours sincerely,GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI,RTD.,GCFR.PRESIDENT OF NIGERIADIRECT TELEPHONE From: MUHAMMADU BUHARI presidentofnigeriang58@gmail.com To: "undisclosed-recipients": ; Date: Thursday, 28 May 2020, 03:29AM -07:00Subject: FINAL NOTICE BEFORE TRANSFER ,PLEASE CALL ME ON 234: 8151895265 OR TEXT ME NOW If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more.... The disturbing family history of a grandfather who killed his wife, daughter and four grandchildren in one of Australia's worst massacres has been revealed. Peter Miles, 61, shot dead his grandchildren, Taye, 13, Rylan, 12, Ayre, 10 and eight-year-old Kayden, their mother Katrina and his wife Cynda, before turning the gun on himself at the family's farm in Osmington, Western Australia on May 11, 2018. The children's father and Katrina's ex-husband Aaron Cockman has alleged Miles' family had a history of violence prior to the mass killing which had drawn the attention of authorities. Scroll down for video Peter Miles (second from left in suit and blue tie) killed his wife, Cynda, (back right), his daughter Katrina Miles (left in red dress) and her four children aged from eight to 13 (pictured left to right Rylan, Kayden, Taye and Ayre) before shooting himself Aaron Cockman (pictured in August 2018) has alleged the Miles family had a history of violence - which included the killer grandfather's son taking his own life Mr Cockman said Miles' son took his own life and had previously burned down a shed during a family dispute, according to The Australian. It is also alleged Miles's own father had tried to kill him. The bereaved father claimed Katrina meanwhile - who he broke up with in mid-2014 - had threatened to kill both herself and the children they shared by crashing into a tree. At the time of the murder-suicide Mr Cockman had been locked in a bitter custody battle over his four children. On the two-year anniversary of the tragedy, he said Miles had paid about $100,000 in legal fees for his daughter and the litigation had heightened tensions within the family and caused them to 'spiral out of control'. It comes as Mr Cockman fights for a public inquest into the murder-suicide, which he said would allow him to speak freely about what happened. Miles (centre) is pictured with his four grandchildren, his daughter Katrina (bottom-right)and wife Cynda He said an inquest would also highlight how the Family Court of Western Australia played a role in worsening the family conflict in the lead-up to the mass killing. 'Why would there not be one [inquest] into such an extreme set of murders when there is a clear opportunity that it might illuminate ways to protect future generations of our children?' he wrote in a letter to the WA Attorney-General. The murder of Mr Cockman's family was the worst mass shooting Australia has seen since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania which led to mass gun reform. A month before his family's massacre, Mr Cockman was on Facebook accused of stalking and harassing by Katrina but the court allowed supervised visits and he was given favourable reports. A week before May 11, Mr Cockman went to the cinemas to watch the new Avengers movie with his children and estranged wife. Katrina home-schooled her four children at the farm after they moved there when her marriage broke up. The grisly murder-suicide at a remote farm house (pictured) in Western Australia shocked the nation. It was the worst mass shooting since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 Miles bought the farm in 2014 and planned to live a sustainable life with their daughter and grandchildren. Osmington, about 260km south of Perth, is a 10-minute drive east of the Margaret River township. The tiny community, which ABS data shows has about 135 residents, mostly consists of farmland properties and vineyards. The bereaved father (pictured) is calling for a public inquest into his children's deaths to prevent similar family tragedies Mr Cockman said last year all he ever wanted to do was spend time with his children. 'It was such a big event that it affected not just me and my family but the whole community and to some extent the whole country,' he wrote to the coroner about the tragedy. Mr Cockman set-up the aaron4kids foundation, in conjunction with For Kids Sake, which campaigns for support and more mediation before a custody battle is taken before the courts. Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. LONDON (Reuters) - The British government plans to introduce a 14-day quarantine period for almost everyone entering the country from June 8. Below are details of the scheme: WHO DOES IT APPLY TO? Everyone arriving in the UK will be required to self-isolate for 14 days except those on a list of 'limited exemptions', which the government said it would publish later. LONDON (Reuters) - The British government plans to introduce a 14-day quarantine period for almost everyone entering the country from June 8. Below are details of the scheme: WHO DOES IT APPLY TO? Everyone arriving in the UK will be required to self-isolate for 14 days except those on a list of "limited exemptions", which the government said it would publish later. Those exempt will include: - road haulage and freight workers - medical professionals who are travelling to help with the fight against the coronavirus - anyone moving from within the Common Travel Area, which covers Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man - Seasonal agricultural workers will be able to self-isolate on the property where they are working The government said it would also continue to look at the option of things such as air bridges - agreements between countries who both have low transmission rates to remove the need for quarantine measures. WHAT WILL PASSENGERS HAVE TO DO? All arriving passengers will have to fill in an online contact form providing details and travel information so they can be contacted if they, or someone they may have been in contact with, develops the disease. This will include giving details of their self-isolation accommodation and if it does not meet the necessary requirements, they will be required to self-isolate in facilities arranged by the government, at the passenger's expense. The government said people should use personal transport, such as a car, to travel to their accommodation where possible. Once there, they should not go to work, school, or public areas, or use public transport or taxis. They should not have visitors, including friends and family, unless they are providing essential support. They should also not go out to buy food or other essentials where they can rely on others. WHAT PENALTIES WILL BE IN PLACE? The new regime will be in place across the United Kingdom, although enforcement measures will be set individually by each of the devolved nations. In England, a breach of the self-isolation rules would be punishable with a 1,000 pound fine or potential prosecution and unlimited fine. The level of fine could increase if the risk of infection from abroad increases. Border Force may refuse entry to any non-British citizen who refuses to comply with these regulations and is not resident in the UK. Failure to complete the contact form is punishable by a 100 pound fine. The government said public health authorities would conduct random checks in England to ensure compliance and removal from the country would be considered as a last resort for foreign nationals who refuse to follow the rules. HOW LONG WILL THE SCHEME LAST? The rules will come into force on June 8 and will be reviewed every three weeks. WHY NOW? The government said that as the rate of infection in the United Kingdom falls and the number of travellers arriving in the country begins to increase, imported cases could become a higher proportion of the overall number of infections in the UK and risk a second wave of the virus. (Compiled by Kylie MacLellan) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The disaster here in Michigan this week took some residents by surprise, but it didnt come as such a shock to hydrologists and civil engineers, who have warned that climate change and increased runoff from development is putting more pressure on poorly maintained dams, many of them built like those in Midland to generate power early in the 20th century. What happened in Michigan, they say, could happen to many other aging dams across the country. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The United Staten Island Veterans Organization (USIVO), along with the Rolling Thunder Chapter 2 and Boy Scouts Troop 37, kicked off Memorial Day weekend Saturday by teaming up to place American flags on the gravesites of veterans at Oceanview Cemetery in Oakwood. Oceanview Cemetery, which has been closed to public since April, with the exception of Mothers Day, opened its gates for the groups to carry on their yearly tradition. Oceanview has been great. Theyre very Veteran friendly here. They welcomed us with open arms," said USIVO CEO James Haynes. Boy Scout Troop 37 from St. Teresa School also joined in the effort. Memorial Day is a day where we honor the sacrifices made by veterans. Its something that is very important to what we try to teach the boys, said Troop 37 Scout master Rob Pfuhler. We only heard about this on Thursday, but we jumped at the chance. Two members of from St. Teresa's Troop 37 walk through Oceanview Cemetery in Oakwood placing American Flags on veteran gravesites. May 23, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) Rolling Thunder also joined the effort. They will also take part in Mondays Memorial Day convoy on Forest Avenue. The Rolling Thunder Chapter 2 New York teamed up with the United Staten Island Veterans Organization (USIVO) and Boy Scout Troop 37 to spread American Flags on Veteran gravesites at Oceanview Cemetery in Oakwood. May 23, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) United Staten Island Veterans Organization (USIVO) CEO James Haynes and treasurer veteran Lee Covino hold up a sign for Memorial Day. May 23, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) Members of Boy Scout Troop 37 to spreads American Flags on Veteran gravesites at Oceanview Cemetery in Oakwood. May 23, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) Troop 37 Assistant scout master and veteran of the 101st Airborne Rich Gundacker helps place American flags on veteran gravestones for Memorial Day. May 23, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) May 23, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) A view of the Veterans memorial at Oceanview Cemetery in Oakwood. May 23, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) After Zee News reported that 29 employees had tested positive for COVID-19, Network18 has disclosed that after extensively testing 700 employees, 16 have tested positive for COVID-19. In an internal email to employees, of which Adgully has a copy, Rahul Joshi, MD & CEO, Network18, talked about the companys efforts to identify and isolate staff affected by COVID-19 in their organisation. Joshi emphasised, In this time, our topmost priority has been, and will continue to be, the health and well-being of each and every one of our colleagues. I have written often to share my thoughts and our companys actions in this regard. Over the past two months, we have tested more than 700 colleagues and their immediate families. Because of the strict work protocols, we have put in place, the cases that have been detected have not spread the infection in the workplace. From among the more than 7,000 employees across the length and breadth of India, only 16 colleagues have tested positive. Most of them have recovered and many are asymptomatic. We have tested most colleagues at Reliance facilities and treated them and their families at RIL's hospitals." He added, "My mantra from day one has been Safety First. Protection of our colleagues is at the heart of our strategy. Ratings may have suffered in some weeks for some channels, but we know our priorities. There can be no compromise on the safety of our people. Joshi went on to list proactive measures taken by the company to deal with the epidemic, which include: Except those at the frontlines of TV news broadcast, all others are working from home. We have made arrangements so that those working from home can do so as if it were business-as-usual. Teams are working in batches that dont come in contact with each other. Employees also take turns working alternate weeks. Although this has meant that we are operating with much smaller teams than our regular strength, this practice has the merit of safety. In most cases, we have established or used alternate facilities to stay safe. We work apart yet stay together. All employees are equipped with masks, gloves, sanitisers and immunity-boosting vitamin pills. Many reporters in the frontlines are armed with PPE suits. Every square-inch of our facilities is disinfected with anti-viral treatment and cleaned daily, and deep-cleaning takes place several times a week. All mass-contact surfaces are cleaned with disinfectants many times daily. Many of you have given feedback that our hygiene standards are the best in the news industry. Reporters and camerapersons never enter the news floor, or indeed the office premises. All outdoor equipment is disinfected daily, and so are cabs. Reporters and camera teams are being equipped with protective kits. The COVID tracker application, an early innovation from Reliance, has been keeping a close eye on symptoms. If there is the slightest hint that someone is unwell with signs of coronavirus, Reliance doctors take charge. They have been on call for any emergency and continue to provide consultation. This has helped in tracing a few colleagues early on, which has helped in early isolation and treatment. Every positive case has been followed up with meticulous contact-tracing. We have tested more than 700 of our employees in the past couple of months. Sixteen have tested positive, but in the circumstances, it is an extraordinary statistic and a testament to all our efforts. Where possible, all those who have tested positive, and their families, have been cared for at Reliances facilities. Because of all this, our styles may have gotten a bit cramped but there was never a day any of our channels could not go live. Employees hail company support Viacom18 employees who have recovered from the virus have come forth and testified to HR regarding the support they received from the organisation. Manish Jain, who works with tech ops in Mumbai and has recovered from COVID-19, wrote, "Please accept my deepest gratitude for your support in that difficult time. Your support has been invaluable to me and I could not imagine how would I be able to survive in those critical days without your help. I remember Sanjeev sir's effective steps helped me to get admitted in hospital quickly when my test result came positive. Organization also arranged medical check-up and sample collection for my family at home on the same day and sent necessary medicines to them. This effort was speechless. I would like to take special moment to thanks all HR team, Teleport team, Reliance hospital team and, last but not the least, the Reliance Family for being with me and my family in those days. Shrikant Parab, who works in News18 - Lokmat in Mumbai, saw several family members coming down with COVID-19 and also lost his father. Expressing his gratitude to all the help received, he wrote, "Aapne meri har kadam par madat ki. Kathin samay mein mera pura ssath diya. Suna tha ki insan mein Bhagwan hota hai.. Aapke roop mein mujhe bhi mila. Mera poore parivaar ko aapne firse zinda kiya. Jitna bhi thank you likhu, kam hai. Mazhar Khan from the Mumbai creative team was diagnosed COVID-19 positive, as was his entire family. They have been discharged and he had this to say, I want to sincerely express my gratitude and thanks to you I cannot tell you how much this has meant to my family and me. We were not sure what we were going to do because of our situation, but your help and assistance came just in time for our family to get back on track and we thank you all very much. It is greatly appreciated." Joshi in his letter went on to thank the efforts of all those in the organisation to create this enabling environment despite the dip in advertising revenue, and in some cases at the cost of TV ratings. A woman and her daughter were killed, while her husband and son sustained injuries, when their car fell into a deep gorge in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Saturday, officials said. The accident took place near Narayanbagad on Karnaprayag-Gwaldam national highway killing the 16-year-old girl on the spot, the Disaster Management department officials said. Later, her mother also died at Karnaprayag government hospital, they said. The two injured are undergoing treatment at the hospital, the officials added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Brazilian government warned on May 22 that national security would be at risk if investigators granted a request to seize the cell phone of President Jair Bolsonaro. Opposition parties have requested the phone of far-right leader and his son Carlos to probe into the allegations levelled by former justice minister Sergio Moro that Bolsonaro tried to interfere in federal police investigations. A video of a cabinet meeting has been released on the order of Supreme Court justice in which the Brazilian President was seen using profane words to express his frustration at his inability to extract information from police. In the video, Bolsonaro can be heard vowing to change Cabinet ministers if it is needed to protect his family from the farce. Moro, one of the most popular figures in Bolsonaro administration, resigned last month after the Brazilian President fired the federal police director-general without consulting the Justice Minister. He alleged that Bolsonaro openly demanded changes in key federal police positions, including agencys chief. The video was the latest blow to Bolsonaros popularity which has nosedived after the coronavirus pandemic. Brazil has reported over 330,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases with more than 21,000 deaths related to the virus and is all set to topple Russia from the second position worldwide. Read: Man Accidentally Appears Naked During Zoom Conference Call With Bolsonaro Over 5.2 million cases According to the latest data of John Hopkins University, over 5.2 million coronavirus cases have been confirmed across the globe with over 338,000 deaths, overwhelming health care facilities worldwide. The United States, Russia, Brazil, and the UK are the worst-hit countries due to the pandemic with around 60 per cent of death toll reported from these four countries alone. The numbers get more sombre for the US as it has reported over 1.6 million cases, almost one-third of the worldwide cases, and more than 96,000 deaths due to the infectious disease. Within the United States, New York has reported over one-fourth of the nationwide coronavirus cases and almost one-tenth of the worldwide cases. Read: COVID-19: Bolsonaro Says Brazil To Sign New Protocol Recommending Use Of Chloroquine (Image credit: AP) Sheikh Quaye said every natural intervention, such as the Covid-19 outbreak, occurred in line with the will of Allah. However, it did not undermine Allah's command to worship, he said, adding that, the method of worship may change, but the essence and rewards would not change. Sheikh Quaye was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, on Friday, in Accra, ahead of the end of the Ramadan fast on Saturday, May 23. "Allah says in the Holy Quran that, He has perfected Islam for us as a Religion with the full measure of its blessings, and it has also been designed to be adjusted to any situation and time," he said. The coming of Ramadan in this period of COVID-19, he said, was, therefore, to remind Muslims that despite the situation, man was created into this world for a purpose, and that was to worship the creator voluntarily. Sheikh Quaye said he was happy that the Ramadan had been observed with the same fervor as was done in the previous years. " Muslims across the globe have observed the fast, prayed day and night, engaged in various acts of worship, all in the bid to attain the mercy and forgiveness of Allah, and the reward would still be the same as promised," he said. On the absence of congregational prayers, which characterised the Ramadan before the pandemic, he said, in Islam worshipping Allah could be done both at the individual and group levels to achieve the same purpose. " Muslims during this period have conformed to all the rules and regulations pertaining to Ramadan to attain spiritual upliftment and as such, they would be graded accordingly". On the issue of the Eid celebration, the Imam said Eid prayers could be observed at home, individually or with the family, in this situation and not necessarily observed in congregation. In Islam there is always an alternative means for worship depending on the situation. He assured Muslims that although this year's Ramadan may seem unusual to some, they should be assured that they would attain the same spiritual upliftment. We have to realise that this is the time our faith would be measured individually. He urged Muslims to endeavour to observe all the preventive protocols of COVID-19 during the Eid-Ul-Fitr celebration in order not to be infected, and wished them a happy celebration. Mr Suleiman Nii Okai Aryee, a businessman and the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the GMM, also told the GNA that this year's Ramadan had been an interesting one. Because of the pandemic I spent close to 95 per cent of my time with my family unlike previous years where I would be running around with colleagues, organizing programmes, due to the nature of my work, he said. Due to COVID-19, I had time to pray and focused more on my personal relationship with Allah. The fear of catching the disease also helped tune my mind to solely focused on Allah. He said because the virus spread rapidly in some advanced countries and certain high profiled personalities were reported positive, it made him realise that it was only the intervention and the mercy of Allah that could save the situation. This made me realize I was nothing but a servant of God and so I really had to intensify my prayers, assist others, irrespective of religious affiliation, increase my good deeds and respect every one. All these factors have really uplifted me spiritually. He urged Muslims to be guided by the Islamic principles of being moderate in whatever they did including the Eid celebrations. We should pray and stay at home, take stock and plan for the following year, In sha Allah, and reduce the visits to the malls and shopping centres as much as possible, he advised. He wished all Muslims, and Ghanaians as a whole, a happy Eid, and prayed to Allah to accept their prayers, grant them their desires, and the opportunity to witness and participate in another Ramadan. Mr Abdullah Fouad, a teacher, said this year's Ramadan had rather helped him to get closer to Allah. As a teacher, I took advantage of the President's directive on the schools closure to read the Quran thoroughly, and offered more optional prayers in addition to the compulsory ones, he said. He urged Ghanaians, especially Muslims, to embrace the challenges brought by the pandemic and make their lives more meaningful, while they stayed at home. The 30-day fast began on April 23 in Ghana and would end on Saturday, May 23. The Eid would be celebrated on Sunday, May 24. In view of the coronavirus outbreak, many activities during Ramadan were curtailed in Muslim-majority nations. Muslims believe that Ramadan is the month in which the first verses of the Quran, were revealed to Prophet Muhammad more than 1,400 years ago. During the holy month, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from before dawn to sunset. The fast is intended to bring the faithful closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of the less fortunate. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. ---GNA Prince Charles and Prince Harry's relationship have always been complicated and complex, but no one expected that the father would be even devastated after Megxit. Prince Harry is now trying to live his life the way he always wanted to in Los Angeles with his wife, Meghan Markle, and 1-year-old son, Archie. Though he remains connected with the royal family, the Duke of Sussex's closer relationship with David Foster compared with Prince Charles reportedly hurt the heir to the throne. During Katharine McPhee's interview with Access Hollywood, she revealed that Prince Harry is really close with her husband David, so much so that their relationship is almost like of a father and son. "My husband has a really, really beautiful relationship with Harry. They're so cute, they're like father and son," the 36-year-old "The House Bunny" actress said. For what it's worth, Foster reportedly helped Prince Harry and Meghan to move to Vancouver Island before they jetted to Los Angeles. With the said surprising revelation though, a royal expert said that McPhee's revelation hurt the future King. "Charles loves his son very much," royal expert Brittani Barger told Daily Stat Online. "I think it would sting a little for any parent to hear someone say that their child has a parent/child relationship with someone other than their parents.| The fact that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit their royal lives to relocate to the U.S. probably made it even more painful for Prince Charles. Brittani also cited the 2011 reports that claimed Prince William called the father of Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, "dad." "If Charles was indeed hurt when he heard Prince William referred to Michael Middleton as 'dad', then I'd say if he heard this statement, it would sting a bit," the royal expert went on. Prince Charles' Relationship With Prince Harry For several years before Princess Diana's death, Prince Charles had a detached relationship with his sons. Only when the Princess of Wales succumbed that he finally underwent a "monumental change" in parenting Prince William and Prince Harry, as he had to raise his two teenage sons alone. "I think at first, when Prince Charles became a father, he left a lot of the parenting to Princess Diana. We can see that in the hugging, the laughing, the cuddling that she did. After her death, it changes completely," Lady Montagu said in the documentary "The Queen and Prince Charles: Mother and Son." Meanwhile, former royal butler Grant Harrold -- who worked for Prince Charles and his family for several years -- described the Prince of Wales as a "very considerate father." Unfortunately, the father and son seemed to have strained their relationship once again when Prince Harry announced his departure from The Firm. According to Page Six, Prince Charles was firmly at odds with the Duke of Sussex's decision, which left him "floored." Furthermore, the same story claimed that Prince Harry's relationship with the heir to the throne and his stepmother, Camilla, has always been complicated. Many users are downvoting TikTok and giving poor reviews on the app store. Well, this is not the first time when users have taken this route to vent out their anger. Controversies have continued to chase TikTok. The short-video sharing platform is facing wrath of angry Indians who are unhappy with the removal of a roast video from CarryMinati aka Ajey Nagar on YouTube. Since the controversy, TikTok is grappling with campaigns seeking a ban on the app. Many users have also pointed out objectionable content on the app. For now, TikTok is seeing a burst of 1-star rating for its app on Google Play Store along with poor user reviews. At one point its rating dipped to 1.2, making it a rare app with Editors Choice recommendation with such bad reviews. Youll be surprised to know that this isnt the first time an application has faced anger from users which has culminated into bad ratings. Lets take a look. MS Excel vs Surf Excel in 2019 Back in March 2019, Microsofts Excel application faced a similar negative campaign when people began mistakenly deleting the app and downvoting over a controversial advertisement by Surf Excel. Boycott Amazon in 2018 Amazon India faced a big backlash on Twitter in 2018 after its association with actor Swara Bhaskar who had posted a tweet in support for Kathua and Unnao rape victims. Some users, however, had taken an objection to the choice of words in the tweet. Bhaskar had then tweeted a promotional message for Amazon India which led to many uninstalling the application from their phone and even giving one-star rating. Snapchat in 2017 Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel made a controversial remark that that India was a poor country. Shortly after, #BoycottSnapchat became a trend on Twitter. Users also started deleting the app, downvoting and giving poor reviews. Interestingly enough, some users mistakenly deleted and downvoted the Snapdeal app from their phones. Amazon in 2017 Late Sushma Swaraj, then External Affairs minister, had threatened to rescinding visas of Amazon employees after many users pointed out listing of doormats resembling Indian flag on the e-commerce platform. Amazon later apologized and quickly took down such products. Flipkart and Airtel Zero in 2015 Airtel had launched a Zero programme which came under criticism for violating net neutrality principles. Flipkart was one of its first partners. With more users joining the pro-net neutrality campaign, Flipkart faced one-rating and negative reviews on the app store. Later, the programme was shelved and Flipkart also distanced itself from the initiative. Snapdeal and Amir Khan in 2015 Actor Amir Khan in 2015 had offended many when he shared his views on intolerance in the country. Khan was then ambassador of Snapdeal. Many users took to Twitter to reveal they were downvoting Snapdeal and giving poor reviews on the app store. Some also shared screenshots of uninstalling the application. My name is Kristin Tokarev, an American under home detention Bulgaria, where we have traveled to stay the summer with my grandparents, who live in Sofia. I am 19 years old and this is my twentieth summer vacation in this beautiful, formerly socialist, Eastern European country. When I go back to Midland in August, I plan to graduate with an economics degree from Northwood University. Now, Im working on a project for the McNair Center for Free Enterprise. Everyone feels excited when winter yields to spring, especially in Michigan. I get a double dose of excitement because for my family, it means a trip to Bulgaria. I love visiting my relatives and friends, exploring the city, hiking through eight mountains and eating dozens of amazing local foods (honestly, everyone should try a kebapche before they die). This year was different. In March, we returned from spring break to Midland, a town I could not recognize. Empty shelves, closed businesses, deserted streets, masked neighbors, and social distancing. I knew from my father (who grew up behind the Iron Curtain) of times when communists shut down churches. Now, I could not go to my church in Midland. Northwood University moved my seven courses online. I lost my three part-time jobs. Governments were ordering people to stay home. I had no idea if European borders would be open in May. Most flights were being cancelled. However, I was upset and worried by something else more than all viruses, restrictions, and unknowns together. My grandparents feared that our visit might kill them. I couldnt believe my eyes reading the news from Bulgaria. I would be held prisoner in my grandmothers one-bedroom apartment for two weeks! How about testing us at the airport to determine if we pose a threat? That meant no exploring and seeing anyone outside my family for a sixth of our vacation. On top of that, my own relatives were more worried about a virus and the off-chance that they could get infected than they were happy to see their children and grandkids. I asked my parents to skip the trip. They said that we are going even if the sky should fall. As we were packing our suitcases, rumors spread of murder hornets invading America. Well, at least it wasnt locusts. The night before the trip, we fought a raccoon in our garage (was that one of the plagues?). Early in the morning, we reached MBS. It looked abandoned. Its small, but in the past, it always seemed to be buzzing with action many vehicles in the parking lots, short lines at the check-in and the rent-a-car counters, people sipping coffee and chatting. This time, the cafes were closed and we saw just a few employees, half of them security personnel. It was an operation maintained for a single morning flight ours. My family aside, there were a total of seven other travelers. The mid-sized plane was practically empty. The stewardess gave us an opportunity to pick any seat we wanted. While my family and I chose to sit together, the rest of the passengers spread as far from each other as possible. Half an hour later, we landed in Detroit. I expected to see more people (after all, its a considerably bigger city than Midland). Nope. Once again, humans were few and far between. I felt like a reject after the Rapture. Every so often, wed come across another person usually it was a sanitation worker coming by to wipe down the seats by the gates. While we waited for our trans-Atlantic flight in the evening, we watched as other planes arrived. They too, carried no more than a dozen passengers, if that. It was almost as if I had entered into a post-apocalyptic movie. Had Thanos collected the infinity stones and wiped out half the population to the delight of the environmentalist movements? On the upside, however, I got the chance to ride my longboard around the terminal for hours. The flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was half empty. I had never seen anything like that on a plane to Europe. We had enough space to lie down for a nap during the short night. In-flight, the crew asked us to keep our face masks on, but explained that it was not mandatory. Some did, but most passengers, like us, found them very uncomfortable and decided to live dangerously. We landed in the Netherlands at sunrise, but our bodies were telling us its midnight. I noticed most passengers, airport security, and other employees did not wear masks and gloves. Compared to the American airports, the Dutch didnt seem overly concerned about the pandemic. Two hours later, it was time to board our final flight. It seemed that everyone around us spoke Bulgarian. We had lost the advantage of conversing in a secret language. No one in this line was social distancing. In fact, everyone was bunched together eagerly awaiting to board the plane. My father explained that cultural peculiarity with the fact that Bulgarian public bus drivers dont care about picking up all passengers. You must jump onboard when the doors open. Twenty-four hours after leaving our home in Midland, we finally reached Sofia. We were herded out of the plane like sheep. Upon entering the airport, we were surrounded by countless policemen and other security personnel who escorted us, one by one, through a gate and into a corridor. They made us walk through a sanitizing floor mat designed to disinfect the soles of our shoes. They took our temperature and a lady started yelling distancing instructions at the herd. We were steered toward a bunch of tables manned by people covered in what looked like DIY hazmat suites. I started freaking out at this cartoonish version of a scene from the movie Outbreak. My father was leaning toward a more sinister one, from Schindlers List. Thankfully, the man and woman at our table turned out to be kind. After declaring our address, we were given two hours to make it to the detention location of our choice. At my grandmas, we were greeted with a bottle of Windex (is she Greek now?). Instead of getting hugged, we got sprayed. A few days later everything still feels weird. Normally, my dad would wake us up with the sun to hike (or swim for two weeks at the Black Sea) so we can be back for lunch. Now I get to sleep until lunchtime. An African heat wave swept the city and covered everything with dust from Sahara (another plague?). On days like this, I wish my grandma had an AC. Ive never had so much free time so I do yoga, experiment cooking new things, and learn Russian (my paternal granddads language). I started reading The Count of Monte Cristo. Next I plan to grow a beard. Midlanders Kristin Tokarev and her father, Alex, are corresponding from abroad to give local readers a glimpse into COVID-19 life in Bulgaria this summer, where they are staying with family. They plan to report the familys personal experiences in the country after they are released from home detention at the end of the month. Hyderabad, May 24 : Four returnees from Kuwait to Telangana have tested positive for Covid-19, officials said on Saturday. This is the first case of evacuees from any country testing positive in Telangana. A total of 163 evacuees from Kuwait had reached Hyderabad by a special Air India flight on May 10. All the evacuees were kept under 14-day quarantine at the paid-up facilities of their choice. The samples of the four returnees were sent for testing after the health authorities found them with Covid-19 symptoms. The four foreign evacuees were among the 52 new cases the state reported on Saturday. The death of another person due to Covid-19 on Saturday pushed the state's death toll to 49. This is the fifth consecutive day that the state has reported fatalities. With 52 new cases, the state's tally shot up to 1,813. There was no let up in the number of cases in the hotspot of Greater Hyderabad as 33 more people tested positive. Fifteen migrants were also found infected on Saturday. All of them had returned from Maharashtra. As many as 119 migrants have tested positive for Covid-19 so far. The health authorities were concerned over not just the growing number of positive cases among migrants, but also over the continuing surge in the cases in Greater Hyderabad, the worst affected among all the 33 districts in the state. The health department on Saturday issued a special advisory in view of the lockdown relaxation since May 16. It observed that there is a lot of mobility and movement of people from all walks of life and of all age groups, resulting in a surge of positive cases in the last few days. The officials also claimed that 25 patients were allowed to go home from the hospitals on Saturday after they recovered from Covid-19. With this, the number of cured/discharged has gone up to 1,068. There are now 696 people who are undergoing treatment in different hospitals, an official said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) 23.05.2020 LISTEN It is now almost four weeks since the police arrested Nigerian atheist, Mubarak Bala following a petition that he insulted the prophet of Islam. The police have, in the quest to appease the petitioners and the Islamist base, held Mr. Bala incommunicado, without access to lawyers and family members. The police have yet to charge him in court. And in an apparent endorsement of the detention, the Islamic establishment has remained silent in the face of this outrage. There has not been any press statement from Islamic organizations regarding the case of Mubarak Bala. A few Muslim clerics have spoken out but in support of the arrest and detention of Mr Bala. The Ulama councils have yet to condemn the abuse and maltreatment of Mr. Bala including the several death threats that Muslims have issued against him. In this piece, I argue that Muslims are taking undue advantage of their numerical strength in Kano and other parts of Northern Nigeria to oppress and persecute Mr. Bala and other non-Muslims in the region. According to Nigerias religious demographics, Muslims are dominant in Northern Nigeria. And most of them live in the Northeast and Northwest Nigeria. While some think that the dominance of the muslim population is real, others are of the view that Muslim majoritarian demographics are exaggerated; that they are due to lack of a credible census and the machinery of forced/violent Islam in the region. Mr. Bala was born in Kano but he resides in Kaduna. Muslims claim to be the dominant population in these places. Mr. Bala allegedly made posts on his Facebook page. Meanwhile Facebook is a company that is headquartered in California, not in Kano or Kaduna. According to the petitioners, the posts suggested that Muhammad was a terrorist and a pedophile. Now look at this, some Muslims lodged a petition with the police in Kano and police detectives came and arrested Mr. Bala in Kaduna and took him to Kano where he is currently held for allegedly committing a crime on Facebook. The Facebook company is headquartered in the US. By the way, the assumption is that Mr. Bala is still alive even though no one that I know has seen Mr. Bala since police detectives whisked him away on April 29. There are legitimate concerns over his life, health, and human rights. The police have yet to formally charge him. They have informally stated that Balas posts breached public peace. Unfortunately, the police are subjecting Mr. Bala to maltreatment and abuse in an attempt to appease the Muslim majority base in Kano. If Bala were a Muslim and made critical comments about Jesus as Muslims do all the time, would the police have arrested and detained him the way they have done in the case of Mr. Bala? If Bala were a muslim cleric and posted on social media comments that incite hate and violence against nonbelievers, would the police have arrested him? In fact if Bala were a Christian from the south and living in the south and made these posts on Facebook, it is unlikely that the police would have arrested him for breaching public peace. If for instance, non-Muslims in Southern Nigeria post on their Facebook that the prophet of Islam is a terrorist, a pedophile, a rapist or a war criminal, would Muslims petition them for making those annoying and provoking comments? Would the police arrest all of them for blasphemy, for insulting the prophet of Islam and for breaching public peace? Muslims are persecuting Mr. Bala because they are in the majority in Kano and most of the northern Nigerian states. His current predicament is a factor of islamic privilege. Bala is a victim of oppressive Muslim majority that holds sway in the region. Over the years, Muslims have capitalized on their dominance to impose sharia law and turn non-Muslims into second class citizens in their country. They have gotten away with so many atrocities and crimes against humanity. For instance, they have killed and jailed those who made comments that were critical of Islam and the prophet. They have carried out extrajudicial murder of those who allegedly desecrated the Quran. They have provided a subsoil for the operation of vicious militant groups, such Boko Haram and their affiliates. Now Muslims in Kano are deploying their oppressive majority against Mr. Bala for making comments that were critical of the prophet of Islam. Meanwhile as part of their everyday talk, Muslim individuals and Islamic scholars make comments that are critical of other religions and other prophets. They incite hatred and violence against non-Muslims and nonbelievers daily. Muslims post statements on Facebook that make a caricature of non-Muslim beliefs and practices. So it is important to remind Muslims in Kano that they are not always in the majority; and they should stop abusing their numerical strength in Kano and other parts of the region. In fact, in many parts of Nigeria, Muslims are in the minority and they make comments and posts similar to Mr. Balas. But no one arrests them. No one petitions them. No one threatens to murder them as Muslims have threatened in the case of Bala. Muslims in Kano and other parts of Northern Nigeria should bear in mind that, as a saying goes: The majority will have their way, but the minority will have their say. Incidentally, Muslim majority in the region wants to have both their way and their say. They are unwilling to concede any say-space even on Facebook to the minorities. Nonreligious minorities like atheists should have their say online and offline. Muslims should not police their thoughts and expressions. Muslims cannot continue to deny minorities their right to freely express their ideas and beliefs. They should not criminalize expressions that are critical of Islam and the prophet. Muslims should not capitalize on their demographics to oppress and persecute non-Muslims including atheists with impunity. Free Mubarak Bala. China Insider: Father Tortured After Son Exposes CCPs Crimes Try a month of The Epoch Times for only $1. Get real news other media outlets dont report. Nonpartisan and truthful reporting on US News. https://bit.ly/EpochNewspaper The Chinese Communist Party detained and tortured a man in his 70s as punishment after his dissident son gave an interview to U.S. media. His son is a human rights activist who fled to the United States in 2018. His father has been regularly harassed but this time the regime went further. 00:30 Father of Human Rights Activist Tortured After Son Spoke Against Regime 02:58 Australian Student Threatened With Expulsion for Criticizing CCP 08:36 Trump Says China Deal Means Less Now 10:37 Trump Calls on CCP to Take Responsibility for Pandemic 13:01 Pompeo to CCP: Respect Hong Kongs Civil Liberties 16:55 Kay Cole James on Misguided Compassion During the Pandemic Watch full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7RX8_8XW4Y 20:54 Charts: CCP Virus Numbers 21:25 Sign the Petition: ccpvirustruth.com Sign the Petition to Investigate, Condemn, and Reject the Chinese Communist Party https://ccpvirustruth.com China Uncover May 23 Thanks for joining us Livestream will begin shortly By Akbar Mammadov The popularization of fascism, antisemitism and neo-Nazis has become an integral part of Armenia's state policy, Israeli expert Arye Gut said in "Israel Hayom" on May 16. In the article titled "Glorifying fascism disrespects the memory of the Holocaust", Gut speaks about glorification of Nazi collaborator Garegin Nzhdeh in Armenia as well as Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan's grandfather's Nazi links. Gut reminded that on May 9 that marks the victory over Nazism in WW2, Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan shared in his Facebook page his grandfather's photo who had allegedly served in the 554th Infantry Regiment of the 138th Infantry Division. "This post puzzled me because, as it turned out, the Armenian PM's grandfather allegedly collaborated with the Nazis during World War II," he wrote. The author also stressed that Armenian PM tried and failed to compare the fascist Nzhdeh with the Soviet dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, recalling the words of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev at the Ashgabat CIS summit. "The former Armenian authorities erected a monument, in the centre of Yerevan, in honour of the fascist executioner and traitor Garegin Ter-Harutyunyan, who served with the German fascists under the nickname Garegin Nzhdeh. Unfortunately, the new government of Armenia did not dismantle this monument. I believe that there is no place for fascism glorification in the CIS," Gut quoted Azerbaijani president as saying during the Ashgabat summit. The Israeli expert noted that he believes that President Aliyev, is the first among all the CIS countries' presidents to have told the Armenian PM that his country has been engaged, for many years, in glorifying Nzhdeh. "A sovereign nation's people have the right to interpret their history and memorialize whomever they designate to be their national heroes. However, we should not be silent, we must speak up when a person who was involved in the crimes perpetrated during the Holocaust becomes some nation's revered hero. How can we, Israelis, react to the monument erected three years ago in Yerevan, to commemorate Nzhdeh, an anti-Semite and apparent Nazi accomplice? The prolongation of his memory is a reprehensible insult to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust. For me personally someone whose grandfather lost all members of his family to the Nazis' atrocities in Ukraine this is irredeemable emotional pain", Arye Gut wrote. The author emphasized that it is no longer a hushed secret, and the ideology of fascism, the glorification of Armenian fascists and Nazis who worked closely with Nazi Germany, are being promoted at the state level in Armenia. "The popularization of fascism, antisemitism and neo-Nazis has become an integral part of Armenia's state policy, a country located in the South Caucasus. "What is even more outrageous is that the fascist ideology called "Nzhdehism" is included in Armenia's educational institutions' curriculum and generations are brought up on these "values"," he added. Gut stressed: "The fact that former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan have taken part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Nzhdeh's monument and that on Victory Day, PM Pashinyan publicly shared a photo of his grandfather, a collaborator with fascists, once again confirmed that both Armenia's former and current leaders consider themselves to be Nzhdeh's genuine heirs." "The Jewish people will never forget the acts of cruelty committed by the 20,000 Armenian legionnaires led by Nzhdeh during World War II. Historic documents confirm this fact. The purpose of the Armenian Legion, led by Nzhdeh, was to raid the homes and destroy the lives of Jews, as well as other "objectionable" to the German army. It was "thanks" to the Armenian Legion that the towns Simferopol, Yevpatoria, Alushta, Kerch, and Feodosia, as well as other areas of Western Crimea, were completely expunged of Jews", the author said. In this regard, the author emphasized that it is therefore required of us not to be indifferent to the way modern Armenia elevates past figures who were clearly fascist and anti-Semitic to the rank of national heroes. "Modern Armenia's policy can be seen as something of a ticking time bomb: Young people who grow up on such ideology will continue to live according to fascism's creed", Arye Gut noted. "Armenia's state policy displays extreme disrespect for the millions of people who died fighting fascism in World War II, disrespect their relatives and surviving veterans, especially citizens of the former USSR who fought with exceptional merit to defeat fascism. Really, the Armenians have no other heroes to commemorate except the fascists Nzhdeh?", the author concluded. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz An advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers by the Delhi government stoked a controversy on Saturday after it referred the people of Sikkim as "subject" along with those from Bhutan and Nepal, prompting the BJP and the Congress to launch a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dispensation. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal suspended a senior official responsible for the "error" in the advertisement. The Sikkim government wrote to Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev expressing its disappointment over the advertisement where Sikkim was mentioned as a different country along with Bhutan and Nepal. The Delhi government mistakenly identified Sikkim as a separate country and placed it alongside other nations like Bhutan and Nepal. The advertisement by Delhi government: The letter, written by Sikkim Chief Secretary SC Gupta, said the people of the state have been "immensely" hurt as they take pride in being a part of India ever since Sikkim became a separate state in 1975. "This is immensely hurtful to the people of Sikkim who take pride in being the citizens of our great country ever since it became the 22nd state of the Indian Union on May 16, 1975," he wrote. Gupta requested the Delhi government to withdraw the offensive advertisement with immediate effect. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal said a senior officer of the Directorate of Civil Defence has been suspended with immediate effect for publishing the advertisement "which disrespects the territorial integrity of India by making incorrect reference to Sikkim on the same lines as some neighbouring countries". Baijal said authorities have been directed to immediately withdraw the "offensive advertisement". "The official in-charge for the advertisement without applying his mind copy-pasted the eligibility criterion from the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968 (amended in 1971 and 1973) issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, for recruitment to the Civil Defence Corps," said a Delhi government official. A home ministry official later said that after Sikkim's merger with India, a gazette notification was issued on September 8, 1975, for application of the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968, in Sikkim. "In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 9 of the Civil Defence Act 1968, (27 of 1968), the central government hereby directs that the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968 shall extend to and come into force in the state of Sikkim with effect on and from the 1st day of October 1975," the home ministry notification signed by the then joint secretary CG Somiah said. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said it was "regrettable, objectionable and harmful" to the federal structure of India. "I am deeply hurt by an advertisement published by the Government of Delhi terming the people of Sikkim as different citizen equated with Nepal and Bhutan," he said in a Facebook post. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal later in a tweet said Sikkim is an integral part of India and such errors cannot be tolerated. Sikkim is an integral part of India. Such errors also cannot be tolerated. Advertisement has been withdrawn and action taken against the officer concerned. https://t.co/BgTcjJF4MF Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 23, 2020 Opposition slams AAP Meanwhile, the opposition tore into the AAP-led city government for calling Sikkim "an independent country". Delhi BJP president Manoj slammed the government for the "serious lapse". "The Delhi government advertisement shows Sikkim as a country. Can a state government be so ignorant that it shows a state of India as another country? Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should answer to the people for this serious lapse," he said. Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar also took a dig at the dispensation over the issue. "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is so busy in publicity that he does not know if Sikkim is a part of India. Let me remind him, Sikkim is a part of India," he tweeted. The ruling AAP, however, hit out at the opposition by accusing the BJP and Congress leaders of doing "petty politics", saying the advertisement followed MHA guidelines. "At this difficult time when the Delhi government is trying to work together with other governments, the BJP and Congress leaders are busy in petty politics. The Delhi government advertisement clearly follows the MHA guidelines. AAP appeals to rise above the politics and work for the people," the party tweeted. BJP's Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri too demanded a reply from Kejriwal regarding the advertisement. Bidhuri, in a letter to Kejriwal, said he was saddened to see the advertisement issued by the Delhi government in various newspapers in which Sikkim was presented as a "separate country" along with Nepal and Bhutan. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor demanded an apology from Kejriwal over the issue. "My father Shankar Kapoor, Joint Secretary MHA, on behalf of the Government of India had signed the document of Sikkim's merger into India," he said. "Arvind Kejriwal should apologise to the people of the country, especially of Sikkim, whom his government has hurt." (With inputs from PTI) If the world is to gain access to a vaccine for COVID-19, there's a good chance it will pass through the doors of Serum Institute of India. Serum Institute, the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume, is working on several candidates for the novel coronavirus - including potentially mass-producing the AstraZeneca/Oxford university one that has garnered global headlines - as well as developing its own. The efforts are partly being shepherded by Umesh Shaligram, the head of research and development. His employer is a private company but every day, shortly before midnight, he receives a WhatsApp message from the government asking for updates, and about any new hurdles he faces. The message is usually from K. VijayRaghavan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's top scientific adviser - an indication of the critical, and even strategically important, nature of the race to develop the vaccines the whole world is waiting for. Shaligram promptly responds with a progress report and details any bottlenecks. "Any delays, you just tell them," said Shaligram, adding the government has been doing everything it can to fast-track clearances, and resolve import delays and other issues. "We have begun to see approvals come through in days, even on a Sunday night, for trials and things like that," he said, noting some of these processes typically took 4 to 6 months. While most of the attention regarding vaccines typically goes to the pharmaceutical developer, India quietly plays a key role in manufacturing 60%-70% of all vaccines sold globally with the Serum Institute playing a lead role, said the company's Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla. At the company's sprawling, 150-acre campus in the western Indian city of Pune, Shaligram and his team are working flat-out. Dozens of buses ferry in hundreds of workers each day to the grounds, which are buzzing with activity even as the city around it remains largely under lockdown. The push comes as the number of cases of COVID-19, both globally and domestically, continue to surge and world leaders look to vaccines as the only real way to restart their stalled economies, even though none have yet been proven to be effective against the coronavirus. Poonawalla, whose family owns he vaccine maker, said scientists, drugmakers and manufacturers were collaborating at an unparalleled scale to spur development and availability. "We are all in a race to battle the disease, there is no one-upmanship here," he told Reuters, sitting in his office beside his family's 74-year-old stud farm. Also read: Coronavirus India Live Tracker: ICMR conducts 1.15 lakh tests in a day as COVID-19 cases reach 1,25,101 VACCINE CANDIDATES Serum, founded in 1966 by Adar's father Cyrus Poonawalla, has partnered with U.S. biotech firm Codagenix, its U.S. rival Novavax and Austria's Themis to potentially manufacture three COVID-19 vaccine candidates that are still in development. Another candidate in the works is the experimental vaccine developed by a team at the University of Oxford and now licensed to drugmaker AstraZeneca, with whom Serum are in talks to mass produce the vaccine, which is now in the clinical trial stage. The United States has secured almost a third of the first 1 billion doses planned for the potential vaccine, initially known as ChAdOx1 and now as AZD1222, by pledging up to $1.2 billion. Poonawalla aims to initially produce 4-5 million doses a month, beginning from June, and then gradually ramp up to 350-400 million doses a year. Also read: Coronavirus crisis: ICMR approves HCQ for frontline COVID-19 warriors; Lancet has reservations "Hopefully we will build a stock of a few million doses to give to our country and other high-risk areas across the globe come October-November when the trials ought to be concluded," the 39-year-old said, while giving Reuters rare access to tour his facilities. He added he had been given to understand by the development team that the trials had an 80% chance of success, given that the vaccine is based on a tried-and-tested platform. Based on the information currently available, Poonawalla also said he anticipated AZD1222 would be a single-dose vaccine and not require a booster dose. He sees AZD1222 potentially priced at about 1,000 rupees ($13) per dose in India, but expects it will be procured and distributed by governments without charge. Serum is also working on developing its own in-house vaccine options to tackle the disease, Poonawalla said. VIALS, TUBES, CHEMICALS Even if a vaccine does succeed, a treatment to fight COVID-19 would still be required, said Poonawalla, noting some people do not get the desired immune response, even if vaccinated. "You may get mild symptoms, you may get severe symptoms. It depends on your system, but there is a chance," he added. "Not all vaccines are fully effective." The Serum Institute produces more than 1.5 billion doses of vaccines every year, for everything from polio to measles. Poonawalla says that gave the company an edge in securing supplies of vials and high-quality chemicals required to make a vaccine in bulk once all approvals are in place. Also read: Coronavirus: Gilead to wind down two clinical trials of remdesivir by May end "We have partnered with many of our suppliers to have one to two-year inventories of glass vials and tubing glass stocked in advance, so luckily for us that won't be an issue." Any successful vaccine is however bound to be in short supply at first, he stressed. India recorded more than 6,000 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday, bringing its total to over 118,000 cases with more than 3,500 deaths, even as it gradually begins to ease its nearly two-month long nationwide lockdown. There have been more than 5 million infections and over 330,000 deaths reported worldwide. The Indian government stands ready to cover the costs of trials of any vaccine in the country, said Poonawalla, adding that the government had also expressed interest in placing advance orders for a potential vaccine. "We've reached out and they have been very positive," he added. "But we've said hold on ... as we don't want to take government money until we are very confident we can deliver." UNLOCKING VALUE IN THE 'HYPE' Serum, one of the few companies ramping up hiring during the health crisis, is also designing a separate facility to make vaccines for pandemic-level diseases that could handle 90% of the current vaccine candidates being developed, beyond just the COVID-19 ones. That facility, which will be ready in the next two to three years, would be able to potentially churn out 700-800 million doses a year, according to Poonawalla. The CEO said he considered taking the company public some years ago to fund some large acquisitions, but changed course when the deals fell through. Now he's considering a different approach. He is exploring creating a holding entity that will host the company's pandemic-level technologies, including manufacturing rights, intellectual property and the sale of all of Serum's COVID-19-related candidates, and selling a minority stake in the venture. Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: UK aims to immunise more than 10,000 people "That will unlock value in the main hype," he said. Poonawalla said he had engaged bankers to test the waters on this, but stressed he would only consider selling a stake to ethical, long-term funds or sovereign funds that do not expect huge returns and want to "make a difference to the world". "After getting them onboard, I don't want to be in a situation where I have to charge high prices to give them returns." There is his alleged lying to F.B.I. agents about his conversation with the Russian ambassador. But the bureaus record of the interview shows the agents thought Flynn did not give any indicators of deception, according to the Justice Departments motion to dismiss the case. There is the suggestion that Flynn exposed himself to Russian blackmail by supposedly lying to Mike Pence about the call with the ambassador. But as Lake astutely points out, Perhaps it was Pence who lied, because he was asked a question he found difficult to answer on national television. Of course, there is Flynns guilty plea. But Flynn like so many defendants in the U.S. justice system pleaded guilty to avoid having a different charge, in his case the foreign-registration issue in the Turkish matter, thrown at him and his son. What that has to do with an investigation into Russian meddling in the American election is a question to ponder. Against all this, consider the behavior of the F.B.I. In December, the Justice Departments independent inspector general noted that the bureau repeatedly misled the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court in its investigation of Russian collusion. As for Flynn, the F.B.I. discouraged him from having counsel present for the interview. It did not alert him that he was a target of a secret investigation. It withheld the transcript of his call, meaning that any discrepancy between Flynns memory and the transcript could be termed a lie rather than simple misremembering. It did not ask him direct questions about his conversations with Pence, though the rationale for the interview was to clear up supposed discrepancies between the record of his call and Pences televised comments. It later withheld from his counsel a key memo detailing the F.B.I.s previous attempts to find evidence that he was a Russian asset, which had come up empty-handed. What this amounts to, Lake writes, is not only an injustice against Flynn but an assault on the peaceful transition of presidential power. The F.B.I.s job is not to entangle the new presidents national-security adviser in a spurious investigation. Liberals used to have a healthy distrust of prosecutorial power, just as they had a healthy belief in the presumption of innocence. In the Tara Reade story, theyve been reminded of the political folly of abandoning the second belief. It may not be long before they learn a similar lesson about the folly of abandoning the first. On Friday, President Donald Trump said that he had deemed churches and other houses of worship essential and called on governors across the country to allow them to reopen this weekend, even as some parts of the nation remain under coronavirus lockdown. And he warned that if governors don't abide by his request, he will "override" them, though it's unclear what authority he has to do so. In Oregon, however, Gov. Kate Browns orders are still in force despite a court challenge. On Friday, the churches filed their arguments with the Oregon Supreme Court, arguing the governors executive orders are void. The court did not issue a ruling, though, so Browns orders remain in place. Q: So can I go to church in Oregon this weekend? A: Yes, under certain conditions. Under Browns latest executive order cultural, civic, and faith-based gatherings of more than 25 are prohibited. They are allowed for 25 or fewer people if congregants can maintain physical distancing of at least six feet between them. Some churches in the Archdiocese of Portland and other denominations are open for small services, but other churches are live-streaming services rather than gathering people together. Q: Didnt a Baker County judge rule Browns orders were null and void? A: Yes, but the Oregon Supreme Court quickly acted to keep the orders in place while the issue is argued out. Q: What happened at the Oregon Supreme Court on Friday? A: The attorneys for 10 churches and other groups made their arguments but the court did not issue a ruling. Q: What do federal health officials say about attending worship services? Following Trumps announcement, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines for communities of faith that include taking steps to limit the size of gatherings and considering holding services outdoors or in large, well-ventilated areas. Public health agencies have generally advised people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people and encouraged Americans to remain 6 feet away from others when possible. Q: Are religious services risky? A: In-person religious services have been vectors of transmission of the virus. A person who attended a religious service on Mothers Day at a church in Northern California that defied the governors orders against reopening later tested positive for the coronavirus, exposing more than 180 churchgoers. Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator for the White House's coronavirus task force, said that faith community leaders should be in touch with their local health departments and can take steps to mitigate risks, including making sure those who are at high risk of severe complications remain protected. "There's a way for us to work together to have social distancing and safety for people so we decrease the amount of exposure that anyone would have to an asymptomatic," she said. Q: Does Trump have the authority to order governors to open houses of worship? A: Its far from clear Trump can impose his views on states that want to keep houses of worship closed or restricted. Health and safety rules are primarily the domain of the states, in part because of the explicit preservation of state authority in the Constitutions 10th Amendment and Supreme Court rulings that have enforced limits on federal power. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany declined to say Friday what law gives Trump the power to override state orders to churches, calling it a hypothetical question. The president will strongly encourage every governor to allow churches to reopen, she said. Earlier this month, the Department of Justice sided with a Virginia church that sued after its pastor was issued a criminal citation and summons for violating the states social distancing orders, which prohibited services of more than 10 people. Attorney General William Barr has directed top Justice Department prosecutors to take legal action against state and local officials if their coronavirus restrictions go too far, saying the Constitution is not suspended in times of crisis. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- For the first time since late-March, New Yorks daily coronavirus (COVID-19) death toll fell below 100, as two more regions get set to start reopening next week. During a Saturday morning press conference, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that New Yorks daily coronavirus deaths dropped to 84 on Friday, May 22, the lowest number seen in the state in nearly two months. Eighty-four is still a tragedy, no doubt, but the fact that its down as low as it is, is really good news, Cuomo said. In my head, I was always looking to get 100 and were under 100. The 84 deaths represents the lowest number of New Yorkers killed by the coronavirus in a single day since Mar. 24. During its peak, the coronavirus took the lives of nearly 800 New Yorkers per day. It does no good for those 84 families who are feeling the pain, but its a sign that were making good progress. And I feel good about that, he added. As statewide deaths continue to fall, two more regions are now on track to being reopening next week as long as they can train the necessary amount of contact tracers over the holiday weekend. The Mid-Hudson region is expected to enter Phase 1 of reopening on Tuesday, May 26. If we can get them [contact tracers] trained over Memorial Day Weekend, then we can reopen on Tuesday. You can do these trainings online and we agreed to ask people to be trained Saturday, Sunday, Monday and well open in the Mid-Hudson on Tuesday," Cuomo said. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK*** Long Island could also enter Phase 1 of reopening as early as Wednesday, May 27, so long as deaths continue to decline and the appropriate number of contact tracers are in place. At this rate we could open by Wednesday if the number of deaths continues to decline and we get that tracing up, said Cuomo. MORE TESTING During the press conference, Cuomo also announced a partnership with AdvantageCare Physicians (ACPNY) to open up 15 additional testing sites downstate, bringing the total number of testing sites statewide to over 760. "We at ACPNY are pleased and honored to be partnering with the state to provide greater access and availability to COVID-19 testing, especially in New York City communities hardest hit by the virus, said Dr. Navarra Rodriguez, president and chief medical officer at AdvantageCare Physicians. Given our longstanding presence in New York with over 40 offices spread throughout the five boroughs, ACPNY is uniquely positioned to meet this public health responsibility. Even as infection rates continue to fall across the state, Cuomo again encouraged residents to get tested. Please get a test. It protects you. It protects your family. It protects everyone and weve made it as easy as possible, Cuomo said. If you have any symptoms, get a test. If you were exposed to a person who turned out to be positive, get a test. If youre a frontline worker, get a test. If youre a healthcare worker, get a test. 10-PERSON GATHERINGS Late Friday night, Cuomo signed an executive order allowing non-essential gatherings of 10 or less people just in time for Memorial Day Weekend. During Saturdays press conference, Cuomo urged New Yorkers to continue to exercise caution and ensure that any gatherings are safe and socially distant. You can have a safe gathering of 10 people, but you can also have a wholly unsafe gathering of 10 people, Cuomo said. Its a matter of risk-reward. Is it worth the risk. While such gatherings are now permitted, the governor cautioned residents to remain vigilant and keep gatherings to a minimum. If you dont have to be with a group of 10 people, then dont be in a group of 10 people. It doesnt mean, Hey, the governors signed an executive order of up to 10 people, so lets now have a party of 10 people," Cuomo said. FLINT, MI--A Flint bar is set to open on May 28 in defiance of Gov. Gretchen Whitmers executive orders. Tim and Paula Stanek have owned Chillys Bar for nine years and theyre concerned holding off on opening back up their business could mean losing it. They have decided to open despite the governors order to keep certain businesses, like bars, gyms and salon, closed until June 12. The couple said we may lose our license however we will (lose) our business anyway at this rate in a public Facebook post Friday. ***********This will come with a lot of backlash and we may lose our license however we will loss our business anyway at... Posted by Chilly's Bar on Friday, May 22, 2020 Were a small business in Flint and were not sure well be able to survive if we stay closed any longer, Tim Stanek told MLive-The Flint Journal. We have to have something coming in. Opening up a bar was a lifelong dream, Paula Stanek said. She grew up on the east side of Flint. The couple opened up the bar, located at 2017 Davison Road in Flint, nine years ago. It has not been an easy nine years and this is near to destroy us. We cant take it anymore, we just cant, Paula Stanek said. The bar was shut down on March 13. The couple said their employees suggested opening up early. Were not forcing anyone to come in or do anything theyre not comfortable doing, Tim Stanek said. We have put up sanitizing stations. Were not going to flood the place with people. The community cannot sustain another closed business and thats exactly whats going to happen. The owners have been keeping up with their bills but they say they cant hold business off any longer. They dont believe its fair to have businesses back open in northern Michigan when they dont even have the resources if people were to get sick. We are going to do it but we are scared, Tim Stanek said. The couple said theyre concerned about losing their liquor license and being shut down by the state but feel like they dont have another choice. Our hands are tied. Were just struggling and we cannot do this anymore, Paula Stanek said. Tim Stanek said the bar will abide by Mayor Sheldon Neeleys 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew if it is still in place on May 28. Were not trying to ruffle any feathers. We just want to keep our business open, Tim Stanek said. Read more: Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus Whitmer extends stay-home order, closures of gyms, salons and other businesses to June 12 Michigan averages fewer new coronavirus cases as Kent County overtakes Wayne County in most positive tests Gatherings of 10 or less, retail by appointment allowed under new Whitmer order Friday, May 22: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan For more than six decades from the original Independence Day of Cuba , it has served as a reminder of what was missing in Cuba: freedom that a lot of people paid and sacrificed in attempting to reclaim. In her piece in a News agency, Ali Pardo said that to date, Cubans stay "abused and censored by their own government," while a greater part of the globe seems to have a blind eye towards the situation. Pardo dates back in 1961, when the Cuban exile troops of the so-called Brigade 2506 which she said, included her grandfather, embarked on an unsuccessful attempt to liberate Cuba from the dictator, Fidel Castro. Castro, as described in her piece, was the one who stripped "the citizens of their rights." The group of men, she continued, bravely tried hard to give their country, their fellow citizens, and their families the liberty most citizens are enjoying in America. What Drives Her Love for Country and Freedom Pardo's story, specifically her family escaping Cuba is what she shared, drives her "love for country and liberty." Her grandfather's generation's determination to fight back and conquer the hard times in a quest for a better future for their children exemplifies the "American Dream." Pardo recalled, Cuban Americans like her, took comfort knowing the fact that, far from the other international communities, presidents of America, she claimed, fought for liberty and human rights of citizens of Cuba. Nevertheless, at present, Pardo said, an emerging group of the Democratic Party is pampering socialist dictatorships such as Cuba and "cheers on" as communism goes amuck in Latin America. The Cuban-American recalled the time when Democratic leaders were wise enough to keep what she called "the leftist ideologues" within their ranks in check. But at present, Pardo continued, the Democratic Party's far-left wing which Sen. Bernie Sanders leads. Sanders is known for praising the "literacy programs" of Castro. He has also taken control of the policy agenda of the Democratic Party. And, even though Sanders has dropped out of the race for the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party, former Vice President Joe Biden, who Pardo described as the "presumptive Democratic presidential nominee," is grasping much of the racial agenda of Senator Sanders. Taking Different Stances Just in April, when asked if he would return to the unsuccessful, Obama-era rule of pacifying the Cuban dictatorship, Biden's quick reply was, "Yes, I would." Biden's duplication of the Cuban policy of former President Barack Obama, according to Pardo, is yet another instance of his inclination to sell out the longstanding vows of America to liberty in Latin America so he can win over the present time's Democratic Party's far-left group. On the contrary, President Trump has taken a crucial move in combating the repressive administration in Cuba. Relatively, he enforced strong authorizations on the Cuban military funneling enormous swaths of the wealth of Cuba into the hands of the domineering leaders of the nation, including their cronies. Biden proposed appeasement, instead, which, according to Pardo, is a risky proposition. The failed policy of Obama is said to have activated human rights abuses, not to mention, enriched officials who were corrupt in Cuba. It also reportedly propped up the other Latin American social dictators. As a result, mass migration, famine, and conflict took place across the region. Check these out! BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend: Turkmenistan and Japan have discussed a cooperation against COVID-19, Trend reports with reference to Turkmenistans State News Agency. The representatives of specialized institutions and scientific structures of Japan and Turkmenistan held a video conference on the bilateral cooperation of the countries in the health sector and countering COVID-19 coronavirus infection. The parties considered comprehensive measures to prevent the spread of dangerous infection, including targeted research and manufacturing of medicines and vaccines, exchange of experience and strengthening mutually beneficial international relations in this area. Thus, the parties stressed the potential for developing cooperation between Turkmenistan and Japans scientific and health institutions in current areas of modern medicine, as well as in the training of qualified specialists. According to the source, since the first days of the COVID-19 threat, Turkmenistan has been in favor of consolidating common efforts and developing joint actions to combat the spread of the virus. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says there is no need to visit a driver licensing agent or to ring or email the contact centre to renew the documents yet. NZTAs contact centre is experiencing some of its highest ever call volumes as Kiwis are looking to renew their expired licences and endorsements. If your driver licence expired on or after 1 January 2020, you can rest assured that it is still valid, and you can continue to use your licence legally until a new expiry date has been set. There is no need to stress or rush to get it renewed, says Kane Patena, NZTA general manager regulatory services. NZTA is currently going through the process of setting new expiry dates and will communicate the new date once it has been set to ensure people have plenty of time to renew. Updates on expiry dates will be posted on the website. During COVID-19 Alert Levels 3 and 4, NZTA and licensing agents had to close many services available to the public. Under Alert Level 2, most services are open, but capacity is greatly reduced. This is to ensure government health and safety guidelines are followed, particularly social distancing and cleaning of equipment. As a result, the NZTA contact centre and licensing agents such as AA and VTNZ are experiencing very high volumes, leading to significant wait times for customers. Were also currently experiencing high demands for practical test booking, including via our online booking system at the moment. Our priority is to ensure those that had booked tests prior to Alert Level 4 are rescheduled, says Kane. If your driver test or driver licensing need is not urgent, were asking New Zealanders to please consider delaying booking, contacting or visiting us and our service providers. We understand that this is frustrating and appreciate your patience as we do our best to catch up and adjust to working with reduced capacity. NZTAs other online services are available. People can renew a vehicle licence (registration), pay road user charges and tolls, and manage change of registered person online. Memorial Day honors those members of the U.S. Armed Forces who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971, according to a report on History.com. Many Americans typically observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings or participating in parades. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, however, the majority of weekend tributes, ceremonies and commemorations are being conducted virtually. Others are being conducted by area American Legions and other veterans groups without the public. Gov. Tom Wolf extended the shelter-in-place order for statewide counties in the red phase, including the Lehigh Valley, until June 4. The governor on April 22 outlined a three-tiered approach, color-coded by red for the current, most restrictive approach to yellow and, finally, green. The public is asked to continue keeping at least 6 feet away from others not part of your household and to wear masks when social distancing is impossible, including during all commerce. The following activities are planned to mark Memorial Day in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and elsewhere in and around the Lehigh Valley. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com Northampton County The following are Memorial Day events scheduled throughout Northampton County: Bangor and Roseto At 10 a.m. Monday, May 25 starting at Bangor Veterans Memorial Park, there will be a Memorial Day procession, including the Columbia Fire Co., various Bangor Fire companies and the Blue Valley Rescue Squad followed by members of the the Martocci-Capobianco American Legion Post No. 750, Veterans of Foreign Affairs Post No. 739, and Emily H. Evans Post No. 739. State Sen. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe/Northampton, as well as Rep. Joe Emrick, a Republican whose 137th district covers portions of Northampton County, will join the tribute. The procession will proceed to St. Johns cemetery for a 21-gun salute, playing of taps, singing of the national anthem and a prayer. The procession will then move to the Roseto Presbyterian Cemetery on Liberty Street and the Catholic cemetery adjacent to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. The public is asked to view the tribute from their home porches and/or visit the cemeteries with the procession to pay respects to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. All guests at the cemeteries must adhere to proper social distancing. Bethlehem A virtual veterans writing workshop and the 10th season of the Our Hometown Heroes display honoring men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces highlight the 10th annual ArtsQuests Memorial Day Celebration on Sunday, May 24 to Monday, May 25. The ceremony and all related Memorial Day programming will be available at steelstacks.org. More than 130 banners featuring photos of 1,300 Lehigh Valley residents who served in the military currently are displayed as part of the Our Hometown Heroes celebration on First and Second Streets and Founders Way of the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks campus. The public will have a chance to drive through the campus or walk by the banners -- following proper social distancing guidelines and any other health and safety regulations enacted by the city and state. The banners also are being displayed online for the first time ever, said ArtsQuest spokesman Mark Demko. From 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, May 24, the Women Veterans Empowered and Thriving and ArtsQuest will offer veterans and their families to engage virtually in a writing and storytelling workshop designed to explore grief, loss, anger and other emotions. Demko said the goal of the workshop is for participants who have experienced loss to express what Memorial Day means to them. Guests can register for the event at womenveteransempowered.org. At 3 p.m. Monday, May 25, a Time to Remember Memorial Ceremony will kick-off on the SteelStacks Facebook page. The event plans to include the singing of the national anthem and God Bless America by Stacy Gabel, a 10-time Lehigh Valley Music Awards winner. The Lehigh Valley Gold Star Mothers plan to read the names of all Lehigh Valley residents who have died in service to their country. Speakers include ArtsQuest President & CEO Kassie Hilgert and Dave Lobach, president, CEO and chairman of Embassy Bank. ArtsQuest will also host a screening of a Memorial Day-themed PBS film on the ArtsQuest Memorial Day website throughout Monday. Memorial Day 2020 Easton The 121st Anniversary Memorial Day Parade has been canceled. The Easton Memorial Day Council, however, has postponed its flag pole dedication ceremony at Easton Riverside Park to a later date. Forks Township and Tatamy The annual Memorial Day Service typically held at Braden Park, corner of Uhler Road and Bushkill Drive in Forks Township, has been canceled. At noon Monday, May 25, Tatamy Borough officials plan to read the names of veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice on the Doughboy Monument in front of the municipal building, 423 Broad St. A bell will ring after each name is read. The public is asked to watch the brief ceremony over a broadcast on the boroughs Facebook page. At 1 p.m. Monday, a parade will march through the borough gathering all first responders, as well as employees of the public works department and elected officials. Hellertown A Facebook Live Memorial Day Service is planned for 2 p.m. Sunday, May 24 at the Union Cemetery of Hellertown, 85 Main St. The event is organized by the Edward H. Ackerman American Legion Post No. 397. Guests can watch the tribute by liking American Legion Post No. 397s Facebook page. Northampton Borough The Northampton Joint Veterans canceled the annual Memorial Day Service at Northampton Plaza. A brief memorial service will take place Monday, May 25 at various cemeteries throughout the borough. The tribute will include a Call to the Colors, playing of Amazing Grace and taps, as well as a rifle salute. Cemeteries include: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cemetery; St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery; Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery; and Our Lady of Hungary Cemetery. Social distancing guidelines must be adhered to at the cemeteries. The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Captain Theodore H. Howell Camp No. 48 also will not be performing its usual tribute at the various memorials, churches, and cemeteries as in past years. A three-member color guard will offer a prayer and a single gun salute on Monday, May 25. Meets at the following cemeteries: Fairview Cemetery at 8 a.m., Siegfried Memorial Plot, W. 21st St. (across from CVS) at 8:30 a.m.; G.A.R. Memorial Plot, Lincoln Avenue and Dewey Avenue, at 9 a.m; Allen Union Cemetery, at Fourth and Main streets, at 9:30 a.m.; St. Johns United Church of Christ in Howertown at 10 a.m.; Horners Cemetery, Nor-Bath Highway (next to EAT Ambulance Station at 10:30 a.m.; St. Peters (Snyders) United Church of Christ at 11 a.m.; Emmanuel Church at 11:30 a.m.; and Christ Little Moore Church (between Klecknersville and Rockville) at noon. Upper Mount Bethel Township A drive-by Memorial Day parade is planned from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. Monday, May 25 at the township municipal building at 387 Ye Olde Highway. Fire trucks, police cars and other vehicles will be lined up in the parking lot. The public can drive by the motionless parade with flags-a-waving and sirens-a-blaring. Township supervisors plan to hand out two hot dogs, a bag of chips, a bottle of water and a Memorial Day poppy. One bag of goodies per person and all attendees are asked to remain in their vehicles. The township usually hosts Memorial Day services with neighboring Portland Borough. Portland Hook and Ladder trucks will be at the parade, along with trucks from Mount Bethel Volunteer Fire Co. and North Bangor Fire Co. The parade also plans to feature East Bangor police and state police, who will salute any veterans who attend the parade. There will be a color guard from the local American Legion, VFW rifle corps and leaders from the local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Elected officials from Bangor, Portland and the state will be in attendance. The townships road crew vehicles will also participate. All groups in the parade will be separated to maintain social distancing. West Easton Residents are asked to gather throughout Monday, May 25 at the War Memorial Park, Spring and Center streets, and pay respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Guests are asked to practice proper social distancing guidelines. Williams Township Members of the Williams Township Veterans Committee are planning noon Monday, May 25 to read the names of 15 area veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice over the townships website. A bell will ring after each name is read. The public will be able to view the reading over video. Memorial Day 2020 Lehigh County The following are Memorial Day events scheduled throughout Lehigh County: Allentown A drive-in fireworks show will be hosted by the Lehigh Valley IronPigs starting at 9 p.m. Saturday May 23 at Coca-Cola Park. Guests must arrive at Coca-Cola Parks parking lots by no later than 8:30 p.m. for the show. Guests also must stay inside vehicles for the duration of the event. Tickets are $10 per car but are sold out. A second Drive-in Fireworks event has been scheduled for Saturday, June 6. Visit CocaColaParkEvents.com for tickets to that event. No tickets will be sold at the venue. Attendees will be able to listen to fireworks music at 9 p.m. via WLEV-FM 100.7. Zions Reformed UCC Liberty Bell Museum is presenting a pre-recorded Patriots Sunday service featuring the 6th Pennsylvania Regiment, to be posted Sunday morning for the public to watch on the museums YouTube page. Memorial Day 2020 Macungie The 72nd annual Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade held traditionally at Macungie Memorial Park, 50 N. Poplar St., has been canceled. The Macungie Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Post No. 9264 instead has replaced the grave flags this year on all veteran grave sites in the Macungie area. Warren County The following are Memorial Day events scheduled throughout Warren County: Blairstown Township The annual Blairstown Memorial Day Parade in canceled. The Givens-Belet Post No. 258 American Legion instead is planning a service at noon Sunday, May 24 at Cedar Ridge Cemetery, 117 Route 94. The tribute includes the playing of taps and a few brief words by guest speakers. A small group attending will be asked to properly social distance. Greenwich Township The annual Memorial Day Parade traditionally starting at the intersection of North Main Street and Willever Way in the townships Stewartsville section has been canceled. Instead, American flags are being placed in cemeteries, as well as the hanging of Hometown Heroes banners for 49 area veterans. Charlie Henshaw, member of the Mecsey-Bishop American Legion Post No. 456, said the banners are planned to hang from Memorial Day weekend to Veterans Day on Nov. 11, 2020. Phillipsburg On Monday, May 25 Mayor Todd Tersigni is telling the public over Facebook not to be alarmed by noise and activity on various streets. The town will be honoring fallen heroes in a planned tribute throughout the day. Other events: The Pennsylvanias Music Preservation Society has canceled its Great Pennsylvania Music & Arts Celebration at the Allentown Fairgrounds. Instead, a 35- to 40-minute streaming event will encourage Lehigh Valley residents starting at 2:30 p.m. Monday, May 25 to venture onto their porches or lawns while maintaining safe distances, carry American flags, and wave to neighbors to wish them well. A national minute of silence will begin at 3 p.m. followed by a listen of taps and other music on mobile devices. Additionally, there will be patriotic music by Lehigh Valley-based performers; messages by Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong and Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure Jr. addressing the importance of community connections; and an expression of gratitude for nurses and physicians, as well as first responders. The names of area healthcare workers and first responders who have died also will be read. Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council President Maj. Gen. Gerald Still will pay tribute to deceased military who made the ultimate sacrifice. The Pennsylvanias Music Preservation Society is partnering with the Lehigh and Northampton county executives; the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council; and WFMZ-69 News to offer the community-wide event. Riegelsville, Bucks County The annual Memorial Day Parade hosted by the American Legion Post No. 950 has been canceled. The Legion Post No. 950 Honor Guard instead plans to visit an area cemetery and the cemetery at Durham Lutheran Church in Durham township. There, they will conduct a tribute ceremony, which will include the playing of taps. Memorial Day 2020 What did we miss? Did we miss an event? Email reporter Pamela Sroka-Holzmann about the event at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com to be added. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Early maturing lychees are sold at stable prices from VND37,000-VND40,000 per kg, an increase of VND10,000-VND15,000 per kg compared to last year. Thanh Quang Commune has seen the earliest maturing lychee in Thanh Ha District, with local lychee sold at good prices from VND50,000-VND53,000 per kg. Thanh Ha District is enjoying a bumper lychee crop this season with an estimated volume of 35,000 tonnes. Thanh Ha lychee picking began from early May and the harvest of the fruit is expected to span until early July this year, 10 days longer than in previous years. About 40% of Thanh Ha lychee were exported to China and other countries in the previous years. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the district has focused on boosting domestic consumption. The district has promoted the local fruit through mass media, sent letters to thousands of enterprises to invite them to buy lychee, and held a conference on guiding enterprises to trace the origin of the fruit. A lychee promotion week is also scheduled to be held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in late May and early June. Large distribution groups and supermarkets have visited lychee farming areas to survey and sign purchase contracts with local farmers. Many local traders have also received orders to export lychee to the Republic of Korea, the UK, Germany, France, Thailand and China, promising good consumption of the fruit. Government will try to resume operations of international passenger flights before August, said Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday, three days after announcing re-starting of domestic flights from May 25. "I am fully hopeful that before August or September, we will try to start a good percentage of international civil aviation operations, if not complete international operations," Puri said during a Facebook live session. The government suspended all commercial passenger flights from March 25 when nationwide lockdown was imposed to contain the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country. I can't put a date on it (restarting international flights). But if somebody says can it be done by August or September, my response is why not earlier depending on what is the situation," he said. National carrier Air India resumed bookings for domestic flights on May 22 at 12:30 pm . On May 21, Civil Aviation Ministry issued the guidelines for airlines, airports, passengers and other stakeholders ahead of resumption of domestic passenger flights from May 25. The ministry said it has capped airfares in order to prevent any sudden spike or fall in airfares during the period of COVID-19 pandemic. Delhi airport to open from May 25; all domestic flights to run from Terminal 3 In a press briefing, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced Rs 3,500 as lower limit and Rs 10,000 as higher limit for a journey between 90-120 minutes. This is operative for 3 months - till one minute to midnight on August 24, 2020. Besides capping airfares, the ministry has put restriction on capacity of flight operations initially. Flight operations will be scaled up in a calibrated manner, the notification said. "On the day of commencement (May 25), limited operations (about one-third) would be permitted," it said. It said passengers will have to report at airport two hours prior to their flight's scheduled departure time and only those who have done web check-in will be allowed to enter the terminal building. Only one check-in bag would be allowed and airlines will not provide any meal services in flights, the ministry said. Boarding for a flight will commence 60 minutes before departure and boarding gate will be closed 20 minutes before departure, it said. "A self-declaration or Aarogya Setu App status would also be obtained that the passenger is free of COVID-19 symptoms. Passenger with 'red' status in Aarogya Setu App would not be permitted to travel," it added. Domestic flights to resume: DGCA allows charter flights to operate from May 25 New Delhi/Beijing, May 23 : Outraged by the subtle support that the ruling BJP extended to the democratically elected government of Taiwan, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime has asked India to "refrain from such acts." On Wednesday, in an unprecedented move, two parliamentarians of the BJP, Meenakshi Lekhi and Rahul Kaswan, 'virtually attended' the swearing-in ceremony of Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen and sent her congratulations. Tsai was sworn in for her second term. As most of the international travel remains suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic which originated in Wuhan city of Hubei province in China, Lekhi and Kaswan were among the 92 dignitaries, including US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, representing 41 countries, who virtually participated in the ceremony. Though the Indian government did not officially participate in the event, the presence of two well-known BJP MPs miffed China so much that its Foreign Ministry without naming anyone on the same day objected and hoped everyone would "support the just cause of Chinese people to oppose the secessionist activities for 'Taiwan independence' and realise national reunification." Now a counsellor (parliament) of the embassy of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in New Delhi, Liu Bing has registered CCP's protest against India's participation in the ceremony by writing to both Lekhi and Kaswan. Liu Bing shared a copy of the letter with the IANS. In his complaint, Liu called Lekhi and Kaswan's congratulatory message to President Tsai "utterly wrong" which needs to be "corrected". "The one-China principle, enshrined by the UN Charter and its relevant resolutions, is a generally recognized norm in international relations and a general consensus of the international community," he claimed. Liu Bing reminded the parliamentarians that "the Indian governments have pledged to adhere to one-China principle since the bilateral ties were established seventy years ago." "Any wrong signals" including the message of congratulation to President Tsai, Liu warned, "will encourage those separatists to go even farther on the wrong and dangerous track, which would ultimately undermine the peace and prosperity of the region." He strongly urged the BJP parliamentarians to "refrain from such acts and instead do good to support China's great cause of unification." Describing President Tsai as "the locally elected leader in China's Taiwan Province", Liu said that "unfortunately, the authority led by her in Taiwan province has refused to accept the '1992 consensus' that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China and will work together towards national unification." "On the contrary, Madam Tsai has never renounced to seek 'Taiwan Independence' and kept engaged in separatist activities in one way or the other," he wrote in the letter. Since the Communist Party of China gained control of the mainland China in 1949, pushing out the Republic of China (ROC) government to the island state of Taiwan, the political status of Taiwan has remained uncertain. The ROC was replaced by the PRC's membership at the UN in 1971. The PRC refuses diplomatic ties with countries that recognize Taiwan as an independent state. By PTI LONDON: A UK court on Friday directed Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani to pay nearly USD 717 million to three Chinese banks pursuing the recovery of funds owed to them as part of a loan agreement within 21 days. At a remotely held hearing, in line with procedures in place for the COVID-19 pandemic, Justice Nigel Teare ruled at the Commercial Division of the High Court of England and Wales in London that a personal guarantee disputed by Ambani is binding on him. "It is declared that the Guarantee is binding on the Defendant (Ambani)," Justice Teare's order notes. "It is declared that the sum payable by the Defendant to the Claimant (banks) pursuant to the Guarantee is USD 716,917,681.51,"it reads. A spokesperson for Anil Ambani said the matter pertains to an alleged personal guarantee for a corporate loan availed by Reliance Communications Limited (RCom) in 2012 for global refinancing. "It is emphasised that it is not a personal loan of Mr Ambani. "ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China) made their claim based on an alleged guarantee that was never signed by Mr Ambani and he has consistently denied having authorised anyone to execute any guarantee on his behalf," the spokesperson said. "As far as the judgment of the UK court is concerned, the question of any enforcement in India does not arise in the near future, and Mr Ambani is seeking legal advice on the future course of action," the spokesperson said. The banks 'Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd Mumbai Branch, China Development Bank' and 'Exim Bank of China', had taken their claim for a summary judgment to the UK High Court and in February were granted a conditional order, in effect a deposit to be paid into court pending a full trial in the case. Judge David Waksman, presiding over that hearing on February 7, had set a six-week timeline for the payment of USD 100 million pending a full trial in 2021. The court order this week vacates a trial date previously set for March 18 next year and also issues a court costs order in favour of the banks, adding a further 750,000 pounds to the overall amount owed. According to the court order, the nearly USD 717 million to be paid by Ambani comprises of the principal amount outstanding under the Facility Agreement of USD 549,804,650.16; interest outstanding as of May 22 of USD 51,923,451.49; and default interest due of USD 115,189,579.86. "The final amount owed by the Defendant (Ambani) to the Claimant (banks) under the Guarantee shall be assessed subject to the outcome of the RCom Insolvency Action," the court order states, leaving the option open to the banks to revisit the final amount in future. The reference is to an ongoing State Bank of India (SBI) Insolvency Application in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in India related to Reliance Communications (RCom), which the Chinese banks' legal team had argued had no bearing on the English Court's ability to proceed to determine their clients' claims. Ambani's spokesperson said the amount ordered to be paid based on the "alleged guarantee", will "reduce substantially" upon the imminent resolution of RCom's debt in accordance with the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, 2016. "The Order of the UK court will have no bearing on the operations of Reliance Infrastructure Limited, Reliance Power Limited and Reliance Capital Limited," the spokesperson said. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd Mumbai Branch, on behalf of the three Chinese banks, had sought the summary judgment against Ambani over an alleged breach of a personal guarantee on a debt refinancing loan of around USD 925 million in February 2012. Ambani denies providing authority for any such guarantee, resulting in the High Court action in the UK the jurisdiction agreed upon as part of the terms of the loan agreement. At the last hearing in the case in February, Justice Waksman had ruled that he did not accept Ambani's defence that his net worth was nearly zero or that his family would not step in to assist him when "push came to shove" to cover the conditional order amount of USD 100 million. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a warm conversation with Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth and conveyed his appreciation for the effective COVID-19 response which has resulted in no new cases being reported for several weeks in the island nation. Mauritius has reported 332 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 10 deaths related to it, with no new case recorded in May. Thank you, Prime Minister @PKJugnauth for our warm conversation today! Congratulations for successfully controlling COVID-19 in Mauritius. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2020 Our people share warm and special ties, based on shared culture and values. Indians will stand by their Mauritian brothers and sisters at this difficult time. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2020 PM Modi suggested Jugnauth that Mauritius could document its best practices implemented to successfully contain the spread of coronavirus which will be helpful for other countries, especially island nations, in dealing with such crises. He also recalled the special people-to-people ties based on shared values and culture saying India is duty-bound to support its friends during this time of crisis. Jugnauth thanks PM Modi During the conversation, Jugnauth extended his condolences for the devastating loss caused in India due to Cyclone Amphan which ravaged parts of Odisha and West Bengal. He also thanked PM Modi for sending the Indian Naval Ship 'Kesari' to Mauritius as part of 'Operation Sagar', with medical supplies and a 14-member medical team to help health authorities fight the pandemic. The two leaders also discussed enhancing cooperation in several areas and enabling Mauritian youth to study Ayurvedic medicine. PM Modi has been holding a series of discussions with world leaders over phone calls to exchange views over the ongoing crisis and way to tackle the situation. Earlier, PM Modi spoke to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa regarding the pandemic and discussed the likely health and economic impacts in the region. He assured the Sri Lankan President that India will continue to assist the neighbouring island in its COVID-19 response including the economic impact. Read: 'Nation Stands In Solidarity', Says PM Modi Assures Centre's Full Support To WB & Odisha A federal judge on Friday criticised the Trump administration's handling of detained immigrant children and families, ordering the government to give the court detailed information about its efforts to quickly release them in the wake of the coronavirus. US District Judge Dolly M. Gee on Friday ordered the U.S. government to better explain why it hasn't released some of the approximate 350 parents and children in three family detention centers. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has come under fire for allegedly asking parents in custody if they would allow their children to be released without them. Parents at all three facilities one in Pennsylvania and two in Texas were called into short meetings and asked if there were sponsors available to care for their children, lawyers who represent the families reported that late last week. They were then asked to sign a form. ICE has declined to release the form. Gee wrote that she didn't find that ICE officially sought to get those formal waivers, but that officers' conversations with detained parents caused confusion and unnecessary emotional upheaval and did not appear to serve the agency's legitimate purpose of making continuous individualized inquiries regarding efforts to release minors. While some parents reported slightly different details, the lawyers said they broadly believed they were being asked to choose between staying in custody with their children or letting their children leave. They were asking mothers to separate from their 1-year-old infants to go to a sponsor that perhaps had never even met or known the child, said Bridget Cambria, executive director of the group ALDEA, which represents families at the ICE detention center in Leesport, Pennsylvania. The Trump administration again faced allegations that it is trying to separate immigrant families as part of an overall border crackdown. The separation of immigrant families drew bipartisan condemnation in 2018 when the Trump administration implemented a zero tolerance policy on southern border crossings. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement accused advocates of making misrepresentations and says it remains in compliance with President Donald Trump's June 2018 executive order intended to stop family separation. In a statement Thursday, the agency said the form was used as part of a routine parole review consistent with the law and Gee's previous orders. The court recognized that parents, not the government, should decide whether the juvenile should be released to a sponsor, the agency said. To comply with this order, ICE was required to check with each of the juveniles and their parents in custody ... to make individual parole determinations with respect to those juveniles. In court papers filed May 15, the government noted more than 170 times that it had refused to release children currently in detention because the parent does not wish to separate. It labeled many children as flight risks without providing more specifics. Gee wrote that she didn't find that ICE officially sought to get those formal waivers, but that officers' conversations with detained parents caused confusion and unnecessary emotional upheaval and did not appear to serve the agency's legitimate purpose of making continuous individualized inquiries regarding efforts to release minors. On Friday, Gee called on the government and advocates to devise a new process to determine whether families could be released. Gee oversees a court settlement known as the Flores agreement, which controls how the U.S. is supposed to treat migrant children in its custody. During the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. government has imposed an effective ban on the entry of families and children seeking asylum. It has expelled hundreds of children within a few days of their crossing the border with Mexico instead of turning them over to government facilities designed to care for them, as normally required by federal law. The agency says it releases most families from its detention centers within 20 days, the general limit under the Flores settlement for holding children in a secure facility. But many families currently in custody have been detained for months, some since last year. Outspoken former lawmaker Mahmoud Sadeqi (Sadeghi) on Friday disclosed that officials have found the operator of the missile system that downed a Ukrainian plane in January responsible for the incident. In a tweet on May 22 Sadeqi said that the Defense Minister Brigadier-General Amir Hatami on Tuesday responded to his official parliamentary enquiry on the causes of the downing of the plane. Sadeqi whose term of office in parliament has just ended had submitted his official inquiry on April 23. Ministers are required to respond in writing or in person to such inquiries. According to Sadeqi, Hatami has said that the reason for firing at the Ukrainian passenger plane was the missile operator's violation of regulations on taking action without "acquiring permission" to fire in the prevailing conditions at the time. The operator has also been accused of not communicating, presumably with the command center, and relying on "vague information" by the Defense Ministry, according to Hatami. Sadeqi's inquiry required the Defense Minister to explain the reasons behind "the lack of coordination in the national air defense network" which resulted in firing two missiles at the passenger plane over Tehran. The missiles were fired at the plane hours after Iran launched a massive missile attack on two military bases in Iraq that hosted U.S. troops. The attack was a retaliation of the targeted killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani by the United States in Baghdad on January 3. On April 4 Shokrollah Bahrami, Head of the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces, said that one person had been detained and was being investigated for the firing of the missiles. For three days the authorities denied having anything to do with the crash and when the Armed Forces Central Command finally admitted that the plane had been shot down with missiles, it was attributed to "mistake" and "human error". The downing of the plane that killed all the 176 passengers and crew members onboard and lying about it prompted protests in several cities during which according to the Judiciary tens of protesters were arrested. NEW YORK, May 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The global antiretroviral therapy market is anticipated to reach US$35.14 billion in 2024. The market is predicted to experience growth at a CAGR of 3.40% during the period spanning 2020-2024. The growth in the antiretroviral therapy market is supported by various factors including rising prevalence of HIV, growing access to antiretroviral therapy, increasing intake of PrEP and surging prevalence of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05897001/?utm_source=PRN The market is also expected to face a trend of increasing use of illicit drugs. The global antiretroviral therapy market is also prone to certain challenges like increasing voluntary male circumcisions and huge cost of treatment. The growing prevalence of COVID-19 is also expected to boost the market as the healthcare spending by government would rise. Moreover, patients suffering from HIV are more prone to get infected by COVID-19 virus. The global antiretroviral therapy market by drug type can be segmented into the following: NRTI, NNRTI, protease inhibitors and integrase inhibitors. The dominant share of the market in 2019 was held by NRTI, followed by NNRTI, protease inhibitors and integrase inhibitors. The global antiretroviral therapy market by region can be segmented into the following regions: North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. In 2019, the dominant share of the market was held by North America, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. North America is predicted to dominate the global antiretroviral therapy market, supported by various factors like increasing funds on research & development activity and surging number of coronavirus infected cases. Scope of the report: The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global antiretroviral therapy market with potential impact of COVID-19. The major regional markets (North America, Europe and APAC) have been analyzed. The market dynamics such as growth drivers, market trends and challenges are analyzed in-depth. The competitive landscape of the market, along with the company profiles of leading players (Gilead Sciences, GSK, Roche Holding, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cipla and Abbvie) are also presented in detail. Key Target Audience: Antiretroviral Therapy Providers Hospitals/Clinics Healthcare Companies End Users (Businesses/Consumers) Investment Banks Government Bodies & Regulating Authorities Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05897001/?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 Anniversary reveals six historical milestone in energy cooperation representing the strong business tie between two countries SHANGHAI, May 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai Electric is now celebrating the 27th anniversary of its entering Pakistan markets since 1993. Yesterday was itself a related anniversary, making 69 years since China established diplomatic relations with Pakistan. Shanghai Electric, representing the first batch of Chinese companies entering the market, has generated a string of milestone projects in categories that include thermal power, nuclear power, and Power Transmission and Distribution under the umbrella of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (the "CPEC"). Thermal power Nicole Kidman is on the mend after breaking her ankle while self-isolating at home in April. After a picture of the star wearing a moon boot caused concern among fans last weekend, the 52-year-old provided an update via Instagram on Saturday. 'I'm back on the right track and almost back on the right foot,' joked Nicole. 'I'm back on the right track': Nicole Kidman discussed her broken ankle for the first time on Saturday and thanked fans for their support. Pictured: Nicole and husband Keith Urban The Big Little Lies star added: 'Thank you for all the well wishes and love.' Nicole shared a cosy selfie at home in Nashville, Tennessee with husband Keith Urban as she spoke publicly about her injury for the first time on Saturday. Up until now, Keith had been updating fans of her slow recovery during various media interviews, praising the 'trooper' for remaining positive. Ouch: Keith recently revealed she broke her ankle 'running around their Nashville neighbourhood' in April during self-isolation. Pictured: Nicole in her moon boot on May 15 During an interview on Tuesday's The Project, Keith admitted his wife sustained the injury while 'running around their neighbourhood' in Nashville. 'Five weeks ago she was running around the neighbourhood as she does and just didn't see a pothole and rolled her ankle and got a small break in her ankle,' he said. 'So she's been relegated to the boot for the last handful of weeks and is still sort of getting through it, but her spirits have been amazing I've got to say. 'She has been handling it way better than I would have.' 'She has been handling it way better than I would have': During an interview on Tuesday's The Project, Keith praised the 52-year-old 'trooper' for remaining positive Nicole's injury caused concern and confusion among fans last weekend. A picture of the actress wearing a walking 'moon boot' at Keith's drive-in concert for healthcare workers in Tennessee was shared to Instagram, with no explanation. It was the first time she and her husband had been seen in public for weeks. The Oregon Supreme Court on Saturday issued a deadline to the Baker County judge who this week granted a preliminary injunction nullifying Oregon governors emergency coronavirus orders: Either throw out the injunction by 5 p.m. Tuesday or explain why he should not do so. If Baker County Judge Matthew B. Shirtcliff doesnt alter his ruling that found Gov. Kate Browns executive orders restricting social gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic "null and void,'' the states high court then will accept additional briefings on the issue. The final briefing would be due June 2. Document: State Supreme Court ruling, May 23, 2020 On Monday night, the state Supreme Court stepped in to put a hold on a dramatic decision by the eastern Oregon judge that declared not only the governors restrictions on church gatherings null and void but all her Stay Home Save Lives coronavirus emergency orders. The states high court has now issued whats called an alternative writ of mandamus. If the Baker County judge doesnt withdraw his injunction, the states high court asked for further legal briefs on the question of whether the trial court should be ordered to dismiss it. Shirtcliff had ruled earlier Monday that the governors executive orders in response to the global pandemic exceeded a 28-day limit adopted by state lawmakers and were no longer valid in response to a suit filed by 10 churches, the non-profit Pacific Justice Institute and 21 others against the governor. The governors office appealed to the Oregon Supreme Court to keep her emergency orders in effect, arguing that Shirtcliff overstepped his authority and his legal reasoning was flawed. The state Supreme Courts move Saturday shows it has found the governor has made a serious challenge to the injunction. If the states high court thought the governors petition was frivolous, it would have thrown out the petition, said Steve Kanter, a retired law professor and dean emeritus at Lewis & Clark Law School. To the Baker County judge, "theyre saying the governor has a serious position. You can go along with it or tell us why you think its wrong,'' Kanter said. But it doesnt signal how the state Supreme Court will ultimately rule in the proceeding if the Baker County judge chooses to maintain the injunction, Kanter said. The Baker County judge also is likely to obtain a lawyer to represent him, according to Kanter. The states high court also Saturday granted friend of the court status to the Oregon Nurses Association, which is supporting the push by the governors office to throw out the injunction. With no vaccine available, limits on social gatherings, restrictions on businesses, school closures and social distancing practices are the only methods available to combat the virus, association attorneys Aruna A. Masih and Thomas K. Doyle wrote to the state Supreme Court. The churches had successfully argued in Baker County that ORS 433.441 limits declared public health emergencies to 14 days, or up to 28 days maximum, and because COVID-19 is a public health crisis, that limitation applied. But the governors attorney countered that Brown declared a state of emergency under a different state law, ORS 401.165, which isnt limited to any particular time period and continues indefinitely. If the state Supreme Court doesnt receive notice from the Baker County judge that hes vacated the injunction by 5 p.m. Tuesday, it directed parties to file back-and-forth briefings next week, with the latest filing on June 2. The trial court is not a party to this proceeding, although the Baker County judge may seek to intervene, state Supreme Court Presiding Justice Thomas A. Balmer wrote. Conservative activist Kevin Mannix, former legislator and gubernatorial candidate, who was allowed to intervene in support of the churches suit against the governor on behalf of the nonprofit group Common Sense Oregon, said hes somewhat buoyed by the state Supreme Courts action. "This shows the Supreme Court sees this as an important case, and they are keeping the case in play,'' Mannix said. "Its signaling the court is in favor of a full debate about these issues.'' With the filing deadlines presented by the state Supreme Court, it also suggests that the high court wants to put this matter on a fast track, Mannix added. Paul Diller, a Willamette University law professor and director of the schools Certificate Program in Law & Government, said the development means the state Supreme Court is "just giving Judge Shirtcliff another chance to explain his ruling.'' "This doesnt mean its a fait accompli that it would be overturned,'' Diller said. "I dont know why he would change his mind in eight days without guidance from the Supreme Court. But well see.'' -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Subscribe to Facebook page Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter Advertisement Press Release By Awemi Dio Maisamari, National President Adara Development Association On 22 May, 2020 It is indeed very sad but not surprising that the terrorist/jihadist war on Adara nation has continued ferociously in year 2020. From January to 22/5/2020, the killings, maiming, burning, looting and kidnappings have continued unabated from village to village. Within the period, there have been 63 terrorist attack and kidnapping incidents, more than 107 people killed, about 49 persons injured, more than 66 men/women/girls abducted for ransom, more than 111houses burnt, another whole 32 villages destroyed and 20,000persons displaced (especially in the last two weeks). There have been daily attacks and destruction from Monday to Thursday in the remote settlements of Magunguna, Idazo, Ungwan Galadima, Ungwan Guza, Etissi, Ungwan Maaji, Ungwan Dantata, Ungwan Araha 1 & 2, Ungwan Goshi, Ungwan Shaban, Ungwan Jibo, Ungwan Maijamaa, Ungwan Sako, Ungwan Maidoki and Ungwan Masaba. These are all satellite settlements of Kallah, Libere and Gefe towns. As at this afternoon, 20 persons have been killed, several others are injured or missing. We simply lack the words to properly describe the atmosphere of anarchy and despair that is fast taking root in our communities with women, children, the sick and the elderly fleeing with the little belongings they can salvage. Our brutalized, dehumanized, terrified and traumatized community members are reeling in pains, ever wondering why this contrived anarchy is still being condoned by the powers that be. We have since realized that the usual silence of government when most of these atrocities are being committed actually means consent. Consequently, several occupiers of high public offices have in unison spewed out rationalizations and justifications why mayhem is and must be visited on our timid people. We are therefore shocked that government has become brazen enough or descended so low as to justify terrorism, butchery and savagery of monumental proportions on such flimsy and illogical grounds. A Hausa adage says if a person speaking is a fool that does not make the listeners to also become fools. Sadly, it is characteristic of Nigerian rulers to delude themselves that responsible Nigerians can be perpetually fooled to believe them, or at least forced to endlessly endure their charades. It is obvious to all that their pronouncements are tantamount to open endorsement and deliberate empowerment of terrorists. Shockingly, government seems to be becoming an accomplice to the destruction of the law abiding citizens they are pretending to govern. Advertisement There are abundant facts to show that Fulani terrorists have for long been on the offensive in Adara land just as they have been nationwide. We have a detailed (though incomplete) chronicle of Fulani terrorist activities in Adara land. Our records show that from 2016 to date, more than 209 terrorist incidents and attacks have occurred. In these incidents, almost 722 lives were lost, 198 persons were injured, 231 persons were abducted or detained and millions of Naira was paid as ransom. There were also more than 817houses (in addition about 38 whole villages) destroyed, unquantified properties were destroyed and 30,000 persons displaced to date. These figures do not even include those from Adara communities in Niger state which are equally worrisome. We all know that the loss of lives and properties nationwide from Fulani terrorist activities (including even among peace loving and law abiding Fulani herdsmen) is by far more staggering than this. Given the above horrendous crimes against humanity, people of conscience would expect friends, relations and sympathizers of the evil doers to bury their heads in shame. It is therefore unimaginable that these same persons are trying to outdo each other in justifying unthinkable evils visited on fellow men. If that is how the humanity of so called leaders has diminished, then we are truly doomed. It is revealing that a Fulani authored press statement accused Adara people of attacking Fulani people only from July, 2017. If the alleged attack is really the offense, why then did Fulani terrorists carry out more than 27terrorist attacks, killed 41people, injured 25people, kidnapped several persons and displaced several villages in Adara land from 2016 to June, 2017 prior to any Adara attack? This was when Adara Chiefdom was even officially celebrated by the present Kaduna State government as one of the most peaceful Chiefdoms in Kaduna State. Furthermore, the press statement alleges a total of five Adara attacks on Fulani people in 5years of continuous and merciless Fulani brutality on peaceful, innocent, helpless and frustrated Adara people. How can any sane person reasonably explain and or excuse the atrocities in 209 Fulani terrorist attacks on the basis of alleged five Adara attacks? The above disturbing realities have left us with the following and many more questions begging for answers: Is it logical, reasonable, realistic or moral to blame a community which has and is still suffering the above unimaginable atrocities for resisting its attackers? When an already weak and marginalized people has been subjected to the above degree of ruin and desolation by an obviously advantaged adversary, is government now advocating total surrender and permanent domination as the only condition for lasting peace? Is it justifiable for rulers to rationalize such monumental carnage and devastation on its innocent citizens and country at large in favour of obviously lawless brigands? On the few occasions when terrorist victims were alleged to have carried out reprisals on Fulani herdsmen, did our rulers also justify the actions of the terror victims in the manner they are justifying terrorism? Since the same Fulani terrorists are accused of the similar atrocities all over Nigeria (and even among their Hausa/Fulani kith and kin), is it because all Nigerians are attacking Fulani herdsmen that warrants nationwide reprisals from Fulani terrorists? Different tribes from different places and at different times are apparently in conflict with Fulani herdsmen and terrorists. How is it possible that all others are always wrong and only Fulani herdsmen or terrorists are always right? Government claims that Adara people are attacking innocent Fulani herdsmen. That means that it is the innocent Fulani herdsmen that are carrying out reprisals on innocent Adara communities by themselves or they have hired terrorists to carry out reprisals on their behalf. Why has government acknowledged and yet tolerated such illegality? If some disconcerted and frustrated terrorist victims, out of helpless and hopeless desperation resort to self defense in the face of the generally observed government impotence, partiality and suspected collusion, should government not be directly blamed for that? When government takes responsibility and even apologizes for terrorist attacks on Muslim communities, why does it perpetually blame the victims of attacks in Christian communities for similar terrorist acts? Even if government thinks Adara people have done wrong, is it part of public policy to allow or encourage jungle(terrorist) justice as a remedy? We believe honest answers to these questions will graphically expose the inconsistency of government in its dealings with victim communities like ours. We are happy that Fulani official spokes persons and even terrorists are finally exposing their big and hidden appetite for Adara land. For instance almost all the terrorist attacks and displacements in the past two weeks are in Adara settlements neighboring Laduga grazing reserve. The intension is for Fulani herdsmen to annex and occupy the area. Around 25th April, 2020, Fulani terrorists ambushed Adara men after the Kujeni attack as a result of which 19 of them are still missing. A phone call later came from a Fulani terrorist saying that the missing men have been killed but they have taken a few of them into captivity. But instead of ransom, the terrorists are asking for land from Adara community to secure the release of the captives. Also in his press statement as the PRO of a Fulani Association, Ibrahim Bayero asserted that 78% of Adara land is already a government reserve (and by extension for Fulani people only since they are the only legitimate heirs of the Nigerian government). They have even crowned their claims by asserting that Fulani presence in Adara land precedes Adara occupation by centuries and that cattle husbandry (and not Adara farming) is the economic backbone of the area. If their fables had any aorta of truth, Fulani people will not now, in the year 21st century need to use violence or be relying on government might to acquire land. It is an open secret that Muslim extremists in and out of government have declared war on Nigeria in general using Fulani/jihadist terrorists. It is well said that in every war, the first casualty is truth Those blaming victim communities like Adara people should know that it is hypocritical, mischievous or dubious to view the insecurity in our community in isolation. The bottom line is that politics, religion, ethnicity and violence are being viciously deployed depending on the situation. And the ultimate goal is to achieve economic supremacy through the complete take over and control of any available local and national economic resources and opportunities. Strangely, citizens are being coaxed to fully cooperate, tolerate or bear with this eccentric grand scheme. The unforgivable sacrilege committed by communities like the Adara is having the audacity to expose and oppose this evil plan. And for that offense, we are being taught a bitter lesson to serve as a deterrent to other (actual or potential) dissident communities. In conclusion, what appears as ethnic, religious and security challenges are actually, in the final analysis, caused by lack of political will to provide good governance. For political expedience, government routinely relies solely on the opinions of people in politics. Most of them are people whose stomachs are their gods and being in government is the paradise they can do or say anything under the sun to cling unto. Therefore, our prayer has and continues to be that government and all other interest groups should ensure social justice to all. Adara nation will do the same whenever the opportunity presents itself. This call is being reiterated because there is clearly a grand design to contrive an environment for the implementation of policies and projects for the appeasement of some interest groups and the emasculation of others. This is undermining genuine peace to the detriment of all, especially disadvantaged communities like ours. Chris Hemsworth gave Year 12 students at Immanuel College in Adelaide, Australia, a 'tremendous surprise' earlier this week. The Thor actor, 36, shared a special video message for students from his base in Byron Bay, to launch their Year 12 jumper, designed by the school's prefects. Principal Kevin Richardson told The Advertiser on Wednesday how one student worked their 'distant connection' with the A-list star. 'It was a long shot!' How an Australian student worked their 'distant connection' to Chris Hemsworth (left), 36, to receive a special video message from the Thor star 'They made contact and it was a long shot, but it was very generous of Chris to support and encourage our Year 12s in this challenging year,' he said. 'It was very special and a tremendous surprise to everyone,' Mr Richardson added. In the video, a casually dressed Chris said to the students: 'Hey there, guys. I just wanted to give a big shout-out to all the Year 12 students at Immanuel College 2020. 'Enjoy the jumper designed by your prefects, enjoy the year, have fun, see you soon.' 'Have fun': A student from Immanuel College in Adelaide made contact. Chris shared a video message for the Year 12 students to launch their jumper, designed by the school's prefects Can't believe their luck! The final year students erupted in loud cheers in the clip The final year students couldn't hide their shock, erupting in loud cheers. Meanwhile, this isn't the first time Chris has shown his generous side. On Monday, the former Home and Away star teamed up with younger brother Liam Hemsworth, 30, for a worthwhile cause. The brothers joined Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi to read Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach over a live Zoom chat for charity. Surprise! Meanwhile on Monday, Chris (pictured) and brother Liam Hemsworth teamed up with filmmaker Taika Waititi to read Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach over a live Zoom chat for charity Taika aims to read the entire book with different celebrities over 10 episodes this month, raising money for Partners in Health amid the coronavirus pandemic. Chris, Liam and actor Nick Kroll read chapters one through four during the first episode of the series. Their fundraising video was uploaded to Roald Dahl HQ's YouTube channel, alongside information about Partners in Health and how fans can donate. According to the video's description, the Roald Dahl Story Company and its partners will be matching every single donation made by viewers. Fundraiser: Taika (pictured) aims to read the entire book with different celebrities over 10 episodes this month, raising money for Partners in Health amid the coronavirus pandemic Charity: According to the video's description, the Roald Dahl Story Company and its partners will be matching every single donation made by viewers. Pictured: Liam Hemsworth Many fans have praised the project, saying it's a great way for families to spend time together in self-isolation. 'I would watch Chris Hemsworth reading a phone book,' one person joked. A woman who claimed to be a teacher added: 'I will be sharing this with my class this week!' Stars such as Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep and Benedict Cumberbatch will read further chapters of James and the Giant Peach in future episodes. Home, sweet home: The Hemsworth brothers have been self-isolating in their native Australia during the coronavirus pandemic. Chris (right) has remained in Byron Bay with his wife, Elsa Pataky (left), and their three children Chris and Liam will only appear in the first installment of the book reading. The Hemsworth brothers have been self-isolating in their native Australia during the coronavirus pandemic. Chris has remained in Byron Bay with his wife, Elsa Pataky, and their three children. Liam has been staying at his property on Phillip Island, just off the coast of Melbourne, with his model girlfriend, Gabriella Brooks. The number of daily coronavirus-related fatalities in Spain rose slightly for the second day running on Wednesday, coming in at 95, compared to 83 the day before. According to the figures released this afternoon by the Spanish Health Ministry, this is the fourth day that daily deaths linked to Covid-19 have come in under 100. The region of Catalonia accounted for the highest number of the daily fatalities, with 40, which was 42% of the total. Since the coronavirus crisis began in Spain, there have been a total of 27,888 official coronavirus-related deaths, and 232,555 confirmed infections. In the last 24 hours, there were 416 new infections, up from the 295 registered on Tuesday. However, of these, only 172 people with the virus began to show symptoms during the last seven days. Speaking at the governments daily coronavirus press conference, Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts, said that the other infections are likely older cases that have only just been confirmed. Simon added that todays data was in line with what we have observed in previous days and does not contain any surprises. He attributed the rises and falls in the statistics to the regions adjusting their reporting. He also explained that many more tests are now being carried out, and that the falls in new infections are happening at a faster rate than the majority of other countries that are in the deescalation phase. Permits to be extended The Spanish government has announced it will automatically extend residence, work and study permits if they were set to expire during the state of alarm or up to three months before its declaration. The measure, published Wednesday in the Official State Gazette (BOE), aims to address the legal uncertainty facing many migrants in Spain who have not been able to renew their papers as immigration offices remain closed due to the coronavirus lockdown. The extension takes effect from the day after a permit is set to expire and will be valid for the following six months until the end of the state of alarm. The measure will also apply to migrants with voluntary work permits and the renewal of cards of family members of EU citizens. Hospitality industry to lose nearly a million jobs According to a new study, the hospitality sector in Spain will lose 900,000 direct and indirect jobs as a result of the coronavirus crisis, which has brought tourism to a standstill and forced the closure of bars and restaurants across the country. Workers in a cafe in Malaga prepare to open on Monday. Alex Zea (Europa Press) The research by consultancy firm Foqus and Valencia University estimates that sales will fall between 45% and 55.7%. If the worst projection is confirmed, there could be as many as 1.1 million job losses. Although most of Spain has entered Phase 1 of the deescalation plan, meaning sidewalk cafes can reopen, the limits on capacity continue to hurt the bottom line of many businesses. The study is based on two scenarios: one in which international tourism bounces back completely by October, and one in which the restrictions on travel continue. In the latter case, annual earnings could fall from 120 billion to $53 billion. This would lead to a loss of 676,000 direct jobs and 424,000 indirect positions. According to the research, the highest number of jobs will be lost in the regions of Andalusia, the Canary Islands and Madrid. In percentage terms, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands will be hardest hit, with the regions losing 10.2% and 7% of the total jobs respectively. Anti-fascists confront protesters A group of anti-fascists on Tuesday confronted a crowd of protesters in the Madrid municipality of Alcorcon who were calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The two groups came together on the street, with anti-government protesters yelling freedom, while anti-fascists chanted public healthcare and Alcorcon will be the tomb of fascism, in reference to the rallying cry against Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War. An anti-government protester stands in front of anti-fascists waving Spains Republican flag in Alcorcon. Olmo Calvo A police cordon was put up between the two groups but that did not ease the tensions. One of the anti-government marchers cried out Long Live Franco! which was met with: Thats what you would like, you lout, to live in a dictatorship. For several days, large groups of anti-government protesters have been taking to the streets of Madrid and other Spanish cities to demonstrate against the government and its handling of the coronavirus crisis. If they come out, we will too, said a woman in the anti-fascist group. They should know that in Alcorcon we dont want fascists. Return to school in Catalonia Students in the northeastern region of Catalonia will be able to return to school from June 1 in areas that have moved to Phase 2 of the deescalation plan. However, this measure only applies to pupils who are in their last year of each education stage, for instance at the end of primary or secondary school. According to the regional governments plan, students in the remaining levels are expected to be offered private tutors. The document adds that the return to school will be strictly voluntary for parents and students. Madrid libraries will not open until June Although the Madrid region was not granted permission to move to Phase 1 of the deescalation phase, the central government relaxed some lockdown conditions, including those on public libraries. Under these rules, libraries can open to loan books and for returns. Despite this, the 15 public libraries run by the Madrid region will not be opened for another 10 days, Isabel Moyano, the assistant director of libraries, told EL PAIS. The delay is due to the fact that the region is still waiting for the arrival of protective screens that must be placed between citizens and staff. This problem has been compounded by the shortage of face masks for employees. We cannot open until the security of the public and workers is guaranteed, Moyano said. With reporting by Emilio de Benito, Hugo Gutierrez, Maria Martin, Ivanna Vallespin and F. Javier Barroso. English version by Melissa Kitson. LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - Britain will introduce a 14-day quarantine for almost all international travellers from June 8, interior minister Priti Patel said on Friday, with anyone breaking the rules facing a 1,000 pound ($1,218) fine. The government said there would be some exemptions, including road haulage and freight workers, medical professionals travelling to help with the fight against the coronavirus and those coming from Ireland. "Now we are past the peak of this virus, we must take steps to guard against imported cases triggering a resurgence of this deadly disease," Patel said at the government's daily news conference. (Reporting by Estelle Shirbon and Alistair Smout, Writing by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Stephen Addison) Amid the chaos of the coronavirus pandemic and low oil prices, the energy industry has not lost sight of other pressing issues. High on that list is the industrys environmental impact, particularly methane emissions. To that end, Pioneer Natural Resources and ExxonMobil are joining with the University of Texas at Austin, Gas Technology Institute and Environmental Defense Fund on a first-of-its-kind network of sensors to monitor methane emissions. Project Astra is a sensor network that will leverage advances in methane-sensing technologies, data sharing and data analytics to provide near-continuous monitoring. The sensors will be placed in a Permian Basin oil field. Were initially providing the first location for testing later this year, Mark Berg, executive vice president of corporate operations for Pioneer Natural Resources, said in a phone interview. He said the company is working with the university and research team on their parameters, and then with our operations team to select one of its locations in the Midland Basin for the test. Pioneer will also contribute its know-how in the process of selecting the technology to be used. ExxonMobil officials told the Reporter-Telegram by email that the company is committed to staffing and funding components of this multi-year project. Our scientists will work with UT to validate data and provide a deep understanding of how the operations work in the Permian. In addition, as we announced in April, we have more than a thousand well sites that could be used to locate sensors as the program develops. Berg said it is really important to be able to have a continuous monitoring system that covers a wide area like the Permian. It could be a real needle-mover for the industry to be able to use methane sensors instead of older technology like cameras. The company has been outspoken on this for some time, he said. This is an important element for operators in the U.S. Not only does the ability to continually monitor methane emissions tackle an important issue affecting the companys social license to operate, but it is more cost-effective. ExxonMobil agreed, saying in their email that (t)his is important because it shows potential to create a cost-effective, high-frequency monitoring system that will be available to all operators and help reduce emissions across the industry. We are committed to the development of technologies and partnerships that reduce emissions. Like Berg, David Allen, lead investigator on the project, said in a phone interview that the project could be a game-changer for the industry. Standard practice in looking for unintended emissions has been for operators to go to every site and look for unintended emissions once a year or every six months, said Allen, professor of chemical engineering at UT Austin and the director of the Cockrell School of Engineering's Center for Energy and Environmental Resource. Most of the time they wont find anything. About 90 percent of the time they make their way to the site to look for emissions and find nothing. Thats because its so time-consuming to do once a year or every six months. Having a continuous network will remove that inefficiency, so that when an alert is received, they can send someone at a time when the probability is high something will be found. Allen credited the advancement in methane sensor technology over the last several years for making Project Astra possible. But beyond that, he also cited advances in data analytics as making a significant contribution. If you take the Permian Basin, with over 100,000 wells, and deploy thousands of sensors throughout the Midland Basin and Delaware Basin, how do you take all that information and make sense of it? So, its not just the sensors but data analytics, he said. The challenge is being clever about where to put the sensors and how accurate and precise the sensors need to be, he said. The first thing we need is to take all the new sensors that are just emerging from labs and companies and really test them to ensure they can withstand the conditions in the Permian Basin, Allen said. Well gather all the seniors that appear to be ready and test them at a Pioneer site to see how they perform in the Midland Basin and continually test them for months to see if they will continue to operate unattended and continue streaming data. This will be done until February to make sure the sensors encounter all conditions. The test needs to be at a Permian Basin site with about 1,000 wells, he said. To intelligently place the sensors, UT will build a digital twin of the region, one that simulates what the pressures will be minute-by-minute and what emissions will be minute-by-minute. That will be coupled with a digital twin of the atmosphere and how it will evolve minute-by-minute and the atmospheric conditions that will be encountered. We will use that digital twin to design the network for optimal placement. Well do that over the course of 2020. By early 2021, we will have designed the network, and our goal will be to deploy the sensors by mid-2021. By the start of 2022 the goal is to have a full network deployed and operating, Allen said. Were very much looking forward to getting out in the field, he said. In addition to designing the digital twin and synthetic atmosphere, he said UT researchers will be working with their partners in the project to decide what sensors will go where and what magnitude of emissions they want to detect. Speed matters when recognizing methane emissions and addressing them, Ben Ratner, senior director for EDF+Business, said in a phone interview. We need to accelerate progress. Project Astra can move the industry from occasional monitoring to rapid and continuous monitoring, he said. That could be the future of methane emissions monitoring. The project, Ratner added, addresses the hardware piece the sensors and the software piece -- the data processing that generates meaningful information. EDF is keen to assist projects like this that actively seek to reduce emissions at the same costs as traditional monitoring, he said. His group will provide its environmental mission and determination to the project as well as scientific expertise to provide insight on the magnitude and quality of the emissions and constructively challenge projects like this that lead to new ways to do business. This will set a foundation. Its walk before you can run. It provides proof of concept. I hope that after the concept is proven, it sticks, and continuous monitoring will be adapted by operators large and small, Ratner said. He attributed his survival to youth, determination and luck. I didnt want to give in, he said in 2006. I did my work, or did not do the work when nobody sees you, to save your strength. On May 6, 1945, the U.S. Army liberated his camp at Ebensee in Austria. Brodt, who was 19 at the time, recalled: I sat down on a cot, crying, knowing I cannot go back home. What am I going to do? He was called to testify during Nazi war crime trials. And he left the stories there. Brodt participated several times in the March of the Living, when Jewish teens and Holocaust survivors visit former Nazi death camps to remember their victims. He saw Plaszow, once a concentration camp where he spent part of his teens. The flow of blood that was lost there would fill the Vistula River, Brodt said in 2006. Poland reminded him of the horrors that took the lives of his mother and sister, who left her 3-month-old daughter on the grounds of a Christian orphanage to save her life. Iran's Assassinations and Terrorist Activity Abroad Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesperson May 22, 2020 "The Iranian regime also continues to export cruelty outside its own borders. Last week, an Iranian dissident, Massoud Molavi, was assassinated in Istanbul after he defected to Turkey from Iran. The killing of Mr. Molavi is yet another tragic example in a long string of suspected Iran-backed assassination attempts outside of Iranian soil. The regime's brutality and amorality know no international boundaries." -Secretary Pompeo, Remarks to the Press, November 26, 2019 "Reports that Iranian diplomats were involved in an assassination of a dissident in Turkey are disturbing but fully consistent with their assignments Iran's "diplomats" are agents of terror and have conducted multiple assassinations and bomb plots in Europe over the past decade." -Secretary Pompeo, Twitter, April 1, 2020 Overview Since coming to power in 1979, the Iranian regime has been implicated in assassinations, terrorist plots, and terrorist attacks in more than 40 countries. Senior Iranian officials have declared that Iran follows and constantly surveils Iranian dissidents in other countries to "crack down on them" and "strike decisive blows." Iran's global campaign of terror has included as many as 360 targeted assassinations in other countries, and mass bombing attacks that killed and maimed hundreds. Iran engaged in these assassinations and other attacks primarily through the IRGC-Qods Force and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, but also via third parties and proxies such as Hizballah. Iranian diplomatic personnel have repeatedly been implicated in assassinations abroad, as evidenced by arrest warrants, judicial and police investigations, intelligence services, and witness reports. As Iranian assassins using diplomatic cover have attracted increased scrutiny, Iran has showed willingness to use criminal gangs, drug cartels, and other third parties to carry out its assassination plots abroad. Iran consistently lies about its involvement in killings abroad, even when its own diplomatic personnel are caught surveilling attack targets, providing explosives or fleeing crime scenes. Former Iranian Minister of Intelligence Ali Fallahian On May 20, the United States designated Ali Fallahian under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, due to credible information of his involvement in gross violations of human rights while he headed the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security. During his tenure, Fallahian was implicated in the assassination of multiple Iranian political dissidents in Europe, including cases in which Swiss and German courts issued warrants for his arrest. Besides directing individual assassinations, Fallahian provided resources and direction to terrorist groups abroad, expanding Iran's facilitation of state-sponsored terrorism. On 9 July 1995, Alisa Michelle Flatow, a twenty-year old U.S. citizen in Israel on a foreign study program, was tragically killed in a suicide bombing in the Gaza Strip. A terrorist group supported by Iran claimed responsibility for the attack. In 1998, a U.S. federal district court found that Fallahian contributed to her death by personally approving the provision of resources to the terrorist group that killed her. The most catastrophic operation attributed to Fallahian is the 1994 bombing of the Argentina-Israelite Mutual Aid Association (AMIA) in Buenos Aires, Argentina that killed 85 individuals and wounded hundreds more. In 2006, Argentina issued an international arrest warrant for Fallahian based on credible evidence that Hizballah operatives and Iranian agents, under his direction, carried out the bombing. In 2007, INTERPOL issued a Red Notice for Fallahian, four other Iranian officials, and one Hizballah member. Iran's Use of Its Diplomats for Assassinations and Terrorist Activity Multiple countries have issued arrest warrants for Iranian diplomats for the killings of dissidents and others perceived as threats to the Iranian regime and its ideology. Two Iranians who were assigned as diplomats at the time are among Iranian officials subject to INTERPOL Red Notices for the 1994 bombing of the AMIA community center in Argentina that killed 85 people. Mohsen Rabbani, the alleged mastermind of the bombing in Argentina, was the cultural attache at the Iranian Embassy in Buenos Aires with support from Ahmad Reza Asghari, reportedly a member of the IRGC, who used a position as third secretary at the Iranian Embassy as cover. Since 2018, Asadollah Asadi, who had been assigned as an Iranian diplomat to Austria, remains in a Belgian prison awaiting trial based on evidence that he provided explosives to bomb a dissident rally in Paris, which could have killed scores of men, women, and children. In March 2020, senior Turkish officials accused Iranian diplomats of ordering and coordinating the killing of Masoud Molavi Vardanjani in November 2019. Targeting Civil Society Besides targeting political dissidents, ethnic and religious minority leaders and activists, and foreign government officials for assassination, Iran has increasingly threatened Iranian civil society activists and journalists abroad. Iran leverages its well-earned reputation for extrajudicial killings to try to silence civil society through death threats against activists, dissidents, and journalists. In March, four UN Special Rapporteurs called on the Iranian government to cease death threats against BBC and other journalists working outside Iran for Farsi-language news outlets. Iran is also well known for misusing INTERPOL Red Notices to pursue political dissidents, as well as kidnapping dissidents to bring them back to Iran to face arbitrary detention, torture, and execution. Earlier this year, reports emerged that Iranian intelligence threatened to kidnap journalists of London-based Iran International TV and forcibly take them to Iran. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address California is recommending coronavirus testing for residents and staff in nursing homes across the state. The new guidelines, made public Friday evening, are meant to address what many see as a failure to react quickly to COVID-19, which has taken a heavy toll on nursing homes. To date, 35% of coronavirus fatalities in California occurred at senior living facilities, a number that has angered advocates and families. San Francisco and Los Angeles County have already required testing of all nursing home residents and staff, but the vast majority of California counties have not. The state guidelines recommend testing for all residents, all health care workers, anyone transferred from a hospital or other facility, anyone showing symptoms and anyone exposed to the virus. Residents who test positive and show symptoms should be isolated until at least three days after they recover. Those who test positive but show no symptoms should be isolated for 10 days. Health care workers who are sick and test positive should be sent home, while those who test positive but have no symptoms should be restricted to working only with COVID-19 patients. Once a case is confirmed in a facility, all residents who tested negative should be retested every seven days, as should all staff. The guidelines advise dividing residents into three separate cohorts: those who test positive, those who test negative but were exposed to the virus in the last 14 days, and those who test negative and were not in contact with an affected person for 14 days. The facilities should have a procedure for anyone who declines or cannot be tested, and a protocol for follow-up tests, the guidelines say. And in facilities with no known virus cases, a quarter of health care staff should be tested every week, thus ensuring that the entire staff gets tested once a month. 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. With elderly residents who may need hands-on work, nursing homes were inevitably at high risk for the virus. But critics also blame the state for giving facilities too much leeway. The California Department of Public Health has required each of the states 1,224 nursing homes to submit a plan by June 1, a deadline that some say is too late given the wide circulation of the disease. Heidi Steinecker, deputy director of the Department of Public Health, acknowledged the perils in a letter directed to all facilities Friday. The vulnerable nature of the (skilled nursing facility) population, combined with the inherent risks of congregate living in a healthcare setting, requires aggressive efforts to stave off the disease, she wrote. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan It's not about sex, love and nudity at all, Joe. It's all about class, capitalism and change. The 'Liveline' wouldn't light up if the discussion went that way with Joe Duffy. Hailed as the voice of the millennials, the world created by Sally Rooney is about a lot more than sex scenes and is instructive to our current political dysfunction. The author of 'Normal People' is a self-professed Marxist. Her ideology doesn't interfere with a cracking narrative or touching dialogue. She describes herself as a novelist, not a polemicist. Yet her politics seeps through her writing. It's no accident the central protagonists of the book that has captured the nation's imagination are the rich girl living in the mansion and the poor boy whose mother works as her family's cleaner. The TV version glosses over the discussions around 'The Communist Manifesto' and the feminist bible 'The Golden Notebook'. Rooney's characters, like her, were born into the social change of the 1990s of a country which is almost unrecognisable now. It was the decade we elected our first female President, the rule of the Church waned, contraception became widely available, homosexuality was decriminalised and divorce was narrowly passed in a referendum. All huge at the time but now appearing to be minor steps. 'Normal People' is set against the backdrop of post-economic-crash Ireland of the early 2010s. Marianne and Connell didn't start out in Rooney's head as Leaving Cert students in Carricklea. She says they featured in a short story, that was never finished, as a couple in their mid-20s heading to a political rally. She doesn't mention if Marianne was carrying an anti-water charges placard, flying a rainbow flag or wearing a 'Repeal' jumper. Rooney and her contemporaries and characters alike came of political age in a decade when change happened fast and in an uncompromising fashion. Over the course of the 2010s, changes that couldn't have been foreseen came about. The old world of the Civil War parties' dominance and the two-and-a-half-party State of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Labour Party was replaced by a more diverse and fragmented political system. A left-wing firebrand was elected as President, twice, and the gay son of a migrant became Taoiseach. In the defeat of water charges, policies were overturned as old fashioned street protest became mainstream. Social changes did not just creep across the line, as the referendums on same-sex marriage and abortion were overwhelmingly passed. Compared to previous decades when little enough happened, suddenly all was changed and changed utterly. From home-to-vote to 'MeToo', grassroots activism came into its own on a domestic and global scale. The 2010s were the decade when seismic shifts happened rapidly. It's a double-edged sword. The flip side of this social-media pop-up-style campaigning was reflected in the election of Donald Trump and the passing of Brexit, where sentiment overrode fact. Our relationship with our closest cultural allies has been altered as we are embarrassed by our neighbours' behaviour. Coming into a new decade, societal issues of climate change and housing were poised to dominate, driven by the demands for reform of young people. The question of national unity is suddenly viewed as not altogether radical or something for the generations to come to aspire to. Already in this country, the largest number of votes in the general election was won by a left-wing party led by a woman. The shocks just keep on coming. Then the coronavirus struck, bringing about societal and economic changes we are not yet sure are temporary or permanent. But they still represent change. The climate agenda has been pushed off centre-stage for now but it is no longer a niche issue confined to what economic circumstances allow. Transformation Talking about 'Normal People' with books editor Kishani Widyaratna at the London Review Bookshop this time last year, Rooney presciently predicted a radical shift in the way that we live as a result of a civilisation and environmental collapse. A year on and in the midst of a global pandemic altering and threatening our way of life, it doesn't seem so far-fetched. Nor are her views completely 'out there'. Living through the inequity of the housing crisis, her jaundiced view of social systems are representative of many. Belief in the overwhelming necessity to tackle climate change is not the preserve of any particular brand of politics. Hence the growing popularity in green movements, although they are not the only parties to show a genuine interest in this area of what has become a social policy. From the economic, political and social transformation of the last decade, there is an impatience for change from those younger voters who now view rapid and spontaneous change simply as the norm. The public was often ahead of the politicians on those changes and that hasn't ended. Taking rapid change for granted and being impatient for more is a form of political privilege at the crux of our current impasse. The Green Party is caught between these two worlds of old politics and new politics. Eamon Ryan shows the compromise view of needing to be in government to initiate some change and implement some of your policies. Catherine Martin represents the new world order of not yielding on your principles and not settling for incremental change. Imagine the temerity of a party leader's position coming under pressure from senior figures in a crisis. Critics of the Greens' internal machinations so easily forget Leo Varadkar and Micheal Martin were both involved in attempted putsches against their leaders a decade ago as the country was in the midst of the economic crash. The Greens are not the problem. Satisfying the demands of new voters for rapid reform is reflective in their internal struggles. The argument for a government being needed now is weighed against the desire for a government that will actually make a difference. Meanwhile, the cogs of State threaten to grind to a halt. The impasse around the formation of a new government is showing no signs of abating. The caretaker government can't pass any more legislation and will hit a financial wall in July, virtually unable to rule. The list of legislative measures needing to be addressed grows by the day. The Offences Against the State Act, which protects the citizens against domestic and overseas terrorism, is in danger of running out and not being renewed. Among the bizarre proposals being discussed amongst ministers and officials in Government Buildings is for the Taoiseach to be voted back in temporarily with the agreement of other parties in the Dail to allow the appointment of Senators to the Seanad. These 11 Taoiseach's nominees would be divvied up across all the parties. The Seanad sitting would allow laws to be passed and buy a bit more time. How exactly ministers would be appointed under this new Taoiseach-by-unpopular-acclaim system is not at all clear as ministerial appointments must be approved by resolution of the Dail. "We are now gone into a scenario that is beyond farce," a minister observed. In the meantime, ordinary citizens with no electoral mandate, as they lost their seats in the general election, continue to masquerade as ministers in the Dail chamber The talks on forming a government that nobody voted for, nobody wants to be a part of, and nobody particularly wants to see governing the country, continue. The fall-back plans of the Fianna Fail-Fine Gael-Green Party alliance are already being lined up. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael would then approach Independents and Labour. Failing that, eventually Fianna Fail would have to approach Sinn Fein. The plain people of Ireland who ate their dinner in the middle of the day have been replaced by the normal people. The old-school political parties are still playing catch-up. Chinese military is fast increasing its troops in areas around Pangong Tso lake and Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, sending a clear signal that it was not ready to end its confrontation with the Indian Army anytime soon, people familiar with the situation in the disputed region said. The Chinese side has particularly bolstered its presence in the Galwan Valley, erecting around 100 tents in the last two weeks and bringing in machinery for possible construction of bunkers, notwithstanding the stiff protest by Indian troops, they said. In the midst of the escalating tension, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane paid a quiet visit to the headquarters of 14 Corps in Leh on Friday and reviewed with the top commanders the overall security scenario in the region including in the disputed areas along the LAC, the de-facto border between India and China. Military sources said the Indian Army has also been matching up to the Chinese build-up in both Pangong Tso lake and Galwan Valley and that it is in a much advantageous position in certain other sensitive areas in the region. The situation in Eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage" following a meeting at the level of local commanders. Over 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in the violence. The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in North Sikkim on May 9. There were reports of multiple transgressions by Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh region in the last one week. However, there is no official confirmation or reaction to it. In the last one week, local commanders of both the sides held at least five meetings during which the Indian side took strong note of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) erecting a large numbers of tents in areas in Galwan Valley which India felt belonged to its side of the LAC, the sources said. India on Thursday said Chinese military was hindering normal patrolling by its troops and asserted that India has always taken a very responsible approach towards border management. At a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava also strongly refuted China's contention that the tension was triggered due to trespassing by Indian forces on the Chinese side. India's response came two days after China accused the Indian Army of trespassing into its territory, claiming that it was an "attempt to unilaterally change the status" of the LAC in Sikkim and Ladakh. On May 5, around 250 Indian and Chinese army personnel clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in the Pangong Tso lake area in which soldiers on both sides sustained injuries. In a separate incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector on May 9. At least 10 soldiers from both sides sustained injuries. The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction in 2017 which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long LAC. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it. Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas. China has been critical of India's reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir, and has particularly criticised New Delhi for making Ladakh a union territory. China lays claim over several parts of Ladakh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first informal summit in April 2018 in the Chinese city of Wuhan, months after the Doklam standoff. In the summit, the two leaders decided to issue "strategic guidance" to their militaries to strengthen communications so that they can build trust and understanding. Modi and Xi held their second informal summit in Mamallapuram near Chennai in October last year with a focus on further broadening bilateral ties. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India police intercept and detain thousands of unemployed homebound migrant workers As the COVID-19 death toll rises in India tens of thousands of migrant workers stranded by the national lockdown and attempting to return to their home states are being intercepted by police, placed in detention and in some cases severely beaten. Thousands of destitute migrant workers have been protesting in different parts of India for the past months demanding that they be given passage back to their home towns and villages having been laid off or lost their jobs during the COVID-19 lockdown. On May 16, migrant workers on bicycles and on foot were physically assaulted by police as they attempted to cross the inter-district borders of Guntur and Krishna in Andhra Pradesh. On the same day, workers from Maharashtra were stopped by the police in Theni, Tamil Nadu as they planned to travel by lorry trucks to their native homes. Seventy-four workers travelling to Rajasthan on two trucks were intercepted by the Dharwad District Police near Dharwad and detained. Thousands of migrant workers in Coimbatore district demonstrated at 60 locations on May 19 demanding additional trains to take them home. Migrant workers, mostly from Jharkhand, UP and MP, demonstrated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat state, demanding food, wages and rail journey back home. Their demonstration was attacked and dispersed by police using teargas shells and at least 250 workers detained. In a separate incident in Surat, Gujarat, a worker died allegedly from a severe beating by police who claimed he violated social distancing rules. Migrant workers stranded in Nepal protest against detention Around 880 Indian nationals previously employed at brick kilns in Nawalparasi district, Nepal, but stranded by the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown demonstrated on Thursday. They were demanding to be allowed to return home to India in the hope of finding jobs in local plantations. The kiln owners claimed to have been instructed by the government not to allow the workers to leave their kiln premises. The workers have no income and are being fed and housed by the kiln operators. Many of the workers have threatened to walk home. Telangana cinema theatre employees protest Cinema theatre workers demonstrated in Hyderabad, Telangana, on May 19 over long-pending salary demands. The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), which organised the protest, called for the government to initiate action against the theatre owners for not paying full wages during the COVID-19 lockdown in accordance with the government order. Workers said they had not been paid full salaries for the past two months and it was impacting on the lives of 20,000 families. They said that theatre owners were using the coronavirus lockdown to either terminate workers or impose 40 to 50 percent pay cuts. Theatre workers are demanding the government provide them with sufficient rations and various essential items and a 500-rupee ($US6.50) payment to each family during the pandemic crisis. They have threatened to step up their protests if their demands are not granted. Andhra Pradesh commuter transport workers protest sackings Public transport workers from the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) demonstrated in Maddilapalem and Visakhapatnam on May 16 against the corporations decision to lay off 6,257 outsourced contract workers. The contract workers have not been paid their April wages. Workers alleged that depot managers have instructed drivers and conductors to do the duties of the sacked workers. The protest was coordinated by the CITU and the transport unions who sent a timid appeal to the state government to follow a central Indian government directive ordering private and state sector organisations not to lay off workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The unions have not organised any industrial action in support of the sacked workers. Pakistan: Sindh hospital workers protests Young Doctors Association (YDA) and Young Nurses Association (YNA) members from state-funded hospitals held separate protests this week against the governments failure to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) and to demand payment of all outstanding allowances. According to YDA, the government has only provided 20 percent of the required PPE to hospitals. They also claimed that, despite repeated government promises, doctors at the Larkana and Sukkur hospitals have not been paid for 13 months. After continuing its protests for more than a week, the YNA has warned that it would hold a provincial-wide hospital strike if its demands are not met before the weekend. Sindh community health workers oppose widespread job cuts Workers from the government-run, community-based vaccinators program demonstrated on Monday outside the Karachi Press Club to demand reinstatement of over 4,900 workers fired during the COVID-19 lockdown. These vital but low-paid health workers provide essential vaccinations to the population, and especially in rural areas that lack permanent health facilities. Their work has been crucial in battling outbreaks of polio and other diseases. The workers are only paid 17,500 rupees ($US109.06) a month. Karachi police open fire on protesting apparel workers The police baton-charged and opened fire on hundreds of demonstrating denim factory workers on Tuesday in Karachis Korangi area. The workers were protesting layoffs and the non-payment of wages. One worker was injured in the police attack. According to the National Trade Union Federation of Pakistan, the plant produces cloth for H&M and other international retailers. Nationwide protests by Bangladesh factory workers enters sixth week Tens of thousands of workers from hundreds of companies across Bangladesh are maintaining protests they began on April 4 when they found their factories were still shut down after the government officially ended a national coronavirus lockdown. The workers want the factories reopened, payment of all wages during the lockdown, full payment of the annual Eid festival holiday bonuswhich was cut by halfand total restoration of all pay rateswhich were cut by 35 percent in April, and outstanding overtime payments. On Monday, thousands of garment workers from over two dozen factories demonstrated blocking roads in Dhaka, demanding unpaid wages and festival bonus. Some of the factories have not paid wages since February. About 141 workers from 70 factories in five industrial zones have tested positive for coronavirus. On Tuesday, thousands of workers protested for full payment of wages and festival bonuses. This included workers from the Opex Group and Fakir Knitwears. On Wednesday, thousands of garment workers from at least 40 garment factories in Ashulia, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Chattogram and Dhaka city demonstrated demanding their wages, festival bonus and other unpaid arrears. The protest included at least 15 factories from Gazipur and 10 from Ashulia. About 500 workers and staff members from Reza Fashions in Ashulia protested over the same demands and for the plant to be reopened. The company had employed more than 1,200 workers and staff members. Bangladesh jute workers demand full festival bonus and wage arrears Jute mill workers of Khalishpur Jute Mill in Khulna walked out on strike on Tuesday to demand full Eid festival bonus and five weeks unpaid wages during the COVID-19 lockdown. The strike began when workers learnt that they would not receive the full festival bonus. They protested outside the mill that day and said they would continue their demonstration until their demands are fulfilled. Cambodian garment workers protest factory closure More than 100 workers protested outside the Hulu Garment factory in Cambodias capital Phnom Penh on Monday demanding the company pay their full benefits following the suspension of operations on March 24 in response to falling international orders. The factory employs over 1,000 people. The workers have been protesting since April 22 after the company announced that the plant was closing for good. Management urged workers to quit with the promise of some, but not all, of their benefits. Protesters demanded that the factory authorities confirm whether the closure was permanent and if it was to pay full benefits, in accordance with a government order. The Cambodian garment industrys peak body has revealed that 180 factories have suspended operations and another 80 were about to do so, leaving 150,000 employees out of work. New Zealand primary care nurses reject pay offer Primary care nurses who have been demanding a 10 percent pay rise since last year have rejected a management offer for less than half that amount over two years. Primary care nurses, who work for general practitioners, medical centres and are involved in COVID-19 testing, want parity with district health board (DHB) nurses employed in public hospitals. An experienced nurse covered by the Primary Health Care agreement is paid 10.6 percent less than their DHB counterparts with the same qualifications and experience. A spokesman for the NZ Nurses Organisation (NZNO) said that employers had made a final offer based on what they claimed they could afford, but it fell woefully short. In the 201819 contract settlement for DHB nurses, the union imposed a settlement of just 3 percent per year for three years, an effective wage freeze. The sell-out deal was widely opposed by nurses. The NZNO has suggested government funding could address the disparity between the two groups, since the employers are ultimately paid by the government. Labours Health Minister David Clark rejected the idea, declaring that nurses working in non-DHB workplaces are employed by private employers. Bengaluru, May 23 : Domestic passengers flying in from six coronavirus-hit states across the country to Karnataka from Monday would be quarantined for a week in institutional centres as well, an official said on Saturday. "Passengers flying in from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh to Bengaluru from May 25 will have to go through 7-day institutional quarantine followed by 7-day home quarantine," said the health official in a statement here. Fliers or returnees from other low-prevalence states, however, will be sent in 14-day home quarantine. "Institutional quarantine is, however, not applicable to pregnant women, children below 10, people above 80 and terminally-ill patients, although their swabs will be taken on arrival for tests," added the statement. As part of the easing of extended lockdown norms, the Civil Aviation Ministry has permitted domestic airlines to operate one third of their service capacity to cities and metros across the country from May 25 in compliance with the Home Ministry guidelines. "Though only asymptomatic passengers are allowed to fly from any city or metro, 7-day institutional quarantine is mandatory from these six states, which have high prevalence of coronavirus, and 14-day home quarantine for those flying in from other states," asserted the official. All asymptomatic overseas returnees in Air India flights to Bengaluru and Mangaluru and citizens returning from other states by special trains to this tech city are quarantined in hotels or hostels for 14 days before they are allowed to go home. All incoming passengers should also have an e-pass from Seva Sindhu portal of the state government. "A civil aviation official will upload the information about the passengers (name, mobile number, PNR#, flight number and flight origin date) on the portal at least 2 hours before departure," reiterated the official. Passengers can also apply for the e-pass directly on the portal from 12 noon on Sunday along with mobile number, address in Karnataka and PNR# before reaching the airport and show the acknowledgement SMS at the check-in counter of the airline he/she is flying to Bengaluru. "On validation with the uploaded information, the application will be auto-approved and the e-pass sent to the passenger's mobile phone even before his/her arrival," said the statement. On landing at the city airport, the e-pass is verified for health check-in and the passenger is put in quarantine as per the norms. Businessmen coming for urgent work like participating in auction of perishable agricultural commodities are exempted from the quarantine if they carry the negative test report, which is two days older from the travel date and from an ICMR-approved laboratory. In case business travellers don't have such test report, they will have to undergo Covid-19 test and stay in paid institutional quarantine (hotels identified by the state government) till the test result is released. "After negative test result, the business traveller will be allowed to finish their engagements and fly back. In case their stay is beyond 5 days, they will have to go to fever clinic for check-up for an auto extension of another 5 days if found asymptomatic," said the statement. Doctors, nurses, paramedics, sanitation personnel and ambulance staff will have to be in 14-day home quarantine. This week, President Trump stunned journalists when he admitted that he was using hydroxychloroquine and thought it a good idea and had heard a lot of good stories. He also remarked that many frontline health workers and first responders were taking it. He insisted that the VA study was seriously flawed and claimed, once again, that it doesnt hurt people and youre not going to get sick or die. He even suggested that the White House doctor had agreed with his idea. Plaquenil The National Institutes of Health updated its guidelines on May 12, stating that there is insufficient clinical data to recommend either for or against the use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine. Even the FDA has moved, after having granted emergency use authorization for the medications, to caution against the use of these drugs outside of trials. The publication of the release of a multinational observational study by The Lancet pours cold water over President Trumps quackery. It would be instructive to review the timeline and research into the use of hydroxychloroquine and COVID-19. On Friday, The Lancet published their multinational registry analysis of the use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine with or without azithromycin for the treatment of COVID-19, compared with those who received only supportive care. In the observational study of 96,032 patients hospitalized across six continents at 671 different hospitals, the authors found that there was a significant increase in the risk of in-hospital mortality with the four treatment regimens compared with the control group. Worrisome, in their findings, was the incidence of dangerous heart rhythms in patients taking azithromycin with hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine that ranged from 4.3 to 8.1 percent. In comparison, such events occurred in only 0.3 percent of the control group. The groups that only received hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, without azithromycin, had similar risks for ventricular arrhythmia. Figure 1: Data to the right of the vertical line on (1.0) shows that the rise in the hazard ratio for Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine (with or without antibiotics) indicates an increase in the risk of death. Most significantly, while 9.3 percent of patients in the control group died in the hospital, 18 percent died in the group receiving hydroxychloroquine, 16.4 percent in the chloroquine group, 23.8 percent in the group receiving hydroxychloroquine with antibiotics and 22.2 percent in the group with chloroquine and antibiotics. In scientific jargonand considerable understatementthe report concluded, we were unable to confirm a benefit of these medications used alone or with a macrolide antibiotic [azithromycin], on in-hospital outcomes for COVID-19. The weight of the evidence suggests that the use of hydroxychloroquine is not only ineffective but may be causing more harm by hastening the patients death. Arguably, observational studies carry biases, and these should be considered. Yet, The Lancet study showing the clinically significant result in worse outcomes (see figures 1 and 2) is based on the evidence of a vast number of participants that provides its validity. The fact that the virus causes injury to blood vessels and the circulatory system may enhance the side effect profiles of these medications. It becomes even more necessary to design trials that can provide the required evidence to treat COVID-19 while ensuring the safety of these medications The Lancet study is only the most recent refutation of the claimed benefits of hydroxychloroquine, which the mad scientist in the White House shouts from his podium. On April 21, a Veterans Administration study of hydroxychloroquine was posted on a preprint server that led to serious concerns about the safety of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in COVID-19 patients. In this study, 368 men hospitalized with COVID-19 were placed in three groups: 158 received supportive care, 113 received hydroxychloroquine with azithromycin antibiotic and 97 hydroxychloroquine alone. The risk of needing ventilation in the three groups was similar. But the groups receiving hydroxychloroquine alone or with the antibiotic, azithromycin, had a significant or a trend towards significance for risk of death at twice the rate. Figure 2: Data to the right of the vertical line on (1.0) shows that the rise in the hazard ratio for Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine (with or without antibiotics) indicates an increase in the risk of arrhythmia. This followed a randomized control trial from China published in April of 150 patients divided into two groups. The overall 28-day negative conversion rate of SARS-CoV-2 was similar in the two groups at 85.4 percent vs. 81.3 percent. Neither group converted faster than the other. However, adverse effects were worse in the hydroxychloroquine arm of the study, with 8.8 percent in the standard control arm and 30 percent in the hydroxychloroquine arm. By the end of the study period, the two arms also had similar alleviation of symptoms of the infection. However, the study was faulted for poor design and randomization process but provided further evidence against these medications' efficacy. Based on these studies, the Infectious Diseases Society of America wrote on April 14 that there was insufficient evidence to recommend any particular medication for the treatment of COVID-19 and that a considerable knowledge gap existed on the efficacy of the drug. They suggested that the use of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin be prescribed under an investigative clinical trial. On May 11, the Journal of the American Medical Association published an observational study looking at the association between the use of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin with in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19 in New York state. With 25 hospitals participating, including 1,438 patients, the overall mortality was a staggering 20.3 percent. In those that did not use hydroxychloroquine, with or without azithromycin, the mortality incidence was 10 to 12 percent. For those taking hydroxychloroquine, the mortality incidence rose to 19.9 percent and was highest in the group that received both hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, with 25.7 percent succumbing. The WSWS has reviewed early studies on hydroxychloroquine which produced similar results, although the most recent findings are the most dire. There appears to be a perverse relationship between medical science and Trump administration policy: the more President Trump celebrates a possible medicine or vaccine, the more dubious it is likely to be. Early in the course of the disease, when the pandemic was still primarily confined to Wuhan city in the Hubei province of China, therapeutics were urgently sought to mitigate the severity of COVID-19. On February 17, 2020, when there were 70,548 cases and 1,770 deaths on the mainland, the State Council of China held a news briefing indicating that the drug chloroquine had shown efficacy and sufficient safety in treating infected patients in multicenter clinical trials. These were based on clinical observations and not randomized trials that compared patients between the drug and a placebo. The selection of chloroquine had been selected based on in-vitro studies showing COVID-19 infection could be blocked. The frequently cited Chinese observational study of 100 people had suggested that chloroquine was superior to supportive care in inhibiting the exacerbation of pneumonia, improving lung imaging findings, more rapid conversion to negative on viral testing, and shortening hospital stay. Yet, data for this study was not available and continues to remain unavailable for review by this author. However, one randomized Chinese study published in the Journal of Zhejiang University, a small trial of 30 patients, showed no difference in the duration of the hospitalization, time for fevers to break, and improvement in lung imaging. By the first half of March, the pandemic was gaining a foothold in Italy and the rest of Europe. Concerns were growing about the epidemic in the US despite President Trump's constant assurances. Two studies cited from this period led to selecting hydroxychloroquine, brand name Plaquenil, instead of chloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19. The first study was published in Clinical Infectious Disease on March 9, 2020. The in-vitro study found that hydroxychloroquine shared the same mechanism of action as chloroquine. Still, its more tolerable safety profile had made it the preferred drug for the treatment of patients with autoimmune conditions or chloroquine-sensitive malaria. The authors also reported that hydroxychloroquine was more potent than chloroquine. In vitro means that the studies on the interaction of the drugs with the virus were done in the laboratory outside of their biological context in human beings. Though these in-vitro results appear promising, they do not necessarily predict equivalent responses when the medications are administered to people. The second paper cited was an Italian study published in March in the Journal of Critical Care titled, A systematic review on the efficacy and safety of chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19. It was an attempt to summarize the evidence for chloroquine as there was no known effective pharmaceutical treatment for COVID-19. The authors reported on six relevant articlesone narrative letter, one research letter, one editorial, one expert consensus paper in Chinese, one national guideline document in Dutch, and one in Italianwhich include the above-mentioned studies. Hardly a compendium based on rigorous scientific investigation, by any standard. In the conclusion, they write, there is sufficient pre-clinical rationale and evidence regarding the effectiveness of chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 as well as evidence of safety from long-time use in clinical practice for other indications to justify clinical research on the topic. The World Health Organization endorsed the use of hydroxychloroquine only in randomized clinical trials to assess its benefit. Their present SOLIDARITY Trial is using these drugs as one of a five-arm investigation into various agents as therapeutic agents in the treatment of patients with COVID-19. But the WHO strongly discouraged its use outside of such studies and warned that the drug was in short supply as many physicians were prescribing the medication off label. The agency cited these medications potentially dangerous side effects, which include damage to the eye's retina, low blood sugar, and dangerous ventricular arrhythmia (a potentially fatal heart rhythm), and congestive heart failure. The president's irrational remarks undoubtedly threaten to harm and even cause the death of many patients with COVID-19, who if they had heeded sound medical advice would have certainly been spared. But Trumps personality only reveals the sociopathic character of the social system which he represents and defends: capitalism. The corporate media for the most part expressed shock and disapproval of Trumps declaration that he was taking hydroxychloroquine. There is no such shock and disapproval, however, when corporate America and every state governor, Democrat and Republican alike, reopen the economy and order workers back to their jobs, dismantling social distancing and threatening the lives of countless thousands. From a scientific standpoint, both actions are unjustified, irrational and extremely dangerous Patricia Millner, a nurse in Hershey, Pa., was born the year Dwight D. Eisenhower was re-elected. The economy was booming, and trust was high: When national pollsters began asking the question two years later, about three-quarters of Americans said they trusted the federal government to do the right thing. A lot has changed since then. Vietnam happened, then Watergate. During the 2008 financial crisis, Ms. Millner watched banks get bailed out while people lost their homes. Now there is a pandemic and exploding unemployment, and as she sees it, the government is once again looking out for the wealthy, while everyone else is left to fend for themselves. Every time I see a commercial on TV that says we are all in this together, my blood boils, Ms. Millner said. We are not in this together! The upper middle class is fine. But two-thirds of this country is going down the drain. Long before the coronavirus crisis, another one was brewing: a slow but steady decline in how many Americans trust the federal government. That number has been declining for decades, through Democratic and Republican administrations. And in 2019, it reached one of the lowest points since the measure began: Just 17 percent of Americans trusted the federal government to do the right thing just about always or most of the time, according to the Pew Research Center. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 23:29:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ANKARA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkey on Saturday urged all participant countries to continue the implementation of Open Skies Treaty, which the Trump administration decided to withdraw from, accusing Russia of violating it. "The Open Skies Treaty (OST), which Turkey is a party to, is one of the main pillars of Euro-Atlantic conventional security architecture," Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hami Aksoy said in a written statement. "We attach importance to the implementation of the Treaty in full and in accordance with its purpose by all state parties. We wish the continuation of the Treaty to serve the stability and security," Aksoy stated. The U.S. announced on Thursday that the United States would submit the notice of its decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty to all other state parties, citing Russian non-compliance as a motivating factor for its decision. The treaty, which became effective in 2002, allows its state parties to conduct short-notice, unarmed reconnaissance flights over the others' entire territories to collect data on military forces and activities. Currently, 35 nations, including Russia, the United States, and most members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, have signed it. The treaty is aimed at building confidence and familiarity among states-parties through their participation in the overflights. Enditem A chill wind is blowing through some of Melbourne's best-known food and retail strips, as the COVID-19 lockdown threatens to escalate shop vacancy rates already in the double digits. While the easing of social-distancing restrictions in Victoria has seen people flock back to shopping centres, high streets continue to struggle under difficult conditions. Vacant shops along Chapel Street in South Yarra. Credit:Joe Armao The return of customers to restaurants, pubs and cafes on June 1 is the light at the end of the tunnel for venue owners, however it hasn't come soon enough for some. On Chapel Street, at least 10 businesses have already closed permanently since the lockdown began. Foot traffic was down about 85 per cent four weeks ago, although that has improved in the past fortnight. Click here to read the full story. Helen Hunt is taking full advantage of the fact that LA County beaches have now reopened to the public. On Thursday, the 56-year-old showed off her impressive physique as she dried off after a day out at the beach. The Oscar-winner looked fit and fabulous displaying her toned body, before dressing down in jeans and a cap. Fun day out: Helen Hunt was pictured enjoying a day out at the beach in Malibu on Thursday with friends, after LA Country reopened beaches to the public Helen is perhaps best known for starring on Mad About You for seven seasons from 19921999. The series originally followed a couple of newlyweds (with Paul Reiser playing her husband) as they navigated their relationship and living in New York. The new eighth season finds their relationship strained but still functioning 20 years later while their almost-grown daughter is leaving to attend nearby New York University. Fit and fabulous: Helen showed off her svelte physique while at the beach Casual: The Oscar-winner looked cool dressed down in jeans and a cap The series, which originally aired on NBC, was picked up by Spectrum Originals for what is supposed to be a one-off limited series. The show confirms her chemistry with her co-star Paul, with whom she has a strong relationship. 'I have remained very, very close friends with Paul, she told People recently. 'Reboot, or no reboot we have lunch once a month. We really enjoy and care for each other.' Going strong: The show confirms her chemistry with her co-star Paul, whom she's had lunch with once a month since their show's original finale Though she's best known for her acting chops, Helen turned to directing in the last few seasons of Mad About You, and also received a story credit on multiple episodes. After directing the original two-part series finale from 1999, she was once again behind the camera for the revival's debut episode. While starring on the series, she won the Oscar for Best Actress for 1997's As Good As It Gets, which also earned Jack Nicholson his third Academy Award. She also expanded from directing TV to making her feature film directorial debut with 2007's Then She Found Me, followed by the 2014 film Ride. Badahena-galge reveals prehistoric language of dimples By Yomal Senerath- Yapa View(s): View(s): The cave called Badahena-galge is the ideal haunt for a leopard or sloth bear or giving occasional shelter for the villager foraging for the natural bounty of the thick forest. Till February this year, however, it was just one of the small caves that clung like swallows nests to the mountains of Balangoda. Till a team of academics discovered, on the cave floor, probably the largest graphic representation ever found in South Asia- telling the tantalizing tale of how Prehistoric Man used symbols for communication- at a time when scripts even of the crudest sort were still millennia in the future to appear. The cave today is part of the village called Pinnagala- a village of farmers- part of the Sabaragamuwa province which always yielded much rich treasure to the archaeologist. In a roll call that runs from the Balangoda Man to extinct rhinoceros and hippopotami and lion fossils, Badahena-galge is the latest. The wet lush fecundity of the area meant it was always rich in biodiversity, and early man found enough plant material here as well as small game as food. Many caves around this galge are known haunts of early prehistoric man. Micro blades made of quartz and pecked water-worn pebbles (quartzite) used as soft-hammers have been found there. Mid- February this year saw the arrival here of Prof. Raj Somadeva and his team from the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology (PGIAR) of the University of Kelaniya. The graphic representation they found like an antediluvian tapestry is actually made of small cupules or dimple pits- as the archaeologists term them so astutely. Looking like pimple holes on the rock, they would have no significance to the lay person and little meaning even for the antiquarian at first. The nearly 1000 small pits stretch for some 4 square metres on this rock. The first task for the archaeologists was to ascertain that these were man-made and not of natural formation- a bona fide symbolic language of dimples. They cannot be the result of mere weathering- because the marks appear only on a limited surface. Also, at the most cursory glance, you could see that the pits have different surface diameters. Using a digital caliper they were measured, and it was discovered that the majority were between 9 and 10 centimetres. There were however bigger outlier pits- including one that had a diameter of 24 centimetres- which must signify some sort of an emphasis- according to Prof. Somadeva. Patterns like these indicate a fixed form of communication. And then there are other formations of the rock that have been carved by human hand- such as one linear depression which- if not gouged by mans artifice- could only have been made by a continuous flow of water, and there has been no such water in the cave at any time. The natural deduction left is that the linear depression and other deformations on the rock are man-made, and ergo- the dimple pits and the rock with all its deformations are one, single communicative fabric. This is not the first instance, nevertheless, when graphic representations have been discovered in Sri Lanka. The late P. E. P. Deraniyagala observed small scale rocks, bearing such pit markings, in Bellanbendipelessa, also near Balangoda. However, he explained them away quite differently. The small dimple pits- Deraniyagala thought- were anvils for flaking quartz, cracking nuts and extracting poisons for use on blow pipe darts while the large ovate hollows had served as grindstones for pigments and perhaps grain. But Prof. Somadeva points out that, even if at least in the instance of Badahena-galge, this cannot be the explanation. He points out that the dimple pits are at the edge of the cave and not the summit of the rock- which is spacious and easily accessible for practical operations like cracking nuts, flaking stones and extracting poisons. The final conclusion that the team arrived at was that this was a human action, not for functional use as Deraniyagala thought- but to communicate. The arrangement, the volume and the internal variations pinpoint that the cave dwellers were perpetuating and expressing a firm idea or a set of ideas significant to the prehistoric communities. But exactly what kind of threat, invocation, mantra, poem, primitive fable or saga did our hirsute ancestor etch so fondlyby his hearth for us to muse over? Its very dangerous to guess, cautions Prof. Somadeva with academic prudence, adding that they are waiting for the findings to be dated. Washington: It's a feel-good story that President Donald Trump's press secretaries have relished over the years: the quarterly announcement of which government agency Trump has selected to be the lucky recipient of his salary, an easy way to show the president sticking to his 2016 campaign pledge to forgo his $US400,000 salary and donate it. In the past, the $US100,000 quarterly cheque from Trump has been made out to the Small Business Administration initiative to help veteran entrepreneurs, to the Office of the Surgeon General to fight the opioid epidemic, and to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, among other places. But on Friday US time, Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, did not just reveal that the President was sending his salary to the Department of Health and Human Services to help "support the efforts being undertaken to confront, contain and combat the coronavirus." Kayleigh McEnany, White House press secretary, holds a cheque in the amount of US President Donald Trump's annual quarterly salary, to be donated to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Credit:Bloomberg She also displayed the president's private bank account and routing numbers. Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 : While the Kerala model has been globally lauded for containing the COVID-19 disease, but expats from God's our country settled in the Middle East have not been able to fight the virus as well, with the toll of Keralaites settle in the Gulf nation touching 100 on Saturday. The lure of the Middle East over the last four decades with the remittance economy has been the back bone of Kerala for years. UAE has had the highest death toll of 62, followed by Kuwait-18, Saudi Arabia-17, Oman-2 and Qatar-1. According to studies, there are an estimated 2.5 million Keralaite's in the Middle East. The dead were not brought back, but buried in foreign lands, as according to protocall. Ever since the Kerala government opened a web portal for all those who wished to return, close to four lakh people, a huge majority from across the Middle East, have registered. "It's really sad to hear the grieving of people whose near and dear passed away due to Covid in these countries, but are not able to bring their bodies for the last rites to their home town. All we can wish and hope at the moment is things clear up fast and normalcy returns," said a leading politician, who did not wished to be identified. The tense confrontation between Indian and Chinese forces along the disputed border in eastern Ladakh and the accompanying military build-up is vastly different from previous standoffs that plunged bilateral relations to new lows, people familiar with the ongoing scrap said on Saturday. The latest standoff along the line of actual control (LAC) is not confined to a small area, has triggered a worrying increase in troop numbers on both sides at multiple locations, has seen higher levels of aggression (especially by the Chinese), and seems to suggest a greater design rather than adventurism by a local commander, army officials and China watchers say. While the army has refused to reveal specifics of the standoff, Indian and Chinese soldiers are said to beeyeball-to-eyeball at four different locations in the sensitive sector and the total number of soldiers on both sides at these flashpoints is estimated to be around 3,000. Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane made a low-key visit to Ladakh on Friday for a security review as tensions grew between India and China near Pangong Tso and three pockets in the Galwan Valley region where Chinese troops have pitched close to 100 tents and erected temporary structures to establish a presence. The possibility of Chinese soldiers constructing bunkers in some disputed areas cannot be ruled out, officials said. Reports have suggested that the Chinese side has deployed troops, vehicles and heavy equipment, involved in a military exercise in the area, to the Ladakh sector . Chinas state-run media has described the latest tensions as the worst since the 2017 Doklam standoff, which lasted 73 days. Soldiers on both sides are showing restraint and local commanders are meeting almost daily to de-escalate, said a senior army official on the condition of anonymity. He said the spread of the standoff to multiple locations on the LAC was a cause of concern and every development in the area was being monitored closely. What we are witnessing in eastern Ladakh is different from what we saw in Depsang (2013), Chumar (2014) and even Doklam (2017). The previous episodes were localised. This one is not. Also, it appears to have been planned at a higher level, said Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd), who was the Northern Army commander when Indian and Chinese soldiers were caught in a tense standoff in Ladakhs Chumar sector in September 2014. The Chumar standoff began after Indian forces found that Chinese troops had deployed heavy machinery to construct a temporary road inside Indian territory. Also, Indian soldiers were eyeball-to-eyeball with Chinese troops in Ladakhs Depsang area for three weeks in April-May 2013 after Chinese troops set up tents and took up positions 19 km into Indian side of line of actual control (LAC). It is difficult to gauge the next move of the Chinese. If the statements made by the foreign ministries of the two countries are any indicator, it seems the current confrontation could carry on for a while, said a China expert. Hooda doubted that the standoff could be resolved at the local level. It will require political direction and diplomatic intervention, he said. India on Thursday rejected Chinas allegation that Indian troops initiated tensions and crossed the LAC in the Ladakh and Sikkim sectors and accused the Chinese army of hindering patrols on the Indian side. Chinas foreign ministry first accused Indian troops of trespassing across the LAC in a statement last week, saying Beijing had to take necessary countermeasures after the Indian Army allegedly obstructed normal patrols by Chinese troops. A government spokesperson on Thursday said, Any suggestion that Indian troops had undertaken activity across the LAC in the western [Ladakh] sector or the Sikkim sector is not accurate. HT was the first to report on May 10 about tensions flaring up between India and China in north Sikkim where 150 soldiers were involved in a tense standoff a day earlier. Four Indian and seven Chinese soldiers were injured at Naku La during the confrontation. Scores of soldiers from the two countries clashed near Pangong Tso on the night of May 5-6 and several of them were injured in the scuffle that involved around 250 men. While a flare-up was avoided as both armies stuck to protocols to resolve the situation, tensions quickly spread to other parts of eastern Ladakh, including the Galwan Valley area, with both sides establishing their land claims aggressively. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rahul Singh Rahul Singh covers military affairs. He has been a journalist for 18 years. ...view detail Maligawatte stampede: Suspects face charges under Penal Code and Quarantine Law By Chris Kamalendran View(s): View(s): The suspects arrested over the stampede that claimed the lives of three elderly women in Maligawatte face charges under the Penal Code and the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance. They were remanded until June 4 after policr produced them before a magistrate. The Police also produced in court Rs. 500,000 recovered from the scene. Police Legal Division Director and Deputy Inspector General Ajith Rohana told the Sunday Times the six suspects face charges under the Penal Code for causing death of persons due to negligence. If found guilty, they face a maximum term of five years Rigorous Imprisonment. Given that the cash distribution had been organised by the suspects in violation of COVID-19 quarantine regulations, the suspects will also be charged under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance, the DIG added. The incident occurred on Thursday (21) afternoon at Jummah Masjid Road, Maligawatte, opposite the house of a wealthy businessman who runs a motorbike spare parts business. The businessman is also among those arrested over the incident. Police said he had been giving Rs 1,500 to a person as part of a Ramadan aid distribution programme. News of the cash distribution had brought hundreds of people to Jummah Masjid Road, leading to a stampede as people rushed to collect the money. Three women were killed while nine women suffered injuries and were admitted to the National Hospital. Police said those who organised the donation had no permission to do so given that Colombo district was still under curfew and mass gatherings were also banned to prevent the spread of COVID-19. New York The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today announce their joint support for a Member State-led initiative to call on policymakers, regulators and remittance service providers to improve migrants access for sending and receiving remittances, and to reduce transfer costs during the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 outbreaks. Spearheaded by the Government of Switzerland and the Government of the United Kingdom, the call to action, Remittances in Crisis How to Keep Them Flowing, is also supported by the global knowledge partnership on migration and development KNOMAD, the World Bank, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Association of Money Transfer Networks (IAMTN), and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The goal is to remove the obstacles that migrants and their families face when sending and receiving money so that they can continue to cover basic needs and services such as food, housing, education and health care. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted health systems worldwide, but in terms of economic impacts, low- and middle-income countries may take a greater hit due to the projected decline in remittances for this year. Data from the World Bank show that remittance inflows are expected to shrink by about 20 percent, which amounts to a fall of around US$110 billion. Reduced remittances can have major ripple effects across economies as investment and consumption spending decrease. It can also slow down the progress countries have made in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. To mitigate these impacts, the joint call to action encourages stakeholders in the remittances sector to enhance physical and digital access to cross-border financial services, and to bring together actors in the public and private sectors, especially remittance service providers, to innovate solutions that would improve remittance flows. The hardship of COVID-19 felt by migrants in the form of lost wages and employment often without government safety nets is a large part of this crisis in remittances. The decline also results from a host of issues caused by the coronavirus that impact the services migrants use to send money home including the restrictions placed on remittance services providers and their agents. The loss of this crucial financing lifeline is devastating for both the migrant households and receiving countries, said Judith Karl, Executive Secretary for UNCDF. UNCDF, together with UNDP, is committed to supporting the Member State-led call to action and to ensuring that every measure is available to facilitate migrants in sending remittances home. Remittances are essential for COVID-19 response and recovery, said Asako Okai, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of its Crisis Bureau. In countries with limited social safety nets and less diversified economies, they often serve as a lifeline, and more so in times of crisis. The existing obstacles to send and receive money can lead to increased poverty and social insecurity, which would further destabilize national economies, Ms. Okai added. By building capacity for a conducive regulatory and policy environment, strengthening open digital payment ecosystems, and fostering innovation for inclusive digital solutions for migrants, UNCDF and UNDP are supporting governments and the private sector to ensure continuity in the remittance flows to the countries and families hardest hit by the effects of the coronavirus. The call to action is also an opportunity for UNCDF and UNDP to strengthen and advance their shared agenda around financial inclusion for migrants and families, as well as to enhance migrant contributions to local development. Anine Bing has created a sweatshirt that she hopes will help empower women all over the world. Speaking to us from her California home, the founder and chief creative officer of womenswear brand ANINE BING said: "I wanted to inspire everyone to be grateful, strong and themselves because that's good enough. I feel like this message is more important now than ever before." The limited-edition Ramona Sweatshirt comes in white with a bold graphic designed to encourage you to spread love and kindness wherever you go. A portion of proceeds from every piece sold will benefit Every Mother Counts, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother, everywhere. It can be purchased for 151 from aninebing.com. Based in Los Angeles, Bing has built a multimillion-dollar business that aims to double its growth in 2020. It is sold in more than 350 retailers globally with stores found in major cities worldwide including Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Miami, Paris, London, Barcelona, Madrid, Sydney, Hamburg and Berlin. Discussing the key to her brand's growth she said: "Our clothes resonate no matter where you live in the world. We also do weekly drops which was new in the fashion industry when we launched eight years ago. We thought differently to the traditional brands and went straight to e-comm." She thinks the future of fashion lies in e-commerce and spoke about the impact the current climate has had on her label: "E-comm will be everything. It is already so important and will continue to be. As will engaging with your customer in a more personable way. I've found that really interesting during this time. I've been home for almost 10 weeks and I try and connect with the community through Instagram. No matter what brand you have it is important that you have that connection." Watch the full interview above. China drew Western condemnation on Friday over plans for a national security law to quash Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement as it opened an annual congress that also laid bare the "immense" economic challenges caused by the coronavirus. The 3,000-member National People's Congress (NPC) began with a minute of silence for China's victims of the coronavirus before Premier Li Keqiang delivered his annual version of the US president's "state of the union" address. "At present, the epidemic has not yet come to an end, while the tasks we face in promoting development are immense," Li told mask-wearing delegates in Beijing's cavernous Great Hall of the People, while also touting China's success in suppressing the contagion. The pandemic forced Beijing to delay its annual parliament by two months and reduce its length to a week. Citing "great uncertainty" ahead, Li took the rare move of refraining from announcing a 2020 growth target for China's pandemic-battered economy, offering only a vague promise to address mounting joblessness and to improve living standards. - Hong Kong under siege - The most controversial move at the NPC opening was the introduction of a proposal to impose a security law in Hong Kong -- immediately denounced by Washington and pro-democracy figures in the financial hub who called it a death sentence for the territory's unique freedoms. China made clear it wanted the law passed after Hong Kong was rocked by seven months of massive and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests last year. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged China to reconsider the "disastrous proposal", saying it would "be a death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised for Hong Kong." The European Union called for "the preservation of Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy". The foreign ministers of Britain, Australia and Canada said in a joint statement they were "deeply concerned" over the proposal, saying passing such a law without the direct participation of Hong Kong's people or legislature would undermine the principle of "one country, two systems". The motion, which goes to a vote in China's rubber-stamp legislature on Thursday, would authorise Chinese lawmakers to directly enact long-delayed Hong Kong security legislation itself at a future date, rather than leaving it up to the territory's administration. The draft proposal will "guard against, stop and punish any separatism, subversion of the national regime, terrorist group activities and such behaviours that seriously harm national security". City leader Carrie Lam, who attended the session, vowed to "fully cooperate" with Beijing over the national security proposal and complete the legislation "as soon as possible". Lam said national security laws to be drafted later by the NPC seek "to punish 'Hong Kong independence' and violent political elements that seriously harm national security". An initial bid to enact such legislation in 2003 was shelved after half a million people took to the streets in protest. Wang Chen, deputy chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, told delegates Beijing must "take powerful measures to lawfully prevent, stop and punish" anti-China forces in Hong Kong. One of the proposal's articles opens the door for Beijing to increase its presence in the financial hub by allowing the central government to set up, "when needed", agencies in Hong Kong "to fulfill relevant duties to safeguard national security in accordance with the law." China's army already has a garrison in Hong Kong but soldiers have not intervened in the protests, though the city's mini-constitution authorises local officials to request military help to protect public order. "This is the end of Hong Kong, this is the end of 'One Country, Two Systems', make no mistake about it," Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok told reporters, referring to China's description of the territory's status. The system gives Beijing ultimate political sway but allows liberties unseen elsewhere in China. Stocks tumbled in the city Friday on news of the security law move. President Donald Trump has promised to respond "very strongly" once details emerge, and US senators introduced legislation to impose sanctions on any entity involved in curbing Hong Kong's autonomy. Targets could include police who crack down on demonstrators, Chinese officials involved in Hong Kong policy, and banks that conduct transactions with anyone who infringes on its freedoms. - Economic uncertainty - Although infection numbers have dwindled, China is still recovering from the COVID-19 outbreak that first appeared in the central city of Wuhan late last year and spread globally. Beijing has faced accusations led by Trump it mishandled its initial response, leading to more than 330,000 deaths and economic carnage worldwide, as well as sending US-China tensions spiralling to new depths. China's economic growth shrank 6.8 percent in the first quarter because of the virus, its first contraction in decades. Li had originally been expected to announce a 2020 growth target of around six percent -- but the pandemic has scrambled expectations, leaving millions of Chinese jobless and imperilling countless businesses. Still, the government announced Friday it would increase its military budget by 6.6 percent. The budget will be set at 1.268 trillion yuan ($178 billion) for the year -- the second biggest in the world after the US but continuing a trend of slowing increases. burs-rox-lth/bfm A GP has said any easing of Covid-19 social distancing restrictions must be based on science. It comes amid reports that some Government ministers are calling for a reduction in physical distancing rules. It is understood "robust" discussions were held at Cabinet on Friday about changing the advice from two metres to one to help the hospitality sector. Current World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines state keeping a one-metre distance from each other is sufficient. The WHO said: "Maintain at least one metre (three feet) distance between yourself and others." However, guidance from the Health Service Executive (HSE) says a space of two metres (6.5 feet) should be kept between people. A meeting could be held next week between Cabinet ministers and the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) to discuss the rules. However, GP Nina Byrnes told Newstalk Breakfast with Susan Keogh the advice should only be changed if there is evidence to support it. "We're not even a week into the first easing of restrictions - and remember that the virus has a two-week incubation period. "So we really need to give it a bit more time, at least the second week, to see where we are. Certainly, if the distance can be reduced to one metre based on science - and I think that's really important - that that decision is based on science, not based on popularity. "All this is about keeping people safe. "If we can scientifically prove that if we are doing all the other things - we're washing our hands, we're doing the cough etiquette, we're wearing masks in shops and stuff like that - if we can safely have a one-metre distance in certain places even then obviously that would be welcome. "I recognise that would have a huge impact for schools and for restaurants and for other businesses. "But it does have to be grounded in science, it has to be done in keeping us safe. "I feel sorry for [CMO] Tony Holohan and the team because sometimes the decisions they make are not popular, and they are put daily under pressure to say 'when are we going to do this, when are we going to do that'. "I think we have to remember that they are as affected by these decisions as we are. "Their lives are impacted, their families are impacted, and I'm sure they want them lifted as much as anyone else. "But they are making those decisions because the science tell us it's the right thing to do to keep us safe". There are currently fewer than 2,000 people in the State who have "active" coronavirus infection. The figure highlights how far Ireland has come from the saddest days of the pandemic when the number of deaths, new cases and hospitalisations were at their peak. Physical distancing and lockdown have been a success, and shielded us from the worst impact of the coronavirus. But the downside is that it has also left most of the population here with no immunity should a second wave occur. The realisation of how many are susceptible to the virus struck home when Professor Philip Nolan of Maynooth University, who heads the team tracking the virus, estimated as few as 50,000 may have some form of immunity if it is as low as 1pc. Other countries in Europe, which have done antibody testing to find out how many have had the virus, have disappointingly found immunity at 5pc. Even if it reached that level here, it would still mean most will remain an easy target for the virus if it resurges at a time when the country is proceeding with the next stages of the roadmap. The good news is that the country is not helpless to resist the threat and we know what the defence tools, like physical distancing and hand washing, are. But it will become more difficult as we leave the safety blanket of the lockdown behind us. The alternative was to go the way of Sweden, be lockdown- free, and try to build up herd immunity by exposing the majority of the population to the virus in the first wave, reducing the risk in a second wave. In the past week, a Swedish study found that just 7.3pc of the citizens of Stockholm developed Covid-19 antibodies by late April. Their strategy is to keep most schools, restaurants, bars and businesses open. However, Sweden has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 deaths per capita in Europe in the past week. Sligo native Dr Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO's health emergencies programme, is against the idea of herd immunity, saying: "Humans are not herds and as such the concept of herd immunity is generally reserved for calculating how many people will need to be vaccinated and the population in order to generate that effect. "This is a serious disease, this is public enemy number one, we have been saying it over and over and over again." He added: "No one is safe until everyone is safe. So I do think this idea that maybe countries who had lax measures and haven't done anything will all of a sudden magically reach some herd immunity, and so what if we lose a few old people along the way - this is a really dangerous, dangerous calculation. "And not one I believe most member states are willing to make that arithmetic." The rate of immunity in the State could become clearer from next month when the first results of antibody tests are released. A representative sample of the population will be asked to provide blood tests to detect the antibodies they may have produced if they had the infection. The antibody test seeks to detect antibodies the immune system has raised against the virus and that continue to circulate in the blood, potentially offering immunity if these persist. These tests focus on detecting antibodies the immune system has raised against particular proteins the virus has. Antibodies are not detected until some time after infection, and therefore when someone is tested for the presence of antibodies is important for the accuracy of a test. Our immune system makes a type of antibody known as IgM early in response to infection that can be found circulating in the blood, and then a little later IgG antibodies start to emerge. Reports suggest that accurate identification of the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies is evidence that a patient has been exposed to the virus and potentially holds longer-term protection against reinfection. However, current data suggests this is best begun several weeks after infection in order to ensure the highest reliability. These tests may look to detect both IgM and IgG antibodies in the serum of recovered patients. These tests usually work by taking a small blood prick sample and can be done in minutes, and even at home - depending on the format. The antibody testing will look at both high prevalence and low prevalence areas. So it is possible to see higher levels of immunity in cities such as Dublin and Cork, where case numbers were highest, than in counties where rates of infection have been lower. Whether the presence of such antibodies offers an individual longer-term immunity will only become known as we track recovered individuals in the months and years to come. So having had the virus is still not a guarantee of immunity, although it may increase the odds of having some protection for a length of time. The United States has condemned Russias continued use of conscription in Crimea as a violation of international humanitarian law. U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE James S. Gilmore said this during an online meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, May 21, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "The Russian authorities continue conscription of individuals from Crimea into Russias armed forces. Compelling persons protected by the Fourth Geneva Convention to serve in the forces of a hostile power is a grave breach of the Geneva Convention, and a violation of the obligations that the Russian Federation owes under its subscription to the Geneva Convention. Once again, a violation of international norms and behavior and commitments that the Russian Federation has made and now violates," he said. He recalled that since 2015, Russia has conducted annual spring and fall conscriptions in Crimea. A failure to participate, to submit to those conscriptions is punishable by a criminal penalty. An August 2019 report by the UN Secretary General stated that at least 18,000 men in Crimea had been conscripted under threat of criminal prosecution into the Russian Armed Forces, some of whom were assigned to military bases in the Russian Federation. The Russian government reportedly conscripted 2,600 individuals into its armed forces in the fall of 2019 and plans to conscript 3,300 more this spring, which would bring the total number conscripted by Russia to nearly 24,000 citizens of Crimea. Although Russia attempted to disguise its military occupation of Crimea with a hastily organized sham referendum in March 2014 and other efforts, States have overwhelmingly rejected this charade, including in multiple UN General Assembly resolutions. Crimea is part of Ukraine, despite the Russian Governments efforts to pretend otherwise," the ambassador stressed. Russias belligerent occupation of Crimea must be conducted in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention and customary international law applicable to belligerent occupation. Article 51 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that an Occupying Power may not compel protected persons to serve in its armed or auxiliary forces. Russia has engaged in exactly this type of behavior. In addition to forcing thousands of residents of Crimea into its armed forces by implementing a law that punishes by criminal penalty failure to participate in compulsory military service in the Russian armed forces, Russia has pursued criminal charges against those who resist. Russias conscriptions of residents of Crimea into its armed forces are inconsistent with international humanitarian law applicable to belligerent occupation. We call on Russia to end immediately its campaign of conscription of residents of Crimea, cease its other abuses, and return control of the peninsula to Ukraine. The flagrant violations of international law must stop, the U.S. ambassador stated. ish Drivers should get bigger car insurance discounts, consumer advocates argue, citing the drop of miles driven and accident claims during the coronavirus pandemic. Though auto insurers give customers average premium refunds of about 15%, advocates argue drivers are owed much more twice as much. A 30% discount would reflect a roughly 50% decline in miles driven and accident claims during the crisis while tempered by some higher insurer costs, such as a likely rise in unpaid policies, says Birny Birnbaum, an economist and executive director of the Center for Economic Justice, which analyzed pandemic driving and claims in a study this month. Given the change in driving patterns, auto insurers rates became excessive overnight, Birnbaum says. The pandemic upended daily patterns for the nations more than 220 million licensed drivers. For many, the typical commute of 55 minutes behind the wheel has disappeared as they work from home. Thats prompted some consumers to hope for a price break from their insurers. The typical consumer pays about $1,400 annually to insure a car, so its not an insignificant financial issue. While most states are under stay-at-home orders from governors, traffic is down almost everywhere, and that means lower crash rates and fewer insurance claims. As a result, many auto insurance companies are cutting rates, sending checks or offering credits on monthly bills. Is virtual camp worth the cost? Parents question the value of kids attending summer sessions on a screen Coronavirus and FSAs: If you can't use it and might lose it, here's what to do One of those drivers is John Johnston, a computational specialist from Perry, Michigan, who largely works at home during the pandemic. He no longer makes a 30-mile daily commute to his office or takes frequent family trips to Canada or drives to restaurants and theaters with his wife. Im barely driving, he says. When his auto insurer emailed him to say hed receive a refund for April and May, he says he expected about $100 off his annual bill of about $1,800. Instead, he was given a refund of $35.11 less than 10% of the cost of insurance over two months. I expected it to be underwhelming, but not that underwhelming, he says. Story continues Other drivers say they are confused by the refunds offered by their insurers. Shauna Dillenbeck of Boise, Idaho, says her insurer, State Farm, told her it earmarked billions in refunds for customers but she has yet to see a reduction in her monthly $160 insurance bill. I would like to have seen maybe 50% off, Dillenbeck says, noting that she drives about 10 miles a month compared with 500 miles a month before the pandemic. Take a breath: 5 reasons why you shouldn't freak out about 20.5M job losses State Farm says Dillenbeck and other customers will probably see refunds on their June statements. Those credits will reflect a 25% discount for premiums from March 20 through May 31. The company is reducing its auto rates by an average of 11%, although the rate reduction will go into effect when the customer renews the policy. State Farm offered one of the better responses to consumers, according to Birnbaum. His group gave the insurer an A rating for its response. Other insurers earned a poor grade, including GEICO, which scored a D-. GEICO offers a 15% credit to customers who renew their polices from April 8 to Oct. 7, which means some customers may wait for months to see a refund. GEICO says in a statement that its refund policy is geared to relief based on the full policy term. The company says it wont cancel policies for nonpayment. It says its actions should allow our customers a smoother transition to normalcy. Here are steps you can take if you arent happy with the refund or response from your auto insurer. Call to ask for an adjustment The first step is to call your insurance company to ask for a refund on your policy, Birnbaum says. You may be unlikely to see a refund of more than 15%, but consumers who are driving less in the pandemic should ask for a rate reduction based on their lower mileage, he recommends. Drivers who log less than 5,000 miles a year could save as much as 30% compared with those who drive 15,000 miles a year, according to a study in 2016 from Insurance.com. Can these 13 retailers survive coronavirus? Permanent store closings, bankruptcies coming Shop around for a new policy If you dont think your insurer provides enough relief, you could shop around for a new policy, Birnbaum says. Though the typical refund is 15%, some insurers offer more, such as State Farms 25% refund. Complain to the state Because insurance is regulated on the state level, you should take your complaints to your state insurance department, Birnbaum says. Only California and New Jersey have ordered auto insurers to provide premium refunds to their customers, Birnbaum says. Consumer complaints could spark additional state insurance regulators to take action. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: With less driving, should insurers give bigger discounts? (CNN) The children of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi have publicly forgiven their father's killers, sparing five government agents the death penalty. Salah Khashoggi, the late Saudi critic's eldest son, posted the pardon in a tweet on Friday. "On this virtuous night of (Ramadan), we recall the words of God Almighty ... whoever pardons and makes reconciliations, his reward is from Allah," read the statement, referring to Laylit el Qader, or the Night of Power, considered by Islam to be the holiest night of the year. "So we, the sons of the martyr Jamal Khashoggi, announce that we have pardoned (those) who killed our father," the family added in the statement. Muslim governments typically issue pardons on the month of Ramadan. According to Saudi law, a pardon from a son of a murder victim serves as a legal reprieve. Last December, five government agents convicted of Khashoggi's murder at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October 2018 were sentenced to death. Three other people allegedly involved in the case were given prison sentences. Overall, 11 people were put on trial for Khashoggi's murder, which sparked a global outcry and dealt a blow to the kingdom's reputation. The families of the convicts are now liable to pay blood money to Khashoggi's family. If they can't afford to make the payment, the state can pay instead, in addition to state money already given to the family. A source last year told CNN that the family received millions of US dollars in cash and assets as compensation for the killing. Khashoggi's sons denied that they received a blood money settlement from the Saudi government. 'Parody of justice' The United Nations rapporteur for extrajudicial executions, Agnes Callamard, who led a high-profile investigation into Khashoggi's murder, called the family pardon "the final act of the parody of justice." "Saudi Arabia has repeatedly proven it will not deliver justice for Jamal Khashoggi. This is the last piece to the Saudi impunity puzzle, the final act of the parody of justice played in front of a global audience. The killers will walk free. Exonerated," Callamard said in a tweet on Friday following the family's announcement. Khashoggi's fianceee, Hatice Cengiz, also tweeted her disapproval of the pardon: "The killers came from Saudi with premeditation to lure, ambush and kill him. Nobody has the right to pardon the killers, We will not pardon the killers nor those who ordered the killing." "Jamal Khashoggi became an international symbol bigger than any of us, admired and loved. His ambush and heinous murder does not have a [statute] of limitations and no one has the right to pardon his killers. I and others will not stop until we get justice for Jamal." In a report last year, Callamard concluded that Saudi Arabia was responsible under international law for the "deliberate, premeditated execution" and called for an investigation into the role of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying there was "credible evidence meriting further investigation by a proper authority" as to whether the "threshold of criminal responsibility has been met." US intelligence concluded that the crown prince ordered the killing of Khashoggi. Saudi authorities have denied the allegations. This story was first published on CNN.com "Jamal Khashoggi's children 'pardon' their father's killers, sparing them the death penalty" The Headmaster of the Koforidua Senior High Technical School (SECTECH), Mr Samuel Prince Folley, says bedbug infestation in the school sometimes compelled students to sleep in the schools dining hall before the closure of schools on March 16 as a result of the COVID-19. He said with the high incidence of bedbug infestation, students found it extremely difficult to sleep, especially at night, adding that the situation was also taking a toll on the academic work. Mr Folley made the revelation during a fumigation and disinfection exercise in senior high schools (SHSs) in the Eastern Region recently by Zoomlion Ghana Limited. Exercise The exercise formed part of efforts by the Ghana Education Service (GES) to rid SHSs in the country of bedbugs, and to also help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic when students are called back. About 14 SHSs were covered on the day, and they included the Oyoko Methodist SHS, Universal SHS, Oti Boateng SHS, SDA SHS, Liberty Specialist Institute, Hyundai Koica Technical Institute and Pope Johns SHS. The rest are Ghana SHS, New Juaben SHS, Moses Accountancy SHS, New Juaben College of Commerce, School For the Deaf and the Pentecost SHS. Aside from the issue of bedbugs, Mr Folley indicated that his school was also grappling with how to deal with rodents. Against that backdrop, he commended the GES and Zoomlion Ghana Limited for the initiative. He was upbeat that the exercise would help rid the school of bedbugs. On post-COVID-19, the headmaster of SECTECH disclosed that the school had bought a number of Veronica buckets, soaps and alcohol-based hand sanitisers. Points Mr Folley said these would be placed at vantage points to enable the students use as part of measures to contain the spread of the virus. However, he admitted that it would be difficult for the students to observe the social/physical distancing protocol, attributing that to high student population and the lack of adequate dormitories. At the Pentecost SHS, the Headmaster, Mr Peter Atta Gyamfi, described the exercise as timely, adding that it would help get rid of bedbugs from the school. He, therefore, urged the GES to ensure that fumigation of SHSs was periodically done. He stated that the coronavirus pandemic had affected students, particularly those in their final year. That notwithstanding, he was hopeful that things would return to normalcy for academic work to continue. 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 Tenants in the Capital are liable to pay rent for the period the city has been under lockdown, the Delhi High Court has held, stating that suspension of rent owed for that period is not permissible. The court, however, said some relaxation in the form of postponement of payments can be granted. A single-judge bench of Justice Pratibha M Singh said tenants cannot invoke the doctrine of suspension of rent on the basis of a force majeure event as they (the applicants) do not intend to surrender the tenanted premises and continue to occupy it. Force majeure is a contractual provision allocating the risk of loss, if performance becomes impossible or impracticable, especially as a result of an unanticipated or uncontrolled event. The tenants application for suspension of rent is thus liable to be rejected inasmuch as while invoking the doctrine of suspension of rent on the basis of a force majeure event, it is clear from the submissions made that the tenants do not intend to surrender the tenanted premises. While holding that the suspension of rent is not permissible in these facts, some postponement or relaxation in the schedule of payment can be granted owing to the lockdown, the court said in a 22-page judgment of May 21, uploaded to the courts website on May 22. The court was hearing an application that had raised various issues related to the suspension of payment of rent, owing to the national lockdown, and legalities regarding the same. A nationwide lockdown was imposed by the central government from March 25 to curb the spread of Covid-19 disease. The Delhi government had put curbs on citizens movement in the city from March 23, owing to Covid-19 cases coming up in the Capital around that time. By March 25, there were 35 confirmed cases of the Sars-Cov-2 (the virus which causes the coronavirus disease) and death caused by it in the city. On March 29, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had appealed to landlords not to force tenants for one or two months to give rent and accept payments in instalments if the tenant is short on money. Later, in April, an order by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority had called for strict compliance of directions that landlords will not demand rent from migrant workers and students for a month. It required respective district magistrates to spread awareness about this directive and, in case of non-compliance, take legal action. The latest judgement came on an application filed in a pending plea by the owner of a shoe shop in Khan Market, who had sought suspension of Rs 3.5 lakh monthly rent, while also challenging the eviction over non-payment. Deciding on the factor, Justice Singh said: The fundamental principle would be that if the contract contains a clause providing for some sort of waiver or suspension of rent, only then the tenant could claim the same. However, if the tenant wishes to retain the premises and there is no clause giving any respite to the tenant, the rent or the monthly charges would be payable. Though the May 21 order talks about lease agreements in general, making it eligible for both residential as well as commercial properties, the court, while laying broad guidelines, said the present case of Khan Market is not covered under the executive orders passed by the central and the Delhi governments giving protection to some classes of tenants. A senior Delhi government official in the chief ministers office, asking not to be named, said that they would examine the order. Reacting to the order, Praveen Khandelwal, secretary-general of the Confederation of All India Traders, said while the court granted time to tenants to pay rent, a mechanism should be brought about so that the rent amount of the lockdown period can be paid in a six-month instalment period. A major chunk of our expenditure goes towards rent for shops. Also, as per the governments directions, we are bound to pay salaries to employees. In the light of this, a mechanism should be brought about so that we can clear the rent dues by a six-month instalment, he said. After the lockdown was put into effect, several student groups living in rented accommodations across the Capital had written to Kejriwal, asking for help on similar grounds. Varkey Parakkal, founder of a Student Tenants Union, said the high courts judgment of May 21 would not be applicable to students as the court had refused to examine the legalities of certain executive orders passed by the centre and the Delhi governments. We got the judgment examined by our lawyers who said this order would not cover the executive orders passed by the authorities time to time in case of migrant labours, students and daily wagers. Hence, our rights are reserved, he said. Atul Goyal, President of United Residents Joint Action, said there is a unilateral agreement between tenants and their landlords on humanitarian grounds and hence, both of them should chalk out a strategy on this. In the matter decided May 21, while the counsel for the petitioner had sought a waiver on the rent and postponement of payments, the advocate for the landlord had contended that mere suspension of work would not give the liberty to tenants to not pay rent as the revenue streams of landlords are also dependent on rent money. 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Gretchen Whitmer at a news conference in Lansing, Mich., on May 18, 2020. (Michigan Office of the Governor via AP, Pool) Michigan Governor Extends Stay-at-Home Order to June 12 Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday extended the states stay-at-home order through June 12 as the state begins to slowly reopen amid the CCP virus crisis. The extension will mean that certain places of public accommodation such as theaters, gyms, barbershops and hair salons, sporting venues, and casinos must remain closed until at least June 12. The order was originally scheduled to expire on May 28. We must move with care, patience, and vigilance, recognizing the grave harm that this virus continues to inflict on our state and how quickly our progress in suppressing it can be undone, Whitmer wrote in her latest executive order (pdf). State residents are still not allowed to attend large gatherings, and they must wear masks or face coverings when in enclosed public spaces. This marks Whitmers fifth time extending the states Stay Home, Stay Safe order. The extension comes just a day after Whitmer signed executive orders to ease certain restrictions in the state. The order allows, by Tuesday, gatherings of up to 10 people with social distancing, as well as open retail businesses and auto dealerships by appointment only. Nonessential medical, dental, and veterinary procedures were also authorized to resume by next Friday. Michigan as of Friday reported 53,913 confirmed cases and 5,158 deaths attributed to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus. Whitmer said that while cases and deaths are declining, we are not out of the woods yet. If were going to lower the chance of a second wave and continue to protect our neighbors and loved ones from the spread of this virus, we must continue to do our part by staying safer at home, she said in a statement first reported by the Detroit Free Press. If we open too soon, thousands more could die and our hospitals will get overwhelmed. While we finally have more protective equipment like masks, we cant run the risk of running low again. We owe it to the real heroes on the front lines of this crisisour first responders, health care workers, and critical workers putting their lives on the line every dayto do what we can ourselves to stop the spread of the virus, she continued. Whitmer has also extended the State of Emergency for the entire state until June 19. Republican lawmakers in the state legislature earlier challenged Whitmers authority in issuing such orders and extending them. They filed a lawsuit challenging her right to extend a state of emergency in Michigan. That lawsuit was dismissed on Thursday. Legislative leaders on Friday appealed the decision. Also on Friday, some restaurants, bars, and other retail businesses in much of northern Michigan were allowed to begin reopening ahead of the Memorial Day weekend. Some businesses will be able to operate in a limited capacity in the upper peninsula and parts of the lower peninsula. Bars and restaurants continue to be off-limits to dine-in customers in 51 counties, affecting 93 percent of the states 10 million people. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced that South Africa has recorded 21,343 cases of COVID-19. This is an increase of 1,218 cases compared with yesterdays recorded total of 20,125 cases in South Africa. Mkhize also announced that the number of deaths attributed to the coronavirus has risen to 407 an increase of 10 in the last 24 hours. We wish to express our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who cared for the deceased, he said. A total of 564,370 tests have been conducted in South Africa to date, and 21,338 tests were completed in the last day. The total number of recoveries to date is 10,104. The table below details the total number of recorded COVID-19 cases per province, along with the number of deaths in each province attributed to COVID-19. Province Case Numbers Deaths Western Cape 13,826 261 Gauteng 2,633 29 Eastern Cape 2,569 58 KwaZulu-Natal 1,777 48 Free State 196 6 Limpopo 124 3 Mpumalanga 97 0 North West 81 1 Northern Cape 40 1 As of today, the total number of confirmed #COVID19 cases in South Africa is 21 343, the total number of deaths is 407 and total recoveries is 10 104. pic.twitter.com/jz40T5oPCE Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) May 23, 2020 New rules for education during lockdown Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has announced that more students will be allowed to return to university campuses and residences when South Africas national lockdown alert level is lowered to level 3. University students around the country are currently barred from attending at their premises and are required to study from home where possible. Under level 4 of the lockdown, the controlled return of final year students in programmes requiring clinical training was allowed. This started with medicine (MBChB) and will be followed in a phased approach of other programmes, such as nursing, dental, and veterinary sciences. Nzimande said his department has been working hard during this month of May towards saving the academic year whilst saving lives. He said all public universities have developed strategies for remote multi-modal teaching and learning during the period of the current lockdown to be implemented from 1 June. Each institution has committed to ensuring that all students are given a fair opportunity to complete the academic year 2020, he said. Now read: South Africans can now return to other countries Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. Mainland Chinese authorities could join Hong Kong police to investigate criminal suspects under a planned security law, a city politician said Saturday, in comments likely to further enrage campaigners fearing the end of the financial hub's treasured autonomy. China's rubber-stamp parliament will vote next week on the proposal, following massive democracy protests that rocked the city last year and infuriated Beijing. It is almost certain to pass. The measure has been condemned by Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement and Western nations, which say it would mark the end of the semi-autonomous city's unique freedoms. The proposal includes an article that would allow mainland national security agencies to set up offices in Hong Kong -- which has its own police force and judicial system. Pro-Beijing politician Maria Tam, who advises China's parliament on her city's constitution, told AFP that investigations "could be joint efforts" between mainland and Hong Kong authorities once the law is passed. Police from outside Hong Kong would need "approval" from local authorities to conduct investigations, she said. "And you cannot investigate on your own," said Tam, who is vice-chairwoman of the Basic Law committee at the National People's Congress, China's parliament. "I'm not worried about anybody being arrested by a police officer from the mainland and then taken back to China for investigation or punishment," Tam added. "It is not, not, not going to happen." The 2019 protests began over a disputed bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China, but unrest continued after it was withdrawn as demonstrators expanded their demands to include universal suffrage and an inquiry into police conduct. If someone is arrested and prosecuted, Tam said, "it will be done all within the existing Hong Kong legal system". China's army already has a garrison in Hong Kong but soldiers have not intervened in the protests, though the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, authorises local officials to request military help to protect public order. - 'Deterrent effect' - Hong Kong has its own legal system and is officially granted a degree of autonomy according to the "One Country, Two Systems" arrangement agreed when Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997. But Beijing has ultimate political sway over the city and had made it clear that it wanted to impose a national security law as Hong Kong authorities struggled to stop the sometimes-violent protests. Fears that China is steadily eroding Hong Kong's freedoms were fuelled in 2015, when five booksellers in the city who were publishing salacious titles about China's leaders vanished and then resurfaced in custody on the mainland. China's parliament said Friday that Beijing, which has accused Hong Kong protesters of promoting separatism, must "take powerful measures to lawfully prevent, stop and punish" anti-China forces in Hong Kong. The proposal goes to a vote on Thursday, the final day of the annual session of the NPC. It will then be up to another NPC body, its Standing Committee, to enact national security legislation. It is unclear when the law would be approved but the committee meets every two months -- and Hong Kong's chief executive Carrie Lam said the local government will complete the legislation "as soon as possible". Tam said she hoped the law would "reduce the kind of riots and destruction that we see in the streets." "I think most laws should have a deterrent effect on people who wish to offend them," she added. "I've heard a lot of businessmen, and a lot of parents, saying we need to have (a) stricter law to prevent this going on." Hong Kong has its own police force and judicial system Curu, a Denver, CO-based automated lead recovery solution enabling lenders to fund more loans, closed a $3M seed funding round. The round was led by Vestigo Ventures, with participation from Harlem Capital, Matchstick Ventures, Carolina Fintech Ventures, Techstars Ventures, Holt Accelerator, Chingona Ventures, and Upscale Fund. The company intends to use the funds to scale its solution via integrations with banks, credit unions, and online lenders across North America. Led by Abb Kapoor, COO, David Potter, CEO, Curu provides an automated lead recovery solution that enables lenders to fund more loans by building their applicants eligibility. Its white-labeled Approval Dashboard enables lenders to expand their total available market and reduce their customer acquisition costs by showing their applicants steps they can take in order to get approved. This round follows the pre-seed raise, which closed in September of 2019. In nine months, the company repositioned its direct-to-consumer application to an integrated SaaS product offering for banks, lenders, and credit unions. In March, Curu went live with its first enterprise partner, Bank Novo, and has just launched with its second partner, LendKey this month. FinSMEs 22/05/2020 During a briefing on Friday, Donald Trumps press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, wanted to tell a feel-good story of where the president had decided to donate his salary this quarter. So she held up the $100,000 check that she said Trump would donate to the Department of Health and Human Services to support the efforts being undertaken to confront, contain and combat the coronavirus. In the process, she displayed the presidents private bank account and routing numbers. Advertisement The check that McEnany held up appeared to be a real check from Capital One, complete with the relevant details, notes the New York Times. An administration official said that mock checks were not used at the briefing and a spokesman pushed back against the Times for even questioning whether the details that were broadcast were authentic. Today his salary went to help advance new therapies to treat this virus, but leave it to the media to find a shameful reason not to simply report the facts, focusing instead on whether the check is real or not, a White House spokesman, Judd Deere, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That information could be used to withdraw or deposit money from an account and could also help hack an account. Experts say that any bank would likely have extra protections around such a high profile account but that doesnt mean the private details should be flashed around. This is one of those situations where setting the example is very important, Eva Velasquez, the president and chief executive of the Identity Theft Resource Center, said. Its very important for your average person to understand this is not a best practice. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has long made a point of highlighting how Trump donates his salary every quarter, fulfilling a campaign promise. But as many have pointed out, Trump makes plenty of money during his presidency considering he refused to divest from his business interests. President Trumps decision not to divest his businesses netted him $434 million in personal revenue in 2018 alonethe last year for which data is available, Robert Maguire, research director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, tweeted in March. Thats a thousand times more than his presidential salary. Plus, the donation to the HHS comes as his administration had previously called for a cut in the agencys budget. Essentially, Trump is actively working to dismantle HHS and other government agencies that respond to outbreaks like the coronavirus while falsely posturing as their generous benefactor, Vox pointed out earlier this year. For more of Slates news coverage, listen to What Next: TBD. 23.05.2020 LISTEN Muslims all over the world would on Sunday, 24th May 2020, celebrate the end of the 30 days of fasting and prayers of the month of Ramadan. His Eminence the National Chief Imam of Ghana would exclusively be leading the National Imams of Ahlulsunna Wal Jamaa, Shia Community, and Ahmadiyya at GBC Square on Sunday at 9.00am. The historical significance of the month of Ramadan has epitomized the spirits of philanthropy and charity, forbearance and forgiveness, and of reticence, self-discipline, and self-moderation. Ramadan also teaches love and empathy for humanity, the poor and needy in particular and draws Muslims closer to Allah In the month of Ramadan, Muslims endure hunger and thirst and abstain from eating, drinking and sexual relations with their spouses from dawn to sunset in the hope that it will serve as a way of learning patience, forgive one another, to break bad habits and lead to greater consciousness of Allah. With the strict enforcement of social distancing directive and other protocols to limit the spread of the highly contagious COVID-19 disease, many of the activities of Eid-ul-Fitr, as is the case with congregational prayers and sharing of meals for the community, would be curtailed. It is important to note that the directives on social distancing, restrictions on congregational prayers, gatherings, and other tighter measures that are being enforced by the government do not in any way diminish the essence of the Eid or reduce the reward of the prayers or the efficacy of supplications. COMOG also wishes to take this opportunity to urge other religious faiths to join Muslims in this critical period to seek for divine mercies and interventions of Allah to halt the spread of the contagious virus and heal the afflicted. Indeed, we are not in normal times and the virtues of Ramadan should instill a sense of unity of purpose, collective spiritual and moral endeavor, and renewed acts of faith, kindness and personal hygiene to cleanse COVID-19 from our communities. For us, the challenges that the world faces go far and deeper than the inability to gather together for prayers or to break the fast due to the restrictions imposed by virtue of the COVID-19 scourge. Similar to the hunger and thirst that are endured during Ramadan, the deprivations that accompany the COVID- 19 pandemics are also spiritual ordeals, which give opportunities for profound moral reflections and ever-increasing nearness to Allah. COMOG calls on not just Muslims but all faiths to use this opportunity to strengthen our connection with our Maker contemplate on our lives, seek forgiveness for the past wrongs and never to return to such negative ways. This is a season of forgiveness, personal reflection, and spiritual rejuvenation for Muslims. It is a blessed opportunity to rid ourselves of the negative addictions and harmful practices that have stalled our progress for the past years. This way, we will achieve collective victory, fight the COVID-19 pandemic together through science and spirituality, instill discipline in our moral fibre and attain a communal sense of purpose that would spur our growth and development. EID MUBARAK Sgd Hajj Abdel-Manan Abdel-Rahman COMOG President As life around Montgomery County gets back to a new normal, local leaders remain cautiously optimistic and prepared as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. As of Friday, while the number of cases in Montgomery County increased slightly to 888 with the number of active cases dropping to 471 and the number of hospitalizations dropping to just 30, County Judge Mark Keough and his Chief of Staff Jason Millsaps agree the numbers for the county have been comparatively low with the local health care facilities facing no capacity issues. What we have noticed is throughout the whole time, from the onset when the orders originally began until they were lifted and where we are today, hospital utilization has remained very steady at right around 12 percent of all cases, Millsaps said. Montgomery County, Millsaps said, has six major hospitals where beds and ventilators were never at a shortage. That, he added, was a driving factor in Keough lifting his local orders two weeks early in April. We are going to get to the point where we have fewer active cases than recoveries here soon, Millsaps said. Testing in the county is ongoing, Millsaps said, with about 500-700 people testing each day. To date, more than 12,500 people have undergone testing with positive return rate of just 4 percent. Millsaps noted that 4 percent is under the state average of 6.9 percent. Good news is we are seeing the active cases turn over to recoveries, he said. Second wave As health experts around the state have warned of a second wave of COVID-19 cases later this year, Millsaps, who also serves as the executive director for the countys Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said local health officials have predicted the same thing. The key, he noted, was being prepared. In fact, county commissioners approved Millsaps continues efforts to procure personal protection equipment, including masks, gloves and cleaning supplies. We dont know, he said of when or if the second wave would hit. We are going to plan like there is another wave coming. I feel we are in great shape to respond to another wave. As for residents, both Keough and Millsaps agree they have responded well and said they would again if needed. People in the county will recognize an uptick and start taking precaution, following common sense things we have learned through this process, Keough said. However, if there is a second wave, Keough said it would likely not result in orders restricting residents an or businesses. Cases in clusters In Montgomery County, there have been 23 deaths related to the new coronavirus. According to the data from the Montgomery County Public Health District, of those deaths 16 have been residents over the age of 70 with most of those deaths being men. Those residents, Keough noted, all had underlying medical conditions. The most common underlying conditions were hypertension, diabetes and obesity. The remaining seven deaths were residents in their 50s and 60s. The highest concentration of cases in the county is in the 77301 ZIP code with 160 cases. Millsaps said the majority of those cases are related to the Montgomery County Detention Facility owned and operated by GEO Group. The second highest ZIP code is 77386 with 94 and 77365 following with 83. Moving into the summer months, Keough said COVID-19 cases will likely slow due to the hot and humid conditions in this part of Texas. However, as the summer months move in, the threat of West Nile Virus increases. While COVID-19 is not transmitted through blood or mosquitoes, an outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus could be complicated by the new coronavirus if it is still lingering around, Keough said. Stronger together Moving into summer, Keough said he didnt think people were succumbing to a false sense of security as numbers decline. He noted people are still taking precautions. People are still wearing masks in public and we still see people social distancing, Keough said. None of us wan to go backward and do this all over again. People will respond (to an uptick) without having to be told. Conroe Mayor Toby Powell echoed Keough and said the reopening of businesses will help many residents most effected by the pandemic. It is amazing to see businesses re-opening while introducing safe social distancing protocols to make our community safer, Powell said. We all have our roles in this new era we are facing and I am so proud to see how Conroe has risen to the challenge. We will continue to grow stronger together. cdominguez@hcnonline.com Eid ul-Fitr, one of the most anticipated festive occasions for Muslims around the world will be celebrated in Saudi Arabia on May 24, followed by in India on May 25. Eid marks the end of one of the holy month of Ramadan during which devotees observe fast for 30 days and prayers. Eid al-Fitr is also known as the Festival of breaking the fast. The start date of the lunar Hijri month varies according to the new moon sighting by religious authorities. Eid al-Fitr is the first day of Shawwal month, it is celebrated on different days across the globe. Even though Eid will look different amid the coronavirus pandemic, celebrations at home while respecting social distancing norms are already in place. Eid al-Fitr celebrations are incomplete without a widespread feast consisting of lip-smacking dishes, various rituals, decorations and more. Mehndi application is also one of the most important parts of the festivities. On Eid, women dress up in traditional new outfits and apply mehndi on their palms. Mehndi adds beauty to the essence of Eid celebrations. Mehendi has been in use for a long time and is said to have been a part of our culture and traditional practices. Mehndi designs not only makes our hands look more attractive but also helps us keep our skin free from any infections due to its antimicrobial efficacy. Instagram accounts are thriving with designs that one can make, how to go about it and more. Take a look and get inspired! In case you dont have time for a mehndi application routine then you can also go for mehndi tattoos and glitter stickers. One can also mix and match the patterns for a quirky look white and colourful henna art is also popular among millennial women nowadays as traditional henna might not be suited to everyones style. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter 1 of 2 MAH MBA CET Result 2020 declared, check here The MAH MBA CET 2020 result has been announced today at the official website cetcell.mahacet.org. Even though the result was supposed to be declared at 11 am, it was declared slightly before time. Maharashtra Minister of Higher Education and Technical Education, Uday Samant, had announced the news of the Maharashtra MBA CET 2020 result coming today in a tweet on Friday. The computer-based MAH MBA CET exam was held on March 14 and March 15, 2020. Students can check the MAH CET results from the official website cetcell.mahacet.org now. The MAH-MBA/MMS CET 2020 result was postponed before it was declared today. The MAH MBA CET Result 2020 was earlier supposed to be declared on March 31. However, the Maharashtra CET Cell had to postponed the Maharashtra MBA CET results because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. The Maharashtra MBA CET 2020 result can be used to get admission in government colleges and institutes to study Management in Maharashtra. Students can use the Maharashtra MBA CET results to take admission in all Government of Maharashtra Management Education Institutes, University Departments of Management Education, University-managed Management Education Institutes, and all Un-Aided Management Education Institutes. Read More... Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has condemned the Delhi government advertisement projecting Sikkim as not a part of the Indian union and labelled it as an 'unfortunate' incident. The Chief Minister informed that Sikkim's Chief Secretary had immediately written to the Delhi Chief Secretary urging immediate action over the advertisement. CM Tamang also stated that the people of the state have been hurt and called for strict action against the concerned official. The advertisement which had called for volunteers to join the Civil Defence Corps has stated 'citizens of India or a subject of Sikkim, Bhutan or Nepal' as an eligible applicant. The advertisement has appeared in a leading English newspaper. READ | Sikkim Govt Demands Withdrawal Of Delhi Govt Ad Listing Sikkim 'not A Part Of India' Speaking to Republic TV, Sikkim CM Tamang said, "The advertisement was very unfortunate. The Delhi government should know that Sikkim is a part of India. It is unfortunate that despite being a part of India, Sikkim has been linked to Bhutan and Nepal. The Sikkim Chief Secretary had immediately apprised Delhi Chief Secretary of the issue and urged to immediately withdraw the controversial advertisement." READ | Army Soldier Killed In Avalanche In North Sikkim 'Want to thank Delhi CM' Responding to CM Kejriwal's tweet regarding the action taken, Tamang said, "We wanted it to be taken down immediately because the people of Sikkim have been hurt with the advertisement. We wanted action to be taken against the concerned person and if the Delhi Chief Minister is saying that action has been taken then I want to thank him for it." Furthermore, he added, "There should be no mistake like this and I would like the Delhi government to ensure that it does not happen again." READ | With Zero COVID Case, Sikkim To Reopen Schools, Educational Institutions From June 15 Sikkim is an integral part of India. Such errors also cannot be tolerated. Advertisement has been withdrawn and action taken against the officer concerned. https://t.co/BgTcjJF4MF Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 23, 2020 Delhi L-G suspends senior officer The Sikkim government had demanded the withdrawal of the ad and issue an official communication to assuage the feelings of Sikkim residents. It has pointed out that the ad was very offensive and that Sikkim has been a part of the Indian Union since May 16, 1975. Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal has suspended the senior officer of Directorate of Civil Defence (HQ) who had published the ad. READ | Economic Revival Committee Set Up In Sikkim Wicklow County Council is set to launch a new and expanded version of 'Our Wicklow Heritage' website. The website is an innovative online community heritage hub for the county and is currently being updated. 'Our Wicklow Heritage' represents a collaboration of six individual heritage recording groups in the county which, under the guidance of Wicklow County Council's Heritage Officer and the Archives Service, have joined the Irish Community Archive Network (ICAN). ICAN is co-ordinated by the National Museum of Ireland and over the last eight months the various Wicklow groups have participated in training to manage and curate the heritage of their local areas. The site was first launched in 2015 as an action included in the County Heritage Plan. The extra participating groups are Glens of Lead, Donard Imaal History, Medieval Bray Project, Delgany Heritage Village and the Glendalough Heritage Forum. As well as preserving and showcasing the heritage of their local places, the participating groups also benefit from networking, mentoring and training. Deirdre Burns, Heritage Officer, Wicklow County Council, said: 'In the current time of limited travel and restricted social interaction, 'Our Wicklow Heritage' provides a ready and accessible way for communities and individuals in Wicklow to stay connected through their heritage.' The community archives are interactive, allowing interested individuals to upload and share photographs, articles, personal stories, oral histories and videos. Topics featured include everything from nature observations, to historical information, folklore and cultural heritage. Visit www.wicklowheritage.org to see the website. The United States on Friday stepped up threats to strip Hong Kong of special trading privileges as it led Western nations in anger over China's brazen assault on the territory's autonomy. US lawmakers are pressing for tough action over Hong Kong, which has become the latest front in soaring tensions between Washington and Beijing, but even some supporters of the territory's democracy movement ask if the "nuclear option" would be effective. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that a proposed national security law, submitted Friday to China's rubber-stamp legislature, would be a "death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised for Hong Kong." The new law would enforce punishment for "subversion" and other perceived offenses in the city, which was swept by months of massive and occasionally violent pro-democracy protests last year. In a show of support for demonstrators, the US Congress last year overwhelmingly approved a law that would end Hong Kong's preferential trade access to the world's largest economy if it is no longer certified as enjoying autonomy -- which Beijing promised before regaining control of the then British colony in 1997. Pompeo said that Beijing's latest moves would "inevitably" influence the State Department's decision. "The United States strongly urges Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal, abide by its international obligations, and respect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions and civil liberties, which are key to preserving its special status under US law," Pompeo said in a statement. - 'A nuclear option' - Pompeo had delayed the certification decision, citing the just-started session of the National People's Congress, and lawmakers had earlier anticipated that President Donald Trump's administration would shy away from ending Hong Kong's trading status. Story continues Trump had only reluctantly signed the Hong Kong act, which was strongly opposed by Beijing, as he was negotiating a deal to end a trade war with China. Dennis Kwok, a pro-democracy lawmaker in Hong Kong, told a US-based audience on Friday that the territory's opposition forces appreciated US efforts and urged continued vigilance, voicing fear for police crackdowns in the coming days. He nevertheless cautioned of the risks of the United States revoking the city's trading status, while acknowledging that many in Hong Kong were angry and would back the move. "This is almost like a nuclear option, which once you use it, everyone will get hurt, and it will be very hard to build Hong Kong back up again," Kwok told the conservative Heritage Foundation by videoconference. Kwok said the most effective leverage would be to stress how investors would be spooked by the narrowing of autonomy in Hong Kong, one of the world's pre-eminent financial capitals. "If China is so stupid as to believe that they can do away with Hong Kong and they don't need an international financial center, then of course there's nothing which one could do to dissuade them to do otherwise," he said. Senior Trump economic advisor Kevin Hassett made a similar case to reporters at the White House, saying that "disdain for the rule of law" would be "very, very bad for the Chinese economy." - 'Most dangerous moment' - Hong Kong is only one flashpoint between the United States and China, the world's top two economies. Trump and Pompeo have accused Beijing of being responsible for the coronavirus pandemic by not acting more quickly -- an argument that critics say is meant to deflect from Trump's own handling of the crisis. Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, warned that the Pacific powers were at "their most dangerous moment" since they normalized relations four decades ago. "There is a growing list of disagreements (Hong Kong being but the most recent) but no strategic rationale for the relationship or plan to limit friction. Both countries stand to lose," Haass wrote on Twitter. Congress, with broad bipartisan support, is looking to ratchet up the pressure. Following China's announcement on the law, two senators, Republican Pat Toomey and Democrat Chris Van Hollen, proposed a law that would impose sanctions on anyone involved in curtailing Hong Kong's autonomy, including banks. Senator Marco Rubio, a prominent Trump ally, said that Hong Kong showed that China will "lie to get any deal." Martin Lee, considered the grandfather of Hong Kong's democracy movement, made a similar point to the Heritage Foundation, warning that Beijing could renege on Trump's cherished trade agreement. "If Beijing can with impunity rip (up) an international agreement registered with the United Nations at will without being held accountable for it, Beijing would thereby be encouraged to break more international agreements with other countries," Lee said. Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the presidents declaration dangerous and foolish" and said the president has no power to override local restrictions, which still ban such gatherings. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state will continue to operate on the basis of science and data. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday discussed the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. Sri Lanka is fighting COVID-19 effectively under Rajapaksa's leadership, Modi wrote on Twitter. "India will continue to support our close maritime neighbour in dealing with the pandemic and its economic impact," he said. The two, the prime minister said, agreed to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka and also strengthen investment links. Modi congratulated Prime Minister Jugnauth for successfully controlling COVID-19 in Mauritius. "Our people share warm and special ties, based on shared culture and values. Indians will stand by their Mauritian brothers and sisters at this difficult time," he said. An official statement later said President Rajapaksa briefed Modi on the steps being taken by his government to restart economic activity. "In this context, both leaders agreed on the need to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka. They also discussed the possibilities of promoting investments and value-addition in Sri Lanka by the Indian private sector," the statement said. During the conversation, Modi conveyed his best wishes for the health and wellbeing of Sri Lankan people. Also read: Coronavirus India Live Tracker: PM Modi speaks to Sri Lanka President, Mauritius PM, assures support Also read: Coronavirus crisis: Indian-Americans hail visa, travel relaxations for OCI cardholders Ayushmann On The Effects Of Stardom Talking very candidly about the effects of stardom, he says, "We went to the Bahamas to celebrate New Year's. We were staying in a great 7-star property which came with a butler. But when you get that anonymity like standing in queues, etc., then you realise there is something beyond stardom which you enjoy in your own country." Talking about the experience he added, "You are just a somebody in a sphere. When you get out of it, you are a nobody. There are no security guards taking care of you, or your manager who is there for you. Sab kuch khud hi karna hai. (You're on your own.) That reality check is not so easy." Ayushmann Says Virajveer Is Just Like Him Earlier, Ayushmann took to his Instagram to share a picture of his son Virajveer Khurrana with a guitar in his hand. However, in the latest interview, he revealed something that Virajveer is not good at. Ayushmann went on to say that Virajveer is an artist like his father, but also like his father, he is bad at numbers. "During the lockdown, I discovered they are truly my kids because they are just as bad with Maths as I am. My son is good with piano, sketching. He is an artist, but I lose my mind at times while explaining Maths to him." Ayushmann Next Film Gulabo Sitabo To Release On June 12 On the work front, Aysuhmann was last seen in films like Dream Girl, Bala and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan. He is currently gearing up for the release of his upcoming film, Gulabo Sitabo with Amitabh Bachchan. The comedy-drama is one of the first films to opt for an OTT release amid the Coronavirus lockdown. Directed by Shoojit Sircar, Gulabo Sitabo will release on Amazon Prime Video on June 12. In his words: "I am just a professional writer, which means I don't do blogs and try and get money for whatever I write." In a massive irony, Britain has been forced to acknowledge the heroic role of hospital staff, bus drivers, transport staff et al. Just a passing deal? How much of the future will This dire present steal? Thoughts in idleness Between the scribbling and the Exercise recess Separation leaves Many things unstolen. (Predictive text deceives). The classic recluse Concludes in his solitude Life has little use Love is a potion Or poison to all lovers Dreaded devotion! -- From Kaiku yeh Haiku? By Bachchoo Each day a trio appears on the nations TV screens. In an oak-panelled room a minister and two science and health bods address the nation. The minister issues the determinations of the day on the corona crisis. These might be orders, suggestions, conclusions of the advisory committees, predictions, statistics and the current, justified or unjustified, excuses and optimism of the day. The other bods then chip in to talk about the basis of such determinations. On a TV set facing them press-wallas appear to ask questions or to express scepticism about the statements made by the trio. They stimulate ministerial and management answers. Its for us at home to judge the adequacy of these. The big debate in the country is the announcement by Boris Johnson recommending or urging the opening of primary schools on June 1. The teachers unions, several parents organisations and very many Labour and even some Tory local-government councils are opposed to the move. They say, whatever the arrangements in the classroom or the playground, however separate pupils and teachers are kept from each other, there is the definite risk of Covid-19 spreading or being carried back home by both. The statistics from France, which partially reopened schools, are not encouraging. They seemed to prove the unions and sceptics have a point. The government argues that the education of the children of the middle and upper classes will not be unduly damaged by a prolonged period of not being schooled, whereas the households in which the parents havent the time, the resources or the culture to initiate or enforce mind-expanding reading or creative activity will suffer a setback in their development. It seems, on the surface, an argument weighted towards compassion for the future of the poor. The encouragement for schools to reopen may be prompted by such a concern, but it may also have something to do with the governments desperation to get the working classes, especially those in the lowest paid sectors, back to work. As I write, the minister for justice nothing much to do with schools or employment one Richard Buckland, was at the ministerial lectern admitting that very many primary schools, under pressure or orders from their local councils, will not open on June 1. Confusion and chaos which have become characteristic of this governments actions in this crisis. Perhaps I missed a session, gentle reader, but I seem to have noticed that no female minister has been at the lectern for these sessions. There are female professors and medical advisors but no, for instance, Priti Patel. In any administration the home minister is an important and key player. With the corona crisis upon us and the population being subject to very severe restrictions with the police playing a radically new enforcement role, the home office should have been at the forefront of activity and opinion. But Priti seems to have gone into, or been confined to, an absent presence. Or perhaps its only a veiled one as she was allowed to appear in the other government show on TV, which is the live recording of parliamentary procedure. In these straitened times, the mother of parliaments has been reduced to the starved appearance of its stepdaughter. Social distancing means that four or five MPs actually sit in the chamber. The other 600 or more stay at home and attend, if they choose to, by computer. It was at one of these sessions that Ms Patel was allowed to appear on home office business to announce the launch of a post-Brexit immigration bill. This is the bit of proposed legislation that propelled this government into power, as its central point is the restriction or even banning of free movement of the citizens of the European Union coming to Britain to live and work. The promise that the BoJo candidates made was to implement such a ban and it was, in my humble estimation, this simple xenophobic pledge that got ex-Labour voters to support Boris, Priti and Party. The Covid crisis has, however, cast a laser light on this proposed legislation. Pritis bill says it will not allow anyone who hasnt negotiated a guaranteed job, which pays more than something like 25,000 into the country. Thats a threshold which will ensure that the lower paid dont enter Britain. The massive irony that the corona crisis has thrown up is that Britain has been forced to acknowledge that the nurses, carers in old peoples and mentally-handicapped homes, hospital staff, bus drivers and transport staff, garbage collectors and a score of other industries are heroically run by very large numbers of non-British staff on wages which fall below this Patel threshold. BoJo himself, taken by the disease and treated back to health in St Thomas hospital went on TV to thank and praise two nurses, both of immigrant stock, for saving his life. On Thursdays at 8 pm the nation is asked to come out of their houses and clap and bang saucepans in an acknowledgement of the dangerous and possibly life-threatening work that nurses and doctors are doing in the National Health Service. So, Britain celebrates the low paid and Priti Patel proposes laws to keep them out of the country. The crisis may get over and there may be other health hazards. Pritis bill will cripple the NHSs ability to tackle any of it. This will be the most serious consequence of this bigoted idiocy. Of course she could at the same time legislate to raise the wages of these workers to above 35,000. The Dhondy solution. Sorted! Iranian authorities have again extended the temporary release of jailed British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, her family and lawyer say. In mid-March, Zaghari-Ratcliffe was temporarily released from Tehran's Evin prison, where she was serving of a five-year sentence for "plotting to topple the Iranian government," a charge she has denied. The furlough has been extended until May 27, her lawyer told the IRNA news agency on May 20. Mahmud Behzadirad added that Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been told by judiciary officials that they would decide whether the rest of her sentence will be commuted. "Nazanin spoke to the Prosecutors Office today. Her furlough from prison has again been extended -- until a decision has been made on her clemency. She was told no decision has been made on clemency," the Free Nazanin campaign tweeted. Amnesty International U.K.'s director, Kate Allen, said that "another period of this 'conditional liberty' is far better than outright jail, but we're worried that the Iranian authorities are still playing games with Nazanin and her family." "Confined to her parents' house in Tehran, Nazanin is still a prisoner of conscience," Allen said in a statement. A project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested in April 2016 at a Tehran airport as she headed back to Britain with her daughter following a family visit. She was sentenced to prison in September 2016 following what Amnesty International called a "deeply unfair trial." Britain has demanded her release and that of other dual nationals imprisoned in Iran. Tehran does not recognize dual citizenship. Iran has temporarily released tens of thousands of inmates, including political prisoners, in recent months in response to the coronavirus epidemic. With reporting by Reuters The wolf responsible for attacking sheep in Niederanven at the end of April has been confirmed to be a male specimen from Lower Saxony. The report was published on Friday following additional analysis by Germany's Senckenberg Institute. DNA analysis traced the wolf back to the municipality of Rodewald in Germany - some 450 kilometres away from Luxembourg as the crow flies (or the wolf stalks). Two weeks ago, local authorities confirmed the presence of a wolf in the area around Niederanven. On 9 June, Luxembourg's nature administration will hold a webinar in conjunction with the National Museum of Natural History, and the municipality of Niederanven, to provide an online conference on peaceful co-existence between humans and the wolf. Participants must register in advance, with further details available in the press release. Investigators have recovered the black box flight recorders from the wreckage of a Pakistani International Airlines (PIA) jet that crashed in Karachi killing 97 people. Company spokesman Abdullah Khan said on May 23 that Flight PK8303s two recorders, located a day earlier, would be turned over to civil aviation authorities. Provincial health officials earlier said that two of the 99 people on board the Airbus A320 had survived. There were reports that people had been killed on the ground, but it was unclear how many and whether their bodies had been recovered. The jet was traveling from the eastern city of Lahore when it crashed May 22 on its second approach to Karachis Jinnah International Airport. One of the survivors, Muhammad Zubair, told Geo TV that the plane came in for one landing, briefly touched down, then took off again. About 10 minutes later the pilot announced to passengers that he was going to make a second attempt, then crashed on the approach to the runway, Zubair said, according to Geo TV. The plane was flying smoothly and no one was aware it was about to crash, the BBC quoted Zubair as saying. The plane had developed a technical fault, according to Interior Minister Ijaz Shah, who said the pilot issued a mayday call after the aircraft lost an engine. The airline's CEO, Arshad Mahmood Malik, identified one survivor as the president of the Bank of Punjab, Zafar Masud. The bank said he had suffered fractures but was "conscious and responding well." 'Our Hour Of Grief' Airbus said in a statement that the plane had first entered service in 2004 and was acquired by PIA a decade later. It had logged around 47,100 flight hours. Airbus added that it had no confirmed information about the accident. The crash occurred as Muslims prepared to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Many Pakistanis are travelling back to their homes in cities and villages for the holiday. It also came days after Pakistan began allowing commercial flights to resume following a coronavirus lockdown. Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was "shocked and saddened" by the crash. "The people of Pakistan value this support and solidarity in our hour of grief," he wrote on Twitter. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and the BBC Technavio has been monitoring the airport non-aeronautical revenue market and it is poised to grow by USD 46.93 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of 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. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200522005374/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenue Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Aena S.M.E. SA, Aeroports de Paris SA, Airport Authority Hong Kong, Airports of Thailand Plc, Copenhagen Airports AS, Fraport AG, Heathrow (SP) Ltd., Japan Airport Terminal Co. Ltd., Korea Airports Corp., and Vinci SA are some of the major market participants. The growing emphasis on value-added services will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Growing emphasis on value-added services has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenue Market 2020-2024: Segmentation Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenue Market is segmented as below: Service Concessionaires Parking and Car Rentals Land Rental Terminal Rent by Airlines Other Services Geography APAC North America Europe MEA 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=IRTNTR43095 Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenue 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 airport non-aeronautical revenue market report covers the following areas: Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenue Market Size Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenue Market Trends Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenue Market Industry Analysis This study identifies the progression of airport cities and aerotropolis concepts as one of the prime reasons driving the airport non-aeronautical revenue market growth during the next few years. Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenue Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the airport non-aeronautical revenue market, including some of the vendors such as Aena S.M.E. SA, Aeroports de Paris SA, Airport Authority Hong Kong, Airports of Thailand Plc, Copenhagen Airports AS, Fraport AG, Heathrow (SP) Ltd., Japan Airport Terminal Co. Ltd., Korea Airports Corp., and Vinci SA. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the airport non-aeronautical revenue 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 Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenue Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024 Detailed information on factors that will assist airport non-aeronautical revenue market growth during the next five years Estimation of the airport non-aeronautical revenue market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the airport non-aeronautical revenue market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of airport non-aeronautical revenue market vendors Table Of Contents: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2019 Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024 Five Forces Analysis Five Force Summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Service Market segments Comparison by Service Concessionaries Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Parking and car rentals Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Land rentals Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Terminal rent by airlines Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Other services Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by Service Customer Landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Europe 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 by geography Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Landscape disruption Competitive scenario Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors Aena S.M.E. SA Aeroports de Paris SA Airport Authority Hong Kong Airports of Thailand Plc Copenhagen Airports AS Fraport AG Heathrow (SP) Ltd. Japan Airport Terminal Co. Ltd. Korea Airports Corp. Vinci SA Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ 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/20200522005374/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/ A new test that can detect coronavirus in just an hour has been approved for clinical use and could soon be on sale to the public for 40. The DnaNudge test does not require any medical expertise and can detect the virus from just a nostril sample - much less invasive than some throat swabs. After successful trials on 500 patients in London hospitals, the 'lab in a cartridge' device was approved for clinical use by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) at the end of April. And Brits will soon be able to buy the test to use at home for 40 after the inventors announced plans to 'rapidly increase' production to one million tests a month by the end of the year. The DnaNudge test does not require any medical expertise and can detect the virus from just a nostril sample. It has been given clinical approval and The Government made an initial order of 10,000 DnaNudge cartridges in March and has procured another 70,000 since. The test, developed by Imperial College London's Chris Toumazou, is based on the design of a DNA test and can give a result in just over an hour, significantly cutting down on the 48-hour wait for a laboratory diagnosis. Once a swab is taken, it's inserted into a handheld reader that provides results within just 75 minutes. 'It is a lab in a cartridge effectively,' said Chris Toumazou, a professor of engineering at Imperial College who developed the test. 'The key is that with this test you go straight from a saliva swap or a nasal swab into the cartridge with no transport and no laboratory.' After successful trials on 500 patients in London hospitals, the 'lab in a cartridge' device was approved for clinical use by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) at the end of April 'You can even look at such small fragments of the RNA (Ribonucleic acid) that you can check whether a patient is coming out of it or going into COVID,' Toumazou said. The DnaNudge has a sensitivity of over 98 per cent and specificity of 100 per cent. It can tell the difference between a person who doesn't have the disease at all and a sample which wasn't taken properly, meaning there aren't any false negatives, according to the The Times. Faster testing could allow more people to go back to work or permit testing on a more regular basis and could help Prime Minister Boris Johnson achieve his target of 200,000 tests a day, an important element in successfully ending the lockdown. The Government was previously criticised for failing to meet the 100,000 tests on individuals a day by the end of last month. The kit has now been delivered to A&E, maternity units and cancer wards at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, West Middlesex University Hospital, St Marys Hospital and at Queen Charlottes and Chelsea Hospital. Dr Gary Davies, medical director of Chelsea and Westminster, said that the test transformed how the hospital dealt with suspected coronavirus patients. 'This test does work and is actually more sensitive than some of the lab tests,' said Dr Davies. He added that the test was being used for patients coming into hospital to help decide on which ward to place them. Doctors in Ho Chi Minh City have managed to save a fetus wrapped around by six rounds of umbilical cord a critical situation that can lead to no heartbeat. The 2.1-kilogram baby, the first child of 30-year-old P.V.A.T., came out alive thanks to a successful surgery that was conducted at Hung Vuong Hospital in District 5 at 5:30 pm on Friday. Six rounds of umbilical cord wrapped around the baby's body, including two around his neck, two along his back, and two around his belly, when his mother was hospitalized in her 29th week of pregnancy on April 3. She was suffering high blood pressure, diabetes, and intrauterine growth restriction. The tightening cord throttled the blood flow through the fetus, resulting in his severe malnutrition, yet not to the point of fatality. For seven weeks, the pregnant woman was placed under tight monitoring and received intensive care in the obstetrics ward, as well as regular consultancy from the unit for diabetes at the hospital. A newborn is pictured being tightened by six rounds of umbilical cord upon his arrival at Hung Vuong Hospital in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, May 22, 2020 in this photo uploaded to the institution's verified Facebook page. Hospital doctors were able to prolong the womans pregnancy for more than one month and a half with well-controlled vital signs. They even improved her pregnancy status and the fetus chance of survival. Doctors at Hung Vuong Hospital said they had met a number of cases where a fetus had a nuchal cord. However, never had they seen such a complicated case with the umbilical cord becoming tightened around the fetus at two other positions than his neck. The doctors described it as a miracle that the mother safely delivered the baby with six rounds of umbilical cord around his body, as he could have lost his heartbeat at any time, regardless of how closely he was monitored. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Dr Jitendra Nath Pande, an eminent pulmonologist and former head of the Department of Medicine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, who had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, died at his residence on Saturday. He was 79. Dr Pande and his wife tested positive for the infection on Tuesday with mild symptoms and they decided to remain in home isolation, said AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria. But his wife was shifted to the AIIMS hospital on Saturday. "We were following him up regularly and he said he was improving. Yesterday, he had his dinner and went off to sleep and then passed away in sleep possibly because of an acute cardiac event," Dr Guleria said. Dr Pande had co-morbid conditions. "Knowledge and humility can coexist and Dr Pande was an epitome of that. He was an excellent human being and it is a great loss to the medical fraternity. AIIMS family will miss him the most because he joined AIIMS as an MBBS student and retired as the head of the Department of Medicine," Dr Guleria said. "I have closely worked with him and knew him since my childhood as he was the student of my father." After his retirement in 2003, Dr Pande joined the Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research and worked there as a senior consultant in the Respiratory Medicine department. "He was a legendary physician who had taught many practicing doctors at AIIMS and continued to mentor physicians even after joining this hospital. What was remarkable was that most difficult cases would come to him," said the institute's Director Abhishek Bhartia. I even spoke him yesterday. He was under home care and seemed to be recovering." Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group and President of industry chamber FICCI, said in a tweet, "Deeply saddened to hear that today. Covid-19 claimed its most illustrious victim Dr JN Pande, Director and Prof of Pulmonology at AIIMS. A stalwart of the medical world his work in pulmonology will continue to ensure better health for many." A woman has fallen to her death from a balcony overnight in Sydneys CBD. Emergency services were called to Sussex Street just after 8pm on Friday night, after reports a woman had fallen from her tenth floor hotel balcony. Officers from Sydney City Police Area Command and NSW Ambulance paramedics attended the scene, finding the womans body on a level one rooftop. The woman was declared dead at the scene. Emergency services were called to a hotel on Sydney's Sussex Street, following reports of a woman falling from a tenth floor balcony. Source: Google Maps While the woman is yet to be identified, it is believed she is 45-years-old. A man, aged 48-years-old was arrested at the scene and it is understood he was known to the woman. After being taken to Day Street Police Station, he was released from police custody pending further investigation. Strike Force Cumulus was established to investigate the circumstances surrounding the womans death and detectives are appealing for anyone with information, or anyone who was in the area at the time to come forward. Police investigate 19-year-olds death Queensland Police are also investigating the circumstances surrounding the sudden death of a 19-year-old man in Surfers Paradise early this morning. Queensland Police said in a statement early investigations indicate the man fell from a balcony. About 3am Saturday morning, police were called to a View Avenue apartment block after the teens body was located. Police are investigating the death of a teenage boy in Surfers Paradise. Source: AAP Police then attended a unit above where the body was found, where four teenage boys were in a semi-conscious state after consuming prescription drugs. Police said the four men were taken to Robina Hospital, all in a stable condition. Two 16-year-old boys believed to part of the same group were arrested nearby between View Avenue and the Esplanade at around 2.20am on Saturday. The two teens were in possession of prescription drugs. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. A southwest Michigan man was tracked down to Indiana and arrested Saturday in the potential kidnapping of his wife and child. Calhoun County sheriffs deputies were dispatched at 1:26 p.m. Saturday, May 23, to the 5000 block of N. Drive South in Athens Township of Calhoun County, according to a news release issued by the sheriffs department. Police were advised that a 38-year-old woman was heard screaming and forced against her will to enter the vehicle of her estranged husband, 32. Both the man and woman are from Athens Township, Sgt. Steven Watson said. One of their children was also reportedly in the vehicle, according to the release. The welfare and condition of the child was unknown at the time, police said. The 32-year-old man was tracked down to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, shortly thereafter and arrested by Indiana State Police for kidnapping, according to the release. A Calhoun County deputy transported the woman and her son safely back to Calhoun County, police said. The man was not identified by police in the release. Police are reviewing charges for unlawful imprisonment and interfering with a 911 telecommunications call, according to the news release. More on MLive: Kalamazoo police seize 200 ecstasy pills and firearm during traffic stop Woman hurt by graze bullet wound in Kalamazoo Grand Rapids firefighters overcome high water to rescue kayaker in Grand River Grand Haven police investigating grab and go cell phone store theft Buying and selling properties has been near impossible during lockdown, with around 450,000 transactions suspended. But with restrictions now partly lifted, estate agents are seeing a huge rise in enquiries. Yet the impact of coronavirus is still being felt in the property market from nervous sellers to buyers trying to scoop a possible bargain. Dog trainer Joe Nutkins and husband John, a community support officer, were looking forward to selling their bungalow in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, and moving to a larger home nearer Colchester where they both work. Concerns: Joe Nutkins, who suffers from ME, fears viewers coming to her bungalow Having put their property on the market at the end of last year, they accepted an offer in mid-March, meaning they could start their own property hunt in earnest. But within a week, Britain was in lockdown, their buyer had withdrawn their offer and everything ground to a halt. 'We've been stuck in limbo,' says Joe. But even now that property viewings and valuations have resumed, Joe, who suffers from myalgic encephalomyelitis, is horrified by the thought of prospective buyers tramping through her bungalow. 'I just don't understand how that is being allowed,' she shudders. 'Even though the guidelines have eased, it doesn't necessarily mean it's OK. I don't want strangers coming round my house how many houses have they been round before mine?' Mark Hayward is chief executive of estate agent trade association NAEA Propertymark. He says he has been hearing similar concerns from other sellers. 'They really do not want strangers coming into their property and they also don't want to encourage people to travel to areas which have seen low infection rates, such as the West Country.' Mary Beeton, head of residential sales at estate agent Hamptons International, agrees. She says: 'There are a lot of people who don't want to have viewings in their homes. Some don't want to go back to normal, while other people are desperate to.' When lockdown came in at the end of March, the property market all but stopped. Some matters carried on such as mortgage applications and legal paperwork, but a ban on physical viewings, valuations and moving house meant that many transactions were placed on hold. Now that valuations and viewing are possible in England once again, estate agents are reporting a boom in business, particularly with many people looking to move out of London Government data shows there were half the usual number of house sales last month (nearly all set up weeks earlier) compared with March or April last year and ten per cent fewer than the previous low in January 2009 in the wake of the financial crisis. The lockdown acted as a hard brake on the property market. 'The lack of valuations and high loan-to-value mortgages prevented many, especially first-time buyers, from doing anything,' says Nick Morrey of mortgage broker John Charcol Some deals did go through. Tom Smith of Fine and Country estate agents in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, says he was able to oversee an exchange and completion of a former doctor's surgery valued at 1.5million even though the buyer, from New York, never set foot in the property. But now that valuations and viewing are possible in England once again, estate agents are reporting a boom in business, particularly with many people looking to move out of London to be nearer family, to move to a bigger property suited to home-working or to one with more outside space. Virtual viewings have increased ten-fold since lockdown and will continue to be popular Mary Beeton of Hamptons International 'There's a lot of pent-up demand, thanks to eight weeks of lockdown,' says Hamptons' Beeton. 'There's also a demand overhang from last year and the ending of worries over whether a Brexit deal would be struck or not.' Online property portal Zoopla recorded a 139 per cent surge in website traffic the morning the property market reopened, with demand for details on properties in Oxford up a massive 332 per cent. Yet traffic was still down on the period just before lockdown. Similarly, Rightmove reported 11,000 new property listings after reopening, but listings are still 65 per cent down on the same period last year. Viewings are now being carried out with social distancing in mind. Vendors temporarily vacate the property leaving internal doors open to reduce the need for viewers to touch anything. Masks, gloves and hand sanitisers are used and tours are limited to one person at a time with a gap of 15 minutes between viewings to air the house and clean surfaces. Most buyers are initially viewing properties online. 'Virtual viewings have increased ten-fold since lockdown and will continue to be popular even after the end of lockdown restrictions,' says Beeton. Coronavirus did more than delay house sales - agents are reporting a jump in buyers trying to renegotiate, even after agreeing a price Vendors-turned-film makers have been guided on best practice, says Hayward. 'We've had to explain to sellers that consumer protection regulations still apply, which means they have to show everything, not just the good bits.' Coronavirus did more than delay house sales. Agents are reporting a jump in buyers trying to renegotiate, even after agreeing a price. 'Sellers are being asked to drop their prices, which is really disappointing,' says John Charcol's Morrey. 'Buyers justify this by saying property prices are going to fall, but there's just no evidence for this.' Beeton has also witnessed prices being renegotiated. She says: 'We've exchanged on lots of properties over the last eight weeks and many buyers have tried to renegotiate. Interestingly, the reduction they achieved was really low just 1.4 per cent in one London area.' If you do try to renegotiate on price, then it's worth asking yourself what else are you going to buy Mark Hayward of NAEA NAEA's Hayward says he isn't seeing evidence of a wider trend to renegotiate, but he is aware of it happening. 'Sellers are proving resistant to that opportunistic, predatory approach,' he says. 'Before lockdown, sales were going well and there is currently a lack of supply in the market. So, if you do try to renegotiate on price, then it's worth asking yourself what else are you going to buy.' Elizabeth Parker and husband David [not their real names] have experienced first-hand this new trend towards renegotiation. Wanting to move to the Kent coast, they put their Victorian four-bedroom home in South London on the market in January for 1.45million and received an offer close to that which they accepted a few weeks later. This meant they could make an offer on a home in Margate. But days before they were due to exchange, the buyer dropped their offer by another 100,000, claiming coronavirus meant the value of their home had fallen. 'What makes it worse is that there's been no change in their circumstances he's a banker and they haven't dropped the price of their flat which is just a few minutes away,' says Elizabeth. 'They were just using a dreadful situation to their advantage and it felt like they were trying to blackmail us.' The Parkers said no and saw not only their own home sale fall through, but their intended purchase in Margate. 'It's been incredibly frustrating and stressful,' she says. For those still keen to sell, lockdown has given home-owners a chance to get their house into tip-top condition. Meanwhile, for buyers, top of the list has been getting their finances in order. 'Having a mortgage approved and knowing what your budget is puts you in a strong position when you make an offer for a home,' says John Charcol's Morrey. If you want to move house next year and your current mortgage deal is coming to an end, Morrey recommends transferring to a loan with your current lender where there are no early repayment charges. Hayward says taking into account the 'new normal' is now crucial when choosing a property. He adds: 'People are realising they might be working from home for a long period and thinking: 'Do I really need to be within commuting distance of London?' I recently spoke to someone who is moving from London to Yorkshire.' If you are looking to sell, then now is a great time, he adds. 'The market needs new stock so now is a good time,' he says. 'But be realistic on price. There is a lack of supply but that doesn't mean prices are going to shoot up.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 23:38:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Saturday extended condolences to India and Bangladesh over the human losses and destruction after severe cyclonic storm Amphan killed dozens in both countries and displaced thousands in recent days. "The Government and people of Pakistan are saddened over the deaths and widespread devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan in Bangladesh and India," Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement. "We extend sympathies and condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and pray for speedy recovery of the affected regions," it said. On Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed condolences to Pakistan over a passenger plane crash in Karachi. Modi said in a twitter post that "deeply saddened by the loss of life due to a plane crash in Pakistan. Our condolences to the families of the deceased, and wishing speedy recovery to those injured." Tensions heightened between Pakistan and India after India scrapped special status to the Indian-controlled Kashmir in August 2019. Pakistan rejected the Indian government's decision as illegal and violation of the United Nations resolutions. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a cabinet meeting, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Tehran By Deisy Buitrago and Luc Cohen CARACAS (Reuters) - The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel for gasoline-starved Venezuela entered the South American country's exclusive economic zone on Saturday, despite a U.S. official's warning that Washington was considering a response to the shipment. The tanker, named Fortune, reached the country's waters at around 7:40 p.m. local time (1140 GMT) after passing north of the neighboring dual-island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, according to vessel tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon. "The ships from the fraternal Islamic Republic of Iran are now in our exclusive economic zone," tweeted Tareck El Aissami, Venezuela's economy vice president and recently named oil minister. Venezuelan state television showed images of a navy ship and aircraft preparing to meet it. The defense minister had pledged that the military would escort the tankers once they reached Venezuela's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) due to what authorities described as threats from the United States. The tanker flotilla is carrying a total of 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and alkylate to Venezuela, according to both governments, sources and calculations by TankerTrackers.com. The desperately needed shipments have caused a diplomatic standoff between the United States and Iran and Venezuela, which are under U.S. sanctions. Gasoline is scarce in Venezuela due to a near-complete breakdown of the OPEC nation's 1.3 million barrel-per-day refining network. Washington is considering measures in response, a senior U.S. official said without elaborating. The United States recently beefed up its naval presence in the Caribbean for what it called an expanded antidrug operation. A Pentagon spokesman said on Thursday he was unaware of any operations related to the Iranian cargoes. The shipment has drawn condemnation from Venezuela's opposition, which is concerned about growing ties between Iran and socialist President Nicolas Maduro, who has overseen a six-year economic crisis. The shipments are bringing enough fuel for just a month of consumption at current rates in the nation, once a prominent fuel exporter. Story continues "(The ruling party) is trying to turn an embarrassment into an epic victory," said Oscar Ronderos, a lawmaker on the opposition-controlled National Assembly's energy commission. Earlier on Saturday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned of retaliation if Washington caused problems for tankers carrying Iranian fuel to Venezuela, the semi-official news agency Mehr reported. "If our tankers in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world face trouble caused by the Americans, they (the U.S.) will also be in trouble," Rouhani said in a telephone conversation with Qatar's Emir, Mehr reported. The two OPEC nations have previously helped each other in the face of U.S. sanctions. In 2010-2011, state-run oil company PDVSA sent fuel to Iran, which was under sanctions aimed at stifling its nuclear weapons program. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom, Deisy Buitrago in Caracas, Luc Cohen in New York and Marianna Parraga in Mexico City; Editing by David Evans, Jonathan Oatis, Sonya Hepinstall and Richard Chang) The vessel's length is approximately 399.9 metres with a beam and depth of 61 metres and 33.2 metres, respectively The worlds largest container vessel is set to pass through Egypts Suez Canal, a statement by the transportation ministry said on Saturday. The Suez Canal will receive South Koreas HMMs new 24,000 TEU-class containership HMM Algeciras during its maiden journey through the Asia-North Europe trade lane. HMM Algeciras is deployed on Far East Europe 4 service, with its port rotation starting at Qingdao, and on to Busan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Suez Canal, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, London Gateway, then Singapore via Suez Canal, according to the South Korean company's official website. The ministry did not provide details on when the vessel will transit the countrys strategic canal. It said Egypt is interested in maximising the maritime transport system to support the national economy. The passing of the container vessel is the outcome of negotiations by transportation minister Kamel El-Wazir, HMM and their agent Kadmar on the sidelines of the London-hosted International Maritime Organisation Assembly in late 2019. The meetings witnessed talks on stimulus packages and facilitations provided by Egypts maritime transport industry to lure global liners. HMM Algeciras is the first of 12 24,000 TEU-class vessels scheduled to be sequentially delivered until September 2020, according to HMMs official website. The vessel's length is approximately 399.9 metres with a beam and depth of 61 metres and 33.2 metres, respectively. Search Keywords: Short link: When schools reopen in the US amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they will be even more restrictive than they already were. Schools have long controlled students movements and imposed constraints on where they can go, when, and with whom. With virus concerns, those controls will increase in quantity and intensity. NPR recently proclaimed that disruption from the pandemic constitutes an adverse childhood experience for every American child. While many children are sad to be away from their friends and activities, being home with their family members for a prolonged period of time is hardly an adverse childhood experience for most American children. Returning to schools with extreme virus control and social distancing measures, however, could very well be traumatic for many kids. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its recommendations for school reopening, including encouraging daily temperature checks and/or symptom checking, face coverings for all staff and children over two, desks spaced six feet apart, staggered schedules, no cafeteria or playground use, installed partitions and physical barriers, no field trips, no toy sharing, and restrictions on outside visitors, including parents. As images emerge from countries around the world that have reopened schools, US parents are getting a glimpse of what extreme social distancing measures could look like here, including the latest from Chinese schools in which social distancing wings are strapped onto childrens backs to ensure that they stay far apart from each other. Its no wonder that a new RealClear opinion poll found that 40 percent of parents intend to choose homeschooling or virtual schooling for their children when the lockdowns end. And many European parents are refusing to send their children back to school. These strict social distancing efforts at schools arise as more evidence suggests that children are largely spared from the dangers of COVID-19 infection. Even as concerns have risen recently over a Kawasaki-like inflammatory disease related to COVID-19 that has impacted some children, the risk appears minuscule. According to The Wall Street Journal: A study in the journal Lancet last week reported 10 children with the inflammatory syndrome in Bergamo, Italythe city with the highest rate of fatalities and infectionsabout 30 times higher than the normal incidence. Most were older and suffered more severe cardiac symptoms than those typically found with Kawasaki. But the authors also estimated that probably no more than 0.1% of children who had been exposed to the virus were affected. All hospitalized patients had been discharged, and the authors recommend treating patients with steroids to calm their immune system. The Journal article goes on to state: During these times parents and doctors need to be especially vigilant. But as a society we also need to keep in mind that the risks to children from the coronavirus are small, especially relative to others. The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity projects that children under 15 are 6.83 to 20.07 times more likely to die of the flu or pneumonia than coronavirusassuming 150,000 COVID-19 fatalities in the U.S. this yearand 128 times more likely to die of an accident. We should care deeply about childrens health and safety, but like much about this pandemic, its important to make sure that the response isnt more damaging than the virus itself. Many parents and educators are rightfully concerned about childrens mental health during these lockdowns, but when lockdowns end and schools reopen, childrens mental health could be worsened with extreme social distancing measures that remove any of the potentially enjoyable pieces of schooling, such as playground time, extracurriculars, and gathering with friends. Stripped of these accessories that can often compensate for the more oppressive parts of conventional schooling, its not surprising that some parents and students would choose to continue with homeschooling or virtual learning until the pandemic ends. A man has been killed and and a teenage boy critically injured in separate south-east Queensland motorcycle incidents. Early police investigations suggest the 36-year-old Sunshine Coast man was travelling south on the Bruce Highway when he lost control at Mango Hill, in Brisbane's north, about 2.30am on Saturday. In a separate incident, a boy in his mid teens was airlifted to the Queensland Children's Hospital in a critical condition after a crash at a motocross site west of Brisbane. He was declared dead at the scene and the left lanes of the highway were closed for about four hours. Forensic crash unit investigations continue as police call for witnesses to get in contact. After protests in several cyclone-affected areas of West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday urged the people to have patience as the administration was working tirelessly to restore water and power supply. She also conducted an aerial survey of the cyclone-affected areas. She said around 1,000 teams were employed in the restoration process in the state, besides the police, health workers, firefighters, agricultural workers and disaster management personnel. "This is huge disaster. Our teams are working very seriously. At least 1,000 teams are working in the state. Along with them local youths are also working. "The police besides maintaining lockdown and law and order, are also helping in the restoration process," Banerjee said at the state secretariat in the evening. Cyclone Amphan has claimed 86 lives in West Bengal and caused havoc in at least 14 districts mainly in South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts. At least 225 teams will be working the whole night to clear the roads. "In the city itself, 115 teams are working. NDRF, SDRF, CESC, state electricity and police are working in the state... Remember that we are not sleeping," she said. "There are a few areas in Kolkata where there is no electricity hampering water supply. I have called up the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) at least 10 times. Even I do not have proper phone network... I cannot watch television at home. "People should understand the ground reality and have patience. Some of you have started negative campaigning against the government. This is not the time to do politics. Cyclone Amphan is more than a national disaster and people should understand the ground reality and cooperate," Banerjee asserted. Not naming any political party, Banerjee said a few people were trying to do politics. Meanwhile, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh was stopped from visiting a cyclone relief centre during the day in South 24 Parganas district. "We got only a day's times. Everybody was busy because of Prime Minister's programme. Yesterday, two halves of the day were spent to be with the PM. How much time did we get? "We got only two days and within that you are spreading that you need everything is this so easy? Do not try to do communal politics here... It is not the time to do that," she said. The chief minister said during her survey in Kakdwip, she found that "people do not have water to drink... Waterbodies have been damaged by sea water, they are full of dead fishes I cannot understand how they are surviving this trouble," Banerjee added. "Until power supply is normalised there, I have given the CESC an idea to hire 150 generators," she said, adding the CESC is a private organization which was set up during the erstwhile Left Front government. She said because of the lockdown there was a dearth in the manpower which has hit the restoration process. "Several people have left because of coronavirus. In some places, there are 25 per cent, while in some places there are 30 per cent of workforce. " I will ask people to use the locals by including them under the 100 days' scheme for such work," she said. Banerjee added she has asked Firhad Hakim, Chairman of the Board of Advisors, to arrange for water to areas where supply was hampered. " for the time being, I will ask Hakim to take water to those places where there is no water supply. When the generators start working temporarily, the problem will be solved," she said. She also asked the media to be "positive" and stand with the state government in this hour of crisis. Three days after cyclone Amphan hit West Bengal, several areas of the city are still having no power and water supply following which residents put up road blockades. Apart from the city, there were instances of police restoring to lathicharge after people took to the streets demanding immediate water supply in Howrah. Similar incidents were reported in South 24 Parganas district's Sonarpur. Earlier, at a review meeting held in Kakdwip, Banerjee directed the South 24 Parganas district administration to work on a war footing to restore normalcy in the cyclone-hit areas. The chief minister also said that those injured in the cyclone will get Rs 25,000 each and the state will bear the expenses for their treatment. She also cautioned the district police to keep a check on women trafficking and probable increase in criminal activities there. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Victorian barley farmers say they're facing a bumper winter season and a shrinking market to sell to after China slapped an 80 per cent tariff on the sector. Farmer David Drage says the Chinese tariffs have come just as bumper winter crops are on the way. Credit:Jason South Before China imposed the huge tariffs on Australian barley, growers had been on track for a solid winter crop after years of drought. While barley represented only a fraction of the state's export market to China this year, Warracknabeal farmer David Drage said the effects of the tariffs had been swift and devastating. "With the whole eastern seaboard looking at a good winter crop production, Victoria will be back to having close to 1 million tonnes, potentially $300 million worth of barley to export to a world which wont want it," he said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) appealed to local government units not to impose hefty fees for medical certificates, which stranded individuals need in order to return home. In a Laging Handa virtual briefing on Saturday, DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya made the plea in light of reports of some LGUs charging individuals up to 3,000 for medical certification. "Kaya nga po gustong umuwi na nitong mga ito dahil wala na nga po silang pangtustos sa kanilang pang-araw-araw dahil sila nga po ay stranded," said Malaya. "At kung stranded na nga po sila ay hihingan pa natin sila ng napakalaking halaga eh that defeats the entire purpose of seeking a medical certification." [Translation: The reason why they want to go home is because they cannot cater to their daily (needs) anymore since they are stranded. And if we still charge them a huge fee while they're stranded, that defeats the entire purpose of seeking a medical certification.] Medical certificates are secured from the city or municipal health office, the official explained. The certificate must indicate that the individual is not a suspect, probable, or confirmed COVID-19 case and has undergone 14-day quarantine in line with the Health Department's protocols. If the person has tested positive for the disease before, the certificate must indicate they are already negative for COVID-19 after having gone through two RT-PCR tests. "[P]ag hawak niyo na po itong medical certificate na ito ay pwede niyo na pong dalhin ito doon sa help desk ng PNP at dun niyo naman is-sumite ito para mabigyan kayo ng travel authority," said Malaya. [Translation: Once you already have a medical certificate, you may now bring it to a PNP (Philippine National Police) help desk and submit it there so that you may be given travel authority.] DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano has ordered the provision of help desks for stranded individuals in all police stations nationwide, Malaya added. Stranded individuals need to present both documents to their LGUs in order to gain entry to their respective cities and municipalities, he said. Metro Manila, Central Luzon (Region III) except Tarlac and Aurora, and Laguna are under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until May 31, while Cebu City and Mandaue City are under ECQ. All other areas are under the more relaxed general community quarantine until the end of May. The identities of 150 survivors of historical institutional abuse (HIA) have been exposed in a data breach, it has been confirmed. A newsletter was circulated in an email by the HIA Interim Advocates Office on Friday which revealed the names of recipients in error. The email was sent on behalf of the Interim Advocate for victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse Brendan McAllister, whose office has been accused of breaching GDPR and privacy rights. A solicitor for a number of the victims said he has written to Mr McAllister. Solicitor Owen Beattie from KRW Law said: Obviously there are hugely sensitive concerns arising from this leak which need addressed as a matter of extreme urgency. I can confirm that weve written to the Interim Advocates Office and would hope to get the necessary assurances that immediate steps are taken to remedy the breach. Its vital that victims and survivors are assured that nothing will impede their redress applications with the HIA. This ought to remain the most important issue for them at this stressful time. In a statement, Mr McAllister confirmed the data breach at his office and issued an apology to those affected. He said that measures were immediately taken to recall the email and the incident was reported to the Information Commissioner. Mr McAllister said: I would like to apologise for the disclosure of email details. We have been in touch with all concerned to inform them of this unfortunate development. Steps are also being taken to investigate how this data breach occurred. Jon McCourt, from the campaign group Survivors North West, said he has received numerous calls from victims who are concerned that their privacy and confidentiality has been compromised. He said: Engaging with the HIA Inquiry and any of its attributes was a very personal decision for many. Before this they discussed it very little, if at all. To take the step to then address this issue from the past took courage and a lot of trust in those they engaged with. This is what has been damaged through this incident. The effort to recall the email would indicate that somehow there was an awareness that something had gone wrong. I am assuming that the list of email addresses was pasted into the CC box on the email rather than the BCC box where they would have gone individually to recipients with just their own email on it. Unfortunately, that didnt happen. As a result, a lot of vulnerable people now have had their email addresses shared within the recipients and quite rightly feel exposed. Marty Adams, of the Survivors Together group, said: Today I have been contacted, again, by some on the email list, stating that others who were on the list, who before this never knew they existed, have been sending them emails. There are serious issues around Data Protection which are concerning to all of us. This has shaken quite a few and is the direct result of at least an error of judgment. Contact details were given in confidence to the HIA Interim Advocates office so that victims and survivors could be updated with progress on the Redress Process and the establishment of future services. They have a right to expect to have their identity, including their email addresses, treated with confidence. "The HIA Interim Advocate need to urgently investigate what went wrong and do whatever necessary to mitigate its impact. A U.S. Coast Guard crew doing training near a Northern Michigan river today rescued a man and a 10-year-old child after an overturned kayak left the adult in the water. Members of Station St. Ignace spotted the two people waving their arms and signaling for help near in the water near the Cheboygan River bridge about 3 p.m. Friday. Neither person was injured. The Coast Guard crew was able to get them out of the water, along with their kayaks, and take them to a nearby marina. It appeared that the man inadvertently fell into the water from his kayak and was unable to get back in. Luckily, they were wearing their lifejackets - water temperatures are still very cold and hypothermia can set in quickly," said Boatswains Mate Second Class Sandor Riholm, the coxswain of the Coast Guard small boat. We feel very fortunate that we were in the right place at the right time or else they would not have been able to contact us for help. While on the water, we strongly recommend having a method to communicate if you need help- a VHF radio, a whistle, emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), or flares could easily get someones attention to get assistance. READ MORE Meet Thor and Loki, Marquettes rising star Coast Guard dogs DUBLIN, May 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medtronic plc (MDT), the global leader in medical technology, today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the Android version of its Guardian Connect continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system. The Guardian Connect system is a standalone CGM system that alerts patients of potential high or low sensor glucose events up to 60 minutes in advance and provides confidence to people living with diabetes who worry about fluctuating glucose levels and dangerous low glucose events. The Guardian Connect app will include several enhancements to further improve user experience. These include easier product setup through the in-app Startup Wizard, and personalized volume adjustments, including the ability to mute alerts when individuals do not want to be disturbed for a period of time. An analysis of real-world data has shown patients using low predictive alerts avoided 65% of low excursions, a 44% improvement from patients not using low predictive alerts,1 said Amit Bhargava, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine and division chief, Division of Endocrinology, Jefferson Hospital, Jefferson Hills, Pa. This low detection is incredibly important for my patients that experience hypoglycemic unawareness, meaning they can go low without having any warning signs or symptoms. I am pleased to now be able to offer this technology to patients regardless of if they use an iOS or Android device. The Guardian Connect system leverages the Guardian Sensor 3, the most advanced glucose sensor from Medtronic, to accurately alert users of lows more than 90% of the time,2 so users can feel confident in the numbers they are seeing. Through the companys latest predictive algorithms, the Guardian Connect system is also the only standalone CGM system that can alert patients of potential high or low sensor glucose events up to 60 minutes in advance, allowing individuals time to plan and take action if necessary. Story continues Android compatibility for our Guardian Connect system allows even more users to check their glucose levels seamlessly and discreetly right on their smartphone and to take action if needed, said Mike Hill, vice president and general manager of the Multiple Daily Injection Solutions team at Medtronic. Were committed to enhancing the user experience for our customers, so weve taken valuable feedback to make updates to the alert functions. Now users can adjust alert volume and mute alerts as needed in certain situations that would require this. Care partners can also continue to use the system to track glucose in real-time or receive text alerts for their loved ones with diabetes. The updated Guardian Connect system with Android compatibility is expected to begin shipping in summer of this year. Existing Guardian Connect customers will also be contacted this summer about the update and how they can update their app to receive the latest functionality. About Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) A CGM system provides continuous, real-time glucose value and trend information about glucose levels for people with diabetes. In addition, a smart CGM system predicts future high and low glucose events and provides access to additional algorithms and insights that can inform users of clinically relevant glucose patterns. This allows for appropriate intervention (after verifying with a blood fingerstick test) to mitigate hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) or hypoglycemia (low blood glucose), increasing the patient's time in the optimal glucose target range. To use a CGM system, the person with diabetes inserts a tiny sensor beneath the skin, in the abdomen or upper arm. The sensor, which measures glucose levels from the interstitial fluid under the skin, is attached to a transmitter that sends readings to an app, wearable monitor or insulin pump every five minutes. Alerts can be customized to notify patients up to 60 minutes before they reach personal preset low or high sensor glucose limits. CGM provides a more complete picture because it reveals high and low glucose levels that periodic blood fingerstick testing might miss. About the Diabetes Group at Medtronic ( www.medtronicdiabetes.com ) Medtronic is working together with the global community to change the way people manage diabetes. The company aims to transform diabetes care by expanding access, integrating care and improving outcomes, so people living with diabetes can enjoy greater freedom and better health. About Medtronic Medtronic plc ( www.medtronic.com ), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world's largest medical technology, services and solutions companies - alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 90,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in more than 150 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together. Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results. Android is a trademark of Google LLC. -end- 1 Arunachalam S, et al. Poster presented at ADA 2019. 79th Scientific Sessions. June 7th-11th. San Francisco, California. #939-P; 802 matched subjects with alerts enabled in Sugar.IQTM app vs. without Sugar.IQ app, TIR with/without Sugar.IQ app: 63.4%/59.3%; avoidance of low with/without predictive alerts: 65%/36%; avoidance of high with/without predictive alerts: 44%/11%. 2 Guardian Connect SSED, page 20, table 6: Glucose Missed Detection Alert Performance Calibrating Every 12 Hours Kendra Cassillo Public Relations +1-818-576-5611 Ryan Weispfenning Investor Relations +1-763-505-4626 Full House actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, agreed to serve prison time as part of a plea deal in the college admissions bribery case, according to court papers filed Thursday. 23.05.2020 LISTEN It has been a withering time for the airlines, whose unused planes moulder in a gruelling waiting game of survival. The receivers are smacking their lips; administration has become a reality for many. Governments across the globe dispute what measures to ease in response to the coronavirus pandemic; travel has been largely suspended; and the hope is that some viable form will resume at some point soon. For the low-cost airline EasyJet, a further problem has presented itself. Earlier in the week, the company revealed that it had been the target of an attack from a highly sophisticated source, resulting in a data breach affecting nine million customers. Of those, 2,208 customers (a very small subset, as the company wished to emphasise) had had their credit and debit card details accessed. The UKs Information Commissioners Office had been informed about the incident but the company only revealed this catastrophic lapse in data security to individuals, as it told the BBC, once the investigation had progressed enough that we were able to identify whether any individuals had been affected, then who had been impacted and what information had been accessed. EasyJet were also quick to douse the fires of this grim chapter in data insecurity. There is no evidence that any personal information of any nature has been misused, however, on the recommendation of the ICO, we are communicating with the approximately nine million customers whose travel details were accessed to advise them of protective steps to minimise any risk of potential phishing. This phishing risk entails that opening any suspicious email purporting to be from EasyJet is simply a risk not worth taking. Naturally, the company will have to inform, and have informed customers of that very risk, resulting in a peculiar circularity: Who to believe and what enables the recipient to detect the suspicious? As digital privacy expert Ray Walsh opines, Anybody who has ever purchased an EasyJet flight is advised to be extremely wary when opening emails from now on. For the companys part, customers whose credit card details were compromised have received an email with a unique code, ostensibly to access services provided by a third party. A call centre to deal with concerns arising from the hack has also been established, though service on that has been typically sloppy. Airline companies have a rather patchy record in the field of data security. In the cybersecurity department, they seem to be rather thin, a failing that matches a global tendency. (A 2018 report suggested a shortage of some 2.93 million.) The implications to both airline companies and aviation infrastructure have been of such magnitude as to prompt warnings that it is merely a matter of time before aircraft are themselves the subject of cyber-attack. The honour board on compromised customer data is a long one. Cathay Pacific Airways experienced an attack on the scale of that of EasyJet, with a hacker accessing the personal information of 9.4 million customers over a four-year period. This was also a case that interested the ICO, resulting in a pre-General Data Protection Regulation fine of 500,000. The ICO investigation revealed that the airline lacked adequate security controls to ensure the integrity of passenger data within internal IT systems. This resulted in the unauthorised access to passengers personal details including: names, passport and identity details, dates of birth, postal and email addresses, phone numbers and historical travel information. Cathay Pacifics systems were penetrated via an internet server enabling the installation of data harvesting malware. It did not help that the data storage regime in place was weak and complacent. Back-up files were not password protected; internet-facing serves were unpatched; the presence of inadequate and outdated anti-virus protection software was noted. British Airways was less fortunate in being fined 183 million in 2019 by the ICO, armed with the more punitive powers of the GDPR, for failing to take adequate steps in protecting the personal information of some 380,000 customers. The 2018 compromise of data took place through bookings made on its website (ba.com) and the British Airways mobile app over the course of a 15 day period. As with EasyJet, the company adopted a strategy of understating the effect of it all. Yes, personal details had been stolen, including the names, addresses and financial information of customers, but those cheeky hackers did not make away with passport or travel details. And, before anybody should get too excited, the cyber incident was, according to a spokesperson for British Airways, data theft, rather than a breach. None of this impressed the Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham. Peoples personal data is just that personal. When an organisation fails to protect it from loss, damage or theft, it is more than an inconvenience. Thats why the law is clear when you are entrusted with personal data you must look after it. Not to be left out, Air Canada also confirmed a data breach on its mobile app in August 2018, though the scale was a more modest 20,000 individuals. One defective feature of the airlines operating systems stood out: a mediocre password policy accepting only letters and numbers. Such patterns of compromise are all too common in the commercial aviation industry, but EasyJets Chief Executive Officer Johan Lungren claims to be wiser after the fact. Since we became aware of the incident, it has become clear that owing to COVID-19 there is heightened concern about personal data being used for online scams. Pressed by the ICO, we are contacting those customers whose travel information was accessed and we are advising them to be extra vigilant particularly if they receive unsolicited communications. A fine of some magnitude is expected. Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: [email protected] Advertisement A reckless day tripper has had to be rescued by a helicopter and an entire team of emergency workers after he drove more than 100 miles to the seaside and got cut off by rapidly rising tides. Emergency services were scrambled to Clevedon in Somerset at 8pm last night after a man drove from Birmingham for a day at the beach. It comes as Britons have been pictured in the sea and strolling along beaches in mild 66F heat today ahead of an expected invasion of day-trippers over the Bank Holiday with temperatures expected to hit 77F on Monday. However, there were also strong winds and rain in some parts of the country, helping to ensure that there were fewer people than normal at some of the country's top beauty spots. Wind speeds were as fast as 60mph in parts of north Wales, northwest England, Northern Ireland and western Scotland. There were also ferry services cancelled and flood alerts issued in Scotland, which saw heavy rain across the country. In the North-West and Brighton, in East Sussex, there were also showers, although Saturday's sunny spells and general warm weather is set to continue across the country tomorrow and next week. As the Government announced a relaxation of lockdown restrictions Britons flocked to the country's beauty spots to enjoy the warmer weather, with many hunting down their local 'takeaway' pub for a freshly poured pint or their favourite tipple. Authorities have confirmed the trapped man got stuck after the notoriously quickly rising tide of the River Severn came in and left him stranded on rocks below a row of houses last night. Emergency services were scrambled to Clevedon in Somerset at 8pm last night after a man drove from Birmingham for a day at the beach and became stranded on rocks when the tide came in. Pictured underneath a row of townhouses A row of swimmers gathered together in the sea at Branksome beach, Dorset, this morning. The RNLI has warned against swimming as British beaches go without lifeguards A young couple enjoy a beer in their deckchairs during the warm weather in Brighton, as people travel to parks and beaches with lockdown measures eased In Brighton, some people took their plastic pints of beer to the beach, including the above couple who smiled in the sun A couple sat with a picnic in front of them as they enjoyed sitting on the sand in front of beach huts at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset A family walk their dog along the beach in Hunstanton despite strong winds sending sand high into the air earlier today A chopper had to be called when rescuers, who had to stay socially-distanced from one another, realised the houses were in the way of a land-based rescue. Posting on Facebook, Weston-super-Mare Coastguard Rescue Team said: 'We were alerted to a person cut off by the incoming tide on the marine parade rocks at Clevedon. 'As this was likely to be a technical rescue, our flank team Clevedon Coastguard requested our assistance. 'On arrival it was discovered there was nowhere to place our stakes to facilitate the rescue.' Emergency workers quickly realised that the best way to rescue him was by air so called a helicopter in from its base across the water in St Athan, Wales. The man was taken away in an ambulance after being dropped off at a nearby field, according to reports. 'The OIC made the call for CG187, our helicopter based in St Athan to attend,' the team added. A chopper had to be called when rescuers (pictured), who had to stay socially-distanced from one another, realised the houses were in the way of a land-based rescue Emergency workers quickly realised that the best way to rescue him was by air so called a helicopter in from its base across the water in St Athan, Wales The man was left stranded on rocks at the base of a row of houses along the River Severn. It is thought he got stranded after going for a walk along the beach Pictured: The man is winched to safety after the emergency services worked together with the coastguard to form the plan to get him away from his precarious position Those living in the houses nearby watched the rescue mission and have since blasted the day tripper for making the journey 'Within 10 minutes that had scrambled, launched and arrived on scene. Lowering their winchman to the casualty's location took precise flying due to the close proximity of the houses. 'Safely secured the pair were winched to safety and taken to the waiting ambulance, where further team members had cleared a safe HLS (helicopter landing site). 'This was a massive operation with multiple agencies all working in close proximity while still attempting to social distance.' Those living in the houses nearby watched the rescue mission and have since blasted the day tripper for making the journey. People can travel as far as they want under current lockdown rules - although most local councils are still asking tourists to stay away to beat coronavirus. Despite the general good weather, there were strong winds and heavy rain in parts of the UK, especially in Scotland. In Saltcoats, North Ayshire, powerful waves lashed the coastline In Troon, South Ayrshire, people walking along the sea front were battered by strong winds People also took advantage of relaxed social distancing measures in parks and green spaces, with crowds of people meeting up in commons such as Wimbledon today (pictured) A group of friends enjoy several pints of beer outside Hot Rocks on Bournemouth beach, which was among the busiest beauty spots in the country today One cyclist gets the drinks in for a group of friends at a pub near Wimbledon Common. Several pubs opened for the first time in eight weeks today to capitalise on Bank Holiday trade Sunseekers gratefully cling on to their pints as they make their way down to Bournemouth beach from Hot Rocks, which served drinks from a serving hatch A large group of people enjoy a drink on Wimbledon Common on what police said would be the busiest day of the year for them so far Landlords up and down the UK launched takeaway services today, opening up their businesses for the first time in eight weeks in some cases, to capitalise on the long weekend, in which millions are expected to make leisure trips Dozens of sunseekers and cyclists were pictured taking a break and enjoying a beer under trees at Wandsworth Common today Single people and couples headed out, keeping at a significant distance from each other, for their exercise in Dorset this morning A kite surfer headed out to enjoy the steady winds off Branksome beach in Dorset this morning. Martyn Underhill, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, has called on travellers to 'use their common sense' Beachgoers also flocked to Durdle Door, in Dorset, to enjoy the nice weather and warm temperatures Dozens of people were seen climbing steps up from the beach as others sat on the sand below In Newquay, Cornwall, it appeared to be much quieter and the beach was largely empty Despite the warm weather and beautiful rock pools, sun-seekers largely stayed away One person, who asked not to be named, said: '[They] said he was from Birmingham. It's exactly what we don't want to happen.' Another local, who also asked to remain anonymous, added: 'It was quite dramatic. It seems as if this guy was walking and got cut off. 'It's prats like this that are coming down here and ruining lockdown.' A number of people praised the work of emergency services in saving the man on social media. Despite the general warm weather and sunshine, there was heavy rain and high winds in Scotland, leading to travel disruption. While a number of ferry services are already cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, at least three Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) routes have fallen victim to the weekend weather conditions. In Hyde Park, some sunseekers brought their tennis rackets to engage in some lockdown exercise The park also played host to this funny scene of a man feeding a swan chunks of bread As this group of people ignored social distancing by sitting together on a park bench, a goose pecked at the grass in behind them Hyde Park was still thronged with people despite the potential threat posed by coronavirus All Saturday sailings between Ardrossan and Brodick were called off, as well as services between Oban, Coll and Tiree. The ferry between Tarbert and Lochranza was also cancelled due to 'winds in excess of 45mph'. Numerous other services were given yellow warnings by CalMac, meaning they are 'liable to disruption or cancellation at short notice'. Although the Met Office has not yet given any warnings, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) issued flood alerts for five areas of Scotland from Friday evening to early on Sunday morning. The areas affected include Argyll and Bute; Easter Ross and Great Glen; Findhorn, Nairn, Moray and Speyside; Skye and Lochaber; and Wester Ross. The warnings stated: 'Persistent and at times heavy rain is expected to affect mainly western parts of the area from late Friday through until early on Sunday morning. 'Localised flooding of low-lying land and roads is possible, with standing water and difficult driving conditions likely. 'River flooding from smaller watercourses is possible and by the end of Saturday some of the larger rivers are likely to be high. 'Sepa will continue to monitor the situation and further updates will appear here if the situation changes.' In England, many beaches stayed largely empty as the weather helped keep people away amid warnings not to break coronavirus rules over the bank holiday weekend. But the mercury is expected to rise to 26C (78.8F) in London on Monday, with coastal areas likely to see the temperature hit 20C (68F) - and councils have warned people not to take advantage of the warmer weather. Saturday was predicted to be the colder day, before a pleasant Sunday, with warnings to the public remaining in place. Beach-goer, Jane Griffiths, retired, from Newquay, said her local area was more quiet on Saturday than usual for the time of year, as 40mph winds swept the area. She said: 'A few people were dotted about and a few people were surfing. 'On normal May bank holidays, the beaches would have been packed and lifeguards would have had red flags flying today. Although breezy today, visitors would have used wind breaks. 'We saw a few people but nothing like the numbers we would normally have seen.' It comes as one of Britain's most senior police chiefs urged sun-seekers to stay away from the country's beaches and beauty spots after fears that overcrowding would make social distancing impossible. Sunseekers walking above Durdle Door walked among grazing cows who were taking advantage of the luscious grass Walkers could not resist taking advantage of the good weather at Durdle Door, which is normally a tourist hotspot The scenes came as temperatures reached 66F at the beginning of the Bank Holiday weekend Martyn Underhill, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, called on travellers to 'use their common sense' as he predicted that today would be the busiest day of the year for the UK's beaches and national parks. 'Yesterday was the busiest day in nine weeks and it was a normal Friday,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'There are two main issues; one is those travelling in to the south west and two is those people who are attempting to stay in the south west. 'As we saw in Bournemouth, there are lots of people on the beach and only a few are failing to socially distance. But as the numbers increase, the chances of socially distancing are reduced. Walkers headed out to enjoy the morning air on Saturday as they headed along Branksome beach, Dorset Waves crashing against Porthcawl Lighthouse as people start the Bank Holiday weekend by looking over into the water in South Wales this morning Friends and family were seen enjoying a drink during what was mainly a sunny afternoon in London today - despite a brief shower in Wandsworth (shown) Three friends enjoy a beer on two on Wandsworth Common this afternoon, which saw one of its busiest days since lockdown began as people made the most of the Bank Holiday sunshine Booze-starved Brits were seen queuing up patiently to get their hands on cold beverages at the Hot Rocks Restaurant and Cocktail Bar on Bournemouth beach, which was packed out with hundreds of sunbathers Takeaways have been allowed to remain open under the lockdown rules, but have been told to enforce robust social distancing Two gentleman enjoy a nice cold beer to kick off the Bank Holiday weekend, which is expected to be warm and dry through until Monday It was mostly sunny and warm in the capital today, but a brief shower did little to dissuade revellers from enjoying a drink on its green spaces Sunseekers across the country have been treated to their first pint in weeks today as bars at green spaces throughout the UK opened up their bars to serve takeaway drinks for the Bank Holiday weekend A large group of walkers gather together despite social distancing measures asking people to stay at least six feet apart, as they take a walk near Durdle Door in Lulworth People walk down the steps to the beach at Durdle Door in Lulworth amid continuing lockdown across the country A kite surfer makes the most of the windy weather as they skip along the waves off the coast of Hunstanston A group enjoy a jug of Pimms as they sit in foldable chairs and enjoy the warm weather on Wandsworth Common today 'The other issue we have in Dorset is that most of our beauty spots, such as Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, you can't properly socially distance trying to get to down to the beach. 'What we are saying is think twice and use your common sense. Ask yourself, 'is what I'm doing safe and fair?'' Mr Underhill also hit out at Downing Street adviser Dominic Cummings, who it was revealed last night had flouted lockdown rules to travel from London to Durham. He said that the timing of the revelation was unfortunate, and would embolden more Britons to travel long distances over an already busy weekend. Tempers boiled over yesterday as locals clashed with vast hordes of tourists they say are blighting their parks and beaches since lockdown restrictions were eased ahead of the bank holiday weekend. A few people had begun trickling onto the sand at Bournemouth, Dorset, as early birds got to the beach to set up for the day A group gathered together as two people donned wetsuits for an early morning swim on Branksome beach in Dorset today A large group of surfers gathered together to make the most of the waves at Bournemouth Pier. A blustery day meant fewer people turned out at the beach as expected, but the weather was perfect for these wave-seekers Runners headed out this morning to get in some isolated exercise at Branksome beach in Dorset ahead of a sunny Bank Holiday Saturday A woman appeared to shiver as she headed into the sea at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset as gusty winds ripped across the sand earlier today Walkers and cyclists fail to keep to the appropriate distance from each other as they enjoy nature at Dovestones Reservoir in the Peak District this morning A security worker directs traffic at tourists flock to Dovestones Reservoir to enjoy an early morning walk in nature in the Peak District earlier today A paddleboarder carries his equipment along the beach as he enjoys a near-empty beach at Branksome beach in Dorset. Crowds are expected to make the most of the warmer weather later today A fisherman is accompanied by his dog as he casts out a line while enjoying a morning at the Dovestones reservoir in the Peak District before crowds arrive later in the day Security worker in PPE watches a group of walkers and their dog at Dovestones Reservoir, a popular Peak District beauty spot Although the beach stood empty at Branksome early this morning, crowds of walkers had already started to gather on walkways along the sand A man dived into the waves at Branksome beach this morning as he hurried to get in his days-worth of exercise, despite an absence of lifeguards along the seafront A group of men dived into the sea at Branksome beach early this morning. The RNLI has warned swimmers to be wary of the dangers of swimming in the choppy waters Following the easing of some lockdown measures last week, there are no restrictions on how far people can go to get to the countryside, National Parks and beaches in England. The Met Office is forecasting that temperatures could reach 66F on Saturday, and highs of 78F in London on Monday, with coastal areas likely to see highs of around 68F over the long weekend. On Twitter the Met office has been warning people should stay at home to save lives. They said: 'The movement of the JetStream will play a big part in the weekend weather. 'As it moves north, high pressure will build, bringing sunny weather for many on Sunday and Monday.' Saturday is expected to be the coldest day, before the mercury climbs on Sunday and Monday, with wall-to-wall sunshine in the west and sunny spells in the east. This has lead to officials warning potential day trippers to think twice before travelling to such beauty spots. A woman headed out on a surfboard at Branksome beach. Mark Dowie, Chief Executive of the RNLI has warned that lives could be put at risk as people rush to the beaches to escape the lockdown Two women headed out for a socially distanced swim in Branksome beach in Dorset. Coastguard rescue teams were reportedly called out to 194 incidents last weekend that included crashed jet skis, paddle boarders, kayakers, windsurfers, drifting inflatables and bathers being cut off by the tide Two men and two women head out of the water are taking a chilly dip in the sea at Branksome beach before temperatures had a change to rise this morning A windsurfer enjoyed perfect weather for the watersport at Branksome beach. The empty beach is expected to become quickly filled with crowds as sunseekers flock to British beaches for the bank holiday This picture of a large gathering of young people soaking up the sun near Darwen on the hottest day of the year on was taken on Wednesday afternoon, in 80F temperatures The RNLI was reportedly called out to 194 incidents last weekend, which included crashed jet skis, paddle boarders, kayakers, windsurfers, drifting inflatables and bathers being cut off by the tide. Pictured: Windsurfing at Hayling Island Beach on May 22 The head of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has also pleaded with day-trippers to stay away from the beaches, warning that there are currently no RNLI lifeguards stationed on UK beaches. Mark Dowie, Chief Executive of the RNLI has warned that lives could be put at risk as people rush to the beaches to escape the lockdown. 'These are extraordinary times and we understand that after weeks of strict lockdown people are desperate to get out and enjoy some time on our wonderful coastline,' he said. 'As a lifesaving charity we cannot stop people heading to the beach. But please be aware any visit to the coast comes with risk, especially when there are currently no RNLI lifeguards on any UK beaches.' Coastguard rescue teams were reportedly called out to 194 incidents last weekend that included crashed jet skis, paddle boarders, kayakers, windsurfers, drifting inflatables and bathers being cut off by the tide. Councillor Carmen Appich, from Brighton & Hove City Council, has urged anyone thinking of travelling to the city 'to consider very carefully how their journey will impact on others'. Hastings Borough Council meanwhile has said the area is 'closed to visitors from outside the town'. Holidaymakers are similarly being told that the 'clear advice' from the Isle of Wight Council is they should stay away. Pubs located next to green spaces in London enjoyed their best trade in weeks as hundreds flocked to commons for a break from quarantine Police forces across the UK have warned anyone hoping to buy some takeaway booze to keep six feet away from others not in their household The recent heatwave has pulled the public to packed parks, beaches and beauty spots, where many settled down with drinks bought from nearby pubs A stampede of drinkers would come as welcome relief to pubs which have largely shuttered during the lockdown - with the hospitality sector left in the lurch as to when it will be allowed to reopen Takeaways have been allowed to remain open under the lockdown rules, but have been told to enforce robust social distancing After pictures showed crowds at Southend in Essex earlier this week, the council's leader said the easing of lockdown restrictions has put the council in a 'very difficult position'. Councillor Ian Gilbert said on Friday: 'For many weeks we ran a successful Don't Visit Southend campaign, but the Government's lifting of restrictions have put us in a very difficult position as day trips and sunbathing are allowed, and takeaways can be open for business.' After seeing the number of people who headed to its coastline this week, Sefton Council in Merseyside has adopted a new campaign ahead of the bank holiday weekend. People also headed to Trafalgar Square in central London, but there were far fewer sightseers than there would usually be on a Saturday The Elk Bar, in Hale Village, Cheshire, also did good business by selling takeaway pints The drinkers were enjoying a rare pint outside of their homes amid the coronavirus lockdown 'Wish you weren't here!' is the council's take on the picture postcard message it is sending to people thinking of travelling to its beaches from across the North West. People are also being advised not to visit Blackpool to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. And the leaders of three local authorities bordering Morecambe Bay have also asked people to think twice before visiting the area. A jogger was filmed on dash-cam footage during his run. He is seen repeatedly kicking a grey Mazda car by Tregantle Beach in Torpoint, Cornwall that was parked on a lane at the roadside Masses of cars parked near the Peak District. Meanwhile, in the Manifold Valley, a huge amount of litter and charred barbecues were left behind by visitors last weekend Queues of parked cars near the Peak District, as the beauty spot becomes busier during the hot weather and plagued by piles of rubbish, ahead of the bank holiday weekend. Monday is forecast to see temperatures up to 79F (26C) The damage caused by the jogger to Pawel Pasich's vehicle. Mr Pasich, who lives in Plymouth, was enjoying his first trip out of the city on Wednesday since the lockdown restrictions were eased when he captured the jogger on his dash-cam footage In Cornwall, council leaders have warned there is no lifeguard cover and a large coastal swell and spring tide will bring hazardous sea conditions over the weekend. Rob Nolan, cabinet member for environment and public protection at Cornwall Council, said people should not be holidaying in Cornwall and must return to their 'principle residence' each night. Devon County Council asked people to 'think twice' about visiting the coast and to consider if they could remain closer to home. The National Trust is urging people across England to stay close to home and explore local green spaces and countryside this weekend, as part of the collective effort to make easing of the lockdown work. Holidaymakers who travelled 100 miles to sleep overnight in a giant gazebo on a beach in Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset, have been fined. The group of visitors from London flouted lockdown rules by camping on the sand at the exclusive resort Piles of rubbish pictured at the beauty spot. A top cop says tourists are failing to heed warnings to stay away from the Peak District as the beauty spot becomes busier Speaking at the daily Downing Street press conference, Home Secretary Priti Patel said: 'It is inevitable that obviously the public will be out and about a lot more, but of course our message is clear to the public - yes, enjoy being outdoors, we have encouraged people to go out, but we have put a very clear caveat around that. 'This is all conditional. You can enjoy being outdoors in the sun providing you are following the advice and we continue to stop and contain the spread of the infection.' Meanwhile, Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart said the different approaches taken by England and Wales would 'increase the likelihood' of people breaking lockdown rules over the bank holiday weekend. Asked if he thought people were likely to break the rules, Mr Hart told the PA news agency: 'Anything which suggests that there's a different set of rules one side of the border to the other will increase the likelihood that that is possible, and there have been some examples of people being pulled in when coming into Wales who didn't realise it was a different regime.' But the MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire said he believed the 'vast majority' of people were complying with the lockdown rules in place in Wales. A tree is pictured having fallen in the street in Middlesbrough as heavy winds sweep the north of England ahead of the Bank Holiday Meanwhile, bars offering takeaway services to fuel thirsty Britons through the Bank Holiday weekend are braced for a hectic three days. Hundreds of landlords across the country are opening up today after an eight-week break during the coronavirus lockdown. Millions of sunseekers taking advantage of relaxed restrictions in the nation's parks and beaches have sparked a reopening of pubs - even if only through a hatch or window. Excited beer-lovers have taken to social media to share pictures of their freshly poured pints after they headed to their local for the first time since a nationwide lockdown saw bars shuttered on March 23. One woman shared an image of her father chugging from a bottle of beer to social media, after the pair visited the British Oak in Tingley, West Yorkshire. She penned: 'I have actually just walked into a pub with my dad and got some beer to takeaway! Never been so excited.' One woman ordered herself a bottle of Stella Artois and a cheesy chips as she sat beside a canal. She celebrated finding the pub with a takeaway as she posted the images on Twitter One woman shared an image of her father chugging from a bottle of beer while holding another to social media, after the pair visited the British Oak in Tingley, West Yorkshire Excited beer-lovers have taken to social media to share pictures of their freshly poured pints after they headed to their local for the first time since a nationwide lockdown saw bars shuttered on March 23 Another pub-goer posted an image of her pint from The Island in Kensal Rise, London, while she sat outside on her balcony. She wrote: 'Day 4/7 of lockdown life: our local pub is now doing takeaway draught beer! This is the best news I've had in weeks. Thank you to @TheIslandNW10.' The Prince N22, on Finsbury Road, London, has been selling alcohol through a hatch to thirsty patrons. One customer tweeted a picture of a barman wearing a face mask with the caption: 'Picking up some takeaway cider from our local pub.' Visor-wearing barmen were pictured in London yesterday maintaining strict social distancing as they carried foamy pints to 'collection points' where they were then carried away by customers. The Green W7, on Lower Boston Road in London, has teamed up with Gelato-maker South Street Ice Creams. Their stall is selling takeaway burgers, pizza, and beers Visor-wearing barmen were pictured in London yesterday maintaining strict social distancing as they carried foamy pints to 'collection points' where they were then brought away by customers (Althorp pub in Wandsworth pictured) Staff at the Greenwich Tavern in Greenwich, London, start selling takeaway alcohol from a window directly out onto the street yesterday Some social media users worried pubs selling takeaway options were breaking the law, because it encouraged groups of people to gather together as they queued The 'new weekend bar crawl' consists of moving between pubs that are selling alcohol for takeaway, according to this Twitter user. He explained the new 'normal summer Friday night in the city' Thirsty Britons will head to pubs today to take advantage of takeaway drinks services on what promises to be a boozy Bank Holiday weekend (punters in Wandsworth yesterday) The recent heatwave has pulled the public to packed parks, beaches and beauty spots, where many settled down with drinks bought from nearby pubs. London bus fares will be back from Saturday Charging for bus travel in London will resume on Saturday, Transport for London (TfL) has announced. The requirement to touch in a contactless, Oyster or concessionary card when boarding will initially be required on 85 routes served by single-door and New Routemaster buses. It will be rolled out across all buses 'once further safety measures have been introduced to protect bus drivers'. Twenty-nine London bus drivers have died after being infected with coronavirus, according to TfL. Passengers have not needed to present their payment card since April 20 in a bid to boost the safety of drivers. But the Government is requiring TfL to resume the collection of bus fares as part of the 1.6 billion bailout agreed last week. TfL said that on buses where payments will be required from Saturday, drivers' protective screens have had the opening where cash was previously accepted sealed off, in addition to vinyl screens fitted last month to block communication holes. Advertisement Takeaways have been allowed to remain open under the lockdown rules, but have been told to enforce robust social distancing. At the Althorp pub in Wandsworth, bar staff operating from a hatch are wearing face coverings and dropping drinks off at outdoor tables to avoid person-to-person contact and the possibility of contamination. The Greenwich Tavern in London also served customers from a hatch directly on to the street yesterday. Because punters are banned from drinking on the premises, booze is primarily being served in plastic cups before been taken to nearby green spaces. But many places are encouraging customers to bring their own containers, in a throwback to the 1950s when people would fill up casks at the pubs before taking them back home. A stampede of drinkers would come as welcome relief to pubs which have largely shuttered during the lockdown - with the hospitality sector left in the lurch as to when it will be allowed to reopen. Police forces across the UK have warned anyone hoping to buy some takeaway booze to keep two metres away from others not in your household. A spokesman for Metropolitan Police said: 'We have been made aware of a number of proposed plans for gatherings this weekend and we can only reiterate the importance of sticking to the Government guidelines. 'Restrictions around activities that do not support social distancing remain the same, meaning that group sport, outdoor barbeques or parties, and other gatherings are still not permitted. 'Officers out on patrol this weekend will continue to encourage and support our communities to comply with the restrictions to reduce the risk to public health.' At the Althorp pub in Wandsworth, bar staff operating from a hatch are wearing face coverings and dropping drinks off at outdoor tables to avoid person-to-person contact and the possibility of contamination Takeaways have been allowed to remain open under the lockdown rules, but have been told to enforce robust social distancing The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) said pubs would have been packed on a normal late May Bank Holiday, with good weather forecast, and the FA Cup final usually held on the Saturday. The trade body noted that pubs were the first businesses to be ordered to shut down by the Government in March and could be among the last to re-open. The BBPA said not all pubs will reopen from July as many won't be able to meet the social distancing measures required by then. Ensuring a distance of two metres will be impossible for some pubs, keeping them closed for much longer, said the BBPA. But the association is glad pubs have been allowed to reopen to offer takeaway options, something that will act as a much-needed boost to struggling independent brewers. Customers observe social distancing as they queue for takeaway drinks outside the Althorp pub, in Wandsworth, London The Greenwich Tavern in London also served customers from a hatch directly on to the street yesterday A stampede of drinkers would come as welcome relief to pubs which have largely shuttered during the lockdown - with the hospitality sector left in the lurch as to when it will be allowed to reopen Chief executive Emma McClarkin said: 'It is great to hear about enterprising publicans selling takeaway beer for the sunny bank holiday weekend ahead. 'The growth of takeaway beer during the lockdown shows how the British public are clearly yearning for the pub experience and in particular the unique taste of draught beer. 'Any revenue for pubs at this tremendously difficult time is absolutely vital, this revenue will help pubs across the country reopen when the lockdown lifts, of course what we need is to find a pathway for our pubs to reopen. 'Breweries are also selling their customers favourite beers online and some have even started drive throughs to get fresh beer to their customers. 'Pubs serving takeaway beer are of course implementing social distancing measures and are upholding the highest hygiene standards.' The Met Office is forecasting mild temperatures on Saturday and Sunday, with London at 73F (23C) and the western regions of England both north and south hovering around 68F (20C). But on Monday London could hit highs of 78F (26C) with Manchester and Birmingham expected to enjoy temperatures of around 75F (24C) and Newcastle 72F (22C). Automattic, the open source force behind WordPress .com, WooCommerce, Longreads, Simplenote and Tumblr, has made a $4.6M strategic investment into New Vector -- the creators of an open, decentralized communications standard called Matrix. They also develop a Slack rival (Riot) which runs on Matrix. The investment by Automattic, which is at a higher valuation than the last tranche New Vector took in, extends an $8.5M Series A last year, from enterprise tech specialists Notion Capital and Dawn Capital plus European seed fund Firstminute Capital -- and brings the total raised to date to $18.1M (which includes an earlier $5M in strategic investment from an Ethereum-based secure chat and crypto wallet app, Status). New Vector's decentralized tech powers instant messaging for a number of government users, including France -- which forked Riot to launch a messaging app last year (Tchap) -- and Germany, which just announced its armed forces will be adopting Matrix as the backbone for all internal comms. Other users include the likes of KDE, Mozilla, RedHat and Wikimedia, to name a few. Getting Automattic on board is clearly a major strategic boost for Matrix -- one that's allowing New Vector to dream big. "It's very much a step forward," New Vector CEO and CTO and Matrix co-founder, Matthew Hodgson, tells TechCrunch. "We're hopefully going to get the support from Automattic for really expanding the ecosystem, bringing Matrix functionality into WordPress -- and all the various WordPress plugins that Automattic does. And likewise open up Matrix to all of those users too." A blog post announcing the strategic investment dangles the intriguing possibility of a decentralized Tumblr -- or all WordPress sites automatically getting their own Matrix chatroom. "This is huge news, not least because WordPress literally runs over 36% of the websites on todays web - and the potential of bringing Matrix to all those users is incredible," New Vector writes in the blog post. "Imagine if every WP site automatically came with its own Matrix room or community? Imagine if all content in WP automatically was published into Matrix as well as the web? Imagine there was an excellent Matrix client available as a WordPress plugin for embedding realtime chat into your site?" Story continues Those possibilities remain intriguing ideas for now. But as well as ploughing funding into New Vector, Automattic is opening up a job for a Matrix.org/WordPress integrations engineer -- so the Matrix team has another tangible reason to be excited about future integrations. "One of the best and the biggest open source guys really believes in what we're doing and is interested in trying to open up the worlds of WordPress into the decentralized world of Matrix," adds Hodgson. "In some ways it's reassuring that a relatively established company like Automattic is keeping its eye on the horizon and putting their chips on the decentralized future. Whereas they could be 'doing a Facebook' and just sitting around and keeping everything centralized and as locked down as possible." "It's a bit of a validation," says Matrix co-founder and New Vector head of ops and products, Amandine le Pape. "The same way getting funding from VCs was validation of the fact it's a viable business. Here it's a validation it's actually a mainstream open source project which can really grow." New Vector co-founders, Matthew Hodgson and Amandine le Pape. Image Credits: New Vector While the strategic investment offer from Automattic was obviously just a great opportunity to be seized by New Vector, given ideological alignment and integration potential, it also comes at a helpful time, per le Pape, given they've been growing their SaaS business. "The business model that we're looking at with New Vector to go and drive -- both to fund Matrix and also to keep the lights on and grow the projects and the company -- is very, very similar to what Automattic have successfully done with WordPress.com," adds Hodgson. "So being able to compare notes directly with their board and our board to go and say to them, 'how do you make this work between the WordPress.org and the WordPress.com split' should be a really useful tool for us." While Matrix users can choose to host their own servers there's obviously a high degree of complexity (and potential expense) involved in doing so. Hence New Vector's business model is to offer a paid Matrix hosting service, called Modular, where it takes care of the complexity of hosting for a fee. (Marketing copy on the Modular website urges potential customers to "Sign up and deploy your own secure chat service in seconds!") "Some of our highest-profile customers like Mozilla could go and run it themselves, obviously. Mozilla knows tech. But in practice it's a lot easier and a lot cheaper overall for them to just go and get us to run it," adds Hodgson. "The nice thing is that they have complete self-sovereignty over their data. It's their DNS. We give them access to the database. They could move off at any time ... switch hosting provider or run it themselves. [Users] typically start off with us as a way to get up and running." Talking of moving, Hodgson says he expects Automattic to move from Slack to Riot following this investment. I am very excited about what New Vector is doing with Matrix -- creating a robust, secure, open protocol that can bring all flavors of instant messaging and collaboration together, in the way that the web or email has its foundation layer," added Automattic founder, Matt Mullenweg, in a supporting statement. "I share New Vectors passion for open source and the power of open standards. Im excited to see how Automattic and New Vector can collaborate on our shared vision in the future." Mullenweg was already a supporter of Matrix, chipping into its Patreon back in 2017. At the time the team was transitioning from being incubated and wholly financed by Amdocs, a telco supplier where New Vectors' co-founders used to work (running its unified comms division), to spinning out and casting around for new sources of funding to continue development of their decentralized standard. Some three years on -- now with another multimillion dollar tranche of funding in the bank -- Hodgson says New Vector is able to contemplate the prospect of profitability ahead, with ~16.8 million users and 45,000 deployments at this point (up from 11M and 40K back in October). "I think there's also a high chance -- touch wood -- that this injection gives us a path straight through to profitability if needed," he tells us. "Given the macroeconomic uncertainty thanks to the [COVID-19] pandemic, the opportunity to say we have this amount of cash in the bank, assuming our customers follow roughly the trajectory that we'd seen so far ... this would be a way to get out the other side without having to depend on any further funding. "If things are on track we probably would do additional funding next year in order to double down on the success. But right now this at least gives us a pretty chunky safety net." The coronavirus crisis has been accelerating interest in Matrix "significantly," per Hodgson, as entities that might have been contemplating a switch to decentralized comms down the line feel far greater imperative to take control of their data -- now that so many users are logging on from home. "As lockdowns began we saw sign-ups increase by a factor of about 10," he says. "It's tapered off a little bit but it was a real scaling drama overnight. We had to launch an entirely new set of videoconferencing deployments on Jitsi's offering, as well as scaling up the hardware for the service, which we run by several times over. "We're also seeing retention go up, which was nice. We assumed there would be a huge spike of users desperately trying to find a home and then they wouldn't necessarily stick around. In practice they've stuck around more than the existing user base, which is reassuring." In some cases, New Vector has seen customers radically shrink planned deployment timescales -- from months to a matter of days. "We literally had one [educational] outfit in Germany reach out and say that tender in September -- we want you to go live on Monday," says Hodgson, noting that in this instance the customer skipped the entire tendering process because they felt they needed a secure system school kids could use. (Privacy concerns ruled out use of centralized options such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.) "The biggest impact, from a New Vector perspective at least, has been that a lot of our slower moving, bigger opportunities -- particularly in the public sector with governments -- have suddenly sped up massively," he adds. "Because it was previously a nice to have premium thing -- 'wouldn't it be good if we had our own encrypted messenger and if everybody wasn't using Telegram or WhatsApp to run our country' -- and then suddenly, with the entire population of whichever country it might be suddenly having to work remotely it's become an existential requirement to have high-quality communication, and having that encrypted and self-sovereign is a massive deal." In terms of competing with Slack (et al), the biggest consideration is usability and UX, according to Hodgson. So, over the last year, New Vector has hired a dedicated in-house design team to focus on smoothing any overly geeky edges -- though most of this work is yet to be pushed out to users. "We've actually pivoted the entire development of Riot to be design-led," he says. "It's no longer a whole bunch of developers, like myself, going and hacking away on it -- instead the product owner and the product direction's being laid by the design team. And it is an unrecognizable difference -- in terms of focus and usability. "Over the coming year we are expecting Riot to basically be rebuilt, at least cosmetically, to get rid of the complexity and the geekiness and the IRC hangovers which we have today in favor of something that can genuinely punch its weight against Slack and Discord." In another major recent development New Vector switched on end-to-end encryption across the piece in Riot, making it the default for all new non-public conversations (DMs and private chats). "It's the equivalent of email suddenly mandating PGP and managing not to break everything," says Hodgson of that feat. A key challenge was to "get parity" with users of the non-encrypted version of Matrix before it could be enabled everywhere -- with associated problems to tackle, such as search. "Typically we were doing search on the server and if the messages are encrypted the server obviously can't index them -- so we had to shift all of our search capabilities to run client-side. We went and wrote a whole bunch of REST that allows you to basically embed a search engine into Riot on the client, including on the desktop version, so that people can actually reach their encrypted message history there and share it between devices," he explains. Another focus for the e2e was the verification process -- which is also now built in by default. "When you now log into Riot it forces you to scan a QR code on an existing login if you've already logged in somewhere. A bit like you do on WhatsApp web but rather than just using it to authenticate you it also goes and proves that you are a legitimate person on that account," he says. "So everyone else then knows to trust that login completely -- so that if there is an attack of some kind, if your admin tries to add a malicious device into your account to spy on you or if there's a man-in-the-middle attack, or something like that, everybody can see that the untrusted device hasn't been verified by you. "It's basically building out a simple web of trust of your devices and immediate contacts so that you have complete protection against ghost devices or other nastier attempts to go and compromise the account. The combination of using QR codes and also using emoji comparison rather than having to read out numbers to one another is, I think, almost unique now, in terms of creating really, really super robust end-to-end encryption." The e2e encryption Matrix uses is based on algorithms popularized by the Signal protocol. It was audited by NCC Group in 2016 but plans for the new funding include a full stack audit -- once they've ironed out any teething issues with the new default e2e. "[We want to] at least pick a path, a particular set of clients and servers -- because we can't do the whole thing, obviously, because Matrix has got 60-70 different apps on it now, or different clients. And there are at least four viable server implementations but we will pick the long-term supported official path and at least find a set which we can then audit and recommend to governments," says Hodgson of the audit plans. They're also working with Jitsi on a project to make the latter's WebRTC-compatible videoconferencing platform e2e encrypted too -- another key piece as Jitsi's tech is what New Vector offers for video calling via Matrix. "We partner with Jitsi for the videoconferencing side of things and we're working with them on their e2e encrypted videoconferencing. They [recently] got the world's first WebRTC -based e2e encrypted conferencing going. And they plan to use Matrix as the way to exchange the keys for that -- using also all of the verification process [New Vector has developed for Riot]. Because end-to-end encryption's great, obviously in terms of securing the data -- but if you don't know who you're talking to, in terms of verifying their identity, it's a complete waste of time," adds Hodgson. So when Jitsi's e2e encryption launches, New Vector will be able to include e2e encrypted videoconferencing as part of its decentralized bundle too. How much growth is New Vector expecting for Matrix over the next 12 months? "We've tripled almost all of the sizing metrics for the network in the last year, and I think we tripled the year before that so I'm hoping that we can continue on that trajectory," he says. Another "fun thing" New Vector has been working on since the end of last year is a peer-to-peer version of Matrix -- having developed a "sufficiently lightweight server implementation" that allows Matrix users to run Riot in a decentralized p2p space via a web browser (or via the app on a mobile device). "We turned on the peer-to-peer network about a month ago now and they're at the point right now of making it persistent -- previously if all of the clients on the network went away then the entire network disappeared, whereas now it has the ability to persist even if people start restarting their browsers and apps. And it's very much a mad science project but as far as I know nobody else is remotely in that ballpark," he says. "The nice thing is it looks and feels identical to Matrix today. You can use all of the clients, all of the bridges that people have already written ... It just happens to be that the Riot is connecting to a server wedged into itself rather than talking to one sitting on the server ... so it's a total paradigm shift." "We weren't sure it was going to work at all but in practice it's working better than we could have hoped," he adds. "Over the next year or so we're going to expect to see more and more emphasis on peer-to-peer -- possibly even by default. So that if you install Riot you don't have to pick a server and go through this fairly clunky thing of figuring out what service provider to trust and do you want to buy one from us as New Vector or do you want to use a Swiss ISP. Instead you can start off bobbing around the ocean in a pure peer-to-peer land, and then if you want to persist your data somewhere then you go and find a server to pin yourself to a home on the internet. But it would be a completely different way of thinking about things." Those interested in dipping a toe in p2p decentralized IM can check out this flavor of Riot in a web browser via p2p.riot.im EasyJet customers who know - or think - their data has been put at risk should change passwords, check credit card statements and be on the lookout for fake refund emails, experts say. The email addresses and travel details of 9million easyJet customers were compromised between mid-October 2019 and 4 March, the budget airline revealed on Tuesday. Meanwhile, credit card details of 2,208 of those had been leaked in the serious data breach. EasyJet let the Information Commissioners Office and the National Cyber Security Centre know of the hack in late January and said it would contact all affected customers by 26 May. Budget airline easyJet reported Tuesday that 9m customers' email addresses and travel details, plus more than 2,000 credit card details had been put at risk in a data breach It became the second major airline to be the victim of a large data breach after British Airways was slapped with a 183millon fine by the ICO last year after 500,000 customers' details, including personal and payment information, were put at risk in a 2018 data breach. But while easyJet may well be concerned about its own financial future if the ICO follows up its multi-million-pound fine of BA, its customers are just likely to be worried. Here are four ways in which the data breach might affect you as an easyJet customer, and what you should be wary of. 1. Check your credit card statement EasyJet said it had already contacted the 2,208 customers whose credit card details, including three-digit security numbers and expiry dates, had been put at risk by the breach, and said there was no evidence any data had been misused. However, it likely can't know that for sure, and there isn't necessarily a way for you to find out yourself. A bank might issue you a new card if your details have been compromised, but an airline wouldn't, and there's no way to prove a link to a particular data breach for certain. Trade body UK Finance said earlier this year that 'the theft of personal and financial data through data breaches was a major contributor to fraud losses' last year, with stolen card details used to commit 470.2million worth of fraud in 2019. Would you spot an unusual transaction on your bank statement? 46% of people said they weren't confident they would EasyJet has only said security numbers and expiry dates were put at risk, unlike BA's breach where card numbers were also involved, but customers should still be vigilant. Alastair Douglas, chief executive of credit comparison site Totally Money, said: 'The first point of action for anyone concerned about fraud is to check your recent transactions. 'It doesn't take long for these to appear on your statement or online accounts, and it could help you spot anything fishy sooner rather than later.' Research in February this year by MoneySupermarket found 46 per cent of people weren't sure they would be able to spot small frauds on their bank statement, but something like that could be the tip of an iceberg if it means your details are compromised. If you spot anything suspicious, flag it to your bank. 2. Change your passwords Justin Basini, the founder and chief executive of credit report provider Clear Score, said: 'The recent attack on easyJet highlights that the best protection you can have against future data breaches is to ensure that you have individual passwords for each and every one of your online accounts. 'If you're an easyJet customer I would advise you to change your password immediately, and if you think you've used that password elsewhere online, to change that too.' If you're an easyJet customer I would advise you to change your password immediately, and if you think you've used that password elsewhere online, to change that too Justin Basini, Clear Score CEO Clear Score has also recently launched a free dark web monitoring service called Clear Score Protect, which allows users to find out every three months if their passwords may have been leaked. Some 400,000 users have signed up to it already, finding they have an average of seven leaked passwords each. Websites like 'HaveIBeenPwned' also allow people to determine whether email addresses or passwords have been put at risk in a data breach. Mr Basini also recommended using a password manager to generate or store different passwords to help you remember that; or installing two-factor authentication requiring more than just a password to log in somewhere. 3. Watch out for fake emails The coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown has been a boon for fraudsters, especially when it comes to phishing emails and text messages. Everything from the government's coronavirus warning number, to Netflix, to the taxman have been spoofed. Fraud reporting service Action Fraud said there had been 7,796 reports of coronavirus-related phishing made to it since the virus hit the UK, and 160,000 suspicious emails had been forwarded to the NCSC's reporting service, leading to 1,400 links to bogus websites designed to capture people's details being taken down. Police have warned people against clicking on links in text messages pretending to be from the taxman and opening links in dodgy emails Fraudsters might use stolen email addresses to target people with phishing messages like offers of fake council tax refunds or aim them at easyJet customers trying to get refunds for cancelled flights at the moment. Messages purporting to come from the government can be forwarded to the suspicious email reporting service at report@phishing.gov.uk. We will never contact you unprompted to ask for your account details or security information, and we will never ask you to disclose your passwords, or to change your passwords on your easyJet account EasyJet email Customers should be wary of anything purporting to be from easyJet and check the address carefully, especially if it asks for more personal or financial details. In an email sent to one victim of the data breach, easyJet wrote: 'Please do be extra careful if you receive any unsolicited communications, particularly if they claim to be from either easyJet or easyJet holidays. 'Please note that we will never contact you unprompted to ask for your account details or security information, and we will never ask you to disclose your passwords, or to change your passwords on your easyJet account.' Mr Basini said: 'If in doubt, it is always best to contact easyJet directly using the email and number provided on their website, do not click on an email or text that you are suspicious of.' Action Fraud said it had received 41 reports about a scam email purporting to be from the government asking for donations to the NHS. The NHS will never ask for your bank details 4. Check your credit report Finally, email addresses coupled with personal details can be used for identity theft. UK Finance figures said 17.4million was stolen after criminals opened accounts in someone else's name last year, although this was 41 per cent lower than in 2018. Meanwhile, account takeover fraud, where criminals use credit or debit card details to steal money from someone by pretending to be them increased 13 per cent in 2019, with 20.3million lost. Checking your credit report or 'financial CV', especially the applications for credit that have been made is a good idea if you think your financial details are at risk. However, as This is Money has previously reported, identity theft is not actually a recordable crime unless it is used to obtain credit, in which case the bank or credit card provider is classed as the victim, and some banks don't even report it to the police. EasyJet customers should be looking specifically at hard searches and newly opened accounts that they don't recognise on their credit report Alastair Douglas, CEO Totally Money One of the best ways to keep an eye on this, as well as checking your bank account or credit card, is to check your credit report to see if there is any suspicious activity on it. Alastair Douglas of Totally Money said: 'Get into the habit of checking your credit report regularly. 'If there's anything you don't recognise or anything that seems suspicious, you'll be in a much better position to act before it becomes a real issue. 'In light on the easyJet data breach, customers should be looking specifically at hard searches and newly opened accounts that they don't recognise on their credit report. If you find anything, get in touch with the lender straightaway. 'When it comes to protecting your personal information and finances, it's best to err on the side of caution.' Virtual AGMs will be a thing in SL By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s): Companies across the world have been forced to alter their plans for their annual meetings in response to restrictions on mass gatherings aimed at halting the spread of coronavirus by the government. So this year, at least, some familiar sights on the corporate calendar will disappear. The beginning of AGM season coincided with the nationwide shutdown with several public companies having scheduled the conduct of their Annual General Meetings (AGMs) virtually after the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) sent a guidance note to firms on such meetings. Pan Asia Bank said it has rescheduled its 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) as virtual meetings. It will be on 16 June, 2020 at the boardroom of the Bank, in Colombo 3 starting at 9.30 a.m. under the guidelines issued by the CSE on holding virtual shareholder meetings in light of the COVID -19 pandemic, Pan Asia said in an announcement to the CSE. Sampath and HNB will follow suit while Commercial bank is yet to decide. In late March the CSE said in a statement that Listing Rules of the CSE do not contain specific provisions relating to the date on which an AGM is to be hosted by a firm. As such, Listed Entities will be required to comply with the applicable provisions set out in the Companies Act and the Articles of Association of the Entity in this regard, it said. The CSE has formulated a Guidance Note intended to act as a guideline for Listed Entities setting out the possible approaches that may be adopted by firms in hosting the AGMs amidst the restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Offering shareholders the opportunity to participate online means they can participate from anywhere regardless of their location, making the meeting far more accessible to the vast majority of shareholders who are unable to attend physically, a company CEO said. He also commended online meetings saying there will be less travel by shareholders and the board so this consequently saves time and money for all. He added that now virtual meetings will catch on in the country. Another CEO of a listed firm said AGMs would now be modernised through technology. However some shareholders arent happy as theres no opportunity for them to question the board in real time. Smaller retail shareholders could lose out in particular as this is the only time retail investors have an opportunity to ask questions. The opportunity to interact with management would be missed, they said. While some use the meeting to touch base with the management, others use it to showcase their oratory skills. 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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/591125/Cheaper-Car-Insurance-Guide--Eight-Tips-For-Saving-Money Croatia's border crossings were jammed with visitors flocking to the country's Adriatic seaside on Saturday, in what may be the first sign of recovery for the country's tourism industry which has been battered by coronavirus restrictions and continent-wide travel bans. Croatia, whose economy relies heavily on tourism revenues, had virtually banned all incoming passenger traffic and closed all non-essential stores in late March to contain the spread of the coronavirus, at the time when Croatia had nearly 1,900 confirmed cases of the disease and 47 deaths. Similar bans and restrictions were also imposed around the same time by all of its neighbouring countries, including larger Central European nations which account for the majority of Croatia's visitors. After the daily case count steadily dropped to single digits by mid-May, the government moved to drop some restrictions for EU nationals, allowing Slovenians to enter the country provided that they own property in the country, proof of a holiday reservation or some other type of obligation that requires visiting Croatia. Visitors from other countries are still ordered to undertake a mandatory 14 day self isolation upon arrival, although further easing of restrictions which come into effect on May 29 will open the country's borders for nationals of Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. Croatia's tourism and hospitality industry, which employs about a quarter of its 1.5 million person workforce and which accounts for around 20 percent of its GDP, has been brought to a virtual standstill due to COVID-19 lockdowns, with Central European markets, along with Germany, accounting for 60 percent of its 21 million visitors in 2019. Although the bulk of foreigners arriving by car at the moment own property along Croatia's Adriatic coast, local industry leaders are hoping that this is a positive sign that there may still be some hope to save the summer tourist season. Today on the Streetwise podcast we're joined by Mayor Quinton Lucas. If you haven't subscribed to the show yet, you should. It's quite good. We should know. This week we've got some cool local music, and a phone interview that might make you tear up, but our feature is talking with the mayor, as we so enjoy doing. You are here: World Flash A second batch of medical aid from the Chinese government has arrived in Moscow to help Russia fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese Embassy in Russia said Friday. The cargo, measuring some 1,058 cubic meters and weighing about 103 tons, includes test kits, protective suits, surgical masks, medical protective goggles, disposable surgical gloves, and infrared thermometers, among others. The supplies have been split into two shipments. The first batch of medical aid from the Chinese government arrived in Moscow on April 2. Russia has tallied 326,448 cases of COVID-19 as of Friday. The single-day increase has fallen below 10,000 for seven consecutive days. BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend: Turkmenistans Turkmentelekom state telecommunications company and Azerbaijan's AzerTelecom limited liability company (LLC) have discussed the implementation of a project on joint construction, ownership and use of a fiber-optic communication line along the bottom of the Caspian Sea in the direction of Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan, Trend reports with reference to Turkmenistans State News Agency. A videoconference was held between representatives of Turkmentelekom and AzerTelecom where the current state and prospects of development of the industry-wide bilateral partnership were discussed. This project will connect the cities of Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan) and Siyazan (Azerbaijan), as well as strengthen cooperation in improving telecommunications bridges between Asia and Europe. Turkmenistan prepared proposals for the implementation of this project, which are submitted for consideration and approval of economic, technical and other relevant aspects. Thus, special attention was paid to attracting investment, both in the telecommunications sector, and to discussing the conditions for joint construction, operation, maintenance, and protection of fiber optic networks. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva (Reuters) - Technologists and health officials around the world are racing to develop smartphone apps to trace who has been in contact with carriers of the novel coronavirus. Contact-tracing, a disease control tactic that traditionally relies on patients' memories of their movements, identifies people they might have infected so they too can be isolated. FIRST GENERATION APPS THAT USE BLUETOOTH TECHNOLOGY Bluetooth is a short-range radio technology used for things like connecting wireless headphones to a smartphone. It detects when another Bluetooth signal is near and can estimate the distance between devices -- making it a good tool for contact-tracing. Singapore's TraceTogether, launched in March, was the first Bluetooth-based contact-tracing app. When a person tests positive for COVID-19, health authorities can look at the person's Bluetooth history and, in Singapore's case, call all the people on that list and order them to quarantine. Countries that have launched similar Bluetooth apps include Australia, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. But these apps face obstacles. Most of the population has to use them if they are to be effective. On Apple's iPhone, the app has to be open at all times for it to work, which is a drain on the battery. Apps may fail to record some encounters between iPhones and devices running Googles Android operating system, or between pairs of older Android devices. APPS THAT WILL USE THE APPLE-GOOGLE BLUETOOTH APPROACH The two tech giants said last month they would build special software to make Bluetooth apps work better. At first, this will be a tool that developers can integrate in their apps. That is due out in coming days. Later this year, Apple and Google will include the tool in software updates, meaning users can log contacts without having to download an app. The two companies set strict privacy rules. Apps cannot collect any personal data, including where contacts happened. Contact data is stored only on the phone, and when a user is confirmed as infected an anonymous notification about possible exposure will go directly to other phones. Story continues In France, Norway, Britain and the United States, governments complained this is too limiting, as they won't be able to see where disease clusters are. But given the challenge of making apps work smoothly without the Apple-Google tools, the Norway, U.K. and some governments in the U.S. told Reuters they are now considering giving up on collecting location data. Many European countries including Germany and Italy have agreed to go with, or shown interest, in the Google-Apple approach, with a Swiss-led consortium, DP-3T, leading the way. APPS THAT USE PHONE LOCATION DATA The GPS satellite system, as well as cellphone towers, make it possible for governments and network operators to track smartphones and many other types of mobile phones. Using a database, health authorities can then see when and where a person who tested positive crossed paths with other people. The data isn't perfect: GPS can be inexact in a crowded high-rise, for example, and cell-tower data varies in precision. Systematic use of such data to track people is invasive and thus anathema to many people and governments. Still, Ghana, Iceland, India, Israel, Norway and the several U.S. states have rolled out apps that use location data. APPS THAT GO BEYOND CONTACT TRACING Some countries, notably China, have developed apps that collect personal health data, travel and other information useful for disease control and identifying individuals at risk. Chinese citizens must carry a "health code" app that rates their risk level to enter shops or ride on trains, for example. India's app has similar functions, and Colombia told Reuters it hopes to launch an app with a "digital passport" feature. Private companies around the world may also require such apps for people to return to work. OBSTACLES TO EFFECTIVE CONTACT-TRACING APPS It remains unknown whether Bluetooth-based contact-tracing apps will be effective. The early apps still only have limited adoption and are hampered by their lack of the Apple-Google technology. A major concern is that apps will log an overwhelming number of erroneous contacts. Privacy worries could limit uptake of the apps and make them ineffective. OTHER METHODS OF HIGH TECH CONTACT-TRACING Many law enforcement and spy agencies can track people without consent via phones, surveillance cameras and other methods. Such techniques have been used in China for COVID-19 tracking. Israel uses such systems also for that purpose, though not without controversy. Commercial "spyware" companies have also tried to sell their systems for COVID-19 tracking. (Reporting by Jonathan Weber in Singapore and Paresh Dave in San Francisco, Editing by William Maclean) Press Release May 23, 2020 3 years after siege, let Marawi residents return to their homes: Liberal Party THREE years after the bloody Marawi siege, the city's almost 80,000 families should be allowed to return to their homes there, the Liberal Party said Saturday, also the eve of the Muslim celebration of the end of Ramadan, or Eid'l Fitr. "Kasama kami sa ating mga kapatid na Muslim sa pagdiriwang ng Eid'l Fitr," said Liberal Party president Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan. "Kakaiba ang pagdiriwang ngayong taon, may lockdown at paghihigpit dahil sa sakit na COVID-19. Pinatindi nito ang hirap na dinadanas nila mula pa 2017. Naaalala pa natin ang mga nasirang buhay at kabuhayan ng mga kapatid nating Muslim. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa nila naramdaman ang rehab ng gobyerno," he added. Citing various reports of non-government organizations working in Mindanao, Pangilinan said official results or records of all government efforts to rebuild the city have yet to be made public. He also echoed the sentiments of many Marawi residents that they be allowed to go home. "'Tatlong taon na, bakwit pa rin kami. We cannot understand why the government is still not allowing us to go home'. Yan ang mga sinasabi nila sa atin. Sana payagan na silang makabalik sa mga tahanan nila at maitaguyod ulit ang kanilang buhay at kabuhayan," Pangilinan said. He said he also supports the following recommendations of various Mindanao-based NGOs: * A formal partnership between government agencies and NGOs like the Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch to function as a monitoring group that shall regularly report to Congress on status of the reconstruction and rebuilding of Marawi; * Bill compensating all Marawi residents whose lives were shattered, as well as private schools, hospitals and other organizations providing essential public services; * Exemption of the customs duty tax for donated items and financial incentives for affected businesses such as private schools and hospitals. The Marawi siege between the Philippine government security forces and the combined terrorist forces of the Maute Group, the Abu Sayyaf Group, and their supporter foreign jihadists started on 23 May 2017. The ensuing battle dragged for five months and the city was declared liberated on 17 October 2017. "Sa gitna ng mga pagsubok na ito, nagpapasalamat pa rin tayo kay Allah sa paggabay sa atin sa katotohanan at kabutihan," Pangilinan said. "Following the time of renewal and reflection, may we emerge with a peaceful mind and stronger faith to face the challenges ahead. Humbled by this pandemic, may we come out more compassionate and hopeful people as we proceed to our next journeys," he added. Eid'l Fitr celebrates the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, when Muslims go on fasting from sunrise to sunset each day. Eid'l Fitr this year comes as the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected at least 13,597 people and killed 857 in the Philippines alone as of Friday. The Philippine National Police has reminded Muslims in Metro Manila that mass gatherings remain prohibited. The coronavirus pandemic could permanently change wealthy Chinese families plans to send their children to study abroad or to use investment vehicles to emigrate overseas, according to a series of interviews with families in the mainland. A mix of pandemic-based problems for Chinas urban rich, including the sudden uncertainty over future incomes, the health risks of living abroad, and Chinas deteriorating image in Western countries, have forced many to reconsider, if not totally give up, plans to send their kids to American or British schools, or to buy property in Canada or Australia. Many of us are very surprised by how poorly some advanced countries in western Europe have handled the epidemic. We always thought that both the quality of life and health in Western societies were far better than in China, but now our views have changed, Alice Tan, who runs a tea trading firm in Guangzhou, wrote in a chat group of over 300 members. The group chat on Chinese social media platform WeChat was created to share information on studying and investing abroad, common pursuits for wealthy Chinese families before the pandemic. Among group members, the desire to live overseas has been dampened in recent months, Tan said. In particular, the recently popular idea of sending underage children to study abroad has been abandoned, she added. Changes of heart from people like Tan and her friends - who, like many middle class Chinese, mostly get their news on the pandemic and the economy from official state media sources - could lead to a collapse in the levels Chinese students and investors going abroad. According to the US-based Migration Policy Institute, the world had 258 million migrants in 2017, 10 million of which were mainland Chinese, the fourth largest migrant group. Half of Chinas migrants ended up in Hong Kong and United States, with Canada and Australia the third and fourth most popular destinations. Unlike in the 1980s and 90s, when waves of illegal Chinese immigrants to Europe and North America sought better paying labour-intensive jobs in rich countries, Chinese emigrants over the last decade are generally richer, seeking better education for their kids and a better quality of life. Story continues A 2018 survey of 224 affluent Chinese investors conducted by the Hurun Report and Visas Consulting, a firm helping Chinese people invest and live abroad, found that the US was the most desirable destination for migration, followed by the UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia. The survey found that education was the top reason for migration, followed by ecological reasons, food security, health care, social welfare and safety of assets. More than 660,000 mainland Chinese students studied abroad in 2019, up 8.8 per cent from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Education. The desire for an overseas home or a foreign diploma was so strong that private schools preparing Chinese students for overseas colleges and emigration agencies have become a booming business in China. The pandemic, however, has led to a series of bankruptcies across Chinas investment migration firms. Bill Liu is a Guangzhou-based agent helping wealthy Chinese citizens emigrate and buy property overseas, and he is seeing big trouble down the road. Last year, I helped about 30 families emigrate and invest abroad, but this year Im afraid it will be only 10 or less Bill Liu Last year, I helped about 30 families emigrate and invest abroad, but this year Im afraid it will be only 10 or less, Liu said, adding that many of his peers have gone bust, since clients can no longer take long-distance flights to take investment tours of overseas property projects. In addition, the death rate, economic shutdown and recessions in America and Europe have had a great psychological impact on China s middle class, discouraging their interest [in moving]. Chinese parents sending their children to study abroad are also increasingly anxious. I cannot help but worry about whether my son will be discriminated against in the foreign school whether he can get the same respect and opportunities compared to a few years ago, said Gou Hua, a Shenzhen resident whose son is planning to take his Freshman university year in California this autumn. It casts a psychological shadow for us. We originally planned to send our 7-year-old son to Canada for junior school next year or the year after. I had hoped he would adapt to the Western environment from an early age, said Jade Zheng, who owns several flats in Shenzhen and runs a cafe. However, the economic impact of the pandemic has made us pessimistic about the family income over the coming few years, so we plan to postpone and keep him studying in Shenzhen until at least high school, said Zheng, adding that on a recent visit to Toronto, she found that its appeal had faded since her days studying there in the early-2000s. Over the past a few years, my friends and I had wanted to sell properties in Shenzhen and buy in Australia and Canada, but now we are less eager, she said. The property market in Shenzhen has doubled or even tripled in value over the past few years. But real estate in Europe, America and Japan appears to have limited room for appreciation. By contrast, many middle class families believe the Chinese economy will recover and that the political system will survive. They now believe that retaining their Chinese identity and holding onto properties in Chinas first-tier cities is as important as obtaining a foreign green card. Most of the friends around me still have confidence in Chinas future economy, even though we expect that the phase of high economic growth might have passed. Meanwhile, we also see that the possibility of recession in Europe and the United States is now greater than in China, said Richard Shen, a white collar worker for a foreign firm in Shanghai, whose family runs two chain restaurants in the city. The Chinese government has many problems, but the pandemic makes me feel that foreign countries governments have even bigger ones Richard Shen The Chinese government has many problems, but the pandemic makes me feel that foreign countries governments have even bigger ones. Shen, whose family owns four flats in Shanghai, has spent around US$600,000 on investment and education insurance, said I still plan to send my two sons to study abroad in a few years, but added that he would wait and see what the market is like for selling his Chinese assets and replacing them with overseas ones first. But unlike previous generations of Chinese people who studied abroad and would stay abroad, Shen thinks his sons will eventually come back to Shanghai, where the properties can ensure our wealth and a better future. He wants his wife, meanwhile, to buy a flat in Japan for the couple to live in when they retire, rather than invest in the West. Shen said the anti-China rhetoric from US President Donald Trump and the general souring in relations sent strong signals that the US does not welcome Chinese students any more. If our children become new immigrants, will they be trapped in the conflict and tensions between the two countries? he asked. Will they be troubled by anti-Chinese attitudes if living abroad? We will all have second thoughts from now on. Sign up now and get a 10% discount (original price US$400) off the China AI Report 2020 by SCMP Research. Learn about the AI ambitions of Alibaba, Baidu & JD.com through our in-depth case studies, and explore new applications of AI across industries. The report also includes exclusive access to webinars to interact with C-level executives from leading China AI companies (via live Q&A sessions). Offer valid until 31 May 2020. More from South China Morning Post: This article Coronavirus: wealthy Chinese families say pandemic has eroded appetite for overseas schooling and investing first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. With cases rising rapidly, a military general with no medical experience leading the Ministry of Health, and a president admitting there's no proof his preferred treatment will work, Brazil has become one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus. As health systems, from Sao Paulo to the Amazon, strain under the growing number of cases, policy experts say there's little hope that the country can change course when the president is one of their biggest obstacles. "It's unbelievable what's happening in Brazil. When the biggest science denier in the country is the president himself, what can we scientists do?" said Natalia Pasternak, a microbiologist and researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Sao Paulo. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been among the world leaders most dismissive of the coronavirus, initially downplaying it as a "little flu," then later responding "so what" when asked about the country's rising death toll. His own Ministry of Health had opposed him, promoting physical distancing and quarantines, but Bolsonaro fired popular Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta in April, and then forced his replacement Nelson Teich to resign last week. Both were trained doctors. "I don't see any hope in the short term," Pasternak said. "I think the numbers are going to keep piling up and a lot of people are going to die until we solve the political situation." 'A grave situation' The World Health Organization (WHO) now considers South America the new epicentre of the pandemic, in large part because this week Brazil overtook the United Kingdom for third place in the overall number of COVID-19 cases. Brazil has more than 310,000 cases and more than 20,000 deaths, according to statistics kept by Johns Hopkins University. The country's Ministry of Health believes the numbers are likely higher because of a lack of effective testing. Story continues WATCH | Bolsonaro minimizes COVID-19 surge in Brazil, promotes hydroxychloroquine: "Are people dying? Yes they are, and I regret that. But many more are going to die if the economy continues to be destroyed because of these (lockdowns)," Bolsonaro said earlier this month. On Thursday, Brazil reported more than 18,500 infections, while also suffering a record 1,188 daily coronavirus deaths, eclipsing its previous high set earlier in the week. "It's a very grave situation," said Humberto Costa, a Brazilian senator and former health minister under former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. In Sao Paulo, the country's largest city, fresh graves continue to be dug up in the sprawling Formosa cemetery. Health officials say they're losing the battle against the virus and the system will be overrun. City and state officials moved holidays up from June and July to this weekend to create an extended break to encourage physical distancing. In Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon rainforest, the mayor is warning that Indigenous tribes will be decimated by the coronavirus. Amazonas state, where Manaus is located, is one of the hardest hit regions of the country. "I fear genocide and I want to denounce this thing to the whole world. We have here a government that does not care about the lives of the Indians," Manaus Mayor Arthur Virgilio Neto said. 'Politicizing the Problem' While other countries have waited for some signs of the virus slowing down before reopening the economy, Bolsonaro has continually pushed for Brazilians to get back to work, putting him at odds with state governors and mayors trying to curb the spread through lockdowns and quarantines. "He denies the severity of the disease and he only makes political calculations about what's best for him," Costa said. Observers say Bolsonaro is thinking first about re-election in two years, promoting an economic agenda that resonates with the country's poorest, who can't afford to isolate themselves at home. Amanda Perobelli/Reuters "He's following his instinct that the economy needs to reopen and the country cannot face an economic crisis so deep," said Marcio Coimbra, a political strategist in the capital, Brasilia. "The middle class and upper class are against the president," Coimbra said. "But on the other side, the poor people who need to work, they are there supporting the president." Costa said Bolsonaro's actions now are laying the groundwork for what will happen in a few months' time if the country's economy continues to suffer because of lockdowns meant to stop the spread of COVID-19. Bolsonaro "will say, 'I told you that the virus was a little problem, the governors and mayors made the wrong measures,'" Costa said. 'Problems at the Health Ministry' Some of Bolsonaro's highest profile clashes have been with his own Ministry of Health. In April, he fired Health Minister Luis Henrique Mandetta who had gained in popularity with his daily technical briefings. His replacement, Nelson Teich, resigned last week, after refusing to promote Bolsonaro's desire for wider use of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19. Interim Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello immediately approved the plan, going against the recommendations of WHO experts in Brazil. WATCH | Brazil's worsening COVID-19 crisis: "We are at war: Worse than being defeated is the shame of not having fought," Bolsonaro wrote in a post on his official Facebook page in response to his critics. Pazuello is a military general known as a logistics expert, with no health background. Costa said Pazuello is staffing the ministry with people with military experience, rather than health expertise, which will further hamper the country's efforts to fight the virus. "They are politicizing the problem, it's not a question of science, it's not a question of medicine, it's just a question of politics," Costa said. Like his ally U.S. President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro has pushed hydroxychloroquine as a solution to the pandemic, despite admitting that there's no proof it works. Health policy expert Miguel Lago said Bolsonaro's support for the drug is more about politics than medicine. "Bolsonaro is a very smart politician and he's trying to understand what can fit a narrative where he appears to be a great leader," said Lago, executive director of the Institute for Health Policy Studies, a non-profit group based in Rio de Janeiro. Profanity-laced video On Friday, a profanity-laced video showing Bolsonaro expressing frustration at his inability to get information from police and vowing to change cabinet ministers if needed to protect his family was released at the order of a Supreme Court justice. The two-hour video of a cabinet meeting, with portions redacted, was released as part of a probe into allegations that the president was trying to improperly meddle in the federal police, a claim made by former Justice Minister Sergio Moro when he resigned last month. Moro told investigators that Bolsonaro openly demanded he make changes in key federal police positions, including the head of the agency. Moro resigned after Bolsonaro fired the federal police director-general without consulting him. The video shows the president complaining, "I already tried to change our security in Rio de Janeiro and I couldn't. That is over. I will not wait [for them] to [profanity] my entire family just for fun, or a friend of mine." Bolsonaro has insisted he was referring to the head of his security detail, though he had successfully changed that position recently. Moro said the president was alluding to the head of police operations in Rio, who presumably might have been involved in investigations into the president's sons, who live there. Hope in local governments Lago said the only hope for Brazil's efforts lies in state governors and local politicians ignoring directives from the president. States have enforced their own measures in defiance of Bolsonaro's views, including mandatory masks in public and limits on traffic in major cities "After two months, we shouldn't be expecting anything good from the federal government in the sense we should only rely on our local governments." Bruno Kelly/Reuters Impeachment has been discussed in Brazil. The speaker of the lower house, Rodrigo Maia, has more than 30 requests to remove Bolsonaro, but hasn't acted on them. The president has maintained control of a fractured Congress, by striking a deal with a centrist group of parties that represent about 40 per cent of votes. "If he keeps delivering power for votes in Congress, he'll be able to stay in power until the end of his term," Coimbra said. 'No light at the end of the tunnel' Costa said the peak of COVID-19 cases could come sometime in the middle of June; some projections show Brazil could end up with more than 100,000 dead and more than a million people infected. According to statistics from the Brazlian tech company Inloco, just over 42 per cent of Brazilians are practising physical distancing, down from a high of around 62 per cent around the end of March. WATCH | Bolsonaro minimizes COVID-19 surge in Brazil, promotes hydroxychloroquine: Pasternak said the president's example, holding rallies, shaking hands and hugging supporters, sends the wrong message to Brazilians who look to him for leadership. She worries about the direction the country is headed. "I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel right now." NASA astronauts Doug Hurley (L) and Bob Behnken work with teams from NASA and SpaceX to rehearse crew extraction from SpaceX's Crew Dragon, which will be used to carry humans to the International Space Station, at the Trident Basin in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 13, 2019. (Bill Ingalls/NASA) Trump to Attend 1st Launch of Astronauts From US in Years President Donald Trump will be watching in person when astronauts depart from Florida in the first launch from the United States since 2011. The launch will take place on May 27 at the John F. Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island. Trumps attendance was announced by the White House on May 22. The president told reporters earlier in the week he was thinking about going. Trump said, while signing a directive that led to the establishment of the Space Force, that his administration is reclaiming Americas heritage as the worlds greatest space-faring nation. The essence of the American character is to explore new horizons and to tame new frontiers. But our destiny, beyond the Earth, is not only a matter of national identity, but a matter of national security, he said. Elon Musks SpaceX developed rockets to ferry astronauts and equipment to the International Space Station, which orbits around the Earth. The companys Falcon 9 rocket will take NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the station, which holds a rotating crew of astronauts representing Russia, the United States, and other countries, primarily in Europe. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft undergoes final processing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on April 10, 2020. (SpaceX via AP) The uncrewed SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, with its nose cone open to expose the docking mechanism, approaches the International Space Stations Harmony module on March 4, 2019. (NASA via AP) The rocket will accelerate to a speed of approximately 17,000 miles per hour, according to NASA. The trip will take about 24 hours. The Crew Dragon capsule the rocket is propelling will dock at the station, and will be used again in several months to carry the astronauts back to Earth. The capsule was tested in January. SpaceXs program revolves around reusing key components, including capsules and rockets. American astronauts have been launching to the space station for the past nine years from Russian soil. The new mission, deemed Demo-2, is the final major step to certify Crew Dragon for lengthy missions to the station. NASA is preparing to utilize knowledge gained in the missions to land the first woman and next man on the Moons surface in 2024 as part of its Artemis program. Visitors at Playalinda Beach look on as a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launches from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on April 11, 2019. (Gregg Newton/AFP via Getty Images) A Falcon 9 SpaceX heavy rocket lifts off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla on Feb. 6, 2018. (John Raoux/AP Photo) A new era of human spaceflight is set to begin, the space agency said in a statement. SpaceX said its returning human spaceflight to the United States with one of the safest, most advanced systems ever built. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence started traveling last month after a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be the first trip since then not related to the CCP virus. Pence previously said he would attend the launch. Its great to be in Florida, because Im going to be back in a week, because not too far from here, for the first time in almost 10 years, were going to send American astronauts back to space in American rockets from Kennedy Space, Pence told reporters while visiting with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on May 21. During a recent interview with Fox News, Pence said, When that rocket goes off next week, itll remind the American people that even in the midst of the most challenging times, America still moves forward. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 15, 2020) - Aftermath Silver Ltd. (TSXV: AAG) (OTCQB: FLMZF) (the "Company" or "Aftermath Silver") is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement to immediately retire the $1,075,000 balance of the $1,575,000 convertible debenture which was issued to Halo Labs Inc in October, 2019 in consideration of the acquisition of the 80-per-cent interest in the Cachinal silver-gold project (See AAG news release dated October 31, 2019). To retire the obligations under the debenture, Aftermath Silver will issue 4,000,000 common shares to Halo at the conversion price of 20 cents. Aftermath Silver is buying Halo's shares in the Chilean holding company, Minera Cachinal SA, representing 80-per-cent ownership of the project. SSR Mining Inc. holds the remaining 20% interest. Ralph Rushton, President of Aftermath Silver commented: "I'd like to thank Halo Labs for allowing us to trigger retirement of the debenture early. Given the current precious metals market, the removal of the upcoming cash payment obligations under the debenture will allow Aftermath Silver to direct more of its treasury into the technical programs in Chile, as and when COVID restrictions are lifted." Warrant Exercise The Company also announces that it has received proceeds of $159,150 to date related to the recent exercise of 1,326,250 warrants, which were exercisable at $0.12. An updated share structure is posted on Aftermath Silver's website here: https://aftermathsilver.com/share-structure/ About Cachinal Silver-Gold Project The Cachinal silver-gold project is located in Chile's Antofagasta region (Region II). The project is located about 40 km east of the Pan American Highway, in a nearly flat plain at an elevation of around 2,700 m above sea level, 16 km north of Austral Gold's Guanaco gold-silver mine. It is a low-sulphidation epithermal deposit. Shallow drilling has defined the current mineral resources principally to a depth of 150 m below surface and provides sufficient evidence to interpret the presence of high-grade shoots within the vein system extending below the base of a potential open pit. Following these high-grade shoots to depth with drilling will be the initial focus of the company's efforts to expand the silver-gold mineralization. The oxidation level bottoms at about 120 m to 150 m below surface; however, the down-dip extent of the mineralized structures remains unknown. Story continues Completion of the updated NI 43-101 Technical Report on Cachinal continues to be delayed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in Chile. Qualified Person Peter Voulgaris, MAIG, MAusIMM, a consultant to the Company, is a non-independent qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Voulgaris has reviewed the technical content of this news release, and consents to the information provided in the form and context in which it appears. About Aftermath Silver Ltd Aftermath Silver Ltd is a Canadian junior exploration company engaged in acquiring, exploring, and developing mineral properties with an emphasis on silver in Chile. The Company is focused of growth through the discovery and acquisition of quality projects in stable jurisdictions. Aftermath continues to seek new opportunities to capitalize on the current silver environment. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Ralph Rushton" Ralph Rushton CEO and Director 604-484-7855 The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain of the statements and information in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities laws. Any statements or information that express or involve discussions with respect to interpretation of exploration programs and drill results, predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategies", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "budgets", "schedules", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements or information. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forwardlooking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forwardlooking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forwardlooking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forwardlooking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in commodities prices; changes in expected mineral production performance; unexpected increases in capital costs; exploitation and exploration results; continued availability of capital and financing; differing results and recommendations in the Feasibility Study; and general economic, market or business conditions. In addition, forwardlooking statements are subject to various risks, including but not limited to operational risk; political risk; currency risk; capital cost inflation risk; that data is incomplete or inaccurate. The reader is referred to the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators for disclosure regarding these and other risk factors, accessible through Aftermath Silvers' profile at www.sedar.com. There is no certainty that any forwardlooking statement will come to pass and investors should not place undue reliance upon forwardlooking statements. The Company does not undertake to provide updates to any of the forwardlooking statements in this release, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56000 Intelligence reports say two Russian invaders were killed in action and another one injured as Joint Forces returned fire. Russian occupation forces in Donbas violated the ceasefire 12 times over the past day, reads the morning update by the Joint Forces Operation HQ. The enemy fired on Ukrainian defense positions, employing 120 mm and 82 mm mortars proscribed by the Minsk agreements, as well as grenade launchers of various types, UAVs, heavy machine guns, and small arms. In the zone of responsibility of the SKHID (East) operational-tactical group, the enemy engaged Ukraine troops three times near Bohdanivka with 82mm mortars, heavy machine guns, small arms, as well as dropped a VOG-17 fragmentation round from a UAV. Outside the village of Verkhniotoretske, the invaders fired twice, employing 120 mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, and heavy machine guns. Read alsoRFE/RL: UNICEF calls for ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, says children 'urgently need peace' Near Starohnativka, the enemy violated the ceasefire, engaging Ukrainian forces with grenade launchers of various types and small arms, also using UAVs to drop VOG-17 fragmentation rounds on defense positions. Ukraine defenders near Chermalyk, Vodiane and Pisky came under enemy fire as invaders employed grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms. In the zone of responsibility of the PIVNICH [North] operational-tactical group, the enemy engaged Ukraine forces near Novoluhanske and Luhanske, with the use of easel anti-tank grenade launchers and heavy machine guns. As a result of enemy shelling, one Ukrainian serviceman was injured. Joint Forces returned fire to enemy provocations. According to intelligence, two Russian invaders were killed in action and another one was injured. The West Bengal government on Saturday sought support of the Indian Army, railways and port for restoring essential infrastructure and services in the cyclone-ravaged areas of the state. It also urged private entities to provide manpower and equipment for the purpose. In a series of tweets, the Home Department said that the state government has mobilised maximum strength in a unified command mode for immediate restoration of essential infrastructure and services. Army support has been called for; NDRF and SDRF teams deployed; Rlys,Port & private sector too requested to supply teams and equipment (sic), it tweeted. It said that drinking water and drainage infrastructure is getting restored fast and the Public Health Engineering Department has been asked to supply water pouches in areas where there is a crisis. Generators being hired where necessary. More than a hundred teams from multiple departments and bodies working for cutting of fallen trees which is the key to restoration of power in localities, the Home Department said. WBSEDCL & CESC asked to deploy maximal manpower, even while lockdown significantly affects the deployment potential of the latter. Police on high alert, the it added. The announcement came after protests in several parts of Kolkata and neighbouring districts over power and water crisis even three days after cyclone Amphan hit the state. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged people to have patience as the administration was working tirelessly to restore normalcy. Cyclone Amphan has claimed 86 lives in the state and caused havoc in at least 14 districts, mainly in South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas and East Midnapore. Two weeks back 30-year-old home-loan salesperson Kushal Jain (name changed) working with a private housing finance company (HFC) got a call from a human resource official of the firm informing him that he "needed to resign" or would face the "consequences". But what bothered Jain most was the fact that his direct reporting manager did not even make a courtesy call to inform him of the decision nor was any official communication sent. He was among the 350 other employees who were called over the messaging platform mandating them to resign or be liable to lose separation payouts along with withholding of the relieving letter. Using WhatsApp for calling employees meant that the conversation could not be recorded and hence the individual would have no proof of this discussion. The coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent slowdown has led to a spate of job cuts across companies, with the sales staff across sectors being the worst hit. But, this situation has brought forth the issue of ethical sacking and how companies must be open about decisions pertaining to cost cutting. However, since several companies in India seem to a bit clueless about how to go about implementing job cuts, here are some of tips that could come handy: Follow our LIVE Updates on the coronavirus pandemic here Dont make sly calls to staff Letting go of people is a tough exercise for any HR manager. The least that can be done is to follow rules. Send a proper written communication over email/physical letter informing the staff member of the decision. Brushing matters under the carpet by making sly calls to staff is only going to make things worse. Whatever be the reason, keep the communication open and transparent. Using scare tactics is easy but will delay the laying-off process and worse, you as an employer could get sued. A simple letter/email would do the job. Another 47-year-old employee at the housing finance firm quoted above told Moneycontrol that he would have quit only if his sales manager made a formal call and told him there is a crisis. There was a certain level of respect that I had for my senior and would accept any management decision merely on his word and assurance. But he disappointed me and refused to even answer my phone calls, he said. Dont resort to unnecessary threats Just to reiterate, the role of a human resource manager in a company is workforce management and threatening employees may not necessarily be part of the key result area (KRA). You better put in your papers may scare off a few people but those who have been longer in the system know that this could very well be an empty threat. If an employee is asked to resign or warned of dire consequences if resignation is not submitted, the separation process is bound to get delayed. Whatever separation benefits and final settlements/dues that an employee is entitled to, must be paid at the earliest. This would ensure that even a decision of layoff does not lead to a bitter engagement between an outgoing employee and a company. The all press is good press may not necessary hold true in case a large group of employees decide to sue the company for unethical HR practices and non-payment of dues. Dont beat around the bush; cut to the point In several companies, letting go of an employee is never communicated as a direct decision. It is usually a demotion, an unwanted transfer, or a sudden job-role change. Rather than beating around the bush by offering a sudden transfer to another location with a reduced pay to an employee, simply inform that they are being fired. It will be a tough conversation but at least you arent giving false hopes. Also Read: Ola to lay off 1,400 employees Financial sector firms use the role-change tactic repeatedly to give subtle indications to employees that it is time for them to quit. So, someone in an administrative role would be suddenly shifted to technical operations or sales where he/she may not have any expertise or interest. Or be told that they are being shifted out to a different city and new team mandatorily in a week. But why make professional life worse for this employee? Instead of giving weak signals, just be direct. Employees are not broken furniture Once you as a company have decided to let go off an employee, the best would be to give them time to absorb this information. Multiple cases emerge of companies handing over a pink-slip and demanding the individual leave the office premises within the next 30 minutes. Is this some sort of a race where companies literally throwing employees out of the workplace win accolades? Is it to ensure that outgoing staff dont call influential politicians to their rescue? Or is it just to stop him/her from bad-mouthing the company to his colleagues? Whatever be the reason, an employee who may have worked at an office for a significant period (be it one month, one year or even 10 years) cannot be treated as a piece of broken furniture thrown out when not required. Communicate the decision and give employees at least one week for them to gather their belongings and complete exit formalities. It is best to not spring a job-cut surprise Picture this. There are festivities at the workplace during Christmas and staff members are expecting presents as part of a gift-exchange initiative. Being called to the boardroom and handed a pink-slip wouldnt exactly be the gift your employee envisioned. Instead of springing such nasty surprises, employees need to be informed of any possible employment loss depending on business outcomes. If an employee is mentally prepared, it would be easier to communicate a job-cut decision. Almost every company in India is going through a crisis right now. In the midst of a pandemic, probably the last thing on a companys wish-list would be a permanent scar on the brand reputation due to bad human resource practices. Act wise. Advertisement Two passengers have survived the A320 crash in Pakistan, including Zafar Masood, manager of the Bank of Punjab, according to a government spokesman. The bank said he had suffered fractures but was 'conscious and responding well'. The other survivor, engineer Muhammad Zubair, told Geo News the pilot came down for one landing, briefly touched down, then took off again. After around 10 more minutes of flying, the pilot announced to passengers he was going to make a second attempt, then crashed as he approached the runway, Zubair said from his bed in Civil Hospital Karachi. 'All I could see around was smoke and fire,' he added. 'I could hear screams from all directions. Kids and adults. All I could see was fire. I couldn't see any people just hear their screams.' The other 95 passengers and crew are believed to have died. 'Thank you so much. God has been merciful,' Mr Masood, the banker who was in seat 1C said, according to officials who spoke to him in hospital after the crash. The other known survivor was named as Muhammad Zubair. Witnesses said the flight from Lahore had made three failed attempts to land at Jinnah International Airport before ploughing into the Model Colony area of the city on a fourth landing attempt. Pakistan's civil aviation authority said the plane had 91 passengers and a crew of seven. The pilot told air traffic control that he had lost both of his engines and a recording has emerged of the captain making a final mayday call before the crash. The Airbus A320-214 model uses a CFM56 engine made by CFM International, a joint venture between US-based General Electric and France's Safran. A photo of the aircraft on approach also shows that the landing gear is still up and black scorch marks under each engine. The air traffic control recording starts after the pilot has already made one failed landing attempt. Bank of Punjab president Zafar Masood was dragged from the smoking debris of the Pakistan International Airlines flight after it smashed into houses in Karachi today (left). He is pictured right on a stretcher in pictures aired by Pakistani TV The other survivor, engineer Muhammad Zubair, told Geo News the pilot came down for one landing, briefly touched down, then took off again This picture shared by plane enthusiasts in Pakistan today shows the aircraft shortly before the crash, after it suffered an apparent engine failure. Black scorch marks can be seen beneath each engine and the landing gear is still up A bulldozer works in the wreckage of the Pakistan International Airlines crash today after the Airbus A320 smashed into a residential area of Karachi on Friday This was the scene as emergency crews rushed to the scene of the plane crash in the Model Colony in Karachi Volunteers carry an injured woman from the crash site after a Pakistan International Airlines came down in a residential area The plane had been flying from Lahore to Jinnah, which usually takes 90 minutes, before it went down in the Model Colony area as it began its final approach to land at Karachi airport The pilot says: 'We are proceeding direct, sir - we have lost engine'. 'Confirm your attempt on belly,' the air traffic controller said, offering a runway. 'Sir, mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday Pakistan 8303,' the pilot said before the transmission ended. Videos uploaded on social media show the plane's final moments as it steadily descends to the shrieks of terrified residents. Witnesses say the plane was so low they felt the walls of their houses tremble and saw the plane tilted on one side. The chequered safety record of CFM56 engine mounted on Airbus A320 According to Flightradar24, the particular model which crashed today was an Airbus A320-214, which uses an engine called a CFM56-5B4. CFM International is a joint venture between General Electric of the United States and France's Safran. The failure of a pair of CFM engines was blamed for the Kegworth air disaster in 1989, when 47 people were killed after a Boeing 737 crashed into a motorway embankment in Leicestershire. A fan blade in one of the engines failed around 13 minutes into the British Midland Airways flight, investigators said. The engine was subsequently modified and cleared to fly again. In 2018, a CFM56 engine on Southwest flight 1380 blew apart over Pennsylvania about 20 minutes after the Dallas-bound flight left New York. The explosion sent shrapnel ripping into the fuselage of the Boeing 737-700 plane and shattered a window. One person died. Advertisement Plumes of smoke smothered the skyline after the Pakistan International Airlines plane smashed into houses among the poor and densely populated area of Model Colony that is two miles from the airport. The A320 can carry up to 180 passengers, depending on how its cabin is configured. The Sindh provincial government press department later distributed a photo depicting a second survivor identified as Mohammad Zubair, recovering in a Karachi hospital. Safety record of the Airbus A320... There have been 119 aviation incidents and accidents across the Airbus A320 fleet. The narrow-body airliners are designed and produced by Airbus, and the first A320 was launched in 1987. The fleet's first crash happened just a year later in 1988 after the captain of an Air France Flight 296 delayed applying full power as he climbed away, crashing into trees beyond the runway. Four further crashes happened in the 1990s, including in Bangalore, the Vosges mountains, Warsaw, and the Philippines. Nine incidents took place in the 2000s and a further 13 happened between 2011 and 2019. It is believed that 18 of the accidents have been fatal, including more than 1,400 deaths. A total of 47 hull loss incidents - when the plane is damaged beyond repair - have occurred among the fleet. Advertisement Footage showed scenes of chaos with burning rubble and plane debris strewn across the area as hospitals ready themselves for a flurry of victims and the Pakistani Army desperately hunts for survivors. The Prime Minister has pledged to hold an 'immediate inquiry' into the crash. In Pakistan there is fevered speculation that model and actress Zara Abid, who has more than 80,000 Instagram followers, was one of the victims but this has not been confirmed. However, tributes were being paid to her on Twitter by Pakistani fashion designers and actors. The official statement confirmed two survivors and said that 17 of the bodies had been 'identified so far.' Earlier the airline's chief executive Arshad Mahmood Malik said in a press conference that only one survivor had been confirmed from the wreckage - the president of the Bank of Punjab, Zafar Masud. The Airbus had been flying from Lahore to Jinnah, which usually takes 90 minutes, before it went down in the Model Colony area as it began its final approach to land at Karachi airport. 'The last we heard from the pilot was that he has some technical problem,' a PIA spokesman revealed. 'He was told from the final approach that both the runways were ready where he can land, but the pilot decided that he wanted to do (a) go-round... It is a very tragic incident.' A recording posted on monitoring website liveatc.net reveals the pilot told controllers the plane had lost power from both its engines on its second attempt to land. As it called off an earlier attempt to land and tried for a second time, a controller radioed the pilot and told him he appeared to be turning left, suggesting he was off-course. The pilot replied, 'We are returning back, sir, we have lost engines,' and the controller cleared the plane to land on either of Karachi airport's two West-Southwest-facing runways. Twelve seconds later the pilot cried 'Mayday, Mayday, Mayday' and was again cleared to use either runway. A resident of the area, Abdul Rahman, said he saw the aircraft circle at least three times, appearing to try and land before it crashed into several houses and caused roofs to cave in. 'The aeroplane first hit a mobile tower and crashed over houses,' witness Shakeel Ahmed said near the site, a few miles short of the airport. The Sindh provincial health department said it had recovered 57 bodies, while PIA chairman Arshad Malik said finding all the dead could take two to three days. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sources said the captain had reported a technical fault before the plane vanished from the radar. They told News One that communication with the plane was cut off one minute before it was scheduled to touch down. In Pakistan there is fevered speculation that model and actress Zara Abid, who has more than 80,000 Instagram followers, was one of the victims but this has not been confirmed However, airworthiness documents showed the plane last received a government check on Nov. 1, 2019. PIA's chief engineer signed a separate certificate April 28 saying all maintenance had been conducted. It said 'the aircraft is fully airworthy and meets all the safety' standards. Seemin Jamali, executive director at the nearby Jinnah Hospital, said 17 dead bodies and six wounded people had been brought in. Three people who were on the ground in the area where the plane crashed were injured. Rescue workers and local residents pulled people from the debris as firefighters battled to put out the flames. 'I heard a big bang and woke up to people calling for the fire brigade,' said Karachi resident Mudassar Ali. Teenager Hassan said: I was coming from the mosque when I saw the plane tilting on one side. The engines' sounds were quite weird. It was so low that the walls of my house were trembling.' CCTV appears to show the moment the plane crashed into the residential area of Karachi A relative of one of the victims was pictured standing outside a mobile morgue which was parked near the scene Rescue workers also used stretchers to carry bodies from the wreckage of the crashed airliner Another of the survivors, Mohammed Zubair, was pictured in hospital in Karachi as he was spoken to by Pakistani minister Saeed Ghani The plane wreaked devastation when it ploughed into a poor residential area Emergency responders spray the wreckage of the Airbus A320 after it crashed into houses in the densely populated Model Colony area of Karchi Pieces of the wrecked plane lie among the burnt debris at the crash site in Karachi after the crash today Rescue workers descend on the site of the passenger plane crash in a residential area near an airport in Karachi, Pakistan Rescuers have pulled a number of people from the debris caused by the crash. It is understood that two passengers survived the crash A wrecked door from the plane is seen in the residential area of Karachi Model Colony where the Airbus A320 crashed Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted: 'Shocked & saddened by the PIA crash. Am in touch with PIA CEO Arshad Malik, who has left for Karachi & with the rescue & relief teams on ground as this is the priority right now. 'Immediate inquiry will be instituted. Prayers & condolences go to families of the deceased.' The crash comes as Pakistanis across the country are preparing to celebrate the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr, with many travelling back to their homes in cities and villages. Airbus did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the crash. The flight typically takes an hour and a half from the northeastern city of Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, to Karachi. The plane which crashed is pictured above flying above Dubai International Airport in 2017 A rescuer was seen carrying a baby from the disaster scene. The child is believed to have been from a family living in the residential area where the plane came down Photos of burning rubble were circulated online in the immediate aftermath of the crash (left) as the Pakistani army is pictured above right rescuing a young child covered in ash Officials sift through the wreckage of the passenger plane as they work next to one of the fallen aircraft's engines The battered remains of the plane's engine can be seen above mere moments after the crash This was the scene of devastation as fire brigade staff used jet hoses to put out the fire. The plane crashed down as it approached Karachi's Jinnah International Airport Plumes of smoke billow after the Pakistan International Airlines plane smashed into the residential area A burning car in the aftermath of the crash sits among rubble (left) as plumes of smoke billow in the air (right) The crash comes just days after the country began allowing commercial flights to resume Emergency crews inspect the destruction as they stand in the rubble after the plane smashed into buildings on Friday Video footage that has appeared online appears to show the low-flying plane low over houses (left) moments before the fatal crash (right) as smoke bursts into the air The jet has been indentified by tracking website flightradar24.com as a 15-year-old Airbus A320. In 2016, a Pakistan International Airlines plane burst into flames after one of its two turboprop engines failed while flying from the remote northern to Islamabad, killing more than 40 people. PIA, one of the world's leading airlines until the 1970s, now suffers from a sinking reputation due to frequent cancellations, delays and financial troubles. It has been involved in numerous controversies over the years, including the jailing of a drunk pilot in Britain in 2013. The crash comes as Pakistanis across the country are preparing to celebrate the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr, with many travelling back to their homes in cities and villages. A child survivor, with its cheek and head bandaged, looks on at the unfolding horror (left) while a Pakistani Army soldier (right) leads another away from the scene A victim is taken away on a body board as medics scramble to find survivors Hospital staff prepare to receive the victims of the passenger plane crash Ambulances arrive at the scene ready to rush victims to hospital Police have also been spotted blasting water on the charred remains of the aircraft Emergency authorities have been scrambled to the scene in a desperate attempt to find survivors injured in the crash A plume of smoke is seen in the aftermath of the crash Arshad Malik, PIA boss, posted a message of condolence on Twitter The Pakistan military tweeted that security forces had been deployed to the area and helicopters were being used to survey the damage and help ongoing rescue operations. The crash comes just days after the country began allowing commercial flights to resume. Pakistan has a chequered military and civilian aviation safety record, with frequent plane and helicopter crashes over the years. MUMBAI: The number of police personnel infected with the deadly coronavirus infection across Maharashtra has risen to 1666 and a total of 18 deaths reported in the state police force so far. Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh took to Twitter to inform about the unfortunate demise of Head Constable Arun Phadtare who was posted at Vile Parle Police Station in Mumbai. Mumbai Police regrets to inform about the unfortunate demise of HC Arun Phadtare from Vile Parle PStn. Being in the high-risk age-group, HC Phadtare was on leave for the past few days. We pray for his soul to rest in peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Phadtare family. Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 22, 2020 Being in the high-risk age-group, HC Phadtare was on leave for the past few days. He died due to COVID-19 infection on Friday, he tweeted. In another tweet, the Mumbai Police chief said that at least 227 police personnel have successfully recovered from COVID-19 and are ready to report back to duty soon. On May 21, Mumbai Police lost ASI Bhivsen Haribhau Pingle. ASI Pingle was battling coronavirus. Being in the high-risk age-group, he was on leave since April. On the same day, Mumbai Police informed about the unfortunate demise of HC Ganesh Chaudhari (57) from Parksite Police Station. He was also on leave since April. The COVID-19 virus had last week claimed the life of ASI Madhukar Mane who was posted in Mumbai. States DGP and all ranks of Maharashtra Police had offered their condolences to the bereaved families of all the deceased police personnel. A large number of policemen have also been put in self-quarantine, which has left a staggering shortage of personnel in the police department. To match the present requirements of police personnel, the Maharashtra government has sought Centre's help and asked to send around 2000 additional policemen from the Central Armed Police Forces to provide some respite to its own fatigued officers. Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state by the deadly contagion. The state has a total number of 44582 cases of COVID-19 infection, which includes 1666 police personnel. The death toll due to the deadly virus has risen to 1517 out of which 63 fatalities were recorded on Friday alone. In Mumbai alone, the number of coronavirus infections has reached 27251 with 1751 new cases of COVID-19 infection recorded on Friday alone. On Friday, 27 fatalities due to COVID-19 were recorded in Mumbai alone. Out of the total 44582 cases, at least 12583 people have recovered from COVID-19 infection and discharged from the hospital. O ne of the two survivors of the Pakistan plane crash said the passengers were given a warning the landing in Karachi would be "troublesome" before the plane jolted violently. Pakistan International Airlines flight PK303 was on its final approach to the runway after making the 90-minute journey from the eastern city of Lahore when it crashed into a residential area. Passenger Mohammad Zubair said the pilot had warned of a difficult landing and the plane jolted violently, which he thought was turbulence. Moments later, it slammed into a crowded neighbourhood on the edge of the international airport. Authorities said Fridays crash killed 97 people, all of them passengers and crew members. Rescue workers gather at the site after a Pakistan International Airlines aircraft crashed in a residential area in Karachi / AFP via Getty Images Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Abdul Sattar Kokhar said the Airbus A230 was carrying 91 passengers and eight crew members. The only other survivor of the crash was Zafar Masood, a bank executive. In a telephone interview from his hospital bed, Mr Zubair, a mechanical engineer, said flight PK8308 had taken off on time from the eastern city of Lahore at 1pm local time. It was a smooth, uneventful flight until the aircraft began its descent shortly before 3pm. Suddenly the plane jerked violently, once and then again, he said. The aircraft turned and the pilots voice came over the intercom. They were experiencing engine trouble and the landing could be troublesome, the pilot said. That was the last thing Mr Zubair remembered until he woke up in a scene of chaos. I saw so much smoke and fire. I heard people crying, children crying. Police officers guard a cordoned-off street leading to the site of a passenger plane crash / REUTERS / Akhtar Soomro He managed to crawl out of the smoke and rubble, and was eventually lifted from the ground and rushed to an ambulance. The Pakistan International Airlines flight was carrying people returning home for Eid al-Fitr, a major holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Provincial health department spokeswoman Meeran Yousaf said only 19 bodies have been identified so far and that most of the victims were badly burned. Three people on the ground were reportedly injured, and rescue crews were still sifting through the rubble on Saturday. The plane crashed near Jinnah International Airport, in the deprived and congested residential area known as Model Colony. At least five houses were destroyed. Pakistan plane crash - locator map Pakistan had only resumed domestic flights earlier this week. Many of the passengers on board were families returning home for the holiday, said Science Minister Fawad Ahmed Chaudhry. Between the coronavirus pandemic and the plane crash, this year has been a catastrophe, he added. What is most unfortunate and sad is whole families have died, whole families who were travelling together for the Eid holiday, he said. Zara Abid, an actor and award-winning model, was reportedly among those killed, alongside a senior banker, his wife and three young children. A firefighter sprays water on the wreckage of a Pakistan International Airlines aircraft after it crashed in a residential area in Karachi / AFP via Getty Images Shabaz Hussein, whose mother died in the crash, said he had identified her body at a local hospital and was waiting to take it away for burial. Pakistan has been in a countrywide lockdown since mid-March because of the coronavirus, and when flights resumed every other seat was left empty to promote social distancing. Southern Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, is the epicentre of Pakistans outbreak, with nearly 20,000 of the countrys more than 50,000 cases. Pakistan has reported 1,101 deaths from Covid-19s. A transmission of the pilots final exchange with air traffic control, posted on the website LiveATC.net, indicated that he had failed to land and was circling to make another attempt. We are proceeding direct, sir we have lost engine, the pilot said. Confirm your attempt on belly, the air traffic controller said, offering a runway. Sir, mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday Pakistan 8303, the pilot said before the transmission ended. PIA chairman Arshad Malik told reporters in Karachi on Friday that an independent inquiry would be held but said the aircraft was in good working order. Airworthiness documents showed the plane last received a government check on November 1 2019. PIAs chief engineer signed a separate certificate April 28 saying all maintenance had been carried out. It said the aircraft is fully airworthy and meets all the safety standards. Ownership records for the Airbus A320 showed China Eastern Airlines flew the plane from 2004 until 2014. The plane then entered PIAs fleet, leased from GE Capital Aviation Services. Airbus said the plane had logged 47,100 flight hours and 25,860 flights as of Friday. The plane had two CFM56-5B4 engines. Airbus said it would provide technical assistance to investigators in France and Pakistan, as well as the airline and engine manufacturers. We at Airbus are deeply saddened by the tragic news of flight #PK8303, tweeted executive director Guillaume Faury. In aviation, we all work hard to prevent this. Airbus will provide full assistance to the investigating authorities. Additional reporting by the Associated Press. STEPANAKERT, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan made more than 180 ceasefire violations between May 17-23 in the Artsakh Line of Contact. The Artsakh military said the Azerbaijani forces fired around 3000 shots at their positions from various caliber small arms. In addition to these violations, the Azerbaijani military also attempted a subversive incursion in the direction of an Artsakh military base on May 22. Azerbaijani troops suffered losses during their attack and were repelled. The Artsakh military said they remain in full control of the frontline and take necessary steps to ensure the protection of their positions. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan Jaguar is reported to be in talks with the UK government about a loan Photo: Getty Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is in talks with the UK government about a request for temporary state funding of more than 1bn ($1.22bn), Sky News has reported. The loan request had been lodged with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the report said, citing a source close to Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), whose parent company is Tata Motors. But Jaguar has denied the story. Jaguar Land Rover said in an emailed statement to the newswire Reuters: The claim is inaccurate and speculative. We are in regular discussions with government on a whole range of matters and the content of our private discussions remains confidential. Last weekend, The Sunday Times reported that the Indian-owned carmaker was among the companies in which taxpayers could ultimately take an equity stake as part of an extension of efforts to prevent key sectors of the economy collapsing. JLR a subsidiary of Tata Motors, is a giant of British industry, employing approximately 38,000 people. The company has furloughed around 50% of its non-critical workers during the coronavirus crisis. READ MORE: Car rental firm Hertz files for bankruptcy The car industry has been hit hard since lockdown began in March and figures earlier this month showed that sales have fallen to the lowest point since the second world war. Just 4,321 new cars were registered in April, after car showrooms were banned from staying open as part of attempts to limit the spread of COVID-19. It compared with 161,064 sales in the same month last year, and was the weakest since 1946 when the UK was emerging from war and resources were still rationed, highlighting the historic extent to which pandemic restrictions have hit the economy. Democrats and Republicans alike say theyre fully committed to seeing that every child receives a quality education. Bipartisan agreement notwithstanding, school children in urban America have gotten the short end of the learning stick for a long, long time. How can anyone defend the following statistics? In 2010-2011, public schools in the nations capital spent $29,345 per pupil nearly $600,000 per each classroom of 20 students yet the Districts 8th graders finished dead last in a nationwide proficiency test in math and reading. According to a 2015 report by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, 96 percent of 8th graders in Detroits public schools tested not proficient in math, and 93 percent tested not proficient in reading. According to a 2017 investigation by Project Baltimore, 13 of the citys 39 public high schools had zero students who tested proficient in math. Zero! Of the 3,841 students in the remaining 26 high schools, only 14 tested at or above proficiency in math, less than one-third of one percent. For a half-century running, Democrat-run urban schools have robbed minority children of a realistic chance for a decent education. In addition to earning an F-minus in their assigned duty to adequately educate students under their care, the three school districts named above have something else in common: they all are run by highly-paid Democrat administrators whose foremost priority is catering to the demands of teachers unions, one of the Democrat partys most loyal constituencies. Left wing teachers demand more money (Photo credit: Charles Edward Miller) In school systems with teachers unions, Democrats look the other way as the interests of teachers take precedence over the interests of children. And no wonder. The overwhelming share of union dues paid by teachers is money-laundered straight through to the coffers of the Democrats. According to a Brookings Institution study, nearly 99% of teachers union political donations in 2012 went to Democrats. In 2016, teachers unions gave $43 million to Democrats, $260,000 to Republicans. Teachers First, Children Second Once sub-standard teachers have tenure, a Herculean effort is required to get rid of them. The teachers-first, children-second pecking order in the school systems cited below exists in virtually every urban school district in America, where a kings ransom of precious educational funding is frittered away to protect bad teachers. New York City public schools operate 16 reassignment centers, also known as rubber rooms. Rubber rooms are off-campus facilities where teachers accused of incompetence or gross misconduct are warehoused, as their glacial, union-mandated appeals process drones on, often for years. While receiving full pay and benefits, teachers in rubber room limbo spend each six-hour day napping, reading magazines, playing cards or other leisure activities. Despite constant complaints that it would do a better job of educating minority children if only its given more money, the citys bloated and incompetent public school system squanders $150 million a year paying hundreds of unionized teachers to do little more than kill time while waiting to find out if theyll be fired. Wasting $150 million would be one thing if the citys public schools did even a minimally acceptable job of educating disadvantaged minority children, but New York City has some of the sorriest public schools in America. Getting rid of bad teachers is so difficult in Democrat-run school districts that Milwaukees public schools came up with a mitigation plan called The Dance of the Lemons. Because teachers union contracts protect all teachers, including those deemed unfit to teach, school principals in Milwaukee found it virtually impossible to fire bad teachers. To cope with the problem, principals hold a meeting at the end of the school year where one principal swaps his or her worst teachers in exchange for another principals worst teachers, with both principals hoping the lemons they get wont be as bad as the lemons they swapped. How are the interests of students served when unfit teachers are shuffled around from one school to another in an endless game of musical chairs where every bad teacher gets a seat? New York City and Milwaukee arent the only places where unionized, Democrat-run schools fail miserably at adequately educating minority children. A 2010 investigation by L.A. Weekly found that the Los Angeles Unified School District spent $3.5 million trying to fire seven teachers for poor classroom performance. Only four of the seven were eventually fired at the end of their union-mandated appeals process, which dragged on for an average of five years at an average cost of $875,000 per fired teacher. Despite blowing through enormous sums of education funding, Los Angeles public schools graduated just 44% of its high school students in 2006, making it one of the worst-performing school districts in America. Graduation rates in Los Angeles have since improved, but only after the Democrat-controlled California Department of Education changed its formula for determining graduation requirements. Inexcusably sorry public schools in Democrat-run cities are nothing new. Theyve existed continually for the last half-century, with millions of minority students left unprepared to succeed in later life. The High Cost (to Students) of Bad Teachers Just as its true that good teachers can have an extraordinarily positive impact on the future lives of their students, its also true that bad teachers can cause lasting harm to the futures of their students. According to a study cited by Eric A. Hanushek, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University, a high-value-added teacher in grades 4-8 has a noticeable impact on subsequent long-term outcomes, including college attendance, earnings and family creation. How can young adults who were stuck with sub-standard teachers in the public schools they attended possibly do well in later life? To be fair, socio-economics also plays a role in poor outcomes, but which party is responsible for the welfare-for-votes policies that inevitably lead to broken homes, generational poverty and chronic despair? School Choice to the Rescue How can our society help urban students get out of rotten public schools, and into the same kind of safe, high-performing private academies attended by children of affluent families? The surest way is through federally-funded school choice vouchers. Unfortunately, the mutually back-scratching alliance between Democrats and teachers unions blocks school choice at every turn. In doing so, their unholy confederation wreaks unmitigated havoc on inner city communities by robbing generations of urban children of a realistic shot at a decent education. Although Democrats and teachers unions know better, they say private schools arent all theyre cracked up to be. Anyone who thinks that should ask the two brothers in the video below. Their story should be the story of every disadvantaged child in America. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: China is engaged in proactive and coercive military and paramilitary activities with its neighbours including India, the White House said, a day after New Delhi rejected Beijings claims of incursion by Indian troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Beijing contradicts its rhetoric and flouts its commitments to its neighbours by engaging in provocative and coercive military and paramilitary activities in the Yellow Sea, the East and South China Seas, the Taiwan Strait, and Sino-Indian border areas, the report, titled United States Strategic Approach to the Peoples Republic of China, stated. The report also accused the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of employing intimidation and coercion tactics in its efforts to eliminate growing strengths and advancing its strategic objectives globally. Beijings actions belie Chinese leaders proclamations that they oppose the threat or use of force, do not intervene in other countries internal affairs, or are committed to resolving disputes through peaceful dialogue. The Chinese are attempting to dominate global information and communications through unfair means, the report said. This is reflected in discriminatory regulations like the National Cyber Security Law, which requires companies to comply with Chinese data localization measures that enable CCP access to foreign data. India has rejected the Chinese allegations of its troops intruding the LAC. It added that the Chinese troops were causing hindrance in regular patrolling along the LAC. The report also comes a day after US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells backed India in its efforts to push back Chinese aggression. Police evict potential invaders eyeing up unused land Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Q.R. Nearly two dozen police officers responded to an attempted land invasion in the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto Friday, ensuring the would-be settlers left. The officers arrived on the site of land where dozens of people had been scouting the area for several days. Their arrival came after nearby residents reported seeing groups of the potential invaders repeatedly returning to the area. According to Eustaquio Pech Ku, head of Territorial Investigation of the Vice Prosecutors Office of the Central Zone, the unused land, which legally belongs to la Universidad de Quintana Roo, was protected by a judicial order since the University of Quintana Roo had already formally filed a lawsuit with the State Attorney Generals Office after more than a hundred people invaded the property. The group of invaders, who had been eyeing up the land for several days, left peacefully after police arrived The invaders explained that they had earmarked the land for their own personal living space, having already named it Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (neighborhood) after Mexicos president. Police remained on site until the invaders left, after which, they cordoned off the property. There were no arrests. The time has come for the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs to recognize and stop the illegal activities carried out in Germany by the so-called "NKR" (a puppet regime controlled by Yerevan in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan), Berlin political scientist Heiko Langner told Vestnik Kavkaza. "The German Foreign Ministrys demand for Nagorno-Karabakh to refrain from quasi-diplomatic activity in Germany is long overdue and must put an end to the absurd state of affairs. A state that does not exist, since it is not recognized by anyone, cannot maintain diplomatic representation abroad. This is clearly regulated in paragraph 132a of the Criminal Code. It also improves the basic conditions for peace talks of the OSCE Minsk Group, where Germany is represented. With its clear position, the German Foreign Ministry reaffirms the reality of the conflict, which means that the parties to the conflict are Armenia and Azerbaijan, "he explained. "The attempt of Nagorno-Karabakh to declare itself an independent state has always served to mask the status of Armenia in international law as an aggressor in the interstate conflict with Azerbaijan. These attempts also serve the purpose of changing the format of the OSCE negotiations to enable Armenian separatists to veto the necessary peaceful compromises. This undermined the long-term efforts of Russia, which today is the most active mediator in the conflict among the three co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the political scientist said. "Apparently, the separatist regime has become the victim of its own provocative activities in Germany. The decisive position of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs can be explained by the lobbying activities of Nagorno-Karabakh along with certain members of the CDU government group in the German Bundestag, who forced their own government to give a diplomatic explanation. As a result, a final clarification of Germanys position was obviously inevitable. In addition, the federal government certainly wanted to distance itself from a similar activity carried out by the right-wing nationalist Alternative for Germany, which repeatedly sent members of the Bundestag to observe the elections in Nagorno-Karabakh, " he said. We hope, that in case of non-compliance, the federal government will take specific legal measures against those who act illegally in Germany as officials of this non-existent" state, Heiko Langner concluded. Editors note: Todays guest editorial comes from The Chicago Tribune. Editorial content from other publications and authors is provided to give readers a sampling of regional and national opinion and does not necessarily reflect positions endorsed by the Editorial Board of The Daily News. Are the United States and China heading for a new Cold War? Judging by some of the rhetoric and policies emanating from Beijing and Washington, it sure looks that way. Already tense, relations between the worlds two largest powers have deteriorated sharply since the lethal coronavirus first emerged in the eastern Chinese city of Wuhan and then rapidly spread across the globe. In the United States, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has led the charge. Last January, Pompeo called the Chinese Communist Party the central threat of our times. And for weeks Pompeo sought to enlist Americas partners and even the United Nations Security Council into condemning China for spreading the Wuhan Virus. Chinas rhetoric has been no less blistering. A foreign ministry spokesman falsely suggested that the virus might have originated in a U.S. Army lab. Beijing also rejected U.S. criticism of its early handling of the outbreak as lunacy and repeatedly blasted Pompeo as an evil politician and enemy of humankind. To be sure, some of the rhetorical grandstanding in Washington and Beijing is for domestic consumption. President Donald Trumps increasingly bitter denunciation of China came not only after weeks of praising Beijing for its transparency, professionalism and very hard work, but also after it became clear that the administrations slow response had failed to stem a devastating outbreak at home. With just months to go until the elections, blaming China has become the presidents go-to foil for his administrations own failures. In China, too, blasting America provides useful cover for the leaderships early failure to respond to the virus in Wuhan, which not only overwhelmed the city but allowed the deadly disease to spread around the country and infect the world. And after stemming the spread through a brutal lockdown, Beijings propaganda machine and wolf warrior diplomats have jumped into full gear to condemn all those who criticize China and laud President Xi Jinpings exemplary leadership. Yet, at its core, the rhetorical competition represents a growing division between the United States and China. Washington has abandoned its long-standing view that a growing China could be integrated into a Western, U.S.-led world order. Even if few would go as far as Trump has in threatening to cut off the whole relationship, theres widespread agreement in Washington that the competition with China for global power and influence should stand at the core of American foreign policy. And China appears to be game. After decades practicing Deng Xiaopings strategy to hide your strength, bide your time, never take the lead, Beijing today is taking a more forceful and aggressive global stance. Under Xi, China not only rejects American global leadership; it seeks to replace it. Economically, Xi has directed Chinese industry to lead the world in robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and other high-tech fields by 2025. Militarily, China is modernizing rapidly, fielding the most advanced systems and increasingly showing off its military muscle around Taiwan, in the East and South China seas and throughout the Pacific. And politically, Beijing is trumpeting its own authoritarian system as a superior guide for others to follow. U.S.-China competition is inevitable. Its what happens when a new power rises and begins to demand a greater say in shaping the future global order. But while history suggests that such competition often leads to confrontation, it by no means is inevitable. And it isnt in this case. Compared with the U.S.-Soviet Cold War, the ideological competition between China and the United States is muted. Yes, there are clear divergences in terms of values and how best to govern, which are playing out in Hong Kong even now. But they arent as deep and searing as the divisions of half a century ago. For in stark contrast to then, the American and Chinese systems are far more intertwined economically, technologically, even socially. In some quarters, there is talk of decoupling the two economies, of bringing all production back home, as if all it takes is to fill a few pickups and drive home. But with deeply integrated markets and supply chains, separating the two economies will be wrenching and costly for all. Most importantly, even as the pandemic has deepened divisions, it also has underscored the new reality of our world that the most dire threats we now face, from deadly diseases to climate change, are truly global. Global threats require global solutions, based on cooperation rather than confrontation. There are no national solutions to these threats, only international ones. The Cold War divided the world into two camps. But today, the rest of the world shows little interest is choosing sides. Rather, nations around the world want to work together to fight climate change and defeat a deadly pandemic. And they are looking to Washington and Beijing to cooperate and lead in these global efforts. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Jennifer Garner attempted to 'get back to a little bit of normal life' on Friday afternoon by hosting a '#PretendCookingShow' from her kitchen. In the three-minute video shared to Instagram, Garner, 48, asked viewers to 'pardon [her] quarantine brain and weird space buns' as she masterfully whipped up homemade biscotti. 'This is one of my favorite recipes. I've made it for years,' said the Alias star as she stood over a well loved recipe book. Fun in lockdown: Jennifer Garner attempted to 'get back to a little bit of normal life' on Friday afternoon by hosting a '#PretendCookingShow' from her kitchen Jennifer noted in her post's caption that the recipe derived from Cooks Illustrated and that the end result would be a delicious batch of Orange-Almond Biscotti. She suited up for her cooking show in a grey tee and dark wash denim jeans. Jennifer playfully gushed over the bond she has formed with her Sunbeam mixer since taking up baking in lockdown. 'We're getting married at the end of quarantine. We're in love,' said Garner with a smile as she gracefully added her base ingredients to the mixing bowl. Delicious: In the three-minute video shared to Instagram, Garner, 48, asked viewers to 'pardon [her] quarantine brain and weird space buns' as she masterfully whipped up homemade biscotti Personal favorite: 'This is one of my favorite recipes. I've made it for years,' said the Alias star as she stood over a well loved recipe book 'Ah, I did that wrong,' she admitted at one point, before jokingly reassuring her mixer that it was 'doing great.' 'No you didn't let me down! It was my bad, not yours! You're doing great!' Once the ingredients were properly mixed, Jennifer added four tablespoons of butter and heaping cup of sugar. 'I forgot! I am supposed to [preheat the oven],' she said as she scurried to her touch screen oven. She then scoured her kitchen cabinets looking for almonds, which she later found and poured out onto a cookie sheet. Jennifer's little helper: Garner's dog Birdie was resting peacefully on the kitchen floor as Jennifer grounded up the almonds she had roasted in the oven Chop chop: Jennifer removed her biscotti from the oven, 'let them cool for a few minutes,' and then commenced the final steps of her baking endeavor 'The first thing you wanna do is toast your almonds. It's very easy to forget about you almonds,' insisted the Dallas Buyers Club actress. The clip then cut to a scene of Jennifer working hard on creating a decent amount of orange zest for her recipe. When she noticed her softened butter had fully immersed itself into the mixture in her mixing bowl, Jennifer added two raw eggs and some vanilla extract for flavor and almond extract. 'It's no problem. Take your time,' said Jennifer to her various appliances who were busy cooking and mixing. Transformation time: 'We're going to turn them into biscotti,' said Jennifer in a cringe-worthy Italian accent Garner's dog Birdie was resting peacefully on the kitchen floor as Jennifer grounded up the almonds she had roasted in the oven. 'Birdie is awake snoring,' joked Jennifer as the gentle giant uttered noises. Once all of her ingredients - including the crushed almonds and orange zest - were added to the mixing bowl, she did one final mix before removing the bowl and tasting the batter herself. 'That is good. I know,' she said, while licking the mixture off her finger. Back to the oven: She carefully cut the fresh biscotti loafs into slices and then placed them back into the oven Hard work: After all of her hard work, Jennifer, with a glass of red wine in hand, finally got enjoy her homemade biscotti She then placed the mound of batter onto a cookie sheet, formed the proper shapes, and placed them in the oven. 'We're going in the oven, guys! K, have fun,' said Jennifer excitedly as she slid the tray onto the oven rack with ease. 'I think it's going to be great! What do you think,' asked Jennifer to her beloved mixer. As she waited for her biscotti to finish baking, Garner heard her children calling for her from another room. She grimaced as she whispered, 'Are they going to find me?' Bon Appetit: 'It's evening now. It's not like it's 11AM. FYI. But this is how biscotti is best served,' she said as she dipped the biscotti into the wine and popped it into her mouth Jennifer removed her biscotti from the oven, 'let them cool for a few minutes,' and then commenced the final steps of her baking endeavor. 'We're going to turn them into biscotti,' said Jennifer in a cringe-worthy Italian accent. She carefully cut the fresh biscotti loafs into slices and then placed them back into the oven. After all of her hard work, Jennifer, with a glass of red wine in hand, finally got enjoy her homemade biscotti. I want it: She popped in a delectable close-up shot of her biscotti into the video before signing off 'It's evening now. It's not like it's 11AM. FYI. But this is how biscotti is best served,' she said as she dipped the biscotti into the wine and popped it into her mouth. She popped in a delectable close-up shot of her biscotti into the video before signing off. Jennifer has been quarantining at her home in Brentwood with daughters Violet, 14, and Seraphina, 11, and her son Samuel, eight. Garner shares all three children with her ex husband and fellow actor Ben Affleck, 47. As for Ben's quarantine situation, the Good Will Hunting star has been enjoying a loved up lockdown with his new girlfriend Ana de Armas, 32. Providence Resources says funding it was due to receive from Norwegian group Spot-On Energy has been delayed. The troubled Irish oil explorer received 300,000 (335,000) from SpotOn last month as part of a 2.75m fundraising. SpotOn had committed to a further 200,000 investment within six weeks of that announcement. But it now says the second instalment will be delayed a week. The delay will inevitably prompt comparisons to last year's long-running delay in the transfer of a promised $9m loan from Chinese company Apec. That saga ended with the money never arriving despite repeated assurances. Providence blamed this delay on Covid-19 restrictions. It said SpotOn "has experienced some delays in closing out the necessary arrangements with its consortium because of current working and travel restrictions". The investor has told Providence that the second tranche of funds will be delayed "by approximately one week". The deal with SpotOn relates to the farm-out of Standard Exploration Licence 1/11, which contains the Barryroe oil and gas field. SpotOn has been given a period of exclusivity until October 31 in respect of the license. Providence said it will provide an update to the market upon receipt of funds. In January, Alan Linn, an oil and gas veteran with more than 35 years' experience in the sector, took the reins of Providence following the resignation of Tony O'Reilly Jnr at the end of last year. The group implemented cost-cutting measures during the year, including a redundancy programme. 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. Madeline Fox, 96, a book lover who with her husband owned and operated Joseph Fox Bookshop in Center City, died Friday, May 15, of dementia at her Philadelphia home. Joseph Fox started the business in 1951 in the basement of 1724 Sansom St. A year later, his wife joined him. The shop carried books on architecture and design, art, literary fiction and nonfiction, music, and poetry, said their son Michael. There was also a section of childrens books carefully curated by Mrs. Fox. Under my parents, the bookstore became a cultural institution and part of the cultural fabric of Philadelphia, Michael Fox said. His mother held the fabric together by connecting customers with similar interests and offering them an informal meeting spot. Public figures such as the architect Louis Kahn frequented the shop. People would gather around and talk with him, Michael Fox said. He would hold court. Mrs. Fox built strong friendships with customers and nurtured the relationships for decades. She was a popular figure in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. Pretty much anybody intellectual and cultural in Philadelphia who had any love of literature found their way to that bookstore, said Alan H. Casper, a Philadelphia lawyer who became a regular customer starting in 1970. It was a place where you could talk books. Avi Loren Fox, Mrs. Foxs granddaughter, spent many happy hours there as a girl. I remember descending the narrow staircase into the basement storefront, she wrote. I remember the bells would ring when I threw the door open, revealing the warmth of yellow light and the smell of a thousand books. She recalled taking butterscotch from a basket Mrs. Fox kept on the counter. After Joseph Fox died in 1998, Michael Fox stepped in to run the business. The shop moved to the first floor. Mrs. Fox gradually decreased her presence there and retired 10 years ago. Michaels wife, Judi, joined him in operating the bookstore. The shop closed to all but online sales with the onset of the coronavirus. Its expected to reopen when the pandemic ebbs. Born in Mahanoy City, Pa., Mrs. Fox was the daughter of Ellis and Elizabeth Fried. She was educated in the public schools and married Joseph Fox in 1940. They raised two sons in Southwest Philadelphia before moving to Center City in 1965. Though Mrs. Fox never traveled and spent most of her life within a few square blocks, she was so well-read that it seemed as if she had been everywhere, her granddaughter said. Her favorite pastimes were reading, playing the piano, enjoying art, and listening to classical music. Madelines intellectual curiosity was contagious, Avi Loren Fox wrote. Through the bookstore, Mrs. Fox established a reputation as an engaging, respected touchstone for those who valued the intellectual life and sought to deepen their knowledge. In addition to her son Michael, she is survived by another son, David; three grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. A brother and two sisters died earlier. Services are private. Memorial donations may be made to Play on Philly, a nonprofit that provides music education to schoolchildren. When Dan Levitis, his wife, Iris, and their three young children trooped into a Madison, Wisconsin, urgent care clinic around 8 a.m. on New Year's Day 2018, the staff didn't seem surprised to see them. The family had sought treatment several times in the previous two months for recurrent strep throat infections. They had taken multiple rounds of drugs, professionally deep cleaned their home and replaced contaminated toothbrushes, but none of it worked for long. Inevitably, the infection came roaring back. "It seemed like the whole family was on antibiotics, had just stopped taking antibiotics or was coming down with strep again," recalled Levitis, an evolutionary biologist who at the time was an associate scientist at the University of Wisconsin. That New Year's Day, rapid tests showed that Iris and all three children had strep; Levitis did not. Three weeks earlier Iris and two of the children were found to be infected. And two weeks following the New Year's visit, after everyone had taken a full course of antibiotics, two of the children tested positive. Over the next three months, which included several more bouts of strep, Levitis began to suspect that the cause of the repeated infection was in their home. But finding medical professionals who took his controversial hypothesis seriously proved to be a challenge. After a search, Levitis managed to find a receptive audience. And once the possible source of recurrent strep was treated, the round robin infection stopped. The first case occurred in late October 2017. Levitis was in Massachusetts on a research trip when his wife called to tell him that she and all three of their kids - Tigerlily, then 6, Kestrel, who was 3, and 14-month-old Peregrine - had tested positive for strep and were taking antibiotics. Levitis, who had been battling a sore throat since leaving Madison several days earlier, called his doctor and was given a prescription for an antibiotic. Because the rest of his family was infected, he, too, was presumed to have strep. After a round of antibiotics, everyone seemed to recover. But five weeks later, his daughters complained of sore throats. This time the entire family was tested. Throat cultures revealed that all five had strep. Within a few days the infection seemed to have cleared. But success was short-lived; the New Year's Day visit occurred three weeks later. This time the doctor prescribed a different antibiotic. Levitis said that he and his wife were reminded of the need to finish the full course of antibiotics and of sanitation measures they had been following, including replacing the toothbrushes they had been using. But two weeks later, on Jan. 16, Kestrel and Tigerlily had strep again. And at the end of January, all three kids tested positive. "We were so done with this and painfully aware that something was wrong," Levitis recalled. Nobody at school or day care was getting strep, he said, so he suspected that something in their house was the source. Levitis called his mother, a retired pediatrician who had practiced in suburban Maryland, for advice. She told him about a family she had seen who kept getting strep until they got rid of their pet cat. Four months before the first outbreak, the family had adopted Umberto, a 3-year-old gray cat, from a nearby family. "I started looking at the scientific literature, and everything said that cats can't transmit strep," Levitis recalled. Levitis said his wife asked their doctors about the possibility that cats could be vectors of strep, while he queried his cousin, a veterinarian. "They all pretty much said the same thing: 'There's no evidence that cats can transmit strep to humans, but if you want to be safe, get rid of the cat,' " Levitis recalled. That seemed unthinkable; they all adored Umberto. "He's so loving and patient with our kids and such a wonderful pet," Levitis said. "And we didn't know for sure that he was the culprit." Although there are diseases that cats can transmit to people - including toxoplasmosis, cat scratch disease and ringworm - Streptococcus A, the bacteria that causes strep throat, is not believed to be among them. A 2002 report from the American Veterinary Medical Association noted that while doctors sometimes blame pet cats and dogs for recurrent strep throat in children "evidence doesn't support this." "There is more evidence that pets carry group A Strep[tococcus] temporarily and only when in contact with an infected person," a former association president concluded. "So, tell your kids with Strep[tococcus] not to kiss the kitty." Cats and dogs can infect humans with a strain called strep canis, which is present in animal saliva and is usually transmitted through a bite. Iris Levitis asked their vet whether she could test Umberto for strep in case he was a conduit. The vet refused: Umberto seemed healthy and there was no reason to swab the throat of a healthy cat, which would require hooking him up to oxygen and administering general anesthesia. As a scientist, Levitis said he was frustrated that no one seemed willing to consider the possibility that in rare cases a cat might harbor strep that could be transmitted to humans. A few published reports had suggested such a scenario. Among them is a 2007 letter in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings by a Pennsylvania internist who described an experience similar to the Levitis family. His three young children developed recurrent strep, which was eradicated after they - and their cat - were treated simultaneously with antibiotics. The Levitises called a few veterinary practices to see if they'd test Umberto; all said no. "We thought about dosing him ourselves," Levitis recalled, but "decided it was a bad idea." In early March, 3-year-old Kestrel got strep throat along with respiratory syncytial virus, which led to pneumonia, resulting in a two-day hospitalization. After she got home, the couple was discussing the plethora of medical resources available in Madison, which includes a large and respected college of veterinary medicine. "Iris had the brilliant idea" of calling the university animal hospital and trying to talk to an expert there, Levitis recalled. Maybe, the couple thought, an academic center would be more receptive to the cat hypothesis than community vets had been. She wound up talking to Caitlin Barry-Heffernan, a fourth-year veterinary internal medicine resident. Then she handed the phone to her husband for his pitch. "I talked about it as a research case," Levitis said, "not a guy who got strep throat from his cat." "We were all kind of skeptical," recalled Barry-Heffernan, who now practices in Southfield, Michigan, outside Detroit. It is uncommon, she said, for cats to carry strep A, because the bacteria "doesn't like to live on animals." But she was intrigued by the possibility and persuaded by Levitis. He was scientifically knowledgeable and "it was a pretty believable circumstance." Barry-Heffernan said she walked down the hall to consult with a veteran microbiologist. "She was very skeptical," Barry-Heffernan recalled, but agreed that "we should be able to culture it if it's there." So Barry-Heffernan told Levitis to bring his cat in for a throat culture. On April 4, while the entire family was taking antibiotics for the seventh bout of strep in as many months, Umberto was seen by Barry-Heffernan and a vet student. They whisked Umberto, who Barry-Heffernan said seemed "perfectly healthy," into a nearby room and quickly swabbed his throat. Neither anesthesia nor oxygen was required. "Umberto was a really nice cat," she recalled, so the procedure wasn't difficult. To the surprise of the vet school faculty, group A strep was found in the cat's throat; it appeared to match the strain of strep collected during Levitis' most recent throat culture. "Almost certainly Umberto was contributing to the family's infections," Barry-Heffernan said. She prescribed antibiotics for the cat and a disinfectant spray for his fur. And the Levitis family was given another round of antibiotics. Soon afterward they left on a previously scheduled two-week trip to Costa Rica. In their absence Umberto was given his medication, and the house was professionally cleaned for a second time. Since then, Levitis said, no one has had strep. "Once we identified Umberto as a carrier, it was really easy to address," Barry-Heffernan said. It seems likely that the infection was being passed among the asymptomatic cat and various members of the family; it probably originated in a human. (Similarly, the small number of cats and dogs known to have tested positive for the novel coronavirus are believed to have been infected by people; there is no evidence animals can transmit the virus to humans.) Barry-Heffernan said she hopes that the Levitises' unusual case doesn't cause people to get rid of their pets. "It was very easily treated," she noted. Levitis, who now lives in Northern California with his family - and Umberto - said he is convinced that treating the cat eradicated the infection that had bedeviled his family. "We got lucky," he said, "because Caitlin had an open mind." Children have milder COVID-19 symptoms than adults and the balance of evidence suggests that children may have lower susceptibility and infectivity than adults, scientists advising the British government have said. The group of scientists concluded that there was some evidence that children had milder symptoms than adults but that evidence on susceptibility and transmission was as yet unclear and recommended consideration of additional data gathering. Evidence remains inconclusive on both the susceptibility and infectivity of children, but the balance of evidence suggests that both may be lower than in adults, the scientists said in papers submitted to the British government up to end of April. Serological studies are starting to be available on child infection history, with some suggesting low rates of infection, the scientists said. The scientists said a robust testing and tracing system would be needed for schools to fully reopen. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON London could lead the country out of lockdown, with talks taking place next week over allowing the capitals cafes and restaurants to open for outdoor service. Ministers launched a Transition Board for the city yesterday to coordinate efforts to lift restrictions. The body is the first of its kind in the country. Downing Street confirmed last night that London could move out of lockdown first. Asked whether it could see measures eased before the rest of the country, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: As we are able to gather more data and have better surveillance of a rate of infection in different parts of the country, then we will be able to potentially lift measures quicker in some parts of the country than in others. And equally we will be able to put the brakes on in some parts of the country. Talks are in place next week to discuss allowing London's cafes and restaurants to open outdoor services like the Greenwich Tavern in Greenwich, London A near-deserted Trafalgar Square in central London today as Downing Street admitted the capital could be released from lockdown earlier if rates continue to fall Parks such as Hyde Park, London, are already beginning to fill up but the majority of Londoners are working from home - and many are not working at all A Whitehall source said talks would be held next week to discuss the potential relaxation of regulations on outdoor hospitality. They added that, with evidence showing the virus spreads much less well outdoors, ministers were hoping to encourage a European-style cafe culture in London and other cities. London was the epicentre of the epidemic in March and April, but cases have been falling rapidly. During one 24-hour period this week, the capital recorded no new cases. Estimates produced by Cambridge University and Public Health England suggest the so-called R rate, which measures how fast the virus is spreading, is roughly half that in the rest of the country. The number of new cases being diagnosed in all regions of England has been falling throughout May, with London now declaring fewer than 100 each day for a fortnight. The numbers for the most recent days will rise substantially in the coming days as more test results are confirmed HOW HAS LONDON'S DAILY CASE COUNT FALLEN? May 6: 151 May 7: 149 May 8: 94 May 9: 63 May 10: 36 May 11: 68 May 12: 73 May 13: 82 May 14: 81 May 15: 52 May 16: 23 May 17: 23 May 18: 14 May 19: 2 Numbers in bold are subject to significant change as more test results are confirmed. Advertisement A national estimate for the R rate yesterday put it at between 0.7 and the critical figure of one, where a further easing of restrictions would be rejected by scientists. But the figure is said to be lower in the wider community outside of hospitals and care homes, with a Whitehall source telling the Mail it was estimated at 0.5. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he is very cautious about easing restrictions in the capital. But under yesterdays plans for a London Transition Board, the mayor will lose his veto over action in the city. The new body will be co-chaired by Mr Khan and the Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick, giving the Government a direct role in getting London moving again. In a joint statement yesterday, the two men said the programme of work needed to get the capital up and running again would be the largest since the end of the Second World War. The body will focus on a series of key issues, including infection control, recovery of key public services such as transport and plans varying the level of restrictions. Mr Jenrick talked up the prospect of getting London moving last night, saying: Through this new Transition Board, we will carefully build on the extensive planning already under way to get life and business in London the most dynamic capital city in the world safely back on track. Mr Khan was more cautious, saying: The economic, health and social challenges arising from both the virus itself and from the lockdown are far-reaching, and Londons recovery will be a long and complex road that will take many months, if not years. Documents released by the Governments Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies show ministers considered putting London into lockdown first in March before deciding on a national approach. But the Governments road map on easing the lockdown leaves the door open to lifting restrictions in some areas before others. Government had brought back over five lakh migrants, mostly by buses, (PTI Photo) Bhopal: Over five lakh guest workers from Madhya Pradesh, who were stranded in different parts of the country due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, have been brought back to their home state, a government official said on Saturday. As of Friday, the state government had brought back over five lakh migrants, mostly by buses, additional chief secretary ICP Keshari said. At least 3.52 lakh migrants have returned to MP by buses while 1.46 lakh others returned on 119 special trains, said the senior bureaucrat, who is in-charge of state control room. Keshari said 2.02 lakh migrants were brought back from Gujarat, 1.12 lakh from Maharashtra and 1.10 lakh from Rajasthan. Apart from these, stranded migrants were also brought back from Goa, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, he said. The state government has also been transporting migrant workers coming from other states to the Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh border. In view of the plight of guest workers stuck in different parts of the country amidst the lockdown, the Railways started operating 'Shramik Specil' trains on May 1. The Centre had announced considerable relaxations during the third phase of the lockdown, which had kicked in on May 4, regarding the inter-state movement of migrant labourers, students, tourists and other people with priority accorded to those stranded in green and orange zones. The lockdown was subsequently extended till May 31. The gifts are in line with the the ministry's role in providing "support and care to the families of the heroic martyrs and the injured" In celebration of Eid El-Fitr, which begins tomorrow, the Egyptian Ministry of Interior dispatched missions nationwide on Saturday to give gifts to the families of policemen killed or injured in the line of duty on the occasion of Eid El-Fitr. According to a statement by the ministry, the visits are in line with the ministrys role in providing "support and care to the families of the heroic martyrs and the injured" in order to uphold the values of loyalty and honour and acknowledge their sacrifices to preserve the security of the homeland and citizens. "The missions also come as an implementation of the directions of the president to present gifts to the families of the martyrs and the injured, who have given their precious lives and blood to fulfil their national duty to defend the soil of their dear homeland and the security of its people," the ministry said. From their side, the families of the killed and the injured policemen have expressed their pride and appreciation to the president for "his constant keenness to care for them, provide them with full support, and his eagerness to communicate with them on all occasions." The families also thanked the interior ministry for its support. Earlier in the same day, the interior ministry announced that 21 terrorist were killed in shootouts in North Sinai. The terrorists were planning to carry out attacks during Eid El-Fitr holiday, the ministry said. The raid was launched after receiving "information that a terrorist group was using a farm in North Sinai as a hideout in which they were plotting and training for attacks." Search Keywords: Short link: The European Union on Friday urged China to respect Hong Kong's freedoms after Beijing proposed a new security law, while the US announced sanctions. China's National People's Congress (NPC) announced the measures following pro-democracy protests in the semi-autonomous territory. If implemented, the regulations may trigger a new wave of demonstrations. The NPC, which opened on Friday, dropped a bombshell when it moved to introduce a proposal to impose a security law for Hong Kong. Wang Chen, an NPC Standing Committee Vice Chairman, referring to a recent series of demonstrations in the territory, said that "the increasingly notable national security risks in the HKSAR have become a prominent problem," forcing Beijing to take "law-based and forceful measures must be taken to prevent, stop and punish such activities." "I was not surprised but still it is shocking," says Hong Kong lawmaker Claudia Mo of Hong Kong First, answering emailed questions by RFI. "Not surprised because Beijing has been making it clear that it has lost patience with 'disobedient' Hong Kong, that it would just do whatever it takes, whatever the cost to rein in Hong Kong. Shocking because it is technically unconstitutional." "This marks the end of Hong Kong we know. They are taking away our soul, our rights and freedoms, from rule of law to free speech," she says. International reactions Immediately after the announcement, Brussels' diplomatic chief Josep Borrell issued a statement calling for "the preservation of Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy". And the US announced sanctions against a Chinese government institute and eight companies for human rights violations following China's move to impose a national security law to quash the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. In, Hong Kong the authorities were quick to comply. Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carry Lam gave a press conference with her full cabinet posing in front of a large banner, in Chinese and English, expressing "full support for establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security." In a statement, Lam echoed Beijing's hard-line rhetoric saying that the proposal "only targets acts of secession, subverting state power and organising and carrying out terrorist activities, as well as activities interfering with the HKSAR's internal affairs by foreign or external forces," pointing out that "these are exactly the situations which the political and business sectors in Hong Kong and members of the public have been worrying about over the past year," referring to a series of massive, often violent demonstrations that paralysed the city and brought economic activity to a standstill. "The Hong Kong democracy fight will carry on," says Mo defiantly. "Of course we will play safe more, and be more cautious. There will be conspicuous protests still between now and the actual implementation of the new law," she says. Massive demonstrations Since 1997, Hong Kong is formally under Beijing's rule after its handover by the UK, and could retain its capitalist and semi-democratic system in a hybrid structure called One Country, Two Systems, as guaranteed by the China-UK Joint Declaration and a "mini constitution," Hong Kong's Basic Law. But critics say that since 1997, Beijing increasingly interferes in Hong Kong affairs, backtracking on promises of universal suffrage. In 2003, Hong Kong lawmakers already proposed to introduce a 'national security law' but then massive demonstrations forced the Hong Kong government to shelve the plans indefinitely. But Hong Kong people remained wary of Beijing's increasing interference, leading to the 2015 Umbrella movement after it became clear that China would have the last word in appointing Hong Kong's Chief Executive. Demonstrations again rocked the city in 2019 after proposed amendments to extradition regulations, which critics feared could give Beijing the free hand in deporting anybody from the territory at will. Army garrison One of the articles proposed by the NPC would open Hong Kong's doors for Beijing to increase its presence by allowing the establishment of agencies "to fulfill relevant duties to safeguard national security in accordance with the law," when needed. China's army already has a garrison in Hong Kong but soldiers have not intervened in the protests. The Basic Law allows the local government to request help from PLA garrisons in the city in the event of a public order breakdown. It is unclear what specific steps the Hong Kong government will take now to draft legislation implementing Beijing's directives. But China's latest move is likely to trigger another round of popular protest against Beijing's rule. "We are angry, but will fight on," says Mo. "You fight, you may not get what you want, but if you don't fight, you definitely won't get what you want, and need." Things are not normal, but theyve never been normal for Black people in America. Throughout our history in this country we have worked together cooperatively to resist and build economy and community. On May 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., we will discuss this history and visions for the future with Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard, the keynote speaker of the first-ever Thinking, Learning & Doing in the New Normal Summit. The summit is a free online conference organized by a collective of Black community economic development practitioners in partnership with the Kheprw Institute and the Indianapolis Recorder. Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard is best known by her most popular work Collective Courage,which gives a historical overview of how Black communities have come together using a cooperative approach to economic development and building community from the times of enslavement to today. Nembhard will share the importance of a collective courage approach to economic development particularly during this time of pandemic, which has totally disrupted the economy. This disruption gives us the opportunity to rethink old patterns and work together to build more resilient local economies and communities. Additional special guests will help to facilitate the breakout sessions, including Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Aleesia Johnson; Barato Britt, executive director of Edna Martin Christian Center; and Emil Ekiyor of Innopower and many more. The conference will also include two interactive breakout sessions where participants will be able to engage in creative thinking about the opportunities and challenges in four areas: Building local economy Educating and empowering our children Affordable and accessible housing Creativity and resilience Our goal is to come out of the conference with fresh ideas to face the challenges of these times and leverage opportunities for a better future for the African American community. The conference will take place 10 a.m.-2 p.m. May 30 online through Zoom. If you want to engage in the interactive sessions you will need to register and join through Zoom. We will also broadcast the conference on Facebook Live to the Indianapolis Recorder and Kheprw Institute Facebook pages. To see the full conference schedule and register, visit newnormal.kheprw.org. About the Collective The collective organizing the conference formed a little over two years ago when the Kheprw Institute along with other Black community economic development professionals began to meet monthly to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the Black community. We are grateful to the Central Indiana Community Foundation which provided support to convene these ongoing conversations. One of the goals of these gatherings was for us to look at the specific economic development challenges facing the African-American Community in various communities with the intentionality of developing a city-wide plan to support Black economic development. This initiative included but was not limited to: Imhotep Adisa, Keith Broadnax, Gina Lewis Alexander, Amina Pierson, Leigh Evans, Paulette Fair, Robert Hawthorne, George Okantey, Stacia Murphy, Jeru Qadar and Pambana Uishi. Imhotep Adisa is the executive director and co-founder of the Kheprw Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on empowering youth and building community wealth in Indianapolis. Imhotep Adisa An internal Peel Regional Police review has found that officers investigating the death of Bridget Harrison, one of three family members found dead in the same Mississauga home in just over a four-year period, failed to recognize her death as a homicide. Bridgets body was found in 2010 at the bottom of the stairs in the home she shared with her husband Bill, who was found dead in the homes powder room the year before. Her son Caleb was strangled in his bed in 2013. The officers involved in the death investigation of Bridget Harrison ultimately concluded that foul play was not a factor. This administrative review has determined that this conclusion was made in error, the review says. At no time does a police officer wish to be involved in an investigation that fails to uncover the truth. The review, released Friday afternoon following an internal probe of the forces handling of the cases, found the investigations into the deaths of Bridget and Bill were affected by a lack of management and oversight and leadership, gaps in communication between officers on the case, and insufficient training and oversight in the collection of electronic evidence. Overall, the review paints a picture of investigations lacking guiding hands, coordination and clarity over responsibilities. The review does note, however, that the investigation of Calebs death immediately recognized it as a homicide and was well managed. The reviews findings mirror that of a 2018 Star investigation that documented the failures of Peel police, coroners and pathologists in the first two death probes. Among the findings: the investigation into Bridgets death was affected by a lack of ownership, after the two officers initially in charge, stopped working on the case soon after it began. Within three weeks of the death, neither of these officers were actively working on the investigation, leaving tasks to be completed by officers from other (Criminal Investigation Bureau) platoons who had been sent to assist, the review says. Once all investigative tasks were completed, there appears to have been confusion over who was responsible for the investigation. It also found that no officer in a supervisory role assigned follow-up on the post-mortem findings for Bill, who was found dead by Bridget on April 16, 2009 in their homes main-floor powder room, which was locked. Bill had thin red marks across this throat that the coroner believed may have been due to his necklace. In the case of the investigation into Bridgets death, the review found, similarly, that there was no officer in a management role responsible and accountable for the effective management of the investigation to ensure consistency amongst investigators and that investigative actions had ruled out foul play. Bridgets body was found lying face up with her arms at her side on April 21, 2010, at the bottom of the stairs, not far from the bathroom where she had found Bill the year before. The review goes on to say that although findings of neck compression on Bridget were evidence of foul play, pathology did not rule her death a homicide, so the case was closed without foul play being ruled out. Police did not identify the deaths of Bill and Bridget as homicides until after Caleb was killed in August 2013. In January 2018, Calebs former spouse, Melissa Merritt, and her common-law partner, Christopher Fattore, were found guilty of first-degree murder in his death. Fattore was also found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Bridget Harrison, while Merritts charge in her former mother-in-laws death resulted in a mistrial after the jury could not reach a verdict. Fattore was found not guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Bill Harrison. Merritt and Fattore have both filed appeals. The convictions followed a three-month criminal trial in which prosecutors argued the Harrisons were murdered at key moments in a bitter custody battle over Merritt and Calebs two children. On the day Bill was found dead, Merritt violated a court order sharing custody of the children with their grandparents when she and Fattore took the children out of province. Fridays internal review found that the investigations into the deaths of Bill and Bridget were affected by gaps in communication among police. In Bills case, the review says there were no significant discussions among officers who attended the scene and those involved in the child-abduction investigation. While it is not clear if this would have had any impact on the classification of Bill Harrisons death, it is an inquiry that should have been made, the review says. In Bridgets case, the review says more detailed discussions should have taken place between officers investigating her death and homicide bureau investigators as to what steps were taken to rule out foul play. Homicide was not consulted before the case was closed and no inquiries were made by the homicide bureau, it says. The public release of the internal police review, which did not find officer misconduct, comes as the result of a promise made by former Peel Chief Jennifer Evans, who in an interview with the Star two years ago vowed to make the review public after the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) completed its own investigation. In a news release on Friday afternoon, Peel police said that the OIPRD investigation is now complete, but did not say whether it found officer misconduct. I recognize the significant trauma that these three deaths have had on the members of the Harrison family and the community. This investigation was long, involved and transpired over 10 years and before my time with Peel Police, said Chief Nishan Duraiappah, a former Halton Regional Police deputy chief who became Peels top cop last year. The OIPRD report revealed a number of similar themes to our internal review, based on which we have already made numerous changes, and we will continue to make more as they are identified. A Peel police spokesperson later said we continue to review the OIPRD report and will fulfill all of our obligations under the Police Services Act, but claimed the Act prevents police from speaking to any of the reports contents. Ontarios police watchdog launched an investigation into the conduct of Chief Jennifer Evans and other Peel Regional Police officers in mid-2018 after the surviving relatives of Bill, Bridget and Caleb alleged that police failed to investigate the first two deaths adequately. Fridays internal review identifies 19 areas for change, five of which were acted upon prior to and during the review, with the remainder being recommended for consideration. Among them: Instruct officers investigating a sudden death to get preliminary autopsy and toxicology findings and add them to the occurrence report to ensure that unexpected autopsy findings are considered in an expeditious manner Develop a death investigation checklist for use by criminal investigative branch and homicide investigators that includes a list of considerations including scene factors that must be addressed prior to the occurrence being closed Mandate that in suspicious sudden death cases in which an undetermined outcome is reached, a third party in the homicide bureau conduct a peer review before the case is closed. Kenyon Wallace is a Toronto-based investigative reporter for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @KenyonWallace or reach him via email: kwallace@thestar.ca India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent COVID-19 fatalities may be much more than what is being reported New AI-based test uses X-rays to detect Covid in a few minutes Coronavirus outbreak: India records biggest spike in COVID-19 cases; Tally rises above 1,25,000 India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, May 23: Union Health Ministry on Saturday said that India reported a highest single-day spike with 6,654 new cases of the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, taking the infection tally to 1,25,101. This would the second time in a week that the positive cases of COVID-19 surged beyond 6,000. On Friday, India recorded 6,088 new cases and 5,611 cases were recorded on Wednesday in the span of 24 hours. Coronavirus outbreak: Assam witnesses highest spike in COVID-19 cases; State tally at 259 Migrants sprayed with disinfectant in South Delhi, authority says 'mistake' | Oneindia News The death toll due to COVID-19 stands at 3,720 on Saturday after 137 people succumbed in the last 24 hours. However, the recovery rate has gone up to 41 per cent as 51,783 people have been cured as the country entered the sixth day of the fourth phase of the lockdown. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are the ten worst-affected states in India. Meanwhile, Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Pune, Delhi, Kolkata, Indore, Thane, Jaipur, Chennai and Surat are the ten worst-affected cities in India. COVID-19 lockdown: Karnataka allows factories to extend working hours In Maharashtra, the number of COVID-19 positive cases stand at 44,000 and 1,517 people have died in the western state, and tops the list in worst hit in the country. Tamil Nadu has recorded 14,753 infections and Gujarat has reported 13,268 cases of the coronavirus disease. Meanwhile, 12,319 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Delhi, which is the fourth worst-hit region in the country. The Morrison government will "reset" the permanent migration program in its October budget, which could involve an unusual change to the mix between skilled and family reunion migrants as it tries to restart the economy. It comes as the country's foremost former public servants weigh in to the post-pandemic migration debate, with former Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet boss Martin Parkinson urging the government to "go for broke" on skilled migration. Migration "reset" looms in budget: acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said it was "too early to speculate" about the migration program's future, but changes to the composition might have to be made. "Once you get into next year, we'll have to reset what the permanent migration caps look like," he told The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age. Dr Fiona Kotvojs has decisively won a vote of Liberal Party members in the contest to become the party's candidate for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro. Dr Kotvojs, a former teacher, scientist and small business operator from Dignams Creek, won preselection on Saturday night over defence department official Mark Schweikert. It means she will become the Liberal candidate in the upcoming by-election, subject to party endorsement. Dr Fiona Kotvojs has decisively won a vote of Liberal Party members in the contest to become the party's candidate for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro The Eden-Monaro seat was left vacant after the retirement of Labor MP Mike Kelly, who narrowly beat Dr Kotvojs in the 2019 election. The by-election earlier this month sparked tension between NSW frontbenchers John Barilaro and Andrew Constance, after both coalition MPs pulled out of the race. Mr Constance - the Liberal transport minister - withdrew only 24 hours after seeking preselection when a newspaper front page revealed Mr Barilaro had used a crude word to describe him to colleagues. Mr Barilaro - the state Nationals leader and deputy premier - had previously announced he wouldn't be contesting the seat. The by-election earlier this month sparked tension between NSW frontbenchers John Barilaro (left) and Andrew Constance (right), after both coalition MPs pulled out of the race Labor has preselected former Bega mayor Kristy McBain, who hit the campaign trail earlier this month. Nationals leader Michael McCormack, meanwhile, has said his party has not yet given up on running a candidate. A date hasn't been set for the by-election but it is expected in late June or early July. Eight Covid-19 patients were rescued by firefighters after a fire broke out at a private hospital designated for treatment of Covid-19 patients in south Delhis Hauz Khas on Saturday evening. All patients are safe and were handed over to the hospital staff for further care, senior fire department officials said. This is the first time the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) team had to pull off a rescue operation of people infected with the highly contagious Sars-Cov-2 virus. The rescued included five men and three women. Atul Garg, director, DFS, said the rescue operation was a big challenge but was carried out efficiently with none of the patients sustaining any burn injury. He said the probable cause of the fire was a short-circuit in an air-conditioner in the operation theatre. We received a call around 5.45pm reporting that Cygnus Orthocare hospital opposite IIT-Delhi campus has caught fire. Five fire tenders were rushed to the hospital to contain the fire and later three more units had to be sent, Garg said. Our firefighters found that it was a three-storey building with a basement. We found that fire started in an operation theatre on the third floor. Ensuring proper precautions, wearing gumboots, gloves, goggles, helmet and fire suits, our men entered the hospital in two teams, with three men in each team, Garg said. He said because of the smoke, his men were wearing breathing apparatuses to be able to locate those trapped inside. After successfully locating the patients, our firefighters guided them out of the building, Garg said. The team that was involved in the rescue operation said that it was only upon reaching the hospital that they got to know that there were Covid-19 patients admitted there. Sumesh Kumar Dua, divisional officer, who led the rescue operation, said the focus of his team was to evacuate the occupants safely. We have dealt with all kinds of rescue operations, but this was a first of its kind. It was natural for us to be a bit scared. We, too, are human but all that we had in mind was to safely get everyone out of the building and to douse the flames, Dua said. He said the firefighters were attired in their helmets, gumboots and overalls, apart from masks and gloves. The team was directed to follow all Covid-19 safety protocol such as avoiding contact with the patients' faces to prevent any infection possibility. The fire was doused in less than an hour and afterwards, the team was thoroughly sanitised, and so were the tenders and equipment used, Dua said. Cygnus Orthocare Hospital said that there was no major damage was reported in the fire. The fire was first reported on the third floor of the hospital, which houses the operation theatres. The Delhi Fire Services along with the hospitals fire division have controlled the fire and are still on the job. There has been no loss or damage to life, said Dr Amit Vig, unit head, Ujala Cygnus Orthocare Hospital. Without specifying details of where the eight coronavirus positive patients were moved to, Dr Vig said all of them were moved to safe areas. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Brisbane residents have likely endured the city's coldest May day in almost a century, the day after a decades-old record was broken on Friday. By 1.23pm on Saturday, the city had only managed to reach 15.1 degrees, according to real-time Bureau of Meteorology data. The apparent temperature at 3pm was only 10.3 degrees. Bureau meteorologist Rosa Hoff said Brisbane was "on track" for the coldest May day since 1922, when a top of just 15 degrees was recorded. But because the bureau measures days from 9am-9am, official figures would not be finalised until Sunday morning. A scratch-and-sniff test could help doctors nose out undetected coronavirus cases before they show any other symptoms. Researchers at the Kolling Institute and the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney are investigating the link between loss of smell and the coronavirus in the hopes of developing a rapid, early warning screening test. James Tinslay thought his wine had gone off, until he popped the cork on a second bottle and realised he had lost his palate. Credit:James Brickwood Loss of smell (anosmia) has been formally recognised as a common symptom of COVID-19, and may come on before other more recognisable symptoms such as fever and cough. Testing for anosmia could be a valuable way to detect cases early, preventing further spread and expediting treatment, said study lead and head of Endocrinology at Royal North Shore, Associate Professor Rory Clifton-Bligh. Pamela Markland finally has a peaceful home to call her own, several hours outside Hamilton, where shes working to heal her family. It has been a long journey for the single mother since her world was turned on its head on the morning of Dec. 13, 2011. Thats when police burst into her Roxborough Avenue townhouse as part of a series of pre-dawn raids led by Toronto police targeting drug dealers. But in Marklands case, the 5 a.m. raid was a mistake instead of drug dealers they found children. Markland was downstairs with her then nine-year-old son Isaiah, who has autism. Five of her daughters slept upstairs. Marklands story, which has been covered since the beginning by The Spectator, is featured in the documentary, The Arrest, by Martin Himel, premiering on TVO May 26 at 9 p.m. It follows lawyer Davin Charney and several clients as they fight for justice after being wrongly arrested. In Marklands case, the film not only focuses on the trauma her family experienced during the botched raid, but also the ripple effects afterwards. Markland was quick to speak out, but also found that some didnt believe her. Some turned their backs on her, and her children found themselves turned down for jobs or apartments. In 2012, Markland sued Toronto and Hamilton police, launching a tiresome legal battle that is followed through the film. Last December, eight years to the day after the raid, Markland and Charney stood outside Hamilton police headquarters and announced that the lawsuit had been settled. The terms of the lawsuit are confidential, but the payment is what allowed Markland to finally settle in her new home. One detail revealed by Charney is that the bad intelligence that led to Marklands home being falsely targeted was supplied by former Hamilton police detective Craig Ruthowsky. The disgraced former guns and gangs detective is out on bail while he appeals his conviction and 13-year sentence for bribery, attempt to obstruct justice, criminal breach of trust and trafficking cocaine. Markland said shes happy the documentary is airing and doesnt regret speaking out. I want other people to know, you dont have to just take it, especially if you know youre not in the wrong, she said. It was a difficult journey. Even some family seemed to doubt her, and the stress challenged relationships with her children. When the raid first happened, Markland said she found herself talking to everyone about it because she was so upset from a taxi driver, to strangers in the grocery store. The fear was so many what ifs things that could have gone wrong during the raid, especially with her special-needs son who would run. She also wondered what would happen to her children if she hadnt been capable of keeping the fight going against police and their lawyers for years and years. But now with time and distance and a safe place to call home, Markland said shes feeling strong. Im glad I spoke up ... looking back Im proud of myself for what I did, she said. Dr S. Peters, a behavioural psychologist at the Obafemi Awolowo University, IIe Ife, has berated Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous... Dr S. Peters, a behavioural psychologist at the Obafemi Awolowo University, IIe Ife, has berated Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over his recent comments against President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Nigeria in general. Peters said Kanu requires urgent medical and mental assistance. Addressing reporters on Saturday, the psychologist insisted that remarks of the IPOB leader over time clearly showed signs of mental disorder and severe illness. He said: When he says things like the VP was forcefully Injected COVID-19 or that the VP and Femi Adesina were kidnapped or under house arrest or that Aso Rock is empty, these are signs of insanity because they are a fabrication of his imagination. Kanu is confused in his perception and thinking, for example he has raised this view about the President of Nigeria, Jibril of Sudan, Buhari is a clone, Buhari using silicon mask or that Buhari is a doppelganger. This is demonstrated, as he is always expressing extreme anger, like talking about burning Nigeria, killing Nigerians, destroying Nigeria and even leaders of South East, and the South generally. If Kanu submits himself for further examination it is possible that we find more traits of insanity in him. From the above, I have been able to establish that he has delusions, hallucinations, strong feelings of anger, denial of obvious issues and confused thinking but there could be more. Belmar will suspend the the sale of of seasonal beach badges for Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to the summer season at the Jersey Shore, as the borough tries to cut down on the crowds of people that descended upon the boardwalk to purchase them last weekend. To assist us in complying with social distancing guidelines we will temporarily suspend the sale of season beach badges at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 22, the town said in an announcement Wednesday. The sale of seasonal badges will resume on Tuesday, May 26 at the Taylor Pavilion, on the boardwalk. A line, which stretched more than a block and included at least 50 people at times, formed at the pavilion last Saturday as people hurried to buy their badges on the first day they were being sold. Some reported waiting for three hours. Borough hall, where they were normally sold, has been closed since the coronavirus shuttered it in March and officials also suspended online badge sales because of low sales, Belmar officials have said. After the Saturday lines, Belmar Mayor Mark Walsifer said Sunday that adjustments needed to be made in anticipation of Memorial Day weekend. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage The boroughs announcement said daily badges will still be available, seven days a week beginning Saturday at ticket booths along the boardwalk and at Silver Lake. The fee for daily badges is $9 per day and children 15 and under can get on the beach free. Borough officials said social distancing in sale lines will be required and that people will be encouraged to wear face coverings. Gov. Phil Murphy has said every beach town needs to implement social-distancing mandates, but that local officials will make the call on what methods work best for their communities. Face coverings are not a requirement, but the governor has implored people to wear them, especially in areas where social distancing can be a challenge. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Science and technology help people cope with pandemics like Covid-19 and help society adapt to pandemics. The ASEAN-US Foreign Ministerial Meeting on Covid-19 held on April 23. Along with this process is the creation of a series of laws and regulations at the national, regional and global levels to regulate people's behaviors. People do not have much choice and they are forced to "sacrifice", to accept some personal freedom restrictions and adjust their behavior in a new context for survival. After the emergence of the Covid-19 epidemic, there were many articles in Vietnam and the world talking about the new adaptation, the appearance and "bloom" of a series of services for the survival of people and society. New ways of doing, new services, new industries will certainly see great developments after the epidemic ends. The development of e-government: Not only in Vietnam, but also in many countries in the region and around the world, before the Covid-19 pandemic, money poured into this field quite a lot, but the development was small because the actual "demand" was very low. However, when there was a pandemic, demand suddenly increased. It is simply because officials cannot travel to meet each other as easily as before. Online meetings and online working has become the most useful way at the moment. Therefore, after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, the operation of "e-government" will continue to increase strongly for its benefits such as: (i) saving money in comparison to face-to-face meetings; (ii) the working efficiency of "e-government", which has been proven to be effective; (iii) the "e-government" system, which should be regularly used to improve for use in similar cases in the future... Work From Home (WFH): After the pandemic, WFH has sharply increased both in terms of supply and demand. On the employers' side, which are companies, organizations and public authorities, they are forced to review and rearrange their organizational structure and work handling system to ensure two factors: First, they can still operate "normally", without interruption at the peak of the epidemic. Second, even when there is no epidemic, there will still be divisions that can handle work online. WFH meets many criteria of both employees and employer: Savings can occur in office rental costs and related costs; employees can work for many different agencies at the same time and have the opportunity to increase their income; the most important thing is the final product, while the working time is flexible. This is followed by the development of a series of electronic and online forms based on the available internet platform (of course, at a much higher speed later), such as: (i) Online learning: At all levels from elementary, secondary and tertiary to postgraduate. (ii) E-commerce: To thrive due to convenience and attractive prices, e-commerce will gradually overwhelm traditional types of commerce. Right before the outbreak of Covid-19, a series of large traditional shopping malls all over China became increasingly quiet due to the strong development of e-commerce. Traditional shopping centers are now just places for people to visit, see products and consult prices! The general trend in the world towards that direction is hard to resist. (iii) Remote medical examination and psychosocial counseling: The fact shows that except for emergencies, most common diseases can be diagnosed and exchanged online among patients. doctors and psychologists. This will help patients and doctors communicate with each other in a flexible, cost-effective way. (iv) Biotechnology: A series of new products based on research results and a combination of biotechnology with information technology will help citizens as well as managers quickly detect people suffering from communicable diseases caused by epidemics or viruses so that appropriate treatment or isolation can be taken. These devices, such as bracelets, hats, personal glasses, and biofilm cameras, are placed everywhere to quickly and directly detect information about an individual's condition, or people with a fever to send to hospitals, or health centers for timely action. In addition, new processes for researching and producing medicines will be significantly shortened and the time will be in weeks or months, not years. (v) Robot and automation technology: The use of robots and the process of manufacturing automation and remote control, especially in the field of manufacturing and services, will have a great leap forward. The most important reason is that robots can operate under any conditions without fear of being infected with diseases, while automation will help to program and control the production process remotely, without interruption in any circumstances or conditions. The Covid-19 pandemic will also witness the emergence of driverless car technology in the transport sector, not only for passenger cars but also for trucks. Currently, Tesla billionaire Elon Musk is leading in this field. The Covid-19 epidemic is a major contributor that helps accelerate the development of information technology, biotechnology and automation. G7 leaders hold unprecedented online meetings during the pandemic. In addition to the general information about the above-mentioned changes, the health and pandemic prevention areas will have the following important major changes both nationally and internationally: Firstly, tracking technology, not just identification technology, will have great progress. Due to the epidemic and the fact that people have to wear masks when going out, certain restrictions for identification cameras are being created. However, tracking technology and tracking traces by mobile phone number (whether the phone is turned on or off) will make it easier for authorities and health officials to track individuals or locations where a person came in contact or approached someone. To do this, individuals will be required to register their phone numbers with the authorities. This also means that individuals must "voluntarily" give up part of their personal freedom in return for their own safety and that of the community. Second, states will have to build a new "national health and epidemiological defense" system alongside the traditional defense and security system that everyone knows. A "national defense and epidemiological defense" system will be built on a new foundation, namely: - Having a budget large enough to focus on strengthening the work of human resources training, both in terms of quantity and quality, as well as reorganizing the public health apparatus so that this system responds quickly, most effectively, and with the most reasonable cost. - Increasing health budget to build up strategic medical stockpiles with sufficient quantities of medicines, protective equipment, and basic medical equipment ... to be used in emergencies or when a pandemic appears. - Policymakers must always have the idea of technologies that can be used for all three purposes for (i) civilians, (ii) public health, (iii) military, not just dual-use technology like before. - A new concept has been created: "public health service" instead of "military service" as before. The Covid-19 pandemic presents an important gap in the awareness of current national security. Covid-19 showed that "health security" is as important as institutional security or national security. The reality in many countries shows that the type of "military service" is quite common. When an epidemic occurs, the demand for medicine, doctors and health workers for public health activities soars. Meanwhile, normal soldiers can provide very low support for the service of public health. Ventilators can be mass produced quickly, but those who know how to use them cannot be mass trained. Having medical equipment is not enough; qualified personnel is also very important. Therefore, it is necessary to have a new form of organization in society: soldiers who join the army for "public health service". They do not need to be trained as physicians, but must have basic medical service skills. - Build a national database of personal health records instead of just the current "security records". In fact, the recent Covid-19 pandemic showed that an individual could become a "threat" to national security if their medical history is weak and they are in a high-risk group of spreading infectious diseases to the community. Therefore, besides "personal identity", each individual can be issued or managed by a "medical identity", which has a rating for "safety" and the ability to spread disease to the community. Thirdly, in order to control the spread of disease internationally, in addition to ordinary visas, there is the possibility of a kind of 'medical visa' for people who travel, work abroad... These individuals may have to undergo biological tests or tests for "sufficient" entry conditions such as a history of infectious disease, the ability to spread the virus to the community. Even countries or regions in the world should be "drawn" or "repositioned" in the "dangerous" or "safe" ranking in terms of health, epidemiology, similar to the "marking" of some countries or regions with a high degree of drugs or terrorism danger. Fourthly, foreign diplomatic missions can also adjust the organizational structure to suit the new context. At present, the organizational structure of most foreign embassies or diplomatic missions often has departments in fields such as politics, consular, defense, trade and culture. However, in the new organizational structure, it is possible to have a new title as a specialized health officer, who specializes in monitoring and promoting bilateral health cooperation. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan The world in the post-Covid-19 era American scholar Stephen Walt, a realist and an ardent supporter of nationalism, said the post-epidemic world is a world that is less open, less prosperous and less free. The world in the post-Covid-19 era (Part 3) Originally regarded as a "savior", the Covid-19 pandemic has created new skepticism, considering globalization as a "criminal" that spread the coronavirus epidemic across the globe and caused the current disaster. The world in the post-Covid-19 era (Part 2) Some questions must be answered clearly: Where and in what context did Covid-19 appear? Were the World Health Organization's (WHO) detection and warnings timely enough in preventing the pandemic outbreak? Kabul, May 23 : Recent meetings of prominent Afghan political leaders have been held without the presence of women, which has sparked reactions from activists who said women should be given a role in decision-making about the future of the country, the media reported. This week two meetings were held with US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad -- one with President Ashraf Ghani and another with Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, and there were no women present, said the TOLO News report on Friday. In another meeting, Ghani and Abdullah met with a number of former Mujahideen leaders and some prominent politicians. No women were present in these meetings either, which were held to discuss the next steps in the peace process, including a quick start of the intra-Afghan negotiations. "The country's politicians should ensure the presence of all citizens in big decision-making for the government, but, regretfully, they are forgetting women, as women are not a priority. This happens in the absence of the international community's pressure," said Shahla Farid, a member of the government's negotiation team. Women activists and former MPs took to social media, criticizing the government for this move. "It means that only men's views are important on national and political matters in the current situation of the country," Shahrzad Akbar, the chairperson of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, wrote in a tweet. "Where are women?" she asked. "Mr. President, a change in customs and habits is a difficult task," said Fawzia Kofi, a former MP, on Twitter, pointing to an Afghan way of thinking, which, she says, prioritizes men in politics. But, presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said women's empowerment was at the top of Ghani's agenda, reports TOLO News. "President Ghani's key policy element on women's empowerment and political integration have not been symbolic, but a meaningful approach to elevate women and raise them up to higher levels of decision-making over the past five years. And this approach will remain firm in the future," he said. The office of First Lady Rula Ghani said this office is busy in social activities and that it is not involved in politics. Most mornings, a stooped but sprightly lady in a headscarf, jodhpurs and riding boots slips out of a side door at Windsor Castle. After getting into the driver's seat of a waiting bottle-green Jaguar, it takes just a few minutes for her to reach Home Park, where she then takes a ride with her beloved fell pony. This is how Queen Elizabeth is spending lockdown. Naturally, she is reluctant to give up one of her lifelong pleasures, but at the age of 94, she is also taking no chances with her health. So she drives to the stables unaccompanied no police, no servants and no family that could expose her to the coronavirus. Queen Elizabeth II horseriding a Fell pony, her favourite breed for gentle riding Head groom Terry Pendry ensures her ponies are ready and that he keeps two metres from his boss. All protective disinfectant measures are taken, particularly for the horse's saddle and bridle. The monarch's ride of choice is a black pony called Carltonlima Emma, named after the stud near Leeds where she was bred, and the routine gives the queen a sense of both freedom and normality. Many thought she would have to give up riding confined to barracks by the pandemic. But a devoted team of 22 staff are working to provide a protective shield around Elizabeth and Prince Philip, which Windsor Castle colleagues are calling 'HMS Bubble'. It includes her favourite page Paul Whybrew with whom she is so comfortable that they often watch TV together, and who co-starred in her James Bond skit for the London Olympics Opening Ceremony as well as chefs, cleaners and officials. Led by master of the household Tony Johnstone-Burt and the queen's private secretary, Edward Young, the team have willingly agreed to live away from their own families for the duration of the lockdown. It means they can serve the monarch and her husband who moved to Windsor from Sandringham, where he has lived for the past few years without needing protective equipment such as gloves and masks, or to abide by social-distancing guidelines. The Queen, Prince Philip and their staff are living in a 'bubble' to prevent them catching Covid By remaining solely in their 'bubble', they will not come into contact with anyone else and therefore won't contract the virus. In a morale-boosting email to household staff, former vice-admiral Johnstone-Burt compared 'HMS Bubble' to a naval exercise. He said: 'The challenges that we are facing, whether self-isolating alone at home, or with our close household and families, have parallels with being at sea away from home for many months, and having to deal with a sense of dislocation, anxiety and uncertainty.' In some ways, the queen and her 98-year-old husband are enduring similar privations to other grandparents and great-grandparents. The Queen on her black Fell pony and her head groom ride together most days she's in residence at Windsor Castle They are unable to see their family, even though sons Andrew and Edward live close by, and have to make do with video calls to see the youngest members, such as Prince William's three children and Harry's son Archie, who has just celebrated his first birthday. Queen Elizabeth's determination that life should continue as normally as possible shows that, contrary to some erroneous reports, she has no intention of retiring from public view. Indeed, plans are already in the early stages for a magnificent public celebration of her platinum jubilee in 2022, marking 70 years on the British throne. Her government is keen to put on a show, and PM Boris Johnson has a particular interest because he was London's mayor when the queen and capital united in the show-stopping Opening Ceremony for the London Olympics in 2012. Queen Elizabeth II has been a lifelong horse lover for her entire life and despite being 84 has no intention to stop Meanwhile, there will be another milestone on June 10 when Prince Philip enters his 100th year. Although he's sure to resist pressure for public celebrations for his centenary, the palace and his family will want to make a fuss. Traditionally, 'royals do not celebrate a birthday with five at the end', but 2021, when the queen will be 95, will be a special year for them both. More immediately, her diary is having to be scheduled. Usually it's organised six to nine months in advance, but having cancelled all public engagements for the past couple of months, Buckingham Palace is arranging events for June and July. Whether they will be more engagements behind closed doors or controlled public meetings remains to be seen. A devoted team of 22 staff are working to provide a protective shield around Queen Elizabeth Walkabouts, away-days and visits with members of the public may yet be some months away but she is determined to return to public life as soon as is safely possible. But the thing she misses above all are Sunday visits to the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Windsor. One insider said: 'I think the first time we'll see the queen in public will be at church. She goes every Sunday without fail and her Christian faith means so much to her.' As one of the remaining few who lived through the Second World War, she fully understands the necessity of the current social restrictions. The monarch traditionally spends weekends at Windsor and takes up full-time residence there for month-long periods a year at Easter and in early summer Her biographer Robert Lacey says: 'She feels the poignancy, but that does not turn into depression or defeat. 'She sees it in the bigger context of her religious faith and of a God who holds her and her family in his hands. It is the solid and simple faith that sustains her.' The monarch traditionally spends weekends at Windsor and takes up full-time residence there for month-long periods a year at Easter and in early summer. This year, she decamped from Buckingham Palace before Easter. Her husband was flown from Norfolk, from his base at Wood Farm, to join her for the foreseeable future. The couple have not spent this much time together in years, and although they have separate living and sleeping quarters, they have enjoyed sharing a light lunch of fish or grilled chicken every day. They rarely breakfast together Philip traditionally gets up early and in years gone by would be out and about before breakfast. Now, slower after a hip replacement, he has reportedly given up the carriage-driving he so enjoyed and was still indulging in until last year. In truth, lockdown life is little different to the queen's working routine. Strict biosecurity measures mean that red boxes of state are wiped down with disinfectant and the contents emptied into a 'clean' box before being hand-delivered to the Queen She is woken at 9am by a bagpiper under her apartment window, which is in the east section of the castle's Upper Ward. For staff who live in the Home Park, such as dresser and confidante Angela Kelly, a disinfected VW people-carrier is used to transport them from their front door to the sovereign's quarters, so they don't come into contact with anyone else. As well as organising her rides, head groom Terry Pendry has changed his team's routine so their exercise route now runs alongside the monarch's living quarters. This means she can see all her horses and stable staff on their way to and back from rides. As a treat for her 94th birthday last month, the stable staff paraded all the royal horses in front of her and Prince Philip's apartments. The couple watched from the first floor, smiling and waving. Besides riding, she has kept up her usual working pace: staying abreast of the latest news, reading newspapers, catching up with family over video messenger and avidly viewing the television news. She has brushed up on her FaceTime skills and has been using other video-conferencing apps. Audiences with the prime minister are conducted by telephone in the evening every Wednesday. Strict biosecurity measures mean that red boxes of state are wiped down with disinfectant and the contents emptied into a 'clean' box before being hand-delivered. And the camera equipment set up for the television broadcasts was assembled, cleaned, left overnight, cleaned again and only operated by a lone cameraman standing several feet away from where the monarch sat at her desk. While Windsor Castle remains shut to public visitors, the queen was keen to ease the impact of lockdown on her wider staff and opened the estate to any who wanted to walk or ride through it when the more stringent measures were in place. 'The queen comes from that wartime generation that is both steady and sturdy,' says an aide. A drug-fuelled party in a Gold Coast apartment that resulted in the death of a teenager was reportedly broadcast in 'sickening and very sad' videos across social media. Cian English, 19, fell to his death from the balcony on the fourth storey of the View Pacific resort in Surfers Paradise at around 3am on Saturday. Four other teenagers aged between 16 and 19 were found in the apartment in varying states of consciousness and were taken to Robina Hospital for treatment for drug overdoses. A woman said she had seen the tragic night unfold on Instagram and Snapchat. 'The videos I have seen, they are sickening and so very sad,' she told the Courier-Mail. 'It's not in the best interest of this poor boy's family to see him like that.' Cian English, 19, fell to his death from the fourth storey of the View Pacific apartment around 3am on Saturday A passer-by discovered Mr English's lifeless body on the pavement before calling emergency services who later found a stash of drugs inside the unit. Paramedics tried to perform CPR on the 19-year-old, who was from Hawthorne in Brisbane's eastern suburbs - but they were too late. Two other 16-year-old boys, believed to be a part of the group, were arrested at around 2.20am between View Avenue and the Esplanade for possessing prescription drugs. They were also treated by paramedics for showing symptoms associated with drugs. One party guest told Nine News they left the gathering when someone started waving a knife around and after noticing ice pipes in the apartment. A total of seven people were found in the unit and four taken to hospital in stable conditions. Up to 12 people were believed to be at the party. Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) Senior Operations Supervisor Neil Stead said the teen had 'traumatic injuries'. Four other teenagers were taken to hospital to be treated for drug overdoses following the wild party The drugs involved were reportedly diazepam or Valium. 'There was some kind of drugs involved in this situation which caused the incident to occur. Drugs are simply not safe. Even prescribed drugs taken the wrong way are not safe,' Mr Stead said. 'No one wants a deceased person, whether they are young or old. 'Especially a young male who has got his life ahead of him, to have it cut off like this.' The emergency crews that tried to resuscitate Mr English have since been given welfare checks due to the traumatic incident. Up to 12 people were believed to have been at the party which ultimately resulted in the death of Mr English A police investigation has been launched into how the man fell and what may have taken place in the lead-up to his death. They are not treating his death as suspicious and urge any witnesses with information to come forward. The teenager's death is the latest tragedy in a series of balcony plunge deaths in Surfers Paradise. Liam Kearns, 22, from Christchurch in New Zealand, fell from the 15th floor of the Breakers North building in Surfers Paradise, on the Gold Coast, around 12.30 on on November 13, 2019. Hamish Bidgood, 18, fell to his death from a balcony after taking nitrous oxide during Schoolies celebrations at the Surfers Regent Apartments. The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has said the state will ease the lockdown imposed to curb coronavirus and will reopen its economy by June 1. Mr Abiodun disclosed this in an address on Friday, the last day of the one-week extension earlier declared. This newspaper reported how the state extended the lockdown by a week, maintaining that residents can work between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. According to him, the window allows for conduct of essential business activities and has been acclaimed to have positive psychological benefits. Meanwhile, he explained that the state has experienced the highest increase in the number of cases in the last one week but also discharged many patients. While we have discharged a total of 36 cases, we recorded 49 new cases in the last one week (with 37 per cent increase), bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 183. Also, he announced a 25 per cent increase in the testing capacity. As a testament to the fact that we are set to increase our testing capacity from 450 to 600 per day, the NCDC today arrived the state to certify our Molecular Laboratory in OOUTH, Sagamu. According to the Governor, the number confirmed cases keeps increasing due to the flagrant disregard for measures and restrictions, especially the interstate travel ban. As an instance, four people travelling in from Niger State were intercepted by officers in Abeokuta four days ago, while 19 people travelling in through illegal land borders from Togo and Cote dIvoire were intercepted and quarantined at Idiroko on Wednesday. We will be maintaining the lockdown window on Monday 25th May, 2020, Wednesday 27th, and Friday 29th between 7am (morning) and 5pm (evening). As we prepare for full business operations and further ease of the lockdown which will commence on 1st June, 2020, we have adopted the See and Treat protocol, where symptomatic patients would start receiving treatment even before results are out. He promised the commencement of the third phase of the relief package distribution over the weekend, to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 restrictions. The South American continent has become a new epicenter of the global coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Michael Ryan, the executive director of the World Health Organizations Health Emergencies Program, said Friday at a press conference in Geneva. He added that while Weve seen many South American countries with an increasing number of cases ... certainly the most affected is Brazil at this point. As of Friday, the total number of confirmed cases on the continent had risen to 578,187, with 29,361 recorded deaths. Brazil, the continents largest country, accounts for 320,000 of the confirmed cases and over 20,000 of South Americas deaths. Brazil is now reporting over 1,000 new deaths a day. Ryan pointed to the concentration of cases in both the state of Sao Paulo and in Amazonas, where he said the infection rate had reached 450 people for every 100,000 inhabitants, one of the highest in the world. The WHOs assessment constitutes a warning of the social catastrophe that is threatening the entire continent of 430 million people, where imperialist oppression and capitalist exploitation have created the most socially unequal conditions on the planet. Brazil In Brazil, as elsewhere in Latin America and internationally, the number of confirmed cases and deaths is a fraction of the real toll of the deadly virus. According to one recent study based on the small amount of testing done in the country, the government is likely counting only one out of 20 cases. Meanwhile, there are reports of people dying in their homes and even in the streets in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The disease is spreading even more rapidly in the more impoverished areas of Brazils interior. In the case of Amazonas, this involves remote villages, some of them two hours by river from any hospital, where indigenous populations are threatened with extermination. In terms of total reported infections, Brazil has overtaken Russia to become the second highest country in the worldafter the United Stateseven as its acknowledged death toll is nearly seven times higher than that of Russia. The countrys healthcare system is on the brink of collapse. In the city of Sao Paulo, the six public hospitals are reporting they already have 100 percent of their ICU beds occupied, even as the number of cases continues to rise. Those who are packing the emergency rooms are in many cases workers in their 30s and 40s, who have been forced to continue working despite the pandemic. Healthcare workers in Brazil are suffering the ravages of the disease more than anywhere else in the world, with 137 nurses killed by the virus and many thousands more infected. The intolerable conditions in the hospitals and healthcare centers have triggered strikes and protests by nurses and other healthcare professionals across the country. These workers are demanding adequate personal protective equipment, staffing and medical equipment, including ventilators. They have also demanded that they be paid for risking their lives daily. The answer of Brazils fascistic President Jair Bolsonaro has been to announce a change in the governments protocol for the use of hydroxychloroquine, the antimalarial drug that has also been promoted by his political ally, US President Donald Trump. Bolsonaro said that the drug would now be recommended for even mild cases of the disease, whereas before it had been restricted to those hospitalized with extremely serious cases. There is no scientific evidence that the drug has any efficacy in terms of combating the coronavirus, while studies have indicated that those taking it have a significantly higher risk of death, including from cardiac arrhythmia. Bolsonaro, who previously dismissed the coronavirus as a little flu, defended his prescription, while acknowledging that there is no scientific evidence to support it. He declared, We are in a war. Worse than being defeated is the shame of not having fought. After two of his health ministers resigned over disagreements with his policies, the ex-captain installed an army general in the post, while military officers have taken over at least a dozen of the most important positions in the ministry. The promotion of hydroxychloroquine as a miracle cure goes hand in hand with the Brazilian governments criminal drive to end quarantines and resume production, with workers being herded back into auto plants, meatpacking houses and other industrial facilities to produce profits for the ruling class at the cost of their lives. Meanwhile, cemetery workers are struggling to dig enough graves to handle the thousands dying each week. Peru In Peru, which has the second highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases after Brazil, over 111,000, with more than 3,100 recorded deaths, President Martin Vizcarra announced on Friday that a 68-day state of emergency and quarantine will be extended until June 30, with some modifications and flexibilities. The announcement triggered scattered protests in poor neighborhoods, where workers dependent upon the informal sector" have been left without any income and are confronting growing hunger. Among the flexibilities introduced by the Vizcarra government are those in the mining sector, which is dominated by transnational corporations and constitutes the principal source of the countrys earnings. Operations have continued and, as a result, the companies themselves have reported 603 Peruvian mine workers infected with the virus, with the real number undoubtedly far higher. Indications of the real extent of the death toll in Peru have been provided by the minister of interior, who reported that 106 police officers have lost their lives to the virus, and a statement by the countrys prison authorities acknowledging that 182 inmates have been killed by the disease. The uncontrolled spread of the virus in the countrys prisons has led to uprisings, including one in which nine inmates lost their lives. A report in the Financial Times established that some 8,000 deaths from COVID-19 have not been counted by the Vizcarra government. A government spokesman did not dispute the report but denied that there was a deliberate attempt to undercount the deaths. He claimed that the anachronistic instruments" used to keep track of the dead led to delays in keeping up with the toll. As elsewhere, the healthcare system is collapsing under the weight of the viruss spread. Its like a horror movie, inside (the hospital) it looks like a cemetery for cadavers; patients are dying in their chairs or in wheelchairs, Miguel Armas, a nurse at Hipolito Unanue Hospital in Lima, told AFP. Chile Chile has the third largest number of infections, over 61,000, and one of the fastest rates of increase in the spread of the virus, reporting more than 4,000 new confirmed cases and 45 more deaths on Friday. With 90 percent of intensive care beds occupied, the right-wing government of President Sebastian Pinera has ordered the army to open up field hospitals to deal with the overflow of patients, while 1,000 new graves have been dug in Santiago to handle the rising fatalities. At the end of April, Pinera announced that the country had passed the peak of the virus and urged the reopening of the economy, including the retail sector. Since then, the number of cases has soared. The governments failure to provide social support for the masses of workers and poor under quarantine has led to an outbreak of protests and confrontations with the countrys brutal militarized police force, the Carabineros. Workers in the El Bosque area on the southern edge of Santiago took to the streets again on Friday, after previous clashes with the security forces. This isnt against the quarantine, its against hunger, one of the protesters told a Chilean news broadcaster. The protests in El Bosque have spread to other parts of the country, raising the prospect that the governments abject failure to combat the coronavirus or provide support for the millions left without jobs or incomes will reignite the mass uprising against social inequality that brought millions to the streets in October of last year. Ecuador While Ecuador trails Chile in the number of confirmed caseslargely as a result of less testingit ranks third in the number of deaths. As of Friday, there were some 36,000 confirmed cases and 3,056 deaths. The countrys largest city, the Pacific port of Guayaquil, was the gruesome scene in March and April of overflowing hospitals and bodies left in peoples homes and lying in the streets. While the number of deaths has declined in Guayaquil, it has increased in the highland capital of Quito, where people have died in the streets. The right-wing, pro-US government of President Lenin Moreno has exploited the pandemic to push through further austerity measures designed to meet the demands of the IMF and foreign capital. Packaged under the cynical guise of a Humanitarian Support Law, the government has lifted subsidies on fuel prices and imposed cuts in the hours and salaries of workers. The major unions, peasant associations and social groups have called for mass protests on Monday. Colombia Colombia has also seen a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths, with 18,330 and 652, respectively, confirmed as of Friday. Healthcare workers took to the streets of Bogota on Thursday in protests against the failure of right-wing President Ivan Duques government to provide adequate supplies and equipment for the countrys hospitals. The National Health Institute has reported the deaths of 12 health care workers and the infections of nearly 1,000. Protesters reported the lack of personal protective equipment and also denounced the government for failing to pay them for months. Case numbers and deaths are also rising sharply in Argentina and in Bolivia. In the latter, the dictatorial government installed last year in a US-backed coup is embroiled in a corruption scandal over the purchase of unsuitable respirators at double their real cost by a health minister who is a close political ally of unelected President Jeanine Anez. Alongside the savage loss of life to the coronavirus is the devastating economic impact of the pandemic on the masses of working people in Latin America. The UNs Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean has predicted that poverty will engulf 34.7 percent of Latin Americas population, 215 million people, with 13 percent, 80 million, reduced to extreme poverty. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that the number of unemployed on the continent will rise to 305 million in the second quarter of 2020. The 158 million people working in the informal sector of Latin America and the Caribbean, 54 percent of the working population, will see their incomes reduced by more than 80 percent as a result of the crisis. Drastically intensifying the conditions of capitalist exploitation, imperialist oppression, social inequality and authoritarian rule that existed before the coronavirus pandemic, the present crisis is creating the conditions for revolutionary upheavals throughout the hemisphere. The crisis is revealing ever more openly that the decisive question in the struggle against the pandemic and its impact on masses of people is the independent political mobilization and international unification of the working class in the fight for socialism. The tumbril is ready and the guillotine is glistening for Dominic Cummings. The Left cannot wait for their hate figure and most dangerous enemy to be thrown into a cart and led off for a public execution. It is no coincidence that news of Cummings's 'lockdown bust' was broken by two Labour-supporting newspapers: the tabloid Mirror, which has described him as the PM's 'posh weirdo misfit adviser', and the self-righteous Guardian, whose high priestess Polly Toynbee calls him 'Downing Street's dark lord'. For Cummings represents the biggest threat to public sector incompetence, and to the cosy Whitehall Civil Service establishment, that has been a dead weight on Britain's development for years and which has let us down so badly during the pandemic crisis. The Left cannot wait for Dominic Cummings, their hate figure and most dangerous enemy to be thrown into a cart and led off for a public execution, writes TOM BOWER The truth is that defending this monolith which Cummings called 'the Blob' in specific reference to the education Establishment because of its resistance to change is a religion for the Labour Party and trade unions. His removal would ring-fence the cosy, well-paid, gold-plated pension culture of those who run Britain. Yet for Boris Johnson, this country's prosperity depends on his chief adviser's genius for creative destruction. That is why Johnson will fight to save Cummings. For his part, Cummings could argue that, as a man who prides himself on breaking rules, he was merely acting in character in breaking lockdown guidelines. But, in fact, he could explain that, as the deputy chief medical officer made clear, family support could be sought in 'exceptional circumstances' if parents were too unwell to look after a child. The pandemic, and the subsequent economic rescue emergency, means Britain needs Cummings's skills more than ever. To him, nothing cannot be reformed or is immune from the axe. Before the virus, his first target had been the Ministry of Defence. Over-staffed with unsackable officials, he felt it was wasting billions of pounds on unusable equipment. Now, with experts saying it could take five years or more to repair our economy, everything is on the table. It is no coincidence that news of Cummings's 'lockdown bust' was broken by two Labour-supporting newspapers Without doubt, the incompetent executives running Public Health England and the Department of Health are in Cummings's gun-sights. However, as well as his enemies on the Left, there are many Tories who would stand and cheer along the route to his execution. Among other unpleasantries, Tory MPs have called the 48-year-old 'an unelected foul-mouthed oaf throwing his weight around', a 'political anarchist' and an 'aggressive bully'. Undaunted, Cummings sees these as badges of honour. He revels in his public image and in being seemingly engaged in perpetual warfare with colleagues. He enjoys shocking people with his attire of scruffy jeans and trainers. He relishes telling of his wrecking ball approach to policy. Typical was earlier this year when, in a blog, he wrote about the 'super-talented weirdos' he wanted to recruit as young Downing Street staff. For Boris Johnson, this country's prosperity depends on his chief adviser's genius for creative destruction. That is why Johnson will fight to save Cummings He said: 'What SW1 needs is not more drivel about 'identity' and 'diversity' from Oxbridge humanities graduates but more genuine cognitive diversity. We need some true wild cards, artists, people who never went to university and fought themselves out of an appalling hell hole' The son of oil rig project manager brought up in Durham, it is ironic that Cummings himself studied a 'humanities' subject (history) at Oxford. He first emerged as a public figure during the Brexit campaign, coming up with the winning slogan Take Back Control. However, equally significant was his talent for alienating those he sought to influence. His abrasive personality deterred many veteran Tory Brexiteers from joining Vote Leave's campaign, among them Iain Duncan Smith, who fought the battle independently. Previously, Cummings had been hired by Michael Gove when he was Shadow Education Minister helping challenge the Left-wing educational establishment which they felt were using schools for social engineering rather than teaching excellence. Previously, Cummings had been hired by Michael Gove when he was Shadow Education Minister When Gove became Education Secretary, the pair ran the department as an autonomous wing of the Government, re-designing curriculums, planning more academies and setting up free schools. Daily exposure to incompetent and lazy civil servants turned Cummings into an excoriating critic of Whitehall's sclerotic management and 'dodgy accountancy'. It was inevitable he would make one enemy too many. In this case it happened to be the Prime Minister, David Cameron, who called Cummings a 'career psychopath' and he was fired. Cummings's appointment as Johnson's key No 10 official, despite having undermined his bid for the Tory leadership in 2016 by treacherously backing Gove's candidacy, surprised many Tories. To them, Cummings infamous as bombastic, volatile, aggressive and a depressive was a huge risk. But for Johnson, ambitious to use Brexit to revolutionise and modernise Britain, having a rule-breaker on board was vital. Johnson's initial offers to Cummings to join him in Downing Street were rejected. So Johnson cycled across Islington in North London to Cummings's home to hear what he described as a list of 'terrorist demands'. Johnson quickly conceded and once he became PM, made Cummings his key staffer. Ever the strategist, Cummings placed himself in the corner of the hall in No 10 so he would be filmed by the cameras as Boris Johnson made his triumphant first entry after seeing the Queen. As Cummings intended, many Tory Brexiteers were horrified. 'If we'd known that Cummings would come,' said Bill Cash, 'it would have caused a lot of angst. I was against Vote Leave because of Cummings.' Cummings's appointment as Johnson's key No 10 official, despite having undermined his bid for the Tory leadership in 2016 by treacherously backing Gove's candidacy, surprised many Tories Cummings took aim at Whitehall's senior officials who he believed lacked the skills to run a modern government. The Civil Service, headed by Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill, was staffed, he had long thought, by incompetents unable to manage, procure equipment or implement good policies. Next, he demanded personal loyalty from every political assistant. 'If you don't like how I run things,' he shouted at one meeting, 'there's the door. F*** off!' Some were sacked. One was Sonia Khan, a Treasury media adviser, who was escorted by armed police from Downing Street after a confrontation with Cummings over her contact with those close to the former chancellor Philip Hammond. Cummings's priority was to Get Brexit Done. Britain, as his boss pledged, would be out of the EU by October 31, 2019. 'Nothing will stand in the way of that,' Cummings vowed. In the crash-and-burn tactics devised by him, the No 10 svengali was happy to see a political and constitutional crisis if it achieved a disorderly Brexit, and then hold a General Election to win a Tory majority under the banner of 'People v Parliament'. What followed was Cummings's high-risk strategy of Johnson controversially proroguing Parliament, 21 Tory MPs losing the whip and others in open conflict with Downing Street. Characteristically, Cummings said the Tories' 80-strong Commons majority meant there was 'little need to worry about short-term unpopularity while trying to make rapid progress with long-term problems' When Tory MP Greg Clark, a Remainer, called Cummings to discuss a truce, he was told: 'When are you f****** MPs going to realise, we are leaving on 31 October? We are going to purge you!' With Cummings urging Johnson 'Hold your nerve', the tactics paid off. Britain left the EU and the Tories won their biggest Commons majority since Margaret Thatcher in 1983. Characteristically, Cummings said the Tories' 80-strong Commons majority meant there was 'little need to worry about short-term unpopularity while trying to make rapid progress with long-term problems'. Loyalty to his close allies has become one of Boris Johnson's hallmarks. As London Mayor, he regretted bowing to the Leftist mob and agreeing to the resignation of key staff. He will fight to the end for Dominic Cummings because without him, he fears his ambitions will evaporate. Tom Bower's biography of Boris Johnson will be published in October. (Newser) The controversial FBI investigation into Michael Flynn has triggered yet another reviewthis one by the agency itself, the Washington Post reports. FBI Director Christopher Wray, who ordered the internal review, said it will try to "determine whether any current employees engaged in misconduct" and assess whether "improvements ... might be warranted" in FBI procedures and policies. Wray said the review will "complement" work by St. Louis US Attorney Jeff Jensen, who was tasked earlier this year by Attorney General William Barr with examining the FBI probe. But a former FBI official who worked for Wray suggests this might all be politics. story continues below "I don't know what the point is, other than to appease the attorney general," the former official, Gregory Brower, tells the Post. Indeed, President Trump has criticized Wray over the FBI's work in the Russia probe and said "let's see what happens with him. Look, the jury's still out." Trump even pressed for criminal prosecutions of people involved, but the FBI says it "does not have the prosecutorial authority to bring a criminal case." Fox News notes that many of the senior FBI officials involved don't even work there anymore. Flynn was originally investigated over chats he had with a Russian diplomat, then later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and acquired a new legal team that tried to undo the plea. Now the DOJ is trying to toss out the whole case. (Read more Michael Flynn stories.) A father says he has been refused crucial treatment for his terminal brain tumour because of mandatory quarantine rules for interstate travellers. Perth man Adam Carlyon flew to Sydney for surgery by well-known brain surgeon Dr Charlie Teo. He was told it was crucial to commence radiotherapy as soon as he returned to Perth to begin the next step of his treatment, 9 News reported. A father (pictured, Adam Carlyon) says he has been refused crucial treatment for his terminal brain tumour because of mandatory quarantine rules for interstate travellers Perth man Adam Carlyon flew to Sydney for surgery from well-known brain surgeon Dr Charlie Teo However Mr Carlyon has now been placed into mandatory two-week isolation at his home because of coronavirus restrictions - even though he has already been tested for the deadly virus. The devastated dad says that every day that goes by without treatment reduces his chances of survival. 'Each day that ticks away I see a five per cent chance of survival turning to four, turning to three, turning to two,' he said. 'It's the most stress I've had in my life and in particular because of the kids.' Mr Carlyon's brain tumour was diagnosed after he had a seizure and doctors told him he was unlikely to see another Christmas. 'My goals are short at the moment; Christmas, a snowboarding holiday next year with my family,' Mr Carlyon said. Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital said in a statement it was common protocol to wait three weeks after surgery to commence treatment. This window would allow post-surgery healing. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Sat, May 23 2020 Faith thrives in adversity. If anything, the worlds three major faiths were founded on the idea of suffering. Christianity was born out of the suffering of Jesus on the cross and the belief that he died for all our sins. In Judaism, one of the most sacred holidays is Passover, which commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. One of the defining moments in Islam is when Prophet Muhammad ordered his followers to relocate to Medina, to escape persecution from pagans in Mecca. And it was after this event, known as Hijrah, that Islam thrived as a sociopolitical entity. Islam itself was founded on the idea that the best way to live is modestly, if not in austerity, as exemplified by the life of the Prophet. 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 Tanzania has distinguished itself as an outlier in the middle of the biggest global health crisis of modern times. With much of the world scrambling to stop the outbreak through restrictions of movement and ramping up testing, Tanzania has chosen an unusual approach. Whilst there exists no template of what works against the Covid-19 pandemic, the general consensus is that being able to measure the extent of the spread of the virus is a necessary step towards controlling it. Tanzania has been doing the opposite. Since 19 April the East African nation has not published data on new infections. President John Magufuli has questioned the reliability of testing kits, shut the national laboratory and a month on declared victory over the virus. It is not known if testing has resumed. Foreign missions in the country and neighbouring countries are raising the alarm. The US embassy urged its citizens to be cautious, saying there was a high probability of getting infected in the commercial capital, Dar es Salam. The UK has been repatriating its citizens. Kenya said recently that 182 foreigners tested positive at the countries' shared border and denied them entry. The decision infuriated the Tanzanian government, leading top officials to accuse Kenya of sabotaging its tourism sector. Zambia has also closed its border after finding a significant number of new imported cases. Tanzania will no doubt be the subject of many lessons on responding to pandemics in the coming months and years. 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 Amazon homeless shelter Mitch Pittman/Amazon Amazon opened Washington state's largest family shelter in March. The shelter occupies eight floors at the company's Seattle headquarters. It's large enough to allow social distancing among homeless guests. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The timing couldn't have been better: Just as Seattle was grappling with a severe coronavirus outbreak that posed a particular threat to its homeless population, Amazon opened the largest family shelter in Washington state. "This new shelter, opening when it did, has been our saving grace," Marty Hartman, executive director of the local nonprofit Mary's Place, which operates the shelter, said in a statement. "This space ensures we don't have to return families to homelessness during this unprecedented and trying time." The plan was three years in the making. In May 2017, Amazon set aside eight floors in its Seattle headquarters for a shelter operated by Mary's Place. The shelter opened in March, around the time that a nursing-home outbreak turned Seattle into a coronavirus hotspot. Seattle has since contained its outbreak and loosened lockdown measures, but Gov. Jay Inslee has said that social distancing must continue. The new shelter enables homeless residents abide by these rules. Here's what it looks like. The shelter is located near Seattle's central business district. That places it within the epicenter of the city's homelessness crisis. Amazon homeless shelter Mitch Pittman/Amazon Seattle saw a considerable rise in rents and home prices after Amazon built its campus there in 2010. From 2007 to 2017, the median rent in Seattle increased by nearly 42%, compared to 18% nationwide. Seattle's homeless count has risen by 9% each year since 2014. There are currently about 12,500 homeless people in King County, where Seattle is located. The 63,000-square-foot shelter has its own entrance across the street from the Amazon Spheres prominent glass domes that double as an employee workspace and greenhouse. Story continues Amazon homeless shelter Mitch Pittman/Amazon Up to 200 people can stay at the shelter each night. The facility also has room for 75 additional people during weather emergencies. Amazon homeless shelter lobby Mitch Pittman/Amazon Homeless people are among the most vulnerable populations during a public-health crisis. Those who sleep outdoors lack access to sanitation facilities, making it difficult to wash their hands or practice other forms of basic hygiene that lower their risk of infection. In response to the pandemic, Mary's Place relocated vulnerable families from its other shelters to the new space. Amazon homeless shelter reception Mitch Pittman/Amazon Mary's Place first opened as a day center for single homeless women two decades ago. The nonprofit now operates 11 shelters, including the one in Amazon's headquarters. The organization is known for repurposing dilapidated buildings including a former bank, sheriff's office, and restaurant and turning them into temporary homeless housing. Mary's Place estimates that nearly one-third of its homeless families include members who are at high risk of severe coronavirus cases. Amazon homeless shelter common room Mitch Pittman/Amazon That includes children with muscular dystrophy, babies waiting on cleft palate and ear reconstruction surgeries, and adults ages 60 and older. Traditional homeless shelters can create breeding grounds for outbreaks, but the new shelter facilitates social distancing. Amazon homeless shelter Mitch Pittman/Amazon "The opening of the new Mary's Place shelter came at a crucial moment, helping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and saving lives," Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a statement. Many shelters only have showers. But the new one offers "hygiene areas" where occupants can take baths. Amazon homeless shelter Mitch Pittman/Amazon Four floors are reserved for sleeping. Families have individual, private rooms. Amazon homeless shelter Mitch Pittman/Amazon Another two floors are reserved for families of children with life-threatening illnesses. Amazon homeless shelter kids Mitch Pittman/Amazon Those floors offer space for 30 families. "That child outside tonight that might be on a feeding tube, that's waiting for a kidney transplant, that just wants to graduate from high school or their mom wants to see take their first step those are things that we can solve," Hartman previously told Business Insider. "It'll just take a minute. It's one season of their life." An on-site health clinic gives residents access to medical services. Amazon homeless shelter medical room Mitch Pittman/Amazon The shelter's frontline staff has access to face protectors, ear thermometers, gloves, and safety glasses. Amazon homeless shelter bathroom Mitch Pittman/Amazon Amazon is also providing monthly pro-bono legal counseling. Amazon homeless shelter Mitch Pittman/Amazon The company donated 20 laptops to help facilitate this service virtually during the pandemic. Homeless shelter residents can receive advice on credit or debt issues, housing and tenant rights, or personal injury concerns. Amazon has offered to pay for the space's utilities, maintenance, and security for the next 10 years, or as long as Mary's Place needs it. It's also covering the rent. Amazon homeless shelter laundry Mitch Pittman/Amazon Mary's Place will be responsible for funding its own operations, programming, and staff in the space. Amazon homeless shelter break room Mitch Pittman/Amazon The organization told CityLab that those expenses could amount to $2 million a year. Under normal circumstances, Amazon employees would be able to volunteer to teach coding classes, read to children, provide resume help, or do mock job interviews. Amazon homeless shelter room Mitch Pittman/Amazon The original plan also called for Amazon employees to help chop vegetables, organize birthday celebrations, or throw dance parties, Hartman said in December. An industrial kitchen is expected to produce 600,000 meals per year. Amazon homeless shelter kitchen Mitch Pittman/Amazon These meals aren't just for occupants of the shelter on Amazon's campus. They will also be delivered to 10 other Mary's Place shelters in Seattle. Adult guests are expected to perform around three hours of chores or another type of service each week. Amazon homeless shelter dining room Mitch Pittman/Amazon Each hour of activity is worth 1,500 points. Guests can use those points to purchase donated items, including food and clothing, at an indoor marketplace. Guests can also earn points by participating in activities that move them toward their housing and employment goals. Amazon homeless shelter marketplace Mitch Pittman/Amazon The shelter has offices and computer labs. Amazon homeless shelter Mitch Pittman/Amazon The space is soundproof, so guests won't hear the activity in Amazon offices and vice versa. Amazon homeless shelter Mitch Pittman/Amazon Amazon is permitting its corporate employees to work remotely until at least early October, though. Children have access to WiFi and computers so they can attend classes online. Amazon homeless shelter computer center Mitch Pittman/Amazon As a service to working parents who lost access to childcare during the pandemic, Mary's Place employees are babysitting children for extended hours. Kids can also play along the bike tracks on the shelter's rooftop deck. Amazon homeless shelter Mitch Pittman/Amazon Mary's Place said the fresh air is a welcome respite for guests who are isolating indoors. Read the original article on Business Insider China's Plan to Impose Draconian Law on Hong Kong Sparks International Outcry 2020-05-22 -- China's announcement it will bypass Hong Kong's legislature to impose draconian security laws on the city to quell "subversion" and "foreign interference" during the year-long protest movement sparked criticism and concern on Friday from the U.S., U.K., and international rights organizations. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the move would be a "death knell" for the city's promised autonomy. "The United States condemns the People's Republic of China (PRC) National People's Congress proposal to unilaterally and arbitrarily impose national security legislation on Hong Kong," Pompeo said in a statement. "The decision to bypass Hong Kong's well-established legislative processes and ignore the will of the people of Hong Kong would be a death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised for Hong Kong," he said, referring to the legally binding 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, which the Chinese Communist Party has said is no more than a "historical document." The U.S. called on Beijing to reconsider its "disastrous proposal" and respect Hong Kong's democratic institutions and civil liberties. The U.S. is currently reviewing Hong Kong's special status as a separate economy and legal jurisdiction under the 2019 Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy. Pompeo said the imposition of national security laws could affect that assessment. Amnesty International said the proposal was "dangerous." "China routinely abuses its own national security framework as a pretext to target human rights activists and stamp out all forms of dissent," East and Southeast Asian deputy director Joshua Rosenzweig said in a statement. "This dangerous proposed law sends the clearest message yet that it is eager to do the same in Hong Kong, and as soon as possible," he said. "This attempt to bulldoze through repressive security regulations poses a quasi-existential threat to the rule of law in Hong Kong and is an ominous moment for human rights in the city," Rosenzweig said. China-Hong Kong gap dissolves He said the people of Hong Kong shouldn't have their rights and freedoms taken away in the name of national security concerns. His comments were echoed by the Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network, which said the imposition of the law would strip away any remaining civil liberties and fundamental freedoms of Hong Kong residents. "It would erase any existing political separation between the semi-democratic territory and the one-party authoritarian mainland China," the group said. It said national security legislation has been used to target peaceful dissidents, rights activists, human rights lawyers, journalists, writers, NGO workers, labor organizers, Tibetans, Uyghurs, "or practically anyone who criticizes government policies, the Chinese Communist Party or Xi Jinping and past leaders' dictatorial rule." People accused of "endangering national security" are routinely denied access to lawyers or a fair trial, while the definition of what constitutes such endangerment is arbitrarily decided by the authorities, it said. For example, the authorities have prosecuted individuals for using overseas website servers or giving interviews to foreign media as "providing state secrets to foreign entities," it said. "This [draconian legal regime] could strip Hong Kong residents of their rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association, in violation of the city's mini constitution and international human rights law," the group said. 'One country, two systems' fatal to democracy In Taiwan, presidential spokesman Alex Huang said the proposals clearly showed that a democracy would never survive an encounter with Chinese rule under "one country, two systems." "We are closely following and highly concerned about this development, which poses a further threat to freedom and democracy for the people of Hong Kong," Huang said, calling on Beijing to answer growing calls for fully democratic elections in Hong Kong, if it really wished to end the protests. Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) spokesman Chiu Chui-Cheng said laws should protect people rather than placing shackles on them. "We believe that encroaching on Hong Kong's democratic institutions, human rights and freedoms will lead to a rise in public dissatisfaction and social instability, as well as making it riskier for people of all nationalities to be in Hong Kong," Chiu said. "We hope that the relevant parties will think twice and not let Hong Kong fall into greater chaos because of poor decision-making," he said. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said Hong Kong's autonomy was dead, while the opposition KMT said the move was in breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. "Taiwan cares about the rights of the people of Hong Kong and their situation, regardless of partisan loyalty," the KMT statement said. "This deterioration in Hong Kong's situation will have a direct and negative impact on the future development of cross-strait relations." The U.K., Canada and Australia said in a joint statement that they were "deeply concerned" by the proposal. "Making such a law on Hong Kong's behalf without the direct participation of its people, legislature or judiciary would clearly undermine the principle of 'one country, two systems', under which Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of autonomy," the statement said. It said Hong Kong should be allowed freedom "of the person, of the press, of assembly, of association and others," and that international human rights treaties should remain in force. Reported by Chung Kuang-cheng for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Jia Ao for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Copyright 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content May not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Police are investigating after an unborn baby died after its mother took abortion drugs at home while 28 weeks pregnant. The woman was four weeks past the legal termination limit in England and 18 weeks past the ten-week limit for taking the abortion pills at home under new measures. The baby was stillborn. Abortion laws were relaxed due to the coronavirus pandemic, allowing women to take both pills at home. Abortion laws were relaxed in the UK due to the coronavirus pandemic, allowing women to take both pills at home The measures were put in place so women didn't have to go to a hospital or a clinic. A Midlands coroner is investigating the 28-week death and police have also been informed, The Sun reported. Women can use these pills up to the 10th week of their pregnancy. The termination limit in the UK is 24 weeks. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (Bpas) runs the 'pills by the post' service. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service confirmed it is investigating the case along with eight others It confirmed it is investigating the case along with eight others where women were beyond the ten-week limit, The Sun reported. Before the new measures were introduced, abortions in England could only be carried out in a hospital by a specialist provider or a licensed clinic. They needed to be approved by two doctors to certify that it did not breach the terms of the Abortion Act 1967. The measures will last for two years or until the coronavirus pandemic ends. CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Painstaking plans allowing each Heights High School graduate to walk across the school auditorium stage have received the official blessing of the Cuyahoga County Health Department. Like just about everything else during the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down Ohio schools since March, the dates and times for the individual walks will be spaced, staggered and with protective face masks in place, between Monday, June 8, and Friday, June 12. After the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District had to scrap earlier plans for a rescheduled June 23 commencement in the still-closed Playhouse Square, the administrative team went back to the drawing board. They started with some basic objectives for the ceremony, where each of the roughly 400 Heights High grads could get back into the school and walk the stage in cap and gown to receive individual diplomas while his or her name was announced with a few family members present, also allowing time for photos to be taken. That's where the real work began, with the schedule being posted last week after the county health department signed off on the plan. Senior families -- no more than four attendees -- are set to arrive at 15-minute intervals. Graduates may remove their masks for photographs, a CH-UH district letter to seniors states. Times have been allotted to comply with social distancing and to limit the number of individuals in a space to 10. It is imperative that these guidelines be followed to keep everyone safe and in compliance. There will still be a virtual element involved, once the individual recordings are cobbled together into a composite video ceremony, with the graduates appearing in alphabetical order. This is what makes adherence to the posted schedule so important. Departures with tradition Some restrictions observed in the past will be lifted, given the circumstances brought on by the pandemic. "The Class of 2020 has not been able to have the same experience as other graduating classes due to COVID-19," the latest district letter to seniors states. "Therefore, the administration has approved the senior class request to decorate their caps for the ceremony." However, there are guidelines that must still be followed: -- Only the flat, top area of the mortarboard may be decorated. There may be nothing hanging down from any of the sides of the cap. -- It cannot contain any advertisement, symbols, abbreviations, initials, words, slogans, patches or pictures that refer to drugs or controlled substances, tobacco, alcohol or weapons, affiliation with gangs, anything of a sexual nature or which threatens the safety and welfare of any person. -- It cannot be interpreted as obscene, profane, vulgar or lewd. -- It cannot include numbers other than the graduation year. -- It cannot make noise. No bells, horns or anything that makes noise. School administration will reserve the right to disallow anything that is not considered appropriate for the commencement ceremony. And, we have no additional caps to provide if the decorations are not appropriate or if the cap is damaged, district officials added. Families will be asked to stand in the auditorium. If there is a family member who may need to sit, the seating will be disinfected after each family exits. As each student is video-recorded, families are welcome to take pictures as their graduate walks across the stage. Families will exit through the front door of the high school and return to their vehicle to ensure we adhere to the regulations established by the state for social gatherings, district officials stated. From there, a video will be produced that will include the entire ceremony: speeches, graduates and music. This will be placed on YouTube, with a target date of June 23. For more information, visit the CH-UH district website at https://www.chuh.org/ Read more from the Sun Press. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has announced that certain groups of South Africans will be allowed to return to other countries where they are based. This decision was reached after he consulted with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC). He said in a statement that essential travel for South Africans who are returning to countries where they are based is now allowed. This essential travel applies to specific categories of South Africans who include: People who are returning to a country to study or work. People who want to reunite with their family abroad. People who are taking up permanent residency in another country. People who are receiving medical treatment in another country. Under the new lockdown regulations South Africa has implemented travel restrictions in and out of the country to curb the spread of COVID-19. Travel is, however, allowed under special circumstances. South Africans wishing to return to the countries where they reside should have the following. A copy of their valid South African passport. A letter confirming their admissibility under the current circumstances from the embassy or other diplomatic/consular representative of the country they want to travel to. If returning by road or connecting via flights, the proof submitted needs to include permission from each transiting country. Proof of means of travel such as air or bus tickets and the intended date of departure. South Africans who fall into these categories and satisfy the criteria can send an e-mail to [email protected] An e-mail will be sent to travellers who meet the criteria to enable them to proceed with their travel arrangements, the Department of Home Affairs said. Academics and students at a Hanoi university have designed and built a ventilator to help the country fight COVID-19, and if necessary they say they can produce up to 500 machines a month for hospitals and health centres nationwide. The group from the Hanoi University of Science and Technology spent a month during the social distancing period to research and design the breathing support machine, called BK-Vent. Associate Professor Vu Duy Hai, one of the group's leaders, said: Over the past month, we have completed our research and created a ventilator which has breathing support functions for COVID-19 patients that meet standards set by the Health Ministry and the Association for Advancing Safety in Health Technology. Now the ventilator from the Hanoi University of Science and Technology has been completed and certified by the National Institute of Medical Devices and Construction under the Health Ministry. The ventilator is designed to help the country fight against COVID-19. Understanding the symptoms of COVID-19 patients, the groups concentrated on the most basic functions of the machine. To create a ventilator for COVID-19 patients, the team investigated which functions on a normal ventilator COVID-19 patient need, said Doctor Dao Viet Hung, a member of the group. We concentrated on those functions and ignored those that are not needed by COVID-19 patients. The most basic principle of this ventilator is that the machine supplies air containing oxygen to patients lungs, because COVID-19 patients have trouble breathing. According to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, Vietnam has only 5,000 imported ventilators with just 260 units in Hanoi, and they all use the invasive positive pressure ventilation method. The machine invented by the group is for non-invasive positive pressure ventilation in order to meet the requirements set by the Government and when the number of COVID-19 patients exceeds 50,000. The BK-Vent machine has two modes," Hung added. The first mode is auto-breathing recognition, which means if a patient is only breathing lightly, the machine recognises this and pumps air into the lungs. This mode helps the patient feel more comfortable. A student tests the ventilator. One of the challenges of creating the machine was to ensure all the parts could be sourced in Vietnam so nothing needed to be imported. He added: The difficult things that we had to cope with while making the BK-Vent ventilator was to ensure the ventilator can support COVID-19 patients and that we used domestic materials. If the COVID-19 situation gets worse in Vietnam, our university can produce a large number of ventilators using local materials in the shortest time. Due to the limited number of ventilators, the group aims to make sure their machines can be mass-produced when needed and are cheaper than imported equipment. We're ready for mass production for health establishments if the disease gets worse, Hai said. When the demand for ventilators is high like it was for face masks or disinfectant, the school will be able to produce 300500 units per month. With our current estimation of raw material costs, the ventilator is much cheaper than imported machines. Even though the group had to work during social distancing, they still co-operated well and completed the task in a short space of time. Hoang Thi Thu Hien, a student at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology and also a member of the group, said: We worked during a tough time when social distancing was in place. We had to organise online meetings, and our staff numbers at that time were limited. We always had to work late into the night. While the group's members are pleased they managed to create and design the machine quickly, they feel most proud of the contributions they have made to fight the pandemic, which has claimed more than 300,000 lives worldwide. I feel very happy that I became the part of this project and contributed something to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic and support COVID-19 patients, Hien added. I think this was also a wonderful opportunity for me to apply theory in practice. Being directly involved in the manufacturing process, we feel very happy, Hung said. We also feel very relieved because we have completed the task assigned by the university, and we are proud of what we have done. The COVID-19 pandemic will not be the end for their creative minds, and they believe that in the future they can create a better machine for other diseases to replace imported ventilators. If there is another opportunity for us to conduct research and manufacture ventilators for other diseases, we will likely participate in that project to supply to domestic and overseas markets, Hung continued. I think we can do it and do it well if we have that chance. VNS Ly Ly Cao and Minh Phuong University students, teachers make robots, medical devices for COVID-19 fight Students and lecturers from several universities in the country have made and donated robots and medical devices to hospitals and quarantine areas to serve the fight against COVID-19. By Laman Ismayilova It goes without saying that music is the universal language of mankind. Listening to your favorite songs can wash away all your worries and fears and lift your spirit up. In one word, no matter what, music will always be there for you. The power of music never fails to surprise us as it can trigger a wide range of emotions. Numerous studies have shown that music impacts brain function and human behavior in unexpected ways. Let's see some of the most intriguing facts about the power of music! Brains of jazz and classical pianists work differently Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI CBS) in Leipzig have found out that brain activity of jazz pianists differs from those of classical pianists, even while playing the same music piece. The scientists invited 30 professional pianists to take part in the experiment. Both groups of musicians got to see a hand on a screen which played a sequence of chords on a piano scattered with mistakes in harmonies and fingering. The professional pianists had to imitate this hand and react accordingly to the irregularities while their brain signals were registered with EEG sensors on the head. According to the current study, the main difference between the two groups of musicians is the way in which they plan movements while playing the piano. Classical pianists focus on how to play music pieces perfectly regarding their technique and adding personal expression. By contrast, jazz pianist focus more on harmonies and being comfortable adapting to unexpected musical changes. "Indeed, in the jazz pianists we found neural evidence for this flexibility in planning harmonies when playing the piano. When we asked them to play a harmonically unexpected chord within a standard chord progression, their brains started to re-plan the actions faster than classical pianists. Accordingly, they were better able to react and continue their performance. Interestingly, the classical pianists performed better than the others when it came to following unusual fingering. In these cases their brains showed stronger awareness of the fingering, and consequently they made fewer errors while imitating the chord sequence," says Roberta Bianco, first author of the study. Musicians read emotions better Neuroscientists asked 30 people to watch a subtitled nature film while listening to a 250-millisecond clip of a distressed babys cry. Using scalp electrodes, they measured how sensitive the people were to the sound. After experiment, the researchers concluded that the musicians were able to hone in directly to the emotional aspect of the sound, while non-musicians weren't able to compartmentalize the sound as easily. "That [musicians'] brains respond more quickly and accurately than the brains of non-musicians is something wed expect to translate into the perception of emotion in other settings, said Dana Strait, a graduate student at Northwestern University and first author of a paper detailing the findings in the latest issue of the European Journal of Neuroscience. Another research was conducted by University College London in 2018, proved that people with more musical training repeatedly demonstrate enhanced auditory perception abilities. The study involved both musician and non-musician groups, who took part in a version of the audio-visual emotional Stroop test, using happy, neutral, and sad emotions. During research, participants were presented with congruent and incongruent combinations of face and voice stimuli while judging the emotion of either the face or the voice. The study proved that musicians were less susceptible to interference from visual information on auditory emotion judgments than non-musicians. Moreover, they were also more accurate than non-musicians at identifying visual emotions when presented with concurrent auditory information. Music has a color Some people are able to see colors when hearing music. This rare neurological condition is known as "synesthesia" or chromesthesia. The studies have reveled unusual connections in synesthetes' adjacent brain regions, similar to those in babies; in fact, it is believed that all babies have synesthesia until they are about four months old. The earliest recorded case of synesthesia is attributed to the Oxford University academic and philosopher John Locke. In 1690, he made a report about a blind man who said he experienced the color scarlet when he heard the sound of a trumpet. Another interesting fact is that synesthesia is more prevalent in musicians, artists and writers. Vladimir Nabokov, Franz Liszt, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Vincent Van Gogh, Patrick Stumph (Fall Out Boys), Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams, Brendon Urie (Panic! at the Disco) are among them. Music can boost your mood Listening to music can have the same effect on your brain as opioids and endorphins. McGill University scientists has revealed that the chill you get from listening to your favorite track releases natural opioids such as endorphins thus blocking pain and induce feelings of pleasure. "Preliminary studies have shown that music listening and performing modulate levels of serotonin, epinephrine, dopamine, oxytocin, and prolactin. Music can reliably induce feelings of pleasure, and indeed, people consistently rank music as among the top ten things in their lives that bring pleasure, above money, food, and art," McGill University scientists wrote. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Thousands of migrant workers from Odisha and north-eastern states thronged the Palace grounds here on Saturday to get back to their home states by Shramik trains, leading to a chaotic situation, officials said. They had gathered due to "misinformation", sources said. Officials said 1,500 people had registered to return to their respective states via Seva Sindhu app and a message was sent to all those registered to assemble at palace grounds to board the buses that will ferry them to designated railway stations after screening and medical check. "...but, the confusion happened as people forwarded the messages to others as well, resulting in large number of people gathering there, leading to chaos," they added. Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar, who was on his way to Chikkaballapur, rushed to the spot and pacified the workers. The minister interacted with the people of the North-eastern states and Odisha and said that there was no need to panic as travel will be arranged for all migrants at government expense, his office said in a release. He also spoke to the Chief Secretary and senior officials and instructed them to resolve the confusion, and urged people to co-operate with the administration. The minister told them that the Karnataka government was doing everything to send them back safely. Sudhakar, who is also a doctor, came to the rescue of a man named Arshad who suffered an attack of fits, his office said. Officials said those with tickets and requisite details were allowed to travel, while others were asked to go back and wait until their turn comes, once they register. State Congress President D K Shivakumr too visited the spot and spoke to the workers. Speaking to reporters, he said he was ready to foot their bill and hit out the government for not making arrangements properly, and for making them wait under the hot sun without food and water. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday had announced that the state government would bear the travel cost of migrant workers and stranded people to their respective states by Shramik trains upto May 31. Following the Chief Minister's announcement Railway officials too said no payment is to be made by the workers returning on Shramik trains. "Important announcement: No fare for Shramik trains to be paid by passengers. It is informed that for Shramik Special Trains from Karnataka payment of train fare will be made by Karnataka Govt to Railways, no payment is to be made by the workers returning on Shramik Special Trains," DRM Bengaluru tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi : A three-and-a-half-year old boy was crushed under the wheels of his school van in front of his parents as he was dropped outside his house in Civil Lines area of north Delhi on Tuesday. The victim, identified as Aviral, was a student of John Wesley School and he was dropped off by his school van around 2 PM outside his house in Shri Ram Railway Colony when the tragic incident took place. The driver in a hurry could not see the kid standing in front of the van and mowed him down. He was rushed to Parmanand Hospital where he was declared brought dead, said Madhur Verma, DCP (north). Parents of the boy were waiting to pick him up when the incident took place. The boy was dragged for several metres as the van driver failed to realise that Aviral had come under the wheels, police said. As his parents raised an alarms along with the neighbours, the van stopped and the boy was taken from under the vehicle and rushed to the hospital in the same vehicle. There were other children in the van when the incident happened. The accused driver, Rahul, 28, was later arrested by the police. A case under sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 304(A) (causing death by negligence) of IPC has been registered at the Civil Lines police station, said the officer. The parents of the child were in utter pain and shock over the tragedy, he said. Aviral had recently started going to school. His father Hitendra, a railway employee, used to drop and pick him up from the school, but had hired the van a month back. Three employees of the Ahmedabad-based Cadila Pharmaceuticals, one of India's largest privately held pharma companies, died of the Covid-19 infection on Friday. We have lost three of our colleagues to Covid-19. Two of them were working in the packaging department, the third person was also there. One of them was 59-years old and had comorbid conditions with diabetes, a spokesperson of the company told Business Line. The representative added that their loss was a tragedy and the company is looking to extend all possible help to their kin. The deceased were among 26 employees who had tested positive for the infection earlier in May. The company is planning to reopen the unit, Indian Express reported quoting a company spokesperson as saying. We had conducted multiple sanitisations of the facility and state government health officials had already conducted an audit for the same, the representative added. Cadila Pharmaceuticals had on May 7 shut down its formulations manufacturing plant in Ahmedabad after over two dozen of its employees tested positive for Covid-19. "Recently, 26 of our employees from our Dholka manufacturing facility tested positive for COVID-19. Following this, we have closed our operations on our own," Cadila Pharmaceuticals had said in a statement. The company added that it was coordinating with the local authorities to ensure the safety of its facility. Arun Mahesh Babu, the District Development Officer of Ahmedabad told Reuters the plant was ordered to be shut down on May 7, 95 employees had been quarantined and sanitisation work at the site had begun. Besides Dholka, Cadila Pharmaceuticals has units in other parts of India and in Ethiopia. The firm is a major manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) - the main component used in making a drug. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 23:33:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- Activities jeopardizing national security have become increasingly rampant in Hong Kong. Efforts must be made at the state level to change its defenseless status. -- The legislation will lay a solid institutional foundation for the steady and enduring growth of "one country, two systems." -- Hong Kong residents' extensive rights and freedoms will all remain fully protected. -- The legislation does not affect Hong Kong courts which exercise independent judicial power. by Xinhua writers Fang Dong, Gao Jie, Fei Liena HONG KONG, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A draft decision to introduce national security legislation for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is under deliberation at China's national legislature during its ongoing annual session. What does it mean to people and businesses in Hong Kong and why is it important? Based on interviews with experts, Xinhua reporters attempt to answer some of the most frequently asked questions as follows: The third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) WHY DOES HONG KONG NEED THIS NOW? Hong Kong is part of China and as such, it shoulders the constitutional responsibility of safeguarding national security. But it has long been defenseless in terms of national security. Under the Basic Law, the HKSAR's constitutional document, Hong Kong shall enact laws on its own to safeguard national security. This is known as Article 23. However, Article 23 has become so stigmatized and demonized in Hong Kong that it is, in fact, very difficult for the HKSAR Legislative Council (LegCo) to fulfill its legal responsibility of enacting relevant laws. This legal loophole has been taken advantage of by local and foreign anti-China forces. Activities jeopardizing national security have become increasingly rampant in Hong Kong. Last year, rioters besieged the HKSAR government headquarters and public agencies, broke into and vandalized the HKSAR LegCo building, trashed metro stations, banks and stores, assaulted police officers, set fires on the streets, beat up tourists and residents and even made terrorist threats. The trend of homegrown terrorism is posing a grim threat to the security of the HKSAR as well as the nation at large. Considering Hong Kong's situation at present, efforts must be made at the state level to safeguard national security and to change its defenseless status. Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam (C), multiple other government officials and members of the Executive Council attend a press conference on introducing the national security legislation for HKSAR in Hong Kong, south China, May 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Gang) WILL IT CHANGE "ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS"? No. On the contrary, the national security legislation will solidify the "one country, two systems" principle, under which Hong Kong has a high degree of autonomy and retains its own capitalist economy and legal system. It is aimed at tackling the growing national security risk in Hong Kong, which has become a prominent challenge to the "one country, two systems" principle. The illegal "Occupy Central" movement in 2014, as well as the prolonged unrest following the now-withdrawn ordinance amendments concerning fugitive transfers, plunged Hong Kong into chaos. Local residents clear roadblocks on a street in Sai Wan Ho of Hong Kong, south China, Nov. 15, 2019. (Xinhua) The draft decision of the legislation states clearly that China will "unswervingly, fully and faithfully" implement the principles of "one country, two systems," "the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy. The legislation will lay a solid institutional foundation for the steady and enduring growth for the cause of "one country, two systems." WHO ARE BEING TARGETED? China's legislature has made it clear that the national security legislation only targets those who attempt to split the country, subvert state power, and organize and carry out terrorist activities, as well as foreign and external forces seeking to interfere in Hong Kong's affairs. WILL PEOPLE'S RIGHTS, FREEDOMS REMAIN PROTECTED? Yes. The legislation will in no way harm the daily lives of law-abiding Hong Kong residents. The extensive rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents, such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, right to assembly and demonstration, to engage in academic research, to travel and to enter or leave the HKSAR will all remain fully protected by the Basic Law, the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other laws. One of the five basic principles in the draft decision is "substantially safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Hong Kong residents." After the legislation is enacted, the personal safety and property of Hong Kong residents will be even better protected and their basic rights and freedoms better guaranteed. WILL FOREIGN FIRMS BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY? No. The legislation will not affect foreign investors' legitimate interests in Hong Kong. Instead, it will make Hong Kong a safer and more stable place and improve the confidence of local and overseas investors in doing business in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's status as a separate customs territory is recognized by the World Trade Organization and is guaranteed by the Basic Law of the HKSAR. By 2019, 9,040 global companies had set up regional headquarters or offices in Hong Kong, with 1,413 from Japan, 1,344 from the United States and 713 from Britain. Prolonged social unrest has hurt business confidence in Hong Kong. As Hong Kong has gone through months of disruption, violence and uncertainties, anything that can stabilize the situation will indeed help recover investor sentiment. Guests talk on the 13th Asian Financial Forum (AFF) in Hong Kong, south China, Jan. 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu) DO OTHER COUNTRIES ALSO HAVE LAWS PROTECTING NATIONAL SECURITY? Yes. Major Western countries, including the United States and Britain, have their own national security laws and created a large number of cases through judicial practices. The National Security Act of the United States was signed into law by then U.S. President Harry Truman on July 26, 1947. The United States also enacted the USA PATRIOT Act after the Sept. 11 attacks and the CLOUD Act. Britain passed the Official Secrets Act of 1911 to tackle espionage and renewed it with the Official Secrets Act of 1989. Several more acts on anti-terrorism and national security were enacted after the Sept. 11 attacks. In general, Western countries have built sound legal systems on national security, covering legislation, law enforcement, prosecution, trials and other aspects. Citizens write down their signatures in a street campaign in support of the national security legislation in Hong Kong, south China, May 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu) WILL IT AFFECT HONG KONG'S JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE? No. Hong Kong has preserved its common law system since returning to the motherland in 1997, independent from the system adopted on the Chinese mainland. The legislation will only plug the very apparent loopholes and legal vacuum in national security. It does not affect Hong Kong courts which, under the Basic Law, exercise independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication. (Video repoters: Lin Ning, Wan Houde, Qiu Bo, Fang Dong; Video editor: Zheng Xin) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 22-year-old man is dead in an early Saturday morning shooting in Cleveland, according to police. The man has not yet been identified in the shooting that happened on Eldamere Avenue near Lee Road, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. Police have not made any arrests in the shooting as of Saturday night. Police arrived on scene and found a black SUV with its doors open and the man lying on the ground near the drivers side door with several gunshot wounds, Ciaccia said. Paramedics took the man to University Hospital and was later pronounced dead. The man had been involved in an altercation with a group of men. Shots were fired and the man was struck. The suspects drove away in a car, police said. The global allergy diagnostic and treatment market reached nearly $ 35.3 billion in 2015. This market is expected to increase from nearly $ 40.0 billion in 2016 to $ 52.7 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% for 2016-2021. Scope report: This BCC Research report is designed to provide a comprehensive look at the global allergy diagnostic, immunotherapy, and treatment markets. The geographic areas covered by the report include the Americas region (ie, Canada, US, Mexico, and Central and South America); the EMRA region (ie, Europe, the Middle East, Russia, and Africa); and the Asian region (ie, Japan, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, and other Asian Pacific countries). Request For Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/12024 The report provides a brief explanation of different allergic disorders with global incidence rates; discusses the different types of allergy diagnostic tests and their applicability in diagnosing various allergens; describes classes of allergy treatment products; and provides an overview of the growing immunotherapy market. The report organizes information from several sources into a cohesive unit that includes: - A section on diagnostic products such as skin prick and patch tests, provocation testing, and antibody allergen testing. - An overview section on allergies and five categories of prescription allergy products including antihistamines and combinations; sympathomimetics, decongestants and combinations; corticosteroids; mast cell stabilizers; and leukotriene receptors. - Specific chapters that focus on testing and treatment in three distinct geographical areas: Americas, EMRA and Asia. - A company profiles section that provides background information on companies active in the diagnostic and treatment arenas. Report Includes: - An overview of the global markets for allergy diagnostics and treatments. - Analyzes of global market trends, with data from 2015 and 2016, and projections of CAGRs through 2021. - Segmentation of the market into diagnostics, prescription treatments, and over-the-counter (OTC) treatments. - Information on different types of allergic reactions, including anaphylactoid reactions, cytotoxic and cytolytic reactions, immune complex reactions, and delayed hypersensitivity reactions. - Profiles of major players in the allergy diagnostics and treatments industry. Summary Report The current global allergy diagnostic and therapeutic market was worth nearly $ 39.6 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% to nearly $ 52.7 billion by 2021. The allergy diagnostic and therapeutic market is lucrative and has potential to grow due to growth in allergies globally, higher healthcare expenditure and increase in pollution and urbanization. Exclusive Discount Offer on Quick Purchase @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/12024 According to the World Allergy Organization (WAO), between 30% and 40% of the world's population is affected by one or more allergic conditions. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 50 million individuals are affected by allergic diseases. A disproportionate number of individuals affected by allergies are young children and teenagers under 18 years of age, increasing the burden of allergic diseases as they become adults. Allergic conditions are the most common health issues that US children face and affect 40% of children. Additionally, studies have found strong links between allergies and asthma. Complex allergies that involve polysensitization and multiple organ involvement are increasing, leading to potentially higher morbidity and greater demands on healthcare systems. Covid 19 Impact Analysis @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/12024 EDENVILLE TWP, MI With the failure of the Edenville Dam earlier this week, Wixom Lake has been left a shadow of its former self. The question now is, can the lake itself be salvaged? Its basically back down to the old river channel now, Edenville Township Supervisor Craig Gosen said of the lakes current water level. The lake typically had a shoreline of about 84 miles and maximum depth of about 40 feet, before days of heavy rain descended earlier this week. Wixom Lake was formed in 1925 with the construction of the Edenville Dam, a 4.8 megawatt, 6,600-foot earth-gravity dam that impounded both the Tittabawasee River and its tributary, the Tobacco River. Since the Tuesday, May 19, failure of the dam, Wixom Lakes water has been significantly reduced. Its lowered waters have developed into a muddy, flowing river, bordered by muck and sand. Boat lifts behind lakefront homes stand free, the water they had stood in now yards away, roiling at the bottom of steep inclines like a stream through a canyon. Covered in zebra mussels, a mammoth chunk of derelict machinery juts up like a corroded statue, exposed from the newly receded waters that had concealed it for nearly a century. An old dredge machine has been uncovered after water washed out due to the failure of the Edenville Dam on Wednesday, May 20, 2020 in Edenville Township north of Midland. (Jake May | MLive.com)The Flint Journal, MLive.com That was an original steam shovel used in the original construction in the 20s, said Larry Woodard, president of the Wixom Lake Association who has a house on the lake in Gladwin Countys Billings Township. For some reason, it was just left there. The Wixom Lake Association has about 1,900 members, Woodard said. Were not doing anything right at the moment, Woodard said of the associations activities since the dam collapse. Prior to that, its board members had to cancel two meetings due to the COVID-19-based no-contact orders. It will probably be several weeks before another meeting can be held, Woodard said. Since the dam failed, more problems are surfacing, he added. Now we got people running quads and side-by-sides on the lakebed getting stuck and needing to be rescued, Woodard said, frustration evident in his voice. Its a mess. Were working now, trying to get the marinas to close their docks, but there are a lot of private docks and ramps, too. They dont realize, theres places out there that are mucky and theyre getting in there and getting hung up. Gosen said it is not yet known exactly how many homes have been affected by the disaster. We dont have a count yet, he said. Theyre in the process now of doing damage assessments, but its hundreds. There are a lot of homes in Edenville. Theres complete devastation in some areas. Some folks that were higher up didnt sustain any damage, but anybody lower to water levels suffered a lot of damage. Woodards house, located about a mile and a half north of the dam, was itself flooded by 6 to 8 inches of water. I was there when the dam breached and it only took less than two hours for the lake to be gone, Woodard said. Im one of the lucky ones. Ive got neighbors to the south of me that had 5 feet of water in their house. Woodard has since had a restoration company at his residence, taking out flooring and carpeting. Theyre now attempting to dry the house out, assessing the drywall damage, spraying for mold, mildew, and odors, that type of thing. Beyond the personal havoc wreaked on individuals lives, the economic impact is staggering to contemplate. Property values are certainly to suffer financial impact, Gosen said, as assessments around Wixom Lake are typically higher compared to other properties. It will have an impact not only on those on the lake but on everyone in the area who depends on that property tax revenue, Gosen said. The county, the schools Theres an awful lot depending on that assessed value. Woodard seconded Gosens sentiments. Ive gotten a lot of phone calls, Woodard said. People are wondering whats gonna happen. My understanding is in order to get your assessment lowered, its a one-year process and it depends on comparables in your neighborhood. Whose gonna buy a place here now? How are you gonna get a comparable? I really dont know. In the 90-odd years since the lakes construction, it has been a mainstay for outdoor enthusiasts. Its a boon for the whole area when you look at the fishing opportunities, the recreation opportunities, Gosen said. It has a major positive economic impact on the whole area. Both Gosen and Woodard are hopeful the Edenville Dam and breached Sanford Dam to the south can be repaired or rebuilt, though they acknowledge thats a ways off from happening. Its too early, Gosen said if reconstruction discussions were yet underway. I think the president made a comment that the dams will be rebuilt. Thats a good thought at this point, but its way too early to tell. So many things need to be looked in to and taken into consideration. The first step, obviously, is to determine feasibility of rebuilding the two dams, then the cost factor comes into place. I certainly hope for the residents around the lake, in the whole area, that they would be rebuilt, he continued. It is a significant economic boost to have the lakes here. Without that, theres gonna be a major financial impact to the community from here down. Even if the decision is eventually made to repair the dams and refashion Wixom Lake, the reality of things returning to normal is years down the road. By the time everything gets engineered, bids are let, and whatever else has to be done, I would say its gonna be at least a year, Woodard said. Gosen offered a sobering and terse statement on the subject. The lake is going to be down for the foreseeable future. Related: Our whole life is gone, says woman whose Sanford home was washed away in Midland floods Failed dam owner fought with state over Wixom Lake levels before flood Feds warned years ago Edenville Dam couldnt handle a historic flood Federal regulators order Sanford Dams owner to investigate after flood It doesnt look good, but Sanford Dam is actually still standing with some of berm washed away Flooding in Michigan: Everything we know about Midland County dam break Video shows Michigan dam break as it happened: Catastrophic is the only thing I can call it Fisherman mourns loss of Wixom Lake in wake of dam break and flood The World Bank has got a proposal of $1.5 billion to states as a part economic stimulus to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, says Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed. Ahmed briefed State House correspondents on Thursday after the virtual National Economic Council meeting anchored from the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The first-ever virtual NEC meeting and the fourth for the year was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Ahmed said: The World Bank maintains that the impact of the COVID-19 on Nigeria will lead to severe amplified human and economic cost, which will move the country into a recession. The World Bank planned a proposed package for immediate fiscal relief for the FG. This will also involve policy-based policy budget support for the Federal Government, focusing on measures to maintain macro-financial stability and create fiscal space for the proposed stimulus. The World Bank package has also got a proposal of $1.5 billion for the states and this package will be dedicated to the states and it will be a programme for results which the states are already used to implementing. According to her, the immediate fiscal relief for the states will include the acceleration of an existing programme to enable disbursement by the end of September. Ahmed said by the end of September, the $1.5 billion plan would have been disbursed to the states. She said: We are looking at an average of between N150 billion to N200 billion based on the plan to the 36 states. These are states that have already made some particular commitments and achievements so that they will be able to get immediate disbursements of parts of these funds. Ahmed said the Ministry made a presentation to the Council on the structures that the Federal Government was looking at and putting in place, or had put in place to tackle the challenges of COVID-19. According to her, the country is in a very difficult and challenging time, facing a very significant economic downturn that has not been seen in the history of the country. She said the global economy was also facing the sharpest reversals since the great depression as it had both health and economic consequences. Ahmed said COVID-19 had resulted in the collapse in oil prices. She said: This will impact negatively, and the impact has already started showing on the federations revenues and on the foreign exchange earnings. Net oil and gas revenue and influx to the Federation Account in the first quarter of 2020 amounted to N940.91 billion. This represented a shortfall of N125.52 billion or 31 percent of the prorated amount that is supposed to have been realised by the end of that first quarter. Forty per cent of the population in Nigeria, today, is classified as poor; the crisis will only multiply this misery. The economic growth in Nigeria, that is the GDP, could, in the worst-case scenario, contract by as much as minus -8.94 per cent in 2020. But in the best case, which is the case we are working on, it could be a contraction of minus -4.4 percent, if there is no fiscal stimulus. But with the fiscal stimulus plan that we are working on, this contraction can be mitigated and we might end up with a negative -0.59 percent. The Minister said President Muhammadu Buhari set up the Presidential Economic Sustainability Committee in addition to the COVID-19 Response Committee that had been set up, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 as well as the Crisis Management Committee. She said the Federal Government was committed to supporting the financial viability of states, including the suspension of payments in respect of commitments, debts that have been secured with ISPOs by the states at the federal levels. Ahmed said: So, we have already implemented suspension of deductions of a number of loans that have been taken by the states from April and also in May. The Economic Sustainability Committee is responsible for providing overall strategic vision, policy direction and general oversight of the implementation among others. She said some of the measures to mitigate the COVID-19 impact on the economy included the N500 billion stimulus package that the President had approved. Ahmed said the package also included the increase in the social register by one million households to 3.5million for cash transfer programmes and palliatives and other social safety net programmes. Source: The World Bank has got a proposal of $1.5 billion to states as a part economic stimulus to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, says Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed. Ahmed briefed State House correspondents on Thursday after the virtual National Economic Council meeting anchored from the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The first-ever virtual NEC meeting and the fourth for the year was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Ahmed said: The World Bank maintains that the impact of the COVID-19 on Nigeria will lead to severe amplified human and economic cost, which will move the country into a recession. The World Bank planned a proposed package for immediate fiscal relief for the FG. This will also involve policy-based policy budget support for the Federal Government, focusing on measures to maintain macro-financial stability and create fiscal space for the proposed stimulus. The World Bank package has also got a proposal of $1.5 billion for the states and this package will be dedicated to the states and it will be a programme for results which the states are already used to implementing. According to her, the immediate fiscal relief for the states will include the acceleration of an existing programme to enable disbursement by the end of September. Ahmed said by the end of September, the $1.5 billion plan would have been disbursed to the states. She said: We are looking at an average of between N150 billion to N200 billion based on the plan to the 36 states. These are states that have already made some particular commitments and achievements so that they will be able to get immediate disbursements of parts of these funds. Ahmed said the Ministry made a presentation to the Council on the structures that the Federal Government was looking at and putting in place, or had put in place to tackle the challenges of COVID-19. According to her, the country is in a very difficult and challenging time, facing a very significant economic downturn that has not been seen in the history of the country. She said the global economy was also facing the sharpest reversals since the great depression as it had both health and economic consequences. Ahmed said COVID-19 had resulted in the collapse in oil prices. She said: This will impact negatively, and the impact has already started showing on the federations revenues and on the foreign exchange earnings. Net oil and gas revenue and influx to the Federation Account in the first quarter of 2020 amounted to N940.91 billion. This represented a shortfall of N125.52 billion or 31 percent of the prorated amount that is supposed to have been realised by the end of that first quarter. Forty per cent of the population in Nigeria, today, is classified as poor; the crisis will only multiply this misery. The economic growth in Nigeria, that is the GDP, could, in the worst-case scenario, contract by as much as minus -8.94 per cent in 2020. But in the best case, which is the case we are working on, it could be a contraction of minus -4.4 percent, if there is no fiscal stimulus. But with the fiscal stimulus plan that we are working on, this contraction can be mitigated and we might end up with a negative -0.59 percent. The Minister said President Muhammadu Buhari set up the Presidential Economic Sustainability Committee in addition to the COVID-19 Response Committee that had been set up, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 as well as the Crisis Management Committee. She said the Federal Government was committed to supporting the financial viability of states, including the suspension of payments in respect of commitments, debts that have been secured with ISPOs by the states at the federal levels. Ahmed said: So, we have already implemented suspension of deductions of a number of loans that have been taken by the states from April and also in May. The Economic Sustainability Committee is responsible for providing overall strategic vision, policy direction and general oversight of the implementation among others. She said some of the measures to mitigate the COVID-19 impact on the economy included the N500 billion stimulus package that the President had approved. Ahmed said the package also included the increase in the social register by one million households to 3.5million for cash transfer programmes and palliatives and other social safety net programmes. Source: NIPC Intelligence/The Eagle Car exiting the empty car rental area at Hertzs Car Rental Parking area at Miami International Airport (Photo by: Kike Calvo/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Car rental company Hertz has filed for bankruptcy despite being allowed to stay open during the pandemic. The firm closed most of its branches in the UK and Ireland when COVID-19 hit despite being classed as an essential service. It cut 12,000 jobs worldwide and put 4,000 workers on furlough. The lack of travel meant the company lost nearly all its revenue soon after the UK went into lockdown. The 102-year-old firm was 15.3bn ($18.7bn) in debt by the end of March and started missing debt payments in April, court documents reveal. Bosses feared the company would have to stop operating altogether due to having just 820m cash available across the entire business. But the company has been able to file for a Chapter 11 restructure, which means creditors will have to settle for less than full repayment of its crippling debts, but the business will still be able to operate. READ MORE: Employers to pay up to 30% furloughed wages The bankruptcy report read: "Management has concluded there is substantial doubt regarding the company's ability to continue as a going concern within one year from the issuance date of this quarterly report." The firm, which has more than 400 outlets across the UK and Ireland, has been offering discounts of up to 40% to key workers in a bid to stay afloat. But it was heavily hit when air and rail travel came to a near-standstill in March, with many of its branches attached to airports and train stations. No business is built for zero revenue, former boss Kathryn Marinello said on the companys first quarter earnings conference call on May 12. Theres only so long that companies reserves will carry them. NASA has renamed its upcoming WFIRST mission the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (pictured)Roman Space Telescope for shortin honor of the agencys first chief astronomer. Roman, who died in 2018, set up a committee of astronomers and engineers in the 1960s to envision how in-space telescopes could revolutionize scientific research. Those efforts eventually led to the Hubble Space Telescope. The Trump administration has tried and failed to cancel the Roman Space Telescope in its last 3 budget requests. Learn how to help make the mission happen at planetary.org/roman-space-telescope. Image credit: NASA NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley arrived at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for their upcoming historic launch on SpaceXs Crew Dragon to the International Space Station. Crew Dragon, meanwhile, arrived at the launchpad for installation on a Falcon 9 rocket. Dont miss our full coverage of the Crew Dragon launch here. You can learn more about NASAs commercial crew program at planetary.org/commercial-crew Engineers successfully folded NASAs James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) into its launch configuration for the first time. JWSTs mirrorwhich consists of 18 hexagonal segmentsis too wide to fit inside a rockets nose cone, so it folds up for launch and must undergo a complex deployment sequence in space. Next up for JWST: environmental tests that will simulate the vibrations and sound levels it will face during launch next year. NASAs OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will make its first attempt to collect a sample from asteroid Bennu on 20 October 2020. The sample collection process involves OSIRIS-REx giving Bennu a brief high-five, firing a puff of gas into the surface that kicks asteroid material into a cylindrical collection chamber. The samples, which will be returned to Earth in 2023, will help scientists understand how asteroids contributed to the origin of planets, and what role they may have played in the origin of life on Earth. Learn more about the OSIRIS-REx mission here. Japan launched a cargo ship to the International Space Station that is scheduled to arrive on Monday. The HTV spacecraft is loaded with more than 4 tons of supplies, water, and other hardware, as well as 6 new lithium-ion batteries that will be installed on future spacewalks as part of ongoing upgrades to the stations power systems. Learn about the ISS at planetary.org/iss. A family prays together in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chino Hills, Calif., in an undated file photo. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) California Churches Vow to Reopen May 31 Over 1,200 California churches vowed to reopen on May 31 despite Gov. Gavin Newsoms stay-at-home mandate. Representatives of the congregations signed a May 20 Declaration of Essentiality addressed to Newsom declaring their intention. May 31 is Pentecost Sunday, a Christian holiday commemorating the Holy Spirits descent on the Apostles and other followers of Jesus during the Feast of Weeks in Jerusalem. It takes place seven weeks after Easter. On May 22, President Donald Trump said during a press conference that houses of worship should be deemed essential, and called upon governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now. Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential, but have left out churches and other houses of worship. Its not right. So Im correcting this injustice, Trump said. On the same day, Newsom said churches are weeks away from reopening. They are included in the third stage of his plan, along with high-risk businesses such as gyms and salons. I grew up in the church and went to a Jesuit university, and I have deep reverence for congregants and parishioners that want to reconnect with their community and to their faith, and be able to practice accordingly, Newsom said during a press conference. Were just a few weeks away from meaningful modifications that will allow just that to happen. Worshippers gather for a service during the COVID-19 pandemic in the courtyard of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) A Chino Hills Pastor Steps Up Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills, which borders both Los Angeles and Orange counties, signed the Declaration. When he announced on Facebook that his church would be reopening on May 31, he completely underestimated the response. The response has not only been so big, but four members of the presidents cabinet have watched it, he told The Epoch Times. Prior to the stay-at-home orders, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills would see roughly 14,000 attendees every Sunday. During the pandemic, Hibbs said, their online services reached 1 million viewers each month. This has never happened in the history of America, where the church has been sequestered, let alone citizens, he said. A church of our size, people are depressed, people are having marital problems now. Theres people that are saying, I cant live like this, my boss told me Im not essential, I feel like Im gonna kill myself. Church member Jeremy Jauregui, 27, said he felt the Lord, and wanted him to direct me about this whole entire pandemic. The churchs leadership has been not only extremely resourceful, but extremely helpful, Jauregui told The Epoch Times. Mentally and spiritually, theyve kept me sane throughout this entire situation. Jauregui thinks people like to overstep the church during the pandemicbecause they think theyre OK as long as they have food and water. But humans are social beings, he said, and social distancing has wrecked many people up to this point. And the church has always been a resource for that, even before all this, he said. Worshippers gather on the lawn to pray during the COVID-19 pandemic at the Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) A Supportive Community Hibbs is part of a nationwide coalition called Watchmen on the Wall, a ministry for pastors run by the Family Research Council (FRC). The FRCs mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy. On May 21, the FRC hosted a virtual pastors round table with national leaders, including the president. In addition to Trump, speakers included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, and Attorney General William Barr. Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said during the round table that we rely on our faith-based partners to help us fulfill our mission. Whether its COVID, or whether its responding to hurricanes and tornadoes houses of worship are the place where communities go naturally first, Wolf said. Hibbs believes churches are essential during the pandemic. During any other disaster, its the governor of this state that calls the church, he said. City leaders have been supportive of Calvary Chapel reopening. They asked Hibbs if he would visit and minister to the elderly in the community, and make sure theyre okay. Thats a $5,000 a month expense to the city to watch, take care of the elderly in our town, and the City Council asked us if we would pay that bill, Hibbs said. Jesus said, If your enemys thirsty, give him water, right? And he says, If your enemys hungry, see them. Christian or not, the church helped Chino Hills residents pay bills they were unable to cover, he said. Thats loving your neighbor, that is being a real church, instead of some goofball Sunday thing that lasts for an hour and nobody thinks about it again until next week. In response, the community has rallied by the churchs side. Even nonbelievers donate canned goods and items to their church, which are distributed to the needy, Hibbs said. Churchgoers attending an outdoor service gather behind a sanitizing station at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, Calif. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills) Preparing to Open Safely In preparation for the reopening, Hibbs hired a company to sterilize the congregation in between services. That costs us $50,000. Were going beyond CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines, Hibbs said. The church will also cut down its 3,000-person occupancy size by 50 percent, and implement ticket-based attendance. The tickets are free on the churchs website, and guarantee attendance on a first-come, first-served basis. There are also blue social-distancing circles marked on the courtyard 6 feet apart, and only six family members are permitted per table. People can enjoy church outside in the sunshine, or they can go out into the field, out in the lawn area, which can handle 2,000 people with social distancing, Hibbs said. Guidelines for Reopening At his press conference, Newsom said additional guidelines for reopening places of worship would be released on May 25. And the CDC is also expected to release guidelines soon, according to multiple reports. But the Justice Department warned Newsom in a May 19 letter that lengthy church closures could violate the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, since other establishments have already been given permission to reopen. Religious gatherings may not be singled out for unequal treatment compared to other nonreligious gatherings that have the same effect on the governments public health interest, absent the most compelling reasons, the letter read. Like Newsom, some community members dont want churches to reopen until they can do so safely, out of fear there will be an uptick in the spread of COVID-19. Gavin Newsom doesnt want California to get sick, said Hibbs. I can top that. I dont want anybody to get sickespecially the people that are coming under our jurisdiction for that Sunday. He added, I am more vested in their well-being than any government agency, ever. Why? Because I love them. Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: As many as 228 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 2,394, PTI quotes the health department as saying. Auto refresh feeds Both government and private schools will resume for Classes 9 to 12 by complying governments guidelines regarding COVID-19, he told reporters in Gangtok. The Sikkim government on Friday announced that schools and other educational institutes in the state will reopen on 15 June. Education Minister Kunga Nima Lepcha said the decision was taken by taking into account the importance of higher classes and board exams. The United States reported 1,260 deaths due to the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins university. The toll in the worst COVID-affected nation in the world is nearing 98,000. As of Friday, 11,659 individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 in the National Capital. 5,567 persons have been cured while the toll is 194 in Delhi, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Fourteen new areas were added to the list of containment zones in Delhi on Friday taking the total number of such zones to 92 in the National Capital. Till date, 34 areas have been 'de-contained' in Delhi. The number of deaths in Brazil rose by 1,001 in past 24 hours, the third time in four days it has come in over 1,000. The South American country has now registered 330,890 COVID-19 infections and 21,048 deaths, though experts say under-testing means the real figures may be 15 times higher or more. Brazil overtook Russia Friday as the country with the second-highest number of coronavirus infections worldwide after the United States. With this, America emerged as the new epicenter of the pandemic. As of Friday, 1982 individuals have tested positive for the infectious disease in the state. According to media reports, around 7 lakh migrant workers have entered the state since the end of April. The figure includes people using any mode of transportation, including Shramik Special trains. Labourers returning from Delhi back to Bihar have topped the list of migrants who tested COVID-19 positive. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said that all the migrant workers who have returned to the state will be provided employment, All India Radio News reported on Saturday. As a precautionary measure, the NGT has directed all staff members, litigants, lawyers or members of the public from entering the NGT premises, which will remain sealed for deep sanitisation from 23 May. Ashu Garg, Registrar General, NGT, confirmed on Friday about the officer testing positive for the novel coronavirus. The official had last attended office on 19 May and is presently hospitalized, he said. An officer posted in the General Administration section of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) office in Delhi has tested COVID-19 positive. The revised advisory issued by the ICMR, however, cautioned that the intake of the medicine should not instill a sense of false security. As was mentioned in the earlier advisory, the drug against the infection is also recommended for all asymptomatic healthcare workers involved in containment and treatment of COVID-19 and household contacts of laboratory confirmed cases. A revised government advisory on Friday recommended use of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive medication for asymptomatic healthcare workers working in non-COVID-19 hospitals, frontline staff on surveillance duty in containment zones and paramilitary/police personnel involved in coronavirus infection related activities. Of the total confirmed, there are 69,597 positive cases across the nation, according to the latest data released by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. India registers highest number of 6,654 COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours, taking total confirmed cases to 1,25,101 on Saturday. After 137 individuals succumbed to the viral infection in the past 24 hours, the COVID-19 toll now stood at 3,720. In Karnataka, all incoming domestic flight passengers from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh will undergo seven-day institutional quarantine followed by home quarantine, said Karnataka Director General of Police, Praveen Sood. The COVID-19 toll in the state climbed to 155 after two more individuals succumbed due to the infectious disease. Rajasthan reported a total number of 6,542 confirmed cases on Friday after 48 more individuals tested positive till 9 am. The figure includes 2,695 active cases, reported the state health department. As of Saturday till 9 am, the total number of samples tested for the novel coronavirus across the country stands at 28,34,798. The number of samples tested in the past 24 hours is 1,15,364, the ICMR said. India has tested over 1.15 lakh samples for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, Indian Council of Medical Research stated on Saturday. There are 69,597 active COVID-19 cases in the country while more than 51,000 people have recovered from the contagion. The COVID-19 recovery rate is at 41.4 percent. More than 1.25 lakh people have been infected from coronavirus in the country till date. On Saturday, the Ministry of Health updated the national COVID-19 tally to 125,101. Of the total, 826 are active cases and 436 COVID-19 patients have been discharged/cured. So far, seven people have lost their lives. Eighty more people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Odisha on Saturday, taking the total in the state to 1,269, informed the state health department. West Bengal chief secretary Rajiva Sinha wrote a letter to the Railway board authority saying, "it will not be possible to receive trains for the next few days. It is therefore requested that no train should be sent to West Bengal till 26 May, 2020." In view of the severe cyclonic storm Amphan and the damage caused to the infrastructure in West Bengal, the state government has restricted the entry of Shramik special trains till 26 May. Responding to questions on the same, Vijayan said that the difference was in the early intervension that Kerala government ensured. "Social distancing, regular sanitisation of public spaces and other prescribed changes were adapted and implemented in Kerala early on. That is where the difference lies," Vijayan said. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday took live questions on Twitter and other social media channel and streamed a presser live on periscope. Kerala has been one of the states that reported first few cases of coronavirus in India but still managed to flatline the curve and prevent community transmission. Western Railways later clarified that it was in fact a planned diversion to manage excess traffic on the regular route. "Gorakhpur Shramik Special train which departed on 21st May, 2020 was to run on Kalyan - Jalgoan- Bhusaval - Khandwa - Itarsi - Jabalpur - Manikpur route but this train will go to Gorakhpur by diverted route ie via Bilaspur (SECR), Jharsuguda Rourkela, Adra, Asansol (ER) due to heavy traffic congestion on existing routes," Western Media said, Social media was abuzz with reports that a train which was supposed to leave Vasai Road and Reach Gorakhpur, had surprisingly reached Rourkela station in Odisha. The surprise change in route was attributed to 'driver losing the route'. However, experts pointed out that this was near impossible as drivers do not decide the route of the train and turns and crossings enroute are handled by a robust system, all of which cannot possibly go wrong. The Delhi International airport authority has said that all flights, for the time being, will fly from Terminal T3. The flight services are to resume partially from 25 May. All the passengers will have to go through a quarantine procedure which will be either paid quarantine or Government quarantine Centers. Andhra Pradesh Govt is seriously considering home quarantine option- but still under discussion. We had converted 5,000 coaches into COVID care centres, with 80,000 beds. Since some of these were not being used right now, we used 50 percent of these coaches for Shramik special trains. If needed, they will be used again for COVID care: Considering the resumption of domestic flight services on Monday, Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday said he has requested the Civil Aviation Ministry to permit coronavirus antibody testing for passengers upon their arrival. At least 15 flights are scheduled to arrive at the Goa International Airport at Dabolim in South Goa on Monday. Tamil Nadu has reported 710 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths in 24 hours. The total number of positive cases in the state now stands at 15,512, of which 7,915 are active cases. Death toll now stands at 103. The Odisha government has allowed home delivery of liquor from Sunday. However, it would cost a bit higher than the maximum retail price, as the state government has introduced a special COVID-19 fee on sale of liquor. However, no excise licensees have been allowed to sell liquor on their premises. The Railways has drawn up a schedule to operate 2,600 Shramik Special trains over the next 10 days across the country to ferry around 36 lakh migrant workers, stranded due to the COVID-19 lockdown, to their home states, Chairman, Railway Board V K Yadav said on Saturday. He said that the railways has run 2,600 Shramik Special trains in the last 23 days carrying around 36 lakh stranded migrants. Seventeen more people, including three teenagers, tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar on Saturday, pushing the total number of cases in the district to 323, officials said. Also, seven people were discharged from hospitals after being cured, even as the number of active cases rose to 97, they said. Between 7 May and 21 May, around 23,000 Indians have been repatriated through flights operated by Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express under this mission. Passengers have to pay money to book a seat on any repatriation flight being operated under the Vande Bharat Mission. The minister said if some passengers do not have smartphones, it is not as if they will not be allowed to travel for they do not have Aarogya Setu app. Air India pilot unions IPG and ICPA on Saturday threatened they might not be able to extend support to the airline's "normal operations" and in the matter of flight duty and time limitations (FDTL), alleging that financial and other issues of employees remain unresolved. The two unions, which represent the pilots operating Boeing and Airbus aircraft of the airline, in a joint letter to the personnel department, also sought to know the outcome of the various cost-cutting measures which the carrier initiated in March to deal with its precarious finances in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. "According to Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) released by Haryana government, shops will open between 9 am and 6 pm. Marriage ceremonies can be organised in banquet halls with up to 50 people in attendance, after obtaining permission from deputy commissioners," says Haryana Minister Anil Vij. "GoAir is ready and prepared to resume safe operations after the two-month #lockdown. We await clarity on the readiness of the respective states & their airports with regard to acceptance of flights, or the conditions applicable to passengers entering the respective states. Without clarity on these conditions GoAir doesn't wish to inconvenience its passengers by putting on sale flights immediately post 25 May. On receiving clarity, we will open our site for bookings post May 25 up to May 31 as & when & where appropriate," a statement from the airlines said. Chhattisgarh has joined Goa, Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir among other states in demanding that fliers reaching state after resumption of domestic travel should quarantine themselves for 14 days. An Indian Express report says that Kerala, Andhra Pradesh,Telangana and Assam have also made similar rules. Goa has also insisted on a mandatory anti-body test for those entering the state. Spain will reopen its borders to tourists in July and its top soccer division will kick off again in June, the Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said today, as one of the world's strictest lockdowns starts to ease. Punjab reported sixteen new coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the total number of COVID-19 infections in the state to 2,045. Of the new cases, four were detected in Amritsar, three each in Patiala and Jalandhar and one each in Ludhiana, Bathinda, Kapurthala, Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Muktsar. Screening of those entering the state would be done at all state and district border entry points, as well as railway stations and airports, and those found symptomatic would be sent into institutional quarantine, while others would have to undergo mandatory two-week home quarantine, the chief minister said in his live Facebook programme `#AskCaptain'. Rapid testing teams would check on the home-quarantined persons while those found symptomatic would have to undergo thorough testing in hospitals, Singh said in an official statement also. He made it clear that his government would not rely on any certificate of testing from any part of the country or the world. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said all those coming to the state, whether on domestic flights or trains or buses, will have to compulsorily undergo home quarantine for 14 days. He ruled out any complacency despite Punjab posting the highest recovery rate of 90 percent in the country. Screening of those entering the state would be done at all state and district border entry points, as well as railway stations and airports, and those found symptomatic would be sent into institutional quarantine, while others would have to undergo mandatory two-week home quarantine, the chief minister said in his live Facebook programme `#AskCaptain'. Rapid testing teams would check on the home-quarantined persons while those found symptomatic would have to undergo thorough testing in hospitals, Singh said in an official statement also. He made it clear that his government would not rely on any certificate of testing from any part of the country or the world. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said all those coming to the state, whether on domestic flights or trains or buses, will have to compulsorily undergo home quarantine for 14 days. He ruled out any complacency despite Punjab posting the highest recovery rate of 90 percent in the country. Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan who held a high-level meeting through video conferencing with principal health secretaries and municipal commissioners along with other officials from the 11 municipal areas urged them to focus on prevention through active screening of high risk and vulnerable population along with effective and sturdy clinical management of the admitted cases to reduce fatality rate. Eleven municipal areas in seven states and Union Territories that have accounted for 70 percent of India's coronavirus case load were asked by the government on Saturday to step up monitoring in old cities, urban slums and other high density pockets like camps and clusters for migrant workers for management of COVID-19 cases.These 11 municipal areas are from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan and account for 70 percent of active case load, PTI quotes the Union health ministry as saying. Madhya Pradesh reported 201 new COVID-19 cases, including 83 in worst-hit Indore, and nine deaths, taking the total case count to 6,371 and fatalities to 281, PTI quotes state health officials as saying. Two deaths each were reported from Indore, Bhopal and Burhanpur while one person each succumbed to the infection in Khandwa, Dhar and Sagar, they said. So far, 3,267 persons have recovered, leaving MP with 2,823 active cases. Alert ~ 17 more #COVID19 + confirmed. 4 from Chirang; 4 from Tinsukia; 1 from Goalpara; 8 test + at SMCH - Cachar (3), Hailakandi (3) & Tripura (2) Total cases 346 Recovered 57 Active cases 282 Deaths 04 Migrated 03 Update 10.55 pm / May 23 #AssamCovidCount pic.twitter.com/QJjQ8KqvGH Jharkhand on Saturday reported 17 new novel coronavirus cases, taking the total count of infections to 340. The state has witnessed three fatalities since the outbreak began on March 31. The new infected people are from Koderma (11) and Ranchi (2), RIMS Director Dr D K Singh said. A health official in Simdega said that four new cases were detected in the district. The government bulletin has not yet been available for more information. One person tested positive for COVID-19 in Goa today, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 55 including 39 active cases, reports ANI quoting the state health department. Pune district's COVID-19 tally reached 5,436 on Saturday after 269 people tested positive for novel coronavirus, while the death toll touched 264 as seven people succumbed to the infection, reports PTI quoting an official. Pune city accounted for 202 of the 269 new cases, followed by Pimpri Chinchwad with 46 and cantonment and rural areas with 21, he added. "Pune city has 4,673 COVID-19 cases, Pimpri Chinchwad 299 and rural areas 464," he said. Two more policemen have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Gurugram on Saturday, reports India Today. As many as 228 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 2,394, PTI quotes the health department as saying.Sasaram, the headquarters of Rohtas district, reported the maximum number of fresh cases at 33, including five females two of them aged five and eight. The number of cases in Vaishali almost doubled to 48 as the district reported 25 fresh cases all of them males in the age group of 20-45. Most cases have been reported from Raghopur block. Significant numbers of cases were also reported from Madhepura, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Khagaria, Katihar, Begusarai, Aurangabad, Banka and Begusarai districts. Bihar has recorded 11 COVID-19 deaths. Altogether, 653 people have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the respiratory disease. The state has witnessed a surge in the number of coronavirus cases since 3 May, when it breached the 500-mark and migrant workers began to pour in on special trains and via other modes of transport. Air India's regional arm 'Alliance Air' on Saturday said it will recommence its flight services from 25 May onwards and operate 57 daily services to different destinations across its network, reports PTI. The airline has tried to connect maximum regional touch-points across the country in its schedule to provide convenient options to the travellers of flying back to their roots as soon as possible, Alliance Air said in a release. Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: As many as 228 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Bihar on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 2,394, PTI quotes the health department as saying. Eleven municipal areas in seven states and Union Territories that have accounted for 70 percent of India's coronavirus case load were asked by the government on Saturday to step up monitoring in old cities, urban slums and other high density pockets like camps and clusters for migrant workers for management of COVID-19 cases An employee at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant tests positive for COVID-19, PTI quotes a company spokesperson as saying. The company is also looking at "a possibility of a second case" of infection at the facility. A total of 248 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths reported in Rajasthan today. The total number of positive cases in the state stands at 6,742, including 160 deaths, 3,786 recoveries and 2,796 active cases, according to the state health department. Coronavirus cases in Ahmedabad crossed the 10,000-mark and rose to 10,001 after 277 new patients were reported on Saturday, the state health department said. Maharashtra government has said that there is no decision to let flight operations start from Monday in the state, adding that there is no change in policy as of now and the lockdown remains the same till May 31. "If you have taken a test and your test report is negative, following you don't have any symptoms, so I believe there should be no need for quarantine. The Arogya Setu app is like a passport, if your status on the app is green. Why should anyone want any quarantine," asks Puri. With domestic flights scheduled to resume from next week, the Jammu and Kashmir and Goa administrations on Saturday said all inbound passengers would have to undergo a compulsory COVID-19 test and administrative quarantine till the time their report is out. Even as medical journal The Lancet published a paper on Friday saying there were no confirmed benefits of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) being given to Covid-19 patients, the Union health ministry issued an advisory expanding the pool of people to be given the medicine as a prophylactic to prevent them from contracting the infection The Delhi International airport authority has said that all flights, for the time being, will fly from Terminal T3. The flight services are to resume partially from 25 May. Social media was abuzz with reports that a train which was supposed to leave Vasai Road and Reach Gorakhpur, had surprisingly reached Rourkela station in Odisha. The surprise change in route was attributed to 'driver losing the route' India has tested over 1.15 lakh samples for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, Indian Council of Medical Research stated on Saturday. As of Saturday till 9 am, the total number of samples tested for the novel coronavirus across the country stands at 28,34,798. The number of samples tested in the past 24 hours is 1,15,364, the ICMR said. Rajasthan reported a total number of 6,542 confirmed cases on Friday after 48 more individuals tested positive till 9 am. The figure includes 2,695 active cases, reported the state health department. The COVID-19 toll in the state climbed to 155 after two more individuals succumbed due to the infectious disease. India registers highest number of 6,654 COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours, taking total confirmed cases to 1,25,101 on Saturday. After 137 individuals succumbed to the viral infection in the past 24 hours, the COVID-19 toll now stood at 3,720. Of the total confirmed, there are 69,597 positive cases across the nation, according to the latest data released by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. An officer posted in the General Administration section of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) office in Delhi has tested COVID-19 positive. Ashu Garg, Registrar General, NGT, confirmed on Friday about the officer testing positive for the novel coronavirus. The official had last attended office on 19 May and is presently hospitalized, he said. As a precautionary measure, the NGT has directed all staff members, litigants, lawyers or members of the public from entering the NGT premises, which will remain sealed for deep sanitisation from 23 May. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said that all the migrant workers who have returned to the state will be provided employment, All India Radio News reported on Saturday. Labourers returning from Delhi back to Bihar have topped the list of migrants who tested COVID-19 positive. According to media reports, around 7 lakh migrant workers have entered the state since the end of April. The figure includes people using any mode of transportation, including Shramik Special trains. As of Friday, 1982 individuals have tested positive for the infectious disease in the state. Fourteen new areas were added to the list of containment zones in Delhi on Friday taking the total number of such zones to 92 in the National Capital. Till date, 34 areas have been 'de-contained' in Delhi. As of Friday, 11,659 individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 in the National Capital. 5,567 persons have been cured while the toll is 194 in Delhi, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. India registered 6,008 new COVID-19 cases and 148 deaths across India in 24 hours while the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 1,18,447 and deaths from the novel coronavirus reached 3,583, as per data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. As per Centre, 48,534 patients have recovered from the deadly virus. However, a PTI tally of figures announced by different states and union territories, as of 9.20 pm, put the nationwide tally much higher at 1,22,656, and the death toll at 3,634 and recoveries at more than 51,000. Globally, nearly 52 lakh people have tested positive for the deadly virus ever since its emergence in China last December, while 3.3 lakh have lost their lives. Meanwhile, the Centre on Friday asserted that the coronavirus cases count in India could have been as high as 30 lakh while up to 2.1 lakh more people could have died if the nationwide lockdown was not implemented. The Centre's remarks came even as the Reserve Bank of India said that macroeconomic impact of the pandemic is turning out to be more severe than initially anticipated. The central bank also said that beyond the destruction of economic and financial activity, livelihood and health are severely affected. In another report, even as fears of COVID-19 spreading to the living from the dead continue, a Bombay High Court order is likely to put the discriminatory attitude towards the dead to rest with the court dismissing a bunch of petitions challenging an April circular of the Mumbai civic body designating 20 burial grounds and cemeteries in the metropolis for disposing of bodies of persons who died due to COVID-19. A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice SS Shinde observed the Mumbai civic corporation has power to designate any cemetery or burial ground for disposal of bodies of COVID-19 victims and noted there was no scientific study to show that the novel coronavirus spreads through cadavers. Meanwhile, the Central government said that it will evacuate stranded Indians from abroad till 13 June and the extended phase will cover 47 countries. The second phase of the 'Vande Bharat Mission' was to end on 22 May. However, Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said the ongoing phase will last till 13 June and that India is looking at making Frankfurt a hub for the mission. As of Thursday, a total of 23,475 Indian nationals were brought back home under the mission which began on 7 May. Cases from states Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, reported 2,940 new cases taking its tally to 44,852. Its toll also rose to 1,517 with 63 more fatalities. This was the sixth consecutive day when the state has reported more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases. Delhi recorded 660 cases, taking its tally to 12,319, while its death toll has now risen to 208. Gujarat reported 363 new cases, taking its tally to 13,273, while the death of 29 patients pushed the death toll in the state to 802. Twin brother and sister, born six days ago in Gujarat's Mehsana district, tested positive too, becoming the state's youngest patients for the viral infection. However, a 95-year-old woman, who had earlier tested COVID-19 positive in Indore, recovered from the infection, a fortnight after her 70-year-old son had died due to suspected coronavirus infection. Tamil Nadu, another badly hit state, reported nearly 800 new cases and its tally of confirmed cases rose to 14,753 and the death toll reached 98. New cases were detected across various other states and UT as well, including in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. An official of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been found positive for the novel coronavirus, making it the first case in the federal contingency force. Officials said the Sub-Inspector rank official was on leave and had gone to a doctor for some other treatment after which his COVID-19 test was done. A large number of new cases are being reported among people who have returned from other states in special trains for migrants and among those having come back to India in special flights being operated to bring back stranded Indians and expatriates from abroad. Officials said Tamil Nadu government is not in favour of restarting domestic air services connecting cities in the state till this month-end and might take up the matter with the Centre. Lockdown saved lakhs of lives, says Centre Reeling off various studies, government officials also said up to 2.1 lakh more people could have died in India if the lockdown had not been implemented as "a timely, graded, proactive and preemptive public health measure" to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Pravin Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation gave model-based estimates on COVID-19 cases and deaths which have been prevented due to the lockdown at a media briefing on the COVID-19 situation. Citing a model by the Boston Consulting Group, he said the lockdown saved between 1.2-2.1 lakh lives, while the number of COVID-19 cases averted is between 36-70 lakh. Srivastava further said the Public Health Foundation of India's model showed that nearly 78,000 lives have been saved due to the lockdown. He also cited another model by two independent economists suggesting that 23 lakh COVID-19 cases and 68,000 deaths have been averted due to the lockdown. "We are fully confident that the lockdown, with full public cooperation, has reaped rich dividends," Srivastava added. Recovery rate at about 41%, says health ministry Addressing the press briefing, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said 48,534 COVID-19 patients, which is about 41 percent of the total cases, have recovered so far, while 3,234 have recovered in the last 24 hours. He also said that the COVID-19 mortality rate has dropped from 3.13 per cent on May 19 to 3.02 per cent as focus was on containment measures and clinical management of cases. An ICMR official said 27,55,714 tests for COVID-19 have been conducted till 1 pm Friday with 1,03,829 tests done in one day. Over 1 lakh tests for COVID-19 have been done each day for the last four days, the official said. Paul said the number of COVID-19 cases would have risen exponentially had the lockdown not been implemented. He also said the outbreak in India has remained confined to limited areas with 80 per cent of active cases in just five states. Besides, around 80 percent of COVID-19 deaths have been in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Delhi, Paul said. Pune's government-run Sassoon General Hospital said that it will administer tocilizumab, a drug which has proven effective in treating the infection, on at least 25 COVID-19 patients who are in a semi-critical condition at the hospital. "The new drug, an injection which costs around Rs 20,000, will be given to 25 patients in the first phase and depending on the results, the Pune Municipal Corporation will decide on its further use," municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad said. Delhi health care workers protest new rules In the meantime, healthcare workers at several central and city government hospitals in Delhi sported black armbands to protest the government's decision to end the need for their quarantine after COVID-19 duty unless there has been any form of high-risk exposure. Several hospitals in the last few days have asked their healthcare workers staying in hotels during the quarantine period to vacate rooms immediately failing which the charges paid for their overstay would be deducted from their salaries. As per the Union health ministry guidelines issued on 15 May, healthcare workers serving in COVID-19 areas do not need to undergo quarantine unless there has been violation in the use of PPE or any other form of high-risk exposure or they have symptoms suggestive of coronavirus infection. However, healthcare workers on the frontline have raised objections to the new guidelines. New study hints at spike after 21 June Meanwhile, a study by a team of researchers said India may witness COVID-19 cases peaking between June 21-28 with maximum daily positive cases to be around 7,000-7,500 in this period. "A clear downward trend in the confirmed cases is likely to be observed each day from the second week of July," Nandadulal Bairagi, a senior professor of Jadavpur University who was involved in the project told PTI. With inputs from PTI Riot police set up a cordon near a group of pro-democracy protesters (not pictured) during their route from outside the Western Police Station to the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong on May 22, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images) Fears Swell as Beijing Signals It Could Send Security Agencies to Hong Kong The Chinese regimes intelligence agencies could officially operate in Hong Kong under a planned new law that critics say could spell the end for the citys autonomy. The national security law, unveiled on Friday at Chinas National Peoples Congress (NPC), the regimes nominal legislature, to target what the regime deems as secession, subversion, or foreign influence, has fueled fears for the future of the former British colony that has so far enjoyed a high degree of political freedom unseen in mainland China. Wang Chen, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, made it clear on Friday that Beijing would not tolerate activities that challenge the regimes authority, including promoting democratic elections, legislative actions from foreign governments, and advocacy groups that voice support for the pro-democracy protesters. Under the draft law, relevant national security agencies from the central government will set up bases in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region if necessary, according to state-run media Xinhua. Riot police stand guard near a group of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong on May 22, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images) Kennedy Wong, delegate to the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, Beijings top political advisory body, said the law could empower Chinas Ministry of State Security to set up Hong Kong branches. In addition to collecting intelligence, the agency is expected to have a certain degree of direct law enforcement power in Hong Kong, he told the state-run newspaper Global Times. Wong said that Hong Kong hasnt set up a dedicated department for intelligence gathering since the 1990s. As national security issues require high proficiency, regular Hong Kong police or government officials may lack the specific investigative skills, he added. He said that the draft is mostly complete and will outline specific rules, such as imprisonment terms and fines for each specific situation. Death Knell The proposed law has sent shock waves across Hong Kong and drawn wide push back from countries including the United States, Australia, Canada, the UK, and Taiwan. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday urged Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal, calling the move a death knell for Hong Kongs political and civil liberty that has been guaranteed under the one country, two systems framework through 2047. Local pro-democracy lawmakers, who have lately clashed with the pro-establishment camp over fears of widening Beijing control, saw the law as the stepping stone for an escalating suppression campaign. With a new National Security Law introduced by Beijing, we might soon have Chinese Gestapos. Political persecution made so much easier, Alvin Yeung, Hong Kong legislator and leader of the local Civic Party, wrote on Twitter Friday. The worst nightmare is happening before our eyes, Dennis Kwok, local pro-democracy lawmaker, said Friday at an online event hosted by Washington-based think tank The Heritage Foundation. Pan-democratic politician, Lam Cheuk-ting (C) is removed by security after throwing papers torn from the Legco rulebook during a scuffle between pro-democracy and pro-Beijing lawmakers at the House Committees election of chairpersons, at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on May 18, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images) Beijings plan has sparked an overwhelming sense of anger and hopelessness among locals who are still reeling from last years mass pro-democracy against a now-scrapped extradition bill, Kwok said. Its as if they havent learned anything, he added. Outrage over the new bill prompted dozens of Democratic Party members to protest in front of Beijings Liaison Office. German-based NordVPN, which allows users to bypass web censorship, saw 120 times more downloads in Hong Kong on Thursday in response to Beijings plan. The lawmaker said the regime is using the pandemic as a cover by making their move during a time when countries around the world are focused on containing the CCP virus outbreak domestically. Activists march against new security laws, near Chinas Liaison Office, in Hong Kong, on May 22, 2020. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) They are acting now that the world is not watching, Kwok said. They think they can use this opportunity to do something that is so outrageous. He added that he wouldnt put it past the regime to introduce even more laws bypassing Hong Kongs legislature now that it has set this precedent. Kwok expects there will be huge clashes between protesters and police next week, when protests against a new law to criminalize disrespect of the Chinese national anthem are scheduled. Martin Lee, a former lawmaker and pro-democracy activist, likened the communist regimes ever-tightening grip on the city to a virus, dubbing it the Chinese Communist Party virus. The Chinese Communist Party virus has already spread to Hong Kong and will kill our freedoms, Lee said at the same event. He cautioned that the regimes suppression of freedoms is unlikely to stop at Hong Kong. Its the nature of a virus to spread to another country, another territory. Cathy He contributed to the report. Relief measures for floods and landslides, in the face of COVID-19 By Shaadya Ismail Social distancing to be strictly implemented at relief centres View(s): View(s): ith several parts of the country hit by floods, landslides and gusty winds, authorities and residents face a double hurdle; battling COVID-19 and adverse weather conditions. Disaster Management Centre (DMC) Deputy Director Pradeep Kodippili told the Sunday Times the biggest challenges were increasing the number of relief centres this year and mapping out a plan for necessary health standards that must be maintained in every relief centres. Meal preparations, practising hygiene and social distancing are of utmost importance in these centres. About 100 people were sheltered in a relief camp last year, and the number will be far less this year, he said. He said they had been preparing for this eventuality since the beginnign of the pandemic in March. Residents were instructed on proper evacuation processes while maintaining social distancing, and unlike the previous years where only people in relief centres were provided with food and other rations, this year we decided to grant relief packs or cooked food to all people affected by the monsoon, he said. At least seven deaths were reported, and more than 18,000 people were affected mainly in the Kegalle, Galle, Matara, Ratnapura, Matale, Kandy and Badulla districts. The Galle district secretariat has identified 200 relief centres and 180 alternative centres for residents, in case of a major flood or landslide. We had to look for alternative centres as a response to the guidelines issued by health officials owing to the prevailing pandemic. A relief centre that used to hold around 150 people can now have only 75. This was a challenge because we had to find more safe places, District Secretary Somarathna Vidhanapathirana said. In the Ratnapura district, some 2,892 families in 193 grama niladhari divisions were affected due to the hostile weather. Some 230 families had sought refuge in 16 relief centres. Three people have died due to earth slips and drowning. Ratnapura District Secretary Malani Lokupothagama told the Sunday Times, certain places had been identified to be used as relief centres ahead of the monsoon. In the wake of the pandemic there were a few families in the Ratnapura district who were advised to self-quarantine themselves in their homes, and in the event of a major flood we planned to allocate separate relief centres for these families, she said. According to her, Medical Health Officials (MOHs) and Public Health Officials (PHIs) had been appointed to the relief centres currently functioning in the district to help maintain proper health practices. The grama niladhari officers had been allocated five million rupees and had been instructed to distribute it among the people as an initial compensation payment, Kegalle District Secretary Mahinda Weerasooriya told the Sunday Times. Some 1,080 families in the Kegalle district had been affected with 619 houses being damaged and two deaths being reported. But with the weather improving, no affected person has been sent to relief centres. However, dry rations are being distributed to the affected families, Mr Weerasooriya said. Matale District Secretary S.M.G.K. Perera said the district had been warned of possible landslides, if the rains continue. Not all divisions in our district are affected by floods or landslides. We have identified relief centres in each division, and given the pandemic, threat, social distancing has to be strictly followed. We have the option of sending some families to the nearest relief centre in the district, he said. Balangoda Maskeliya Wilgamuwa Hambantota Ghanas foreign missions have presented a cheque for $100,000.00 to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and other research laboratories to aid them in the conduct of COVID-19 tests. The money was raised from voluntary contributions from all home-based staff of the countrys missions. Presenting the cheque on behalf of the mission, Ghanas High Commissioner to India, Mr Mike Oquaye Jr., said: In our inordinate determination to support this fight, I must also state that the contributions of the diaspora are being mobilised and will be brought in, as and when we gather them. He added: The Ghana missions abroad stand in readiness to sustain its quota of support in aid of the ministry's mandate and place for national development. The Ghana missions abroad further pledged their support to national development. Also present at the presentation ceremony were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mohammad Habibu Tijani; Ghanas Deputy Ambassador to China and some other officials of the ministry. 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 The Maharashtra government on Saturday continued to maintain suspense over allowing air travel in the state amid coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown till May 31. A state government official said that the May 19 order has not been amended yet, adding that no air travel has been allowed in the order. "Maharashtra state government has not amended its lockdown order dated 19.5.20. No air travel allowed yet in this order," said the official. The total number of cases in the state rose to 47,190 and the death toll stood at 1,577 on Saturday evening. The state recorded a total of 2,608 new cases an 60 deaths in the last 24 hours. So far, 13,404 patients have been discharged. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, interacting with doctors of BMC-run hospitals, said on Saturday that the number of COVID-19 patients in Mumbai is doubling over a period of 14 days. During a video conference interaction, CM Thackeray praised the doctors for their continuous fight over the last two months to contain the outbreak and exuded confidence that the task would be accomplished. "Even though the number of patients is increasing in Mumbai, the number of patients is now doubling over a period of 14 days," news agency PTI quoted Thackeray as saying. The CM, who stressed on setting up field hospitals in the time to come, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had been following directives and protocol laid down by the Centre. CM Thackeray said BMC had arranged for intensive care units and isolation beds at several places in the metropolis. In times of pandemics, nations should work together, however, Pentagon cites that the People Liberation Army Navy is Beijing's big stick to provoke the US Military into an undesired impasse. The crux of the Pentagon's serious harangue is how China is expanding too far and too fast during the COVID-19 pandemic which is seen as sly maneuvering by Beijing that is creating a flashpoint, anytime soon. As much as the US military prefers to keep out of ASEAN problems, actions of China have created reckless encounters that cannot be avoided. Xi Jinping co-opting of resources and bullying of a weaker nation have made the US Navy reactive as support for allies. One US official, Reed Werner told Fox News that China is determined to test how much the US can take. He added that nine encounters of US and Chinese fighter have been reported over the South China Sea from the 15th of March. All the escalatory moves by China should be resolved or the US might take action. The Chinese were maneuvering in unsafe circumstances but declined comment further. Last March, a US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin was nearly struck by a Chinese escort ship, which got back up from a group of Chinese Navy ships. This was a case of goading when a US ship was working with allies and the PLAN chose provocative actions a month before. Other developments that run counter to the peaceful South China Sea is mock sea battles to intimidate Taiwan and with the Liaoning, which is a projection of China's sea power. Werner and the Pentagon are not looking at China military flexion as foreboding. Also, the US has kept clear and avoided retaliation. Though several complaints have been sent to channels without any military action. Also read: Aircraft Carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt Will Be Putting China in Place as It Blatantly Harass US Assets A recent statement from the Pentagon said that the People's Republic of China is stepping up activity muscle other Asian countries on their lawful claims in the SCS. It seems as counterproductive especially with more opportunism as COVID-10 is causing problems for everyone. The Department of Defense is not surprised that America's antagonist are opportunists who are capitalizing on the distraction of COVID-19, that is everywhere. But the Department of Defense will be ready to face any enemy and defend all the interests of the US, as well as its allies too. One of the objective of the US military is to be the big stick of America in the south China seas and the Indo-Pacific region for more global coverage. Recently, the "big stick," it's USS Theodore Roosevelt is set to return after getting docked because of a coronavirus breakout. According to the US, the coronavirus is the creation of China's CCP, and both are hurling accusations at each other. US navy ships have gone on patrol or went on freedom-of-navigation operations (FONOPs) where the PLAN was active, often single ships moved out to drive away Chinese ships. With the US Air Force projecting US air power. Many of the US vessels, like the USS America, USS Barry, and naval forces with Air Force assets are sure to make an impression that the US is not joking but dead serious. A recent FONOPs has gotten the ire of the PLA Southern Theater Command, who were just blasting rhetoric but sat by, waiting for US ships to pass. Out of spite, they were calling comparisons to the COVID-19 response. This pandemic gets worse but the PLAN is not a trifle, so the Pentagon should find a way for the US military to avoid anything untoward, especially once its big stick comes to the pacific and resume operations. Related topic: US Navy Destroyer Sails Through Taiwan Strait to Let Beijing Know US Will Support Taiwan @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 00:41:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close YAOUNDE, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of Cameroon National Gendarmerie said on Saturday 46 bags of marijuana estimated at 1,000 kg have been seized in the country's restive Northwest region. After receiving a tip-off, the gendarmes in the region's chief town of Bamenda, seized the marijuana that were disguised as foodstuffs loaded on a vehicle destined for commercial capital, Douala, Northwest Legion commander, colonel Raymond Boum Bissoue told reporters. "After months of investigations, these men did not know we were monitoring them till when we put our hands on them. This is a major step to fighting insecurity in the region," Bissoue said. The driver of the vehicle and two other suspects were arrested by security forces. The suspects confessed they bought the products from neighbouring Nigeria. Illicit trade of marijuana has been on the upsurge in the region since a separatist conflict began in 2017, according to security reports. Enditem Gulf Shores Police and the Alabama Coastal Foundation are searching for those who are responsible in vandalizing a protected sea turtle nest along the West Beach in Gulf Shores. According to Mark Berte, executive director with the foundation, a protected area where the nest is located was disturbed sometime between 11 p.m. Friday and early Saturday morning when one of their public engagement coordinators spotted the vandalized area. The predator guard was lifted, sand was dug around there, said Berte. No nest was disturbed. Berte said hes hoping the situation becomes an educational opportunity for the public that has returned to Alabamas beaches in recent weeks following a six-week closure from March 20-April 30, during the coronavirus pandemic. The nests, which are usually outlined and protected from the public, are not supposed to be disturbed. Penalties for those who do vandalize the protected area can include jail time and fines that run as much $100,000 for disturbing a nest. Berte said its very rare for one of the nests to be vandalized in Alabama. We try to do a good job of educating the public, he said. We make sure that our citizens and visitors understand (not to disturb them) and we put signage up and we mark the area off with stakes. Berte added, We are trying to use this as an opportunity to educate everyone that once they see a nest, to understand that they are protected and that if you dig a hole in the sand while enjoying the beach, to make sure its filled up (at the end of the day) and to take your stuff off the beach to avoid hindering a mother turtle from coming up (and laying eggs). Sea turtles, an endangered species, begin forming their nests around May 1 and end around Aug. 31 in Alabama. A turtle can lay an average of 110 eggs per nest with an incubation period of 55 to 70 days. Volunteers monitor several areas of Alabamas coastline, devoting time to searching for new nests, marking them and protecting the nests and hatchlings from natural and human-related dangers. Between 2010 and 2019, an estimated 66,915 hatchlings have made it to the water from Alabamas beaches, according to the website Share the Beach. BENZIE COUNTY A traffic stop led to the arrest and arraignment of an Honor resident. Nicole Vanslambrouck, 35, was arraigned on May 18 in the Benzie County's 85th District Court on charges of controlled substance delivery manufacture of methamphetamine, controlled substance possession dangerous weapon, maintaining a drug house. The charges stem from a traffic stop and arrest made on May 12. Detectives from Traverse Narcotics Team and Benzie County Sheriffs Office received a tip that Vanslambrouck was involved in drug activity. Detectives conducted a traffic stop on Vanslambrouck and located a dangerous weapon, crystal methamphetamine, heroin, suboxone, drug paraphernalia and a large amount of cash. Vanslambrouck was arrested for possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver, possession of a dangerous weapon, possession of heroin, possession of suboxone and operating a drug vehicle. She was also arrested on a felony warrant for possession of methamphetamine and retail fraud third degree out of Grand Traverse County. Vanslambrouck was released from Benzie County Jail on a $5,000/10% bond. The Traverse Narcotics Team is a multi-jurisdictional drug task force comprised of officers from Wexford, Osceola, Missaukee, Antrim, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Benzie counties along with Traverse City Police Department, and the Michigan State Police. The Traverse Narcotics Team needs help from the public to eradicate the illegal drug epidemic in Michigan and asks that anyone with any information pertaining to illegal drug activity call the drug tip line at: 800-528-8234. New York, May 23 : A Bill has been introduced in Congress for wide-ranging reforms to the H-1B and L-1 visa programmes amid the COVID-19 uncertainty over job prospects and immigration in order to stop replacement of US workers, give preference to US-educated applicants, tighten wage requirements and increase enforcement. "We want to make sure that talent is coming to the US, but we also want to make sure that it's being done with proper compensation" and all workers are protected from exploitation, Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, who is of Indian descent and is a co-sponsor of the legislation, said. The Bill introduced in both the Senate and the House of Representatives by a group of seven legislators from both parties as an amendment to the Immigration and Naturalisation Act comes as about 39 million people are jobless with the unemployment rate at one of the historic highs, estimated at 23 per cent. The Bill has a slim chance of being passed in the current session of the Congress, which is burdened by coronavirus pandemic-related legislation and limitations on sittings. The most significant element of the Bill is an explicit prohibition of the replacement of American workers by H-1B or L-1 visa holders and ensuring that their working conditions are not adversely affected. H-1B visas are for professionals and L-1 visas are given to employees of foreign companies transferred to work in the US temporarily. Indians are the biggest beneficiaries getting around 75 per cent of the H-1B visas. Democrat Representative Frank Pallone said the amendment would require "a good faith effort to recruit and hire American workers (which) is critical to helping people get back to work during this difficult time and will help prevent the exploitation of foreign workers." Another key element of the Bill to give priority to US-educated applicants for H1-B visas is already in force through a regulation introduced last year by the administration of US President Trump. The Bill would prevent companies having more than half their workforce made up of H1-B visa holders from hiring any more of them. Companies would also be barred from having H-1B or L-1 employees temporarily in the US to get trained and sent back home to do the same work. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, a prime mover of the Bill, said, "We need programmes dedicated to putting American workers first. When skilled foreign workers are needed to meet the demands of our labour market, we must also ensure that visa applicants who honed their skills at American colleges and universities are a priority over the importation of more foreign workers." Khanna, like other sponsors, acknowledged the role of immigrants in building up the Silicon Valley. "American immigrants come to this country with some of the most innovative, transformative ideas this world has ever seen. If we're going to continue to foster a culture of creativity, we must reform the H-1 and L-1 visa programs to protect all workers from abuses," he said. The Bill's sponsors emphasised its stated intent to also protect H-1B and L-1 visa holders from exploitation. Democrat Representative Bill Pascarelli said the amendment will "prevent the exploitation of visa workers" (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) The National Federation of the Blind has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Pennsylvania, claiming the state isnt taking steps to adequately protect blind voters from the coronavirus during the delayed June 2 primary election. A virus-prompted provision that will give sighted voters the option of casting their ballots by mail to avoid possible contagion is useless to blind electors, the federation claims in suit filed in U.S. Middle District Court. It is asking the court to order the state to develop a system where blind voters can select their candidates online. Otherwise, the federation contends, many of those voters will have to either pass up the election or risk their health by going to the polls to seek help in voting from poll workers. The once-in-a-century impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has indelibly changed Pennsylvania. For example, for the upcomingprimary election, most Pennsylvanians will choose to safely vote via absentee or mail-in ballot instead of going to the polls, where they risk their health, the suit states. But this safer, vote-at-home option is not available to blind1 Pennsylvanians, because the commonwealths absentee and mail-in ballots are inaccessible to the blind, it adds. Pennsylvanias reliance on exclusively paper ballots keeps blind Pennsylvanians from participating in absentee and mail-in voting. And that, the federation insists, violates federal law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. Ultimately, Pennsylvania must implement a permanent solution, one that makes available an accessible online ballot tool so that blind voters have equal access to vote independently and privately in all elections through absentee and mail-in voting, the suit states. The federation cited the example of Michigan, which earlier this month made the military absentee ballot available to vision impaired voters online. Military personnel stationed overseas can receive electronic ballots online but must mail a hard copy of their selections to the state for their votes to be recorded. Michigan made that change in a few days, in time for its May 5 primary, the federation claims. It says Michigan official also have pledged to buy a remote online voting system accessible to blind voters as a more permanent solution. Without such options, Pennsylvania has treated blind voters like second-class citizens; ignored their basic rights to security, equality, and dignity; and unlawfully undermined their fundamental right to vote, the federation contends. It also claims its demand is not a last-minute thing. The federation says it sent a letter to state elections officials last year alerting them to the problem. Representative image Healthcare workers at several central and city government hospitals sported black armbands on Friday to protest the government's decision to end the need for their quarantine after COVID-19 duty unless there has been any form of high-risk exposure. Several hospitals in the last few days have asked their healthcare workers staying in hotels during the quarantine period to vacate rooms immediately failing which the charges paid for their overstay would be deducted from their salaries As per the Union health ministry guidelines issued on May 15, healthcare workers serving in COVID-19 areas do not need to undergo quarantine unless there has been violation in the use of PPE or any other form of high-risk exposure or they have symptoms suggestive of coronavirus infection. However, healthcare workers on the frontline have raised objections to the new guidelines. The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) has called for the black ribbon protest to demand proper quarantine and testing for all healthcare workers on COVID-19 duty. 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 FORDA had also written to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan seeking a revision of the guidelines stating the virus has an incubation period of 2-14 days following exposure and there are multiple instances of doctors testing positive for the disease following a second test or subsequently after that. "Under the current situation, at least 7-day quarantine, along with adequate testing of all doctors, after COVID-19 duty is necessary in order to prevent spread of infection among colleagues and their family members," FORDA president Dr Shivaji Dev Barman said. "So far there has been no response from the authorities," Dr Barman said.? Delhi's Lady Hardinge Medical College had issued a circular on Thursday stating hotel facility during post-duty period days in COVID and suspected COVID zones provided to healthcare workers is hereby withdrawn and "the occupants are directed to please vacate their rooms immediately". "If any overstay is noticed, charges paid for the overstay will have to be recovered from their salaries," the circular said There is no change in the instructions related to the HCWs, who are presently working with COVID-19 facilities and hotel accommodation will be available to those still on COVID-19 duties at the hospital, it said. A similar circular was issued by the RML hospital administration also. Resident Doctor's Association of the Maulana Azad Medical College also is did a black ribbon protest against the decision. "As doctors we are never shy of doing our duties and are even proud to be at frontline during this pandemic. But in response, the government is not providing quarantine to the healthcare workers. "Some of our fellow doctors have come positive even on day 11th to 14th day. So,bwe appeal to the government to look into this and amend the quarantine order," the RDA said in a statement. Meanwhile, the LNJP Hospital authorities, which had issued an order telling all quarantined healthcare workers to vacate hotels and other lodging facilities given to them, said the decision was on Thursday "put in abeyance" for a week, sources said A sources said, "The RDA of the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) submitted a representation to the hospital authorities, raising infeasibilities in complying with the order, like spreading infection to their family if healthcare workers leave the quarantine facility before the 14-day period" Previously, all healthcare personnel doing COVID-19 duty had to work for 14 days and it was then followed by 2 week quarantine to ensure they don't spread the infection to anyone else. Inside Hook Are we on the verge of a new era of American spaceflight? The road towards NASAs recent work with SpaceX has been a slow and careful one, for obvious reasons you can never be too careful when sending people into space. Last month brought with it the news that the US was on the verge of the first crewed mission to be launched from American soil since 2011. This week, observers of spaceflight got some great news in that respect. At The Washington Post, Christian Davenport reports that NASA has given the go-ahead for this historic mission. As Davenport notes: Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 13:25:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GUIYANG, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Guizhou Province has handed out a total of 50,000 helmets free of charge to motorcyclists, according to the provincial public security department Friday. A total of 30,000 helmets are expected to be given to motorcycle riders within a month in the capital city of Guiyang, with the rest to other parts of the province. The public welfare activity was organized by more than 50 enterprises which raised over 2 million yuan (about 280,627 U.S. dollars) for purchasing standard safety helmets. To raise the security awareness of the riders, public security departments at all levels in Guizhou will encourage motorcycle retailers to provide at least one free helmet for customers and teach them the correct way to wear it. According to the Ministry of Public Security, starting from June 1, riding motorcycles without a helmet and driving or riding in cars without wearing a seat belt will be punishable. Electric bike riders will also be asked to wear helmets. Enditem National security legislation for HKSAR "highly necessary": spokesperson People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:22, May 22, 2020 BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- It is highly necessary for China's national legislature to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security, a spokesperson said Thursday. The deliberation of a draft decision on the legislation has been included in the agenda of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, scheduled to open on Friday, Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for the session, told a press conference. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Its amazing that when we are in the middle of a pandemic that is threatening so many peoples health, that there are people who are willing to risk the lives of their neighbors and others by reckless driving, said Ald. Michele Smith, 43rd. Most parents swear they dont have a favorite kiddo. But children often beg to differ with their siblings, suspecting that the other is truly the most loved. It turns out that the kids are kind of right. Parents do have a preference, but its normally not who children think it is and whoever their "favorite" is could have an impact on their health. The very large majority of both mothers and fathers when asked directly are willing to say that there is a child that they are closer to, prefer to confide in, prefer as a caregiver, have more conflict with and have more pride in, J. Jill Suitor, a professor of sociology at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, told TODAY. Most of the time the childrens perceptions are wrong. For the past two decades Suitor and her colleagues have been looking at familial relationships as part of an ongoing study. When the researchers first started and interviewed hundreds of families, they wondered if the parents of adult children would admit to having a beloved child. Everyone sort of assumes that nobody would admit to it. Mothers and fathers would talk to us about it. Theyd say, Of course, I love all my children the same and feel equally close to everybody except Susan, she explained. The researchers arent examining this information to create strife in families. Understanding parent and adult-child bonds is important for the health of everyone. Adult siblings already consider a parent's favorite and it impacts them. In many cases, the research focuses on the mother and adult-child bond since husbands are likely to die before their wives. Related: Children are even more likely to think that their parents have these preferences, she explained. Adult children think about it quite a bit and it affects their relationships with their siblings and their own psychological well-being. But what child a parent prefers has more to do with their own priorities than what society considers a success. Parents feel closer to the child who shares the same values. While children might think the sibling with the fancy education who makes the big money takes the prize, thats not often the case. Story continues Moms are much more likely to be closer to children, for example, who go out of their way to be nice to her, who seem very concerned about the family, who help their siblings, than the kid who went to Harvard law school and makes lots of money, she said. Its much more likely that moms really proud of whichever child has been either extremely engaged in the family or has again gone out of their way to be helpful. Moms also often feel more connected to a child who has faced a lot of challenges. This could be why people think the black sheep is most beloved. Its often the child who has overcome a lot of struggles, Suitor said. It may be that kid who has failed out of college twice but theyre on track even at the local community college Mom is more likely to say she is proud of them. While the findings might not be fodder for the next family get-together, Suitor said understanding who parents have the closet relationship with has an impact on the quality of their care as they age. Elderly mothers experience better health if their favorite child cares for them. One of the times that transparency becomes really important is having those discussions with health care providers, she said. We want the doctor, the social worker talking with mom without the adult children. Related: That makes it more likely that mom goes home with her preferred child after a health emergency, which helps her experience better mental health and faster recovery. Suitor and her colleague, Megan Gilligan, an associate professor at Iowa State University, recently started the third part of the study examining how parental bonds continue impacting adult children after their parents deaths. While theyre in an early part of this phase of the research, the findings suggest parent-child relationships play a role long after mom and dad die. Many people lose contact with their siblings, have big fights with their siblings after their parents die," Suitor said. "Losing a parent is very hard on families. Screen Shot 2020 05 22 at 2.09.11 PM US Navy The USS Portland disabled a flying drone with a "solid state laser" in the Pacific Ocean. Videos showed the Northrup Grumman-developed 150-kilowatt-class Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) destroying the drone. "With this new advanced capability, we are redefining war at sea for the Navy," a Navy official said in a press release. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. A US Navy ship downed a flying drone with a "solid state laser" in the Pacific Ocean, the service branch announced on Friday. The USS Portland (LPD-27), a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship, deployed its Technology Maturation Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) against an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) last week during a demonstration, the first such use of a high-energy class solid-state laser, the Navy said. "By conducting advanced at sea tests against UAVs and small crafts, we will gain valuable information on the capabilities of the Solid State Laser Weapons System Demonstrator against potential threats," US Navy Capt. Karrey Sanders, the ship's commanding officer, said in a press release. "The Solid State Laser Weapons System Demonstrator is a unique capability the Portland gets to test and operate for the Navy, while paving the way for future weapons systems, " Sanders added. "With this new advanced capability, we are redefining war at sea for the Navy." Watch: U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) May 22, 2020 According to the Navy, the weapon system is being developed due to "an increasing number of threats" that include UAVs, armed small boats, and adversary intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. The Navy has used other laser weapon systems on its ships, including its 30-kilowatt class Laser Weapon System (LaWS) aboard the USS Ponce. Story continues The Navy hopes laser cannons can defend the fleet from drones and even the long-range missiles being fielded by rivals like China, which can outrange a US carrier strike group's jets and missiles. China's land-based missiles could overwhelm a carrier group's ability to intercept with a finite supply of missiles, which is where the laser comes in. The US Army is developing its own laser weapon, the Indirect Fires Protection Capability-High Energy Laser (IFPC-HEL), which is expected to range up 300 kilowatts and intercept rockets, artillery, and mortars. The Office of Naval Research first awarded Northrup Grumman an initial $53 million contract to develop the 150-kilowatt-class LWSD in 2015. "For about the price of a gallon of diesel fuel per shot, we're offering the Navy a high-precision defensive approach that will protect not only its sailors, but also its wallet," director and program manager Guy Renard, said at the time. Read the original article on Business Insider Tourists will be able to come to Spain again from July "in conditions of safety", prime minister Pedro Sanchez announced at a press conference on Saturday. "Tourism is a vital sector for the Spanish economy," said Sanchez, encourging professionals in the sector to "prepare for activity to resume in coming days" and for when Spain reopens its frontiers to international tourism in July. "There will be a tourist season this summer," said the prime minister, adding that the domestic market would return first. He called for people in Spain to plan their holidays and to make the most of the "wonders" this country has to offer tourists. Many will be able to do this "very soon, from the end of June, onwards," he said. From 22 June the government is to create "safe corridors" to link areas of Spain that have moved into Phase Three of the plan to ease lockdown restrictions as well as with some European cities. In terms of tourists coming from other countries, Sanchez confirmed what government minister Teresa Ribera said on Thursday, that activity would be able to resume in July. This would happen "in conditions of safety" he said, adding that tourists could "start planning their holidays in Spain now". "Spain needs tourism and tourism needs safety [in the countries of] origin and safety in the destination, and for that reason we will guarantee that tourists are not at risk here and that they don't bring risks to our country," said Sanchez. "Health is not inconsistent with business; without health there is no business, and that's why the government will combine its firm financial support for the sector with full health guarantees," added the prime minister. Sanchez sent out the following message to foreign tourists: "Spain will be waiting for you from the month of July, and whoever comes to Spain, can be sure that they are coming to a land that has health guarantees and that is committed to the sustainability of our planet." Quarantine to be lifted The government confirmed this week that the 14-day quarantine rule would be lifted by 1 July when foreign tourists start coming back to Spain. Controls will be in place at airports, however, although, ministers have not specified whether this will involve body temperature checks or Covid-19 tests. The tourism industry has previously warned that Spain's 14-day quarantine rule in force for anyone entering the country is likely to send holidaymakers to rival destinatations such as Italy or Greece. Both countries have said that when they open to foreign tourists (in June for Italy and or July for Greece) there will be no self-isolation requirements. Spain's quarantine rule will in theory last as long as the state of alarm is in place, the most recent extension being until 7 June. Longtime chef and restaurateur David Machado says hes shutting down all five of his Portland establishments permanently because the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked irreversible damage on his industry. Machado said he wont reopen Altabira City Tavern, Citizen Baker, Nel Centro, Pullman Winebar & Merchant and Tanner Creek Tavern, according to Eater, which first reported the news Friday. Theres no pathway back to a viable business, Machado was quoted as saying in Eater. ...Theres going to be increased labor because of safety, sanitation, preparation, moving tables and chairs... opening duties, closing duties, hosting everything changes. It will require more labor but we anticipate revenue going down 50 to 70 percent. The Oregonian/OregonLive reached out to Machado for comment Saturday, but didnt immediately hear back. All five of Machados restaurants are in or next to hotels in the Lloyd District, the Pearl District or downtown Portland. That makes an economic recovery particularly challenging because the hotel industry is also suffering deep drops in business. The eateries also relied on customers from nearby concert, civic and shopping venues, which all have temporarily shutdown and theres much uncertainty about what lies ahead for them. In addition to the restaurants food and drink offerings, they were known for their swanky mix of modern, rustic and industrial decors, gorgeous use of wood and in the case of Altabira City Tavern -- stunning views of downtown Portland, the West Hills and the twin glass towers of the Oregon Convention Center from the taverns Lloyd District rooftop location. Nel Centro was a standout in downtown for its outdoor seating around fire pits. According to Machados restaurant website, he launched his first restaurant in 1986 in San Francisco. He said it had a wonderful six-month run, but it closed and he vowed never to let that happen again. Since the early 1990s, he has gone on to open a series of notable restaurants: Pazzo Ristorante and Southpark Seafood Grill and Wine Bar in downtown Portland, Lauro Kitchen in Southeast Portland and Vindalho in the same part of town. Machado isnt the only Portland area restaurateur to announce permanent closures. Read a list of them here. Among the closures: Wongs King Seafood, a groundbreaking Chinese food restaurant, has shuttered after 15 years on Southeast Division Street. Noraneko, a notable Southeast Portland Ramen shop, has shut down its restaurant along Southeast Water Avenue. And Arleta Library & Cafe, a Southeast Portland breakfast spot once co-owned by mayoral candidate Sarah Iannarone, announced its time had come. -- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Days after Ladakh was declared coronavirus free, six fresh cases have come to light in the union territory over the past three days with almost all of them having a travel history outside the Himalayan region, officials said on Saturday. All the six new patients, five in Kargil and one in Leh, have been moved from the administrative quarantine to the COVID hospital for treatment. They include five Iran return pilgrims and a student, they said. An official media bulletin said test samples of five people of Kargil district reported positive for COVID-19. "The Health Department Leh received two positive reports of Iran returnees yesterday (Friday) who were already placed under facility quarantine at Kargil. While today, three positive reports were received among which two are Iran returnees and one is a student who had travelled by bus from Delhi to Kargil and was kept in hospital isolation," the bulletin read. Earlier on May 21, one person with a travel history to Iran was tested positive for COVID-19 from the Chuchot Yokma area of Leh. He was already placed under institutional quarantine after reaching Leh and on receiving the report he was shifted to Mahabodhi Hospital for isolation, it said. On May 19, the Ladakh administration had declared the union territory COVID-19 free after the last two patients, out of the total 43 cases, were declared cured and subsequently discharged from the hospital in Leh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two men have died following a house fire in Drimnagh this afternoon. Fire services and gardai were called to the scene in the Slievebloom Park area at around 1.45pm. Dublin Fire Brigade brought the fire under control and the bodies of two men, thought to be aged in their late 60s and early 70s, were discovered inside the house. The two men were pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. The scene has been preserved as investigating gardai work towards establishing the cause of the fire. The bodies of the two men will be removed to the Dublin City Mortuary in Whitehall where post-mortem examinations will be conducted by the State Pathologist tomorrow. Results of the the post-mortems and a technical examination of the scene will determine the course of the investigation. Local People Before Profit TD Brid Smith says locals are very upset by what happened. "Like the neighboursin Lansdowne Valley, I am deeply shocked at the loss of these lives "I just visited the site there this evening and it is cordoned off by the gardai who are investigating the cause of the fire. "The neighbours are very shook up and sad about it." Gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact the incident room at Sundrive Road Garda Station. Anyone with information is asked to contact Sundrive Road Station on 01-666 6600 of the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. Washington, May 23 : Democrats have denounced US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, saying it was illegal and demanded an explanation for the move. In a letter on Friday to State Secretary Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel and Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith said that the withdrawal from the treaty without consultation with Congress violates Section 1234 of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, reports Xinhua news agency. "This provision of law stipulates that you must notify Congress not later than 120 days before the intent to withdraw from the treaty is presented to either treaty depository... To date, this requirement has not been fulfilled," the two Democrats said in the letter, demanding an explanation for this "intended illegal action". Engel and Smith also said that they strongly oppose the withdrawal decision, which they believe would "specifically negatively impact US leadership in NATO and the transatlantic relationship with its allies and partners". "It appears that short-sighted interests and partisan politics prevailed over reason and good foreign policy. This is a regrettable decision that will have lasting consequences," they added. Trump on Thursday announced that he was withdrawing from the Open Skies Treaty, saying that "Russia didn't adhere to the treaty. Until they adhere we will pull out". He also said that there was a "very good chance we'll reach a new agreement" with Russia. Also on Thursday, Pompeo announced that the US would submit the notice of its decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty to all other state parties on Friday, citing Russian non-compliance as a motivating factor for its decision. The withdrawal would formally take place in six months, based on the treaty's withdrawal terms. Pompeo said Washington might reconsider its decision if Moscow returns to "full compliance with the Treaty". The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that the country was open to dialogue with the US on the Open Skies Treaty, but only if it is based on equal rights and aimed at mutual consideration of interests and concerns. The US and Russia have blamed each other for noncompliance with the treaty. The Treaty on Open Skies, the implementation of which is monitored by the Vienna-based Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, has been in force since 2002 and allows its 34 signatory nations to fly over any part of one another's territory, photographing from the air, with the aim of ensuring that other countries or rivals were not preparing military attacks. The official notification of Washington's withdrawal from the pact will be presented on Friday, which implies that within six months, which is by November 22, the US will no longer be a party to the agreement. Over 1,500 Open Skies flights have been conducted since the deal entered into force in 2002, according to media reports. Ten European nations on Friday issued a joint statement regretting the US' withdrawal. "We regret the announcement by the government of the United States of its intention to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty, although we share its concerns regarding the implementation of treaty provisions by Russia," said the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Sweden in the statement. "We will continue to implement the Open Skies Treaty which has obvious added value for our conventional arms control architecture and our common security," said the statement. It was the latest in a string of moves by the Trump administration to withdraw from major international treaties. Washington abandoned the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Moscow last year. The pullout of the Open Skies Treaty further raised doubts over whether the Trump administration would extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty in force between Washington and Moscow. The New START, which expires next February, can be extended for at most five years with the consent of the two countries. Russia has expressed willingness to extend the treaty, while the Trump administration has yet to officially reply. An interesting spectacle unfolded in a court in Kumasi on Friday when a man, whose wife plotted with her boyfriend to kill him, was seen giving cash to his wife. The suspects were being led away on remand when the man, David Gator, 55, handed the money to his wife, Mavis Brepo aka Maa Adwoa, who is currently on trial with her boyfriend, Patrick Asare. Mr. Gator was seen in court giving money to Mavis, who allegedly plotted with her lover to have him (Gator) killed. He gave the money to her ostensibly for her upkeep whilst on remand. The Asokwa District Court in Kumasi had remanded Mavis and Asare in police custody for the second time for attempted murder. Mr. Gator even assured Mavis of his unflinching support and undying love in spite of her plot to kill him. He has even said that his wife was under a spell by Asare to commit the crime and was seen comforting Mavis who sobbed as she was being led away. Mavis and Asare were arrested after they had mistakenly contacted the Manhyia Divisional Police Commander. They were reaching out to the would-be assassin, but they mistakenly telephoned the police officer instead. The two made their first appearance in court on Friday, May 8 and are expected in court on June 3. Mr. Gator, a father of three, who lives at Pamen near Kwaben in the Eastern Region, has asked for the charge to be dropped against Mavis because he has long forgiven her and is ready to take her back. Unknown to the husband, Mavis had secretly been having an amorous affair with Asare for many years. At a point, the cheating wife and her boyfriend allegedly planned to eliminate Mavis' husband, so that they could have their peace and enjoy their intimate relationship. Unfortunately, they mistakenly called a number of a police officer, whom they thought was the person they were planning to use to kill the husband and that led to their arrests. ACP Kwaku Buah, the Manhyia Divisional Police Commander, upon receiving a phone call from the 'wicked' wife and her boyfriend, who had offered to pay GH100,000 to get Mr. Gator killed, pretended he was the assassin and followed every step of the accused persons. With the help of undercover police investigators, ACP Buah told the cheating wife and boyfriend that he lived in Sefwi in the Western North Region. He constantly talked to the suspects on mobile phone, giving them an assurance that he would easily eliminate Mr. Gator for them. After negotiations on phone, which lasted for about four weeks, had been successfully concluded, the ACP supposed assassin lured Asare to meet him in Kumasi, so that he could lead him to the exact location of Mr. Gator in the Eastern Region to kill him. Asare, who was bent on making sure that Mr. Gator was killed, proceeded to Kumasi where he was nabbed. Later on, the suspect led the police to arrest Mavis. In their caution statement, the suspects admitted conspiring to kill Mr. Gator. ---Daily Guide The New York Post reported Friday that a Brooklyn field hospital, authorized by Mayor Bill de Blasios administration at a cost of approximately $21 million, closed without seeing one patient. The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook was one of several sites across the city to be converted into a medical facility. City hospitals were expected to be overwhelmed in treating coronavirus patients. While the plan in Red Hook was announced on March 31, one day after the U.S Navy hospital ship Comfort arrived in New York Harbor, the facility did not open until May 4. The field hospital was built by SLSCO, a construction company based in Texas, according to the report. PennLives complete coronavirus coverage The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal had an estimated capacity of 750 beds. Its now being dismantled without treating a single patient. As part of our hospital surge, we expanded capacity at a breakneck speed, ensuring our hospital infrastructure would be prepared to handle the very worst, de Blasio spokeswomen Avery Cohen told The Post Friday. We did so only with a single-minded focus: saving lives. Earlier reports stated the USNS Comfort treated 182 non-COVID-19 patients during its nearly four-week stay in New York. Advertisement Justice Muhammad Saidu Sifawa of the Sokoto State High Court, on Thursday, May 21, 2020 granted bail to two Chinese: Meng Wei Kun and Xui Kuoi, being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for offering N100million (Hundred Million Naira) bribe to the Sokoto Zonal Head of the EFCC, Abdulahi Lawal. The judge granted the defendants bail in the sum of N5million each to be deposited with the Director Litigation, High Court of Sokoto State, with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be resident in the state and must deposit a Certificate of Occupancy of his landed property within the jurisdiction of the court. He also ordered the defendants to submit their international passports with the chief registrar of the court and demanded that they take an undertaking that they would not travel out of the country throughout the duration of their trial. Advertisement The Chinese duo was arraigned on Friday, May 15, 2020 on a two-count charge of conspiracy and offering bribe to a public servant to the tune of N100million (One Hundred Million Naira), contrary to Section 83 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law, 2019 and Punishable under Section 83 (2) of the same Law. The defendants had attempted to bribe Lawal to the tune of N100million, of which a N50million (Fifty Million Naira) installment was delivered on Monday, May 11, 2020 on behalf of a construction company China Zhonghao Nig. Ltd which the EFCC is investigating for an alleged contract scam to the tune of over N50billion between 2012 to 2019. Trial will commence on June 15, 2020. With the state unemployment rate shooting up above 15%, its not surprising that readers seem to have endless questions about jobless benefits, especially the new federally funded Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for self-employed and other people not eligible for regular state unemployment insurance. Ill try to answer or at least address some of the most common questions below. Q: Im self-employed and got a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Can I use that loan to pay myself and collect unemployment at the same time? A: No. You cannot collect unemployment for weeks you are being paid from the loan proceeds, said Shannon Farmer, an employment lawyer with Ballard Spahr. However, you could collect pandemic unemployment assistance for weeks before and after you are being paid with a PPP loan, provided you lost work because of the coronavirus and meet other requirements. Note that to get a PPP loan forgiven, at least 75% of the loan proceeds must be used to cover eight weeks of payroll and benefits. If you are self-employed, the amount you can spend on your own payroll costs is limited to eight weeks of your 2019 average earnings, Farmer added. Q: Im a self-employed Airbnb host and lost all my bookings because of the coronavirus. Can I collect Pandemic Unemployment Assistance? A: The California Employment Development Department has declined to answer this. On its website, Airbnb says some hosts who operate as self-employed individuals or sole proprietors may be eligible for this assistance. But it couldnt say whether any states have specifically approved it for people running short-term rentals. Dwayne McKenzie, an attorney with Cox Castle Nicholson, said that a property owner who lost rental income likely would not qualify for pandemic assistance. Whether an Airbnb host would qualify is in a potential gray area and unclear. I could make arguments both ways. Pandemic assistance is not intended to cover loss of income, per se. There has to be a connection to labor, to work, said Carole Vigne, an attorney with Legal Aid at Work in San Francisco. If someones job is managing one or more short-term rentals including scheduling, cleaning, greeting, etc. they might qualify. Given the lack of clear guidance, and the understanding that pandemic assistance is to be applied broadly, Vigne said that if there is a chance you could qualify, you should apply. Laura Thompson, an Airbnb host in San Francisco, said she applied for pandemic benefits and was granted approval for the minimum weekly amount. For her occupation, she chose Supervisor Hospitality House from the list of options, because it was the closest thing she could find to short-term rental host. She wrote on her application that she had a short-term lodging business, licensed by the city, where I host travelers from out of the area and all is nonessential travel and all my reservations canceled. Q: What if I get unemployment and EDD later decides I was not eligible? A: EDD may assess an overpayment and ask for the money back. If EDD believes you intentionally made false statements, you could face a 30% penalty and forfeit future benefits. However, these decisions can be appealed. Providing information you believe is correct but EDD doesnt believe is correct doesnt make it a false statement, Vigne said. Q: The unemployment application asks if I am attending school. If Im taking classes online, am I attending school? If I say yes, can I still collect benefits? A: To collect unemployment benefits, you must be available for work. Technically, attending school under normal circumstances would create a red flag in their system and trigger an interview, said Vigne. If you are not working, and enroll full time, you are likely not available to work. EDD has a problem with that, unless you are enrolled in a California training benefits program. This program lets you attend an EDD-approved school or training program while you receive unemployment benefits. Vigne said she would answer the question yes, and if they follow up with an interview, which is what they are supposed to do, explain how your schooling does not prevent you from working the same number of hours you did before. If EDD denies you unemployment, you can appeal. Q: The online application asks, What is your annual income for calendar year 2019? If you are a business owner, self-employed, independent contractor or gig worker provide your net annual income for calendar year 2019. Where on my tax return do I find my net income? A: The application doesnt say and neither would EDD. In a Q&A on its website, EDD says, that for self-employed people, the law requires that the EDD look at your net income, total after taxes, to determine your PUA weekly benefit amount. Common sense would suggest that self-employed people who report their business income on Schedule C would use line 31, net profit or loss. However, this is a pretax number, which is transferred onto Form 1040, where people calculate their tax on all income combined, including from a spouses job and investments, after all deductions unrelated to business. Charles Sterck, a San Francisco CPA, said he is advising clients to use line 31 on Schedule C as their net income figure and ignore any request for after tax amounts. Note that employees who qualify for regular unemployment are asked for their gross earnings, not net. Q: If Im able to earn money while Im on unemployment, can I still collect benefits? A: Every two weeks, people collecting regular or pandemic benefits have to fill out a certification form. It asks if you were able to work, looked for work, refused work and worked or earned money during each of the past two weeks. People collecting regular unemployment are supposed to say whether they worked that week, even if they havent been paid. If you worked the last week of May, but dont get paid until June, you still report that you worked the last week of May, Vigne said. For any week you worked, if you made more than $100, EDD will deduct 75% of your pay from your basic weekly benefit (excluding the extra $600 per week being paid through July under the Cares Act), according to Vigne. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes For example, if you are collecting the maximum benefit of $450 per week, and you earned $400 that week, your unemployment benefit will be reduced by $300, to $150. If you made $100 or less, EDD will ignore the first $25 and subtract the rest from your basic benefit. As long as your basic benefit stays above zero, you will still collect the extra $600 per week through July, Vigne said. If it goes below zero, you wont get the $600 that week. This formula is the same for pandemic benefits, except the certification form that says if you are self-employed, report earnings during the week you receive the money, not when you earned it. Note: Normally you must look for work each week to continue receiving benefits, but given the lack of available work created by COVID-19, EDD says you will not be penalized if you answer no to the question about looking for work. Also, EDD suspended certifications for the weeks ending March 14 through May 9, but now theyre required again. Need help? To speak to an EDD service rep who can assess your claim, call 800-300-5616 on weekdays from 8 a.m. until noon. To speak to a rep who can provide general information, call 833-978-2511 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days per week. For an automated self-service line, call 866-333-4606 anytime. For FAQs on pandemic benefits, see https://bit.ly/eddcoronavirusfaq. For FAQs on coronavirus-related unemployment benefits, see https://bit.ly/cacoronavirusbenefits. For tips on filling out the application, see https://unemployment.edd.ca.gov/guide/benefits. See More Collapse Q: If I work while Im unemployed, and it eliminates my unemployment that week, do I lose that money forever or is it added onto the end of my claim? A: Normally, if you zero out, that week doesnt get lost, because you can collect 26 weeks of regular unemployment over the course of 52 weeks, Vigne said. People who exhaust 26 weeks of regular unemployment insurance can get an extra 13 weeks of benefits under the Cares Act, for a total of 39 weeks. This program is called Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation or PEUC. To see when the extra weeks will become available, see https://bit.ly/EDDPEUC. The Cares Act provides a total of 39 weeks of pandemic benefits through Dec. 31. Separately from these benefits, Californias unemployment rate recently rose enough to trigger an additional 13 weeks of benefits for people receiving regular (but not pandemic) benefits, bringing their total to 52. Now that one can collect up to 52 weeks, there is a risk that EDD will try to open a new claim after the year mark, instead of rolling over the remaining benefits, Vigne said. Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender China will increase its military budget by a slower 6.6 percent this year, the government announced Friday at the opening session of its annual National People's Congress. The budget will be set at 1.268 trillion yuan ($178 billion) for the year -- the second-biggest in the world after the United States -- continuing a downward trend in military spending and lower than last year's increase of 7.5 percent. Beijing's defence budget pales in comparison to the $738 billion allotted for this year's US military budget. The announcement comes as Sino-US tensions rise due to the coronavirus pandemic and as China remains locked in territorial disputes with neighbouring countries including India, Japan, and Vietnam over the South China Sea. In recent years, China has poured trillions of yuan into the modernisation of its military, which it aims to transform into a world-class force rivalling that of the US and other Western powers. In 2018, China announced its largest military budget increase in three years at 8.1 percent, to 1.1 trillion yuan. But growth in defence spending has slowed since, with China and the US embroiled in a bitter trade war that has put pressure on the domestic economy, now further battered by the coronavirus pandemic. "As China's economic growth slows, its no surprise that military spending growth will also come down," said Adam Ni, an expert on China's military modernisation at Macquarie University in Sydney. He pointed out that despite mounting tensions with the US, "defence spending has not risen sharply". The People's Liberation Army reached two major milestones last year, unveiling both China's first homegrown aircraft carrier and its first intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the US. China also built its first overseas military base in Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, in 2017. Beijing is designing a new generation of destroyers and missiles to strengthen its deterrent against Asian neighbours and the US Navy. "The PLA has achieved great strides in terms of long-range artillery, electronic warfare and cyber capabilities, and also improved on its maritime and aerospace operations," said James Char, a military expert at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. "But if we compare it with other advanced militaries, the PLA still lags behind due to its limited experience in conducting combined arms operations and joint operations at battalion level." Bengaluru, May 23 : A 32-year-old man from Bengaluru Urban succumbed to Covid-19 even as 196 cases have been reported in the past 19 hours, highest single day rise, spiking the state's tally to 1,939, an official said on Saturday. "Positive case 1,270, 32-year-old male resident of Bengaluru Urban admitted to designated hospital on Tuesday with complaint of breathing difficulty died on Saturday due to cardiac arrest," said a health official. The deceased man also suffered from comorbidity. His death is Karnataka's 42nd Covid death and Bengaluru Urban's 10th. Another patient also died on Saturday but for a non-covid reason, second such death in the state. "Positive case 1,783 died due to non-Covid reason," said the official. He was a 55-year-old man from Dakshina Kannada who returned from Maharashtra. Among the 196 new infections, cases spiked in Gadag, Yadgiri, Chikkaballapura, Raichur and Mandya. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Lt Governor G C Murmu on Saturday visited the railway station and markets in Jammu city to get a first-hand appraisal of the situation post the lockdown relaxation. At the railway station, Murmu took stock of the facilities provided to JK residents being brought home in special trains, an official spokesman said. He said Jammu Deputy Commissioner Sushma Chauhan briefed the LG about the process of sampling of the returnees and told him that about 9,000 people in 10 special trains have returned so far. The LG said there should be strict implementation of all SoPs during de-boarding, sampling, and further travel of the returnees to their districts, according to an official statement. "Focus on coordination across all levels so that the whole process goes on smoothly," he added. Later, the LG visited prominent places and markets across the Jammu city to get a first-hand appraisal of the situation post relaxation of lockdown restrictions on May 20. He asked officers to continue making efforts to keep people aware about COVID-19 risks, the spokesman said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent COVID-19 fatalities may be much more than what is being reported New AI-based test uses X-rays to detect Covid in a few minutes Between June 21 and 28, India likely to witness 7,500 COVID-19 cases India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, May 23: India may witness COVID-19 cases peaking between June 21 and 28 with maximum daily positive cases to be around 7,000-7,500 in this period, a study by a team of researchers said. The study has predicted that confirmed COVID-19 cases reported daily will show a rising graph till the end of June. Migrants sprayed with disinfectant in South Delhi, authority says 'mistake' | Oneindia News "A clear downward trend in the confirmed cases is likely to be observed each day from the second week of July," Nandadulal Bairagi, a senior professor of Jadavpur University who was involved in the project told PTI. With measures in place and increased testing, a gradual flattening of the trajectory is expected within October, the researcher said. Coronavirus outbreak: Assam witnesses highest spike in COVID-19 cases; State tally at 259 The study was conducted by Bairagi, Professor and Coordinator Centre for Mathematical Biology and Ecology (CMBE), Jadavpur University, and five other researchers. The study, based on a mathematical model approved by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) of the Government of India, used deep machine learning algorithms along with a mathematical model for analysing and forecasting the COVID-19 pandemic in India with data being taken from the https://www.covid19india.org/state website. "We divided the population of a designated geographical area into seven compartments based on the epidemiological class of Covid-19 and WHO prescribed minimum requirements of infection prevention and control (IPC) strategy to reduce transmission," he said. Bairagi said, the total number of infected persons since the outbreak of coronavirus in the country "will touch the five lakh figure in first week of October and it will then start showing a perceptible declining trend." One of the factors for this high number could be a large number of asymptomatic persons roaming around with each having the potential to transmit the infection to two-three more persons "Just think of it. The contamination was contained after 76 days of lockdown in Wuhan, the origin point of the coronavirus pandemic. But we in India are witnessing a spike in active cases despite the lockdown nearing two months in few days time," he said. In the absence of any specific drug and vaccine, India must continue its nationwide lockdown to prevent person-to-person transmission of coronavirus while looking for ways to start economic activities, the senior researcher said. 95 year old woman recovers from coronavirus in Indore "Public transport must be avoided due to difficulties in contact tracing, random testing has to be increased and time for diagnosis has to be reduced for early detection...." "We have recommended to the government that lockdown may be partially withdrawn in green and orange zones after the last week of June, but it must be continued in red-zone regions of the states concerned. Strict surveillance must be continued after partial withdrawal of lockdown to avoid the second wave of COVID-19," he said. Asked about their observation on difficulty in contact tracing in case of contamination in public transport, he explained, "In a hospital or similar place where the persons who have contacted the infection can be traced, you can trace the origin and quarantine every body else who came in touch with the primary contact." But in a bus or train, there can be many asymptomatic persons who will spread the infection and then get down at their stoppages, he said. Apart from Bairagi, CMBE researcher Abhijit Majumder, Dr. Debadatta Adak of MBB University, Agartala, Dr. Tapas Kumar Bala of Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kusumdevi Sundarlal Dugar Jain Dental College and Hospital, Dr Abhijit Paul and Dr Samrat Chatterjee of Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad were involved in the research. The interim report of the research has already been sent to the SERB, he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Saturday, May 23, 2020, 8:47 [IST] Ayatollah Khamenei: Everyone must assist in holy struggle to liberate Palestine Iran Press TV Friday, 22 May 2020 7:53 AM Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the struggle to liberate Palestine is an obligation and an Islamic goal, adding "everyone must assist the Palestinian nation in this holy struggle". "The struggle to liberate Palestine is Jihad in the way of God, and it is an obligation and an Islamic goal. Victory in this struggle has been guaranteed," the Leader said Friday. His remarks came as millions took part in worldwide events to mark the International Quds Day, on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemn Israeli atrocities. Ayatollah Khamenei said, "The Zionist regime is a deadly, cancerous growth and a detriment to this region" which "will undoubtedly be uprooted and destroyed". "And then, the shame will fall on those who put their facilities at the service of the this policy of the arrogant powers," the Leader added. Ayatollah Khamenei rebuked "certain Arab governments in the region, which act as the minions" of the United States by preparing the ground for normalization with Israel through establishing economic ties. "These efforts are completely vain and futile," the Leader said. The following is the full text of the Leader's speech on the occasion of Quds Day. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and His peace and greetings be upon Muhammad, upon his pure Household, upon his chosen companions and upon those who follow them until the Day of Judgment. I extend my greetings to all the Muslim brothers and sisters throughout the world and I congratulate them in advance on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. I also pray to God to accept their worship and servitude in this Holy Month of Ramadan, and I thank the Benevolent Creator for the blessing of being present in this month of this divine banquet. Today is Quds Day, a day created - thanks to Imam Khomeini's (r.a.) intelligent initiative - to unite Muslims on the issue of Holy Quds and in support of the oppressed people of Palestine. It has played an important role in this regard for several decades now, and God willing, it will continue to do so in the future as well. Nations welcomed Quds Day and considered it to be a religious obligation to hold up the flag for Palestine's liberation. The main policy of the Arrogant Powers and Zionism is to push aside the issue of Palestine in the minds of Muslim communities and to cause it to fade into oblivion. Magnitude of Tragedy and Most urgent responsibility The most urgent responsibility in this regard is fighting this treachery, which is conducted by the enemy's political and cultural mercenaries in Islamic countries. The truth is that an issue as important as Palestine is not something that the pride, self-esteem and increasing intelligence of Muslim nations will allow to sink into oblivion, even if the Americans, other domineering powers and their regional minions use all their money and power to achieve this goal. First, I would like to highlight the magnitude of the tragedy of the occupation of Palestine and the formation of the Zionist cancerous tumor in that country. Among crimes against humanity in recent times, there is no crime that equals this crime in terms of scope and gravity. Occupying a country, permanently driving its people out from their homes and their fatherland, and continuing this historical oppression for decades using the most horrifying forms of murder, crime, destruction of farmlands, and genocide this is indeed a new record in brutality and wickedness. The main agents and criminals behind this tragedy are the western governments and their satanic policies. The day when the triumphant governments who had won the war in the First World War were carving up West Asia namely, the Asian territories of the Ottoman Empire among themselves at the Paris Conference as spoils of war, they felt the need for a safe stronghold in the heart of this region more than ever in order to guarantee their permanent hegemony. Years earlier, through the Balfour Declaration and with the help of the thinking of the rich Jewish sympathizers, the British had prepared the ground for the innovation of Zionism to carry out its role. And now the practical steps groundwork was in place. During those early years, they gradually prepared the preliminaries, and finally after the Second World War they used the opportunity created by the negligence and problems of the regional countries, and dealt their blow. They announced the creation of the bogus regime, the nationless Zionist state. The primary target of this blow was the Palestinian nation and the secondarily all the other nations in the region. A look at the events that followed in the region shows that the main, short-term goal that westerners and Jewish company -owners pursued by creating the Zionist regime was to build a stronghold for their permanent presence and influence in West Asia and also to gain easy access to the opportunity to interfere, coerce and dominate over the regional countries and governments. Therefore, they equipped the bogus and occupying regime with various kinds of military and non-military tools of power, even with atomic weapons, and their plans included the growth of this cancerous tumor from the Nile to the Euphrates. Submission of Arab governments Sadly, after their initial struggles of resistance, some of which were praiseworthy, the majority of Arab governments gradually succumbed. Particularly after the United States took charge of this matter, they forgot their human, Islamic and political responsibilities and their Arab pride and with delusional hopes they contributed to the enemy's goals. The Camp David Accord is a clear example of this bitter historical fact. After brave sacrifices and struggles in the early years, resistance groups were gradually pulled to the path of unsuccessful negotiations with the occupier and its supporters. They abandoned the route that could have led to the realization of the Palestinian dream. Negotiations with the United States and other western governments, and also negotiations with useless international groups were bitter, and unsuccessful experiences for Palestine. Holding out an olive branch at the United Nations General Assembly had no result other than the injurious Oslo Accords, and it led to the eye-opening fate of Yasser Arafat. Dawn of Islamic Revolution in Iran The dawn of the Islamic Revolution in Iran opened up a new chapter in the struggle for Palestine. From the first steps namely, driving out the Zionist elements who considered Iran of the Pahlavi period to be one of their safe strongholds to delegating the unofficial embassy of the Zionist regime to the Palestinian representative office, stopping the flow of oil, other great achievements and widespread political activities. All of these measures brought about the emergence of a front of resistance in the entire region. The hope of solving this issue flourished in hearts. The emergence of the resistance front presented the Zionist regime with increasing problems. God willing, the Zionist regime will encounter even more problems in the future. However, the efforts of the supporters of that regime with the US in the front increased sharply in order to defend the Zionists. The emergence of the faithful, young, self-sacrificing force of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the formation of highly-motivated groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad within the Palestinian borders unsettled and alarmed not only the Zionist ringleaders but also the U.S. and other aggressive western powers. After and in addition to their support of the occupying regime with weapons and publicity, they added recruiting from within the region and from within Arab society to the top of their agenda. Today the result of their voluminous work is obvious and in plain view, revealing itself in the actions and words of certain leaders of Arab governments and certain treacherous political and cultural Arab activists. Today, both fronts engage in various activities in the arena of struggle. The difference between them is that the resistance front is moving with increasing power and hope, and it marches on towards attracting increasing elements of power, while the opposing front of oppression, unbelief and arrogance is growing more hollow, hopeless and powerless by the day. A clear manifestation of this assertion is the fact that the Zionist armywhich was once considered to be invincible and lightning fast, one that would stop the aggression of two great armies in a matter of days is currently forced to retreat and accept defeat against popular forces in Lebanon and Gaza. Nevertheless, the arena of struggle is volatile and full of dangers. It requires constant vigilance, and the objective of this struggle is very important, fateful and vital. Any kind of negligence, inattention or mistakes in fundamental calculations will inflict heavy damage. Therefore, I would like to offer some advice to all those who have strong feelings for the issue of Palestine: Jihad in the way of God 1- The struggle to liberate Palestine is Jihad in the way of God, and it is an obligation and an Islamic goal. Victory in such a struggle has been guaranteed, because the person who is fighting, even if he is killed, he will receive "one of the two excellent things." [The Holy Quran 9, Sura at-Tawbah: 52]. Apart from this, the issue of Palestine is a human issue. Driving out millions of human beings from their homes, farmlands and places of business, and doing so through murder and crimes, troubles everyone's conscience and it inspires opposition in everyone who enjoys courage and determination. Therefore, restricting this to merely a Palestinian issue, or at best, an Arab issue, is a grave mistake. Those who consider the concessions made by a few Palestinian elements or rulers of a few Arab countries as a license to sidestep this Islamic and human issue, are making a grave mistake in understanding the matter, and perhaps they are guilty of betrayal for distorting the truth. 2- The aim of this struggle is the liberation of all the Palestinian lands from the river to the sea and the return of all Palestinians to their homeland. Reducing this struggle to the formation of a government in a corner of the Palestinian lands particularly, in the humiliating way that is mentioned in the discourse of shameless Zionists is neither a sign of righteous struggle nor a sign of realism. The truth is that today millions of Palestinians have achieved a level of thinking, experience and self-esteem such that they can focus their efforts on this great struggle in the way of God and be certain of divine assistance and the ultimate victory. "And surely God will support those who support His cause; most surely, God is Strong and Mighty." [22 The Holy Quran, Sura al-Hajj: 40]. Undoubtedly, many Muslims throughout the world will support them and share in their struggle, God willing. No trust in western governments 3- Although using any halal and religiously permissible means, including global support, is allowed in this struggle - it is absolutely essential to avoid trusting western governments and international groups that are covertly or overtly dependent on them. They are opposed to any effective entity of an Islamic nature. They have no regard for human rights. They themselves are the cause of the worst harm and crimes against the Islamic nation. Which international entity and which criminal power is currently being held accountable for the assassinations, the mass murders, the war mongering, the bombings and the human-made famines in many Islamic and Arab countries? Today, the world is counting one by one every victim of the coronavirus across the globe, but nobody has asked who is responsible for the hundreds of thousands of martyrdoms, imprisonments and disappearances in countries where the US and Europe have waged wars. Who is responsible for all the unlawful bloodshed in Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Syria and other countries? Who is responsible for all these crimes and for the occupation, destruction and oppression in Palestine? Why didn't anyone count the millions of oppressed children, women and men in the world of Islam? Why doesn't anyone extend their condolences for the mass murder of Muslims? Why should millions of Palestinians spend 70 years away from their homes and in exile? And why should Holy Quds, the first Qiblah of Muslims, be desecrated? The so-called United Nations is not fulfilling its function and the so-called human rights organizations are dead. The slogan of defending the rights of women and children excludes Yemeni and Palestinian women and children. This is the current conditions of the oppressive western powers and dependent global organizations. The disgrace of certain regional governments that follow them is beyond words. Therefore, a proud and pious Muslim society must rely on itself and its internal forces. It must raise its powerful hand and remove the obstacles by relying on and trusting in Allah. US, Zionists have targeted front of resistance 4- The important point that must not be ignored by the political and military elites of the Islamic world is that the policy of the US and the Zionists is to transfer conflicts to behind the frontlines of the front of resistance. Staging civil wars in Syria, the military siege and constant killings in Yemen, the assassinations, the destruction, the creation of ISIS in Iraq and other similar things in some other countries in the region are all machinations to divert the attention of the resistance front and to provide opportunities for the Zionist regime. Some Muslim politicians knowingly, and some others unknowingly, have contributed to these machinations of the enemy. The main way to prevent these machinations majority is for the proud youth throughout the world of Islam to seriously make this demand. Young people in all Islamic countries, particularly in Arab countries, must pay attention to this advice from Imam Khomeini (r.a.): "Vent all your shouts on the US" and of course, on the Zionist enemy. Normalizing ties with Zionist regime futile 5- The policy of normalizing the presence of the Zionist regime in the region is one of the main policies of the United States of America. Certain Arab governments in the region, which act as the minions of the US, have been preparing the ground for this normalization, by establishing economic ties and the like. These efforts are completely vain and futile. The Zionist regime is a deadly, cancerous growth and a detriment to this region. It will undoubtedly be uprooted and destroyed. Then, the shame will fall on those who put their facilities at the service of this policy of the arrogant powers. To justify such disgraceful behavior, some people argue that the Zionist regime is a reality that the region must come to terms with. They forget that it is necessary to fight and destroy fatal and harmful realities. Today the coronavirus is a reality and yet all wise people agree that it is necessary to fight it. Undoubtedly, the long-lasting virus of Zionism will not last much longer and it will be uprooted thanks to the determination, faith and pride of the youth. Everyone must help Palestinian fighters 6- My main advice is to continue this struggle and to better organize the organizations for Jihad work, and to expand the arenas of Jihad inside Palestinian territories. Everyone must assist the Palestinian nation in this holy struggle. Everyone must contribute to the Palestinian fighters and stand behind them. We will proudly do everything in our power on this path. One day we came to the conclusion that the Palestinian fighters had piety, pride and courage and their only problem was that they had no weapons in their hands. With divine guidance and assistance, we planned and the result was that the balance of power was transformed in Palestine, and today Gaza can stand against the aggression of the Zionist enemy and defeat it. This change in the equations in the occupied lands will bring the question of Palestine closer to the final steps. The Palestinian Authority has a great responsibility in this regard. One cannot communicate with a savage enemy except through force and from a position of power. Thankfully, the ground has been prepared for the brave and resistant people of Palestine to gain this power. Today, the Palestinian youth are yearning to defend their dignity. Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been a proof for everyone. The world has not forgotten and will not forget the day when the Zionist army broke through the Lebanese borders and marched to Beirut or the day when a criminal murderer by the name of Ariel Sharon caused a bloodbath in Sabra and Chatila. It has not forgotten and will not forget the day when the same army pounded by Hezbollah had no choice but to retreat from the borders of Lebanon and beg for a truce after sustaining heavy casualties and admitting defeat. This is what full hands and a position of power means. Now let that European government, which should be eternally ashamed for selling chemical agents to the regime of Saddam Hussein, designate the devoted Hezbollah as illegal. Illegal is a regime like the US that creates ISIS and a regime like that European government whose chemical agents caused the death of thousands in the city of Baneh in Iran and the city of Halabja in Iraq. Palestine belongs to Palestinians 7- My final word is that Palestine belongs to the Palestinians; therefore, it should be run as they wish. The referendum - with the participation of all Palestinians of all religions and ethnicities; this is what we have been suggesting for almost two decades - is the only solution for the challenges which Palestine is facing at the present time and in the future. This proposal shows that the western accusations of anti-Semitism which have been repeated time and time again are completely unfounded. On the basis of this proposal, Jewish, Christian and Muslim Palestinians will determine, together, the political system of their country by participating in a referendum. That which should definitely go is the Zionist regime, since Zionism is a bizarre innovation which has been fabricated in the name of Judaism and is totally alien to that religion. I would like to close this speech by remembering the martyrs of Quds, including Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, Fathi Shaqaqi, Sayyid Abbas al-Musawi, Martyr Soleimani, the great Muslim commander and the unforgettable face of resistance, and also the great Iraqi Mujahid, Martyr Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. I extend my greetings to the soul of the great Imam Khomeini (r.a.) who opened the path of dignity and Jihad for us. I also ask God the Exalted to bestow His mercy on our late brother, Hussein Sheikh al-Islam who for years worked hard diligently on this path. May God's greetings and mercy be upon you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The UN disarmament chief warned Friday that cyber crime is on the rise, with a 600 percent increase in malicious emails during the COVID-19 pandemic. Izumi Nakamitsu told an informal meeting of the UN Security Council that the coronavirus crisis is moving the world toward increased technological innovation and online collaboration. But she said there have also been worrying reports of (cyber) attacks against health care organizations and medical research facilities worldwide. The high representative for disarmament affairs said growing digital dependency has increased the vulnerability to cyber attacks, and it is estimated that one such attack takes place every 39 seconds. According to the International Telecommunication Union, she said, nearly 90 countries are still only at the early stages of making commitments to cyber security. 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 Nakamitsu said the threat from misusing information and communications technology is urgent. But she said there is also good news, pointing to some global progress at the United Nations to address the threats by a group of government expert who developed 11 voluntary non-binding norms of responsible state behaviour in the use of such technology. Estonia's Prime Minister Juri Ratas, whose country holds the Security Council presidency and organized Friday's meeting, said the need for a secure and functioning cyberspace is more pressing than ever. He condemned cyberattacks targeting hospitals, medical research facilities and other infrastructure, especially during the pandemic. Those attacks are unacceptable, Ratas said. It will be important to hold the offenders responsible for their behaviour. Russia did not attend the informal council meeting broadcast online, which was the centerpiece of Estonia's council presidency. The other 14 council nations did, along with about 50 other nations that spoke. Russia's UN Mission said in a statement on its website that it did not attend because Estonia, the UK and the US violated the established practice that all council members attend informal meetings regardless of whether they approve or disapprove its topic. The three countries did not attend a Russian-sponsored informal meeting on Crimea on Thursday. All three oppose Russia's seizure and annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. In March, the US, UK, and Estonia accused Russia's military intelligence of conducting cyber attacks against the government and media websites in Georgia, calling the attacks part of a continuing pattern of reckless ... cyber operations against a number of countries that clearly contradict Russia's attempts to claim it is a responsible actor in cyberspace. Estonia was the target of a massive three-week cyber attack during a dispute with Russia in 2007 over Estonia's removal of the Bronze Soldier Soviet war memorial from the center of the capital, Tallinn. The attack disabled the websites of government ministries, political parties, newspapers, banks and companies. Since then, Estonia has built its cyber defenses and become one of the most wired societies in Europe and a pioneer in the development of e-government. Being highly dependent on computers, it is also highly vulnerable to cyberattack. Russia has taken on the issue of cyber crime at the United Nations, and won General Assembly approval in December for a resolution that will start the process of drafting a new international treaty to combat cyber crime over objections from the European Union, the US and others. They said it would undermine international cooperation to combat cyber crime. We have witnessed malicious cyber activity that appears designed to undermine the United States and our international partners' efforts to protect, assist, and inform the public during this global pandemic, Acting US Deputy Ambassador Cherith Norman Chalet told Friday's meeting. She warned that actions hampering hospital and health care systems that perform critical services could have deadly results. Russia's UN Mission posted the speech it would have delivered at the council meeting, which says the world literally finds itself now before a choice between global cyber peace or cyberwarfare. Russia said the COVID-19 pandemic introduced dramatic changes to people's lives and showed that the world's dependence on information and telecommunication technologies is now unprecedented. Moscow accused an 'elite' minority, whose members it did not identify, of actively pursuing the militarization of cyberspace by pushing forward the concept of 'preventive military cyber strikes,' including against critical infrastructure. Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here After receiving their diplomas, St. Augustine High School graduates wait by a fence for their classmates to catch up with them on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. The school had to change their traditional plans because of the coronavirus. The Trump administration has discussed whether to conduct America's first nuclear weapons test in almost three decades, according to a report in The Washington Post. A senior administration official told the newspaper Friday that deliberations took place on Friday May 15, during a meeting with members from top national security agencies. At least one member of the Trump administration prefaced the discussions by claiming that 'both Russia and China are conducting low-yield, underground nuclear tests' of their own. Both of those countries have denied that they are doing so. Members at the May 15 meeting proposed that undertaking a 'rapid test' of U.S. nuclear weapons could help Washington to 'negotiate' with both Moscow and Beijing. The Trump administration has discussed whether to conduct America's first nuclear weapons test in almost three decades, according to a bombshell report in The Washington Post. It is unclear how involved President Trump was in discussions about the resumption of nuclear testing, which reportedly took place on May 15 The United States has not conducted a nuclear weapons test since 1992, and any plans to do so could have dramatic geopolitical consequences. Pictured: The last full-scale underground test of a nuclear weapon was conducted by Los Alamos National Laboratory at the Nevada Test Site. The test, code named "Divider," was the last of 1,030 nuclear tests carried out by the U.S. The United States has not conducted a nuclear weapons test since 1992, and any plans to do so could have dramatic geopolitical consequences. Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association, told The Washington Post: 'It would be the starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race. You would also disrupt the negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who may no longer feel compelled to honor his moratorium on nuclear testing.' 'If this administration believes that a nuclear test explosion and nuclear brinkmanship is going to coerce negotiating partners to make unilateral concessions, that's a dangerous ploy,' he added. Such sentiments were reportedly echoed by some members of the national security agencies during the May 15 meeting. The Trump administration official told The Washington Post that there were 'serious disagreements' about whether the U.S. should resume nuclear weapons testing. Members of the National Nuclear Security Administration are said to have been particularly vocal. One Trump administration official claimed Russia and China had been covertly conducting their own 'low-yield' nuclear weapons tests. Both countries have denied doing so The administration official claims that the proposal to resume U.S. weapons testing - whilst divisive - is 'very much an ongoing conversation.' However, another source familiar with the May 15 deliberations claimed it concluded with a decision to 'avoid a resumption of testing'. Marshall Billingslea, who currently serves in the Trump administration as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorist Financing - has previously warned that China may be 'intent on building up its nuclear forces and using those forces to try to intimidate the United States and our friends and allies.' The Trump administration is not currently 'pursuing new nuclear weapons designs but reserves the right to do so if China and Russia refuse to negotiate on their programs.' Any U.S. nuclear testing that would be done would likely involve existing arsenal. Around 2,000 nuclear tests have been conducted in the past, with more than half of those conducted by the U.S. A 1940 nuclear test in the Nevada desert is pictured Around 2,000 nuclear tests have been conducted in the past, with more than half of those carried out by the U.S. The U.S. is also the only country to have launched nuclear weapons during conflict. However, concerns about the health consequences of nuclear testing resulted in the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty adopted by the U.N. in 1996. 184 countries have signed the treaty, but it not currently in force as eight specific nations - including the U.S., China and Iran - have not ratified it. Last year, Forbes reported that the Trump administration could 'trash the treaty' after the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley, Jr., claimed that the U.S. 'believes that Russia probably is not adhering to its nuclear testing moratorium.' Scores of Army personnel were deployed in Kolkata and neighbouring districts of West Bengal on Saturday to help the authorities restore normalcy, even as protests continued against disruption of essential services notwithstanding an appeal for restraint by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The death toll due to cyclone Amphan' touched 86 on Saturday as six more bodies were recovered since Friday night. Within hours of requisition by the state, the Army was deployed in Kolkata and neighbouring districts for the restoration of essential infrastructure and services in the wake of the destruction caused by Cyclone Amphan, a defence official said. Five columns of the Army were deployed in different parts of the city and North and South 24 Parganas districts- the three worst-hit districts of the state. Banerjee, who conducted an aerial survey of the worst affected regions of South 24 Parganas district for the second consecutive day, after accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday, denounced the "negative campaigning" against her government, saying "this is not the time to do politics". From Behala in the south to Belgharia in the north, protests continued in several areas of the city and its outskirts for the second consecutive day over the administration's failure to restore water and power supply. The protesters, many of whom were women, said they are under extreme hardship as there was no electricity and water for the past three days and repeated calls to power utilities CESC and WBSEDCL went unanswered. Amid the rising mercury, the continuous power cut and lack of drinking water supply had worsened the matters. In a few places, clashes between the police and angry protestors were also reported. Later while addressing a review meeting at Kakdwip, Banerjee urged people to have patience as the administration was working tirelessly to restore water and power supply. "We are facing four challenges at a time, COVID-19, lockdown, issues related to migrant labourers and now the cyclonic disaster. Everybody should understand the ground reality and cooperate," she said while directing the administration to utilise local people to restore normalcy in the region. She said the Odisha government has agreed to send personnel to help in the process of cutting trees which were uprooted during Cyclone Amphan. An absence of workforce due to the lockdown has also hit restoration work, the chief minister said. "Several people have left (the city) because of the coronavirus pandemic. In some places, 25 per cent of men are working while in some places only 30 per cent are on the job. So we do not have the required manpower, and because the lockdown is still on, they cannot come for work," she said. Later in the evening, the state home department announced that it had sought the support of the Army, railways and port for restoring essential infrastructure and services in the cyclone-ravaged areas of the state. It also urged private entities to provide workforce and equipment for the purpose. The Army personnel equipped with road and tree clearance equipment removed uprooted trees at Tollygunge, Ballygunge and Behala in south Kolkata. Meanwhile, the state government has asked the railway ministry not to send Shramik Special trains to the state till May 26, as it is busy with relief and restoration work post-Cyclone Amphan. The post cyclone relief work on Saturday was also marred by a war of words between the opposition BJP and the ruling TMC after West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh was stopped by police from visiting the cyclone-affected areas of the South 24 Parganas district. "If the state government wants to pursue relief politics, they should get ready for a befitting reply from our workers," he said. Kolkata Mayor and state minister Firhad Hakim wondered why the state BJP was keen on doing over the distribution of relief materials. Lakhs of people were rendered homeless as Cyclone Amphan cut a path of destruction through half-a-dozen districts of West Bengal, including state capital Kolkata, on Wednesday night, blowing away shanties, uprooting thousands of trees and swamping low-lying areas. More than 10,000 trees besides a few hundred electric posts, traffic signals and police kiosks were uprooted in and around Kolkata. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ALBANY As a photonics program that's now part of NY CREATES turns five years old, it is also getting some national TV exposure. AIM Photonics was launched in 2015 with a $110 million grant from the Department of Defense that helped to create the $610 million photonics consortium with operations in Albany and Rochester. NY CREATES is the entity that controls real estate and economic development at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Photonics are devices that run on light, and AIM Photonics and its member companies are working on making chips that have multiple devices on them such as lasers and optical sensors that use light instead of electrons to operate. Starting next week, AIM Photonics will be featured on Laurence Fishburne's technology show, Information Matrix, which broadcasts on 200 different public television stations. The segment was filmed at AIM Photonics' Rochester facility, where the consortium tests and packages its photonics chips that are made at SUNY Poly's clean room facilities in Albany. "They came to us last year," said Frank Tolic, AIM Photonics' chief marketing officer. "They reached out to us, and they look for exciting or cool technologies. It's a nice way to show what we have done." There is plenty for AIM Photonics to show off. Last year it helped the Air Force Research Lab make the world's first quantum photonics wafer that will be used to see how photonics might be used in quantum computing. AIM Photonics (AIM stands for the American Institute for Manufacturing) has also been working with its research partners on a COVIID-19 test that would also use powerful photonic sensors. It has 120-plus members. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. AIM has a program where companies can have their prototype photonics chips made on a wafer in Albany in cooperation with other companies, which makes it more cost-effective than paying for an entire wafer to be produced. "Today, as New York continues its leadership role in photonics, power electronics, and semiconductors, it is vital to share that story with the nation," Tolic said. "As AIM celebrates our fifth anniversary, we are thrilled to tell the world about how this industry and investment is changing the world in which we live. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Fans of the streaming service Google Play Music may soon want to hold a moment of silence. Google has announced that the app will be shut down and replaced by the YouTube Music app, which has been available for a few years. If youre a Google Play Music user, it will be easy to move your files, playlists, and other data to the new service. Theres no word on exactly when Play Musics final days will come, but the company says it will be later this year. Right now, you can still use both services. Google promises to give users plenty of notice before the app shuts down for good. Google Play Music never had the success of competitors such as Apple Music or Spotify, but Ive been part of a relatively small but loyal group of users for a long time because the app has a feature that most others dont. Google Play Music lets you upload up to 50,000 of your own files to the companys servers and listen to them from the cloud. Thats important to me because I have an embarrassingly large collection of bootlegs and rare songs from my days as a record store clerk that you cant find on most streaming services. Search for the song Between the Bars by Elliott Smith on Pandora or Spotify, and youll find the official 1997 album cut. Thanks to Google Play, I can also stream almost a dozen other versions Ive collected over the years, including live recordings and demos. Google has been moving features like that to YouTube Musicand just like Google Play music, YouTube Music doesnt cost a dime. Moving the 20 gigabytes of MP3s and WAVs I uploaded from one service to the other was easy, along with the songs Ive purchased, my playlists, recommendations, and more. How to Transfer From Google Play Music You might not have the file transfer feature yet. Dont worry. Google says it has begun rolling it out and will be gradually providing it to everyone over the next few months. Story continues When its your turn to transfer your files, you should get an email and pop-up notifications in the apps. Youll see a transfer button in that prompt, but if you want to go back and do it later, heres how. First, make sure youve set up an account with YouTube Music, and that you have the latest version of both apps. Next, open the YouTube Music app, click on the menu icon in the top right corner > Settings > Transfer from Google Play Music. The steps are the same whether youre listening to YouTube Music using an app or a web browser. The time it takes to transfer your files will depend on the size of your library. When I did it, the process was done in about an hour. Youll get a notification when the transfer is complete, then you can access your files from the Library tab in the YouTube Music app. Podcasts and Paid Subscriptions Youll need to take separate steps if youve been using Google Play Music for podcasts. So far YouTube Music isnt supporting podcast subscriptions, and the company is encouraging users to adopt the Google Podcasts app instead. However, if youve been using Google Play Music for podcasts, the company makes it easy to transfer your downloads, subscriptions, and other data to the Google Podcasts app. You can start the transfer by clicking on a big button on a dedicated page Google has set up. If you pay for a Google Play Music subscription for ad-free streaming, the company will move the account to YouTube Music. Youll get equivalent access to YouTube Music Premium or YouTube Premium (which includes both the music service and ad-free YouTube videos), based on how much youre paying now. For users in the U.S. and most of the world, prices wont change for now. For people who use just the free ad-supported tier of Google Play Music, theres some bad news and some good news. The bad news is that YouTube Musics own free tier has an annoying quirk thats not present in Google Play: You cant lock your phone screen or switch over to another app without the music stopping. That means the service isnt great if you want to do anything else with your phone while you listen to musicand keeping the screen on will drain your battery faster. There are other free music streaming services that might work better for you. The good news is, this drawback doesnt apply if youre listening to your own files that you uploaded to the service. That means Ill still be able to scroll through Twitter while I listen to my various unreleased Tom Waits live recordings without paying for a subscription. Keep in mind that once you transfer your files, YouTube Music gets a copy of only the data youve generated so far. If you keep using Google Play Music, youll want to do another transfer if you add new songs, playlists, or other data that you want to save. Best Gear for Your Music Listening No matter which app youre using, your music will sound better on great equipment. Here are a few of the best-rated headphones and speakers from CRs ratings. 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. Mumbai, May 23 : Actor Ashish Sharma has revealed that he once had a horrific experience with snakes while shooting for the show "Chandragupt Maurya". "We were shooting in jungle, where the Greek Army was supposed to be passing by, I had to climb a tree to hide from them. I was the only one up on the tree and the whole unit was around the tree, when we noticed a bunch of cobras approaching the tree. "Everyone panicked and ran away, leaving me right there on the tree for an hour. We had to arrange for a snake charmer who helped us manage the snakes, and only then was I able to climb down! That was one rattling experience, literally," Ashish shared. "Chandragupt Maurya" airs on Dangal TV. 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. A way forward at the UN for Syria US Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft this week criticized Russia and China for obstructing humanitarian assistance to war-torn Syria, Elizabeth Hagedorn reports. There is a Security Council vote in July to reauthorize the two remaining assistance corridors from Turkey into Syria. The United States is also seeking to reopen a crossing from Iraq that had been closed in January as a result of Russian and Chinese pressure (more below). The situation in Syria is dire. There are already 5 million refugees and 6.2 million internally displaced Syrians; combined, thats about half of a prewar population of 22 million. The economy, because of war, corruption and sanctions, barely exists. And Syria, like the rest of the world, is dealing with COVID-19. The resumption of fighting in Idlib, where there is presently a pause in the Russian-backed Syrian offensive, could produce an additional tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of displaced people. Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to buckle to US criticism on humanitarian grounds; he never does. And while Putin considers Syria a success, he may, as Colin Clarke and William Courtney write in Newsweek, be growing weary of the enterprise. There is no foreseeable dividend for Russia in Syria. It is instead a financial drain, a sinkhole, at a time when falling oil prices and COVID-19 have set back the Russian economy. Putin may therefore be looking to cut costs and share the burden. US envoy for Syria James Jeffrey said last week that the United States is seeking to present Russia a "way forward" in Syria through the UN, "but that requires them distancing themselves to some degree from Assad and from the Iranians." The United States can raise the stakes with Russia by putting Assad and Iran at the top of an already daunting agenda that includes humanitarian assistance; support for the UN cease-fire initiative and political transition talks; post-conflict reconstruction and the refugee crisis; and counterterrorism cooperation, etc. The humanitarian corridors, priorities for the United States, help at the margins. There is no need here to recount the scale of the tragedy, which will greatly increase if fighting breaks out again in Idlib. Things only begin to get meaningfully better when the war stops. And for that to happen, the United States and Russia need to find common ground at the Security Council. Otherwise, forget it. Absent a breakthrough in US-Russian coordination, its hard to imagine Syria getting any better, especially for the Syrians. We are in the ninth year of the war. Turkey is also facing a quagmire in Syria: It is a costly and seemingly endless occupation, with a two-front conflict against Syrian forces in Idlib and the Kurds in the northeast. This in addition to Turkey's hosting 3.6 million Syrian refugees. Thats why we wrote back in February about the need for an urgent conversation between US President Donald Trump and Putin about Syria. That time finally may be close. Their personal connection matters. The Syrian crisis urgently requires collective action to have the slightest chance of being resolved. US leverage at the UN is unmatched, we wrote. Putin, for all his bravado, neither wants nor needs more trouble with the United States. He wants to be the broker of an endgame in Syria, and knows that eventually he has to deal with Trump. The politics of assistance corridors The Yaroubiyah crossing (from Iraq), one of the transit points closed in January, was a vital pathway for assistance to the Kurdish autonomous region. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the region is now suffering without medical supplies from the World Health Organization. Russia is unlikely to give in on Yaroubiyah, but may allow for reauthorization of the other two corridors in order to keep the peace with Turkey, so aid can reach areas under Ankaras control, as Amberin Zaman explains. Turkey does not allow aid to flow from areas under its control to those under Kurdish administration. Russias calculation on these humanitarian corridors, in other words, has little to do with humanitarian assistance, and more to do with its leverage and pressure on Turkey which the United States is trying to undermine and advancing the cause of Syrian sovereignty over all of Syria. The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham shakedown in Idlib Fehim Tastekin this week has the scoop on the money train for the terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Liberation of the Levant) via customs fees at border crossings, in addition to the shakedowns of shopkeepers and control of services and utilities, including trade with the Syrian government. The United States designated Hayat Tahrir al-Sham a terrorist organization in 2018 and the UN Security Council has included Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as a sanctioned entity linked to the Islamic State, al-Qaeda and associated individuals and groups. The main precursor organization to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham was Jabhat al-Nusra. Jeffrey said in February there are at least 7,000-10,000 Jabhat al-Nusra-linked members in Idlib, although they are presently not engaged in transnational terrorism. Turkey has been trying and failing for three years to break off the moderates from the jihadi core of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham to prevent a final Russian-backed Syrian offensive to retake Idlib, which would compound the humanitarian crisis. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham faces its Alamo in Syria, with nowhere for it to go. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Muhammad al-Jolani is therefore attempting a makeover, that he is really just an anti-Assad rebel, part of the nationalist Syrian opposition fabric, forget about all that jihadi stuff, hes put it behind him. All the pressure on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is a good thing and Turkey should be given time to play out the thread and stave off a Syrian onslaught. Negotiations depend on the threat of force, and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is feeling it. It needs to go as a political actor. Al-Qaeda linked groups dont need a lifeline. Former Israeli prime minister to be interviewed on Al-Monitor podcast Al-Monitor has launched two new podcasts. The first, "On the Middle East," included an interview with Al-Monitor correspondent Ben Caspit on What will be Netanyahus Legacy? The link is here. The second, "On Israel," hosted by Caspit, airs Monday. Caspit's guest will be former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The link is here. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Severe storms ripped through parts of the Carolinas on Friday, killing at least two people and causing widespread damage. Heavy rains and strong winds knocked down trees and power lines, leaving over 45,000 homes and businesses without power on Saturday morning. In Charlotte, North Carolina, a man was killed when a tree crashed into a home. Another person was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Image: North Carolina storm damage (Alex Market) Emergency workers also responded to a deadly crash in Lancaster County, South Carolina, where strong winds uprooted a tree and utility pole that fell onto a pickup truck, killing the driver. Authorities identified the deceased driver as 57-year-old Joe Dale Humphries. At least one electrical transformer went up in flames in front a woman's house in Charlotte during the storm. "This is like nothing I've ever experienced," the resident told NBC affiliate WCNC. Residents said the winds were so strong they "could see things flying through the air." Others said the sound of trees falling was so loud "the ground shook a little." "I've never seen a tree just snapped in half before," a man who went out to survey the storm's damage told WCNC. The storms moved away from the area on Friday evening, but lingering showers could still bring heavy rains during Memorial Day weekend. Representative image Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said the government hopes to restart international flights 'before August-September.' "Our attempt is to start before that. Even if not all international destinations, but a good percentage we can start," the Minister said. He was talking during a Q&A session on Facebook, on May 23. India had suspended international flights from March 22. Later on, the suspension was extended to domestic flights, coinciding with the national lockdown to limit COVID-19. Domestic flights will restart from May 25. Puri was flooded with questions on the social media platform, with users asking about international flights, and sharing information on friends and relatives stuck overseas. 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 Second phase of the the Government's Vande Bharat Mission to get back stranded Indians, is currently on. Puri said that about 50,000 Indians will fly back in the first 25 days of the mission. Overall, about 1.9 lakh Indians across the globe, have registered to get back. These flights, which have to be paid for by passengers, were till now being operated by Air India, and its unit Air India Express. Recently, IndiGo because the first private airline to join the exercise. After 64 flights in the first phase, the second phase of the mission will see 149 flight being operated. Santwon Antonio Davis told his employer he tested positive for coronavirus, according to reports. Only one problem. According to a Yahoo report, the Atlanta, Georgia man didnt have the virus, but his claim caused the company he worked for described as a Fortune 500 company to have to close its doors for cleaning. The report said that cost the company $100,000. And it has now cost Davis, too, because the story says he is facing fraud charges. The report said Davis provided the company with a letter saying he had COVID-19 that was not signed and wasnt written on formal letterhead. It said the letter also said he was discharged in November of 2019. The story says he made the claims to his company in March shortly after he and his fellow employees were told that if they tested positive for the virus, they would be granted paid time off. Davis told supervisors a week later that his mother had been exposed to someone with coronavirus. The next day, he texted a supervisor saying his mother had developed symptoms and he was told to quarantine, the story said. The company closed its plant on March 23, the report says, for cleaning and paid the salaries of at least four employees while they quarantined because theyd been in close contact with Davis. Things began to change, however, when the companys human resources folks got ahold to the paperwork Davis provided. And, the story began to really unravel when the company called the hospital he said he was tested at, the report says, only to find out that facility wasnt providing coronavirus testing. Since, the story says, he has admitted that he never tested positive. The Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, have arrested 20-year-old Ibrahim Abdullahi and 22-year-old Hassan Amadu over the murder of Kadade Abdullahi at Amana Maikasuwa Village in Kaduna State. The 20-year-old cattle rustler and alleged kidnapper was nabbed after operatives of IRT attached to Operation Puff Adder, Kateri Annex, arrested a member of the 5-man gang that killed Kadede. Upon being arrested and quizzed by the police, Ibrahim admitted belonging to a gang that specialised in robbery, kidnapping and cattle rustling. He also confessed to masterminding the robbery and killing of his elder brother because he is his father's favourite. Ibrahim said; My father is married to four wives and has many children. I dont know what is special about Kadade that our father wouldnt ever take care of his other children without rubbing it on our faces that Kadade was special. I was sent to Arabic school in Kaduna, while only Kadade attended primary and secondary schools. My father said it was not necessary for other of his children to go to school because he wanted every one of us to become farmers. And yet, he was always the first person to insult and call us illiterates, saying we couldnt speak English Language. How can I speak English Language when my father did not send me to school? I only learnt how to cultivate corn and rear cows. I had to get married to convince him that I was old enough to handle responsibilities. As soon as I got married, my father gave me only 20 cows and two plots of land. The reason I carried out the killing of my blood brother with the help of my gang members was because our father trusted my late brother much more than he trusts me. It is also because of the sum of N1, 700,000, which our father realised from selling his cattle. The money was kept with my brother. "My brother sold some cows and made N1.7million and was making noise about it. My father was also very happy about it and asked him to keep the entire money. . "We expected him to share the money. That day I was so broke and asked my father for money. He started insulting me and asked me to learn to be responsible like Kadade. "I was so bitter and I immediately called a member of our gang, Haruna and told him about the money in my house. I asked them to come and also make sure that they kill my brother. "Although I now regret my action but I thought that his death would make my father allow me to control some of his businesses. My father was devastated but I consoled him that it was Allahs wish. . "In the morning, I went to the bush to meet them and they told me that it was only N300,000 that they found with my brother. I collected N100,000 as my share since I was the one who brought the job. Source: LIB 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 Lucknow, May 23 : A RSS worker succumbed to his injuries after being hit by a speeding vehicle in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district, police said on Saturday. Ajay Chaturvedi was distributing food to migrant workers on Friday when a vehicle hit him from behind, leaving him critically injured. Ajay was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died during treatment, police added. Ajay had been spearheading a campaign to provide food and ration to the needy for nearly two months amid the Covid-19 lockdown. A large number of RSS activists and leaders including MLA Sharad Awasthi and District President Satish Sharma reached the hospital and asked the police officials to initiate a probe. DEAR ABBY: My son, a high school senior, was in a relationship with a young woman who broke up with him and began dating his best friend. He was heartbroken. She played him into being friends and tells him he's her best friend, but her actions prove otherwise. His father and I comforted him as best we could, but he still has feelings for her. It was a tough breakup for him, and he says he can't understand why he feels this way for her. We as parents are having a hard time keeping our opinions to ourselves. We are not happy with him still being around her and try to discourage it as much as possible. We all attend the same church, from which I've offered to remove myself, but my son says no. We limit the time he gets to be around her, but she has begun flaunting other dates in front of him, which is making it hard for us to be cordial toward her. How can I help my boy heal his heart and move on? He's my youngest, the last one ready to venture out to college, and I want him to have a fresh start for the new journey. Heavy-hearted mom DEAR MOM: Some lessons in life people must learn for themselves, and this is one of them. As much as you wish to help your son heal his heart, he's going to have to arrive at the realization that there's more pain than pleasure associated with the girl who rejected him. That is when he will move on, not before. College will provide him an opportunity to meet new people and cultivate new interests. Being in a new environment will also help. In the meantime, be patient, refrain from saying anything nasty (as tempting as it might be) about his former girlfriend and keep your son as busy as you can. DEAR ABBY: I have been married to the same woman for 34 years. We have raised two great kids. The problem is, my wife does not show, respond to or initiate any affection or intimacy. I understand she has been through menopause, but is this the new normal? For me it is a lonely, cold existence. Most nights she won't even share the same bed with me. She also does not respond well to talking about things. Must I live the rest of my life this way? Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Roommate in Virginia DEAR ROOMMATE: Your problem is less about the lack of affection and intimacy in your marriage and far more about the lack of communication your wife allows you to have with her. If a problem can't be discussed, there is no way to arrive at a solution or a compromise. If you haven't told her how lonely and isolated you feel, start there. What's happening is not fair to you. This is something that should be discussed with her doctor because there may be a medical solution if sex is painful for her. However, if it is more complicated than that, recognize that you need more help than I can give you in a letter or a newspaper column, and ask your doctor or insurance company to refer you to a licensed marriage and family therapist for the answers you are seeking. If your wife refuses to go with you, go without her. This has become a geographically complex pandemic, one that will evolve, especially as people increase their movements in coming weeks. Laws and health regulations vary from state to state, county to county and city to city. There are communities where wearing facial coverings is culturally the norm, while in other places it is rejected on grounds of personal liberty or as refutation of the consensus view of the hazards posed by the virus. Note: This article originally published in PSFK's free Weekly Newslettersign up here for a weekly dose of innovation & trends in retail, business intelligence and consumer experience. Even limitations imposed by lockdown and other coronavirus-related conditions aren't stopping retailers and service providers from reaching their customers with the resources, guidance and care that they want and need. Encompassing everything from drone drug delivery to cyber stylist sessions, here are five trending ways PSFK researchers have observed businesses leveraging technology to not only maintain but even improve their consumer connection and customer service: Live' Commerce Shopping has historically always had a social elementuntil the dawn of ecommerce. However, just because discovery, browsing and transactions can occur independent of human interaction doesnt mean consumers always want them to, and even before the social distancing of COVID-19 times, live-stream and other forms of interactive retaillike Dotes e-shopping partieswere cropping up. With even more impetus to offer social and interactive experiences, brands and retailers are leveling-up their online live capabilities to reach audiences with retailtainment.' The shopping mall Shanghai New World did so by hosting a three-day digital experience that took place for 12 hours at a time over a live-stream, and featured major retail players like Adidas and Dior. Automated delivery Though perhaps unsurprising, creative forms of getting what consumers need to them when they need it most are accelerating in all categories. A innovative case study is Manna Aero, an Ireland-based drone company that is making three-minute air delivery a reality and during the countrys lockdown, reportedly trialing medicine delivery to get consumers what they need, faster. Using digital to diagnose Especially with limited mobility due to stay-at-home measures, consumers are in want of accessible and reliable resources to help check their symptoms and condition as well as provide peace of mind. Computer technology enterprise IBM designed an AI chatbot, the Watson Assistant for Citizens, to help address consumers health concerns regarding the pandemic. Using local as well as national news and sources, such as the latest CDC guidelines, to provide on-demand answers to the communitys questions regarding the virus and best health practices, the chatbot service is available for organizations to offer to their customers over phone calls or SMS. Virtual Advisory In efforts to not only provide the personalization and attention that consumers have come to expect, but also help preserve jobs by transferring associates to online service, retailers ranging from supermarket ShopRite to home organization business Horderly are connecting their customers with live agents for one-on-one guidance and consultations. Womens workwear brand Nora Gardner is offering virtual style sessions over Zoom video chat, including a pre-session survey and virtual fitting room appointment to help customers achieve their wardrobe goals. Providing (health)care at distance Telehealth had its beginning well before the crisisand is now exploding, as consumers look to connect with doctors and other healthcare professionals for treatments across the board, from at-home orthodontics to Googles search tool to help connect patients with telehealth providers. Telemedicine startup Forward is leveling-up the experience, actually delivering medical kits including high-tech sensors for at-home monitoring of vitals like blood pressure and oxygenation, among others, and relaying the info to healthcare providers as well as scheduling virtual or even at-home visits. PSFK researchers identified these five strategies as part of a series diving deep into the innovations driving business strategy, consumer experience and community support during this time of crisischeck out the first installments published here and here. Diplomatic efforts were urged after Palestine announced its withdrawal from the Oslo accords signed with Israel, an important document for the peace process to end the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The new unity government in Israel is pushing ahead an annexation plan for West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley, putting the Middle East peace process in the face of serious challenges. The Palestinian Authority (PA) is seeking to pressure and call for the support of the international community to force Israel to halt the plan. PA President Mahmoud Abbas has announced that the PA will not continue to comply with the Oslo Accords with Israel, even including security coordination activities. The Oslo Accords, signed between Israel and Palestine in 1993, marked the beginning of the Middle East peace process, with the formation of the PA and preparing for a final plan to terminate the conflict between the two sides. Therefore, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and PA opposing Israels unilateral moves and declaring non-compliance with all commitments under the deal have pushed peace talks between the two sides into a deadlock. The Palestinian side affirmed that the Israeli occupation authority must shoulder all responsibilities and obligations in front of the international community as an occupying power over the Palestinian territory, with all the consequences and repercussions based on international law and international humanitarian law. Concerned that Israels plan to annex occupied Palestinian territories will kill the Middle East peace process and destroy the two-state solution, many countries have voiced opposition to Israels move to strengthen its occupation activities over the Palestinian territories. During a recent online session of the UN Security Council, the majority of member states expressed deep concern about tensions in the field, as well as about Israels continued expansion of illegal settlements. Countries argued that Israels plan to annex the occupied Palestinian territory would not only undermine the efforts to promote the peace process and push back the prospects for a two-state solution, but it would also destabilise regional security. The French Foreign Ministry warned that Israels merger plan risks damaging Tel Avivs relations with the EU. France, Germany and many countries in the EU have always affirmed their commitment to supporting a long-term and equal solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, stating that the annexation of any part of the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, is a violation of international law and seriously reduces opportunities to reach a two-state solution. In order to put pressure on Tel Aviv, European foreign ministers warned that joint projects with Israel could be affected by the countrys unilateral moves in violation of international law. In the struggle for self-determination and basic rights, the Palestinians resolutely defended their position on establishing an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital. In the face of Israels unilateral moves threatening to completely destroy negotiation opportunities with Palestine, the international community is calling on the parties to avoid agitation and take measures to reduce tensions. Amid the ongoing violence in the field, extremely difficult socio-economic conditions and poor healthcare systems in the occupied Palestinian territories are at risk of triggering a major humanitarian crisis. Only the resumption of talks between Israel and Palestine to achieve a comprehensive, fair and sustainable solution will be able to bring about long-term peace. What the international community expects is that Israel will halt its unilateral actions to pave the way for the reopening of the door to negotiations with Palestine. Ever since its inception, Zee Kannada has strived to push boundaries with its star talent to Open Doors to Possibilities and inspire viewers to take initiatives and rise above circumstances to craft their own destiny. Known for its marquee shows, through the years, one of the most loved shows on the channel continues to be Sa Re Ga Ma Pa as it has become a household name across Karnataka. To honor the 25 glorious years of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Indias longest running non-fiction franchise and to commemorate 16 seasons of the show in the Kannada market, on 23rd May 2020, Saturday, Zee Kannada will present a 2.5 hour Live-athon digital music concert with an aim to use music as the anchor in uniting people and spreading home in times of this pandemic. The same will be telecasted as Onde Desha, Onde Raaga on Sunday, 24th May at 7:00 PM only on Zee Kannada and Zee Kannada HD. In an effort to bring positivity during the ongoing pandemic and marking the successful journey of Karnatakas legends, Zee Kannada introduces a unique show for the Kannada audience to continue to be connected with their favorite Sandalwood celebrities. Providing anecdotes from the lives of their fictional and iconic characters, the channel is launching Lockdown Diaries and Coffee with Anu. Lockdown Diaries, a unique show that will give the audience a glimpse into the quarantine life of Zee Kannada artists with conversation through mobile phones. The actors lockdown dairies will be aired during the prime slot on weekend, starting 23rd May at 9.00 PM, where they share their experiences cooking with us, discussing current issues, playing games, dancing together and many more things. Coffee with Anu, an exclusive talk-show hosted by the exuberant Anchor Anushree will be a great platform for the Sandalwood guests to recollect and share their old memories with their ardent fans. Rachita Ram and Ramesh Arvind will the audience with their presence as the guests for the first episode. Tune-in to be inspired and open doors to possibilities starting 23rd May at 9.30 PM only on Zee Kannada and Zee Kannada HD. Log-in for a nostalgic trip with Sa Re Ga Ma PA and sway to their tunes on 23rd May on Zee Kannada Facebook page at 4.30 PM, and catch Onde Desha, Onde Raaga on Sunday, 24th May at 7:00 PM on your television screens Tune-in to the new reality shows Lockdown Diaries at 9:00 PM and Coffee with Anu 9:30 PM starting 23rd May only on Zee Kannada and Zee Kannada HD Brazilians got a shocking look Friday at an expletive-laced meeting between President Jair Bolsonaro and his cabinet when a Supreme Court judge released a video at the center of an investigation targeting the far-right leader. The April 22 cabinet meeting is under scrutiny by prosecutors probing allegations by former justice minister Sergio Moro that Bolsonaro tried to interfere in federal police investigations. But it could prove just as damaging to Bolsonaro's 18-month-old government for other sordid details it contains. They include the president using profanity to insult governors, the education minister calling to throw Supreme Court justices in jail and the environment minister urging the government to legalize mining and farming in the Amazon rainforest while the world is distracted by the coronavirus pandemic. The video came to light when Moro resigned two days after the meeting. In a damaging final press conference, the then-justice minister, a popular anti-corruption crusader, accused Bolsonaro of "political interference" in the federal police. Police are reportedly investigating multiple cases involving Bolsonaro and his inner circle, including allegations that his son Carlos, a Rio de Janeiro city councilor, oversaw a fake-news campaign to benefit his father. Moro's allegations led a Supreme Court justice to order an investigation into whether Bolsonaro obstructed justice or committed other crimes. The probe, which could see Bolsonaro tried or even impeached, comes as the president faces growing disapproval ratings and criticism over his downplaying of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed more than 21,000 lives in Brazil. - 'Another farce' - In the video, Bolsonaro rails against what he calls a lack of information from the federal police, or PF. "I can't be getting surprises in the news. Hell, the PF doesn't give me information," he says. "I can't work like that. That's why I'm going to interfere, period. It's not a threat... it's the truth." At another point, he says: "I've already tried to change our security people in Rio de Janeiro, officially, and I couldn't. That's finished now. I'm not going to wait for them to fuck my whole family, my friends, because I can't change someone in our security apparatus." Anticipating the release of the video, the president had already sought to do damage control, saying he was talking about ensuring his family's security, not protecting anyone from investigation. "Another farce just collapsed. There's not a second in the video where someone could suspect I interfered in the federal police," Bolsonaro said after its release. - Profanity and insults - Confined to their homes by the pandemic, Bolsonaro opponents held raucous protests after the video's release, banging pots and pans out their windows. Excerpts of the video played non-stop on Brazilian TV. In one, Bolsonaro slings swear words at the governors of two of Brazil's biggest states, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, for defying him by imposing stay-at-home orders to contain the coronavirus. "That piece of shit of a governor in Sao Paulo, that pile of manure in Rio de Janeiro," he says. "That's why I want... the population to be armed. That's what guarantees that some son of a bitch can't just show up and install a dictatorship here." In another, Education Minister Abraham Weintraub attacks the Supreme Court for giving states the final say in the matter. "If it were up to me, I'd throw all these criminals in jail, starting with the Supreme Court," he says. In yet another, Environment Minister Ricardo Salles says, "Now that the media's only talking about COVID, we need to use this moment of calm to change all the regulations" preventing mining and farming on protected land in the Amazon. Investigators removed material relating to foreign countries before the video's release. According to Brazilian media reports, that included insulting remarks about China, Brazil's top trading partner. In another potentially explosive twist to the probe, opposition parties in Congress have asked investigators to seize Bolsonaro's cell phone and that of his son Carlos. The Supreme Court judge overseeing the probe passed the request Friday to the attorney general, who must now decide on the request. National Security Minister Augusto Heleno warned such a move would place Brazil's "national stability" at risk. The investigation could see Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro put on trial or even impeached Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 00:18:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The White House is seen in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 21, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday urged the United States to abandon its Cold War mentality and ideological bias, and view China and China-U.S. relations in an objective and rational way. The United States must immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs, harming China's interests or undermining China-U.S. relations, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian. Zhao made the remarks at a routine news briefing in response to a new China Strategy report by the Trump Administration, which was delivered to the U.S. Congress recently. "The new strategy report is the same as the U.S. national security strategy report released in 2017," Zhao said, noting it deliberately distorts China's political system and strategic intention, and hypes up the so-called "China threat," as an excuse to trumpet the continuation of all-dimensional hardline policy against China. In response to the United States' erroneous words and deeds to interfere in China's internal affairs and undermine China's interests in the past two years, the Chinese government has repeatedly stated its solemn position and made firm, strong response, Zhao said. He emphasized that under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Chinese people have embarked on a development path suitable to China's national conditions, made great achievements and contributed positively to world peace, stability and development. "We will unswervingly continue to advance along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and continue to achieve greater victories. No one can stop China's development and growth," said Zhao. "China's policy toward the United States is consistent and clear. We are committed to developing a Sino-U.S. relationship featuring non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation," Zhao said. "At the same time, we will firmly defend China's sovereignty, security and development interests." A stable and continuously developing Sino-U.S. relationship is in the fundamental interests of the two peoples and is also generally expected by the international community, Zhao said. He urged the United States to follow the trend of the times and work with China to bring bilateral relations back to the right track. Rahul_Jain1280 Rahul Jain After spending several days in pessimism, fear, and uncertainty, many investors finally breathed easy. Having seen their gains evaporate given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the rally of domestic equity indices, before markets closed for an extended holiday in the last week of April, rejuvenated investor confidence. Coming on the back of encouraging results from coronavirus drug trials in the US and hopes of further fiscal stimulus from the Government of India, this has improved the morale and mood of the investor community. Global developments such as the expansion of manufacturing in China and the rise of Asian stocks to a fresh seven week-high last month has added to the bullish sentiments of many domestic investors. Also, the Indian Governments decision to allow the resumption of activities in orange and green zones, to restart economic activity, has given a new lease of life, making markets buoyant. 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 As we march into the days ahead, to what is now considered to be a new normal, we need to also re-evaluate our financial plans accordingly. What we need now is a calculated and cautious approach towards our investments. Use common sense Post the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of as a pandemic, markets officially entered a bear phase. While it has gained some lost ground in the last week of April, this upward movement is orchestrated on the back of global developments, expectations of a second fiscal push by the Indian government, and easing of the lockdown, in the near future. The results are yet to be seen and if they are not on what we expect, markets will dip again, leading to lower price levels. Thus, to say that volatility still looms large, will not be an understatement. In such a scenario, a cautious approach coupled with common sense would be the antidote required to tide through future uncertainty. Once the lockdown is completely lifted, markets will take note of ground reality, as after effects start to emerge. These events have the potential to continue the bearish phase of the markets and also possibly, trigger a second round of market fall. Thus, its important for investors, to not get carried away by the recent turn of events. Dont bet on stocks from a short-term perspective The ongoing market turmoil has made certain stocks in specific sectors quite lucrative and enticing for investors. For example, pharma companies have emerged as a safe bet in these pressing times, with valuations at multi-year lows. The Pharma Index has witnessed a significant jump and theres a clear trend that shows an affinity for pharma stocks, among investors. I have always believed that you must invest in any stock with a long-term perspective and diversify your holdings. Diversification avoids concentration of risk and shores up your portfolio. Thus, if one stock or asset class nosedives and fails to live up to its expectations, you are still safe. Also, the performance of sectoral stocks is cyclical in nature and depends on the performance of that specific sector. Note that while the pharma sector looks lucrative for now, the same may not be sustained in the long run. Therefore, adopt a long-term approach when banking on a particular stock. Beef up your savings The coronavirus pandemic has not only put brakes on economic activity but has also forced companies to cut costs through salary cuts and layoffs. An online survey published by a media house found 15 percent of the respondents set to lose their jobs, while 39 percent faced salary cuts. Also, bagging a job that aligns with your requirements, may just be an elusive dream, in these tough times. Therefore, analyse your position and the developments in your company and sector. In the face of pay cuts, trim your expenses and spend exclusively on needs. Beef up your savings until normalcy restores. On the other hand, if you feel you might lose your job, take a note of your emergency corpus. In case you dont have one, start building one by parking money in liquid funds that invest in high-quality rated papers. Instead of chasing returns, focus on capital safety, and build a corpus equivalent to six to eight months of expenses. The final word The easing of the lockdown should not be construed as a return to absolute normalcy. 2020 and subsequent years, will be a period of recovery. A meticulous approach, coupled with discipline and patience, can help you make prudent financial decisions. This will also allow you to be on a solid footing, once the market stabilises and economy kicks-off. (The author is Head-Edelweiss Wealth Management) : The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. In a rare step that adds to this criminal cases already unusual path, U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan has retained Beth Wilkinson to represent him in defending his decision to a federal appeals court in Washington, according to a person familiar with the hire who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is now examining the judges actions and the larger case against Flynn after lawyers for President Trumps former national security adviser asked the court to force Sullivan to toss Flynns guilty plea. The Centers for Disease Control has been asked to investigate new coronavirus cases in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington D.C. by the White House coronavirus task force. New daily coronavirus cases are refusing to drop in the cities despite ongoing shutdowns causing concern, task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx revealed Friday. 'Even though Washington has remained closed, L.A. has remained closed, Chicago has remained closed, we still see these ongoing cases,' she told reporters during a White House news briefing. 'And I've asked the CDC and the CDC is working with the local area in Chicago and this area [D.C] and L.A .to really understand where all these new cases are coming from and what we need to do to prevent them in the future.' Scroll down for video Dr. Deborah Birx said Friday that the White House coronavirus task force has asked the Centers for Disease Control to investigate cases in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington D.C. Dr. Birx used graphs to portray how the three cities measured up to the likes of New York City where high numbers of new daily cases are still being reported but there has been a dramatic decline from the worst of the outbreak. On the other end of the sale, Detroit, Boston, Atlanta and Miami have all cut down the number of new daily cases drastically. 'There are concerns about Chicago and the Washington D.C. area - two areas that went through the logarithmic stage and are now at a high plateau with an unchanging number of cases every day,' Dr. Birx said. 'We have concern that cities have remained closed and metros have remained closed but have still persistent high number of cases,' she added. Cases in Washington D.C, in particular, remain troublesome. As of Saturday morning, there had been 7,893 cases and 418 deaths. The capital city's coronavirus death rate is higher than all but four states: New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut. The District also continues to have one of the highest positive testing rates in the country. Dr Birx highlighted how New York had managed to cut its positive testing rate from almost 40 percent six weeks ago to just under 20 percent, while 42 states are now less than 10 percent test positive on a rolling 7-day average. 'The number one metro with the highest positive rate is D.C. which includes Northern Virginia and Maryland Montgomery County and PG county,' Dr. Birx said. 'That's followed by Baltimore, Chicago and Minneapolis and so these are the places where we have seen a stalling or an increase of cases, as in Minneapolis. 'You can see all the other metros are all almost exclusively under 10 percent, so we see that as great progress across the boards.' Task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx showed data that revealed D.C. continues to have one of the highest positive testing rates in the country despite the ongoing shutdowns Dr. Deborah Birx highlighted how New York City, shown in the top gray line, had dramatically managed to cut new daily cases but Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington D.C. remained fairly stagnant According to the Washington Post, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan have claimed that most infections in their states are in the crowded suburbs closest to the District. It comes after both states eased their lockdown restrictions last week but placed an exemption on the D.C. suburbs. 'As Governor Northam has made clear, Northern Virginia and the greater Washington area face unique challenges that's why Northern Virginia localities remain under a Stay at Home order,' a Northam spokeswoman told the Washington Post. 'Our administration continues to focus on expanding testing and tracing capacity in these hard-hit localities, including free community testing for underinsured or otherwise vulnerable communities.' Leaders in the D.C. area including officials in the Maryland counties of Montgomery and Prince George believe that reopening in the area may begin by late May or early June, however. D.C.'s cumulative positivity rate is at 18 percent and has been gradually declining since April, The Post reported. In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti has also claimed that the city is making 'steady' progress as he announced that some restrictions would be lifted. Dr. Birx's comment that the city remained a hotspot came on the same day that the Department of Justice sent a letter to L.A. officials saying that any extension of the stay-at-home order could be illegal. There have been 43,052 cases and a death toll of 2,049 in Los Angeles County. The county has 56 percent of the coronavirus-related deaths in the state, and nearly 50 percent of all the states cases but there was a 12 percent decrease in deaths over the last week and a 15 percent decrease in hospitalizations. DOJ Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband wrote the letter saying that the DOJ is worried about the city pursuing 'an arbitrary and heavy-handed approach' to stay-at-home orders. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (pictured) received a letter from the Department of Justice Friday arguing against the 'arbitrary and unlawful' extension of the county's lockdown 'Reports of your recent public statements indicate that you suggested the possibility of long-term lockdown of the residents in the city and county of Los Angeles, regardless of the legal justification for such restrictions,' Dreiband wrote according to the Los Angeles Times. 'Any such approach may be both arbitrary and unlawful.' The letter continued, stating that while the DOJ 'recognizes and appreciates the duty that you have to protect the health and safety of the residents of the Los Angeles area' it's true that 'Governmental authority, however, is not limitless, and must be exercised reasonably.' 'Simply put, there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights,' the letter also noted. Earlier in May, Los Angeles Countys director of public health Barbara Ferrer had suggested that Los Angeles County's stay-at-home order would likely be extended for a few more months - potentially through the summer - although Garcetti has been slowly loosening restrictions, allowing curbside pickups at businesses and reopening beaches and hiking trails among other outdoors activities. On the same day that Dr. Birx named Chicago as a hotspot, the DOJ also questioned Illinois' stay-at-home order. On Friday the DOH said it is supporting Illinois state Rep. Darren Bailey's lawsuit over state Governor J.B. Pritzker's shutdown. 'The DOJ filed a statement of interest supporting Republican Bailey's lawsuit, which challenges whether Illinois' Democratic governor can keep the state's lockdown order going past the 30 days allowed by state law,' it said according to Fox News. 'In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor of Illinois has, over the past two months, sought to rely on authority under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act to impose sweeping limitations on nearly all aspects of life for citizens of Illinois, significantly impairing in some instances their ability to maintain their economic livelihoods,' the agency added. Chicago's Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said that Birx's assessment of the city as a hotspot is not backed up by the figures. There were a total of 68,949 cases confirmed in Cook County as of Friday afternoon with 40,465 of the above-mentioned cases in the city of Chicago, according to NBC Chicago. Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, acknowledged Friday that Cook County has the most coronavirus cases of any county in the U.S. 'Everything is trending cautiously in the right direction,' Arwady added. Nationwide, Dr. Birx reported that there'd been a continued decrease in mortality rate, in numbers coming in hospital emergency rooms and in hospitalizations over time. 'We can see now that there's been over a 50 percent decline in new hospitalizations,' Birx said. 'Although every region of the country is different, we are encouraged to see these hospitalizations decline.' 'As a country we have a decreasing amount of illness,' she added. Picture of Hikvision cameras in an electronic mall in Beijing on May 24, 2019. (Fred Dufour/AFP via Getty Images) US Big Tech Aiding Blacklisted Chinese Surveillance Firms, Report Says American big tech companies, including Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, are supporting Chinese surveillance firms that have been blacklisted by the United States over human rights violations, according to a new report. Top10VPN, a site that reviews virtual private networks (VPNs) and researches digital rights and security issues, found in a May 21 report that more than a dozen U.S. tech firms provide essential web services required to power the websites of blacklisted Chinese companies. Last October, the commerce department put 28 Chinese public security bureaus and companiesincluding some of Chinas top artificial intelligence (AI) startups and video surveillance company Hikvisionon an economic blacklist over their role in aiding the repression and surveillance of Uyghur Muslims in the northwestern region of Xinjiang. The designation bars U.S. firms from doing business with those companies without a license from the department. An estimated more than 1 million Uyghur and other Muslim minorities are detained in internment camps in Xinjiang as part of the regimes purported fight against extremism. Outside the detention centers, the regimes inhabitants are heavily monitored by a dense network of AI-enhanced surveillance cameras and security checkpoints. Through providing essential web services to these controversial companies, U.S. firms are playing a part in the proliferation of highly invasive surveillance products that have the potential to undermine human rights around the world, the report said. It said that Google is providing content delivery network and analytics services to Hikvision and data recovery firm Xiamen Meiya Pico Information Co, both on the U.S. blacklist. Amazon, it added, provides web hosting for Hikvision and surveillance equipment maker Zhejiang Dahua Technology. Meanwhile, Microsoft supplies email hosting for SenseTime and Megvii, two of Chinas most valuable AI startups, the report said. The researchers named several other U.S. tech companies that provide website hosting, authentication, and related services, including Digicert, Stackpath, Symantec, Lets Encrypt, Entrust, and GeoTrust. Facebook and Twitter were also identified as providing content delivery network services for Hikvision. The Epoch Times reached out to all the U.S. companies named in the report for comment, but did not receive a reply by press time. The researchers said they were able to identify the U.S. firms by using a combination of public tools, analyzing source codes of the websites of the blacklisted companies, as well as traffic of those sites. Despite the Trump administrations efforts to decouple the American and Chinese technology sectors, the continued presence of American companies in more discreet settings shows that cooperation between the two remains, the report said. On Friday, the commerce department added eight Chinese companies and one Chinese government body to the U.S. trade blacklist over the treatment of Uyghur Muslims. The department that day also added 24 Chinese companies and government institutions to the list over their links to weapons development for the Chinese military. SAGINAW, MI Saginaw County property owners who had been affected by flooding from Midland Countys failed Edenville Dam earlier this week can begin cleaning up their homes and business. Saginaw County Emergency Management on Saturday, May 23, stated property owners are encouraged to document their flood damage by taking photos and documenting any evidence of water level and associated damages. Lt. Mark Przybylski cautioned any property owner who is waiting for the Saginaw County Damage Assessment Team to arrive, as it will be arriving sometime next week. Property owners should not wait until next week to commence the clean-up process, including the removal of debris and drying of items, to minimize the growth of mold. Information on flood related documentation can be found at https://www.ready.gov/floods. Meanwhile, water levels in the Tittabawassee and Saginaw rivers are continuing to fall. The bridges of M-46, M-52, and State Street continue to remain closed to traffic. The Michigan Department of Transportation is expected back later Saturday to attempt an inspection of the M-46 bridge. Saginaw County and local officials are working through a damage assessment process to determine the extent and amount of damage. Residents who can safely get to their house without going down closed roads or through floodwaters can return to their homes. Residents can assist with the damage assessment process by completing a self-assessment survey that can be found by visiting http://www.saginawcounty.com/emhsd. Additional safety and cleaning tips can found at https://www.ready.gov/floods and on the Saginaw County Health Department website at http://www.saginawpublichealth.org/hot-topics/flood-safety/. Residents who are having difficulty with basic needs are encouraged to call 211 where they can be directed to appropriate community agencies that may be able to help. For information on road closures, please visit the Saginaw County Road Commission website at https://www.scrc-mi.org/. Related: Economic impact, future of failed dams repair weigh heavy on residents around Wixom Lake Our whole life is gone, says woman whose Sanford home was washed away in Midland floods Failed dam owner fought with state over Wixom Lake levels before flood Feds warned years ago Edenville Dam couldnt handle a historic flood Federal regulators order Sanford Dams owner to investigate after flood It doesnt look good, but Sanford Dam is actually still standing with some of berm washed away Flooding in Michigan: Everything we know about Midland County dam break Video shows Michigan dam break as it happened: Catastrophic is the only thing I can call it Fisherman mourns loss of Wixom Lake in wake of dam break and flood A Kilerkley lorry driver, Richard Woods has been jailed for four years in Belgium after a court heard how he was part of a human trafficking enterprise to bring people into the UK. He was first arrested in October - days before the Essex lorry deaths - after 17 Albanians were found hidden in the back of his haulage at a port in Zeebrugge. Prosecution documents show that the haulier was unable to provide documents showing who his employer was or who owned the haulage to Zeeebrugge. Despite this Woods was released after there was insufficient evidence to charge him. However, investigators from the West Flemish Federal Judicial Police (FGP) tapped his phone and listened in on numerous conversations with criminal associates. On the very same day he was arrested, theyheard Woods speak to multiple people, using alias names, about the people smuggling operation and the fact he knew the Albanians were inside the trailer. The wire tapped calls on October 18 also revealed how he was due to pick up a second trailer, also filled with human-trafficking victims, in France. By the time Belgian officers had dissected the information Woods had returned to his cottage in Cortial, Kilkerley. But in January the 32-year-old was arrested in France on the foot of a European ArrestWarrant. He was transferred to custody in Belgium where he appeared before a criminal court. Prosecutor Frank Demeester told a judge that in one telephone call to an associate, Woods spoke of his regret at having lost out on picking up a second people-packed trailer in France. But Woods' lawyer called his client's wiretapped claims 'Irish humour' and 'nonsense', and asked for him to be acquitted. However, the Bruges judge did not see the funny side, not only jailing the 32-year-old for four years, but also fining him 136,000. He will only have to pay a quarter of that, unless he commits further crimes. Islamabad: Continuing with its efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Pakistan has briefed China about alleged human rights violations in Kashmir during their bilateral strategic dialogue. Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, who is on a two-day visit to China, attended the bilateral strategic dialogue meeting and also met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing during his trip, the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement. The seventh round of Strategic Dialogue between Pakistan and China was held yesterday in Beijing where Chaudhry led the Pakistani delegation while the Chinese side was headed by Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Asian and Consular Affairs Kong Xuanyou. Chaudhry apprised his counterpart of the grave humanitarian situation in Kashmir and the ongoing human rights violations, the statement said. He (Chaudhry) expressed the hope that the international community would play its role in calling on India to put an end to blatant human rights violations in the Valley, the Foreign Office said. Both sides held detailed discussions on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations between Pakistan and China, including the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), economic cooperation, defence, counter-terrorism, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, culture, education and people to people contact. The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in all areas for the mutual benefit of the two countries. The Foreign Secretary and his Chinese counterpart also exchanged views on regional situation including India, Afghanistan and South China Sea. Cooperation in multilateral forums including at the UN was also discussed, the statement said. The two sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. They agreed to continue to share their respective perspective, it said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The United Kingdom is all set to introduce compulsory quarantine for those entering the country from June 8 and will impose fines if they break the rules, said Priti Patel, Interior Minister. The details of the plans are yet to be announced but the rule will require people arriving from abroad to self-isolate, which will include British citizens as well. According to reports, the decision has attracted criticism from business groups, airlines, and politicians in the country. Read: UK Court Orders Anil Ambani To Pay USD 717mn To Chinese Banks Priti Patel while talking to the press said that the United Kingdom has passed its peak and the steps taken are to ensure that imported cases don't reignite the outbreak. According to reports, people who violate the quarantine could be charged with fines up to $1,218 and may also face prosecution. The new quarantine rule will not be applied to people who arrive in the country from the Republic of Ireland. Read: UK Regulators Investigating Misleading Online Reviews As per reports, the French government has not taken the decision with an open heart with the Paris interior ministry warning of reciprocal measures against those arriving from the United Kingdom. Airlines operating out of Britain has called the decision 'idiotic' as they feel that it will hamper international travel to the United Kingdom. Read: Over 16500 Britons Sent To UK From India; UK Govt Thanks India For 'complex Operation' COVID-19 in UK The United Kingdom is currently the worst-affected country in Europe with over 2,55,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 36,000 deaths to date, according to figures by Johns Hopkins University. The mortality rate in the country remains much higher than its peers in the region. Read: COVID-19: Oxford Scientists Aim To Vaccinate 10,000 In UK, Including Elderly And Children (Image Credit: AP) South Dakota Citizens for Liberty has released its annual scorecard that evaluates the performance of all 105 state legislators. "One point of interest on this year's scorecard is the denoting of the seven legislators who were appointed to their positions," said Mike Mueller, president of SDCFL. "Seven members of the Legislature about seven percent were selected for their legislative position by Gov. Noem instead of the voters in their districts." Two of the members appointed by Noem received a score in the lows 60s. The rest were in the low 40s and 30s. Tonchi Weaver, lobbyist for the group and project director for the scorecard, says the scorecards help citizens who don't follow government closely to better understand how they are being represented in Pierre. The bills we select deal with important issues of taxation, property rights, government growth, immigration, protecting life, parental rights, and individual freedom, she said. "U.S. and South Dakota founding documents and the planks of the Republican platforms are the references we cite to determine the correct vote." Mueller observed that by comparison, the House is the more conservative chamber. "There were several good bills that passed the House easily this year only to be killed in Senate committees before they got a floor vote. It's up to voters in June and November whether or not that situation will change," Mueller said. The average score on the "conservative scorecard" was higher for those in the House of Representatives, however, the only 100% score came from the Senate. Phil Jensen voted with the group on every issue. Lance Russell received a 94% score. The other three Rapid City area senators didn't agree with the Citizens for Liberty as often, as Helen Duhamel, Jeff Patridge and Jessica Castleberry each scored below 50 percent. In Rapid City, only half of the 10 House members scored more than 75%, according to the conservative group. Tina Mulally scored 75% and Chris Johnson was rated 78.9%. Taffy Howard received a score of 89% and Julie Frye-Mueller and Tony Randolph both agreed with Citizens for Liberty more than 94% of the time. Tim Goodwin received a score of 73.7% and Scyler Borglum received 58.8%. Michael Diedrich, Jess Olson, and David Johnson agreed with the group on less than 50% of the issues chosen by the group. The bills considered in each house and the preferred position of the Citizens for Liberty included: HB1057 Prohibit gender transitioning of minors Yes HB1094 Repeal provisions for concealed carry/motorcycles Yes HB1096 Prohibit commercial surrogacy US Declaration Yes HB1099 Authorize half-cent county sales tax No HB1133 Presumption of shared parenting Yes HB1167 Revise privileged communication with students Yes HB1172 Require Zero-based budgeting Yes HB1294 Budget bill ($62.3 million spending increase) No HB1296 Expand emergency powers (better than the original form; still not good) No HB1297 Grant authority to the Sec. of Health during emergency No HCR6003 Support the Electoral College Yes HCR6012 Right of Pray in Public Schools Yes HCR6020 Denounce NEA policy on right to abortion Yes SB70 Allow Spanish drivers license exams No SB75 Habitat stamp (original passage) No SB92 Repurpose Star Academy Yes SB135 Increase bid limits No SB147 Prohibit Collective bargaining for Board of Regents employees Yes SD172 Civil Forfeiture only after conviction Yes SB180 Badges and registration fees for paid circulators No SB191 Expand county authority No The scorecard is available for viewing on SD Citizens for Libertys Facebook page and on their website at www.sdcitizensforliberty.org. The original documents detail all 105 lawmakers' scores and give an explanation of why the group supported or rejected each measure on the scorecard. They also include links to each bill considered and links to information about each legislator. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Holidays to the idyllic island of Bali may never be the same after the coronavirus pandemic, with closed shops, bars and restaurants facing never opening their doors again. But Bali officials have drawn a connection between plunging crime rates and a dip in Australian tourists - with a bizarre host of new punishments introduced. Kuta police chief detective Bagus Nagara Baranacita told Courier Mail the local station cells used to be filled with brash, drunken tourists. 'We were always busy with Australians fighting, drunk Australians and Aussies arrested with drugs,' he said. Around 20,000 Australians visited the Indonesian island at any given time during pre-COVID-19 times. A man is forced to do push-ups as officers introduce new punishments to police coronavirus restrictions (pictured in May) Police officials say crime rates have dipped along with the number of unruly Australian tourists visiting the country 9pictured, police checking documents in Denpasar on May 15) But months into the coronavirus pandemic, and the number of foreign tourists arriving in Indonesia plunged 60 per cent in March. Only four international flights landed in Bali on April 1, a 95 per cent slide at the same time last year, with Australians banned from travelling abroad. Bali has had only 343 reported infections of COVID-19, and only four deaths. With visitors numbers plummeting, businesses have shut up shop, beaches have emptied and the country has gone into lockdown. One benefit for struggling locals is that the virus has pushed out unruly tourists and taken the strain off overworked and frustrated police. Mr Baranacita bragged crime is nowhere what it used to be with the decline in tourism. 'Please come to my office and see the empty cells. There are no Australians!' he said. Among the most recent nationally publicised clashes between Australians and the law include 'Fly Kick Nick Nicholas Carr in 2019. The Adelaide man was jailed for four months after he kicked a motorcycle rider off his bike in Seminyak. Brisbane Broncos NRL player David Fifita was caught in a brawl in front of a club and Gold Coast man Matthew Richard went to jail for bag snatching in the same year. Prison cells are now mostly unoccupied, except for 'local bag snatchers, motorbike thieves, pick pockets and a person with counterfeit money.' Motorbike riders caught without a mask covering their mouth have been stopped in the streets and ordered to perform 20 push-ups at the orders of police officers (pictured in May) Motorbike riders caught without a mask are slapped with an unusual punishment (pictured in May) North Kuta Police Chief detective Androyuan Elim added no Australians had committed an offence since the lockdown. But that could also be credited to new policing methods as officers monitor the movements of people on the streets. Motorbike riders caught without a mask are slapped with an unusual punishment, and are forced to do 20 push-ups by the roadside. 'We stand guard on the highway and stop people who are not wearing masks and prevent people from going to the beach,' Mr Elim said. In Intaran, a village in Sanur, anyone caught without a face mask is fined 5kg of rice and ordered to carry out community service. They must clear palms from the village over a course of three days. Sanglah Hospitals forensic medicine unit head Ida Bagus Putu Alit noted the number of emergency admissions had also plummeted with the tougher restrictions. She could not recall treating an Australian who had been involved in a motorbike crash since the coronavirus lockdown. A pair of locals caught without wearing face masks were ordered to do push-ups on the spot (pictured) The Agra administration on Friday has issued an alert to farmers over a likely locust attack in the district. A swarm of locusts is headed towards the area from Karauli in Rajasthan, said an official. We got information that swarm of locusts is in Rajasthans Karauli. We have issued an alert in Agra. We have also asked the farmers to take steps like beating drums in the fields and produce smoke to keep the locusts away, Ram Pravesh, District Agriculture Officer said. We have procured pesticides and arranged 50 tractors and 3 fire brigade vehicles, he added. Even as the district is struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic, the threat from possible invasion of locusts added to the farmers woes who appealed administration to help them. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The union ministry of minority affairs on Saturday said it will restart the Hunar Haat or crafts fair for artisans and craftsperson from September, focusing on the theme local to global. The crafts fairs have been put on hold in the wake of the corona pandemic. Union minister for minority affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Haats have provided employment to more than 5 lakh artisans, craftsmen, and culinary experts and offer a market and opportunity to master artisans and craftsmen from remote areas. He said the process to allow consumers to buy Hunar Haat products online is underway. The ministry has started the process of registering these artisans and their indigenous products on GeM (government e marketplace). Several export promotion councils have shown interest in providing international markets at large scale for handmade indigenous products of these artisans and craftsmen, Naqvi said. The minister went on to say though the pandemic has impacted the earning of the artisan and craftsperson, they used the lockdown to create exquisite, indigenous products that will be sold at the fairs when they resume. Protocol for social distancing, hygiene, sanitisation and use of masks will be ensured at the fairs that will be organised in Chandigarh, Delhi, Prayagraj, Bhopal, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Raipur, Puducherry, Shimla, Goa, Kochi, Ahmedabad and Lucknow among other places. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, had made an unannounced visit to one such Hunar Haat organised at India Gate in February. He also made a mention of the fair in his radio programme and said it is a platform showcasing art and craft. The second consignment of essential medicines supplies from India arrived in Port Louis aboard INS Kesari on Friday. Mauritius' Minister for Health, Dr Kailesh Jagutpal received the consignment on behalf of the government. The shipment, in addition, also carried around 10 tonnes of Ayurvedic medicines. An Indian Medical Assistance Team has also arrived onboard the INS Kesari to work with the Mauritius health authorities through mutual sharing of experience and expertise. The team includes a community medicine specialist, pulmonologist and an anesthesiologist. The supply of these medicines and the medical team has been arranged by the Indian government at the request of the Government of Mauritius. Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation earlier on Friday. The shipment underscores the special and unique ties between India and Mauritius and longstanding partnership in the public health care sector. READ | India Ships 'first-of-many' 5000-tonne Wheat Consignment To Covid-shackled Afghanistan Before this, another consignment of 13 tonnes of essential medicines from India had arrived on 15 April through the special Air India flight to Mauritius. This included 0.5 million tablets of Hydroxychloroquine. The consignment was received by Vice Prime Minister Dookun on behalf of the Government of Mauritius. Last October, PM Jugnauth and PM Modi had jointly e-inaugurated the new ENT Hospital with state-of-the-art facilities. The hospital has helped the efforts of Mauritian health authorities in managing the Coronavirus pandemic. READ | COVID-19: First Consignment Of 5 Million HCQ Tablets From India Reaches Canada The shipment of essential medicines and Medical Assistance Team aboard INS Kesari is part of the Mission SAGAR that reflects Indias commitment to work together with its maritime neighbours and partners in the Indian Ocean Region. The Mission SAGAR has also included supplies for the Maldives, Madagascar, Seychelles and Comoros to jointly meet our common challenges in these difficult times. SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) also reflects Indias vision for the Indian Ocean Region, which was articulated by Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Mauritius in March 2015. India remains committed to further strengthening its multi-faceted people-oriented development partnership with Mauritius. READ | Turkey Sends 2nd Consignment Of Medical Supplies To US READ | IAF Airlifts Huge Consignment Of Medical Supplies From Delhi To Jammu TIJUANA, Mexico - Adrian Alonso Gama lived life on both sides of the border, until he got the coronavirus. On weekends the 37-year-old truck driver would stay at his parents home in Tijuana. Thanks to his U.S. green card, he lived in his own place in San Diego during the week, delivering beer and auto parts around the American southwest. Last week, Gama started feeling sick and returned to Mexico to be close to family. He was diagnosed with COVID-19, becoming one of the more than 1,700 confirmed coronavirus patients who make Tijuana second only to Mexico City in infections, despite the border citys relatively small population. Citing a threat of the coronavirus from Mexico, the Trump administration has banned hundreds of thousands of people from crossing the southern border with emergency measures that prohibit nonessential traffic and reject asylum seekers without a hearing. At least one American border region is experiencing a spike in hospitalizations that some believe is driven by American citizens who live in Mexico coming to the U.S. for care. But in Tijuana and other Mexican border cities, many doctors, health officials and ordinary citizens worry about the disease coming in the other direction. San Diego with roughly the same population as Tijuana has triple the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, at more than 6,000. The state of California has about 10 times as many people as the Mexican state of Baja California to the south but reported more than 20 times the number of cases. Mexico has a notoriously low testing rate, but that alone seems an insufficient explanation. Tijuana saw its cases begin to rise significantly in late March soon after California shuttered many businesses and ordered people to stay home, said Dr. Remedios Lozada, who is in charge of the Tijuana health district. It appears that much of the surge came from dual nationals and legal residents like Gama, who wanted to be closer to family or live more cheaply in Tijuana during the shutdown. There were a lot of people who emigrated here to Mexico, Lozada said. That was when we began facing the higher number of cases. Tijuanas hospitals became swamped with suspected COVID-19 patients. Desperate relatives demanded information about their loved ones outside medical facilities. Nurses and doctors protested that they didnt have the necessary protective equipment as the virus swept through their ranks. Baja California Gov. Jaime Bonilla said in mid-April that the public health systems doctors in the state were dropping like flies because they lacked protective gear. Farther down the border in Nogales, Sonora, residents temporarily blocked the crossing from Arizona with their vehicles in March because they said the Mexican government was doing nothing to medically screen people coming from the U.S., and they feared the pandemic would overwhelm Mexicos health system. Meanwhile, California officials and hospital CEOs have expressed concern about people crossing the border to get treatment on the U.S. side. Last month, San Diego County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar sent a letter to Vice-President Mike Pence asking the White House to send aid to help Mexico treat patients, citing increasing concern about the viruss spread in northern Mexico. She called for a temporary hospital to be set up at the border to treat those arriving in Mexican ambulances, so they are no longer transferred to U.S. ambulances and hospitals. Mexican Consul Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez said in response that there is no evidence of Mexican nationals crossing the border in large numbers to seek health care; those who do are either U.S. citizens living in Mexico or dual citizens. This month, the Imperial Valley, a farming region in California on the border with Mexico, is experiencing a spike in hospitalizations that some believe is driven by the same phenomenon Gonzalez referenced. In Tijuana, it remains unclear where the first coronavirus cases originated, though state officials have said the first confirmed case was a man who had travelled to the U.S. While thats one possibility, the city also sees many international visitors and has numerous links with Mexico City, which is by far the hardest-hit place in the country. Gama used a mask and gloves on both sides of the border and doesnt know where he got infected. There (in the U.S.) I didnt really know where to run to, and my whole family is in Tijuana, he said. They didnt check me or ask me anything when he crossed into Mexico, Gama said. Days later, he tested positive. He is now recovering in his parents home and says so far no one else in his family feels ill. For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and lead to death. The Trump administration this week extended its border restrictions for a month and, on paper, Mexico has imposed the same limits on nonessential traffic from the U.S. In reality, Mexican officials generally check only pedestrians for symptoms. Meanwhile, most commercial traffic, which is considered essential, and travellers like Gama, with rights to live and work in both countries, continue to cross in large numbers in both directions. That has officials worried that Tijuana could see a resurgence in the coming weeks, even though for now the city appears to have passed the peak. The citys intensive-care units were only about 60% occupied this week, and it has set up neighbourhood clinics and new wards for patients with less serious symptoms. Jose Maria Ramos, a professor and researcher at the College of the Northern Border in Tijuana, said Trumps priority appeared to be limiting migration rather than protecting public health. He criticized Mexicos government for not pushing back more. Were in a national emergency, and health has to be part of the present and immediate future, Ramos said. For some touched by the virus, temporarily sealing the border would make sense. The people come and go and carry the microbe from the United States or from Tijuana, said Miguel Angel Jimenez, a 57-year-old diabetic who contracted COVID-19 in April and is just beginning to recover. So were never going to end this situation. ___ Associated Press writer Jorge Lebrija reported this story in Tijuana and AP writer Maria Verza reported from Mexico City. AP writer Julie Watson in San Diego contributed to this report. (Photo : Dean Moriarty from Pixabay) Signal app users can now add a PIN to add another layer of security on their phones. Cybersecurity is critical in today's world when attacks on people's security and privacy are being made online through hacking and malware. That's why if you're installing new apps on your phone, you need to be vigilant and check which information they store. Encrypted Messaging Apps Hackers can be extremely skilled and could hack various private accounts across the internet and could sell profiles or email addresses. Worst, they could peek into your phones and witness your conversations and at your most vulnerable, usually through messaging apps. Nevertheless, many messaging and social media apps provide security through automatically encrypting your conversations or giving you an option to encrypt them. End-to-end encryption (E2EE) is a method of securing your data in communication apps that guarantees no third-party will be able to access your convo. Thankfully, many apps and software now offer this layer of security. Among those apps is the Signal messaging app. Read Also: [BEWARE] Microsoft Warns About Huge Coronavirus Related Phishing Attacks Using Signal App and Adding PIN Codes According to Lifehacker, Signal is already an encrypted app, meaning conversations aren't stored in Signal's servers, which means your conversations and details on it are safe. However, not everything is kept private from their servers, meaning hackers can still get a few information such as your contacts and your account settings if they attempt to hack your Signal app. To add another layer of defense, you can now add a PIN to your Signal app. The new PIN feature guarantees extra security, privacy, and safety, plus it also makes it easier to move your accounts from one device to another. Only those who have the PIN will be able to access the stored data on the app's servers. You can also lock your account with the new feature, so if somebody tries to access your account from a different device, a PIN will be required, and they won't be able to open it without the code you put in place. Here's How to Add a PIN The new feature should be available to every user now. New users will also be required to add a PIN as part of signing up for the app. Here's how to add it: Open your Signal app. Tap the three-dot menu and then choose "Settings." Choose "Privacy" and then scroll down until you see "Signal PIN" at the bottom. Tap the "Change PIN" to either create or edit your PIN. Since you'll need your old PIN to edit and create a new one, make sure you never forget it. PIN codes are automatically numerical, but you can add both letters and numbers by choosing "add alphanumeric PIN," which would strengthen your code and make it harder for hackers to guess. Note: PIN codes should be at least four numbers/letters long. Tap "Next" to confirm your new code, and then you're done. You could also enable the "Registration Lock" on the Privacy menu, which would require your PIN code whenever you are installing and logging in from a new device. As much as possible, avoid using birthdays as codes since they can be quite easy to guess, especially if hackers have been following you or know more details about you. Read Also: Contact-Tracing App Care19 Caught Sharing Location Data to Foursquare Thus Violating Their Own Privacy Agreement 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China slows defense budget growth to 6.6 % in 2020 Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/22 9:56:42 Last Updated: 2020/5/22 12:00:36 China to hike defense spending by 6.6% China set its 2020 defense budget growth target at 6.6 percent, resulting in a draft budget of 1.268 trillion yuan ($178.2 billion), lower than the 7.5 percent growth in 2019. The figure was made public on Friday in a draft budget report to be submitted to the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC). This also marks the lowest defense budget growth rate in recent years. China's defense budget for 2019 was 1.19 trillion yuan, up 7.5 percent from 2018. China has maintained single-digit growth in its annual defense budget since 2016. Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday that it is very normal that compared to last year's 7.5 percent growth rate, this year's 6.6 percent is not a significant slowdown considering the effect brought by the pandemic. China is facing national security threats, including those taking place very nearby to China and in non-traditional security fields. Compared to these threats, China's military expenditure was far from enough, Song said. Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military analyst, told the Global Times on Friday that the increased defense budget can ensure the Chinese military's major programs and key spending fields are not affected by the pandemic and will remain on schedule. The decreased growth rate is partially decided by China's actual situation, and the pandemic has had an impact on economic growth in all countries, Wei noted. Reasonable growth A number of military analysts previously predicted a greater slowdown of defense budget growth to approximately three percent, but ended up at 6.6 percent. This is likely due to rosier prospects for China's economy in the second half of the year than expected, indicating the economic development can support a larger military budget growth, analysts said. China has scrapped a numerical economic growth target this year for the first time in decades. But He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at the NPC session on Friday that the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on China's economy is significant but short-term and temporary. Another reason could lie in China's flexible finance system, as budgets for other fields that are not as important as national defense and hospitality costs can be allocated to the military budget, analysts said, noting the national defense demand is running high at the moment. China has kept its military expenditure/GDP ratio to under 2 percent in the past three decades, while other major countries like the US have been keeping this ratio to 3 to 4 percent in recent years. With China's economic volume growing, corresponding military strength is needed to protect it. Back when China's economy skyrocketed at the beginning of reform and opening-up, military expenditure growth remained slow. Increasing the defense budget is only making up for what was lost back then, analysts pointed out. Song said the defense budget growth rate of 6.6 percent for 2020 is not a high figure at all even under the COVID-19 pandemic. China's defense expenditure is categorized by application, namely personnel expenses, training maintenance fees and equipment spending, according to China's Ministry of National Defense. The Chinese military needs to procure a huge amount of expensive, advanced weapons and equipment to replace its vast arsenal of outdated ones; it is also boosting the intensity and extent of training; as the CPI increases, benefits of soldiers and officers also need to improve, Song pointed out. China is reportedly building a third and more advanced aircraft carrier and developing a long-range strategic bomber, rumored as the H-20. The number of modern weapons like the J-20 fighter jet and Type 055 large destroyer is still running short compared to the potentially hostile F-35 fighter jet and advanced warships of the US and its allies near China. China has not fought a war in decades and relies heavily on training and exercises to sharpen and maintain combat readiness, and the expenses of consumables like munitions and fuel require money. The 6.6 percent growth rate of this year alone cannot solve China's long-term problem of the lack of military funding, but it is a process of gradual improvement, Song said. The continued growth in the Chinese military budget comes at a time when the US is becoming increasingly aggressive and has conducted repeated military provocations against China in regions like the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits. Both regions have become flashpoints, which military observers say face the risk of escalating into actual military conflicts. The US has been sending warships and warplanes to waters and airspace near China more frequently, with some trespassing into Chinese territories. China has also been conducting patrols and exercises to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. China has huge national defense demands, which is a crucial factor in the military budget, a Chinese military expert who asked not to be named told the Global Times on Friday. In the post-pandemic period, China faces more military threats from other countries, mainly the US. With Taiwan secessionists becoming more and more rampant, reunification by force with the island of Taiwan is always on the table, the expert said, noting that in this situation, increasing the defense budget must not stop. China takes the development of the economy and the demands of national defense into consideration when deciding on the appropriate scale and composition of defense expenditure, according to the national defense white paper issued by the State Council Information Office in July 2019. The 2020 defense budget should be seen as reasonable and appropriate, analysts said. Not a threat China's military budget increase has been a hot topic for some Western officials and media to hype the "China threat" theory. An increase this year against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic could raise this rhetoric again, observers said. "People should ask first, which countries are threatening China's national security in the first place? They should ask the US, they should ask India, and some other neighboring countries and regions," Song said. China has contained the COVID-19 epidemic well, and its military contributed a lot and has demonstrated its capabilities. More spending will be put to strengthen the Chinese military's capability in epidemic control and prevention as well as disaster relief, Song noted. Whether a country poses a military threat to others or not is decided by its diplomatic and national defense policies and not by how much it increases its defense budget, Chinese officials and military experts said in previous years. China has only a limited defense budget, and it is used for safeguarding the country's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. This will not pose a threat to other countries, they said. According to a report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in April, the US drives global military expenditure growth, spending a whopping $732 billion on the sector in 2019, about four times higher than China's official figure. In response to a question saying China's military spending was not transparent, Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, said at a press conference on Thursday that China has been submitting reports on its military expenditures to the United Nations every year since 2007. "From where the money comes from to how the money is used, everything is accounted for," Zhang said, noting there is no such thing as "hidden military spending." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Benjamin Netanyahu is required to appear at court as he goes on trial over a string of corruption allegations he denies. The long-awaited corruption trial of Benjamin Netanyahu is due to open in Jerusalem, where he will become the first serving Israeli prime minister to face criminal prosecution. Netanyahu is required to appear for Sundays session in Jerusalem District Court, a week after he was sworn in to a record fifth term as head of a unity government, ending more than a year of political deadlock in the wake of three inconclusive elections. Netanyahu has been charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases. He is accused of accepting expensive gifts, such as cartons of champagne and cigars, from wealthy friends and offering favours to media moguls in exchange for favourable news coverage of him and his family. In the most serious case, he is accused of promoting legislation that delivered hundreds of millions of dollars of profits to the owner of a major telecom company while wielding behind-the-scenes editorial influence over the firms popular news website. Protesters demonstrate against Netanyahu just before his corruption trial opens [Amir Cohen/Reuters] Netanyahu, who heads the right-wing Likud party, denies all charges. He has cast his prosecution as a left-wing witch-hunt meant to overthrow a popular right-wing leader. As prime minister, Netanyahu is under no legal obligation to resign and he has said his court battle will not affect his ability to do his job. Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem, said the opening of the trial on Sunday was mostly procedural. What we expect to hear today are the charges being recapitulated and read to Netanyahu, he said. We may also hear arguments from the rival legal teams revealing what kind of evidence is available to the defence, Fawcett added. Meanwhile, hundreds of people on Sunday took part in rival protests in favour of Netanyahu and against him, shortly before his appearance at the court. A three-judge panel, which will hear the prime ministers case, turned down on Wednesday his request to stay away from the opening session. In asking to be excused, Netanyahu called the event a formality and argued that bringing his contingent of bodyguards would waste public funds and make it hard to comply with physical distancing rules. Some critics said Netanyahu was trying to avoid the optics of a prime minister sitting in the defendants dock. Turning down his request, the court said it was important for justice to be seen to be done. Netanyahu supporters gathered outside the Jerusalem court [Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo] Political deadlock resolved After three bruising elections over the past year, Netanyahu was sworn into office this week for a fourth consecutive term. All three elections were seen as referendums on his fitness for office, and all ended in deadlock. After the most recent vote in March, his rival, Benny Gantz, appeared to have mustered enough support in Parliament to pass legislation that would have disqualified Netanyahu from serving as prime minister while under indictment. However, in a stunning turnaround, Gantz, citing fears of a fourth expensive election and the coronavirus pandemic, agreed to shelve the legislation and instead form a power-sharing government with Netanyahu. The Supreme Court cleared the way for Netanyahu to remain in power. In a key ruling, it said an indicted politician may serve as prime minister even though Israeli law requires all other office-holders to resign if charged with a crime. Yuval Shany, professor of law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, argued that there is a basic incompatibility between Netanyahus role as head of the government and his status as a criminal defendant. In the latter role, Shany said, the prime minister would be fighting very aggressively and maybe effectively to weaken the government authorities that are prosecuting him. There is a very serious conflict of interest situation, he told AFP news agency. Under their deal, Netanyahu was forced to yield some powers to Gantz, with each wielding a veto over most key decisions. Gantz will hold the title of alternate prime minister, and after 18 months, they will swap jobs. Six years ago, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was found guilty of bribe-taking and served 16 months in jail. His trial took place after his 2006-2009 term in office. If youre visiting the Connecticut coastline anytime soon, youll be able to dine outdoors at one of the states most iconic restaurants. Mystic Pizza, which inspired the 1988 Julia Roberts film of the same name, has been the recipient of a state permit that enables it to use a state highway right-of-way for outdoor dining, a statement from Gov. Ned Lamonts office announced. The permit represents the first of its kind that the administration has issued during the coronavirus crisis, according to the statement. Its meant to help the restaurant run a business while complying with reopening regulations that prohibit indoor dining. Lamonts announcement comes three days after Connecticut began a slow reopening process amid an ongoing battle with the coronavirus. We want to do our best to partner with businesses to make any adjustments we can to help commercial operations resume while also maintaining the necessary health standards that will keep customers and employees protected, Lamont said. This is going to require some creative modifications that weve never had to do before, but working together we can find solutions to many of these obstacles. The permit is the result of an executive order that aimed to create an expedited process through which restaurants and other businesses could receive allowances for outdoor activities, per the governors statement. While Mystic Pizza may be the first restaurant to receive such accommodations from the state, municipalities like New Haven have explored similar measures at the local level. Earlier this month, the city announced it was looking to expand a program that enables restaurants to use municipal parking spaces for outdoor dining and was even considering closing off certain streets to cars. Stamford created a temporary outdoor dining application for businesses and said the city aimed to process requests as quickly as possible, according to its website. Residents who ventured out Wednesday to dine at a Stamford restaurant for the first time in months were thrilled to be there. Yet many Americans have been cautious about getting back out to patronize businesses. Fred McKinney, a Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Quinnipiac University, said he went to the mall Wednesday to research the crisis and found the facility mostly empty. And not all businesses opted to reopen on May 20. Many, such as the Beardsley Zoo and the Mystic Aquarium, elected to take more time to make preparations. Meanwhile, the death toll from the virus continues to rise, although the rate has slowed. The state reported another 38 coronavirus-related deaths Saturday, bringing the total to 3,675, according to a release from the governors office. Another 382 tests came back positive for COVID-19, putting that total at just over 40,000, the release said. Hospitalizations were down by 16 patients, according to the state data. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 19:21:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran's touristic sites, including museums and historical sites, will reopen on Sunday after nearly three months of closure over the COVID-19 pandemic, Press TV reported. The announcement was made by President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday at a meeting of the National Headquarters for Managing and Fighting the Coronavirus. Holy shrines will reopen on Monday, according to Rouhani. The holy shrines would be open for three hours in the mornings and three hours in the afternoons, he said earlier. Meanwhile, all workers in the country will return to work from May 30, the president noted. Iran has implemented three stages regarding the coronavirus epidemic, according to Rouhani. The first stage was announcing the disease and mobilizing the nation's capacities to rein in the outbreak. The second involved controlling the disease through social distancing measures, and the third required smart distancing accompanied by gradual reopening of the country. In the fourth stage, the authorities will aim to contain the novel coronavirus, he noted. The growth of mortality rate over the virus in the country has begun to decline and hospitalizations are becoming shorter, Rouhani said. On Saturday, Iran announced a total of 133,521 coronavirus infections since Feb. 19, of whom 7,359 have died. Enditem The Dundas Valley School of Arts annual art auction was to be its 50th this April. But because of COVID-19 restrictions, the schools biggest fundraiser has been postponed. Undeterred, the DVSA is offering smaller online auctions of selected works that were submitted for the April event, which traditionally included silent and live sections. The fourth online auction has begun. It ends at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 31. And its supersized, with 25 pieces instead of nine. Included are paintings, photographs and ceramics by local artists working in a variety of styles and subjects. The sea calls to Susan Outlaw. In Cerulean and Aqua, she selects a wide view with its sense of infinite space. The sea dominates, taking up more than half the composition. My time spent along the Atlantic has been the inspiration for many of my seascape works and also some of my still life work, she says. This particular painting was a bit of an experiment. I wanted the sky and sand to appear as monochromatic as possible to highlight the vibrancy of the seas brilliant colours. Outlaw, who works in a lifelike style, encourages us to enter on a diagonal, starting with a triangular patch of land on the left. We move to a strip of low-lying foamy water and then encounter rising white waves that contrast with the rich darkness of the sea beyond them. My attraction to the sea is the power it has over my senses, she says. Tranquil one moment, excitable the next, the ocean is unpredictable and mirrors life in many ways. Guennadi Kalinine excels at landscape, the human figure and portraits. Lately hes been horsing around; that is, his sunny and soothing rural landscapes include horses. He works in a soft-edged lifelike style enlivened with the tiniest of multicoloured dots. In Happy Horse, a cluster of grasses in the foreground, painted as barely there undulating lines, leads to the horse, head bowed to munch on vegetation. Whats great here is how much blue paint Kalinine uses to depict a lifelike white horse. The horse, he tells me, is called Artex. Kalinine says he became close to horses about four years ago when visiting some friends horse farm on Middletown Road. I always loved horses, but it was first time in my life I could spend more time with these beautiful animals and even ride them, he says. I see it as the greatest gift I got in my life. Theres no horse that belongs to me, but they are all mine and some of them are sure I belong to them. Maureen McNeil walked the woods in Sweet Caroline. She reduces the land to richly hued irregular shapes and streaks. The foliage of the evergreens in the foreground, for instance, comprises red and black lines enclosing jewel-blue vertical shapes. Multicoloured streaks energize the sky. Rossana Dewey stayed home for Fruit Tray, a domestic still life. She arranges natural and human-made objects such as fruit and crockery on a table top that tilts toward us. Painting in her wonderfully simplified style and harmonious colours, she draws attention to the varied shapes that play off one another. The roundness of the green apples, for example, contrasts with the rectangular bowl they sit in. The misplaced lid on the blue container in the right foreground results in a pair of criss-crossed rectangles. Linda Blakney works in a decidedly abstract style. In Spring, one of her smaller pieces, she brings together brightly coloured, loosely geometric shapes. Some look more sharp-edged than others, inspiring us to imagine that some shapes are emerging, others disappearing. RH Regina Haggo , art historian, public speaker, curator, YouTube video maker and former professor at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, teaches at the Dundas Valley School of Art. Online Art Auction Who: Dundas Valley School of Art When: May 22 to May 31 at 4 p.m. Go to dvsa.ca for information on how to participate The search for a missing high school senior in Ohio has come to an end. Sheriff Donnie Barrera said Maddie Bell, 18, was located and is safe. According to reports, Sheriff Barrera said that because Bell is not a minor, she isn't considered a runaway. He also said she left of her own free will, and that she left to start a new life. We will update this story as more information becomes available. Before today, the local community was organizing search efforts for Bell, who was last seen leaving her house around 10 a.m. Sunday. Federal officials joined the search efforts this week. "She just yelled, 'Mom, I'm going tanning,'" said her mother, Melissa Bell. "She always comes right back. She's not one to be a minute late without calling or texting or letting me know not to worry." Forty-five minutes later, Maddie hadn't returned. Melissa Bell said she waited another 15 minutes and then started texting and calling her daughter. She didn't respond. Melissa Bell said she looked on the "Find My iPhone" app and Maddie's phone was showing up near the tanning place. Melissa Bell said Maddie's boyfriend was at the house and the two then decided to look for her. They spotted her car at the Good Shepherd Church across from the market. "It was the only car in the parking lot. We pull in. Windows are up," Melissa Bell said. She said the car was unlocked and she opened the door. "I notice her phone laying in the car. Her keys are in the ignition and money that she had in the pullout thing was still there," Melissa Bell said. "She's a typical teenager. She would never leave that phone." Melissa said Maddie never made it to the Country Corner Market. "She didn't sign in. The two mornings before that, she did, but that morning, video surveillance doesn't show her car making it to the tanning area. She did not sign in," Melissa Bell said. Word of Maddie's disappearance spread quickly through the rural area. Volunteers searched the area Sunday, and about 250 people searched again Monday. "As her mom, there is something wrong. Someone has her. She's not someone who has run away. This is not her behavior," Melissa Bell said. Melissa Bell described her daughter as very responsible. She's the cheer captain at her high school and was looking forward to the upcoming week. "This was senior week. She would not have missed this for anything," Melissa Bell said. Melissa Bell said her daughter got accepted into Ohio University and has been in good spirits. Even for someone as gaffe-prone as Joe Biden, this stands out. As he was wrapping up an interview with syndicated talk host Charlamagne tha God that aired Friday morning, the former vice president said, "If you have a problem figuring our whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black." At a minimum, he's overreading his standing with black voters - who support him by a margin of 78 percent over President Donald Trump, according to the latest national Quinnipiac poll - because they see him as the candidate most likely to unseat Trump, not because of his overall track record. It's a matter of pragmatism, not ideological and cosmic alignment, as Theodore Johnson put it last year. Biden later walked his comments back on a call with black business leaders, reportedly saying that "I shouldn't have been such a wise guy" and "I have never, ever taken the African-American community for granted." But he had already revealed a double standard that signified the opposite. It's hard to imagine him, or most politicians, making the same claim, in any context, about any other demographic group. Yes, Biden can boast of a track record with African-Americans, which The Post's Robert Samuels ably chronicled last year. He served as the number two for the nation's first black president. Biden also has a comfort level with black constituents that many white politicians don't. This was borne out in February when he received a resounding endorsement from Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., and went on to resurrect his campaign by winning the Democratic primary in South Carolina - a state in which the majority of Democratic voters are black. In response to Biden's comments, senior campaign adviser Symone Sanders tweeted: - - - Vice President Biden spent his career fighting alongside and for the African American community. He won his party's nomination by earning every vote and meeting people where they are and that's exactly what he intends to do this November. The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but let's be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump's any day. Period. - - - Indeed, it would be fair to take Biden's remark as an attempt to contrast his record with Trump's; even by Trump's preferred metrics - the unemployment rate and stock market performance - Obama was a better president for black Americans. Still, even in jest, it's one thing to say that black voters should support him and something different to say that black Trump voters aren't really black. Over the last two decades, about 90 percent of black voters have sided with Democrats, according to exit polls. There were fervently pro-Trump black voters in 2016, and that will still be true in 2020. In the Quinnipiac national poll, Trump only had 3 percent black support, compared to Biden's 81 percent. Polls vary, though, and it's not out of the question that Trump could match his 8 percent from 2016, which included 11 percent among black men and 16 percent among black men with college degrees. Whatever number he gets, the "ain't black" notion is a litmus test Biden doesn't seem to apply to other demographic groups. In the same Quinnipiac poll, Latinos preferred Biden over Trump 45-to-38 percent, and no one suggests that the 38 percent "ain't" Latino. Former president Ronald Reagan is sometimes quoted as having said, "Hispanics are conservative, they just don't know it yet." That's condescending, but still not the same as saying that Latino Democrats aren't really Latino. Biden's comment veers closer to Trump's remark last year that "I think if you vote for a Democrat, you are very, very disloyal to Israel and to the Jewish people." SiriusXM Urban View radio host Clay Cane, who calls himself as a progressive and is a Biden supporter, told me, "Aligning yourself with anti-black policies does not erase your identity. There is a long history of black folks who advocate against each other for access to power and proximity to whiteness - but that doesn't mean they're not black." Tara Setmayer, a black Republican and former GOP congressional staffer, told me, "As a conservative who supports Joe Biden, his comment was an unforced error that reinforces the stereotype that Democrats take black votes for granted." She added, "I winced when I heard it." When I reached Katrina Pierson, one of Trump's most prominent black supporters and a member of his campaign team, she was blunt: "Only a white liberal can dehumanize black people to their face and get away with it. Joe Biden's statement is the definition of white privilege." Recall that early on in Barack Obama's first presidential run, he was seen in some quarters, on both sides of the aisle, as lacking black cred - an idea that's now laughable. One lesson is that it's a dicey business trying to define how anyone represents a particular group, or how voters of a group will respond to a particular candidate. Yes, the issue priorities of the black electorate, writ large, line up more closely with the Democrats' platform. But the notion that an individual black voter can be written out of group membership on the basis of his vote is illogical and presumptuous. It turns an acknowledgement of a particular candidate's edge into a suggestion that they somehow own the votes of a particular group, when they don't. Charlamagne's show has become an important stop for Democratic presidential candidates. Biden's appearance signals that he wants to court black voters, even if his comfort level likely got the better of him. Instead, he wound up policing their blackness. 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. YEREVAN. I am not forgiven for being [Armenias PM] Nikol Pashinyan's lawyer [in the past], and now I have a completely opposite position to the policy that Pashinyan is running. Lawyer Tigran Atanesyan stated this at Saturday's press conference, and in connection with the attack on his house. "Yes, I blame these halls of power [for] all this that has become possible in this country. What have they turned this country into? Cursing is normal, vulgar, everyday words have become normal, a child can now be cursed at and attacked on. Yes, Nikol Pashinyan is accountable for this; this is during his tenure, and it is backed during his tenure, Atanesyan said. It should be noted that yesterday the press spread rumors that Tigran Atanesyan's house was attacked, insulting remarks were made against his family, and an attempt was made to harm his 7-year-old son. To note, the press reported on Friday that Tigran Atanesyan's house was attacked, and insulting remarks were made against his family, and some people had attempted to injure his 7-year-old son. New deaths in New York from covid-19 dropped below 100 for the first time since just after the state went under lockdown, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday, calling it "a sign that we are making real progress." The state had 84 new fatalities. "What we're doing is working," Cuomo said, almost three months after the state's first coronavirus case was diagnosed on March 1. At the start of Memorial Day weekend, the governor spoke largely of progress. Friday night he issued an unexpected order allowing groups of up to 10 people to gather anywhere in the state, as long as they maintained social distancing guidelines. Cuomo said that Long Island, hard hit by the virus, could begin reopening as early as next week, as could the seven-county mid-Hudson region. He gave no projection for New York City, which is the final area of the state without an indicated opening date. The city remains under official lockdown until at least May 28. The state's daily death toll had been stuck in the 100s for 12 days, and the drop below 100 was first time since March 24. Cuomo announced New York would go "on pause" on March 20, effectively shutting down the entire state. "Eighty-four is still a tragedy, no doubt, but the fact that it's down as low as it is really is overall good news," Cuomo told reporters in Albany. The peak of the crisis hit at 799 deaths in one day in mid-April. The official death count was 23,195 on Friday. New York reported 1,772 new virus cases on Saturday, for a state total of 359,926. Cuomo said that total and new hospitalizations continued to drop, as did admissions to intensive care. Cuomo didn't explain in detail his decision to allow gatherings of up to 10 people anywhere in the state, New York City included. He said he wasn't aware of a lawsuit filed Friday by the American Civil Liberties Union objecting to the governor's earlier order that allowed gatherings up to that size only for religious services and Memorial Day commemorations. "It depends on how people act," Cuomo said. "You can have a safe gathering of 10 people. You can also have a wholly unsafe gathering of 10 people." After two months of lockdowns, regional leaders face a major test this Memorial Day weekend, as crowds flock to beaches and parks and gather for holiday celebrations. New York City's beaches remained closed. Rain probably deterred many from traveling to Long Island or New Jersey on Saturday, an influx that local officials have feared. Sunday's weather forecast looks less wet, and temperatures will warm somewhat by Monday. The Punjab and Haryana high court on Saturday announced the cancellation of summer vacations in the high court and trial courts scheduled for June in both the states and Chandigarh. This year, vacations were scheduled between June 1 and June 26 in the high court and June 1 and June 30 in subordinate courts. The decision has been taken in view of courts taking up only urgent cases since March due to Covid-19. The high court is functioning in a restricted manner since March 16 and the trial courts are also taking up urgent cases only. Pending cases are being adjourned and only those are being taken up, where an application is filed citing some urgency. A dozen odd benches in the high court are taking up urgent matters through video conferencing. Against daily listing of nearly 2,500-3,000 cases on any given day, the HC is hearing 200 odd cases these days. Court will function with the continuation of present arrangement of filing, listing and hearing of the cases through video conferencing, an official said. Meanwhile Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association (PHHCBA) welcomed the decision. The high court should do away with prior mentioning of cases before listing of fresh cases, bar secretary, Rohit Sud said. Mrs. Cunnane and husband Bill on their wedding day, 1956. They met in Jenkintown at an Irish bar. Read more People Weve Lost Joan Cunnane 88 years old Lived in Glenside A lifelong Democrat, she was a regular at social protests More Memorials Describing the life of Joan Cunnane is like detailing a sunset off the Santa Monica pier. Theres a lot to take in. Political activist and granddaughter of a suffragist. Loving wife and mother to, by their own admission, a boisterous brood of five kids. Chain smoker. Solitaire player. MSNBC watcher. Sit-in protester. Jokester. She lived life completely and without apology, son PJ wrote in a tribute. Mrs. Cunnane, 88, died on Sunday, May 3, of the coronavirus at Edgehill Nursing Home in Glenside. Born in Scranton in 1932, Mrs. Cunnane became a model after high school and moved to Philadelphia. She met her future husband, Bill, in 1956 at the MacSwiney Club in Jenkintown, and they went on to have a daughter and four sons. After raising her children, Mrs. Cunnane went to work as a nurse. A lifelong Democrat, she worked for every party presidential candidate from John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama. Her son wrote that she joked that she baptized me and my sister and brothers Democrats before baptizing us Catholic. She was especially impressed with Obama. I think she loved him as much as any of her four sons, even me, and I was her favorite (at least that is what she told me), PJ wrote. Former Vice President Joe Biden, also a native of Scranton, said in a letter of condolence that Mrs. Cunnanes strength, unapologetic activism, and commitment to fighting for the rights of others are cause for joyous remembrance. Mrs. Cunnane was sensitive about her St. Patricks Day birthday, celebrating her 39th 49 more times. She never knew her mother, who died when she was 2 due to complications during a stillbirth, her son said. So she advocated for human rights, especially for women, the rest of her life. Her grandchildren called her Nana. She took PJ to a sit-in protest at the Limerick nuclear power plant in 1969 when he was 11. She was happy later, he wrote, that he got a job at a bicycle shop when he was 12. With him working in an environmentally acceptable position, he could skip her trips to the demonstrations in good conscience and avoid any uncomfortable confrontations with the police or others. Despite her recent illness, Mrs. Cunnane never lost her zest for politics and conversation. Her nurses reported to PJ that she was perusing the newspaper and complaining about the state of the union in her own endearing and "knowing sarcastic way just a few days before she died. Even on the day of her death, PJ wrote, she joked with her nurses. Am I dead yet? she asked coyly. We always said she was not from her generation, PJ said. PJs wife, U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, posted a tribute to her mother-in-law on Instagram. The Pennsylvania Democrat wrote, We will miss her passion, quick wit, linguine and clams and her love and dedication to human rights and womens rights. In addition to her son, Mrs. Cunnane is survived by sons Terrence, William and Chris; seven siblings; 12 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and other relatives. She was predeceased by her husband and daughter Kimber Anne. A celebration of her life is to be later. Gary Miles, gmiles@inquirer.com A huge 20ft-wide sinkhole swallowed up part of a busy street in the West Midlands on Thursday after the sewer beneath it collapsed. Drivers were forced to swerve around the 20ft-wide hole which opened up when a sewer collapsed on Stafford Street, in Walsall, West Midlands., on Thursday. Witnesses said how people from nearby businesses ran out into the street to stop vehicles from being swallowed up. Labour councillor Matt Ward said: 'It's absolutely huge. At about quarter to ten I drove down the road and the car went down a dip, it had bellowed in on itself. 'It was like a roller coaster, so I contacted the council. The cars were going down and then up as they went over it. 'I didn't expect as much to collapse, it's like a huge crater. It looks like a meteor out of space has hit it. A huge sink hole cracked a road open in Walsall, West Midlands on Thursday, almost swallowing up several cars Motorists narrowly avoided the massive void on Thursday, which a Labour Councillor said had left the street looking like a 'meteor from outer space' had crash landed in Walsall Pictured: A man checks out the depth of the massive sinkhole on a street in Walsall, West Midlands, on Thursday 'Thankfully no one has been injured, but if it had happened at a time when the roads were busier there's no doubt a car would have gone into it.' Tyre company boss Sean Dickenson told how he had to run into the road to stop a Transit Van after noticing the ground sinking shortly before it crumbled away. He said: 'We opened up on Monday and noticed there was a dip in the road. The cars were bouncing. 'Day by day it's been getting worse then this morning we were sitting here and could see the road sinking. 'Then the council came and put some signs up saying slow down. 'We were watching the road dip and all of a sudden a Transit van drown down and I had to run and stop it before the road caved in. He had to swerve on the pavement.' Local resident Peter Andrews, 29, who lives in the town centre, said it was a miracle nobody was seriously hurt. He added: 'That is usually a busy stretch of road and a couple of cars had near-misses. Pictured: Roadworkers stop traffic on the main road in Walsall on Thursday, in order to fill in the gaping void in the street 'I'm surprised the council or police didn't close the road earlier as you could see it buckling for a couple of days. 'It's a miracle nobody was injured or killed as its a main route in and out of the town which is used by a lot of vehicles. 'I can't believe such a massive piece of road can just crumble away like that, it's pretty frightening.' The road remains closed as teams from Severn Trent Water assess the damage and work out a repair plan, which is expected to take at least four weeks to complete. A company spokesperson said: 'Our teams have confirmed the issue was caused by a collapsed sewer under the road, which has now been closed to keep our teams and drivers safe. 'We're out again this morning assessing the extent of the damage and working out how best to repair both the sewer and the road. Undated handout photo of a 20ft-wide sinkhole which opened up in the middle of a road in Walsall, West Midlands, on Thursday 'At this early stage, it looks like it's going to be a very complicated repair that'll take at least four weeks to complete. 'We'd like to apologise to everyone who's been affected by the closure and assure them we'll be working seven days a week once we've got a repair plan in place to get everything back to normal as quickly as possible.' A Walsall Council spokesman added: 'Our Highways Team are attending to a void that has opened up on Stafford Street in Walsall. 'The large hole in the carriageway is believed to have been caused by a collapsed sewer. 'The road is being closed to ensure the safety of the travelling public and Severn Trent are expected to be on site later today. 'Traffic is being diverted via Leamore Lane, Green Lane and Court Way and turnings from the Ring Road onto Stafford Street will be closed to northbound traffic. 'We would ask that drivers also avoid Hospital Street to prevent congestion and unnecessary delays to their journey.' TUI has said it will start flying again from the end of June. Photo: Getty Travel giant TUI is planning to resume flights to main holiday destinations in Europe by the end of June. We are planning to start flying again from end June, in time for summer vacation, chief executive Fritz Joussen told Rheinische Post in Germany. He said the Spanish island of Mallorca, a favourite hot spot for German travellers, would be likely to be the first destination. We want to resume flight traffic to Mallorca from mid-to-end June. Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Bulgaria are also well-prepared, Joussen told the paper. Earlier this month, TUI, the worlds largest tourism group, said it would cut 8,000 jobs and look to shed 30% of its costs as it gears up for a July restart to European tourism. The decision comes as airlines look to ramp up flights from next month. READ MORE: Branson sells stake in Galactic space business to keep Virgin afloat Last week Easyjet said it will start flying again from June 15 in the UK and France as lockdown measures are eased. The company will restart a small number of flights on routes where there is sufficient customer demand to support profitable flying. When flights resume customers and cabin crew will be required to wear face masks and no food will be made available. Meanwhile Ryanair plans to restore 40% of its flights from July 1, while British Airways is due to make a meaningful return to service in the same month. The global aviation industry has taken a battering from the impact of coronavirus, with most airlines only going ahead with a handful of flights. Britons have been warned against all but essential travel, in line with many other countries, while the prospect of a compulsory two-week quarantine for people returning to the UK could put even more people off flying. The financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could see councils across England making budget cuts of up to 20 percent, eviscerating many essential services. A report by the Labour Party estimates that local authorities could face increased costs of up to 10 billion and a massive loss of income. Chair of the Local Government Association and Conservative Leader of Central Bedfordshire council, James Jamieson, estimates that councils will face vast costs of up to 13 billion this year due to measures required in tackling the pandemic. Social care spending could face a shortfall of 3.5 billion, placing up to 225,000 adult social care places at risk in the coming year. Social care accounts for a significant proportion of spending for local councils across England and massive funding shortfalls will inevitably lead to cuts. Richard Watts, leader of Labour-run Islington council in north London said, Social care accounts for just over half of what councils spend so its inescapable that if you take that much out of the budget youll have to look at social care. These cuts come on top of over a decade in which local authority budgets have been slashed, devastating social care provisions and other important frontline services. Between 2015/16 and 2017/18, councils lost 77 percent of their funding from central government, used to provide essential services. The impact of the pandemic has led to many sources of revenue, such as the collection of parking fees, drying up. It is estimated that councils could lose up to 1.4 billion from these funding streams, leading to many councils potentially facing a financial black hole in the coming period. Other losses include 400 million in business rates, fees and charges of 341 million and council tax revenue of 288 million as many people have lost their jobs and others are utilising payment holidays, as families struggle to meet their living costs. Labours analysis shows that if local authorities did not touch their social care budgets, they would have to shut down all childrens centres, libraries, cut all spending on parks and leisure centres, carry out no winter gritting, turn off all street lighting and end all planning and building control work. As a typical example, the 10 local councils across Greater Manchester are predicting increased costs associated with the pandemic will lead to more than 500 million having to be spent this financial year. Labour-run Manchester City Council expects to suffer 126 million in lost income and faces a potential shortfall in overall funding of 152 million. Manchester has been hit hard due to the collapse of commercial income from business rates and the loss of the popular Parklife music festival, which was cancelled. One of Greater Manchesters councils, Trafford, was forced to resort to borrowing from a commercial bank to cover its day-to-day costs after it ran out of cash. Trafford is expected to lose another 37 million due to the pandemic. Other Greater Manchester councils set to suffer are Salford (expected to lose 33 million), Oldham (46 million) and Stockport (40 million). Funding provided by the government will cover only a third of what is needed. In a letter written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese pointed out that 150,000 residents are at significant risk of being adversely affected by the current situation medically, socially and economically. The Greater Manchester councils have already lost over 1.7 billion in funding since 2010 and any loss to existing income streams leaves virtually no room for manoeuvre. As a result of savage funding cuts between 2009/10 and 2017/18, each resident lost the equivalent of 324. Local Authorities providing payment holidays for council tax will not continue this indefinitely. As millions of workers are forced to go back to work under unsafe conditionsif they have a job to go back to as unemployment rocketsthey will face having to repay hundreds of pounds in council. Research by the Citizens Advice charity shows that 7.2 million people have already missed a council tax payment and a further 13 million have not been able to pay at least one bill because of the coronavirus outbreak. An estimated 11 million of these will be left facing severe financial consequences, including bailiff enforcement or eviction. Last week, the government announced a further 600 million funding, on top of the 3.2 billion it has already allocated to councils in the last two months. But this falls far short of what is required, with many local authorities still reeling from year-on-year cuts to budgets. According to Richard Watts, chair of the Local Government Associations Resources Board, councils will need up to four times the funding they have been allocated by government so far. Earlier this year, local authorities across the UK had to activate emergency plans to deal with seasonal flooding that left many households and businesses devastated. Childrens services have faced huge funding cuts in the last decade. A recently published report by five leading childrens charities concluded that local authority childrens services do not have the resources to deal with the pandemic. Javed Khan, chief executive of Bernardos, said, We have long warned about the perfect storm facing childrens social care, and the gap between demand and resource will widen further as a result of coronavirus. A letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson by Sir Richard Leese, published in the Manchester Evening News, noted the losses incurred due to the pandemic followed Ten years of austerity that had already seen the councils budget cut by 380 million and reduced staff numbers by 40 percent. There are no easy cuts left to make. The cuts required might not be easy to make, but Leese and his ilk will still make them. What he omitted to mention was that the Tories austerity agenda he outlines was only carried through because it was imposed by Labour councils nationwide, including his own. Vital public services were slashed by the Labour authorities in collaboration with the trade unions. Over the past five years, the cuts were enthusiastically imposed by Labour councils under the instruction of Jeremy Corbyn and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, who insisted they set legal balanced budgets. Crude prices ended a six-day winning streak Friday but remain near their highest level in more than two months. Prices have been strengthened by economies around the globe beginning to reopen and signs that oil demand is on the rise. West Texas Intermediate on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 67 cents, or 2 percent, to close at $33.25 a barrel Friday. Still, prices ended the week with a 13 percent gain from the $31.82 seen at Mondays close. The posted price was $29.75 on Friday. Prices were undercut by concerns about the continued growth of Chinas economy, the second largest in the world. Beijing, at the Community Partys National Peoples Congress, declined to set an economic growth target for the year because of great uncertainty over the novel coronavirus, according to Bloomberg. There is also concern that a proposed bill to forbid secessionist and subservice activity in Hong Kong would raise tensions between China and the US. Natural gas prices began the week with a 14-cent jump on the NYMEX Monday, followed by a 5-cent rise Tuesday but could not hold onto those gains. Prices ended the week at $1.731 per Mcf, down from $1.783 Monday. I am encouraged but cautious, David Bledsoe, president of Henry Resources, told the Reporter-Telegram by email. Storage draw at Cushing proves that the Permian dropped production faster and deeper than anybody expected. However, from talking to friends at other companies and reading all I can find, it sounds like production is about to come back a little too much in June and July. I am afraid we will have another drop in price once that happens. We are about 80% shut in and will stay that way for a little longer. RELATED: Rig counts set new record lows Jim Burkhard, head of oil markets at IHS Markit, said in a phone interview, that while he is shying away from calling it a V-shaped recovery, it appears the bottom of the demand decline was in April. Since the first half of April, Chinas oil demand has gotten stronger, and in the U.S., gasoline demand has risen in particular, and in Europe, too. Keep in mind, this is from very low levels. Oil prices are about supply and demand, he said, and that he was surprised at the warp speed of the oil production cuts weve seen everywhere, particularly in West Texas. We had a brutal realignment to lower levels of demand. Supplies have now declined a little to the point of the worst being behind us. The U.S. and Canada have cut more production than any other producing region in the world, including the Middle East, Burkhard said. Companies responded to the extreme market conditions illustrated, he said, by the price of oil falling to a negative $38 a barrel on April 20 faster than they thought they could, he said. That negative price on April 20 should have eliminated any doubts about market conditions, Burkhard said. Now that prices have recovered, he said, There is no single price that will lead to a common reaction. We do see conditions for prices to rise in the second half of the year. But any price increase will be moderated by, first, drawing down large inventories, and second, at $30, some production may come back online. The question is, will the increase in supply outpace the increase in demand? Gasoline supplies are still high and there is still a lot of crude on ships. Though the worst is behind us, theres still a lot of supply out there. President Donald Trump's administration has discussed holding the first US nuclear test since 1992 as a potential warning to Russia and China, the Washington Post reported Friday. Such a test would be a significant departure from US defense policy and dramatically up the ante for other nuclear-armed nations. One analyst told the newspaper that if it were to go ahead it would be seen as the "starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race". The report, citing one senior administration official and two former officials, all who spoke anonymously, said the discussion had taken place at a meeting on May 15. It came after some US officials reportedly claimed that Russia and China were conducting their own low-yield tests. Moscow and Beijing have denied the claims, and the US has not offered evidence for them. The senior administration official said that demonstrating Washington's ability to "rapid test" would be a useful negotiating tactic as the US seeks a trilateral agreement with Russia and China over nuclear weapons. The meeting did not conclude with any agreement, and the sources were divided over whether discussions were still ongoing. Nuclear non-proliferation activists were quick to condemn the idea. "It would be the starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race," Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, told the Post. He added that it would also likely "disrupt" negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, "who may no longer feel compelled to honour his moratorium on nuclear testing." Beatrice Fihn of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the group that won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, warned a Trump nuclear test could "plunge us back into a new Cold War". "It would also blow up any chance of avoiding a dangerous new nuclear arms race. It would complete the erosion of the global arms control framework," she said in a statement. The Trump administration has repeatedly shaken up US defense policy. The Washington Post report came one day after Trump announced that he plans to withdraw from the Open Skies treaty with Russia, which was designed to improve military transparency and confidence between the superpowers. It is the third arms control pact Trump has abrogated since coming to office. Russia has insisted it will abide by the 18-year-old agreement, which seeks to lower the risk of war by permitting each signatory country's military to conduct a certain number of surveillance flights over another member country each year on short notice. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UC President Janet Napolitanos plan to eliminate the SAT/ACT as required for submission to the UC system is short-sighted. The SAT/ACT are indeed sound tools for predicting the success of prospective students to complete the rigorous curriculum in most academic and professional majors. The prestige of a UC degree has historically been due to such standards. The lowering of standards, which President Napolitano and her minions on the UC Regents are advocating, leads to a lower-standard student. What should be done is the restoration of standards on the primary and secondary levels of education. Pseudo-standards lead to pseudo-students, who in turn are ill equipped to deal with rigorous job and professional careers and environments. Both society and students are ill served. In reality, this lowering of standard requirements only benefits the social-educational bureaucratic complex, by guaranteeing an endless parade of lower standard ill-equipped students and graduates. Mike Mcadoo, San Francisco Sad over closure As a longtime LGBTQ city resident, Im quite sad to read Oldest gay bar Stud shutters as debt skyrockets (Business, May 22). One of my first happy memories of living here was line dancing with drag queens at the Stud. And while society has grown more accepting of our community over the past few decades, the number of local establishments that openly embrace LGBTQ people is steadily shrinking. Its quite true that bars and nightclubs like the Stud are more than just places for us to party. As gay state Sen. Scott Wiener aptly commented, These are community spaces. Esteban Hernandez, San Francisco Salute Lincoln Project Regarding Trump-averse Republicans mobilize, strategize (May 22): As an independent voter who is deeply opposed to President Trumps policies and divisive words, I applaud the efforts of the Lincoln Project. But the GOP expats who are raising millions for this super PAC to flip the White House and oust any Republicans, especially senators, who support Trump, have their work cut out for them. The vast majority of Republican voters are very loyal to the current president, and will continue to support him despite the efforts of the Lincoln Project. And since nearly all GOP leaders in Washington, D.C., are in lockstep with this authoritarian-minded leader, I would be quite happy to see those who are up for re-election get voted out of office (along with Trump) by an across-the-board Democratic ballot sweep in the November election. Hazel Underwood, Milpitas Selfish behavior Regarding Tulare County defies Newsom (Page 1, May 21): How are the county officials of Tulare County planning to keep their burgeoning cases of COVID-19 within their borders? They arent, and they obviously dont care about spreading a devastating illness. Do the county officials of Tulare County not understand that everyone is suffering? All the people of California have made great personal sacrifices to save lives. Other counties residents have lost jobs and businesses as well. Tulare Countys reckless behavior endangers all of us. It is selfish in the extreme as well as shortsighted. Meanwhile, if I was a voter in Tulare County, I would think twice about voting for those Board of Supervisors members again. They have made clear that your health and your life are very low on their list of priorities. Susan Wilder, Oakland NIMBY-20 Concerning Sounding a retreat on housing (Editorial, May 22): A new package of bills being proposed by state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins to incrementally boost the supply of homes is, indeed, a move in the opposite direction if it defers to the Bay Area and Southern California cities and suburbs local density, height, setback and environmental standards. This new legislation being offered during the COVID-19 pandemic should be should be called NIMBY-20. Raneesh Patel, Redwood City Dont cut the funding If weve learned anything from the 2008 recession, it would be that an economic crisis is the worst time to cut education funding. The pandemic has revealed how public schools provide a social safety net for Californians, especially communities that are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Many students are struggling with mental health and the stress of adjusting to distance learning. At the same time, their families are risking their lives as essential workers. Not only do students lack the technological resources to succeed, but they also lack the teaching support systems needed to fully and successfully engage in remote learning. Gutting education right now would be the biggest generational disaster for young people and families of color. Rather than massive cutbacks, we must go all in on our schools. California legislators can and must negotiate a budget that includes a significant investment in public education. Lets not repeat the same mistakes of 2008. Three solar energy projects in County Wexford are part of a multi-million Euro investment in planned solar energy projects throughout the country as part of a collaborative initiative between Irish company, Shannon Energy, and Danish solar photovoltaic business, Obton. The three projects, located in the general Enniscorthy area are at Sweetfarm, St Johns, near Enniscorthy town; Ballymackesy East, near Clonroche, and Tomfarney North, which is also near Clonroche. The Danish-Irish venture said that eleven projects around the country, including the three in Co Wexford, will be entered into the first round of the Government's Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auction, the results of which are expected in July. The acquisition of the eleven solar energy projects will represent an investment of over 60m in the Irish solar energy sector when developed and will deliver 105 MW of solar power to homes throughout the country. The project portfolio marks the first phase in the Danish-Irish joint venture's overall 300m investment to provide over 500 MW of renewable solar power in Ireland over the next five years. It's expected that around 200 jobs will be created during the construction phase of the solar photovolvaic (PV) technology on approximately 400 acres. The combined 105MW of power generated will be enough to fulfil the yearly energy requirements of up to 20,000 households. In addition to the eleven projects recently announced, the Shannon Energy Obton venture has secured a pipeline of projects that will bring the total capacity of the overall portfolio to more than 500MW. CEO of Shannon Energy Noel Shannon said his company was delighted to be working with Obton to secure the projects. 'We hope we are successful in all of these projects in the auction in July as that would allow us to proceed rapidly with the rest of the portfolio in subsequent auctions,' he said. The company's Chairperson, Gerry Shannon, said that by participating in the auctions Shannon Energy was 'marking a significant contribution' towards achieving the Government's goal of 70 per cent electricity production from renewable sources by 2030. Meanwhile the CEO of Obton, Anders Marcus, said: 'We foresee that the diversity of this portfolio will allow it to serve as a secure source of power for the grid throughout Ireland, and we look forward to managing this contribution with Shannon Energy for many years to come.' In order to benefit from support under the RESS scheme projects need to meet pre-qualification criteria which includes offering the communities [they are located in] an opportunity to invest and take ownership of a portion of renewable projects locally. A national register of community benefit payments will also be established. Jaipur, May 23 : An SHO (Station House Officer) posted at Rajgarh police station in Churu district committed suicide, police said on Saturday, adding his body was found hanging with the ceiling at his government residence today. The police identified the SHO as Vishnudutt Vishnoi. Churu Superintendent of Police Tejaswini Gautam has rushed to the site with other senior officials to investigate the matter. Rajasthan police chief Bhupendra Singh has also sought information in the case, sources said. Vishnoi's post-mortem will be conducted after his family arrives from his native village in Sriganganagar district, said a police officer. Meanwhile Nagaur Rashtriya Loktantrik Party leader Hanuman Beniwal has demanded a CBI investigation in the case. "The SHO's suicide has raised many questions on the system. The Chief Minister should issue a statement," he tweeted. China's decision to abandon a key economic target and rising tensions with the US cast a pall over stock markets as the week drew to a close. Beijing ditched its forecast for GDP growth for the first time since the measure was introduced in 1990. President Xi Jinping said it was too difficult to predict the outlook for 2020, as governments around the world grapple with the shock caused by the pandemic. Poor closing: China's decision to abandon a key economic target and rising tensions with the US cast a pall over stock markets as the week drew to a close Xi also unveiled a 546billion stimulus package to boost infrastructure and help prop up ailing businesses. But the admission that the next few months will be such a big unknown for the world's second biggest economy is likely to throw industries into disarray, as they lose a key indicator for how much China might want to consume in raw materials and oil and how much it might want to produce and export. As SP Angel brokers explained: 'Lower demand from Western consumers will likely cut into Chinese exports as manufacturers struggle to sell goods.' Added to this, Beijing's plans to introduce a new security law for Hong Kong raised concerns it could trigger another wave of violent protests. Little is known about the details of the bill, which is expected to ban sedition, secession and subversion, but President Donald Trump has already said the US would 'react strongly' to China if it pushes ahead with its plans. Relations were already fraught, with Trump lashing out repeatedly over the country not doing more to contain the coronavirus, and look likely to heat up further. Shares in financial stocks that are particularly exposed to Asia and China racked up losses yesterday, with Prudential falling by 9.3 per cent, or 103.5p, to 1011p, Standard Chartered dropping 2.4 per cent, or 9.5p, down to 382p and HSBC closing 5 per cent lower, down 19.9p, to 379p. Oil prices fell 3.8 per cent to $34.70 a barrel as traders fretted about what effect, as the world's largest oil importer, this could have on China's need for crude. The FTSE 100 edged into the red, falling 0.4 per cent, or 21.97 points, to 5993.28. Water supplier United Utilities also dragged on the blue-chip index, falling 4.6 per cent, or 42.6p, to 879.4p, despite its dividend rising 3.2 per cent on last year. Profits fell 30 per cent to 303million, while revenues inched 2 per cent higher to 1.9billion in the year to March 31. It hinted the dividend policy could change in future, saying it would review the payout 'as a clearer picture' of post-Covid-19 trading emerges. Analysts are bracing for some people not being able to pay their water bills. The FTSE 250, meanwhile, yesterday closed marginally up rising by 0.01 per cent, or 12.9 points, to 16,398.86. It was held back by a 10.6 per cent, or 130p drop in Go-Ahead's shares, to 1099p, after the bus and rail provider said the disruption to travel caused by the coronavirus will hit profits this year. Close: The FTSE 100 edged into the red, falling 0.4 per cent, or 21.97 points, to 5993.28 The group has scrapped its financial forecasts this year, blaming uncertainty around how much people will use public transport when lockdown eases. It is so far estimating that profits will fall to between 63million and 75million for the year that ends in June, down from 121million it made the year before. Over on AIM, events magazine and food market operator Time Out Group said it was hoping to raise up to 49million to help pay down debt and tide itself over during a slump in the restaurant and advertising industries. Elections officials from across California say most traditional voting locations are too small for physical distancing in November's election for voters who choose not to vote by mail. (Los Angeles Times) Elections officials across California, seeking a way to offer in-person voting in November with strict coronavirus protections, are urging lawmakers to close schools in the days leading up to and including election day and allow campus gyms and auditoriums to be used. The proposal comes as county officials face tight timelines to begin preparing for the Nov. 3 election and as the process has been overshadowed by Gov. Gavin Newsom's order earlier this month to mail a ballot to every California voter. Newsom's effort is now mired in a legal battle with Republicans, who insist only the Legislature has the power to change election rules. Lawsuits from the Republican National Committee and former Vista Rep. Darrell Issa are challenging the May 8 executive order and President Trump has continued to insist, without proof, that voting by mail is a process rife with fraud. The effort by local elections officials seeks to find rules for those who will vote in person, a process they argue cannot be done without a plan that allows voters several days to participate and venues that are much larger than those used in the past. "We wanted to provide a solution" for safe voting sites, said Joe Holland, registrar of voters in Santa Barbara County and president of the California Assn. of Clerks and Elected Officials. "Schools have facilities that are big enough to accommodate in-person voting with the COVID-19 environment that we have to deal with." Elections officials say the four weekdays in question Oct. 30, a Friday, through Nov. 4, a Wednesday could easily be designated as "in-service" days, during which teachers and personnel are on campus but students are not. Holland said public health requirements, especially regarding size and social distancing, would make most traditional polling places unworkable. Schools also would have more consistent access for disabled voters, he said, and would be found easily by voters seeking to cast their ballots. Story continues Several prominent education groups had not heard about the proposal when contacted Friday. State Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana), chairman of the Senate's elections committee, said the best path forward would be, first, to see what could be agreed to without a mandate from Sacramento. "It does seem that schools are a community asset that is accessible," Umberg said. "Thats a conversation to be had between local school officials and local election officials." Secretary of State Alex Padilla suggested Friday that the idea had merit. "Schools and colleges alone will not provide all the voting locations we will need this November, but they have historically been a major source of voting locations, and we will need them again this fall," he said. "The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an enormous challenge for county elections officials to adjust their operations." Any decision would come later than Newsom envisioned. His executive order requiring counties to mail ballots to the state's roughly 21 million voters called for clear guidelines by the end of May on how counties would provide traditional in-person voting. At best, a decision is now unlikely before mid-June. There were more than 2.7 million Californians who voted in person for the March presidential primary more ballots than those cast in most states' elections. But far more California voters, 72% of those who participated, chose to fill out a ballot sent to them in the mail. A survey released Thursday by a team of researchers from USC, UC San Diego and UC Riverside came to a similar conclusion, finding almost 72% of eligible voters prefer either to put their ballot in the mail in November or drop them off at a location in their community. Those who don't are more often found in communities of color or are voters with physical disabilities. Wilma Franco, executive director of the Southeast Los Angeles Collaborative, told those attending an election webinar last week that changing those voter habits would be hard. Its really going to take new ways of reaching our community," she said during the event sponsored by the nonprofit Future of California Elections. Exactly how many in-person voting centers will be required remains a point of contention. Fifteen California counties, choosing to embrace an optional 2016 state election law that moves away from traditional polling places, provide one location for every 10,000 voters in the final four days of an election sites that offer a variety of voter services. But 43 other counties have chosen not to opt into that system and may find that formula difficult. In its letter to the Legislature, the association of elections officials suggested one location for every 15,000 voters. Holland said even that standard would be challenging in some communities, especially given that the most reliable elections workers Californians in their 60s and 70s are also those considered to be most at risk during the pandemic. "Can I, in good conscience, even ask them to be a poll worker in November?" Holland said. For those who choose to vote in person in November, ideally bringing their mailed ballots with them, a number of changes are expected. Dean Logan, the registrar of voters in Los Angeles County, said Thursday during the election webinar that face coverings and gloves would be offered to Angelenos who used local voting centers in the fall. L.A. County experienced a number of problems with in-person voting in March, but Logan told election advocates during Thursday's event that his staff believed the voting experience could be improved upon in November. "We have to build a capacity for that," Logan said about in-person voting. We need to be more direct and more emphatic in informing voters that were open and available." Using schools for a four-day voting experience could hinge on money. Elections officials are already insisting November election rules can't be implemented without additional state dollars, and schools may be hesitant to change their schedules without some sort of compensation. Funding for K-12 schools depends, in part, on daily attendance numbers. Holland acknowledged the challenges but said the coronavirus crisis could be remembered as creating a partnership that could be used in future elections too. "It would be a huge achievement for democracy in California," he said. "We would be partners, and the voters and the citizens of California would greatly benefit." Republicans, meanwhile, continue to take aim at mail balloting. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced the national party's lawsuit on Sunday through Twitter. His radical plan is a recipe for disaster that would create more opportunities for fraud & destroy the confidence Californians deserve to have in their elections, McDaniel said. The lawsuit accuses Newsom of a brazen power grab that would violate eligible citizens right to vote. Responding to the lawsuit late Sunday, Padilla said on Twitter that expanding voting by mail is not a "partisan issue." This lawsuit is just another part of Trumps political smear campaign against voting by mail. We will not let this virus be exploited for voter suppression," he wrote. Times staff writer Laura Newberry contributed to this report. DOYLESTOWN >> A man convicted of attempted homicide for shooting a man during an assault in February 2019 at a Falls Township trailer park was sentenced on Jan. 19 to 18 to 40 years in state prison. Thomas Zorrer, 39, was convicted on all counts against him by a Bucks County jury in December. Besides attempted homicide, he was also... Overview: The manufacturing industry has seen dramatic changes in past decade and continues to undergo radical process changes in the delivery of its products. The advancement in technology and innovations are changing the market scenario and increasing the need of cost effectiveness and superior customer services. There is increasing need of implementation of technological innovations to the manufacturing processes and data to enable better decision plans, greater responsiveness to customer demands, improved product design and quality, and faster turnaround times. Artificial Intelligence rely on large datasets, using statistical modelling and various technologies such as machine learning and natural language processing to generate insights from the manufacturing records, data, IT systems, stock control and order processing. AI uses electronic records (ER), machine produced data from apps and sensors, factory and equipment databases, which is then being applied to material technology, factory process control, customer and supplier relationship management, logistics and warehousing management, decision making and communication of process information. Besides cost and time efficiency, various other technologies are responsible for the integration of AI in manufacturing such as the growing cloud computing and robotics market. Request For Report sample @: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/9913 Market Analysis: According to Infoholic Research, AI in manufacturing market is estimated to be $330.5 million in 2017 and is expected to reach $4,012.5 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 51.6% during the forecast period 20172023. The leading adoption of internet of things, augmented reality, digitization and 3D printing are the major reasons contributing the adoption of technology in manufacturing. Market Segmentation Analysis: The report provides in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and supportable projections and assumptions about the market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions based on the vendors portfolio, blogs, whitepapers, and vendors presentations. Thus, the research report serves every side of the market and is segmented based on regional markets, technology type, applications, and end-user verticals. Request for Report Discount : https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/9913 Regions and Vendors Analysis: The report contains an in-depth analysis of the vendor profiles, which include financial health, business units, key business priorities, SWOT, strategy, and views; and competitive landscape. The key and the prominent vendors covered in the report include Google Inc., Microsoft Corporation, IBM, Apple Inc., Preferred Networks, Inc., Skymind, Inc. and others. The vendors have been identified based on the portfolio, geographical presence, marketing & distribution channels, revenue generation, and significant investments in R&D. The regions covered in report are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. The revenue is generated mainly from North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. North America is leading the market followed by Europe with Asia Pacific emerging in AI in manufacturing market. Benefits The report provides an in-depth analysis of the Global Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing Market aiming to reduce time to market for products and services, reduce operational cost, improve accuracy, and operational performance. The major driving forces for Artificial Intelligence are the supplemental technologies such as cloud computing, cognitive analytics, and the need to shift towards cost effective solutions to make decisions in different sectors. The report discusses about technology types, applications, and regions. Furthermore, the report provides details about the major challenges impacting the market growth. More Info of Impact Covid19 @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/9913 Prasanjeet Sarkar By Express News Service ROURKELA: As many districts in Odisha are struggling to deal with the surge in migrant workers returning from Gujarat, Sundargarh seems to be emerging an outlier. Migrant workers from the district are not as keen as others to come back even though the western State is a hotbed of COVID-19. Against registration of around 40,000 migrants of the district since May 3, only 3,500 workers have returned so far. On Thursday, a special train from Tamil Nadu brought back only 13 workers of Sundargarh. The low turnout of migrants has left the administration both perplexed and relieved. Sources said, more and more migrants are having second thoughts about return as the lockdown relaxation and opening of workplaces has once again provided them job and livelihood. The thought of having to undergo 28-day quarantine on return to Odisha is also a dampener for them. Tribal youths Budei Oram, Bandhu Ekka and Subodh Kullu, tribal youths of Barilepta in Nuagaon block, are engaged in fish farming in Surat. They said like them, 400 other workers of Nuagaon are working in pisciculture sector in Gujarat. All of us have decided to stay put. During the lockdown, we didnt face any difficulty as our employer took care of our needs. We have also been provided with regular work in a safe environment, they said. Former sarpanch of Hathibari Shankar Tirkey said with the easing of lockdown restrictions, many migrant workers stranded in other states are unwilling to return. Besides, the migrants are also reluctant to spend money for their return only to land in a quarantine centre. Sundargarh Zilla Parishad president Emma Ekka said opinions are divided among migrant workers about returning to Odisha. She said those having jobs or assured of resumption of work have stayed put while there are many who are desperate to return. Unlike the workers of Nuagaon, a group of about 250 migrants from Sundargarh engaged in pisciculture in Karnataka recently contacted her and about 150 of them have returned on their own, he said. Project director of District Rural Development Agency BS Patel said with the resumption of train services, the number of returnees would increase. A general view of the atmosphere at the Pensacola Naval Air Station following a shooting in Pensacola, Fla., on Dec. 06, 2019. (Josh Brasted/Getty Images) FBI Phone Probe Links Al Qaeda to Saudi Who Killed Three at Florida Base, Barr Says WASHINGTONThe FBI cracked the iPhone encryption of the Royal Saudi Air Force trainee who killed three American sailors in a December attack at a naval base in Florida, and found evidence linking him to al Qaeda, Attorney General William Barr said on Monday. The shooter, Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, 21, also wounded eight people before being killed by law enforcement during the Dec. 6, 2019, attack. He was on the base as part of a U.S. Navy training program designed to foster links with foreign allies. Attorney General William Barr speaks during a press conference on the shooting at the Pensacola naval base in Washington, on Jan. 13, 2020. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) The Justice Department succeeded in unlocking the encryption on the shooters iPhone after Apple declined to do so, Barr told reporters on a conference call. Apple later disputed his version, saying it cooperated to the extent that its technology allowed. The information from the phone has already proved invaluable, Barr said. Barr called on Congress to take action, forcing Apple and other tech companies to help law enforcement agencies get through encryption during criminal investigations. Apples decision has dangerous consequences, Barr said. Many of the technology companies that advocate most loudly for warrant-proof encryption are at the same time willing to accommodate authoritarian regimes. Apple defended its practice. It is because we take our responsibility to national security so seriously that we do not believe in the creation of a backdoorone which will make every device vulnerable to bad actors, Apple said in a statement. There is no such thing as a backdoor just for the good guys, and the American people do not have to choose between weakening encryption and effective investigations. In February, an audio recording purporting to be from the Islamist militant group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility for the attack, but provided no evidence. Prior to the shooting spree, the shooter had posted criticism of U.S. wars and quoted slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on social media. The Pensacola attack was actually the brutal culmination of years of planning, FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Monday, adding that evidence showed Alshamrani had been radicalized by 2015. Barr has said the Saudi government did not have any advanced warnings of the shooting. The Saudi Embassy in Washington said in a statement it welcomed the recovery of intelligence from Alshamranis phone and it was continuing to provide full support to the investigation. Saudi Arabia in January withdrew its remaining 21 cadets from the U.S. military training program and brought them home, after the Justice Departments investigation revealed some had accessed child pornography or had social media accounts containing Islamic extremist or anti-American content. By Mark Hosenball and Sarah N. Lynch A few of the Shramik special trains being operated to transport migrant workers from the city to their hometowns in other states are taking longer to reach their destinations. According to the Western Railway (WR), this is due to the high number of trains parcel and Shramik being operated on the same routes without proper timetables, which has led to congestion. One such incident was highlighted when a Shramik train bound for Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh from Kalyan station (Central Railway) on Thursday, was rescheduled to leave from Vasai Road railway station (WR) instead due to congestion on the route. Because of this change, the train had to take an alternative route via Odisha. Passengers had expected to reach Gorakhpur by Saturday but the train instead stopped at Rourkela railway station in Odisha that afternoon. This led to confusion among passengers who thought the train was not going to its original destination. The passengers were also running out of food and water due to the extended journey. Shramik special train set off to Gorakhpur (UP) from Vasai Road (Maharashtra) on 21st May, 2020 reaches Rourkela station in Odisha today morning. Clueless passengers claims that driver has lost the route. No official word from @WesternRly. Can someone help, Twitter user @ritvick_ab posted online. Western Railway (WR) stated that the train was to depart from Kalyan railway station but due to heavy congestion on the route, it departed from Vasai Road railway station. It is expected to reach Gorakhpur today. Vasai Road-Gorakhpur Shramik special train which departed on May 21 was to run on the Kalyan-Jalgoan-Bhusaval-Khandwa-Itarsi-Jabalpur-Manikpur route, but the train went to Gorakhpur via a diverted route [Bilaspur (SECR)-Jharsuguda-Rourkela-Adra-Asansol (ER), due to heavy traffic congestion on existing routes, said Ravinder Bhakar, chief public relations officer, Western Railway. Due to heavy congestion on the Itarsi-Jabalpur-Pt Deen Dayal Nagar route, it has been decided by the railway board to temporarily run the trains originating from Vasai Road, Udhna, Surat, Valsad, Ankleshwar of Western Railway, Konkan Railway, and some stations of Central Railway, on a diverted route via Bilaspur-Jharsugda-Raurkela. Bexar County prosecutors were poised to begin jury selection for their first death penalty case in five years when COVID-19 all but shut down San Antonios criminal justice complex. The trial of Otis Tyrone McKane, accused of killing San Antonio Police Detective Benjamin Marconi in 2016, was on state District Judge Ron Rangels docket, set for trial April 27. About 1,000 people were summoned March 6 so attorneys could start screening potential jurors. More than 300 people filled out questionnaires. The plan was to choose 12 jurors and two alternates to hear McKanes case. Then the novel coronavirus hit. Jury duty was suspended March 16 the day individual voir dire, the questioning of potential jurors, was to begin in the capital murder case. No jury panels have been seated since. Rangels latest order suspended jury service through June 30, and he has said he is taking it on a month-by-month basis. Its possible juries may not return until September. On ExpressNews.com: Bexar County suspends jury duty for a month amid coronavirus spread Coronavirus at a glance 1,897,239 Confirmed cases in U.S. XXX In Texas XX In Bexar County XXX Deaths in U.S. XX In Texas X In Bexar County Source: WHO, CDC See More Collapse Restarting the justice system is creating all kinds of challenges for judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys in courts across the state as communities seek to return to everyday life without sparking a resurgence of the deadly disease. Unprecedented I cant think of anything like this. Whats happening now, I have never experienced anything like it, Donna Coltharp, a retired federal public defender and a St. Marys University law professor, said of the delay. As COVID-19 spreads not only sickness but fear, Texas has been here before, during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1920. In a blog written in April by Stephen Pate for the Texas Bar, he detailed the difficulties that courts and Texans in general faced at that time, not just because of the pandemic, but because the U.S. was engaged in World War I. Pate wrote that then, as now, most of the state was under quarantine and people were told to stay away from public gatherings. Juries were halted for a few weeks at a time. He quoted a report from the now-closed San Antonio Light that prospective jurors were hard to find because they were either serving in the Army, training for the military or sick. Although Texas courts during that pandemic were understaffed, they stayed open from 1918 to 1919, while new infections continued into 1920, Pate wrote, ending his report with: The flus disruption of Texas courts had been brief, but troubling. On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases For our time, it is unprecedented, said Rangel, who presides over the 379th state District Court. It is a belief shared by Bexar County District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales, who with Rangel and other officials are working to keep the justice system running while preventing contagion from spreading through San Antonios courtrooms. Gonzales said he has had informal conversations with Rangel on how jury trials can return to some sort of normalcy. We agree that we want to be cautious about bringing in jury panels too quickly, Gonzales said. You want a juror to be laser-focused on evidence in a case and make sure a juror feels safe in that environment. McKane case McKanes trial is the first capital murder case to be tried in Bexar County involving the death of a San Antonio law enforcement officer since 2015, when Mark Anthony Gonzalez was sent to death row for killing sheriffs Sgt. Kenneth Vann in 2011. Marconi, 50, was working an overtime shift when he pulled over a motorist in front of San Antonios Public Safety Headquarters around 11:45 a.m. Nov. 20, 2016. As he was sitting in a patrol SUV, a man approached him from behind and shot him twice in the head. On ExpressNews.com: Detective Benjamin Marconi: A smiling grandfather and community protector Video taken from a security camera at the police station captured the shooting. The next day, McKane was spotted on video at the Bexar County Courthouse as he entered to get married. About 28 hours after the killing, McKane, 34, was taken into custody, and he has been in jail since. Investigators said McKane confessed, stating that he was upset about a child custody battle and lashed out by killing Marconi, a 20-year veteran of the Police Department. In most court cases, it takes about a day to select a jury. Capital murder cases seeking death, as in the McKane case, take weeks. Though the panel has not been formally chosen, the pool has not yet been busted, officials said. Rangel said he has met with officials from San Antonios Metropolitan Health District to implement safety protocols to ensure that jurors, as well as courthouse personnel and the public, can feel safe and not at risk while at the justice center. Civic duty Jury service is really one of the most significant things we ask members of the community to participate in, Rangel said. For me, it is incumbent upon the system to ensure that those who enter the courthouse know that safety is our priority. On ExpressNews.com: Civil district judge gets a taste of jury duty in Bexar County after receiving summons to appear He said that sentiment extends to all the people who work at the Paul Elizondo Tower, Cadena-Reeves Justice Center and the historic Bexar County Courthouse. All three buildings make up the justice center complex downtown, across from San Fernando Cathedral. Rangel is looking at all scenarios to keep people safe such as providing disinfecting products in common areas, limiting the number of individuals in areas such as restrooms, marking proper social distances, limiting directional flow and requiring masks or face covers while in courtrooms and jury rooms. Anyone who currently enters the courthouse has their temperature taken. Gonzales said they also have discussed using the courtroom gallery for jurors instead of the jury box. He concurred with Rangel that the way things used to be wont work, and he stressed the importance of putting protocols in place so the panel feels safe during trial. You dont need a juror to be distracted about whether another juror will cough when they walk by, or a bailiff sneezes, he said. You want to make sure a juror feels safe in that environment and trust that they arent risking their health by coming down and being asked to perform their civic duty. New technology Meanwhile, the courts have been conducting essential business through videoconferencing such as Zoom hearings for Child Protective Services cases, protective orders and jail cases. Recently, a murder sentencing was conducted with most participants working remotely and proceedings shown live on YouTube. The defendant was at the jail, and his attorney was at his office. Coltharp, the St. Marys professor, noted that the new technology has added an intriguing layer to what might become the new normal for criminal justice. It is interesting to see how we are solving these problems in real time, but whats really intriguing me and got my ears perked up is what that is going to look like when we get out of the emergency, she said. What are we going to be keeping, what are we going to be willing to tolerate in a nonpandemic world that we might not have thought we could tolerate before the pandemic. The jury selection delay because of COVID-19 is not a concern for Raymond Fuchs, McKanes lead defense attorney. He declined to speak about the case, other than to say that his client is ready to go to trial. But he acknowledged that the logistics of the entire process will have to change because of the coronavirus. I cant see us doing this anytime soon, he said of resuming jury selection and heading into trial. With 12 people in there (the jury box), nobody can be 6 feet away. Regarding the McKane jury, officials said they expect to pick up where they left off once they can proceed with juries and trials. Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. To read more from Elizabeth, become a subscriber. ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 Ghana National Gas Company Ltd have become aware of another misleading and mischievous media aggression by the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers(COPEC) Mr. Duncan Amoah. According to him, COPEC is raising red flags over the quality of Liquefied Petroleum Gas being supplied by the Atuabo Gas Company. Indeed, the gravamen of the claims being made by COPEC is that the recent Product from the Company has been contaminated, a situation they fear could cause explosion if not checked. It is within the right of Duncan Amoah and COPEC to engage in media gimmicks, but Ghana Gas wishes to place on record that: 1. Mr. Duncan Amoah asserted that the Atuabo LPG is quite high in Propane without providing a standard measure of 'thigh". This statement is mischievous. LPG is a gas mixture mainly made up of Propane and Butane. The presence of Propane in LPG amongst many other constituents contributes to the vapour pressure, density and calorific value of the LPG. As a leading producer and marketer of domestic LPG, Ghana Gas ensures that the quality of LPG and the standards for quality determination of LPG are in alignment with both Local and International Standards. The average vapour pressure of the Ghana Gas LPG over the last six months is 7.46kg/cm2 , which is well below the 9.5kg/cm 2 required by the Ghana Standards Authority. It is instructive to note that the lower vapour pressure reflects a stable product with low volatility. We have consistently marketed LPG of exceptional performance and of the highest quality whilst ensuring that the Propane content are always within the acceptable specifications of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and National Petroleum Authority (NPA) requirements. 2. LPG produced from the Atuabo Gas Plant is from a rich and sweet feedstock with negligible/trace amounts of undesirable compounds. Because the LPG is naturally odorless and colourless, an odorant is added to it to enable detection whenever there is a leakage or fugitive emission Thus an odorant is only added as a safety measure, 3. On Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) pricing, the mechanism for LPG produced by Ghana Gas at the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant is derived from NPA's bi-weekly market-driven Argus Butane ARA/UK large cargo price index, which is also the guideline for the commodity portion of imported LPG. The non-commodity charges are outside Ghana Gas' domain. 4. The Bi-Weekly pricing comprises two pricing windows for each month. The first pricing window for any current month references the Argus Butane CIF ARA cargoes price assessment for the period between the 12th to 26th of the previous month. The second pricing window references the Argus Butane CIF ARA cargoes price assessment from 27th of the previous to the 1 Ith of the current month. 5. It is imperative to note that, Ghana Gas is mindful of its strategic role and the impact on the downstream LPG market. Therefore, unlike other suppliers of LPG who add the producers premium to the benchmark pricing, the management of Ghana Gas, as a matter of responsiveness to the Ghanaian consumers, decided not to add premium on the benchmark FOB price. Ghana Gas hopes that since Mr. Amoah enjoys the liberty of expressing his views on this and other issues, he would also accept the responsibility of acquiring the relevant knowledge on the issues before expressing same. Signed: Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah Bonsu Head Corporate Communications- Ghana Gas Friday 22/05/2020 Missouri has 1,100 legal cannabis industry jobs, study finds The state of Missouri has 1,100 legal cannabis industry jobs, according to a study by Leafly , a website that provides information about marijuana and connects licensed retailers to consumers. The state ranks 22nd in the nation in terms of legal marijuana jobs, the report states. The pandemic has crashed the economy across the nation, and so this glimpse at a growing industry should fact check critics who argue for continued prohibition. Checkit: [May 23, 2020] Edelweiss Tokio Life on Pandemic-Proofing Financial Portfolios MUMBAI, May 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coronavirus pandemic has left everyone scrambling back to drawing boards to design and accept a new normal for families, businesses and economies. With heightened health concerns across the globe, people are increasingly recognising the importance of insurance and India is no exception. After all, this is an opportune time to relook and redesign financial portfolios, looking through the lens of three critical elements - protection, savings and wealth creation. Here's how insurance can make financial portfolio robust and ready for any unforeseen financial challenges in the future: Protection Protection or Life Cover strengthens a long-term financial portfolio, as it mitigates potential risks and challenges. There are enough anecdotal references which show how unforeseen health expenses or loss of income due to the death of the breadwinner make a massive dent in a family's savings. Protection products help loved ones to retain their lifestyle and long-term financial goals, without disruption. With innovative solutions now offering cover for both customers and their spouses at affordable costs, the future aspirations of loved ones can be easily secured. Similarly, some insurers offer critical illness plans that cover major or terminal illnesses like cancer. It is ideal to buy protection products as soon as one's professional career is started. It is a fallacy that the young do not need life insurance, when, in fact, buying insurance early helps to lock into lower premium, which, in turn, results in considerable cost-saving in the long-term. Check out Edelweiss Tokio Life - Zindagi Plus, a term insurance plan which offers an industry-first feature, Better Half Benefit - an option to get additional life cover for spouse. Savings It is advisable to set aside at least 10 percent of fiancial portfolio towards savings products. These plans are an ideal way for wealth accumulation, irrespective of risk appetite. Amid heightened market volatility and a reducing rate cycle in the country, this product category has now become a far more attractive instrument for long-term savings. These products, such as Edelweiss Tokio Life - GCAP can give a steady returns of 5-6 percent annually with Tax Benefits. Wealth Creation Unit Linked Insurance Plans (ULIPs) have emerged as one of the leading options for wealth creation, with insurers facilitating ease of buying through digital platforms. New-age ULIPs such as Edelweiss Tokio Life - Wealth Secure+ which subsequently has been ranked as the No.1 ULIP by CRISIL, offers flexibility in switching funds, systematic withdrawals, and life cover up to 100 years and starts with premiums as low as Rs 1,000 per month. In fact, ULIPs can also be effectively used for child's future or legacy or retirement planning. As the fight against COVID-19 is continued, protection will see a marked increase in terms of customer consideration. People will be more cognisant of buying insurance, complemented by increased awareness driven by the industry. With insurance penetration in India still in single digits, it will be interesting to see how increased digital penetration creates an impact. About Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance is a joint venture between Edelweiss Financial Services, among India's leading diversified financial services companies, and Tokio Marine Holdings Inc, one of the oldest and largest insurance companies in Japan. Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance launched its pan-India operations in July 2011, offering proprietary need-based solutions to help customers meet their life stage financial goals. Its lineage brings together a deep understanding of customer needs and international expertise. The company is headquartered in Mumbai serving over 2.02 lakh customers through 43,681 personal finance advisors as on March 31, 2019, across 121 branches in 93 major cities. Awards: Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance has been consistently recognized for its Product Innovation capabilities at several forums, namely Outlook Money Award for Best Life Insurer 2016, Golden Peacock Awards 2018, Golden Globe Tigers Awards and ET NOW - BFSI Awards for Best Product Innovation 2018, Times National Award for Marketing Excellence 2018, India Insurance Summit 2019 and Skoch Awards 2019. To learn more about Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance, please visit www.edelweisstokio.in You can follow Edelweiss Tokio Life on: https://www.linkedin.com/company/edelweiss-tokio-life-insurance/?viewAsMember=true https://twitter.com/edelweiss_tokio https://www.instagram.com/edelweiss_tokio/ https://www.facebook.com/EdelweissTokioLife/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Santwon Antonio Davis, who has been charged with defrauding his employer by falsely claiming to have tested positive for coronavirus: Fulton County Sheriff's Office A man from Atlanta, Georgia is facing fraud charges after telling his employer he had tested positive for coronavirus while in fact uninfected causing the plant where he worked to be shut down for cleaning and costing his employer some $100,000. Santwon Antonio Davis, who works in Atlanta at a Fortune 500 company, appeared in court this week accused of faking a dubious medical excuse letter saying he had Covid-19 a letter that was neither signed nor written on formal letterhead, and which said he had been discharged in November 2019. According to a statement by an FBI agent, Mr Daviss misrepresentations to his employer began in mid-March, shortly after he and his fellow employees were told that if they tested positive for the virus, they would be granted paid time off. Mr Davis got a call at work a week later and told his supervisors his mother, with whom he lived, had been exposed to someone whod tested positive and been told to self-quarantine. His supervisor told him he could continue working because that was a low risk exposure, but he nonetheless checked out early, saying he was worried about his mother. The agents statement recounts that next day, Mr Davis texted his supervisor to say his mother had developed symptoms overnight and that they were waiting for her test results. Again, his supervisor said he could work because that was a low risk exposure but Mr Davis didnt show up for work. Mr Davis texted his supervisor that Saturday to say his mother had indeed tested positive for coronavirus and that he himself had a fever; he texted again on Sunday to say that hed tested positive, the agents statement says. That Sunday evening, the supervisor asked Mr Davis to send him a copy of his test results and explained that if he had Covid-19, the company would have to shut for cleaning and other employees whod worked closely with him would have to self-quarantine. Relying on what Davis had said, the company closed its plant on March 23 for cleaning and paid salaries of at least four employees while they quarantined because theyd been in close contact with Davis, the agents statement says. Story continues However, after the companys human resources manager reviewed Mr Daviss suspicious letter, the company called the hospital where he said hed been tested and found out that it wasnt even performing Covid-19 tests. After repeated unsuccessful attempts to get Davis to send his test results, the company told him on March 25 that hed been suspended and would be fired if he didnt send them the results by 3pm that day; Mr Davis neither responded nor provided test results, and has been fired. Mr Davis, who has previously served three spells in jail totalling 18 months, was arrested by the FBI. He has reportedly admitted to never having tested positive. US Attorney Byung J. BJay Pak said that Mr Daviss actions were just one example of a growing problem of coronavirus-related scamming. The defendant caused unnecessary economic loss to his employer and distress to his coworkers and their families. We will take quick action through the Georgia COVID-19 Task Force to put a stop to criminals preying on Georgia companies and the public with Coronavirus-related fraud schemes. With Associated Press : Five people died of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu on Saturday taking the death toll to over 100 as the state is grappling with the contagion witnessing 759 fresh cases, the health department has said. Among the fresh cases, 49 of them arrived to the state from various places, the health bulletin said. A 75-year-old woman and four men, all from Chennai and suffering from various ailments, succumbed totalling the death toll to 103 in the state. Of those infected were two one-month-old babies from Kancheepuram and Chennai, the bulletin said. Twentyone employees of various companies including those of an automobile manufacturing in neighbouring Sriperumbudur were among the latest COVID-19 cases, health department sources told PTI. As many as 363 people have been discharged taking the total to 7,491, the bulletin said. Chennai leads in the maximum number of positive cases with 624 being added to the list on Saturday totalling 9,989 till date. With the latest cases, the cumulative COVID-19 positive tally also crossed the 15,000-mark to touch 15,512. Saturday also marks the fourth straight day the state has reported over 700 COVID-19 cases. On May 22, it had recorded 786; on May 21, it saw 776 cases; on May 20, it witnessed 743. Five passengers who had returned from the Philippines and seven have tested positive in the exit test conducted after seven days of arrival, albeit having tested negative earlier. On the domestic front, 24 from Maharashtra, three from West Bengal, one passenger each from New Delhi, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh have tested positive for the virus. A private lab in Kanyakumari has come into operation for testing samples taking the total number of facilities to 68. According to the health department, 3,97,340 samples were taken for testing and there were 7,915 active cases under treatment, including those in isolation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : A city court on Saturday granted interim bail till June 1 to DMK organisation secretary and Rajya Sabha member R S Bharathi, who was arrested for his alleged disparaging remarks made against the Scheduled Caste community a few months ago. A battery of DMK lawyers, including senior counsel P Wilson and N R Elango, who are Rajya Sabha members of the party, rushed to Principal Sessions judge Selvakumars residence to pre-empt remanding of Bharathi in judicial custody. Acceding to their plea for a reprieve in the meantime, the judge granted Bharathi interim bail till June 1. An FIR was registered against Bharathi under the IPC provisions besides those of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, based on the complaint lodged by Athi Tamilar Makkal Katchi leader Kalyanasundaram for an alleged speech by the DMK leader at a party forum indoor meeting. According to the interim order passed by the sessions judge, Bharathi was produced before him by police at 8.45am. The investigating officer submitted that he had conducted a proper probe and remanding the accused in judicial custody is necessary. Opposing the same, senior counsel Elango and Wilson argued the arrest is politically motivated. "Though the case was originally registered at the Teynampet police station, on May 22 it was transferred to Chennai CCB. Immediately after such transfer, the investigating officer arrested the accused without doing any further investigation," the senior counsel said. This apart, the accused has already moved the High Court seeking permission to surrender before the special court for MPs and MLAs with a direction to the court to consider his bail application on the same day, they added. Pointing out that the wife and son of the accused are doctors attending ward duty in a government hospital, they said the accused himself was in home quarantine in view of his family members' job. "Remanding him in custody is likely to prejudice his health too," they added. Countering the arguments, state public prosecutor A Natarajan submitted there was no bar for the police to arrest the accused in view of pendency of quash petition or bail application. Since the case falls under the SC/ST Act, the complainant has to be heard and no order can be passed without hearing him. Recording the submissions, the sessions judge said a remand could be refused only when there is no prima facie case made out from the prosecution records. Hence, the accused is remanded till June 5. In view of the submissions that the quash petitions are pending with the high court and that the family members of the accused are doctors involved in COVID-19 work, the judge said there are possibilities of infection spreading to other inmates of jail. Hence, the court is inclined to release the accused on interim bail till May 31 rather than keeping him in jail. He shall surrender before the special court without fail on June 1 subject to the results of the pleas pending before the high court, the judge said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Akufo-Addo has swore into office two newly appointed Justices of the Supreme Court, Clemence Jackson Honyenuga and Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu, at separate ceremonies at the Jubilee House. Justice Clemence Honyenuga was the first to take his oath of office. President Akufo-Addo administering the oath to the new Justice noted that he had met the stringent requirements of Article 128 clause (4) of the Constitution, and has demonstrated the independence of spirit, proven integrity, high moral character, and impartiality of mind to hold this high office. According to the President, your track record, over the last 39 years, speaks for itself Assistant State Attorney, private legal practitioner, Judge Advocate of the Ghana Navy, Justice of the High Court, Additional High Court Judge sitting on civil matters, narcotics, robbery, and other violent crimes, Director of the Remand Prisoners Project, and long-serving Justice of the Court of Appeal. He continued Your appointment to the highest court of the land is, thus, truly well-deserved and merited. The post-1966 Supreme Court has developed a positive reputation for the quality of its constitutional jurisprudence, and I am hopeful that you, who have already had good experience of high judicial office in the Court of Appeal, will help strengthen the development of our nation's constitutional and other jurisprudence in the Supreme Court. With Justice Honyenuga having endured a difficult time lately, the President applauded him for comporting himself in a dignified manner. I can only urge you to overlook these events, which should be a mere blip on your public career, and dispense justice in accordance with your conscience and the rule of law. It is extremely important that you ensure the strict application of the laws of the land, in the words of the judicial oath, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, which you have just taken, and, therefore, without recourse to the political, religious or ethnic affiliations of any citizen of the land, he said. President Akufo-Addo urged Justice Honyenuga to make sure that when anyone falls foul of the law, the law enforcement agencies, including the Judiciary, must ensure the person is dealt with in accordance with law. At the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Tanko Amadu, President Akufo-Addo stated that this is the first time in the nation's history that a Muslim has been appointed to the highest court of the land, adding that I am delighted to have been the President to have the honour of doing so, and to do so appropriately in this Holy Month of Ramadan. Having worked as a lawyer in the great Federal Republic of Nigeria for 19 years, and going on to found his own firm in 1997, Justice Tanko Amadu was appointed to the High Court in 2008, and, four years later, was promoted to the Court of Appeal, the President stated that, by dint of hard work and merit, he has been further elevated. With the Constitution of the Republic affirming that final judicial power in the State is vested solely in the Judiciary, and not in any other agency or organ of the State, the President noted that the Judiciary has onerous responsibilities to protect the individual liberties and fundamental human rights of citizens, to act as the arbiter in disputes between the State and the citizen, to act as the arbiter in disputes between citizens and all persons, and to serve as the bulwark for the defence and promotion of the liberties and rights of the people. With all other Courts bound to follow the decisions of the Supreme Court on questions of law, it is obviously critical that Justices of the Supreme Court possess a sound knowledge of the law, and of precedent, the principle of stare decisis, he added. Economy Minister Diane Dodds has predicted that the majority of around 200,000 people here on the UK's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will ultimately return to work. The minister said an estimated 200,000 local workers were on the JRS, also known as furlough, though no definite figures are available from HMRC, which runs the scheme. It enables people to stay in employment even though there is no work for them to do, with the Government paying 80% of their wages. With around 571,540 private sector jobs, according to the latest employment survey from March, just under 35%, or one in three, workers are on furlough. More workers in private sector jobs are also being supported through the Government's self-employed income support scheme. A further 26,500 people were also claiming unemployment benefit for the first time in April, while there are fears that large numbers of furloughed workers will be made redundant when the scheme runs out in October. But in an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, the minister would not estimate how many are regarded as at risk of losing their jobs: "I think that would be really sensationalism and wrong," she said. "Many firms are using it because, one, they were told to shut down, and as we reopen the economy we will gradually get back to a stage where the vast majority of those people will come back into work." She criticised aspects of the scheme, including the fact that there will be no flexibility to enable workers to come back part-time until August, and that it will eventually require a cash contribution from employers. "The fact that the Chancellor actually extended the length of the JRS and the fact that he gave it a bit more flexibility after July is good, but I probably would have argued for flexibility sooner ... business is not a homogeneous thing and not everybody moves at the same time." Expand Close Measures: Chancellor Rishi Sunak PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Measures: Chancellor Rishi Sunak And she said protecting public health was at the core of the Executive's response to coronavirus and the gradual lifting of the lockdown. But she denied it was prioritising health over the economy. "I think it's a wrong characterisation. I don't want anyone to characterise that this is the economy versus health, I think that's wrong. Everyone out there who owns a business has a family and they worry about their family. "We have to do things that work for health, that are based in the scientific reality of where we are, but that also help us to return the economy to normal because that's important for jobs and families." Her department is also working on economic recovery papers which are being shared with Executive colleagues, feeding into the roadmap for recovery published last week. Despite objections from business she said she was in agreement with Executive policy that dates would not be published as part of the five-step plan. But she acknowledged the concerns of hotels, who fear losing out to competitors in the Republic after they were told they can reopen on July 20. Hotels in England are to reopen on July 4. "I do not want our industry to be disadvantaged. It's absolutely, massively important that we are able to give them messaging that will help them go forward and I don't want to prejudge what I am going to do," the minister said. "This has been well aired and for those hotels which are listening, I understand and I'm working on the message." She would not say if she hoped that step five in the recovery plan - by which time pubs, restaurants and hotels will be reopened - could be reached by the autumn. She added: "I want NI to come out of this, I want NI to come out of it well, I desperately want to see people kept in jobs, as that's so important for families. But if we are to do it, we must do it in some sort of controlled and coordinated way." Read More She said she was heartened by an announcement during the week of 65 new jobs at Boston-based cyber security company Cygilant, which is now opening in Belfast, and that the Executive wanted to build jobs in the sector as it focuses on long-term economic recovery. And she announced a hardship fund of 40m for micro-businesses which have not yet qualified for other grant assistance. "Does it do everything that we really need it to do, or want it to do, or can we do everything? The honest answer is that we can't, but what I have continuously pledged to do is look at those gaps and continue to work with companies and to continue to see if there is further funding available that we can continue to do that." Her department confirmed that it had received 761 applications for the hardship fund since it opened on Wednesday. And 2,321 applications for support from a 25,000 grant for hospitality, tourism, leisure and retail firms had been successful, with 50m being paid out so far. In total 3,624 applications were received, with applications still under consideration. And 21,803 payments have been made under the 10,000 Small Business Support Grant Scheme, with a total of 210m paid out under that scheme. driven by a compounded growth of 3. 8%. Mechanical Friction, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 3. 6%. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. New York, May 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Industrial Brakes and Clutches Industry" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05205316/?utm_source=GNW Poised to reach over US$742.7 Million by the year 2025, Mechanical Friction will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth. - Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 3% growth momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over US$14.2 Million to the regions size and clout in the next 5 to 6 years. Over US$11.5 Million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of Europe markets. In Japan, Mechanical Friction will reach a market size of US$39 Million by the close of the analysis period. As the worlds second largest economy and the new game changer in global markets, China exhibits the potential to grow at 5.9% over the next couple of years and add approximately US$108 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. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05205316/?utm_source=GNW INDUSTRIAL BRAKES AND CLUTCHES MCP-1 MARKET ANALYSIS, TRENDS, AND FORECASTS, MAY 2 CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. MARKET OVERVIEW Recent Market Activity Industrial Brakes and Clutches: An Introductory Prelude Wider Use Case Across Numerous Application Domains: Cornerstone for Present & Future Growth Select Applications of Industrial Brakes & Clutches in Key Application Verticals Surge in Industrial Automation Instigates Massive Opportunities Emphasis on Performance & Safety of Industrial Systems Directs Progressive Trajectory Impact of Recent Economic Upheavals on the Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market: A Review Global Market Analysis Market to Benefit from Stable Economic Scenario Mechanical Friction Brakes & Clutches Dominate the Market Electromagnetic Brakes & Clutches: A Major Product Segment Developed Regions - Key Revenue Contributors Developing Economies - Prime Growth Drivers Asia-Pacific - The Fastest Growing Regional Market Global Competitor Market Shares Industrial Brakes and Clutches Competitor Market Share Scenario Worldwide (in %): 2020 & 2029 Impact of Covid-19 and a Looming Global Recession 2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS Altra Industrial Motion, Inc. (USA) Boston Gear (USA) Formsprag Clutch, Inc. (USA) Inertia Dynamics LLC (USA) Marland Clutch (USA) Stromag (Germany) Warner Electric, Inc. (USA) Dayton Superior Products Co., Inc. (USA) Electroid Company (USA) Hilliard Corp. (USA) INTORQ GmbH & CO. KG (Germany) KEB Automation KG (Germany) Lenze SE (Germany) Magnetic Technologies Ltd. (USA) Magtrol, Inc. (USA) Ogura Clutch Co., Ltd. (Japan) Placid Industries, Inc. (USA) Redex Andantex (France) Andantex USA, Inc. (USA) Merobel (France) Regal Power Transmission Solutions (USA) Rexnord Corp. (USA) Sjogren Industries, Inc. (USA) 3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS Product Innovation Continues to Drive Market Growth End-Use Level Requirements Spur Changes in Brake and Clutch Design Key Considerations in Brake and Clutch Designing Torque Heat Dispersing Inertia Speed Design Innovations Driven by Growth in Related Equipment Design Improvements in Permanent Holding Magnet Brakes Offer New Capabilities Novel Manufacturing Methods Aid Roll Out of Sophisticated Designs 3D Printing Technology Set to Proliferate Brake and Clutch Manufacturing Electromagnetic Caliper Brakes Make Robust Gains Technical Superiority Over Drum Brakes Widens Prospects for Disc Brakes Demand for Drum-Style Brakes Remains High Backstopping Clutches with High Torque Capacity Come to Fore Rugged Brakes for Hazardous Environments Exhibit Growth Parking Brakes for Locking Idle Machinery Heavy-Duty Brakes for Dynamic Applications Integrated Packages - Order of the Day in Motor Market Traditional Brakes Sustain Momentum Replacement Demand Enhances Market Prospects Replacement Demand Enhances Market Prospects Market Gears Up for Industry 4.0 & Smart Factory A Glimpse of First, Second,Third & Fourth Industrial Revolutions Soaring Demand for Food Processing Machinery Steers Market Momentum Regulations Drive Adoption of Washdown Brakes Material Handling Equipment: A Key End-Use Vertical Machinery-Intensive Textile Sector Extends Potential Opportunities Robust Demand for Machine Tools Underpins Revenue Growth Brakes and Clutches Assume Critical Importance in Mining Conveyors Mining Operators Prioritize Hydraulic Brakes for Overland Conveyors Servo Motors: A Niche End-Use Market for Industrial Brakes Small Diameter Brakes Gain Traction in Medical and Pharmaceutical Robots Brakes and Clutches for Paper Processing Equipment 4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE Table 1: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Global Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 2: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Global Retrospective Market Scenario in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 3: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Shift across Key Geographies Worldwide: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 4: Mechanical Friction (Product Segment) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Thousand: 2020 to 2027 Table 5: Mechanical Friction (Product Segment) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Thousand: 2012 to 2019 Table 6: Mechanical Friction (Product Segment) Market Share Breakdown of Worldwide Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 7: Electromagnetic (Product Segment) Potential Growth Markets Worldwide in US$ Thousand: 2020 to 2027 Table 8: Electromagnetic (Product Segment) Historic Market Perspective by Region/Country in US$ Thousand: 2012 to 2019 Table 9: Electromagnetic (Product Segment) Market Sales Breakdown by Region/Country in Percentage: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 10: Other Product Segments (Product Segment) Geographic Market Spread Worldwide in US$ Thousand: 2020 to 2027 Table 11: Other Product Segments (Product Segment) Region Wise Breakdown of Global Historic Demand in US$ Thousand: 2012 to 2019 Table 12: Other Product Segments (Product Segment) Market Share Distribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 III. MARKET ANALYSIS GEOGRAPHIC MARKET ANALYSIS UNITED STATES Market Facts & Figures US Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share (in %) by Company: 2020 & 2025 Market Analytics Table 13: United States Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020 to 2027 Table 14: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in the United States by Product Segment: A Historic Review in US$ Thousand for 2012-2019 Table 15: United States Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 CANADA Table 16: Canadian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020 to 2027 Table 17: Canadian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Review by Product Segment in US$ Thousand: 2012-2019 Table 18: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Canada: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product Segment for 2012, 2020, and 2027 JAPAN Table 19: Japanese Market for Industrial Brakes and Clutches: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 20: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Japan: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2012-2019 Table 21: Japanese Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Analysis by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 CHINA Table 22: Chinese Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Growth Prospects in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 23: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Analysis in China in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 24: Chinese Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market by Product Segment: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 EUROPE Market Facts & Figures European Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market: Competitor Market Share Scenario (in %) for 2020 & 2025 Market Analytics Table 25: European Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Demand Scenario in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 26: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Europe: A Historic Market Perspective in US$ Thousand by Region/Country for the Period 2012-2019 Table 27: European Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Shift by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 28: European Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020-2027 Table 29: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Europe in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 30: European Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 FRANCE Table 31: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in France by Product Segment: Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand for the Period 2020-2027 Table 32: French Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Scenario in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 33: French Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Analysis by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 GERMANY Table 34: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Germany: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 35: German Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 36: German Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ITALY Table 37: Italian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Growth Prospects in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 38: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Analysis in Italy in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 39: Italian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market by Product Segment: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 UNITED KINGDOM Table 40: United Kingdom Market for Industrial Brakes and Clutches: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 41: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in the United Kingdom: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2012-2019 Table 42: United Kingdom Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Analysis by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SPAIN Table 43: Spanish Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020 to 2027 Table 44: Spanish Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Review by Product Segment in US$ Thousand: 2012-2019 Table 45: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Spain: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product Segment for 2012, 2020, and 2027 RUSSIA Table 46: Russian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020 to 2027 Table 47: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Russia by Product Segment: A Historic Review in US$ Thousand for 2012-2019 Table 48: Russian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF EUROPE Table 49: Rest of Europe Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020-2027 Table 50: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Rest of Europe in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 51: Rest of Europe Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ASIA-PACIFIC Table 52: Asia-Pacific Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 53: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Asia-Pacific: Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Region/Country for the Period 2012-2019 Table 54: Asia-Pacific Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Analysis by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 55: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Asia-Pacific by Product Segment: Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand for the Period 2020-2027 Table 56: Asia-Pacific Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Scenario in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 57: Asia-Pacific Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Analysis by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 AUSTRALIA Table 58: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Australia: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 59: Australian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 60: Australian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 INDIA Table 61: Indian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020 to 2027 Table 62: Indian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Review by Product Segment in US$ Thousand: 2012-2019 Table 63: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in India: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product Segment for 2012, 2020, and 2027 SOUTH KOREA Table 64: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 65: South Korean Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 66: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Distribution in South Korea by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF ASIA-PACIFIC Table 67: Rest of Asia-Pacific Market for Industrial Brakes and Clutches: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 68: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Rest of Asia-Pacific: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2012-2019 Table 69: Rest of Asia-Pacific Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Analysis by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 LATIN AMERICA Table 70: Latin American Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Trends by Region/Country in US$ Thousand: 2020-2027 Table 71: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Latin America in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: A Historic Perspective for the Period 2012-2019 Table 72: Latin American Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Percentage Breakdown of Sales by Region/Country: 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 73: Latin American Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Growth Prospects in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 74: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Analysis in Latin America in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 75: Latin American Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market by Product Segment: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 ARGENTINA Table 76: Argentinean Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020-2027 Table 77: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Argentina in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 78: Argentinean Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 BRAZIL Table 79: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Brazil by Product Segment: Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand for the Period 2020-2027 Table 80: Brazilian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Scenario in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 81: Brazilian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Analysis by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 MEXICO Table 82: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Mexico: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 83: Mexican Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 84: Mexican Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF LATIN AMERICA Table 85: Rest of Latin America Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020 to 2027 Table 86: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Rest of Latin America by Product Segment: A Historic Review in US$ Thousand for 2012-2019 Table 87: Rest of Latin America Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 MIDDLE EAST Table 88: The Middle East Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 89: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in the Middle East by Region/Country in US$ Thousand: 2012-2019 Table 90: The Middle East Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 91: The Middle East Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020 to 2027 Table 92: The Middle East Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market by Product Segment in US$ Thousand: 2012-2019 Table 93: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in the Middle East: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product Segment for 2012,2020, and 2027 IRAN Table 94: Iranian Market for Industrial Brakes and Clutches: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 95: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Iran: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2012-2019 Table 96: Iranian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Analysis by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ISRAEL Table 97: Israeli Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020-2027 Table 98: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Israel in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 99: Israeli Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SAUDI ARABIA Table 100: Saudi Arabian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Growth Prospects in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 101: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Analysis in Saudi Arabia in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 102: Saudi Arabian Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market by Product Segment: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Table 103: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 104: United Arab Emirates Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 105: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by Product Segment: 2 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF MIDDLE EAST Table 106: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Rest of Middle East: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment for the Period 2020-2027 Table 107: Rest of Middle East Industrial Brakes and Clutches Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2012-2019 Table 108: Rest of Middle East Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 AFRICA Table 109: African Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product Segment: 2020 to 2027 Table 110: Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market in Africa by Product Segment: A Historic Review in US$ Thousand for 2012-2019 Table 111: African Industrial Brakes and Clutches Market Share Breakdown by Product Segment: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 IV. COMPETITION Total Companies Profiled: 136 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05205316/?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 By Bruno Kelly TRES UNIDOS, BRAZIL (Reuters) - Tres Unidos, an indigenous village in Brazil's Amazon rainforest, locked out all visitors, hoping that isolation would keep it safe. And yet the new coronavirus still came. It arrived, most likely up the Rio Negro, the giant snaking river that connects Tres Unidos with the Amazon's largest city, Manaus - five hours away by boat. The rivers, the lifeblood of these remote communities, are now also bringing disease. The dots of confirmed coronavirus deaths on a map published by Brazil's government follow the rivers in these remote parts. Waldemir da Silva, the village chief better known here as Tuxuau Kambeba, said the virus came quietly, as if carried on the wind. "The virus is treacherous," he said, wearing a white face mask and a wooden headdress. "We started getting ill and thought it was a bad cold, but people got worse. Thank God the children did not get it," the 61-year-old told Reuters. The drama of the 35 families of the Kambeba tribe is repeated in indigenous communities across the Amazon, as the epidemic moves upriver from Manaus, one of the hardest hit cities in Brazil, where hospital have run out of intensive care units and cemeteries are using collective graves to bury the dead. FEAR OF INFECTION With the virus comes fear. For the inability to know who has the virus. For the poor quality healthcare. For the future of indigenous people. A non-profit conservationist group, Fundacao Amazonas Sustentavel, based in Manaus, is trying to help. It has donated test kits and the state government delivered 80 on Thursday to the Kambeba village. Three people resulted positive when they were tested by the community's nurse technician, Neurilene Kambeba, adding to 13 previous confirmed cases in the village of 106 people. "We feared the whole village was infected because many people had symptoms and we had no way of knowing," she said. "We are fighting for that virus to disappear and no one dies, because Manaus is very far away and we might not get there in time to save a critical patient." Story continues The Kambeba, who originated in the upper reaches of the Amazon in the forests of Peru, are known for their mastery of archery. Two men from the village have won medals competing in Brazil's national team. The community is treating the sick with hot drinks of traditional herbs prescribed by the elder indigenous woman to cure ills, such as garlic and lemon for coughs, or mangarataia, the word for ginger in their language. Virgilio Viana, head of the Fundacao Amazonia Sustentavel, said the villages nearest to Manaus were most vulnerable to infection by the coronavirus. Brazil is far behind other countries in testing for the virus and the situation is even more challenging in the Amazon, he said. The government has said it had difficulties buying tests abroad but has now stepped up testing as it plans to open up the economy, despite surging deaths from COVID-19. "The rapid tests are very important to be able to diagnose COVID-19 cases so that medical protocols of social distancing can then be followed to avoid contagion," Viana said. (Corrects non-profit's name to Amazonas, paragraph 9) (Reporting by Bruno Kelly; Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) Arshad Warsi reveals that he is looking forward to the third edition of the film, whenever that happens For years, cine fans have been waiting with bated breath for the third instalment of Munnabhai, but so far, there hasnt been any development. When we got in touch with Arshad Warsi who played the popular character of Circuit, Munnabais man, on Friday, he reveals that he is looking forward to the third edition of the film, whenever that happens. I would love to work again with the franchise. My role was weird and also interesting. I know people are eager to watch another instalment of the film. In fact, I keep reading in the news that Munnabahai is on the cards, says the actor who feels that the possibility is bleak. All of us would love to work together again but I dont think its possible any time soon as everyone has different projects right now. The actor who is also a screenplay writer feels that writing comedy is challenging as it has to be according to the sensibilities of the audience. I dont know if I will be able to satisfy the audience if I write a script, says Warsi who produced Hum Tum aur Ghost in 2010. The film bombed and the actor has stayed away from producing any more films. I am not a good businessman so I will never ever try my hands in producing any film in the future, he concludes. Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks delivered a graduation speech at his former high schools virtual graduation ceremony on Friday to offer hope amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hanks, who graduated from Skyline High School in 1974, delivered an inspiring message to the class of 2020 in a three-minute video released by the Oakland Unified School District. Welcome and congratulations, you chosen ones, Hanks said after rattling off some school building names. Somewhere out of the fate of every high schooler, you guys were picked to graduate this year, in the year 2020. To start off this next chapter of your lives in the face and in the midst of so much change. Nearly every school has been forced to cancel big ceremonies like graduation due to public health concerns about spreading coronavirus among large crowds. In March, Hanks and his wife tested positive for the coronavirus. Both had symptoms but recovered after isolating in Australia. In the speech, Hanks gave shout-outs to the senior class leaders and school principals. He told the students to follow their instincts and lead the way into a post-pandemic world. 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. Make it a great one, will you? Were all relying on you, he said. Anna Bauman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: anna.bauman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @abauman2 CLEVELAND -- When it comes to energy in Ohio, theres always a whiff of wrongdoing in the air. And the smell can almost always be traced to the vicinity of Broad and High streets in Columbus, where various state officials have for decades cared more about serving electricity and coal interests than the citizens of Ohio. They proved it again May 21, with a state government ruling aimed at killing a long-planned wind power project in Lake Erie -- a ruling that appeared intentionally designed by appointees of Gov. Mike DeWine to harm Greater Cleveland. The unanimous May 21 decision from the Ohio Power Siting Board inserted a poison pill into its approval of the wind turbine project that makes the project financially untenable by requiring it to shut down at night for most of the year. The ruling shocked Lake Erie Energy Development Corp. (LEEDCo) backers of the plan with its brazen disregard of a compromise that had been carefully negotiated over months. LEEDCo President David Karpinski told me Friday the power siting boards ruling was an intentional reversal of an agreement his group had spent nine months negotiating with state officials. This was a total surprise, said Karpinski. It makes it impossible to finance the project. There was some undue influence here that really sabotaged this project. The decision represents yet another energy step backward for Ohio. When public policy aimed at providing Ohioans with a better future clashes with 19th-century interests represented by coal mines and electricity providers, our state governments default position is to live in the past. In last years House Bill 6, that whiff of wrongdoing may have been more like a permeation. House Bill 6 was promoted by Speaker Larry Householder (and signed into law by DeWine) as an investment in cleaning our air and saving jobs. No thoughtful person believed that. Recent reporting by cleveland.coms Andrew J. Tobias has unmasked it as something much more sinister, a get-rich-quick scam to benefit investors in Energy Harbor Corp., the firm that operates Ohios two nuclear power plants and which was once a subsidiary of electric utility giant FirstEnergy Corp. Tobias showed how the $150 million in annual subsidies Ohio electricity users will soon be paying in a so-called nuclear power plant rescue scheme were also seemingly designed to enrich investors. Now, the state is effectively scuttling LEEDCos $150 million plan to build six Lake Erie wind turbines -- a project that could create 500 jobs and generate $253 million in economic activity. The Icebreaker wind turbine project has been in the works for about 11 years. It has always involved risk. Over time, those risks have been reduced and the potential benefits increased. The U.S. Department of Energy supports the wind turbine project, committing $50 million to LEEDCo, the projects sponsors. And the Sierra Club supports the project, citing the care to protect birds by building the wind turbines eight miles from the shoreline, and because it responsibly deals with the climate crisis by attempting to move Ohio into clean, renewable energy. Whats more, Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman have also been supportive. Successfully lobbying the Department of Energy in 2016, Portman wrote that the project is important to the long-term development of the vast offshore wind resource for the Great Lakes and the nation. But when the choice is between a Republican member of the U.S. Senate supporting a project thats good for Greater Cleveland, and the wishes of the energy lobbyists who sprinkle gobs of campaign contributions around Columbus, the Republicans running state government will always side with the folks who showed them the money. The Ohio Power Siting Boards May 21 ruling is designed to guarantee economic failure for the project. And failure is precisely the result sought by Ohio-based Murray Energy Corp., the nations largest private coal supplier, which is now in bankruptcy proceedings but had lobbied fiercely against this project. The power siting board is chaired by Sam Randazzo, DeWines appointee to head the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and long considered a friend of electric utility companies, and viewed by environmentalists as no friend of clean energy. Miranda Leppla, vice president of energy policy for the nonprofit Ohio Environmental Council, which also supports the project, said the decision represented yet another example of deviation from the standard practice in these kinds of proceedings for renewable energy projects. Wind turbine projects are rising from waters across the planet. Not in Ohio. Not as long as those in thrall to big energy are in charge. In just 19 months in office, DeWine has probably accumulated more political capital than any governor in the states history. Now he should spend some of it on behalf of Greater Cleveland before the stench of this rotten ruling permeates his administration, threatening its reputation. Brent Larkin was The Plain Dealers editorial director from 1991 until his retirement in 2009. To reach Brent Larkin: blarkin@cleveland.com Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions, comments or corrections regarding this opinion article to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. Moving ahead with the control measures of COVID-19, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the officials to increase the isolation wards and medical facilities in the COVID hospitals alongside filling up the vacancies of health care professionals and medical staff. During a review meeting with the officials of the Health Department on Saturday, the Chief Minister emphasised on revamping the control measures as the public transportation through Railways and Airlines are soon going to be resumed. In regard to this, the officials informed that the bed strength in COVID hospitals in eight districts Anantapur, Kurnool, Chittoor, Guntur, Krishna, East Godavari, and Visakhapatnam, are going to be increased along with advanced medical equipment. The Chief Minister told officials to fill up every single vacant post and speed up the recruitment process. In addition to this, he directed the functionaries to develop a door level reporting structure and standard operating procedure to be followed by the public while availing tests or reporting the symptoms and to make sure that the public voluntarily turns up for getting tested. The Chief Minister further discussed proposals for collecting COVID test samples at the doorstep. He instructed the officials to provide testing facilities for the public by making use of toll-free numbers 104, 14410, and 1902. The officials said that measures are being taken to collect the test samples at PHC level and proceed further to laboratories. Coronavirus cannot be eliminated and we have to accept the reality and get used to living with it by taking adequate precautions to prevent the infection. Despite the numerous measures taken, the reality is that we cant really contain the virus. People should be made aware that infected by coronavirus is not a sin or crime, said the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, under the precautionary and preventive measures, all the passengers traveling by airways are going to be tested upon reaching the airport and followed by home quarantine. Additionally, the Chief Minister told officials to conduct tests for those who are in the high-risk category (aged above 60) and emphasised on creating awareness among the public. Minister for Medical and Health Alla Kali Krishna, Chief Secretary Neelam Sawhney, Special Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy were among those present at the review meeting. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App An Post staff have raised over 18,000 so far for frontline workers The team at An Post in Drogheda have delivered big time for the frontline staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. The postal delivery staff at their local unit expressed a desire to raise funds for the frontline staff in the Lourdes hospital who are doing such wonderful work during this pandemic. From this came the idea of recording a version of the well-known Phil Coulter song 'Ireland's Call', with the lyrics changed slightly to encourage the public to stay at home during the pandemic. All of the services provided to achieve this were donated at no cost With the help of Tony Campbell and Richard Hatch, they filmed a video of the workers performing the song at the delivery centre on Marley's Lane. It has proved to be a sensation with thousands raised on a Go Fund Me page. Odi McMaster said they wanted to do something special and what better than a song. With the support of Area Manager Andrew Murphy, they got everything sorted and Tom Maguire from Deco5 came up with the song. Maurice Clutterbuck, Paul Clutterbuck, Stuart Heslin and Niall Munster all performed, while Paul Gallagher was another of the group behind it. David Leddy assisted with the sound while the performance was recorded in the An Post canteen! The group used to organise the Postal Tarts events in the past and were keen to get back helping the community. The Maharashtra government is not in favour of resuming domestic flights to and out of Mumbai, even as it decided to once again request the Centre to allow resumption of local trains for essential services workers. The state has written to the Centre that domestic flight operations from the Mumbai airport cannot be started from Monday. It has, however, said that the state has no problem over the operation of transit flights via Mumbai, the city with the highest number of Covid-19 cases in India It is learnt that the state government has informed the civil aviation ministry that in the absence of required infrastructure at Mumbai airport, it cannot allow domestic flights to land. The ministry had announced that domestic flight operations will begin from Monday from various cities, including Mumbai. Meanwhile, the call on requesting the Centres nod for local trains was taken following a high-level meeting between CM Uddhav Thackeray, his senior cabinet colleagues, and NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday. We have written a letter to the Centre, clarifying that we do not have infrastructure to handle the passengers arriving in the city. It has also been written to them that the city has too many containment zones and more people cannot be allowed to move in there. In such a scenario, residential arrangements for them could be a major problem. The scanning of passengers and then allocating them quarantine facilities at hotels is not possible at this juncture when hospitals and hotels are being acquired for existing patients, said an official. Similarly, taxi, auto and aggregator services are prohibited till May 31 and cannot be allowed only for air passengers, the official added. Ground-level transportation facilities may become a major problem if we allowed flights. Allowing passengers from other states to alight at the Mumbai airport and travel to their respective hometowns and the arrangement for their transportation, too, was not possible. This could even prove risky in terms of containing the virus spread, said another official. In the letter, the state has said that it has no issue over the operation of transit flights between two cities via Mumbai. We, however, have directed the Mumbai International Airport Limited to put the infrastructure in place for the emergency flight operations, including flying stranded students in other countries and operations for medical emergencies, the letter has stated. Though the Centre was pushing for resumption of the flights, the state government is believably hell-bent on its decision as it has decided to not amend the notification, which continues the ban on flight operations till May 31. The states leadership is also wary of allowing flight operations because the initial surge in cases was due to passengers landing at three airports in the state. Top sources from Mumbai airport, however, said that the airport will be operational as per the Central governments order. It is the responsibility of the state government to ensure passengers dont face inconvenience during their road travel. The airport, however, is fully prepared and will commence flight operations from Monday, said the airport source. President Muhammadu Buhari has asked for Nigerians understanding as the country experience an extended lockdown due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, President Buhari stated that not government intentionally imposes tough measures on its citizens. No government would intentionally impose these tough and demanding measures on its citizens if it had a choice, he said. He asked Nigerians whose businesses and means of livelihoods were badly affected by the prolonged lockdown measures for their understanding and cooperation. Buhari revealed that the lockdown measures would not go on longer than necessary because they would be reviewed from time to time to ease the increasing hardships on Nigerians. He called on wealthy Nigerians with means to continue helping their neighbours and the less well-to-do. The President prayed to Allah to ease the hardship among the people as they struggle hard to flatten the curve. Share this post with your Friends on A fireboat continues to pour water on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco on Saturday morning after a massive fire erupted overnight at a warehouse. (Associated Press) Firefighters were able to save a historic warship after a massive fire ripped through a warehouse at Fishermans Wharf in San Francisco on Saturday morning. The fire broke out about 4:15 a.m. in a large warehouse at the end of Pier 45, said Lt. Jonathan Baxter, public information officer for the San Francisco Fire Department. The warehouse is not occupied at night, but homeless people are believed to go inside to sleep, Baxter said. The fire was quickly called to four alarms, drawing 150 firefighters and 50 pieces of firefighting apparatus to the scene. When the first truck responded, the flames were so high they reached above its aerial ladder. The truck sustained some damage as firefighters kept it in place to spray water on the fire, but it proved crucial in keeping the blaze from spreading, Baxter said. Flames also threatened the Jeremiah OBrien, a World War II liberty ship that participated in the D-day invasion and is now a tourist attraction. One fireboat was positioned to protect the historic vessel and a second assisted in pumping thousands of gallons of water from the San Francisco Bay on the west side of the blaze, Baxter said. The only damage to the Jeremiah OBrien was some minor paint bubbling, Baxter said. "Were happy and proud to say we protected that piece of history, especially at the beginning of Memorial Day [weekend], Baxter said. The walls of the warehouse collapsed, but firefighters were able to hold the flames to that building. One firefighter suffered a severe hand laceration and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, Baxter said. No other buildings were significantly damaged, he said. The fire was declared under control about 2 p.m. Baxter credited regular training drills for helping firefighters take quick action. This could very easily have been a conflagration. We pride ourselves that this is one of the areas we do weekly drills on," he said, referring to training aimed at preventing blazes from spreading to surrounding structures. It wasnt immediately clear what caused the fire, but authorities said they were looking into whether anyone was inside the warehouse before it broke out. We do have concerns this is a congregation area for the homeless and we do have reports that the homeless do on occasion go into that structure to sleep, Baxter said. At this time we do not have any indication that is the case, but that is one of the main points our fire investigator will be looking at. Emirates National Oil Company said its digital fuel delivery unit, Enoc Link, supported Dubai Municipalitys nation-wide disinfection drive by supplying more than 30,000 litres of fuel to undertake various sanitisation measures across the emirate. The company has been supporting the nation-wide disinfection drive since March 31. Dedicated delivery trucks fuelled 140 vehicles and 62 critical equipment of Dubai Municipality with free petrol and diesel, said a statement from Enoc. The Enoc unit had dedicated two diesel and one petrol truck, which were located at the Dubai Municipalitys headquarters and efficiently served all of Dubai Municipality vehicles and equipment without delay and on the spot. Enoc later gave an additional petrol and diesel fuel truck each. This contributed to saving more than 152 hours of the disinfection fleets time that would have otherwise been needed for fuelling, including transport to service stations. Enoc Links uninterrupted support enabled Dubai Municipality to boost the efficiency of its operations, said the statement. More than 20,000 litres of petrol and 8000 litres of diesel have been used for Dubai Municipalitys vehicles for its equipment including 62 generators and disinfection equipment, it added. Group CEO Saif Humaid Al Falasi said: "Our primary aim is to support the national goals of Dubai and the UAE Government. ENOC Link has been designed to provide convenient, digital technology-enabled fuelling services for organisations operating across all industrial sectors." "This initiative underpins our commitment to supporting the UAE government in fighting this pandemic and in its work towards improving safety and work efficiency," noted Al Falasi. For the first two weeks, around 12 staff from Enoc Link worked daily on the operation to ensure the safety of drivers and helpers, as well as the well-being of the Dubai Municipalitys staff, he stated. A leading integrated international player in the oil and gas sector, Enoc operates across the energy sector value chain. Its general business operations include automotive services, non-fuel F&B retail and fabrication services. Enoc Group has launched multiple initiatives including complimentary disinfection to 1,000 vehicles of Department of Economic Development and Dubai Police by AutoPro, as well as supplying 3,000 litres of oil lubricants to Dubai Ambulance to support the UAE Government and health authorities with their various initiatives to address the Covid-19 situation, he added.-TradeArabia News Service The latest novel coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Saturday. This article is no longer updating. May 23 8:21 p.m.: A day after Torontos mayor and medical officer of health stressed the need to continue social distancing, hundreds of people were seen sunbathing and relaxing in close proximity in Trinity Bellwoods Park. Video of the crowds circulated on social media and led to a public outcry. Mayor John Tory told the Star late Saturday that there would be a heavier presence of bylaw officers at the park on Sunday. Tory added that he visited several parks on a sunny Saturday and Trinity Bellwoods was the exception when it came to respecting social distancing regulations. The gathering came a day after a press conference where Eileen de Villa said visits on Mothers Day may be connected to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases. 7:37 p.m.: The latest numbers of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 7:30 p.m. on May 23, 2020: There are 84,882 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 46,838 confirmed (including 3,940 deaths, 14,044 resolved) Ontario: 26,301 confirmed (including 2,114 deaths, 19,146 resolved) Alberta: 6,818 confirmed (including 135 deaths, 5,869 resolved) British Columbia: 2,517 confirmed (including 157 deaths, 2,057 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,049 confirmed (including 58 deaths, 969 resolved) Saskatchewan: 630 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 535 resolved) Manitoba: 281 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 268 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 260 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 254 resolved) New Brunswick: 121 confirmed (including 120 resolved) Prince Edward Island: 27 confirmed (including 27 resolved) Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed (including 13 resolved) Yukon: 11 confirmed (including 11 resolved) Northwest Territories: 5 confirmed (including 5 resolved) Nunavut: No confirmed cases Total: 84,882 (11 presumptive, 83,610 confirmed including 6,421 deaths, 43,318 resolved) 6:30 p.m.: Ontarios regional health units are reporting their fifth consecutive day with more than 400 new COVID-19 cases as the average rate of new infections per day continues to rise, according to the Stars latest count. As of 5 p.m. Saturday, the health units had reported a total of 26,733 confirmed and probable cases, including 2,140 deaths. The total of 473 new confirmed and probable cases reported since the same time Friday was once again up from recent daily averages, a sign a province-wide decline in infection rate has reversed in recent days. The number of new cases reported each day had been on a downward trend since hitting a peak of more than 700 in late April and had flattened out to about 360 cases per day last week. But, after 10 straight days with fewer than 400 cases reported, that average has rebounded to about 440 per days since Monday. The recent increase has not been felt equally across the province. The daily count of new cases has been relatively flat outside of Toronto over the last two weeks. Meanwhile, numbers spiked in the city this week to among the highest levels of new case reports seen since the beginning of the pandemic. Toronto on Saturday once again reported more than 200 cases in a day, at 220 new infections and seven more fatal cases; the 207 cases reported per day on average over the last seven days in the city is lower only than a brief single-day spike in mid-April, when the epidemic was peaking in the province. On Saturday the province once again reported another day in which testing labs completed far fewer COVID-19 tests than the target of 16,000 daily. The 11,028 tests completed the previous day was the sixth straight well below the target. The province says the labs have the capacity to complete about 20,000 tests daily; last week they completed as many as 18,354 in a day. In the past, spikes in case counts have followed days with high testing rates, and vice versa for days of low testing. Meanwhile, the 27 fatal cases reported in the province since Friday evening were in line with a recent falling trend. The rate of deaths is down considerably since peaking at more than 90 deaths in a day earlier this month, about two weeks after the peak in the daily case totals. Because many health units publish tallies to their websites before reporting to Public Health Ontario, the Stars count is more current than the data the province puts out each morning. The province also reported 912 patients are now hospitalized with COVID-19, including 147 in intensive care of whom 119 are on a ventilator numbers that are down in recent days. The province also says more than 19,000 patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus have now recovered from the disease about three-quarters of the total infected. The province says its data is accurate to 4 p.m. the previous day. The province also cautions its latest count of total deaths 2,048 may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system, saying that in the event of a discrepancy, data reported by (the health units) should be considered the most up to date. The Stars count includes some patients reported as probable COVID-19 cases, meaning they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test. 6:15 p.m.: A movement demanding special status for asylum-seeking guardian angels working on the COVID-19 front lines took their cause to Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus constituency office in Montreal on Saturday. A noisy convoy of several dozen vehicles drove past the building housing Trudeaus Papineau riding office while others displayed banners in support of the movement, which wants the government to accelerate access to Canadian permanent residency for refugees whore risking their lives working in the health network since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an extraordinary context, we can have extraordinary measures, said Wilner Cayo, the organizer of the protest. One of these measures is to grant these people permanent residence. Cayo said several hundred orderlies and other workers in the provinces hard-hit long-term care homes find themselves in that very situation waiting to obtain permanent residence 5:54 p.m.: British Columbias top doctor says she strongly encourages the federal government to use its resources to monitor international travellers entering the province. Dr. Bonnie Henry says public servants from various provincial ministries have been doing that work to ensure about 18,000 people so far are following self-isolation plans after returning to B.C. Henry says meticulous follow-up is needed if and when the border between the United States and Canada is reopened to ensure anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 isnt passing the illness on to others. She says discussions are expected to be held with her federal counterparts on how that could be done with help from Ottawa. Representatives for the federal government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Henry says the province is beefing up public health teams this summer to ensure testing, tracing and tracking of the illness is kept up before more cases are probable in the fall with the arrival of other respiratory illnesses. She announced 10 new cases of COVID-19 and two deaths, amounting to a total of 157 fatalities in the province. 3:52 p.m.: The latest numbers of confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases in Canada (not including Ontario): There are 84,854 confirmed and presumptive cases in Canada. Quebec: 46,838 confirmed (including 3,940 deaths, 14,044 resolved) Ontario: 26,301 confirmed (including 2,114 deaths, 19,146 resolved) Alberta: 6,800 confirmed (including 134 deaths, 5,801 resolved) British Columbia: 2,507 confirmed (including 155 deaths, 2,042 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,049 confirmed (including 58 deaths, 969 resolved) Saskatchewan: 630 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 535 resolved) Manitoba: 281 confirmed (including 7 deaths, 268 resolved), 11 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 260 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 254 resolved) New Brunswick: 121 confirmed (including 120 resolved) Prince Edward Island: 27 confirmed (including 27 resolved) Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed (including 13 resolved) Yukon: 11 confirmed (including 11 resolved) Northwest Territories: 5 confirmed (including 5 resolved) Nunavut: No confirmed cases Total: 84,854 (11 presumptive, 83,582 confirmed including 6,418 deaths, 43,235 resolved) 2:42 p.m.: New York state reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths 84 in weeks in what Gov. Andrew Cuomo described as a critical benchmark. The daily death tally peaked at 799 on April 8. Reducing the states daily death count to fewer than 100 seemed almost impossible several weeks ago, the governor said. That figure, considered a lagging indicator, has remained stubbornly high even amid other signs of encouragement. In my head, I was always looking to get under 100, Cuomo said. For me, its a sign that were making real progress. The number of hospitalized patients also continued to fall, dropping to just over 4,600. Cuomo announced that the Mid-Hudson region the area along the Hudson River north of New York City and south of Albany is set to begin reopening on Tuesday, and Long Island could follow suit Wednesday. 1:30 p.m.: The NBA said Saturday its eyeing a late-July return to play near Orlando, Fla., while keeping in mind health concerns and government restrictions. Our priority continues to be the health and safety of all involved, and we are working with public health experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place, a statement from league spokesman Mike Bass said. The league and players association are engaged in exploratory talks with the vast Disney-ESPN complex for a late-July restart to the season that was suspended March 11 with the first public announcement of a player testing positive for the coronavirus. 1 p.m.: Toronto Mayor John Tory joined pedestrians and cyclists enjoying extra space on city streets Saturday afternoon as part of the ActiveTO program. Tory said the initiative is being monitored and is intended to help residents maintain their mental and physical health during the pandemic. We are taking it week by week so far it seems to be a great success, Tory said. The ActiveTO program restricts vehicle access on parts of some major roads to create more space for walking, running and biking this Saturday and Sunday. The closures began at 6 a.m. Saturday and end at 11 p.m. Sunday. They include: Lake Shore Boulevard West (eastbound lanes only) from Windermere Avenue to Stadium Road. The eastbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp to Lake Shore Boulevard West (exit 146) will also be closed. Lake Shore Boulevard East (eastbound lanes only) from Coxwell Avenue to just south of Woodbine Avenue (Kew Beach Avenue). Bayview Avenue from Mill Street to Rosedale Valley Road, and River Street from Gerrard Street East to Bayview Avenue. 11:35 a.m.: Ontarios regional health units are reporting another 24-hour period with more than 400 new COVID-19 cases as the rate of new infections has continued to rise in recent days, according to the Stars latest count. As of 11 a.m. Saturday, the health units had reported a total of 26,301 confirmed and probable cases, including 2,114 deaths. The total of 475 new confirmed and probable cases reported since the same time Friday morning was once again up from recent daily averages, a sign the provincewide decline in infection rate has reversed in recent days. Meanwhile, the recent increase in cases is now primarily coming from infections in the broader community outside outbreaks in places such as seniors homes, according to a Star analysis based on data from Ontarios hardest-hit health units. In mid-April, at the peak of infections in the province, most new case appeared in institutional outbreaks; since then, the rate of outbreak cases have fallen, and now about 70 per cent of new infections are coming in the broader community. On Saturday morning, the province released its version of the same data, which showed the same trends. The province once again reported another day in which testing labs completed far fewer COVID-19 tests than the target of 16,000 daily. The 11,028 tests completed the previous day was the sixth straight well below the target. The province says the labs have the capacity to complete about 20,000 tests daily; last week they completed as many as 18,354 in a day. In the past, spikes in case counts have followed days with high testing rates, and vice versa for days of low testing. The number of new cases reported each day had been on a downward trend since hitting a peak of more than 700 in late April. However, the average has begun to rise slightly after flattening out to about 360 cases per day last week; before this week, the province last saw more than 400 cases on May 8. Meanwhile, the 24 fatal cases reported in the province since Friday morning was back in line with the recent falling trend. The rate of deaths is down considerably since peaking at more than 90 deaths in a day earlier this month, about two weeks after the peak in the daily case totals. Because many health units publish tallies to their websites before reporting to Public Health Ontario, the Stars count is more current than the data the province puts out each morning. The province also reported 912 patients are now hospitalized with COVID-19, including 147 in intensive care, of whom 119 are on a ventilator numbers that are down in recent days. The province also says more than 19,000 patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus have now recovered from the disease about three-quarters of the total infected. The province says its data is accurate to 4 p.m. the previous day. The province also cautions its latest count of total deaths 2,048 may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system, saying that in the event of a discrepancy, data reported by (the health units) should be considered the most up to date. The Stars count includes some patients reported as probable COVID-19 cases, meaning they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test. 11 a.m.: Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says Spain will reopen its borders to foreign tourists in July. Spains tourism sector has been grounded since the government declared a state of emergency to fight the pandemic in March, halting international travel and shuttering hotels. Spain receives more than 80 million visitors each year. The tourism industry represents 12 per cent of Spains GDP and employs 2.6 million people. There have been more than 28,000 confirmed deaths in Spain from the virus, the fourth highest total behind the United States, Britain and Italy. 9:30 a.m.: New coronavirus cases reported in China fell to zero on Saturday for the first time, but surged in India and overwhelmed hospitals across Latin America both in countries lax about lockdowns and those lauded for firm, early confinement. The virus hit a reopened church in Germany and probably a restaurant, too. The pandemics persistence stymied authorities struggling to keep people safe and revive their economies at the same time, disrupting Memorial Day weekend in the United States and collective celebrations around the Muslim world marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. 8:30 a.m.: New infections from outbreaks in seniors homes and other institutional settings are down sharply since spiking in mid-April. But the number of new cases caught each day everywhere else remains high near the highest levels the province has seen since the beginning of the pandemic. A Star analysis has found that far more people in Ontario are catching COVID-19 in community settings than was previously known. May 22 11:30 p.m. President Donald Trump has labelled churches and other houses of worship as essential and called on governors nationwide to let them reopen this weekend even though some areas remain under coronavirus lockdown. The president threatened Friday to override governors who defy him, but it was unclear what authority he has to do so. 5 p.m. Ontarios regional health units are reporting their fourth consecutive day with more than 400 new COVID-19 cases as the rate of new infections has continued to rise in recent days, according to the Stars latest count. The health units reported a total of 26,260 confirmed and probable cases, including 2,113 deaths. The total of 492 new confirmed and probable cases reported since the same time Thursday was once again up from recent daily averages, a sign the province-wide decline in the infection rate has reversed in recent days. The recent increase in cases has not been felt equally across the province. The daily rate of new COVID-19 has been largely flat in the GTA, outside of Toronto, this month, with about 125 new cases reported per day on average. Likewise, the rate of new infections has flattened out in rest of the province, outside the GTA, with an average of about 80 new cases reported per day since May 10. New cases have spiked this week in Toronto; the city is seeing among the highest levels of new case reports since the beginning of the pandemic. The 194 cases reported per day on average over the last seven days in Toronto is only lower than the number the city saw for a short period in mid-April, when the epidemic was peaking in the province. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. New Delhi: The Delhi Police's Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing the Delhi riots said on Saturday (May 23, 2020) that they are now preparing to file a charge sheet in the court. An investigating officer of the case said that the chargesheet would be filed in the last week of May or in the first week of June. He also informed that the draft is ready and is being checked by a senior officer. SIT had detained and arrested more than 2500 related to the riots that took place in the national capital between February 23 and February 25, 2020. SIT had also arrested suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor, Tahir Hussain. AAP's Tahir Hussain and more than 15 people were arrested along with him for plotting the riots. Stones and petrol bombs were recovered from Tahir Hussain's roof. Several videos also surfaced in which Tahir Hussain was leading the stone pelters. Tahir Hussain is also accused in the murder case of IB staffer Ankit Sharma in which more than 10 people have been arrested. The Crime Branch is probing into Delhi riot cases related to - Tahir Hussain, IB staffer murder, head constable Ratna Lal murder, DCP Amit Sharma murder attempt, Dilbar Negi murder, Shahrukh Khans pistol case, and Akbari Devi (84) murder. In the murder of Dilbar Negi, 12 people including the main accused Shehnwaz were arrested. Dilbar Negi's dead body was recovered from the house on February 26. A charge sheet of 300 pages has been prepared in this case. On the other hand, 17 people have been arrested on the charge of murder of head constable Ratna Lal. The clashes reportedly erupted between two groups, people who were in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and others opposing it. While the police and paramilitary forces were called in to bring the situation under control, the people turned against the officers and some were severely injured in the ensuing violence. As many as 48 people were killed and more than 250 were injured in these clashes. About 92 houses, 57 shops, 500 vehicles, 6 godowns, 2 schools, 4 factories, and 4 religious places were burnt down during the riots. The Delhi Chamber of Commerce has projected that the initial loss caused by the violence is nearly Rs 25,000 crore. Hair Stylist With COVID-19 Worked While Symptomatic, Exposed Clients to Virus A hair stylist in Missouri worked eight days while experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, health officials said, directly exposing 84 clients to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The virus from China causes COVID-19, a disease. Calling himself frustrated and disappointed, Springfield-Greene County Health Department Director Clay Goddard said at a press conference Friday that he needed to notify the public to potential community exposure. One of our new cases returned from travel and then worked as a hair stylist for eight days while symptomatic, he said. The woman served 84 customers and might have exposed them to the virus, along with seven co-workers. Health officials already started contacting the clients, utilizing the detailed records for each customer that Great Clips kept. The co-workers will all be tested for the CCP virus. We hope that this is an overly cautious approach as, thankfully, both our case and all of the clients of our case were wearing masks during their haircuts, Goddard said, praising Great Clips for stringent safety requirements, including making everyone wear facial coverings. Its still safe to go to Great Clips, according to health officials. Customers who werent served by the woman are thought to have a low risk of contracting the CCP virus. Those people should still monitor themselves for symptoms. They dont have to self-isolate unless they develop symptoms. The same situation exists for people who were at four stores where the woman and an unrelated symptomatic case recently visited: a Dairy Queen, a Walmart, a local gym, and a CVS. Symptoms of the CCP virus include cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, and muscle pain. Officials believe around one in three patients never show symptoms while others experience mild or moderate symptoms. Some patients, primarily the elderly or people with serious pre-existing conditions such as kidney disease, require hospital care. A small percentage of patients ultimately die. Brittany Hager and Jennifer Small, co-owners of the Great Clips location, which is situated on Glenstone Avenue in Springfield, said in a statement obtained by KY3 that they recently learned about the employee testing positive. The well-being of Great Clips customers and stylists in the salon is our top priority and proper sanitization has always been an important cosmetology industry practice for Great Clips salons, they said. Weve closed the salon where the employee works and its currently undergoing additional sanitizing and deep cleaning consistent with guidance from the Springfield-Greene County Health Department and the CDC. We will reopen the salon based on guidance from the health department. Officials in Bosnia-Herzegovina announced on May 23 that they will postpone local elections, whihc had been set for October 4 because of the country's ongoing budget crisis. The government has not yet adopted a 2020 budget and the Central Election Commission said it was not able to set up a timetable for the elections because the government missed the deadline for allocating funds for them on May 22. "The elections could not be held in accordance with the election law and will be put off until November 15," the election commission said in a statement. Nearly 3.4 million voters are eligible to help choose town and municipal councils and mayors in the country's two autonomous regions -- the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the Republica Srpska, and in the neutral Brsko District. The elections cost some 4.5 million euros ($4.9 million), half of it to be provided by the central government and half by local governments. The government has been operating under interim financing arrangements as it tries to pass a national budget. The government hopes to pass a budget, including funding for the elections, by the end of May. It would then have to be approved by the presidency. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters Heartbreaking images of the gruelling trek back home of distressed migrant labourers and the tragic loss of lives in road accidents have shaken Indias conscience. The operation Shramik Express, which is ensuring the safe return of over four million migrants by buses and trains, shows that the government has mounted a whatever-it-takes response. Migrant labourers are the backbone of Indias informal sector and micro, small and medium enterprises. Their crisscrossing of states for jobs signifies economic integration, and also inter-regional and rural-urban disparities. While empowering themselves, they also enrich their home and host states. The national lockdown has threatened to unravel this fabric. Their exodus from host states has created a humanitarian and health security challenge, and a logistical nightmare. It has complicated Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modis mission to contain the coronavirus contagion. It has posed a long-term labour dislocation and atrophy risk. It is already impacting the restart of economic activities and recovery plans activated by the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-reliant India Mission). The Opposition is using the situation to critique the governments strategy for handling the coronavirus disease. As concerned stakeholders, they must recognise that an all-of-India effort is required. The PM is driving Indias Raja Bhagirath-like efforts to respond to the cataclysm in the spirit of cooperative and consultative federalism, with empathy for the poor, including pravasi shramiks. The infectious virus has pushed governments into untrodden policy and action space. Any life-saving action in prevention and response extracts Bhagiraths penance. States decide on extension and enforcement of lockdown, and are responsible for providing relief. The Centre had to persuade the states to agree to the mass transportation of workers with the attendant risks of contagion. Some chief ministers such as Yogi Adityanath have been proactive, while others are hesitant and unprepared. In the future, Centre-state protocols must be established for instant implementation in disasters. It is important to collect comprehensive migrant worker-related data and statistics that are skill-, sector-, and gender-disaggregated, pan-India and state-wise. Its absence has blindsided all on the scale of the migrant labour challenge and frustrated efforts to reach them to help with food, cash health services, shelter or relocation to home/host state. The information asymmetry poor migrants faced to access information on relief, benefits and transport needs to be addressed. Many became prey to disinformation, unscrupulous touts and motivated panic-mongers. Well-functioning hotlines, outreach systems and providing low-cost smart phones and IT education are crucial. Many migrant workers left cities for fear of disease and stigma, job, shelter, income, food insecurity, and to be with families. Others stayed in cities due to pull factors: Better wages, jobs, economic and social upward mobility prospects. The challenges they face on return to their home states include resistance from their communities fearing infection and lack of income and employment. Governments must provide for their local sustenance and employment and return to host states. Targeted and ecosystem support for migrant workers is a major thrust of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package. A veritable Abhiyaan for migrant workers welfare and empowerment must be driven with state governments on a war-footing. At this time, migrant workers well-being and unleashing their potential is vital to Indias survival and economic revival. Lakshmi Puri is a former assistant secretary general, United Nations, former deputy executive director of UN Women, and former acting deputy secretary general of UNCTAD The views expressed are personal Bengaluru, May 23 : A 32-year-old man from Bengaluru Urban succumbed to Covid-19 even as 196 cases have been reported in the past 19 hours, the highest single-day rise, taking the state's tally to 1,939, according to an official here on Saturday. "The number of new Covid-19 cases from Friday 5 p.m. to Saturday noon is 196," said the official. "Positive case 1,270, a resident of Bengaluru Urban, admitted to the designated hospital on Tuesday with breathing difficulty. He died on Saturday due to cardiac arrest," said a health official. The deceased also suffered from comorbidities. His death is Karnataka's 42nd Covid-19 death and Bengaluru Urban's 10th. Another patient died during the day but for a non-covid reason -- second such death in the state. "Positive case 1,783 died due to non-Covid reason," said the official. The 55-year-old man from Dakshina Kannada had returned from Maharashtra. Of all the cases, 1,297 are active, 598 discharges and 42 deaths. During the day, one patient from Mandya got discharged. Of the new cases, Yadagiri contributed 72, followed by Raichur (39), Mandya (28), Chikkaballapura (20), Gadag (15), Dakshina Kannada and Davangere (3 each), Hassan and Bengaluru Urban (4 each), Kolar and Uttara Kannada (2 each) and Kalaburagi, Dharwad, Udupi and Belagavi (1 each). Until Friday evening, the Yadagiri district had only 15 active cases. It has now shot up to 87. Incidentally, the small northern district was a green zone for many days till recently. A majority of the cases reported travel history to Maharashtra, India's Covid-19 hotspot. Bengaluru Urban has seen 10 deaths, followed by Kalaburagi (7), Dakshina Kannada (5) and Davangere and Vijayapura (4 each), and remaining from other districts. Until Friday, of the 1,743 cases, 9 per cent were senior citizens, 63 per cent men and 37 per cent women. The state's patient discharge rate has fallen to 34 per cent. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text The coronavirus may still be spreading at epidemic rates in 24 states, particularly in the South and Midwest, according to new research that highlights the risk of a second wave of infections in places that reopen too quickly or without sufficient precautions. Researchers at Imperial College London created a model that incorporates cellphone data showing that people sharply reduced their movements after stay-at-home orders were broadly imposed in March. With restrictions now easing and mobility increasing with the approach of Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer, the researchers developed an estimate of viral spread as of May 17. READ ALSO: Debt and coronavirus push Hertz into bankruptcy protection It is a snapshot of a transitional moment in the pandemic and captures the patchwork nature across the country of covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. Some states have had little viral spread or "crushed the curve" to a great degree and have some wiggle room to reopen their economies without generating a new epidemic-level surge in cases. Others are nowhere near containing the virus. The model, which has not been peer reviewed, shows that in the majority of states, a second wave looms if people abandon efforts to mitigate the viral spread. "There's evidence that the U.S. is not under control, as an entire country," said Samir Bhatt, a senior lecturer in geostatistics at Imperial College. The model shows potentially ominous scenarios if people move around as they did previously and do so without taking precautions. In California and Florida, the death rate could spike to roughly 1,000 deaths a day by July without efforts to mitigate the spread, according to the report. Other models released in recent days captured a similarly mixed picture. The PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia used county-level forecasts that found much of the country was in decent shape for reopening, but worrisome areas remain, including Houston, Dallas, South Florida and Alabama. On this Memorial Day weekend, some people will visit areas that may not have had much exposure to the virus, said David Rubin, director of PolicyLab. "This is the first test of the system," Rubin said. "Those areas that succeed this weekend are going to succeed because they've developed strong regulations on how they're going to do this." 'I DON'T TRUST ANYTHING:' Personal beliefs, confusing guidelines spark mask debate for Houstonians The Imperial College researchers estimated the virus's reproduction number, known as R0, or R naught. This is the average number of infections generated by each infected person in a vulnerable population. The researchers found the reproduction number has dropped below 1 in 26 states and the District. In those places, as of May 17, the epidemic was waning. In 24 states, however, the model shows a reproduction number over 1. Texas tops the list, followed by Arizona, Illinois, Colorado, Ohio, Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa, Alabama and Wisconsin. When the R naught is below 1, it means the virus is hitting a lot of dead ends as it infects people. Someone who is infected but who follows social distancing rules or stays quarantined until recovering has a good chance of not infecting anyone else. The challenge is finding a way to reopen the economy with sufficient care to prevent the reproduction number from going over 1. This has become a geographically complex pandemic, one that will evolve, especially as people increase their movements in coming weeks. Laws and health regulations vary from state to state, county to county and city to city. There are communities where wearing facial coverings is culturally the norm, while in other places it is rejected on grounds of personal liberty or as refutation of the consensus view of the hazards posed by the virus. Political leaders have traded executive orders for appeals to individual responsibility and judgment. Even as they touted reopening water parks and beaches, some governors told their citizens not to enjoy their new freedoms too much. In a hotspot in western Iowa, "families need to make their own decisions," said Matthew Ung, chair of Woodbury County's board of supervisors. "You don't have to act one way or another because of what the government says," he said. "Look out for you and your family." About 250 miles away in Minneapolis, municipal leaders are not counting on individual responsibility alone. The mayor, Jacob Frey, this week signed an emergency regulation requiring people older than 2 to cover their faces while at "indoor spaces of public accommodation," including schools and government buildings. "We are not criminalizing forgetfulness, but we will be cracking down on extreme selfishness and disregard for the health and safety of fellow Minneapolis residents," Frey said in an interview. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, this week said he would allow only alfresco dining when restaurants and bars resume in-person service June 1. That led to an outcry from owners who said they had been preparing for weeks to seat people inside, setting up plexiglass partitions and purchasing special filters to arrest tiny particles. "None of us believed it was going to be patio only, especially in Minnesota when it rains all summer long," said Brian Ingram, the owner of Hope Breakfast Bar in St. Paul, Minnesota, a popular joint known for its mantra, "Believe in Breakfast." In Mississippi, where the Imperial College model predicts infections are on the rise, Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, said he was ready to reopen the last few businesses that remain closed in the state - including racetracks and water parks. "We will be out of the business of closing down anybody, I hope," Reeves said. But he said that in consultation with public health officials, he is keeping restrictions on seven counties with higher case loads. In a news conference Thursday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, defended her decision to reopen concert venues, movie theaters and other businesses despite rising case numbers. "We cannot sustain a delayed way of life as we search for a vaccine," she said. "Having a life means having a livelihood, too." That said, she promised that "if we start going in the wrong direction, we reserve the right to come back in and reverse." The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said the state is preparing for a potential surge by increasing testing and constructing a 401-bed covid-19 care site in Memphis that was finished this week. David Aronoff, director of the Vanderbilt University infectious disease division, said the medical school is working with the state to track hospitalizations and deaths and is monitoring for a second surge. "We're watching for that really closely, but we haven't seen that just yet, which is reassuring," he said. Experts in Tennessee are also concerned about people from other states beginning to flock to Nashville and Memphis on summer vacations. If a surge happens, Aronoff said, "the tricky part will be putting the toothpaste back in the tube" by shutting down again. In Texas, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said he consults with doctors and experts from area hospitals, "and what they tell us is that we're reopening too fast, and we're reopening in the wrong order." Local jurisdictions in Texas do not have the authority to issue more stringent restrictions than the state, which began aggressively reopening this month. So Dallas has focused on messaging. The county has a daily "covid-19 risk level" that is currently red, for "stay home, stay safe." Officials are working on seals that businesses can display to indicate they are meeting local public health guidelines, not just state mandates. The Imperial College estimates for Texas are in line with internal modeling conducted by university experts advising state leaders. Rebecca Fischer, an epidemiologist at Texas A&M University and part of a team partnering with the governor's office, said the daily caseload was fluctuating, but "it looks like we're not cresting a peak and coming down the other side." A week ago, Texas reported a single-day high in new cases as well as deaths - about 14 days after the beginning of the state's phased reopening. The state has now reported more than 52,000 cases and nearly 1,500 deaths. There are enough reasons to be nonplussed at the sight of the snaking lines of migrants returning home without jobs. But there is no reason to get vituperative about the news that some states are reviving their labour laws in the hope of attracting investments. The walk back by the labourers this summer is a colossal tragedy; that of the rewrite of labour laws by them is a comedy. The effort by states, led by Uttar Pradesh, to change labour laws is quite reminiscent of the rush of 2006-07 by them to change land laws to attract investment in Special Economic Zones (SEZs). This time the target is the foreign investor, the target then was domestic investors. Just as the rush to amend land laws came to grief, it is possible those to do with labour will also meet a similar fate. It is likely to happen because as entrepreneurs then found out Indian states play with laws without care. It has happened recently too. Investors in renewable energy projects in Andhra Pradesh discovered this in 2019 when Chandrababu Naidus Telugu Desam Party lost the Assembly elections. Naidu had promised them long-term contracts to buy power to encourage investments into renewable energy. His successor Jaganmohan Reddy of YSR Congress told investors to submit to a new set of laws. It had a huge negative impact on Indias efforts to develop renewable energy. The renewable energy sector companies rendered out of action are clear they do not wish for favourable laws henceforth, but only for stable laws. Bitter SEZ experience As the earlier SEZ episode showed, it is risky to depend on enthusiastic en masse changes in laws by Indian states (depending on which is the current favourite theme) to draw in large investments. Around 2006 many states got convinced they could draw in investments without needing to improve the conditions for the supply of labour or of other facilities like roads and power. Instead, they offered SEZ land banks as a great shortcut. The resultant political uproar was so massive, that it finally culminated in the promulgation of the strict Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR). It has become almost impossible for any industry to get a plot of land without state support after it was passed. The carve-outs by some of the states have only facilitated linear projects like roads. The land is still a challenge for the bullet train project. So just as the land notifications did then, the temporary changes in labour laws will also please only the respective state secretariats. Once the lockdowns are over it could also allow them to hold fancy investment meets. But no outcomes would result. Rather, those entrepreneurs willing to take the plunge could come away with their balance sheets red. The land banks which many real estate companies built up in efforts to become promoters of SEZs are still on their books, more than a decade after the episode. No stomach for reforms Why does this happen? Most Indian states are loath to do painstaking reforms for various reasons. Every government at the centre after 2000 has tried at least once to reform the power distribution sector in the states. But this would have meant the state governments needed to get serious about not promising free power to whoever could lobby hard. Irrespective of political colour, none has managed to do so. As of December 2019, the power distribution companies owed Rs 85,000 crore to the power generation companies. Large scale manufacturing industries in the early 2000s wished to get around this problem by setting up their captive power plants. We know the spectacular result of those forays. Today, if a manufacturing sector company steps into Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh, their primary concern would still be about assured supply of power instead of labour. If power markets are difficult, it is even harder to undertake reforms in the factor markets, land, labour and capital. Instead, they have become favoured play for any weakly-administered state to extract rent from entrepreneurs. Few states have shown the appetite to do the sustained work to break these links. Instead they are tempted to use shortcuts once again. In West Bengal, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government has sought to get around the labour challenge by clamping down on any protests by labour. She has publicly announced her reluctance to allow any strikes in the state. It has worked but will be available so long as she is in power. Importance of long-term thinking The Centre has realised this. So its menu of labour reforms announced last week, which does not offer any immediate manna but calls for sustained work to make them a reality, is likely to hold good. But the message needs to be percolated to states. As the example of the renewable energy developers in Andhra Pradesh shows, shortcuts are not a route for a long-term strategy for any industry. For instance, no diversified SEZ was able to come up from the high noon of that policy. At best, these policies allow for someone with a short-term plan to make good. So while there will be good optics from the rush to amend labour laws, even domestic investors will cavil at taking advantage from the short-term changes. Foreign investors will possibly not even include these in any assessment of policies when they evaluate their strategies for India. (The writer is a business journalist and can be reached at s.bhattacharjee@ris.org.in) Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the authors own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Tablighi Jamaat members aided in the spread of coronavirus infection in the state particularly in Indore and Bhopal, and chided them for not acting "responsibly". In the midst of rebooting state economy and settling down migrant labourers, Chouhan told PTI in an interview, "Initially the members of Tablighi Jamaat contributed in spreading this virus. The people, who came back from this event to prime cities like Indore and Bhopal, transmitted this virus to others also." Further, they added to it by not cooperating with government personnel. They stayed hidden led this spread into persons who directly or indirectly came in their contact, he said, adding "they did not act responsibly". A large congregation organised in March by the Tablighi Jamaat in Nizamuddin area of the national capital significantly contributed to the increase of coronavirus cases in India. Some of the participants, who were later tested positive for coronavirus, had travelled to their home states and other areas. Madhya Pradesh has so far reported 6,170 coronavirus cases, including 2,850 in its commercial city Indore, 1,153 in state capital Bhopal and 504 in the religious town of Ujjain, according to the official data updated as on Friday. Cases in these cities have been increasing steadily. Of the total of 272 COVID-19 deaths, 109 people have died in Indore, 40 in Bhopal and 51 in Ujjain, the data said. To a question on the increase in COVID-19 cases in Bhopal and Indore, Chouhan said these places are "under special care" of the state administration. "We are continuously monitoring the situations of these regions. Situation seems to be improving and stable now. More than 1,500 patients of Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain have recovered and are well now," the chief minister said. He said, the state administration is continuously trying its best to ensure availability of necessary medical facilities in these regions. "All hospitals and medical centres of these regions have been equipped fully to counter the emergency situations," Chouhan said. In a stern message, the chief minister also said that persons indulging in attacking COVID-19 frontline workers "will not be spared at all". "These are shameful acts of violating the laws and not co-operating with the government which is working for their safety. The Central government has also amended the penal provisions for such acts. Such accused persons have been arrested under provisions of the National Security Act," he said. On the Congress' charge that the state government was not doing enough to fight the pandemic, Chouhan said it is time for all of us to put a check on the spread of the disease unitedly. "It is a time, we all need to fight this pandemic together and the Congress is busy in accusing us. It shows their concerns and priorities. They are accusing us to hide their failure. They could have taken the preventive measures regarding this at much early stages that we did as soon as we took charge of the state," he said hitting out at the previous Kamal Nathled Congress government in the state. Chouhan said when he took over as the chief minister, medical facilities were less in number in the state. "Today, we are in a far better condition than before. If the previous government was aware of these facts why didn't they take measures to overcome these things? They could have done a lot earlier, but they were involved in their internal party conflicts, he said. The chief minister appealed everyone to follow the lockdown sincerely for their own safety. "Keep maintaining the social distancing norms even after the lockdown. Stay at home, stay safe. I request everyone to have patience; we will soon overcome this pandemic," Chouhan added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: As many as 1,869 people have been infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours in Iran, said Kiyanush Jahanpur, spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Trend reports citing the ministry. According to Jahanpur, 59 more people have died from the coronavirus over the past day. Jahanpur added that the condition of 2,633 people is critical. Jahanpur said that no deaths were reported in 14 provinces of Iran, only 1 death was registered in 6 provinces each. So far, more than 781,000 tests have been conducted in Iran for the diagnosis of coronavirus. Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 133,500 people have been infected 7,359 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 104,000 have reportedly recovered from the disease. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease. The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. Help India! TCN News Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) co-sponsored a virtual Congressional briefing on Wednesday in response to USCIRF declaring India the hotspot of escalating violence against minorities. Support TwoCircles The conference was themed around The Next Steps after an in-depth analysis of USCIRF recommendations to curb escalating religious violence in India after the US Secretary agency had listed India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act in its 2020 Annual Report. Held with the support of partner organizations Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) and International Christian Concern (ICC), its attendees included several USCIRF Commissioners, representatives from Amnesty International, IAMC, HfHR, and ICC besides representatives of prominent human rights organizations, activists, and other professionals. The meeting began with Nadine Maenza expressing her specific alarm at the scapegoating of Muslims through the #CoronaJihad social media campaign. Maenza is the Vice-Chair of USCIRF who talked at length about the social and economic boycott of Muslims in some parts of the country as well as discrimination against Muslims in the context of medical treatment during the global pandemic. She believed India is currently underway for an existential crisis in its democratic polity. Dr Harrison Atkins, South Asia policy analyst with the USCIRF accused BJP leaders of using symbols of Hinduism and policies aimed at their protection as weapons against minority communities in their quest to further marginalize religious minorities and shape a Hindu nation. He added that the ruling BJP party has further combined it with its inflammatory rhetoric to strengthen the ideas that Muslims and Christians were outsiders with no legitimate place in Indian history or society and, by their mere presence, a potential threat from within surfaced the project of making India a Hindu nation. The briefing noted that a subsequent erosion of religious freedom began from the abrogation of Article 370 and the continuing horrific violations of human rights in Kashmir. It further pushed the way forward for BJP leaders with the brutal clampdown on peaceful civil dissent against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the recent Delhi pogrom, among several other egregious instances of religious persecution. Francisco Bencosme, Asia Pacific Advocacy Manager of Amnesty International particularly mentioned Safoora Zargar, who is a student activist jailed for speaking against the discriminatory CAA, despite her pregnancy. Contributing to the panel, Aman Wadud from Gauhati High court spoke on the attack on Muslim activists under false charges. He elaborated the rampant misuse of the anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), under which the Indian government is currently designating any individual as a terrorist on mere suspicion. He stated that the law was being used against students and journalists and it speaks volumes about the administrations overt alignment with fascism. Jeff King, President of ICC added that oppression of Christians and recent attacks on churches show that persecution, vigilantism, Hindutva and Hindu radicalism characterizes India now. Raju Rajgopal, co-founder of HfHR made a significant point by urging everyone to distinguish between Hinduism and Hindutva,, explaining that the true concept of Hindu Rashtra is actually one of inclusiveness and tolerance, while the Hindutva Rashtra is a product of RSS and its affiliates that are clearly striving for violence, authoritarianism and intolerance. The instances of conversion were also taken up at the Council where violent prohibitions to conversions of Indian Hindus to Christianity or Islam was meted out on newly converts, hence mentioning the conversion laws where converts could face 3 to 7 years of imprisonment for their voluntary religious conversion. The meeting continued for 90 minutes including a Q&A session open to all where religious freedom around the world was discussed. Legal counsellors encouraged grassroots organization in the US to reach out to their Indian counterparts for engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing and egregious religious freedom violations. The endnote recorded IAMCs commitment to the USCIRF recommendations in foregrounding human rights, civil liberties, and religious freedom in US-India bilateral relations and dialogue. - Despite her death, Anerlisa Muigai paid tribute to her late sister who passed on weeks to her birthday - The lass shared pictures of Tecra in which the late displayed a jovial and friendly persona through a beautiful smile - The Keroche Breweries heiress bemoaned missing her 'angel' sibling adding God must have been happy to have her in heaven Thursday, May 21, would have seen the late Tecra Muigai mark her 30th birthday but that was not to be after she died following a fatal fall inside a house. Nevertheless, Keroche Breweries heiress Anerlisa Muigai paid tribute to her sibling just days after her burial. READ ALSO: It's been rough: Comedian Jalang'o says boys' club expose' has broken families, cost him business READ ALSO: Beautiful girl: Diana Marua proudly gushes over lovely stepdaughter Mueni Anerlisa shared photos of Tecra on her Instagram in which the late displayed a jovial and friendly persona with a beautiful smile. She bemoaned missing her 'angel' sibling adding "God must been happy" to have her in heaven. "Happy 30th birthday angel Tecra. God must be happy to have you in heaven. We miss you so much," she wrote. READ ALSO: Widower pens moving letter to wife who died while delivering third born: "I'm trying my level best" READ ALSO: Kiambu landlord refuses to reduce rent for tenants who requested waiver: "I'm servicing a loan" In another series of photos shared by the lass, she noted Tecra was also the quite energetic type that gained respect and attention wherever she went. "This was so Tecra, she would enter a room, and everyone would be quiet to listen to her. #PowerHouse #Genius. Happy birthday," Anerlisa added. The late was a last-born daughter of Joseph and Tabitha Karanja, chairman and CEO of Keroche Breweries, respectively. Her demise was announced by the company's social media platform in which she was lauded as a brilliant and passionate individual who had steered Keroche to great heights. Until her death, Tecra was the Strategy and Innovations director at the brewer. Unlike her sister Anerlisa, she kept a low profile and was hardly on social media platforms. Following her death, her boyfriend Omar Lali was arrested and is still in police custody as detectives continue with investigations. Reports revealed Tecra was living with Lali in a private residence in Lamu where she fell from a staircase and injured herself. She succumbed to her injures while receiving treatment in Nairobi 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. Kenyans lets pray for one another - CS Kagwe | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke The Rajasthan government will give 2 kg to 5 kg wheat free of cost to needy migrants workers, who are not in the food security beneficiaries list. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday directed officials to prepare a data base of all migrants and other needy people who are not in the list of beneficiaries so as to provide them with wheat during the next two months. He also asked the officials to remove names of ineligible people who figure in the list of beneficiaries. Gehlot said Rajasthan has emerged as a model state in distribution of ration and other items to the poor, helpless and needy during the coronavirus pandemic. In a review meeting of the food and civil supplies department, officials said 3.7 crore needy and poor people were distributed cooked food and dry ration through district administrations during the lockdown. Also, an additional amount of Rs 114 crore was borne by the state government for distribution of free wheat to the needy. Food and Civil Supply Minister Ramesh Meena, Chief Secretary D B Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary (finance) Niranjan Arya and other senior officials were present in the review meeting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Flash New arrivals to Britain must self-isolate for two weeks from June 8, with fines for anyone who breaches the measure designed to prevent a second wave of coronavirus from overseas, Home Secretary Priti Patel said Friday. Chairing the Downing Street briefing, Patel said passengers will need to provide their contact and travel information so they can be traced if infections arise. They could also be contacted regularly during the whole quarantine and face random checks from public health authorities. Rule breakers would face a 1,000 pounds (1,217 U.S. dollars) fixed penalty notice in England and border force will be able to refuse entry to any non-British citizens who refuses to comply with these regulations, said the Home Office in a statement. Removal from the country could be used as a last resort, it said. Those in quarantine will not be allowed to accept visitors, unless they are providing essential support, and should not go out to buy food or other essentials where they can rely on others, said the Home Office. The mandatory self-isolation would not apply to people coming from Ireland, medics tackling COVID-19 and seasonal agricultural workers, said Patel. The new move came as another 351 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain as of Thursday afternoon, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 36,393, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community. As of Friday morning, 254,195 people have tested positive for the disease in the country, marking a daily increase of 3,287, said the department. Earlier in the day, Downing Street did not rule out London emerging from the lockdown sooner than other parts of the country, The Guardian newspaper reported. "As we are able to gather more data and have better surveillance of a rate of infection in different parts of the country then we will be able to lift measures quicker in some parts of the country than in others," the prime minister's official spokesman was quoted as saying. In another development, China's COVID-19 vaccine trial has shown some promising results as world is seeking solutions to the pandemic. China's COVID-19 vaccine trial, the first such vaccine to reach phase 1 clinical trial, has been found to be safe, well-tolerated, and able to generate an immune response against SARS-CoV-2 in humans, according to a study published online on Friday by the medical journal The Lancet. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 05/22/2020 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. : Before the 90 Days star Lisa Hamme has apologized for calling her husband Usman Umar the N-word after Usman spilled the beans while filming the Tell-All reunion.Lisa, who stars with Usman on Season 4 of : Before the 90 Days, appeared on an Interview Live session with Nigerian motivational speaker Katung Aduwak on May 19 and expressed how sorry she is for having used the racial slur."It is said if you sin and you apologize and you pray for forgiveness, it is forgiven. So, my husband and I, it is a private manner between him and I," Lisa said, according to The Blast."Because they are not going to drop it and it's sad. Because the world needs to be united. We are human beings."Lisa is reportedly shocked by the amount of hate she has received, adding that cruel messages from her "fellow Muslim sisters" are the most painful. (Lisa converted to Islam after marrying Usman in his home country of Nigeria)."I have a lot of love for the world. Anyone who knows me personally from before the show, during the show and after the show truly know what I'm about," Lisa reportedly continued, getting emotional as she spoke."It just bothers me that there are so many hateful people in the world. We have people dying every day. I made the mistake of saying the N-word. I apologized several times. But you still want to come at me. This is something between my husband and I. But I'm here to take your abuse."Lisa reportedly threatened to shut down her social media accounts altogether because of the backlash she is facing."I am a wife and I am a mother. I won't stay no more. Because I love my husband. He loves me. And the world just doesn't want to accept that," Lisa insisted, The Blast reported."God as my witness, nobody will tell my husband what to do. He made the choice to be with me. He made the choice to marry me. Not any of you. But you're still going to sit in judgment of what my husband choice to do with his life. I truly feel bad for people."Comments apparently poured in from fans accusing Lisa of "playing the victim" rather than admitting true regret and issuing a genuine apology.Usman alleged Lisa had called him the N-word when both spouses filmed : Before the 90 Days' Season 4 Tell-All reunion remotely -- with everyone participating via videoconference with host Shaun Robinson -- during the first weekend of May.The Tell-All had reportedly been set to film at a studio in New York City in March similar to past seasons, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, those plans ended up being postponed.About 10 hours of the Tell-All's raw videoconference footage subsequently leaked out online, and among that footage, Usman threw his wife under the bus when arguing over a woman he had allegedly been in contact with while married to Lisa.Usman started the heated discussion by talking about how Lisa had called him names even his own enemy probably wouldn't use.In one clip, Usman addressed his wife and said, "Is that how an American lady behaves?... If you love me, why would you be calling me [that]?"Lisa begged Usman not to open that can of worms, but he still continued, "Lisa, last week you called me n-gga, which I know is totally inappropriate in America. You called me n-gga, I don't even get angry about it because I am used to how you are behaving... The way you have been behaving to me is not good.""You just opened that can of worms," Lisa responded angrily."Now I get this f-cking hate mail coming to my house while your ass is sitting in Nigeria. You and I are going to have some big drama. Don't even start this up again. Do not start again."Many fans have reportedly called for TLC to remove Lisa from the franchise as a result.Usman, a Nigerian rapper known as "SojaBoy" in the music industry, had contacted Lisa on Facebook two years before filming began, and they videochatted immediately so Usman could prove he wasn't a catfish.Based on posts Lisa has made on Facebook, she and Usman reportedly began dating in June 2018.Lisa didn't understand why a Nigerian celebrity would be interested in her, but a love song he had allegedly written for Lisa confirmed his feelings for her, at least in Lisa's mind. Lisa then flew to Nigeria -- her first trip out of the United States -- to meet him face to face.As shown on : Before the 90 Days' fourth season, Usman struggled with Lisa's jealousy of his female fans and social-media followers as well as her controlling ways and tendency to boss him around.Usman, as a Muslim man, wanted to be respected and honored in the relationship, and he essentially demanded Lisa to be more passive and let him be in charge of her and their relationship."If there are two kings in a kingdom, there will definitely be war," Usman said in a confessional.Although Lisa and Usman finally received a blessing from Usman's mother Fatimatu to marry, Lisa flipped out when Usman became so fixated on becoming the head of their household, and so she began questioning if marrying him was even a good idea.Lisa said Usman had another thing coming if he thought an American woman would simply obey a man and be submissive like that.But Lisa and Usman managed to talk through their issues and overcome their disagreement.The couple therefore headed to a courthouse in Abuja to get married, but once they met with a magistrate, they learned they may not be able to get married in Nigeria without a printed copy of Lisa's divorce decree, which she did not bring with her from the United States.Lisa was running out of time in Nigeria and was furious at Usman for not doing his research on the required documents ahead of time.Lisa feared a courthouse wedding might not even be possible, venting to the cameras, "I bent over backwards to make sure this wedding happens, and now it might not happen. I feel like I am in a nightmare."However, Lisa was able to get her divorce decree emailed to her in Nigeria, as shown in the latest episode of the series."Now this means we are getting married!" Usman said in a confessional.Lisa hoped this would be the last hurdle she and Usman would have to overcome because they were expecting his family the following day to witness their wedding.But that night, Lisa and Usman had a serious discussion because Lisa claimed to have seen his "whore" on her fiance's Facebook messenger.Lisa said she had been watching the woman for months on Facebook and saw the woman send Usman a kissing emoticon and express her love for him, to which he allegedly called her "baby.""Who the f-ck do you think you're playing with, Usman!?" Lisa vented to the cameras. "I need to make sure he's been faithful to me, because if not, there is going to be no Usman and I."Usman claimed the woman was just his friend but he had been avoiding her and wanted to stick with Lisa only. Lisa accused Usman of using her, but Usman stood by the claim the woman was just a friend.Usman said even though he calls another woman "baby" or "love," it doesn't mean he's actually in love with her or that she's his real, true love.Lisa told Usman he must scrape his social media accounts or else they weren't going to get married. She wanted to see Usman block certain women and clean up his page within hours."Do you... understand that I've been doing a favor for you to get married to you?" Usman asked Lisa. "I'm doing that."Lisa told Usman in reply that she didn't want to marry him because she had 50 men in the United States she could marry instead.Usman responded, "They're not like me," but Lisa countered, "You know what?! You're not that big of a star! You're local talent! Let's get this sh-t straight! You f-cking lied to me. I'm done!... F-ck you and the little boat you've got! Best of luck to you."Lisa threatened to leave Nigeria and give up on Usman, but she said she still loved him.Usman explained to Lisa that women talked to him whom he didn't even know because he's an entertainer and has fans. He said he had nothing to do with that woman and was telling the truth."I've been cheated on before, and there's always that fear in my mind, 'Are you going to cheat on me like the others?'" Lisa admitted to Usman.Usman asked Lisa to be patient with him and trust him, and so Lisa decided to forgive and believe him. Lisa apparently put Usman in his place, and she was proud of herself for saying Usman wouldn't be able to be able to mistreat her. Click here to read spoilers on Lisa and Usman's relationship and more of what went down at the Tell-All reunion special.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage As beaches open, out-of-towners will bring business, but also behavior that could threaten public health. (File Image, December 2017: Daniel Arnold/The New York Times) Tariro Mzezewa Beaches across the United States have been closed to visitors for months. But that hasnt stopped out-of-towners from trying to use them, sometimes running afoul of the law to do so. In mid-April, for example, a Miami resident named Joao Ramon Perez drove his pickup truck personal watercraft in tow through a checkpoint intended to keep nonresidents and nonessential workers out of the Florida Keys, an archipelago of islands south of Miami. According to a sheriffs office report, he was asked to turn around and go home. He responded by telling sheriffs deputies that they would have to arrest him to keep him out. He spent the night in jail. Since two Florida Keys checkpoints went up in March, authorities have turned away nearly 15,000 cars, filled with thousands of would-be visitors who hoped to escape to the sand and sea. Some of them were tourists, but many were from nearby Miami-Dade and Broward counties. 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 Its this kind of behaviour that makes yearlong residents of beach towns nervous for the summer. As many reopen for Memorial Day weekend or June 1, in the case of the Keys the communities that live there are preparing for a crush of people, some of whom feel contempt for the rules that have kept these enclaves relatively safe. The lockdown of the Keys, for example, has kept reported cases of COVID-19 low, with only three deaths, according to data from the Florida Health Department. Its not that we dont want people here or that we hate people from Miami and other places; its that we dont have the resources to care for them if they come here and get sick, Scott Pillar, a commercial fisherman and a resident of the Keys, said over the phone. We arent trying to keep the beach to ourselves; we are trying to keep everyone safe. If these people coming to visit can guarantee that they arent sick, then, sure, they can come. Follow our LIVE Updates on the coronavirus pandemic here Rules for beach re-openings differ by state and county and are subject to change, with some beaches currently banning sitting and sunbathing and allowing people to visit only if they keep moving. Almost everywhere, tourists and local residents are expected to wear masks and practice social distancing, even at the beach. In the Keys, hotels will have to submit sanitation plans in order to host visitors, and they can be booked at only 50% capacity. But some residents worry that by reopening, authorities are prioritizing money before people, one man wrote in a Facebook group for residents. In another such group, some residents discussed concerns about potential rule-breaking tourists. One woman wrote, I hope people will be kinder and gentler with each other and the environment ... but I doubt it. A Choice Between Health or Commerce In the week since the Outer Banks, a group of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, reopened, many residents have said theyve noticed visitors refusing to wear masks or follow social distancing rules, raising fears that its inevitable that more cases of the coronavirus will reach the islands, which have largely been sheltered. The locals, in my opinion, followed the beach rules and just used it for exercise or walking your dog, said Barbara Bell, a photographer in the Outer Banks. When they started to let in non-resident property owners is when the beach access roads were packed. The towns had been closed to non-residents and nonessential workers for two months, with sheriffs deputies at the entry points, but there were plenty of efforts to flout that rule. Some locals offered, on Craigslist, to sneak people onto the islands via boat, for a price. Some managers sneaked clients past the checkpoint on the bridge. Over one weekend in March, dozens of people tried to cross the Currituck Sound to reach the islands. I understand what an amazing place this is and get that when people werent at work, they wanted to be here, but what they were missing was the fact that they were coming from areas with a surge to an area that wouldnt be able to handle that, said Shelli Gates, a respiratory therapist and musician who has lived in the Outer Banks for about 27 years. Although local business owners were vocal about their concern that keeping tourists away would harm an area where most money is made in the summer, some residents said that authorities were rushing to reopen to appease business owners. In various Facebook posts and in interviews with The New York Times, residents of the Outer Banks towns of Kitty Hawk, Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills said that they understood the difficult position of business owners who in many cases are neighbours but that reopening seemed like a big health risk. It would be nice if we could find some balance that will let people make their money for their year but also know that they are safe from the contingent of visitors who wont be respectful and wont follow the rules, Gates said. Jonathan Parker Hipps wrote in a Facebook post announcing that the islands would be reopening, Our shelves are half-empty most of the time or completely out of essentials. Locals have been struggling for toilet paper and meats. We all want to open up, but we arent ready. The 5-Mile Rule and Other Measures Some beach towns have adopted new rules to limit the number of people who can visit. At Half Moon Bay State Beach and other California beaches, people are not allowed to park anywhere near the beach, in parking lots or along the road. They have to be engaged in recreational activities and cannot sit or sunbathe. They cant bring coolers, umbrellas or chairs. (They are also reminded to take their trash with them because there is no trash collection.) The request to stay away, many residents said, is a reasonable one, but tourists and people from over the hill havent respected it, causing frustration and tension. The arguments have been playing out in person and on social media. In Half Moon Bay, which is about 45 minutes south of San Francisco, locals only signs began to pop up in parking lots in March, as did highway signs telling people who were more than 10 miles away from their towns to turn around and go back home. (Previously, Dr Scott Morrow, the health officer of San Mateo County, issued a rule requiring those who went outside to do recreational activities within 5 miles of their homes.) As of last week, people from beyond the 10-mile scope could visit beaches, but they were not allowed to do so by car between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. It feels like people are using the pandemic as an excuse to keep people who arent from here out, said Chris Voisard, a teacher and a resident of Half Moon Bay who opposed the 5-mile rule. The sentiment here is very much that these are our beaches. We are lucky to live by the beach, but we dont own the beach. On a Facebook group for locals, run by Voisards younger sister, Cathy Voisard, hundreds of Half Moon Bay residents disagreed. Some lamented that though county measures had slowed traffic, they had not kept out day-trippers. Instead of parking where theyll be given tickets for breaking the shelter-in-place rules, these visitors have been parking in residential areas. Because bathrooms are closed, visitors are urinating in residents yards and along the beach. And instead of taking their trash with them, they are littering around peoples homes. I am all for peoples rights to visit the beach none of us own the beach but this is about respect for each other during a pandemic, a crisis, not about keeping people away from the beach, said Soula Conte, a resident of Montara, a town that is between Half Moon Bay and Pacifica and is within 10 miles of Half Moon Bay. Theres a sense of entitlement that visitors are displaying here on the coast as things open, Conte said, adding that there had been blatant disregard for rules by visitors. Quite honestly, its as if rules dont apply to tourists, she said. Nearly 250 comments were left on a post in the locals Half Moon Bay Facebook group asking about whether reopening to non-residents was the right move. Some people said they wished checkpoints could be put up to keep away people who werent from the immediate area; others said they would like to see authorities enforce rules and fine people more rigorously. Many said visitors behaviour now was simply an exacerbation of a disrespect for locals that already existed. It comes down to a lack of respect, Emily Banker wrote. Lack of respect for nature and the environment in leaving trash on/around the beach, urinating (and worse) in the landscape and peoples property, lack of respect for laws including no parking zones. Parking Tickets Wont Keep Them Away In East Hampton, New York, where residents have discouraged visitors from New York City, the area hardest-hit by the novel coronavirus in the United States, local authorities have stepped up enforcement of parking rules even as they planned a phased reopening of beaches Saturday. I cant close the state highway that leads into town, and one of the most iconic state parks in New York is here, said Peter Van Scoyoc, the town supervisor of East Hampton. The town is working with our local businesses to ensure that when we invite people to visit that it will be safe to do so. Four beaches in the area (South Edison and Ditch Plain in Montauk and Indian Wells and Atlantic Avenue in Amagansett) will open, but only on weekends, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and only to those with permits. No daily parking passes are being sold, and East Hampton is fining people $150 if they are parked in a lot without a permit. The town is also not issuing non-resident permits. By this time of year, issuing permits is usually well underway. The reality of living in a beach town, though, is accepting that you need tourists to survive, some residents of the Outer Banks, Half Moon Bay and the Florida Keys said. There is fear but resignation in most beach enclaves; often, tourism is one of the few ways for locals to make money. All they can do is hope for the best. Beach opened yesterday, and today, though chilly, the boardwalk is full of happy visitors none wearing masks or social distancing, one Outer Banks woman, who asked not to be named, wrote on Facebook, adding that grocery store parking lots were packed with non-resident cars. Praying for the best outcomes. c.2020 The New York Times Company The death has occurred of Sr. Bridget (Delia) Curtin Of Rush, Dublin and Tournafulla On May 23, 2020, (peacefully) Sr. Bridget (Delia) (FMM); deeply regretted by her religious community, her sister Mary (Lyons), nieces, nephews, her many relatives and friends. May Sr. Bridget (Delia) Rest In Peace. Due to the recent government guidelines regarding public gatherings, Sr. Bridget's Funeral will be held in private. To view Sr. Bridget's funeral please click on the following link on Tuesday at 10am. https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/st-maurs-parish The death has occurred of Thomas (Tom) Daly Of Ballynanty Road, Ballynanty Late of Limerick Corporation Peacefully, at Milford Care Centre. Beloved husband of the late Jean (nee Fitzgerald) and father of the late Susan Daly-Gillick. Deeply regretted by his sons Tony and Eric, daughters Geraldine and Sinead, daughter-in-law Shari, sons-in-law John O'Carroll and John Gillick, sister Mary, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, the extended Daly and Fitzgerald families, friends and neighbours. May he rest in peace Due to goverment guidelines regarding public gatherings, a private funeral will take place. Tom's cortege will pass his home and proceed past his late parents home on Shanabooly Road, on Tuesday, May 26 at approximately 12.00pm. Those wishing to express their sympathy can do so on rip.ie condolence section or can send Mass cards and letters of sympathy by post to Cross' Funeral Directors. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to Milford Care Centre The death has occurred of Mary Duhig Of Ballingirlough, Bruff Mary passed away peacefully in the loving care of Milford Care Centre, Limerick after a long illness on May 22, 2020. Predeased by her parents John and Elizabeth (nee Mulcahy). Sadly missed by her loving sister Bridget, cousins, extended family, kind neighbours and a large circle of friends. Ar dheis De go raibh a hanam dilis In compliance with current guidelines and with the support of her family, Mary's funeral will be private. The Requiem Mass will be livestreamed at 11 o'clock on Monday morning on bruffparish.ie. Messages of sympathy may be expressed by post to Butler's Funeral Home, Bruff. The death has occurred of Nora Enright Of Killoughteen, Newcastle West Also known as Auntie Nora. Killoughteen, Newcastle West and late of the Olympic Ballroom, Leonards TV and Newcastle West Post Office. Died peacefully on May 22 after a short illness in Milford Care Centre. Predeceased by her sisters Maudie Duke and Joan Downes. Deeply regretted by her loving sister Alow Kelly, nephews, nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces, cousins, and a wide circle of wonderful friends. Rest in Peace In accordance with government guidelines private funeral mass will take place in Newcastle West Church on Sunday, 24th May, at 2 pm. Private burial afterwards in Calvary Cemetery. Mass cards and letters of sympathy can be sent to Riedy's Undertakers. Nora's cortege will leave church after mass at aprox 2.45 pm via the square to cemetery. A memorial mass will take place at a later date. Messages of sympathy may be expressed to RIP.ie condolences section below. Riedy's - 069 62657. The death has occurred of Geraldine Galligan (nee O'Rahilly) Of 75 Lower Carey's Road, Limerick City Late of Krups and Limerick Laundry and Dry Cleaning Geraldine died peacefully at home. Sadly missed by her loving husband Martin, son Jason and his partner Leanne, sister Marian, brothers Michael and Richard, uncle, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends, not forgetting Oscar and Sparky Rest in Peace In compliance with current guidelines and with the support of her family, the Funeral will be private. Family flowers only, donations if desired to Limerick Animal Welfare. Geraldines Funeral Cortege will pass her home in Careys Road on Monday, May 25, at 12.30pm for neighbours & friends. Please observe social distance. Messages of sympathy may be expressed: through the rip.ie condolences section (below), through the death notices section of our website: www.griffinfunerals.com or by post to Griffins Funeral Home. The death has occurred of Eamonn O'Neill Of Lisieux, Convent Road, Lismore, Waterford and Limerick Late of the Ennis Road care facility, Limerick. Formerly of AIB. On May 22, 2020 comfortably and peacefully at Ennis General Hospital. Beloved husband of the late Kitty. Regretted by his loving family and dear friends. May he rest in peace A private cremation will be held at this time and a memorial Mass will be celebrated in Abbeyside, Dungarvan, at a later date. Mass Cards and letters of sympathy can be posted to Thompson Funeral Directors, Limerick. The death has occurred of John Horgan Of Bawnmore, Ardpatrick Very peacefully in his 89th year; in the loving care of the Matron and staff of Maria Goretti Nursing Home, Proonts, Kilmallock and surrounded by his devoted nieces, Siobhan, Carmel and Teresa. Predeceased by his parents, Eugene and Johanna (Mangan) and his sisters Mary, Lizzie (Murphy) and Chris (ODoherty). Sadly missed by his nieces, cousins, grand nieces and grandnephews, loyal friends and neighbours. May he rest in peace. While we would like to have everyone with us at this very sad time, in line with HSE guidelines regarding public gatherings, a funeral Mass for immediate family and close friends only will take place on Sunday, May 24, 2020 at 11.30 am in St. Patricks Church, Ardpatrick with burial afterwards in Kilfinane Cemetery. T he Prime Minister has stood by his top aide Dominic Cummings amid claims he flouted the Government's own coronavirus restrictions by travelling to Durham during the lockdown. Mr Cummings is facing calls to resign, with Downing Street accused of a "cover up", after it emerged he travelled 260 miles from his London home, days after Boris Johnson urged people not to travel. But Number 10 has insisted it was "essential" for Mr Cummings - whose wife had suspected coronavirus at the time - to travel to ensure his child's welfare, with the adviser believing he behaved "reasonably and legally". The statement said: "Owing to his wife being infected with suspected coronavirus and the high likelihood that he would himself become unwell, it was essential for Dominic Cummings to ensure his young child could be properly cared for. "His sister and nieces had volunteered to help so he went to a house near to but separate from his extended family in case their help was needed. His sister shopped for the family and left everything outside." After the reports emerged of Mr Cummings's visit, Durham police said they attended a property in the area to reiterate the appropriate advice around essential travel. Political advisor Dominic Cummings is accused of breaching lockdown rules / Getty Images But No 10 appeared to suggest the police statement was incorrect, adding: "At no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter, as is being reported. His actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines. Mr Cummings believes he behaved reasonably and legally." Chief Medical Officer Jenny Harries previously said that being too ill to look after a small child could be considered an "exceptional circumstance" to stay-at-home rules. After the statement was issued, Mr Johnson's Tory colleagues waded into the debate, with Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove tweeting: Caring for your wife and child is not a crime. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab added in a tweet: Its reasonable and fair to ask for an explanation on this. And it has been provided: two parents with coronavirus, were anxiously taking care of their young child.Those now seeking to politicise it should take a long hard look in the mirror. Chancellor Rishi Sunak also reiterated a similar message. Boris Johnson has so far not commeted on the reports / PA But Labour said Downing Streets statement raises more questions than it answers with the adviser "appearing to believe it is one rule for him and another for the British people." A spokesman said: The lockdown rules were very clear: if you or anyone in your household was suspected of having Covid-19 you must immediately self-isolate and not leave the house. However, the Prime Ministers chief adviser appears to believe that it is one rule for him and another for the British people. This will cause understandable anger for the millions of people who have sacrificed so much during this crisis. Number 10s statement also raises more questions than it answers. We are still unclear who knew about this decision and when, whether this was sanctioned by the Prime Minister and whether Number 10 is now questioning the validity of the statement from Durham Police. At this afternoons press conference, we will be expecting answers to these questions. Dominic Cummings Self-isolating With Coronavirus Symptoms M167654 (1) The statement from the Prime Minister's spokesman came on Saturday morning after MPs and key figures called for Mr Johnson to offer an explanation. Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA, the union that represents senior civil servants, said when Mr Cummings says or does something, he is "essentially doing it in the Prime Ministers name. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: I think the Prime Minister needs to understand how heartbreaking this lockdown has been for so many families and the sacrifices that have been made up and down the country. I think in these circumstances, if it looks like there is one rule for those at the centre of Government and one rule for rest of the country, then really the Prime Minister has a responsibility, as well as a constitutional responsibility, to explain his actions. He has known about this for six weeks. Acting leader of Liberal Democrats Ed Davey has called for Mr Cummings to resign / AFP via Getty Images Ian Blackford, SNP Westminster leader, also said the Prime Minister had serious questions to answer. The MP told the Today show: What I find interestingis that (according to some reports) members of Downing Street knew about this so, first and foremost, Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer over what now appears to be a cover-up. "The Prime Minister must explain exactly when he knew about the breaking of the rules, whether he sanctioned it, why Cummings wasnt sacked immediately and why it appears that he tried to cover it up, not telling the public until the newspaper(s) broke the story eight weeks later last night. Mr Blackford said Mr Cummings alleged actions were more serious breaches than the apparent rule breaking carried out by UK Government adviser Professor Neil Ferguson and former Scotland chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood , both of whom resigned for their breaches. At the time, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was speechless over Professor Ferguson's behaviour. He added: Here we have the highest official in Government, the closest confidant of the Prime Minister prepared to break the rules that the rest of us are being asked to obey. You cannot have a situation where there appears to be one rule for the powerful and the millions of the rest of the public are being told we must follow Government advice. Demonstrably, this is an individual who has broken the advice he has been, in many cases, the architect of delivering. Former Conservative MP David Lidington, who was de facto deputy PM under Theresa May, was among those saying the news raised serious questions. He told BBC Newsnight: Theres 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. And Sir Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, called for Mr Cummings to quit over the allegations, telling Sky: "That looks like it's in real breach of the rules, and when millions of people have sacrificed so much in order to stop the spread of coronavirus. "People have not seen their loved ones, they've had to cancel weddings, they've not been able to go to the funerals of their closest relatives. It looks quite outrageous that the Prime Minister's closest adviser has done this, and frankly if that turns out to be the case he must go... he should either resign, or the Prime Minister should sack him." Durham Constabulary said in a statement on Friday that officers contacted the owners of a property in County Durham on March 31, more than a week after the lockdown had been imposed by the PM. Downing Street previously confirmed that Mr Cummings had started displaying coronavirus symptoms over the weekend of March 28 and 29. UK lockdown eases as more people return to work - In pictures 1 /54 UK lockdown eases as more people return to work - In pictures A woman wearing a face mask and gloves walks on a platform at Waterloo Station in London Reuters Cannon Street Station Jeremy Selwyn General view of roadworks on London Bridge, London PA Busy tube train between East Ham and Upton Park. PA People are seen at Waterloo Station in London Reuters People wear a face masks at Leeds station PA A worker from LNER stands beside ticket barriers that have been blocked for social distancing measures at Newcastle train station, PA Cannon Street Station Jeremy Selwyn Police at Victoria Station as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Nigel Howard Burnt Oak tube station. PA A Victoria line train is deep cleaned at Northumberland Park depot PA Commuters at Clapham Junction Station PA Nigel Howard Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Nigel Howard Passengers board and leave a train at a station in Bracknell, Berkshire PA Commuters and staff in and around at Clapham Junction Railway Station Daniel Hambury Police officers pictured at Colliers Wood Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd Cannon Street Station Jeremy Selwyn Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Increased police and security personnel at New Street station in Birmingham PA Cannon Street Station Jeremy Selwyn Commuters at Clapham Junction sStation PA Nigel Howard Cannon Street Station Jeremy Selwyn Commuters at Clapham Junction Station PA Busy tube train between East Ham and Upton Park PA Nigel Howard Commuters and staff in and around at Clapham Junction Railway Station, Daniel Hambury Nigel Howard Increased police and security personnel at New Street station in Birmingham PA Increased security at New Street station in Birmingham, PA Busy tube train between East Ham and Upton Park PA Commuters at Clapham Junction Station PA A sign advising passengers to wear a face mask at Clapham Junction station, PA Stickers being installed on a bus at Abellio Camberwell bus garage, as more people are set to return to offices, factories and building sites this week PA Police said: On Tuesday, March 31, our officers were made aware of reports that an individual had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city. Officers made contact with the owners of that address who confirmed that the individual in question was present and was self-isolating in part of the house. In line with national policing guidance, officers explained to the family the arrangements around self-isolation guidelines and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel. Mr Johnson introduced the UK lockdown a few days earlier with a speech on March 23 when he gave a very simple instruction you must stay at home. Boris Johnson's coronavirus update - the key soundbites The rules stated that people would only be allowed to leave the house for limited purposes. These were shopping for basics, one form of exercise a day, travelling to and from work, but only where absolutely necessary, and medical needs. Reinforcing the message, Mr Johnson said people should not meet family members who do not live with them. The rule stated: You should not be visiting family members who do not live in your home. You should keep in touch with them using phone or video calls. Only in exceptional circumstances were people allowed to attend relatives addresses; for example, to drop off food or medicine to their door. Even now the lockdown rules have been relaxed slightly, visiting friends or family in their own homes is still off limits. The current guidance states: As with before, you cannot visit friends and family in their homes. The Government guidance also said: We are advising those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (Covid-19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures. This group includes those who are aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions). It added: If you are showing coronavirus symptoms, or if you or any of your household are self-isolating, you should stay at home this is critical to staying safe and saving lives. Mr Cummings and his wife, Mary Wakefield, an editor at the Spectator, last month gave a detailed account of how they coped under lockdown while having the symptoms of coronavirus. Writing in the magazine, Ms Wakefield does not say where they were during quarantine, but adds: After the uncertainty of the bug itself, we emerged from quarantine into almost comical uncertainty of London lockdown. (Newser) A surging coronavirus is ravaging parts of Latin America, setting records for cases and deaths Friday in some countries in the world's most unequal region, even as the pandemic's march slows in much of Europe, Asia, and the US. Latin America's two largest nationsMexico and Brazilreported record numbers of infections and deaths almost daily this week, fueling criticism of their presidents, who've slow-walked shutdowns in an attempt to limit economic damage, per the AP. Brazil reported more than 330,000 confirmed cases as of Friday, surpassing Russia to become the nation with the second-highest number of infections, behind only the US, per a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University (though as of Saturday morning, Russia had jumped back up past Brazil). Brazil also has recorded more than 21,000 deaths, though experts believe the true numbers are higher. story continues below The virus "does not forgive," an Uber driver said at the burial of his grandmother in Rio de Janeiro. "It does not choose race or if you are rich or poor, black or white. It's a cruel disease." Experts said the surging deaths across Latin America showed the limits of government action in a region where millions have informal jobs and many police forces are weak or corrupt and unable to enforce restrictions. Infections also rose and intensive care units were swamped in Peru, Chile, and Ecuador, countries lauded for imposing early and aggressive business shutdowns and quarantines. Some Latin American leaders have downplayed the severity of the virus. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has especially pushed back against state governors who tried to impose limits on people's movements and commerce. Opposition lawmakers and other detractors have called for Bolsonaro's impeachment and have alleged criminal mishandling of the response to the virus. (Read more Latin America stories.) Top-tier financial services and tech companies have made Toronto a hot draw for talented workers, stoking the citys roaring economy and whittling the downtown office vacancy rate to a tight 2.8 per cent. But what happens to Torontos teeming office towers if people stop going to work? COVID-19s influence on the way we work is being widely compared to the impact 9/11 had on how we travel. Among the many uncertainties of life going forward is how the citys office towers will be occupied. Could the move to home-based work hollow out Torontos core? Thats unlikely, said Ray Wong, vice-president of data operations at Altus Group, who tracks commercial and industrial real estate. Organizations, however, will almost certainly be taking stock of their office requirements how to reconfigure them and how much space they need, he said. He is among the experts who caution that it is too early to determine how much of the current shift to home-based work will stick. After 9/11 nobody wanted to be in highrise buildings and nobody wanted to be downtown. At one point the rents were actually higher in the lower floors. Now you pay a premium to be higher, he said. James McKellar, a professor of real estate at the Schulich School of Business at York University, said there are changes underway that few would have predicted a couple of months ago. He cites reports of soaring bicycle sales in big U.S. cities where traffic congestion and the fear of transit are prompting commuters to seek alternative transportation. While he doesnt expect Zoom to replace face to face, McKellar said new buildings will put more emphasis on health, safety and wellness features. We may also see more low- to medium-rise mixed-use buildings with office and residential outside of the downtown core, he said. That could be accelerated by large, mixed-use projects by pension funds that are coming on stream in the next decade in suburban locations such as Downsview and Mississauga. Wong said there are two discussions already underway in most organizations. Some are thinking about leveraging technology to reduce their office footprint by 50 per cent. Others are considering whether they will need more space for social distancing. On Thursday Shopify became the latest tech giant to announce it plans to extend work-from-home provisions. But most pandemic-stricken organizations, including Altus, are plotting ways to phase in safe, productive office environments against a backdrop of physical, psychological and economic fear. The key thing for the downtown will be how safe will it feel with respect to getting on the TTC or a GO train. Thats what the government and the private sector have to look at, said Wong. The Toronto regions 6.6 per cent office vacancy rate, like most big Canadian centres, is tilted toward the core, where the 2.8 per cent vacancy rate compares to 9 per cent in the suburbs. Even before the pandemic, Altus was expecting vacancies would increase based on employment trends and new office development. The city has 124 million sq. ft. of office space and another 9 million sq. ft. expected in the next five years. Before the pandemic, demand was so high, 74 per cent of the new space had already been leased. Wong said companies are also reconsidering the average amount of square footage being allotted to their employees. That number has been shrinking for the last 20 years with some tech companies in open-concept offices averaging only 80 to 90 sq. ft. per employee. Law firms with more private offices allot about 125 to 135 sq. ft. The last two years weve heard a lot more noise from companies that this average is too tight its hard for our employees to be able to focus with all the distractions around them, said Wong. He said employers evaluating their space requirements could also start giving more consideration to suburban locations that have been considered less appealing to younger workers, who place a premium on transit access and walkability. Given the last 10 weeks, those employees might also be reconsidering the suburbs. They live downtown and some of them are in 350 or 400 sq. ft. shared by two people. To be in self-isolation is a little bit challenging, he said. It is premature to call the COVID-19 work-from-home experiment a resounding success, said Oxford Properties Group vice-president of development Eric Plesman. We dont know the long-term impact on mental health and employee engagement, he said. Plesman sees working from home as an evolution rather than a dramatic shift one that will accelerate the trend to blending work with home life. Work has now pervaded our homes and employees are going to expect more flexibility from employers. The office will more rapidly evolve from the production floor to a place focused on creating employee engagement, culture, creativity and building relationships and trust, he said. Plesman said Oxford remains committed to downtown development, and its plans to build a giant mixed-use project called Union Park near the Rogers Centre havent changed. Expected to break ground in 2023 at the earliest, Union Park includes 3.3 million sq. ft. of office space in two towers, 58 and 48 storeys. Another major mixed-use development by RioCan and Allied, The Well at King St. West and Spadina Ave., will include 1.1 million sq. ft. of office space, according to the project website. Technology allows work flexibility but it still has its frustrations, said Plesman. You cant operate at the same level. You cant interject, you cant have a very cohesive conversation because you are forgetting to press the mute button. Your audio all of a sudden fails. The children are running their own streaming so all of a sudden your picture falls away, he said. Lisa Fulford-Roy, senior vice-president of client strategy at commercial real estate company CBRE, said she expects Toronto will absorb new office space based on pent-up demand and Canadian immigration policies that encourage the citys growth. If anything (new supply) might create a bit of room in the market for the short-term, but longer term, organizations are going to continue to grow their workforce, said Fulford-Roy. Meantime, she said, Everybodys learning whats important to them in terms of how they could work from home in the future the ideal conditions. They are learning what they would do in the office and why they miss the office so much. But dont expect the return to work will immediately restore the social and collaborative functions of the office, said Fulford-Roy. When people return to work pre-vaccine, its going to be very mechanical. Its not going to be highly co-operative. It is going to be very structured around safety, she said. That experience isnt what we are all wanting to get back to the office for. Checkerboarding, carpet sensors, hub and spoke workspaces: Welcome to the post-pandemic office of the future Nobody knows what the office of the future looks like post-pandemic. But COVID-19 has already handed employers and workers 10 weeks in which to learn about the most productive ways to work from home, said Lisa Fulford-Roy, senior vice-president of client strategy for commercial real estate company CBRE Canada. It has also shown us the gaps that technology doesnt bridge. As people we crave being with other people. Face to face is far more engaging than Zoom because youre reading entire body language, she said. There is something psychologically exhausting about being on 10 video calls a day, and it doesnt allow for unscheduled collaboration and mentoring, said Fulford-Roy. She hopes companies dont use the global stay-at-home experiment as a means of reducing operating costs and driving profits. She wants to see them reinvest in workplaces as a point of connection for their employees. Without those opportunities, workers will be left grappling with how to identify with their organization. How am I building my social network, how am I learning from others, how am I getting to know people individually outside of work the social trust and currency that is related to belonging to an organization, she said. Here are some features that Fulford-Roy said could become more common as we slowly, carefully head back to the office: Enhanced cleaning and clean-desk policies that prohibit personal items at work. There will be daytime office cleaning, and workers will be responsible for wiping down surfaces in the same way people wipe off the equipment at the gym after they have used it. De-densification, checkerboarding and alternating work days. Workplace clusters could be reduced from six or eight desks to four. There will also be more space for circulation, one-way paths to move through the office and seating arrangements known as checkerboarding to reduce virus transmission. Initially, employees will be invited back to the office on alternate weeks, shifts or days to accommodate distancing. Hub and spoke workspaces. The emphasis on downtown offices could shift as companies rethink the advantage of drive-up, lowrise suburban buildings. Fulford-Roy said some companies are looking at reopening redundant suburban sites that are more accessible to their workers and give them more space for distancing. But, she said, some suburban buildings will need to upgrade their HVAC and fixtures to reduce contact points with basics such as hands-free washroom fixtures. Well buildings and healthy tech will be in demand as organizations seek superior air quality. Apps will allow workers to order everything from coffee to a low-occupancy elevator. Sensors in the carpet or flooring will identify high-traffic areas and provide live data showing which spaces need concentrated cleaning. Portable tech. Its one thing to share a desk or a screen that can be easily wiped down, but workers could bring their own keyboard, mouse and other devices if they require minimal setup. Programmed events at the office that give employees meaningful, engaging, memorable and valuable reasons to come to the office. Locusts, COVID-19 and deadly flooding pose a triple threat to millions of people across East Africa and especially in Kenya according to a report by World Bank. A new and larger generation of the voracious insects, numbering in the billions, is reported to be on the move in East Africa, where some countries have not seen such an outbreak in 70 years. READ ALSO: Bukusu parents abandon traditions, take sons to hospitals for circumcision due to COVID-19 COVID-19, floods, and locusts: Kenyans should brace for food shortage as bread baskets get punctured Source: Original READ ALSO: Woman who did not know she was pregnant gives birth in bathtub Climate change is in part to blame. The added threat of COVID-19 imperils a region that already was home to about 20% of the worlds population of food-insecure people, including thousands in Kenya. Lockdowns imposed for the COVID-19 pandemic have slowed efforts to combat the locusts, especially imports of the pesticides needed for aerial spraying that is called the only effective control. Here is a look into how the pandemic, floods and locust invasion has affected Kenyan's breadbasket as they brace for food shortage in the near future. READ ALSO: Young and gifted: Genius girl, 8, shows off her coding skills 1: Trans Nzoia county According to Silas Bundotich, a farmer in Koitobos farm in Kibomet, the region is likely not able to feed the country as usual. He attributed this the government's failure to purchase maize through NCPB for the Strategic Food reserve in the calendar year of 2019/2020. He claimed most farmers in the region have been affected by floods that have either swept away maize in stores or soaked their maize beyond human consumption. Kenya Farmers Association (KFA) Director Kipkorir Menjo told TUKO.co.ke on phone that Kenyans were staring at a likely serious food shortage stint in the wake of the pandemic, floods and locusts The KFA director acknowledged that despite the stability in maize prices due to reduced importation of the commodity, there was still a shortage of maize supply. READ ALSO: My wife pushed me to marry another woman - Pastor Habil Were While Trans Nzoia is one of the breadbaskets in the country, maize prices are retailing at KSh 100 per 2kgs for the first time since 2017. Menjo asked the government to ascertain the situation and should the need to import the maize come up then they should allow it to meet the shortage but leave room for maize harvested locally. Frederick Rono a large scale farmer in Trans Nzoia accused NCPB of not buying maize from farmers in 2020. Rono said 50% of the local produce from farmers in 2019 was still in stores. "I am worried because 50% of last year's produce is still with farmers. NCPB refused to buy farmers maize," he said. READ ALSO: COVID-19, floods, and locusts: Kenyans should brace for food shortage as bread baskets get punctured "What we have in the farms is being swept away by floods and those in stores could get aflatoxins because it has overstayed yet farmers' storage facilities are not trustworthy to keep food fit for human consumption for long, Tono explained. TUKO.co.ke has learnt that the shortage has been enhanced by cross-border restrictions between Kenya and Uganda occasioned by the COVID-19 prevention measures. Following tussles between maize farmers and NCPB in 2019 over delayed payment, many farmers opted out of maize planting in 2020. The consumption of maize in Kenya is estimated at 4 million bags every year, according to Menjo. He said the locusts' invasion, coupled with floods will also work against food sufficiency, explaining that the government needs to carry out a detailed analysis to plan for the future. READ ALSO: Kenya receives KSh 4.8bn World Bank loan 2 days after lender approved KSh 106bn 2: Uasin Gishu county Maize farmers in Uasin Gishu county are experiencing loss of their maize crop following ongoing heavy rainfall pounding the area which has swept away crops in most farms in the region. Some farmers say they have been forced to dig deeper into their pockets in order to buy more top dressing fertilisers because the initial fertiliser was washed away by the waters. TUKO.co.ke caught up with Kimutai Kolum, large scale maize and wheat farmer in Uasin Gishu who said his five acres of maize was washed away by floods. He observed that he has been forced to look for more money to buy additional inputs which were not part of his plan especially during current tough economic times. The region which has always been termed as the country's breadbasket also experienced invasion of locusts soon after farmers planted their crops. READ ALSO: Queen Elizabeth approves knighthood for inspiring 100-year-old war veteran who raised over KSh 5B for charities Kolum who has farmed for close to three decades said the harsh weather and locusts' invasion mean there will be little food production in 2020. He observed that most farmers are still storing maize harvested in 2019 and wondered why the government is yet to open National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) so they can sell the grains. We are now under the mercies of traders and millers yet the State should have come to our aid by opening cereals so that we can sell our grains at competitive prices." he said. "Millers are buying at KSh 3,200 per 90kgs while brokers are buying at KSh 3, 000. The move by the government to import maize is ill-advised, he added. James Kibet another farmer said the heavy rains have also damaged his maize crop which he highly hoped would give him good returns. He took a swipe on the government for failing to cushion farmers during the current harsh times saying they have been forgotten yet they play a critical role in the country's food security. Kibet said Kenyans should prepare for food shortage at the end of the year. READ ALSO: Donald Trump finally spotted wearing mask in public 3: Nakuru county Nakuru has for the longest time been regarded as a key food basket in Rift Valley. It banked on direct sales of its farm produce to foreign markets and value addition to grow revenues. Nakuru is also one of the leading producers of potatoes, milk, vegetables among other crops. However, swelling lakes in the region as a result of the destruction of the water catchment areas including the Maasai Mau Forest has destroyed many crops. An environmental conservationist and researcher, Jack Raini said the catchment area could not hold the water which runs in the form of surface water. READ ALSO: I love you: Emotional moment couple married for 70 years reunited after lockdown This, in turn, erodes and carries soil to the lakes and with increased siltation, they seem to get shallow and cannot hold much water. As with the case of lake Nakuru, for example, the water which has since displaced close to 100 families and also displaced wild animals. This, he said, can result in human-wildlife conflict. The animals leave the park to nearby farms while snakes have since invaded homes. "The water which has submerged nearby farms is salty and crops in the submerged farms wither," he said. "Remember in Baringo we had a case where a crocodile swam to home and attacked a 10-year-old..," he added. READ ALSO: Fighting coronavirus: Nairobi man volunteers to sanitise police stations 4: Homa Bay county Food experts in Homa Bay have warned of a looming food shortage linking the impending crisis to many acres of land that have been submerged by waters because of floods, They also pointed out the inability to access farm inputs and machinery alluded to the COVID-19 pandemic and invasion of locusts. Joel Tanui, the Regional Manager-Western National Irrigation Authority said Kenya is a net importer of rice which is the third most consumed cereal However, with COVID-19, most of the countries that always export its surplus to Kenya ceased exporting, citing Vietnam. "This means over 400,000MT of rice will be in short supply this year (over KSh 25B in import value)," he said. READ ALSO: Madagascar to sign confidentiality clause with WHO on COVID-Organics "Our annual production in the country stands at only 120,000MT against the consumption of 600,000MT," Tanui added. The manager explained that for the supply and the consumption to balance, then rice growers in the country must be empowered on double production through the provision of subsidized seed and fertilizer. He decried the floods that have eroded the gain by farmers in trying to bridge the gap. He observed that rice is the main crop in the Nyanza region since the sugarcane sector went down. Adding that the lifeline of farmers in the region is now on rice. He also said that relevant authorities like NIB were forced to scale down their staff drastically due to COVID-19 which has slowed implementation of the crop production calendar in the region. READ ALSO: Woman donating liver to 28-year-old dying son discovers he's not her biological child He said that by now over 10,000 acres could be under rice, but now less than 6000 acres are under crop. He also said that majority of the farmers are over 60 years hence highly vulnerable to COVID-19. Normally farmers get loans from AFC and cooperatives but there is a go-slow from these institutions for fear of farmers not being able to pay them back. Tanui further said that transport was a big challenge as most transporters are not willing to transport the products due to harassment by police on the roads and curfew hours. At the same time, he said that for the past two weeks they embarked on massive desilting of natural streams in Nyando and Muhoroni to evacuate all floodwaters READ ALSO: Nairobi landlord evicts children of tenant stranded up country due to cessation of movement He also said that Kisumu, Siaya and Busia counties are the greatly affected areas by the floods. Tanui observes that it is a big worry to food security when it comes to locust invasion saying rice is highly susceptible to the foraging insects especially when rice is at its vegetative stage. The reported cases of locust invasion were in Busia, and Trans Nzoia and approximately 3000 acres for small scale farmers were affected. Tanui urged the government to urgently fast-track construction of the Koru Soin dam to tame River Nyando which is the main source of the floods. Stories by Davis Bwayo, Mercy Chebet , Ben Kerich and Naomi Akoth - TUKO.co.ke correspondents 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 A police chief has hit out at Dominic Cummings for his most unwise 260-mile trip to County Durham during lockdown amid a stand-off between the force and Downing Street. Steve White, the acting police and crime commissioner at Durham Constabulary, said he believed his force had acted appropriately after Boris Johnsons top aide travelled to the north east from his London home after his wife had developed Covid-19 symptoms. Following reports last night that Mr Cummings had been investigated, Durham Police said they had attended a property in the area to reiterate the appropriate advice around essential travel. But Downing Street placed itself at loggerheads with the force this lunchtime after suggesting they had given a misleading statement to the media. Dominic Cummings is under pressure to quit / AFP via Getty Images A No10 spokesman told journalists: At no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter, as is being reported. It prompted Commissioner Mr White to hit back and criticise the 48-year-old strategist. He said: In relation to the incident where Dominic Cummings visited Durham during lockdown, Durham Constabulary acted appropriately. Police chief Steve White slammed Dominic Cummings / Durham Police Given the whole ethos of the guidance and regulations issued from the Government was to reduce the spread [of the virus], regardless of reason, by travelling to County Durham when known to be infected was most unwise. He added: To beat this crisis we need to be selfless as millions have been. "The response by the people of County Durham and Darlington [has] been exemplary, which makes this most frustrating and concerning." The force has not given another updated statement over the incident following Downing Street's statement. Boris Johnson is facing growing calls to sack his most senior adviser amid claims the trip at the end of March breached Government lockdown rules. Political leaders have rounded on Mr Cummings, with the Lib Dems branding the alleged lockdown breach outrageous and Labour saying it was expecting answers at this afternoons press conference. But Mr Cummings told reporters on Saturday afternoon: Who cares about good looks? Its a question of doing the right thing." He then added "Its not about what you guys think. Labour was among those to criticise Downing Street for appearing to contradict Durham Police, saying its statement raises more questions than it answers. Boris Johnson is under pressure to sack his top aide / PA A party spokesperson added: "We are still unclear who knew about this decision and when, whether this was sanctioned by the Prime Minister and whether Number 10 is now questioning the validity of the statement from Durham Police. Labour stopped short of demanding Mr Cummings quit, but other opposition leaders said he should go. Lib Dem leader Ed Davey told Sky News on Saturday morning: People have not seen their loved ones, they've had to cancel weddings, they've not been able to go to the funerals of their closest relatives. It looks quite outrageous that the Prime Minister's closest adviser has done this, and frankly if that turns out to be the case he must go... he should either resign, or the Prime Minister should sack him. Lib Dem leader Ed Davey called for Dominic Cummings to go / Sky News SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford accused Mr Cummings of having "willfully broken the rules" his Government set and said he should have gone when the story broke last night. However, Cabinet ministers flocked to defend the top aide, citing his reasoning that he was taking his young child to his grandparents in the county due to him and his wife developing symptoms. Chancellor Rishi Sunak tweeted: Taking care of your wife and young child is justifiable and reasonable, trying to score political points over it isnt. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab added: Its reasonable and fair to ask for an explanation on this. And it has been provided: two parents with Coronavirus, were anxiously taking care of their young child. Those now seeking to politicise it should take a long hard look in the mirror. A Downing Street spokesman said: His actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines. Mr Cummings believes he behaved reasonably and legally. Luxembourg, France, Germany and seven other European nations said Friday they "regret" US President Donald Trump's decision to exit an international military surveillance treaty over alleged noncompliance by Russia. Trump said Thursday that Moscow was not fully adhering to the Open Skies pact, which lets its nearly three-dozen signatory nations carry out short-notice flights over another's territory to monitor potential military operations. The accord was designed to increase transparency and raise confidence between world powers, and advocates say Washington's exit could pose a security threat for Europe. "We regret the announcement by the United States of its plan to pull out of the Open Skies treaty, even though we share the concerns about how the accord is being carried out by the Russian Federation," the countries said in a joint statement issued by France's foreign ministry. "This treaty remains functional and useful." The US accuses Russia of blocking flights from over certain sites and of not allowing surveys of military exercises, which are normally allowed under Open Skies. NATO ambassadors are meeting Friday to discuss the US withdrawal, due to take effect in six months' time. Friday's statement was signed by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Sweden. "The Open Skies treaty is a crucial element in the framework for reinforcing trust that has been created in the past decades, aimed at increasing transparency and security for the euro-Atlantic zone," it said. The European nations said they would work to resolve "outstanding questions" with Moscow, including "unjustified restrictions" imposed on flights over Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania. "We continue to urge Russia to lift these restrictions and pursue the dialogue with all parties" to the treaty, they said. Washington Much of the country remains unlikely to venture out to bars, restaurants, theaters or gyms anytime soon, despite state and local officials across the country increasingly allowing businesses to reopen, according to a new survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That hesitancy in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak could muffle any recovery from what has been the sharpest and swiftest economic downturn in U.S. history. Just 42 percent of those who went to concerts, movies, theaters or sporting events at least monthly before the outbreak say they'd do so in the next few weeks if they could. Only about half of those who regularly went to restaurants, exercised at the gym or traveled would feel comfortable doing so again. About a quarter of Americans say someone in their household has lost a job amid that downturn, and about half have lost household income, including layoffs, pay cuts, cut hours or unpaid time off. The majority of those whose household suffered a layoff still believe they will return to their previous employer, but the share expecting their job will not return has risen slightly over the past month, to 30 percent from 20 percent. Amber Van Den Berge, a teacher in Indiana, held off on immediately returning to her second job as a fitness instructor. She would need to pass a test for COVID-19, get her temperature checked each morning and lead class while wearing a protective mask. "Wear a mask to teach a fitness class? I'm not ready for that," said Van Den Berge, 39. The speed and strength of any economic rebound could be thwarted because many fear the risk of new infections. Consumers make up roughly 70 percent of U.S. economic activity, so anything less than a total recovery in spending would force many companies to permanently close and deepen the financial pain for 39 million people who have lost jobs in roughly the past two months. Forty-nine percent of Americans approve of how President Donald Trump is handling the economy, the poll shows. That has slipped over the last two months, from 56 percent in March. Still, the issue remains a relative positive for Trump, whose overall approval rating stands at 41 percent. Trump has at times downplayed the threat of the coronavirus and the benefits of testing and has criticized the leadership of Democratic governors. Many Democratic lawmakers have insisted on the importance of containing the disease and sustaining the economy with federal aid. Greg Yost, a Republican from Rockaway, N.J., said he wishes the president would defer more to medical experts, rather than speak off the cuff. But he added that he thinks Trump believes he must defend himself against personal attacks. "He's between a rock and a hard place," Yost said. But ShyJuan Clemons, 45, of Merrillville, Ind., said Trump has made the fallout from the pandemic worse by initially denying its dangers and failing to display much empathy for those hurt by the coronavirus. "Even my cat knows that he's terrible," said Clemons, referring to his 14-year-old Siamese mix, Shinji. Clemons works with special needs people and worries about his hours if Indiana starved of tax revenues because of the disease cuts its budget. But it also shows how an atmosphere of political polarization may be feeding both an eagerness by some to return and a reluctance by others to resume their previous lifestyles. Among those who did so at least monthly before the outbreak, Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say they'd go to restaurants (69 percent to 37 percent), movies, concerts or theaters (68 percent to 28 percent), travel (65 percent to 38 percent) and go to a gym or fitness studio (61 percent to 44 percent). Sixty-nine percent of those who regularly shopped in person for nonessential items before the outbreak, including majorities among both parties, say they'd be likely to wander malls and stores again. But Republicans are more likely to say so than Democrats, 82 percent to 61 percent. Yost expressed no qualms about going out because he believes the economic damage from shelter-in-place orders will be worse than the deaths from the disease. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "What's going to happen with depression, homelessness a lot of other problems are going to arise because we shut down the economy?" said Yost, a vice president of operations at an insurance agency. "I would go to a restaurant and feel comfortable with my kids and not even have masks on." Still, there's an exception to the partisan divide, with 76 percent of Republicans and 69 percent of Democrats who get haircuts on at least a monthly basis saying they'd do that in the next few weeks if they could. The poll finds an overwhelming majority of Americans, 70 percent, describe the economy as poor, but their outlook for the future is highly partisan. Sixty-two percent of Republicans expect improvement in the coming year, while 56 percent of Democrats say it will worsen. At the same time, two-thirds of Americans say their personal finances are good, which has remained steady since before the outbreak began. Many families have been able to survive the downturn because of aid such as direct payments to taxpayers and expanded unemployment benefits that will expire in July. Mitchell Durst, 74, has watched the job losses from the sidelines as a retired mathematician in Keyser, W. Va. He was already cautious about going out because of a compromised immune system from cancer treatments. The disease stopped his weekly poker game. He lived through the polio crisis, dealt with gas rationing during the 1970s and worked in Nigeria during the Ebola scare. He calculates the United States will need to be patient about an economic comeback. "Until we have a vaccine, particularly for those folks at risk, it's going to be awhile," Durst said. "If we get something in two years, if we're so fortunate to be able to do that, I think that would be fantastic." Ever since their inception, drones, also known as Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAs) or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), have had a rather tumultuous journey plagued with security concerns, especially in India. In the year 2014, the Indian government imposed an unanticipated blanket ban on the use of civil drones. This sudden decision was the aftermath of an incident where Pizzeria, a Mumbai-based restaurant, attempted to use a drone to air-drop pizzas in the vicinity. A rather knee-jerk reaction, wouldnt you say? Nevertheless, this decision effectively set our countrys drone industry back by several years, while the opportunity was efficaciously monetised by China. Four years later, the Indian government recognised the blanket ban as impractical since drones could easily be imported by civilians through both online and offline platforms as toys. On December 1, 2018, the Indian government came up with a regulatory policy regarding drones which effectively lifted the blanket ban. Regardless of this ban in India and issues abroad, the drone industry continued to grow at an unprecedented rate of over 40 per cent year-on-year. This rapidly emerging technology spawned multiple startups in the drone sector which made a career as a drone pilot reality instead of just being a fantasy. Drone Regulatory Policy In order to successfully (and might we add, legally) pursue a career as a drone pilot, you must be well-versed with the regulatory policy surrounding piloting commercial drones in India. The policy came to effect in 2018 when the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) announced the release of its Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) to ensure safe usage and flight of UAVs in India. Firstly, the policy classified drones in different categories based on their weight. The categories include Nano drones (up to 250 gms), Micro drones (250 gms 2 kg), Small drones (2 kg 25 kg), Medium drones (25 kg 150 kg) and lastly, Large drones (anything higher than 150 kg). Under this policy, all drone sizes apart from Nano drones, are required to be registered by the pilot/operator on the Digital Sky Platform. Therefore, civilians can no longer simply buy any drone and fly it. They are required to follow a lengthy list of compliances. The Digital Sky Platform is a platform which allows the Indian government to control commercial usage of drones with national Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM). India also has an NPNT (No Permission No Takeoff) clause which prohibits drones (micro and above) from flying unless they have been given regulatory permission. Nevertheless, as per the DGCA, only a mere four companies are NPNT compliant, meaning there are plenty of drone manufacturers selling in India, both online and offline, who fail to even mention NPNT on their products. Apart from this, pilots/operators require an Unmanned Aerial Operators Permit (UAOP) or a Remote Pilot License which costs around `25,000. However, drone operators from the National Technical Research Organisation, Central Intelligence Agency and Aviation Research Centre are exempt from this, and so are Nano drone operators (flying under 50ft). Drones also need to apply for a Unique Identification Number (UIN), which is equivalent to a number plate. This costs the operator about `1000 and the number will typically be engraved on a fire-resistant plate which is embedded on the drone. Lastly, a drone operator must be at least 18 years old, should have passed at least the 10th standard and must have undergone drone piloting training at a DGCA-approved Flying Training Organisation (FTO). Qualifications of a drone pilot in India While the DGCA merely expects a drone operator to have passed the 10th standard and have taken a DGCA-approved drone piloting course, to make drone piloting your full-time career, you will have to be equipped with ample expertise in some other areas as well. There are plenty of niche job verticals for drone pilots, and each one requires a specific kind of expertise. Drone pilots are in demand in sectors such as filmmaking, construction, mining, real estate, agriculture, transportation, energy, telecommunications and more. So, in-depth knowledge for each of these fields is a must. Say you want to get into the filmmaking sector as a drone pilot, you will have to possess the knowledge about different types of shots, montages, angles, lighting, and the works. Also, drone pilots need to understand the basics of flying. They must be able to assess the weather, wind speed, and other mechanics. Theres no dearth of drone piloting training schools in India. The most prominent of the lot is the Indian Institute of Drones which offers a total of four courses (1, 3, 5 and 7-day courses) in 6 cities across India and 2 more abroad. Unfortunately, the platform seems to seriously be lacking when it comes to flight instructors, with only 11 at the present. However, the site claims that all their instructors are Ex-military certified instructors and they also claimed to have trained over 1450 individuals. You can find the complete list of DGCA-approved drone flying training organisations here https://dgit.in/dronepilotorg. The curriculum of your course must include theory subjects surrounding these 1) Basic Radio Telephony 2) Flight planning and ATC procedures 3) Regulations specific to the area of operations 4) Flight and aerodynamics knowledge 5) Airspace structure and airspace restrictions 6) Basic Aviation Meteorology. In addition to this, drone pilots need to possess strong communication skills so as to convey their plan of action and other data effectively. They should be able to process information rapidly and identify solutions efficiently as well since they might need to respond to issues with the UAV during flight. Electronics knowledge and mechanical skills are a huge plus since drone operators often have to check the drones and ensure there are no glitches. Scope of drone pilots in India Drones are considered as one of the foremost emerging technologies within the deeptech industry. What was once considered to be a mere pass-time for hobbyists with deep pockets, has now emerged as a key growth industry in India. There are several industries that are already being transformed by drone piloting skills. Examples include utilities, where drone pilots inspect powerlines, telephone towers and wind turbines; mining, where drones are used to measure stockpiles of minerals; food delivery and package delivery, where drones can be used to rapidly deliver packages while cutting overall cost, and more. The Indian Institute of Drones has outlined a number of drone companies thriving in India on their website. However, since this is a fairly nascent field, freelancing drone pilots currently earn significantly more than employed ones. This will change as this emerging technology becomes more commonplace in the country. Additionally, drone integrations with technologies such as AI and ML will only boost their efficacy and appeal. As of now, drones pilots earn the most revenue through ad shooting and wedding photography. Nevertheless, new fields such as mapping railway tracks, surveying solar plants, tracking poachers and even military and police surveillance are rapidly developing the scope of drone pilots in India. In 2016, even before the ban was lifted, Factor Daily named drone flying as one of the most sought-after skills in Bengaluru. Startups such as Aarav Unmanned Systems, specialising in 3D mapping, image processing and precision agriculture; Cron Systems, a border defence startup; Detect Technologies; Drone Tech Lab; Idea Forge and more are continuing to innovate in the field. These companies are actively searching for trained drone pilots. Nevertheless, the field still faces growth hurdles due to lack of governmental support and limited funding. According to the Drone Technology: India Opportunity Report 2019 by DataLabs by Inc42, drone startups raised a mere $16.56 million from 2014 to 2018. Still, the future seems to be enthralling since the Indian government has finally understood the appeal of this burgeoning field of technology. Some recent government projects involving UAVs include specialised drone force for assessing disaster situations or locating victims of natural disasters; inspection of railways in India and usage of 3D mapping to bring to life a dedicated freight corridor; drones inspection to detect illegal mining and pilferage; and usage of drones for the management of a network of National Highways in India. Experts in the field reportedly believe that the Drone Regulation Policy of 2018 will usher a new age of drone micro-entrepreneurs that will encash their drone flying expertise in numerous fields. CAIRO - A series of swift military reversals in Libya has diminished a warlord's hopes of ruling the North African oil producer and allowed Turkey and Russia to deepen their imprint on one of the world's most strategic regions. In recent weeks, Turkish drones and air defense systems have helped the U.N.-backed government to retake nearly all of western Libya from the forces of Khalifa Hifter, who is backed by Russia and has tried since last year to overrun the capital, Tripoli. Hifter announced a withdrawal of his fighters from some front lines in Tripoli last week. But his foes continued to press their advantage, adding to their capture of a string of coastal towns and a key air base. Hifter's forces are now under pressure in their last western stronghold. "Hifter is facing his worst crisis in six years," said Anas El Gomati, a Libya analyst who heads the Sadeq Institute, a Tripoli-based think tank. But the conflict is far from over, say U.N. officials and analysts, with rising worries it could draw Turkey and Russia into another proxy confrontation and transform Libya into a Syria-like battleground. The 76-year-old Hifter still controls much of Libya and has significant backing from outside powers. Last week, a top official in Tripoli asserted that Russian warplanes had come from Syria to bolster Hifter, adding to the Russian weaponry and Russian mercenaries that have aided the strongman. The United Nations acting envoy to Libya, Stephanie Williams, warned the U.N. Security Council that an "alarming military build up" was unfolding in violation of a U.N. arms embargo. "We have reached another turning point in the conflict," she said, noting that escalation could trigger "a pure proxy war." In many ways, Libya is already that kind of war - one of the world's most internationalized conflicts - in a contest over lucrative oil and gas resources, territory, and ideological and geostrategic ambitions. Several thousand civilians have been killed or wounded, including more than 200 since April 1, while around 200,000 have fled their homes in the last year alone, according to U.N. figures. The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are also supporting Hifter, whose offensive on Tripoli in April 2019 has ushered in the most violent period in Libya since the 2011 Arab Spring revolts and NATO intervention led to the ouster and death of dictator Moammar Gaddafi. The Europeans are divided. Nations such as France and Greece are supporting Hifter while Italy and others back the U.N.-installed Tripoli government. The United States ostensibly backs the government, but it has sent mixed signals by keeping channels open with Hifter, a dual-U.S. citizen and former CIA asset who spent years in Northern Virginia. PresidentDonald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed issues including Libya and Syria in a phone call, Erdogan's office said Saturday. Today, Turkey and Russia have emerged as kingmakers in Libya. Each stand to gain billions of dollars in oil, gas and construction contracts, as well as military bases to serve as gateways to build influence across Africa. - - - Few observers expected Turkey to turn the tide of the war so quickly. Less than five months ago, Hifter had the upper hand with a fighting array that included mercenaries and defense systems from Russia and drones from the United Arab Emirates. He controlled eastern and southern Libya, as well as most of the country's oil facilities. His forces - groups of militias operating under the name Libyan Arab Armed Forces - were pushing forward on several Tripoli front lines and they had seized the strategic Mediterranean city of Sirte in January. By then, the Tripoli government, known as the Government of National Accord (GNA), had signed agreements with Turkey, allowing it access to Mediterranean Sea gas fields. In exchange, Ankara increased military support, dispatching drones, Syrian mercenaries, military trainers and armored vehicles, among other weaponry. Last month, militias aligned with the GNA pushed back against their rivals, seizing towns along the coast west of Tripoli. But their most significant capture in months was the Al-Watiya air base, roughly 80 miles south of the capital, that Hifter had held since 2014. That bolstered the morale of the GNA forces, who paraded a seized Russian Pantsir air defense system on the streets of Tripoli. The capture, and destruction of several other Pantsirs by Turkish drones, embarrassed Moscow and Hifter's other military partners. On Saturday, GNA forces were advancing on the city of Tarhouna, Hifter's last western stronghold. - - - Now, the war's trajectory hinges on the response of Hifter's foreign backers, especially Moscow and the UAE, and their efforts to "check Turkish ascendancy," wrote Tarek Megerisi, a Libya analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations, this week in a commentary. On Thursday, the chief of Hifter's air force vowed in a statement to unleash "the largest aerial campaign in Libyan history" including against Turkish targets. He spoke as Fathi Bashagha, the GNA's interior minister, told Bloomberg News that at least six Russian Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets and two Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft had flown in Hifter's eastern stronghold from Syria. Security experts and analysts described them as a warning to Turkey. The Washington Post could not independently verify the presence of the Russian warplanes. But if Moscow did send the MIGs, it would represent a significant escalation. As of now, Russia's most significant role has been through hundreds of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group, a shadowy firm linked to the Kremlin, which helped Hifter gain ground. Moscow has not responded to reports of the warplanes' arrival. But it did join Ankara this week in backing calls for a cease-fire and a U.N.-led political peace process, in an apparent effort to avoid confrontation. Both powers also tried in January to reach a cease-fire, but Hifter abruptly walked out of the process, embarrassing Russian President Vladimir Putin. European powers and the United States also tried in January to find a political solution to end Libya's war. But the talks in Berlin did little to prevent the UAE from expanding its military support to Hifter, triggering Turkey to become more aggressive. - - - Hifter's losses in the west has caused fractures within his camp, analysts said. So has his recent annulment of a political agreement and his declaration of full control of eastern Libya, which has alienated many of his political allies and influential tribes. "Hifter's call for a return to military rule wasn't popular," Gomati said. "His political allies in eastern Libya don't trust him and smell blood and are in exploratory talks with the GNA as a result. His international backers want to support him but find him militarily ineffective and politically erratic. He is fighting too many internal and external battles." Russia, a key ally, could be looking for alternatives to Hifter. Moscow has backed a new political initiative by Aguila Saleh, the speaker of the parliament for a rival government in the east. "Europe's window of opportunity is closing," Megerisi said. "It needs to move fast if it is to forcefully protect its interests and its role as a barrier against Russian encroachment into the country," he added, "while preventing the development of another Syria-style conflict in its neighborhood." Five days after it was confirmed the novel coronavirus pandemic had arrived in Manitoba, a respiratory technician at Winnipegs largest hospital contacted the Free Press to raise concerns the province wasnt prepared for the looming crisis. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Five days after it was confirmed the novel coronavirus pandemic had arrived in Manitoba, a respiratory technician at Winnipegs largest hospital contacted the Free Press to raise concerns the province wasnt prepared for the looming crisis. The technician said hospitals were understaffed in key areas, and there was a lack of personal protective equipment that could result in unnecessary exposures to the deadly virus. The technician also claimed staff were being left in the dark about what steps were being taken to address concerns. Resolve to blow the whistle on these issues even anonymously faltered when a colleague warned the technician could be fired for speaking up. "If I lost my job because I spoke out in the wrong way and said something that I wasnt supposed to, what would I do? This is my life," the technician said in a recent interview with the Free Press. "I love my job. I want to be here until retirement. I have people depending on me." Roughly two weeks later, the technician was one of 70 front-line workers at the Health Sciences Centre sent home without pay to self-isolate, after a cluster of cases was confirmed among staff. That same day, it was reported the number of COVID-19 cases had reached a grim milestone, surpassing one million globally. The technician said staff were exposed to the virus on the job, in a situation where they were explicitly instructed by superiors not to wear an N95 face mask in order to save supplies. "That had me over the roof," said the technician, who ultimately tested negative for the virus. JUSTIN TANG FOR WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Amir Attaran, Professor, Faculty of Law & School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa, in Ottawa on May 22, 2020. (Justin Tang for Winnipeg Free Press) From coast to coast, Canadian nurses and doctors have shared emotional stories about dealing with COVID-19. South of the border, where there have been more than 95,000 deaths, the reports from front-line workers have been even more dramatic. But they are not coming from Manitoba, where the fear to speak out appears to override the publics right to gain greater understanding of the biggest health-care story in our lifetime. David Hutton, a senior fellow at Ryerson University-based Centre for Free Expressions whistleblower initiative, was not surprised the respiratory technician in Winnipeg was scared about speaking to the media. "This is completely predictable, because Canada is one of the worst countries in the developed world for protecting whistleblowers. This is not just my opinion Were known internationally as the Titanic of whistleblower protection," Hutton said. "Were the country that demonstrated how not to do it." Hutton said potential whistleblowers are often terrified into silence due to the repercussions theyll face for speaking out, which often include being fired and blacklisted in their profession. "Thats the typical trajectory. Its like a playbook," Hutton said. TRIBUNE MEDIA TNS Steve Homick of Windsor, Ontario is a registered nurse at Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak emergency room in Royal Oak, Michigan. Homick is among about 1,600 Canadian nurses fighting the pandemic at Detroit hospitals, but some Canadian health officials are worried they could spread the disease in Canada and want to restrict their movements across the border. (Robin Buckson / The Detroit News/TNS) Steve Homick, a Windsor, Ont., resident who works as an emergency room nurse at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., has done several interviews with media since the pandemic began. While he has the support of hospital administration, Homick said other nurses in the state have faced repercussions for publicly raising concerns over unsafe work environments. Despite the repercussions that often follow, Homick said he believes its important for front-line workers to sound alarm bells, when needed. "Things dont change unless people know theres an issue. If it can help jumpstart things getting better in some of these really bad work environments, its not just better for the staff, its better for patients, too," he said. Transparency concerns in Manitoba dont start or stop with front-line workers worried about repercussions for speaking out. Critics charge while the provincial government has provided the public with information during the pandemic, it has done so inconsistently, at times incoherently, and always in a highly-guarded manner. In Manitoba, the disclosure of public health information related to COVID-19 has fallen short of whats been offered by some private-sector companies, such as grocery stores. Manitoba initially reported details of confirmed and probable cases including age, gender, health region and source of infection. Within weeks, however, the province clawed that information back, revealing only summary counts and status of cases. By comparison, on its corporate website, the grocery chain Sobeys posts a running list of cases where employees have tested positive, including details such as the location of the affected store and the last day the employee worked. Meanwhile, when a cluster of cases was discovered at a business in Brandon, the Manitoba government refused to reveal which company was affected and what sector it operated in stressing only the outbreak wasnt believed to pose a wider risk to public safety. (The media subsequently confirmed the affected business as Pauls Hauling, a trucking company with multiple locations in the province. There have been 10 confirmed cases connected to its Brandon operation.) Another example of a lack of communication came Thursday, when it was discovered Manitoba has begun testing asymptomatic individuals for COVID-19. The provincial government chose to not publicly announce the initiative, instead burying the information in a document posted to Shared Healths website. On Friday, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin said those testing protocols weren't announced publicly to avoid an overwhelming influx of asymptomatic people showing up to be tested, and to try to maintain a random sampling. Testing people that dont exhibit symptoms can provide a better sense of how widespread the virus is in the community, and the initiative marks a major shift in the provinces approach to tackling the pandemic. Issues surrounding poor communication have not been limited to Manitoba. On Friday, Ontarios top doctor acknowledged for the first time public health messaging during the pandemic has been inconsistent, and vowed to do better moving forward. Unlike other provinces, Manitobas model included a single scenario that assumes no public health measures or travel restrictions are in place and does not contain any references to possible deaths. (Screenshot / Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living) Manitoba has also fallen far short when it comes to modelling. In late March and early April, federal and provincial agencies began preparing and releasing models of the potential spread of the virus, including forecasts of cases, deaths, and the impact on health-care systems based on scenarios of varying degrees of compliance with public health measures. While other provinces prepared projections, and in some cases released updated models, Manitoba resisted pressure to do so. Premier Brian Pallister dismissed using a "conjectured guess" about possible trajectories of COVID-19. He referenced the wide range of possibilities projections provide, and stated he wasnt interested in scaring everyone to get the attention of a minority of Manitobans who were not following public health measures. While the province eventually released a single model in April, which has not been updated, the lack of detail compared to other jurisdictions is striking. Manitobas model included a single scenario that assumes no public health measures or travel restrictions are in place and does not contain any references to possible deaths. JUSTIN TANG FOR WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Amir Attaran, Professor, Faculty of Law & School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa, holds a graph showing the seven day rolling average of cases per capita, with Canada shown in black. (Justin Tang for Winnipeg Free Press) Amir Attaran, a professor in the faculties of law and the school of epidemiology and public health at the University of Ottawa, sharply criticized Pallister for playing down such work. "The weather forecast is an educated guess. Are you seriously going to tell farmers in Flin Flon they cant have the weather forecast before they plant? Can you imagine the Bank of Canada saying, Were not going to produce an economic forecast because it may be wrong?" Attaran said. "The reason you dont see good modelling in Canada is because the governments have done such an incompetent job marshalling data that they cant feed that data into a model. Most governments in this country continue to acquire epidemiological data from the regions by fax machine. We are primitive. Its as if we only just retired the carrier pigeon." Attaran points to countries such as Norway, South Korea, Switzerland and Germany, who lead the way globally on data aggregation and communication, painting a clear picture for their populations about the situation theyre in, the steps being taken, and where trip lines are that could lead to lockdown measures being reimplemented. Canada was one of the last countries to be hit by the pandemic, which gave governments additional time to prepare and the benefit of watching the approaches of other countries. While thats led to a lower infection peak, Attaran said many of Canadas benefits have been squandered, leading to unnecessary economic disruption and deaths. Without good data and scientific modelling, Attaran said provinces will end up keeping lockdowns in place too long costing billions of dollars or lifting them too soon, leading to deaths. "I have not seen a single province do a competent, transparent job at data acquisition and analysis and disclosure. And I dont think this is hyperbole," Attaran said. "Ive worked in public health and policy in numerous countries. Ive been educated in several countries. Ive never seen a western country as scientifically incompetent as Canada." In a pandemic, when the margins of error are so small, and the risks of a misstep so high, Attaran said concrete action must be taken to address these shortcomings and fast. "Were in the middle of a maelstrom. Its a storm and we need to get out of it But were walking with a blindfold on and were walking on a ridge with a cliff on each side," he said. "And on one side is impoverishment, and on the other is death." 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. ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe michael.pereira@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @__m_pereira FP Trending Earths magnetic field has been weakening across a wide stretch of area for reasons unknown. Scientists have found the magnetic field from Africa to South America to be gradually weakening. While researchers are digging into data to learn more about the area known as South Atlantic Anomaly, the phenomenon is causing technical disturbances in satellites orbiting the earth. Experts from the European Space Agency (ESA) have warned that the changing magnetic field can affect the spacecraft in the region. Earths magnetic field is a complex and dynamic force that helps in sustaining life by shielding us from cosmic radiations and other charged particles from the Sun. It works on the basis of dynamo effect and the molten metals in the earth's core create electric currents. These, in turn, generate the electromagnetic field of the planet. The weakening of magnetic field gives rise to speculations that Earth is heading for an eminent pole reversal, a phenomenon in which north and south poles switch places. According to the data given by the ESA, the magnetic field has lost nearly nine per cent of its strength on a global average in the last 200 years. This year, the minimum field strength in the South Atlantic Anomaly has seen a drop of around 24,000 nanoteslas to 22,000 from its strength in 1970. The area of anomaly has also grown in this period. The patch has also moved farther west at a rate of roughly 12 miles per hour over the last 50 years. Moreover, another centre of minimum intensity has emerged in the anomaly in the past five years, which can possibly lead to the spilt up of the South Atlantic Anomaly. Scientists from the Swarm Data, Innovation and Science Cluster (DISC) are using data from ESAs group of Swarm satellites to better understand the occurrence. The new, eastern minimum of the South Atlantic Anomaly has appeared over the last decade and in recent years is developing vigorously, said Jurgen Matzka from the German Research Centre for Geosciences. He added, We are very lucky to have the Swarm satellites in orbit to investigate the development of the South Atlantic Anomaly." Tony Argiz, CEO of a big accounting and advisory firm with offices stretching from Coral Gables to New York and India, was a bit of a telecommuting skeptic. Until the coronavirus pandemic hit. Literally overnight, Argizs firm dispatched 700 employees home to work safely and remotely. After a slow start, business is now up 10% over last year, Argiz said. Telecommuting worked out so well that when more than half of his employees at Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra told their bosses in a survey they wanted to keep working from home, executives readily agreed. Weve been killing it on all cylinders, Argiz said. So were going to be accommodating. Were probably going to get no more than 40 to 45% of our employees to show up to the office. Were OK with that. Argizs experience is hardly unique. Miami-Dade County may be reopening for business, but not many people seem to be rushing back to the office. Having discovered the joys, savings and surprising efficacy of having employees work remotely during the pandemic, executives and workers at a broad range of law, accounting and architecture firms, banks, public relations and marketing agencies and trade and business groups say theyre perfectly content to keep doing so at least in the near future, and quite possibly beyond. To make one thing clear here: No, it probably wont spell the end of the office, as some pundits have posited. But none of the executives who spoke to the Miami Herald are demanding that employees return to their office desks right away, with some exceptions for essential personnel who need to be in-house, like tech teams maintaining servers. When workers do come back, it could be to a very different sort of workplace. A photo of architecture and engineering firm Genslers office in Oakland, Calif., shows how workstation seating has been staggered and separated in response to the coronavirus pandemic as employees return to work. Like Argiz, executives are carefully watching how the pandemic plays out as they get ready for the return of at least a portion of their employees who either prefer to or need to come back to the office setting. They are reconfiguring floor plans, staggering cubicle or shared workspace seating and adopting flexible, alternating schedules to maintain required social distancing amid beefed-up visitor screening and cleaning and sanitizing protocols. Story continues And, to be sure, virtually every office employer is also taking a hard look at whether they really need all that expensive real estate if a good chunk of their employees end up working mostly from home after the pandemic wanes posing a potential long-range hazard for what has been a booming South Florida office market. Youve got to look at every aspect of your business, Argiz said. Our rent bills are humongous. Outside of employee expense, its got to be our second expense. Right now, I would say there is a 50-50 chance were going to need less space. Whats most likely to happen, experts and executives say, is that the COVID-19 epidemic will sharply accelerate what had been tepid growth in telecommuting, pushing employers to adopt a flexible, blended approach for their workers that is, some combination of working from home and in-office time. Tony Argiz is chairman and CEO of Miami-based accounting firm Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, LLC. Working remotely in some fashion is here to stay, said Alfred Sanchez, president of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, adding that hes giving most of his 25 employees the choice of continuing to work remotely. A lot of us are going to see this as a real plus. When chamber employees do come back, Sanchez said, they will work in staggered intervals, so that if one worker gets the virus, it wont be transmitted to people on other teams. If that flexible approach works, he said, that could mean that businesses and organizations may be able to manage with much smaller offices or rely mostly on shared workspaces like We Work. Though some have speculated that the pandemic experience may imperil the future of such shared spaces, Sanchez said it could ultimately prove a boon for them. Maybe theyre hurting now, but I think its going to leapfrog and accelerate, he said. Down the line, people will realize, We dont need 10,000 square feet, we need 2,000. Or we need space every once in a while for a team to come in and get together, instead of a conference room that sits empty most of the day. But in the middle of a pandemic of uncertain course thats forcing rapid changes on a weekly basis, theres no telling how extensive or how permanent those sorts of shifts might be, said Eddy Arriola, founder and CEO of Apollo Bank. As an essential business, the Brickell-based community bank kept some personnel at its branches even as it sent most of its administrators and lending officers home. Arriola said hes bringing back people in slow, careful phases, while evaluating long-term space needs for its offices and bank branches. If social distancing becomes a long-term thing, he noted, that might call for more, not less space as the bank grows. Eddy Arriola Were still functioning the same way we were a month ago, Arriola said. But forget about what we want to look like in May 2020. What will we look like in 2025? Anyone that I hear that thinks to have the answer is wrong. Were all figuring it out. There are so many little factors. Maybe you keep a space because rents come down. Do we need more space between employees? Do we need larger break rooms? Any long-term effects on Miamis office market wont play out for months, as leases come up for renewal. Right now, brokers and the Downtown Development Authority say, firms and companies continue looking for and leasing office space in Miami, though at a slower rate because of the pandemic. But New York firms looking to move out of Manhattan for tax and cost reasons have helped keep things moving. Lease negotiations now often entail concessions from landlords as existing tenants reconfigure floor plans to allow greater social distancing, said Cushman & Wakefield vice president Brian Gale. Some new leases include calculations for space needed per employee to accommodate the recommended six feet of social separation as well as rotating shifts, said Tere Blanca, chief executive officer of Miamis Blanca Commercial Real Estate. But Elliot LaBreche, vice president of the Easton Group, said he has five office tenants looking to shrink between 15% to 25% of their footprint. Some landlords are offering up to six rent-free months for long-term leases, though he said rent rates havent budged. Gale, whose firm is leasing 830 Brickell, a new 57-story tower designed by the same architects as Dubais Burj Khalifa and due for completion in 2021, said he doesnt anticipate drastic changes. The office is not going away, he said. Can you work from home? Yes. Is it as productive? No. Forget about the dog barking and kids in the background, you lose the camaraderie when you work from home. Executives agree: There will likely always be a need for offices. The question is, how much? Getting people together is essential to building trust and collegiality, training new employees, and fostering a company culture and work ethic, they say. For creative, collaborative jobs in particular, and even for keeping clients satisfied, they say, there is no substitute for human proximity even though it doesnt mean employees have to be in the office every single day. For lawyers, accountants and planners who help clients map out their future, deciding delicate matters like wills and finances, a secure Webex link cant replace the human touch, said Joseph Saka, CEO of Miami-based Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors, which has 380 employees in South Florida and New York. Joseph Saka, CEO of Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors Some of these meetings last two or three hours, and youre with a family and dealing with strategy that will impact their lives for 20 years, so its ideal to be together, Saka said. There is something to face-to-face meetings. Its still really important to look people in the eye, or when youre working on deadline to be able to walk across the floor to collaborate with someone. That said, his firm decided to send its employees home to work though it was an essential business. And now its not requiring that they hurry back to the office, especially those who may not feel comfortable just yet, Saka said. Were not going to be pressured in any way, he said. Were going to go back when we feel we are able to protect all our people. Surveys suggest that the go-slow, flexible approach will be a common option. A Miami Herald SurveyMonkey poll of business owners found that nearly half say they dont plan to reopen immediately, citing continuing concerns over safety for customers and workers as well as the success of virtual work. Disinfecting wipes are at the ready at Apollo Bank on Friday, May 22, 2020. Miami-Dade County has reopened for business after shutting down for two months due to the coronavirus pandemic. When office workers return, masks, staggered seating and revolving shifts to maintain distancing will be commonplace including at banks. A report from the Brookings Institution, a prominent think tank, estimates that up to half of American workers are now working from home because of the pandemic, more than double the proportion who did so at least sometimes in 2018, and its experts believe that some of that growth will be permanent. The report notes that those who take advantage of telecommuting tend to be higher-paid professionals. For them, working from home has advantages, including savings on the cost, time and stress of commuting, and improvement in job satisfaction. Disadvantages include the potential professional isolation and hindrance to career development and advancement. Three leading U.S. companies, Facebook, Twitter and Nationwide Insurance, have fully embraced telecommuting, telling many or most of their employees they can keep working from home permanently. Law firms have also found that telecommuting hasnt harmed the quality of their attorneys work, especially as judges began allowing hearings, depositions and mediation to occur virtually, said Michael Landen, a labor lawyer and partner at Kluger Kaplan. The firms 25 attorneys, who occupy a full floor in a downtown Miami building, have been mostly absent from the office since March with no ill effects, he said. At Miami-based legal giant Greenberg Traurig, several years worth of investment in secure and encrypted virtual communications technology there are no longer even office desk phones at the firm paid off during the pandemic. The firm, which occupies five floors at its main office in a downtown Miami tower, saw a resounding success after sending all its lawyers and support staff across the country home to work, said Jaret Davis, co-managing shareholder of the Miami office. That tech has allowed our lawyers and business staff to seamlessly provide service. It doesnt feel at all different, Davis said. As a result, the firm, which has about 500 employees in its Miami-Dade and Broward offices alone, is now undertaking a deep dive evaluation of its space needs. Jaret L. Davis is co-managing shareholder of the Miami office of the Greenberg Traurig law firm. Reducing the in-office workforce can have other advantages, from reducing employees exposure to the coronavirus, a second wave or a new pandemic, to employers legal exposure as well, Landen said. Since they need to travel often to where clients and projects are, employees at creative companies like architecture and design firms have long been accustomed to working remotely and collaboratively through sophisticated design software. But some say they still miss huddling over a desktop screen and sketching out designs with colleagues at the office. We miss the culture of the studio and being around the table together, said Lawrence Kline, managing director of the Miami office of global architecture firm Perkins & Will, who supervises 65 architects and designers, all working remotely since mid-March. Weve had colleagues in the firm who have said, Why return? But we crave the normalcy of being in the office and designing together. Virtually gets you part of the way there. But not all the way there. Perkins & Wills open-plan office occupies a full floor of a downtown Coral Gables tower. There are no private offices. Kline is considering a cautious June 22 return to the studio, to be done in phases starting with a volunteer group that he calls the willing and the curious, while others keep working from home. The firm is also developing its own app for employees to conduct and report a daily health check on themselves. At least initially, there will be no clients or consultants allowed in, Kline said. Eventually, though, that will happen. The office will evolve but it wont go away, Kline said. Clients are already asking for modifications that suggest the broader direction office design and operations may take after the pandemic wanes, Kline and studio interior design director Elina Cardet said. What Perkins & Will and other local design firms are recommending includes increasing use of flexible furnishings that can be easily separated or brought back together if future epidemics occur, and installation of improved air-filtration and circulation systems. Landlords and employers will increasingly turn to touchless features activated by motion or voice to turn on faucets and lights and open doors. People nowadays, they dont want to touch anything, said Anabella Smith, a principal at Zyscovich Architects, which is incorporating some of the changes its recommending to clients in its own downtown Miami offices. In the future, she and other architects say, office circulation will be designed so no one has to walk too close to work stations, and seating may be arranged in checkerboard patterns to allow for social distancing and to avoid having work spaces or cubicles where employees face one another directly. Diana Farmer-Gonzalez is principal and co-managing director of architecture and engineering firm Genslers Miami offices. For the Miami office of global architecture and design firm Gensler, that has meant a total stop and redesign of its own project its new offices in a Wynwood office building. The firm, which is known for workplace design, is rethinking collaborative, common spaces while allowing for necessary social distancing and ensuring employees well-being, said Diana Farmer-Gonzalez, managing director and principal. We are rethinking everything. We completely changed the design of our space because were going to be living in a COVID world until there is a vaccine, she said. We are reconsidering who is going to be in the office and why do you need to be in the office. There will be a post-pandemic workplace thats flexible. Landlords and brokers and clients and design firms are all working right now on what does the future workplace look like. The lesson from the coronavirus pandemic thats likely to last, she said, is this: Cities and employers must be ready for the next one. When 9/11 happened, we forget it took five years until we all adjusted to new security protocols. We didnt stop traveling. Were not going to stop going to the office. But we will be a work-anywhere culture, Farmer-Gonzalez said. The office culture will be catapulted into the future. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, May 23, 2020 09:27 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9c142d 1 National South-Sumatera,COVID-19,medical-workers,coronavirus,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,ogan-ilir,strike Free Ogan Ilir Regent Ilyas Panji Alam has dismissed 109 medical workers at the Ogan Ilir Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in South Sumatra for striking over safety and welfare. The medical workers are reportedly lacking personal protective equipment (PPE), being paid low wages at Rp 750,000 (US$50.24) per month without incentives and not being provided with a place to stay after treating COVID-19 patients. Ilyas said on Thursday that the administration would immediately recruit their replacements. "No need to go to work anymore. We are looking for replacements. The 109 have been dishonorably dismissed without disrupting hospital activities," Ilyas said as quoted by kompas.com. Read also: Bonuses slashed, pay cut: Indonesian nurses fight pandemic, financial hardships Ilyas argued the strike was baseless as the administration had met most of their demands. "The incentives are available. We've provided shelter, consisting of 34 air-conditioned rooms with mattresses. We've provided thousands of items of PPE at the Ogan Ilir Regional Hospital. Go check for yourself," said Ilyas. Of the 109 medical personnel, 14 were specialist doctors, eight general practitioners, 33 civil servant nurses and 11 honorary staff. He assumed the medical personnel were afraid to treat COVID-19 patients and had been on strike for five days. "We've provided their demands. They haven't begun working though. Well, they might as well dont work at all, he said. (ggq) Southern Pines, NC (28387) Today Rain. High near 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain...mainly this evening. Low 26F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. The coronavirus outbreak has devastated the economies of Nevada, Michigan and Hawaii, leaving roughly one quarter of each state's workforce unemployed -- and illustrating how the shutdown has disproportionately walloped some parts of the country more than others. The three states have been the hardest hit in the nation, according to the Labor Department, which released on Friday its first breakdown of state unemployment rates during the pandemic. The data reflect the disastrous, and often uneven, effects of darkened factories, halted tourism and other efforts to arrest the spread of the coronavirus, contributing to the highest rate of U.S. joblessness since the Great Depression. Nevada, for example, registered an unemployment rate last month exceeding 28%, the highest in the nation, due in large part to its reliance on tourism and hospitality. That was about three times higher than the 9.9% unemployment rate in Maryland, the home of many civil servants and government contractors, including those still operational in Washington D.C. "To the extent that your economy depends on services that interface with people, you're in deep trouble," said Jared Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and a former top aide to President Barack Obama. In total, 43 states in April registered jobless rates higher than at any point since the government started keeping records more than 40 years ago, putting the national unemployment rate at 14.7%. The figures may represent an undercount of the total percentage of Americans out of work, since the federal survey on households includes only those actively looking for new positions. Some economists said the new data should offer a cautionary tale to policymakers, a day after the Labor Department reported that roughly 38 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits over the past nine weeks. Absent additional federal aid, especially targeting the hardest-hit industries and states, the job losses could worsen, experts say, inflicting hard-to-erase economic hardship on workers and their families. The White House, however, recently has joined with Republicans in opposing some calls for new federal aid, including a renewal of soon-expiring, enhanced unemployment benefits. "We're opening up; the states are opening up," Trump said on Tuesday. "It's a transition to greatness." The initial wave of job losses began in March, as states around the country issued unprecedented stay-at-home orders that closed all but the most essential businesses. The restrictions aimed to stop the spread of a disease that has killed nearly 100,000 Americans, but it also left many employers without capital or customers, forcing companies to furlough or lay off workers they could no longer afford to pay. Some of these companies have since restarted operations, seizing on their states' decisions to open up or ease restrictions in May. But concerns persist that labor force cuts in recent months might become permanent, delaying a full economic recovery for years. The economic turmoil has been felt greatest in states where local economies hinge on travel, tourism, shopping, commerce and other service-industry professions where face-to-face interaction has become a medical hazard. That includes Nevada, where under a third of the state's workforce before the coronavirus belonged to the hospitality and leisure industry, according to Jeremy Aguero, a principal analyst with Applied Analysis, a Las Vegas-based economic research firm. Now, though, the Las Vegas Strip has gone dark, with many casinos shuttered until further notice. Travel to the city's airport, one of the busiest in the country, has plummeted, and hotel rooms largely sit empty. The abrupt slowdown in local commerce hasn't just hit tourism, but also restaurants, transportation providers, cleaning services and scores of other businesses that rely on an influx of newcomers. And little of this work can be done from home, unlike other industries, including many professional services, that allow people to work remotely. "It is the character of our economy," Aguero said, "leading to this escalated unemployment rate." A year before the coronavirus arrived in the United States, the unemployment rate in tourism-heavy Hawaii measured at about 2%, federal data show. But the state's unemployment rate has surged more than 800% in April compared to the same period a year prior, according to the Labor Department, leaving 121,000 workers out of a job in a single month. Mark Muro, senior fellow and policy director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, said the struggle facing Hawaii is one playing out across a wide map that includes Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, where some of the biggest losses have hit workers in service, leisure and hospitality industries. "We know that is hugely driving these statistics," he said. In other parts of the country, including Michigan, the closures of countless factory floors have contributed greatly to the droves of residents out of work. The unemployment rate in this car-centric manufacturing state surged to more than 22% just last month, federal data show. Over that period, Michigan lost 237,000 jobs in leisure and hospitality, 174,000 in manufacturing and 159,000 in trade, transportation and utilities, state officials said this week, noting its jobless rate in April is its highest on record. In May, though, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) began to allow automakers in the country's car epicenter to resume operations, ending a shutdown that initially stemmed from concerns that production facilities could quickly become hot spots for coronavirus outbreaks. Some states appear to have steered clear of the worst effects of the downturn due in large part to the composition of their workforces. So far, many civil servants, as well as the companies and industries that serve them have been spared some of the most crippling cuts, perhaps benefiting a state like Maryland, especially given its proximity to the nation's capital. "All these connections to the federal government, and all the deficit spending, mean people have a lot of work to do and can do it from home," said CBPP's Bernstein. Other states like Utah, may have benefited because of an influx of tech companies, workers and start-ups, said Muro at Brookings. The state's unemployment rate in April 2020 measured just over 9%. Connecticut, meanwhile, counted the country's lowest unemployment rate at 7.9%, the Labor Department said. But state officials this week took issue with the federal government's estimate, predicting their jobless rate may be twice as large. "What remains to be seen is how many of these jobs were suspended and will return when public safety permits and how many were permanently lost," Andy Condon, the director of the Office of Research at the Connecticut Department of Labor, said in a statement. Economists fear these states may not be spared for long - and the numbers could sour elsewhere - in the absence of additional federal aid. For one thing, the massive layoffs and furloughs nationwide have contributed to immense revenue shortfalls facing state and local governments, which now say they may need as much as $1 trillion to close major gaps in their budgets. Municipal leaders warn they may have to make drastic cuts of their own unless they receive new federal dollars. Those budget cuts would likely include major layoffs targeting government workforces. Going forward, there also remains the potential for "spillover effects," said Tara M. Sinclair, an associate professor of economics at George Washington University. Prolonged unemployment in the services and hospitality industries, for example, could result in further drops in consumer spending, threatening even businesses that have so far managed to stay afloat. "With demand shock," she said, "the risk is that no job is safe." Colorado authorities are searching a residential property in Salida for information into the disappearance of mother-of-two Suzanne Morphew. The Chaffee County Sheriff's Office held a press conference on Friday and shared that the search ended at 5pm but would resume on Saturday. 'In response to widespread rumors, the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office relays that Ms. Morphew has not been located and there have been no arrests in the investigation,' a news release reads, 9News reports. The Chaffee County Sheriff's Office held a press conference on Friday and shared that the search ended at 5pm but would resume on Saturday The person who owns the property has been cooperative and is not connected to the mother's disappearance, the release states The person who owns the property has been cooperative and is not connected to the mother's disappearance, the release states. FBI agents were seen with buckets sifting through material and there was an evidence response truck on the scene, according to CBS Denver. The mother, 49, has not been heard from since May 9. A bike owned by the mother-of-two was recovered from a bridge close to her home on May 10, according to local sources the same day she was reported missing. FBI agents were seen with buckets sifting through material and there was an evidence response truck on the scene On Tuesday, as seen in exclusive photos, cops could be seen carrying evidence bags and equipment into Morphew's $1.5million three-bedroom home just outside Calida. A CSI photographer was also seen at the home, which has been taped off. Evidence bags were spotted being brought out and loaded into a van. DailyMail.com has learned it was her daughters Mallory and Macy who first raised the alarm after they were unable to get hold of her on Mother's Day as they made their way back from a camping trip in Idaho. The mother, 49, has not been heard from since May 9. A bike owned by the mother-of-two was recovered from a bridge close to her home on May 10, according to local sources Police crime scene investigators and plain clothes detectives have searched the home of missing Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew on Tuesday. Pictured: The $1.5 million home of Morphew's Exclusive photos show cops carrying evidence bags and equipment into her $1.5 million three-bedroom home just outside Salida, Colorado, on Tuesday afternoon The search comes just two days after police divers drafted in from neighboring Pueblo County were seen scouring a reservoir less than a mile from Suzanne's property The Chaffee County Sheriff's Department had been looking for Suzanne in two-mile 'targeted blocks' on either side of her home but did not conduct a search on Monday Friends said they asked neighbor Jeanne Ritter, 70, to check on Suzanne when they couldn't get hold of her and it was Ritter who later called the police to report her missing. Ritter declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com. Summer Stehle, 43, the stepmother of 17-year-old Macy's best friend, said: 'The neighbors up there are spread pretty far apart but the only reason they found out [she was missing] is because the girls called the neighbors and said, ''we never heard from Mom can you go check on her?'' 'Nobody actually saw her on her bicycle, sadly.' Suzanne's husband Barry Morphew, 52, has said he was away on a training course for his job as a volunteer firefighter in Denver, Colorado, when she vanished. On Sunday, he made an impassioned plea for his wife's safe return in a video released via social media. He has also offered a $200,000 reward. But DailyMail.com can now reveal that Morphew, 52, has not been allowed to enter the home he shared with Suzanne since he returned from his trip to Denver. Police also have his car and his cell phone leaving the businessman and volunteer firefighter to communicate through his close friend George Davis, 33. Davis declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com, saying he is too busy 'with stuff' to talk. Morphew's fire department colleagues have been ordered not to take part in the search by police, although locals said Morphew and his friends have been out looking for Suzanne. DailyMail.com has learned it was her daughters Mallory and Macy who first raised the alarm after they were unable to get hold of her on Mother's Day as they made their way back from a camping trip in Idaho Suzanne's husband Barry Morphew, 52, has said he was away on a training course for his job as a volunteer firefighter in Denver, Colorado, when she vanished. The 52-year-old is currently staying at a property close to the marital home and has been joined by friends who have flown in from his native Indiana. Morphew was pictured leaving the property along with Davis shortly before the CSI investigators arrived to search his home on Tuesday Barry's uncle told Fox21 that he believes his nephew is innocent, saying: 'They're a loving couple and I've never seen any kind of unhappiness with each other or produced by either one of them. What you saw on that video from Barry the other day that's exactly Barry and that's exactly how he feels. He loves her and he wants her back, he wasn't putting on' On Sunday, he made an impassioned plea for his wife's safe return in a video released via social media. He has also offered a $200,000 reward Morphew's fire department colleagues have been ordered not to take part in the search by police, although locals said Morphew and his friends have been out looking for Suzanne The 52-year-old is currently staying at a property close to the marital home and has been joined by friends who have flown in from his native Indiana. A woman at the house on Monday declined to give her name but said she and her husband had come to support Morphew and look for Suzanne. Morphew was pictured leaving the property along with Davis shortly before the CSI investigators arrived to search his home on Tuesday. The search comes just two days after police divers drafted in from neighboring Pueblo County were seen scouring a reservoir less than a mile from Suzanne's property. The Chaffee County Sheriff's Department had been looking for Suzanne in two-mile 'targeted blocks' on either side of her home but did not conduct a search on Monday. Suzanne, who had just received the all clear following a cancer diagnosis, has now been missing for at least nine days. No trace of the mother-of-two has been found apart from the bike and 'a personal item' - despite Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze bringing in 90 extra officers to help with the search. Her three-bedroom home sits just off a remote mountain pass approximately nine miles outside of Salida in rugged terrain. Drones have been used to comb the area, along with search and rescue K-9s and cadaver detection dogs brought in from nearby Buena Vista. Summer Stehle, 43, the stepmother of 17-year-old Macy's best friend, said:'Unfortunately, now the girls feel partly to blame because if they hadn't taken their trip, maybe they would have been there and she wouldn't have gone out' Friends said they asked neighbor Jeanne Ritter, 70, (pictured) to check on Suzanne when they couldn't get hold of her and it was Ritter who later called the police to report her missing. Ritter declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com Morphew's colleagues from the Maysville Fire Station have also been attempting to help with the search, although one told DailyMail.com they have been warned off by police Morphew's colleagues from the Maysville Fire Station have also been attempting to help with the search, although one told DailyMail.com they have been warned off by police. Tim Nelson, 33, said: 'The Sheriff's office, they told us none of the fire guys are allowed up there. 'They can't keep us out of the forest so that's what some of the others have done they set up their own little search party.' Nelson added: 'It's a bad deal you know. They aren't telling us anything. We got excluded from everything. 'George [Davis] put together a search team of friends I was going to go but pretty much all our fire guys are on it so I decided to step away just in case we get something [a fire]. 'Barry was very understanding from what I got from George. I know he's not allowed to go home. He's at a neighbor's. I guess they got him there until he's cleared or' Other friends spoke of the family in glowing terms, noting that Suzanne had been happy living in Colorado since moving to the state from Alexandria, Indiana, in July 2018. Fire Chief Robert Bertram, 40, said he and his colleagues are still hoping she will be found alive and added that he doesn't believe she would have left by herself. Fire Chief Robert Bertram, 40, said he and his colleagues are still hoping she will be found alive and added that he doesn't believe she would have left by herself Other friends spoke of the family in glowing terms, noting that Suzanne had been happy living in Colorado since moving to the state from Alexandria, Indiana, in July 2018 Police also have Barry's car and his cell phone leaving the businessman and volunteer firefighter to communicate through his close friend George Davis, 33 Other friends spoke of the family in glowing terms, noting that Suzanne had been happy living in Colorado since moving to the state from Alexandria, Indiana, in July 2018 He said: 'She loves where she lives up in the mountains, she loves mountain biking and all that kind of stuff. 'This is not a normal thing. She's a very happy person. Any time you meet her, she walks up, talks to you and makes you feel welcome.' He has known Suzanne and her husband for two years since meeting them at a firefighter recruitment drive in Maysville. Speaking about Morphew, he said: 'It's tough for him. Right now, as far as communications, he doesn't have his phone it's being relayed through firefighters and that's how we're getting information. 'He's been trying to keep busy he can't sit still and keep hoping something will show up.' Stehle added: 'Her family's wonderful, her daughters are wonderful. It's really sad that something like this has come to such a good family. 'Unfortunately, now the girls feel partly to blame because if they hadn't taken their trip, maybe they would have been there and she wouldn't have gone out.' Barry's uncle told Fox21 that he believes his nephew is innocent, saying: 'They're a loving couple and I've never seen any kind of unhappiness with each other or produced by either one of them. 'What you saw on that video from Barry the other day that's exactly Barry and that's exactly how he feels. He loves her and he wants her back, he wasn't putting on. 'I think anybody that ever knew them at any point in their married life would tell you that they were as loving of a couple as you would find anywhere.' Eagle Materials Inc. (NYSE:EXP) defied analyst predictions to release its annual results, which were ahead of market expectations. It was overall a positive result, with revenues beating expectations by 3.1% to hit US$1.5b. Eagle Materials also reported a statutory profit of US$1.68, which was an impressive 125% above what the analysts had forecast. Following the result, the analysts have updated their earnings model, and it would be good to know whether they think there's been a strong change in the company's prospects, or if it's business as usual. With this in mind, we've gathered the latest statutory forecasts to see what the analysts are expecting for next year. Check out our latest analysis for Eagle Materials NYSE:EXP Past and Future Earnings May 23rd 2020 Taking into account the latest results, Eagle Materials' 13 analysts currently expect revenues in 2021 to be US$1.44b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are predicted to surge 194% to US$4.96. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$1.40b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$4.38 in 2021. So it seems there's been a definite increase in optimism about Eagle Materials' future following the latest results, with a nice gain to the earnings per share forecasts in particular. It will come as no surprise to learn that the analysts have increased their price target for Eagle Materials 5.8% to US$76.33 on the back of these upgrades. The consensus price target is just an average of individual analyst targets, so - it could be handy to see how wide the range of underlying estimates is. There are some variant perceptions on Eagle Materials, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at US$100.00 and the most bearish at US$60.00 per share. These price targets show that analysts do have some differing views on the business, but the estimates do not vary enough to suggest to us that some are betting on wild success or utter failure. Story continues Looking at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can make sense of these forecasts is to see how they measure up against both past performance and industry growth estimates. We would highlight that sales are expected to reverse, with the forecast 1.1% revenue decline a notable change from historical growth of 6.4% over the last five years. Compare this with our data, which suggests that other companies in the same industry are, in aggregate, expected to see their revenue grow 4.9% next year. It's pretty clear that Eagle Materials' revenues are expected to perform substantially worse than the wider industry. The Bottom Line The most important thing here is that the analysts upgraded their earnings per share estimates, suggesting that there has been a clear increase in optimism towards Eagle Materials following these results. They also upgraded their revenue estimates for next year, even though sales are expected to grow slower than the wider industry. There was also a nice increase in the price target, with the analysts clearly feeling that the intrinsic value of the business is improving. With that in mind, we wouldn't be too quick to come to a conclusion on Eagle Materials. Long-term earnings power is much more important than next year's profits. We have forecasts for Eagle Materials going out to 2025, and you can see them free on our platform here. You should always think about risks though. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Eagle Materials you should be aware of. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Teachers can finally start processing grades for thousands of Leaving Cert students after they were given further assurances from the Government that they will be protected from legal action. After getting assurances that teachers will not be liable for costs if they are named in civil proceedings, the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) directed its members to begin working on the calculated grades process. Unfortunately, the indemnity that was offered to teachers on Thursday fell short of what is required, said ASTI general secretary Kieran Christie. We had requested that the issuing of the guidelines be held off until the matter was resolved. Following talks with the Department of Education, the ASTI believes clear assurances have now been made that allow teachers to proceed, without the fear of negative financial consequences, he said. The department has agreed that the Chief State Solicitors Office will take over the running of litigation in all cases where the indemnity applies, according to Mr Christie. This means that a teacher will not have to employ their own legal team to defend themselves, or run the risk of incurring large irrecoverable costs and expenses, he said. The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI), whose members are already engaged in this work in schools, said its position on calculated grades has been vindicated. The union also sought assurances from the Department of Education, including that the protections for teachers as referenced in the indemnity, extend to principals, deputy principals, Youthreach resource persons, co-ordinators, tutors, and lecturers. In this context, the union sought and has received confirmation that the Chief State Solicitors Office will act for the teacher in every instance in which the indemnity applies, the TUI said, adding that the protections will apply to all staff involved in the calculated grades process. The step forward will come as some relief to 61,000 students and their families. Students will next week be asked to register for calculated grades online if they wish to be assessed under this model. It was also welcomed by Joe McHugh, the Minister for Education, who said the agreement allows for progress onto the next stage of this years alternative assessments. Im happy now to say that everybody is in agreement in terms of the level of security around the indemnity for teachers, and also for schools and boards of management, he said. Mr McHugh accepted that this controversy has added to the stress levels for Leaving Cert students, but defended his handling of the matter. He said it would have been a dereliction of duty to have cancelled the exams without a finalised back-up plan. It was always his preference for the exam to begin in June, he said. That was my plan A, he said. There was the uncertainty around Covid, and certainly at a time when we didnt know where it would be in terms of the curve in terms of the numbers of people who would be infected, we postponed the Leaving Cert to the end of July, beginning of August. It was the preferred preference of mine from day one for the written exam to go ahead with what we have to do. Then we had to model what the Leaving Cert would look like under the specific public health guidelines. It was a Leaving Cert that the State Examination Commission couldnt stand over. It was a Leaving Cert that didnt have validity. So therefore, it wasnt adhering to the expectation of the student for the work that theyve done over two years, he said. The calculated grades system is considered to be a relatively time-sensitive process, with the Department of Education asking schools to have the required data submitted to it as close as possible to the end of May. Analysis: A step into the estimated unknown Jess Casey Teachers estimates can be unconsciously affected by what they know or think about a students family or socio-economic background, according to the official guidelines. The Department of Education maintains that the estimated marks a student receives cannot be seen as results given by an individual teacher, as they are examined, compared, and verified through several stages. At the same time, its official guidance on how to grade students reminds teachers to be aware of their unconscious bias when deciding a students marks. Teachers estimates can be unconsciously affected by what they know or think about a students family or socio-economic background, according to the official guidelines. Estimates can also be affected by the teachers perceptions of a students behaviour in class, it adds. The official guide instructs teachers to base their grade estimations on evidence, but then later adds that not all forms of evidence will be grounded in records. When it comes to students past results in exams, assessments, and with some caution mocks, teachers are also asked to take into account the quality of each of these tests, as well as the level of difficulty and the purpose each test in question was designed to serve. At times, the guidelines are maddeningly ambiguous. This includes instructions on how to grade a students performance on coursework, even if it is not complete. A teachers professional judgement on a students performance may also be informed by comparing a student this year to a student in a previous year of a similar ability, and how that student got on in the final exam. When marking students, teachers can take into account projects or activities that a student did that enhanced their knowledge of a subject, improving likely performance. How do you quantify a decision based on these factors? And in previous years, the majority of this work would never have been considered as part of a students final grade in a subject, the majority of which is usually determined by a single exam. Then take into account the fact that teachers know their students well, know how much a student wants a certain course and the fact that they are being asked to embark on this completely new process, all while operating on a tight deadline. It is also important to point out that the Department of Education is expecting legal action. Education Minister Joe McHugh signalled as much when he announced the cancellation of the exams. Technically speaking, you have a right to challenge anything legally, so you could speculate that this concession might be taken to mean it is expected that there will be successful legal actions taken over calculated grades. The consultation process around developing the calculated grade guidelines is said to have been painstaking, a round-the-clock process that took feedback into account. Calculated grades are not anyones preferred option, rather the best system developed quickly in lieu of a written exam it is not safe to hold during a pandemic. Now there is collective unity around the protections on offer, it is a happy step forward. However, it is likely that we might yet encounter more stumbling blocks. It is a completely new system and more clarification may be needed along the way, Mr McHugh said yesterday. Its a system thats not perfect because weve had to do it in such a short period of time, he said. The Department of Education maintains that the estimated marks a student receives cannot be seen as results given by an individual teacher, as they are examined, compared, and verified through several stages. At the same time, its official guidance on how to grade students reminds teachers to be aware of their unconscious bias when deciding a students marks. Teachers estimates can be unconsciously affected by what they know or think about a students family or socio-economic background, according to the official guidelines. Estimates can also be affected by the teachers perceptions of a students behaviour in class, it adds. The official guide instructs teachers to base their grade estimations on evidence, but then later adds that not all forms of evidence will be grounded in records. When it comes to students past results in exams, assessments, and with some caution mocks, teachers are also asked to take into account the quality of each of these tests, as well as the level of difficulty and the purpose each test in question was designed to serve. At times, the guidelines are maddeningly ambiguous. This includes instructions on how to grade a students performance on coursework, even if it is not complete. A teachers professional judgement on a students performance may also be informed by comparing a student this year to a student in a previous year of a similar ability, and how that student got on in the final exam. When marking students, teachers can take into account projects or activities that a student did that enhanced their knowledge of a subject, improving likely performance. How do you quantify a decision based on these factors? And in previous years, the majority of this work would never have been considered as part of a students final grade in a subject, the majority of which is usually determined by a single exam. Then take into account the fact that teachers know their students well, know how much a student wants a certain course, and the fact that they are being asked to embark on this completely new process, all while operating on a tight deadline. It is also important to point out that the Department of Education is expecting legal action. Education Minister Joe McHugh signalled as much when he announced the cancellation of the exams. Technically speaking, you have a right to challenge anything legally, so you could speculate that this concession might be taken to mean it is expected that there will be successful legal actions taken over calculated grades. The consultation process around developing the calculated grade guidelines is said to have been painstaking, a round-the-clock process that took feedback into account. Calculated grades are not anyones preferred option, rather the best system developed quickly in lieu of a written exam it is not safe to hold during a pandemic. Now there is collective unity around the protections on offer, it is a happy step forward. However, it is likely that we might yet encounter more stumbling blocks. It is a completely new system and more clarification may be needed along the way, Mr McHugh said yesterday. Its a system thats not perfect because weve had to do it in such a short period of time, he said. The familiar tune of Pomp and Circumstance fought against the sound of seagulls and the hum of tiny planes advertising beach-side seafood restaurants as students of the Alabama School of Math and Sciences 2020 class received their soon-to-be sandy diplomas. With sweat dripping from their capped heads into their cloth masks, students from all over the state -- 57 counties represented -- cheered for the end of their 12th year. The graduation ceremony, one the students say theyll never forget, came to fruition after brainstorming the best way to celebrate the students accomplishments while keeping everyone safe. David Zislin, of Hangout Hospitality Group, offered up the courtyard and mainstage after hearing of the search. Zislin, a supporter of the school, is also the father of a graduate and current student. Derek Rowan, marketing manager at Hangout Hospitality, said the team was pumped to have the students experience this life milestone in such a unique way. And most students were surprised they were given the chance to celebrate at all. I didnt expect to be nervous when I came here today, said John Dotson, a graduating senior. This is new. I never expect this. Were in a new decade and were graduating at the beach. Im so glad were actually getting to do this. Dotson was sad to miss out on all he did, especially prom. Alabama School of Math and Science students live on campus with roommates, so leaving what many considered home for three to four years was heartbreaking, he said. Were all getting through this, he said. The whole nation is getting through this. Im grateful to have things like this. Alabama School of Math and Science graduated their 2020 class on the beach in Gulf Shores. The school is known for its tradition, and a beach graduation definitely strayed from that, said Baylee Keevan, another graduating senior, but the students and teachers had a nontraditional year, so it was fitting. She remembers her last night on campus vividly. It felt surreal, she said, like theyd be back in a week or two to continue their studies. Being apart from my roommate for two months now has been really tricky for a lot of us, Keevan said. We were out of our comfort zone coming back home after everything. Today was exciting. And for the parents too. Tonya Miles, mother of graduating senior Brianna Miles, watched as her hardworking daughter got the last part of her high school career taken away during the pandemic. A celebration, a memorable one, was deserved, she said. Brianna plans to attend Tuskegee University after graduating, Tonya said. They didnt get a chance to have their lasts. They missed out on a lot," she said. "We are really proud of our daughter. The coronavirus may still be spreading at epidemic rates in 24 states, particularly in the South and Midwest, according to new research that highlights the risk of a second wave of infections in places that reopen too quickly or without sufficient precautions. Researchers at Imperial College London created a model that incorporates cellphone data showing that people sharply reduced their movements after stay-at-home orders were broadly imposed in March. With restrictions now easing and mobility increasing with the approach of Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer, the researchers developed an estimate of viral spread as of May 17. RELATED: Texas man dies of COVID-19 in Iowa It is a snapshot of a transitional moment in the pandemic and captures the patchwork nature across the country of covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. Some states have had little viral spread or "crushed the curve" to a great degree and have some wiggle room to reopen their economies without generating a new epidemic-level surge in cases. Others are nowhere near containing the virus. The model, which has not been peer reviewed, shows that in the majority of states, a second wave looms if people abandon efforts to mitigate the viral spread. "There's evidence that the U.S. is not under control, as an entire country," said Samir Bhatt, a senior lecturer in geostatistics at Imperial College. The model shows potentially ominous scenarios if people move around as they did previously and do so without taking precautions. In California and Florida, the death rate could spike to roughly 1,000 deaths a day by July without efforts to mitigate the spread, according to the report. Other models released in recent days captured a similarly mixed picture. The PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia used county-level forecasts that found much of the country was in decent shape for reopening, but worrisome areas remain, including Houston, Dallas, South Florida and Alabama. On this Memorial Day weekend, some people will visit areas that may not have had much exposure to the virus, said David Rubin, director of PolicyLab. "This is the first test of the system," Rubin said. "Those areas that succeed this weekend are going to succeed because they've developed strong regulations on how they're going to do this." RELATED: A hairstylist who worked while showing symptoms exposed 91 to COVID-19 The Imperial College researchers estimated the virus's reproduction number, known as R0, or R naught. This is the average number of infections generated by each infected person in a vulnerable population. The researchers found the reproduction number has dropped below 1 in 26 states and the District. In those places, as of May 17, the epidemic was waning. In 24 states, however, the model shows a reproduction number over 1. Texas tops the list, followed by Arizona, Illinois, Colorado, Ohio, Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa, Alabama and Wisconsin. When the R naught is below 1, it means the virus is hitting a lot of dead ends as it infects people. Someone who is infected but who follows social distancing rules or stays quarantined until recovering has a good chance of not infecting anyone else. The challenge is finding a way to reopen the economy with sufficient care to prevent the reproduction number from going over 1. This has become a geographically complex pandemic, one that will evolve, especially as people increase their movements in coming weeks. Laws and health regulations vary from state to state, county to county and city to city. There are communities where wearing facial coverings is culturally the norm, while in other places it is rejected on grounds of personal liberty or as refutation of the consensus view of the hazards posed by the virus. Political leaders have traded executive orders for appeals to individual responsibility and judgment. Even as they touted reopening water parks and beaches, some governors told their citizens not to enjoy their new freedoms too much. In a hotspot in western Iowa, "families need to make their own decisions," said Matthew Ung, chair of Woodbury County's board of supervisors. "You don't have to act one way or another because of what the government says," he said. "Look out for you and your family." About 250 miles away in Minneapolis, municipal leaders are not counting on individual responsibility alone. The mayor, Jacob Frey, this week signed an emergency regulation requiring people older than 2 to cover their faces while at "indoor spaces of public accommodation," including schools and government buildings. "We are not criminalizing forgetfulness, but we will be cracking down on extreme selfishness and disregard for the health and safety of fellow Minneapolis residents," Frey said in an interview. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, this week said he would allow only alfresco dining when restaurants and bars resume in-person service June 1. That led to an outcry from owners who said they had been preparing for weeks to seat people inside, setting up plexiglass partitions and purchasing special filters to arrest tiny particles. "None of us believed it was going to be patio only, especially in Minnesota when it rains all summer long," said Brian Ingram, the owner of Hope Breakfast Bar in St. Paul, Minnesota, a popular joint known for its mantra, "Believe in Breakfast." In Mississippi, where the Imperial College model predicts infections are on the rise, Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, said he was ready to reopen the last few businesses that remain closed in the state - including racetracks and water parks. "We will be out of the business of closing down anybody, I hope," Reeves said. But he said that in consultation with public health officials, he is keeping restrictions on seven counties with higher case loads. In a news conference Thursday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, defended her decision to reopen concert venues, movie theaters and other businesses despite rising case numbers. "We cannot sustain a delayed way of life as we search for a vaccine," she said. "Having a life means having a livelihood, too." That said, she promised that "if we start going in the wrong direction, we reserve the right to come back in and reverse." The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said the state is preparing for a potential surge by increasing testing and constructing a 401-bed covid-19 care site in Memphis that was finished this week. David Aronoff, director of the Vanderbilt University infectious disease division, said the medical school is working with the state to track hospitalizations and deaths and is monitoring for a second surge. "We're watching for that really closely, but we haven't seen that just yet, which is reassuring," he said. Experts in Tennessee are also concerned about people from other states beginning to flock to Nashville and Memphis on summer vacations. If a surge happens, Aronoff said, "the tricky part will be putting the toothpaste back in the tube" by shutting down again. In Texas, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said he consults with doctors and experts from area hospitals, "and what they tell us is that we're reopening too fast, and we're reopening in the wrong order." Local jurisdictions in Texas do not have the authority to issue more stringent restrictions than the state, which began aggressively reopening this month. So Dallas has focused on messaging. The county has a daily "covid-19 risk level" that is currently red, for "stay home, stay safe." Officials are working on seals that businesses can display to indicate they are meeting local public health guidelines, not just state mandates. The Imperial College estimates for Texas are in line with internal modeling conducted by university experts advising state leaders. Rebecca Fischer, an epidemiologist at Texas A&M University and part of a team partnering with the governor's office, said the daily caseload was fluctuating, but "it looks like we're not cresting a peak and coming down the other side." A week ago, Texas reported a single-day high in new cases as well as deaths - about 14 days after the beginning of the state's phased reopening. The state has now reported more than 52,000 cases and nearly 1,500 deaths. Members of Wexford Civil Defence were delighted to be able to assist the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) recently when the latter organisation held a clinic in Enniscorthy. As part of Wexford County Council's community forum initiative the civil defence members were on hand to provide administration and first aid cover for the IBTS over seven days between May 5 and 14. A spokesperson for the civil defence said: 'Every day five volunteers, under the supervision of Noreen Kehoe, provided full cover for both clinics. In total 10 volunteers provided cover over the two weeks.' It was a very successful clinic with around 130 donors attending each day with attendance arranged by appointment only, to ensure social distance guidelines were adhered to. Wexford Civil Defence established its Enniscorthy unit in February, 2019, and the volunteers within the unit completed their Emergency First Responder certification in March, this year, just prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Wexford Civil Defence continues to support the community forum through provision of services like the transportation of patients to hospital appointments and delivery of PPE to nursing homes throughout the county. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Five employees unions, on Friday, demanded that the Central government immediately withdraw the proposed commercial coal mining by private players, as it is detrimental to the interests of coal employees. The SCMLU-INTUC, SCWU-AITUC, SCE&W-HMS, SCEU-CITU and GLBKS-IFTU submitted a memorandum to the Director (PA&W) of SCCL in Kothagudem to this effect. SCMLU-INTUC activists staged a one-day dharna in Kothagudem against the privatisation of CIL and SCCL. Do not open doors for private players for commercial coal mining parallel to CIL (Coal India Limited) and SCCL, they urged. Coal produced by private players to whom the new coal blocks would be allocated through auction would engage contact labour for coal exploration and the price of coal per tonne would be cheaper than CIL and SCCL, they explained. While many people are aware that May 24 is celebrated as Commonwealth Day in India and might wish each other 'Happy Commonwealth Day 2020', they are unaware of the reason why. This is why questions like What is Commonwealth Day? surfaces every year. The Commonwealth Day is celebrated on May 24 of every year. This day is celebrated by all the countries that were once under the reign of the British Empire, Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the birth date of Queen Victoria, who was born on May 24, 1819. ALSO READ | Delivering A Common Future: UK Diplomat Shares Message In Hindi Ahead Of Commonwealth Day What is Commonwealth Day? Commonwealth Day History Commonwealth Day was previously named as Empire Day, as a celebration of the birth of Queen Victoria after 1916. In the year 1916, Lord Meath extended the celebration of Empire Day to all the countries of the Commonwealth. It thus became a major event in history. In the year 1958, the then Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Harold Macmillan, announced in the Parliament that Empire Day will be renamed as Commonwealth Day. The Commonwealth has had a shared history with Britain, along with some cultural links, common legal systems and also business processes. The Commonwealth Secretariat then selected the second Monday of March will be observed as Commonwealth Day, throughout all countries of Commonwealth. ALSO READ | Commonwealth Hails PM Modi & India's Covid Response; Secretary-Gen Eyes Multilateralism Commonwealth Day Significance Commonwealth Days significance is of "being a symbol of unity of feeling to those ideals of freedom, justice and tolerance for which the British Empire [stood] throughout the world", as given in an article dated on 1916. The ideals of the day, when it was celebrated as Empire Day, also included reminding all the children that they formed a part of the British Empire. The children must also think like the ones who live on other lands. They must also know what it is like to be the sons and daughters of the Empire. ALSO READ | COVID-19 Impact: CGF Postpones 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games To 2023 Commonwealth Day Celebration Commonwealth Day is celebrated on different dates across the world. UK, Australia and Canada celebrate the day on the second Monday of March. On the other hand, India, along with countries like Belize celebrate Commonwealth Day on May 24. Each year, there is a theme of the Commonwealth Day and the day is celebrated in such a way as to honour and inculcate this theme in the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth. The theme of 2019 was A Connected Commonwealth. Commonwealth Day 2020 theme, however, is Delivering a Common Future. Commonwealth Day is not a statutory holiday and it is on the specific country to decide whether a holiday will be observed. It is a public holiday in Gibraltar. ALSO READ | 'Only Essential Travel To India': Foreign And Commonwealth Office A scene from Pixar Animation Studios' "Out." (Pixar Creative Studios) Short films have been a Pixar Animation Studios staple: the desk lamps of Luxo Jr. (1986), a solo chess competition in the Oscar-winning Geris Game (1997) and, most recently, the story of a Chinese mother fearing her son growing up as told through a dumpling in Bao (2018). Pixars latest edition, now streaming on Disney+, features its first LGBTQ animated lead character as he finds the courage to reveal his sexual orientation to his parents in Out. The nine-minute short film was written and directed by Steven Clay Hunter, who has worked in animation or visual effects on "Finding Dory," "WALL-E," "Brave," "Toy Story 4" and many more projects. "Out" tells the story of Greg (voiced by Kyle McDaniel) and his boyfriend, Manuel (Caleb Cabrera), as they receive an unexpected visit from Gregs parents just as the young couple is preparing to move to the city. Aided by cat and dog fairy god-pets, Greg switches bodies with his dog, Jim, with the help of a magic dog collar. Much of the action centers on attempts trying to distract Gregs mother (Bernadette Sullivan) from discovering a framed photograph of the couple hugging. (Don't miss the cameo from Wheezy of Toy Story.) In "Out," the character Greg switches places with his dog before revealing his sexual orientation to his parents. (Pixar Creative Studios) The film reaches a heartfelt climax when Greg's mother's reaction is revealed. Out is a part of Pixars SparkShorts a collection of six animated independent short films streaming on Disney+. A statement from Pixar Animations Studios president Jim Morris said, The SparkShorts program is designed to discover new storytellers, explore new storytelling techniques, and experiment with new production workflows. These films are unlike anything weve ever done at Pixar, providing an opportunity to unlock the potential of individual artists and their inventive filmmaking approaches on a smaller scale than our normal fare. Earlier this year Disney included an openly LGBTQ character in Onward. The Dan Scanlon-directed Pixar animated feature received a theatrical release in February, just before the coronavirus-forced shut-downs of cineplexes, and found a new home streaming on Disney+ and other digital platforms, drastically shortening the usual theatrical window. The "Onward" character, Officer Specter, voiced by Lena Waithe, casually brings up the stepdaughter she co-parents with her girlfriend. As The Times' Tracy Brown wrote in March, Officer Specter was "the first character in any animated Disney film to openly acknowledge being queer in a line of dialogue." But given Disney's history of merely hinting at a few characters' LGBTQ sexuality, such as Gaston sidekick LeFou in the 2017 live-action "Beauty and the Beast," the "Onward" character left a lot of Disney fans wanting more. "Out" couple Greg and Manuel seem to be a step toward answering that call. WILLINGTON Police continue to search for a suspect who is allegedly armed and dangerous after he killed one man and wounded another during an assault with an edged weapon Friday morning, Connecticut State Police said. Just after 9 a.m., troopers from Troop C responded to an incident on Mirtl Road to find two victims both elderly men suffering from injuries after an assault, state police said. Japan awards Sumitra The Order of the Rising Sun View(s): Veteran filmmaker Kala Keerthi Sumitra Peries was recently awarded with the prestigious The Order of the Rising Sun by the Government of Japan for her longstanding service to cinema and her contribution to promote cultural ties between Sri Lanka and Japan. His Majesty the Emperor of Japan award the Order to foreign nationals who have made distinguished contributions to enhancing friendly relations with Japan. Announcing the selection of Mrs. Peries to the award Japanese embassy of Sri Lanka earlier said; As a renowned film director and a Committee Member of Japan Sri Lanka Friendship Cultural Fund Awards, Ms. Sumitra Peries has left an indelible mark in promoting cultural exchanges between Sri Lanka and Japan, notably by way of bridging the two peoples through the art of films. While introducing delicate cinematography styled by Mr. Kurosawa Akira, with whom Ms. Peries cultivated close friendship, her magnum opus Sagara Jalaya, which was telecasted in 1990 by NHK, captured the hearts of many Japanese people. As a founding member of the Japan Sri Lanka Friendship Awards, Ms. Peries has also played a significant role in enriching the cultural scene in Sri Lanka, as the recipient of the award actively promoting cultural ties between the two island nations. Started in 1875, The Order of the Rising Sun, is the highest award given to a foreigner in the name of the Emperor of Japan. And this is the first time a Sri Lankan has received this award. Started her film career as an Assistant Director for film Sandeshaya by Dr. Lester James Peiris in 1960, multi awarded filmmaker marked her 60th year in the cinema recently. Pioneer female film director in the country, Sumithra directed a series of films including Ganga Addara, Yahalu Yeheli, Gehanu Lamai, Saagara Jalaya, Maya, Duwata Mawaka Misa and Sakman Maluwa. She is also pioneering female film editor in Sri Lanka and she has won a number of Sarasavi and other Film Awards. (SF) Healthcare workers at several central and city government hospitals sported black armbands on Friday to protest the government's decision to end the need for their quarantine after COVID-19 duty unless there has been any form of high-risk exposure. Several hospitals in the last few days have asked their healthcare workers staying in hotels during the quarantine period to vacate rooms immediately failing which the charges paid for their overstay would be deducted from their salaries. As per the Union health ministry guidelines issued on May 15, healthcare workers serving in COVID-19 areas do not need to undergo quarantine unless there has been violation in the use of PPE or any other form of high-risk exposure or they have symptoms suggestive of coronavirus infection. However, healthcare workers on the frontline have raised objections to the new guidelines. The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) has called for the black ribbon protest to demand proper quarantine and testing for all healthcare workers on COVID-19 duty. The FORDA had also written to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan seeking a revision of the guidelines stating the virus has an incubation period of 2-14 days following exposure and there are multiple instances of doctors testing positive for the disease following a second test or subsequently after that. "Under the current situation, at least 7-day quarantine, along with adequate testing of all doctors, after COVID-19 duty is necessary in order to prevent spread of infection among colleagues and their family members," FORDA president Dr Shivaji Dev Barman said. "So far there has been no response from the authorities," Dr Barman said. Delhi's Lady Hardinge Medical College had issued a circular on Thursday stating hotel facility during post-duty period days in COVID and suspected COVID zones provided to healthcare workers is hereby withdrawn and 'the occupants are directed to please vacate their rooms immediately'. "If any overstay is noticed, charges paid for the overstay will have to be recovered from their salaries," the circular said There is no change in the instructions related to the HCWs, who are presently working with COVID-19 facilities and hotel accommodation will be available to those still on COVID-19 duties at the hospital, it said. A similar circular was issued by the RML hospital administration also. Resident Doctor's Association of the Maulana Azad Medical College also is did a black ribbon protest against the decision. 'As doctors we are never shy of doing our duties and are even proud to be at frontline during this pandemic. But in response, the government is not providing quarantine to the healthcare workers. 'Some of our fellow doctors have come positive even on day 11th to 14th day. So,bwe appeal to the government to look into this and amend the quarantine order,' the RDA said in a statement. Meanwhile, the LNJP Hospital authorities, which had issued an order telling all quarantined healthcare workers to vacate hotels and other lodging facilities given to them, said the decision was on Thursday 'put in abeyance' for a week, sources said. A sources said, "The RDA of the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) submitted a representation to the hospital authorities, raising infeasibilities in complying with the order, like spreading infection to their family if healthcare workers leave the quarantine facility before the 14-day period" Previously, all healthcare personnel doing COVID-19 duty had to work for 14 days and it was then followed by 2 week quarantine to ensure they don't spread the infection to anyone else. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > Relief in the Package by Suranjita Ray It is perturbing that it took a pandemic to realise that right to life and right to livelihood are not dichotomous. Though policy makers are struggling to balance the priorities of public health and economic well-being during a pandemic and nationwide lockdown, reports across the country reveal extreme hardships for a large segment of society whose survival is under threat. A big challenge unparalleled in several decades is the loss of resources of livelihood in the cities that compelled millions of people, in particular workers in the informal sector, migrant workers, daily wagers, vendors, and ragpickers to return to their villages for survival. Though success stories of several flagship programmes such as National Health Mission (NHM), Right To Education (RTE), National Food Security Act (NFSA), Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna (PMAY) and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) have been highlighted to legitimise an inclusive, equitable and non-discriminatory state, COVID-19 has exposed the stark reality of deprivation and exclusion of large sections of society. The present crisis reveals lack of social security measures and safety nets for large majority of people, who have borne the brunt of distress. Despite a range of measures announced by the Central as well as State Governments to alleviate hardships of the poor, destitute and vulnerable groups, they continue to struggle to survive even after more than 50 days of lockdown. It is important to provide both immediate relief to the deprived and vulnerable groups whose survival is under threat along with substantial and long-term measures to recover the economy and secure livelihood. While the Prime Ministers proclamation to use the crisis as an opportunity to make India self-reliant is an important intervention, it is significant to provide monetary help to the deprived, starved and hungry. Cash transfers to bottom half of the population is the most urgent and immediate need. In order to stimulate demand, noted economists across the world suggest that money has to be put in the hands of the poor. It is crucial to repair the demand chain that is broken. Many measures announced by the government to provide liquidity as incentives to produce operate on the supply side. This will not bring in immediate relief in distress. The welfare state must provide immediate relief to rescue the deprived and destitute from distress and save their lives and livelihoods which alone can reinstate the trust of the people. For the Poor and Deprived The first relief package of Rs 1.7 lakh crore announced under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna (PMGKY) on 26 March 2020 was to combat the economic impact of COVID-19 on the poor. Promising that No One Will Go Hungry, the Finance Minister announced relief package for three months for the poor and worst affected. It is assumed that an increased entitlement of 5 kg of wheat/rice per person per month and 1 kg of pulses for a family free of cost supplied through Public Distribution System (PDS) for next three months will benefit two-third of population covered under NFSA. Some of the important measures to provide relief to the needy include Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) worth Rs. 1000 per month to the aged, disabled and widows, Rs. 500 per month to 20 crore women under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna (PMJDY), and free distribution of LPG gas cylinders to 8 crore poor families for next three months. Under the existing Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Rs. 2000 as the first instalment will be paid to 8.7 core farmers to benefit them immediately. Since the economic shutdown has the biggest blow on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which employ 40 per cent of the workforce, suggestions to revive the MSMEs focus on increasing credit guarantee, providing liquidity, ensuring adequate capital and establishing wage protection package. The second relief package announced by Prime Minister on 12 May 2020 as Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-reliant India Campaign), is a stimulus package to resume economic activity and promises to make India self-reliant. The recovery package worth Rs 20 lakh crore, which the government claims is around 10 per cent of GDP, focuses on land, labour, liquidity and laws catering to various sections including cottage industries, MSMEs, labourers, and middle class among others. It includes the ongoing PMGKY to support the poor and vulnerable groups during the pandemic as well as several measures taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to improve liquidity which is worth 5.24 lakh crore since 27 March. The list of reforms in the economic package announced over the past few days has several notable features pertaining to agriculture and industry, in particular investment and production, though all of them are not for COVID-19 relief. The first tranche of economic relief plan unveiled by the Finance Minister focusses on policy reforms that will make Indias economy self-reliant and less dependent on world economy. A mega reform to infuse liquidity aims to alleviate distress in the MSMEs which employs 11 crore people, many of whom are the migrant workers. The government assumes that redefining MSMEs beyond their turnover will do away with the fear of MSMEs losing the benefits due to growth in their size. Collateral free loan scheme for business announced especially to MSMEs will enable them to borrow without any fresh collateral and guarantee fee against loans worth Rs 3 lakh crore. The bankers will be willing to lend when loans are backed by government guarantees and this will kickstart credit deployment. Boosting liquidity will incentivise MSMEs and empower the entrepreneurs and strengthen their competitive spirit. The second tranche announced includes Rs 3,500 crore to provide free foodgrains to migrant workers for next 2 months. This aims at benefiting the non-card holders by extending PMGKY announced on 26 March to benefit 80 crore people with ration cards. The ration card portability scheme, One Nation One Ration Card, will allow 67 crore beneficiaries in 23 connected states to access subsidised food by August 2020. It will cover all the beneficiaries by March 2021. The scheme will benefit the migrant workers away from their native villages. Some of the important measures announced include an extension of credit facilities for urban housing and an affordable rental housing for urban poor, relief worth Rs 1500 crore to small business through an interest subversion scheme, and credit facilities to street vendors worth Rs 10,000 as initial working capital. The third tranche announced is dedicated to agriculture and allied activities. A central law will be enacted to permit barrier free inter-state trade and e-trading of farm commodities and will ensure a legal framework for contract farming. Rs 1.5 lakh crore will be spend to build farmgate infrastructure and support logistics needs for food processing, animal husbandry, fish workers, livestock farmers, vegetable growers, horticulture, bee keepers and related activities. Primary agriculture cooperative societies, farmer producer organisations, agriculture entrepreneurs and start-ups will be financed to develop cold storage and other post-harvest management infrastructure at the farm gate and aggregation points. The need to amend Essential Commodities Act, 1955, to deregulate the sale of six types of agricultural produce, including cereals, oilseeds, edible oil, pulses, onions and potatoes, was also announced. The fourth tranche focused on Industrial Reforms to provide necessary boost for privatisation and growth. Some of the measures announced are to introduce commercial mining in coal sector, liberalisation of the mineral sector, encouraging private involvement in space and energy projects, hiking foreign direct investment up to 74 per cent, reducing imports to build self-reliance in defence, easing restrictions on utilisation of airspace and reforms in atomic energy and space. The fifth and final tranche announced 65 per cent hike over the 2020-21 Budget outlay of Rs. 61,500 crore for MGNREGA. In addition, states have been allowed to raise their borrowing limit from 3 per cent to 5 per cent of their GDP. However, the increasing borrowings are conditional to implementing specific reforms related to ration portability, ease of doing business, power distribution and urban local bodies. Though the economic package claims to revive the economy and secure livelihood for migrant labour, small and marginal farmers, and urban poor, it has little to provide as immediate relief. Noted economists, policy analysts and opposition leaders suggest one-time cash transfer to migrant labourers and vulnerable sections as an urgent measure to deal with the widespread distress. Since no money is put in the hands of the poor, there is no instant or direct benefit transfer particularly to the migrant workers battling to survive. Though a greater challenge for policy makers is to address the conditions which generate and perpetuate poverty, deprivation and hunger for certain sections of society irrespective of the levels of economic growth, food production, and development, the most urgent need in the present crisis is to provide immediate relief to the destitute and deprived. While Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) is not an absolute good and one-time payment will have little impact unless the systemic deprivations are addressed which not only persist but also continue to increase, the immediate relief from distress in a pandemic and complete lockdown is to put money in the hands of the needy. Major Concerns Some of the lessons from past experiences need to be addressed. The assumption that an extra ration allocated from April to June in the PMGKY will provide relief to the poor, might not be true due to widespread leakages and corruption in the PDS across the country. Only a few states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Odisha have better functioning PDS with the decentralised initiatives. In fact, states that have moved towards universal PDS have done better in increasing off-takes and reducing leakages. Violations of the provisions in NFSA to provide Food Security Allowance in case of non-supply of foodgrains, periodic social audit of the PDS and grievance redressal mechanism through District Redressal Grievance Officer (DRGO) and Vigilance Committee are reported across the states. Moreover, 100 million people are excluded from access to food under the NFSA as it is based on 2011 Census. In a petition filed in the Delhi High Court, Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyaan (DRRAA) has sought to implement the grievance redressal and accountability mechanism under the NFSA. It has demanded publicity of details of PDS ration shops to ensure transparency. Their study finds that 21 of the 61 ration shops were closed between 1st and 4th of May. While 5 out of 20 schools to distribute ration were shut, schools without e-coupons to distribute ration had also turned up to avail ration. In most of the schools notices displaying the entitlements on e-coupons could not be located (DRRAA Report, 5 May 2020). Though the Centre is providing double ration as COVID-19 relief and the online deliver of stocks to the ration shops exists, beneficiaries of Antyodaya Anna Yojna have not received any additional grains. In several areas in Delhi where people are assumed to be well informed about the schemes, majority of the beneficiaries stated that they are unaware of the detail of relief schemes. They have been cheated of an extra 5 kgs of grains per person. No data is available for public scrutiny on the distribution of foodgrains to specific ration card holders. Many have also been deprived of the kit with cooking oil, masala powders, soap, chole and sugar under Mukhya Mantri Corona Sahayta Yojna. Since many children are deprived of their only nutritious meal through Mid-Day Meals programmes as schools are closed during the lockdown, suggestions to deliver dry ration to the households with school going children should be implemented. In Jharkhand and Bihar, FIRs and complaints have been logged regarding shutting down of PDS shops/outlets during the working hours and denial of access to food grains to the needy during lockdown. Huge number of cases are reported regarding the violations of announcements by the government in Jharkhand to double the ration to 70 kg rice for card holders and 10 kg of rice to households whose applications for ration card are pending. In fact, licences of several dealers have been cancelled due to complaints against violations in implementation of various food programmes under NFSA. The Food Commission in Jharkhand has also recommended to follow the successful model of distribution of ration by Panchayats/Gram Panchayats in Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Though free supply of 5 Kg of grains and 1 kg Chana per person for 2 months to migrant workers without a ration card and outside NFSA is a positive step, however, it will have logistics issues and might result in shortage of supplies in PDS outlets. The One Nation One Ration Card scheme is scheduled to be completed only by March 2021. The affordable rental housing scheme under PMIAY will also be implemented only over a period of time. No income support has been given to 5 million street vendors though they might have easy access to credit facility. In fact, bulk of the proposals in the economic package are for providing loans and liquidity supports that will be implemented over a longer period. The relief measures to boost liquidity to various segments, ensuring flow of credit to MSMEs, is only an assumption. Analysts argue that banks may not still be forthcoming to lend to lower rated companies as the current risk aversion matters. They argue that when demand is down, any move to provide liquidity will not help as people will be unwilling to take credit at this time. Therefore, putting cash in peoples pocket would have been a better approach. While Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Chhattisgarh have become the leading states to implement MGNREGA with several lakhs of registered workers, several studies at the micro level reveal the hindrances and corrupt practices in implementing MGNREGA. While an increase in the wages of the unskilled workers under MGNREGA by 16 per cent in Maharashtra, 13 per cent in Bihar, Jharkhand and Gujarat, 12 per cent in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu and by 11 per cent in Rajasthan is a positive step in ensuring social security, failure to provide work to all those who demand, remains a reality at the grassroots. The government assumes that Rs. 20 as increased wage will ensure an additional Rs. 2000 per household to all 13.65 crore job card holders who will get 100 days wage employment but studies find that only 8.22 crore job cards are active. Data shows that only 14 crore person days work have been provided in April-May 2020 unlike 64 crore person days in April- May 2019. Only 34 lakh households were provided work in April 2020 as compared to 1.7 crore in April of 2019. With the migrant workers returning to their villages, the demand for MGNREGA works will go up in the coming months as it remains the only source of employment and the main source of livelihood in rural areas. The decision of the government to extend work opportunities under MGNREGA to the monsoon season is important as it will provide income to the people during the lean season. The suggestion to do away with the limit of 100-day wage work per household is valid in a situation of massive unemployment. Though increasing allocation of Rs 40,000 crore to MGNREGA is in the right direction as it remains an important source of livelihood in rural areas, the number of work days should have increased. The centre has cleared all pending payments of beneficiaries under the MGNREGA, but the onus of compensating the unemployed with an unemployment allowance lies on the state governments. Since the states account for 40 per cent of MGNREGA expenditure, it is important that they are willing to spend more as the budget for it has increased by two-third. As per the provision in the Act, the focus has been on creating permanent assets for the villagers through construction of houses under Prime Ministers Awas Yojana, ponds, cattle sheds, and fencing and levelling of agricultural fields. Besides agricultural and construction works, work in rural enterprises and care activities also need to be included under expanded MGNREGA to revive the economy and support livelihoods (Ghosh, Patnaik and Mander, 2020:6). Since Adivasis are worst sufferers, the MGNREGA projects can be linked for the collection of minor forest produce which will be a labour subsidy and rescue them from distress (see also Karat, 2020: 6). The recommendations to expand it into public works programme to build much needed hospitals, clinics and rural roads and other infrastructure by integrating MGNREGA with Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna and the roads and bridges programme are important. The proposal drafted by group of Ministers on employment and skill development suggests to merge MGNREGA with skill development programmes to create wage subsidy programme. It is argued that though MGNREGA is about unskilled works, extending MGNREGA amount to companies as wage subsidy for Small and Medium-sized Enterprise will create a local employment wave. The proposal also suggests that every migrant worker should be automatically included in Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna and have access to cashless medical facilities in the place of work. In addition, it proposes a Migrant Welfare Fund with equal contribution from the worker, employer and government which can be utilised for health insurance and unemployment allowance in case of shifting jobs. A major concern across political ideologies is to strengthen the public health sector. The recommendations in the report of the High-Level Expert Group to the Planning Commission in 2011 on strong public-sector led Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with contracted private sector as per need and emergency are important. While the package promises increased public expenditure on the health sector including infectious disease hospital blocks in every district and public laboratories in every block, no specific financial outlay has been mentioned. It is essential to take cognizance of the vigorous role of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) who mediate between the state and the people by looking after basic health needs of the people particularly of women who are on the family way. At present, ASHA are playing an important role by counselling regarding the provision for the essential services such as nutrition and medicines, and the use of masks and social distancing. They need training facilities and better salaries. The government will require an extension of the relief measures for a longer period to prevent human capital deprivation in future as well as ensure social and economic security (see also Rao, 2020: 7). A monetary relief package is most urgent given the gravity of the distress and devastation that large sections of society are experiencing. It is pertinent to take short-term measures in terms of providing foodgrains and cash as immediate relief from distress, as well as long-term measures to sustain livelihood resources by bringing back the demand chain that is broken. Sustaining Lives and Livelihood Resources Policy analysts suggest that since the Food Corporation of India had 77 million tons of grains in March 2020, higher than ever during this usual time of the year, and more than three times the buffer stock norms, which is likely to grow with additional 40 million tonnes from Ravi crops, the government should give away the existing stock through PDS even to those who are excluded from PDS rolls. At a time of national emergency, the bottom half of the population (13 crore families - the poorest of the poor) should be given free foodgrains to prevent hunger and starvation. Though strengthening of PDS is significant, it is equally important to ensure that families have cash to buy the grains and pulses supplied through PDS. The actual cash transfer of Rs 500 to PMJDY is inadequate given the gravity of the crisis. Suggestions to prioritise universal transfers of foodgrains worth 10 kg per month for at least 6 months and cash worth Rs 7000/- per month for at least 3 months to all those who need them are important (Ghosh, Patnaik and Mander, 2020: 9; 2020: 6). The poor also need cash to buy essential things such as vegetables, cooking oil, spices and milk, which are not covered under PDS (see also Damodaran, 2020: 12). Jean Dreze and Reetika Khera suggest that cash transfers to womens PMJDY accounts are less reliable than transfers to job card holders under MGNREGA, as studies show larger inclusion errors in JDY and less than half of poor adult women have a PMJDY account (Dreze and Khera, 2020: 6). Though in the present situation it is urgent to provide immediate cash compensation to the farmers to rescue them from distress, there are other impeding problems with vicious impact leading to a crisis. Even farmers receiving Rs. 6000 under the PM-KISAN scheme will not benefit much as they face shortages of inputs, seeds, fertilisers, labour, marketing facilities, remunerative prices and policies for procurement and distribution. Extension of loans of Rs 2 lakh crore to 2.5 crore farmers through Kisan Credit Cards will provide no immediate relief to farmers who have incurred huge losses due to distress sale of wheat far below the Minimum Support Price. Farmers who grew vegetables suffered huge loss due to lack of transport, labour and buyers during the lockdown. While the economic stimulus package focuses on the long term agriculture infrastructure to produce, it has no relief measures for the landless labourers. Most of the measures in the package provide loans and credit facilities and are an extension of existing schemes of the proposed expenditure budget for FY2020-21. Though the Finance Minister argues that industrial reforms will increase production leading to an increase in employment, analysts across ideologies criticise the measures announced to liberalise the norms and increase privatisation as they are less of a fiscal stimulus and have little to contribute in either providing relief or economic recovery from a crisis. A range of suggestions by renowned economists, Thomas Piketty, Amartya Sen, Jean Dreze, Raghuram Rajan, Kaushik Basu, and Abhijit Banerjee are important and must be considered by the policy makers. Abhijit Banerjee insists that a stimulus package to absorb the shock of a prolonged lockdown in particular for the migrant workers and MSMEs must include putting money in the hands of the people. This will avert debt and revive demand. Money in the hands of bottom 60 per cent of the population will have a stimulus effect as it will kickstart the economy. He believes that spending is the easiest way to revive the economy as it will have the usual Keynesian chain reaction (cited in Phukan, 2020 : 1). A series of measures combining a basic income, right to work, shelter, food, health and education to ensure security and safety net need to be prioritised, lest it will cause more deaths than the pandemic itself (see also Basu, 2020: 11). Krishna Kumar critiques the development model rooted in the structural imbalance and growing regional disparities between the rural and urban areas. He suggests a revisit of policy strategies in 1990s particularly the public private partnership (PPP) which focused on developing urban areas in terms of livelihood opportunities and infrastructure that resulted in migration from rural areas to the cities (Kumar, 2020: 6). Rethinking an undermining agrarian economy and policies that did not focus on investment in public health and education in the villages is therefore vital. It is important to revive universal PDS and monitor its implementation. Detail information of the work, names of workers and the wages paid under MGNREGA should be recorded in the muster rolls and should be available at the work sites to ensure public transparency. With 90 per cent of the workforce in the informal sector, without social security and protection measures, an utmost need is to protect labour rights. But, the irony is that labour protection laws are being done away in the BJP-led states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Suspension of labour laws proposed by these states on the pretext of encouraging employment by attracting investment to restart economic activity will result in further deprivation of workers from social security and protection. In the battle against the social and economic impact of COVID-19, an effective health system to benefit the common people needs to be prioritised. The public health standard should include basic minimum food, drinking water, housing, minimum wages, PDS, primary health care, transparency of utilization of funds, decentralisation of decision making, improving the Community Health Centres, planning the partnership with Civil Society Organisations, NGOs, and community monitoring to develop capacity building approach. Much depends on the efficiencies of delivery mechanisms in the local administration as well as community participation. Restructuring, reorganizing and regulating of the delivery services need radical changes and a strong political will. The government has also appealed to all the local Non-Government Organisations and Voluntary Organisations to participate actively in the delivery of services. The NGO Darpan Platform under which more than 67,000 NGOs registered with NITI Ayog for greater partnership between the government and voluntary sector in order to foster transparency, efficiency and accountability should be used to deliver welfare services in particular distribution of cooked meals. Suggestions to involve NGOs, local communities and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in reviving the economy as well as livelihood resources are crucial. While PRIs and local institutions in several places are playing a vital role in providing both cooked meals and foodgrains to people, their role has to be strengthened in formulating the social welfare policies. The Prime Ministers address to the Gram Panchayats across the country on the occasion of the National Panchayati Raj Day on 24 April 2020, and the launch of e-Gram Sabha Portal, Mobile App and Swamitva Scheme to alleviate poverty in rural areas is a big initiative to revive participatory approach of the government to include local institutions at the grassroots in the policy making process. Amartya Sen argues that unlike a top-down model, dealing with a social calamity needs participatory governance and alert public discussion (Sen, 2020: 8). He explicates that it is important to prioritise possible protective arrangements such as devoting more public funds for helping the poor through institutional mechanisms to deliver services that secure basic needs such as food, health and employment, which get comparatively small allocation in the Central Budget. The actual command over food, employment, education and health care that different sections of the population can exercise depends on a set of social, cultural, economic, political, and legal factors. Announcements of mega reforms in the economic package can neither be valued for its sake nor understood in abstraction. They need to be analysed in terms of implementation, and both short-term as well as long term impacts in specific contexts. It is important to understand the present socio-economic distress and insecurity from the vantage point of the poor, deprived, disentitled and disadvantaged people, in particular the migrant workers, to address their concerns. The welfare state must reach out to the ordinary people during a crisis which is unprecedented. Suranjita Ray, teaches Political Science in Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi. Email: suranjitaray_66[at]yahoo.co.in References : Basu, Kaushik (2020), Lets Use followers Advantage in The Indian Express, 27 March, p 11. Damodaran, Harish (2020) Unfolding The Garib Kalyan Package in The Indian Express 27 March, p 12. Dreze, Jean and Reetika Khera (2020) Getting Cash Transfers out of a JAM in The Hindu, 13 May, p 6. Ghosh, Jayati, Prabhat Patnaik and Harsh Mander (2020) Humanitarian Emergency in The Indian Express, 27 April, p 9. ..(2020) A Plan to Revive a Broken Economy in The Hindu , 14 May, p 6. Karat, Brinda (2020), Playing out Live, a Narrative of Discrimination in The Hindu , 12 May. p 6. Kumar, Krishna (2020), The Village is still Relevant in The Hindu , 23 April. p 6. Phukan, Sandeep (2020) India Needs a big Stimulus Package in The Hindu, 6 May, p 1. Rao, Krishna (2020) Protecting the Poor from becoming Poorer in The Hindu, 27 April, p 7. Sen, Amartya (2020) Listening as Governance in The Indian Express, 8 April, p 8. A FORMER school lollipop lady is celebrating on the double having survived the deadly Covid-19 and become an internet star! Inspirational Caherdavin grandmother Jenny Howell, who is 89, is now at the Ennis Road Care facility, which she has lit up with her smooth moves on the social media tool TikTok. Jenny, who would be well-known to generations of families, as she was the lollipop lady for Caherdavin School in the 1970s, while also making the girls school uniforms. She has lit up the care home, which is in the former Two Mile Inn pub, with her dancing and cool moves, captured on camera-phones by staff. A devoted Daniel ODonnell fan, Jenny was also a keen dancer in her heyday, and her smooth moves have been viewed by more than 30,000 people on the internet. In an interview with Independent.ie, Jennys daughter Stella Brougham praised the staff at Ennis Road for bringing some fun back into her life at this difficult time. My mother never drank or smoked throughout her life but she loves the craic, she said. In the 1950s she moved to London with my father and lived there for 20 years before returning to Limerick. She loves dancing and Daniel ODonnell my granddaughter would often bring her to see Daniel when he comes to Killarney. Shes really enjoying the fact that activities are getting back up and running at her nursing home and the staff have been absolutely wonderful. Ms Brougham said the staff at her mothers nursing home do dances not only because they are fun, but knowing that the exercise is good for her. She described how her mother had barely any symptoms when she was diagnosed with Covid-19, but has been in flying form since. In a statement released late on Friday, France's foreign ministry announced that all arrivals from the United Kingdom would be asked to quarantine themselves for 14 days, as of 8 June, regardless of their nationality. This comes just hours after British authorities announced exactly the same measure in a bid to prevent a second wave of Covid-19. The British government announced its decision to impose restrictions on international arrivals to the UK on Friday, citing a fear that imported cases could be a major health threat. More than 36,000 people have died in Britain from the coronavirus, making it Europes worst affected country. Travellers to the UK will be expected from 8 June to provide contact and address details, as well as an outline of their travel plans, or face fines of 1,000 (1,100 euros) if they breach these conditions. Exemptions from the 14-day self-isolation rule include road haulage and freight workers, medical workers, foreign officials, and those visitors from the Common Travel Area (Republic of Ireland). Travellers from France were due to be exempt from the measures, but that has now been scrapped. Exceptions to the rule On France's side, the foreign ministry announced reciprocal measures for arrivals from countries such as the United Kingdom and Spain. It stated that all arrivals from the United Kingdom would be asked to quarantine themselves for 14 days, as of the 8 June, regardless of their nationality. Authorities would be able to enforce the self-isolation if visitors showed symptoms related to Covid-19. The new measures will apply until at least the 15 June, when international travel conditions will be reassessed. Travellers of all nationalities arriving from Spain by plane will also be encouraged to self-isolate as of 25 May, on a voluntary basis. This mirrors a similar decision made by Spanish authorities on 15 May. No visitors from outside the European Union (except French nationals) are allowed to enter, as French borders remain officially closed. Several exceptions to the quarantine rule exist in France, including travellers in transit towards a third country, airline crew, long haul truck drivers, seasonal workers from border countries and those with important family reasons (funeral, joint custody). The charges against the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, the healthcare worker shot dead by police in her own home, have been dropped by the prosecution. Kenneth Walker was charged with attempted murder and assault after he opened fire, striking and injuring a Louisville Metro Police Department sergeant during a drug raid on 13 March. Ms Taylor, a decorated Emergency Medical Technician, was shot multiple times and killed when police officers returned fire. Commonwealth of Kentucky prosecutor Tom Wine is asking a court to dismiss the pending grand jury indictment against Mr Walker until investigations by the FBI, the US Attorneys office and the state attorney generals office could be completed, NBC News reports. If after those reviews we believe there is sufficient evidence to present this matter to the grand jury, we will do so, Mr Wine said at a news conference. He also complained about false information about the actions of officers, presenting audio evidence of what happened during the raid. The misinformation stems from social media posts and differing accounts as to whether the police knocked or banged on the door before entering the apartment. They officers had a no-knock warrant allowing them to burst in, but say that they banged on the door anyway and announced that they had a search warrant. Mr Walker claims that he believed that it was an ex-boyfriend of Ms Taylor at the door and that he was scared. He says they called out asking who was there but received no reply and says he called 911. When the door opened he fired one shot towards the ground. An officer was hit and, along with his colleagues, fired back. Ms Taylor was then struck at least eight times. The grand jury in the case was not informed by police that Ms Taylor had been killed during the raid, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported on Thursday. Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump who is representing Ms Taylors family said that charges should never have been filed. Ms Taylors family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against three officers in the raid. NEW YORK (AP) President Donald Trump played golf at one of his courses Saturday during the Memorial Day weekend as he urged U.S. states to reopen after coronavirus-related lockdowns. Yet many Americans remained cautious as the number of confirmed cases nationwide passed 1.6 million. In California, where many businesses and recreational activities are reopening, officials in Los Angeles County said they would maintain tight restrictions until July 4. Some religious leaders took issue with Trumps declaration that houses of worship are essential and should resume in-person services this weekend. Being at the epicenter of this pandemic and in order to protect our flock, we advise that congregations remain closed until more accurate and uniform information is provided, said Bishop Paul Egensteiner, who oversees the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Americas congregations in the hard-hit New York City region. Statewide, New York reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths 84 in many weeks in what Gov. Andrew Cuomo described as a critical benchmark. The daily death tally peaked at 799 on April 8. For me, its a sign that were making real progress, Cuomo said. Rain dampened the start of the holiday weekend in the northeastern U.S., where newly reopened beaches were expected to attract throngs of people and test the effectiveness of social distancing rules. At Orchard Beach in the Bronx, which was crowded a weekend earlier, parking lots were mostly empty except for large puddles. To the south, Trump played golf at one of his private clubs for the first time during the pandemic the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia. He has been pushing for state and local leaders to fully reopen after months of closures and tight restrictions. Parts of New Orleans stirred to back life, with some restaurants and businesses opening for the first time in over two months. Some remained closed, especially in the French Quarter, which relies largely on tourist dollars. Story continues At least a few out-of-towners trickled in. Greer Falls of Augusta, Georgia, wore a mask as he entered the Royal House restaurant for lunch. After weeks at home, he said he was ready for a change of scenery and didnt want to miss a birthday celebration with friends hes known for decades. Some amusement parks, such as Mt. Olympus in the Wisconsin Dells and Lagoon amusement park in Farmington, Utah, opened for the first time in months. The Facebook sites for both parks were flooded with comments from visitors excited to ride go-karts or roller coasters, though some complained about Lagoons policy of requiring masks. Andrew Young, 29, said Lagoon has been a lifelong summer staple and when he learned the park would be open Saturday, he went online immediately to make a reservation for himself, his wife and 2-year-old daughter. Because a limited number of people were allowed entry, they found short lines and there always seemed to be just one other family on each ride. There were also sanitation stations and other measures to keep people distanced and feeling safe. It was a lot of fun," Young said. "Finally going, having some feeling of normalcy. ... We had a very enjoyable morning." Overseas, there was mixed news. New coronavirus cases reported in China were zero Saturday for the first time since the outbreak began but surged in India and overwhelmed hospitals across Latin America. Many governments are easing restrictions as they face a political backlash and historic economic recessions. In just a few months, the pandemic has killed at least 340,000 people worldwide and infected about 5.3 million, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. As the United States closed in on 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths, the New York Times devoted Sunday's entire, photo-less front page to a list of nearly 1,000 names of pandemic victims with a few words in memorial for each, culled from obituaries published around the country. Continued on Page 12, it read at bottom right. Turkey, which has recorded over 155,000 infections, imposed its toughest lockdown measures yet for the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan. Yemens Houthi rebels urged believers to use masks and stay inside, as authorities try to contain infections at a time usually marked by multigenerational feasting and collective prayer. In Germany, which has drawn praise for its handling of the virus, seven people appear to have been infected at a restaurant in the northwest of the country. It would be the first such known case since restaurants started reopening two weeks ago. And in Frankfurt, more than 40 people tested positive after a church service of the Evangelical Christian Baptist congregation May 10. A church leader said the congregation has canceled gatherings and is now holding services online. Authorities in nearby Hanau called off Muslim prayers planned for a stadium Sunday as a precaution. Religious events helped spread the virus early in the pandemic; resuming such gatherings is an especially thorny issue. Mindful of evangelical Christians who are key to his base ahead of Novembers election, Trump on Friday called houses of worship essential and urged governors to let them reopen this weekend. However, leaders of many denominations said they plan to move gradually and cautiously. In Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz said he is scrapping a 10-person limit on gatherings and letting houses of worship open at 25% occupancy if safety guidelines are met. Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis welcomed the change but said priests should not reopen their churches if they can't comply with safety measures. France allowed in-person services to resume Saturday after a legal challenge to a ban on gatherings in places of worship. One of the worlds major pilgrimage sites is reopening Sunday: the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Latin America is the latest epicenter of the virus, and experts note the limitations of government action in a region where millions have informal jobs and many police forces are unable to enforce restrictions. Brazil and Mexico reported record numbers of infections and deaths almost daily this week, fueling criticism of their presidents for limited lockdowns. But infections also rose and intensive care units were swamped in Peru, Chile and Ecuador, all lauded for imposing early and aggressive business shutdowns and quarantines. Concerns are rising in India, where new cases showed another record jump Saturday, topping 6,000 for a second consecutive day as a two-month lockdown has eased. While some countries are facing a second wave of infections, badly hit Russia is still struggling with its first and reported more than 9,000 new cases Saturday. ___ Forliti reported from Minneapolis, and Moulson from Berlin. Associated Press writers around the world contributed. ___ Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak. By Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made an unusually small number of public appearances in the past two months, once again going three weeks without state media reporting his attendance at a public event, according to analysts. Kim's low profile comes as North Korea imposes anti-coronavirus measures, although the country says it has no confirmed cases, and follows intense speculation about his health last month after he missed a key anniversary. Kim has appeared publicly four times in April and so far in May, compared to 27 times in the same period last year. Since coming to power in 2011, the previous fewest public appearances Kim has made during those months was 21 in 2017, according to a tally by Chad O'Carroll, CEO of Korea Risk Group, a Seoul-based organisation that tracks North Korea. "This is not business as normal," he said in a post on Twitter this week. As a leader with near-absolute power over North Korea's 25.5 million people, and access to a growing arsenal of nuclear weapons, Kim's health and whereabouts are often scrutinized by the international community for any signs of instability. Information in North Korea is tightly controlled, however, and independently confirmed details on Kim are almost non-existent. South Korean officials have said they believe Kim's limited public appearances may be precautions in the face of coronavirus concerns. North Korea has cancelled, postponed, or toned down many major public gatherings because the new coronavirus. When asked about Kim's absences, South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Friday it is monitoring the situation, but noted Kim is often out of the public eye. Citing an unnamed South Korean government official, JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported Kim may be carrying out his duties from a favoured villa in Wonsan, on the coast. But the North Korean leader may also simply be focused on some of the domestic economic and political goals he outlined before the coronavirus crisis struck, said Rachel Minyoung Lee, a former North Korea open source intelligence analyst in the U.S. government. Story continues "COVID does remain a major concern for the country, but state media coverage of COVID has declined over the past month or so, so I don't seen regime's increased concern," she said. Friday marks three weeks since state media last showed images of Kim attending a public event. North Korean state media reported Kim attended the opening ceremony of a fertilizer plant on May 1. That appearance marked a reemergence for Kim, whose unprecedented absence from a major holiday on April 15 sparked weeks of international speculation over his health and whereabouts. Since then, state media has carried a steady stream of stories on Kim sending or receiving letters and diplomatic correspondence, but have not shown him attending public events. Kim's longest public absence was for 40 days in 2014. South Korea's spy agency later said Kim had undergone a medical procedure on his ankle during that time. (Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) Actor Samuel L. Jackson and rapper Cardi B traveled to Ghana last year to commemorate the first departure of African slaves to the U.S. 400 years ago. Their data bills helped to boost the nations economy. Ghanas information and communication services expanded by 47% in 2019, aiding an acceleration in the growth of gross domestic product to 6.5%, from 6.3% the previous year, according to a release Wednesday by the statistics office. Growth in activity at restaurants and hotels almost doubled to 6% over the same period. Ghana named 2019 The Year of the Return to commemorate the start of the slave trade in the U.S. in August 1619 and attract people of Ghanaian origin. Apart from Cardi B and Jackson, others who made the trip to West Africa for the campaign included model Naomi Campbell, actor Danny Glover and comedian Steve Harvey. Read Full Story .... bloomberg >>> : 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 COVID-19 cases in Colorados corrections system have shot up in recent weeks, putting the rate of infections inside prisons, jails and halfway houses far above the rate for all other Coloradans while a previously unreleased state report predicts the virus will cause hundreds of deaths in Colorado prisons. About this series Today's articles on the impact of COVID-19 on correctional facilities in Colorado and a deep The largest coronavirus outbreak in the state is now in Denvers Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center, where the number of cases tripled in the past week, hitting 581, or about 40% of the jails capacity, according to health department data released last week. The second largest outbreak is in a state prison, Sterling Correctional Facility in northeast Colorado, where the state has reported 440 COVID-19 cases, or about 18% of the inmates, and two deaths. Another outbreak hit Crowley Correctional Facility in southeast Colorado on May 2, where 41 prisoners have now tested positive. While only two prisoners at the Sterling prison have died with COVID-19 symptoms, a Colorado Department of Corrections analysis in late April, which has not been shared publicly before, predicted a much higher death toll will hit the states prisons. The analysis also predicted that virtually all of the state's prisoners and corrections staffers would be infected with COVID-19 without significant policy changes. The surge in cases at correctional facilities is happening at the same time that nursing homes, which make up the largest percentage of outbreaks identified by the state, have seen the growth in cases slow. Without a dramatic reduction in Colorados prison population, COVID-19 likely will spread throughout the states prisons, the analysis concluded, killing between 150 to 170 inmates and 73 to 83 correctional officers. The analysis considered only the inmates in state-run prisons, but predicts around 90% of the entire state prison population and its staff will eventually become infected without policy changes. The analysis excluded projections for the two prisons in the state run by the Nashville-based private prison provider CoreCivic, and it doesnt look at federal prisons, county jails, youth corrections facilities, halfway houses, tribal correctional facilities or involuntary commitments. At the time of the April 21 analysis, just eight state Department of Corrections prisoners and six correctional staffers had contracted the virus, according to the report. The growth in the number of cases has hewed closely to the projections in the analysis, with the actual number of infections adhering to the reports low-to-moderate spread modeling. Around the same time, about two-dozen COVID-19 cases had been tracked in other correctional facilities in the state, with those cases now growing into the hundreds. The increase in coronavirus cases in correctional facilities comes at a crucial juncture. Executive orders from Gov. Jared Polis aimed at addressing COVID-19 in the states correctional facilities were set to expire on Saturday. Late Friday afternoon, Polis let substantial portions of those executive orders expire, disappointing civil rights and prison reform advocates. Its going to be back to business as usual, predicted Christie Donner, executive director for the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates for reducing prison populations, hours before the governor acted. While allowing the DOC to continue using Centennial Correctional Facility South in Canon City as an initial intake location for male prisoners, the governor let expire portions of the executive orders intended to give corrections officials more flexibility in reducing prison populations through early releases. Donner said she would like to see a more nuanced approach that would allow more early releases of older prisoners with medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to death from COVID-19. Those prisoners, she pointed out, are less likely to commit new crimes because older inmates are statistically less likely to recidivate. Corrections officials had used such special needs conditions to grant early parole to offenders, but had restricted those releases to prisoners whose underlying crimes had not had victims. Other prisoners nearing their parole eligibility date also had gotten consideration for early release if they were deemed to not be a safety risk, under the portions of the executive order Polis did not renew. The ACLU of Colorado, in a letter to Polis earlier this month, urged the governor to use his clemency powers and executive authority to meaningfully flatten the curve and save lives inside prisons. Without substantial prison depopulation, we can be virtually certain that the number and percent of infected incarcerated people and staff will grow exponentially, as will serious illness and death in Colorados prisons, the ACLU letter states. The ACLU highlighted the case of Anthony Martinez, 84, a prisoner the organization's letter said has renal failure and dementia along with other medical conditions. He has been incarcerated for more than 30 years for a series of robberies, according to the ACLU. He and his family are understandably terrified that he will catch and die from the virus, the letter states. The letter adds that during his prison sentence, Martinez has paid a substantial debt to society for these crimes. With his age and infirmity, no one can argue he is a public safety risk, but he has a substantial risk of becoming seriously ill or dying from COVID-19 if he remains incarcerated. Although DOC officials have used the governors previous executive orders to enact policies to release inmates early, they still have not met the target occupancy for the pandemic outlined in the DOC analysis. Prison officials say in the document that the states incarcerated population should be reduced by as many as 2,500 inmates from its past peak. The document, obtained by The Gazette through the Colorado Open Records Act, highlights the challenges the Corrections Department faces to prevent the spread of the virus. It also raises broader concerns that incarcerated individuals throughout the state are particularly vulnerable to the virus, including those in facilities not run by the state, such as halfway houses and county jails. The states prisoners still are being double-bunked in cells and facilities that arent designed to contain the spread of a highly contagious disease. And universal testing for the virus has only been conducted in one prison, Sterling, despite statistics showing an aging prison population. There are 2,000 offenders in the states prisons over the age of 55, putting them in an age group particularly vulnerable to worse outcomes from COVID-19, according to the DOC analysis. DOC officials also warn in the document that prison staff could end up spreading the virus outside prison walls into local communities if safeguards arent taken a sentiment echoed by the state health department in response to a request to allow partial restaurant reopening in the surrounding community. Officials in Logan County, where Sterling Correctional Facility is located, submitted a request to the state health department on May 6, asking for a variance to the statewide restrictions on restaurants. They pointed out that the vast majority of Logan County COVID-19 cases were in the Sterling facility, but state officials denied the request, saying they feared the prison outbreak could spill out into the surrounding population. While few cases have occurred outside of the facilities, the plan submitted raises concerns about whether cases will continue to increase in the community due to employee exposure, CDPHE director Jill Ryan wrote in the May 12 response letter. The DOC analysis from weeks earlier used starker language. We knew that an outbreak in a prison would not only risk the lives of inmates and staff, but prisons could become hotbeds of spread to the local community as essential staff moved in and out of prisons back to their homes, the DOC analysis states. The current outbreak at Sterling Prison is unfortunately going to be our first proving ground on what might be a longer journey. The report concluded that allowing greater social distancing by creating additional prison capacity or through reductions in prison populations, would be the last resort to combat the virus spread: The last lever to mitigate the pandemic, and the only one not in play at this point is the effort to reduce prison density. While the analysis prescribes reducing the number of prisoners, releasing the wrong prisoners can come with life and death consequences, beyond the risks of coronavirus. Earlier this month, Denver police arrested a parolee, Cornelius Haney, 40, who had been released from prison early due to coronavirus concerns. He is accused in the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old woman in the East Colfax neighborhood. Local authorities also have pushed back against early releases. In April, Senior Larimer County Attorney David Ayraud warned in a letter to Dean Williams, the executive director of the states Corrections Department, that he believed unilateral placements of offenders into local communities is contrary to state law. He said at that time that he would not accept one specialized category of early prisoner releases without local approval. The states prisons typically run at 99% occupancy, but by the time the analysis was conducted, DOC officials had begun releasing prisoners early to help free up space and allow social distancing measures to take place. By the third week of April, the occupancy rate had declined to 93%. The analysis found that even with a more aggressive reduction in the prison population, down to 75% to 80% occupancy, the states prisons will still see the virus spread and inmates and staff die. Even at this level we cannot get single cell occupancy, but at least we can have margins to reduce double bunking in cells and reduce overall spread and mortality, the analysis states. DOC officials state in the analysis that they believe our target occupancy for the pandemic should be 80% to 85% which would require the prison population to decline by 1,800 to 2,500 inmates. On Friday, the occupancy rate was running at nearly 89%, according to a Department of Corrections spokesperson. Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday asked people not to return to the state unless "absolutely necessary" as 87 more people tested positive for coronavirus, the highest single-day jump, taking the total tally to 346. He also said that the situation in Assam has reached a challenging phase and the government will write to other states to ensure that buses and trucks carrying people without maintaining social distancing are not allowed movement. Seventeen new cases, including two persons coming from Tripura, were reported in the night, in addition to 10 in the evening, 53 in the afternoon and seven in the morning. On Friday, 49 people had tested positive for coronavirus. "17 more #COVID19+ confirmed. 4 from Chirang; 4 from Tinsukia; 1 from Goalpara; 8 test + at SMCH - Cachar (3), Hailakandi (3) & Tripura (2)", the Minister tweeted. Ten new cases were reported in the evening -- four from Morigaon, two from Nalbari and one each from Nagaon, Hojai, Golaghat and Jorhat. Among the 53 cases in the afternoon, 44 were from Sarusajai quarantine centre, two from Cachar and for the first time Dima Hasao reported seven persons testing positive. In the morning, seven persons tested positive with six of them from Sarusajai quarantine facility and one from a quarantine centre in Dhubri. Meanwhile, three persons- two from Guwahati Medical College Hospital and Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital-have recovered and discharged after they tested negative repeatedly. Out of the 346 positive cases, 282 are active, four persons died, three migrated out of the state and 57 have recovered and discharged from the hospital. Assam has so far tested 60,408 samples and out of these 346 persons have tested positive, 54,185 found negative and the remaining results are awaited. The capacity of the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital has been filled and new patients will now be kept at the Kalapahar Hospital which has been declared a COVID hospital and will function as an annexee of the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) from today, the Minister told reporters here. GMCH has been kept for serious patients, he said. "The situation in Assam has reached a challenging phase. Assam is not safe and people from other states should not return home, if it is not absolutely necessary," Sarma said. The state government will write to other states to ensure that buses and trucks carrying people without maintaining social distancing are not allowed movement, he said. The minister claimed that the recent increase in the number of cases was mostly due to people not maintaining protocol while travelling by road in crowded vehicles. "There has not been a single positive case among students whose travel was arranged under the supervision of the state government as strict COVID protocols were followed," he said. The minister said that quarantine of people coming from outside the state will be strictly enforced as "ruthless quarantine with humane heart is our policy". "We will not allow anyone to go for home quarantine before spending seven full days in institutional facilities," he asserted. Around 1,15,920 people have returned to the state from other parts of the country, while 17,895 people have left Assam, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) G P Singh said. Eighteen Shramik special trains have reached Assam from Chennai, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Lingampally, Kanpur, Hyderabad and Mumbai, he added. On May 7, the number of positive cases in the state stood at 48. These mostly included people who attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi. Nearly 50,000 people have already entered the state by road and rail since May 4 and about 10 lakh are waiting to come. A number of positive cases reported in the past few days are also from different quarantine centres. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hospitals in Montgomery, Alabama and El Centro, California have been forced to restrict admission of new coronavirus patients after caseloads of COVID-19 spiked during the week. The situation in both cities developed as the number of confirmed cases in the US passed 1.6 million, and the death toll approached 100,000. Margot Bloch of Takoma Park, Md., stands in Lafayette Park near the White House as she protests President Donald Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic Wednesday, May 20, 2020, in Washington. She is surrounded by "body bags" representing those who have died. (Photo: AP Photo/Evan Vucci) The situation in both cities was summed up by Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, who said yesterday at a press conference, Right now, if you are from Montgomery and you need an ICU bed, you are in trouble. Of the state capitals four regional hospitals, one is short three ICU beds, two have no available ICU beds, and one has just a single ICU bed remaining. Excess patients are being transferred to Birmingham, a trip for those infected of more than an hour. Reed also warned that the hospitals are at a capacity that is not sustainable, and that, Our health care system is maxed out. In El Centro, the increased caseload came from both sides of the US-Mexico border in the wake of relaxed physical distancing rules enacted two weeks ago. According to the CEO of the El Centro Regional Medical Center, Dr. Adolphe Edward, the surge is largely from US citizens who live in Mexicali, a border town in Mexico with a population of 690,000, who were turned away from Mexican hospitals as a result of rising coronavirus infections there. More than two dozen patients had to be transferred to hospitals in San Diego and other nearby cities, Reuters reports. This reality did not stop President Donald Trump from declaring on Friday, I am identifying houses of worship, churches, synagogues and mosques, as essential places that provide essential services, and demanding that governors allow our churches and places of worship to open right now. Trumps comments follow his remarks Thursday that the countrys reopening will not be stopped even if the pandemic regains the momentum it had in the previous two months. Whether its an ember or a flame, were going to put it out. But were not closing our country. This campaign has added fuel to the record rise of the stock market since its collapse in March, at the expense of tens of thousands of lives and tens of millions of livelihoods. The spike in cases in such divergent areas of the country is another indication that, contrary to official policy, the spread of the coronavirus pandemic is not slowing but increasing. States including Texas, Florida and Louisiana have joined Alabama and California in seeing an increase of new COVID-19 cases in recent days. Both the 7- and 14-day moving averages of daily case counts in Alabama are increasing and now stand at above 500 new cases per day. The number of new cases in California has stayed above 2,000 for the past four consecutive days. Texas, where the stay-at-home order expired April 30, saw its new case count on May 21 double to 1,856, as compared to the previous day. The number of new cases in Florida has also begun to rise, with a sharp increase to 1,204 on Thursday. On that day, the number of new cases in Louisiana increased more than four-fold from the day before, to 1,188 new infections. Total deaths in these states also continue to rise, to 537 in Alabama, 3,682 in California, 1,501 in Texas, 2,190 in Florida and 2,668 in Louisiana. Texas, Florida and Alabama are also among the states predicted to have even more coronavirus infections over the next four weeks, as modeled by the PolicyLab at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Using cellphone data to track mobility in an attempt to forecast the pandemic, the researchers have found that those states are some of the most at risk for an increased pandemic caseload as their economies continue to reopen. Another state that has seen a sharp rise in cases is Arkansas, where the number of new infections increased by 228 percent over the past 14 days, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 5,612. An outbreak among poultry workers across the state, which now includes 136 active cases, has contributed to the recent rise. Across the country, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the reopening is driving the spread of the deadly pandemic. Forcing states to allow religious services to take place will only exacerbate this crisis. Every state now allows some form of public gatherings, including restaurant dining, retail stores, barbershops and salons, beaches and gyms. Some states, such as Louisiana, have even opened movie theaters, museums, zoos and casinos, while Florida has already allowed houses of worship to reopen. Many of these reopenings are taking place in advance of the Memorial Day weekend. In Wisconsin, the state Supreme Court has allowed bars, clubs, wineries, restaurants and campgrounds to collectively host 158 live music events. While none of these will be in Milwaukee or Madison, due to the large number of cases in those cities, they are expected to draw large crowds, and public health officials are concerned about a resurgence of cases and deaths as a result. This is particularly concerning in the current pandemic because of the incubation period of the coronavirus. It takes 2-14 days before symptoms appear and even longer before a patient gets tested and possibly hospitalized. Were looking at potentially a month or two later that were going to see the impact of the reopening, said former Baltimore health commissioner Leana Wen to the Washington Post. You have not seen the impact of reopening yet. I think theres going to be a very significant lag. The decision on Friday by the Court of Appeal to uphold a judgement by the High Court that refused the family of Seamus Ludlow the right to an inquiry into the Garda handling of the murder was another disappointing day for the campaign, TD Ruairi O Murchu has said. Mr Ludlow was 47 when he was shot dead by Loyalists in May 1976 in a laneway near his home in Mountpleasant, Dundalk. Discussing the long history of the case, Mr O Murchu explained how the initial Garda investigation was wound down three weeks after the killing. Suspects, some of whom were serving members of British armed forces at the time of the killing, were identified by the RUC in subsequent years, but no charges have ever been brought. The case is one of a large number where collusion is suspected. In 2002, the Barron Commission recommended the establishment of a commission of inquiry into Mr Ludlows death, but it was never set up. The family of Mr Ludlow took a case to the High Court in 2015 to force the State to set up the commission of inquiry but the High Court refused the application and on Friday, the Court of Appeal upheld that decision. The family had argued that they had a legitimate expectation commissions of inquiry would be set up by the Government arising from communications from the Department of the Taoiseach in 2002 stating the report from the Barron Commission would be sent to government and to an Oireachtas Committee to advise as to any further action. The Court of Appeal found that the refusal to set up inquiries was not irrational and rejected further arguments of a breach of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, relating to the right to an effective investigation into a death. That legislation came into force decades after Mr Ludlow was killed and the Court of Appeal said it does not have retroactive effect. Mr O Murchu, who has supported the Ludlow familys campaign for an inquiry, said the decision by the Court of Appeal shows the court doesnt want to encroach on the powers of the Oireachtas, so the pressure needs to be put on in Leinster House to ensure that the next government establishes a commission of inquiry. He said: I have spoken to the Ludlow family and of course they are upset by the decision, but not surprised by it. 'They have been campaigning for justice for many years and they intend to continue that by using multiple means to bring a just conclusion. I admire their fortitude and tenacity in this campaign. They are in discussions with their solicitors about their legal options. The family has been failed many times by the Gardai and successive governments over many years and they deserve the justice that has so long been denied to them. The Rajasthan government will run free buses to Haridwar and other places in Uttarakhand to facilitate travel of families for ash immersion of their loved ones, officials said. Due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, many grieving families were not able to go for ash immersion of their loved ones. After getting permission from the Uttarakhand government, the Rajasthan government announced special buses so that families can perform the ritual. In a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday night, it was informed that the Uttarakhand government has given its nod for the movement of buses for this purpose, the officials said. Additional Chief Secretary Subodh Agarwal said that two or three members from one family can travel in the buses for free. Four to five buses will be operated for places like Haridwar or other places in Uttarakhand for ash immersion. Initially, the buses will be operated from divisional headquarters and later from district headquarters, he said. "Efforts are also being made for consent of the Uttar Pradesh government for the purpose," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 24 times, Trend reports on May 23 referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. The Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Wrecked marriages and abandoned children. Emotional lives laid waste by alcoholism and infidelity, poisoned by rancour and rage. Such is the cost of the artistic life as portrayed by Polly Samson in her new novel A Theatre for Dreamers. Set on the Greek island of Hydra - which has become known as Leonard Cohen's island - in 1960, the novel is populated by the real-life bohemian set who flocked to it in search of beauty, sensuality, freedom and inspiration. The group includes Cohen himself and the iconic Australian literary couple Charmian Clift and George Johnston, part of a motley crew of writers, artists, musicians and poets. There among the bougainvillea, crystal waters and whitewashed stone, they worked and lived lives rich in both pleasure and pain, laying the seeds for the fame and catastrophe that would follow. Samson's real life makes, at first glance, a direct counterpoint to this narrative. She's currently locked down, she explains over Zoom from her home in Sussex, "with four generations of my family, from baby up to 88-year-old," which is, she says "quite full-on". They're certainly keeping busy and entertained. Once a week members of the family have been gathering to live-stream a kind of musical and literary salon, performing and interviewing each other. They're quite the collection of talent. There's Samson's herself, of course, fast becoming a literary star with a book riding high on the bestseller list and her husband David Gilmour, of Pink Floyd fame. Also featured is her eldest child Charlie, whose first book is out this summer, and her youngest, Romany, an actress who plays the harp and sings. In between performances, they amuse each other with gentle humour; Gilmour and Samson speak glowingly about their marriage and creative collaborations, while Illinca, their 16-month-old granddaughter, is passed from lap to lap for cuddles. Even the wryly humorous name they've chosen for the series, Von Trapped, paints a portrait of family harmony and co-operation. But for Samson, it hasn't always been this way. She has lived-experience in common with Cohen's tragic muse Marianne Ilhen. One of the key characters in Theatre For Dreamers, Marianne was a woman whose romantic devotion was, more than once, laid as a sacrifice at the altar of great art. When Ilhen met Cohen on Hydra, she had recently been abandoned by her then-husband, the philandering Norwegian writer Axel Jensen, who ran out on her and their baby son, Axel Jnr. Samson understands intimately Marianne's position. When she was herself in her 20s, she was abandoned by the radical poet Heathcote Williams after giving birth to their son Charlie. Williams, the archetype of the emotionally volatile genius, had a breakdown ("he had so many breakdowns") soon after the birth and walked out. The rupture was never repaired, and Williams and his son remained estranged. The poet passed away in 2017. Like the characters in her novel, Williams was, Samson says now, "from another age". Recently, at an exhibition at the V&A, she stumbled on the discovery that Williams and Jensen had known each other, having appeared "on the same bills in London". The relationship, she says, "was a very useful experience, actually, for understanding the Marianne-Axel relationship. And Marianne and Leonard to some extent". The comparison to Jensen is not a flattering one. In the novel, he's an unreconstructed cad whose callous treatment of Marianne is deplored by all who witness it. Or as Samson says herself, "Axel was a rotter". But from the safety of the supportive partnership she's been in with Gilmour for 25 years, she's able now to be philosophical about what is just water under the bridge. "The thing with Heathcote and that relationship was that I really enjoyed his obsession with his work," she says. "So I wasn't that unhappy that there was someone who was utterly brilliant who really, really wanted to write great things. "I agreed with a lot of the things that he was putting into this work. But definitely his obsession came first. And because when I am writing I am incredibly focused and obsessed with my subject, it just couldn't have worked - two people who were doing that at the same time, and I don't think he would have been the sort of person to say, 'now it's your turn'. But neither did I ask him to, so you can't blame the man." Still, there have been consequences. When Charlie was 11, he and his biological father were briefly reunited, only for Williams to reject him again. This eventually precipitated a breakdown which culminated in Charlie's arrest for violent disorder during the 2011 student fees protest in London, where he was pictured dangling off the Cenotaph in Trafalgar Square - drunk and high on LSD. Charlie was sentenced to 16 months in prison, and Samson has described this period as the worst of her life. Charlie and Polly blamed Williams at the time. But ultimately Charlie, who inherited the writing gene from both parents, has taken masterful control of the narrative, reconstructing it from dark to redemptive. He emerged from prison wiser and more compassionate, and quickly became a vocal advocate for prison reform. This summer, he's due to publish a memoir, Featherhood, about his experiences, woven together with an account of adopting a baby magpie and becoming a father in his own right. "It's about birds and fathers. I've read it and it's absolutely beautiful," says Samson. And if there's a good fairy godfather character in all of this, it's Gilmour. He and Samson met at a dinner party in the mid-'90s, when she was working as a journalist. He had four children already from a previous marriage. Soon after they got together he adopted Charlie, and he and Samson went on to have three more children together. Theirs is a creative partnership as well as an emotional one - Samson's career as a professional writer was launched when she composed some lyrics for him. "Obviously it's much better having a supportive partner than one who takes all the oxygen in the room," she says. Gilmour is the first reader for all her work and they have a rule of strict reciprocity. "David and I, because we have so many children and you know we are really lucky to be able to do this, but we have always, while we had small children, and particularly school-aged children we always had a rule that one of us had to be not working on their own project if the other one was. So we took it in turns. Because we're both quite obsessive. "When I'm writing, there are periods when I don't even know I've got children. I don't know what day of the week it is. It's like being in a trance with your imaginary friends half the time, and sometimes it takes quite a lot to get into that moment, so you don't want to be ripped out of it, so it's completely not suited to having children interrupting you." While she was working on her previous novel Perfect Lives, "I remember David knocking on the door of the attic where I was then working and he said, 'come on then, better come now because we've got to go to the parents' evening. And I said, 'why do I have to go to a parents' evening?'. And he said, well, 'because you're a parent'." Expand Close Polly with husband Dave Gilmour / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Polly with husband Dave Gilmour Now that their youngest is 18, "we can both work all the time, but we are still in the habit of one supporting the other, and it's a really lovely thing. "Because there are moments in the work where you feel quite overwhelmed and there are moments when David is overwhelmed when he is working, and the other person is there to do what they can to help." Samson has been writing stories since childhood. "My mum has got stories that I wrote when I was five," she says. "I wrote before I read. Because apparently I used to make her sit down and then I would try and write the stories but I couldn't yet, so these stories when I was five were sort of half her writing and half mine." Samson was well into adulthood and had had careers in both publishing and journalism before she found the confidence to seek out an audience for her fiction. For a long time after her first collaboration with Gilmour, she had a fear of what she calls "wifeism", but what is really, she explains, sexism. "I wrote some lyrics with David, very early on, when I first knew him. I was barely his girlfriend yet," she says. "And those lyrics were on a Pink Floyd album. Someone asked (former Pink Floyd member) Roger Waters about it at the time, and he replied, 'oh how tragic, getting the wife to write the lyrics'. "I remember at the time feeling really, really hurt and chastised. It was only years later I thought, what a really, really weird attitude." The role of wife, it seems, carries the same expectations as that of muse - passive, silent. "You think that times have changed, and then you look back over your own life and you realise there are some attitudes with some people that haven't changed that much," says Samson. "There are dinosaur attitudes." A Theatre for Dreamers by Polly Samson is published by Bloomsbury, 14.99 Minister Creed with local farmers on Mullach an Ois, one of the designated areas The efforts of farmers in Mid Cork and throughout Ireland to support the 2019 hen harrier breeding season have been recognised by Agriculture Minister Michael Creed who this week announced that they would be paid almost 500,000 for their work. Last year was a very successful one for hen harriers - the 56 confirmed pairs in the six Special Protection Areas (SPAs) reared at least 81 chicks. This was the highest number for 14 years. The gains were most pronounced in Kerry where one pair raised an almost unprecedented five chicks. In the mid Cork designated area, between Mullach an Ois and Musheramore, two pairs succeeded in raising one chick each. This payment, which comes on top of the annual scheme payment for farmers, is a dividend payment rewarding hen harrier presence and success on the farmer's land last year. The Hen Harrier Programme is a 25m scheme from the Department as part of Ireland's Rural Development Programme. ''This Hen Harrier scheme is a key biodiversity measure from my Department and has gone from strength to strength," said Minister Creed. "More than 1,500 participant farmers are helping to conserve this beautiful bird for generations to come. "Last year's successful breeding season comes after a lot of hard work by many stakeholders and it is fitting that we are rewarding this during National Biodiversity Week." The purpose of the programme is to pilot new approaches to farming for conservation with farmers being paid for improving the natural habitat to deliver defined environmental objectives. The Hen Harrier Programme invests with farmers in actions that can support the delivery of quality habitats. Over 3m in habitat payments have been paid to farmers over the last six months. Chisom Agoawuike, an ex-beauty queen and fashion model, was thrust into the limelight after she landed the lead role in Halita, a popular TV drama series on Showmax. In the series, she plays the role of a young woman who is forced to flee the village and a crooked suitor, only to face the intrigue and drama of a new life in the city with a powerful family. In this chat with PREMIUM TIMES, Agoawuike, who is a public health graduate, speaks about her overnight fame, her relationship with her co-stars, and more. PT: Tell us about your background? Chisom: I studied Public Health at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. I wanted to study Theatre Arts but my parents wanted me to study something more professional, something that would give me financial security in the future. They werent so convinced that Theatre Arts could do that for me. But they supported my dreams and knew I loved acting and thought it was something I could do by the side but not as a full-time course in university. So I just had to be patient and go to school to get a degree. I dont regret it. Public Health is a beautiful course. PT: So how do they feel now that youre starring in one of the hottest shows on Nigerian television? Chisom: Its been crazy! After every episode of Halita, if Im not on set, my mum will call me to gush. Shed ask how Im crying or how I interpreted a certain part. Shes so amazed that I can cry on set. She would ask me if I was genuinely crying or if they had to induce the tears and Id tell her, Im an actor, I told ya! My parents are so happy and proud of me and they are excellent marketers of the show as well. They tell everyone who cares to listen to watch Halita. PT: How did you land the lead role in Halita? Chisom: After previous stressful audition processes, I resolved to only go for private auditions. So when my friend sent me a flier for the Halita audition, I was sceptical. But then I saw a poster on Mr Dimbos page (the executive producer) and I thought to give it a try. Also, my friends did a lot of convincing so we went for the audition very early in the morning and I got a callback tag, which made me very excited. When they were calling names at the callback, I noticed that we were all petite and someone made a comment that these are the smallies, the maids. But no one knew that Halita was the main character. So before we were told to read the character, there was a briefing and that was when they told us that Halita was the main character and I thought Oh my God! I need to get this right; I need to nail it and get my lines. But I had no expectations to get the lead character. I just knew I had to do my best so when I got the role, it was a very pleasant surprise for me because this was my first major role. PT: What other roles had you done prior to Halita? Chisom: I featured in a stage play in Abuja, Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again where I played Elizabeth, the oyibo (foreign) wife to Lejoka Brown. The turnout was quite large so that was the major thing Id done before landing Halita. PT: Youre Igbo but played the role of a Hausa girl. Any challenges adapting to your roles as Halita? Chisom: Thats why I still see landing the role of Halita as a miracle because I remember when I was auditioning at the callback, Mr Dimbo kept telling me call down, youre fonerising, tone down the fone and I heard people whispering if you could speak Hausa that would have been an added advantage. But it was not something I could manipulate my way around because I cant speak Hausa to save my life. But somehow I managed to land the role and everything I speak on the show, I learned on the set. PT: And your relationship with your co-stars? Chisom: Its been an amazing experience, which also translates to the screen. Thats because I think we all came on the same pedestal. Were all newbies on the set and were all hungry for success so nobody felt better than the other. We bonded and shared our audition stories on how we landed the role and it brought us together. READ ALSO: We talked to ourselves about punctuality and delivering our lines accurately. We also encouraged each other on the need to put our best foot forward. Most times after work, we go out and have game nights. So that contributed to the beautiful relationship we have on screen. Even with the older cast, everyone is cool with each other. Advertisements PT: Have you had any memorable encounters with fans? Chisom: Halita fans go hard. The love is beautiful and Ive had mostly good encounters with them. When they see us its like were family. They want to help and just do something special for you. Theyd say things like Can you come to my house? Can I host you sometime? Thats the kind of feedback we get from the fans. But one of the most memorable encounters I had was this time I was waiting for my Uber and I just saw a car stop with an entire family screaming. The husband, wife, children everyone was screaming excitedly and I knew I had to go over and say hello. So I went over and we took pictures and it was so beautiful because every member of the family watched the show the husband, wife, and children. But on the flip side, a funny encounter I had was when I went for an event with Boma Eremie, who plays King. We were sitting together and this lady walked up to us and started taking pictures. She didnt say anything; she just started taking pictures or making a video. Im not sure which. When she was done, she said Hi Halita, Hi King in an extremely snotty manner and she left. We found it hilarious. PT: What scenes did you find challenging to shoot, and which did you enjoy the most? Chisom: Ill start from season 1. Season 1 was quite a ride because it was new territory for me. Shooting a daily show was not easy at all. Some days I didnt know what to do, even though it was clearly written in the script how Im supposed to act and what Im supposed to say. But it got confusing because it was a daily, back-to-back shoot. The first challenge I had was when I had to shoot with the character of my mum on the hospital bed and that was the scene where I was saying goodbye and she couldnt talk. It really hit home and I think I genuinely cried because it was so similar to when I was leaving my parents in Owerri to come to serve in Abuja. So it was so hard for me to shoot but I pulled it off. Season 2 is equally challenging because from the theme song you can tell that Halita has gone through hell and back. But the one that stood out for me is when my character had to openly confront her lover (King) following his betrayal. That was a challenging scene for me. Also when my character had to shout at Matilda, that was freaky. I found it very weird because Halita hadnt stepped out of that meek, humble phase, so for her to be actively yelling at Matilda felt so new. I remember I had to keep asking the director How should I sound? Should I be really crazy or mild anger? That was all that was going through my mind. Kakas characters death also hit hard. PT: Would you say there are any similarities between Chisom and Halita? Halita: Definitely. Personality-wise, I can relate with Halita. There are a lot of similarities between us, but in the love part not so much. Halita is a lover girl and Im not. She wears her heart on her sleeve and its not quite the same for me as a person. In fact, sometimes when I read the script, I think Wow I think I should learn something from this girl; it doesnt cost anything to be more expressive in love. I really like how she expresses herself: she doesnt care; shes living in the moment and trusts easily. Im much more guarded and not as quick to be expressive in love but in other areas, were quite similar. PT: So, are Chisom (Halita) and Boma (King) a couple in real life? Chisom: No, were not a couple. Sorry to let all the fans down. Were just colleagues. PT: What do we expect from you in the future? Chisom: Acting is something Im very passionate about. Its not a pastime but a full-time career. So I will go on to do good movies, be it TV or feature-length. But I will be very selective with the kind of work I take on going forward because I want to have a successful career. So I will do what feels right in my spirit as long as it tells a story and relays a positive message. PT: How have you been passing time since the lockdown? Chisom: Its been crazy because I happen to be alone so Ive mostly been sleeping and reading. I challenged myself to read more because Im not so much of a reader, which is bad. So Ive been doing more reading and also binging M-Net shows. I also occasionally have Zoom calls with my colleagues. The company is also looking at "a possibility of a second case" of infection at the facility but has ruled out any impact on the business part due to the situation. The country's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) had re-opened the Manesar facility earlier this month after around 50 days of closure due to coronavirus-led lockdown. "One employee of the company's Manesar plant tested positive on May 22, 2020 for COVID-19," ... 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 Turkey will partially allow congregational prayer gatherings in mosques to resume from 29 May as long as social distancing rules are followed. The Turkish interior ministry announced the new rules surrounding mosques on Friday, as the country begins to ease lockdown restrictions after two months. Two out of five daily prayers, as well as Friday prayers, will be allowed in mosques in 81 provinces. Anyone using the facilities to pray must wear face masks and stay apart from one another. According to the Anadolu Agency, mosques will stay open for those who wish to perform prayers on their own. Friday prayers can only be performed in mosques with courtyards or other open areas, which will be determined by local muftis offices, said the ministry in a statement. A list of mosques and open areas will be announced by 26 May. No preaching will be allowed and imams have been told to keep prayers short. Toilets and ablution rooms, where Muslims perform a cleansing ritual before they pray, will remain closed to limit the number of common spaces available. Congregational prayer gatherings have been suspended throughout Turkey since 16 March, as the outbreak began spreading there. However, the country also imposed a four-day nationwide lockdown which came into place on Friday, a day before the Eid al-Fitr holiday, to stop people from holding large family gatherings or visiting homes. Eid marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. But in the countrys widest ranging lockdown measures yet, markets, grocery stores and butchers will only be allowed to operate from 10am to 5pm on 23 May, but will be closed from 24 to 26 May. People will not be allowed to attend large gatherings and hold big meals together, or travel to visit family and friends, reported Al Jazeera. Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Show all 24 1 /24 Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere An aerial view shows the Great Mosque and the Mecca Tower, deserted on the first day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in the Saudi holy city of Mecca AFP via Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere A Palestinian Muezzin, who calls Muslims to prayer, reads the holy Koran in an almost empty mosque in Gaza City on the first Friday prayers of the holy fasting month of Ramadan AFP via Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Mamuju, West Sulawesi province, Indonesia Antara Foto/Akbar Tado/Reuters Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Jakarta Combination of pictures shows Muslim devotees praying on the first night of the holy month of Ramadan at the Istiqlal Grand Mosque on 5 May, 2019 and the deserted mosque on the first day of ramadan on 2020 during a partial lockdown AFP via Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Malaysia Muslim clerics practice social distancing while reciting terawih evening prayer at the National Mosque broadcast live stream in Kuala Lumpur AFP via Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Saudi Arabia A worker cleans and sterilises the roof of Kaaba Saudi Press Agency/Reuters Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Turkey An aerial picture taken by drone shows the Suleymaniye mosque during the first day of Ramadan, in Istanbul EPA Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Dubai A mask-clad Muslim worker prays near a mosque AFP via Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere UK Masjid Umar Mosque in Leicester Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Thailand A boy wearing a protective face mask looks from his home near a closed mosque in Bangkok, Reuters Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Singapore Staff from a food catering company pack sahur (pre-dawn meal) for Muslim migrant workers Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Turkey A man stands in fron of closed Eyup Sultan Mosque Reuters Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Indonesia A man prays at the corridor of the Great Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta Reuters Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Saudi Arabia A worker cleans and sterilises the Kaaba Saudi Press Agency/Reuters Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Singapore Migrant workers wearing protective face masks at a factory converted into a dormitory receive sahur (pre-dawn meal) for Muslim migrant workers Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere A Muslim woman prays in an alley in Jerusalem's Old City Reuters Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Saudi Arabia The Great Mosque in the Saudi holy city of Mecca AFP via Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Saudi Arabia A worker cleans and sterilises the roof of Kaaba Saudi Press Agency/Reuters Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Bosnia and Herzegovina Head of Bosnia's Muslim Community Grand Mufti Husein Kavazovic prays in Gazi Husrev Bay's Mosque, in Sarajevo EPA Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere A Palestinian Muezzin, a man who calls Muslims to prayer, prays in an empty mosque in Gaza City AFP via Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Dubai A mask-clad Muslim worker prays near a mosque AFP via Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere The 14th century mosque-madrassa of Sultan Hassan, left, and the mosque of Mohamed Ali Pasha (background) atop the Egyptian capital Cairo's medieval citadel, as streets are almost empty AFP via Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Singapore This meal, provided by non-governmental organisation Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO), will be the first Ramadan meal for Muslim migrant workers Getty Ramadan: Muslims mark start under subdued atmosphere Malaysia An imam leads the prayer during the first day of the holy month of Ramadan attended by only two mosque staff at National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur AP President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a message on Saturday to Turkish citizens, encouraging them to observe the festival indoors to stop the spread of the virus. He also thanked key workers, particularly healthcare professionals, who worked selflessly during the pandemic. May Allah allow us to observe the holy month of Ramadan with health, wellbeing and peace, he added. More than 154,000 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in Turkey as of Friday, with over 4,200 deaths. NEW YORK, May 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Company (Hamilton or the Company) (HBB) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and indexed under 20-cv-02323, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants who purchased or otherwise acquired Hamilton securities between February 27, 2020, and May 8, 2020, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased Hamilton securities during the class period, you have until July 21, 2020, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com . To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] Hamilton was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Glen Allen, Virginia. The Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, markets, and distributes small electric household and specialty housewares appliances. The Company sells its products through a network of mass merchandisers, e-commerce retailers, national department stores, variety and drug store chains, specialty home retailers, distributors, and other retail outlets. As a holding company, Hamilton primarily operates through its subsidiaries, which are located throughout the U.S. and internationally, including Mexico. According to the Companys most recent annual report on Form 10-K, Hamilton has two Mexican subsidiariesGrupo HB/PS S.A. de C.V. and Hamilton Beach Brands de Mexico S.A. de C.V. Story continues The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about Hamiltons business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (i) Hamilton had inadequate disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting, particularly with respect to one of its Mexican subsidiaries; (ii) consequently, the Companys accounting included certain irregularities with respect to the timing of recognition of selling and marketing expenses and the classification of certain expenditures within the statement of operations at this Mexican subsidiary, as well as potential misconduct with respect to the realizability of certain assets of the Mexican subsidiary; (iii) as a result of all the foregoing, Hamilton could not accurately attest to its financial results, particularly with respect to these metrics, and was consequently at an increased risk of delaying the filing of its periodic reports with the SEC; and (iv) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On May 11, 2020, during pre-market hours, Hamilton announced that it could not timely file its 1Q20 10-Q because of certain accounting irregularities with respect to the timing of recognition of selling and marketing expenses and the classification of certain expenditures within the statement of operations at its Mexican subsidiary. Hamilton further stated that its Audit Review Committee has commenced an internal investigation regarding the realizability of certain assets of the Mexican subsidiary. Following these disclosures, Hamiltons stock price fell $1.03 per share, or 8.99%, to close at $10.43 per share on May 11, 2020. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com The launch of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) recognised gender-sensitive and disaggregated data as essential and integral to the attainment of the SDGs. Gender intersects with various factors such as poverty, geographical location, age and ethnicity. The data that is segregated by sex can highlight how the intersection of gender with each of these variables gives differential results. Recognising this fact, WHOs Global Health Statistics have been disaggregated by sex for the first time in 2019. With the advancement of medical science, it is now evident that disease outcomes, occurrences and health systems differ for women and men. Research has indicated that Ebola, SARS and influenza viruses affect men and women differently. Diverse experiences, however, are often homogenised by assuming that data and studies involving men are equally relevant for women. There is also little examination of sex differences and gender disparities in health data, and women are often underrepresented in many scientific and clinical studies. According to the Global Health 50/50 2020 report, most organisations fail to sex-disaggregate data or even if they do, they do not use it for gender-based analysis. Only about 35 percent of the reported data is segregated by gender. The negative consequences of data non-segregation are not only limited to womens health concerns. Men too face rigid gender norms associated with poor health outcomes. Often traditional notions around masculinity make them less inclined to seek healthcare when needed, increasing their vulnerability to serious health risks. For example, men are less likely than women to take an HIV test, less likely to access antiretroviral therapy and more likely to die of AIDS-related illnesses than women. Gender diverse people also tend to face more discrimination and stigma in healthcare settings. Therefore, to bridge the gender gap in health and development, data must be sex-disaggregated and analysed through a gender lens. This will recognise the role of sex as a biological determinant, and gender as a social construct. A gender-based analysis will consider how societal norms, expectations and roles of women and men affect their health differently. Why is sex-gender-responsive health data crucial? It is not uncommon to find that clinical definitions of symptoms for many diseases are based only on the characteristics of those perceived in men. As the symptoms perceived by women remain unrecognised, it results in higher cases of misdiagnosis amongst them. For instance, a study found that women are seven times more likely than men to be misdiagnosed of having a heart attack. Data segregation also becomes crucial in healthcare as it is used to allocate research funding in the specified field. For example, the effect of a new medication can be different based on the physiology of men and women. In the United States, eight of the ten drugs that were recalled between 1997 and 2000, posed greater health risks to women than to men. A seemingly neutral default data can prove to be fatal for women. Such a conclusion cannot be drawn if the data remains unsegregated. Apart from biological differences, gender norms in different countries also influence the health status of men and women differently. For instance, in South East Asia, a stark difference between male (48.2 percent) and female smokers (8.2 percent) was observed. It was speculated that the higher incidence of male smokers led to higher case fatalities from SARS. On the other hand, a large proportion of families in South East Asia and South Asia use solid fuel for indoor cooking. The exposure to such a high level of indoor pollution puts women at a greater risk of pneumonia, obstructive pulmonary disease and other ill-health conditions like asthma, tuberculosis, etc. Additionally, since women play the role of the primary caregiver in most societies, exposure to sick persons makes them more vulnerable to pathogens. Caring for a sick family member was one of the significant factors witnessed during Ebola and Nipah virus epidemics. Gender differences in norms, behaviours and access to resources can affect disease transmission and outcome for emerging infectious diseases. Therefore, sex-disaggregated data must be utilised for gender analysis within different regions and socio-economic conditions. How can disaggregated data help in a pandemic? Infection and morbidity rates for COVID-19 indicate that more men are likely to contract and die from the virus. However, data also indicates that women are more prone to deteriorating emotional and mental health. Women are also overall less likely than men to be covered by health insurance. Along with playing the role of frontline healthcare workers, COVID-19 has caused many women to carry most of the burden of unpaid care responsibilities. Additionally, about 60 percent of the people who are food insecure are women and girls, putting them at a greater risk of malnutrition during public health emergencies. Studies, however, found that only six countries (China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, South Korea) have provided sex-disaggregated data for numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths. Disaggregating outbreak-related data is crucial to effectively guide the response and prevention efforts of the international community. Disaggregating data on the basis of sex can help in achieving equity, while addressing the ongoing pandemic. Gender health analysis could disclose how women will be particularly affected by it. It can further enable governments across the world to monitor the trends in the transmission of COVID-19 and consequently, tailor their resources and preventive measures to achieve better outcomes for everyone. Disaggregated data in policy-making The burden of diseases is not only affected by biological differences, but also by social factors such as gender norms, behaviours and roles. Global governments and health institutions require sex-disaggregated data to identify gender inequalities to allocate suitable resources to build capacity and implement equitable health systems. Gender-responsive programmes and policies are necessary to ensure health equality, evaluate risk and to improve peoples health and well-being. The data should be able to document different health needs and experiences to include the voices of those affected. Contextualising the gendered data within cultural norms and socio-economic conditions is also important, to estimate the persons social location within the wider health system. The gender data gaps must be regularly filled to ensure informed and evidence-based policy-making. It can also be utilised to create an enabling environment to effectively monitor gender inequalities and build gender-sensitive national strategies. Countries can further financially support specialised surveys and other forms of data collection, as well as train data producers on disseminating gender data. Timely and reliable sex-disaggregated data is vital to evaluate the measures taken to narrow the gender gap. Understanding data, such as the infection and mortality rates in men and women, will uncover data gaps and help policymakers find more effective solutions in the fight against COVID-19. The article first appeared in ORF. The first call for proposals under the 11m Just Transition Fund following the publication of the first Progress Report of the Just Transition Commissioner, Mr Kieran Mulvey, yesterday, Friday, May 22. Also read: Just Transition report calls for extra 25m investment in Midlands next year Having previously set out five key priorities for the Fund, including retraining workers and proposals to generate sustainable employment in green enterprise in the region, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton TD launched the call for proposals. Minister Bruton said, I am acutely aware of the impact an early exit from peat is having on workers and their families and on the Midlands more broadly. Like many other businesses, Bord na Mona has also been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic which is compounding this impact. Securing sustainable employment opportunities for the region and a just transition for those most severely affected must be at the heart of our response. A detailed implementation plan will be prepared in response to the Reports recommendations, however I believe we must take urgent action in some key areas. The Just Transition Fund is opening so we can get money to those who can make a big difference. Id like to thank Kieran for his work to date. He has engaged with all those affected to come up with a comprehensive set of recommendations which will provide the essential elements of a Just Transition for workers and Midlands communities. Minister Bruton appointed Kieran Mulvey to be the first Just Transition Commissioner in November 2019. Kieran Mulvey said, "There has been a very positive engagement from all the stakeholders in the region and it is vital now that the process can move rapidly to an Implementation Plan. I have adopted a " whole of Midlands " strategic approach with what I believe are practical actions across counties to maximise their infrastructural ,natural and human resources and building on their existing strengths. "The first part of such a plan is to receive and evaluate employment projects in the Midlands that have green enterprise and other employment/tourism potential. This period has to be used also to finalise the critical pathways for the retention of employment in BNM/ESB, give certainty around the future structure of the workforce and to establish further employment opportunities in the region. "I look forward to continuing to work locally with all the parties involved to achieve and deliver solid and recognisable community gains and to promote the Midlands and its potential". The Report makes recommendations across a number of areas. A comprehensive implementation plan will be completed as soon as possible, facilitated by a Working Group chaired by the Department of an Taoiseach. The Minister has taken the following immediate initiatives: Just Transition Fund: The Minister is today launching a first call for proposals for funding from the 11m Just Transition Fund. The Minister has said the fund will have five key priorities, including retraining workers and proposals to generate sustainable employment in green enterprise in the region. Stage 1 of accessing the Just Transition Fund is to register your project with the Midlands Regional Transition Team and START (Secretariat Technical Assistance to Regions in Transition). More information will be available on: www.midlandsireland.ie The Minister is today launching a first call for proposals for funding from the 11m Just Transition Fund. The Minister has said the fund will have five key priorities, including retraining workers and proposals to generate sustainable employment in green enterprise in the region. Stage 1 of accessing the Just Transition Fund is to register your project with the Midlands Regional Transition Team and START (Secretariat Technical Assistance to Regions in Transition). More information will be available on: www.midlandsireland.ie Governance arrangements: The report notes the importance of effective governance in the Midlands to deliver a just transition. The required structures, fully informed by the reports recommendations, will have to be put in place, which will be done in the context of the detailed implementation plan. The Department will continue to work with the relevant local authorities in the Midlands, other Government Departments and State agencies and the Midlands Regional Transition Team to ensure this happens. The report notes the importance of effective governance in the Midlands to deliver a just transition. The required structures, fully informed by the reports recommendations, will have to be put in place, which will be done in the context of the detailed implementation plan. The Department will continue to work with the relevant local authorities in the Midlands, other Government Departments and State agencies and the Midlands Regional Transition Team to ensure this happens. Use of State Agency Lands in the Midlands for Green Energy Projects: The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment will write to State agencies and enterprises to identify land and facilities which could be of use for such projects. The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment will write to State agencies and enterprises to identify land and facilities which could be of use for such projects. Study on Energy Hub in the Midlands: The Department and ESB will commission a study to examine the potential for using the existing infrastructure in the West Offaly and Lough Ree power plants as an Energy Hub in the Midlands. The Department and ESB will commission a study to examine the potential for using the existing infrastructure in the West Offaly and Lough Ree power plants as an Energy Hub in the Midlands. Electric Vehicle Charging: The eight Midlands counties are currently served by 98 public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points provided by ESB. In addition, the Climate Action Fund is supporting a 20 million investment to upgrade electric vehicle infrastructure and to provide new charging points across the country. The Minister has asked for an evaluation study on the potential to further expand the EV charging infrastructure nationally, including the enhancement of the charging network in the Midlands region, to commence immediately. The eight Midlands counties are currently served by 98 public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points provided by ESB. In addition, the Climate Action Fund is supporting a 20 million investment to upgrade electric vehicle infrastructure and to provide new charging points across the country. The Minister has asked for an evaluation study on the potential to further expand the EV charging infrastructure nationally, including the enhancement of the charging network in the Midlands region, to commence immediately. Digital Hubs for Remote Working: Under the National Broadband Plan, 91 Broadband Connection Points will be provided in the Midlands over the coming months. These will provide the necessary infrastructure including high- speed broadband to support remote working in the Midlands. It is planned to grow the existing Midlands Network of Co-working facilities, through development of additional facilities/hubs through the region. The Minister has asked that urgent action be taken on foot of the reports publication. A detailed implementation plan will be completed as soon as possible, with certain, high priority measures implemented before then. The Minister also today provided an update on progress made in other key areas of the Just Transition Plan for the midlands: Midlands Retrofitting Scheme: Budget 2020 committed 20m to deliver a new model to group housing upgrades together as set out in the Climate Action Plan, as a first step in developing a national retrofit scheme. Targeted at the Midlands, this will support approximately 340 jobs directly and indirectly, as well as significantly upgrading the quality of social housing stock in the region. The scheme design has been completed and final survey work and procurement of the build programme will commence when public health advice permits. Retrofit Training: A Retrofit Training Programme and National SOLAS NZEB Training Facility were officially launched at Mount Lucas on 11 March 2020. The Retrofit programme provides access to retraining to former Bord na Mona employees and focuses on retrofit measures. EU Green New Deal: Ireland is engaging with the European Union to secure an investment in the midlands under the Just Transition Mechanism as part of the Green New Deal. Bog Rehabilitation: The 5m scheme approved by Government in Budget 2020 for bog rehabilitation has been rolled out by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. This scheme will rehabilitate 1,800 hectares on 9 raised bog protected sites across 7 counties in the Midlands. Restoration works will commence as soon as public health advice allows in 2020. An extensive programme to rehabilitate Bord na Mona bogs used for harvesting peat for electricity generation to a high standard will be developed. An Enhanced Peatland Rehabilitation Traineeship is focused on those employees who may be redeployed by Bord Na Mona in peatland rehabilitation/restoration projects over the next 3-4 years. It is intended that 14-16 Bord Na Mona employees will begin a Traineeship Programme each month during 2020 and 2021. Centre for Climate Change and Just Transition: Bord na Mona have been working with a number of partners to progress the establishment of a Peatlands Centre of Excellence which would focus on the role peatlands can play in climate mitigation and adaptation. In addition, there will be a strong focus on the just transition in supporting communities and SMEs in developing low carbon, sustainable and circular economy enterprises. These developments will be complemented by a Visitors Centre that promotes climate action. Funding has been applied for under the EU LIFE Programme. A number of Government Departments and agencies have also committed resources to the project. The Minister also updated government about the preparation of the Climate Action (Amendment) Bill, which is undergoing detailed drafting at present. STEPANAKERT. The adversary breached the truce at the zone of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces more than 180 times, from May 17 to 23. During this time the Azerbaijan armed forces fired about 3,000 shots toward the military positions of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), and with various-caliber rifle weapons, the Artsakh Ministry of Defense (MOD) press service informed. In addition to the above-mentioned violations of the ceasefire, the adversary on Friday attempted a sabotage penetration in the direction of a guard post of a military unit of the Artsakh Defense Army. But the frontline units of the Defense Army detected in timely fashion this advance of the Azerbaijani special forces and, inflicting them casualties, pushed them back to their starting positions. The Artsakh Defense Army did not suffer any casualties during the skirmish. Defense Army's vanguard units continue to have full control over the frontline and to take the necessary steps to reliably maintain their combat positions. A neighbor shaved Matsepang Nyobas head with an antiquated razor. Blood beaded on her scalp. Tears trickled down her cheeks, but not because of the pain. She was in mourning, and this was a ritual. Two days earlier, her newborn baby girl had died in the roach-infested maternity ward of Queen Elizabeth II, a crumbling sprawl that is the largest hospital in Lesotho, a mountainous nation of 2.1 million people surrounded by South Africa. Nyoba, 30, whose given name means mother, have hope, has AIDS. But that is not what killed her baby daughter, Mankuebe. Nyoba owes her own life to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has given $8.5 billion to global health causes. Through its grantees, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the foundation underwrites, inspires or directs major efforts to prevent, cure or treat those diseases. The fund pays for Nyobas costly AIDS medicine. But when she gave birth on a recent Sunday morning, her baby was suffering from a different kind of distress. The infant was limp and barely breathing. A nurse rushed her to the nursery, packed with sick babies, some two to a crib. Jury-rigged stethoscope tubes let six of the babies share lifesaving oxygen from a single valve. There was no oxygen tube for Mankuebe. She asphyxiated for lack of a second valve. It would have cost $35. The hospital, with no staff to move Mankuebes remains to the morgue, placed her body on a shelf near the delivery room while her father arranged for burial. The tiny corpse was swaddled in a baby blanket. A handwritten death notice was stuck to the blanket with a used hypodermic needle. The Gates Foundation, endowed by the personal fortunes of the Microsoft Corp. chairman, his wife and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Chairman Warren E. Buffett, has given $650 million to the Global Fund. But the oxygen valve fell outside the priorities of the funds grants to Lesotho. Every day, nurses say, one or two babies at the hospital die as Mankuebe did -- bypassed in a place where AIDS overshadows other concerns. Mixed effects The Gates Foundation has targeted AIDS, TB and malaria because of their devastating health and economic effects in sub-Saharan Africa. But a Times investigation has found that programs the foundation has funded, including those of the Global Fund and the GAVI Alliance, which finances vaccines, have had mixed influences on key measures of societal health: * By pouring most contributions into the fight against such high-profile killers as AIDS, Gates grantees have increased the demand for specially trained, higher-paid clinicians, diverting staff from basic care. The resulting staff shortages have abandoned many children of AIDS survivors to more common killers: birth sepsis, diarrhea and asphyxia. * The focus on a few diseases has shortchanged basic needs such as nutrition and transportation, undermining the effectiveness of the foundations grants. Many AIDS patients have so little food that they vomit their free AIDS pills. For lack of bus fare, others cannot get to clinics that offer lifesaving treatment. * Gates-funded vaccination programs have instructed caregivers to ignore -- even discourage patients from discussing -- ailments that the vaccinations cannot prevent. This is especially harmful in outposts where a visit to a clinic for a shot is the only contact some villagers have with healthcare providers for years. The Gates Foundations largest grants for healthcare in Africa go to two organizations: the Global Fund and Geneva-based GAVI. The foundation formed GAVI and has given it $1.5 billion of more than $1.8 billion it has donated for vaccination programs. The Gates Foundation holds a seat on each groups board of directors and helps determine their policies and priorities. Because of the generosity of the foundation and other donors, millions of children have been protected against scourges such as malaria and measles -- and AIDS deaths in much of Africa are finally leveling off. Dr. Mphu K. Ramatlapeng, Lesothos health minister, echoed health authorities worldwide when she said this would have been impossible if it were not for the money from Bill Gates. But because of the overwhelming nature of AIDS, wartime disruptions and poor governance in some nations -- and because of the priorities of global health groups, including GAVI and the Global Fund -- key measures of societal health have stalled at appalling levels or worsened. Dr. Peter Poore, a pediatrician who has worked in Africa for three decades, is a former Global Fund board member and consultant to GAVI (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization). He says they and other donors provide crucial help but overstate the impact of their programs. They can also do dangerous things, he said. They can be very disruptive to health systems -- the very things they claim they are trying to improve. In a recent editorial on the Global Fund, the British medical journal the Lancet Infectious Diseases wrote: Many believe that its tight remit is increasingly becoming a strait jacket. Joe McCannon, vice president of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, a U.S.-based nongovernmental aid organization, or NGO, with operations in Africa, said, You have to ask: Net, are we having a positive effect? Its a haunting question. The Global Fund, GAVI and the Gates Foundation say that pockets of success in several African nations have shown that their approaches are sound and that in time overall health across the continent will improve. The Global Fund is very young, having started in 2002, said its director, Dr. Michel Kazatchkine, a French physician who formerly led Frances National Agency for AIDS Research. To see decades of neglect reversed, wait for two or three more years, he said. Bill and Melinda Gates referred questions to Dr. Tadataka Yamada, president of the Gates Foundations global health program. Yamada, a leading gastroenterologist and former research director at the drug company GlaxoSmithKline, said African nations themselves must do more to improve public health. They should spend less on weapons and more on doctors before they demand increased assistance, he said. Were a catalyzer. What we cant do is fill the gaps in government budgets, Yamada said. Its not sustainable. Brain drain During Mankuebe Nyobas short life, no doctor was available in the maternity ward at Queen II. That was normal. Fifteen babies were born overnight. Those babies, 110 mothers and other infants were cared for by three nurse-midwives. That was normal. One woman, Limpho Jobo, 24, lay on a bed screaming as the harried midwives cared for others. Suddenly, Jobo slid off the bed onto the bare floor. At that moment, her baby was born. Jobos eyes rolled back. Somehow, she and the baby survived. After so frantic a night, no one at the hospital told Matsepang Nyoba or her husband why their baby had died. Suspicions were etched on Peo Nyobas face. When we first arrived . . . . [Matsepang] was already in labor, but it took a long time before we were served . . . , he said. It is not quite clear what really happened afterward. The way I see it, [the death] could have been avoided. Sub-Saharan African nations face desperate shortages of doctors and nurses. Some clinicians, including nurses and doctors, have died of AIDS -- in some cases caused when they were accidentally stuck with used needles. More than a dozen nurses interviewed throughout Lesotho said they would leave as soon as possible for safer, better-paying jobs in South Africa or Europe. The narrow approach of the Global Fund and other aid groups compounds the problem, according to global health experts and African officials. Ramatlapeng, the health minister, said her nation faced a conundrum. Donors wont help finance higher salaries for basic health workers. Yet the same groups refuse requests for other types of aid, citing concern that funds would not be spent effectively because of a dearth of staff. The Global Fund pays for salary increases for clinicians who provide antiretroviral drug therapy, known as ART, for HIV/AIDS patients. Doctors and nurses move into AIDS care to receive these raises, creating a brain drain. All over the country, people are furious about incentives for ART staff, said Rachel M. Cohen, mission chief in Lesotho for Doctors Without Borders, which operates health facilities in partnership with the government. Because of the brain drain, responsibilities for education, triage and low-level nursing pass down to lay people, particularly in rural areas that rarely if ever see a clinician. In much of Africa, task-shifting is the key response to staff shortages. But there are limits, Cohen said. Some things shouldnt be done by lay people. The situation is as bad or worse elsewhere in Africa. In Rwanda, nurses often earn $50 to $100 a month if paid from a clinics standard budget. They work beside Global Fund-supported nurses who earn $175 to $200 a month. Florence Mukakabano, head nurse at the Central Hospital of Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, said she loses many of her staff nurses to United Nations agencies, NGOs and the hospitals own Global Fund-supported AIDS program. The health personnel shortage in Africa could cost billions of dollars to fix. But in a small country such as Lesotho, major changes could be made for a fraction of the $59 million already committed by the Global Fund, Ramatlapeng said. With $7 million annually, she could raise the pay of every government health professional by two-thirds, sufficient to retain most of them. In some cases, salary increases targeted to certain types of care may have had a distorting effect, Kazatchkine acknowledged. But the AIDS crisis justifies such dislocations, he said. We are a global fund for AIDS, TB and malaria. We are not a global fund that funds local health. He emphasized a key principle of the Global Fund: If the group took over from weak or inept governments, the result would be worse, because African countries would never develop their own expertise. Botswana offers an example of how a special Gates initiative, narrowly applied to a specific disease, may have disrupted other healthcare. In 2000, the Gates Foundation joined with the drug firm Merck & Co. and chose Botswana as a test case for a $100-million effort to prove that mass AIDS treatment and prevention could succeed in Africa. Botswana is a well-governed, stable democracy with a small population and a relatively high living standard, but one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world. By 2005, health expenditures per capita in Botswana, boosted by the Gates donations, were six times the average for Africa and 21 times the amount spent in Rwanda. Deaths from AIDS fell sharply. But AIDS prevention largely failed. HIV continued to spread at an alarming pace. A quarter of all adults were infected in 2003, and the rate was still that high in 2005, according to the U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS. In a 2005 survey, just one in 10 adults could say how to prevent sexual transmission of HIV, despite education programs. Meanwhile, the rate of pregnancy-related maternal deaths nearly quadrupled and the child mortality rate rose dramatically. Despite improvements in AIDS treatment, life expectancy in Botswana rose just marginally, from 41.1 years in 2000 to 41.5 years in 2005. Dean Jamison, a health economist who was editor of Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, a Gates Foundation-funded reference book, blamed the pressing needs of Botswanas AIDS patients. But he added that the Gates Foundation effort, with its tight focus on the epidemic, may have contributed to the broader health crisis by drawing the nations top clinicians away from primary care and child health. They have an opportunity to double or triple their salaries by working on AIDS, Jamison said. Maybe the health ministry replaces them, maybe not. But if so, it is usually with less competent people. Yamada, the Gates Foundation official, said research was needed to determine whether vertical aid, such as the foundations Botswana program, had contributed to brain drain and higher mortality. To bolster basic healthcare in Africa, he proposed that universities in rich nations help found medical schools on the continent. And he challenged African nations to spend at least 15% of gross domestic product on health. As of 2004, only 13 countries worldwide spent as much as 10%, and only one African country, Malawi, is among them. Yamada said the foundation had asked Botswana to focus more on AIDS prevention -- including circumcision, which can reduce susceptibility to HIV. I dont know what to do there, frankly, to reduce unsafe sex, short of changing the hearts and minds of the people, he said. Issues of food and health Malerotholi moleko says her problem is not AIDS. Thanks to the Global Fund, she gets medicine. Her problems are transportation to a clinic to get her free AIDS pills, and hunger, which makes many patients vomit them. After Ive taken the pills, my appetite becomes bigger, and I dont have the food, Moleko said, hoisting her nieces baby on her back in a colorful blanket. It is the way women in the mountains of Lesotho carry their children and stay warm. Moleko, 41, whose husband died of TB in 2004, supports eight children by doing laundry for neighbors. Four are hers, and four are from a niece who died of AIDS. For her own AIDS treatment, Moleko travels to Maseru from her home village of Sefikeng, about a 30-minute ride. The bus costs $3.25 -- more than the average daily wage for domestic servants. After a recent trip to the clinic, Moleko walked home from the bus stop through steep, rugged pastures. In parts of Lesotho and Rwanda, patients must walk for as long as nine hours to reach the nearest clinics. Sometimes, Moleko said, she barely makes it. Many dont make it at all. On most days Molekos family eats only pappa, cornmeal mush. When possible, she adds a few wild greens from the rocky soil. Pellagra, a nutritional disease that can lead to dementia and death, is common here. The Global Fund has used Gates Foundation money and other support to finance AIDS treatment for 1.1 million people and TB treatment for 2.8 million, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. The clinics, Moleko said, dont have what we need: food. Eyes brimming with tears of frustration, Majubilee Mathibeli, the nurse at Queen II hospital who gives Moleko her pills, said four out of five of her patients ate fewer than three meals a day. Most of them, she said, are dying of hunger. In recent interviews in Lesotho and Rwanda, many patients described hunger so brutal that nausea prevented them from keeping their anti-AIDS pills down. Mathibeli is grateful to the Global Fund for its AIDS grants but said the fund was out of touch. They have their computers in nice offices and are comfortable, she said, nervous about speaking bluntly. But they are not coming down to our level. Weve got to tell the truth so something will be done. The Global Fund provides food for AIDS patients and their families, but only for a few months. When the food runs out, the hunger returns. At that point, said Epiphanie Nizane, a lay counselor in Rwinkwavu, a village in eastern Rwanda, many women with AIDS turn to prostitution. The Haitians have a saying: Giving a patient medicine without food is like washing your hands and drying them in the dirt, said Dr. Jennifer Furin, the Lesotho director for Partners in Health, a Boston-based NGO. Youre consigning that person to death because they are poor. Partners in Health gives 10 months worth of food to AIDS patients, their families and others who need it. The practice has put the group at odds with government officials who fear an endless cycle of dependence. The imbalance between needs and Global Fund priorities is even more pronounced in Rwanda, where the AIDS problem is far less severe than in Lesotho or Botswana. In Rwanda, only about 3% of adults are infected. But Dr. Innocent Nyaruhirira, minister of state for HIV/AIDS, said more than 50% of Rwandas health budget, mostly from the Global Fund and other international sources, was designated for AIDS. From 2000 to 2005, Rwandas health budget increased dramatically due to foreign donations -- and deaths from AIDS and AIDS-linked TB dropped. But despite the aid and strong national leadership, measures of health most dependent on the strength of the nations overall system of clinics, hospitals and clinicians showed less encouraging results. TB overall, and TB deaths among patients without HIV, rose dramatically. Child mortality -- mostly from diarrhea, sepsis and other killers rather than from AIDS, stalled at about one death in every five or six live births. Maternal mortality fell slightly, but remained at one of the highest rates in the world. Health delivery systems in Africa are now weaker and more fragmented than they were 10 years ago, said a 2006 report commissioned by the Global Fund and the World Bank. The weakening has been exacerbated as the Global Fund and other programs now promote universal access to [AIDS] treatment. To turn this around, the report concluded, the Global Fund needs help from the World Bank to provide the human support needed to balance the massive financial contribution. Using the most authoritative available data, maternal and child mortality and life expectancy show no statistical relationship -- for better or worse -- to Global Fund grants or to overall Gates Foundation spending in Africa. Key health measures in countries that received less money per capita have been just as likely to improve or decline as in countries that received more money, according to data from the World Health Organization, World Bank and UNICEF. Mosilo Motene, the chief nurse at Queen II, expressed frustration with the Global Fund and other donors whose grants dont supply basic needs such as oxygen valves or 3-cent gloves to protect nurses from the AIDS virus. Conditions are going from bad to worse, she said, despite what is given. Pregnancy-related deaths often have been the highest in nations where most aid has gone to treat AIDS, TB and malaria, said Dr. Francis Omaswa, special advisor for human resources at the WHO. People find it easier to talk about AIDS, about malaria. Donations could be five times more beneficial, Omaswa said, if they better supported health systems. Who chose the human right of universal treatment of AIDS over other human rights? asked economist William Easterly, co-director of the New York University Development Research Institute, in his book The White Mans Burden. He added: A nonutopian approach would make the tough choices to spend foreign aid resources in a way that reached the most people with their most urgent needs. The Global Fund has given 1% of its funds to strengthening overall health systems directly and says that almost half of its AIDS money goes for training, monitoring and evaluation, and administration -- indirectly strengthening basic healthcare. In Rwanda, the Global Fund money has added buildings, refrigerators and power to rural clinics, supported universal health insurance and subsidized cellphones for lay health workers. In addition, some HIV/AIDS nurses whose salaries are paid for by the fund provide care for other ailments as well. But benefits take time to trickle down. Everyone agrees to subscribe to fairy tales about how investments in this or that top-down mandate will lead to collateral benefits elsewhere, said Robert Steinglass, a 30-year global health veteran and now technical director of Immunizationbasics, a U.S.-funded project that operates in three African nations. But much of the rhetoric is bogus, he said. Should the Global Fund underwrite essentials such as food, exam gloves and oxygen valves? Yes, yes, yes, Kazatchkine, the director, said. Should, could, will, Last month, the fund invited new proposals for health systems support. But the support had to directly attack AIDS, TB or malaria. In general, Kazatchkine said, health systems and food must be each governments responsibility, with the fund playing a catalytic role. The Global Fund cannot resolve all the problems of all the people. Yamada at the Gates Foundation called sustainable food supplies central to the foundations strategy. It has a large research and development program to improve agriculture in Africa and has donated $70 million to the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, which uses market-based approaches to feed developing nations, including seven in sub-Saharan Africa. It also plans to boost research and development for early-childhood nutrition. We want to have something that has a lasting impact, he said, for the countries to be able to support themselves. Beyond vaccinations Unintended consequences also are a problem in vaccination drives. Mamoraturoa Polaki trekked for hours down rocky paths to the mountain village of Semongkong, near the center of Lesotho, to get her son Huku, 2, a measles shot. The boy was small, frail. His shot was part of a vaccination drive that included vitamin A and deworming medicine. It was supported by the GAVI Alliance and managed by UNICEF, which has received $68 million from the Gates Foundation. Thanks to such support, measles deaths in Africa have fallen about 90% since 2000. Indeed, measles was not Polakis main concern. She was worried about Hukus frailty. Was it a sign of malnutrition? Or was it something worse? Her husband has AIDS. She had tested negative for HIV. But what about the boy? Polaki could not get any answers. Nor did the clinic offer AIDS tests. Most nurses would not talk about such things. Visitors were admonished not to discuss ailments other than measles. It might scare patients away. At the very least, UNICEF said, such talk could slow down vaccination lines. Polaki, however, was joined by many in her concerns. All of the six mothers and six nurses interviewed by a Times reporter volunteered deep worry about hunger, TB or AIDS. The lack of AIDS tests seemed perverse given that free AIDS testing and treatment are widely available in Lesotho thanks largely to the Gates Foundation. One nurse, Nthekelong Motsoane, mindful that mountain trails become impassible in winter or during bad weather, had tried to get authorities to piggyback other services onto the vaccination drive. She was unsuccessful. After their vaccinations, some patients left with their worst diseases unaddressed. The GAVI vaccination day at Semongkong typified the narrow, paternalistic health programs seen throughout Africa, said Furin, the Lesotho director for Partners in Health. These [patients] are people who havent seen a doctor in five years. Should they be satisfied with just a vaccination? I wouldnt be for my kids. When powerful organizations like UNICEF say, Keep it simple or the people will run screaming from the room, what do you think the ministry of health will say? Furin said. They are completely dependent on the big international agencies. As successful as vaccination drives have been in curbing targeted diseases, 2006 data, the most recent available, show a paradoxical relationship between GAVI funding in Africa and child mortality. Overall, child mortality improved more often in nations that received smaller than average GAVI grants per capita. In seven nations that received greater than average funding, child mortality rates worsened. To be sure, malaria, wartime disruption and the relentlessness of AIDS play a big role. Restrictive health programs are to blame, as well, where they turn a blind eye to malnutrition and largely neglected diseases, such as diarrhea and pneumonia. UNICEF supports health systems but discourages general screening during immunization drives, said Dr. Peter Salama, chief of the agencys health section. There is a risk of health workers raising expectations and [not] being able to deliver and of overburdening the campaign and getting poorer [vaccine] coverage. Dr. Julian Lob-Levyt, chief executive of GAVI, said his group disagreed with that approach and was committed to integrating general maternal-child health into vaccine drives. Some of these campaigns are so focused on their own results, he said, that maybe they dont see the bigger picture. Lob-Levyt predicted that UNICEF and other aid groups would move rapidly in the direction of more integrated efforts. We should be spending in all areas, in treatment and prevention, he said. It isnt . . . a zero-sum game. Eleven months ago, in response to demands by recipient governments, GAVI created a $500-million fund to expand its approach by improving general health delivery and training, as well as immunization services. The program is designed for broader, integrated child survival, Lob-Levyt said. Were learning as we go. But he defended GAVIs vaccine emphasis, saying that research had shown that preventing one disease improved overall survival. Vaccinations, widely seen as cost-effective, numbered more than 15 million in five years against measles, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, and 99 million against hepatitis B, yellow fever and hemophilus influenza B, which causes meningitis. Bill Gates told CNBC earlier this year that GAVI vaccinations had saved several million lives. But experts in global vaccination programs said such claims were hard to validate because so many children in developing nations die of conditions for which no vaccine exists. According to GAVIs website, most of the vaccinations were for prevention of hepatitis B, which can cause cancer and liver failure. The vaccine was widely used, Lob-Levyt said, because it could be offered rapidly at reasonable cost. Hepatitis B, however, rarely kills children, and many African children die of other ailments long before the vaccine could have saved them. You cant say any life was saved until they are older, said William Muraskin, a professor of urban studies at the City University of New York and author of a book about GAVI. Citing a recent study in the Lancet, Yamada agreed that rates of child mortality in much of Africa had been flat to worse due to such problems as diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia. We cant rest on our laurels, he said. The low-hanging fruit didnt necessarily have the outcome that we would have hoped. The foundation is supporting research on vaccines against pneumonia and diarrheal illnesses. If these become available, he said, youll start to see an impact on child mortality that may be the next phase of GAVIs success story. The failure to support basic care as comprehensively as vaccines and research is a blind spot for the Gates Foundation, said Paul Farmer, recipient of a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation fellowship, and founder of Partners in Health, which has received Gates Foundation funds for research and training. It doesnt surprise me that as someone who has made his fortune on developing a novel technology, Bill Gates would look for magic bullets in vaccines and medicines, Farmer said. But if we dont have a solid delivery system, this work will be thwarted. Thats something thats going to be hard for the big foundations, he said. They treat tuberculosis. They dont treat poverty. Still, Farmer, who knows the Gateses, said they had a deep personal commitment to understanding and addressing the needs of developing countries. He said he expected the Gates Foundation to increase its support for health delivery systems. Yamada called delivery of care a key strategic issue for us. The foundation will not provide care, he said, but has begun to study regulation, financing and how markets can improve delivery. What we do is we catalyze -- develop tools to help governments improve, he said. We are not replacement mothers. charles.piller@latimes.com doug.smith@latimes.com Piller reported from Lesotho, Rwanda, Switzerland and Seattle; Smith reported from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Edmund Sanders, staff photographer Francine Orr, data analyst Sandra Poindexter and researcher Maloy Moore contributed to this report. Nearly 15,000 of the 96,000 patients in the analysis were treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine alone or in combination with a type of antibiotics known as a macrolide, such as azithromycin, within 48 hours of their diagnosis. The difference between patients who received the anti-malarials and those who did not was striking. For those given hydroxychloroquine, there was a 34 per cent increase in risk of mortality and a 137 per cent increased risk of serious heart arrhythmias. For those receiving hydroxychloroquine and an antibiotic the cocktail endorsed by Trump there was a 45 per cent increased risk of death and a 411 per cent increased risk of serious heart arrhythmias. "A pill every day": US President Donald Trump said he was taking hydroxychloroquine. Credit:AP Those given chloroquine had a 37 per cent increased risk of death and a 256 per cent increased risk of serious heart arrhythmias. For those taking chloroquine and an antibiotic, there was a 37 per cent increased risk of death and a 301 per cent increased risk of serious heart arrhythmias. For those given hydroxychloroquine, there was a 34 per cent increase in risk of mortality and a 137 per cent increased risk of serious heart arrhythmias. Cardiologist Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic said the new data, combined with data from smaller previous studies, suggests that the drug "is maybe harmful and that no one should be taking it outside of a clinical trial". Jesse Goodman, a former FDA chief scientist who is now a Georgetown University professor, called the report "very concerning". He noted, however, that it is an observational study, rather than a randomised controlled trial, so it shows a correlation between the drugs and certain outcomes, rather than a clear cause and effect. Peter Lurie, a former top FDA official who now heads the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, called the report "another nail in the coffin for hydroxychloroquine this time from the largest study ever". Loading He said it was time to revoke the emergency use authorisation issued by the FDA, which approved the drug for seriously ill patients who were hospitalised or for whom a clinical trial was not available. The new study's findings cannot necessarily be extrapolated to people with mild illness at home or those, like Trump, who are taking the anti-malarials as a prophylactic. The President stunned many doctors earlier this week when he said he was taking a pill "every day" despite FDA warnings that the use of the drug should be limited to those in a hospital setting or in clinical trials. He has since said he is close to finishing his course of treatment and would stop taking the medication in "a day or two". A large study of healthcare workers that examines the use of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure against COVID-19 is in the works, but no results have been released. Loading There have been at least 13 studies in recent months on hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 patients. They have included randomised controlled studies and observational analyses encompassing patients on the continuum from mild illness to those near death. Evidence of any benefit, such as viral clearance or improved symptoms, has been almost non-existent. But many found an increased risk in adverse cardiac reactions especially when combined with the antibiotic azithromycin. Earlier this month, some proponents of hydroxychloroquine seized on a study out of New York University's Langone Health centre that threw zinc into the mix with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, and showed the treated group had a higher rate of survival. But researchers emphasised that it only showed that the combination had some promise. They said the results also could have been due to other factors, such as the zinc being added to patients' regimens later in the pandemic when hospital treatments and procedures had been refined. Last week, the US National Institutes of Health announced a clinical trial of 2000 adults to determine if hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin could be used to treat coronavirus patients. Topol, of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, suggested that the researchers should reconsider the ethics of those trials, given the increasing evidence of potential harm. "It's very hard to ignore that signal, and it's worrisome to continue giving it," he said. Loading Geoffrey Barnes, a cardiovascular specialist at the University of Michigan, said the study's approach and its findings were "striking" in making the case that "the risk with these drugs is real". However, he said that due to the enthusiasm some Americans have for the drug and the Lancet study's findings, randomised trials are even more important. As many as 64 people, including 22 who were part of a group of Indian nationals recently deported from the US, tested positive for COVID-19 in Haryana on Saturday, taking the state's tally to 1,131, officials said. The state's worst-hit Gurgaon, Faridabad and Sonipat districts reported 25 fresh infections, they said. A total of 76 people from Haryana were part of a group of over 160 Indians who were deported from the US earlier this week. They reached Amritsar in Punjab on a special chartered flight with others and were later brought to Panchkula. "Twenty-two of these 76 who were tested have been found COVID positive," Health Minister Anil Vij told reporters. Most of the deported Indians had tried to enter the US from its southern border with Mexico and had exhausted all legal options before they were deported. Gurgaon reported 12 cases, Faridabad 10 and Sonipat three, a state health department bulletin said. Panipat reported seven cases; Jind and Hisar three each, Bhiwani two, and Palwal and Karnal one each, it said. According to the bulletin, Haryana has 365 active COVID-19 cases. The state has a recovery rate of 66.31 per cent, fatality rate of 1.41 per cent and tests per million being conducted are 3,709. Haryana has recorded 16 COVID-19 deaths so far. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A truck driver who accidentally ran over and killed his five-year-old son says he has 'failed' as a father. Doug Sproule, 38, was parking his 100-tonne truck in a yard in Picton, in south-west Sydney, on Friday, unaware his son Harrison was behind the vehicle. Harrison was treated at the scene by paramedics and rushed to Liverpool Hospital but he later died. Just a day after the horrific accident, Mr Sproule, who has three other children, says he blames himself for losing his 'mischievous and happy' boy. 'It's my job to protect them and I failed on this one,' he told Seven News. 'Sorry is all I can say. I fix problems every day but I couldn't fix this one.' Harrison Sproule, five, was killed on Friday afternoon after his father accidentally hit him with his truck in Picton, NSW Harrison's sister Claire and brother Max sat in tears beside their father as they reassured him he wasn't to blame. 'You don't have to be sorry, it was an accident,' Claire told her father. 'You didn't fail.' It's believed the five-year-old had become winched in between his father's truck and another vehicle, Nine News reported. Harrison had spent years travelling across the country with his father and had ventured as far as Western Australia and Darwin. Mr Sproule said he 'loved' riding in the truck and would try and stay awake with him through the night. Harrison's father Doug Sproule (middle with daughter Claire and son Max) said he blames himself for the horrific accident It's believed the five-year-old became stuck in between his father's truck and another vehicle on Friday afternoon Flowers have been placed at the family's home as Mr Sproule hopes his speaking out will prevent the accident from happening again. 'He was very happy, mischievous. He was very into the outdoors and loved his horse, loved his brothers and sister,' he said. 'He was extremely well travelled. He loved it. 'He was amazing.' Harrison loved riding in the truck with his father and was close with his two brothers and sister KYODO NEWS - May 23, 2020 - 23:11 | All, Coronavirus, World Russia has proposed that the stalemated issue of legal jurisdiction over joint economic activities with Japan on disputed islands be shelved, sources close to the two countries' relations said Saturday. While the proposal is Moscow's compromise in talks on promotion of joint activities as a confidence-building effort toward resolving the territorial spat, Tokyo still faces the task of bringing the two countries' leaders together to discuss the return of the islands seized by the Soviet Union after Japan's surrender in World War II. It is not known whether the Japanese government plans to accept the proposal. There was a similar arrangement under a bilateral fishing agreement in 1998, with Russia allowing Japanese fishing boats to operate in designated areas near the disputed islands and shelving the question of sovereignty over the waters in those areas. Despite the accord, Russian authorities have conducted boarding inspections of Japanese boats in those waters. Moscow wants to promote the economy in its Far East region through the joint operations in such areas as tourism and fish farming, while Tokyo sees economic cooperation as a step toward negotiating the return of Russian-controlled islands -- Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and Habomai islet group known as the Southern Kurils in Russia. The territorial row has prevented the two countries from signing a postwar peace treaty. Related coverage: Abe, Putin agree on cooperation over coronavirus response Abe mulls canceling trip to Moscow in May amid coronavirus spread Japan PM Abe vows Russia peace treaty talks at rally for disputed islets Hell, says William Shakespeare, has no fury like a woman scorned. That much was proven in the life of Mr. Anyakwo Mohammed whose lover stabbed to death for impregnating another woman, The Nation reports. In a sensational confession to the Nasarawa State Command of the Nigerian Securities and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Veronica rendered an account of how she drove a knife into her husbands chest during a quarrel, causing him to die before he could be rushed to the hospital. Already, the NSCDC has vowed to charge her to court for murder. Narrating the events that culminated in the fatal incident, Veronica said her late Mohammed refused her request that she should allow him to make a call with his phone, and the situation resulted in a heated argument. She said: I was roasting a yam for him because he was very hungry, but a disagreement broke out in the process. I went inside the room to pick the knife with which I would peel the yam. As the quarrel continued, I told him that he would no longer eat from the yam and that he should go and eat at the place of the woman he impregnated. He got angry, stood up and held my hand in a bid to forcibly collect the knife from me so that he would peel the yam by himself. As we dragged the knife, its sharp end drove into his chest, causing a deep cut and serious bleeding. It was in the night, so before they could rush him to the hospital, he died. Expressing regrets over the incident, Veronica said she would not have picked a quarrel with her late husband if she had any inkling that it would result in his death. I would not have engaged in a quarrel with him if I knew, she said. I loved him so much even though he disappointed me. May God Almighty forgive all my sins and his shortcomings. I believe that God will take my husband to heaven to be with Him. May his gentle soul find peace. His death was not deliberate. I will forever miss him. I didnt mean to kill him. I will continue to pray for his soul for the rest of my life. The only promise I will make is that nobody will ever take his place in my heart. I am two months pregnant for him, apart from the two-year-old daughter we already had. My prayer is that the unborn baby would be a male child so that I would name it after him as a mark of honour. It is clear to me now that I have made a big mistake by killing my husband and his spirit may hunt me for the rest of my life. But God knows it was not intentional. The tragic incident, which occurred in the backwoods of Obene Ward in Keana Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, on April 28, 2020, saw everyone who heard or saw the gory details reeling in shock. In her no-holds-barred confession at the state command of the NSCDC, 22-year-old Veronica blamed her husband for the tragic end to their marriage, which she claimed started on a good note before the irreconcilable disagreement set in, even though they were not legally married. In an emotion laden voice during an interview with our correspondent, she recounted the fatal incident that led to her stabbing her husband to death. She explained that she was staying with her grandmother before she died and her uncle took her to Keana Local Government Area to live with him. It was during her stay with her uncle that she met her late husband who impregnated her outside of wedlock. Veronica, a primary school dropout, said her late husband dated her for four years before he impregnated her with a promise that he would marry her if she converted to Islam. She said: My parents who brought me to the world have humiliated, cheated and frustrated my entire life. If I knew early enough that the people I stayed with were not my biological parents, I would have run away from them. I was deceived and introduced to fake parents by my own blood sister. What a wicked world! My parents violated my human right and my late husband, Anyakwo Mohammed, who impregnated me without paying my bride price, deceived me. It was frustration and anger that pushed me into stabbing my late husband. Bringing in another lady with pregnancy worsened the situation. Since this incident occurred, I have been very unhappy. I called my husbands brother who works with the Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS) to plead on my behalf. I have sinned against them. My late husbands brother said I should not worry; that it was how God wanted it, for there was nothing they could do to bring their late brother back to life. I am begging the Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to forgive me and help me to get out of my predicament. I was arrested by the NSCDC. I am being neglected by my family members. Even the people I regard as my parents have also abandoned me to my fate. I regret my action. May his gentle soul rest in peace. I did not know that he would die. I had been having a misunderstanding with my late husband over a woman he impregnated and it led to constant quarrels and fighting. I got tired of it all. I returned from my parents house and was told that Mohammed was with another lady whom he impregnated. When I asked him if the pregnancy was his, he refuted it. He said the lady was his girlfriend but the pregnancy was not his. We were staying together with the lady but she left us before the incident occurred. My late husband promised to marry me if I could change my religion. But when we started having constant quarrels, I was discouraged about it. She explained further that her late lover visited her people twice and bought them some items as an in-law. She said: I have a two-year-old baby for him. The baby is in Lafia with my husbands family. But shortly after we had the baby, I did not understand him again even though we were together. Our relationship broke down irretrievably with the damming discovery that he was sexually involved with another woman and had impregnated her and was even planning to bring her in, all because I refused to convert to Islam. The chiefs and people of Kome/Shime in the Anloga District of the Volta Region are full of praise for the Akufo-Addo administration for its effort in developing the Ghanaian economy. They believe the various measures being put in place by the government have bettered the lives of Ghanaians. At a meeting with President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House yesterday, the leader of the delegation, Agbotadua Kumasah, said the chiefs, queens, elders and people of Kome/Shime are eternally grateful to the current government for the various social intervention programmes, including but not limited to the 'one district, one factory', NABCO, 'planting for food and jobs' and the creation of new regions and districts. To that end, he said, We the chiefs and people of Kome/Shime applaud your government for such impressive social interventions. We are fully aware of your sleepless nights to turn the downward economy around. This has positively reflected in the lives of the citizenry. We are aware of you working tirelessly to combat the novel deadly coronavirus with your team of experts to prevent its damaging socio-economic and psychological effect on the lives of Ghanaians and we say well done, Agbotadua Kumasah added. Like Oliver Twist, they however could not but ask for more, including the need for government to consider building a sugarcane processing factory at Kome/Shime. The area, they said, has over 4,000 acres of sugarcane plantation that would provide the proposed factory all the raw materials its needs. They asked for the siting of a senior high school, if possible a model senior high school for the benefit of the youth in the area. Added to that was the request for the construction of a standard hospital and a market there to boost trade activities. President Akufo-Addo, on his part, promised to prioritise their concerns. ---Daily Guide Bloomberg photo by Toru Hanai. Months after the coronavirus infected more than 700 people on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, scientists are still gleaning insights into the patterns of illness it causes. Almost a fifth of the 3,711 passengers and crew on the 13-deck luxury ship in February caught the virus -- most of them showing no tell-tale symptoms of covid-19 at the time. A detailed analysis of cases found the disease could be very mild, causing a sore throat, dry cough and runny nose, without fever or lower respiratory tract symptoms, a study published in the June edition of the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases showed. Egypts police killed 21 terrorists in shootouts in North Sinai. The interior ministry said the terrorists had planned to carry out attacks during Eid El-Fitr holiday. The Ministry of Interior said on Saturday the police carried out the raid after Egypt's national security apparatus had received information that a terrorist group were using a farm in North Sinai as a hideout in which they were plotting and training for attacks. Some of the terrorists were also using a house in Bir El-Abd area as a foothold from which they were planning to launch terrorist attacks during Eid Al-Fitr holiday, the ministry said. Both the house and the farm were raided concurrently, and during the shootouts 14 terrorists were killed in the farm. The ministry said police found 13 automatic rifles, three explosive devices, an explosive belt, and a wireless radio in their possession. At the Bir El-Abd house shootout the police killed seven terrorists and found four automatic rifles, two explosive devices, and an explosive belt. According to the interior ministry, two police officers were wounded during the raid. Egypt has been fighting an Islamist militancy based in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula that has gained pace since 2013. Hundreds of security personnel were1 killed in attacks claimed by militants, while the military has killed hundreds of extremists as part of an extensive campaign to crush the militancy in the border region. Search Keywords: Short link: Only two-fifths of all Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings made their way to the sea in Maharashtra between 2019 and 2020. According to data collated from different forest ranges by the state mangrove cell and Maharashtra Mangrove Foundation on World Turtle Day (May 23), 12,149 hatchlings survived from 27,254 eggs during 2019-20, accounting for a survival rate of 44.5%. In 2018-19, the survival rate was 54.4%, with 12,601 hatchlings that made it to sea from 23,131 eggs. Sporadic nesting of turtles is reported from an average of 33 sandy beaches across three districts in Konkan Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg. While Sindhudurg witnessed a marked improvement in survival rate, from 47.3% in 2018-19 to 74.3% in 2019-20, Ratnagiri observed a decline to 34% in 2019-20 against 57.4% in 2018-19. Raigad also witnessed a drop from 65.4% to 52.2% over two years. We must realise that this is preliminary information, and there might be several data gaps since this annual statistical collation from three districts is a relatively new process. We need to study the pattern for at least 10 years to come up with exact trends, said Virendra Tiwari, additional principal chief conservator of forest (mangrove cell). Olive Ridley sea turtles are found in warm tropical currents of the Indian and Pacific oceans. A schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, they travel thousands of kilometres in the ocean, with only the females returning to their original nesting sites within a minimum of two years, to lay eggs. After a 50 to 60-day incubation period, juvenile turtles break the eggshell, dig through the sand, and crawl to the sea. While females return to their place of birth, males never return to land. Female turtles use geomagnetic imprinting [navigating to their geographic area of origin using magnetic field] and olfactory [relating to the sense of smell] cues to find their natal areas, said Harshal Karve, marine biologist, Mangrove Foundation. Changes in weather patterns are the main reason for the fall in survival rate, said Mohan Upadhyay, livelihood assistant, Mangrove Foundation. Firstly, nesting was delayed due to a series of extreme weather events including heavy rain coupled with cyclones in the Arabian Sea, last monsoon. Then the winter season was much warmer than previous years even for coastal districts. Following this, there was a spike in maximum temperatures this year from late February. When temperatures rise, it affects the incubation period, resulting in a lower survival rate, said Upadhyay. Independent experts, however, said the survival rate does not depend completely on extreme weather factors. Hatchling survival is affected by rising beach temperature and prolonged rainy days can damage some nests. But proper management and protection for natural nests can address these issues. However, even a 44% survival rate for natural in-situ nests is not bad. Focused conservation can help improve this, said Basudev Tripathi, senior scientist, Zoological Survey of India and member of International Union for Conservation of Nature. Meanwhile, the Mangrove Foundation has commissioned a research study to assess the incubation temperature of nests along the Maharashtra coast. The project is being undertaken by a PhD scholar from the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. Atmospheric temperature plays a major role in developing and determining the sex of baby turtles. Temperature data loggers have been deployed at various turtle nesting sites in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, and the results will help us understand the nesting ecology, said Karve. A similar study undertaken by the Mangrove Foundation comparing nesting data from 2002 to 2006 and 2014 to 2019 has shown that the peak nesting period had shifted from winter months (December) to early summer months (February-March). Many nests which are now being laid along the Maharashtra coast during the February-March period hatch out in the summer months of April-May when the ambient and sand temperatures tend to be on the higher side [above 32 degrees Celsius], which may lead most of the turtle hatchling to be females. Also, higher nest temperature data suggests a lower survival rate for hatchlings, said Tiwari. We are therefore developing solutions to ensure that the hatchlings are protected from higher temperatures through the use of sheds, regular monitoring, and litter-free turtle nesting habitats. Using some of the results, this year green sheds were installed to cover nesting sites from direct sunlight and high temperatures. However, the Covid-19 lockdown made material transport difficult, said Upadhyay. The state forest department, with local NGO Sahayadri Nisarg Mitra, has been educating local communities on sea turtle conservation. From locating nesting sites, excavation, relocation of eggs, fencing nets, and preventing poaching and flooding, around two persons per nesting site have been trained by us. Now, using a format provided by us, the volunteers have begun collating all information about the entire process from nesting to hatching, said Karve. To further boost turtle conservation, earlier this month the forest department introduced an honourarium of 15.63 lakh to locals in Ratnagiri, while the Sindhudurg district administration provided 6lakh to 8 lakh annually under its conservation management plan. The Union environment ministry is also in the process of finalising the National Marine Turtle Conservation Policy soon, said officials. It is in the final stages. State-specific models like Odisha and Maharashtra will help achieve a long-term conservation protocol that can be replicated across other states, said a senior ministry official. 15 CASES OF MARINE ANIMAL STRANDING INCIDENTS ALONG MUMBAI COAST IN 2019 On World Turtle Day, the state mangrove cell released data on marine mammal stranding incidents in 2019 along the Mumbai coast. While 10 Olive Ridley turtles and one Hawksbill turtle were stranded, two were treated and released back to the sea with the others succumbing to their injuries and infections. Cases of cetacean stranding included two baleen whales, an Indian Ocean humpback dolphin, and a striped dolphin (all mammals had washed ashore dead). The Maharashtra coastline has witnessed 143 cases of marine mammal deaths and stranding incidents between 2016 and 2019. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A nurse stationed at every site. No more than one teacher and 10 students per classroom. No visitors. Lunches distributed on the way out. That is what in-school summer school is likely to look like under draft guidance issued this week not to the public, but in an email to school superintendents originating from the state. As the state slowly reopens, summer schools are slated to start on July 6. Flexibility is the key word. Programs need to plan for contingencies should the COVID-19 virus that has ravaged the state flare back up. Summer school programming will serve as a vital strategy in reengaging students that have been most impacted by the class cancellations, Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona said in a letter to superintendents that accompanied the yet-to-be-released guidelines Districts were advised to develop local reopen teams. Many already have. The draft guidelines are to be updated when the state Department of Public Health loops in local health departments. They were sent to superintendents so they could identify space, start hiring teachers and identify students most in need of re-engagement after three months of at-home instruction. Top priority is to be given to students with special needs, learning English, those who had limited access to technology at home or who did not otherwise participate in distance learning over the past three months. District-run summer schools differ from summer camp programs offered by many communities, including Bridgeports city-run Lighthouse Program. There too, space will be extremely limited and based on strict heath department guidance. The 10-to-1 classroom ratio in district-run summer school programs could be smaller for students with special needs. On campus, all students and teachers will have to wear masks, Acting Schools Superintendent Michael Testani told parents on a Facebook Live event on Friday morning. That rule wont apply to students who are medically compromised by use of a mask, according to state guidance. The state recommends that schools space desks six feet apart and suggests turning desks to all face in the same direction, rather than facing each other. That recommendation flies in the face of many modern classroom designs that encourage students to work together. Some desks today are even built to fit together like jigsaw puzzle pieces. Outdoor instruction is being encouraged when conditions allow. Materials such as books, computers, calculators, writing utensils and art supplies can not be shared between students. The practice of taking a test or sheet of paper and passing the rest back will be no more. Bus transportation remains a question mark. The guidelines call for diagonal gaps in rows and no more than one student seated per row unless they live in the same household. Testani told parents on Facebook that 10 students per bus, for summer school, isnt economically feasible. It may be up to parents, in many cases, to drop off students. If there is bus transportation, districts will have to have a bus monitor ride the bus at all times to make sure students are socially distancing and using face masks. For now, it seems, face masks will be supplied by the districts on a limited basis. The guidelines also speak to cleaning and disinfecting protocols schools must follow and log. Health guidance for the programs also calls for COVID-19 testing for staff or students if there is a suspected case of the virus. If anyone tests positive, families and staff must be notified. Temperatures will be taken of all summer school participants. Anyone with a temperature above 100 degrees cannot go in the school. It makes things tougher but we will manage, Tyrone Elliott, high school principal at The Bridge Academy Charter School, said about the guidelines. We would love to be able to have everyone in the building for summer school but we understand student and staff health is important. A Hamilton County Sheriff's deputy who shot and killed a suspect during an altercation after a traffic stop in Sale Creek early Monday morning has been identified as Jordan Long-Ross. The person killed was Tyler Hays, 29. The TBI was called in by District Attorney Neal Pinkston to investigate. The incident happened around 2 a.m. on Crestview Drive. A resident said he and his wife heard 2-3 shots. He said he went outside and heard the deputy say, "I shot him. I shot him." According to the TBI, Hays ran from the deputy and fought with him. The TBI said, "For reasons still under investigation, the situation escalated and resulted in the deputy firing his service weapon, striking Hays, who died at the scene." Ron Hays, father of Tyler Hays, said there was no need for lethal force. A second suspect fled the scene, but was caught in Sequatchie County after a chase. The Hamilton County Sheriffs Office deputy involved did not sustain any significant injuries and is okay. As per agency policy, the involved deputy has been placed on administrative leave with pay. Hays was arrested last week on several drug charges as well as possessing a firearm. WASHINGTON, May 23 (Reuters) - Nearly 200 political figures from around the world on Saturday decried Beijing's proposed national security laws for Hong Kong, including 17 U.S. Congress members, as international tensions grow over the proposal to set up Chinese government intelligence bases in the territory. In a joint statement organized by former Hong Kong Governor Christopher Patten and former British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind, 186 law and policy leaders said the proposed laws are a "comprehensive assault on the city's autonomy, rule of law and fundamental freedoms" and a "flagrant breach" of the Sino-British Joint Declaration that returned Hong Kong to China in 1997. "If the international community cannot trust Beijing to keep its word when it comes to Hong Kong, people will be reluctant to take its word on other matters," they wrote. The legislation comes as the relationship between Washington and Beijing frays, with U.S. President Donald Trump blaming China for the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. officials have said the Chinese legislation would be bad for both Hong Kong's and China's economies and could jeopardize the territory's special status in U.S. law. China, though, has dismissed other countries' complaints as meddling. Some of Trump's fellow Republicans - Senator Marco Rubio, acting chair of the Intelligence Committee, and Senator Ted Cruz - signed the statement. Democratic signatories included Representative Eliot Engel, head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Adam Schiff, chairman of the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Forty-four members of Britain's House of Commons and eight members of its House of Lords also signed the statement, alongside figures from across Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. (Reporting by Lisa Lambert; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Piers Morgan has issued an angry ultimatum to Boris Johnson over claims his chief aide Dominic Cummings broke lockdown rules by visiting his parents. 'If Boris doesnt fire Cummings today, then I will deem the Lockdown over & drive down to see my parents (from a 2m distance) for the first time in 12 weeks. Im not having one rule for these clowns & another for the rest of us,' The Good Morning Britain star posted on Twitter. Mr Cummings stands accused of breaking Government rules by travelling hundreds of miles to his parents home in Durham from his home in London while he and his wife were said to be isolating because of coronavirus symptoms. This morning Mr Cummings told reporters his visit was about 'doing the right thing', after Number 10 said he acted 'reasonably and legally' at the time. Piers Morgan has issued an angry ultimatum on Twitter to Boris Johnson over claims his chief aide, Dominic Cummings, broke lockdown rules by visiting his parents 'Im not having one rule for these clowns & another for the rest of us,' The Good Morning Britain star posted on Twitter Mr Morgan's ultimatum issued to Number 10 on Saturday came as Downing Street defended the 48-year-old spin doctor. In a series of Tweets, Piers Morgan replied to members of the government who were standing behind Mr Cummings. 'Oh please. Cummings brazenly broke the rules YOUR Govt - advised by HIM - enforced on everyone else,' he said in response to a tweet by Michael Gove that read: 'Caring for your wife and child is not a crime.' Along with support from Cabinet minister Michael Gove, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Chancellor Rishi Sunak also offered backing to Mr Cummings. Rabb wrote on Twitter: 'Its reasonable and fair to ask for an explanation on this. And it has been provided: two parents with Coronavirus, were anxiously taking care of their young child. Those now seeking to politicise it should take a long hard look in the mirror. ' To which Mr Morgan wrote: 'Sorry? The No10 statement says Cummings didn't have the virus when he did this, and his wife was only 'suspected' of having the virus - in which case she should have stayed at home & self-isolated according to your Govt rules.' Dominic Cummings (pictured this morning outside his London home) stands accused of breaking Government rules by travelling hundreds of miles to his parents home in Durham In a defiant statement this morning, a No. 10 spokesman said he had not broken any guidelines with the 264-mile trip. (Boris Johnson pictured outside Number 10, Downing Street applauding carers in what's known as 'The Clap For Our Carers' on May 21) The maverick No10 chief travelled with his wife and son from London to his parents' Durham farm in March to self-isolate with coronavirus symptoms, despite the government's own restrictions banning non-essential journeys. He was spotted by a witness at the gate of the property, with Abba's Dancing Queen playing loudly. Timeline of Cummings' lockdown row March 23: As the coronavirus crisis escalates, the UK is placed into lockdown with strict limitations on travel. The Government guidelines state: 'You should not be visiting family members who do not live in your home.' Those in a household with symptoms must 'stay at home and not leave the house' for up to 14 days. March 27: Both Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock test positive for coronavirus, while chief medical officer Chris Whitty says he has symptoms of the disease and is self-isolating. March 30: Downing Street confirms Mr Cummings is suffering from coronavirus symptoms and is self-isolating. March 31: Durham police are 'made aware of reports that an individual had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city'. The force said officers 'made contact with the owners of that address who confirmed that the individual in question was present and was self-isolating in part of the house. 'In line with national policing guidance, officers explained to the family the arrangements around self-isolation guidelines and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel.' April 5: An unnamed neighbour tells the Mirror and the Guardian Mr Cummings was seen in his parents' garden . 'I got the shock of my life as I looked over to the gates and saw him,' they said. March 30 - April 6: The period Mr Cummings' wife Mary Wakefield describes the family's battle with coronavirus in the April 25 issue of the Spectator. She makes no mention of the trip to Durham and describes the challenges of caring for their son while suffering the symptoms of Covid-19. She says their small son nursed Mr Cummings with Ribena. April 14: Mr Cummings returns to work for the first time since news he was suffering from Coronavirus emerged. Questions are raised about his adherence to social distancing advice as he is photographed walking down Downing Street with fellow aide Cleo Watson. May 22: News breaks in the Mirror and the Guardian of Mr Cummings' trip to Durham. May 23: Downing Street stands by the PM's chief aide, saying in a statement: 'Owing to his wife being infected with suspected coronavirus and the high likelihood that he would himself become unwell, it was essential for Dominic Cummings to ensure his young child could be properly cared for.' Advertisement But in a defiant statement this morning, a No. 10 spokesman said he had not broken any guidelines with the 264-mile trip. 'Owing to his wife being infected with suspected Coronavirus and the high likelihood that he would himself become unwell, it was essential for Dominic Cummings to ensure his young child could be properly cared for,' the spokesman said. 'His sister and nieces had volunteered to help so he went to a house near to but separate from his extended family in case their help was needed. His sister shopped for the family and left everything outside. Although Durham police has confirmed the family was given advice on lockdown rules, the statement added: 'At no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter, as is being reported. 'His actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines. Mr Cummings believes he behaved reasonably and legally.' Allies pointed to a comment from deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries on March 24, when she was asked what parents should do if both fall ill. 'A small child is vulnerable. If adults cannot look after the child, that is an exceptional circumstance,' Dr Harries said. However, the government guidance said that those self-isolating 'must stay at home and not leave the house', as well as 'staying away' from vulnerable elderly people. In an account of their ordeal published last month, Mr Cummings' journalist wife Mary Wakefield also described how he was nursed by their small son with Ribena - suggesting he stayed with them throughout. The PM's official spokesman told reporters at the time that Mr Cummings was isolating 'at home'. The bombshell revelations sparked accusations of hypocrisy with Mr Cummings' position branded 'untenable', and signs of disquiet among Tory MPs. A Labour Party spokesman said: 'The lockdown rules were very clear: if you or anyone in your household was suspected of having Covid-19 you must immediately self-isolate and not leave the house. However, the Prime Minister's Chief Adviser appears to believe that it is one rule for him and another for the British people. 'This will cause understandable anger for the millions of people who have sacrificed so much during this crisis. 'We are still unclear who knew about this decision and when, whether this was sanctioned by the Prime Minister and whether Number 10 is now questioning the validity of the statement from Durham Police.' SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford told BBC Radio 4's Today that there seemed to have been a 'cover up' and Mr Cummings 'should have gone by now'. But sources close to Mr Cummings claimed there is 'zero chance' of him resigning. A close friend of Mr Cummings said overnight: 'He isn't remotely bothered by this story, it's more fake news from the Guardian. High-profile resignations of architects of the lockdown who flouted rules, such as Prof Neil Fergurson and Scotland chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood, have paved a precedent for Mr Cummings to quit. In a series of Tweets, Piers Morgan replied to members of the government who were standing behind Mr Cummings Mr Morgan also hit back at Dominic Rabb on Twitter who said Cummings and his wife 'were anxiously taking care of their young child' From Vote Leave to Team Boris: The rise of Dominic Cummings, the political maverick accused of breaking lockdown rules Prime Minister Boris Johnson's senior aide Dominic Cummings has allegedly been caught breaking lockdown rules by visiting his parents' home in Durham while he was recovering from Covid-19. Mr Cummings rose to notoriety in politics, first as an adviser to Michael Gove and then as campaign director at the official Brexit group Vote Leave. He was portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in a Channel 4 drama about the Brexit campaign, which played up his role in covering a red bus with the disputed 350 million a week figure, arguing the cash could be used to fund the NHS. Mr Cummings, a hate figure for many pro-EU politicians, said the 350 million/NHS argument was 'necessary to win' the campaign. Mr Johnson appointed Mr Cummings to his top team as senior adviser at Number 10 when he became Prime Minister in the summer of 2019 Mr Johnson appointed Mr Cummings to his top team as senior adviser at Number 10 when he became Prime Minister in the summer of 2019. The appointment of the abrasive former campaign director was controversial, given he was found to be in contempt of Parliament earlier in the year for refusing to give evidence to MPs investigating misinformation. Mr Cummings has built a reputation as someone who does not play by the rules of conventional politics. He was once called a 'career psychopath' by former prime minister David Cameron, according to widely reported remarks. But Mr Cummings is no stranger to an insult either, describing David Davis, then the Brexit secretary, as 'thick as mince, lazy as a toad and vain as Narcissus' in July 2017. Mr Cummings rose to notoriety in politics, first as an adviser to Michael Gove and then as campaign director at the official Brexit group Vote Leave The December 2019 election victory gave Mr Johnson the political capital he needed to take bold decisions - and Mr Cummings soon set to work on his goal of reshaping Whitehall, issuing a recruitment call for data scientists, economists and 'weirdos and misfits with odd skills' to shake up the Civil Service. In April, it was revealed Mr Cummings has also been present at meetings co-ordinating the response to the coronavirus pandemic as part of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage). This raised concerns over a lack of breadth in expertise of the meetings and political interference in science-based advice. Mr Cummings had previously been observed failing to follow the two-metre social distancing rules as he walked along Downing Street flanked by fellow aide Cleo Watson on April 14. Where did the 'out of control' Chinese rocket debris land after re-entering Earth? Planning a trip to Maldives: You can do so from July 15 Cannot single out India for Islamophobia, Maldives tells OIC India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, May 23: With the OIC becoming increasingly hostile, Maldives has come to the rescue of India. Male told the OIC in an address this week that singling out India for Islamophobia would not be factually incorrect. It would also be detrimental to religious harmony in South Asia, Male had also said. This is a welcome sign for India especially at a time when the OIC has stepped up attacks on India on alleged discrimination against Muslims and also on developments at Jammu and Kashmir. Govt allows certain categories of OCI cardholders stranded abroad to visit India Migrants sprayed with disinfectant in South Delhi, authority says 'mistake' | Oneindia News Male also made it clear to the OIC that it would not support any action which singles out India. Thilmeeza Hussain, permanent representative of Maldives in New York said that her country firmly stood against Islamophobia and Xenophobia or any form of violence to promote political or any other agenda. However, we also believe that targeting a specific country would be like side-stepping the issue. Therefore, Maldives cannot support any action within the OIC that singles out or targets India, she also said. Isolated statements by motivated people and disinformation campaigns on social media should be construed as representative feelings of 1.3 billion people. She also said that the world had seen an alarming rise in the culture of hatred, prejudice and that violence had been exploited as a tool to promote political and other ideologies and agenda. The OIC in a recent statement had asked the international community to gear up efforts to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir issue in accordance with the resolutions of the UNSC. It also said that this should be done as per the aspirations of the people of Kashmir. The OIC's human rights commission had rejected as illegal India's decision to change the domicile certificate rules in Jammu and Kashmir. The Ghanaian public has shockingly lashed out the devil in the NDC for its hypocritical act of exhibition of displeasure in the recoveries recorded by the country in the fight against covid19. For some days now, recoveries in the Ghanaian situation has spiked up. Currently, over 1700 persons who were affected by the novel corona virus have been declared negative from the deadly virus. This development, as victorious as it is for Ghana, sends shivers down the spine of the NDC, a slam dunk because of the political dividend they enjoy when the country and the government is battling the virus. This has not been good news for them. Aides of Mr. John Mahama such as Joyce Bawa Mogtagri, Felix Kwakye Ofosu and others took to social media asking for probe into the recoveries when they had not asked for same into infections. These send signals to the people that NDC has been celebrating the crisis. Back to the President's speech on May 10th, some political actors need this "for their political survival"... They only appear to be caring but deep down they wish this could end wrongly for the country so they can take power back. While they meet and sober on these recent developments, the special advisor to the President on health, Dr. Nsiah Asare has mentioned that over 1500 more are in wait to be declared recovered. He claims that more persons who have been in isolation and receiving treatment for weeks now have been showing greater strength in recovery against the virus and they may recover soon. An additional 1500 recoveries in few weeks to come may expose the lies and hypocrisy of the NDC. It is high time the NDC found a message to resonate with Ghanaians and for once, display a genuine sense of appreciation the efforts of His Excellency Nana Addo and desist from wishing us dead, sick and weakened. God Bless Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo and the NPP. ...Signed... Nana Boateng NPP Germany Branch Communications Director. New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of doing "politics of misery" over the issue of migrants, claiming that his party did nothing to help them in states where it is in power. The attack from the BJP on the former Congress president came on a day the opposition party released a documentary film on Rahul Gandhi's interaction with a group of migrant labourers last week. "Gandhi family did nothing to do help migrants in states where they are in power. Migrant workers from UPA-ruled Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Maharashtra were not allowed even to return to their native villages," BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said. Rahul Gandhi has been "indulging in camera politics". He is visiting and speaking to migrants in non-Congress ruled state not with the intention of giving them relief but to indulge in politics of misery, he added. The Rajya Sabha MP said Gandhi would have heard the woes of migrants in Rajasthan had he ventured there. "Alas, Rahul is only interested in politics and not helping migrants. With the entire Gandhi family indulging in politics over migrants, the Congress party is seen by the public as a party fishing in troubled waters and not as a responsible party joining the national effort in mitigating distress of migrants," Rao said. The Congress has been critical of the handling of migrants issue by the BJP-led central government. Rahul Gandhi has demanded justice for such workers who are walking hundreds of kilometres to their homes amid the coronavirus lockdown. At the end of the documentary, Gandhi says the government should immediately give Rs 7,500 to the 13 crore needy families through direct cash transfer. BOISE, ID, UNITED STATES 05.15.2020 - Two 124th Fighter Wing A-10 Thunderbolt IIs linked up with two F-15E Strike Eagles from Mountain Home Air Force Base on May 15, 2020 for a fly over throughout cities of Idaho to honor essential workers and show appreciation to the sacrifice, commitment and bravery of all Idaho's essential workers and citizens keeping Idaho running during this challenging time with the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Brad Little, Idaho's commander-in-chief, met with pilots, learned about the 190th Fighter Squadron's mission, and helped launch the A-10 Warthogs that honored essential workers in a statewide fly over. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur) X 0 20 Help Keep Us Soaring We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling. We need your help in reversing that trend. We would like to add 20 new subscribers this month. Each month we count on your subscriptions or contributions. You can support us in the following ways: Sebastien Hug By BENGALURU: The day my wife felt at home in Bangalore was the day she bicycled to her yoga practice early in the morning. Riding her old bicycle, she would discover all the hidden, narrow roads in the neighbourhood, pass by temples she has never seen before, learn without Google-maps which route is the shortest, which one has the least traffic, and where the dogs would be waiting to run after her. Thus, she connected with her surrounding in a way that is not possible, when sitting in a car. It became her neighbourhood. Having lived together in five cities on three continents, we have had the privilege to experience how different urban planning strategies impacted our way of life. At our last home in Bern, Switzerland, we didnt own a car. We moved around mostly by bicycle, and even had a small trailer attached to it for our kids, or to place groceries. However, Bern was not always a bicycle-friendly city. Its been only since 2014 that the municipal council sanctioned a policy to promote this practice, by designing a bicycle-friendly infrastructure, offering shared bicycles for free, and encouraging young children to use bicycles. Within four years of the policy being implemented, the number of bicycle rides rose by 35 per cent. No doubt, Bern and Bangalore are two very different cities. One cannot really compare them, or copy-paste solutions. That said, I do believe that bicycles as an alternate mobility solution has a lot of potential in Bengaluru. In fact, there is already a growing bicycle community in town. Peoples response to initiatives like the #bicycletowork challenge that took place early last year, is an illustration of how strong this community is. On a policy-level, Karnatakas Department of Urban Land Transport (DULT) has published for consultation a Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), which advocates for exclusive bicycle lanes and bike-sharing hubs, also as way to ensure last-mile connectivity. Hence, is Bengaluru poised to become the bicycle capital of India? Solution: Like with any plan, proper implementation and support of the local communities will be key. To facilitate this, an ambitious pilot project could lead the way. Like Church Street was redesigned and serves as an exemplary model for a pedestrian-friendly (hopefully soon car-free) zone, why dont some neighbourhood associations join their forces to create the first officially designated bicycle-friendly neighbourhood of Bangalore? (The author is the CEO and Consul General, swissnex India and Consulate General of Switzerland) Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks to the media May 15 after touring a chicken processing plant in Gainesville, Ga. (Jennie Jarvie / Los Angeles Times) Nearly a month after Georgia became the first state to allow businesses to reopen after the coronavirus shutdown, Gov. Brian Kemp took to a conservative radio show to tout some good news. Hospitalizations were down more than 30% in less than three weeks, and Georgia had ramped up its testing, with a per capita rate that placed it 20th out of 54 U.S. states and territories, up from 46th a month ago, he explained. Weve got to keep our foot on the gas, the Republican said this week on pundit Erick Ericksons WSB-AM drive-time show. What were doing is working. The next day, one of Kemps key facts was thrown into question. The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported that unlike many other states, Georgia calculates its total number of tests by combining viral diagnostic checks, which indicate current infection, and antibody tests, which indicate past infection. Worse, the state uses this combined total as the denominator when it calculates the percentage of positive diagnostic tests, making that figure look smaller than it is. Its incredibly frustrating, said Harry J. Heiman, a professor at Georgia State Universitys School of Public Health. The one thing that we're relying on is transparent and accurate data. So, when that gets undermined, and in the case of Georgia repeatedly undermined, it makes it very challenging to understand whats going on. When Georgia began to allow hair and nail salons, gyms and tattoo parlors to open their doors, some critics predicted that cases, hospitalizations and deaths would surge. That has not happened, but public health experts said it is still too early to measure the effect of reopening. And so the debate has devolved into a partisan war over math. Those who want to kick-start the economy tend to be Republicans who focus on the drop in hospitalizations and rise in testing, while those who are more cautious are often Democrats who accuse the state of manipulating the numbers. The doubters have found plenty of ammunition on the state Department of Public Health's website. Story continues Georgia has drawn nationwide ridicule in recent days since it was discovered that a graph on the site presented days out of chronological order after April 30, it hopped to May 6 and then back to May 4 creating the mistaken impression that new infections in five hard-hit counties were swiftly declining. Actually, they had plateaued. Kemps office said it was an innocent error, but critics viewed it as part of a pattern of massaging data for political purposes. Last month, around the time that Kemp began to lift business restrictions across the state, the Department of Public Health changed the way it recorded new cases, listing the date a patient first reported symptoms instead of the date a test came back positive. The change altered the timeline, shifting cases further into the past. Critics said the latest controversy over combining diagnostic and antibody tests was even more damaging. The presentation of the data led many Georgians to mistakenly think the state was making faster progress on increasing diagnostic testing and reducing the rate of positive tests. Since early April, when the website began lumping together both kinds of tests, antibody tests have accounted for about 13% of the total, based on information provided by the health department. Not counting them drops Georgias national per capita ranking from 20th to 29th, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found. Right now, a lot of people are saying, What the hell is going on? said T.J. Muehleman, founder of the COVID Mapping Project, an online tool that analyzes COVID-19 data sources. How do we trust the data? Right now, a lot of people are saying, What the hell is going on?' How do we trust the data? T.J. Muehleman, founder of the COVID Mapping Project At a news conference Thursday, Kemp urged Georgians to be patient and have confidence in the data. He said that staff members were working at breakneck speed to compile massive amounts of information and that some of the mishaps were probably due to mounting pressure to swiftly update the states website. Look, were not perfect, he said. "Weve made mistakes and, when we do that, well own that, change it and make sure people are aware of that. The feud over numbers takes place amid a broader political and cultural divide on risk. While public health experts worry that relaxing restrictions could cause the virus to rebound, lockdown critics accuse them of focusing on worst-case scenarios. Watching the economic devastation wrought by the virus, they bristle at national media stories that castigate Georgia for leading the race to become Americas No. 1 Death Destination and offering its citizens as an experiment in human sacrifice. One Wall Street Journal piece, retweeted by Kemp, hailed the Georgia model. The states encouraging escape from lockdown, it argued, could counter the horrendous costs of overreaction and inspire people to resume necessary activities. Yet in a poll conducted in late April and early May, Kemps COVID-response ranked the least popular in the nation, with only 39% of Georgia residents saying they approved. When Georgia began to reopen April 24, more than 22,000 people in the state had tested positive for the virus and about 890 people had died. Four weeks later, more than 41,000 Georgians have tested positive and more than 1,800 have died. Tracking the spread of the virus is difficult because there are significant lags between infection, testing, diagnosis, hospitalization and death. There are also delays as public health officials gather and present information. Data from the last 14 days are typically incomplete, Muehleman said. For the first few weeks after reopening, experts would expect hospitalizations and deaths to plateau or decline, reflecting the results of sheltering in place. Even after that, widespread hesitation to immediately venture out could prevent a major rise in infections. In Georgia, many business owners across Atlanta and in towns hit hard by the coronavirus kept their doors shut after Kemp lifted restrictions and many consumers continued to hunker down. Christina Blossey, owner of a body piercing business, Piercing Experience, says her business is likely to remain closed until she can be assured that she can acquire masks and cleaning materials regularly to keep her customers safe. (Ron Harris/AP) Four weeks on, reopening does not seem to have led to a significant rebound of the economy. The states unemployment rate climbed this week to nearly 12% higher than during the Great Recession. Still, President Trump has not hesitated to single out Georgia for praise. The states are opening up. Numbers are going down as they open, he said Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol. Look at Georgia. He also praised Florida, where the government has faced accusations that it too is manipulating data to bolster the case for reopening. This week, Rebekah Jones, a manager of Floridas COVID-19 website, told West Palm Beach CBS affiliate WPEC-TV that she was removed from her position because she disobeyed orders to manually change data to drum up support for the plan to reopen. At a news conference Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that the states COVID-19 website was fully transparent and that Jones was dismissed because she put data on the website that the scientists didnt think was valid and refused to listen to her superiors. DeSantis, a Republican, was quick to dismiss media coverage of his handling of the response as typical partisan narrative. Youve got a lot of people in your profession who waxed poetically for weeks and weeks about how Florida was going to be just like New York," he said. "'Wait two weeks, Floridas going to be next. Just like Italy, wait two weeks.' Well, hell, were eight weeks away from that, and it hasnt happened. In Georgia, Erickson, the radio talk show host, mocked critics who focused on the states data errors as conspiracy theorists, comparing them to those on the right who once said that COVID-19 was no different than the common flu. We've gone from COVID-19 truthers on the right to COVID-19 truthers on the left, he said. Erickson then offered up a conspiracy theory of his own. The reason, he said, is because they don't want the economy to reopen. Those who oppose lifting the restrictions argue that Georgia has been spared from a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases only because so many people ignored the governor. In Albany, a predominantly black southwest Georgia town ravaged early on by the virus, Demetrius Young, a city commissioner, said he was thankful that the community including local business owners had rallied together and continued to shelter in place. Still, after isolating himself at home for months, Young went to the grocery store last week for the first time. He planned to host a virtual high school graduation and family brunch for his teenage daughter on Saturday. It wouldnt be the usual indoor gathering, he said, where everyone piles on top of one another around a table piled high with barbecue and fixings. Instead, 20 people will gather in his front yard, with households seated a round tables spaced six feet apart, dining on bacon, eggs, grits and salmon croquettes. Everyone would wear masks. I wont even say its getting back to normal, he said. Its about moving forward knowing we have to take precautions. A household garment store in Lao Cai City, Lao Cai Province. - VNA/VNS Photo Quoc Khanh According to deputies, household business is a different form of business so it is not suitable to make those businesses comply with the Law on Enterprises. Household business is regulated in Chapter 7a of the revised Law on Enterprises. If the revised law is passed by deputies, it would only solve problems with the State management of household businesses. The revised law may increase risks and costs for household businesses and there are no rules that help improve the freedom, environment and security for household businesses and protect their rights and benefits. According to the Vietnam Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises Association, there are now 5.5 million household businesses. Their total assets are worth VND655 trillion (US$28.17 billion), total revenue is estimated at VND2.2 quadrillion and tax payments are worth VND12.36 trillion. Such businesses employ nearly 7.95 million people. It may take lawmakers some time to assess the impact of the law on household businesses before legalising this form of business because there are still many problems with defining a household business. Nguyen Dinh Tue, Director of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise Support Centre at the HCM City Enterprises Association, said the concept of household business should be studied more. State agencies license individuals, not their households, he said, adding the lawmakers should know whether an individual or their household is held accountable to the law. Duong Minh Tuan, a delegate from Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, said as a separate form of business, household businesses must be bound to a law instead of a decree which is a sub-regulation of a law. Issuing a new law on household businesses would help the Government improve the management of the business form while increasing the quality of those businesses, he said. The scale and operation of a household business are very different from a normal company, deputy Tran Van Tien from Vinh Phuc Province said. If the policymaking process is not appropriate, millions of household businesses will be hurt and a new law will be needed to supervise them, he said. According to Minister of Planning and Industry Nguyen Chi Dung, legalising the role of household businesses in the revised law will help the community gain benefits and access support programmes. Household business, when regulated in the revised Law on Enterprises, will see barriers and administrative procedures cut and the private sector will develop, he said. The law will encourage households to develop into private companies if they are capable, the minister said. Under existing regulations, a household business can only employ a maximum of 10 workers. However, some have recruited hundreds of workers and recorded huge amounts of revenue without being taxed like a normal enterprise. That leads to the Government missing a huge source of income for the State budget, minister Dung said. Chennai: Tamil Nadu's capital city lent itself nicely to the Union government's new narrative that the way India has tackled the coronavirus pandemic is a success because the pandemic has been kept to the cities. Accordingly, Chennai yet again reported steepling numbers on Friday. Tamil Nadu's count on Saturday morning stood at 14,753, with the 786 more infected persons added since Friday morning. The state's death toll is 98 with four fatalities occurring on the day. For the better part of two weeks, Tamil Nadu has known that the coronavirus is a city virus. Greater Chennai reporting 569 of the new positives on Friday, topping its Thursday by two. Greater Chennai's numbers are growing despite the fact that the number of containment zones in the city came down to 655 from 774 on Thursday after no fresh cases in those areas removed from the list. At the Chennai Central railway station, 15 railway policemen tested positive for Covid-19 today. This urban profile, the central government's coronavirus mavens said, is proof that India's campaign against the pandemic has worked. As V K Paul, chairman of Empowered Group One and Niti Aayog member, said in a New Delhi briefing on Friday, around 80 per cent of the active cases reported till Thursday were in just five states -- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh -- and over 90 per cent are in ten. Also, over 60 per cent of the cases are in just five cities -- Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Thane. Fatalities too have an urban profile. "You can say this is a disease of the urban districts and nearly 60 per cent of the deaths were reported in five cities -- Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Pune, Delhi and Kolkata -- and 70 per cent of the deaths are in ten cities," Paul said. But guest workers might have news for New Delhi's corona experts. In Tamil Nadu on Friday, returnees from other states boosted the state's daily coronavirus tally by 92 on Friday, up from 87 on Thursday. These positives are coming to light at check-posts set up to test India's moving workers. On Friday, the travelling positives included 66 from Maharashtra, 13 from New Delhi, six from West Bengal, two from Andhra Pradesh, one each from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Telangana. Among them was one passenger returning from the Philippines. He had tested negative on arrival, but turned positive in the 'exit test' on Friday. As these moving workers reach home, the urban profile of the pandemic in India, is likely to change. In Tamil Nadu already, apart from Chennai, the northern districts of Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur continue to throw up more positive cases. The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota pointed out in a new report that a testing system must succeed at lining up a cascade of essentials, all of which have been scarce lately: chemical reagents, testing equipment and supplies, and skilled operators. Already this is proving difficult. The report called for prioritizing those such as first responders and health-care workers as well as the elderly, who need tests the most and a smart approach to testing that requires the right infrastructure, right population to test, the right test, and the right application of test results. So far, that goal is elusive. And, on top of that, we need to test ever more widely, and we need far greater capacity. Laura Adkins was six months pregnant with her third child when she decided to have a home birth. Its an option that many pregnant women are contacting midwives about in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, its the fear of possibly being exposed to the new coronavirus in a hospital. For others, its the fear of being separated from their newborn if either mother or child is ill. And for some, such as Adkins, its because if she labored and gave birth in a hospital, she would have to do it without the doulas who have gotten her through the births of her two older children. I didnt make the decision because I was scared of COVID-19. I made the decision because every labor and delivery Ive had has been about experience, because of the doula team, said Adkins, 34, of Hilliard. I heard (hospitals) were only allowing one support person. Knowing I couldnt have my doula support, that literally flipped everything for me. Your browser does not support the video tag. Texas included tens of thousands of antibody tests in its daily reports on COVID-19, skewing the recent picture of the outbreak and the states response as it scrambled to ramp up surveillance of the outbreak. About 49,000 antibody tests were included as of Wednesday, or 6.4 percent of all tests reported, according to updated data from the Department of State Health Services. Antibody tests dont track current infections, only people who have had and recovered from the disease. Health experts advise against including the antibody tests with standard viral tests for the coronavirus because only the standard tests give a current snapshot of the outbreak. In Texas, the positive antibody tests are not included in the overall case count but have been used in the total number of tests. That created a slightly deflated positivity rate, or rate of confirmed cases to total tests. The health department acknowledged earlier this week that antibody tests made up a small fraction of tests reported but only began distinguishing between them and standard viral tests Thursday. FOR THE LATEST: Interactive maps, charts show spread of COVID-19 across Texas With antibody tests now excluded, the positivity rate has been readjusted up about half a percentage point for both Tuesday and Wednesday. The positivity rate has been a key measure for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott as he reopens more of the state. The rate was 5.4 percent as of Wednesday, up a bit from earlier in the week, according to the state data. Diana Cervantes, who directs the epidemiology program at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, cautioned that the lower positivity rate is likely at least in part because its easier for people who arent showing symptoms to get tested. If you look at the peak on the 13th of April, Im sure that represented people who had signs and symptoms, she said, referring to when the rate was at nearly 14 percent. Whereas you look at it now, the people being tested may have had symptoms, it may be people who have been exposed, it may be mass testing of vulnerable populations its a much broader group. That alone will drive down the percent positivity. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox When asked about the issue during a news briefing Monday, Abbott insisted that the antibody tests were not being included in the official counts. A spokesman later clarified that he was talking about them being separated going forward. The governor has since said some counties needed time to separate out the antibody results from their overall counts. Officials in Taylor County, in West Texas, said in a Facebook post this month that the state health department had instructed them May 6 to remove all antibody cases from their official counts. That day, they removed 82 positive results from antibody tests. The officials in Taylor County explained that there hadnt been clear guidance previously from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about whether to include the antibody results. Even with the changes, the state still appears to be nearing Abbotts goal of completing 30,000 tests per day. In the past six days, the state has averaged nearly 25,000 daily tests. Abbott stressed again this week that hospitalizations are holding steady across the state and that there is plenty of manpower and medical resources to respond to isolated surges as the state reopens further. Weve never had any challenges with regard to limited hospital capacity, with ventilators, with the ability to treat people who have tested positive for COVID-19, he said in a TV interview. Abhi Rahman, a spokesman for the Texas Democratic Party, said in a statement that Texans dont feel safe, and manipulating the data isnt going to help Texans feel comfortable going outside. We must increase our testing capacity and follow the advice of doctors and experts, or we will be hit with a devastating second wave. On May 17, 1945, 12 days after the surrender of all German troops in the Netherlands, two Canadian officers, Lt. Col. William Douglas Kirk and Captain D.R. Fletcher, arrived on the island of Texel. Kirk was the commanding officer of the 1st Survey Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery. What they found there was astonishing. There are on the island about 900 Germans, mostly marines, and about 250 Russians who have mutinied and deserted from the German army, he wrote. They are still fighting together spasmodically. Our job would seem to be: (1) Give Russians protection from Germans while they recover wounded personnel from a mine field. (2) Give Germans protection from Russians while they are evacuated. (3) Try to get Russians evacuated. At present they are underground and are not willing to go without arms. He concluded that it would seem to be a musical comedy situation. The Russians were actually Georgians, members of the 822nd Battalion of the Georgian Legion. Their journey to Texel began when the German invasion of the Soviet Union resulted in hundreds of thousands of Red Army soldiers surrendering. Most Soviet POWs died of starvation, but some were offered the chance to join the German army. By April 1945, the former Soviet soldiers were plotting their rebellion which began after they received orders to redeploy to the Dutch mainland to join the fight against the advancing British and Canadian forces. The night before they were due to leave, the Georgians began their revolt by cutting the throats of some 400 German soldiers in their beds. Their goal was to liberate Texel from the Germans. They nearly succeeded. On Hitlers orders, the Germans began landing reinforcements on the island. German naval batteries on the island turned their guns on the villages and farms of Texel. The Georgians and Germans then waged a war of attrition resulting in hundreds of deaths on each side, as well as many Dutch civilian casualties. Neither side took prisoners. That fighting continued long past the German surrender and ended only with the arrival of the two Canadian officers. The Canadian troops now began the tasks that Kirk had outlined for them. The Germans last act on Texel was to burn the Georgians battalion flag, as they remained furious at the betrayal by their erstwhile allies. Another Canadian officer, John Norman Stuart Buchan, was sent to supervise the evacuation of the Georgians. Buchan was the 2nd Baron Tweedsmuir and the son of John Buchan, the former Gov.-General of Canada better known as the author of The Thirty-Nine Steps and other works of popular fiction. Buchan was sent with the Georgians to Germany. The Georgians enlivened the short trip to the Dutch mainland by throwing potato-masher grenades overboard, and occasionally firing their weapons, he wrote. Once on shore, they were ordered to turn over their weapons. After the Georgians had done so, they were searched and the Canadians found nine more automatic pistols concealed in their clothes. Lt.-Gen. Charles Foulkes, Commander of I Canadian Corps, wrote a letter to the Soviets which was intended to ensure that the Georgians would not be punished upon their return to the Soviet Union. General Eisenhower wrote a similar message some weeks later, and these messages together with the support of the Dutch Communist Party meant that the Georgians suffered little upon their return home. Their six-week long battle was eventually treated as heroic by the Soviets, who produced a feature film celebrating their fight. One thing that all sides agree upon is that the arrival of Lt. Col. Kirk and his men was greeted with relief, for it marked the final end of the last battle of the Second World War in Europe. Transnational members of rival deadly gangs share the same prison cell in El Salvador amid the global pandemic, according to a recently published article. El Salvador Government Putting the Rival Gangs in the Same Prison Cell The government's decision to house the deadly rival gangs in El Salvador was made after the killing spree that occurred in April. During that month, the National Police recorded 85 murders and an average of 17 a day. The explosion of violence was attributed to the infamous MS-13 gang or Mara Salvatrucha. The National Police and the government believed that the increase of violence and power inside the prison cell is because of the imprisoned gang leaders. The deadly transnational members of MS-13 and the two factions of Barrio 18 which have been fighting for power since the early 1990s are now sharing the same prison cell. Additionally, the two factions Emeeseas and Eighteen Men are also sharing the over crowded spaces in the six prison cells across the country. Osiris Luna, the director of the country's prison system, said: "We want to prevent orders from going out abroad. In previous administrations, penal institutions served as headquarters for a gang to exercise control over the state." Moreover, since the deadly rival gang members were put together in the same prison cells, there have been no reports about violence. Unexpected Gang Truce Ariel Alexander Avila Gomez, an active member of the Barrio 18-Surenos gang who is being held in the Ciudad Barrios prison in San Miguel, said: "Now we are already living together with our fellow companions, right? It's something we never would have thought of but we're getting used to each other." This is the very first time that thousands of rival gang members are sleeping together literally shoulder to shoulder. More than 2,000 inmates were in the three designated areas and these rival groups are living in harmony, an unexpected truce. Gomez is one of the 90 inmates who shared a space designed only for 30 persons said: "Here, as you can see, we are greatly overcrowded - there are 46 of our gang's faction and 44 of the other." To control peace and order inside the overcrowded cell where deadly rival gang members are sharing small spaces, the inmates have organized themselves by designating one manager for every gang. Avila Gomez and Francisco Arturo Quintero are leading the gangs inside the Ciudad Barrios prison. Quintero said: "We are trying to live together, as my fellow inmate told you. We did not expect this. It has been a surprise for us to be here, but we have coordinated between both gangs so that everything goes well." The Decision to Put Together the Deadly Rival Gangs Were Criticized Even though, there has been no recorded violence since the deadly gang members were put together in the same prison cell, this action of the government was criticized by the different groups most especially by the Human Rights Watch. Jose Miguel Vivanco, director of Human Rights Watch's Americas division, said that the government's action is "putting more lives at risk of a potential contagion - inside and outside detention centers." He also asserted that the new directives show cruelty and wickedness. Meantime, even though there is no violence reported inside the prison cell since they shared the same overcrowded spaces but there is a possibility in the days to come that there will be an increase of gang collaboration both inside and outside the prisons. Read related articles: A man was killed Saturday morning in southwest Houston, and police are searching for answers to why he was shot at more than 20 times. An unidentified woman flagged down a wrecker around 3 a.m. near the 13200 block of Fondren after hearing a volley of gunfire nearby, said Sgt. Cullen Duncan of the Houston Police Department. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California's unemployment rate nearly tripled to 15.5% in April as the nation's most populous state lost more jobs in one month from the coronavirus than it did during the Great Recession a decade ago, state data released Friday showed. Just two months ago, California was boasting an unprecedented economic expansion as it added more than 3.4 million jobs over 10 years, accounting for 15% of the nation's job growth. More than two-thirds of those gains were wiped out last month as the state lost 2.3 million jobs. California accounted for 11.4% of all jobs lost nationwide in April as the unemployment rate jumped 10.2 percentage points since March, the largest one month rise since 1976 when the state began using its current formula to measure job losses. All of the state's 11 industry sectors saw declines in April, led by leisure and hospitality with more than 866,000. Nationwide, the unemployment rate reached 14.7% as all 50 states plus the District of Columbia reported increased job losses, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The California joblessness statistics released by the state Employment Development Department only tell part of the story because the report is based on a survey conducted the week of April 12. Many more California residents have lost their jobs since then, with the department reporting 5.1 million people have filed for unemployment benefits since March. Businesses that have tried to hold on to workers are deciding that they cant do so any longer, others are deciding that they cant stay open with the uncertain future, said Michael Bernick, former director of the state employment agency and now a lawyer with the firm Duane Morris. It is only when we have a confident, aggressive reopening in California that we can expect the job reconstruction to truly begin. California has been under a mandatory, statewide stay-at-home order since March 19. But Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, recently has modified the order to allow many businesses to reopen if they follow certain safety measures. Story continues There are signs that some Californians are returning to work. The state's weekly unemployment claims have dropped from more than 1 million during the week of March 28 to just over 246,000 last week, according to Sung Won Sohn, a professor of finance and economics at Loyola Marymount University. There are some positives for the state. The early lockdown imposed in the Bay Area followed by Southern California has reduced infections and saved many jobs, he said. But the surge of claims has exhausted the states unemployment trust fund, forcing it to borrow billions of dollars from the federal government. Melanie Hern said she has not received any unemployment money even though she lost her job as a bartender over two months ago. She has been calling employment development everyday but is often put on hold or hung up on. The agency last asked her to verify her identity five weeks ago but Hern said she hasnt heard back even after sending what was requested. The 28-year-old from Folsom,said she borrowed money from relatives and that her boyfriend is paying most of her bills. Im going into debt, because Im having to push back my bills as much as I can in hopes of getting unemployment, she said. Hern said she has resisted checking how much she owes: Its one of those things where Ive stopped looking because it makes you kind of sick to your stomach. Even when people are approved for unemployment payments, they are often delayed by more than a month. Mia Foster, 37 and from the Sacramento suburb of Elk Grove, said she had to wait five weeks to receive the money and was forced to ration food for her and her children during the wait. After a week or two ... it does kind of take a toll on you mentally, said Foster, who was furloughed in March from her job providing IT services for health clinics. State lawmakers vented their constituents frustration to employment department director Sharon Hilliard during a public hearing on Thursday. I get that there is an unprecedented workload, but I believe government can do better and it has to do better at this time, said Assemblyman David Chiu, a Democrat from San Francisco. We have never heard the type of suffering that people are experiencing right now. Hilliard said the agency is preparing to hire 1,800 more people to handle the claims. But it would take a staff of 28,000 full-time employees working from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week to answer all calls made to the department, she said. Still, Hilliard said she agreed with Chiu that the delays are not acceptable. We are working hard to make sure we are addressing all of the concerns as quickly as possible, she said. ___ Associated Press writer Cuneyt Dil in Sacramento contributed to this report. The government is in talks with creditors to restructure the foreign debt of $ 66 billion Open source On Friday, Argentina delayed the payment of bonds and approached another technical default - the ninth in its history, as the New York Times reports. I want the world to see us as a worthy country that fulfills its obligations, President Alberto Fernandez said. He previously underestimated the value of the missed payment on foreign bonds. Moody's credit rating agency informed that Argentina has not fulfilled obligations to pay interest on international bonds in the amount of 503 million dollars after the expiration of a 30-day grace period, Reuters writes. According to the news agency, non-fulfillment of debt obligations corresponds to the current credit rating of the country at the level of CA ("obligations are close to default"). The government assured that it was approaching an agreement with creditors to restructure foreign debt of $ 66 billion. Negotiations will continue until June 2. Argentina's last default on external debt occurred in 2014. The history of excessive government spending and defaults on loans has created the country a reputation as a hopeless debtor. But her current efforts to negotiate a beneficial debt restructuring have received widespread support from prominent figures, including Pope Francis and lawyer, recognized bankruptcy expert and commercial lawyer Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, USA. A group of 138 economists, including Nobel laureates Joseph Stiglitz and Edmund Phelps, signed an open letter urging Aregntina's creditors to come to terms with a cash-strapped country. The International Monetary Fund also expressed optimism regarding negotiations on Argentina's debt restructuring, which was described as "volatile." As we reported before, Argentina decided to double the visa-free stay for the Ukrainian citizens up to 90 days within six months The colourful Lisnaskea priest who mischievously played a recording of The Sash at the end of a live-streamed Mass has been marching to a different beat - following up his prank with a serious message appealing for his parishioners to stay calm in the coronavirus crisis. In his latest broadcast Canon Jimmy McPhillips from the Holy Cross church in the Fermanagh town steered clear of any references to his weekend joke that has gone viral on the internet. On Thursday he told the Belfast Telegraph that he had introduced the Orange flute band music, pretending it was a mistake, as a "bit of craic" to cheer people up in the dark times of the pandemic. Read More And later that night he was back online with an Hour of Prayer and Reflection from his empty church, promising beforehand on social media that there would only be sacred music. But it was a service like no other as Canon McPhillips conducted what was as much as a relaxation and mindfulness class as a religious service interspersed with regular breathing exercises. He urged his online audience to "unload any negativity and negative emotions" they might be feeling due to Covid-19. He said: "We know there's a lot of fear and anxiety out there. And these poor emotions can actually compromise your entire immune system and the blood pressure can go up. "We can go into panic mode and then those irrational thoughts and behaviours take over." Canon McPhillips said that as the months of the lockdown were passing by it was all too easy for people to "get annoyed with everything and shake their fists at how terrible it all is". But he said it was also a spiritual opportunity for people to reflect on their lives and the big questions of life. The Canon said that what the authorities were urging people to do to look after their personal hygiene by washing their hands and keeping a safe distance was reducing the risk of people getting the dangerous virus. But he stressed that it was essential for people to look after what he called their "mental hygiene by slowing down, healing and quietening the mind" by taking time on their own to "re-boot their lives and get them in tune with God". To the soundtrack of a softly tinkling piano, the Canon then urged people to "close your eyes, take a breath from deep down in your stomachs for a count of six seconds, hold it for two seconds and exhale for four seconds". "Allow your feet and ankles to relax," he added. "Relax your legs and your hips and your stomach muscles. "Let your arms go limp and relax your wrists, your hands and your fingers and keep breathing in deeply and breathing out slowly." He also said that his listeners should imagine they were meeting Jesus in the Square in Lisnaskea where he would assure them they would be okay amid the coronavirus pandemic. He finished the service not with an Orange tune but rather with a song called Jesus I Give You My Love. The designs show a six-lane, 50-meter lap pool, a plunge pool with two water slides, a diving pool, and a wading pool with separate splash pad features. A new bathhouse with locker room facilities, concessions and an indoor party room is also proposed on the east side of the site. Additionally, residents will have the option of renting out private cabanas, which will be an added income source for the park district, LaLonde said. Bilateral trade hit more than US$35 billion in the first four months of this year, of which Vietnam earned US$12.7 billion from exports, a year-on-year increase of 22.1%. China is Vietnams second-largest export market, with 15.7% of the total, behind the US, which has the lions share of 24.9%. Vietnam purchased goods worth US$22.38 billion from China in the four-month period, down 1.6% year-on-year. Vietnams trade deficit with China fell to US$9.68 billion from over US$12 billion in the same period last year. The recent re-opening of a number of auxiliary border gates and crossings has helped revitalise bilateral trade. Even though the pandemic has forced countries to restrict movement, which hurt trade, Vietnam has bolstered trade activities through online channels and expanded its export markets, the ministry said. The Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE) under the MoIT and the Department of Commerce in China's Guangxi Province held the Vietnam-China online trade conference in April, with more than 150 enterprises in farm produce and foodstuff taking part. To remove bottlenecks in exports, MoIT suggested the Government allow the resumption of trade activities at all borders. Border gates and crossings already permitted to re-open include Binh Nghi, Na Hinh, Na Nua, and Po Nhung in Lang Son Province and Bac Phong Sinh and Ka Long in Quang Ninh Province. When deciding upon the re-opening of other gates, authorities in border localities have been asked to consider the current circumstances while giving priority to disease prevention and control. SACRAMENTO, Calif. Hundreds of protesters rallied outside the state Capitol on Saturday to protest against Californias stay-at-home orders even as residents entered the Memorial Day weekend with newly expanded options for beachgoing, barbecuing and shopping. The rally to demand that Gov. Gavin Newsom lift his restrictions on business, religious gatherings and other activities took on the atmosphere of a political rally and festival on a closed-off street. California Highway Patrol officers closed the Capitol lawn to demonstrators, so speakers addressed the crowd from the back of a flatbed truck as an airplane flew above towing a banner with a picture of Newsom and the words "End his tyranny!" Protesters waved dozens of flags and signs, many in support of President Donald Trump. Few people wore masks and there was little room for social distancing on the sidewalk or closed-off street. Protesters gathered outside the "Liberty Fest" rally in front of California State Capitol, Saturday, May 23, 2020, in Sacramento, Calif., to protest Gov. Gavin Newsom's Stay At Home Order to stem the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Cuneyt Dil)AP "The mental and emotional impact cannot even be fathomed," said Nita Brady, 68, of Modesto, who added that she was angry that two of her granddaughters missed their middle school and high school graduations. "I think it's absolutely ludicrous to shut down the schools and especially for the length that they did," she said. Stay-at-home restrictions eased across much of the state. Some 45 of 58 counties have received permission to reopen most stores at least for curbside pickups and many public spaces by meeting state standards for controlling the coronavirus. Some saw it as a safety test as the state prepared to celebrate its first major holiday weekend since a statewide order in mid-March clamped down on all but essential trips and businesses. Social distancing practices have been cited as the main reason rates of deaths and hospitalizations have slowed in many counties, and people were urged to keep their masks on and their guard up while enjoying recently reopened bike paths, hiking trails and beaches. Many Southern California beaches were open only for swimming, running and other activities. Sunbathing and group activities such as volleyball were prohibited. Police, lifeguards and other officials were warning people to remember the seriousness of the virus as they enjoy their new freedom. "Don't go crazy and stay out all weekend. Don't get as close as you can to as many people," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "Don't go out without a mask. You see people without masks, avoid them." "It's also something that just saves more lives, including, perhaps, your own," he said. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. Los Angeles County, the state's largest with 10 million people, has been hardest-hit by COVID-19, with more than 44,000 cases and nearly 2,100 deaths. However, hospitalization and increased testing, which allows for quicker identification, treatment and isolation of people who tested positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts, helped slow the spread of infections, health officials said Saturday. The county reopened beach bike paths and some beach parking lots. Dozens of counties also got the go-ahead to allow some restaurants, which have survived on deliveries and takeout orders, to reopen limited seating. The state is still seeing troubling COVID-19 flare-ups, however. Imperial County, across the border from Mexico, has seen a surge. In Northern California, Santa Cruz County's public health officials were investigating four separate clusters of COVID-19 cases involving family gatherings, including a multi-generational Mother's Day party and a large gathering involving individuals who traveled from out-of-state. Avoiding temptation might be difficult, however, with temperatures heating up over the weekend, reaching into the 90s and even 100 degrees (38 Celsius) in some inland valleys by Sunday. Traffic started to back up as drivers searched for parking along Huntington Beach and there were plenty of beachgoers lingering on the sand. In San Francisco, officials drew large chalk "social distancing" circles on the grass at parks to show people where to sit. Dolores Park has seen large masses of people on sunny weekends, prompting Mayor London Breed to warn that she would shut it down if people weren't more responsible. Some popular getaway communities, which are suffering economically after more than two months of business shutdowns and stay-away crowds, welcomed visitors. Big Bear Lake, a couple of hours northeast of Los Angeles, said officials won't enforce the governor's COVID-19 safety orders. But South Lake Tahoe in the northern Sierra Nevada and Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern Sierra urged non-residents to stay away, concerned that swarms of tourists might spur more COVID-19 cases and overwhelm their medical systems. "We would love nothing more than to welcome everyone to Tahoe right now, but that's not the safest way to bring people back," City Manager Joe Irvin said in a statement. "We need to be responsible and make sure we are doing our part to keep our neighbors safe and Tahoe safe." The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office warned that its beaches would be closed except for a few hours in the morning and strongly discouraged tourism from the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Valley and Sacramento areas. North of San Francisco, Humboldt County, home to several parks with majestic redwood trees, was open for residents only. The county was among the first in the state to get the governor's green light to open up restaurants and stores, but took a more cautious approach to reopening when it saw a surge of new cases and the first two deaths. "Do not travel into our county," Sheriff William Honsal said in a video Thursday. "People want to come here, find relief because the temperatures are rising in the valley, coming to the coast, coming to the beach. We ask those people that are from another county to please stay in your county." _____ Associated Press writers Julie Watson in San Diego, John Antczak, Robert Jablon and Frank Baker in Los Angeles, Juliet Williams in San Francisco and Martha Mendoza in Santa Cruz contributed to this report. Concerns are growing over the delay in providing home schooling laptops for pupils who have no access to online learning in Northern Ireland. Nine weeks after schools closed to pupils, around 3,000 laptops have now been sourced, but Education Minister Peter Weir has indicated that as many as 24,000 new laptops would be needed to meet demand. "It's to be welcomed the Department is taking measures to provide laptop access for pupils who are in need of the hardware," said Gerry Murphy, Northern Secretary of teaching union INTO. "It's unfortunate that it took so long for this to happen, but we all have to accept that everyone was caught unawares by the crisis. "Children who currently have no access will get access and though there is a lot of schoolwork they could have been doing, by September time, when we enter a phase of blended learning, they will hopefully have the equipment they need to continue their education. "While laptops will be helpful, we have to remember that this is no substitute for learning in the classroom under the guidance of a teacher. That has to be the main aim," he said. Read More Justin McCamphill, NASUWT National Official Northern Ireland, said that now progress has been made, it is essential the equipment gets to those who need it most. A spokesperson for the Department of Education said it anticipates having around 3,000 new laptops available in the coming weeks. "In a recent DE survey over half of schools who were using online learning reported that all pupils had the resources they required to access online learning. A quarter of schools reported also that they were lending devices to pupils. Nevertheless, the Department is aware that some young people do not have sufficient access to technology to support their learning. "In response, the Education Minister has agreed a process to lend digital devices including laptops and tablets to those children who would benefit most." Research of the University of Jyvaskyla demonstrate that the characteristic zig-zag pattern on a viper's back performs seemingly opposing functions during a predation event. At first, the zig-zag pattern helps the snake remain undetected. But upon exposure, it provides a conspicuous warning of the snake's dangerous defense. Most importantly the zig-zag can also produce an illusionary effect that may hide the snake's movement as it flees. The research, published in Animal Behaviour 164 (2020), reveals how a single color pattern can have multiple effects during a predation event, thereby expanding the discussion on protective coloration and anti-predator adaptations. Protective coloration is one of the simplest but most effective tools that prey species use to evade predators. Typically, different color patterns are useful at different stages of a predation event. Some color patterns are cryptic, obscuring the prey from being detected -- think chameleons. Other patterns are aposematic, which blatantly advertise a warning to predators -- think wasps. Finally, some patterns can produce optical illusions to startle or confuse predators and give the prey an escape opportunity -- think zebras. But a recent series of experiments, by a team headed by Janne Valkonen and Johanna Mappes at the University of Jyvaskyla (Finland), suggests that European vipers (Vipera sp.) can achieve all three tricks with a single color pattern -- their characteristic zig-zag. At first, the zig-zag pattern helps the viper to hide. The researchers hid plasticine models of snakes with different color patterns along paths and noted how often they were detected by people walking the trail. Models with the zig-zag pattern were detected less often than plainly colored models. This is the first confirmation that the viper's zig-zag pattern provides a cryptic function. But even if the viper is detected, the zig-zag can still work its magic -- instead of hiding the snake, the pattern now functions to make it more obvious. Previous research has already established that the pattern warns predators about the snake's dangerous bite. The rapid flickering from the zigs and zags of a fleeing snake can produce a a 'flicker-fusion effect' to mammalian predators The most significant contribution from Dr. Janne Valkonen's study deals with a particular class of illusion generated by the zig-zag pattern. Just as how a rapid series of still pictures can produce a smooth animation, the rapid flickering from the zigs and zags of a fleeing snake can produce a solid shape. Team measured the speed of fleeing snakes and calculated the flicker rate of the zig-zag. To an observer, a rapidly changing stimulus (such as a moving zig-zag, or spinning helicopter blade) is perceived as continuous if the flicker rate exceeds a threshold in the visual system. The researchers found that the zig-zag moved quickly enough to produce such a 'flicker-fusion effect' to mammalian predators, although the quicker eyes of a raptor won't be fooled. The effect of this illusion may change the appearance of the moving snake, making it harder to catch. So, like a skilled illusionist, the viper hides by revealing. The viper's zig-zag seems to be a simple pattern, but it is a masterful illusion that can hide, reveal, and paradoxically achieve both at the same time. Similarly, this research resolves theoretical tensions between apparently opposing functions of color patterns. That is, crypsis and aposematism seem mutually exclusive: one is meant to blend an animal into its surroundings, the other to make it stand out. However, through the magic of movement and optics, both functions can be gained through the same pattern at different stages in the predation sequence. Furthermore, the one-to-many aspect of the zig-zag to its antipredator functions implies a far broader scope for the evolution of color patterns and antipredator adaptations than simple one pattern-to-one function relations. By Dania Nadeem (Reuters) - Evofem Biosciences Inc's birth control gel received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval on Friday, making it the first non-hormonal contraceptive for women in over three decades, sending its shares up 3.6%. By Dania Nadeem (Reuters) - Evofem Biosciences Inc's birth control gel received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval on Friday, making it the first non-hormonal contraceptive for women in over three decades, sending its shares up 3.6%. The company said earlier in May it was looking to price the contraceptive gel, Phexxi, between $250 and $275 for a box of 12 packs. Phexxi's launch will, however, be delayed to the first week of September due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the company said. The gel is a rare new addition to the $5.5 billion U.S. contraceptive market, which is dominated by male condoms and hormonal birth control pills for women, known to cause a host of side effects such as bleeding between periods, mood swings and nausea. The only non-hormonal contraceptive in the market has been the copper-based intrauterine devices, such as Cooper Surgical's ParaGard, which are often associated with bleeding and cramps, causing many to remove the implants within the first year. The failure rate for male condoms is 13%, for hormonal pills it's 7% and less than 1% for intrauterine devices, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinical trials have found that Phexxi, which works by creating a hostile environment for the survival of sperm, has a 13.7% failure rate in preventing pregnancies. The gel could bring in peak sales of $500 million by 2030, according to HC Wainwright analyst Raghuram Selvaju. Phexxi, to be applied in the vagina using an applicator up to one hour before sex, has also been found to increase sexual satisfaction in female trial participants, likely due to the lubrication provided by the gel. It is being studied for prevention of sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhea in women. (Reporting by Dania Nadeem, Saumya Sibi Joseph and Trisha Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The young mistress of a top police employee at the centre of a sex scandal has revealed the very intimate secrets behind their affair - including a 'love shack' in his apartment. Sarah Colja was just 21 years-old when she started an illicit relationship with her boss John Purcell, a senior executive in the Western Australian Police. The office affair soon became 'toxic', with workplace sex happening almost every day behind his partner's back, and they even hooked up at his private apartment. Their daughter, now four, was conceived in the middle of the working day in a Perth park, she claimed. The father-of-four, who at 54 was more than 30 years her senior, has since been demoted - but still works for the police force and is appealing the decision. Speaking about where they would 'rendezvous' for sex during work hours, she said: 'Literally everywhere. Ms Colja, 31, (pictured) described the relationship with Mr Purcell, who was her boss and more than 30 years her senior, as 'f***ed up and toxic' 'His apartment on Hay Street had a storage room and we turned the little storage room into our little love shack.' John Purcell (pictured) was demoted last year after the sex scandal came to light Speaking to the West Australian in a wide-ranging interview, Ms Colja explained they would go 'anywhere' within 10km of their office during the middle of the day for the illicit sex sessions. She claimed he always wanted to stay close to the office in case his wife called. They also used a 'secret language' to organise the hook-ups on work emails, so the affair could go undetected. '(Internal affairs) wouldnt have understood the emails, there would be a lot more than they wouldve identified,' Ms Colja claimed. She went on to list the Perth parks where they had sex, even using a Maylands park on the day their young daughter was conceived. Ms Colja (pictured, who was 21 when she took the job at WA Police, claimed they had sex in local parks in the middle of the working day, as well as in his private apartment During an email audit, more than 23,700 personal emails were found between the pair - as well as a dozen explicit photos of Ms Colja 'nude, semi-nude or wearing only underwear'. Some of the emails were the pair arranging to meet up for 'intimate liaisons', according to court documents. Ms Colja said the affair began as a seemingly-innocent friendship, with him becoming her workplace mentor. She had seen him as a 'role model' and wanted to learn from him, she explained. Now a single mum, she has previously released other details of the 'toxic' five-year affair, saying she wanted to show other women they were 'more than just another name'. Ms Colja (pictured) was a 21-year-old university graduate when the workplace affair began in 2011 A second investigation has been launched into Mr Purcell, who was assistant director in the Office of Information Management in the WA police. He was demoted last year after an email audit found thousands of personal messages between him and Ms Colja. Ms Colja was a 21-year-old university student working as an administration assistant under Mr Purcell at the time. The emails were evidence of their affair, which took place between 2011 and 2017. The WA Police Commissioner has now opened a new investigation into Mr Purcell after Ms Colja alleged he used his 'position of power' to 'control' her throughout their 'toxic' relationship. Sarah Colja (pictured) said she now suffers panic attacks in office environments and has struggled to work John Purcell, who was in his 50s, was in a relationship with another WA Police employee when the affair began Details of the affair were made public when Mr Purcell appealed against his demotion in the WA Industrial Relations Commission. In the appeal, his counsel argued the demotion was 'harsh and unfair', with Mr Purcell claiming he had tried to end the affair and sought counselling from his church in 2017 and 2018 over the incident. They added their client had an 'unblemished record previously' and had taken 'actions to redeem himself'. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Colja described the relationship as 'f***ed up and toxic'. Mr Purcell was in a relationship with another WA Police employee when the affair began. Ms Colja said it was when she told him she was pregnant with their daughter (pictured, together) that the relationship fell apart Soon after Ms Colja began working for the force she was granted access to his office so the pair could have sex during their work day. His partner - who is now his wife - worked next door during their midday romps. 'We were acting like young teenagers making out in cars and all that,' Ms Colja said. They used their work emails to arrange secret meet-ups. Ms Colja would also send explicit photos of herself to Mr Purcell's work email to avoid his partner from finding out about their relationship. She said she fell in love with Mr Purcell and at the time believed he was also in love with her. 'I thought that somebody in his position must be a good person. John Purcell (pictured) has slid down the WA Police Force's ranks after an internal audit uncovered a scandalous affair with a younger colleague 'I believed him in a lot of ways because he was older. 'Looking back, I don't know if he was in love with me or if he was going through a mid-life crisis.' The affair continued from 2013 to 2016, even after Ms Colja left the force. But after years of sneaking around, the relationship turned sour. Ms Colja, now 31, said it was when she told him she was pregnant that the relationship fell apart. Mr Purcell has no relationship with the couple's four-year-old daughter, Ms Colja said. Sarah Colja (pictured) became pregnant during a romp in the middle of the day in a park, but Mr Purcell has no contact with his daughter 'Looking back and having grown up, I do realise his position of power did have a big play in how he could manipulate the situation. I was treated like crap for being in love, all while trying to create a career for myself. 'Enough people knew about it, especially the higher-ups in his circle, that I was known as the ''hussy'' at work. And him being in the position of power he was, he had the power to move me to different floors or offices.' Ms Colja, who has a Bachelor's Degree in Communications, has struggled to secure work in the aftermath of the affair. She now suffers from panic attacks while in office environments. Flash China's COVID-19 vaccine trial, the first such vaccine to reach phase 1 clinical trial, has been found to be safe, well-tolerated, and able to generate an immune response against SARS-CoV-2 in humans, according to a study published online Friday by the medical journal The Lancet. The open-label trial in 108 healthy adults demonstrates promising results after 28 days and the final results will be evaluated in six months, The Lancet said in a press statement. Further trials are needed to tell whether the immune response it elicits effectively protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection, said the medical journal. During the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly ealier this week, China pledged to make the country's COVID-19 vaccine a global public good when available. "These results represent an important milestone. The trial demonstrates that a single dose of the new adenovirus type 5 vectored COVID-19 (Ad5-nCoV) vaccine produces virus-specific antibodies and T cells in 14 days, making it a potential candidate for further investigation," said Professor Wei Chen from the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology in Beijing, China, who is responsible for the study. "However, these results should be interpreted cautiously. The challenges in the development of a COVID-19 vaccine are unprecedented, and the ability to trigger these immune responses does not necessarily indicate that the vaccine will protect humans from COVID-19. This result shows a promising vision for the development of COVID-19 vaccines, but we are still a long way from this vaccine being available to all," said Chen. The authors note that the main limitations of the trial are its small sample size, relatively short duration, and lack of randomized control group, which limits the ability to pick up rarer adverse reactions to the vaccine or provide robust evidence for its ability to generate an immune reaction. Further research will be needed before this trial vaccine becomes available to all. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial of the Ad5-nCoV vaccine has been initiated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan to determine whether the results can be replicated, and if there are any adverse events up to six months after vaccination, in 500 healthy adults-250 volunteers given a middle dose, 125 given a low dose, and 125 given a placebo as a control, according to The Lancet. For the first time, this will include participants over 60 years old, an important target population for the vaccine. The creation of an effective vaccine is seen as the long-term solution to controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, there are more than 100 candidate COVID-19 vaccines in development worldwide, according to The Lancet. "The likelihood of developing a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 that has some measurable effectiveness and does not have unacceptable side-effects is pretty high although not certain. After all, we have vaccines against most of the infectious diseases where a serious effort has been made to develop them -- most but not all," said Adam Finn, professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol. Aside from the vaccine efforts in China, researchers in Britain and the United States are also pushing forward similar trials. In April, researchers at the University of Oxford have begun vaccine trials on humans. More than 1,000 immunizations for phase 1 trial in healthy adult volunteers have been completed and follow-up is currently ongoing, according to Oxford. The phase 2 part of the study involves expanding the age range of people the vaccine is assessed in, to include a small number of older adults and children, while phase 3 will see researchers assess how the vaccine works in a large number of people over the age of 18. "The best-case scenario is that by the autumn of 2020 we have the results about the effectiveness of the vaccine from a phase 3 trial and the ability to manufacture large amounts of the vaccine," professor Sarah Gilbert from the University of Oxford told Xinhua through email in a previous interview. "But these best-case timeframes are highly ambitious and subject to change," said professor Gilbert, who is one of the scientists leading the COVID-19 vaccine development program at Oxford. The vaccine used in the Oxford trials is called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19. It is made from a virus (ChAdOx1), which is a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees, that has been genetically changed so that it is impossible for it to grow in humans. "The clinical studies are progressing very well and we are now initiating studies to evaluate how well the vaccine induces immune responses in older adults, and to test whether it can provide protection in the wider population," Professor Andrew Pollard, head of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said in a statement released Friday by Oxford. But experts are still cautious when it comes to the development of a viable vaccine. "What is more difficult to predict is how long it will take to get there and how well the vaccine(s) will work to prevent serious illness and/or prevent infectiousness and how long any such beneficial effects would last after vaccine administration," said Finn. As much as Russias dealings with its neighbors are predominantly perceived as an exercise in brandishing the good old energy weapon, Moscow has been having a hard time with its neighbors ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Having incubated political elites that have based their personal wealth on the preferential conditions provided by Russian exporters of oil or gas, Russian authorities have been having a very difficult time in having the near abroad (the term usually used for former Soviet Union nations) pay market prices. Ukraine is a splendid case in point of bilateral relations suddenly turning very sour, yet there might be another candidate in the makings, commonly known as the last dictatorship of Europe, Belarus. Heretofore Belarus had been a stable market outlet for Russian producers its refineries are configured for Russian crude, one of them even co-owned by Gazprom Neft and Rosneft, moreover Belarus is part of the Eurasian Customs Union and thus qualified for duty-free oil trade. Yet the Russian tax maneuver a set of measures created to maximize government revenue from domestic oil production, predominantly the countrys downstream utilizing the difference between USD-denominated world prices and RUB-denominated domestic prices has changed all that. The gradual decrease of oil export duties, which will be lowered by 5% every year until the zero out in 2024, hits Belarus downstream sector directly as its discount to global prices, effectively a previous Russian cross-subsidy, starts to shrink. Against this background, 2020 brought about the perfect storm in the Belarussian-Russian relation. With Moscow becoming increasingly tired of President Lukashenkos antics and according to rumors even seeking to have a more constructive partner in Minsk, the Belarussian President struck back by refusing to sign onto a new oil deal with Russia. Thus, from January 1 onwards Belarussian refineries that usually refine some 1.5 million tons of crude per month have been refining some 0.3-0.4 million tons per month instead. All the major Russian oil companies were absent from the Belarussian market as the January-March 2020 tally amounted to a mere 1.04 million tons, a 77% year-on-year decline. Threats to confiscate oil transiting to Europe, revisiting last years organic chloride contamination story all of this has been well known to Russian policymakers, yet Belarus reaction to the ongoing crude dearth went significantly beyond previous cases. The past has seen several instances when Belarus bought seaborne cargoes from non-Russian buyers. President Lukashenko has had a brief romance with Venezuela in 2011-2012 which, however, wound down completely after the passing of Hugo Chavez. Then Iran was a personal favorite for a couple of years spearheaded by the Ahmadinejad initiative to produce Iranian cars in Belarus, Belarussian refiners even bought a cargo of Iranian in 2017. Yet this time the Lukashenko reaction seems different as it gradually evolves from a one-off tour de force into a conscious policy with the Belarussian President even declaring that he would want to limit Russian supplies to 30-40% of the total and that the rest would be provided via alternatives routes. Graph 1. Belarus Russian Pipeline Crude Intake (in million tons per annum). Source: data compiled by author. Speaking of alternative routes, Belarus has exactly two. The first route is via the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda with this, the Belarussian buyers would need to rail the crude as there is no functioning pipeline to link Lithuania and Belarus. There was a fully operational Mazeikai-Novopolotsk pipeline when Russian exporters still used the non-Russian Baltic branch, yet it had not been used since 2006 and despite a recent flurry of activity around it remains unusable. The second alternative route involves the Ukrainian route the incoming vessel is to discharge at the main Ukrainian seaborne port of Odessa and using reverse flow on the Druzhba pipeline the crude is moved towards Belarus. This years seaborne deliveries have seen the usage of both, alternating in the function of the crude taken in. Related: Big Oils Best Survival Strategy The first non-Russian cargo of this year was Johan Sverdrup in January, two cargoes thereof to be precise this was not surprising in and of itself since the yield composition of Sverdrup is similar to that of Urals. The only major difference between the two lies in the Norwegian grades sulfur content because of which it is assumed to wield some premium over Urals, i.e. it is costlier to buy per se, not to speak of the rail transshipment. Then came Azeri cargoes delivered via Ukraine, IMO 2020-compliant with an even lower level of sulfur content, which seems a bit counterintuitive for landlocked Belarus that traditionally refined heavier barrels. The third piece of the diversification strategy a cargo of Saudi crude through the Baltics, with the Belarussians availing themselves of depressed differentials. The apogee of the conflict, however, will come in Belarus buying its first-ever US cargo, reportedly an Aframax-worth of Bakken from United Energy Trading. The vessel, judging by early fixtures it would be NS Captain, would arrive in the 1st decade of June to Klaipeda in Lithuania and would be then moved via rail to the Novopolotsk Refinery. Coming after months of US courting of Belarus (including a Mike Pompeo visit and a forthcoming reinstatement of a diplomatic mission), this will be by far the lightest crude Belarus has ever taken. Further oddity to see Belarus buying US crude is that it happens in May 2020 of all times, when US crude exports to Europe have reached their lowest level since August 2017. All this takes place against the background of Moscow and Minsk already agreeing on the details of 2020 supplies and one need not be a clairvoyant to predict the Russian response. By Viktor Katona for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The phone doesnt stop ringing in Mikado FMs main studio in Malis capital Bamako, during the show Midikado, one of the most popular radio broadcasts in the country. "Tell me the basic protective measures you should take to protect yourself and others from the coronavirus," asks Ben Junior Kambire, the host of this quiz show intended to test the knowledge of listeners on COVID-19, while at the same time entertaining them. "Wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose," replies Salome Dembele, who is calling in from Bamako. She adds: "You must also avoid crowds, cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and seek medical attention as soon as possible when you have fever, a cough, and difficulty breathing. But before going to the doctor, you must first telephone them. "Good answer! The host says in his usual cheerful voice. Ms. Dembele, an elementary school teacher, will later receive a gift for her successful participation, like other Midikado winners. Over the years, the radio stations interactive programming has amplified peoples voices, including about their daily concerns. Mikado FM was launched in 2015 by the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali to help consolidate peace and promote harmony and coexistence following a protracted war. The station communicates with listeners in French as well as in the countrys main languages. Now with the COVID-19 pandemic, host Ben Junior Kambire has never felt more useful to his community. "Between two questions put to listeners on COVID-19, I play songs that also help raise awareness about the pandemic, and other public service messages," he explains. His colleagues, responsible for information programmes in local languages, share the same feeling. After the Midikado show, they will all come on the air to present the latest news on COVID-19 in Bambara, Songhay, Tamasheq, Fulani and Arabic. Other Mikado FM programmes are also creating public awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectif Sante is a weekly show focused on health and well-being. The shows guests include the World Health Organizations representative in Mali Dr. Jean-Pierre Baptiste and officials from the government health agencies who provide the latest news on the pandemic, as well as a psychologist focused on the mental health impacts of the crisis. The show also caters to children who are confined to their homes due to school closures. "We produce spots during which we answer children's questions on COVID-19," says Mimi Konate, another popular radio presenter. Through a show called The Coronavirus explained to Children, we explain the pandemic in a simple language that is accessible to them." The deputy director of the National Health Department, Abdoulaye Guindo, is a regular on the show. He says: "Mikado FM provides remarkable public service work through the quality of its programmes and its broad reach in our country where radio is an important media. Mikado FM does not only provide quality information; it is also very useful in dispelling rumours that are often dangerous in today's environment." Dispelling rumours and fake news Informing, but above all countering rumours and dispelling fake news: this is the objective of the programme Le vrai du faux (True from False) launched three months ago. Its host, Aboubacar Dickos hands are full dispelling the several rumours and misinformation on COVID-19 circulating on social media networks. These fake stories on the pandemic must be debunked quickly to set the record straight. "You have to stay proactive," Mr. Dicko explains while preparing for his next show. On social media, we are on the alert because rumours and misinformation are spreading faster than the pandemic." The radio station has also adopted a multimedia approach to its programmes to reach the greatest number of people during the pandemic. One recent example is the campaign Artists Against the Coronavirus with Mikado FM. Recently, renowned Malian artists, including Amadou and Mariam, Oumou Sangare, Cheick Tidiane Seck, and Ami Koita, recorded video messages in French and local languages to raise awareness about the pandemic. The video messages are disseminated on social media, and broadcast as radio spots on Mikado FM as well as on dozens of partner radio stations in different regions across the country. Mikado FM is working around the clock to ensure that communities feel they have a trusted partner as they take the appropriate individual and collective measures to contain the virus. For more information on COVID-19, visit www.un.org/coronavirus Municipal police officers wearing face masks talk to a woman, at the Promenade des Anglais, as they check that safety restrictions are being practised, after France reopened its beaches to the public as part of the softening of its strict lockdown rules - Eric Gaillard/Reuters France is to impose a quarantine on British travellers after the UK announced all new arrivals will have to spend two weeks in self-isolation. The French government made it clear it would retaliate in kind after Britain announced the 14-day quarantine period for new arrivals to the UK from June 8, including the French. In response French ministers said they regretted Britain's decision and would introduce their own reciprocal measures. The British decision to impose quarantine measures had already angered the travel industry and the French response will only compound its despair at the prospect of international travel being disrupted further. Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, announced on Friday travellers entering the UK would have to self-isolate for 14 days or they could face a 1,000 fine. Passengers will be required to fill out an online contact form providing details of where they will spend their self-isolation. If a person does not have suitable accommodation they will be required to stay in "facilities arranged by the government" at the person's own expense. It was confirmed France would not be exempt from the rules, despite reports earlier this week its citizens may not be forced to self-isolate. In response a spokesman for Frances Interior Minister said: We take note of the British governments decision and we regret it. France is ready to put in place a reciprocal measure as soon as the system comes into force on the British side. Unlike many other countries, Britain has until now carried out few tests and checks on visitors, with quarantine limited only to arrivals from China at the start of the outbreak. Spain and Italy already have rules that mean international arrivals must self-isolate for two weeks, while Greece currently instructs arrivals to quarantine if they test positive for Covid-19. Italy will lift its quarantine measures on June 3. Story continues Raffaele Trombetta, the Italian ambassador to the UK, said no discussions had yet taken place between Italy and Britain. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: We believe that this pandemic is a global problem so the best thing to do is to tackle it with a coordinated approach. We have made it clear what we are going to do and its important for British people to know that they can come to Italy. We understand that the UK's new rules will be reassessed after three weeks so hopefully there will be an easing of the measures as we are doing in Italy. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in his weekly Saturday televised address that "the entry of foreign tourists will restart in July in a safe manner". Germany imposed blanket quarantine for arrivals in April, although many regions of the country have since decided to ignore it. But there are now fears that other countries will consider introducing restrictions on British travellers, especially if our Covid-19 infections and deaths remain higher than theirs. As part of Britains quarantine regime, travellers will be asked to fill in a form with their contact information and health officials will perform spot checks to ensure they are complying with the measures. Road hauliers and medical officials will be exempt, while the common travel area with Ireland will be unaffected. Ms Patel defended the British move, stating: We are not shutting down completely. We are not closing our borders. This is absolutely not about booking holidays. We want to avoid a second wave and that is absolutely vital." But the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said the quarantine plans were deeply concerning and could be avoided with strong safety measures. The airline industry has also been particularly critical, warning they would have a damaging impact on the livelihood of thousands. Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry body Airlines UK, said: "Introducing a quarantine at this stage makes no sense and will mean very limited international aviation at best. It is just about the worst thing government could do if their aim is to restart the economy." Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) occurs in around 10-15% of pregnancies with twins that share the same placenta. Typically, this syndrome appears before 24 weeks' gestation due to abnormal vascular communications located on the surface of the placenta. As a result, blood circulation is not balanced between the two twins, dramatically decreasing their chances of survival. Fetoscopic laser photocoagulation is the most effective treatment for this syndrome and it consists of closing abnormal vascular connections located on the surface of the placenta to completely separate the circulation of blood to the two twins, thus preventing complications related to blood flow imbalance, such as death by cardiac overload, premature delivery and miscarriage. The maneuverability of the fetoscope inserted through the uterine wall of the mother and the ability to burn all vessels that require sealing depends on the proper selection of the fetoscope entry point on the surface of the intrauterine cavity. Planning the best insertion point before the operation requires a good understanding of the patient's anatomy, which can be achieved using a virtual representation of the mother's uterus, via magnetic resonance imaging. A study recently published in the advanced online edition of the journal IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging presents the first automatic method to detect and segment the intrauterine cavity via three views (axial, sagittal and coronal) of the MRI by means of artificial intelligence and deep learning techniques. A study conducted by Miguel Angel Gonzalez Ballester, ICREA research professor with the Department of Information and Communication Technologies (DTIC) at UPF, with Jordina Torrents-Barrena, first author of the study, Gemma Piella and Mario Ceresa, members of the UPF BCN MedTech Unit. Eduard Gratacos and Elisenda Eixarch, members of the Fetal i+D Fetal Medicine Research Center, BCNatal-Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Clinic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu), IDIBAPS, are co-authors of the study and responsible for the clinics. The methodology presented uses neural networks based on the new paradigm of capsules to successfully capture the interdependency of the anatomy present in the MRI, particularly for unique class instances (anatomies), such as the intrauterine cavity and/or placenta." Jordina Torrents-Barrena, first author of the paper "The method designed is based on a reinforcement learning framework that uses capsules to delimit the location of the uterus. A capsule architecture is subsequently designed to segment (or refine) the whole intrauterine cavity", Torrents-Barrena adds. The latter network encodes the most discriminatory and robust features in the image. The proposed method is evaluated by 13 performance measures and is also compared to 15 neural networks that have been previously published in the literature. "Our artificial intelligence method has been trained using magnetic resonance imaging from 71 pregnancies", Torrents-Barrena affirms. "Having a three-dimensional representation allows us to evaluate different entry points and choose the one that offers the best visibility of all placental vessels with the slightest movement", comments Elisenda Eixarch, co-author of the study. "Undoubtedly, the application of this technology will allow us to move towards safer, more precise surgery", she adds. On average, the methodology presented obtains a segmentation performance of over 91% for all tests and comparisons, highlighting the potential of this approach for use in the daily clinical practice as a surgical planning method. Since the early days of the pandemic, we have noted that an economy seriously damaged by prolonged lockdowns would be very bad for public health. In our first Power Line VIP program following the lockdowns, Steve pointed to robust research regarding the adverse health effects of major economic downturns. Since then, many others have made the same point. Even some liberals seem finally to be recognizing this reality. Writing in the Washington Post, Secretary of HHS Alex Azar presents some of the most compelling data on the subject. Here are key excerpts Estimates suggest that each one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate translates into a 1 percent increase in suicide deaths and a more than 3 percent increase in opioid deaths, which means this virus-induced recession will likely cause tens of thousands of excess deaths. One study of the 1982 recession found that Americans who faced higher unemployment suffered approximately 40,000 excess deaths by age 65 as well as more divorces and having fewer children. Shortening this economic crisis through a safe reopening could save thousands of lives. . . . The covid-19 response has also restricted access to health care. Data suggests the numbers of Americans receiving important preventive services are down significantly, with mammograms down 87 percent and colonoscopies down 90 percent. More than 1.7 million new cancer cases are diagnosed per year in the United States. If were seeing an 80 percent drop in cancer cases identified, approximately, we could already have 200,000 or more undiagnosed cancer cases as a result. According to Medicare data, breast cancer surgeries are down approximately two-thirds since January. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found that vaccine administrations were down approximately 60 percent from early January to mid-March; that puts millions of American infants and children at risk for serious illnesses. Forgoing all of these services also devastates our health-care system and the front-line heroes who have kept it running. Many health-care workers have been furloughed, and hospitals are seeing as much as 60 percent revenue declines from the cancellation of elective procedures. Hospitals in rural America operate on about a 2 percent to 3 percent profit margin, and urban hospitals have about a 5 percent to 6 percent margin. Extended disruption to our health-care system may permanently close some institutions, with lasting impacts on access to care, especially where access is a challenge already. Americans are rightly concerned about the risks of covid-19 just as theyre frustrated about their inability to return to normal life. Its because we care about Americans health and well-being above all that we have to safely reopen our country. We cannot allow the virus to impose intolerable costs in terms of drug, suicide and alcohol deaths; forgone health care; and more lost jobs. The title of Azars op-ed is We have to reopen for our health. I think thats right. NEW HAVEN A 43-year-old man was shot on Grand Avenue Friday night, according to New Haven police. Capt. Anthony Duff said officers responded to Grand Avenue near its intersection with Maltby Place soon after 8:30 p.m. They found the man suffering from a gunshot wound to the lower leg that was not life-threatening, Duff said. He was transported to the hospital for treatment. Investigators believe the incident occurred in the area of Grand Avenue and Poplar Street, Duff said. He asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the New Haven Police Department at 203-946-6304. Three other men were shot in Fair Haven Thursday afternoon. One of the men, Roberto Rivera, 34, a city resident, died. His death is being investigated as the fourth homicide of the year in New Haven. New Haven police report that, as of May 10, 22 people had been shot in the city this year, including four in roughly the month prior. That was down from 27 and seven during the same period in 2019. Incidents of shots fired were up this year, 65 compared to 57. Homicides were up as of May 10, three to one. Police Chief Otoniel Reyes noted this week that trend would soon even, as two people were killed during this period of time in 2019. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com Expressing concern over the increased violence against religious minorities in India, a panel of experts at a virtual Congressional briefing has urged the US government to implement the recommendations of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The USCIRF, in a non-binding report last month, recommended the State Department to designate India as a country of particular concern, along with 13 other nations -- Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Nigeria, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam. Taking a strong objection to the USIRF report, India rejected its criticism, terming its observations on the condition of the minorities and religious freedom in the country as "biased and tendentious". "We reject the observations on India in the USCIRF annual report. Its biased and tendentious comments against India are not new. But on this occasion, its misrepresentation has reached new levels," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said. "It has not been able to carry its own commissioners in its endeavour. We regard it as an organisation of particular concern and will treat it accordingly," he said. On Thursday, Indian-American Muslim Council (IAMC) organised the Congressional briefing titled USCIRF Recommendations on India - The Next Steps, which was addressed by a panel of invited experts. In her keynote address, Nadine Maenza, vice-chair of the USCIRF, noted with alarm the social and economic boycott of Muslims in some parts of the country as well as discrimination against Muslims in the context of medical treatment during the global pandemic, the IAMC said in a statement on Friday. Dr Harrison Akins, South Asia policy analyst with the USCIRF, alleged that the ruling BJP is using the symbols of Hinduism and policies aimed at their protection as weapons against the minority communities in their quest to further marginalise the religious minorities and shape a Hindu nation. Francisco Bencosme, Asia Pacific Advocacy Manager of Amnesty International USA, expressed concern over activists imprisoned for peaceful dissent, mentioning Safoora Zargar, a pregnant student arrested in connection with an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in New Delhi. While the world faces a global pandemic, India has decided that now is the time to attack religious freedom, he alleged. The event was organised in association with the International Christian Concern and Hindus for Human Rights. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NIA on Saturday arrested a man from Hyderabad for alleged involvement in trafficking of women from Bangladesh to India for sexual exploitation, an official said. Justin alias Abdul Salam, 47, the key conspirator in the cross-border human trafficking racket case, was involved in running brothels at various places in Hyderabad and other parts of India, he said. The case, registered by the NIA last year under the relevant provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Immoral Traffic Act, pertains to the trafficking of people from Bangladesh to various cities in India including Hyderabad for sexual exploitation, the official said. Justin along with his associates conspired to bring girls illegally from Bangladesh through a well-organised network of agents in Bangladesh and India for engaging them in prostitution, the NIA said. In the case, three Bangladeshi nationals Mohd. Yousuf Khan, Bithi Begum and Sojib Shaik, and one Indian national, Ruhul Amin Dhalli, have already been arrested and a charge sheet against them was filed in March this year, the premier investigation agency said. Searches were conducted at Justin's ancestral and rented houses, and "incriminating" documents have been recovered, it said. Two young women were also rescued from Justin's house during the searches. They had been illegally trafficked into India a few months ago from Bangladesh for sexual exploitation through his associates, it said. Further investigation in the case is going on, the NIA added. Were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle faking their image by hiding their unhappiness before Megxit? Prince Harry and Meghan always make sure that they project themselves rightfully whenever they are in public. Such a move is truly moving, especially since they had been the subject of scrutiny of the British tabloids before their royal exit. Despite that, however, royal commentators observed how the two previously masked themselves with happy faces when they were still part of The Firm even though they were not happy at all. In her recent interview with Nine.com.au, royal biographer Katie Nicholl recalled the time when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex started their tour to South Africa -- which was featured in an ITV special documentary. During that time, things were not happening according to their plans as they struggled with unwanted and negative media attention. Nicholl pointed out that Meghan "made everything look easy" even when nothing was easy for her in the first place. "They projected a very happy image of themselves - Meghan and Harry - but scratch beneath the surface and all wasn't what it seems," Nicholl disclosed. "They were both unhappy, Meghan particularly, there were big parts of her new life that she was finding hard to adjust to." In the same ITV documentary, royal watchers noticed how miserable the two looked like, and royal biographer Angela Levin seconded this observation. "I think he feels and looks incredibly miserable and unhappy," Levin said. "Meghan is unhappy too, and it seems incredibly sad that they can't seem to help each other at the moment." Prince Harry would always flaunt his sunny character as a royal prince. However, everything seemed to have changed prior to the documentary. In fact, some eagled-eye royal watchers described him as a "sad prince" in some sightings during their tour. In one photo where Meghan wore a hijab, Prince Harry looked unhappy while she was all smiles. One netizen took notice and said, "What a mistake Harry! Just look at his face." "Thats one unhappy chappy on the right," another one wrote. Prince Harry, Meghan Finally Free! Although the royal commentators pointed out the times they noticed the couple's unhappiness, there was one point in the ITV documentary where Meghan finally opened up how she was struggling due to the demands of being a royal. "I have said for a long time to H-that's what I call him-It's not enough to just survive something, right? That's not the point of life. You've got to thrive, you've got to feel happy. I really tried to adopt this British sensibility of a stiff upper lip. I really tried," Meghan tearfully said. Everything has changed when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to step down as senior royal members. In their first post-Megxit appearance, the happiest photograph of the two were captured. When the royal couple attended the Endeavour awards at Mansion House in London, royal photographer Samir Hussein snapped the two as they stepped out arm-in-arm and walked through the rain. "I spoke to some of their team, and they were really happy about it and talking about it," Hussein told Us Weekly, referring to the image where Meghan and Harry gazed and smiled at each other in the rain. As every state in the nation reopens to some degree, Oregonians -- just like everyone else -- are struggling to figure out whats safe and whats not in this new world of COVID-19. Should we be worried about dining in at a restaurant? Working out at a gym? Going to church? Using a public restroom? Riding in an elevator? The questions suddenly became relevant when Gov. Kate Brown rescinded her statewide stay-at-home order May 15 and gave the green light for what now amounts to 34 of Oregons 36 counties to reopen dine-in restaurants and bars, gyms, hair and nail salons, barber shops and shopping malls. Washington County has applied and hopes to get approval to open June 1. That would leave Multnomah County as the only one in the state that hasnt yet entered Phase 1 of the states reopening plans. The biggest thing to remember before venturing forth: Many people spreading the virus appear perfectly healthy, so a strategy of simply avoiding people who look sick wont work. Some studies have found that anywhere from 44% to 62% of people infected with the disease got it from someone who hadnt yet -- or never did -- show symptoms. Thats why mask-wearing, good ventilation with outside air and staying as far away as you can from others ideally well over the 6 feet recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- are all crucial, says Richard Corsi, a Portland State University dean who has been researching airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus. Nine feet is a lot better than 6 feet, 12 feet is better than 9 feet. Theres no magic shield that goes up when you get 6 feet away from a person, said Corsi, who also is president of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate. Spreaders expel the virus in microscopic aerosolized droplets through breathing and talking. The closer you are and the more time you spend near someone shedding the virus, the more likely you are to breathe it in at higher concentrations, Corsi said. Clearly, a lot of Americans are deeply concerned about the dangers. Of respondents to a recent poll, only about half whod said they used to go out to restaurants, exercise in gyms and travel regularly said they would be comfortable doing so again anytime soon. But not every setting poses the same risk. The Oregonian/OregonLive asked Corsi and other experts about the safety of going out in Oregon today. Heres what they -- and the latest body of scientific studies -- say: DINE-IN RESTAURANTS AND BARS Seating configurations and table placements have changed in restaurants across Oregon, in response to the novel coronavirus.Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian Part of the problem with dining out is that customers cant wear masks while eating. That, coupled with indoor spaces gives many experts pause. A study published in the CDCs Emerging Infectious Diseases journal documents how a diner who hadnt yet shown symptoms ended up infecting nine people, including some who were sitting at different tables more than 6 feet away, at a large restaurant in Guangzhou, China. The restaurants air conditioning system was credited with moving the virus about in the enclosed space. The study has led many experts to call for restaurants to reconfigure their ventilation systems or open doors and windows to create cross ventilation. Even better: Serving patrons on decks, patios or sidewalks outside, where the risks drop dramatically. The Oregon Health Authority is requiring restaurants and bars to space tables at least 6 feet apart. Employees also must wear face coverings. Tables, seats and menus must be disinfected between each group of customers. Read the full guidelines here. Professor Chunhuei Chi, the director of the Center for Global Health at Oregon State University, said its generally safer for Oregonians to dine out if they live in counties with a relatively low number of cases or no cases at all. But even then, dining out could be risky because people -- and the virus along with them -- travel across county borders. The general public should not have a false sense of security, Chi said. Chi said for those who do choose to eat out, its a good idea to first call ahead and get a sense of how meticulous the restaurant is about sanitation and reducing occupancy so customers arent packed in. He said restaurants in Taiwan, which he has studied as a success story in beating back COVID-19, check the temperature of guests and spray their hands with alcohol upon arrival. PUBLIC RESTROOMS Public restrooms can be problematic for the spread of germs. (Staten Island Advance/File photo)si advance Many experts say its a good idea to avoid public restrooms if possible because theyre often small enclosed spaces with poor ventilation and can be frequently used by other members of the public. One study found that large numbers of microorganisms are shot into the air and contaminate the sides of a restroom stall by toilet flushing. If youre out at a restaurant and just need to clean your hands before eating, hand sanitizer might be a smarter choice. But Corsi, the PSU airborne transmission researcher, said it wont always be possible to avoid public restrooms while out and about. If you have to go inside one, wait until no one else is there. Also, wear a mask, use a paper towel to open doors or use the faucet and wash your hands. Public restrooms are not good places during this pandemic, Corsi said. Id try to avoid them as much as possible. GYMS Cardio classes increase the amount of virus expelled into the air, experts say. (Staten Island Advance/Irving Silverstein/File photo) Staff-Shot Because going to the gym so often involves heavy huffing and puffing that expels much greater amounts of the virus than normal breathing, many experts say smaller, enclosed gyms are a riskier spot to frequent. A study published in the Emerging Infectious Disease journal looked at people believed to have been infected at 12 gyms in South Korea. Researchers traced 112 infections to one intense, four-hour-long training class for fitness instructors, none who were showing any symptoms at the time of a February class. They then went on to spread the virus to gym-goers while leading 50-minute, highly aerobic dance classes with as many as 22 people in the room. Interestingly, an infected instructor who taught yoga and Pilates classes with up to eight students in the room ended up spreading the virus to none of them. Corsi said increasing outdoor air flow -- either by opening doors or adjusting ventilation systems that have that capability -- is especially important in health clubs. So is sanitizing equipment between users. Corsi, a self-described gym rat, said hes making a tough choice in his own life for now: Its not an environment that Im going back into any time soon. The Oregon Health Authority has released four pages of guidance about how gyms should proceed with reopening -- including a focus on maintaining at least six (6) feet of physical distance between people, closing saunas and pools and keeping a log of times and dates of gym users visits so they can be contacted if an outbreak occurs. CHURCHES The days of packed churches are over, for the foreseeable future. (Mark Felix, MLive.com/File photo) Outbreaks have been traced to a concerning number of religious settings. In March, two members of an Arkansas church ended up infecting 61 fellow church-goers or others linked to the congregation. Four died. At least 71 people linked to a Sacramento-area church came down with COVID-19 by early April after church services closed but many members continued to meet in violation of Californias stay-at-home order, public health officials said. CDC guidelines suggest halting the practices of hand-holding during services and passing around the collection basket (but its OK to place the basket in a stationary spot). In Catholic churches, the agency recommends placing the Holy Communion in parishioners hands, not on their tongues. But even with social distancing measures, the disease has still surfaced. Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Houston closed May 14 and has advised all of its parishioners to get tested in an attempt to identify if an outbreak is underway. A day earlier, a 79-year-old priest from the Texas church died from a suspected case of COVID-19. His death occurred 11 days after services there had reconvened under a requirement to wear masks. Attendance never exceeded 179 people in the 900-person sanctuary for Sunday Masses. Since the priests death, five members of his religious order have tested positive for the disease, including two other priests who actively participated in Masses. Under Oregons Phase I, groups of 25 or fewer people are allowed to gather if they maintain at least 6 feet from others outside their households. Corsi said making sure people are spaced out, disinfecting surfaces and increasing airflow from the outdoors will all lower the risk. He also agrees with the decisions some churches, like those in Germany, are making: No singing. The vibration of the vocal cords while singing releases increased amounts of virus in both large and microscopic droplets, he said. You dont want to be in an indoor environment with a lot of people singing, he said. Case-in-point, 52 of 61 people who attended a March choir practice in Mount Vernon, Wash., about 60 miles north of Seattle, came down with the disease. Two of them died. HOLY COMMUNION A pastor distributes communion wafers on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020.Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com Whether a minister can safely give Holy Communion when it means standing within 2 or 3 feet of parishioners is a vexing question. John Kowalczyk, who spent his career working for state and federal public health agencies before retiring, was elated when he learned that Masses at his Portland church are restarting this weekend He was greatly troubled, however, upon learning about guidelines from the Archdiocese of Portland, which state that people who dont share a household must maintain 6 feet of distance from each other but that doesnt apply to priests during Communion. Parishioners also have the option of receiving Communion in their hands or on their tongues, according to the archdioceses guidelines. Those who choose the tongue will be asked to wait at the back of the line and priests who end up touching parishioners during this process have been told to sanitize their hands before continuing. Kowalczyk said he worries that even if priests dont touch parishioners mouths, the virus still will be expelled onto their hands. If youre within an inch or two of the orifices that emit the virus, youre going to get the virus on your fingers, Kowalczyk said. Youre going to get a full blast. Kowalczyk also believes other procedures within the church need to be more stringent. That includes requiring face coverings of all church-goers, not just recommending it, to reduce the cloud of potential virus exhaled into the sanctuary. Because his pastor will be within a few feet of parishioners during Communion, Kowalczyk said he offered him a higher-quality N95 mask, but his pastor refused, explaining he didnt want to deprive a medical worker of such a mask. Kowalczyk said he now plans to offer his pastor a KN95 mask that he ordered in the mail, and Kowalczyk hopes hell accept it. WORKPLACES Researches say offices will need to reduce crowding in the era of COVID-19. (Dan Gleiter/ dgleiter@pennlive.com / File photo) Many Oregonians have been working from home since late March if their jobs have allowed it. The governor has urged residents to continue to do so, until at least Phase II, which counties could enter in June if public health officials dont detect a resurgence in infections. Workplaces have, however, proven to be a problem because of open office plans where many employees share one space -- as well as shared breakrooms, kitchens and bathrooms. In March, more than 80 employees on the 11th floor of a call center in Seoul, South Korea, fell ill with the disease. A CDC study concluded that because few people on other floors got sick despite interactions on elevators and in the lobby, the 11th-floor employees probably became infected because of extended time spent in the shared space with sick co-workers. But employers can reduce the risks their workers face. In a paper published in March by the American Society for Microbiology, researchers from the University of Oregon recommended employers fight the spread of COVID-19 by decreasing the number of employees in a space, adjusting ventilation systems to allow more outside air flow and increasing humidity to 40% to 60% in dry environments. Thats a level believed to better inhibit the spread of the virus but not encourage mold growth. First, I think its that awareness piece: Be aware that there is a risk and then treat that risk seriously so you can reduce it, said Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg, one of the authors of the paper and the director of UOs Institute for Health in the Built Environment. Corsi, the PSU dean, said opening an office window if possible can also help. But when you do, make sure outside air is flowing in. What you dont want is air blowing from other parts of the building past you and out the window. The direction of the air flow can be determined by holding up a thin sheet of tissue and watching if it blows into the building or out. RETAIL SHOPPING Clackamas Town Center reopens Saturday, May 23, 2020, now the Gov. Kate Brown has allowed Clackamas County to enter Phase 1. (Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian/File photo)LC- The Oregonian Residents are increasingly going to have the opportunity to shop in-person. The governor as of May 15 allowed all retail stores -- with the exception of cosmetic stores -- to resume operations in every county in the state. That includes the entire Portland area. But experts caution that walking into a retail store is a lot like entering a restaurant or workplace: Theyre all enclosed spaces. Although the governor isnt requiring shoppers to wear masks, experts say they absolutely should. Brown has, however, said employees of certain businesses -- grocery stores, restaurants and retailers among them -- must wear face coverings. Some stores that have opened are leaving doors or windows open to create cross-ventilation as well as limiting the number of customers inside and wiping down keypads. Additionally, the Oregon Health Authority has given the OK for customers to try on clothes in fitting rooms. If retailers are worried about germs on clothes left behind, they can set them aside for a day or longer before putting them back out on the rack, the health authority said. Not all retailers are planning to open anytime soon. Powells Books CEO Emily Powell said in a letter to the community this past week that the company just didnt feel it was safe yet for its business model. Our aisles are meant for browsing, lingering, sharing with friends and family and strangers alike, Powell wrote. And our books are meant to be pulled from their shelves, opened, examined, considered, replaced. All of these experiences are hard to imagine in our current reality. If youre going to shop inside a store, one piece of advice experts agree on: Get what you need and dont linger. BARBER SHOPS, HAIR AND NAIL SALONS Don's Barber Shop in McMinnville reopened on Friday, May 15, 2020, the first day Gov. Kate Brown allowed it to.Dave Killen/The Oregonian The personal services industry suffered a public relations blow when a barber in New York state -- who had been cutting hair for weeks in defiance of Gov. Andrew Cuomos lockdown order -- tested positive for the virus. The Ulster County Health Department urged anyone who might have patronized the barber to get tested. But health officials didnt say what precautions -- if any -- the barber took. The Oregon Health Authority has laid out a long list, including that hair stylists and nail salon employees wear face coverings. But its not practical for customers to wear masks while getting their hair cut and that could put employees and other patrons at risk. On top of that, working on a customers hair requires the stylist to breathe over or right next to the customer. With the exception of medical-grade masks or respirators, many face coverings wont filter out significant amounts of the virus. While some homemade face coverings do a much better job, a common one -- bandanas -- filter only about 20% of particles, according to one study. Among the health authoritys other requirements: Customers must wait in cars before being called in for their appointments, they must be provided a clean cape and must be positioned at least 6 feet away from other clients. Chi, the OSU global health professor, said if you do decide you just must get a professional cut, dont touch anything you dont have to. Treat it like youre going to a clinic to see the doctor, Chi said. MORE ON OREGON PHASE 1 REOPENING: Guidance on: retail | restaurants and bars | salons and personal services | outdoor recreation | sporting events | large gatherings, including concerts and festivals ELEVATORS Riding elevators alone is thought to be one way to reduce the spread of the virus. (Douglas Hook / MassLive / File photo) Experts advise riding elevators alone or only with your household members. If youre physically able to take the stairs, do so but only if a constant stream of people arent huffing up a poorly ventilated column of stairs with you. In that case, standing stationary for 20 seconds on an elevator could be better than using the stairs. If you do choose the elevator, Chi likes to employ this clever idea he learned from Hong Kong, where many people live in towering complexes and rely on elevators: Carry a ballpoint pen with cap in your pocket and use it to press the elevators buttons. Then put the cap back on and the pen back in your pocket for next time. OUTDOOR EXERCISE, BEACHES, PARKS, CAMPING Enjoying the outdoors alone or only with members of your own household is the smart choice, experts say. Mark Graves After reading about all of the risks of enclosed spaces, heres your chance to relax and get a breath of fresh air. Experts say the outdoors are generally very safe -- and exercising in them is great for mental and physical health. The one big caveat is that if other people are nearby, you should keep your physical distance. That includes while passing people on trails even if its just for a moment. A packed stretch of beach or parkland is still best avoided. Over roughly the past week, many beaches, parks and business districts along the Oregon coast reopened to visitors -- including Seaside, Cannon Beach and Jessie Honeyman State Park. Silver Falls State Park also opened its hiking trails. Some federal recreational areas in Oregon, including in the Deschutes and Willamette national forests, also are welcoming the public again. But in light of the long Memorial Day weekend, state officials have asked residents not to travel more than 50 miles from home, in hopes of preventing people from counties with higher infection rates from crowding into communities with lower ones. Theres no word yet if that request will still be in effect come summer. Some Oregon state campgrounds are scheduled to reopen June 9. PARADES The Canby High School Marching Band was part of the 2019 Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade. (Randy L. Rasmussen / Special to The Oregonian) Because of the obvious dangers thousands of people squeezed onto Portlands sidewalks and streets would pose, the Rose Festivals Grand Floral, Junior and Starlight parades wont happen in the early days of June. Live fireworks are out, too. Instead, the Rose Festival is focusing on virtual events and a much smaller vehicle parade of dignitaries that will drive through some Portland neighborhoods. The festival refuses to say its canceled. We have postponed BUT NOT CANCELLED the 2020 Rose Festival, reads the website. Were HOPEFUL that eventually well all come out the other side of this pandemic, healthy and happy and ready to celebrate together! BBQS AND PARTIES Many have the urge to invite friends over for some grilling. What's safer? Maintaining physical distance. What's safest? Not inviting the friends at all. (Stephanie Yao Long / The Oregonian / File photo)LC- The Oregonian Experts both locally and nationally have some differing views on this one, but all agree that if you do throw a get-together, you and your guests should keep a safe physical distance from each other and keep the numbers small. Holding that bash outside makes it far less risky, especially because guests wont be wearing masks while eating or drinking. The experts differ on whether guests should bring their own food and utensils or whether its OK to use those provided by the host. Bringing your own is safer, and some experts say thats a must. But Chi, the OSU professor, said there is one circumstance where its probably fine to allow the hosts to provide food and utensils: If you know their hygiene practices -- that their handwashing, food handling and daily social distancing measures are top-notch. No one else, however, should touch or share the utensils you use. The success of a social gathering depends on everyone remaining vigilant because of the clear dangers. Officials in Deschutes County have attributed an 18% jump in new cases this past week to people from multiple different households socializing together. The governor and public health officials have set a 5% weekly increase in cases as the threshold for reconsidering whether they might yank a countys Phase 1 status, but as of Saturday the state hadnt announced any action. The governor also has limited the size of get-togethers. In Phase 1 counties, gatherings of up to 25 people with physical distancing are allowed for any reason, according to the governors recent executive order. But the order sets out different rules for residents in counties that havent reached Phase 1 status. As of Saturday, thats Multnomah and Washington counties. They can hold cultural, civic and faith-based gatherings" of up to 25 people, according to the order. But social and recreational gatherings outside the home must be limited to 10 or fewer people. And in all cases, at least 6 feet of distancing must be maintained. SUMMER CAMPS Overnight camps are prohibited for now, in Oregon. (Jamie Francis/The Oregonian /File photo)Jamie Francis/The Oregonian The Oregon Health Authority has given the OK for summer day camps to be held but has banned childrens overnight camps for the time being. It left the possibility open that overnight camps could start up later this summer depending if a large second wave of infections hits. A seven-page memo lists ways the state hopes to make day camps safer -- by requiring campers to be broken into groups no larger than 10 and requiring that the groups dont mix with other children during the day. Although the guidelines say camps should strive to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing, thats sure to be a tall order among groups of children playing games, talking and spending time together. The health authority also explicitly says child campers cant be required to wear masks. Despite Oregons green light for summer camps, some organizations clearly feel uncomfortable proceeding. The city of Portland this past week announced that all of its summer day camps are canceled, and its refunding money to parents who have already paid. The Oregon Zoo, which has been closed, also has scrubbed its camps. Parents, too, are concerned not only because children can get COVID-19 and bring it home to infect their families, but because children are no longer thought to be immune from the ravaging effects of the virus. A very small number have come down with a rare inflammatory syndrome thought to surface after children are exposed to the virus. In New York, one of the first places to identify a possible link, health officials are investigating more than 100 apparent cases and three deaths. K-12 SCHOOLS If in-person school reconvenes in the fall, it will look a lot different.Oregonian file photo by Stephanie Yao Long, 2016 School districts are watching and waiting to see how the coming weeks and months play out. Experts are, too. Theres so much to consider: Whether the aforementioned inflammatory disease will turn into a major concern and how to logistically keep 25 or more children distanced physically in classrooms that just dont have the space. Chi, the OSU professor, said some dramatic changes will be necessary to restart school and keep the coronavirus at bay. Schools have remained open in Taiwan, which is more than five times larger than Oregon but has seen a tiny fraction of the cases. Students temperatures are taken upon arrival, their hands are sprayed with sanitizer and even children as young as kindergarten are required to wear masks except at lunch, when they sit between transparent plastic barriers. Chi said if Oregon schools do open up next school year, a window should remain open in every room -- even in the winter, just like in Taiwan -- because good ventilation is so important. It might get chilly, but students and teachers can wear jackets. Increasingly, Americans need to know if we want to resume some of our activities, we have to make adaptations during this pandemic, Chi said. Because the choice is between no school or (embracing) new practices so we can have school. COLLEGE The University of Portland is seen in an Oregonian/OregonLive file photo. Higher education institutions are scrambling to come up with plans for the fall. Many, such as Portland State University and the University of Oregon, are cautiously drawing up plans in case they might resume at least some on-campus classes. Oregon State University has been more decisive, announcing earlier this month that it plans to offer in-person classes during the last few weeks of summer and into the fall. Chi, who is helping provide input for OSUs eventual reopening, said many details need to be worked out. One of them: Any class with more than 100 students will probably be taught remotely because of the greater risks of so many people congregating. Other universities have gone in the opposite direction. The largest university system in the U.S., California State University, has said it will teach all of its courses online until at least the end of fall term. Harvard Medical School also has announced its freshman class will learn remotely during fall term. AIRPLANES Who among us wasnt horrified seeing the tweet from a San Francisco doctor who boarded a flight home after treating COVID-19 patients in New York, only to find 85 percent of the seats taken? The shocked and worried doctor noted that United had promised that the middle seats would be empty. I guess @united is relaxing their social distancing policy these days? Every seat full on this 737 pic.twitter.com/rqWeoIUPqL Ethan Weiss (@ethanjweiss) May 9, 2020 Then there were the photos snapped by a Portland man who flew to Las Vegas and was dismayed to find that many of the passengers on his Southwest flight werent wearing masks despite the airlines policy that they were required. In a response to KATU, Southwest said it wouldnt deny boarding to passengers who didnt abide by the policy. So, is it safe to travel on an airplane these days? Joseph Allen, an assistant professor at Harvards T.H. Chan School of Public Health, shocked many with his editorial in The Washington Post this past week under the headline Airplanes dont make you sick. Really. Allen said airplanes use the same air filters -- HEPA filters -- that capture 99.97 percent of airborne particles and are recommended by the CDC for hospital isolation rooms. Airplane systems also change the air 10 to 12 times an hour. Thats in line with hospital isolation rooms, Allen wrote. The problem, of course, can come on a crowded flight where someone coughing or breathing near you can exhale loads of virus directly onto you. In general, if youre sitting far enough away from an infected person, I think the risks are pretty low, said Corsi, the PSU airborne transmission researcher. But if you lose the lottery and youre sitting right next to (the infected person) or in the row in front or the row right behind, that close contact puts you at significant risk. Corsi said risk also comes for those sitting in the aisle seats, particularly by the bathrooms, because infected people may frequently walk by or end up standing over your seat while waiting for the bathroom to free up. PARTING WORDS Chi, the OSU global health professor, worries Oregon isnt ready yet to encourage its more than 4 million residents to reopen, but its happening. What would make it safer is robust contact tracing and testing of close contacts -- including people with no symptoms. But Oregon public health officials say theyll only test people who are showing symptoms. On top of that, Chi said, Oregon needs housing for people who test positive, so they can isolate from others in their household. Its really not that safe yet, so its up to the public to protect themselves, Chi said. Corsi thinks we should all move cautiously, but proceed nonetheless. We cant stay at home forever, he said. I do think we have to open up our economy, ... but we have to do it in a smart way and we have to do it slowly. In my opinion, if we just open the floodgates, were going to be in big trouble and were going to be in worse shape than we were. Corsi added: The biggest thing is people shouldnt let their guard down. Use common sense. ... As we start to open up, keep your wits about you. -- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. 23.05.2020 LISTEN Mr Mathias Tulasi, the Chief Executive Officer of Literacy Ambassadors Ghana (LAG), a non-governmental literacy organisation, has said Prof. Stephen Adei's unnecessary continuous attack on Ghanaian teachers for a while now is unpleasant. Mr Mathias Tulasi said so reacting to the latest comment made by Prof. Stephen Adei for government to cut salary of teachers by 50% if they want to stay at home. Below is his full statement Democracy without education is meaningless. It is education and enlightenment that lifts a nation to the heights of progress and greatness. Ghanaian teachers are at the frontline of education and play a major part in shaping values, knowledge and skills of students. They are the pillars of nation-building process because they help to influence the next generation to become moral, responsible, and productive members of our community. They are the country's gatekeepers, opening doors to opportunities and possibilities that are beyond the foreseeable horizon. They trigger visions, develop building blocks, and catalyze actions to build the world to come. Prof. Adei should understand, Ghanaian teachers only expressed concerns about preparations that must precede the re-opening of schools. Teachers have not said anywhere that they are unwilling to return to the classroom to teach. His assertion that teachers are at home doing nothing is just one of his usual hypocrisy and attack on teachers. He should visit the homes of teachers and see for himself the amazing help they are giving to pupils as a way of engaging them in the midst of COVID-19. It surprises me, so soon Prof Adei, has forgotten how he started his career as a person. The public should understand that teachers are willing and ready to go back to work but the fact remains that we are living in an era of COVID-19 pandemic which calls for proper measures to be put in place before reopening schools across the country. It is not even scientifically prudent and wise for us to ease restrictions on public gathering at this crucial moment that our confirmed cases keep on increasing each passing day. It is surprising Prof Adei is not even current enough to know what happened in France about a week ago when the government rushed in reopening schools which resulted to seventy (70) students getting the virus. As President Nana Addo has said several times, we are not in normal times and that must guide the entire citizenry including he Prof Adei in our thinking and action towards adhering to all the outlined precautionary measures against COVID-19. It is surprising, he is not even aware that teachers though at home are doing all manner of things to promote teaching and learning. He should understand that teachers are at home but are helping students with online learning. They are using radio and television stations to educate the pupils. They are sending questions to school pupils/students to answer through various means. Some have also created WhatsApp platforms to monitor their students and send feedback to their parents respectively. Some teachers are also using this period to write interesting stories for their pupils before school reopens etc. It must be put on the record that the insensitive nature of Prof Adei to the plight of Ghanaians teachers made him to sack staff of the Ghana Christian International High School, which is owned by him in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. If age at 72, what Prof Adei can do best is to be attacking Ghanaian teachers unnecessary because he is enjoying in this current government with different portfolios then it is obvious he is just a self-seeking person. After protests in several cyclone-affected areas of West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday urged people to have patience as the administration was working tirelessly to restore water and power supply. She also denounced the "negative campaigning" against her government, saying "this is not the time to do politics". The chief minister conducted an aerial survey of the worst affected regions of South 24 Parganas district for the second consecutive day, after accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday. "We are facing four challenges at a time, COVID-19, lockdown, issues related to migrant labourers and now the cyclonic disaster," she said. After holding a review meeting at Kakdwip in the district, the chief minister said that devastation caused by cyclone Amphan is "more than a national disaster". Banerjee said that the people should understand the "ground reality" and cooperate. At the meeting, she directed the district administration to utilise local people in order to restore normalcy in the region. "Take the help of the local people. They may not be able to help you technically but at least they will be able to help you remove the posts or do some basic work... include them in the 100 days' scheme and also utilise people of self-help groups," Banerjee said in the presence of senior district officials, including District Magistrate Dr P Ulaganathan She said that the Odisha government has agreed to send personnel to help in the process of cutting trees which were uprooted during cyclone Amphan. The chief minister also directed the district magistrate to ensure that people get enough drinking water and there is no complaint about it. "There are huge losses in your district. Our challenge is to restore normalcy. Ensure that all people get drinking water. If needed, start supplying drinking water pouches" she said. She said since the state government does not have much fund, it must spend accordingly. The chief minister also said that those injured in the cyclone will get Rs 25,000 each and the state will bear expenses for their treatment. Three days after Cyclone Amphan hit West Bengal, several areas of the city are still without power and water supplies, triggering protests by residents. "There are a few areas in Kolkata where there is no electricity (after cyclone Amphan) hampering water supply. I have called up the CESC (Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation) at least 10 times. Even I do not have a proper phone network... I cannot watch television at home...," the chief minister said. "People should understand the ground reality and have patience. Some of you have started negative campaigning against the government. This is not the time to do politics," Banerjee said. Until power supply is normalised, the chief minister said, she has mooted an idea to the CESC to hire 150 generators. The CESC is a private organisation which was set up during the erstwhile Left Front government, she said. A dearth of manpower due to the lockdown has also hit restoration work, the chief minister said. "Several people have left (the city) because of the coronavirus pandemic. In some places, 25 per cent of men are working while in some places only 30 per cent are on the job. So we do not have the required manpower and because the lockdown is still on, they cannot come for work," she said. The chief minister said she has asked Firhad Hakim, Chairman of the Board of Administrators of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), to make arrangements for supplying water to areas facing water crisis due to absence of power. "Now because these days there is no load-shedding people have forgotten it. Even two days' problem has become a big trouble for the. I can understand the pain," Banerjee said. Not only in the state capital, people took to the streets demanding immediate water supply in Howrah also after which police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the protesters. A similar incident was reported from Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas. Cyclone Amphan has claimed 86 lives in West Bengal and caused havoc in at least 14 districts mainly in South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, East Midnapore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Advertisement The husband of missing mom-of-two Suzanne Morphew was paid to lay dirt at the residential building site where Colorado cops are now focusing their search after she vanished without trace on Mother's Day. Barry Morphew, 52, had worked at the Salida property laying dirt on the riverfront land, around 12 miles from the couple's home, before his wife's mysterious disappearance almost two weeks ago, the property owner told CBS4. Morphew, who made an impassioned social media video pleading for his wife's return, has said he was away on a training course for his job as a volunteer firefighter in Denver when his wife vanished. Agents from the FBI, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office were pictured Friday sifting through buckets of newly-laid dirt and rubble they had dug up from the site's ground. The Chaffee County Sheriff's Office said the search ended at 5pm Friday but it was to resume Saturday at the construction site. Scroll down for video Suzanne Morphew's husband was paid to lay dirt at the residential building site where Colorado cops (pictured) are now focusing their search for the missing mom-of-two who vanished without trace on Mother's Day Barry Morphew, 52, had worked at the Salida property (above) laying dirt on the riverfront land, around 12 miles from the couple's home, before his wife's mysterious disappearance almost two weeks ago, the property owner told CBS4 Agents from the FBI, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office were pictured Friday (above) sifting through buckets of newly-laid dirt and rubble they had dug up from the site's ground Suzanne Morphew, 49, (pictured with husband Barry Morphew) has not been heard from since May 9. A bike owned by the mother-of-two was recovered from a bridge close to her home on May 10, according to local sources. Her husband said he was out of town at the time of her disappearance Authorities said the search had shifted to the address based on 'information developed during the Suzanne Morphew missing person case'. 'In response to widespread rumors, the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office relays that Ms. Morphew has not been located and there have been no arrests in the investigation,' the Sheriff's Office said following Friday's search. A white tent was erected at the property Friday and officers were seen digging through the dirt for clues of Suzanne's whereabouts. A chunk of cement had been removed from the foundation of the property and an evidence response team truck was stationed nearby. The person who owns the property has been cooperative and is not connected to the mother's disappearance, authorities have said. Suzanne, 49, has not been heard from since May 9. A bike owned by the mother-of-two was recovered from a bridge close to her home on May 10, according to local sources the same day she was reported missing. On Tuesday, as seen in exclusive photos, cops were seen carrying evidence bags and equipment into Morphew's $1.5million three-bedroom home just outside Calida. A CSI photographer was also seen at the home, which has been taped off. Evidence bags were spotted being brought out and loaded into a van. DailyMail.com has learned it was her daughters Mallory and Macy who first raised the alarm after they were unable to get hold of her on Mother's Day as they made their way back from a camping trip in Idaho. A chunk of cement had been removed from the foundation of the property and an evidence response team truck was stationed nearby (pictured) Authorities have not said what they are looking for at the property or what it was that led them to the scene FBI agents working at the residential property Friday in the hunt for answers over the mom-of-two's disappearance FBI agents were seen with buckets sifting through material and there was an evidence response truck on the scene Friday An evidence response team truck was stationed nearby as authorities searched the property The Chaffee County Sheriff's Office said the search ended at 5p.m. Friday but that it will resume Saturday at the construction site (above) The person who owns the property has been cooperative and is not connected to the mother's disappearance Friends said they asked neighbor Jeanne Ritter, 70, to check on Suzanne when they couldn't get hold of her and it was Ritter who later called the police to report her missing. Ritter declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com. Summer Stehle, 43, the stepmother of 17-year-old Macy's best friend, said: 'The neighbors up there are spread pretty far apart but the only reason they found out [she was missing] is because the girls called the neighbors and said, ''we never heard from Mom can you go check on her?'' 'Nobody actually saw her on her bicycle, sadly.' Police crime scene investigators and plain clothes detectives have searched the home of missing Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew on Tuesday. Pictured: The $1.5 million home of Morphew's Exclusive photos show cops carrying evidence bags and equipment into her $1.5 million three-bedroom home just outside Salida, Colorado, on Tuesday afternoon The search comes just two days after police divers drafted in from neighboring Pueblo County were seen scouring a reservoir less than a mile from Suzanne's property The Chaffee County Sheriff's Department had been looking for Suzanne in two-mile 'targeted blocks' on either side of her home but did not conduct a search on Monday On Sunday, her husband made an impassioned plea for his wife's safe return in a video released via social media. 'Oh Suzanne, if anyone is out there and can hear this, that has you, please, we'll do whatever it takes to bring you back,' Morphew says in the video. 'We love you, we miss you, your girls need you. No questions asked, however much they want - I will do whatever it takes to get you back. Honey, I love you, I want you back so bad.' He has also offered a $200,000 reward. But DailyMail.com can now reveal that her husband has not been allowed to enter the home he shared with Suzanne since he returned from his trip to Denver. Police also have his car and his cell phone leaving the businessman and volunteer firefighter to communicate through his close friend George Davis, 33. Davis declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com, saying he is too busy 'with stuff' to talk. Morphew's fire department colleagues have been ordered not to take part in the search by police, although locals said Morphew and his friends have been out looking for Suzanne. DailyMail.com has learned it was her daughters Mallory and Macy who first raised the alarm after they were unable to get hold of her on Mother's Day as they made their way back from a camping trip in Idaho Suzanne's husband Barry Morphew, 52, has said he was away on a training course for his job as a volunteer firefighter in Denver, Colorado, when she vanished. The 52-year-old is currently staying at a property close to the marital home and has been joined by friends who have flown in from his native Indiana. Morphew was pictured leaving the property along with Davis shortly before the CSI investigators arrived to search his home on Tuesday Barry's uncle told Fox21 that he believes his nephew is innocent, saying: 'They're a loving couple and I've never seen any kind of unhappiness with each other or produced by either one of them. What you saw on that video from Barry the other day that's exactly Barry and that's exactly how he feels. He loves her and he wants her back, he wasn't putting on' On Sunday, he made an impassioned plea for his wife's safe return in a video released via social media. He has also offered a $200,000 reward Morphew's fire department colleagues have been ordered not to take part in the search by police, although locals said Morphew and his friends have been out looking for Suzanne The 52-year-old is currently staying at a property close to the marital home and has been joined by friends who have flown in from his native Indiana. A woman at the house on Monday declined to give her name but said she and her husband had come to support Morphew and look for Suzanne. It is not known where the couple's daughters are currently staying. Morphew was pictured leaving the property along with Davis shortly before the CSI investigators arrived to search his home on Tuesday. The search comes just two days after police divers drafted in from neighboring Pueblo County were seen scouring a reservoir less than a mile from Suzanne's property. The Chaffee County Sheriff's Department had been looking for Suzanne in two-mile 'targeted blocks' on either side of her home but did not conduct a search on Monday. Suzanne, who had just received the all clear following a cancer diagnosis, has now been missing for at least nine days. No trace of the mother-of-two has been found apart from the bike and 'a personal item' - despite Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze bringing in 90 extra officers to help with the search. Her three-bedroom home sits just off a remote mountain pass approximately nine miles outside of Salida in rugged terrain. Drones have been used to comb the area, along with search and rescue K-9s and cadaver detection dogs brought in from nearby Buena Vista. Summer Stehle, 43, the stepmother of 17-year-old Macy's best friend, said:'Unfortunately, now the girls feel partly to blame because if they hadn't taken their trip, maybe they would have been there and she wouldn't have gone out' Friends said they asked neighbor Jeanne Ritter, 70, (pictured) to check on Suzanne when they couldn't get hold of her and it was Ritter who later called the police to report her missing. Ritter declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com Morphew's colleagues from the Maysville Fire Station have also been attempting to help with the search, although one told DailyMail.com they have been warned off by police Morphew's colleagues from the Maysville Fire Station have also been attempting to help with the search, although one told DailyMail.com they have been warned off by police. Tim Nelson, 33, said: 'The Sheriff's office, they told us none of the fire guys are allowed up there. 'They can't keep us out of the forest so that's what some of the others have done they set up their own little search party.' Nelson added: 'It's a bad deal you know. They aren't telling us anything. We got excluded from everything. 'George [Davis] put together a search team of friends I was going to go but pretty much all our fire guys are on it so I decided to step away just in case we get something [a fire]. 'Barry was very understanding from what I got from George. I know he's not allowed to go home. He's at a neighbor's. I guess they got him there until he's cleared or' Other friends spoke of the family in glowing terms, noting that Suzanne had been happy living in Colorado since moving to the state from Alexandria, Indiana, in July 2018. Fire Chief Robert Bertram, 40, said he and his colleagues are still hoping she will be found alive and added that he doesn't believe she would have left by herself. Fire Chief Robert Bertram, 40, said he and his colleagues are still hoping she will be found alive and added that he doesn't believe she would have left by herself He said: 'She loves where she lives up in the mountains, she loves mountain biking and all that kind of stuff. 'This is not a normal thing. She's a very happy person. Any time you meet her, she walks up, talks to you and makes you feel welcome.' He has known Suzanne and her husband for two years since meeting them at a firefighter recruitment drive in Maysville. Speaking about Morphew, he said: 'It's tough for him. Right now, as far as communications, he doesn't have his phone it's being relayed through firefighters and that's how we're getting information. 'He's been trying to keep busy he can't sit still and keep hoping something will show up.' Stehle added: 'Her family's wonderful, her daughters are wonderful. It's really sad that something like this has come to such a good family. 'Unfortunately, now the girls feel partly to blame because if they hadn't taken their trip, maybe they would have been there and she wouldn't have gone out.' Barry's uncle told Fox21 that he believes his nephew is innocent, saying: 'They're a loving couple and I've never seen any kind of unhappiness with each other or produced by either one of them. 'What you saw on that video from Barry the other day that's exactly Barry and that's exactly how he feels. He loves her and he wants her back, he wasn't putting on. 'I think anybody that ever knew them at any point in their married life would tell you that they were as loving of a couple as you would find anywhere.' Open source The Cabinet of Ministers may allow Ukrainian manufacturers of masks and other protective medical equipment to sell their products abroad, provided it is impossible to sell them in Ukraine but they still meet the requirements of other states. This was reported by the press service of President of Ukraine. It is noted that this issue was raised at a traditional meeting chaired by Zelensky on preventing the spread of coronavirus infection, which was attended by representatives of the government and law enforcement agencies. They discussed the issue of allowing Ukrainian manufacturers of masks and other protective equipment to export their products, provided that it is impossible to sell them in Ukraine, but it meets the requirements of other states. The president supported this, the statement said. The press service added that next week, the Cabinet of Ministers is supposed to work out the necessary decisions. As is known, since March 11, the Cabinet restricted the export of anti-epidemic goods. Related: Coronavirus in Ukraine dashboard: online Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky called on the government to expedite the purchase of medical masks and personal protective equipment. He stated this at a traditional meeting on prevention of the spread of coronavirus Covid-19, which was attended by representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers and law enforcement agencies. This was reported by the press service of the head of state. "Hospitals, doctors, pharmacies - there should be masks, disinfectants, equipment. Purchasing process take a very long time. We need to look for ways to shorten this process, so that the ministry purchases equipment faster and faster. We know what a complicated bureaucracy we have. Find the ways to simplify it. Each delay can cost us lives. A second wave of coronavirus is expected in the world. We passed the first relatively well, although, unfortunately, we lost more than 600 lives. We must be prepared with all procedures in the future," Zelensky emphasized. Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), has issued a procedure for the removal of heads of public agencies i... Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), has issued a procedure for the removal of heads of public agencies in the country. In a circular, Mustapha said the federal government has observed the arbitrary removal of chief executive officers (CEOs) and its impact on stability and service delivery. The circular was issued on Tuesday when Sale Mamman, minister of power, announced the removal of Usman Mohammed, managing director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). It is unclear if the incident prompted the directive to the ministers. The SGF stated emphatically that no minister can unilaterally remove CEOs of agencies, adding that the president has approved a disciplinary procedure against erring heads of agencies. Accordingly, Mr. President has approved the following streamlined procedure for the discipline of Chief Executive Officers of government parastatals, agencies and departments in accordance with the Public Service Rules (PSR), he said. When an act bordering on serious misconduct against a Chief Executive Officer is reported, it shall be the duty of the supervising minister through the permanent secretary to refer the matter to the governing board for necessary action in line with the relevant provisions of the Establishment Act and the principles guiding Chapters 3 and 16 of the Public Service Rules; The board shall in line with due process, issue him/her a query requesting an explanation with respect to the specific act(s) complained about; the board shall forward its findings and recommendations to the minister for further consideration and necessary action; The minister, after due consideration of the submission from the board, shall on the advice of the permanent secretary, forward the ministrys position along with the recommendations of the Board and the explanation of the Chief Executive Officer to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) for processing to Mr. President, for a decision. Upon receipt of the submission from the minister, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) shall without delay cause an independent investigation and advise Mr. President on the appropriate course of action. He added that it is the responsibility of the SGF to advise the president on the next course of action based on the outcome of the final investigation. This procedure shall serve as a mandatory guide and all ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and any other public officer in similar supervisory position, are enjoined to strictly abide by its content, Mustapha said. For emphasis, on no account shall a Minister of the Federal Republic unilaterally or arbitrarily remove a serving Chief Executive Officer, without recourse to the procedure contained in this Circular. In December, the minister of power had asked Marilyn Amobi, managing director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Limited (NBET), to step down with immediate effect. The minister also ordered the indefinite suspension of Damilola Ogunbiyi, former managing director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA). But Buhari later overruled the minister by reinstating the duo who are in office to date. Claflin University is among 67 colleges and universities recently selected to participate in the Second Chance Pell Grant Pilot Program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The grant represents the DOE's expansion of the Second Chance Pell program which provides need-based Federal Pell Grants to individuals incarcerated in federal and state prisons. The grants allow incarcerated individuals to receive federal funding to enroll in post-secondary programs offered by local colleges and universities or distance learning "Claflin University was founded in 1869, to offer high-quality academic programs to all students -- regardless of gender, race, religion or ethnic origin. Our participation in the Second Chance Pell Grant Program reflects the university's commitment to the principles on which this institution was founded," said Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack, Claflin's ninth president. A 2019 USA Eisenhower Fellow, Warmack's research during his fellowship explored global best practices for reducing mass incarceration through education and rehabilitation. "Research has indicated a dramatic reduction in recidivism rates for incarcerated individuals who participate in prison education programs. A quality education is the gateway to empowerment and plays a critical role in the successful reentry of formerly incarcerated people into their respective communities. This grant is also consistent with the university's vision statement, which includes our focus on developing a diverse and inclusive community of globally engaged visionary leaders, and one of Claflin's essential core values -- our commitment to valuing people." Dr. Belinda Wheeler, associate professor of English at Claflin, is the grant's principal investigator. "This grant is transformative for Claflin University, the local community and the state of South Carolina," Wheeler said. "During the roughly eight-month grant process, I collaborated with various important groups around the country, including correctional institutions, and Healthy Routines, a Columbia-based non-profit that offers non-degree programs in correctional facilities in South Carolina. Claflin's new program builds upon the growing number of organizations and programs in this critically important space including The Alliance for Higher Education in Prison, Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison, Alabama Arts and Prison Education Program, and Columbia University's Center for Justice. UNCF President Dr. Michael Lomax recently congratulated Dr. Warmack on Claflin's selection, so we also hope to work with UNCF on this initiative." The program is the progeny of the Second Chance Pell Experimental Sites Program, an initiative that began in 2015. This year's Experimental Sites cohort will bring the total number of participating institutions to 130 colleges and universities in 42 states and Washington, D.C. "I've had the pleasure of visiting several Second Chance Pell institutions and have seen firsthand the transformative impact this experiment has on the lives of individuals who are incarcerated," said DOE Secretary Betsy DeVos in a recent release announcing the grant. "By expanding this experiment, we are providing a meaningful opportunity for more students to set themselves up for future success in the workforce. The stories I've heard from students and institutions engaged in the experiment are very encouraging, and we look forward to seeing how this expansion will help even more students achieve a better future." More than 180 colleges and universities submitted letters of interest to participate in the second cohort of the Second Chance Pell Experiment. Claflin and the other institutions selected were determined to be the most qualified; their selection ensures institutional, programmatic and geographic diversity among new participants. The timing of Claflin's acceptance into the DOE's Second Chance Pell Experimental Sites program aligns with Claflin's Center for Social Justice, a new university initiative. The center, directed by Wheeler, will promote higher education in prisons through their "Pipelines from Prison Program" and foster collaborations and greater understanding of social justice issues throughout the campus community and the region. "The center will also work across academic disciplines to develop programming related to the impact of higher education on imprisoned populations regionally and nationally," Wheeler said. "We hope also to be a conduit for services and resources for incarcerated students, recently released students and graduates or for residents of the community seeking information about this and other social justice issues. We plan to start the program during the fall 2020 semester; however, we are not certain how much access we will have to incarcerated students due to COVID-19." For more information about the Second Chance Pell Grant Program, the Center for Social Justice, and Claflin's Pipelines from Prison Program, contact Dr. Belinda Wheeler at bwheeler@claflin.edu or 803-535-5717. Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The unlikely winner of a 2018 election, Lina Hidalgo, was the catalyst for fellow Democrats aiming to transform Texas blue. Her triumph, along with her youth and immigrant roots, rendered herself a frequent subject of controversy that escalated as she campaigned actively in Harris County, including Houston, against COVID-19. Hidalgo, the 29-year-old top state official in Harris County, Texas, has now been facing a deadly pandemic and complaints over how well she's managed to control it, after being challenged by major chemical fires and a series of catastrophic floods. Hidalgo's mandate was that all county inhabitants wear masks or suffer penalties of up to $1,000 received critiques which were further reinforced when Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick labeled it as the "the ultimate government overreach." Hidalgo has been prosecuted, targeted in social media, and even called out by other members of the Texas county who carried out mask-wearing directives. Critics of Hidalgo say she has violated her agenda on civil liberties and constitutional rights. Even Texas Gov. Greg Abbott - who's sanctions for failure to comply during the pandemic also held fines and prison time - supersedes Hidalgo 's directives. However, Hidalgo claimed that she is concentrating on her goal amid the controversy which is to avoid what occurred in many other countries and cities to happen in Houston where "the virus was winning." "I didn't want that to be our fate, as well," Hidalgo stated. "What we did is we tried to do things better [and] recognize that if we do the exact same thing they did, at the exact same time they did it, then we're just going to end up in the same place." Moreover, Hidalgo prolonged the stay-at -home directive to June 10 last Thursday which is consistent with the governor's reopening of Texas that provides measures for businesses to help their employees. As expected, Hidalgo, who is a native speaker of Spanish, first announced in English and then in Spanish. Check these out: "There just wasn't testing available" Hidalgo mentioned her approach for coronavirus started with analyzing what has been unfolding in other nations, studying how South Korea controlled the virus by tracing and screening. "I didn't want to shut down the economy. I would have liked to have a containment approach," she stated. "There just wasn't testing available." Mindful that more incidents may arise when the State reopened, Hidalgo is not ready to claim victory. She stated she fears that perhaps Abbott is proceeding too soon, but by distributing 300 coronavirus tracers the county is evolving to monitor people who do have the infection and with whom they have had contact. This would encourage those individuals to quarantine themselves so they can "choke off the virus." "The best I can do now is to stay centered and focused on getting my community through this crisis from a health standpoint and an economic standpoint," she said. "People are trying to knock me off my game. That's what they want. I can't let them do that for the sake of the community. My job is to keep them safe." PATNA: The Bihar Board Class 10 results 2020 have been delayed and it is likely to be declared by the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) next week. The BSEB is expected to declare Class 10 Board results on the official websites - biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in and biharboard-ac-in. BSEB sources had earlier said that the verification process of the toppers has been completed and the result of Bihar Board Class 10 examination would be declared soon after the completion of the verification process. The result would also be made available on biharboard.online and onlinebseb.in as well. It would also be available on websites like indiaresults.com and examresults.net.--biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in and biharboard.ac.in. Students can check the Bihar Board 10th result following the details given below: 1. Visit the official website at biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in or biharboard.ac.in 2. Click on the 'Results' tab after visiting the home page 3. Tap on Class X Matriculation results, select the stream and click on 'Result' 4. A new page will appear where you have to key-in your credentials and then enter the captcha text 5. You can check and download your BSEB Class 10 Result 2020. Students can also check their results through SMS besides the official websites biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in and biharboard.ac.in. They should type - BSEB10 -space- ROLL NUMBER and send it to 56263. The Bihar Board Class 10 examination 2020 was held between February 17 and February 24, and the evaluation process commenced on May 6 and concluded last week. Earlier, the result of the Bihar board Class 10 examination was scheduled to be announced by March-end, but it got delayed due to the coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the spread of the deadly virus in the country. Night roadworks will be carried out from Sunday at the Bay Link project site and lane closures will occur. Work is scheduled over three nights, including barrier maintenance work and the removal of sheet piles from inside the Bayfair roundabout says Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency. This is part of the recent stormwater pipe diversion works. To minimise disruption to motorists, work will take place between 8pm and 5am. On Sunday, May 24 there will be a left lane closure on State Highway 29A eastbound. A 50km/h temporary speed limit is in place on State Highway 29A near Baypark. On Monday, May 25 and Tuesday, May 26 there will be a right lane closure around the Maunganui/Girven Road roundabout and right lane closures on all four approaches to the roundabout. There will be a temporary speed limit of 30km/h in place around the Bayfair roundabout for the duration of these works. Road users are advised to travel with caution through the project site, drive to the conditions, reduce speed and follow the directions of road workers and signage, says NZTA. While NZTA endeavours to minimise any disturbance for local residents, this work may generate some noise and vibration. In the event of unsuitable weather or other unforeseen circumstances, work will be carried out on the next suitable nights. Motorists are encouraged to visit journeys.nzta.govt.nz for up to date information on road works, traffic, detours and delays. 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 Until recently, I cant say I ever gave much thought to breathing. I knew I did it on a minute-by-minute basis. It seemed to be going pretty well. Id never noticed if my chest was lifting or my shoulders tensing, or if I breathed through my nose or mouth. (My nose almost always, it turns out, which was a good start.) I only started thinking about it late last year when the topic came up over lunch with a personal trainer I knew, Alan Lovell. Lovell said that ideally we should be breathing through the nose, awake or asleep, and even, as far as possible, when exercising. He claimed that since he began only nasal breathing not a very sexy topic, I know, but stay with me his endurance and performance had improved and the exercise-induced asthma hed suffered had gone. It had lowered his anxiety, improved his sleep and he hadnt had a bad cold in years. In a time of deadly cold viruses, that last piece of information has taken on a whole new resonance. But was he right? Certainly hes not alone in thinking the way we breathe matters, and that a lot of us are doing it wrong. Theres a whole world out there devoted to breathing techniques and their professed power to make us healthier, calmer, stronger. Many seem to be rebadged versions of ancient ones like yogic breathing techniques, or Tibetan tummo meditation, but with YouTube channels. They claim to help with everything from asthma, anxiety and ADHD, to inflammation and sluggish immune systems, teeth grinding, cardio health, allergies, the way childrens faces develop, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, sleep apnoea, and the kind of log-saw snoring that keeps partners awake. Im not sure they can all be miracle cures but hey, its only breathing. They might cost you but trying them isnt likely to kill you. Methods range from gentler approaches such as the Buteyko Breathing Technique (BBT), which has been around for decades and stresses the importance of light, nasal breathing, especially for conditions such as asthma and poor sleep; to the more high-octane, macho-but-mindful sort, like Brian MacKenzies Art of Breath or the Wim Hof Method, developed by the Dutch endurance athlete Wim Hof, aka the Iceman, who famously attempts Mount Everest in shorts and swims among glaciers or under ice for long distances. The three pillars of the Wim Hof Method (WHM) are breath patterns, commitment (as in, committing to breaking old routines and taking control of your body) and bracing immersions in cold water. Hofs own latest record for direct, full-body contact with ice is 1 hour 53 minutes and 2 seconds. (Mine: three minutes in an ice bath.) A few years ago, only readers of Guinness World Records would have known much about Hof. Now hes like a late-life rock star, beamed to prominence with the help of American podcasters such as Joe Rogan, Tim Ferriss and even Gwyneth Paltrows Goop channel, where the weather-beaten Dutchman, 61, sits oddly amid the fragrant, pastel girliness. His seminars, as pumped as Hillsong gatherings, fill stadiums. Meanwhile, leading Buteyko practitioners such as Irishman Patrick McKeown have marketed the basic techniques to appeal to athletes and sporty types, not just asthmatics. His Oxygen Advantage method is a racier version of Buteyko for well people. In a year that began with choking bushfire smoke, and then moved to a respiratory pandemic, it seems like a better time than ever to think about how we take the air. Advertisement "Biohacker" Johannes Egbert says that focusing on breathing routines and cold-water immersion has helped change his life. Credit:Zach Cole Fortunately its still warm when I meet Johannes Egbert for my mini Wim Hof session and my ice bath. Ive already begun training for it by switching to cold showers, although, as Egbert gently points out, cold showers arent really that cold. Not compared with a glacier. Egbert describes himself as an avid biohacker: a Wim Hof Method (WHM) instructor, freediving instructor, Oxygen Advantage trainer, yoga teacher, movement coach and youth mentor. Like Hof himself, he happens to be Dutch he came here 6 years ago but there the comparison ends. Egbert is 24, blond, blue-eyed, tall and built like an athlete. He could have stepped out of the pages of Vogue Nederland, or a backpacker hostel. He looks so relaxed and together, its surprising to hear he used to be a mess. I grew up with quite a violent household, he says as we sit beside a turquoise sea in Sydneys northern beaches. In school, I was not very successful, always off track. I got medicated for conditions like ADHD. They were always trying to figure out, Whats wrong with this kid, why cant he be calm like the others? I got kicked out of school at 14. He was sent to an outdoor bootcamp for rebellious kids. In Germanys Black Forest. In February. Part of the regimen was cold exposure. The boys had to step into freezing lakes, practise surviving outside in the cold and so on. We resisted it so much but apart from anything else, they instilled the idea it was a metaphor. You are doing something difficult you dont want to do and you can apply that to any situation. Its also like a forced mindfulness practice. Youre also changing your breathing, he says, and stimulating the body in a way we no longer do in our cocooned, temperature-controlled environments. Egbert didnt think about the science back then, but after an eventful and troubled journey, he found his way back to the power of cold and breath. A lot of athletes use cold-water immersion for muscle pains or strains, indeed, the benefits of hydrotherapy have been embraced since ancient Chinese and Roman times. Physiologically, cold-water immersion can raise the heart rate and blood pressure by constricting the blood vessels, and elevate your stress hormones and your breathing rate (which is why people with cardiac conditions should check with a doctor before plunging into an ice bath, and no one should do it unsupervised). The WHM also runs through a cycle of fast and slow breathing. Its inventor makes bold promises for it: from boosting energy levels to relieving the symptoms of some autoimmune diseases. Arthritis, Crohns disease, psoriasis, depression all those diseases are a result of our neglected biochemistry, Hof has claimed. We need to be stimulated to help fight disease. Cold is a great stimulator. Advertisement Its easy to see why the WHM has struck a chord with urbanites, over-stimulated in all the wrong ways. We are estranged from our own deeper physiology because we are no longer in contact with nature, Hof explains to his students. Instead, we are controlling nature with air pollution, heating, technology. But you have to know you have a depth within yourself which needs to be stimulated. If it doesnt get stimulated it becomes weaker, like a muscle thats not being used any more. Egbert shows me pictures of groups hes taken on retreats in stunning places. The full Wim Hof magic. A British journalist who went to a session with Hof himself wrote of being surrounded by hyperventilating people who were writhing on their mats, weeping or howling like wolves. Unfortunately, Im only going to be doing a kind of WHM-lite version with Egbert in suburban Manly. Egbert usually takes clients to a hired space, or on the outdoor retreats. Today well be making do with the set-up at his place, where he does his own daily routine. It turns out to be a large storage area under his shared house, piled with surfboards. He lifts the lid on what looks like a body-sized chest freezer lurking in a dark corner. Its full of water, hovering between 0 and 2 degrees. The ice bath. We are estranged from our own deeper physiology you have a depth within yourself which needs to be stimulated. Wim Hof So now Im in a strange mans basement about to hyperventilate and then get into a freezer, and nobody knows Im here. What could go wrong? Egbert is very professional, though, and I feel perfectly safe. I lie down and he starts me on the breathing. Wim Hof acknowledges his routine draws on the Tibetan tummo method (tummo meaning inner fire). Basically, the cycle uses controlled hyperventilation big fast breaths to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system (which drives the fight/flight response). Adrenaline is for survival, Hof has said, but this time it is completely controlled the adrenaline shoots out throughout the body and resets it to the best functionality. Or thats his theory. The cycle then moves to slow breaths, so as to switch to the parasympathetic nervous system (the rest/digest response). Egbert says its like hitting the accelerator, then the brake. I do a mini version, then its into my swimmers and into the ice bath. Egberts advice is to slip in quickly, rather than go in for any agonised and theatrical inching. I happen to love cold water, so I dont have a problem with that. I dont even gasp as I sink in up to my neck. Egbert tells me Im a natural. Just saying. Advertisement Its really rather thrilling, except for the ache that starts up in my shins. Egbert is counting, to remind me to keep breathing slowly and evenly, and also that this will end. Im so focused that his voice seems miles away. My gaze seems to narrow. Wow, I think Im in the moment. I get out after his recommended three minutes, although I could have stayed longer. For hours afterwards I feel full of energy. In fact, by the afternoon, Im longing to go back for a top-up. Then again, it is a hot day. Johannes Egbert during a group session of Breathless Exposure Training. Credit:Will Solis As for the claims of miracle health turnarounds with WHM, Egbert admits they are anecdotal only. But we have seen incredible results, he insists. Weve seen people come back from rheumatoid arthritis people who have been locked down into bed, unable to move a year later, they climb Mount Kilimanjaro with Wim Hof in record time. A 76-year-old guy. Ive seen it help people manage the negative effects of things like cancer medications. For people with conditions like chronic fatigue, or chronic pain levels of chronic inflammation breathwork is incredible. Thats what Wim Hof showed in his first study. Theres a scarcity of solid trials and hard science supporting the big claims for the WHM. Still, in 2011, a study at a Dutch university found Hof could do what science had long maintained was impossible: voluntarily influence the autonomic nervous system and the immune system, to produce the bodys own weapons to fight inflammation. The researchers injected Hof with endotoxin (a toxin in bacteria that produces flu-like symptoms) while he was practising his techniques. Tests found he produced less than half as many inflammatory proteins as the control subjects. In other words, he became much less sick than they did. Hof is a bit of a physiological freak, but later, the same test on a small group of other volunteers doing the techniques had similar results. Its only one study but the researchers are hoping it might prove useful, in time, for hard-to-treat conditions linked to inflammation, especially autoimmune diseases. Is it the breathing, the cold water, the commitment, or the combination that helps? The big money is on the breath. The high-adrenaline state, brought on by the hyperventilating in WHM, is not something you can or should be in all the time, obviously. If you want to feel calm, you need to slow it all down and stimulate the vagus nerve, the remarkable cranial nerve that runs right down to your abdomen, communicates messages between brain and gut (it may explain a gut feeling), and is part of the parasympathetic nervous system. Sending messages of peacefulness to the brain when its stimulated is just one of its many functions. A good first step? Breathing through your nose. If theres one thing both teachers of conscious breathing and respiratory scientists agree on, its this: the nose is there for a reason. Dutch endurance athlete Wim Hof, whose namesake wellness method incorporates a cycle of fast and slow breathing. Credit:BOOGERT FOTOGRAFIE Advertisement Id never heard of the Buteyko breathing technique, even though it has been popular in Australia since the 1980s, but that might be because Ive never suffered from allergies or asthma. Asthma is the condition it has become most closely associated with, although its proponents claim its benefits go well beyond. Sydney practitioner Mim Beim invited me along to a course, four sessions held over four weeks. Beim is a lively woman with cropped hair and a reassuring manner. She was Triple Js in-house naturopath in the 90s and has appeared regularly on TV talking about alternative health. Beim got hooked on Butyeko 26 years ago. She claims that after only three days of intensive breath practice, her exercise-induced asthma went away for good. One woman in our class has chronic asthma, another suffers from anxiety, and a genial, ruddy-faced former builder has shortness of breath. Hes headed towards emphysema, which Buteyko cant fix, Beim admits, although it may help in other ways. He turns out to be a habitual mouth-breather and every now and then Beim calls out, nicely, Close your mouth! The Buteyko technique argues that most of us unconsciously over-breathe, and that that is detrimental to health long-term. We take too many breaths per minute, or too big a breath. Signs of over-breathing, says Beim, include frequent sighing, yawning, sniffing or throat-clearing, taking breaths prior to talking, and the two big ones, snoring and mouth-breathing. Were breathing more than the body metabolically requires, she says. The theory is that breathing less, and more slowly, will actually release more oxygen to the tissues, increase blood flow and dilate the airways. It will also increase heart rate variability, which is a good thing. Beim gets us to do sessions of breathing at 6-10 breaths a minute (the average rate for resting adults is 12-20), lightly, but always through the nose and using the diaphragm, the most efficient muscle for breathing, not the chest. We practise restricted breathing and breath-holding and try not to gulp in air when we finally get to inhale. Good, I cant hear anyone breathing, Beim says at some point. The idea is to rewire the brain to breathe well all the time, not just when were in a yoga class. To that end, she gives us homework. Im bored with it after about day two, which makes me think Im not an ideal candidate. One of the more bizarre Buteyko practices, for adults, is lightly taping your mouth closed at night to make sure you breathe, if you can, through your nose while youre asleep, to improve sleep and stop snoring. The micropore tape is easy to peel off but the very idea can freak some people out, like my husband, who proved a reluctant guinea pig. Maybe he was worried the next step would be having his hands tied behind his back and a ransom note. Advertisement A 42-year-old man has been charged with murder over a death in Western Australia's south west region. Police were called to the Bunbury suburb of Eaton on Thursday night and found a 43-year-old man 's body lying in the street. 'A short distance away, a male person was taken into custody and that person is currently with us in this complex assisting with our inquiries,' a WA Police spokesman told 9 News. 'It was a very confronting scene.' The accused will face Bunbury Magistrates Court on Saturday. By Byron Kaye SYDNEY (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea police arrested former prime minister Peter O'Neill over the alleged purchase of generators from Israel without parliamentary approval, the country's assistant police commissioner said on Saturday. O'Neill was arrested on Saturday at the main airport of Port Moresby, the capital, after returning from Australia, and brought in for questioning, Assistant Commissioner Crimes Hodges Ette said in a statement. The assistant police commissioner's statement said O'Neill was accused of directing the 50 million kina (11.5 million pounds) payment for two generators from Israel without following the country's public financial management law, without parliamentary approval and without putting the sale to tender. The statement gave no further details about the generators or the identity of the alleged seller. "There is reasonable evidence for misappropriation, abuse of office and official corruption," the statement said. A spokesman for Prime Minister James Marape, who took over from O'Neill, was not immediately available to comment. O'Neill quit as prime minister in May last year after seven years in the job amid a wave of discontent over a perceived lack of wealth flowing from major resource projects. The commissioner's statement said O'Neill would be allowed bail and because he had just arrived from Australia he was expected to be quarantined at his own residence for 14 days, under protocols to prevent the spread of the new coronvirus COVID-19. O'Neill had been the subject of an arrest warrant in Papua New Guinea since October on suspicion of "official corruption", although officials in the country did not disclose what he was wanted for. (Reporting by Byron Kaye. Editing by Jane Merriman) Five Hundred Miles From You Jenny Colgan Sphere 12.99 In Colgans third novel set in the village of Kirrinfief, another burnt-out Englishwoman finds balm on the banks of Loch Ness. But while Lissa swaps her stressful London nursing job for a three-month placement in the Highlands, former Army medic Cormac braves the city for the first time. Yet as each adjusts, they forge surprising new connections. A timely window into the world of frontline health workers, and an escapist treat for life-swap dreamers. Madeleine Feeny Writers & Lovers Lily King Picador 14.99 At 31, Casey still hopes to make it as a writer but while friends are getting hitched, shes bedding down in a damp garage, pulling gruelling shifts as a waitress, and sinking beneath unpaid student loans. Shes already invested six years in her first novel when bereavement and heartbreak threaten to derail her. Unflinching and ultimately buoyant in its depiction of the courage and grit required to stay creative, this is essential reading for any aspiring author. Hephzibah Anderson Remain Silent Susie Steiner The Borough Press 14.99 The feisty female copper, juggling work and home life, is in danger of becoming a terrible crime fiction cliche. Thankfully Steiners wonderful DI Manon Bradshaw is a thoroughly believable character, exhausted and permanently worried. This time shes investigating the murder of a Lithuanian farmworker in the Cambridgeshire fens. Remain Silent casts a bright light on the neglected lives of desperately exploited migrants and resentful locals alike. A twisting mystery of modern Britain. John Williams Latitudes Of Longing Shubhangi Swarup riverrun 16.99 Oxford graduate Girija is on honeymoon with Chanda, who has been spooked by the ghost of a goat. Out of such quirky titbits, Swarup fashions an exuberantly flowing novel that starts in the Andaman Islands, then moves to Nepal via Myanmar. Botanists, drug-dealers and political prisoners all play their part. The narrative curdles at times, but overall it is a promising debut, with some inventive touches and lyrical descriptions. Max Davidson Railways will operationalise 2,600 more Shramik Special trains in the next 10 days as per the needs of state governments, the Railways Ministry said on Saturday. According to the government, this is expected to benefit 36 lakh stranded passengers across the country. Indian Railways started running "Shramik Special" trains from May 1, to move migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places due to lockdown. The Railway board, on Saturday said that, "All migrants will reach destination as quickly as possible; Shramik Special trains will continue to run till there is need for it". It added that 85 per cent of expenditure of Shramik Special trains was being borne by the centre, and states were paying 15 per cent in form of fares. So far railways has run 2,570 Shramik special trains in the last 23 days. And, around 32 lakhs stranded migrants have been transported till now to their home States. Out of the 2,570 trains, 505 are yet to reach their destination, while 2,065 trains have completed their journey. According to data with the Railways, Uttar Pradesh (1246) has received the highest number of Shramik Special trains, followed by Bihar (804) and Jharkhand (124). Among the originating states, Gujarat (759) has used the most services to sent migrant workers home, followed by Maharashtra (483) and Punjab (291). Also read: Delhi coronavirus lockdown: 66 private liquor shops allowed to open on odd-even basis Also read: SBI, HDFC, and ICICI Bank announce special FD schemes for senior citizens; check out interest rates, other key features By Online Desk Kollywood actor Ajith and his wife Shalini were spotted visiting a hospital wearing masks, a video of which has gone viral on the internet. Ajith was seen in a blue shirt accompanying his wife to the hospital. Thought the reason for their visit is unknows, many fans took to social media to register their concern at the time when the whole world is reeling under the threat of coronavirus infection. On the work front, Ajith's last two films 'Viswasam' and 'Ner Konda Paaravai' went on to strike gold at the box-office in 2019. The actor is currently working with H.Vinoth for their second collaboration 'Valimai' which is bankrolled by Boney Kapoor, husband of late actress Sridevi. Bollywood star Huma Qureshi has been roped in to play the leading lady of the film. Nirav Shah will crank the camera for this mass entertainer while Yuvan Shankar Raja will compose the background score and songs. It must be noted that in February, Ajith suffered minor injuries while performing a dangerous bike stunt for 'Valimai'. According to reports, Ajith's bike skidded which let to the actor sustaining bruises on his arms and legs. But he started shooting again after taking a break for about twenty minutes. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Police are asking for the publics help in finding an 82-year-old man who has been missing for more than a week. Willie Paige, who was reported missing Tuesday, was last seen wearing a black cap, blue and white plaid jacket, blue jeans and tan boots, according to a Cleveland police report. He was last seen at a home on Central Avenue near East 30th Street, the report says. His daughter told police he may have early stages of dementia, but does not have a confirmed diagnosis. Anyone with information is asked to call Cleveland police at 216-623-7697. Read more stories on cleveland.com: Cleveland teen accused of attacking, attempting to sexually assault 74-year-old woman Lorain County prosecutor wants 16-year-old Lorain boy accused of murder to be tried as an adult Revised CDC guidance: Coronavirus travels more through crowded spaces than dirty surfaces Work on new Sherwin-Williams HQ in Cleveland slowed but not stopped during coronavirus pandemic 68-year-old man fatally stabbed in his Akron home, police say A day after the Congress-led Rajasthan government submitted a bill of over Rs 36 lakh for making arrangements for the return of stranded students of UP from Kota, the Yogi Adityanath government cleared the dues on Friday. His deputy Dinesh Sharma said the incident has exposed the Congress and made it clear the party is not bothered about the plight of migrants but wants cheap publicity instead. "The Congress party is shedding crocodile tears over the plight of migrant workers. All their sentiments in this regard are just a ploy to gain cheap popularity. The dual character of the Congress has once again been exposed. They must apologise to the migrant workers and the country for this," he said. Sharma said that the Congress had claimed to have arranged 10,00 buses for the return of migrant workers. "However, the list of vehicles provided had many scooters, bikes and ambulances rather than buses. Many buses were also unfit," he said, adding that the party to ferry children from Rajasthan's Kota to the UP border took the fare and money for diesel from the UP government. Sharma said the Rajasthan government sent a letter to the UP government on April 27-28 asking for the payment and also sent a reminder on May 8. "The payment was done by the UP government on May 20," he added. Sharma asked if during this period of unprecedented crisis, it was appropriate for the Congress to charge fares to ferry those students to the UP border. "It is well known for what purpose this party is doing politics on buses. No arrangement for meals was done for the drivers of the buses about which the Congress is talking. Many buses did not even have diesel. The party which could not provide food to the drivers of the buses, what would have happened if we had sent migrant workers through them?" he said. UP Transport Minister Ashok Kataria said the aim of the Congress party is only to mislead its workers. Sri Lanka has lifted a ban on wedding receptions as part of an easing of coronavirus restrictions, but grooms may not kiss the bride at least not in public. Wealthy Sri Lankans usually hold wedding celebrations with thousands of guests, and the festivities often last for days with much eating, drinking, dancing and singing. Under the new guidelines there should be no more than 100 guests, all of whom must stay a metre apart and wear masks, including the happy couple. Guests should not be allowed to kiss, hug or shake hands, the latest health ministry rules say. Greeting each other should be done without any touching. Sri Lanka imposed a nationwide curfew on 20 March that ruled out gatherings of any sort, but the restrictions have been eased in many districts that are not considered high-risk. Religious gatherings remain banned, and only the bereaved family are allowed at funerals. Sri Lanka has reported 1,055 coronavirus infections with nine deaths since the first case in the country was identified on 27 January. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates The Cannonball Run record has been broken seven times over a five-week period after illegal road racers took to the empty streets during coronavirus lockdown to drive from New York City to Los Angeles. The newest record holders, who have not been named, completed the 2,800-mile cross-country journey in less than 26 hours, beating last month's record of 26 hours and 38 minutes. Not much is known about the latest champions, including the car they drove or the actual time, but the team reportedly averaged a speed of 120mph, according to 2013 record breaker Ed Boilan. A new team has broken the Cannonball Run record after driving from New York City to Los Angeles in under 26 hours - beating last month's record of 26 hours and 38 minutes Cannonball Runs generally begin at Red Ball Garage in New York City and travel some 3,000 miles to the Portofino Hotel & Marina in Los Angeles County, California 2013 record holder Ed Boilan revealed the record has been broken seven times in the last five weeks as more drivers have been taking on the challenge during the coronavirus lockdown Boilan, whose record is 28 hours and 50 minutes, revealed more drivers have been taking up the challenge after coronavirus lockdowns cleared roadways across the country. 'Certainly, we had some over 110[mph] averages through states, they were over 120[mph] through several states,' he said on his YouTube channel last week. 'They had over 30 spotters, an amazingly well-prepared car, and everything just went about as well as they could have hoped.' It comes after a team of three people set a new speed record last month, taking off from Red Bull Garage - the traditional race start point - in New York City around 11:15pm on April 4. Just a little over one day later, the team arrived at the traditional finish line at the Portofino Hotel & Marina in Redondo Beach, California. They have not publicly disclosed which route they took. The Cannonball Run, created in 1971 under the name 'Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shinning Sea Memorial Trophy Dash', is a cross-country race that involves people driving nearly 3,000 miles in the shortest amount of time possible. Creator Brock Yates, a former editor at Car and Driver magazine, would organize the illegal cross-country race four times throughout the 1970s. A photo shared to Facebook showed last month's record breakers' car, a 2019 Audi A8 sedan (pictured), with two plastic marine fuel tanks in the trunk The previous team's record run was shown displayed on an iPad taped to the driver's seat head rest David Diem and Doug Turner set a record of 32 hours and 7 minutes before Yates disbanded the races. The record remained untouched until 2006. In November 2019, Arne Toman, Doug Tabbutt, and Berkeley Chadwick broke the previous Cannonball Run record with a time of 27 hours and 25 minutes. Photos shared to Facebook showed a 2019 Audi A8 sedan with two plastic marine fuel tanks strapped into the trunk of the car said to be used. 'Word on the street there's a new cannon ball record yesterday at 26:38. Damn that's fast, wrote Rehv Mark, who has since deleted the post. Meanwhile, a small group of people who had competed in the C2C Express and the 2094 races - Cannonball Run spin-offs from recent years - planned to have a Cannonball run on April 4, as well. But as COVID-19 emergency orders increased across states and the national death toll continued to rise daily, the event was called off. Arne Toman, (right), Doug Tabutt, (left), and Berkeley Chadwick, (seen in the backseat), broke a record for competing a Cannonball Run which involves driving cross-country from New York to Los Angeles in the shortest amount of time possible Gluckman: 'You have a choice to make: aggrandize undeserving a**holes, or give the exact amount of attention they deserve, which is none' While such a feat is normally a cause for celebration, some social media users and Cannonball Run fans have labeled the latest run 'scummy' amid the pandemic. As of Saturday, the United States has 1,600,937 confirmed cases and 95,979 deaths. Shelter-in-place orders have confined millions to their homes and social distancing guidelines leave small room for gatherings. As a result, some believe the recent record holders may have unfairly used the near-empty streets and sudden drop in traffic to their advantage. 'This is the scummiest s*** I've heard in a few weeks that hasn't directly come from the oval office,' one Twitter user wrote. Another called the crew 'self-aggrandizing' and urged media outlets to ignore the controversial new record. 'To my friends in the automotive media: you're apparently going to be hit up soon by some attention seekers claiming a new Cannonball Run "record,"' they wrote. 'You have a choice to make: aggrandize undeserving a**holes, or give the exact amount of attention they deserve, which is none.' Alex Roy, who set the first modern record in 2006, said the latest Cannonball Run could have ended in a bigger consequence. Roy said: 'If you hit a truck moving medical supplies and people die because of it, that's on you.' 'People are counting on those trucks moving around right now. It's not funny.' Some people suggested the new record not be formally recognized by the community due to the current national crisis. But others pushed back against the naysayers who claimed the trial run was tone deaf and even pointed out the race is illegal anyway. 'How do you tarnish something that's illegal and that the general public already hates?' asked John Ficarra, the founder and organizer of The 2094. Ficarra added that there is no sanctioning body for the illegal Cannonball Run. 'If we come together as The Council of Cannonball or whatever and say, 'No, we forbid this,' who really gives a shit? This whole Cannonball thing is small potatoes. It'll blow over.' Ed Bolian, a Cannonball driver who set a 28 hour and 50 minute record in 2013, agreed. 'Do I think this is the best use of time while the country is staying in during a pandemic? 'Probably not, but for me to say it's awful is like a cocaine dealer saying a heroin dealer is awful.' The C2C Express founder and organizer Ben 'Charlie Safari' Wilson admitted that he understood why some would see this as the perfect time to attempt a Cannonball Run, but explained it was irresponsible. 'It's never completely responsible to drive across the country fast without stopping, but now is completely the wrong time,' Wilson said. Of 22.5 lakh migrant workers in Gujarat, only 7,512 were registered under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (IMW) Act and were thus eligible for travel allowance, the state government has informed the Gujarat High Court. In a written reply to a Public Interest Litigation, the government informed a division bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and I J Vora on Friday that around 22.5 lakh inter- state migrant workers lived in Gujarat as per the state labour department's data. But the provisions of the IMW Act of 1979 were applicable to only 7,512 workers who were registered under the Act, it said. "Most of the 22.5 lakh migrant workers have come on their own and provisions for payment of travel and displacement allowances as required by section 14 and 15 of the IMW Act, 1979, were not applicable to them," it said. Under sections 14 and 15, contractors are required to pay travel and displacement allowances to workers. The court was hearing a PIL filed by lawyer Anand Yagnik alongwith a suo motu petition (a petition initiated by the HC on its own) and other pleas seeking a direction to the government to provide free transport facility to migrant workers stranded due to coronavirus lockdown. Of 22.5 inter-state migrant workers, 11.5 lakh are employed in and around Surat alone, the government said. By May 31, only 1.5 lakh migrant labourers would be left behind in Surat, of which 1.15 lakh had already returned to work, it said. Around 3.94 lakh workers from other districts of Gujarat were also employed in Surat but most of them returned to their hometowns in 30,975 buses, the reply said. The state government also told the court that the Railways had been collecting transportation charges from workers even though travel arrangements were being made at the district-level by NGOs and civil society organisations. States including Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have said they would reimburse travel expenses to the Railways directly, it said. "No migrant worker has been denied travel to his hometown on account of non-payment of travel charges," the Gujarat government claimed. The lockdown on account of coronavirus has seen a virtual exodus of migrants to their home states. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) has officially instituted legal proceedings at Mogadishu's Regional Court to seek court orders for the investigations and prosecution of suspected killers of more than 50 journalists. On Wednesday, 20 May 2020, NUSOJ presented a petition to Benadir Regional Court in which the union requested the Court to direct the Office of the Attorney General to conduct a prompt, independent and credible investigations into the merciless killings of journalists while the Attorney General Office will be required to present investigated cases to the court within three months. On Thursday, 21 May 2020, the President of the Court Abdikhadar Mohamed Hassan accepted the application and heard the submission, pending a court ruling. We believe that Somalia cannot overcome the oppressive practices against its own journalists that have resulted in the entrenchment of the culture of impunity without conducting an effective, speedy, and adequate investigation to uncover the truth and seek justice for murdered journalists, said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary-General. aOur sole aim is the Court and the Attorney General to try and punish the material and intellectual authors of journalists' killings. In its application, NUSOJ stated that assassinations of journalists are not only violations of international human rights law but more pertinently constitute egregious and recurrent violations of article 13 (right to life) and Article 18 (freedom of expression and opinion) of the provisional constitution of Somalia. The union further underlined that investigation of deadly attacks on journalists requires particular sensitivity and expertise to ensure that the link between the crime and the journalistas professional activities is uncovered and taken into account, and the investigating authorities must not overly rush to dismiss the possibility of such a link. "Through this court application, we are not only challenging impunity but we also want to advance simultaneously the road to justice and the road to the clarification of the truth, to which the victim journalists and their families and Somali people as a whole are entitleda added Osman. A prompt response by the judicial authorities in investigating and prosecuting suspected killers of journalists is essential in ensuring public confidence in the maintenance of the rule of law and in preventing any tolerance of unlawful acts. Somalis have the inalienable right to know the truth of what happened, as well as the reasons and circumstances in which aberrant crimes such as killings of journalists were committed. NUSOJ believes that a strong and unequivocal message must be sent that the judiciary will not tolerate attacks against journalists who continue to bear the brunt of impunity, which represents a double injustice to the victims of crimes of violence and undermines the rule of law. Irish medic Robert (often Bob) Collis later recalled his first impression of one of history's most shameful sites: 'It was the Belsen smell of death and decay.' Victory in Europe Day was commemorated two weeks ago, 75 years on from the day when the guns fell silent across the continent. On that day, May 8, in 1945, Doctor Collis crossed the English Channel with a Red Cross relief mission. In a memoir published two years after the events described, he told how he arrived in Holland to find the population rejoicing at the end of the war. He volunteered along with fellow Irish doctors Nigel Kinnear and Patrick MacClancy to work in Germany at the already notorious concentration camp - Bergen-Belsen. They were allocated the services of a Dutch nurse and a Dutch translator who spoke four languages and had studied law. The latter was 25-year-old Johanna (always Han) Hogerzeil, whom Bob was destined to marry, though she was 19 years his junior. On their way to the camp, the Red Cross team called to Han's native village of Oosterbeek, which had been all but flattened during the conflict. Throughout the next few months, they saw at first hand constant reminders of how Europe had been battered and scarred by war. And together they witnessed the fallout from the worst savagery of the Nazi regime as they set up and ran a children's hospital in Belsen Robert Collis was born in 1900 into an Anglo-Irish family who lived at Kilmore House in Killiney, close to what is now the DART station. He came from a long line of solicitors and doctors, and he was sent to England to be educated at Rugby School before studying to be a doctor. He played rugby for Ireland, proud to have been a member of the side which drew 6-6 with England in front of 50,000 spectators at Twickenham. When he first met Han Hogerzeil in 1945, she was a lean seven stone in weight. She had striven heroically during the war to conceal Jewish families from the invading authorities after her legal studies were cut short by the German occupation. She later went on to study medicine at King's College in London as a mature student and became a doctor. The memoir, entitled 'Straight On', gives a very personal record of what occurred in the liberated concentration camp. Bob reckoned that it had been designed to hold not more than 10,000 people but the numbers grew and grew until over 60,000 were accommodated. When British troops arrived to free them, the inmates were horribly emaciated, with starvation aggravating typhus, dysentery and tuberculosis. The Red Cross party took charge of 500 orphan children ranging in age from one month to 16 years old, belonging to nine different nationalities. Treatment was undertaken despite the fact that there were 'no temperature charts, weighing machines, few medicines and no paediatric drugs. There were no blankets, no sheets, no napkins, no towels, no crockery, nothing.' However, the work had its compensations: 'The sight of those who recovered rapidly was one of the most exciting and comforting things it is possible to imagine. People who had been skeletons, reduced to the last stages of starvation, who had lain half naked in such filth that all feelings of decency had had to be abandoned, now began to come back to life with amazing rapidity. Once the corner was rounded they put on weight almost hourly, it seemed.' Patients and staff alike created a social life of sorts, culminating in a gala which featured a steeplechase, with Bob Collis as the winning jockey. The Old Vic theatre company deserted the West End, setting up a stage in Belsen to perform George Bernard Shaw's 'Arms and the Man' with a touring cast that included such stellar actors as Ralph Richardson, Laurence Olivier and Sybil Thorndyke, no less. Bob and Han brought a batch of their young charges home to Czechoslovakia and they were also present when most of the remainder were removed from what they called the Horror Camp to the safety of Sweden. Half a dozen of the children who had been their patients ended up in Ireland in breezy defiance of adoption formalities. The Collis/Hogerzeil connection with County Wicklow dates back to the late 1930s when Doctor Bob bought a farm in the hills between Newtownmountkennedy and Roundwood. It is believed that he found the property, complete with romantic cottage, while rambling through the countryside on horseback. At the time he was running a prosperous medical practice at Fitzwilliam Square in the centre of Dublin. Later he and Han worked abroad - in Nigeria and India - as well as in Ireland but when the couple retired in 1969, they headed for the old farmhouse to take up full-time residence. They had two children together but suffered the grief of losing their son Sean, who died at the young age of 14. Their nephew Uto was of a similar age and he was dispatched by his family to Ireland for a holiday with the still-grieving relatives. 'My aunt never got over it,' he says of Han's reaction to the tragedy. 'I was sent over to fill the gap.' It was an impossible mission but the teenager from Den Haag fell immediately in love with this remote spot which he first saw in 1972. With time on his hands, his uncle was in his element there, free to indulge his fondness for horses. Bob had played polo in his younger days and he continued to officiate as a referee, so Uto was brought on match days to the polo grounds in the Phoenix Park. Not a tall man, his uncle retained some of the broad-shouldered build and strength which had helped to make him such a useful member of the Irish rugby pack. As he and Han had no direct interest in agriculture, the farm was run by the Hamilton family while Bob spent as much time as he could in the saddle. Uto had no riding experience whatsoever, but soon found himself sitting with reins in hand on a docile mount after receiving minimal instruction. Four hours later, having trekked all the way to Luggala and back, the novice was in a bad state but still on board. Bob, he recalls with mixture of amusement and incredulity, had never once looked back at the first-timer during the four hours to see how he was doing: 'I was dying! And then I couldn't walk for three or four days afterwards. 'They were different, unconventional, eccentric - but in a nice way,' muses Uto more than four decades later as he recalls his hosts. 'Both were highly intelligent. They adored each other and they were very compatible. They always saw the big picture.' His uncle continued to offer his services as a part-time GP and he also occasionally showed his enduring fondness for children. Local folk legend persists among those who were children in the early seventies, telling of the times around Christmas when Bob would hire a projector. Audiences of as many as 70 youngsters would arrive at the farm to enjoy a film or two, along with hefty rations of lemonade and cake. Eventually, his love of horses proved fatal for the great man, as he fell from his mount at the age of 75 and broke his neck. Though they had lived quite affluent lives, Han suddenly found herself widowed and with scant pension provision. So she was obliged to sell the farmhouse and most of the 125 acres which went with it - though not without making provision for her nephew. As he had always shown a love for the place on his annual visits, she held back a site for Uto, half a mile from the house. He and his Dutch compatriot wife Sylvia now have a modern home on this piece of land where they have raised children who are Irish in everything except surname. Uto - now a well-regarded graphic designer - was always aware that his aunt and uncle had come through the Belsen experience. However, as a teenager, he never explored their memories of the death camp in any depth. It was only in later years that he talked about the subject with his aunt. Doctor Bob Collis is still remembered as the ground-breaking founder of Cerebral Palsy Ireland, with 'My Left Foot' author Christy Brown among his patients. He also wrote several books and a play. Han went on in 1983 to marry retired accountant Donald McLean who died in 1997. She passed away herself in 2005 shortly after her 85th birthday while in the care of a nursing home in Greystones. An obituary noted that she had been a regular volunteer in the War on Want shop in Bray for many years. War on want - it was a fight this remarkable woman engaged in for all of her adult life. For Muslims all over the world, Aidil Fitri is especially dear because, after a month of fasting and avoiding food and drink during the day, the festival to mark the end of Ramadan comes as a sweet triumph and a fitting tribute to bid farewell to arguably the holiest month of the Islamic calendar. However, Hari Raya Puasa 2020 Singapore and world over will have bittersweet connotations to it, as we will not be able to engage in almost all of the activities that we have come to associate Eid with. Coronavirus has taken the shine off many religious festivals and events this year, and with the holy month of Ramadan falling within circuit breaker measures, Aidil Fitri will be no exception. There are, however, steps you can take to ensure that Eid this year will not be forgotten and may even be one that is cherished for bringing us closer to the simplest of things in life, for teaching us to be grateful and to never take for granted our health, and the greatest blessing that is our families. Hari Raya Puasa 2020 Singapore Hari Raya Puasa 2020 Singapore will be challenging as the day will be spent indoors. Photo: iStock Celebrating Hari Raya Puasa 2020 in SingaporeCircuit Breaker style Eid Playlist First things first. You need a playlist to fuel your souls as you prep for Eid! Create a killer playlist to pump you up and get your family into the Hari Raya mood (Zain Bhikhas Eidun Said, is always a good one to start off with!). Blast this playlist all throughout the previous day as you go about preparing for the festival to infuse a sense of celebration as your family spends Eid this year indoors. Give your family a pep-talk about all the activities you have planned for the festival, so as to have them look forward to it and not dread it as just another uneventful day spent in quarantine. Decorate your house If you cant go to the party, you bring the spirit of the party to you. Dress your house up. Go crazy with the decorations. Try to adopt a recycle-upcycle theme this Eid, as we live on the precipice of an economic recession and using up resources in our homes that we might dispose of is a good way to repurpose them and give them new life. Story continues There are hundreds of DIY party decor ideas out on the internet, especially on Pinterest. Try making garbage bag/ plastic bag pompoms to hang up in pretty lines, newspaper and magazine fans and flowers, and crescent and stars made of spare cardboard boxes that you no doubt have in your storeroom. Get the kids involved and keep them busy for hours with a pair of scissors, coloured pencils, glue, and some fun products from the kitchen: empty milk gallons, egg cartons, foil paper, anything you can spare and have at hand. Dress up Whether you choose to buy your Raya clothes online, or you choose not to purchase new clothes this year and instead donate to charity or to families whom you know have been directly afflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic via pay-cuts and even unemployment, you will always have something that qualifies as your Best Dress somewhere in your wardrobe. Put on your Best Dress, and Best face, this Eid. Hari Raya during quarantine does not have to be a drab and lacklustre experience. If anything, glamming up would make for an interesting photo-shoot: One to remember for years to come of an Eid spent in quarantine and maintaining social distancing. Cook up a feast/ Order up a feast hari raya puasa 2020 singapore Cook. Photo: iStock Unearth family recipes and cook up a feast for just yourselves and your families. Get the whole family involved with kids on snacks, cookies or easy dessert stations, and yourself and your partner on the main courses. And if spending long hours in the kitchen seems more of a chore rather than a way to kill time, patronize a struggling business and order instead. Restaurants and catering businesses have been hit hard due to this global pandemic and in supporting them you satiate your Eid cravings, as well as have it count as an act of Sadaqah (charity) for you. The beauty of this is no matter what, set your intention right and they will both count as acts of worship and will serve to enhance your celebration this Hari Raya. Video-call Family and Friends Make sure to stay in touch with relatives and friends via video calls during Hari Raya for the sense of community that you associate the festival with. Photo: iStock Organise Zoom/Google Hangout calls with your family and friends. You can all have lunch together on-screen, or you can also go virtual house-visiting this way, calling up different families and friends. Make use of festive wallpapers, and select an Eid-related Zoom background to spice things up. You may also opt to get your kids to open their Eid presents in front of grandparents and extended relatives, have an Eid henna session on a video call, or even facetime your grandmother or aunty to have an online cooking session for younger relatives to make dishes that Hari Raya will be incomplete without. Online Games for families Host an Eid day gaming tournament where you play your favourite games online together. Several sites like Gartic.io host drawing parties and you can get families to compete against each other by drawing images while others guess what it is. This may make for a fun bonding experience where relatives of all ages can take part and compete against. Younger cousins and friends can make use of Kahoot games, a platform that many will already be familiar with as it is commonly used in schools. Whatever you do, seek comfort in the realisation that you are among millions spending their festival this way. You are not alone. Try incorporating these tips into your Hari Raya celebration this year, and do let us know if you have any other ideas that our community can benefit from. ALSO READ: No Visits, Gatherings During Hari Raya Says MUIS; Haj Pilgrimage Deferred to 2021 The post How to Celebrate Hari Raya Puasa in Times of Circuit Breaker Measures appeared first on theAsianparent - Your Guide to Pregnancy, Baby & Raising Kids. The remains of four South Korean teachers found dead in an avalanche in the Himalayas returned home Saturday. The four victims, all of them school teachers in South Chungcheong Province, had left South Korea on Jan. 13 for volunteering work in Nepal. Four days later, they went missing in a deadly avalanche while trekking in Annapurna. Two bodies were first discovered on April 25, and a third was found two days later. The body of the fourth teacher was spotted on May 1. Their remains were sent to a hospital in Kathmandu. Following surviving family members' consent, their bodies were cremated two weeks ago. Three staffers from South Chungcheong's provincial education office and a surviving family member were dispatched to Nepal to bring the remains home. But with travel restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, they had difficulty finding a flight back to South Korea. They arrived home with help from the Japanese government. The South Korean foreign ministry recently learned that Japan planned to send a chartered flight to Nepal to bring Japanese nationals home, and asked its Tokyo counterpart to allow South Chungcheong officials and the family member to board the flight to Japan. As international arrivals, three South Chungcheong officials will have isolate themselves for two weeks. But the surviving family member had applied for and been granted exemption from quarantine. If he tests negative, he will not have to go into self-isolation. (Yonhap) Gold Price Forecast Overview: Gold prices broke out to fresh yearly highs earlier this week, only to find themselves failing to hold onto the gains. Failure to reach the measured target of the symmetrical triangle would likely foreshadow a deeper pullback. The drop in gold volatility is a concerning development for gold prices, which typically trade stronger when measures of volatility are on the rise. According to the IG Client Sentiment Index , gold prices may experience some weakness in the coming sessions. Gold Prices Traded Choppy amid US-China Trade War Fears Gold prices are dealing with two countervailing forces at the moment, one in the news frequently over the past few months, one that has not made an appearance since the most recent crisis started: the former, the coronavirus pandemic; the latter, the US-China trade war. Just as global risk appetite is on the mend due to developed economies beginning to lift the onerous veil of The Great Lockdown, the worlds two largest economies appear reading to escalate the trade war anew. Of course, some of this is tied to the coronavirus pandemic itself, with the Trump administration (among other Western world leaders) casting blame on China for its mishandling of the initial outbreak of the scourge. The deterioration along the US-China trade war front, which has historically been a bonafide positive for gold prices, stands in stark juxtaposition to developments from earlier in the week out of the European Union, where the once-unthinkable has now emerged: the prospect of jointly-issued federalized debt, with Germanys blessing. Its noteworthy that gold prices peaked on the day of this announcement by Germany and France, the EUs two largest economies; without the latest uptick in US-China trade war tensions, gold prices may have otherwise faced a bigger setback than they have up until this point in time. For now, the global economy rebound from the coronavirus pandemic is the more persuasive storyline to keep an eye on, as it poses a real threat to gold prices if risk appetite improves. Certainly, anything that moves the European Union further from its existential termination reduces the appeal for a safe haven like gold. Gold Volatility Continues to Drop, However Gold prices have a relationship with volatility unlike other asset classes, even including precious metals like silver which have economic uses. While other asset classes like bonds and stocks dont like increased volatility signaling greater uncertainty around cash flows, dividends, coupon payments, etc. gold tends to benefit during periods of higher volatility. Heightened uncertainty in financial markets due to increasing macroeconomic tensions increases the safe haven appeal of gold. To this end, we may be seeing some long-term exposure covered as this threat has dissipated, leading to a decline in measures of gold volatility even as the US-China trade war threatens to heat up and derail what will be an extremely fragile recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Read more: How Do Politics and Central Banks Impact FX Markets? GVZ (Gold Volatility) Technical Analysis: Daily Price Chart (October 2008 to May 2020) (Chart 1) Gold volatility (as measured by the Cboes gold volatility ETF, GVZ, which tracks the 1-month implied volatility of gold as derived from the GLD option chain) is trading at 19.09, less than 25% of the absolute high set in mid-March near 85.50. We still maintain the belief that, given the current environment, falling gold volatility is rather neutral for gold prices, whereas rising gold volatility is still proving bullish. As such, the 5-day correlation between GVZ and gold prices is -0.15 while the 20-day correlation is -0.52; one week ago, on May 15, the 5-day correlation was -0.83 and the 20-day correlation was -0.22; and one month ago, on April 9, the 5-day correlation was -0.39 and the 20-day correlation was 0.06. The erosion of the 20-day correlation highlights the fact that the typical relationship between gold prices and gold volatility is currently absent. Gold Price Technical Analysis: Daily Chart (May 2019 to May 2020) (Chart 2) On May 18, gold prices were able to climb to a fresh yearly high, following through on the prior Fridays breakout from the sideways range carved out between the April 14/2020 high at 1747.72 and the April 21 swing low at 1661.42. This was expected, as we noted ahead of the breakout that given that gold prices rallied into this consolidation, the market retains an upside bias. Yet not all is well for gold prices. It was also noted that , if gold prices do break higher from here, the near-term measured move calls for gains towards 1834.02. That weve witnessed gold prices set a fresh yearly high and immediately turn lower warns of an exhausted market. Failure to reach the measured target of the symmetrical triangle would likely foreshadow a deeper pullback in the near-term, particularly if gold prices were to move below the daily 21-EMA (currently 1715). Gold Price Technical Analysis: Weekly Chart Inverse Head and Shoulders Pattern (May 2011 to May 2020) (Chart 3) Gold prices have made significant progress within the confines of the multi-year inverse head & shoulders pattern, achieving their highest level since November 2012 earlier this week. It thus still holds that the rally into and through the 76.4% retracement (1714.66) must be viewed in context of the longer-term technical picture: the gold price inverse head and shoulders pattern that was triggered in mid-2019 is still valid and guiding gold price action. Depending upon the placement of the neckline, the final upside targets in a potential long-term gold price rally, if drawing the neckline breakout against the August 2013 high at 1433.61, calls for a final target at 1820.99. This dovetails neatly with the measured move on the daily timeframe looking for gold prices to rally into 1834.02. IG Client Sentiment Index: Gold Price Forecast (May 22, 2020) (Chart 4) Gold: Retail trader data shows 73.18% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 2.73 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 0.12% lower than yesterday and 1.56% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 6.27% lower than yesterday and 13.13% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests Gold prices may continue to fall. Traders are further net-long than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger Gold-bearish contrarian trading bias. --- Written by Christopher Vecchio, CFA, Senior Currency Strategist Former Louth TD Gerry Adams has won a Supreme Court appeal against two historic convictions for attempting to escape from the Maze Prison in the 1970s. Announcing the unanimous judgement of the court last Wednesday, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Lord Kerr said Mr Adams' detention was unlawful because it had not been 'considered personally' by then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Willie Whitelaw. Gerry Adams was first elected to Dail Eireann for Sinn Fein in the 2011 General Election and retained his seat five years later. Mr Adams, also a former president of the party, did not contest this year's election. The 71-year-old has now called on the British government to identify and inform other internees whose Internment may also have been unlawful. It is anticipated he will seek compensation. The judge said: 'The making of the (interim custody order) in respect of the appellant was invalid since the Secretary of State had not himself considered it. 'In consequence, Mr Adams' detention was unlawful, hence his convictions for attempting to escape from lawful custody were, likewise, unlawful." Lord Kerr added: 'The appeal is therefore allowed and his convictions are quashed.' Mr Adams attempted to escape from the Maze, also known as Long Kesh internment camp, on Christmas Eve, 1973 and again in July 1974. He was later sentenced to a total of four and a half years. A panel of five Supreme Court justices delivered their ruling remotely. At a previous hearing counsel for Mr Adams said his client's appeal had been prompted by the obtaining of materials under the 30-year rule undwer which government papers are made public. It was submitted to the court that these documents revealed there had been 'considerable debate within the Northern Ireland Office and the Home Office' about whether Mr Adams had been lawfully detained. Following last week's ruling Gerry Adams thanked his legal team. 'I have no regrets about my imprisonment except for the time I was separated from my family. However, we were not on our own. It is believed that around two thousand men and women were interned during its four and a half years of operation.' he said. 'I consider my time in the Prison Ship Maidstone, in Belfast prison and in Long Kesh to have been in the company of many remarkable, resilient and inspiring people.' P.R.C. Proposal To Impose National Security Legislation on Hong Kong Press Statement Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State May 22, 2020 The United States condemns the People's Republic of China (PRC) National People's Congress proposal to unilaterally and arbitrarily impose national security legislation on Hong Kong. The decision to bypass Hong Kong's well-established legislative processes and ignore the will of the people of Hong Kong would be a death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised for Hong Kong under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a UN-filed agreement. Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of liberty. The United States strongly urges Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal, abide by its international obligations, and respect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions, and civil liberties, which are key to preserving its special status under U.S. law. Any decision impinging on Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms as guaranteed under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law would inevitably impact our assessment of One Country, Two Systems and the status of the territory. We stand with the people of Hong Kong. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address As the revolution aged, contradictions grew harder to ignore. As her job took her around the country, she saw that the hospitals most Cubans went to were shabby reflections of the one where her mother was treated. Other Cubans waited months, sometimes years, for a wheelchair. They couldnt count on oxygen being available. Vital equipment broke down. Medicines ran out. Doctors and nurses expected to be bribed. The stark differences weighed on Ms. Limonta, weakening her revolutionary spirit as well as her heart. She was just 48 when she was rushed to the mediocre hospital to which she, as a resident of Guanabacoa, was assigned. But once doctors found out who she was, they insisted on transferring her to Cubas top cardiology center. She got the pacemaker she needed, but the speedy treatment only deepened her doubts. Bound by a strict sense of social justice, she finally forced herself to see the truth. She and her mother had been pampered in their time of need not because they were equal to other Cubans. Not because they were socialists. Not because they loved Fidel. But because they were more important. The surgery caused a nearly mortal infection in her heart. Emergency open-heart surgery left her scarred and uncertain about her life. She decided to quit her job, hand in her party membership, give back her state car and even renounce the Santeria religion she had been practicing. Standing before a mirror one day, she cried. The scars on her body made her look like she had been torn apart and sewn back together, which was how she felt about her life. She had turned her back on everything she once believed in and had no idea how to go on. She was not like her friend Lili, who led the neighborhood Committee for the Defense of the Revolution and whose faith in Communism was unshakable. Like many other Cubans whose support for the revolution lagged, Ms. Limonta had few options. She could dissent openly and invite harassment or persecution. She could throw herself into a raft and hope the sea breezes blew her to Florida. Or she could keep her thoughts to herself and focus on surviving. Even with the subsidized rice and beans every Cuban receives, her $12 monthly pension guaranteed only misery. She needed to remake her life and found inspiration in the old treadle sewing machine that her mother had given her for graduation. Using discarded hotel sheets, she sewed crib sets for newborns that she covertly sold for a few dollars apiece. In 2011, when Raul Castro cautiously allowed Cubans to start their own small businesses, Ms. Limonta became one of Cubas first legal capitalists. Eventually, with help from a church-sponsored business incubator, she created her own company, rented space for a workshop, hired seamstresses and started turning out clothing of her own design. When President Barack Obama visited Havana in 2016 to see for himself how Cuba was responding to the opening he had set in motion, Ms. Limonta was among the Cuban entrepreneurs who met with him. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, May 23, 2020 06:32 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9bc029 1 National Idul-Fitri,Takbiran,Istiqlal-Mosque,COVID-19,coronavirus Free The countrys biggest mosque, Istiqlal, is to hold a virtual grand takbiran event to celebrate Idul Fitri as it will not be hosting any mass gathering, including congregational prayers, to mark the end of Ramadan amid the pandemic. The takbiran, which contains a recital of Allahu Akbar (God is great), is traditionally held on the eve of Idul Fitri at mosques and on the streets involving tens to hundreds of people. This year, however, Istiqlal Mosques management is to hold the virtual takbiran in a less festive way, airing it on its YouTube channel and state-run television broadcasting network TVRI. "This year's takbir akbar will be held virtually. Only a limited number of people are allowed to recite the takbir [at the mosque] to comply with the recommended health protocols," Istiqlal Mosque spokesperson Abu Hurairah Abdulsalam said on Friday, as quoted by kompas.com. Read also: MUI, Muhammadiyah advise public to hold Idul Fitri prayers at home during pandemic There would only be five people in the mosque during the takbir, he added. Idul Fitri messages from President Joko Jokowi Widodo, Vice President Maruf Amin as well as several ministers are also to be conducted virtually during the event. "It can be accessed via Istiqlal's YouTube account and state broadcasting company TVRI. The government announced on Friday that the first day of Syawal month, which marks the Idul Fitri celebration, would fall on Sunday. (vny) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) Police seized one of the largest amounts of prohibited drugs, recovering over 81 million worth of shabu concealed in Chinese tea bags, the National Capital Region Police Office reported on Saturday. National Capital Region Police Office chief Maj Gen Debold Sinas identified the two drug suspects as Ryan Labandaria and Ervyn Querubin. They were killed during the buy-bust operation along Northbound C6 Road, Lower Bicutan in Taguig City on Friday night. According to the police report, an operative acting as a buyer was exchanging the buy-bust money with the suspected shabu when one of the suspects, later identified as Labandaria, suddenly pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the agent, prompting other operatives to defend their fellow policeman. "While in the process of scuffle, the suspects on board a black colored Nissan Navarra vehicle driven by Querubin sped off going to Barangay New Lower, Taguig City," the report said. "A car chase ensued that eventually caused the death of the two drug suspects." Authorities said they recovered 12 kilos of shabu packed in Chinese tea bags, a Toyota Altis, a Nissan Navarra, three loaded firearms and the buy-bust money of 1 million. Authorities also said that an ambulance was called to bring the wounded suspects to hospital for medical treatment, while all the evidence was brought to the RSOG-NCRPO for safekeeping and the illegal drugs submitted to the crime lab for examination. When Dave Elmore first heard the province was sending a $200 tax credit to all seniors, regardless of need, his first thought was "why?" Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When Dave Elmore first heard the province was sending a $200 tax credit to all seniors, regardless of need, his first thought was "why?" In this, the 65-year-old cyclist and environmental advocate wasn't alone. Ever since the province unveiled the $45 million seniors economic recovery credit, the program has drawn questions: while seniors are most at risk from the health impacts of COVID-19, the economic fallout has landed more heavily on other demographics. Meanwhile, Elmore was alarmed to learn that several local environmental non-profits are set to have their provincial funding slashed. So when those groups reached out to supporters for help, Elmore was quick to sign on -- both by donating his own cheque, and by spreading the word. "It was an obvious thing to do," Elmore says. "It just made so much sense to try and help them out at a time when virtually all of their funding has disappeared." Now, Elmore and other like-minded folks are launching Manitoba Seniors for Sustainability, a campaign to encourage donations to those local environmental non-profits: the Green Action Centre, which supports sustainable living efforts such as waste reduction, as well as Climate Change Connection and the Manitoba Eco Network. The campaign has a goal, which is to raise $360,000 for the groups -- the same amount, they say, as the funds that were cut by the province. They have a new Twitter account, @mbseniors4sust, and a Facebook group to help encourage other seniors to donate, if they are able. And they have a hashtag, #mbseniors4sust, under which they encourage seniors to post photos of themselves doing environmentally friendly things biking, for instance, or composting as well as testimonials of why they place value on ecological causes and sustainable living. "Weve got another huge crisis on our hands with climate change, and we really cant afford to lose these organizations," Elmore says. "If they fail completely they may not come back, and we really cant afford to have that happen." The founding members are no strangers to this type of effort. All are longtime social and environmental advocates, many with links to the impacted organizations. Elmore worked at the Green Action Centre for six years before his retirement; campaign co-founder Peter Miller is a former Green Action Centre board member and volunteer. So when Miller, 83, learned of the seniors' cheques, he knew right away he would donate his to the Centre. Like others involved in the campaign, he believes the program is "missing the mark" when it comes to addressing the needs of Manitobans, especially coupled with funding cuts to other programs. "(The province) is pressing forward on its austerity agenda," Miller says. "Theres been very little in the way of economic support for those in need, and for the climate crisis which existed before COVID, and is still here, and will continue after the COVID crisis is over. 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. "Its not as though you can put one crisis on hold when another one arises." Another founding member is Muriel Smith, who in 1981 became the first woman in Canada to serve as a deputy premier. Smith, who celebrated her 90th birthday earlier this month, and has spent decades in social advocacy; paying her seniors' cheque forward and joining the campaign is one way she can still help out, she says. "Its not a huge organization, its going word of mouth, but thats the way activist ideas have always spread," Smith says. "I want to do something that is constructive, as were beset with so much difficult news. Activists have always acted a bit on faith, but its better than doing nothing." Smith had originally planned to donate her senior cheque to Winnipeg Harvest; she'll still be making that donation too. In the meantime, she says, Manitobans must not lose sight of the climate crisis, even while it wrestles with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Its one of those slow-changing things, but relentless," Smith says. "Its hard to give it the attention it deserves. It underpins everything that we do in the future for our kids and grandkids, and for me, great-grandkids. For us, its trying to not desert an issue just because its fallen out of favour." melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca Lawyers for 10 churches and a nonprofit advocacy group filed new arguments Friday saying the states high court should affirm a rural county judges injunction that voided Gov. Kate Browns emergency coronavirus orders. Brown would have needed to get approval from three-fifths of each house of the Legislature to extend her declaration of a public health emergency beyond 28 days, they said. On Monday, a Circuit Court judge in Baker County ruled that the governors emergency restrictions were null and void, in response to a lawsuit filed by the churches, the Pacific Justice Institute and 21 others. They contended the governors limits on social gatherings violated their constitutional rights to freedom of religion and assembly. The Oregon Supreme Court within hours granted the governors request for a hold on the injunction to allow time to consider the states petition to dismiss the Baker County judges decision. The high court can rule at any time and hasnt provided a timetable for its decision. In their response to the states filing, Ray D. Hacke of the Pacific Justice Institute wrote: Even when responding to the most extreme emergencies, the Governor of Oregon cannot exceed prescribed limits on his or her emergency powers. He wrote that Browns restrictions in mid-March banning social, spiritual and recreational gatherings of 25 people or more made it impossible for some churches to continue to hold worship services but the churches involved in this suit complied. They followed the order partly because of a biblical command that says, Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities and didnt want to incur any fines or potential arrests, Hacke wrote. The churches, though, thought the restrictions would be temporary, their brief said. Many churches felt forced to choose between adhering to biblical commands to remember the Sabbath day and obeying the governors orders, Hacke wrote. The plaintiffs argue that the pandemic appears to be subsiding in most Oregon counties and questioned if it posed much of a threat at all. As of Friday, 147 coronavirus-related deaths have been recorded in the state and close to 4,000 people have tested positive or have presumptive cases, according to the Oregon Health Authority. The governor failed to observe statutory and constitutional time limits and procedures in exercising her emergency powers and her restrictions exceeded her emergency powers, the plaintiffs claim. While protecting the public health and safety of Oregonians is a compelling government interest of the highest order, Gov. Brown may not infringe on Oregonians constitutionally protected freedoms for any longer, or to any greater degree, than is necessary to serve that interest, Hacke wrote. They pointed to court rulings in Kentucky and North Carolina earlier this month that blocked state restrictions on religious services during the pandemic. The churches successfully argued in Baker County that ORS 433.441 limits declared public health emergencies to 14 days, or up to 28 days maximum, and because COVID-19 is a public health crisis, that limitation applied. But the governors attorney countered that Brown declared a state of emergency under a different state law, ORS 401.165, which isnt limited to any particular time period and continues indefinitely. Conservative activist Kevin Mannix, former legislator and gubernatorial candidate, was allowed to intervene in support of the churches suit against the governor on behalf of the nonprofit group Common Sense Oregon. In a separate brief filed Friday, Mannix wrote, "Intervenors did not file for an injunction to dispute the science and data relied on by the Governor, but to dispute application of the law to Intervenors (and all Oregonians similarly situated).'' Also Friday, the Oregon Nurses Association filed a brief in support of the governors actions. The public health interest weighs heavily against the preliminary injunction and in favor of the Governors orders and a considered approach to reopening, wrote lawyers for the association, which was an early proponent of the social distancing measures adopted by Brown. With no vaccine available, limits on social gatherings, restrictions on businesses, school closures and social distancing practices are the only methods available to combat the virus, attorneys Aruna A. Masih and Thomas K. Doyle wrote for the association. They pointed to two churches that reopened in Texas and Georgia earlier this month, for example, only to then indefinitely suspend services after members and leaders tested positive for the coronavirus. Citing the Oregon Health Authoritys current modeling predictions, the association wrote that lifting current restrictions could result in thousands of additional cases and hundreds more deaths by mid-June. Nurse, doctors and other health care workers, including ONA members, are being asked to do extraordinary feats already without adequate (protective equipment). Lifting current restrictions will undoubtedly present an impossible situation, the associations brief said. Other faith leaders have pledged to honor the governors restrictions. We recognize a shared sacred duty to promote public health and well-being of all our neighbors, especially the most vulnerable members of our society. Today we agree that this must be a key metric in determining our individual reopening plans, and we ask for all people of faith to join us in affirming this guiding focus, said a statement by Common Table, a group of more than 200 faith leaders across Oregon. -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Subscribe to Facebook page Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter Mysuru: When Mysurus iconic Southern Star hotel decided to shut down this due to losses induced by the coronavirus lockdown, it follows almost inevitably that several others will fall like nine pins in this heritage city. Hotel trade insiders say some 22 other hotels are likely to follow suit. Mysuru Hotel Owners Association president C Narayana Gowda told Deccan Chronicle that Southern Stars decision to cease operations is just the beginning; other iconic hotels like Roost on Hunsur road, Raj Bhavan in Vontikoppal are headed in the same direction. Narayana Gowda has decided to close his own hotel Vishnu Bhavan in Kuvempunagar. The distress in the hotel industry warns of a disaster for the city itself. Around 30 per cent of the people in Mysuru depend on tourism. The city has 405 hotels with a total of 9500 rooms. There are 1500 hotel owners and 25,000 employees. Sixty-five percent of the hotels operate out of rented buildings. In a town of less than a million, thats a pretty comprehensive value chain. Narayana Gowda is not sure how many hotels will take the hit but some will. We will have clarity on how many exactly will close down once hotels are permitted to reopen in the first place. Even after the lockdown is finally lifted, there is likely to be a 25 per cent drop in business. It will take at least six months for the hotel business to resume normalcy, let alone recovering the losses we have incurred during this period, he added. The lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic inflicted on hotels a loss of Rs 10 crore per day. Narayana Gowda complains that so far the state government has not extended any direct help or immediate relief to hoteliers. We buy the highest amout of farmers produce like fruits, vegetables and milk, Gowda points out. The districts other economic props are threatening to collapse as well. Alarm bells started ringing on that front with the closure of RTIL Limited, formerly known as Reid and Taylor (India) Limited, which shut its plant at Tandavapura, Nanjanagud. Anxieties run high in the citys industry. Though they have permission to reopen, hardly 40 percent of the factories in Mysuru have begun work. The fear of Covid runs among the workers and owners alike but a major reason for the hesitation is the possibility of revenue loss. There are 26,000 industries in Mysuru with 3 lakh employees. Some 50,000 of the workers are out-of-towners, and 40,000 of them have gone home, perhaps permanently. The lockdown cost Mysuru industry something like Rs 82 crore per day in cash flow and Rs 18 crore loss on fixed expenses including electricity, rent etc. Mysuru District Industries Association president Suresh Kumar said that as of now, no industry has decided to down shutters. ''There is a lot of uncertainties but assurances are being made. Once the situation is clear, many may decide either to shut or sell their industries,'' he said. Among the curious cases in Mysuru industry is that of the pharma company Jubilant Generics. The company at Nanjangud has approached the state government seeking permission to reopen and the Mysuru Industries Association has backed them. The factory was host to a virulent cluster of cases that broke out on its premises in April. It took a monumental effort by the district admin to bring it under control. Among 92 Covid-19 positive cases in Mysuru, 74 were from the Jubilant Generics cluster including 15 in Mysuru and 59 in Nanjangud (34 in 14 villages in Nanjangud rural and 25 in Nanjangud town). This gave rise to stigma against the company. "They might have imported raw materials from China, but it was not with the deliberate intension to import virus right? And hence they cannot be made responsible," Suresh Kumar defended. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said in Mysuru on Friday that chief minister would decide to whether to alow Jubilant company to reopem Nanjangud. A bipartisan group of lawmakers have for the first time introduced a legislation in both the chambers of the US Congress proposing major reforms in the H-1B work visas by giving priority to the best and brightest US-educated foreign youths, a move that could benefit Indian students already in the country. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. On April 1, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said that the US received nearly 275,000 unique registration requests for the Congressional mandated 85,000 H-1B visas for foreign technology professionals, of which more than 67 per cent are from India. As far as the students are concerned, India accounts for the second largest number of foreign students in the US after China. There are more than 200,000 Indian students in the US. The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act, as introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate, will require US Citizenship and Immigration Services to prioritize for the first time the annual allocation of H-1B visas. The new system would ensure that the best and brightest students being educated in the US receive preference for an H-1B visa, including advanced degree holders, those being paid a high wage, and those with valuable skills, proponents of this major legislative reforms said on Friday. In the Senate, it was introduced by Senators Chuck Grassley and Dick Durbin. In the House of Representatives, it was introduced by Congressmen Bill Pascrell, Paul Gosar, Ro Khanna, Frank Pallone and Lance Gooden. The legislation reinstates Congress' original intent in the H-1B and L-1 visa programmes by increasing enforcement, modifying wage requirements and securing protection for both American workers and visa holders, the lawmakers said. The legislation, among other things, explicitly prohibits the replacement of American workers by H-1B or L-1 visa holders, clarifying that working conditions of similarly employed American workers may not be adversely affected by the hiring of an H-1B worker, including H-1B workers who have been placed by another employer at the American worker's worksite. These provisions address the types of abuses that have been well-documented. Importantly, the legislation proposes increased crackdown on outsourcing companies that import large numbers of H-1B and L-1 workers for temporary training purposes only to send the workers back to their home countries to do the same job. Specifically, the bill would prohibit companies with more than 50 employees, of which at least half are H-1B or L-1 holders, from hiring additional H-1B employees. The bill gives the US Department of Labor enhanced authority to review, investigate, and audit employer compliance with programme requirements, as well as to penalise fraudulent or abusive conduct. It requires the production of extensive statistical data about the H-1B and L-1 programs, including wage data, worker education levels, place of employment, and gender. In addition, the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act encompasses several reforms of the L-1 visa programme, including establishment of a wage floor for L-1 workers; authority for the US Department of Homeland Security to investigate, audit, and enforce compliance with L-1 program requirements; assurance that intra-company transfers occur between legitimate branches of a company and don't involve shell facilities; and a change to the definition of specialized knowledge to ensure that L-1 visas are reserved only for truly key personnel. Asserting that Congress created these programmes to complement America's high-skilled workforce, not replace it, Grassley said that unfortunately, some companies are trying to exploit the programmes by cutting American workers for cheaper labour. We need programmes dedicated to putting American workers first. When skilled foreign workers are needed to meet the demands of our labour market, we must also ensure that visa applicants who honed their skills at American colleges and universities are a priority over the importation of more foreign workers. Our bill takes steps to ensure that the programmes work for Americans and skilled foreign workers alike, he said. Reforming the H-1B and L-1 visa programmes is a critical component of fixing the broken immigration system. For years, outsourcing companies have used loopholes in the laws to displace qualified American workers and facilitate the outsourcing of American jobs, Durbin said. This legislation would end these abuses and protect American and foreign workers from exploitation, Durbin said. Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna said that American immigrants come to this country with some of the most innovative, transformative ideas this world has ever seen. "If we're going to continue to foster a culture of creativity, we must reform the H-1 and L-1 visa programmes to protect all workers from abuses. Immigrants coming here on H-1B visas have made important contributions to Silicon Valley's leadership in the digital revolution. We want to make sure that talent is coming to the US, but we also want to make sure that it's being done with proper compensation, Khanna said. Congressman Pallone said that the US must ensure that qualified American workers have access to job opportunities in this country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After being closed for more than three months to curb the spread of the COVID-19, Barkhor Street, a scenic spot in Lhasa, southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region finally reopened. This is good news for us! Shop owners on Barkhor Street were thrilled upon receiving the news, talking happily in a group chat on instant messaging app WeChat. Wang Xiqiang runs a photography studio on Barkhor Street. In less than 20 minutes, he received three phone calls from tourists who wanted to take photos in Tibetan costumes on Barkhor Street. Tourists are arriving as the attraction resumes operation, and most of Wangs customers are tourists on road trips to Tibet. In his studio, a tourist from east Chinas Shandong province was browsing sample pictures while communicating with photographers. Photo taken on Jan. 26, 2019 shows colorful buildings on Barkhor Street in Lhasa, southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region. Photo by Wang Tianhao/Peoples Daily Online We drove here from Shandong, and the six of us enjoyed the scenery along the route a lot. We came here to relax because we had been confined at home for a long time because of the pandemic, the tourist told Peoples Daily. Taking pictures in Tibetan costumes as souvenir is a featured product in Tibet, Wang said, while asking his assistant to edit the photos and contact customers who had made reservations. An owner of a handicraft shop polishes beeswax on Barkhor Street in Lhasa, southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region, on Jan. 26, 2019. Photo by Wang Tianhao/Peoples Daily Online Wang Xiqiang runs his studio in part of an arts & crafts shop, as the owner Wang Yu hopes someone could share the rent with him to lower his economic pressure during the pandemic. Though tourism will surely bounce back after the pandemic, the business in the past three months are still exerting huge pressure on us, Wang Yu said. Near the photography studio lies a cultural and creative product shop which is trying its best to make up for the losses during the pandemic through online and livestream marketing. We were busy even during the closure, said Li Lei, who is in charge of operations. We have a considerable number of followers on online platforms, who buy our products online, she explained. At present, livestream is a major marketing approach of the shop, and everyone works for it has turned into an influencer. Through a series of online marketing strategies, the online sales of the shop doubled than that in the pre-epidemic period. A senior citizen turns a prayer wheel on Barkhor Street in Lhasa, southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region, Jan. 26, 2019. Photo by Wang Tianhao/Peoples Daily Online The store even received orders from Wuhan. In early April, a customer from Wuhan bought a Tibetan bracelet. To deliver the product to the destination when postal services between Tibet and Wuhan were suspended, Li inquired about the reopening of logistics services to Wuhan almost every day. When postal services to Wuhan resumed days later, she was overjoyed and immediately mailed the product. Now, Lis shop has 50,000 followers online, and the offline sales is also recovering gradually. Purchases are growing despite the relatively small amount of visitors to the store, Li said, adding that the consumption power still exists, and they are confident about the recovery of their business. Amid the coronavirus lockdown, Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in the country on May 25 except Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala, clerics said on Saturday. Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Ahmed Shah Bukhari said as the moon could not be sighted on Saturday, Muslims will celebrate Eid on Monday. However, the festival heralding the end of the fasting month of Ramzan will be celebrated across Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala on Sunday. "Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow (Sunday) as the moon has been sighted," Grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir Nasir-ul-Islam said in Srinagar. He asked people in red zones to pray at home and, those in green zones to offer namaz at some designated places and not mosques. "But, the people should wear masks, maintain social distance and pray in small numbers - around 10 to 20 persons," he added. In Kerala, clerics had Friday said that Eid will be celebrated on Sunday. Bukhari also appealed to people to offer Eid namaz at their homes. A meeting of Ruyat-e-Hilal Committee, Imarat-e-Sharaiyah-Hind, was held here during the day in Delhi. After the meeting it was announced that the moon was not sighted in Delhi and there was also no report from any part of the country, a statement from Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind said. Maulana Muizuddin, secretary of Ruyat-e-Hilal Committee, declared that the first Shawwal falls on May 25, therefore Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Monday. Jaimiat Ulema-e-Hind appealed to people to adhere to social distancing and lockdown guidelines of the governments and stay at home to offer Eid namaz. This will be perhaps the first time that there will no mass namaz at mosques and idgahs across the country as the government has prohibited all kinds of religious gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Eid marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A year and a half ago, the unthinkable happened in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District. Joe Cunningham, a Democrat who had never run for elected office, won a U.S. House seat that national analysts thought he could never win. The electoral territory along South Carolina's southeastern coastline, with its mix of retirees, veterans, suburbanites and newcomers, was red for nearly 40 years. For a Democrat, the district should have been inhospitable. This is where President Donald Trump triumphed over Hillary Clinton by 13 percentage points in 2016, and where Republicans prefer to call themselves conservatives. This is where fiscal issues still matter and protecting the environment is a priority among Republicans and Democrats. Analysts gave the GOP a built-in, 10-point advantage in the 2018 midterm contest, and labeled the district "safe Republican." But overnight in November 2018 and by just 1 percentage point, Cunningham turned the tables. He screamed when he was declared the winner shortly after 2 a.m. the next day. Republicans watched in disbelief as a once-reliable seat in Congress slipped away. It was one of the biggest upsets in the midterm cycle. Almost as soon as the seat was lost, the fight to win it back began. The S.C. GOP began discussing plans for a "1st District reclamation project" one month after the election. By the following summer, it was up and running, making it the earliest start to a victory program in state party history, according to Chairman Drew McKissick. Now the June 9 Republican primary is setting the stage for what is expected to be a fierce fight against Cunningham in the fall. Already, pressure is mounting among GOP voters who are anxious to get it right. "It's indicative of the overall challenge for Republicans to win back the House in that it's not at all that clear that Cunningham is a goner," said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabatos Crystal Ball, a nonpartisan University of Virginia newsletter covering U.S. campaigns and elections. "The race is a toss-up, and if Republicans aren't winning this seat, it's hard to see them winning others," he said. Four Republicans believe they are the best candidate to lead the party to victory in November: Bikers for Trump founder Chris Cox; Mount Pleasant Town Councilwoman Kathy Landing; state Rep. Nancy Mace of Daniel Island; and Bluffton housing official Brad Mole. All were quick to voice their opposition to offshore drilling off South Carolina's coast, an issue their party's congressional candidate struggled to overcome in 2018. Each offers a disparate vision for how they would lead in Washington, but almost all claim they can be a "unifier" after the 2018 contest nearly tore Republicans in the district apart. Unity to win In 2018, the race came down to 3,982 votes and Charleston County the most populous county and the only one Republican Katie Arrington lost in the district that wraps around parts of Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Colleton and Beaufort counties. A map of the results looks like an abstract painting, with splatters of red and dollops of blue. Anger spilled out during Arrington's concession speech, exposing the fractured party that remained. "We lost because Mark Sanford could not understand that this race was about the conservative movement and not about him," Arrington said at the time, blaming the incumbent she beat in the primary for her own general election loss. So when this year's GOP contenders appeared together in person for the first time at a recent East Cooper Republican forum, their pitches focused on how they see a path to victory in November. All but one kept their jabs subtle. As the only African American in the race, Mole, 43, said he could expand the Republican base among voters of color in ways his colleagues could not. Mace, 42, said she can bring the party together and raise the serious dollars needed for a top national race. Landing, 57, said she is the best candidate to win back the suburban moms Republicans lost. And 54-year-old Cox, who appeared in a suit and tie rather than his usual leather biker cut, said his grassroots organizing chops would garner support from blue collar workers and veterans. "The only thing that can keep Republicans from winning this seat is a lack of unity, period," McKissick said. The National Republican Congressional Committee, which is the top fundraising arm of House Republicans, does not get involved in primaries, but is paying attention to what happens. The seat is crucial to their national strategy to win back the majority in the House in 2020. "We still see it as a top pick-up opportunity," NRCC spokeswoman Camille Gallo confirmed. "That hasn't changed for us." Despite high national interest in the race, primary polling in contest has been scarce. The latest poll from First Tuesday Strategies, a South Carolina conservative consulting firm, surveyed 500 likely voters about a general election match-up not the current primary fight. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! The survey showed either Mace or Landing narrowly beating Cunningham in the general, but also showed those leads were well within the poll's 4.4 percent margin of error. Mace had a 1.35 percent advantage, and Landing had a slightly higher 1.66 percent lead over Cunningham. The survey also did not ask voters about the two other Republican candidates in the contest, and its respondents skewed older and Republican. Still, Mace and Landing jumped on the findings as the June 9 primary nears. Landing penned a Facebook post proclaiming the results "reaffirmed" her as the best Republican to take on Cunningham, while Mace sent a fundraising email telling her supporters, "This race is ours to win." The two women have emerged as clear front-runners, and they've been in a messaging war for at least the past four months. Insiders and outsiders Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the contrast between Mace and Landing has played out largely on billboards, TV spots, digital ads and mailers. Where Mace is positioning herself as the candidate with the experience, resources and national Republican support needed to win, Landing is trying to present herself as the Lowcountry's conservative not Washington's. Landing's support in the congressional race comes from a mix of locally known Republican figures and Washington outsiders-turned-influencers, such as Jim DeMint, a former U.S. senator and past Heritage Foundation president and the political arm of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. By contrast, Mace has already clinched the endorsement of the top two ranking members of House Republican leadership: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. Mace said there's an understanding that the candidate needs to be bankable. "The nominee is going to have to raise a minimum of $3 million in three to four months to win this seat back," she said. "Joe Cunningham already has $2.6 million. We need a candidate with the right organization, the right fundraising energy and work ethic to win this seat back." When the Club for Growth PAC sunk $410,000 into the district on an ad that characterized Mace as a person Trump can trust, Landing announced she had secured support from more than 20 local officials, including past 1st District congressman Tommy Harnett and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Catherine Templeton. "I proudly admit that I'm not the favored candidate of the Washington special interests but rather that I am the trusted, business-minded conservative unifying Republicans in our district to beat Joe Cunningham," Landing said in a statement. South Carolina Republican strategist Walter Whetsell said the messaging war between Landing and Mace is a classic dynamic in a GOP primary: Experience vs. fresh perspective; insider vs. outsider. "Experience can be an albatross, and whoever is playing this game is gambling on their side of it," he said. But every Republican in this contest is making a bet on Trump. Riding the Trump train When Cox got his turn at the Mount Pleasant podium a few days ago to make a statement to East Cooper Republicans, he opted to go on the attack. Without evidence, he accused Mace of being fired from the Trump campaign, even though she has denied the accusation in interviews. He also promised he will be ramping up his aggressive style. "I'm going to be more like Donald Trump, and I'm going to go after my opponents," Cox said in a recent Facebook Live video, which have become staples of his grassroots campaign style. In this race, all of the four candidates are going to great lengths to align their message with the president and his administration. It's why Mace is highlighting her time on the Trump campaign in 2016 and highlighting the moment when Vice President Mike Pence called her "an extraordinary American" during his appearance at The Citadel this spring. Landing has shared stories of being called a "mini-Trump" and she's dubbed a poll showing Mace in the lead "fake news" since it was conducted by the conservative Club for Growth PAC, which has endorsed Mace. McKissick, the state GOP leader, said the dynamics of a presidential election will be a boost in a district where Cunningham voted to impeach the president. "This is a Trump district. We still think Trump will be a benefit to the top ticket," McKissick said. Whoever wins the nomination will have the backing of a powerful political machine that is determined to deliver a win for Republicans. The NRCC identified the 1st Congressional District as one of 55 targeted House districts it wants to flip in 2020. And all of the GOP members of South Carolinas Washington delegation have committed to the state party's effort to win back the seat, including U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham. Respondent also failed to recognize that the broad nature of his advisory consulting engagements (which merely required him to be available) appeared to be dependent upon the prestige of office that he had established through decades of public service as a District Councilmember, the settlement agreement says. As a result of the Respondents conduct, District residents have ample reason to question whether he performed his official duties in a fair, impartial and objective manner. UPDATED: Physical distancing and handwashing are still the order of the day but socialising, in moderation, and gathering in (small) groups outdoors are back in our tentative post-ISO world. With the number of COVID-19 cases relatively low compared with most other nations, the federal government has provided a three-step roadmap for states and territories to start carefully relaxing some restrictions on our movement. The usual "common sense" caveats remain. "Regulation can achieve things but every individual has to do more than regulation," says Australias Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy. Social distancing and hand hygiene are key ways to prevent a dreaded second wave of infections. "So if you're going to a shopping centre to buy something, go and buy something but don't hang around the shopping centre for half-an-hour mingling for no purpose go home," Murphy said on May 10. "If you are arriving at a shopping centre and you find a crowd at an escalator not wanting to practise social distancing or crowding together, don't go in leave, come back later. "If you see someone not practising social distancing or behaving irresponsibly, tell them. If a lift opens and you find it's full of people, don't get in." Click here to read the full story. This article is part of Reopenings, a series about how businesses and other institutions are operating during the pandemic. Pastor Nathan Rose describes Liberty Baptist Church as a normal church, by which he means its a medium-size Southern Baptist congregation, about 50 years old, located in a medium-size suburb of Kansas City. Like many congregations across the country, Liberty Baptist is in the process of figuring how to reopen its doors after months of cobbling together virtual meetings. Advertisement Liberty Baptist will open its doors on May 31 for the first time since March. But services will look far from normal when it reopens. Masks will be required, and child-care is canceled indefinitely. In the wood-beamed sanctuary, fabric-covered chairs have been swapped out for hard plastic seats that are easier to disinfect. Each row of chairs will be spaced six feet apart, with buffer seats blocked off between household units in the rows. Attendees will have to register in advance to attend, a newly widespread practice that is a significant adjustment in a faith tradition that emphasizes welcoming the stranger. With space limited, members at Liberty Baptist will only be able to attend services every other week. To accommodate drop-in visitors, Rose will ask several families to volunteer to leave at a moments notice if necessary. Trying to maximize the space is a Rubiks cube nightmare, Rose said. For now, were just seeing what its going to look like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until recently, houses of worship like Liberty Baptist had been relying on a patchwork of denominational input, independent research, expert resources, and local guidelines in navigating these dilemmas. Concrete federal direction was harder to come by until Friday, when the CDC finally issued guidance on reopening for houses of worship. Meanwhile, in an afternoon press conference at the White House, President Trump threatened to override governors who have not yet allowed houses of worship to reopen their doors. The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now, this weekend, the president said. Even before Trumps announcement, pastors in several states had declared their intention to reopen May 31, the celebration of Pentecost on the Christian calendar. Advertisement Communion will be served as pre-packaged individual servings of juice and crackers. For pastors and other church leaders, reopening is not just a political gesture, but a high-stakes decisions in which their parishioners lives are on the line. Not even all of Trumps pastor supporters are on board with his breezy suggestion to open up this weekend; pastors Robert Jeffress and Paula White-Cain both told the AP that they will not be offering in-person services before June. Its increasingly clear that this reopening will be more complex than the closing, said Kent Annan, who coauthored a detailed guide to reopening for churches published by the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College. Offering, communion, singing, passing the peace: Each one of them has to be thought through. Advertisement Some churches and denominations have decided reopening is too risky to even consider in the near future. The president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Susan Frederick-Gray, recommended recently that congregations plan to continue meeting virtually through May 2021. But other congregations have already started to meet again, or are actively making plans to do so. The multi-site megachurch Life.Church has reopened locations in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, after converting services into a completely touchless experience. (Other locations, including those in Florida, Missouri, and New York, remain closed.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Clio, Michigan, pastor Rhyan Glezman reopened the doors to the Community Church of God on May 10, a few days after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer exempted houses of worship from being penalized for violating the state ban on gatherings over 50 people. He spaced out the chairs in the sanctuary, canceled coffee hour and childcare, and now serves communion as pre-packaged individual servings of juice and crackers. He also set up a parking lot praise section outside where people who didnt want to come inside could tune into services on their phones or radios. If people can go to liquor stores and lumberyards safely, then absolutely were able to open our building, Glezman said, he said. The Bible says Do not neglect to meet with one another, so were going to do that as safely as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For most churches, seating and space issues are the most pressing concern. In Elk Grove, California, Laguna Chinese Baptist Church is planning to group chairs in the sanctuary into pods, with households seated together and separated from other households by at least eight feet. The family that shelters together, worships together, pastor Jonathan Szeto said. Before the pandemic, the church held services in English and Mandarin simultaneously in different parts of the building, with a Cantonese service a few hours later. Now, Szeto is figuring out a schedule that would allow the three services to take place consecutively, with time for a complete cleaning in between each one. Hes also working to develop livestream capabilitiesas opposed to posting a delayed recordingto make sure no one who wants to stay home feels they are missing out on experiencing the service. We have a long road back, he said. He is tentatively aiming to reopen the building in July. Advertisement Advertisement Trying to maximize the space is a Rubiks cube nightmare. Pastor Nathan Rose Singing is another major worry. Congregational singing, whether of historic hymns or contemporary worship music, is a core element of almost every church service around the world. But the act of singing also expels breath with significantly more force than normal speech, according to public health experts. Many churches are still grappling with whether to give it up entirely, or find some way to modify the beloved practice. The Archdiocese of Baltimore, for example, is suspending congregational singing until further notice, citing guidance from groups including the American Choral Directors Association and the Performing Arts Medical Association. The Humanitarian Disaster Institutes guide classifies singing as high risk, and recommends against choir singing in particular indefinitely. Instead, the report suggests, music could be performed by a soloist who adheres to physical distancing guidelines. Advertisement In Fort Worth, Texas, First United Methodist Church co-pastor Lance Marshall and his staff are thinking about cordoning off seating in the front rows of the balcony when the church reopens, unsure whether respiration would fall to the congregation below. Marshall is also working to make pew seating safer, given that long benches cant be rearranged as easily as chairs. He has already removed porous materials including cushions and hymnals, and plans to stagger seating between services, designing one row for one service, then closing it off for the next one. In normal times, up to 1,500 people attended services at the historic downtown Gothic Revival building each weekend. (The church broke ground on October 29, 1929, the day the stock market crashed.) The church has not announced a reopening date yet, although other churches in Texasparticularly rurallyhave started to meet again. Some safe gatherings may be possible for other churches before its possible for us, Marshall said. Thats going to be hard, and I want to prepare people emotionally for that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The risks of reopening too soon have already been proven. The CDC issued a report last week on how a pastor and his wife in rural Arkansas spread the illness through their church in early March; of 92 people who attended events at the church, at least 35 acquired Covid-19 and three died. In Ringgold, Georgia, a church that reopened after the states stay-at-home order expired in late April closed again recently after members of several families who attended services were diagnosed. Leaders of Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle said the church had been following social-distancing guidelines, keeping family units six feet apart and taking other measures to prevent contamination. After two weeks of meeting in person, the church is returning to livestreaming its services for the indefinite future. Pompeo decries China's security law as 'death knell' for Hong Kong autonomy Iran Press TV Friday, 22 May 2020 3:11 PM US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blasted China for the imposition of a new security law on Hong Kong, claiming that the measure could be a "death knell" for the city's autonomy. On Friday, China introduced into the country's parliament new legislation that would impose a national security law on Hong Kong as part of measures aimed at restoring calm to the semi-autonomous city after seven months of fierce anti-government protests last year. The draft said the security law would "guard against, stop and punish any separatism, subversion of the national regime, terrorist group activities and such behaviors that seriously harm national security." Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam said in a statement later that the local government would "fully cooperate" with Beijing over the national security, and added that the law was aimed at "effectively preventing and curbing actions that seriously endanger national security." "The decision to bypass Hong Kong's well-established legislative processes and ignore the will of the people of Hong Kong would be a death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised for Hong Kong," Pompeo claimed in a statement. The US secretary of state said the "disastrous proposal" could lead the United States to decline to certify Hong Kong as autonomous under a new US law. "The United States strongly urges Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal, abide by its international obligations, and respect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions and civil liberties, which are key to preserving its special status under US law," Pompeo said. "Any decision impinging on Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms as guaranteed under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law would inevitably impact our assessment of One Country, Two Systems and the status of the territory," he added. The US secretary of state slammed on Wednesday China's handling of the city and its months-long anti-government protests, claiming that the treatment of what he called activists in Hong Kong complicated the assessment of whether the territory remained autonomous. The semi-autonomous Chinese territory was rocked by turbulent protests starting in June last year, when some citizens across the city began protesting against a proposed extradition bill. The proposal has since been withdrawn. The protesters often heavily vandalized shops and public property and attacked citizens believed to be pro-government. However, since the government imposed a ban on public meetings at the end of March to curb the coronavirus outbreak, Hong Kong has been relatively calm. There was only one instance of unrest when Hong Kong riot police dispersed a crowd of 300 protesters late last month. More than 7,000 people have been taken into custody for their involvement in the protests since June last year, with many having been charged with rioting, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The Chinese government says the United States and Britain have been fanning the flames of unrest in Hong Kong by supporting the protesters. Hong Kong has been governed under the "one-country, two-system" model since the city a former British colony was returned to China in 1997. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A pickup truck driver died Friday morning after his vehicle was struck by a box truck on a Sussex County highway, authorities said. The box truck was traveling north on State Highway 23 in Franklin shortly after 6 a.m. when a pickup truck exited the Irish Cottage Inn parking lot and appeared to make left onto the southern part of the highway and was hit by the box truck, causing a right-angled collision, according to a release from the Franklin Police. The pickup truck then hit several road signs and left the highway and its driver, a 70-year-old Hamburg man, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The driver was of the box truck was not injured. Detectives were still investigating the cause of the crash on Friday afternoon and anyone with information was asked to call the Franklin Borough Police Detective Bureau at 973-827-7700, extension 237 or 231. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. China's "two sessions" presents world with confidence, vitality People's Daily Online By He Yin (People's Daily) 09:06, May 22, 2020 The world is casting its eyes toward China as the country convenes its "two sessions" - the annual sessions of the country's top legislature and political advisory body. The 2020 "two sessions", kicking off in a year when China aims to achieve a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and eliminate poverty, and after the country has made important strategic achievement in combating the COVID-19 epidemic, is drawing wide attention from the international society. The world is wondering what responsibility China is going to shoulder at the special moment, and what impacts will be placed on the world. Global media, shifting their focus on China's "two sessions," are looking forward to China's victory over the COVID-19 pandemic and reaching of its annual economic and social development goals, and are expecting a strong economic recovery of China under regular epidemic prevention and control measures. They said the "two sessions" are not only a political routine, but a signal that China has completely controlled the pandemic. As an important window from which the world observes China's direction of policymaking, the "two sessions" this year will have more hotspot issues than ever as global politics is undergoing profound changes. Success only comes from hard work. In the great fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has seen the strong vitality and superiority of the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the socialism with Chinese characteristics, as well as China's national governance system, and witnessed the tremendous energy released by the Chinese spirit, Chinese power and Chinese efficiency. At the critical moment for achieving the two centenary goals, China, withstanding the test of the disease, stays resolute to reach its annual economic and social development goals, to secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and to eliminate poverty. Vowing to take back the time wasted by the pandemic, the Chinese people have turned their common aspiration into concrete efforts. "For countries hit hard by the coronavirus, China has served as a time machine of sorts," said business-focused international news organization Quartz. China's success in both pandemic control and economic recovery cheers up and lead the world to brighter perspective. The world wonder why China can, and the "two sessions" provide an opportunity for world to understand China. Any growth target released on the sessions would receive close attention, said Bloomberg. The importance laid by the press on the making of China's economic and social development goals indicated the significance of China's economic recovery and development. China's export grew 8.2 percent year on year in April, and its actual use of foreign capital achieved positive growth. Besides, the value added of industries above designated size went up by 3.9 percent from a year ago. These figures well explained China's economic resilience and vitality, and proved that the fundamentals sustaining China's long-term growth remain unchanged, and the country's high-quality development is well supported. According to international media coverage, Chinese cities are bustling again; the country's consumption is waking up; and foreign investment projects are being implemented in an accelerated manner. International observers concluded that China is in a leading position in global economic recovery after achieving phased achievements of pandemic control, and the better-than-expected economic recovery of the country is a piece of good news to global economy. To defeat the virus calls for global coordination, and open international cooperation is also necessary for the recovery of global economy. International observers believe that China, in a critical stage of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects, will keep releasing dividend to the world. The third China International Import Expo is scheduled to run from Nov. 5 to 10 in Shanghai, and the signed exhibition area has surpassed that in the previous session. Fitch Ratings from the U.S. is permitted to enter the Chinese credit rating market, and the quota limits for the qualified foreign institutional investor scheme were removed. These new measures to expand opening up demonstrated the confidence and resolution of China to expand open cooperation and share development opportunities with the world. They will surely inject confidence and vitality into the stabilization and recovery of the world economy. Tough times test real hero. The Chinese nation that has been tested by history is bound to gather strength from challenges, grow stronger in hardships, and make more achievements in the future. By understanding more about China during the "two sessions", the world will see more development opportunities and the power of cooperation. By joining hands and making common progress, global countries will turn this world into a better place. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address JERSEYVILLE The Jersey Township Food Pantry has received a $15,000 grant from Bayer Fund which will be used to buy and install a new walk-in freezer. Bayer once again proved how generous it is to our community, said food pantry coordinator Sarah Collins. They have been very supportive of our food pantry and we dont know what wed do without them, she said. This grant will not only provide support to our organization, but also the community we serve by allowing us to quadruple our freezer capacity. Collins said the number of families served by the food pantry has increased tremendously in the last several years, outgrowing its storage capacity and forcing it to store frozen product off-site. A previous Bayer grant allowed organizers to update the pantry and store more product while also being more energy efficient. Collins said the grant would allow the pantry to be even more productive and efficient by helping to keep items at proper storage temperatures. Throughout the years, the grants given through Bayer Fund have helped strengthen our communities across the United States, said Al Mitchell, President of Bayer Fund. Were proud to be able to provide support to develop programs that help combat challenges such as food insecurity, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and support services to patients and families managing an illness or disease. Last year Bayer Fund awarded more than $14 million to some 3,200 charitable and nonprofit organizations to help address essential needs in food and nutrition, STEM education and community development. Over the last five years, it has awarded more than $79 million to nonprofit organizations across the U.S. For more about the Jersey Township Food Pantry, call 618-498-3719. For more about Bayer Fund visit https://www.fund.bayer.us. Called 'Literary Conversations Across Borders', the project will use a digital platform to host Emirati writers and commentators in live discussions with high profile experts from around the world on a variety of critical topics. The series will launch on Saturday 30 May 2020 at 17:30 (GST) UAE, 14:30 (BST) UK, 19:30 (IST) India, 09:30 (EDT) US, with the intellectual, writer and Indian politician Shashi Tharoor and His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh Minister of State: Office of Cultural Diplomacy UAE who will debate how the events of 2020 will change the course of history, for better or worse. Isobel Abulhoul, CEO and Trustee of the Emirates Literature Foundation said that the project was timely and that it was important to continue international dialogue during the current crisis: "Having these conversations across cultures strengthens our bonds and brings greater appreciation of the topics that affect us in the world today, no matter where we live. We originally planned 'Literary Conversations Across Borders' as a travelling project, taking Emirati authors and experts to book fairs and literary festivals throughout the world. World events have conspired to make that not possible at the moment, however we have grasped the initiative and re-designed it, with discussion being taken into the heart of people's homes, recognising the common concerns, joys and sorrows that affect us all, no matter who we are." Future editions of the series will feature Jane Goodall, one of the world's best-known scientists and environmentalists on 6 June in a discussion with the UAE Minister of State for Food Security, Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Al Mheiri. Will science be the new religion in the post-pandemic world? is the question that will be posed in a frank examination by His Excellency Omar Ghobash Assistant Minister, Office of Cultural Diplomacy and Lesley Hazleton, award-winning journalist and author of The First Muslim. They will consider whether an increased appreciation for the factual certainties of science, following the leading role it has played in tackling the pandemic, will have an impact on our belief systems based on the intangibles of faith, hope and trust. This debate will take place on 13 June. There will be eight sessions in this first series. Further details and more authors will be announced shortly. The sessions are free to watch but pre-registration is required. After the event the session will be hosted on the Emirates Literature Foundation YouTube channel. Full details on the upcoming programme will be available on the Emirates Literature Foundation website. About the Emirates Literature Foundation: The Emirates Literature Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation which supports and nurtures a love of literature in the United Arab Emirates and the region, through a programme of varied cultural initiatives. Established in 2013 by Royal Decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Foundation aims to foster a love for literature, with a focus on the Arabic language. In line with the National Reading Policy of the UAE, the Foundation has implemented several long-term projects including the School Librarian of the Year Award and the annual Arabic Language Week, as well as conducting year-round student education programmes, book clubs and creative writing courses. The Foundation's previous initiatives included the 2016 Dubai Translation Conference and the 2017 Dubai International Publishing Conference, which hosted a number of international participants. The Foundation is also the governing body of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the UAE's premier literary festival, which will be held 2 6 February, 2021. Emirates Literature Foundation Dar Al Adaab Al Shindagha Historical Neighbourhood PO Box 24506 Dubai, UAE www.elfdubai.org For more information, please contact: Ariel Robinson [email protected] Tel: +971 4 355 9844 Carmel Rosato Tel: +44 (0) 7557 357782 [email protected] SOURCE Emirates Literature Foundation A rare, two-faced kitten has been born in a litter of six kittens in Albany, Oregon. The kitten, whose condition is caused by a birth defect known as diprosopus or cranial duplication, was born on Wednesday to owners Kyla and BJ King. The Kings told local news station KOIN-TV that the kitten named Biscuits and Gravy, or just Biscuits can eat and breathe from its two separate noses and mouths. Ms King said one face would meow while the other was eating at the same time. When she discovered Biscuits, she messaged her husband and said they had 6-1/3 kitty cats now. Both mouths move whenever I feed it, they both do the sucking motion, she told the station. Felines with the rare condition are also known as Janus cats, after the ancient Roman god of time and duality, who is often depicted as having two faces to look into both the future and the past. Janus cats have a very short life expectancy due to complications related to the deformity, although the longest-lived Janus cat, Frank and Louie, lived up until the age of 15. Due to the deformity, Biscuits head is too large for it to lift on its own, which could lead to further complications. Mr King said: Were not super optimistic but [the kitten] does seem pretty lively, and it has an appetite and seems to be doing pretty well. We have a ton of requests for this kitten and all the siblings, but were not planning on giving this kitten away, he added. According to National Geographic, there are a variety of genetic mechanisms that could cause the cranial duplication defect. The condition is not limited to felines and can happen to other mammals, vertebrates or marsupials, said Leslie Lyons, a specialist in feline genetics. With deep sense of regret, remorse and repentance, I deem it necessary to publicly apologise to Ms. Hanna Tetteh, a tolerant politician and a kind-hearted mother, I denigrated just to score political points for a so called favourite candidate. Somewhere in 2015 through to 2016, I employed the weapon of political propaganda to accuse Ms. Hannah Tetteh of so many things I should not have done if not for biased partisan stands. Though my shameful accusations of this woman of integrity are erased from my Facebook wall, which is possibly hacked by the so called angel I sought to please against this clean woman, my conscience still pricks me. I don't need to refer to some of the unpalatable things I said about this better politician before people remember I indeed attacked the personality of Ms. Hanna Tetteh. The mention of the name Bala Ali in connection with my work as a political communicator in 2016 in somebody's camp alone reminds people of how I abused this compassionate, tolerant, godly woman just because I wanted someone else to become a Member of Parliament instead of Ms. Hanna Tetteh. Irrespective of all that I did against this revered mother, lawyer, politician and an accomplished stateswoman, she never did anything to hurt me physically, pschologically or emotionally. This explains the more reason why I am coerced by my revived and resurrected conscience to apologise to Ms. Hanna Tetteh for irresponsibly attacking her personality. In order not to leave my readers in doubt, I also deem it expedient to tell the whole world the motivational factor behind my cultured decision to apologise to Mama Hanna Tetteh.. After the 2016 general elections in Ghana, Ms. Hanna Tetteh finally lost the elections because some of us sacrificed to the extent of doing what we should not have done. Typical example is my case of smartly working within law to irresponsibly attack this responsible politician just because I wanted her to lose the affection of the unsuspecting voters. This was done along side painting angelic picture of my favourite candidate. Nevertheless, after the elections, disappointment slapped most of us in the face. In the wake of our disappointment, all the disappointed folks retreated to seek refuge in the castle of mummurings and bitter complaints but I chose to seek for justice. At this point, I remembered how Ms. Hanna Tetteh tolerated me when I employed the weapon of political propaganda to persuasively accuse her of things she did with good intentions for our good people of Awutu Senya West. The tolerance of this experienced, tolerant politician deceived me to think that every politician appreciates the centrality of tolerance and constructive criticism in a democracy. By virtue of this fact, I employed the democratic tool of constructive criticism to demand for transparency, popular participation, accountability and above all, fair distribution of the spoil, I mean jobs for the boys who sacrificed so much during the electoral battle. To my utter most shock, I was unjustifiably persecuted for standing for a worthy course. The very people I offended Ms. Hanna Tetteh for, vowed to make sure I suffer joblessness and other predicaments. So many evil things were done against me but I said to myself that if I could do the wrong thing for the good of my persecutors, I must be prepared to stand for the right course despite the severity of my persecution. So I fearlessly fought for a good course to preserve a system for more experienced people to take over to manage. Conclusion It is by virtue of the persecution I suffered and continue to suffer in the hands of the very people I projected against this godly woman that has made me to see the need to apologise to Ms. Hanna Tetteh for my irresponsible, biased, partisan attacks on her. As observed by the Philosopher, Aristotle, that "without comparison the mind cannot proceed," I want to sincerely appeal to Ms. Hanna Tetteh to heartily forgive me for failing to do the right comparison before attacking her better character. I would also want to use this opportunity to appeal to the youths to desist from that uncouth culture of soiling the names of politicians as we enter into an election season. On a more serious note, they should also not promote dubious and atrocious characters just because of partisan lines. Finally, I want to also clearly state that since we do not know where we will find ourselves tomorrow, we must be cautious of our actions because I never knew I would become a civil servant, a profession that would prohibit me from partisan politics. I can not conclude without blessing Ms. Hanna Tetteh and all her lovely siblings wherever they find themselves. God richly bless you and reward you for your tolerance and political maturity! BY Bala Ali SC directs states to reach out to 10,000 kids orphaned due to Covid-19, pay compensation India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent COVID-19 fatalities may be much more than what is being reported New AI-based test uses X-rays to detect Covid in a few minutes After Karnataka, Chhattisgarh bats for mandatory quarantine for air passengers India pti-PTI Raipur, May 23: With domestic air services set to resume from May 25, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday called for a mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine for passengers upon arrival. In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Baghel said the possibility of spread of coronavirus infection could not be ruled out if domestic flight operations restarted. "The Civil Aviation Ministry has decided to resume domestic flight services from May 25 and no separate Standard Operating Procedure has been issued for passengers," Baghel was quoted as saying in the letter in a statement here. Maharashtra says no to resuming flight operations, to continue lockdown till May 31 "Details of each flight with elaborate information about passengers should be shared with states. Even 14-day quarantine for passengers only at state-operated or paid quarantine facilities should be made mandatory," the CM said. Restaurants that expect to open their dining rooms in the next week or two include 1703 Restaurant, Meridian, Fratellis Italian Steakhouse and Three Bulls American Steakhouse in Clemmons. Mozelles Fresh Southern Bistro opened its patio for people who wanted to sit and eat their takeout. It expects to offer table service beginning June 1 but only for outdoor diners. Its indoor dining room will remain closed. Similarly, the Porch will keep its dining room closed but serve drinks on the patio and allow customers to eat their takeout there. Full Moon Oyster Bar in Clemmons remains entirely closed. Finnigans Wake downtown plans to reopen June 2 but just for just takeout and then to only gradually work its way toward reopening its dining room. We have been evaluating the phases of reopening and believe that a slow, controlled opening is safest, Finnigans said on its Facebook page. Others that plan to stick to takeout for the immediate future include Tre Nonne, Real Q, Sweet Potatoes, Grecian Corner and B.L.L. Rotisserrie Factory. Shaheed El-Hafed, 23 May 2020 (SPS) - The Sahrawi National Committee for Human Rights has praised the resistance and the struggle of the Sahrawis in the occupied territories against the Moroccan occupation forces, while calling on the international community to put pressure on Rabat to release all Sahrawi political prisoners and send independent international missions to investigate and find out about the human rights situation in the occupied Sahrawi territories. On the occasion of the "15th anniversary of the uprising of independence", the Sahrawi National Committee for Human Rights, stressed in a statement that "21 May 2005 is an immortal memory in the history of our people", considering that "this uprising has become a thought and an approach of resistance, rooted in the struggle of the Sahrawi people through their peaceful struggle on the ground to wrest their independence". It added that "the glorious uprising of independence revealed that the Moroccan state of occupation was a rogue country, because of its repressive policies and confiscation of Sahrawi human rights, and its successive crimes documented in the reports of international human rights organizations, such as (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, Frontline, Robert Kennedy Centre for Freedom and Justice , European Parliament, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, etc.), which demand the protection of Sahrawi civilians, including the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Organization of a Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to monitor and protect human rights." The Saharawi people, added the Committee, "has demonstrated by its continued resistance, that it is determined to extract its rights by all legitimate means, whatever the cost, by relying on the strength of the people and their national unity around their legitimate and unique representative, the Polisario Front ". At the same time, the Sahrawi National Committee for Human Rights praised "the great firmness of Sahrawi civilians and Sahrawi prisoners in Moroccan jails, who have bravely defended the right of our people to independence and freedom, and they have shown unity and adherence to the principles of the Polisario Front and convictions of a well-established justice of the Saharawi cause ". The Committee demanded "the immediate and unconditional release of all Saharawi defenders, activists and political prisoners, and abolition of mock and unjust judgments against them, disclosure of the fate of all missing persons and opening of the occupied territories of the Saharawi Republic to the international media and observers". It also launched an appeal "to international institutions, the African Union, the European Union, the European Parliament and the United Nations agencies to implement the recommendations contained in the recent message of Secretary General, Mr. Guterres , addressed to the Security Council, to put pressure on the Moroccan regime to release all Sahrawi political prisoners and send independent international missions to investigate and find out about the human rights situation in the occupied territories of the Sahrawi Republic". (SPS) 062/SPS/T United States of America president, Donald Trump, has ordered the reopening of churches, mosques and other worship centres in the country even as deaths caused by COVID-19 mount. Mr Trump also threatened to override state governors who disobey his directive. He declared the closure of worship centers as injustice while the opening of liquor stores and abortion clinics are still functional. The U.S. still tops the chart of countries with highest cases of COVID-19 as its death toll, as of Saturday morning stands above 90,000 while the recorded cases are well above 1.6 million, according to data culled from worldometer.com. The country is currently facing major challenges as it prepares for presidential elections slated for November 2020. Today I am identifying houses of worship; churches, synagogues and mosques as essential places that provide essential services. Some governors have deemed the liquor stores, abortion clinics as essential but have left out churches and other houses of worships, it is not right. Im correcting this injustice, calling the house of worship essential. Im calling upon our governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now. If there is any question they have to call me and they are not going to be successful in that call, Mr Trump declared at the White House press conference on Friday. READ ALSO: He tied his argument for reopening around an alleged American demand to return to churches. He added that these are places that hold our society together and keep our people united. The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now. For this weekend. If they dont do it, I will override the governors. In America, we need more prayer, not less, he said as he claimed that worship centers leaders will ensure the safety of their members. Contrasting reactions While many worshippers have taken to the social media to praise Mr Trumps directive to the state governors, others have condemned his decision as a killer move and a mere plot to win more voters in his reelection bid. Youre gonna kill off all your supporters, Mia Farrow (@miafarrow), an American actress and UNICEF Ambassador tweeted via her verified account in reaction to this development. Also in his reaction, Talbert Swan, an American prelate, and current bishop at the Church Of God In Christ in Canada, cautioned worshippers against Mr Trumps directive. Ive been a pastor for 26 years. I love Church. Church is my life. I love and miss people who attend church. I love how our church serves the community. Our church inspires, assists, and empowers people. 46-1 doesnt care about our church or its members. #StayAtHome #StayAlive, Mr Swan cautioned Americans through his verified twitter account @talbertswan on Saturday morning. Projecting the views of many others read by this reporter on Mr Trumps shared video his verified twitter account, Melissa A. (@TheRightMelissa), thanked the president for standing for the Americans. Thank You President Trump for standing up for faith in America at a time when churches are being persecuted, pastors are being arrested, church members are being fined & cited for the crime of wanting to practice their religion. Democrat governors doing this should be ashamed! Meanwhile liquor stores, marijuana dispensaries & Abortion clinics are deemed essential but people can gather social distance & worship their God. In America? The nation was founded on the very principle of free exercise of religion, she said. London, May 23 : UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has hinted that key workers from abroad could be given citizenship in thanks for saving lives during the coronavirus crisis, it was reported. Speaking at the daily COVID-19 briefing on Friday, Patel said immigration rules were "under review" when asked by the Metro newspaper if foreign workers in the NHS and social care could be made eligible for citizenship. She said legislation would be needed for that to take place, but did not rule it out. "I have said from day one actually, the last time that I was here on this podium, that we keep all our immigration measures under review, given these unprecedented times and challenges. I'm also going to say primarily because I did introduce the Immigration and Social Security Bill in the House of Commons this week as well, which is all about bringing a points-based system. "Our immigration system is incredibly complex and I think this crisis has demonstrated that and shown the extent of that complexity." Patel did not however directly answer whether offering NHS and social care "heroes" citizenship would be better thanks than weekly claps. On Thursday, Prime Mminister Boris Johnson announced an end to a surcharge for foreign NHS workers to use the health system, reports the Metro newspaper. That means the 400 pounds-a-year fee will no longer apply to NHS staff from abroad who need to use the health service. In April, the government said that foreigners could extend their visas if they cannot leave because of coronavirus restrictions or self isolation - in an attempt to keep those working in "vital services" in the country during the crisis. On Saturday, G (North) Ward, which covers Dharavi, Dadar and Mahim, becomes first ward in the city with more than 2,000 reported cases. Of the 2,005 cases in this ward, 1,514 are from Dharavi (33 new cases were reported on Saturday) and the rest are spread across Dadar and Mahim. Many Covid-19 hotspots have reported spikes in reported cases in the last 10 days. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations (BMC) data, around 11 administrative wards out of the 24 in the city, now have more than 1,000 reported cases. On Saturday, N ward, which covers Ghatkopar, crossed the 1,000 mark with 1,012 cases. Daksha Shah, deputy executive health officer, said, The cases are on the expected lines and we are expecting the city to reach somewhere near 40,000 cases by the end of May. The five wards with the most cases have seen increased numbers in the last 10 days. G (North) ward (Dharavi, Dadar and Mahim) climbed to 2,005 cases on Saturday, compared to 1,316 in May 13. G (South) ward (Worli and Prabhadevi) had 1,206 cases on May 13 and 1,490 cases on May 22. E ward, (Byculla and Mazgaon) reported 1,085 cases as of May 13 and 1,571 cases on May 22. In F (North) ward (Wadala, Sion and Matunga), the number climbed from 1,008 cases on May 13 to 1,534 on May 22. K (West) ward, (Andheri (West), Jogeshwari (West) and Oshiwara), had 1,026 cases on May 13 and 1,510 cases on May 22. Emerging trends show spikes in cases from areas like L ward (Kurla), which had 1,450 cases on May 22 compared to 942 cases on May 12; M (East) ward (Mankhurd, Govandi), which had 1,140 cases on May 21 compared to 771 on May 12. Two other areas that saw drastic increases in the last 10 days are N ward (Ghatkopar), which reported 318 cases on May 12 and now has 1,012. Bandra (East), Santacruz East of H (East) ward reported 1,439 cases on May 22 compared to 859 on May 12. F (South) ward, which includes Parel and Sewri, reported 557 cases on May 12 but has crossed the 1,000 mark as of May 22. Andheri (East), which comes under K (East) ward has also seen increase in cases 744 reported cases on May 12 compared to 1,055 cases on May 22. Last week, BMC commissioner Iqbal Chahal had visited areas in M (East) ward, which includes Mankhurd and Govandi, and asked BMC officials to quarantine 10 people related to every positive case. He also ordered BMC officials to ensure private health care facilities were available in the area. Corporators from areas where cases have increased drastically said citizens need to cooperate with the administration while the BMC must work to ensure healthcare is made available to patients. Vitthal Lokare, the Shiv Sena corporator from Mankhurd said, I understand there are a lot of problems to be tackled by the administration, but still there are many areas in my ward where citizens are out on the streets. In the end, citizens need to understand, and stay indoors. Kaptan Malik, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator from Kurla, said, The cases are increasing day by day, and I feel administration needs to pay more attention to areas of Kurla. There is no proper quarantine or isolation facility in my ward. This needs to be made available for citizens from my area. The officials are working day and night, but somehow it is not enough for the number of cases that has to be handled. Additional municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide wrote on Twitter, BMC has set up 298 Covid-19 care centre-1 [CCC-1] with 32,700 bed capacity. So far, 42,500 people were housed there and 24,800 have got discharged after completing quarantine. CCC-1 house high-risk contacts from slums who cannot quarantine at home. The areas where the number of reported cases remain low (between 200 to 700 cases) include Dahisar, Borivli, Kandivli, Malad, Goregaon, Mulund, Bhandup, Marine Lines, Dongri and Kalbadevi. In R (North) ward, the number of reported cases has doubled since May 12 (when it had 101 cases) but with 238 reported cases as of May 22, the ward covering Dahisar and parts of Borivli has reported the lowest number of cases in the city. M (West) ward, which includes Chembur, and D ward, which includes Malabar Hill and Chowpatty, have seen a steady increase in the last 10 days. There were 809 cases on May 21, compared to 511 on May 12. In D Ward, there were 812 reported cases on May 22, compared to 563 cases on May 12. Madhav Sathe, former professor of microbiology at Nair Hospital, said, I assume that in the coming days though cases will go up, but mortality rate will remain the same or come down slightly. Citizens must continue the use of masks, social distancing and hand washing. But I feel relaxation in lockdown restrictions and movement of migrants is also responsible for higher positive cases in last six days in India. However, we must appreciate extraordinary efforts of all frontline healthcare workers, and ensure we stay safe indoors. Egypt has expressed its sincere condolences for the victims of a Pakistani plane which crashed in a residential neighbourhood in Karachi on Friday killing and injuring dozens of victims. In a statement issued on Saturday, Egypts foreign ministry extended the condolences of the Egyptian people and government to their Pakistani counterparts and the families of the victims, wishing the wounded speedy recovery. It also stressed that Egypt supports Pakistan through this painful adversity. On Friday, a Pakistan International Airlines flight PK 8303, an Airbus A320, crashed in a dense residential neighbourhood in the city of Karachi in southern Pakistan. The death toll from the crash stands at 97 with two survivors, Reuters reported. Pakistan resumed domestic flights last week after it had been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Search Keywords: Short link: The Odisha government on Saturday said it will send 500 personnel from the state's disaster rapid action force and fire service to assist in relief and rescue operations in cyclone-ravaged West Bengal. Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena said the ODRAF and fire service personnel will soon start proceeding with necessary equipment to the neighbouring state from Sunday. "#CycloneAmphan is one of the worst disasters to hit #WestBengal. The people of #Odisha stand by #WestBengal during this unprecedented crisis. Odisha has sent a team of 500 members, including 300 fire personnel & 10 ODRAF teams to assist in relief & rescue operations," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in a tweet. Conveying Odisha's "absolute solidarity with the people of West Bengal", Patnaik has assured all possible support to the state in terms of men and material to tide over the crisis. Known for their expertise and experience, the well- trained personnel will take part in restoration of road communication by cutting and clearing trees, thousands of which were knocked to the ground in West Bengal by the extremely severe cyclone, officials said. In 2018, Odisha had rushed men and resources to the southern state of Kerala, which was severely hit by unprecedented floods. The death toll due to cyclone 'Amphan' in West Bengal has risen to 85, as angry Kolkatans resorted to protest and road blockades in various parts of the city over the administration's failure to restore normalcy even after three days. Throughout the coronavirus crisis, Gov. Wolf has acted prudently and cautiously to protect Pennsylvanians, and the results demonstrate his leadership. The state has not suffered the level of misery and death that occurred in places like New York City nor have our hospitals been overwhelmed. The people recognize and appreciate the governors leadership as demonstrated by his soaring rate of approval. A noisy minority is pushing to fully reopen the economy now and some local leaders have told the governor that they will defy his directives, reopening when they feel like it because they consider that they have done what was required of them. The governor is right to threaten communities and businesses with sanctions if they defy his order. Elections have consequences and governors have unusual levels of authority vested in them when national emergencies occur. Anarchy and chaos ensue when some are permitted to do what they wish, state authority be damned. I understand the anxiety and restlessness being endured by so many Pennsylvanians as many wonder how they will meet their financial obligations and businesses suffer, some never to recover, but we must place human life above the economy, for now. The state must and will reopen, and plans for reopening have been made and already are being implemented. During the Great Depression and World War II, Americans made a huge sacrifice and pulled together. Had we not done so, we might today be under German rule. So too must we come together now for the common good. No lives are expendable. Oren Spiegler, Peters Township, Pa. By PTI JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has demanded that the central government to strengthen the locust warning organization in the state. The demand comes in view of the locust attack in the state's frontier districts that border Pakistan. Gehlot was discussing locust control with collectors of these districts, locust warning organisations and agriculture department officials through video conference. He said that after almost three decades of continuous attack of locusts, it has become necessary to strengthen the locust warning organisation in the state. ALSO READ | Locusts from Pakistan enter Indian states, threaten standing crops The chief minister said that due to the outbreak of locusts, farmers had suffered a big loss last year. This year, the attack of locusts is expected to be more intense than before. Gehlot said that he had apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the matter in a video conference earlier. Since the work of a locust warning organization is under the Centre, it should strengthen it and provide necessary resources, he said. The chief minister said this time locust swarms have moved from the border districts to Ajmer, Jaipur, Karauli, Tonk, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur and other districts so new ways to control them are required. State Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria said that after entering the Pakistani border in the state on April 11, small swarms of locusts have also reached other districts. He said about 50,000 hectare area has been affected by them. Like most automakers these days, Dodge is bleeding money in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the whole world. And like most automakers, Dodge is reopening its business in an attempt to stem the tide and bring some much-needed cash flow back to its coffers. A big part of that plan, at least according to Mopar Insiders, is to prioritize the launch of the Dodge Durango. Dodges resident SUV is expected to arrive with an array of updates and new features, including a new engine option that has a lot of people giggling with excitement. The high-performance, 707-horsepower Durango SRT Hellcat is coming, folks. It doesnt exactly have the look of a white knight coming in to rescue Dodge from the pandemic doldrums, but reports of its impending arrival are like shots in the arm for an industry that has been battered and bruised by COVID-19. The 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is reportedly scheduled to arrive sometime in the latter part of the year, possibly around October 2020. If Dodges schedule holds, thats something we can all look forward to. Why is Dodge prioritizing the Dodge Durango? If youre a business that got bum-rushed by a global pandemic and youre looking for a way to inject some excitement back to your brand, you do it by rolling out a product that you know people will gravitate to. In Dodges case, that product is the Durango. The popular SUV stands as one of Dodges best-selling models. Last year, Dodge sold 67,599 units of the Durango. In the first quarter of the current year, Dodge sold 17,805 units of the Durango, edging out sales volume 17,019 sold units in the same timeframe a year ago. Dodge knows how popular the Durango is in the U.S., and that understanding likely played a huge role in the companys decision to push forward with the launch of the 2021 model despite all the model delays and cancellations that are happening in the business these days. According to Mopar Insiders, Dodge is expected to unveil the 2021 Durango in the next few months, or right before dealerships start taking orders for the new SUV on August 6. That timetable fits, at least when you consider Dodges October 2020 timetable to begin production of the new Durango at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Jefferson North Assembly facility in Detroit, Michigan. Should we get excited about the 2021 Dodge Durango? Yes, we should, and for more than just one reason. Specific details remain unclear, but from what weve gathered, the 2021 Durango will benefit from stylistic improvements, specifically in the front section. The SUVs interior is expected to receive its own set of upgrades, including in the tech front where FCAs 10.1-inch Uconnect infotainment screen will make its debut on the new Durango. From an "update" perspective, the Durangos new features are significant for an SUV thats supposed to be on its last legs as far as its current-generation form is concerned. The current-generation Durango is in its ninth year in the market, a staggeringly long time considering that the Durangos first two generations each lasted just five years. The fourth-generation Durango is coming, possibly as early as 2022. The fact that Dodge is dropping a significant amount of updates and improvements in the 2021 Durango shows just how important the SUV is in helping the automaker get back on its feet. Mind you, were not just talking about one version of the Durango, either. A more powerful version is also expected to arrive this year, and its carrying a name that were all familiar with. What can we expect from the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat? Oddly enough, its not the first SUV thats powered by the same 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 engine that you can find under the hood of the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. The massive V -8 is expected to produce 707 horsepower and quite possibly around 645 pound-feet of torque. Those are identical power figures to the ones you get from the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Were fairly confident that the Durango Hellcat will boast identical power numbers to the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Whats less certain, at least at this point, is how fast the Durango Hellcat will be. For what its worth, the Trackhawk is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in a staggering 3.5 seconds. We still dont know if the Durango is capable of replicating the Trackhawks acceleration time, but it should be noted that the Durango is a tad heavier 5,381 pounds to 5,365 pounds (curb weight) than the Trackhawk. The Durango SRT Hellcat is also expected to run on four-wheel-drive same as the Trackhawk so its going to be interesting to see if the Dodge SUV can match the Trackhawks 0-to-60-mph time. The Durango SRT Hellcats quarter-mile time and overall top speed are two other interesting subplots that were excited to see. Remember, Jeep estimates that the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk can do a quarter-mile in 11.6 seconds at speeds approaching 180 mph. Likewise, the Trackhawks top speed is capped at 190 mph so itll be interesting to see if Dodge does the same to the Durango Hellcat. Source: MOPAR Insiders New Delhi/IBNS: Amid the impact of Coronavirus on various sectors, the south and southwest Asia are staring at a locust invasion which is potent to bring an adverse effect in agriculture. In the wake of the situation, India, despite sharing a strenuous bilateral relationship with Pakistan, reached out to its neighbour to combat the locust invasion. Besides Pakistan, New Delhi has also reached out to Iran in combating the threat. "India has suggested to Pakistan that both countries coordinate locust control operations along the border, and that India can facilitate supply of Malathion, a pesticide, to Pakistan," an official said as quoted by The Hindu. Another official said as quoted by the same media, "We are preparing for a worst-case scenario. Starting from the Horn of Africa, and joined by desert locusts from breeding grounds en route, one locust stream can travel over a land corridor passing over Yemen, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and India, impacting farmlands in Punjab, Haryana and the Indo-Gangetic plain. But another stream passing over the Indian Ocean can directly attack farms in peninsular India, and then head towards Bangladesh." Locusts are a collection of certain species of short-horned grasshoppers. They are also used for research and the study of zoology in classrooms. (Image Credit: Wikipedia) Theres usually a time in a childs life when they enter the why phase, but how do parents respond when their childrens questions are about the COVID-19 pandemic? Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 23/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Theres usually a time in a childs life when they enter the "why phase," but how do parents respond when their childrens questions are about the COVID-19 pandemic? Sophie Gaulin said her response was to create a childrens science magazine. "I was looking online to explain to my kids the reasons why they cant see their friends anymore and why they shouldnt be touching their face... and even though I am married to a pediatrician I was not able to give them answers that were scientifically reliable," said Gaulin. As editor and publisher of La Liberte, Manitobas French-language newspaper, Gaulin gathered a team of nine to build an accessible resource for children. "I felt that a resource was needed to give an explanation and to help them feel part of the fight against the COVID-19," said Gaulin. Over the course of four weeks, medical researchers, university professors, health literacy educators and communications and graphic arts professionals completed the 64-page special edition zine, No Mercy for the Coronas. On May 21, the publication was delivered to 12,000 subscribers of La Liberte and Winnipeg Free Press and Gaulin says it has been well received. "Since (May 21), the phone hasnt stopped ringing," she said. 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. "People have asked how they can subscribe, and to be honest for us it was a one-off issue, and then when we saw the response we were like OK, we will have to make more because there is a need for this." While the magazine was initially only intended for La Liberte and Free Press subscribers, it is now available for free in French and English as an e-edition on La Libertes website and for purchase at A La Page bookstore on Provencher Boulevard. Produced in partnership with POP Comm Communications, St. Boniface Hospitals Youth BIOlab and the Childrens Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, donations for the magazine will be used to fund research at the Childrens Hospital Research Foundation of Manitoba on the effects of COVID-19 on kids. In a May 21 news release, Stefano Grande, president and CEO for Childrens Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, said resources like No Mercy for the Coronas are important for educating families on viruses. "As a parent, I want to help my kids better cope in this time of unparalleled uncertainty. So tools and resources like this that will help ease fears and anxiety about topics like keeping themselves, their friends, their grandparents healthy and safe is invaluable," said Grande. nadya.pankiw@freepress.mb.ca Seasoned Journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has expressed his profound disappointment in the Electoral Commission (EC) over it's decision to use the Ghana card and Ghanaian passport as the only legal documents for the compilation of a new voters' register. The Electoral Commission has laid before Parliament to amend Constitutional Instrument (C.I) 91 to use only the Ghana card and the passport for the registration exercise, which means NHIS card and driver's licence holders are not eligible to register their names, except they provide the two legitimized documents. The EC has justified their decision saying their approach will help to eliminate unqualified names and ensure a credible register. The Commission has also assured Ghanaians of a free and fair election this year. Kwesi Pratt is however dissatisfied with the EC's decision, asking why the Commission is not adding the birth certificate to the requirements for the registration. Mr. Pratt explained on 'Kokrokoo' on Peace FM that the birth certificate is a legitimate requirement for the processing of a passport in Ghana, and so if the EC is ready to accept the passport, then they should equally allow birth certificate holders to participate in the exercise. ''What document proves nationality better than the birth certificate? But here it is that you can't use your birth certificate to do the registration. What is the meaning of that?'' he questioned the EC. Listen to his submission in the video below Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Brasilia, May 23 : With a total of 330,098 COVID-19 cases, Brazil has surpassed Russia as the country with the second-highest number of infections after the US. Brazil reached the grim milestone after it reported 20,803 new coronavirus cases on Friday, , while fatalities climbed by 1,001 to 21,048, reports Efe news. Currently, the US accounts for the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 1,600,782 and 95,972, respectively, according to the latest figures by the Johns Hopkins University. In Brazil, Sao Paulo state, home to 46 million of the country's 210 million people, accounts for 76,871 cases and nearly 30 per cent of the deaths. Next comes Rio de Janeiro, whose capital city is experiencing a coronavirus mortality rate of 12.7 per cent, almost double the national rate of 6.5 per cent, according to the IBGE statistics agency. The country is now on its third health minister in the space of a month. First, Luiz Henrique Mandetta was fired after several harsh confrontations with the president and then his successor, Nelson Teich, presented his resignation 28 days after taking over the post. Teich was replaced on an interim basis by Gen. Eduardo Pazuello, a professional soldier with a solid resume but without any experience in the health sector and who on Wednesday signed the new protocol regarding the use of chloroquine, which has been used for decades to treat malaria. Apart from promoting the use of chloroquine, the Brazilian government continues to lack a clearly enunciated strategy to combat the coronavirus, the peak of which in Brazil is expected in July. President Jair Bolsonaro, meanwhile, continues to downplay the seriousness of the disease and is exerting pressure to reopen the country and resume economic activities of all sorts, this at a time when the country may be en route to surpassing the US as the world epicentre of the pandemic. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) 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 news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our nonprofit public service journalism: Donate now. A Hollywood executive was arrested today on charges that he misused federal small business loan funds to pay his personal expenses. The U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California is charging William Sadleir, the former head of Aviron Pictures, with fraudulently applying for a $1.7 million loan from the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was designed to help small businesses affected by coronavirus pay their employees. According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Sadleir allegedly used the loan on personal non-business expenses, including car payments and credit card bills. Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Central District of California, called the allegations "brazen." "We believe that rose to the level of criminal conduct," he said. icon DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS Get our daily newsletters for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Sadleir is the latest Hollywood figure to be charged with abusing the PPP. Earlier this month, Maurice Fayne, who stars in Love & Hip Hop Atlanta, was charged with federal bank fraud for spending a $2 million PPP loan on jewelry and child support. Meanwhile, small businesses around the country have reported difficulty accessing Paycheck Protection Program funds, and expressed frustration that much of the initial round of funding went to large companies. THE HONOR SYSTEM In April, Sadleir applied for three PPP loans through JP Morgan Chase on behalf of Aviron, whose past films include "Serenity" and "A Private War." Each application claimed the company had 33 employees and monthly expenses of over $200,000. As part of the application, Sadleir certified that the loan money would be used to pay workers, make utility and mortgage payments, and cover other basic expenses. The Small Business Administration allowed PPP applicants to self-certify that their business has been affected by the coronavirus, and that they will use the loan for its intended purpose, in order to expedite the distribution of the money. But many observers have pointed out that these self-certifications, which are essentially an honor system, could easily be falsified -- which, according to the criminal complaint, is exactly what Sadleir did. Aviron did not have 33 employees, according to the complaint. And Sadleir did not work currently at Aviron: he left in January 2020 not long after Aviron's lender, BlackRock, filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court of New York accusing him of fraud and fraudulent concealment. CREDIT CARDS AND CAR PAYMENTS After receiving his $1.7 million PPP loan, on May 1, Sadleir transferred much of the money into his nearly empty personal bank account at JP Morgan Chase, according to the criminal complaint. He used that money to pay off two personal credit cards, where he'd charged purchases at the Arclight Hollywood, the wine and liquor store Wally's, and the restaurant Spago, among other places. He also attempted to make a $40,000 payment on a car loan. Around May 5, J.P. Morgan Chase put a hold on Sadleir's bank accounts, and on May 21, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California charged him with fraud and making false statements to the Small Business Administration and to J.P. Morgan Chase. "The Paycheck Protection Program was implemented to help small businesses stay afloat during the financial crisis, and we will act swiftly against those who abuse the program for their own personal gain," said United States Attorney Nick Hanna in a press release. Sadleir was released on a $100,000 bond. He was also charged with additional fraud today by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. READ THE COMPLAINT French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on May 22 that the second round of postponed elections will be held on June 28 after it was called off due to coronavirus pandemic. The second round of local elections was earlier scheduled for March 22 but couldn't be held after France announced a nationwide lockdown keeping in mind the coronavirus outbreak. According to reports, more than 16 million people from 5,000 cities and towns are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections. Read: No Infection Rise In France After Lockdown Ends The French government said that voters will have to bring their own pens for signing registries and wearing face masks will be compulsory to minimize the risk of contagion. As per reports, political parties had objected to the idea of holding the elections as they feel that due to coronavirus voters turnout may be low and urged the government to delay the democratic process until September. The second round of elections was scheduled are no clear winner emerged in the first round on March 15. Read: France: Emmanuel Macron Loses Absolute Majority After Defectors Create New Group France started to reopen the country earlier this month with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe issuing new guidelines outlining how the country will move ahead in the coming months. Philippe issued guidance on the testing and isolation of the sick, wearing masks, and public gatherings. Philippe said it will be mandatory for people to wear masks in public places or travelling in public transport or taxis. Philippe also said businesses will be allowed to reopen but restaurants, cafes, and beaches will remain closed until at least June. Read: France Records At Least 70 New COVID-19 Cases Linked To Schools: Reports COVID-19 in France According to figures by Johns Hopkins University, France has recorded 1,82,015 confirmed cases so far, of which over 28,000 people have lost their lives. The mortality and infection rate in France has dropped significantly in the past two weeks, which has encouraged the government to resume some operations in the country. Read: Germany, France Propose Virus Recovery Fund For EU Economy (Image Credit: AP) The Boris Johnson government was on Saturday caught in a maelstrom over the prime ministers chief adviser Dominic Cummings allegedly flouting lockdown rules, with the opposition and others baying for his resignation and cabinet ministers defending him. Not observing curbs imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic has led to at least two high-profile resignations in recent days: epidemiologist Neil Ferguson resigned from a key government committee and Catherine Calderwood as the chief medical officer of Scotland. Cummings, who developed coronavirus symptoms in end-March, drove 264 miles from London to his parents house in Durham, north-east England, when official instruction to Britons was to stay home, not travel and not visit elderly relatives to prevent spread of the virus. The revelation prompted expressions of fury on social media from people who followed official advice and were for weeks deprived of contact with family and close relatives, even when many were dying. One set of rules for the people and another for those in power, they protested. A Labour spokesman reflected the ennui: The public have made extraordinary sacrifices during this pandemic and the lockdown. It cannot be one rule for those who set them and another for the British people. Facing persistent demands for Cummings resignation, Downing Street defended his actions, besides cabinet ministers such as chancellor Rishi Sunak, foreign secretary Dominic Raab and others. They said they would not want the opposition to politicise the issue. A Downing Street spokesman said: Owing to his wife being infected with suspected coronavirus and the high likelihood that he would himself become unwell, it was essential for Dominic Cummings to ensure his young child could be properly cared for. His sister and nieces had volunteered to help so he went to a house near to but separate from his extended family in case their help was needed. His sister shopped for the family and left everything outside. At no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter, as is being reported. His actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines. Mr Cummings believes he behaved reasonably and legally. The Durham police said: Given the whole ethos of the guidance and regulations which were designed to reduce the spread, regardless of reason, by travelling to County Durham when known to be infected was most unwise. TRENTON Its not the best of times in the capital city. It seems like the worst of times. Dueling politicians mangle each other in a constant power struggle. Facts are strewn aside in favor of aspersions and accusations. Residents are left to sort out truth from the lies, reality from fantasies, and the gaps in between. The latest controversy arose Thursday night, when Trenton council president Kathy McBride ripped Mayor Reed Gusciora for failing the city, nearly two years into his first term. Her comments came after she and West Ward legislator Robin Vaughn debated whether charities receiving millions in grants from the city were delivering for Trentonians. From her perch on the digital dais due to the coronavirus that has infected more than 2,300 and killed 55 residents in Trenton McBride went on to make a claim that shocked the conscience. Fourteen children, ages 10 to 17, she said, were living in a trashed-out abandoned home in her West Ward neighborhood. Despite her cries for help, the city did nothing to help the kids. She learned of the apparent tragedy when she went to reclaim her childs stolen bike from one of the troubled teens, as the city contends with the deadly virus. Trenton has nearly 40 percent of the more than 6,200 cases of COVID-19 in Mercer County. It was almost as if I was watching A Tale of Two Cities, McBride said, referring to the Charles Dickens novel. I got sick yesterday. I started to cry. It was the epoch of belief; it was the epoch of incredulity. Gusciora has disputed being told of the apparent runaways or that they were living without parents inside the abandoned home on Laurel Avenue. He claimed he was told a bunch of kids were in the neighborhood being rowdy. If there were that many kids living by themselves, protective services should have been called, Gusciora said, passing back the blame baton to McBride. The Trentonian visited the home Friday morning and did not witness any signs that children were stirring about inside the home. But something happened in the afternoon that made the newspaper unable to conclude whether McBride was exaggerating to make the mayor look bad or whether she may be right about the kids. Conflicting Tales It was a tale of Trenton; it was a tale of two politicians. Mayor aide Andrew Bobbitt pulled up front of 55 Laurel Avenue in a city-issued black Chevrolet SUV around 8:50 a.m. Friday morning. The Trentonian arrived about an hour before Bobbitt, and found no children when it canvassed the house. Bobbitt said he had been out in the neighborhood three times, once with the Trenton Police juvenile detective, Sgt. Bethesda Stokes, since McBride first called him about the issue Wednesday. His assignment was to get to the bottom of whats going at this alleged child horror house, now a symbol of Trentons struggles. The front door to the abandoned home was open, the back door kicked in off its hinges. Bobbitt walked through the darkened den, his feet crunching on broken glass from the busted-out windows. Soda cans, water bottles, plastic bags, hangers, papers, cigar packages, dirty clothes, a belt, books and other items were scattered on the floor of the three-story home. There was a table in one room and a trash bucket with a jacket in another. In the kitchen were three boxy televisions, grimy pots and a mop bucket. The sink had no running water, but the floor was wet. Upstairs was more trash and debris. And on the third floor, feces, some drier than others. It was hard know whether they were animal droppings or from someone who may have been living there, as McBride claimed. You know what Im worried about. The coronavirus. And these fools on the street, Bobbitt said, his voice muffled by his mask, after surveying the filth. I aint concentrating on nothing else. I dont give a s**t. Im worried about all these people out here. And these shootings. Trenton had its 11th murder of the year Thursday, an hour before the councils meeting, and the fourth one since Saturday. Nineteen-year-old Raheen McKinnon, of Hamilton, was shot to death, and 17-year-old teenager from Trenton was in critical condition, after police sources said someone pulled alongside their vehicle in the West Ward and opened fire. Mayor Gusciora put the city under curfew last month after a bloody Sunday in which three people were murdered amid the ongoing pandemic. One of the slayings happened while a group of people gathered on Hoffman Avenue watching a fight. The killing of Quamierah Massey was live-streamed on social media, and the snuff film helped lead to her accused killer, Quasim Hallett, 39. Weeks after Gusciora eased up the curfew, Trenton experienced another 33-hour wave of violence that began Saturday with the killing of 38-year-old Robert Smith. He was among a group of people gathered late on Daymond Street. Former Bloods gangster Earlie Harrell and a 19-year-old Hamilton man were also wounded in the blaze of bullets. Then early Monday morning, Tayvion Jones, 18, was killed in his kitchen by his cousin Horace Jones, 34, in a feud over women, authorities said. Hours later, 44-year-old Antwuan Bowens was cut down on the same street as Smith. The carnage was enough in of itself. But, in Trenton, theres always more drama. This week, residents moved to recall Gusciora, and council members Vaughn and Joe Harrison after a coronavirus call devolved into madness. Vaughn hurled curse words and homophobic slurs while Gusciora called the West Ward leader an idiot and suggested she needed a lobotomy. The Harrison recall effort was dealt a blow Friday when one member withdrew her name from the petition, insisting she was misled when she signed it. Still, Trenton once again found itself on the seedy side of history even before McBride relayed her sobering allegations at the council meeting. I Pointed Out the Children The allegations forced Gusciora to scramble, for fear the city looked like it was failing the youth. He called up a police official, who relayed there was no evidence that children were living in the home. Trenton Police Lt. Jason Kmiec confirmed to The Trentonian that Sgt. Stokes visited the house and did not see evidence children were living there. Gusciora told The Trentonian late Thursday that a crew would board up the home the next morning. Then he dispatched Bobbitt, an enduring figure who has managed to stick around Trenton government despite changing political tides. Bobbitt was assigned to a local squatters task force under former Mayor Eric Jackson. With thousands of vacant properties in Trenton, he said he got keen to spotting a squatters nest. What they do is they see a house in foreclosure or theyll go on the county website. They know nobodys living there. You can go online an get a lease, and theyll bring it to them and say, You know what? Im gonna rent you that for a $1,000 a month. Just gimme another $500 to hold it. And theyll say, I need cash. And these dumb motherf***ers give them cash, no receipts. Dont check into it, and then they move in. One lady gave somebody $10,000 in Hiltonia. She was there a month, The realtors were showing the house, had to throw her out. She lost 10 grand. I feel sorry for em. We got a real squatter problem. After Jackson decided not to run for a second term, Bobbitt cozied up and campaigned for Gusciora. Now some believe hes the mayors fixer. I stand by what I said because it was the truth, McBride was overheard telling Bobbitt over the phone Friday morning. All the kids do is go in and bust all the windows, Bobbitt responded. Theres rocks and everything in there. Theres dog s**t on the third floor. Theres nothing in there. Thats the report I gotta put out, Kathy, because the neighbors I dont care about the report you put out, McBride snapped back. She claimed Bobbitt didnt visit the home when she first told him about the child horror house last week. Bobbitt told her she never told him about it until this week. Oh, yes I did. I told you about that, McBride said. Kathy, trust me, Bobbitt said. I write everything down and keep my reports. Bobbitt, if you want to make the mayor look good, I dont give a f**k, McBride shouted. But those kids were living in that building. It looks like yall trying to cover up for Im not covering up for the mayor, Bobbitt said. I came out to do the report. You called me. Have I ever covered up for the mayor? Im doing what you asked me to do. I cant prove that. None of us can prove that. Infuriated over the exchange, McBride came out her home in her pajamas. She told this newspaper the same story she shared at the council meeting. The kids were living in the damn house, an animated McBride shouted. And I dont want hear sh*t trying to make nobody look good. I got 14 kids in this community that were homeless. I pointed out the children. I pointed the children out, she said. I dont play when it comes to children or seniors. Thats the man that called that in, and he told me he was telling my husband. He said, Listen, these children are living in this building. Wasnt no playin and goin in. The man she was referring to was Jonathan Williams, 49. who lives in back of the alleged child horror house. Kids play in the park here. They get bored. They run over there, run inside the house, he told The Trentonian. Im sitting on my bench, and I saw a kid sticking his head out the third-floor window and coming out the basement. Nobody lives there. I just took him in there, Bobbitt said. What f**kin kid is gonna live in there? And then you say [14] of them? If kids were living there, I would have called the police, Williams said. I wouldnt have told her. I dont want nobody to get hurt. I dont want nobody to get pregnant. Another man who lives in the area also cast doubt on McBrides claims, saying teens use the house as a place to smoke. Bobbitt said he learned some of the kids live off Stuyvesant Avenue and came to the park at Laurel Place to mess around. He suggested McBride was bothered when one of the kids stole her sons bike. McBride was warned not to confront the kids after a relative told her some of the alleged runaways parents are gang members. They cant be all bad, she said of the kids. They gave the bike back. The controversy seemed settled. Then at 2 p.m. cops were called back out to the same neighborhood. A young boy was found hanging out in 53 Laurel Avenue, an abandoned home next door to the alleged child horror house, police said. The Trentonian watched over a video phone call as cops took the took child into custody in crisis. Feeling vindicated, McBride then hung up the phone. Mexican officials announced on Wednesday, 14 health workers who had arrived in Mexico City turned victims of the so-called "virtual kidnapping" last week, which forced the police to respond to hotels where they were staying to guarantee their safety. The nurses, whom the Mexican Social Security Institute employed, recently came to Mexico City from Monterrey, the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon's capital. They came to Mexico to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic which has spread all over the world. In addition, the said nurses were staying at hotels el Bonn and Ambos Mundos, both in the famous neighborhood of Tacubaya, located in central Mexico City, the country's worst-hit by the virus. Frontliners Receiving Video and Phone Calls According to reports, the frontliners started to receive video and phone calls threatening them that they would be attacked or kidnapped if they attempted to leave the building. Additionally, the callers also claimed they had access to the security cameras of the hotels the nurses were staying, and thus they were able to track their movement. In a statement released by the prosecutor's office of Mexico City, the culprits called the relatives of the said nurses and informed them "that they were holding their family members," that if they failed to deposit a certain amount of money, they would do the victims harm. After they received tips about the ongoing blackmail plan, El Pais, a Spanish newspaper reported, the Mexican National Guard and Mexico City Police responded to the said hotels. The authorities, were able to trace the calls back to a local prison. FGI or the prosecutor's office of the city said, what transpired was "a crime of extortion and not kidnapping," which engaged making the victims believe that their life is in danger and should follow as instructed on the phone. One of the Many Attacks and Threats With roughly nine million residents, Mexico City has recorded the most number of infections and mortalities in the country. The incident that took place last week, according to reports, is just one of the many attacks and threats reported against frontliners who have come to the city to serve amid the public health crisis. In addition, it was said that such threats and attacks take place as many are afraid that medical practitioners being deployed from the other parts of Latin America are spreading the virus. On Tuesday, the Health Ministry of Mexico said, about 20 percent of the over 50,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country "involve health care workers." Meanwhile, Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has reportedly received criticism over the country's lack of widespread testing for the virus among the general public. Related reports indicated that critics are afraid the case count and death toll have both gone considerably underreported. Associated Press reported that just about 150,000 "have been carried out so far" in a country with around 125 million of the population. Furthermore, in a new report released early this week, the Mexicans Against Corruption, an anti-corruption group said, a record of death certificates in Mexico City has suggested that there were more than 4,500 cases where doctors cited COVID-19 as a possible cause of death. The said number is more than thrice the officially recorded number of deaths in the city. On Monday, the federal government had recognized only 1,332 confirmed fatalities in the city from the time the pandemic started. Check these out! Update: Diners allowing eat-in customers didnt lose licenses, received least serious action from state: York lawmaker Two Round the Clock Diner locations in York County were told their business licenses are revoked as of Friday. Written warnings were issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture on May 14 to both locations at 222 Arsenal Road and 145 Memory Lane, according to the departments spokeswoman Shannon Powers. But, because they reopened ahead of Gov. Tom Wolfs timeline, the state revoked both business licenses. Powers wrote in an email, "The Agriculture Departments food safety inspectors did follow-up inspections on May 20 and found the businesses still in violation of Governor Wolfs March 19 executive order. Both locations were issued a second warning on May 21, and told that their licenses would be revoked if they did not comply with the second warning. Today, the department revoked both businesses licenses. York County as of today went into the yellow phase of Wolfs reopening strategy. Until today, the county was in red, which meant residents were ordered to stay-at-home, and businesses closed. Most businesses are allowed to reopen in the yellow phase, known as continued aggressive mitigation. More Palmyra restaurant wont wait on green light from Gov. Wolf, slammed as it opens doors for in-person dining: report Retail returns to Cumberland County, but with face masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing The first COVID-19 vaccine to reach phase I clinical trial is safe, well-tolerated, and capable of generating an immune response against the novel coronavirus in humans, says a new research published in The Lancet journal. According to the study of 108 adults, the vaccine produced neutralising antibodies, and a response mediated by the immune system''s T-cells against the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. However, the scientists, including those from the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology in China said further research is needed to confirm whether the vaccine protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the trial, carried out in 108 healthy adults, the vaccine demonstrated promising results after 28 days, with the final results to be evaluated in six months, the study said. "These results represent an important milestone. The trial demonstrates that a single dose of the new adenovirus type 5 vectored COVID-19 (Ad5-nCoV) vaccine produces virus-specific antibodies and T cells in 14 days," said study co-author Wei Chen from the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology. Based on the results, Chen said the vaccine is a potential candidate for further investigation. However, the researchers cautioned that the results should be interpreted carefully. "The challenges in the development of a COVID-19 vaccine are unprecedented, and the ability to trigger these immune responses does not necessarily indicate that the vaccine will protect humans from COVID-19," Chen explained. The Ad5 vectored COVID-19 vaccine used in the trial is the first to be tested in humans, the scientists said. It uses a weakened common cold-causing adenovirus -- which infects human cells readily, but is incapable of causing disease -- to deliver genetic material that codes for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the cells, the study noted. The scientists said these cells then produce the spike protein, and travel to the lymph nodes where the immune system creates antibodies. These then recognise the spike protein and fight off the coronavirus, the researchers explained. In the trial, they assessed the safety and ability of the new Ad5-nCoV vaccine to generate an immune response of different dosages in 108 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 60 years. The volunteers were assigned to receive either a single injection of the new Ad5 vaccine at a low dose, middle dose, or a high dose, they said. According to the study, the volunteers blood was checked at regular intervals following vaccination to see whether the vaccine stimulated two parts of the immune system. These are the bodys humoral response, which is the part of the immune system that produces antibodies to fight infection, and the ''cell-mediated'' arm, which depends on a group of T cells to fight the virus, the scientists said. They added that an ideal vaccine candidate generates both antibody and T cell responses to defend against SARS-CoV-2. Based on the results, the researchers said the vaccine was well tolerated by the volunteers at all doses with no serious adverse events reported within 28 days of vaccination. They said most adverse events were mild or moderate, with 83 per cent of those receiving low and middle doses of the vaccine and 75 per cent in the high dose group reporting at least one adverse reaction within 7 days of vaccination. These reactions were mild pain at the injection site reported in over half of vaccine recipients, fever in 50 per cent of them, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain as well. Within two weeks of vaccination, the study noted that all dose levels of the vaccine triggered some level of immune response. Some of the participants, the researchers said, also exhibited a form of neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. After 28 days, they said most participants had a four-fold increase in binding antibodies. The scientists also added that 50 per cent of the participants in the low- and middle-dose groups, and three-quarters of those in the high-dose group showed neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. In the majority of volunteers, they said the vaccine also stimulated a rapid T cell response. On further analyses, the researchers said the majority of recipients showed either a positive T cell response, or had detectable neutralising antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 as much as 28 days after vaccination. However, they said high pre-existing immunity to adenovirus type 5 -- the common cold virus vector used in the study, may have reduced both the antibody and T-cell response in the participants. "Our study found that pre-existing Ad5 immunity could slow down the rapid immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 and also lower the peaking level of the responses," said Feng-Cai Zhu from the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China, who led the study. Citing the main limitations of the trial, the authors said the study had a small sample size and was conducted in relatively short duration, with a lack of randomised control group. They said further research will be needed before this trial vaccine becomes available to all. Soldiers fired rubber bullets into crowds of protesters in Chile this week as the newly unemployed working class took to the streets out of desperation. Anti-government protests were sparked in October in the Chilean capital Santiago when the metro fare was raised - amid increasing frustration at the high cost of living and low wages. The daily demonstrations subsided amid the rapid spread of coronavirus in the country, but when further restrictions left people without food they rioted in the streets on Monday night, with violent protests again continuing daily. Pictures taken yesterday show one rioter being hoisted into the air as he was arrested by four heavily geared riot police officers. Soldiers in armoured vehicles and wielding automatic weapons were deployed to the working class neighbourhood of El Bosque, where residents armed with clubs and stones clashed with riot police. Scroll down for video. Anti-government protests were sparked in October in the Chilean capital Santiago when the metro fare was raised - amid increasing frustration at the high cost of living and low wages Overnight Monday rioters looted a neighbourhood gas station, while downtown a mob set a bus ablaze. Residents in both poor and middle-class neighbourhoods banged pots and pans in protest. The military deployment came as Chile recorded 3,520 new coronavirus cases, its biggest daily increase, for a total of almost 50,000 infections. The country recorded a total of 61,857 yesterday. The South American country, with a population of some 18 million people, also reported its largest number of single-day deaths with 31, bringing the total to more than 500. As of today the total number of deaths was 630 - although the true number could be much higher due to an absence of testing. Heath officials have banned gatherings of more than 50 people, restaurants and bars are closed and evening curfews are in place. A man is arrested by riot police while protesting at Cerrillos area, a poor neighbourhood in Santiego, against the lack of help from the government during a general quarantine Four officers lifted the rioter into the air as they arrested him for taking part in the violent demonstrations yesterday The pandemic is focused on Santiago, and with 90 percent of the intensive care hospital beds taken in the capital authorities are shipping patients to other cities. 'We're in a complicated moment, very difficult, with a lot of worried citizens,' said Health Minister Jaime Manalich. 'People don't have work, they don't have money and they don't have food,' said Monica Sepulveda, a 46-year-old unemployed security guard from El Bosque. Sepulveda complained that promised government help hadn't arrived. Santiago began a total lockdown on Friday, May 15, as Chile strove to contain its coronavirus outbreak. Soldiers stand guard as a truck loaded with food parcels travels along a street as part of a government food parcels programme at the Quinta Normal area in Santiago 'We're seeing what we call a social pandemic,' said Manalich. 'It produces job losses, a lack of resources and the worst, it produces hunger.' He said President Sebastian Pinera was taking measures to tackle the lack of food. Yesterday soldiers were pictured standing guard around food trucks as parcels were delivered to those in need in the 'Quinta Normal' area in Santiago. 'The health and social crisis we're going through has no precedent in Chile,' Manalich said. Claudia Pizarro, the mayor of the Santiago suburb of La Pintana, criticized Pinera for making 'spectacular announcements' but failing to deliver on aid. Riots ended with burning piles acting as road blocks as violence erupted in the streets of Santiago with demonstrators calling for government promises to be carried out Pinera announced on Sunday that bags with food staples would be given to the poorest people, but didn't explain when or how distribution would take place. In April Pinera announced a family allowance worth $317 for 4.5 million of the most vulnerable Chileans, but that has yet to be put into action. It came as coronavirus ravages parts of Latin America, setting records for cases and deaths on Friday even as the pandemic's march slowed in much of Europe, Asia and the United States. Latin America's two largest nations - Mexico and Brazil - reported record numbers of infections and deaths almost daily this week, fuelling criticism of their presidents, who have slow-walked shutdowns in an attempt to limit economic damage. Heavily armed trucks were drafted into the area as protesters fought back against riot police Brazil reported more than 330,000 confirmed cases as of Friday to trail only the US in terms of number of infections, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Brazil has also recorded more than 21,000 deaths, though experts believe the true numbers are higher. Experts said the surging deaths across Latin America showed the limits of government action in a region where millions have informal jobs and many police forces are weak or corrupt and unable to enforce restrictions. Infections also rose and intensive-care units were swamped in Peru, Chile and Ecuador, countries lauded for imposing early and aggressive business shutdowns and quarantines. A protester shows tear gas canisters shot by riot police during within a protest against Chilean President Sebastian Pinera's government on May 22 However some Latin American leaders have downplayed the severity of the virus. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has pushed back against state governors who tried to impose limits on people's movements and commerce. Opposition lawmakers and other detractors have called for Mr Bolsonaro's impeachment and have alleged criminal mishandling of the response to the virus. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador continued to travel the country after its first confirmed case. He let his health advisers take the lead on the crisis but kept insisting Mexico's strong family bonds and work ethic would pull it through. People from a poor neighborhood clash with riot police while protesting against the lack of help from the government at 'Cerrillos' area in Santiago yesterday Mexico reported its highest one-day death toll so far on Friday, with 479 new fatalities - up from Wednesday's previous high of 424. It also reported 2,960 new cases, capping a week in which daily confirmed infections have hit close to that number. However, the Health Department acknowledges that the real number is probably several times higher because of Mexico's abysmally low testing rate. The Mexican government has moved to restart the economy, allow mining, construction and parts of the North American automotive supply chain to resume operations this week. A local kneels as he prays after receiving a food ration at a so called 'Olla comun', a communal cook-up to provide plates of hot food to those with dwindling incomes or nothing at all at Puente Alto area on May 14 Analysts predict a massive contraction in an economy that had already entered a recession before the pandemic. Colombia's Ministry of Health reported its biggest daily increases on Friday, with 801 new confirmed infections and 30 deaths. Ecuador's government instituted a curfew and other measures in March, but cases have swamped medical and mortuary services in the city of Guayaquil and now in the capital, Quito. News outlets showed images of patients slumped in wheelchairs receiving oxygen in Peru, where there are only 2.5 intensive-care beds per 100,000 people, one quarter of the global standard. The country had almost 109,000 confirmed cases and more than 3,100 dead as of Thursday night. Priti Patel has announced the unprecedented measure of requiring travellers to the UK to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. Introducing an open-ended quarantine plan to begin on 8 June, the home secretary said: As the world begins to emerge from what we hope is the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, we must look to the future and protect the British public by reducing the risk of cases crossing our border. We are introducing these new measures now to keep the transmission rate down and prevent a devastating second wave. Ms Patel added: This is absolutely not about booking holidays. The UK travel industry reacted furiously, accusing the home secretary of wiping out any further bookings for 2020 holidays. Derek Jones, UK managing director of the upmarket Kuoni holiday firm, tweeted: Its not about going on holiday right now. Booking holidays is fine! On the day that 1,000s more jobs are lost, the politicians still cant resist sticking the boot in. The chief executive of Manchester Airports Group, which has handled tens of thousands of repatriated British travellers over the past two months, was equally blunt. Charlie Cornish described the move as a brick wall to the recovery of the UK aviation and tourism industries, with huge consequences for UK jobs and GDP. The airport boss said: The move will seriously jeopardise the long-term future of the sector and put tens of thousands of jobs, and billions of pounds of economic value, at risk. The apparently tough new Home Office rules stipulate a 1,000 fixed penalty for skipping self-isolation in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will impose their own fines for breaches of quarantine. Yet travellers keen to avoid the new measures can either arrive by midnight on 7 June or choose between two Dublin dodges. Any UK-bound passenger can easily circumvent the obligation to isolate for two weeks by travelling via the Irish capital. As a member of the Common Travel Area, Ireland has exemption from UK quarantine alongside the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Ireland has its own quarantine requirement of 14 days in self-isolation for incoming travellers. But Irelands Health and Safety Executive (HSE) waives the rule for passengers en route to the UK. The first Dublin dodge is to book a flight from a foreign country to the Irish capital on Aer Lingus with an immediate connection on the same airline to a UK airport primarily Heathrow. Alternatively, the traveller can touch down at Dublin airport and declare an intention to travel immediately to Northern Ireland on a direct bus from Dublin airport. The airport authority says: HSE rules for arriving passengers do not apply if you are briefly stopping over at the airport on your way to another country [or] travelling onwards to Northern Ireland. At present the Northern Ireland Executive does not allow leisure trips, saying: No-one may leave their home without reasonable excuse. Transit to Great Britain for leisure purposes does not count. But in anticipation of lockdown rules being eased across Great Britain and the island of Ireland, one short-break specialist has already announced plans to exploit the loopholes via Dublin. Mike Wooldridge, founder of Flyaway Weekends, said: We can see a real demand for short-notice travel once restrictions are slackened, and are already looking at offers that divert via Dublin so were ready to help plan weekend breaks as demand starts to return. A spokesperson for the Home Office said: Anyone travelling from Ireland will be exempt. However, given the high levels of compliance we have seen to date, we expect that the majority of people will do the right thing and abide by these measures. Sir Keir Starmer has urged primary schools to reopen in England as soon as possible as he revealed that his own children have attended lessons throughout lockdown. The Labour leader said his 11-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter were still going to state school in north London as his wife Victoria is an NHS key worker. He said he hoped children across England would be able to return to school next month but added that "its got to be safe". It comes as British teaching unions on Friday urged the government to reconsider its plans to reopen schools for younger pupils in the week starting June 1. However Sir Keir said it was important for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and those resisting the reopening, led by the hardline National Education Union, to reach a consensus on how to get pupils back in the classroom. Sir Keir Starmer (left) has revealed that his 11-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter are still going to state school in north London as his wife Victoria (right) is an NHS key worker Speaking on the Telegraph's Chopper's Politics podcast, Sir Keir said: 'Our children have been in school throughout [the lockdown] and it's a reminder that this perception that schools are shut at the moment and the question of whether we open them is wrong. 'They're open at the moment, teachers, staff are on the frontline, every day. The question is, can we increase the numbers of children going back into school, and I want that to happen as soon as it can. But of course it's got to be safe.' Sir Keir added: 'The task of the Prime Minister is to build consensus, to give people confidence. Most of the polling I've seen... show that parents are about 50/50, they're genuinely worried... Rather than accentuating the differences here, the Prime Minister should pull a task force together, and say "right, we are going to lead from the front".' Sir Keir's comments came on the day that a major review found children were half as likely as adults to catch Covid-19, with lead scientists saying the results pointed "strongly towards a return to school". Researchers at University College London found that under-20s were 56 per cent less likely to contract coronavirus, concluding that "children are the safest group to be out in the community". Mr Johnson wants primaries in England in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 to go back to class from a week on Monday, with others to follow in a "phased" restart. Data shows that children have made up a tiny proportion of hospital patients with COVID-19, and an even smaller number of deaths from the coronavirus. Experts say children appear to be at a lower risk of catching and spreading the disease An assessment of various models of the impact of changes on the R rate shows the impact, on a scale of zero to one, would be 0.24 if classes were split and attended alternate weeks But it has sparked concern among some teachers and parents, as the death rate in Britain, at more than 36,000 already the highest in Europe, keeps rising by hundreds each day. Mr Johnson said this week he had 'growing confidence' that a tracing scheme would be in place by June 1, but there remain questions over whether this is possible. Several local authorities in England have said they were unlikely to be able to reopen schools by the start of next month. Education is a devolved matter for the governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Yesterday the government's SAGE experts warned the 'shock' of school closures are blighting a generation and suggested children are at low danger from coronavirus. Evidence produced by the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies highlights the wider damage being caused to young people by the halt to their education. The documents float the idea of splitting classes in half and having children attend schools alternate weeks, saying that could slash the effect on the 'R' number. This is how social distanced desks will look at Holywell Village First School in Northumberland Ministers hope publishing the documents will reassure the public about plans to start reopening schools from June 1. But teaching unions insisted the SAGE evidence was 'inconclusive' and demanded delay. Speaking at the Downing Street briefing this evening, Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said reopening schools was likely to push the R rate up. But he stressed that was the case for any change to lockdown, and schools were 'not a high risk area for R'. He said coronavirus was a 'long term epidemic' and 'schools have to get back for education for our young people at some point' Leading Cambridge University expert says risk for children catching COVID-19 is 'unbelievably low' The risk of children catching coronavirus is 'unbelievably low', according to one of the UK's top experts. Eminent statistician Sir David Spiegelhalter said data has also shown that teachers do not have a greater risk of becoming infected. The University of Cambridge professor's testimony comes amid an explosive row over the reopening of schools next month. Professor Spiegelhalter pointed out that just one out of 7million children aged four to 14 in England and Wales has died from COVID-19. He also claimed children carry just a fraction of the viral load compared to adults, which significantly reduces their ability to fall ill or infect others. Professor Spiegelhalter told the BBC: 'There have been, based on the data so far, extremely low risks to children. Out of 7million five to 14-year-olds in England and Wales, so far the number of death certificates revealed with Covid on it is one. 'There will be more [that haven't been confirmed], but there is still an extremely low risk. Of course we must remember this group of kids are staggeringly safe in general, less than one in 10,000 die every year. Nobody's ever been safer in the history of humanity than this group of kids.' Professor Spiegelhalter said that at least one child had died from a rare inflammatory illness linked to coronavirus, but reassured parents that the risk of the complication would now be 'much lower now the epidemic in the community is under control.' Asked about whether teachers and parents were being put at risk by schools reopening, the Cambridge professor said data suggested not. He added: 'The Office for National Statistics analysed Covid risks by occupation - some have higher risks, including bus drivers and care home workers.' But teachers were not included in this category, he said. 'Of course people are anxious about the rest of the family, but in healthy young parents aged between 20 and 40, there have only been about 30 death so far out of 30,000 who don't have existing conditions. 'There's about a three in a million chance of risk of death. That's a measurable risk, but in a sense it's a manageable risk... it's not overwhelming at all.' Advertisement Sir Patrick said: 'The risk for children (from coronavirus) is much lower - we know that. 'They are at low risk but not zero risk and there have been some serious cases of children, of course, but very few compared to adults and older age groups. 'The broader risk in terms of opening schools is that as soon as you introduce any contact, you put pressure on the R and you put pressure on numbers, and that's true of anything we are going to do in terms of changes to contact.' He also delivered a shot across the bows of the government by noting that having test in trace in place was important when you were modifying lockdown. Many of the concerns about schools returning appear to be over the knock-on impact on social distancing, with more mixing of families and parents returning to work. A paper produced for a SAGE subgroup on schools for April 16 warns that 'a cohort of children have experienced a shock to their education which will persist and affect their educational and work outcomes for the rest of their lives'. 'Similarly, the current lockdown may lead to an increase in adverse childhood experiences... for example: domestic violence, poor parental mental health,child neglect or abuse.' The report, prepared by experts from University College London, King's College London, the London School of Hygeine and Tropical Medicine, and the University of Exeter, said such experiences were 'associated with worse long-term health outcomes, and will likely exacerbate existing societal inequalities (eg. across deprivation)'. The group said it 'cannot be clear' the extent to which schools can be reopened without fuelling the virus. Although the risk to pupils going back to school was 'very, very small' it was 'not zero'. An assessment of various models of the impact of changes on the R rate shows the impact, on a scale of zero to one, would be 0.24 if classes were split and attended alternate weeks. If half the class went in in the morning and half in the afternoon that would rise to 0.4. The maximum impact of one would be if schools came back completely. A document from a behavioural insight meeting on May 1 said: 'Although not initially one of the options proposed by DfE, options 7b (classes split in two, with children attending on alternate weeks) emerged from the joint discussions as having particular potential merit for further consideration.' The findings will likely add to arguments with unions over whether it is safe for children to return, and if it can be achieved without triggering another flare up of the virus. The files emerged as a SAGE source claimed Government plans to reopen primary schools are grounded in welfare concerns rather than evidence younger pupils are less vulnerable. In the first phase of his back-to-school blueprint, Boris Johnson wants children in England in reception, Year 1 and Year 6 to go back to class on June 1. However, the exact shape of the reopening is being left in the hands of headteachers. Teaching unions have been threatening to boycott the move over safety fears, while a slew of councils have said they will not fall into line. Diocese of Allentown Bishop Alfred Schlert announced Friday the reopening of Mass to the public, beginning June 1. The Lehigh Valley remains in the most restrictive red phase of Gov. Tom Wolfs three-tiered reopening plan in the states coronavirus response. But it is expected on June 5 that any counties still red will transition to yellow, Wolf said Friday. Those who do not feel safe or who have compromising health conditions should not attend, the diocese said in a news release. Mass attendance remains voluntary in the yellow phase. The dispensation from the Mass obligation will remain in place until the green phase, and online live-stream Masses will continue. That said, Schlert said it is time for the faithful to be able to return to Mass in-person if they choose to. "Our faith plays a vital role in our lives, especially during times of pandemic, Schlert says in the release. Catholics throughout the region, deprived of the Eucharist for so long, yearn for the opportunity to once again receive Holy Communion. The announcement came the same day President Donald Trump labeled churches and other houses of worship as essential" and called on governors across the nation to let them reopen this weekend even though some areas remain under coronavirus lockdown. The president threatened to override governors who defy him, but it was unclear what authority he has to do so. Wolf said during an afternoon media briefing Friday the state never closed religious organizations, but that religious leaders took measures as part of their mission to keep congregants safe. Pennsylvania coronavirus cases increased by 866 with 115 more deaths reported, according to Fridays department of health update, bringing the state to 66,258 total cases and 4,984 dead from COVID-19. Diocese of Allentown parishioners will see some changes at Mass due to the coronavirus: Participants will be required to wear masks. Strict social distancing will be required, and ushers will help ensure that protocol. Mass attendance indoors will be restricted to no more than 25% of a churchs seating capacity. Larger outdoor Masses will be permitted, with proper distancing precautions. For baptisms, weddings and funerals, the participation limit also is no more than 25% of the churchs seating capacity. Priests are being trained in new protocols, including how to distribute Holy Communion safely. Precautions will be taken to ensure that the distribution can occur reverently, but also in a manner that protects the health of the people involved. There will be no hymnals, to help prevent the spread of the virus. Only certain entrances and exits will be in use, and the faithful will be dismissed by pew to limit large gatherings after Mass. Holy Water fonts will remain empty. Parishes are securing cleaning supplies and sanitizer, the diocese said in Friday's release. "The decision to end public attendance at Masses was painful for everyone involved, but necessary for the times, Schlert stated. With the precautions that we have taken, we can now offer responsible worship for those who wish it, while continuing to act in service of the public good. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. A family of three was pulled from their mangled pickup after it careened off a North Freeway overpass trying to avoid illegal street racers late Thursday, Houston police say. The driver of the truck was northbound on Interstate 45 near Little York Road around 10:30 p.m. when two cars began weaving in and out of traffic while racing each other, according to Houston Police Lt. M.L. Barrow. The pickup was not involved in the race. BIG RIG IN FLAMES: Driver rushed to the hospital after crashing along North Freeway At least two other innocent drivers also tried to swerve out of the way of the speeding cars, which is when those two and the pickup collided sending the pickup crashing over the concrete barrier to Little York below, Barrow said. Good Samaritans who witnessed the crash ran to help and pulled an infant and a man from inside the pickup, while firefighters had to use special tools to pry open the mangled wreckage and free a woman from inside. All three were taken to nearby hospitals but are expected to survive. Nobody from inside the two vehicles that crashed on the freeway was injured, although one of those cars burst into flames. These street racers are chaos, Barrow said. They are brainless and [have] no concept of the destruction and problems theyre causing in our community. People could have been killed here today. Shimara Mitchell was one of the good Samaritans who pulled the child and man to safety. It was nothing but God, Mitchell said. That baby was unharmed and smiled at me. The racing cars fled. Anyone with information is urged to call Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477). Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) San Juan city reported no new coronavirus infections on Friday, the first time in more than two months, Mayor Francis Zamora confirmed on Saturday. "Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon simula po March 12, 2020, wala pong naitalang bagong kaso ng COVID-19 dito sa San Juan. Napakagandang balita po para sa ating lahat," Zamora said in a Facebook post. [Translation: For the very first time since March 12, 2020, no new COVID-19 case was reported here in San Juan. This is good news for us all.] Zamora also said there were no additional coronavirus-related deaths on Friday, while 14 more residents have recovered from the viral illness. The city government's tally shows the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases stands at 302. Of this number, 40 have died while 138 have recovered. Meanwhile, the Department of Health's official tracker shows 273 COVID-19 cases in the city as of May 17. The DOH has explained it takes time to validate reports from various sources. Zamora encouraged San Juan residents to participate in contract tracing efforts through the website sanjuan.staysafe.ph to prevent further spread of the virus. In March, the city of San Juan held the record for the most number of COVID-19 cases in the country. The first local case of the coronavirus disease was a 62-year-old patient who frequented a prayer hall in Greenhills, San Juan, but was considered a patient from Cainta, Rizal where he lived. The city government began coronavirus testing of frontliners and patients suspected of coronavirus infection last month. Several local governments are also doing their own testing while the national government tries to increase its testing capacity. A normal pregnancy in humans lasts for about 40 weeks. During this time, the infant gradually develops within the womb, protected by a fluid-filled structure known as the amniotic sac. If a baby is born before 40 weeks, it is called premature, and a baby born after 40 weeks is called postmature. Premature babies can suffer from a number of health problems throughout their lives. A baby is considered to be premature if it is born before 37 weeks of the pregnancy. While most premature babies are born between 34 to 36 weeks into the pregnancy, some are born extremely premature, which is considered to be at 25 weeks or before. Babies born before 23 weeks are not considered viable by doctors, and are not resuscitated. Every year, one million premature babies around the world do not survive. A premature birth is the biggest cause for newborn deaths. Even if the baby survives, they may face health problems throughout their lives, as the normal development of the infant is affected. These include hearing loss, abnormally large or inflamed lungs, asthma, hearing loss, delayed teeth growth, mental health problems and neurological disorders. The earlier a child is born, the more problems it faces. There are some identified known factors that increase the cause of a premature birth. These include a previous pregnancy with twins, having a pregnancy soon after childbirth, a family history of premature births, diabetes and inadequate healthcare to the mother. The most reliable indicator that a birth will be preterm, is that the mother has previously given birth to a preterm baby. Air pollution is also known to increase the chances of a premature childbirth, and all around the world, the number of premature childbirth is increasing. However, the cause of over 50 percent of premature child births are unknown. While these might seem like a lot of statistics, there is a story behind each and every one of those numbers. While 9 out of 10 premature babies go on to live mostly normal lives, if premature births can be accurately predicted, then doctors can take measures to extend the gestation period, to prevent health problems later in life to the individual. However, the efforts by scientists and healthcare workers to predict premature births have so far been very frustrating. The current tests for predicting premature births work best on those mothers who have already had a premature birth, and give an accurate prediction only 20 percent of the time. Additionally, scientists are also struggling to accurately predict the gestation period of any pregnancy. Once the biological mechanisms for premature childbirth are better understood, researchers can start developing drugs that can elongate the pregnancy. We expect that our readers will be glad to know that both the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative have contributed significant funds towards research in the area. The good news is that there are a few promising new methods for predicting premature childbirth. The genes can tell Researchers from Stanford, including one who had previously given birth to a premature baby, attacked the problem of predicting the gestation period by taking weekly blood tests of 31 Danish women. The blood samples were analysed for genes in the mother, the placenta and the baby. Specifically, the scientists looked at free floating RNA chains, and checked which of these genes could reliably predict both the gestation period as well as the risk for premature pregnancy. These cell free RNA are the messengers that relay the instructions from genes to ribosomes, which manufacture proteins within the body. The samples from 21 women were used to build a statistical model, which was then checked and validated against samples collected from the other 10 women. The model was able to predict gestation periods with an accuracy of 45 percent. The scientists also collected a single blood sample from 38 American women, who were known to be at risk of premature delivery. While 13 of these women delivered prematurely, the remaining 25 had full term pregnancies. The researchers then compared which of the genes were different in those who delivered prematurely, against those who delivered after a full term. This allowed the scientists to hone in on seven genes in the cell free RNA, that could predict when the baby would be delivered prematurely. Most of these genes were from the mother, and the scientists believe that these genes could actually be involved in the mechanism that causes a premature birth in the first place. Additionally, analysis of the cell free RNA through such a blood test could provide a range of other information about fetal growth, at a resolution inaccessible to healthcare professionals so far. The blood tests need to be validated in more trial runs, before they can be rolled out to the general public. Mucus permeability Researchers from MIT and Tufts University have been investigating the role of mucus in the body for years. The direction of the scientific enquiry was to find out the role that mucus plays within the body, and its chemical as well as physical properties. Mucus is the first line of defence the body has against infections. As part of this research, the scientists were also looking into the potential role that mucus played in premature births. A cervical plug, made mostly of mucus, protects the womb from microbial infection. In 2013, the researchers published a paper that showed that the mucus in the cervical plugs of women at high risk of premature birth, was weaker and more elastic than the mucus of mothers with a low risk of premature births. Following up with that study, the researchers began to investigate the differences in the mucus between low risk women and high risk women. The low risk women had routine checkups and gave full term births. The high risk women went into labour early, between 24 to 34 weeks, were stabilised by healthcare workers, and subsequently gave birth to premature babies. In the samples collected from the high risk women, negatively-charged spheres 1 micron in diameter were made to travel through the mucus using a positively-charged attractor. There was a small but statistically significant difference between the porosity of the mucus collected from high risk women, and the mucus collected from low risk women. The researchers then sent peptide probes through the mucus, which are chains of amino acids that can be tagged with special molecules that show up in medical imaging technologies. It was then that the researchers identified a significant difference in the permeability and adhesiveness of the mucus. It is now believed that between 30 to 40 percent of premature births are caused because of microbes that reach the uterus through the cervical plug. The researchers hope that a screening test can be developed based on cervical mucus, that can predict premature births. The researchers are also investigating factors that they can introduce to the mucus to reduce its porosity, a treatment that could prolong the pregnancy. Artificial intelligence Computer science engineers from the Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology in Coimbatore, are approaching the problem using machine learning. The idea is to combine all the known factors that increase the risk of a high risk pregnancy, make large datasets, and then use artificial intelligence to accurately predict a premature childbirth. The team has listed a number of factors including age, previous diseases, blood pressure, cardiac events, body surface area, condition of the cervix and personal habits. These factors were included in consultation with doctors, and weighted. An algorithm then provides a prediction. Another effort from researchers at Colombia University combine all the previously-known aggravating factors, and add to it something that has never been done before genetic factors. The researchers are also focusing on first time pregnancies, as these are the most underserved when it comes to neonatal healthcare for mothers with a high risk of premature deliveries, as the most common factor is a previous premature birth. Despite all these efforts, there is no widely available test that can accurately predict premature deliveries. The existing methods are also resource intensive. Once such a test is available, researchers can get to work on treatments to elongate the pregnancy. The infant benefits from each additional day of gestation. Jail inmates who are above 60 years of age will be granted emergency parole in view of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Delhi Prisons department. A circular issued earlier this week stated that the convicts in this age group are more susceptible to COVID-19 and the emergency parole will be given to decongest the jails, officials said on Saturday. If an inmate has been convicted for less than five years and has already completed three months in jail, he or she is eligible for the emergency parole, the circular stated. For jail term of more than five and up to 10 years, only those convicts will be released who have completed a stay of six months and their appeal is not pending in the court. For prisoners having more than 10 years sentence and life convicts, except those having specific direction not to be released before a specific period or not to consider them for remission, they should have completed six months or more as convict and overall period of custody undergone should be one year, it said. The parole will be for eight weeks. For the emergency parole, the convicts behaviour in the jail will also be considered. The convicts whose appeal against conviction is pending in High Court or Supreme Court will not be eligible for it, said Sandeep Goel, Director General (Prisons). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Trump mocked his presumptive 2020 rival Joe Biden Saturday morning. Sleepy Joe cannot bring us to greatness. He is the reason Im here! Trump jeered on Twitter, while re-upping an earlier tweet sharing a recent poll showing him leading Biden in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. Biden has been on the defensive since Friday after telling radio host Charlamagne that any black person who didnt vote for him wasnt really black. Well I tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether youre for me or Trump, then you aint black, Biden said toward the end of the interview on Charlamagnes The Breakfast Club. The radio host, who has also conducted tough interviews with past presidential aspirants Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, said he was less than thrilled with Bidens performance. He really was one of the people on the front lines when it came to the war on drugs, and mass incarceration. If he wants to be president, he needs to fix that, Charlamagne told CNN Friday evening. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Here are three of the week's top pieces of financial insight, gathered from around the web: A national paycheck guarantee Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are trying to build momentum for the next congressional stimulus package to include paycheck guarantees, said Catie Edmondson at The New York Times. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) are "making the case to their parties' leaders that guaranteed income programs" should be on the table. While the first round of stimulus programs expanded unemployment insurance, the new plans would provide grants to employers to cover pay for furloughed workers. Jayapal's plan would have the government "cover salaries and benefits for workers making up to $90,000 for as long as six months." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has been "lukewarm on the idea," and most Republicans hate it. But Hawley has been gaining support for his "proposal mirroring the British government's plan that covers 80 percent of employers' payroll costs up to the median wage, $49,000 per year." SBA will trust most small applicants Businesses that borrow less than $2 million from the Paycheck Protection Program can rest a little easier, said Ryan Tracy at The Wall Street Journal. After the Trump administration signaled that "there might be consequences" for large businesses that had received forgivable loans they didn't need, some smaller business owners were "nervous about whether they could meet" the Small Business Administration's certification requirements for forgiveness. But with fewer firms applying for loans now, the SBA said last week that it will "trust" that smaller requests were made "in good faith." At the same time, lawmakers and prosecutors are ramping up their scrutiny of PPP, after the SBA inspector general warned that "the pressure to rapidly disburse relief funds could increase the chance for fraud." Story continues The 'ebitdac' profit fiction Some companies are tweaking their earnings reports to include profits they would have made without the pandemic, said Nikou Asgari at the Financial Times. Many corporations have long reported "ebitda" earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization. Now they are adding "coronavirus." A Chicago-based manufacturer, Azek, raised $325 million of junk bonds and "included a term that would allow it to add back 'lost earnings' as a result of COVID in the future." Don't be fooled by the rosy "ebitdac" figures, said one adviser. "These revenues will never come back," she said. "It's fiction." This article was first published in the latest issue of The Week magazine. If you want to read more like it, you can try six risk-free issues of the magazine here. More stories from theweek.com Trump keeps falsely accusing Joe Scarborough of murder, and it's long past weird Trump denies wanting to move the Republican National Convention to his Doral resort, citing ballroom size Brazil's Bolsonaro accepts little blame for his country's COVID-19 disaster, but he wears a face mask In The Golden Thread: The Cold War and the Mysterious Death of Dag Hammarskjold (Twelve, July.), journalist Somaiya probes the diplomats death in a 1961 plane crash in Africa. What drove your interest in this case? Hammarskjold. He was chosen as the UN secretary-general because he seemed to present no dangerhe was a brilliant economist and a deft bureaucrat, but was seen as weak and easily influenced. What the worlds superpowers failed to bank on was that he was also eccentric, idealistic, and creative. When the Congolese rioted for democracy in 1959, it was really not a popular or easy thing to stand up for their right to form their own independent government, as Hammarskjold did. It meant defying Soviet Russia, significant elements in America and Britain who wanted to run the country to their advantage, a band of international white supremacist mercenaries who felt the Congo should be run by white Europeans, and the mining companies which funded those mercenaries in order to keep extracting the Congos minerals. Why did he have so many enemies? I think there were a lot of people at that moment who felt they had to maintain an illusion or a beliefcommunism, capitalism, the superiority of one race over anotherat all costs. They were zealots. And theres nothing zealots hate more than someone like Hammarskjold, who can see clearly, and whos willing to act in the service of something higher than tribalism. What new discoveries did you make? The keys to this mystery, in my opinion, lie in unseen evidence from the now-defunct Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. It was run in collaboration with Britain, and was something of a stronghold for white Africans who felt that they alone understood how to manage the continent for the greater good, and also a hub for British and American spying on the Congo in 1961. Until recently, relevant papers from that federation were considered lost forever, burned, or moldering unknown in some basement. But, via the Zimbabwean government, I found some eye-opening pieces of evidence that detail shocking hostility and suspicion toward Hammarskjold and the UN, and hint at plans to act on it. Do you think the truth is attainable? I certainly think we can hope for an honest, accurate, and fair account that reveals everything we can possibly know today, including information we know to exist in the possession of American, British, and other national governments. The UN itself has persuaded them to loosen their reflexive grip on their Cold War secrets, and it shows every sign it will continue to push. As will I. Under the shadow of the coronavirus, the states across the country are taking special precautions to mark Eid al-Fitr, the celebration that breaks the month long fast for Ramadan. This Eid there will be no shaking of hands or no warm embracing for Muslims because of the stringent social distancing. Depending on the sighting of the moon, Eid celebrations will begin either on Sunday or Monday. But prayer gatherings, outdoor festivals, and other public events have been curtailed or cancelled to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Kerala government has allowed shops and markets to open till 9 pm on Saturday and on Eid certain relaxations have been announced. Usually, full lockdown is in force on all Sundays but it has been eased a bit this time. Short movements are admissible but crowding will not be allowed. Many clerics have asked believers not to crowd mosques and follow directives of the administration. True, mass prayers are integral to Eid. For believers, it is painful to miss them. But the situation warrants so, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan while greeting Muslim brethren on the eve of the festival. In Karnataka, there is a dichotomy with coastal areas of the state bordering Kerala observing Eid-al-Fitr and Khutub- E- Ramzan on Sunday and rest of the state observing it on Monday. There is a statewide curfew which has been imposed on Sunday and the Hilal committee as well as the Waqf board has appealed to people not to gather for Salat Al Eid. The Rakat prayers will also be held indoors and there will be no congregation, said a Hilal committee release. Government officials say that shopping is allowed till Saturday 7 pm as mandated in the SOP, no assembly will be permitted on Sunday. In Chhattisgarh, prayers will be offered in the mosques, but no more than five people will be allowed. No congregation is allowed during Eid and we have appealed that celebrations should be done inside the house. We have also appealed not to spend money on shopping and purchasing. Instead, the money should be distributed among the poor and sufferers in this crisis, said Shehar Qazi of Raipur, Mohammad Ali Farooqi, adding that appeal to follow social distancing has been made in the festival. The Superintendent of Police, Raipur, Arif Sheikh, said no congregation is allowed in the city. The historic Gandhi Maidan in Bihar, after more than 90 years, will not host any Eid prayers in view of the pandemic and the need to maintain social distancing. Gandhi Maidan Eid Namaaz committee chairman Mahmood Alam and secretary Maulana Misbahuddin said that since 1925, this will be the first time in 2020 that the Gandhi Maidan will not have Eid prayer. He said the tradition of Eid prayer at the Gandhi Maidan had been started by one Salim Rine after getting the order from Patnas Collector. Gandhi Maidan has so far witnessed over 40,000 prayer meetings, while chief minister Nitish Kumar has also been part of quite a few. There will be no shaking of hands or no warm embracing this year, because of the stringent physical distancing norms imposed by the government. You wont notice the typical gale milana (wishing each other with warm embracing) this year. The festive atmosphere would be missing this Eid. Fighting the dreaded virus and saving humanity is more important than celebrating Eid, said Mufti Anwar Ahmed, a religious preacher from Jamia Nizamia, Hyderabad, said. He said Muslims have to perform Salat-al-Duha or Namaz-e-Shukrana (Islamic prayers) within their homes and greet each other. There shall be no public gatherings to greet one another as has been the practice in the past because of the lockdown restrictions, the Mufti said. On the call given by Ulemas and Muftis from all schools of Islamic thought, the Muslims in Hyderabad have been offering Taraweeh prayers at their homes during Ramzan month. In Uttar Pradesh too this Eid will be like never before with lockdown in place and appeals from both Shia and Sunni clerics to keep it a low key affair and instructions to offer Eid namaaz indoors. Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, chairman of Islamic Centre of India and imam of Aishbagh Eidgah, has appealed to Muslims to avoid the crowd and celebrate the upcoming Eid festival at their homes while following social distancing norms issued by the Centre in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. I had also requested the community to avoid Alvida namaz (prayer offered on last Friday of Ramzan) at mosques in view of the pandemic and I am happy that they followed also, said Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali. The usual celebrations were missing in Kashmir too as very few people could be seen in the markets. Sheikh Ashiq, president of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce Federation and Industries, said that Eid used to be a big business activity. Ahead of Eid businessmen used to get different items in bulk and sales for the Eid used to cross between Rs 300 to 500 crore. He said that for the businessmen it used to be a big stimulus. Our losses are vast if we compare from lockdown to lockdown. Nawab Malik , Maharashtra Minority Affairs Minister, too on Saturday urged people not to gather in basements, parking areas, or any other place to offer prayers during Ramzan, saying social distancing is the need of the hour. Our religious leaders already urged people not to violate lockdown rules and to contribute in the best possible way to fight this challenge. Muslim community will not demanding any exemption and ready to celebrate Eid without any gatherings, said Malik. (With inputs from state bureaus) The Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, is being widely criticised on social media for a comment he made concerning the conviction of Yununa Dahiru, who was jailed for abducting a minor and impregnating her. A Twitter user on Friday called the attention of Mr Ahmad to the case of Mr Dahiru (also known as Yunusa Yellow), who was convicted for child trafficking and sexual exploitation of Ese Oruru, a Bayelsa girl. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State, sentenced Mr Dahiru to 26 years imprisonment for sexually molesting Mr Oruru in 2015 as a 13-year-old girl. Miss Oruru was later taken to Kano State where she was allegedly forcefully married and impregnated by Mr Dahiru. Please Bashir, do something about Yunusa Yellow for Allahs sake, he is wrongly accused and sentenced, the whole matter is manipulated, we need to appeal for him, a Twitter user, Hammad Yusuf Saleh, asked the president aide. In response, Mr Ahmad said: My brother, I do not have the power to do anything against the judgment of the court, but I will try to contact those whom I think are capable, he wrote in Hausa. Angry Nigerians Many Twitter users jumped on the presidential aide shortly after he made his post, subjecting his comment to various interpretations. It remains unclear exactly the kind of help Mr Ahmad planned to give Mr Dahiru: whether he wanted to assist in facilitating his appeal or whether he wanted to take other steps to upturn the judgment as alleged. The presidential aide did not provide clarification as outrage poured over his comment. Rather he tried to walk back from his remark. I commented on the Yunusa Yellow saga earlier, without knowing and understanding the details of the case, Mr Ahmad said as hundreds of angry users stormed his timeline in condemnation of his comment. Eloping or rather, kidnapping a minor and forcing her to marry you shouldnt be taken lightly. A condemnable act! That however failed to pacify his critics who continued throughout last night and this morning to pour invective on him. Below are a few of the reactions that greeted Mr Ahmads intervention. @chosensomto: If young Bashir Ahmad (20+) confessed that he has access to people who are capable of influencing the judgement of a competent court, we can now see how easy it was for this regime to steal our 2019 mandate at the ballot and also influence the Supreme Court to keep it. If young Bashir Ahmad (20+) confessed that he has access to people who are capable of influencing the judgement of a competent court, we can now see how easy it was for this regime to steal our 2019 mandate at the ballot and also influence the Supreme Court to keep it. Somto Onuchukwu (@chosensomto) May 22, 2020 @William_Ukpe: Bashir is Chairman Emeritus, Arewa Twitter Rape Apologists. He knew what he was doing. He did not expect a caught because he was dumb enough to think we dont understand Hausa. He has said worse, and he will say worse. https://twitter.com/William_Ukpe/status/1263963634197241857?s=19 @rolandi_teeji: Its not material whether Bashir knew about the nature of the case or not. Whats material to me, is the fact that he outrightly hinted to us, the manipulation and influence over judicial decision by powerful politicians. This is our democracy out the window and in the thrash. Its not material whether Bashir knew about the nature of the case or not. Whats material to me, is the fact that he outrightly hinted to us, the manipulation and influence over judicial decision by powerful politicians. This is our democracy out the window and in the thrash. before i self destruct (@rolandi_teeji) May 22, 2020 @PA_Nigeria: According to @BashirAhmaad, he will Contact people he knows have the power to do something against the judgement on Yunusa who is a Kidnapper, Rapist and Child Trafficker. This is a shame considering the position of Bashir unless the person he is contacting is the PRESIDENT. According to @BashirAhmaad, he will Contact people he knows have the power to do something against the judgement on Yunusa who is a Kidnapper, Rapist and Child Trafficker. This is a shame considering the position of Bashir unless the person he is contacting is the PRESIDENT. pic.twitter.com/Dq1drUcPb6 People's Assembly (@PA_Nigeria) May 22, 2020 @Fopara03: A few weeks ago, @BashirAhmaad shamelessly leveraged on his office to encourage a Twitter user to call him if he feels threatened by anyone Today, same Bashir is promising to use the influence of his office to pervert justice to get a rapist off d hook. A few weeks ago, @BashirAhmaad shamelessly leveraged on his office to encourage a Twitter user to call him if he feels threatened by anyone Today, same Bashir is promising to use the influence of his office to pervert justice to get a rapist off d hook Frank Opara (@fopara03) May 22, 2020 @Briticoyemo: In 2015, 14 year old Ese Oruru was kidnapped by Yunusa Dahiru. She was forced to convert to Islam and raped. Yesterday, Dahiru was sentenced to 26 years in prison. Today, Bashir Ahmed, an Assistant to the President, said this in response to a plea for help for Dahiru. https://t.co/6gS1rMfaR4 @Ayemojubar: Another proof that the executive has pocketed the judiciary. If Bashir could have such confidence to say this in public, the judiciary must be a cheap and buy 1, get 3 free commodities in the villa. Its not a coincidence and this is not the first time. Another proof that the executive has pocketed the judiciary. If Bashir could have such confidence to say this in public, the judiciary must be a cheap and "buy 1, get 3 free" commodities in the villa. It's not a coincidence and this is not the first time. Ayemojubar (@ayemojubar) May 22, 2020 U-turn too late? Advertisements Following the backlash from the public, Mr Ahmad made a U-turn, saying he did not quite fully understand Mr Dahirus case before he made his earlier comment. Despite the presidents aide withdrawal of his comment, came, many refused to be pacified. Below are some of the comments that followed his latter comment. @Temibande: Dont your moral values teaches you that lying is vile, I thought this your fasting period should make you virtuous. This is just to cheap to say the least. Don't your moral values teaches you that lying is vile, I thought this your fasting period should make you virtuous. This is just to cheap to say the least His coming is imminent (@Temibande) May 23, 2020 @truthfully83: Medicine after death. An afterthought after a wide range of bashings from Nigerians, for trying to use your position as SA media to @Mbuhari, in influencing the judiciary to soft pedal on the case. @BashirAhmaad, go tell that to the dogs. Perception is worst than reality. Medicine after death. An afterthought after a wide range of bashings from Nigerians, for trying to use your position as SA media to @Mbuhari, in influencing the judiciary to soft pedal on the case. @BashirAhmaad, go tell that to the dogs. Perception is worst than reality. 99% OPPRESSED (WIKILEAKS) (@Truthfully83) May 22, 2020 @topeomoekiti: Do u remember u once tweeted Arewa win when Buhari, madam Amina and the other Nigeria representative at the UN conference were pictured together, not until madam @abikedabiri came and corrected u that u have said Nigeria won since they are all representing Nigeria . Do u remember u once tweeted Arewa win when Buhari, madam Amina and the other Nigeria representative at the UN conference were pictured together, not until madam @abikedabiri came and corrected u that u have said Nigeria won since they are all representing Nigeria . TemiTopeOmoEkiti (@topeomoekiti) May 22, 2020 @uchena_omooba: Bashir lets not pretend like you dont know whats happening over there in the northern part of our beloved Country, this is what the Rich & educated northern volks will never allow, a minor getting married na wa oh . Bashir let's not pretend like you don't know what's happening over there in the northern part of our beloved Country, this is what the Rich & educated northern volks will never allow, a minor getting married na wa oh . Urchman (@uchenna_omooba) May 22, 2020 @JEFF_FSTRD: Bashir! Why were you quick to comment? I think this is just damage control. You were very active on this street in the days of the abduction. Be like your TYRANT boss with your chest sir. Bashir Bashir! Why were you quick to comment? I think this is just damage control. You were very active on this street in the days of the abduction. Be like your TYRANT boss with your chest sir. Bashir Geoffrey Okafor (@JEFF_FXTRD) May 22, 2020 Syracuse, N.Y. -- Local leaders are asking Gov. Andrew Cuomo to loosen rules about religious ceremonies to allow for slightly larger gatherings as soon as next weekend. Right now, Cuomo has ordered religious groups to limit indoor services to 10 or fewer people. But Central New York leaders have asked Cuomo to consider allowing indoor ceremonies with a group of people that is 25% of the rooms capacity. We havent heard back yet, McMahon said today. He said he hoped the governor would act on the request this week, as some regions, including Central New York, prepare to move into phase two of the states restart plan. But support for the idea is gaining momentum as religious institutions reopen. On Wednesday, Cuomo announced indoor services could restart with 10 or fewer people. That prompted the Syracuse Diocese to restart public Mass next weekend, on May 30 and 31. Late this week, President Donald Trump called for religious services to be essential. The governor has convened an Interfaith Advisory Council to discuss reopening issues. That council held its first meeting on Friday, according to the Rev. John Carter, the founder and senior pastor at Abundant Life Christian Center. Were willing to work with various religious institutions for outdoor services," McMahon said. I know some of them have already had them. The goal, McMahon said, is to gradually get religious services back to how they used to be, though with social distancing and other preventative measures in place. Some buildings, he said, can handle more than 10 people at a time and still allow for socially distancing. At the same time, McMahon acknowledged that a religious gathering -- or any large gathering -- can create a dangerous situation. He mentioned New Rochelle, New York, which was an early epicenter of the virus in part because it was spread at religious gatherings. We know how potent the virus can be, McMahon said. But that was also two months ago, he said. We know about the virus now more than we did. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources Destiny USA gearing up to reopen Can store owners require you to wear a face mask to enter? No in-person summer school in NY; too early for decision on fall, Cuomo says Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274. Security forces stepped in and fired tear gas and "plastic bullets" into a crowd of residents in Irans oil-rich Khuzestan province who were protesting lack of drinking water. The residents of Gheizaniyeh district in the city of Ahvaz initially assembled in front of the district-governors office on Saturday, May 23, and then blocked the old Ahvaz-Mahshahr road, protesting the cut-off of drinking water in the area. According to the daily Mardomsalari (Democracy), the security forces, supported by Special Unit police, rushed in and by firing tear gas ultimately managed to open Ahvaz-Mahshahr road. Citing Ahvaz metropolitan police chief, the Islamic Republic's official news agency, IRNA, said, "the security forces superficially wounded two demonstrators with anti-riot plastic bullets". "The two have been arrested, and have no physical problem", Colonel Mohsen Dalvand told IRNA. Criticizing officials responsible for providing drinking water, Colonel Dalvand asserted, the "authorities' disregard for the people's demands" in Gheizanieh district led to the "illegal gathering" of residents of this district. "If the authorities pay attention to the demands of the people, social problems will never turn into security issues" Dalvand said, adding, "Cutting off water in Gheizanieh is a good example of the authorities' carelessness about people's needs." While Khuzestan provides most of the hard-currency earnings for Iran, its people complain about lack of investments to provide the basic needs of the population. Mardomsalari's website says water shortage is a chronic problem in Gheizanieh district, with 83 villages and more than 25,000 population. Meanwhile, the website says it has images of protesters shot in the feet. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday announced that his government will bear the cost of migrant workers travel on Shramik Special trains up to May 31. From cancelling special trains for migrants two weeks ago, to restoring it after criticism, the State Government has shifted position. The government considers migrant workers, who have come from far-flung parts of our country, as our own people and it is my firm belief that they too must be supported by the state. Therefore, Karnataka Government will bear the cost of travel of migrant workers and stranded persons to their respective states by Shramik Trains up to 31st May, 2020, Yediyurappa tweeted. The proposal to make travel free for migrants has been on the table for two weeks now. With many receiving states refusing to pay the fares for migrant workers, Karnataka has stepped up to help poor migrants. The decision to bear the ticket cost for migrants travelling to their hometowns follows multiple requests from labour unions as well as the Opposition. Media reports too had highlighted the helplessness of poor migrants who are unable to afford tickets to board the trains. Washington (AFP) - Nicaragua's military chief and finance minister were placed on the US sanctions blacklist Friday as Washington stepped up pressure on the regime of President Daniel Ortega. The US Treasury said it would block any property of Julio Cesar Aviles, commander-in-chief of the Nicaraguan Army, and Ivan Adolfo Acosta, minister of finance and public credit, in US jurisdictions, and ban Americans and US companies, including banks with US offices, from doing business with them. It said Aviles protected the paramilitary forces that are accused of responsibility for the deaths of 300 protesters and other acts of violence after political uprisings that began in April 2018. The Treasury said Acosta arranged financial support for Ortega and also threatened banks to not support opposition strikes last year. "The Ortega regime's continued violations of basic human rights, blatant corruption, and widespread violence against the Nicaraguan people are unacceptable," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. "The United States will target those who prop up the Ortega regime and perpetuate the oppression of the Nicaraguan people," he said. The US has already slapped sanctions on the president, his wife and two of his sons. In December it blacklisted his son Rafael Ortega Murillo, who the treasury called the "key money manager" for his family. In March the US placed sanctions on the Nicaraguan National Police and three NNP commissioners. And on May 4, the European Union put the NNP chief and five other senior government officials on its sanctions list. Ortega, in power in Nicaragua since 2007, was most recently elected in 2016 for a mandate that would keep him in office until 2021. Regime forces and pro-government militias have been blamed for more than 300 deaths since April last year, when protests against his rule mushroomed into an uprising that was brutally suppressed. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the sanctions aimed to hold the Nicaraguan officials "accountable"for supporting Ortega. "The United States will continue to apply pressure to the Ortega regime until it stops repressing the Nicaraguan people, respects human rights and fundamental freedoms, and allows the conditions for free and fair elections and the restoration of democracy in Nicaragua," Pompeo said. If you havn't done it yet,to get one of the fastest volcano news online: Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Buenos Aires recorded explosive activity from the active crater with near-constant ash emissions that reachedaltitude and drifted E. ... Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app!Once installed for a tiny one-time cost, it unlocks additional features, removes ads in the free version of the app. A growing list of photo galleries taking during our expeditions in this fantastic part of the world, full of volcanoes, unspoiled nature and colors. We have published several volcano calendars over the years: usually, we use photos taken by us or our participants during our recent volcano tours and expeditions. A perfect gift if you're a fan of volcanoes! A new fissure eruption started on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula in Mar 2021. Follow the latest news and updates on this remarkable event! We're proud to present our 2020 volcano calendar: 13 different and attractive images of volcanoes, volcanic landscapes and phenomena taken during volcano tours over the past two years. Support us - Help us upgrade our services! Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources. We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated. Improved multilanguage support Tsunami alerts Faster responsiveness Earthquake archive from 1900 onwards Detailed quake stats Additional seismic data sources Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: Android | IOS to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world.We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team.If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please PayPal or Online credit card payment )., these features have been added recently: A MAN who is charged in connection with a burglary in Askeaton during which a safe was taken from a shop, was refused bail following a garda objection. Michael Harty, 35, who has an address at Rossmanagher Road, Sixmilebridge, County Clare faces a number of charges in connection with the break-in which occurred during the early hours of May 3, 2018. After a copy of the book of evidence was served on his client, solicitor Michael ODonnell applied for bail on behalf of the father-of-five. Opposing the application, Detective Sergeant Mike Reidy said it will be alleged the defendant was one of four masked men who forcibly entered the shop at Clounreask, Askeaton at around 1.45am. It was a planned and premeditated crime, he said adding that extensive damage was caused to the shuttering and inside the premises and that a safe, containing a significant amount of cash, was removed from the shop and placed in the boot of a black Audi S4 Quattro. However, the safe fell onto the road and was left behind as the intruders took off at speed in the car. Judge Marian OLeary was told the vehicle, which had been stolen in the UK a number of weeks earlier, was located crashed at Fanningstown, Croom a short time after the burglary. Mr Harty had been accused of being a passenger in the Quattro but that charge has since been withdrawn on the instructions of the DPP. Detective Sergeant Reidy expressed concerns that Mr Harty represents a flight risk and would not abide by any bail conditions if released. He also expressed fears he would engage in further criminality. Having refused bail, Judge OLeary formally sent the matter forward for trial at Limerick Circuit Court. Mumbai Polices social media handles often refer to latest trends to send their message across. This time, they have shared a still from the trailer of Christopher Nolans upcoming film Tenet. The main aim behind sharing the snap is to raise awareness about the importance of keeping oneself safe from the novel coronavirus. The Instagram post was captioned as, "Why should we be following the Tenet of safety against Coronavirus? #TenetOfSafety #TakingOnCorona" The image features actress Dimple Kapadia and a text band on it reads, "there are people in future who need us". The latest trailer of Tenet was released on May 21. The action thriller, written and directed by Nolan, stars John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine and Kenneth Branagh. Here's the trailer: Not much is known about the storyline of Tenet other than the fact that it is set in the world of espionage. The new trailer features action sequences and banter between Washington and Pattinson. The trailer shows one of the characters talk about "inversion" alluding to the concept of time inversion. In the recent past, Mumbai Police had shared a still from Amazon Prime Videos popular show Paatal Lok to make people aware of fake news being spread through social media. The image features actor Jaideep Ahlawat and the text on it reads "Maine Whatsapp pe Padha tha". When fake news peddlers are asked - where did you get this exclusive news from? read the caption. Michigan health officials will begin separately reporting results of statewide diagnostic and antibody testing for the novel coronavirus, which previously had been reported together in available COVID-19 data. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced the change to reporting Saturday, May 23. It comes as antibody testing becomes more widely available to the public around the state. State health officials have seen a significant increase in antibody testing over the past week, State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Lyon-Callo told MLive. Previously, the number of total conducted tests reported by the state included results of both diagnostic testing which shows whether an individual actively has COVID-19 in their system and serology, or antibody testing which can be used to help determine whether someone has ever had COVID-19. Antibody tests make up about 12 percent of all COVID-19 tests that have been conducted in Michigan, and 60 percent of those were from the past nine days, health officials told MLive. Out of the 512,891 total tests that have been conducted statewide, 450,918 of those tests were diagnostic tests and 61,973 were serology, or antibody, tests, according to data posted Saturday by MDHHS. Because we could see the use of (antibody) tests was increasing, we knew theres a potential for (the percentage of positive tests) to be impacted more, which is why we wanted to separate those out, Lyon-Callo said. Understanding the percentage of diagnostic tests that are positive is one of those pieces we look at to assess whether or not we think theres any sort of increase going on. Health officials emphasized the change in reporting will not affect the percentage of positive tests that are reported statewide. While the positivity rate of COVID-19 tests in Michigan is 14.2 percent when officials include both diagnostic and antibody testing, the rate increases slightly to 14.3 percent when officials only report diagnostic testing. It really does not change the cumulative percentage of positive tests, Lyon-Callo said. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy, told MLive antibody testing is still being studied when it comes to the novel coronavirus, and health experts do not know whether it determines if someone is fully immune to the virus. (Antibody tests) can be used on a community and population level to determine how much that community might have been exposed to a disease, she said. But what (antibody tests) are not able to confirm for us at this point is whether or not someone actually has immunity to the disease and even if they have the antibody, how long they might be immune for." Statewide, there have been 54,365 confirmed positive cases of the coronavirus and 5,223 deaths linked to the virus, MDHHS reported Saturday. PREVENTION TIPS In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces. Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. More on MLive: Michigan tests every state prisoner for coronavirus in less than 15 days Whitmer extends stay-home order, closures of gyms, salons and other businesses to June 12 Stringent CDC suggestions come into play as Michigan schools contemplate reopening in fall Saturday, May 23: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan PUNE The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) traded charges against one another over the Covid-19 (coronavirus) situation in the state. While the city BJP leaders accused chief minister Uddhav Thackeray of failing to handle the situation well in the city and the state, the ruling party launched a campaign on social media. BJP MP Girish Bapat, mayor Murlidhar Mohol, city unit president Jagdish Mulik and party MLAs and office-bearers staged demonstrate in their respective areas by holding placards criticising the ruling party. Bapat said, The central government was providing fullest assistance to the state, but the state government had failed to handle the situation in Mumbai and Pune. Nationalist Congress Partys (NCP) former mayor Prashant Jagtap said, It is the BJP which is ruling in Pune and if the party was unhappy with the situation, it should blame itself. He charged that Bapat was missing for the last two months, but has surfaced all of a sudden. Congress and NCP workers posted old clips of former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who, during last years floods in Maharashtra, had appealed to opposition parties not to indulge in politics during the disaster. Hugh Jackman is using his time self-isolating in New York to help others in need. After becoming an ambassador of mental health organisation Gotcha4Life in 2017, the actor has recently been hosting secret web seminars to promote 'messages of connection and conversation' through the charity. 'I've learned so much from being on the board and we are planning on more of those talks,' Hugh told News Corp Australia on Sunday of his passion to help people. Helping: Hugh Jackman (pictured) has been hosting web seminars to promote 'messages of connection and conversation' via mental health charity Gotcha4Life while self-isolating Gotcha4Life was founded in 2017 by Gus Worland, Hugh's best friend. 'Gus has been incredible [mental health] is something we really need to pay attention to in the world and Australia, a lot,' added Hugh. 'Our need to look after each other, not just financially and physically, but mentally is a priority. There's a lot of loneliness out there and this only adds to that.' 'Our need to look after each other is a priority': Gotcha4Life was founded in 2017 by Gus Worland (pictured), Hugh's best friend. The actor is an ambassador of the charity Hugh urged fans to take care of their mental health on Instagram in April, as he promoted Gotcha4Life and the great work they do. 'I've been a board member since @Gotcha4Life was created,' began Hugh. 'It's extremely important that we pay attention to our mental health. Now more than ever. Please contact your family, friends and neighbours. A call could save a life.' 'I've learned so much from being on the board and we are planning on more of those talks,' Hugh told News Corp Australia on Sunday of his passion to help people Hugh, wife Deborra-Lee Furness and their children, Oscar and Ava, were in Melbourne when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March. They initially flew there from New York on a work trip as Deborra-Lee directed several episodes of Neighbours. They then returned to America after just four days. 'No one really knew what was going on it was all a bit of a shock,' said Hugh after being advised to return to his American home before the boarders closed. French carmaker Renault has reopened its Sandouville plant in north-western France, after being ordered to close it for not enforcing adequate protective measures in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The reopening comes as doubts swirl about the company's future in the economic slump as a result of the disease. When the factory last reopened on 28 April, a court ruled that the safety measures put in place were insufficient and ordered it to shut the following week. The case was brought by the CGT union which claimed it had not been properly consulted on the reopening. One employee told the French radio station Europe 1, he was both relieved to be back at work but also anxious about the future. Renault is expected to permanently shut three factories in France as it tries to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus and subsequent lockdown measures. Cutting costs The group will present a cost-savings plan of up to 2 billion euros to the government on 29 May. The nearly 2,000-strong work force at the Sandouville plant are not facing the axe. The plants affected include Choisy-le-Roi on the outskirts of Paris, the Fonderies factory in Brittany and the Dieppe plant in north-western France, which together employ over 1,000 workers. Car makers around the world have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Renault in particular was struggling with faltering demand before the coronavirus crisis and looking to cut costs. Renault, the third-largest automaker in Europe, after Volkswagen Group and PSA Group, is waiting on a 5 billion euro state-guaranteed loan to help it weather the storm. Domestic production However, French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, has warned that government help will not come for free. "Renault is fighting for its future," Le Maire said in an interview on Thursday with the French daily newspaper Le Figaro. "I have not yet signed the loan," he added. He said that a bailout would be made once certain conditions were met, notably that Renault should base its high-tech production at home and make France the hub for its electric cars. The government holds 15 percent of shares in Renault and thus wields a certain level of influence. Le Maire has told the carmaker that it must keep its Flins plant in the north of Paris open to protect the jobs of 2,600 workers. It is believed the factory, which produces electric Zoe models and the Micra car for Renault's partner Nissan, will be repurposed for other needs. Atilis Gym, which opened this week in defiance of Gov. Phil Murphys executive order, will remain closed for now, at least as a state judge, this time, forced the doors closed. New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal on Friday filed a civil complaint and an order to show cause against the Bellmawr gym after authorities spent the week grappling with the business to abide by restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Atilis Gym reopened on Monday, with crowds of supporters outside. The owners and some patrons were issued citations and then overnight Wednesday the Camden County health department and the state Department of Health posted notices on the windows of the gym ordering it to remain closed. It didnt open on Thursday, largely because of a sewer problem, but welcomed back members on Friday. Co-owner Ian Smith said in an Instagram post that the gym had a great day Friday, until Slime ball Governor Murphy pulled a fast one on us at the end of the day and put a court order in to a state judge. Smith said this latest legal action will keep the gym shuttered Saturday through Tuesday because violating the Attorney Generals order becomes much more serious than defying the previous ones. Governor Murphy is running scared, as he should be, Smith said in the video. We have a lot of momentum and he got this one off on us. The gym will file an emergency injunction in federal court on Tuesday against Gov. Murphy, because we have been robbed of due process and violated of our constitutional rights, Smith said. If all goes well, Smith said the gym will reopen on Wednesday. An attorney for the gym and a spokesperson for the Attorney Generals office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The order to show cause requires the owners of the gym to appear before a Mercer County Superior Court judge via live-stream on June 8. The gyms fight against state authorities has drawn national media attention and spurred a GofundMe page that has raised more than $70,000 in donations to pay for legal fees. The owners of Atilis Gym Bellmawr have said they took over the gym less than a year ago and that the lockdown has strangled their business. EDITORS NOTE: An earlier version of the headline misstated who shut down the gym. A judge ordered the closure. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. By PTI MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a 25-year-old man here for allegedly threatening to kill Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a police official said here on Saturday. Kamran Khan, a resident of Chunabhatti in eastern suburbs, was arrested by the Kalachowki unit of ATS, the official said. Uttar Pradesh Polices social media help desk had received a call in the early hours of Friday in which the caller threatened to kill Adityanath in a bomb blast, he said. A case was registered at Gomatinagar Police Station against an unidentified person under IPC section 506 (criminal intimidation), said Vikram Deshmane, Superintendent of Police, ATS Maharashtra. UP police alerted Maharashtra ATS after the call was traced to Mumbai, he said, following which the caller was tracked down and Khan was arrested, the SP said. He will be produced before a court here and handed over to UP police's Special Task Force on transit remand, the official said. This is due to high incidence, high congestion of hospital beds and low coverage of population testing In Ukraine, nine regions are not ready to move to the second stage of quarantine exit. This is evidenced by the data of the Ministry of Health, published on the website of the department on Saturday, May 23. According to them, Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zakarpatia, Kyiv, Luhansk, Lviv, Rivne and Chernivtsi regions are not yet ready to remove restrictions. The remaining regions correspond to the necessary indicators, namely, incidence, congestion of beds and the number of tests for coronavirus. Thus, Kyiv city, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, Ternopil, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnytsky, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions can go to the second stage of quarantine exit. As we reported before, Kyiv is ready to proceed to the second stage of mitigation of restrictive measures. Ground-based public transport started operating in the city on Satudray noon. On Monday, May 25, the Kyiv underground will resume its work. Long term investing works well, but it doesn't always work for each individual stock. We really hate to see fellow investors lose their hard-earned money. Anyone who held China Energine International (Holdings) Limited (HKG:1185) for five years would be nursing their metaphorical wounds since the share price dropped 89% in that time. Shareholders have had an even rougher run lately, with the share price down 31% in the last 90 days. This could be related to the recent financial results - you can catch up on the most recent data by reading our company report. While a drop like that is definitely a body blow, money isn't as important as health and happiness. See our latest analysis for China Energine International (Holdings) Given that China Energine International (Holdings) didn't make a profit in the last twelve months, we'll focus on revenue growth to form a quick view of its business development. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually expect strong revenue growth. That's because it's hard to be confident a company will be sustainable if revenue growth is negligible, and it never makes a profit. Over half a decade China Energine International (Holdings) reduced its trailing twelve month revenue by 53% for each year. That's definitely a weaker result than most pre-profit companies report. So it's not that strange that the share price dropped 35% per year in that period. This kind of price performance makes us very wary, especially when combined with falling revenue. Ironically, that behavior could create an opportunity for the contrarian investor - but only if there are good reasons to predict a brighter future. 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:1185 Income Statement May 23rd 2020 This free interactive report on China Energine International (Holdings)'s balance sheet strength is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further. Story continues A Different Perspective We regret to report that China Energine International (Holdings) shareholders are down 19% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 3.8%. Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. However, the loss over the last year isn't as bad as the 35% per annum loss investors have suffered over the last half decade. We'd need to see some sustained improvements in the key metrics before we could muster much enthusiasm. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand China Energine International (Holdings) better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 5 warning signs with China Energine International (Holdings) (at least 2 which are a bit unpleasant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies we expect will 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. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Atlanta Joe Biden declared he "should not have been so cavalier" on Friday after he told a prominent black radio host that African Americans who back President Donald Trump "ain't black." The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee quickly moved to address the fallout from his remark, which was interpreted by some as presuming black Americans would vote for him. In a call with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce, Biden said he would never "take the African American community for granted." "I shouldn't have been such a wise guy," Biden said. "No one should have to vote for any party based on their race or religion or background." That was an acknowledgement of the criticism he received in response to his comments, which he made earlier in the day on "The Breakfast Club," a radio program popular in the black community. The rebukes included allies of Trump's reelection campaign and some activists who warned Biden must still court black voters, even if African Americans overwhelmingly oppose the president. "None of us can afford for the party or for this campaign to mess this election up, and comments like these are the kinds that frankly either make black voters feel like we're not really valued and people don't care if we show up or not," said Alicia Garza, a Black Lives Matter co-founder and principal of Black Futures Lab. Near the end of Biden's appearance on the radio program, host Charlamagne Tha God pressed him on reports that he is considering Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is white, to be his vice presidential running mate. The host told Biden that black voters "saved your political life in the primaries" and "have things they want from you." Biden said that "I guarantee you there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple." A Biden aide then sought to end the interview, prompting the host to say, "You can't do that to black media." Biden responded, "I do that to black media and white media," and said his wife needed to use the television studio. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. He then added: "If you've got a problem figuring out whether you're for me or for Trump, then you ain't black." Trump's campaign and his allies immediately seized on Biden's comments. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, a Trump supporter and the Senate's sole black Republican, said he was "shocked and surprised" by Biden's remarks. Trump has a history of incendiary rhetoric related to race. Black voters helped resurrect Biden's campaign in this year's primaries with a second-place finish in the Nevada caucuses and a resounding win in the South Carolina primary. A new study highlights the need to engage Indigenous communities in managing sea otter population recovery to improve coexistence between humans and this challenging predator. The sea otters' recovery along the northwest coast of North America presents a challenge for coastal communities because both otters and humans like to eat shellfish, such as sea urchins, crabs, clams and abalone. Expanding populations of sea otters and their arrival in new areas are heavily impacting First Nations and Tribes that rely on harvesting shellfish. SFU lead author Jenn Burt says the study focused beyond the challenges to seek solutions going forward. "We documented Indigenous peoples' perspectives which illuminated key strategies to help improve sea otter management and overall coexistence with sea otters." Most research focuses on how sea otter recovery greatly reduces shellfish abundance or expands kelp forests, rather than on how Indigenous communities are impacted, or how they are adapting to the returning sea otters' threat to their food security, cultural traditions, and livelihoods. Recognizing that Indigenous perspectives were largely absent from dialogues about sea otter recovery and management, SFU researchers reached out to initiate the Coastal Voices collaboration. Coastal Voices is a partnership with Indigenous leaders and knowledge holders representing 19 First Nations and Tribes from Alaska to British Columbia. advertisement Based on information revealed in workshops, interviews, and multiple community surveys, SFU researchers and collaborating Indigenous leaders found that human-otter coexistence can be enabled by strengthening Indigenous governance authority and establishing locally designed, adaptive co-management plans for sea otters. The study, published this week in People and Nature also suggests that navigating sea otter recovery can be improved by incorporating Indigenous knowledge into sea otter management plans, and building networks and forums for community discussions about sea otter and marine resource management. "Our people actively managed a balanced relationship with sea otters for millennia," says co-author and Haida matriarch Kii'iljuus (Barbara Wilson), a recent SFU alumnus. "Our work with Coastal Voices and this study helps show how those rights and knowledge need to be recognized and be part of contemporary sea otter management." Anne Salomon, a professor in SFU's School of Resource and Environmental Management, co-authored the study and co-led the Coastal Voices research partnership. "This research reveals that enhancing Indigenous people's ability to coexist with sea otters will require a transformation in the current governance of fisheries and marine spaces in Canada, if we are to navigate towards a system that is more ecologically sustainable and socially just," says Salomon. Despite challenges, the authors say transformation is possible. They found that adaptive governance and Indigenous co-management of marine mammals exist in other coastal regions in northern Canada and the U.S. They suggest that increasing Indigenous leadership and Canadian government commitments to Reconciliation may provide opportunities for new approaches and more collaborative marine resource management. President Xi Jinping stressed acting on the people-centered philosophy in every aspect of work when he participated in a deliberation on the first day of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks Friday when joining in discussions with fellow lawmakers from north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Xi, an NPC deputy himself, exchanged views with other deputies on a wide range of topics including poverty eradication, grassland ecological conservation, and ethnic unity. The fundamental goal for the Party to unite and lead the people in revolution, development and reform is to ensure a better life for them, Xi said, adding that the CPC will never waver in pursuing such a goal. He particularly stressed adhering to "people first" in coordinating epidemic control and economic and social development. In the face of the spread of COVID-19, the CPC has, from the very beginning, stated clearly that people's life and health should be considered as the top priority. "We are willing to protect people's life and health at all costs," he said. Xi stressed improving the regular epidemic response mechanisms to prevent a resurgence of the outbreak. Commending the people as the main source of confidence for the Party, Xi said the masses have been the fundamental strength in the country's epidemic response. China's socialist democracy is the broadest, most genuine, and most effective democracy to safeguard the fundamental interests of the people, he said. Noting that the epidemic has brought relatively huge impact to China's economic and social development, the president said it has also led to new opportunities for development. He urged targeted efforts in mapping out major plans, reforms and policies that will serve as locomotives in the country's high-quality development and high-efficiency governance. Authorities must make working for the people their primary political achievements, Xi said. He also highlighted efforts to consolidate and expand the progress in using industrial development and employment as poverty-alleviation methods, and doing a good job in facilitating employment for graduating college students, migrant workers, and demobilized military personnel. Xi voiced his complete support for a government work report submitted to the NPC deputies for deliberation. He also expressed full acknowledgment of the work of Inner Mongolia over the past year, stressing the importance of upholding and improving the system of regional ethnic autonomy. He called for maintaining the strategic resolve of building an ecological civilization, noting that the green ecological barrier in Inner Mongolia should be further fortified. Xi also called for firm efforts to combat corruption and oppose the practice of formalities for formalities' sake and bureaucratism. Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: A senior officer posted at the Rail Bhawan in Central Delhi has tested positive for coronavirus, the fourth case at the railway headquarters. Auto refresh feeds The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 69,597 and 51,783 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, the ministry said. The toll due to COVID-19 rose to 3,720 and the number of cases climbed to 1,25,101 in India on Saturday as India registered an increase of 137 deaths and 6,654 new cases in a 24-hour span till 8 am, according to the health ministry. Seventeen new cases, including two persons coming from Tripura, were reported in the night, in addition to 10 in the evening, 53 in the afternoon and seven in the morning. On Friday, 49 people had tested positive for coronavirus. He also said that the situation in Assam has reached a challenging phase and the government will write to other states to ensure that buses and trucks carrying people without maintaining social distancing are not allowed movement. Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday asked people not to return to the state unless "absolutely necessary" as 87 more people tested positive for coronavirus, the highest single-day jump, taking the total tally to 346. The fresh cases include five members of a family, including three teenagers, from Sarfabad in Noida's Sector 73, the statement said. Adjoining Delhi, Gautam Buddh Nagar in western Uttar Pradesh has so far recorded five deaths, all of them males aged above 60, according to the officials. Seven people were discharged from hospitals after being cured, even as the number of active cases in the district rose to 97, they said. Seventeen more people, including three teenagers, tested positive for coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar on Saturday, pushing the total number of cases in the district to 323, officials said. Till Saturday, 1,281 people recovered from the disease and were discharged from hospitals, it added. Of the four deaths, two each were reported from the city and neighbouring Howrah district, it said. The state now has a total of 3,459 confirmed cases, out of which 1,909 are active, the bulletin said. West Bengal on Saturday recorded four more COVID-19 fatalities, raising the death toll in the state to 197, while 127 new cases of the respiratory infection were reported, a bulletin by the health department said on Saturday. The hired taxis, 110 from Ola and 91 from Uber, will be used for carrying non-critical and non-COVID-19 patients to and from hospitals, a Delhi government order said. The Delhi government has decided to hire 200 taxis from cab aggregators Ola and Uber to strengthen its ambulance service which is under pressure due to the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, the state reported 27 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, raising Jharkhand's tally of confirmed cases to 350, a government bulletin said. The swab samples of the man, who died on May 21, tested positive for novel coronavirus on Saturday, Koderma District Assistant Chief Medical Officer A B Prasad said. The deceased had returned from Mumbai recently. A 39-year-old man died due to COVID-19 in Jharkhand's Koderma district, taking the total number of coronavirus fatalities in the state to four, a senior official said. Domestic helps, drivers, plumbers, electricians, and air conditioner mechanics would be permitted to enter societies if their services are sought by the residents. But the society residents will have to take precaution against COVID-19, the DM added. Most residents had raised the demand with the administration that newspaper hawkers and domestic helps be allowed to enter the societies. Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey on Saturday said he has allowed newspaper hawkers and domestic helps to enter residential societies. With over 16.2 lakh reported cases till date, the United States is the worst-affected country in the world. The US is followed by Brazil, Russia, the United Kingdom and Spain. Total confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the world stand at 53 lakh, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. This figure includes COVID-19 patients who have recovered and the overall global death toll which stands at 3.42 lakh. Lalchamliana said the meeting of the council of ministers chaired by Chief Minister Zoramthanga also decided to increase the value-added tax (VAT) of diesel from 12 per cent to 14.5 and that of petrol from 20 percent to 25 percent. The Mizoram government will hike diesel and petrol prices by 2.5 percent and 5 percent, respectively, from 1 June to fight the economic slowdown caused by the outbreak of novel coronavirus, Taxation Minister Lalchamliana said on Saturday. The actor, who had featured in films like "Dhadkan", "Mujhse Dosti Karoge", among others, said it has been ten days since the test happened and he still hasn't developed any symptoms "But I had no symptoms then, nor do I have any now. There''s no fever, no cough, I''m fine and have self quarantined at home," Kumar told PTI. "I am asymptomatic. On 14 May, I went to the hospital for a medical check-up, where the COVID-19 test was mandatory. So I got myself tested and the result was positive. Veteran film and TV actor Kiran Kumar has tested positive for coronavirus and is currently under home quarantine. The 74-year-old actor said he is asymptomatic and is doing "absolutely fine." Entry to persons above the age of 65 years, children below 10 years and pregnant women should not be allowed, the statement said. Shopping complexes where shops are opening should ensure that only one-third shops are open, and that social distancing is strictly adhered to. This will become effective from May 26, an official statement said. Lucknow District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash said shopping complexes in the containment and buffer zones, will continue to remain closed. The Lucknow administration on Saturday announced that centrally air-conditioned shopping complexes in the city can function without operating the air conditioners, in view of the lockdown 4.0 guidelines to combat coronavirus pandemic. Health officials say there was an increase in Spokane County with 31 new positive cases between Thursday and Friday. Company officials say all of the factory employees have since been tested and the facility was disinfected. The Spokesman-Review reported that Philadelphia Macaroni Company Inc. said in a statement Friday that 72 workers were tested for COVID-19 and 24 were positive. A pasta company has announced there was a coronavirus outbreak at its Spokane factory as Washington state prepares to reopen parts of its economy, reports AP. Vichare also demanded that other jail staff and suspected inmates should also be tested for COVID-19. In his letter to District Magistrate, Sena MP highlighted several instances where inmates have been found corona positive in different prisons. He said it is important for the safety of policemen and their families that they be tested for the virus in order to contain its spread. Shiv Sena Member of Parliament from Thane Rajan Vichare has written a letter to District Magistrate Rajesh Narvekar urging for police staff at Thane prison to be provided with the facility of free COVID-19 testing. The country has also officially logged 1,621,658 cases of the virus, far more than any other nation, the tracker kept by the Baltimore-based university showed at 8:30 pm The United States recorded a further 1,127 deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing its total to 97,048 since the global pandemic began, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. A total of 21 out of 73 people who arrived in Panchkula from the USA on 19 May have tested positive for COVID19, according to officials. "All of them are not residents of Panchkula but belong to various districts. 2 reports were inconclusive and rest were negative," Dr Jasjit Kaur, Chief Medical Officer, Panchkula told ANI. The total confirmed COVID-19 cases in India have risen to 1,31,868, according to the latest update from the Union Health Ministry. The toll in the country is now at 3,867. The reported active COVID-19 cases in India now stand at 73,560, as many as 54,441 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged so far. According to the latest health bulletin, India reported the highest spike of 6767 COVID-19 cases and 147 deaths in the last 24 hours. The otal number of cases in the country now at 1,31,868, including 73,560 active cases, 54,440 cured/discharged and 3,867 deaths. This is the highest number of Shramik Special trains deployed by a single state for the evacuation of J&K residents stranded there, he said. Around 3,300 residents of Jammu and Kashmir including 1,200 students who were stranded in different parts of Maharashtra have returned to their homes in the union territory in four Shramik Special trains in the past 10 days, an official spokesperson said. Rajasthan on Sunday reported 52 new COVID19 positive cases, which took the total number of positive cases in the state to 6,794, according to the Rajasthan Health Department, reports ANI. The domestically transmitted case was reported in Jilin Province, it said. One of the new imported cases was reported in Shanghai and the other in Guangdong Province. Of the 36 new asymptomatic cases, 30 are from Hubei province and Wuhan, the NHC said. Of the three confirmed coronavirus patients, one is locally transmitted infection and two are imported cases, China's National Health Commission (NHC) said. China has reported 39 new coronavirus cases, including 36 asymptomatic patients -- majority of them from COVID-19 epicentre Hubei province and its capital Wuhan, health officials said on Sunday. However, four people have been arrested on the basis of video footage, Delhi Police said. "My stock of mangoes worth Rs 30,000 was kept there. Some persons were fighting with each other fearing which I left the place to avoid any sort of altercation. When I returned, I saw that they were looting the mangoes kept there. There were 50-100 people who were involved in this act," Phool Mia, narrated the ordeal. Video footage that went viral on social media, shows that scores of passers-by looted the unattended crates of mangoes of a fruit seller after a fight broke out in the neighbourhood. The incident took place on Wednesday. Overwhelmed by the donations that poured in from the society for his help, Phool Mia, the fruit seller in north Delhi's Jagatpuri area whose mangoes were looted by the ordinary people, said that those who helped him have made his "Eid" and have shown that "humanity is still alive". "Delhi airport will be handling around 380 domestic flights on Monday. There will be 190 departures and around 190 arrivals," a senior government official said. As per the directions of the Civil Aviation Ministry, domestic flight operations will resume after remaining suspended for about two months following the nationwide lockdown imposed to constrain the COVID-19 pandemic. As India is set to resume its domestic civil aviation operations from 25 May, the Delhi airport will be handling around 380 flights on Monday, a senior official said. "Its extremely ill-advised to reopen airports in red zone. Mere thermal scanning of passengers inadequate w/o swabs. Impossible to have autos/cabs/buses ply in current circumstances. Adding positive passenger will add Covid stress to red zone," Deshmukh tweeted on Sunday. The minister's comments follow Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's announcement that all domestic flights are set to resume in India from 25 May as part of its gradual reboot of air travel services amid the pandemic. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has said it is "extremely ill-advised" to reopen airports in red zone amid the coronavirus pandemic. It has been stated that passengers coming from 'high prevalence states' (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh) would be required to undergo a seven-day "institutional quarantine" which will be followed by home quarantine. The state government has laid down new norms for those coming from other states (including those coming by domestic air flights. Two days before the resumption of domestic air travel, the Karnataka government has issued detailed guidelines for the persons coming from 'high prevalence states' amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Departments across The Times have been robustly covering the coronavirus pandemic for months. But Landon and her colleagues realized that both among ourselves and perhaps in the general reading public, theres a little bit of a fatigue with the data. Simone Landon, the assistant editor of the Graphics desk, wanted to represent the number in a way that conveyed both the vastness and the variety of lives lost. As the toll from COVID-19 in the United States approaches 100,000, a number expected to be reached in the coming days, editors at The Times have been planning how to mark the grim milestone. Instead of the articles, photographs or graphics that normally appear on the front page of The New York Times, on Sunday, there is just a list: a long, solemn list of people whose lives were lost to the coronavirus pandemic. Karnataka will be under total lockdown on Sunday, 24 May, to curb the spread of COVID-19. Barring shops selling essential supplies, everything will remain shut till 7:00 am tomorrow, reports ANI. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in Odisha now stands at 1336, with 67 new positive cases reported yesterday, according to Odisha Health Department, reports ANI. As many as 263 passengers, who alighted from the Rajdhani Express at Madgaon railway station in South Goa district on Saturday, were tested. Of them, reports of 11 came out positive in the TrueNat (rapid) tests, a senior health department official said. With this, the number of active cases in the coastal state has gone up to 50, they said, adding that 16 people have been so far been discharged after recovery. Eleven people who travelled to Goa in the Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express train on Saturday, have tested positive forcoronavirus, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 66, officials said on Sunday. He also thanked the microbiologists as well as lab technicians for their 'extraordinary efforts'. Assam on Sunday claimed to have conducted more COVID-19 tests than Kerala, which was once the highest affected state. This claim came from Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sharma who released a series of tweets giving details about the tests, said that in comparison to Keralas 52771 tests, Assam has conducted 55,862 tests so far. The number of infected people in Hamirpur district has risen to 61 out of a total 192 in the state. The district now has 55 active cases. One COVID-19 patient died and five have recovered, according to state government data. Hamirpur district continues to have the highest number of novel coronavirus cases in Himachal Pradesh with one more person, a Delhi returnee, testing positive for the disease on Sunday, deputy commissioner Harikesh Meena said. As part of the Centre's 'Vande Bharat' mission, the flight from London reached here via Mumbai at 8.04 am, Indore's Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport Director Aryama Sanyal said. The special flight carried 93 Indians from the UK, she said. An Air India flight carrying 93 Indians who were stranded in the United Kingdom arrived at the Indore airport in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday morning, an official said. All of them had recently returned from other states. While three of them had returned from Mumbai, two returned from Delhi and one from West Bengal, they added. Himachal Pradesh recorded six more cases of COVID-19, taking the virus tally in the state to 192, officials said on Sunday. Three of the fresh cases were reported from Una and one each from Kangra, Hamirpur and Solan districts, they added. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat is to donate Rs 50,000 from his salary to be deducted every month for the next one year to the PM-CARES fund created to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, reports ANI. "The corona recovery rate has reached 51 percent. All the collectors should ensure that the lockdown is strictly followed and the exemptions should be given as per the guidelines in their respective districts," said Chouhan on Saturday. He was reviewing the status of corona and other arrangements through video conferencing. He said better arrangements are being ensured in the state for the treatment of patients infected with the novel coronavirus and a large number of fever clinics have also started functioning in the state. The recovery rate for corona patients has reached 51 percent in Madhya Pradesh, said State Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. 87 police personnel have been found COVID-19 positive in the last 24 hours taking total number of affected cops to 1,758, out of which 18 have died due to the virus and 673 have recovered, according to Maharashtra Police, reports ANI. "I have a fever and mild upper respiratory infection and got myself tested for COVID-19...it came out positive. I am under home isolation now," Dr Sood, who is also the head of the department of urology, told PTI over the phone. Dr Rajeev Sood, who is looking after the management of COVID-19 manpower at the hospital, tested positive for the infection on Saturday. He is now under home isolation and contact tracing has been initiated by hospital authorities. The Dean of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi has tested positive for coronavirus infection. Among the new cases, 134 were reported from Thane city and 76 from Navi Mumbai township, it said. Besides, six more people succumbed to the disease, taking the district's death toll to 163, the release said. The new patients included at least 12 children, in the age group of 1 to 12 years, the district administration said in a release. The number of COVID-19 cases in Thane rose to 5,387 after 309 more people tested positive for the disease in the Maharashtra district on Saturday, officials said. The Karnataka government had eased restrictions during Lockdown 4 for the start of economic activities like city buses, inter-district bus service, intrastate train services, the opening of shops, and markets. However, the government had made it clear that there will be 'Janata Curfew' every Sunday during which only essential services would be permitted. With barricades being up across most roads in the state, people ventured out only to purchase groceries, vegetables, and medicines. The first 'Sunday curfew' imposed by the Karnataka government to try and contain the spread of COVID-19 got underway in the state today, with people, by and large, adhering to norms, roads wearing a deserted look and almost no vehicular traffic, barring essential services. The latest victims were two men and a woman. The men also had ailments like diabetes, high blood pressure and others, while the woman was suffering from asthma, he said. Till Saturday, the number of coronavirus cases in the district was 2,933. The number of deaths in the district also went up to 114 as three more patients succumbed to the disease during treatment at different hospitals in last three days, Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Praveen Jadia said. The number of COVID-19 cases crossed the 3,000 mark in Indore and rose to 3,008 after 75 more people tested positive for the disease in the Madhya Pradesh district in last 24 hours, an official said on Sunday. The strength of the workers should be capped at 25 percent and thermal scanners must be used for screening employees, an official release said. The industrial estates situated in non-containment zones, including the Ambattur and Guindy clusters here can resume work from May 25, the government said, adding however employees residing in containment zones would not be allowed to report for work. Further easing curbs, the Tamil Nadu government on Sunday allowed 17 industrial estates here to resume work from tomorrow with conditions, including confining the workforce to 25 percent and implementing safety measures. In an order passed in a suo motu PIL on coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown, a division bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and IJ Vora came down hard on the state government on conditions prevailing in Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital, and said it was "distressing and painful". Conditions at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, where 377 COVID-19 patients have died till Friday, is "pathetic" and the hospital is "as good as a dungeon, may be even worse", the Gujarat High Court observed in an order made available on Saturday. The government has asked the eleven municipal areas to step up monitoring in old cities, urban slums and other high density pockets like camps and clusters for migrant workers for management of COVID-19 cases. Eleven municipal areas from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Rajasthan account for 70 percent of the active caseload, the Union health ministry said in a statement. Health infrastructure should be ramped up to ensure preparedness for the next two months in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has conveyed to eleven municipal areas in the country that have accounted for 70 percent of India's coronavirus caseload. Three new COVID-19 positive cases reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 32, said Manipur Health Department, reports ANI. Before this, the governments of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Assam, and the administration of Jammu and Kashmir have decided that arriving passengers will have to stay in quarantine. Chhattisgarh and Punjab have also decided compulsory quarantine for 14 days. Odisha is the latest state to make home quarantine mandatory for incoming passengers, reports ANI. In rural areas of the state, the quarantine period will be split between seven days in an institution and seven days at home. The number of containment zones in Delhi now stands at 87, with the addition of house numbers 600-800 Hari Nagar, Rani Bagh, and two houses at street number 8, Shastri Park. Till now, 41 zones have been de-contained. With 508 new cases, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in Delhi is now 13,418 (till midnight of 23rd May), total death toll 261, said Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain. However, the condition pertaining to keeping the middle seat between two passengers empty was not being followed by the Air India, he said in the plea. The pilot, Deven Kanani, in his plea claimed a circular issued by the Government of India on 23 March 2020 laid some conditions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while bringing back Indians stranded abroad due to the pandemic. The Bombay High Court has sought a response from the Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on a petition of an AI pilot, claiming the airline was not following safety measures for COVID-19 while bringing back Indians stranded abroad. "It is probably not as bad as Partition, for at that time there was also horrific communal violence. But it is nonetheless the greatest manmade tragedy in India since Partition," Guha told PTI in an interview. Cautioning that there will be social and psychological consequences for the rest of the country too, he said the migrant tragedy could have been averted or at least minimised if Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given them a week's notice to return home before the lockdown kicked in. The unfolding miseries of millions of poor people in the world's largest coronavirus lockdown is the greatest manmade tragedy in India since Partition, says historian and economist Ramchandra Guha. 66 new COVID19 cases reported in Andhra Pradesh in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in the state to 2,627, according to the Andhra Pradesh Health Department, reports ANI. In a tweet in Hindi, he said that if mobiles spread coronavirus, they should be prohibited all over the country. He said that phones have become a source of mental support for many during the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus. The Uttar Pradesh governments decision to prohibit coronavirus patients from using mobile phones inside isolation wards of hospitals has been taken to hide "poor condition" of hospitals in Uttar PRadesh, claimed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. The rules that apply all to routes to India, oncluding air and land, allow only those found asymptomatic to enter India. Compelling cases, such as pregnancy, death in family, parents with children aged udner 10 and serious illness, can spend the total quarantine period at home, with a compulsory condition to download the Aarogya Setu application. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued revised guidelines for international arrivals, which mandate a 14-day quarantine, including a seven-day institutional quarantine at their own cost, for all those reaching India. An Air India flight, carrying 93 Indians who were stranded in the United Kingdom, arrived at the Indore airport in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday. Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases crossed the 3,000 mark in Indore after 75 more people test positive in the district in last 24 hours. "We can't say that lockdown will be over by 31 May. We will have to see how we will go forward. The coming time is crucial as the multiplication of the virus is picking up. I want to assure the medical fraternity that we are with them in all ways," he said, news agency ANI reported. Maharashtra is the worst-affected state in the country with the highest number of cases in the country. With flight operations set to resume from Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday spoke to civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri and requested him to give some more time for preparations. "Therefore, it is clear that the Union government does not believe that the reform of labour laws implies complete lack of labour laws... The government is committed to protecting the interest of workers," he said. "I have just noticed that the Union Ministry of Labour is firming up its stance to tell the states that they cannot abolish labour laws because India is a signatory to the International Labour Organization (ILO)," Kumar told PTI in an interview. In recent weeks, various state governments, including Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, have either made amendments or proposed changes to existing labour laws as part of larger efforts to help businesses that have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Amid concerns over changes in labour laws in various states, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar on Sunday said reforms do not mean complete abolition of labour laws and that the central government is committed to protecting the interests of workers. Till Sunday morning, 2,056 people were tested positive for COVID-19, including 42 deaths and 1,378 active cases and 634 discharges. Till now, 1,96,196 samples have been tested of which 1,92,127 have tested negative. "After clocking one lakh tests on May 8, we have doubled the number of tests in just 16 days. As on this morning, we conducted 2.03 lakh tests across our 57 ICMR COVID-19 testing labs. I congratulate doctors & lab technicians on this achievement," Sudhakar tweeted. Karnataka has doubled the number of coronavirus tests conducted from one lakh to two lakh, state Minister for Medical Education Dr K Sudhakar said on Sunday. "It was wrong to impose the lockdown suddenly. It will be equally wrong to lift it in one go. It will be a double whammy for our own people," he said in a televised message. Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, Thackeray also said there was a need to be extra cautious during the upcoming monsoon. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said it was wrong to impose the lockdown suddenly and now it cannot be lifted all at once. What China and the United States need to do the most is to first learn from each other and share their experience in fighting against the epidemic, and help each country fight against the epidemic. I want to say here: Dont waste precious time any longer, and dont ignore lives, said Wang, who is also Chinas foreign minister. State Councillor Wang, speaking at his annual news conference, said China and the United States need to start coordinating macro policies for their respective economies as well as the world economy. The Chinese governments top diplomat, Wang Yi, said on Sunday that China and the United States both stand to gain from cooperation and would lose from confrontation, adding both sides must find a way for peaceful co-existence. Some US politicians, heedless of basic facts, have fabricated too many lies and plotted too many conspiracies, Wang said. Raising such lawsuits tramples on the international rule of law and abandons the human conscience. It's untrue, unjustifiable and illegal, Wang said. Those who would bring such litigation against China are living in a daydream and will humiliate themselves, Wang said. "To our regret, in addition to the raging of the new coronavirus, a political virus is also spreading in the US which is to take every chance to attack and discredit China," Wang said. Wang told reporters at a news conference that China was a victim of the global pandemic alongside other countries and had reached out to assist other governments in need. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday said any lawsuits brought against China over the COVID-19 have zero factual bases in law or international precedence. A maximum of 27 fresh cases are from Jodhpur, followed by Jaipur and Rajsamand which reported 24 new infections each. The new death was reported from Chittorgarh, an official said. Rajasthan reported one death due to the novel coronavirus and 152 cases of the disease on Sunday, bringing the number of fatalities to 161 and the virus count to 6,894 in the state, officials said. On Saturday, ADGP, CID, Anil Kumar Rao interacted with passengers onboard a Shramik Special train at Ambala Cantonment Railway Station, which was going to Barauni in Bihar. Rao said that about 1,631 migrant labourers and children were sent to Barauni in the special train. Those migrant labourers who have expressed their willingness to return to their native states during the COVID-19-triggered lockdown are being sent back, he said. More than 2.6 lakh migrant labourers have so far been sent back to their native states by the Haryana government in 60 special trains and over 5,000 state transport buses, an official spokesperson said on Sunday. Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has called a meeting of airlines and airport operators today on domestic flight resumption from 25 May, to discuss SOPs for States/UTs; discussion is also for states which have requested not to resume operation. The meeting will be headed by MoCA Secy. "In the first week of our plant operations, three of our employees have shown mild symptoms of cough and cold and were immediately asked to meet the medical expert team for further evaluation. They subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 and immediate medical attention was provided to them," HMIL said in a statement. Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) on Sunday said its three employees at the Chennai-based manufacturing plant have tested positive for COVID-19. The second-largest carmaker in the country had resumed operations at Irungattukottai-based plant (near Chennai) on 8 May. It said the total number of positive cases was now 2,056, including 634 discharges, 1,378 active cases and 42 deaths Of the total number of cases, 73 had returned from Maharashtra and 41 among them were women. COVID-19 cases in Karnataka breached the 2,000 mark on Sunday with the detection of 97 cases, most of them returnees to the state from Maharashtra, the health department said. AirAsia flights are open for booking for travel to all its 21 destinations where it flies to in the country, the release issued on Saturday said. Low-cost carrier AirAsia India has started bookings for 21 destinations ahead of the resumption of domestic flights from Monday. In a release, the airline said it would strictly follow the SOPs (standard operating procedures) and guidelines laid out by the regulatory bodies to enable safe travel. The number of active cases of COVID-19 has reached 2,493 in Uttar Pradesh. While 3,433 people have recovered from the disease while 155 deaths have been reported till date, Uttar Pradesh Principal Health Secretary Amit Mohan Prasad told ANI on Sunday. The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday withdrew the order that banned the use of mobile phones by patients in isolation wards of L-2 and L-3 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals, reports ANI. The state govt had issued an order yesterday banning the use of mobile phones by patients in isolation wards of L-2 and L-3 COVID-19 hospitals. Reducing the state's daily death count to fewer than 100 seemed almost impossible several weeks ago, the Democratic governor said. New York state reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths in weeks in what Gov. Andrew Cuomo described Saturday as a critical benchmark. The daily death tally was 84 after a peak of 799 on 8 April. "It would have been better if before announcing the lockdown, migrant workers would have been given some time and return to their native places facilitated. After Independence, Congress stayed in power and ruled many states. Mass migration from villages to big cities occurred then as weaker sections including Dalits, farmers and tribals found it hard to procure means of livelihood," she said. BJP and Congress share equal responsibility in the current situation of migrant workers, said SP chief Mayawati on Sunday. The Maharashtra government has agreed to allow 25 take-offs and 25 landings per day for domestic flights from Mumbai. This number will be increased gradually. State govt will issue details and guidelines in this regard soon, ANI quotes state minister Nawab Malik as saying. As domestic flights resume on Monday, Uttar Pradesh government said air travellers to the state will be in home quarantine for 14 days unless they are staying for less than a week or if they clear the coronavirus test earlier. Principal Secretary Medical and Health Amit Mohan Prasad said passengers will have to follow the laid-down home quarantine protocol. They can get themselves tested for the virus on the sixth day from their arrival and end their quarantine if the results come out negative, he said on Sunday. If the passengers do not have adequate facilities at home, they will be kept at a quarantine centre. Outsiders on visits of less than a week to the state need not go into quarantine if they furnish details of their return journey, he said. But they will not be allowed to enter containment zones. All passengers coming to UP will have to register themselves on http://reg.upcovid.in and furnish details of themselves and family members travelling with them. Confirmed cases in Maharashtra surged to 50,231 after 3,041 new cases were reported on Sunday, reports PTI. The state also reported 58 deaths, pushing the toll to 1,635, reports ANI quoting the state health department. In Delhi, nine CRPF personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. The total positive cases among the force stand at 359, including 137 positive cases, ANI reported. A total of 286 #COVID19 positive cases & 3 deaths reported in Rajasthan today. The total number of positive cases in the state stands at 7028, including 163 deaths, 3848 recovered cases and 3017 active cases: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/pYOQw8AGuW A total of 286 positive cases and three deaths were reported in Rajasthan today, reports ANI quoting the state health department. The total number of positive cases in the state stands at 7,028, including 163 deaths, 3848 recoveries. Tamil Nadu: State Disaster Management Authority issues Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for passengers of domestic flights; all passengers shall undergo thermal screening for any symptoms of #COVID19 . Asymptomatic persons shall undergo home quarantine for 14 days. pic.twitter.com/sK8iSAGs1z The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for passengers of domestic flights, According to the guidelines, all passengers shall undergo thermal screening for coronavirus symptoms. Asymptomatic persons shall undergo home quarantine for 14 days. TN E-pass had been made mandatory for all passengers. According to the order, action can also be taken under Section 188 of the IPC against those contravening the directives. The order also says that admins of WhatsApp groups will be personally responsible for reporting such content to the police. The order signed by Dy Commissioner (Operations) Pranaya Ashok comes into effect from 12.15 am on 25 May and continues to operate till 8 June. The Mumbai Police issued orders under Section 144 of the CrPC prohibiting persons from disseminating "incorrect" or factually distorted information through messaging platforms and social media sites like WhatsApp, Twitter and TikTok. The order also prohibits the spread of inflammatory statements which are discriminatory against a particular community and any information which could cause panic or confusion among the public. With resumption of flight operations, arrangements have been made in Assam. Sharing the SOP to be implemented diligently. Provisions made for elderly, Divyang, pregnant women, etc. Policy of ruthless quarantine with a human heart will be followed to protect the community at large pic.twitter.com/sciQq5RXyP Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shared guidelines issued by the state government as domestic air travel is scheduled to resume from Monday. According to the SOP, thermal scanning booths will be set up; asymptomatic passengers will have to undergo combined institutional and home quarantine of 14 days and symptomatic passengers will be taken to the nearest screening camp. The state govt will offer paid bus services from Guwahati airport four times a day. A three-day-old girl died of coronavirus in Chandigarh on Sunday, taking the COVID-19 death toll in the union territory to four, a medical bulletin said.The sample of the child was taken after death and the report came back positive for novel coronavirus, it said. The report of her mother's sample was awaited, the bulletin said. Meanwhile, twenty-three people tested positive for COVID-19 in the city on Sunday, taking the total number of cases in Chandigarh to 256, it said. A six-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy were among the 23 fresh cases and most of them are residents of Bapu Dham colony, the worst affected area in the union territory, according to the bulletin. A senior officer posted at the Rail Bhawan in Central Delhi has tested positive for coronavirus, the fourth case at the railway headquarters. The officer, who was diagnosed positive on Sunday, had last attended work on 20 May. At least 14 officials who worked closely with her have been sent to home quarantine. The latest case comes days after another senior officer working at the railways headquarters, also called Rail Bhawan, had tested positive for coronavirus, which was the third case from the building. A senior Congress leader who is a minister in the Maharashtra cabinet has tested positive for novel coronavirus, said reports. The minister has been travelling between Mumbai and his home district in Marathwada frequently. "He contracted the infection a few days back and is now undergoing treatment," a health official told PTI. Earlier in the day, a 60-year-old man from Siwan died at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), Patna, from coronavirus while another 48-year-old COVID-19 positive patient from Saran died on Saturday, but the health department informed about the death on Sunday. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Sunday announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of those who died due to COVID-19, as the state reported two fresh coronavirus fatalities, taking the total number to 13. With state reporting 117 fresh positive cases, the total number of COVID-19 cases increased to 2,511 of which Patna alone constitutes 200 cases. Expressing grief over the death of 13 people due to coronavirus in the state, Kumar announced that money has been released from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for payment of Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to each of the families, an official release said. Jharkhand: State Disaster Management Authority issues Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for passengers of domestic flights; every person on return to Jharkhand by air shall have to compulsorily stay in home quarantine for a period of 14 days. pic.twitter.com/i5SlpSSv7A The state government also revised mandatory quarantine norms and reduced the period of isolation to 14 days from 28 days for people returning to Odisha from other parts of the country. The restrictions have been eased except in containment zones, he said. The Odisha government Sunday announced resumption of intrastate movement of passenger buses, trains and other vehicles from Monday, a senior official said. Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena told reporters that intrastate movement of two wheelers, private vehicles, official vehicles, taxis including app-based cab aggregators will be allowed to operate from Monday. Similarly, intrastate movement of trains has been given a go-ahead by following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Railways. Inter-state movement of passenger vehicles and buses can resume with mutual consent of the states involved, the SRC said. Coronavirus Outbreak updates: A senior officer posted at the Rail Bhawan in Central Delhi has tested positive for coronavirus, the fourth case at the railway headquarters. Madhya Pradesh on Sunday reported 294 new COVID-19 cases, including 75 from the worst-hit Indore, and nine deaths, taking the total case count to 6,665 and fatalities to 290, health officials said. Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri late on Sunday night said that domestic flight operations would resume across the country from Monday, with the exception of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. As many as 1,725 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Mumbai today; taking the total number of cases to 30,359. The death count rose to 988 after 39 more died due to the viral infection, reports ANI, quoting the Mumbai civic body. Gujarat on Sunday reported 394 new COVID-19 cases and 29 deaths, taking the overall case count to 14,063 and the fatalities to 858, PTI quotes a health department official as saying. The West Bengal government said that domestic flight operations will not be resuming in the state from Monday, as the state machinery is still involved in restoration work following the havoc wreaked by super cyclone Amphan. The Kolkata Airport will resume domestic flight services from May 28, it said. Confirmed cases in Maharashtra surged to 50,231 after 3,041 new cases were reported on Sunday, reports PTI. The state also reported 58 deaths, pushing the toll to 1,635, reports ANI quoting the state health department. The Maharashtra government has agreed to allow 25 take-offs and 25 landings per day for domestic flights from Mumbai. This number will be increased gradually. State govt will issue details and guidelines in this regard soon, ANI quotes state minister Nawab Malik as saying. Tamil Nadu recorded 765 new cases today, taking the total cases in the state to 16,277. With eight new deaths, the death count mounted to 111. 53 positive cases were reported in Kerala on Sunday, taking the number of active cases to 322, reports ANI. COVID-19 cases in Karnataka breached the 2,000 mark on Sunday with the detection of 97 cases, most of them returnees to the state from Maharashtra, the health department said. Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) on Sunday said its three employees at the Chennai-based manufacturing plant have tested positive for COVID-19. The second-largest carmaker in the country had resumed operations at Irungattukottai-based plant (near Chennai) on 8 May. With flight operations set to resume from Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday spoke to civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri and requested him to give some more time for preparations. He said, 'We can't say that lockdown will be over by 31 May. We will have to see how we will go forward.' Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued revised guidelines for international arrivals, which mandate a 14-day quarantine, including a seven-day institutional quarantine at their own cost, for all those reaching India. With 508 new cases, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in Delhi is now 13,418 (till midnight of 23rd May), total death toll 261, said Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain. The number of containment zones in Delhi now stands at 87, with the addition of house numbers 600-800 Hari Nagar, Rani Bagh, and two houses at street number 8, Shastri Park. Odisha is the latest state to make home quarantine mandatory for incoming passengers, reports ANI. In rural areas of the state, the quarantine period will be split between seven days in an institution and seven days at home. 587 police personnel have been found COVID-19 positive in the last 24 hours taking the total number of affected cops to 1,758, out of which 18 have died due to the virus and 673 have recovered, according to Maharashtra Police, reports ANI. Eleven people who travelled to Goa in the Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express train on Saturday, have tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of such cases in the state to 66, officials said on Sunday. Assam on Sunday claimed to have conducted more COVID-19 tests than Kerala, which was once the highest affected state. This claim came from Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sharma who released a series of tweets giving details about the tests, said that in comparison to Keralas 52771 tests, Assam has conducted 55,862 tests so far. As India is set to resume its domestic civil aviation operations from 25 May, the Delhi airport will be handling around 380 flights on Monday, a senior official told PTI. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has said it is "extremely ill-advised" to reopen airports in red zone amid the coronavirus pandemic. The minister's comments follow Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's announcement that all domestic flights are set to resume in India from 25 May as part of its gradual reboot of air travel services amid the pandemic. With 47,190 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, Maharashtra remains the worst-affected state in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu (15,512) and Gujarat (13,664). The total confirmed COVID-19 cases in India have risen to 1,31,868, according to the latest update from the Union Health Ministry. The toll in the country is now at 3,867. The reported active COVID-19 cases in India now stand at 73,560, as many as 54,441 COVID-19 patients have been cured and discharged so far. Dr Jitendra Nath Pande (78), the former head of the medicine department at AIIMS and a stalwart in the field of pulmonology, died due to coronavirus at his residence in Siddhartha Enclave on Saturday, reports The Indian Express. Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday asked people not to return to the state unless 'absolutely necessary' as 87 more people tested positive for coronavirus, the highest single-day jump, taking the total tally to 346. The toll due to COVID-19 rose to 3,720 and the number of cases climbed to 1,25,101 in India on Saturday as India registered an increase of 137 deaths and 6,654 new cases in a 24-hour span till 8 am, according to the health ministry. The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 69,597 and 51,783 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, the ministry said. Amidst this, differences emerged among states and the aviation ministry over whether or not to quarantine fliers once domestic air travel resumes on 25 May. Maharashtra, however, remained non-committal on domestic flights while urging the aviation ministry to allow special and concessional flights to leave from the state. Meanwhile the Centre asked 11 municipal areas which account for 70 percent of India's cases to step up monitoring efforts in old cities, urban slums and other high-density population pockets like camps and clusters for migrant workers. These 11 municipal areas are from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan and account for 70 per cent of active case load, the Union health ministry said. Meanwhile, India continues to be the 11th most-affected country right now, but its tally is fast approaching that of Iran, which is the tenth most affected in the world at present with nearly 1.33 lakh cases, PTI said. COVID-19 cases from states On Saturday, Sikkim reported its first COVID-19 case as a 25-year-old student who recently returned from Delhi tested positive for the virus, a senior official said. The first case was detected in India on 30 January, but Sikkim had managed to stay free of it so far. While Maharashtra has been the worst-hit state, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are among other badly-affected places. Maharashtra recorded 2,608 new coronavirus cases and 60 deaths on Saturday, taking its total count of cases to 47,190 and the death toll to 1,577. At least 18 police personnel, including an officer, have died of COVID-19 in the state so far. In Tamil Nadu, 759 new cases were reported and the death toll rose to 103 after five more people, including a 75-year-old woman, lost their lives. The new cases included those having arrived from other countries as also those having travelled from other parts of the country. On the other hand, a 26-year-old man tested positive in Manipur, nearly 10 days after returning to the state in a special train from Chennai. He was among 1,140 people who returned to the state by a migrant special train on May 13. Of the 25 active cases in Manipur, 16 are Chennai returnees, officials said. Kerala also recorded a rise in its numbers with 62 more people testing positive, including 49 returnees from abroad and from other states. More than 91,000 are under observation in the state, which had reported India's first COVID-19 case but had managed to flatten its curve till the movement of migrants from other states and from abroad resumed. In Himachal Pradesh, 10 more people tested positive, of which nine had returned from Mumbai and one from Punjab. Experts have cautioned that movement of migrants and people coming from abroad could spread the infection further during their travel and also after their arrival as not all of them are put into institutional quarantine due to absence of any symptom. Karnataka recorded its biggest single-day spike on Saturday with over 200 new cases of COVID-19, taking its tally to 1,959. Officials said that 187 of 216 new cases are returnees from neighboring Maharashtra, while others include those having returned from Gujarat, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. In the national capital, 591 fresh cases were recorded to take its tally to 12,910. Delhi's death toll has also increased to 231. China cases drops to zero, fresh cases emerge in Germany Meanwhile, new coronavirus cases dropped to zero in China for the first time on Saturday, but hospitals were overwhelmed across Latin America both in Brazil and Mexico which were lax about lockdowns as well as in Peru, Chile and Ecuador which were lauded for firm restrictions and early confinement. Turkey imposed its toughest lockdown measures yet starting Saturday for the end of Ramadan, and Yemen's Houthi rebels urged believers to use masks and stay inside as authorities around the Muslim world try to contain infections at a time usually marked by days of multi-generational feasting and collective prayer. Elsewhere, many governments continued easing restrictions as they face historic recessions brought on by the global battle against the virus. In the US, some regions were opening more quickly than others, despite pressure from President Donald Trump to move faster. Infections emerged in Germany, which has drawn praise for its handling of the virus, after seven people appear to have been infected with the coronavirus at a restaurant in the northwest of the country. The US, however, remained the hardest hit country globally, with more than 96,000 deaths among 16 lakh confirmed cases, followed by Russia and Brazil, a tally maintained by John Hopkins University showed. On Saturday, worldwide deaths reached 3,38,000 while infections have crossed more than 52 lakh. To quarantine or not: debate continues Though domestic commercial passenger flights are set to resume from Monday (25 May) after nearly two months of suspension due to COVID-19-induced lockdown, the differences over whether or not to quarantine fliers continued on Saturday. While Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Jammu and Kashmir said that 14-day quarantine will be mandatory, Karnataka said that seven-day institutional quarantine will be must for passengers from high-risk states and others will have to undergo 14-day home quarantine. Maharashtra government official on Saturday said the state had not yet amended its May 19 lockdown order which allowed only certain kinds of flights. As per the 19 May order of the state government extending the coronavirus-induced lockdown to 31 May, all domestic and international air travel, except for domestic medical services, domestic air ambulance and for security purposes as permitted by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), will continue to remain prohibited across the state. Meanwhile, civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri whil saying that India will try to restart a good percentage of international passenger flights before August, said on Saturday that those using the Aarogya Setu app won't have to undergo quarantine if their status is green. "If you have Aarogya Setu app, and if you have got yourself tested for COVID-19 and have been found negative, and if you do not show any symptoms, then I think there is no need for quarantine," he said. The aviation minister had earlier rubbished the demand for mandatory quarantine asking states no to 'create fuss' over a domestic travel. Puri, however, stressed that the app, is not mandatory for air passengers and they can instead give a self-declaration form. "We have said it is an advisory, it is preferable... If you do not have the Aarogya Setu app, you can give a self-declaration form," he stated. "If someone has Aarogya Setu app, it is like a passport. If you have green status, why should anybody want any quarantine," Puri said. The Aarogya Setu app has been panned by cybersecurity experts over privacy concerns and its makers refusing to share the source code. In an exclusive interview with Firstpost, French ethical hacker Elliot Alderson said that the Indian government must convince people of the apps efficacy rather than force them to use it. Alderson had parked off a fierce debate on security issues related to the app earlier this month. To potentially be useful, a contact-tracing app needs to be downloaded and used by a lot of people. To ensure adoption of the app on a large scale among the population, you need to gain their trust. Publishing the source code is one way to get this trust, he told Firstpost. Congress demands probe on AMBU bag projected as ventilator in Gujarat Meanwhile, Congress has demanded a judicial probe into the use of 'uncertified' Dhaman-1 ventilators on COVID-19 patients in Gujarat, alleging that the mortality rate was highest at the hospital these machines were installed. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera alleged that the Vijay Rupani government projected a mechanised AMBU (Artificial Manual Breathing Unit) bag as ventilator, "playing with the lives of patients". "Why was Dhaman-1 approved and installed when it had been tested on just one patient? Why was Dhaman-1 approved and installed without a licence by DCGI (Drug Controller General of India)," Khera asked. "We also want to know if the PM-Cares Fund was used to buy 5,000 pieces of Dhaman-1 through HLL Lifecare. All these answers can only be found through an independent judicial inquiry," Khera said. On Saturday, Chairman Railway Board VK Yadav on Saturday said that the Railways has drawn up a schedule to operate 2,600 more trains over the next 10 days to ferry 36 lakh more migrant workers home. The 'shramikspecial' trains are being operated primarily on the requests of the states, which want to send migrant workers to their home states. According to data with the Railways, Uttar Pradesh (1,246) has received the highest number of shramik special trains, followed by Bihar (804) and Jharkhand (124) and Madhya Pradesh (112). With inputs from PTI TV and film actor Ashiesh Roy, who has appeared in shows like Sasural Simar Ka, Mere Angne Mein etc, recently made an appeal to his fans for financial aid from an ICU in a Mumbai hospital. He took to Twitter to inform his fans and friends that he was in the ICU for dialysis and was in a very bad financial condition. He had said, "I had Rs 2 lakh which I gave to the hospital because within two days, the bill that was given to me amounted to that much. Right now, I don't have a single penny. People are coming forward to help me, they are calling up and telling me, let's see what happens. Because of the pandemic I am kept in a special ward which is costly. My dialysis happens on some other floor and it goes on for 4 hours. There are medicines, injections which are costly." Although many of his industry friends have come forward to help him financially, Ashiesh's miseries are far from over. He told SpotboyE, "My dialysis is still going on but there is no major improvement in my health. There is still a lot of water retention in my body. I don't know for how long I have to be here but the hospital bill is rising rapidly with each passing day." The actor then told us that he has got no substantial help from anyone till now. "Inspite of sharing my bank details on social media, no major help has come my way. My friend Sooraj Thapar is also trying his best to do the arrangements but unfortunately due to the lockdown, he is restricted too. Now, the only hope I have is with Salman Khan. I am trying to reach out to him or his foundation, Being Human, through Sooraj as he has worked with Salman." Follow @News18Movies for more When Zain Polani was flying back to Karachi from Lahore on Friday with his wife and three sons to celebrate Eid together, little did he know that it would be the last journey for the five-member family. Polani and his family were among 99 passengers on board the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus A-320 aircraft that crashed in Karachi's thickly populated residential area Model Colony on Friday, killing 97 people, including nine children. The banker had come to Lahore from Karachi on Thursday to take home his wife and three children, who had arrived in Lahore from London after being stranded in the UK capital for two months due to the COVID-19 lockdown. "Polani was my college friend. At present, he was working for Standard Charted Bank in Karachi as head of the Credit Cards and Personal Loans," Zaiban Ahmad, Polani's friend, told PTI over phone. "His wife and three beautiful boys were stuck in London for two months due to COVID-19 lockdown and they finally they succeeded in returning to their homeland on a special flight on Thursday," he said. The seventh special flight to Karachi from Lahore PK-8303 Flight operated on Friday after the Pakistan government on May 16 allowed a partial resumption of domestic flights amid COVID-19 pandemic. The Airbus 320 had the capacity of over 160 passengers, but as per the COVID-19 guidelines, the plane was allowed to carry not more than 105 passengers. Polani reached Lahore on Thursday and picked up his family at Lahore airport. "They booked their tickets for Karachi for Friday. The family was very happy to be reunited after several months because of COVID-19 lockdown and now were planning to celebrate Eid together, but destiny had other plans for them, Ahmad said. Polani's wife Shahida was doing PhD in London and their boys were studying there. "Shahida wanted to come to Pakistan in March but due to lockdown she was stuck there. As the PIA started its special operation to bring back the stranded Pakistanis worldwide, she managed to return on Thursday," he said. Senior journalist Ansar Naqvi was also going to his native town Hyderabad to celebrate Eid with his family. He also died in the crash. "Naqvi, currently working with the City network, was known to be a thorough gentleman in the profession. Young journalists have learned a lot from him, his colleague Amir Dar told PTI. He said Naqvi had a remarkable career and worked for the Geo and other TV channels. Naqvi was reportedly shifted to a hospital where he breathed his last. The pilot of the plane Sajjad Gul was from Lahore. He had 24 years of service and 15,000 plus flying hours experience as captain. Considered among the most experienced pilots of the airline, he leaves behind his wife and three children. A transmission of the pilot's final exchange with air traffic control flashed on television channels said: "We are proceeding direct, sir we have lost engine," a pilot can be heard saying. "Confirm your attempt on belly," the air traffic controller said, offering a runway. "Sir - mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday Pakistan 8303," the pilot said before the transmission ended. Some eyewitnesses who are residents of the area said the aircraft had first hit a mobile phone tower and then its wings crashed into the roofs of several houses before it came down near the colony. According to the PIA, all eight crew members belonged to Lahore. Four army officers a major, two captains and a lieutenant a senior officer of the Punjab government and popular model Zara Abid were among those killed in the plane crash. Abid had won the best female model award last year. PIA chief executive officer Arshad Malik has said that 21 dead bodies have been identified so far and handed over to the families. The DNA testing is being carried out for identification of the victims. He said the black box of the plane has been handed over to the investigation team. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the Pakistan government had allowed the limited domestic flight operations from five major airports Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta from May 16. After the plane tragedy, the PIA has called off its domestic operation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A former Cabinet Minister, a Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and a prominent property mogul face arrest for criminal abuse of office, fraud and abuse of funds following investigations into land deals by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission. Although the names could not be divulged, ZACC officers were said to be finalising processes to pick them up any day from now. Investigations have been completed in more than a dozen cases involving the alleged sale of State land and corrupt allocation of housing stands. This follows an audit report into sales completed last year by a commission of inquiry led by Justice Tendai Uchena that traced land transfers in urban areas since 2005. ZACC chairperson Justice Loyce Matanda-Moyo confirmed the development, saying the former Cabinet Minister ranked top among the alleged land barons. She said investigators were finalising the dockets for at least 12 cases in Harare alone. We have 12 active cases in Harare that are nearing completion. A former Cabinet Minister has most of those cases and ranks tops. Those cases are nearly complete. I cannot divulge the intricate details now, said Justice Matanda-Moyo. In Harare prominent names recommended for investigation by the Uchena Commission included former First Lady Grace Mugabe, former Cabinet Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo, ex-Local Government permanent secretary Engineer George Mlilo, ex-Cabinet minister Ms Nyasha Chikwinya, businessman Dr Philip Chiyangwa, former Harare South legislator Mr Shadreck Mashayamombe and Mr Nhamo Tutisani. In Gweru, investigators are nearly through with a big case involving former Minister of State and a well-known property mogul. We planned to decentralise to all provinces so that we can fast-track investigations into all cases raised by the commission but we were forced to delay because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Matabeleland provinces. Justice Matanda-Moyo said once the lockdown has been lifted, ZACC will be opening an office in Bulawayo to deal with all the cases in theMatabeleland provinces. We are also planning to recruit more officers so that we can open a Masvingo office soon. The Uchena Commission revealed that land barons, housing co-operative leaders, property developers and politically-connected people illegally sold $3 billion worth of urban State land since 2005 and pocketed most of the funds. It also recommended the investigation and possible prosecution of 431 cases of suspected corruption in the sale of State land. The Commission also recommended lifestyle audits and investigation of possible abuse of office charges for past and present Government officers connected with managing State land. Thousands of desperate home-seekers purchased housing stands from land barons only to find that there were no roads, water or sewer while some of the stands were on wetlands, servitudes, sites earmarked for schools, clinics or other places where housing was not allowed. Secretary to the Uchena Commission, who is also Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Permanent Secretary, Mrs Virginia Mabhiza, told The Sunday Mail that Government was working out ways to regularise some of the housing co-operatives. The secretariat has set up committees to look into ways of implementing the recommendations from the Uchena Commission report, said Mrs Mabhiza. We have finished setting up the implementation committees for each province. The committees will now move into the provinces in order to start implementing recommendations from reports for each province. Where there are cases that need follow up they will do so and this includes regularisation. Where there are cases that need to be reported to law enforcement, they will be reported and the law will take its course. She said the committees had been delayed by the national lockdown. We are waiting for the restrictions to be eased so that we can start moving in and implement the recommendations. But everything now is with the implementation committees and they are handling each and every case that may have been flagged by the Commission. A steady stream of customers came and went throughout the early afternoon at the Boscovs location in Camp Hill on May 23. The sunny Saturday was only the second day of Cumberland Countys newly granted yellow status under Governor Tom Wolfs plan to reopen the state during the coronavirus pandemic, and shoppers were eager to take advantage of the opportunity. It has been truly amazing, said Clarence Banks, store manager. Were so glad to see all of our customers, and some news customers, to our location. They have accepted our sanitizing stations, our carts being cleaned, the precautions weve taken with Plexiglas and wiping down after every customer - theyve been very appreciative for that. A cheerful staff member stood just within the first set of doors, eager to hold open the door, provide hand sanitizer or gloves, and ensure that all customers wore masks inside the building - with masks being sold for $1 right at the entrance. These precautions were among the many new ones put in place due to COVID-19, according to Banks. He sang the praises for his stores staff, who were now tasked with regularly wiping the doors at the stores entrance, the checkout areas, and increased frequency of cleaning the restroom areas. Plexiglass screens were in place at the stores registers, with markers on the ground to guide customers to keep a safe distance apart as they waited to ring up their purchases. Banks said that when the store opened at 11 a.m., it seemed as if they were close to a Black Friday pace in regards to how many customers were coming in the store, with customers lined up at the door the whole way to the Staples location in the same shopping plaza. The process had been smooth, with no problems among customers - no one refusing to wear masks, for instance, or arguing with the stores staff about new restrictions. READ MORE: 12 Pa. counties, including Cumberland, move to yellow phase of Wolfs reopening plan Friday; what changes? The stores usual maximum capacity was close to 3,000, Banks said. That number is halved under the governors yellow restrictions. But even on a Black Friday, he said, theyd rarely get close to that number, and didnt expect to approach 1,500 customers at any point. Wed love to see it! he said. But it hasnt been that way. There was nervous energy among those who entered the store, with several finding themselves locking eyes with nearby strangers above their masks and expressing relief at the idea of being able to be out again. Many gave wide berths to others as they passed one another between clothing racks and walkways. But avoiding others completely was difficult, if not impossible, for at least some portions of the visit. Shoppers were often in groups, with children accompanying many families. Bottlenecks at the entrance and exits were unavoidable, as were groups in line for checkout at registers, which tended to crowd closer than the markings on the floor indicated. I dont know how you can enforce that [6-foot distance] when everyone is walking around, said Terry Wallace of Boiling Springs. Theres no way you can enforce that policy. Wallace had come to Boscovs in order to return an item hed purchased nearly three months ago - with the shutdown orders in place, this was the first opportunity in that time for him to do so. He wore a red had with TRUMP written across it in white letters, and said while he was eager to volunteer for President Trumps campaign again in the upcoming 2020 election, plans to do so were being stalled due to the pandemic. I always thought it was real and always took precautions, he said about the coronavirus, noting that he had taken some heat from friends and fellow Republicans for doing so, and that he had supported Wolfs mandatory shutdowns throughout Pennsylvania early on. But he felt at this point, keeping businesses closed had become a political maneuver by Democratic governors. I just hope that they find a vaccine for this and get things back to normal, he added. Maria Varnalis had traveled across the Susquehanna River from Dauphin County, which remains in the red phase of Wolfs shutdown orders until May 29. Other than trips to grocery stores, Target or Lowes for necessities, she said, it was her first time out. But even when Dauphin County goes to yellow, she said, she still wont be able to reopen her hair salon. I need to get back to work, she said. But Ive been patient! Ive moved my clients [appointments] three times, and I may have to move them again. But Im getting tired. Varnalis said that it seemed everyone within the store was following the new rules, and that she would do the same as long as was necessary. She did admit to temporarily removing her bandana face covering while within the store, but only if she was having trouble breathing, and only when she was not near other shoppers. I came out today essentially for things I needed, said Tania Lascowski, another Cumberland County resident who used to work in the medical field, from behind a floral-print, hand-sewn mask. I want to get in and get out! Lascowski said it was unbelievable how many people were out shopping, and that she was not out here for an activity to do. And she was further surprised when she saw people not wearing masks the whole time they were inside. I questioned it myself [if I saw other people not wearing masks], but I didnt say anything," she said. "Theres probably a medical reason they didnt have it on. But for the most part, its fine. Joe Ricci of Boiling Springs was among those who had visited the store for something to do. Its mentally helping, he said. After you stay cooped up for as many weeks as weve been inside our homes, this is nice. Ricci has been collecting unemployment compensation since the shutdown began and he lost his work at a warehouse. And while he said that so many stories circulating about the virus may make things difficult for some, the best path forward was to follow the precautions laid out by the CDC and Dr. Anthony Fauci. The ones who arent, I scratch my head over, he said. But its their own prerogative. You cant go in anywhere without a mask. Thats the way it should be. Its smart. Ricci also sung the praises of the Boscovs staff, saying that they had been courteous and helpful while implementing the new standards. Between the trip to the store and the nice weather, he said, its what we needed. But he was also quick to caution against those felt that the crisis was over. I just dont want people to think that this is something that, oh we can take our masks off and have all this frivolity, he said. Because its not that. Not by a long shot. 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. Tucson International Airport isnt requiring passengers to wear face masks in its terminal areas as part of its COVID-19 safety precautions, though some airports are requiring face coverings. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport announced recently it would require face masks in all if its public facilities starting June 1. Most major airlines are requiring passengers to wear face coverings and airports including Los Angeles International are requiring them. TIA isnt requiring face coverings at this time, but the Tucson Airport Authority strongly recommends masks and requires all people who enter the TIA terminal area to adhere to social-distancing guidance, said airport spokesman David Hatfield. However, the TAA requires all of its staffers to wear face masks in public airport areas. In addition, travelers must adhere to airline requirements, which include wearing a face mask on board the aircraft, the airport authority said. For those passengers who do not have a face mask, the airline will provide them with a mask. Hatfield noted that the airport has taken a number of COVID-19 safety steps, including installing clear plastic shields at counters; increased cleaning frequency and monitoring of restrooms and high-touch surfaces like handrails; and increased disinfection of restrooms and waiting areas. Meanwhile Phoenix Sky Harbor will require all employees and members of the public to wear face coverings when entering public airport facilities, including the terminals, the rental-car center and the shuttle train and buses. Diana Borja was 7 years old when she lost the rosary she received for her first communion. The year was 1946. Her family lived in Edison. Now, the 81-year-old woman resides in Iowa, where last week she received a lucky phone call after 74 years, her keepsake had been found and was coming back to her. This all courtesy of Daniel Jurgens, of Woodbridge, who found the rosary while metal-detecting last week, and set out to find the items namesake, or at least a family member of hers. Jurgens, 64, who frequently goes metal-detecting as a hobby, got a hit last Thursday while searching in Dudash Park in Edison. He said he dug about nine inches down in the ground and found a small, silver compact, which featured an engraved image of the Virgin Mary. Inside the container was a sterling silver rosary, engraved with the name Diana and the date May 5, 1946. So now Im on a mission to get this back to Diana, Jurgens told NJ Advance Media, retelling the story. So I figured, well, if she was a little girl in 1946, this could be her communion. Jurgens first step was to contact the secretary at Our Lady of Peace Church in Edison, near where he found the container. The secretary called Jurgens back three days later, and confirmed a girl named Diana made her first communion on May 5, 1946. The girls name was Diana Antonides. So Jurgens started researching on the internet and Ancestry.com, and ended up finding the girls entire family in the 1940 census, when she was just a year old. Digging even further, he found Dianas address was three blocks from Our Lady of Peace Church. The details began to fall into place. Jurgens learned Diana married in 1958 to Salvador Borja. Searching Diana Borja didnt yield any promising results, so he then searched Salvadors name and was led to a few results on him, including his obituary. All this time I dont know if Dianas still alive, Jurgens said. Diana Borja (right) with her mother (left) and niece.Provided by Kris Borja But he did notice the name of the funeral home and the names of Salvadors children, so he contacted the funeral homelocated in Clinton, Iowaand a couple days later, he received a call from one of Dianas sons. And I guess at first he thought I was some crazy person, Jurgens said with a laugh. He said hell ask his mom and hell get back to me, he added, and then the daughter called me back and it turns out that 81-year-old Diana, still alive, lives in Clinton County, Iowa. Jurgens said he spoke with both of them on the phone and mailed out the rosary soon after. Its on its way to Iowa, he said Friday morning. He also received a message from the daughter about how excited Diana was, which said, Thanks so much for all you did to track us down! Mom is very happy that you found her rosary, it was a gift from her godmother. Theyre very happy over there in Iowa that this is going to happen, Jurgens said earlier this week. The internet helped me out tremendously. Jurgens also posted a photo of the rosary in the Historical Association of Woodbridge Township Facebook group last week, early on in his search, which has received more than 770 shares. When contacted by phone Friday morning, Diana said she didnt even remember the rosary until they received a call from Jurgens, but she was surprised when he contacted them. She confirmed she attended the school, Our Lady of Peace, when she was younger. Her son Kris, who she lives with, said they wanted to thank Jurgens for all his work finding them. When asked if she was excited to get the rosary back, Diana had a simple answer: Yes, I never thought Id see that again, she said. The container the rosary was in, which Daniel Jurgens found last week.Daniel Jurgens Editors Note: This story has been updated to correct the last name of Diana Borja. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Troubled relations between the United States and China are set to worsen further as the latter brings in a new security law for Hong Kong. New Law To Target Anti-Beijing Protestors The Chinese lawmakers on Friday proposed a draft of the legislation for a national security law in the autonomous city, the South China Morning Post reported. According to the SCMP, once passed, the law will criminalize all activities deemed seditious against the national government. "We will establish sound legal systems and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in the two [special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao], and see that the governments of the two regions fulfill their constitutional responsibilities," Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said at the opening of the annual session of the Chinese apex legislative body, the National People's Congress (NPC). Details of the draft legislation remain unclear, but according to analysts, it could be the latest attempt by Beijing to crush anti-China protests and strengthen its control over the city, the SCMP noted. The NPC is likely to vote on the law before the end of May, as per the SCMP. The Chinese government's last attempt at bringing a similar law in 2003 had to be shelved when about 500,000 Hong Kongers took to the streets to protest. Activists in Hong Kong are already planning a protest march against the latest legislation, according to the SCMP. US To Oppose Legislation The United States government has also objected to any move by Beijing to take away Hong Kong's autonomy. President Donald Trump said on the details of the Chinese laws that "nobody knows yet," the SCMP reported. "If it happens, we'll address the issue very strongly." In a statement, the U.S. Department of State called on Beijing to "honor its commitments and obligations in the Sino-British Joint Declaration," which it said, "are key to preserving Hong Kong's special status in international affairs, and, consistent with US law, the United States' current treatment of Hong Kong". Story continues Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act passed last year with bipartisan support requires U.S. Secretary of State to testify every year that the city retains enough autonomy from Beijing to warrant its special trade status. The city's benchmark Hang Seng Index was down almost 5% at press time at 23,075. See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Richwood, TX (77531) Today Showers, with winds diminishing for the afternoon. High 47F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 34F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%. BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on China's economy is significant but will be short-term and temporary, a senior official with the country's top economic planning body said Friday. He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, spoke to journalists on the sidelines of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, China's national legislature, which opened Friday. "Judging from the fundamentals of China's economy, the positive development trend has not changed," said He. "The agricultural industry continued to maintain a good development trend. Emerging industries enjoy a good growth momentum, while traditional industries are recovering well." The consumption sectors in the tertiary industry, which bore the brunt of the epidemic, were also rebounding in a strong and orderly manner, according to He. China is able and determined to continue to promote the steady, sound, and sustainable development of the economy, he said. According to a government work report submitted to the national legislature for deliberation on Friday, China sets no specific economic growth target for 2020 as the country faces some factors that are difficult to predict in its development due to the great uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the world economic and trade environment. "As the COVID-19 epidemic continues to spread around the world, its impact on the virus-hit countries' economy remains to be seen," said He. "Setting no specific target for economic growth will enable us to focus on continuously expanding domestic demand and ensuring stability on the six fronts and security in the six areas," he said. The six fronts refer to employment, the financial sector, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment, and expectations. The six areas refer to job security, basic living needs, operations of market entities, food and energy security, stable industrial and supply chains, and the normal functioning of primary-level governments. "It will also enable us to concentrate on vigorously advancing the supply-side structural reform, high-quality economic development, creating and tapping new demands, and forming a strong domestic market," said He. China will give priority to stabilizing employment, ensuring livelihood, winning the battle against poverty, and accomplishing the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, he said. Midland County has seen a rise of three coronavirus cases Friday and zero more Saturday with no additional deaths, for a total of 79 cases and eight deaths. For both Friday and Saturday, May 22 and 23, there were 16 more confirmed cases and three more deaths in Bay County for a total of 276 and 19 deaths. Gladwin had no more cases or deaths reported for the two days, however, Isabella County added 5 more cases for a total of 70 confirmed cases and seen deaths. Saginaw County has 14 new cases and two more deaths for a total of 982 cases and 105 deaths. As of Saturday, the state total is now 54,365, rising by 855 in the last two days. There was also 94 more deaths, bringing the total number to Michigan residents who have died of coronavirus to 5,223. However, as of Saturday, there have been 33,168 people with confirmed cases who have recovered in the state. With the most current numbers, the average age of those who have died is 75.3, while the age range of the deceased remains as wide as 5 to 107 years old. The overall fatality rate in Michigan is 10%. Most of those who have died are male 53% -- though more females have been reported to have the disease, at 53% Previously, the states website was citing data collected from long-term care facilities, however, the webpage now states the data wont be available until at least May 25. Michigans Long-Term Care data collection is undergoing a transition May 21 -25 as MDHHS enhances its data collection process to improve accuracy, timeliness, and to align with new guidance from the federal Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, it states. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/coronavirus Midland County Department of Public Health continues to encourage residents to take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19: Continue to practice social distancing as recommended by federal, state and local officials. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Disinfect commonly touched surfaces. Stay home when you are sick. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. If you think you've been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your health care provider for medical advice. If he/she isn't available, call MidMichigan Urgent Care in Midland at 989- 633-1350 or MidMichigan Medical Center's Emergency Department in Midland at 989-839-3100. MidMichigan Health has a COVID-19 informational hotline with a reminder of CDC guidelines and recommendations. The hotline can be reached toll-free at 800-445-7356 or 989-794-7600. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also has a hotline number for Michigan residents for questions about COVID-19. The number is 1-888-535-6136 and is available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can also e-mail COVID19@michigan.gov. E-mails will be answered seven days a week between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed and feel you need to talk to someone, reach out to Community Mental Health for Central Michigan by calling 800-317-0708. WINSTED Selectmen approved the towns municipal and education budgets for 2020-21 Thursday night, while keeping the current tax rate of 33.54 mills. The towns proposed budget for 2020-21 began at $34,228,148, an increase of $402,787 over current spending. The school boards proposed budget was $20,201,987, and the Gilbert Schools proposed budget was $7.81 million. Before taking a vote, the Board of Selectmen and Town Manager Robert Geiger had a final discussion concerning the tax rate. Id vote to reduce the town budget to show that were showing responsibility ... for people who are saying were in trouble, or that we cant get by, said Selectman Jack Bourque. Not that I see the budgets have fluff in them, or that we could reduce them. ... These are austere budgets. Mayor Candy Perez said Gilbert School Superintendent Anthony Serio, Winchester Public Schools Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley and Geiger put their budgets together thoughtfully. One thing I know is that we always have the ability to do an emergency fund balance (withdrawal), because were in good shape with our reserves, Perez said. So if there was an emergency, say in September; if Melony came to us and said, Oh, weve got a big busing issue, Im sure all of us would be willing to look at that. Geiger reminded the board that the proposed budgets already had been reduced. From the first budget proposal, weve removed $270,000, and the school board has removed $240,000, he said. Weve already reduced the budgets significantly. To do any more reductions ... doesnt make any sense to me. In the end, selectmen voted to reduce anticipated revenues from the town clerks office, removing $80,000 from the building permits and fees line items of the budget. After that, members voted to remove a salary for a new position in the public works department, totaling $59,384. It also reduced fringe benefits by $45,000, and cut $21,000 from medical benefits. The board approved the motions unanimously, then approved the municipal budget for $34.148 million. After those votes, the board set the tax rate at 33.54 mills. At one point, members discussed lowering it, but realized they wouldnt be able to do so significantly, and that any change would not realize much savings for the taxpayers. If we decide to lower the mill rate, whats the difference? asked Bourque, addressing Finance Director Bruce Stratford. Taking the mill rate down from 33.54 to 33.5, will have a negligible impact for taxpayers, maybe a couple of dollars, Stratford said. We also want to remember that (when the town wants to borrow money), bond rating agencies will look at how the town responded during the pandemic, and it sends a positive message that were maintaining our mill rate. So unless youre making a substantial change in the mill rate, leave it alone. Selectman Melissa Bird agreed. I guess in my own heart of hearts, I dont want to decrease the mill rate, she said. Bob and Bruce have worked hand-in-hand on a very thoughtful budget. A symbolic gesture might be popular, but it doesnt make sense. The fact that were able to be stable, consistent and thoughtful about the budget is a positive thing. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday accused the erstwhile states former governor Satya Pal Malik of lying and shooting his mouth off with claims that the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party boycotted the 2018 panchayat elections under Pakistans pressure. PM had said that we will conduct panchayat elections (in J&K). I broke protocol and went to Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Muftis residence. They refused to participate under Pakistans pressure. Terrorists also threatened yet the election was held successfully, Malik, who is now the Governor of Goa, told ANI. Omar Abdullah who was released from detention in March after seven months, was quick to rebut Malik on Twitter. Only naam ka satya not kaam ka. He never tires of lying. Lied to people of J&K before 5th August & lying now. Hiding behind walls of Raj Bhavan protected from defamation suits so feels emboldened to shoot his mouth off. Let him say all this when he is no longer governor & see, he tweeted. Only naam ka satya not kaam ka. He never tires of lying. Lied to people of J&K before 5th August & lying now. Hiding behind walls of Raj Bhavan protected from defamation suits so feels emboldened to shoot his mouth off. Let him say all this when he is no longer governor & see. https://t.co/q25xR1526V Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 23, 2020 The National Conference had boycotted the panchayat and local body elections in Jammu and Kashmir that were held in October and November of 2018 after the Centre and state government did not heed its demand of clarifying their stands on Article 35 A which provided special rights to the former states citizens. The PDP had decided not to take part in the urban local body and panchayat elections citing an atmosphere of fear over doubts that Article 35A was about to be abolished. Jammu and Kashmir was under Governors rule when the panchayat elections were held. On August 5, 2019, the Centre scrapped Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and split it into two union territories and detained top leaders including Omar and Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti who continues to be in detention. WEST CHESTER One morning in April while leafing through The New York Times, Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline came across an op-ed piece that was of direct bearing on her thoughts of how best to help steer the county through the rough waters of the COVID-19 outbreak. Specifically, she and her fellow commissioners had been grappling with the question of what would happen if they were able to convince the Wolf Administration in Harrisburg to relax restrictions on the countys businesses and residents, moving it from the red zone to yellow, and, eventually green. Would it continue to prove relatively safe, with low infection rates, or would the loosened ties create a volcano of new cases? We want to help our businesses and our residents, but we dont want to put the vulnerable at risk, Kichline said, describing the cautious approach she and her colleagues had taken since the coronavirus outbreak began in early March. But we want the opportunity to show that we can move forward. What she read described a study at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphias (CHOP) PolicyLab that produced a model showing what the rate of reproduction of the virus would be in specific communities when government loosens restrictions, given various sets of circumstances present there its population density, the number of positive COVID-19 cases, whether the numbers are declining, whether the county has the adequate testing capability, and whether there are enough hospital resources to handle the outbreak, among other things. What the study by CHOP said to me was that nobody has been talking about what happens when you loosen restrictions. I wanted to see what the impact is going to be to our public when we go to the next level, Kichline said. She took the unusual step of contacting one of the studys authors, Dr. Daniel Rubin, and asking him to put together a model that incorporated Chester County. She had an inkling that it would show what she and others suspected: that even though the county was part of the overall picture of the virus in southeast Pennsylvania, it had distinct characteristics that set it apart when looking at the future of the virus spread. One thing she hoped would emerge was the unique characteristics of southeastern Pennsylvania compared with Chester County, which is lumped in with those counties that are closer geographically to the urban center of Philadelphia. Chester County is unique, she said. Many places here identify more closely with Lancaster County than Philadelphia. We are part of the southeastern part of the state, but we are also a part of another region, one that is more rural and far less dense. The CHOP models results showed positive results for the county. The future spread came under the numbers that would tend to make for a dangerous situation. According to CHOP, its model is different than other means of predicting future rates because of its precision: It predicts COVID-19 transmission through the summer, using factors including population density and social distancing, and temperature and humidity. When the density is less, the study indicates, it is less likely to have a huge communal spread of the virus. Its all about the density, Kichline said in an interview Friday. According to a press release from CHOPs PolicyLab, overall, their findings indicate the risk for large second waves of outbreaks remains low if communities continue to implement cautious, incremental plans to reopening that limit crowding and travel to non-essential businesses. However, in some areas, principally those in the south, where relaxation of social distancing has moved quickly such as certain counties in southeast Florida and Texas the risk for a resurgence in the next few weeks is high. The researchers also updated the model to include more than twice the number of communities from their original analysis. With additional counties included and two more weeks of data, the model reveals that rising temperatures continue to reduce the risk for significant peaks of coronavirus cases during the summer in many locations, provided communities are not too aggressive in reopening. Im encouraged to see that our models have been accurate-that as we predicted, many communities, including large cities, may be ready to reopen if they take a cautious and slow approach, said Rubin, director of PolicyLab and a professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvanias Perelman School of Medicine. However, we continue to caution that reducing the likelihood of additional outbreaks will require individuals and business owners to be vigilant with personal protection, wearing masks and practicing proper hygiene, and instituting strong workplace safety measures. Unfortunately, we are already seeing some areas move too quickly and without enough vigilance. Kichline said that on May 15, the county was able to send data involved in the CHOP study to the state Health Department to help prove its case that it should be moved to the yellow phase, whether or not other suburban Philadelphia counties did as well. Whether that date served to help the countys cause is unknown, but on Friday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that he would order all of the regions five counties moved from the red zone to the yellow by June 5, a day later than Kichline and her fellow commissioners had hoped for but a positive step nonetheless. It is my sincere belief that, based on our data, we will be ready to move into the next phase no later than the beginning of June, she said in a social media post last week. This will give us sufficient time to expand testing and see a steadier pace of fewer new cases. It is our goal to move to the next phase as soon as it becomes safe to do so, whether or not our neighboring counties have achieved the same level of readiness, so we can soon return to our businesses and focus on the long road to economic recovery, she said. To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544. When Boris Johnson introduced the UK lockdown he gave a very simple instruction you must stay at home. But it has now emerged his chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, allegedly broke the rules just days later by travelling 260 miles from his London home to his family home in Durham. The rules, announced in a speech the British PM made to the nation on March 23, stated that people would only be allowed to leave the house for limited purposes. These were shopping for basics, one form of exercise a day, travelling to and from work, but only where absolutely necessary, and medical needs. Reinforcing the message, he said people should not meet family members who do not live with them. Even before the lockdown, Mr Johnson set out a stark warning to the nation, telling them on March 16 that now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact and to stop all non-essential travel. Dominic Cummings was spoken to by police after he appeared to have breached lockdown rules by travelling to Durham when he was supposed to be self isolating in London in late March (David Mirzoeff/PA) He is alleged to have been present at his family home when police from Durham Constabulary turned up on March 31, following a call from someone reporting they had seen him in the area. Durham police confirmed officers had spoken to the owners of an address in the city after reports a person had travelled there from London. Officers explained to the family the arrangements around self-isolation guidelines and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel, the force said. Eid shall be celebrated in India on May 25 since the moon could not be sighted on Saturday, Ahmed Shah Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Delhis Jama Masjid said. Bukhari has also appealed to people to offer Eid namaz at their homes due to the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown. This is probably the first time that there shall be no mass namaz at mosques all over India since the government has prohibited all religious gatherings in order to prevent the coronavirus spread. ALSO READ: Eid 2020 Moon Sighting LIVE Updates: Eid on Monday as moon not sighted today says Delhis Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Lucknow: Muslim cleric and Markazi Chand Committee Chairman Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali looks through his binoculars to sight the moon. (PTI) The timing of Eid celebrations differ for different countries. The crescent moon is first seen in Saudi Arabia, after which the rest of the world decided when they shall celebrate Eid. In India, normally Eid is celebrated on the second day of the crescent moon being sighted in Saudi Arabia. This year due to the coronavirus outbreak, Eid celebrations shall be subdued since people need to keep their safety in mind and keep away from crowded places. With inputs from PTI Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter A bomb threat has forced horse races to be brought to a standstill in Brisbane. The Eagle Farm racecourse was placed into lockdown on Saturday as police investigated the threat. Brisbane Racing Club tweeted the race start times had been pushed back while specialist officers were drafted in. Punters had been excited to watch the Champagne Classic Day on Saturday, despite still not being allowed to attend in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Eagle Farm racecourse (pictured) has been placed into lockdown as police investigate the threat Brisbane Racing Club tweeted the race start times had been pushed back 'We will await more information from stewards and police before the meeting resumes. 'All people on course are well. We expect to be underway again shortly.' Races were delayed for around an hour, but were resumed at 1pm. Reports suggested the bomb threat had been a 'hoax' and there was no risk of harm. It is the first race day at Eagle Farm since it had a revamp, but due to limits on public gatherings because of the coronavirus, the public are not allowed to attend. Instead, races are being streamed online. Racing is one of the last remaining sports in Australia after the coronavirus sparked the suspensions of the NRL and AFL seasons. Protective measures have been put in place to protect the racing industry from coronavirus sanctions. Victorian jockeys are banned from competing in NSW, while NSW jockeys have been organised into three sectors within the state, with jockeys can allowed to compete in their designated sector. Finding the bodies of the passengers on the crash site with no seats means there was already a state of panic on the plane and the passengers had left their seats. The head of Ukraine's investigation team has said that evidence from the passengers on board flight PS752 suggests that something had happened to the plane even before it was hit by the missiles fired at it by Iran's Revolutionary Guard shortly after it took off from the Tehran airport. Alexander Ruvin, Director of the Kyiv Research Institute of Forensics, says evidence shows that passengers were out of their seats before the two missiles hit it shortly after taking off from Tehran's International Imam Khomeini Airport on January 8, Radio Farda reports. In an interview with Glavcom on May 19 Ruvin said at the time of the crash the plane had not reached the altitude of 8,000 meters when seat belts are allowed to be unfastened. However, he added, finding the bodies of the passengers on the crash site with no seats means there was already a state of panic on the plane and the passengers had left their seats. It is not clear why Ruvin says people left their seats before the first missile hit. They might have done so between the two impacts since the second missile hit 30 seconds later. There is reason to believe that [something] was burning inside and black smoke was getting out through holes," Ruvin said and added that the team did not find the lower part of the plane and all but four of the seats. The head of the Ukrainian investigation team also alleged that much of the wreckage of the aircraft and other things found at the scene, including some phones and a tablet, had been removed by the Iranian authorities immediately after the crash. Read alsoPS752 downing: Ukraine releases intercepted tower communications proving Iran was aware of missile launch all along Hamed Esmaeiliyon's wife Parissa and daughter Rira were killed in the crash of the Ukrainian plane shot over Tehran in January. "Maybe someone wrote a text message [about what was happening]," he said and called the Iranian authorities' handling of the situation and the confiscation of all gadgets found at the scene "unprofessional". Decryption of the flight recorders of the plane may shed light on the situation on the plane before it crashed but so far Iran has held on to the boxes and refuses to hand them over to any third party who can decode the information. Iran's Revolutionary Guard fired two missiles at Ukraine's flight 752 on January 8 in the wake of Iran's missile attacks on Iraqi military bases hosting U.S forces. Iranian authorities took responsibility for downing the plane and killing 176 passengers and crew members onboard after three days of denials and later claimed that "human error" was responsible for firing missiles. The interview of the leader of the Ukrainian investigation team has been published amid heightened tensions over the crash between Ukraine and Iran as well as other countries whose citizens were killed in the incident. Canada, the UK, Sweden, Afghanistan and Ukraine are working together to hold Iran accountable for the crash, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine on May 18. "The Iranians are very difficult negotiators, but we are not burning bridges and are trying to come to an agreement. But we have red lines," Kuleba said. We communicate with each other. Accordingly, if we all fail to reach an agreement with Iran, we will go along a long, but verified and effective way of collective prosecution of Iran wherever possible for the crime that was committed, he added. Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yevhen Yenin has said that the countries involved in the matter will be forced to appeal to the U.N. International Court of Justice if negotiations with Iran reach an impasse. "This is not only about Ukraine, but about a united front of the states of Canada, Great Britain, Sweden, Afghanistan and Ukraine," he said. New Delhi : The AAP government is planning to set up mohalla clinics in the citys commercial hubs including Nehru Place, Bhikaji Cama Place, and Subhash Place in order to provide medical facility to working class there. The Kejriwal government has an aim of setting up 1,000 mohalla clinics by the end of this year and out of them, 105 such health facilities have come up in different areas of the national capital so far. Government has identified 300 schools where such clinics will be set up for giving medical service to students near their study places. A senior official said that government wants to provide health services to professionals working in commercial areas as many of them are not able to spare time for their health check-up. We are contemplating setting up mohalla clinics in commercial hubs including Subhash Place, Bhikaji Cama Place and Nehru Place to provide medical services to working class. Government is looking for land in these areas to open such clinics, the official also said. In his Independence Day speech, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had lauded his governments works in health sector, saying that in the last one-and-a-half years, his government has prepared the people of Delhi by educating them besides making them healthy and giving skills. Kabiru Rabiu Dansitta, reportedly the index COVID-19 case in Kano, says it is possible he contracted the disease in the state, and not that he brought the virus there. The states index case was reported to have tested positive on April 11. However, while speaking with Daily Trust, he said he had spent 12 days in the state before he went for a test. Advertisement Dansitta, a former diplomat said he felt bad that people accused him of deliberately spreading the disease. On whether he had forgiven those behind the reports, he said: I am not going to join issues with anybody on this matter but that doesnt mean I have forgiven them. They have soiled my good reputation. Imagine people going to the extent of saying that I was shot by a policeman while trying to escape from an Abuja isolation centre, and that I came to Kano to seek for treatment of gunshot wound. They even said I was busy visiting places to ensure that many people contract the virus. These are all false statements, and I cant forgive these people for ruining my reputation. The news about my travails and the news that I intentionally mingled with innocent people when I knew I had contracted the virus were all misinformation and mischievously spread, he said. Moreover, the news that I recently travelled to America and that on my return I tested positive in Abuja before coming back to Kano was erroneously reported because the last time I travelled to America was in September 2019, that was even before the discovery of COVID-19 in the world. Read Also: Kano Islamic Leaders Oppose Gandujes Decision To Allow Mosques, Churches To Reopen Though I am not a medical expert, but in my own naive assessment, I am sure there might have been traces of COVID-19 in Kano State before I tested positive. I am 75 years old and at my age, I have no reason to harm the people I love my own people of Kano State. Do I have any justification to harm anybody? Moreover, it was wrong for anybody to say I brought the virus to Kano. I had spent twelve days in Kano and how sure are we that I might not have contacted the virus in Kano? I felt bad to read all sort of lies perpetrated against me. My reputation was tarnished, but l leave everything to God, he will surely vindicate me. According to Dansitta, he did not fall sick throughout the 29 days he spent in isolation but he was traumatised over what people said about him. EastEnders spoilers reveal that Jean Slater is set to try and seduce Phil Mitchell in an attempt to to persuade him to let her daughter Stacey Fowler return to Walford. Spoilers pictures reveal Phil (Steve McFadden) will be left baffled as Jean (Gillian Wright) dresses up to the nines in a bid to impress him, after her pal Shirley Carter says that seduction is the only way to get through to the hard man. Jean is convinced that Phil is aware that Stacey (Lacey Turner) attacked him with a wrench, but in actual fact, Phil believes that Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) is the real culprit. Shock liaison: EastEnders spoilers reveal that Jean Slater is set to try and seduce Phil Mitchell in an attempt to to persuade him to let her daughter Stacey Fowler return to Walford Stacey fled Albert Square in August after attacking Phil, with his son Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) threatening her and her children if they stayed. Save for a brief appearance in October, Stacey has been on the run and hasn't returned, with actress Lacey currently on maternity leave. And with Jean desperately missing her daughter, she resolves to convince Phil to let her daughter come back home. Meanwhile, Jean has been leaving her friends and family concerned for weeks, having been unaware that she has stopped taking bipolar medication. Not impressed: Spoilers pictures reveal Phil (Steve McFadden) will be left baffled as Jean (Gillian Wright) dresses up to the nines in a bid to impress him, after her pal Shirley Carter says that seduction is the only way to get through to the hard man Viewers know that the character has been struggling to cope since the death of her partner Daniel Cook, with Jean secretly convincing herself that she no longer needs her tablets. Recent scenes saw Jean convinced that Daniel had returned from the dead after she received a posthumous gift from him. While she later reported Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) missing, even though the market stall worker had returned days earlier. On a mission: Jean is convinced that Phil is aware that Stacey (Lacey Turner) attacked him with a wrench, but in actual fact, Phil believes that Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) is the real culprit With Jean increasingly showing signs of erratic behaviour, her worried friends Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami) and Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) decided to intervene after realising she'd given up her medication. The pair secretly put the pills in her tea, however, their plan had devastating consequences after Jean was rushed to hospital after overdosing. Upcoming scenes will see Kush desperately try to get through to Jean after she locks him out of the house. Worried: Meanwhile, Jean has been leaving her friends and family concerned for weeks, having been unaware that she has stopped taking bipolar medication following the death of her partner Daniel He then enlists the help of the Panesars to gain entry, but a furious Jean orders them all to leave. However, on the way out Mo Harris makes a worrying discovery and implores Kush to intervene before it's too late. Jean later sets about getting her daughter back home and makes plans to convince Phil to forget that Stacey whacked him over the head with a hammer. Shirley attempts to talk her out of it, but Jean is adamant. Will Jean get the answer she wants from Phil? EastEnders continues Mondays at 8pm and Tuesdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. Oil fell over 4% on Friday to below $35 a barrel on rising U.S.-China tensions and doubts about the pace of demand recovery from the coronavirus crisis, although it remained on course for a weekly gain. China is set to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong, prompting a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump. Beijing also failed to set an economic growth target as the pandemic hammers the worlds second-largest economy. Brent crude dropped $1.50, or 4.2%, to $34.56 a barrel at 1445 GMT, after falling as low as $33.54. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined by 98 cents, or 2.9%, to $32.94. Investors are once again having to contend with an intensifying war of words between the U.S. and China, said Stephen Brennock of broker PVM. The coronavirus has nullified a decade of global oil demand growth and the recovery will be slow. Oil has slumped in 2020, with Brent hitting a 21-year low below $16 in April and U.S. crude falling below zero. With fuel use rising and supply cuts starting, Brent has since more than doubled and was on track for a fourth weekly gain. The oil market is not out of the woods yet, said Eugen Weinberg of Commerzbank. We regard the latest price rally on the oil market to be excessive. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+, are reducing supply by a record 9.7 million barrels per day from May 1 to support the market. Export figures suggest OPEC+ made a strong start. In a sign of the glut easing, U.S. crude inventories fell last week. Gasoline demand is rising and some airlines are planning for a return of European travel. Traders will be keeping an eye on U.S. demand for the Memorial Day weekend, a time when fuel use usually rises. India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent COVID-19 fatalities may be much more than what is being reported New AI-based test uses X-rays to detect Covid in a few minutes Coronavirus outbreak: Assam witnesses highest spike in COVID-19 cases; State tally at 259 India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Guwahati, May 23: Assam witnessed the biggest single-day spike in the number of COVID-19 cases on Friday with 49 people testing positive for coronavirus, taking the infection tally to 259. In a series of tweet, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that at least 46 were reported from different quarantine centres and hospitals in Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat and Silchar. RBI ramps up economic support amidst coronavirus outbreak "Alert, three more #COVID19 + cases detected, one each from Nagaon, Sivasagar and Tinsukia," he said. "In the biggest one-time spike in cases, 26 cases are confirmed #COVID19 +. They are all from Sarusajai Quarantine Centre," the minister said in another tweet in the evening. Migrants sprayed with disinfectant in South Delhi, authority says 'mistake' | Oneindia News Earlier, Sarma said 20 more people had tested positive for coronavirus. Out of these, seven are from Cachar district, six from Sonitpur, two from Sivasagar, and one each from Hailakandi, Dhakuakhana and Udalguri. The remaining two patients had already been admitted to Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) in Guwahati and Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), he said. Explained: Why the development of coronavirus vaccine is delayed? Assam now has 198 active cases, while 54 people have been discharged from hospitals after being cured. The state has recorded four fatalities due to the contagion. During the day, Sarma inaugurated an intensive care unit (ICU) dedicated for COVID-19 patients at Nagaon Civil Hospital. Talking to reporters, he said the state government will ensure strict implementation of the seven days each of home and institutional quarantine process. Explained: Will India face West Africa's situation in closure of schools amid coronavirus outbreak? "During home quarantine... nobody will be able to leave the premises during the period. We will give them Rs 2,000 worth of food items. We have formed a village-level committee to monitor this," the minister said. Sarma said a non-bailable criminal case will be filed against people who refuse to follow the instructions. To screen people arriving from other states, the Assam government has set up five zonal screening camps beside the ones existing at the district headquarter and local levels. Restaurants, hotels and tourism businesses are getting socked. Now their Washington lobbyists are, too. K Street is in cutback mode: The International Franchise Association, the U.S. Travel Association and the National Rifle Association have all laid off staffers since the pandemic hit. Several law-and-lobbying firms have cut pay across the board and at least one well-connected Washington communications firm has applied for a small business relief loan. A recent survey conducted by the American Society of Association Executives essentially a trade group for people who lead trade groups found that 35 percent of trade groups estimated they would lose at least a quarter of their revenue because of canceled events and conferences. Even the massive U.S. Chamber of Commerce which recently doled out millions in bonuses to executives and was feeling so flush in December that it seriously considered purchasing a Super Bowl ad is slashing expenses. The cuts have hit trade groups even as many of their lobbyists have been busier than ever, hustling to secure a piece of the trillions of dollars in coronavirus aid for their members. Doug Pinkham, president of the Public Affairs Council, said the pandemic had been financially devastating for many trade groups. Many of them rely very heavily on events for revenue, and that has just dried up, he said. Not every trade group that's seen its revenue collapse has resorted to layoffs; many are weathering the pandemic relatively well. But the cuts show that Washingtons influence industry is not immune to the economic pain afflicting much of the rest of the country. While much of K Street has experienced a boom as companies have rushed to hire lobbyists to help them secure relief loans, others are hurting. The International Franchise Association laid off a dozen people about a third of its total staff and stopped publishing its magazine as advertising revenue evaporated. While the trade group has had some success getting members to register for its digital events, its tougher to get sponsors for them. Story continues Franchise businesses were among the first to close and will in many cases, because of government mandated reopening schedules, they will be among the last to reopen, Robert Cresanti, the trade group's president and chief executive, said in a statement. While the names on the front doors are well-known brands, these locally-owned small businesses often run on very tight margins and until customers can return, IFAs revenues will likely see a similar decline. The U.S. Travel Association, which has lobbied aggressively for more federal funding for tourism bureaus and travel industry businesses, laid off some staffers and cut pay across the board after being forced to cancel its Las Vegas trade show, according to Tori Barnes, the trade groups top lobbyist. And the NRA which had been enduring a New York state investigation and internal power struggles before the pandemic hit has laid off more than 60 people. Some trade groups that havent resorted to layoffs are cutting costs elsewhere. In March, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce slashed some outside consultants, including ones assigned to CEO Tom Donohue. The consultants are on hold indefinitely. The leading business lobby also asked staffers to find ways to cut their divisions budgets by 20 percent, according to three people familiar with the matter. Its a jarring reversal from December, when the Chamber interviewed major New York ad agencies about airing a Super Bowl ad before dropping the idea, according to two people familiar with the matter. During a board meeting in Florida in early March, the Chamber also approved and later handed out several million dollars in bonuses to senior management right as the pandemic was heating up, according to the people. A Chamber spokesman said executive compensation is "heavily weighted toward non-guaranteed bonuses, which are paid in March and based on prior year performance. Of course, we have been reviewing and reducing outside expenditures," the spokesman said in a statement. "As the worlds largest organization representing the interests of businesses, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is marshaling all of its resources to help as many businesses, families and industries as possible endure the financial hardships caused by the pandemic and return to work in a safe and sustainable way. Even some trade groups that are doing well are playing it safe. The National Association of Realtors recast its annual Washington fly-in, which had been scheduled for last week, as a virtual event and drew nearly 30,000 participants about three times the number who typically show up in person. The event was so successful that the trade group plans to switch to a hybrid in-person and virtual fly-in in the future once restrictions have lifted, said Bob Goldberg, the trade groups chief executive. Still, the trade group has frozen hiring and is slowing down renovations of its Washington office to save money. The uncertainty has led at least one Washington firm, Precision Strategies, to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program loan, according to Tom Reno, its chief operating officer. The firm was started by three alumni of President Barack Obamas 2012 reelection campaign, including Jen OMalley Dillon, whos now Joe Bidens campaign manager. (OMalley Dillon no longer works at the firm.) Another consulting firm, Purple Strategies, is considering applying for one of the loans as well. Were absolutely committed to keeping our employees on payroll and if a PPP loan is what it takes to do that, then were absolutely committed to pursuing one, said Steve McMahon, one of the firms co-founders. Purple Strategies recently cut half a dozen positions but also plans to hire several people for Washington-based communications roles, according to someone familiar with the matter. Neither trade groups nor firms primarily engaged in politics or lobbying are eligible to apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans, though some of them are fighting for the right to do so. The American Association of Political Consultants lost a lawsuit against the Small Business Administration last month alleging the program unfairly discriminated against such consulting firms. The group is appealing. House Democrats voted last week to change the rules to allow trade groups to apply for the loans after the U.S. Travel Association and others lobbied them to do so. (U.S. Travel has argued the change would allow destination marketing groups think Visit Idaho or Visit Baltimore to receive badly needed aid.) Still, many trade groups insist they dont plan to apply for the loans even if they're allowed to do so. It's is NOT something we would consider under any circumstances," American Petroleum Institute spokeswoman Bethany Aronhalt wrote in an email. Some trade groups are getting by fine so far. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores which represents CVS, Walgreens and other pharmacies hasn't seen its finances deteriorate or laid off anyone, said Steve Anderson, its president and chief executive. But he fears for small groups with shallower pockets, including state-level trade groups. "I am greatly concerned about the financial health of trade associations moving forward," Anderson said. Betsy Woodruff Swan contributed to this report. BILLINGS, Mont. | A Canadian company has built the first piece of the disputed Keystone XL oil sands pipeline across the U.S. border and started work on labor camps in Montana and western South Dakota even though it has not resolved a courtroom setback that would make it hard to finish the $8 billion project. The 1,200-mile pipeline from Alberta to Nebraska was stalled for much of the past decade before President Donald Trump was elected and began trying to push it through to completion. Keystone XL would enter South Dakota at a spot 32 miles northwest of Buffalo and run in a southeasterly direction through the counties of Harding, Butte, Perkins, Pennington, Haakon, Jones, Lyman, Meade and Tripp. The pipeline would exit South Dakota about 20 miles southeast of Colome. Environmentalists and Native American tribes are bitterly opposed to the line because of worries over oil spills and that burning the fuel would make climate change worse. Work finally started in April at the border crossing in remote northern Montana. That 1.2-mile section has now been completed except for some site reclamation activity, TC Energy spokeswoman Sara Rabern said. The Calgary-based company has started site work for labor camps near Baker, Montana, and Philip, which is about 85 miles east of Rapid City, but it has not set a date to occupy them. Montana officials have not yet received plans requested from the company to make sure it can prevent the camps from spreading the coronavirus, said Erin Loranger, a spokesperson for Montana Gov. Steve Bullock. The state expects to receive the plans before the camps are occupied, she said. The company's three-year construction timeline was put into doubt following a May 15 ruling from a federal judge in Montana that cancelled a key permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The permit is needed to build the line across hundreds of streams, wetlands and other water bodies along its route. The ruling affected all new oil and gas pipeline construction and was appealed by the Trump administration and TC Energy. We look forward to a resolution that allows us to advance our construction in 2020 without any further delay," Rabern said. The work in South Dakota began amid high tensions between South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and two Native American tribes that have been outspoken opponents of the pipeline. The governor is trying to force two tribes the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes and the Oglala Sioux Tribe to remove coronavirus checkpoints they have set up on federal and state highways in an attempt to keep infections away from their reservations. The highways that the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes are monitoring connect to several potential construction sites of the proposed pipeline route, which skirts tribal lands. The tribe has a policy of not allowing vehicles from any oil company on the reservation and with the checkpoints set up, they would stop those vehicles. Noem initially threatened to sue the tribes. This week she appealed to the White House to investigate the matter. Members of several tribes in Montana and North Dakota traveled to the border crossing for a small protest against the pipeline earlier this month, said Angeline Cheek, an activist from Montana's Fort Peck Tribe and organizer for the ACLU of Montana. Large protests against Keystone XL had been anticipated following the months-long protests, sometimes violent, against another oil pipeline project several years ago near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation on the North Dakota-South Dakota state line. Cheek said TC Energy appeared to be taking advantage of the pandemic to run all over us" while public attention was focused on the virus. Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this story from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 One of Public Health England's senior health officials revealed coronavirus had already hit hundreds of thousands of people in the UK by the middle of March, contrary to government claims. Professor Yvonne Doyle, medical director of PHE, said that widespread testing and contact tracing was scrapped by ministers on March 12 due to the 'sheer scale of cases' in the UK. The Government changed their stance on trying to combat the virus on that date as they believed the NHS was the better resource to test those with coronavirus compared to more widespread testing. Public Health England director Yvonne Doyle (pictured) said that the decision to abandon widespread testing and contact tracing on March 12 was due to the sheer scale of COVID-19 cases in the UK Hundreds of thousands of people had already contracted the virus by the middle of March, meaning government ministers had to shift their focus to testing patients through the NHS However, Professor Doyle's comments contradict those of Matt Hancock this week, with the Health Secretary telling the House of Commons on Tuesday that community spreading of the virus was low in early to mid-March. She said: 'So we have multiple introductions, with many hundreds of thousands of people by March who had now been exposed to this virus in this country. 'Contact tracing could not possibly have had the capacity to address that. 'And with the capacity of lab testing and our contact tracers, we felt the most important thing to do was to focus on where there was national concern, which was the capacity of the NHS, to accrue that testing.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock (pictured) told the House of Commons on Tuesday that the risk of spreading the virus in early to mid-March was low One country who benefited from widespread testing to their population was South Korea, whose methods in combatting the virus were the subject of international praise. Professor Doyle admitted that the UK had looked into replicating South Korea's treatment model and even stated that the two nation's methods were very similar in the month of March. She added: 'We did not reject the South Korean model, in fact we were very interested in what was happening internationally from the get-go. 'The testing capacity and testing profile of PHE's approach in the contain phase - which is between January and March - was very close to the one of South Korea for quite a long time, into early March.' South Korea's contact tracing methods have proved successful with minimal cases and life heading back towards normality in recent weeks However, despite adopting similar methods to South Korea, according to Professor Doyle, the UK has seen far more deaths hit the nation South Korea have recorded 11,142 coronavirus cases since the outbreak began, with 264 deaths so far. Meanwhile, over 254,000 Britons have contracted the virus with 36,393 fatalities to date. Downing Street confirmed that the decision to abandon South Korea's contact tracing methods on March 12 and move towards testing in an NHS capacity was made by government experts. A spokesperson said: 'It was set out at the time by the Government experts who were attending the daily press conference why they had reached the decision to start focusing their testing on people who were sick in hospital. 'That's how I remember the decision making process.' Nairobi, Kenya: On just one day this month, 50 Tanzanian truck drivers tested positive for the coronavirus after crossing into neighbouring Kenya. Back home, their President insists that Tanzania has defeated the disease through prayer. All the while, President John Magufuli has led a crackdown on anyone who dares raise concerns about the virus' spread in his East African country or the government's response to it. Critics have been arrested, and opposition politicians and rights activists say their phones are being tapped. Tanzanian President John Magufu in 2015. Credit:AP The country's number of confirmed virus cases hasn't changed for three weeks, and the international community is openly worrying the government is hiding the true scale of the pandemic. A little more than 500 cases have been reported in a country of nearly 60 million people. While many African countries have been praised for their response to the coronavirus, Tanzania is the most dramatic exception, run by a president who questions - or fires - his own health experts and has refused to limit people's movements, saying the economy is the priority. The COVID-19 plague has reset many important aspects of society, and it brings with it the prospect of continuing those changes that are beneficial. As Canadians we have an opportunity to do something very simple and powerful: we can adopt a national universal basic income (UBI) program. In recent decades, ours has become an increasingly unequal society. Indeed, Hamilton is a case study in inequality as documented in The Hamilton Spectator Code Red series. The short-term Canada Emergency Response Benefit has been introduced to assist those in financial distress because of the current pandemic. However, an alternative, tested, longer-term remedy, the UBI, holds promise as a lasting cure for much of the expanding problem of financial distress, and as a means to reduce inequality. A recent UBI pilot program in Ontario offers insight into the potential benefits of such a program. Hamilton was one of three sites chosen for study. A review of the first year of the program has now been published by the McMaster School of Labour Studies, the Hamilton Community Foundation, and the Hamilton Roundtable on Poverty Reduction. It documents the remarkable positive impact of the experiment on the well-being of the participants, and the corresponding potential to benefit society at large. Consider this: in its brief year of existence, the Ontario experiment showed great promise in helping people rise from poverty. Some participants undertook advanced education, some found a stable place to live. Many who were unemployed at the start were able to find work to supplement, and only fractionally reduce, the amount received from the program. Abuse of the program was negligible. The physical and mental health benefits were profound. The costs of a national program are up for debate, with estimates varying by as much as a factor of two. It is even conceivable that a UBI program could pay for a significant portion of its benefits through efficiencies and by reducing the many costs associated with physical and mental illness. It would also inject much-needed cash into the broader economy as the pandemic abates. A made-in-Hamilton solution? The concept has a long and rich history of experimentation in Canada (Gimli Manitoba for example), in Finland and elsewhere, each echoing many of the same findings. It also has recently been endorsed by figures as diverse as Evelyn Forget and Hugh Segal, Elon Musk, and Pope Francis. The government of Spain has just announced the introduction of a UBI. There will be opportunities to change several aspects of our society for the better in the coming months. Among these, the problem of inequality cries out for simple steps toward a practical resolution. The UBI, if introduced, would help maintain the social fabric of the country and assist many Canadians in distress, now and in the economy that will follow. At the same time it holds the potential to assist in the ongoing reset of the national economy. The issue deserves serious consideration and debate. Is the UBI a made-in-Hamilton solution? Not entirely. Is it a made-for-Hamilton solution? Absolutely! When Covid-19 struck Washington State and the greater Seattle area locked down to mitigate the spread, Zeeks Pizza saw 60% of its business evaporate. The homegrown pizza chain, which has expanded to 17 restaurants since its 1993 founding, lost its dining room, bar and catering business, resulting in the layoffs of 120 employees -- about a quarter of its workforce. "We just very single-mindedly went into the position of, 'We've got to get through to the other side so that people's jobs are still there, and we can bring those people back,'" Dan Black, Zeeks' president told CNN Business. Fortunately, Zeeks could lean on the remaining legs of its business -- take-out and delivery. But ultimately, the biggest lift came from an unexpected source: Its beer taps. A temporary loosening in Washington State's alcohol laws allowed for curbside pick-up and delivery of draft beer and mixed drinks. That meant Zeeks, which for the past two years was allowed to deliver bottles and cans of beer, could expand that service to include its acclaimed draft beer lineups. "People have embraced it in a really big way," Black said. "And they've realized that not only is beer delivery a thing, they've realized that Zeeks is the best at it, and so it has really been the main thing that has propelled us through [Covid-19]." Zeeks sells about 1,500 growlers, or 64-ounce glass jugs, of beer per week across its restaurants, Black said. Pre-coronavirus, it sold about 150 growlers of beer per week via its restaurants' take-out business. "We actually almost ran the Northwest completely out of growlers when it hit," Black said of the vessels that hold the beer. Black credits the temporary regulations as a lifeline for Pacific Northwest craft breweries. The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home orders have been devastating to the industry, a collective of small- and medium-sized breweries that rely heavily on taproom and off-premise draft sales. Brewers on average saw a 65% sales drop due to the coronavirus and related public health measures, according to an early April survey of 525 US breweries by the Brewers Association, a trade organization. Nearly 60% of those surveyed said their breweries would last fewer than 3 months if current stay-at-home restrictions remained in place. Draft sales at Reuben's Brews, a Seattle brewery that produced 170 different beers last year, represented about 30%-35% of its overall beer sales, said Adam Robbings, who co-founded the brewery in 2012 with his wife, Grace. Reuben's had previously collaborated with Zeeks on the pizza shop's house beer, Hop Tropic, an American Pale Ale. So when Washington State ordered the closure of in-house bar and restaurant service on March 16, Reuben's overall revenue sources were halved. Its draft business fell to nearly zero. "Hop Tropic was the only beer that we were brewing for draft sales in the first two months of this pandemic," Robbings said. "Everything else was in [cans and bottles] because that was only the route to market for most craft breweries." Expanded beer delivery could be an avenue for local restaurants to continue to survive post-coronavirus, said Black, the Zeeks president, who favors those temporary laws becoming permanent. Not everyone does, though. While the allowances are very popular, some carry significant public safety implications, said Brian Smith, communications director for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. It's possible some regulations stay in place once the public safety provisions are lifted, but not all, he said. "We made the allowance to help [restaurants and bars] through this period," Smith said. "Our concern always is about children having access to alcohol." For now, the relaxed regulations have given Zeeks "a path to the other side," Black said, adding the pizzeria chain has brought back some employees. Former servers, knowledgeable of the beer lineup, now are working in Zeeks' call center, he said. "We're not exactly popping champagne corks over here," Black said. "If you're in the restaurant industry, survival is a win at this point." If you have watched Paatal Lok by now, you must have enjoyed that character of inspector Harthiam Chaudhry's right-hand man. Imran Ansari, played by Ishwak Singh is the wide-eyed new age policeman with ambitions. While serving as a policeman, he is also studying for administrative services. But those were just the first impressions, after finishing the series, one learns that there is so much more to Imran. The nuances get highlighted in difficult moments that Imran has to deal with, these moments highlight the everyday struggle of being a police officer, coming from a marginalised community, the frustrations of being subtly bothered. Ishwak Singh, it seems, wore his character like a second skin and brilliantly so. We spoke to Ishwak Singh to understand the nuances of a politically charged series and what it took to play the role, Imran Ansari, in Paatal Lok. So how did you get your hands on the role of Imran Ansari? I went prepared at the casting bay office and after a rigorous audition. I got the call after a couple of days. Then I met Sudhir Sir, and we had a conversation and it all worked out. Amazon Prime 2. What were your first impressions of the script? I love working with new-age filmmakers and Sudip (Sharma) sir has done brilliant films like Udta Punjab. So, I admire his work and the writing that goes into the content that he creates. There are often stories that are too commercial, that don't have the kind of balance needed. They want to add a little bit of each element, which doesn't always work out. A good script usually has a realistic premise to experience everything in the story by the audience. For Paatal Lok, I think it was relatable because, in a typical day, one experiences metaphors of Paatal Lok, Swarg Lok, and Dharti Lok. So, the show stuck to the premise and that's why it's getting the kind of appreciation today. Amazon Prime When I got the script, I was amazed to witness something I had not read before. I told people that this is an exceptional script but unless it's made you can't tell and you're not sure how amazing it's going to be, but I had a really good feeling about it. Amazon Prime 3. How did you prepare for your role? Did you have a reference point for it? I think you can only make a character work if you know them well enough. The process is almost like trading lives with the character's everyday reality. To get into their mundane routine and understand what their 'normal' looks like and the struggles they face on an everyday basis. I did a lot of research before stepping into the character's shoes. For this character, I also read a couple of books to understand what it means to be an honourable police officer. Amazon Prime And to get a sense of his life, I also travelled to the outer district, outer Jamuna Par district. The crime rate is very high in the area, which usually means busy police stations; every police officer is loaded with over 90 plus cases on an average on a daily basis. Talking to the police officers helped a lot in piecing together what they're lives are like. Amazon Prime 4. Paatal Lok was politically charged, what was the process like to understand the central conflicts of the plotline? There's a unique conflict with most characters in almost every narrative that exists out there. Sometimes you need to widen the horizon as an actor and personalize the act as your own. To me, it was about drawing inspiration from places where I've felt marginalised. The thing is we've all felt marginalised in our everyday lives. Marginalisation exists in different intersections of society and affects us all in more ways than one. A nuanced understanding of this recognised marginalisation helped me focus on the central conflicts of my character. Amazon Prime 5. Paatal Lok has received great reviews from the industry and audience alike. Did you expect it? I had not expected this kind of appreciation and acceptance from everyone. This is unbelievable and its still sinking in. Honestly, it's too good to be true. People in the industry, my school, and college friends have been sending me congratulatory messages from all over. It feels so amazing to be part of something that is so widely accepted. It's a huge success, not too many OTT series get this kind of acceptance. And I've played a part which is getting a lot of love. I think this is the biggest happiness that an actor can get. It's what an actor strives for and primarily needs, everything else becomes secondary. Amazon Prime 6. You were an architect before you transitioned to an actor. What was that like? I enjoyed studying architecture but after I got out of college I started doing theatre. it was just amazing being on stage, getting into a costume, and assuming the role of a character. It was so vibrant, literally, and metaphorically as the theatre is a lot more playful and that's the charm of it. Initially, I wasn't so driven into making a career out of it. For me, the bigger challenge was getting to know this mysterious art as I started working with a theatre group and while I was working with them, I started travelling a lot and doing a core of plays. I got better at it so I started getting bigger parts soon enough. As things started moving towards professional acting, the theatre was still a family that I could go back to. Soon, the focus moved towards acting but now it's more like a passion. Now, I see it as a stress buster. As California begins to emerge from its economic coma, rural counties that depend on summer tourists are anxiously bracing for what comes next. Many in the states popular weekend destinations worry that the unprecedented halt of travel could give way to a deluge of coronavirus-carrying arrivals. Others say economic relief cant come soon enough. We live and die by tourists in the summer, so its quickly approaching the breaking point where, if we dont get these places open, these small businesses will suffer greatly, said Jeff Simpson, economic development manager for Mono County, which spans the Eastern Sierra and abuts Yosemite National Park. Our businesses cant survive just on locals. Thats the story for small communities across the states mountainous north, the Sierra region and the remote coast, which have been particularly hard hit in the past 10 weeks of coronavirus fears and Gov. Gavin Newsoms shelter-in-place mandate. After a decade of boom times for Californias travel and tourism industry, the short-term outlook is grim. According to new forecasts from Visit California, the state tourism bureau, overall visitor spending could plummet by $72.1 billion by the end of the year about 50% of spending in 2019. The states 1.2 million tourism jobs, it said, would be cut in half by the end of May. But with Newsoms decision last week to begin relaxing restrictions allowing counties that meet certain health requirements to start serving essential business travelers many in the states remote areas anticipate that leisure travel will resume soon as well. A crack in the door has been opened, said Colleen Dalton, director of tourism and economic programs for Visit Truckee, but we have to wait and see what happens. Tourism accounted for more than 10% of the workforces in 15 California counties in 2018 all of which are in more rural and remote pockets of the state according to Visit California. Michael Macor / Special to The Chronicle But in some places, tourisms impact is much greater. In Mono County, for instance, home to about 14,200 residents, tourism generates $603 million per year, accounting for about 95% of the countys economic activity, Simpson said. Agriculture, the second-largest industry in Mono, generates $43 million. The most severe losses may have already come to pass, said Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics, which produced the Visit California projections this month. April was the trough, he said. Our current assumptions are that travelers will begin gravitating toward the regions that reopen first, and travel will take a different shape than it has in years past. A silver lining to the downturn may be that, as shelter-in-place restrictions ease, Californians will travel closer to home this year. In 2019, Californians accounted for more than 72% of leisure trips taken in the state, according to the May tourism report. With international travel at a standstill, that percentage is expected to increase, shifting the focus to vacation destinations within driving distance of Californias major population centers. California has so many great attractions across the state and also a large traveling base, Sacks said. So in that sense, theres a lot of opportunity. For regions that have avoided the worst of the outbreak, the prospect of hosting masses of travelers from major cities comes with a heavy dose of apprehension. While they might reinvigorate a vital lifeline of regional, road-trip tourism, visitors could also expose small towns to a public health emergency. There are people who feel were opening up too soon and people who feel we need to open up right away, said Lisa Mayo, president and CEO of Visit Tuolumne County. Its a tough balance right now. Rural counties are taking different tacks to deal with the pressures presented by the coronavirus. 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. Josh Edelson / Special to The Chronicle At an extreme end of the spectrum, Tulare County moved to reopen most commercial establishments this month, in defiance of the states shelter-in-place mandate. But other counties, including Trinity in the far north, remain all but completely shut down in hopes of avoiding a public health crisis. Most counties, however, are moving cautiously to ensure that they rebound without compromising the foundations of their economies even if that means discouraging tourists from visiting for the time being. On Thursday, for instance, the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority sent an email to remind people not to visit the area during Memorial Day weekend. Mono and Tuolumne may soon catch a break. Last week, officials at Yosemite National Park presented a draft strategy for reopening the park in phases. They suggested that the process could begin as early as June, which would open a vital lifeline of tourism to gateway communities that have been struggling. In Redding and across the far north, hotel occupancy in April and May is down two-thirds compared with the same period last year, said Laurie Baker, director of the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association, the tourism bureau representing Californias eight most northerly counties. Many residents in the conservative northern region dont appreciate the value of travelers hailing from the states major cities, she said, but being reliant on tourism offers an upside. Because were small and we have fewer businesses to support, I think we might bounce back a little faster than the cities as shelter-in-place begins to relax, Baker said. Thats in line with the message Visit California is broadcasting to its constituency. The economic recovery of Californias tourism industry amid the coronavirus pandemic depends almost exclusively on Californians feeling comfortable with safely exploring their local communities, then taking day trips and progressing to overnight road trips, Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California, said in an email to The Chronicle. We expect it will be Californians to hit the road, rediscover their state and drive economic recovery. Gregory Thomas is The San Francisco Chronicles editor of lifestyle and outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @GregRThomas Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) The policy-making body in the government's coronavirus response has approved the country's participation in clinical trials aimed at developing a vaccine against COVID-19. "The recommendations of the Department of Science and Technology on the participation of the Philippines in the clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines are hereby approved," the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases said in Resolution No. 39. The task force reached this agreement in a meeting on Friday, according to the document signed by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles. Malacanang released a copy of the resolution on Saturday. The task force also directed the Food and Drug Administration to help with the issuance of a permit for the conduct of clinical trials in the country, subject to requirements set by the World Health Organization. The Philippines will be collaborating with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China National Pharmaceutical Group or Sinopharm, as well as Taiwan's Adimmune Corporation and Academia Sinica, the task force said. The vaccine being developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sinopharm and the Wuhan Institute of Virology has entered the second phase of clinical trials, with 96 people being given the experimental vaccine, according to Chinese state broadcaster CGTN. For the Philippines, a sub-technical working group headed by the DOST will be formed to coordinate with the Department of Health, FDA, and WHO regarding the trials. Researchers as well as sites that will be involved in the study will be identified. The task force also supported DOST's plan to establish the Virology Science and Technology Institute in New Clark City, and reactivate the Pharmaceutical Development Unit at DOST-Industrial Technology Development Institute as a Tuklas Center for Pharmaceuticals Development. READ: DOST chief seeks creation of virology institute amid COVID-19 pandemic These research centers "can initiate and strengthen local vaccine development," the task force said. The Muntinlupa City-based Research Institute for Tropical Medicine currently specializes on planning and implementing research programs for infectious and tropical diseases. It is also the country's primary COVID-19 testing facility. President Rodrigo Duterte in his report to Congress this week already mentioned that the DOST has been in talks with Chinese and Taiwanese organizations for possible clinical trials, as the world searchers for a cure or vaccine to end the coronavirus pandemic. The Philippines is also part of the WHO's solidarity trial, a global effort to find a cure for the viral illness. READ: At least 150 Filipinos take part in WHO's 'solidarity trial' as recruitment continues COVID-19, a disease spread through droplets when a person who has it coughs or sneezes, has infected more than five million people worldwide and killed 338,000. The Philippines has 13,777 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with thousands of suspected cases awaiting testing and validation. More than 3,000 have survived the disease in the country, while 863 died. Quarantine measures are in place throughout the country to prevent further spread of the virus. CNN Philippines' Xave Gregorio and David Tristan Yumol contributed to this report. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure to sack his top aide after reports that he breached the coronavirus stay-at-home lockdown rules by travelling to his parents' home. Dominic Cummings, who is Johnson's Chief Strategy Adviser at No. 10 Downing Street, had developed coronavirus symptoms around the same time the UK prime minister tested positive for the deadly virus at the end of March. According to UK media reports, he and his wife travelled from London over 260 miles to his parents' home in Durham, north-east England, during that time. In a statement, Downing Street on Saturday said Cummings believed he "behaved reasonably and legally" and that his actions were in line with the coronavirus guidelines. The government's strict social distancing rules in place at the time called on people not to travel as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. And, the advice for anyone with coronavirus symptoms remains to self-isolate at home and not leave even for essential supplies for seven days. A member of the public is understood to have seen Cummings and made a complaint to the local Durham police, a joint investigation by the Guardian' and Mirror' newspapers revealed. On Tuesday, March 31, our officers were made aware of reports that an individual had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city, a spokesperson for Durham Constabulary said. Officers made contact with the owners of that address who confirmed that the individual in question was present and was self-isolating in part of the house. In line with national policing guidance, officers explained to the family the guidelines around self-isolation and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel, the spokesperson said. Opposition parties demanded a "clear explanation" from Downing Street for Cummings' actions. "Owing to his wife being infected with suspected coronavirus and the high likelihood that he would himself become unwell, it was essential for Dominic Cummings to ensure his young child could be properly cared for, a Downing Street spokesperson said. "His sister and nieces had volunteered to help so he went to a house near to but separate from his extended family in case their help was needed. His sister shopped for the family and left everything outside. At no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter, as is being reported, the spokesperson said. Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Steve White, however, branded the move unwise. "Given the whole ethos of the guidance and regulations which were designed to reduce the spread, regardless of reason, by travelling to County Durham when known to be infected was most unwise, White said. "To beat this crisis we need to be selfless as millions have been. The response by the people of Durham has been exemplary which makes this most frustrating and concerning," he said. The Opposition Labour Party called for more answers at the daily COVID-19 briefing held every evening at 10 Downing Street. "The public have made extraordinary sacrifices during this pandemic and the lockdown. It cannot be one rule for those who set them and another for the British people," a Labour statement said. The Scottish National Party's Leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford, said Cummings' position was "untenable" and that the UK Prime Minister has "serious questions" to answer about the reports. "Dominic Cummings has to do the right thing, and if he doesn't resign, Boris Johnson should sack him and he should do that this morning," Blackford told the BBC. When you have a situation that at the highest level of government that [lockdown] rules aren't being followed then I think people expect action to be taken," he said. A source close to Cummings denied a breach of the coronavirus rules, saying the couple needed childcare help and that they had stayed in a separate building at the property in Durham. The latest revelations follow other high-profile figures in the UK having to resign after breaches of the pandemic lockdown, including Scotland's former Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood and leading scientist Neil Ferguson. Dr Calderwood resigned in April after making two trips to her second home during the coronavirus lockdown and Prof. Ferguson quit as a government scientific adviser on coronavirus after it was reported that a woman he was in a relationship with visited his home soon after he had coronavirus symptoms. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2020) - MAX RESOURCE CORP. (TSXV: MXR) (OTC PINK: MXROF) (FSE: M1D2) ("Max" or the "Company") is pleased to report QEMSCAN and assay results of two bulk samples extracted from AM NORTH located within the CESAR stratabound copper-silver project in NE Colombia (Table 1-2, Fig. 1-2). Two bulk samples #756 (46 kg) and #766 (39 kg), were extracted approximately 1.8-km apart, along the same mineralized horizon (AMN-1). Samples were submitted to ALS Global Metallurgy Laboratory; each sample was crushed to pass 6mesh. Single sub-sample was removed and submitted for head assays of Cu, Ag, Fe, S. Assay Methods #756 #756 #766 #766 Laboratory Bulk sample Bulk sample Bulk sample Bulk sample 30 kg 30 kg 40 kg 40 kg QEMSCAN 10.5% copper 3.2% copper ALS Global Metallurgical Lab. in Kamloops Chemical 9.4% copper 79 g/t silver 3.5% copper 29 g/t silver ALS Global Metallurgical Lab. in Kamloops Table 1. Head assay results Assay results were obtained from chemical and QEMSCAN analyses correlate reasonably well with initial chip channel sampling. A sub-sample was also submitted from each sample for a QEMSCAN Bulk Mineral Analysis to provide mineral composition and copper deportment information. Percentage of Copper Bearing Mineral in Copper Mineral #756 #766 Malachite/Azurite 82.0 57.5 Chalcocite 0.4 29.3 Copper Bearing Silicate 17.1 9.5 Covellite 0.3 3.4 Copper Bearing Iron Oxides 0.2 0.1 Pseudomalachite (Copper Phosphate) 0.1 0.0 Chalcopyrite <0.1 <0.1 Bornite <0.1 <0.1 Tennantite/Enargite 0.0 0.1 TOTAL 100 100 Table 2. QEMSCAN Bulk Mineral Analysis The main minerals identified via QEMSCAN are copper oxides and chalcocite followed by copper bearing silicates and covellite. As expected, near surface oxidized facies copper minerals are more common, explaining the significant amount of malachite. The presence of chalcocite (80% copper by weight) in sample 766 indicates some sulphide copper mineral replacement of oxides at shallow depths. Story continues The first AM North bulk sample (#756) was obtained in the vicinity of the initial 4m by 1m rock panel sample that assayed 24.8% copper + 230g/t silver and the second bulk sample (#766) was collected close to initial 1m rock chip channel sample that assayed 10.4% copper + 88g/t silver over 1m. The AM North horizon is currently approximately 1.8-km long and is open along-strike as well as down and up-dip. "These bulk sample results from the newly discovered AM North horizon supports the Kupferschiefer model target grades of 1.6% copper + 57g/t silver. The next steps include significantly extending the CESAR 7-km accumulated horizon and expanding the footprint towards the Kupferschiefer type target," Max CEO, Brett Matich, commented. "The considerable expertise of AGH, Fathom Geophysics and of one of the world's leading copper producers will be major contributors to the continued exploration of the CESAR project for a significant stratabound Copper-Silver system," Mr. Matich continued. Max cautions investors that the presence of stratabound copper-silver mineralization at Kupferschiefer is not necessarily indicative of similar mineralization at Cesar. Figure 1. CESAR location map To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/56280_3d9e1c2d74aec81a_001full.jpg Figure 2. AM North 1.8-km horizon and bulk assay locations To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3834/56280_3d9e1c2d74aec81a_002full.jpg CESAR Copper-Silver Project The wholly-owned CESAR copper-silver project of Max is located 420-km north of Bogota, in northeast Colombia and lies within Jurassic sediments and volcaniclastics that extend the length of northern South America. These Jurassic rocks also host significant stratabound copper-silver mineralization in both Ecuador and Peru. CESAR lies along a historic 120 km copper-silver belt within a major oil and gas and coal-mining district. The region has excellent infrastructure, shipping ports, airports, townships, railways and roadways. Early success includes: The AM North discovery, consisting of a 1.8-km horizon open along-strike, open down and up-dip; values of 24.8% copper + 230 g/t silver over a 4 metre by 1 metre rock chip panel and 1.8-km along strike to the east, returned 10.4% copper + 88 g/t silver over 1 metre interval; The AM South discovery, located 40 km SSW along the same mineralized trend, consists of open-ended mineralized horizons totaling over 5 km of strike, returned rock chip highlight values of 5.4% copper and 63 g/t silver from 0.1 to 25 metre intervals; Research program initiated with the University of Science and Technology ("AGH") of Krakow, Poland. AGH has a long history of cooperation with KGHM, the largest copper producer in Europe and the world's second largest silver producer (news release of April 21, 2020); Collaboration with the world's leading copper producer (news release of May 13, 2020); Geophysical study conducted by Fathom (news release of May 13, 2020); Max plans to release a further exploration update soon. Quality Assurance Bulk rock samples were securely transported to ALS Lab's sample preparation facility in Medellin, Colombia and from there directly shipped to ALS Global Metallurgy Laboratory in Kamloops. In Kamloops each sample was crushed to pass 6mesh, a single sub-sample was removed and submitted for head assays including Cu, Ag, Fe, and S followed by QEMSCAN Bulk Mineral Analysis. ALS Labs is independent from Max. Max is not aware of any other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred to herein. EBAY Palladium-Platinum Project The EBAY palladium-platinum project, located 30 km SE of Matagami in the Abitibi Region of Quebec, Canada, is underlain by the Archean Bell River Complex, a layered mafic intrusion measuring 65 km by 15 km and 5 km thick. Max has entered into an Option Agreement pursuant to which the Company may acquire a 100% interest of EBAY (news release May, 12 2020). Highlight exploration between 2000 to 2008: 4.9 g/t palladium-platinum from a 4 to 5-metre wide zone; 3 g/t palladium + 1.4 g/t platinum + 0.12 rhodium in 2005; 2.5 g/t palladium-platinum from a newly discovered 500-metre long zone in 2006; all consisting of blast pit grab sampling. The Company cautions investors that grab samples are selected samples and are not necessarily representative of mineralization. EBAY drilling in 2006 intersected 1.90 g/t palladium-platinum over 3.0 metres from 80.5 metres to 83.5 metres. Further drilling discovered a new zone comprising 600 metres of strike, 120 metres deep, 6.7 metres to 31.1 metres wide, open in all directions, with highlight values of 2.52 g/t palladium-platinum. Subsequent aero-magnetic survey extended the target zone to 4.8 km of strike (news release March 25, 2020). Max is planning an exploration and drilling program. Choco Platinum Gold Project CHOCO gold-platinum Project (250 sq.km) is located 120-km SW of Medellin Colombia, within a district with historical production of 1.0Mozs of platinum and 1.5Mozs of gold (1906-1990) by Choco Pacific Mining. Compilation of historical records revealed the potential for related PGE's particularly palladium and rhodium. In addition, recent field work in 2019 by Max resulted in concentrate values of 114 g/t platinum and 341 g/t gold (news release April 16, 2019). Source: R.J. Fletcher and Associates (2011) Review of Gold and Platinum Exploration and Production in Choco Province Colombia Part 3. Private Report for Condo to Platinum NL. About Max Resource Corp. With its successful exploration and management team, Max Resource Corp. is advancing both its copper, silver and precious metals landholdings in the mineral-rich belts of Colombia, and its EBAY palladium-platinum landholdings in Quebec, Canada. Each of these belts has potential for the discovery of large-scale mineral deposits attractive to major partners. Tim Henneberry, P Geo (British Columbia), a member of the Max Resource Advisory Board, is the Qualified Person who has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release on behalf of the Company. For more information visit: https://www.maxresource.com/ For additional information contact: Max Resource Corp. Tim McNulty E: info@maxresource.com T: (604) 290-8100 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 Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates 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 anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the TSXV. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for Max Resources Corp. described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56280 Cotabato City (CNN Philippines Life) Its like Christmas, is how Muslims would often describe Eidl Fitr to non-Muslims. This comparison is so commonplace, that it is often even used by news anchors to describe a holiday that is hardly ever a part of the Philippines collective memory. When asked about what Christmas means, most Filipinos in Christian-majority Philippines have an easy answer. Jose Mari Chan whose Christmas songs have become the soundtrack of the -ber months in malls all over the country explains it with such ease through one of his covers: Marys boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas day. However, when asked about Eidl Fitr, the meaning for most Filipinos leans more towards a long weekend than the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, when Muslims celebrate the end of a month-long fast commemorating the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Many look forward to the official proclamation of Eidl Fitr as a regular holiday while they plan trips out of town, and there are those who tend to express a bit of disappointment when the declared holiday does not fall on a Friday or a Monday. The date for the Eidl Fitr cannot be declared at the start of the year unlike most holidays, since the Islamic calendar marks the beginning of every month with a new moon and the Eidl Fitr falls on a different date on the more commonly used Gregorian calendar every year. In 2005, for example, Eidl Fitr was celebrated in November. *** Three years ago, the Marawi siege began on May 23, a few days before the start of Ramadan. Now, the same date falls so close to the end of Ramadan, and Muslims all over the Philippines are preparing to celebrate Eidl Fitr tomorrow in the midst of community quarantines that are enforced in response to the threat of COVID-19. In Marawi City, the quarantine makes difficult circumstances all the more difficult for those who remain displaced, years after the siege in 2017. In a Facebook post, Dalomabi Lao Bula pleads with the government on behalf of residents who have been wanting to go home to what is now known as the citys Ground Zero. As of April 2020, more than 20,000 families are still displaced in different parts of Lanao provinces and Marawi City. About 200 families are staying in community-based evacuation camps (CBEC) while more than 2,900 displaced families are currently staying in transitory shelters all of them in need of better access to clean and potable water, as well as health and sanitation interventions. So far, there have been nine recorded cases of COVID-19 in Lanao del Sur, with six recoveries and three deaths. Movement has been difficult for Marawi residents, especially for those who wish to enter the neighboring city of Iligan. A medical certificate and travel pass are the minimum requirements to travel, making it difficult to run errands in between the two cities and, in Bulas case, join her family in grieving for their relatives who died recently. Not that things have been easy these past three years for those whose lives have been affected by the siege. On Facebook, a picture of a child bakwit is shared with the caption, buhay sa Maynila, natigil nang dalawang buwan. Sa Marawi, tatlong taon. *** When asked about how the quarantine has changed their familys observance of Ramadan and Eidl Fitr in Cotabato City, Amina* says it has its pros and cons. It has been easier to observe the daily prayers as a family since were all just inside the house, and working from home gives us a flexibility we did not have before. After the morning prayer, I could take a nap thats longer than usual because I dont have to worry about rushing to the office afterwards. The distance from my bed to my desk at home is far shorter than the distance between our house to the office. Despite this, there is a definite downside to the quarantine, she says. My quarantine pass is only valid from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., which means I only have an hour or two to finish all my errands since most establishments open at 8 or 9 a.m. The quarantine also means that we cant be with our elders during suhoor [the early morning meal before sunrise] or iftar [the meal taken after sunset], since they live in another barangay. Im guessing thats how it will be for us during the Eid, too. The iftar dates that once marked the end of the everyday fast are no longer. Local, family-restaurants that used to be full of people around 6 p.m. have been closed for the most part of the quarantine, with some of them reopening recently, but only for takeout orders and delivery. In the compound of the Bangsamoro Regional Government, the bustling crowd that comes with the annual Ramadan Fair is nowhere to be seen. Given the constraints of the quarantine, mounting the fair has become impossible this year, and has meant a loss of expected income for small businesses that have had an established presence in the said fair. Definitely, its been difficult, says Ross Alonto, officer-in-charge for the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism. She has been coordinating the Ramadan Fair in recent years, which has also served as a venue for businesses run by families that have been displaced by the Marawi Siege. Some of the sellers switched to online venues, but not everyone has access to reliable internet, Alonto shares. During the first few weeks of the quarantine which also coincided with the start of Ramadan, movement was very limited and pushed a lot of small businesses to use their capital on spending for their daily necessities instead. Daily wage workers who were supposed to man the stalls in the fair suddenly had no jobs to rely on, and the value chain of small businesses is such that when one aspect is affected, the repercussions are felt all throughout. *** This year, Eidl Fitr falls on a Sunday, while the national government has declared Monday as a regular holiday. This is not the first time the national government has deviated from the actual date as it declared the Eidl Fitr as a regular holiday, mostly which has caused some Muslims to sometimes feel shortchanged since they would have to file for a leave on a different date if they wanted to celebrate the Eid with their families. Here in Cotabato City, Sundays have been recently declared as a no-movement day. Hardly anybody is allowed to go out and all establishments are closed, turning the city into what seems like a ghost town. The holiday on Monday comes as a welcome development since it will allow them to go out and maybe see friends and family in passing, since quarantine rules in the city have eased. However, it doesnt change the fact that they cannot be together on the day of the Eidl Fitr itself. Im sad that it feels like Im getting used to compromising or adjusting during the Eid, when I know some of my non-Muslim friends barely have to compromise when it comes to Christmas or New Year, says Meryam*. I have family in Manila and Marawi, and it has often felt like we have to make do with the few options that we have. Real halal food is difficult to find in many restaurants in Manila; our ancestral home in Marawi is now gone, she says. Ramadan is a way for us to renew our strength and to remind ourselves to trust and rely on Allah, while the Eid is a celebration of this renewal, she shares. We are strong because of our faith and we are descendants of generations who have struggled for years so we can live better lives, and recent years remind us of this shared history. We only hope that other Filipinos can share in our trials and triumphs, too. A former employee at Florida's health department says that a top official told her to "manipulate" data to encourage public support for the state's reopening plan in rural counties, the Tampa Bay Times reports. Driving the news: Rebekah Jones, who helped design Florida's coronavirus data tracker, was fired from her position this week after what she says was a dispute over how much information about infections and deaths should be made public, per the AP. Emails obtained by the Times show the department's I.T. director instructed Jones to remove data on Floridians who tested positive for the virus on May 4. The order apparently came from the Division of Disease Control and Health Protection director. Jones told the Times that she was reassigned on May 5, after objecting to the removal. What they're saying: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis defended Jones' ouster at a Wednesday roundtable with Vice President Mike Pence, saying that it was a "nonissue," NPR reports. The other side: It is patently false to say that the Department of Health has manipulated any data, Shamarial Roberson, the state's Deputy Secretary for Health, told the Times in a statement. A spokeswoman for DeSantis told the Miami Herald that Jones was removed from her position for a repeated course of insubordination," which included modifying the department's COVID-19 dashboard. Jones did not specify to the Times what data had been manipulated or how she was asked to change it. She told the Times that she did not know the identity of the outside vendor that supplied the data. Where it stands: Florida is reporting just over 50,000 COVID-19 cases, per Johns Hopkins data. Over 2,200 people have died from the virus, per the state health department. The state began its first phase of reopening the first week of May while Jones was reportedly instructed to remove coronavirus data. Restaurants in Florida began allowing indoor seating with no more than 50% capacity earlier this week, along with stores, gyms and museums. Go deeper: Florida's slow response may have made its coronavirus outbreak worse Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has included long-awaited policy decisions in his economic stimulus package to get growth back on track. It has been in the doldrums thanks to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) lockdown. But these are long-term decisions with no direct connection to the current crisis. So why have they been included in the package? Is it because the PM is using this crisis as an excuse to push through policies that have faced resistance? Perhaps he is taking a cue from former prime minister, Narasimha Rao, who used the economic crisis of 1991 as an excuse to unscramble the licence-permit raj. The Covid-19 package promises to amend the restrictive Essential Commodities Act, 1955, to allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country, and to provide legally enforceable contracts enabling them to sell directly to food processors and other customers. Farmers not being paid remunerative prices for their produce has long been a problem. Nearly 20 years ago, academics at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, told me all their research efforts had gone into increasing production and that marketing had been ignored. One scientist said, Farmers come to us and say we did everything you told us to produce crops and now tell us where to sell them. The problem of marketing was created by the restrictions that Modi is now committed to removing. But attempts to overhaul agricultural marketing have been thwarted by the states that dont want to lose their control over agriculture and the politically influential middle men who control the mandis, lend money and provide other services to farmers. The PM will need to leverage the Covid-19 crisis if he is to overcome these vested interests. The stimulus package also commits the PM to fulfilling his ambition to open up space for private sector participation in all sectors. Disinvestment is one component of it, but who will buy public sector units at the moment? With demand low and indebtedness high, will anyone be keen to expand their liabilities, and in doing so, take on cosseted government labour and staff habituated to the government-style of administration? The government may well have to fall back, as it has in the past, on the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and other public sector financial organisations to buy nationalised enterprises. But there has to be a limit to that. The LIC is currently hyperactively advertising by asking the public why go anywhere else. If LIC is called on to invest in more privatisations, the public may well answer we will go elsewhere because we dont want to entrust any money to an organisation which makes political rather than profit-motivated investment decisions. Fear may well persuade the Bharatiya Janata Party and voters that the government should raise money by these sales, but wont buyers be put off by the pandemics uncertainties? The agricultural reforms will need to bring all the stakeholders on board. The sale of public sector companies will require case-by-case planning. These and other reforms promised in the stimulus package will not provide immediate relief for those whose livelihood is worst-affected by the pandemic, or create the demand which business and industry are crying out for. India will have to abandon its traditional cautious policy on deficit financing, which is sanctified by law, and put cash in peoples hands, and in the bank accounts of businesses , particularly micro, small and medium enterprises. In an interview, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman was asked whether monetising the deficit to make more money available was being considered. She replied, I have kept myself open. We will have to see how things develop. So this policy change too is not ruled out. It will depend on how the Covid-19 virus spreads going forward. The views expressed are personal Mogadishu: A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at the gates of a local government headquarters in Somalia while another bomber targeted a nearby marketplace, killing at least 17 people and wounding more than 30 others, police said. Abdisalam Yusuf with the police said one bomber rammed the car into a checkpoint in Galkayo town yesterday morning after reaching the main gate of Puntlands local government. Puntland, a semi-autonomous state in northern Somalia, controls the northern part of the town, while the southern part is controlled by rival regional state Galmudug. Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke condemned the twin blasts, saying that evil-doers had targeted innocent civilians. The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab group claimed responsibility for the attack. The town, unlike other parts of the country where al-Shabab continues a deadly guerrilla campaign, rarely sees such attacks. The towns main hospital received more than 15 wounded people, including some with horrific wounds, a nurse, Abdikareem Ali, told The Associated Press. Some of them were burnt beyond recognition. It was a dark day, he said. Some of the bodies were discovered in nearby houses destroyed by the blasts, said Col Muse Hassan, a senior police officer. Al-Shabab is waging an insurgency against Somalias weak UN-backed government with the goal of establishing an Islamic emirate, ruled by a strict version of Shariah law. More than 22,000 peacekeepers are deployed in Somalia in the multi-national African Union force. Al-Shabab opposes the presence of foreign troops in the country. White House National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price issued a statement strongly condemning the bomb attacks in Puntland, accusing the terrorists of attempting to weaken Somalia ahead of its historic scheduled political transition this autumn. Somalia faces key parliamentary elections next month and a presidential election in October. The country has been trying to rebuild after establishing its first functioning central government since 1991. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Based on a previous article, there are still many illnesses in the world where their vaccines are not yet discovered. It means that the COVID-19 is not the only illness in the world that still has no cure. These illnesses include malaria, tuberculosis, and AIDS. The same article reveals that the step-by-step procedure of discovering a vaccine for an illness is not light work as it includes a lot of steps and processes for a vaccine to be official. These steps include intensive research, testing the vaccine, and collaboration with other scientists. It means that the vaccine creation process is not something that can come immediately as there is a need to tests its feasibility and safety for human use. Since the discovery of the novel coronavirus and it transforms into a pandemic, scientists from different parts of the world are challenged to end the world's suffering from this virus through the discovery of a vaccine. However, as of the moment there is still no official vaccine to fight against this deadly illness. Here are some COVID-19 vaccine candidates that scientists are researching and studying as of the moment: Pfizer's Candidate Based on Pfizer's website, they had partnered with BioNTech, a company from Germany, for the company's COVID-19 mRNA vaccine program. The company's approach to creating a vaccine against COVID-19 is non-traditional. They claim that mRNA vaccine creation is faster to develop and improve compared to the traditional method of creating a vaccine. Based on an article, Pfizer's vaccine had started a human trial in April. Inovio Pharmaceutical's Vaccine According to an article, Inovio Pharmaceutical's INO-480, the company's vaccine candidate against COVID-19, had shown incredible results during its pre-clinical trials. It means that its trials on animals such as guinea pigs and mice had revealed positive results for the research of the vaccine. Furthermore, the current stage of the vaccine trials had revealed that it can induce antibodies that can neutralize the T-cells of the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Sanofi's Vaccine Candidate Based on an article, Sanofi is one of the biggest vaccine producing companies in the world. It is also doing its best to make a vaccine against COVID-19 available soon. Additionally, the article reveals that the United States of America had invested a huge amount of funds for this French company's research on finding a vaccine against the novel coronavirus. The vaccine that the company will be using to fight against the deadly illness is through the use of a recombinant DNA technology. It makes use of an antigen that can boost a person's immune system when infected by the novel coronavirus. Check these out: There are a lot of COVID-19 vaccine candidates out there and allof them are still in the research and trial stage of vaccine development. Scientists from different parts of the world are exerting all of their expertise and connections to bring the world again to a situation of how it was before the deadly novel coronavirus entered the country. It is important that groups and organisations identify and propose projects for potential support which will support a Just Transition in Lanesboro, Longford and the wider Midlands, was the reaction of Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Councillor Gerard Farrell to confirmation from Government regarding the Just Transition Fund for the Midlands which amounts to 11 million in 2020. Also read: Just Transition report calls for extra 25m investment in Midlands next year Cllr Farrell added, In keeping with just transition principles, these should be projects which create new opportunities and reduce negative consequences on communities and individuals most affected by the move to a low carbon society. The EU Start Engagement Process is collating proposals for projects which can assist a positive transition from peat harvesting and power generation in affected communities and related groups in the wider Midland Region. Guidance is available on midlandsireland.ie which explains how community based organisations, public, private and third sector organisations can make proposals. There is also an explanation of the submission and assessment process. There will be a two stage process for accessing the Just Transition funding. Stage 1 is to register details of potential projects with the START engagement process that opened yesterday, Friday, May 22. Project proposals must be submitted by Friday, June 12. Project proposal forms are available on midlandsireland.ie Also read: First call for proposals under the 11m Just Transition Fund Stage 2 will see the launch of the Just Transition Fund for applications by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. This will open in the week of June 15 with full details published on the Departments website. Longford County Council has welcomed the publication of the first Progress Report of the Just Transition Commissioner (Kieran Mulvey). It makes a series of interim and innovative recommendations, providing opportunities and processes for securing employment in the Midlands, including for ESB and Bord na Mona workers, in relation to: the Just Transition Fund; infrastructure; land and facilities; tourism, heritage and leisure; planning, licensing and regulation; a centre for climate change and just transition; incentivising green and allied enterprises to locate in the Midlands; renewable energy potential; the carbon tax; electric vehicle charging; and loss of rates income. The Council also welcomed the Government's initial response which addresses, among other things, the Just Transition Fund for the Midlands, the Midlands Retrofitting Scheme and Peatlands Rehabilitation. Paddy Mahon, Chief Executive, Longford County Council, explained, The Commissioners report provides recommendations for addressing some of the challenges presented by the transition to a low-carbon, climate resilient society. It proposes interventions to mitigate the impact on the local economy and communities, provide employment opportunities and deliver sustainable economic development. Also read: Flaherty warns Longford will suffer unless Just Transition report recommendations are implemented quickly Cllr Farrell, explained, Individuals, groups and organisations will find ideas and insights on the types of projects and activities which could help create a more positive future for our communities affected by the phasing out of peat production and the closure of the Lough Ree power station. Mr Mahon concluded, Longford County Council will provide leadership in the delivery of economic and social interventions in support of a Just Transition for the region. The Council will continue to support the Governments climate action plan and deliver on our commitment to supporting local communities in sustainable economic development. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 01:26:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Fighting between Yemen's government forces and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) heavily escalated on Saturday in the country's southern province of Abyan, a security official told Xinhua. According to the Abyan-based security source who asked to remain anonymous, "a prominent military official of Yemen's government forces along with six of his bodyguards were killed during the escalating fighting with STC in Abyan." He said that the STC's military units fired a heat-seeking missile and killed Brigadier Mohamed Saleh Aqili, commander of the 153rd infantry division, along with six of his bodyguards in Abyan province. Several other soldiers of the government forces were either killed or injured as fighting heavily intensified with the STC's military units on the outskirts of Zinjibar, Abyan's capital city, he added. Another military source of the STC's military units confirmed to Xinhua that "Yemen's government forces are desperately seeking to advance into the southern main cities controlled by the STC." "Our military units are defending their main southern cities and aborted the government's attacks several times during the past days," he said. He said that nearly five members of the STC's military units were killed in the ongoing fighting taking place near Zinjibar city. The surge in violence coincided with declaring the southern port city of Aden as an "endemic area" following coronavirus spread and mosquito-borne diseases among the city's citizens. On April 25, the STC declared a plan to establish self-rule in Aden and other areas under its control, blaming the Yemeni government of intransigence and refusing to implement the Saudi-brokered agreement on southern Yemen. Yemen's government based in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh had issued an immediate response to the STC's announcement saying it would have catastrophic consequences for the power-sharing agreement. The Riyadh Agreement was signed in November last year between the elected Yemeni government and the STC, ending months of stand-off between the two sides in Aden. The main points of the deal include the unification of all military forces under the ministries of interior and defense, and the formation of an efficient government made up equally between the north and south of Yemen. Enditem It caused downed power lines in Will County near Crest Hill and Shorewood, and multiple outages throughout the county, according to the weather service and ComEd, which by just before 7 p.m. had about 20,000 customers without power, including more than 18,000 in the Joliet area, which also reported down trees. ALBANY COVID-19 deaths across New York state in the most recent counting have fallen into the double digits for the first time in weeks -- one of several pandemic numbers that appear to be on the downswing, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Saturday. Eighty-four (deaths) is still a tragedy, no doubt. Cuomo said during a rare briefing from his "home" -- the historic governor's mansion in Albany, that is. The fact that the (number of deaths) is as low as it is, is really overall good news." Of those deaths Friday, 62 took place in hospitals and 22 in nursing homes, he said. Thursday, 109 New Yorkers died from the disease caused by the coronavirus. Hospitalizations and new cases also are steadily decreasing, he noted. The ebb in the numbers come as activity begins to flower again - phased openings have begun in the state's regions, the latest being in the mid-Hudson Region coming on Tuesday. State beaches are opening, with social distancing and other safety protocols in place. "People were great," for instance, at Long Island's Jones Beach, he said, displaying an oceanside photo. On Friday, Cuomo ordered that gatherings of up to 10 people would be allowed for any lawful purpose or reason anywhere in the state as long as social-distance protocols were followed. It had been allowed for Memorial Day and religious observances initially. The governor also encouraged people to get a test if they have symptoms, are an essential worker or are in a region that is about to reopen. He even suggested people get retested if its been a while since their last one. Reporters asked Cuomo about an Associated Press report that found that more than 4,500 recovering coronavirus patients were sent to nursing homes, which have the most vulnerable populations. According to the AP report, the New Yorks Health Department declined to release its internal survey conducted from two weeks ago because it is still verifying data that was incomplete. When asked further about the survey, the governor gave the following answer: We had 68,000 hospitalizations, so the 4,000 number would be a subset of that, Cuomo said. I dont know what information we have that we havent released. Capital Region There were 17 new cases reported in the four-county Capital Region, two new hospitalizations and no new deaths. Nearly 100 recovered in the past day, mostly in Albany County, according to figures released by the counties on Saturday. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Rensselaer County had seven new cases. Along with the new cases, the county also announced a new confirmed case involving an employee at the East Greenbush Walmart. The employee, an Albany County resident, is not believed to have had any contact with customers at the store and therefore, the risk of exposure is significantly reduced, the county said in a Facebook posting. Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy said that as of Saturday morning, there are now 1,625 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, an increase of six over the last 24 hours. There are now 906 people under mandatory quarantine and three people under precautionary quarantine. To date, 4,187 people have completed quarantine, with 1,153 of them having tested positive and recovered. With 28 people currently hospitalized, the hospitalization rate for Albany County stands at 1.72%, up slightly from 1.66% the previous day. There is currently one person in an intensive care unit, which is unchanged. Schenectady County had 12 people hospitalized; Saratoga County had four. Fianna Fail TD for Longford Joe Flaherty has welcomed the publication of the Just Transition Report but has warned that unless the recommendations are implemented quickly Longford will suffer. Deputy Flaherty said, The Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey rightly recognises the massive 15% loss in rates funding to Longford County Council and calls on the Government to address it immediately. Among other things the report recommends increasing the just transition fund, the establishment of a new taskforce to support the midlands and addressing the funding shortfalls from commercial rates. Importantly it recognises the hard task of finding alternative opportunities for the generations of people who have worked in the power stations and on the bogs in this area. The accelerated nature of decarbonisation has far outpaced the level of investment in Longford and we need to see the 11 million in funding which is in place for reskilling released immediately. "We have to invest in the region, we have to create jobs and we have to secure the future viability of Longford, concluded Deputy Flaherty. Also read: Just Transition report calls for extra 25m investment in Midlands next year Meanwhile, although Sinn Fein spokesperson on Communications, Climate Action and the Environment David Cullinane TD welcomed the publication of the first report by the Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey, he said he has concerns about the level of funding being provided to ensure that workers are protected and projects are implemented. He said: "This year has been a tough one for workers, families and communities in the Midlands, with 230 temporary job losses at Bord na Mona. "I welcome the publication of the report by the Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey in the hope that jobs can be saved and a suitable plan for the Midlands put in place. "This is a lengthy report and deserves due consideration, and it is important for Minister Richard Bruton to appear before the Dail specifically to deal with the contents of this report. "Covid-19 restrictions will inevitably delay the rollout of many schemes. We need to ensure that any delay in finding alternative sources of employment for workers has to be met with a pause in redundancies and job losses. It is vital that the transition for any worker is not from a job to the dole queue. "I also have concerns about the level of funding being provided to ensure that workers are protected and that projects under the Just Transition plan are implemented quickly and speedily. "31 million is a start, but it remains to be seen whether this is enough to ensure the plan is implemented. A commitment to a further 6 million from the ESB is welcome, and further promises and calls for additional investment need to be delivered upon. "A Just Transition must be at the heart of our move to a more environmentally sustainable economy, but ensuring that workers and communities are at the heart of this must be central to moving forward. "Sinn Fein will give the report full and fair consideration, but this will ultimately come down to delivery and will be judged by how many Bord na Mona and ESB jobs can be maintained in existing and new green enterprises." Also read: First call for proposals under the 11m Just Transition Fund ICTU's Congress Energy Sector Group also welcomed the publication of the interim report of the Just Transition Commissioner, Mr Kieran Mulvey, on the situation in the Midlands and said it will study both the report and the response of the Government in detail, over the coming days. The Energy Sector Group - which represents workers across the energy sector in the Midlands and nationally - will consider the report and issue a full response in the coming days. The Energy Sector Group said it has major concerns over the fact that hundreds of workers are still on lay-off in Bord na Mona in circumstances where harvesting should be occurring and required rehabilitation and decommissioning work has been put back to next year, apparently due to financial constraints. It said the employment of workers must be prioritised. It said the overriding imperative of any transition process must be the delivery of a genuine Just Transition for the workers and communities of the Midlands, one which will ensure quality jobs in sufficient numbers to replace those lost and the creation of new opportunities for the region. The Congress Energy Sector Group thanked Mr Mulvey for his engagement with them on this issue. Air India's regional arm 'Alliance Air'on Saturday said it will recommence its flight services from May 25 onwards and operate 57 daily services to different destinations across its network. The airline has tried to connect maximum regional touch-points across the country in its schedule to provide convenient options to the travellers of flying back to their roots as soon as possible, Alliance Air said in a release. From Delhi, the customers have the option of travelling to Jabalpur, Jaipur, Bikaner, Dehradun, Chnadigarh, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Ludhiana, Dharamshala with direct flights while from Mumbai to Bhuj, Bhavnagar and Diu with direct flights, it said. Similarly,Hyderabad will provide connectivity to Kolhapur, Mysuru and Pune, and from Bengaluru flyers can take direct flights to Kochi, Gulbarga and Mysuru, it said. From Kolkata direct flights to Guwahati, Jharsuguda and Lilabari have been made available for the convenience of customers. Also regional connections with direct flight include Jaipur to Agra, Dehradun to Pantnagar, Kolhapur to Bengaluru, Mysuru to Goa, Mysuru to Kochi, Kochi to Agatti, among others, it said. According to the release, the airline will be adhering to all government guidelines and follow all the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry. The focus will now be on ensuring physical distance between passengers and minimising contagion through contact and through frequently touched surfaces, it said. Precautionary measures will be taken within the aircraft as well at the time of check-in, boarding and arrival at the destination and the aircraft will be rigorously disinfected after each flight to eliminate any risk of contagion, Alliance Air said in the release. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The centre must not resume domestic flights from Kolkata airport till May 30 as the state manages damage from Cyclone Amphan and the coronavirus pandemic, said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday. People returning to their homes in Bengal will have to self-isolate themselves for 14 days, she said. Trains to the state have been put off till May 27, and the states chief secretary would make a formal request to the centre for holding off flights. Flights in Kolkata could restart from May 30 and in Bagdogra from May 28, she said. "Just because there has been a ... I think for her, she understands that she has to shore up that support because African Americans are a considerable constituency, said Martin, the black journalist who said he was snubbed by Klobuchar during the primary contests. But he contended there would be a visceral reaction against her by black voters if she becomes Bidens running mate, and I think its going to make it real hard for her to be the VP choice. In a highly unusual and partisan move, the federal Sixth Circuit US Court of Appeals has decided sua sponte (of its own accord) to rehear what has become known as the Detroit right to read legal case. The court issued its ruling on Tuesday, May 19, five days after Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer settled the case with the plaintiffs. Decaying school buildings featured in the legal case begun in 2016 The settlement was intended as the final outcome of the case Gary B. v Whitmer (formerly Gary B. v Snyder), following the decision by a three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit court in Cincinnati, which ruled on April 23 that the plaintiffs had been denied access to literacy. The decision has been seen as a milestone in a class action suit that began in 2016 when seven students sued the state of Michigan. The original Gary B. v Snyder case detailed truly horrendous conditions in the Detroit Public Schools district, which at the time was overseen by an emergency manager appointed by Republican Governor Rick Snyder. The suit maintained that the rat-infested buildings lacking heat, with crumbling ceilings, mold growing in the classrooms, 10-year-old textbooks and a scarcity of permanent teachers prevented Detroit students from receiving a basic minimum education, and that they thus have been deprived of access to literacy. In late June 2018, US District Court Judge Stephen Murphy III dismissed the case, propelling it to the US Court of Appeals. The case has now become a legal and political hornets nest. When the three-judge panel ruled that the plaintiffs had been denied access to literacy they were quite explicit that the definition of this access was very narrow in scope. The majority opinion asserted that the right only guarantees the education needed to provide access to skills that are essential for the basic exercise of other fundamental rights and liberties, most importantly participation in our political system. However, even the recognition of a fundamental right to read well enough to participate in the political system is too much for the right-wing forces currently unleashed by Donald Trump. So, despite the settlement between the state of Michigan and the plaintiffs, a legally binding document, the Sixth Circuit Court decided on its own to hear the case en banc. The Sixth District court is currently composed of 11 judges appointed by Republican presidents and five by Democrats. Notably, six of the current judges have been appointed by President Trump between 2017 and 2019. Mark Rosenbaum, lead attorney for the seven plaintiffs in the Gary B. v Whitmer case, insists that settling the case renders it moot. He will argue that under the settlement, it cannot be reheard by the full Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. The full court will likely decide to press ahead and rehear the case despite this legally sound and time-honored argument. Speaking of the courts decision to rehear the case, Rosenbaum told the press: Its certainly disappointing, but the case is moot, he said. There is no case any longer. The case was settled, so theres no case to adjudicate. Federal courts do not adjudicate cases that have been settled. If the court decides to ignore the settlement, it would be unprecedented. The settlement, agreed on May 14, is a pittance and a promise. It calls for $2.7 million to be provided immediately to the Detroit Public Schools Community District for literacy initiatives and $280,000 to be distributed to the seven plaintiffs to further their education. The lions share, $94.5 million to address furthering literacy in Detroit, would not even be brought to the legislature until sometime near the end of Whitmers term in 2022, and there are as yet few details. Whitmer has also proposed establishing two task forces to oversee the literacy initiatives in the city and state-wide. Rosenbaum has called the settlement a first step, it doesnt pretend to be more. While the decision of the Court on April 23 was deliberately extremely narrow, it nevertheless was the first time a court has ruled that a state is obligated to provide any level of education to students. No court has ever before ruled that education is a constitutionally protected right since 1973, when the US Supreme Court, in San Antonio v Rodriguez, ruled explicitly that there is no fundamental right to education in the Constitution. Supporters of the Detroit plaintiffs had hoped the landmark Sixth Circuit panel ruling would initiate similar legal actions nationwide. Lawyers for a parallel case, currently pending before a US court in Rhode Island, were buoyed by the decision in favor of the Detroit students, but hope the outcome of their own case will broaden the scope of educational quality. The likely decision by the full Sixth Circuit court to vacate the panels ruling will undoubtedly affect the Rhode Island case as well. Right-wing forces fear that the Detroit case would set a legal precedent, and they are now counting on the thuggish majority of the Sixth Circuit court to quash any move that would guarantee any constitutional rights, or state funding, to provide basic literacy skills. The dissenting judge from the Sixth Circuit panel, Eric Murphy, asserted in his opinion: Should states fix the problem of failing schools by sending more money into them? . . . Or should they fix the problem by giving children the choice to attend other schools? This is the right-wing argument to destroy public education altogether and adopt the universal voucher system promoted by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Unquestionably, Detroit students, along with millions of students from impoverished areas of the US, are denied not only a minimum right to literacy, but a quality education. Slashing funds for public education and the drive toward privatization have been cornerstones of bi-partisan government policy for decades, from George W. Bushs No Child Left Behind to Barack Obamas Race to the Top. The Detroit plaintiffs, their supporters and legal representatives have hailed the decision by the three-judge panel as a great victory. It is proving to be a Pyrrhic one at best. Regardless of the outcome of the case, the coronavirus pandemic is ravaging state and municipal budget forecasts, which will lead to savage budget cuts that will offset the limited funds attained in the settlement. Michigan legislators project cutting up to 30 percent of K-12 budget allocations in the coming fiscal year alone. Hoping that the courts or the legislatures on any level will resolve the dire conditions facing education in America is a pipe dream. The legal system functions in the interests of the capitalist system and the ruling elitea system that cannot even tolerate ensuring that students can read well enough to vote. To adequately provide a true quality education to all children requires an entire overhaul of the social order, including jobs, housing, health care as well as schools. This requires the organization of the working class as an independent political force, to demand that hundreds of billions of dollars be allocated to provide clean, well-maintained school buildings; train and hire thousands more teachers to create smaller classes; restore art, music and after-school programs that have been eliminated; and pay all educators a decent wage. Only through a socialist policy for education will true literacy and an elevation of human culture be guaranteed. A New York City couple became the only divorce granted in Manhattan during the coronavirus lockdown Wednesday after a judge agreed that their split was an essential matter. The divorce judgement was signed by the county clerk on Wednesday, after Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Katz signed an emergency application on May 13, according to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com. The unnamed couple's divorce was pushed through while the city's court system is still largely working remotely and on a limited capacity and handling only essential cases. A New York City couple became the only divorce granted in Manhattan during the coronavirus lockdown Wednesday after a judge signed their case an emergency situation (file image) 'My client was very much in a desperate situation, and this was one way that could rectify that situation for her,' divorce attorney Morghan Richardson told the New York Daily News. Richardson said that her client was 'crying' with relief after the divorce was granted as it was 'tied to an immigration issue. Had we not been successful in getting this divorce entered, it really would have had dire consequences on her life.' It's unclear what the immigration issue was related to, however. Court records show that the couple's divorce proceedings started in March, just prior to the city and state going under lockdown orders. The final divorce papers were not able to be filed, however, once the lockdown began. Richardson then had to drive the papers from the judge's apartment and deliver them to the county clerk's office at the courthouse in downtown Manhattan (pictured) Divorce attorney Morghan Richardson (left) had to pick up the original signed papers from Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Katz's (right) doorman To keep the process going, Richardson - matrimonial partner at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP - took the unusual measure of requesting that the court accept the papers as an emergency. After reviewing the papers, Judge Katz - who was working from home - agreed and granted the divorce. Richardson told DailyMail.com that because the county clerk needed the judge's original signed document to finalize the case, she needed to find a way to get hold of the signed paperwork and then deliver it to the clerk's office in downtown Manhattan. This resulted in Richardson driving to the judge's home and picking up the paperwork from his doorman. 'Which is probably the single most bizarre occurrence of my professional career to drive over to a judges house,' Richardson told the New York Daily News. The couple's divorce being finalized occurred the same day that New York state's Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks lifted the ban on non-essential lawsuits in New York City counties. Starting Monday, city courts will start accepting non-emergency legal paperwork electronically - including lawsuits and divorces. The resumption of nonessential proceedings comes two months after the city's moratorium on all non-essential legal proceedings. It's expected that there will be a backlog of court cases. 'I think that New York divorce is pretty well known for being a slow process already, comparatively, and this has made it tremendously slower,' Richardson told the newspaper. 'The fact is that clients who are waiting right now, even once things start again, theres gonna be a huge backlog. I foresee it slowing down the process so much more,' she added. Military deputies to NPC talk about advancing actual combat training PLA Daily Source: China Military Online Editor: Yang Tao 2020-05-22 18:49:24 By Qian Xiaohu Highlighting combat-led training: using battlefield demand to direct actual combat training "When we talked about actual combat training in the past, we referred to picking up the gun and then aiming at the target. What we cared about then was the gun. Now, we should first ask if the target and the environment are scientifically set ?" said deputy Wu Yingxia, a senior engineer at a base of the PLA Army. Deputy Xi Chaofeng from the PLA 82nd Group Army felt a real change in using "battlefield demand" to pull actual combat training. The air defense brigade which he is assigned to is stationed in the same place with an air force department, but there has been little exchange between the two units over the years. Today, joint training and confrontation drills have become the training norm of the two. "Going to somewhere unfamiliar thousands of miles away for cross-regional drills and accepting multiple tests of complex electromagnetic environments, special geographic environments, and extreme weather conditions are becoming more and more common for service members of our air defense brigades," said Xi Chaofeng. Deputy Xu Liqiang, from a base of the PLA Air Force, introduced: "Now, the target obstacle setting, the knowledge structure of the trainers, and the use of the Blue Army's tactics have all changed with the shift in simulated combat opponents." The actual combat exercises, including "Red Sword", "Golden Helmet", "Golden Dart" and "Blue Shield" organized by his troops have become effective ways to enhance the combat effectiveness of the troops. Emphasizing systematic training: "You are not fighting alone." The PLA has showcased various new-type combined arms forces on our military training range and carried out intensive actual combat training. Behind these drills is the common focus on systematic support. "In modern warfare, the battlefield space is spreading across all ranges, including the land, sea, air, sky, electricity, and the Internet. One of my deepest feelings is that you are not fighting alone!" said deputy Kong Jun from the PLA Marine Corps. "Real combat readiness, as well as systematic integration, is inevitable," said deputy Yang Cheng, political commissioner of the PLA 73rd Group Army. Take the combined arms battalion of the PLA Army as an example. The battalion not only has an infantry company, but also involves tanks, howitzers, engineers, chemical defense, electronics, and reconnaissance. It also establishes directly supportive relationships with the air force and artillery groups. It is difficult to win on the battlefield without real integration. Deputy Yu Hailong from the PLA Air Force Airborne Corps believes that the focus of joint training should be set on the primary level, starting from joint training of basic combat units such as individual soldiers and single equipment; from the integration of basic units such as squad, company, platoon, and battalion; from the examination of a unit to that of the whole; and, from the test of a single soldier to that of the team, so as to achieve the integration from each level to the overall armed forces. Prioritizing the confrontation test: make progress from each fight Over the past few years, deputy Ding Guolin from a department of the PLA Rocket Force led a team to review and summarize dozens of missile models, nearly a hundred pieces of standards regarding training guidance and adjustment, as well as thousands kinds of special circumstances. They successfully constructed realistic battlefield environment and formed the "Red and Blue" confrontation training mode with the characteristics of the PLA Rocket Force. Before going to Beijing to attend the session, deputy Mahe Palitransliterated from Kazakh into English, commander of the fifth tank company under the Chinese PLA's Xinjiang Military Command, was still training half-slope tank-starting operation in a training range in the deep Tianshan Mountains. One mistake may cause the engine to detonate or even roll over. Mahe Pali pulled the joystick tightly with both hands and restarted decisively. Finally, with a huge roar, the tank whistled towards the destination. "If we sweat more in daily training, we will have more chances to win in wartime", the military deputies said. In recent years, Chinese military has conducted most of the exercises at the largest scale with the most comprehensive elements that are all unseen before. Actual combat training is pushing PLA's combat effectiveness to a new level. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New Delhi : Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) on Monday sought quashing of an FIR against it on alleged irregularities in raising the price of gas from KG 6 basin, telling Delhi High Court that the AAP government was never entitled to lodge an FIR against it. Seeking quashing of the FIR lodged against it by the Anti-Corruption Branch of Delhi government in 2014, the company told Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva that ACB did not have the jurisdiction to probe such matter. Delhi government was never entitled to lodge this FIR. This FIR has to be quashed as it has been lodged by a police station (ACB) which does not have the jurisdiction, senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for RIL, told the court which sought the response of AAP government on the companys plea. Besides the company, erstwhile UPA ministers M Veerappa Moily and Murli Deora (since dead), RILs Chairman Mukesh Ambani, former Director General of Hydrocarbons V K Sibal and other unknown persons were named in the FIR lodged by ACB. All of them have denied the allegations. During the days hearing, Salve contended that the then Chief Minister (Arvind Kejriwal during his first stint) had asked the ACB to lodge an FIR in the matter despite the fact that ACB did not have any jurisdiction to probe the matter. He also referred to the August 4 judgement of the division bench of the High Court which had held that powers of the ACB were limited to probing graft cases in various departments which were under the administrative authority of LG and not extending to central government employees. Delhi governments senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra told the court that they were in the process of approaching the Supreme Court challenging the August 4 verdict. We are entitled to go to the Supreme Court. We are in the process, he told the court and said the government would file its response on RILs plea. The court then asked Mehra what has happened in the FIR? In response, Mehra said nothing has happended for the last two years as the matter pertaining to powers of ACB was pending in the high court. The court then posted the matter for further hearing on September 29. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Kevin Hart is opening up about why his wife Eniko Parrish Hart stood by her side, even after his cheating scandal. The 40-year-old actor, who has been married to Parrish since 2016, opened up on Apple's The School of Greatness podcast, where he revealed why she stood by his side. Hart made headlines in December 2017 when he admitted that he cheated on Eniko while she was pregnant with their son Kenzo Kash. Opening up: Kevin Hart is opening up about why his wife Eniko Parrish Hart stood by her side, even after his cheating scandal Eniko: The 40-year-old actor, who has been married to Parrish since 2016, opened up on Apple's The School of Greatness podcast, where he revealed why she stood by his side 'She came to an amazing conclusion of, 'I like the fact that we have a family, that we have a household, and I like the fact that we now got a job to do to get better,' he said began. 'That's what you owe me. You owe me the get-better.' And she held me accountable,' Hart added about his wife, who is currently pregnant with their second child. 'It wasn't a walk in the park, but it was her understanding that we don't let the outside world affect our inside, and I credit her for setting that tone,' he added. Eniko: 'She came to an amazing conclusion of, 'I like the fact that we have a family, that we have a household, and I like the fact that we now got a job to do to get better,' he said began The actor continued and called his wife, 'the strongest person in the world.' Hart cheated on Parrish with a model named Montia Sabbag during a Las Vegas trip in 2017, which was captured on video and used in an attempt to extort the actor. Instead of paying, he publicly admitted to his indiscretion and apologized to his wife, who stood by his side. Strongest: The actor continued and called his wife, 'the strongest person in the world' While Sabbag initially said Hart was just as much of a victim as she was with the encounter, she sued him for $60 million, claiming Hart and his friend J.T. Jackson set up the encounter and hid the camera from her. The lawsuit was thrown out in early May by a California judge, simply because Sabbag filed the lawsuit in the wrong venue. Since the judge dismissed the suit without prejudice, it means Sabbag is still free to file again in the proper jurisdiction. Lawsuit: The lawsuit was thrown out in early May by a California judge, simply because Sabbag filed the lawsuit in the wrong venue Hart also has two children with his ex-wife Torrei Hart, a 15-year-old daughter named Heaven Hart and a 12-year-old son named Hendrix Hart. Hart is coming off the hit sequel Jumanji: The Next Level, which he starred in alongside Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Karen Gillan. He will next be seen in Fatherhood, which is slated to hit theaters on April 2, 2021. Shaheed El-Hafed, 23 May 2020 (SPS) - Responsible of the Secretariat of the Political Organization of the Polisario Front, Mr. Khatri Adouh, stated that the occupied territories of the Sahrawi Republic were in danger of an outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic. Mr. Adouh recalled that there were news reports published by sites of the Sahrawi resistance in the occupied territories of the Sahrawi Republic, which the Moroccan occupation administration acknowledged its validity, that "the pandemic has hit the cities of El-Aaiun and Dakhla during the last 48 hours as a result of the occupation administration bringing in infected Moroccan settlers from inside Morocco." "The Moroccan occupier, who has imposed political quarantine on the occupied cities for decades and continues to apply the policy of barbaric repression and isolation of the occupied territories from the outside world and continues to expel foreign observers and the media, is only interested in draining Sahrawi wealth and does not give any consideration to the interest or health of the Sahrawi citizens," he added. The Responsible of the Secretariat of the Political Organization concluded his statement by stressing that "the Moroccan occupier bears all responsibility for the grave consequences of his criminal acts and his reckless colonial policy." (SPS) 062/SPS/T RJD's Tejashwi Yadav said Bihar needs special status and a financial and medical package to get relieve from coronavirus. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday called upon Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to persuade the central government to grant special status to Bihar. Yadav accused the NDA government in Bihar of failing to ensure the development of the state in the past 15 years and said the state needs special status and a financial and medical package. Bihars resources are limited. The Nitish government has done nothing to diversify the health and infrastructure of the state, set up industries, create jobs and upgrade the infrastructure according to the needs of modern times, he said in a statement. He said the crisis emanating from the coronavirus is unimaginable, unbearable and painful for millions of poor and people in low-income groups. We strongly demand that in this hour of crisis the double-engine government should give Bihar special state status. I hope the double-engine government and the chief minister will at least persuade the central government on our demand to grant special state status to Bihar, he said. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App An adorable video showing a squirrel visiting a German house for food is one of the cutest things on the Internet. In the clip, shared by news agency Reuters, the squirrel named Madame is seen munching on some seeds sitting on a miniature table on the balcony. After a while, the animal gets inside the house where it can be eating some seeds from a womans hand. This curious squirrel named Madame visits a German familys balcony at least once a day to munch on savories pic.twitter.com/rG5ms1hFPJ Reuters (@Reuters) May 20, 2020 "It comes by everyday, sometimes even twice, in the morning and the evening, sometimes at lunch time. Its preferred food dish is sunflower seeds which it sucks up like a vacuum cleaner. It also loves hazelnuts and walnuts and also raisins," the woman said. According to a report published in rocketcitynow.com, this house is in Munich and a 10-year-old boy came up with the idea of the things for the squirrel. The report mentions that the boy was bored during the coronavirus lockdown and came up with the idea of making a little corner in his balcony for his furry friend. He has made a small picnic table, and has put a tiny plate and a beer mug which is usually filled with nuts and seeds for Madame. The video has till now garnered more 141,000 views and social media users expressed their views about the cute clip. A user talked about the appearances of squirrels across continents. I love how different squirrels look continent to continent. So interesting, the person said. Abhas Jha, an Indian economist, has been appointed by the World Bank to a key position on climate change and disaster management in South Asia, the global lender said. Jha's appointment comes at a time when Cyclone Amphan has badly hit West Bengal, Orissa in India and Bangladesh. In his capacity as World Bank's Practice Manager for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management for South Asia, one of the top priorities of Jha will be to encourage and help the South Asia region (SAR) Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change team to connect and collaborate across Global Practice boundaries, the bank said in a statement on Friday. And also to the World Bank to conceive and deliver innovative and high-quality development solutions to respond to client demands and strengthen disaster risk management and climate action in the region, the statement said. Based out of Singapore, Jha will also work closely with other Practice Managers, Global Leads and Global Solutions Groups to incubate, pilot and scale-up innovative and high-quality development solutions, and to promote the generation and flow of global knowledge to serve these countries, the bank said. According to the bank, Jha's mandate is to nurture, lead, inspire and deploy a team of highly qualified professionals to deliver the best solutions for these countries. Jha, an Indian national, joined the Bank in 2001 in the office of the Executive Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka and has since worked in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia, and East Asia and the Pacific regions. His most recent assignment is Practice Manager for Urban Development and Disaster Risk Management in the East Asia and Pacific region. His area of jurisdiction includes India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Maldives. Karnataka is braced for a total lockdown on Sunday after a four-day partial relaxation of its guidelines in non-containment areas or hotspots across the southern state, an official said on Saturday. "As decided by the state government on May 18, total lockdown will be enforced on Sunday again in compliance with the May 17 order of the Ministry of Home Affairs to contain the Covid spread," said the official. Though the central government further extended the lockdown to May 31 from May 18 with greater relaxation of the norms to restore near-normalcy across the country, the state has decided to enforce it (lockdown) only on Sunday, which is on May 24 and May 31. "The lockdown will be strictly observed across the state, as it was during its first phase for 21 days from March 25 to April 14. Barring retail outlets for essential supplies like milk, vegetables, fruits, and medicines, everything will be shut down from 7pm on Saturday to 7am on Monday," said Director-General of Police (DGP) Pravin Sood. Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao told reporters on Saturday that no private or public vehicle would be allowed to ply during the Sunday lockdown and strict action would be taken against violators. "Only ambulances and vehicles on essential duty will be allowed to ply during the Sunday curfew. Shops selling medicines, groceries, vegetables, fruits and poultry and meat products will be allowed to open and they have to ensure customers maintain physical distancing and stand in queues," Rao said. State-run buses, taxis and autos will also be not allowed to operate across the state and private vehicles, including two-wheelers and cars, will be seized if found violating the guidelines. "All main roads, flyovers and enter/exit points on the city outskirts will be barricaded to prevent movement of any vehicle," Sood added. In an appeal to all citizens across the state, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa urged the people to abide by the lockdown on this (May 24) and next Sunday (May 31) to contain the Covid-19 spread. "We have reached a crucial stage in the war against Covid-19. Follow guidelines in the interest and welfare of all to fight the pandemic. Stay at home to be safe," said Yediyurappa. The state government, however, allowed weddings prefixed on Sunday amid the lockdown with a slew of riders to ensure health and social distancing. "Marriages pre-fixed on the two Sundays can be performed in conformity with the partially relaxed guidelines, such as limiting guests to 50, wearing masks, washing hands with sanitiser and maintaining social distance," added the official. Police in Ho Chi Minh City said on Friday that they have started legal proceedings against a former ward-level police leader in District 6, together with 11 other people, for gambling and organizing gambling. Based on reports of local residents, police officers caught the 12 people red-handed gambling at 30/2 Trinh Dinh Thao Street in Hoa Thanh Ward, Tan Phu District, on May 5. The gambling was organized by Ngo Nhut Thanh, also known as 'Thanh muoi ngan' (Thanh ten thousand), and his accomplices. Thanh and the accessories also played in the illegal betting games. Doan Hong Phuc, an ex-deputy head in Ward 6s police bureau in District 6, was also among the gamblers, police said. The Ho Chi Minh City police arrested and launched legal proceedings against all 12 people, including Phuc, on May 14 for gambling and organizing gambling. The arrest warrant and indictment decision were approved by the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Procuracy and implemented by the municipal police in accordance with the law, police stated. An investigation is underway to clarify the case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Piece by piece, Susan Campbell Reneau and Missoula-area veterans have cobbled together the semblance of a traditional Memorial Day ceremony in these COVID-ravaged times. It wont be at the Western Montana State Veterans Cemetery, where for years crowds have assembled on the last Monday in May for sunrise ceremonies to pay tribute to those whove given their lives in service to America. It wont be at the Caras Park overlook, or at Rose Memorial Garden Park, or the Iraq-Afghanistan Memorial on the University of Montana campus, where so many poignant moments have been shared in years past. Things are really, really different, and we need to let people know that, Reneau said. An alternative arose in midweek. Bruce Speer, a veteran and pastor at Crosspoint Church on Mullan Road, opened his churchs doors to the annual veterans sunrise service at 6 a.m. Monday. Its the only Memorial Day service that were going to have, which really breaks our hearts, but were not allowed to have gatherings, Reneau said. Faced with the same COVID-19 problem in the Bitterroot and what they cited as a toxic political climate, the Corvallis American Legion Post #91 and Auxiliary Unit #91 said Friday theyll host only a limited parade down Main Street in Corvallis. The Memorial Day parade is a century-old tradition that started long before Corvallis streets were paved. This time itll be limited to an honor guard marching down the street at 10 a.m. For 100 years the Bitterroot Valley has enjoyed this rich tradition of honoring those active duty personnel and veterans who have died, the Corvallis American Legion said in a press release. We honor all of the United States of Americas war dead those who died that freedom may live. At Fort Missoula, the Rocky Mountain Museum of Military History canceled its usual Memorial Day weekend program but will still show a flag. And once again itll present certificates of appreciation for military veterans and their families upon request. Out on Mullan Road west of Missoula, Reneau said itll be a simple sunrise ceremony, opening with a prayer and focusing again on suicide issues among veterans. The topic was introduced a few years ago by Sam Redfern, an Iraq combat veteran from Missoula with the United Veterans Council and United States of Hope. Reneau said at that early hour she doesnt expect a crowd, at least one surpassing current state and county health restrictions. Speer will address the assemblage, as will Dr. Al Olszewski of Kalispell and others who have something to say. Olszewski has spoken at these events in the past, Reneau said, but this year hes running for governor on the Republican ticket. Hes not coming as a candidate, she assured. Hes coming to pay tribute to veterans. At first Reneau bemoaned the absence of the usual color and honor guard. The VFW honor guard, for which shes a dispatcher, hasnt had a cemetery gig since March when the first coronavirus case was detected and Gov. Steve Bullock shut down non-essential actions. But as last week went on, things changed. On Thursday word came that the VFW Honor Guard Post 209 had agreed to supply a three-rifle volley, otherwise known as a 21-gun salute, at the sunrise service. For an hour or so after the hourlong ceremony, Reneau and a small contingent of veterans will visit Missoulas cemeteries to place 40 red, white and blue memorial wreaths. Theyll start at Sunset Memorial, across Mullan Road from Crosspoint Church. Fully half of the wreaths will go to Rose Park on Brooks Street. Stops will include the Missoula Cemetery, St. Mary Catholic Cemetery and the St. Mary Annex, the Western Montana State Veterans Cemetery near Big Sky High, the Fort Missoula Military Cemetery, the World War I Doughboy Statue at the Missoula County Courthouse, and the war memorial on the University of Montana campus. No time is set or order of the wreath placement, as the lead vehicle will go slowly to each location with anyone wishing to follow, Reneau announced. At each location the American flag will be held by a veteran, wreaths will be placed and taps will be played. The wreaths were made by life members of the American Legion and VFW auxiliary members from western Montana. Red, white and blue flowers come from historic Bensons Farm on Seventh Street. Formal commemorations in Missoula of Memorial Day, once known as Decoration Day, date back to at least 1890, when the Missoula Gazette urged townfolk to conduct "a proper observance" of those who lost their lives in the Civil War. A fine parade down Higgins Avenue was organized. It included the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows and the Masons. The Missoula fire department was in a procession headed by the Grand Army of the Republic, the Fort Missoula band, and the Missoula company of the National Guard. Business houses, most made up of men from organizations marching in the parade, were closed for the afternoon, as were the banks. A thousand people attended horse races at the Trotting Park west of town. There've been few if any Memorial Day commemorations since that didnt draw large crowds of Missoulians. Thatll change in 2020. This has been a struggle, Reneau said. I did not make the decision to not have the usual stuff. I talked to a lot of veterans and this is what we decided to do. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Dhaka, May 23 : Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has lashed out at the countries that were pressuring Dhaka to accept more Rohingya refugees, it was reported. Speaking on Friday about a recent meeting with Ambassadors of the European Union (EU) countries, the Minister said if the European and American governments were so worried about the wellbeing of these refugees, they were welcome to accept them, reports bdnews24. "I told them the average annual wage of our people is $2,000, whereas for you it is $56,000. And in our country 1,200 people live in every square kilometre, while in yours it is 15. Why don't you relocate these refugees to your countries?" he queried. Bangladesh shelters nearly 1.1 million Rohingya in camps at Cox's Bazar since their mass exodus in August 2017 in the face of threat from the Myanmar Army. The Sheikh Hasina government reached an agreement with Myanmar government towards the end of 2017 for their repatriation. Dhaka has been critical of growing calls by countries that Bangladesh shelter more Rohingya rather than piling the pressure on Myanmar to repatriate them. Bangladesh has called on other countries to rescue the Rohingya in boats who are strarnded at sea. "The problems occur in the Andaman Sea and the Indian Ocean. And whenever any tricky situation emerges, everyone looks to Bangladesh, as if the rest should be in Bangladesh because we have sheltered 1.1 million of them. "No matter where in the world there is an issue with the Rohingya people, we have to solve it," bdnews24 quoted the Foreign Minister as further saying. "We said we cannot do it, we have no more space left. And the others also have a responsibility (towards the Rohingya). It is not our problem alone, it's a global issue." This month, 277 Rohingya people were rescued from the sea and the government sent them to the Bhashan Char remote island. The White House press secretary accidentally disclosed Donald Trumps personal bank details while touting a cheque penned by the president. Kayleigh McEnany unwittingly managed to broadcast Mr Trumps bank account and routing number key details which could be utilised to hack into someones bank account to commit fraud to viewers around the world. Ms McEnany brandished a $100,000 cheque as she declared the president would be giving away his quarterly pay cheque to the Department of Health and Human Services to support the efforts being undertaken to confront, contain and combat the coronavirus during a press conference on Friday. Mike Chapple, academic director of Notre Dames Master of Science in Business Analytics programme, told the New York Times this demonstrates why oversized cheques are wielded on television. The professor said: Theyre not only a nice prop onstage, but they also omit the sensitive account information that normally appears at the bottom. The rest of us should play it safe and keep our account numbers to ourselves. It comes after Mr Trump announced he is classifying all sites of worship including mosques, churches, and synagogues essential during the Covid-19 emergency. The world leader, who said he wants them to open right now, hit out at state leaders for allowing liquor stores and abortion centres to remain open during the coronavirus crisis while simultaneously shutting houses of worship. However, Ms McEnany swiftly clarified that it would be a matter for religious chiefs and state officials to decide whether to open up religious sites. London: Boris Johnson has been engulfed by a scandal that threatens to claim the scalp of his most-trusted political lieutenant and undermine public confidence in Britain's coronavirus lockdown. Dominic Cummings, a key architect of Brexit and Johnson's rise to power who now wields enormous influence as the Prime Minister's chief adviser, is under pressure to resign after he and his wife drove 400 kilometres from London to northern England in apparent breach of strict social-distancing rules. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson's senior aide Dominic Cummings outside his home in London. Credit:AP Durham's acting police chief described the decision as "most unwise" and "frustrating and concerning" given other members of the public had sacrificed so much to comply with the unprecedented national lockdown. But asked by reporters on Saturday whether the trip was a good look, Cummings replied: "I behaved reasonably and legally. Who cares about good looks. Its a question of doing the right thing. Its not about what you guys think." I no longer believe in God, declares Jon Steingard of Christian band Hawk Nelson Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Jon Steingard, the Canadian Christian rock band Hawk Nelsons lead vocalist, has declared on social media that I no longer believe in God, explaining it didnt happen overnight. This is not a post I ever thought that I would write, but now I feel like I really need to, Steingard wrote on Instagram. Ive agonized over whether to say this publicly, and if so, how to do it, but I now feel that its less important how I do it, and more important that I do it. He continued, After growing up in a Christian home, being a pastors kid, playing and singing in a Christian band, and having the word Christian in front of most of the things in my life I am now finding that I no longer believe in God. The musician added that it was hard for him to write that he no longer believes in God. I still find myself wanting to soften that statement by wording it differently or less specifically but it wouldnt be as true, he wrote. Steingard explained that the process of getting to that sentence has been several years in the making. He wrote, It didnt happen overnight or all of a sudden. Its been more like pulling on the thread of a sweater, and one day discovering that there was no more sweater left. Steingard said he had been terrified to be honest about this publicly for quite some time, because of all that I thought I would lose. He added that he is still scared, but Im writing about this now for a few reasons. Firstly, he wrote, I simply can no longer avoid it. Processing this quietly felt right when I simply had doubts, but once they solidified into a genuine point of view, it began to feel dishonest not to talk about it. He noted that in his conversations with his friends who also grew up in the church, many also share the same doubts. I am stunned by the number of people in visible positions within Christian circles that feel the same way as I do. Like me, they fear losing everything if theyre open about it. Church wasnt something he went to once a week growing up. It was his and his familys life, he said. As everyone around him believed in God, he did too. He recalled some uncomfortable church moments such as praying in public and emotional cries for the Holy Spirit at youth events. The list of things that didn't make sense to him kept growing throughout the years, he noted, including the commonly posed question: "If God is all loving, and all powerful, why is there evil in the world? Can he not do anything about it? Does he choose not to?" He also struggled with: "Why does he (God) say not to kill, but then instruct Israel to turn around and kill men women and children to take the promised land?" and "Why does Jesus have to die for our sins (more killing again)?" The artist came to the conclusion that the Bible can't be trusted because he felt in the end it is "human, flawed and imperfect." While he feels some loss in walking away from the faith, he also feels freedom. He admitted that he and his wife didn't enjoy going to church, reading the Bible, praying or worshipping. "It all felt like obligation." He realizes it was because they simply didn't believe. Steingard told his followers that he wants his statement to be the beginning of the conversation and not the end. I want to be transparent with you all and also open to having my heart changed in the future. I am not looking for a debate at all just a chance to share my story in the hopes some good can come from it. I love you all. He said he's still "open to the idea that God is there." A follower commented on the post, saying she had enjoyed the band for many years and I admire your honesty. She added: Sometimes the best way to heal wounds like these comes from taking a step back. I resonate with a lot of what you said about Christian culture, I am a believer and I know God is not far even now. I will continue to follow your journey. I will pray that God reveals himself in an undeniable way. Keep pressing on. On Hawk Nelsons Facebook page, band member Daniel Biro responded to Steingards post. Forever grateful for these brothers of mine. Weve been through some highs and lows together and we share a very special bond that cant be broken, Biro wrote. There are many seasons to a band, as Hawk Nelson has experienced. But one thing that isnt seasonal is our support for one another on or off the road touring. God has a unique path for each of us and its important that we stay honest with one another. Looking forward to seeing how each of us continues to G R O W . In 2015, talking about the song Live Like Youre Loved from Hawk Nelsons album Diamonds, Steingard told The Christian Post that it was inspired by growing up and learning the dos and donts of Christianity and how to be a good Christian. All those are good, but I missed the part of the dos and donts [that] are coming from a place of where this is what the Bible says is good for you, he added. But we get confused, because we learn this is how we please God and earn relationship with Him. I just had an epiphany ... all this running around and trying to do everything exactly right, these are not the things that bring us closer to God. Our relationship with God is already secured with what was done on the cross. What if we went into life with confidence of knowing we are already loved? So thats what this song is all about. Lyrics to Live Like Youre Loved include: So go ahead and live like youre loved, its OK to act like youve been set free / His love has made you more than enough so go ahead and be who he made you to be / And live like youre loved. The Texas Army National Guard has been helping the West Texas Food Bank distribute and pack pantry boxes for the past two weeks. Before the guardsmen arrived, staff were having a difficult time keeping up with the increased need, said WTFB marketing director Craig Stoker. The food bank has seen a drastic increase between how many people it was serving between April 2019 and April 2020. Last year, the nonprofit served 2,986 unduplicated clients; this year it served 6,165 unduplicated clients, Stoker said. May 23 : Superstar Shah Rukh Khan shared prayers and love for those who got affected by the devastation caused by the cyclone Amphan in West Bengal and Odisha. The actor urged people to stay strong in these testing times. Shah Rukh Khan took to his social media profile and wrote a heartfelt note. He shared, My prayers, thoughts & love to those affected by the devastation caused by cyclone Amphan in Bengal & Odisha. The news has left me feeling hollow. Each & every one of them is my own. Like my family. We must stay strong through these testing times until we can smile together again." My prayers, thoughts & love to those affected by the devastation caused by cyclone Amphan in Bengal & Odisha. The news has left me feeling hollow. Each & everyone of them is my own. Like my family. We must stay strong through these testing times until we can smile together again. Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) May 22, 2020 Meanwhile, scores of Bollywood actors such as Abhishek Bachchan, Arjun Kapoor, Ayushmann Khurrana, Shoojit Sircar, Dia Mirza, Nushrat Bharucha, Ananya Pandey, Bhumi Pednekar and more have been pouring their heart out and sending out their prayers for those affected by the cyclone through their social media handles. Kareena Kapoor Khan also shared a post featuring pictures of the aftermath of the cyclone that wreaked havoc in West Bengal and Odisha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be conducting an aerial survey of the areas affected by Cyclone Amphan on Friday. PM Modi announced Rs 1,000 crore relief package for West Bengal and Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured due to cyclone Amphan. Two weeks into the gradual easing of lockdown in Lagos State and controlled opening of businesses, the hustling and bustling of Lagos markets remain unchanged, as traders and consumers continue daily activities without regard to the contagious COVID-19. At the usually overcrowded markets, people kept brushing past one another and crowds gathered around different traders as they haggled for prices. Not only was there no social distancing, many buyers and sellers did not put on face masks or hands gloves. Monsurat Oladele, a shoe seller at Oluwole Market, Lagos Island, attributed the high population to the opening pattern of the markets. You know the markets will not open tomorrow, so, many people come the days the market open. It is impossible to control crowd in the market, even the governed knows this, even many educated people, once they enter the market, they drop coronavirus mentality at the bus stop and come and buy whatever they want to buy, Mrs Oladele said in the Yoruba language. She said those that believe that COVID-19 can be contracted in the markets will not bother coming to the markets and rather buy goods online or send vendors. To her, the market is an invincible region for COVID-19. Uche Solomon, a trader selling travelling bags at Balogun market, told PREMIUM TIMES that many of them are immune to the virus and that they cannot be sure the virus is even real. This is market, it is not possible for social distancing to be followed, see as people plenty for this market, how on earth will expect them to practise social distancing, Mr Solomon said. Regulation On Market Operation As part of the regulations of the state government on the gradual easing of the lockdown, markets in the states are directed to operate on alternate days. During the briefing of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos state governor on May 3, food markets are to open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, while other markets dealing with other items are to open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This directive is part of the measures to control the spread of COVID-19 in Lagos State. All open markets and stores will be allowed to operate on alternate days between the hours of 9am and 3pm. Market and stores seeking food items will open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while markets and stores along other items, excluding food, will open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Mr Sanwo-Olu said. He added that the use of face masks and physical distancing must be enforced in markets. Compliance to the states directive While the major non-food markets in Lagos including Computer Village, Balogun Market, Mandilas, and Oluwole Markets have complied with the directive of the government on the days they should trade, food markets have continued to operate on all days. When PREMIUM Times visited, Balogun and Oluwole markets on a Tuesday, most shops in the market were shut, except few shops taking the delivery of goods. Men and women loitered around the markets calling in passers-by. Sister, what do you want? Women clothes, Jeans, bags, slippers, hair weavons and attachment. Brother I have men wears, jeans, travelling bags, shoes, wristwatches, the shouted out to male passers-by. READ ALSO: When PREMIUM TIMES approached Ramon Yisa, one of the traders, he said goods can be sold covertly despite that the market is not opened. You might not get some of the things you want to buy because shops are not opening today. But tell me what you want to buy, I can take you to where you will get it, he said. Oyingbo, Mile 12 markets Food markets in Lagos operate differently from the pattern stipulated by the government. Buyers are sellers engage in business on a daily basis, despite the regulation of trading days. At Mile 12 market on Wednesday, the market was normal, full of life and activities. Miles away from the markets, buyers are seen carrying their goods on their heads, walking to the nearest bus stops. It is true, they told us not to come to the market on Mondays and Wednesdays, but you know we cannot sit at home, the disobedient ones among us will still come a garri seller at Mile 12 told PREMIUM TIMES. Advertisements The market was full of traders and buyers and everywhere looked like a normal market day, PREMIUM TIMES observed. Although, the main gate of the market was shut other gates were left open for trucks to offload food items. Despite the closure of the main gate, buyers and sellers gained entrance into the market through the opened gates, while many restricted their trading to outside the market. Food is essential, we have been coming to the markets all these while, we open every day, another trader said in denial of the governments directive. No physical distancing was observed in the market, although many people had their face masks on. There is nothing like coronavirus, or maybe there is no virus in the market, it cannot even come here, Ramat Alabi, a pepper seller boasted. She said if the virus was as real as they claimed, there would have been several reports of known people contracting it. At Oyingbo market, business continued as usual as traders display their goods at the roadside, causing traffic gridlock in the axis. I am busy, as you can see, this is a busy market, many people come here to buy on a daily basis and resell in other small markets, a vegetable seller snapped at PREMIUM TIMES reporter. The traders carried out their trading activities, against the directive of the government with no disturbance. State Governments reaction Gbenga Omotosho, the Lagos State Commissioner For Information and Strategy, told PREMIUM TIMES that markets in Lagos are well organised and have complied to the directive to a large extent, except for few disobedient traders. From what I have seen, they have complied, because these are very organised people. The Iyalojas and Babalojas (market leaders) were briefed before the governor made the pronouncement and they were in support. I have seen that they have been complying. The thing about Mile 12 is that it is an International market, people keep on coming in, so every time you will find activities in the market. At times, they may not be selling but they will be offloading, Mr Omotosho said. Dealing with human beings is very difficult, especially when it comes to things they are used to doing and suddenly tell them not to do them. By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 22, 2020 | 06:45 PM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY On Friday, McCracken County deputies were called to the scene of a collision, where one vehicle had allegedly left the scene. Deputies said they located the vehicle that had left the scene a short time later. The driver, 41-year-old Karen Johnston, reportedly had three active warrants for her arrest. A passenger in the vehicle, 30-year-old Damon Turner of Paducah, was allegedly the driver when they left the scene of the earlier collision. Deputies also said Turner was in possession of drug paraphernalia containing methamphetamine. Another passenger, 45-year-old Monte Clark of Grand Rivers, was reportedly found to be in possession of syringes containing suspected methamphetamine. All three were lodged in the McCracken County Jail. Turner is being charged with possession of methamphetamine, leaving the scene of an accident, and resisting arrest. Clark is being charged with possession of methamphetamine. Johnston was served with the three unrelated warrants. Three western Kentucky residents are facing numerous charges after a collision in McCracken County. Ten years ago, I spent 410 days alone in a cell more than 7,000 miles away from nearly everything I loved. I had no guarantee I would ever get out. At first, the order to shelter in place felt like a return to that shrinking world. I felt my nervous system returning to the hypervigilant state that was once my only protection from a loneliness so vast and empty it threatened to erase me. In isolation, your mind punishes itself. Though being held in an Iranian prison is a far cry from self-quarantining in my Oakland apartment, I knew I would have to find ways to counter my brains tendency toward spiraling, negative thoughts. I also knew that I was better positioned to do this than many others. I began pausing to gaze out the window, grateful that I had a window. I took breaks from my computer throughout the day to listen to music, read poetry, and take deep, nourishing breaths. I found myself not just walking to the sink to wash dishes, but dancing to the sink. I began to revel in how different this moment was. The whole planet was being forced together by this virus, being asked to slow down and make sacrifices in order to save the lives of the most vulnerable among us a radical shift for a culture normally focused on individual happiness and gain. Then stories began streaming in of tragic coronavirus-related deaths, drug and alcohol relapses, divorce, domestic violence, and more than one suicide. I noticed friends freezing up emotionally, some too depressed to ask for help, others walling themselves off or acting out in selfish ways. It began to dawn on me that though self-quarantine was nothing like solitary confinement for me, for millions of Americans this might be the closest they would ever come to directly experiencing the immense danger of isolation. An exhausted nurse alone in a hotel room, a grandfather touching fingers with his grandson through the glass window of a nursing home, an abused teenager afraid to come out of her room these experiences share a lot in common with the suffering endured by millions of people in prisons and jails across America. Since my imprisonment a decade ago, my work as a journalist, playwright and survivor has largely centered on exposing the extreme overuse of solitary confinement in U.S. prisons. Many of us have been taught that prisoners in solitary confinement are monsters undeserving of rehabilitation. The reality is quite different. The majority of the 80,000 to 100,000 people in the hole on any given day are the most vulnerable of our prison population: victims of crimes by guards or other prisoners, LGBTQ prisoners, people with untreated addictions or mental illnesses people whom wardens are at a loss to deal with because they shouldnt be there in the first place. Instead, prisoners are subjected to conditions that exacerbate their mental illnesses, and eventually released. Im interested in the potential in this moment to draw parallels between what were suffering right now as a country the increased suicides and interpersonal violence born out of hopelessness and isolation and what weve long been suffering as a consequence of our prisons. More than any other segment of society, its our young people whose lives will forever be altered by this pandemic. The understanding born out of this disruption and social isolation, as difficult as it is, will shape their future values, give them a window into whats most important in life, and radically change the paths they choose. My generations most defining moment was the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. For those in the anti-war movement, it planted a deep seed of outrage against our government for waging a racist war against Muslims in the name of the innocent lives that were lost. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was another moment from which there was no turning back, also exposing our governments racism and ineptitude. The current administration needs no help in being exposed as racist, cruel and inept, so perhaps this moment is more about exposing how we treat our most vulnerable, how we treat each other. Does locking a mentally ill or suicidal person in a box with no windows and separating them from their loved ones give them the tools they need to improve themselves? Does putting someone in a situation with no constructive way to fill endless time lead to their rehabilitation? Whats it like to be trapped in a cell with someone coming down with a fever right now? Does any of this make us safer and healthier as a society? Over the past two months, prisons and jails across the globe have dramatically reduced admission rates and released thousands upon thousands of people who are elderly, immunocompromised, and/or convicted of low-level crimes. This effort to decarcerate is both an act of compassion and in our collective self-interest. Prisons are incubators of infectious disease, which epidemiologists agree will inevitably leak out into the surrounding community. The pandemic has forced our carceral state to admit that the conditions theyve created on the inside are a public safety risk on the outside. But thats long been the case. Our prisons, far from being places of rehabilitation, have become incubators of mental illness and violence and have long posed a risk to public safety. In the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, that risk has finally been acknowledged. COVID-19 has both thrown us together and driven us apart. We drive by homeless encampments, and the possibility of getting out and helping becomes ever more remote. Daily, prisoners who test positive for the coronavirus are put in isolation for their own protection. In many ways we are more isolated and this isolation is not good for us. My imprisonment called me to a bigger story, and my hope is that this pandemic can do the same for all of us. A story in which the people we put walls around are still our collective responsibility, treated as part of our community a recognition that our survival is, and always will be, bound up in theirs. Sarah Shourd is a Bay Area writer. Cyclone Amphan: West Bengal requests Railways not to send Shramik special trains till May 26 since the district administration is involved in relief and rehabilitation work in the state. Cyclone Amphan: West Bengal has written to the Railway Ministry requesting it not to send special trains to the state till May 26. The state government said that since the district administration was involved in the relief and rehabilitation works in the wake of the cyclone Amphan, it wont be able to receive the special trains for the next few days. As you are aware, West Bengal has been severely impacted by Super Cyclone Amphan on May 20/May 21 causing extensive damage to the infrastructure. As district administration is involved with relief and rehabilitation works, it will not be possible to receive special trains for the next few days. Its requested that no train should be sent to the state till May 26, Rajiv Sinha, Chief Secretary of West Bengal stated in his letter to Chairman of Indian Railway Board. As also discussed with you, we are revising the proposal dated May 20 and will be sent to you soon, the letter read. At least 72 people have died in West Bengal due to the cyclone. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a Rs 1,000 crore financial assistance for West Bengal and Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown: Ivanka Trump praises Bihar girl cycling over 1,200 km home with injured father, Omar Abdullah says her poverty & desperation are being glorified Chief Secy of West Bengal writes to Chairman,Railway Board stating," as dist admn is involved with relief&rehabilitation works,it will not be possible to receive special trains for next few days. It's requested that no train should be sent to the state till May 26" #CycloneAmphan ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2020 According to the recent reports, the death toll due to Cyclone Amphan has reached 85 in West Bengal. Reports suggest that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit the South 24 Parganas district today to take stock of the situation. Total, 1.5 crore people have been affected due to cyclone Amphan and more than 10 lakh houses were destroyed in West Bengal. 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The presidents sweeping pronouncement Friday that states must treat all churches and other houses of worship as essential under coronavirus lockdown orders right now was met with a now familiar chorus of reaction from critics and legal commentators that he has no authority to issue such a directive. The president doesnt have that power, said Rachel Laser of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution forbids the federal government from strongarming the states. These are reckless exaggerations that are obviously aimed at pandering to his base. Some dismissed Trumps rhetoric as election-year bluster not tethered to reality. President Trumps statement on its face sounds more like political grandstanding than any actual enforcement of laws protecting religious freedom, said Anthony Romero of the American Civil Liberties Union. The states are accorded great deference and, in fact, the governors are the ones who are in the saddle on most of these judgment calls, notwithstanding the presidents thoughts and desires. As is often the case, Trump was long on bravado and short on explanation for how he planned to force his views on state leaders who declined to go along. Allow these very important, essential places of faith to open right now for this weekend. If they dont do it, I will override the governors, he insisted, before departing as reporters clamored for answers about the purported federal mandate. Even his Harvard Law-trained press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, struggled to explain about how the president would implement such an order, dismissing questions about the idea as hypothetical and lashing out at reporters for their supposed lack of faith. Story continues Despite the lack of detail, the presidents blunt rhetoric put a new spotlight on the federal governments most prominent effort to try to police state and local stay-at-home orders: a drive announced last month by Attorney General William Barr to pursue those regulations for potential violations of religious liberty, as well as other infringements on the rights of Americans. So far, Trumps promise to come to the rescue of beleaguered congregations has translated into only modest action. The Justice Department has yet to file a lawsuit on behalf of any church, organization or individual over the impact of state or local lockdown orders. Before Friday, its only court action was submitting what amounted to friend-of-the-court briefs in just two pandemic-related suits involving churches: one against a small Mississippi city and another against Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam. The claims the federal government has made in the litigation have also been modest. Justice Department lawyers did not advance any argument on par with Trumps broad assertion Friday that houses of worship are universally essential. Instead, DOJ attorneys have made the narrower argument that some churches are being subject to an unfair double-standard, especially when compared to businesses deemed essential and allowed to remain open, like liquor stores. A top federal prosecutor said Friday that tallying up the number of Justice Department court filings doesnt take account of how DOJ lawyers have prompted revision of some onerous local policies simply by reaching out to mayors and local officials. There may have been few lawsuits filed, but there have been a lot of back-channel, government-to-government calls made, Zachary Terwilliger, the U.S. Attorney based in Alexandria, Va., told POLITICO. Folks have decided to stand down once they realize were serious and this is not just rhetoric. Terwillinger welcomed Trumps statements Friday and said the idea that churches are essential has a compelling, common-sense logic to it. If were in a situation where weve got Wal-Mart open with social distancing, why not church? This is essential for some people. This is as essential as a liquor store, as essential as a tattoo parlor, the prosecutor and former senior Justice Department official said. Critics said Trumps comments may not have been tied to any federal action, but rather to encourage churchgoers and ministers to defy state officials, precipitating on-the-ground conflicts and bad publicity that governors would likely avoid by softening their virus-related activity bans. Trumps statements mislead people and embolden people to defy important public safety orders and put everyone at risk, Laser said. Trumps drive to re-open churches comes despite a growing body of evidence tying church services to serious outbreaks of coronavirus. Just Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control released a warning about Arkansas church meetings in March where more than a third of 92 attendees wound up infected. Another 26 members of the community wound up hit by the virus. Four people died. Similar church-focused outbreaks have been reported in Washington state, South Korea and France. Experts theorize that hand-holding, singing and the fellowship typical of church services create robust vectors to transmit the virus, particularly through airborne droplets. Laser said those episodes undercut the notion that going to church is just like going to the liquor store or Home Depot. If you start to think about the activity, its very different than going to purchase whiskey, she said. Liquor stores dont exist as community places of gathering where there are going to be exchanges of germsThe distinction is based in public safety. Several institutional and legal hurdles have limited the Justice Department effort. One is that Trump and other federal officials have declared states of emergency over the pandemic that remain in effect. The Justice Department itself has relied on the threat posed by the outbreak to justify a series of extraordinary measures taken by the Trump administration, like shutting down processing of many asylum claims. Even as they seek to second-guess aspects of state and local policies, DOJ lawyers have taken care not to dispute that there is a severe threat to public health. Romero said the Trump administrations efforts reek of hypocrisy and politics. On the one hand, they want to say churches should be open for prayer. On other hand, they allow lawful abortion clinics to be shut down. The hypocrisy in choosing what states rights they will challenge which ones to acquiesce to is completely rooted in their own partisan agenda, the ACLU executive director said. Another challenge for the feds is that many states and local governments traditionally have more legal latitude to issue orders and regulations that affect religion than the federal government does. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed by Congress in 1993 gave churches and individuals the right to sue over even widely applicable laws that interfere with religion. However, in 1997, the Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional to apply the new federal law to states or municipalities. Some states have passed their own RFRA laws, but they dont all go as far as the federal one. Yet another hurdle is that the Justice Department typically conducts some investigation before filing a suit. Lawyers for religious-rights advocacy groups, on the other hand, can and have taken accounts from pastors and rushed to court for a restraining order within a matter of days or hours. Organizations like the Alliance Defending Freedom, Liberty Counsel and the Thomas More Society, have embraced such cases with gusto, filing a slew of challenges across the country. Laser said most of the efforts to win temporary restraining orders against the lockdowns have fizzled, but at least two federal appeals courtsthe New Orleans-based 5th Circuit and the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuithave stepped in to allow churches to proceed with their services. Not all judges are convinced the legal challenges are even the business of federal courts or the Justice Department. The trial-court judge handling the Justice Department-backed suit a Virginia church brought against Northam said in an order Thursday that she believes the dispute belongs in state court, where the pastor can raise a First Amendment defense to the criminal citation he received. Although the existence of a pandemic might be considered extraordinary, it does not call for federal intervention in state proceedings, Obama appointee Arenda Allen wrote, tweaking conservatives by adopting states-rights principles trumpeted decades ago by opponents of the civil rights movement. If anything, the once-in-a-century nature of a pandemic strengthens the important state interests that counsel against federal intervention, she added. As Trump spoke out on the issue Fridayboth at an appearance in the briefing room and to veterans staging an annual Memorial Day motorcycle rally in Washingtonthe Justice Department did mount what appeared to be a flurry of activity. Terwilliger issued a press release saying the department is assessing its options for joining in the Virginia churchs appeal of Arendas refusal to issue a restraining order and preliminary injunction in that case. Also Friday, the U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles sent a letter to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti expressing concern about comments about possibly continuing lockdown orders there for months. And federal prosecutors in Illinois filed a new statement of interest in a state lawmakers suit against Gov. J.B. Pritzker over his stay-at-home orders. The latest actions didnt impress some legal observers. I think the Illinois filing today is pretty powerful evidence that this is all just for show. Not only is DOJ not initiating any cases itself, but its making a big deal out of showing up in some of these cases only to make technical arguments about state law, said University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck. Its about as weak a federal intervention in these cases as couldve been expected, and leaves one wondering if the point is just to make it look like the Trump administration is doing more than nothing. Romero said some of the departments actions could backfire against the government. He noted that the letter to Garcetti is extraordinarily vague, but he vowed to leverage its call for a return to normalcy in some of the ACLUs pending litigation on behalf of abortion providers. It doesnt say anything, but it could be quite useful against states who want to close down abortion services, the ACLU chief said. Terwilliger defended the department efforts, saying they were ramping up in part because measures that might have been justified as the outbreak surged in March are now less justifiable as the virus recedes in most areas. State and local officials need to adjust, he said. Theres a difference between now and March 23, he said. The strategies and regulations need to take into account that were in a different place now." As many as 97 people were killed and two passengers miraculously survived after a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-8303 from Lahore crashed near Jinnah International Airport on Friday afternoon. There were 99 people aboard when the incident happened. Among the two survivors, one was president of the Bank of Punjab, named Zafar Masud, and another was Muhammad Zubair. Zubair, who was sitting in the eighth row said, "All I could see around was smoke and fire," he added. "I could hear screams from all directions. Kids and adults. All I could see was fire. I couldn't see any people - just hear their screams. I opened my seat belt and saw some light, and went towards the light. I had to jump down about 10 feet to get to safety". Here are top-10 developments of PIA plane crash in Karachi: 1. According to the health ministry spokesperson of Pakistan, Meeran Yousuf, 60 bodies have been kept at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and 32 at Civil Hospital Karachi. 2. Seconds before the crash, the pilot told air traffic controllers he had lost power from both engines, according to a recording posted on liveatc.net, a respected aviation monitoring website. "We are returning back, sir, we have lost engines," a man was heard saying in a recording released by the website. The controller freed up both the airport's runways but moments later the man called, "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!". 3. According to Dawn, Airbus A320-200 was checked by the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) airworthiness directorate on Nov 6, 2019, and declared fit for flying till November 5, 2020. 4. The Pakistani government has set up a four-member investigative team to probe the reasons for plane crash. 5. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has separately appointed -Safety Investigation Board, which will conduct an inquiry into the crash. The Safety Investigation Board is an independent institution. 6.PIA Chief Executive Officer Arshad Malik told Dawn, "Accidents happen, but our pilots are trained for these kinds of events. These planes have checks and balances that we are required to fulfill". 7. The Minister for Aviation will visit Karachi on Saturday in order to have a detailed meeting with the CAA and the PIA Management. He will meet the families of the passengers and will also visit the crash site and meet the residents of the houses damaged by the aircraft crash. 8. The Aviation Minister directed that 5 family members of each passenger may be provided air tickets to reach Karachi and insurance compensation be paid to the next of kin on the most immediate basis. 9. PIA has emptied its airport hotels so that residents whose houses were affected in the crash can be accommodated. 10. In Pakistan's most recent deadly crash, a PIA plane in 2016 burst into flames after one of its two turboprop engines failed while flying, killing more than 40 people. The deadliest air disaster on Pakistani soil was in 2010 when an Airbus A321 operated by private airline Airblue and flying from Karachi crashed into the hills outside Islamabad, killing all 152 people on board. Also read: Pakistan Plane Crash: PIA plane carrying 100 people onboard crashes near Karachi Airport Also read: PM Modi conveys condolences after Pakistan flight crash in Karachi Tough times: The luxury retailer ditched a payout worth 120m Burberry became the latest blue-chip company to cancel its dividend in an attempt to absorb a 241million hit from the pandemic. The luxury retailer ditched a payout worth 120million, hammering investors who have now endured almost 31billion of lost dividends from listed firms since the outbreak. Almost half the firms in the FTSE 100 have cut or axed payouts, with Burberry becoming the 46th, according to analysts at AJ Bell. Burberry also became the latest retailer to spell out the devastating impact of Covid-19. It took a 241million one-off charge related to the virus, including 68million for the clothes mountain which will need to be sold at a discount. There was also a 157million writedown on its 465 global stores, half of which are closed. Its factory in Castleford, Yorkshire, is out of action, having been adapted from making trench coats to churning out surgical masks and gowns. In the year to the end of March, which barely takes account of the European lockdown, revenues fell 3 per cent to 2.6billion, contributing to a 62 per cent slump in profits to 169million. It shut most stores in mainland China in February, and was affected by protests in Hong Kong. It reported a like-for-like drop in sales of 27 per cent in the first three months of the year worth about 170million following growth of 4 per cent in the last nine months of 2019. Yesterday it confirmed it had borrowed 300million via the UK Government's business support scheme. Finance chief Julie Brown said: 'The virus has clearly changed the world and the way people conduct their lives. ' Trading post-lockdown was looking promising as sales in China and Korea in the last seven weeks outperformed the same period in 2019. Its UK shops are expected to open from June 1. Dominic Cummings - Dominic Cummings: The former Vote Leave svengali who has become so powerful that he is nigh on untouchable - PA On paper, he carries the lowly title of assistant to the Prime Minister but in becoming Boris Johnsons most trusted aide, Dominic Cummings has become so powerful as to seem nigh on untouchable. Of making mistakes, Mr Johnson once commented: Nothing excites compassion, in friend and foe alike, as much as the sight of you ker-splonked on the Tarmac with your propeller buried six feet under." Yet in Cummings case, it appears he is determined to make an exception - for the time being, at least. The alacrity with which No 10 and the Cabinet have thrown their support behind the former Vote Leave svengali - insisting, in fact, that he had done the right thing, according to the fine print of the rules - keenly demonstrates the importance to Johnson's Government of the man David Cameron once described as a career psychopath. Insisting that a Covid-ridden Mr Cummings behaved reasonably and legally in travelling from London to Durham with his wife and son to stay in a building that is part of the family farm, Downing Street denied reports that he was spoken to by the police about the matter, claiming it was essential that they travelled to his family home to ensure his child could be properly cared for in case the condition of both parents deteriorated. Mr Johnson hired Mr Cummings after becoming Prime Minister last July because he was the man who promised to get Brexit done and help Johnson deliver a revolutionary legacy. He was so impressed by the Durham-born Oxford graduates insatiable desire to shake things up, his ability to push through projects and direct change, he even signed a contract giving him special powers. Not only was Mr Cummings to have authority over all other 'SpAds' (special advisors), he was also given jurisdiction over government projects such as ARPA - the Tories pledge to recreate Americas Advanced Research Projects Agency in Britain and other projects, including reform of the civil service. Story continues In the post-Covid era, Mr Cummings remains Mr Johnsons eyes and ears, attending all the key committees involved in the Governments response to the global pandemic. So it was hardly surprising when it emerged that Mr Cummings had been digitally attending some meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) - much to the chagrin of his many critics. Those who dislike him claim that the man who promises to get things done hasn't exactly had a stellar run overseeing the Government's Covid strategy. As one sernior Tory put it on Saturday: "The Cummings operation is good for campaigning but not for governing. It feels like this Government is really struggling." Another was even less charitable: He promised the PM he would take control of the civil service but look at how thats worked out? He hasnt got the PPE (personal protective equipment) done, he hasnt got the test, track and tracing done, but what he has done is dragged down the PMs reputation with him. Harsh words which may not necessarily be echoed within the corridors of power, when Mr Cummings assumes a near God-like status among his Vote Leave comrades and other supporters. His allies argue that he inherited a dysfunctional and broken government machine that was prepared to fight the last war and was operationally unable to rise to the current challenge. They claim that he is working flat out to rectify this, and that his illness slowed down progress. Described as incredibly driven, motivated and incredibly bright, Mr Cummings clarity of thought and willingness to challenge decisions has certainly endeared him to the PM along with his Robespierre-like determination to change things that dont work. Yet when the Governments problem-solver in chief starts making problems for the PM, whats the solution? One former Downing Street aide on Friday night pointed out that no one is unsackable. The PM has never been under any illusions about Dom. There will always come a point - it may not be now - but there will come a point when the PM will turn around and say: Youre doing me more harm than good, the aide added. Boris can be ruthless when he wants to be. He isnt blind loyal to anyone. At the end of the day, no one is bigger than the Prime Minister. For now, though, Johnson, no stranger to getting into scrapes himself, is standing squarely behind the second most-important figure in his Government. Sri Lanka lobbies for FDIs in apparel View(s): Sri Lanka continues to lobby for Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) mainly from the apparel and manufacturing sectors and agriculture-based companies. Board of Investment (BOI) Director General Sanjaya Mohottala told the Business Times on Tuesday that they were currently having several ongoing discussions with prospective investors in the apparel and manufacturing sectors. Sri Lankas apparel industry has been particularly working on obtaining some of the global giants in textile manufacturing to set up business in the country at the future dedicated Eravur textile manufacturing park. Most supply chains faced issues following the US sanctions on China and now with coronavirus that restricted supply of goods from there. Moreover, investors have also expressed willingness to expand their businesses in line with the existing demand for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), he said. He pointed out that Sri Lanka had been performing well during the first quarter of this year. Sri Lanka last year was able to generate FDI amounting to US$1,188.74 million. In the agriculture sector they were discussing on how to obtain value addition for products grown in Sri Lanka, he said. COVID-19 is creating a situation to capitalise on the supply chains and in this respect he noted they needed to build the right foundation but the strategic thrust continues to be the same. What we should do is be able to look at the opportunities. Mr. Mohottala also noted that at the BOI they were looking at several ways to promote the country and they were currently trying to capitalise on the geopolitical situation as well. In this respect, they were looking at ways and means of attracting some of the regional and global supply chains; engage those in line with the future type of economy that will be a knowledge-based economy; and helping existing companies to expand, he said. (SD) China Defence Spending to Hit Three-Decade Low Amid COVID-19 Pandemic-Driven Uncertainty Sputnik News 08:58 GMT 22.05.2020 On Friday, at the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislative body, a government work report from Premier Li Keqiang revealed that Beijing will not set a numerical target for its gross domestic product for 2020, for the first time in years, due to cited uncertainties about the economy and trade amid the COVID-19 pandemic. China's defence spending this year is set to rise at its slowest rate in three decades as lingering uncertainty overshadows economic and trade prospects amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, reports Reuters. Although set at 1.268 trillion yuan ($178.16 billion) in the national budget released on Friday and showing an increase of 6.6 percent from 2019, the figure is seen to reflect the country's acknowledgement of heightened security threats and an array of unpredictable factors weighing in on future development. With the start of 2020 highlighted by the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, that was first registered in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, the economy of the country shrank by 6.8 percent in the first quarter of 2020 as compared with the previous year. Military medics arrive at Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 13, 2020. Ordered by the Central Military Commission, 11 transport aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force Thursday sent medics and supplies provided by the armed forces to virus-hit Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province. At the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), which opened its third session on 22 May and was attended by President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders, Premier Li Keqiang delivered a government work report revealing that the country had omitted a 2020 economic growth target for the first time. Explaining the decision as chiefly motivated by uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic, Li said: "This is because our country will face some factors that are difficult to predict in its development due to the great uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the world economic and trade environment," he said. A central government budget deficit target of 3.6 percent of GDP was set for this year, up from 2.8 percent in 2019, allowing for measures to tackle the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, with authorities at all levels urged to cut budget expenditure over the crisis. News conference at the State Council Information Office following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Beijing While pledging government support for the economy in stressful times, Li pledged that the armed forces, the world's largest in terms of sheer numbers, would continue to receive the support needed to ward off security threats. "We will deepen reforms in national defence and the military, increase our logistic and equipment support capacity, and promote the innovative development of defence-related science and technology We will improve the system of national defence mobilisation and ensure that the unity between the military and the government and between the military and the people remains rock solid," said the Chinese premier. China's publicly-revealed military expenditure figures are widely perceived by the diplomats and foreign experts of some countries as under-reported. Bates Gill, Professor of Asia-Pacific Security Studies at Macquarie University in Australia, was quoted by Reuters as saying the current figures for China's defence budget remain impressive, while reflecting the country's need to balance spending to adequately address other economic priorities. "That said, 6.6% growth is not insignificant and is perhaps multiples higher than expected GDP growth for the coming year," he said. China's military, in the opinion of the expert, faces certain challenges regarding the recruitment and training of soldiers, whose level of education and technological knowhow allow them to operate in more high-tech conditions. Some experts are cited as suggesting boosted defence spending could give the Chinese economy the jolt it greatly needs amidst slumping manufacturing and domestic consumption. In a recent internal report, the Ministry of State Security was cited as having warned that China faced heightened hostility in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Beijing has been facing international criticism over its alleged failings in handling the coronavirus outbreak, with US President Donald Trump spearheading the accusations, which were echoed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. On 21 May Donald Trump tweeted that China's campaign of "disinformation" had aided in spreading the virus around the world. Beijing has been consistently rejecting all allegations, in turn accusing Washington of resorting to scapegoating practices amid the coronavirus pandemic. "China urges the United States to really focus on the international efforts in coping with and combating the pandemic, avoiding politicisation of the pandemic issue, and to stop blaming and scapegoating practices," said China's Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun on 19 May at a Security Council meeting. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A 26-year-old man, who returned to Manipur from Chennai recently by a special train, tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 25, an official said on Saturday. The man from Imphal West district had been under quarantine since his return, and he was admitted at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences here, they said. He is among 1,140 people who returned to the state by a Shramik Special train on May 13. "Samples of others in the quarantine centre, where the man was staying, were tested and they were found negative," the officials said. Of the 25 active cases, 16 are Chennai returnees, they added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Burma Myanmar to Perform COVID-19 Tests on All Migrant Returnees from Thailand A health team from Myanmar checks the temperatures of migrant returnees at the Second Mae Sot-Myawaddy Friendship Bridge on March 23. / Bo Bo Wai Maung / Facebook Yangon Myanmars government is planning to conduct COVID-19 tests on all migrant returnees from Thailand at the Myawaddy-Mae Sot border in Karen State to curb the spread of imported cases, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports. As of Thursday, Myanmar has reported 199 COVID-19 cases which include 41 imported cases, according to the ministry. Since May 11, the government says it has tested all nationals returning home with repatriation flights after coronavirus was found among those deported from Malaysia. Nearly 40,000 migrant workers in Thailand have registered with the labor attache at Myanmars Embassy in Bangkok to return home after being stranded for more than a month, according to the Thai-based Migrant Worker Rights Network. On May 18, Thailand said it would allow migrants to return to Myanmar. It was agreed bilaterally that 210 passengers could return home by bus each night under special travel arrangements. From May 22, 10 buses carrying 21 passengers each and guarded by the Thai police are due to leave for Mae Sot from Bangkok. Migrants based outside Bangkok are allowed to head to three border gates, Mae Sot, Ranong-Kawthaung in Tanintharyi Region and Mai Sai-Tachileik in Shan State, after asking for travel permission from the Thai authorities. Dr. Than Naing Soe, a health ministry spokesman, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that the authorities will conduct COVID-19 tests on all returnees using the Myawaddy border, where the majority of returnees are returning. He could not confirm when the tests will be started as preparations are still underway. We will make an official announcement [for the tests], he said. Myanmars Health and Sports Minister Dr. Myint Htwe told Parliament on Friday that he has ordered tests for all returnees since May 16. The health ministry spokesman said he did not know about testing plans at the other two border gates. We have prioritized migrant returnees for COVID-19 tests as imported cases have increased while transmission in Myanmar has fallen, said Dr. Than Naing Soe. He told The Irrawaddy on Friday that all migrant returnees from Thailand would be held for about two days at Myawaddys quarantine centers for COVID-19 tests. Those testing positive would receive hospital treatment and anyone testing negative would be sent to quarantine centers in their states and regions for 21 days. U Saw Bo Bo Wai Maung, the Karen State minister for social affairs, told The Irrawaddy that the state had already arranged enough accommodation for returning migrants. They have been discussing the details about quarantine places and testing for returnees, he said. U Khin Maung Tint, a Shan State parliamentarian for Tachileik Township, which hosts a border gate, said returnees who have a fever and other coronavirus symptoms will be tested. Quarantine centers for up to 1,000 returnees and about 15 hospital rooms had been prepared for COVID-19 patients. From March 21 to 30, around 40,000 migrants in Thailand returned through Myawaddy and Tachileik Since April 30, Myanmar has brought home more than 2,000 stranded nationals in more than 10 countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, UK and US. From May 16 to 20, Myanmar reported 18 cases of COVID-19 in those returning from Malaysia and the UAE. Myanmars government said it had conducted 17,152 COVID-19 tests by Friday morning with six deaths and 108 recoveries. A date must be set for the resumption of emergency services at Daisy Hill Hospital, a former health minister has said. The Newry hospital site's emergency department was relocated to Craigavon Area Hospital as part of a region-wide restructuring of health services to deal with the Covid-19 crisis. Despite assurances made by the Southern Trust yesterday that it will be reopening access to emergency medicine at Daisy Hill when "it is safe to do so", Jim Wells said he feared its relocation to Craigavon hospital is permanent. "The chief executive [of the Southern Trust] should set a target date for the return of Accident and Emergency to Daisy Hill," he said. "This should be based on the date when the coronavirus ward closes in Craigavon Area Hospital. "The Accident and Emergency should reopen in Newry within two weeks of that happening." Mr Wells said that while he welcomed the trust's statement that emergency services would return to Daisy Hill, he said the local community deserves more "certainty" from both the trust and the Department of Health. "The department has made no secret of the fact that it wants to consolidate services into the big hospitals," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "We're coming out of the Covid hospital crisis. I think there are around 30 patients left in hospital as the result of Covid, which is great news and the hospitals have worked hard to get on top of it." The South Down MLA added: "The battle's now in the care homes rather in the hospitals. Therefore we should start to see services move back." Stressing that with efforts now under way for the gradual return of services for non-Covid patients, there was nothing preventing either the trust or department from revealing a timeline. "Therefore, that being the case, you [would expect an] announcement by now saying it could be back in Newry by September, or at some other point," he explained. "They moved [the emergency services] in three days, so it shouldn't take them long moving it back. "I do worry if this drags on, the cover of the crisis will be used to announce that there isn't going to be a return of services." However, Shane Devlin, the Southern Trust's chief executive, insisted that emergency services will return to Daisy Hill, but it will be a "complex and challenging process". "We will be reopening access to emergency medicine in Daisy Hill Hospital, but the issue is timing," he said. We need to be assured that it is safe to do so. Covid-19 is still a significant and serious issue for health and social care ... As part of a regional approach we are urgently reviewing our services to see how we can rebuild safe care given the fundamental change in how society is currently affected." Mr Devlin added: "We are developing plans to rebuild services but Covid-19 remains a threat and this limits what we can do in our hospitals. "We recognise that the Newry and Mourne community are anxious for the return of their urgent and emergency care services and we are working on how this can be safely provided, both for patients and staff. "This will be a complex and challenging process." The Department of Health had not responded to a request for comment at the time of going to press. Former NRL Manly Sea Eagles star Anthony Watmough and his wife Elle have just sold their stunning Northern Beaches cottage for a tidy profit. The couple purchased the Sydney property just under a year ago for $1.84million and have spent a year transforming the home with a $300,000 renovation before selling for an estimated $2.5million, The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday. The renovation, which included a rear extension and adding a deck, transformed the modest 1950's home and helped the couple walk away with a good $300,000 plus nest egg. Sold! NRL star Anthony Watmough has sold his stunning Sydney beach cottage (pictured) for approximately $2.5million Within an easy walking distance to North Curl Curl beach, the home boasts five bedrooms and two baths, with high ceiling and open plan living. The luxurious lounge features a modern all-white interior, made cosy with the homes original fireplace with leads to the kitchen offering open inclusive-family living. A chef's delight, the newly-renovated kitchen boast Smeg oven and gas cooktop, plenty of storage with a butlers pantry and cute details such as a farmhouse-style sink and tapware. They did well! Anthony and Elle (both pictured) bought the home last August for $1.84million before selling it for around $2.5million earlier this month A french provincial style island with butcher's block top leaves plenty of space for food preparation. Large french windows are position throughout the communal areas allowing for natural light and air-flow. The living areas seamlessly transition to a sun-washed alfresco entertaining deck which offers lavish views of the child-friendly lawn, sandpit and veggie patch. So stylish: The luxurious lounge features a modern all-white interior, made cosy with the homes original fireplace with leads to the kitchen offering open inclusive-family living All of the bedrooms feature crisp white interiors while the master comes with a built-in closet, chic en-suite and french doors which open onto the deck. The stylish main bathroom possesses a statement Moroccan tile floor, bath, and double farmyard style vanity. The excess of bedrooms allows for one to be turned into an office or child's playroom. Chefs delight! the newly-renovated kitchen boast Smeg oven and gas cooktop, plenty of storage with a butlers pantry and cute details such as a farmhouse-style sink and tapware while a statement french provincial island provides plenty of space for food preparation Tulio Sila of Upstate Real Estate told the Daily Telegraph the couple is moving to a nearby home in Fairlight. 'It's not a house that needs renovating but Elle will probably put her stamp on it anyway,' he said. 'They weren't looking for another property to flip, this one is more a long-term family home for them.' Anthony and Elle tied the knot in 2013 and share daughter Jagger, four. The retired sportsman also shares daughter Claudia and son Jake with ex-girlfriend Lauren Newcombe. A royal commission is investigating at least a dozen legal figures who worked as police informers or could have passed confidential information to Victoria Police, including a report two judges might have crossed a line in a bid to catch notorious paedophile Mr Cruel. The top-secret list includes several sources who were recruited or continued to operate even after police were grappling with the catastrophic fallout from using barrister Nicola Gobbo as a human source. Among them is a well-known underworld lawyer who cannot be named for legal reasons whose attempted recruitment in 2014 was known by one of the highest-ranking police officers in the state. Royal commission investigators have also been examining police interactions with other professionals with access to confidential information, potentially including parliamentarians, journalists, priests and medical specialists. Ferreting out the existence of other possible Nicola Gobbos has been one of the most secretive activities of the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants. No public hearing has ever been conducted on the subject because of its sensitivity. Infections spreading among health-care workers. Nursing home staff fleeing outbreaks. Public health officials stationed at the airport to screen arriving visitors. Quebec, which borders New York and three other states, is the Canadian province hit hardest by the coronavirus. Home to roughly 22% of the country's population, it has suffered more than 60% of its deaths. It's also the province now moving most aggressively to reopen. Epidemiologists are unsure cases in the French-speaking province have peaked. But retail businesses outside Montreal opened this month. So did elementary schools - a step that provinces with zero cases have not attempted. Construction and manufacturing resumed. Some businesses in Montreal reopen next week. Dentists resume work next month. The approach - Quebec's top doctor described it as a "weighted risk" - is being closely watched. Critics have called for more data before pushing ahead. "My big concern is that we are starting a bit early," said Benoit Masse, a professor of public health at the University of Montreal. "I think we should wait a bit." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who represents a constituency in Montreal, said he was "worried" for Quebecers. "I understand how much people do want to go outside," he said this month. "But we need to do it in ways that we are sure are going to keep people safe." Quebec confirmed its first case in February, a month after Ontario and British Columbia. But it was the first to declare a public health emergency, and mobility data from Google showed residents were largely complying with orders to stay home and maintain social distance. Nonetheless, the province has reported roughly 46,000 of the country's 84,000 cases, and 3,900 of its 6,400 deaths. Analysts offer several explanations for the outbreak's severity. Quebec's public school students took spring break during the first week of March, earlier than other provinces. Families decamped for Europe, Mexico and the United States, where the virus was on the march. At the time, public health officials in Canada said the threat posed by the virus was "low." By the time federal officials advised against nonessential travel and sealed Canada's borders, most Quebecers had already returned to work or school. "If you're the virus, you cannot have chosen a better time to allow people to travel," Masse said. In mid-March, officials in Montreal were so concerned by what they said was inadequate screening by border agents that they deployed their own public health workers to airports to screen travelers. The coronavirus quickly gained a foothold in the province's ill-prepared and long-neglected long-term care homes. Caregivers, often lacking protective gear, worked at multiple facilities, increasing the opportunity for spread. At one point, Quebec Premier Francois Legault said the health-care system was missing some 11,000 workers who were stricken with the virus or afraid to work. Hospital staff have filled in, and the federal government agreed to send more than 1,000 military troops to overwhelmed care homes. Some of them are now sick, too. The results have been calamitous. At the Residence Herron in Dorval, 31 residents were found dead after some staff abandoned the facility. Some survivors had not been fed or changed in days. At the Sainte-Dorothee in Laval, at least 87 residents have died. Legault said he took "full responsibility" for the nursing home crisis, which is responsible for roughly 70 percent of Quebec's covid-19 deaths. Deaths in long-term care homes account for 81 percent of Canada's deaths from the coronavirus, with the vast majority occurring in Quebec and neighboring Ontario. He acknowledged facilities were "poorly equipped" for a pandemic. There are also hot spots outside long-term care homes, though analysts said they might be related. In Montreal-Nord, the borough with the most coronavirus cases in the city, infected health-care workers make up 25% of cases. The median income of the densely populated borough is roughly $16,800, according to the 2016 census. Some workers live in crowded quarters with multiple generations of a family, making isolation difficult and potentially hastening the virus's spread through the community. "It's not like you can say, 'Most of the cases are happening in long-term care homes or in hospitals, so we don't need to worry about what's happening in the community,' " said Ashleigh Tuite, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto. "People move back and forth and interact." Montreal, with a metropolitan population of 4 million some 40 miles from the U.S. border, is the epicenter of Canada's outbreak, with more than one-quarter of the country's cases. Matthew Oughton, an infectious diseases specialist at the city's Jewish General Hospital, said the virus's "unfortunate predilection for the vulnerable people in our social fabric" has played a role. The city has some of Canada's poorest neighborhoods. Legault said conditions there remain "worrisome." When Quebec announced its reopening plan in April, Horacio Arruda, the province's top doctor, said new cases were inevitable but the goal was to keep the number manageable. He said he hoped "not too many people will die," and that he would change course if necessary. "We know that it's a risk. We cannot eliminate the virus," he said. "It is circulating. The question is, how do we do it? How do we balance things out?" The province has altered its pandemic response before. Initially, Legault pushed the concept of "herd immunity" as he discussed plans to reopen schools, before backtracking. He twice delayed the reopening of schools in Montreal before canceling the rest of the school year last week. The decision came after the province's public health institute released projections indicating deaths could skyrocket to 150 per day in the greater Montreal area by July if all restrictions were lifted. "It's hard to keep the entire province shut because of the hot spot in Montreal," Tuite said. "The challenge is that Montreal is highly connected to the rest of the province, and so there's a bit of a balancing act there." In recent days, new cases and hospitalizations in Quebec have plateaued, but analysts say it's too soon to tell whether they've peaked. Critics say more testing and contact tracing is needed before reopening the economy. The province has not been able to administer the 14,000 tests per day that officials promised, and some are concerned that areas that haven't experienced outbreaks don't have the resources to identify and deal with them. "I wish the government would err on the side of caution," said Kate Zinszer, an epidemiologist at the University of Montreal. "My big worry is our capacity to respond as things degenerate." Mona Nemer, Canada's chief science adviser, told Radio-Canada this month that she had asked Quebec "several times" for its plan for widespread testing, but had not seen one. Arruda said he was not accountable to "this lady," but to his bosses and the people of Quebec. He then criticized the "gerants d'estrades" - a phrase that translates loosely as "back-seat drivers." Masse noted the tension between Ottawa and Quebec. "When the federal government comes in and tells us what we should do, it doesn't go too well," he said. "But at some point, we had to call the army to help us, so you cannot have it both ways." He added: "I had the same question [as Nemer]." White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany speaks to the press in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on May 22, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) McEnany Poses Questions to Press Over Michael Flynn, Obama Administration White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Friday posed a series of questions to the reporters in the room over the case of former Trump administration national security adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and the involvement of various entities under the Obama administration. McEnanys questions were triggered by reporter Chanel Rion from One America News (OAN), who asked whether President Donald Trump has considered pardoning former President Barack Obama over allegedly illegally wiretapping on Trump Towers, illegally spying on U.S. citizens and other potential crimes out there. McEnancy told Rion, I have not spoken to the president about that I havent spoken to [Trump] on that specific point, [but] have spoken to him about the matter generally. But who I did speak to about President Obama and unmasking Michael Flynn were the men and women in this room, McEnany said, turning to the wider group of reporters. And I laid out a series of questions that any good journalist would want to answer about why people were unmasked, and I just wanted to follow up with you guys on that. Did anyone take it upon themselves to pose any questions about Michael Flynn and unmasking to President Obamas spokesperson? Oh, not a single journalist has posed that question, McEnany noted, following a brief silence. So I would like to lay out a series of questions that perhaps if I write them out in a slide formatmaybe were visual learners and you guys will follow up with journalistic curiosity, she continued, and launched into a series of five questions, which were accompanied by pre-prepared slides. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany speaks to the press in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, on May 22, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) The slides showed these five questions: Why did the Obama administration use opposition research, funded by a political organization and filled with foreign dirt, to surveil on members of the Trump campaign? Why was Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn unmasked by Obamas chief of staff, Joe Biden, Susan Rice, and others? Why was Flynns identity leakeda criminal actto the press? Why did the DOJ learn about the FBIs interest in Flynns conversations with the Russian ambassador from a conversation with Obama in the Oval Office? Why did James Clapper, John Brennan, Samantha Power, and Susan Rice privately admit under oath that they had no evidence of collusion while saying the opposite publicly? White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany speaks to the press in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on May 22, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Its a long weekend, you guys have three days to follow up on those questions and I certainly hope the next time I ask, some hands go up. Because Obamas spokesperson should be asked those questions, because President Trumps spokespeople certainly would be, McEnany told reporters before leaving the room. Michael Flynns conversations with then-Russian ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak in late December 2016 were subject to unmasking requests and were illegally leaked to the media. The leak is believed to have eventually triggered the controversy that led to Flynns dismissal as Trumps former national security adviser. Flynn pleaded guilty on Dec. 1, 2017 to one count of lying to the FBI, but in January 2020, Flynn sought to withdraw his guilty plea, with his lawyers arguing that he had been entrapped by the FBI in the interview. The Department of Justice filed a motion to dismiss the case against Flynn on May 7, saying that the FBI had an insufficient basis to question Flynn and that his statements were not material to the FBIs broader counterintelligence investigation into allegations of ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, code named Crossfire Hurricanealso known informally as the Russia investigation. Robert Mueller, who took over the investigation in May 2017 after 22 months did not ultimately find sufficient evidence to establish any collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election. Shortly prior to posing her questions, McEnany was asked multiple questions over President Donald Trumps comments earlier in the day about how places of faith should reopen this weekend. The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important, essential places of faith to open right now. For this weekend. If they do not do it, I will override the governors. In America we need more prayer, not less, Trump had said earlier in the day. When asked at the briefing what authority Trump might have to supersede governors, McEnany said she wouldnt answer a theoretical question. The president will strongly encourage every governor to allow their churches to reopen, she said, later adding that it is safe to reopen churches and other places of faith if it is done in accordance with federal guidelines, referring to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on the issue that had not been made public prior to the press briefing. Yves here. Because we are a tiny website, we concentrate our limited resources on topics where we have or can develop an information advantage. The perverse prosecution of Craig Murray, where the real offense seems to be that Murray is a vocal friend of Julian Assange might normally seem to best covered in Links. However, this case shows how little the officialdom in the UK cares about respecting due process when they want to get their man, even when their man has some stature. Since political keelhauling techniques, like whipping up charges of anti-Semitism, have a funny way of crossing the pond, this situation bears watching. And Craig Murray needs help with his legal defense, so if you could chip in a few bucks, that would help too. You can find instructions on how to do so at the bottom of this page. By Craig Murray, author, broadcaster, human rights activist, former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan and former Rector of the University of Dundee from 2007 to 2010. Originally published at his website Well, it is really happening. It is something of a shock to see yourself listed as a criminal for writing the truth. I have a tiny extra glimpse now into the way my friend Julian has been feeling. Three appeal court judges even at the procedural hearing though not unheard of, that is not normal. The state is sparing no resources on this; in a sense I am flattered. There will be no jury at the eventual trial, and this worries me. Not least because the indictment (called a petition) contains within itself evidence that this process is a stitch up. Please help me here, and read paras 49 to 56 of the indictment after reading this explanation. Para 49 of the indictment is an utter garble. It states that I sent a twitter message beginning It is respectfully submitted. I sent no such twitter message. Para 50 is missing. This is not a misnumbering, para 50 really is missing. I assume my twitter message, intended to be quoted at para 49, and whatever led in to the Crowns argument beginning it is respectively submitted were in the missing section. At para 53 the same thing happens again. It explicitly states that I published another tweet starting: it is respectfully submitted that. I published no such tweet. Again the indictment does not give the actual text of the tweet complained of, even though it claims to do so. This time two paragraphs are clearly missing, and again this is not just a misnumbering, because of the missing material. It jumps from 53 to 56. In short, the indictment from paras 49 to 56 is an inoperable jumble, with three paras missing from two different locations and which does not even contain though it states it does the very tweets which form part of the alleged offence with which I am charged. You may argue this does not matter, and clerical errors are easily corrected. But that is to miss the point. I used to prepare official documents in my 20 year diplomatic career, from ministerial replies to members of the public to fully fledged international treaties. A Diplomatic Note to a foreign government, which has a legal status, might be the best comparator from my work to this indictment or petition. I always scrupulously proof read every one I sent before signing. It is unthinkable that a Diplomatic Note would be sent containing not one but a series of major, material errors. Is this document any less solemn? It is an indictment on which they are attempting to brand me a criminal and potentially send me to prison for up to two years. It is signed by Alex Prentice, Depute Advocate General on behalf of the Lord Advocate, and by the senior judge, Lord Turnbull. But one thing is abundantly clear. Neither Alex Prentice nor Lord Turnbull can have carefully read through the document before they signed it. I do not believe for one moment that they would knowingly sign off a document containing such major errors. The judge, in particular, is meant to weigh carefully the matter to see if there really is a case to answer before he signs the Crowns petition. But, I say it again, plainly Lord Turnbull has not actually read through it; or he would never have signed this garbled mess. I am advised that it may be contempt of court for me to point out that Lord Turnbull signed this without reading it. But when a law makes it illegal to point out a blindingly obvious fact, then the law is an ass. If Lord Turnbull does not wish to be criticised, he should try doing his job properly and actually paying attention to what he signs. Contempt is the right word. I have a great deal of contempt for anybody who would send me such a portentous legal document rotten through with utterly careless error which would have been spotted by even a cursory reading of the document. They did not read it. The judge who approved it did not read it. Neither of them bothered to read the indictment or petition because it had already been decided to get Craig Murray and it therefore did not matter what the document actually said. The content of the charges is immaterial to them. Otherwise, they would have read them before signing. There can only be two reasons for that failure. The first is incompetence. The second is corruption. In a sense, it does not matter which it is in this case. A state which is turning to authoritarianism to crush dissent does not need to be very careful about matters of process. The failure of both Prentice and Turnbull to read before signing is not important for the mistakes in the document, which can be remedied by a new document. It is important because of the clear indication of attitude. This prosecution is abuse of process, a clear Article Six violation under the European Convention on Human Rights. A series of facts make this abundantly plain. The abuse of process lies in this combined with the extraordinary selectivity in prosecuting me, when others who can be objectively proven to have much more effectively produced jigsaw identification are not prosecuted. There is a very clear political motivation behind the selection of who to prosecute and who not to prosecute. When you put together the facts that there is overwhelming evidence that mainstream media journalists were more guilty of jigsaw identification than I, that systematic police action is being taken to harass only supporters of Alex Salmond, and that they dont even care what the indictment to be used against me actually says, the overall picture becomes very, very clear. Authoritarianism doesnt have to worry about mistakes in the indictment, because it can just smash you in the face with the jackboot. That is what is happening here. My own view is that they were so keen to get Craig Murray they just signed without any proper scrutiny whatsoever. I dont see any other conclusion. Do you? They do not have the excuse that this is routine. Major prosecutions for contempt in Scotland are extremely rare the last one was Aamer Anwar about a decade ago (it failed). So why could the state be so keen to prosecute Craig Murray, that is doesnt even care what is in the indictment, or even if it is drawn up with the most basic level of competence? Well, I refer you to this excellent letter setting out the fact that the state is only acting against those who defended the innocent Alex Salmond, even though his detractors were much more in contempt of court. And I refer you to the Panelbase opinion poll which showed that very substantially more people who know the identities of the accusers, learnt them from the mainstream media. I remain clear that I identified nobody. If I had wanted to, I would have done so openly. I have never been noted for cowardice. The other accusation, that I wrote articles stating that the prosecution of Alex Salmond was a fit-up, is something I state again here. It is a proper exercise of my freedom of speech under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Actually, you dont have to go past the very first sentence of the indictment to understand what is happening here. It reads On 23 January 2019, Alexander Elliott Anderson Salmond was arrested by police officers in relation to a number of incidents that had taken place in Scotland. That had taken place. Not alleged to have taken place. That had taken place. And Prentice wrote this, and Turnbull signed it off, after the acquittal. After independent witnesses gave eye witness accounts that several of the incidents had not taken place at all. After it was demonstrated in court that the accuser of the most serious offence was not even present when she claimed the offence took place. After the jury threw out the pile of ordure that the very same Alex Prentice as prosecuting counsel presented to them. That had taken place. No, most of the incidents had not taken place at all, and none in the form alleged. Right at the start, this wording gives away the motivation. The conspirators have still not psychologically processed the fact their attack on Alex Salmond was foiled by the jury. The Crown is now coming at Mark Hirst and at me in an effort to get some kind of victory from this massive waste of public resources. The conspirators seek to assuage their massive humiliation in the failure of a prosecution that stank and quite obviously ought never to have been brought. I am not going to pipe down under this abuse of process and attack on freedom of speech. On the contrary, this will be a reasoned, forceful and very public resistance. TWO WAYS YOU CAN HELP The hearing on 10 June is supposed to be public, but it will be virtual because of coronavirus. While it is a case management hearing, I shall nevertheless be grateful if you are able to attend virtually, as I am very keen indeed that I am not stitched up out of the public eye. Please send an email requesting access to the virtual hearing on 10 June to judicialcomms@scotcourts.gov.uk. I am very keen as many people do this as possible. Journalists please in addition copy in communications@scotcourts.gov.uk for accreditation. Secondly, many people come to this blog through social media and I am currently suffering a very high level of suppression, on Facebook and especially on Twitter. Rather than just retweet and share any soical media post that brought you here, (which may appear on the face to have worked but the dissemination will be suppressed), I would be very grateful if you could also write your own new posting and put a link. If you have your own blog or access to one, a commendation of this post with a link would be very welcome, even if it is not your normal policy. And finally of course, the entire post is free as always to copy, republish and translate as you wish. The government on Saturday added 141 more flights to West Asian countries for the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission, its massive repatriation programme for citizens stranded overseas because of Covid-19-related travel restrictions. With these new flights, more than half of them to the United Arab Emirates, the total number of flights in the second phase of the programme have gone up to more than 400, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity. The flights were added due to increased demand from citizens stranded in West Asian countries and the availability of adequate quarantine facilities in states for the returning Indians, the people said. As with all the flights operated so far under Vande Bharat Mission, priority will be given in the second phase to Indian nationals with compelling reasons for returning to the country, they added. The additional flights are from the UAE (81 flights), Oman and Saudi Arabia (15 flights each), Kuwait (14 flights), Qatar (11 flights) and Bahrain (five flights). A majority of the flights are bound for Kerala (84 flights), while the other destinations are Delhi (10 flights), Tamil Nadu (nine flights), Telangana (six flights) Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir (five flights each), Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (four flights each), Punjab (three flights), Odisha and West Bengal (two flights each), Chandigarh, Karnataka and Goa (one flight each). The other 260-odd flights being operated during the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission are from Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tajikistan, the UK, Ukraine and the US. The second phase of the repatriation programme began on May 16 and will continue till June 13, with all the flights being operated by state-run Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express. Private airlines are likely to be included in the third phase. As of Thursday, a total of 23,475 Indians have been repatriated under Vande Bharat Mission. The second phase had included new destinations such as Istanbul, Ho Chi Minh City and Lagos, and had increased flights to the US and Europe. More than 259,000 Indians in 98 countries across the world have registered to return under Vande Bharat Mission. Most of them are workers (28%), students (25%), professionals (14.5%), and short-term visa holders such as tourists (7.6%). Fishermen, deportees and Indian nationals who benefited from visa amnesties have also registered. The Madras High Court on Saturday found fault with the authorities for not informing in advance about precautions taken for the burial of a doctor, who died of COVID-19 infection here, while granting bail to 12 people arrested in connection with the prevention of his interment. It observed that the accused obstructed the burial of the 55-year-old neurosurgeon fearing spread of the virus in their locality and that they would not have done so if the authorities had informed in advance about the precautions taken. Justice M Nirmal Kumar granted bail to the 12 accused in the case. On April 20, a mob falsely fearing that the burial of the remains may lead to the spread of contagion had attacked the corporation health employees and associates of the deceased doctor. The doctor's wife and son also had to leave the burial ground at Velangadu here in view of the violence. The body was brought to Velangadu as people of Kilpauk area had opposed his burial there. Over a dozen men involved allegedly in violence were arrested and remanded to judicial custody. "... if the authorities had informed in advance about the procedure of burial and the precaution measures followed by them, the residents apprehension about the spread of virus would have been dispelled and such protest would not have occurred. Further the burial was at odd hours," he observed. However, as a condition for bail, the court directed that the accused not to commit any offence of similar nature. Seeking bail, the accused submitted that they were local residents, living near the burial ground and were not educated and worldly wise. "On the date of occurrence, spread among them that a body of person who died from Covid-19 is to be buried near their resident cemetery without taking any precautions, they apprehended the virus would spread and affect the local residents. When they sought an explanation, the authorities took the body to some other place," they said. Opposing the bail, the prosecution submitted that the officials were not allowed to discharge their duties and that the body of the doctor was not allowed to be buried at the Kilpauk cemetery. The officials were chased away. Despite the explanations given by the officials, the residents objected to the burial of the doctor's body at the crematorium and forced the officials to retreat with the remains. Their acts were offensive, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kelsey Smith (pictured) was last seen at 9.30am on Wednesday along Cooberrie Street in Cornubia, in southern Brisbane A frantic search is underway for a 25-year-old Queensland woman who suddenly disappeared as police appeal for information on her whereabouts. Kelsey Smith was last seen leaving a house at 9.30am on Wednesday along Cooberrie Street in Cornubia, in southern Brisbane. At the time she was driving a blue 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer, the car was fitted with Queensland licence plates 311RLH. Police said they are concerned for her welfare as it is unusual for her to stop contacting her friends or family. She is described as Caucasian, about 170cm tall with long light-brown hair and green eyes. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is urged to contact police. China proposes security law to restore calm to Hong Kong Iran Press TV Friday, 22 May 2020 10:42 AM China has proposed new legislation to impose a national security law on Hong Kong as part of measures aimed at restoring calm to the semi-autonomous city after seven months of fierce anti-government protests last year. The draft proposal, which was presented to China's parliament at the opening of its annual session on Friday morning, said the security law would "guard against, stop and punish any separatism, subversion of the national regime, terrorist group activities and such behaviors that seriously harm national security." The proposal will be debated by China's top leaders, although in practice proposals at the Chinese parliament National People's Congress are usually agreed in advance. The semi-autonomous Chinese territory was rocked by turbulent protests starting in June last year, when some citizens across the city began protesting against a proposed extradition bill. The proposal has since been withdrawn. The protesters often heavily vandalized shops and public property and attacked citizens believed to be pro-government. However, since the government imposed a ban on public meetings at the end of March to curb the coronavirus outbreak, Hong Kong has been relatively calm. There was only one instance of unrest when Hong Kong riot police dispersed a crowd of 300 protesters late last month. More than 7,000 people have been taken into custody for their involvement in the protests since June last year, with many having been charged with rioting, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The Chinese government says the United States and Britain have been fanning the flames of unrest in Hong Kong by supporting the protesters. Hong Kong has been governed under the "one-country, two-system" model since the city a former British colony was returned to China in 1997. Hong Kong to 'fully cooperate' with Beijing Hong Kong's leader said in a statement on Friday that the local government would "fully cooperate" with Beijing over the national security, and "complete the legislation as soon as possible to discharge its responsibility." Carrie Lam said she "firmly" believed the law was aimed at "effectively preventing and curbing actions that seriously endanger national security." Hong Kong's leader added in her statement that the legislation would "punish 'Hong Kong independence' and violent political elements." Lam said the mass protests that rocked the Asian financial hub had "seriously undermined relations between the Chinese central government and the Hong Kong government, harmed national security and sovereignty, and challenged central authorities." The opponents of the proposal said the new national security law would erode freedoms in the semi-autonomous city. During a daily briefing in Beijing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian defended the proposed legislation and expressed opposition to any kind of foreign interference in China's domestic affairs. "Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. The issue of implementing Hong Kong's national security law is purely China's domestic affair. No foreign country has the right to interfere," Zhao said. The Chinese government is firmly committed to protecting its sovereignty, security and national interests, and is firmly committed to implementing the one country, two systems form of rule. China staunchly opposes any foreign forces interfering in Hong Kong's affairs," he added. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo slammed China's handling of the city and its months-long anti-government protests, on Wednesday, claiming that the treatment of what he called activists in Hong Kong complicated the assessment of whether the territory remained autonomous. China again pushes for Taiwan 'reunification' Moreover, the United States has for long courted Taiwan in an attempt to counter China, which has pursued Taipei's reunification ever since the island broke away from the mainland during a civil war in 1949. China claims full sovereignty over the island and almost all world countries recognize that sovereignty. The US, which has no formal diplomatic relations with Taipei by law, has extensive military ties with the island, selling it advanced military hardware. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said at the start of the annual meeting of China's parliament that his country would "resolutely oppose and deter any separatist activities seeking Taiwan independence." Li stressed that Beijing would improve policies and measures to encourage exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, and protect the well-being of Taiwan's people. "We will encourage them to join us in opposing Taiwan independence and promoting China's reunification," Li said. "With these efforts, we can surely create a beautiful future for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." Relations between Beijing and Taipei have been particularly strained since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power on the island in 2016. She has strong anti-China inclinations and rejects Chinese sovereignty. China military budget growth slows Meanwhile, the Chinese government announced on Friday that it will increase its military budget by a slower 6.6 percent in 2020. During the opening session of its annual National People's Congress, the government said the budget would be set at $178 billion for the year the second highest in the world after the US. The Chinese budget for military spending continues a downward trend and is lower than last year's increase of 7.5 percent. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address THE Winnipeg Free Press should be congratulated for publishing the third in a series of articles by Tom Brodbeck on Manitobas creation in 1870 (Standing and delivering, May 16). It is remarkable that this series represents virtually the only attempt so far this year to explain in depth the forces that were at play 150 years ago and how Manitoba became a province. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 23/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion THE Winnipeg Free Press should be congratulated for publishing the third in a series of articles by Tom Brodbeck on Manitobas creation in 1870 ("Standing and delivering," May 16). It is remarkable that this series represents virtually the only attempt so far this year to explain in depth the forces that were at play 150 years ago and how Manitoba became a province. Yet events leading to the proclamation of the Manitoba Act on July 15, 1870, largely explain what makes Manitoba the unique province it is today, and why July 15 should be celebrated as the date of Manitobas true beginning. To no ones surprise, Manitobas premier, Brian Pallister, has announced the festivities to mark the provinces anniversary are suspended until next year. This pause should offer Manitoba 150, the organization created to lead the celebrations, an unexpected opportunity to encourage Manitobans of all ages and walks of life to understand the meaning of this anniversary. In particular, how and why did Manitoba become Canadas fifth province in 1870, and why was it set up the way it was? To date, Manitoba 150 has not recalled many of the noteworthy events that led to Manitobas creation: the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Metis National Committee on Oct. 16, 1869; the erection of the roadblock, La Barriere, to prevent the arrival of William McDougall, the designated lieutenant-governor of the colony; the occupation of Upper Fort Garry on Nov. 2 of that year; and the formation of the first provisional government are all moments that have passed without notice, just as the decisive role of the French-speaking Metis in these events. The preparation of a list of rights and the selection of three envoys to Ottawa to negotiate the creation of the province of Manitoba have also gone unnoticed. And yet, this critical list of rights secured the use of French and English in Manitobas courts and legislative assembly. Is this not an excellent opportunity to explain to the general public why both languages have this status in Manitoba? And that the Supreme Court of Canada reinstated these rights in 1979, after the Manitoba legislature had unconstitutionally abolished them in 1890? The same list of rights promised lands to the Metis people, and only in 2013 did the Supreme Court recognize the federal governments failure to follow through on this promise. To this day, the election of 28 members to form the Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia, under the chairmanship of Louis Riel, remains largely unknown. Yet this democratically elected assembly met from March 9 to June 24, 1870; on the last day, it heard a report from Father Noel Ritchot, one of the assemblys delegates to Ottawa, on the negotiations in which he had been a leading force. In a gesture signifying that the Manitoba Act was not just a concoction imposed by Ottawa, the assembly ratified the Manitoba Act, which had received royal assent on May 12 of that year. It should be noted that the Manitoba Act became law on July 15, 1870, when it was proclaimed by the federal government. Indeed, it could not have been proclaimed much earlier, as the imperial order-in-council transferring Ruperts Land and the North-West Territories to Canada was only issued on June 23. 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. Too many commentators and elected officials have misrepresented our history and obscured the role of the Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia by insisting that Manitobas anniversary falls on May 12, which is simply the date on which the act received royal assent, one of several steps in the adoption of any law in Canada. Similarly, the British North America Act that created Canada received royal assent on March 29, but Canada Day is celebrated on the day of its proclamation, July 1. Manitoba is the result of long and laborious efforts by the inhabitants of the Red River who, by setting aside all of their religious, linguistic and nationalistic differences, agreed to create a new political entity that would allow Canada to take the shape it has today: an immense territory stretching from coast to coast to coast. This is the spirit that should be recalled and celebrated in 2021. The premiers decision to delay celebrations until next year offers Manitoba 150 a second chance to leave a permanent legacy, by ceasing to use royal assent as the date of Manitobas birthday and helping all Manitobans to understand why July 15 is the provinces true anniversary date. By doing so, Manitoba 150 could seize the opportunity to highlight and celebrate Manitobas unique history and the values that inspired its creation. Michel Lagace is an editorialist for La Liberte, Manitobas French-language weekly since 1913. That change appeared to spur the series of news headlines, and on May 22, the C.D.C. said in a statement that after media reports appeared that suggested a change in C.D.C.s view on transmissibility, it became clear that these edits were confusing. So the agency made another edit. Now, the language about surfaces is under a new subheading: The virus may be spread in other ways. Experts at the C.D.C. and elsewhere are still learning about the new coronavirus. There are questions about how the density of virus particles could affect transmission rates. Researchers dont yet know whether all speech, cough and sneeze droplets carrying the particles are equally infectious, or if a specific amount of virus needs to be transmitted for a person to get sick by breathing it in. A study last week found that talking alone can launch thousands of droplets into the air, and that they can remain suspended for eight to 14 minutes. It seems that the virus spreads most easily when people are in close contact with one another in a conversation, for example or gathered in poorly ventilated spaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol scientist at Virginia Tech. She said that in order for a person to catch the virus from a surface, it would seem that a few things would have to happen. First, the virus would have to be transmitted to the surface in large enough amounts. Then, it would have to survive on that surface until it was touched by someone else. And even if it was eventually transferred to, say, a persons finger, it would then have to survive on the skin until that person happened to touch an eye or mouth. Theres just a lot more conditions that have to be met for transmission to happen via touching these objects, Dr. Marr said. A lot of what we know about how long the virus lives on surfaces comes from a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in March. The study found that the virus can survive, under ideal conditions, up to three days on hard metal surfaces and plastic and up to 24 hours on cardboard. RTHK: At least 97 dead in Pakistani airliner crash A jetliner carrying 98 people crashed Friday in a crowded neighbourhood near the airport in Pakistans port city of Karachi after an apparent engine failure during landing. Officials said there were two survivors from the plane but also found at least 97 bodies in the wreckage. It was unknown how many people on the ground were hurt as the Pakistan International Airlines jet, an Airbus A320, ploughed into an alley and destroyed at least five houses. The pilot was heard transmitting a mayday to the tower shortly before the crash of Flight 8303, which was flying from Lahore to Karachi and carrying many travelling for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. Video on social media appeared to show the jet flying low with flames shooting from one of its engines. The plane went down about 2:39 pm northeast of Jinnah International Airport in the poor and congested residential area known as Model Colony between houses that were smashed by its wings. Police in protective masks struggled to clear away crowds amid the smoke and dust so ambulances and firetrucks could reach the crash site. As darkness fell, crews worked under floodlights, and a portable morgue was set up. The Sindh provincial health department said it had recovered 57 bodies, while PIA chairman Arshad Malik said finding all the dead could take two to three days. Pakistans civil aviation authority said the plane had 91 passengers and a crew of seven. The A320 can carry up to 180 passengers, depending on how its cabin is configured. At least two people aboard survived, according to the health department, revising an earlier statement that three were alive. Local TV stations showed video of a man on a stretcher they identified as Zafar Masood, the head of the Bank of Punjab. Malik later confirmed that Masood survived the crash. At least three people on the ground were injured. Malik announced an investigation into the crash, adding that the aircraft was in good working order. (AP) This story has been published on: 2020-05-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. - A section of Jubilee MPs allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta were reportedly hatching a plot to impeach Deputy President William Ruto - Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria alleged his Kieni counterpart Kanini Kega was behind the scheme - Jubilee Party Vice Chairman David Murathe said the president was against the plan and had advised party members accordingly President Uhuru Kenyatta has advised a section of Jubilee MPs who were plotting to initiate an impeachment motion against Deputy President William Ruto to abandon the course, Jubilee Vice Chairman David Murathe has disclosed. Murathe's revelation came in the backdrop of increasing speculation from Ruto's Tanga Tanga camp that a section of MPs allied to the president were hell-bent on removing the DP from office before 2022. READ ALSO: Patrick Amoth: Acting health director general elected WHO board vice president President Uhuru Kenyatta has advised Jubilee MPs to abandon the process of impeaching his deputy William Ruto. Photo: State House. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Majenerali wa DP Ruto waliosimama kidete seneti na kumtetea Kindiki Murathe, a close ally of Uhuru and a man known for shooting from the heap especially when the topic involves Ruto, said the president asked his lieutenants to let his deputy be and focus on other political errands. "Uhuru is a man of patience, compassion and defender of friendships both past and current and has strongly cautioned his lieutenants against launching radical measures aimed at outrightly kicking Ruto out of the party or out of government," Murathe told the Standard. READ ALSO: COVID-19, floods, and locusts: Kenyans should brace for food shortage as bread baskets get punctured Deputy President William Ruto. A section of Jubilee MPs allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta were reportedly hatching a plot to impeach Ruto. Photo: William Ruto. Source: Facebook On Thursday, a group of MPs allied to the DP claimed Kieni lawmaker Kanini Kega had drafted an impeachment motion against Ruto and the process to remove the Sugoi-born politician was in top gear. Led by Gatrundu South MP Moses Kuria, the Tanga Tanga loyalists claimed the second in command had been left exposed for a censure motion after being "fired" and abandoned by his erstwhile friend and confidant, Uhuru. "I know Kanini Kega has a ready motion for the impeachment of Deputy President William Ruto and I am just wondering and want to ask Kanini, Ruto was fired by Uhuru Kenyatta long time ago and he has accepted, he is just waiting for our term to end. So why are you firing him twice? It is a waste of time," said Kuria . Kega, however, denied the allegations terming them "cheap and with no iota of truth". Uhuru's purge on errant Jubilee MPs particularly those who have been paying allegiance to Ruto has left the DP's camp restless and uncertain of their political future. The remove of senators Kipchumba Murkomen and Susan Kihika from the leadership positions of Senate majority leader and chief whip respectively sent jitters down the spine of some of Ruto's most vocal allies from Mt Kenya region. The ouster of Kithure Kindiki, who is also perceived as Ruto's ally, has sent yet another strong signal of Uhuru's resolve to tame prodigal members. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly The untold story of Senator Isaac Mwaura I Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here. Rafael Leonardo Black, a self-trained artist who spent more than 40 years creating elaborate pictorial mythologies steeped in art history and popular culture, and who had his first New York gallery show at 64, died on May 15 in Brooklyn. He was 71. The cause was complications of Covid-19, said Francis M. Naumann, the art dealer who represents him. Mr. Blacks debut, in 2013 at Francis Naumann Fine Art in Manhattan, consisted of collagelike pencil drawings of historically diverse figures and scenes brought together under umbrella themes. The work was so minutely detailed that the gallery provided magnifying glasses to view it. The exhibition was accompanied by a multipage guide, with numbered charts of the compositions and annotations by the artist identifying the figures depicted. El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has called on citizens to pray collectively for the end of the novel coronavirus pandemic on Sunday. Believers should join in prayer in their homes at 2 p.m. local time, the president said in a Facebook post. Salvadorans will ask God to heal our land and allow us to defeat the pandemic which is battering the whole world, Bukele said. The National Prayer Day was instituted through a presidential decree, Bukele said, but added that the prayers were voluntary in the predominantly Roman Catholic country. El Salvador has confirmed 1,725 COVID-19 infections and 33 deaths so far. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Recently, Alia Bhatt opened up about getting her office space in Mumbai, designed by the art director of her 2016 film, Dear Zindagi. Alia and the designer, Rupin Suchak collaborated on designing the 2800 sq ft space, which took four months to execute. Rupin shared that Alia was specific about her design goals, and wanted the space to give off a 'boho' vibe. Hindustan Times quoted Rupin as saying, "Even though the execution took 4 months, it was all worth the wait. Alia likes to be involved in every decision and because of her shoot schedule, there were times we'd have to wait for her to approve and confirm certain designs and structures." He added, "I still remember Alia being specific about how she wants certain things but her one-line brief was that the place should have a very happy-go-lucky feel with unconventional and graphic art corners around. So we added a lot of Turkish colour palettes to space which had a muted neutral base. Floor pillows, leather poufs, and comfortable chairs definitely add to the cosy atmospheres of boho interiors. This office space in a way was a great opportunity for her to express her love for art and design." Alia said, "Rupin got the pulse of what I wanted to do with my office. He got the brief spot on and effortlessly. The space is now an extension of my personality and that is exactly how I had envisaged. He has made the place look more spacious, included a surprise element or two breaking monotony, yet giving it an overlay of serenity and cosiness." The office is for her production house, Eternal Sunshine Productions, named after the Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey movie, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. ALSO READ: Alia Bhatt Gets A Haircut: Is Ranbir Kapoor Behind His Lady Love's New Look? ALSO READ: Sanjay Leela Bhansali To Destroy Alia Bhatt Starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi Set? Engineering firm Tata Projects on Saturday said it is augmenting hospital infrastructure with 2,304 beds at multiple locations across India to treat COVID-19 patients. "As one of the fastest growing and most admired infrastructure companies in India, we felt the need to use our expertise in executing large and complex urban and industrial infrastructure projects towards augmenting, upgrading the nation's hospital network," Tata Projects Chief Strategy Officer Himanshu Chaturvedi said in a statement. Today, the company is proud that its teams of engineers, technicians and workers are working tirelessly towards strengthening the fight against COVID-19, he added. "We believe that our support in the fight against COVID-19 will further help in once again accelerating India's progress at the earliest, Chaturvedi said. Recently, at Mumbai's KEM Hospital, Tata Projects transformed two wards encompassing 65 beds and specialised medical equipment so that it can handle more serious coronavirus cases. In addition, Tata Projects is also turning a large section of KEM Hospital's orthopaedic centre into a 115-bed isolation centre. It has also provided ventilators, pulse oximeters, oxygen flow meters, HME (breathing system) filters, facial masks and equipment like IV stands, suction machines, wheelchairs and dressing trolley. Tata Projects is also setting up a 72-bed isolation facility at HBT Trauma Center in Jogeshwari (Mumbai), which is expected to be completed this month. The company is assisting with project management for a 300-bed isolation facility at Seven Hills Hospital in Marol, Mumbai. Work on this project commenced in April and will be complete this month. Besides, Tata Projects is setting up facilities in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, for a total of 124 beds which will include 10 ICU beds, 10 HDU beds and 104 isolation beds. Moreover, Uttar Pradesh's GB Nagar will witness Tata Projects setting up facilities for 168 beds which will include 20 ICU beds, 10 HDU beds, 130 isolation beds and eight emergency beds. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) What a unique time to be alive. I feel compassion for all those suffering directly and indirectly from this pandemic. Perhaps we can focus on growing acts of kindness for ourselves and others. This also seems like an opportunity to get outside more and appreciate plants, animals and the generally radiant great outdoors. I think many people care similarly about nature and want to protect it from harm. Thats why I ask our federal representatives to support the Great American Outdoors Act, and to encourage leadership to pass this positive bill. Its important to safeguard beloved wild and scenic places, for outdoor recreation, public health and biodiversity conservation purposes. Our lives are enriched by thriving nature around us. COVID-19 has elevated the crucial role parks, green spaces and other natural places play in keeping us emotionally healthy and physically active. I hope my lawmakers and fellow citizens recognize the beauty and solace of nature in this challenging time and will stand in support of the Great American Outdoors Act and other federal, state and local measures to keep our country as nature-rich as possible. Our well-being, as well as that of our fellow species, depends upon it. Rebecca Canright Asbury When the mother confronted Gonzalez about the injuries, he denied doing anything to Anayelli, court records state. When the mother told Gonzalez she wanted to call 911, he told her they could drive her to the emergency room. When she demanded they call 911 instead, Gonzalez allegedly told her to "stop making a big deal out of everything" and to "calm down," records state. A CT scan at the hospital indicated bleeding of the brain and a skull fracture. Medical experts said the manner of the injuries were "abusive," records state. Gonzalez initially refused to go to the police station for an interview, but later admitted Nov. 3 that he "didn't tell the truth" the first time he spoke with detectives. He said he had information that he wanted to get off his chest, records state. Gonzalez claimed he was watching TV Sept. 29 when he heard Anayelli crying so he went in the room and tried to grab her, but she "slipped" out of his hands and hit her head on the bassinet's metal railing, records state. She seemed OK and wasn't crying after that so he allegedly laid her back down and left, debating whether to tell the baby's mother, records state. A police inspector has been placed under suspension in Odisha on Saturday for allegedly thrashing and kicking a person inside a police station which went viral on social media. Director General of Police (DGP) Abhay has ordered suspension of Sandhya Rani Jena, the inspector-in-charge (IIC) of Patana Police Station in Keonjhar district, for her misconduct, a senior police officer said. The action came after video of the alleged incident had gone viral on social media, he said. Raju Mohanty, a native of Prabhasarabha village in Saharpada block of Keonjhar district, had lodged a complaint at the Patana police station on March 25 over a land dispute. The accused had called Mohanty to the police station and allegedly thrashed him with a stick and kicked him in the presence of two other police officers. After viewing the police officer's alleged action in the video that became viral on social media about a week ago, Keonjhar Superintendent of Police Mitrabhanu Mahapatra directed the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Ghatagan to probe the matter. Meanwhile, Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) on May 19 directed the Keonjhar SP and the Patana IIC to submit a detailed report within four weeks. The rights panel has also directed the home secretary and the DGP to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation to the person by deducting the amount from the IICs salary. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Back in the "old normal," giving birth to quadruplets is a rarity. A woman from Texas achieved this during the COVID-19 pandemic. First-time parents Jenny and Chris Marr, both 35, were surprised that they are expecting four identical babies in November. They initially thought that they were scheduled to deliver only triplets in March. A follow-up appointment later, they were informed that they were expecting 4 to arrive. Chris said the tech doing the initial scan gave him a funny look. "We were like, 'Oh, what's going on now?' We got worried again. She said, 'I'm not supposed to say this, but y'all got four babies.'" Her birth plan and pregnancy could not get more complex in the midst of a pandemic. The odds of giving birth to identical quadruplets are minuscule and are surmised to be around 1 in 15 million. The married couple welcomed their 4 adorable sons to the world on 15th March, telling "Good Morning America" that they were "absolutely floored" by the arrival of the quadruplets. The safe delivery during the novel coronavirus outbreak was dubbed a "miracle" by doctors. Jenny Marr went into labor at a state of 28.5 weeks-pregnant during the lockdown. The labor took place at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. Hospitals were implementing remarkably rigid policies on their visitors. After giving birth to the children in March, the pair has finally been able to take their newborns home. The babies had to spend ten weeks in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (ICU), then almost a month in the facility's Special Care Nursery as they were premature by several weeks. Jenny and Chris, from Dallas, Texas, neither had a history of multiple births in the family nor had been raised with siblings. Also Read: Jeffree Star Earns Backlash for 'Cremated' Palette Amid COVID-19 Pandemic Jenny is the only woman amid the global coronavirus crisis to have had identical quadruplets. Therefore, she was said to have become an overnight supermom. Chris joked that he will not return to the doctor because there might be five babies to be expected next time. The new mother said they were all born in 3 minutes which is why they call them our baby birds because they resemble baby birds. The 4 boys born prematurely were Harrison, Hudson, Hardy, and Henry. Three of the quadruplets required oxygen after the labor via C-section. All were underweight, with the oldest Harrison weighing 2 pounds 6 ounces/ The next son, Hardy, weighed 2 pounds 10 ounces. The efforts of the hospital staff were lauded in Facebook post wherein Jenny said that they had the most amazing nurses and doctors during their NiCU and Special Care stay. Jenny added that their family made friendships that will endure for a long time. She described the motherhood during the coronavirus lockdown as quite an experience. Jenny did not take fertility medications. "It sounds horrible to say, but I don't know if it was necessarily tears of joy. We were completely overwhelmed and, frankly, terrified," said Chris. Related Article: Woman Tests Positive for Coronavirus 8 Times, Currently on Her 10th Test @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. STAMFORD The city of Stamford will transmit a livestream of its Memorial Day ceremony on Sunday at noon. The live event will take place at Veterans Park, and include the singing of the national anthem, a wreath ceremony, a 21-gun salute and remarks from Mayor David Martin. Director of Operations Mark McGrath said only about a dozen participants will be in the park, including some veterans, and the city is discouraging anyone else from attending in person. McGrath said the livestream, at http://www.facebook.com/CityofStamford/ will be a way for the city to honor the occasion without putting the public or veterans, many of whom are in a high-risk group, in danger of catching the coronavirus. Veterans Park is currently in the midst of a major renovation. Phase I of the project was completed in time to mark Veterans Day in the park last November. It has been six months since hundreds gathered in Veterans Memorial Park to honor our veterans and celebrate the completion of Phase I of the Veterans Memorial Park project, McGrath and Richard Redniss, president of the Stamford Veterans Park Partnership, wrote in an op-ed for The Advocate this week. We hoped at this time we would be informing everyone about exciting plans to commemorate [Memorial Day] with a parade and reopening of Veterans Memorial Park. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, work has stalled, deliveries delayed, and the grand opening postponed along with the parade and other celebrations across the state and country. We are collaborating with the Stamford Patriotic and Special Events Committee to present a livestream presentation. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com A Londonderry woman whose teenage sister died after an IRA shooting that took place on Martin McGuinness birthday exactly 44 years ago has said shell be mourning her and her murdered RUC father on what would have been the former Provisional leaders 70th birthday on Saturday. Republicans planned a series of celebrations to mark the ex-Deputy First Ministers birthday on Saturday evening. But Lorraine Sadler took to social media on Friday to condemn Mr McGuinness and his colleagues. Looking back to the day that her sister Linda, who was a shop assistant and a police reservist, was shot by the Provisionals on Mr McGuinness 26th birthday, she said of the former IRA leader: While his family were celebrating, we as a family on the 23rd of May, 1976 certainly werent courtesy of his murdering gang. It was on that May day in 1976 that 19-year-old Linda Baggley was shot and wounded while on a police patrol in the Waterside area of Derry not far from the spot where her father William was killed two years earlier. Expand Close William Baggley / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp William Baggley Linda died in hospital on June 2 and she was one of the first female RUC casualties of the Troubles. Three youths and a teenage girl later received life sentences for Lindas murder. One of the killers Eoghan Mac Cormaic served 15 years for the murder. In the dock he had said: I would like this court to understand how much I regret the death of the policewoman. I did not play any willing part in the murder. I felt my life was in danger and so I did what the men who got into my car told me. On his release from prison he went to university and became president of the Students Union in Galway University. Subsequently he became a Sinn Fein councillor in Loughrea, Co Galway and was later appointed deputy chairman of the cross border Irish language body, Foras na Gaeilge that was set up under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The Republics Gaeltacht Minister Eamon O Cuiv said he had no problem with Mac Cormaics appointment. Another of Linda Baggleys killers Kieran Fleming escaped from the Maze during the 1983 mass break out. In December of the following year he died after a gun battle with the SAS in Kesh, Co Fermanagh. Another IRA man was shot dead. Undercover soldier Alistair Slater was also killed. East Londonderry DUP MP Gregory Campbell contrasted the celebrations planned for Mr McGuinness today and the grieving for Linda Baggley and her father in the same city. Expand Close William Baggley's daughter Linda / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp William Baggley's daughter Linda But he added: Sinn Fein makes no distinction between the different parts of Martin McGuinness life. They will celebrate the IRA terrorism which Martin McGuinness commanded and condoned. On his birthday in 1976 he was second in command of the IRA unit that shot an innocent teenager. Mr Campbell said the IRA had not only robbed a 19-year-old woman of her life, but were also responsible for cutting short over 1,800 lives in Northern Ireland and destroying many others left behind. The MP said the minds of the Baggleys wouldnt just be on Linda today, but also on her English-born father William, who was shot dead in January 1974. His shooting happened on the Dungiven Road and it was estimated that his daughter was hit by gunmen less than 100 yards away two years later. Four years ago Lorraine Sadler was one of nearly 3,000 people who signed a petition protesting a decision by the PSNI to remove and relocate memorials to murdered officers inside Strand Road police station. She wrote: I am signing this petition as a daughter and sister of two murdered RUC officers to show my disgust at the appeasement to airbrush from history the brave and gallant officers who made the supreme sacrifice. The PSNI later said the decision on the memorials had been a mistake. To mark International Womens Day, Ms Sadler posted an online message to remember her sister and all the other brave female members of the RUC whom she described as the greatest, most professional and truly respected police force ever. She said her sister and father had both served for peace. Republicans remembered Martin McGuinness on Saturday night with a special online event in place of celebrations that would have been held if it hadnt been for the coronavirus restrictions. The line-up included musicians Christy Moore, Damien Dempsey, and Matt Molloy from The Chieftains. It also included tributes from Sinn Fein leaders past and present including Mary Lou McDonald, Michelle ONeill and Gerry Adams. Mr McGuinness granddaughter Cara also took part. Marks & Spencer's practice of allowing men who identify as women to use female changing rooms is at odds with the law and could encourage voyeurism, the high street giant has been told. It follows the clearest statement yet from Equalities Minister Liz Truss that the Government is rejecting trans-inclusive policies that some believe threaten womens rights. M&S has faced protests from customers for opening its female changing rooms to anyone who describes themselves as a woman. Campaigners have suggested Marks & Spencer's practice of allowing men who identify as women to use female changing rooms could encourage voyeurism Feminist campaigners say shops and other organisations have been misled by trans rights activists who claim equality laws mean they must accept male-born self-identifying women as female or face allegations of illegal discrimination. The retailer has defended its approach, insisting as an inclusive retailer and in line with most other retailers, we allow customers the choice of fitting room in respect of how they identify themselves. The erosion of single-sex services in the name of trans rights is understood to be of growing concern to Ministers and Tory MPs. Ms Truss has now made clear that shops and service providers are legally entitled to deny male-born people access to female spaces and plans to issue new guidance. Equalities Minister Liz Truss said the Government is rejecting trans-inclusive policies that some believe threaten womens rights In a letter published by her office, she said: I have made my commitment to protecting single-sex spaces for women and girls clear. Zero tolerance for mixed wards NHS rules allowing male-born trans women to use female wards are set to be rewritten as Ministers demand a zero tolerance approach to mixed-sex arrangements in the health service. Health Minister Lord Jim Bethell has revealed that controversial rules introduced last year could be changed again after a backlash from feminists and patient groups. In September, guidance for hospital trusts said people with male genitals could be accommodated on female wards if they describe themselves as women. The document was criticised by feminist groups and some Tory MPs, prompting Lord Bethell to signal a review. In a written statement to the Lords, he said: The guidance is clear that providers of National Health Service-funded care are expected to have a zero-tolerance approach to mixed-sex accommodation, except where it is in the overall best interest of all patients affected. Advertisement 'As part of this work I will ensure that Government guidance gives a clear message to service providers, schools and others, putting their ability to provide single-sex spaces beyond doubt. The letter was cited by Baroness Emma Nicholson, a Conservative peer who campaigns for single-sex spaces, in a dossier that she sent to M&S warning its stance on changing rooms is wrong and potentially harmful. In a letter to M&S chairman Archie Norman, she claimed M&S had misunderstood the law on equality and single-sex spaces. Referring to Ms Trusss statements on trans issues, she told Mr Norman: I believe you may wish to follow the Governments line and resume single-sex spaces for the changing rooms in your stores. She also warned that allowing anyone who says they are a woman to enter female changing areas puts women and girls at risk of being spied on and photographed by sexual predators. Since changing of clothes can lead to voyeurism, newer legislation (the upskirting law) calls this laxness of provision into question, she wrote. M&S said it had assured Baroness Nicholson its fitting rooms provide secure and private spaces with individual lockable cubicles. We recognise customers will self-identify and respect their right to choose the fitting rooms they feel comfortable in. Once lockdown lifts, one of the treats many will have on the top of their wishlist is to head out to their local eatery for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Many will look to head to a buffet when they are back in operation - perhaps for a Chinese or Indian feast, a roast or a restaurant to take advantage of the unlimited salad bar, all normal activities pre-lockdown. But with the coronavirus pandemic changing the way we conduct our everyday lives, will buffet-style restaurants even be able to open again? Aside from the issue of social distancing, by nature, a buffet will be tricky to conform to health and safety standards due to the large number of people eating from the same batch of food. Buffet-style restaurants will face challenges if they want to reopen after the lockdown ends Big chain restaurants with a buffet style operation look to draw customers in and it is crucial to their business model to be able to keep costs low. Will they ever open again? This is Money spoke to some of the major high street restaurant buffet chains and food and safety experts to see if it would be possible. What changes will restaurants make? Pizza Hut, while not solely a buffet restaurant, is known for its unlimited lunchtime pizza slices and salad bar where customers can help themselves. One of the main changes the chain is considering is to use single use menus, meaning germs cannot be spread that way. It also says that the all-you-can-eat buffet will still be available - but delivered to your table instead. A Pizza Hut Restaurants spokesperson said: 'The health and safety of our customers and our team remains our top priority and we are currently working on new initiatives to ensure our restaurants open in line with all government guidelines, and when safe to do so. 'We will be encouraging people to book ahead and we are designing our dining areas to ensure there is the required space between guests for social distancing. 'We have also been redesigning each stage of the guest journey to minimise contact, moving to single use menus, remaining cashless and we are a testing new technology so guests can stay at their table and order from their phone.' Pizza Hut added that it has introduced enhanced safety measures in its kitchens across the UK Ordering from your mobile phone is a practice already used in other settings, such as Wetherspoons, and is one surefire way to avoid unnecessary contact. Paying by card is another initiative that most shops are currently pushing at the moment in order to avoid the handling of cash. Pizza Hut added that it has introduced enhanced safety measures in its kitchens, including increased handwashing and sanitisation and it will implement new cleaning measures across all of its restaurants. Some buffet restaurants, such as Toby Carvery, will have to change their health & safety rules The spokesperson added: 'When we open our restaurants, we'll take a phased approach, allowing our guests to dine-in from approximately 20 Huts before rolling-out across the rest of the UK. 'To start with, we will serve a simplified menu, but we're also working on new offers so guests can still enjoy their favourite all-you-can-eat pizza buffet and Ice Cream Factory experience, but delivered to their table.' Meanwhile, Mitchell and Butlers, which looks after popular buffet chains Toby Carvery which offers roast dinners in which diners help themselves and Harvester, popular for its unlimited salad bar, is not able to explain exactly how it will be making changes in the future. A Mitchell and Butlers spokesperson said: 'We continue to review and assess how our businesses will operate once permitted to reopen. 'Safety is our highest priority and we are developing a number of robust measures to protect both our customers and team members.' The issue will be problematic for some of the larger scale buffet restaurants across the UK The issue will be even more problematic for some of the larger scale buffet restaurants across the UK with some able to seat thousands of diners in one evening. Za Za Bazaar, in Bristol, can can seat over 1,000 customers at a time, with two sittings per night. Meanwhile, the JRC Global Buffet in Watford can serve up to 3,000 people per day. It would be very difficult for restaurants that size to adapt to table service - and will certainly eat into any profits that are made by hiring less waiting staff. Cosmo is another chain of 19 buffet restaurants in the UK that is likely to face a series of issues with customers expected to go up and get their own food from the plates in the middle. This is Money contacted the restaurants for comments on their re-opening plans, as of yet, has not received a reply. Meanwhile, independent Chinese and Indian restaurants often operate an all-you-can-eat Sunday buffet - but it is unlikely these will be back in operation for some time. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, said: 'Safety is obviously a key concern for customers and staff members. It is difficult to know exactly what will have to change as safety procedures will need to be drawn up on a site by site basis.' Is it safe to eat in a restaurant buffet? Health and safety will be the top concern for both restaurant owners and customers after the lockdown ends. Food hygiene ratings are likely to be more important than ever with many diners sure to check that the eatery they visit has a good history of keeping clean. Before you are heading out to eat or get a takeaway, you can check the rating of the restaurant here. Jatinder Paul, an expert environmental health lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, has warned that it is 'vital' that restaurants adhere to social distancing measures. He said: 'There remains much uncertainty around the capability of restaurants and other eateries to be able to reopen safely. 'By design many restaurants are currently not geared towards meet social distancing measures. 'Stripping out of tables and spacing tables further away, how waiting staff attend to customers, whether it's safe for customers to queue for buffet-type meals and whether customers can safely use toilets without breaking social distancing are just some of the likely hurdles businesses are going to have to overcome. 'The danger of illnesses connected to poor hygiene should never be underestimated. We see hundreds of cases every year when people's lives have been turned upside down as a result of hygiene issues which could and should have been avoided. 'While restaurants are awaiting further government guidance on creating a Covid-19 secure environment we would urge businesses to start planning ahead now.' What about the hotel breakfast buffet? Another industry facing major problems is the hotel sector with most offering a breakfast buffet for their customers. However, due to the recent changes, this is no longer possible to run with Travelodge saying they have closed all restaurant operations in response to the coronavirus. Instead, customers can purchase a breakfast box from reception that they can take to their rooms and eat. Other hotels are considering similar courses of action when they reopen with the potential for room service to also be provided. Amsterdam has installed greenhouse style pods outside of restaurants that seats 4 customers What are other countries doing? Other countries that are emerging from lockdown have been trialling different ways of opening restaurants. Amsterdam has installed a number of greenhouse style pods outside of restaurants that seats up to four customers. Waiters wear plastic shields to protect themselves as they deliver the food to the customers, with minimal contact taking place. Meanwhile, in Austria, restaurants must adhere to a set of rules, including a maximum number of four adults per table and a minimum of one metre left between groups. Waiters will also be required to wear masks while taking orders and serving dishes. In Spain, some restaurants were trialing putting plastic screens in between tables so that diners were separated when seated. Waiters are also made to wear face masks and rubber gloves to protect themselves and customers. Other countries are likely to have similar measures in place when they are able to reopen their restaurants again. Businessman vows to pay $500 fines for 3 Ill. churches holding in-person worship services Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A businessman and former mayoral candidate said he will pay the fines three churches in Illinois will face for holding in-person worship service during the ongoing lockdown in the city. The Philadelphia Romanian Church of God, Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church, and Metro Praise International Church have been holding in-person services with more than 10 people, in violation of state orders. Willie Wilson, an influential local businessman, released a statement Wednesday saying that he will pay the fines the three churches received for disobeying the state order. The governor and mayor continue to trample on our constitutional rights while hiding behind a stay-at-home order that treats the church as non-essential, said Wilson, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. It is shameful that the church is discriminated against, while liquor stores, marijuana dispensaries and Home Depot [are] treated as essential businesses. Wilson himself attended worship at Philadelphia Romanian Church of God on Sunday and has been active in distributing masks to Chicago aldermen and residents, the Sun-Times added. While churches are being penalized for holding worship services during the state's stay-at-home order, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defended her decision not to abide by lockdown orders after it was revealed that she went to a hair salon for a haircut while other salons and barbershops were forced to remain closed. Lightfoot suggested last month that the lockdown orders did not apply to her because she's "the public face of this city" and is giving interviews on national TV. This Sunday, during Memorial Day weekend, Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church will host Brian Gibson, pastor of the multi-site megachurch His Church, for a worship service. Gibson, who has actively campaigned for churches to remain open amid the coronavirus pandemic, told Fox News that he was going to Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church to stand against injustice. This is a refugee population that came here from a totalitarian government, had no religious liberties ... and what do they find when they get in Chicago? Gibson asked. They find thuggery, they shut down the streets around their church. These people are harassed ... It's un-American. It's unacceptable. This is not Romania. This is not China ... This is America. Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church and Logos Baptist Ministries sued Illinois over the order, however U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman recently ruled against their request for relief. An injunction would risk the lives of plaintiffs congregants, as well as the lives of their family members, friends, co-workers and other members of their communities with whom they come in contact, Gettleman wrote. Their interest in communal services cannot and does not outweigh the health and safety of the public. Gettleman went on to argue that in-person church services pose higher risks of infection than gatherings at businesses. The congregants do not just stop by Elim Church. They congregate to sing, pray, and worship together. That takes more time than shopping for liquor or groceries, he added. ISLAMABAD - One of the survivors of a passenger plane crash in Karachi that killed dozens described the chaotic scenes in the disaster's aftermath and his miraculous escape from the wreckage. "All I could see was fire. I couldn't see any people - just hear their screams" Muhammad Zubair told a local television channel. Zubair was one of two survivors, all 97 other people on board were killed. The Pakistan International Airlines crash Friday is just the latest deadly incident for the national carrier that has long had a poor safety record. The airline's CEO said the cause of the crash has not yet been determined, but two airline officials said mechanical failure related to the landing gear brought down the plane. A government investigation into the incident was launched Friday. The Airbus A320, which had 99 people aboard, struck a residential neighborhood bordering the Karachi airport damaging over 20 homes. In the moments before the crash, the pilot told air traffic control there was a problem, the airline's CEO Arshad Malik said. The pilot said "'there is an issue' and that is where communication ends and the crash happens," Malik told local reporters late Friday. Malik said until the black box or flight recorder can be recovered, it's too early to determine the cause of the crash. But two airline officials briefed on the incident said the plane was brought down by mechanical failure associated with the landing gear. As the pilot first attempted to land, the landing gear failed, the officials said. And then when the pilot attempted an emergency landing, the maneuver damaged a fuel tank and sent the plane careering into the nearby neighborhood, according to one of the officials. Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media. Witnesses said the airliner appeared to attempt to land two or three times before it crashed in the Model Colony neighborhood, the Associated Press reported. The Pakistani Army is leading search and rescue efforts and reported the bodies of all the victims were recovered from the crash site Saturday. The crash occurred during a busy travel period in Pakistan. Restrictions on domestic flights had just been lifted last weekend with the easing of coronavirus-related restrictions. And Eid al-Fitr marking the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan falls this weekend. The holiday is traditionally celebrated by visiting relatives. Pakistan International Airlines has had a poor safety record for years. In 2016, a PIA domestic flight traveling from Chitral to Islamabad crashed, killing all 48 passengers and crew members aboard. Last year, a PIA flight landing at a small airport in the country's north crashed after skidding off the runway. All passengers survived, but the plane was severely damaged. And one of the deadliest PIA crashes occurred in 1992 in Nepal killing all 167 people on board. - - - The Washington Post's Shaiq Hussain in Islamabad and Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar contributed to this report. Read more: Pakistani airliner crashes near Karachi airport with 99 aboard; at least 2 survive In glistening new airport, Pakistan sees ticket to reviving the country's prestige Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news It has been claimed that the first man diagnosed with Covid-19 at the Rosderra meat plant in Roscrea became gravely ill and remains in hospital while the Department of Health has officially confirmed that five workers across Ireland have had to be admitted to critical care units. Covid-19 has been identified as a major issue in meat plants across the country with 865 cases confirmed in at coronavirus clusters in 16 plants in recent weeks. Confirming these figures on Friday, May 22 the Department of Health also revealed that 17 workers have been hospitalised with five in Intensive Care. It is estimated that 200 of that total number of cases occurred in Rosderra Meats factories in Roscrea and Edenderry. Almost 70 cases were diagnosed after widespread testing of staff in Edenderry just last week. Workers at the plants live in Laois, Offaly, Tipperary and other counties. The issue has come before the Dail on a number of occasions in recent week. Laois Offaly Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley said he is aware of a case of a man from Offaly who worked in the Rosderra plant in Roscrea who became seriously ill with coronavirus having been diagnosed in March. "He almost lost his life. He is walking on a Zimmer frame and is still in hospital recovering. This guy was a physical worker, a hardy fella, and was hit hard by this virus." The man and his wife wish to remain anonymous. Brian Stanley said another young factory worker in his early 20s from the Moneygall area was also taken very ill with Covid-19. "He was on the broad of his back almost suffocating in the bed for three weeks. The weight just fell off him, he lost two stone. During the time he was locked in his room, he was contacted by work to see if he could go back because so many were out sick," Deputy Stanley claimed. "What we have here is a mess." That was the declaration of Brian Stanley to Minister for Enterprise, Heather Humphreys and Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, in the Dail on Thursday evening prior to a robust exchange. "This is a very worrying situation for the workers' health and their jobs," he added. "I've been raising this with you since Easter week and you've continuously told me that your officials in these plants are sure that all precautions are being taken. Whoever is telling you that is telling you a load of bull," the Laois-Offaly deputy exclaimed to Minister Creed. "None of that tallies with the situation in many meat processing plants and whatever about wearing masks, some must be wearing blindfolds because it doesn't tally with what workers are telling me for the last seven weeks. "Some factories have taken the correct action and I applaud them for that; others have not and that is the reality." Deputy Stanley went on to explain that the first case in Rosderra in Roscrea was in a man who became "critically ill" and "almost lost his life" with Covid-19. He blasted the fact that this case arose on March 20 and "no testing was done at that time on close contacts of that worker." "I have spoken to the families of other workers that got infected by that cluster. Testing of all workers was not done until April 24/25, a whole five weeks later. And after the tests were done, workers were sent back onto the production line without having the outcome of the test, in some cases, until the following Wednesday. Some of them turned out to be infected anf they, in turn, infected more workers." Referring to a similar situation in Rosderra in Edenderry, Deputy Stanley said: "The first case there was early April and even when this cluster became 10 cases, all workers were not tested. When they were tested last week, they were sent back in on the production line without having the all-clear, never mind a deep clean or anything else. This is crazy stuff." The Sinn Fein TD said families and workers are "very concerned" and added that "workers are not being consulted" about safety procedures and practices. Deputy Stanley claimed some workers were being told they can "do it or go home." He said they had to battle to get basic PPE and social distancing put in place. Deputy Stanley also pointed to an issue in the Kildare chilling plant where he said he has confirmed that no temperature testing was taking place there and that a department [Department of Agriculture] official was even out sick with Covid-19 from that facility. He said no HSE-led inspections were carried out at meat plants until this week. He also claimed that management in some factories "seem to know exactly when inspections are going to take place and that issue needs to be cleared up." Deputy Stanley asked if it would be made mandatory for all workers at meat plants to have their temperature checked daily. He also asked for the number of inspections carried out for Covid-19 in meat factories. He asked that the Department officials engage with ordinary workers and not just company management. In response, Minister Heather Humphreys said: "In terms of the Health and Safety Authority, I don't have the exact number of inspections in meat plants. That information is confidential to them. They don't share that information with me but I can say since last Monday, they have had 240 inspections in an overall mix of businesses, and included in those 240 inspections were meat plants." At this point, Deputy Stanley interjected: "Why can't the HSA share those with you; you're the minister. Have you asked them?" he quipped. Again Minister Humphreys insisted the information on the number of tests carried out at meat plants was confidential. Deputy Stanley said, "it's not confidential. We should know how many inspections in meat plants are carried out." He again rose to his feet in the chamber and said: "You mean to tell me we're here today seven weeks on and we don't know how many inspections in meat plants have been carried out. That's disgraceful." Minister Humphreys refuted that claim and explained that "the HSA work with employers and employees and that information is dealt with on a confidential basis and I don't have access to it nor you don't have access to it but the matters are resolved." Deputy Stanley said the Minister should know how many tests are carried out. She replied: "I don't need to know but what I can tell you is in the period from March 1, 2020, to Friday, May 15, 2020, the HSA work contact unit received 3,188 requests for information and 547 complaints. 53% of complaints were related to Covid-19 and 240 inspections [in a mix of workplaces] were carried out since last Monday." Minister Creed also bit back at Stanley and said: "Deputy Stanley has categorised all of this as a mess but it is easy to be a hurler on the ditch commenting on everybody else's best endeavours." "With every individual who contracts the virus and every industry grappling with the consequences, there is a challenge. Everybody is doing their best, including those workers deemed to be essential by this House when it approved the regulations. It should be acknowledged that these people have done fantastic work in keeping food supply chains going," the Minister added. "My Department has had ongoing engagement with meat plants and there were 11 engagements since early March, with four involving me, and the rest involving Department officials. Since the end of February, there has been ongoing engagement with representative bodies and executives. It has always been about ensuring that in keeping the food supply chain going, the welfare of the employees is put front and centre. "If somebody is involved in running a business and wants to keep it functioning, it is clearly in that person's interest to keep those employees safe. To argue there is some kind of conspiracy with employers to damn their workers with Covid-19 would surely be counter-intuitive." The agriculture minister had earlier told the Dail that since the start of this pandemic, "the protection of public health has been the Government's overriding priority." "The Government categorised farming and food production as essential services under the Covid-19 regulations. Irish food supply chains have continued to operate effectively to ensure the security of supply of safe healthy Irish food for consumers at home and abroad," he said. "In respect of Covid-19 and meat plants, as in all other aspects of the pandemic, we must all listen to the public health experts and adhere strictly to their recommendations. We are all part of the whole-of-government response to Covid-19 and in this instance are focused on ensuring the health and safety of all workers, including staff from my Department in meat plants. Since the start of the pandemic, my Department officials and I have had regular meetings with meat industry representatives. "At all times we have emphasised that their priority must be safeguarding human health and following HSE guidelines at all levels of operation. Meat industry representatives have outlined to my Department the type of measures put in place in plants, including, for example, the extension of operating hours, reduced throughput rates at individual plants, the provision of additional PPE, the installation of Perspex screens, temperature checks on entry and the provision of additional facilities to support physical distancing measures. Because meat plants remained open as an essential part of the food chain, these measures were put in place in an evolving situation with new information and advice emerging on an ongoing basis." Speaking to the Leinster Express on Friday, Deputy Brian Stanley took issue with the ministers' response to the outbreak in meat plants. Asked for his reaction to Minister Heather Humphreys saying she didn't need to know the number of inspections carried out at meat plants, Brian said: "It's outrageous. It's a complete failure and dereliction of duty. We're in the middle of a major pandemic here, we have a serious crisis in our meat industry and my reason for raising this more than six weeks ago was to protect workers' health, number one, protect jobs and to protect this industry which is important for food supply and employment." "If a Minister thinks 878 cases of an outbreak isn't a major issue, or Minister Creed, they're completely missing the point here. This is a serious threat to the industry; it's a serious threat to the workers' health. The fact that they [Ministers Humphreys and Creed] didn't know how many HSE or HSA inspections had been carried out in meat plants is absolutely incredible." "Then she [Minister Humphreys] tries to make out that it's confidential. Of course it's not confidential. In fact, the Ministers should make it their business to go down and see what's going on in some of these plants. It's important that they know how many inspections are done. It's important that they know how many of those are unannounced inspections," Deputy Stanley remarked. Deputy Stanley had been informed earlier this week by way of a Parliamentary Question that there had been a mix of announced and unannounced inspections carried out. "The workers tell me that there's no mix; they're all announced," Brian commented. It is their view that management knows about inspections because they always seem to happen when there is a lower number of people on the factory floor." He said he will continue "chipping away" at this and calling for more action from ministers and officials to ensure a safe response to the outbreak in meat plants. He wants transparency on inspections, split shifts to reduce staff levels appropriately, proper PPE and leave for workers awaiting test results. He is also calling for close contacts of confirmed cases in meat plants to be tested. Dear Reader, Act III of Shakespeares The Winters Tale probably has the most memorable stage direction ever -- Exit, pursued by a bear. That direction seems rather apt today, as we gradually exit from the lockdown. The first impact of the easing of the lockdowns is seen from the Flash Composite Purchasing Managers Indices (PMIs) for some of the larger developed economies, all of which show that the pace of contraction in their economies slowed this month. But they all continued to shrink from the previous month, despite the horrendous April PMI readings. There are no flash PMIs for India, so well have to wait till early June to see how much of a rebound there will be from Aprils rock-bottom 7.2 reading. Global markets have remained remarkably resilient, thanks to the fire-fighting by central banks and governments in the developed economies. But while the support measures are all very fine, there are limits to what even central banks can do to get the economy moving again. That could be the time when the state of the economy and the markets converge and the current angst about the divergence between the economy and the markets comes to an unfortunate end. Till that happens, the markets may continue to be supported, thanks to the cash with global fund managers. In India too, the RBIs monetary policy committee pared the policy rate by another 40 basis points, but at the moment, rate cuts are just pushing on a string. The key takeaway from Governor Shaktikanta Dass speech was that GDP growth for the current fiscal year would be negative, which is markedly at odds with the governments Chief Economic Advisers forecast of 1 to 2 percent growth. Note that the RBI governors assessment that GDP will shrink this year came after the governments so-called 20 trillion rupee economic package, which was a bit of a dogs breakfast. While Das did not spell out how negative growth will be, the Securities and Exchange Board of India has asked companies to tell investors what impact the covid-19 crisis is having on their business, which should be helpful to investors. The trouble is, with no growth, why on earth will banks take the risk and lend? Even the credit guarantee scheme for small businesses may not be all it is cracked up to be. The reform measures, especially the announcement about privatisation, are more than welcome, but markets are mourning the lack of a fiscal boost. Given these circumstances, investors would do well to go global in their search for safe stocks that can withstand the storm. That said, as the lockdown eases, the economy should slowly get back on its feet. But unemployment is still very high. Given the uncertainties, investors will have to look at stocks that will do well over the long term, as some valuations are still too high. As usual, we also warned you about stocks to avoid at the moment. For those who want to diversify, gilt funds could be an interesting choice. Jio Platforms, of course, continued to raise humongous amounts of money from marquee investors in the midst of a raging pandemic and we had pointed out what that means for shareholders. The pandemic has forced even the Chinese leadership to give up its GDP target for the year, citing great uncertainty. It is instead readying a new security law to curb the protests in Hong Kong. Reports say that U.S. senators are introducing a bipartisan bill that would sanction Chinese party officials and entities who enforce the new laws in Hong Kong and also penalise banks that do business with them. Relations between the US and China are spiralling downwards rapidly, adding new geopolitical and trade risks to already stressed economies. How best can Indian companies benefit from the global disenchantment with China and the reset of globalisation and supply chains? We looked at opportunities for India in the US and other export markets. I leave you with this interview of a quant trader, which has many nuggets of wisdom for investors. Apart from the strategies he talks about, he says he learnt two things from investment guru Ramesh Damani -- Buy truckloads when there is an opportunity and There are no losses, only lessons learnt. Cheers, Manas Chakravarty New Delhi: The Islamic holy month of Ramzan or Ramadan will come to an end with Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations. With Eid-ul-Fitr or Eid-al-Fitr, the 30-day long period of fasting (also known as Rozas) comes to an end. Muslims across the globe and India celebrate the day with much gusto and fervour. Check moon sighting and chand raat live updates here. Eid-ul-Fitr is the first and only day in the month of Shawwal during which Muslims are not permitted to fast. The day and date of Eid may vary depending upon different time zones and moon sighting. ALSO READ: Eid-ul-Fitr 2020 live: Saudi Arabia moon sighting timing, end of Ramadan However, due to the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak, this time festivities might have a new way of celebrations. With people confined to their homes and social distancing the new norm, spending time with family at home can be a new way of expressing gratitude and celebrating the essence of the festival worldwide. The crescent moon was not sighted in Saudi Arabia on Friday, May 22, 2020, therefore Eid will be celebrated in Gulf countries on May 24 - Sunday. ALSO READ: Eid-ul-Fitr 2020: Top WhatsApp, Facebook and Text messages to wish your loved ones! Eid-ul-Fitr 2020 India Timings: The date of Eid will be decided upon the moon sighting on May 23, Saturday, most likely. If the moon is sighted on that day, then Eid will be celebrated on May 24, Sunday. Otherwise, it will be on May 25, 2020 - Monday. Ramzan or Ramadan falls on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and holds a great significance for the Muslim community. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims observe fasts for 30 days marking it as a gesture to revere the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief. ALSO READ: Eid-ul-Fitr 2020: Quick tips on how to style this Eid at home! According to many beliefs, this annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month lasts for about 2930 days (usually a month) based on the visual sighting of the crescent moon, according to numerous biographical accounts compiled in the hadiths. ALSO READ: Karnataka, Kerala to observe Eid ul-Fitr on May 24 Ramadan word has Arabic root ramida or ar-ramad, which means scorching heat or dryness. It is believed that the holy book of Quran was written during this month. Thus, the people practise fasting in this month to purify their souls and seek forgiveness from the Almighty Allah. Eid Mubarak to all our readers! Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 13:45:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan security forces have killed Taliban key commander Habibullah Nasiri in the northern Kunduz province, a senior police official said on Saturday. "The notorious Habibullah Nasiri, who was involved in conducting terrorist attacks including target killings and served as the Taliban commander for the provincial capital Kunduz city, was killed Saturday," Shir Mohammad Parsa told Xinhua. According to the official, the elimination of commander Nasiri could prove a major setback to the Taliban militants in Kunduz province. Taliban militants who had lost dozens of fighters in clashes with the government forces outside Kunduz city last week have yet to make comment on the report. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 13:51:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Tourists admire the skyline view of Lujiazui area at the Bund in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang) Geoffrey Garrett, dean of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, said "obviously China is several months ahead of the West (in combating COVID-19), and it looks like Chinese domestic economic activity has picked up dramatically in the last month or so," referring to China's recovery from the impact of COVID-19. WASHINGTON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The domestic drivers for the Chinese economy are looking much better and Chinese domestic economic activity has picked up "dramatically" in the last month or so, a U.S. scholar has told Xinhua. In a video interview on Wednesday, Geoffrey Garrett, dean of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, said "obviously China is several months ahead of the West, and it looks like Chinese domestic economic activity has picked up dramatically in the last month or so," referring to China's recovery from the impact of COVID-19. He believed the problem for China now will be global demand. "The fact that there will be no global demand in the second half of this year will obviously slow down China's recovery, but so, the domestic drivers for the Chinese economy are looking much better and better every day." China on Thursday raised the curtain for its annual political high season. This year's "two sessions" are expected to highlight China's final push in poverty alleviation and completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Such progress is expected to boost its economic growth. Deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the third session of the 13th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, May 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli) Garrett said "2021 was going to be a very big year for China, with a bunch of goals, to be delivered on by that time." He explained that though "2020 is just going to be an incredibly difficult year for every economy in the world," "we should just never lose sight of the fact that what's happened in China since 1978 is probably the greatest economic miracle in the history of the world." "Lifting 700 million ... people out of poverty in three or four decades is just extraordinary," he said in reference to China's poverty alleviation efforts. Talking about international cooperation in the COVID-19 pandemic, the expert said, "I would expect that China could and should be a leading player in any international responses to the pandemic." He believed that international collaboration has been absent so far in response to the pandemic. "And I hope we can change that. Of course they have got to be national responses too, but I think coordinated international action is really important," he said. British court rules against gunrunner with CIA ties: An Iranian American aviation magnate and gunrunner tied to the CIA and the Iran-contra scandal must pay a sheikhdom in the United Arab Emirates more than $4.1 million over a series of business disputes, a British court ruled. The decision against Farhad Azima caps a years-long legal dispute between the Kansas City, Mo., resident and the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah, one of the UAE's seven sheikhdoms. The case renewed questions over whether Azima had what one prosecutor said was a stay-out-of-jail-free card because of secretive work he had performed for the U.S. government. A statement issued on Azima's behalf said he planned to appeal, reiterating his belief he had been targeted by hackers working for Ras al-Khaimah, something the emirate denies. Jeremy Clarkson has revealed Grand Tour producer Andy Wilman has suffered a relapse of coronavirus after spending two weeks in bed with it the first time. The former Top Gear producer, 57, and lifelong friend of Jeremy Clarkson said he suffered 'the worst thing... ever' when he had the disease. He revealed the coronavirus pandemic slowed the progress of the show's Madagascar special and derailed plans to film in Russia in March. Mr Wilman said the virus kept him in bed for ten days and he was unable to edit the show's special, which was filmed six month ago. Jeremy Clarkson (centre-left) has revealed Grand Tour producer Andy Wilman (centre-right), 57, suffered from coronavirus twice after spending two weeks in bed Mr WIlman says 'I have had the plague. It's the worst thing I've ever had ever'. The show, featuring Clarkson, Richard Hammond (centre) and James May (left), had a trip to Russia cancelled because of the pandemic He said: 'I have had the plague. It's the worst thing I've ever had ever.' The show is being edited remotely and he said they will deliver their finished cut to Amazon in the next two weeks. Jeremy Clarkson wrote about Mr Wilman's illness in a column for The Sun yesterday, saying it made him question Boris Johnson's health. The former Top Gear presenter, 60, said Mr Wilman continues to suffer with side effects six weeks after recovering from the disease. Clarkson says Mr Wilman's experience makes him 'wonder about Boris Johnson' and whether he is fit enough to work He said: 'Happily, he recovered without having to go to hospital, but he was never back up to full speed before the virus came again. 'I had a Zoom call with him this week and it was like talking to a sea lion. All of which makes me wonder about Boris Johnson. 'Yes, he's up and about and yes, he says he's fit enough to work. But is he really?' Clarkson said Mr Wilman 'was barely able to breathe' in a Youtube quiz he hosted in April. He said: 'He coughed his spleen out on a number of occasions, he was very, very, very poorly.' PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-23 16:00:01 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 876 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TOKYO, JAPAN / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2020 / Volatility has been one of the characteristics of digital asset prices. In early May 2020, for example, price levels have reached the highest price since "Black Thursday" even amidst the current economic situation. It is challenging for some investors and traders to keep on pushing especially with the current volatility that can pose threats to growing one's portfolio. Nonetheless, some trading strategies can still help ensure profits during these trying times.For most digital asset traders, holding appears to be the safest method. This is when a trader holds on to the asset for a long time. Holding requires patience, and unfortunately, it can take years to actually get a profit. Take Bitcoin as an example. People who have held onto the coin for years ended up as the biggest winners. However, the challenge with this technique is knowing whether it is the right time to sell.Trading, on the other hand, can be extremely risky and is accompanied by a massive amount of stress. It is a very dangerous game especially if there's not much knowledge about it. Traders must stand the mental pressure and can say "stop" at the right time while waiting for a price bounce. Many traders who are trying to compensate for their losses can end up losing more than their accumulated capital.Is there any strategy that does not involve a long and uncertain wait or risk of severe losses? Yes. There exists a strategy that is both low-risk and short-term.Increasing digital assets through arbitrage trading"Arbitrage is the concurrent buying and selling of an asset on different markets to profit from the price difference. This is the best strategy for trading, especially when there are so many price movements and asymmetries in the market," says Andre Gerald, Chief Executive Officer of Prance Gold Holdings, a trading platform specializing in algorithmic trading.Significant price differences arise for the same digital asset on multiple exchanges because there are hundreds of different exchanges on the market to date. These price differences can range from 3% to 5% on average, although it can go as high as 20% in some cases. These price discrepancies allow traders to generate a huge profit with little to no risk and no advanced market knowledge. "The main purpose of arbitrage is to maximize investors' profits, based on their assets, with zero risks," according to the Journal of International Studies.However, this process is time-consuming and requires traders to have the right equipment to fully take advantage of all the arbitrage opportunities in different markets, especially with digital assets.Leveraging on digital asset arbitrageThe most basic and straightforward way to start arbitrage in digital assets is to do everything manually. You can monitor exchanges for price differences and then place trades and transfer funds accordingly.However, "What these programs do is to initiate a trade instantly once an arbitrage opportunity is spotted. This offers traders reduced risks and increased profitability of their digital assets", explains Jeffrey Guo, Fintech Veteran and Seed Investor of Prance Gold Holdings.In addition, there are two distinct methods of arbitraging in digital assets: regular and triple-directional arbitrage. The former refers to buying and selling the same coin on different exchanges with significant price differences. The latter involves three coins in the same exchange."Triple-directional (also referred to triangular arbitrage) is the act of exploiting an arbitrage opportunity resulting from a pricing discrepancy among three different assets or currencies in the exchanges. This strategy involves three trades, exchanging the initial digital currency for a second, the second currency for a third, and the third currency for the initial," says Prance Gold Holdings' Gerald.Arbitraging manually can be tedious and requires a lot of time. To fully take advantage of this strategy, there are arbitrage bots that are designed to make it as easy as possible to leverage these price differences. This means there will be no need to hold on to a coin for years. You can grow digital assets short term with little to no risk.The takeawayAmong all digital asset trading strategies, arbitrage can be proven as a sustainable way to grow one's portfolio. Although it requires a lot of information to process and to make the strategy work for you. Fortunately, there are certain platforms you can take advantage of that offer software or trading bot to help you find arbitrage opportunities.Arbitrage takes advantage of multiple small gains from price differences in markets. Therefore, it will generate profits even amidst volatility and even through economic uncertainties. For traders, this will be an opportunity to take advantage of the asymmetric nature of markets.About Prance Gold HoldingsPrance Gold Holdings is a technology firm focused on the growth of digital assets for retail and corporate firms through transparent, short to mid-term cryptocurrency arbitrage on world-renowned major exchanges around the world. The company offers everyone ultra-short-term investment opportunities as short as seven hours, simply by parking their idle balances in its high performance and secure platform for risk-free arbitrage trading to grow their individual wealth.Media contactFor inquiries, please get in touch with Linda Fairbrother at lindafairbrother@ prancegoldholdings.com Image credit: PxfuelSOURCE: Prance Gold Holdings Ajay Kanth By Express News Service KOCHI: In a few days, domestic flight services will resume across the country. However, Keralas super-rich do not want to risk flying with strangers fearing COVID-19 infection and are instead opting for chartered flights. One such Malayali family has decided to book a chartered helicopter for almost Rs 5 lakh to fly from Bengaluru to its home in Kochi on Tuesday. Kochi airport officials said they have been getting requests from chartered airlines seeking landing clearance after the Ministries of Civil Aviation and Home Affairs relaxed lockdown restrictions for private chartered flights. Many are ready to spend on chartered helicopter services due to the COVID-19 scare. During the first and second phase of the lockdown, we received several such enquiries from people from across the country looking to reach Kerala. We could not take up the assignment then. With the restrictions eased now, we hope to provide the service, said a senior executive of a private airliner. Shoby T Paul, the CEO of Halo Airways Pvt Ltd, which will transport the family to Kochi, said the pandemic scare had led to a rise in such queries, including from people who have never flown in a private flight before. About Tuesdays chopper service, he said the family of four will be airlifted from HAL in Bengaluru and dropped at Kochi airport. The travel time is two hours each side. The family opted for a chartered helicopter as a 32-year-old woman in the family is 26 weeks pregnant and the family fears the likelihood of a Covid-19 infection on a regular flight, Shoby said. He said the passengers will be subjected to all safety protocol and shifted directly to their house in Kochi city for mandatory 14-day home quarantine. We are in the process of finishing all necessary flight procedures, including the procurement of a fit-to-fly certificate for the pregnant woman, Shoby said. The Sokoto state high court has granted bail to two Chinese nationals arraigned for allegedly offering bribe to an official of the Eco... The Sokoto state high court has granted bail to two Chinese nationals arraigned for allegedly offering bribe to an official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Abdullahi Lawal, head of EFCC zonal office in Sokoto state, had paraded the two foreigners, Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuoi of China Zhounghao Nigeria Limited, a construction company, for offering bribe to cover-up an investigation against their company. Lawal said the duo offered him and his team a bribe of N100 million which was to be paid in two tranches. In a statement on Friday, Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said Muhammad Sifawa, the judge, granted the two Chinese a bail in the sum of N5 million each. The defendants are to also provide two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be resident in the state. According to the statement, the surety must also deposit a certificate of occupancy of landed property within the jurisdiction of the court. He also ordered the defendants to submit their international passports with the chief registrar of the court and demanded that they take an undertaking that they would not travel out of the country throughout the duration of their trial, the statement read. Lawal had said the Chinese company is currently being investigated by the EFCC over allegations of money laundering, misappropriation, diversion of public funds, among others. According to the zonal head, the case against the company involves N50 billion worth of contracts awarded to it by the Zamfara state government, between 2012 and 2019. He said the company received a payment of over N41 billion and allegedly diverted over N16 billion. Haiti - FLASH : Haiti crosses the bar of 800 cases The Ministry of Public Health informs that 78 new cases have been confirmed, for a total of 812 in Haiti (39.8% women and 60.2% men) since the first case (March 19, 2020) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html The number of active cases in Haiti (minus deaths and cures) now stands at 765 (+ 11.19%) +77 cases (the day before: +68 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30833-haiti-flash-734-infected-people-and-2-519-suspected-cases.html ). 1 new healing was recorded bringing the total to 22. Number of suspected cases followed : 2,582 (+ 2.5%) +63 cases (the day before +167). People hospitalized: 282 (unchanged). Home quarantine: 1,171 (-267). All the details in our daily report of 11:00 m Read also: https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30839-haiti-covid-19-daily-report-may-22-2020.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30833-haiti-flash-734-infected-people-and-2-519-suspected-cases.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html S/ HaitiLibre On Friday, a study published by the journal Lancet suggested that hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, with or without an antibiotic, did not help hospitalized patients and was tied to a greater risk of death or heart rhythm problems. Although it was observational rather than a rigorous test, its by far the largest so far to examine these drugs in real-world settings nearly 100,000 patients in 671 hospitals on six continents. Researchers estimated that the death rate attributable to use of the drugs, with or without an antibiotic such as azithromycin, is roughly 13% versus 9% for patients not taking them. WILLIAMSPORT The defunct Wood-Mode Inc. has agreed to pay more than $13 million to resolve a federal lawsuit accusing it of violating the law that requires employees be given a 60-day notice of closing. Whether any of the 938 former Wood-Mode employees will ever see their share is another question. As stated in a stipulated judgment filed Friday that is awaiting the signature of U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann, the old Wood-Mode is out of business and has no ability to defend the suit despite believing it has a complete defense. The litigation does not involve the new Wood-Mode established last August after Mifflinburg businessman Bill French bought the assets. The stipulation states the agreement is enforceable against only the former Wood-Mode. It makes no mention of CEO Robert L. Gronlund and R. Brooks Gronlund, president and chief operating officer, although they also are listed as defendants. The Gronlunds and the old Wood-Mode were accused of violating the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act (WARN) that requires employees be given a 60-day notice of closing. The class-action suit is a consolidation of three individual complaints filed by William Swede, Curtis Trego and Tina Clapper. Swede, a 42-year former employee, was pleased with the agreement but added in reference to the money: Good luck trying to get it. There are many unanswered financial questions about the Gronlunds and their company, he said. The amount each former employee is to receive in pay and benefits is determined by their former hourly wage rate. Robert Gessner, who French hired in a leadership position, is scheduled to receive the most at $41,000. Besides paying $10,339,585 to the employees, the former Wood-Mode agrees to pay $3,446,528 in attorney fees plus $10,000 in costs. Attempts to reach the attorneys were unsuccessful. The former Wood-Mode, in responding to two of the individual suits, claimed providing the 60-day notice would have precluded it from being able to sell the business or obtain needed capital to keep operating. Neither occurred, so the custom wood cabinet manufacturer that had been in business for 77 years closed abruptly on May 13, 2019. The former Wood-Mode contended it fell under the faltering company and unforeseeable business circumstances exceptions to the WARN Act. It claimed in shuttering the plant it acted lawfully, in good faith and without malice or reckless indifference to the employees protected rights. The reason the company gave for shutting down was a prospective buyer backed out and the prime lender was unwilling to provide additional money to keep the plant in operation. 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. On militarisation and the remembrance of war View(s): Unsurprisingly but nonetheless worryingly, a seismic shift in positing the military front and centre of Sri Lankas governance framework was pronounced in Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksas statement this week, issued on the eleventh anniversary of the military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Powerful imagery and symbolic thrust Lost in the general storm of covid-19 updates which still crowds out virtually every other happening, this Prime Ministerial statement, given its powerful imagery and symbolic thrust, must not be lost sight of. And for those seeking illusionary comfort in imaginary divisions among the Rajapaksas, that statement should put such frivolities to rest. Indeed, the Prime Ministers statement went so far as to rework the historic five force influence in Sri Lanka into a political narrative of militarisation which has significant impact on the democratic process. It is not so much the words used per se as the justification behind them which has concerning undertones. Those familiar with Sri Lankas history would know that the Pancha Maha Balavegaya, namely the Sangha (priesthood), Weda (medicinal men), Govi (farming community) and Kamkaru (workers) was the cannily manipulative banner with which the Sinhalisation movement of the late Premier SWRD Bandaranaike rode into battle against the scorned colonised Westernized liberal elite of the day, not long after the country attained independence. It did not take much time before Bandaranaike was assassinated by a fanatical adherent of one (the Sangha) of those same five groups but thats ancient history to be sure. Now we have a Rajapaksa addition to these five historic forces, namely the Ranaviru or the armed forces. We are officially in the age of the Sixth Force as it were. In his May 18th statement, the Prime Minister rubbished claims that the public administration was being overrun by the military, propounding with flair that the difference between military and civilian was artificial. In other words, as he said, if a retired member of the armed forces is appointed to some position in the government, that is being portrayed by the opposition as militarisationa person who has retired from the armed forces is a civilian and no longer a member of the military (News First, 18 May, 2020). Stripping tendentious arguments bare To equate a retired military officer to a public servant is of course, tendentious logic of a particularly obnoxious kind. In the first instance, the principle is that positions in the public service are filled on merit and seniority. This is, in fact, the basis on which such appointments are challenged in the courts and elsewhere. There is a carefully constructed institutional system in which these actions take place, underpinned by the law and the Constitution. Never mind the fact that Sri Lankas public service has now been mostly reduced to a gaggle of obsequious yes-men bowing down to politicians. The roots for that decline may be traced to the seventies, when under a different Bandaranaike, the 1972 Constitution drafted by clever men who should have known better, undermined an independent public service. That process was taken further by the Jayawardene Constitution six years later, thus dividing the blame among the two primary political parties. But we are now venturing on new terrain altogether. And to airily justify the appointment of (retired) military men to civilian positions by saying that the distinction between both is artificial is to stretch ones imagination a little too far. To be clear, advancing this critique is quite a separate issue from the position that the military may be called upon, in times of extraordinary emergencies that a nation faces such as most recently in confronting the global pandemic, to assume defined roles in the management thereof. But this must always be within clearly defined legal parameters and while keeping civilian oversight. To forget that distinction is to transform a democracy into a military regime in all but name. This is the exact reason as to why such arguments must be stripped bare of their pretences. Should not the Tamils mourn their dead? Let us not be coy in calling out the Premier for blurring the lines between the military and the civil/public service. This is not even artful, let alone logical. In one sense, Northerners would argue quite rightly that this is just a perpetuation of what their communities underwent in the years following the LTTEs military defeat in 2009. The seeping of the military into all areas of civil administration in the post-war theatre was not a secret. So let us also question the Prime Ministers assertion, as he did on Monday in that very breath justifying the militarisation of governance, that the war fought in the North was not an ethnic war and that it was not against the Tamils but only against the LTTE. As he said, Tamil children are no longer forcibly recruited by the LTTETamil politicians no longer live in fear of LTTE assassins. All that may be true. And those who persist in uncritically seeing only the liberator in the LTTE may be castigated for the extreme Tamil nationalism that they espouse. Even so, and leaving aside the LTTE, what of the Tamil children who live in fear of the Sinhala State? Or are we to pretend that there is no such thing? For these children, the Prime Ministers words will mean very little. Indeed, the minorities continue to be targets of populistic fury drummed up by his own party and his politicians. And the one sure barometer, the law, is employed only against those acting contrary to the majority or majority beliefs.The question is painfully simple. If the Sinhalese mourn their dead, should not the Tamils also be allowed to do so? This time around, covid- 19 restrictions are used to ban remembrances of the Tamil dead in the North. But that transparent excuse will fool no one. Clashing victimhoods instead of common loss The pity of this is that, such state excesses only feed into the Northern nationalistic discourse and ferments new hatred among those who delight each time that the (Sinhala) State overreaches itself. These are lessons of history that we should have surely learnt, as much as the Mahinda Rajapaksa-fathered Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) cautioned that that the Tamil people should not be prevented from remembering their dead. This is basic humanity to say the least. The State should step in only when the dead is sought to be politicised in a way that impacts law and order. It is as simple as that. But instead, communalism rides high by patriots parading their stuff while the majority and the minority lay claim to distinctly clashing victimhoods instead of a common loss. Now as we hail the advent of the Sixth Force (the Ranaviru) as added to the Pancha Maha Balavegaya, those fissures can only deepen. How much more should Sri Lanka fall into acute economic, social and legal decline for people to realise that these clever political slogans are just that and nothing more? There might be critical unanswered questions rummaging through the minds of many, especially corporate leaders as we move into a period of a new normal life under COVID-19. Our culture, corporate behaviour and organisational output are going to be affected, whether we like it or not. Organisations will never go back to doing business as usual, or doing business the way they know best. All must embrace change; that change may be negative or positive depending on how we adapt to the prevailing exigencies of COVID-19. Rev. Okosun said this at the maiden edition of Webinars organised by Integrity Magazine, a subsidiary of Krif Ghana Limited, on the theme: Effects of COVID-19 on Good Corporate Governance in Ghana. He said the webinar served as a platform to inform and educate businesses on the next strategic steps to take as business leaders in order to sail through the Coronavirus crisis with minimal losses. Speaking on the effects of the pandemic on companies, Rev. Okosun explained that; Given the unexpected, and extremely rapid, onset of the COVID-19 crisis, most companies did not foresee the dramatic slowdown of the global economy. There are questions to ask and very far reaching decisions to make during this pandemic, with respect to the liquidity and capital considerations of companies. Rev. Okosun, also the Publisher of the Integrity Magazine, said understanding the impact of the crisis on the companies' cash flow was a very difficult decision on upcoming maturities of outstanding account payables that needed to be settled and the likelihood that financial covenants would be maintained. On the effect of the COVID-19 on corporate governance, he said corporate governance might not be the obvious focus during this crisis for some entities albeit it is during these moments that leadership and management structures are tested and exposed for their strengths and or weaknesses. Mr Michael Osikoya, the Chief Executive Officer of Mikensy Consulting Limited, who examined the effects of COVID-19 on various stakeholders, said; Just as we are recording human fatality, we may not be able to account for the number of businesses that suffer similar fatality from the hands of the pandemic. He identified tourism and leisure, aviation and maritime, automotive, construction, real estate, manufacturing, and academia as sectors, which had been affected badly by the pandemic. He, however, said the medical supply and services chain, food processing and retail, personal and healthcare, ICT, e-commerce and agriculture sectors had actually gained during this season. Mr Osikoya said the Government had been affected adversely by this virus because it had had to provide various stimulus packages and dole out free cash to support various stakeholders, interest groups, businesses and the vulnerable. He stated that government had lost income from taxes and had to borrow to re-inflate the economy, noting that some hard decisions had to be taken that was not palatable for the economy such as the closure of airports and other entry points. Mr Osikoya suggested that business leaders and stakeholders should enter into a restart mode to get out of the challenges imposed by the virus. The webinar brought together leaders from various organisations in the corporate environment in Ghana. The next webinar is slated for Tuesday, June 2, 2020, which would focus on the banking sector. The series will run for the next six weeks. ---GNA As many as 33 Chinese firms and institutes have been added to an economic blacklist in an effort to crackdown on companies that help Beijing spy on its minority communities or for their alleged ties to China's military. The US Commerce Department`s move comes as a latest effort of Trump administration`s crack down on China and a day after Beijing unveiled its plans to impose national security laws on Hong Kong. Companies and institutions were sanctioned for being "complicit in human rights violations and abuses committed in China`s campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, forced labor and high-technology surveillance against Uighurs" and others, the Commerce Department said in a statement, reported Reuters. Atleast seven top tech firms companies were sanctioned for "enabling China`s high-technology surveillance". The US Commerce Department also added another 24 companies, government institutions and commercial organisations to the list for supporting procurement of items for use by the Chinese military. In 2019, similarly 28 Chinese public security bureaus and companies were added to another such blacklist, the companies were suspected of mistreating the minor Uighur community. This list included some of China`s top artificial intelligence startups and video surveillance company. The actions follow the same blueprint used by Washington in its attempt to limit the influence of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd for what it says are national security reasons. Last week, the US Commerce department took action to try to cut off Huawei`s access to chipmakers. The Spanish government Friday announced it will allow the cities of Madrid and Barcelona to ease their COVID-19-related lockdown measures beginning Monday. Most of Spain has begun to slowly reopen since May 11, but those two cities together account for close to half country's roughly 233,000 officially recorded coronavirus cases. The loosening of limits is staggered over four stages, with a requirement that certain targets, including the number of cases and hospital capacity, are met before moving onto the next stage. An American politician can help himself or herself politically by being able to believably use self-deprecating humor, which sends a clear message: "I am not pompously self-important or thin-skinned; I do not take myself completely seriously." No one was better at self-deprecation than former President Ronald Reagan, whose robust sense of self-confidence enabled him to confound his political opponents by laughing at himself. Washington, sadly, can be a city where, because we do not grow corn or build cars, we sometimes measure input rather than output. I may not be able to tell you exactly what I did yesterday in concrete terms, but instead, I can tell you how long I didn't do it. My explanation goes something like this: "I got to my desk before 7:30 a.m. and did not leave until almost 8 p.m." Compare this to, "President Reagan, by refusing to arrive at his office before breakfast and rarely remaining there after 4:30 p.m., offended the Puritans in the press who questioned whether the then-oldest elected president was really 'up' to the demands of the office. At a press dinner, Reagan routed his critics with one simple line: 'It's true hard work never killed anybody, but I figured why take the chance?'" As proof that Gipper's one-liners were not all written by joke writers and he simply expertly delivered, I recall an exchange from the 1980 campaign with a wire-service reporter when then-candidate Reagan's critics regularly disparaged his career in Hollywood. The reporter had located an old promotional glossy photo of Reagan and one of his co-stars, a chimpanzee named Bonzo. With good nature, Reagan signed the photo and added, "I'm the one with the wristwatch." Nor was Reagan the only major Republican who could make fun of himself. GOP White House nominee John McCain, having agreed with the description of him as an "American hero" and "an incredibly self-effacing guy," recalled what had motivated him to become the leading Republican advocate of campaign finance reform: "As I was lying there in my prison cell in Hanoi having my legs broken by interrogators, one thought and one thought alone kept me going -- that someday I would come home and do something about soft money PACs." How had McCain become a prisoner of war? "I was able to intercept a surface-to-air missile with my own airplane." As the Republican nominee in 2012, Sen. Mitt Romney faced the thorny political issue of same-sex marriage, which many in his party vehemently opposed, and explained his own position this way: "As a Mormon, I believe marriage is between a man and a woman ... and a woman ... and a woman ... and a woman." Acknowledging his own often fractured syntax and verbal gaffes, former President George W. Bush quoted approvingly a tough line from Garrison Keillor: "George Bush's lips are where words go to die." One major Republican leader has never had either the comfort level or the self-confidence to make fun of himself through self-deprecating humor. Denigrating public persons with whom you disagree as "loser" or "crooked" or "failing" or "low-IQ" or "crazy" is ridicule. It is not humor, and it is not appealing. Perhaps President Donald Trump's inability to ever laugh at himself or to admit a flaw or a mistake explains why Reagan, McCain, Bush and Romney are all more favorably regarded by American voters today than is President Donald J. Trump. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Workers at Liscio's Italian Bakery Inc. in Glassboro. The company employs 400, but some were laid off when hoagie shops were closed in the fight against the coronavirus. A PPP loan through TD Bank has enabled co-owner Charles (Chad) Vilotti to set rehiring plans. Read more Trying to figure out how youll pay back your small-business loan? Or better yet, get it forgiven? The Small Business Administration last week released a long-awaited request form for business owners who took out Paycheck Protection Program loans and want the debt forgiven. Be aware that the rules for repayment and forgiveness have continued to shift since the launch of the PPP loans. This has been an evolution, with interim final rules issued every other day, said Nanette Heide, a lawyer with Duane Morris in New York. The latest key document is called the Loan Forgiveness Application and is available on the SBA website (www.sba.gov). Borrowers must submit the application to their bank or lender to apply for loan forgiveness. But expect more updates in the coming weeks. The government is flying this plane while still building it, noted Michael Ecker, a lawyer with Eckert Seamans in Philadelphia. He is advising clients not to rush to submit a forgiveness application. Initially, the loan was supposed to be spent on payroll and other costs over eight weeks. But, as Ecker noted, there are efforts in Congress to extend that time period to 16 weeks, while business groups are pushing for 24 weeks. There seems to be some consideration in Congress to afford borrowers, especially those in the hospitality and restaurant business, more flexibility in starting the spend period, and perhaps even lengthening the spend period from eight weeks to 12 weeks to qualify for forgiveness, Ecker said. Stay tuned. READ MORE: Should insurance companies pay for coronavirus shutdown losses? Philly businesses are taking them to court. Calculating forgiveness As with any government program, the rules for SBA loan forgiveness are complex. The forgiveness form is one document that business owners will really have to labor over. First, the application asks for payroll and nonpayroll costs spent over the eight-week period since you banked the PPP funds. Then theres the full-time equivalent employee (FTE) calculation. You as a business owner are required to bring back the same number of employees as pre-pandemic, to avoid having your loan forgiveness slashed. Finally, you must identify who qualifies as a full-time employee generally, someone working 40 hours a week. There is a grace period, called a safe harbor, if you dont bring back the same number of employees in eight weeks, but aim to do so by June 30, according to Heide. Whats eligible to be included as a forgiven cost: Payroll costs that are incurred or paid during the eight-week period beginning on the date of the first disbursement. Mortgage interest on property, and business rent or lease payments for real or personal property, in force before Feb. 15 of this year, and any business utility payments during the eight-week period before Feb. 15. Eligible payroll Now, as to the workforce. For each employee, the total compensation eligible for forgiveness cant exceed an annual salary of $100,000, prorated for the eight-week period. That doesnt include health insurance, retirement contributions, and other benefits. The 75/25 Rule The PPPs new Loan Forgiveness Application restates whats been dubbed the 75/25 rule: 75% of the loan is supposed to be used for payroll; 25% for nonpayroll costs, such as the mortgage interest, lease, and utility payments. $2 million threshold Only the relatively few PPP loans of more than $2 million will be subject to audits by the SBA. Certifications The Loan Forgiveness Application requires business owners to certify that your loan wasnt for unauthorized purposes; otherwise youre a target for civil and criminal penalties. A reality TV star got a $2 million PPP loan. He allegedly bought a Rolls-Royce Wraith luxury coupe, along with $85,000 worth of jewelry, and was arrested on May 13. Um, what? Include payroll paperwork, accounting records, and show youve maintained those in the normal course of business. If youve done all of this, congratulations youve performed a small miracle. One hitch: You can still run afoul of the government if the SBA decides your loan wasnt kosher in the first place. The SBA can direct your bank or other lender to toss out your loan forgiveness application if the agency believes that a borrower was ineligible for the PPP loan, according to a Duane Morris alert to clients. READ MORE: PREIT gets $4.5M Paycheck Protection loan for small business and real-estate tax delays, as losses mount Accountants who crunch these numbers for a living say there are still gaping holes in the forgiveness process. Its clear the application form and instructions provided ... are not enough, Erik Asgeirsson, president and CEO of CPA.com, the American Institute of CPAs business and technology arm, said in a statement. Things are changing so fast that the AICPA is holding weekly online webinars to keep up with the entire PPP process and rules, available on its website. And Congress may hold hearings on the SBAs lack of transparency. Exemptions and taxes This past week brought yet another new exemption. Borrowers who make a good-faith, written offer to rehire but were declined by the workers - can still get that payroll portion of the loan forgiven, according to Mitch Gerstein, a tax accountant with Isdaner and Co. in Bala Cynwyd. Business owners have two years to repay the rest of the loan at 1% interest. Borrowers can defer payment for the first six months, with interest accruing during that time, said Ecker. Now to taxes. Whatever portion of your loan that is forgiven will not be taxed, the IRS said. However, the agency also recently ruled that you cant deduct business expenses you paid with the forgiven loan. The issue is a jump ball at this point, but there is hope for a solution. Lawmakers disagree with the IRS ruling on deductions. U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) and Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) sponsored a bill that would permit small businesses to write off those expenses. Sens. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.), Tom Carper (D., Del.), and John Cornyn (R., Texas) co-sponsored the legislation. ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters. Money still available Payback headaches aside, the money available under PPP is still not exhausted. In fact, Congress is looking to expand the program. So if you want assistance, apply before the June 30 deadline. The first round of $349 billion in funding ran out April 16 after 13 days. Theres still more than $100 billion left in the second round of $320 billion, Bloomberg data showed, citing SBA numbers from May 16. The SBA is now allowing business owners who werent previously qualified to get loans, said Gerstein. Thats a positive thing. So many people were scared off by the requirements, which was a shame. The application clarifies some things and raises more questions. That should be issued in the coming days and weeks. Lendistry will host a free information webinar will be held with SBA on Tuesday, May 26 at 2:00pm to discuss the PPP loan forgiveness. For business owners who felt discouraged about applying earlier in the PPP process, now is the time to act to secure funding, said Everett Sands, Lendistrys chief executive officer. To register, call 215-496-8020 or visit the website: http://www.pidcphila.com/events/paycheck-protection-program-lendistry-info-session. Actor Charlie Hunnam is set to star in Spyglass Media Group's adaptation of author Ben Moon's memoir "Denali: A Man A Dog, A Friendship Of A Lifetime". The film, titled "Denali", will be written and directed by Max Winkler, who recently worked with Hunnam on drama movie "Jungleland", reported Deadline. Itstarted as an eight-minute film that Moon, who works as a photographer, created as a love letter to his dog. His memoir, which was published by Penguin Random Housein January this year, chronicles Moon's 15-year friendship with Denali, who Moon rescued from a shelter upon moving to Oregon and feeling an instant connection with the pup. The two of them set out on an adventure across the American west but their journey was cut short when Moon was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age 29. He faced a difficult battle with the disease, but Denali never once left his side, and ultimately, Moon made a full recovery. A short time later, Denali was diagnosed with cancer as well, and it was Moon's turn to hold his furry friend's paw. Hunnam, 40, will also produce the project along with Albert BergerandRon Yerxa, with whom he previously collaborated on "Cold Mountain". The actor, best known for movies such as "The Gentlemen", "The Lost City of Z" and "King Arthur", will next star in Apple's series "Shantaram". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Michigan, a COVID-19 epicenter with over 53,000 cases and over 5,000 deaths, is now facing the threat of crippling cuts to public education as districts make plans to open in-person education in the fall. With the closure or slowing of manufacturing and Depression-levels of unemployment nearing 25 percent, state tax revenues have fallen by $3.2 billion. Detroit teachers fight crumbling schools 2016 To pay for the shortfall and balance the budget, Republican state politicians are demanding unprecedented cuts to schools. They estimate the School Aid Fund could be slashed as much as $1.2 billion for the 201920 school year (ending June 30) and another $1.1 billion cut for 202021. Schools are meanwhile scrambling to devise plans for split-week schedules to reduce class sizes, student temperature checks, social distancing, deep cleaning of buildings and online classes. This comes after most Michigan schools have been short-staffed for years, with teachers forced to deal with oversized and under-resourced classes. Rockford School Superintendent Mike Shibler gave an indication of the extent of these measures, telling local media MLive, Now, with less than a month remaining in our school year and just three months before the start of the next school year, there is no way we can cut our budgets by the amount indicated in state budget projections without massive staff layoffs and the elimination of essential programming in the future. Democratic state representatives are calling for additional federal assistance, an entirely unlikely prospect. The state received only $89 million to assist both K-12 and higher education in the grotesquely misnamed CARES Act, while schools sought to somehow maintain mass food distribution, provide online devices to those in need and revise curricula for distance learning. The attitude of the federal government towards struggling public schools was underscored this week when Education Secretary Betsy DeVos mandated that private and parochial schools should be included in CARES. The draconian budget cuts in Michigan could mean up to a $2,000 annual cut from the present $8,000 per-pupil allocation, according to the chair of the Senate education committee, Wayne Schmidt (R-Traverse City). The bulk of all school funding in the state is administered through this foundation allowance determined by district enrollment on set count days. As a result of systematic cuts to the per-pupil grant, many districts have never recovered to pre-2011 funding. In addition, the Obama administration enacted substantial cuts to Title I and special education funding which hit Michigan with devastating force. A veteran science teacher in the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) spoke to the World Socialist Web Site, addressing the conditions facing teachers and students during the pandemic, the looming budget cuts and plans for reopening the schools. Detroit teachers have long battled the bipartisan state and federal defunding of public education, gaining international attention for their courageous sickouts during 20152016 against crumbling, unsafe schools. Photos of black mold in classrooms, buckets to catch water through leaking roofs and rodent infestations went viral. In 2018, DPSCD revealed that an estimated $500 million would be needed to bring all buildings up to satisfactory condition, a number far out of reach for the cash-strapped district. WSWS: First of all, what has it been like switching to all-online classes? Teacher: During these weeks of virtual online learning, I had been hearing from about ten kids a day compared with 160 which I service. I have called my students when they were supposed to be meeting for class and find that they are on their way to work. This is 1:00 in the afternoon, but employers and even parents are expecting that they work. This is, of course, a socioeconomic problem. Or students could be watching five or six siblings and trying to use their moms cell phone to access lessons. Economic disadvantage is even more glaring than usual. WSWS: Only 10 out of 160? T: Yes. And Im not talking about participating in the online class or turning in work, but any presence. That would include looking at the assignment, clicking a roll call post, or messaging me. By attendance, it doesnt mean they are actively participating in class. WSWS: Would you call this a breakdown of the system? T: I wouldnt go that far. We have an amazing team of teachers. The districts first response has been to ask our students, Do you need anything? Is there anything we can do to support you? The first issue was arranging pickup for breakfast and lunches. Of course, if families dont have a car, how do they get the lunches? Maybe If we [the Detroit public schools] had consistent busing services, then this food could be delivered, but then, many schools dont. Teachers have also been calling their students at home, doing check-ins for social and emotional health. When the district rolled out distance learning, they shortened class periods, and Im personally giving kids the option to self-pace. Maybe they cant attend at 9 a.m., but Im recording the classes and they can self-pace. WSWS: What does it mean for parents? T: Work at the high school level shouldnt require a lot of parental support, but elementary school is a very different animal. Even just access can be very challenging. If youre a mom working from home, but have only one laptop, your child has to work from their cell phone. The district has arranged for all families to have free internet access during this period, with plans to get devices to students in need, but I dont know how that will go. They had to write a grant, wait to receive funds, figure out how to roll it out safely, and finally try to make sure those with the highest need get them. So many layers of mess! WSWS: What do you think about the reopening of schools? T: The phrase reopening the economy makes me grind my teeth. I know the shutdown cant be indefinite, but today there were more new cases yet, over 100,000 new cases, after hovering around 80,000 a day worldwide. I hear the argument about people being destitute if we dont reopen, but we could go a long way stemming the spread by being smarter. I have a background in infectious disease and a basic understanding of epidemiology. Until we have contact tracing and can isolate outbreaks, I expect exponential growth will resume. We flattened the curve for a while, and I hope Im wrong, but I think the second wave will be worse. The United States is prioritizing money above human life. Reopening schools will mean devastating impacts on teachers, school workers, custodians and security staff. We have a metal detector at our school. Security has to touch every backpack every day. Any teacher knows how well their classrooms are cleaned. Its tidy, but its a spray and wipe. I buy my own Clorox wipes to give to kids for their desks. There is minimal staff, and I suspect many are receiving low wages. It might be their second or third job. Theres no oversight, and custodians are not trained in aseptic cleaning. We know students can be asymptomatic carriers. My big concern is them taking this disease home to parents and grandparents. Many of my kids stay with extended family. I hope that districts will make the decisions that our national leadership will not. Look at the silencing of [Dr. Anthony] Fauci, for example, who wasnt permitted to testify before Congress. I explained to a friend of mine that more people have now died from COVID-19 than did in Vietnam, and he was shocked. We do need to educate people. I believe it is likely that deaths will increase threefold by the end of the year. WSWS: Michigan is facing a massive cut to education funding. What will that mean? T: Additional cuts to education are insane! Funding is already low here compared to districts like Boston. Having taught in three widely different schools, teachers attention and effort are there. They are doing everything they can with limited resources and limited support. I have taught children from high poverty in Northern Michigan where most dont have anyone in their family with a college education. Ive taught Native American students on a reservation. And currently I am in an urban setting in Detroit. We forget about rural poverty, but it is just as much as urban. Rural-urban students mirror each other. The divide is really socioeconomic, not racial. My kids see the inequities, its two groups that want the same thingthey just want the government to stop screwing them over. I cant imagine having less money for schools. I dont know if public education has a fate in this country if it continues on this trajectory. There is so much inequity. The two-party system doesnt work for us anymore. Fear of socialism is a serious problem because people dont understand it. One wonders if the November election will even happen at all, considering the probable second wave of infection we face. Cuts like these, together with the pandemic, could decimate the workforce. Of course, I need a job and dont want to abandon the kids, but I dont believe I will return in September if I am asked to come physically into the classroom. I feel it would put at risk the security workers, people serving lunch, all the parents, aunts and uncles. Higher poverty means higher preexisting conditions. I would return in a virtual learning capacity or once I feel the rate of infection is under control, and proper measures can actually be taken in school buildings. ** The World Socialist Web Site Educators Newsletter urges teachers and school workers to contact us with your thoughts on the issues you face, the defense of public education, and questions regarding the Socialist Equality Partys fight for rank-and-file safety committees in every workplace and neighborhood to determine how and when students and educators return safely to school. Write to us today at teachers@wsws.org. A Houston Fire Department captain and his wife were found dead in a gruesome scene, as their toddler cried in their Brazoria County home Friday, according to law enforcement officials. The childs cries were loud enough for Brazoria County Sheriffs Office deputies to hear outside the Rosharon home as they performed a welfare check. A relative requested deputies stop by the home in the 12000 block of Rio Nueces Lane because they had not heard from the family since Thursday night, according to investigators. Deputies forced entry into the home and found the 1-year-old child unharmed, the sheriffs office said. Briana Warren, 25, and Joe Robinson, 38, were found dead, according to media reports. Houston firefighters are stunned by the deaths of Joe Robinson and Briana Warren, the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association said in a statement Friday. Robinson served Houston as a firefight for more than 15 years, according to the statement. He worked the B-shift at Station 48. This is a terribly sad, but urgent reminder that we should watch out for and take care of our family members and friends in distress, the statement reads. Whether for line-of-duty behavioral health issues or other life challenges, help is available - no matter what. Please keep the Robinson and Warren families and everyone affected by their tragic deaths in your thoughts and prayers. A Houston Fire District Chief and others wearing HFD shirts were at the scene Friday evening. Investigators said the causes of their deaths are unknown at this time, but said a weapon was recovered at the house. The home did not appear to have been broken into, according to officials, and there are no suspects at large. TOKYO, JAPAN / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2020 / Volatility has been one of the characteristics of digital asset prices. In early May 2020, for example, price levels have reached the highest price since "Black Thursday" even amidst the current economic situation. It is challenging for some investors and traders to keep on pushing especially with the current volatility that can pose threats to growing one's portfolio. Nonetheless, some trading strategies can still help ensure profits during these trying times. For most digital asset traders, holding appears to be the safest method. This is when a trader holds on to the asset for a long time. Holding requires patience, and unfortunately, it can take years to actually get a profit. Take Bitcoin as an example. People who have held onto the coin for years ended up as the biggest winners. However, the challenge with this technique is knowing whether it is the right time to sell. Trading, on the other hand, can be extremely risky and is accompanied by a massive amount of stress. It is a very dangerous game especially if there's not much knowledge about it. Traders must stand the mental pressure and can say "stop" at the right time while waiting for a price bounce. Many traders who are trying to compensate for their losses can end up losing more than their accumulated capital. Is there any strategy that does not involve a long and uncertain wait or risk of severe losses? Yes. There exists a strategy that is both low-risk and short-term. Increasing digital assets through arbitrage trading "Arbitrage is the concurrent buying and selling of an asset on different markets to profit from the price difference. This is the best strategy for trading, especially when there are so many price movements and asymmetries in the market," says Andre Gerald, Chief Executive Officer of Prance Gold Holdings, a trading platform specializing in algorithmic trading. Significant price differences arise for the same digital asset on multiple exchanges because there are hundreds of different exchanges on the market to date. These price differences can range from 3% to 5% on average, although it can go as high as 20% in some cases. These price discrepancies allow traders to generate a huge profit with little to no risk and no advanced market knowledge. "The main purpose of arbitrage is to maximize investors' profits, based on their assets, with zero risks," according to the Journal of International Studies. Story continues However, this process is time-consuming and requires traders to have the right equipment to fully take advantage of all the arbitrage opportunities in different markets, especially with digital assets. Leveraging on digital asset arbitrage The most basic and straightforward way to start arbitrage in digital assets is to do everything manually. You can monitor exchanges for price differences and then place trades and transfer funds accordingly. However, "What these programs do is to initiate a trade instantly once an arbitrage opportunity is spotted. This offers traders reduced risks and increased profitability of their digital assets", explains Jeffrey Guo, Fintech Veteran and Seed Investor of Prance Gold Holdings. In addition, there are two distinct methods of arbitraging in digital assets: regular and triple-directional arbitrage. The former refers to buying and selling the same coin on different exchanges with significant price differences. The latter involves three coins in the same exchange. "Triple-directional (also referred to triangular arbitrage) is the act of exploiting an arbitrage opportunity resulting from a pricing discrepancy among three different assets or currencies in the exchanges. This strategy involves three trades, exchanging the initial digital currency for a second, the second currency for a third, and the third currency for the initial," says Prance Gold Holdings' Gerald. Arbitraging manually can be tedious and requires a lot of time. To fully take advantage of this strategy, there are arbitrage bots that are designed to make it as easy as possible to leverage these price differences. This means there will be no need to hold on to a coin for years. You can grow digital assets short term with little to no risk. The takeaway Among all digital asset trading strategies, arbitrage can be proven as a sustainable way to grow one's portfolio. Although it requires a lot of information to process and to make the strategy work for you. Fortunately, there are certain platforms you can take advantage of that offer software or trading bot to help you find arbitrage opportunities. Arbitrage takes advantage of multiple small gains from price differences in markets. Therefore, it will generate profits even amidst volatility and even through economic uncertainties. For traders, this will be an opportunity to take advantage of the asymmetric nature of markets. About Prance Gold Holdings Prance Gold Holdings is a technology firm focused on the growth of digital assets for retail and corporate firms through transparent, short to mid-term cryptocurrency arbitrage on world-renowned major exchanges around the world. The company offers everyone ultra-short-term investment opportunities as short as seven hours, simply by parking their idle balances in its high performance and secure platform for risk-free arbitrage trading to grow their individual wealth. Media contact For inquiries, please get in touch with Linda Fairbrother at lindafairbrother@prancegoldholdings.com. Image credit: Pxfuel SOURCE: Prance Gold Holdings View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/590856/Prance-Gold-Holdings-Enables-Portfolio-Growth-to-Overcome-Economic-Uncertainty-Caused-by-the-Recession The Indian-Americans have welcomed the decision of the Indian government to ease the coronavirus-linked global travel restrictions imposed on those having OCI cards, describing it as a big relief for them. Overseas Citizens of India or OCI card is issued to people of Indian origin globally which gives them almost all the privileges of an Indian national except for the right to vote, government service and buying agricultural land. The OCI card gives them a visa free travel to India. On Friday, the central government allowed certain categories of OCI card holders, who are stranded abroad, to come to the country. Earlier, according to the regulations issued by the Indian government in April, visas of foreign nationals and OCI cards were suspended as part of the new international travel restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic. This privilege of visa free travel to India was causing distress among a large number of people of Indian-origin and Indian citizens in countries like the US whose children were OCI card holders as they were born in this country. Many Indian parents, several of whom lost their jobs as a result of the economic crisis due to coronavirus pandemic, but were not allowed to take the special evacuation flights of Air India from various US cities, took to social media and urged the Indian leaders to allow them to travel to India. This is a big relief for the OCI card holders. It was a humanitarian crisis in the making. I am pleased that the Indian Government listened to their voices, said social activist Prem Bhandari, chairman of Jaipur Foot USA, who has been taking up the cause of the OCI card holders. (This is a) much needed relaxation to the distressed parents with minors having OCI need to travel back home, said Geeta Somani. In a family of four, her six-year-old daughter is a OCI card holder and rest are Indian citizens and their US visa is about to expire. But they were not able to travel because of the previous travel restrictions for the OCI card holders. Now they are planning to travel back home. Many thanks to all of you and the Government of India for understanding our concern, said a person named Rajesh. Bhandari who for the past few weeks had launched a relentless campaign for the Indian Government to reverse its recent OCI order, said voices of overseas Indians were humanely considered by its leaders, right from the top Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan. Flooded with questions on the OCI card issue, Muraleedharan during a webinar last week organised by Federation of Indian Americans (FIA) and Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America (BJANA), assured Indian Americans that the government will soon take a decision. During the webinar, after listening to their concerns, top RSS leader Dr Krishna Gopal had assured us that he will take up the matter with appropriate authorities in India, Bhandari said adding efforts made by every-one from inside and outside India helped resolve this emerging humanitarian crisis. This is great for the diaspora in need, said Ranjeet Singh Champawat. Today is such a great day. The Government of India resolves the big concern for OCI holders, said Alok Kumar, former FIA president. Good for OCI Card holders.... Multiple-entry lifelong visa facility granted to Overseas Citizen of India card holders restored for minor children of Indian nationals abroad and holding OCI cards, tweeted Oxomiya Jiyori. Good for OCI card holders, said Sunanda Sondhi. At the same time, a number of OCI card holders on Friday sought further relaxation. Please include OCI kids of OCI parents and parents living in India. It would be a nominal number in the scheme of things, urged Sunil Kumar. I am an OCI card holder living in India from 2008 and my son is an OCI card holder stuck in the USA, he wrote. Request you to please allow OCI students of OCI parents residing in India for almost 16 years, urged Uma Sitaraman. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN-recognised govt says it controls Yarmouk, Sawarikh and Hamza camps, a new setback for Haftars bid to seize capital. Libyas internationally recognised government has made new gains on the outskirts of the capital, Tripoli, capturing three military bases from renegade military commander Khalifa Haftars self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA). In a statement on Saturday, military spokesman Mohamed Gnunu said the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) now controlled the Yarmouk, al-Sawarikh and Hamza camps south of the capital. Our heroic forces are chasing the remnants of Haftars terrorist militia and are continuing their progress, Gnunu said on his Twitter account, without elaborating. With Turkish help, the GNA has seized a string of towns in recent weeks, captured a strategic airbase near the Tunisian border, and destroyed several of the LNAs Russian-made air defence systems. Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed, reporting from Tripoli, said the GNAs gains were a major setback for Haftar. Al-Yarmouk military camp had been set by the LNA as some kind of central command to run the battles in southern Tripoli, he said. The base was controlled by Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group The government has told displaced civilians not to return to their homes because LNA forces have set up land mines in civilian areas in the same way ISIL set up IEDs in the city of Sirte in 2016. Saturdays announcement comes days after Ahmad al-Mesmari, a spokesman for Haftars eastern-based forces, said his fighters would pull back from some positions south of Tripoli. The withdrawal, he said, was part of a redeployment. In a two-minute audio speech addressed to his forces on Saturday, Haftar said they will fight and fight against what he called Turkish colonialism. To our brave officers and soldiers, you are fighting a holy war that is open to all fronts, a comprehensive war in which there is nothing but victory, Haftar said in the speech. Making gains Fighting has recently escalated between Libyas warring sides despite international calls for a humanitarian truce in the country to focus efforts on battling an outbreak of the new coronavirus. Earlier this week, GNA forces seized al-Watiya airbase, close to the Tunisian border, a strategic base in Haftars offensive to capture Tripoli. US President Donald Trump called for a rapid de-escalation of the Libyan conflict on a call with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday. The GNAs surge has put pressure on Haftars 13-month campaign to seize Tripoli and has squeezed his foreign backers Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement: President Trump reiterated concern over worsening foreign interference in Libya and the need for rapid de-escalation. As the LNA has promised to respond with a massive air campaign, diplomats have warned of the risk of a new round of escalation with the warring sides external backers pouring in new weaponry. Turkey will not bow to threats by Haftar or anyone else, Turkeys presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said separately in an interview on NTV. The international community must take a stand against Haftar. We need to go back to the table for a political solution as soon as possible, Kalin said. Bringing chaos The year-long battle for Tripoli has left hundreds dead, including dozens of civilians, and displaced more than 200,000 people. Since 2014, Libya has been split between rival factions based in Tripoli and in the east, in a sometimes chaotic war that has drawn in outside powers and a flood of foreign arms and mercenaries. Haftars LNA has been unable to make significant progress since early on in its campaign. But it still controls eastern and southern Libya, including most of the countrys oil facilities, and the city of Sirte, at the centre of Libyas Mediterranean coastline. Turkey, which has had frayed ties with the UAE and Egypt for years, has accused Abu Dhabi of bringing chaos to the region through its interventions in Libya and Yemen, and has called on Russia to halt its support for Haftar. Q&A Contact tracing: Where have you been? By CHARLES ANZALONE Mark Bartholomew As states lift their restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, people eating in restaurants, traveling or taking part in other activities that were normal before social distancing can expect contact tracing, the process of locating infected persons to prevent the spread of the virus, says a School of Law expert in technology and cyberlaw. It is possible that restaurants and other private businesses could ask customers for identification and contact information if there is a local coronavirus outbreak, according to Mark Bartholomew, professor of law, who has written extensively about cyberlaw and cybersecurity. People could potentially be asked to provide this information anywhere they travel, says Bartholomew. In fact, contact tracing is most effective when public health officials can obtain a record that is as complete as possible of an infected persons daily movements. He says he knows of no states that now require restaurants to compile information on its customers if they want to re-open. But customers would be required to comply with restaurants individual regulations if they want to be served. Bartholomew talked with UBNow about what to expect in a society transitioning from shelter-in-place requirements and returning to a less-restricted life. What exactly is contact tracing? Contract tracing is a process meant to locate infected persons and then research their social interactions to prevent further movement within the potentially infected area and to identify other possibly infected persons. When would people be affected by contact tracing if cities and governments open up the sheltering-in-place restrictions? Contact tracing is already starting in earnest with state and local governments looking to hire thousands of people to ascertain the movements of people infected with COVID-19. Contact tracing works best when public health officials have as comprehensive a record as possible of peoples daily movements. That is why most attention has been put on having private businesses like Google and Apple design and implement smartphone apps that can track these movements and potentially make the resulting records available to authorities. Nevertheless, it seems like analog methods of tracing that involve traditional interviews with infected persons and reaching out to their contacts will continue to be important. This is where businesses like restaurants could come in. Can restaurants patrons expect to be asked to supply their ID/contact information? At this point, that is really up to the restaurants, kind of like a restaurants decision in pre-COVID-19 times to enforce a particular dress code. So far, I have not heard of any states requiring all restaurants to engage in this kind of tracking if they want to be open for business, though in the scope of a public health emergency that is not a complete impossibility. Still, I think most restaurants and other businesses would want to avoid this kind of intrusion into their customers personal information for fear of driving them away. I think we are more likely to see the requirement of temperature screenings and wearing of face masks than the required disclosure of personal contact information. Do customers have to comply, or can they opt out if they consider this some kind of breach of privacy or civil liberty? For the most part, I dont think customers can opt out of things like temperature readings, mask-wearing, or even being asked to present their ID and still expect to get served. It is ultimately up to the restaurant. The only wrinkle here is if the restaurant could be accused of adopting these measures in a way that disparately impacted a particular protected group of people. Then, the restaurant could be accused of discriminatory behavior. Will restaurants be allowed to hold onto this data or be asked to hand this over to local health authorities in the event of a virus outbreak? Again, it really depends on both restaurant owners, as well as the decisions of state and local health departments. It is conceivable that public health departments might ask for this information to be turned over to help with contact tracing efforts. The restaurants might voluntarily supply the information after all, it is in the interest of businesses to keep the infection rate low. If a restaurant refused, we might see a court weighing in on whether such private information had to be turned over in the midst of a public health emergency. Lets talk about contact tracing apps. Are there examples of governments or organizations requiring these apps, and have they worked well? Governments outside of the United States have implemented different contact tracing apps, but it is too early to determine their effectiveness. For example, Singapores TraceTogether app uses Bluetooth technology to reveal who an infected person has come into contact with. Someone who tests positive for the virus can log into the app, which then notifies everyone theyve recently come into contact with but without revealing the actual identity of the infected person. Scientists agree that the use of these apps needs to be widespread to be truly effective. We know the upside to contact tracing apps, but whats the downside? Should we be concerned about that? Pakistani supermodel Zara Abid was on board the ill-fated Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft that crashed into a residential neighbourhood while on approach to the airport in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi. The passengers list of the flight issued to the media, shows Zara Abid boarded the Airbus A320 passenger airliner that crashed before landing in Karachi. Health ministry spokeswoman Meeran Yousuf told Al Jazeera by telephone that 80 people have died, with 48 bodies kept at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi's largest government hospital, and 32 at Civil Hospital Karachi, another major state-run hospital. Yousuf said two survivors were being treated at the hospitals in Karachi, while 17 bodies have been identified so far. At least six people who were on the ground when the airliner crashed into houses in the densely populated Model Colony area of Karachi, adjacent to the city's international airport, were being treated for their injuries, she added. See more photos of Zara Abid below.. 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 Republicans are brandishing the latest weapon in their uphill fight for House control this November: votes by moderate Democrats to pass a USD 3 trillion coronavirus relief bill promising benefits for immigrants who entered the US illegally. They're also celebrating their recent capture of a Democratic-held House seat north of Los Angeles. They say it shows they can win suburban districts whose centrist voters fled the GOP two years ago, costing it the chamber's majority. Moderate districts ringing American cities are still the key House battleground. Yet five months from Election Day, Republican prospects for winning control seem slim. GOP candidates are burdened by President Donald Trump's lingering unpopularity with suburban voters, his slow and erratic handling of the pandemic and an economy with only the faintest heartbeat. They face a potentially crippling fundraising disadvantage against pivotal Democratic incumbents. Coping with those disadvantages is all the more difficult for GOP congressional candidates in the era of Trump, who overshadows messaging by down-ballot contenders. For many voters, the 2020 election will be a referendum on the president. That's the bad news, said former Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa. GOP operatives see an opening with the massive coronavirus bill crafted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. It passed the House with support by just one Republican. Citing its direct payments for immigrant workers in the U.S. illegally and other asinine provisions, the House Republican campaign arm all but promised attack ads. The House bill is dead in the GOP-led Senate and opposed by Trump. Underscoring the discomfort it produced, 10 of the 30 Democrats from districts Trump carried in the 2016 election voted against the legislation. For the Trump 30, anything Trump-related is in the danger zone, said Scott Reed, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's senior political strategist. Yet Pelosi stuffed the bill with priorities Democrats could embrace, including nearly $1 trillion to help financially struggling local governments. My 'yes' vote shows I'm trying to get $612 million back to my district, said freshman Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., citing the share he said his communities would receive. Kim represents a central New Jersey district Trump won in 2016. Also buoying Democrats is moderate voters' unremitting dislike for Trump's abrasive behavior and harsh policies. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll this month found 61% of suburban voters disapprove of Trump, little changed over three years. To counter that, Republicans have sought House candidates like Mike Garcia, who won this month's Los Angeles-area special election. He's a businessman, retired Navy fighter pilot and son of a Mexican immigrant. Garcia represents a nod toward diversity for the overwhelmingly white House GOP. Republicans have sought more female candidates, too, hoping to improve an embarrassing look: Just 13 of the 198 House Republicans are women, and two are retiring. Garcia has no prior political record for Democrats to attack, flipping the script on dozens of freshman Democrats seeking reelection who now must defend two years of congressional votes. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who leads his chamber's GOP campaign arm, wrote colleagues that Republicans can regain the House by exploiting the legislative records of our opponents with our diverse field of candidates. But money shortfalls are a problem. All 53 remaining House Democrats in seats the GOP targeted last year, mostly from Trump-won districts and freshmen, have outraised their Republican challengers. In all but 10 of those races, the Democrat had at least a 2-1 advantage. For Republican challengers who don't have high name ID, that kind of financial disadvantage is almost insurmountable, said former Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., who like Dent clashed with Trump. Only about four dozen of the House's 435 districts seem seriously competitive. Republicans must gain 17 seats to win control. Since Republicans have more challengers than Democrats, they've been hurt more by the coronavirus shutdown. The lack of face-to-face events has complicated attracting public attention and badly impaired fundraising, especially for little-known upstarts. Despite virtual fundraisers and digital solicitations, both parties' operatives say the ailing economy and lack of physical gatherings have significantly cut contributions. Democratic consultant Sarah Elizabeth Pole estimates a potential 50% drop in giving to congressional candidates this quarter, varying by campaign. Some people may not be writing as big a check as they would have three months ago, said Ashley Hinson, a Republican Iowa state legislator challenging Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer. Still, Hinson raised a healthy $1.6 million through March. And she said she's having the conversation about possibly holding physical campaign events in late summer. Wide-ranging Republican attacks on Democrats have included accusations that they're socialists and blasts for backing Pelosi to become speaker, impeaching Trump and not blaming China for the pandemic. With Trump and the economy setting the background tone, Democrats have focused on health care, which carried them to victory in 2018. They're emphasizing Republican efforts to end former President Barack Obama's health care law, which guarantees coverage for millions of Americans. House Democrats are the firewall against Republican efforts to take away health care during this worldwide pandemic, said Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., who leads her party's House political team. Democrats must defend more seats, including from upstate New York and New York City's Staten Island; Oklahoma City; Salt Lake City; Charleston, South Carolina; Iowa; and Virginia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When two politicians who, for years, have clashed over policies now find themselves on the same side of the argument about a mandatory 14-day quarantine period, it must be time to reflect whether the Government has got it wrong. The Home Secretary's policy is a devastating blow for anyone hoping to holiday abroad this summer, for the airline industry and for British international businesses. Above all it sends a signal to the rest of the world, whether in terms of international investment or the lucrative and essential higher education and research sector, that Britain is closed for business. Priti Patel argued that it was right to introduce the measures from June 8 rather than at the beginning of the lockdown because this would be when 'it will be the most effective'. When two politicians who, for years, have clashed over policies now find themselves on the same side of the argument about a mandatory 14-day quarantine period, it must be time to reflect whether the Government has got it wrong, write former Conservative Brexit Secretary DAVID DAVIS and former Labour Home Secretary DAVID BLUNKETT This does not make sense. If ever there was a right time for travel restrictions, it was at the beginning of the pandemic when it could have flattened the curve. In February, the World Health Organisation gave guidance on the effectiveness of travel restrictions. It said such measures 'may only be justified at the beginning of an outbreak, as they may allow countries to gain time, even if only a few days, to rapidly implement effective preparedness measures'. But the UK decided not to go down that path, unlike countries such as Australia and South Korea, and Hong Kong, which banned travel from the Hubei province in China and then imposed restrictions on inbound travellers from all countries as well as a strict 14-day quarantine on anyone entering their country. Not only is the timing of the Government's announcement odd, but the effectiveness of the strategy is questionable. Greece has said international flights to tourist destinations will start to resume gradually from July 1. The Home Secretary's policy is a devastating blow for anyone hoping to holiday abroad this summer, for the airline industry and for British international businesses But not many British tourists will fly to Greece if they have to undergo two weeks' quarantine after they come home. This will be particularly true for those who've scrimped to pay for what is certainly not the kind of 'big, lavish international holiday' referred to by Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Also, who'll pay any cancellation fees? It won't be the Greek hotel or the airline as it's not their fault. Will the Government pay? After all, it is their fault. We doubt it. Here's betting it will be families who have to scrap their holiday. What's more, comparative infection rates also prove the nonsense of this policy. In our part of the world, Yorkshire and the Humber, there have been 13,598 cases of the virus. The whole of Greece, with a population of around 10.7 million, has seen only 2,853. In our part of the world, Yorkshire and the Humber, there have been 13,598 cases of the virus In other words, in Yorkshire and the Humber, for every million people, 2,482 have been confirmed to have contracted the virus. In Greece, it's just 266 per million. Other countries have been more successful than Britain at containing the virus. For example, infection rates in Cyprus, Malta and Latvia are persistently lower. This means that someone travelling by train from Leeds or Doncaster to London with no restrictions or checks is 4.7 times more likely to have the virus than a holidaymaker returning to Heathrow from Greece. Then there is the case of Scotland. Anyone crossing the border from Scotland to England will not be quarantined. The whole of Greece, with a population of around 10.7 million, has seen only 2,853 This, too, makes a nonsense of any scientific justification for restricting travel from areas with much lower infection rates. The sensible route is to allow holidaymakers to travel to and from countries that have lower rates of infection and, if necessary, only quarantine travellers from countries with higher rates of infection. Of course, as we attempt to get back to some kind of normality, every policy must strike a careful balance between the public health need and the economic and social impacts. Coronavirus has wreaked havoc across our economy, especially in the airline and tourism sectors. Ryanair and British Airways alone have cut 15,000 jobs. The new blanket quarantine policy only serves to draw out the damaging effects of the virus on these sectors and puts further jobs at risk. The Transport Secretary has floated the idea of 'air-bridges' whereby travellers would be free to move between the UK and countries with low levels of infection. Downing Street and the Foreign Office quickly branded the idea as 'unworkable'. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has floated the idea of 'air-bridges' whereby travellers would be free to move between the UK and countries with low levels of infection But it is possible to manage people returning from abroad. We can learn from countries such as Austria, which has introduced a system at Vienna airport, whereby visitors or returning citizens can go for a spot-test and, providing they get the all-clear, can avoid a 14-day quarantine period. Other countries are introducing extensive temperature screening at airports. Taken together, these measures could help identify passengers with the virus and allow them to be treated and isolated as and when necessary. Greece is open to agreeing an air-bridges deal with the UK, with Greek tourism minister Haris Theocharis saying they would drop the requirement of quarantine for UK visitors if we did not impose the requirement on Greeks coming here. Allowing free travel to and from countries with a low infection rate seems an entirely sensible plan. It would help protect tourism jobs and slowly bring back a sense of normality. That is why the Government must think again. A few days ago, Tunisian artist Ghalia Benali released her latest album Azan (A call to prayer). Ahram Online interviewed the music diva on the project that has been in the making for some years A call to prayer is the English translation of Azan, the name of the album released recently by the Tunisian artist Ghalia Benali. Speaking to Ahram Online, Ghalia Benali clarifies that the album's name has deeper connotations, saying: "I am not calling for prayer, its more of a call to listen." The album is an interesting melange between spiritual lyrics some dating to 2012 woven with 17th century music by icon Marin Marais. With only two classical music instruments, Viola da gamba, contrabass (Romina Lischaka) and Benalis voice, the music arrangement is quite an elevating experience. Listening to the past, while being in the present, is what we did and it took a spiritual approach, Benali said, explaining that bringing both ends together took a lot of hard work and soulful connection. "Its as if we are in one boat and each is playing an important and irreplaceable role. The Arabic lyrics meeting the 17th century classical music puts the whole output in another context. That state of confusion is what my work is all about, it evokes attentive listening, and this is the whole idea behind my album Call for Prayer; you see, if there is no one really listening, the call for prayer would be pointless. Known to be The ambassador of Arabic culture, Benalis concerts are carnivals of music and culture. Born in Belgium, raised in her hometown in southern Tunisia, and studying and living in Brussels, Benali has always enchanted her audience with the magic of Arabic lyrics. Be it a modern spiritual song, or an Um Kathoum classic, she manages to bring back that authentic air as she subtly connects to the unique musical realm the infusion creates. Azan, her ninth album, is highly spiritual but not religious. Tunisia is the name of the first track. It was a letter from my friend when the Tunisian revolution first started, its about my love for Tunisia, and my pride for the people. It is about how at the end of the day, all that is left is love, and the rest is insignificant. Another interesting song is Raaa Al-Barq (saw lightning) by Sufi pillar Ibn Arabi, and composed by Benali. The lyrics go: "Saw an eastward lightning so he longed for the east, and if it sparkled westerly, he would have longed for the west, my love is for the brilliance and its hint, not for the places or clod." Since 1997, Benali has managed to carve her unique print on the music scene. With dozens of concerts worldwide, she enchanted East and West with her unique ability to connect with audiences. In 2008, she won the world of music award for best world music song, presented by independent British organisation We are Listening, and in 2013 she was recognised for having one of the best 10 concerts by the New York Times. With nine albums to date, Benali continues to be the connection point between different realms of musical realities. She sails with ease and passion amid the authentic meanings and multiple layers of cultures and carefully listens. To me, the music supports the lyrics and not the other way around; for the word has its own music to be heard, the music being minimalistic yet is very powerful, for it takes the audience to a state of meditation even if they do not understand the lyrics, they feel them. As free as she is, Benali believes in the "law of freedom." Its like having a base that we all agree upon and within this base we are able to create, without it we would be really limited, she explained. Benali explained that in this album as well as all her previous work, she did not translate the Arabic lyrics to the music arrangers; she just conveyed one element and let their imagination delve into their feelings and create. Despite our differences, we all respond to music, for it is a universal language that reveals the truth, she told Ahram Online. Though she had to launch her CD online, being a graphic designer, she designed the cover as well, and despite the cancellation of many concerts due to the global confinement, Benali believed that the mandatory vacation is more of a miracle. "Its a God given chance to slow down, reconsider our life patterns and focus on what really matters." To Benali, confinement meant more quality time at a home that is warm with the presence of family and good company. It also reassured her that her art is her true calling. Meanwhile, Benali collaborated with iconic Egyptian jewellery designer Azza Fahmy where she created short videos singing some of the verses that Azza Fahmy illustrated in her designs, pegged to Sufi and authentic Egyptian lyrics. Fil Beit Mawal (a mawal is an authentic genre of Arabic songs). Playing on the word beit, which means a house as well as a poetry verse in Arabic, the series is featured, edited and created by Benali and streamed on YouTube. Of souls that are eternally connected is her famous hashtag, and indeed that is what her work is all about. Check out Ghalia Benali's YouTube channel here. 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: In early March, as India began reporting its initial coronavirus cases, most states ordered schools to close to stop the spread of the infection. According to a UNESCO estimate, nearly 321 million Indian children were asked to stay home. Ten weeks later, they remain away from classrooms and have been advised online or distance learning. But in a country with already dismal learning levels and low internet use, how many children can actually stop the lockdown from setting their learning back? The Annual Status of Education Report, released by nonprofit Pratham, offers some disturbing answers. In 2018, just 50 percent rural children in Class 5 could read a Class 2 level text, and only 28 percent could do division problems, the survey found. The data showed that the states with poorer learning were also the ones where students had lesser academic support at home that they would need during the lockdown, such as educated and computer-literate family members. Worse, dropout rates in poor-learning states also tend to be high. In Jharkhand for instance, only 34 percent of Class 5 rural children could meet the bar for reading - the lowest in the country. Other parameters were also low - only 43 percent of mothers and 67 percent of fathers had been to school, just 11 percent of the families had a computer-literate member, and only 4 percent were found to have some reading material at home during the survey. The other requirement for distance learning - the internet - is still out of bounds. According to the National Sample Survey education report, just 20 percent Indians above the age of 5 could use the internet, and only 24 percent families had the facility. The trends vary across states, and are even worse for rural areas. Students lower on the learning ladder are also likelier to lack in financial privilege, the ASER data showed. This is key as families already dealing with poverty get thrown even further behind the rich during the lockdown, and recovery may need children to leave school and start working. The first to drop out of schools could well be those who are already working. According to the 2011 Census, marginal or part-time workers between ages 15 and 19 who go to school numbered more than 3 million. Such children are quite likely to drop out entirely. Financial constraints and economic work are already the top two reasons for rural boys to leave school, the NSS data for 2017-18 showed. That year, 19 percent secondary students dropped out of school across India. Loss of learning is typical every year during the summer holidays, and even more so for disadvantaged students. However, the current closures will last much longer - that too amid other concerns such as lack of social interactions and access to academic resources. As it happens, some states with poorer learning levels may not want to open schools soon enough as their coronavirus curves are still going up rapidly. Bihar, for instance, has reported a renewed spike in infections after an influx of migrants returning home in special trains this month. The concern is not limited to India. An estimate from the United States suggested that as compared to the normal summer loss, students will return to school later this year with 30% further decline in reading levels and could fall up to a full year behind than normal in maths. In Brazil, the World Bank projects that three-month school closures could throw 84,000 more children into learning poverty" - inability to read even after reaching the age of 10. Losses can be economic, too. A 2018 research paper estimated that every additional year of schooling lifts future wages 10 percent more. A Brookings study using this estimate found that for the US, a four-month school shutdown could mean each student losing future wages of $1,337 per year. This could translate to a $2.5-trillion loss to the US GDP, and can be extrapolated to a $10-trillion loss to the world GDP over the coming generation, the study suggested. In such situations, girls, who anyway battle biases in education, stand to lose much more than boys, with child marriages and unintended pregnancies also being common outcomes. According to the World Bank, girls in Sierra Leone were nearly 16 percentage points less likely to be in school after losing an entire year due to the Ebola outbreak in 2015. The same report said that secondary school enrolment fell around 7 percent in the Philippines during the Asian financial crisis of 1998-99. At the peak of school closures in April, over 91 percent of all learners globally had been asked to stay away from classrooms, according to UNESCO. By May 20, around 1.7 billion - or 69 percent - were still at home, of whom 1.2 billion are in 153 countries under nationwide lockdowns. As governments relax restrictions and get people back to work, schools will be top priority to save children from losing further time and learning. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. A man in his 60s has become the 19th person to die of coronavirus in Victoria, taking the national death toll to 102. Victoria's Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Annaliese van Diemen confirmed on Saturday that another man had lost his life to the disease. 'Our condolences are with the family and friends of this person,' she said. Dr van Diemen said the man's family had requested privacy and he did not disclose how the man contracted the virus. Victoria recorded 12 new COVID-19 cases since Friday, taking the total number in the state to 1,602, despite having the toughest lockdown laws in the country. Nine patients are currently in hospital, including three in intensive care. Victoria's Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Annaliese van Diemen (pictured) confirmed on Saturday that another man had lost his life to the disease in the state None of the new cases are linked to outbreaks at Cedar Meats or Fawkner McDonald's, but investigations are still underway. While Victoria recorded 12 new cases in the past 24 hours, NSW recorded three new cases and the rest of the states and territories recorded none. Given the community transmissions in Victoria, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said anyone with even mild symptoms should get tested for coronavirus. 'The more tests we do, the more data we have about the prevalence of coronavirus in the community,' he said. Given the community transmissions, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton (pictured) said anyone with even mild symptoms should get tested for coronavirus The state is slowly starting ease lockdown, with schools to re-open for Prep to Year 2 and Year 11 and 12 students from Tuesday. CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 7,095 New South Wales: 3,086 Victoria: 1,602 Queensland: 1,060 Western Australia: 557 South Australia: 439 Tasmania: 228 Australian Capital Territory: 107 Northern Territory: 29 TOTAL CASES: 7,095 RECOVERED: 6,479 DEATHS: 102 Advertisement Final year students have been reassured that final exams will conclude this year and plans for 2021 can proceed as planned. The Victorian government on Friday confirmed that Victorian Certificate of Education exams would conclude by early December, only two weeks later than the pre-pandemic date. While other states have eased lockdown restrictions, Victoria still has some of the toughest constraints in the country. Victorians are limited to takeaway meals and still not allowed to dine at restaurants, cafes and pubs while groups of 10 are permitted to do so in NSW. From June 1, cafes, restaurants, and dining areas in pubs and clubs in Victoria will be allowed to host 20 patrons indoors. This number will increase to 50 people on June 22 and to 100 people by mid-July. Attempted Murder of Police Officer Charges Dropped Against Boyfriend of Shooting Victim Breonna Taylor Charges of attempted murder of a police officer have been dropped against Kenneth Walker, the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, a Kentucky medical worker who was killed in her home by law enforcement officers. On March 13, Walker fired a handgun, of which he is a legal owner, at police executing a no-knock drug warrant after midnight, believing the Louisville home he and Taylor shared was being broken into. In the confrontation, a police officer was struck by a round. Police returned fire, hitting Taylor eight times, resulting in her death. No drugs were found in the home. Jefferson County Commonwealth Attorney Tom Wine said at a news conference Friday that a grand jury did not find enough evidence to indict Walker on the charges of attempted murder, according to the Huff Post. Wine added, however, that further investigation is needed in the case, adding that if the probe finds evidence in support of charges, he may direct prosecutors to bring the case to a grand jury and seek another indictment. I believe that additional investigation is necessary, Wine said, according to the Louisville Courier Journal. I believe that the independent investigation by the attorney generals office in Kentucky, the FBI, and the U.S. attorneys office must be completed before we go forward with any prosecution of Kenneth Walker. Much of the controversy in the case centers on conflicting accounts of the events of the night Taylor was killed. According to police, officers serving the no-knock warrant, which legally entitles them to enter a suspects premises unannounced, did knock and identify themselves. Detectives knocked multiple times and announced their presence in an attempt to get occupants to answer the door, police wrote in Walkers arrest citation, the Courier Journal reports. An attorney acting on behalf of Taylors family disputes this, with the outlet citing the lawyer as claiming that officers did not announce themselves. Walker was cited by Huff Post as saying that when they heard someone knocking on the door late at night, he and Taylor feared it was an ex-boyfriend. First thing [Taylor] said was, Who is it? No response. Who is it? loud, at the top of her lungs, no response, Walker told police in audio released Friday, the outlet reported. So Im like what the heck? So I grab my gun, its legal, I have a license to carry, Ive never even fired my gun outside of a range. Theres another knock at the door, shes yelling at the top of her lungs, and I am too, at this point, Who is it? Kentucky has a Stand Your Ground law that entitles residents to the use of deadly force against unlawful intruders. Wine told the press conference on Friday that the incident may have been a tragic case of miscommunication. Its very possible there was no criminal activity on either side of the door because neither could hear what the other party was saying, Wine said. Besides sparking national outrage, the fatal shooting has also prompted a debate about the use of no-knock warrants, leading Louisville police to change their policies in this regard. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said officers in plainclothes units like the one that served a warrant at Taylors home will now wear body cameras during search warrants. Fischer also said the police chief will now need to sign off on those types of warrants before they are sent to a judge for approval. This is a step, but we know there needs to be more conversation on the use of these warrants, Fischer said. The FBI has also since opened an investigation. FBI Louisville has opened an investigation into the shooting of Breonna Taylor. The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence and will ensure that the investigation is conducted in a fair, thorough, and impartial manner, Special Agent in Charge Robert Brown said in a statement posted on Twitter Thursday. Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) China Vows to Fight Back if US Tries to Oppress Beijing href="/military/world/china/forrel-us.htm" title="China-U.S. Relations"> In-Depth Coverage href="/military/world/china/forrel-us.htm" title="China-U.S. Relations"> In-Depth Coverage Sputnik News 07:39 GMT 22.05.2020(updated 08:25 GMT 22.05.2020) Last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned China that the United States could change its view of Hong Kong's status in light of what it sees as interference with a free press. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian slammed on Friday US comments on Hong Kong, saying that it opposes foreign interference in this special administrative region. Zhao said Beijing seeks cooperation and dialogue with Washington but will fight back if the United States tries to oppress China. The day before, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported, citing sources that Beijing was set to put forward a resolution that will allow the National People's Congress during its upcoming session to pass national security legislation to ban secession and foreign interference in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has been gripped by violent protests since June. Numerous demonstrators initially took to the streets to protest a proposed extradition bill, but riots continued and became violent even after the unpopular measure was withdrawn in October. Beijing has said that the situation in Hong Kong was the result of foreign interference in China's domestic affairs and expressed full support for the local authorities to avert violence and restore order. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rock Island Auction Company will soon be taking bids for the 1911 Colt .45 automatic pistol, and other kit, carried by a decorated Marine combat photographer during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Following the recent 75th anniversary of Iwo Jima -- a brutal battle that stretched from February 19 to March 26, 1945 -- the Rock Island, Illinois, auction house will hold its Premier Firearms Auction #79, featuring 2,500 lots of firearms and related items June 5-7. Read Next: Air Force Suspends Tape Test Indefinitely, Extends PT Testing Pause One of the lots, number 1516, will feature items such as the sidearm, pistol belt rig and rare Iwo Jima battle map that belonged to Marine Sgt. Arthur J. Kiely Jr., who passed away in 2005, according to a recent news release from the auction company. Kiely joined the Marine Corps in 1943 and served as a combat photographer, taking pictures under heavy enemy fire on island engagements such as Iwo, the release states. Kiely's Colt 1911 was originally shipped to the Marine Corps in 1917 and features "85% of its original blue finish showing a mixed brown and gray patina on the grip straps and trigger guard, bright edge wear, and mild spotting and handling marks overall," according to the auction's website. The pistol's refinished grips have some "dents and tool marks on the screws" and the "modified, refinished replacement trigger sticks a bit," the website states. Also significant, it appears that Kiely may have used his pistol in direct combat. Marine Sgt. Arthur J. Kiely Jr. sits on in a position on Pacific island during World War II, wearing the 1911 Colt .45 automatic pistol that will be auctioned at Rock Island Auction Companys Premier Firearms Auction #79 on June 5-7. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company. (Photo: Rock Island Auction Company) Kiely was awarded a Bronze Star for his bravery during fighting in the Marianas Islands from June 15 to Aug. 12, 1944, when as a corporal, he stopped taking photographs during the battle and "personally killed at least three enemy," according to the award citation that is included in the collection. "It's an honor to have this pistol in house," Kevin Hogan, president of the auction house, said in the release. "I can't imagine a better time for it to be offered than just after the 75th anniversary of the battle." The Kiely collection also features a "Special Air and Gunnery Target Map" of Iwo Jima dated Nov. 12, 1944, that was used in preparation for the coming battle. The 1:10000 scale map measures 27.75 inches wide and 39.75 inches long with more than 30 defense symbol keys that identify likely installations, bunkers, artillery and machine guns, according to the website. Rock Island Auction Company will auction Marine Sgt. Arthur J. Kiely Jr.s Special Air and Gunnery Target Map of Iwo Jima dated November 12, 1944 at the Premier Firearms Auction #79 on June 5-7. (Photo: Rock Island Auction Company) Marine Gen. Holland "Howlin' Mad" Smith, the father of modern U.S. amphibious warfare, presented the map to Kiely, and it became one of his most valued possessions, according to the auction house release. Another item in the collection is the pistol belt rig that Kiely wore during his service. The issue web belt is outfitted with the standard leather flap holster, canvas magazine pouch with two 1911 magazines, field dressing pouch, canteen and canteen cover, according to the website. "The map, the pistol and the holster rig are kind of the stars of the show," Joel Kolander, spokesman for the auction house, told Military.com. Kiely's collection also includes his Marine Corps pith helmet, M1 helmet with camo cover and other kit, as well as a number of photos he took during the war, including one of "him wearing that pistol rig with that gun in it," Kolander said. Kiely sold many items up for auction to a collector in 2001 before he died four years later, he added. Rock Island Auction Company will auction this pistol belt rig and 1911 Colt .45 automatic pistol carried by Marine Sgt. Arthur J. Kiely Jr., during the battle of Iwo Jima at the Premier Firearms Auction #79 on June 5-7. (Photo: Rock Island Auction Company) The Premier Firearms Auction will be open to the public, but it will also be live-streamed, Kolander said, adding that thousands of people will likely file absentee bids before the auction. For more information about the event, visit the auction house's webpage for the event. Kiely's collection will not be cheap, though, Kolander said, who added that the bidding will range between $35,000 and $55,000 for the entire lot. "A high-condition Colt 1911 -- especially 1917 shipped -- people would already be paying, you know, four figures for a pistol like that," he said. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Related: Marine Corps May Replace Infantry M27s with the Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon Armed groups were planning attacks during the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which started on Sunday, government says. Egypt said on Saturday that 21 fighters were killed in clashes with security forces in the restive Sinai Peninsula, where armed groups have waged a long-running rebellion. The interior ministry said in a statement that police raided two hideouts of terrorist elements in North Sinai governorate, sparking a gun battle in which two officers were also wounded. It said the two groups had been planning attacks during the major Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which started in Egypt on Sunday. Security forces found automatic weapons and suicide belts in the hideouts. The military has for years battled the rebellion in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypts northeast that is spearheaded by a local affiliate of the armed group ISIL (ISIS). The fighting intensified after the militarys 2013 overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi. In February 2018, security forces launched a nationwide operation against fighters focused on North Sinai. About 950 suspects have been killed in the region along with dozens of security personnel, according to official figures. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Food and Civil Supplies Minister and Mahalakshmi Layout MLA K Gopalaiah distributed food and ration kits to people who were affected by the economic slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, social distancing norms went for a toss during the event. In a video of the event held at an open ground in Nandini Layout on Friday, a large number of people were seen standing in queues and jostling with each other. The event, organised by Gopalaiah was meant to serve the poor and needy. The minister was was not reachable for comment. Earlier this month, Urban Development Minister Byrati Basavaraj had distributed food packets disregarding social distancing at an event in Vidyaranyapura. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 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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Drivers can improve their credit score by getting their first credit card, paying off their credit balance monthly, or by becoming authorized user on an account with excellent payment history. Shop around . First-time drivers should get as many quotes as they can and compare them. To finish this task faster, first-time drivers should go to a brokerage website. Ask for discounts. To make their policies more affordable to drivers, insurance companies offer all types of discounts such as good student discounts, graduating a defensive course discount, getting married discounts, installed anti-theft devices discounts, telematics discounts, multi-policy discount, pay in full discount, and more. Story continues 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. 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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/591131/How-First-Time-Drivers-Can-Get-Cheap-Car-Insurance-In-2020 Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president and senior advocate Dushyant Dave on Saturday said the judiciary is failing in its duty to hold the executive accountable and remind it that it is answerable for its actions. Speaking on the 'Role of Judiciary in Pandemic' in a webinar, Dave said that the role of the judiciary during a pandemic is very interesting and important one but the judiciary is singularly and systematically compromised. Dave said nobody wants the judiciary to interfere in the daily functioning of the executive but it must hold the executive answerable. It's really sad that the SC, instead of reminding the executive that they are answerable for their actions, reminded the people of the country during the lockdown that they can be punished for violating the lockdown rules under Disaster Management Act. When it came to the large migrant labour population of the country, the judiciary has failed us. This is the same judiciary that failed us during emergency... During the ADM Jabalpur case. Role of the judiciary during a pandemic is very interesting and important one but the judiciary is singularly and systematically compromised, he said. He alleged that that judges are not willing to follow the Constitution. "The same Supreme Court had failed the people of this country during demonetisation exercise... Judges cannot sleep over such things, he said. He added that people, as visible on social media, are highly critical of the judiciary and the SC for not holding the executive answerable. If the judiciary's conscience is dead it is the duty of the lawyers to stir up that conscience. We need to galvanize the judiciary into action. Crisis cannot be simply overlooked by us as lawyers, citizens, civil society and certainly not by Judges. We will be failing the nation if we overlook the situation and history will remember India as not a democracy that protects rights of the people but as a country that protected those in power, he said. Dave added that if names of sitting SC judges are found in suicide notes of chief ministers and CJIs are accused of sexual harassment then the executive is bound to take advantage of such a situation. Dave further said that the media today does not focus on this aspect at all. Nobody in media holds a debate on why the prime minister declared a lockdown with such a short notice, why preparation for pandemic did not begin sooner and such. The media blamed the Markaz for spread of COVID-19 but did the loud media question why the government allow the attendees to come into India in March for attending the Markaz? Sadly even the judiciary went completely silent, he said. The lockdown has brought the judicial functions to a standstill because our judiciary is not technologically advanced, he said. The CJI himself said on another platform that the technology for virtual hearings is not satisfactory. There has been no dialogue between the SC Bench and the SC Bar regarding how to energise and synergise better functioning of the Court in such a pandemic and crisis, he said. Dave added that the pandemic has given the opportunity to the judiciary to rise to the occasion and prove that it is proactive. Pandemic really gave judiciary a chance to win over the hearts of the people by taking proactive steps in the time of crisis and earn back the respect it once commanded. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the media at the State Department in Washington, U.S., May 20, 2020. Reuters U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned China's effort to take over national security legislation in Hong Kong, Friday, calling it "a death knell for the high degree of autonomy" that Beijing had promised the territory. Pompeo called for China to reconsider the move and warned of an unspecified U.S. response if it proceeds. Meanwhile, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said Beijing risked a major flight of capital from Hong Kong that would end the territory's status as the financial hub of Asia. Shortly afterward, the Commerce Department announced new restrictions on sensitive exports to China The contentious measure, submitted Friday on the opening day of China's national legislative session, is strongly opposed by pro-democracy lawmakers in semi-autonomous Hong Kong. Pompeo called the proposal an effort to "unilaterally and arbitrarily impose national security legislation on Hong Kong." "Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of liberty. The United States strongly urges Beijing to reconsider its disastrous proposal, abide by its international obligations, and respect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions, and civil liberties, which are key to preserving its special status under U.S. law," Pompeo said in a statement. He said the decision to ignore the will of the people of Hong Kong would be a "death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised for Hong Kong" under a decades-old agreement known as the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The U.S. has limited leverage with China over Hong Kong but it could end preferred economic privileges that Hong Kong currently enjoys if the Trump administration determines that the declaration, which was supposed to give the territory 50 years of special status after it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997, has been violated. The proposed bill is aimed at forbidding "secessionist and subversive activity," as well as foreign interference and terrorism. It comes after months of pro-democracy demonstrations last year that at times descended into violence between police and protesters. Releasing its long-awaited smartphone, Apple and Google launched its technology that automatically notifies persons that they been exposed to COVID-19. According to the companies, 22 nations already pledged while some states in the US are already thinking of voluntarily building phone apps using their software. The application relies on a Bluetooth wireless technology wherein it detects someone who acquired the app that spent enough time near another application user who tests positive with coronavirus later. Despite the efforts of some governments, most of them did not pull off the ruling out of their own phone applications to combat the coronavirus pandemic spread. As most of the apps encountered technical issues with the developers as it is not been adopted in mass. Such applications use GPS as a tracking system of people's location however Google and Apple currently bans this based on the new protocol of their privacy and accuracy problems. Agencies of Public Health coming from Germany up to the states of South Carolina and Alabama currently wait for the usage of the Apple-Google model, while other authorities have stated that the tech giants' privacy restrictions will be an obstacle if the workers relating to public health will have no access to the information. However, the tech giants shared that they are not trying to relieve contact tracing, which is a vital infection control that invests in training public health workers who reach out to people that may have had contact with a person who is infected. They also added that their automatic exposure alarm system can accelerate the detecting process and can slow down the spread of coronavirus from disease carriers who are interacting with people while not showing any of the said symptoms. Identifications of the application users will be protected via encryptions and identifier information that changes frequently. Read also: 32 Years After He Was Abducted, Facial Recognition Reunites a Man With His Family In a joint statement, the companies emphasized that user adoption is the way to succeed, as they believe that such strengthening the privacy protections will encourage most of its users for these apps. According to the companies, the new technology is a product of an unusual partnership within the rivaling tech giants, wherein they solve certain technical issues that the government went through in developing those Bluetooth-based applications and software. Moreover, it will lessen iPhones and Android phones' problems in detecting each other as it works across national borders while fixing some problems that caused previous apps to drain the phone's battery. Based on the statements coming from the states of Alabama, North Dakota, and South Carolina, they are planning to utilize the said application. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who is a Republican also shared that they invited other states to participate in the accelerating smartphone technology as it strengthens the existing efforts on contact tracing to aid economies and communities return on their feet. The state of North currently uses a location-tracking application that is the use of about 4% of the state's residents, despite that it is higher than the US's rate it is still failing based on the experts as it does not comply to the target participation rate. Related article: Why Silicon Valley May Never Recover from COVID-19 @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. By Associated Press ATLANTA: Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, had a testy exchange with a prominent black radio personality on Friday over his support among black voters and his potential running mate. Charlamagne Tha God pressed Biden on reports that he is considering Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is white, to be vice president and told him black voters "saved your political life in the primaries" and "have things they want from you." "I'm not acknowledging anybody who is being considered," Biden said. "But I guarantee you there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple." A Biden aide then sought to end the interview, prompting the host to say, "you can't do that to black media." Biden responded, "I do that to black media and white media" and said his wife needed to use the television studio. He then added:"If you've got a problem figuring out whether you're for me or for Trump, then you ain't black." The host countered that conversations about Biden's running mate aren't about Trump, whom many black voters view as racist. "Take a look at my record," Biden said, citing his work as senator to extend the Voting Rights Act of 1965. "The NAACP has endorsed me every time I've run. Come on, take a look at my record." Biden has emphasized his relationship with black voters throughout his campaign, noting throughout the primary campaign his dependence on black voters in his Delaware Senate races and his partnership as former President Barack Obama's top lieutenant. Black voters resurrected Biden's campaign with a second place finish in the Nevada caucuses and a resounding win in the South Carolina primary after he'd started with embarrassing finishes in overwhelmingly white Iowa and New Hampshire. Older black voters especially sided with Biden over a wide Democratic field that included several black candidates, including Kamala Harris. The California senator is widely believed to be a contender for the vice-presidential nomination. Other prominent black women named include Georgia voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Florida Rep. Val Demings, Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge and Susan Rice, Obama's former US ambassador to the UN. Separately on Friday, Biden used a CNBC interview to condemn a proposal from the Chinese government to crack down on semi-autonomous Hong Kong, and he suggested that Trump isn't being vocal enough in his opposition. Biden said he'd "be at the UN" calling out Beijing for an "overwhelming violation not only of an agreement but on human rights. Communist leaders in Beijing proposed national security legislation that could limit opposition activity in Hong Kong, a former British colony that enjoys more western-style democracy than the rest of China. The move prompted bipartisan calls on Capitol Hill for sanctions against Beijing. Trump did not immediately join that response, but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement condemning China's effort and calling it "a death knell for the high degree of autonomy" that Beijing had promised the territory. Biden framed Trump's response as "silence" that is "devastating" for citizens of non-democratic nations around the world. "All it does is encourage thugs and dictators," Biden said. "Look at who he embraces and look at who he pokes in the eye." Trump has stepped carefully around Hong Kong-Beijing relations during his presidency, expressing agreement with the bipartisan US support for Hong Kong, but also praising Chinese President Xi Jinping amid ongoing trade negotiations. SAN FRANCISCO, May 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Around the world, makers have been rallying, rising up to solve shortages in medical supplies and equipment, turning makerspaces into micro-factories, creating self-organized community networks, and developing clever distribution strategies. At the first Virtually Maker Faire on May 23, makers representing 25 countries will share over 350 presentations, demonstrations, and online project exhibits. Programming is curated into five tracks: Community Organizing, Learning & Teaching, Re-Thinking the Future, Design & Production, and Making. Virtually Maker Faire is a stage for makers to connect, share, and learn with each other and a broader public, especially since Maker Faires have been canceled since the onset of COVID-19. Nonetheless, the community fostered by Maker Faire has sprung into action, using their skills and talents to solve for human needs. "Our greater goal is that more and more people acquire the skills and the mindset of makers to be capable and productive, which makes us more resilient as a society," said Dale Dougherty, Founder and President of Make Community, which produces Maker Faire and Make: magazine. "By doing Maker Faire online, we can connect more makers and reach more people through our event." Program Highlights: Gui Cavalcanti, founder and co-CEO of Open Source Medical Supplies, will talk about the role of Open Source in the pandemic and how their group documented the global fabrication of over 7 million units of personal protective equipment, medical and community supplies. Session information. Josef Prusa of Prusa Research, a company in Prague that develops 3D printers, will talk about the importance of 3D printing in creating PPE in response to COVID-19. Prusa designed the Prusa Face Shield, one of the first designs to be widely replicated on 3D printers around the world. Session information. From Italy, hear from TechForCare: an open-source support platform created for the pandemic, jointly developed by I-RIM (Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines) and Maker Faire Rome The European Edition. Session information. Sarah Miller of Artisan's Asylum shows how they are making isolation gowns for Boston-area hospitals. This is a HOW-TO session meant to help other makerspaces apply the same designs and processes as those used at Artisan's Asylum. Session information. Make: magazine Executive Editor Mike Senese interviews creators from Make:'s latest issue featuring "DIY Heroes" and their response as Makers to COVID-19 in their community. VentilatorProject.Org, a group of volunteer community members, refurbished sleep apnea (CPAP) and BiPAP machines as a critical strategy solution for hospitals treating patients affected by COVID-19. Session information. Learn how makers in China are working together to fight COVID-19. Organized by x.factory, a makerspace in Shenzhen, China. Session information. Tanzania's Dar Es Salaam Institute of Technology will present how they created an organic network of organizations who had access to 3D printers and worked together to produce PPE. Session information. Colorado's Maker Response team will share how to set up a distributed network in your community. Session information. Hear from makers in Spain and learn how they overcame supply chain challenges. Session information. Young Maker Ryan Levy shows how to make Arduino smart glasses with a temperature sensor. Session information. Makers in Germany will be looking to the future, discussing how makers can structure and prepare for similar crises. Session information. More information and a complete schedule can be found here. About Make: Community Make: Community, producer of Make: magazine and Maker Faire, has been a catalyst for the global maker movement that is transforming the ways we learn, earn, and live in the 21st century. Our mission is to share the know-how of makers and showcase their projects online, in print, and through live events such as Maker Faire. Improving collaboration on projects will expand the capabilities of what people can produce and what problems they can solve. Contact Information PRESS QUERIES ONLY Gillian Mutti [email protected] (727) 458-5582 Related Images image1.jpg SOURCE Make: Related Links http://www.make.co/ Days after stepping back her support for QAnon, Oregon Republican nominee for U.S. Senate Jo Rae Perkins told a national news outlet that she does indeed support the conspiracy movement. Perkins gained widespread attention after referencing QAnon in an Election Day video Tuesday. Her campaign released a statement Wednesday that said she was not a follower of Q. But in an interview with ABC News published Friday, Perkins distanced herself from the campaign statement. The Albany financial adviser told ABC News she did not read the statement closely before it was released, according to the report. Some people think that I follow Q like I follow Jesus, Perkins is quoted as telling an ABC News reporter. Q is the information and I stand with the information resource. Yet hours after the interview brought a renewed wave of national attention, Perkins declined to verify the accuracy of quotes or disclose her true stance on the conspiracy theory. I had no idea that was even out there, Perkins told The Oregonian/OregonLive, referencing the ABC interview. She declined to say anything else. Perkins now-deleted Election Day video, posted on her official Twitter account, made multiple references to the QAnon conspiracy theory. The theory posits without evidence that a global cabal of elites is operating a child sex trafficking ring and engaging in ritual abuse and sacrifice. Although there are various branches of the theory, a commonly held belief is that President Donald Trump is working covertly to break up the ring. Where we go one, we go all, Perkins says in the video, a main slogan for followers of the theory. I stand with President Trump. I stand with Q and the team. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Perkins had ties to Jim Watkins, a leading figure in the QAnon conspiracy movement. Perkins is listed on the Disarm The Deep State super PAC website as an avid follower of Q theory. Watkins owns 8chan, an online message board where new Q drops, are posted. Federal campaign finance records show the super PACs treasurer is Jim Watkins. Perkins lists an anonymous endorsement on her campaign website that links to the Disarm The Deep State website. Perkins campaign finance records show she received 39 donations of $17 apiece. The number 17 is significant in the QAnon conspiracy movement because "q" is the seventeenth letter of the alphabet. Perkins defeated runner-up Paul Romero, a Roseburg U.S. Navy veteran, by more than 55,000 votes. Perkins is unlikely to present a significant challenge to Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley. -- K. Rambo krambo@oregonian.com Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. The Irish Data Protection Commissioner has taken a step closer to enforcement action against big tech companies operating in Ireland, with draft decisions on a Twitter data breach and Whatsapp sharing information with Facebook. The Twitter decision, which related to a 2018 incident, has been sent to other European privacy regulators for review, a process that is expected to take some weeks. The Whatsapp decision has been sent to Facebook for a formal submission process, a process that is also expected to take a number of weeks. In both cases, GDPR rules entitle the regulator to fine the tech giants up to 20m or 4pc of annual turnover. Helen Dixons office has also sent three further draft inquiry reports regarding Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram to Facebook and complainants in those cases. The weekend flurry of draft decisions and inquiry reports represents the Irish offices first big round of penultimate enforcement decisions against big tech companies. It comes as European GDPR laws, under which the Irish watchdog has become Europes most important single data regulator, reach their second anniversary. The Irish DPC office has faced criticism from some European privacy advocates and regional regulations for being too slow in enforcing GDPR rules against major tech firms based in Ireland. But Helen Dixons office has repeatedly said that it must tread carefully when dealing with enforcement, or decisions will get bogged down longer in legal appeals. The Irish office also announced a second fine against the child and family agency Tusla, with a 28-day appeal period now in effect. Helen Dixon previously told Independent.ie that a major fine against under GDPR is an inevitability at some point, without being drawn on specific instances. She indicated that her office had hired specialist lawyers to advise on the scale of punitive financial measures to be imposed on technology multinationals. A recent US decision to fine Facebook $5bn (4.6bn) would be a "relevant" gauge in Europe's response, she said. It would be a very relevant factor in terms of what quantum will create deterrence is the level of fines already existing globally in the area," Ms Dixon said of the US fine. Under the GDPR, deterrence is a particularly important reason why the fines are included. They could have stopped at the corrective measures. But the fines are there to be punitive and give rise to deterrence. And deterrence is based on what's already in the [fine] landscape." Ms Dixon said the specialist legal expertise on fines was not for any one case. "We've taken it on not by reference to any particular inquiry," she said. Reception of the Irish offices latest action has been cautiously supportive from industry experts. Given the fact that any sanction by the DPC must be approved by the Courts, it is essential that the procedural and factual basis of any case is well made, said Katherine OKeeffe, director of research and training at Castlebridge, a Dublin-based data privacy specialist firm. The decision by Commissioner Dixon to enforce yet again against a public body is noteworthy for the signal it sends on enforcement. Likewise, the fact that the enforcement process has moved forwards in a number of key cases is to be welcomed. Rather than seek easy headlines, one hopes [Helen] Dixon has taken the time to dot the Is and cross the Ts so that action when taken is meaningful, effective, and dissuasive rather than being overturned on an appeal as we have seen in other jurisdictions. Advertisement Hundreds of mass graves have been dug in Brazil as the country recorded 21,116 deaths from coronavirus yesterday. Brazil has had more than 330,000 coronavirus infections, making it the third worst affected country in the world and the worst affected in South America. It briefly overtook Russia as the world's number two hotspot for Covid-19 before the European country recorded 335,882 infections this morning. In Sao Paulo, the worst hit city, aerial video showed rows of open plots at the Formosa Cemetery as it rushed to keep up with demand. Pictured: Brazil overtook Russia as the world's number two hotspot for coronavirus last night when it recorded more than 330,890 infections. Rows of open plots at the Vila Formosa Cemetery in Sao Paulo Brazil is the worst affected country in South America, which has been declared a new 'epicentre' for the disease by the World Health Organzation Mass graves has been pictured at cemeteries across Brazil to house some of the country's victims. Pictured: Recently dug graves lay empty at the Vila Formosa cemetery The World Health Organization Emergencies Director Mike Ryan told a virtual news conference that South America is a new 'epicentre' for the disease. Mr Ryan said: 'In a sense, South America has become a new epicentre for the disease. We have seen many South American countries with increasing numbers of cases. 'Clearly there is a concern across many of those countries, but clearly the most affected is Brazil at this point.' Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has been widely criticised for his handling of the outbreak and is at the centre of a deepening political crisis. In Manaus, Brazil, mourning family members wearing face masks were seen looking at the graves of their relatives during a mass burial An aerial shot showed a part of the Nossa Senhora Aparecida cemetery where new graves have been dug in Manau, Brazil The huge scale of the mass graves can be seen in aerial shots taken over Nossa Senhora Aparecida cemetery in Manaus Hundreds of mass graves were seen in Manaus, Brazil. Brazil is the hardest-hit South American nation in the coronavirus pandemic South America is rapidly becoming the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic after seeing case numbers soar, with Brazil reporting an average of 10,000 cases per day this month (pictured, a graph showing the daily infection totals of some of the hardest-hit countries) While South America's death totals still lag behind the rest of the world, they are rapidly catching up as cases increase. Brazil again leads the pack with more than 1,000 deaths reported in a day this week (pictured, a graph comparing daily death totals) Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has been widely criticised for his handling of the outbreak and is at the centre of a deepening political crisis Patients infected with coronavirus are being observed by doctors at the Municipal Hospital of Caxias, city of the state of Rio de Janeiro Since the outbreak began, Bolsonaro has lost two health ministers, after pressuring them to promote the early use of anti-malarial drugs like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine The former army captain has seen his poll ratings drop, hurt by his opposition to social distancing measures, support of the unproven remedy chloroquine, and tussles with experienced public health officials. The true number of cases and deaths is likely higher than the figures suggest, as Latin America's top economy has been slow to ramp up testing. Since the outbreak began, Bolsonaro has lost two health ministers, after pressuring them to promote the early use of anti-malarial drugs like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. Several high-profile public health experts have also left. Many have been replaced by soldiers. South America reported the highest daily infection total of any continent on Wedneday, the first time it has done so during the pandemic Former army captain Bolsonaro has seen his poll ratings drop, hurt by his opposition to social distancing measures, support of the unproven remedy chloroquine, and tussles with experienced public health officials On Wednesday, Interim Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello, an active-duty army general, authorised new guidelines for the wider use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in mild cases. The WHO has said neither hydroxychloroquine nor chloroquine has been proven to be effective in the treatment of COVID-19 or in prophylaxis against the disease, reported Al Jazeera. Mike Ryan said: 'Our current clinical and systematic reviews carried out by the Pan American Health Organization, and the current clinical evidence, does not support the widespread use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 - not until the trials are completed and we have clear results.' Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention making the rounds this week on the internet are clarifying what we know about the transmission of the coronavirus. The virus does not spread easily via contaminated surfaces, according to the CDC. For those who were worried about wiping down grocery bags or disinfecting mailed packages, the news headlines highlighting this guidance in recent days might have brought some relief. But this information is not new: The CDC has been using similar language for months. If anything, the headlines have pulled into sharper focus what we already know about the virus. The coronavirus is thought to spread mainly from one person to another, typically through droplets when an infected person sneezes, coughs or talks at close range even if that person is not showing symptoms. The virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading very easily and sustainably between people, the CDC says on its website. Information from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic suggest that this virus is spreading more efficiently than influenza but not as efficiently as measles, which is highly contagious. The website also says that people can get the coronavirus by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes. But those are not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. According to cached versions of the website that are available online, this language has remained largely unchanged since at least late March. The format of the CDC website was slightly altered this month, but the language about surfaces remained the same. It appears to have been placed under a new subheading The virus does not spread easily in other ways on May 11, and more information about the difficulty of catching the virus from animals was added. Kristen Nordlund, a spokeswoman for the agency, told The Washington Post that the revisions followed an internal review and were the product of usability testing. Our transmission language has not changed, Nordlund said. COVID-19 spreads mainly through close contact from person to person. Experts at the CDC and elsewhere are still learning about the new coronavirus. There are questions about how the density of virus particles could affect transmission rates. Researchers dont yet know whether all speech, cough and sneeze droplets carrying the particles are equally infectious, or if a specific amount of virus needs to be transmitted for a person to get sick by breathing it in. A study last week found that talking alone can launch thousands of droplets into the air and that they can remain suspended for eight to 14 minutes. It seems that the virus spreads most easily when people are in close contact with one another in a conversation, for example or gathered in poorly ventilated spaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol scientist at Virginia Tech. She said that in order for a person to catch the virus from a surface, it would seem that a few things would have to happen. First, the virus would have to be transmitted to the surface in large enough amounts. Then, it would have to survive on that surface until it was touched by someone else. And even if it was eventually transferred to, say, a persons finger, it would then have to survive on the skin until that person happened to touch an eye or mouth. Theres just a lot more conditions that have to be met for transmission to happen via touching these objects, Marr said. A lot of what we know about how long the virus lives on surfaces comes from a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in March. The study found that the virus can survive, under ideal conditions, up to three days on hard metal surfaces and plastic and up to 24 hours on cardboard. And since catching the coronavirus from a contaminated surface is still considered a possibility, people who prefer to wipe down bags, boxes or park benches can still do so. The CDC recommends washing your hands often and regularly cleaning or disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan may contest as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the future barring any last-minute changes in his decision to join full-time politics. Sources reveal that Asamoah Gyan who is presently plying his trade in the India Super Liga has never hidden his intentions of becoming a fully-fledged politician when he officially hangs his boots to take after President George Weah of Liberia It is likely he will contest for the Weija-Gbawe seat where he currently lives in 2024 on the ticket of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), the sources mentioned. A close friend to President Akufo-Addo, the Wenchi native in the Bono East region, political analysts believe will get massive support from both the bigwigs and grassroots of the party. Gyan is a known financier of the party as he has supported the party in many ways including some NPP bigwigs. Prior to the 2016 elections, President Akufo-Addo visited the plush gigantic Weija house of Asamoah Gyan which is located on a mountainous hill. Gyan has been spotted at various strategic places, akin to politicians and was also spotted in Parliament in February this year when President Akufo-Addo presented the State of the Nations Address. The all-time leading scorer of the Black Stars with 51 goals is believed to be a die-hard member of the ruling NPP. Born in Accra, Gyan started his career at Ghanaian club, Liberty Professionals located in Accra. He spent most of his early childhood in Mataheko and Gbawe where his late mum was a Headmistress in one of the public schools. His two big brothers including Baffour Gyan live in Gbawe. He played for Udinese, Modena, Rennes, Sunderland, Al Ain, Shanghai SIPG, Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai and Kayserispor. He has played 109 times for the Black Stars, scoring 51 goals. ---mynewsgh Many monkeys have been injured by human activities on the Son Tra Peninsula in Danang City. An injured monkey on Son Tra Peninsula. Photo by An Binh A local photographer named An Binh said that she loves the monkeys and usually takes photos of them. However, recently she has seen many injured monkeys in the area. "We usually informed forest rangers about the injured animals and helped take them to veterinary clinics for treatment," she said. "Most of the injures were caused by human activities. Some fell into traps, others were shot by people who think the monkeys are harassing them." According to forest rangers in Son Tra and Ngu Hanh Son districts, many monkeys have been injured and died after being run over by cars and motorbikes transporting visitors. "Visitors usually feed them with cakes, sweets or fruit so many of them flock to the tourist sites here, especially at Linh Ung Pagoda," a forest ranger said. Meanwhile, deputy director of Nuoc Viet Xanh Nature Reserve Centre, Le Thi Trang, warned that feeding monkeys human food can badly affect their health and ability to forage for themselves. "The monkey may gradually forget how to look for suitable foods in nature," she explained. And they are causing chaos and traffic accidents in the area." Dtinews Rangers drive monkeys back into forest on COVID-19 alert Forest rangers have been attempting to drive troupes of monkeys (stump-tailed macaques) back to Son Tra Nature Reserve in the central city of Da Nang. The first phase of lifting lockdown restrictions started on Monday with the reopening of a number of outdoor public amenities and tourism sites. Wicklow County Council reopened a number of car parks following discussions with An Garda Siochana, OPW, Coillte and the National Parks and Wildlife service. However, members of the public are being urged to adhere to the current 5km national restriction on public movement which will be enforced by An Garda Siochana. Parking restrictions continue to remain at a number of locations around the county and recreational and other facilities such as playgrounds, outdoor gyms and public toilets remain closed until further notice. The Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk as well as the Beach Cliff Walk to Wicklow Head also remain closed. Public car parks which reopened on Monday include South Beach car park, Mill Road, Greystones; Park and Ride, Woodlands Avenue, Greystones; Trafalgar Road, car park, Greystones; La Touche Road car park, Greystones; Harbour/Marina public car park, Greystones; Bray Head car park; Brittas Bay car parks north and south, Sugar Loaf car park, Seaview Avenue car park, Arklow; South Beach car park, Arklow; The Cove car park, Arklow; Knockieran and Baltyboys car parks, Blessington; Bray Harbour. Parking restrictions are in place at Bellevue Hill, at Kindlestown Woods entrance, Greystones; Sea Road, Kilcoole, at Kilcoole train station; Sea Road, Newcastle, at the beach railway level crossing access; Magheramore Beach, Wicklow town; Sallygap, the Strand Road, Bray. Members of the public are being urged to adhere to the current 5km national restriction on public movement which will be enforced by An Garda Siochana. Wicklow County Council also wishes to advise members of the public to please conserve water where possible over the weekend. Irish Water and Wicklow County Council are asking the public, both householders and businesses, to help in maintaining vital water and wastewater services by conserving water, where possible. New York David Jassy was a successful music producer who had worked with Britney Spears and others when he was sent to prison for killing a man during an altercation. While serving his time, he would hear talented young inmates rapping in the yards at San Quentin State Prison with skill and power. In his cell, where Jassy used his keyboard to make beats, he invited the men to perform rap freestyles and taught them about songwriting and music production. In the jail's media center, Jassy uploaded each sound from his keyboard to a computer so he could produce music digitally. Word spread about Jassy's music-led initiative as part of the prison's Youthful Offenders Program, and donors including Grammy-winning producer Greg Wells contributed audio equipment, transforming the media lab into a full-blown production studio. Celebrities even got involved, including J. Cole, Kim Kardashian West, Common and MC Hammer all who visited San Quentin to see Jassy's efforts and encourage the inmates to keep pushing through. Now, an album of those songs will be released to streaming platforms on May 29 on Equity Distribution, Roc Nation's in-house music distribution platform. "San Quentin Mixtape, Vol. 1," produced by Jassy, features 17 young rappers telling their stories. "It's so beautiful when you see the transition from youngsters coming in because a lot of them really act out because they're either hurt or scared because you have to keep up a certain facade in prison, you don't want to show that you soft," Jassy, who is Swedish, said in an interview with The Associated Press from Stockholm. "For them to basically be vulnerable on a mixtape in prison and really speak their truth, it's not an easy thing to do." Though some rap can be profanity-heavy, Jassy challenged the young performers by telling them curse words were not allowed in the songs. "A lot of them when were like, 'Man, how am I going to record a rap without cussing?'," Jassy recalled. "But when you take away the cuss word, the cuss word is almost like a barrier that kind of shields people from really getting to know you. And I told them, I said, 'If you're a true MC, if you're a real MC, you should be able to find all the words instead of that word and challenge yourself.'" He even had members of rival gangs rap on the same song. "All of a sudden people that normally wouldn't say 'hi' to each other was saying 'hi' to each other on the yard," he said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Jassy, 46, has produced and written songs for Sean Kingston, Ashley Tisdale, Heidi Montag and others. He even worked and recorded material with Spears, but the songs were never released. He transferred to San Quentin in 2013. In 2010, he was convicted of murder, assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery, and acquitted of charges of hit-and-run and a second assault with a deadly weapon. Earlier this year his sentence was commuted by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said Jassy had "demonstrated a genuine commitment to his rehabilitation." Jassy said in prison he took advantage of the various programs offered, including classes on nonviolent communication. He said he also earned his degree in jail. "There's nothing I can do to turn the time back, but what I can do is choose what I do with my days now. I can choose to only put out positive things and try to help others," Jassy said. The Ministry of Transports (MOT) proposal to increase the BOT toll fees has faced strong opposition from logistics firms. MOT has proposed that the government increase BOT toll fees in an effort to help BOT investors overcome current difficulties. The investors have been reported as incurring big losses because of sharp decreases in revenue because of Covid-19 which resulted in less traffic. Le Duy Hiep, chair of the Vietnam Logistics Association (VLA), said any attempt to increase fees is unreasonable which is contrary to the governments policy on supporting businesses to overcome the pandemic. VLA is against the plan to increase BOT toll fee, said Hiep, adding that the fee accounts for a large proportion in total transport costs. On some important routes, BOT fees are nearly equal to the expenses on fuel, accounting for 20 percent. VLA is against the plan to increase BOT toll fee, said Hiep, adding that the fee accounts for a large proportion in total transport costs. On some important routes, BOT fees are nearly equal to the expenses on fuel, accounting for 20 percent. Even without Covid-19, the logistics cost in Vietnam is sky high already. Meanwhile, we have to reduce the logistics fees to the regional average level, 14-15 percent of GDP, as per the request of society and the State, he said. Transport costs in general account for 50 percent of total logistics costs. Chair of the Vietnam Automobile Transport Association Nguyen Van Quyen said transport firms are meeting big difficulties with Covid-19. The firms have been operating at a moderate level for many months with just 30-50 percent of capacity. Transport activities have been resumed after social distancing was loosened, but the cargo and passenger volumes remain modest. As for BOT projects, Quyen said there is pressure to be sure that the financial plans and commitments in BOT contracts are implemented. Therefore, he believes that when all business fields are meeting difficulties because of Covid-19, ministries and branches need to consider thoroughly the BOT fee increase. Truong Thi Diem Phuoc from VCAC also said that MOT and investors need to conduct thorough research on the possible impact of the toll fee increases on the transport sector in the long term, and to avoid sudden fee increases. The research will show how business fields would be affected by the move, thus allowing solutions to the problems to arise. This would ensure that the fee increase wont significantly affect the freight rates and goods prices. Experts fear that the BOT fee increase would increase the transport service fee. However, everyone can see that though petrol prices have dropped sharply by 40 percent recently, freight and goods prices have not decreased, she said. Mai Lan Ministry of Transport proposes increasing BOT toll fees The Ministry of Transport has recently proposed the Government to consider and approve the option of increasing BOT toll fees in order to remove difficulties for the investors who suffered revenue losses. You just never know when your life might completely change. People across Michigan learned that earlier this week when heavy rains caused flooding in some parts of the state, including Arenac County and especially Midland County. No one expected the destruction the floods would bring, and the damage that has been left in their wake was unimaginable. I have connections to both areas. Prior to coming to the Tribune, I was the managing editor of the weekly newspaper in Arenac County. I covered the area and oversaw the coverage for more than a decade. I have family that lives there, as well as many friends and former coworkers. Several of them have been affected by the floods there, which due to the lower population in that area, has seen very little coverage compared to the situation in Midland. No dams failed in Arenac County, but the flood waters did wash out roads and destroy homes much as they did in Midland, just not to the same level. My connections to Midland are even greater. Prior to going to work up north, I worked at my family's business in Midland for 10 years. That business is still there. It was affected greatly by the shutdowns due to coronavirus. Fortunately, it was not in the flood path and has avoided any damage as a result of the disaster earlier this week. I also have many friends and family who live in the Midland area more than I maybe even realized before the flood. As the disaster was happening, my Facebook feed was littered with people posting about being evacuated from their homes and each time I would think, "Oh yeah, they live in Midland too." Some I haven't talked to in years and others I talk to all the time. The Tribune's parent company, Hearst, also owns the Midland Daily News, and we have been in constant contact with our coworkers in Midland as they not only covered this disaster, but also lived through it. The Tribune, along with Hearst's other Michigan properties, were able to divert some of our resources to Midland to help them cover this one-in-a-lifetime story. And as the community newspaper covers a disaster in it's own community, it gives us a little bit of an opportunity to reflect on the difference between that community newspaper and the "mainstream media" that covers things on a national level. Working at a local newspaper, we are often criticized for things we cover, of invading people's lives or of not caring about the community. But when the New York Times or the Washington Post, or CNN and Fox News comes rolling into town to cover a national story, they have no connection to that story. They're from far away, they don't know the people, and usually prior to whatever news event warranted their arrival, they likely had never stepped foot in the community that they are covering. But in Arenac County, and in Midland County, and here in Bad Axe, the people who work at those community papers are also a part of the community. We live here. We work here. We have friends here. Sometimes we have family here. We have a connection here. When news happens in our communities, it affects us. Our jobs are to cover things without bias and without injecting our opinion into them, but when you live there and experience these things as a resident as well as a reporter, that is sometimes impossible to do. I'm not asking for praise for us, but I think we all need to step back and appreciate what a community newspaper brings to a community. Without the community newspaper, the media coverage a community gets doesn't have that heart because it certainly doesn't have that connection. I also want to shout out our staff at the Midland Daily News. Despite the fact that some of them were in danger of losing their homes, losing their livelihoods, they were able to also buckle down and cover the event, bringing important updates to the community and helping keep everyone else informed and safe. It's always a balancing act, but it's one you wouldn't have without your community newspaper. Eric Young is the editor of the Huron Daily Tribune. He can be reached at eric.young@hearstnp.com. Last December, as she watched the last pickup truck roll off the line at the GM assembly plant in Oshawa, Rebecca Keetch never thought that she or any of the 2,600 workers laid off that day would be back on the job any time soon. But when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived only months later, it exposed Canadas lack of local manufacturing for badly needed medical supplies. The federal government has tried to import as much personal protective equipment as possible from abroad but of the 11.8 million N95 respirator masks that have arrived in Canada, fewer than two million have passed quality control. All of a sudden, Oshawa, with its infrastructure and expertise, looks more like an untapped resource than an abandoned wasteland. I was hopeful that there would be conversion and new jobs coming into the plant. But I certainly didnt expect that they would be converting to masks, Keetch said. Any day now, the first non-medical face mask will roll off the new line at the Oshawa plant, which has recalled 60 workers to produce a million face masks a month for Public Health Canada. GM has joined manufacturers from coast to coast in retooling to make hand sanitizer, face shields, surgical gowns and scrubs. But no one is making the coveted N95, which offers superior protection from viruses. The N95 is a classification of protective mask that filters out at least 95 per cent of airborne particles. While health-care professionals say N95s are not appropriate for all patient encounters, they remain essential for certain high-risk procedures and shortages have been reported in hospitals and long-term-care homes across the province. Despite the best efforts of the federal and provincial governments to procure N95 masks from abroad, actually getting them into the hands of health-care workers has proven to be a challenge. The federal government placed orders for 145 million N95 respirator masks in April, but only 11.8 million have been delivered. Of those, 9.8 million masks were rejected for hospital use because they didnt meet Health Canada standards. This means that since U.S. President Donald Trump made an exception to the N95 export ban for Canada, and the first shipment of 500,000 respirators from the U.S. arrived on April 7, Canada has received fewer than 1.5 million additional N95s that met quality standards. That trickle of imports underlines the importance of producing N95s domestically, though retooling, establishing supply chains and getting production up and running will not be easy or quick. We are exploring various avenues to provide secure domestic supplies of personal protective equipment to Canadian workers, including masks, said federal Ministry of Innovation spokesperson Alexander Jagric. This includes building domestic capacity for millions of N95 masks each year. The government is placing much of its hope on Montreal medical manufacturer Medicom. With plants in China, Taiwan, the U.S. and France, the company was caught off guard when early in the pandemic each of those countries banned the export of medical equipment. In April, the Quebec government pledged $4 million to accelerate the establishment of a new Medicom manufacturing plant in Montreal, slated to be up and running by July. On Friday, the federal government finalized a long-term contract for 20 million N95s per year to be made at the plant for the next decade. In light of recent product quality concerns from other suppliers around the world, the company said in a press release, the Medicom team is proud to be providing Canadian health-care professionals with personal protective equipment that consistently meets or exceeds industry standards. In an interview with the Star in March, company president Guillaume Laverdure spoke about the difficulty of establishing a production facility from scratch, saying massive supplies of fabric and specialized machinery needed to be secured. These are technical products with huge investments, huge manufacturing lines that you cant turn around overnight, he said. These are months and months of capacity investment. We understand manufacturing locally may not be the cheapest option. There is always a cheaper option somewhere. But there is a price to pay to have guaranteed local supply, Laverdure said. Medicoms effort to set up a new production line by July is unprecedented by industry standards, but it still leaves a gap in supply until then. This is why Keetch and her colleagues at Green Jobs Oshawa a group calling for shuttered auto plants to be repurposed for environmentally friendly manufacturing are asking GM to start producing N95 masks in Oshawa. There has been a collapse of nearly all global supply chains, Keetch said. To ensure an adequate supply of N95 masks, we must start manufacturing them immediately. Production of non-medical face masks in Oshawa got off the ground in little more than a month, and GM is prototyping the N95 at a similarly revived plant in Warren, Mich. The company is calling them N95-style filtering facepiece respirators, because they havent been certified yet, but engineers working on the line hope to have it up and running soon. Keetch and her colleagues want to see the N95 line brought to Oshawa. They eliminated the jobs of 5,000 highly skilled assembly and supplier workers. Thousands of those workers are available and would be eager to manufacture N95 masks and other urgently needed (personal protective equipment) for front-line Canadian workers, said Keetch. There are lives that are being put at risk in Ontario as a result of not having PPE, and we actually have the ability to make it in Oshawa. In an interview, GM Canada vice-president David Paterson said the company was lucky to be able to use existing suppliers to source the quantities of fabric needed to get production up and running so quickly. Were making the regular masks which make up the highest demand, he said. These are the types of masks we need to get back to work and on the street doing the things we want to do. The level 1 face mask being produced in Oshawa doesnt require the same Health Canada certifications as an N95, he said, and estimates show that in the coming year, 95 per cent of demand will be for these basic masks rather than N95s. We have offered at no profit to make a volume of masks to meet an enormous need in Canada, he said, adding that he was befuddled by the demand to make N95s. No good deed goes unpunished, he said. There are others who can make N95s. In Western Canada, medical supply manufacturer Novo Textiles last month converted from making hospital pillows to face masks and hopes soon to be churning out N95s. CEO Jason Zanatta responded to the federal governments call for local businesses to help, bought a two-tonne surgical-mask-making machine in China and had it shipped to his facility in Coquitlam, B.C. Hes currently producing 100,000 face masks a day, and hes put a deposit down on a second machine to make N95s. If all goes according to plan, he hopes to have production up and running next month for 100,000 N95s daily. Zanattas advantage over Medicom and GM? Since his facility already has a licence to produce medical-grade textiles, he doesnt need to go through the same strict certification that new facilities do. #MadeinCanada is our best solution to protect against this. Too long have we taken the easy route of outsourcing everything to #China. That ends now, Zanatta tweeted on April 30. ^pFrom STAFF REPORTS The Rotary Club of Rocky Mounts 2020 Independence Festival has been canceled due to COVID-19. This is the first cancellation of the event in the 37-year history of the festival, according to a press release by the Rotary Club of Rocky Mount. This decision was not done so easily, said Pam Chitwood, president of the Rotary Club. Our club really enjoys putting this event on every year for our community and wanted to do so again this year; however, we had to do what was best to ensure the health and safety of our community as well. She said the club looked into several options for the event, but in the end decided canceling was the only option. Independence Festival Committee Chair Lisa Schenk explained that the festival takes months of planning. The Rotary Club of Rocky Mount has been closely monitoring Gov. Ralph Northams guidelines for reopening the state and consulting with local officials over the last few weeks, she said. With no clear timeline on the restrictions being scaled back for large gatherings, the decision to cancel was the only viable decision the club had. We are all disappointed in having to make this decision, but the unknowns at this time are too great to host the event. The festival is expected to return in 2021. Taylor resident Michael LaMay Jr. was recently honored as a Hometown Hero by Advia Credit Union. LaMay, a registered nurse, was given a $500 check from the credit union and was recognized in a YouTube video along with other Hometown Hero honorees. LaMay, 36, works at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital and at Beaumont Hospital, Trenton. Overall, he was one of 20 people who won the Hometown Hero award. Advia, which is based in Michigan, asked for nominees who have worked in essential roles during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as people in the fields of health care, law enforcement, education and grocery stores. LaMay was nominated for the award by his mother, Jackie LaMay. As a registered nurse, the 2002 Taylor Kennedy High School graduate took an important step early on in helping to battle the COVID-19 crisis. Once the virus spread to metropolitan Detroit, he put in countless hours with those who were suffering. In early 2020, he was trained on how to treat patients on ventilators. He had not worked in the ICU before and didnt learn that particular aspect of patient care. As the COVID-19 pandemic started to affect the region and patients filled area hospitals, he was at work nearly every day for two months in a row. In addition to nursing, he also has worked as an occupational therapist and is still licensed in that field. As for the other Hometown Hero honorees, a few other nurses got the award, along with two mask makers, a teenager working in a nursing home as a CNA, a paramedic, a corrections transport officer, a public safety official (police and fire), an assistant principal and a school cafeteria worker. Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden at the Hotel Du Pont in Wilmington, Del., on March 12, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) NAACP Denies Bidens Claim of Endorsement The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) rejected a claim by Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, who said hes been endorsed by the civil rights organization every time Ive run. In an interview on The Breakfast Club radio show on May 22, Biden promoted what he called a long career of defending civil rights. Take a look at my record, man! I extended the Voting Rights [Act] 25 years. I have a record that is second-to-none, Biden said, adding, The NAACPs endorsed me every time Ive run. Following Bidens claim, Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, issued a statement denying that the organization had thrown its weight behind the former vice president. We want to clarify that the NAACP is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse candidates for political office at any level, Johnson said, adding that anyone associated with the NAACP who endorses a candidate doesnt speak on behalf of the organization. Persons affiliated with the NAACP at the national, state, and local levels are free to make candidate endorsements in a personal capacity, but they do not reflect support by the NAACP as an organization. Johnson also said that the sole objective of the organization is fighting for and advancing our Black communities towards an equitable reality. During the same interview on The Breakfast Club, Biden made another statement that landed him in hot water when he said, If you have a problem figuring out whether youre for me or Trump, then you aint black. Biden later apologized for the remarks, calling them really unfortunate and saying he shouldnt have been such a wise guy. The 2020 presidential hopeful said during a phone call with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce on May 22 that perhaps he had been much too cavalier. I know that the comments have come off like I was taking the African American folks for granted but nothing could be further from the truth, Biden said. Ive never ever done that, and Ive earned it every time Ive run, he said, adding that he sees winning the African American voter demographic as crucial to his plans to claim the White House in November. I know in order to win the presidency, I need the African American vote, Biden said. The Trump campaign called Bidens remarks racist and dehumanizing. He truly believes that he, a 77-year-old white man, should dictate how Black people should behave, Katrina Pierson, a senior adviser with the campaign, said in a statement. Biden adviser Symone Sanders said in a tweet that the remarks were made in jest. He was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trumps any day. Period, she said. Hawk Newsome, chairman of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York, told CNN he found Bidens comments objectionable, particularly their tone. There is no place for a white man to define blackness in America, Newsome said. The tonality of Mr. Bidens statement was condescending and insensitive. If he would have stated differently, we wouldnt be having this conversation. Sluggish York board asynchronous with others online, DiManno, May 13 Rosie DiManno writes: What Im saying, is that the ETFO doesnt want its teachers actually teaching during the lockdown, because that could remove them from the protections of the union corral and impact on potentially fraught negotiations in a new world order of education. Does she really think synchronous teaching is actual teaching, while asynchronous teaching is not? Does she really think non-live, non-Zooming, non-conferencing is static? Does she know about the many educators who constantly conference with their students and provide feedback asynchronously? Does she know about the many educators who do reach out to students and parents by phone to check in on them and discuss their childrens emotional health and academic progress? Does she know about the many parents who have reached out to educators to thank them for the quality of work they are providing? Does she know that Education Minister Stephen Lecces announcement that students marks will not be adversely affected by COVID 19, which means their marks prior to school closures will not drop, even if they choose to do no more work, has now given many students an incentive not to engage in online learning? Lets be clear, if providing quality education was a priority, this asinine mandate about grades should never have come into play. Putting some onus on high school students to make contact with their teachers is not a bad thing. They should be taking some ownership of their learning, but even that responsibility has been removed. Unfortunately, many parents have been blinded by this governments facade of wanting to provide quality education, while doing the opposite, and our students are being used as pawns by Lecce, not the unions, not the boards and certainly not the educators. Dodoma: Everyone is troubled in the world today due to the problem of Coronavirus, which has been increasing continuously for the last several days, while there are so many people who have been known due to the rising outbreak of this virus and the epidemic. , Not only this, due to the grip of this virus, millions of people are getting infected every day, while the death toll from the coronavirus is increasing continuously, due to which today the whole human aspect has come to the end of destruction. Today, more than 3 lakh 40 thousand people have lost their lives due to the virus. And even now, it cannot be said openly how long the virus will get rid of and when the situation will improve. A similar case has come to light in the East African country of Tanzania. Earlier this month, 50 Tanzanian truck drivers were found infected with the Covid-19 in one day. All these drivers travelled to the neighbouring country Kenya. On the other hand, the President of the country emphasized that Tanzania has conquered the virus through prayers. President John Magufuli is detaining all those who are questioning the country's ability to fight the virus. Those criticizing the government are being arrested and phones of opposition leaders and human rights activists are being tapped. There has been no change in the number of people infected with the virus in Tanzania for the past three weeks. There is a fear in the mind of the international community that whether the government of Tanzania is engaged in hiding information about the epidemic. In this East African country with a population of six crores, so far around 500 people have fallen prey to this dangerous virus. While the outbreak of this epidemic in countries around the world is rare. Tanzania remains an exception to the coronavirus very dramatically. This country is run by a president who, when asked or criticized, questions his own health experts. Also, there is no restriction on the movement of people in the country, Magufuli says that the country's economy is his first priority. Fatma Karume, a human rights activist and former president of Tanganyika Law Society, said that authorities are refusing people to go to hospitals to avoid overcoming people. Apart from this, they are not giving enough guidance to the people about the virus. The President has refused to close churches, mosques and all those crowded places like pubs and restaurants in the country. He has questioned the investigation being done by the National Laboratory. The President suspended the head of the laboratory and fired the Deputy Health Minister. Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh gives support to real estate sector Know why World Turtle Day is celebrated Jammu and Kashmir youth to get ample job opportunities Lahore: Pakistans Punjab Province Assembly today adopted a resolution condemning Prime Minister Narendra Modis remarks on Balochistan and Gilgit-Biltistan and asked the federal government to take up the issue at international fora, including the UN. Tabled by Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, the unanimously adopted resolution said the House strongly condemned Modis statement on Balochistan and Gilgit-Biltistan and termed it as interference in Pakistans affairs. The federal government should raise this matter at international forums including the United Nations. The world should be told about the Modi governments interference in Pakistans affairs, the resolution said. Pakistan Peoples Party legislator Khurram Wattoo asked the chair to also request the federal government to sever trade ties with India. Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mahmoodur Rashid alleged that Modis statement manifested his policy of intolerance and interference into affairs of other states. Prime Minister Modi, in his Independence Day speech, had said that he was thanked by the people of Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan, for flagging their problems. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The anniversary of a dark day for investors approaches. On June 3, 2019, the Woodford Equity Income fund was suspended. The revelation that a supposedly staid fund held so many near-valueless unquoted stocks shocked the thousands of people who had entrusted savings to the manager Neil Woodford. It also caused a wider tremor of unease. If Woodford, formerly feted as his generation's leading stockpicker, could fall to earth, which other stars might follow? These fears were well-founded. Last week Mark Barnett, a Woodford protege, finally departed from Invesco. He also had Woodford's fatal fondness for illiquid holdings, which impaired his funds' performance. Yet the remnants of his reputation seem to have helped him stay put longer than many expected, even as ratings agencies warned about the risks of this strategy. Woodford collected millions in fees and dividends as investors' losses mounted. These could have been limited had the watchdog Financial Conduct Authority intervened earlier. The body saw no cause to investigate its own role, but its probe into Woodford continues. The findings must be hard-hitting, if only for the sake of FCA's own credibility. The investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown, Woodford's chief cheerleader, suffered embarrassment over this nearsycophantic relationship. The business seems to have emerged largely unscathed, although the threat still looms of legal action. Clients who relied on Woodford's continued inclusion in the platform's Wealth 50 best buy list even after the foray into biotech start-ups, might sue. A review of the Wealth 50 is under way; the FCA has acknowledged that these listings can serve a useful purpose. So does the ignominious decline of Woodford and Barnett mean the days of the star manager are over? Or are there a select few you should still follow? Even groups like Jupiter have shifted their emphasis towards the strength of their teams, although the named manager is still responsible for the selection of stocks. There are other managers who many believe justify their star status. The two biggest names are Nick Train of Lindsell Train and Terry Smith of Fundsmith, whose recent stewardship of their funds seems to have confirmed their reputations. The March market chaos, which Train describes as 'amongst the most turbulent and certainly the most distressing of my career', damaged his UK Equity and Global Equity funds and his Finsbury Growth & Income investment trust. Investment manager Jason Hollands, of Best Invest, comments: 'You can't have a God complex. You've also got to be focused During the first quarter, Global Equity fell 11 per cent compared with a 16 per cent decline in the MSCI World Index. Now Train is trying to ensure he is holding companies that can survive, and launching a US fund to invest in the tech giants. Other holdings include 13 per cent of Hargreaves Lansdown. This link led Hargreaves to feel obliged to pull UK Equity and Global Equity from the Wealth 50, a month after the Woodford fund suspension. The March rout also hit Fundsmith, which fell 8 per cent during the first quarter. But Smith exploited the slump to buy shares in Starbucks and Nike, the types of international firms Fundsmith has favoured since its launch a decade ago. Despite the success of this for mula, it has never appeared in the Wealth 50. For Smith, this may be badge of honour. There may be much discussion about the pronouncements of Train (who quotes John Stuart Mill, the Victorian thinker) and Smith's combative opinions but each is backed by a highly competent team. Woodford's employees, by contrast, are said to have regarded him in awe. Until the end, some believed he would emerge victorious. Investment manager Jason Hollands, of Best Invest, comments: 'You can't have a God complex. You've also got to be focused. 'The stars of today, and tomorrow, do not deviate from a very specific approach.' A well-defined strategy is the common attribute of the new stars. Hollands rates Ben Peters and Chris Elliott of TB Evenlode Income and Michael Boyd and Giles Warren of Guardcap Global. Stephen Yiu of LF Blue Whale is seen as a promising practioner of the Train ethos of concentrating on a small number of holdings. Darius McDermott of Fund Calibre sees James Thomson of Rathbone Global Opportunities as a pretender to Smith's crown. Ben Yearsley of Shore Financial Planning names Svetlana Viteva, joint manager of Baillie Gifford Global Discovery fund and the Edinburgh Worldwide investment trust. You can be sure of one thing. For all these names, the Woodford debacle is a lesson of the dark side of stardom. Lindsell Train and Evenlode are shareholders in DMGT, the parent company of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday. Two Chinese nationals who were arraigned for allegedly offering bribe to an official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have been granted bail by the Sokoto state high court. Abdullahi Lawal, head of EFCC zonal office in Sokoto state, had paraded the two foreigners, Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuoi of China Zhounghao Nigeria Limited, a construction company, for offering N100m bribe to cover-up an investigation against their company. In a statement on Friday, Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said Muhammad Sifawa, the judge granted the two Chinese a bail in the sum of N5 million each two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be resident in the state. The surety must also deposit a certificate of occupancy of landed property within the jurisdiction of the court. Advertisement Read Also: Two Chinese Arrested For Offering N100m Bribe To EFCC He also ordered the defendants to submit their international passports with the chief registrar of the court and demanded that they take an undertaking that they would not travel out of the country throughout the duration of their trial, the statement read. The Chinese company is currently being investigated by the EFCC over allegations of money laundering, misappropriation, diversion of public funds, among others, he said. Aer Lingus employees are to be told next week of additional cuts to pay and working hours as well as redundancies. The airline's chief executive, Sean Doyle, told staff in a video message yesterday that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a "crippling" effect on the carrier, which is part of the IAG group that also owns British Airways and Iberia. He said that yesterday, Aer Lingus carried just 939 passengers. On Friday of this week last year, it carried 18,361. "As you are all too well aware, we are now in the deepest downturn that the aviation industry has ever experienced," he said. Aer Lingus informed staff and unions earlier this month that significant job cuts will be necessary as a result of the crisis. It is believed that as many as 900 of its 4,500-strong workforce could be cut. Steep pay cuts have already been implemented. In March, Aer Lingus said that overall pay for staff was being slashed by 50pc. "Throughout the crisis, we have engaged with all the senior members of the relevant representative bodies," said Mr Doyle in his message yesterday. "This engagement has been constructive and respectful. However, unfortunately it has not as yet resulted in an agreed way forward." "There is now an urgent requirement to make further cost reductions given the decimation in demand for travel in the immediate term, and the uncertainty regarding future travel demand thereafter," he added. "The unfortunate reality is that notwithstanding the workforce in its entirety taking a 50pc pay reduction, and the support provided by the temporary wage subsidy scheme, additional cost savings are now urgently needed," said the chief executive. He added that the current 50pc pay reductions and working time arrangements will continue until the June 21, but will not be extended for all Aer Lingus workers beyond that date. "It is no longer sustainable, and a further reduction in working hours and pay - up to and including layoffs in some areas of the business -is required and will now have to be implemented," said Mr Doyle. "We will also now begin to implement the structural change that is required within the organisation," he added. "I appreciate that this will be very difficult for colleagues across the business, but I assure you that it is a critical requirement." Meanwhile, Dublin-based CityJet is seeking 700 layoffs while airport operator DAA has warned of major job cuts. Still not out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rio Rancho Public Schools is considering a few options as it plans the reopening of schools in the fall. These possibilities include looking at modifying operations to include possible health screenings, availability of face coverings, accommodations for the most vulnerable, heightened cleaning measures and social distancing guidelines such staggered schedules, blended learning configurations and continued online learning from home. A task force will work throughout the summer to address these areas and more, and will continue to communicate with families throughout the planning process. Some parents are eager to have their children return to school, while others are concerned about the continued spread of COVID-19. In hopes of gauging the communitys thoughts, RRPS sent out a parent survey in English and Spanish, which may be found at rrps.net. After parents checked the boxes for the schools and grades their kids attend, they were asked to state their preference for the 2020-21 school year. They had three choices and the ability to state another option, and explain their choice. The three choices were: Traditional school (in classroom) Keeping in mind the district will most likely need to consider other options in order to meet social distancing requirements; Combination of traditional and distance learning (online) Some learning would happen at school and other learning at home via an online format such as Google Classroom and/or Edgenuity; or 100 percent online All learning would happen away from the school. Melissa Perez, RRPSs communications manager, said, RRPS wanted to gauge how parents felt, in order to assist in guiding us as we develop plans for next year. This is just one tool/set of information we will use to guide us as our teams determine what the next school year will look like. Results are still being collected and plans are being developed now. We hope to have plans to the school board in late June. As of press time Friday, though, Perez told the Observer, I checked in with the team this morning and unfortunately the survey hasnt closed yet. We are still making phone calls to some families that do not have internet access or who need assistance to fill out the survey. We hope to have those completed early (this) week. To hear the mainstream media tell it, President Trump is somehow paranoid at Michigan's latest gambit to mail absentee voting applications to all registered voters in the state. Here's the selectively distorted reporting from the Detroit News (emphasis mine): President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday to attack Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's plan to send absentee ballot applications to qualified Michigan voters ahead of the August and November elections. The president threatened federal funding for Michigan and erroneously said Benson planned to send absentee ballots, when the Detroit Democrat instead plans to send voters applications for the ballots ahead of the elections. They ran it with a photograph of Trump with a photoshopped color manipulation that exaggerated the color of his skin as well as his blue tie to colors not consistent with the lighting in the room. They also had this: Trump again claimed, without evidence, that mail-in voting is susceptible to fraud, although experts say incidents of voter fraud are rare, particularly in national elections. "Mail-in ballots are very dangerous. There's tremendous fraud involved and tremendous illegality," he said. In a reply to his Wednesday tweet, Trump tagged his chief of staff Mark Meadows, the U.S. Treasury and Russ Vought, director of the federal Office of Management and Budget. Benson responded to Trump's tweet on Twitter, noting the state planned to send applications, not ballots to qualified voters. Notice in the story how the reporter takes pains to state that these mail-in ballot applications will go to 'qualified' voters, as if Trump were somehow against that. Fact: They will go to any name on the voter rolls, and the problem Trump is bringing up is that the voter roll list is absolutely filthy, loaded with names of people who have moved away, leaving golden opportunities for Democrats to stop over at those mailboxes and pick up the unopened mail. The report correctly notes that Trump said 'ballots' rather than 'ballot applications,' but that too is red herring. Where exactly does the writer think ballots come from other than ballot applications? And does he really think each of these will be looked over by voting authorities with the attention to potential fraud when they can't even maintain a clean voter roll list? The report said nothing about the flimsy checking mechanism or the unmanaged voter roll list. There also was the Media-Matters-like "Trump claimed, without evidence..." Which is colossal hooey, To say there haven't been voter fraud cases based on mail-in ballots is an outrage. And the claim of unnamed 'experts' is a cop-out, every one of those experts is a Democratic operative all in for winning at any cost, ends justifies the means. There is even an easy example of mail-in fraud for the media to pick up on - the example of the North Carolina Republican operative in just the last midterm election who illegally harvested absentee ballots from black voters and then threw them away to keep the vote count for his own candidate higher. That guy was caught, and the election had to be redone. Bottom line is that fraud most certainly exists, and it's never been easier to accomplish now that mail-in voting breaks the entire chain of custody in tallying the ballot, permitting alterations and fraud on a wide, unheretofore seen basis. Let's look at just how broken the chain of custody might be if Michigan's malevolent Democrats have their way. Start with the Augean stables, otherwise known as the voter rolls. According to Breitbart News: Government Accountability Institute Research Director Eric Eggers, author of Fraud: How the Left Plans to Steal the Next Election, says the city of Detroit, Michigan has at least 30,000 more registered voters on their voter rolls than citizens even eligible to vote. This week, Michigans Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, announced that the state would send absentee ballot applications not actual absentee ballots to 7.7 million voters. In response, President Trump threatened to withhold funding from the state. ...and... In an exclusive interview with SiriusXM Patriots Breitbart News Tonight, Eggers said ineligible voters could end up receiving mail-in ballots because Detroits voter rolls have at least 30,000 more registered voters on them than citizens who are eligible to vote. I do think its fair to kind of raise eyebrows and some alarms at whats happening in a state like Michigan of course, we want people to be able to vote without imperiling their own health, Eggers said. But its the problems with the voter rolls. The fact remains that many of the voter rolls in this country, 1-in-8 according to the Supreme Court, 24 million voter registrations are wrong or partially inaccurate. In the city of Detroit according to a lawsuit filed just last year, the city of Detroit itself has over 30,000 more registered voters than citizens of legal voting age, Eggers continued. 30,000 people in Detroit at least will receive an absentee ballot request form, Eggers said. Well Donald Trump only won Michigan by less than 11,000 votes in 2016. So this is a state that if it flips the margins are very small here. That's a walking, talking 30,000 vote tally for Democratic operatives to hone in, pick up, and fill out ballot applications as well as the ballots tha follow. And yes, once the ballot are in the dishonest hands, they could swing the election. Because with mail-in ballots, starting with these laughable 'applications,' what's to stop Democratic operatives from finding the addresses of the residents who have moved away, coming up with a way of getting those idle ballots or ballot applications into their hands - whether through stealing, buying, or redirecting them, and then filling them out as they see fit? Come election day, they will have all the ballots they need to stuff their way to victory, "finding" them until the candidates they want win. It's quite a scary prospect because they have so many entry points for getting their hands on such ballots. In mail-in voting, the entire chain of custody is broken. Start with the mail service, when the ballots go out first. Mail people more than anyone know who's living and not living at one address. Guess who delivers the mail? And guess what party they belong to. The fraud could start right there because unlike polling workers, they have no sworn trust to deliver things honestly and worse still, they can't be fired. A second point of entry is at the mailbox itself, where the delivered mail lies. If a mailbox is abandoned, guess who knows where to go? A third point is human - whoever it is who may be living at the absentee voter's place. There have been cases in Texas and elsehere of blank ballots being obtained ... for a price. To imagine that couldn't possibly happen in Detroit is ...to use the Detroit phrase, the opposite of shinola. There's more. The mail-in ballots go back in through the mail. Another point for our union postal workers to show their goodwill ... to someone at least. Then the ballots go out -- on the unscrubbed lists, to whoever sent them in, nobody is going to know whom. And then the ballots go back, for the count. Again, another opportunity for multiple kinds of fraud - from the who-know-who filled out the ballot, nobody is never going to know, to the postal personnel who touch it, to the elections officials who get it at long last. That's a lot of custody. And none of this even brings up the issue of illegal immigrants voting. In many states, the numbers are in the tens of thousands. Ballot fraud is going on right now in Philadelphia, there have been problems in Texas and for sure there will be problems in California. To pretend there is nothing going on is simply dishonest. Trump is right to pursue this matter and call it the high potential fraud stake that it is. To say nothing could go wrong is just the bray of Democrats who take a weak eye to cheating because it's so very good for them. Image credit: Pixabay public domain Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 13:39:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KATHMANDU, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The Nepal Overseas Chinese Business Association (NOCBA) has distributed books based on the first-hand experience of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The "Wuhan in Coronavirus Lockdown: Stories of Courage and Determination" published in Nepali language by Makalu Publication House will be distributed to ministers, leaders, government officials, entrepreneurs, among other prominent figures of Nepal or working in Nepal. The association purchased 200 books from the publisher for distribution on Friday. "I learned about many things like how COVID-19 was first seen in China, how the authorities imposed lockdown in Wuhan and how residents supported, hospital construction in a short span of time, role of health professionals and frontline workers, as well as the preventive and control measures of the government," said Nepali Ambassador to China Mahendra Bahadur Pandey after reading the book. "It really reflects the determination of the government and courage of Chinese people to fight against the virus," said Pandey, stressing that the book can be a good lesson for other countries. "It is important to implement those learned lessons." The publisher said readers and policymakers can learn several aspects of the coronavirus, including the technique of intervention, the measures of curtailing it from the experience of Chinese people through the book. Rajandra Dhakal, managing director at Makalu Publication House said the book can encourage and guide others to deal with COVID-19. Though the publisher has not been able to send books to the market because of the ongoing lockdown, copies of books were sent to high-level officials. Enditem The State Border Guard of Ukraine sent the interested central executive bodies a draft of Cabinet of Ministers' decree amending the Action Plan for the Wall, which envisages completion of construction on the border with the Russian Federation in 2025. This is stated in the letter of the State Border Service at the request of the StateWatch expert organization. Border guards explain the need to extend the deadlines for the implementation of the action plan for the engineering and technical arrangement of the Russian-Ukrainian border with reduced funding, as well as an increase in the cost of construction materials, work and services. In 2014, Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced the beginning of the construction of a physical border between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. The construction was supposed to be completed in 2018, but the deadlines were extended to 2021. Now it is planned to postpone the implementation of the Wall project for another 4 years, that is, by 2025. As we reported before, Vice Prime Minister, First Deputy Head of Ukraines Delegation at the Trilateral Contact Group Oleksiy Reznikov believes that Russia needs Crimea for presence in the Black Sea and Donbas to keep Crimea Four years ago, when a casting call for Roma was issued in my city, Tlaxiaco, in the state of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, I almost didnt go to the audition. The film industry was alien to me. As a child, I couldnt relate to the people I saw on movie screens; the actors and actresses were nothing like the people I knew, and their stories centered on worlds far away from my own. As an adult, I studied to be a teacher, and had no thoughts of becoming an actress. Fortunately, I did answer the call, and things changed very quickly for me. I was cast in the role of Cleo in Roma, and eventually was able to bring to screens around the world a character who represented people who had gone unseen: Mixtec women who worked as maids. The movie intimately recounts the day-to-day life of a middle-class family in 1970s Mexico City. At that time, Mexico was experiencing political and social upheaval. National turmoil brought to the fore problems that still persist to this day, namely the normalization of classism, racism and denigration, along with other forms of segregation and belittlement based on skin color, ethnicity, sexual orientation or social class. Although discrimination is not often spoken about in Mexico, it is a very real problem. According to a 2017 poll conducted by Mexicos national office of statistics, 65 percent of Mexicans think that few to none of the rights of our Indigenous communities are respected. I have firsthand experience with this kind of discrimination. After I was nominated for an Academy Award for portraying Cleo, racist comments began to circulate on social media. Commenters questioned why I was nominated, making references to my social and ethnic background. An Indigenous woman was not a worthy representative of the country, some said. It was hard for me to see and hear these sorts of statements. But real conversations were happening because of them. Eventually, these discussions highlighted the cultural and political importance of diversity in society, art and the media. This Eid is unlike any other Eid in the previous year due to coronavirus outbreak. Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid has advised people to offer prayers from their homes. On the occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the ongoing holy month of Ramzan, a select group of people offered namaz at Delhis Jama Masjid ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, while adhering to social distancing following relaxations in the fourth phase of the COVID-19 lockdown. A large number of people wanted to offer prayers today but we told them they should do so from their homes. Only the staff of the mosque and a few members of the family offered prayers here, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid said. The coronavirus pandemic has also marred the excitement of Eid for the vegetable and fruit vendors in neighbouring Daryaganj. The fourth phase of nation-wide lockdown extended till May 31, began from Monday in which markets and shops were allowed to open. However, due to persisting fear of COVID-19, the sale of products is yet to pick pace. Unlike each year, the market lacks the sheen this Eid with no bustle and people cautious about venturing out. Also Read: Rahul Gandhi to share migrant labourers incredible story of grit, determination and survival on his YouTube channel Also Read: NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant says though the lockdown had been successful in controlling the virus outbreak, migrant crises were handled poorly A large number of people wanted to offer prayers at Jama Masjid on Jumat-ul-Vida today. We told them they should offer prayers at their homes. Today only the staff of Jama Masjid&a few members of family offered prayers here&maintained social distancing: Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid pic.twitter.com/oB4rNlx5h8 ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2020 Salim, who has been selling cheese and curd in the market for the last 35 years, told ANI, I have never seen such an Eid. There is an atmosphere of fear in the minds of people. Another fruit seller Haseen Malik said that During the month of Ramadan, most people relish fruits such as musk melon, sweet lemon and watermelon so there is some demand for it. But there is no excitement for Eid this year. The sale has been at an all-time low because of the lockdown. In the wake of the festival and to ensure social distancing, Delhi Police has made elaborate security arrangements. Also Read: Cyclone Amphan: PM Narendra Modi announces Rs 500 cr financial assistance for Odisha For all the latest National News, download NewsX App An underground artisan diesel production company was liquidated in the Pavlodar region, the press service of the Financial Monitoring Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Finance informs. Specialists of the Department of Economic Investigations at first revealed the fact of illegal sale of petroleum products without permits. During the investigation, it turned out that a resident of the village set up a laboratory in his own garage, where, mixing various ingredients (heating oil and other oil-containing products), he produced low-quality diesel fuel, and then sold it at 150 tenges per liter, Sputnik Kazakhstan reports. Gov. Greg Abbott is pushing back hard against bipartisan criticism of a hastily awarded contract that put a little-known North Texas technology company in charge of the states effort to track down people who may be exposed to the coronavirus. The company, MTX Group, asserted in its bid for the $295 million contract with little evidence that it had extensive experience doing contact tracing in several U.S. states. Governor Abbott pointed to MTXs experience in implementing COVID-19 response systems including contact tracing in other states, Abbott spokesman John Wittman said, listing 10 states that include New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Importantly, every aspect of this contract is being paid for with federal funds. Wittman also said Abbott had gotten assurances that the privacy of Texans would be respected under the terms of the deal a major concern of conservative activists who have grown increasingly critical of the Republican governor. MTX has declined repeated requests for interviews and has refused to answer questions about the work it has done in other states. According to a published report, the company had about 200 employees as of late last year, most of them in India. Meanwhile, legislators from both parties caught off guard by the massive contract continue to heap criticism on the quick bid solicitation process, the lack of transparency and concerns over the civil liberties of people who will get calls from the contact tracers. According to the Department of State Health Services, which will oversee the contract, bidders were given about two days to put together proposals that were due on May 7. The multimillion dollar contract was signed by acting Health and Human Services Commissioner Phil Wilson on May 13. Thats the same day Austin-based lobbyists Dean and Andrea McWilliams list as the start date for lobby deals with MTX they each report to be worth $50,000. Privacy concerns East Texas Rep. James White, R-Hillister, said legislative oversight of the contract is needed and on Friday he called on Abbott to convene a 30-day special session so that such momentous decisions get a proper vetting at the Texas Capitol. White said it didnt matter to him that the money came from Washington, telling Hearst Newspapers we continually need to be good stewards of that money. I am concerned about privacy. I am concerned about the amount of monies that are being extended with very minimal legislative oversight and engagement, White added. Weve got to get in the foxhole with the governor. Weve got to own up to this. This is nothing that we can wait (on). Wittman said the state has made clear that MTX must protect the personal privacy of Texans subject to contact tracing. As Governor Abbott has said, your personal health information belongs only to you, and only you get to decide what can be shared, Wittman said. The company also said in its proposal that it could use outsourcing to get more contact tracers, but the bid documents require a U.S.-based workforce and Wittman said only Texans will be hired for contact tracing. Key details redacted The contract has stirred controversy since Hearst Newspapers first reported on it a week ago. On Friday, health authorities finally released a redacted copy of the $295 million contract, blacking out large portions of MTXs bid proposal. An unredacted version of the contract, obtained by Hearst Newspapers, shows the extent of the censorship of the companys bid: blocked out descriptions of its hiring process, the numbers of employees that could be brought on board, the contact tracing platform that will be used and visualizations of the app that shows how the company will help keep track of infected people, people they interacted with and family members. Though state officials have said the company would likely hire no more than 1,000 contact tracers, MTX said in its proposal that it can source well beyond 5,000 agents if required. The model currently proposes 4,500 as MTX believes our calls center and contact tracing platform can help reduce agent requirements. Those sentences were redacted from the version released to Hearst Newspapers. Houston Chronicle DSHS spokesman Chris Van Deusen said the agency allowed MTX to decide what could be released for now from their proposal. The redactions were made by MTX for information claimed as proprietary, Van Deusen said. As is usual in records requests involving a third party, we dont take a position on whether or not the third-party information is proprietary. He said the Attorney Generals Office has been asked to rule on whether to leave those sections blacked out or allow the public to see them. The Attorney Generals Office will also review the contract as required under state law for deals over $250 million. Kim Weatherford, a business consultant in Dripping Springs, said he helped advise the company last year after it first arrived in Texas. He said its qualifications seemed extensive, but it didnt have any experience in Texas, and was struggling to win contracts around Salesforce technology, where it specialized. By late last year, he said, it appeared to be shedding employees. They realized very quickly that the Salesforce competition was pretty stiff here, he said. I think thats why most of their Texas people left. Weatherford said the company focuses on systems integration, or linking various IT systems and services together. Before the pandemic, the company had about 20 to 25 people working in Texas, according to three people with direct knowledge. Its contracts in other states typically ranged from a few hundred thousand dollars to between $1 million and $2 million, the people said. Critics urge more oversight Democratic state Rep. Donna Howard of Austin, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, questioned whether MTX had the experience and background to perform such a vital task. We need to have something that has a certain amount of assurance here that we have people who know what theyre doing, Howard said We dont have time to waste here. People will die if we dont get this right. In a video posted two weeks ago to LinkedIn, CEO Das Nobel said the companys COVID-19 solutions were being used in 17 states. He added, We bring speed to the table. Recently, government agents asked MTX to help with call center agents, Nobel said. Well be announcing that well be looking to hire 25,000 call center agents across the country. These agents can work from home whether you were recently fired or you lost your job or are in college looking for internships. You all can participate in this. The company has not made clear where those call center agents will be dispatched. Texas needs up to 1,000 additional tracers. MTX wrote in its bid proposal that it is currently providing the same contact tracing and call center solution in New York City. It said the city will be adding 15,000 call center agents, but doesnt say it will be hiring those positions. Its contract for $46 million in New York is with the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. None of it has been spent to date, according to a citywide database. Van Deusen, the spokesman for the health department, said the company is not hiring contact tracers in New York, but is building out the technology for the center there and providing IT support around scheduling and workflow. Those components will be similar here, he said. The company has been working for several state and local health agencies since the pandemic began, mostly to develop and oversee a contact tracing app. Van Deusen said the company finished building out the Texas call center this week, and tracers are being trained. Not a brand new thing Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, said the governor spoke with lawmakers again on Tuesday, fielding questions about the contract and assuring that the tracing program is voluntary and bound by health privacy laws. Though Oliverson had not seen the contract on Wednesday, he said the governor did not raise anything that he took as a concern. He indicated that this company had a track record, had worked here in Texas, Oliverson said. I got the impression that it was not a brand new thing that popped up overnight. He added: The last thing you want is a lengthy RFP (request for proposal) that awarded the contract to someone that has no presence in the state and then has to develop the infrastructure from scratch. jay,root@chron.com jeremy.blackman@chron.com CLEVELAND, Ohio A 34-year-old man is dead and three others wounded in an early Friday shooting the citys Union-Miles neighborhood, police said. Michael Smith, 34, of Cleveland, died in the shooting, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner. Police have not made an arrest in the case. Three others were hurt by gunfire a 21-year-old man was shot in the foot, a 31-year-old man was grazed by a bullet in the neck and a 31-year-old man shot in the thigh, police said. The shooting happened about 1:30 a.m. in the street outside Poochies Deli on Miles Avenue near East 119th Street. Police released no information about what led up to the gunfire. Smith was found dead in the street in front of Miles Elementary School. Someone drove the three others to area hospitals, where they were treated and released. Bullets also hit a car with a 31-year-old woman and two young children, ages 4 and 11 months, inside. They were not injured, police said. Read more from cleveland.com: Cleveland teen killed in accidental shooting recently lost mother, was best friends with slain teen Alianna DeFreeze Man sought in connection with disappearance of Madison Bell: Overnight News Links North Royalton businessman didnt pay IRS more than $760,000 in taxes withheld from employees, feds say Texas schools that reopen with in-person classes for the 2020-21 school year could start conducting daily temperature checks on students and staff, stagger pick-up and drop-off times and have students eat in classrooms to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. These are just some of the new recommendations released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week for school systems to consider implementing. The CDC states on its website these guidelines are not required but should be considered and tailored for what is feasible for each school. TEA UPDATE: Here's what the 2020-21 school year calendar may look like The CDC recommends staff and students wear cloth face coverings, excluding children younger than 2 years, those with breathing issues and those who are unable to remove a covering without assistance. Other notable guidelines include spacing desks at least 6 feet apart and facing students in one direction, installing physical barriers between bathroom sinks, spacing bus riders six feet apart and closing off playgrounds and cafeterias. Field trips are not recommended at this time, and school-wide parent meetings, performances and student assemblies should be held virtually instead of in-person. Schools should reevaluate sick leave and absenteeism policies and consider not having perfect attendance awards so employees and students are not penalized for staying home if they come into contact with the virus or have to care for someone who has it. Teachers should discourage sharing items among students and keep children's belongings separated in labeled containers. High-touch surfaces, buses and playground equipment should be routinely cleaned and disinfected. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Texas schools can re-open for summer classes under safe distancing practices The CDC says broadcasting regular COVID-19 announcements on PA systems and posting signs that promote personal hygiene and frequent handwashing are important to keep students up to date on the virus, but also recommends encouraging students and staff to take breaks from the COVID-19 news cycle. Texas schools may resume in-person summer classes starting June 1 as part of Gov. Greg Abbott's phased reopening plan. But many area school districts have yet to announce plans on when they may resume in-person classes and are in the process of considering calendar changes after the Texas Education Agency released a new year-round calendar. That calendar adjustment calls for longer breaks, earlier start and later end dates and would help plan for a possible spike in COVID-19 cases. Find a complete and detailed list of the new school guidelines on the CDC's website. Rebecca Hennes covers community news. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | rebecca.hennes@chron.com Googles YouTube on Wednesday announced to release a new feature that will help you to log off late at night. The new feature is called bedtime reminders and this tool will remind you to log off late at night. It will help the most committed of extremely online types stop watching videos late at night. The new bedtime reminder tool joins YouTubes existing Take a Break reminders feature. Both the features fall among a broader set of YouTube wellness and screen time features. YouTube rolled the wellness and screen time features back in the year 2018 and these tools were released as a part of Googles Digital Wellbeing initiative.The ultimate goal of this new bedtime reminder feature is to help people use Google services in a more responsible way. This issue has only intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic people are spending much of their time online. Most of the individuals are bored during the coronavirus lockdowns and they tend to spend their staring at their screen while being at home. It seems that the company wants us to use Google products more responsibly. YouTube states that the company has sent around three billion take a break reminders to its users during the past two years. This shows that people are spending more and more of their time watching videos on YouTube, and staring at screens for such a long span may have negative impacts on mental as well as physical health of the people.Now, as YouTube has released the bedtime reminder feature, the app will be able to remind you to stop watching videos in the late night. YouTube states that users will be able to set particular times to stop watching videos with the help of this new bedtime reminders feature, and (you guessed it!) go to sleep. The company published a blog post stating that the users will be able to set start and end times with this new tool. You can set the timings and in the Settings tab. You also choose whether you want the prompt to interrupt you while you are watching a video or not. You can choose the prompt to wait and appear once you have watched the video. Users will also be able to snooze or dismiss the bedtime reminder if they wish to.The new bedtime feature will be helpful for users to manage their time and sleeping patterns. Given that a lot of people are spending most of their time staring at their screens, this feature will help them to manage their routines, and it will surely become a popular feature among the users. YouTube states that the new bedtime reminders feature will be made available on YouTubes Android and iOS apps. The company is rolling out the feature starting today. However, it may take a few days for the feature to be rolled out to everyone.Screenshots: Xda-developers Read next: YouTube Is Introducing A New Premium Ad Program Called YouTube Select Although Gov. Kay Iveys newest version of the Safer at Home order released Thursday says that summer camps can re-open, thats not really practical under the guidelines that were issued, said the president of a state camp association. Allen McBride, director of Camp Mac in Munford and president of the Alabama Summer Camps Association, said he is seeking further clarification. "Although the intent is clearly for summer camps to be able to open, the governors orders as they apply to camps state, Employees shall not knowingly allow campers or guests to congregate within six feet of a person from another household, McBridge said in a statement released Friday. Most camps believe that is not possible for the complete duration of a term at an overnight camp, he said. There are other items of concern in the guidelines that camps are reviewing today. While summer camps may be legally allowed to open, theres no practical way to do so under these guidelines, McBride said. If parents are confused, I can certainly understand, McBride said. We are in touch with the governors office for clarification. Summer camps at this time will not likely reopen without that clarification, he said. At this time, sadly for the children we serve, we have still not received clear direction regarding camps ability to open this summer, McBride said. On Saturday, McBride said he had heard back from the governors office. The Governors office has graciously offered to review the order and see if revisions might be made to safely accommodate the expectations of parents and campers for a meaningful camp experience, he said. We are working on developing possible revisions and look forward to seeing meaningful clarification in the near future. Camp McDowell, the summer camp of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, has canceled all camping sessions this summer because the guidelines would fundamentally alter summer camp. The CDC and the governors office have issued expectations and guidelines that would have a dramatic effect on the way we would have to operate as a summer camp, wrote the Rev. Corey Jones, executive director of Camp McDowell, in a letter to families of campers. I feel like our campers deserve the best, because the best has become woven into what happens when we gather together at Camp. Arms over shoulders during Lean on Me, squeezing into pews for compline, sharing supplies in arts & crafts, and high fives after a good frisbee game are all sacramental moments that happen here. Even our mealtime gatherings have a way of becoming holy and sacred because of the joy of coming together. Camp Sumatanga, the United Methodist summer camp for North Alabama, has canceled organized camping activity throughout May and June. Some events such as retreats may be allowed in July and August. It is our deep desire to offer a meaningful Summer Camp experience, but COVID-19 limits us from providing our traditional day camp and residential camp structure in 2020, says the Camp Sumatanga web site. However, we are already planning for Summer Camp 2021. Washington State is working to recover 'hundreds of millions' of dollars handed over to scammers who used stolen information to receive bogus jobless benefits. The state's Employment Security Department said Thursday that the impostors used the stolen information of tens of thousands of people to make the claims. Unemployment benefit payments in the state will now be delayed for up to another 48 hours as an extra safety feature, leaving applicants waiting up to four days. Washington was an attractive target for the scammers as the state has the second highest employment benefit in the country. The department was alerted to the scam last week after employers revealed they were being contacted about benefits employees had not claimed. Unemployment claims continued to rise in Washington state even though most business closures had happened weeks before. The spike is now believed to have been a scam where impostors stole hundreds of millions of dollars in false unemployment claims using stolen information. Pictured a sign explains the closure of a shop in the Pike Place Market in Seattle Washington state's Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine revealed Thursday that impostors are believed to have used stolen information such as Social Security numbers to filed bogus applications. She insisted there were no data breaches at the agency The head of the state's Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine said the state is working with federal law enforcement, financial institutions and the U.S. Department of Labor to investigate the fraud and try to recover the money paid out during the huge spike in joblessness during the coronavirus crisis. LeVine said she can't release specific numbers or details of the ongoing investigation. But she said that countermeasures taken by the state have 'prevented hundreds of millions of additional dollars from going out to criminals and have prevented thousands of fraudulent claims being filed'. LeVine said that in addition to other measures the agency has already taken, they will continue to delay payments - a step they first took last week - to all applicants in order to take extra steps to verify claims. Previously, applicants set up for direct deposit received their money within 24 to 48 hours. This was a reduction on the typical week-long waiting period before unemployment payments are paid as the state looked to pay out to those in need quickly. Now, they will need to wait an additional two days, however. The New York Times previously reported that a U.S. Secret Service alert issued last week identified Washington as the top target so far of a Nigerian fraud ring seeking to commit large-scale fraud against state unemployment insurance programs. LeVine said again that she couldn't speak to the details of the investigation, but said that the Secret Service alert wasn't directly shared with her. Instead, agency officials realized something was amiss before that alert, once they started receiving communication from employers or employees who received information about unemployment benefits that the employee didn't seek. More than 1.1 million people in Washington have filed for unemployment benefits since businesses started closing in March due to COVID-19, but state officials said Thursday they believe some portion of an increase in claims seen in the past week are due to so-called 'impostor fraud' claims. The shutdown orders in Washington state have begun to lift, allowing for businesses such as the restaurant pictured above to reopen. Yet unemployment claims still rose last week as impostors filed fake applications. The state department of employment security is now working with federal investigators to track the money and bring it back More than 1.6 million claims for unemployment benefits were filed for the week of May 10-16 in Washington state but state officials revealed Thursday they believe some portion of an increase in claims seen in the past week are due to so-called 'impostor fraud' claims Initial claims continued to rise again to 138,783 in Washington state for the week ending May 16. State officials believe the jump in new unemployment benefit claims last week - long after most business closures occurred - point to additional fraud attempts across various industries LeVine said previously that there have been no data breaches at the agency, and that recent fraud attempts are cases where someone's personal information has been previously stolen from other sources - like during the 2017 Equifax breach - and is now being used to filed for benefits. 'These are very sophisticated criminals who have pretty robust collections of information on people, and they are activating and monetizing that information,' she said. 'I will say this again because it's really important. We did not have a data breach. And the information was not stolen from us. It was the utilization of stolen information on our site.' More than 1.6 million claims for unemployment benefits - with some of that number reflecting people who filed multiple claims - were filed for the week of May 10-16, and more than $1 billion was paid last week to 565,764 individual claims. According to data from the state's employment security department, Washington continued to have massive increases in unemployment claims in the past few weeks which is now thought to be linked to a scam in which hundreds of millions of dollars was stolen by impostors To date, the state has paid out nearly $3.8 billion in benefits to more than 768,000 people, including federal money that is providing the unemployed with an additional $600 per week on top of the state's weekly maximum benefit of up to $790 per week. Levine noted that Washington's state's weekly maximum benefit - the second highest in the nation - plus the additional federal weekly money 'does make us a more attractive target overall'. Washington's stay-at-home order - in place since March 23 - has been extended through at least May 31 keeping many businesses closed and unemployment numbers high. The state's unemployment rate jumped to a record 15.4 percent last month and the state's economy lost 527,000 jobs. LeVine said that a jump in new unemployment benefit claims last week - long after most business closures occurred - point to additional fraud attempts across various industries. 'It is a broad spectrum of employers in both the public and the private sector who have had this impacting their employees,' LeVine said. Over the past two months, nearly 39million people nationwide have filed for unemployment aid due to the economic impacts of the coronavirus. Unemployment rates rose and total employment fell in all 50 states last month as efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 forced businesses to close across the country, the Labor Department said on Friday. Nevada, Michigan and Hawaii are the three states where unemployment rates have increased the most across the country amid the coronavirus pandemic as California's jobless soars higher than the Great Recession. And according to a New York Times report, Washington may not be the only state hit in the scam. The report said that attackers have used detailed information about U.S. citizens, such as Social Security numbers that may have been obtained from cyber hacks of years past to make the unemployment claims. The scam came at a time when states were rushing to make payments because of the sharp rise in unemployment and many have gone straight to direct deposit accounts. 'We are actively running down every lead we are getting,' Roy Dotson, a special agent who specializes in financial fraud at the Secret Service, told the NYT. On Thursday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported more than 2.4 million people filed for unemployment benefits for the first time last week and those continuing to receive jobless relief payments topped 25 million in the week ended May 9 as the lockdowns continue The new figure released by the Labor Department on Thursday is the latest wave of layoffs from the viral outbreak that triggered widespread business shutdowns two months ago Rhode Island is among the others states suspected of being hit by the impostors. Scott Jensen, the director of Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, has said that it could be hard to distinguish between a legitimate claim and a fraudulent one. 'Whoever it is seems to be fairly sophisticated and good at what they are doing,' Jensen added. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced a four-stage reopening plan earlier this month, and has allowed counties with fewer new cases to apply to jump ahead to the second stage, which allows some businesses to reopen, including dine-in restaurants at half capacity. Ten counties have already been approved, and Inslee announced Tuesday that ten more counties are now eligible to apply. More than 20,000 people in Washington state have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 1,092 have died. Sixty-one more people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Bihar, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 2,166, health department officials said. Of the fresh cases, the highest number was reported in Buxar (13), followed by Khagaria (nine), Gaya (seven), East Champaran (six), five each in Bhagalpur, West Champaran and Sitamarhi, three each in Begusarai, Muzaffarpur and Munger and one each in Arwal and Kaimur districts, they said. Late on Friday evening, the health department tweeted, "61 more COVID-19 +ve cases in Bihar taking the total to 2166. We are ascertaining their trail of infection." The patients from Buxar include two one-year-old boys and a seven-year-old girl, it said. A 22-year-old migrant worker, who died three days ago soon upon his return from Delhi, was acknowledged on Friday as Bihar's 11th COVID-19 fatality by the state health department. According to a senior health department official, the deceased, who belonged to Khagaria district, had returned to the state by a special train on Tuesday. He had a high fever and died within hours of arrival, following which his sample was collected and sent for testing. The report confirmed that he was infected with the dreaded novel coronavirus. The contagion has so far claimed the lives of 11 people, including two each in Patna, Vaishali and Khagaria districts and one each in Rohtas, Munger, East Champaran, Sitamarhi and Begusarai districts. Of the total 2,166 positive cases in the state, 1,526 are active while 629 COVID-19 patients have recovered. At 186, Patna topped the list of positive cases, followed by Munger (140), Begusarai (125), Rohtas (123), Madhubani (115), Buxar (113), Jehanabad (106) and Khagaria (105). A total of 58,905 samples have been tested so far at seven facilities in Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has proved so popular during the coronavirus pandemic that it has prompted a change of leadership in the conservative opposition party just four months from a general election. Todd Muller on Friday deposed Simon Bridges as leader of the National Party following two disastrous opinion polls for the party that indicated Ardern was headed for a huge victory in September. Popular: Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern. Credit:Getty Images Muller, 51, is not a household name in New Zealand but has support from other lawmakers and farmers. He was a manager at a kiwifruit company and a dairy company before he was first elected to Parliament in 2014. He had been acting as the opposition spokesperson for agriculture. Before the pandemic hit, polling indicated the National Party and Ardern's Labour Party were running neck-and-neck. But Ardern's leadership since then has been praised, while Bridges' criticism of some of her actions appeared to be turning away even some of National's longtime supporters. Vikram Jadhav, a tenant farmer in Andhra Pradesh, is concerned about the 10-km journey he has to make to sell his harvest, which is 100 quintals of paddy and maize. With only five days left to sell his familys seasonal output, he is worried about the cost of logistics and daily expenses as he gets ready to leave for the collection centre. This is one of the worst years I have seen in two decades. The cost of production has been more than the return. It is not easy to make ends meet with a big family, yet we manage somehow. But this time it will be difficult to repay ... On Friday May 18, 2018, in Santa Fe, Texas, a gunman entered Santa Fe High School. In less than five minutes, 10 innocent people were brutally murdered, 13 wounded and an entire community shaken to its very core. One of the 10 people who lost their lives that day was my nephew, Jared Conard Black. Two years later, that day still plays out like a reoccurring nightmare. We must have the difficult conversations and debates on topics that at times make people uncomfortable. The public reaction to school shootings fall into a predictable pattern, and nothing changes. While we must not forget to listen to opposing views, we are not pushing for gun control. As painful as it is, Im compelled to share the story of what happened to our family and how we are working for change. I was at work that morning and happened to open up Facebook on my phone. The first post that I saw was from my sisters husband. The post read, Oh my God, there has been a shooting at the High School, and it started in Jareds classroom. Instantly my heart began to race and my hands began to shake. I repeated the word no several times, and immediately called my sister. She answered the phone and was crying so hard that I could barely understand her. I asked her, Is Jared okay? She replied, I dont know yet. She told me she was on her way to the school to find him, and she would call me back. I paced around with tears in my eyes. Jared must be so scared, what if he got hurt? I imagined being in a hospital room and holding him, attempting to comfort him from the terror that he had witnessed. I do not recall 100 percent if the communications were phone calls or text messages. I do remember calling one of my brothers. He lives on the West Coast, and there is a two-hour time difference. He answered the phone and quietly told me that he was in a meeting at work. I told him about the shooting. His voice cracked a bit, and he stammered with his words. By now I had heard back from my sister, that all of the parents had been sent to a different school facility to be reunited with their children, and Jared wasnt there. There was a brief moment of silence. He asked if our mother knew yet, and I told him no. He said that he was on his way home and that he would call our mother. After I hung up with my brother, I called my wife. She could immediately tell from the sound of my voice that something was terribly wrong. I told her what had happened at Jareds school and told her to meet me at home. I was already on my way to the house and told her we had to get to Santa Fe, nearly a 600-mile drive from where we live in Odessa. Once I got home I turned on the television. The headline scrolled across the bottom of the screen, Ten dead at Santa Fe High school in Texas. I fell to my knees and started crying uncontrollably. I regained my composure and was hastily shoving items into a backpack when my wife came home. I grabbed her and hugged her tighter than I ever have before. Her head on my shoulder, her tears staining my shirt. We ran to the car and hit the road. I was driving through San Antonio at about 90 mph when my phone rang. It was my sister. I answered the phone with a shaky hello. She said I needed to pull over. I was driving on the interstate, and that wasnt an option. My voice quivered as I said, Just say it sister. Her voice trembled as she spoke the words that we had feared for hours were coming. Jared didnt make it. When I arrived at my sisters house, I thought I was going to see my sister and hug her tight. Tell her how sorry I was. What I didnt realize is the person that I had known my entire life didnt exist anymore. I was merely holding the shell of the person she once was. Her eyes were not the same, you could see the sadness of her soul. Even though completely shaken, the community of Santa Fe rallied in support. The amount of love and compassion shown to our family over the next several days still makes me tear up to this day. A few days after the shooting, I found myself sitting in a hotel room with a tablet of paper and a pen. I sat down to write a eulogy for Jared. In the first 10 minutes, no words flowed. As I began writing, tear drops stained my paper. It wasnt until I was standing at the church, reading those words out loud that the realness set in. Looking out and seeing my family in tears is an image that I cannot remove from my mind. As I looked across the crowd I noticed a blue wall formed at the back of the church. Police from every local agency were standing in service, tears in their eyes making sure that our funeral services were not interrupted. . As time began to pass following that day, I began writing. Putting ink to paper seemed to be therapeutic. I also started to become involved in conversations about school safety. I was consumed with it. I started communicating with the Workplace Violence Prevention Institute out of Orlando Florida. Participation was key to making change. Our familys biggest wish is that no other family will have to endure the tragedy and heartbreak that we face on a daily basis. We are focused on prevention and prosecution. Too often, ideas to end school shooting do not make it beyond debates around the Second Amendment. There are other avenues for progress. It is our goal to have school shootings classified as an act of domestic terrorism and to hold parents accountable. By declaring these horrific events as acts of domestic terrorism it would allow our nations intelligence agencies to use their resources for preventing these tragedies from taking place. In March 2019, Santa Fe families met with the U.S. Attorneys Office and members of the F.B.I. to discuss pursuing federal charges against the shooter so he would face a harsher penalty in the federal system. At this meeting the families were informed that the U.S. D.O.J. had made the decision not to do so. We were all quite angered by the news and swore that we would not be quiet about it. Within a few days of reaching out to Sen. John Cornyns office, I received a phone call from his chief counsel, a man named Carter Burwell. We also spoke about our wish to amend the U.S. Patriot Act to classify school shootings as acts of domestic terrorism. Burwell mentioned that doing so would most likely face legal challenges as the Patriot Act was a controversial piece of legislation. We plead our case to have the Patriot Act amended and discussed our support for H.R. 838 the T.A.P.S. (Threat Assessment Prevention and Safety) act with Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. We had a real heart to heart conversation with Cornyn, and we left the meeting with a sense of accomplishment. Less than 24 hours later, before my plane landed in Texas, we received word that Cornyn was co-sponsoring the T.A.P.S. Act in the Senate. Our hearts were full of appreciation and respect for him. While we support this legislation wholeheartedly, the speed at which legislation moves through congress is frustrating, and have sought an executive order. If swift actions are not taken, the carnage of this national epidemic of violence will continue to devastate communities and families across the country. While having these acts classified as domestic terrorism, we also seek parental accountability. This part of our petition seems to be the most controversial. We feel that holding the parents of juveniles who commit murder and mass murder accountable is key to prevention. The U.S. Secret Service report finds that 70 percent of school shooters obtained the guns used from their homes or the homes of family members. Knowing what your children are doing, and monitoring their social media and cell phone use may seem as an invasion of privacy to some. But we see it as good parenting. Some people are infuriated at the prospect of putting parents in jail for the crimes of their children. If your 10-year-old child gets a handgun from your desk drawer and accidentally shoots their sibling, as parents you are considered criminally negligent. But when your teenage child obtains your weapon, takes it to school and murders innocent people, there are no consequences. Where would you draw that line? This past Saturday, May 16, we celebrated what would have been Jareds 19th birthday. Two years have now passed without any sort of justice. With the shooter being deemed incompetent to stand trial, there appears to be no justice in sight. Without a trial we are left with no answers to the questions that haunt us. Our family cannot even get a copy of the medical examiners report or any kind of details of Jareds last moments. The pain of his loss is still as fresh as the day he died. We have lost faith in the criminal justice system. The victims have fewer rights than the perpetrator that took their lives. The grief of his loss fuels our drive to make changes on a national level. For the last 20-plus years, shootings have become more frequent, and sadly there is now a sense of normalcy attached to these events. Almost an acceptance that stains our country. It is still something that happens on television. Until we as a nation finally stand up and say that we will not tolerate this anymore, and take action, the carnage will continue. Conard lives in Odessa, Texas. The coronavirus currently sweeping the world may injure the placentas of pregnant women and cut off blood supply to their unborn babies, a small study has found. Scientists found visible damage to the placentas of all 15 mothers who were involved in the research. Lesions and blood clots were discovered in the vital organ, responsible for providing oxygen and nutrients to the foetus. Issues with placental blood flow can lead to low birth weight, organ damage in the baby or even foetal death. Although none of the children in the study had any health troubles, the researchers who conducted the study said the findings 'worried them'. The results highlight the need to monitor expectant mothers infected with COVID-19 'right now', they added. The coronavirus currently sweeping the world may injure the placentas of pregnant women and cut off blood supply to their unborn babies, a small study has found The foetal side of a damaged placenta in one of the studied women has prominent blood vessels and lesions The mother's side: The placentas were said to have dangerous blood clots which cut off the baby's supply of oxygen and nutrients Sixteen women in total were involved in the study by Northwestern University, in Illinois. Fifteen of them delivered healthy babies, while one miscarried in the second trimester. The risk of miscarriage was therefore 6 per cent. This is slightly higher than the 1 per cent of miscarriages that occur in the second trimester of an average pregnancy. Women are told NOT to have IVF amid coronavirus outbreak over fears the bug causes them to give birth prematurely Women are being urged not to have IVF amid the coronavirus outbreak over fears the virus negatively affects pregnancy. A statement issued by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology says all couples considering fertility treatment 'should avoid becoming pregnant at this time'. It advised those who are already having IVF to consider freezing their eggs or the embryos they have created for a pregnancy until the pandemic is halted. ESHRE says all those considering or planning treatment to have a baby should put it on hold as a 'precautionary measure'. But many of the 68,000 women who choose to have IVF every year in the UK are in their late thirties and have little time to delay. It comes following reports of women infected with coronavirus giving birth to premature babies in China. However ESHRE - which provides guidance for fertility clinics across Europe and in the UK - notes the reports are based on limited data with 'no strong evidence'. Advertisement But the woman was asymptomatic and the researchers are unsure whether the virus caused the miscarriage or if it was unrelated. They say their study is too small to draw broad conclusions about coronavirus' link to miscarriages. In the successful births, all 15 of the children tested negative for the virus and were considered 'healthy'. So it came as a surprise that every mother suffered visible damage to their placentas, according to lead author Dr Jeffrey Goldstein. Dr Goldstein, assistant professor of pathology at Northwestern University, said: 'Most of these babies were delivered full-term after otherwise normal pregnancies, so you wouldn't expect to find anything wrong with the placentas, but this virus appears to be inducing some injury in the placenta. 'It doesn't appear to be inducing negative outcomes in live-born infants, based on our limited data, but it does validate the idea that women with COVID should be monitored more closely. 'These findings support that there might be something clot-forming about coronavirus, and it's happening in the placenta.' Dr Goldstein said it makes sense to continue to follow babies born to coronavirus-infected mothers to see if they face any difficulties in later life. Previous research has found that children who were in born during the 1918-19 flu pandemic have higher rates of heart disease. On the miscarriage, Dr Goldstein added: 'That patient was asymptomatic, so we don't know whether the virus caused the miscarriage or it was unrelated. Women are being urged not to have IVF amid the coronavirus outbreak over fears the virus negatively affects pregnancy (file) What pregnant women need to know about coronavirus: Experts say there is no evidence an unborn baby can be infected during pregnancy Pregnant women do not appear to be more susceptible to coronavirus than others and mothers are being advised to carry on breastfeeding, according to a new report. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have released new guidelines for pregnant women in relation to the coronavirus and have confirmed that there is no evidence the virus can be passed to an unborn baby. As a precautionary approach, pregnant women with suspected or confirmed coronavirus when they go into labour are being advised to attend an obstetric unit - which has more doctors than a normal midwifery unit - for birth. The world's youngest coronavirus victim is a newborn baby in London, whose mother also tested positive for the disease after giving birth. The mother was rushed to hospital days ago with suspected pneumonia but her positive result was only known after the birth. They were treated at separate hospitals - the baby at North Middlesex and the mother at a specialist infections hospital. According to The Sun, the baby is now 'out of danger' and recovering well. It is believed the baby was infected after the birth from coughs or sneezes and it was tested within minutes of its arrival. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has also advised that healthy babies should not be separated from infected mothers and can be breastfed. Dr Edward Morris, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: 'As this is a very new virus we are just beginning to learn about it, so the guidance will be kept under regular review as new evidence emerges. 'Over the coming weeks and months it is likely pregnant women in the UK will test positive for coronavirus. While the data is currently limited it is reassuring that there is no evidence that the virus can pass to a baby during pregnancy.' Advertisement 'We are aware of four other cases of miscarriage with COVID. The other reported patients had symptoms and three of four had severe inflammation in the placenta. I'd like to see more before drawing any conclusions.' Twelve of the women (80 per cent) had a type of injury to their placenta that impairs blood flow from the mother to the baby called vascular malperfusion. Six out of the 16 women, or 40 per cent, had blood clots in the placenta, called intervillous thrombi. Severe inflammation - an overreaction by the immune system to COVID-19 infection - is thought to be the cause of the blood clots. It is one of the reasons so many virus patients are suffering strokes and heart attacks, experts say. Co-author Dr Emily Miller, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the university, said: 'Not to paint a scary picture, but these findings worry me. 'I don't want to draw sweeping conclusions from a small study, but this preliminary glimpse into how COVID-19 might cause changes in the placenta carries some pretty significant implications for the health of a pregnancy. 'We must discuss whether we should change how we monitor pregnant women right now. They were healthy, full-term, beautifully normal babies, but our findings indicate a lot of the blood flow was blocked off and many of the placentas were smaller than they should have been. 'Placentas get built with an enormous amount of redundancy. Even with only half of it working, babies are often completely fine. 'Still, while most babies will be fine, there's a risk that some pregnancies could be compromised.' The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology, looked at women who gave birth at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women's Hospital between March 18 and May 5. Four patients came down with flu-like symptoms three to five weeks before giving birth and tested positive for coronavirus. The remaining patients were asymptomatic and only tested positive when they arrived at hospital to have their baby. The placenta is the first organ to form in fetal development. It acts as the fetus' lungs, gut, kidneys and liver, taking oxygen and nutrients from the mother's blood stream and exchanging waste. Former Conservative MP George Osborne has claimed that he danced with Jennifer Lawrence at an Oscars after-party at Madonnas house, describing the Hunger Games star as normal-sized apparently in comparison to most film stars hes met. Speaking to The Times about his role as the editor of The Evening Standard, Osborne commented: One of the great things about being an editor is its an excuse to go almost anywhere. I remember turning up at this glamorous afterparty, certainly the most glamorous thing Ive ever been invited to, and as I arrived, [former culture minister] Ed Vaizey was leaving, saying it was boring. Osborne said that he met Madonna and danced with Jennifer Lawrence. Describing the actor, Osborne said: You know how film stars are very often perfect and petite? Jennifer Lawrence is normal-looking. Well, not normal-looking shes very beautiful but normal sized. She was so friendly and she danced with me, but she probably doesnt remember it. Some people have voiced their objection to Osbornes description of Lawrence. One person commented on Twitter: So he danced near her and stared at her and decided she wasnt perfect looking. VOM. Under David Camerons leadership, Osborne served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2010 to 2016. Elsewhere in the interview, he said he has been texting advice on the coronavirus pandemic to current prime minister Boris Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock. Wally Thomas of Lake Forest and Denean MacAndrew of Mission Viejo take part in a protest in Huntington Beach on May 9. (Raul Roa / Times Community News) The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Gov. Gavin Newsom's ban on in-person church services, in a split ruling that landed Friday night and is likely to further anger pastors who claim that California is trampling on religious freedoms. The South Bay United Pentecostal Church in San Diego cannot reopen immediately, the two judges in the majority wrote in their order, because in this case "constitutional standards that would normally govern our review of a Free Exercise claim should not be applied." "Were dealing here with a highly contagious and often fatal disease for which there presently is no known cure. In the words of Justice Robert Jackson, if a [c]ourt does not temper its doctrinaire logic with a little practical wisdom, it will convert the constitutional Bill of Rights into a suicide pact,' they wrote. The decision came the same week more than 1,200 pastors vowed to hold in-person services May 31, Pentecost Sunday , defying a state moratorium on religious gatherings that Newsom imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus. In a letter to Newsom, Robert H. Tyler, an attorney representing a Lodi church that has challenged the governors order in court, said more than 1,200 pastors have signed a Declaration of Essentiality, asserting their churches are as essential as any grocery or hardware store and should be allowed to reopen. By Wednesday, many counties in California had received approval to reopen establishments retail business, office buildings, restaurants, shopping centers as permitted in the second phase of Newsoms plan to restart the state economy. Churches are not allowed to reopen until the plans third phase. Trump-appointed Judge Daniel Collins dissented, writing "the States position on this score illogically assumes that the very same people who cannot be trusted to follow the rules at their place of worship can be trusted to do so at their workplace." Newsom has vowed to provide plans on reopening churches Monday, after previously saying that such reopenings were just "a few weeks away." Some churches that have opened without authorization have been sources for spreading the coronavirus, including in Butte, Mendocino and Lake counties. For the record: 7:19 PM, May. 26, 2020: This article incorrectly attributes a portion of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling. The article says the two judges in the majority wrote that the South Bay United Pentecostal Church in San Diego could not reopen immediately because in this case constitutional standards that would normally govern our review of a Free Exercise claim should not be applied. In fact, the passage was from a dissent by Judge Daniel Collins in which he quoted the states argument, then went on to say he disagreed with it. HOLYOKE Marcotte Ford donated boxes of face shields Thursday to the Holyoke Police Department, critical protection equipment needed to stave off the coronavirus. Mike Marcotte, the companys president, and Mike Filomeno, the general manager, met Friday with several police officers outside the Appleton Street headquarters. Participants wore masks and adhered to social distancing standards. We are proud to support our local community always and especially during these uncertain times. We were thinking about how we can help, and were happy to donate masks and shields to their team, Filomeno said. Like most companies in the age of COVID-19, Marcotte adjusted its customer service approach, which included boosting online sales and implementing social distancing and sanitizing protocols at their Main Street facility. The police do an incredible job of protecting and serving our community. We felt this is our way to give back to them to help keep them safe in any way possible, Marcotte said. Sgt. John Hart thanked Marcotte for supporting efforts with the police department and the city of Holyoke. Once again, they stepped up, and they have our backs during the coronavirus pandemic, he said. Marcotte also delivered cloth and N95 masks during the health crisis. The dealership will also assist police in the purchase of a new pickup truck, paid through a federal coronavirus emergency assistance grant. We use the face shields not only for our officers but also for the public, those individuals we run into and place under arrest. We provide them with masks, especially during our booking process and transporting to and from court, Hart said. He added police will order more personal protection equipment in case the virus resurges in the coming months. Were trying to plan ahead and hopefully dont have to run into this situation come the fall, he said. Capt. David Pratt said the department plans to equip all officers with the face shields. You never know what type of incident youre going to run into, he said. Its nice to throw this on to be a little more protected. Pratt added that police officers work in uncontrolled environments, unsure who or what awaits them. Its important to transition into some protection quickly and safely, to help them the best they can, he said. The Police Department imposed a mask policy for officers before the state mandated their use, according to Pratt. Related Content: THE STOP button being pressed on further CCTV in locations in County Limerick has angered Cllr Ger Mitchell. Once again rural dwellers are being treated as second class citizens which is nothing new. This policy has to immediately change as seen in the protest vote in the recent general election. Basically, l am saying protect our genuine, decent citizens. They pay their taxes and expect security at least in return, said Cllr Mitchell. At the last meeting of the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District before lockdown on Thursday, February 20, Cllr Mitchell moved the following motion. That the next phase of the roll-out of CCTV to the towns and villages of the district, that were not included in the first phase, include the following locations: Hospital, Bruff, Knocklong, Knockainey, Kilteely, Herbertstown, Galbally, Ballylanders, Martinstown, Bulgaden, Meanus, Grange, Bruff, Garrydoolis, Templebraden, Bruree and Doon. In reply, Dr Mihai Bilauca, head of digital strategy, Limerick City and County Council, said: While we have noted the need to roll-out CCTV in the communities mentioned above no new CCTV projects are proceeding until funding for installations and maintenance is made available. Wave 2 of the Smart CCTV Pilot Project in the hinterlands is currently in progress as it has already been financed, procured and contracted.This cannot be extended to include other areas due to planning, scoping, legal requirements and limited funding. Cllr Mitchell said he was very disappointed to say the least with this reply l feel it is unsatisfactory and leaves further serious security questions about people living in rural Ireland. At the last meeting of the Joint Policing Sub Committee of the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District we were informed by Superintendent Aileen Magner that burglaries increased by 47%. It is and should be the top priority of any government to protect its law-abiding citizens irrespective of funding. This is a civil right that people can go about their business in a safe manner, said Cllr Mitchell. The Hospital-based Fine Gael councillor said the cameras are an effective, necessary tool in conjunction with gardai in this day and age where crime prevails on a daily basis. They assist in monitoring, prevention, detection and provide evidence to put guilty offenders behind bars. Subsequently they give a great sense of security and relieve anxiety and worry, said Cllr Ger Mitchell. The Cambodian Ministry of Health on Saturday announced it had detected a second new COVID-19 case this week, bringing the countrys novel coronavirus tally to 124 infections. This is Cambodias second new case this week, after nearly six weeks of no new cases reported in the country. As of last weekend, there were no active cases in the country, after all 122 COVID-19 patients had been cleared of the respiratory disease. The new case was a 39-year-old Cambodian woman in Phnom Penh, who was found to be positive for the coronavirus Friday night. The Ministry of Health statement said she had returned from New York, United States, on May 8 after transiting through South Korea. She had been advised to self-quarantine but went to state-run Khmer-Soviet Friendship hospital on May 12 for a test after she had a cough, nasal congestion and dry throat, according to the statement, which added that the test result was negative at the time. The woman was asked to quarantine for an additional 14 days and was tested again on Friday, which is when she tested positive. According to the woman, she went to New York, U.S., in February 2020 and she continued staying there for a period of time since there were no flights coming back, the statement read. The Ministry of Health statement did not report if any other individuals had been identified through contact tracing and were being observed for the respiratory disease. Health Ministry Secretary of State Or Vandine did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday. Earlier this week, a 26-year-old Cambodian man from Kampot province tested positive in Phnom Penh after taking a flight from the Philippines, again via South Korea. The man was traveling with 62 other passengers, more than half of them are Cambodians. Onboard, were also 23 South Koreans, as well as Japanese, Belgian, Taiwanese, and Dutch travelers. All passengers were also quarantined in Phnom Penh. Cambodia on Wednesday lifted its travel ban on the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Iran. This came nearly two months after the government first imposed the restrictions. Travelers are required to have a health certificate showing they do not have the novel coronavirus, these certificates should have been issued within 72 hours of arrival in Cambodia, and foreign nationals are required to $50,000 in health insurance coverage. President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, signed into law an Executive Order to grant financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the country. The order also mandates the accountant-general of the federation to deduct from source amount due to state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each state for states that refuse to grant such autonomy. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said these in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Umar Gwandu, made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday. Mr Malami said the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020, made it mandatory that all states of the federation should include the allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets. According to the AGF, a Presidential Implementation Committee was constituted to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of financial autonomy for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended). He said consideration was given to all other applicable laws, instruments, conventions and regulations that provided for financial autonomy at the states. Mr Malami maintained that the implementation of financial autonomy of the state legislature and state judiciary would strengthen the institutions at the states and make them more independent and accountable in line with the tenets of democracy as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution. The statement added that, The President signed the Executive Order number 10 into law based on the power vested in him as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under Section 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended), which extends to the execution and maintenance of the Constitution, laws made by the National Assembly (including but not limited to Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended), which guarantee financial autonomy of the State Legislature and State Judiciary. Mr Malami said the executive order provides that: The Accountant-General of the Federation shall by this Order and such any other Orders, Regulations or Guidelines as may be issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, authorise the deduction from source in the course of Federation Accounts Allocation from the money allocated to any State of the Federation that fails to release allocation meant for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in line with the financial autonomy guaranteed by Section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended). Article 6 (1) provides that: Notwithstanding the provisions of this Executive Order, in the first three years of its implementation, there shall be special extraordinary capital allocations for the Judiciary to undertake capital development of State Judiciary Complexes, High Court Complexes, Sharia Court of Appeal, Customary Court of Appeal and Court Complexes of other Courts befitting the status of a Courts, he added. Actor Nawazuddin Siddiquis wife, Aaliya, has accused him of being an absentee father, disrespecting her in front of actor Manoj Bajpayee and avoiding being seen with her in public. The couple is involved in a divorce dispute. Aaliya told The Times of India that they have been living separately for more than four years, and that Nawaz makes excuses when she asks him to visit their children. I have not told anything to the kids, though they are upset and keep asking me papa kahan hai?, kahan shoot kar rahe hai? I keep telling them that he is shooting in New York, US but then for how many years should I do that? she said. She had demanded full custody of the couples two children. Aaliya added, Despite him being at his office in Mumbai, he never comes and when I tell him to visit the kids, he is like I am busy, have people to meet. So I am forced to tell the kids that papa is busy with shoot. This is Aliya Siddiqui. I am forced to put the truth concerning me on Twitter so that there is no miscommunication. Let the truth not be silenced by misuse and abuse of power. Truth cannot be bought or be manipulated with. AaliyaSiddiqui2020 (@ASiddiqui2020) May 20, 2020 Aaliya had served Nawaz divorce papers via email and WhatsApp earlier this month, after a decade of marriage. She has also accused his family, especially brother Shamas, of emotional and physical abuse. She said that she has been disrespected in the marriage, and her image has been maligned by the family. Shamas has refused to comment on the matter. She continued, narrating an incident involving actor Manoj Bajpayee, A few celebrities have visited my house like Manoj Bajpayee. At that time also I was being humiliated by Nawaz. She added, I was cooking for Nawaz and tried to strike a conversation and he was like tumko baat karna nahi aata, tum logon ke samne baat mat kiya karo, these were his words. Also read: Nawazuddin Siddiquis wife Aaliya joins Twitter amid divorce dispute, says she wont be silenced by misuse and abuse of power Aaliya said that there came a point, after being regularly put down, that she didnt have the confidence to sustain conversations any more. She said, Even when he was going to meet the press and if I were to reach there coincidentally, then he would avoid me. I never got the respect that a wife deserves, never in front of others, never in person. From a rickshawala to a superstar everyone respects their wife. I have been suffering this since years, one shouldnt be insulted so much that the person starts feeling suffocated. All the time you are being made to realize that you are nothing, dont know how to speak, to stand, no dressing sense, till what point can a person take all that? There was a point when I had lost all my confidence. I wondered if I would be able to do anything, I would fumble during conversations. According to Aaliyas lawyer, Nawaz, who is quarantining in his hometown of Budhana in Uttar Pradesh, is yet to respond to the divorce papers. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The world today is connected more than ever, and one of the things that bind us all is food. Food production is a global corporate system that deals with imports and exports and extremely large shipments across the oceans. However, one must sometimes wonder if their country is self-sufficient in food. When talking about the United States, the answer is yes; the U.S. is one of the largest food exporters in the world. It is indeed, self-sufficient when it comes to food. But let us explore this phenomenon more deeply and see why it matters. Food Importing Throughout the last several decades, food-importing has become a big deal for many countries. Naturally, a large number of them are able to source and produce their food domestically, but peoples tastes evolve. With the rise of capitalism, many are starting to look at things that are not available in their home countries and develop a need for food that needs to be imported. Shipping has become much cheaper over time, and people in many countries import a large percentage of the food they eat. Those percentages vary, however. Countries like the United Kingdom import almost forty percent of their food, while Hawaii imports 92 percent. The United States imports only 20 percent of the food consumed, so it is actually not a huge number. The reason for this is that the U.S. is capable of producing a large variety of foods. It is extremely self-sufficient when it comes to food. However, is it even worth it, and is it a goal that should be chased by other countries? The Reliance On Food Manufacturers Producing food locally is good because it completely eliminates the need to rely on big manufacturers and transport companies. This reduces costs, which is especially noticeable when it comes to fuel. It is hard to completely determine how independent certain countries are when it comes to food. Some countries could grow certain kinds of food domestically, but still continue to buy that food from other countries. A good example of that is the United Kingdom and strawberries. The country continues to import them from Spain because it is cheaper than growing them, although they could. However, can we really consider them to be reliant on the other country because of this? Not really, this just means that they are financially responsible. It is a complex game of economy, and in the end, it all boils down to money. It always does, since we are living in a world run by capitalism. Some countries do not have this luxury, though. For example, Saudi Arabia is a rich country, mostly because of its oil, but it needs to import more than 80 percent of its food. This number is constantly rising. Self-sufficiency in food boils down to whether a country is capable of feeding its people, not to whether it is doing it. Some countries could do it, but choose not to. However, taking all of this into account, not many countries are officially recognized as being self-sufficient in food. The list includes Canada, Australia, Russia, and the United States. In Europe, only one country manages to qualify, and that is France. United through a Facebook group, Corvallis residents hosted a webinar Thursday night with local healthcare leaders addressing the mid-valleys response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders of the Corvallis People private group on the social media platform invited CEO of Samaritan Health Services Doug Boysen and chair of the networks COVID-19 taskforce Dr. Adam Brady to debrief the community on its status and safety during the novel coronavirus outbreak. Boysen praised Oregonians response to the outbreak since the first case appeared which was only the 17th known U.S. case. In retrospect I think it was a big advantage for Oregon that we had an early case," Boysen said. Hand-washing, mask-wearing, all of that has made a difference and weve flattened the curve as of right now. But we havent avoided it altogether. The hour-long event took place on a Zoom video chat which was live streamed to the Facebook group. Corvallis People administrators Jill Schuster, Shawn Tucker and Jamie Raffety along with moderator Bill Wren fielded questions from the groups more than 15,000 members. The stream got more than 600 views while it was live, and the archived videos views have doubled in the last day. At Samaritan-run centers, Boysen said, theyve taken a four-step approach to addressing the pandemic on a local scale: creating a taskforce, planning for a surge in cases, planning the nonprofits finances responsibly and recovering when the threat can be neutralized. The efforts of that taskforce were points of pride for Boysen, who said Samaritan Health Services has not laid off any employees rather, instituting mandatory absences across the board, including using up vacation time and some employees volunteering to be furloughed to collect unemployment. Samaritan has also been approved to dialed elective surgeries back up to 50% this month. We are only going to do this as long as we can prioritize patient and employee safety, he said. Boysen also thanked individuals and organizations in the mid-valley for their support, from sending in personal protective equipment like masks and gloves, to food for staff. We had an outpouring of donations from our community and that was really helpful, he said. Boysen added that those efforts and more supplemented Samaritans ability to not run out of crucial supplies during the pandemic so far. Brady, an infectious disease specialist with Samaritan, has overseen the taskforce for the last few months. Recently, despite us sending a whole lot more tests, double or triple on some days, Brady said, the local healthcare system has seen a lot less cases. The most recent data Brady presented in the webinar showed that out of 4,285 coronavirus tests Samaritan has administered, only 157 positive results have come back a less than 4% rate. Weve been in a plateau of sorts since late March, Brady said. But, he cautioned, We definitely dont recommend that people stop social distancing and think that theyre invincible if that test comes back positive. Certain Samaritan facilities will continue offering testing to anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19, Brady said, and in-house antibody testing will begin within the next two weeks. Brady also cleared up questions about medications that have been floated by national officials as potential remedies to the coronavirus, like remdesivir and hydroxychloroquine. He confirmed the former is available to Samaritan patients, while theyve been hesitant to use the latter because there hasnt been a clear benefit. All medications can cause harm if theyre not used appropriately, he said, and theres evidence that hydroxychloroquine can do harm. Social distancing and facial coverings, Brady said, should remain a priority moving forward. This is primarily due to the physics of respiratory droplets. Unlike aerosols which are so tiny that the virus can linger in the air, like with measles respiratory droplets fall to the ground much more quickly. It is really confirmed that COVID-19 is primarily spread through the droplets route, he said. So, he encouraged wearing face masks and covering the mouth when sneezing or coughing. These and other current physical distancing measures, he said, will continue to reduce virus transmission rates by around 65%. Until more statewide restrictions are relaxed, though, Samaritan will continue to limit the number of visitors, require face coverings, undergo stringent cleaning procedures and more. Nobody knows if theres going to be a second wave or not even seasoned epidemiologists and officials, Brady said, so we need to be prepared for that. Reporter Nia Tariq can be reached at nia.tariq@lee.net. 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. Demi Rose has shared an impassioned post about body shaming after she hit back at a troll who told her she had 'put on weight' during the nationwide lockdown. The model, 25, put on a defiant display and sported a T-shirt with the words 'over it' emblazoned across the front, as she showcased her phenomenal physique. Demi previously revealed that she suffered from an eating disorder while in her teens and dropped to just 37kgs, but insisted that she 'loves herself now'. Over it: Demi Rose has shared an impassioned post about body shaming after she hit back at a troll who told her she had 'put on weight' during the nationwide lockdown The social media star touched on this during her rant and warned that 'people should be careful' what comments they made on other's pages. Sharing a snap of herself in a tiny crop top and a matching thong, Demi wrote: 'I'm over people shaming people for how they look, I'm over people that aren't pure and transparent, I'm over lockdown... 'I'm over not being able to connect with all my friends, I'm over a lot. But I'm not over loving as freely and as openly as I can, appreciating all that is, letting go of what doesn't serve me and having faith in all that's to come. What are you over?' Demi continued to make her point on her Instagram Stories, as she shared a selection of skin-baring snaps alongside a clip addressing the issue. She captioned the first picture on her Story: 'When people assume you've gained weight during quarantine cause you wear an oversized shirt. No, I'm just pale.' Demi posted a second Story snap from a higher angle showing off her incredibly pert assets in the same bodysuit with the caption: 'Don't come for me.' The Birmingham native then spoke to her followers to say: 'I want to rant about something. Sizzling: Demi also took to her Instagram Stories to post a fiery shot of her in a blue string bikini that left nothing to the imagination 'People body shaming people during quarantine. We can't go to the gym at this time and to make stupid comments about how people look, people are already feeling a certain way because we can't do the normal things. 'Mind your own f****** business.' She added: 'People should be more careful on their comments. I had an eating disorder when I was younger. I went down to 37kgs and honestly it's not something that I need to hear because I love myself.' Demi said: 'People should be more careful on their comments. I had an eating disorder when I was younger. I went down to 37kgs and honestly it's not something that I need to hear' She captioned the first picture on her Story: 'When people assume you've gained weight during quarantine cause you wear an oversized shirt. No, I'm just pale' 'I just felt like this was important. It's not acceptable.' 'But I'm not over loving as freely and as openly as I can, appreciating all that is, letting go of what doesn't serve me and having faith in all that's to come. 'What are you over?' Just yesterday Demi snapped back at a social media user who told her she looked as though she'd gained weight in lockdown. She had uploaded a shot of herself in a white and pink printed T-shirt dress that accentuated her derriere. Although Demi looked radiant as ever in the photo, one of her followers commented: 'Ok quarantine is making you gain weight'. Comments: Demi recently fired back at a social media user who told her that she has put on weight during Britain's ongoing coronavirus lockdown Not to take the comment lying down, the social media star responded to the jibe in good humour. She wrote back: '@raquy1 I'm a size XS/UK 6. Only cause my a** is fat.' Demi posed with her back to the camera in the snap, arching her back and staring off into the distance. The Birmingham native tied her brunette locks into a ponytail while she completed her look with a light pallet of makeup. BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Eldar Janashvili - Trend: Compensation for secured deposits in AGBank OJSC and NBC Bank OJSC will be paid in cashless form, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF). The compensation for protected deposits will be returned in two stages in order to avoid queues and for the systematic payment of compensations and ensuring the satisfaction of citizens. According to the ADIF, compensation for deposits worth up to 30,000 manat ($17,647) in AGBank and NBC Bank inclusively in manat equivalent will be made from June 16, 2020, while compensation for deposits over 30,000 manat in manat equivalent will start from July 15, 2020. In accordance with article 28.3 of the Law of Azerbaijan on deposit insurance, the ADIF accepts applications from depositors within one year from the date of the first publication of the notification of compensation. In accordance with the law, the date of the insured case in the mentioned banks is April 28, 2020. Deposits will also be refunded in accordance with the law. Information on the process of returning deposits to citizens will further be provided, the message said. By the decision of the Board of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) dated May 12, 2020, licenses issued for AGBank and NBC Bank for banking activities were revoked. (1 USD = 1.7 manat on May 23) --- Follow the author on Twitter: @eldarjanashvili Hermanos Restaurant and Wine Bar, an east Exchange landmark, is the latest casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown but some believe the city had a hand in its demise. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Hermanos Restaurant and Wine Bar, an east Exchange landmark, is the latest casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown but some believe the city had a hand in its demise. Noel Bernier, the restaurateur who at one time had a hand in a half dozen standalone Winnipeg restaurants he also briefly owned the Salisbury house chain has decided not to reopen Hermanos just as provincial regulations are about to allow restaurants to open at 50 per cent capacity. The 150-seat restaurant was only doing about five per cent of its normal revenue over the past two months with takeout and delivery, it was already badly on its heels after a devastating 2018 construction season that saw Bannatyne Avenue ripped up, eventually eliminating the street parking that Hermanos relied on. But the loss of theatre and entertainment crowds which made up about 80 per cent of the restaurants business was the final dagger. "If theres no MTC, no Concert Hall, no concerts at the arena or the Burton Cummings theatre, there is no Hermanos," said Bernier. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Exchange PPE president Josh Giesbrecht (left), CEO Noel Bernier and Kyra Wilson, indigenous community advisor. Bernier is closing Hermanos and pivoting to PPE logistics. Bernier said he was not bitter and expressed his appreciation for all the support hes received from the city during his 12-year run as one of the busiest restaurateurs in the city, but the combination of a dramatic reduction in business the previous two years and the current shutdown made the business untenable. "We entered into this COVID situation pretty beaten up to begin with," Bernier said. "We were put through a situation that just about destroyed me" he said, referring to the construction disruption that contributed to a 90 per cent decline in business some months. "Its something you dont whine about (as a restaurant owner) because it scares the customers away," he said. "But we had two years of a hard drill about how to deal with something like this (the COVID crisis). But it does not make it any easier." Bernier also was adamant his closure had nothing to do with any drama or dispute with his landlord. "They have been nothing but supportive, he said. We were put through a situation that just about destroyed me. Noel Bernier, referring to the construction disruption that contributed to a 90 per cent decline in business some months The landlord, Sandy Shindleman, said, "We are always easy to deal with. All we can do is not charge rent. We cant pay someone to be our tenant." Shindleman was very critical of the treatment Hermanos was subjected to because of the citys road construction projects. "The city takes away parking, closes the road for two years so people cant get to his business" Shindleman said. "There is a guy who is trying hard, very entrepreneurial, and the city snuffed him out." Shindleman fears there will be little interest in the space for a full-service restaurant in that location with no parking. "This wasnt COVID," Shindleman said in reference to the cause of Hermanos closure. "It was them (the city administration). He was promoting, he was doing everything he could. COVID that was just the timing of an entrepreneur finally putting his hands up and saying he cant do it." The damage to Hermanos business precipitated Bernier and his partners getting out of other of his restaurant holdings in order to try to salvage the eatery. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Bernier has already secured office space on McDermot Avenue and is rapidly engaged in the frantic market of procuring and distributing PPE. 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. He sold Salisbury House back to Earl Barish and partners after having acquired it less than two years earlier. Bernier also no longer has any management interest in other restaurants he once had significant stakes in, including Carnaval Brazilian BBQ, Corrientes Argentine Pizzeria and Prairie 360. But Bernier is not leaving the east Exchange. Through some connections he had in a small U.S. commodities business that was also shut down because of the coronavirus, Bernier and his partners, Najara Barros and Josh Giesbrecht, have recently established a personal protection equipment logistics company called Exchange PPE. He has already secured office space on McDermot Avenue and is rapidly engaged in the frantic market of procuring and distributing PPE. Bernier said Exchange PPE is not set up to supply the public health system although he said he would enter into contracts if and when that is possible. Instead, it will focus on meeting the mask and PPE needs of the business community as well as meeting the PPE needs of Indigenous communities. martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca New Delhi: Nearly 10 days before its scheduled date, China has initiated the process of sharing hydrological data for the Sutlej river with India, an annual practice during the monsoon which is crucial for generating information on floods in north India, officials said on Friday. According to an agreement signed between the two countries, China shares hydrological data of the Bramhaputra and Sutlej rivers with India from May 15 and June 1, respectively, until the end of October. For the Sutlej river, known as Langqen Zangbod in China, data is shared from a station at Tsada, the officials said. The river, a major tributary of the Indus, originates in Tibet and enters India through Himachal Pradesh. This year, China initiated the process on May 18-19, nearly 10 days before the scheduled date, the officials added. The development comes amid the recent face-offs between the armies of the two countries at the eastern and northern borders of India. On Thursday, India had said that the Chinese military was hindering normal patrolling by its troops along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and Sikkim. It also strongly refuted China's contention that the escalating tension between the two armies was triggered by trespassing of Indian forces across the Chinese side. Around 250 Indian and Chinese army personnel clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in Pangong Tso area in Eastern Ladakh on May 5. Four days later, there was a similar face-off near Naku La Pass in North Sikkim. The data is crucial for India for generating flood-related information in north and northeast India, the officials said. Prior to the sharing of data, both sides check whether the existing data sharing systems are working fine. Accordingly, China sends a test mail with data that has to be acknowledged by India, signifying that the communication line is working fine. But this usually happens two to three days before the actual data sharing begins, the officials said. Data sharing for the Brahmaputra river started from May 15. In 2017, China had stopped sharing the data citing that the hydrological data gathering sites were washed away due to floods. It also coincided with the 73-day Doklam stand-off between the two neighbours that took place during the peak monsoon period. It resumed sharing data from 2018. Amid global pandemic, it will not stop millions of Muslims around the world to celebrate one of their biggest festivals of faith, Eid al-Fitr, according to a recently published article. As surprising as it may seem, there is actually over 4 Million Latin Americans who are practicing this faith and religion. What is Eid al-Fitr? Eid al-Fitr is an Arabic term which means "Festival of the Breaking of the Feats" and this year's celebration will not be the same as the previous years due to the global pandemic. This is a festival that will mark the end of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims are to abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset because this is their time for spiritual reflection, fulfillment, prayers, and reaffirming of their faith. Typically, this holiday begins with a greeting of either "Eid Mubarak" or "Blessed Eid" and both of which means "have a blessed holiday." This year's celebration will begin on the evening of May 23. When is the Festival Observed? Eid al-Fitr is not the same as with other holidays where it has an exact date. The celebration is based on the sighting of the crescent moon based on the Islamic lunar calendar. Additionally, it is difficult to predict the festival will be celebrated in each country. There are instances where many use the calculated time of the moon or Muslims in Saudi Arabia and Turkey waits for the declaration. How will they Festival Celebrated this Year? The celebration this year is quite different because of the global pandemic. Most countries today are not allowing social gatherings and that includes religious activities. Based on tradition, Muslims gather at the mosques and prayer areas to perform Eid prayers and greet each other. There are celebrations as well where it includes visiting friends, relatives, hosting the celebration, and sharing sweets and foods. However, Muslims in the United States may have the traditional celebration of Eid al-Fitr as Pres. Trump announced that churches and places of worship across the country will be reopened beginning this weekend. How Long is the Celebration? In most Muslim countries and areas, it is a three-day celebration. This is also declared as public, school, and a national holiday. Though the declaration of such varies from one country to the other. In the United States, there are employers that allow their employees to take a day-off and schools allowing their students to celebrate. This is strictly observed in the U.S. with a high Muslim population. The standard greeting for this occasion is "Eid Mubarak" which means "have a blessed Eid." In 2018, there are growing numbers of Muslims in the U.S. and as of 2018, it has increased to more than 250,000. A growth of seven percent since 2001. There are many Latinos and Hispanics also who identified themselves as Muslims. The celebration of Eid al-Fitr in the different parts of the world amid the global pandemic is a living witness of their faith despite the hurdles and challenges that the world is experiencing today. The global pandemic may change how it is traditionally celebrated, but it will not hinder to put into hiatus religious activities. Eid Mubarak! Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump had a telephone conversation, the office of the Turkish leader informs. The heads of state discussed issues of bilateral relations, as well as regional events, including the situation in Syria and Libya. "The leaders agreed to continue political and military cooperation to establish peace and stability in our region," the TASS cites the communique. Telus will roll out Android 10 for Samsung Galaxy A70 and LG G8X ThinQ next week Canadian carrier Telus has updated its website to reveal it will release Android 10 for two smartphones next week - Samsung Galaxy A70 and LG G8X ThinQ. The Galaxy A70 will get Android 10 starting May 25, whereas the G8X ThinQ will receive the latest version of Android starting May 27. The company also plans to release software updates for 10 other smartphones next week, which will come with camera improvements and security patches. You can check out the image below for more details. Do note that the software release schedule is subject to change due to the COVID-19 situation and updates may get delayed. Source | Via He sustained a deadly gunshot wound to the head. The body of Ukrainian Member of Parliament Valeriy Davydenko was found in the restroom of his office in Kyiv on Saturday, May 23. He sustained a gunshot wound to the head, says Deputy Minister for Internal Affairs Anton Gerashchenko. The handgun was found lying by the body. The CSI team are working at the scene, Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook. Police and prosecutors are set to work out all possible versions of the deadly incident. The main version so far is suicide, a source in police has told LB.ua. However, the version of a murder staged as suicide is also on the table. UPDATE: Kyiv Police in a press statement clarified that the incident is being investigated under Part 1 Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (premeditated murder). Read alsoCharges pressed against another suspect in attempt on Kyiv businessman's life, his son's murder Davydenko had first made it to the Verkhovna Rada in the 2014 snap elections in a majoritarian constituency as part of Zastup Organization. In 2019, he succeeded in the election campaign as a non-partisan nominee in District 208 (Chernihiv region). In December 6, 2019, he joined the Dovira parliamentary group. He was a member of the Rada Committee on Economic Development. New Delhi, May 23 : Paying their respect to Allah for bestowing them with strength and endurance during the month-long fasting period of Ramadan, muslims across the globe celebrate Eid. It is well accepted that the Prophet Muhammad got the first revelation of the Holy Quran in this month. But Eid celebrations this year have been interrupted by the crisis created by the ongoing pandemic, and social distancing will not only come in the way of praying and gatherings at mosques, but will also hinder endearments and greetings this month. As per the instructions issued by one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid in the Capital, each member of the community is advised to offer prayers for Jamat-ul-Vida and Eid al-Fitr from their homes. This will significantly help to alleviate the threat of viral transmission from spreading further. The Deputy Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Shaban Bukhari has issued an advisory for Eid and Ramadan, requesting people to refrain from any mass gathering, religious or celebratory, at any time during the holy month of Ramadan, especially on the occasion of Eid. The initiative is aimed to ensure the health and safety of the people in the light of the pandemic and is aligned with the social distancing guidelines as mandated by the government in the light of COVID-19. Voicing his concern over the health and safety of the people, the Deputy Shahi Imam said, "We cannot allow any congregations in courtyards and parks as it will expose people to an increased risk of contracting the virus. Hence, we urge you to offer holy prayers of Jamat-ul-Vida, Namaz-e-Eid from your homes. I would also like to request all citizens, especially the Muslim community, to abide by the lockdown mandates and help the poor and destitute persons during this period, and pray to the almighty to help keep everyone safe and evade this pandemic." Emphasising on the learnings from Islam, Syed Shaban has also asked the community to help those in need during this time of crisis as an integral part of the Islamic culture. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims across the world partake in rituals and customs of Islam. The community observes stringent fasting from dusk to dawn crucial to the Islamic holy month. They offer special Taraweeh prayers only after opening their fasts and observe the same ritual for a month until Eid. It is noteworthy that this is the first time the month of Ramadan has begun amid the lockdown. Due to restrictions on mass gatherings, the Muslim community has been offering the Friday and Taraweeh prayers from the safe confines of their homes. The latest advisory instructs the community to continue following the same for Eid which will be observed nationwide on May 25, this year. It also appeals to everyone to practice social distancing and follow government guidelines. A video regarding the same will soon be issued via his official social media accounts. (IANSlife Features can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in) Latest updates on Eid al-Fitr 2020 -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text WAs public pathology labs havent detected a single case of influenza in a month as social distancing restrictions appear to be preventing more than just the spread of coronavirus. Data released by the Department of Health on Friday showed state-run pathology clinic PathWest had not detected a positive influenza case between April 20 and May 17, however 18 cases were detected by private clinics over the same period. WA's influenza rates. Credit:VirusWAtch Just two of the cases were reported in the week ending May 17 and three the week prior. The figure represents a 99 per cent decrease in flu cases over the past four weeks compared to the same time last year when WA was entering a record-breaking flu season and reported 1653 positive cases. Prince Harry chose to quit the Royal Family not Meghan Markle, the couple's new bombshell biography Finding Freedom will reveal. Harry, 35, is said to be angry at the term 'Megxit' because it made it sound like the decision to break away from the Firm was Meghan's alone, a source told The Sun. The couple are currently isolating in actor Tyler Perry's Hollywood mansion with little Archie, one. The book - to be released on August 11 - promises to offer an 'honest, up-close, and disarming portrait' of the 'confident, influential, forward' couple. Prince Harry chose to quit the Royal Family not Meghan Markle (pictured together in March), the couple's new bombshell biography Finding Freedom will reveal A publishing source said: 'The reality is Harry drove [the decision to leave]. The book will make that clear and explain why it had to happen. They added: 'He wanted to move in the direction that they did and had been considering it for more than a year. While Meghan was supportive of his choice, she 'asked him if he was certain it was what he wanted' multiple times. Royal biographer Omid Scobie - who co-authored their book alongside Catherine Durand - today revealed the couple celebrated their second wedding anniversary with Mexican food and margaritas. Harry, 35, is said to be angry at the term 'Megxit' because it made it sound like the decision to break away from the Firm was Meghan's alone, a source told The Sun The couple are currently isolating in actor Tyler Perry's Hollywood mansion (pictured) with little Archie, one He said they enjoyed a quiet day of celebrations together, joining family and friends on Zoom, and 'reminisced about what a beautiful and magical day' their wedding was. Writing in Harper's Bazaar, Mr Scobie said the couple chatted with a number of people - including some of the vendors who 'helped bring the ceremony and reception to life' -about exchanging their vows in May 2018 at Windsor Castle. 'They all reminisced about what a beautiful and magical day it was', a source told the publication, adding that they video-called friends and family'. Mr Scobie added: 'And with the Sussexes now based in Los Angeles, it only seemed right to celebrate with a Southern Californian favorite: Mexican food. 'The couple, who also exchanged cotton-based gifts per tradition, enjoyed a number of favorite dishes together, washed down with margaritas.' Royal biographer Omid Scobie - who co-authored their book alongside Catherine Durand - today revealed the couple celebrated their second wedding anniversary with Mexican food and margaritas The Mail on Sunday recently revealed that it has been quietly arranged for the couple to start paying rent on the property, beginning last month. Meghan and Harry are now paying just shy of 18,000 a month to keep Frogmore as their official British base. It is being described as a 'rental-plus' agreement in which they pay more than what the commercial rate would be, enabling them to pay down those building costs with the excess. One of the reasons Harry and Meghan moved abroad was their wish for privacy and to put an end, as they saw it, to being in the media spotlight. But while on the royal estate at Frogmore their privacy was totally protected, in California they are being photographed seemingly on a daily basis. American paparazzi sit high on a hill overlooking their Beverly Hills mansion and have a view inside. This week, photographs were snatched of Harry, 35, playing with his black labrador. The pictures which were swiftly published on American and Australian websites showed the dog paddling in the swimming pool, which suggests a drone was flown over the house. The picture quality was so good that a purple plastic dog ball launcher could be seen as Harry laughingly threw it high in the air for the dog to chase. Frogmore Cottage in the grounds of Frogmore House, Windsor. The UK home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex This is the sprawling 14.5million Tuscan-style villa that Prince Harry and Meghan and their son, Archie, have called home since moving to Los Angeles from Canada in March No UK publication would ever print such intrusive images. As one Los Angeles-based photographer says: 'Harry and Meghan were always going to be a prime target pictures of them make a lot of money. They have become the No1 target. 'It hasn't been too hectic due to the Covid-19 lockdown but with that now lifting it's becoming a free-for-all with helicopters and drones up over their property. 'Harry and Meghan don't have anything like the protection here that they had in the UK. It's a case of out of the frying pan into the fire. Whereas in Britain the Press abides by guidelines, there are no rules in the US. The freedom of the press trumps everything. 'Harry and Meghan are just treated here like any other A-list celebrities.' As happy as Meghan must be back in her homeland, Harry must regret not having the seclusion offered by Frogmore Cottage. It lies in the grounds of Frogmore House, a favourite royal retreat for more than 200 years within Windsor Castle's Home Park, and where the Queen's parents, George VI and the Queen Mother, spent their honeymoon. And it is a bastion of privacy, with an armed police guard at each gate (there are at least seven) into the estate. Moreover, all aircraft are banned from flying below 2,500ft over the area and drones are prohibited to ensure no aerial photography. Indeed, during the two years Meghan lived in the UK, she and Harry were never photographed at Frogmore, and were only caught on camera unofficially on a handful of occasions. Best buds: Adele has reportedly grown closer to Prince Harry and Megan Markle ever since they moved to Beverly Hills and has been offering them tips on the area The couple were free to come and go as they pleased, living a close-to normal life. Meghan enjoyed shopping for flowers and would often walk around the grounds of Frogmore and the private park with Archie strapped to her in a papoose. However, now holed up in their faux Tuscan villa, owned by US comedian and actor Tyler Perry, they have been forced to erect fences to prevent prying eyes. Meanwhile, Adele has reportedly grown closer to Prince Harry and Megan Markle ever since they moved to Beverly Hills and has been offering them tips on the area. The singer, 32, apparently lives just five minutes from the couple's new home and often stops to say hello, according to the Mirror. Adele even allegedly recommended a school for their son Archie and has told them 'discreet' places to spend time together as a family without getting recognised. Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, are currently renting a 14.5million eight-bedroom home from film producer, Tyler Perry. The house also has 12 bathrooms. While Adele is currently living nearby in a mansion which cost 7.7million. The star allegedly first became friends with the couple while visiting a community kitchen for Grenfell Tower victims in December 2018. A source told website: 'Adele's just five minutes from Harry and Meghan and they've swapped notes on the area. Friends across the pond: The celebrities reportedly often say hello to each other as they live five minutes apart in the expensive LA district Lap of luxury: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been living in this ultra-luxury Beverly Hills hideout that belongs to Hollywood tycoon Tyler Perry, DailyMailTV can exclusively reveal 'Adele loves the neighbourhood. She's also recommended her four-year-old son Angelo's pre-school and discreet places to take Archie where they won't be bombarded by fans.' The source added: 'Meghan admires how Adele has managed to keep out of the spotlight despite being a huge star.' In 2011, Adele previously joked to Glamour magazine she was 'after Prince Harry 'because his love of partying would be a 'right laugh'. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their one-year-old son Archie have called the $18 million mansion home since moving to LA at the end of March, sources said. They had been staying at a waterfront home in Vancouver Island since announcing they were stepping down from their royal duties in January, but made a beeline for California after Canada announced it would be restricting its borders due to COVID-19. The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday sought the response of the central government and Zoom Video Communications on a plea seeking a ban on the use of the Zoom videoconferencing software, citing privacy and security concerns. The petitioner, Harsh Chugh, who is a part-time tutor, said the use of Zoom should be banned for both official and personal purposes until a law addressing data security issues is put in place. Issue notice returnable in four weeks, the bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde said. In April, the home ministry issued an advisory stating that the Zoom app, which government officials have been barred from using, was not safe for use by private individuals.The governments missive came after the national cybersecurity agency Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-in) flagged the cyber vulnerability of the popular app, being used by tens of thousands of professionals working from home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Officials pointed out at the time that the NIC (National Informatics Centre) platform was being used for most government video conferences.Government officials have been asked not to use any third party app and services for meetings. The CyCord portal was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2018 for sharing all cyber-related matters among law enforcement agencies, government organisations and other stakeholders. The Zoom app, which is owned by the US-based Zoom Video Communications, enables video conferences and online chat facilities. The use of the platform is free for video conferences with up to 100 participants within a 40-minute time limit. For longer or larger conferences with more features, paid subscriptions are available. Chugh told the apex court that the sudden boom in the use of Zoom application because of the lockdown restrictions, which were imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, has severely compromised security in cyberspace by leaking the personal data of its users. Poor privacy and security of the application have enabled the hackers to get access to the meeting, classes, and conferences being conducted online through this application. Zoom is reported to have a bug that can be abused intentionally to leak information of users to third parties, the plea said. The petition pointed out that the Zoom application saw exponential growth in its users from 10 million in December 2019 to 200 million in March 2020 due to the pandemic-induced lockdown restrictions. The petitioner alleged that the application has made false claims that its calls are end-to-end encrypted. Chugh also claimed that Zoom practices data hoarding, including mass storage users personal data. The petitioner pointed out that various high courts across the country are still using the application, despite the MHA advisory. The Bombay high court recently decided to live stream hearing on a trial basis. The bench of Justice GS Patel made the hearing of listed matters on April 9 publicly accessible. The hearing in the court of Justice Patel could be accessed by anyone and everyone via the Zoom application. Similarly, the Kerala High Court has also started live-streaming of court hearings through this application, the plea stated. President Rajapaksa threatens to pull Sri Lanka out of organisations and world bodies if they continue witch-hunt on war heroes Former UNHRC chief Pillai makes outrageous charges against Sri Lanka at Tamil Sangam meeting in US; Congressman makes startling revelation An alert Military Policemans action saved the day. The Sri Lanka Navys two female sailors were assigned the task of handing over wreaths in memory of war heroes to VVIPs and a rehearsal for Victory Day was to get under way last Monday in the sprawling Parliament grounds in Kotte. A memorial for them lies at one end. Engraved on a granite wall are the names of those who made the supreme sacrifice. The Military Policeman tested the two female sailors. They were running a high temperature and showed signs of being afflicted by Covid-19. All female personnel deployed for the trial were withdrawn. They were bussed to an Army camp in Kirillapone and put through tests. A different batch of females from the tri services was deployed. The concerns were high early this week because in the Navy, the number of Covid-19 patients stood at over 585, more than half the number of 1027 inflicted. However, later 221 were discharged from hospitals leaving 357. On Thursday, a further 11 cases were reported from the Navy. This is in addition to 36 others whom they associated with. The number of those at quarantine centres has come down to 3,444. They are housed in 37 centres. The absence of any new clusters has encouraged health authorities, but they are not taking chances. That did not deter the enthusiasm of the political or military leadership to go ahead with the eleventh anniversary of the military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Unlike the ten previous occasions, the media were banned from covering the event. Video footage, photographs and write-ups were distributed after the event by different media units. The Presidential Media Units Director General Mohan Samaranayake said health concerns were the reason why the media were prevented, because we would have to invite over 200 journalists. Hence the President decided it should only be the state media. Even Colombo based diplomats were not invited in a bid to keep the numbers down. There was President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a white bush shirt with his medals pinned below the left shoulder. He did not wear a face mask. In contrast, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his usual immaculate white national dress sported a light blue facemask. The event, televised nationally, could not hide his smile when he made eye contact with other VIP guests. Seated on left of President Rajapaksa was his predecessor, Maithripala Sirisena. It was only Tuesday that he broke silence since giving up office as President. At a news conference, the man who vowed five years ago (in 2015) to form a yahapalana government to fight the Rajapaksas declared, We are supporting the President and the Government to take the country forward. More on that in the later paragraphs. In May 2009 the Tiger guerrillas were defeated in the final battles that ended the separatist war. That it swept the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) then led by Mahinda Rajapaksa to victory at the parliamentary election in 2010 is now history. Similarly, Sri Lanka is facing another parliamentary election, but the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic is shifting the dates. It was set for April 25 and put off to June 20. It would not be possible to hold elections on this date too, Saliya Peiris, counsel for the Election Commission told the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday. A five-judge Supreme Court bench is hearing several fundamental rights petitions over the Election Commission fixing June 20 as the date for the polls. They will resume sittings on Tuesday. He told the SC: Today we are on May 20 and the nighttime curfew is still effective in 23 districts while Colombo and Gampaha districts are yet to return to normalcy. This caused an impact on the postal voting as applications are still under process, Saliya Pieris PC told court. He submitted to court that during an election period, Election Department employees would be engaged in official work for 16-18 hours a day, but the current COVID-19 situation caused administrative delays reducing the working hours. On the disputed nomination filing dates of March 17, 18, 19 which were declared as Special Public Holidays, the Court was told that the Commission decided to accept the nominations after the Government Information Department in a media statement asserted that those designated days are Special holidays but not Public holidays. The Court was also told that the Election Department used to retain the services of retired senior officials of the department during election time but since most of them are vulnerable to the C0VID-19 due to their old age, they also could not engage in election related work. Another matter of importance counsel Peiris told the SC was far reaching. He said after the health authorities declared the situation was now conducive, it would take ten weeks (or two and half months) for a date to be fixed for parliamentary elections. That was not good news for the government which has been making every effort to ensure the polls are held early so it may get on with other priorities. This was a main reason for gradually lifting social restrictions, resumption of public utility services and restoration of transport services for travel between districts. One such priority area is the revival of the economy. A Task Force headed by Presidents Special Envoy Basil Rajapaksa has been conducting a string of meetings to activate the state and private sectors. According to a Gazette notification, the Task Forces responsibilities are far reaching. One is to conduct operations to establish a people-centric economy that encourages local industrialists and entrepreneurs, blending with expansion of import substitution products, local farmer products, agricultural products and other small and medium scale industries to encourage exports and reduce the trade gap by devising measures to diversify production and economy. This is a forewarning that tougher import curbs are round the corner and import substitution will become a high priority. The Task Force has been empowered to obtain assistance from all Government Ministries, Departments, Public Corporations, Statutory Boards, particularly Banks, Research Institutions, Information Technology Institutions and the Media sector, as applicable to the effective implementation of its responsibilities. Even if the journalists were disallowed at the Victory Day ceremony, the message President Rajapaksa delivered to the world community was not lost. Without making a pointed reference, he declared, In a situation where even leaders of powerful countries have emphatically stated that they would not allow any action against their war heroes, in a small country like ours where our war heroes have sacrificed so much, I will not allow anyone to exert undue pressure on them or harass them. There is little doubt that the reference was to US President, Donald Trump, who has been defending US troops in different fora. Then President Rajapaksa declared, If any international body or organisation continuously targets our country and our war heroes, using baseless allegations, I will also not hesitate to withdraw Sri Lanka from such bodies or organisations. Here again, President Trump successfully ordered the US pull out of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). It is noteworthy that President Rajapaksa, who spoke in Sinhala, also repeated the words of caution in English. That is to show that his message was not only for the domestic audience but also for the international community. It is at the UNHRC that Sri Lanka faces its biggest diplomatic challenges. That is after the US-backed resolution, among other matters, seeking an international probe into alleged war crimes by troops during the separatist war. They alleged that international human rights laws and humanitarian laws have been violated. Though Sri Lanka co-sponsored the resolution when it was presented in the council, Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in March, this year, withdrew Colombos sponsorship. Some western countries view this as reneging on an earlier pledge. This week, US Congressman Tom Malinowaski, representing New Jerseys 7th district, revealed that during a visit to Colombo in August 2015, he helped in the formulation of the US-backed resolution which was co-sponsored by Sri Lanka. This indeed is an especially important revelation. As a diplomat, he then accompanied Nisha Biswal, onetime Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia. The revelation was made at a video commemoration event that took place at 7 p.m. on May 19 and was organised by the US Tamil Sangam to mark the LTTEs war and those who were killed. Taking part among others was Navaneethan Pillai, the former Secretary General of the UNHRC. She wore a saree that represented the same colours displayed in the LTTE flag. Details of the event appear below. Speaking from Sri Lanka was Ananthy Sashitharan, a former Minister in the Northern Provincial Council. She is the widow of the LTTEs Trincomalee Political Wing leader, Velayutham Sashitharan. They used Zoom a cloud-based video conferencing tool where you can host calls with others. Users can open chat rooms and can have up to 500 attendees, all sharing the feed from their webcams, thus giving the illusion of a typical meeting. Meanwhile, here are other highlights of the speech made by President Rajapaksa: Eleven years ago, on a day like this, on May 19, 2009, we completely defeated the separatist terrorism which had been a curse to the country for nearly 30 years. It was President Mahinda Rajapaksa who gave the leadership for this battle in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief. With the end of terrorism, an environment where people could live without fear or anxiety and enjoy their human rights freely was created. After a period of 30 years, we ensured democracy and built an atmosphere where free and fair elections could be held. The atmosphere where people can travel freely without any restrictions to any place of the country was restored. Our war heroes and their families made immense sacrifices to usher in peace to the country which was engulfed in terror. War is not a bed of roses. Especially, the war heroes had to face numerous bitter experiences and difficulties when battling one of the most ruthless terrorist organisations in the world which did not respect law. The prime objective of the Humanitarian Mission was to bring lasting peace to the country. Because of the exceptional sacrifices made by our war heroes, today we can live in peace and harmony in a unitary state. Our country, nourished by Buddhist philosophy, possesses a form of administration that is an oasis for all religions and all nationalities. Throughout its history, people in this country including Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Malay, and Burgher have had equal rights. The motive of the extremists was to divide us. If they were successful in their attempt, our history could have taken a different course. Sri Lanka could have become a country where communities hate each other, engage in continuous battles for borders, fear of war is a common norm of life and another hapless and divided country. The honour of liberating the country from this catastrophe should be given to all our heroic troops who fought for the peace in our country for a long time. Pain of the war is not strange to me. Therefore, I will not allow any room for attempts to discredit and destroy the dignity of our war heroes who made countless sacrifices to bring peace to entire Sri Lanka. I assure you that under my administration, we will take every measure always to protect the dignity of our heroic forces. It is a national responsibility to ensure their rights. President Rajapaksas threat to pull out of bodies or organisations that target troops is no rhetoric. No doubt, it will enhance his support base and that of the ruling parties led by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) at the next parliamentary elections. That is particularly with the majority Sinhala community. Yet, Victory Day is an incredibly significant national event with the countrys entire security apparatus being involved. The note of caution becomes significant as the UNHRC is due to take up Sri Lankas case once again in September, this year. Hence, the question is whether it is a well-studied move. Unlike the United States, where President Trump is taking flak on many an issue, Sri Lanka can ill afford to antagonise the international community, particularly countries in the West. President Rajapaksas remarks have echoed in many world capitals. In some, governments are busy identifying what options are left for Sri Lanka and how tough a stance it could take. This is particularly in the light issues before the UNHRC being intertwined with other bilateral and multilateral spheres. There is also the prospect of retaliatory action at a time when post-Covid-19 economic recovery efforts could be stymied. Now to the US Tamil Sangams Zoom commemoration event. The keynote speaker at the event was Congressman Tom Malinowski. Here are important highlights of his speech: As you heard, my involvement in Sri Lanka came about in a large part because I was an American diplomat, the Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and democracy under President Barack Obama. Together with Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal, I formed the team that led our diplomacy towards Sri Lanka in those pivotal years. This was an important issue for the United States in part because we believe strictly about values of human rights in Justice and Democracy. In those years, we believe Sri Lanka had a good opportunity to set a good example for the rest of the world. So many societies that are divided by the hatred, ethnic and religious hatred torn apart from civil war. I travelled to Sri Lanka several times meeting with government officials in Colombo, Jaffna and Trincomalee; meeting with several people. I spoke for many hours with Mr (Rajavarothayam) Sampanthan about the hopes and aspirations of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka. I was able to travel when shorelines of Mullaitivu opened up. I was the first foreign diplomat to go there during the last days of the war. During that time, I helped to negotiate with the Sri Lanka government and the UN Human Rights Council resolution which committed them to pursuing of resolution for justice through establishment of a Missing Persons Office. As we know this has taken an exceedingly difficult turn in Sri Lanka. We all know from the historical period. It is extremely easy when politicians want to deflect responsibility. They turn people against each other to promote division by religion and race. It is a particularly good way to distract people of any country. From difficult choices that should be made to promote peace development and health care and all of the things that we account under politicians. This is what is happening once again in Sri Lanka. In a way it is happening in the United States too. We see in our own country politics create division based on race and religion. Unfortunately, the Trump administration also withdrew the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council which makes us harder to play the role we once played. The Obama administration mobilised the countries all around the world to pursue and press the Sri Lankan government forward on the path of reconciliation and justice. I believe it is extremely important that the United States resume that leadership role. We should be urging the renewal of that resolution even though the current government has renounced it. The United States and allies around the world need to standby and urge Sri Lanka to move forward where all the people can live together with dignity and justice. I will do everything I can as a member of Congress to promote that goal. I am happy to hear your suggestions, advice and concerns. Navaneethan Pillai, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said, This memorial event to commentate victims of the final war in Sri Lanka on May 18 in 2009, is a re-enforcement of our commitment to honour the almost 146,000 Tamils perished in the six decades of struggle for self-determination of Tamils in Sri Lanka and reverberations of collective action for justice. What I saw and heard of the suffering of Tamils in Sri Lanka is worse. The anguish of survivors was dramatic. I saw fresh shallow unmarked graves with limbs and clothing visible abandoned in the sand. That was the point where civilian Tamils who have been shot from air. I saw videos of piles of dead bodies, women naked in several areas. It is an enormous violation of the Tamil women. Tens of thousands were annihilated, not for no other reasons than being Tamil. Such killings constitute international outcry. Sadly, the Tamil minority continues to suffer discrimination. Last year, the Government of Sri Lanka refused to play the national anthem in Tamil. In past, on Independence Day celebrations it was sung. Last year it was denied. This is one more act of denying the Tamils and their identity. I understand 200 people are in detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. This act violates human rights. The UNHRC appealed to the Sri Lanka government to review it. Tamil lands that were seized by military are restored in minuscular portions. Most lands have been still not been returned. Instances of violation of human rights of Tamils are regularly reported to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. This year, in March 2020 the United Nations High Commissioner expressed concern. Signs of reversal of past commitments made by Sri Lankan government towards setting up mechanisms for justice and accountability have emerged. She noted the failure by the government to fully implement the UNHRC resolution. The perpetrators of the violations of human rights are not cunning.There has been no investigation or no credible judicial mechanisms. Instead government has taken steps against justice. In March, this year president pardoned and released from prison Army Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake who has been sentenced in 2015 for a murder he perpetrated in 2000 of eight civilians including a child. Conviction and sentence have been confirmed by the Supreme Court in Sri Lanka in May 2019. Releasing of a key perpetrator who is sentenced to imprisonment by the court is a wrong act and a huge insult to the Tamils. These acts undermine the progress that is made towards the ending impunity for serious crimes. This is why international community has to engage and be vigilant of justice and liberation of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Other speakers delivered speeches in Tamil. It is abundantly clear from Navaneethan Pillais remarks that she has played around with some factual matters giving her own twist. She began her address by announcing that she had brought greetings from the Durban (South African) Tamil Sangam. Take for example her lament that only a miniscule portion of lands belonging to Tamils have been returned. Even the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) would not agree to that false claim. The fact is that 90 percent of the lands have been returned. Her remarks that she had held a high-ranking international position as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also raise profoundly serious questions. This is when she declares that 146,000 Tamils have been killed. Her claims that during a visit to Sri Lanka in 2013, that she saw limbs showing together with clothes from graves also raise damning questions on her credibility, both when she was at the UNHRC and now a champion of LTTE policies and propaganda. Alas, the government is yet to develop a robust mechanism to counter such propaganda and has been failing so far. Worse is when some Sri Lankans, now on the dole in other countries, are aiding and abetting in this propaganda for personal reasons and because their glorious political ambitions have failed after the presidential election. Last Monday, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Central Committee at a meeting chaired by its leader, Maithripala Sirisena, decided to expel Mahinda Samarasinghe from the party. Samarasinghe made a joke of it saying that the leadership was unaware he had joined the SLPP in April this year. They are contesting the Kalutara district separately. I am a candidate of the SLPP. They appear not to have known this. It is nothing but a joke, he added. Sirisena told a news conference last Tuesday that it was his partys view that the parliamentary process is important. He said, Without Parliament, both political and economic problems will not be resolved. The President cannot resolve these matters alone. The election should be held quickly and parliament should be convened afterwards. This should be done by obtaining advice from health officials as there is a pandemic situation in the country. There will be more issues if the election is delayed. According to agreements signed during the pre-presidential election period, the SLFP will continue to support the President and the Government. The SLFP would face the election as an alliance and win the elections. The alliance is with the SLPP. The President needs the support of Parliament. I know that very well as I am a former President who did not have the support of Parliament. Therefore, the General election is necessary to gain political stability to get the country going forward. The Elections Commission is delaying the elections for the safety of the people, but the Opposition is working on a political agenda by capitalising on this. We are opposed to this. The SLFP believes that the elections should be held with minimum harassment to the people. There should not be huge rallies. We are planning to give a set of guidelines to the Elections Commission to conduct the elections without harassment to the people. The impending Supreme Court ruling on the parliamentary elections as well as the dissolution of Parliament now remains a forerunner to future political activity both by the government and the opposition. Sen. Amy Klobuchar performed abysmally among black voters in the Democratic primary. Its haunting her now as Joe Biden decides on a running mate. The Minnesota Democrat has the governing experience and ideological profile to mesh well with Biden, and shes regularly appeared as a surrogate and a fundraiser for him, raking in more than $1.5 million for a single event she headlined. The pair have a warm relationship, trading phone calls when her husband was hospitalized with Covid-19, and they didnt tangle publicly during the primary. But more than a dozen black and Latino strategists and activists warned in interviews that selecting Klobuchar would not help Biden excite black voters and might have the opposite effect. Klobuchar would risk losing the very base the Democrats need to win, said Aimee Allison, founder of She the People, which promotes women of color in politics. They pointed to Klobuchars poor performance among nonwhite voters during the presidential primary, as well as her record as a prosecutor in Minnesota. Its not yet clear how much the opposition of activists matters to Biden. He's made clear that the electoral politics of his pick matter less than choosing someone who can be a governing partner and step into the top job without worry. But the vocal contingent of African American and Latino detractors many of whom said they would prefer that Biden select a black woman as a running mate is unique to Klobuchar; Elizabeth Warren, another top contender for VP, doesnt elicit similar antagonism from communities of color. "It comes from her performance in the primary her weakness in being able to motivate them," said Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC, who supports several potential vice presidential selections. The engagement and the enthusiasm of black voters is going to be a difference-maker in this election, and the concerns about her in this role stem from the degree to which she resonated or not with those core constituencies. Story continues Earlier this week, Biden confirmed that "multiple black women [are] being considered" for vice president. Those often named include Sen. Kamala Harris, former Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams and Florida Rep. Val Demings. Besides Klobuchar, other Midwestern options, like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, have been mentioned. But for many of these operatives, Klobuchar symbolizes a strategic division within the Democratic Party: whether to focus on winning back white, Midwestern voters who flipped to Donald Trump in 2016, or on activating voters of color who were not excited to vote. She represents that tension, said the Rev. Al Sharpton, who added hes told Biden that he would prefer a black woman on the ticket, but noted hes not anti-Amy. It is not her fault, but she is in the middle of an ongoing battle from the last few presidential races, Sharpton continued, adding he would be concerned that selecting Klobuchar would not help energize black and brown voters. In a Washington Post op-ed this month urging Biden to select a woman of color as running mate, seven black strategists and activists called out Klobuchar, warning she would only alienate black voters. "Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, does not need help winning white, working-class voters he serves that function himself," they wrote. Referring to her record as a chief prosecutor in Minneapolis-based Hennepin County, they added, "A choice such as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), who failed to prosecute controversial police killings and is responsible for the imprisonment of Myon Burrell, will only alienate black voters." If it was important enough to raise in an op-ed, it speaks to how serious we are, LaTosha Brown, a co-founder of Black Voters Matter and the lead author of the op-ed, said in an interview. Her campaign appeal was about bringing in working-class, white people from the Midwest, and perhaps thats true, but thats a particular strategy that doesnt align with what its going to take to win. You need to excite the base. Angela Rye, a Democratic strategist and the former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, who also signed the op-ed, called Klobuchar a nonstarter. Klobuchar's boosters counter that opposition to President Donald Trump will bring out the Democratic base no matter what, and that the key Rust Belt states Democrats have to win play to Klobuchar's strengths. "I think she could help put the upper Midwest in play, and that's an invaluable asset," said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who backed Bernie Sanders during the presidential primary. He also noted that "there are a lot of black people" in the Midwest, in cities like Detroit and Milwaukee, who will be key for Democrats winning back those states. "I think the base is going to be excited enough because, before, Trump was an idea, now Trump is the reality," Ellison continued. Klobuchar has been working to improve her relationships with minority activists and politicians since she dropped out of the presidential race. She endorsed a slate of racially and regionally diverse candidates in down-ballot races. Shes worked with Stacey Abrams, another VP contender, to promote a vote-by-mail bill that was endorsed by Voto Latino and the Rev. Jesse Jackson earlier this month. She also wrote a bill to expand broadband access to students at historically black colleges and Hispanic-serving institutions. And she participated in a virtual town hall hosted by the NAACP on how the coronavirus is disproportionately hurting black and brown people. During the presidential primary, Leah Daughtry, CEO of the Democratic national convention committees in 2008 and 2016, hosted Klobuchar with a group of influential black female leaders, half she knew, half she didnt, and people walked away with a favorable impression. But, Daughtry noted, building relationships in every area of our lives takes time, including in politics, and it isnt something you can do in a matter of weeks. The primary results illustrate Klobuchar's failure among voters of color. In South Carolina, she won 1 percent of black voters, even though they make up a majority of Democratic primary voters in the state. It was the lowest total for any of the presidential candidates on the ballot. In Nevada, Klobuchar received 4 percent support of the Latino vote, the lowest share of any presidential candidate other than Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Nationally, Klobuchar regularly polled in the low single digits among voters of color. Could she have done more? Absolutely, said Antjuan Seawright, a South Carolina-based Democratic consultant. But she knew where her bread was buttered, and that started in Iowa. She was taking the race as it comes. Seawright noted that Bidens own strength in the black community as evidenced by his resounding victory in South Carolina, which revived his flailing campaign gives room for the potential for Amy Klobuchar as vice president. But Biden, too, was recently warned about not taking African American voters for granted. On Friday, he apologized on a conference call with black leaders for comments he made to "The Breakfast Club" radio host: "If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black." Klobuchars prosecutorial record as Hennepin County attorney is another sore spot, particularly her handling of a case involving Burrell, a black teenager. An investigation by The Associated Press found numerous flaws in the case, and civil rights leaders in Minnesota called for her to suspend her presidential campaign. Klobuchar called for an independent investigation after her campaign ended, a move applauded by the Minnesota NAACP. If Biden picked Klobuchar as his vice president, it would add to [his] workload for the general election, said Daughtry, who signed onto another letter sent to Biden, urging the selection of a black woman as vice presidential nominee. There are enough people who either A, dont know her, or B, have a negative view of her that it becomes another thing the campaign has to do introduce her and convince communities of color that shes OK, Daughtry said. Thats not impossible, but theres already a lot of work to do in a presidential race. Eleven municipal areas in seven states and union territories that have accounted for 70 per cent of India's coronavirus case load were asked by the government on Saturday to step up monitoring in old cities, urban slums and other high density pockets like camps and clusters for migrant workers for management of COVID-19 cases. These 11 municipal areas are from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan and account for 70 per cent of active case load, the Union health ministry said. Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan who held a high-level meeting through video conferencing with principal health secretaries and municipal commissioners along with other officials from the 11 municipal areas urged them to focus on prevention through active screening of high risk and vulnerable population along with effective and sturdy clinical management of the admitted cases to reduce fatality rate. The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 3,720 and the number of cases climbed to 1,25,101 in the country on Saturday, registering an increase of 137 deaths and a record jump of 6,654 cases in a 24-hour span till 8 AM, according to the Union Health Ministry data. The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 69,597 while 51,783 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, it said. "Thus, around 41.39 per cent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said. During the meeting, a presentation was made to highlight the trend in case trajectory with respect to total confirmed cases, case fatality rate, doubling time, tests per million and confirmation percentage, the ministry said. "It was told that major challenge lies in those corporations having shorter doubling time, higher mortality rate and a higher confirmation rate than the national average," the ministry said in its statement. The officials were briefed about the factors to be considered while mapping the containment and buffer zones and the activities mandated in containment zone like perimeter control, active search for cases through house to house surveillance, contact tracing, clinical management of the active cases. They were also asked to undertake surveillance activities in the buffer zone like monitoring of SARI/ILI cases and promoting social distancing and hand hygiene among others. "Maintaining high vigilance and monitoring in areas of old cities, urban slums and other high density pockets along with the camps/clusters for migrant workers are important steps in COVID-19 management in the urban areas," Sudan said. The officials were also urged to focus on prevention through active screening of high risk and vulnerable population and groups, and effective and sturdy clinical management of the admitted cases to reduce fatality rate. While many have operationalised 24x7 state control rooms, others could also follow the lead and start such units which shall not only provide assistance to the people for various facilities and services regarding COVID-19 management, but also have a panel of domain experts and doctors to provide round the clock support and mentoring for clinical issues which shall effectively contribute to reducing fatality rate, the statement said. "It was pointed out that testing needs to stepped up in some municipal areas to ensure early detection of cases, timely clinical management and a reduction in fatality rate," it said. They also need to be mindful of ramping up the health infrastructure to ensure preparedness for the next two months with special focus on isolation beds with oxygen, ventilators and ICU beds. Other issues that need focused attention include active coordination with government and private labs to address delays in sample collection, partnership with private hospitals to augment the health and bed capacity, waste disposal, management of camps for migrant labourers and creating awareness regarding issues such as stigmatisation of patients in local languages, by involving community leaders, youth groups among others. The measures taken and best practices followed by the municipal corporations for the management of COVID-19 cases were also discussed, the statement stated. Mumbai Municipal Commissioner briefed about establishing close cooperation between private hospitals and municipal authorities to pool the health infrastructure like ICU or oxygen beds etc. They shall also soon make public the online portal displaying the bed availability with unique ID numbers for each bed, and also set up a GPS backed online ambulance tracking system, the statement said. Indore authorities have focused on contact tracing, and active house to house survey. They have formed 'gully patrolling teams' which include community volunteers and retired government officials helping the special surveillance teams in containment zones to improve confidence building measures, active surveillance and provisioning of essential items, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Manvi Pant As part of a project sponsored by the Bill Gates Foundation, a young gynaecologist gets posted at the Motihari district hospital, Patna, where her job is to train the doctors in improved techniques of caesarean-section and other essential childbirth skills. Eager to take on the task, she packs her bags and leaves for a journey that changes her life forever. Dr Taru Jindals passionate memoir A Doctors Experiments in Bihar (Speaking Tiger, Rs 499) talks of the challenges, negligence and discrimination in the maternal healthcare arena in the remotest and least developed parts of the country. Dr Taru Jindal. Written candidly with engaging personal anecdotes, the book presents a striking contrast between the workings of a government hospital in a backward state like Bihar and the professionalism and medical procedures followed in a multispecialty healthcare centre in a metropolis like Mumbai. By taking its readers through remarkable descriptions, the book creates vivid scenes in your mind. For instance, on visiting Motihari government hospital for the first time, Taru writes, I absent-mindedly looked out of the adjacent window. My eyes almost popped out as I saw piles of biomedical waste dumped just outside; it looked like a rotting gutter. She continues, A woman was urinating right at the entrance of the labour room. I turned around in a reflex, but she continued, unbothered by my sudden appearance. All through the book, the authors style of writing is fluid, and she conveys personal feelings with utmost ease. India is indeed one of the fastest emerging economies, with its healthcare sector recording ambitious growth year on year. Despite this, healthcare disparities, combined with social inequalities, take a significant position in discussions amongst health professionals and policymakers. The quality and accessibility of public healthcare provisions across rural areas are poor, unregulated, unorganised and barely monitored. But how did the young, idealistic gynaecologist turn the tables in such difficult circumstances? As one reads further, one can sense Tarus grit and optimism. Right from building her own team to working on the infrastructure to cater better to women, the strategies she outlines to improve the health care system are extremely cogent. And they work wonders. As she notes, nurses learn to sterilise instruments and make it a practice, the labour room gets regularly cleaned, bulbs get repaired, and sweepers stop delivering babies (yes, they did so earlier). These small yet significant changes start taking place and she converts the dark into the light. In villages, it is so easy to create change, they just need a bit of assistance and support. It was in Bihar that I realised how much our rural areas need our time and support. Its like a relay race; to win, all runners in the team have to run fast. For India to win, we cannot run ahead with just Mumbai and Delhi. Rural areas have to go along. And this can happen only if we, our generation, take responsibility for some of the problems that rural areas are grappling with education, healthcare, womens empowerment, financial deprivation. I believe even one year from all of us can make a big difference, Taru later said in a TED talk in Bandra, Mumbai. Born and raised in Mumbai, Taru had spent her humble beginnings within the boundaries of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) colony as her father was a BARC scientist. She had first-hand experience in the limits of human pain and endurance when her grandmother got paralyzed and was bedridden. From changing her urinary catheter to dressing her bedsores to putting a feeding pipe in her nose to feed her, the young Taru learned the art of caregiving from her elder brother, an aspiring doctor at that time. Those moments of witnessing her grandmothers helplessness turned into moments of clarity. She realised she would make a good doctor herself. As the years passed, Taru, now 36, completed her MBBS and then MS in gynaecology from the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Medical College and Sion Hospital, Mumbai. The Bill Gates Foundation project took her further away from home than she had ever lived. Gradually, Bihar becomes Tarus second home. Once the assignment at Motihari District Hospital finished, she then started a health centre in a remote village called Masarhi. About 25 km away from the city, the villagers there suffered from hunger and malnutrition. Taru decided to transform their health by understanding the lives of its people. Slowly, she penetrated deep into the skin of their problems and tried to find solutions that promoted health like increasing local food diversity and improving the availability of fruits and vegetables. Giving a striking example of freedom activist and social reformer Vinoba Bhaves bhoodan andolan, she decided to walk on his path and started community farming. Indeed, her approach to every challenge she encounters is methodical and expansive. Along with her persistence and her compassionate attitude towards the people of Masarhi, in no time, she became an integral part of their life. As rightly quoted in her book, magic happens when you dont give up. The universe conspired in her favour and she was selected Youth Leader from India by World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action for her work on breastfeeding and malnutrition. Thirty-two delegates from across the world, including Taru, shared the most coveted stage in Malaysia. When they asked her, Where are you from? she beamed at the thought of her new identity and proudly said, I am from Bihar. Unfortunately, Taru was diagnosed with a brain tumour and had to give up her work in Bihar and return to Mumbai for treatment. More than anything, this well-written and insightful book is about the fighting spirit of a woman who has a resolve and is not ready to give up. In November 2019, Taru was awarded the Karmaveer Chakra Award by the International Confederation of NGO (iCONGO) in partnership with the United Nations. Crossroads YMCA is pushing back its reopening date to June 1 in light of Gov. Eric Holcomb adjusting Indiana's phased reopening plan for Lake County, considered a hot spot for coronavirus cases. In a social media post Friday, Y officials said they are no longer reopening May 24 as originally planned. Instead, the facility will reopen June 1, in line with Holcomb's delay to the start of stage 3 of his "Back on Track" economic reopening plan in Lake County. "Crossroads YMCA is committed to safety. Our commitment to excellence begins with a focus on safety and kids and members first philosophy,'" the YMCA wrote on Facebook. In an earlier statement, Crossroads YMCA said it was looking to "reopen with care" after closing March 16 due to the coronavirus. With Holcomb's plan in place, the Crown Point, Hammond, Griffith and Whiting locations are set to open at a reduced capacity with social distancing measures in place. Under the new guidelines, members and staff have to get their temperature checked with a thermal thermometer by standing on a purple circle as soon as they enter the building. In less than five seconds, the results will come back. Accra 20th May 2020--MTN, Ghanas leading Telecommunications Company, and Business World, Ghanas foremost business magazine will host the digital edition of the MTN Business World Executive Breakfast Meeting on MTN Ghanas handle on Facebook from 10:00am on May 28th 2020. The session which will stream live is under the theme, The Future of Work is here-Preparing the Work Place for new Talent Needs. The 28th edition of the MTN Business World Breakfast meeting seeks to explore the unique opportunities embedded in the Future of Work and the different skill sets that will be required. As the world inches towards an even more digital age, companies and businesses are becoming more concerned about the future of work and how technological progress such as artificial intelligence and robotics could impact talent acquisition. While some industry analysts perceive technological advancement would make some jobs obsolete, others strongly believe its an opportunity for businesses to develop new models for labour and different skill sets to adapt to the changes. Panellists to join in the discussions include, Julian Opuni, CEO Fidelity Bank, Ghana, Alex Bram, CEO of Hubtel, Ehi Benitie Co-Founder Rancard and CEO ClearSpace Labs and Franklin Asare, Country Director Oracle Ghana. Discussions would centre on how emerging technologies could remodel the way we work, finding the right balance between humans and technology, ways to improve the employee experience. The panel is expected to suggest strategies that will enable business owners to identify employee fit for future roles. Commenting on the theme: the Chief Marketing Officer for MTN Ghana, Mr. Noel Kojo-Ganson, lauded the theme indicating that it was very timely and relevant to todays workforce and those who are preparing for the opportunities ahead. He urged all persons who are interested in knowing about the Future of Work to join the Breakfast session via MTNs Facebook page to gain valuable insights especially in this period where COVID -19 is redefining the way we live and work. About MTN Ghana MTN Ghana is the market leader in the increasingly competitive mobile telecommunications industry in Ghana, offering subscribers a range of exciting options under Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go Services and Mobile Financial Services. The company has committed itself to delivering reliable and innovative services that provide value for subscribers in Ghanas telecommunications market. Since its entry into Ghana in 2006, MTN has continuously invested in expanding and modernizing its network in order to offer superior services to a broad expanse of the nation. About MTN Business World Executive Breakfast Meeting The MTN Business Executive Breakfast series running in its seventh year is the leading thought leadership and networking platform for Ghanaian business executives and entrepreneurs attracting over 800 executives annually. It has hosted a number of international, motivational and business leaders including Mac Attram, Robin Banks, Brian Tracy, Siya Xuza, Elikem Nutifafa Kuenyehia, Jason Njoku, Sharon Lechter, Mr Yaw Nsarkoh, Rosa Whitaker and quite recently Ian Russel. U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly on May 20, 2020, in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC. AFP President Donald Trump's administration has discussed holding the first US nuclear test since 1992 as a potential warning to Russia and China, the Washington Post reported Friday. Such a test would be a significant departure from US defense policy and dramatically up the ante for other nuclear-armed nations. One analyst told the newspaper that if it were to go ahead it would be seen as the "starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race". The report, citing one senior administration official and two former officials, all who spoke anonymously, said the discussion had taken place at a meeting on May 15. It came after some US officials reportedly claimed that Russia and China were conducting their own low-yield tests. Moscow and Beijing have denied the claims, and the US has not offered evidence for them. The senior administration official said that demonstrating Washington's ability to "rapid test" would be a useful negotiating tactic as the US seeks a trilateral agreement with Russia and China over nuclear weapons. The meeting did not conclude with any agreement, and the sources were divided over whether discussions were still ongoing. Nuclear non-proliferation activists were quick to condemn the idea. "It would be the starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race," Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, told the Post. He added that it would also likely "disrupt" negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, "who may no longer feel compelled to honor his moratorium on nuclear testing." Beatrice Fihn of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the group that won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, warned a Trump nuclear test could "plunge us back into a new Cold War". "It would also blow up any chance of avoiding a dangerous new nuclear arms race. It would complete the erosion of the global arms control framework," she said in a statement. The Trump administration has repeatedly shaken up US defense policy. The Washington Post report came one day after Trump announced that he plans to withdraw from the Open Skies treaty with Russia, which was designed to improve military transparency and confidence between the superpowers. It is the third arms control pact Trump has abrogated since coming to office. Russia has insisted it will abide by the 18-year-old agreement, which seeks to lower the risk of war by permitting each signatory country's military to conduct a certain number of surveillance flights over another member country each year on short notice. European nations have also urged Trump to reconsider. Facing re-election in November, Trump has also significantly hardened his rhetoric against China in recent weeks, repeatedly criticizing Beijing's handling of the coronavirus pandemic which first emerged there. He has made repeated but vague threats of retaliation against the chief US economic rival, which has denied all his accusations. Earlier this month Trump called for involving China in new arms control talks with Russia, telling his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin they need to avoid a "costly arms race". It is not the first time Trump's defense policy has raised concerns the administration is elevating the risk of nuclear war. In February the Pentagon announced it had deployed a submarine carrying a new long-range missile with a relatively small nuclear warhead, saying it was in response to Russian tests of similar weapons. Critics worry that small nukes would be more likely to be used because they cause less damage, thereby lowering the threshold for nuclear conflict. But the Pentagon says it is crucial to deterring rivals like Moscow who might assume that, with only large, massively destructive nuclear weapons in its arsenal, the US would not respond to another country's first use of a small, "tactical" nuclear bomb. (AFP) (Reuters) - 1/VACCINE RACE U.S. President Donald Trump has put his faith in anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to ward off COVID-19, but governments and investors are focusing on a vaccine. Without one, it's unlikely economic activity can resume fully. So the race is on, and the rewards are rich: AstraZeneca has vaulted into the position of the most valuable British company after receiving a U.S. pledge for up to $1.2 billion for its experimental vaccine. Pharma/biotech shares have outperformed broader equities since Feb 19. Investors twitchy for vaccine news sent the share price of biotech company Moderna 20% higher when it said its vaccine trials showed promise. Rivals Novavax and Inovio also rose when they secured vaccine development funding. The United States has vaccine development deals with Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi, too. But many others, big and small, are in the race: Imperial College, Gilead Sciences, Roche, China's CanSino Biologics and India's Glenmark to name just a few. Healthcare outperforms https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/buzz/ygdvzqrnapw/Pasted%20image%201590145080506.png 2/THE RUBICON European clashes over how to handle the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis raised fears for the bloc's future, but a Franco-German proposal aimed at helping the worst-hit states represents a pivotal moment. The markets want to the see the details, however. All eyes will be on the European Commission, which on Wednesday presents its pandemic recovery plan. The task is to ensure weaker states such as Italy can access funding without adding to their debt burden. But EU states remain divided over whether recovery funds should be funnelled through loans or transfers. If those opposed to big spending manage to water down the plan, the euro and southern European bonds will take a knock. The change in Germany's previously hardline stance was momentous. Now it's the turn of others such as Austria and the Netherlands to decide whether they are ready to cross the Rubicon. Euro in the coronavirus crisis https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/xlbpgnknxvq/Pasted%20image%201589969872275.png Story continues 3/TRYING TIMES Beijing's control has long been a sore point for some Hong Kongers. Its latest proposal for a tougher national security regime for the city will almost certainly lead to further violent confrontations on the streets and open a new venue for Sino-U.S. tension. Only this time it may be worse, which is why the Hang Seng index was hit harder on Friday than even the worst days in the March selldown. China has replaced the leadership in its Hong Kong Liaison office and, foreign envoys reckon, quietly doubled the number of staff there. The United States has already warned of a tough response. Investors will look there, and to the situation on the ground for cues. As for markets, Hong Kong's property index posted its worst drop in 11.5 years on Friday. European luxury shares and banks such as HSBC also took a hammering on Friday, meaning ripples could spread. Hong Kong protests take toll on domestic demand https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/12/3967/3940/Pasted%20Image.jpg 4/CLOUD STOCKS FLOAT HIGHER Coronavirus is a double-edged sword for cloud-computing firms. It has supercharged demand for datacenter services to support video-streaming and other remote services, but is also forcing corporates to slash budgets amid a deep recession. Cloud computing players take the spotlight on Wall Street in coming days as they report quarterly results and guide investors on the outlook. Autodesk and Workday report on Wednesday. Salesforce.com - viewed as the gold standard - follows on Thursday, along with systems software seller VMWare. The First Trust Cloud Computing index ETF has gained over 10% in 2020, although some big-name cloud-computing stocks have yet to fully recover from their March lows. Cloud stocks float higher https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/qmypmndjwvr/Cloud%20stocks.jpg 5/DOOM AND GLOOM Armed with less fiscal firepower and weaker healthcare systems than richer peers, emerging economies have been less able to counter coronavirus-induced drops in consumption, foreign investment and exports, or alleviate the effects of job losses. That strain shows up in economic data, not least the 6.8% Q1 contraction in China's economy, the biggest in decades. Soon four other emerging market heavyweights - Turkey, Mexico, Brazil and India - will tell us how their growth fared in the January-April quarter. Expect gloomy readings. India, not long ago, the fastest-growing big economy, is expected to have expanded 2% in Q1; Turkey's economy is seen contracting this year for the first time in over a decade. For Brazil and Mexico Goldman Sachs predicts full-year contractions of 7.4% and 8.5% respectively. Reuters Poll: Coronavirus impact on the Indian economy https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/polling/1/718/707/India%20poll%20graphic.png (Reporting by Sujata Rao, Dhara Ranasinghe and Tom Arnold in London, Tom Westbrook in Singapore and Lewis Krauskopf in New York; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Civil servants tend to make their mark on local towns and communities in huge ways, usually requesting little to no recognition for their dedication and devotion to the town they serve. Cheshire has had a long tradition of devoted civil servants who have been instrumental in shaping the town to what it is today. One of Cheshires most dedicated civil servants and influential female leaders passed away in April due to complications following surgery at MidState Medical Center. Selina McArdle, who was 81 years old when she died, was Connecticuts very first municipal agent for the elderly and a long-time civil servant to the Town of Cheshire. She was beloved by many, and will be remembered for her dedication to Cheshire and its residents. She was just the most wonderful woman in the room, remembered her husband of 61 years, Jim McArdle. She loved this town and its people immensely, and I miss her very much. McArdle was a woman of many talents, civil service being just one of them. She was an accomplished pianist and artist and graduated from the Lebanon Valley Colleges Conservatory of Music in Pennsylvania. She also owned and operated the Creative Craft Center, at 98 Elm St., for 15 years, selling art supplies and needlecraft materials. McArdle might have been best known for her many years of service on the Cheshire Town Council, where she served a total of five consecutive terms over the course of 10 years, from 1975 to 1985. McArdle, who was a proud Democrat and always passionate about civil service, wrote the Health and Social Services component of the Community Development Action Plan (CDAP), by which Cheshires current political and economic structures are heavily influenced. While creating the plan, she became acutely aware of the struggles facing the elderly community in Cheshire and wanted to make a difference. She saw the conditions that the elderly were living in and knew change needed to be made, said McArdle. She got a lot of pushback at the time, but she knew it was the right thing to do and thats why she did it. According to her husband, McArdle was well known for her involvement in the Women's Liberation movement of the 1960s and 70s, and was even awarded the Charter Revisions Man of the Year award for her service and hard work. She was, I think, the first woman to receive that award, McArdle explained. It just shows how dedicated and well respected she was that even at that time they wanted to recognize her for her efforts. McArdle was also the first woman to receive the Cheshire Jaycees Distinguished Service Award in 1973. Her husband, who was also involved in civil service in the town, fondly recalls a time when he and his wife were both up for election, and he lost his seat. She polled 11 points higher than me. We were, at the time, the only two Democrats running and she made it and I didnt, he laughed. She deserved it. Current Town Councilor David Borowy recalled what Selina was like to work with. I (was) elected in 1985 and thats the year she left, he remembered. She was a wonderful woman and a fierce advocate for the elderly. She will certainly be missed. McArdles dedication to the elderly and social service never wavered throughout her tenure on the Council, helping establish the Cheshire Housing Authority, Cheshire Hospice, and aiding in the purchase of the Moore House on Maple Ave, which is now the Cheshire Senior Center. When McArdle finally retired in 1985, the town hired three full-time employees in order to replace her and her volunteer efforts. While she was a fervent civil servant, McArdle notes that he will miss her sense of humor and creativity the most. She loved music and was always smiling, he said. Her piano was her favorite thing in the house and she loved playing it. A contribution in Selina's memory may be made to The Cheshire Senior Center Membership Association, 240 Maple Ave., Cheshire, CT 06410. For online condolences, please visit www.dellavecchiafh.com The district inspector-investigator of the Makhinjauri (Adjara) police department was detained on suspicion of extortion, the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia informed. The detention was carried out by employees of the General Inspectorate of the Ministry. Details of the case are unknown, Novosti-Georgia reports. A case was filed under Article 181 Extortion of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The detainee may be sentenced to two to four years in prison. While the Chicago Tribune has done a good job of reporting on climate change in the past, the word climate appears only once in the article May 19 ("'Unreal rains flood homes, knock out power and put Chicago on the cusp of wettest May ever, May 19) on the historic flooding that took place all over the Chicago area last weekend. The article itself outlines the increase in flooding over the last several years. Why not take it just one step further and report on how this problem will only get worse if climate change is not adequately addressed? A virtual banquet that honored Gracie Kempken and nine fellow Future Farmers of America leaders from across Texas was the latest twist in the Friendswood High School students experience in the Class of 2020. The May 14 event actually turned out nicer than Plan A, which was to hold the banquet in Austin, said the 18-year-old daughter of Craig and Kimberly Kempken. Each of us was going to be allowed only one guest, so this way, I was able to invite more people, including my grandparents, Gracie Kempkem said of Frances Williams and Rick and Yvonne Kempken, all of Friendswood. On March 11, Gracie Kempken was at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with six other FFA members from FHS when the first shoe dropped on what would drastically impact their senior year. We were in line to load in our animals when they made the announcement between 11 a.m. and noon that the rodeo was shutting down, she said. Some people were crying Although kind of stunned, Kempkens first thought was that her black Brangus heifer, Dixie, needed water. Everybody rushed to take care of their animals. Some people were crying, and that was heartbreaking to see. We had been there for eight hours, waiting to load in, but I knew people who had driven eight hours to get to Houston, and now they were having to drive back eight hours, without any sleep. The rodeo was slated to run through March 22. I missed the food the most, said Kempken. There was a spot called Paradise Burger right in front of the carnival that I was looking forward to. Kempken planned to show Dixie at events in Austin and Galveston County, but instead Dixie was returned to a 10-acre spread in Alvin. Housing my animals in Alvin is great, she said. The acres my family leases are very close to our vets office (Gulf Coast Large Animal Clinic) and gives us great access to what we need. Kempken also planned to return from FISDs spring break to an exciting countdown to graduation, but schools didnt reopen. Instead, Kempken became a nanny for the children of a nearby couple. It started with me taking the kids to school, she said, but when the childrens parents started working from home, They stick close to their computers; so I help with the kids from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the night before the virtual banquet, Kempken finished her last school assignment, a math project. I stood up from the kitchen table and said, I guess Im done with school. Quality time with family A silver lining in the quarantine aspect of the pandemic, Kempken said, is that she gets to spend quality time with her family. Right now, I am enjoying time with my parents and my dog; so I am thankful for that, said Kempken, who is preparing to enter Oklahoma State University next fall and double-major in agricultural communication and agribusiness. Its in Stillwater, Oklahoma, so I will be moving eight hours away. Kempken hopes to make more memories with her FHS classmates before she leaves for college. During the quarantine, she said, What I am missing the most is being with my friends. I also miss concerts. County fair concerts are the ones I really like, she said. Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be contacted at donmaines@att.net WASHINGTON President Donald Trump, eager to reopen the economy, has begun questioning the official coronavirus death toll, suggesting the numbers, which have hobbled his approval ratings and harmed his reelection prospects, are inflated. In coronavirus task force and other White House meetings, conversations with health officials have returned to similar suspicions: that the data compiled by state health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include people who have died with the coronavirus but of other conditions. The numbers, some say, include too many presumed cases of COVID-19 and too many Americans who were never tested for the disease. Last Friday, Trump told reporters that he accepted the current death toll, but that the figures could be lower than the official count, which now totals nearly 95,000. Most statisticians and public health experts say he is wrong; the death toll is probably far higher than what is publicly known. People are dying at their houses and nursing homes without ever being tested, and deaths early this year were likely misidentified as influenza or described only as pneumonia. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, told lawmakers this month that the overall toll was likely an undercount. I dont know exactly what percent higher but almost certainly it is higher, he said at a Senate health committee hearing. Jennifer Nuzzo, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, which is closely tracking the coronavirus pandemic, said that the officially reported numbers dont reflect the true level of illness and death that have occurred. We very much feel the reported numbers reflect an undercount, she said. Inside the White House, doubts about the official numbers are pervasive, though they come in different forms. Trump is in search of good news to promote his administrations response to the pandemic and to press states to reopen. Dr. Deborah Birx, the White Houses coronavirus response coordinator, is a numbers obsessive and wants her own data to supplement information coming in from the states and the CDC. One official has even accused hospitals of potentially exaggerating their coronavirus patient counts to milk money from Medicare. Top White House officials have even discussed appointing a forensic team to audit how some hospital systems and state health departments have been tallying infections and deaths, according to one senior administration official. Multiple senior White House officials said they were unaware of such conversations. In a brief interview Thursday, Birx stressed that there had been no pressure to alter data. Ive never been in a meeting where anyone has discussed changing the death numbers, she said. And she disputed that the White House was debating the CDCs counting of probable infections. There is no tension about their presumed cases, she said. But she herself has said publicly that the American health care system incorporates a generous definition of a death caused by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. In this country weve taken a very liberal approach to mortality, Birx said at a White House news conference last month. There are other countries that if you had a preexisting condition, and lets say the virus caused you to go to the ICU, and then have a heart or kidney problem some countries are recording that as a heart issue or a kidney issue and not a COVID-19 death. Robert Anderson, who runs the mortality statistics branch of the CDCs National Center for Health Statistics, said the federal government deployed two parallel, related systems to tally deaths, one based on case reports and one on death certificates. He said it was unlikely that there was any kind of overcount. The case reporting system asks: Did the patient die from this illness? he said. Its not asking if the patient with COVID-19 died. Its asking if they died from COVID-19. A death certificate, Anderson said, clearly establishes a cause of death or a contributing factor. That has not deterred some at the White House to search for new data. Birx often begins her days before 5 a.m. examining fresh numbers from a small group of Trump administration officials who work late nights in the White House complex. Detailed to Birx from the CDC, the State Department, the White House budget office and a technology agency called the U.S. Digital Service, the employees compile their own information about the pandemic from state and local health departments in hard-hit parts of the country. That data is then shared with the White Houses coronavirus task force. White House officials say skepticism in the Trump administration over CDC data, including for opioid use, long predates the coronavirus outbreak. But new reasons have cropped up. At least one senior White House official has mentioned that hospitals could be inflating their coronavirus patient counts, responding to financial incentives Medicare offers higher payments to providers for treating coronavirus patients. Several senior officials said they were unaware of such talk. An official with the American Hospital Association disputed that idea. Theres guidance around what you have to do, and the clinician has to say, This is the diagnosis, said Nancy Foster, the associations vice president for quality and patient safety policy. Theyre putting their professional reputation on the line to say that. Without doubt, the CDC, which collects data from states, has been hampered during the pandemic by inconsistent protocols and limited resources at a local level. How deaths are tallied often varies from one state or county to the next and involves a chaotic mix of health care providers, medical examiners, coroners, funeral homes and local health departments that fill out death certificates, often without official test results. White House officials have also wanted the CDC to standardize how states report cases to the federal government, a role that now belongs in part to a professional organization, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. There is no organization on earth better at standardizing surveillance than the CDC, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, the agencys former director. Could it be better? Absolutely. It could be more timely. It could be more complete. Birx was caught off guard in April when states began incorporating both confirmed and probable cases and deaths, senior administration officials said, a change that encouraged a deeper suspicion among those who have doubted the overall mortality figures. Birx was again angered by news reports divulging drastic projections she had never seen, the officials said, including those laid out in an internal document obtained by The New York Times that forecast about 200,000 new cases each day by the end of May. The data, which had not been vetted by the White House, came from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which said it was preliminary and should not have been released. It has also proved incorrect. The Trump administration has looked to the outside to get its numbers. The Department of Health and Human Services has used a technology program devised by Palantir to track numbers gathered by federal agencies, states, private health providers and universities. The administration also signed a $10 million deal with a tracking contractor first reported by The Washington Post that monitors hospital capacity and COVID-19 deaths, essentially repeating and privatizing the work of the CDCs National Healthcare Safety Network. If you set up parallel tracks, you will get inconsistent information, Frieden said. You can ask different questions at different times and get different answers. Anderson of the CDC said in an interview that the agency was looking at new systems, including artificial intelligence, to get a better grip on coronavirus trends. We are in the process of exploring some machine learning and AI techniques to try to make the coding more efficient and make the system more nimble, he said. Epidemiologists are also rethinking their tabulations, but not in ways the White House would like. They have increasingly compared recent totals of deaths from all causes, which provide a more complete picture of the pandemics impact than tracking only deaths of people with confirmed diagnoses. Fatalities in the gap between the observed and normal numbers of deaths are called excess deaths. A study of mortality statistics in New York City showed more than 24,000 excess deaths from March 11 to May 2. Trump is hardly the only politician uncomfortable with the official coronavirus counts. Jared Polis, Colorados liberal Democratic governor, said on Fox News Sunday that the CDC criteria include anybody who has died with COVID-19, but what the people of Colorado and the people of the country want to know is how many people died of COVID-19. Last Friday, Colorados health department revised its death toll downward, forming two categories to account for what it said were patients who had COVID-19 but died from other causes. Trying to separate the cause of death in coronavirus-infected patients is ludicrous, said Dr. Alicia Skarimbas, a physician in Bergen County, New Jersey, who has treated around 75 COVID-19 patients. I have yet to have anyone infected with COVID die from anything else, she said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. After taking last week off, Bill Maher was back with a new episode of Real Time on Friday. And he opened the show with a monologue that covered three main topics: the ongoing, gradual process of reopening the country during the pandemic; Obamagate; and Donald Trumps claim that he has been taking hydroxychloroquine. I love Memorial Day, you know. Im glad its come because, finally, I get a chance to just kick back and hang around the house, Maher joked to open his monologue. We all should love Memorial Day. Its when we remember the brave Americans who put their lives on the line to protect our way of life. Im talking of course about the delivery people from GrubHub. Maher started on the real topics, beginning with Trump declaring on Monday that hes been taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventative against the coronavirus. Also Read: Bill Maher Says Mike Pence Didn't Wear a Mask at the Mayo Clinic Because He Wanted to Tell 'Barefaced Lies' (Video) Remember hydroxychloroquine? The stuff that they were saying was going to be the big cure-all, and then they were like, Nah, this s doesnt work, its not for this? Maher asked, rhetorically. And then Trump now says hes on it. Hes taking it. And not only that, he got mad at the Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto because Neil Cavuto heard him say, Im taking this stuff, and Neil Cavuto said, Yeah, thatll kill you. Trump, ugh, this man. First he says lets try drinking household disinfectants. Now, hes on this s. Today Vladimir Putin said, I hope I dont have to poison this motherfer, I dont think we have anything strong enough.' Maher said that, like so many others, hes struggling to comprehend whats going on here. Now this drug is for people who have lupus or malaria. So wrap your mind around this. The President of the United States has put himself on a drug for two diseases he does not have. Also, hes starting on something next week for vaginitis, just to be safe, Maher quipped. I dont get this Donald Trump. Hes never had a drink. Never did pot. No drugs in college. But at the age of 73, Laura Ingraham comes by and says, Hey man, put this on your tongue and hes, like, Im all in.' Story continues Also Read: Bill Maher Mocks George Bush Nostalgia During the Pandemic: 'Bush Would Have F--ed This Up Too' (Video) Maher then changed the subject to, well, Trump changing the subject. But, of course, he always is the master of changing the subject. This week it was to Obamagate. Obamagate, what a scandal. Already losing steam, this scandal, because it lacks that crucial ingredient that most scandals need to have: an allegation, Maher said. Trump fans are ready to be all angry at this but they dont know what it is. Even Glenn Becks chalkboard says, To be determined.' For the remainder of his opening monologue, Maher took a less serious tone as he delivered some zingers about various states attempts to reopen as the pandemic continues. But look, I guess the bright side of this is that all 50 states now are at least partially open. But again, no plan, no consistencies. Its the opposite of Afghanistan. We have no entrance strategy, he said. The theme seems to be you can go out but you cant have fun. What married people call date night. For example, California has reopened some parks, beaches, hiking trails, but again the inconsistencies. You can walk on the beach, but you cant congregate. And yet the restrooms are open for gay sex. And, of course, he couldnt help but make a joke about the favorite activity of so many Angelenos. Oh hiking, thats very big out here. You know hiking, people are always going hiking. You know what hiking is? Thats when a guy and a girl walk up the mountain because she wants exercise and he thinks its a date, Maher joked. Georgia, of course, one of the first states to reopen. Again, inconsistent. You can go to the Waffle House to eat but the ban remains on parking lot fistfights. In Georgia and in Texas, they opened the churches and then they had to re-close them because people got the disease. And you know, look, I make fun of religion but I cant blame people for wanting to go to church in person and have that experience. Theres just something about speaking in tongues over Zoom that makes you feel like an idiot. Real Time With Bill Maher airs on Friday nights at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on HBO. Watch the full monologue above. Read original story Bill Maher Cant Believe Trump Takes Hydroxychloroquine but Never Tried Weed (Video) At TheWrap BREAKING NEWS: The pandemic is still with us, and, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci and health experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and health experts across the globe, its going to be quite some time before we should let our guard down. I have a suggestion. As Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, city and parish leaders provide guidelines and requirements for Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3 and Phase 4, establish your own plan. Im calling my approach the Sutton Slow Phase. You call yours whatever you wish. Its my plan, which youre free to borrow or steal and call your own. Its pretty simple. Stay at home Strongly encourage elders, those with underlying conditions to stay inside Mask up Stay away from others, especially the knuckleheads without masks Dont shop where the businesses dont mask, and where people shop without masks Return home ASAP Develop existing, new skills Eat healthy, exercise Smile Not everyone is going to agree with me. Some of you dont believe there is an ongoing pandemic. Others know it exists but you dont believe the recommended, required and suggested health precautions are for you. Still others of you agree with me, but youve got to earn a living, so youve got to go to work and you need to do what you need to do, and so you leave home, go to work and return. If youre retired, have a flexible work schedule or youre fortunate enough to work remotely from home, as I do, this is for you. Others can pick and choose which parts apply. For those who have attacked my go-slow approach, let me be clear: I know there are people without work, and I know they need to earn a living. Our essential workers, nonessential workers and others who need to work should work. But we shouldnt expect them to work without safety precautions, and without cooperation from the rest of us. Fauci, the well-known expert from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is a smart man who understands our capitalistic desire to open the economy. Hes made it clear that his role is to provide advice, counsel and guidance as an experienced and knowledgeable health and science expert. Like New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Fauci has put opening up in the context of returning to school this fall. Cantrell: You cooperate, and your kids will be in school in the fall. Fauci: The idea of having treatments available or a vaccine available to facilitate the re-entry of students into the fall term would be something that would be a bit of a bridge too far. One reader is a self-described vulnerable demographic man of 64 on the heavy side. He goes out to stores and started personal training again recently. But, hes decided to be cautious. If I never bro-hug again, wont miss it. Same for handshakes for a while. Another reader concerns me. I wear a mask when I go out; he doesnt. I like the idea of protecting others, and being shielded by them; he doesnt think it matters. I want to stop community spread with precautions; he prefers to identify the sick and quarantine them. In his words: Those that are uncomfortable can stay home but let the rest of us resume normal life. Confine the unhealthy not everyone. Earlier this month, my friend Tim McNally, host of WGSOs Dine Wine & Spirits show that airs weekday afternoons, talked about New Orleans and the state opening up. If something he wants to see more of; I want to go slow. But we agree on some things. I didnt know what he was going to say on a recent show, but I agree. We are not done. Were not finished yet. Weve got a little ways to go. The more that we open this thing up ... there is nothing to say that we cant slip back and everything gets shut down again." Regardless of state, city and parish orders, your health, your safety and future depends on you. Take control at your house. Be focused. Be safe. Stay home. Mask up. Smile. Its better than frowning, and it looks good. This pandemic is going to be with us for a while. Cooperate and youll be around for a while, too. HOUSTON - A federal judge on Friday criticized the Trump administrations handling of detained immigrant children and families, ordering the government to give the court detailed information about its efforts to quickly release them in the wake of the coronavirus. U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee on Friday ordered the U.S. government to better explain why it hasnt released some of the approximate 350 parents and children in three family detention centres. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has come under fire for allegedly asking parents in custody if they would allow their children to be released without them. Parents at all three facilities one in Pennsylvania and two in Texas were called into short meetings and asked if there were sponsors available to care for their children, lawyers who represent the families reported that late last week. They were then asked to sign a form. ICE has declined to release the form. Gee wrote that she didnt find that ICE officially sought to get those formal waivers, but that officers conversations with detained parents caused confusion and unnecessary emotional upheaval and did not appear to serve the agencys legitimate purpose of making continuous individualized inquiries regarding efforts to release minors. While some parents reported slightly different details, the lawyers said they broadly believed they were being asked to choose between staying in custody with their children or letting their children leave. They were asking mothers to separate from their 1-year-old infants to go to a sponsor that perhaps had never even met or known the child, said Bridget Cambria, executive director of the group ALDEA, which represents families at the ICE detention centre in Leesport, Pennsylvania. The Trump administration again faced allegations that it is trying to separate immigrant families as part of an overall border crackdown. The separation of immigrant families drew bipartisan condemnation in 2018 when the Trump administration implemented a zero tolerance policy on southern border crossings. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement accused advocates of making misrepresentations and says it remains in compliance with President Donald Trumps June 2018 executive order intended to stop family separation. In a statement Thursday, the agency said the form was used as part of a routine parole review consistent with the law and Gees previous orders. The court recognized that parents, not the government, should decide whether the juvenile should be released to a sponsor, the agency said. To comply with this order, ICE was required to check with each of the juveniles and their parents in custody ... to make individual parole determinations with respect to those juveniles. In court papers filed May 15, the government noted more than 170 times that it had refused to release children currently in detention because the parent does not wish to separate. It labeled many children as flight risks without providing more specifics. Gee wrote that she didnt find that ICE officially sought to get those formal waivers, but that officers conversations with detained parents caused confusion and unnecessary emotional upheaval and did not appear to serve the agencys legitimate purpose of making continuous individualized inquiries regarding efforts to release minors. On Friday, Gee called on the government and advocates to devise a new process to determine whether families could be released. Gee oversees a court settlement known as the Flores agreement, which controls how the U.S. is supposed to treat migrant children in its custody. During the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. government has imposed an effective ban on the entry of families and children seeking asylum. It has expelled hundreds of children within a few days of their crossing the border with Mexico instead of turning them over to government facilities designed to care for them, as normally required by federal law. The agency says it releases most families from its detention centres within 20 days, the general limit under the Flores settlement for holding children in a secure facility. But many families currently in custody have been detained for months, some since last year. Advocates contend that ICE should release all families from detention especially as the coronavirus has spread rapidly through immigration detention, with more than 1,100 people contracting COVID-19 and a positive test rate of about 50%. At ICEs largest family detention centre in Dilley, Texas, the detainees include a child with epilepsy, a 1-year-old with breathing problems, and several children with heart murmurs, according to Shalyn Fluharty, director of the legal group Proyecto Dilley. ICE says it has released hundreds of people deemed to have heightened exposure to the virus, though it has contested lawsuits across the country demanding the releases of others. The Trump administration is also currently appealing Gees order last year stopping it from terminating the Flores agreement. ___ Associated Press reporter Astrid Galvan in Phoenix contributed. The judge presiding over the trial of a man charged with the capital murder of a garda during a credit union robbery has reminded the jury not to pay attention to social media. Last Monday Justice Michael White told the six men and seven women that he has mentioned it before but wished to say it again, that they are to consider only the evidence they hear in court. He added: 'Don't be on social media and don't pay any attention to any social media.' Aaron Brady has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Det Gda Adrian Donohoe who was then a member of An Garda Siochana on active duty on January 25, 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. The 29-year-old from New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh also pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbing approximately 7,000 in cash and assorted cheques from Mr Pat Bellew on the same date and at the same location. His trial at the Central Criminal Court began in January. Policing analyst Edward McGoey and Detective Garda Gareth Kenna today took prosecution counsel Lorcan Staines SC through CCTV footage and mobile phone data of phones attributed to Mr Brady and two suspected accomplices. Mr McGoey detailed contacts between the phones in the hours and days before and after the shooting. The witness, who put together graphs and charts detailing the activity of numerous phones, said that from 20:01 on the evening of the robbery until 22.45, a period of just under two hours and 45 minutes, there were no outgoing calls or texts on Mr Brady's phone. The robbery happened at shortly before 21.30 that night. Suspect A's phone records show no activity from 19.58 to 22.37 when he received a phone call from his mother. Suspect B's phone showed no activity from 20.29 on the same night until 22.48. Mr McGoey also detailed 31 interactions between phones belonging to Mr Brady and the two suspects from 19.00 and 20.30 that evening and 19 interactions between 22.30 and 23.00 that night. Detective Garda Kenna also analyzed the phone data to see if there was a difference in the length and number of calls made by Mr Brady's phone on the day of the shooting compared with previous days in the same month. He found that the average length of Mr Brady's calls from January 1 to January 25 was 68 seconds. On January 26, the average call length was 134 seconds. From January 1 to January 25 he made or received an average of 22 calls per day, the witness said. On January 26 he made or received 48 calls, more than double the average for the previous 25 days. Det Gda Kenna also went into detail about the number of interactions between Mr Brady's phones and those attributed to the two suspects throughout January 2013. There was no further evidence heard before the jury last week as trial continues in front of Mr Justice White and the jury of six men and seven women. The Dharamshala administration has said only persons with a valid address proof of Himachal Pradesh should book air tickets to the city in the domestic flight services resuming on Monday, and the flyer will have to obtain a district entry-pass. Flight services from Delhi and Chandigarh to Dharamshala will start Monday. Dharamshala will have two flights from Delhi and one from Chandigarh daily. In an advisory, the district administration said only persons with valid address proof of Himachal Pradesh should book tickets to Dharamshala. And the incoming person will have to obtain an entry pass from the concerned district administration, which will have to be shown on de-boarding the flight at Gaggal airport of Dharamshala, the administration said. "HP residents coming from red zone areas and those with ILI symptoms shall be put in institutional quarantine. And the persons, the non-residents of HP/Tourist shall not be allowed entry in to the district and they shall immediately be put in institutional quarantine before sending them back on their own expenses," DC Kangra Rakesh Prajapati said. Himachal has so far registered 185 coronavirus cases, 61 of them cured and 3 have lost their lives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The month of Ramzan has come as a boon, says Shabana. Not because it's a holy month or because it leads up to Eid but because her children don't ask her for three meals a day when they are fasting. IMAGE: A man offering prayer at his shop on the last Friday of Ramzan during the ongoing lockdown, in Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo The distraught mother, a part-time domestic worker in south Delhi, echoes thousands of devout Muslims scrambling to feed their families in an extended lockdown that has rendered them jobless and on the verge of penury. A large number of daily wage workers, including rickshaw pullers and construction labourers, and their families depend on neighbourhood mosques for their two main meals during Ramzan sehri, the pre-dawn meal at the beginning of a day of fasting, and iftaar, at the end of day. But with mosques shut, they are left to fend for themselves, underscoring once again the magnitude of the crisis of unemployment and poverty triggered by the lockdown, which began on March 25 to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Many continued to fast through Ramzan, which is nearing its end, hoping their prayers will help them pull through difficult times and looking at the fasting month as a blessing in disguise as they don't have to arrange for three meals a day. "Ramzan is a boon in such difficult times as my children fast and don't ask for three meals in a day," said 28-year-old Shabana, who goes by only one name. Her husband is stranded in Jharkhand and she lives in the Johri Farm locality in Okhla with her out-of-work brother and two children -- a 12-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter. "I was employed in three homes, but my employers asked me not to come once the lockdown began. Only one of them has paid me for these last two months when I was not working," she said. "At least, during Ramzan, I just have to arrange for two meals. For sehri, we just make do with tea. And for iftaar, we manage with whatever little food we can arrange, she added. "I can't bear to see my children's faces when they go out during iftaar time and return dejected seeing others buying delicious food which we can't afford," she said. IMAGE: Police personnel feeds pigeons outside Hazratbal Muslim shrine which is closed due to the lockdown in Srinagar. Photograph: ANI Photo Shabana is not alone in her misery. Sitara, a 40-year-old out-of-work domestic help in Noor Nagar, said all her four children fast during Ramzan. If Shabana and her family manage with tea during sehri, her children and she just drink water. Iftaar is also about just making do. "Earlier, during Ramzan, my children would go for evening (Maghrib) prayers and have iftaar at the mosque. But with mosques closed, there is just dal-roti or potato for iftaar," she said. Sitara said some of her previous employers have contacted her to get back to work but it will take some time as she injured her leg while rushing for free 'puri-aaloo' being distributed in her neighbourhood. The closing of mosques has not only hit the community iftaar made available with the people in the neighbourhood sending food contributions, but also made it difficult for charity organisations to reach out to the poor to help them in these difficult times. Maulana Arshad Madani, president of the prominent Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, said his organisation has activated the vast network of madrassas in the country and is reaching out to homes with food and financial help through them. "People from all classes, including daily wagers and the poor, would have iftaar in mosques. But they are closed this Ramzan and a major challenge has been to identify and reach out to people those in need," he said. "We have reached out to many providing financial assistance as well as food for iftaar and sehri, but obviously, many would have been left out. With so many losing their livelihood during lockdown, they would be suffering untold hardships," Madani said. IMAGE: Muslims offer prayers from the roof of their house on the last friday before Eid, during the ongoing COVID-19 nationwide lockdown, in Jalandhar. Photograph: PTI Photo The stories of hardship are many and distressing. Like that of 13-year-old Rehan, a vegetable seller, who keeps rozas' (the Ramzan dawn to dusk fast) not knowing whether he will manage a proper iftaar or have to manage by eating the tomatoes he has been selling all day. Pushing his vegetable cart with one hand and holding his physically disabled younger brother Ayaan's hand with the other, the teen sells tomatoes in the bylanes of Okhla Vihar and nearby Noor Nagar. "I am the sole bread earner of my family as my father passed away and I live with my mother, two sisters and my brother. Earlier, my brother and I used to have iftaar at mosques but that is not an option this time," he said. "Sometimes, the houses where we are selling vegetables offer us iftaar meals, but mostly we just eat some of the tomatoes we are selling," he said with a wry smile on his face, sounding wiser beyond his years. Mohammad Shaukat, an out-of-work carpenter who stays with his wife, four children and mother in an Okhla Vihar shack, has borrowed Rs 2,000 from a money lender so the sehri and iftaar meals can be managed. Recounting the travails of the family, his mother Khairunissa, who washed utensils for a living, said her son lost his job and so did she as several housing societies banned the entry of house maids amid the coronavirus outbreak. "I make iftaari from whatever is available as the borrowed money is also running out fast. We just pray for Allah to bail us out in this time our fasting will bear fruit. We stay alive on this hope," she said tearfully. Yasmeen Bano, her next door neighbour, has also borrowed money. "I have borrowed Rs 1,000 as there were no rations in the house and my four daughters were hungry. They are too small to fast, but I keep all the rozas. I just eat the iftaar meal in a day and save the rest for my children. We live by the day. I don't know whether I will have food tomorrow or not," she said. Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar during which Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk and end their fast in the evening. The month is in its fourth week now and Eid will be celebrated on May 24 or 25, depending on the sighting of the moon. A UK court on Friday directed Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani to pay nearly $717 million to three Chinese banks pursuing the recovery of funds owed to them as part of a loan agreement within 21 days. At a remotely held hearing, in line with procedures in place for the COVID-19 pandemic, Justice Nigel Teare ruled at the Commercial Division of the High Court of England and Wales in London that a personal guarantee disputed by Ambani is binding on him. It is declared that the Guarantee is binding on the Defendant (Ambani), Justice Teare's order notes. It is declared that the sum payable by the Defendant to the Claimant (banks) pursuant to the Guarantee is $716,917,681.51, it reads. A spokesperson for Anil Ambani said the matter pertains to an alleged personal guarantee for a corporate loan availed by Reliance Communications Limited (RCom) in 2012 for global refinancing. Also read: Fundraising spree for RIL's Jio Platforms makes it India's second-most valuable tech business It is emphasised that it is not a personal loan of Mr Ambani. ICBC (Industrial and Commercial Bank of China) made their claim based on an alleged guarantee that was never signed by Mr Ambani and he has consistently denied having authorised anyone to execute any guarantee on his behalf, the spokesperson said. As far as the judgment of the UK court is concerned, the question of any enforcement in India does not arise in the near future, and Mr Ambani is seeking legal advice on the future course of action, the spokesperson said. The banks Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd Mumbai Branch, China Development Bank and Exim Bank of China had taken their claim for a summary judgment to the UK High Court and in February were granted a conditional order, in effect a deposit to be paid into court pending a full trial in the case. Judge David Waksman, presiding over that hearing on February 7, had set a six-week timeline for the payment of $100 million pending a full trial in 2021. The court order this week vacates a trial date previously set for March 18 next year and also issues a court costs order in favour of the banks, adding a further 750,000 pounds to the overall amount owed. According to the court order, the nearly $717 million to be paid by Ambani comprises of the principal amount outstanding under the Facility Agreement of $549,804,650.16; interest outstanding as of May 22 of $ 51,923,451.49; and default interest due of $115,189,579.86. The final amount owed by the Defendant (Ambani) to the Claimant (banks) under the Guarantee shall be assessed subject to the outcome of the RCom Insolvency Action, the court order states, leaving the option open to the banks to revisit the final amount in future. Also read: Tranche IV an invite to world; common man left empty handed again The reference is to an ongoing State Bank of India (SBI) Insolvency Application in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in India related to Reliance Communications (RCom), which the Chinese banks' legal team had argued had no bearing on the English Court's ability to proceed to determine their clients' claims. Ambani's spokesperson said the amount ordered to be paid based on the alleged guarantee , will reduce substantially upon the imminent resolution of RCom's debt in accordance with the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, 2016. The Order of the UK court will have no bearing on the operations of Reliance Infrastructure Limited, Reliance Power Limited and Reliance Capital Limited, the spokesperson said. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd Mumbai Branch, on behalf of the three Chinese banks, had sought the summary judgment against Ambani over an alleged breach of a personal guarantee on a debt refinancing loan of around $925 million in February 2012. Ambani denies providing authority for any such guarantee, resulting in the High Court action in the UK the jurisdiction agreed upon as part of the terms of the loan agreement. At the last hearing in the case in February, Justice Waksman had ruled that he did not accept Ambani's defence that his net worth was nearly zero or that his family would not step in to assist him when push came to shove to cover the conditional order amount of $100 million. With normal life thrown out of gear by the region's worst weather disaster, the authorities have been scrambling to restore normalcy WB asks Railways not to send Shramik Special trains to state till May 26 in view of Cyclone Amphan. (PTI Photo) Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the Railway Ministry not to send Shramik Special trains to the state till May 26 in view of Cyclone Amphan. The letter from West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha to Chairman of Railway board V K Yadav dated May 22, stated that the state has been severely impacted by Super Cyclone Amphan on May 20-21 which caused extensive damage to the infrastructure. "As the district administrations are involved in relief and rehabilitation works, it will not be possible to receive special trains for the next few days. It is therefore requested that no train should be sent to West Bengal till May 26," she said. At least 86 people in West Bengal have died due to Cyclone Amphan. With normal life thrown out of gear by the region's worst weather disaster, the authorities have been scrambling to restore normalcy. West Bengal has received the least number of Shramik Special trains since such service began to ferry migrant labourers back home amid the coronavirus-forced lockdown. In fact, Home Minister Amit Shah in a letter had alleged that Bengal was not allowing its migrants to return. Later, it was decided that the consent of the destination state was not required to operate these trains. So far, over 2,000 Shramik Special trains have been operated since May 1 ferrying over 31 lakh migrant workers. Around 25 trains have terminated in Bengal so far. Australian airlines have jacked up the cost of interstate travel to make up for lost revenue amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the coronavirus hit a return flight from Sydney to Melbourne cost as little as $100 but tickets are now more than $1,000 for a return trip. According to Skyscanner the only direct flights from Sydney to Melbourne leaving on May 28 and returning on June 4 are with Qantas and cost a total of $1,304. Flying from Sydney to Brisbane and back now costs $1,730 on the same dates flying with Qantas then Jetstar on the return. Those hoping to travel from Perth to Sydney will have to pay $1,875 if they want to fly next week. To get from Melbourne to Cairns, travellers would have to fly with a mix of Qantas, Airnorth and Fly Corporate and pay $3,268. The Sydney Harbour bridge and Opera House at dusk. Return flights from Sydney to Melbourne, which are normally as low as $100, now cost upwards of $1,300 between May 28 and June 4. With lockdown and travel restrictions in place, demand for flying has decreased resulting in a drastic fall in the number of flights in between Australian cities. Some states have also imposed borders restrictions making interstate travel less attractive and more expensive. NSW, Victoria and the ACT have no border restrictions, and travellers are free to move between them without quarantining. However Queensland have closed its borders to the other states and only freight, essential workers and those travelling on business are allowed in. There are also exemptions for those with court orders and medical appointments, and special exceptions will be made on compassionate grounds. Even if you have permission to travel to Queensland from Victoria those wanting to go to Brisbane from Melbourne next week would have to pay a whopping $3,206. A tram goes by Flinders Street Station in Melbourne. NSW, Victoria and the ACT have no border restrictions, which is why flights between these locations are more abundant, although they are still expensive People swimming at Streets Beach in Brisbane, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Queensland has introduced border restrictions on non-essential travel, which has resulted in limited flights running in and out of the state Western Australia has similar bans on non-essential travel, which has resulted in limited flights in and out of the state. To fly with Qantas from Melbourne to Perth on May 26 and return on June 2 will set you back $660. Both essential and non-essential travellers are permitted to enter the Northern Territory however non-essential travellers have to self-quarantine for 14 days. Going from Sydney to Darwin with Qantas and Airnorth on May 26 and return on June 1 costs $1,798 due to limited journeys each week. Like the NT, South Australia and Tasmania both allow non-essential travellers to enter the state on the condition that they self quarantine. As a result, limited return flights from Hobart to Sydney cost $1,000 while those between Sydney and Adelaide are not as inflated and cost $224 both ways. An aerial view of Cairns in north Queensland. Limited return flights from Melbourne to Cairns now cost $3,000 On Wednesday, in an unprecedented move, two parliamentarians of the BJP, Meenakshi Lekhi and Rahul Kaswan, 'virtually attended' the swearing-in ceremony of Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen and sent her congratulations. Tsai was sworn in for her second term. New Delhi: Outraged by the subtle support that the ruling BJP extended to the democratically elected government of Taiwan, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime has asked India to "refrain from such acts." As most of the international travel remains suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic which originated in Wuhan city of Hubei province in China, Lekhi and Kaswan were among the 92 dignitaries, including US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, representing 41 countries, who virtually participated in the ceremony. Though the Indian government did not officially participate in the event, the presence of two well-known BJP MPs miffed China so much that its Foreign Ministry without naming anyone on the same day objected and hoped everyone would "support the just cause of Chinese people to oppose the secessionist activities for 'Taiwan independence' and realise national reunification." Now a counsellor (parliament) of the embassy of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in New Delhi, Liu Bing has registered CCP's protest against India's participation in the ceremony by writing to both Lekhi and Kaswan. Liu Bing shared a copy of the letter with the IANS. In his complaint, Liu called Lekhi and Kaswan's congratulatory message to President Tsai "utterly wrong" which needs to be "corrected". "The one-China principle, enshrined by the UN Charter and its relevant resolutions, is a generally recognized norm in international relations and a general consensus of the international community," he claimed. Liu Bing reminded the parliamentarians that "the Indian governments have pledged to adhere to one-China principle since the bilateral ties were established seventy years ago." "Any wrong signals" including the message of congratulation to President Tsai, Liu warned, "will encourage those separatists to go even farther on the wrong and dangerous track, which would ultimately undermine the peace and prosperity of the region." He strongly urged the BJP parliamentarians to "refrain from such acts and instead do good to support China's great cause of unification". Describing President Tsai as "the locally elected leader in China's Taiwan Province", Liu said that "unfortunately, the authority led by her in Taiwan province has refused to accept the '1992 consensus' that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one China and will work together towards national unification." "On the contrary, Madam Tsai has never renounced to seek 'Taiwan Independence' and kept engaged in separatist activities in one way or the other," he wrote in the letter. Since the Communist Party of China gained control of the mainland China in 1949, pushing out the Republic of China (ROC) government to the island state of Taiwan, the political status of Taiwan has remained uncertain. The ROC was replaced by the PRC's membership at the UN in 1971. The PRC refuses diplomatic ties with countries that recognize Taiwan as an independent state. Two more nursing home residents who tested positive for the novel coronavirus have died, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said Friday. One was an Anglo woman in her 80s who was living at Advanced Rehabilitation & Healthcare of Live Oak. The second was an African-American man in his 70s and a resident of Pecan Valley Nursing Home. Their deaths pushed the toll in Bexar County to 66. The number of people tested for COVID-19 in Bexar County has passed the 50,000 mark, and 21 new cases of the disease were reported Friday, raising the countys total to 2,392. Most of the new cases, 13, were the result of community transfer, Nirenberg said at the daily city-county briefing with County Judge Nelson Wolff. Nirenberg said the situation had improved slightly at area hospitals; the number of people hospitalized with the virus dropped from 82 Thursday to 73 Friday. Of those, 41 people were in intensive care and 21 needed ventilators to help them breathe. In recent weeks, the number of people in the hospital has been increasing from the 60s in April to the 70s and 80s this month. More Information oday See More Collapse It is a cause for concern, and we are watching it carefully, the mayor said. It reminds us all that the virus is still out there. Its absolutely critical that we continue to follow the guidelines and recommendations of our public health professionals, he added, emphasizing the need to wear masks and maintain a 6-foot separation from other people. Three more nursing homes in the area have reported positive test results: One resident at the Mission at Blue Skies, one employee at the Meridian at Grayson Square and one employee at Silver Creek Manor. No residents of Meridian or Silver Creek have tested positive. The Metropolitan Health District, with help from the San Antonio Fire Department, has conducted tests of residents and employees at about half of the 65 homes in Bexar County. Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered testing of all residents in all nursing homes in Texas; San Antonio had started doing that several weeks before Abbotts order. Overall in Bexar County, 23 nursing home residents who tested positive for the virus have died 18 of them at Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. A nurse who worked at Southeast also died after battling COVID-19 for several weeks; she is the only nursing home employee to be felled by the deadly disease. Saturday is the last day for testing at two pop-up sites: the Palo Alto College gym, 1400 W. Villaret Blvd. on the South Side, and the Nellie Reddix Center, 4711 Sid Katz Drive, on the Northwest Side. Metro Health assistant director Jennifer Herriott said there were 176 tests conducted at the Palo Alto site Thursday, with a slight decrease Friday. There were 76 tests Friday at the Reddix location, she said, but the team could have conducted 175. The tests are free and on a first come, first served basis, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. No appointment is needed, and you dont have to be showing symptoms. Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Vincent, become a subscriber. vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis Catzie Vilayphonh is photographed holding a Laos folk crown near her home in Philadelphia, Pa. Friday, May 22, 2020. Vilayphonh is a poet who runs the community arts group Laos in the House. Read more Catzie Vilayphonh will remember 2020 as the saddest Lao New Year. Normally a time to gather and reunite with friends and relatives, with rituals, foods, and familiar customs, this years celebrations for the mid-April holiday were canceled amid the pandemic. If youre living alone, you cant give yourself a blessing, said the 39-year-old poet. So you miss out on this idea of someone wishing you a great and prosperous new year. Being social isnt just about having friends and being liked. Its also about people acknowledging your presence. With the stay-at-home order in place in the city through May, Philadelphians with Asian roots have had to mark Asian American Heritage Month indoors. The pandemic has cost thousands of lives and millions of jobs, but also lost in the months of staying at home is the sense of community and culture central to many Americans, including among many immigrants and refugees. READ MORE: An Asian Heritage Month unlike any other, as communities resist racism with love Vilayphonh is one of the keepers of Lao tradition and culture in the city. Her family settled in Philadelphia when she was an infant, and she grew up translating English and navigating much of American culture for her parents. While they didnt explicitly instill in her a sense of pride in being Lao, her family did lead Vilayphonh to embrace her identity. As an artist, she writes poetry confronting stereotypes against Asian women. And in 2015, she opened Laos in the House, a nonprofit arts organization that promotes storytelling among Lao American refugees. Growing up, the people who lived in our neighborhoods or lived near the temples knew who we were, because they saw us out and celebrating, wearing our clothes and eating our foods, Vilayphonh said. To be able to celebrate our holidays in public, it took a long time to get here. Now were almost back to Square One. The way in which we celebrate traditions is to ourselves again. Maintaining the sense of shared experience has been a challenge during the pandemic, especially among older community members who either lack access to technology or arent comfortable with it. In many ways, Vilayphonh finds herself again acting as a bridge and a translator. READ MORE: Asian Americans already face a mental health crisis. Coronavirus racism could make it worse. Her latest effort through the gallery is an oral history project, Sukapop Sap! which, loosely translated, means delicious health. The premise is based around younger Laotians interviewing older family members about dishes they created in refugee camps, using food memories as stories of adaptability and survival. The recorded conversations will be posted online. Vilayphonhs work will also be featured in an upcoming show at the Asian Arts Initiative. The virtual exhibit, Thank You, No Thank You, is timed to the 45th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. It will focus on Asian refugee identity and the idea of good immigrant behavior, and examine the role American foreign policy had in their becoming refugees. Remaining a visible cultural ambassador feels like urgent work that Vilayphonh thought might not always be relevant. During the pandemic, racial backlash against Asian Americans has increased across the country, with President Trump frequently referring to COVID-19 as the Chinese virus. In Philadelphia, Asian-owned businesses have suffered as others have blamed them for spreading coronavirus. Vilayphonh said that for some of her Asian friends and family, the pandemic affects your identity and what you can and cant be proud of. This has given me pause to think about the kinds of things I would like to focus on and what is necessary, she said. You think weve made progress, but then something traumatic happens, and the whole world changes on you. From then on, Pulch says, the EU and Australia worked together on a "good cop, bad cop" routine in a bid to get more countries on board. This week, the resolution passed the assembly with a record 145 co-sponsors, including China. There are now a few burning questions. Firstly, how did the EU and Australia marshal the support for an independent inquiry, effectively sidelining the world's two major powers? And stuck between a rising authoritarian power and an erratic US President who appears increasingly disengaged from the world, does this week mark a new way forward? Can middle powers save multilateral organisations like the WHO from themselves and prevent countries from looking inward and reverting to nationalist power politics? Loading The Morrison government has faced criticism from Labor and some foreign policy experts for calling for the review before consulting other nations. They say it unnecessarily infuriated the Chinese government, and Australia didn't need to play a lead role. The Chinese Embassy in Canberra this week said Beijing was always willing to agree to a "scientific investigation" and any suggestion that the resolution was a vindication of Australia's position is "nothing but a joke". Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas and federal Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon blamed the federal government for triggering Chinese tariffs on up to $1 billion of Australian exports, saying Australia has insulted Beijing with its calls for the review. Some in Labor say we were always going to end up with an independent review, so Australia shouldn't have led from the front. Loading Senior sources within the Morrison government insist there was always method in announcing its position before getting other countries on board. Days before Payne went on Insiders, a key leadership meeting was held where it was decided Australia would publicly call for an independent review. Senior figures within the government were already concerned about the rhetoric coming out of the Trump administration, including calling COVID-19 the "Chinese virus". There was a belief forming within the Australian government that, having handled the virus better than most of the world, Australia was best placed to play a key role in calling for an inquiry. Pulch says Australia's move to get ahead of everyone else "created momentum" which "was quite helpful". With the help of the Department of Health's expert team, including its main adviser in Geneva Madeleine Heyward, DFAT negotiators went about trying to improve the wording. They convinced other countries to make it an "impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation" of the handling of COVID-19. Australian negotiators were also instrumental in putting in a separate proposal calling for an investigation into the zoonotic source of the virus, including how it made its way to humans. Loading Meanwhile, Payne spoke on the phone to about 40 of her counterparts around the world canvassing Australia's push for a review, while Morrison raised the issue in a number of his conversations and wrote to all G20 leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Australia's representative on the WHO's executive board, Dr Lisa Studdert, was also lobbying her counterparts for the review. One concern the EU and other countries, including some from Africa, raised with Australia early on was how fast Canberra appeared to want to move. Australian negotiators quickly moved to reassure these countries they were happy to remain patient. They settled on stipulating that the inquiry would begin at "the earliest appropriate moment", rather than immediately. But the EU and Australia faced many obstacles. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age can reveal that while Australia was strengthening the language, some countries, including China and Russia, were trying to water it down. This included attempts to make the review look at the "achievements" of certain countries, according to senior sources from multiple countries familiar with the negotiations. Throughout the two weeks of talks, they say there were multiple serious attempts to weaken the motion. In choosing to combine with the EU, Australia made many concessions. Morrison and Payne initially wanted the WHO to have nothing to do with the inquiry, with the Foreign Minister telling Insiders that struck her as "somewhat poacher and gamekeeper". The footnotes to the motion reveal the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee, which was set up in the wake of the Ebola outbreak in west Africa, will be the body which will conduct the inquiry. Senior sources within the Australian government say there is enough separation from the WHO committee - which consists of seven members drawn from national governments, non-governmental organisations, and the UN system - to conduct an independent investigation. European Union Ambassador to Australia, Dr Michael Pulch, at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen As Australia and the EU worked on convincing countries to sign up to the motion, the United States was being unhelpful. From the start of this month, the Trump administration was claiming it had "enormous evidence" the coronavirus outbreak originated in a Wuhan laboratory - without providing any facts to back it up. While suggesting it supported the inquiry, the US said it opposed other sections of the motion, including a call for the world to maintain support for reproductive health. The US never co-sponsored the motion. Pulch says there was a "leadership vacuum" and Australia and the EU "were able to fill it". Pulch says this week was not the first significant example of Australia and the EU - a political and economic union made up of mostly middle powers - working together on the world stage. Earlier this year, Australia bypassed the US and teamed up with Europe, China and other countries to back a new global trade dispute umpire, after the Trump administration effectively suspended the World Trade Organisation's appellate body by refusing to appoint new judges. But this shouldn't hide the fact that Australia has had a complicated relationship with multilateral groups in recent years. At times, politicians have talked down the potential role we can play on the international stage. The most glaring example was when, as opposition leader, Tony Abbott campaigned against the then Labor government's push for a seat on the UN Security Council. Once there, Australia was instrumental in setting up the independent investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. Senior figures in the Abbott government were left embarrassed they argued against the move when in opposition. Last October, Morrison used a major speech at the Lowy Institute to warn against "negative globalism" that could restrict his government from acting on its election promises. The Coalition government has not always sat comfortably in multilateral spaces such as the United Nations. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen While rejecting isolationism, Morrison said his government could not accept decisions by an "unaccountable internationalist bureaucracy" and ordered DFAT to review Australia's commitments to global institutions. After Australia's efforts on the global stage in recent weeks, the boffins at DFAT are now looking at this audit in a more positive light. Throughout the senior ranks in Canberra, there seems to be more of an emphasis on how we can improve multilateral organisations and less focus on whether we should disengage from them. Alexander Downer, foreign minister in the Howard government, says the Morrison government doesn't have any ideological commitment to multilateral institutions, which is something "you find more on the left of politics". "It has a pragmatic view of multilateral institutions if they serve our national interests we should be supporting them, if they don't then why would we support them?" Downer says. Illustration: Richard Giliberto Credit: He says this week's events marked a "prestigious moment for Australia", with the nation showing itself to be a leader in "creative and constructive diplomacy", and it could now leverage this soft power to continue to influence multilateral organisations. "The EU was very important in terms of putting forward the original resolution. It is about the overwhelming body of countries wanting this investigation and the Australian government captured not just the mood in this country, but captured a mood globally - it's how all governments felt," Downer says. Payne says the motion was about "collaborating to equip the international community to better prevent or counter the next pandemic and keep our citizens safe". "Australia has been clear and transparent in our actions and we have sought transparency and openness in the wake of the greatest global crisis since World War II," Payne says. "This approach has helped us to gain significant international support, building on Australia's strong track record in containing COVID-19 at home." Loading One of the big concerns about the WHO's performance during the global pandemic was its lack of resources and powers. Morrison has suggested the UN body should have the powers of weapons inspectors to forcibly enter countries to investigate outbreaks. Lowy Institute executive director Michael Fullilove says the reason that the WHO's powers are limited is because its member states have never wanted to be subject to more powers. "And so the reason it's hard to get a weapons inspector model up is that most nation states don't want to give an international organisation that power to come into their own territory and examine their entrails," Fullilove says. "And so, when a crisis happens, we all say 'these institutions are weak'. But before the crisis, we wanted them to be weak or we allowed them to be weak. We didn't fund them properly." Fullilove says the WHO's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has been too deferential to China, overlooking its mistakes and not pushing it hard enough for answers early on in the outbreak. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left) meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in January. Credit:Getty, digitally altered "One lesson for Australia, I think, is that we've rarely been interested in playing the politics of actively and aggressively promoting candidates for international positions," he says. "But it's important that we do that, because the difference between a good UN secretary-general and a bad one is profound. And the difference between a good WHO director-general and a bad one is significant." "It's a good time for Australia to reflect on how international institutions matter to us. We go through periods when we write off international institutions, but the truth is that for a country of our size, which regards itself as having global interests but doesn't have global capacities, having functioning international institutions that we can influence is obviously in our interest." The general view within the senior ranks of the Australian government is there have been problems with the executive and leadership of the WHO, and the buck stops with Tedros. How Australia now goes about improving the leadership of the UN body is an open question. If the world is entering a new phase of a major power contest between the US and China, then it is worth considering how multilateral organisations fared during the last Cold War. While bodies like the Security Council were effectively frozen as the US and the Soviet Union engaged in veto wars, specialist agencies like the WHO prospered in some areas. At the height of tensions, Viktor Zhdanov, deputy health minister of the USSR, called for the WHO to launch a global campaign to eradicate smallpox. A little over 20 years later, with tensions still high between the superpowers, the WHO declared the eradication of smallpox in 1980. Dr Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO's health emergencies program, says the success at the height of the Cold War was the result of "pure scientific collaboration". Ryan was recently in meetings with colleagues from Russia and the US talking about how to celebrate 40 years of smallpox eradication. "We were talking about those heroes who are left; most are people in their 80s and their 90s now, a generation who worked together at the height of the Cold War across ideological, geographic boundaries and rid this world of a huge scourge," he says. In a major revelation, Republic TV on Saturday, has accessed investigation details of terror suspects of an ISIS module - ISKP, arrested in March in connection with instigating anti-CAA protests. The couple - Jahanzaib Sami and wife Hina Bashir Beg are residents of Kashmir, reveal sources. Sami held an MBA degree, while Hina was a web-designer and worked in Delhi's Jamia Nagar. Both were arrested on March 8 and have been interrogated by security forces since then. Delhi police detains PFI member under ISIS module probe, suspected links to Delhi riots Details of ISIS module 'radicalisation' Sources state that Hina Bashir Beg - a fan of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, had followed the ISIS Facebook page in 2016 and posted about Syria, Israel, and Palestine, which led to Facebook disabling her profile. Beg allegedly met her husband Jahanzaib on Facebook and they both used 'Telegram' (social messaging app) to instigate and allegedly recruit youth to the ISIS module. Sami considered Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi as the Caliph and promoted ISIS ideology on social media platforms and made fake profiles to instigate. Sami was also allegedly in touch with the Pakistan commander of the Islamic State Of Khurasan Province (Indian branch of ISIS). Sources add that the couple was linked to Abdullah Basith - recruitment head of ISIS in India. Basith was initially arrested by Telangana police in 2015, then released on bail, before subsequently being arrested in August 2018 by NIA for alleged ISIS activities via Instagram and other social media platforms. ISIS terror suspects nabbed in New Delhi's Okhla; wanted to exploit anti-CAA protests ISKP suspects nabbed in Delhi On March 8, Sami and Beg were arrested by security agencies from New Delhi's Okhla. They were allegedly trying to exploit the protests against CAA to incite Muslim youth to carry out terror strikes. Incidentally, Okhla from where the suspects have been detained houses the famous Shaheen Bagh - where protests have been continuing since December 15. Sources claimed that links are being drawn with the Delhi riots that took place on February 23,24 and 25 - while President Donald Trump visited India, the violence increased killing 53 and injuring over 200. Delhi riots: Police's first chargesheet names Shahrukh Pathan, 2 others for opening fire Anti-CAA protests The protests against CAA which began in Assam has speedily spread throughout the country. Violent protests have been witnessed in Assam, West Bengal where numerous public property damaged and internet snapped in places. In Delhi where buses were burnt and Jamia Millia students were attacked by Delhi police, culminating into violent riots between anti-CAA and pro-CAA supporters in North-East Delhi. The biggest focal point of the anti-CAA agitation was the Shaheen Bagh protests mainly led by Muslim women and the several similar protests across the nation since December 15. Hundreds have been detained in all these states. The protests were against the amended Citizenship Act which amends the Citizenship Act 1955 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship. Anti-CAA protests: 'Government open to suggestions from protestors on Act', says official Over 250 parents gathered outside Shamrock Christian Senior Secondary School, Hambran Road, on Saturday, to protest against collection of fee amid the Covid-19 lockdown. They alleged that the school had been asking to pay the tuition fee before May 30, which has been hiked by more than 8 to 10%. In the last five days, this is the fourth protest by different parent associations against fee-related issues in the city. The parents visited the school in the morning to meet the principal to request her to waive the enhanced charges from the tuition fee. When nobody from the school authorities came out to address them, the parents started protesting. Also, one of the parents fainted as the day temperature was 40C. The protest continued for two hours and ended after polices intervention, who assured them that they can meet the principal on Monday and also submit a memorandum. Neeraj Rattan, a parent, said, My children have been studying in this school since many years, but in this time of financial crisis, we are unable to pay the enhanced tuition fee. The school authorities should cooperate with us. We have requested the state government to waive the admission fee charges. Another parent, Pawan Chawla, said, We are ready to pay the tuition fee, but the authorities have increased it. At such a time, they should not impose hefty fee charges. The school has also included computer fee and smart class charges in the tuition fee, which is not justified as the school has been closed for two months and these facilities have not been utilised. School principal P Singh said, We informed the parents to pay the tuition fee from April to June, but we did not increase it for this academic session. We will never think of enhancing the tuition fee in the times of crisis and wrong information has been circulated. We have to pay salaries to the teachers as they have been taking online classes regularly and the online assessment will start from June 1 for the students. I was not present in the school today and if any parent wants to meet me, can make an appointment. We cannot exempt the annual charges and parents have been informed to pay the same after the school reopens, she said. Tomball Memorial High School senior Kareena Pal Sharma felt disappointment as she tried grasping the idea that celebrations like prom would be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The class of 2020 valedictorian was looking forward to her senior year activities these past few months before Tomball ISD and other area districts closed schools in March. She said it felt like the last four years of hitting the books in high school were getting thrown out. However, as Sharma heard news revealing how monumental the virus would be for everyone, she realized the pandemic was bigger than just missing out on some of her last high school memories. Silver lining Seeing life during COVID-19 has allowed Sharma to find the silver lining in any circumstance. I cant do anything to make this better necessarily, but we can make the best out of the situation, Sharma said. Even though the graduation ceremony may not have happened as originally planned initially scheduled at Reed Arena at College Station; moved to an outdoor ceremony in July at Cynthia Mitchell Woods Pavilion; and now planned for June 11 at Woodforest Bank Stadium in Shenandoah Sharma recognizes that its a once in a lifetime occasion. Its been hard dealing with the fact that the class of 2020 has been impacted in such a drastic way. But Sharma appreciates the Tomball ISD administration for doing what they can to make graduating seniors feel special. To be able to represent them as valedictorian is a special feeling, Sharma said. Encouragement from loved ones Sharma is planning to attend the Canfield Business Honors Program at the University of Texas at Austin. Sharma found out about her rank for the first time halfway through 10th grade and received final ranks at the beginning of this year. The future Longhorn has always put in the most effort she can to excel and was ecstatic to learn that she was the valedictorian for the graduating class of 2020. Sharmas older sister graduated from Tomball Memorial three years ago and finished No. 4 in her class. She said her sister experienced first-hand the rigor that one goes through to accomplish those types of goals. She really felt proud of me for being able to do that, Sharma said about her sister. She was always there whenever I needed help, but we did take our own path throughout high school. Sharma knew it was something she worked for; however, she says it wasnt accomplished through a drive to be the best, but rather a drive to obtain as much knowledge as possible. After finding out, Sharma waited until she was home from school to tell her parents news of her rank. They have always stressed the importance of education and ensured she had a good learning atmosphere at home, she said. Of course, they were overjoyed to find out that I was valedictorian because thats like the biggest accomplishment academically, Sharma said. Future is bright Sharma said the COVID-19 news truly put things in perspective for her, who has since had time to reflect on her experiences and relationships while finishing school remotely. Shes reached out to teachers and educators, thanking them individually for how much they have impacted her. Things may be much different from life before the pandemic, but Sharma has been getting advice from family who have helped her move past being upset about school closures. Shes had more time to catch up with family, sit down to enjoy hobbies, and learn new things. This gave me like a pause, a breather from all that, Sharma said. Theres so much more in the future to come. To fellow seniors, Sharma expresses her congratulations for working hard and making it thought high school, even though they wont get to create some of the final memories they were expecting. We can celebrate with our family, we can take time for ourselves to grow, take a hobby and just never forget that the future is bright for all of us, Sharma said. She hopes underclassmen learn from the challenges of this year and work hard to achieve their goals. Ultimately, she said its about the individual being satisfied with their own work. Just trying to make the best of out the situation, Sharma said. alvaro.montano@chron.com By Barbara Goldberg NEW YORK (Reuters) - Caitlin Diel waited in the shower as her brother started their chain-reaction machine, dropping a marble into a tube that sent a toy train speeding, a deodorant stick flying and a stuffed bunny racing along a zip line to finally shoot a bar of soap into her hands. Cheers erupted in their bathroom in Laurel, Maryland, where, after 106 failed attempts over six hours, the Diel children accomplished their goal and qualified to enter a video contest in the age of COVID-19: build a Rube Goldberg contraption that drops a bar of soap into someone's hands. "So confident!" Caitlin said as she stood in her swimsuit, hands cupped in anticipation of the catch that would get their video into the competition run by Rube Goldberg Inc, a nonprofit organization named for the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, who drew overly complex, zany inventions. New York-based Rube Goldberg Inc holds an annual contest in which entrants string together everyday items to make complicated systems to accomplish a simple task. This year's competition to "Turn on a light" was canceled when the coronavirus pandemic shut schools - the primary participants - but was replaced by a remote video contest focused on the guidance to wash one's hands to curb the virus's spread. Winners who make the best kooky machines with 10 to 20 chain reactions to deliver a bar of soap get Rube Goldberg Swag Bags with books, water bottles, light-up hats and more. The late cartoonist's granddaughter, Jennifer George, said the competition was designed in part to keep families engaged during a seemingly endless quarantine. It aims to deliver vital lessons with creativity, artistic expression and just plain fun, she said. "If the whole trajectory of your machine is to drop a bar of soap into someone's hands, I hope that sends the message of how important handwashing is," George said. As the United States reopens, handwashing remains a key step for staying safe from the virus that has killed more than 93,000 people in the nation and more than 327,000 worldwide, health experts say. Story continues The contest's silliness is key to generating positive feelings about what may have become a negative, frightening experience for children, say mental health experts. "Every time they are coming to wash their hands, we're triggering all this fear, they are seeing that their parents are anxious," said Dr. Anne Glowinski, who teaches child and adolescent psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "Creativity and play introduces an element of pleasure and levity that is really important to connect kids. It brings more joy to the message as opposed to 'Ahhh! We have to wash our hands because of this horrible virus!'," Glowinski said. The contest has drawn at least 225 submissions from more than 33 states, cities as far away as Liverpool, England, and countries as distant as Mozambique. Winners are set to be announced on June 7. The Diel children - Madeline, 8, Caitlin, 11, and Ben, 13 - said the contest demanded brainstorming, cooperation and perseverance, and that the end result was something completely different from what they expected. "Remembering all the times that me and my family spent building that, putting it back together, it was great memories that completely erased the fear from my mind," Ben said. "When I hear 'Wash your hands' now, my mind goes to 'Ahhh, remember that Rube Goldberg machine that drew us all together - and also made us go partly insane?'" Caitlin said, laughing. Madeline added, "We were like 'We can do it!' And that's what this was really about." (Reporting by Barbara Goldberg in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis) MasterChef star Brendan Pang publicly came out as gay in June 2019, around the same time he debuted his relationship with Nick Fimognari. And speaking to News.com.au on Friday, the fan favourite revealed co-star Reece Hignell to be one of the first people he came out to. The 27-year-old explained how he turned to Reece, 28, for advice, when they both starred in season 10 of the franchise back in 2018. 'It was a special moment': MasterChef fan favourite Brendan Pang (right), 26, told News.com.au on Friday the secret he told co-star Reece Hignell (left), 28 'I'd always kind of looked up to Reece as a role model. When I was eliminated we spent a bit of time together before I left to come home, and I just opened up to him,' Brendan told the publication. 'He was surprised but he was happy. It was a really special moment and he's like a brother to me now,' the Perth-based contestant added. Brendan came out as gay in an emotional Facebook post last year. 'He's like a brother to me now': Brendan explained how Reece was one of the first people he came out to, during filming of season 10 of the franchise back in 2018 'My name is Brendan Pang and I'm 26 years old... but, for as long as I can remember and up until the age of 24 I struggled with my sense of identity,' he wrote. 'As a gay male, I had feelings of being "different" very early on, and as I navigated the bumpy road into adulthood, I went through some pretty dark times from feeling pressured to change who I was, to experiencing high levels of social anxiety. 'Thankfully, with the help of a strong and supportive network (my family and friends), I was able to not only survive the complexity of mental health, but thrive and become a stronger, happier, comfortable and proud ME.' Couple: Brendan came out as gay in a Facebook post last year, around the same time he debuted his relationship with Nick Fimognari (left) Brendan shared his story to inspire others struggling with their own identity. He was also raising awareness of the Telethon Kids Institute's Embrace program, Western Australia's first research centre devoted to the mental health of children and young people. 'We are still losing too many young people to suicide. One in five teens say they have high levels of distress. One in 12 Australian young people aged 12-17 have self-harmed,' he added. To inspire others: Brendan shared his story to inspire others struggling with their own identity While he did not take out the 2018 series of MasterChef, Brendan certainly made his presence felt. The cookbook author suffered a deep gash to his right hand during filming, when he tripped up a flight of stairs with a smashed olive oil bottle in his hand. Brendan told Who magazine at the time: 'I ran back down in shock and screamed for help.' He received 13 stitches and was back in the kitchen later that day. MasterChef: Back To Win continues Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten. Nearly every state has a citizens arrest law allowing civilians to detain someone if they have witnessed a crime being committed. Some of these laws allow only felony suspects to be held until law enforcement arrives, while others also allow those suspected of breach of peace misdemeanors to be held. Does this mean you can use any force necessary to restrain the Peeping Tom outside your daughters window or the neighborhood vandal who is spray painting your mailbox? Not exactly; its more complicated than that. People are reevaluating citizens arrest laws these days because of the Feb. 23 shooting death of jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Glynn County, Georgia. A local prosecutor blocked the arrest of Gregory and Travis McMichael, the white father-and-son duo who were seen on video pursuing Arbery through their neighborhood and whose gun caused the young black mans death. The prosecutor cited Georgias citizens arrest law when he seemed to declare the men were legally in hot pursuit and had solid firsthand probable cause that Arbery was a burglary suspect. There is absolutely no evidence Arbery, 25, was a burglar, although he was seen briefly wandering through a home under construction. Arbery was not armed as he jogged through the McMichaels neighborhood. He had no alcohol or drugs in his system when he was fatally shot twice in the chest. According to Lawrence Zimmerman, the president of Georgias Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, his states citizens arrest law says force can only be used to prevent a violent felony. What is not lawful is, you cant detain somebody and then use force, he said. It took more than two months and very public protests before the Georgia Bureau of Investigation stepped in and both McMichael men were arrested. They are charged with murder and aggravated assault. Some crime-and-justice types now argue that citizens arrest laws, on the books in Georgia since Civil War days, should be scrapped. They believe there is adequate policing these days and no need for civilians to put themselves in harms way. Others point to diminishing staffing in police departments, nationwide, and maintain citizen involvement remains key to catching criminals. Now, back to your Peeping Tom or mailbox vandal. Say you forcibly hold the person while your spouse calls police. In the scuffle the suspect has a heart attack or sustains a broken bone. Since force is, generally, not allowed under current citizens arrest laws you have just opened yourself up to possible arrest for assault or a civil lawsuit. Things can quickly get out of control. Last spring Hannah Payne, 21, likely had citizens arrest on her mind when she followed Kenneth Herring, 62, after watching him flee the scene of a fender bender. A Fayetteville, Georgia, 911 dispatcher was on the phone with Payne, urging the young woman not to confront the guilty driver. Payne did it anyway, with a gun in her hand. Witnesses say the young woman ordered Herring to Get out of the car! sounding every bit like an officer on a cops show on TV. Herring was shot in the abdomen and died. Payne now faces multiple murder-related charges. Or consider the case of Gary, Indiana, City Council President Ron Brewer. Last September he and his wife spotted his stolen Lexus with a group of teens inside. They called a 911 operator and gave chase. Brewer was caught on 911 audiotape shooting at the suspects a bullet hole was found in the trunk of his Lexus and grabbing up a 14-year old suspect telling him his mother would be getting him back in a (expletive) body bag. Instead of driving the youngster to the police station, Brewer took him home. The upshot of this apparent attempt at a citizens arrest? Brewer was charged with criminal recklessness and kidnapping. Its likely most citizens arrests go just fine. The suspect is held, officers arrive and justice is done. Police cant be everywhere, and well-meaning citizens can be an asset. I dont believe its time to scrap citizen arrest laws, although some should probably be clarified. That said, we cannot allow vigilante-style justice to take hold. Those who cross the line from Good Samaritan to imitating TV cops must be held accountable. www.DianeDimond.com; e-mail to Diane@DianeDimond.com. Sixty-one medical and nursing students are on their way home to Kerala from Raipur, thanks to the intervention of Chhattisgarh high court chief justice PR Ramachandra Menon. The students began their journey on Friday in three special buses arranged by the Chhattisgarh government after Menon sought the administrations help to get the students home. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage The students from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raipur were stranded due to the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown after regular classes were suspended on March 15. They wanted to return to Kerala after the Central government on April 29 issued guidelines permitting inter-state travel of students to their hometowns. But the lack of transport to Kerala turned out to be a roadblock for the students. A few of them contacted Supreme Court advocate Haris Beeran, who sent an email to Menon, highlighting the issue and seeking his help. I have been informed that there are students from Kerala who are stranded and would like to return to their hometown, Beeran said in his email. Beeran said the students had registered with the Kerala governments website but nobody from that state had contacted them. It has also been informed to them that there are trains running from Delhi and Punjab, which are transporting stranded students to Kerala. Since the route of these trains do not permit them to pass through Chhattisgarh, they have no other option but to seek assistance from the government of Chhattisgarh and the state government will have to take some measures to transport these stranded and helpless students back to their state, the email said. Menon, who hails from Kerala, conveyed the situation to the state government through advocate general Satish Chandra Verma. The three buses carrying the students are expected to arrive in Kerala on Sunday. More than 1,000 staff at Carluccio's have been laid off after the Italian restaurant chain was bought out of administration. It has been rescued by Giraffe and Ed's Easy Diner owner Boparan Restaurant Group, controlled by 'chicken king' Ranjit Boparan. But only 800 staff at 30 restaurants will keep their jobs, after administrators could not find a buyer for the remaining 40. Lay off: Carluccio's collapsed into administration in March after the coronavirus exacerbated its long-standing financial issues Carluccio's collapsed into administration in March after the coronavirus exacerbated its long-standing financial issues. It was previously owned by Dubai-based Landmark Group, which bought the business for 90m in 2010. Satnam Leihal, managing director of BRG, said: 'We welcome Carluccio's colleagues to BRG. 'We believe the quality hospitality businesses will recover in the long term as people return to eating out.' Nairobi, May 22, 2020 -- Ethiopian police should immediately and unconditionally free journalists Dessu Dulla and Wako Nole and media worker Ismael Abdulrzaq, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On March 7, police in the town of Burayu, on the outskirts of the capital Addis Ababa, arrested Dessu, a deputy director at the privately-owned Oromia News Network broadcaster, Wako, who contributes to the network and also reports for the radio broadcaster Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo, and Ismael, a driver for the station, according to the networks chairperson, Buli Edjeta Jobir, and CPJ reporting from the time. On March 30, a court in Burayu ordered the three employees release after prosecutors said they could not make a case against them, according to Buli and their lawyer, Mulisa Ejetaa, both of whom spoke to CPJ in phone calls and via messaging app. However, as of today, the three remain in detention, in violation of court orders issued in March, April, and May, while police claim to be investigating unspecified allegations against them, according to Mulisa, Buli, and an April 21 court document seen by 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 opposition party and also covers regional news, according to CPJs reporting. The detention of Dessu Dulla, Wako Nole, and Ismael Abdulrzaq, even after prosecutors said they had no case against them, and in defiance of court orders, is an unacceptable violation of their rights of due process, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo. They should be released unconditionally, and those responsible for infringing their rights should be held to account. The three network employees were arrested alongside two members of the Oromo Liberation Front, Gada Gabbisa and Batire File, shortly after they visited Abdi Regassa, a member of the partys leadership, who was detained at a Burayu police station, according to Buli, who was also at the station at the time, and CPJs reporting from March. The network employees knew Abdi personally and also intended to file news reports about their visit, according to Buli, who said that Ismael is also a member of the party. Police initially accused the three of illegally photographing the police station, and claimed that Ismael had intentionally involved himself in a minor traffic accident with the intention of killing the officers who arrested them, Buli said. After the police ignored the Burayu courts release order on March 30, Mulisa filed a habeas corpus application on April 6, and police were ordered to produce the detainees in court, according to Buli and Mulisa. When they did not do so, a subsequent release order was issued on April 8, Buli said. Police produced Ismael in court on April 9, but then returned him to custody and, in the weeks since, police have not complied with several subsequent orders to produce the detainees in court and to release them, Buli and Mulisa said. In the April 21 court document reviewed by CPJ, the court said police did not comply with orders, failed to produce defendants when requested, and did not provide evidence for their case. The court ordered the officers to provide an explanation during an April 23 hearing, but they did not appear in court, Buli said. On May 13, Burayu police said that Dessu, Wako, and Ismael had been transferred out of their custody, according to Buli and Mulisa. As of May 22, they were being held at a police station in Gelan, a town south of Addis Ababa, according to Buli and another source who is familiar with the case but asked not to be named for safety concerns, both of whom said the police did not disclose a reason for the transfer. In a phone call last week, Oromia regional government spokesperson Getachew Balcha declined to respond to questions on the case, and referred CPJ to the regional attorney general, Daniel Asefa. On May 14, Daniel told CPJ via phone that his office was investigating why the journalists were being detained. Today, he said that his offices inquiry was still ongoing and he could not yet provide comment. In a text message, Abebe Geresu, the deputy head of Oromias Peace and Security bureau, told CPJ that he did not know about these cases. When Jibril Mohamed, head of the Oromia Peace and Security Bureau, was reached on the phone this afternoon, he said he could provide CPJ with comment in two hours. He did not answer subsequent calls. Pippa Middleton was apparently clueless that Kate Middleton and Prince Williams wedding was such a big deal. When the couple tied the knot in 2011, Pippa went into the ceremony thinking it was just a family wedding. It was only later that Pippa realized the true scale of her sisters wedding and that people around the world tuned in to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom. Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Pippa Middleton | Ian Gavan/GP/Getty Images Inside Pippa Middletons relationship with Kate Middleton It is no secret that Pippa and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, are very close. Although Kate keeps a busy schedule, the sisters have stepped out in public on a number of different occasions and have always shared a close bond. When Pippa tied the knot with James Matthews in 2017, Kate and William were invited to the ceremony. And Kate was one of the first people who learned that Pippa was pregnant with her first child. At the time, sources revealed that Kate could not have been more delighted about hearing the good news. Pippa later gave birth to her first child in the same hospital Kate has delivered her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Newlywed couple HRH Prince William of Wales and his wife Catherine (Kate) leaving Westminster Abbey | Pawel Libera/LightRocket via Getty Images Pippa, of course, did not rise to prominence until after Kate and William tied the knot in 2011. Millions of fans tuned in to watch the couples gorgeous ceremony, which was held inside Westminster Abbey. Although the wedding was one of the grandest ceremonies of the decade, Pippa recently admitted that she did not understand the scale of the event until after it was all over. Pippa admits she didnt realize the scale of Kates wedding In a recent interview, Pippa revealed that she went into Kates wedding with the goal of treating it like any other family ceremony. According to Express, she noted that she did not realize the significance of the event until after Kate and William exchanged vows. It sounds funny to say but we as a family just saw it as a family wedding, she shared. And perhaps actually I didnt realize the scale of it until afterward. I had to make sure I helped my sister where I should and looked after the bridesmaids and pageboys. RELATED: Prince William Will No Longer Have to Carry a Passport When He Becomes King, But Kate Middleton Will Still Need ID Pippa added that she did not notice any of the cameras as everyone made their way to Westminster Abbey. She did, however, take note of the crowd of onlookers. But instead of thinking about how many people might be watching the ceremony, she thought of it as simply performing in front of a lot of people. Pippa served as Kates maid of honor during the wedding. Royal weddings typically do not have a maid of honor or a best man, and the decision to have Pippa fulfill this role put her directly in the spotlight. Although things have slowed down for Pippa in recent years, there was a time when she reportedly helped Kate deal with one of her biggest heartbreaks. Pippa Middleton reportedly helped her sister through a difficult split Kate and Pippa are only a year apart and were both sent to attend St. Andrews Prep School. This was Kate and Pippas first time away from home, and the two frequently leaned on each other for support. They developed a close bond during these early years, though Pippa would go on to attend a different college than her sister. While Pippa enrolled at the University of Edinburgh, Kate took classes at St. Andrews University, where her path crossed with William. As royal watchers are well aware, William and Kates relationship hit a major snag in 2007 when they decided to split. Kate reportedly took the breakup very hard, and Pippa was there to comfort her at their parents apartment in Chelsea. Kate Middleton arrives with her father Michael Middleton and Maid of Honour Pippa Middleton to attend her Royal Wedding to Prince William | Dave Cannon/GP/Getty Images During this time, Kate and Pippa were frequently spotted around London and it seemed like Pippas influence was making Kate happy. By that summer, of course, Kate and William had gotten back together. He would go on to propose to the future Duchess of Cambridge in 2010 during a trip to Kenya. Kate Middleton has not commented on Pippa Middletons interview about her 2011 wedding. 23.05.2020 LISTEN The trial of former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, who is the founder of the defunct uniBank Ghana Limited, and eight others has once again been adjourned to June 18. This was after an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Bright Mensah, a Court of Appeal judge sitting with additional responsibility, directed the prosecution to ensure they file all the documents they intend to use for the trial by June 15, 2020. Appearing before the court on Thursday, Stella Ohene Appiah, a Principal State Attorney, told the court that the case was originally scheduled for June 18, but they were taken by 'surprise' when they received a notice on Wednesday asking them to be in court the following day. One of the lawyers then drew the attention of the judge to the fact that they had not been served with all the documents the prosecution intends to rely on for the trial. Justice Mensah then ordered the state to ensure that they file all prosecuting documents, saying they have to make some progress in the matter at the next sitting. Trial Dr. Duffuor and eight others are before an Accra High Court for their alleged 'dishonest' spending of over GH5.7 billion belonging to customers and investors of the insolvent private bank which is now defunct. Among the accused persons charged is the former 2nd Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, under whose watch over GH450 million was allegedly doled out to uniBank without following laid-down procedures according to the Attorney General's Department. Dr. Duffuor, Dr. Asiama, Kwabena Duffuor II, Ekow Nyarko Dadzie-Dennis, Elsie Dansoa Kyereh, Jeffrey Amon, Benjamin Ofori, and Kwadwo Opoku Okoh are facing a total of 68 charges including fraudulent transactions and money laundering, but they have all pleaded not guilty to the charges. ---Daily Guide In this article TRI-CA 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. China's top diplomat criticized U.S. efforts to hold China accountable for its alleged role in the spread of the coronavirus, calling any aims to force Beijing to pay compensation for the coronavirus a "daydream." Momentum is building at the White House for another round of stimulus checks, with President Donald Trump saying this week, "I think we're going to be helping people out" and "getting some money for them." A number of issues need to be negotiated in Congress about what form the next relief package takes, but the Republican-held Senate has started to open the door to a more narrow aid proposal. The number of coronavirus fatalities in New York state have fallen below 100, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday, marking the lowest daily death toll since March 24. Based on recent travel data, national parks around the U.S. could be ideal destinations this summer as people look to get away after spending weeks under stay-at-home orders Global cases: More than 5.3 million Global deaths: At least 340,875 Countries with the most cases: United States (more than 1.6 million), Brazil (347,398), Russia (335,882), United Kingdom (258,504), Spain (235,290) The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University. French government urges citizens against planning vacations, demands Air France slash domestic travel A woman wearing a protective face mask in France. The country is slowly reopening after almost two months of strict lockdown. Pascal Le Segretain | Getty Images 11:27 a.m. London time The French government does not want its citizens planning vacations, French Environment Minister Elisabeth Borne said Sunday amid the gradual reopening of parts of the country. Borne stressed that Paris remained a "red zone" in terms of coronavirus cases. Some businesses across the country have been allowed to reopen as lockdown measures have begun to loosen. The minister also said that France's largest airline, Air France, would have to "drastically" lessen its domestic air traffic in exchange for state loan guarantees. High-speed rail can serve as an alternative to domestic flying, she told France Inter radio in an interview. The French government last month offered the carrier a 7 billion euro ($7.6 billion) state-guaranteed loan package. Natasha Turak U.K. aims to reopen elementary schools from June 1, transport minister says 9:26 a.m. London time Britain's government plans to reopen elementary schools, locally called primary schools, for some students from June 1, Transport Minister Grant Shapps said on Sunday. "That's certainly the intention," Shapps said during an interview with Sky News. Some teachers and labor unions oppose the plan. Natasha Turak China tells U.S. to stop wasting time in coronavirus battle; says pursuit of China compensation is a 'daydream' 8:42 a.m. London time China's top diplomat Wang Yi on Sunday criticized U.S. political rhetoric toward China, calling any aims to force Beijing to pay compensation for the coronavirus a "daydream" and urging the two countries to work together instead. "Some politicians have ignored the most basic facts and concocted too many lies about China and plotted too many conspiracies," Wang, who serves as China's foreign minister, said during a news conference at the Chinese parliament. "I want to say here: Don't waste precious time any longer, and don't ignore lives." "If you want to infringe upon China's sovereignty and dignity with indiscriminate litigation, and extort the fruits of the hard work of the Chinese people, I am afraid this is a daydream and you'll only humiliate yourself," Wang said. "What China and the United States need to do the most is to first learn from each other and share their experience in fighting against the epidemic, and help each country fight it." Natasha Turak China's state economic planner optimistic on improving consumption 11:58 a.m. Singapore time Reuters reported that China's state economic planner Ning Jizhe said consumption for May will point to improvement. Consumer spending has been hit globally as governments impose restrictions in efforts to contain the coronavirus. Ning, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, told reporters that April data suggests the outlook for growth in consumption is stabilizing, according to Reuters. Christine Wang Why Hollywood movie-making may become more virtual in a post-coronavirus world Sir Ian McKellen has said he was "miserable" while filming "The Hobbit," compared to playing Gandalf in "Lord of the Rings," because of too much virtual production, but the technology could become more common in filmmaking in a post-Covid-19 world. New Line | WireImage | Getty Images 4 pm ET Many Hollywood blockbusters had to shut down production during the pandemic. Weta Digital, Peter Jackson's visual effects company, thinks the post-Covid world of entertainment creation could lead to more matching of computer and live action. While virtual production is suited to social distancing, actors may not like it, and not every release is an "Avatar." There have been numerable film flops in recent years where a virtual world was key to a movie's making and marketing. Donovan Russo NBA in talks with Disney about resuming season at ESPN complex in July The NBA Playoffs logo and Official Spalding Balls before a game. Andrew D. Bernstein | National Basketball Association | Getty Images 3 pm ET The National Basketball Association is engaged in "exploratory conversations" with its media partner Walt Disney about resuming its season suspend by Covid-19, the league said. In a statement released on the league's Twitter communications account, the NBA says it wants to start the season in late July at Disney's ESPN complex in Orlando as a "single site for an NBA campus for games, practices, and housing," the statement said. On Friday, Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry told CNBC the NBA has a board of governors call next Friday where discussions about restarting will continue. "I think we'll have something, hopefully within the next 6 to 8 weeks, we should be playing," he said on CNBC's "Halftime Report." The NBA became the major U.S. sports league to suspend games on March 11 due to Covid-19. On May 8, the league officially allowed teams to re-open practice sites in areas where stay-at-home orders are relaxed. Jabari Young tweet New York coronavirus fatalities fall to lowest level since March Governor Cuomo makes an announcement and holds briefing on COVID-19 response at Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. Lev Radin | Pacific Press | Getty Images 1:32 pm ET Coronavirus deaths in New York state have fallen below 100, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday, marking the lowest daily death toll since March 24. The governor said the 84 new reported deaths was a "tragedy" but that the downward trend shows the state is making great progress. "The fact that it is down as low as it is, is really overall good news," Cuomo said during a press conference at the governor's mansion in Albany. "In my head, I was always looking to get under 100. For me, it's just a sign of real progress." Emma Newburger National parks could be this summer's go-to vacation spots A trail is marked with social distancing signs in Joshua Tree National Park one day after the park reopened after being closed for two months due to the coronavirus pandemic on May 18, 2020 in Joshua Tree National Park, California. Mario Tama | Getty Images 1 pm ET Based on recent travel data, national parks could be ideal destinations this summer as people look to get away after spending weeks under stay-at-home orders. Many national parks across the country are in the process of reopening, with iconic destinations like the Grand Canyon and Old Faithful already accessible to visitors. The parks are usually popular vacation spots in 2019, the National Park Service system received more than 327.5 million visits, according to the NPS. Riya Bhattacharjee, Hannah Miller Italy reports 119 new deaths, 669 new cases The EGOpro Social Distancing active tag is seen at the cathedral of Florence as it reopens following closure due to the coronavirus outbreak on May 22, 2020 in Florence, Italy. Believed to be the first such system in the world, the device guarantees maximum safety while visiting museums or galleries. It is a small device, provided free of charge to tourists at the beginning of the visits, which once worn signals with a sound, vibrating and lighting, that the minimum allowed distance has been exceeded and does not track the movements and data. Laura Lezza | Getty Images 12:32 pm ET Italy's death toll from Covid-19 climbed by 119 on Saturday, down from 130 new deaths from the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, according to Reuters. The daily number of new cases rose 669 from 652 on Friday, Reuters reported. Italy's death toll now stands at 32,735, the agency said. There were 572 people in intensive care on Saturday, which maintains a long-running decline, according to Reuters. The agency reports that 2.16 million people have been tested for the virus as of Saturday, according to Reuters. Chris Eudaily Digital health stocks see a surge as the pandemic accelerates industry trends Health-tech stocks vs. S&P 500 since market peak CNBC 11:46 am ET The transition to remote health services brought about by pandemic lockdowns is moving at warp speed and companies in the telehealth and remote monitoring game are on the front line of that growth. Hospitals are seeing an increase in virtual visits, CNBC's Christina Farr and Ari Levy report. Ochsner Health, in Louisiana, said it's conducted more than 120,000 virtual visits so far this year, far outpacing the 3,300 in all of 2019. "Things that were 10 years away are now here," said Jake Dollarhide, CEO of Longbow Asset Management. "As companies question, do I need a permanent office or as large an office, they're also going to say, how do I save on health plans." Since the stock market peaked on Feb. 19, the S&P 500 has fallen 13% as of Friday's close. Over that time, Teladoc has climbed 48%, while digital health management company Livongo has more than doubled. One Medical, which offers in-person and virtual services, has jumped 52%. Chris Eudaily Wuhan conducts 1.4 million coronavirus tests in one day Travelers walk to the exit of the Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province Wednesday, April 08, 2020, after 76 days of lockdown of the city due to Covid-19. Barcroft Media | Getty Images 11:15 am ET The city of Wuhan conducted 1,470,950 tests for the virus on Friday, the local health authority said, according to Reuters. The city, which is the original epicenter of the outbreak in China, had 1,000,729 tests the previous day, Reuters reported. On May 14, the city began a campaign to find asymptomatic carriers after discovering a cluster of infections May 9 and 10, Reuters reported. It was the first cluster of Covid-19 infections since the region's lockdown was lifted on April 8. Chris Eudaily Gyms reopen with more precautions and fewer customers, but health experts warn the virus risk isn't gone A person disinfects an elliptical machine at a gym in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, May 16, 2020. Louisiana entered its phase 1 of reopening on Friday after Governor John Bel Edwards loosened restrictions on certain business in the state. Bryan Tarnowski | Bloomberg via Getty Images 10:46 am ET As a handful of states begin to ease restrictions put into place to control the spread of the coronavirus, states like Texas, Florida, Georgia and Arizona have given gyms the green light to resume operations with reduced occupancy and expanded health precautions. Joe Cirulli, the founder of Gainesville Health and Fitness in Florida, said he's spent thousands of dollars in enhanced cleaning and sanitation practices for his chain of gyms, such as extra electrostatic cleaning supply to spray workout equipment daily and enough hand sanitizer and wipes to place throughout the entire gym. "We ordered everything, everything," Cirulli said. Health experts warn, however, that the coronavirus still has room to spread. While the transmission of the virus may be manageable by wiping down surfaces, Cindy Prins, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida, said that people coughing into the air in a shared space like a gym or restaurant could spread Covid-19. "I think we need to remember that this is primarily a virus spread by airborne droplets that we breathe out in the air," Prins said. "I miss the gym, I really want to go back. I'm not comfortable yet with that." Noah Higgins-Dunn Cases in Alabama are increasing with the state reopening much of its economy People sit on the sand at a public beach in Dauphin Island, Alabama, U.S., on Friday, May 1, 2020. Alabama lifted their stay-at-home order and have allowed most businesses to open, subject to sanitation and social-distancing guidelines, Alabama Media Group reported. Maranie Staab | Bloomberg | Getty Images 10:28 am ET Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey called for "personal responsibility" as the state has reopened much of its economy while pushing residents to continue health precautions, but leaders are struggling to get the public to buy in, the Associated Press reports. In the state's most populous area, Jefferson County, officials said increasing cases and hospitalizations have led to the need for tighter rules than those set by Ivey, according to the AP. New daily cases in the state have risen to 307 from 268, according to an AP analysis of testing data from The COVID Tracking Project, and the rate of daily tests coming back positive has increased from 6.7% to 7.5%. The AP used seven-day rolling averages to account for daily variability in the testing data. In many public places it is rare to see a covered face, the AP reported. "As I've gone out to some of these retail stores, I've noticed that people are not wearing masks," said Dr. Rachael Lee, an infectious diseases expert with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, according to the AP. Chris Eudaily Memorial Day will lift alcohol sales, but industry is still reeling from restaurant closures 9:52 am ET Memorial Day weekend usually drives consumers to liquor stores. But with government officials urging Americans to continue social distancing and stay close to home, consumers are unlikely to spend as much on alcohol as last year. "I'm sure that there's going to be some drop in sales," Euromonitor International research analyst Aga Jarzabek said in an interview. "It's going to be much lower than last year, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's still a pretty huge spike for Memorial Day." The alcohol industry is already reeling from the closures of bars and restaurants, although many consumers shifted to buying their beer, wine and spirits in stores or online. Amelia Lucas Here's why guidance from scientists has changed throughout the pandemic People wearing face masks as a preventive measure walk along the Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California. Ronen Tivony / Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media via Getty Images 9:28 am ET Scientists have changed their minds as new evidence has come to light amid the coronavirus pandemic. But many fear that it's making them seem unreliable, making it less likely that the public will follow their recommendations. However, science communicators say that it's "part of the process" for thinking and best practices to evolve over time, particularly in a situation when the virus is so new. Vinay Prasad, a hematologist-oncologist and associate professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco, said that the best scientists are "continually re-evaluating themselves to see what we got right and what we got wrong." As he put it: "It's a high mark to be able to say, 'I'm going to change my mind'." Christina Farr U.K.'s Boris Johnson defends key advisor who drove 250 miles during lockdown Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street in central London on May 6, 2020 to attend Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) in the Houses of Parliament. Daniel Leal-Olivas | Getty Images 9:08 am ET British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended the actions of Dominic Cummings, a key aide, who drove 250 miles during lockdown with his wife who had symptoms of Covid-19. It transpired Saturday that Cummings the advisor behind the successful Brexit campaign drove from London to Durham, in northern England, at the end of March so his son could be cared for by family if he and his wife got ill. The trip took place after Johnson announced the start of strict coronavirus lockdown measures from March 23. Opposition parties have called for Johnson to sack Cummings. On Saturday, a spokesman for Johnson said Cumming's wife has symptoms of the coronavirus at the time of the journey, and there was a "high likelihood" Cummings would also get ill. As such, the spokesman said that Cummings did not break lockdown guidelines. "His actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines," Johnson's spokesman said Saturday. "Mr Cummings believes he behaved reasonably and legally." Katrina Bishop Protests break out in Spain over lockdowns, government's handling of the pandemic Demonstrators take part in a "caravan for Spain and its freedom" protest by far-right party Vox in Barcelona on May 23, 2020. The left-wing government's management of the crisis has drawn a barrage of criticism from right-wing parties who have denounced its "brutal confinement". (Photo by Pau Barrena / AFP) (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images) Pau Barrena | AFP | Getty Images New Delhi, May 23 : Financial technology company Lendingkart Technologies, which raised over Rs 319 crore in Series D round of funding this week, has laid off nearly 200 employees (30 per cent of its workforce) in the Covid-19 times. In a statement, the company said that the outbreak of COVID-19 and the resultant slowdown has compelled it take some measures to rationalise employee base across offices to ensure long term sustainable business. "This exercise is an extension of our annual appraisal cycle, wherein we do rationalize the team by about 15-20 per cent basis performance. This year, additional right sizing has been undertaken to account for the business volumes that we anticipate in this financial year," the company said in a statement on Friday. The management and leadership team at the company has taken significant pay-cuts. "All employees exiting the company are being provided with ample notice period, extending up to 3-5 months, which is beyond industry norms, along with extended insurance and medical benefits," said the company. Lendingkart joins a growing list of startups and unicorns, like Zomato, Swiggy, Ola, Uber, Livspace and Sharechat, that have sacked employees in recent days. Set up in 2014, Lendingkart has raised over Rs 1,050 crore of equity capital from investors. "The outbreak of Covid-19 and the resultant slowdown have had a tremendous impact on the economy. During these unprecedented times, the MSMEs, backbone of the economy, have suffered significantly grappling with varied economic uncertainties," Harshvardhan Lunia, co-founder & Managing Director of Lendingkart Technologies, said in a statement earlier this week. Since its inception, Lendingkart Finance, a non-deposit taking NBFC arm of Lendingkart Group, has evaluated nearly half a million applications, disbursing more than 1,00,000 loans to over 89,000 MSMEs in 1,300 cities across 29 states and Union Territories. The company said that outplacement services are being provided to support impacted employees. Lendingkart, which has offices in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Kolkata, has a service reach across the country. Welsh Ambulance Service to host its first virtual board meeting This article is old - Published: Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 The Welsh Ambulance Service will host its first virtual public Board meeting next week. The Trusts Executive Team and Non-Executive Directors will convene for their bi-monthly public Board meeting via Zoom in an organisational first. Members of the public and stakeholders are also invited to attend via the video conferencing platform. Estelle Hitchon, the Trusts Director of Partnerships and Engagement, said: The Covid-19 pandemic means we have to work differently, harnessing technology to continue to make our Board meetings as accessible to people as possible. Weve been developing our approach to Board engagement for a number of years, and were adamant that we wanted to maintain the Boards connection with communities even during this pandemic, when transparency in decision-making and governance are arguably even more crucial. Joining us at this digital meeting of our Board is a great opportunity to learn not just about our response to the Coronavirus pandemic, but about our direction of travel as a service and the issues at the top of our organisational agenda. Its also a unique opportunity to meet our Board members, albeit virtually. The meeting is on Thursday 28 May from 9.30am-2.30pm; click here to join it. Alternatively, head to the Zoom website and click Join a Meeting with meeting ID 700 441 713 and password 444333. As states across the country have gradually pushed forward with reopening in recent weeks, protesters representing a small but apparently growing movement - especially within the Republican Party - have continued to push for it to go faster. And one very visible thing has somehow turned into a perceived political statement: wearing a mask. A reporter at a Minnesota news station - one who happens to be an old college friend of mine - was even harassed this week for wearing a mask while covering these protests. Across the border in North Dakota, though, GOP Gov. Doug Burgum on Friday offered a plea to stop the madness. Burgum suggested the debate over masks was being needlessly politicized and that those who are bucking federal health officials' guidance should rethink their posture. "I would really love to see in North Dakota that we could just skip this thing that other parts of the nation are going through where they're trading a divide - either it's ideological or political or something - around masks versus no mask," Burgum said. "This is a, I would say, senseless dividing line, and I would ask people to try to dial up your empathy and your understanding." The subtext of the remarks was pretty clear: This is a needless culture war. Burgum then want on, getting emotional. "If someone is wearing a mask, they're not doing it to represent what political party they're in or what candidates they support," Burgum said, before his voice began breaking. "They might be doing it because they've got a 5-year-old child who's been going through cancer treatments. They might have vulnerable adults in their life who currently have covid, and they're fighting." Burgum concluded his thought: "I would just love to see our state, as part of being North Dakota Smart, also be North Dakota Kind, North Dakota Empathetic." To be clear, the number of people protesting the wearing of masks is small. Scenes like the one in Minnesota are the exception, rather than the rule. But there are myriad images of people reemerging in society and, in doing so, declining to wear masks, even as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to recommend them. President Donald Trump has conspicuously declined to wear a mask during his travels in recent weeks, even as those he was meeting with did so. He eventually donned one, but only for part of the time and away from his interactions with reporters. Trump has also stressed that the wearing of masks is voluntary, which it is. But critics have alleged he's sending the wrong message about a very simple precaution - or even subtly promoting a culture war over masks. A GOP governor on Friday seemed to sense that emerging culture war - one in which declining to wear masks is seen as some kind of statement, even as it could make it more difficult to enact the reopening that protesters are calling for. So Burgum offered a very personal and powerful plea to argue about other things. And it's important to note something else about that governor: He's got one of the highest approval ratings in the country for his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, 80 percent. An eighth Amazon employee has died of COVID-19. The news comes as the company is under scrutiny for failing to be more transparent about the wider number of infections among its warehouse workers. A spokesperson confirmed the reports of the death, telling TechCrunch, We are saddened by the loss of an associate who had worked at our site in Randall, Ohio. Her family and loved ones are in our thoughts, and we are supporting her fellow colleagues. According to the company, the worker in North Randall, a village outside of Cleveland, was sent home from work on April 30. She received a positive test a little over a week later, on May 8. Amazon says it notified fellow employees of the death and has provided counseling to colleagues. The overall number of Amazon workers who have tested positive for the virus remains a mystery. The company stands by its decision not to disclose such information. We dont think that number is super valuable, it has said previously. In a statement provided to TechCrunch, it added: Our rates of infection are at or below the rates of the communities where we operate. We see that in our quarantine rates as well. Quarantine rates are a critical part to understanding whats happening in the workplace it shows that our hard work around social distancing is paying off. Unlike others who hide beyond HIPAA, we alert every person at the site anytime there is a confirmed diagnosis. This alert to employees is a direct text message noting when the person with the confirmed diagnosis was last in the building. The lack of transparency is one of a number of sources of criticism surrounding Amazons COVID-19 response. While the company has repeatedly maintained that it has done all it can to protect the employees in its fulfillment centers, potential exposure to the virus among warehouse workers is difficult to avoid, even with the proper PPE. Earlier this month, a letter from 13 state attorneys general demanded that Amazon disclose the number of workers who have been impacted by the virus. Story continues We have requested but not received information on how many of the Companies workers have been infected with COVID-19, and how many have died from it, the letter reads. Please provide a state-by-state breakdown for each Company with this information. Earlier this week, The New York Times noted one particularly hard hit warehouse in northeastern Pennsylvania, where more than 100 workers have apparently tested positive for the virus. The exact figure is unknown, as Amazon will not disclose it. Yesterday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted that at least 30 workers at the nearby Kenosha warehouse have tested positive for the virus. As more housebound Americans rely on Amazon for deliveries, workers have largely fallen under the essential services guidelines issued by many states. In mid-May, the company extended its $2 an hour hazard pay bonuses through the end of the month. Amazon confirmed that it will return to standard salaries, come June, stating: To thank employees and help meet increased demand, weve paid our team and partners nearly $800 million extra since COVID-19 started while continuing to offer full benefits from day one of employment. With demand stabilized, next month well return to our industry-leading starting wage of $15 an hour. The company has been subject to additional scrutiny over the firing of several employees that have raised public concerns over its treatment of workers during the crisis. While Amazon has repeatedly denied the firings were retaliation, the reports were enough to warrant another letter, this time from a number of high-profile senators, including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. Update: Amazon sent TechCrunch the following statement after this story was originally published, It is mind-boggling to note that a virus or disease that has no cure and has succeeded in killing tens of thousands of people globally is perceived in other parts of the world especially Africa, and Ghana to be precise, as a farce. The pandemic that has ravaged lives and collapsed economies of developed nations such as US, China, Italy, Spain, UK, and many others who have first-class health systems, is perceived in Africa especially among the rural folks as false gold, unrealistic and above all nonexistent. This perception, is born out of sheer illiteracy, ignorance, and the beliefs of the people who have enslaved them for centuries. It is shocking to note that one is almost ridiculed and berated when you appear in the countryside or visit the rural folks and raise the issue of the dreaded virus. Many people don't take you seriously! It is a worrying development and a recipe for human tragedy yet to befall Africa in this 21st Century. Therefore, the assertion that Africa is on a dangerous bearing to destruction with this perception if not nibbed in the bud, is obvious and bound to be actualised! Unfortunately, our government's composure and commitment to fighting the virus as our common enemy is so politicised and reduced barely to mere window-dressing exercises. It touches my heart that our already collapsing health systems which are not only inadequate in terms of hospital infrastructure but poorly resourced in terms of advanced equipment and other relevant logistics are what we have as a country to be able to respond to the health needs of the populace. What is happening in Africa, in my view, is a failure of political leadership! I am not a prophet of doom, but the attitude of governments, and indeed, the very people who are most at risk in terms of getting infected with the deadly virus are the greatest obstacle to fighting the pandemic. The tragic consequence of this virus could be more devastating in Africa than even in Europe and America because of our attitudes, culture, beliefs, the political season, the rainy season and then the non commitment on the part governments in fighting the virus. That our governments are not committed is amply demonstrated by the lack of well organized education programs to deconstruct the mindset of the rural folks to accept practising the best practices that could help reduce the spread and help bring the situation under control. Governments have paid very lip services to the situation and some have even politicised it by distributing resources to their supporters in the name of fighting corona virus. It is a common knowledge that governments in Africa have attacked critics who thought they are not on top of the fight against the monster virus. Instead, governments continue to praise themselves in the fight against corona virus despite the astronomical increases in virus case counts in various countries in Africa. The apparent closure of borders by governments are just mere rhetorical talks on weekly basis because there are several instances especially in Ghana where foreigners have found their way into the country despite the fact that the borders were closed and some cities partially shut down. And this poses the question of the job quality of our security agencies in the country. One cannot stop but blame African leaders in the first place by allowing the virus into Africa. Some of the African leaders continued to travel abroad at the time the virus was ravaging Europe and China for whatever reasons God knows why! At the time they were supposed to close our borders, they were rather lavishing abroad as if they were immuned from it, or that the virus was far away. It is this attitude of lukewarmness and lack of the political will on the part of our governments to fight the dreaded pandemic that has brought us into this seemingly dangerous valley of no return. The same attitude is what our rural folks have adopted thinking it is either far away or that it is deceptive; that there is nothing like covid19 that actually kills. Conclusively, it appears the announcement of recovery figures has not done us much good as people think they can be recovered if infected. The initial scare by the virus has died down completely. And I think the earlier African leaders stop announcing recovery figures publicly the better for us. Our governments must rethink and take a new paradigm shift in terms of their posture, attitude, and commitment to combating the virus. Thank you! Yentik Gariba Email: [email protected] Ghana Northeast Region Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, has been granted at least a temporary reprieve from having to respond to questions in a civil lawsuit that alleges she committed sexual battery against a teenage girl, a federal magistrate judge ruled on Friday. Maxwell, who has been accused in several lawsuits of facilitating or participating in Epstein's abuse of girls and young women, sought the delay because of an ongoing federal criminal investigation into Epstein's alleged co-conspirators and because a victims' compensation fund proposed by Epstein's estate is said to be nearing final approval. "I'm permitting her not to respond to [written questions] and not to have her deposition," Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman said in her ruling from the bench. "Not forever, but at least long enough to let us know whether the claims process is likely to go forward." Freeman made her ruling in a lawsuit filed against Maxwell and Epstein's estate last November by Annie Farmer. Farmer alleges that she was recruited and groomed by Epstein and Maxwell in 1996, and that Maxwell sexually assaulted her at Epstein's New Mexico ranch when Farmer was 16. MORE: Epstein estate has failed to turn over any documents: Victims' attorneys "Annie was extremely distressed and afraid. She was a child in a massive ranch in New Mexico, away from her family in Arizona, and isolated from any source of help. She was alone with Epstein and Maxwell," Farmer's complaint says. An attorney for Farmer argued against the delay, noting the uncertainty surrounding the potential length of the criminal investigation. "We have no indication of any time frame with respect to ... how long that investigation could go on," said Sigrid McCawley, the attorney for Farmer and four other victims suing Epstein's estate. "And to not be able to get discovery and ask Miss Maxwell questions ... that puts us in handcuffs with respect to being able to establish our claims." Story continues PHOTO: Lawyer David Boies, left, and Brad Edwards, right, speak to the press along with alleged victim Annie Farmer after a bail hearing in financier Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking case on July 15, 2019 in New York. (AFP via Getty Images, FILE) Responding to those concerns, Freeman said she had "no desire to have this drag out" and asked to be updated in mid-June on the status of the investigation and the victims' claims program. Maxwell, 58, has not been seen in public in several months and her whereabouts are unknown. She has denied Farmer's claims and the allegations that she facilitated Epstein's alleged crimes. "She absolutely denies that she participated in this or any other sexual abuse or trafficking or assault, and no court, judge or jury has ever determined that she has," wrote Maxwell's attorney Laura Menninger in a letter to the court this week. MORE: Ghislaine Maxwell, citing death threats and extensive legal fees, sues Jeffrey Epstein's estate Menninger also claimed that the litigation was taking a financial toll on Maxwell. "Unlike the estate, she is not a multi-millionaire and must self-fund her defense," she wrote. In March, Maxwell filed her own lawsuit against the late financier's estate seeking reimbursement of her legal fees and personal security costs. She claims that Epstein had repeatedly made "clear and unambiguous" promises to always support her financially, according to her complaint. Epstein died by suicide in jail last August, according to the New York City medical examiner, one month after his arrest on child sex trafficking and conspiracy charges. Epstein pleaded not guilty to the charges. In court filings in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Farmer has indicated a willingness to take part in the voluntary claims program if it moves forward. Nearly 70 other alleged victims have also expressed an interest in participating in the program, which could resolve dozens of claims against the estate without litigation. FILE - This March 28, 2017, file photo, provided by the New York State Sex Offender Registry, shows Jeffrey Epstein. Federal prosecutors said Thursday Jan. 9, 2020, that jailhouse video no longer exists of the area around Jeffrey Epstein's jail cell (The Associated Press) But the program's approval has been held up for months after Denise George, the attorney general for the Virgin Islands, filed criminal liens against Epstein's estate, effectively freezing all the assets of the $634 million estate worldwide. George has objected to some terms of the restitution plan, which she argued did not comply with the laws of the Virgin Islands or fully protect the rights of Epstein's victims. In the court hearing Friday -- which was conducted by telephone due to the COVID-19 pandemic -- estate attorney Bennett Moskowitz said that the major issues have been resolved with the attorney general, and that he expects the program to be approved within a week. "There are a few less contentious matters to iron out. But it is our firm expectation that by sometime next week, that resolution in principle will be formalized," Moskowitz said. In a statement to ABC News Friday, George concurred that the parties are "near agreement upon the terms of the fund," which she said would be "a substantial improvement" from the original proposal from the estate. She said she remains opposed, however, to the estate's requirement that victims "sign broad releases to protect other individuals who sexually abused them." The estate has recently amended the release in an effort to address the attorney general's concerns. "In the interest of allowing the program to move forward, the Attorney General's Office has been working further with estate counsel and the victims' attorneys on an agreement in principle, which is still being drafted," George said in the statement. During the court hearing on Friday, Moskowitz also contended that some of the victims' attorneys were unnecessarily driving up the costs of litigation by demanding the estate search for and turn over documents that aren't relevant to their cases. "Every dollar we're spending in the meantime is money that will never be available for that program," Moskowitz said. 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. (Patrick McMullan via Getty Image, FILE) McCawley had contended in court filings earlier this month that the estate had failed to produce even a single document in response to their discovery requests, and she had sought court intervention to require the estate to search for documents covering the entire time frame of Epstein's alleged abuse of young women and girls. The victims are seeking photographs, video and audio recordings from Epstein's airplanes and homes, financial records and communications with his alleged co-conspirators, employees and government officials that span a period of nearly two decades. In court Friday, McCawley acknowledged that the estate had begun to produce some documents this week relating to her clients, but argued that other relevant evidence was improperly being withheld. MORE: Victims allege Ghislaine Maxwell is purposefully evading justice system "Our position is that, with respect to our client's claims in each of the cases, information relating to Epstein's abuse of other victims is highly relevant," McCawley said. "The pattern of how he lured girls and then abused them is relevant to our clients." Attorneys for the estate have countered that the victims' demands are disproportionate to the needs of the cases. "If everything related to any allegedly bad thing Mr. Epstein ever did is relevant in each action, well, then it could take me six months or a year to finish looking for every piece of paper at every property Mr. Epstein owned," Moskowitz said Friday. Court agrees to delay testimony of Jeffrey Epstein confidant Ghislaine Maxwell in civil suit originally appeared on abcnews.go.com With 782 new cases in the past 24 hours, the total number of infected people hits almost 10,000. Afghanistan has recorded its highest daily increase in the number of coronavirus cases as authorities have called for a strict lockdown during the Eid al-Fitr holidays. The countrys Ministry of Public Health said on Saturday 782 new positive cases of coronavirus were recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected people to almost 10,000. The number of cases nationwide has doubled in just 10 days, raising fears of a wider outbreak across the country. Health ministry officials said Kabul, a hotspot for the virus with 377 reported cases in 24 hours, will be under lockdown during this weekends Muslim Eid holiday in an attempt to contain the spread of COVID-19, which has killed 216 people in the country. There will be strict restrictions on unnecessary movements in Kabul, the interior ministry said. All the roads in Kabul will be closed during Eid. Authorities imposed a nationwide lockdown after the first cases were reported in February, but people have largely ignored the regulations. Doctors warned that many people believe the virus is not serious and will continue to ignore the lockdown, especially during Eid. As Eid approaches, many people will go outdoors resulting in crowds gathered at shops. Some people also continue to go to shops without wearing a mask and gloves, Dr Akmal Sahar, a specialist at a government hospital in Kabul, told Al Jazeera. Doctors and officials warn that the number of cases could double if people do not stay at home during the Eid holiday, in which people traditionally visit the homes of relatives. We are concerned that if the lockdown is not imposed properly, the number of cases will get out of control and beyond our capacity to treat or test them, Deputy Health Minister Waheed Majroh said. We want a strict lockdown, he said ahead of Eid. Sahar noted that it was down to people to maintain social distance and follow the health guidelines and stay indoors, because if such negligence continues, numbers will double and triple in the next few days. Sahar said that while some of those infected in remote areas came to cities for treatment, it was nearly impossible to record the number of infections or deaths in the remote regions. There are parts of the country that are under the control of the Taliban group, where it is hard for the government to access data. He said limited coronavirus testing capacity is a major challenge in the country. 200507165515729 Nearly 30,000 people have been tested since the country with a population of around 37 million reported its first case. More than half of samples have tested positive in the past two days. Earlier this month, two senior health officials told Reuters news agency that more than a third of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Kabul area were among doctors and other healthcare staff. The two officials, who asked not to be named as they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, said at least 13 doctors had died in different parts of the country last month and in the first week of May. Afghanistan has roughly 172 hospitals, and four doctors per 10,000 people, according to a 2019 government report. The healthcare system is dependent on millions of dollars in foreign donor aid for support. Oregon man caught in Lyon County with $900,000 worth of marijuana The Castlefen residential area in Sallins could become the first recognised Age Friendly estate in Ireland. The national Age Friendly Ireland programme supports cities, counties and towns across Ireland to prepare for the rapid ageing of our population by paying increased attention to the environmental, economic and social factors that influence the health and well-being of older adults. The initiative came from the Castlefen residents themselves. The whole community of Castlefen supported the project and all of the improvements carried out to date were as a result of needs identified by the older residents themselves. During the research phase of this audit it became clear that Castlefen has a larger number than average of older residents and people with disabilities which makes its implementation even more important. Castlefen Residents Association is also responding to the needs of their older population in relation to Covid-19 by putting measures in place such as calling older residents by phone just to check in to see if they need any assistance or reduce the feeling of isolation. They have also sent postcards to the older residents in the estate and are currently distributing relevant flyers and posters to residents. As we look around the estate we can see that our friends and neighbours are fast approaching old age and as a result we decided to be proactive and put measures in place to future proof Castlefen to be age friendly. We're proud of the progress were making, said residents association chairperson John McLoughlin. Some work like a walkability audit has been undertaken but this is a project that could take up to five years. We will do the work in phases and in conjunction with Kildare county council who have come on board fully and who have been excellent, especially Carmel Cashin. Its an exciting time for the residents and were looking forward to accommodating the needs of all ages in the area, added Mr McLoughlin. Footpaths, walkways and age friendly parking are to be provided while the community centre will be made more physically accessible. Some 8% of Castelfens population is over 55 and 51% is aged between 20-55, indicating the area will have a large older population. Some work like a walkability audit has been undertaken but this a project that could take up to five years, said Mr McLoughlin. Every day, MySA.com compiles the latest headlines and helpful links on the COVID-19 pandemic in the San Antonio area. Hoax assertion: Chairwoman of the Republican Party of Bexar County, Cynthia Brehm, told several supporters Friday that the coronavirus was a hoax perpetrated by the Democratic Party. Democrats quickly responded by issuing a statement that said Texas Republicans were downplaying the threat from the virus and had mismanaged the health crisis. More coronavirus cases in S.A.: Metro Health reported 26 new cases of novel coronavirus Saturday, said Mayor Ron Nirenberg, bringing the total number in Bexar County to 2,418. No new deaths were reported Saturday; the death toll stood at 66. Corrected stats: Texas included tens of thousands of antibody tests in its daily reports on COVID-19, skewing the recent picture of the outbreak and the states response as it scrambled to ramp up surveillance of the outbreak. Health experts advise against including the tests because they dont necessarily help define the current outbreak. Coronavirus cases update: Forty-nine more San Antonio area residents have tested positive for novel coronavirus, Mayor Ron Nirenberg reported Thursday, increasing the countywide total to 2,371. There was one new death, increasing the total to 64. Nirenberg noted that testing has increased, which is driving up the number of positive cases. The return of live music in S.A.: What would that look like? Not the way it did on March 7 at Sam's Burger Kitchen, that's for sure. The Good Newsletter: A weekly dose of inspiring San Antonio stories, delivered to your inbox How to help the hungry in San Antonio: Several food pantries have popped up around town, and heres how to donate to them. Stipend planned for area unemployed: Bexar County and San Antonio officials are looking to put $450 per week into the hands of thousands of unemployed workers while they train for new, post-coronavirus careers. COVID-19 Tracker: Interactive maps track coronavirus cases in San Antonio, Texas counties and the U.S. THE GOOD NEWSLETTER: A weekly dose of inspiring San Antonio stories, delivered to your inbox Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd. (HKG:3618) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in 4 days time. You can purchase shares before the 27th of May in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 13th of July. Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank's next dividend payment will be HK$0.23 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed HK$0.23 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank has a trailing yield of 7.8% on the current share price of HK$3.2. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. As a result, readers should always check whether Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut. Check out our latest analysis for Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Fortunately Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank's payout ratio is modest, at just 26% of profit. Generally speaking, the lower a company's payout ratios, the more resilient its dividend usually is. Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. SEHK:3618 Historical Dividend Yield May 22nd 2020 Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing? Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. This is why it's a relief to see Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank earnings per share are up 4.1% per annum over the last five years. We'd also point out that Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank issued a meaningful number of new shares in the past year. Trying to grow the dividend while issuing large amounts of new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Story continues Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank has delivered an average of 6.4% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past eight years of dividend payments. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders. Final Takeaway Has Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? It has been growing its earnings per share somewhat in recent years, although it reinvests more than half its earnings in the business, which could suggest there are some growth projects that have not yet reached fruition. In summary, Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank appears to have some promise as a dividend stock, and we'd suggest taking a closer look at it. On that note, you'll want to research what risks Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank is facing. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank and understanding them should be part of your investment process. We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Lee Rim has captured Luna. He offers her the life of Jung Tae Eul in the Republic of Korea. Luna, struggling to live a life of her own, is attracted to the offer. The royal palace was on high alert and made preparations for the funeral of Prince Buyeong. King Gon is in anguish while presenting the funeral ceremonies of his uncle. Prince Buyeong stood as his second father after he was orphaned at a young age. He protected the royal palace and ensured to guide King Gon as he grew up. It was a big shock to Lady Ok-Na that she lost her strength and needed to rest after the rites. Minister Koo received the evidence of pictures showing Lee Rim is alive, and the incident in the city with King Gon is true. Republic of Korea Jung Tae Eul is busy tracing all the people connected to Lee Rim. Shin Jae is interested in gathering and solving puzzles as this would lead the answer to his existence in the current world he is in. They are now after Song Jeong Hye, the woman that will lead them to Lee Rim. She is the wife and mother of King Gon in the world of Korea. King Gon's existence in Korea ended at the age of 7 years old as Lee Rim killed the boy to stop it. The Kingdom of Corea The eldest son of Buyeong has been dethroned from his succession of his father's place. He is set to leave the country after the funeral service. Meanwhile, Luna is ready to leave Corea and prepares to carry a life she wanted to experience. Minister Koo published articles related to Lee Rim's existence and dishonesty of the palace in hiding the information from the public. Republic of Korea Shin Jae is tailed and attacked by Lee Rim's men. They handed him a phone that will be used for receiving calls from Lee Rim. Tae Eul is shocked to see all the blood in her friend's arm. They plan to wait for Lee Rim's call, and both face him when the time comes. The Kingdom of Corea King Gon discovered that his uncle used to visit the "Eosu bookstore" located in Busan. He went to check with the men who work for Lee Rim, but they didn't share any information. King Gon ordered to behead Kim Gi Hwan, one of the men who supported Lee Rim the night his father was murdered. He was captured in Korea and brought back to the kingdom. The law of execution surprised everyone since, for the past 62 years, the kingdom never ordered such a punishment, only King Gon made it happen. Republic of Korea Tae Eul saw a familiar face, and as she approached it, it's Koo's existence in her world. Luna prepared herself to look like Tae Eul. She bought hair color and studied how she talks and behaves with her family. Lee Rim brought Luna to Korea to live Tae Eul's life. Tae Eul practiced a few kicks at her house. She felt the urge to drink and grab some water but was left unconscious. The Kingdom of Corea King Gon found the bookstore in the slum area of Busan, where Lee Rim's men hide. He ordered the royal guards to invade the place and kill anyone that comes out of the bookstore. He also discovered that Lee Rim is exchanging people with their counterparts in both parallel worlds. Now, his next mission is to save and protect Tae Eul. Meanwhile, as Tae Eul woke up, she is held hostage by armed men in a remote place. The boy who plays a yoyo who claims to restore balance in both worlds came to her rescue. She then managed to overpower the gang and took a getaway car. She learned while driving that she is now in Corea. Tae Eul reached the city and found a phone booth. Struggling to walk and tired, she dialed King's number and asked for help from King Gon. As she hung up the phone, a big truck slammed the booth just in time for her to jump and save herself from death. She beat the driver as he tried to grab her. Tae Eul moved away and walked to the center of the road. She realized that a group of gangs is coming her way. She was feeling hopeless as she raised her gun, pointing to them. As she was about to succumb to hopelessness, the roaring sound of helicopters and police sirens gathered around to cover where she was standing. A loud sound of galloping horses came from behind. King Gon advances and orders his men to protect the woman in the center - she is the future queen of Corea. King Gon and his men overpower all the gang members, and he runs towards Tae Eul. He hugs her tight as she cries in pain. Charlagmagne tha God (L) and Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden on "The Breakfast Club" on May 22, 2020. (Screenshot/The Breakfast Club) Bidens Remarks on Breakfast Club Reveal Nostalgia for Racism Commentary We used to call it identity politics, but, amid their myriad unmaskings of recent days, the Democrats have rendered that term too polite and unmasked themselves for what they really areracists. On May 22, their presumptive presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden, told black radio host Charlamagne tha God on the syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club, presumably speaking to the audience in general: If you have a problem figuring out whether youre for me or Trump, then you aint black. You cant get much more racist than thaton multiple levels from the pseudo-Ebonics language, to the implication that African Americans cant read unemployment figures, to the repulsiveness of telling people as distinguished as Larry Elder, Jason Riley, Star Parker, Sen. Tim Scott, Shelby Steele, and Thomas Sowell, to name just a few, that they arent black. But I wasnt surprised. As someone who has spent a good deal of time on both sides of the political equation, I have long ago concluded the Democrats accusations of racism toward Republicans were 90 percent projection and 10 percent lies. Compare the persons mentioned above with Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and Rep. Maxine Waters. Which ones are the racists? Which ones depend on race, only on race, and more specifically on racial divisiveness, for their fame and fortune? How has it come to this? Somewhere around 2003, I had one of those aha! moments that clarified for me how this all happened. A man named Michael Berman emailed out of nowhere asking if he could take me to lunch. I didnt recognize the name and was naturally hesitant until I discovered he was the brother of Howard Berman, for many years the powerful congressman from Los Angeles San Fernando Valley. Of course, Howard was a Democrat. What would Michael want with me? It turned out he was a political pro, I learned while having lunch with him at a restaurant on the Sunset Strip. He had an impressive resume, having guided campaigns for the likes of Sen. John Tunney and Gov. Jerry Brown, not to mention his brother. So you made your political change because of 9/11, he said to me. Hed evidently been reading my blog, which, in those days, was something of a small meeting place for people who were moving from left to right. I nodded, even though it was more complicated. I beat you by 10 years, he responded. Wait. What? This big-time political pro had views opposite the politicians he worked for? I thought you , I said. Thats my business, he said. Its not what I think. No wonder he had wanted to have lunch. He was, I suddenly realized, akin to a sinner looking for expiationor something like that. So what made you change? I asked. What the Democratic Party did to black people, he said flatly. Stunned, I stared past him across the expanse of Los Angeles. We were sitting at an outdoor restaurant on the Sunset Strip because Berman was a chain smoker. Over his shoulder, I could see the endless stretch of South Central LA, the citys largely black ghetto, which included Compton and Watts of riot fame, areas that never seemed to improve no matter how many promises were made by liberal politicians. What the Democratic Party did to black people, indeed. Years of exploitation flashed in front of my eyesfrom LBJ using the n-word to brag about how African Americans would be Democrats forever after his Great Society onwards, through many proposals and pledges that were supposedly progressive but were separatist, even destructive, in actuality. The black family, as we knew it, Berman pointed out, was disintegrating before our eyes due to social welfare programs that, despite good intentions (or were they?), were more addicting than uplifting. As a former civil rights worker, it was a difficult meal to digest. But once I did, it became clear to me that most of the Democratic Party had abjured the goal of Martin Luther King for a colorless society and had what I called a nostalgia for racism in my 2016 book on moral narcissism. Letting go of the racial divide was too difficult a task because it meant letting go of what too often defined their sense of self, reactionary as that was. Not letting go also yielded brain-dead remarks like the one we just heard from Joe Biden (the candidate has already apologized for being too cavalier). But it was worse than that. This nostalgia for racism has served to both create and preserve racism in a society that was, until recently, freeing itself from it. And until the Democratic Party understands and abandons what its doingsomething highly unlikely in the short runthis is going to continue. The Democrats are the party of racism. They love it. They cant live without it. Roger L. Simon is The Epoch Times senior political analyst. His book I Know Best: For Moral Narcissism Is Destroying Our Republic, If It Hasnt Already was published by Encounter in 2016. Rush Limbaugh discussed it on his syndicated radio show earlier this month. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Juba, South Sudan (PANA) - The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has condemned a fresh wave of intercommunal violence in the worlds youngest nation, South Sudan, that has left hundreds dead across 28 villages in Jonglei State, according to local authorities CYNTHIA CHANDRAN By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Over the past decade, close to 2,000 people have died in the state due to various communicable diseases. Deaths have resulted from epidemics like dengue, leptospirosis, malaria, H1N1, chickenpox, fever and Nipah, among others. That none of these diseases have foolproof vaccines makes the situation all the more grave. As indicated by the low mortality rate for a more infectious Covid-19, the states health sector has risen up to meet any crisis. But statistics show that it has been a dismal failure in sustaining systematic surveillance programmes to contain epidemics. From 2011 to 2019, 1,343 Malayalis died from various communicable diseases in government hospitals alone. Deaths in private hospitals add a few hundred more every year, data for which is unavailable. The figure is exclusive of epidemics like acute encephalitis syndrome, Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis A and B, cholera, diphtheria, typhoid, diarrhoea, scrub typhus, Kyasanur forest disease (monkey fever) and West Nile fever which have accounted for another few hundred deaths. During 2006-07, more than 100 lives were lost to Chikungunya. The then state government under V S Achuthanandan managed to contain the epidemic through vector-control methods. Unfortunately, dengue, H1N1, leptospirosis and fever-related illness continue to take a heavy toll. Dr V Meenakshy, additional director of health services (public health) told TNIE that dengue remains a huge challenge. Dengue and leptospirosis have been a bane for us with repeated outbreaks. H1N1 has occurred almost every season. Despite bringing in vaccination for dengue, people still get affected," Dr Meenakshy said. Better waste management has helped contain H1N1 while effective treatment, personal protection and penicillin have enabled leptospirosis to be negated to an extent, she added. Dr T Jacob John, emeritus professor at CMC Vellore and the brain behind the setting up of the Kerala Institute of Virology and Infectious Diseases in Alappuzha, said the lack of a public health surveillance system is hitting Kerala hard. During 1997-98, Dr Jacob and his team had visited 128 towns across Kerala to study private and public sector hospitals, coming up with a surveillance system. Under his insistence, the Kerala Leptospirosis Elimination Programme (KLEP) was launched during P Sankarans tenure as health minister, in 2002. Dr Jacob laments that this report must be lying in some ministerial shelf in the Secretariat, or else, several lives could have been saved from this epidemic alone. You cannot get rid of leptospirosis (the disease-causing bacteria being a soil organism), but can eliminate it from humans. The state government had accepted the report but failed to implement it. Keralas health sector is good at managing crises, but never sustains surveillance programmes, the 84-year-old said. Last year, 20 people died of chickenpox. Dr Jacob is furious about this statistic, terming death due to chickenpox as "unethical". If I was the health minister, I would have brought out vaccines for chickenpox, he said. But he credits the Pinarayi Vijayan government for taking steps to combat coronavirus even before the Centre arose from its slumber. The quarantine and infectious disease control was so perfect that the rest of the countries took notice of what K K Shailaja, the health minister, was doing. Kerala has received huge grades for combating Covid-19. Every other state imitated Kerala, which became the model and not the Central government," Dr Jacob said. Muslims worldwide will celebrate one of their biggest holidays under the long shadow of the coronavirus, with millions confined to their homes and others gripped by economic concerns during what is usually a festive time of shopping and celebration. The three-day Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan for the world's 1.8 billion Muslims. People usually celebrate by traveling, visiting family and gathering for lavish meals all of which will be largely prohibited as authorities try to prevent new virus outbreaks. The holiday will begin on Saturday or Sunday, depending on the sighting of the new moon, and the dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan will come to an end. Copy Some countries, including Turkey, Iraq and Jordan, will impose round-the-clock curfews for the duration of the holiday. In Saudi Arabia home to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina people will only be allowed to leave their homes to buy food and medicine. But even in countries that have largely reopened, the holiday won't be the same. Most restrictions have been lifted in Jerusalem, but the Al-Aqsa mosque compound the third holiest site in Islam will remain closed until after the holiday. Shopkeepers in the Old City, which has been emptied of tourists and pilgrims since March, are reeling from the effects of six weeks of lockdown. The Jafar family's famous sweets shop in the Old City is normally a hive of activity, with tourists and locals enjoying knafeh, a syrupy cheese-filled pastry. These days the seating area is empty and dark as only takeout is allowed. "It had a huge impact on us," said Ali Jafar, one of the owners, as he worked the counter. He said business has dropped by more than two thirds, forcing them to lay off 10 workers. In Egypt, authorities have extended the nighttime curfew, which will now begin at 5 p.m. instead of 9 p.m., and halted public transportation until May 29. Shopping centers, malls, beaches and parks which would ordinarily be packed will be closed. Manal Zakaria, who lives in the city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast, said her family usually celebrates by gathering for big meals, singing, dancing and taking group photos. "I am very, very, very sad because I will not be seeing my siblings and their children," she said. "No matter how much we talk over the phone, there is nothing like coming together." The virus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most people, who recover within a few weeks. But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems. In Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority country, President Joko Widodo said restrictions would remain in place through the holiday. The country, with a population of 270 million, has reported more than 18,000 cases, including around 1,200 deaths. "I emphasize, there is no relaxing the policy of large-scale social restriction yet," Widodo said during a virtual Cabinet meeting on Monday. Since the start of the Ramadan, the government has imposed an outright ban on "mudik," a holiday tradition in which millions of Indonesians living in big cities flock to their hometowns to celebrate with relatives. Health experts had warned it could set off a wave of new cases. "This ongoing pandemic has changed our tradition, separated us in celebrating Eid," said Noor Hidayat Asri, a civil servant in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta. "We are like dealing with a merciless and invisible enemy this time around." Malaysia will allow people to visit relatives who live nearby, but such gatherings are limited to 20 people. Visitors are urged to wear face masks and to refrain from hugging, kissing and sharing plates. Some mosques have reopened, but congregations are limited to 30 people. India's 172 million Muslims are also preparing for a subdued holiday, with large gatherings banned. They have faced heightened stigma, threats and boycotts by many Hindus, who blame the local outbreak on a three-day convention of Islamic missionaries held in March. In some states, Indian Muslims have launched campaigns urging people to refrain from buying new clothes for the holiday and instead give to the needy. In Iran, which has endured the deadliest outbreak in the Middle East, authorities have imposed few restrictions ahead of the holiday aside from cancelling mass prayers in Tehran traditionally led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has faced criticism for not imposing the kind of lockdown seen elsewhere in the region, but authorities have said they had to weigh the effects on an economy eviscerated by U.S. sanctions. Iran has reported nearly 130,000 cases and more than 7,000 deaths, but the rate of new infections has declined in recent weeks. In Iraq, the government has allowed most businesses to reopen in the last few weeks but plans to reinstate a 24-hour curfew over the holiday. The streets were busy in the days leading up to Eid as people shopped for clothes, toys and home appliances. "Many people buy presents for Eid. It's good business for us," Ahmed Hashem said as he arranged bicycles outside his shop. "The past few months have been difficult." In war-ravaged Somalia, authorities have urged the cancellation of large gatherings and celebrations, but it's unclear whether that will be enforced. Shoppers have packed into markets and shopping centers in the capital, Mogadishu, in recent days. In the United Arab Emirates, home to the futuristic commercial hub of Dubai, parks and private beaches will be open but groups will be limited to five people. Children under 12 and adults over 60 are barred from malls in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and other restrictions limit the number of people allowed inside. Restaurants can only operate at 30% of capacity. Despite the more relaxed approach aimed at buoying the economy, the government announced a nationwide curfew during Eid al-Fitr lasting from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. By PTI MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Jayant Patil on Saturday praised Bollywood actor Sonu Sood for arranging buses for migrant workers desirous of returning to their homes. Noting that Sood has played a villain in some of his films, the water resources minister termed the actor as an "inspiring hero" in reality. "Sonu Sood is arranging buses for migrants who want to go back to their homes. He is trying to help as many migrants as he can.The on screen villain is an inspiring hero in reality! God bless him @SonuSood," tweeted Patil, who heads the state NCP unit. He also shared a picture of Sood standing near the buses reportedly arranged by him to ferry migrant workers. NEW HAVEN A 27-year-old man was shot early Saturday morning while in the drive-thru of a city restaurant, according to police. Capt. Anthony Duff said the man, suffering from a gunshot wound to the top of his head that was not life-threatening, arrived by private vehicle at Yale New Haven Hospital around 3:30 a.m. Officers learned the shooting occurred in the drive-thru lane of a restaurant at 280 Kimberly Ave. Detectives responded to the hospital and the restaurant, Duff said in a release. Duff asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the New Haven Police Department at 203-946-6304. A 43-year-old man was also wounded Friday night around 8:30 p.m. on Grand Avenue, police said. Three other men were shot in Fair Haven Thursday afternoon. One of the men, Roberto Rivera, 34, a city resident, died. His death is being investigated as the fourth homicide of the year in New Haven. New Haven police report that, as of May 10, 22 people had been shot in the city this year, including four in roughly the month prior. That was down from 27 and seven during the same period in 2019. Incidents of shots fired were up this year, 65 compared to 57. Homicides were up as of May 10, three to one. Police Chief Otoniel Reyes noted this week that trend would soon even, as two people were killed during this period of time in 2019. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com Nestle, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and Sahel Grains have awarded three young farmers who have embraced agriculture as a business at Tumu in the Sissala East District of the Upper West Region for their excellence in maize farming. This strategic partnership formed in July 2019 between Nestle, AGRA and Sahel Grains initiated the Youth Agri-preneurship Development Program (YADIS), to build the capacity of young farmers to address youth unemployment and to mitigate the declining workforce in agriculture due to ageing farmers. The YADIS program since inception has trained 226 Young Agri-preneurs with females representing 36%. As part of the partnership, AGRA provides financial and technical support, Sahel Grains implements the YADIS program and buys the grains produced by the farmers for further cleaning and aggregation, while Nestle provides technical assistance and ready market for the high-quality gains produced which meets the quality standard required for the production of Nestle Cerelac maize variant. The recognition of the three for outstanding youth on the program for their exceptional performances is as a result of their output by applying trainings in good agronomic practices, post-harvest handling services, grain quality management and crop aggregation. The awardees, Nagali Adams a 28 year old university graduate, Dajan Adams a 37 year old SHS graduate, and Kasim Sakina a 26 year old female university graduate, have received 1.5 metric tons of Yara Actyva fertilizer from YARA, support for an acre model farm, a certificate of honor, and Nestle food and beverages. Together, Nagali, Dajan, Kasim and the other youth on the YADIS program are not only making a business in agriculture, they have become role models for their peers and ultimately saving Ghana foreign exchange that hitherto could have been used to import maize into Ghana due to the high standards that Nestle requires for the production of baby food. Speaking on video, Fatih Ermis, Head of Agricultural Services at Nestle Central and West Africa said we entered this partnership to help equip and encourage young people to create jobs in Agriculture as it is an attractive venture. This will help bridge unemployment gap and help young people earn sufficient income to manage their families and have decent life in the rural area thereby reducing rural-urban migration. For us at Nestle, this is a way we contribute to building thriving and resilient communities through agriculture. He added that the project is targeting to achieve minimum $2400 income for every Young Agri-preneur with improved technology and skills. AGRA Ghanas Country Manager, Kofi Biney, noted that AGRA is delighted to support this program which is helping ensure the future of young farmers not only in Ghana, but also in Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria. He indicated that the objectives of YADIS is consistent with AGRAs goal to transform smallholder agriculture from a solitary struggle to survive into farming as a business that thrives. He added that, "YADIS program has trained 226 young agripreneurs in Ghana 72 of them women in good farming and post-harvest management techniques, to help them gain a better appreciation of the business side of farming, Kwame A. Boateng, the Founder and CEO of Sahel Grains, said that Ghana can meet the highest and most stringent maize quality standards, evidenced by our ability to consistently meet the highest quality requirements that Nestle demands. Additionally, we are able to export maize to the UK and other countries in Europe. This is a testament to hard work and dedication of the young and talented farmers that we work with under the Youth in Agriculture program (YADIS). 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 Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, May 23, 2020 08:16 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9bdf70 1 Editorial Idul-Fitri,Ramadan-2020,ramadan,Muslim,pandemic Free Faith thrives in adversity. If anything, the worlds three major faiths were founded on the idea of suffering. Christianity was born out of the suffering of Jesus on the cross and the belief that he died for all our sins. In Judaism, one of the most sacred holidays is Passover, which commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. One of the defining moments in Islam is when Prophet Muhammad ordered his followers to relocate to Medina, to escape persecution from pagans in Mecca. And it was after this event, known as Hijrah, that Islam thrived as a sociopolitical entity. Islam itself was founded on the idea that the best way to live is modestly, if not in austerity, as exemplified by the life of the Prophet. In Islam, there is no sin greater than an extravagant display of wealth and power, and just like any revolutionary faith, Islam is eternally concerned with the plight of the poor and the downtrodden. In the early years of Islam, zakat (tithes), sadaqah (alms) and waqf (endowments) played a key role in poverty alleviation. Read also: Idul Fitri falls on Sunday, government declares And theres nothing better to illustrate the merit of modesty and righteous concern for the poor than Ramadan. More than the idea that fasting can have health benefits for Muslims, the ritual was in fact an exhortation to the faithful to show an act of solidarity with the poor who have little to eat. When Ramadan fasting wraps up, Muslims are obligated to pay alms, which will then be distributed to the poor. As they fast this year, Muslims the world over have the perfect opportunity to experience the true meaning of modesty and austerity. In Indonesia, under the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), Muslims can spend their days inside their homes, refraining from eating and drinking, while performing other rituals that could augment their sense of piety. If anything, during a pandemic of biblical (or Quranic) proportions, Muslims can relive the experiences of suffering of the chosen people of the past, who most often came out the other side stronger and more devout. But it isnt always that way. Until recently, regular folks appeared to have failed to grasp the true meaning of Ramadan. Ramadan is the time of year when food consumption reaches its peak, with shopping malls and grocers mobbed by families wanting to get the best meals to break the fast. And as Idul Fitri approaches, more fortunes will be spent on new clothes and other worldly possessions. And even during this pandemic, some Muslims have wanted to continue doing things the old way. Many continue to congregate in large numbers, including for dining and shopping. The effect has been immediate. Read also: Concerns rise as shoppers throng malls despite pandemic This week, we saw the largest daily spike in the number of deaths and number of new COVID-19 cases since the country begun taking records. So, celebrating Idul Fitri modestly this year not only makes religious sense, but can also help in the fight against COVID-19. Eid Mubarak everyone, stay safe. (Newser) Back in January, as tensions between the US and Iran were rising, some experts feared President Trump might consider turning to nukes to remedy things. Now, sources tell the Washington Post that the Trump administration has broached the subject of holding a nuclear test, the first time the US has done so in nearly 30 years. A senior administration official and two ex-officials say the topic came up during a May 15 meeting of top reps from the national security agencies, in response to rumors that Russia and China are carrying out low-yield nuclear tests of their own, even though both countries have said that's not true and there's been no evidence (at least not any that's publicly available) to show that. The US hasn't conducted such a test since September 1992, and the Post notes "serious disagreements" arose at the meeting over the possibility. story continues below Advocates argued that such a demo would show Russia and China that the US is able to "rapid test," which could give the US leverage during nuclear regulation negotiations. Daryl Kimball, head of the nonprofit Arms Control Association, disagrees. "If this administration believes that a nuclear test explosion and nuclear brinkmanship is going to coerce negotiating partners to make unilateral concessions, that's a dangerous ploy," he tells the Post. One source says the possibility of holding a test is "very much an ongoing conversation," even though the May 15 meeting didn't end with any movement on it, but another source says the meeting ended with a decision to go down other paths instead to push back on the Russia-China threat. Kimball stands by his assertion a nuclear test would be a mistake. "It would be the starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race," he says. (Read more nuclear test stories.) It's not just the customer-facing part of the food service industry that's finding itself disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Food service distribution companies -- those one-stop suppliers that sell everything from food and beverages to paper goods, cleaning supplies, and small equipment - are being equally stressed. With restaurants as well as retail food service locations in business, industry, and education either shutting down or drastically downsizing, food service distributors are experiencing substantial drops in revenue and profit. The three major players in the distribution industry - Sysco, Performance Food Group, and US Foods - have all reported significant declines in sales, and several smaller firms have already shut down for good. Chain restaurants, especially those with well-developed drive-through and curbside pickup programs, have been able to maintain business volume better than independent restaurants, but those multi-unit operations are often supplied through in-house subsidiaries rather than traditional distributors. Independent restaurants are thus the bread-and-butter of the food service distribution industry. Not having the purchasing leverage of large chains, independents typically pay full list price for wholesale food and supplies, making them the most profitable of customers. As independents have shut down - some permanently - distributors have been consequently taking revenue and profit hits. Add to that the business lost from closed-up school lunchrooms and college dining halls, and the impact on the distribution business is adding up. Industry observers predict that the ultimate result of this crunch will be consolidation, with the major distribution firms acquiring financially-weakened smaller wholesalers. For restaurants that's likely to result in fewer supplier choices and higher wholesale costs that they, in turn, will have to pass on in their menu prices. Side dishes Bistro Les Gras in Northampton has expanded their "to go" options by announcing an a la carte menu that will be available on Thursday and Friday evenings beginning at 4 p.m. The menu will be revised weekly. "Hot and ready to eat" options available will include choices such as crab toast with avocado, herb roasted chicken, Parisienne gnocchi with mushrooms and asparagus, and salmon finished with an arugula and sorrel pesto. Pre-ordered "Family Meals" continue to be available; these require early-week preorders at the restaurant's website, bistrolesgras.com. Max Burger in Longmeadow has, effective May 15, begun to accept lunch to go orders The restaurant is additionally offering weekend BBQ Packages sized for two or four diners. Available for pickup on Fridays and Saturdays, the BBQ packs include baby back ribs, pulled pork, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, mac & cheese, potato rolls, and assorted cookies. The BBQ bundle components are packed cold for at-home reheating Orders must be called in by 4 p.m. on Friday. Max Burger answers at (413) 798-0101. MAX Restaurant Group locations in Connecticut that have patio seating are now providing outdoor dining Wednesday through Sunday, weather permitting. Check maxrestaurantgroup.com for more information; individual locations in Connecticut should be contacted for advance reservations. Chez Josef in Agawam is prepared to assist with small group outdoor get-togethers; it's "Chez2Go" program provides two options to spice up weekend plans. Chez2Go's "Build Your Own Barbecue," which is designed for two, includes entree selections, three sides, and two beverages as well as dessert. Main course options include ribs, pulled pork salmon, and lemon thyme chicken. A "Grill 'N' Chill Experience" can be sized to accommodate four, eight, or more. Two starter selections are included in the package along with four sides, three desserts, and two fruit-infused beverages that can double as cocktail bases. Grill-ready main dish selections range from black bean veggie burgers and pesto shrimp skewer to salmon fillet, BBQ ribs, and tri-tip steak. Orders must be placed 24 hours in advance and are available for curbside pickup or delivery within a 30-mile radius. Call (413) 355-5393 or go to chezjosef.com for online ordering information. The Federal in Agawam is offering "Federal Family Packages" on Tuesday through Saturday evenings. The packages, which are sized to serve five, include a choices of salad, an entree such as chicken Bolognese, truffled mac and cheese, rosemary roasted chicken, or red wine braised beef short ribs. A dessert selection from among such temptations as vanilla poppy-seed cake, warm Nutella crepes, and pecan caramel cheesecake is also included. A significant subset of the restaurant's regular menu is additionally available for take-out, including such favorites as "a bucket of balls," seared sea scallops, and Federal fra diavolo. Individual-portion takeout can be ordered on line at thedfederalrestaurant.com, but family package orders can only be placed by phone at (413) 789-1267. Delivery is available to Agawam, Feeding Hills, and Suffield addresses. Stay-at-home and lockdown orders have changed the way America lives, with independent restaurants and major chains alike consequently forced to rethink the way they do business. In a recent interview with Nation's Restaurant News, which reports on trends in the food service industry, Scott Murphy, the president of Dunkin', described the shifts in business one of the country's largest "coffee-and" chains has experienced over the past several months. Instead of coping with peak traffic levels as people commuted to work, Dunkin' is now instead seeing a late morning drive-through uptick in business as at-home workers take a break by getting out of the house for a bit. Pre-boxed assortments of donuts to-go have replaced the pick-and-choose ritual of the past, and the chain is now providing a curbside pickup option. Murphy also revealed that Dunkin' is in no rush to re-open inside seating, and he speculated about whether doing so would even make sense under social distancing protocols. Current company plans call for testing inside seating in a few locations, then evaluating its overall impact on operations before making any decision on a chainwide move in that direction. The entire article can be read online at nrn.com/restaurants-ready/dunkin-adapts-coronavirus-era-customers-find-new-uses-restaurants. Figaro Restaurant in Enfield continues its family meal takeout specials, offering both customer favorites like chicken francese and rigatoni Bolognese as well as the likes of baked ham with mashed potato and scrod Florentine with ziti and spinach. All family meal specials are sized to serve five and come with salad and bread. The restaurant is also offering jumbo chicken wings with a choice of ranch dressing or homemade blue cheese dip. Consistent with Connecticut's guidance on reopening restaurants, Figaro Restaurant plans to offer outside dining on Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening, with tables available on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Figaro at (860) 745-2414 for more information or to order from the take-out menu. The Duck in Sturbridge is welcoming the unofficial start of summer with a "Build a BBQ" program of pre-portioned and grill-ready items and prepared side dishes. The array of choices is extensive, from frenched pork chops and NY sirloin steaks to house-made knockwurst, jerk chicken, and vegetable kabobs. Sides include Caesar salad, pasta salad, and marinated mushrooms to a variety of sauces. Orders can be placed online at table3restaurantgroup.com/bbq. Same day pickup after 2 p.m. is available for order placed before 11 a.m. The Duck is also offering a separate to-go menu; call (508) 347-2321 for more details. The shift to online food ordering has not been lost on PepsiCo Inc, which produces soft drinks and snack foods under the Frito-Lay brand. PepsiCo has launched two new web sites, PantyShop.com and Snacks.com, each of which offers bundled selections of food and beverage products. Pantryshop.com, for instance, features family pack assortments of items containing the likes of Smartfood popcorn, Life cereal, and Quaker Oat granola bars, while Snacks.com allows online shoppers to customize a bundle of snack foods from FritoLay's extensive brand lineup. Shipping is free with a minimum $15 order. Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community Colleges hospitality and culinary arts program and has nearly 45 years of restaurant and educational experience. Robert can be reached on-line at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.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. The historic role of Linda Vista, a distinctive San Diego community, has been set right again. The neighborhood between Mission Valley and Clairemont Mesa was the site of a wartime visit by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1942 to dedicate what was among the first, if not the first, self-contained shopping centers in America. Advertisement World War II created a desperate need for housing for defense workers. The federal government turned Linda Vista into a construction zone: 3,000 homes and 750 dormitories were built in just 159 days. With instant housing came a need for instant shopping, and the federal government built 12-acre Linda Vista Shopping Center. The center was demolished in 1972, however, and a commemorative plaque went missing. Thanks to Carrie Beinert and the Linda Vista Town Council, a piece of history has been restored. A plaque installed a few weeks ago reads: This site was the location of one of the first planned shopping centers in the United States. The Linda Vista area was developed as a government housing project for aircraft and shipyard defense workers during World War II. The original shopping center was built to serve the residents and was dedicated in 1942 by Eleanor Roosevelt. Demolition of the original shopping center occurred in 1972. Linda Vista Development Corporation, 2009 Linda Vista was a retail pacesetter in 1942, but today lacks a major grocery store. Putting up housing quickly was doable in the war years, but today the smaller lots inhibit expansion or renovation of older homes. Instead, Linda Vista has become San Diegos melting pot, providing entry-level housing for each new wave of immigrants. Its a community of pride, of people proud to be in America, grateful for opportunity. Linda Vistas Community Plan and a new development near the Friars Road trolley stop point to a future direction: Mixed-use housing and retail in a walkable neighborhood. Meantime, a new plaque points out moments from Linda Vistas past. The SpaceX Falcon Heavy launches from the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Fla., on Feb. 6, 2018 (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images) NASA, SpaceX Bringing Astronaut Launches Back to Home Turf CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.For the first time in nearly a decade, U.S. astronauts are about to blast into orbit aboard an American rocket from American soil. And for the first time in the history of human spaceflight, a private company is running the show. Elon Musks SpaceX is the conductor and NASA the customer as businesses begin chauffeuring astronauts to the International Space Station. The curtain rises next Wednesday with the scheduled liftoff of SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule with two NASA astronauts, a test flight years in the making. The drama unfolds from the exact spot where men flew to the moon and the last space shuttle soared from Kennedy Space Center. While Floridas Space Coast has seen plenty of launches since the shuttles farewell tour in 2011even at the height of the CCP virus pandemicthey were for satellites, robotic explorers, and space station supplies. The only route to orbit for astronauts was on Russian rockets. NASAs newest test pilots, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, are launching from home turf with SpaceX presiding over the countdown. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken, right, with Doug Hurley talk to the media in front of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, about the progress to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station, from American soil, as part of the agencys commercial crew program at SpaceX headquarters, in Hawthorne, Calif., on Oct. 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Getting a chance again to see human spaceflight in our own backyard, Behnken said. Thats the thing thats most exciting for me. The cosmic-size shift to private companies allows NASA to zero in on deep space travel. The space agency is busting to return astronauts to the moon by 2024 under orders from the White House, a deadline looking increasingly unlikely even as three newly chosen commercial teams rush to develop lunar landers. Mars also beckons. Were building momentum toward a much more exciting future, said John Logsdon, founder of George Washington Universitys Space Policy Institute and a professor emeritus. The Russian launch site in Kazakhstan is out of the way and out of sight. Launching crews again from Florida is sure to fire up the public, Logsdon noted. Adding to the appeal is the flash generated by Musk, SpaceXs chief executive, designer and founder who shot his red Tesla Roadster into outer space two years ago during the first flight of a supersized Falcon Heavy rocket. In a touch of Musk showmanshiphe also runs the electric car companyHurley and Behnken will ride to the launch pad in a gull-winged Tesla Model X, white with black trim just like the astronauts spacesuits and the rocket itself. The Dragon riders appreciate Musks hands-on approach. On more than one occasion he has looked both Bob and I right in the eye and said, Hey, if theres anything you guys are not comfortable with or that youre seeing, please tell me and well fix it. Hurley said. While trumpeting the return of astronaut launches, NASA is urging spectators to stay away because of the pandemic. But beaches near Kennedy are now open, and the local sheriff is welcoming visitors even though inside the space center, the number of guests will be severely limited. Among the exceptions: both astronaut wiveswho have flown in space themselvesand their young sons. Vice President Mike Pence, chairman of the National Space Council, is also going, and President Donald Trump told reporters Thursday that hes thinking of attending, too. Liftoff is set for 4:33 p.m. EDT Wednesday. Its going to be a great inspiration to the country next week to see you two go aloft from the Kennedy Space Center, Pence told the astronauts Tuesday. It will be just the fifth time NASA astronauts strap into a spanking new U.S. space system for lift offfollowing Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and shuttle. NASA owned and operated all those spacecraft, built by contractors to NASAs precise specifications. The commercial crew program, by contrast, calls for private businesses to handle and own it all, with input and oversight by NASA. Only three countries have launched humansRussia, the United States, and China in that ordermaking SpaceXs attempt all the more impressive. My heart is sitting right here, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said, pointing to her throat at a news conference earlier this month, and I think its going to stay there until we get Bob and Doug safely back from the International Space Station. Hurley, 53, a retired Marine, and Behnken, 49, an Air Force colonel, will spend one to four months aboard the orbiting lab, currently down to a three-man, half-size crew. Theyll lend a hand with experiments and possibly spacewalks, before ending their mission with an Atlantic splashdown, a scene not seen for a half-century. As liftoff looms, the two are hesitant to consider their place in space history. It seems premature until weve pulled it off, Behnken said. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said the United States needs its own access to the space station in order to take full advantage of the $100 billion labthe sooner, the better, pandemic or no. When shuttle Atlantis soared for the final time on July 8, 2011, with Hurley as the pilot under commander Chris Ferguson, NASA envisioned a gap of three to five years. Ferguson now works for Boeing, the other company hired by NASA in 2014 to transport crews. Plagued with software problems, Boeings Starliner capsule is still a year from launching with Ferguson and two NASA astronauts. While disappointed Boeing is trailing, Ferguson said hell cheer Hurley and Behnken from the sidelines. The SpaceX duo will lay claim to a small U.S. flag that flew on NASAs first and last shuttle flights, and was left on the station by Ferguson and Hurley for the first commercial crew to arrive. Regardless of who might get there first, its a win for America, Ferguson said NASAs commercial crew effort builds on industrys space station shipments, now in the eighth year. SpaceX led the field with its original Dragon cargo capsules. Musks California-based company was also first out the gate with its souped-up, tricked-out Dragon crew capsule. Crew Dragon made its debut early last year, launching successfully to the space station with a test dummy named Ripley after the Alien films hardcore heroine. But the next month, the capsule exploded on the engine test stand at Cape Canaveral, a monumental setback. Boeings Starliner capsule made its premiere last December with Rosie the mannequin, but ended up in the wrong orbit. Boeing will repeat the demo this fall, on its own dime, before putting Ferguson and the others on board. Wayne Hale, a retired space shuttle flight director and program manager who serves on the NASA Advisory Council, views SpaceXs upcoming astronaut flight as an experiment with lessons carrying over to Artemis, NASAs new-generation, moon-landing effort. Hale and others contend SpaceX and Boeing could be flying astronauts by now if Congress had provided more funding early on. The contracts with NASA are worth billions. NASAs inspector general has estimated the per-seat cost for SpaceX at $55 million, while the price of a Russian Soyuz seat has averaged $80 million in recent years. Boeings Starliner will top that: an estimated $90 million a pop. An earlier NASA test pilot, Robert Crippen, wishes at least one space shuttle had kept flying until a replacement was ready. The longest previous hiatus between astronaut launches stretched six yearsfrom Apollo-Soyuz in 1975 to the shuttles debut in 1981 with Crippen and John Young. Crippen also wishes the shuttles replacement was more futuristic-looking and landed on a runway. The capsule has the familiar cone shape, but inside touchscreens replace the customary, countless switches. The walls are gleaming white, not dull gray. Theres even a curtained-off toilet. It has built-in escape engines designed to fling the capsule off the rocket in an emergency, from the time Hurley and Behnken strap in until they reach orbit. This crew will have a good escape system, Crippen said. John and I had our ejection seats, but they wouldnt have done much for us on liftoff, sending them straight through the rockets trail of fire. A capsule is generally simpler and thus safer than a winged spacecraft like the shuttle, Hurley and Behnken noted. In terms of launch power, the relatively small Falcon 9 has far less than the space shuttle did, another layer of safety. But its still just the second flight of the crew capsule, and the statistics will tell you thats riskier than the 15th flight or 20th flight of the vehicle, said Hurley, a former fighter pilot. At the suggestion of its technicians, SpaceX added photos of Hurley and Behnken to every work order as a constant reminder that livesnot just freightare at stake. I dont think I need to remind my employees how important this is, Shotwell, the company president, said. They remind themselves. By Marcia Dunn Epoch Times staff contributed to this report. Amidst tension between Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday met the latter at Raj Bhavan. Raut later said that it was a courtesy call and there were no differences between his party and the Governor. Raut remarked that the relations between Koshyari and chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray are like those between a father and son. The meeting lasted for more than 20 minutes and Raj Bhavan later tweeted that it was a courtesy call by the MP. Rauts visit is being seen as an attempt to attain a truce between the ruling party and Raj Bhavan. The meeting assumes significance as Raut had staunchly criticised Raj Bhavan for the delay in appointing Thackeray to the legislative council after the state cabinet recommended his name for the seat. Raut, while speaking to the media after his meeting, said that there were no differences between his party and the Governor. The relations between the Governor and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray are very cordial and they respect each other. There are no differences between the two. Their relationship is like a father-son duo, he said. The Governor on Friday had taken strong objection to higher and technical education minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samants letter to the University Grants Commission (UGC), requesting it not to conduct final year exams in the wake of the pandemic and lockdown. Governor Koshyari asked the CM to resolve the issue of the exams in the larger interest of the students. This is believed to be another episode of the ongoing tussle between the Governor and state government. Raut, however, tried to downplay the issue after the meeting and said, The letter to the UGC was a personal opinion of the minister. What the Governor has said is his opinion. The issue will now be resolved by due deliberation. Significantly, Raut has been a harsh critic of Koshyari. He had criticised the Governor by raising questions over delays in Thackerays appointment to the council. Who is stopping him [Koshyari] from approving the recommendation? he had questioned. Raut had earlier tweeted: Raj Bhavan, governors house should not become centre for political conspiracy. Remember! History does not spare them who behave unconstitutionally. @maha_governor. Besides the tussle between the party and Governor Koshyari ahead of the government formation, there have been many occasions of tiffs between the ruling parties and Governor in the last six months. This is believably an attempt by the chief ministers party to extend an olive branch to the Governor for them to begin the new relationship, said a Sena leader. The MVA government made up of Sena along with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress is also wary about the Governor not approving names given by the state for appointments to the 12 legislative council seats. The governor-appointed seats will fall vacant within the next three weeks. The attempt by Raut is also reportedly to minimise potential differences over the appointments. FILE PHOTO: Ford logo is seen at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A group representing many major automakers on Friday backed the Trump administration's decision to weaken Obama administration fuel efficiency standards but said it opposed further reductions in requirements. In March, the Trump administration issued final rules requiring 1.5% annual increases in efficiency through 2026 - far weaker than the 5% increases in the discarded Obama-era rules - but abandoned its August 2018 proposal to freeze requirements at 2020 levels through 2026. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing General Motors Co, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Toyota Motor Corp and others -- on Friday intervened in a litigation on behalf of the Trump administration, saying it believed the Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration "lawfully exercised their discretion in setting their standards in accordance with the applicable statutory requirements." The group added the new standards "properly balance improvement in fuel economy and (greenhouse gas) emissions performance. The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) in April asked a federal appeals court to order the administration to reconsider its plan, saying it should have further reduced or frozen the requirements. The group argues the agencies "failed to adequately consider the adverse traffic safety impacts of their chosen fuel economy standards." The auto group opposed CEI's legal challenge. Five automakers -- including Ford Motor Co and Volkswagen AG -- that announced separate agreements with California on fuel economy standards in 2019 are not participating in the legal intervention. Representative Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, criticized the automakers' announcement, noting they previously intervened on behalf of the Trump administration in support of a separate regulation to strip California of its right to set emissions rules. Story continues "The American auto industry can either lead or be led," she said. California and 22 other U.S. states also plan to challenge the March rewrite, saying the administration should not have relaxed the Obama rules. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Aurora Ellis) Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has allowed alcohol shops to use e-commerce platforms for doorstep delivery of spirits in Mumbai. The civic body has also allowed online delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy to deliver alcohol from shops to homes. BMC permitted home delivery of alcohol a day after Maharashtra government gave its nod to online platforms in this regard. Shops will no longer be able to sell alcohol at their counters. However, they can rope in e-commerce platforms to deliver sealed bottles of liquor outside containment zones. This order comes into effect from midnight on May 22. ALSO READ: Coronavirus impact: Swiggy starts home delivery of liquor in Jharkhand, Zomato to follow sui "Amendment in guidelines in respect of liquor shops selling liquor in sealed bottles be permitted to operate by selling liquor to the customers by effecting delivery in view of Extension of lockdown and revised guidelines on the measures to be taken for containment of COVID-19", the BMC order said. The liquor shops in the shops were opened earlier this month, in accordance to guidelines from the Centre, but were soon closed due to crowding and lack of social distancing. A day before, Swiggy began home delivery of alcohol in Ranchi, whereas Zomato was in talks with Jharkhand government and is likely to begin this service by the end of this week. ALSO READ: Infographic: Alcohol to the rescue New Delhi, May 23 : Increased tension between China and India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has forced both the countries militaries to increase deployment of men in thousands and assets at forward locations within their respective territories. Both Chinese and Indian armies are on high alert at the forward locations where tensions and skirmishes took place. Indian military has clarified that they will not allow any kind of Chinese transgression in its territory and have improved patrol in those areas. Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been clashing with Indian Armed forces on patrol by entering into the Indian side. The matter has escalated as it could not be resolved by the armies at local level and talks have initiated diplomatically. "Within a week, the matter will be resolved. Diplomatic talks are on... Indian Army has deployed forces across the Line of Actual Control in its territory and China too has deployed in its territory," said a source privy to the development at the LAC in Ladakh region. Sources said that China starts transgression during summer and this is an every year phenomena. Indian soldiers push China forces back. Increased deployment Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has erected a sizeable number of tents in the Galwan Valley of the Union Territory of Ladakh, the area where showdown started in 1962 leading to a war. China has also increased boats with armed personnel in Pangong Tso (lake). Sources said that they have deployed thousands of men across LAC and they are putting in those tents. Indian Army Chief Visit Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Friday visited Leh, the headquarters of 14 Corps in Ladakh, and reviewed security deployment of forces along Line of Actual Control with China. He held a meeting with Northern Command (NC) chief Lieutenant General Y.K. Joshi and the 14 Corps commander Lieutenant General Harinder Singh and other officers to know the ground situation at forward locations along the LAC. Later in the day, he returned to Delhi. His visit came after India rejected China's allegation that Indian troops initiated tensions and crossed Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and Sikkim sectors. Why face-off It all started after Chinese Army unnecessarily started opposing the a critical road construction project north of Pangong Tso. India has constructed the road on its side of Line of Actual Control to which China forces started opposing and then suddenly increased deployment over the region. It led to face-off, after which Indian forces also increased deployment. The Indian forces stand was very clear that like the China has built a road in the area under their control, Indian is also doing so. Earlier this month, Chinese and Indian soldiers had a face-off near Naku La Pass in Sikkim and Pangong Tso in Ladakh. In both the incidents, soldiers from both sides sustained injuries. Thereafter tension led to increased deployment of forces along the Line of Actual Control. Line of Actual Control The India-China border is not fully demarcated. Also the Line of Actual Control is not clarified. Further mutual exchange of maps between India and China about their respective perceptions has not taken place. This has led to different perceptions of the LAC for the two sides. Indian Army chief had also said that temporary face-offs do occur along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China due to the differing perceptions of the alignment of boundaries. In a statement on May 14, Naravane said, "Temporary and short duration face-offs between border guarding troops do occur along the LAC due to the differing perceptions of the alignment of boundaries which are not resolved." He said that there were two incidents at Eastern Ladakh and North Sikkim where aggressive behaviour by both sides resulted in minor injuries to troops after which both sides disengaged after dialogue and interaction at the local level. "It is reiterated that both these incidents are neither co-related, nor do they have any connection with other global or local activities," Naravane said. China's allegations Earlier this week, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that "the Indian army has crossed the line across the western section of the Sino-Indian border and the Sikkim section to enter Chinese territory". The statement added that the Chinese side had taken up the matter with India, asking the Indian side to "immediately withdraw the personnel across the line, restore the status quo of the relevant areas, strictly restrict the frontline troops, observe the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and the agreements signed by the two sides, and jointly maintain peace and stability in the border areas". India warns China On Thursday, the Indian government denied China's claims that India is carrying out any activity in violation of the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and Sikkim. "Any suggestion that Indian troops had undertaken activity across the LAC in the Western Sector or the Sikkim sector is not accurate," the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Srivastava said. All Indian activities, he said, "are entirely on the Indian side of the LAC. In fact, it is Chinese side that has recently undertaken activity hindering India's normal patrolling patterns". The spokesperson said that Indian troops are fully familiar with the alignment of the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas and abide by it scrupulously. The Indian side has always taken a very responsible approach towards border management, Srivastava said, adding that the government at the same time, is deeply committed to ensuring India's sovereignty and security. The Indian troops strictly follow the procedures laid down in various bilateral agreements and protocols to resolve any situations which may arise due to difference in the perception of the LAC, he had stated. Want to know what's been voted the most iconic car of all time to appear on the small screen according to British motorists? A poll has revealed that Inspector Morse's iconic Mark 2 Jaguar has taken the crown, with the fictional Oxford detective's legendary burgundy motor - driven by the late John Thaw - defeating rivals such as Del Boy's Reliant Regal three-wheeler van and The Saint's classy Volvo P1800. The definitive list of top television motors was put together by Boundless, the 230,000-strong membership club for public sector workers, which began life back in 1923 as the Civil Service Motoring Association. Icon: Inspector Morse's Mark 2 Jaguar has taken the crown as the most memorable motor from British TV of all time Boundless asked an expert panel of five motoring journalists to nominate classic TV cars before 2,000 members voted on their favourites. Morse's Jaguar, which was released in 1959 in the UK and went out of production in 1967, was the clear winner. It said this was not surprising, given that it was designed to embody the ideals of grace, pace and space. With a top speed of 120mph it could reach 62mph from a standing start in 11.9 seconds, and even if actor Thaw once said it was a 'beggar to drive' it had a huge impact on viewers. Alex Drew, editor of Boundless magazine said: 'If you're going to interrogate lofty Oxford dons, then you may as well do it in style, and John Thaw, in the title role of popular TV series Inspector Morse, did exactly that in his burgundy Jag. 'In the Colin Dexter novels, Morse drive a Lancia, but Thaw felt strongly that the detective would drive a British car and that, as they say, was that.' Del Boy's Reliant Regal Van from hit series Only Fools & Horses was voted at number 2 by Boundless members The General Lee, famed for a bounty of stunts in TV Series Dukes of Hazzard, only just squeezed into the top five Top 10 most iconic cars to appear on TV 1. Morse's Mk2 Jaguar (Inspector Morse) 2. Del Boy's Reliant Regal Van (Only Fools & Horses) 3. The Saint's Volvo P1800 (The Saint) 4. Steed's Bentley (The Avengers) 5. The General Lee, Dodge Charger (Dukes of Hazzard) 6. Starsky & Hutch's Ford Gran Torino (Starsky & Hutch) 7. Magnum PI's Ferrari 308 (Magnum PI) 8. Batman's Batmobile (Batman) 9. Knight Rider's Pontiac Firebird 'KITT' (Knight Rider) 10. Brum (Brum) Source: Boundless Second on the list was a very different style of car Del Boy's 1967 three-wheeler Reliant Regal Supervan III. Emblazoned, of course, with 'Trotter's Independent Traders' on the side, it is possibly the most instantly recognisable car on British television, designed perfectly for comedy. Third place went to Roger Moore's Volvo P1800, in the television spy drama The Saint. 'Celebrating its 60th birthday this June, the P1800 came to prominence in the early 1960s when it was driven by gentleman-cum-spy Simon Templar (played by Roger Moore), in The Saint,' added Drew. 'Moore loved the rather suave P1800 so much that he drove one off-screen as well as on.' We at This is Money were disappointed to see a few legendary vehicles missing from the list - not least the GMC van from the A-Team and Philip Glenister's Ashes to Ashes Audi Quattro. KITT from Knight Rider was at number nine, behind the Ford Gran Torino from Starsky & Hutch (left) By PTI JOHANNESBURG: A powerful Muslim body in South Africa has cautioned the community members about Eid turning into a "super-spreader" of the deadly coronavirus, urging them to forego the traditional ways of celebrating the festival. The Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa (MJCSA) issued a statement on Friday, calling on Muslims to not to engage in the traditional ceremonies and prayers associated with Eid. The community members will have to forego their usual practice of meeting for communal prayers at open spaces or visits to cemeteries, friends and family on the festival due to the COVID-19 restrictions. "Eid can potentially become a super-spreading event, which results in many more people dying, especially if people disobey lockdown regulations and start visiting family (as) it will lose its effect if people start visiting each other at home. Please avoid physically getting together as it puts yourself and your family at risk, the statement said. The country has been under a nationwide lockdown since March 27. The president had last month announced a five-phase plan to gradually ease the lockdown imposed to combat the spread of the coronavirus in the country. For over a century, Muslims in the country's first colonised city, Cape Town, have gathered in large numbers on the beach front to eagerly await the sighting of the new crescent moon to signal the end of Ramzan and the advent of Eid the following day. This would also have been the case this Saturday, but now the MJCSA has called on Muslims to stay away, apparently for only the second time since the tradition started. Elders recall that the only time there had been a break was during the Second World War. Cape Town is in the Western Cape Province, which has become the epicentre of the coronavirus in the country. The Western Cape is in an exponential phase with the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Already there are reports of some hospitals filling up rapidly with critically-ill COVID-19 cases. We have seen a younger spectrum of people dying compared with international figures, the MJCSA said. The MJCSA would therefore like to request (that) the community should not gather at the moon-sighting points as is customary. We recommend that families stay home on Eid day and not visit their families.," it said. The tradition of thousands of people gathering at open spaces, called Eid Gahs, after dawn for the special Eid morning prayers will also not be followed. Across the country, Muslim organisations have also asked people to stay away from cemeteries that they visit on Eid day to offer prayers for their deceased family members. A plea has also been made to people to refrain from visiting their families for the usual large gatherings for lunch or dinner, and rather to greet each other through social video and video calls. Meanwhile, religious leaders from all faiths met President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday, urging him to allow opening of churches, mosques, temples and synagogues with strict control measures. However, no decision was taken on the matter. According to the Johns Hopkins University data, South Africa has so far reported 20,125 confirmed cases and 397 deaths. President of Ukraine TASS President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the government to expedite the purchase of medical masks and personal protective equipment. He stated this at a traditional meeting on prevention of the spread of coronavirus Covid-19, which was attended by representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers and law enforcement agencies. This was reported by the press service of the head of state. "Hospitals, doctors, pharmacies - there should be masks, disinfectants, [and the rest of] equipment. Purchasing process takes a very long time. We need to look for ways to shorten this process, so that the Ministry purchases equipment faster and faster. We know how much is our bureaucracy complicated. Find the ways to simplify it. Each delay can cost us lives. A second wave of coronavirus is expected in the world. We passed the first one relatively well, although, unfortunately, we lost more than 600 lives. We must be prepared with all procedures in the future," Zelensky emphasized. Related: Coronavirus in Ukraine dashboard: online Minister of Health Maksym Stepanov, for his part, noted that more than 100,000 respirators were delivered to Ukraine by plane - thanks to the help of one of the national companies. Also, cooperation with the World Bank on the procurement of everything necessary has been established, and starting from next week, contracts regarding future purchases will be concluded. Earlier, it was reported that the Ministry of Healthcare plans to purchase medical masks and suits of biological protection, which are supposed to remain in the state reserve. State-run Bank of Baroda on Saturday said it can offer up to Rs 12,000 crore in loans to MSMEs under the Rs 3 lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) announced by the government. Last week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a 100 per cent credit guarantee scheme worth Rs 3 lakh crore to support the medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) which have been adversely affected by the coronavirus crisis. All existing MSME borrowers with outstanding credit of up to Rs 25 crore as on February 29 and with an annual turnover of up to Rs 100 crore would be eligible for funding under the scheme. "In our case, that particular portfolio amounts to be Rs 58,000 crore. So, 20 per cent of that would be around Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 12,000 crore. This, we can make available to our MSME clients in the times to come under the guaranteed scheme of the government," the bank's Managing Director and CEO Sanjiv Chadha told reporters through a video conference. The ECLGS was the second-biggest component of the over Rs 20 lakh crore comprehensive package announced by the government for the coronavirus-hit economy. Under the scheme, 100 per cent guarantee coverage will be provided by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC) for additional funding of up to Rs 3 lakh crore to eligible MSMEs and interested Mudra scheme borrowers, in the form of a guaranteed emergency credit line (GECL) facility. The amount of GECL funding to eligible MSME borrowers, either in the form of additional working capital term loans (in case of banks and financial institutions) or additional term loans (in case of NBFCs), would be up to 20 per cent of their entire outstanding credit of up to Rs 25 crore as on February 29, 2020. Chadha further said under the COVID-19 emergency credit line launched in March, the bank has so far sanctioned Rs 3,000 crore inloans and disbursed Rs 1,500 crore to MSMEs. Nearly, 60-70 per cent of the bank's borrowers have availed the three-month moratorium on repayment of term loans announced in March by the RBI. "In terms of people availing the moratorium, it was around 60-70 per cent, although 90 per cent or more would have been eligible for that," he said. On Friday, State Bank of India Chairman Rajnish Kumar had said close to 20 per cent of the bank's borrowers had availed moratorium on repayment of term loan instalments. The RBI on Friday extended the moratorium for another three months to August 31, 2020. Chadha sees the number of people availing moratorium declining going forward as economic activities resume. The bank has not offered a moratorium to NBFCs but is now considering granting them the facility on a case-to-case basis, he said. "That (moratorium to NBFCs) is something which is being considered by us. We are clear that regardless of the category of borrowers, whether an NBFC, an industrial borrower, MSME or home loan borrowers, you do need to address what are very genuine requirements at this point of time," he said. "Therefore, when it comes to our NBFC borrowers, particularly the smaller ones where dependence on some banks would be little more, and where access to alternative sources of funding is not available, it (offering moratorium) becomes a simpler decision," Chadha said. According to him, the bank is well capitalised currently but may look to raise tier-1 capital to build its capital buffer. "In terms of the equity market, it is not the best time. But we could be in the market for possibly tier-1 capital over the next two months," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ajith Kumar, the dear Thala Ajith of Tamil cinema has been making headlines with his recently hospital visit. A video, in which Ajith and wife Shalini are seen at a private hospital in Chennai has been doing rounds in social media from the past few days, has left the actor's fan worried. However, the sources close to the Valimai actor has now made an important revelation about his hospital visit with wife Shalini. According to the sources, the star couple visited the hospital for the routine health check-up which they undergo every three months. Both Ajith and Shalini are keeping absolutely fine, and there is nothing to worry about. Reportedly, the actor is very particular about his routine health check-up and prefers to not skip it under any situation. To the uninitiated, Ajith Kumar had encountered a major accident in 1992 and had undergone multiple surgeries to gain his health back. The sources suggest that this is the reason why the actor takes his routine check-up very seriously. Recently, some other sources had suggested that the couple visited the hospital for Ajith's father. According to the reports, the actor's father P Subramaniam is not keeping well from the past few weeks and was brought to the hospital for a detailed check-up. However, there is no official confirmation on this report, yet. Thala Ajith will be next seen in the upcoming action thriller Valimai, which is currently put on hold due to coronavirus scare. The movie, which is directed by H Vinoth, will feature the actor in role of a police officer. The shooting of Valimai is expected to resume once the world comes back to normalcy. As per the reports, the Ajith starrer is slated to hit the theaters as a Summer 2021 release. Also Read: 25 Yrs Of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa: 350 Plus Artists To Go Live For 25 Hrs To Raise Funds For COVID-19 Victims By Clare Jim and Yew Lun Tian HONG KONG/BEIJING, May 23 (Reuters) - China's foreign ministry branch in Hong Kong dismissed concerns that its proposed national security laws for the city would harm foreign investors, hitting back at "meddling" countries as Beijing's ties with Washington soured further. The security legislation, which could see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases in Hong Kong, has sent chills through the business and diplomatic communities, spooked financial markets and escalated geopolitical tensions. U.S. government officials have said the legislation would end the Chinese-ruled city's autonomy and would be bad for both Hong Kong's and China's economies. They said it could jeopardise the territory's special status in U.S. law, which has helped it maintain its position as a global financial centre. Hong Kong is caught in the cross-hairs of a Beijing-Washington conflict developing on many fronts. After trade disputes and reciprocal accusations over the source and handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Washington on Friday accused the Chinese government of making it impossible for U.S. airlines to resume service to China. Britain, Australia and Canada expressed "deep concern" in a joint statement about the proposed security laws which they said would undermine the "one country, two systems" principle agreed when Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Bankers and headhunters said it could lead to money and talent leaving the city. Hong Kong stocks slumped 5.6% on Friday, and sent chills through global markets. A spokesperson of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Hong Kong said in a statement the city's high degree of autonomy "will remain unchanged, and the interests of foreign investors in the city will continue to be protected under the law". Beijing's move comes after pro-democracy protests in 2019 plunged Hong Kong into its biggest political crisis since the handover. Communist authorities see the protests as a security threat and blame the West for fomenting unrest. Story continues The commissioner's office described statements by "meddling countries" as "double standard and gangster logic". "No matter how venomously you smear, provoke, coerce or blackmail us, the Chinese people will remain rock-firm in safeguarding national sovereignty and security," it said. "Doomed is your plot to undermine China's sovereignty and security by exploiting the troublemakers in Hong Kong as pawns and the city as a frontier for secession, subversion, infiltration and sabotage activities against China." Chris Patten, the last governor of the former British colony, said China has betrayed the people of Hong Kong. HALF-WAY DEAD As Hong Kong braced for its first major protests since the proposal of the legislation on Sunday in the centre of the city, police said in a statement they "will deploy adequate manpower in relevant locations." Despite reassurances from Beijing and Hong Kong authorities, many Hong Kongers fret over losing rights. Lok, 42, a clerk at an investment company, said she felt there was no prospect for her children, aged 16 and 9, and she hopes they will move away: "I think Hong Kong is half-way dead. I didnt expect Hong Kong would deteriorate that quickly." Hong Kong publishing tycoon Jimmy Lai, an outspoken critic of Beijing who faces charges of illegal assembly, said on Twitter the legislation would bring the end of "China's last miracle" and the communist party was slaughtering "the proverbial golden goose." Over the past 24 hours, Hong Kong's pro-Beijing politicians have also responded to concerns that the national security legislation could reduce freedoms. Upon her return from Beijing late on Friday, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the stock market "goes up and comes down" and blamed protests for destabilising the business environment. Henry Tang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, said the legislation was "beneficial" for business, bringing stability. In an interview with Reuters, Lam's predecessor as Hong Kong chief executive, Leung Chun-Ying, said the legislation was needed to "stamp out terrorism". He noted that the British had maintained a police special branch, dismantled before the territory was handed over to Chinese rule in 1997. Singapore has a Special Branch. We dont. America has all kinds of law enforcement agencies that are tasked to deal with national security threats. We dont. So its not surprising that as part of the efforts to fill the national security legal gap, we need to have a body, Leung said. (Editing by Peter Graff) Pressure on Brazil's embattled President Jair Bolsonaro has intensified after the Supreme Court's release of an explosive video. The recording of a cabinet meeting shows the president on a profane rant as he expresses frustration over his inability to replace law enforcement officials. It was released as part of a probe into allegations that Bolsonaro tried to interfere in federal police investigations into his sons. Police Confronts Spate Of Shooting At Outset Of Summer KCPD frustrated by recent spate of shootings Police are investigating more than a dozen shootings this week. Two were at unknown locations because police said the victims were uncooperative with the investigation. It's a problem the police chief said detectives are encountering with a majority of cases.It is not just homicides that are rising, so are non-fatal shootings. Beat Down Aftermath Former police officer injured attempting to stop shoplifter Almost two weeks after a Good Samaritan tried to stop a suspected thief at a Home Depot in Overland Park, he is still recovering his injuries. Jackson Liu, a former police officer, was injured by an accomplice when he tried to help. Murder Case Postscript Man charged in connection with 2019 murder JACKSON COUNTY, MO (KCTV) - A man who was arrested in connection with a robbery has now been charged with murder after evidence tied him to a fatal shooting that happened in the spring of 2019. Brandon L. Hill, 32, has now been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Meth Town Suspect Info Independence police seek vehicle of interest in teen's shooting KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A 16-year-old was shot Friday afternoon in Independence. Officers responded at 4:22 p.m. to a reported shooting in the 800 block of South Overton Avenue. The teenager was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Sleaze Scummit Burns Vandals set popular Lee's Summit playground on fire, leaving neighbors irked LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. - People in one Jackson County neighborhood are burning mad. Police in Lee's Summit said vandals set fire to a popular public playground, leveling it to ash and soot. City leaders tell FOX4 it could cost thousands of dollars to replace. Killing In The Sticks 1 dead, 1 seriously injured in Cass County double shooting KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One person died and another was seriously injured after a shooting Friday in rural Peculiar, according to authorities. Around 8:50 a.m., Cass County sheriff's deputies responded to a domestic disturbance with shots fired in the 12200 block of East 233rd Street. KCPD Top Cop Fun Facts Five Things You Don't Know About Me: KCPD Chief Richard Smith - In Kansas City For nearly three years, Richard Smith has worked to help keep Kansas City safe as the 45th Chief of Police of the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department. (Fun fact: Smith worked his way up the ranks after joining KCPD as an officer in 1988.) Chief Smith hails from St. A quick peek at alleged misdeeds, police action and more info from across the metro as the quotient of local crime reaches aas the pandemic moves forward . . .Developing . . . Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion at 9 PM. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times. BJP, Congress youth wings go all-out to outdo other in Covid-19 relief The frontal organisations of both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress are trying to outdo each other in relief distribution and quick response to distress calls during the coronavirus-induced lockdown across the country. Read more Bengaluru weekly curfew: Whats allowed, whats not The weekly curfew as part of the phase four of lockdown began in Bengaluru Saturday evening in line with the Karnataka governments decision to shut down the state completely every Sunday until May 31. Read more Shardul Thakur hits nets after long break due to Covid-19 lockdown The first practice session for two months, in the non-red zone of Maharashtras Palghar district, was a different experience for India pacer Shardul Thakur on Saturday. Read more Eid Mubarak 2020: How to celebrate Eid amid lockdown 4.0 The holy month of fasting for Muslims around the globe, Ramadan, is coming to a close. After around 29-30 days of fasting, the culmination of Ramadan comes in the form of a grand feast and celebration, better known as Eid ul-Fitr. Read more Step aside butterflies, there is a new gorgeous flying insect in town. Its a rosy maple moth The animal kingdom is full of beautiful creatures and one such amazing insect paid a visit to Rebecca Lavoie. A Twitter user, Lavoie, shared an image of a gorgeous rosy maple moth and now it has mesmerised people. Read more Bihar girl who carried father on cycle for 1200 km, gets a call for trials The girl from Bihar who carried her father on a bicycle to native place, got a call from Cycle Federation for trials. The 15-year-old Jyoti Kumari had carried her ailing father on a cycle to Bihar during lockdown. The girl covered a distance of almost 1200 km on the cycle. Jyoti said she is happy to have gotten a call for trials and will be going to Delhi in the next month. Watch more Apple Glasses Steve Jobs Heritage Edition in the works Apple Glasses have been rumoured for months now and the product is expected to launch between 2021 and 2022. A new leak now suggests that there will be a Steve Jobs Heritage Edition of the Apple Glasses. Read more Venezuela's high court ordered the immediate seizure of all DirecTV property on Friday, days after the US firm abandoned its services in the South American nation, citing US sanctions. The Supreme Court ruling told the nation's telecommunications agency to seize satellite dishes and office space at transmission centers. It also said that DirecTV programming should immediately return to the airwaves. The Dallas-based AT&T on Tuesday suddenly cut off pay TV services in Venezuela, saying US sanctions prohibit its DirecTV platform from broadcasting channels that it is required to carry by the administration of socialist President Nicolas Maduro. By cutting DirecTV services, AT&T joins other US companies that have abandoned Venezuela due to shrinking sales, government threats and the risk of US sanctions, including General Motors, Kellogg Co and Kimberly Clark. Around 700 Venezuelans depended on the unit for employment. China recorded no new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland for May 22, down from four the previous day, the National Health Commission (NHC) said in a statement on Saturday. This was the first time China had seen no daily rise in the number of cases since the pandemic began in the central city of Wuhan late last year. The number of new asymptomatic cases of the coronavirus fell to 28 from 35 a day earlier, the NHC said. The number of confirmed cases in the mainland stands at 82,971. The news came a day after Communist Party leaders celebrated "major achievements" in the virus fight. The virus first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, but cases have dwindled dramatically from the peak in mid-February as the country appears to have brought the virus largely under control. The official death toll in the country of 1.4 billion people stands at 4,634, well below the number of fatalities in much smaller countries. However, doubt has been cast on the reliability of China's numbers and the United States has led the charge in questioning how much information Beijing has shared with the international community. The milestone comes a day after the opening of China's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress, where Premier Li Keqiang said the country had "made major strategic achievements in our response to COVID-19." However he warned that the country still faced "immense" challenges. Authorities in Wuhan have come under fire for reprimanding and silencing doctors who first raised the alarm about the virus late last year, and repeated changes to counting methodology have cast further doubt over China's official data. Beijing has strenuously denied accusations of a cover up, insisting it has always shared information with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries in a timely manner. Since first emerging in Wuhan the virus has spread across the world, claiming more than 335,000 lives globally. A doctor with the expertise to save stroke patients from a life of disability has described as bizarre the drop-off in patients attending Cork University Hospital (CUH) with stroke symptoms during February and March. Consultant interventional neuroradiologist Gerry Wyse said: Weve had a very bizarre period from a stroke point of view, in that it went incredibly quiet in February and March and then we were exceptionally busy in April. With a large vessel occlusion [blockage of one of major arteries of the brain] it is not like you are going to stay at home. If you cant speak and one side of your bodys not working, you are going to present [to hospital]. So its been kind of strange from that point of view. It obviously brings up all kinds of questions such as what is it that causes stroke. Dr Wyse, whose timely intervention last month helped return 17-year-old stroke victim Roger Timon, from Rochestown, Cork, to full health, said that they are seeing a few little unusual things since Covid-19 arrived. Only the other day, I was on a conference call with a group in Toronto and their experience is that they are also seeing some unusual stuff, Dr Wyse said. So even though a lot Covid tests [for stroke patients] have come back negative, we are not sure we believe them. There is a suspicion, he said, that Covid-19 may be causing endothelial dysfunction, a condition in which the inner lining of the small arteries fails to perform normally. Derbhile Timon, Rogers mother, said her son, who underwent a thrombectomy mechanical removal of a clot does not require physiotherapy, occupational therapy or speech and language therapy. He will be on blood thinners long term, but not a lot else. As Australia eases coronavirus restrictions, an Australian woman is pleading with people to use their head and be mindful of those who are more vulnerable than others. Lauren Rowe just turned 30-years-old, which is remarkable since her mother did not think she would live to start kindergarten. Living with Cystic Fibrosis, Ms Rowe is aware that if she gets COVID-19, she could die, which is why her message of the importance of social distancing is crucial. It isnt just this fantasy of COVID-19 running around and these vulnerable people arent necessarily just the elderly. They are your neighbours, theyre the people you walk by in the street, Ms Rowe told The Daily Edition. Lauren Rowe, an advocate who empowers those who live with a chronic illness, explains why social distancing matters. Source: The Daily Edition She urges people with flu-like symptoms to keep their distance and get tested for the coronavirus, and maintain good hand hygiene. Back in early April, Ms Rowe made an Instagram post, imploring people to remember their actions matter. I will most certainly die if I contract COVID-19, like so many others in our community, Ms Rowe wrote. Everyone in our community is relying on you to do your part and stay home this easter long weekend. Even if you feel fine you can still pass on COVID-19 which might end up being caught by someone like me. She explained people have the power to stop or continue the threat of passing on COVID-19 to the vulnerable, while holding a sign saying, please dont murder me. So with this in mind I ask you to remember your humanity, your kindness, love and strength as our way of life is temporarily challenged ... and remember youre not alone. Ms Rowe spoke to The Daily Edition about how she is definitely dead if she contracts the virus. I do make a joke and say, please dont murder me but its actually true, she said appearing via video call. People out there have the power to kill me. So please dont. Story continues Ms Rowe is an advocate for those living with a chronic illness, and she aims to empower those who are living with a condition like herself. Even though we are part of the vulnerable community, it doesnt mean we are vulnerable people, she told The Daily Edition. She explains she wants to empower people who live with an invisible illness they can be independent, there is support out there and they are not alone. Ms Rowe is also the founder of the charity, Gifted Life, which not only strives to raise awareness for organ donation but also support transplant recipients, after Ms Rowe received a lung transplant. Even as Australia eases restrictions, social distancing is part of the new normal, as is good hygiene, politicians and top doctors have stressed. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. TRI-VALLEY, CA Here's a collection of police, fire and courts news from around the Tri-Valley this week: Fatal Stabbing: Police Share Suspected Motive; Make 3 New Arrests Police said three more people were arrested Friday in the slaying of Jackson Butler, bringing the total number of arrests to five. Man Arrested After Fleeing From Danville Officers, Police Say A Concord man was arrested in connection with a stolen car case in Livermore, police said. Livermore Man Accused Of Costco Jewelry Robbery Two robbers targeted the Costco store in Tracy on May 7. Man Charged With Campus Shooting Threat Could Change Plea: Report A man arrested in Livermore who pleaded not guilty to threatening a shooting is slated for a change of plea hearing, AP reported. Santa Rita Inmate Charged With Child Sex Abuse Seeks Lower Bail Walid S. Hamze was arrested in Dublin last summer. Now he's one of many inmates seeking bail reduction amid the coronavirus pandemic. Take A Virtual Tour Of Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Station 1 While Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Station 1 is closed to the public, firefighters are giving you a look inside with virtual tours. CHP Dublin: 'Geese Keep Playing Chicken On The Freeway' With more humans off of East Bay freeways, geese have taken over. This article originally appeared on the Pleasanton Patch New Jersey hospitals, food banks, and other groups providing aid on the frontline of the battle against the coronavirus will be receiving donations as a part of $4.48 million in grants from The Russell Berrie Foundation. The Russell Berrie Foundation, a New Jersey-based philanthropic organization, issued the grants to help organizations in northern New Jersey and Israel. Since being founded in 1985, the group has distributed more than $300 million to various organizations. Local organizations will receive a share of $1.82 million in grants from The Russell Berrie Foundation. They include Holy Name Medical Center, Englewood Medical Center, New Bridge Medical Center, The Diabetes Foundation, NJ YMCA Alliance, Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiatives, Community Food Bank of NJ, Northern NJ Community Foundation and BergenPAC. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage Holy Name Medical Center, Englewood Medical Center and New Bridge Medical Center will each received $250,000. In this moment of extraordinary need, we are working to mitigate the pain and anxiety of communities both locally in Northern New Jersey and abroad, said Angelica Berrie, the foundations president. Our strength as a community will be tested by this crisis and how we respond generously, with empathy and compassion will reflect our capacity to cope with future challenges. "Our role in philanthropy is not just to give money but to lead, especially in times like this, when the need exceeds the capacity of any one giver to fill. We hope our leadership inspires others to give fearlessly at a moment when so many lives and the future of our community, our country and our world needs us more than ever before. Organizations in Israel will receive $1.66 million in grants, and another $1 million will be issued to Ogen Social Finance, Israels first social bank, designed to provide loan support for small businesses and non-profit groups. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. The judges race to the auditions on tiny electric bikes in an hilarious on-screen battle, which is set to air on Saturday night's Britain's Got Talent. In the first-look clip, Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden all race around the corridors of the auditorium on children's toy bikes. The trio wind their way toward the stage as Simon remarks: 'My god, these are fast... There really are no brakes.' Rivalry: The judges race to the auditions on tiny electric bikes in an hilarious on-screen battle, which is set to air on Saturday night's Britain's Got Talent The girls let out raptures of laughter but David Walliams is nowhere to be seen. Cutting back to check on his progress, David appears cramped into a plastic car still just metres away from the start line. Dec desperately tries to help him and eventually pushes him around the course. Last place: Cutting back to check on his progress, David appears cramped into a plastic car still just metres away from the start line Winner: In the meantime, Simon is presented with a large bouquet of flowers after taking top spot on the podium, closely followed by Alesha and Amanda In the meantime, Simon is presented with a large bouquet of flowers after taking top spot on the podium, closely followed by Alesha and Amanda. The show later boasts a whole host of hopefuls including Souparnika Nair, dance troupe House of Swag and singing quartet Noise Next Door. The clip comes after Britain's Got Talent bosses are reportedly concerned the live shows will be unable to go ahead later this year due to lockdown restrictions. Young talent: The show later boasts a whole host of hopefuls including adorable singing sensation Souparnika Nair Sources have claimed producers are convinced the latter half of the series - originally planned for this autumn - will be cancelled, as many acts will be unable to take part due to lockdown restrictions. It's thought that acts such as Sign Along With Us and X1X Crew would be most at risk of taking part, along with the ongoing problem of performing without a live audience. A source told The Mirror that bringing back an act such as Sign Along With Us may not be possible, as they would be unable to perform together due to social distancing rules. Undecided: It comes after BGT bosses are reportedly concerned the live shows will be unable to go ahead later this year due to lockdown restrictions (pictured Noise Next Door) Insider: Sources have claimed producers are convinced the latter half of the series - originally planned for this autumn - will be cancelled (pictured House of Swag) Bosses are also reportedly concerned for X1X Crew from India, as travel restrictions and quarantine measures may mean they cannot journey to the UK for the live shows. The insider said: 'The initial plan was that the final could be filmed this autumn, but that's looking increasingly unlikely. We can't imagine an audience of that size being allowed. 'Can we do it without an audience? Yes. But would we want to? No. And then there are the acts. We're going to put all those people in that choir together? You're going to fly over that dance troupe from India? 'No, we don't think that it's going to happen. I'd say its chances were very slim.' When contacted by MailOnline a representative for Britain's Got Talent reiterated ITV's plans for the live shows to air later this year. Protestors across Spain took to the streets in their vehicles at 12pm Saturday, for a demonstration organized by the far-right Vox party against the Spanish governments handling of the coronavirus crisis. In Madrid, around 6,000 cars brought the streets along the route of the demonstration to a standstill, according to figures supplied by the central governments delegation in the Spanish capital. The occupants of the vehicles waved Spanish flags and honked their horns. The threat to the freedom of Spain is being led by an illegitimate government that has become a criminal government Vox leader Santiago Abascal The president of Vox, Santiago Abascal, spoke to the attendees of the demonstrations via the EsRadio network, so that protestors could hear him from their vehicles. Although the sound of car horns was so loud it was hard for anything to be heard. Abascal, along with a number of other party chiefs, was at the demonstration on top of an open-top double-decker bus parked in Plaza de Colon. Im excited to talk to you, but Im not surprised, he said. Spaniards always turn out at decisive moments. We are here to defend our freedom. The threat to the freedom of Spain is being led by an illegitimate government that has become a criminal government, one that is incapable of protecting its people and is directly responsible for the worst management of this crisis on the whole planet. Let us never forget what they have done to us, he continued. Have no doubt that we will take them to the courts. They know it and they are afraid of your freedom, which is why they are trying to intimidate us. Abascal went on to say that the coalition government, which is led by the Socialist Party (PSOE) and its junior partner Unidas Podemos, believed it could trample on the rights of Spaniards. [...] Spain will prevail and we will get our normality back, it wont be a new one or an old one. We will recover our hopes in the future for our children. The far-right leader called on protestors to respect all of the necessary health precautions, but with the streets of Madrid at a standstill due to the demonstration, many people were seen leaving their cars and failing to keep two meters apart. Municipal police officers in the area instructed protestors to put on face masks, something that this week became obligatory in Spain when social-distancing is not possible. The general secretary of Vox, Javier Ortega Smith, also called for the government to quit on the basis that it is criminal and treacherous. The politician who, like his colleague Absacal, was infected with the coronavirus in March but has since recovered thanked the presence of thousands of what he described as brave Madrilenos at the demonstration. Its thrilling to see what the center of Madrid looks like, he said, according to news agency Servimedia. Other cities While Madrid was the epicenter of the protest, all provincial capitals as well as the North African exclave cities of Ceuta and Melilla saw demonstrations. According to the local police force, the Guardia Urbana, around 500 vehicles attended the demonstration organized by Vox in Barcelona, news agency EFE reported. The four-wheeled march began at Plaza Francesc Macia, and ended outside the central government delegation in the Catalan capital. Meanwhile, in Seville, around 6,000 vehicles and a thousand motorbikes took part in the convoy. By 1.15pm, when the head of the demonstration reached La Barqueta bridge, the end of the route, there were still vehicles that had yet to leave the starting point, at the Betis soccer stadium. A tweet from Vox in Cordoba claimed that protestors occupied 14 kilometers of roads in the Andalusian city. The far-right group also used its Twitter accounts from other areas of Spain to share images of vehicles full of demonstrators in the city of Valladolid, in Castilla y Leon, the southern city of Malaga, and Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the Balearic Islands. The central governments delegation in the northern Spanish region of Navarre reported that around 250 vehicles took part in the demonstration in the city of Pamplona. But at the same time an anti-fascist march took place, which attracted around 60 people. According to the delegation, the protestors split into groups in an attempt to reach the route of the Vox march, but were stopped from doing so by officers from the National Police force. With reporting by Miguel Gonzalez and Margot Molina. English version by Simon Hunter. The contemporary showplace in the Hollywood Hills is setup for entertaining with walls of glass that open to a swimming pool and a rooftop deck with a spa. A fire feature encased in a wall of black marble draws the eyes in the living room, while a glass-enclosed wine cellar was built into the other side, which faces the dining room. Striking wallpaper, Venetian plaster walls and custom closets are among designer-done features of the home, listed for $11.5 million. The 6,487-square-foot home has six bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms including a master suite with a private patio. (Berlyn Photography) Customized by some of the brightest minds in the design world, this contemporary tour de force in the Hollywood Hills is visually striking with its custom wallpaper, marble slabs and modern chandeliers. Pocketing walls of glass open directly to a zero-edge swimming pool for indoor-outdoor living. Atop the home, a rooftop deck and spa survey city lights from Downtown L.A. to West Hollywood. The details Location: 1172 N. Doheny Drive, Los Angeles, 90069 Asking price: $11.5 million Year built: 2018 Living area: 6,487 square feet, six bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms Lot size: 10,319 square feet Features: European oak floors; 12-foot-high glass doors; smart home controls; master suite with separate living room; chefs kitchen; wine bar; zero-edge swimming pool About the area: In the 90069 ZIP Code, based on 14 sales, the median price for single-family home sales in March was $3.545 million, a 2.8% increase year-over-year, according to CoreLogic. Agents: Michael LaMontagna, Hilton & Hyland, (310) 925-9826 To submit a candidate for Home of the Week, send high-resolution color photos via Dropbox.com, permission from the photographer to publish the images and a description of the house to neal.leitereg@latimes.com. In complex operations, is there a correlation between the volume of service provided per hospital and the quality of the treatment outcome? This question is addressed in eight commissions on minimum volumes that the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) has issued to the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). The IQWiG report is now available for the fifth intervention to be tested, kidney transplantation. According to this report, in the case of kidney transplantation there is a correlation between the volume of services and the quality of the treatment outcome: In hospitals with larger case numbers, the chances of survival are higher up to one year after transplantation. For the target figure "transplant failure" no correlation between the volume of services and the quality of treatment can be deduced. The most frequent organ transplantation in Germany In cases of chronic kidney failure, in most cases caused by diabetes or high blood pressure, kidney transplantation is the only treatment option besides dialysis. The organ donation is then made either as a post-mortem donation or as a living donation from direct relatives or people very close to the patient. 5 years after transplantation, 78 percent of postmortem donated kidneys and 87 percent of live donated kidneys still function in the new body (figures for Europe). Kidney transplantation is the most common organ transplantation in Germany: In 2018, doctors in Germany transplanted 1,671 kidneys after post-mortem organ donation and 638 kidneys after living donation. The waiting list for a donor kidney included more than 7,500 patients in the same year. The average waiting time for a kidney transplant is currently more than 8 years. Currently, a minimum of 25 treatments per hospital location and year is required for kidney transplants (including living donations) in Germany. In contrast to the regulation on the annual minimum volume for liver transplants, organ removals are not counted as part of the number of interventions required to achieve the minimum quantities. Positive correlation between service volume and chance of survival The question of whether hospitals with larger case numbers achieve better treatment results for kidney transplantation than hospitals with smaller case numbers can be answered in the affirmative by IQWiG for the survival chances of patients on the basis of a short-term observation period: For all-cause mortality up to 12 months after transplantation, two of the three studies evaluated in this context show a lower probability of dying with a higher volume of services, although the significance of the results is low. IQWiG researchers cannot derive such a correlation for the medium-term all-cause mortality after 36 months, for which a US study had collected data. After evaluating the data from two relevant studies, the Institute also sees no overall connection between the volume of services and the quality of treatment for the target value "transplant failure". No usable data were available for the target variables "adverse effects of therapy", "health-related quality of life" and "length of hospital stay", so that no statements can be made on this. Since none of the included studies included the individual service quantities of the surgeons, it is also not possible to assess whether more routine kidney transplantation leads to better treatment results. There are no studies on the effects of minimum case numbers specifically introduced into the care system for kidney transplants. Accordingly, IQWiG cannot make a statement on this. The report preparation process In February 2019, the Federal Joint Committee commissioned IQWiG to prepare the report on the relationship between the volume of services and quality in kidney transplantation in an accelerated procedure as a "rapid report". Intermediate products were therefore not published and not submitted for consultation. The work on this rapid report started in August 2019 and after completion it was sent to the contracting agency, the G-BA, in April 2020. Willie Garcon allegedly used a dead woman's credit cards for nearly $7,500 in personal purchases. Read more A 49-year-old employee of the Burlington County Medical Examiner's Office was charged with using a dead woman's credit cards to make nearly $7,500 in personal purchases, authorities said Friday. Willie Garcon, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was arrested Thursday and charged with theft by unlawful taking and credit card theft. He was being held at the Burlington County jail pending a detention hearing. An investigation began earlier this month when a relative of a woman who died in March reported to the Lumberton Township Police Department that new charges had been reported on the deceased womans credit cards. Garcon, who began working for the Medical Examiners Office in February, had responded to the womans home after police found her body during a wellness check. Garcon transported the body to the Burlington County morgue. Investigators determined that Garcon began using the womans credit cards two days later, authorities said. He purchased $817 in flooring from Lowes, a laptop from Staples for $876, two Apple Watches for $876, and an airline ticket for a trip to Haiti, where he is originally from, according to prosecutors. The Burlington County Prosecutors Office asked that anyone who suspects a theft from a deceased loved one since February to call 609-265-5035 and ask to speak to a detective. Last week, she stepped out of home for the first time in two months. She had gone out for a walk with her best friend, her dog Champagne, after spending days in isolation at hospital and home. It felt blissful till she had to cut short the walk when she realised every passerby in her society was staring at her, as if they knew she was the first Covid-19 patient of Gurugram and Haryana. Though I was wearing a mask, I felt people were scared of me, says the 26-year-old, who requested anonymity. It affected me when the media reported that I had run away from the Civil Hospital. I had only been shifted to a private hospital after consultation with doctors. My contact details were leaked on WhatsApp groups. My parents and I got calls from unknown numbers. A man even posed as a policeman and entered our house. Nothing can be more traumatising, she says, recalling the days after she tested positive. A resident of Sector 9, the woman, Gurugrams patient zero, works as a marketing professional with an IT company in the city. She says, People lack empathy. Rather than being concerned about what I was going through after contracting a disease, neighbours were more concerned about their own well-being. The news and social media made her anxious. After suffering an anxiety attack, I decided to disconnect from everyone. I focused only on my office work while I was admitted in the isolation ward, she says. She was so scared that she quarantined herself for a month at home after being discharged. It was a conscious decision as my three-month-old nephew stays with us. While in isolation, she relied on her mother who kept her strong mentally and physically. Today, she is back pursuing her hobbies of cooking, playing with her nephew and taking her dog out for a walk. She understands that getting back to normalcy will take time. She is still to figure out how she contracted SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes coronavirus disease) . On February 22, she had gone for a vacation to Malaysia and Indonesia along with her cousin and returned on March 4. She had fever and cold on March 11 and got herself tested the next day only to be diagnosed positive on March 15. Now I ask everyone to wear a mask and practise hand hygiene because one never knows how one gets infected, she says. The last two months have changed her, for the better. Im more patient and concerned about others struggling with the virus, she says. NEBRAKSA The live stream for Nebraskas 2020 Memorial Day Observance will go online at 8 a.m. Monday, May 25, at veterans.nebraska.gov/memorialday. The Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs (NDVA) is hosting the event and inviting all Nebraskans to attend virtually as in-person events across the state are limited or cancelled by COVID-19. Memorial Day is an important event throughout the state, especially in our veterans homes, said NDVA Director John Hilgert. With in-person events not possible this year, we knew there needed to be an alternative for that reflection and remembrance and wanted to provide something all Nebraskans can participate in. The ceremony will begin at 8 a.m. with the lighting of a ceremonial candle by Gold Star Mother Monica Alexander and remain lit until her husband, Mel, extinguishes it at 8 p.m. Their son, Army Corporal Matthew Alexander, of Gretna, was killed May 6, 2007, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Baqubah Iraq. Over the course of the day, 24 honor guards, in groups of two that are comprised of members of veteran service organizations from across the state, will stand by the candle. Note: Organizations are free to record or rebroadcast the stream. A direct link from NETs website is available here: http://netnebraska.org/interactive-multimedia/other/nebraskas-memorial-day-observance-2020 Radio host Charlamagne tha God issued a scathing rebuke to former Vice President Joe Biden following the presidential candidate's gaffe about black voters. Charlamagne condemned Biden's track record with black voters, stating that the former vice president was a 'very intricate' part of the 'systemic racism' that needs to be 'dismantled.' 'My overall takeaway from the conversation is that I heard him talk about things he did for black people back in the day but what have you done for me lately is my motto,' the radio host explained to CNN on Friday. 'I see Black communities catching hell no matter who is in the White House.' Scroll down for video Charlamagne tha God condemned Joe Biden's track record with black voters, stating that he was a 'very intricate' part of the 'systemic racism' Charlamagne tha God on Biden's record: "He really was one of the people on the front lines when it came to the war on drugs, and mass incarceration. If he wants to be president, he needs to fix that." pic.twitter.com/bNEuXQJpar andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) May 23, 2020 Charlamagne was angered that people talked about how the coronavirus was devastating the black community but failed to talk about 'health issues stemming from systemic racism that has never been fixed.' The radio host then turned his critique directly to Biden. 'Like I said before if you have created legislation that has hurt then you have to create legislation that helps, it's just that simple,' Charlamagne continued. 'The whole system needs to be dismantled and rebuilt and he has been a very intricate part of that system. 'Whether you're talking about 84 with the mandatory minimum sentences for drug dealers, when you talk about 86 with crack laws that gave you more time for crack cocaine and powder cocaine, or if you talk about the 94 crime bill. 'Like I said before if you have created legislation that has hurt then you have to create legislation that helps, it's just that simple,' Charlamagne continued The radio host slammed Biden's work on the 94 crime bill, which many have critiqued for its effects on mass incarceration, especially for African Americans. Biden pictured with Bill Clinton during the signing ceremony for the bill 'He really was one of the people on the front lines when it came to the War on Drugs, and mass incarceration. If he wants to be president, he needs to fix that.' Following the passage of the federal crime bill in 1994, incarceration rates climbed for 14 years, according to the ACLU. Many have slammed Biden's work on the bill to contributing to some of the disparities still impacting many today. Biden apologized to black business leaders for telling popular radio show host that he 'ain't black' if he can't discern the better presidential candidate between Biden and President Trump. 'I should not have been so cavalier. I've never, never, ever taken the African-American community for granted,' Biden said, according to the Associated Press. 'I shouldn't have been such a wise guy.' Biden added that, 'No one should have to vote for any party based on their race, their religion, their background,' on a conference call with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce Friday afternoon. Among those who criticized Biden for what he said was Diddy, tweeting, 'Aye bruh @JoeBiden I already told you the #BlackVoteAintFree.' President Trump and his surrogates also took advantage of Biden's gaffe. Biden, the Democrats' presumptive presidential nominee, made the cringey comment to Charlamagne tha God at the end of a contentious 18-minute interview that aired Friday morning, where the former vice president was forced to defend his record supporting black Americans. 'He really was one of the people on the front lines when it came to the War on Drugs, and mass incarceration. If he wants to be president, he needs to fix that,' the host said Vice President Joe Biden (right) appeared on 'The Breakfast Club' Friday with popular host Charlamagne tha God (left) At the conclusion of the interview, Joe Biden told Charlamagne tha God 'if you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black' Joe Biden defended his record on race in the 18-minute 'Breakfast Club' interview, telling Charlamagne tha God that his record on race 'is second to none' Over the course of the interview, an aide twice interrupted the back-and-forth to tell Biden he was over on time. This inspired Charlamagne tha God, the host of the popular 'Breakfast Club' program, to say, 'You can't do that to black media.' 'I've got to do that to white media and black media because my wife has to go on at 6 o'clock,' Biden replied. 'Uh oh, I'm in trouble,' he muttered, checking the time. The Bidens, who are under a coronavirus stay at home order in Delaware, share a TV studio set up in a basement rec room. Charlamagne the God asked the ex-veep to come see him in New York post-pandemic. 'It's a long way until November, we've got more questions,' the radio host said. Biden sounded surprised by that comment. 'You've got more questions?' he asked. 'Well, I will tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black,' Biden said. Charlamagne tha God was upfront with Joe Biden about past criticism. And asked him tough questions including whether he was suffering from mental decline Diddy tweeted a response to Biden's comments Friday using the hashtag #BlackVoteAintFree Charlamagne the God replied, 'it has nothing to do with Trump. 'I want something for my community,' he told the former vice president. Biden, using the defensive tone he used for most of the interview, shot back, 'Take a look at my record man.' 'I extended the voting rights act 25 years. I have a record that is second to none. The NAACP has endorsed me every time I've run. Come on, take a look at my record,' Biden said. When an aide tried ending things for a third time, Biden promised he would come back on 'The Breakfast Club' and called Charlamagne tha God 'pal.' Things had gotten off to a rocky start with Charlamagne the God copping to the fact that he had been criticial of Biden on his show. 'I know you have,' Biden replied. 'You don't know me.' Charlamagne tha God admitted that was accurate. 'No I don't, that's why I want to get to know you today,' the host said. 'I'm going to talk to you mostly about black stuff.' Charlamagne tha God asked about Biden's family and how they were doing during the coronavirus pandemic, while Biden segued and said, 'I'll tell you what, the black community is getting killed though.' The radio host agreed, and then asked Biden about his cognitive health, pointing to the many attacks on the right suggesting that the 77-year-old candidate was experiencing a mental decline. Biden responded by saying he couldn't wait to take on the 'stable genius,' Trump. Charlamagne tha God also questioned Biden on how he could excite voters from his basement. 'I'm following the rules man. I wear my mask,' Biden replied. 'By the way I'm beating him across the board,' he continued. 'It's not hurting me, I'm winning in all those states, I'm head in all national polls, the more he talks the better off I am.' Charlamagne tha God said he was skeptical of polling after what happened in 2016 - especially since Hillary Clinton was ahead in national polling, but got beaten in three key swing states, where polling wasn't being conducted as regularly. 'Polls can be illusions,' the radio host said. Biden argued that it's different in 2020 because instead of being an unknown change agent, Trump is a known commodity. The two had a back-and-forth about the controversial 1994 crime bill, which has been blamed for mass incarceration of black Americans. 'I got to ask you though, why so much resistance on admitting the crime bill and other legislation you were a part of was damaging to the black community?' Charlamagne tha God asked Biden at one point. 'We had Hillary on a few years ago, and Miss Clinton said the crime bill, we made a lot of mistakes with that and she wanted to atone for that by becoming the next president.' Biden didn't see things the same way. 'She was wrong. It wasn't the crime bill, it was the drug legislation, it was the institution of mandatory minimums, which I opposed,' he said. Biden said he had a broader plane for black America, which he referred to in the interview as a 'manifesto.' On the topic of drugs, Charlamagne the God asked Biden why he supported decriminalization of marijuana, but not full legalization. 'Because they're trying to find out whether or not there's any impact on the use of marijuana, not in leading you to othet drugs, but does it effect longterm development of the brain,' Biden answered. 'And we should wait until the studies are done.' 'I think science matters,' the presumptive Democratic nominee added. Charlamagne tha God also brought up the veepstakes, pointing to the CBS News story that broke Thursday, which said the Biden team was vetting Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a former 2020 candidate who is white. 'A lot of people on social media, they're not too happy about that because they want your running mate to be a black woman,' Charlamagne tha God told the candidate. 'And black people saved your political life in the primary this year,' he added. Biden had performed badly in both the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary. He came in a weak second to Bernie Sanders in the Nevada caucuses, but his campaign's hopes completely turned around after he was endorsed by Rep. Jim Clyburn, the most powerful black lawmaker on Capitol Hill, and easily won South Carolina's primary. While Biden has agreed to picking a female VP, he has not committed to choosing a woman of color. 'What I'm saying to them is I'm not acknowledging anybody who's being considered, but I guarantee you there are multiple black women being considered, multiple,' Biden said. As soon as the interview was released Friday morning, the Biden campaign started playing clean-up, while President Trump's campaign came out kicking. Symone Sanders, a prominent black Biden campaign adviser, tweeted out that the former vice president was indeed kidding. 'The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but let's be clear about what the VP was saying: he was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump's any day. Period,' Sanders said. 1. President Trump declared houses of worship essential and ordered them to be reopened. Mr. Trump called on states to open churches, synagogues and mosques right now," and threatened to overrule any governors who defy him (though its not clear he has the authority to do so). Religious services have emerged as political flash points since states began restricting large gatherings to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Above, protesters in Harrisburg, Pa., last month. His remarks come as the U.S. approaches the grim milestone of 100,000 deaths. Mr. Trump has begun questioning the official coronavirus death toll, suggesting the numbers are inflated, even as most experts say the opposite is likely. Boris Johnson - Getty Boris Johnson should lift the lockdown to protect jobs, and save the economy, a leading Tory donor says today as he argues that an easing of restrictions would help newly won Tory seats in the north. Writing in The Telegraph, Alexander Temerko who owns some of the biggest manufacturing businesses in the north of England says the Prime Minister owes it to the voters in the so-called Blue Wall of northern seats to lift the lockdown urgently. The Ukrainian-born businessman who has donated heavily to the Conservatives and knows Mr Johnson says: "These are not initiatives to be placed on the backburner rather, they are of the utmost importance to press forward with now, for delaying will be ruinous. "The Government owes it to British workers and to workers in the Blue Wall that gave Boris their trust in the last election, in particular." Mr Temerko continues: "Our economy has taken a dire hit, unemployment is skyrocketing, and Brexit is looming. And in the year run-up to Brexit, when British industries needed to be at their best, preparing and expanding, they have instead been hobbled and hamstrung by the pandemic. "This is not a retrospective criticism it is a call for the Government and British society to look now to the future. "The Government and our NHS have done so much to save lives now they must work equally hard to save our economy, or else face a trial even greater than coronavirus for our nation. "If the lockdown continues, we will see more businesses and economies fail, and dreadful looting of Government coffers. We will see unemployment continue to spiral, and the resultant drain on the states resources. "We will see investment flee, and we will see a prolonged, ruinous recession that will push the UK away from the negotiating tables with the EU, US and other powers as we seek to sign trade deals and negotiate our international future." Story continues Mr Temerko runs and owns Aquind, an electricity interconnector being constructed between Britain and France worth over 1billion, and he is the co-director of Hadrian Yard, formerly OGN Group, the North Easts largest manufacturing yard, producing offshore oil, gas and renewable energy equipment. He adds: "There is a way out of this scenario: An economic revival. A booming economy would accomplish the exact opposite of the dire scenario it would give us a strong hand to negotiate Brexit, it would safeguard our financial wellbeing, and indeed, it would save lives, by keeping our society fit and healthy mentally and physically, and funding our NHS." Mr Temerko is urging Mr Johnson to set up a Business Council to support entrepreneurs, particularly in the north of England. He says: "All crises beget both hardship and opportunity. We have an opportunity now: A revolutionary shift to a true pro-business administration; an innovative and bold cast of leaders to push change where necessary." He adds: "We have an unprecedented opportunity. We have saved the lives of so many citizens through quick action and the tireless work of our NHS we must not waste it by remaining paralysed in fear. We must instead agree to a new slogan: Lift the lockdown, protect jobs, save the economy." Mr Temerko has donated about 1.4million to the Conservative Party since 2011, and currently gives 50,000 annually. He added: "The fact that 99 per cent of people, ready, willing and able to work, are staying home to protect 1 per cent of the population is an unsustainable situation. "Protecting people is very important, and we must, but we can't do so by keeping the entire nation locked away. "Many more people will be in grave danger if there is economic collapse, and conversely, the economic output of the 99% that are able to work will protect the vulnerable by guaranteeing funding and focus on the NHS." Movie Comeback Imagined Century-old KC Movie Theater company explains how, when it will bring movies back KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Movie theater companies in Kansas can reopen today but one local company with theaters across the country and a long family history isn't quite ready to open yet. B&B Theatres is based in Liberty, Missouri, with 50 theaters across eight states. Kansas City Guide To Gently Asking For Consent To Eat Out Everything you need to know about applying for a street cafe permit The KCMO City Council went to great lengths to make sure the recent ordinances allowing restaurants and bars to expand into parking lots and spaces outside of their establishments go into effect as quickly as possible. As part of that effort, Councilperson Bough shared this handy one-sheet on Twitter today, which includes everything you need to know about the new... All Aboard KC Bus Again RideKC Announces Later Hours for Transit Routes RideKC service routes will offer more hours as the region opens back up amid the COVID-19 crisis. Starting May 31, most routes in Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., will continue to use Saturday schedules on weekdays, but routes previously scheduled to run past 9 p.m. will resume doing so. Demi Flaunts Dangerous Curves For A Living On Instagram Demi Rose almost spills out of tight attire in risque move as she gives backstage insight Demi Rose, 25, drew attention to her busty display as she posed in a tight jumpsuit, which clung onto her sensational physique today. The model risked a potential nip slip in the plunging attire but posed with confidence for her fans. Prez Trump Payout??? Trump administration warms up to sending out more coronavirus relief money President Donald Trump and his advisors showed more support for a new round of coronavirus relief spending this week as economic damage from the pandemic mounts. The president on Thursday said "I think we're going to be helping people out" and "getting some money for them" as tens of millions of Americans lose paychecks and businesses struggle to survive with public health restrictions still in place in much of the country. Hong Kong Likely Kaput Pompeo blasts Beijing's national security bill as 'death knell' for Hong Kong's autonomy Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday condemned efforts by Beijing to enact national security legislation in Hong Kong, charging that the implementation of such a measure would represent a "death knell" for the semi-autonomy afforded to the Chinese territory. "Hong Kong has flourished as a bastion of liberty," Pompeo said in a statement. Doc Brix Reveals USA Comeback In Fight Against Coronavirus Birx announces 'dramatic decline' in coronavirus cases across the states Dr. Deborah Birx on Friday announced a "dramatic decline" in coronavirus deaths and hospitalizations across the country, particularly in the New York City metro area. "A dramatic decline across the states" has also been seen in the positivity rate, as testing capabilities are expanded, said Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, during a briefing with reporters. Most Voters Use Caution Wear a mask in public? Sure. Majority of Democrats, Republicans say they have, survey shows WASHINGTON - Despite high-profile incidents of Americans refusing to wear face masks, an overwhelming majority of Americans say they have worn a face covering due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey. KICK-ASS TKC READER LAMENTS FULL HOUSE TO BIG HOUSE!!! Why Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli copped pleas in college admissions scam Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli copped pleas in the college admissions scandal Friday after realizing the case against them was too strong - and because they feared their daughters would have to testify, according to a new report. "It was going to get ugly," a source close to the "Full House" TV alum Loughlin told US Weekly. BBQ Collabo Comeback Classic Cup to reopen doors in June, partners with Operation BBQ Relief KANSAS CITY, Mo. - If you've been down to the Country Club Plaza lately, you've probably noticed it's busier, with more restaurants and shops opening up. But Classic Cup Sidewalk Cafe isn't opening its doors until June. Owner Dan McCall said they want to wait to see what other restaurants are doing and take a look at what's working and what isn't. Kansas City Slice Of Life Minsky's and Joe's collaborating to bring back BBQ pizza KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The "Minsky's Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que Pizza" will be making a comeback on Memorial Day due to popular demand. According to a joint release from Minsky's Pizza and Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que, it will be available weekly Monday through Wednesday until supplies run out. Weekend Warm Up Ahead Saturday will be warm, humid WE ARE TRY DRY NOW. AS MENTIONED HERE IS A LOOK. WE'RE LOOKING HERE AT THE FIELD DEVELOPING. SOME OF THOSE COULD POP UP TO A THUNDERSTORM POSSIBILITY BUT RIGHT NOW, FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WITHIN THE 4:35 LOOP. MOSTLY SUNNY. Right nowinspires this collection of community news, pop culture and info from across the nation and around the world . . .And this is thefor right now . . . Lawyers for the instigator of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, former President of Armenia Robert Kocharian, recalled complaints from the Court of Appeal against the decision of the court of the first instance, according to which the suspect remains in custody, lawyer Aram Vardevanyan wrote in Facebook. He recalled that two applications for the release of Kocharyan were submitted during the year, Sputnik Armenia reports. The cognitive dissonance is head-spinning. Up in Canberra, our leaders are stressing over Beijings vindictive payback after they called for an international inquiry into COVID-19. Down in Melbourne, Premier Daniel Andrews is basking in his warm relationship with Beijing as they move towards consolidating their Belt and Road agreement. Has Daniel Andrews gone too far with China? Credit:JAMES ROSS But for the strategists of the Chinese Communist Party there is no cognitive dissonance. The division is simply the desired outcome of a tactic known as using the countryside to surround the city or nongcun baowei chengshi. How does this work? Since the scales fell from Canberras eyes and attitudes towards China began hardening reflected in the ban on Huawei and the new foreign interference law Beijing has been ramping up its influence activity in the state capitals. Its been particularly successful in Perth and Darwin and, of course, Melbourne. The going has been tougher in Sydney thanks to Sam Dastyari and Huang Xiangmo, the Chinese businessman now excluded from Australia on ASIO advice. The donations scandal now before the Independent Commission Against Corruption involving Huang and the Labor Party has made most politicians far more careful about whom they mix with. Sri Lanka has requested India for a currency swap arrangement to the tune of $1.1 billion to ease pressures related to foreign currency reserves seen as a fallout of the covid-19 pandemic devastating the tourism industry in the island nation. This new request of $1.1 billion is separate from another for $ 400 million being negotiated between the two countries under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) framework. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa put forth the request during a telephone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, a statement from Rajapaksas office said. The conversation was described as very constructive and cordial." If the Government of India could provide $ 1.1 billion special SWAP facility to top up $ 400 million under SAARC Facility, it would enormously help Sri Lanka in dealing with our foreign exchange issues," the statement from Rajapaksas office quoting the president said. Sri Lankas economy has been hit by the novel coronavirus crisis with tourism a major foriegn currency earner drying up completely with the embargos on travel. India has been negotiating a currency swap agreement with Sri Lanka for $ 400 million. There was no mention of the new request in a read out of the conversation put out by the Indian side on Saturday. It comes in the wake of Indias strategic rival China moving with a $ 500 million loan offer from its central bank at reduced interest rates. China is already one of the biggest investors in various infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka. But there has been criticism, both locally and internationally, and growing concerns that China has lured Sri Lanka into a debt trap. So far India has sent consignments of medicines to Sri Lanka as donation something Rajapaksa thanked Modi for in his conversation on Saturday. The President speaking from the Presidential Secretariat, appreciated the opportunity to discuss matters of mutual interest with the Indian Premier and thanked him for the support extended by India to help Sri Lanka face these difficult times. Indias gift of 10 tonnes of medical supplies proved to be very useful, said the President in appreciation," the statement from Colombo said. President Rajapaksa sought the intervention of Prime minister Modi to revive some of the key projects as Sri Lanka strives to restore the economy, the statement said. Rajapaksa asked prime minister Modi to direct those responsible from Indias side to expedite construction of the East Terminal of the Colombo Port as early as possible as it will be a significant boost to our economic landscape," the statement quoted the Sri Lankan President as saying. I am trying to promote value added industrial and agricultural activities," the president said adding he would be happy if you could encourage Indian investors to start such investments, including Indian companies already in Sri Lanka to increase domestic value addition in the context of COVID-19 economic priorities." Modi on his part assured Rajapaksa that he was personally committed to help Sri Lanka. We are ready to help under terms that are favorable to Sri Lanka," Modi was quoted as saying by the Sri Lanka statement. Modi also suggested to President to appoint an official to work directly on this regard with the Colombo based Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, the statement added. India has traditionally considered the Indian Ocean region and countries in its immediate neighbourhood as within its sphere of influence. But China is now increasingly making its presence felt in the Indian Ocean region through its investments through the signature Belt and Road Initiative as well as through an increased naval presence. In 2017, China opened its first overseas naval base in Djibouti. It has been steadily increasing fishing as well as other economic activities in the Indian Ocean region particularly along the east coast of Africa developments that India is keeping a wary eye on. 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 New Delhi, May 23 : An Eid feast that fed around two lakh people in Mumbai was a treat in these unhappy times, courtesy the kitchen of chef Vikas Khanna. The Michelin-star chef who has successfully distributed six million dry ration meals across 125 Indian cities, on Friday put together a massive Eid feast, where his team distributed 100,000+ kgs of dry rations, fresh and dry fruits, spices, sugar, seviyan, kitchen utensils, oils, chais, coffee, and juices, after taking blessings from sacred Haji Ali Dargah. Khanna has partaken in the daily distribution of dry ration kits to migrant workers and the needy during the COVID-19 crisis - which has been the highlight of his entire career, he says. With adequate social distancing, the food was given out in Mumbai areas of Mohammad Ali Road, Dharavi and Mahim Dargah - with support from National Disaster Relief Force. The chef had created a supply chain in April to ensure dry ration is distributed to orphanages, old age homes and leprosy centres in India. Image Source: IANS News "Eid is a symbol of gratitude and unity. As the last weeks have been hard for each one of us, we wanted to stand in solidarity to celebrate Eid," Vikas Khanna told IANSlife. On helping migrants, he said that we are together to be India. "Each one of us. They are the soul and the backbone. Every day serving them meals has been the highlight of my entire career." How did he plan such a vast-scale event? "I did not plan it, the Universe plans it. We just follow. I think the last few weeks of supplying meals and dry rations to more than 125 cities in India has connected me to a lot of people on the ground to make this event possible. Slowly and steadily we kept working toward connecting the dots and within a few months, we have created a food chain. The deliveries are a huge challenge everywhere due to lockdowns. It seemed to be an impossible mission every day. Many times we wanted to give up understanding the current circumstances. But, then something positive kept pushing us. A small victory encouraged us and we kept moving forward." For the chef, it was a challenge to balance nutrition in the ration kits and ensure its procurement. "It's usually Rice-Lentils-Wholewheat Flour-Onions-Potatoes. But it varies from state to state. Many times in old age homes, leprosy centers and orphanages, we are giving just Rice-Wholewheat Flour-Lentils and sometimes sanitary napkins in some cities," he shared. His message to the citizenry? "I think tough times define what metal we are made of. I could not breathe when I saw the images of pain, fear and hunger. We tried our best to our ability to serve as many as possible. I am humbled that I could be of use." The New York-based chef, author and filmmaker has been in quarantine since March-end. The American city is one of the most affected cities in the world. "I am trying my best to have any connection with anyone. But losing so many friends every day and two aunts crushed me. But keeping positive and moving forward." Finally, his thoughts on the F&B industry in India and around the world? "Our industry is most vulnerable right now. It employs the second-highest number of people and has been a tough struggle right now. My catering company in NY and the restaurant in Dubai is shut as of now. I am sure stimulus plans would help tremendously to get the industry back on its feet." (Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in) Latest updates on Eid al-Fitr 2020 -- Syndicated from IANS Why this 10-year-old wrote a short story imagining what it's like to have COVID-19 Ten-year-old Eliza Rasmussen wanted to understand the virus that's turned her world upside down. The Grade 4 student at Sir Charles Tupper Elementary in Halifax can no longer see her teacher or her friends now that she's isolating with her parents and grandparents on a 100-acre farm in Cape Breton. She'd been hearing grownups talk about COVID-19 for months, but she didn't know much about it. So when Rasmussen was given a school assignment to write a short story, she asked her teacher if she could write about the pandemic instead. She imagined what it would be like to contract the deadly virus, and wrote a first-person account of a health-care worker recovering in hospital. She called her story, Crushed: A COVID-19 Recovery Story. "Sometimes when I had writer's block I would just go out and sit on the deck, petting my cats," Rasmussen told CBC's Information Morning. "I would look out the window and just try and say like, 'You don't have to do this all today. You're here, you're safe, just try and write.'" WATCH: Eliza Rasmussen reads her short story about COVID-19 Rasmussen's main character wakes up as she's being wheeled from the ICU into a small isolation room at a Montreal hospital. Her voice is raspy from the ventilator that was stuck down her throat, and she's served soup even though she's craving chicken wings. The character is partly inspired by her aunt who works in the COVID-19 unit at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. Rasmussen called her before she started writing to ask what it would feel like to be infected. "She gave me all the information about how exhausted and how weak you would feel. I didn't know that before," Rasmussen said. "I learned even doing the slightest little movements, like moving your fingers, wrists, or trying to take the lid off soup, or whatever, it feels like you've just done something really exhausting." Story continues Stephanie Nolan Rasmussen also read articles and looked at photographs of health-care workers dressed in personal protective equipment. In her story, she describes them as "bulky pastel blue cloth monsters with human eyes." While some of the details in the story are fiction, Rasmussen said the despair her main character feels is something she comprehends. Her family has lived all over the world including India, Brazil and Mexico. "That despair isn't for the same reason, but it's pretty close. Like, not being able to see people you're close to or like very good friends or whatever and I sort of channeled it," Rasmussen said. Stephanie Nolan She's glad her family is in Canada during a time like this, she said. "I think we're really lucky to be here, to be with our family, to have a place to be able to roam around outside where everything could be so much worse for us. So I'm trying to focus on the bright side of things," Rasmussen said. That's how her story ends, too. Even though the main character is still stuck in a hospital bed, she looks out the window and sees her brother. "My brother was waving at my window from the parking lot below," Rasmussen writes. "I couldn't see his mouth from behind the mask he wore, but I could tell from his blue eyes how wide he smiled." MORE TOP STORIES From p.e.n.i.s extenders to pills claiming to increase the girth of manhood, there are a multitude of things being sold. Many men worry about their p.e.n.i.s being too small, but research shows that most are normal and they dont need to worry. Regardless, their p.e.n.i.s size is something most guys have probably thought about at some point. But face it, going under the knife to get a bigger p.e.n.i.s is a very extreme measure. According to the NHS, there are three things you can do to make your p.e.n.i.s look bigger without surgery. Professor Kevan Wylie, a s3xual medicine consultant, said: Many men who worry about the size of their p3nis generally have overall body image issues. He continued: What happens is that they tend to focus their poor body image on their p3nis. Often, counselling can make a real difference to the patient by building self-esteem, correcting distorted views about body image and learning more about what makes people attractive. The NHS recommends three things that can help your manhood appear larger. They are: Trim your pubic hair a big bush can make your p3nis look smaller than it is Lose weight a beer belly hanging over your p3nis can make it look smaller Get fit getting into shape will make you feel more attractive, and could improve your s.e.x life Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Many university students are being threatened with legal action from letting agents and private landlords unless they pay for accommodation they signed up to until the end of the academic year. Others have hit a brick wall in trying to get refunds for rent already paid on digs for the summer term sums typically ranging from 1,000 to 3,000. This is despite most students being urged by their universities to go home in late March as campuses closed and complete their studies remotely. Many have not put a foot inside their rented digs since the final term started. Standing firm: Jack Clarke, with his father Phil, has lodged a complaint Pleas from some universities calling for private landlords to compromise on final term rental payments have largely been ignored. Other universities, acting as agents for private landlords, have flatly refused to offer students any refund of their agent's fees or to provide students with details of their landlords so they can appeal to their better side. The universities say release of such information would be in breach of data protection rules. Not all student accommodation providers or their agents have played hardball. Some nationwide operators of student accommodation have agreed to waive all or some of the payments for this term while most universities have waived fees on campus accommodation they provide themselves. The hard-nosed attitude of a majority of letting agents and landlords appears to be in defiance of guidance issued by the Competition & Markets Authority on 'consumer contracts' impacted by the corona-virus pandemic. Late last month, the authority, responsible for protecting consumers from unfair trading practices, said that businesses should offer refunds where a consumer was not allowed to use a service as a result of lockdown restrictions. Although its finger was pointed at providers of wedding events, holiday accommodation and childcare nurseries, it confirmed to The Mail on Sunday that its guidance also applied to suppliers of student accommodation. Some nationwide operators of student accommodation have agreed to waive all or some of the payments for this term while most universities have waived fees on campus accommodation It said: 'CMA's statement on consumer contracts, cancellations and refunds, which aims to help consumers understand their rights, would also apply to students. In most cases, the CMA would expect businesses to offer refunds where they cancel bookings or don't provide any services or where consumers are not allowed to use them because of lockdown restrictions.' Ella Smithyman, 21, has just received a final warning over the non-payment of rent for the summer term on the digs she was living in before she headed home to Middlesbrough the weekend before the country went into lockdown in March. She was in a house with six other students and was in the final year of a degree in biomedical research at Chester University. The property is managed by Abbey Rentals. The warning states: 'Abbey Rentals is about to start legal proceedings to recover your current rent arrears. Costs will also be added to the principal debt as per your tenancy agreement signed before you moved in.' It has given her seven days to pay. Ella's father Paul says: 'Abbey Rentals has been inflexible and unhelpful and the only concession it has offered is a delayed payment plan.' He adds: 'Ella emailed Abbey stating she had to give up her part-time job in Chester and return home due to the campus being shut. But requests for a rent discount have been ignored.' Paul, an operational manager for a logistics company, says the debt will fall on his shoulders because he agreed to act as Ella's guarantor. He says: 'I would reluctantly agree to pay 50 per cent. But then I might go to the small claims court, cite the exceptional circumstances, and argue the contract from Abbey has not been fulfilled.' His argument appears to dovetail with the guidance issued by the CMA on services not provided because of lockdown namely that suppliers should offer refunds where payment has been made or discounts where it hasn't. On Friday, Abbey said: 'We have followed Government guidelines and offered any student who has financial difficulties a payment plan although this has not been an issue as most students have received their Government loans which are intended for living expenses.' Like Ella Smithyman, Jack Clarke also believes his landlord should offer a discount on the third term rent due on the digs he vacated in March. But unlike Ella he has not been able to contact the landlord because his university, through which he arranged his accommodation, will not provide him with their details. Parents rage... but agents stay silent on clamour for refunds Parents have contacted The Mail on Sunday in their hundreds to express their anger at the reticence of landlords both big companies and private to waive student accommodation fees this term. By way of contrast, only a handful of landlords, or their agents, have been prepared to defend their taking of rents despite the fact that most student tenants have long gone home to continue their studies. Paul Parker, from Northampton, has only just paid the rent due on his daughter's third term accommodation at the University of Liverpool, provided by Student Cribs. He paid because he did not want any adverse credit black mark against her name. Parents have contacted The Mail on Sunday in their hundreds to express their anger at the reticence of landlords to waive student accommodation fees this term Yet it doesn't mean he is happy with the way Student Cribs has behaved. Paul says: 'My daughter was told she had an obligation to pay the outstanding rent even though there was no chance of her returning to Liverpool to complete her academic year's studies. 'There is a right way of doing business and a wrong way and Student Cribs has not played ball.' Paul now fears that his daughter will be paying fees for new accommodation in September with another provider that she is again unable to use because of continued coronavirus issues. 'It's all rather unsatisfactory,' he says. Student Cribs did not respond to The Mail on Sunday's request for an explanation of why it was not prepared to waive a slice of tenants' third term rents. But its silence was not a lone one. Other accommodation providers including Campus Living Villages, Host and Mansion House refused to say anything. One private landlord did email, saying: 'Don't demonise us landlords.' Jack, 22, from Sevenoaks in Kent, is in the final year of a business management degree at Warwick University and until lockdown was living with six other students in Leamington Spa. Jack arranged his tenancy through Warwick Accommodation, an arm of the university that acts as a facilitator between students and private landlords. Although the university has waived accommodation fees for students living on campus, it has not offered any concessions for those who arranged tenancies through it for off-campus digs provided by private landlords. This is despite Warwick Accommodation making a healthy income from its role as an agent. Jack has lodged online a three-pronged complaint. First, he wants to know whether it has actually ap-proached his landlord over a possible rental reduction. Second, he has asked whether he could have direct contact with the landlord something it has so far declined to agree to on data protection grounds. Finally, he has asked Warwick Accommodation to provide him with the amount of his rent that it takes in fees before passing on the rest to the landlord and whether it would return a slice of its fees to students like him as a 'gesture of goodwill'. Although it has yet to respond to these requests, Warwick Accommodation previously told Jack that it had asked landlords 'if they may be willing to forgo payments owing to them'. Yet the response it had received was that a 'great many' landlords were reluctant to do so. On Friday, Jack's father Phil said: 'While the financial assistance given to businesses and employees in response to the coronavirus crisis has been fantastic, the financial difficulties facing students have fallen through the cracks.' A 49-year-old Belvidere area man was flown by helicopter for treatment following a one-vehicle crash Friday in Warren County, New Jersey State Police said. The driver, whose name was not immediately released, drove a Ford pickup truck off the right side of the road and crashed into a tree shortly before 1:45 p.m. in the 400 block of Hazen Oxford Road in White Township, said Trooper Alejandro Goez. The driver suffered a leg injury that was not believed to be life-threatening, police said. There was no indication he had any passengers with him. The Oxford Rescue Squad with paramedics from Hunterdon Medical Center took the driver to a landing zone set up by the Mountain Lake Fire Co. and Oxford Volunteer Fire Department at the former Oxford Mill off Port Colden Road in Oxford Township, according to a report from the scene. From there, he was flown by Atlantic Air Three for treatment at Morristown Medical Center. The crash remained under investigation. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Freelance photographer Rich Maxwell contributed to this report. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. One of the men who helped write the book on African American history here died May 18, but the accomplishments of retired professor Lenwood G. Davis went far beyond that pictorial history which came out in 1999. Davis, who grew up in Beaufort and who got his bachelors and masters degrees at N.C. Central University in Durham, died May 18 at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center at the age of 81. Davis, who held a doctorate in history from Carnegie-Mellon University, began teaching at Winston-Salem State University in 1978. Except for a year at Montclair State College in New Jersey in the early 1980s, Davis made his teaching home at WSSU. And he was a prolific author who specialized in bibliographies, where he saw himself filling a void in black history that it seemed few others were doing. He was a very quiet kind of spirit, said Annette Scippio, a member of the Winston-Salem City Council who knew Davis for many years. He was one of the longtime members of the Society for the Study of African American History in Winston-Salem. He was very quiet, very thoughtful, but loved history and loved talking about history. That is what his passion was. He was a very good person. D ominic Cummings is facing new claims of flouting Government rules amid reports he made a second trip to Durham during the coronavirus lockdown. A witness told the Sunday Mirror and the Observer that Boris Johnson's chief adviser was seen on April 19 in woodland near the Durham property he stayed at with his family - days after he was spotted back in Downing Street on April 14, and when strict rules were still in place not to travel. A second eyewitness claimed they saw Mr Cummings in Barnard Castle, a town 30 miles away from Durham, on April 12, when he was reportedly still self-isolating at the property. Robin Lees, 70, a retired chemistry teacher, claimed he saw the PM's senior aide walking with family by the River Tees. Ministers have insisted Mr Cummings had stayed put "for 14 days" after he arrived at the property in Durham , having travelled to be close to family to seek help looking after his four-year-old child after his wife became ill with coronavirus symptoms. But the latest claims call into question both Mr Cummings and Downing Streets account of his lockdown whereabouts. Downing Street has called the reports "inaccurate", adding: We will not waste our time answering a stream of false allegations about Mr Cummings from campaigning newspapers. Mr Cummings has insisted he acted reasonably and legally / AFP via Getty Images The new revelations come after an investigation by the Daily Mirror and the Guardian revealed on Friday that Mr Cummings had allegedly breached travel restrictions by travelling more than 250 miles from his home in London with his family. Mr Cummings insisted on Saturday that he acted reasonably and legally, telling reporters he did the "right" thing. The PM was also said to have given Mr Cummings his "full support". But both the Labour Party and SNP have questioned who knew, and when, that Mr Cummings had travelled from his home in London to Durham and whether this was a breach of rules at the time. After the latest revelations emerged, a Labour source said: If these latest revelations are true, why on earth were Cabinet ministers sent out this afternoon to defend Dominic Cummings? We need an urgent investigation by the Cabinet Secretary to get to the bottom of this matter. It cannot be right that there is one rule for the Prime Ministers adviser and another for the British people. Acting leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Ed Davey said: If Dominic Cummings is now allowed to remain in place a moment longer, it will increasingly be the Prime Ministers judgment that is in the spotlight. Surely Boris Johnson must now recognise the actions of his top adviser are an insult to the millions who have made huge personal sacrifices to stop the spread of coronavirus. Each minute the Prime Minister allows this scandal to drag on is another minute the Government is distracted from upscaling Britains testing capacity, securing PPE for frontline workers and ending tragic deaths in our care homes. Ian Blackford, leader in Westminster of the SNP, renewed his calls for the PM to axe Mr Cummings from his team following the new reports. He wrote on Twitter: It is clear that Boris Johnson must sack Dominic Cummings. When the PMs top advisor ignores the Governments instruction to the public not to engage in non-essential travel he has to leave office. Immediately. Meanwhile, former MP for Bishop Auckland posted on Twitter: "So Dominic Cummings walks outside my house with the virus while I am denied a visit to my Dad in a care home in Barnard Castle and he dies 5 days later. Horror Movie." A No 10 spokeswoman said: Yesterday the Mirror and Guardian wrote inaccurate stories about Mr Cummings. Today 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. Earlier, Downing Street said Mr Cummings "acted in line with guidelines" and that his journey was "essential" because it related to the welfare of his child. Downing Street says police did not speak to Mr Cummings / AFP via Getty Images Several ministers also publicly backed Mr Cummings, including Transport Secretary Grant Shapps at the daily Downing Street briefing . When asked if Mr Johnson knew about about Mr Cummingss actions and had approved them, Mr Shapps said Mr Cummings "stayed put" in the Durham property "and didn't come out again until he was feeling better". The important thing is that everyone remains in the same place whilst they are on lockdown which is exactly what happened in I think the case youre referring to with Mr Cummings," he said. The Prime Minister will have known he was staying put and he didnt come out again until he was feeling better. He added: You have to get yourself in lockdown and do that in the best and most practical way and I think that will be different for different people under whatever circumstances, their particular family differences, happen to dictate, thats all thats happened in this case. In a statement on Friday, Durham police said the Cummings family was reminded of the lockdown rules on March 31, but Downing Street later insisted that the family were not spoken to. The force released another statement on Saturday evening and said officers spoke to Mr Cummings father about his son being in the area. The statement said: Following a significant number of media inquiries over the weekend, Durham Constabulary can add the following detail. On Tuesday, March 31, our officers were made aware that Dominic Cummings had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city. At the request of Mr Cummings father, an officer made contact the following morning by telephone. During that conversation, Mr Cummings father confirmed that his son had travelled with his family from London to the North-East and was self-isolating in part of the property. Durham Constabulary deemed that no further action was required. However, the officer did provide advice in relation to security issues. Around 50% of Facebook workforce could work from home in the future. Photo: Getty Facebook (FB) could have half its workforce permanently working from home in the next decade, Mark Zuckerberg announced this week. The tech giants boss released a public video on Thursday outlining the company's remote working policy for its 45,000 staff. Zuckerberg said about 50% of employees could be working remotely for good in the next five to 10 years. But he warned this could mean some workers receive lower salaries related to their cost of living. Facebook will start aggressively opening up hiring for remote workers, Zuckerberg said and establishing new hubs away from Silicon Valley. Certainly being able to recruit more broadly, especially across the US and Canada to start, is going to open up a lot of new talent that previously wouldn't have considered moving to a big city, he said. The industry, which relies on work completed on computers is in a strong position for remote or home working. But tech companies also have a culture of large work campuses with collaborative spaces and leisure activities. READ MORE: UK plans cut in Huawei's 5G network involvement to zero by 2023 But now the Facebook chief executive has said some existing employees can apply to work remotely enabling them to live in cheaper cities. They have until 1 January to tell the company where they are living which may result in a pay cut. Facebook already pays different salaries based on locations. Engineers with strong performance reviews will be the first group allowed to apply for remote work. The company will adjust salaries depending on where employees live, meaning those working remotely in places where the cost of living is cheaper will be paid less. But executive pay is likely to stay high, even for remote positions, to enable Facebook to compete with rivals. Most employees have already been told to work remotely until the end of the year although a small number of offices may open from the beginning of July with social distancing restrictions in force. The army of 15,000 content moderators are likely to continue operating from the office due to the sensitive nature of their work. Meanwhile Twitter (TWTR) said last week that employees who were able to, could continue working from anywhere, forever. BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg faced fierce criticism yesterday after appearing to defend Dominic Cummings following reports that he had flouted lockdown rules. Within 30 minutes of the story breaking on Friday night, Miss Kuenssberg shared a rebuttal from an unnamed source claiming that the Prime Ministers senior aides 260-mile trip from London to his parents home in Durham was within [the] guidelines. In response to the Daily Mirror journalist who broke the story, Miss Kuenssberg tweeted: Source says his trip was within guidelines as Cummings went to stay with his parents so they could help with childcare while he and his wife were ill they insist no breach of lockdown. Her reply was immediately met by a chorus of condemnation from Labour-supporting trolls, with some accusing her of being a mouthpiece for the Government and a Tory stooge. Laura Kuenssberg faced fierce criticism yesterday after appearing to defend Dominic Cummings following reports that he had flouted lockdown rules As of last night, her reply had received almost 16,000 responses. Piers Morgan described her explanation as absolute nonsense, while former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell demanded Miss Kuenssberg get a grip for repeatedly relying on sources close to Dominic Cummings. Philosopher A. C. Grayling also took issue, tweeting: Its time to end anonymous No 10 source (=Cummings) briefings (=to Laura Kuenssberg) =lies, propaganda, spin, dead cats etc. Sir Philip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials trilogy, said: My trust in Laura Kuenssberg, for whom I had some respect, is fading fast. Last night, the hashtag sackkuenssberg was trending on Twitter. However, others leapt to her defence. Former Labour Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: Whoever the villain is today, it isnt Laura Kuenssberg. Cummings is under fire for visiting his parents' home twice during the lockdown period And former Labour MP Ian Austin described the criticisms levelled at her as utter rubbish. Miss Kuenssberg also sent a tweet which again quoted an unnamed source claiming it was not true that Cummings had been spoken to by police. She later clarified, however, that officers had spoken to the owners of house where an individual was staying who had travelled from London to Durham. It is not the first time Miss Kuenssberg has been attacked in the course of her job. At the Labour Party conference in 2017, she had to be protected by security guards following abuse she had received for her reporting on Jeremy Corbyn. Critics claimed she was not neutral and treated the former Labour leader unfairly. Miss Kuenssberg has previously said that she would die in a ditch for the impartiality of the BBC. Sidewalk Labs is best thing we never had, Opinion, May 16 With the Sidewalk Labs distraction gone, we can now focus on a waterfront that will become home to people whose income mirrors that of Toronto as a whole. Post COVID-19, the waterfront could become a community where cashiers, couriers, personal support workers, janitors and others of moderate income could afford to live. The pandemic has made clear the importance of such workers to keep the city functioning. It would be a tangible expression of gratitude to welcome them into new affordable homes on prime waterfront real estate close to work and all the conveniences the city has to offer. The waterfront could also provide permanent homes for a significant proportion of Torontos homeless. So far, Waterfront Toronto has failed to seriously address the affordability issue. It needs to do better. A truly affordable waterfront will require significant direct government funding, especially from Ottawa and Queens Park. As we have seen in recent weeks, the federal government is able to marshal huge sums of money in the public interest. It will need to stay involved when the pandemic ends, and funding affordable communities on the waterfront could be a major economic stimulus. To simply let these public lands go for high-end condos would be a travesty. Multnomah County is now the only county in Oregon that hasnt applied to Gov. Kate Brown to reopen. County officials wont put a firm date on when they plan to apply, but say theyre working hard to meet the governors reopening prerequisites, as well as additional conditions county leaders have imposed in recognition of the countys size, density and diversity. So is it days before the states most populous and economically critical county will submit its reopening plan to the governor, as Washington County did Friday? Is it weeks? I would not say its a matter of days, said Julie Sullivan-Springhetti, a county spokeswoman, adding that its public health officials are working through the weekend to make headway on the plan. Nobody has a greater sense of urgency than the people in this building. Indeed, Multnomah County is Oregons New York City, uniquely important to its economic health, and uniquely vulnerable to a fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak, experts say. It has the most people. The most density. The most long-term care facilities. The most daycares and schools. The most vulnerable populations. The most people using shared spaces like offices and public transit. The health care sector, where employees are perhaps most susceptible to infection, is the countys No. 1 employer. And it is home to half the hospital beds in the state. All that argues in favor of a more deliberative, measured approach, officials say. And thats the approach theyre taking. Unlike other Oregon counties Gov. Kate Brown already had approved including Clackamas, Marion and Polk counties -- Multnomah County actually meets most of the criteria the governor laid out for Phase 1 reopening. It has a declining rate of COVID-19 infections. It has adequate hospital beds, testing capacity, isolation facilities, and personal protection equipment for first responders. Marion and Polk counties were approved despite an ongoing surge in infections. And Clackamas County was approved to begin reopening Saturday, despite the fact that it is still working to meet three of the governors seven criteria. Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter Like a variety of other counties that have been approved to reopen, where Multnomah County falls short is in contact tracing. It has only 45 of the 122 investigators it needs to meet the governors threshold of 15 tracers for every 100,000 in population. And it cannot meet another threshold, the ability to trace 95% of new cases contacts within 24 hours (Currently it can trace about 80%). The county has also imposed additional conditions it needs to meet before reopening. It is looking to hire a contact tracing workforce that is culturally and linguistically reflective of the county, including members who are African American, African immigrants, Asian, Latinx, Pacific Islanders, Native American, Russian, Ukrainian, or Arab. We need to have a workforce that matches what this disease actually looks like in this county, not matching by population but what were seeing with actual cases, Rachael Banks, the countys public health director told commissioners during a meeting this week. Kim Toevs, the countys communicable disease director, said her department is not accustomed to having a lot of redundancy or hiring staff that it might not need immediately, but said this situation requires a shift in thinking. You can go from a few cases exponentially to a very large number incredibly rapidly, she said. This disease is infectious in a way thats very tricky for us. With this disease especially and how fast it spreads, it makes sense to have that capacity in place and built up. She said the county was building teams that include investigators, health care professionals and individuals with the cultural and language skills to work well in affected communities. She said the county had adequate employees with the technical skills to do the work, but needs more with the necessary cultural and language skills. The county has met -- and far exceeded -- the testing capacity in the governors criteria. But it still sees geographic gaps in testing sites, a lack of testing for those without access to health care, and in long-term care facilities. The county is a key supplier of personal protection equipment. It can currently meet the needs of first responders, and hospitals are certifying that they have at least a 30-day supply, said Chris Voss, the director of the countys Office of Emergency Management. But it still falls short of another added county criteria: adequate PPE for key constituents in health and social service agencies, such as group housing sites, health care providers and organizations serving communities of color. The number of organizations that have adequate supplies has come way down since April 30, when elective surgeries began again, Voss said. There are sometimes larger asks where they only get a partial supply. Banks told commissioners that the health department is looking at costs of as much as $35 million to respond to the pandemic. That includes providing services to vulnerable populations to give individuals or families the flexibility to stay at home for 14 days at a time. That might include rent assistance, utilities, prescriptions and food support. We really want to do a thorough job of anticipating what those needs will be, she said, particularly as more people lose their jobs. At a news conference this week, county officials declined to provide any specific dates. We need the county to trust that we have a plan, a safe plan for reopening. Were almost there, said Dr. Jennifer Vines, the county health officer. We have a reasonable plan in place, but we need some more time to get some more of these reporting components in place. -- Ted Sickinger; tsickinger@oregonian.com; 503-2218505; @tedsickinger Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Tony Wafford, with a photo of extended family members, outside his home in Inglewood. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) The first death from COVID-19 came toward the end of the first week of May, and that alone was hard enough to deal with. Then came another death in the family, and another, and another. Inglewood resident Tony Wafford and his wife Diane Walker lost four relatives to COVID-19 in a week. They were dropping so fast, I couldnt even register the loss, said Wafford. My house looked like a florists shop, with flowers and fruit coming in from every direction. Walker, a retired Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department commander, counted off the deaths. First, her 63-year-old brother died in Baltimore and exactly one week later Waffords 60-year-old brother died in Cincinnati. In between, Wafford lost a 49-year-old nephew in Brooklyn and a 50-year-old nephew in Dallas. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, where this woman is being treated for COVID-19, has been hard hit by the coronavirus, and it now faces the possibility that state budget cuts will reduce its budget as well. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) Wafford learned of his Dallas nephew's death when my daughter called, crying, he said. That was her first cousin. For Wafford, grief and rage are sometimes hard to separate. For decades, he has worked as a community activist to address disparities in disease rates among people of color. As he sees it, the coronavirus is no equalizer. It seeks out injustice and piles on, in Baltimore, in New York, in New Orleans, in Los Angeles and just about everywhere else it has hit, hitting African American families like his particularly hard. COVID comes in and takes advantage of all the other issues you have, Wafford said, and with black people being No. 1 with every health problem known to man, its just wreaked havoc. According to L.A. County health data, black people have been twice as likely to die of COVID-19 as white people, with the Latino death rate almost as high as that among blacks. According to the county, people living in the most impoverished areas died of COVID-19 at a rate of 29 per 100,000, compared with eight per 100,000 in some of the county's most affluent areas. Wafford said that among the four relatives he lost, only his brother could be called indigent. But at least two of the other three had underlying health issues, despite being middle-class. Wafford questioned the quality of the healthcare they got, and he also worries that his wifes brother and his own brother may not have been as vigilant as they should have been about protecting themselves with masks and distancing. Story continues It is such a tragic irony that Tonys family is going through this, said UCLA psychologist Dr. Gail Wyatt, who told me she has worked with Wafford on public health outreach projects for more than 30 years. Wafford is the one who goes into the community and educates people who may not trust the healthcare system about what is available to them, whether for AIDS treatment or COVID-19 prevention. Wafford at his home in Inglewood (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times) Wyatt has seen up close how higher rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease among low-income people and minorities put them at high risk for whatever ailment comes along. All thats changed is the disease he said. They live in our most environmentally unhealthy and dangerous neighborhoods. They dont always have access to good schools or to convenient, quality healthcare. They struggle with trauma and the stress of daily struggle, and healthy food is not always easy to get or affordable. If we knew how to take better care of ourselves, we wouldnt be at such risk, said Wyatt. This is a battle people themselves have to be engaged in. We dont talk enough about healthcare. We talk about food, games, celebrities. But we dont talk about health. Wafford had been working of late at a South Los Angeles clinic where he leads sessions on sexual and cardiovascular health. Dr. Wilbert Jordan, who runs the clinic, told me he learns a lot about his patients and the economic and cultural reasons for high rates of disease when he visits them in their homes. You might see eight people sleeping to a room. This is true of some blacks and some Latinos, Jordan said, and if one person is sick, everyone else in the room may soon be. Jordan added that the spread of the virus might also have been fueled by faith, in a manner of speaking. Drive down any street in South Los Angeles and youll pass four or five small storefront churches, said Jordan, who suspects that, before social distancing began, congregants meeting in tight quarters may have been exposed. Doctors and nurses rush in to save a patient's life in the ICU unit at Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Hospital. (Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times) On Friday morning, Dr. Elaine Batchlor got a text informing her of an increase in the number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators at Martin Luther King Community Hospital, where she is the chief executive. The total number of patients hospitalized at MLK with the virus has remained fairly stable, at around 30, Batchlor told me, but even without a pandemic, the hospitals daily challenge is monumental. In South L.A. we have a baseline of chronic disease that is poorly treated, Batchlor said. We have over 100,000 visits to our ER each year because of the high rates of diabetes, hypertension, pulmonary disease and mental health conditions. The rate of diabetes is over three times higher than average, and amputations are among our most frequent procedures, Batchlor continued. The average life expectancy in South L.A. is 10 years shorter than the California average. Why? Because 12% of the patients have no insurance at all and 70% have Medi-Cal, which means that the hospital has trouble recruiting doctors to work for the low reimbursement rates offered by the government health program. And as if that isnt a sad enough commentary on how fractured and unbalanced the healthcare system is in the worlds wealthiest nation ever, consider this: The states projected $54-billion budget deficit has led to proposed cuts that include elimination of a supplemental fund that was established for King Community Hospital when it opened five years ago. Batchlor said her hospital stands to lose $30 million. Thats a devastating cut. Wed have to close some services and eliminate some physicians, said Batchlor. Thirty million dollars is 10% of the budget. The proposed cut from Sacramento might be a tool to pry more money out of the federal government for budget gaps created by the pandemic. But just in case its doesnt work, L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas says he and his colleagues are already lobbying state and federal officials to spare King Community Hospital from crippling cuts. We absolutely have to keep the pressure up, said Ridley Thomas. There is no sector that has more profound healthcare needs than the southeast quadrant of the county. Wafford, 63, said one of the hardest things about his familys ordeal was that loved ones couldnt gather to honor those who had transitioned, as he called their passing. Shaken by the lethal force of the virus, Wafford said he went in for a COVID-19 test. Two weeks later, he still hadnt gotten the results. (I am still waiting, as of Friday, for the results of my own test, but I only had mine on Monday.) Wafford said he was reminded of words spoken in 1966 by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane. Thats more than 50 years ago, Wafford said, and its absolutely worse now. steve.lopez@latimes.com Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke with Sri Lankas president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PK Jugnauth, his counterpart in Mauritius, continuing to engage with neighbouring countries during the coronavirus pandemic. Had an excellent talk with President @GotabayaR. Sri Lanka is fighting COVID-19 effectively under his leadership. India will continue to support our close maritime neighbour in dealing with the pandemic and its economic impact, the Prime Minister tweeted. We agreed to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka, and also strengthen investment links, he said. Modi also thanked Mauritian PM Jugnauth and promised to help the island country. Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage Thank you, Prime Minister @PKJugnauth for our warm conversation today! Congratulations for successfully controlling COVID-19 in Mauritius, PM Modi tweeted. Our people share warm and special ties, based on shared culture and values. Indians will stand by their Mauritian brothers and sisters at this difficult time, he posted. Modis calls to the leaders come after the March video conference of the leaders of the Saarc to work out a strategy to contain the coronavirus pandemic and to deal with its economic implications. The Prime Minister had suggested setting up of an emergency fund to battle Covid-19 in the south Asia region and made an initial offer of $10 million as Indias contribution. He also offered technical and manpower assistance to the eight-member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation who had joined a video conference to discuss a joint strategy to deal with the pandemic in the region. New Delhi: Eid will be celebrated in the country on May 25 as the moon could not be sighted on Saturday, Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Ahmed Shah Bukhari said. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown, Bukhari also appealed to people to offer Eid namaz at their homes. On the occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the ongoing holy month of Ramzan, a select group of people offered namaz at Delhi's Jama Masjid ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, while adhering to social distancing following relaxations in the fourth phase of the COVID-19 lockdown. Shops in the area around Delhi's Jama Masjid await customers as their frequency falls amid lockdown. Since no moon was sighted in Patna and Kolkata too, Patna's Imarat Shariah and Kolkata Masjid-e-Nakhoda Markazi Rooyat-e-Hilal committee declared that Eid will be celebrated on Monday. In Kargil and Ladakh, the moon was sighted on May 22 and hence, locals celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr in the region. However, unlike any other Eid, Muslims would be offering prayers at the homes this time. "We are positive are we can win against this pandemic together," a Ladakh native told ANI. This will be perhaps the first time that there will no mass namaz at mosques and idgahs across the country as the government has prohibited all kinds of religious gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Eid marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan. In more than 1,018 Shramik Special trains, 13,54,000 have returned to Uttar Pradesh amid coronavirus lockdown. Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi on Saturday informed that around 13,54,000 people in more than 1,018 Shramik Special trains have returned to the state amid coronavirus lockdown. Around 13,54,000 people in more than 1,018 Shramik Special trains have returned to Uttar Pradesh from different states, said Awanish Awasthi. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Principal Health Secretary Amit Mohan Prasad informed that the number of active cases of COVID-19 has reached 2,332 in Uttar Pradesh. 3,335 people have recovered from the disease while 152 deaths have been reported to date in the state. Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has slammed the Uttar Pradesh government and stated that they have suspended 35 of the 38 labour-related laws. He said that this is injustice to labourers. Addressing an online public meeting, Owaisi said, In our country, there are 19 crore 50 lakh labourers. They constitute 49 per cent of the workforce working in small industries. No financial support to them. Uttar Pradesh government has suspended 35 of the 38 labour related laws. Payment of Wages Act, 1936 has gone. No ventilation, toilets and break to workers on field. He added, Payment of wages act has been removed stating no business. This is injustice to the labourers, are they not humans? The labourers cannot be removed unless a hearing is done, and salaries are given, but lockdown is a good opportunity where they are removed. All this is wrong. The nationwide lockdown imposed as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 has been extended till May 31. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App By Ernest Scheyder HOUSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Defense last month reversed its decision to fund two projects to process rare earth minerals for military weapons, one of which has controversial ties to China, according to a government document seen by Reuters and three sources familiar with the matter. The Pentagon decision is a step backward for President Donald Trump's plan to redevelop the U.S. rare earths supply chain and reduce reliance on China, the world's largest producer of the strategic minerals used to build a range of weapons. Australia's Lynas Corp and privately held U.S. firm MP Materials both said on April 22 they had been awarded funding by the Pentagon for rare earths separation facilities in Texas and California, respectively. Reuters reported the same day that a Chinese company's minority stake in MP Materials, which owns the only U.S. rare earths mine, has prompted concerns from scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy. Later that week, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and five other senators sent a letter to the Pentagon pushing it to only fund U.S. rare earth projects. On April 29, the Pentagon informed applicants that the decision had been "put on hold until further research can be conducted," according to a document seen by Reuters. Lynas confirmed the Pentagon's move in a statement on Friday. MP Materials did not respond to requests for comment. The document added that the Pentagon plans to move forward on the award once the additional research is complete. It was not clear what type of further research the military could conduct. The U.S. military office overseeing the award said it is still under active solicitation and declined further comment. The Pentagon's headquarters did not respond to requests for comment. The Pentagon award was designed to support processing of so-called heavy rare earths, a less-common type of the minerals used extensively in weapons. Story continues The mines owned by Lynas in Australia and MP Materials in California have only minor concentrations of heavy rare earths, according to U.S. Geological Survey data, prompting some controversy when the two companies last month said they were chosen. U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, a vocal supporter of a rare earths project in his home state of Wyoming being developed by Rare Element Resources Ltd and who signed the senators' April letter, said he would prefer Pentagon funding go to U.S. mines that support a new U.S. rare earth supply chain. Enzi had privately complained to the Pentagon last fall that it was difficult for companies to apply for the award and, once they did, that the application review process was not transparent, according to his spokeswoman. The Pentagon extended the deadline in an attempt to appease Enzi, though his home state's rare earth project was not chosen. Lynas, the largest producer of rare earths outside China, aims to ship rare earths from its mine in Western Australia for final processing at the Texas facility. Reuters has reported the Pentagon is also reviewing applications for other rare earth-related funding projects. Applicants have said they expect decisions in the coming months. The amount awarded was not published by the U.S. government, though the funds were allocated for planning work for the construction of a facility to process the minerals. Lynas, in a statement on Friday, said it would move forward on its project. It was not immediately clear if MP Materials plan to move forward on design work for its project. (Additional reporting by Melanie Burton in Melbourne; Editing by Amran Abocar and Edward Tobin) Have Sheriff Offices in North Carolina, possibly even Beaufort County's Sheriff Office, become too political in the discharging of their sworn constitutional duties? No, the sheriff is a constitutional officer. Yes, the Sheriff Office, on strong occasion, often reverts back to political patronage in the dispensation of their sworn constitutional duties. NEW ORLEANS, May 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Ra Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE: RMED). On March 14, 2019, the Company disclosed 4Q2018 revenue significantly below projections due to sales personnel staffing issues and certain production limitations, assuring investors that the issues had been resolved. Then, on August 12, 2019, the Company disclosed inconsistencies in its manufacturing process, an increasing number of product calibration failures, and an internal investigation by its Audit Committee. On September 27, 2019, Ra disclosed that it had initiated a "voluntary recall" of its DABRA catheters "due to a change in product labeling" to reflect a "two-month expiration, replacing its previous twelve-month shelf life expiration." Then, on October 31, 2019, the Company disclosed a wide range of problems found by its investigation including frequent product calibration failures and even occasional overheating, posing risks to patients; that the product failures were the true cause of its negative financial performance rather than production limitations; improper marketing of its DABRA catheter for use in unapproved medical procedures; failure to properly document payments to physicians; and, the receipt of a Civil Investigative Demand by the U.S. Justice Department regarding whether it fraudulently obtained marketing clearance for DABRA or made improper kick-back payments to healthcare providers. On November 29, 2019, the Company disclosed that the DOJ inquiry had escalated to an open criminal investigation. The Company has been sued in a securities class action lawsuit for failing to disclose material information, violating federal securities laws, which remains ongoing. KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Ra Medical's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to Ra Medical's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Ra Medical shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-rmed/ to learn more. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. Contact: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner [email protected] 1-877-515-1850 1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200 New Orleans, LA 70163 SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Related Links http://www.ksfcounsel.com The nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases neared 1.3 lakh on Saturday with over 6,000 new cases getting detected. More than one lakh people have tested positive for the deadly virus infection and over 3,000 have lost their lives in the past one month itself. The spike in the numbers has been sharp this week with nearly 5,500 new cases and 160 deaths getting reported on an average every day, according to data of different states and union territories, many of whom have found a large number of new cases among people having returned from other states in special trains and buses being run for taking migrant workers and students to their native places. Sikkim reported its first COVID-19 case as a 25-year-old student who recently returned from Delhi tested positive for the virus, a senior official said. The first case was detected in India on January 30, but Sikkim had managed to stay free of it so far. States have also reported positive cases among people who have returned from abroad in special flights being operated to bring back stranded Indians and expatriates from various countries. Some have already flagged potential risks from the scheduled resumption of domestic flights for the general public from Monday. Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said few states wanted the resumption of flights to be delayed, but "some hesitation" was expected while dealing with such a situation and the Centre would try to address their concerns. He also said a good percentage of international passenger flights should resume before August. In its morning update, the Union Health Ministry said the total number of confirmed cases has reached 1,25,101 with the biggest 24-hour spike of 6,654 new cases since Friday 8 AM, while 137 more fatalities have been reported in this time period to take the death toll to 3,720. However, a PTI tally of figures announced by states and UTs, as of 9.25 PM, put the nationwide tally of confirmed cases higher at 1,28,840 and the death toll at 3,782. It also showed nearly 54,000 having recovered, leaving the count of active cases at more than 71,000. India is the 11th most affected country right now, but its tally of active cases exceeds those of some top-ten countries including Spain, Italy, Germany, Turkey and Iran. Also, given its high daily average of past few days, India is fast approaching the overall tally of Iran, which is the tenth most affected in the world at present with nearly 1.33 lakh cases. More than 52 lakh people have tested positive worldwide for the novel coronavirus ever since its emergence in China last December, while over 3.38 lakh have lost their lives. More than 20 lakh people have recovered globally so far. New cases dropped to zero in China on Saturday, though a re-emergence of the outbreak has been seen in various countries in recent weeks after lifting of their lockdowns. A nationwide lockdown has been in place in India since March 25 and will continue at least till May 31, though several relaxations have been given in the ongoing fourth phase that began earlier this week on May 18. Besides, domestic flights are also scheduled to resume in a phased manner from Monday. Special migrant trains are already running since May 1 in which nearly 36 lakh stranded migrants have been ferried so far. A schedule has been drawn up to operate 2,600 such trains over the next 10 days too and they will take further 36 lakh people to their home states, Railway Board Chairman V K Yadav said. The COVID-19 data, in the meantime, showed that nearly 94,000 new cases have been detected and over 2,600 deaths have been reported since May 1, when the morning update of the Health Ministry had put the number of cases at about 35,000 and deaths at 1,147. Also, more than one lakh new cases and over 3,000 fatalities have been reported in the past one month since April 24, when India's COVID-19 tally stood at around 23,500 and the death toll was 723. While Maharashtra has been the worst-hit state, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are among other badly-affected places. Maharashtra recorded 2,608 new coronavirus cases and 60 deaths on Saturday, taking its total count of cases to 47,190 and the death toll to 1,577. At least 18 police personnel, including an officer, have died of COVID-19 in the state so far. In Tamil Nadu, 759 new cases were reported and the death toll rose to 103 after five more people, including a 75-year-old woman, lost their lives. The new cases included those having arrived from other countries as also those having travelled from other parts of the country. On the other hand, a 26-year-old man tested positive in Manipur, nearly 10 days after returning to the state in a special train from Chennai. He was among 1,140 people who returned to the state by a migrant special train on May 13. Of the 25 active cases in Manipur, 16 are Chennai returnees, officials said. Kerala also continued further rise in its numbers with 62 more testing positive, including 49 returnees from abroad and from other states. More than 91,000 are under observation in the state, which had reported India's first COVID-19 case but had managed to flatten its curve till the movement of migrants from other states and from abroad resumed. In Himachal Pradesh, 10 more people tested positive, of which nine had returned from Mumbai and one from Punjab. Experts have cautioned that movement of migrants and people coming from abroad could spread the infection further during their travel and also after their arrival as not all of them are put into institutional quarantine due to absence of any symptom. Karnataka recorded its biggest single-day spike on Saturday with over 200 new cases of COVID-19, taking its tally to 1,959. Officials said that 187 of 216 new cases are returnees from neighboring Maharashtra, while others include those having returned from Gujarat, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. In the national capital, 591 fresh cases were recorded to take its tally to 12,910. Delhi's death toll has also increased to 231. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Junta de Andalucia regional government has proposed to Madrid opening up international tourism by scrapping the 14-day quarantine announced last week and implementing temperature controls at airports and giving coronavirus tests to foreign visitors. The regional minister for Health and Families, Jesus Aguirre, confirmed following a Cabinet meeting in Seville on Thursday that the proposal had already been submitted to central government and is not dissimilar to the strategy being imposed in other countries. According to Aguirre, these controls could be implemented in Andalucia's main airports (Malaga-Costa del Sol and Seville) and would give the region's key sector a massive boost. Juan Marin, regional minister for Tourism, for his part, stressed that it was time to end the "wrong" decision of the government to impose a quarantine on new arrivals. "[It] makes no sense if it is intended to revive the sector. There are other ways, such as the methods we are proposing in Andalucia." First quarantined visitors The first people to arrive in Malaga under the new restrictions touched down on Saturday (all flights on previous days were cancelled) on two flights from Oslo and Stockholm. Arriving passengers, around 100 in total, were made to pass through two checkpoints. At the first, they were given a quick medical examination, including taking their temperature, and at the second they were asked about the purpose of their visit and reminded of their obligation to self-quarantine for 14 days. "This quarantine is incompatible with any type of trip. No one from the EU is going to choose to come to Spain like this," said tour operators Freddy and Mia, arriving from Sweden. Burzenski & Company partner and veterinary accountant Gary Glassman, CPA will present two webinar talks. The first is at 7 p.m. May 26, with the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association. The CVMA Business Support Town Hall on May 26 will offer a short panel discussion, followed by Q&A with local business experts who will offer tips on managing a veterinary practice in 2020, including insurance, accounting and credit card processing information and strategies. Gary I. Glassman, CPA will present the topic: Working in this COVID-19 world. How are practices faring financially and what innovations are practices using to keep up with business. Other speakers include Scott Prestileo, CIC, President, Burgess Insurance and Jerry Wistrom, Senior Sales Executive, Integrity Merchant Solutions. Register for the CVMA meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcufu6srT8jGND7FkBEH6mkZHvKSY7mMxTL The second is sponsored by AmeriVet at 7 p.m. June 11, Planning for the Transition: The How, Why, and When of Selling your Practice. Registration is required for this free talk; go to https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yUOEqClwSha3FG8Q8xKPLQ xx Food Hub Partners with restaurants state-wide; TORRINGTON In response to a growing concern about a food supply chain crisis in Connecticut and nationwide, The Northwest CT Food Hub is partnering with restaurants statewide to offer unique food shares directly to consumers. Similar to a traditional CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) the Food HUB is now providing restaurants with locally-sourced, nutrient-dense food options from over 30 farms in CTs northwest region, including: honey, maple syrup, eggs and produce. Restaurants can contribute to the boxes uniquely with items that are a specialty to that restaurant. Customers can sign-up with the restaurants to pick-up their share. Prices vary per location and add-ons. Participating restaurants include Fife n Drum Restaurant, Kent; Saltwater Grille, Litchfield; The Village Restaurant, Litchfield; Fork & Fire, Farmington; Present Company, Tariffville; and Union League, New Haven. The Food Hub aggregates source-identified, locally grown and produced food. The Hub picks up produce from farmers around the region and delivers it to wholesale-buyers, and now direct to consumers, who want to know where their food comes from. The Hub makes it possible for farmers to meet the growing demand for local, sustainable food in our area. Farmers benefit from the marketing, selling, packaging and delivering of their produce, which continues to identify their farm as the source. Online the Hub can be found at www.nwctfoodhub.org. On Instagram and Facebook at @NWCTfoodhub. LARC receives grant from Eversource Energy TORRINGTON LARC has received a grant of $1,500 from Eversource Energy to fund the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff working on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though LARCs offices remain closed with staff working remotely, many are caring for individuals in group homes while others are supporting individuals who continue to work in the community at grocery stores and other locations. On a daily basis, large quantities of face masks, disposable gloves and protective gowns are keeping LARC staff and individuals safer amidst the COVID-19 virus. We are deeply grateful for the support from Eversource Energy, said Michael Menard, Executive Director of LARC. PPE is essential to providing a safe working environment for individuals in our programs as well as staff. Support from Eversource has made it easier to cover the cost of this unplanned expense. We are so appreciative, said Menard. While many of LARCs in-person programs are paused because of the pandemic, their commitment to the community remains strong, said Eversource Community Relations Specialist Steve Silver. Were happy to contribute to their efforts so their staff can continue providing services that are possible during these challenging times. The Arc of Litchfield County (LARC) is a nonprofit agency in Northwest Connecticut founded in 1964 by families to support loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Guided by a vision of Community for All, LARC promotes individual empowerment, choice, respect, and dignity. On a daily basis, LARC serves 200 individuals with disabilities throughout Northwest Connecticut. Services include residential group homes, in-home supports, transportation, day and employment programs. LARCs Social Enrichment program provides critical respite and recreational opportunities for 120 such as group outings, social gatherings, and Special Olympics. LARCs Camp MOE program provides an integrated day camp setting for 312 children to develop friendships, leadership skills, responsibility for self, and respect for others. GHAR reports decrease in home sales According to the Greater Hartford Association of REALTORS, closed sales of single-family homes in Greater Hartford decreased 2.70 percent over April of last year, from 518 to 504. Pending sales decreased 6.94 percent (from 620 to 577) and the median sale price increased 7.29 percent (from $240,000 to $257,500). New listings decreased 48.41 percent (from 1041 to 537) and inventory dropped 29.86 percent (from 2522 to 1769), during this same timeframe. In year-to-date statistics, year over year, new listings dropped 16.76 percent (from 3150 to 2622). Pending sales increased 4.68 percent (from 1901 to 1990) and closed sales rose 4.23 percent (from 1680 to 1751). The median sales price increased 9.16 percent (from $224,450 to $245,000) and the average days spent on market decreased 9.46 percent (from 74 to 67 days), during this same year to date, year over year, timeframe. Condominium closed sales decreased 19.70 percent (from 132 to 106) and pending sales decreased 6.47 percent (from 139 to 130) over April of 2019. The median sale price increased 13.15 percent (from $157,750 to $178,500) and inventory decreased 31.33 percent (from 600 to 412). New listings dropped 56.40 percent (from 250 to 109) over this time, versus a year ago. In the national outlook, Lawrence Yun, National Association of REALTORS chief economist, said, Unfortunately, we knew home sales would wane in March due to the coronavirus outbreak. More temporary interruptions to home sales should be expected in the next couple of months, though home prices will still likely rise. The Greater Hartford Association of REALTORS (GHAR) is the largest local real estate trade association in Connecticut, serving over 4000 members in the 27 town Greater Hartford real estate brokerage community. The Association provides technology, training, networking and business support to members, and supports a healthy real estate market by upholding high professional and ethical standards through a Code of Ethics, ongoing education and certification programs. As the advocate for the real estate brokerage industry, GHAR is the Voice for Real Estate in the Greater Hartford region. For more information, call 860-561-1800 or visit www.gharonline.com. As the country has grappled with the novel coronavirus pandemic, those struggling with addiction are facing additional challenges. We are subject to isolation and thats particularly hard for individuals who have anxiety, substance abuse disorder or other mental disorders, said Carlos Blanco, director of the Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Blanco comments were part of a May 19 webinar by the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation titled Growing Challenges of Substance Use, Treatment & Recovery During COVID-19. Challenges include decreased access to treatment programs, peer-support groups and community services, Blanco said. On April 8, Lake County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board officials stated that there were 10 overdose deaths in the county up to that point in the year. That figure was up significantly from the same time frame in previous years, officials stated. ADAMHS Board Director Kim Fraser said that many of those overdoses are likely tied to the challenges that come along with the COVID-10 pandemic. We know that this pandemic can trigger stress, anxiety, anger, fear, or sadness in people, Fraser said. Individuals with addiction disorders often have a history of using alcohol or other drugs to self-medicate to dull or mask something painful or uncomfortable. So with the constant barrage of news about how terrible this is they are especially at risk. Were very concerned about (this) phenomenon and were making every effort to encourage people to reach out for help. Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Gilson issued a public health alert May 19 after the county saw nine suspected drug overdose deaths in a 48-hour period. That figure is measurably higher than what we have been seeing for the first four months of 2020, he said. Gilson said that spike could be related to another challenge stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. The interruption of drug use due to COVID-19 may mean users tolerance has dropped and therefore they are at higher risk of overdose and fatality, he said. Additionally, any disruption of the illicit drug supply due to COVID-19 may mean that users are subject to a wide variety of other dangerous substances being substituted without their knowledge. Prior to that spike, the medical examiners office was projecting Cuyahoga Countys drug overdose deaths in 2020 would be slightly above where they were last year. There were 582 total drug overdose deaths in 2019. In a May 11 report, the medical examiners office was projecting 593 total overdoses deaths in the county by the end of the year. Cuyahoga Countys drug overdose deaths peaked in 2017 with 727. Other parts of Ohio have seen drug overdose death increases, as well. In Franklin County, home to Columbus, coroner Anahi Ortiz said that between Jan. 1 and April 15, theres been a 50 percent increase in the number of overdose deaths in that county over the same period last year. COVID 19 has showed us the vulnerabilities and deficiencies in our addiction services, Ortiz said in a May 3 Facebook post. In addition, it has increased the mental health needs of this population. Ortiz said that the availability of the overdose reversal medication naloxone is important, but even as important fentanyl test strips. Much of the cocaine here in Franklin County is cut with fentanyl and sold without people knowing, Ortiz said. Cocaine-related overdose deaths in Cuyahoga County have risen in recent years, often combined with fentanyl or heroin. Cocaine-related deaths in the county more than doubled in 2016, jumping from 115 to 260. Between 2010 and 2015, Cuyahoga County averaged about 111 cocaine-related overdose deaths per year. From 2016-2019, the county averaged about 262 cocaine-related overdose deaths. That peaked in 2017 with 300 deaths, according to data from the medical examiners office. In its May 11 report, the office is projecting a record-high 359 cocaine-related overdose deaths this year. Through the end of April, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office confirmed 121 total cocaine-related overdose deaths. Sixty-nine of those have involved fentanyl. Another 18 have involved the large animal sedative carfentanil, a fentanyl analog. Gilson said free fentanyl test strips are available at three locations in Cleveland. They are used to determine if the opioid is present in a substance. Those locations are: Circle Health Services (12201 Euclid Ave.) and the Care Alliance Clinics at 1530 St. Clair Ave. and 2916 Central Ave. He also said the Cuyahoga County ADAMHS Board provides a 24-hour crisis hotline at 216-623-6888. The Lake County ADAMHS Board 24-hour crisis hotline is available at 440-953-8255. The Crisis Text Line can be reached by texting 4HOPE to 741 741. Other available options can be explored with the Lake County ADAMHS Boards Compass Line at 440-350-2000 440-918-2000. The Compass Line hours are weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lake County ADAMHS Board officials said they were not aware of any places in Lake County that distribute fentanyl test strips. U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce in early May sent a letter to President Trump asking his administration to make more resources available to to mitigate the detrimental impact the pandemic has had on our nations ability to combat the opioid crisis. While social distancing measures have no doubt been necessary to slow the spread of the coronavirus, we must recognize that recovery from addiction is especially trying during months of social isolation and heightened anxiety, Joyce wrote. Resources for recovering individuals have also become harder to access as many peer support group meetings and face-to-face visits with addiction professionals have been put on hold. Community health centers, which provide essential treatment and recovery services, have seen revenues decline sharply, inhibiting their ability to operate at full strength and serve the individuals who rely on their support. I am also concerned that current conditions have made it harder to access opioid antagonists like buprenorphine and naloxone. Joyce said crucial resources must be made available if we wish to build upon the progress made over the last several years. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 00:58:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 494 after 61 more people were confirmed, the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) said in a statement on Saturday. This is so far the highest daily increase in the Horn of Africa country. The ministry revealed that from the total of 3,757 medical tests that were conducted in the last 24 hours, 61 of them tested positive for COVID-19, eventually bringing the total number of cases to 494. According to figures from FMoH, all 61 new COVID-19 cases are Ethiopian nationals-43 males and 18 females. The Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health also said that 151 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have so far recovered from the virus. The ministry has previously disclosed five patients have died due to COVID-19 related illnesses. Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation with about 107 million people, confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 13. The Ethiopian government has instituted a wide range of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. In April, the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives, the lower house of the Ethiopian parliament, announced a five-month state of emergency to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Enditem OTTAWA - The Liberals have tabled a proposal that would see expanded Parliamentary meetings to discuss the government's response to the COVID-19 crisis as well as a handful sittings over the summer. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 23/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A House of Commons clerk prepares for the COVID-19 committee to meet in the House of Commons Chamber Wednesday April 29, 2020 in Ottawa. Intense behind-the-scenes negotiations are to continue today among federal political parties over how Parliament should function as the COVID-19 crisis drags on. The House of Commons, which has been largely adjourned since mid-March, is to resume normal operations on Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - The Liberals have tabled a proposal that would see expanded Parliamentary meetings to discuss the government's response to the COVID-19 crisis as well as a handful sittings over the summer. The proposal is laid out in a motion that will be debated in the House of Commons on Monday. The motion proposes to add an additional day to the weekly meetings of the special COVID-19 committee, which have been acting as a sort of stand-in for the Commons. The special committee has been meeting in the House of Commons chamber once a week in person, with fewer than three dozen MPs actually present, and twice a week virtually. The Liberals are now proposing four meetings a week until June 17 with a hybrid of in-person and virtual attendance that would see a small number of MPs in the chamber and others participating via two large video screens set up on either side of the Speaker's chair. The motion also proposes four sittings of the House of Commons in July and August, each with a question period that would allow MPs the chance to ask cabinet ministers about issues unrelated to COVID-19 a key issue of contention for the Conservatives in recent weeks. Mark Kennedy, a spokesperson for Government House Leader Pablo Rodriguez, says if this motion is adopted, it would provide more hours for MPs to question government than they would have if Parliament was sitting normally. He would not comment on the behind-the-scenes negotiations that have been ongoing among federal political parties over how Parliament should function as the COVID-19 crisis drags on. Because they hold only a minority of seats, the Liberals need the support of at least one of the main opposition parties to pass the motion. The NDP negotiated the terms of the motion with the Liberals and support it going to the House of Commons for debate, according to a senior party source who spoke on background because they were not authorized to speak publicly. But the party has been using these negotiations to also push the Trudeau government to adopt NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's calls for a 10-day paid sick leave for all Canadian workers to ensure all employees who contract COVID-19 will be symptom-free before returning to work. The NDP also wants federal help for people with disabilities who are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. Meanwhile, the Conservatives have had it with the COVID-19 committee. They've complained bitterly that it precludes them from asking the government questions on anything but the pandemic, although in reality that rule has not been consistently applied. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer called Friday for Parliament to be declared an essential service, allowing the House of Commons to resume its normal work schedule of five days a week albeit with no more than 50 MPs sitting in the chamber at any one time in order to respect public health protocols on physical distancing. That would allow MPs to resume moving motions, ask questions on whatever topic they like and engage in what Scheer called "proper debate" on government legislation, private members' bills and opposition motions. The Conservatives also want to see all standing and special committees begin to meet virtually and for committees to have their normal powers restored. 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. Part of this request is reflected in the Liberal motion, which was put on notice Saturday. It proposes to add the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans to the list of seven other Commons committees that have been meeting virtually over the last several weeks to discuss COVID-19. Under the Liberal proposal, these committees would be permitted to expand the scope of their discussions and studies beyond the topic of the pandemic, which to date has not been permitted. The one big hurdle to the Commons resuming normal activity is that the chamber has not resolved how to go about allowing for MPs not in the Commons to vote electronically. In their motion, the Liberals are proposing the Commons procedure committee should be tasked to review and make recommendations on how parliamentary rules could be changed to allow for remote voting. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 23, 2020. The huge influx of migrant workers in the state has not only swelled the number of people observing home and institutional quarantine by three lakhs but also gave a further thrust to ever increasing graph of Covid-19 cases, which now crossed 300-mark and counting. What is more worrying is the scanty sample testing. While the state has currently over 2.9 lakh people observing home or institutional quarantine, the number of samples tested so far is only 42,000. According to state health departments May 21 bulletin, the number of people in quarantine centres rose by nearly seven times from 10,304 to 71,123 and those staying in home quarantine increased by almost double from 1.11 lakh to over 2.19 lakh in last 10 days. The steep growth in number of quarantined people is due to migrant workers coming in hoards in state, said a senior health departments official. These workers, after their arrival in the state, are being sent to institutional quarantine or home quarantine. Besides district level quarantine centres, such facilities have been set up at school buildings and other government buildings at village and block levels. The bulletin also mentioned that of the 303 positive cases detected till May 21 (Friday), 147 cases were found in migrant workers who returned to Jharkhand after May 5. The influx of people from outside the state will definitely increase the positive cases here. It has been noticed that many workers, who were tested positive, had arrived from red zones like Mumbai and Surat. Its, therefore, necessary to keep all those coming from these locations in institutional quarantine, said Dr A K Singh, state president of Indian Medical Association (IMA). But for effective containment of the disease, we have to escalate sample testing and keep a strict monitoring on movement of people observing isolation. It has been reported that many workers put in quarantine centres at village schools came out freely without a check, added Singh. The Covid-19 pandemic has been spreading its tentacles after the return of migrant workers in Jharkhand as the states 21 of 24 districts have come under its grip. The worst-affected districts are Garhwa, Hazaribag, Giridih and Koderma from where 47, 33, 16 and 16 cases respectively had been reported till May 21. Ranchi district, which reported the states first case on March 31, has alone witnessed 112 positive cases, including two confirmed cases in migrant workers so far. However, it saw swift recovery of patients as 91 have been cured and discharged. While, the disease seven days growth rate in the state stood at 5.84% against the national average of 5.36%, the doubling period is 12.20 days against the national average of 13.28 days. Jharkhands recovery rate is, however, better than the national average which is 40.30% against states 42.72%. Box Date. People in IQ. People in HQ May 11. 10304. 111064 May 12. 12459. 115532 May 13. 15218. 124170 May 14. 19914. 128960 May 15. 23812. 122152 May 16. 28222. 152017 May 17. 32521. 158975 May 18. 51718. 186313 May 19. 64425. 196763 May 20. 67021. 207830 May 21. 71123. 219036 IQ--Institutional quarantine HQ--Home quarantine SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bedanti Saran Bedanti Saran is Special Correspondent in Jharkhand and has been handling legal beats, CBI, ED, Income Tax and other investigation wings for over a decade ...view detail Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has reacted to the Tribunal judgement that dismissed a petition by Musa Wada, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging his re-election. Mr Bello of the All the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the judgement is a re-affirmation of his landmark victory of the November 16, 2019, election held in the state. In a statement on Saturday by his spokesperson, Onogwu Muhammed, the governor said, the landmark judgment affirming his landmark victory is a validation of the peoples mandate and an added impetus to his drive to do more for the good people of Kogi State. Mr Bello commended the tribunal for being upright and just and thanked the entire citizens of the state for their support. The Governor noted that with the majority ruling of the Tribunal dismissing the petition of PDP candidate Musa Wada today, the rule of law once again came to the defense of democracy by affirming the collective will of the people which was expressed on the 16th of November, 2019 when a vast, compelling majority of the electorate cast their votes for him to serve them for a second term, the statement said. Describing the judgment as most comprehensive of outstanding thoroughness, reason, and stretch on the many issues presented before the tribunal, Bello noted that the judiciary remains the last hope of common man. The Kogi State Governorship election tribunal sitting in Abuja on Saturday had dismissed the petition brought before it by Mr Wada, challenging the re-election of Mr Bello as governor. Mr Wada had approached the tribunal to challenge the re-election of Mr Bello and the APC. In the election, Mr Bello polled 406,222 votes to defeat the (PDP)s candidate, Mr Wada, who scored 189,704 votes. The petitioners lawyer, Jibril Okutepa, had urged the tribunal to uphold the petition and declare Mr Wada as the duly elected governor of Kogi state. Mr Okutekpa argued that his clients won the majority of lawful votes cast in the election. READ ALSO: They called a total of 32 witnesses to prove their claim that the election was marred by irregularities, violence, ballot snatching and non-compliance with the electoral act and the constitution. But Mr Bello and the APCs lawyer, Joseph Daudu, said the petitioners were unable to prove their claims, and urged the court to dismiss the petition. Only one witness was called. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was represented by Alex Izinyon and no witness was called. Tribunals decision Delivering the judgement on Saturday, with one out of three justices dissenting, the court, led by, Kashim Kaigama, held that the petitioner failed to prove the allegations of over voting, massive thumb printing, voter intimidation and other electoral malpractices. In his dissenting judgement, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele, nullified the election of Mr Bello and ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections in 7 local government areas where the petitioners proved their allegations of over voting, thuggery, voter intimidation, massive thumb printing and other electoral malpractices. The tribunal also awarded a cost of one million naira to be paid by the petitioners, PDP and Mr Wada to the respondents; INEC, Mr Bello and APC. Novel technology has posed one problem to the court over the past few weeks: Oral arguments have become more disjointed, with justices taking turns asking questions rather than engaging in their usual free-flowing discussion. But that is the fault of the teleconference format, not the audio stream.. And even with that handicap, Americans who tuned in have been treated to fascinating, high-level discussion about religious freedom, congressional power and the position of presidential electors in the constitutional system. The broadcasts have been an unmitigated success. Flourishing now in the radio age, the court should remain there, and even consider taking the next daring step: to the television age. With domestic air services set to resume from May 25, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday called for a mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine for passengers upon arrival. In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Baghel said the possibility of spread of coronavirus infection could not be ruled out if domestic flight operations restarted. "The Civil Aviation Ministry has decided to resume domestic flight services from May 25 and no separate Standard Operating Procedure has been issued for passengers," Baghel was quoted as saying in the letter in a statement here. "Details of each flight with elaborate information about passengers should be shared with states. Even 14-day quarantine for passengers only at state-operated or paid quarantine facilities should be made mandatory," the CM said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) T he Scottish National Party's Westminster leader has called on head of the civil service to investigate the rule-breaking and the Tory Governments cover-up of Dominic Cummings lockdown journey to Durham. The Prime Ministers top aide has come under fire after it emerged he had driven 250 miles despite the guidelines on travelling and amid fears he and his wife could have had coronavirus. Asked earlier by reporters if the journey during lockdown "looked good" , Mr Cummings said: Who cares about good looks? Its a question of doing the right thing." Downing Street has defended his actions, insisting he "acted in line with guidelines" and that his journey was "essential" because he needed childcare. But SNP's Ian Blackford has written to Sir Mark Sedwill and Boris Johnson with several questions for the PM, including when he found out about the trip and what role the UK Goverment played in keeping the public in the dark for eight weeks. Cummings has come under fire after making a 250-mile journey from London to Durham / Getty Images He also continued his calls for Mr Cummings to resign over the fiasco, stating his position as completely untenable. Mr Blackford said: I have written to Sir Mark Sedwill seeking an immediate investigation into the rule-breaking and the Tory Governments cover-up and to call for Dominic Cummings to resign or be sacked. Boris Johnson must answer serious questions about his role in this incident and the cover-up including when he found out, when he heard about the police action, why Mr Cummings wasnt sacked immediately, and why he kept the public in the dark for eight weeks until a newspaper broke the story. Dominic Cummings position is completely untenable. Dominic Cummings told reporters he was justified for travelling during the lockdown / PA This is a matter of leadership and judgment for the Prime Minister who must prevent lasting damage to his Government and his own reputation. Millions of us have made huge sacrifices over the months to obey the rules, while Boris Johnsons most senior adviser was breaking them. There cannot be one rule for the Tory Government and another for the rest of us. Last month Scotlands then chief medical officer was forced to resign after being criticised for not adhering to social distancing advice. UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures 1 /38 UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures Londoners returning to work near London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Cyclists travel in central London AFP via Getty Images Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Alan Price on his Penny Farthing this morning on Battersea Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Delivery men are seen outside a reopened McDonald's with take-out only deliveries in Dalston Reuters Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Worlds End Nurseries in Chelsea opens for business. Customer Nika Kucifer is shown flowers by Janson Lotery Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn People ride bicycles in a cycle lane in Chelsea PA Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases. Nigel Howard Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Vehicles are seen on the M56 motorway near Manchester, Reuters Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Monty's first day back. West Highland Terrier Monty commutes to work on his bike on his first day back with owner Darragh McElroy. Monty, who's Instagram account is @monty_whitehall_westie, works at the Cabinet Office in Whitehall with his owner Darragh who is Deputy Director of Coronavirus Communications at the Cabinet Office Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn A commuter wears a mask at Canning Town station Reuters Rush hour on the M6 at the junction for Birmingham/Walsall on the first morning of the eased Coronavirus lockdown PA Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen on a London Underground tube, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease Reuters Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen at Stratford station, Reuters Cyclists in Chelsea today. Nigel Howard Photos of Dr Catherine Calderwood and her family near a coastal retreat in Earlsferry a drive of more than an hour from her main Edinburgh residence were published in a national newspaper. She apologise and was backed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to remain in the role, despite twice visiting her second home in Fife. Mr Blackford referred to Dr Calderwoods resignation and the reaction of the Scottish Conservatives in his reasoning for the letter addressing Mr Cummings actions. He added: The excuses are not credible. There was absolutely nothing in the list of reasons under the law for leaving the house that allowed someone to travel the length of the country to stay with their parents, particularly not someone who was known to have the virus. The Tories vociferously demanded the resignation of Catherine Calderwood that same weekend. As Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw said at the time There cannot be one rule for bosses and another for everyone else. People are understandably questioning Boris Johnsons judgment. He must show Dominic Cummings the door and answer for his own role. Questions over the Tory cover up will only grow unless credible answers are provided or until Mr Cummings is removed from his post. (Natural News) Cannabis could be a new weapon in the fight against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), researchers say. A new study by scientists at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta says that cannabidiol (CBD) the main non-psychoactive component of marijuana can help fight the coronavirus by lowering the number of cell receptors available for the latter to attach to. Theres a lot of documented information about cannabis in cancer, cannabis in inflammation, anxiety, obesity and whatnot, said Dr. Igor Kovalchuk, who co-authored the study alongside his wife, Dr. Olga Kovalchuck, and a team of other researchers from Lethbridge. When COVID-19 started, Olga had the idea to revisit our data, and see if we can utilize it for COVID. It was like a joker card, you know, coronavirus. It just mixes up everybodys plans, Olga added. The Kovalchuks have been working with cannabis since 2015, using varieties from around the world to create new hybrids and develop extracts that demonstrate certain therapeutic properties. CBD reduces available ACE2 receptors for the virus to latch on to For the study, published in pre-peer review server Preprints, the researchers partnered with cannabis therapy research company Pathway Rx of which Igor Kovalchuck is the CEO and cannabinoid-based research company Swysh. The team created 3D tissue models with human oral, mucociliary and intestinal tissues and tested them with different samples of high CBD extracts. The extracts were low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. (Related: CBD vs. coronavirus? Potential natural remedies that promote immunity.) With this setup, the researchers then observed the effect that the extracts had on angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the receptor that the virus uses to enter human cells. The results of the researchers tests demonstrated that the extracts helped reduce the number of these receptors that the coronavirus could use to hijack host cells. A number of them have reduced the number of [ACE2] receptors by 73 percent, the chance of it getting in is much lower, stated Igor. If they can reduce the number of receptors, theres much less chance of getting infected, he added. In addition to ACE2, the researchers also looked into other receptors such as transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), which allows the virus to invade cells more easily and multiply quickly. Imagine a cell being a large building, explained Kovalchuk to CTV News. Cannabinoids decrease the number of doors in the building by, say, 70 percent, so it means the level of entry will be restricted. So, therefore, you have more chance to fight it. Clinical trials still needed but exploring therapeutic options is important The researchers early findings indicate that the CBD extracts could be used in inhalers, mouthwash and throat gargle products for both clinical and home treatment. However, they say that people looking for CBD extracts to fight the coronavirus wont be able to do so at their local dispensaries yet. They state that the current medical cannabis and CBD products, while helpful for a lot of ailments, are not designed to treat or prevent infection from COVID-19. The key thing is not that any cannabis you would pick up at the store will do the trick, said Olga. With this in mind, the researchers are now actively pursuing clinical trials. They stressed that their data is already based on human tissue models, so these trials are a natural next step. They also highlight the importance of exploring every therapeutic option when it comes to fighting the coronavirus. Given the current dire and rapidly developing epidemiological situation, every possible therapeutic opportunity and avenue needs to be considered. We need to bring it to the people, says Olga. We need to fight the beast. Visit Pandemic.news to learn more about how health experts are learning to fight the coronavirus. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk Preprints.org Calgary.CTVNews.ca UNICEF has presented Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other hygiene items, as well as posters, to the Department of Social Welfare, under the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection. The donation is to protect the frontline workers who provide essential services to vulnerable children and families, living in 150 residential homes in more than 100 districts, against Covid-19. The donation included 1,625 packets of masks, 1,625 packets of gloves, 1,625 bottles of hand sanitizers, 150 pieces of contact digital thermometers, 150 Veronica buckets with stands -35 of which are already in Tamale- 2,000 gallons of liquid soap, 10,000 rolls of hand tissue, 500 gallons of bleach, and 5,000 posters with key messages. The Gender Children and Social Protection Minister, Cynthia Morrison, received the items which were also targeted at children in junior correction facilities and remand homes. UNICEF Country Representative, Anne Claire Dufay, commended the department for the extraordinary work they are doing in this challenging times saying, the government of Ghana is making relentless efforts to curtail the spread of the virus and protect the most vulnerable children and families. She noted that the health, safety and wellbeing of all staff engaged in the Covid-19 response is a shared responsibility adding that the UN country team is supporting the government of Ghana to strengthen social services across all sectors, including social welfare services. While children seem to be less vulnerable to the Covid-19 virus itself, the collateral impact children, young people and women already affected by poverty, disability or social exclusion, is considerable the more reasons, special attention to these children and the continuation of protection from the virus, as well as case management and psychosocial support are critical, she said. Mrs Morrison expressed gratitude to UNICEF for the presentation and assured the government homes will receive the supplies. UNICEF has made similar donations to the Judicial Service and the Births and Deaths Registry. ---Daily Guide Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 22:08:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GAZA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza on Saturday reported the first death from COVID-19 in the Palestinian enclave. In a press statement emailed to reporters, the ministry said the death case is a 77-year-old woman from the district of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip who died at the quarantine hospital near the border with Egypt earlier in the day. The woman, identified as Fadila Abu Reida, returned from Egypt last week through the Rafah Border Crossing, it added. A total of 55 people in Gaza have been infected with the coronavirus since March 5, according to the statement. The death toll of the virus in the Palestinian territories has reached five, with two in the West Bank, two in East Jerusalem, and one in the Gaza Strip. Both the Palestinian Authority that rules the West Bank and Hamas, ruler of the Gaza Strip, recently tightened the precautionary measures against the spread of the novel coronavirus. Eyad al-Bozzom, spokesman of the Hamas-run ministry of interior, told a news briefing in Gaza that no infection cases have been recorded in the populated areas in the Gaza Strip. So far, 16 patients have recovered from COVID-19 in Gaza, while the others are in stable conditions, he revealed. Enditem STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Here is a look at the most significant stories in criminal justice on Staten Island over the last seven days: RAID ON LAWYERS HOME NETS DRUGS, GUNS, D.A. SAYS Attorney Michael Don is sitting in a jail cell after authorities busted him Wednesday during a raid at his Eltingville home in which they allegedly recovered a cache of guns and 1,000 opioid pills. The takedown occurred on the 200 block of Noel Street, a tree-lined residential block near Blue Heron Park. Authorities targeted Don, 52, after tracking several packages containing the opioid tapentadol from Germany to the defendants home, said prosecutors. Click here for the story. MAN, 25, ARRESTED IN RAID OF ANNADALE HOME Cops seized guns and ammunition when they raided an Annadale home last Thursday morning, said a criminal complaint. Steven Gallo, 25, was arrested during the 6 a.m. search-warrant operation on Crown Place, police said. Cops recovered an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and a fully assembled semiautomatic pistol from the defendants bedroom, said the complaint. Click here for more details. ALLEGED SHOPLIFTER RACKS UP 5TH ARREST Daniel Scavone snatched body washes, sprays, air fresheners and detergent from the CVS pharmacy on Hylan Boulevard in New Dorp on May 6 and May 12, allege authorities. Four pending criminal cases, including one for burglary, didnt deter a South Beach man from his larcenous ways, allege authorities. Daniel Scavone, 51, was busted Tuesday after he swiped various Olay body washes from a CVS pharmacy at 2690 Hylan Blvd., New Dorp, a criminal complaint said. The alleged theft occurred just before 3 p.m. Click here for the story. GREAT KILLS MAN, 74, PLEADS TO BURGLARY CHARGE A Great Kills man has pleaded guilty to a burglary charge for illegally entering the home of a woman he knows in violation of a protection order. The victim had obtained orders of protection against Randy Foxman earlier on Feb. 13, 2019 - the crime date - as well as two months before, said a criminal complaint. Issued in Criminal Court, the mandates instructed Foxman to stay away from the woman and not contact her. Click here for the story. SUSPECT IN MUGGING NEAR TRAIN STATION UNFIT A Brooklyn man accused of participating in an armed mugging near the Clifton train station two years ago has again been found mentally unfit for trial. A recent test revealed Jashawa Griffith doesnt understand the charges against him and cant aid in his defense. The findings were revealed Monday during a remote videoconference at state Supreme Court, St. George. Click here for more details. HES ACCUSED OF OPENING FIRE INSIDE CAR IN WEST BRIGHTON An 18-year-old man was arrested for attempted murder after he fired a gun into a car that had people in it, cops say. (Staten Island Advance/Joseph Ostapiuk) An 18-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after he fired a gun into a car with people inside in West Brighton, authorities allege. Rajsean Anderson, of the 100 block of North Burgher Avenue, is accused in the incident that occurred on the street where he lives on April 9 at about 7 p.m. He was arrested on April 23. Anderson fired a handgun multiple times into an occupied car, hitting the windshield and a window, according to the criminal complaint. Click here for the story. ARGUMENT ESCALATES INTO STABBING, POLICE SAY Police arrested two men for allegedly punching and stabbing a man in their home community of Clifton. Carmelo Adorno, 56, and Michael Martinez, 24, who both live at the same address on the 300 block of Vanderbilt Avenue, are accused in the assault on May 4 at about 4:40 p.m. inside of 220 Osgood Ave. Both men were arrested on May 11, according to the criminal complaint and police. An argument between the suspects and the victim escalated when Adorno and Martinez punched the victim repeatedly in his face, the complaint alleges. Click here for more details. In North Carolina, a federal judge recently sided with churches that sued over Gov. Roy Coopers efforts to restrict religious gatherings to 10 people. In Minnesota, some Catholic and Lutheran leaders have said they plan to restart in-person worship next week in defiance of Gov. Tim Walzs orders. We hope that local officials across the country will heed the presidents words and respect houses of worship, including our clients, said Mark Rienzi, the president of Becket, a religious liberty law firm representing the Minnesota churches. Religion is an essential service for the well-being of society that cannot be subordinated to the economic interests of the states. Other religious leaders expressed more caution. Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, who leads the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, said its 700 churches would look at reopening sometime after June 15. God will reassemble us when we know it is safe. This requires our trust, assurance, maturity, civility, he said. Our purpose is to love God and our neighbor. Our purpose is to do no harm, to do all the good we can. Several governors indicated they would make their own decisions without regard to the presidents demand. Mr. Newsom said the state had been consulting with faith leaders and was finishing guidelines to be announced by Monday. We look forward to churches reopening in a safe and responsible manner, he said. The guidelines, which will distinguish between megachurches and smaller venues, deal with the configuration of pews and sanitation protocols, the governor said. We deeply respect and admire the faith and devotion and the cause that unites millions and millions of Californians, people of faith. In Illinois, Mr. Pritzker said he would continue to operate on the basis of science and data when deciding when it was safe to reopen. Im as anxious as anybody to make sure that our churches, our mosques, our synagogues open back to where they were before Covid-19 came along, he said. Were gradually moving in that direction. But theres no doubt the most important thing is, we do not want parishioners to get ill because their faith leaders bring them together. Mayor Lori Lightfoot of Chicago rejected Mr. Trumps call to open houses of worship this weekend, saying he had no authority to do so. I think we have to realize that virtually everything he says has a political undertone and basis for it, she said. Help India! By Auqib Javeed, TwoCircles.net Pehley yeh ghar meray liye bas ik makaan tha Support TwoCircles Ab yeh jagah meray liye ik aastan hai It used to just be a house for me Now this place is a shrine for me SRINAGAR: This is what 55-year old Kashmiri poet Ghulam Mohammad Bhat aka Madhosh Balhami wrote when his two-story house was turned into rubble after three militants got trapped in Balhama, 10 kilometres from Srinagar, the summer capital of the Union Territory. The 12-hour long gunfight not only consumed the house of Balhami but also his 30 years of poetic work that was burnt to ashes. Three other houses in the village, besides Balhamis, were destroyed. All three militants were eventually killed in the clash. As the encounter was over, Balhami returned to see his house that was built by his father in 1967. He saw the entire home razed to the ground and a few standing walls. Balhami picked-up charcoal from the ruble and wrote an Urdu couplet on one of the pillars of his home that was still standing after the encounter. He wrote, Bohot aaj tak lut chukay hai bharey ghar abhi bawafa gardanein kat rahe hain (Countless prosperous homes have been plundered Now the loyal are being butchered) The couplet by Balhami reflects the feelings of many other residents who have lost their homes as a result of clashes between militants and government forces in Kashmir over the last three decades. On May 19, at least 15 families were rendered homeless after over a dozen houses got damaged in an encounter between militants and Govt forces in a densely populated area of downtown Srinagar. The gunfight that started around 3:00 AM has left behind a trail of destruction. Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were in killed in the 15-hour-long gun battle with forces. To blow-up the houses, the Government forces use different explosives like IED, UGBL etc. Sometimes gun powder is sprinkled around the house to put it on fire. The encounters and subsequent destruction of homes in Kashmir is also happening at a time when the entire world has been gripped by the Coronavirus pandemic and when people prefer to stay at home. But when the home is not available, where shall we go, Bilal Ahamd Rah, whose house got partially damaged in Nawakdal encounter, told TwoCircles.net. Abdul Hameed, owner of the house where the Sopore encounter took place last month in which two local militants were killed says his entire hard work of over years was turned into ashes during the encounter. I along with my family live in a shanty shed. We dont have enough money to construct another house and I have little hope for completion, he told TwoCircles.net. Hameed says its very hard to live in the shed in the heat. Abdul Aziz of Dangerpora area of south Kashmirs Pulwama district lost lifelong achievements of his children apart from his home. On May 3, Govt forces launched a cordon and search operation in Dangerpora. The forces zeroed on two suspected militants in his house. In the ensuing gunfight both the militants were killed in several hours of fighting. All the degree certificates of my children, my assets and important documents got burned along with the property, Aziz told TwoCircles.net. Aziz who lives now at his uncles house says his home was blasted on three sides and it was unimaginable that anything could have been saved. It was a sudden shock for my family, everything happened within no time, he said. Few days after the Pulwama encounter, Govt forces on May 7 launched a massive Cordon and Search Operation in Beighpora village of Awantipora. The tip was the presence of Kashmirs most wanted militant commander Riyaz Naikoo with his aide Aadil Bhat. In the ensuing gunfight that lasted for over 7 hours, the duo was killed and their bodies were taken by the police. As the villagers returned to the encounter site after the gunfight was over, they could find only rubble. At least five houses were destroyed in the encounter, while more than 10 other houses and livestock suffered damage. The families of the gunfight victims are living with the neighbours since then and the Mohalla committee takes care of everything, Sheeraz Ahamd a local told TwoCircles.net. Sheeraz says the houses belong to Teli brothers, who were detained by the police shortly after the encounter. They arent here but we take care of their families. We are also collecting money to rebuild their homes, Sheeraz said. The practice of destroying buildings and other structures during gun battles is not new in Kashmir. This is happening since the armed uprising against the Indian rule started in the valley in the early 1990s. Kashmiris see this as a collective punishment for their support to the militancy and to break the will of the people. Last month a video of a house, where militants were trapped, was blown-up in a single IED blast the video of which went viral on social media. Security grid in the valley, however, asserts that the use of IEDs and other explosives are used to avoid the causalities of troopers. Normally we cant kill militants with just bullets and in-order to wind-up the operation in shortest possible time, we have to use explosives, said a top official from the counter-insurgency wing. There are no official records detailing how many homes have been destroyed, but locals believe thousands of houses and other structures have been damaged during encounters. According to official data accessed by IndiaSpend, in South Kashmirs Pulwama district alone, at least 105 homes were destroyed during gunfights between 2015 and March 2018, were gunfights usually happen. In five months of this year alone, 80 militants were killed in different encounters, most of them inside residential houses. The government doesnt provide monetary relief to the people whose houses are destroyed and accuses them of sheltering the militants. The government compensation is meagre, while the process of claiming it is complicated and slow. Noted human rights activist Khurram Parvez says that this isnt the first time that armed forces have used disproportionate & indiscriminate force in Kashmir. Since 1947 Kashmiris have witnessed large scale state violence which led to widespread loss of lives & destruction of properties, like entire Batamaloo locality, many villages in Beerwah, Mawar in Langate were burnt down in 1965, he tweeted after the Nawakadal gunfight. Pankaj Singh, the Srinagar-based CRPF spokesman, told TwoCircles.net that the Nawakadal area of Srinagar is a congested area, where houses are close to each other. Anything happens in one house will be affecting other nearby houses but this is happening for years. Much bigger buildings got destroyed during gunfights, Singh said. He further added that people shouldnt give shelter to militants and must appreciate forces as they avoided civilian causalities in Nawakadal encounter. Groups of 10 people can now gather anywhere in New York for any reason. In an unexpected executive order issued Friday night, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York slightly loosened coronavirus restrictions, saying that gatherings of up to 10 people would be allowed for any lawful purpose or reason anywhere in the state including New York City provided that social-distance protocols were followed. Cuomo issued the order after the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a suit that objected to Mr. Cuomos order on Thursday allowing groups of 10 people or less to gather for religious services or for Memorial Day celebrations. Mr. Cuomos order on Friday night modified the previous order. The revision was swiftly condemned by Councilman Mark D. Levine, who represents Upper Manhattan and is chairman of the City Councils health committee. He stressed that the order had not been made by health professionals. This shocking order, forced by a lawsuit, changes nothing about the risks associated with group gatherings especially those held indoors, he said in tweets posted about 8:45 p.m. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, May 23, 2020 15:53 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9ce343 1 News Angkasa-Pura-II,Soekarno-Hatta-International-Airport,rapid-testing,coronavirus,COVID-19,Twitter Free State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II (AP II) has denied a rumor about rapid tests at the airport costing Rp 550,000 (US$36.94). On May 13, a video circulated among Twitter users showing passengers lining up in what is said to be an airport. Sebelum chek in bayar rapid tes dl Rp 550.000, tanpa terkecuali... Waoo bisnis baru di bandara.. Halo @kemenhub151 Benarkah ini? pic.twitter.com/OoLsljPdPY Isema (@Isema13) May 13, 2020 Prior to checking in, [we had] to pay Rp 550,000 for a rapid test without exception. This is the new business at the airport, read the post. The user also asked the Transportation Ministry to verify the video. On May 13, a video circulated among Twitter users which shows passengers lining up in what is said to be an airport. (Twitter/File) PT Angkasa II director Awaluddin told kompas.com, There is no rapid test facility for passengers at AP IIs airports, including Soekarno-Hatta [International airport in Tangerang, Banten]." Awaluddin said that under the current air travel restrictions, passengers must fulfill a number of requirements based on circular letter No. 4/2020 issued by the COVID-19 task force. They are required to show their flight ticket, identity card and a letter stating that they are coronavirus-free, among other documents. Read also: AP II to utilize app to check passenger documents Passengers have to follow these procedures. Therefore, we recommend that they arrive at the airport three to four hours earlier, said Awaluddin. He added that the airport staff would not be providing health letters and that passengers were expected to bring their own. Among those who are allowed to fly are state officials, private sector workers and state-owned enterprise employees that provide health services, basic necessities, security and defense and vital economic functions. The Port Health Authority (KKP), which operates under the Health Ministry, has been assigned to screen repatriated Indonesians for free through temperature checks, rapid tests and interviews upon arrival from overseas. Anas Maruf, Soekarno-Hatta Health Office head, said the KKP did not conduct rapid tests for passengers of domestic flights. We never provide COVID-19 test service for domestic flights, and certainly don't charge for it, Anas said. (wir/wng) Forty-five more patients have recovered from coronavirus infection in Lagos and were discharged from the states isolation facilities on Saturday. This brings the total number of recoveries from COVID-19 to 707 in Lagos, an official said. The Lagos State Ministry of Health on its Twitter handle said the newly-recovered patients tested negative to the virus and have been discharged to reunite with the society. 45 COVID-19 Lagos patients; 22 females & 23 males, all Nigerians have been discharged from our Isolation facilities to reunite with the society. The patients; 19 from Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, 3 from Onikan, 8 from Agidingbi, 7 from Lekki, 1 from Eti-Osa (LandMark) & 7 from LUTH Isolation Centres were discharged having fully recovered & tested negative to COVID-19. With this, the number of COVID-19 cases successfully managed & discharged in Lagos State has risen to 707, the ministry wrote. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Lagos State had commenced the discharge of patients with one negative reading following the directive of the Director-General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu. The commissioner for health in Lagos, Akin Abayomi, disclosed that the discharged patients will be advised to self-isolate for another seven days, so that if they turn positive again within the seven days, they can clear out the infection on their own. As of Saturday, Lagos has 3,240 confirmed cases, 2469 active cases, 707 discharged cases and 46 deaths. Lagos residents are urged to call the Ministry of Health on the toll-free number 08000CORONA = 08000267662 for all COVID19 issues. Police have stressed that no explosives were involved in the rally, while one video suggests that the black smoke is actually coming from the smoke bombs that have been set off. Two persons have reportedly been detained in what appears to be a street action outside the building hosting the office of Viktor Medvedchuk, Russian President's main political operative in Ukraine and leader of the Opposition Platform For Life Party. Videos from the scene shot by eyewitnesses show a cloud of black smoke coming from the backyard of the office in central Kyiv a fenced-off area which is normally heavily guarded by a private security firm. One video shot at the scene suggests that the black smoke coming from the scene is that of the smoke bombs, while police have stressed that no explosives were involved in the rally. Unconfirmed reports claim police allegedly detained at least two persons involved in the incident. The photos of the building posted by PavlovskyNews show the building's walls being vandalized by red paint, which could also be the result of today's action. Pavlovsky News says it is members of the National Corps organization who are protesting outside Medvedchuks office, chanting that Medvedchuk and his party traitors working in favor of Russia. Clashes are also reported between protesters and Kyiv police. Later, the National Corps via its Telegram channel has confirmed that its members were behind the protest action outside Viktor Medvedchuk's office, recalling that his party leadership's visits to Moscow and St Petersburg for talks with Russian authorities should be interpreted as state treason. National Corps members thus protest the fact that no legal action has been taken against the party and its members. The story has been updated with the new video and information about the National Corps involvement. Rana Daggubati On Falling In Love With Miheeka Bajaj After breaking up with Trisha Krishnan, Rana Daggubati was single for quite a long time. During an interaction with Lakshmi Manchu, Rana revealed that Miheeka Bajaj is Venkatesh Daggubati's daughter, Aashritha's friend. But despite knowing her since long, he fell in love with Miheeka just before the lockdown. Well, lockdown turned out to be a blessing for Rana and Miheeka. What Rana Daggubati Likes About Miheeka Bajaj? During a candid chat with Lakshmi, Rana revealed that he loves Miheeka Bajaj from the core of his heart. Mentioning what he likes about his fiancee, Rana said, "Be it her smile, the way she speaks or anything, everything just fits perfectly for me. Out of all the people in my life, for Miheeka Bajaj to be the one, there had to be something special right? It just felt right. It took me all of six minutes to know she's the one for me. It's that simple!" Rana Daggubati On Kissing Miheeka Bajaj After Roka Ceremony Lakshmi Manchu who knows to break the ice during a chat, joked with Rana if he kissed his fiancee Miheeka after roka. Replying to the same, Rana Daggubati stated that he had an old filmy moment, as they used flowers instead of locking lips. Rana Daggubati Reveals Their Parents Reaction Revealing about how his and Miheeka's parents reacted to the decision, Rana Daggubati said, "It's shock to koodina happiness, their reaction went from shock to joy in no time. They were surprised when I broke the news to them. That's how Miheeka felt too when I proposed." Rana Daggubati On Receiving Blessings From Friends Rana Daggubati also revealed that after proposing Miheeka, his friends and family members were happy and gave their blessings to him. In the LIVE session with Lakshmi Manchu, he said, "Messages poured in from friends, they're all happy for me. No one has said, why not me or anything like that." Rana Daggubati and Miheeka Bajaj's wedding will be held after the lockdown ends. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2020 / Mota Ventures Corp. (MOTA.CN)(FSE:1WZ:GR)(OTC PINK:PEMTF) (the "Company") is excited to announce it has entered into a Letter of Intent (the "LOI") dated May 21, 2020, to evaluate the acquisition (the "Proposed Transaction") of Unified Funding, LLC ("Unified"). Since inception in 2015, Unified has generated a database of over one million customers and has facilitated over Cdn$375,000,000 in consumer transactions. Powered by its proprietary technology platform, Unified has created an eCommerce ecosystem to scale its brands and achieve profitability targets through data analysis, strategic customer acquisition and supply chain management. Founded by partners with more than a decade of eCommerce and technology experience, Unified has rapidly grown into a formidable business focused on aggressive expansion in the natural health products market. Unified's diverse platform generates revenue from; licensing, marketing and product fulfillment fees supporting brands in skin care, essential oils, men's health, weight management and CBD including MOTA's recently audited Nature's Exclusive brand. Figures presented in this news release were translated from US dollars into Canadian dollars using the Bank of Canada closing exchange rate on May 22, 2020 of US$1.00:Cdn$1.3892. "A transaction with Unified is another step forward in our expansion as a global eCommerce business. This is the platform and personnel necessary for MOTA to launch and grow brands, such as Nature's Exclusive, which we acquired from Unified in January of 2020. Unified has developed a comprehensive eCommerce platform that is ideally suited for the natural health products sector. Integration of their platform and the personnel to run it will allow us to rapidly deploy new products and expand into new natural health product segments and markets," stated Ryan Hoggan, CEO of the Company. Beyond Unified's comprehensive eCommerce technology platform, their services assist brands with launching and scaling customer acquisition strategies. Through a worldwide network of media partners, Unified is able to closely monitor market trends to guide product innovation and marketing strategies that yield profitable results. Story continues "We have created a very comprehensive eCommerce platform with a team of data analysis, strategic customer acquisition and supply chain management experts that has been proven effective for rapid expansion of natural health brands. We are hopeful that a transaction with Mota will allow our group to use our skills to expand into additional international markets, create new natural health brands and reach more consumers. Mota's access to capital markets to raise growth capital to invest in customer acquisition will give us a distinct advantage to quickly scale, diversify and expand into new high growth product offerings," stated Kevin Keranen, Chairman of Unified. Readers are cautioned that the LOI entered into with Unified does not set forth the terms of the Proposed Transaction, nor have such terms been finalized. Completion of the Proposed Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including, not limited to, completion of due diligence, negotiation of definitive documentation, and the receipt of any required regulatory approvals. The Proposed Transaction cannot be completed until these conditions are satisfied and there can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed at all. The Proposed Transaction is not expected to constitute a fundamental change for the Company, nor is it expected to result in a change of control of the Company, within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. The Company will provide further information regarding its review of Unified, and the Proposed Transaction, as that information becomes available. About Mota Ventures Corp. Mota is an established eCommerce, direct to consumer provider of a wide range of CBD products in the United States and Europe. In the United States, the company sells a CBD hemp-oil formulation derived from hemp grown and formulated in the US through its Nature's Exclusive brands. Within Europe, its Sativida brand of award winning 100% organic CBD oils and cosmetics are sold throughout Spain, Portugal, Austria, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Mota Ventures is also seeking to acquire additional revenue producing CBD brands and operations in both Europe and North America, with the goal of establishing an international distribution network for CBD products. Low cost production, coupled with international, direct to customer, sales channels will provide the foundation for the success of Mota Ventures. About Unified Funding, LLC Founded in 2015 by partners with more than a decade of eCommerce and technology experience, Unified has rapidly grown into a formidable organization focused on aggressive expansion in the natural health products market. Powered by its proprietary technology platform, the company has created an eCommerce ecosystem to scale its brands and achieve profitability targets through data analysis, strategic customer acquisition and supply chain management. For more information about Unified, please visit https://www.unifiedbrandlab.com/. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MOTA VENTURES CORP. Ryan Hoggan Chief Executive Officer For further information, readers are encouraged to contact Joel Shacker, President & CEO 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 proposed acquisition of Unified, 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 and its plans to acquire revenue-producing CBD brands and operations in Europe and North America. 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/591119/Mota-Ventures-Signs-LOI-to-Acquire-Ecommerce-Platform-Leader-Unified-Funding-LLC-Which-Generated-965m-in-Consumer-Transactions-in-2019 At least 12 workers of a sugar factory in Maharashtra's Pune district were hospitalised on Saturday morning after they complained of suffocation while cleaning a vacuum pan, officials said. The incident occurred when some kind of gas got released during cleaning of the pan by workers. "Five to six workers were conducting a cleaning activity inside a vacuum pan at the factory when a gas emanated and they felt suffocated," said Vijay Wable, Managing Director, Malegaon Sugar factory, which is located in Baramati. A vacuum pan is a tank with a vacuum pump for rapid evaporation and condensation (as of sugar syrup) by boiling at a low temperature. He said the workers then called their colleagues for help. "Some workers who entered the pan also felt suffocated and felt nauseating," the MD said. All the affected workers have been admitted to a private hospital, he said. "All the workers have been shifted to a private hospital. While 10 of them are stable, two other remained admitted in ICU," said Wable. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Worst air disaster in Pakistan since 2012 killed at least 97 passengers and crew members. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been recovered from the site of a plane crash that killed at least 97 passengers and crew members in the Pakistani city of Karachi. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-8303 was flying from Lahore to Karachi when it went down around 09:45 GMT on Friday. The Airbus A320, which had 99 people aboard, crashed into a crowded residential district of the southern city after twice trying to land at the airport. The black box had been found late yesterday, we are handing it over to the inquiry board, PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan said on Saturday, clarifying both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were located. Health ministry spokeswoman Meeran Yousuf told Al Jazeera by telephone that 66 bodies were kept at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachis largest government hospital, and 31 at Civil Hospital Karachi, another leading state-run hospital. Two male passengers survived the crash. After it hit and I regained consciousness, I saw fire everywhere and no one was visible, passenger Mohammad Zubair, 24, said from his hospital bed in a video clip circulated on social media. The cries were everywhere and everybody was trying to survive. I undid my seat belt and I saw some light and tried to walk towards it. Then I jumped out. Zubair suffered burns but was in a stable condition, a health ministry official said. The airline named the other survivor as the president of the Bank of Punjab, Zafar Masud. Seconds before the crash, the pilot told air traffic controllers he had lost power from both engines, according to a recording posted on liveatc.net, a respected aviation monitoring website. Our plane [an Airbus] A320 which was coming from Lahore to Karachi was on final approach, said PIA chief Arshad Malik in a video message released after the crash. The last words we heard from our pilot were that there is a technical problem and he was told on final approach that he has both runways available to him to land on. But the pilot decided that he wanted to go around. The plane then rapidly lost altitude and crashed short of the runway into the Model Colony neighbourhood, witnesses told local media. Dense plumes of black smoke rose above houses in the narrow streets of the neighbourhood, with television footage showing several buildings crushed from the impact of the aircraft. Parts of the plane, including the emergency exit door, were strewn in the streets. Airbus said the jet first flew in 2004 and was fitted with engines built by CFM International, co-owned by General Electric and Frances Safran. Worst air disaster in years Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan announced soon after the crash that there would be an inquiry, The country only last week resumed domestic flights it had suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, with many people travelling for the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. This years holiday is expected to fall on Sunday or Monday in the country, subject to the sighting of the moon. Fridays crash is the worst air disaster in Pakistan since 2012, when a Bhoja Air passenger aircraft, a Boeing 737, crashed in the capital, Islamabad, killing 127 people. Dubbed the Muslim "Game of Thrones", a drama about the makings of the Ottoman Empire has sent Pakistan wild this Ramadan, smashing television records but exposing the country's lack of original content. The Turkish-made series has earned praise for its focus on historical figures from the Muslim world who have been framed as role models for Pakistani youths, and the Urdu-language version of the show has racked up more than 240 million views on YouTube alone. "I prefer to watch it with kids, so they can have real-life superheroes instead of fictional ones," said Hassam Mustafa as he settled down at his Islamabad home to watch the series with his nieces and nephews after breaking his fast. Resurrection: Ertugrul has gripped audiences with its daring protagonist, cliffhangers and high production values since it began broadcasting on the first day of the Islamic holy month, which is due to end Sunday or Monday. Usually state broadcaster PTV fills its Ramadan programming with live charity fundraisers, quiz shows and religious content. But with the virus stifling television studios, Prime Minister Imran Khan issued special instructions to the broadcaster to air the series in a bid to boost Islamic culture and values among young people. "Over here, we go to Hollywood then Bollywood and back again -- third-hand culture gets promoted this way," Khan told a group of YouTubers recently, referring to the influence of foreign shows. The five-season series tells the story of Ertugrul, the father of Osman I who founded the Ottoman Empire, which ruled parts of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa for more than 600 years. "The response has been incredible, it's really great to see how the show is resonating with Urdu speakers around the world," said Riyaad Minty, digital director of TRT, which produced the series. PTV said viewership has been unprecedented, with the drama fetching ratings five times higher than average. - 'Cheap re-run' - Featuring heartthrob heroes, westernised heroines and picturesque scenery, dozens of Turkish soap operas have made it onto Pakistani television channels since 2012. But a dependence on imported content is a source of frustration for some Pakistani artists, producers and directors who bemoan prime-time slots being given to a foreign show. PTV once used to produce the subcontinent's best soap operas but has suffered in the face of rising competition from private channels. "It is a good opportunity for PTV management to look at themselves, shake their conscience and wonder how they are unable to produce a prime-time drama," Aehsun Talish, a Pakistani drama producer, told AFP. The channel has profited from advertising breaks during the broadcasts but experts warn it is on shaky ground. "It's a cheap re-run, a temporary filling. If we truly want PTV's revival we will have to bank on local talent," Samina Ahmad, a veteran television actress, told AFP. - Turkish soft power - Turkish television has become a major vehicle of soft power, with viewers in the Muslim world becoming voracious consumers of the country's soaps. Resurrection: Ertugrul is another strategic asset for Turkey, said South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman from the Wilson Center think tank. "There's strong backing among many in Pakistan for pan-Muslim solidarity, which translates in many cases to support for strong Muslim leaders from Malaysia to Turkey and many places in between," he said. Turkey has backed Pakistan on the international stage, particularly in the dispute with New Delhi over Kashmir, and the two nations have enjoyed strong relations. Egypt, however, fearing Turkey holds a desire to revive the Ottoman Empire and rule the Arab Muslim world, quickly issued an Islamic legal ruling against the hit show. Saudi Arabia stopped its state broadcaster from airing all Turkish soap operas in 2018. But Pakistan is set for more Turkish dramas, with the prime minister already lining up another show for screening. At Mustafa's home, his nieces and nephews follow the Turk leader's sword battles with excitement in Resurrection: Ertugrul. "This historical Turkish drama has provided us with a nice escape from stereotypical Pakistani dramas, which always centre on the affairs of 'saas-bahu'," he said, referring to relationships between controlling mothers and their daughters-in-law. Information from close sources to the ruling New Patriotic Party reveals that the party is exploring electronic voting as the best option for its upcoming primaries to elect Members of Parliament for the upcoming general election amid covid-19 pandemic. This decision according to the source, is yet to be endorsed by the National Executive Committee of the party before implementation once it is approved. The move has become necessary due to the impact of the novel coronavirus which has affected both economic and social activities across the country. If endorsed by the National Executive Committee of the party it will mean that delegatex would vote electronically to elect their parliamentary reps in 168 constituencies where the party has sitting Members of Parliament. It will be recalled that the ruling party last month suspended its primaries which was originally scheduled for April 25 due to the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country. Since then, the President has also extended the ban on social gathering including political activities to May 31. The outbreak of the coronavirus in Ghana has affected the political activities of all political parties as well as the electoral commission which is now pushing to compile a new voters' register despite strong resistance by the opposition NDC including policy think tanks and CSOs. The Commission had earlier announced it will admit not more than 25 people including its officials at any time during its upcoming exercise to compile a new voter register for the General Elections. But that explanation has not gone down well with the opposition National Democratic Congress which had accused the NPP of conniving with the EC and the National Identification Authority (NIA) to rig the upcoming election. Meanwhile, the legislature has summoned the Electoral Commissioner Jean Mensa to brief the House on its plan for the 2020 general elections when it resumes sitting next week. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arya Dipa and Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Bandung/Jakarta Sat, May 23, 2020 08:09 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9bd49e 1 National PSBB,COVID-19,health,policy,West-Java,Greater-Bandung,transmission Free West Java, being a close neighbor of Jakarta, has been among the provinces hardest hit by COVID-19, but it is looking into easing curbs in "low-risk" areas after claiming that large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) have yielded desirable results. The province recorded 40 new cases on Friday, bringing the total confirmed cases to 2,002 with 125 fatalities and 432 recoveries, according to the central government's tally. This has led the province to become the third hardest-hit province after Jakarta and East Java. "I believe the pandemic is related to density, it's a density disease. The more dense the area is, the more cases are likely to be found," West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said during a recent online discussion with foreign ambassadors. The majority of cases [...] occurred in Greater Jakarta. The province is home to around 49 million people, some 33 percent of whom can be found in Jakarta's satellite cities, where people who work in the capital city commonly reside. Data from the administration shows that cases in Jakarta's satellites accounted for at least 60 percent of the provinces total cases as of Friday, while West Java's capital Bandung city recorded 271 cases and 31 fatalities, the highest number of deaths in the province. Tight corridors: Medical workers in protective gear escort a man who tested positive for COVID-19 to a hospital in Tasikmalaya, West Java, on May 15. (Kompas.com/Irwan Nugraha) The PSBB have been in place in West Java since May 6, and they are expected to last until May 29, although Bogor, Depok and Bekasi satellite regions of Jakarta put curbs in place much earlier on April 15. Greater Bandung also first imposed the PSBB on April 22. It has identified five infection clusters so far: a seminar of the National Polices Officer Candidate School in Sukabumi; the Bethel Church of Indonesia (GBI) in Lembang; an anti-usury seminar in Bogor; a religious seminar held by the Protestant Churches of Western Indonesia (GPIB) in Bogor; and a West Java youth entrepreneurs forum in Karawang. Read also: National COVID-19 task force chief urges public to obey PSBB to pave way for 'new normal' Recently, local health authorities said they were still tracing contacts from the first two clusters and ramping up efforts to scale up their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing capacity. The province had tested some 10,791 people so far, a very low number that made it difficult to effectively capture the scale of the outbreak and decide on the necessary intervention measures, said epidemiologist Panji Hadisoemarto from Padjadjaran University in Bandung. This also applies to measuring the province's effective reproduction number (Re), which Governor Ridwan revealed to be 1.04 as of May 15. The effective reproduction number refers to the number of secondary cases per infectious case in a population, with a number below 1 indicating the epidemic is under control and in decline. There must be adequate contact tracing, testing [...] and accurate and timely reporting [of new cases]," Panji said. Ridwan said during a press briefing on Wednesday that the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had decreased from 430 patients in April to 270 patients following the introduction of the PSBB. Isolation wards were only at 33 percent of capacity, he said. Love exists here: A couple on a motorcycle drive past a makeshift gate in a residential area in Citeureup, Bogor, West Java, on May 7. The gate displays a banner that reads lovedown, as opposed to "lockdown". (JP/PJ Leo) As he claimed the curve of transmission was flattening, Ridwan also announced that the region's PSBB measures would continue proportionately" based on each region's transmission risk level, which would be reviewed using several indicators every two weeks. The PSBB status would also be implemented at the subdistrict or village levels. "Theoretically this is a good policy, but it'll be difficult to translate into practice at the village level. There must be clear technical guidelines [for enforcement]," Panji said. They should also anticipate [...] the porousness between regions; the people of Bandung regency may work in Bandung city, for example. The provinces red zones, or those at severe risk, comprise Bekasi regency, Bekasi municipality and Cimahi municipality, meaning that they would have to continue the PSBB, with economic activities operating only at 30 percent of their normal levels. Blue zones, which comprise West Bandung regency, Pangandaran regency, Sumedang regency, Garut regency and Sukabumi municipality, are at moderate risk and would be allowed to reopen all public and commercial facilities while ensuring that there are no crowds. This is despite earlier estimates that predicted Garut would see the highest number of homebound travelers at 177,155 people. The administration predicted that some 720,000 people would insist on going on mudik (exodus) this year ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday. Read also: Some regional leaders to allow mass Idul Fitri prayers despite calls to worship at home The remaining regions, meanwhile, are at moderate to severe risk in the yellow zones, which allow for an increase in economic activity to around 60 percent of normal levels, while maintaining physical distancing. No city or regency is a black zone, which indicates critical risk and requires a total lockdown, nor are any considered green zones, which are low-risk areas where people are allowed to gather. However, detailed mapping at the lower levels show that 667 subdistricts and villages are deemed black zones, and most are in Jakartas satellite cities and Greater Bandung. Kusnanto Saidi, the director of the Dr. Chasbullah Abdulmadjid COVID-19 referral hospital in Bekasi city, said the hospital had witnessed a decline in the number of patients, although medical professionals remained wary of possible undetected or asymptomatic cases. "Medical workers are wary about a possible second wave [of transmissions]. Their energy has been drained in the past three months, God forbid that therell be [a second wave] after Idul Fitri," he said. You wouldnt be any the wiser looking in from the outside. The windows are blacked out; there are no signs over the door. Entry is for the initiated only. Those who know call ahead to get on a guest list, press the right buzzer, and wait to be escorted in. What lies on the other side of the door would in normal times be considered unexciting: A dozen people socially distanced, drinking in lonely silence in a nondescript beer hall. But 2020 has devalued many things, and thresholds for kicks are first among them. In the reality of a Covid-19 pandemic, any drink in public is positively subversive. The bar, a small neighbourhood affair in southern Moscow, is one of a growing number of businesses opening up in defiance of Covid-19 lockdown rules. Authorities are apparently already aware of the bars clandestine activity, but seem unable or unwilling to properly shut it down. According to one local resident, a police team raided the place earlier this month, removing beer kegs. But a few days later, the venue was trading again, having sourced more booze. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) Malacanang has formally ordered the inclusion of five million more beneficiaries in the second tranche of cash aid for poor families amid the coronavirus crisis. In a May 22 memorandum released on Saturday, the Palace ordered concerned government agencies to "include the additional five million eligible households to the twelve million beneficiaries under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program of the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development)." This brings the total number of beneficiaries for the second tranche to 17 million. As earlier announced, priority would be given to households under enhanced community quarantine and modified ECQ. The Palace memorandum clarified that "households most affected by the continuing restrictions in the operation of certain industries and sectors in areas under a general community quarantine may still be considered for the second tranche." The list is subject to validation of national government agencies and local government units, according to the order signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea. Much of the country is under GCQ, while Cebu City and Mandaue City are under ECQ. Metro Manila and the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Zambales are under MECQ -- considered as a transition phase toward the more relaxed GCQ. Malacanang also directed the DSWD, in coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology and National Privacy Commission to expedite the creation of an online portal with the list of all eligible beneficiaries of the Social Amelioration Program. This will enable the public to give feedback and check whether the beneficiaries are indeed entitled for aid, Palace said, stressing that data privacy laws should be followed. The Department of the Interior and Local Government on Friday said it was still collating reports on poor families who were left out of the first tranche, so they can be prioritized for the next wave of cash aid distribution. Low-income families are entitled to 5,000 to 8,000 worth of assistance for April and May under the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act. DailyMail reports that researchers from the University of Southampton conducted a series of controlled laboratory experiments at their coral aquarium facility. Using an underwater drone, they captured the corals in an astonishing display emitting hues of blue, pink, red, and green coral reefs in global waters. The authors of the study determined that the phenomenon is an active sunscreen layer in the form of a colorful display that comes from unique pigments. Furthermore, they say that the pigments offer an alternative to the glaring white light during bleaching that can discourage the algae from returning to the corals. Professor Jorg Wiedenmann, the head of the University of Southampton's Coral Reef Laboratory, says that their research displays colorful bleaching that has something to do with an automatic mechanism that involves both partners of the union. He adds that when corals lose their symbionts, the light bounces back and forth inside the coral's tissues, resulting in a white coral skeleton. Excessive internal light possessed by the corals can be stressful for the symbionts, which could cause them to retreat and possibly delay their return. The researchers say that the production of the sunscreen layer will then promote the return of the symbionts. After they return, the algae start using the light for photosynthesis. Furthermore, the levels of light inside the coral will decrease, and the coral cells will lower the need to produce the colorful pigments. The scientists are enlivened by recent reports saying that colorful bleaching has occurred in some areas of the Great Barrier Reef during the last mass bleaching episode from March to April this year. The findings of the research have been published in the journal Current Biology on May 21, 2020. Read Also: Awaiting the Evidence of Coral Bleaching to the Great Barrier Reef Coral Bleaching in the Oceans According to the US National Ocean Service, coral bleaching occurs when corals are stressed due to changes in conditions. Most of these changes could be brought about by light, temperature, or nutrients. The bleaching episodes drive away the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, which causes them to turn ghostly white. According to Dr. Cecilia D'Angelo, a lecturer of Molecular Coral Biology at the University of Southampton, bleaches don't automatically pose as a death sentence for corals, and many still survive after an episode of bleaching. In mild events, she says that corals can eventually re-establish the symbiosis with algae. The most recent coral bleaching event occurred in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in March. Officials have confirmed that very widespread bleaching of about 344,000 square kilometers was detected in the area. Coral and Algae Mutualism The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say that corals and algae have a mutualistic relationship in which the coral provides the algae with a protected environment and compounds necessary for their photosynthesis. Reciprocally, the algae produce oxygen that helps the coral to remove wastes. Most importantly, zooxanthellae, which are single-celled dinoflagellates, supply the coral with glycerol, glucose, and amino acids, which are the photosynthesis products. The coral uses these products to produce fats, and carbohydrates, and calcium carbonate. According to the researchers of the study, the relationship between coral and the tiny algae entrenched in coral cells is a mutually beneficial 'symbiosis.' However, they add that if ocean temperatures rise 0.8F above the usual summer temperature, this symbiosis tends to break down. Also Read: The Great Barrier Reef Has Bleached For the Third Time and is The Most Far-Reaching In 5 Years! Wang Chen, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), speaks at the opening meeting of the third session of the 13th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 22, 2020. Photo: Xinhua Central govt to focus on intelligence work, counter-terrorism After a draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security was submitted to China's top legislature on Friday, the work of formulating the national security legislation would be accelerated, which would be signed into the law as early as in the coming weeks considering the urgency, some national lawmakers, top political advisors and lawyers said, as the central government prepared to set up national security agencies in Hong Kong to enhance information collecting and evidence to deal with acts like splitting the country, subverting state power, organizing and perpetrating terrorist activities. Wang Chen, vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, explained the draft decision to the NPC deputies at the third session of the 13th NPC, outlining the necessity and importance of formulating the law to defend the sovereignty and core interests of the country. Though he did not reveal detailed articles for the upcoming legislation, Wang addressed some of the most worrisome issues about the SAR, which have been posing severe risks to the overall national security of China, delivering key messages about what the new national security law for Hong Kong will include. After the issuance of the decision, the NPC Standing Committee would work with related parties to formulate relevant laws and bills which usually go through three readings in the committee before being put to a vote, according to the Legislation Law. Chinese lawmakers usually meet every two months, while interim meetings can be held when there is a special need, leading to speculation the draft decision would be signed into law within six months, or even sooner. "As far as I know, the legislation is ready, which will be passed in the next meeting of the NPC Standing Committee," Kennedy Wong Ying-ho, a member to the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and solicitor at the Supreme Court of Hong Kong, told the Global Times on Friday. After the lawmakers vote on all resolutions, the draft Civil Code, and the draft Hong Kong national security law on May 28, the NPC Standing Committee could hold interim meetings to sign the bill into law, Wong noted. Info and evidence collection The new Hong Kong national security legislation entitles the central government's national security organs to establish agencies in the SAR to safeguard national security, while the chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR government will report to the central government at regular intervals. The reports will include performance of duties in maintaining national security, conducting national security promotion education, and prohibiting acts that endanger national security according to law, details of the draft show. The draft decision empowers the NPC Standing Committee to add relevant laws to Annex III of the Basic Law governing the SAR. Given there is no specific organ in today's Hong Kong to handle intelligence work, especially counter-terrorism intelligence, after the Special Branch of the Hong Kong Police was disbanded before Hong Kong returned to the motherland, it's highly necessary to establish a specific organ to deal with matters relevant to national security in the face of an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, some lawmakers noted. "National security matters are tackled in a highly professional scope, and ordinary police officers or government officials do not have specific means, for example, investigation measures," Wong said, noting that the central government's special agencies to safeguard national security are likely to set up branches in Hong Kong to do relevant work. Witman Hung Wai-man, the principal liaison officer for Hong Kong at the Shenzhen Qianhai Authority and a Hong Kong deputy to the NPC, told the Global Times that such a branch should be granted the power to investigate and enforce the law, and it remains to be seen if it is fully independent or put under a certain organization, and the new agency can be set up under the HKPF. To propose such a law for Hong Kong aims to not only tackle the chaos in Hong Kong, but also respond to security threats in the SAR to the country, Lau Siu-kai, vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday, noting that while the riots continue in Hong Kong and the US increases its efforts to contain the Chinese mainland, Washington's intention of using Hong Kong as a pawn to counterbalance China has become increasingly palpable. The central government has zero tolerance toward any activities challenging the bottom line of the "one country, two systems," and it would not allow any act of secessionism, according to the draft document. The delayed passage of Article 23 of the Basic Law is widely believed to have become a major factor that has led to relentless radical protests in the city since last year, which has engulfed the once-prosperous Asian financial hub and plunged it into long-term recession. Horace Cheung Kowk-kwan, a member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong SAR, told the Global Times Friday that setting up national security branches is something completely new to LegCo and Chief Executive Carrie Lam may gather LegCo members to deliberate further moves. He said relevant Hong Kong authorities, especially the Security Bureau, will work closely with mainland counterparts. He said Hong Kong members of the Basic Law committee and the SAR government will give out suggestions with regard to the draft of the national security law. Cheung told the Global Times that the SAR government will continue pushing for Article 23 legislation. Given the legislation would be a national law, it can be written into the regulations that establish a central-level national security mechanism, noted Li Xiaobing, an expert on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan at Nankai University in Tianjin. In the future, if Hong Kong enacts Article 23 of the Basic Law on its own, it will hopefully form a "double-level" system to safeguard national security in Hong Kong, he said. Under the new Hong Kong national security law, it won't be bringing relevant suspects or personnel back to the mainland for investigation and interrogation as some people think. It's about designing a mechanism to enforce the law in Hong Kong while considering both the Basic Law and local laws, Li said. To establish and improve the legal system to safeguard national security, it is also necessary to solve the supporting mechanisms of Hong Kong's judicial system, such as the establishment of courts specializing in national security crimes, or learn from Macao to allow only Chinese judges and prosecutors to handle cases involving national security, or set up a special committee to safeguard national security, the expert suggested. Looming protests Akin to stagnated relevant laws to Article 23 due to sabotage and obstruction by those trying to sow trouble in Hong Kong and Chinese mainland at large, pan-democracy protesters and legislators in Hong Kong are mulling new protests to defy the legitimacy of the legislature, as online calls have been made for fresh protests on May 27 when the debate on the Chinese anthem bill resumes. Anonymous organizers on social network groups on Telegram are now preparing for anti-government protests on June 4 and July 1, which would mark the so-called anniversaries of fighting the government. Some foreign media claimed that the central government risks new protests by imposing a security law, as some activists consider the law an erosion of the high degree of autonomy of the SAR and "one country, two systems." Safeguarding national security does not contradict the principles of "one country, two systems," and the new law will lay a solid institutional foundation for the steady and enduring growth of the cause of "one country, two systems," said the liaison office of the central government in HKSAR and the State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office on Friday. Exercising a high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong means the city enjoys independent executive, legislative and judicial power including that of final adjudication, which is in accordance with the provisions of the Basic Law. In accordance with the Basic Law, those who violate the Hong Kong national security law would be prosecuted by Hong Kong's Department of Justice, Wong noted. "I'm not worried about the judges, as they have to strictly follow the articles of the law, and proceed and rule on cases based on evidence," he said. Since the beginning of the year, some former and current public security officials told the Global Times they have been aware of an apparent shifting strategy in the central government's governance on Hong Kong affairs. "The country explains principles and the bottom line in a clearer way compared to previous years," former secretary for security Lai Tung-kwok and a member of the CPPCC National Committee, told the Global Times, expressing confidence in the HKPF in more effectively handling riots and illegal activities in the near future by enhancing intelligence work. Retired officers terror alert draws flak View(s): A retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Army, now serving as Security Manager of a revenue-earning state corporation, caused a sensation this week. In a signed message to his bosses, he said, that ISIS was planning attacks in Colombo taking advantage of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Such a threat, if true, would have raised not only fears but even insurance premiums. The message went viral in the social media prompting a strong denial last Tuesday from Defence Secretary, Major General (retd.) Kamal Gunaratne. He said there was no truth to such claims. During a television talk show, he also referred to a similar letter from a construction firm dealing with government projects. However, the retired officer who has signed his title and name with no reference to being retired, claimed he had been warned by intelligence officials in the Army. Here is an English translation of his message in Sinhala: A group of State Intelligence operatives briefed me that ISIS terrorists are planning to carry out a destructive attack centering on a key economic target using the prevailing situation in the country. They informed me that religious extremists who had been trained abroad are currently at large in society and that there is a risk that such persons will enter a public or private institution engaging in services and launching an attack using sharp weapons or sharp weapons laced with poison He goes on to say that the attack is being planned with the intention of disrupting current terrorism-related investigations and peaceful civilian lives. It would be useful for the Defence Ministry to probe how such warnings get circulated. It is always difficult to know which ones are red herring and which are genuine. So, those who circulate them must also ensure their genuineness, said an MoD official. Senior cop in trouble over fake news A senior Police officer attached to the Police headquarters was invited for television and radio programmes. This week, he was in trouble over remarks he made to a Tamil radio station. The officer concerned had said that former Minister Arumugam Thondaman had declared that as many as 7,000 upcountry people working in Colombo had returned home illegally, thereby causing a major health risk in the central highlands. This is in the backdrop of strict regulations being implemented to prevent persons from Colombo visiting the outstations. Mr Thondaman claimed he never made such remarks and had written to the Inspector General of Police (IGP). The IGP in turn instructed Deputy Inspector General Ajith Rohana who is also in charge of Discipline and Conduct in addition to Legal Affairs to conduct an inquiry. Thereafter, he wrote to Mr Thondaman stating that the officer concerned was admonished and that they were making an apology to him (Thondaman). SLFP demands undated resignation letters from candidates Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) candidates have been told to sign undated letters of resignation and hand them over to General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera. They seem to be taking a leaf from former President J.R. Jayewardene who got his cabinet ministers and MPs to do just that. He was then subjected to ridicule and accused of being anti-democratic. Like in many other areas, the SLFP seems to be following the JR model. The matter also came up for discussion at a Central Committee meeting last Monday night. One of those who strongly opposed signing the letter was former MP for Colombo district Thilanga Sumathipala. SLAFs Ukranian partners quarantined Five Ukranians who have arrived in Colombo to assist the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) have been quarantined in a hotel in Negombo. They will undergo the mandatory quarantine period before moving ahead with the tasks assigned to them. PM prays for curfew-free Poson At a top level meeting this week, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said that all efforts should be made to end the ongoing curfew. He noted that by Poson full moon day (June 5) people should be in a position to visit temples and take part in other religious events. Kuwait, Dubai flights bring COVID passengers This week saw the return of 466 Sri Lankans from Dubai and Kuwait. They were employed there in various positions. The first flight a Kuwaiti aircraft bringing them arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport with 287 passengers. Another Kuwaiti aircraft brought in 179 passengers. The two aircraft also brought five COVID 19 passengers with them. The flight from Dubai with 197 passengers brought 16 COVID positive passengers. Goa Election 2022: Kejriwal hits back on Chidambaram, says Stop crying, Cong is hope for BJP, not Goans' Chidambaram asks RBI Governor to 'bluntly tell government to do its duty, take fiscal measures' India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, May 23: Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram advised Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das to "bluntly tell the government to do its duty and take fiscal measures" to decrease the national economy struggle due to coronavirus and its lockdown. Taking to Twitter, Chidambaram said, "Governor @DasShaktikanta says demand has collapsed, growth in 2020-21 headed toward negative territory. Why is he then infusing more liquidity? He should bluntly tell the government Do your duty, take fiscal measures." Coronavirus outbreak: India has tested over 28 lakh samples for COVID-19, says ICMR On Friday, the RBI Governor admitted that growth will be in "negative territory" this year, the first time anyone in the government or the central bank has admitted that India's gross domestic product (GDP) will shrink this year. The Governor cut the policy rate by 40 basis points to 4.0 per cent on May 22, acknowledging the adverse impact on the Indian economy of the coronavirus outbreak. Rajasthans COVID-19 cases now at 6,542 Earlier, the former finance Minister had slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and FM Nirmala Sitharaman for the Rs 20 lakh crore relief package that has "fiscal stimulus of less than 1 per cent of GDP". The Prime Minister had claimed that the relief package was worth 10 per cent of the GDP. Migrants sprayed with disinfectant in South Delhi, authority says 'mistake' | Oneindia News In another tweet, Chidambaram said, "Even after RBI's statement, is the @PMOIndia or @nsitharaman lauding themselves for a package that has fiscal stimulus of less than 1% of GDP?" On Friday, while addressing a meeting of 22 like-minded parties, Congress president Sonia Gandhi also described PM Modi's May 12 announcement of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package as a "cruel joke" on the country. Were working on making it as safe as possible for everyone with contact-free pick up, she said. "Rather than have an exchange with a staff person, we will have materials out on a table and they will be labeled very similarly to how we label holds on the self-pickup hold shelf. An Accra Circuit Court has fined Ofoulo Aboubacar Mohamed Jamal, a 20-year-old Malian, GH24,000 for breaching restrictions on travels into the country. Jamal has since paid the fine which could have handed him a four years imprisonment, if he had defaulted and has been handed over to the Operations Unit of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) for further action. He was arrested by immigration officers at the Kambaa Immigration Inland Checkpoint in the Upper West Region for entering Ghana through an unapproved route during the pendency of imposition of restrictions on travels to Ghana. He pleaded guilty for violating the Imposition of Restriction Act, 2020 (ACT 1012) and was sentenced on his own plea by the court, presided over by Mr Emmanuel Essandoh, to a fine of 2,000 penalty units (GH24,000). Facts The facts, as presented by the prosecutor, Chief Superintendent of Immigration (CSI) Philip Andoh, were that on March 30, 2020, Jamal was arrested at Kambaa Immigration Checkpoint by personnel of the Upper West Regional Immigration Command for illegally entering the country through an unapproved route when the Imposition of Restriction on travels to Ghana was in force. The prosecution said Jamal was quarantined and examined for COVID-19 at the Wa Regional Hospital which proved negative. He was subsequently referred to the National Headquarters of the GIS in Accra for investigation. The investigation revealed that Jamal had his wife and two children resident in Accra, and also traded in sugar, maize and other related products. Travel The prosecution said prior to the imposition of restrictions on travels to Ghana by the government to help curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, Jamal made a business trip to Mali earlier in March this year. In his quest to enter the country, notwithstanding the restrictions imposed on travels, he engaged the services of a motor rider to convey him from the border of Burkina Faso to Ghanas border through an unapproved route at Hamile in the Upper West Region. He continued with his journey to Accra but was arrested at the Kambaa Immigration Checkpoint at Nandom, also in the Upper West Region. Jamal admitted to the offence after the investigation and was charged for violating the restrictions imposed on travels to Ghana. 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 Police are asking for the publics help in finding a 57-year-old woman with short-term memory loss who went missing in Vancouver Friday. Renee Forest was last seen in the 3200 block of Northeast 49th Street at about 3 p.m. Friday. Police said shes 5 feet 5 inches tall and 100 pounds, has green eyes and brown and gray hair. Forest was wearing a blue down jacket, dark pants and pink and white shoes. Police said she takes medication daily. Anyone with information about Forests whereabouts should call (360) 693-3111. -- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee Dusk settles as Third Street in downtown Los Angeles is empty on April 6. A strict shutdown was put in place on March 19 due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) In mid-March, as the specter of a society-upending pandemic grew, Los Angeles County emerged as something of a bright spot. When Bay Area counties mandated on March 16 that all residents stay at home, officials said it didnt make sense in L.A. County because far fewer cases of the coronavirus had been detected. "We dont have the same trajectory that they have up north," L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that day when asked about a stay-at-home order. Two months later, the situation has shifted dramatically. L.A. County now has the highest rate of deaths from COVID-19 in the state, and the second highest infection rate. On Friday, federal officials singled out Los Angeles because of its stubbornly high case counts of the coronavirus, despite precautions to slow the spread. With so many factors at play, it is almost impossible to know which is the culprit, especially in the midst of an evolving outbreak, experts say. Many epidemiologists pointed to densely packed neighborhoods with overcrowded housing, as well as high rates of poverty, homelessness and even pollution that could be fueling poor outcomes in L.A. County. Another factor might be when local officials shut down. The Bay Area issued its stay-at-home order on March 16, followed by L.A. County three days later. Though earlier than the rest of the nation, the delay may have set the stage for L.A. County to succeed the Bay Area as California's center for COVID-19. "The Bay Area probably figured it out sooner, and that's why the Bay Area looked like it was worse early on," said UCLA epidemiologist Dr. Timothy Brewer. "I think L.A. was a little bit behind S.F. and some of the surrounding areas in the Bay Area ... and now we're seeing the after effects of that." L.A. County officials say that while deaths remain troublingly high, there are other indicators that the region is beginning to turn the corner. But understanding how things got so bad in the first place is going to take time. Story continues "The way coronavirus is playing out in some sense is unique to the different cities and the different counties around the globe," said Amanda Daflos, chief innovation officer for the city of L.A. "We're monitoring everything very closely." :: Compared with cities nationwide, Los Angeles' rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths has been relatively low. Approximately 2,000 people have died in L.A. County of COVID-19, while in New York City, which is roughly the same population size, the death toll has crossed 20,000. But the region has emerged as an outlier within California. In L.A. County, 426 out of every 100,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19, compared with 270 in San Francisco. In L.A., 20 out of every 100,000 residents have died of COVID-19, compared with 4 in San Francisco. "If you look at individual counties and cities, L.A. has been a hotbed," said UC Davis epidemiologist Bradley Pollock. To try to make sense of these trends, data crunchers at the L.A. County Public Health Department recently ran some numbers, said chief science officer Dr. Paul Simon. They looked into whether L.A. County's population was older than the rest of the state's. In Italy, an older-than-average population was believed to have contributed to that country's alarmingly high death rate. But the L.A. County analysis found that its population was not older than the rest of the state, and perhaps even skewed a little younger, Simon said. Analysts also looked into whether the countys residents were more likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure or obesity compared with the rest of the state, factors that could make them more likely to die from COVID-19. Again, they found no difference, he said. What does that leave us with? Simon said. The answer has been a bit of a puzzle, he said. One piece may be the delayed stay-at-home order. Though it appeared in March that L.A. County had less coronavirus transmission than the Bay Area, experts say that it is now clear that there was likely widespread coronavirus transmission far before it was detected, especially in Los Angeles County, with its high number of incoming travelers. So the idea that the Bay Area had more transmission than the rest of the state was simply an indicator of who detected it first, experts say. And catching those cases early may have actually helped the Bay Area because it prompted quick action and shifted public sentiment, experts say. In San Francisco, fewer people were going out to restaurants and other public spaces as early as late February, far before such a change was seen in L.A., said UC San Francisco epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford. Many tech companies in the Bay Area asked their employees to work from home even before those orders, something more difficult in Los Angeles County, where fewer people work in high-tech jobs, he said. L.A. city, the largest within the county, ordered bars and restaurants to switch to take-out only on March 15, the day before Bay Area announced its shelter-at-home order. But the countywide stay-at-home mandate didn't come until three days after the Bay Area's, and the true effects were probably not felt for a few days after it was ordered, based on reports of people crowding beaches the weekend after the announcement ,Rutherford said. "Functionally, it was probably like six days later, which could represent as many as 1.5 extra generations of viral spread, which makes a big difference," he said. But Rutherford and other epidemiologists agreed that the delay does not account for the ongoing high rates of cases and deaths. The city of L.A. did widely expand testing, now even for asymptomatic residents, which may be why case counts are not quickly falling despite the shutdowns, but that doesn't explain why the death rates are also higher, experts say. The most common explanation cited was density: many people living close together, creating the perfect conditions for the coronavirus to spread. Data from other regions show the virus often transmits within households due to close, prolonged contact that facilitates its spread. Once the virus gets into those settings, it can spread widely, experts say. "The county is 10 times more dense than the state as a whole," UCLA's Brewer said. "If you think about where we have seen very explosive outbreaks, they've tended to occur in places like meat-packing plants, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living homes places where people are spending a fair amount of time together in close contact in enclosed environments." L.A. County also has higher rates of poverty than all the Bay Area counties, as well as almost every urban county in the state. Poorer people are more likely to be homeless, and be unable to stay home when they are sick, have access to healthy foods and medical care, and more likely to live in polluted areas. These factors have set the stage for outbreaks in L.A. County in the past, including typhus, hepatitis A and measles just in the last few years, said USC epidemiologist Dr. Neha Nanda. Experts say their understanding of L.A. County's persistent outbreak will continue to develop in the coming months, though there are already some signs of hope. Officials announced earlier this week that the transmission rate for the coronavirus had fallen lower than ever before. Prior to the stay-at-home orders in March, each person in L.A. County was likely infecting at least three other people. Now, that number has fallen below 1, a sign that the epidemic may begin to shrink. But experts say that with infectious diseases, when a single case can turn into thousands, it is impossible to predict what will happen next. When it comes to L.A. County's outbreak, some factors are out of its control, said UCSF's Rutherford. "It's also a matter of luck," he said. President Donald Trump came to Wildwood in January and boosted party-switching Rep. Jeff Van Drews re-election chances. Now Van Drew will try to help the president win a second term. The first-term lawmaker became one of 22 House Republicans who will help raise money for the presidents re-election and the Republican National Committee. He is the only one from New Jersey and comes from a district that supported Trump four years earlier. The House Congressional Captains program will be led by House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, who joined Trump and Van Drew at the White House last December when the rookie congressman announced he was becoming a Republican. Van Drew will be a co-captain. Others include House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming. Tapping into the expertise of our congressional leaders and deepening our nationwide volunteer fundraising effort is critical, said Kimberly Guilfoyle, national chair of the Trump Victory Finance Committee, the joint fundraising committee for the campaign and the national party. Van Drew had been one of only two House Democrats to vote against both articles of impeachment against Trump. But he still opposed the president 90 percent of the time during his time as a Democrat, according to Nate Silvers FiveThirtyEight. He is rated as a slight favorite for re-election this fall, but first faces a primary challenge from Bob Patterson, a former acting associate commissioner of the Social Security Administration under Trump, Two other Republicans dropped out of the race and endorsed Van Drew after Trump did. On the Democratic side, Amy Kennedy, wife of former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I.; Montclair State University political science professor Brigid Callahan Harrison; and Will Cunningham, a veteran congressional aide, are vying for their partys nomination. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy plans to cut $1.3 billion in spending and draw down much of the states meager savings to close the deficit his administration predicts this fiscal year as the coronavirus pandemic ravages state tax collections. Murphys Treasury Department has lowered by $10 billion its projections of how much tax revenue the state will take in through the end of the next fiscal year, in June 2021. State Treasurer Elizabeth Muoio on Friday revealed how the state will cope with those budget losses through Sept. 30. Right now, we are watching revenues fall off the cliff with no assurance of additional federal aid in sight and uncertainty swirling around whether well get legislative authorization to borrow, she said. Weve been faced with many tough decisions already, and unless we receive significantly more federal funding and the authorization to borrow, there will be many more more painful decisions ahead. Like many states, New Jersey is seeing tax collections take a beating as income tax withholdings, sales taxes and taxes on corporate income slide in response to the public health crisis and social distancing measures put in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Murphy had previously announced hed impounded about $1 billion in discretionary spending and instituted a hiring freeze to offset revenue losses this fiscal year. He has warned draconian layoffs were coming if the Legislature doesnt agree to borrow big sums and the federal government doesnt come up with more aid. Muoio said Friday she intends to to make $1.3 billion in permanent spending cuts, which includes $1 billion in spending previously frozen. That includes $135 million for the popular Homestead property tax relief program, $102 million in college operating assistance and $68 million in opioid funding. Those cuts from money appropriated by the Legislature will require legislative approval, Muoio said. Additionally, the administration will dig deep into its reserves. The administration has announced $2.7 billion in revenue losses this fiscal year. That figure compares its new forecast against mid-year forecasts that were increased because tax collections were booming before the pandemic took hold. The loss figure is lower about $1.8 billion when comparing the new forecast for the rest of the year against the $38.7 billion budget that passed last summer. Similarly, the administration is projecting tax revenues next year will be $7.2 billion lower than the governors $40.9 billion proposed budget, which had not yet gone up for legislative review and approval. The nearly $34 billion it now expects to collect next year is $4.7 billion lower than the $38.7 billion budget for this year. The treasurer did not offer any clues about how the administration would make ends meet next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. She did, however, outline spending plans for the three months from July 1 and Sept. 30. While the fiscal year customarily ends June 30, Murphy and the Legislature extended it this year through September so the state could match the new federal income tax filing and payment deadlines and to get a better handle on the big swing in economic forecasts. From July 1 to Sept. 30, Muoio said the administration wants to spend $7.6 billion. This, too, will require the Legislatures OK. Spending on schools will remain the same over those months, she said. That is billions less than the state would normally spend during that period, Muoio said, announcing plans to put off until October a new fiscal year a $951 million payment to the pension fund for public workers, $467 million in school aid, $355 million in municipal aid, $250 million in extraordinary special education aid and a $114 million NJ Transit subsidy. Decisions about funding senior freeze and Homestead rebates will be pushed to the next fiscal year, as well, Muoio said. In all, about $3.2 billion in customary spending over those three months will be cut or delayed, according to budget documents. The administration also is not including funding over that short-term budget for the many new initiatives Murphy had proposed for next year, which Muoio said would have totaled $850 million. That includes money toward the governors free four-year public college program and new pre-kindergarten funding. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Tractors cross the vast Paektu plain in Ryanggang Province, North Korea, which borders China in the far north, in a file photo. North Korean authorities earlier this month executed a husband and wife for attempting to flee the country during the COVID-19 national emergency quarantine, sources in the country told RFA. The couple, from Ryanggang province near China, were caught trying to escape with their teenaged nephew across the border, which has been shut down since January. They were given no trial and were immediately executed by firing squad, though the boy was able to escape execution because he is a minor. Earlier this month I heard from an acquaintance in the provincial security department that a family who tried to escape the country was shot to death, a resident of Ryanggang, who requested anonymity to speak freely, told RFAs Korean Service last week. They were arrested for attempting to escape [across] the border, which is now heavily controlled due to the national emergency quarantine against the coronavirus, the source said. According to the source, the couple that were caught were planning to reunite with a family member once they arrived in the South. It was a couple in their 50s and a 14-year-old student. The boy is the son of the wifes younger brother, who had previously escaped to the South. They were caught by border guards as they were trying to escape together, the source said. The couple were tortured by the provincial security department into confessing that they tried to escape with their nephew after being contacted by her brother in South Korea, said the source. The boys father, who escaped to South Korea, had asked his sister to bring his son to him, the source said. The three would-be escapees would have had better chances of making it out alive if not for COVID-19, according to the source. The attempt to escape at a time like this when border security is so tight due to emergency quarantine measures was an extremely dangerous and risky act, the source said. The supreme leadership has ordered that those who attempt to flee the country during the emergency period must be sternly punished. Theres no way they could have avoided the firing squad because they attempted to defect to South Korea, the source added. But the source expressed relief that the authorities spared the teenager. Fortunately the child arrested with the couple was able to avoid execution because he is a minor, said the source. However, the couple was executed by firing squad, not open to the public, after being charged with treason for trying to cross the border and go to South Korea. Another resident of Ryanggang who requested anonymity for legal reasons told RFA that the story of the attempted escape has been spreading among the people. [They say] that the people who were arrested while trying to escape Hyesan were shot to death. The fact that they were immediately executed for just trying to escape is shocking to most people, the second source said. The second source confirmed the facts about the story, including the exact family relationships of everyone involved. The couple had been taking care of their nephew who was left behind. They were suffering from difficulties in their business due to the coronavirus. They then tried to defect to South Korea at the request of [the wifes] younger brother, but they ended up getting arrested, the second source said. According to the second source, the harsh manner in which they were immediately executed is angering the public. They were only trying to escape with their young nephew to find a way to live. They were shot dead before they were even able to take a single step into the Yalu river, said the second source, referring to a river that forms part of the China-North Korea border. As people hear this shocking news, they are expressing their anger at the authorities, saying theres nothing wrong with trying to escape from North Korea, especially when it is so hard to make ends meet due to the coronavirus crisis. Though North Korea officially claims it has no confirmed COVID-19 cases within its borders, it has admitted internally through a series of lectures to citizens that the virus is spreading in three parts of the country, including the capital Pyongyang. The Korea Institute for National Unification revealed in its 'White Paper on Human Rights in North Korea in 2020' that, released on May 11, that even after Kim Jong Un took office as the chairman of the State Council, public executions have continued. In the white paper, there were testimonies of witnesses saying that in 2018 two people were executed for possessing a Bible in Pyeongseong, South Pyongan province. In 2015, there was also testimony that two women were executed for the spread of Christianity in Gilseongpo Port, North Hwanghaeprovince, and one woman was executed after receiving a public trial for distributing dissent. Public executions are relatively common in North Korea. At a U.N. Security Council session on North Korea's human rights situation in December 2017, then U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley was quoted by Reuters and other news agencies as saying that "defectors have reported that all North Koreans, ages 12 and older, are required to attend public executionsa graphic reminder of consequences of disobedience of the government. Reported by Jieun Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Huge crowds and packed marquees are a familiar sight at the Hay Festival. But book lovers will not need to head to a field to enjoy the brilliant speakers this year as the event has been forced to go online due to the coronavirus pandemic. The annual literary festival has moved from a tented village in the Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye to the virtual world. Huge crowds and packed marquees are a familiar sight at the Hay Festival. But book lovers will not need to head to a field to enjoy the brilliant speakers this year as the event has been forced to go online due to the coronavirus pandemic But it still features a stellar line-up with talks from award-winning author Margaret Atwood, actress Vanessa Redgrave and comedian Stephen Fry. Miss Atwood and Miss Redgrave joined poet laureate Simon Armitage and actors Benedict Cumberbatch (above) Tom Hollander, Helen McCrory and Jonathan Pryce to mark William Wordsworths 250th birth anniversary with a mass reading last night Some 80 live broadcasts and interactive events with more than 100 writers, historians, musicians, comedians and global policymakers will be free to view for the next ten days thanks to donations totalling 350,000. Fiction and non-fiction writers from Hilary Mantel and Maggie OFarrell to Philippe Sands and Steve Silberman will entertain viewers in lockdown. Miss Atwood and Miss Redgrave joined poet laureate Simon Armitage and actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hollander, Helen McCrory and Jonathan Pryce to mark William Wordsworths 250th birth anniversary with a mass reading last night. Festival director Peter Florence said taking the event online had opened up some extraordinary opportunities and the audience was much more diverse. Mr Florence said: Instead of watching a main stage production in a theatrical sense youre actually getting writers talking direct from their desks and armchairs and that makes it feel really intimate... its like having a one-to-one with these writers. Mr Florence founded the Hay Festival with his father Norman in 1988. Once described by Bill Clinton as The Woodstock of the mind, the annual event invites guests to celebrate new books and discuss some of the biggest issues the world is facing. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: A combine operator who came from Uttar Pradesh and another person from Mumbai today tested positive of COVID-19 in Punjab taking states tally to 2032. While in the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh the tally touched 173 as four people who had returned from Mumbai tested positive. Meanwhile four foreigners who entered the hill state from Leh detained. They along with an Asha worker who also tested positive have been shifted to the isolation ward of Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. Civil Surgeon of Patiala Dr Harish Malhotra said Rapid Response Teams are now testing people in the district. He said the ASHA worker who was posted at in Kauli block tested positive during random sampling of health workers. While in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh four more people who returned from Mumbai tested positive for coronavirus in Mandi district. These include a woman, her son and daughter. While the head of the family the man tested negative. The taxi driver who hails from Mumbai also tested positive. He brought some passengers a few days ago and was quarantined after symptoms of influenza. Meanwhile four foreigners who entered Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh from Leh late yesterday night were detained by the local authorities. All of them are tourists are from USA, Mexico, Japan and Switzerland. They came on a taxi from Leh to Sarchu in Himachal and then from there hired another taxi and reached Lahaul where they were detained. Sources said they will be sent to deli from here once the concerned embassies are informed and they allow them to travel. The locals of Lahaul valley have already requested the local authorities to ban the entry of outsiders in the district. Already the Manali-Leh highway has been opened for traffic on May 18. Her sister Amy welcomed her first child, daughter Aurora, last month. And on Saturday, Tammy Hembrow doted on her newborn niece as she and Amy watched the sunrise at a Gold Coast beach. The 26-year-old headed out at 5am with her family and shared online some sweet snaps of herself holding Aurora. Sweet: Tammy Hembrow (pictured) was every inch the doting aunt on Saturday, as she went for a sunrise beach walk with her older sister Amy and newborn niece Aurora Tammy kept cosy on the outing in an oversized bright pink hoodie and pale pink track pants. The blonde bombshell pulled her long locks into a neat high bun, still donning a full coverage foundation despite the early hour. She cuddled with her one-month-old niece Aurora, who was bundled up in a blanket, brown knitted cap and a grey knitted cardigan. Cosy: She cuddled with her one-month-old niece Aurora, who was bundled up in a blanket, brown knitted cap and a grey knitted cardigan Family: Tammy is pictured with her lookalike sister Amy Hembrow Last month, Tammy shared a heartfelt congratulations to her older sister on Instagram, after she welcomed Aurora. 'My big sis Amy Hembrow gave birth to the sweetest little baby girl,' Tammy wrote. In the photo, Tammy is seen lovingly holding the baby girl up to her chest. 'Baby Aurora you are already so loved!' Tammy wrote alongside the image, before adding: 'I am in AWE of you Amy, you did it like a freaking BOSS!' 'Princess Aurora is absolutely perfect': Last month, Tammy shared a heartfelt congratulations to her older sister on Instagram after she gave birth 'Completely natural just how you wanted. I'm so proud of you! Princess Aurora is absolutely perfect'. In a post on Instagram Stories on Sunday, Amy detailed her birthing experience and revealed why she chose a water birth. 'I had a feeling that she would come early... I was laying in bed and at 1am, my water broke,' the 29-year-old recounted. 'I actually felt a pop, and I was like, "Oh, that's weird," and then I felt some water, and I was like, "Oh, I think my waters broke," so I ran to the toilet, because I didn't want to get water everywhere. 'I yelled from the toilet out to Rory, I was like, "Babe, I think my water broke!" and he jumped out of bed like, "What?!"' Telling all: In a post on Instagram Stories on Sunday meanwhile, Amy detailed her birthing experience and revealed why she chose a water birth Amy said she 'wanted to labour at home for as long as I could before going to the hospital', and she'd created a 'preference sheet' of what she wanted to happen. Amy said she 'chose not to know' how dilated she was during the labour, because she didn't want to get 'disheartened' if she still had a long way to go. She said she was in the shower when she 'transitioned into the final stretch' of her labour, and was then 'asked to get into the water bath', where she listened to a playlist of Nick Cave songs and affirmations. 'It was honestly such a surreal experience. At 1am, my water breaks, by 3.20pm, I'm bringing a baby home,' she said. Passion for healthcare: Aimee OGrady, a nursing student in St Angelas College, often works more than four night shifts a week in Sligo University Hospital For more than 60 years, the Irish Independent has honoured our inspiring sporting heroes with the Sportstar of the Week awards. This year, our nation has faced a challenge that transcends sport. New heroes have inspired us with their courage, dedication and commitment in the fight against Covid-19. We want to honour the heroism of our frontline workers, with our Frontline Star of the Week award in association with our partner, The Croke Park Hotel. The Irish Independent welcomed nominations two weeks ago and was inundated with stories from readers about the valour of their loved ones. Here are four nominees: Jamie O'Sullivan (29), Co Dublin Jamie has worked as a healthcare assistant for the past four years. He returned to work recently after recovering from Covid-19. Before the outbreak, Jamie was due to marry his partner of 10 years in August. The pair have been planning their big day for more than two years. The wedding, and Jamie's stag, had to be cancelled. "I'm turning 30 in two weeks, I had to cancel my 30th too. Everything is cancelled," he said. "I'm really disappointed, it's a bit of a nightmare, but it had to be done." Instead of preparing for his wedding day, Jamie plans to continue working. He works 12-hour shifts four days a week and said the hardest part is losing patients to the virus, and having to see families saying goodbye to a loved one. "It's hard with the deaths and seeing families saying goodbye and others not being able to see their family." Jamie's mother, Caroline, nominated him. Aimee O'Grady (21), Co Leitrim Aimee is a student nurse working in Sligo University Hospital. She is about to go into her final year of nursing in St Angela's College. Aimee often works night shifts, usually for more than four days a week. "It's a daunting experience, you don't know what's going to come in, but the hospital that I'm in is very well equipped to deal with this and we've been lucky in the north-west really, the numbers are quite low so we kept it out as well as we could." Aimee was nominated by her mother, Annette, who is also a nurse on the frontline. Ciaran Duffy (28), Co Mayo Ciaran has been working in a delivery team with SuperValu Westport for the past six years. He has been helping his co-workers deliver food and crucial supplies to those cocooning in the area. Ciaran said his team takes extra precautions when delivering items, and even empty out the shopping for their customers. "If it's an elderly person, we call them when we're outside and then they open the door, and we bring it inside when they're in another room and we empty it out for them," he said. "I'm looking forward to getting back to normality. There's a good lot of people when we go to deliver that are very specific, and they like to go out and meet people when they're shopping, it's more of a social aspect." Ciaran was nominated by Nicola O'Rourke, his colleague in the SuperValu bakery. Tim O'Halloran (56), Co Tipperary After starting a full-time job with the Irish Defence Forces in October, Tim continued to volunteer with the Civil Defence Branch, which now sees him transfer people with Covid-19 to hospital when their symptoms worsen. Having first volunteered in 1991 to learn first aid for GAA, he has been helping the public and his club since. "Some of the people we transfer would be very sick," he said. "I get a great feeling from helping people and people are very appreciative. "People get a surprise when they find out we don't get paid. Sometimes you'd be doing it very late and they'd ask if you're getting overtime - we can only laugh." Tim was nominated by his good friend Brian Ely. To nominate someone, email your submission (100 words max) along with a photo, telling us about your nominee to frontlinestar@independent.ie Frontline Star of the Week We want to honour the heroism of our frontline workers, with our Frontline Star of the Week award in association with our partner, The Croke Park Hotel. Help us by nominating your frontline star. Do you know a doctor, or nurse, or someone else excelling in our health service? A caring neighbour, shop worker or someone in a community project going above and beyond? Each weekly Frontline Star will receive a complimentary dinner, bed & breakfast stay at The Croke Park Hotel. To nominate someone, email your submission (100 words max) telling us about them, along with a photo, to frontlinestar@independent.ie 23.05.2020 LISTEN Ace investigative freelance journalist and anti-corruption campaigner, Manasseh Azure Awuni has described former President John Dramani Mahama as his friend contrary to many views. Manasseh said the former Ghanaian leader who is seeking a comeback will confirm their friendship. The award-winning journalist while practicing with the multimedia group published many controversial stories against the Mahama administration some of which bordered on the then Presidents conduct. Many observers largely from the NDC at the time accused Manasseh of executing an anti-government agenda. But speaking to PAD FM on the Kariyankye super morning show on Thursday May 21, Mr. Manasseh denied the accusations saying he has a friendly relationship with former President Mahama and that he admires and respects him. He described the former President as a gentleman, very tolerant and accommodating which he says he has written about extensively adding that he has a better personal relationship with him than the sitting president. Manasseh said he voted for Presiden Mahama in 2012 as he wrote in his book The Fourth John: Reign, Rejection & Rebound which was on the administration of the former President but had to do his work as an objective journalist when he found certain things wrong with his leadership. He told host Richard Forgor he did what he did for the sake of the country and not because he has something against the former President. On the judgment on the NCA case which saw an Accra High Court jail some appointees of the former President, Manasseh said as an anti-corruption campaigner, and with the evidence available to him, he cannot fault the judgment. He however said the fight against corruption should not be selective. He reminded the attorney general about the Zoomlion case saying what has led these 3 people at the NCA to jail is just peanuts when you compare it with some of the fraudulent cases involving Zoomlion and his companies. He challenged and dared the government to fight corruption without being selective on who to prosecute. ---PAD FM, Damongo Nishabdham: For a long time, Anushka Shetty and R. Madhavans film Nishabdham is making headlines after reports of the film releasing online. Recently, the makers have issued a clarification stating that their priority will be a theatrical release. The producer of the film Kona Venkat also revealed through his tweet that in case the lockdown delays the film release, they will consider releasing the film on OTT platforms. Not just this, earlier, the lead actor Anushka Shetty also said that she supports the makers in releasing the film online. Now, this is not the first time when the release date has been postponed. The thriller film was initially scheduled to release on January 31 2020 but later due to some issues, it was scheduled for April 2, 2020. The release date further got postponed due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The film is jointly bankrolled by TG Vishwaprasad and Kona Venkat and is helmed by Hemant Madhukar. Further, the music has been given by Gopi Sunder and the photography element is handled by Shaneil Deo. Not just this, the costume part of the film is handled by Neeraja Kona. The teaser of the film showcased that the story is filled with mysteries knitted one inside other and will also feature Kill Bill fame Michael Madsen in the role of a police officer. Also Read: After Gulabo Sitabo, Shakuntala Devi, Kiara Advanis Indoo Ki Jawaani all set for digital release Lot of speculations r being made on the release of our film NISHABDHAM in the media.We would like to clarify that Theatrical release is our top PRIORITY.If the situation isnt favourable for a long time then our alternate would be to release on OTT platform. Hope for the best kona venkat (@konavenkat99) May 22, 2020 Apart from Nishabdham, many Bollywood films like Ayushman Khurrana and Amitabh Bachchan Gulabo Sitabo along with Vidya Balans Shakuntala Devi and Kiara Advanis film Indoo Ki Jawaani will be releasing on digital platforms. For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App While COVID-19 travel restrictions mean it could be sometime before Australians get to visit China in person, the next best thing could be a virtual experience provided by the China Cultural Centre (CCC) in Sydney. Adapting to the unique times and widespread lockdowns across Australia, the CCC launched its "Visiting China Online" project -- a series of seven virtual exhibitions released one by one from mid-March, focused on introducing audiences to Chinese history, imagery, and culture. Xiao Xiayong, director of the CCC in Sydney, told Xinhua that his organization hoped to make the most possible out of the tragic pandemic to improve the understanding of Australians about China. "This year's epidemic has definitely affected us a lot. After February, many domestic groups were unable to travel," Xiao said. "During the epidemic, basically all art galleries and museums were closed, and offline activities were not available. Our online exhibitions became a window for everyone to understand Chinese art." The exhibitions include "Our Silk Road: Online Photo Exhibition", "Colorful And Diverse Splendid Costumes of Chinese Ethnic Groups", "Bamboo Culture: Understanding Oriental Aesthetics", and "Exploring the Mysteries of Ancient Shu Relics." Through images, audio, virtual reality and animation, visitors can learn the history of Chinese script, explore the mysteries of ancient Shu relics, journey down the rugged paths of the Silk Road, and much more. One of the highlight exhibits, set to launch on June 12, focuses on China's world-renowned Terracotta Warriors. The release is the culmination of the project and is intended to coincide with China's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, which falls on June 13. "Qin: the Past and Present of Terracotta Warriors and Horses" allows viewers to explore the world-heritage listed archaeological sites in Shaanxi province and learn about the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Furthermore, history is brought to life through related works such as modern dance "Symbiosis", Qinqiang Dance Drama, "Soul of the Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Dynasty" and other immersive experiences of the resurrected terracotta warriors and horses. One of the exhibition's visitors, Andrew Barty-King, expressed his surprise at the hidden depths of China's history and culture which he discovered through the project. "A beautiful and moving portrayal of the diversity of Chinese nationality and culture. All too many people in other countries are not aware of these facts," Barty-King posted online. Xiao explained that the CCC sought to be as creative and advanced as possible in how they crafted the virtual experience. "Ideal online exhibitions should use various new internet interaction technologies, such as more images, audio, video, virtual reality, and flash animation, but the difficulty lies in the need for strong technical support, and the production takes time," he explained. To achieve this the CCC recruited the help of local organizations and artists to tailor the experience to Australian tastes and curiosities. This included a collaborative series with the Sydney National Tourist Office and promotion of such titles as "Beijing Tourism Tips," "Beijing Food You Like," and "Top 10 Cultural Tourism Festivals in Beijing." When global affairs eventually return to normal and international travel reopens, Australians will have a head start and base of knowledge from their online experience, before perhaps continuing the journey in person. A popular Portuguese rapper who flaunted his gold jewellery and wads of cash on social media has been found dead with signs of having been tortured to find out where he hid his wealth. Cops believe that after being tortured for the information, he was killed by his kidnappers who then used his keys to get into his home. Rapper David Mota, known as Mota Jr, had been missing since March 15 after two men in hoods are believed to have kidnapped him at his home in the Sao Marcos area of the municipality of Sintra in central Portugal. His mother then reported him missing, and the 28-year-olds body has now been found in an advanced state of decomposition in a wooded area some 50 kilometres from where he went missing. Mota Jr flashed his cash on social media before his death. Source: Newsflash/Australscope His body was reportedly so decomposed it could only be identified by his clothing. The Judiciary Police (PJ) have launched an investigation and local media report the authorities believe Mota had been tortured to find out where his gold and jewellery was kept before being killed. Local media report the rapper was known to flaunt his gold and jewellery in his videos. The day after his disappearance, his family home was reportedly robbed while Motas mother and sister were out, with only the rappers gold and money being taken. The thieves are believed to have used the keys to the house which Mota was carrying in a bag when he went missing. Rapper Mota Jr went missing in March. Source: Newsflash/Australscope The body has been taken to the Institute of Legal Medicine for an autopsy, the results of which have not been released. The rapper found fame after featuring on the hit Ca Bu Fla Ma Nau with fellow hip-hop artist Piruka, which has been viewed over 21 million times on YouTube. Mota reportedly claimed that Piruka owed him money from the song but Piruka denies this. The investigation is ongoing. Australscope Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. A 31-year-old Nigerian woman has been granted bail by an Accra Circuit for impersonating the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and other ministers to defraud unsuspecting victims to the tune of about GHC10,000. According to the police, the accused person, Vivian Sajida Imran, together with her husband, Prince Joel, currently at large, have been charged with eight counts of falsely pretending to be a public officer and defrauding under false pretence. She was granted bail in the sum of GH12,000.00 with two sureties, one of whom must be a public servant, earning not less than GH1,200 after her lawyer prayed the court to grant her bail. Presenting the facts of the case to the court on Friday, State Prosecutor Detective Frederick Sarpong told the court that in April, the accused persons used the names of Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah; Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway; and the Deputy National Security Minister, Henry Quartey, to create multiple Facebook accounts and pretended to be ministers. According to the detective, the first and the second accused suspects, through online chats and phone calls informed their unsuspecting victims that they could secure them jobs at Tema Oil Refinery, Ghana Gas or COCOBOD. Following this, the suspects requested the victims to pay various amounts to mobile money accounts in order for their application forms and interviews to be facilitated. The monies amounting to about GH10, 200 were paid to their mobile money accounts. The prosecutor told the court that a search conducted in the suspects rooms revealed six mobile phones, including the three mobile money numbers, used to receive the monies from the victims. He explained that an order of the court was sought and a forensic examination was carried out on the retained mobile phones. One of them was found to contain a SIM number which had been registered in the name of the first accused person. The same number was found to be the final destination where the booties obtained from the victims were transferred and later withdrawn. During investigations, the prosecutor said the first accused person admitted being the owner of the mobile money number. With the number in hand, the police contacted the victims, and they narrated their ordeal. The case has been adjourned to June 3, 2020 as efforts are being made to track the second accused person. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Its your phone and you pull it out and its the other side of the world. This is what it says. Help. Help me. Help us. Precisely, We are all home with the kids asking for what to eat, so help me get out of this situation, please. Its Paul, from Uganda, in Africa. Hes a friend. A photo of Paul and his children are among those on your kitchen counter. There they are, big smiles, on Pauls boda-boda. It was a moment. Happier. There are no smiles now. Just this plea. A 100 kg bag of beans is 450,000 Ugandan shillings. Thats about $165. Posho, a sort of cornmeal porridge, is similar. For 100 kg of rice, its 600,000 shillings. Its basic food. Its not from The Keg. It might last Pauls family a month or two. But for him, in this pandemic, its out of reach. Pauls boda-boda, a public taxi, is his income. But Ugandas bodas, about 300,000 of them, have been banned for passengers for weeks. This is it. Lose your job and theres no government cushion in much of the world. No CERB. No relief. Not a drop. Remember, only 15 per cent of the worlds 7.6 billion people live in rich developed nations. The disparities are more than most Canadians can imagine. So you go to an international money sender, your laptop to Pauls phone. Some money gets through. Some doesnt. Youre notified theres a problem in Uganda you imagine some corrupt hand in the cookie jar so your sending account gets shut down. You try another money service. Success. Paul, Ive sent some money. Dont forget Gloria, Paul reminds you. Remember Gloria from this space? Shes the Ugandan teen mom. She needs food. As does her boy, Andrew Thomas. And Glorias mother, Helen. Other friends contact you. We cant fathom what we can ever do if numbers reach what weve seen in Western Europe. This, from Dr. Eve Nakabembe, a Ugandan obstetrician whos key to Save the Mothers, the East African Canadian nonprofit founded by your wife. You think of this, the especially-vulnerable mothers and children clinging to life with even more uncertainty. From Nigeria, in West Africa, its Rick Bradford, a Hamiltonian, dropping a line. You saw him early this year: visited village schools, rode motorcycles, wrote about it here also. That was then. And now? The national power is off for days at a time, he tells you. With state borders shut or highly restrictive (unless you pay bribes), goods dont get to villages. This is Africa, waiting for the fullness of pandemic like waiting for the fullness of night. Earlier this month only about 2,000 COVID-19 deaths were reported across the continent of 1.2 billion. But reporting from developing nations is spotty. And God only knows what will happen once the wolf gets through the door. Youve seen enough African hospitals. You know that, even with no pandemic, locals often see hospitals as the place to go to simply die. There are no resources. For every million people, Uganda has about one intensive care bed. Canada? About 120. The World Health Organization estimates that Africa, 41 of its 54 countries reporting, has about 2,000 ventilators. Ontario alone, with 86 times fewer people than Africa, has at least 3,000. South Sudan, population 11 million, has three vice-presidents. And working ventilators? Four. Or consider handwashing, so crucial to fight COVID-19. In Liberia, according to the UN, just three per cent of homes have access to clean water and soap. This is our broken and tear-stained world of disparities. Some people are envisioning bodies across Africas streets. Get ready. Maybe. The continent is also diverse and historically its learned virus-fighting lessons. Also some developing nations those with strongman politics may manage because they can implement tough measures easier. Walk around Kampala, Ugandas capital, without a face mask and face jail. Open your business unlawfully and maybe get charged with attempted murder. This is life for Paul, and untold millions of Pauls living in the daily beat of places that arent so far away. Waiting. Wondering. Asking for help. Ignore their pleas to our own peril. Because with pandemics there are no borders. What goes around comes around. This is one thing that we do know for certain. Bengaluru, May 24 : Four evacuation flights of national carrier Air India and its subsidiary landed in the city airport, with about 700 overseas returnees to Karnataka from Jakarta, Singapore, Melbourne and Dubai, an official said on Saturday. "Three evacuation flights of Air India and one of Air India Express landed at the Kemegowda international airport on the city's northern outskirts safely, with about 700 passengers from Jakarta in Indonesia, Singapore, Melbourne in Australia and Dubai in the UAE," the official told IANS here. While the flight from Jakarta via Mumbai arrived earlier in the day, three other flights from Singapore, Melbourne via New Delhi and Dubai came in the night. The state-run airline, however, did not share the flight details to reveal how many passengers flew in each aircraft, including men and women. Flights from Jakarta and Melbourne have landed in the city for the first time, while those from Singapore and Dubai have flown in earlier too. "The passengers' profile indicated they were distressed workers, students, tourists, pilgrims, pregnant women, elderly persons and children who were stranded in various countries for over two months since overseas flights were suspended on March 23 and lockdown was extended from March 25 to May 31 to contain the coronavirus spread," the official noted. As per the standard operating procedure and guidelines of the state health department, all the passengers were screened with thermal device and tested to ensure they were asymptomatic before leaving the airport," a nodal officer said. The returnees were given a spare mask to wear all the time and a sanitiser to wash their hands. "The luggage of all passengers were screened and disinfected before handing over to them after they completed formalities such as filling the self-declaration form and downloading of the Quarantine App for contact tracing later, said the official. The passengers were ferried from the airport in state-run buses in batches for 14-day institutional quarantine in hotels and resorts across the city. Seven flights have earlier flown in with about 800 returnees till May 22 under the Vande Bharat mission's second phase to Bengaluru and Mangaluru on the state's west coast from Dubai in the UAE, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Muscat in Oman, Dammam in Saudi Arabia, Doha in Qatar, Male in Maldives and San Francisco in the US west coast. The remaining flights to Karnataka will land in Bengaluru and Mangaluru over the next 10 days till June 3 from 6-7 more destinations the world over. In the first phase of the mission from May 7-17, the airline and its arm flew 6 flights to the state from May 11-15, bringing in 800 passengers, including 623 to Bengaluru and 177 to Mangaluru from London, Singapore, San Francisco and Dubai. In the banana plantations of the tropical lowlands of Ecuador, workers are being issued with protective clothing and disinfectant is provided for their tools. The safety precautions implemented in the farms that stretch between the Andes and the Pacific coast are not simply to guard against the coronavirus. They're a foretaste of what will be required to shield the valuable crop against another disease, one that poses an existential threat to a $25 billion industry. Bananas have a claim to be the modern world's first globalized product and are still the most exported fruit on the planet. Yet the trade that began some 130 years ago is now a potent symbol of the underlying fragility of globalization. How it adapts and responds may suggest a path toward rebuilding international consensus in the post-pandemic era. The fiber and vitamin-rich fruit is such an everyday item that it's easy to overlook the environmental, social and political issues inherent in where they come from, and the economic reality of what it takes to get them to supermarket shelves. Grown in the south and shipped to markets in the north, much of the supply chain put in place in the 19th century is still in use today. Just as coronavirus ravages the world in the absence of a vaccine, so the banana disease fusarium wilt is marching inexorably around the globe, leaving a trail of scorched plantations in its wake. A strain known as Tropical Race 4 (TR4) first identified in Taiwan some two decades ago has spread throughout Asia to the Middle East and Africa before its arrival in the banana heartlands of Latin America late last year, when it was detected in Colombia. It is considered among the most destructive of all plant diseases, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, or FAO. "Biosecurity measures" including "on-farm quarantine" are recommended to mitigate its spread, but as with covid-19, there is no treatment. Once the soil is contaminated, there's no hope of elimination; the only recourse is to abandon the land and move elsewhere. The industry was beginning to adapt to the fusarium threat, and the same biosecurity measures intended to protect against it are being used in the coronavirus response, said Juan Jose Pons, coordinator of the Banana Cluster of Ecuador that includes the industry's guilds and associations. Ecuador's 8,000 banana producers will all need to "become more productive, more efficient, with better biosecurity controls that can guarantee future sustainability," he said. In reality, the banana trade was at a crossroads before TR4 arrived in Latin America, which together with the Caribbean accounts for more than three-quarters of world banana exports. Add in covid-19, and "the industry is really at a turning point," said Pascal Liu, a senior economist at the FAO in Rome and coordinator of the World Banana Forum, a stakeholder group for everyone from growers to retailers, NGOs and research institutes. Climate change, environmental degradation, the power of supermarkets to dictate prices and growing pressure to improve the lot of workers, the banana industry has been under siege on multiple fronts for some time now. As the world's biggest exporter, Ecuador is at its epicenter. The country on Latin America's Pacific coast accounted for around one third of the 20 million tons of bananas shipped globally last year. The fruit is worth more to Ecuador than the oil industry after the collapse in crude prices-some $3.2 billion last year, the equivalent of 3% of the economy. It's also been home to one of the worst outbreaks of coronavirus in Latin America, at one point with bodies lying in the streets of the port of Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city. The epidemic caused logistical difficulties at the port, with staff shortages and a lack of temperature controlled containers resulting in temporary interruptions in shipments. There was little or no disruption to work on the plantations, however. Indeed, the banana looks like one of the winners of the crisis, with its reputation as a healthy snack helping to boost global demand during lockdowns. Anecdotally, sales are up in the European Union, the world's largest importer. But that hasn't translated into a boon for the banana growers or importers, whose costs have risen due to the logistical disruptions and the implementation of safety measures. Seasonal factors have also weighed in, driving down spot prices for a 40-pound (18 kilogram) box to as little as $2 or $3. "There is definitely pressure on those perhaps 30% of producers who are selling very cheaply because they have to sell," said Kleber Siguenza, president of banana producer Orodelti, which has close to 3,000 workers in two dozen Ecuadorian plantations, mostly in Guayas province, whose capital is Guayaquil. Siguenza sells bananas to exporters including multinationals under fixed contracts. But the ranks of smaller producers that employ some 40,000 workers have no such guarantees. While the immediate impact may be limited, he doesn't see a significant rebound any time soon. That has consequences for the industry's capacity to handle its deeper issues. Lower prices limit the ability of producers to respond to environmental concerns over the use of toxic pesticides, which pollute groundwater. They also reduce the possibility of adapting to climate change, whose effects are already being felt in the Caribbean. The Windward Islands have suffered repeat hurricane damage that hit production, while Jamaica has ceased exporting bananas altogether. "You cannot ask a producer to increase sustainable production systems or to use more sustainable production techniques if at the same time you reduce their margin," said Liu at the FAO. "And their margin is almost nothing." The banana trade was traditionally lucrative. The relation between the fruit and money is clear from the position of the former Banana Docks in Manhattan, just below Wall Street. In London, bananas from Jamaica were landed at the Royal Docks, now the site of City Airport. It also has a dark history. In the early years of the 20th century, "banana wars" were fought to secure U.S. interests over plantation land in Central and South America. The trade became synonymous with U.S. corporate might flexed at the expense of workers and governments in the producer countries, the original "banana republics." The so-called banana massacre of striking United Fruit Company workers by army troops in 1928 was adapted by Gabriel Garcia Marquez for his novel "One Hundred Years of Solitude." The world's favorite fruit has also earned itself a place in popular culture. The Velvet Underground's 1967 debut album featured a banana cover by Andy Warhol. In communist Eastern Europe they were a sign of affluence, with the privileged families of party officials in Poland nicknamed the banana youth. Even now, the most popular Halloween costume for American babies in 2019 was the banana, a Google Trends report found. The influence wielded by the old traders has long since faded as the world became more globalized. The United Fruit Company was incorporated into Chiquita Brands International Inc., which is now held by a Brazilian agribusiness, Grupo Cutrale. Fyffes, the oldest fruit brand in the world, was sold to Sumitomo Corp. of Japan in 2016. As with so much produce, the real power now lies with the supermarket chains, which deploy bananas as a weapon in price wars, selling them at a loss to lure customers. The retailers hold the leverage of trade between consumers and producers, enabling them to set prices and often driving down margins. David McCann, chairman of Fyffes, Europe's largest banana supplier, says the arrival of "big retail" is one of the most significant developments for the trade of recent decades. He is in favor of a higher price for bananas so that "everybody gets a little more share." "It's not easy being a retailer, so they naturally push for good quality product at the best possible price they can achieve it," he said. But he would "certainly love to see a somewhat higher retail ticket with everybody along the chain getting a little bit more out of it." At the Belgian city of Antwerp, the world's largest banana port, a typical ship will unload more than 2 million bananas packed in 50 containers in a morning. From there, they are taken around Europe by rail, road or barge to be ripened according to taste. (Belgians and Germans eat theirs greener than the British; Scandinavians prefer them bigger.) New safety measures introduced because of coronavirus mean the terminals and cold stores remain fully operational, and banana volumes "are quite stable," a port spokeswoman said. That's a reflection of the banana's importance to the food chain. In a world where food security has catapulted up the agenda, the banana and its cousin the plantain rank ahead of maize as a staple in some 80 countries. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar chose a Fyffes ripening facility in Dublin to reassure the public that fresh food would get through. For Alistair Smith, international coordinator of Banana Link, a campaign group that advocates on behalf of smaller producers and workers, the pandemic is focusing minds within the trade to reappraise how it operates. Above all in an age of disease, the export trade's reliance on a single variety, the Cavendish, raises uncomfortable questions about its future viability. "The industry is very seriously worried about its own sustainability in every definition of sustainability: economic, environmental or social," said Smith. "We need to view the banana world differently from the way we've viewed it so far, which is as an export commodity to satisfy northern markets and keep it cheap and keep it plentiful." Yet for all its troubles, the industry has been here before. Until the 1950s, a banana known as the "Gros Michel"-or the "Big Mike"-was the dominant export variety. A previous incarnation of fusarium wiped it out, but the industry rallied and introduced the Cavendish to consumers. McCann of Fyffes has seen one version of the future close up: visiting banana farms in Columbia in February, he had to wear a hazmat suit, not to shield against covid-19 but fusarium. He maintains there is "every reason to be confident." "I somehow expect we will have trouble and nuisance and cost and eventually a slightly different variety will resolve it," he said. "Slowly we're getting there." There are encouraging signs. The main players are starting to pool their research and development resources to develop a disease-resistant variety. In February, French retail giant Carrefour introduced two new varieties, the organic Pointe d'Or and a banana produced without insecticides using "agro-ecological" methods. Antwerp cites a surge in demand for organic bananas, worth a premium to producers, while German Development Minister Gerd Mueller has called for sustainability criteria to be a part of every trade deal the EU signs. Only 13% of the sales price of a regular banana goes to the producer, whereas for Fairtrade bananas it's 43%, he says, arguing for a minimum price to prevent "slave wages" in producing countries. Even those retailers that have been among the most aggressive in driving down margins have raised their pricing, albeit modestly, said Smith of Banana Link. He cites a "sea change in consciousness" among the big companies "as to what the future of production is going to look like." In Ecuador, however, change remains elusive, according to Jorge Acosta, leader of the ASTAC banana workers' union in Guayaquil. The large farms, or haciendas, "are working more or less normally," but small producers are not being paid the official price, which is almost impossible for the government to enforce. For Acosta, now is "the right moment for Latin American companies to get together and demand a fairer price" for the region's bananas. ASTAC proposed that plantations and companies reduce production, with importers and supermarket retailers compensating by paying a higher rate. He's still waiting for a response. "The laborers are the ones who always end up paying for the banana crises," Acosta said. This crisis might just be different. Just as covid-19 will lead to new ways of producing and consuming, so it may spur the banana industry to change, says the FAO's Liu. "This pandemic is a disaster for the world," he said. "But maybe the silver lining is that humans can think about doing things in a more sustainable way." Just before February's South Carolina primary, Amy Klobuchar landed a coveted chance to address African American leaders. When the black activist and journalist Roland Martin learned about it, he was outraged. Martin fired off a text to Al Sharpton, the longtime civil rights leader hosting the event: How could he offer such a valuable platform to Klobuchar, who he felt had ignored the black community and brushed off his interview requests? Sharpton let the senator from Minnesota speak, but when she was done he instructed her to talk to Martin, pointing him out from the stage. "Y'all need to talk to the black press," he told her as the audience looked on. The unusual public scolding underlined a chief weakness in Klobuchar's current drive to be Joe Biden's running mate: her strained relations with African Americans. The tensions, rooted in part in her record as a Minneapolis-area prosecutor, hurt her presidential aspirations and have come storming back into the spotlight now that she is increasingly seen as a top candidate to join the ticket. In response, Klobuchar is urgently courting the black community. In recent weeks she has aggressively reached out to African American groups, introduced a voting rights bill, joined an NAACP town hall, worked with black leaders and granted interviews to African American journalists. But some say it's too late to improve her standing after decades of friction. "In the next two weeks? I don't know what that would look like," said Rashad Robinson, executive director of the Color of Change, a racial justice nonprofit. As a county prosecutor, Klobuchar was too harsh toward nonwhite defendants, particularly African Americans, critics say, and as a U.S. senator she's done little to help the black community. In seriously considering Klobuchar, Biden's camp is making "a dangerous and reckless choice," said Aimee Allison, a leading activist for women of color. Biden has strong support from African American voters, but many of his allies in the black community warn him not to take it for granted. On Friday, Biden told an African American radio host during a discussion of black issues, "If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black." After a furor, the Biden campaign rejiggered a conference call with black business leaders, having the candidate personally call in to the meeting instead of just staff as planned. "Perhaps I was much too cavalier," Biden told them. "I know that the comments have come off like I was taking the African American vote for granted. But nothing could be further from the truth." The radio host - Lenard Larry McKelvey, who goes by Charlamagne Tha God on the show - told The Washington Post that Biden should definitely not pick Klobuchar, especially after Friday's remark. "I think that would be suicide for Joe Biden's campaign," he said. "If he did that, especially at this moment, after the comments that he made. . . . He would be a fool not to put a black woman as his running mate." Black voters are a cornerstone of the Democratic coalition, especially in the swing states expected to decide the November election. Biden has promised to select a female running mate, and some Democrats, including Sharpton, are urging him to make it a black woman - such as Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., or former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Because Biden is 77 and many Democrats believe he will not seek a second term, his running mate could have an early shot at becoming the next president. That has ratcheted up the excitement level among both black leaders and women's groups, who see an elusive goal suddenly within reach. Supporters of Klobuchar, 59, view her as a tested choice, a pragmatic centrist who could instantly step into the presidency. "She'd be a very hard-working, tireless running mate," said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, the first African American elected to his post. Ellison was a criminal defense attorney when Klobuchar was a prosecutor, and he said his experience with her was positive, adding, "Amy would be an excellent vice president." Virgie Rollins, who chairs the Democratic National Committee's Black Caucus, said she had not heard of many of the activists now criticizing Klobuchar. Rollins said many women from her home state of Michigan support the senator, who spoke last year at a conference of African American elected officials. "She was brilliant," Rollins said. Klobuchar declined to be interviewed for this story. Klobuchar's home state is about 7% black, and the roots of her tensions with the black community go back to her tenure as Hennepin County attorney from 1999 to 2006. As chief prosecutor for Minnesota's most populous county, Klobuchar declined to file charges in more than two dozen cases involving people killed in encounters with police. During the Democratic primary, she garnered few endorsements from elected black leaders and claimed just 1% of the black vote in South Carolina, according to exit polls. She left the race two days after her sixth-place finish there. Some black leaders had called for Klobuchar to drop out even earlier, when the Associated Press published a story exposing flaws in the prosecution of Myon Burrell, a black teenager who was convicted of killing an 11-year-old in 2002. On her last full day as a candidate, Klobuchar canceled a rally after dozens of protesters took the stage for more than an hour to protest her role. Sharpton said in an interview he is not "anti-Amy Klobuchar," but he cited concerns about her prosecutorial tenure, including the Burrell case. He said the issue could compound criticism of Biden's record on criminal justice. "It would be playing to a weakness of his, rather than a strength," Sharpton said. The day after ending her campaign, Klobuchar met with Burrell's family. Two days later, she sent a letter to the current county attorney calling for "an independent investigation and an independent review of the case." That drew praise from prominent black leaders such as NAACP President Derrick Johnson, but others were not fully satisfied. Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer who has met with Klobuchar, said it was a "good gesture," but it "should not have taken so much effort" to devote attention to revisiting the case. She expressed "serious concerns" about Klobuchar potentially joining the ticket. Her current outreach to black communities is still getting mixed reviews. Beyond collaborating with black leaders, Klobuchar has been using her Senate platform to embrace high-profile measures designed to help African Americans and other disadvantaged groups. She successfully pushed a rule requiring phone carriers to lower their rates for prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic. She worked with members of the Congressional Black Caucus to combat price gouging and expand broadband Internet access. She has also suggested expanding early voting and voting by mail, winning praise from black leaders including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who endorsed her proposal. In an interview, Jackson noted that he also supports a voting plan offered by Harris. Shortly before a contested Democratic primary in Illinois, Klobuchar endorsed Cook County state's attorney Kim Foxx, who is African American and had drawn accusations of not being tough enough on actor Jussie Smollett. Foxx won renomination. Still, some black leaders said they remain skeptical of Klobuchar's record after feeling overlooked by her for so long. "I think for her she understands that she has to shore up that support because African Americans are a considerable constituency," said Martin, the black journalist who said he was snubbed by Klobuchar during the primary contests. But he contended there would be a "visceral" reaction against her by black voters if she becomes Biden's running mate, and "I think it's going to make it real hard for her to be the VP choice." Asked Thursday on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" whether Klobuchar was on his short list, Biden would not say, offering only, "Amy's first-rate, don't get me wrong." The former vice president suggested his search process is ramping up. He has assembled a team to "go down a preliminary list of people, ask their interests, ask them general questions," he told Colbert. "That process is coming to an end now." Biden has said he is looking at about a dozen candidates, but has been reluctant to divulge specific names. Klobuchar was not the only Democratic presidential contender who lacked strong ties with the black community, but activists say that unlike some others - such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. - Klobuchar did little to remedy that during the primary. For some activists pushing Biden to choose a black woman for his running mate, Klobuchar is an even less welcome choice than other white prospects. "There's a growing movement among folks that are really directly demanding a black woman on the ticket or woman of color on the ticket," said Robinson, of Color of Change. "And then there are folks who would probably be comfortable with some other women - white women - who have had relationships and built relationships with the community." Robinson said Klobuchar has canceled multiple meetings that he's tried to set up with her and has not consulted with his group about her voting rights legislation. Klobuchar missed a deadline to provide the Black Women's Roundtable Public Policy Network with answers to a presidential candidate questionnaire, answering it only after she was publicly criticized, said Melanie Campbell, who runs the organization. "My experience was that when you were running for president, you didn't respond until we put pressure - or at least your campaign was pressured to respond," recalled Campbell. "As a candidate, there was not a strong engagement with our community, especially black women." Martin grew so frustrated during the primary that after consulting with other top black journalists, he launched a #wheresamy hashtag on social media to push her to engage with African American journalists. It didn't work, he said. But after Sharpton called her out publicly in late February at Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, Klobuchar and Martin quickly connected backstage that day, Sharpton and Martin recalled. Klobuchar appeared on Martin's show after Sharpton scolded her. But that did not totally erase his feeling of being neglected. "That's the thing that campaigns don't get," Martin said. "You think you didn't need us at the moment. Now you're trying to be the VP nominee. And it's like, 'Damn, I wish I had done that.'" The Washington Posts Matt Viser contributed to this report. Karnataka govt revises guidelines for testing, quarantine and isolation: Check here SC directs states to reach out to 10,000 kids orphaned due to Covid-19, pay compensation India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent COVID-19 fatalities may be much more than what is being reported New AI-based test uses X-rays to detect Covid in a few minutes Congress leader, Sanjay Jha tests positive for COVID-19 India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, May 23: Congress leader and spokesperson Sanjay Jha said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be under home quarantine for over a week as he is asymptomatic. He also urged people not to underestimate transmission risks. Between June 21 and 28, India likely to witness 7,500 COVID-19 cases "I have tested positive for Covid-19. As I am asymptomatic I am in home quarantine for the next 10-12 days. Please don't underestimate transmission risks, we are all vulnerable. Do take care all," Jha said in a tweet. Migrants sprayed with disinfectant in South Delhi, authority says 'mistake' | Oneindia News His post came on a day when India recorded its biggest single-day surge of 6,088 COVID-19 cases, taking the nationwide tally to 1,18,447. Speaking at a reception for newly accredited RoK Ambassador to Vietnam Park Noh-wan on May 21, Hue noted that, on the basis of the Vietnam-RoK strategic partnership, the relationship between Hanoi and Seoul and other RoK cities has been growing finely. Hanoi has basically repelled the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, attributing the result to the joining of hands between the Government and the people, including the RoK community in the city. The Politburo member expressed his wish for the ambassadors coordination in restoring the supply chain for Vietnamese businesses as well as RoK firms operating in Vietnam, emphasising that Vietnam as a whole, and Hanoi in particular, will gradually reopen the door to foreigners, especially for countries who have already controlled the disease, including the RoK. Hanoi is also promoting the disbursement of public investment projects, thus paving the way for other economic activities, he stated. Delegates pose together at the meeting. (Photo: Hanoimoi) Hue voiced his desire to attract more RoK investors to the city via the ambassador, extending an invitation to the diplomat and RoK companies to attend the investment promotion conference to be held by the city later next month. For his part, Park Noh-wan expressed gratitude to the Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee for his directions and care, thus ensuring the safety of the RoK community as well as maintaining the operations of RoK businesses in Hanoi. Thanking Hanoi for facilitating the construction of a new building for the Korean International School in the city, the ambassador shared his hope that Hanoi would continue creating favourable conditions for the school to open its second campus in the context of the rapidly growing number of RoK students at this institution. Editors note: Due to the US governments inefficient pandemic control measures, the country has now topped the global list for confirmed COVID-19 cases. Instead of providing aid to its people, the US government has been trying to shift the blame onto China, accusing the latter for its own mistakes. The US governments irresponsible and groundless accusations have led to a new round of finger-pointing between the two nations, which experts and the public from both sides strongly oppose. US news outlet Christian Science Monitor on May 19 published an article titled 'For US-China groups, the adversary is COVID-19-not a country', and specifically details the efforts made by locals and business leaders from both nations in tackling the lethal virus. Below is an abbreviated version of the article. As top Chinese doctors in Wuhan detailed best practices from their battle against the coronavirus, about 300 American health experts including a dozen from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listened intently by video conference. During the early stage of the outbreak, you can never imagine how the patients rushed the hospital, Dr. Peng Zhiyong, intensive care unit director at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, told the U.S. scientists, hospital chiefs, and public health officials. It was mid-March. The United States had fewer than 50 COVID-19 deaths and 2,000 confirmed cases, a number that would soon balloon. China had been fighting the outbreak for months. But such direct information sharing between Chinese and American practitioners was unexpectedly limited, said organizer Li Lu. I was surprised, said Mr. Li, the Seattle-based investor and philanthropist who arranged the event. Worsening U.S.-China tensions and a raging blame game over the virus between Washington and Beijing meant two months of valuable experiences [from China] are largely lost in America, Mr. Li told the group. The virus doesnt recognize political disputes, nor national boundaries nor ideologies, nor trade wars, says Mr. Li, chairman of Himalaya Capital Management. With this virus we have now found a real worthy adversary. Groups ranging from corporations and mom-and-pop businesses to local governments and nonprofits are bridging the divide. They are also pushing back against a broader economic decoupling of China and the United States, advanced by some leaders in Beijing and Washington. More than 100 leading U.S. academics, executives, and foreign policy experts, including prominent Republicans and Democrats, signed an April letter urging a joint fight against the coronavirus, following a similar appeal signed by 100 Chinese academics. Despite rising competition and valid concerns on either side, no effort against the coronavirus, says the U.S. letter, will be successful without some degree of cooperation between the United States and China. Chinese and American cities are also leveraging sister city relationships and other municipal ties. In Seattles waterfront industrial district, the fire department last month welcomed 10,000 respirator masks donated to the city by the coastal metropolis of Hangzhou. Thats a few weeks worth for the entire department, so the impact is big, says Seattle Fire Department warehouse chief Sundae Garner, adding that the department had only one pallet left in stock. Washington state has relied heavily on donations for protective gear, with 20% of N95 respirator masks donated, says J. Norwell Coquillard, executive director of the Washington State China Relations Council. The WSCRCs new sister charitable organization handled the mask import from Hangzhou, overcoming major bureaucratic hurdles in both China and the United States, says Man Wang, director of the council. Groups like WSCRC with ties in both countries have proven particularly proactive. Seattle-based entrepreneur Lv Lili, head of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Washington state, spearheaded campaigns to donate medical supplies in China and locally. The chamber most recently helped launch a #FoodWithLove drive that has so far delivered more than 15,000 free meals to front-line health care workers and police in the Seattle area. I love this city, I love the people here, and I want the environment to be better, says Ms. Lv, who arrived from China in 2014. The food is donated and prepared by 15 local restaurants and delivered daily by Chowbus to 26 hospitals, clinics, testing sites, and police stations. The goal is to raise donations to pay for future meals, to help keep restaurants afloat. Everybodys doing their best to help fight the coronavirus and get through this hard time, were just doing what we can, says Liu Zhixing, whose family operates Frying Fish restaurant in Bellevue. Despite suffering a 60% to 70% decline in business, Mr. Liu is donating hundreds of free meals to first responders. They are doing something we are not brave enough to do, he says. Receiving 30 meals of spicy tofu and stir-fried green beans from Frying Fish one recent night, Bellevue police Capt. Robert Spingler calls the #FoodWithLove deliveries pretty unprecedented. The officers really enjoy it, he says. The food will be gone in an hour or so. A similar scene unfolded at the University of Washington virology lab, where program coordinator Lisa Rider emerged from the around-the-clock COVID-19 test analysis facility to collect 50 meals and two ornate cakes from Chengdu Memory restaurant in Seattles Chinatown. Its been a godsend, particularly for people who are working the midnight shift, says Ms. Rider, whose lab analyzes about 1,500 tests a day. The Dolar Shop, a Chinese hot pot chain, is distributing 100 free meals to the public from its Bellevue restaurant and another 150 meals to hospitals and first responders each day. Chinese Americans feel a special responsibility, says Haipei Shue, president of United Chinese Americans, a nationwide nonprofit focused on boosting civic engagement. Ive been in this country for 33 years, and I have never seen the Chinese community so mobilized, engaged, generous, he says. The reasons are many, but amid deteriorating U.S.-China relations, heightened scrutiny of ethnic Chinese, and a recent spike in anti-Asian racist attacks, Chinese Americans feel insecure, he says, like they have a target on their back. They want to go the extra mile to help, in part to prove they are as American as others. ... It is very upsetting and sad, he says. United Chinese Americans of Washington (UCAWA) rallied 65 local organizations to obtain protective gear for China, then pivoted to do the same for Seattle, while raising $140,000 for EvergreenHealth Foundation in Kirkland, the first U.S. epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. No matter what happens on the level of the two governments, if you feel the pain, people on both sides, you [do] what you ought to do, says Mr. Li, who describes himself as 100% Chinese and 100% American. A popular line from Chinese poetry expresses it best, he says: Though mountains and rivers separate nations, together we share the same sky. An alligator who survived WWII in Berlin and was wrongly rumoured to have belonged to Adolf Hitler has died at Moscow Zoo at the age of 84. The 84-year-old reptile was found by British soldiers in Berlin after the Second World War and handed to the Red Army. Called Saturn, the alligator was taken to the Soviet capital and has lived at Moscow Zoo since 1946. Known to have been a pre-war star attraction at Berlin Zoo in Nazi Germany, the story also circulated that the reptile had been in Hitler's personal pet collection, as suggested by famous Russian writer Boris Akunin. Pictured: Saturn the alligator at his enclosure at Moscow Zoo in an undated photograph Pictured: Nazi party leader Adolf Hitler in an undated photograph. A story by a Russian writer suggested that Saturn was one of the animals in Hitler's private pet collection Pictured: Berlin Zoo in the aftermath of the battle of Berlin, when Russian forces stormed the German capital 'Almost immediately after the arrival of the animal [in Russia], the myth appeared that it was supposedly in Hitler's collection, and not in the Berlin zoo,' Interfax news agency reported. Despite being a widespread rumour, there is no proof to support the claim. Dmitry Vasilyev, a Moscow zoo veterinarian, said there was no doubt that Hitler admired the alligator, who was a popular attraction at the zoo in Berlin before the war. Saturn lived until the 75th anniversary of Hitler's defeat earlier this month. The alligator was born in the wild in Mississippi in 1936 before being caught and shipped to Berlin Zoo There is mystery over the Saturn's whereabouts after Berlin was bombed from November 1943. He was eventually found by British soldiers three years later. Pictured: Saturn the alligator at his enclosure at Moscow Zoo in an undated photograph One theory is he 'hid in basements, dark corners and sewage drains', another that he was in the menagerie of a senior Nazi. In the early 1990s, Saturn witnessed the Soviet collapse and reports said he had 'tears in his eyes' when tanks shot the nearby Russian parliament because it 'reminded him of the bombing of Berlin'. Saturn was the longest resident of Moscow Zoo, several times cheating death. A slab of concrete fell from his the alligator's aquarium in the 1980s narrowly missing him. A cruel visitor threw a stone at his head - requiring months of medical care. When a new aquarium was built, Saturn went on hunger strike for four months in protest. He did the same in 2010 - for a year - but eventually started eating again. An obituary by Moscow Zoo said: 'Saturn is a whole era for us. This is not the slightest exaggeration. He arrived after the Victory (in the war) - and met its 75th anniversary. 'It is a great happiness that each of us could look into his eyes. He saw many of us as children. We hope we did not disappoint him.' Seton Hall University plans to hold in-person classes during the 2020 fall semester, though the colleges schedule will look vastly different than past years due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The university will begin classes on Monday, Aug. 24, with options available for students to learn in-person or remotely. Unlike past years, Seton Hall will not have a fall break, and the final day of in-person classes for the semester will be Tuesday, Nov. 24 two days before Thanksgiving. Students will not return to campus following Thanksgiving. Instead, the university will hold two weeks of review sessions, reading days and final exams to close the semester before winter break. Seton Hall Law School will operate under a separate calendar while implementing University-wide health and safety principles.. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage Seton Hall altered its break schedule to reduce the risk of students going home and returning to campus after possibly being exposed to the coronavirus. The university also wants to reduce the amount of time students and faculty spend on the South Orange campus during colder months. While we recognize the challenges of reopening on campus, we know they are ones we can address and overcome, President Joseph E. Nyre said in a statement. We remain in contact with state and local officials as Seton Hall works toward returning to full operations on all our campuses. We are working hard and will promote an environment that is as safe and healthy as possible. Classes will be tailored to accommodate in-person and remote learning. Students will have the option to choose a full-time remote schedule if they desire, and in-person learning will have parameters in place to encourage social distancing. Seton Hall is currently working to modify campus buildings, dining halls and residence halls for physical distancing. Residence halls will also have new cleaning procedures. Coronavirus testing and tracing will also be part of Seton Halls plan to reopen its campus in the fall. The university is also planning contingencies if a full-time return to remote learning is required. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Last summer when United Technologies agreed to merge its aerospace business with Raytheon, the two management teams talked up the "balance" that would be achieved by combining UTX's commercial aerospace-heavy portfolio with Raytheon's defense-focused business. The goal, they said, was to create a company that could ride out the inevitable down cycles common to both the commercial aerospace and defense businesses. Little did they know how soon that thesis would be put to the test. The two companies closed their deal on April 3, forming Raytheon Technologies (NYSE:RTX) just as the COVID-19 pandemic was causing the commercial aerospace sector to collapse. United Technologies shares had lost nearly half their value year-to-date prior to the deal closing, and absent the deal, the fall could have been much steeper. Here's a look at the challenges that face Raytheon Technologies, and what investors should expect from the newly formed aerospace giant in the quarters to come. COVID-19 will crimp commercial aerospace revenues United Technologies can trace its history back to William Boeing and the early days of aviation, and its portfolio still includes some of the biggest names in aerospace, such as Pratt & Whitney (engines) and Rockwell Collins (avionics and aircraft interiors). The business serves both the defense and commercial sectors, but counts on commercial aerospace for the bulk of its revenue. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused air travel demand to collapse, and airlines that just months ago were looking to expand are now in survival mode. That has meant cutting flights, grounding aircraft, and deferring orders for new planes. With air traffic not expected to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels for three years or more, demand for new planes, engines, and spare parts is likely to be low for the foreseeable future. Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace are among the affected. Raytheon on April 14 announced 10% pay cuts for salaried employees in the corporate offices and workers in the commercial-focused businesses. The businesses are also implementing furlough programs for hourly employees, which will continue as needed. In the memo to workers announcing the cuts, CEO Greg Hayes (formerly head of United Technologies) said they are "temporary measures that we must take to responsibly manage the company through the business repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic." Overall, the company intends to cut about $2 billion in costs and take other actions to conserve about $4 billion in cash on the commercial aerospace side. Defense to the rescue In a rough environment like commercial aerospace is facing, it's nice to have a $70 billion backlog of defense orders to fall back on. Much of that is thanks to Raytheon, which is a leading provider of missiles, sensors, and electronics for the Pentagon. Sales from the legacy Raytheon side of the business jumped 6% in the first quarter, driven by a 15% jump in its space and airborne systems unit and an 11% gain in its missile defense and advanced electronics unit. The business also ended the quarter with a strong 1.46 book-to-bill ratio -- that metric measures of the volume of new orders coming in compared to what went out the door. Missile systems was the big driver of that, with a book-to-bill ratio over 2.0. Missiles also gave the combined company its first big defense win, with Raytheon Tech on April 17 beating out Lockheed Martin for the contract to develop the Air Force's new Long-Range Standoff Weapon. That's a cruise missile program worth upwards of $10 billion in the years to come. Raytheon Technologies has suspended most guidance for 2020 due to COVID-19 and its impact on airlines, but the company still expects to generate positive free cash flow for the year thanks to its defense business. The legacy United Technologies business contributed about $24 billion of the combination's $26 billion in total debt at the time of the merger. With commercial aerospace cash flow expected to be breakeven at best, it seems unlikely the company's robust 4% dividend yield would be safe absent the merger. Raytheon Technologies has said it remains committed to the dividend, with Hayes telling investors on May 7 the company has "sufficient cash and liquidity to maintain a competitive dividend even in this very difficult environment." For that, investors have defense to thank. A survivor, but not yet a buy In the April 14 memo to employees, Hayes continued to talk up the balance of the unified portfolio, saying the "robust strength" of the defense business "will help shield the company overall." For legacy United Technologies shareholders, including many who were against the deal when it was announced, that shield must feel pretty reassuring. For legacy Raytheon holders, the focus on the value of diversification is likely bittersweet. But it is worth noting that shares of Raytheon Technologies have held up well in their first month of trading, nudging out defense heavyweights Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. And defense investors only need to go back a few years to recall a time of Washington budget battles and sequestration, when Pentagon contractors badly underperformed commercial aerospace companies. I'm of two minds about Raytheon Technologies shares, which is perhaps understandable when it comes to a company operating in two sectors with divergent cycles. For an investor seeking exposure to commercial aerospace, RTX is a solid option now thanks to the strong defense business. But for those seeking investments among defense companies, there are better options that don't have a commercial aerospace albatross weighing them down. I'm a big believer in the power and potential of the Raytheon Technologies portfolio, and the dividend will make it easier for shareholders to ride out this storm. But for now, I see better opportunities elsewhere for my investing dollars. President Muhammadu Buhari has sent his condolence to Senator Kabiru Gaya following the death of his wife, Halima Gaya. The condolence message was sent to the lawmaker in a statement signed by President Buharis spokesman, Garba Shehu. President Buhari described the late Hajiya Gaya as a remarkable woman, who dedicated herself to promoting education. He commended her for investments in the establishment of private schools. It is a laudable initiative, which should be emulated by others. Education is the tool for modern development and no country can afford to ignore its vital role in our lives. My heart goes out to Sen. Gaya and the people of Kano State. May Allah grant them the fortitude to bear this great loss. Buhari prayed to God to accept the soul of the departed and reward her good deeds with paradise. Share this post with your Friends on The only appropriate reaction at this point is to stand and applaud, quite possibly even on our doorsteps, once a week. #ClapforCummings. Ill be doing it and you should too. Except the applause is not really for Dominic Cummings but for ourselves. Just a short moment of thanks for our extraordinary good fortune to have been alive on Earth at the same time as this, the single greatest genius in human history. Dominic Cummings: the cleverest man ever to have lived. Sure, there have been other geniuses, people like, say, Einstein. But all he ever did was look upon the world around him and distil the chaos down to the rules that only he could see. Cummings is different. Unique, even. When Cummings acts, the sheer power of his intellect changes the rules around him, even the ones that he made himself. Stay Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives. Drive 260 miles up the A1 with a car full of coronavirus. Which of these even were the government guidelines, written across those lecterns for all those weeks? Can any of us really be sure? Michael Gove, Rishi Sunak, Matt Hancock, Dominic Raab theyve already forgotten everything theyve spent the last three months saying, but well come on to that shortly. You, I, everybody else, we do as we are told. We stay home, we protect the NHS, we save lives. We dont see our friends, our family. We lose our livelihoods and we just carry on. We follow the rules. And if we get caught breaking them, like Scotlands chief medical officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, or the governments scientific adviser, Professor Neil Ferguson, we resign. But we are not Dominic Cummings. Through the power of Cummingss genius, reality shifts. Things that seemed so clear, so unarguable, so written down, so said out loud thousands of times by government ministers, turn out to have been bent into new shapes as they stood in the path of the hoodie-wearing brain hurricane. Of course, it is possible, correct even, to sympathise with someone when their wife comes down with Covid-19, and you do too, and youre not sure how youll care for your little boy. But the whole point of the coronavirus crisis is that its streaked with unimaginable trails of human suffering, of impossible decisions. Elderly people have died with no friends or family around them, and then been buried at unattended funerals. People have done as they are told, against whats in their own personal interest, even, believe it or not, when it is against what common sense dictates. None of these people have been able to count on the actual government bending reality to accommodate them. These are the government guidelines for those showing coronavirus symptoms: Do not leave your home for any reason. Thats quite clear, isnt it? Its also still in place now. Are these guidelines voluntary? No theyre not. Enter Hancock, on 3 April, to clarify the following: This advice is not a request. It is an instruction. Stay at home, protect lives and you will be doing your part. And its not merely that Cummingss genius bends the past, it also bends the future. If you have symptoms of coronavirus you should self-isolate and get yourself tested. Dont risk spreading the virus. Thats what Johnson posted on Facebook, on Saturday morning, as his most senior ministers were all on social media explaining how Cummings had so very obviously broken them but had also done nothing wrong. Calls for Dominic Cummings to resign after reports he broke lockdown rules Hancock called for police action against Neil Ferguson who, by the way, had someone visit his house after his coronavirus symptoms had passed and thus was almost certainly immune to both catching or spreading the virus. But when Cummings drives the disease across the country, its entirely right. For Sunak, what Cummings did is justifiable and reasonable. So justifiable and reasonable that The Guardian and The Mirror, which broke the story, have been relentlessly asking Downing Street about it for six weeks, and every time they have declined to comment, for absolutely no reason beyond the hope that doing so might cause the story not to be published. Now it has been confirmed by police, the thing that they connived to prevent anybody from knowing is suddenly justifiable and reasonable. For Gove, caring for your wife and child is not a crime. This intervention almost merits its own minutes applause. No, this is not the forgotten strapline to Breaking Bad, nor the last words of Michael Corleone. Its the actual real-life words of the actual former justice secretary, by way of excusing the clear and flagrant breaking of the rules by the governments most senior adviser. One imagines those who have fallen on the wrong side of the criminal justice system might wish to get said words tattooed across ones forehead before the day in court. Lost your job? Short on cash? Just pop down to the local petrol station with a sawn-off shotgun. After all, caring for your wife and child is not a crime. Except that it is, for absolutely everybody apart from those who can so brazenly shift reality to meet their needs, like a sort of bald, middle-aged Matilda except with the basic human compassion stripped out and replaced with stupefying arrogance. Because that, really, is the crucial aspect. Dominic Cummings is no doubt one of tens of thousands of people whom coronavirus has forced into impossible choices. But the lies, the denials, the blame, the absurd words from sources close to about it all being fake news are all a matter of absolutely free choice. Still, politicians will always politicise. It will be interesting to see what the actual scientists make of Cummingss behaviour. One imagines his future might just hinge on it. Remember, this is a government that has, at all times, been led by the science. It is unfortunate that the science has led us to a vast death toll, far higher than comparable countries whose own science evidently led them somewhere rather different. Perhaps the problem is that wherever the science was leading us, other people decided to be led up the A1 for 265 miles, leaving the science trailing behind them, along with a cloud of deadly virus for the little people to breathe in. NATO jets intercepted Russian planes flying close to NATO airspace nearly 300 times in 2019, an alliance official said, amid a continuing upward trend of Russian and NATO aircraft encounters. The official, who spoke on condition he not be named, told RFE/RLs Bulgarian Service that Russian military aircraft activity in the Black Sea and other parts of Europe had increased since 2014. "In 2019, allied aircraft took to skies 290 times to escort or shadow Russian military aircraft all across Europe," the official said in an e-mail on May 23. He did not immediately respond to follow-up questions about encounters in past years. Earlier this week, five NATO jets from three Black Sea alliance members -- Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey -- were scrambled to respond to two Russian Tu-22 strategic bombers and two Su-27 fighter jets who approached the three countries shared airspace in a western part of the Black Sea. Bulgarian military officials said the Russian aircraft returned to Russian airspace without incident. "They do it on a regular basis," Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov said. "They are testing our capability and want to see how we are going to react, how fast we will send the planes and whether our radars will detect them." In the Black Sea, in particular, there has been an uptick in Russian military activity since 2014, when Moscow seized Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. Since then, Russia has bolstered its military forces in the region, prompting more surveillance and monitoring from NATOs Black Sea members. "There has definitely been an increase since 2014. This is related to the strengthening of Russia's military presence in the Black Sea region after the annexation of Crimea," Velizar Shalamanov, a former Bulgarian military official, told RFE/RL. Until the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the commercial aerospace sector had been enjoying an extended bull run. Passenger numbers were rising steadily, and most airline bottom-lines were seeing the benefits of access to cheap finance, stiff competition in the aircraft leasing market and improvements in fleet productivity and better management of capacity. Between 2009 and 2019, global passenger miles rose by 93% and the commercial aviation fleet climbed 45%. Record airline industry profits were reported in 2019. London: UK, May 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This rising trend in passenger miles was mirrored in orders for new aircraft, with annual aircraft deliveries doubling in the decade-and-a-half to 2018. This has resulted in a growing backlog of orders for commercial aircraft. The backlog of orders at Boeing and Airbus at end-2019 had risen to over 15,000 aeroplanes equivalent to 54% of the current large jet fleet or seven years production. At the start of this year Roskill had been assuming that total commercial airline deliveries would rise by over 20% this year and by a further 30% in 2021. That very positive outlook has been quickly turned on its head by COVID-19 as aviation has been one of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic and the restrictions on movement that have followed. Airline traffic has collapsed and major job losses have been announced by both airlines and aeroplane manufacturers and upstream suppliers. The International Airline Trade Association (IATA) has forecast that industry revenue will decline by 55% this year. COVID-19 sees airline passenger numbers plummet Recent weekly data on passenger numbers shows especially significant falls in Europe and on long distance routes. Passenger numbers at Heathrow, Europes busiest airport, for example fell 97% y-o-y in April and across Europe passenger numbers were down over 90% at end-April compared to the same period in 2019. In the US passenger numbers were down 64% compared to a year before. Story continues Data from China which was exposed to the full effects of the pandemic two months before the rest of the world and began easing its lockdown in late-March 2020 suggests that even as restrictions on movement are eased the speed of recovery will be slow. Whilst Chinese passenger numbers have recovered from a 55% y-o-y fall in February, at end-April the number of travellers was still down by almost 40% compared to the same week in 2019. Lockdowns in the major developed economies are now beginning to be gradually eased and economic activity is set to gradually resume in many sectors. However, unless a vaccine effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 becomes widely available, it is highly likely that the recovery of airline passenger numbers will be much more gradual than other parts of the economy. As well as being impacted by lower incomes and broad economic activity, demand for air travel is likely to suffer from concerns by passengers of exposure to heightened risk of infection. Roskill is currently using two macroeconomic scenarios to model how the global economy is likely to emerge out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first of these is a Deep V recession, implying a relatively quick bounce back in demand once lockdowns are eased. The other scenario is for a more Prolonged Global Recession where the recovery is delayed and global output ultimately remains 4-5% below the pre-COVID-19 trendline. Implications for aerospace metals supply chains Demand for titanium metal is estimated to have been just over 185kt in 2019, of which 45% was attributed to aerospace applications the bulk of which was for airliner frames and engines. In recent years strong growth in titanium metal demand has been linked to the aerospace sector driven by increasing aircraft production rates. Titanium has also benefited from the trend towards carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) airframes, which is correlated with a higher intensity of titanium use. Given the importance of the aerospace industry to the titanium metal market, and particularly the importance of the commercial airline sector, Roskill is expecting major short-term disruptions to titanium demand. Under the assumptions of a Deep V impact, Roskill expects a global reduction in demand for titanium mill products in aerospace of somewhere in the region of 30% followed by a reasonably swift rebound to just below 2019 demand levels in 2021 and a recovery to approximately the pre-COVID trend by 2024. Under the Prolonged Global Recession scenario, demand in 2020 could be less than half of 2019 demand and would recover much more slowly. Other major materials used in aerospace include high-performance alloys. They are used particularly in aircraft engines (where nickel-base superalloys can account for 40-50% of the engine weight) and in the airframe. The primary superalloy metals include nickel, cobalt, tantalum, tungsten, and rhenium. Rhenium is the metal most exposed to the performance of the superalloy sector, with aeroengine production accounting for 70% of rhenium demand in 2019, and the market has already witnessed several challenging years. However, near-term market fortunes may not be entirely dictated by lower aerospace demand. Rhenium is a high-value and rare metal, with production volumes of under 100tpy, and produced as a by-product of copper and molybdenum. COVID-19 lockdown measures have affected mine production of rhenium-containing feedstocks from the major sources in Chile, Peru and the USA. Reduced supply of secondary rhenium is also lowering the amount of feedstock units available to the market. While tantalum is also reliant on the superalloy sector for a large proportion of its demand, COVID-19 impacts on tantalum supply appear to be outweighing demand loss. Lockdowns in Africa and Brazil have interrupted supply of feedstocks; Africa accounted for an estimated 47% of global primary tantalum production in 2019, with the majority coming from the DRC and Rwanda. Prices have consequently found greater support in recent weeks. Cobalt feedstock supply is centred on the DRC and production is typically exported to China for further refining via the port of Durban. Roskill understands that logistical challenges in Africa have slowed the number of cobalt units able to be shipped. However, cobalt metal prices drifted to an eight-month low in May, owing to weakening demand from both battery and traditional applications such as alloys and tool materials. While substantial volumes of nickel are used in superalloys, the sector itself is relatively minor in terms of overall nickel consumption, with the stainless steel sector being the primary demand driver. The various measures imposed by governments across the world to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic are forecast to drag down stainless steel consumption in 2020. Roskill is of the opinion that total primary nickel supply will remain relatively unaffected by short-term closures related to COVID-19. Prices are expected to remain subdued in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, but are forecast to rise in 2021 as the market recovers. Tungsten is used in aerospace applications as a tool material, superalloy metal and in tungsten heavy alloys for aircraft counterweights. Around 80% of primary tungsten supply comes from China and so the initial COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan led to concerns over supply security from the country. As Chinese businesses return to normal, the focus has instead turned to western refiners such as those in Europe and North America, which are still under varying degrees of lockdown as of mid-May. The COVID-19 pandemic has moved across the world at an unequal rate which has led to tungsten supply chain imbalance consequently prices have started to weaken in recent weeks. Roskill will be releasing its White Paper, Impact of COVID-19 on the Aerospace Sector and Implications for Minor Metals, to subscribers today. For more information contact: CONTACT: Zoe Cripps Roskill Information Services Ltd +44 (0)20 8417 0087 marketing@roskill.com Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Advancement at last client ventures, for example, family unit cleansers, individual consideration, and others in the created and the creating economies helps the development of the market. Besides, low costs and simple accessibility of surfactants because of innovatively propelled procedures and business plausibility are the components anticipated to fuel the development of the surfactants showcase. Be that as it may, unpredictability in costs of crude materials, for example, ethylene, benzene and n-paraffin controls the market development. On the other hand, the expansion in worldwide interest for individual consideration items, for example, shampoos, skincare moisturizers and different style gives development chances to the surfactants market. Personal care is a noteworthy application for surfactants, as they are one of the vital fixings required in healthy skin, hair care, balms, gels, creams, and other corrective items. The business is developing quickly as close to home consideration items have appeal among clients. The expansion in spending on better close to home consideration items is driving the surfactants advertise. Additionally, the retail division is getting composed in rising economies, for example, China, India, and Brazil which is likewise assisting individual consideration industry with flourishing. The business is constantly developing to consent to changing purchaser inclinations. Prior cleansers and shampoos were the real application regions of surfactants in this industry. Nonetheless, the utilization of surfactants in different restorative items, for example, chilly creams and salves is likewise picking up energy, along these lines driving the market. The developing spotlight on ""green science"" by numerous organizations to take care of the demand for eco-accommodating items from purchasers has taken the individual consideration industry to another measurement. These components emphatically impact the utilization of surfactants in the business. Global Surfacant Market report includes different applications such as Anionic Surfactants, Non-Ionic Surfactants, Cationic Surfactants and Amphoteric Surfactants. Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/9314 This report aims to estimate the Global Surfacant Market for 2018 and to project the expected demand of the same by 2023. This market research study provides a detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of the Global Surfacant Market. It provides a comprehensive review of major drivers and restraints of the market. Major companies such as Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Akzonobel N.V., BASF SE, Clariant AG, The DOW Chemical Company, etc. are profiled in this report. Global Surfacant Market is also segmented into major application and geographies. Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/9314 Various secondary sources, such as encyclopedia, directories, and databases to identify and collect information useful for this extensive commercial study of Global Surfacant Market have been used. The primary sources, experts from related industries and suppliers, have been interviewed to obtain and verify critical information as well as to assess the future prospects of Global Surfacant Market. Global Surfacant Market has grown significantly during the last few years, and it is expected to grow at a rapid pace in the next five years, mainly driven by a growing consumption in the North America region. Global Surfacant Market is valued at $ xx million in 2018, growing at a CAGR of X% and is expected to reach $ xx million by 2023. More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/9314 Ronnie Milillo, center, along with other South Philadelphia residents opposed to the proposed safe injection site, holds up her sign of protest to passing cars on South Broad Street in front of the proposed injection site at Constitution Health Plaza on March 1. Read more Sen. Pat Toomey and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, both Pennsylvania Republicans, are throwing their voices into a nationally watched legal fight against a plan to open a supervised injection site in Philadelphia. The two GOP lawmakers filed an amicus brief Friday supporting the U.S. Justice Departments effort to shut down the site before it can ever open, adding the weight of their offices to a dispute over what would be the countrys first facility where people could use illegal drugs under medical supervision. The other eight Republicans in the states House delegation also joined the brief, as did Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.). The case, currently pending in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, is being watched as a potential landmark for similar efforts elsewhere. The brief, first reported by The Inquirer, argues that supervised injection sites violate federal law. Policy decisions involving controlled substances have a critical impact on our nation and often prompt fierce debate among competing viewpoints. That debate is for the peoples representatives in Congress, not the federal courts, to resolve, the brief says. Every member of Pennsylvanias congressional delegation was invited to join, according to Toomeys office. Ronda Goldfein, vice president of Safehouse, the nonprofit pushing to open the site, said the issue should not be politicized. Our current pandemic tells us that politicizing health issues doesnt really work out and we should leave public health matters to public health officials and public health scholars, said Goldfein, who is also director of the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania. She added, There are families throughout the nation who can tell you that overdose is not party-based, and I think we need to look at what folks need, and not hide behind party alignment. Safehouse and its supporters argue that allowing people to use drugs under supervision can save lives amid an opioid epidemic that has killed more than 3,000 in Philadelphia alone in the last three years. Such sites have been used for for decades in Canada and Europe. But critics worry that such sites could concentrate drug use and trigger more drug-related violence, though most studies suggest crime does not increase around the facilities. There have been neighborhood protests against the proposal. William McSwain, the U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia, has argued that the facility would be illegal and has called it a radical experiment that would invite thousands of people onto its property for the purpose of injecting illegal drugs. U.S. District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh sided with Safehouse in October, ruling that a 30-year-old law targeting so-called crack houses would not apply to its supervised injection site. The government has appealed that ruling. Fitzpatrick, of Bucks County, has a law enforcement background he is a former FBI agent. He also faces a GOP primary challenge June 2. Toomey has taken aim in the past at Philadelphia policies that he believes are out of step with public safety, frequently criticizing the citys sanctuary city policies regarding undocumented immigrants. Safehouses filings to the Third Circuit are due June 15. Staff writers Aubrey Whelan and Jeremy Roebuck contributed to this report. Washington: According to a new case study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism amid Corona Crisis, Covid-19 infection can lead to subacute thyroiditis. Subacute thyroiditis is an inflammatory thyroid disease that specifically increases neck pain. The first case of subacute thyroiditis has come after SARS-CoV-2 infection. "In his statement, Francesco Latropha said, the physicians of the University Hospital of Pisa in Italy should be alerted after receiving this new information related to COVID-19. A team of doctors examined an 18-year-old woman who was infected with the coronavirus. A few days later, additional symptoms of problems such as neck and thyroid pain, fever and increased heart rate began to appear. When the woman was examined, she was diagnosed with subacute thyroiditis. Researchers are seeing this symptom by connecting it to the corona. These issues were discussed in the meeting of Arab Space Cooperation Group DMK leader RS Bharti arrested, gave controversial statement against SC Haryana: Home Minister Anil Vij wrote a letter to increase the powers of SET Press Release May 23, 2020 Angara Pushes for COVID-19 Tests on All People Returning to Work and the Vulnerable Sectors As Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities are gearing for further easing of restrictions on movement and the return to work for even more people, Senator Sonny Angara said today that testing for COVID-19 should be ramped up already in order to avoid another outbreak of the disease in the country. Until such time that more people are tested for COVID-19, Angara said there will always be a risk of an outbreak, which the country can no longer afford to happen. "In the T3 program, testing is the first step, followed by tracing and treating. All three components are equally important but unless we can perform more tests, we can never be sure of our safety when we go out of our homes and get back to work," Angara said. As of May 22, a total of 13,597 confirmed cases have been recorded in the country. There are 857 deaths and 3,092 recoveries. Last Monday, Angara filed Senate Bill 1535 or the proposed Crushing COVID Act, a counterpart measure to the bill filed by Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin, which seeks to implement mass testing, particularly on the vulnerable sectors of society. Under the bill, the conduct of PCR testing will prioritize persons returning to work with co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, pulmonary diseases, cancer, renal failure, pregnancy, old age, obesity and the immunocompromised. "They are the people who are most vulnerable to contracting severe COVID-19 and at higher risk of death so they should definitely be tested right away," Angara said. Priority will also be given to health care workers, sales personnel in public markets, groceries and supermarkets, food handlers, factory workers, construction workers, security guards and drivers, banks and transfer fund facilities personnel, laundry shop workers, house helpers, caregivers, pregnant women, embalmers, wellness and salon workers, uniformed personnel, media personnel, barangay health workers, and family members whose households have dwellers who went abroad last December 2019 until the present time. These are the people who are most exposed to persons who could be carrying the virus and could end up spreading the virus to even more people. All persons entering the Philippines, including foreign nationals will also have to undergo testing. "We expect PhilHealth to be able to cover most if not the entire cost of the tests. For the foreign nationals, they will have to shoulder the costs themselves," Angara said. The bill also prescribes the grant of an emergency pandemic leave covering the period of quarantine/treatment of the employee who tests positive for COVID-19. "This is separate from the existing leave credits of the employee. With this provision, we will address the no work, no pay scenario they would most likely face if and when they test positive," Angara said. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) is aiming to increase the testing capacity of the country from the present 11,509 daily to 30,000 per day by the end of May. There are 37 accredited testing facilities in operation, 31 of which are RT-PCR laboratories. Another 119 laboratories have pending applications for accreditation. The goal of the IATF is to hit the global benchmark of testing 1% to 2% of the population or two million persons in total. This would require the testing capacity to go up to 50,000 a day. "Testing the people who are out in the workplaces is critical especially when we are seeing reports from areas such as Sitio Alaska Mambaling in Cebu where more than 90% of its cases are asymptomatic," Angara said. Angara emphasized that contact tracing procedures should also be strengthened otherwise all of the efforts to increase testing and prevent the spread of the virus will be negated. A COVID-19 survivor himself, Angara said he has seen first hand of the weaknesses of the system of contact tracing in the country. "There are gaps in the network of information which make contact tracing ineffective. In order to prevent the spread of the virus, communication and sharing of information between the hospitals, the LGUs and the relevant government agencies and contact tracers must be quick and done in real time," Angara said. "There has to be a person or an agency on top of this system on information sharing. Because what's the point of doing all these tests when you won't be able to trace the people and their contacts? We cannot have gaps in the system," he added. The IATF is hiring over 100,000 contact tracers in order to improve efficiency and creating new jobs in the process. Metro Manila, Bataan, Bulacan, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Zambales and Angeles City are currently under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). Cebu City and Mandaue City are still under an enhanced community quarantine while the rest of the country are under a general community quarantine. Libyan National Army Spokesman Accuses Turkey of Violating UN Arms Embargo Sputnik News 19:31 GMT 22.05.2020(updated 19:58 GMT 22.05.2020) The allegations came the same day that Gen. Khalifa Haftar's forces warned Ankara that Turkish forces "illegally operating" in Libya would be subject to destruction in a massive aerial campaign. The Turkish Foreign Ministry warned that such an attack would make Libyan National Army (LNA) troops a "legitimate target" for Turkish forces. Turkey's military operations in Libya constitute a violation of the UN arms embargo and are a threat to regional peace and stability, Ahmed al-Mismari, spokesperson for the Libyan National Army, has claimed in a 25 minute-long multimedia presentation aiming to show the alleged extent to which Turkish forces are involved in the war in the North African country. "Breaking the international embargo [on arms] which was supposed to guarantee the development of the peace process in Libya, Turkey is quite openly sending hundreds of armoured vehicles, artillery, unmanned aerial vehicles, heavy machine guns and other offensive weapons into our country, as well as massive amount of ammunition of various calibres which are killing our citizens," al-Mismari said in a briefing held Thursday. According to the spokesman, Turkish troops, mercenaries and Government of National Accord (GNA) forces have received and are operating at least eight T-107 107mm multiple launch rocket systems, 10 strike drones, about 70 Kirpi and Vuran armoured vehicles, over 260 Turkish-made all-terrain vehicles, along with over 100 heavy machine guns. As evidence of these weapons deliveries, the spokesman pointed to what appears to be dashcam footage from inside a Kirpi vehicle being loaded up onto cargo ships and sent to Libya. "On the screen you can see footage from the video recorder of one of the Turkish 'Kirpi' armoured vehicles captured by Libyan troops during battles with members of terrorist groups from Syria which were deployed south of Tripoli," the spokesman said. He added that an analysis of the vehicle's navigation system and video recorder has made it possible to determine that it was produced in a military factory in the city of Izmir in early 2019. "On the 15th of May, a batch of these vehicles was transported into Tripoli, including this very vehicle, which arrived in Tripoli on the 18th of May, 2019. It was put in one of the hangers which has been set up specifically for this purpose, which means that [President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan has been preparing for this attack on Libya since last year," al-Mismari alleged. Further, al-Mismari said, the footage shows "Turkish instructors" training militants in the operation of the equipment, including video from January 11, 2020 of a driving lesson, with the vehicle delivered to its final destination Maytiga International Airport, on March 17, 2020, and used since March 21 in attacks on LNA forces by alleged "Syrian and Turkish mercenaries." "This video is solid proof that Erdogan has been breaching international agreements regarding Libya...This attack, this invasion is happening under the false agreement with the Government of National Accord," the spokesman said, referring to the UN-backed and US-supported Libyan government. "This puts the freedom and sovereignty of our nation in danger, which mandates that we fight." The LNA estimates that there are roughly 1,500 Turkish troops and private security contractors operating in the country, with intelligence that Turkey is planning to send 2,500 more commandos and special ops troops to Libya. "Turkey has transported over 17,000 individuals [to Libya]Only in the last week there were 34 flights from Ankara to Tripoli or Misrata," the spokesman said, pointing to footage of armed men in military fatigues in the interiors of aircraft and persons on the ground, purportedly in Libya. "In the next video you will see the extremists and the terrorists fighting with Turkish munitions, and Turkish weaponry and being paid by Libyan money through Turkey," al-Mismari said. According to the LNA spokesman, many Turkish-sponsored mercenaries have been captured, and some killed. "These are videos of Syrian mercenaries that have been captured and arrested in Tripoli. Mercenaries, according to international definitions, are not considered prisoners of war and so they deserve any punishment they receive," al-Mismari said. In Thursday's presentation, Al-Mismari also accused the UN of turning a blind eye to the situation in Libya, noting that "we have never heard any statements from the United Nations decrying Turkish involvement. Turkey and its weapons have never been mentioned in a United Nations report. They have also never mentioned the Syrian or any other mercenaries at allWe urge the United Nations to condemn Turkey's flagrant violation of international agreements on the Libyan settlement, and to examine the evidence we have provided regarding the Turkish aggression against the Libyan people," he said. "We ask UN agencies to conduct an investigation on the mechanisms through which Turkey delivers lethal weapons and military equipment to LibyaWe expect the UN Secretary General, the African Union, and the European Union to take account of today's press conference," al-Mismari noted. Turkey's Position Turkish officials have not commented on the LNA spokesman's presentation or the claims made within. Ankara has made no secret of its support for the GNA government, however. On Friday, Turkish media reported that presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin had spoken with US National Security Advisor Robert C. O'Brien and reiterated both countries' support for the GNA, while highlighting the need to halt the Tripoli offensive by Gen. Haftar's forces. Libya has been mired in a deadly nine year, foreign-backed civil war since the overthrow and public execution of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi by rebels backed by NATO airpower in 2011. Since then, the North African nation has been divided among competing militant groups, terrorists, criminal gangs and human smugglers. More recently, the Tobruk-based parliament, which has the support of Gen. Haftar's Libyan National Army, and the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord have consolidated themselves as the two rival political and military powers in the war-torn country, and began fighting to establish total control. In April, 2019, after defeating many smaller rebel groups and Islamist terrorist forces, the LNA began an offensive on Tripoli. In January 2020, Turkey confirmed that it had deployed a limited contingent of combat troops to support the GNA. Repeated efforts to resolve the conflict have failed to lead to a lasting peace. In January, officials from Russia, the US, the European Union, Turkey, Egypt and other nations met in Berlin to try to hammer out a peace plan with GNA and LNA (Tobruk government) representatives, but to no avail. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address As Indian firms scramble to develop a vaccine for coronavirus, experts feel that research in the country is still at a nascent stage and any concrete breakthrough is not likely within a year. The Indian government and private firms have stepped up efforts to develop a vaccine to halt the spread of COVID-19 which has claimed over 3,700 lives with more than 1,25,000 cases in the country. PM CARES Fund Trust has decided to allocate 100 crore for support to coronavirus vaccine development efforts. Referring to a vaccine to fight the virus, a PMO statement had said that it is the most pressing need and Indian academia, start-ups and industry have come together in cutting-edge vaccine design and development. The Department of Biotechnology has been made a central coordination agency to identify pathways for vaccine development. Naming the Indian firms working on vaccines for COVID-19, Gagandeep Kang, executive director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, had said last month that while Zydus Cadila is working on two vaccines, Serum Institute, Biological E, Bharat Biotech, Indian Immunologicals, and Mynvax are developing one vaccine each. The WHO has listed Serum Institute of India, Zydus Cadila, Indian Immunologicals Limited and Bharat Biotech from India among the firms involved in developing a vaccine. Leading virologist Shahid Jameel said Indias vaccine manufacturing capacity is quite remarkable and at least three Indian companies - Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech and Biologicals E are at the forefont, working with international partners to manufacture a vaccine for COVID-19. Research on a COVID vaccine in India is at a very early stage of development and any candidates are likely to reach animal trials only by the end of the year, he told PTI. However, Indian vaccine companies have a lot of capacity and expertise, and are likely to play a significant role in bringing new COVID-19 vaccines to the market. This experience is important for institutions, industry and regulators to work together, and prepare for the future, said Jameel, a Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize winner for Science and Technology and the current Chief Executive Officer of Wellcome Trust/Department of Biotechnologys India Alliance. CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) Director Rakesh Mishra said, From what we know, we are not at an advanced stage of vaccine development at the moment. There are lots of ideas and companies initiating vaccine development process but there is nothing on trial in terms of vaccine candidates, he told PTI. There are many efforts going on with different approaches like somebody wants to use the whole virus or a particular protein so there are multiple processes being deployed, he said. Many Indian companies are collaborating with foreign institutions.Other countries are at much advanced stage than us. Some are going into third stage trials. There is no company testing vaccine in India yet and they are in the pre-clinical stage of preparation, he said. India is quite behind because of a number of reasons like the coronavirus came to India two-three months later so we did not have the (inactivated) virus to test or even the urgency, Mishra said, adding that the Chinese and US are quite ahead in the vaccine development. If a comparison has to be made we are well behind international efforts, he said. The novel coronavirus strain was isolated and characterised at the Indian Council of Medical Researchs National Institute of Virology, Pune, and the vaccine candidate has been transferred to Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) to develop a fully indigenous vaccine for COVID-19. Once the vaccine is ready it will go for animal trials to be followed by human clinical trials to assess its safety and efficacy which will take at least one year, a senior ICMR official told PTI. The BBIL is working towards developing killed virus vaccine which usually provides good immunogenicity, the official said, adding that by entering the body it will create antibody against the infection. The polio drops which are given to children have live attenuated virus, while the polio injection contains killed virus, the official said explaining the different approaches used in developing a vaccine. The BBIL is continuously working in this direction and as soon as they get the right formulation they will move towards animal challenge studies followed by human clinical trials, the official said. Kang, in a webinar held by India Alliance, said there are two separate aspects that relates to vaccines of COVID-19, one is to use existing products and the second is to see if new vaccines can be made. In terms of projects to develop vaccines there are around 90 plus projects around the world that have initiated to develop new vaccines which use different kinds of technologies. Some are using old technologies like make an inactivated virus and spike protein and other using new technologies that allow you to respond rapidly like using messenger RNA vaccines, Kang said. Every new technology is being applied for making COVID-19 vacines, he said. The Indian firms along with their foreign collaborators are racing against time to develop a vaccine against COVID-19 with over 52 lakh cases and over 3.35 lakh fatalities across the globe. PTI UZM/PLB/ASK ZMN Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said there would be an "economic devastation" if the poor were not helped urgently with cash and free rations and if MSMEs were not supported by the government. Addressing a meeting of opposition parties, he also asked why the lockdown was being eased when the coronavirus cases were still rising. "Lockdown had two objectives: halting the disease and preparing for future management of the disease. But today transmission is rising. We are still opening the lockdown. Does this mean an ill thought out lockdown imposed earlier hasn't yielded results? "Lockdown has destroyed crores. If urgently they (the poor) are not given Rs 7,500 a month, not provided free ration, not helped and if MSMEs are not supported now, there will be economic devastation," Gandhi said. He said the government's economic package does not acknowledge that people need cash, not credit. "It's our duty to raise this issue. It's not about parties. It's about the country. If we don't raise it now lakhs will seep into poverty," he added. The opposition meet was attended by 22 parties and they discussed the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have put forth 11 demands before the central government, including direct cash transfer of Rs 7,500 per month to families outside the Income Tax bracket for six months. The N.J. Attorney Generals Office is investigating a fatal police-involved shooting that happened in Paterson early Saturday. The shooting victim, a male, was fatally injured shortly after 1 a.m. on 16th Avenue in Paterson, according to a press release from Attorney General Gurbir Grewal. No identifying information was provided on the deceased. The incident occurred in the Wrigley Park neighborhood in the citys crime-plagued Fourth Ward. Officers from the Passaic County Sheriffs Office were on the scene at the time. At least one officer was transported to the hospital to be examined and then released, a spokesperson for the Passaic County Sheriffs Office confirmed. Authorities did not respond to questions about why police were in the area. The investigation is being conducted by the Integrity Bureau of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability and the New Jersey State Police Major Crime Bureau. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. NEW YORK, May 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Microminiature Circular Connector Market to 2027 Covid-19 Impact and Europe Analysis Coverage by Type (Metal Shell, Plastic Shell); Application (Military and Defense, Aerospace and UAV, Industrial Application, Medical, and Others); and Country Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05894543/?utm_source=PRN The microminiature circular connector market in Europe is expected to grow from US$ 486.06 Mn in 2019 to US$ 661.22 Mn by 2027; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.0% during 2020-2027. The market in Europe is anticipated to witness impressive growth during the forecast period. The growth in the medical devices industry and rising demand for miniaturized connectors are the major driving factors contributing to the growth of the Europe microminiature circular connector market. In addition to these factors, significant technological development initiatives by several leading companies are also expected to support the market growth during the forecast period. The metal shell microminiature circular connectors led the North America microminiature circular connector market, based on type, in 2018, and the segment is expected to continue its dominance in terms of share during the forecast period. These connectors are versatile, tested for harsh environments, and offer multiple coupling styles, contacts, and mounting options. The overall Europe microminiature circular connector market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources.To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market. It also provides the overview and forecast for the market based on the segmentation pertaining Europe.Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate the data, as well as to gain more analytical insights into the topic. The participants who typically take part in such a process include industry expert such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders specializing in the Europe microminiature circular connector market are Amphenol Corporation, Glenair Inc, Hirose Electric Co Ltd, and HUBER + SUHNER are among the players operating in the Europe microminiature circular connector market. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05894543/?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 * Kospi stock index leads major markets, up 31% since March trough * Bonds see inflows even as foreign cash flees Asia * But economy risks remain: Exports slump, sharp Q1 contraction * Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus: open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser. By Cynthia Kim and Tom Westbrook SEOUL/SINGAPORE, April 24 (Reuters) - South Korea's stock market has bounced back harder amid the coronavirus pandemic than any other major bourse in the world, and bond inflows lead Asia, as investors bet Seoul's handling of the crisis will see it through sooner and stronger than others. Asia's fourth-largest economy is among the first countries to bring a major outbreak of the virus under control, with a vigorous without mandatory lockdowns or a gigantic debt-funded rescue package. With one of the world's most vigorous testing regimes and social distancing campaign in place, South Korea's confirmed cases of the virus have been kept to less than 11,000 so far, with 240 deaths. That has foreigners buying bonds at a clip for their reliable yield, while the benchmark Kospi stock index has soared by nearly a third from March lows as investors, from dabblers to institutions, buy into the recovery ride. "It is one of the examples of managing the crisis really well," said Esty Dwek, head of global market strategy at $1 trillion French fund manager Natixis Investment Managers. "We think it'll be one of the winners, along with emerging Asia, compared to other regions that are likely to suffer much more," she said. "It is one of the areas (to which) we've moved some money only a few weeks ago." The Kospi index is up 31% from a low point hit on March 19, a performance matched only by smaller Thailand, and bettered only by Argentina's S&P Merval, which is less than 1% of the Seoul market's size by value. The jump has come even as South Korea's exports have cratered and the economy has contracted. Story continues South Korean bonds posted a third straight month of inflows in March, attracting $3.6 billion in a month when Asian bonds as a whole had the biggest foreign outflows in seven years. A 1.56% yield on 10-year Korean government debt makes it an attractive trade, compared with a yield of 1.23% in Thailand or just 0.078% in France and 0.292% in Britain, which have the same credit rating. "Simply put, there is no other emerging country with similar credit rating, that can yield this much return," said Shin Hwan-jong, head of fixed income at NH Investment and Securities in Seoul. A 6% slide in the Korean won this year versus the U.S. dollar is also shallower than 10% drops in the similarly risk-sensitive Australian and New Zealand dollars. GOLD STANDARD South Korea's virus containment strategy rests on testing, intensive contact tracing and tracking apps, while avoiding lingering mandatory lockdowns or forced business closures. So far it is working: Authorities are hoping to see daily new cases drop to zero in the coming days, after falling below 10 in the past week. In Seoul, shoppers are back in malls and residents are out and about enjoying spring weather and the tail-end of the cherry blossom viewing season. "Within the region, there's a few gold standard performers: South Korea, Australia and New Zealand all stand out," said George Boubouras, head of research at K2 Asset Management in Melbourne. "A lot of APAC (Asia-Pacific) portfolios can benefit from those exposures," said Boubouras, whose Asia-focused fund has been adding to its position in Samsung Electronics Co Ltd recently. Shares in the tech giant have bounced back about 17% from March lows. Risks do remain high, though, as the rebound has been sentiment-driven. South Korea's exports fell 27% over the first 20 days of April year-on-year and the economy suffered its sharpest contraction since 2008 in the first quarter. At Natixis, Dwek is concerned low "herd immunity" may leave the country vulnerable to a second wave of infections. The won remains soft and Boubouras believes the "growth", rather than "value", profile of many of South Korea's companies makes them shakier investments than Australian stocks. Australia's BHP Group Ltd this week held its outlook steady, he noted, as iron ore demand from major buyer China has strengthened in recent weeks. Scott Gilchrist, a fund manager at Sydney-based A$24 billion ($15 billion) global investor Platinum Asset Management , also said crumbling world demand is bad news for exporters. "South Korea has a preponderance of companies that are facing temporary cyclical headwinds," he said. "It's hard to see the earnings growth and business momentum improving." Nevertheless, the signals from the stock, bond and currency markets are positive and ratings agencies say the country is in good stead to weather a storm. South Korea entered the crisis with low debt, and its rescue package so far requires fiscal spending of about 2% of gross domestic product, compared with 11% in the United States and about 10% in Australia, which had its ratings outlook downgraded by S&P. "Its fiscal metrics compare favourably even among highly-rated sovereign peers," said YeeFarn Phua, director at S&P Global Ratings in Singapore. ($1 = 1.5793 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Cynthia Kim and Yena Park in Seoul, and Tom Westbrook in Singapore; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) Cyclone Amphan, as it ravaged through West Bengal and Odisha in India, made one thing clear - no one was prepared for it. The country already had too much on its plate with a deadly pandemic and a lockdown. On top of that, the cyclone had resulted in a war-like situation in Kolkata, in words of CM Mamata Banerjee. The city of joy was met with a rude shock on Thursday morning when the extent of the damage caused by the cyclone became evident. Till Wednesday, several had been convinced that the cyclone would weaken by the time it would reach Kolkata and like every time, this would just be another stormy evening, no more than a severe Kalboishakhi. By 4:30 pm on that day, it was clear that this was a disaster nothing like what we've seen before. In another hour or two, the city had plunged into darkness with power being cut almost as soon as the cyclone hit Kolkata. With no connectivity and electricity - more than 14 lakh people prepared themselves for a brutally long and sleepless night - one filled with thoughts about how to reach out to their loved ones, if phone batteries will last till the morning after and how long till things return to normal. Social distancing and coronavirus, not surprisingly, was the last thing on people's minds. The pandemic had taken a backseat in the state for the first time in months. That changed overnight. The following morning, people swarmed to the streets in large numbers to examine the damage incurred. Over one lakh trees had been uprooted. Nearly 80 people had lost their lives. The death toll dramatically increases if you count the number of birds and animals that died in the cyclone. Jayita Mukherjee, a resident of Tollygunge, woke up at 5 am to go check on the favourite tree in her backyard, which had been uprooted in the storm. "I saw people were already out on the streets, standing in groups, discussing what to do about the massive 100-year-old Shirish tree that was blocking the whole society. Only a few of them had masks on," Mukherjee said. Source: News18 Jayita's husband, Sumit, is a member of the society's association and took it upon himself to reach out to the CESC (Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation). Their society hadn't had electricity in the last 28 hours. "No one was doing anything. No member of the KMC (Kolkata Municipal Corporation) had even come to inspect the trees that had uprooted in our area. Unless the trees are removed, the CESC cannot do anything. I had to go to the CESC office myself," he said. When asked about safety measures while stepping out due to the pandemic, he said, "To be honest, I'd even forgotten we were in the middle of a pandemic. All I wanted was to get power back on without which the society wouldn't even get water." There's only so much one can handle at one time. Yes, social distancing did go for a toss in the aftermath of the cyclone. Lanes and bylanes saw hundreds of people coming out of their homes to gauge the brevity of the situation, discussions between frantic neighbours about how to save water or charge electrical devices and even youth stepping forth to cut trees and clear road blockades so that vehicles could pass through. Photo: Jashodhara Mukherjee A resident of South Kolkata, who did not want to be identified, said that he had taken on the responsibility of cutting up trees in his neighbourhood, along with other volunteers. "We had no idea when KMC or CESC would turn up. How much longer could we wait? I had initially worn a mask when I stepped out but it was impossible to keep it on in the scorching heat. My glasses kept fogging up!" he said. Rupsha Bhadra, a resident of a gated complex in Netaji Nagar, was one of the few fortunate ones who had electricity. However, a majority of houses in her locality didn't. Her father, Saikat Bhadra, took charge of the situation and offered to help the others in the society by charging their phones. The scenes in their society on Thursday morning was quite unlike what one had seen even one day earlier. It was reminiscent more of a life before coronavirus. "People are merrily chatting away. But can you really blame them? Human beings can handle only one crisis at a time," said Rupsha. Ahana Sen, an architect living in another gated complex in Tollygunge, stepped out of the house for the first time since the lockdown. Although she has been reminding her father and everyone else out on the streets about not shaking hands, avoiding contact and wearing a mask irrespective of how uncomfortable it is, said that this "socialising" is probably what people needed. Photo: Ahana Sen "I think the people of my society needed this. Yes, there is absolutely no social distancing. But there is nothing that can be done about it. People are staying out the whole night to ensure CESC does its duties and power is restored. The team from CESC must have travelled to multiple localities before coming here, even places with coronavirus cases. But now isn't the time to think about all that," she said. Much has been said on social media how Bengal, and specifically Kolkata, failed to abide by the norms of social distancing during the cyclone and in the days after it. Many have even condemned it. But really, it is much easier said than done. When you've been stripped of even the most basic of amenities and your cries for help are falling on deaf ears, masks and sanitizers become the least of your priorities. BGR Dmitry Kokh, a Russian underwater and wildlife photographer, has shared once-in-a-lifetime photos of polar bears that took over an island. The island in question is Kolyuchin Island, located in the Chukchi Sea. This remote part of the Russian arctic used to be home to a meteorological station, but humans have long since abandoned it. Now, The post Polar bears took over an abandoned island and moved into empty houses appeared first on BGR. Were finally getting a clear picture of exactly how the beating of a 75-year-old nursing home patient by a man nearly one-quarter his age came about. And boy, it is a shocker. It turns out that victim and perp were sent to the Westwood Nursing Center in Detroit due to the fact that both were suffering from COVID. The older man, an Army vet, was snatched from his apartment and dumped in the nursing home without any notification of his relatives, who then spent a considerable amount of time looking for him, to no avail. As for the younger man, who is evidently named Jaydon Hayden, though the police havent yet confirmed it, he was suffering from some sort of breakdown and had been sent to a group home to await treatment when he was diagnosed with the coronavirus and also dumped in the Westview facility. His father, who seems to be a decent sort, says he never should have been put there. Hayden is now in police custody, while his aged victim is in the hospital. What it comes down to is that the victim was placed in the nursing home to die while the authorities aimed Hayden at him like a torpedo. It has not escaped my notice (as it has everybody in the legacy media) that Detroit lies within the realm of her Imperial Majesty, Gretchen the Terrible. Nor has it come as a surprise that Gretchen has adapted the Democratic governors go-to policy of using nursing homes as ice floes to dump the sick atop of. But I must admit that I was taken back to learn that Michigan has added disappearing patients to the formula. Leave it to Gretchen Whitmer to combine Andrew Cuomos already inhumane dump-the-sick policy with the tactics of the KGB. Clearly, we have yet to plumb the depths of the Cuomo policy. It has always been evident that it was a barely veiled effort to warehouse the sick until they popped off. But this placing the violent mentally disturbed in the same facilities as the deathly ill with no safeguards or security whatsoever reveals a callousness that beggars belief. The administrations and bureaucracies of the states following the dump em and run policy New York, California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania being the chief culprits have reached a plateau of psychopathy seldom witnessed in this countrys politics. As for stupidity, well let that speak for itself. (Interestingly, Michigan was not even supposed to be on this list. We can hazard to guess that, like PAs Tom Wolf, Gretchen slipped the policy into effect by stealth, under the impression that the media would let her slide.) Nor have we seen the end of it. Yesterday Gretchen announced that, obeying the Will of the People, she will continue her iron-fisted policies until at least June 19th. Plenty of those sickies in hiding who need to be rousted out, you know. Not to mention those defiant barbers and ministers. Got to keep an eye on the big picture, playmates. Gretchen will qualify for that VP slot yet, youll see. The carpenters at work, and the chips will fly Washington President Donald Trump on Friday labeled churches and other houses of worship as "essential" and called on governors nationwide to let them reopen this weekend even though some areas remain under coronavirus lockdown. The president threatened to "override" governors who defy him, but it was unclear what authority he has to do so. "Governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now for this weekend," Trump said at a hastily arranged press conference at the White House. Asked what authority Trump might have to supersede governors, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she wouldn't answer a theoretical question. Trump has been pushing for the country to reopen as he tries to reverse an economic free fall playing out months before he faces reelection. Following Trump's announcement, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines for communities of faith on how to safely reopen, including recommendations to limit the size of gatherings and consider holding services outdoors or in large, well-ventilated areas. In-person religious services have been vectors for transmission of the virus. A person who attended a Mother's Day service at a church in Northern California that defied the governor's closure orders later tested positive, exposing more than 180 churchgoers. And a choir practice at a church in Washington state was labeled by the CDC as an early "superspreading" event. But Trump on Friday stressed the importance of churches in many communities and said he was "identifying houses of worship churches, synagogues and mosques as essential places that provide essential services." "Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential" but not churches, he said. "It's not right. So I'm correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential." Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said faith leaders should be in touch with local health departments and can take steps to mitigate risks, including making sure those who are at high risk of severe complications remain protected. "There's a way for us to work together to have social distancing and safety for people so we decrease the amount of exposure that anyone would have to an asymptomatic," she said. Churches around the country have filed legal challenges opposing virus closures. In Minnesota, after Democratic Gov. Tim Walz this week declined to lift restrictions on churches, Roman Catholic and some Lutheran leaders said they would defy his ban and resume worship services. They called the restrictions unconstitutional and unfair. Some hailed the president's move, including Kelly Shackelford, president of the conservative First Liberty Institute. "The discrimination that has been occurring against churches and houses of worship has been shocking," he said. But Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance, said it was "completely irresponsible" for Trump to call for a mass reopening of houses of worship. "Faith is essential and community is necessary; however, neither requires endangering the people who seek to participate in them," he said. "The virus does not discriminate between types of gatherings, and neither should the president." Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, made clear that churches and other houses of worship will not resume in-person services in her state until at least next weekend and said she was skeptical Trump had the authority to impose such a requirement. "New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, said he would review the federal guidance, while maintaining a decision rests with him. "Obviously we'd love to get to the point where we can get those open, but we'll look at the guidance documents and try to make some decisions rather quickly, depending on what it might say," he said. "It's the governor's decision, of course." The CDC more than a month ago sent the Trump administration documents the agency had drafted outlining specific steps various kinds of organizations, including houses of worship, could follow as they worked to reopen safely. But the White House dragged its feet, concerned that the recommendations were too specific and could give the impression the administration was interfering in church operations. The guidance posted Friday contains most of the same advice as the draft guidance. It calls for the use of face coverings and recommends keeping worshippers 6 feet from one another and cutting down on singing, which can spread aerosolized drops that carry the virus. There are differences. The draft guidance discussed reopening in steps. A first phase would have limited gatherings to video streaming and drive-in services. Later phases allow in-person gatherings of limited size and only when social distancing precautions could be followed. The new guidance has no discussion of such phases. Another difference: The draft guidance said everyone who attends a service should wear a face covering, while the new guidance says masks should be used when social distancing cannot be maintained. By Express News Service BENGALURU: The Karnataka government on Friday said returnees from six states with high COVID-19 cases will be kept in institutional quarantine for seven days. The states are - Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. As per the standard operating procedure released by the government, all people to arrive via rain, air road are expected to quarantine. After they test negative for the disease in pool testing, they will be sent for home quarantine for another seven days, the government said. Returnees from other low prevalence states will be asked to follow 14 days of home quarantine, according to the standard operating procedure (SOP) for entry of persons from other states to Karnataka issued by the state health department late on Friday night. However home quarantine is allowed for pregnant ladies, people above 80 years, patients with comorbidities and children below 10 years of age, along with one attendant after they test negative. In special cases like businessmen coming for urgent work, the quarantine period will be waived if they furnish a report from an ICMR-approved laboratory showing they tested negative for COVID-19, it said. However, if they don't have reports, they will have to stay in institutional quarantine and can leave once their results test negative. In case their stay exceeds 5 days, they will be sent to the fever clinic and get a five-day extension if found asymptomatic. The report should not be more than two days old from the date of travel. All Karnataka returnees who entered from 4 May will be tested from 5-7 days from the time of their arrival. If found COVID-19 negative, they will be sent to home quarantine and will have to follow due precautions, the SOP stated. 1. Institution Quarantine of 7 days for high-risk states ( MH, GJ, TN, DL, RJ & MP) followed by 7 days of HQ. These returnees to be tested from 5th -7th Day. 2. Home Quarantine for all other states returnees. 3. Exceptions to IQ : A. 4 categories of Pregnant women, 80 yrs plus etc. along with one attendant. B. Health professionals C. Defense forces etc. (With PTI inputs) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has expressed his countrys readiness to establish a barter system with Kazakhstan in order to deepen bilateral trade relations. In a phone conversation on May 20, President Rouhani told his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev that it was important to develop rail and road transit and banking cooperation, as well as to finalize the agreement on facilitating the issuance of visas for citizens of the two countries, Caspian News writes in the article Iran Proposes To Establish Barter Trade System With Kazakhstan. A barter system can deepen trade relations between the two countries, and Iran is ready to establish this mechanism, Rouhani said, according to the official website of the Iranian president. Irans top official also said that the bilateral economic relations between the two nations, as well as relations within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) have been at a high level despite the crisis caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The trade agreement between Iran and the EAEU officially came into force in October 2019. Last August, Irans Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei attended a meeting with a senior EAEU official to finalize an agreement on the formation of a free trade zone between Iran and the regional union. Iran and the EAEU have traded a total of 5.1 million tons of goods worth $1.78 billion starting from October 27, 2019. A preferential trade agreement between the two sides came into effect on April 24, 2020. Meanwhile, President Tokayev proposed on Wednesday to work out practical measures at the government level to boost bilateral economic ties. The presidents also expressed satisfaction over cooperation in railway and road fields, noting the importance of more effective use of the potential of the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway. They also underlined their readiness to increase trade using multimodal transport corridors across the Caspian Sea. On Wednesday, the Kazakhstani parliament approved the bill on ratification of the agreement between Kazakhstan and Iran on mutual legal assistance in civil matters. The purpose of the agreement is to strengthen bilateral cooperation on legal issues between the two countries, and to provide legal assistance in civil matters, creating an effective bilateral mechanism for protecting the rights and interests of individuals and legal entities of both states. In 2018, the Iranian and Kazakh presidents weighed plans for trade exchanges between the two countries using their national currencies. In January-October 2019, trade between Kazakhstan and Iran amounted to $302.3 million. Compared to the same period in 2018, this figure decreased by 28.3 percent, from $421.8 million in January-October 2018. The volume of mutual trade amounted to over $516 million in 2018. Iran mainly imports grain, oil products and metals from Kazakhstan, while the Central Asian state has special interest in Iranian investments in mechanical engineering, infrastructure, transport, telecommunications. Iran has been partnering Kazakhstan within several oil and gas projects, including the construction of a pipeline connecting Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran (Persian Gulf) which will give Nur-Sultan access to the Asian markets. In October 2019, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Turkey signed a cooperation document on a railroad corridor that would connect China to Turkey and Europe. The transit of goods through the five participants in the project will be subject to the same and completely competitive tariff rates. The coronavirus has been an unimaginable business boom and daunting manufacturing challenge for Clorox. The cleaning supplies maker, founded in Oakland in 1913, saw record shipments of disinfecting wipes, sprays and bathroom cleaners in the first three months of 2020. Net cleaning product sales spiked 32% to $671 million in that period compared with 2019. As U.S. shutdown orders began in March, demand surged 500% for some products, which have been consistently sold out at stores. The companys 19 U.S. plants, including one in Fairfield, are running nonstop. People today are manufacturing more products than weve ever had, and our production speed is faster than it ever was, said Benno Dorer, CEO of the 8,800-person company, who said there have been no workplace accidents during that time. The company continues prioritizing employee safety during unprecedented demand. Before shelter-in-place orders in March, workers at the companys Oakland headquarters on Broadway and other offices switched to working from home, though the company is an essential business that can stay open. Office workers will stay home until at least July 4. People continue to work inside its Fairfield plant and a research lab in Pleasanton. Clorox has implemented temperature scanning, cleaning, staggered meals and breaks, social distancing, and masks, practices that are spread throughout corporate America. Eric Myer Fewer than 20 Clorox employees have been infected by the coronavirus, and no cases were serious enough to require hospitalization, he said. Clorox boosted production by 40% and made 40 million more disinfecting units in the first three months of 2020 than 2019. Clorox added 250 employees and contractor jobs during the pandemic. The company is adding one outside manufacturing partner per month to help with production. But it still isnt enough. Clorox expects products to be in low supply until the summer. Theyre at max capacity. The sales are off the charts, said Kaumil Gajrawala, a senior analyst at Credit Suisse. Cloroxs rival Reckitt Benckiser, maker of Lysol, and Procter & Gamble are also seeing sales spike. Gajrawala expects that Clorox production wont meet demand for six months. He expects sales to be elevated for the next three to five years, and potentially longer. Part of the shortage is because the company is prioritizing deliveries to its hospital and health care customers, who are on the front lines battling the virus. That can lead to, at times, difficult discussions with our retail customers. But is it the right thing to do, to take care of caregivers in hospitals and positively impact their lives first? It absolutely is, Dorer said. Dorer, who has worked at Clorox since 2005, grew up in Germany and has lived in four countries. He said that worldliness helped prepare him for coronavirus. Im very comfortable throwing myself in new situations. So if you think about it, when you enter a new country, often you dont speak the language. You dont know anybody. You dont know anything about the local culture, he said. I quite thrive in situations for which there is no data or precedent and where theres ambiguity and uncertainty. Dorer credits Clorox managements diversity of backgrounds and thinking as a way to help navigate the coronavirus challenge. Household consumers account for more than 90% of sales, but as America reopens, Clorox is deepening relationships with other companies, expanding its business lines. Clorox United Airlines said last week it is working with Clorox to provide cleaning of airport facilities and offering Clorox products for fliers. Uber is also working with Clorox to provide cleaning supplies in cars in North American cities that are reopening. Clorox declined to disclose revenue from the partnerships. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Gajrawala of Credit Suisse said Clorox could expand further by partnering with theaters, bars and restaurants with cleaning help. He also said the company could expand its business internationally, such as in Europe. Currently more than 80% of sales are in the U.S. The virus has helped Clorox rebound from declining sales last year that it attributed in part to weaker performance in Glad trash bags and Kingsford charcoal. But with more people staying at home, those products, along with Brita water filters and Hidden Valley ranch salad dressing, are also seeing increased sales. Clorox faced an abrupt public relations challenge in April, when President Trump wondered at a news conference, without basis, whether using disinfectant by injection inside or almost a cleaning could knock (coronavirus) out in a minute. Clorox, along with Lysol, immediately told consumers never to consume their products. Dorer said the company has been ramping up its outreach and consumer education, including working with Facebook to take down misinformation and increasing its ad spending by $50 million in the second half of the year. We have changed the way we advertise. We have changed the way we go about engaging with consumers online, he said. And we really spend a lot of time and effort and money on the proper use of our disinfecting products. In addition, the company has committed $14 million to coronavirus relief, including $400,000 in Oakland. Dorer said the coronavirus has created a new world, but he hopes there will be a new emphasis on health and well-being. The business will never be the same after this, he said. Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf Guatemala has introduced an around-the-clock curfew until Monday as the number of those diagnosed with the coronavirus continues to increase in the country, local media reported SAN SALVADOR (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd May, 2020) Guatemala has introduced an around-the-clock curfew until Monday as the number of those diagnosed with the coronavirus continues to increase in the country, local media reported. Latin America has become the new hotbed of the coronavirus pandemic with Brazil being the worst-hit country in the region. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the daily number of COVID-19 cases in Latin American countries has surpassed that in the United States and Europe. For example, on Wednesday, the WHO confirmed 106,000 new cases of the disease globally the highest daily increase since the outbreak with most cases being recorded in Latin American states. According to the Prensa Libre newspaper, the curfew in Guatemala was implemented on Friday afternoon in a bid to curb the spread of the virus, as there has been a surge in the daily number of infections since last week with 231 cases being registered over the past 24 hours. Such a spike in the daily increase, according to the country's authorities, is triggered by the mass arrival of migrants deported from the United States, which has the largest global number of infections so far, since the outbreak. So far, the health authorities have confirmed a total of 2,743 cases of the coronavirus, including 51 fatalities. More than a hundred of the cases were detected in migrants from the US. Afghanistan recorded the highest daily increase in the number of novel coronavirus cases on May 23 as the country plans to ease restrictions in the coming days. With 782 new cases in the past 24 hours, the total number of infected people hit almost 10,000, according to the official figures. In addition, 216 people have died nationwide and over 1,000 recovered. Nearly 30,000 people have been tested since the country with a population of around 37 million reported its first case in February. More than 50 percent of samples have tested positive in the past couple of days amid an existing lockdown. With a fragile health-care system and limited testing capacity, the real number of affected people is feared to be much higher. Officials said the Afghan capital, with the highest rate of confirmed cases, will be under strict lockdown during this weekend's Muslim Eid holiday. Currently, the majority of people have broken the official lockdown regulations in the country, many thinking the virus is not that serious. Few people are following the health guidelines. Authorities warn of a "tragedy" if people refuse to stay at home during the Eid holiday and traditionally go to the houses of their relatives. The sick nurse at the centre of the lockdown of an aged care facility in Central Queensland is demanding an apology from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. State-owned North Rockhampton nursing home in central Queensland was placed into lockdown after the female staff member tested positive for the virus earlier this month. The nurse was subsequently suspended. It is not acceptable for anyone who is sick in this particular pandemic we are dealing with to go to work if they are sick, Ms Palaszczuk said. Honestly, a nurse should know better. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks during Parliament Question Time. Source: AAP (file pic) The nurses suspension followed a coronavirus cluster which broke out at Newmarch House in Sydney after a nurse working there showed up for work feeling sick. Seventy-one cases of coronavirus have been linked to the facility and 19 deaths. But Nurses' Professional Association of Queensland president Phill Tsingos, who said hes been in touch with the unnamed nurse, wants the premier to apologise and claims the woman has been unjustly treated and vilified on social media. The nurse is in a fragile mental state, Mr Tsingos told Yahoo News Australia. She cant defend her own name and shes stuck in self-isolation. Shes isolated and alone. Mr Tsingos wants the premier to apologise to the nurse publicly. Yes, it was unwise of her to go back to work before getting the test results back but that doesnt mean she deserves to be publicly humiliated, he said. An investigation was set to be launched into the matter, which posed a serious threat to the facilitys 115 residents and 180 workers, who subsequently all had to undergo coronavirus testing. The health department have also referred her to the Crime and Corruption Commission over an alleged breach of the Chief Health Officer's directions. "Our focus remains on controlling COVID-19 and reducing its spread and protecting North Rockhampton Nursing Centre residents and staff, and the community, from infection," a department spokesperson said. "The most important thing is that every single Queenslander knows that if they have symptoms they should get tested immediately and stay at home until the tests are returned." Story continues The department is finalising the terms and references for an external investigation. Initial tests for all residents and staff were negative. A nurse at the North Rockhampton Nursing Centre was suspended after working while sick. Source: AAP (file pic) A second round of tests has also been done, with results so far returning negative. More results are due on Saturday. A rapid response unit of 26 nurses was sent to Rockhampton to care for affected staff and residents who are now in isolation and face ongoing testing. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. Donald Trump was back in Michigan on Thursday, and he was sure to repeat a baseless boast that has confounded fact-checkers for years when he claimed he is a former "man of the year" there. The president has made the claim a handful of times since taking office, an apparent attempt to over-inflate his popularity in a state he won narrowly in 2016 over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. This time, however, late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel roasted Mr Trump over the claim. He brought up the apparently erroneous tale twice while touring a Ford Motor Company plant that is producing ventilators and other anti-coronavirus equipment. The first came in response to a reporter's question about whether he is concerned he sent the wrong message to Michigan residents when he threatened to block federal aid dollars over a mail-in voting flap at a time when experts say the state is dealing with a 500-year flood. "No, I'm not. I'm no. I'm not concerned at all. We're going to help Michigan. Michigan is a great state. I've gotten tremendous business to go to Michigan. Michigan is one of the reasons I ran. I was honoured in Michigan long before I thought about - I was honored as the man of the year in Michigan at a big event." "I remember so well," he said before describing a speech he gave that alleged night questioning why so many automobile sector jobs had migrated to Mexico. "And I posed many questions to Michigan that night, and I think it think made quite an impression." Moments later, as he ascended a podium on the factory floor for a speech that was more campaign rally than coronavirus response update, Mr Trump went back to what's become one of his go-to stories when on Michigan soil. "It was probably 10 years ago. The man of the year. They named me man of the year in Michigan," he said onstage. "And I said, 'What's going on in Michigan?' And we've stopped it. And thanks to a lot of great companies like Ford, a lot of things are happening here." It was not immediately clear to what Mr Trump was referring when he allegedly asked the unnamed person(s) what was happening in the key 2020 battleground state. He might have been referring to the coronavirus outbreak, which hit metropolitan areas like Detroit hard, or perhaps it was after he learned the state government was sending mail-in ballot applications to 7.7m registered voters. (Democrats generally do better among remote voters.) Mr Trump's boast appears to refer to a 2013 dinner organised by now-former GOP Congressman Dave Trott, who reached out to CNN to, in his words, "correct" the president. Mr Trott described a Lincoln Day dinner for Oakland County Republicans, to which he invited Mr Trump to give a speech. At the event, he presented the then-businessman with a framed copy of the 16th president's Gettysburg Address and other gifts. But there was no man of the year dinner or certificate, Mr Trott told CNN. Enter Mr Kimmel, who declared this on his late-night ABC show on Thursday night: "It would appear, and you're not going to believe this, he made it up." "But that doesn't mean he won't say he was every chance that he gets," Mr Kimmel added before playing clips of each time the president has made the claim. Check out the full Kimmel Show bit: Covid-19 has been identified as a major issue in meat plants across the country with 865 cases confirmed in those settings in recent weeks, over 300 over which have been confirmed in the last week. Approximately 200 of that total number of cases occurred in Rosderra Meats factories in Roscrea and Edenderry. Almost 70 cases were diagnosed after widespread testing of staff in Edenderry just last week. The issue has come before the Dail on a number of occasions in recent weeks and has been a particular bone of contention for Sinn Fein's Brian Stanley who has this week taken aim at Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and Minister for Business, Heather Humphreys. "What we have here is a mess," he declared to both ministers in the Dail on Thursday evening prior to a robust exchange. "This is a very worrying situation for the workers' health and their jobs," he added. "I've been raising this with you since Easter week and you've continuously told me that your officials in these plants are sure that all precautions are being taken. Whoever is telling you that is telling you a load of bull," the Laois-Offaly deputy exclaimed to Minister Creed. "None of that tallies with the situation in many meat processing plants and whatever about wearing masks, some must be wearing blindfolds because it doesn't tally with what workers are telling me for the last seven weeks. "Some factories have taken the correct action and I applaud them for that; others have not and that is the reality." Deputy Stanley went on to explain that the first case in Rosderra in Roscrea was in a man who became "critically ill" and "almost lost his life" with Covid-19. He blasted the fact that this case arose on March 20 and "no testing was done at that time on close contacts of that worker." "I have spoken to the families of other workers that got infected by that cluster. Testing of all workers was not done until April 24/25, a whole five weeks later. And after the tests were done, workers were sent back onto the production line without having the outcome of the test, in some cases, until the following Wednesday. Some of them turned out to be infected and they, in turn, infected more workers." Referring to a similar situation in Rosderra in Edenderry, Deputy Stanley said: "The first case there was early April and even when this cluster became 10 cases, all workers were not tested. When they were tested last week, they were sent back in on the production line without having the all-clear, never mind a deep clean or anything else. This is crazy stuff." The Sinn Fein TD said families and workers are "very concerned" and added that "workers are not being consulted" about safety procedures and practices. Deputy Stanley claimed some workers were being told they can "do it or go home." He said they had to battle to get basic PPE and social distancing put in place. Deputy Stanley also pointed to an issue in the Kildare chilling plant where he said he has confirmed that no temperature testing was taking place there and that a department [Department of Agriculture] official was even out sick with Covid-19 from that facility. He said no HSE-led inspections were carried out at meat plants until this week. He also claimed that management in some factories "seem to know exactly when inspections are going to take place and that issue needs to be cleared up." Deputy Stanley asked if it would be made mandatory for all workers at meat plants to have their temperature checked daily. He also asked for the number of inspections carried out for Covid-19 in meat factories. He asked that the Department officials engage with ordinary workers and not just company management. In response, Minister Heather Humphreys said: "In terms of the Health and Safety Authority, I don't have the exact number of inspections in meat plants. That information is confidential to them. They don't share that information with me but I can say since last Monday, they have had 240 inspections in an overall mix of businesses, and included in those 240 inspections were meat plants." At this point, Deputy Stanley interjected: "Why can't the HSA share those with you; you're the minister. Have you asked them?" he quipped. Again Minister Humphreys insisted the information on the number of tests carried out at meat plants was confidential. Deputy Stanley said, "it's not confidential. We should know how many inspections in meat plants are carried out." He again rose to his feet in the chamber and said: "You mean to tell me we're here today seven weeks on and we don't know how many inspections in meat plants have been carried out. That's disgraceful." Minister Humphreys refuted that claim and explained that "the HSA work with employers and employees and that information is dealt with on a confidential basis and I don't have access to it nor you don't have access to it but the matters are resolved." Deputy Stanley said the Minister should know how many tests are carried out. She replied: "I don't need to know but what I can tell you is in the period from March 1, 2020, to Friday, May 15, 2020, the HSA work contact unit received 3,188 requests for information and 547 complaints. 53% of complaints were related to Covid-19 and 240 inspections [in a mix of workplaces] were carried out since last Monday." Minister Creed also bit back at Stanley and said: "Deputy Stanley has categorised all of this as a mess but it is easy to be a hurler on the ditch commenting on everybody else's best endeavours." "With every individual who contracts the virus and every industry grappling with the consequences, there is a challenge. Everybody is doing their best, including those workers deemed to be essential by this House when it approved the regulations. It should be acknowledged that these people have done fantastic work in keeping food supply chains going," the Minister added. "My Department has had ongoing engagement with meat plants and there were 11 engagements since early March, with four involving me, and the rest involving Department officials. Since the end of February, there has been ongoing engagement with representative bodies and executives. It has always been about ensuring that in keeping the food supply chain going, the welfare of the employees is put front and centre. "If somebody is involved in running a business and wants to keep it functioning, it is clearly in that person's interest to keep those employees safe. To argue there is some kind of conspiracy with employers to damn their workers with Covid-19 would surely be counter-intuitive." The agriculture minister had earlier told the Dail that since the start of this pandemic, "the protection of public health has been the Government's overriding priority." "The Government categorised farming and food production as essential services under the Covid-19 regulations. Irish food supply chains have continued to operate effectively to ensure the security of supply of safe healthy Irish food for consumers at home and abroad," he said. "In respect of Covid-19 and meat plants, as in all other aspects of the pandemic, we must all listen to the public health experts and adhere strictly to their recommendations. We are all part of the whole-of-government response to Covid-19 and in this instance are focused on ensuring the health and safety of all workers, including staff from my Department in meat plants. Since the start of the pandemic, my Department officials and I have had regular meetings with meat industry representatives. "At all times we have emphasised that their priority must be safeguarding human health and following HSE guidelines at all levels of operation. Meat industry representatives have outlined to my Department the type of measures put in place in plants, including, for example, the extension of operating hours, reduced throughput rates at individual plants, the provision of additional PPE, the installation of Perspex screens, temperature checks on entry and the provision of additional facilities to support physical distancing measures. Because meat plants remained open as an essential part of the food chain, these measures were put in place in an evolving situation with new information and advice emerging on an ongoing basis." Speaking to the Offaly Express on Friday, Deputy Brian Stanley took major issue with the ministers' response to the outbreak in meat plants. Asked for his reaction to Minister Heather Humphreys saying she didn't need to know the number of inspections carried out at meat plants, Brian said: "It's outrageous. It's a complete failure and dereliction of duty. We're in the middle of a major pandemic here, we have a serious crisis in our meat industry and my reason for raising this more than six weeks ago was to protect workers' health, number one, protect jobs and to protect this industry which is important for food supply and employment." "If a Minister thinks 878 cases of an outbreak isn't a major issue, or Minister Creed, they're completely missing the point here. This is a serious threat to the industry; it's a serious threat to the workers' health. The fact that they [Ministers Humphreys and Creed] didn't know how many HSE or HSA inspections had been carried out in meat plants is absolutely incredible." "Then she [Minister Humphreys] tries to make out that it's confidential. Of course it's not confidential. In fact, the Ministers should make it their business to go down and see what's going on in some of these plants. It's important that they know how many inspections are done. It's important that they know how many of those are unannounced inspections," Deputy Stanley remarked. Deputy Stanley had been informed earlier this week by way of a Parliamentary Question that there had been a mix of announced and unannounced inspections carried out. "The workers tell me that there's no mix; they're all announced," Brian commented. It is their view that management knows about inspections because they always seem to happen when there is a lower number of people on the factory floor." Deputy Stanley also told us he is aware of a case of a man from South Offaly who worked in the Rosderra plant in Roscrea who became seriously ill with coronavirus having been diagnosed in March. "This man is walking on a Zimmer frame and is still in hospital. This guy was a physical worker, a hardy fella, and was hit hard by this virus." He said another young factory worker in his early 20s from the Moneygall area was also taken very ill with Covid-19. "He was on the broad of his back almost suffocating in the bed for three weeks. The weight just fell off him, he lost two stone. During the time he was locked in his room, he was contacted by work to see if he could go back because so many were out sick," Deputy Stanley claimed. He said he will continue "chipping away" at this and calling for more action from ministers and officials to ensure a safe response to the outbreak in meat plants. He wants transparency on inspections, split shifts to reduce staff levels appropriately, proper PPE and leave for workers awaiting test results. He is also calling for close contacts of confirmed cases in meat plants to be tested. Victoria, Owner and lead technician of Brow Beauty by Victoria Microblading in Rockwall, Texas. Victoria would like to let everyone know that she is here to serve all microblading and tattoo removal needs! Formerly operating out of Forney, Texas on the east end of Dallas, many clients from the Rockwall area have patronized Brow Beauty by Victoria. However, now located right off the Harbor, Victoria is in a much more convenient and beautiful location. Victoria is fully licensed through The State of Texas and certified in microblading and tattoo removal. So while there are many horror stories regarding microblading, clients will be in good hands with her - rest assured she will be using the most up-to-date techniques and procedures. Due to the current circumstances, Victoria is taking the appropriate measures to ensure each clients safety and well-being. Brow Beauty by Victoria uses medical grade disinfecting solutions and disposable plastic barriers on all equipment. Victoria will use a mask and gloves during the entire procedure while utilizing equipment that has been sanitized with autoclave. Only one client will be permitted at a time and the room will be completely sanitized after each and every client. All clients will receive complementary valet parking should they choose to take advantage of this option - it is completely optional, as self-parking is also available. Victoria is excited about moving to her new location and hopes to see clients soon! Please let Victoria know if you have any questions, she is available by call, text, or email. website: http://www.browbeautybyvictoria.com Address: 2109 Summer Lee Dr #103, RM 304, Rockwall, TX 75032 Call or text: (214) 984-9820 Ready to book? Book here: https://www.styleseat.com/m/p/1557239/booking/service/5887385/schedule Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom have issued a joint statement criticising the Chinese government's move to impose restrictive national security laws on Hong Kong in response to long-running pro-democracy protests in the territory. The three Commonwealth countries warned the Chinese Communist Party's planned laws forbidding treason, secession, sedition, and subversion against the Central People's Government in Beijing would "clearly undermine" Hong Kong's autonomy and its citizens' civil liberties. Hong Kong police face off against protesters in a shopping centre in April this year. Credit:Getty Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced the planned "enforcement mechanisms" in a speech to the country's ceremonial legislature this week, saying China would respect the "one country, two systems" principle that gives Hong Kongers significant control over their own affairs. But in a statement on Saturday Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Canadian Minister for Foreign Affairs Francois-Philippe Champagne said they were deeply concerned China had decided to legislate overrule the territory's legislature. Teachers in Zimbabwe have opposed a phased reopening of schools saying safety measures were not yet in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the state-owned Herald newspaper reports. The teachers' union Chairperson, Sifiso Ndlovu, was quoted in the paper as saying that if the government proceeded with the plan, teachers would go on strike. Zimbabwe's education ministry recently announced plans to reopen schools starting with final year students to allow them to sit for national examinations starting on 29 June. "Learners are not in the right psychological space to write examinations," the Herald quoted Mr Ndlovu as saying. He urged the government to consider cancelling the exams as the private Cambridge international examinations body had done. Several African countries are planning to reopen schools in June including Tanzania and South Africa. 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 (Photo : REUTERS/Satish Kumar/) People shop at The Dubai Mall, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates March 12, 2020. Picture taken March 12, 2020. (Photo : REUTERS/Abdel Hadi Ramahi) People walk outside Dubai mall after the UAE government eased a curfew and allowed stores to open, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates May 3, 2020. As the majority of the world's population is currently restricted from going out, many people are forced to shop online as stores are shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Dubai government is expecting the trend to continue, so it plans to have a new free trade zone for e-commerce. Dubbed as the "Dubai Commercity," this will be the online retailers' main office, which was driven by the health crisis. The project will cost about 3.2 billion AED ($870 million) and will be developed next to Dubai International Airport. The Commercity is the first of its kind in the region. The site is a joint venture between the Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA) and property firm Wasl, which are both state-owned. DAFZA Director-General Mohammed al Zarooni said building a world-class e-commerce facility is highly needed at this time. "Having previously identified the region's growing e-commerce market and given the traction witnessed by clients (going) online due to the pandemic, we are on track for the scheduled opening by the end of 2020," said al Zarooni. Dubai's online shopping haven The new online shopping center will lie on 2.1 million square feet, which is about the size of New York's Grand Central Station. It will be divided into business, logistics, and social clusters with the business area to have 12 office buildings with modern facilities and sustainable design for various companies. Currently, developers have already made agreements with unnamed companies, including popular clothing, jewelry, and electronics retailers. Although tenants do not need to pay income or corporation tax, they will still get complete support, including administration, immigration, banking, and healthcare services. Tenants can also use the logistics cluster, which consists of the AI-powered warehouses and restaurants and cafes in the social cluster. The first set of buildings will be opened in November, although staged openings are likely to happen until the project's completion in 2023. "Commercity" developers are confident that e-commerce investment will continue as the market could greatly develop. A report from industry and market analysis company BMI research shows that e-commerce in the Middle East is projected to reach $48.6 billion in 2022, which is $26.9 billion higher than the 2018 earnings, particularly with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Also, DAFZA's research shows that e-commerce in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia has an annual growth rate of 24.6% until this year. Meanwhile, Mehrnoush Shafiei, an analyst at research group Euromonitor, said these predictions are largely justified, although the industry is growing from a low base. The analyst said a major beauty retailer in the UAE with a great online shopping portal only receives 1% of its sales from its online portal while the rest comes from stores. "The technology is there, the state support is there, and the people are ready for it," said Shafiei adding that the country is already "primed for digitization." Shafiei said he expects a steep rise in the industry's growth, provided that "Commercity can help facilitate transactions to increase speed and efficiency." Read also: New Study Reveals COVID-19 Can Block Human Genes; Germ-Zapping Robot Used by Hollywood Can Kill 99.9% of Coronavirus 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Rebecca Gavilanez-Alectus was a 32-year-old woman living in Brick Township, New Jersey. She lived in an apartment complex called Millbrook Manor and was married to 48-year-old Mayra Gavilanez-Alectus. Going by what Rebecca and Mayra posted on their Facebook pages, it seems the two had a playful and happy marriage. On Mothers Day, Mayra posted a tribute to Rebecca, saying, Mi Amor gracias for all the uncountable ways you make this little crazy family (Nicole, Leo, Marcus, Makayla h, Bou, Ashy) and my entire life better with every moment. (You know whats up) I truly blessed that you are my wife. Authorities are now saying that Mayra murdered Rebecca, before going on the run. Facebook; Rebecca and Mayra smile together in the photo above Sign up for CHIP CHICKs True Crime Tribe NOW and dont get left out in the dark. Historians say pandemics can be inflection points for major global change. Arab historian Ibn Khaldun lived through the 14th century bubonic plague, or black death. In his preface to the study of world history, he reasoned they are not random acts of God. The plague he survived ended the Middle Ages, clearing the path for the Renaissance. Will Covid-19 similarly impact the contemporary world? Over the past decade, liberal democracies have been mutating with the rise of populist-nationalist leaders. Externally, inter-state ties were evolving from the certitudes of a unipolar world towards a Sino-American bipolar or a nascent multipolar paradigm. In several significant democracies, leaders emerged by successfully tapping the angst of workers and the middle class over globalisation. After the Arab Spring churn in West Asia, refugees pushed into Europe, exacerbating public paranoia. This boosted extreme right-wing parties like neo-Nazis. But above all, in 2016 Donald Trump was elected US President, followed in 2019 by the ascension of Boris Johnson as British Prime Minister, riding a Brexit wave, and Jair Bolsonaro as Brazils President. Earlier, Narendra Modi swept into power on a Hindutva-nationalism plank in 2014, repeating it in 2019. East Asian nations like South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan and Singapore have handled the pandemic well. Australia and particularly New Zealand did likewise. Their past experience of handling the SARS epidemic and existing protocols, and an experienced population that quickly adapted, helped. South Korean President Moon Jae-in swept the elections, held by observing distancing restrictions, endorsing his successful pandemic control. New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has soaring approval ratings. Singapore showed early success, but a second wave in cramped migrant worker compounds was a setback. In Europe, low-key Chancellor Angela Merkel kept infections and mortality low, unlike Italy and Spain. Sweden experimented with a non-lockdown but safety-based approach that saw a high but relatively manageable number of cases and deaths. The performance of populist-nationalists in India, Brazil, Britain and the US ranged from passable to disastrous. In first three, the leaders have already won elections, but US President Donald Trump faces re-election in November. Brazils Jair Bolsonaro displayed scorn for the virus, even moving amid crowds without precautions. Brazil ranks third globally for infections and fatalities. Britains Boris Johnson, equally nonchalant, got infected and had to be admitted to an ICU for a few days. Britain is fifth, having delayed safety measures, in particular ignoring old peoples homes, causing high fatalities. US President Trump was another virus sceptic. Out of five million-plus global cases, the US now has nearly a third. For this the Trump presidency hangs in balance in the November polls. Realising an economic recovery is unlikely, nor is the infection curve expected to drop uniformly across the US, he has a twin strategy. One, to reopen the US economy, despite some experts fearing it will be premature, and two, by scapegoating China and the World Health Organisation. The New York Times estimates that by May 3, instead of the actual 65,307 deaths, the number would have been 29,410 or 11,253 had social distancing started on March 8 or March 1 respectively. On May 18, President Trump wrote to Dr Tedros A. Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation, giving a 30-day notice that unless they commit to major substantive changes he will make permanent the suspension of Americas contribution. The US alleges China and WHO delayed declaration of a pandemic when by early January both knew that Covid-19 was highly communicable and lethal. In fact, on February 3, the WHO chief was criticising the US for imposing a China travel ban. Prime Minister Narendra Modi didnt mock Covid-19, but he also ignored early action. The WHO declared a pandemic on March 11. On March 10, Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned from the Congress, joining the BJP the next day. Over the next 10 days the BJP was preoccupied overthrowing Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, who resigned on March 20. The lockdown began March 25, but it could have started 10 days earlier, with a short window for workers desiring to return home. At that stage, they were mostly Covid-19 free. The subsequent saga of their internment, movement on foot or bicycle blots the governments handling of less privileged citizens. Moreover, their late return to distant states may spread the epidemic to rural, semi-urban areas with poor healthcare facilities. The domestic political consequences for poorly performing leaders aside, the pandemic is exacerbating existing international schisms. The unipolar order and US hegemony faced a challenge from China, now with Russian support, since the 2008 financial crisis. This accentuated after President Xi Jinping assumed office in 2012. The US tried a contain and engage policy, conscious of mutual dependence of the worlds two largest economies. President Trump sharpened the trade standoff by weaponising sanctions through higher tariffs, besides loudly protesting intellectual property theft. The pandemic led to open hostility as the US seeks a transparent inquiry and responsibility-fixing. Even the European powers are no longer seeing China as a benign partner. At recent World Health Assembly, a compromise resolution was mediated by the Europeans for an inquiry without naming China. Meanwhile, de-coupling gains currency as many nations like Japan want to reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains for critical goods production. China, having controlled Covid-19, is kickstarting its industrial behemoth while developed nations are going through stages of calibrated reopening. But until a vaccine arrives, maybe by early next year, and covers 60 per cent of the worlds population to create herd immunity, economic and trade ties may be partially reconfigured. There lies an opportunity for India. The suspension of labour laws and overnight privatisation may or may not lure investments but would destabilise healthy capital-labour relations. India faces an extra-assertive China this summer, and now an edgy Nepal with new territorial claims. As Afghanistan is nudged by the US to accommodate the Taliban, with India also so advised, and US troops scaled back, a perfect storm is brewing. Internal economic and health crises is combining with South Asias increased instability. Low oil prices are slowing down GCC economies and thus will bring multitudes of Indian workers homewards. States like Kerala, having handled the pandemic well, may be hobbled by their burden, besides diminished remittances. The year 2020 will test all democracies and their leaders. If President Trump loses in November, it may have a domino effect on other nationalist-populists who mishandle the pandemic. Some may consolidate power by undemocratic means. Whether this is constructive destruction or random chaos, only the coming months will tell. China takes decisive moves amid risks Global Times By Wang Cong and Xie Wenting Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/22 23:26:39 Govt work report highlights challenges, offers blueprint to secure virus-hit economy China on Friday offered the most comprehensive and pragmatic assessment of the extraordinary circumstances for the country's social and economic development created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and made rare, decisive adjustments in a wide range of areas - from its overarching development goals to specific government spending - to minimize losses and secure social and economic stability amid lingering risks. This year's Government Work Report, one of the closely-watched documents in China that sets the agenda for social and economic policies for the year, was distinct in form and substance, befitting a particularly trying time for the country not seen in over four decades of rapid ascendance. Among the most significant changes is a decision to end a tradition that has lasted over a quarter of a century to set a specific growth target, underscoring the particularly profound uncertainty ahead for the economy. But in spite of those sobering realties, China remained unwavering in reaching its long-standing broader development goals of eradicating absolute poverty, and the report offered a robust blueprint for a steady recovery in the world's most populous country and second-largest economy with dozens of targeted policy measures centered on pressing issues such as jobs and living conditions. If properly executed, the plan will be sufficient to bring the country back on the right track ahead of other major economies, analysts said on Friday. Extraordinary times The extraordinary circumstances for the country were palpable when Premier Li Keqiang delivered the report at the opening of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, on Friday morning after over two months of delay due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Before the session, a minute of silence was observed for the victims of the coronavirus and those who sacrificed in the fight against the pandemic. Television images showed roughly 5,000 lawmakers and political advisers, wearing surgical masks, lowering their heads, which captured a historic moment for millions of Chinese citizens across the country and offered a vivid reminder of how the COVID-19 has upended daily lives and social and economic developments in the country. "The epidemic has not yet come to an end, while the tasks we face in promoting development are immense," Li said at the start of his speech, before offering a more detailed evaluation of the challenges and progress made over the past several months in epidemic control and economic relief. He declared a "decisive victory" in the battle against the virus, but acknowledged the "great price" China has paid, which he stressed as "a price worth paying." Though the COVID-19 epidemic has been effectively contained following decisive nationwide measures, the virus took more than 4,600 lives in the country. The price of saving thousands or even millions of Chinese lives was, among others, a record 6.8 percent contraction in GDP in the first quarter of 2020. Minimizing those losses and dealing with lingering challenges and risks to secure social and economic stability for the rest of the year became the top priority for policymakers, as underscored by the Government Work Report. For the first time since 1995, China scrapped a specific numerical target for GDP growth. While the decision was based on the fact that China still faces some factors "that are difficult to predict," it also gives priority to ensuring stability on jobs, basic living needs, business operations, food security and others areas, the report said. "We did not set a specific target, but that does not mean economic growth is not important or we will allow the economy to fall freely," Liu Rihong, an official at the State Council who participated in drafting the report, told reporters on Friday, noting that the pace of economic growth will provide support to job security and livelihood. Some analysts also pointed out that while China scrapped a specific GDP growth target, it stuck to even broader goals of eradicating absolute poverty and doubling GDP based on the 2010 level, an indication of confidence among top officials in the overall fundamentals of the Chinese economy and the strength of the Chinese system. "If you read closely into the goals outlined in the report, they are much broader," Guan Tao, a former official with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, told the Global Times on Friday, adding that the goal to double the GDP would be very challenging under the present circumstances. Commenting on the feasibility of the GDP growth target, He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, the top economic planner, said that even a one-percent GDP growth in 2020 would mean 1.9 times the 2010 GDP, while a three-percent growth mean 1.95 times and a five-percent growth mean 1.99 times - "all very close to the expected target." Beyond the broader goals, the report also listed a wide range of specific targets for issues essential to social and economic stability, including jobs and consumer prices. It said China will aim to create nine million new urban jobs, keep the surveyed urban unemployment rate at around six percent and cap the consumer price index at around 3.5 percent. "The Government Work Report highlighted China's people-centered philosophy of development, and issues related to the people's livelihood will be this year's top priority," Zhu Lijia, a professor of public management at the Chinese Academy of Governance, told the Global Times. Zhu noted that the report was concise, "but the content is comprehensive and touches on every important issue that society cares about and provides new solutions." The report, with roughly 10,000 Chinese characters, is only half of last year's and is the shortest since the reform and opening-up policies over four decades ago. Another indication of the focus on jobs is that the word "employment" was mentioned 39 times in the report, slightly more than the word "economy," which was mentioned 37 times. Targeted measures Beyond the GDP growth target, markets around the world were also watching for relief measures from Chinese policymakers, with some explicitly counting on a massive stimulus from China to offer support to the global economy as it did during the global financial crisis in 2008-09. "What we saw in the report this morning is vastly different from the one in 2009. Unlike the master plan to invest trillions of yuan in infrastructure during the global financial crisis, the intensity of stimulus this year is relatively moderate. But the key is that this year, there are more specific measures aimed at addressing different issues," Guan said. The report contained more than 20 specific measures for various issues. Among the major policy moves is a decision to raise the deficit-to-GDP ratio above 3.6 percent, with a deficit increase of one trillion yuan from last year. China will issue one trillion yuan in government bonds for COVID-19 control. Some stimulus measures fell short of some expectations that more massive stimulus could be put forward. However, what also exceeded expectations was the level of detail the report went into to direct those specific policies, Guan said. For instance, the report stated that the two trillion yuan will be transferred to local governments and a mechanism will be set up to ensure that funds will reach county governments to directly benefit businesses and people. It added that the funds can only be used to ensure employment, improve basic living needs and protect businesses through tax and fee cuts. Additionally, the report said that other tax breaks and measures could save businesses over 2.5 trillion yuan this year. In another indicator of the extraordinary steps Chinese policymakers took to save the economy, the report called for a significant cut in government spending, including a 50 percent cut to outlays on non-essential items. "The deepest feeling is a boost to the confidence of entrepreneurs," Zhang Jindong, an NPC deputy and chairman of the Chinese appliance retailer Suning, told the Global Times after listening to the report, pointing to the policy measures to support businesses and boost domestic demand. "Although the pressure is unprecedented we are confident that we will overcome difficulties." Economists said that if those targeted measures are fully executed, the overall stability of the Chinese economy will be secured and could even emerge stronger, while other major economies are still in the early stages of dealing with the pandemic. However, preventing a second wave of the pandemic would be key, experts said. "Good epidemic prevention and control work is essential to ensure economic recovery and growth. We need to restart economic activities amid the normalization of epidemic prevention," Wang Hongwei, a professor at Renmin University of China's School of Public Administration and Policy, told the Global Times, noting that contingency plans should be planned to avoid a "one-solution-fits-all" approach in case of new infections. Preventing a possible resurgence also remains a top priority. The Government Work Report said that the one trillion yuan special government bond will be used to accelerate research and development of vaccines and medicines, improve the infectious disease prevention mechanism, and boost the healthcare infrastructure. Li said that while China continues to face risks and challenges "like never before," it stands ready to take on those challenges. "We have unique political and institutional strengths, a strong economic foundation, enormous market potential, and hundreds of millions of intelligent and hardworking peoplewe will be able to make it through these challenging times, the horizons for China's development are full of promise," Li said, setting off loud applause inside the Great Hall of the People. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pennsylvania must boost its testing numbers several times over to meet Gov. Tom Wolfs goal of administering a weekly coronavirus test to well over 100,000 people in long-term care facilities across the state, a gigantic undertaking that health officials are scrambling to make a reality in less than two weeks. It's unclear who would administer the tests, who would supply them and, despite Wolf's assurances that emergency federal aid will cover the tab who would pay. Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have struggled for months to contain the virus, with many lacking the trained staff, testing supplies and personal protective equipment in the early going that could have helped them slow the spread, according to public health experts. Residents of long-term care homes account for roughly two-thirds of the statewide death toll of more than 4,800, a higher proportion that in most other states. The White House has strongly urged testing of all residents and staff at the nation's hard-hit nursing homes. On Wednesday, Wolf said his administration has a plan in place starting June 1 "that we will be testing every employee and every patient once a week." He repeated the vow in a call with reporters Thursday. But the Wolf administration has made no such plan public, and the numbers make clear that such widespread, weekly testing would present a daunting challenge. "Without a plan, and without adequate supplies to do it, we're concerned about how well it's going to be implemented," said Adam Marles, president and CEO of LeadingAge PA, which represents hundreds of nonprofit nursing homes statewide. More than 120,000 people live in about 1,900 nursing homes, assisted living centers and personal care homes regulated by the state, according to information from state agencies. The facilities have tens of thousands of workers. That means Pennsylvania could have to figure out how to administer more than 200,000 tests a week, or 800,000 a month, to monitor every long-term care resident and employee for the virus. In the first three weeks of May, by contrast, Wolf's Department of Health has reported the results of about 140,000 tests among all residents statewide. Dr. Jennifer Stephens, who helped launch a network of community testing centers as chief medical officer of Lehigh Valley Health Networks physician group, cited numerous logistical and operational hurdles standing in the way of such an ambitious testing regime. Long-term care facilities will need to have a sufficient and steady supply of tests, enough trained staff to administer them on a weekly basis, and a plan to deal with increased numbers of workers and residents who are positive for the virus, Stephens said. The biggest bottleneck of all, she said, could be at the laboratories that process the tests, especially if businesses and other organizations start their own virus testing initiatives as the state's battered economy gradually reopens. I think the intent is really good and solid. I think the time frames are difficult, Stephens said. Its not going to happen immediately. Theres no way for it to. "This is a massive lift and it's great for a sound bite, but it's not quite clear that it's actually doable," said Dr. David Nace, medical director of UPMC Senior Communities and the president of The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Given the extreme cost and demands on staff, Nace said, it makes more sense to routinely test the highest-risk people, such as those residents going in and out of facilities for things like dialysis or medical procedures. The American Health Care Association, a nursing home trade group, estimated that it would cost $22 million for a one-time test of about 148,000 nursing home residents and staff in Pennsylvania. The state health secretary, Dr. Rachel Levine, said Thursday that nursing homes struggling with high numbers of infections will be prioritized for weekly testing, "and then we'll be looking to test all of the patients and all of the staff throughout the state." She offered few details about how that'll be accomplished, other than to say that "our testing capacity has increased significantly," doubling since early May. But Zach Shamberg, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, a nursing home trade organization, questioned whether sufficient capacity exists in Pennsylvania to do the kind of testing that Wolf has promised. UPMC's Nace agreed. "First and foremost is there's not enough tests to do it," he said. There's also the question of funding. If nursing homes must pay for the testing, Shamberg said, the financial burden will fall on front-line providers that are already underfunded. Wolf said the funding will come from Pennsylvania's share of the massive federal coronavirus relief law signed by President Donald Trump in late March. Competing bills to appropriate the federal money are working their way through the state House and Senate, each steering about $500 million to nursing homes, long-term care facilities and programs for the elderly. It's unclear when a bill might reach Wolf's desk. But nursing homes want to use that federal aid to cover other coronavirus-related costs. Marles, with the nursing home group, said the state should instead draw from another pot of federal money intended specifically to boost state testing efforts. Newly released data show how rampant the virus has been inside nursing homes. A health department list names more than 550 Pennsylvania facilities that have reported infections or deaths. Forty-six facilities reported 20 or more deaths linked to COVID-19, and 30 reported that at least 100 of their residents have tested positive for the virus since early March, when the first infections were confirmed in Pennsylvania. 'All of our lives are going to be changed in a permanent way...' 'We just have to ride out the tide right now and we will see a rainbow at the end of this.' IMAGE: Miss England 2019 Dr Bhasha Mukherjee. There's a young woman of 24, who can sometimes be spotted walking down the longish Sibsey arterial road that connects the quiet neighbourhoods of the town of Boston with the bustling 391-bed National Health Service's Pilgrim Hospital in the United Kingdom. A junior doctor, she is usually heading home, on foot,at least four times a week, after a 12-hour, strenuous shift at this hospital that serves the population of east Lincolnshire, a marshy fenland area located nearly on the Greenwich meridian, 160 km north of London on England's eastern coast. Her walk home helps her get a little exercise and routine into her life, as well as find some "normalcy," she says, after many hours of toil at the hospital. This tall, pretty woman, with long black hair and pert features, is no ordinary doctor. Well, firstly, doctors are not ever ordinary, given the critical, compassionate work they do. And definitely not in the time of COVID-19, when they are our soldiers on the frontlines and the only barrier between us and an ever-expanding, advancing viral army. But this young woman is also not ordinary because she is leading two lives, with ease. Her name is Dr Bhasha Mukherjee and a pageant held at New Bridge hotel, Newcastle upon Tyne, last August, saw her crowned Miss England. After her victory at this beauty contest, Bhasha packed up her crown and spent a hasty, few minutes washing off her makeup, before she took a 4.44 am train to Lincolnshire, 3.5 hours away, to go back on her junior doctor shift at Pilgrim, she told The Times, then. The twin nature of that evening in 2019 has gone onto becoming the daily rhythm of Bhasha's dual life, after her win -- a beauty queen and a doctor. More so ever since a pandemic took over the world. Bhasha was in Kolkata in March, as part of her Miss England humanitarian aid activities, using the plank to meet and speak to people about the dangers of sugar and prevention of diabetes, when, like an approaching, threatening storm, COVID-19 appeared darkly on her horizon and began to disrupt her schedule. Events she was to attend, in a kind of cascading domino effect, started getting cancelled in India and even at her next destinations, Pakistan and Mauritius; visas as well. And she was stranded for eight days, because of the lockdown in India. Bhasha was forced to take the decision to re-structure her Miss England schedule. She decided to fly back -- a long and harrowing journey -- to England to give her attention (after 14 days of isolation), more concentratedly, to her work at the Pilgrim Hospital and to the NHS, because the UK's hospitals needed every hand they could get, as COVID-19 cases skyrocketed. In a Skype interview with Vaihayasi Pande Daniel/Rediff.com, Bhasha explains, that right from the start, just after she won the title, she had worked her Miss England commitments around her doctor duties, balancing both. "Miss England have always been very supportive of which direction I wanted to take my journey... The past Miss Englands have not had such an extensive involvement in terms of international humanitarian aid work. So a lot of it was my decision." To some extent, that goes on till today, as she, for instance, gives media interviews like this one, even as she pitches in with the fight against COVID-19 in her little town, that has a population of about 35,200 and is situated in a small county that has, till May 17, seen some 977 cases and 101 deaths. She is not working with COVID cases. That is, she has not interacted directly, as far as she knows, till the time of this interview, with a patient suffering the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, but is part of the team that is treating new arrivals and sending those with any kind of cough or fever into isolation. After work, Bhasha turns her attention to her Miss England responsibilities, some of which involve helping with the video and judging tasks for the 2020 online pageant and continues press and media activities -- "I am doing some of the jobs that I can do online." Listen to Bhasha describe her nightmare-ish trip, April 1, from Kolkata via Delhi and Frankfurt, back to London and talk about her work in Boston, Lincolnshire, after her return: Born in India, in Uttar Pradesh, Bhasha moved, with her family, to the UK when she was nine and grew up in Derby, north central England. Her father is a "key worker in the food industry" and her mother was in the care industry. She told the BBC, after being crowned in August 2019, that she had a strongly Hindu upbringing and her faith was 'very important to her', because of a childhood spent in India, with her deeply 'spiritual' grandparents. She added that she believes powerfully in one of the faith's key principles: 'We should see god in everybody and every being, whatever their creed, culture, background, whatever it is, and that's the thing I have always followed in my life'. Bhasha is proud of her Indian birth and culture and also said to the BBC that the Miss England contest was an opportunity for her to 'flaunt it with pride'. She studied science at the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, and from there later graduated with a medical degree. She also speaks five languages. Bhasha, who comes across as very clear-minded, focused and confident, was gaining experience in respiratory medicine, as part of her revolving-duties in her two-year residency, before she set out for India. Her main interests lie in preventative medicine and she plans to eventually become a GP (general practitioner). Her parents are a tad nervous about her role on the frontlines, especially since Britain's hospitals were, for a time, experiencing an acute shortage of PPE and heavy-duty masks.But, she says they "respect" her decision. During the onslaught of COVID-19 on the UK, and countries across the world, Bhasha believes it has been particularly useful for her to be both a physician and a Miss England. Hear her reasoning on this and about her medical plans: Bhasha looks after herself, during these high-risk-to-health many months, by getting enough sleep and exercise, eating the right foods and having, very importantly, enough fluids. She is militantly anti-sugar and has a strong message for smokers. The doctor-queen stresses that lockdowns should not be "Eat, eat, eat." Nor a time for endless, hand-wringing anxiety. Instead, according to her, these days are a golden, maybe once-in-a-life time opportunity to make the most significant lifestyle changes. And anxiety could be dealt with, she advises, by bringing some sense of purpose, at this time, in one's life, so one feels like one is "being helpful" in this cause, by assisting others or donating to charity. "All of our lives are going to be changed in a permanent way... We just have to ride out the tide right now and we will see a rainbow at the end of this." Finally, watch this video for some valuable words of wisdom from a plucky and astute young doctor: Videos Production: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com Production: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has recently shared his interaction with migrant labourers in Delhis Sukdev Vihar on his YouTube channel from 9 am on Saturday. Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said that he recently met a group of migrants walking hundreds of km from their worksite in Haryana to their village near Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. Thus, he will share their incredible story of grit, determination, and survival on his YouTube channel. A few days ago, I met a group of migrants walking hundreds of km from their worksite in Haryana to their village near Jhansi, UP. Tomorrow, 9 Am onwards, watch their incredible story of grit, determination & survival on my YouTube channel, he tweeted. On May 16, Congress Wayanad MPs had interacted with migrant workers who were walking near Sukhdev Vihar flyover here to return to their home states. His party workers later arranged vehicles to take them to their home state. Later Congress party shared a few pictures of the Gandhi scion while interacting with labourers. The pain of the people can only be understood by leaders who care. Here are a few glimpses of Rahul Gandhi interacting with migrant labourers in Delhi, the Congress had tweeted. I am travelling from Haryana, have to go to Jhansi, Monu, a worker, told ANI. Another labourer said Rahul Gandhi came and met them half an hour back. He booked the vehicle for us and said he will drop us to our homes. He gave us food, water and mask, said Devendra. On May 14, Gandhi had said that his party will raise the voices of migrant labourers and ensure that they get help as their livelihood was adversely impacted due to coronavirus-induced lockdown. Also Read: Cyclone Amphan: PM Narendra Modi announces Rs 500 cr financial assistance for Odisha , - 9 , YouTube https://t.co/3FJjMvwxow pic.twitter.com/2OBs0WzcuG Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 23, 2020 He posted a heart-wrenching video of labourers on Twitter with a song in the background, urging the government to help them to reach their native places. Darkness is deep and it is a tough time. Have patience we will stand in their security. We will keep raising their voice and will ensure they get every possible help. They are not ordinary people but they are the flag of the countrys self-respect. We will never let it bow down, the Congress leader tweeted along with the video. As the first phase of lockdown was enforced from March 25, hundreds of migrants labourers, who used to do daily wage jobs in cities started to march towards their native places on foot as public transport was suspended. Presently, Indian Railways is running Shramik special trains in coordination with states to transport migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places to their native places. A few days ago, I met a group of migrants walking hundreds of km from their work site in Haryana to their village near Jhansi, UP. Tomorrow, 9 Am onwards, watch their incredible story of grit, determination & survival on my YouTube channel: https://t.co/4WBysS69uG pic.twitter.com/CbR6DR7fF2 Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 22, 2020 For all the latest National News, download NewsX App The Russian navy has canceled two major shipbuilding projects; the 19,000 ton Lider class (Project 23560) nuclear-powered cruisers and the upgraded version of the 5,400 ton Gorshkov class (Project 22350) frigates. This upgraded (Project 22350M) frigate would have a larger hull that the original Gorshkov, weigh 8,000 tons and have more weapons and more equipment that might not work. The Lider class ships were originally proposed as 12,000 ton cruisers without nuclear power. With nuclear power they replace the Cold War era 28,000 ton Kirov class battlecruisers. Without nuclear power the Libers replace the similar, but older, Slava class cruisers. The Kirovs are not aging well and two have already been retired. The other two are being refurbished, a process that takes at least three years, and kept in service into the 2030s. The nuclear powered Lider were to cost $1.4 billion each. Thats more than three times what the original Gorshkovs cost and twice what the larger Gorshkov will go for. Many naval experts saw the Kirovs as an expensive type of ship Russia could not afford and really did not need. The same applied to the nuclear-powered Liders and larger Gorshkovs. What really killed the Liders and additional Gorshkovs was not just a shrinking naval budget but the many problems encountered with the Gorshkovs and the realization that these problems would not go away in a larger version. Numerous delays getting the first Gorshkov into service played a large role in the cancellation. Construction the first Gorshkovs began in 2006 but by 2010 only one had been launched and it was still only half complete. Two have now been completed and construction is underway on the fourth. The second two Gorshkovs are still not in service although one is still undergoing sea trials and the third is to be launched soon. The navy originally wanted twenty Gorshkovs to replace the Cold War era Sovremenny class destroyers and Burevestnik class frigates. Until the recent cancellation the government only promised money for twelve Gorshkovs with the possibility of three more. These building plans were contingent on these new ships proving their worth. That did not happen. The first Gorshkov has finally passed sea trials a year after it entered service in 2018. One of the delays involved the failure of the anti-aircraft missile system to function properly. There were also problems with the engines. The builder kept insisting it would be ready soon but soon kept getting extended. Another side effect of the Ukraine invasion was Ukraine refusing to supply any more naval turbines. The navy has a Russian firm building these but that is often behind schedule as well and ships like the Gorshkovs use turbines. The original Gorshkov's are armed with a 130mm gun, two Kashtan autocannon systems for missile defense and 8 Yakhont 3M55 or PJ-10 BrahMos anti-ship missiles. Both are three ton supersonic missiles, with the BrahMos being an advanced version of Yakhont developed in cooperation with India. There is also a launcher for 24 Uragan 1 (SA-N-12) anti-aircraft missiles (30 kilometers range, 70 kg/154 pound warhead), four 533mm (21 inch) torpedo tubes, four RPK-9 (SS-N-29) anti-submarine rockets and a helicopter. Gorshkovs require a crew of 210 sailors and will have the latest electronics the Russians have available for anti-air and anti-submarine work. These ships cost about $400 million each and are capable of doing most of what the older, larger 7,900 ton Sovremenny class destroyers did. These older, larger, ships, were designed for high seas operations far from Russian shores. Given the shrinking naval budget and quality control problems with larger ships, the only new ships still being built are smaller ones. The new fleet will be a return to the traditional Russian navy job of defending coastal waters. Even accomplishing that mission is in doubt if Russian cannot get its shipyards up to speed. Russia has been able to build some new corvettes but these are smaller and much less capable ships than the Gorshkovs. Prolonged low oil prices are doing major damage to the Russian Navy. Less oil income on top of the damage done by economic sanctions because of the Ukraine invasion, plus the additional production costs caused by loss of Ukrainian defense industry suppliers, has forced Russia to make a number of changes that have not been mentioned in navy press releases. Russia has been trying, since the late 1990s, to build replacements for Cold War era warships. Most of these have reached the end of their useful lives and many of them, while still listed as in service, rarely, if ever, seem to leave port. Russian admirals have been aware of the fact that they won't have much of a navy by the 2020s unless these older ships are replaced. The problem is that the older ships cannot be easily or cheaply refurbished or upgraded because that would cost more than buying new ones, These older ships are not just falling apart, but because there was not any money available right after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, there were few repairs and no upgrades during the 1990s. The twelve destroyers currently in service were all completed in the 1980s and 1990s. There is also one 1960s vintage destroyer in the Black Sea, which is more for show than active service. The destroyers are wearing out quickly and wont be fit for service much longer. The plans for two new classes of destroyers have been put off until the 2020s. The current destroyers suffered from lack of maintenance in the 1990s and there is no money for refurbishment. These dozen destroyers wont last much beyond 2030, at least not as ships that can stay at sea much. There has been some new construction for frigates (ocean-going ships displacing about 4,000 tons) but some of that construction has stopped or been canceled. Construction of smaller ships like corvettes (500-1,000 tons) and patrol boats is continuing but not at a rate to replace all those currently in service. These smaller vessels are mainly for coastal security and the Cold War era fleet had a lot more of these because Russia was a classic police state that enforced strict border controls. That has been loosened up since the Cold War ended and the loss of many older ships will not leave the coasts undefended. Submarines were one ship type that got priority for new construction even in the 1990s but that has now slowed down. This is critical when it comes to building replacements for the last Cold War class of SSBNs (nuclear ballistic missile subs) which were all completed in the 1980s. These have been quietly retired or semi-retired (only going to sea for training). Priority was put on building eight new Borei class SSBNs. These were delayed and the first one did not enter service until 2013. There are now four in service but construction on the other four has been stopped. Some of these are half-built but there is simply no money to finish them now. So the SSBN fleet is in danger of shrinking to four subs for a while, maybe a long while. The Russian economy revived in the late 1990s and parliament came up with more money after 2000 to build enough surface ships to maintain a respectable fleet. But that revealed another problem. Most of Russia's warship building capability (experience and skills) disappeared after 1991. Before 2014 the government thought it had a solution and that was to make a deal with France to import modern warship building techniques, by purchasing two Mistral amphibious assault ship/helicopter carriers, and the right to build two more in Russian shipyards. During that process, Russian shipbuilders would learn how it's done in the West. Since the late 1990s, most of the Russian construction effort went into finishing a few subs and building some surface ships for export. Even these subs had serious construction problems. Mainly it was quality control and the Navy refused to accept ships, especially subs that could not pass sea trials. Apparently, the shipyards were ordered to put all their efforts into the subs and eventually some of these limped into service. But the deal to import French shipbuilding techniques disappeared when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014. France refunded the billion dollars paid for the two Mistrals (and later sold them to Egypt) leaving the Russians on their own. The Gorshkovs are not an isolated example. The same problems have been encountered with the Su-57 stealth fighter, the radical new T-14 tank, the new Borei SSBN and the Bulava ballistic missile for Borei. In general, Russian defense industries continue to have problems developing new technology or even manufacturing older items reliably. The Russian space program is having similar problems with its rockets. The list goes on and on. Russia plays down all these problems but the net result is they have very little locally produced stuff to replace their Cold War designs. Worse, China is now producing improved and more reliable versions of those Cold War era weapons, along with new Western tech (like large, missile-armed UAVs) that Russia cannot master. In the late 1980s the Soviet (Russian) Navy was the second largest in the world and largely consisted of new ships, many of them nuclear-powered and equipped with a formidable array of weapons. All that is largely gone now. China has left its Cold War era ship designs behind and is copying Western designs. So are the Russians, but not as competently as the Chinese. Nor can the Russians build dozens of new warships a year and have them operate reliably. American intel collecting aircraft, ships and satellites monitor sea trials for new Russian and Chinese ships and note that the Chinese are doing much better. Now the second largest fleet in the world is Chinese and it is looking to be a far more dangerous adversary than the Soviet fleet ever was. China is preparing to set up national security agencies in Hong Kong to deal with pro-democracy agitators, the state media reported on Saturday, a day after Beijing introduced a controversial national security law to firm up control over the former British colony. Currently, a Chinese Military garrison comprising over 10,000 troops -- mainly a symbolic presence for external defence -- is stationed in Hong Kong. The public order is maintained by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government. The draft bill on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security was submitted to the National People's Congress (NPC) during its week-long session here and is expected to be passed on May 28. The bill is a political bombshell for the former British colony as China has decided to bypass the local legislative council to bring about a new national security law, tailor-made to control Hong Kong after the pro-Beijing local administration headed by Chief Executive Carrie Lam failed to control months of mass protests by pro-democracy groups demanding autonomy and freedom from China. The Chinese central government is preparing to set up national security agencies in Hong Kong to enhance information collection and evidence-based dealing against acts of 'splitting the country, subverting state power, organising and perpetrating terrorist activities' as it accelerated efforts to formulate the national security legislation, state-run Global Times reported on Saturday. "As far as I know, the legislation is ready, which will be passed in the next meeting of the NPC Standing Committee," Kennedy Wong Ying-ho, a member of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and solicitor in the Supreme Court of Hong Kong, told the tabloid. The bill was moved in the NPC by the government which was denounced by pro-democracy parties as a death knell for Hong Kong's autonomy. After the lawmakers vote on the draft Hong Kong National Security Law on May 28, the NPC Standing Committee can hold interim meetings to sign the bill into law, Wong said. The Standing Committee refers to a small group of powerful legislators who meet round-the-year. The near 3,000-member NPC, regarded as a rubber-stamp Parliament for routine approvals of the ruling Communist Party's decisions, holds a full session only ones a year. "National security matters are tackled in a highly professional scope, and ordinary police officers or government officials do not have specific means, for example, investigation measures," Wong said, noting that the central government's special agencies to safeguard national security are likely to set up branches in Hong Kong. Lam, whose Extradition Bill in the local assembly sparked seven months of massive protests, defended the new draft legislation tabled in the NPC. Hong Kong was rocked by unprecedented, pro-democracy protests last year which began over the proposed extradition law, which sparked fears that locals would be prosecuted in the Chinese mainland. It later turned into a major pro-democracy movement with demands to elect local officials without Chinese interference. Lam told the media in Hong Kong that business confidence in the former British colony will improve as the place will be safer after its legal system and enforcement mechanisms to safeguard national security are established and improved. The new legislation will not damage the interests of foreign investors, state-run Xinhua agency reported. Lam said national security is the top priority of every country and region, which is the foundation for the citizens' well-being. Student activist and politician Joshua Wong, who emerged as a new leader of the student and youth protests in Hong Kong, tweeted that the move was an attempt by Beijing to "silence Hong Kongers' critical voices with force and fear". Democratic Party leader Wu Chi-wai said the announcement was the death of "one country, two systems". Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok said, "If this move takes place, 'one country, two systems' will be officially erased. This is the end of Hong Kong." While the Chinese official media defended the move as a necessary step to control the pro-democracy agitation, Hong Kong media said it could create more divisions and antagonism. "In addition to enhancing the legal system and enforcement mechanism as well as requiring the chief executive to submit regular relevant reports, the new law also provides for the establishment of a national security organisation in the city by the relevant central government agency," the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said in its editorial. Whatever form it takes, it is important the national security law addresses concerns over possible curbs on freedoms and rights," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Here are three stocks with buy rank and strong income characteristics for investors to consider today, May 18th: ADTRAN, Inc. 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Nationally, gardai reported that 126,001 vehicles were checked with 1,072 driving in excess of the applicable speed limit. An Garda Siochana, GoSafe and the Road Safety Authority have continued to remind motorists of the dangers of speeding and urge all drivers to Slow Down, drive carefully and always abide by the speed limits. Chief Superintendent Paul Cleary, of the roads policing bureau said: "We would like to thank the 124,929 drivers who were found to be compliant and drove within the speed limits. While the vast majority motorists were found to be travelling safely and well within the speed limits, there are still those who continue to drive at excessive and inappropriate speeds. We will continue to focus our enforcement activities on non-compliant motorists as we strive to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury collisions across our roads network". HBO said Friday that it is redirecting funds set aside for its Emmy Awards party and FYC events to make a $1 million donation to The Mayors Fund for Los Angeles Emergency COVID-19 Crisis Fund. HBO has decided to contribute USD one million to Los Angeles COVID-19 relief fund, instead of spending the money for their traditional Emmy party and FYC (For Your Consideration) events. A representative for the network confirmed they will not throw an Emmy party this year. "On behalf of Bob Greenblatt and myself, we are proud to make this contribution from HBO instead of using it for our traditional Emmy party and FYC events," The Hollywood Reporter quoted Casey Bloys, president of HBO Programming as saying. "I am tremendously proud of all of our shows in Emmy contention this year, and I am hopeful they will receive the recognition I believe is richly deserved for all of our talented collaborators, in front of and behind the camera. We look forward to being able to get back to the work we love," Bloys added. The donation made to Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles relief will be used to provide essential support to the family, medical staff, and everyone who are in need or have been affected by the ongoing coronavirus crisis. He is charged with "public calls for terrorist activities, public acquittal or propaganda of terrorism" Aider Muzhdabaev, deputy director general of ATR Open source Aider Muzhdabayev, deputy director general of ATR TV channel said that he was officially recognized as a terrorist in the Russian Federation. He said this on Twitter, adding documents from the Moscow Bar and a court order, as Ukrinform reports. "I accept congratulations! Now, like many other residents of the Crimea and Ukraine, I am officially a terrorist in the Russian Federation. I am grateful to Russians for such an award, I appreciate it, I am proud," Muzhdabayev wrote. According to the document, he is charged with "public calls for terrorist activities, public acquittal or propaganda of terrorism". The court ruling indicated that the reason for this decision was a Facebook post on August 8, 2018, in which Muzhdabayev wrote about the need to release the-then political prisoner Oleg Sentsov through "physical punishment" of Russian agents. As we reported before, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with representatives of Crimean Tatars and told them that a presidential decree on granting the Islamic religious holidays of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr the status of state holidays would be signed in the coming days HOLYOKE COVID-19 has caused a tremendous rip through the heart of the Soldiers Home in Holyoke, Gov. Charlie Baker said in an online video Memorial Day observance for state-run nursing home Friday evening. Baker recalled his visits to the state-run facility over his five years as governor. Memorial Day has always been a particularly special treat to come in and share time with the residents, with families in many cases, and with the staff, he said. I can tell you that we share the sense of sorrow and loss that I know so many carry because of the impact of COVID-19. Bakers administration and those of his predecessors are coming under fire now for longstanding staffing deficiencies at the home, shortages critics say contributed to overcrowding and to the spread of the coronavirus. The Soldiers Home suffered what was reportedly one of the deadliest coronavirus outbreak of any long-term health care facility in the country. Seventy-four residents who died since mid-March tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, and another 74 survivors have also tested positive. The outbreak is the subject of state and federal investigations. State officials now plan staffing changes and a drop in the homes capacity in order to provide more space between patients and prevent more outbreaks. Traditionally the Soldiers Homes Memorial Day observances are done live. But this one was not in person and not even broadcast live. Instead it was a video edited to include submissions from community members and made available on the Homes Facebook page at 5pm Friday. The 15-minute ceremony featured an in invocation by the Rev. Jacob Brooks, a chaplain with the Massachusetts Army National Guard. National Guard members were called in to help the home get a handle on the the outbreak. Also speaking was Val Liptak, a registered nurse and director of Western Massachusetts Hospital in Westfield, who was tapped by the state to oversee the home when Superintendent Bennett Walsh was placed on paid administrative leave. This Memorial Day has special significance for everyone who has been part of the Soldiers Home of Holyoke over the past year, she said. The entire Soldiers Home team wishes everyone could have gathered today to honor your loved ones. She thanked the Guard; Holyoke Medical Center, which took in residents to relieve crowding and improve isolation after the outbreak; and the community at large for its generosity. There were taped musical performances. Sara Michel played taps on violin and Michele Hall sang the national anthem. Both are recreation therapists at the home. Raymond A. Benoit, a veterans home resident and a Navy veteran, sang God Bless America. The names of all Soldiers Home residents who died in the preceding year appeared as graphics on the screen. By David Shepardson and Karen Freifeld WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department said on Friday it was adding 33 Chinese companies and other institutions to an economic blacklist for human rights violations and to address U.S. By David Shepardson and Karen Freifeld WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department said on Friday it was adding 33 Chinese companies and other institutions to an economic blacklist for human rights violations and to address U.S. national security concerns involving weapons of mass destruction and other military activities. The blacklisting marked the latest effort by the Trump administration to crack down on companies with ties to military purchases and to punish Beijing for its treatment of Muslim minorities. It came as Communist Party rulers in Beijing on Friday unveiled details of a plan to impose national security laws on Hong Kong. The Commerce Department said it was sanctioning nine companies and institutions on grounds they were "complicit in human rights violations and abuses committed in Chinas campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, forced labor and high-technology surveillance against Uighurs" and others. The government cited seven commercial entities for enabling Chinas high-technology surveillance. The Commerce Department also added 24 governmental and commercial organizations to the economic list for supporting procurement of items for use by the Chinese military. Among the companies named is NetPosa <300367.SZ>, one of Chinas most famous AI companies, whose facial recognition subsidiary is linked to the surveillance of Muslims in the countrys far west. It once harbored hopes of selling its technology in the United States. Qihoo 360, a major cybersecurity firm in China whose research is widely followed by security professionals, was also added. The Commerce Department said it was adding the firms to its "entity list" which bars the companies and organizations from access to U.S. technology without specific U.S. government approval. Softbank-backed CloudMinds was also added. It operates a cloud-based service to run robots such as a version of Pepper, a humanoid robot capable of simple communication. The company was blocked last year from transferring technology or technical information from its U.S. unit to its offices in Beijing, Reuters reported in March. A CloudMinds representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The new listings follow a similar October 2019 action when Commerce added 28 Chinese public security bureaus and companies - including some of China's top artificial intelligence startups and video surveillance company Hikvision <002415.SZ> - to a U.S. trade blacklist over the treatment of Uighur Muslims. The actions follow the same blueprint used by Washington in its attempt to limit the influence of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL] for what it says are national security reasons. Last week, Commerce took action to try to cut off Huawei's access to chipmakers. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Stephen Nellis and Greg Mitchell in San Francisco; Editing by Chris Reese and Tom Brown) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. In Iraq, throwing ones shoes at someone is the strongest act of disrespect. SOME days I feel like that Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George Bush at a press conference in Baghdad in 2008. I long to throw my shoes (maybe even small rocks) at our officials (high and low) who keep mishandling this Covid-19 crisis. They dont consider how the ordinary people, particularly the poorest of the poor, suffer from having to be cooped up in their miserable dwellings, not being allowed to go out to buy food and medicines they might need. They dont ensure that the food promised by the government is delivered promptly and regularly to the right people even in the remotest areas. They dont properly oversee those barangay officials who are tasked to hand out money from the Special Amelioration Program (SAP) so they dont engage in hanky-panky, as has been going on, like giving the money to their relatives first, or pocketing some of the funds themselves. In a critical time like this, where life and death decisions need prompt and thoughtful action, officials (local and national) shouldnt engage in politicking when dealing with ways to control the spread of the pandemic. They shouldnt be like that high official who recently, when receiving aid from a tycoon, made sure to put his name onto the goods before they were distributed. (We all know that happened during the Yolanda crisis when officials repacked the foreign assistance & labelled them with their names so that disaster victims would feel grateful and vote for them in the next election.) Sadly what we have today in this unlucky country are too many national and local officials devoid of integrity and lacking common sense while tackling the problems besetting the population. Whats required is a meeting of minds to earnestly study the medical aspects that need to be in place to save people from getting sick and dying. Admittedly this is not a rich country possessing medical expertise and the right equipment and drugs. But it has a number of experts of various kinds who can be tapped to concentrate their brains on the big problems facing the nation today. Our political leaders could look at other countries to see how they are using lockdowns and curfews so as not to make human beings feel stifled. They should study ways in which every citizen, educated or not, can understand whats going on and why strict measures have to be enforced. We could behave like that man in Zambales and the woman in Cebu and display our frustration by calling for someone to kill the President. Or we could act like that Iraqi man did towards George Bush. The way things are going, it seems all we can do is just throw our hands up in frustration and muddle through as best we can. (Isabel T. Escoda) Twenty-two of 76 Haryana natives deported back from the US have tested positive for coronavirus infection, state Health Minister Anil Vij said on Saturday. Seventy-six Haryana people were part of a group of over 160 Indians who had arrived at Amritsar in Punjab by a special chartered flight earlier this week. Twenty two of these 76 have been found having COVID-19, Vij told reporters. After they were deported from the US and arrived in India earlier this week, Vij had said all will undergo COVID-19 tests before they are quarantined in their home districts. Most of the deported Indians had entered the US from its southern border with Mexico and had exhausted all legal options to stay in the US. They were arrested by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement sleuths while trying to enter America illegally. The 76 Haryana natives were later brought to Panchkula where they underwent the COVID-19 and other medical tests. While those found COVID negative will be quarantined in their home districts, the 22 COVID-19 patients will undergo treatment at a dedicated hospital in Panchkula. Millions of Muslims across Gulf nations, including a large number of Indian expatriates, will celebrate Eid al-Fitr, that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan, on Sunday inside their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Authorities in these nations on Saturday evening announced citing of the moon that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan and wished people on the blessed occasion. However, they also continued to impose a lockdown which prohibits public gathering, religious congregations and even social engagements. The Arab states of the Persian Gulf include Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Addressing the country on the occasion, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz said his country has taken precautionary, preventive and remedial measures to safeguard public health and said he would appreciate people celebrating Eid while they stay at home and remain aware and responsible about social distancing measures. Oman's Ministry of Religious and Endowment Affairs (MERA) also declared that Sunday, May 24, will be the first day of Eid Al Fitr in the Sultanate. In the UAE, the Moon-sighting Committee declared that Saturday (May 23) is the last day of Ramzan and that Sunday, the 24th of May, is the first day of Eid al-Fitr. The Moon Sighting Committee in Bahrain had announced on Friday that Saturday would be the last day of the blessed month of Ramzan this year and Sunday the first day of Shawwal, the month following Ramzan. The flurry activities in marketplaces that are usually associated with Eid festivities have been missing as a result of the lockdown. A large number of people confined to homes have also chosen to donate money to charities and the needy instead of spending them on Eid shopping. The number of coronavirus cases is continuously being reported from across the Gulf region and authorities are taking all measures people to contain its spread among the population. A larger number of Indians stranded in the region are also being sent home in a coordinated manner. Saudi Arabia is the most affected country in the Gulf, with more than 67,000 confirmed coronavirus infections and 364 deaths from COVID. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TEHRAN, Iran, May.23 Trend: Iran is to re-open its religious sites after Eid-al Fitr, while all the museums and historical attractions will re-open on Sunday, said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Trend reports citing IRNA. "The holy shrines will be open one hour before sunrise and close one hour before sunset with all the health protocols implemented," said Rouhani, Trend reports citing IRNA. "Museums and historical sites will reopen by following health precautions while travel agencies are to hold a meeting with Health Ministry in order to resume work," he added. "The statistic show the infection has grown in some areas but the mortality rate is declining, so it's important to monitor the isolated patients and keep them quarantined," he said. Rouhani referred to the National Headquarters to Fight Coronavirus report, which said 88 percent of deaths from the coronavirus revealed the victims had other diseases, heart problems, diabetes, etc. "Iran's economic relations with neighboring countries is gradually resuming, we have negotiated with officials in the neighboring countries," said Rouhani. Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease. The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. College Preparatory Middle School, a high-performing public charter school in La Mesa, broke ground last week on its new home in Spring Valley. The school for kids in grades 5-8 was in litigation for years with the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, which fought the school that operated in the basement of a church on Jackson Drive. This is the future of our sweet little school, our own brick-and-mortar building, thanks to hard work, grit and tenacity and our stick-to-itiveness, said school co-founder Christina Callaway at a ceremony on the schools property near Casa de Oro. The school will be built on just over 2.5 acres at 10269 Madrid Way at a cost of nearly $7 million. College Prep has been around since 2010 but has been making plans since 2013 to move to Spring Valley. The public school started with 87 students, but now has 240, with more than 130 on a waiting list. Advertisement It hopes to accommodate about 500 students by the 2022-23 school year. At the event, College Prep Board President Corey Meitchik presented school co-founder Mitch Miller with a gold-plated shovel with CPMS and a cartoon tiger (the schools mascot) emblazoned on it to mark the event. This has been a long, laborious process, Meitchik said.The vision of Mitch and Chris has been for the youths and families in East County, to provide a strong education. The board has said it before their drive, dedication and determination made this happen. About 50 people attended the groundbreaking for the state-of-the-art building. It will be under the planning of R&R Construction Co. out of San Marcos. The schools home since 2010 has been in the basement of the La Mesa Church of Christ on Jackson Drive in La Mesa. It is newly under the sponsorship of the California Board of Education. Up until this year, it was under the auspices of the Mountain Empire Union School District. Mountain Empire will continue to oversee College Preps recently opened second campus in rural Campo. The state board will oversee the charter from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2023, taking responsibility to ensure College Prep meets academic, operational and financial standards. College Prep had been trying for years to find local backing. Its charter was rejected and the school unsuccessfully sued by La Mesa-Spring Valley, which alleged it misrepresented its enrollment growth and financing for the new campus. Its charter was also nixed by the San Diego County Board of Education. Without the states approval, College Prep would have had to close. College Prep is the 31st school under state Board of Education authority. College Prep students have been among the highest performers from all schools in San Diego County, according to API and other statewide testing measures. Construction is expected to take about seven to eight months, in hopes the school might open in early 2019. The school will stay housed in La Mesa until the Spring Valley campus is ready. karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Just 7.3 percent of people in Stockholm developed COVID-19 antibodies by late April, a study has found. The Swedish study could fuel concern that a decision not to lock down Sweden against the pandemic may bring little herd immunity in the near future. The strategy was championed by Chief Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, who recommended voluntary measures against the virus. Sweden's decision not to institute a mandatory lockdown like other countries in Europe has divided opinion at home and abroad. Just 7.3 percent of people in Stockholm developed COVID-19 antibodies by late April, calling into question the country's herd-immunity approach. Pictured: People sit outdoors in Stockholm earlier this month Sweden's strategy of keeping most schools, restaurants, bars and businesses open exposed it to criticism Death rates ran far higher than in Nordic neighbours, even if much lower than in countries such as Britain, Italy and France that shut down. The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care in Sweden has fallen by a third from the peak in late April and health authorities say the outbreak is slowing. However, Sweden has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 deaths per capita in Europe over the last seven days. The antibody study sought to look into the potential for herd immunity, a situation where enough people in a population have developed immunity to an infection to be able to effectively stop that disease from spreading. Sweden's decision not to enter lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic as much of Europe has was backed Chief Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell The findings were roughly in line with models predicting a third of the Swedish capital's population would have had the virus by now and where at least limited herd immunity could have set in, the Swedish Health Agency said on Wednesday. Tegnell said: 'It is a little bit lower (than expected) but not remarkably lower, maybe one or a couple of percent. It squares pretty well with the models we have.' However, the herd immunity concept is untested for the novel coronavirus and the extent and duration of immunity among recovered patients is equally uncertain as well. The study drew on some 1,100 tests from across the country although only figures for Stockholm were released. While Health Agency officials have stressed herd immunity is not a goal in itself, it has also said the strategy is only to slow the virus enough for health services to cope, not suppress it altogether. They have said that countries employing wholesale lockdowns to prevent any exposure to the coronavirus could face renewed outbreaks as restrictions were eased and be more susceptible to any second wave of the disease. The World Health Organization has warned against pinning hopes on herd immunity. It said last week global studies had found antibodies in only 1-10 percent of the population, results in line with recent findings in Spain and France. Bjorn Olsen, Professor of Infectious Medicine at Uppsala University, is among dozen academics who have criticised Sweden's pandemic response and labelled herd immunity a 'dangerous and unrealistic' approach to dealing with COVID-19. 'I think herd immunity is a long way off, if we ever reach it,' he told Reuters after the release of the antibody findings. Sweden's approach, shaped by a conviction the coronavirus can be slowed but not fully suppressed, is reflected not just in an aversion to quarantines and closures but in a decision to carry out relatively little testing and contact tracing. Britain's per-capita death rate over the last week (5.57 deaths per million) is only slightly better than Sweden's (6.08) even after two months of lockdown Tests are largely restricted to hospitalised cases and health care workers. Weekly test numbers still run at less than a third of the government's goal of 100,000, a far lower per capita rate than Sweden's Nordic peers and below that of most West European countries. Meanwhile the death toll has continued to rise, compounded by a failure to protect the old and infirm in a country famed for its welfare state. Helen Gluckman, 55, wept bitterly as she related how her 83-year-old father died of a COVID-19 infection contracted in a nursing home after untested patients were admitted there. She said: 'We don't know what will happen when other countries open up, but right now one can't help but think Sweden has really failed. There are more than 3,000 dead now. That is a horrible number.' This chart shows forecasts for the rest of 2020, with the UK's GDP set to plunge by more than Sweden's - while Britain is left with a larger budget deficit because of the cost of propping up the economy. Britain will also have a deficit in the current account, which is related to trade - showing the flow of goods, services and money between countries. However, the EU expects Sweden to have a higher unemployment rate this year This graph shows how the UK's economy has already been ravaged by the pandemic, with sharp falls in GDP, retail sales, industrial production and construction work - even when the latest figures include only a brief period of lockdown. The UK's unemployment rate increased only slightly in the latest figures, but separate statistics show a nearly 70 per cent rise in the number of people claiming Universal Credit With cases having crossed the 30,000 mark, Sweden's death toll in the pandemic has reached 3,831, more than three times the combined total of Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland, all nations with similar welfare systems and demographics. While others locked down to buy time, critics like Olsen say Sweden has done 'too little, too late'. They say its laissez-faire approach, also playing down risks posed by asymptomatic spreading of COVID-19, has been catastrophic for the elderly. The government remains adamant that Sweden's high per capita death toll did not result from the lack of a national lockdown. Defending the strategy, Health and Social Affairs Minister Lena Hellengren said most Swedes had voluntarily minimised their social interactions and movements outside the home. She said: 'The Swedes have really changed their behaviour.' Decades of war, political chaos, desperate poverty, and now coronavirus. A perfect storm has gathered over one of the worlds most benighted nations, Afghanistan, where ordinary citizens are facing a fresh form of misery. Taliban militants have announced they will keep fighting since they say there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in areas under the groups control, a senior militant in the province of Ghazni has told NBC News. An exception to the ongoing tensions will be a three-day Eid ceasefire starting Sunday, the Taliban announced in a tweet Saturday. The country's president agreed. The move came as fighting between the two sides had intensified despite the coronavirus pandemic. Despite an uptick in violence, Taliban sources in Ghazni and four other provinces, Helmand, Paktika, Khost and Nangarhar, have told NBC News that there is now what they characterized as an unwritten understanding in place with the Afghan government and international groups like the World Health Organization to work together during the pandemic, particularly when it comes to testing. The Afghan government would not say if it was cooperating with the Taliban, who have been fighting to topple the U.S.-backed government in Kabul since being unseated themselves after the 9/11 attacks on America. But the countrys Health Ministry confirmed to NBC News that its workers were being allowed to work in militant-controlled territory. Image: Volunteers in protective suits spray disinfectant on passing vehicles to help curb the spread of the coronavirus in Kabul, Afghanistan (Rahmat Gul / AP) The World Health Organization representative to Afghanistan, Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, did not confirm that there had been a tacit agreement between the Taliban, the government and the WHO. But he told NBC News that his organization was working with all parties to the conflict, including the Taliban. Propaganda videos and messages released in multiple languages appeared aimed at highlighting the groups efforts, although the actual impact of the work on the population is unknown. Taliban health workers in Helmand, Khost, Paktika and Nangarhar provinces spoke to NBC News about their work. Story continues In one video released on a Twitter account controlled by a Taliban spokesperson known as Zabihullah, an official is seen speaking at a podium, flanked by hygiene workers dressed in white personal protective clothing and carrying spraying tanks. The voiceover in English says the Islamic Emirate as the Taliban refers to itself is working to raise public awareness about the virus. The speakers audience appears to be practicing safe social distancing, sitting in widely spaced chairs, but a subsequent image of vehicles carrying the hygiene workers driving through a village shows onlookers clustered together without masks. In another propaganda video reported by Radio Free Europe, a U.S. government-funded broadcaster, men living under Taliban control are shown washing their hands. In a clinic controlled by Taliban militants, health care workers in light green personal protective wear hand out rubber gloves and masks, while others test the temperature of a suspected patient with a digital thermometer. Image: A health worker checks the body temperature of a devotee as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus before the Friday prayers on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at Wazir Akbar Khan mosque (WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP - Getty Images file) The Taliban health workers who spoke to NBC News - none of them qualified doctors - said that each area under the groups control had a commandeered madrassa, or religious school, that had been converted into a quarantine center, and said that the groups medical leaders - known as the health commission - had ordered large amounts of personal protective equipment. But in a rare moment of self-criticism, some members of the Taliban said their early response to the pandemic had been lackluster. We didnt know initially about this disease, and didnt take it seriously, one senior Taliban health official told NBC News, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the news media. There have been 8,676 confirmed cases of the virus in Afghanistan, and 193 deaths, according to Ministry of Health figures published by the WHO, which added that cases were expected to increase. The United Nations agency responsible for humanitarian affairs, OCHA, reported that by mid-May there were nine testing laboratories operating across the country, but there are none inside Taliban-controlled territory, and it was not clear how much of a difference the militants coronavirus efforts were making. Image: 27-year-old Afghan cyclist Idrees Syawash talks to residents during his awareness campaign against the COVID-19 coronavirus in the Surkh Rod district of Nangarhar province (Noorullah Shirzada / AFP - Getty Images) A medical student visiting family in the northern province of Kunduz, Said Ekram, 28, told NBC News that ordinary life in Taliban-controlled areas had changed very little despite the coronavirus outbreak. People attend to prayers in the mosques and weddings are normally attended, he said, adding that nobody was wearing masks or gloves in his area, no awareness program had been launched, and only people who have traveled from foreign countries, like hard-hit Iran, are being checked for health problems. 'Its a mess' In working to ameliorate the effects of the coronavirus, the Taliban is wading into a health crisis that predates the pandemic by many years. Afghanistan ranks 168th in the world in infant mortality rate, 176th for maternal mortality and 173rd in life expectancy of all citizens, according to the most recently available World Bank data. And according to Kate Clark, the co-director of the independent and not-for-profit research group, the Afghan Analysts Network, a lockdown designed to protect health care systems that are poor to nonexistent makes little sense in a hand-to-mouth subsistence economy, Some districts dont have doctors, she said. Its confusing. Its a mess. But in Helmand province, residents said Taliban officials oversee hospitals that are nominally government-run, and there were some benefits to this during a health crisis. Believe me, the doctors and other health workers are very punctual in their duties where they are managed by the Taliban, said Abul Khaliq, resident of Helmands Marja. The Taliban have long been known for using intimidation and fear to maintain order in the areas they control, but some residents and local functionaries have also tended to consider their administration more efficient and less corrupt. Ashley Jackson, a research associate at the Overseas Development Institute who has done extensive work in Taliban-controlled areas of Afghanistan, said she understood, based on conversations with friends in the countrys north, that the Taliban were not actually doing very much on the ground They have been savvy and quite creative in their propaganda about pandemic responses far more so than the Afghan government, she added. But like others who spoke to NBC News, Jackson said the most useful weapon the Taliban could offer to combat the outbreak would be an end to fighting. Mushtaq Yusufzai reported from Peshawar, Ahmed Mengli from Kabul, and Willem Marx and Alex Holmes from London. Author Michael Rosen is out of intensive care after being in hospital for eight weeks, his wife Emma-Louise Williams has said. The beloved author was taken into intensive care in March, with Williams sharing regular updates from his Twitter account during the early stages of his illness. On Saturday 23 May, Williams tweeted from her own account: Today Michael has been in hospital for 8 weeks & Im v happy to say he left ICU yesterday after a long & difficult 47 days. His recovery is continuing on the ward & will take time. He has done so well to get through this but please dont expect him back here yet. Williams retweeted the post on Rosens account and praised the amazing efforts of the lovely kind staff at Whittington hospital in north London, where Rosen has been receiving treatment. To date, she has not confirmed whether Rosens condition is related to coronavirus. Rosen described his illness on 22 March: Cant stop my thermostat from crashing: icy hands, hot head. Freezing cold sweats. Under the covers for bed-breaking shakes. Image of war hero biting on a hankie, while best mate plunges live charcoal into the wound to cauterise it." The following day, he wondered whether he was suffering from a heavy flu: Have had no chest pains. No persistent cough. So all along it could have been a heavy flu and not corona. Today the fevers are ebbing. In their place a deep muscle exhaustion. In every corner. The 74-year-old is best known for his poetry and books including Were Going On A Bear Hunt, and Little Rabbit Foo Foo. Before the pandemic, more than 40 percent of Americans consulted the Internet for medical information. Yet sick people might have been less likely to rely on social media stories to forecast their prospects everyone knows someone who has recovered from the flu. Now, most stories circulating about people sick with the coronavirus involve grave illness and death. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 00:20:58|Editor: yan Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits national political advisors from the economic sector attending a joint panel discussion at the third session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, May 23, 2020. Xi joined them in the discussion and heard their comments and suggestions. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, also attended the discussion. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Saturday stressed analyzing China's economic situation from a comprehensive, dialectical and long-term perspective, urging efforts to foster new opportunities amid challenges and make new advances amid changes. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when joining a joint panel discussion attended by national political advisors from the economic sector. The political advisors are in Beijing for the third session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Xi made a speech after hearing the remarks of political advisors. Efforts should be made to leverage China's potential and role as the world's largest market, clarify the strategic direction of supply-side structural reform, and consolidate the basic trend of steady economic growth with a sound momentum in the long term, he said. Xi called for consolidating the fundamental role of agriculture, ensuring stability on the six fronts and security in the six areas, and accomplishing the targets and tasks of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and winning the battle against poverty. The six fronts refer to employment, the financial sector, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment, and expectations. The six areas refer to job security, basic living needs, operations of market entities, food and energy security, stable industrial and supply chains, and the normal functioning of primary-level governments. Reiterating the necessity to view current difficulties, risks and challenges from a comprehensive, dialectical and long-term perspective, Xi said efforts should be made to boost confidence of the whole society, especially market entities. China's economy is in a pivotal stage for transforming the growth model, improving economic structure, and fostering new growth drivers, Xi said, adding that the economic operation now faces relatively heavy pressure due to difficulties and challenges caused by intertwined structural, institutional and cyclical problems, which have been compounded by the COVID-19 outbreak. Xi stressed pursuing development against the backdrop of rising instability and uncertainties in the world, noting that China's economy is still characterized by ample potential, strong resilience, large maneuver room and sufficient policy instruments. China has the largest industrial system in the world with the most complete categories, strong production capabilities, complete supporting sectors, as well as over 100 million market entities and a talent pool of 170 million people, Xi said. The country also has a super-large domestic market of 1.4 billion people and massive potential in investment demand, he said. He called for faster progress in advancing the development of digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, life and health, new materials and other strategic emerging industries, highlighting the creation of new growth areas and drivers. Xi stressed steady progress in creating a new development pattern where domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, with domestic market as the mainstay. Xi called for unwavering efforts to make economic globalization more open, inclusive and balanced so that its benefits are shared by all, and to build an open world economy. More steps should be taken to maintain the security of industrial and supply chains, and to forestall and defuse major risks, Xi noted. He also stressed securing a complete victory in the battle against poverty. Now, China has 52 counties and 2,707 villages yet to be lifted out of poverty, representing the toughest mission of the country's battle against poverty. Xi added the fundamental role of agriculture should not be neglected or undermined at any time. China is fully capable of ensuring the supply of grain and major agricultural products, which have played an important role in maintaining social stability through the severe epidemic, Xi said. Xi stressed all localities and departments must faithfully implement the decisions, plans, policies and measures made by the CPC Central Committee, and eschew the practice of formalities for formalities' sake and bureaucratism. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the 13th CPPCC National Committee, also attended the discussion. BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 23 By Tamilla Mammadova Trend: Georgian representatives met with European Union (EU) and Energy Community counterparts to discuss how to ensure that Georgias climate and energy legislation works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with EU standards, Trend reports with reference to the website of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The meeting was organized as part of the EU4Climate program that is funded by the EU and implemented by the UNDP in the six Eastern Partnership countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and Ukraine. The focus of discussion was a roadmap developed to assess Georgias current climate policy, pinpoint challenges and gaps and propose a way forward. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Energy Community, an international organization that unites EU member states and neighbors in trying to create an integrated pan-European energy market. The roadmap presented at the workshop is focused on the laws and policies that will help Georgia control emissions generated by fluorinated greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances. It covers national energy and climate plans and a monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system for greenhouse gases. Georgias carbon dioxide equivalent emissions amount to around 17.6 million tons per year (2.37 tons per capita), which is significantly lower than emissions in the worlds largest economies, but still higher than in some of the Eastern Partnership countries. The energy sector is responsible for the largest share of emissions (62 percent), followed by agriculture (19 percent), production and industry (12 percent) and waste (7 percent). The EU4Climate program is designed to assist Georgia and other Eastern Partnership countries in mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects by introducing climate-sensitive policies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The program is funded by the EU and implemented by UNDP, building on the achievements of past cooperation programs in the European Neighborhood. Drawing on a total budget of EUR 8.8 million, the four-year EU4Climate program will continue until the end of 2022. In the framework of the EU4Climate program, we are examining Georgias climate policies and legal framework to reveal the gaps and present recommendations, said Alexandre Darras, Team Leader on Connectivity, Energy, Environment & Climate Change at the EU Delegation to Georgia. According to him, this roadmap will assist Georgia in fulfilling climate and energy commitments undertaken under the EU Association Agreement and the Energy Community Treaty. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356 European leaders have reacted with fury after Britain revealed its plans for a tough new quarantine regime requiring arrivals into the UK to self-isolate for 14 days. Home Secretary Priti Patel has received widespread backlash both at home and abroad after unveiling the measures, which have been dubbed 'ineffective and unenforceable' by the travel industry. Ms Patel's announced yesterday that anyone arriving into the UK from June 8 would be legally required to self-isolate for two weeks or face fines of up to 3,200. France immediately hit back at the UK last night, saying it 'regretted' the decision and would look to impose a 'reciprocal measure' on Brits arriving at its borders. Meanwhile Italy, which at one point was the epicentre of Europe's coronavirus crisis, said it hoped Britain would rethink its rules and called for a 'coordinated approach'. Miss Patel last night confirmed that the new quarantine regime would apply to almost all arrivals, including people returning from holidays abroad. But she also revealed a list of 39 categories of people who would be exempt from the rules, including healthcare workers, pilots and those coming over from Ireland. Home Secretary Priti Patel has received widespread backlash both at home and abroad after unveiling the new quarantine measures on Friday Pictured: Passengers wearing PPE queue up to board a China-bound flight at Terminal 2 of Heathrow Airport on Friday She said that 'air bridges' could be agreed with certain countries with a similar or lower Covid-19 infection rate, meaning citizens could travel between each nation without the imposing of self-isolation. However no such agreements had been finalized as of Friday's announcement, while preliminary talks between the UK and France about a quarantine-free corridor with no checks abandoned two weeks ago. Currently, Britons can only fly to France on 'essential' business, a position it said earlier this week would be reviewed on June 15. Responding to the UK's announcement last night, a spokesman for France's Interior Minister said: 'We take note of the British governments decision and we regret it. 'France is ready to put in place a reciprocal measure as soon as the system comes into force on the British side.' Who is exempt from UK government's 14-day self-isolation rules? Here is the list of people exempt from the 14-day self-isolation requirement. - A road haulage worker and road passenger transport worker - A transit passenger, an individual transiting to a country outside of the Common Travel Area, who remains airside and does not pass border control - An individual arriving to attend pre-arranged treatment, when receiving that treatment in the UK - A registered health or care professional travelling to the UK to provide essential healthcare, including where this is not related to coronavirus - A person who has travelled to the UK for the purpose of transporting, to a healthcare provider in the UK, material which consists of, or includes, human cells or blood which are to be used for the purpose of providing healthcare - Quality assurance inspectors for human medicines - Sponsors and essential persons needed for clinical trials or studies - Civil aviation inspectors engaged on inspection duties - Eurotunnel train drivers and crew, Eurotunnel Shuttle drivers, freight train drivers, crew and essential cross-border rail freight workers operating through the Channel Tunnel - A Euratom inspector - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works, related to water supplies and sewerage services - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works related to a generating system, an electricity interconnector, a district heat network, communal heating, automated ballast cleaning and track re-laying systems or network - A worker undertaking activities in offshore installations, upstream petroleum infrastructure, critical safety work on offshore installations and wells - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works - Drivers and crew of trains operated by Eurostar International Limited, essential cross-border workers working for Eurostar International Limited - Operational, rail maintenance, security and safety workers working on the Channel Tunnel system - A worker with specialist technical skills, where those specialist technical skills are required for essential or emergency works or services - Seamen and masters - A pilot, as defined in paragraph 22(1) of Schedule 3A to the Merchant Shipping Act - An inspector, and surveyor of ships - Crew, as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Air Navigation Order 2016(h), where such crew have travelled to the UK in the course of their work - Nuclear personnel who are essential to the safe and secure operations of a licensed nuclear site - Nuclear emergency responder - Agency inspector - An inspector from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a specialist aerospace engineer, or a specialist aerospace worker - A person engaged in operational, maintenance or safety activities of a downstream oil facility that has a capacity in excess of 20,000 tonnes - A postal worker involved in the transport of mail into and out of the UK - A person involved in essential maintenance and repair of data infrastructure - An information technology or telecommunications professional whose expertise is required to provide an essential or emergency response to threats and incidents relating to security - A person who is engaged in urgent or essential work on electronic communications networks - A person who is engaged in urgent or essential work for the BBC's broadcasting transmission network and services - A seasonal agricultural worker - Members of diplomatic missions and consular posts in the United Kingdom - Crown servants or government contractors returning to the United Kingdom who are either: required to undertake policing or essential government work in the United Kingdom within 14 days of their arrival, have been undertaking policing or essential government work outside of the United Kingdom but are required to return temporarily, after which they will depart to conduct policing or essential government work outside the United Kingdom - International prison escorts - a person designated by the relevant Minister under section 5(3) of the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984(a) - A person responsible for escorting a person sought for extradition pursuant to a warrant issued under Part 3 of the Extradition Act 2003 or sought for extradition pursuant to any other extradition arrangements - Defence personnel and contractors doing work necessary for the delivery of essential Defence activities, including Visiting Forces and NATO - An official required to work on essential border security duties - A person who resides in the UK and who pursues an activity as an employed or self-employed person in another country to which they usually go at least once a week Advertisement Raffaele Trombetta, the Italian ambassador to the UK, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that no discussions had yet taken place between the two countries. He said: 'There is always a large number of British tourists coming to Italy, it's one of Britain's preferred destinations. 'We had 40 million trips from the UK to Italy last year. We know how much they love Italy. We are still open, welcoming them. 'We believe that this is pandemic is a global problem so the best thing to do is to tackle it with a coordinated approach.' Mr Trombetta pointed to Italy's own plans to lift quarantine rules for those travelling from the UK and the EU as of June 3. He said: 'We have made it clear what we are going to do and its important for British people to know that they can come to Italy. 'We understand that the UK's new rules will be reassessed after three weeks so hopefully there will be an easing of the measures as we are doing in Italy.' Several exemptions to the new rules were announced last night, including those living in Ireland, healthcare workers pilots. However Ms Patel's plans were also panned by the travel industry, which pointed out that those arriving in the UK will be allowed to use public transport to reach their address, possibly infecting others. They also said that people could get around the rules by first flying into Ireland, which is exempt from the quarantine rules, before then travelling into Britain. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, was among the first to hit out at the new guidelines, which Ms Patel has already admitted would be under constant review. In a statement, it described the regime as 'unenforceable' and said it was 'strongly opposed to ineffective non-scientific measures'. A spokesman added: 'This isolation measure simply does not work unless passengers arriving in international UK airports are detained in airport terminals or hotels for the 14-day period. 'Once these arriving passengers have travelled on the crowded London Underground, or the Heathrow and Gatwick Express, or buses or taxis to their destination, the subsequent quarantine is pointless. 'If this measure had any basis in science, then the Irish visitors would not and could not be exempt.' British ministers are said to be examining the idea of 'Covid passports' that could allow those who have had the disease to travel more widely without the need to undergo quarantine on their return to the UK. The plans to get tourism moving are being promoted by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who is said to have the backing of both Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Miss Patel last night confirmed that the new quarantine regime would apply to almost all arrivals, including people returning from holidays abroad at ports and airports. Under the plans, travellers arriving at all ports and airports will be ordered to go into self-isolation for a fortnight and to provide an address and contact details. They will not be allowed to accept visitors, unless they are providing essential support, and should not go out to buy food or other essentials 'where they can rely on others', the Home Office said. There is a small number of exemptions for truck drivers and some other critical roles while transit passengers who do not formally enter the UK will also be exempt. Public health officials are expected to conduct approximately 100 spot checks every day to ensure people are sticking to self-isolation. Those checks will start from the middle of June. People who arrive in the UK without accommodation arranged will have to pay for Government-arranged accommodation themselves. Despite Ms Patel insisting the policy will be reviewed every three weeks, Whitehall sources have played down hopes that the measures could be lifted before the summer holiday season. Virgin Atlantic warned the plan would keep planes grounded. 'The safety and security of our people and our customers is always our top priority and public health must come first,' a spokeswoman said. 'However, by introducing a mandatory 14-day self-isolation for every single traveller entering the UK, the Government's approach will prevent flights from resuming. 'We are continually reviewing our flying programme and with these restrictions, there simply won't be sufficient demand to resume passenger services before August at the earliest.' The airline instead called on the Government to introduce a 'multi-layered approach' with targeted public health and screening measures to allow the safe restart of international travel. The chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, Karen Dee, had earlier told the Home Affairs Select Committee that drastic reductions in passenger numbers 'may simply lead to a prolonged shutdown of all aviation'. France immediately hit back at the UK last night, saying it 'regretted' the decision and would look to impose a 'reciprocal measure' on Brits arriving at its borders Passengers wearing personal protective equipment queued up to board a flight at Heathrow Airport on Friday Travel firms ALREADY planning to exploit 'Dublin dodge' loophole in 14-day quarantine period Travel firms are already looking to exploit a 'Dublin dodge' loophole in Britain's new quarantine rules that allows those arriving from Ireland to avoid having to isolate at home. Home Secretary Priti Patel announced plans for a tough new quarantine regime requiring almost all arrivals into the UK to immediately self-isolate for 14 days as of June 8. The move, unveiled on Friday, received widespread backlash both at home and abroad, with France threatening to impose a 'reciprocal measure' on Brits arriving at its borders. The travel industry also lambasted the rules, labelling them as 'ineffective and unenforceable' given that those travelling to the UK from Ireland were exempt from the rules. It means flyers can first travel into Dublin and then either jet into the UK or get a bus across the border with Northern Ireland, avoiding the self-isolating rules. Mike Woolridge, founder of Flyaway Weekends, predicted that travel firms would be quick to cash in on the loophole. He said: 'We can see a real demand for short-notice travel once restrictions are slackened, and are already looking at offers that divert via Dublin so were ready to help plan weekend breaks as demand starts to return.' Travellers coming into the UK from Ireland are exempt from the restrictions due to it being a member of the Common Travel Area, along with the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. Meanwhile, Ireland's own coronavirus rules stipulate that travellers do not need to quarantine if they are getting an immediate connecting flight or bus into the UK. Advertisement A spokesperson for the Association of Independent Tour Operators told The Daily Telegraph: 'As with so many Government 'initiatives', the 14-day quarantine rule comes across as a bit of a stab in the dark, quite possibly to be changed as quickly as it was introduced, as with the mooted air bridges. 'In reality, quarantine should have been put in place right at the start of the pandemic, as our European neighbours did we are now out of synch with them, as they emerge from quarantine and we go into it.' Piers Morgan lead calls for transparency about why coronavirus carriers were able to fly into the UK in the first place. He wrote: 'Of all the inexplicable decisions this Govt has made during the coronavirus crisis, quarantining people who fly into the UK after 20 million people have already flown in and 62,000 people have already died is the most... inexplicable.' Nigel Farage tweeted: 'The government quarantine should have been three months ago, not now. Far too late.' Ms Patel insisted the Government does 'recognise how hard these changes will be for our travel sector' and that ministers will work with the industry to find 'new ways to reopen international travel and tourism in a safe and responsible way'. A former head of Border Force said today he was 'surprised' quarantine measures had not been brought in at UK borders sooner. Tony Smith, now chairman of the International Border Management and Technologies Association, told the Commons Home Affairs Committee today: 'Yes I was surprised that we hadn't seen earlier measures introduced at the UK border.' Mr Shapps on Monday raised the idea of 'air bridges' with popular tourist destinations such as Spain. Madrid yesterday signalled it might be prepared to welcome UK tourists from July without asking them to self-isolate for 14 days. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: 'We need to find a way that the vast, vast, vast majority of people who don't have a disease can still fly.' Supporters of President Donald J. Trump gathered to protest the reopening plan put forward by Gov. Charlie Baker and ask for the state to return to how it was before the coronavirus pandemic Saturday. We love Trump. I'm a veteran and I know a lot of veterans, you know, we fight for freedom and this doesn't feel like freedom, said the rally organizer Lynne Saya. Saya told MassLive that her group is helping to fund the lawsuit against Baker for what Saya said is an unreasonable lockdown. Pastor Kristopher Casey at the Adams Square Baptist Church in Worcester, one of the roughly 250 faith leaders that signed the letter to the governor, felt that religious centers are an essential business and filed a lawsuit in Worcester District Court on May 7 after it held its third service in defiance of a ban on large groups amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal court documents indicate Casey has filed a lawsuit against Baker, Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. and Worcester Police Chief Steven Sargent over the fines his church has received. Lynne Saya the organizer of the Rally in Chicopee wants the state to open up and said that more people are at risk with the plan Gov. Charlie Baker announced. (Douglas Hook / MassLive) I mean, you can go to the beach, but you can't swim, you can only walk. The churches are still locked down mostly, said Saya. There's no guidance on how to open them. Taking away the opportunity for people to worship together was one of the worst of all the decisions we had to make in all this, Baker said on May 18. New guidelines for places of worship in Massachusetts were released but some religious leaders are erring on the side of caution until the pandemic is better controlled. Trump said Friday that he has deemed churches and other houses of worship essential" and called on governors across the country to allow them to reopen this weekend. Saya and many of the rally-goers were not wearing masks. I dont think we should have to wear masks at all, said Saya. I think its a health hazard to be wearing masks. I mean, if you read on the box of the masks that youre purchasing it tells you right on the box that these do not prevent COVID-19. Baker signed an executive order requiring residents to wear masks in public, including people who take public transit and grocery shopping that took effect on May 6. We view this as common sense, said Baker. Public health officials say face masks help protect people from contracting the virus from those who are asymptomatic. Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said earlier this month that asymptomatic transmission could be as high as 25%. Co-organizer of the Trump rally in Chicopee is Chris Ryan who represents Correctional Officers for Trump 2020. He has also organized other rallies for the president in Western Massachusetts. (Douglas Hook / MassLive) I think Massachusetts is opening way too slowly, said Chris Ryan who represents the group Correctional Officers for Trump 2020. Its time to open up the beaches, you know, were part of a nationwide movement of opening up the states. Ryan is no stranger to Trump Rallies and organized one in Northampton recently in order to show concerns about the restrictions imposed on the public and the loss of civil liberties during the coronavirus pandemic. We're all about freedom, said Ryan. If somebody wants to wear a mask, then go ahead, but we don't think they're necessary. Massachusetts health officials on Saturday announced an additional 76 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the statewide total to 6,304. Officials also confirmed another 773 cases of the virus, meaning there are now at least 91,662 positive cases of COVID-19 across Massachusetts. Thats based on 9,342 new tests reported on Saturday. As parts of the U.S. have lifted shutdown orders during the COVID-19 pandemic, there's been a fierce argument online about the risks and benefits of reopening. New research suggests that bots have been dominating that debate. Carnegie Mellon University researchers analyzed over 200 million tweets discussing COVID-19 and related issues since January and found that roughly half the accounts, including 62% of the 1,000 most influential retweeters, appeared to be bots. Brian Clancy wears a T-shirt with the slogan 'We are Q.' The shirt refers to QAnon which is a conspiracy theory detailing a secret plot by an alleged "deep state" against President Donald Trump and his supporters. (Douglas Hook / MassLive) At least one rally goer attending was from out of state. Trump supporter Ron from Somers, Conn., would only give his first name, wanted to attend to show his support for the president, troops and protest against the restrictions. I think basically the whole country within 30 days should completely reopen again, then we should see what happens, said Ron. I feel it has begun to be weaponizing the coronavirus. The left has one attitude about closing and opening. The conservatives have different attitudes about it. Saya feels that the reopening plan and lockdown is not only unconstitutional but cruel. I feel like Im being punished like a child, you know if I speak out, said Saya. If we go against the rules we get locked up or fined or they threaten us with punishment. Related Content: All of today's national and international coronavirus news in one place. Starting with Luxembourg [block type="summary"]The Ministry of Health 's latest figures show that nine new cases of coronavirus were recorded in Luxembourg on Saturday, bringing the total to 3,990. The number of deaths remains at 109. Wondering where you can go on holiday this summer? We've put together an interactive map outlining governments' individual policies with regards to welcoming tourists. See the full map here. Medical centres , which offer medical care when regular doctors' practices are closed, will return to their regular opening times as of Monday. Interview: Minister of Labour Dan Kersch believes Luxembourg took a cautious, yet successful path in curbing the spread of the virus. And news from around the world Europe saw 2 million positive coronavirus cases on Saturday. The World Health Organization declared Latin America "a new epicenter" of the coronavirus pandemic as President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on state and local governments to speed up the reopening of the reeling American economy. The United States recorded a further 1,260 deaths from COVID-19 on Friday, bringing its total to 95,921 since the global pandemic began, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. China on Saturday reported zero new coronavirus infections for the first time since it started reporting data in January, a day after Communist Party leaders celebrated "major achievements" in the virus fight. One of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's top advisers, Dominic Cummings , drew police attention after allegedly breaking the coronavirus lockdown, reports said Friday. Global car rental company Hertz became the latest economic casualty of the coronavirus pandemic Friday, filing for bankruptcy in the US and Canada after more than a century in business. Thousands of Spaniards answered a call on Saturday from far-right party Vox to protest against lockdown measures and the increasingly beleaguered government of leftist Pedro Sanchez. More than 40 people were infected with the new coronavirus after attending a mass in Frankfurt earlier this month, German media reported on Saturday. [block type="summary"]The 's latest figures show that nine new cases of coronavirus were recorded in Luxembourg on Saturday, bringing the total to 3,990. The number of deaths remains at 109. A Chinese proposal to impose national security laws on Hong Kong brought sharp criticism from pro-democracy supporters and the United States. Chinese Communist Party leaders submitted a bill Friday to the National Peoples Congress (NPC), the national legislature. It called for a new law in Hong Kong to prevent and punish acts of secession, subversion or terrorism activities. The plan also permits Chinese security agencies to operate in the city, raising fears of direct law enforcement from the mainland. It comes as the citys pro-democracy demonstrations were temporarily halted during the coronavirus crisis. At times, the protests led to violence between police and protesters last year. Pro-democracy activists and politicians in Hong Kong have, for years, opposed such legislation. They argue that it will end the islands autonomy under the one country, two systems policy. The policy is part of the agreement under which Britain returned Hong Kong to China in 1997. Joshua Wong is one of the leaders of pro-democracy street protests in 2014. He wrote on Twitter, Beijing is attempting to silence Hong Kongers critical voices with force and fear. Former pro-democracy lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan added, Xi Jinping has torn away the whole pretense of one country, two systems. Others denounced the plans as the end of Hong Kong. U.S. and other reactions In the U.S., President Donald Trump warned that the country would react very strongly if China went ahead with the security law. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the move, saying the decision to bypass Hong Kongs well-established legislative processes and ignore the will of the people of Hong Kong would be a death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised. The Mainland Affairs Council is Taiwans government agency handling relations with mainland China. It said the proposed legislation threatens Hong Kongs civil liberties and risks the citys position as an international financial center. Wang Chen is a vice chairman of the National Peoples Congress. He said the protests and violence in Hong Kong had challenged the one country, two systems principle. He said the proposed legislation was to stop possible security threats. Chinas foreign ministry added that Hong Kong is Chinas internal issue and no foreign country has the right to intervene. A previous effort to pass such legislation in Hong Kongs own legislature ended after huge street protests in 2003. This time, China plans to add the security law directly to Hong Kongs constitution known as the Basic Law. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said her government will fully cooperate with the Chinese legislature. She said it would not affect the citys rights, freedoms or judicial independence. Lam became Hong Kong leader in 2017 with support from mainland China. Steve Tsang is director of the China Institute at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. He said the proposed law would start either a massive peaceful and orderly demonstration or more vocal and aggressive protests or, indeed, most probably, a combination of both. Tsang warned that a return of violent protests would hurt the citys economy and lead multinational companies to reconsider their presence. Hong Kong activists called for people to rise up against the proposal. Calls have started for protests across the territory and democracy activists are planning street action. This is a great moment to reboot the protest, said university student Kay who took part in last years demonstrations. Im Jonathan Evans. Hai Do wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on Associated Press and Reuters news reports. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. _____________________________________________ Words in This Story secession n. the act of separating from a nation or state and becoming independent autonomy n. the power or right of a country, group or area to govern itself pretense n. a false reason that is used to hide he real purpose of something knell n. (literary) the sound of a bell rung slowly reboot v. to turn off and turn on again: for example, a computer Facebook's founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks at the Viva Tech start-up and technology summit in Paris Reuters Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is now richer than Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett and LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates currently sit at the top of the list. Zuckerberg's climb comes after Facebook reported better than expected earnings in April and announced new ecommerce and video chat features. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is climbing Bloomberg's Billionaire Index, passing billionaires like Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett and LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, an update to the list published on May 21 shows. The list now estimates Zuckerberg's net worth to be at $87.8 billion, while Arnault is valued at $81.1 billion and Buffett is valued at $68.9 billion. One year ago, those rankings looked a bit different. Zuckerberg was valued at $72.5 billion as of May 22, 2019, while Arnault was valued at $89.6 billion and Buffett was valued at $83.5 billion, Bloomberg's data shows. Even a month ago, both Buffett and Arnault would have placed higher than Zuckerberg. The Facebook CEO's net worth as of April 20 was $68.1 billion, according to Bloomberg, while Buffett's was $74.3 billion and Arnault's was $80.2 billion. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates top the list at number one and number two respectively. Zuckerberg's rise on the list comes after Facebook reported better-than-expected financials and surging users during its first-quarter earnings report on April 29. Facebook added as much as $44 billion in market value in the morning following its earnings report. The company also recently made a big move into ecommerce by launching Shops, which enables businesses to create digital storefronts on Facebook. The social networking giant also launched a competitor to Zoom in April called Messenger Rooms, which lets users create 50-person chatrooms. Zuckerberg still falls far behind Gates and Bezos on Bloomberg's list, but the gap isn't quite as large as it was almost one month ago when Bezos' net worth was estimated to be twice that of Zuckerberg's according to Bloomberg. Read the original article on Business Insider In this May 17, 2020 file photo of Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro, wearing a protective face mask as a precaution against the spread of the new coronavirus. A profanity-laced video showing Bolsonaro expressing frustration at his inability to get information from police and vowing to change Cabinet ministers if needed to protect his family was released on Friday, May 22, 2020, at the order of a Supreme Court justice in a new blow to a president whose popularity has been sagging. (AP) Brasilia: Brazilians got a shocking look Friday at an expletive-laced meeting between president Jair Bolsonaro and his cabinet when a Supreme Court judge released a video at the centre of an investigation targeting the far-right leader. The April 22 cabinet meeting is under scrutiny by prosecutors probing allegations by former justice minister Sergio Moro that Bolsonaro tried to interfere in federal police investigations. But it could prove just as damaging to Bolsonaro's 18-month-old government for other sordid details it contains. They include the president using profanity to insult governors, the education minister calling to throw Supreme Court justices in jail and the environment minister urging the government to legalize mining and farming in the Amazon rainforest while the world is distracted by the coronavirus pandemic. The video came to light when Sergio Moro resigned two days after the meeting. In a damaging final press conference, the then-justice minister, a popular anti-corruption crusader, accused Bolsonaro of "political interference" in the federal police. Police are reportedly investigating multiple cases involving Bolsonaro and his inner circle, including allegations that his son Carlos, a Rio de Janeiro city councilor, oversaw a fake-news campaign to benefit his father. Moro's allegations led a Supreme Court justice to order an investigation into whether Bolsonaro obstructed justice or committed other crimes. The probe, which could see Bolsonaro tried or even impeached, comes as the president faces growing disapproval ratings and criticism over his downplaying of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed more than 21,000 lives in Brazil. 'Another farce' In the video, Bolsonaro rails against what he calls a lack of information from the federal police, or PF. "I can't be getting surprises in the news. Hell, the PF doesn't give me information," he says. "I can't work like that. That's why I'm going to interfere, period. It's not a threat... it's the truth." At another point, he says: "I've already tried to change our security people in Rio de Janeiro, officially, and I couldn't. That's finished now. I'm not going to wait for them to fuck my whole family, my friends, because I can't change someone in our security apparatus." Anticipating the release of the video, the president had already sought to do damage control, saying he was talking about ensuring his family's security, not protecting anyone from investigation. "Another farce just collapsed. There's not a second in the video where someone could suspect I interfered in the federal police," Bolsonaro said after its release. Profanity and insults Confined to their homes by the pandemic, Bolsonaro opponents held raucous protests after the video's release, banging pots and pans out their windows. Excerpts of the video played non-stop on Brazilian TV. In one, Bolsonaro slings swear words at the governors of two of Brazil's biggest states, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, for defying him by imposing stay-at-home orders to contain the coronavirus. "That piece of shit of a governor in Sao Paulo, that pile of manure in Rio de Janeiro," he says. "That's why I want... the population to be armed. That's what guarantees that some son of a bitch can't just show up and install a dictatorship here." In another, education minister Abraham Weintraub attacks the Supreme Court for giving states the final say in the matter. "If it were up to me, I'd throw all these criminals in jail, starting with the Supreme Court," he says. In yet another, environment minister Ricardo Salles says, "Now that the media's only talking about COVID, we need to use this moment of calm to change all the regulations" preventing mining and farming on protected land in the Amazon. Investigators removed material relating to foreign countries before the video's release. According to Brazilian media reports, that included insulting remarks about China, Brazil's top trading partner. In another potentially explosive twist to the probe, opposition parties in Congress have asked investigators to seize Bolsonaro's cell phone and that of his son Carlos. The Supreme Court judge overseeing the probe passed the request Friday to the attorney general, who must now decide on the request. National Security Minister Augusto Heleno warned such a move would place Brazil's "national stability" at risk. A protester wears a gas mask and carries an American flag during a rally in response to Michigan's coronavirus stay-at-home order, at the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Thursday, May 14. AP By Emanuel Pastreich Update: Police initially said the man who died was stabbed in the neck. They later said the man was actually stabbed in the leg. Syracuse, N.Y. A man died after he was stabbed in the leg early Saturday in Syracuse. The deadly stabbing happened shortly before 2 a.m. The Syracuse Police Department rushed to the 300 block of West Onondaga Street after a caller reported a stabbing at 1:46 a.m. When officers got to the scene, they found a critically wounded 33-year-old man who had been stabbed in leg near his hip, said Sgt. Matthew Malinowski, department spokesman. The man was not conscious or breathing, an officer said on police scanner dispatches, and had a pretty bad stab wound. The man was rushed to Upstate University Hospital, where he died. His name has not been released. Officers remained at the scene early Saturday afternoon, hours after the deadly stabbing. The one-story building at 316 W. Onondaga St. was cordoned off with a makeshift fence of yellow crime scene tape. A brightly colored sign for a bakery hung above one of the buildings businesses. Peeling, red lettering on the windows of another advertised an old restaurant. Black and blue tarps hung in the windows, blocking passerby from peering inside. Police did not say if a suspect has been identified. Police have asked anyone with information about the homicide to call 315-442- 5222. Staff writer Samantha House covers breaking news, crime and public safety for syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Have a tip or a story idea? Contact her at shouse@syracuse.com. London, May 23 : UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's chief aide Dominic Cummings is facing calls to resign after it emerged that he travelled from London to his parents' home in Durham with coronavirus symptoms during lockdown, the media reported on Saturday. Cummings and his wife, who was also unwell, stayed at his parents' home while self-isolating, the BBC said in a report. A source close to Cummings denied a breach of the coronavirus rules, saying the couple needed childcare help. They added that the couple had stayed in a separate building at the property. Downing Street declined to comment on Friday night after the story was first reported in the Guardian and the Daily Mirror newspapers. The government has ordered anyone with coronavirus symptoms to self-isolate at home and not leave, even for essential supplies, for seven days. Since his reported travel, Cummings has attended meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) - the scientific body which gives independent advice that shapes the government's coronavirus response. On March 30, it was reported that Cummings, the former Vote Leave chief who was the architect of Johnson's Brexit strategy, had developed symptoms of the coronavirus and was self-isolating at home. A spokesman for Durham Police said its officers were made aware on March 31 "of reports that an individual had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city". "If accurate, the prime minister's chief adviser appears to have breached the lockdown rules. The government's guidance was very clear: stay at home and no non-essential travel," the BBC quoted a spokesperson of the opposition Labour Party as saying. "The British people do not expect there to be one rule for them and another rule for Dominic Cummings." The Scottish National Party's Westminster leader Ian Blackford said Cummings should resign or be dismissed by Johnson and that it was a "key test of leadership" for the Prime Minister. Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, added: "If Dominic Cummings has broken the guidelines he will have to resign, it is as simple as that." Speaking to the BBC, former Conservative MP David Liddington, who was de facto deputy Prime minister under Theresa May, said: "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." As millions of Americans lose their jobs owing to coronavirus and the lockdown, it turns out that the U.S. billionaires wealth is growing. The difference between the rich and the middle class has been laid bare by the coronavirus pandemic. According to a report from the Institute for Policy Studies from March 19 to May 19 the total net worth of the more than 600 billionaires in the U.S. grew by 15%, or $434 billion. The report, relied on data from Forbes tracking of Americans net worth. The Verge In the same nine-week period, more than 38 million people in the U.S. filed for unemployment benefits. And this figure does not include those who were unable to file or deemed ineligible for the benefits, including migrants. While millions risk their lives and livelihoods as first responders and front line workers, these billionaires benefit from an economy and tax system that is wired to funnel wealth to the top, Huffpost quoted Chuck Collins, co-author of the report and director of the institutes program on inequality, as saying in the release. More and more of our country's wealthand poweris piling up in the vaults of a few billionaires, as they pay less and less taxes. Unless we stop this extreme inequality, this spells one thing for U.S. workers: disaster.https://t.co/F5qHnA0rmP@RosiePerper via @businessinsider Institute for Policy Studies (@IPS_DC) May 22, 2020 Among the billionaires who have gained the most, is Jeff Bezos who is being predicted to become the worlds first trillionaire in a few years' time. Amazons wealth grew by a total of $34.6 billion, or 30%, over the past two months as online orders ballooned during lockdown. Meanwhile, the companys essential workers are demanding stronger protection amid the pandemic, including better hazard pay and paid sick leave. Many Amazon warehouse workers have died from COVID-19. YouTube/Inc.com Other billionaires who saw an increase in their wealth are Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett and Larry Ellison. This is a classic example of rich become richer and poor becoming poorer during a crisis. Lawyer for Bishop Daniel Obinim, has explained reasons behind an immediate transfer of his client to private doctors following his release. Counsel, Ralph Poku-Adusei who spoke to ghanaweb Friday evening, explained that the Founder of the International God's Way was released by the Kaneshie District Court at 3pm the same day. This was after he had met all the stated requirements for the bail. According to him, Bishop Obinim had been held in the police hospital since his arrest because of some health conditions, but was not receiving the needed treatment from health personnel at the hospital. "The hospital conditions were not good so he is currently with his private doctors trying to check his conditions so that he can be back to normal life. He has a peculiar heart condition that has been going on for some time so he has private doctors who have been making sure that he was well catered for, he was not receiving that treatment at the police hospital." He said in an interview with GhanaWeb. Lawyer Poku-Adusei further endorsed reports that the police personnel at the headquarters tried to frustrate their efforts to fulfil the bail requirements. Family members who had spoken to the media Thursday, accused police personnel of trying to frustrate efforts to grant him bail. According to them, though they had been at the police headquarters since morning and had provided the required documents as sureties, they had been unsuccessful in executing the bail. Reacting to this, his lawyer said: "The CID came up with all manner of requirements that are needless but eventually we met all the conditions and requirements requested and eventually the bail was executed around 3pm this afternoon at the Kaneshie court and he has gone home." Bishop Obinim was charged for offence of publication of false news and forging of documents contrary to Sections 208 and 159 of the criminal and other Offences Act, 1060 (Act 29) respectively. Source: ghanaweb.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 Public health, national and economic security top agenda for two sessions Global Times By GT staff reporters Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/22 1:08:40 Issues to be addressed as internal, external risks grow China's top political advisory meeting opened its annual session on Thursday in Beijing, making arrangements for work in 2020 regarding six aspects and addressing the most pressing issues including public, national and economic security. Meanwhile deputies and members to this year's two sessions are urged to adhere to the mind-set of the "bottom line" as internal and external risks continue to grow, posing unprecedented challenges for China in pursuing its social and economic development targets. A total of 2,057 top political advisors attended the 3rd session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee that opened at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing on Thursday afternoon, and the majority of them wore masks given the demand for continuous epidemic prevention and control work. Before the session started, all the attendees paid a silent tribute to martyrs who died fighting COVID-19 and compatriots who lost their lives during the epidemic. This year's two sessions started on Thursday after a 78-day delay due to COVID-19. Successfully holding the meetings also signaled the significant progress the country has made in fighting this arduous battle when most other countries and regions are still facing growing numbers of daily coronavirus infection cases. Wang Yang, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, delivered a work report of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee to the session, highlighting a series of tasks the country's top advisory body completed in 2019 and addressing the work for 2020 in six aspects while urging political advisors to fulfill their duties in achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects. There are some key words for this year's CPPCC session. Security, safety and recovery all top the agenda of Chinese policymakers and advisors. Some stressed that more work should be done in safeguarding public health, national security and security in the operation of the economy. Public health Participants to the country's most important political event during which the government subjects itself to public oversight and pools the wisdom of national legislators and political advisors who are ready to seize the opportunity to review and reflect on China's response to COVID-19 as of now, making proposals to improve the country's overall emergency warning and reporting system in order to better cope with a possible resurgence of coronavirus cases and future infectious diseases. "I sincerely think the victory in combating the COVID-19 outbreak is a victory for Chinese culture," Wang Chen, academician and president of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, was quoted as saying in media reports when he commented on the anti-epidemic battle at the first "CPPCC member interview" of the session. "In Chinese culture, we truly respect people's health and lives, which is also deeply rooted in values that have been demonstrated during the whole battle," he said. In reflecting on the shortcomings and loopholes within the country's public health system, especially regarding the top-down emergency response system, many NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members proposed to establish a mechanism for direct communication between the central and local governments over major public health emergencies and to improve the current infectious disease reporting system, as the heavily invested system, set up after the SARS outbreak in 2003, was widely believed to have failed to function properly during the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic. Some advisors also suggested that the National Health Commission come up with a detailed warning system regarding infectious diseases, especially unknown diseases, and classification standards of warnings on different levels, and then include them in China's infectious diseases prevention law. NPC deputy Li Weimin, president of the West China Hospital of Sichuan University and one of the team leaders of local medical staff battling COVID-19, told the Global Times in a recent interview that his proposal to this year's two sessions will focus on the establishment of a direct and long-term reporting system for public health emergencies. In China, medical institutions generally lack alertness to public health emergencies such as major infectious diseases. When clinical medical staff saw early clues of the epidemic emerging, they are not clear about the reporting process, and failed to use the direct reporting system to inform of a possible epidemic in the first place, he said. He noted that the current direct reporting system still has the intermediate link of manual examination and approval after the medical institutions report information regarding infectious diseases, which will delay the reports. "The system is capable of monitoring known diseases, but is not capable of providing an early warning for new and major infectious diseases unknown to us," he said. National security Safeguarding national interests and topics on Xinjiang, Taiwan, Hong Kong have also appeared in the working report China's top political advisor Wang Yang delivered at the opening ceremony. Wang urged all members to make efforts in playing their roles, including organizing consultative meetings centered on the unity and progress among all ethnic groups, supporting CPPCC members in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in stopping violence. Over the past year, CPPCC members also firmly safeguarded core national interests - releasing solemn statements condemning the US House and Senate passing bills related to China, including one on the HKSAR and one on Northwest China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region. In 2020, the CPPCC should also conduct better united front work, creating conditions for people of all parties in China and nonparty personages to better play their roles, Wang noted. According to an online poll made by people.cn before the two sessions, "national security" is one of the 10 topics that respondents care about the most. In response to how to strengthen people's national security consciousness, 23 percent of the online respondents agreed to "build national security consciousness via education" and 17 percent chose to "have more activities in enhancing conscientiousness and related practices." "National security is considered a top priority to national interest. As traditional and non-traditional security threats have been interwoven together, the US is using the coronavirus to frequently challenge China's sovereignty and integrity in recent months," Li Wei, a counterterrorism expert at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Thursday. Li noted that the US wants to maintain its hegemonic position in the world, and when faced with China's rise, it has played its cards on Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong with the hope to disturb China's national development and to contain China. A Tibet-related bill is also reportedly about to be passed by the US senate soon. The Chinese central government is expected to take a decisive approach in ending riots and chaos in Hong Kong by revealing the implementation of the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law in the SAR, a move to safeguard the central government's sovereignty over the region and prevent the territory from falling into the hands of hostile forces at all costs, observers and delegators said. "China will never make any compromises in regards to national security and its core interests," Li said, adding that every country should not miscalculate this. Economic security This year, as the Chinese economy is still grappling with what officials call "unprecedented" challenges from the global COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers and policy advisors called for more efforts in helping the country's economic recovery, particularly in regaining consumption confidence which has suffered a real heavy blow amid the outbreak. It is crucial to whether the two goals - poverty alleviation and moderate prosperity - in achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will be fulfilled this year. Of the three major sectors - investment, consumption and foreign trade - the biggest impact from the COVID-19 epidemic would hit consumption, as many citizens still don't dare to go out nor consume while basic recovery regarding this would occur in October, Li Daokui, a prominent economist at Tsinghua University and a member of Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, told the Global Times on Wednesday night. However, there are several "bottom lines" that China has to adhere to. For example, in the face of a complicated external environment, the country has to pre-plan to ensure the security of economic operations. Whether it's about ensuring crude oil supply, soybean and grain supplies or fending off major risks regarding financial markets as well as protecting overseas listed companies from unilateral jurisdiction and sanctions imposed by countries like the US, Li said. This year's "two sessions," postponed for more than two months, bears special meaning as the unprecedented coronavirus epidemic complicates the nation's efforts to eradicate absolute poverty and complete building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, according to the Xinhua News Agency. As the tasks are considered daunting, the country needs to map out more flexible and feasible economic development targets with down-to-earth principles to counter internal and external uncertainties, with more flexible and proactive fiscal and monetary policies to be set while upholding the bottom line of employment. "It's expected there will be a fiscal deficit of about 5 percent. Compared to the situation in 2008 [in the post-financial crisis], there's no need to unveil a massive stimulus plan in heavily invested infrastructure," Li said. Meanwhile, the most significant pressure point for the country's job market comes from the 8 million fresh graduates, who may have certain impacts on social stability. However, issues still remain regarding livelihoods, which won't hit the fundamentals of the Chinese economy, Li the widely acclaimed economist noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Dominic Cummings' wife gave a detailed account of the family's coronavirus ordeal - but failed to mention that they had broken lockdown to travel from London to Durham. Journalist Mary Wakefield revealed that No10 chief Mr Cummings, 48, spent 10 days bedridden after 'collapsing' and having 'spasms' with the disease at the end of March. Despite claims that the couple travelled 260 miles so they could access childcare, the article Ms Wakefield wrote for the Spectator last month says he was nursed by their young son. And it gave the strong sense that the family had remained in the capital, saying Mr Cummings had 'rushed home' when she first developed symptoms, and that they 'emerged from quarantine into the almost comical uncertainty of London lockdown'. Mr Cummings with his wife Mary outside their London home last year, after he had begun working for Mr Johnson Timeline of Cummings' lockdown flouting March 23 Boris Johnson announces lockdown. March 27: On the same day the Prime Minister tests positive for coronavirus, his top aide is seen running across Downing Street to get home to his wife Mary Wakefield. She later wrote in The Spectator that Mr Cummings did 'rush home' to look after her when she developed symptoms. March 28 & 29: Mr Cummings develops symptoms of the disease over the weekend, Downing Street confirms, with Mrs Wakefield saying he felt 'weird'. He reportedly collapsed before spending ten days bedridden with a high fever, spasms and breathlessness. March 31: The Government adviser was in Durham, according to the investigation, with police confirming they visited an individual who had travelled to the city from London to self-isolate. April 5: Mr Cummings is allegedly spotted by a witness at the grounds of his parents' home near Durham at 5.45pm with a child believed to be his son. The same evening Scotland's chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood resigns for breaching lockdown rules for visiting her second home. April 14: The PM's aide is photographed in Downing Street for the first time since recovering from coronavirus. Advertisement Boris Johnson was today warned he cannot stonewall demands to sack his right hand man for flouting lockdown rules by travelling to his parents' Durham farm to self-isolate. He was spotted by a witness at the gate of the property, with Abba's Dancing Queen playing loudly. The bombshell revelations sparked accusations of hypocrisy with Mr Cummings' position branded 'untenable', and signs of disquiet among Tory MPs. Dorset police and crime commissioner Martyn Underhill warned this morning that the flagrant breach will be thrown in the face of officers as they tried to restrain sun-seeking visitors on what is expected to be a hot bank holiday weekend. In a defiant statement this morning, a No10 spokesman said he had not broken any guidelines with the 264-mile trip. 'Owing to his wife being infected with suspected Coronavirus and the high likelihood that he would himself become unwell, it was essential for Dominic Cummings to ensure his young child could be properly cared for,' the spokesman said. 'His sister and nieces had volunteered to help so he went to a house near to but separate from his extended family in case their help was needed. His sister shopped for the family and left everything outside. 'At no stage was he or his family spoken to by the police about this matter, as is being reported. His actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines. Mr Cummings believes he behaved reasonably and legally.' Allies pointed to a comment from deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries on March 24, when she was asked what parents should do if both fall ill. 'A small child is vulnerable. If adults cannot look after the child, that is an exceptional circumstance,' Dr Harries said. Mr Cummings spend 14 days off work, twice the usual period of quarantine, sparking questions about his health. But No 10 throughout insisted he was 'in contact' with staff in Downing Street. Mr Cummings and Ms Wakefield married in 2011. Mary is a journalist for the Spectator and the daughter of Sir Humphry Tyrrell Wakefield, owner of Chillingham Castle and a friend of Prince Philip. In her account, Ms Wakefield said her husband 'rushed home' after she became ill. 'But 24 hours later he said ''I feel weird''.'. 'Day in, day out for ten days he lay doggo with a high fever and spasms that made the muscles lump and twitch in his legs. He could breathe, but only in a limited, shallow way,' she wrote. 'After a week, we reached peak corona uncertainty. Day six is a turning point, I was told: that's when you either get better or head for ICU. 'But was Dom fighting off the bug or was he heading for a ventilator? Who knew? I sat on his bed staring at his chest, trying to count his breaths per minute. 'The little oxygen reader we'd bought on Amazon indicated that he should be in hospital, but his lips weren't blue and he could talk in full sentences, such as: 'Please stop staring at my chest, sweetheart.' Despite the suggestion that the couple had gone to Durham for childcare, Ms Wakefield said Ceddy, had 'administered' Ribena to Mr Cummings with the 'grim insistence of a Broadmoor nurse'. 'This might be my only useful advice for other double-Covid parents or single mothers with pre-schoolers,' she wrote. 'Get out the doctor's kit and make it your child's job to take your temperature. Any game that involves lying down is a good game.' On the end of their ordeal, Ms Wakefield said they had emerged from quarantine into the 'uncertainty of London lockdown'. 'After the uncertainty of the bug itself, we emerged from quarantine into the almost comical uncertainty of London lockdown. Everything and its opposite seems true. People are frightened and theyre calm; its spring and its not. Queueings a pain in the ass and the most fun youll have all day. Gorakhpur: Setting an example of sorts, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has allowed demolition of shops in the Gorakhnath temple here, of which he is the head priest. The shops in the temple complex were coming in the way of widening of road that leads from Mohaddipur to Jungle Kaudia in Gorakhpur. The road is being converted into a 17 kilometres long four-lane road to ease traffic bottlenecks. About two dozen shops located in the temple complex were proving to be a hurdle in road widening and they were demolished on Thursday. When the proposal for road widening was being prepared, Adityanath had given permission for demolition of the shops that were coming in the way. The Chief Minister had asked officials to prove alternative accommodation to shop keepers who have been displaced so that their earnings were not impacted. Official sources said that there is a proposal to construct a shopping complex on a land adjacent to the temple complex for these shop keepers. The map of the same has been approved by the Gorakhpur Development Authority (GDA). "The Chief Minister did not take even a minute to allow demolition of shops for the development of the city. The new four-lane road will ease traffic congestion in the city," said an official on condition of anonymity. The Gorakhnath temple is one of the most revered shrines in the region and is the seat of `Gorakhshdham`. Lakhs of devotees visit the temple all year round. A doctor pushes a COVID-19 patient in a wheelchair in the emergency area of the Guillermo Almenara hospital in Lima, Peru, Friday, May 22, 2020. Despite strict measures to control the virus, this South American nation of 32 million has become one of the countries worst hit by the disease. AP The coronavirus pandemic continued to drop in much of Asia on Saturday even as the outbreak surged in Latin America, as the world grappled with balancing the urge to restart economies with fears about health risks. China, where the outbreak began late last year, reported no new confirmed cases for the first time. In South Korea, there were 23 fresh infections, mostly from the densely populated Seoul area where authorities shut down thousands of nightclubs, bars and karaoke rooms to stem transmissions. The encouraging signs are likely to set off a much awaited thrust to get back to business as governments have been readying social-distancing measures to reopen economies. In Japan, a group representing bar hostesses and other nightlife workers issued guidelines to protect employees as outfits reopen, telling them to wear masks, gargle every 30 minutes and disinfect karaoke microphones after each use. The Bank of Japan, which recently announced measures to ensure easy lending in the world's third largest economy, said in a joint statement with the government that both sides ''will work together to bring the Japanese economy back again on the post-pandemic solid growth track.'' Japan's new cases have dwindled lately to double-digit figures each day. Deaths related to the coronavirus are below 800 people. South Korea had been reporting around 500 new cases a day in early March before using aggressive tracing and testing to stabilize its outbreak. More than 200 of the recent infections have been linked to clubgoers in Seoul as the country began easing restrictions. In the U.S., some regions were opening more quickly than others. In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the state's stay-at-home order by slightly more than two additional weeks, through June 12, while keeping theaters, gyms and other places of public accommodation closed until at least then. The Democratic governor also kept her coronavirus emergency declaration through June 19. Both the stay-at-home measure and state of emergency had been set to expire late next Thursday, though Whitmer said extensions were likely. ''While the data shows that we are making progress, we are not out of the woods yet. If we're going to lower the chance of a second wave and continue to protect our neighbors and loved ones from the spread of this virus, we must continue to do our part by staying safer at home,'' said Whitmer, whom President Donald Trump has pushed to reopen the state. Michigan on Friday reported 5,158 confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 complications, the fourth largest tally of any state. The daily death toll rose by 29 and the number of new confirmed cases in the state increased by 403, to nearly 54,000 since the pandemic started. Nevada is preparing to reopen its shuttered casinos, including glitzy ones in Las Vegas. Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, has set a tentative June 4 date, as Nevada continues to see decreasing cases of the coronavirus and hospitalizations of COVID-19. Some restrictions began to be lifted nearly two weeks ago. Nevada's gambling regulators plan to meet Tuesday and will consider reopening plans submitted from casinos, which need to be approved at least seven days before restarting. By country, the U.S. has been the hardest hit, with more than 96,000 deaths among 1.6 million confirmed cases. Meanwhile, the United Nations said there have been 75 cases of COVID-19 in the U.N.'s 13 far-flung peacekeeping missions, which have a total of 110,000 troops, police and personnel. U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters that preventive measures taken early on in the crisis appear to have prevented the spread of the virus, with the exception of conflict-torn Mali where 58 cases were reported. He said there have been no deaths and none of the cases was serious. Latin America's two largest nations _ Mexico and Brazil _ reported record numbers of infections and deaths almost daily this week, fueling criticism of their presidents, who have slow-walked shutdowns in an attempt to limit economic damage. Brazil has reported more than 330,000 confirmed cases, surpassing Russia to become the nation with the second-highest number of infections, behind only the U.S., according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Brazil also has recorded more than 21,000 deaths, though experts believe the numbers are higher. The virus ''does not forgive,'' Uber driver Bruno Almeida de Mello said at the burial of his grandmother Vandelma Rosa, 66, in Rio de Janeiro. ''It does not choose race or if you are rich or poor, black or white. It's a cruel disease.'' De Mello said his grandmother's death certificate reads ''suspected of COVID-19,'' but the hospital didn't have the tests necessary to confirm it. That means her death was not counted in the official toll. Experts said the surging deaths across Latin America showed the limits of government action in a region where millions have informal jobs and many police forces are weak or corrupt and unable to enforce restrictions. Infections also rose and intensive-care units were swamped in Peru, Chile and Ecuador, countries lauded for imposing early and aggressive business shutdowns and quarantines. Colombia's Ministry of Health also reported its biggest daily increases Friday, with 801 new confirmed infections and 30 deaths. Nearly 20,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus in a country that has been locked down for nearly two months. (AP) Beijings latest plan to crack down on dissent in Hong Kong by passing controversial national security legislation has shocked democracy advocates in the semi-autonomous city, and elicited swift rebuke from Washington. Calls for flash mobs appeared on protest-oriented social media channels Friday in response to the proposal, an indication that the sometimes-violent mass demonstrations that have lulled amid the coronavirus pandemic could soon reemerge. Activists expressed fears for Chinas freest city after the draft bill, which would insert new security measures into the territorys mini-constitution, was submitted Friday for deliberations at the annual meeting of the National Peoples Congress (NPC), a rubber-stamp legislature. Beijing is attempting to silence Hong Kongers critical voices with force and fear, pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong tweeted. Deep down protesters know, we insist not because we are strong, but because we have no other choice. NPC spokesperson Zhang Yesui called changes to Hong Kongs national security framework absolutely necessary during a press briefing ahead of the legislatures opening Thursday, according to state media. The proposal follows after unrest seized the financial hub throughout the second half of 2019, posing an enormous challenge to Beijings authority. National security is the bedrock underpinning the stability of the country and serves the fundamental interests of all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots, Zhang said. Saddest day in Hong Kongs history The exact effects of the law are not yet clear, but pro-democracy figures fear the move will pave the way for Beijing to further curtail Hong Kongs autonomy. I think it is the saddest day in Hong Kongs history, pro-democracy lawmaker Tanya Chan said. Wong criticized Beijings decision to bypass Hong Kongs legislature and directly enact highly controversial legislation on the territory. Story continues Beijings move is a direct retaliation on #hongkongers efforts to arouse awareness over the past one year he tweeted. #HongKong needs the world right now, he added. 5/ Beijings move is a direct retaliation on #hongkongers efforts to arouse awareness over the past one year. Beijing is attempting to silence #Hongkongers critical voices with force and fear. Joshua Wong (@joshuawongcf) May 21, 2020 Nathan Law, another pro-democracy activist, says the legislation being debated in Beijing will add fuel to the temporarily dormant protests. It will only reignite the movement, he tells TIME. When news of the proposal broke on Thursday night, a handful of protesters popped up in a luxury shopping mall in the heart of the citys retail center. Hong Kong independence is the only way out, they chanted. Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), the group that convened the largely peaceful million-strong marches last summer, noted that it remains difficult to gather with social distancing measures in place amid the coronavirus. But it called for two million people to stand up once protest action is organized. On Friday, police stopped pan-democratic lawmakers on an impromptu march against the national security legislation, citing a coronavirus-related ban on gatherings of more than eight people. Well address that issue very strongly The new law threatens to exacerbate tensions with the Trump Administration, which has already warned it could revoke Hong Kongs special economic status if Beijing is perceived to be curtailing the citys autonomy. Hong Kong enjoys freedoms that distinguish it from the mainland, including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and an independent judiciary, that were guaranteed under a one country, two systems policy after the former British colony retroceded to China in 1997. Speaking to reporters as he left the White House Thursday, President Donald Trump said that if China passes the new security legislation, well address that issue very strongly. He did not elaborate on what actions might be taken. But analysts expressed doubt as to how much impact the U.S. response could have. I dont think the U.S. has much leverage as far as Hong Kong is concerned, says Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a political-science professor at Hong Kong Baptist University. But, he adds, the Administration will certainly react if the NPC pushes the new measures through. Beijing is worried that Hong Kong is becoming a base of subversion. Thats why theyre in a hurry to pass this legislation, Cabestan tells TIME. Right now, Beijing is in crisis mode, with the virus, with deteriorating U.S. relations and with discontent still simmering in Hong Kong. Were in a new Cold War, he adds. Hong Kong has increasingly emerged as the latest front in the intensifying U.S.-China showdown. On Thursday, two U.S. Senators introduced a bill that would sanction Chinese Communist Party officials and entities that are involved in enacting the proposed national security law in Hong Kong. Democrat Chris Van Hollen and and Republican Pat Toomey said the bill aims to defend Hong Kongs autonomy against increasingly brazen interference from the Chinese Community Party. Last year, millions of people in Hong Kong took to the streets to demand democratic freedoms, Van Hollen said in a statement. Despite Chinas brutal crackdown, and repeated attempts to erode Hong Kongs political liberties, these protests have persisted. Chinese officials have repeatedly accused foreign forces backed by the U.S. of fomenting the sometimes violent unrest that paralyzed Hong Kong in the second half of 2019. Initially, the protests were sparked by a proposed extradition law that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited for trial to the mainland, where courts are controlled by the Community Party. But after Hong Kong withdrew the bill, the movement continued, snowballing to encompass broader demands including full democratic elections and independent inquiry into police actions. In November, with the anti-government movement reaching a fever pitch, Trump signed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act into law after it was passed Congress almost unanimously. It requires the U.S. government to make an annual assessment of whether Hong Kong remains sufficiently independent from Beijing to warrant continued preferential trade privileges. Hong Kong was granted special trade status under the 1992 United States-Hong Kong Policy Act, which says the city should continue to be treated as a separate territory from the Chinese mainland in economic and trade matters. Earlier this month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a delay to the inaugural report in order to see if Beijing took any action against the territory during the week-long NPC gathering. Were closely watching whats going on there, he said Wednesday. Hong Kong is required under Article 23 of the Basic Law, its mini-constitution, to pass laws that prohibit treason, secession, sedition and subversion against the Chinese government. A previous effort to enact similar legislation in 2003 triggered massive backlash and was withdrawn after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in protest. But in the face of simmering discontent in the territory, Beijing has increasingly advocated for sweeping national security measures, especially following radical protest escalation that it has likened to terrorism. A commentary in state-run China Daily on Friday made it clear that the proposed national security law is meant to dissuade further unrest in the enclave. The introduction of the legislation will provide the legal basis for concrete actions to check the escalation of violence in [Hong Kong], and act as a deterrent to expedite the restoration of public order, it said. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has indicated that despite igniting unprecedented backlash with her effort to pass controversial legislation last year, she would be willing to fully cooperate on the national security laws and ensure they are passed as soon as possible. In a statement issued Friday, she said that protesters who had burned the Chinese national flag, vandalized the national emblem and called for foreign governments to interfere had crossed the baseline of One Country, sabotaging the relationship between the Central Peoples Government and [Hong Kong]. While protesters are vowing to continue their resistance, it remains unclear how or when they might respond, and whether the looming effort to stifle the movement will force a shift in tactics. Police have said that over 8,300 demonstrators between the ages of 11 and 84 have already been arrested in relation to the protests since June last year. In the aftermath of massive flooding in Midland resulting from dam failure, residents and businesses impacted by the incident are assessing damage and evaluating cleanup efforts. As they return to their properties, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) offers basic guidance on how to manage debris. From addressing immediate hazards to exploring disposal options, EGLE urges residents to follow guidelines set by the state. May 23 : Wildlife photographer, an advocate of animal rights, UN Ambassador for Migratory Species, and of course a prolific actor Randeep Hooda shares a post about bio-diversity straight from the land of Mowgli and urge people to look after the planet rather than destroying it. Actor Randeep Hooda just took to his social media profile and shared a stunning picture from Pench Tiger Reserve situated on MadhyaPardesh and Maharashtra border. He captioned it, The land of #mowgli #seoni #penchtigerreserve. Reminds me a lot of visuals I read in westerns and cheap prints of paintings in almost all homes growing up...#biodiversityday Our planet is one large organism where every species plays a part in keeping it healthy. If we continue to destroy these hubs for unsustainable development of infrastructure and mining, we are actually destroying our home and our selves. We must learn from #COVID19 #nilgai #wildrandeep #jungleehooda #wildwednesday #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifephotographer #nature #incredibleindia #motherearth #notjusttigers #environment #india #photographers_of_india #animals #animallovers #mptourism #earth #mptigerfoundationsociety Our planet is one large organism where every species plays a part in keeping it healthy. If we continue to destroy these hubs for unsustainable development of infrastructure and mining,we are actually destroying our home and our selves.We must learn from #COVID19 #BiodiversityDay pic.twitter.com/JGPgs4Oz30 Randeep Hooda (@RandeepHooda) May 22, 2020 Meanwhile on the work front, Randeep was last seen in Netflix original Extraction with Chris Hemsworth. Next he will be seen sharing screen space with Salman Khan in Radhe. Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai is directed by Prabhu Deva and produced by Salman Khan, Sohail Khan and Atul Agnihotri. It is slated to be released on 22 May 2020, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.This film is remake of South Korean film Veteran. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- While the world was in quarantine and surgery centers were under procedure-restriction mandates, Pantheon Global Holdings, LLC, a Scottsdale-based medical billing and revenue cycle management enterprise, got to work exploring new partnerships with local labs to provide free COVID-19 and antibody testing to it's 300 employees. "It was important to us to support our employees as much as possible during this challenging time," said Gregory Maldonado, President of PGH, "and we worked diligently to create the safest possible environment for our employees to come onsite to receive these tests at no cost to them." Pantheon Global partnered with Phoenix-based Premiere Lab Solutions to provide employees the opportunity to obtain one or both COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab test, and the IgM/IgG antibody blood-test. "The quality of the tests and the safety of our employees were our top priorities, and we all feel pride in knowing we were able to facilitate this opportunity for our workforce," quoted James Allen, Executive Vice President. Licensed medical providers and medical assistants were onsite to administer the tests in conference rooms turned medical exam rooms, spread throughout the office in compliance with strict distancing guidelines. Employees remained in their vehicles and received text messages with instructions to advance to the next checkpoint during their scheduled appointments, while wearing protective facemasks for the duration. Lab results were available to employees within 24-hours by logging into Premiere's website. Allen added, "We continue to be committed to the well-being and safety of our employees and commend them on their resilience and dedication to Pantheon Global, as we've all been navigating this uncharted territory together." Pantheon Global is a family-owned, multi-disciplined conglomerate with several subsidiary entities specializing in out-of-network medical billing, medical practice management and marketing, leading-edge technology solutions and full revenue-cycle management. Direct Media Inquiries to Katie Moore - [email protected] SOURCE Pantheon Global Holdings LLC Related Links http://pantheongh.com 1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up. 2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed. 3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms. 4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually. 5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings. Vote View Results CIMB Bank Singapore Partners With iSTOX To Expand Access To Private Capital Markets Through Distributed Ledger Technology CIMB Bank Singapore CIMB Bank Singapore Partners With iSTOX To Expand Access To Private Capital Markets Through Distributed Ledger Technology CIMB Bank Singapore signed an agreement to partner with ICHX Tech Pte Ltd (ICHX), operator of the next generation capital markets platform iSTOX (iSTOX) today. The partnership will allow CIMB Bank Singapore clients in the ASEAN region access to a faster, more flexible and efficient way to raise funds at a lower cost. iSTOX is the first regulated capital markets platform in any major financial centre to support the one-stop issuance, custody and secondary trading of digitised securities. Drawing on the power of advanced smart contract and distributed ledger technology to streamline the issuance and trading process, iSTOX brings private capital markets into the 21st century. By allowing investors and issuers to connect directly, iSTOX removes longstanding barriers that have prevented a far greater pool of investors from access to private capital markets opportunity. iSTOX is a future-ready capital markets platform set to usher in a new era for capital fundraising and investment. Through the use of digitised security offerings, iSTOX offers a more innovative, flexible, inclusive, and efficient system for an emerging generation of investors and issuers. As part of its mission, iSTOX seeks to enable investors and issuers to transact precisely as and how they like and extends capital markets access to a wider segment of the community. iSTOX is owned by ICHX. ICHX is a capital markets infrastructure and technology company on a mission to redefine capital fundraising and investment in the 21st century. An incubatee of ICH Group, a leading Singapore-based investment firm, ICHX draws on world class expertise in fintech, fund management, investment, and corporate advisory. ICHX is authorized by MAS as a recognised market operator (RMO). It also holds a capital markets services licence (CMS) for dealing in capital markets products and providing custodial services. Story continues Danny Toe, Founder and CEO of ICHX, said: Weve built iSTOX as a more accessible, flexible, and efficient improvement to the current outdated model of private capital markets. While the digital revolution has radically altered industries ranging from avionics to media, the underlying infrastructure of private capital markets really hasnt changed much since the advent of electronic trading decades ago. We believe that iSTOX will change this paradigm and redefine what investing can mean. We are pleased with this partnership to provide our clients with an alternative digital solution as digitisation is one of the pillars that we are looking at to build aggressively within the bank in the next few years, shared Victor Lee, CEO of CIMB Bank Singapore. Key investors of ICHX include Singapore Exchange (SGX); Heliconia (a subsidiary of Temasek Holdings); Japans Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings (via subsidiary Tokai Tokyo Global Investments); Thailands Kiatnakin Phatra Financial Group; and South Koreas Hanwha Asset Management. CIMB Group is one of ASEANs leading universal banking groups and is Malaysias second largest financial services provider, by assets. It offers consumer banking, commercial banking, investment banking, Islamic banking and asset management products and services. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, the Group is present in all 10 ASEAN nations (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Philippines). Beyond ASEAN, the Group has market presence in China, Hong Kong, India, Sri Lanka, Korea, the US and UK. CIMB Group has the most extensive retail branch network in ASEAN approximately of 740 branches as at 30 June 2019. CIMB Groups investment banking arm is also one of the largest Asia Pacific-based investment banks, offering amongst the most comprehensive research coverage around of 600 stocks in the region. CIMB Group operates its business through three main brand entities, CIMB Bank, CIMB Investment Bank and CIMB Islamic. CIMB Group is also the 92.5% shareholder of Bank CIMB Niaga in Indonesia, and 94.8% shareholder of CIMB Thai in Thailand. CIMB Group is listed on Bursa Malaysia via CIMB Group Holdings Berhad. It had a market capitalisation of approximately RM52.3 billion as at 30 June 2019. The Group has around 36,000 employees located in 16 countries. A few days ago, United Overseas Bank (UOB) announced that its Wealth Advisers have intensified support to their clients as part of a Bank-wide #UnitedforYou effort to help people grappling with the impact of COVID-19. As markets continue to fluctuate and economies stall due to COVID-19, UOBs more than 500 Wealth Advisers have been proactively calling Wealth Banking and Privilege Banking clients to review their investment portfolios. During these discussions, UOB continues to advocate its risk-first approach to ensure investors understand the risks of an investment ahead of any potential returns. Since mid-March, the Bank has seen a 70 per cent increase in portfolio reviews , compared with those completed between January and mid-March. As part of keeping clients informed on risks and opportunities given fluid market conditions, UOB has also increased the investment insight reports it provides to clients. The reports contain information such as the Banks views on future market moves and recommended investment strategies. In March and April, six advisory videos and written reports providing advice from UOBs investment advisory team were sent to clients addressing investment opportunities during the time of COVID-19. UOBs COVID-19-related video updates have attracted the highest viewership to date, with nearly four times the usual view rate when compared with past UOB investment and advisory videos, reflecting investor demand for trusted advice in a period of significant market uncertainty. This higher interest in investment information is also reflected in Google Trends data which shows a 67 per cent increase in Singapore for investing-related searches since March 2020. . UOB is also seeing an increased demand for online investment opportunities, with the purchasing of investment products online up 406 per cent in the first quarter of 2020, compared with a year ago. The strongest demand has been for gold and unit trust products , as investors seek defensive and diversified assets. The post CIMB Bank Singapore partners with iSTOX to expand access appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources. A 12-year-old climate activist has launched a nationwide campaign to ensure the air quality index (AQI) remains at safe standards even after the lockdown is lifted. Ridhima Pandey was one of the 16 children alongside Greta Thunberg to petition the United Nations Climate Action Summit against the lack of government action on climate change in September last year. As India completed two months of national lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic on Saturday, several studies have indicated a marked improvement in air quality over the past 60 days. The campaign calls for immediate steps to ensure the AQI across India remains 60 throughout the year, which is considered healthy for breathing, said Pandey. Along with Bengaluru-based digital advocacy organisation Jhatkaa.org, Pandey released a 60-second video on Saturday as a part of the campaign - #SaalBhar60 - to ensure AQI is 60 throughout the year. The campaign urges citizens to participate in a national digital movement on June 5, World Environment Day, by sharing their photos holding a placard saying Clean Air for All and uploading it on social media platforms and tagging the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC). A corresponding petition on the platform asks for the initiation of an autonomous Clean Air Authority who will solely be in-charge of reducing air pollution levels. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, May 23, 2020 13:16 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9c878d 1 City landfill-facility,South-Tangerang,Serpong,Banten,trash,waste Free The support walls of the Cipeucang landfill in Serpong, South Tangerang, Banten, collapsed on Friday morning, spilling around 100 metric tons of waste into the Cisadane River. Yepi Suherman, the South Tangerang environmental agency secretary, confirmed that the walls had collapsed at around 4.30 a.m. Around 100 tons [ of waste] is blocking two-thirds of the river, he told The Jakarta Post on Saturday. He added that the agency had coordinated with the Public Works and Public Housing Ministrys joint Ciliwung-Cisadane Flood Control Office to clean up the spilled waste and restore the blocked water flow. The office sent a team on Friday night and the river is currently being dredged. Around 10 percent of the waste has been lifted from the river [as of Saturday morning], Yepi said. He said that heavy rainfall in the last few days caused the waste to absorb water and expand. The increasing weight of the waste then caused the landfill walls to collapse. He went on to say that the agency would ask the landfills contractor to repair the walls immediately. "They were built less than six months ago, so [the contractor] should take responsibility," he said Read also: Skyscraper of waste: Greater Jakarta drowning in mountains of trash Cipeucang is South Tangerangs only public landfill and receives approximately 300 tons of waste every day. The landfill is on the brink of being overloaded with mounds of trash as high as 16 meters tall. The South Tangerang administration has announced its intention to close the facility and build a waste-to-energy plant instead. The administration has rented a section of the Nambo landfill in adjacent Bogor city, West Java, to dump its garbage. The facility will be able to produce up to 15-megawatt hours of electricity from a supply of 1,000 tons of waste per day. Construction is set to begin later this year and take two years to complete. BANGKOK, May 23 (Reuters) - Thailand on Saturday reported three new coronavirus cases and no new deaths, bringing the country's total to 3,040 confirmed cases and 56 fatalities since the outbreak started in January. The new cases are two Thai nationals recently returned from overseas and under quarantine and a 49-year-old Italian man living in Phuket, said Panprapa Yongtrakul, a spokeswoman for the government's coronavirus task force. There are 2,916 patients who have recovered and returned home since the outbreak started, Panprapa said. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um. Editing by Kay Johnson) Long before Meghan Markle and Prince Harry broke away from the royal family, the Duchess of Sussex was deemed a royal rule-breaker. The British press made quick work of dismantling her every move and pointing out every time she sidestepped protocol. Meghan, however, did follow many of the fashion rules associated with royal life. Now that shes no longer an official, working royal, shes reportedly embracing her more casual side. Is there a royal rulebook for fashion? According to Glamour, there is no official protocol when it comes to fashion, but there are a series of unspoken rules. The queen, for example, has a strong preference for skirts and dresses. There are very few instances of Queen Elizabeth II donning pants. It seems that the ladies of the family have chosen to follow suit, even though pants are not strictly prohibited, or anything. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images There seems to be a subtle moratorium on jeans, too. A royal insider told Cosmopolitan that jeans are strictly prohibited, except for incredibly casual circumstances. The insider notes that Meghan, for example, can throw on a pair of jeans to take a walk, but shouldnt show up to an event in denim. The same is true for brightly colored nails. The queen, apparently, prefers Essie brand nail polish, and shes partial to the color Ballet Slippers. RELATED: Are Royals Allowed to Wear Jeans? There are also fashion rules for the younger royals, too. Prince George and his little brother, Prince Louis, wont be photographed wearing pants regularly until they are around eight. The royal family prefers to dress younger boys in shorts and knee socks. The young prince, did, however, wear pants as part of Meghan and Prince Harrys wedding party. Meghan Markle is apparently thrilled to ditch the royal fashion rules Back in January 2020, a reported insider told In Touch that Meghan was happy to ditch the royal dress code in favor of sweats and jeans. The former Suits star, reportedly has always been more comfortable in casual wear. Before joining the royal family, Meghan had a preference for power suits for business engagements and liked to keep it casual in jeans and sweaters during her downtime. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex | Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images RELATED: Meghan Markle Cant Stop Breaking This Royal Style Rule The same source also claimed that Meghan had a particular aversion to the royals thoughts on skirt length. The queen reportedly strongly believes all dresses should be knee-length or longer. Before joining the royal family, Meghan seemed to enjoy showing off her long legs. Meghan and Prince Harry were spotted in Los Angeles looking casual During the early days of the royal split, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent time in Canada, but theyve since decided that LA is more their scene. In April 2020, they were spotted out and about, and it looks like Meghan truly is embracing her casual side. Meghan Markle | George Pimentel/Getty Images RELATED: Did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Choose British Columbia Because of Its Privacy Laws? The pair were spotted walking their dogs. Prince Harry donned a pair of jeans, a polo shirt, a ball cap, and bandana over his mouth and nose during the outing. Meghan wore white leggings with a black shirt, a ball cap, and a bandana covering her mouth and nose. Reports have suggested the pair are quarantining alone with baby Archie, and are not accepting visitors of any kind. During a different outing in LA, Meghan was spotted in olive joggers. Click here to read the full article. It was the politics of pandemic that took over Real Time with Bill Maher tonight with Michael Moore as the marquee guest. The only way they are going to pull it off is if hes able to cancel the election or postpone it, the Fahrenheit 9/11 director said of Donald Trumps chances at the ballot box in November against Joe Biden after this COVID-19 spring that has seen almost 100,000 deaths so far from the respiratory ailment. Im certain thats whats going on in his head right now, Moore worried as he has before the past few weeks in various media appearances, pledging that people will need to take to the streets on January 20, 2021 to get this motherfucker out. More from Deadline The only way Republicans can win is if they cheat, Moore declared to Maher as he stated that most Americans are actually in sync fundamentally with progressive policies. Not that the Oscar winner was advocating to Trump rivals that things should to go that far or that they take the ultimate bait and switch as an easy blunted move as you can see in this excerpt below: None of us should take him for granted, Moore told the HBO host of Trumps reign of error continuing, despite the Art of the Deal co-authors disastrous fumble of the coronavirus crisis. We need to behave as is if he will win a second term, Moore added with a jab at Democrats who whine at such language. And remember, love him or hate him, Moore has good pedigree on this. As Maher pointed out on Real Time today, the filmmaker was one of the few public figures who took Trump seriously in 2016. Story continues He knows exactly what hes doing, he was in Michigan this week, Flint-born Moore went on to say in the bi-coastal interview that was actually filmed yesterday. Its the third time hes been in Michigan in three weeks, he noted of the corona-campaigning in the vital Wolverine State, he believes he is going to pull this off, Moore noted, even as most polls have ex-VP and the Democrats presumptive nominee Biden leading. Hillary won by three million votes in the popular vote, as we call it, I think Biden, hell win by five million, said Rumble podcast host Moore in comparison between 2016 and 2020 from his NYC apartment on top of a shuttered movie theater. But, I think that Trump could still win the Electoral College. So, all of us have to be really in fighting mode cause he is. If you listen to him and you take him at his word, understand that he is a lot of time telling the truth, Moore very seriously stated about the 45th POTUS after Maher gave Trump a backhanded compliment of speaking his inner monologue in his political calculations. Not the greater truth, but his truth hed pass a lie-detector if you wire him up. He is just trying to scare liberals because liberals get scared easy, he went on to say of heavily armed pro-reopening America mobs that have stormed state legislatures and protested outside lockdown governors and mayors home under nudging from Trump. Dont be scared, we are the majority! Before the Bowling for Columbine filmmaker joined the latest edition of the stay-at-home Real Time, a suited and booted Maher started the show with his traditionally timely and sometimes heavy-handed monologue from his spacious West L.A. backyard. Joking about GrubHub delivery workers and spending Memorial Day weekend at home to big laughs from old crowd footage, Maher wasted little time launching into his primary foil Donald Trump. After dispensing with the former Celebrity Apprentice hosts current intake of hydroxychloroquine to ward off the coronavirus and with a quick scene of John Wilkes Booth preparing to shoot Abraham Lincoln, the Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death actor also mocked the largely stumbling efforts of most states to reopen. No plan, no consistencies, Maher said standing in his outside bar. Its the opposite of Afghanistan, we dont have an entrance strategy Along with Moore, Real Time had remote and split screen sit downs with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman and LA Lakers nutritional consultant Dr. Cate Shanahan as guests tonight. The latter being another one of those insightful conversations on health and realer foods that Maher has come to specialize in over recent years. Fresh off the much-watched YouTube success of the environmental aimed Planet of the Humans documentary that he executive produced, Real Time wasnt Moores only media hit of the day on the topic of the election. Earlier on Friday, the Fahrenheit 11/9 helmer was on MSNBCs The Beat with Ari Melber proclaiming that Trump has has to be fought tooth and nail on probable efforts by the incumbent to hobble voting one way or another in November. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has further extended the stay-home order, as well as restrictions that have shut down many Michigan businesses to limit the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. The governor signed two executive orders Friday, May 22 to continue various emergency mandates, including the stay-home order, to June 12, and Michigans state of emergency to June 19. The orders continue the temporary closure of public accommodations such as theaters, gyms, salons and casinos. Executive order 2020-99 extends the emergency declaration and order 2020-100 extends the stay-home order and amends a number of previous orders restricting certain non-essential public activities. Despite seven-day averages of confirmed cases declining in the last two weeks, Whitmer states the data isnt yet where it needs to be. While the data shows that we are making progress, we are not out of the woods yet," the governor said in a news release. If were going to lower the chance of a second wave and continue to protect our neighbors and loved ones from the spread of this virus, we must continue to do our part by staying safer at home. If we open too soon, thousands more could die and our hospitals will get overwhelmed. While we nally have more protective equipment like masks, we cant run the risk of running low again. The most recent seven-day moving averages statewide were 525 new COVID-19 cases and 55 deaths per day. Fridays numbers were both below those averages. A week ago, the seven-day average for cases was 623 cases and 47 deaths. Whitmer also referred to Mid-Michigan and West Michigan counties in the state such as Kent for continued increases. Read more: Michigan averages fewer new coronavirus cases as Kent County overtakes Wayne County in most positive tests Kent County reported 86 new cases Friday, more than any other Michigan county, followed by Wayne County with 64, and Macomb and Ottawa counties with 25 each. Oakland County, another of Michigans hardest-hit areas, reported just six new cases Friday, after only eight Thursday. Executive Order 2020-100 also provides guidance for workers, including COVID-19 protection and the affirmation on non-discrimination policies. You can read order 100 here and order 99 here. All of us know the importance of getting people back to work and the economy moving again, Whitmer said. Weve already loosened some restrictions on construction, manufacturing, landscaping, retail, and more. But the worst thing we can do is open up in a way that causes a second wave of infections and death, puts health care workers at further risk, and wipes out all the progress weve made. Whitmer recently allowed the reopening of retail stores by appointment as well as allowing gatherings of 10 people or less. Gatherings of 10 or less, retail by appointment allowed under new Whitmer order Businesses that the governor has authorized to reopen must provide COVID-19 training to workers that covers, at a minimum, workplace infection-control practices, the proper use of PPE, steps workers must take to notify the business or operation of any symptoms of COVID-19 or a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, and how to report unsafe working conditions, the governors office announced. In addition to the stay-home and emergency declaration extensions, Whitmer also signed Executive Order 2020-101, which prevents watercraft licenses from expiring until July 31. She also signed Executive Order 2020-102, which continues the lifting of regulations on Reid Vapor pressure on gasoline fuel, while also allowing its sale and transportation. This is to address potential fuel shortages. Lastly, she signed Executive Order 2020-103, which allows for local governments to inform residents of tax abatement hearings through alternative means other than mass mailings, mainly electronically. PREVENTION TIPS In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces. Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. READ MORE Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus Friday, May 22: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan The National Nasara Coordinator of the governing New Patriotic Party, Alhaji Abdul Aziz Haruna Futa, has congratulated newly-sworn in Supreme Court Justice, Amadu Tanko for his historic ascension to the apex court. Justice Tanko made history when he was nominated by President Nana Akufo-Addo as the first Muslim to be considered for the apex court of the land. Following his approval by Parliament, and swearing into office on Friday, Justice Tanko has completed his remarkable achievement. Abdul Aziz Futa believes the remarkable and historic rise of Justice Tanko will inspire many youth in the Zongo community. I am extremely happy by the achievements of Justice Tanko and I want to really congratulate him and thank Allah for what He has done for him, said Abdul Aziz Futa. I am excited by the historic rise of Justice Tanko not because he is a fellow Muslim or a fellow Zongo boy. I am happy because of what his success will do to many young people in the Zongos and across the country. His well-deserved elevation will inspire a lot of young people in the Zongo community. It will tell them that if you study hard and you remain committed, you can also make it up there. In Ghanas 63-year history, no Muslim has ever been nominated to serve on the Supreme Court, and Abdul Aziz has commended President Akufo-Addo for the historic nomination of Justice Tanko. Justice Tankos nomination is well-deserved and I think President Akufo-Addo did so well by nominating Justice Tanko as the first Muslim to the Supreme Court. President Akufo-Addo has done so well and he needs to be commended for his vision of inclusiveness, he added. Source: Peacefmonline 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 A YOUNG man has been charged in connection with an incident during which another man sustained serious head injuries resulting in him being hospitalised for several days. Mark Buckley, 22, who has an address at Collins Avenue, Kincora Park, Limerick appeared before Limerick District Court after he was charged with assault causing harm under section 3 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act. It is alleged he struck the injured party on the footpath outside a pub at Sarsfield Street in the city centre at around 10.30pm on January 30, last. Opposing bail, Garda Patricia McCormack said it will be alleged Mr Buckley struck the injured party during an altercation involving a number of people. The injured man was admitted to University Hospital Limerick where he was treated for four days. He sustained a fractured skull, a broken eye socket and a fractured jaw and and received seven staples to his head. While the defendant was located by gardai near the scene on the night, Garda McCormack expressed concern he would not appear in court or stand trial if granted bail. Solicitor Sarah Ryan denied her client had fled following the incident and confirmed he had given his details to gardai on the night. She said he denies the allegations and he has given gardai his version of what happened. He said he acted in defence, she told Judge Marian OLeary before adding that the allegation against Mr Buckley was not without context. Ms Ryan added that her client was willing to abide by any conditions imposed by the court if released on bail. Having considered the matter, Judge OLeary said she was willing to grant bail subject to strict conditions including the lodging of a 1,000 cash surety with the court. Mr Buckley was ordered to live at this home address and to obey a nightly curfew. He was not have any contact with the injured party and he must be contactable on his mobile phone 24 hours a day. Sergeant Sean Murray said investigations are continuing and that a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The case was adjourned to early July for directions. The federal Centers for Disease Control recently said the coronavirus doesnt spread as easily from someone touching a surface or object than it does via person-to-person contact. So does that mean New Jersey might allow places like childrens playgrounds to reopen? Gov. Phil Murphy, who has been slowly easing the states COVID-19 restrictions in recent days, said he wasnt sure Friday. I would think ... if its an outdoor surface, thats something were likely gonna get to sooner than later than we would to an indoor surface, Murphy said during his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton. But Dr. Christina Tan, the states epidemiologist, stressed that people should still clean surfaces to be safe. That means keep wiping down groceries and takeout containters. Right now, the evidence suggests contaminated surfaces arent really the main mode of transmission, Tan said. However, it doesnt mean you still shouldnt be cleaning the surfaces, shouldnt be disinfecting the surfaces well. So all those other infection-control measures still need to be implemented. The CDCs website had warned about contaminated surfaces and objects in a separate section. But earlier this month, it was changed to a section about how the virus does not spread easily in other ways. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, the CDC website says now. This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but we are still learning more about this virus. The CDC clarified that it changed the site to improve its organization. A spokesman told NPR on Friday that our transmission language has not changed." The agency did said the main source of the virus spread is through respiratory droplets when a person coughs, sneezes, or talks closely around someone else. Though state and county parks reopened more than two weeks ago in New Jersey, playgrounds and exercise equipment remain closed. The CDC also recommended children avoid using playgrounds because theyre often crowded, it can be a challenge keeping them clean, and the virus can spread when kids touch contaminated equipment and then touched their face. Meanwhile, a March study by the New England Journal of Medicine found it takes 72 hours for the virus to become undetectable on plastic and stainless steel, compared to 24 hours on cardboard, and four hours on copper. Samiksha Raut, an associate professor of biology at University of Alabama at Birmingham, has also noted that "kids are constantly moving from one part of the playground to another and are quite prone to touching their faces nose, eyes, etc., at intervals." Therefore, if they happen to touch an object with the novel coronavirus, the chances of getting infected are very high, Raut said in a statement. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has reported at least 10,985 deaths attributed to COVID-19, with at least 152,719 cases, since the outbreak began March 4. Only New York has more deaths and cases among American states. Officials reported 146 new deaths and 1,394 new positive tests in New Jersey on Friday. But officials say the states daily number of deaths, cases, and hospitalizations have dropped noticeably in recent weeks. And Murphy has permitted nonessential retail businesses to offer curbside service and said beaches can be open for the summer. On Friday, Murphy announced the state is allowing more people to gather outdoors, up to a maximum of 25, in time for Memorial Day weekend. Indoor gatherings remain limited to 10 people. The governor said Thursday morning more businesses such as salons and gyms may be allowed to reopen with guidelines in a matter of weeks. Still, he said its easier right now to reopen activities more because the virus is more likely to spread indoors. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. KARACHI, Pakistan The bodies were pulled one by one from the ruins of damaged buildings and the smoldering wreckage of the Pakistan International Airlines plane that had crashed a day earlier into a crowded neighborhood of Karachi: 97 of them by Saturday. Many were charred beyond recognition, leaving families some clutching pictures of their loved ones to depend on DNA results from a laboratory to identify those they had lost. Most of the relatives had spent the night before at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, the citys largest government hospital, and on Saturday in hot weather at the crash site in the Model Colony neighborhood, waiting for the grim word. To help with the identifications, DNA samples from relatives of 40 victims had been submitted at the forensic lab at the University of Karachi, officials said. Nineteen bodies were identified and handed over to the relatives after DNA tests and identification, according to health officials. And post-mortems were being carried out on the rest of the passengers of the plane, an Airbus A320 belonging to the national airline. A federal agency has approved two permits for a hydroelectric dam developer to study the Little Colorado River located on Navajo Nation for their applications to build up to four dams. However, in early March the same developer, Pumped Hydro Storage, submitted a third groundwater dam application in Big Canyon, which is a dry canyon attached to the Little Colorado River. The Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC) has yet to accept the application for Big Canyon, according to Pumped Hydro. The first two dam projects on the Little Colorado River caused significant backlash from Native American tribes and environmentalists in 2019. The preliminary permits would not allow Pumped Hydro to begin building anytime soon, but would only allow them to begin studying whether the site is feasible for their pending hydroelectric dam projects. The developer's Little Colorado River applications ask for a total of four dams that could hold thousands of acre-feet of water and would create and store electricity. The electricity would connect with the Moenkopi switchyard near Cameron through a 22-mile-long, 500-kilovolt transmission line. The Little Colorado River is known to many for its light-blue colored water that feeds into the Colorado River above the Grand Canyon National Park land at the confluence. Environmentalists heavily oppose the dams because they were located on critical habitat for the threatened humpback chub. The chub was recently downgraded on the list of species from endangered to threatened in part because of their recovery within the Little Colorado River. The river is considered sacred to several Native American tribes that objected to the project. The Arizona Daily Sun reached out to leaders and offices of the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe who did not respond for comment avid the severe outbreak of COVID-19. Roger Clark, Grand Canyon program director at the Grand Canyon Trust, said he felt the permit was inappropriate given the large opposition. We knew FERC rarely rejects preliminary permits like this, Clark said. We thought if there might be an exception to approving the application, this would be it. While issuing the preliminary permits, FERC said the groups who voiced their concerns about impacts to endangered species and tribal lands were done premature and could be filed again at a later date. Steve Irwin, the applicant of Pumped Hydro Storage, was also surprised to hear the companys first two permits were accepted. He figured FERC would put the Big Canyon application out for a public comment before accepting the Little Colorado River applications. He said the company submitted the third application hoping to calm opposition to the company's proposals. Only one of these projects is going to go there, Irwin said. We tailored the new one to get it out of the Little Colorado to avoid all of the aquatic issues by putting the lower reservoirs in a dry canyon. FERC officials did not respond to requests for comment before press time. Big Canyon The Big Canyon application could create four dams and draw upon groundwater for its reservoirs. Big Canyon is known to be dry throughout most of the year, excluding flooding during heavy rain. The project recommends building a two-lane asphalt road connecting Highway 89 north of Tuba City to Big Canyon. Big Canyon is connected to the Little Colorado River and located 23 miles away from Tuba City. Clark said he was still reviewing the specifics of the project after recently learning of the Big Canyon application, but was shocked that the Big Canyon proposal had as many dams as the first two permits combined. His main concern was whether pumping groundwater would impact the Little Colorado River reserves, which are largely unmapped. Whether its impeding the main stem of Colorado or taking it from groundwater that feeds the Little Colorado, its still a risk altering that natural river course and harming the biological and cultural resources, Clark said. Three of the four dams are proposed to be hundreds of feet tall by hundreds of feet wide. The fourth dam is expected to be 10,000 feet wide by 200 feet tall. The four reservoirs would contain approximately 73,000 acre feet of water among the four reservoirs and have an energy output of 3,600 megawatts. We thought if we do that we dont lose that much power, and we solve the fish issue, then let's do it. Irwin said. FERC has not accepted the application, according to Irwin. If the agency accepts it, the public will have a 60-day window to submit comments. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 4 Angry 49 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. Miss Universe New Zealand finalist Amber-Lee Friis has died at just 23 years old. The beauty queen passed away earlier this week, her agency The Talent Tree confirmed on Facebook, calling Amber-Lee a "beautiful" and "talented" Wahini, a Maori word for woman. The Miss World New Zealand organization also offered social media condolences, sending a heartfelt message to the 2018 contestant, writing, "continue shining brightly, Amber-Lee, just as we remembered you." A cause of death remains unconfirmed as of May 22. Shanghai Industrial Holdings Limited (HKG:363) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 4 days. Ex-dividend means that investors that purchase the stock on or after the 27th of May will not receive this dividend, which will be paid on the 12th of June. Shanghai Industrial Holdings's next dividend payment will be HK$0.52 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of HK$0.52 per share. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Shanghai Industrial Holdings stock has a trailing yield of around 4.2% on the current share price of HK$12.32. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Shanghai Industrial Holdings's dividend is reliable and sustainable. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing. Check out our latest analysis for Shanghai Industrial Holdings Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. Shanghai Industrial Holdings has a low and conservative payout ratio of just 17% of its income after tax. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. What's good is that dividends were well covered by free cash flow, with the company paying out 15% of its cash flow last year. It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously. Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. SEHK:363 Historical Dividend Yield May 22nd 2020 Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing? Companies that aren't growing their earnings can still be valuable, but it is even more important to assess the sustainability of the dividend if it looks like the company will struggle to grow. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. It's not encouraging to see that Shanghai Industrial Holdings's earnings are effectively flat over the past five years. It's better than seeing them drop, certainly, but over the long term, all of the best dividend stocks are able to meaningfully grow their earnings per share. Shanghai Industrial Holdings is retaining more than three-quarters of its earnings and has a history of generating some growth in earnings. We think this is a reasonable combination. Story continues Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Shanghai Industrial Holdings has seen its dividend decline 4.7% per annum on average over the past ten years, which is not great to see. Final Takeaway Has Shanghai Industrial Holdings got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? Earnings per share have been flat over this time, but we're intrigued to see that Shanghai Industrial Holdings is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow as dividends. This is interesting for a few reasons, as it suggests management may be reinvesting heavily in the business, but it also provides room to increase the dividend in time. Generally we like to see both low payout ratios and strong earnings per share growth, but Shanghai Industrial Holdings is halfway there. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention. On that note, you'll want to research what risks Shanghai Industrial Holdings is facing. To help with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Shanghai Industrial Holdings (1 shouldn't be ignored!) that you ought to be aware of before buying the shares. We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. This was supposed to be the week Roman Baca finally brought his life's work back home. Baca, a former Marine Corps reservist, trained as a ballet dancer before he shouldered a machine gun in the Iraqi city of Fallujah in 2005. He then found a way to combine those two disparate worlds. He co-founded a group in New York that depicts the experiences of war and trauma through dance. His company had never performed in his native New Mexico, and a slated visit was going to be the moment his vision reached new heights. "I see the time blocked off on my calendar for it, and I get kind of depressed," Baca told The Washington Post. The coronavirus pandemic has transformed nearly facet of daily life. Now that includes Memorial Day events and traditions, as social distancing, closures and restrictions have disrupted the rituals of grief for those who have died in uniform. Public events, such as wreath laying ceremonies at national cemeteries, have either been altered or roped off from the public. But the virus has also made quieter rituals of grief challenging or impossible. For Richard Allen Smith and two Army veteran friends who served together in Afghanistan, an annual pilgrimage to Arlington National Cemetery is part of a new tradition. At least one of them, coming from Maryland and northern Virginia, has made the trip in the past six years or so to visit comrades killed in action. They include Sgt. Charles E. Wyckoff Jr. On June 6, 2007, Smith's task on base was to help coordinate surveillance drones for soldiers in enemy contact. Wyckoff's patrol was attacked in Helmand province, and as he killed two Taliban militants in defense of his soldiers, Wyckoff was shot dead. Smith still wonders if he could have done more. "It's a more intense moment of grief when we're there for that," he said of the visit to Arlington. But such visits are barred this year. The cemetery will be closed to visitors over the weekend; only family members of the interred may enter if they present passes and masks. Others have adapted events to suit the coronavirus age. Baca's now canceled trip was organized through his dance company. The group planned a week-long trip to New Mexico, including a stop Albuquerque, his hometown, to hold dance workshops with local veterans and teach steps to disadvantaged kids. Instead, Baca will hold a remote workshop for veterans in the United Kingdom. It will enable them to express their experiences through creative arts and learn new skills to help them find jobs in the field, Baca said. The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, a group that provides resources and care for those who have lost spouses and family members in uniform, has shifted its annual conference in Virginia to Zoom. That has allowed grieving families to find comfort among others even in a time of social isolation, founder Bonnie Carroll said. Carroll also recognized similar feelings of grief among survivors of those who died of infections: a sense of isolation and the burden of not saying goodbye, she said, that military families have historically experienced. The group stepped in to offer resources, including a mourner's bill of rights to help covid-ravaged families navigate their loss. Others have not allowed restrictions to impede their holiday observations. Josh Holubz, an Army veteran who was wounded in Iraq, lives a couple hours from the White County, Ga., gravesite of Sgt. Jason Harkins, who was killed alongside five other soldiers and a Russian photojournalist in a massive IED blast in 2007. Holubz said he will avoid the holiday crowds but next week will leave moonshine at his friend's headstone and visit Harkins's family, who live nearby. "You can't live in fear," Holubz said. "I think we learned that better than anybody." But the holiday will be more muted for Joe Kent. His wife, Senior Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, a Navy cryptologist, was killed by a suicide bomber in Syria last year. He had planned two trips to Arlington: one to the cemetery's military women museum in March to take in a new display for Shannon, then a quiet visit to her headstone for Memorial Day. But the risk of exposure during a plane trip from Portland, where he lives with their two young sons, was too great, the retired Green Beret said. So this weekend will begin a new tradition, he said. Kent will bring out his wife's old uniforms and tell the boys what their mother once did. Another 282 COVID-19 patients died in Britain as of Friday afternoon, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 36,675, British Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, said on Saturday. The figures include deaths in hospitals, care homes and the wider community. Meanwhile, 2,959 people have been confirmed positive for the virus, bringing the total confirmed cases in Britain to 257,154 as of Saturday morning. Jenny Harries, Englands Deputy Chief Medical Officer, told the Downing Street briefing that deaths are starting to come down. We will be looking to expect that to come down further, she said. Encouragingly, Britain is also maintaining a downward trend in new confirmed cases, she said. During the briefing, Shapps announced that the government is investing 283 million ($344.3 million) into the public transport system to increase both frequency and capacity of services while ensuring there is enough space on vehicles to allow for social distancing. We now have opportunity to use power of transport to improve longstanding national weaknesses, he said. The transport secretary said the measures are not just to get through (the crisis) but come out of the recovery stronger by permanently changing how we use transport. Transport is not just how we get from place to place, but it shapes the places, he said. The funding would be divided into 254 million ($309 million) for buses and 29 million ($35.3 million) for trams and light rail, according to Shapps. The mission is to level up Britain, he said. The COVID outbreak must be the catalyst for getting it done. (Xinhua/NAN) Riders take part in a rowing lesson at Richmond Rowing Club on October 14, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. (Robert Prezioso/Getty Images) Victoria Year 12s Welcome Exam Date Certainty Victorian Year 12 students have been given the assurance they were looking for, that final exams will conclude this year and plans for 2021 can proceed as planned. The Victorian government on May 22 confirmed that Victorian Certificate of Education exams would conclude by early December, only two weeks later than the pre-pandemic date. This was welcome news to many school leavers wondering if their higher education plans for next year would be thwarted. The encouraging news for Year 12s comes as they, along with Prep, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 11 students prepare to return to school from Tuesday. All remaining year levels will return June 9. Victoria recorded another 12 COVID-19 infections on Friday, bringing the states total to 1593. Five of the new cases are related to an outbreak at Cedar Meats in Melbournes west, bringing the number of cases linked to the abattoir to 111. Four returned travellers in hotel quarantine also tested positive, while two other new cases were detected through the community screening program. Another case remains under investigation. About 93 COVID-19 cases in Victoria remain active, with 10 people in hospital, including five in intensive care. By Andi Yu Scientists say the breast milk of a mother with COVID-19 has tested positive for the coronavirus. It remains unclear though whether the virus can be transmitted in the fluid. The correspondence, published in The Lancet, is believed to be the first example of SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus causing COVID-19) found in breast milk. ALSO READ: New COVID-19 Theory: Does Drinking Breast Milk Helpful vs Coronavirus? How did it happen? In a German hospital, the authors took breast milk samples from two women who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Before a pump was used to collect the milk, the women's nipples were disinfected to prevent the coronavirus from contaminating the milk. Researchers studied the milk using a "highly sensitive method" to detect and measure rates of the RNA virus, or genetic material, co-author Jan Munch, professor at the University of Ulm's Institute of Molecular Virology, Germany, told NewsWeek. Once on Days 12 and 13 of her hospital admission, four samples were obtained from one unidentified individual and twice on Day 14. Every time, her milk tested negative. On the first few days of her hospital stay, the woman had moderate COVID-19 symptoms, but not when her milk was taken. The second mother's milk tested positive for four consecutive days while having mild symptoms of COVID-19. Two tests taken in the early days of her symptoms tested negative. ALSO READ: Breast Milk Sugar May Protect Newborns Against Deadly Bacterial Infection Her baby tested the coronavirus positively, but the team is not sure whether the infant caught the virus from the breast milk of the mother or whether there was another mode of transmission. According to the researchers, the mother had been wearing a mask since her COVID-19 symptoms began. She took precautions when handling and feeding her baby, too - including cleaning her hands and breasts and sterilizing pumps and tubes. Munch emphasized the results are anecdotal, as the team found only the viral RNA in one woman's samples. Subsequent studies are needed to analyze "in detail" how many nursing mothers carry SARS-CoV-2 RNA in their breast milk, whether the virus is infectious, and whether it can be transmitted to the neonate. Many viruses, such as HIV-1, have been known to be transferred in breast milk. After the COVID-19 pandemic started five months ago, one of the many concerns that have arisen about the little-understood coronavirus is the potential for the virus to move from mother to infant. Research published in April's New England Journal of Medicine, where three women's breast milk was screened, found no proof of SARS-CoV-2, but it also had a small sample size. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to a broad family of coronavirus viruses, including SARS-CoV, the cause of extreme acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), MERS-CoV of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and others that induce other common colds. Munch and his team were surprised to find SARS-CoV-2 in the samples since coronaviruses were never detected in human milk, "and thus, SARS-CoV-2 infected mothers were considered safe to breastfeed newborns." Should mothers avoid breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic? Munch assumes that asymptomatic mothers do not shed the virus into milk and would still recommend breastfeeding. "For symptomatic mothers, one could think about collecting milk and testing it for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 before feeding," he explained. An alternative could be pasteurization, Munch said. However, it has not yet been demonstrated that this procedure inactivates the virus." U.S.-released breastfeeding guidance Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 5 said: "We do not know if mothers with COVID-19 can transmit the virus via breast milk, but the limited data available indicate that this may not be a source of transmission." "A mother with confirmed COVID-19 should be counseled to take all possible precautions to avoid spreading the virus to her infant, including hand hygiene and wearing a cloth face covering," According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 333,000 people have died of COVID-19 in 5.1 million cases worldwide since the late last year. About 1,9 million recuperated men. The United States is the nation with the most reported incidents, according to Statista. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. New South Wales (NSW) Liberal Party Premier Gladys Berejiklian this week suddenly directed all public school students in Australias most populous state to return to the classroom full-time from next Monday, drastically accelerating a previous timeline of July. To coerce parents, Berejiklian and her ministers declared that they must send their children back to their schools or they would be breaking the law, even though it would be common for classes to be temporarily shut down because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This edict places the state in the forefront of the drive by governments, so far led by Labor Party governments in Western Australia and the Northern Territory to reopen all schools so that parents can be pushed backed into unsafe workplaces as well, for the sake of corporate profit. Berejiklian bluntly insisted that potentially deadly COVID-19 infections had to be accepted. It will be common for schools to be shut down temporarily, for a specific area to be on high alert, for a particular school to take extra measures if theres a community breakout in that community with cases, and we just have to accept that, she said. Ramping up the pressure for a return to full classroom teaching, the federal Liberal-National government last month tried to bribe private schools with early payments of $3.3 billion in funding if they got at least half their students physically back in class within a month. At the same time, the national cabinet of federal, state and territory leaders declared, in a reversal of previous government policy, that it was not appropriate or required for teachers and students to follow social-distancing guidelines. Last month, the NSW government announced students would make a staggered return from May 11. Barely one week into the phased return, in which students were to attend one day a week, Berejiklian touted it as a success and claimed it demonstrated schools were ready for a full return. The health advice is very clear, a return to full-time face-to-face teaching is safe, Berejiklian claimed, ignoring all the global evidence to the contrary, including student deaths in the US. A recent French study found that coronavirus antibodies were eight times more prevalent within a local school, than in the broader area where a cluster occurred, and a German survey revealed that infection rates were similar across all age groups of the population, including children. A very small, non-peer-reviewed study, often cited as proof of the safety of schools, was conducted in NSW schools when the majority of schools had drastically reduced student numbers or ended face-to-face teaching entirely. And one of the largest clusters in New Zealand has been at the Marist College of Auckland, where over 90 people have been infected. The claims that schools are safe also fly in the face of emerging reports of a new COVID-19-linked inflammatory illness in children, described as similar to Kawasaki disease, in the US, the UK, France and Spain. Berejiklians announcement came as Australia reported its highest number of new COVID-19 cases in almost a month, a result of restrictions being lifted across the states and territories. Thirty cases were reported the previous Friday, including outbreaks at McDonalds restaurants and a meat-processing facility, which are still spreading. The danger of sending up to a million children back full-time is compounded by the public transport crisis in Sydney and across the state. In a bid to avoid COVID-19 outbreaks on public transport, as occurred in New York and London, social-distancing measures have been put in place, limiting trains and buses to less than 20 percent of their usual capacity. NSW authorities have urged commuters to avoid the peak hoursan impossible request for most, including students. Students who do not travel on dedicated school buseswhich will not have social-distancing measures and will therefore be packedhave been advised to walk to school or be dropped off by parents. The absurdity of allowing 30 or more children in a classroom while only 12 people are allowed on a public bus has fueled the opposition of teachers and parents to the reopening of schools. Commenting on social media, parent Valerie wrote: COVID-19 has a two week incubation period. Weve only just hit two weeks of children starting to attend one day a week. We have no idea how that one day a week has affected infection spread and youre increasing to full-time. There is always a lag time. This isnt looking at whats best for students and teachers. Another, Deepthi, posted: Cleaning the school premises? Our kids were not provided sanitiser, no social distancing can be maintained in washrooms. As of now they are carrying their own, some are too young to carry any. Gwen wrote: This is a nightmare. My daughter is asking why shes allowed to maybe end up sick when Ive kept her safe for the last few months. Josh added: No families, teachers or principals have been consulted. Disgraceful. Disrespectful. Disgusting. Erin wrote: Im angry over this. Where is the medical data showing the effects of phase 1? I feel for all teachers and support staff being thrust into this human experiment. This government makes me sick. A teacher commented: Fantastic idea, lets not wait until two weeks after easing restrictions to see what happens, just send all the kids back. If kids and teachers get sick, who cares? The economy is more important. Another commented: Teachers last to be advised. No additional cleaning, no additional precautions for vulnerable teachers and students, no additional funding, continual curriculum interference from politicians and bureaucrats with zero qualifications, every increasing mindless audits and accreditation back to business as usual. Jasmine posted: So what changed so dramatically overnight to make such a massive change to the plan? And to go from flexible, cautious, staged to making threats and demands? A survey carried out on over 10,000 NSW public school teachers over April and May had found fewer than one in four felt safe working at the school site and only 13 percent were happy to continue working in direct contact with children and colleagues. Common concerns were overcrowded classrooms and the lack of sanitation equipment. The government has been able to proceed with its agenda only due to backing from the education unions. The NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF), like its interstate counterparts, has worked to prevent the development of a unified struggle against the re-openings. NSWTF president Angelo Gavrielatos offered the government advice on an orderly transition to the re-opening of schools, without consulting the teachers the union falsely claims to represent. Apart from a complaint that learning about things through the media is downright disrespectful, the NSWTF has voiced no opposition to the full reopening of schools and simply passed on state government directives to school staff. This demonstrates the need for teachers to take matters into their own hands. Throughout the pandemic, the Committee for Public Education has called for the formation of Action Committees of teachers and parents at all schools, to coordinate an industrial and political struggle in defence of the health, safety and social rights of all educators. We encourage those who agree with this perspective to contact the CFPE Facebook page or its Twitter account, @CFPE_Australia, or email the SEP at sep@sep.org.au. The world is running out of IPv4 addresses the familiar 32-bit numerical addresses used to represent the identity of every Internet-connected device in the world. The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) is one of the only regional Internet registries that has not completely run out of IPv4 addresses, and it is quickly approaching total depletion. Computers, smartphones, and other connected devices communicate over the Internet using Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), which routes information between connected devices using their IP addresses. An IP address represents your device on the Internet, allowing others to send you information and letting you send information to other devices. Websites, servers, routers, web applications, and smartphones all have an IP address which allows them to send and receive data over the Internet. IPv4 was deployed in 1983 as a way to ensure every device connected to the Internet could use a unique address. It does this by assigning a 32-bit address to each connected device. This allows for a maximum of 232 (around 4.3 billion) unique addresses to be assigned. This was more than enough IP address space for 1983, but it has quickly filled up as the number of connected devices increases. The last free IPv4 address was allocated by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) in February 2011, and while other registries may dynamically allocate and assign IPv4 addresses, the need for a larger IP address space is becoming increasingly apparent. The answer to this problem is Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) a new version of Internet Protocol which offers an impressive number of available addresses. Where IPv4 used 32-bit addresses, IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, which means that instead of just under 4.3 billion addresses, the IPv6 address space can hold 2128 (340 undecillion or 340 trillion trillion trillion) addresses. IPv6 addresses are denoted differently to IPv4 addresses and are therefore not backwards-compatible with the older protocol. IPv4 uses dot-decimal notation to denote addresses as a group of four 8-bit decimal numbers, e.g. 100.168.18.31 . IPv6 represents addresses as eight groups of 16-bit hexadecimal numbers separated by colons, e.g. 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334 . The vast number of IPv6 addresses means that using Network Address Translation (NAT) is unnecessary, as it can support direct addressing instead of masking non-routable addresses behind a single NAT address. Transition to IPv6 As IPv6 is not backwards-compatible, the first phase of the transition to the new IP address space will require a dual-stack solution where devices and networks support both protocol versions. However, networks will eventually need to migrate entirely to IPv6 to avoid wasting resources by supporting legacy IP versions. This means that users, networks, and companies will need to all move towards using the IPv6 address space and drop support IPv4 in future. While many devices in circulation support IPv6, migrating from IPv4 is still is a significant step. This migration process may differ depending on your organisation, but the first step for hosting any services is to obtain an IPv6 address block to enable visitors using IPv6 to access your services. Additionally, you may want to enable IPv6 within your internal network, which will require the upgrade of any legacy devices to support IPv6 as well as an adapted network configuration. The bulk of the migration process concerns the auditing of network components to ensure that all infrastructure and firmware supports IPv6. You will also need to allocate the IPv6 address block within your network, define subnets and configure applications such as firewalls to ensure that the migration runs smoothly. IPv6 migration can be a complex process which depends entirely on the scope of your organisations network operations. If you are looking for a detailed guideline to IPv6 migration, Surfnet has published an outline document which describes the IPv6 migration process to network architects. Obstacles and migration To get an idea of the obstacles to IPv6 migration in South Africa, MyBroadband spoke to Cybersmart CTO Laurie Fialkov. The biggest obstacle by far is apathy, Fialkov said. He said that everyone knows the need to migrate to IPv6 is coming, but there is not much being done to enable migration. It is not like the IPv4 space is being switched off, so until such time as your organisation or your clients cannot get to a service or the content that you require because that site/service is only available on the IPv6 address space, you are not really incentivised to do anything. This is exacerbated by the fact that migrating to IPv6 does introduce risk because at the very least you may have to upgrade firmware and you may have to replace legacy routers which dont nor wont support IPv6, which may have a significant financial cost, Fialkov said. He said that another frustration involved in migration is that it is not possible currently to run purely IPv6, as major services like Skype do not currently support IPv6. This means that you will need to run a dual-stack (IPv4 and IPv6) network architecture. This introduces a whole bunch of complexities, as there, of course, isnt just one translation mechanism between IPv4 and IPv6, Fialkov said. There are a lot NAT64, DNS64, ISATAP, 464XLAT they all have their advantages and disadvantages, and deciding which one is the best of course makes the decision to move as opposed to wait and see that much more complex. Fialkov predicted that South Africa will only see mass adoption of IPv6 when the IPv4 address space is completely exhausted and companies which still use IPv4 exclusively realise that they cannot onboard any new users. Another driver is where a service or site that is only on IPv6 gets viral adoption and forces people to migrate in order to reach that site/service. Fialkov said that, currently, there are only a few things that are mandatory for companies to do if they want to be prepared for IPv6 migration: Put your IT person on a course because IPv6 is much more complicated than IPv4 and you really need to get a handle on the various translation mechanisms. Do an audit of your devices to ascertain what your risk is with regards to firmware upgrades and what your ultimate financial cost will be should you need to replace devices. Cybersmart has decided on a DNS64/NAT64 and dualstacking solution for its IPv6 migration. Now read: Big growth expected for DFA and Vumatel Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 23:27:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Conservationists have discovered 49 nests of the rare Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtles with 1,756 eggs on sandbars along the Mekong River in northeast Cambodia's Kratie and Stung Treng provinces during the nesting season this year, a Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) statement said on Saturday. Although this was only two nests more than in the 2019 nesting season, the number of eggs was much higher than in recent years, the statement said, adding that as of Friday, 824 baby turtles hatched from 41 nests, of which 657 hatchlings were released into the wild, while the rest were under care for future release. Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtle is classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, it said. The species was thought to be extinct in the Cambodian portion of the Mekong River until its re-discovery in 2007 in a 48-km stretch of the river in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces. "With continuous support from our donors and good cooperation from the Fisheries Administration (FiA), plus strong commitments of our field staff and community nest protection team, WCS has made significant progress in implementing its project over the past years," said Ken Sereyrotha, country program director for WCS Cambodia. "The increase in number of nests and eggs inspired us to put more efforts on the conservation of this critically endangered species," he added. Ouk Vibol, director of the Department of Fisheries Conservation of Fisheries Administration, appreciated the participation of local authorities, community and WCS in the conservation of the critically endangered turtles so that they can persist in the natural water bodies. "All stakeholders should continue their efforts to conserve the threatened species, and those who still trade protected species will face legal action," he said. WCS and FiA have been working to conserve the species since 2017 through disrupting the illegal capture and trade in freshwater turtles, a community-based nest protection program, and support to community fisheries and community development, the statement said. Enditem A major fire broke out on Saturday at a private companys manufacturing unit in Kherki Daula with two floors of the three-storey building completely gutted. It took fire department officials nearly seven hours and more than 20 fire tenders to control the fire. No injuries were reported in the incident. According to fire department officials, they received a call about the fire around 9.15 am. They said the fire took place at Stella Industries Limited which usually makes cosmetics, toiletries, personal care products among other such items but has been mainly involved in manufacturing hand sanitisers ever since the national lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus disease was enforced on March 25. IS Kashyap, assistant divisional fire safety officer, said the basement, ground, and first floor of the building were completely gutted in the fire, while the firefighters were able to contain the blaze on the second floor and most of the items there were saved. The three-storey building, located next to the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway, is spread across 12,500 square metres. The extent of the blaze was such that more than 20 fire tenders from Gurugram, Manesar, Faridabad, and Noida were used in the dousing operations. The fire was largely controlled around 4pm and was confined to a section of the basement of the building where a lot of chemicals used in hand sanitisers were stored haphazardly. The chemicals used in making hand sanitisers are highly flammable due to which there were heavy smoke and sparks, said Kashyap. Kashyap said the fire is expected to douse completely around midnight. He said that since 4pm, 12 fire tenders were engaged in dousing the smoke and the flames inside the basement of the building. Fire department officials said that they suspect the fire may have been caused by a short circuit or one of the machines used in processing the goods may have developed a snag leading to burnout and subsequently causing the fire. They said that the exact cause would be only determined upon thorough inspection of the site. We found slippers and shoes inside the building while controlling the flames which indicate that there may have been workers inside when the fire occurred. However, we have not been able to speak to the company officials so far to ascertain the same, said Kashyap. However, a police officer at the spot said that there were nearly 60-70 workers inside the building when the fire started but they all managed to flee unharmed. The heavy cloud of smoke had caused panic among the locals in Kherki Daula village. Many shop owners shut their stores and residents who lived close to the spot left their homes and went to safer distances as a precautionary measure, said police officers. Kashyap said the company had obtained a conditional No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department as its building plan was pending approval. Despite repeated calls on the contact number listed on the companys website, there was no response from Stella Industries Ltd. Last month, a hand sanitiser manufacturing company in Sector 37 had caught fire on April 26. No injuries were reported in that incident as well. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Basically (our power) is in the properties and were allowed to close them and open them as we require, Dodd said. In the parks, if we see real abuse of the guidelines, we do have the right to go ahead and close them, but thats probably as far as were going to go. Baraboo city officials decided against making public health guidelines mandatory in a special council meeting Tuesday, encouraging residents to stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid groups larger than 10, wash their hands frequently and disinfect high-touch surfaces. City and county leaders in both counties have leaned on the criteria and guidance from the States Badger Bounce Back plan and recommended their businesses follow the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation guidelines on how to open safely. Sauk County Public Health Officer Tim Lawther said too many residents have demonstrated they dont believe the health recommendations are as important as they were two months ago. Justice Muhammad Sifawa of the Sokoto State High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to two Chinese nationals accused of offering a N100 million bribe to the Sokoto zonal head of the EFCC, Abdulahi Lawal. The EFCC, via a statement issued Friday night, said the judge granted the defendants bail in the sum of N5 million each with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be resident in the state. The surety must also deposit a certificate of occupancy of his landed property within the jurisdiction of the court, according to a release. Justice Sifawa also ordered the defendants to submit their international passports with the chief registrar of the court. He demanded that they take an undertaking that they would not travel out of the country throughout the duration of their trial. Allegations The EFCC, last week, had arrested Meng Kun and Xu Koi with cash it said they offered Mr Lawal in a bid to compromise ongoing investigations of a construction company, China Zhonghao Nig. Ltd. The firm is handling contracts awarded by the Zamfara State Government between 2012 and 2019. The contracts were for the construction of township roads in Gummi, Bukkuyun, Anka and Nasarawa towns; and 168 solar-powered boreholes in 14 local government areas of the state. The state governor, Bello Matawalle, had since reacted to the arrest. In a statement, he hailed the commission for exposing the contract scammers who tried to bribe their way to prevent investigations into the multi-billion naira contract fraud in the state. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a 25-year-old man here for allegedly threatening to kill Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a police official said here on Saturday. Kamran Khan, a resident of Chunabhatti in eastern suburbs, was arrested by the Kalachowki unit of ATS, the official said. Uttar Pradesh Polices social media help desk had received a call in the early hours of Friday in which the caller threatened to kill Adityanath in a bomb blast, he said. A case was registered at Gomatinagar Police Station against an unidentified person under IPC section 506 (criminal intimidation), said Vikram Deshmane, Superintendent of Police, ATS Maharashtra. UP police alerted Maharashtra ATS after the call was traced to Mumbai, he said, following which the caller was tracked down and Khan was arrested, the SP said. He will be produced before a court here and handed over to UP police's Special Task Force on transit remand, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) FLINT, MI The Michigan National Guard will join forces with the city of Flint to offer free coronavirus testing to all Flint residents during Memorial Day weekend. The free, drive-thru testing will be available 1-5 p.m. Sunday, May 24, and from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, May 25, at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, according to a news release issued by Flint city officials. We must continue to be proactive in our fight against this deadly virus, Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said in a prepared statement. We are still in the middle of this battle and we must continue to be vigilant. Testing is an important tool to stop the spread and save lives. Residents do not have to show symptoms of the virus to be tested, nor do they need a doctors note. No appointment is needed to receive testing. Testing will be conducted by medically trained members of the National Guard. Those who are tested will receive their test results from the Genesee County Health Department. Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church is located at 2120 N. Saginaw Street, but those seeking testing should approach from North Street to the East Hamilton Avenue entrance, according to the release. People who receive testing are directed to stay in their cars throughout the procedure and exit at Newall Street. The church is a place of worship, but also a place of service, said Rev. Daniel Moore, pastor of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, in a prepared statement. We welcome this opportunity to serve our community and help in the fight against COVID-19. More on MLive: Michigan to report coronavirus antibody test results separately Michigan tests every state prisoner for coronavirus in less than 15 days Michigan National Guard to provide free coronavirus testing in Muskegon Heights this weekend This post may contain affiliate or referral links. Read our policies for more info. Outside Magazine and Sierra Nevada are teaming up to help one lucky winner plan the ultimate camping getaway. #SierraNevadaContest Enter for your chance at a $3,000 Hipcamp gift card along with custom Sierra Nevada folding chairs and a sweet Pale Ale cooler. Simply grab some Pale Ales, head outside (yes, your backyard counts too), and share a public photo on Instagram or Twitter with #SierraNevadaContest and @sierranevada. You can also upload your photo through their website. Click Here to Enter Official Rules: US, 21+. May 15 July 15, 2020 at 11:59 pm ET. One entry per person. Judging Criteria: overall quality (50%) and composition (50%) Note: Your Social Media Account must be set to public. Grand Prize (1): A $3,000 gift card to HipCamp, a Sierra Nevada-branded cooler, and two Sierra Nevada-branded chairs. ARV: $3,260. Seriously ill children are missing out on life-saving treatment due to the fear surrounding coronavirus, doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) have warned. Mette Jorgensen, a paediatric oncologist at GOSH, told Sky News that the fear around COVID-19 stopped parents bringing their children to hospital, as she warned of the "collateral damage" of the pandemic. "I think it's important that we don't have too much collateral damage, that children don't die from their cancer when they're treatable and could be cured," she said. "If we don't see the children, they will come with much more advanced diseases. They may have a poor prognosis. I think we need to see them as soon as we can but they need to come to us." Dr Jorgensen says parents are worried about seeking treatment for their children because of the coronavirus. Some have waited a long time before even calling for an ambulance. In-patient capacity at the hospital fell to 60% during the peak of the UK's outbreak. The hospital normally operates at near full capacity, according to one of the hospital's medical directors. Dr Sanjiv Sharma said the drastic drop in the number of patients attending or being referred to the hospital became apparent very early on in the outbreak, and this has been seen across the board. He told Sky News: "It was a real worry very early on, and something that we were afraid was going to be storing up problems for later on and [for us] to figure out. "I think we will begin to see that as lockdown is lifted. "I'm sure these problems are out there and we just haven't seen all of them yet." :: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker UNICEF recently warned that millions of children around the world would suffer from the secondary effects of the coronavirus pandemic. That stark prediction applied not just to poorer countries, but ones with advanced health care systems like Britain. Story continues Dr Sharma says paediatricians are "very worried" about this, with the issue being compounded by fears of a second peak in coronavirus cases, as well as a backlog of other hospital cases. "The planning that we're doing at the moment, it is complicated by the uncertainty of whether or not there's going to be another peak," Dr Sharma said. "And on top of that, on the horizon, we need to start planning for the winter peak that we usually see within paediatrics. "So it's really complex jigsaw puzzle." It has not been business as normal at GOSH, but urgent treatment has not been paused and capacity was not reduced. The pandemic has required great flexibility "to bring about change that would normally have taken months or years in a matter of weeks". Dr Jorgensen want parents of sick children to look for treatment and not delay any longer. She says she understands their concerns, but warns: "It would be a disaster to let them die from their cancer and not treat them." Families of children who have previously been treated by GOSH, including those with cancer, have also been reluctant to come to the hospital for check-ups. But Dr Jorgensen says she has not seen any evidence that these patients are more at risk. "We have patients that will not bring their child in for their surveillance scans," she said. "Do I really need to have that scan now or will I be more at risk of getting the infection? So it's a difficult balance for families as well. There's lots of anxiety." India's 70 per cent coronavirus COVID-19 cases are from 11 municipal areas spread across seven states and UTs and top health ministry officials on Saturday held a meeting with senior officials from these areas. These areas are in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Rajasthan. So far, a total of 51,784 people have been cured with 3,250 patients cured in the last 24 hours. This takes the total recovery rate to 41.39 per cent. The total number of confirmed cases as of 11.25 pm on May 23 stands at 1,25,101. Since May 22, an increase of 6654 has been noted in the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in India. The overall death toll stands at 3720. During the meeting, it was informed that a major challenge lies in those corporations having shorter doubling time, higher mortality rate and a higher confirmation rate than the national average. The officials were briefed about the factors to be considered while mapping the containment and buffer zones; the activities mandated in containment zone like perimeter control, active search for cases through house to house surveillance, contact tracing, testing protocol, clinical management of the active cases; surveillance activities in the buffer zone like monitoring of SARI/ILI cases, ensuring social distancing, promoting hand hygiene etc. Maintaining high vigilance and monitoring in areas of old cities, urban slums and other high-density pockets along with the camps/clusters for migrant workers are important steps in COVID-19 management in the urban areas. It was pointed out that the focus needs to be on prevention through active screening of high risk and vulnerable population and groups, and effective and sturdy clinical management of the admitted cases to reduce the fatality rate. While many have operationalised 24x7 state control rooms, others could also follow the lead and start such units which shall not only provide assistance to the people for various facilities/services regarding COVID-19 management but also have a panel of domain experts and doctors to provide round the clock support and mentoring for clinical issues which shall effectively contribute to reducing fatality rate. The testing needs to be stepped up in some municipal areas to ensure early detection of cases, timely clinical management and a reduction in fatality rate, it was said. They have been asked to be mindful of ramping up the health infrastructure to ensure preparedness for the next two months with special focus on isolation beds with oxygen, ventilators and ICU beds. Other issues that need focused attention include active coordination with government and private labs to address delays in sample collection, partnership with private hospitals to augment the health/bed capacity, waste disposal and disinfection of COVID positive areas, management of camps for migrant labourers, creating awareness regarding issues such as stigmatization of patients and medical professionals in local languages, actively involving community leaders, youth groups, NGOs and SHGs in accompanying surveillance teams for awareness and confidence-building measures. The measures are taken and best practices followed by the municipal corporations for the management of COVID-19 cases were also discussed. Mumbai Municipal Commissioner briefed about establishing close cooperation between private hospitals and municipal authorities to pool the health infrastructure like ICU beds/ oxygen beds etc. They shall also soon make public the online portal displaying the bed availability with unique ID numbers for each bed, and also set up a GPS backed online ambulance tracking system. Indore authorities have focused on contact tracing, and active house to house survey. They have formed gully patrolling teams which include community volunteers and retired government officials helping the special surveillance teams in containment zones to improve confidence-building measures, active surveillance, and provisioning of essential items. Health Secretary Preeti Sudan and MoHFW OSD Rajesh Bhushan, along with senior officers of the Health Ministry held the meeting (through video conference) with the Health Secretaries, Urban Development Secretaries, Municipal Commissioners, Mission Directors (NHM) and other officials from the 11 areas. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Sunshine and a few clouds. Much colder. High 9F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Bitterly cold. Mainly clear. Low -14F. Winds light and variable. Citing free travel as the reason behind the movement of migrants, Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) along with 33 affiliated industrial associations has urged the state government to stop the free trains for the migrants wishing to return to their home states. In a letter written to the Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday, the industrialists said that the industry is in dire need of labourers as the industrial operations are gaining momentum in the city. Around 50% of the labourers working in the units have gone and many more have registered themselves for the journey. Most of them are returning to their hometowns only because the government is providing the free travel facility. The government should start charging for the journey. This way, most of the workers would stay back and the industry which is moving towards a crises, would be able to revive, said CICU president Upkar Singh Ahuja and general secretary Pankaj Sharma. Knitwear Club president Darshan Dawar said, Already reeling under losses, the hosiery industry is suffering a lot with the migrants returning to their home states. While the labourers are moving out of the city, there is no arrangement for those who want to return from other states and work. The labourers in the hosiery used to arrive in the city in the beginning of April, work for the entire season and then return to their hometown. But this year, the labourers are not able to come and the ones present in the city are exploiting the owners by charging more for work, he said. Owner of one of the hosiery units in Wait Ganj area, Karan Bajaj, said that the labourers who were willing to work are also moving out after the government announced free travel facility. We used to commence the manufacturing process in the April. This year, the hosiery industry is in a dilemma and wondering how to manufacture the goods in the absence of workers, he said. Anusha Ravi By Express News Service BENGALURU: From warning people against communalising Covid-19 to calling for all-party meetings and even assuring the Congress of dropping the FIR filed against AICC President Sonia Gandhi, BS Yediyurappas all-inclusive avatar may have drawn him much admiration in the public sphere but within the BJP, workers and leaders are livid. A day after Yediyurappa assured a delegation of Congress leaders led by KPCC President D K Shivakumar that the FIR will be withdrawn, State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel said the case should not be withdrawn at any cost. Kateels public appeal is the result of disgruntlement brewing in the party, not just among ideological hardliners but young party workers, ever since Yediyurappa took charge as Chief Minister. Yediyurappa warning of legal action against those targeting the Muslim community, and subsequent cases filed against party workers, had left senior BJP leaders fuming. While batting for Tablighis, the CM could have just said it was wrong to communalise Covid-19 but he went one step ahead and said strict action will be taken against those who target a community, said a miffed BJP leader, resonating the sentiments of party hardliners. If that wasnt enough, Yediyurappas assurance to Congress on Sonia made matters worse. Workers and leaders, even those close to Yediyurappa, have had enough of his camaraderie with the Opposition. Months into the BJP government, party workers dont even feel like BJP is in power. No one in the CMs close circle is from the party or Sangh, pointed out a party insider. The anger runs deep within the BJPs social media team as well. Not a single person who ran BJPs election campaign is in charge of the Chief Ministers social media team. In fact, a private agency is paid in lakhs to run CM of Karnataka and BS Yediyurappas personal handle, said another party worker, adding that theres almost no difference whether the BJP is in power, or the Congress. Yediyurappa thinks of DK Shivakumar more as a friend than an Opposition leader. On his part, the CM is said to be building bridges to weather the Covid-19 crisis, financial crunch, and more importantly, measures his government may have to take -- like proposed changes to labour laws that will need the Oppositions cooperation or increased borrowings to raise funds. The Opposition is already protesting against land reforms, amendment to APMC Act brought via the ordinance route by the BJP government. Yediyurappa is said to be on a tightrope walk to keep the Opposition in good humour, but not without the Centres nod. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. The Civil Aviation Committee says Belavia airline will operate the Minsk-Yerevan-Minsk flight on May 25 (arriving 02:45 Yerevan time), and the Red Wings airline will operate the Moscow-Yerevan flight on the same day (arriving 21:10 Yerevan time). Authorities have tasked the tourism committee to escort the arriving passengers to their self-isolation locations. Therefore, the committee asked relatives of the arrivals not to go to the airport to avoid inconveniences. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made their share of public appearances since tying the knot back in May 2018. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex often make appearances together, though they have been laying low since they moved to the united states. But there is one thing Meghan Markle always does while out with Prince Harry to help him feel more reassured while making an appearance. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have stood by each others side through the scrutiny When Harry and Meghan were first married, they thought it would be the fairytale theyd always hope for but it turned out to be the opposite. The media often criticized Meghans every move, making it difficult for her and Harry to truly be happy in their lives. It also complicated the relationship that Meghan had with the public; the rumors about feuds and bad attitudes caused the public to turn against the duchess. Through it all, though, Harry has stood by his wife. Hes fought off the press on her behalf, and the two filed a lawsuit together late last year. And finally, when nothing got better, he left the family for her. The two have been laying low and only spending time together Since Harry and Meghan finished up their royal duties in March, the two have been flying under the radar in North America. They spent some downtime in British Columbia, Canada, before moving to Los Angeles, California, in the spring. The two did step out and deliver meals to those in need during the coronavirus crisis, and Meghan made an appearance in a video for Archies first birthday. Other than that, though, theyve been spending most of their time away from the spotlight. The coronavirus pandemic has kept them inside, but theyre also likely planning their next move and want to take some time for themselves. Meghan often places her hand on Harrys back for reassurance in public Meghan and Harry made plenty of public appearances together before leaving the family, and fans might have noticed that Meghan often placed her hand on Harrys back. According to one royal expert, this was meant as a form of reassurance. Leslie Carroll, author of American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, told Fox News that Meghan does this in order to make Harry feel safer. They always have each others backs, literally, Carroll said. Meghan was called out by the British press for often placing her hand on Harrys back during royal walkabouts during their early appearances as a couple. She knew he disliked these appearances. Her gesture was one of reassurance. Body language experts have also said that Meghan and Harry always seem extremely close and in love during all of their appearances. Meghan Markle often puts her hand on Prince Harrys back for reassurance. | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Right now, its unclear what the next steps are for Harry and Meghan in terms of public appearances. The two recently launched their new charity, Archewell, and they seem to be thrilled to start giving back to their community in new ways. But until the pandemic ends, the two will likely hunker down in their Los Angeles area home and soak up the alone time with their little family. YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS. The Government of Armenia is seeking mechanisms which would enable banks to accept farmers lands as pledge for providing loans, PM Nikol Pashinyan told residents of the Verin Dvin community during a tour. He talked with the farmers about their businesses, some of whom are experiencing financial issues amid the coronavirus situation. He said there are preliminary discussions over the matter, but the issue is not simple. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan The meeting also saw the attendance of leaders from several ministries, sectors and provinces and cities which have attracted large sums of foreign direct investment (FDI), and economic experts. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (Photo: VNA) According to experts, the investment flow is expected to be poured into four industries: information technology and high technology, electronic equipment, e-commerce and logistics, consumer goods and retail. Therefore, localities should recognise and seize this opportunity to draw investment. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Vietnam has achieved initial successes in fighting COVID-19, but it is necessary to focus on developing the country to realise the dual target of preventing the pandemic and boosting socio-economic development. The PM asked the participants to deliberate concrete measures to optimise the investment flow shifted to Vietnam, especially from major multinational groups and high-tech firms. He suggested attracting selective projects, aiming at big multinational groups utilising new cutting-edge and environmentally friendly technologies. The Government leader requested building a project to address bottlenecks for investors such as land clearance and human resources. He agreed on the establishment of a working group in charge of this matter, which is headed by the Minister of Planning and Investment. Emphasising the role of the communication work, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc suggested promoting Vietnam as an attractive investment for investors and tourists. The Government, localities and sectors must create optimal conditions in terms of production premises, necessary and attractive incentives, administrative procedures, and human resources, he said. Attracting foreign investment with high-tech and high added value projects is an essential trend, the PM said, adding that authorities should make it easier for all economic sectors, particularly the private one, to successfully do business in Vietnam./. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Saturday wrote to Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri expressing concern over resumption of domestic flight services scheduled from Monday, without any standard operating procedure (SOP) and asserted that it should be made operational only after strict and effective guidelines were in place. Provide details of each flight and details of passengers to the states first, the Chhattisgarh chief minister said in his letter. He also asked for clarity on whether the 14-day mandatory quarantine would be at a paid centre or a state-run facility for incoming passengers on domestic flights. ALSO READ | Domestic travellers with green status on Aarogya Setu neednt be quarantined: Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri In his letter to the Civil Aviation Minister, the chief minister said that it had come to his notice through different media that the Civil Aviation ministry had decided to resume domestic flight services from May 25. Baghel reiterated that no separate standard operating procedure (SOP) had been issued for passengers who would be travelling from one state to the other on domestic flights. He said the further spread of the coronavirus infection could not be averted if domestic flight services are resumed at the scheduled time when the nation has been witnessing a spike in a number of states as far as Covid-19 positive cases were concerned. ALSO READ | Air passengers from 6 states to undergo institutional quarantine: DGP Karnataka In his letter, Baghel asserted that the civil aviation ministry should resume operating flights only under effective measures and guidelines to curb the spread of Covid-19. He urged the minister that details of each flight, having elaborate information about passengers travelling should be shared with the states keeping in mind the increasing number of Covid-19 positive cases. He also suggested that the 14-day quarantine at either a paid or a state-run quarantine facility should be made mandatory for all incoming passengers on domestic flights. The Chhattisgarh chief minister said at the time of booking of tickets, all passengers should be informed about the mandatory quarantine period to be completed and its conditions. The chief minister added that resuming domestic flight services under strict and effective guidelines would in the long-run help all state governments in taking measures to curb and control the spread of the coronavirus infection. Earlier, Karnatakas Director General of Police had said that all passengers coming to Karnataka via domestic flights from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh would be required to undergo a 7-day institutional quarantine which would then be followed by home quarantine. On Saturday morning, the office of the Karnataka DGP announced the move in a post on Twitter. Huawei's involvement in UK 5G networks will be reduced (Getty) Boris Johnson is planning to reduce Chinese telecom giant Huaweis involvement in 5G networks in the wake of the coronavirus, the Daily Telegraph has reported. The prime minister is expected to reduce reliance on China in the coming years as a means to boost relations elsewhere. Trade talks with US president Donald Trump will be of paramount importance in the aftermath of the UKs departure from the European Union. Plans are due to be drawn up to phase out Chinas input in British infrastructure to zero by 2023, according to the report released late Friday. Conservative backbench MPs have previously rebelled against decisions to involve Huawei in infrastructure. Although Johnson has a majority of 80, the ranks of backbenchers willing to rebel on the issue is now estimated to be around 50 - enough to defeat the government. In January, the telecoms equipment maker was granted a seat at the table in 5G development of what the UK government called non-sensitive parts of the network. The government capped its involvement at 35%. The most recent development would be a change in direction for the UK. READ MORE: Twitter to guide users to 5G facts in search results The US has previously raised security concerns about the use of Huawei equipment, warning allies that use of it in their networks means they face being cut off from intelligence feeds. As the coronavirus has spread around the world, China has been accused of not being transparent about the early stages of the spread of the virus. Beijing denies these allegations. Downing Street declined requests for comment. Huawei did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Since the Bay Area went under a shelter in place order on March 16, for most of us that means we're stuck in a scene out of the movie "Groundhog Day." For Cow Hollow resident Rob Sayegh, that has meant mourning the element of surprise. China blocking Indian patrols says New Delhi India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, May 23: China's People's Liberation Army is blocking Indian Army patrols on its side of the Line of Actual Control, India has said. The statement comes in the backdrop of two separate incidents that took place at the Sikkim and Ladakh sectors, where Indian and Chinese soldiers came to blows. While refuting allegations by China that Indian troops had crossed the LAC into Chinese territory, New Delhi said that Indian troops had not crossed the LAC. Any such claim is false, India said while adding that it would ensure its security. China hindering India's normal patrol across the Line of Actual Control: MEA New Delhi also re-affirmed its position that it was committed to peace in the border areas with China. Both sides are talking to resolve this issue, India also said. Migrants sprayed with disinfectant in South Delhi, authority says 'mistake' | Oneindia News In May, aggressive PLA patrols were stopped by Indian troops inside Indian territory. On Thursday the Ministry of External Affairs said that the Chinese had recently undertaken activity that led to the hindering of normal patrolling patterns of the Indian forces. The Indian troops scrupulously abide by the alignment of the LAC and all Indian activities are entirely on the Indian side of the LAC, the MEA had also said. Draft decision on HK national security legislation submitted to NPC PLA Daily Source: Xinhuanet Editor: Chen Zhuo 2020-05-22 15:55:55 BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- A draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to safeguard national security was submitted to China's national legislature for deliberation on Friday. Wang Chen, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) explained the draft decision to the third session of the 13th NPC, which runs from May 22 to 28. Since the return of Hong Kong to the motherland, China has been firmly implementing the principles of "one country, two systems," "the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong," and a high degree of autonomy, Wang said. The practice of "one country, two systems" has achieved unprecedented success in Hong Kong, he said. But the increasingly notable national security risks in the HKSAR have become a prominent problem, the vice chairman said, citing activities that have seriously challenged the bottom line of the "one country, two systems" principle, harmed the rule of law, and threatened national sovereignty, security and development interests. Law-based and forceful measures must be taken to prevent, stop and punish such activities, he noted. Article 23 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR stipulates that the HKSAR shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People's Government, or theft of state secrets, to prohibit foreign political organizations or bodies from conducting political activities in the HKSAR, and to prohibit political organizations or bodies of the HKSAR from establishing ties with foreign political organizations or bodies. More than 20 years after Hong Kong's return, however, relevant laws are yet to materialize due to the sabotage and obstruction by those trying to sow trouble in Hong Kong and China at large, as well as external hostile forces, Wang said. Considering Hong Kong's situation at present, efforts must be made at the state-level to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security, to change the long-term "defenseless" status in the field of national security, Wang said. This will advance the institutional building to safeguard national security on the course of China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR, he said. This will also strengthen the work of safeguarding national security and ensure the steady and enduring growth of the cause of "one country, two systems", he added. Wang elaborated on the following basic principles: -- Firmly safeguarding national security; -- Upholding and improving the "one country, two systems"; -- Adhering to governing Hong Kong in accordance with the law; -- Resolutely opposing external interference; -- Substantially safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Hong Kong residents; The draft decision consists of an introduction and seven articles, according to Wang. Article 1 states clearly that the country will unswervingly, fully and faithfully implement the principles of "one country, two systems," "the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong," and a high degree of autonomy; stresses taking necessary measures to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security, as well as prevent, stop and punish activities endangering national security in accordance with the law; Article 2 states clearly that the country resolutely opposes the interference in the HKSAR affairs by any foreign or external forces in any form and will take necessary countermeasures; Article 3 specifies that it is the HKSAR's constitutional responsibilities to safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity; stresses that the HKSAR must complete the national security legislation stipulated in the Basic Law of the HKSAR at an earlier date and HKSAR's administrative, legislative and judicial organs must, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, effectively prevent, stop and punish acts endangering national security; Article 4 specifies that the HKSAR must establish and improve the institutions and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security; when needed, relevant national security organs of the Central People's Government will set up agencies in the HKSAR to fulfill relevant duties to safeguard national security in accordance with the law; Article 5 specifies that the HKSAR chief executive must regularly report to the Central People's Government on the HKSAR's performance of the duty to safeguard national security, carry out national security education and forbid acts of endangering national security; Article 6 specifies the constitutional meanings of related legislation of the NPC Standing Committee: (1)Entrusting the NPC Standing Committee to formulate relevant laws on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security. The NPC Standing Committee will exercise its functions and powers of legislation under authorization; (2)Specifying that relevant legal tasks for the NPC Standing Committee are to effectively prevent, stop and punish any act occurring in the HKSAR to split the country, subvert state power, organize and carry out terrorist activities and other behaviors that seriously endanger national security, as well as activities of foreign and external forces to interfere in the affairs of the HKSAR; (3)Specifying the method of implementing relevant laws of the NPC Standing Committee in the HKSAR, that is, the NPC Standing Committee makes the decision to include relevant laws into Annex III of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, and the HKSAR promulgates and implements them; Article 7 specifies that this decision shall go into effect as of the date of promulgation. After the issuance of the decision, the NPC Standing Committee will work with related parties to formulate relevant laws at an earlier date for the HKSAR to safeguard national security, actively push for settling prominent problems in the national security system of the HKSAR, strengthen the building of special institutions, enforcement mechanisms and law enforcement forces, so as to ensure relevant laws' effective implementation in the HKSAR, Wang said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Archbishop Eamon Martin has welcomed Pope Francis message for the 54th World Day of Social Communications which will be celebrated on Sunday the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. The theme of Pope Francis annual message for this year reflects on the power of storytelling: 'That you may tell your children and grandchildren' (Ex 10:2). Archbishop Eamon said, "During this time of COVID19 restrictions, many grandparents have mentioned how much they miss the physical company and affection of their grandchildren - especially their hugs! The relationship between the generations is a favourite theme of Pope Francis which he reiterates in his communications message for 2020. The Pope often speaks of the bond that exists between younger and older people and for his communications message this year he particular focuses on the importance of sharing stories across the generations. Archbishop Eamon Martin, Primate of All Ireland The theme of Pope Francis message reminds us that 'from childhood we hunger for stories stories influence our lives [although] not all stories are good stories'. By choosing his theme from the Book of Exodus, the Holy Father underpins how memories and storytelling are precious in our lives and in all the best communications. The telling of stories - inspired by faith, hope and love - is also hugely significant in the handing on of faith from generation to generation. When I attended the Youth Synod in Rome in 2018, Pope Francis surprised us by hosting an evening when young and older people who came together to learn from each other and at which he launched Sharing the Wisdom of Time. In the preface he says 'the Lord wants me to say: that there should be an alliance between the young and old people.' The Pope explains that this cooperation entails sharing experiences of older people, heeding their advice and creating a strong bond with the new generations who are hungry for guidance and support as they prepare for their future. This spirit is exemplified in this years communications message: In an age when falsification is increasingly sophisticated ... we need wisdom to be able to welcome and create beautiful, true and good stories. We need courage to reject false and evil stories. We need patience and discernment to rediscover stories that help us not to lose the thread amid todays many troubles. We need stories that reveal who we truly are, also in the untold heroism of everyday life. "Encouraged by Pope Francis, this weekend I invite grandparents and grandchildren to share their own stories - over the phone, on social media or video call - of how they are coping during this coronavirus crisis. Perhaps the young people could record and capture this moment for the future. In years to come, when we look back on 2020, we will be sharing with future generations the story of how the world had to pause, to stand still. Hopefully we will be able to relate the things that we learned from this pandemic experience. Perhaps we will speak of 2020 vision in a new way, that 2020 was the year we learned to appreciate more each other - our family, our elderly, our friendships, our front-line workers, our clergy - and all because we had to spend some time apart. Archbishop Eamon concluded, I strongly encourage everyone to read this years uplifting Communications Day message by Pope Francis, and to reflect on the power of the story in our own journey, and on those around us, especially during this restricted period. As Pope Francis says, The history of Christ is not a legacy from the past; it is our story, and always timely. It shows us that God was so deeply concerned for mankind, for our flesh and our history, to the point that he became man, flesh and history. It also tells us that no human stories are insignificant or paltry.' Cicero, N.Y. Some 600 seniors from Cicero-North Syracuse High School might not have a normal graduation due to the coronavirus pandemic, but they will get a special honor next weekend. Drivers Village will display senior photos of the graduates on three electronic reader boards at the large automall near the intersection of I-81 and I-481. Photos of each student, with their name, will appear for approximately 10 seconds and run alphabetically throughout the business day on June 6 and 7. We just wanted to give these kids some extra exposure, said Drivers Village marketing director Ken Elander. Drivers Village, a group of 20 automotive franchises, reached out to Cicero-North Syracuse several weeks ago with the idea and got an enthusiastic response. One of the reader boards is 14-by 26-feet and the other two are 8-by-15, Elander said. Photos of the students will run continuously through the two days, probably from around 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Elander said they are still trying to decide if the signs will loop through all 600 seniors at once, or show half of them Saturday and the other half Sunday. Families are welcome to visit the automall and park in the lots while taking photos of their student while its displayed on the signs. Were really looking forward to it, he said. That segment of society is getting so robbed. Drivers Village also is working on a similar plan to honor graduates from Faith Heritage School in Syracuse. The North Syracuse School district, with more than 8,300 students, is the biggest district in Onondaga County other than the Syracuse city district. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources Can store owners require you to wear a face mask to enter? No in-person summer school in NY; too early for decision on fall, Cuomo says Ask Syracuse.com: When can we visit the parents? When will the DMV, gyms reopen? Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Nolan Weidner is a reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard and syracuse.com. Got a comment or idea for a story? He can be reached by call or text at 315.247.7419 or via email at nweidner@syracuse.com. Several union ministers, including Piyush Goyal, Nitin Gadkari and Narendra Singh Tomar, on Saturday interacted with stakeholders of some key industries like food processing, marine and auto parts. Besides commerce minister Goyal, MSME minister Gadkari and agriculture minister Tomar, Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Giriraj Singh and Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal also took part in the virtual interaction. The ministers also held discussions on ways to boost domestic competitiveness and increase India's share of global exports in food processing, marine and auto parts. "Had a meeting with food and marine processing, ready to eat segment and auto parts stakeholders...Discussed key challenges and reforms needed for boosting domestic competitiveness and increasing India's share of global exports in these sectors through inter-ministerial coordination," Goyal said in a tweet. The government has identified 12 sectors where focus would be given with a view to make India a self-reliant country and a global supplier. In these 12 sectors -- food processing; organic farming; iron; aluminium and copper; agro chemicals; electronics; industrial machinery; furniture; leather and shoes; auto parts; textiles; and coveralls, masks, sanitisers and ventilators -- India can become a global supplier, Goyal had said earlier. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bhopal, May 24 : With 201 fresh corona cases reported on Saturday, Madhya Pradesh is still staring at uncertain future with the pandemic. Indore (83), Bhopal (38) and Ujjain (27) bore the brunt of the new positive cases. The infection has spread to 50 of 52 districts. The health bulletin issued on Saturday evening confirmed 6,371 cases in the state so far. These include 2,933 from Indore, 1,191 from Bhopal and 531 patients from Ujjain. The death toll so far is 281. The bulletin said 3,267 patients have recovered completely while 2,809 patients are being treated in various hospitals. Additional Chief Secretary of Health Department Mohammad Suleman fears a higher number of Corona cases may come up in mid-June. The government has geared itself to combat the situation. The number of beds in hospitals is being increased to one lakh. The government is buying 18 lakh bedsheets, 50 lakh test gloves and other essential items including PPE kits, masks, oxygen cylinders for all districts. The administration is taking extra care to guard against indiscretions during Eid which will be celebrated on Monday throughout the state. Kazis across the state have asked people to offer Eid prayers at their homes.and maintain physical distance during the celebrations. Drones will be pressed into service to monitor dense settlements in the city on Eid. State Home Minister Narottam Mishra has appealed to the people of the state - be vigilant and alert from the fake news and rumors running on social media and other mediums. At the same time, police officials have been asked to take strict action against fake news and anti-social elements spreading rumours. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Codo, who owns Transport and Port Management System Limited, died on Thursday due to lack of proper medical attention. Jean Codo According to SaharaReporters, a businessman from the Republic of Benin, Jean Codo, who is being investigated for alleged 29m fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has died at the Kirikiri prison, Lagos. Codo, who owns Transport and Port Management System Limited, died on Thursday due to lack of proper medical attention. He was granted bail in November 2019 but could not fulfil the bail conditions and despite appeals to have him released on compassionate ground due to COVID-19 outbreak, the Nigerian authorities refused until he died in custody. The Beninese was said to have collapsed in prison and rushed to the military hospital in Lagos where he died on Thursday morning. Like Codo, a suspected cross-border robbery kingpin, Hamani Tijani, died at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons in January 2014 after suffering partial stroke for nine months. Spokesperson for the Nigerian Prisons Service, Lagos Command at the time, DSP Biyi Jeje, confirmed the development to journalists. Jeje said 42-year-old Tijani died in the clinic of the maximum prison. A citizen of Niger Republic, Tijani was arrested in 2003 in Benin Republic and spent 11 years in prison while facing trial before his death at Kirikiri. NPP National Organizer, Sammi Awuku has advised the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to cease incessant attacks on the Electoral Commission (EC) and rather concentrate on marketing their 2020 Presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama. Contributing to a panel discussion on the Friday edition of 'Kokrokoo' on Peace FM, Sammi Awuku questioned the NDC's logic in their claim that the EC and the National Identification Authority (NIA) are in cahoots with the governing party to rig this year's elections. Giving clues to the NDC on how to prepare for the 2020 elections, Sammi Awuku stated that elections are won at the polling stations and so the opposition party should do their homework well and stop the baseless accusations against the Commission over something they know cannot happen in Ghana. ''In today's Ghana, it will be a miracle and an accident in history for the Chairperson of the EC and her Commissioners will rig the elections for a political party. It will be difficult . . . What you have to do is that be vigilant at the polling station to know that what is declared there is what you have," he said. Mr. Awuku further offered the NDC a little insight elling them some secrets to the NPP victory in elections. " . . work hard. Sell your candidate. Market your candidate'', he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi, adding that ''we (NPP) make sure to police the ballot. We make sure that the votes tally with our results and then we ensure that our collation is timely. So, we compare our results with the results that the Electoral Commission announces. NDC, I can confidently tell you they couldn't collate their results in 2016. In fact, when you take the Kwesi Botchwey report, it's one of the reasons because they didn't even know where they won and where they lost, and you can't blame the EC for your inability to open your eyes," he said. Listen to Sammi Awuku in the video below Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video New Delhi: As the government starts easing lockdown rules by slowly resuming the transportation facility, the Gautam Buddh Nagar police on Friday (May 22, 2020) said that no movement pass is required for those having air or train tickets. The Police Commissionerate Noida gave this information by releasing the press release of the removal of the restriction on its official Twitter handle. The Delhi-Noida border was sealed amid the coronavirus pandemic last month with authorities only allowing the movement of those working for the essential services and allowing people travelling due to medical emergency. Valid identity cards or a movement pass are currently allowed through the border with a given date. Earlier this week, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Railways announced that flight and rail services are set to resume in the country. Flight operations will begin from May 25 as airlines have already started taking bookings. The civil aviation ministry announced a detailed list of guidelines for air passengers, stating that only one-third of operations will be resumed. The guidelines added that no eatables will be allowed inside the aircraft and only one cabin bag and check-in baggage will be allowed per passenger. The Railways announced that it will be starting 200 trains from June 1 and also issued guidelines on the same. The online booking of tickets started on Thursday. Metro rail services, all educational institutions, cinema halls, shopping malls, bars, and assembly halls continue to remain closed as the lockdown has been extended till May 31, officials said. The line Friday afternoon to buy a beach pass in Belmar was definitely shorter, a stark difference to when about 50 beachgoers seemed to throw coronavirus cautions to the wind last week and stood closely together while waiting. Only about a dozen people were observed around noon standing on line at the Taylor Pavilion to buy a seasonal beach pass. While some were wearing masks and others were not, all were required to wear one once they entered the building to fill out a form for plastic passes. About seven volunteers in blue shirts that donned the words Friend Force were on hand at the pavilion to ensure that people were socially distancing and following the rules. One of those on the Friend Force was Bill Lindsay, who has been living in town for about 25 years and also serves on the planning board. Were just here to ask people to cooperate with social distancing and to make sure we get back to normal more quickly, said Lindsay. He later added that Were all COVID-weary. Nobody wants to go backward at this point. The town temporarily suspended the sale of season beach passes at 5 p.m. Friday and will resume selling them on Tuesday, after a photo surfaced last weekend of the line that stretched more than a block. Daily beach badges will still be sold during the Memorial Day weekend, Lindsay said. The hope is this will avoid another long line, since it takes people some time to fill out a seasonal beach pass form rather than buy a quick daily badge. People line up to purchase a seasonal beach badges at Taylor Pavilion in Belmar. The sale of season badges will be temporarily suspended at 5 p.m. today and resume the day after Memorial Day. Friday, May 22, 2020. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Michael Ambrozia, of Freehold, stood on the ramp leading up to the pavilion as he filled out four seasonal pass forms for himself and those in his household. He passed by the line earlier in the day but noticed it was a bit longer. Ambrozia, 21, returned once there were just three people waiting to get inside the building. I will not be coming down this Memorial Day, he said, adding that hell probably only come to the beach on weekdays. Gonna be a hard pass on that. People line up to purchase a seasonal beach badges at Taylor Pavilion in Belmar. The sale of season badges will be temporarily suspended at 5 p.m. today and resume the day after Memorial Day. Friday, May 22, 2020. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Not every Shore town is using traditional forms for seasonal beach passes, either. Laura, who declined to give her last name, went inside the North Beach office on the Seaside Height boardwalk to pay for a physical pass, but was told she had to use an app- Viply - instead. An attendant told her no physical beach passes were being sold this year. Government does not want me to touch money, the attendant inside the office was overheard saying. Laura has been living in Seaside Heights for just under a year but has been coming to this beach for the last five years. She too said she wouldnt be coming to the beach on Memorial Day weekend. We know thats when you avoid the beaches, she said, adding that stands pre-pandemic too. But businesses along the Seaside Heights boardwalk are hoping for a busy unofficial start of the summer. Memorial Day weekend is traditionally a cash cow for businesses at the Shore. Its one-third of my rent, said Jim Donnell, the owner of Everything Jersey on the boardwalk. Donnelly and his employee, Mary Grossguth, were laying out all their merchandise as they spoke to NJ Advance Media. They traditionally begin to open around Easter, but today was the first time they were allowed to reopen. New among there merchandise: homemade face masks. Many of the stores were not open yet on the the boardwalk in Seaside Heights. Friday, May 22, 2020. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Not every vendor has reopened yet. Several shops along the boardwalk had metal security gates pulled down on Friday afternoon. Polish Ice Water along the Seaside Heights boardwalk, however, lucked out and was still able to make sales even though the boardwalk has been closed since the end of March. Megan Pollaro, who owns the business with her husband, said her south end location was able to make sales for the last three weeks because they had a side counter where customers were able to access near the entrance of the boardwalk. They also set up a website for curbside pickup to make up for sales they lost at their north end shop, which opened this week on the other side of the boardwalk. Were down maybe 35%, said Pollaro, adding that the weather hasnt been cooperating either. It was just slower than normal. The Seaside Heights boardwalk will be allowed to remain open until 11 p.m. starting Saturday, according to a posted sign. However, the beach will be cleared and closed at 5 p.m. between May 23 and June 30. People purchase pizza from one of the pizza booths along the boardwalk in Seaside Heights. Friday, May 22, 2020. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. The moon was expected to be sighted in Saudi Arabia on Friday, May 22 night but is expected to be seen tonight, May 23. The Muslim holiday of Eid ul-Fitr, that marks the end of the 30-day fasting month of Ramadan, will begin on Sunday, May 24, meaning that Ramadan will last 30 days this year. Muslims across Kerala will celebrate Eid ul-Fitr on Sunday, clerics from the community said on Friday. They said that with not sighting of the moon on Friday and the 30-day Ramadan ending on Saturday, Eid-ul-Fitr in Kerala will be celebrated on Sunday, May 24. There will be no open prayer sessions on Eid-ul-Fitr since lockdown norms are enforced in the southern state. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan extended his greetings to all Muslims and said that all lockdown norms and other rules will have to be followed. He, however, said that in case Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated on Sunday, there would be some relaxations. For the past two weeks, on Sundays, people are asked to remain indoors and only essential shops like medical stores are allowed to open. Muslims account for 88.73 lakh of the 3.34 crore population in Kerala. The Eid prayer comprises two rakahs, however, it has extra takbeers. Takbeer refers to when Allah Hu Akbar which means God is the Greatest is said to begin the prayer and one raises the hands to the ears. During regular prayers, takbeer is said only once, but for the Eid prayers, you have to say takbeer 12 times in two rakahs. In mosques, the Imam delivers the khutbah (sermon) of Eid, however, that is not allowed when prayers are performed at home. The prayer can either be performed alone at home or with family members. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter America can be proud of many things: our innovation, generosity and entrepreneurial spirit are unsurpassed. Yet when it comes to our nation understanding one of the greatest gifts ever given to humanitythe Biblewe're moving from dumb to dumber, and it's no laughing matter. Trump has repeatedly touted his decision in January to restrict travel from China as evidence that he acted decisively to contain the coronavirus, often claiming that doing so saved more than a million lives. But it was his administrations response to the threat from Europe that proved more consequential to the majority of the more than 94,000 people who have died and the 1.6 million now infected in the United States. Flattening infection rates and growing unrest about a stagnant economy are increasing pressure on states to re-open. Governor Tom Wolf has initiated the process of re-opening for Pennsylvania, just like other states are doing nationwide. These moves reflect partial re-openings, not returns to business as usual. Phased approaches mean that certain businesses are opening before others and open businesses still face restrictions like limiting customers at any one time. Recovery will likely proceed in fits and starts, with states retracing steps if and when viral transmission spikes. Even in the best-case scenarios, the path to economic revitalization will be a trial and error process occurring over months, if not years. But the current stakes are also high. Americans are watching closely, and results from this first foray will likely shape expectations about future attempts. And while they might be welcomed by some citizens, speedy decisions to re-open states could backfire if leaders bungle them by risking Americans safety through insufficient public health measures or failing to build trust through transparent communication. The worst-case scenario: economic stagnation beyond the pandemic itself, because Americans so distrust leaders that they resist returning to usual activities. Reporting declining numbers of COVID cases wont be enough to convince the public that its safe to return to malls and restaurants. Fear is one the strongest motivators of human behavior, and currently, fear is pervasive. Many are more worried about contracting COVID than experiencing severe the financial hardship it causes. Fear likely explains why Texans and Georgians are still avoiding restaurants even after re-openings. To reboot the American economy, then, in addition to being thoughtful about reopenings, leaders must use communication strategies to build trust and open the minds of the public while opening the doors of businesses. This involves recognizing that humanstend to use mental shortcuts (called heuristics in behavioral science) when making decisions, particularly complex ones amid uncertainty. For instance, people often base decisions on their recent experiences. This availability heuristic, drawing from readily available memories, can inadvertently lead to poor decisions, like avoiding plane flights after news of a recent crashes -- even though its safer to fly than drive. Other tendencies include overweighting information that resembles personal experiences, or that feels particularly striking. To combat faulty heuristics and hasten economic revival, leaders must pair strong public health measures with effective communication. This involves two critical actions. First, leaders need to communicate with the public using relatable data. So far many, including Pennsylvania leaders, have emphasized COVID case and death rates, which paint a slanted and for many, unrelatable picture that doesnt offer guidance about how to re-engage in normal life. Americans need information that helps them accurately assess risk, like the risk of getting COVID in parks, restaurants, theaters, and malls. These data are not yet readily available, so officials should fund more research to produce it, complementing biomedical research and vaccine development. READ MORE: When will we reopen: How Pennsylvania decides whats in the red, yellow, and green phases. Second, government and public health leaders should partner with media and community partners on communication campaigns. News coverage often prioritizes catchy headlines, which we are more likely to remember and find striking. Whether intentional or not, it triggers decision-making heuristics. Communication should seek not only to spread pragmatic information, but frame it in a balanced fashion. For instance, to balance fear-inducing facts about cases and deaths, campaigns could feature information about Americans whove recovered from infection. These solutions are no panacea. They must be paired with viral containment and measures to discourage Americans from jumping prematurely into restricted activities. Nonetheless, sensitivity to human psychology will play a key role in determining how and when the public returns to activities, and thus our economic recovery. Joshua M. Liao is Director of the Value & Systems Science Lab and Medical Director of Payment Strategy at the University of Washington. Amol S. Navathe is co-Director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute and Assistant Professor of Medicine and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. The president of the Junta, Juanma Moreno, said in the regional parliament in Seville on Wednesday that he was worried that Malaga and Granada provinces wouldn't be allowed by central government to go into Phase Two on Monday (25 May). His Andalusian government has asked for Malaga province (including Costa del Sol) and Granada (including Costa Tropical) to move ahead to the next stage, despite having started the current Phase One a week later than the other six provinces in Andalucia. The national minister of Health has said he expects all provinces to spend at least two weeks in each phase, which means Malaga and Granada may be held back until 1 June. "Malaga and Granada lost some of their good name when they couldn't move into the first phase... even though they had better [health] data than some regions... and without knowing what the criteria were that held them back," said Moreno. His thoughts were echoed by Francisco Salado, head of Malaga's provincial authority and the Costa del Sol tourist board. Salado explained it would be hard to explain any discrimination and it would be harmful for the tourism sector. He added, "We believe that this classification in the de-escalation doesn't match the reality of the epidemic [here] nor the capacity of the provincial healthcare system." The Government will announce the provinces moving into Phase Two later on Friday. A Ukrainian lawmaker was found dead in his office with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Valeriy Davydenko, 47, was found dead by a cleaner in the restroom of his office in central Kyiv on May 23. Deputy Interior Minister Anton Herashchenko said on Facebook a comprehensive investigation would be carried out. The police and prosecutors will check all possible versions of the tragedy, he wrote. Zoryan Shkiryak, an Interior Ministry official, said a preliminary investigation suggests he may have committed suicide. Davydenko ran as an independent from the northern Chernihiv Oblast in the 2019 parliamentary elections. He later joined the Dovira parliamentary group. From May 2013 to March 2014, he was deputy agriculture minister. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and 112 UA An article reported the mayor of a small town in Peru had to pretend dead by laying in a coffin to prevent government authorities from arresting him for violating quarantine orders in the country. It was reported in an article that the mayor had laid quiet in the coffin while still wearing a face mask. The Arrest Jaime Rolando Urbina Torres, the Peruvian mayor who violated the lockdown orders is the leader of the small town in Peru called Tantara. The police did not primarily come to arrest the mayor however, during that time, the police were enforcing a curfew to implement lockdown orders in the country they ended up arresting the Mayor. It was during that time that Urbina Torres was out with his friends drinking after curfew hours. As police came to inspect the area, the mayor and his drinking buddies were able to hide. While the mayor lied in a coffin pretending to be a COVID-19 fatality, his friends were hiding in cabinets. Based on an article, the details of the place where the mayor and his friends had a drinking session was unclear. Also, there were no explanations why there was a coffin where the group had gathered and was arrested. Hide and Seek As authorities searched the room where Urbina Torres and his friend had shared drinks. The tried to avoid the arrest by going to different hiding spots in the room, luck was not on their side. In the event similar to a game of hide and seek, the mayor and his friends were discovered in the room by the police. The mayor and his friends were immediately brought to the police station. His group was subjected to questioning and investigation. Based on an article, it is still unknown whether charges were filed against the group. The Photo of the Mayor in The Coffin After the incident, a photo of the mayor had been released for the public to see. The photo had led to additional critics questioning the mayor's seriousness on the current pandemic that is causing devastation not only in the country but in different parts of the world. It is not the first time the mayor had been criticized for his lack of efforts to serve his town and support the enforcement of COVID-19 preventive measures. Taking the Coronavirus Pandemic Lightly Based on the article, it was reported that the mayor had not been seen enforcing measures to promote safety in the town involving the spread of the novel coronavirus. Also, the article reveals that the mayor had only spent a few days in the town since the commencement of the lockdown orders. Furthermore, an article reveals that Urbina Torres was also being criticized for his failure to lead the construction of emergency COVID-19 quarantine quarters for the town. Check these out: COVID-19 Cases in Peru Currently, a coronavirus tracker reveals that there are a total of 111,698 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Peru where 44,848 individuals were able to win over the illness and 3,244 people had lost their lives fighting the deadly novel coronavirus. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 10:28:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Posters that remind people of following COVID-19 safety practices are seen at the entrance of a hair salon in St Julian's, Malta, on May 22, 2020. Malta on Friday eased anti-COVID-19 restrictions by allowing restaurants, hairdressers, beauticians and other service outlets to resume business. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua) That New Year's Day, rapid tests showed that Iris and all three children had strep; Levitis did not. Three weeks earlier Iris and two of the children were found to be infected. And two weeks following the New Year's visit, after everyone had taken a full course of antibiotics, two of the children tested positive. David Waugh is putting down barrier tape and spraying yellow lines on the ground outside the main door of his school near Manchester. Waugh, who oversees five schools in northwestern England, already has painted yellow arrows to ensure that children follow a one-way path around the building when they return next month from an extended break due to the coronavirus pandemic. Soft furniture and play equipment have been cordoned off, and desks have been spread apart. Waugh has stocked up on 7,500 face masks, hundreds of pairs of gloves, hand sanitizer and other supplies. The government says we don't need them, but I certainly couldn't have risked not having them, he told The Associated Press. It's the unknown, the utter unknown. We're taking baby steps forward at the moment, trying to win the hearts and minds of parents and teachers. Since March 20, the coronavirus has forced British schools to close to all but a small number of key workers' children and those under social care. The government wants children to start returning to primary schools in stages from June 1. Those going back first include the youngest ages 4 to 6. Daycare providers also have been told to start welcoming back babies and toddlers from June. The reopening has divided the country and faced vehement opposition from teachers unions, which say it's too risky for everyone and could cause a spike in infections. Dozens of local authorities have refused to follow the reopening timetable. Scotland and Northern Ireland, which have their own governments, are not opening schools until August at the earliest. Worried parents are texting each other the same question: Are you sending your kid back? Justine Roberts, who founded parenting website Mumsnet, said the decision to send the youngest children back first is causing bafflement and some anger, and a suspicion that decisions are being driven by the need to get people back to work." Teachers union NASUWT cited a poll of 29,000 members that suggested only 5% think the plan is safe. Other unions have told members not to engage with planning for an early June opening. Mary Bousted, joint leader of the National Union, said the plan is simply not safe, it is not fair, it is not feasible. Unions say they are unconvinced by the scientific evidence on the topic published by the government. They also want the tracking and tracing system for those infected to be in place first. Charlotte Smith, whose 14-year-old son is unaffected by the plan, joined a small protest of the reopening Thursday in Manchester. She didn't believe administrators have thought through how to work out social distancing "that isn't damaging to kids. There's absolutely no way I would want my kid to go into an environment that's psychologically damaging for them, she said. "We need to rethink and we can't do that in two weeks. In its guidance to schools, the Department said face masks are not recommended in schools, and acknowledged that young children can't be expected to keep the 2-meter (6-foot) social-distancing guidelines. It said class sizes should be halved and limited to a maximum of 15, and that children should be separated into the same small groups. Waugh's school group, the True Learning Partnership in Cheshire, is doing that and more. He is planning to split students into mini school zones, each with separate entrances, daily timetables and play areas. Meals will be delivered to classrooms. T eachers' desks will be 2-meter exclusion zones ringed off with tape. Even the cutlery will be assigned to separate groups. It's more than feasible to make schools safe, he said, even if it's a logistical nightmare. English schools will be following those in Denmark, Germany, France and elsewhere that are easing restrictions. Proponents say the effect of being away from the classroom has been felt keenly by the most disadvantaged families. A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies said school closures will almost certainly increase educational inequality. Wealthier children are spending 30% more time on home learning during lockdown about 5.8 hours a day than those in poorer families and have access to better resources like online tutors, it found. Working parents, too, are increasingly frustrated about working from home with children. Sarah Hesz, a mother of three, says that after considering the risks, she plans to send her 5-year-old back to school next month. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prince Charles' marriage with the late Princess Diana may not have been the happily ever after that everyone hoped for. However, an unearthed love letter the Prince of Wales sent Diana the night before their wedding proved there was love at the beginning. Match Made In Heaven What the public only saw was Diana struggled to the demands of royal life and Charles acted like he regretted ever proposing to her. But in the book by Howard Hodgson entitled "Charles: The Man who will be King" released in 2007, the royal author revealed the truth about how Prince Charles felt at that time. Prince Charles expressed his support for his lovely wife-to-be in a love note he sent her the night before their nuptials. The note reportedly read: "I am so proud of you and when you come up I'll be there at the altar for you tomorrow. Just look 'em in the eye and knock 'em dead." The love note was not all that Prince Charles sent to Diana. He reportedly also sent a signet ring to Clarence House, which Princess Diana reportedly wore on their wedding day. In an interview with Hello magazine years later, Princess Diana's mother, France Shand Kydd, said that not once did she doubt Prince Charles' true feelings for her daughter. She said it was because of how he was during their wedding day. "I think that if anybody does doubt how he originally felt then they should look at the pictures or film of their wedding day," Kydd shared at the time. She went on to say how that "fairytale" wedding, reportedly watched by a global audience that reached 750 million, was indeed about a union of love: "I think they really did show genuine happiness and deep affection for each other." The marriage of Prince Charles to the late Princess Diana may have ended in a divorce, but it was not how it all began. Many close to the former couple still believe that their wedding day was a promise of a lifetime of love. A Second Chance At Love Prince Charles and Camilla have been married to different people before they finally realized they wanted to be with each other. They first dated when they were younger, but it did not last very long as Prince Charles had to leave for military service. But love has always found a way for these two to be back together. It was in Camilla's 50th birthday celebration at the Ritz Hotel in London when Charles and Camilla first came out to the public as a couple. They arrived at the event separately, but they left the venue together. That night, their relationship saw the transition from being a public affair to a public romance. It was a rare sighting of them as a couple, but it showed everyone how in love they were of each other. Not long after that, the two announced their engagement in February 2005. In a simple and quiet civil ceremony, the two were finally made as one on April 9, 2005. Years after the two first fell in love, they have found themselves back in each other's arms. Theirs was not a typical love story, but they both got their second chance at love. Both Prince Charles and Camilla are living happily ever after. A Pakistani police officer was killed and another injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on them in the country's restive northwestern tribal region, officials said. Station House Officer of Laachi police station in Kohat district Nazir Abbas was on routine patrolling when the assailants targeted him and his security official, they said. The officer was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The condition of the security official is stated to be critical as he was shot multiple times. During a search operation, police killed one of the assailants in an encounter while another managed to flee in an injured condition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 (12:01 am) - Score 2,582 A new YouGov survey of 4,344 UK adults, which was commissioned by consumer magazine Which? and conducted during late April 2020, has found that 53% of people had difficulty contacting their broadband ISP in the last month due to the impact of COVID-19, which left some exposed to avoidable price hikes and other problems. Unfortunately the Coronavirus crisis has had a huge impact on staffing in some call centres, particularly among those ISPs that rely on outsourcing via other countries. In response many providers have since adapted and moved a lot of their support agents into remote working (Work From Home) mode, while others have ramped-up their online support channels to compensate. Sadly long call waiting times have become a common problem for many people, which in fairness is just as true across other sectors (financial, utilities etc.) as it is for home broadband providers. Nevertheless the situation has created a complex set of problems and some ISPs have been better at tackling those than others. For example, customers who reached the end of their contract will have found it harder to haggle for a lower price or to switch ISP, which could leave them exposed to higher post-contract prices. Ofcoms decision to soften their enforcement (here) of the new end-of-contract notifications system, among other areas, wont have helped (some providers, like TalkTalk, have thankfully continued to send these). Which? says they heard from a nurse on a COVID-19 ward who was on a broadband contract paying 18 a month, but when the cost went up to 50 after her minimum term ended in March, she started shopping around. However, the lockdown restrictions meant she was unable to switch as she was told an engineer would need to visit but that wouldnt be possible until restrictions were lifted. The ISP eventually agreed to reduce her bill to 31. In fairness most ISPs have been prioritising connections for Key Workers, particularly NHS staff where exceptions are made to the restrictions. Likewise only certain connection types (e.g. FTTP and G.fast on Openreach) have been affected by suspended installations and those too could be solved once somebody is verified as working for the NHS. Separately the magazine conducted an analysis of broadband deals from bigger ISPs, which found that customers who are coming to the end of their minimum term during the lockdown could still face price hikes of up to 80% cent (most increases are much smaller than that) and as large as 246 a year. Meanwhile 14% of broadband customers told Which? that they were unable to switch ISP during lockdown when their contract ended. Richard Tang, Founder and Chair of ISP Zen Internet, said: Whilst broadband providers have managed to maintain a high level of service enabling the country to connect with loved ones, work, learn and entertain it is disappointing to see that weak customer service continues to tarnish the industry as key players are left flat footed in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Now more than ever households are dependent on broadband to connect them with the outside world, and customers are entitled to speak to their providers to negotiate better deals and access support. With the connectivity of the nation resting on our shoulders, the industry has a duty to communicate with its customers. At Zen, our foundations are rooted in strong customer service and our UK-based call centre was ready to adapt from the very start of lockdown. We continue to reach 90% of calls within 45 seconds, ensuring that we put our customers first. In addition, our Lifetime Price Guarantee ensures Zen customers are never hit with price hikes at the end of their contracts while they remain on the same service, unlike the customers of most other broadband providers. The good news is that all those lockdown restrictions are starting to soften and Openreach is beginning a phased return to work, including conducting new service provisions again. At the same time its worth saying that during this period a lot of ISPs have suspended annual price hikes and have also given customers lots of bonus features too (e.g. unlimited calling, free TV channels, unlimited data), albeit often only temporarily. A batch of ambulances with special equipment for patients with coronavirus arrived in Dagestan, the Ministry of Health of the Republic informs. "Cars were sent to the region by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. Thanks to an agreement with the Russian Ministry of Health, the transport was sent to the republic in priority order, Interfax-Yug quotes the message of the Ministry. The vehicles are equipped with ventilators, defibrillators, inhalers and electrocardiographs. An Indian Navy ship carrying a medical team and ayurvedic and essential medicines reached Port Louis in Mauritius on Saturday to assist the island-nation fight the coronavirus pandemic. The assistance being provided to Mauritius is under Mission Sagar, an outreach programme by India. The 14-member medical team aboard INS Kesari comprised Indian Navy doctors and paramedics and they will assist their Mauritian counterparts in COVID-19 related emergencies, the Navy said in a statement. An official ceremony to hand over the medicines to Mauritius from India was held on Saturday in the presence of Mauritian Health Minister Kailesh Jagutpal and Indian High Commissioner Tanmaya Lal. "This Indian Naval Ship Kesari is carrying COVID-related essential medicines and a special consignment of ayurvedic medicines for the people of Mauritius," the statement added. Demi Rose has fired back at a social media user who told her that she has 'put on weight' during Britain's ongoing coronavirus lockdown. The model, 25, who is known for her racy Instagram snaps, uploaded a shot of herself in a white and pink printed T-shirt dress that accentuated her derriere. Although Demi looked radiant as ever in the photo, one of her followers commented: 'Ok quarantine is making you gain weight'. Comments: Demi Rose, 25, has fired back at a social media user who told her that she has put on weight during Britain's ongoing coronavirus lockdown Not to take the comment lying down, the social media star responded to the jibe in good humour. She wrote back: '@raquy1 Im a size XS/UK 6. Only cause my a** is fat.' Demi posed with her back to the camera in the snap, arching her back and staring off into the distance. The Birmingham native tied her brunette locks into a ponytail while she completed her look with a light pallet of makeup. Hitting back: Not to take the comment lying down, the social media star responded to the jibe in good humour It comes after Demi was clearly feeling nostalgic for her sun-soaked travels that took place prior to the virus. The model had not planned to stay in London long when she came back before the lockdown. She recently lamented: 'All I have with me is crochet stuff and bikinis. I'm sick of wearing all the other stuff that I bought that is loungey. 'What is your bet that this will be over in June, July, August... What do you think, like never? Wow: Demi set pulses racing once again on Wednesday as she shared a slew of racy snaps on Instagram 'Corona really f**ed us up, really majorly f**ked us up. I hope you're all staying safe and me... I am meditating, I'm trying to read a lot of books. Me and Teddy are really bored. I really want corona to f**k off, honestly.' Despite hating being cooped up in her flat, Demi revealed she is enjoying having some time for self reflection. She explained: 'I find this time is really healing. I've never had the chance to sit here, not be able to move. I kind of sweep it under the carpet and get on with it. Thinking back: Demi was recently feeling nostalgic for her sun-soaked travels that took place prior to the virus 'I've had time to think about things I haven't really got over, I've never really grieved. 'I'm trying to think about the positives with this time. If you're feeling a lot, you're trapped in your home, trapped with your thoughts, try and think about it like you need to feel this way, get over it to be better. The Instagram star suffered heartache when her dad Barrie passed away aged 80 in 2018, before her mother Christine sadly died just seven months later. Telecom restoration work was hampered in the areas hit by super cyclone Amphan in West Bengal on Saturday as people continued agitation due to disruption in electricity and water supplies for the last three days, according to industry bodies. The telecom industry bodies claimed that despite challenges of power outage and frequent fibre cuts, mobile service providers have been able to restore entire 4G services and the networks are operating at around 75 per cent level. "Telecom connectivity in the cyclone hit areas of West Bengal - Kolkata, Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas districts has improved today by about 8-10 per cent. It is now working at 75 per cent level. Entire 4G network has been restored. Telecom companies personnel today faced mob violence. People were agitating for power and water supplies," COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews told PTI. He said that despite the challenges telecom companies have been able to improve the network. "Telecom secretary (Anshu Prakash) this evening has asked telecom companies to bring connectivity to 95 per cent level by Monday evening. Telecom infrastructure companies have augmented their teams, DG sets etc to expeditiously restore networks," Telecom infrastructure body TAIPA Director General TR Dua said. He said that work was hampered because people were agitated due to no electricity and water supplies for the last three days. "We have sought police and army help. The restoration work is going on now," Dua said. The cyclone-hit areas have around 8,500 mobile towers on which around 36,000 base stations of different operators run. The fiercest cyclone to hit West Bengal in 100 years destroyed mud houses and crops, and uprooted trees and electric poles. The damageto the trees and electric poles have also adversely impacted optical fibre that inter-connects telecom towers for mobile services. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil star Ajith along with Shalini were spotted at a hospital with masks on. Videos and photos of the couple at the private hospital in Chennai have surfaced online, leaving fans worried about their health. Social media is filled with messages and photos of the actors as fans express concern about their favourite actor. This comes at a time when fans of Ajith Kumar are expecting an update about his much-anticipated film, Valimai. Fan clubs have been sharing photos and videos from the hospital with #Valimai. The filming of Valimai is expected to start as soon as the lockdown is lifted. Unconfirmed Reports suggest that Ajith and Shalini visited the hospital for a regular check-up and there is nothing to worry about. However, there is also speculation that Ajith's father hasn't been keeping well for a few weeks and that could probably be the reason for his visit to the hospital. Ajith's donation of Rs 1.25 crore to the state government, central government, and to FEFSI for Covid-19 relief made headlines recently. The actor also deposited Rs 2.5 lakh into the bank account of Film Journalists' Association to help them combat the lockdown. Boney Kapoor, the producer of Valimai, recently took to Twitter to reveal that the team will not do any promotional activities related to their films in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Follow @News18Movies for more People on ventilator support in Delhi saw only 2-fold rise from Jan 1-14: Data 3-kg bomb at Delhi flower market: Police yet to zero in on any suspect Delhi govt ad refers to Sikkim as separate country, stokes controversy India pti-PTI New Delhi, May 23: An advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers by the Delhi government stoked a controversy on Saturday after it referred the people of Sikkim as "subject" along with those from Bhutan and Nepal, prompting the BJP and Congress to launch a scathing attack on the AAP dispensation. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal suspended a senior official responsible for the "error" in the advertisement. A senior officer of Directorate of Civil Defence (HQ) has been suspended with immediate effect for publishing an Advertisement which disrespects the territorial integrity of India by making incorrect reference to Sikkim on the same lines as some neighbouring countries, he tweeted. Zero tolerance for such gross misconduct! Direction has also been given immediately to withdraw the offensive advertisement, he said in another tweet. Lockdown 4.0: Plan to ease restrictions in Delhi to be announced on Monday, says Kejriwal The advertisement for recruitment of civil defence volunteers published in newspapers on Saturday mentioned under eligibility criteria "Citizen of India or a subject of Sikkim or of Bhutan or of Nepal and a resident of Delhi". A senior staff officer of Civil Defence (headquarter) has been suspended with immediate effect, a Delhi government functionary said. "The official in-charge for the advertisement without applying his mind copy pasted the eligibility criterion from the Civil Defence Regulations, 1968 (amended in 1971 and 1973) issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, for recruitment to the Civil Defence Corps," he said. Reacting to the controversy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, Sikkim is an integral part of India. Such errors also cannot be tolerated. Advertisement has been withdrawn and action taken against the officer concerned. The Sikkim government also took exception to the advertisement. "This is immensely hurtful to the people of Sikkim who take pride in being the citizens of our great country ever since it became the 22nd state of Indian Union on May 16, 1975," Sikkim Chief Secretary S C Gupta said in a terse letter to his Delhi counterpart Vijay Kumar Dev. Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang also condemned the advertisement and said it was "regrettable, objectionable and harmful" to the federal structure of India. "I am deeply hurt by an advertisement published by the Government of Delhi terming the people of Sikkim as different citizen equated with Nepal and Bhutan," he said in a Facebook post. Meanwhile the opposition tore into the AAP-led city government for calling Sikkim an independent country". Delhi BJP president Manoj slammed the government for the serious lapse. "The Delhi government advertisement shows Sikkim as a country. Can a state government be so ignorant that it shows a state of India as another country? Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should answer to the people for this serious lapse, he said. Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar also took a dig at the dispensation over the issue. "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is so busy in publicity that he does not know if Sikkim is a part of India. Let me remind him, Sikkim is a part of India," he tweeted. The ruling AAP, however, hit out at the opposition by accusing the BJP and Congress leaders of doing "petty politics", saying the advertisement followed MHA guidelines. "At this difficult time when the Delhi government is trying to work together with other governments, the BJP and Congress leaders are busy in petty politics. The Delhi government clearly follows the MHA guidelines. AAP appeals to rise above the politics and work for the people," the party tweeted. BJP's Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri too demanded a reply from the chief minister regarding the advertisement. Bidhuri, in a letter to Kejriwal, said he was saddened to see the advertisement issued by the Delhi government in various newspapers in which Sikkim was presented as a "separate country" along with Nepal and Bhutan. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor demanded an apology from Kejriwal over the issue. "My father Shankar Kapoor, Joint Secretary MHA, on behalf of the Government of India had signed the document of Sikkim's merger into India," he said. Arvind Kejriwal should apologise to the people of the country, especially of Sikkim, whom his government has hurt, Kapoor added. Sikkim became an Indian state in 1975. The full moon is seen from West Orange in New Jersey By Joey Roulette WASHINGTON (Reuters) - NASA on Friday set the stage for a global debate over the basic principles governing how humans will live and work on the moon, as it released the main tenets of an international pact for moon exploration called the Artemis Accords. The accords seek to establish 'safety zones' that would surround future moon bases to prevent what the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration called "harmful interference" from rival countries or companies operating in close proximity. They would also permit companies to own the lunar resources they mine, a crucial element in allowing NASA contractors to convert the moon's water ice for rocket fuel or mine lunar minerals to construct landing pads. The accords are a key part of NASA's effort to court allies around its plan to build a long-term presence on the lunar surface under its Artemis moon program. "What we're doing is we are implementing the Outer Space Treaty with the Artemis Accords," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine told Reuters, referring to a 1967 international pact that emphasizes that space should be used for peaceful rather than military uses. The framework will be used as an incentive for nations to adhere to U.S. norms of behavior in space, he added. "It applies to low Earth orbit, it applies to the moon as well," Bridenstine said. The accords also require countries to adopt standards of the United Nations Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines which govern the prevention of hazardous space debris and the Registration Convention, which would require countries to provide orbital details of their "space objects." The U.S. Congress passed a law in 2015 allowing companies to own the resources they mine in outer space, but no such laws exist in the international community. The Artemis Accords, consistent with the Trump administration's space policy, appear to clear the way for companies to mine the moon under international law and urge countries to enact similar national laws that would bind their private sector's space operations. Story continues "Why would private companies take the risk of going to mine resources if the legal situation was they could be kept from owning them?" Lori Garver, former deputy administrator of NASA, said to Reuters. "So anything this does to clear any of that up could really help advance progress in space development." CHINA AND RUSSIA Reuters reported earlier this month that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was drawing up the Artemis Accords. In response, Russia's space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin criticized Washington for excluding Russia from early negotiations over the space exploration pact, drawing parallels with U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. "The principle of invasion is the same, whether it be the Moon or Iraq. The creation of a 'coalition of the willing' is initiated," Rogozin wrote on Twitter. "Only Iraq or Afghanistan will come out of this." China said it was willing to cooperate with all parties on lunar exploration "to make a greater contribution in building a community with shared future for mankind," a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said in a statement faxed to Reuters. The safety zones while intended to encourage coordination have prompted questions on whether the accords align with the Outer Space Treaty, which states the moon and other celestial bodies are "not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means." The size of the safety zones would vary depending on the nature of the site they surround and would not constitute appropriation, Bridenstine said. They would follow the principle that "basically says I'm gonna stay out of your way, you're gonna stay out of my way, and we can all operate in this space," he added. However, there is a question over who determines the sizes of the safety zones, said Ram Jakhu, associate professor at McGill University's Institute of Air and Space Law in Canada. "Safety zones are necessary, but they can also be abused in a way that it may become appropriation." But Mike Gold, NASA's associate administrator for international relations, told Reuters the language on moon mining shouldn't worry other nations. "The principles that are being put forward here is nothing that we believe any responsible spacefaring nation would disagree with," he said. "Via the Artemis Accords, we hope that the future will look a lot more like "Star Trek," and a lot less like "Star Wars" by getting ahead of these issues," Gold said. (Reporting by Joey Roulette, editing by Bill Tarrant and Rosalba O'Brien) Egypt is expected to see cool weather on Sunday morning, the first day of Eid El-Fitr, the Islamic feast following the fasting month of Ramadan. The night will be chilly with a chance of light rain on some parts of the country, according to data released by Egypts Metrological Authority (EMA). Greater Cairo and Nile Delta cities are expected to see highs of 29 degrees Celsius and lows of 18 and 17 degrees respectively. Egypt's northern coast and central Sinai will witness a slightly cooler weather in the morning, which will turn chilly at night with a high of 24 degrees Celsius and a low of 19 degrees. South Sinai and the Red Sea Mountains will see a high of 32 degrees Celsius and a low of 22 degrees, while northern Upper Egypt will see a high of 30 degrees Celsius and a low of 20 degrees. The weather will be slightly warmer in southern Upper Egypt in the morning with a high of 34 degrees Celsius, turning cooler at night with a low of 24 degrees. Light rains may fall on some parts of Greater Cairo, Nile Delta and the northern coasts, and a morning mist is expected in Greater Cairo on Sunday. Winds are predicted all over the country, and they are expected to stir sand and dust in Greater Cairo, Upper Egypt, South Sinai and the Red Sea Mountains. The winds may also disturb marine navigation in Egypts waters. On Friday, Egypts Dar El-Iftaa announced that the Muslim Eid Al-Fitr holiday will begin in Egypt on Sunday. The annual three-day Islamic holiday marks the end of the month of Ramadan and is celebrated by Muslims worldwide. This year, however, Egypt has added two more days to the holiday owing to the coronavirus in an effort to reduce crowding during the religious holiday. Search Keywords: Short link: (Photo : Umberto/Unsplash) green bokeh lights (Photo : Glenn Carstens-Peters/Unsplash) person using Macbook Internet providers around the world are feeling the strain as millions of employees and students work and study from home in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Internet speeds, however, can't seem to keep up. But researchers from the Monash, Swinburne, and RMIT universities in Australia have recently reached speeds that would satisfy all our internet surfing needs. According to a Mashable report, a new study published in Nature Communications described how researchers were able to set a new world record with super fast internet speeds of 44.2 Tbps (terabits per second). The researchers used the standard optic fiber in the laboratory and the actual network in the greater metropolitan area of Melbourne, Australia. The 44.2 Tbps was a result of a raw bitrate. Meanwhile, a coded rate in the field was a slightly lower 39 Tbps which still beats the current data in the market. The researchers used "optical frequency combs generated by integrated micro-cavity resonators" or the "soliton crystal micro-combs." While this technology sounds complicated, these researchers were able to intensify data transfer speeds in "demanding and practical optical communications networks" using these micro-combs. The research was achieved using only a single integrated chip source with over 75km of standard optical fiber. This opens the possibility of being used in existing fiber infrastructure. Australian researchers have developed the world's fastest internet speed According to the researchers, "This work demonstrates their ability to support ultrahigh bandwidth data transmission in practical and demanding environments." The Verge reported that the test fiber connection ran between RMIT's Melbourne City and Monash University's Clayton campuses. The researchers claimed that it mirrors Australia's National Broadband Network infrastructures. One of the team members, Swinburne University Professor David Moss, said their findings show a "world-record for bandwidth." According to Monash University lecturer Bill Corcoran who is also one of the lead authors of the study, "What our research demonstrates is the ability for fibers that we already have in the ground, thanks to the NBN project, to be the backbone of communications networks now and in the future. We've developed something that is scalable to meet future needs." How fast is 44.2 terabits per second? To compare, 44.2 terabits per second is equal to 5.525 terabytes per second. By the end of 2019, Pornhub claimed it hosts 11 petabytes or 11,000 terabytes. At this rate, a person would be able to download all the videos on the aforementioned site in about 1991 seconds, or 33.2 minutes. This speed is also enough to download all 50 100GB Ultra HD Blu-ray discs contents in a snap. That is more than enough to keep anyone busy throughout the lockdown period. This is refreshing news as the lockdown's heavy internet usage has put great pressure on internet providers. Corcoran said this technology could ultimately transform various industries. "This data can be used for self-driving cars and future transportation, and it can help the medicine, education, finance, and e-commerce industries," he told BBC. Unfortunately, consumers will still not be able to get these speeds anytime soon since the technology is still in its research phase. But it is refreshing to know thatit is possible. Read also: Are Children at Low Risk of Catching Coronavirus? Here's the Explanation of Some Swedish Scientists 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Atlanta Joe Biden declared he "should not have been so cavalier" on Friday after he told a prominent black radio host that African Americans who back President Donald Trump "ain't black." The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee quickly moved to address the fallout from his remark, which was interpreted by some as presuming black Americans would vote for him. In a call with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce, Biden said he would never "take the African American community for granted." "I shouldn't have been such a wise guy," Biden said. "No one should have to vote for any party based on their race or religion or background." That was an acknowledgement of the criticism he received in response to his comments, which he made earlier in the day on "The Breakfast Club," a radio program popular in the black community. The rebukes included allies of Trump's reelection campaign and some activists who warned Biden must still court black voters, even if African Americans overwhelmingly oppose the president. "None of us can afford for the party or for this campaign to mess this election up, and comments like these are the kinds that frankly either make black voters feel like we're not really valued and people don't care if we show up or not," said Alicia Garza, a Black Lives Matter co-founder and principal of Black Futures Lab. Near the end of Biden's appearance on the radio program, host Charlamagne Tha God pressed him on reports that he is considering Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is white, to be his vice presidential running mate. The host told Biden that black voters "saved your political life in the primaries" and "have things they want from you." Biden said that "I guarantee you there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple." A Biden aide then sought to end the interview, prompting the host to say, "You can't do that to black media." Biden responded, "I do that to black media and white media," and said his wife needed to use the television studio. He then added: "If you've got a problem figuring out whether you're for me or for Trump, then you ain't black." Trump's campaign and his allies immediately seized on Biden's comments. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, a Trump supporter and the Senate's sole black Republican, said he was "shocked and surprised" by Biden's remarks. Trump has a history of incendiary rhetoric related to race. Black voters helped resurrect Biden's campaign in this year's primaries with a second-place finish in the Nevada caucuses and a resounding win in the South Carolina primary. Former Vice President Joe Biden said during a radio interview that African-Americans "ain't black" if they will support Trump, according to a recently published article. The Role of African-Americans in 2020 U.S. Elections Tha African-Americans are the second-largest minority group in the United States according to the Pew Research Center. They are comprised of 30 million eligible voters. They are next to the Hispanics and Latinos which are around 32 million. This means that the role of Latinos and African-Americans in the upcoming 2020 U.S. elections are very important because of their growing population. It is no wonder why Presidential candidates continue to court these groups. If Biden can get the attention of Latinos and the African-American community, there is a big chance that he will win the upcoming election. In a country with more than 333 million people, these two groups have a combined population of more than 60 million. Biden Says African-Americans "Ain't Black" if they Will Support Trump In an 18-minute radio interview of Joe Biden with The Breakfast Club's that was aired on Friday morning, he said: "You got more questions? I tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black." He said this just before the radio interview ended. The radio interview has been in tension when Joe Biden told the host that he knew he had been critical of his candidacy in the past. Biden said: "You don't know me." He said this after he was questioned by the host why Biden had shown so much resistance to admit how his 1994 crime bill affected the surge of the imprisonment of blacks. The tension was even more ignited when and Biden got frustrated when it was suggested that he had done more harm than good to the African-American community. Biden Apologizes Over His Comment "You Ain't Black" On the same day, Biden apologizes for his comment during his radio interview. Biden said during a phone call with the U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce Friday afternoon, "I shouldn't have been so cavalier in responding. No one should have to vote for any party, based on their race or religion or background." Biden also admitted: "I know that the comments have come off like I was taking the African American folks for granted ... but nothing could be further from the truth. I've never ever done that, and I've earned it every time I've run. I was making the point that I have never taken a vote for granted." He also asserted that he should have been a wise guy and no one should have to vote for any party based on their race, religion, or background. Trump's Senior Adviser Made a Comment Katrina Pierson, Pres. Trump's Senior Adviser, said that the 77-year-old white-man Joe Biden truly believes that he should dictate how black people should behave. She also called described Biden's remarks as "racist and dehumanizing." Meanwhile, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said that he was so shocked when he heard Biden's comment and called it "negative, race-baiting rhetoric." Scott said: "I was struck by the condescension and the arrogance in his comments." He also added: "I could not believe my ears that he would stoop so low to tell folks what they should do, how they should think and what it means to be black." Read related article: The elaborate undercover string which brought down drug trafficker Moustafa 'Michael' Ibrahim has finally been revealed, days after he was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Ibrahim, 42, pleaded guilty to importing drugs after being caught by the sting in Dubai in 2017, after befriending a mystery man known as 'Zane'. Zane was in fact an undercover Australian Federal Police operative, who had secretly infiltrated Ibrahim's closest circle of confidantes and won his trust. So close were the pair that Ibrahim once told said he would 'always vouch' for Zane 'like I've known you all my life.' But within just ten months of meeting his new friend, Ibrahim was arrested in Dubai after stepping off a cruise during 'a big night out'. The undercover exercise blew the lid on three bids to smuggle MDMA, cocaine and ice into Australia. Moustafa 'Michael' Ibrahim (pictured, right, with wife Caitlan Hall, left), is the brother of Kings Cross identity John On Wednesday, Ibrahim was sentenced to 30 years in jail with a non-parole period of 18 years. The sting began with a birthday present in October 2016, when Zane attended the birthday party of Sydney real estate agent Ryan Watsford at the Sheraton Hotel. Zane gave Watsford two cartons of cigarettes as a gift, and advice on ways to launder money internationally. The officer had been given a special permit to be involved in the sale of smuggled tobacco to infiltrate the group. They were suspected of smuggling across Australia, Dubai and the Nertherlands. The group were arrested during a night out in Dubai's Marina (pictured), having just come ashore from a cruise Watsford took the bait and became interested in how Zane got the cigarettes, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, so offered to put him in touch with some buyers. Within a month, Zane had been introduced to Ibrahim - who is the brother of Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim. The former nightclub owner has not been accused of any offences, or any connection related to these crimes. His brother soon became fast friends with Zane, bringing him further into his group of confidantes, including convicted drug baron Mostafa Dib, Ahmad 'Rock' Ahmad and Hassan Fakhreddine. The criminal gang used encrypted Blackberry phones to buy millions of dollars worth of cigarettes smuggled into Australia from abroad, with the help of Zane. Michael (pictured, left) is seen with his mother Wahiba (front) and brothers John (back) and Fadi (right). It is not suggested any of his family members had any knowledge of his crime But it quickly turned to more illicit substances, documents presented in court said. In March 2017, Ibrahim asked his new friend Zane 'whether he would be interested in purchasing MDMA from a third party,' to which the officer agreed. Between May and July that year, the officer arranged for nearly two tonnes of drugs to be collected in Europe, telling Ibrahim it had been successful. In fact, the drugs were eventually seized by Dutch police, with it always being a 'sham arrangement'. The gang were finally arrested on August 7 that year in Dubai, after getting off a cruise at tourist spot the Marina. Five men, including Ibrahim and Dib, were arrested by UAE police. Zane had previously messaged Ibrahim that evening, promising a 'big night in Dubai with everyone bro'. His lawyer told the court that he had been setup by the undercover officer, who offered him 'a door' to get drugs into Australia, but this was dismissed by Judge Dina Yehia. Moustafa 'Michael' Ibrahim (pictured) pleaded guilty to eight charges relating to illegal drug and tobacco importing On a number of occasions Ibrahim said he didn't want anything to do with drugs, only cigarettes. Judge Yehia said while there was 'simply no evidence' Ibrahim was involved in smuggling tobacco or drug activity before he met the officer. But, she added that he was a 'willing participant' when the ideas were floated his way. 'However, once the opportunity was presented, the offender embraced it,' she said, saying he was motivated by money. He was quoted as saying: 'I'll move anything you want... be your f***king right-hand man. 'We're not petty c**ts. We're gonna make millions... even hundreds of millions.' The court heard the 41-year-old (pictured) was involved in two syndicates which attempted to import 1797 kilograms of MDMA, 136kg of cocaine and 15kg of ice into the country Ibrahim has spent 14 years in jail since 2002. This includes convictions for assault, drug supply and the manslaughter of Robin Nassour in 2006. He is first eligible for parole on August 7 2035. The court heard the 41-year-old was involved in two syndicates which attempted to import 1797 kilograms of MDMA, 136kg of cocaine and 15kg of ice into the country. Dib, arrested alongside Ibrahim in Dubai, was sentenced to a maximum of 18 years and two months in prison over the plot. Ahmad also pleaded guilty, as did Fakhreddine, who were both arrested in Sydney. Watsford, also arrested in Sydney, was sentenced to a maximum eight years and six months in jail in November 2019. Ibrahim (pictured) was arrested in Dubai in 2017 and - along with several other members of the group - subsequently pleaded guilty Crown prosecutor Lincoln Crowley QC described Ibrahim as the 'glue' and a 'linchpin' who brought together the syndicates and the overseas criminal gangs they were attempting to purchase drugs from. 'The issue of entrapment - there is no basis for discount, disregarding or diminishing the objective seriousness of the offender's acts,' Mr Crowley said. The prosecutor argued it defied common sense to suggest the mere presence of the importation 'door' by Zane allowed Ibrahim and his group to suddenly forge contacts with overseas organised criminal networks. 'This is not a case where an offender has been brought in as an unwary innocent to the commission of offences which he would not have been otherwise inclined to commit,' Mr Crowley said. Two persons are in the grips of the Awutu Ofaakor Police Command for allegedly stealing chamber valve belonging to the Ghana Water Company Limited. The two, Emmanuel Kwaku Abeka, aged 22 and Ramzy Kwasi Opare, aged 27 were charged with conspiracy to steal, causing damage and stealing. Speaking to Citi News, DSP Samuel Shadrack Amfoh, the Awutu Ofaakor District Police Commander indicated that the two individuals were caught in the act stealing the valve at Ota City a suburb of Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East Municipality. He added that the two were arrested after the Assemblyman for Otamens Electoral Area, Jones Darko Kwarteng informed the police of the act forcing the Police to move in quickly to arrest the two. The two were arrested after the Assemblyman for the area informed the Police of the act and we moved in quickly to arrest them. We are going to charge them with stealing, conspiracy to steal and causing damage and will process them to court accordingly. This has been happening for a long time according to GWCL authorities and I believe this is part of the reasons why some areas in Kasoa dont get a regular supply of water and people end up blaming the Ghana Water Company Limited, DSP Shadrack Amfoh said. The Ofaakor Police Commander explained that the cost of the valve according to GWCL authorities is valued at GHS 3,800 and the individuals would be made to pay. The cost of the valve is expensive according to authorities at the Ghana Water Company Limited and the authorities have indicated their preparedness to fight this crime, DSP Amfoh said. ---citinewsroom Suhana Khan, daughter of Shah Rukh Khan, turned 20 on Friday. The star kid celebrated her birthday at her residence Mannat in Mumbai, and shared a glimpse of her party on Instagram. Sharing a boomerang video of herself posing for the camera on the terrace of her seaview residence, Suhana wrote on her Instagram stories, Im 20 hehe. She is seen dressed in a striped beige and black floor-length dress for the occasion and has her hair swaying with the wind as she poses for an at-home photoshoot. A few days ago, Suhana had a similar photoshoot at home with none other than her mother Gauri Khan behind the camera. Gauri had shared some stunning pictures of her daughter on Instagram, with the caption, No hair !!!!! No make up !!!! Just my photography!!!! Her best friend and actor Ananya Panday had even asked her about borrowing the top she wore for the shoot. Ananya shared two childhood pictures with Suhana on her birthday. Ananya had also shared sweet birthday wishes for her on Friday. She had shared a picture from one of their Alibaug outings and had written, the two things I miss the most - the great outdoors and SUHANA!!! happy 20th bday Sue... but u will be my little baby forever. She also shared a few childhood pictures of them from their pool sessions and their playtime together. Also read: Happy birthday Suhana Khan: Check out her 10 best pics with Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri, Aryan and AbRam Suhana flew from New York to be with her family ahead of the lockdown. She is currently pursuing a filmmaking course at the New York University. Suhana is currently utilising her time by taking online classes in belle dancing. Belly dancer Sanjana Muthreja had recently shared a picture that showed how their sessions are progressing now. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The sister of NRL star Dylan Walker has admitted brutally attacking a bouncer during a drunken night out. Jade Walker had been refused re-entry to the Waterworks Hotel in Botany, south Sydney on February 21 after falling out with a friend. Ms Walker, a hairdresser who works in Randwick, admitted punching the security guard, Jamie Lopes, several times in the back of the head. Ms Walker kicked Mr Lopes in the back as he lay in a gutter. The brutal attack left the man with numerous injuries. Jade Walker (pictured, far right) is the sister of Manly Sea Eagles star Dylan (centre) and has pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm Ms Walker (pictured) is a hairdresser and was on a night out when the attack took place She had previously pleaded not guilty, but admitted assault occasioning bodily harm at Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday, according to the Daily Telegraph. Her 25-year-old footy star brother plays for the Manly Sea Eagles, and commands a $600,000 a year salary. He was not with his sister on the night in question. Ms Walker is said to have yelled at Mr Lopes: 'I'm going to smash you, c***'. Ms Walker was enjoying a night out at Botany's Waterworks Hotel (pictured), when police allege she became drunk and attacked a security guard She then punched Mr Lopes in the head, continuing to shout at him as the pub doors closed. When the security guard opened the door to ask her to move on, police facts state Ms Walker then ran back in and punched Mr Lopes in the back of the head. Another fight broke out five minutes later, and resulted in Mr Lopes falling to the ground. CCTV footage showed the security guard being held by his shirt on the ground while being repeatedly punched by Ms Walker, who kicked him several times - and again as he tried to stand and escape. Jade Walker (pictured) admitted punching and kicking the security guard on a night out on February 21 She was allegedly so drunk police thought it would be too dangerous to interview her. She was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and re-entering a licensed premises without a reasonable excuse after being turned away. Ms Walker is due to be sentenced on July 3. In September 2018, Ms Walker was cleared of all criminal wrongdoing after the violent death of her older boyfriend. She was accused of breaking into the home of her boyfriend Gilbert Caetano in May before he allegedly received a fatal blow to the head. Following the 51-year-old's death Ms Walker was charged with manslaughter and aggravated breaking into a dwelling. In 2018, Ms Walker was accused of breaking into the home of her boyfriend Gilbert Caetano (pictured) before he allegedly received a fatal blow to the head. All charges were dropped But in court, all charges in relation to the death were dropped and Ms Walker, who was on bail, was allowed to walk free. Prosecutors did not oppose either withdrawal in court, with a representative from the state's Office of Public Prosecutions confirming the decision came following new forensic evidence. 'Post mortem examinations showed that the death of the deceased was not caused by Ms Walker,' the DPP spokeswoman said. And according to the woman's lawyer Brenda Duchen, the decision to withdraw the charges came following 'a complete lack of evidence' linking Ms Walker to the crime. 'There simply wasn't enough evidence against her, there was no evidence in fact,' she told Daily Mail Australia. The NRL star himself was in court in July 2019, but was found not guilty of assaulting his fiance Alexandra Ivkovic. Police also dropped their application for an apprehended domestic violence order against the star. Memorial Day weekend looks a lot different for Danbury area towns this year, as the coronavirus pandemic has led to the cancellation and alteration of many events. With social distancing measures and health concerns in mind, however, municipalities are finding other ways to honor fallen military men and women. Although hes sad Danbury wont have a parade this year, Mayor Mark Boughton said Memorial Day is not just a day for parades. Its a day to recognize those that gave their lives for Danbury, Conn., and the United States of America, he said. Monday is an important day for our country as we recognize those who, as Lincoln said, gave their last full measure of devotion. With no annual parade, the citys fire department found a different way to observe the day of remembrance by creating a video remembering and honoring fallen military members. The two-minute tribute features several of Danburys memorials and monuments dedicated to fallen service members and messages from fire department military veterans. Memorial Day 2020 will be unlike any Memorial Day we have ever known, firefighter and Navy veteran Jason Culbreth says in the video as he walks past the Vietnam and Lee R. Hartell memorials at the corner of South Street and Memorial Drive. There will be no parades, no family picnics, no ceremonies to honor the fallen, Culbreth continues, but that doesnt mean we forget the sacrifices made by American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. Boughton asked that people take a moment not just a day off Monday to pray for those young men and women who do so much for us. That message was echoed in the fire departments video. Americans have remembered our fallen every May since 1868, said firefighter and Navy veteran Jeff Perkins. Although this years circumstances present a unique and challenging situation, we can still pause for a moment and reflect on the sacrifices made by brave men and women in defense of life, liberty and freedom. Danbury might hold a Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony, but its still in the planning stages, the mayor said Thursday. Instead of its usual Memorial Day parade, New Milford will also hold a small ceremony on the town green Monday morning. The public is asked to watch the ceremony on Facebook live instead of attending in person, in order to maintain social distancing. New Milford Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander Jim Delaney and American Legion Post 31 Commander Jeff McBreairty will lay wreaths at the memorials on the green, and another wreath will be placed in the water from Veterans Bridge to honor the different military branches. The ceremony will include a playing of taps, police helicopter flyover, and conclude with emergency vehicles driving around the town green. For Memorial Day, members of Children of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution have been making poppies, which they will use to decorate the town green and the front of town hall. Its a wonderful collaboration to honor those who have passed, Mayor Pete Bass said. We want to make sure that theyre not forgotten, even in COVID-19. The New Fairfield Veterans Association usually hosts an observance at Veterans Park on Memorial Day, but theres a change of plans this year due to the pandemic. In place of that will be a very small wreath-laying ceremony at the park, but there would be no public involved. It would just be the veterans and town officials laying the wreaths, First Selectman Pat Del Monaco said. Its still in the planning stages, but recording the wreath-laying ceremony is part of the plan, she said. Meanwhile, Redding held a recognition ceremony Saturday in honor of Memorial Day. The 30-minutes ceremony began at noon and recognized its fallen soldiers at the WWI Memorial Stone on the Congregational Church Green. A tribute prayer was delivered by Hank Sanford, followed by a trumpet rendition of taps. The public was invited to attend the ceremony, but were asked to respect social-distancing rules. Instead of its usual parade, the town of Sherman will hold a scaled-down Memorial Day event on Sunday, Veterans Association Commander Ed Hayes said. The Sherman Veterans Association will hold a flag ceremony in front of the towns veterans memorial outside the Old Town Hall, followed by a wreath-laying and sounding of taps. Were going to have buglers lined down Sawmill Road towards Veterans Field, Hayes said. One bugler will start playing at the Veterans Memorial, then halfway through the next bugler will begin to play. That will be the sequence all the way down to the last of the buglers who will complete taps, Hayes said. It sounds very inspiring, very dignified and very moving. Weve never done this before. Members of the public are asked to not attend the Memorial Day event for health safety reasons, but that doesnt mean they wont get to see it. Hayes said the ceremony will be recorded and posted to the towns website, as well as the Sherman Veterans Associations Facebook page, the following day. In lieu of a parade, Bridgewater will also have an online Memorial Day observance this year. We felt that it is important, especially now, to honor heroes who make the sacrifices for the freedom and safety of all our citizens, First Selectman Curtis Read said. The town is preparing a pre-taped video ceremony that will be released Monday and posted on the towns website. The video will include some traditional aspects of our normal ceremony, including an address by myself, readings, a patriotic song and wreath-laying, Read said. India on Saturday reported another highest single-day spike with 6,654 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, taking the infection tally to 125,101, according to data released by the Union health ministry. This is the second time in a week that the tally of Covid-19 cases has surged beyond 6,000 and the third time that the country reported the biggest one-day rise in the number of infections. On Friday, 6,088 new cases were recorded and before that 5,611 infections were seen on Wednesday in the span of 24 hours, health ministry data shows. Also read: Govt expands use of hydroxychloroquine to curb transmission of Covid-19 The death toll related to the respiratory disease stands at 3,720 on Saturday after 137 people succumbed in the last 24 hours, the health ministrys Covid-19 dashboard showed. The Covid-19 recovery rate has gone up to 41% as 51,783 people have been cured as the country entered the sixth day of the fourth phase of the lockdown. According to government data released by NITI Aayog member Vinod Paul on Friday, lockdown 1 and 2 has managed to significantly slow down the virus transmission rate in the country and avert between 1.4 and 2.9 million Covid-19 cases and 54,000 deaths. The situation would have been much worse, as the data suggests. We have about 95% confidence level on the data generated out of all this analysis, which is proof enough to say that the country is on the right track. Having said that, this kind of analysis is always prone to improvisations, depending on the kind of data thats fed, Paul said. Also read| No movement pass needed for people with flight, train tickets: Noida Police The government has maintained that lockdown was meant to slow the disease transmission so that it got enough time to upgrade the health infrastructure in terms of hospitals beds, testing capacity and trained human resources, among other things, to better manage the coronavirus pandemic. At least five different agencies were involved in data analysis, providing a range between 1.4 and 2.9 million cases averted, and between 37,000 and 78,000 deaths averted. The analysis also shows that much of the outbreak is confined to a limited area. As of May 21, around 80% of the Covid-19 cases were limited to five states, and 90% of the cases were spread largely across 10 states. The states are Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, MP, Rajasthan, UP, West Bengal, Bihar and Karnataka. In the cities, about 70% of the cases are confined to just 10Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmadabad, Thane, Pune, Indore, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Aurangabad. The deaths follow the same pattern, with 95% of Covid-19 deaths being reported from 10 states and 70% from 10 cities. The 10 worst affected states in terms of deaths are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. And the 10 cities from where maximum deaths are being reported are Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Pune, Delhi, Kolkata, Indore, Thane, Jaipur, Chennai and Surat. Maharashtra now has more than 44,000 Covid-19 cases and 1,517 people have died in the western state, which is the worst hit in the country. Tamil Nadu has 14,753 infections and Gujarat has reported 13,268 cases of the coronavirus disease so far. With 12,319 Covid-19 cases, Delhi is the fourth worst-hit region in the country. The Union health ministry has also issued an advisory expanding the pool of people to be given anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a prophylactic to prevent them from contracting the infection. The earlier HCQ advisory on March 23 cleared its prophylactic use for two high-risk groups: asymptomatic healthcare workers involved in the care of suspected or confirmed cases, and asymptomatic household contacts of confirmed cases. Experts have also said the medicine must not be given to patients suffering from heart diseases, hypersensitivity etc. The drug is also not recommended for children under 15 years of age, pregnant and lactating women. Doctors feel more evidence is required before confidence in the drug can be reinstated. Unauthorized immigrant farmworkers say even though they've been deemed "essential workers," they feel vulnerable. Business Insider Today The unauthorized immigrants who plow, pick, and harvest America's crops have been deemed "essential workers" during the coronavirus pandemic, but say they still feel vulnerable. One worker, Carmelita, told Business Insider Today she's been working illegally in the country for 13 years picking strawberries, and doesn't feel very "essential." These workers weren't eligible for most of the federal assistance given to Americans amid the crisis, and Carmelita said she fears what could happen if she gets sick. She also said a lack of education among her colleagues has contributed to misinformation some workers think they can't catch the coronavirus because they eat spicy food. But she said she's proud of her work, and hopes President Donald Trump will one day make it easier for workers like her to stay in the country legally. View more episodes of Business Insider Today on Facebook. The roughly 2.4 million farm workers who plant and harvest America's produce have been deemed "essential workers" during the coronavirus crisis, which has plunged the economy into uncertainty and raised fears about food shortages. But the "essential worker" label poses a dilemma for roughly half of those farm workers, whose work is both desperately needed and illegal. Carmelita is one of more than 1 million unauthorized immigrants who plow, pick, and harvest the country's fields, often for long hours and low wages, and in grueling conditions. She spends 12 hours each day picking strawberries in Southern California, and told Business Insider Today she's been working illegally in the country for 13 years. "I don't feel 'essential,' as they say, because we don't have the same privileges," Carmelita said in Spanish. She was referring to government programs and services available to Americans that she cannot access due to her immigration status. Story continues Carmelita did not receive a $1,200 stimulus payments like her American counterparts, and she's also ineligible for health insurance programs like Medicaid, which would cover the costs of her treatment if she grew sick with COVID-19. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has allocated $75 million to provide $500 cash to the state's unauthorized immigrants, but it will only cover 150,000 people. The fear of catching the coronavirus has made her job more difficult especially since the social distancing measures many American workplaces have adopted don't translate well to farm work. Carmelita, an unauthorized immigrant who picks strawberries for 12 hours a day, says she doesn't feel "essential." Business Insider Today Carmelita said she's struggled to convey the severity of the coronavirus pandemic to some of her coworkers, who have not been educated about the threat, and who have even fallen prey to misinformation. "When I talk with them they say it's not true, that they're not scared," she said. "Some told me nothing will happen to us Mexicans because we eat spicy food, and when we eat spicy food, the sickness will not hit us." Irene de Barraicua of Lideres Campesinas, a group that works with women farmworkers in California, told Business Insider Today that one of her top concerns is the workers' lack of awareness about the disease, which could be solved by bringing more health care workers out to visit the farms and educate the workers. "That's definitely a concern that some people are going to work and they might have already more information than others in terms of what COVID-19 is," she said. "And so they worry when they're working next to someone else that hasn't read anything or isn't as informed." The immigrant farmworkers are proud of harvesting the produce that feeds Americans each day Farmworker advocates have expressed concern that that lack of education could leave workers like Carmelita susceptible to a major outbreak. That would not only wreak havoc on America's immigrant community, but it could disrupt food supply chains and cause shortages in grocery stores. "We're treated as essential workers right now because if we don't do this kind of work, the United States is not going to have food in supermarkets, food to feed the nation," Mily Trevino-Sauceda, cofounder of the farmworkers advocacy group Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, told Business Insider Today. Still, despite everything, Carmelita said she's proud of her work. "We are the ones who are harvesting the products, fruits, and vegetables so they get to the table of the people who have to stay home," she said. Farmworker advocates say a lack of education for the immigrants could contribute to a coronavirus outbreak. Business Insider Today But she longs to one day not have to worry about losing everything she's worked for simply due to her immigration status. She says she hopes that one day President Donald Trump will give workers like her a "blue card," which Democrats have proposed for agricultural workers. The blue cards would provide the immigrants with a pathway to permanent, legal status in the US. Carmelita's sons are American citizens, but she said she hopes to one day call herself the same. "Right now what motivates me to work so hard is to help my children get ahead so that they can have a better life than I have," she said. "I know I can't give them everything, but at least they can get a better education than I did, so they'll be less likely to end up as farmworkers." Read the original article on Business Insider Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment If you meet Ravi Zacharias, please introduce him to Billy. These were my moms words as I was starting in ministry. My brother Billy, who could be mistaken as my twin, lived in Hong Kong, and my mom was convinced that his life was supposed to be connected to Ravi, the one Asian believer she knew of. Mom, I dont know Ravi Zacharias, I told her as graciously as I could. But if I do meet him, Im not sure introducing him to my little brother will be the first topic Id bring up. Well, Im praying about it, my mom replied. In 2013, I finally did meet Ravi in Bangalore, India, at a gathering of Christian leaders. More than his accolades of honorary doctorates, countless books and meetings with kings, sheiks, and presidents, it was his humility and availability that most impacted me that day and in the years that followed. He made time for me amid a busy conference schedule where he was a keynote speaker, and I was a lowly young evangelist attendee. He even invited me to visit him in Atlanta. Whether he thought Id take him up on it or not, I dont know, but I booked my flight that day and our friendship began! Ravi gave his life to the gospel, which meant he had given his life to investing in others. Nick, many preachers are too focused on themselves and their platform, he told me once. Its easy to surround yourself with people who can help you, instead of those who can go beyond you. I want to encourage you to find leaders and pour into them. Ravi modeled this firsthand in my life, and the way he ran his organization had a deep influence on the way we run ours, Pulse. Over the seven years I was privileged to call him a mentor. He called me countless times just to check in. He asked about my marriage. He asked me about my challenges. He asked me how our funding was, and when we were struggling, he came to speak at a fundraiser for us and even introduced me to some of his donors. When he endured a humiliating season related to his honorary doctorates and a false accusation that went public, he was vulnerable with me like Id never seen a leader, which gave me freedom to be vulnerable as well. At crisis moments, Ravi would make time for me. He was my friend. At my invitation, Ravi took part in events with us in Kiev, Jakarta, Washington and Dallas. In 2016, he joined us on the National Mall for a gathering called Together 2016, even standing up for us when other evangelicals backed out over a promotional video shot by Pope Francis for the event. At a moment that could have crushed our organization, Ravi risked his relationships for us. Every time I would ask Ravi to speak his response was the same: Nick, you and others are good with the big crowds, but Im not sure I can connect in that setting. I do better at universities. Far from false humility, Ravi Zacharias, a giant of the faith, was insecure. Im sure today there are millions of young people who are thankful that he faced his fears and began speaking at larger venues. I finally did get up the courage to ask Ravi about my brother, and while I couldnt make the connection between the two of them on my trips to Asia, God answered my moms prayers and made a way. Sitting in a hotel lobby in Taiwan, Ravi Zacharias walked right past my brother who was there on a business trip. Emboldened by my persistent mom, Billy got up and said, Mr. Zacharias. Ravi looked up and said, You must be Nicks brother! Ravi and Billy spent a few hours together that evening and have stayed connected ever since. Its just who Ravi was, always available to others. Ravi Zacharias changed my life, and I believe his homecoming will produce an exponential wave of evangelists, apologists and everyday believers emboldened to follow his example. On May 30, we are hosting an event in his honor called Make Jesus Known, to train and equip believers around the world to share the faith that Ravi gave his life for. During my last conversation with Ravi less than two weeks ago, we prayed together, and celebrated our recent collaboration over Holy Week. In the midst of quarantine, our team put together an evangelistic program featuring Ravis message, some musical guests along with myself sharing a gospel invitation that was translated into 43 languages. Nielsen ratings estimated over 100 million people watched the broadcast, and over 135,000 people texted, called or emailed indicating a response to the gospel. Sitting in chemotherapy, preparing for his final days, Ravi Zacharias spoke to more people than ever before. Isnt God amazing, Nick? He is moving, Ravi said to me. Until the end, he was focused on Jesus. Philadelphia Medical Reserve Corps volunteers (from left) Jamie Huot, Marina Spitkovskaya, Megan Boyle, and Stephen Bonett, all of whom are nurses, put on their protective equipment as the city's coronavirus testing site prepared to open next to Citizens Bank Park on March 20. Read more By the time the coronavirus pandemic peaked in Philadelphia on April 14, the city had placed 62 orders for more than $6 million worth of masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and other medical supplies. But only about one-fourth of those orders had come in, as the pandemic caused panic over equipment shortages for frontline workers, drove up prices, and strained supply chains. And by May 15, a full two months after the citys first confirmed case of COVID-19, fewer than a third of Philadelphias 100 orders for $8 million in supplies had been filled, according to city spending data. As a result, in Philadelphia and across the state, nurses and doctors have said they have risked their own health by reusing masks to ration supplies. Now, even as the rate of infection slows, securing equipment continues to be a challenge one that looms even larger as officials fear a potential second surge of the virus. Mayor Jim Kenney said Friday that he had spoken to Gov. Tom Wolf about stockpiling personal protective equipment for the months to come. "Id rather have some in stock then try to scramble for it in October, November, if we have something bad happen, Kenney said. The state has had similar struggles. Despite approving nearly $58 million in emergency spending for personal protective equipment, medical supplies, and hand sanitizer since March 4 mostly for distribution to health systems, first responders, and care facilities it has secured only $14.5 million worth of the ordered supplies, according to data from the Department of General Services. Some of the money spent by the city and state is for products that have yet to be shipped or even produced, officials said. We are not shy about begging at this point, Brian Abernathy, the citys managing director, said last week of the citys search for hospital supplies. Were not borrowing or stealing yet, but it has been challenging, to say the least. READ MORE: Temple hospital workers say Chinese masks meant to protect against COVID-19 are falling apart Nationwide, officials have struggled to secure supplies needed to protect doctors, nurses, and other essential workers as state and local governments bid against each other, driving up prices. From California to Louisiana to Texas, reports of inflated prices and profiting middlemen have accompanied the often-desperate search for masks, gloves, testing swabs, isolation gowns, and other materials. Two-thirds of frontline workers reported shortages of N95 masks through early May, and 42% said they lacked enough surgical masks, according to a Washington Post-Ispos poll of health-care workers released this week. READ MORE: On the coronavirus front lines, Philly nurses also battle supply shortages and tension with employers To increase their purchasing power, Pennsylvania and six other states, including New Jersey and Delaware, this month formed a seven-state regional consortium for buying personal protective equipment. But identifying just how severe the problem may be has been difficult. A nationwide snapshot of the personal protective equipment shortages does not exist, hindering the countrys ability to match needs with existing or emerging PPE stockpiles, researchers wrote this week in the medical journal The Lancet. Missing orders Its been easier to identify shortages than surpluses. Of 39 emergency orders for personal protective equipment, test kits, thermometers, ventilators, and other supplies approved by Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and other agencies between March 4 and May 13, just 16 had been completely filled as of Thursday. A series of partial orders allows us to at least get some goods and services to those who desperately need them," Pennsylvania Department of General Services spokesperson Troy Thompson in a statement. The states missing or partial orders include: $3.6 million in face shields; $1 million in personal protective equipment to be used at primary election polling places on June 2; and nearly all of a $30.4 million order of disinfectant, hand sanitizer, and other unspecified supplies. Still, the state has successfully received millions of dollars worth of hand sanitizer, goggles, surgical masks, and other items. It has also secured other emergency materials: refrigerated trailers to hold the bodies of the deceased; contractors to help the state with long-term care facilities; and food to distribute to hungry residents. Similarly, Philadelphia has spent $7.7 million of the $22.7 million allocated for coronavirus-related supplies and contracts, including on testing sites, tractor-trailers, cleaning supplies, and public messaging. City officials are optimistic that some of their missing orders may still arrive as they wait in the line for new supplies to be made. While the city does not normally agree to advance payments for goods not yet manufactured, city spokesperson Kelly Cofrancisco said, these are not normal times. Some delays have left us with few options but to wait, hope, and continue to search to come up with ideas on where to source PPE, she said. The entire globe It is not yet clear the extent to which the city and state governments may have overpaid for materials. Philadelphia and state officials declined to provide records of the price per item or number of items in their orders. But Thompson, the state spokesperson, said its common to pay higher prices during emergencies. The reality is that during a global pandemic, your purchasing competition isnt just the states that surround you but the entire globe, Thompson said. In a memo to City Council in late March, the Kenney administration said N95 masks, which previously were about $1 each, were selling for between $4 and $8 per mask. The city placed one order for 500,000 masks from BJs Wholesale Club at a price of $5.65 per mask. It never arrived and was ultimately canceled. Philadelphia has focused on emergency orders to help the citys hospitals get masks and other supplies. But the city has also had to protect its own workforce. The COVID-19 spending data show that 17 orders were placed for the Streets Department, for example, between March 17 and May 6. None have been paid, as of May 15, meaning the orders have not arrived. Nor have about two dozen different orders of hand sanitizer. Abernathy said the city now has enough cloth masks for its essential employees. But finding N95 masks and surgical gowns, which the city wants to purchase for distribution to hospitals, remains especially difficult, Abernathy said. N95 masks are generally not being sold to local governments, he said. PEMA placed a $3.2 million order for the masks that arrived in two shipments worth only $358,000. The state received three smaller shipments of the masks in April and May, but an additional two emergency N95 orders have not arrived and one was canceled. On April 6, Philadelphia placed another order for the masks, this one for $3.8 million from a New Jersey company. The city handed over $2.1 million to cover half its order of N95 masks plus a full order of surgical masks. As of Friday, the city was still waiting. The N95 masks were still being manufactured. HELP US REPORT: Are you a health care worker, medical provider, government worker, patient, frontline worker or other expert? We want to hear from you. Although the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, some airlines are testing the waters of increased capacity and a revival of some routes as a trickle of new bookings starts to come in. Still, all route news from airlines these days comes with the caveat that schedules are subject to change i.e., just because a flight is back on the books, dont assume it will operate. In addition, travelers who dare to get on an aircraft especially for international travel will have to do their homework to find out what kind of restrictions they might be subject to at the destination. Hawaii recently extended its mandatory 14-day quarantine for arriving travelers through the end of June, the U.K. is planning to impose a similar restriction on non-E.U. arriving travelers, and the U.S. has its own rules for returning international travelers, including a self-quarantine requirement for some. San Francisco International Airport said this week that it expects to see some international service revived in June, including All Nippon Airways plan to resume three weekly SFO-Tokyo Narita flights on June 1; Swiss Internationals resumption of one weekly flight from SFO to Zurich, also on June 1; and three weekly Lufthansa flights from SFO to Munich beginning June 16. But SFO included the following advisory: Although these airlines are resuming limited service, all travel advisories, restrictions on entry, and arrival screening procedures remain in effect. This includes a Department of Homeland Security Notice of Arrival Restriction requiring American citizens, legal permanent residents, and their immediate families who have been in certain European countries at any point in the 14 days before their scheduled arrival to the United States to travel through one of 13 airports upon arrival to the U.S., submit to an enhanced entry screening and self-quarantine for 14 days once they reach their final destination. In addition to the above flights, Routesonline.com says that British Airways June schedule includes a daily 787 flight between SFO and London Heathrow (as well as daily flights to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington Dulles, plus two a day to New York JFK), but that schedule update came out before the U.K.s new quarantine rule. And Cathay Pacifics latest June schedule update includes three weekly SFO-Hong Kong A350 flights beginning June 22. BREAKING: Hertz declares bankruptcy Meanwhile, United has filed plans to revive daily San Francisco-Shanghai Pudong service and daily SFO-Beijing flights on June 4, as well as three weekly SFO-Chengdu flights. However, those plans come with an asterisk they still need Chinese government approval. The same is true of Deltas tentative plans to resume daily flights to Shanghai from Detroit and Seattle on June 1. Uniteds June schedule update also includes daily flights from SFO to Sydney and Tokyo Narita along with three weekly flights from SFO to Frankfurt starting June 4. Uniteds June update notes that seasonal summer service from SFO to Amsterdam has been canceled and the resumption of flights from SFO to Melbourne, Paris and Osaka have all been pushed back to Oct. 24. In many cases, airlines reviving international service might be expecting to carry more cargo than passengers. Delta this week brought back three weekly flights to London and Frankfurt from both Atlanta and Detroit; it said that while those flights will be available for passengers, demand for air cargo is driving the return of those routes. Some major international carriers in recent days have also announced some drastic changes to their fleets. Delta said last week that in order to simplify its long-haul fleet, it plans to retire its 18 777s by the end of this year. Delta has been adding new widebodies from Airbus including A350s and A330-900s, and it will use them to replace the 777s on long-haul routes as they are eventually restored. (Delta has also set June 2 for the final flights of its domestic MD-88 and MD-90 aircraft.) And Air France said it has decided to eliminate the Airbus A380 super-jumbo from its fleet effective immediately. It had previously expected to keep flying the big planes, one of which served SFO, into 2022. (See a video above for the inaugural arrival of the Air France A380 at SFO in 2011.) Don't miss a shred of important travel news! Sign up for our FREE bi-weekly email alerts. In domestic route developments, Uniteds latest update effective June 4 includes an increase in SFO-Los Angeles service from two flights a day to three, using E175s. It also shows a revival of daily LAX-Honolulu flights (this was planned before Hawaii extended its quarantine rule) and plans to deploy a 787-10 for one of its three daily LAX-Newark flights. Both Southwest and JetBlue are trying to prime the pump for summer bookings with new mileage promotions. Southwest said its Rapid Rewards members who register for its new promotion will earn double miles for all flights booked and flown from May 12 through Aug. 31. And JetBlue is offering its TrueBlue members double points on all travel booked through June 15. JetBlue also said it is extending the status of TrueBlue Mosaic members through 2021 and reducing the qualifying points and segments required for Mosaic qualification in 2020 by 50 percent. JetBlue also said this week that its commitment to block out middle seats for parties that are not traveling together has been extended through July 6. (It will block out aisle seats on its smaller E190s.) On June 1, Frontier will become the first large U.S. airline to take temperature screenings of all passengers before boarding, using touchless thermometers. If a customers temperature reading is 100.4 degrees or higher, they will be given time to rest, if the flight departure time allows, before receiving a second check. If the second check is 100.4 degrees or higher, a Frontier gate agent will explain to the customer that they will not be flying that day for the health and safety of others. Frontier will work with that customer to rebook travel on a later date or otherwise accommodate the travelers preferences with respect to their reservation, the airline said. At the urging of the airline industry, the Transportation Security Administration is said to be planning to test the use of temperature checks for passengers at a dozen airports, according to media reports this week. But the agency has not decided yet whether to roll out a larger deployment of the procedure. 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. Black patients who have died from COVID-19 after being denied a test Federal data has already confirmed that most of the deadly victims of COVID-19 in the United States are African American. However, many news reports are failing to report that many of those who have died from the virus were also denied tests. In fact, some were denied a test multiple times. A new song by an artist that calls himself The Undiscovered Artist brings light to this matter in his song called "The Rona Song" which speaks about patients being sent home to die.The song was written to create awareness and also to honor the following six people who all needlessly died from the virus: #1 Bassey Offiong: a 25-year old Nigerian American college student at Western Michigan University who died from the virus just a few weeks before his graduation. Detroit News reports that he was denied a test multiple times. #2 Gary Fowler: a 56-year old from Detroit who died at home from the virus. USA Today reports that he literally begged for a test, but was rejected on multiple occasions. #3 Rana Zoe Mungin: a 30-year old social studies teacher from Brooklyn who died from the virus after being on life support for almost a month. CBS News reports that she was rushed to the hospital three different times and was denied a test each and every time. #4 Kayla Williams: a 36-year old mother from London, UK with three children who died from the virus just 24 hours after she called for an ambulance. The Guardian reports that was initially told that she was not a priority. #5 Deborah Gatewood: a 63-year old from Detroit who died from the virus just two weeks after testing positive. NBC News reports that she was denied a test three times from the very hospital where she worked. #6 Thomas Fields Jr: a 32-year old Navy sailor who was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, who died from the virus. However, his story is a bit different. He himself was not denied a test, but prior to him feeling sick, his mom began to show the symptoms of the virus and was denied a test. WTKR reports that Thomas took care of his mom when she was sent home untested, but sadly he contracted the virus from her. As she got better, he got worse. Had she been given a test, she would have been in the hospital and would not have exposed her son to the virus. Released by Music U Can Feel, the song dedicated in their honor can be heard for free online at CoronavirusSong.com or on YouTube. A portion of the proceeds from the song will be donated to families by the pandemic. Activists, educators, preachers and even media personalities nationwide have also been speaking up about the lack of testing in communities where people of color live. Their way of delivery often varies, but their message is the same: Black and brown people are being discriminated against when it comes to who gets or doesnt get a COVID-19 test and its killing them! Press Release May 23, 2020 PH RED CROSS SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH FILIPINO-CHINESE COMMUNITY CALAMITY FUND FOR ADDITIONAL BIO-MOLECULAR LAB Another bio-molecular laboratory will be set up by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) after it signed a Conditional Deed of Donation with the Filipino-Chinese Community Calamity Fund (FCCCF) for the latter's support for the PRC's efforts in fighting the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic through a cash donation amounting to P15 million. According to PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard J. Gordon, the donation will be used for the construction and commissioning of a bio-molecular laboratory in one of the Red Cross' testing centers in Metro Manila. "They have donated one full-pledged laboratory. We will have additional machines and additional extractors; we'll have four machines and two RNAs, so, we will have 20,000 testing capacity per day for this building alone, which I expect to be built in the next ten days," he said. During the contract signing and turnover of donation, Cecilio Pedro, Vice President of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII), said, "We believe in what the senator is doing currently which is to test as many as possible so we will know what is the real score in the COVID-19 pandemic that we are facing. It is a pleasure to be part of this deal and participating in this very important mission of bringing down the curve, so to speak, para maging normal ulit ang Pilipinas and our economy will hopefully grow after this." Michael Tan, another Vice President of FFCCCII, likewise, expressed the organization's support for the PRC's efforts to get the public tested for the virus. "We fully support what Senator Gordon and Red Cross is doing by providing more PCR testing capacity. So, the Filipino-Chinese community is hand-in-hand with the Red Cross and the senator's efforts to help our people," he said. The FCCCF is composed of 11 Filipino-Chinese organizations that was formed with the aim of supporting charities and socio-civic projects in the Philippines. These are the FFCCCII, the FFCCCII Foundation, Inc., the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Associations of the Philippines, the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., the Overseas Chinese Alumni Association of the Philippines, the Filipino-Chinese Amity Club, the World News Daily, the Filipino-Chinese Shin Lian Association, Inc., the Overseas Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc., the Philippine Jin Jiang Shen Fu Zhen Association, Inc., and the World Fujian Youth Federation of the Philippines, Inc. "This organization always helps. Maaasahan sila hindi lang dito sa disaster na kinahaharap natin. Ang maganda rito, talagang lalakas tayo dahil una, mai-inspire ang mga tao dahil nagtutulungan tayo. Pangalawa, mase-separate mo lahat ng positive sa COVID, maaalagan mo ang iyong pamilya, hindi masasayang ang pera ng gobyerno, makakapagtrabaho tayo, at tatakbo ang ekonomiya. Kaya nagpapasalamat ang Philippine Red Cross sa lahat ng grupo at indibidwal na tumutulong sa laban nating ito," Gordon said. Engineering firm Tata Projects on Saturday said it is augmenting hospital infrastructure with 2,304 beds at multiple locations across India to treat COVID-19 patients. "As one of the fastest growing and most admired infrastructure companies in India, we felt the need to use our expertise in executing large and complex urban and industrial infrastructure projects towards augmenting, upgrading the nation's hospital network," Tata Projects Chief Strategy Officer Himanshu Chaturvedi said in a statement. Today, the company is proud that its teams of engineers, technicians and workers are working tirelessly towards strengthening the fight against COVID-19, he added. "We believe that our support in the fight against COVID-19 will further help in once again accelerating India's progress at the earliest, Chaturvedi said. Recently, at Mumbai's KEM Hospital, Tata Projects transformed two wards encompassing 65 beds and specialised medical equipment so that it can handle more serious coronavirus cases. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show In addition, Tata Projects is also turning a large section of KEM Hospital's orthopaedic centre into a 115-bed isolation centre. It has also provided ventilators, pulse oximeters, oxygen flow meters, HME (breathing system) filters, facial masks and equipment like IV stands, suction machines, wheelchairs and dressing trolley. Tata Projects is also setting up a 72-bed isolation facility at HBT Trauma Center in Jogeshwari (Mumbai), which is expected to be completed this month. The company is assisting with project management for a 300-bed isolation facility at Seven Hills Hospital in Marol, Mumbai. Work on this project commenced in April and will be complete this month. Besides, Tata Projects is setting up facilities in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, for a total of 124 beds which will include 10 ICU beds, 10 HDU beds and 104 isolation beds. Moreover, Uttar Pradesh's GB Nagar will witness Tata Projects setting up facilities for 168 beds which will include 20 ICU beds, 10 HDU beds, 130 isolation beds and eight emergency beds. Quite often its the little things we say or do that make a difference. The cheering smile, the comforting pat on the shoulder, the collusive wink, the carefully-chosen word of praise. Each of them speaks more than words can. Whether youre friends or strangers, separated by language and culture, adult or adolescent, we grasp their meaning immediately. And this is something politicians understand better than most of us. Its part of the bag of tricks they so effectively use. This is why Im baffled no one in government and not a single person in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chosen to applaud the incredible in fact, almost unbelievable behaviour of Mohammed Yaqoob. He and his childhood friend Amrit Kumar were returning on top of a truck from Surat to their village Banpati in Bihar 2,254 kilometres away when Amrit started feeling unwell. Yaqoob pleaded with the driver to stop and let Amrit see a doctor, but the driver and their fellow travellers refused. Instead, they insisted Amrit get off. Unwilling to leave his friend, Yaqoob got off as well. Alone and deserted on the highway, far away from help, Amrits condition deteriorated. Yaqoob placed his head on his lap, sprinkled water from a half-empty bottle on Amrits face and wiped his forehead to bring down his temperature. I find the picture of this heartbreaking moment hard to see without tears filling my eyes. I realised Amrit might not survive, Yaqoob later recalled. He was trying to speak but could only make some sounds. Yaqoobs fears proved correct. Though a passing ambulance took him to hospital, Amrit died that night. Yaqoob ended up in an isolation facility at a district hospital where he waits to find out if hes coronavirus disease-positive. Questioned by journalists as to why he had risked his life, Yaqoobs answer was without artifice. Just as my parents are waiting to see me, uske bhi mummy papa ruke the. Amrit was 24, Yaqoob is 23. Their story has lessons for people decades older but filled with prejudice and hatred. If only they could be told about it. This is where our ruling politicians could have made a huge difference. Theres so much else they tweet and talk about, yet, of this uplifting story, they had nothing to say. It cant be that they did not know because it was in several papers. And its not that it wasnt in our countrys bigger interest as well as their own narrow advantage that it be publicised. After the divisions weve seen over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens, the Delhi riots and the Tablighi Jammat which have shamed us in international eyes and, particularly, those of West Asia highlighting this story and praising Yaqoob could have sent a forceful message of Hindu-Muslim fraternity. One that would speak more convincingly than pompous diplomatic demarches and verbose comments by official spokespersons. When I first read about Yaqoob and Amrit, I felt this was a moment for the BJP, the government, but, most of all, the prime minister (PM) to respond to the charge that theyre inimical to Muslims. Imagine the impact if the PM had praised Yaqoob and spoken of his affection for Amrit as an example of the love that binds Indias people together? It would have reverberated in every Muslim home in India and right through the countries of West Asia where the belief that India and this government is not fond of Muslims is gaining credibility. It could also have made Modi look like a secular statesman. We need to repair our image, not just in the eyes of the world, but even more in our own. Yaqoob gave the government a chance to do so. A single tweet, a carefully-crafted reference, a deliberately leaked letter of praise is all that was needed, But that little gesture proved too much. However ,Im optimistic. Often foolishly so. Theres still Mann ki Baat. Ill be listening next Sunday with my fingers crossed. Karan Thapar is author of Devils Advocate: The Untold Story The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Two Asiatic black bears in Ha Nam province have been rescued on May 20 and brought to the Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh by Four Paws, an international animal welfare organization, and Ha Nam province's Forest Protection Department. Two Asiatic black bears have been rescued on May 20. Photos: Hoang Le | FOUR PAWS These two female bears, named Cuc and Nhai by the rescue team, have been captivated in tiny cages for almost two decades. Four Paws Viets rescue team had begun their rescue mission right away with strict extra precautions in place to keep the team safe in these difficult time. Cuc and Nhai will receive proper veterinary care and start their new life in the Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh . The Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh is a Four Paws' solution in the mutual effort to end bear farming in Vietnam, contributing to the prevention of bear hunting and trading to help conserve the remaining bear populations in the wild. In parallel with animal rescue and caretaking, the sanctuary is a practical education center for changing awareness of environmental protection and nature conservation. No more bars: At BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh, they will receive the opportunity to finally live their life in a natural and loving environment. Since it was operational in March 2019, the sanctuary in Nho Quan district, the northern province of Ninh Binh, welcomed 2,500 visitors, including 2,000 international holiday-makers, reported VNA. The center has a total area of 10ha, able to accommodate about 100 bears in suitable semi-natural habitat. It has cared for about 29 bears which used to be kept in captivity and illegally traded to harvest their bile. The sanctuary has also organized activities to help raise public awareness of biodiversity conservation and environmental protection. This facility is expected to contribute to improving animal welfare, especially for bears, and providing a safe semi-natural habitat for them to recover their natural behaviors, thus helping to end bear farming for bile and protect bears in the wild. Four Paws is racing against time to rescue bears which are being kept in bear farms as well as contributing a joint effort to end bear farming in Vietnam. Currently, there are nearly 400 bile bears - mostly Asiatic black bears - being kept in poor living conditions in nearly 130 private bear farms across Vietnam. These bears are malnourished, neglected from caring and are at risk of being killed before being taken to safe and species-appropriate places as the Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh. Vietnamtimes 'People had said it will explode and everyone will die. Nothing of that sort has happened.' 'Our government has done a splendid job so far.' IMAGE: Likely coronavirus patients being brought in an ambulance to a hospital in Guwahati. Photograph: PTI Photo Dr Soumyadip Chatterji, Senior Resident at the Infectious Diseases department of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, was posted to AIIMS's new COVID-19 facility at Jhajjhar, Haryana, last month. "There will be dips and spikes in the infection, but we are really at a loss to predict what is coming," Dr Chatterji, below, tells Swarupa Dutt/Rediff.com. How long have you been posted at AIIMS, Jhajjhar? For over a month now and I'm up for quarantine. So, we are on duty for two weeks and then on quarantine for two weeks. All the healthcare staff here follows this schedule, unless there is a medical emergency and shortage of staff. This hospital caters to which geographical area? Most of our patients are referrals from Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital or from AIIMS, Delhi. We cater to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and the NCR (National Capital Region). How many bedded facility is this? There are two buildings in this facility where over 300 patients can be quarantined. Till date there have been nearly 500 admissions of which 190 patients are still admitted. This facility was basically the National Cancer Institute, which is working in a restricted manner for cancer patients, while the rest of the facility has been converted for treating COVID patients. The two sections are completely separate. The entrances are separate because most of the patients coming here have already tested positive for COVID-19. How many hours do you work? We work six-hour shifts because wearing a PPE beyond that is extremely uncomfortable. Is the PPE reused? No, we do not reuse our PPEs. Of course, there are guidelines that the PPE should be reused when there is not enough supply, but as of now we have adequate supply, so each time we get to work we use a fresh set of protective gear. We have the very best quality PPEs, a video laryngoscope and whatever protection that is required. AIIMS is doing a wonderful job to support healthcare workers Are critically ill COVID-19 patients brought here? There are a few critical patients, I think there is one patient on the ventilator, as well. But in general, we do not have critically ill patients. If they are very serious, they are sent to the main AIIMS hospital in New Delhi. COVID-19 patients who have co-morbidities and mild to moderate illness are kept in the ward and those with very mild symptoms are quarantined. The Jhajjhar facility does not treat patients who are so sick that they have to be put on a ventilator. Are doctors asked if they want to be deputed to a hospital treating COVID-19 patients? Yes, we are asked. It's not fobbed on to us, because the situation is not yet so bad that everyone has to be forced to work here. Why would you choose to work with COVID-19 patients? I am an infectious disease specialist. I work with the department of medicine, the infectious disease department is under it. I will complete three years soon at AIIMS Delhi. I have done my MD in tropical medicine and I am doing my DM in infectious diseases from AIIMS, Delhi. So, for me, treating a patient with an infectious disease is nothing new. Anyone working at a COVID-19 facility for the first time will be a bit apprehensive till they actually begin work. Doctors who are from other disciplines may be more apprehensive. But AIIMS has ensured all protocol is in place, so even that apprehension dies quickly. As someone working with the infectious disease department, is this the most virulent virus you have faced? This is one of the most infectious agents I have come across in my small practising career. Whether it's virulent? Well, virulence is altogether a different term. So if you have to compare Ebola or HIV, how would it rate with novel coronavirus in terms of infectiousness? We cannot compare and should not compare novel coronavirus with HIV because the latter is not a respiratory virus and the mode of transmission is quite different. Novel coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) is as big a hazard as any respiratory pathogen. Ebola is not a respiratory pathogen either. But in terms of infectiousness, recent reports have shown that SARS-Cov-2 is probably more infectious than Ebola. If there is no treatment for COVID-19 what kind of care is actually given in hospitals? When patients have very mild symptoms or when they are asymptomatic they are given supportive or symptomatic treatment. So if a patient has mild fever, he will be given Paracetamol; if he has a runny nose or there is mild sneezing or a slight sore throat, he may be given antihistaminics (anti-allergy medicines). People often use Vitamin D as well. As part of the government recommendations, Hydroxychloroquine has also been given to our patients, so HCQ becomes definitive therapy as per the guidelines. Supportive care also includes taking care of nutrition and the psychological aspects of being separated and quarantined. WShen is a patient put on a ventilator? A ventilator is required for less than 5 per cent of the patient load all over the world and it is used only when the oxygen saturation in the blood falls and his lungs are unable to supply adequate oxygen to the blood. Why is it said that intubation is supposed to be dangerous for a patient? Intubation is not dangerous, it's actually protective. So people who have been saying that it's dangerous or means death, are wrong and are only creating panic. We intubate patients and put them on ventilators because they require it. Any procedure can be dangerous but in trained hands, it will only make the patient better. But intubation is dangerous for the doctor? Yes, it is. So we use a chamber that protects us from the aerosols from the patient's mouth and, of course PPEs. We also use video-assisted laryngoscopy. How long does it take for a patient to be able to speak after the intubation is removed? When the patient is on ventilator you put a tube which goes in between the vocal cord so that creates some oedema, or swelling of the cords, that requires some time to subside which could take a couple of weeks. Till that time the patient's voice will be hoarse. What is the irreparable damage that COVID-19 can cause a patient? If there is low oxygen in your blood, and it is persists for a long time unattended, it can create brain damage, which can become irreversible. Lung fibrosis can happen in the long run, you can develop chronic kidney disease in the long run. Why do patients who recover and have tested negative, test positive later? So, there can be a few possibilities. The first possibility is that since the PCR-based test does not have 100 per cent sensitivity there are chances that even when the virus is present, it may not detect it especially if the virus load is low. So, by the second week of the illness, there is a precipitous drop in the viral load that is present in your body. So the chance that the test may miss picking up existing virus is significant. Another reason is this test even picks up non-viable virus; it basically picks up the RNA of the virus. So even if the virus is not viable, meaning it cannot cause infection, it's RNA can persist in your respiratory tract, and the test can pick that up. Have you come across any (such) cases? It's common enough that one test may be negative, followed by a positive test. Only if two consecutive tests are negative, do we discharge a patient. Are patients being given psychological counseling? These are part of the integrated management of critical care patients. There are psychiatrists and psychologists in this facility. Healthcare staff is also counseled. In your experience, does plasma therapy work? Is plasma therapy being enabled at this facility? There are reports of plasma therapy being effective in trials. ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) has also come up with definite guidelines for starting these trials and based on whatever case reports are available, it seems it works when given on time. At this facility, we do not have critical patients, so we do not provide plasma therapy. Are there any new symptoms that you have observed? All viral illnesses have skin manifestations like mild itching, rash, redness to diffused redness, lesions, petechiae, which are small spots on the skin as a result of bleeding, to large bleeding areas on the skin, which are called ecchymosis. In COVID-19, we have seen there is an increased chance of coagulation of blood, which manifests as skin lesions. COVID-19 toes are lesions which may be due to inflammation of the vessel wall or it may lesions from the viral illness itself. We do not know the exact pathogenesis, and it is very rare. Here, we have seen clotting manifestations like gangrene affecting the feet. We use blood thinners which will prevent blood clotting in moderate to severely critical COVID-19 patients. And when you talk of guidelines what are they? There are various bodies which have come up with guidelines. AIIMS has its own guidelines. ICMR has its own, which the ministry of health and family welfare uses. There are guidelines from Centres for Disease Control, World Health Organisation, there is the European CDC, there are many. We follow the AIIMS guidelines, along with the ministry of health and family welfare guidelines. Do children react to this virus differently from adults? Yes, it is seen that children don't get as badly affected as adults do, but then again I'm not a pediatrician. Generally what we see is extremes of ages get affected, which means people above 60 or 65 and those below 5 are the ones at an increased risk. This is generally true for all viruses When do you think this nightmare will end? That's a very difficult question. Coming from an infectious disease doctor's point of view, it doesn't look like it will end any time soon. There will be dips and spikes in the infection, but we are really at a loss to predict what is coming. But I can say for sure that the pandemic will go on, unless a substantial proportion of the population builds immunity to deal with it which may come from the disease itself or which may come from any vaccine eventually. So, COVID-19 will be a part and parcel of our lives like, say, tuberculosis? You cannot compare the two -- one is a chronic disease and one is an acute disease. Rather compare COVID-19 with influenza, which is present in society, which when it comes, comes in epidemic proportions, after an interval of a few years and then it goes away. But we do not know when COVID-19 is going to die down to a level that is not worrisome, or whether the COVID-19 will go away totally. Do you believe that we can develop herd immunity like the United Kingdom tried to do? India has never gone down that path. We have been more sensible in dealing with the disease than what the Western world and we have not exposed our population to the onslaught of the enemy. We do not even know for sure whether the disease gives you immunity to the infection. But if it does, then there's a possibility that we may develop herd immunity. Now, what proportion of the population needs to be infected to give us herd immunity is not clear. What the UK has done is a failed concept. And the countries which have followed that concept have suffered. Our government has done a splendid job so far. Everyone had spelt doomsday for India, but that did not happen. The manner in which you expose your population to the virus is a matter of debate in policy-making. What would be the efficacy of Remdesivir in treating COVID-19? Mutations have been reported on the genes in COVID-19 on which Remdesevir acts. There may be more mutations which may render the virus more susceptible to Remdesevir, or they may come a point when the drug may become ineffective. We don't know which way it will go, but mutations will keep coming. As a natural course the virus mutates. That is how it evolved and came to humans. And why Remdesevir? Any drug, whatever drug we are thinking of currently, may be ineffective with mutations. The other part of our concern is if at all we are getting protective immunity from secondary infection any mutation can render a change in a virus to which the immunity can be ineffective. The virus is smart. Every time we make progress, the virus may be one step ahead of us. Most of organisms mutate and viruses mutate more; RNA viruses like SARS-Cov-2 mutate even more. So, there is no hope? No, I won't say that. We do not know how much the virus will mutate. The mutation can be very slow. All mutations do not translate into a problem. Some mutations are silent or which have no effect. So it is pure chance what mutation will come next and the resultant effect. Despite extended lockdowns, we don't see a flattening of the curve in India at all. But one thing is true that the disease has no geometric progression in India. People had said it will explode and everyone will die. Nothing of that sort has happened. Yes, numbers are definitely spiraling, but if there is no social progression of cases or what is called community progression then that in itself is a flattening of the curve. There is no explosion of the disease because of the lockdown and effective quarantine. Yes, a lockdown cannot go on forever, but how and when it will be lifted is for the government to decide. Do you feel overwhelmed with what you see around you? At times it's stressful to see a lot of patients getting affected, families disrupted, life as we know it, disturbed, but that is how a pandemic affects everyone. What are your learnings from this crisis? A doctor learns as long as he lives as long as he practices medicine, it is a continuous process. From the COVID-19 pandemic we learn man management, facility management, how to build up a facility in times of crisis. This will make our system, not only individuals but the system as a whole, more prepared to face untoward situations like this in the future. New Delhi, May 23 : Emphasising on the plight of the migrant workers, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday released a documentary of his meeting with the migrant workers walking back to their native place in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi from Haryana and said that the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has hit them hard. The 16-minute documentary was released by the Congress on its YouTube channel. Rahul Gandhi, who is also the Lok Sabha MP from Kerala's Wayanad, had met the migrant labourers in the national capital near the Sukh Dev Vihar flyover in south east Delhi on May 15. Before the release of the documentary, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and wrote, "A few days back, I met with these brothers and sisters who were walking to their home towns near Jhansi. Today at 9 a.m., watch the story of their patience, determination and self reliance on my YouTube channel." In the documentary, the Congress leader can be seen sitting on the street along with the migrant workers and talking to them. Narrating the story of the migrant workers, Rahul Gandhi said, "Corona has hurt a lot of people, but the worst hit are the labourers, who walked on the streets for hundreds of kilometres. They walked with empty stomach, they didn't stop and were beaten, threatened but still they managed to walk to their homes." "I want to show you what are their fears, their aspirations, and how is their future and what they feel about it," he said. During the conversation with the former Congress chief, Mahesh, a migrant worker from Jhansi narrating his ordeal, said that the group has been walking for last one day and has travelled over 120 km on foot and they are going back to their native place without any money and support from the government. "I am Mahesh Kumar, from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, I have already walked 120 km. Since yesterday we have been walking and we have been walking in the night. Now what we can do, we have to walk to our homes," he informed the Congress leader. Another woman migrant worker told Rahul Gandhi, "We are hungry for last three days. I also have my child, who is hungry for three days. We have worked for four to five days and the money that we had is finished in the last two months, now what to do, so we have decided to go back to our homes on foot." Another woman migrant worker told Rahul Gandhi that she has no money to buy food and "no one is ready to help". "Then what should we do, it is our majboori (helplessness)," she said. The Congress leader then asked another migrant worker from the group - that from where they were coming, to which the workers in unison replied that they were coming from Haryana. "We used to work as labourers. We are walking along with our family members. We have walked for over 100 kilometres from Haryana," one of the migrant worker replied to Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi further asked them how did they come to know about the nationwide lockdown, to which the group said that they came to know about the lockdown instantly. "We were paying Rs 2,500 as rent. And we are going to Jhansi and we are walking without money," one of the migrant worker said. When the Congress leader asked how manage food, as they do not have the money, one of the woman workers said, "We are getting the food from some people who stop their vehicle and feed us. We came to know about the lockdown on March 21 evening. It was said that on March 22, there will be Bharat Band, and we thought that it is for just one day." "The government should have given four-day notice," one of the migrant worker told Rahul Gandhi to which he again asked what they would have done if they would have known in advance. To this, the migrant workers replied, "We would have returned back to our homes." When the Congress leader inquired about how they were managing their expenses during the lockdown, one of the workers said, "We took udhar (credit) from our neighbours and then some of our families sold the farm produce and then sent money to some of the people here." The Congress leader further asked them why did they decide to go back, to which they said, "The lockdown is being extended everytime. And we are still unclear if it will be extended again." When Rahul Gandhi enquired if they will come back to work in Haryana in the coming days, the group in unison said that they have not decided about it yet. "We are going back to save our lives." The group also informed the Congress leader that they have left most of their belongings in the rented accommodation in Haryana. "We are not bothered about that. We have left the utensils of our kitchens there. If life is saved then more utensils can be bought," one of the woman from the group said. When the Congress leader enquired if they got any monetary help from the government, the group said that they have not received any help from the government and only heard about the promise of getting Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 in their bank accounts. Rahul Gandhi again asked them that do they think it was their fault as they were doing their job, to this, one of the migrant worker replied, "Government said that you cannot work and tied our hands." The migrant workers also alleged that in Haryana, along with the police the local people who wielded sticks used to target the migrant workers who would come out of their homes. One migrant worker said, "Till the time we were working we were valued. And as the work stopped, we were left with nothing." One of the migrant woman told Congress leader to arrange for her return as she said she does not want to go back to Haryana. "We don't want to go back to Haryana, please arrange for our return to our homes, we will die at home, but would not go back," she said. The documentary shared by the Congress provided a glimpse into the immense suffering of the migrant workers due to the nationwide lockdown enforced to break the chain of Covid-19 pandemic. After his interaction, the former Congress President urged the government to make direct cash transfer of Rs 7,500 into the bank accounts of the workers. Rahul Gandhi had made arrangements for the safe return of the group of the migrant workers to their native places. -- Syndicated from IANS New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Tablighi Jamaat members aided in the spread of coronavirus infection in the state particularly in Indore and Bhopal, and chided them for not acting "responsibly". Chouhan told PTI in an interview, "Initially the members of Tablighi Jamaat contributed in spreading this virus. The people, who came back from this event to cities like Indore and Bhopal, transmitted this virus to others also." Further, they added to it by not cooperating with government personnel. They stayed hidden, let this spread to persons who directly or indirectly came in contact with them, he said. A large congregation organised in March by the Tablighi Jamaat in the Nizamuddin area of the national capital significantly contributed to the increase of coronavirus cases in India. Some of the participants, who were later tested positive for coronavirus, had travelled to their home states and other areas. Madhya Pradesh has so far reported 6,170 coronavirus cases, including 2,850 in its commercial city Indore, 1,153 in state capital Bhopal and 504 in the religious town of Ujjain, according to the official data updated as on Friday. Cases in these cities have been increasing steadily. Of the total of 272 COVID-19 deaths, 109 people have died in Indore, 40 in Bhopal and 51 in Ujjain, the data said. To a question on the increase in COVID-19 cases in Bhopal and Indore, Chouhan said these places are "under special care" of the state administration. "We are continuously monitoring the situations of these regions. Situation seems to be improving and stable now. More than 1,500 patients of Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain have recovered and are well now," the chief minister said. He said, the state administration is continuously trying its best to ensure availability of necessary medical facilities in these regions. "All hospitals and medical centres of these regions have been equipped fully to counter the emergency situations," Chouhan said. In a stern message, the chief minister also said that persons indulging in attacking COVID-19 frontline workers "will not be spared at all". "These are shameful acts of violating the laws and not co-operating with the government which is working for their safety. The Central government has also amended the penal provisions for such acts. Such accused persons have been arrested under provisions of the National Security Act," he said. On the Congress' charge that the state government was not doing enough to fight the pandemic, Chouhan said it is time for all of us to put a check on the spread of the disease unitedly. "It is a time, we all need to fight this pandemic together and the Congress is busy in accusing us. It shows their concerns and priorities. They are accusing us to hide their failure. They could have taken the preventive measures regarding this at much early stages that we did as soon as we took charge of the state," he said hitting out at the previous Kamal Nathled Congress government in the state. Chouhan said when he took over as the chief minister, medical facilities were less in number in the state. "Today, we are in a far better condition than before. If the previous government was aware of these facts why didn't they take measures to overcome these things? They could have done a lot earlier, but they were involved in their internal party conflicts, he said. The chief minister appealed everyone to follow the lockdown sincerely for their own safety. "Keep maintaining the social distancing norms even after the lockdown. Stay at home, stay safe. I request everyone to have patience; we will soon overcome this pandemic," Chouhan added. Firefighters have contained a fire that erupted early Saturday morning at a warehouse on Pier 45 at Fisherman's Wharf, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. The fire began at a warehouse at about 4:15 a.m. at the pier, located at Taylor and Jones streets, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air. The situation "evolved rapidly" from a one-alarm fire to four alarms, with 120 firefighters responding to the scene, Lt. Jonathan Baxter told KGO in an interview. Firefighters worked to keep the flames from the historic SS Jeremiah O'Brien Liberty ship, which was threatened by the fire, Baxter said. The ship was successfully saved, he confirmed. The blaze was kept to a warehouse in one area of the pier, however multiple walls of the burning warehouse collapsed. The warehouse holds fish processing equipment and a few offices and is typically unoccupied at night, Baxter said. Homeless people have been seen in buildings and warehouses in the area, however, and SFFD is confirming whether anyone had seen a person enter the building, he said. No other buildings are being threatened by the flames, including Musee Mecanique, which is located at Pier 45 and holds antique arcade machines. Occupants of Pier 45 were evacuated by firefighters. One firefighter was injured and was taken to a local hospital, but is expected to be okay. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, Baxter said, and investigators will be looking into how the fire was ignited and assessing damage to the pier. Residents are asked to avoid the area as firefighters and emergency personnel remain on the scene. Bay City News and the Associated Press contributed to this report. KWABENA BOATENG Asante, popularly known as KB, a former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman aspirant in the Asante Akyem South Constituency, has backed the candidature of the musician kum politician, Bice Osei Kuffour, publicly known as Obour. Obuor is the immediate past President of MUSIGA. The Asante Akyem South Constituency seat is currently occupied by the NPPs Kwaku Asante Boateng, who is likely to contest again. Ever since Obour declared his intention to contest the NPP parliamentary primaries, he has been visiting the constituency to interact with the constituents. In a short video seen by BEATWAVES, KB strongly advised delegates to vote for Obour, since he was more popular and tipped to garner more votes for the NPP both at the constituency and national levels in the 2020 general elections. He said a win for Obour would console him for the recent passing of his father. KB's endorsement for Obour is expected to influence the chances of Obour to become the next MP for Asante Akyem South. Obour released his first album, 'Atentenben', on Soul Record Label in 2002, followed by his second album, titled, 'Dondo', which featured songs like 'Nana Obour', 'Mesoodae' and 'Palm Wine'. He has won a number of awards in and outside the country as well as performed on local and international platforms. He made a duet album with A.B. Crentsil titled, 'The Best of the Lifes'. Obours 2004 album, 'Obour.com', produced the hit single 'Konkontiba'. Following Obour's achievements on the music scene, MUSIGA has released a video on his eight-year reign as MUSIGA President. The video showcases Obour's credentials as an award winning and accomplished musician sweeping most awards at the Ghana Music Awards in 2005 with his smash hit tune, 'Konkontiba'. The video, according to MUSIGA, will be screened on a number of television stations nationwide soon. ---Daily Guide FAIRFIELD Democrats unanimously endorsed Jennifer Leeper for the 132nd District Thursday night, setting up a rematch between her and state Rep. Brian Farnen. Unanimously endorsed by Republicans on Wednesday night, Farnen first won the position in a special election in January, defeating Leeper with 2,463 votes to her 2,384. He filled the seat vacated by First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick after she won the towns top job in November. As general counsel for the Connecticut Green Bank, Farnen ran on a platform of bringing jobs and fiscal responsibility to Connecticut. He is a member of the Education, Transportation and the Finance, Revenue and Bonding committees. Leeper, a current member of the Fairfield Board of Education, said in January that she wanted to bring her experience in public policy for the Connecticut Department of Education to the state legislature. During her acceptance speech on Thursday night, she said her calling to public service is stronger now than it ever has been. I feel compelled to do this work, Leeper said. That calling wasnt always apparent to me. Recently, its become clearer and clearer. Leeper said her commitment to service, whether it be helping refugees in Boston or HIV positive mothers in South Africa, have given her the skills to analyze problems that markets could not solve and draft policy to address them. Leeper also spoke to national divisions and said Americans need more listening and collaborating. She said residents need elected officials in Hartford that listen to science and make data-driven, compassionate decisions on behalf of their electorate. Our post-COVID world will be different than it was before, she said. We have a unique opportunity to thoughtfully evaluate exactly the kind of world we want to return to. And I will fight for that more just, empathetic and collaborative future. The Board of Education member said the concept of less government meaning greater freedom has been proven false during the pandemic, adding that the importance of honest, transparent and science-based leadership has never been more apparent. Farnen has also acknowledged the new coronavirus has changed Connecticut. According to a statement, Farnens said in his acceptance speech that he wants to prioritize education so teachers, students and parents are provided with the tools and flexibility to transition back to school in the fall. He said he plans to fight attempts to solve the states budget crisis through new taxes on working families. Its been an honor to serve the 132nd District, and with the pandemic, the job of state representative has taken on a more important role, Farnen said. From helping local businesses with federal aid programs, to helping constituents navigate their unemployment claims as they work through an antiquated state bureaucracy. ... In these challenging and very different times, now more than ever, we need common-sense solutions that are grounded in transparency and collaboration, not politics. Farnen also said he wants to continue to work to rebuild the states economy, help small businesses get back on their feet, bolster Connecticuts public health system and modernize its safety net infrastructure. HONG KONG, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Saturday urged relevant countries to respect China's sovereignty and security, and stop meddling with Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs as a whole. After it was announced that establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security would be on the agenda of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), some countries have lashed out with furious accusations and even threats. The spokesperson of the commissioner's office refuted and firmly opposed such unwarranted remarks. The spokesperson said that in recent years, especially since the unrest following the proposed amendment bill last year, "Hong Kong independence" and other radical separatist activities have grown increasingly rampant, and violent terrorism ramped up. Some external forces have colluded with the anti-China troublemakers in Hong Kong, openly meddled with Hong Kong affairs, and used Hong Kong to commit acts undermining China's national security. Such attempts have posed a grave challenge to the red line of the "one country, two systems" principle and an imminent threat to China's national security, and must be prevented, prohibited and punished in accordance with the law. The spokesperson pointed out that the NPC draft decision targets only attempts at secession, subversion, terrorism and external interference in Hong Kong affairs. The legitimate rights and freedoms of the majority of Hong Kong citizens will only be better guaranteed in a safe environment, instead of being prejudiced by the decision. The "one country, two systems" policy and the high degree of autonomy of the HKSAR will remain unchanged, and the interests of foreign investors in Hong Kong will continue to be protected under the law. When national security is safeguarded, both "one country, two systems" and Hong Kong will embrace brighter prospects, which is also in the common interests of the international community. The spokesperson reiterated that a country is simply exercising its sovereignty and legitimate right in safeguarding national security, and that enacting national security legislation falls within the state's legislative power. It is typical double standard and gangster logic when some countries persistently obstruct China's efforts to uphold sovereignty and security even as they make a generalization of the "national security" concept at home. "No matter how many rumors and lies you (the meddling politicians) may churn out, they will not alter the will of the majority of Hong Kong citizens who love China and Hong Kong and want stability and peace. No matter how venomously you smear, provoke, coerce or blackmail us, the Chinese people will remain rock-firm in safeguarding national sovereignty and security. Doomed is your plot to undermine China's sovereignty and security by exploiting the troublemakers in Hong Kong as pawns and the city as a frontier for secession, subversion, infiltration and sabotage activities against China," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson urged relevant countries to respect China's sovereignty, abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations, and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, which are purely China's internal affairs. "We also call on the international community to correctly understand China's just efforts to safeguard national security and bring Hong Kong back to the right track, support China's endeavor to fully and faithfully implement 'one country, two systems,' and work together with the Chinese people, including Hong Kong residents, for a prosperous and stable Hong Kong." TRACKING AN OUTBREAK Because of an editing error, an article on Friday about a grant given to the drug company AstraZeneca misstated the partial results announced by the biotech company Moderna from a first-phase trial of a vaccine it is developing. The vaccine candidate produced an immune response in the first 45 study participants, the company said, not just in 8. An article on Friday about missed commercial rent payments misstated the name of one of the citys biggest commercial landlords. It is Vornado Realty Trust, not Vornado Property Trust. INTERNATIONAL An article on May 17 about a business mogul in Norway who was charged with murdering his wife misstated the age of Tommy Broske, a police officer. He is 42, not 48. An article on Feb. 22 about the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a church at the center of a coronavirus outbreak in South Korea, referred imprecisely to church gatherings. At meetings, former members say, they were discouraged from wearing glasses or face masks; they were not forbidden to wear them. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION IN IT, IS RESTRICTED, AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SWITZERLAND OR SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT FURTHER, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE, OR FORM THE BASIS OF AN OFFER TO SELL OR ISSUE OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SUBSCRIBE FOR OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRE ANY NEW OR EXISTING ORDINARY SHARES OF PROVIDENCE RESOURCES PLC IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH ANY SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL Providence Resources P.l.c. SpotOn Energy Investment Update Dublin and London 22 May 2020 - Providence Resources P.l.c. (PVR LN, PRP ID), the Irish based resource development company (Providence or the Company), provides an update on the second tranche of the proposed investment in Providence by SpotOn Energy Limited (SpotOn Energy). As announced on 6 April 2020, SpotOn Energy invested 0.3 million into Providence as part of the recent $3.3 million fundraising and committed to invest a further 0.2 million within six weeks of that announcement. SpotOn Energy has experienced some delays in closing out the necessary arrangements with its consortium because of current working and travel restrictions and has informed Providence that it will be necessary to delay the second tranche of its investment by approximately one week. The Company will provide an update to the market upon receipt of funds. Prosecutors on Friday said they were dropping charges against the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was fatally shot by three white police officers in Louisville, Kentucky, in March. The announcement came one day after the FBI said it had opened an investigation into the shooting, which has drawn nationwide attention. I believe that additional investigation is necessary, Thomas Wine, the county prosecutor in Louisville, said at a news conference on Friday. I believe that the independent investigation by the attorney generals office in Kentucky, the FBI and the U.S. attorneys office must be completed before we go forward with any prosecution of Kenneth Walker. The boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, had been charged with attempted murder after authorities said he shot a Louisville police officer in the leg after officers forced their way into Taylors home during a narcotics investigation at around 1 a.m. on March 13. Officers had knocked on the door several times and announced their presence before using a ram to break down the door, the police said. Officers were immediately met by gunfire, and fired back, the police said. Taylor, 26, was killed. Walker, 27, has contended that he did not know that it was police officers who had been knocking at the door and feared for his life when he grabbed his gun and fired. Were happy that the case is dismissed, said Walkers lawyer, Rob Eggert. He always said that he didnt know these were police officers, and they found no drugs in the apartment. None. He was scared for his life and her life. The Louisville Courier-Journal reported that the police had been targeting two men who they believed were selling drugs out of a house more than 10 miles from Taylors apartment. However, a judge had signed a warrant allowing officers to search Taylors home and to enter without warning in part because a detective said one of the men had used Taylors apartment to receive a package. Wines decision to drop charges came one day after Eggert filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing that prosecutors failed to present a full and fair picture to the grand jury. Specifically, Eggert contended that they neglected to present Walkers claim that he was acting in self-defense. Wine said he disagreed with Eggerts contention that prosecutors acted unethically but he agreed that more information should have been presented to the grand jury that indicted Walker on March 19, including Walkers statement to the police in the early morning hours after the shooting. Wine said that it has been his practice in other cases to allow defendants to present evidence that they were acting in self-defense during a shooting. Ive allowed that for police officers in shooting cases, Wine said, and it should be allowed for civilians. The prosecutors request to drop the charges must be approved by a judge. Wine said he would not rule out the possibility of filing charges again after the FBI and other agencies had completed their reviews of the shooting. Some legal observers said the decision to drop charges suggested prosecutors had found potentially serious problems in the police officers account of the fatal shooting. The decision not to pursue Walkers prosecution at this time, despite a grand jury indictment, suggests that the officers credibility and version of events is in question, said Cortney Lollar, a law professor at the University of Kentucky. The fact that Wine seems to be waiting for independent investigators to review the case further indicates that the prosecutors office may have a lack of confidence in the Louisville Metro Police Departments version of what happened. Taylors mother, Tamika Palmer, filed a lawsuit in late April against three officers with the department, accusing them of wrongfully causing her daughters death. One of the lawyers representing Palmer is Benjamin Crump, who is among the lawyers representing the family of Ahmaud Arbery, whose shooting death in Georgia in February has led to murder charges against three men. On Friday, Crump called prosecutors decision to drop charges against Walker a belated victory for justice and a powerful testament to the power of advocacy. This is just another step to the LMPD taking full responsibility for its actions, Crump said in a statement that he released with two other lawyers, Sam Aguiar and Lonita Baker. On Thursday, Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville said that Chief Steve Conrad of the Louisville Metro Police Department would retire at the end of June. Fischer said at a news conference that in response to Taylors shooting, no knock search warrants, like the one issued in this case, would require approval from the police chief or someone he designates before being sent to a judge for approval. Last week, Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky called reports about Taylors death troubling and said the public deserved to know everything about the March raid. He asked the state attorney general, the local prosecutor and the federal prosecutor assigned to the region to review the results of the Louisville polices initial investigation to ensure justice is done at a time when many are concerned that justice is not blind. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. ANN ARBOR, MI When a man trying to cut down a tree became injured and trapped about 25 feet up this week, it was all hands on deck for the Ann Arbor Fire Department. All on-duty firefighters responded at 11:29 a.m. Thursday, May 21, to the incident on Forest Creek Court off Stone School Road, said Fire Chief Mike Kennedy. A friend of a homeowner was helping with tree removal when things went wrong, resulting in a case of blunt force trauma, Kennedy said. It appears as he was taking a limb down, the limb struck him, and so he was injured and also stuck, Kennedy said. Fortunately, several of the firefighters are members of the Washtenaw County Technical Rescue Team with specialized training to deal with such rescues, Kennedy said. While the injured man wasnt pinned by the limb, it was still a complex and challenging rescue, Kennedy said, noting crews had to stabilize the patient and set up a rope system, while others cleared the area and braced a ladder. There was just a lot of complicated and moving parts to this, he said, noting 18 firefighters and six trucks were on scene. By 12:39 p.m., the man was down from the tree and transported by Huron Valley Ambulance in stable condition to the University of Michigan Hospital, the fire department reported. He was conscious and alert throughout the entire ordeal, Kennedy said. Today at 11:29 AM, shift 1 had a citywide response for a technical rescue off of Forest Creek (Stone School north of... Posted by City of Ann Arbor Fire Department - Government on Thursday, May 21, 2020 Based on the type of climbing and tree-trimming equipment the man had, he seemed to have experience, but he wasnt doing it as a contractor, Kennedy said. I dont know if he ever did this professionally, but it sounded like he had quite a bit of personal experience, he said. This wasnt like a weekend chainsaw warrior or something. The mans harness probably saved him from really significant injury, Kennedy said. While Ann Arbor firefighters were on scene, firefighters from Pittsfield, Scio and Ann Arbor townships provided coverage of the city under mutual-aid agreements. These types of technical rescues are pretty rare and its been well over a decade since there was a similar tree rescue in Ann Arbor, Kennedy said. Sadly, he said, there usually are some deaths resulting from tree trimming in Michigan every year. These are very serious events, he said, noting the amount of force from a tree limb can be significant. Fortunately, he said, firefighters spend a lot of time training for incidents like this, so the rescue went like clockwork. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS: Mayor vetoes part of Ann Arbors COVID-19 recovery plan Ann Arbor library launches Pandemic Log, asks public to share COVID-19 stories, photos Trump tours Ypsilanti Ford plant, eviction anxiety grows amid pandemic: Top Ann Arbor headlines May 16-22 Reckless driver chased through Ypsilanti was feeling great on marijuana before arrest, police say Man arrested on suspicion of firing shot at woman during armed robbery, police say Phillip Schofield revealed that 'talking saved [him]' when he came out as gay, as he encouraged others to rely on their loved ones during times of struggle. The This Morning presenter, 58, shared the JustGiving page of Alison Watson, whose son Morgan tragically took his own life on Sunday, and spoke about the way talking to those around you can help. In his candid Twitter post, which he posted on Thursday, Phil wrote: 'Another heartbreaking story. There is strength in talking. 'Talking saved me': Phillip Schofield shared how speaking to loved ones helped him when he came out as gay as he encouraged others to do the same during hard times 'Please dont try to fight your head on your own. Talking saved me,' he admitted. Alison set up the fundraising page to support the Guernsey Mind charity to try and prevent male suicide following her tragic loss, and she has raised over 5,000 so far. She wrote: 'We are heartbroken at his loss and have started this fundraising page in the small hope that we can prevent others suffering as we are losing someone they love as we love Morgan so much. 'Our hearts are breaking. Talking to whoever is so important for everyone, especially young men. Stay safe xxx' Helping others: Phil shared the JustGiving page of Alison Watson, whose son Morgan tragically took his own life on Sunday, and said talking to those around you can help Moving: In his candid Twitter post Phil wrote: 'There is strength in talking. Please dont try to fight your head on your own. Talking saved me.' Phillip surprised fans on February 7 by issuing a statement on social media declaring that after 27 years of marriage, he was 'coming to terms with the fact that I am gay'. In a choreographed follow-up, he took his place on the This Morning sofa besides co-host Holly Willoughby to further pour his heart out. Writing on Instagram about his decision to come out, he said: 'With the strength and support of my wife and daughters, I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am gay. 'My inner conflict contrasts with an outside world that has changed so very much for the better. Today, quite rightly, being gay is a reason to celebrate and be proud.' He later admitted in a newspaper interview that it was too early to say if he and Steph would stay married. 'It has taken me a long time to get here, I am not rushing to get to any other place,' he said. 'We will always be a family... And where the wind blows us I don't know. But I still love Steph as much as when we first met. More probably.' Phillip is married to wife Stephanie and the couple are parents to Molly, 27, and Ruby, 24. Shock: Phillip surprised fans on February 7 by issuing a statement on social media declaring that after 27 years of marriage, he was 'coming to terms with the fact that I am gay' The presenter previously revealed he had been leading the 'perfect life' after getting married and raising his two children, claiming he hadn't wanted anything to get in the way of his happiness. But he said he was 'naive' to think he could suppress his sexuality when he married Stephanie 27 years ago, and he didn't consider his sexuality as it was such a 'joyous time' for him. Phillip also admitted he battled depression as he struggled with his sexuality, and even sought therapy to come to terms with it, before deciding he found it more helpful speaking to friends in private. If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-22 23:18:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A person disinfects a cross-border truck from Tanzania in Kirehe district, eastern Rwanda, April 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Cyril Ndegeya) The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across Africa surpassed 100,000 as of Friday afternoon, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. ADDIS ABABA, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across Africa surpassed 100,000 as of Friday afternoon, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC in its latest situation update issued on Friday revealed that the number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases across the continent rose from 95,201 on Thursday to 100,330 as of Friday afternoon, registering about 5,129 new cases during the stated period. The death toll due to the COVID-19 pandemic across the African continent also surged from 2,997 on Thursday afternoon to 3,101 as Friday afternoon, eventually registering about 104 new deaths during the past 24-hours period, according to the Africa CDC. People go about their work in Nakasero market in Kampala, capital of Uganda, May 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Nicholas Kajoba) The Africa CDC also disclosed that some 39,416 people who have been infected with the COVID-19 have recovered across the continent as of Friday afternoon, registering some 1,341 new recoveries during the past 24-hours period. The continental disease control and prevention agency also noted that the virus has spread into all of the 54 African countries. The Africa CDC also disclosed that the Northern African region is the most affected area across the continent both in terms of positive COVID-19 cases, as well as the number of deaths. Youll need to make a reservation. And dont forget to bring your masks. But you can still see a movie at Newbergs 99W Drive-In, which opens this weekend after a two-month delay to its season. Like virtually every other social activity amid the coronavirus pandemic, the experience of going to the drive-in looks nothing like beforetimes. The new world order was in evidence on opening night Friday night, where moviegoers caught Trolls World Tour. The drive-in, one of three remaining in the state, will accommodate 142 vehicles per night, well under half their capacity. The change is part of the drive-ins commitment to guidelines enacted to stop the spread of COVID-19. A handful of new rules are strictly enforced at the venue. Snack bar orders are texted, with customers picking up their food at the window. Bathroom lines are monitored for adherence to social distancing. Even the vehicles are distancing, with every other space left empty. We did have some people cancel based on our rules, said Tatiania Lessaos, manager of the drive-in. We view the community as our family so were going to treat them like family, meaning were going to keep them safe, she said. If Friday night was any indication, it shouldnt be a big problem for the venue. More than two months into the coronavirus pandemic, movie-goers appeared to have gotten with the program. Brian Francis, who took over the drive-in from his grandfather in 1999, says the guidelines will be hard on his business but hes committed to making it work. We cant be as profitable, Francis said. But if people dont practice social distancing rules, their love will keep us apart, he said, referring, with a wink, to his customers. Francis is rolling ideas around in his head in hopes to keep the business up. Hell add Thursdays soon. And hes considering adding more days once the weather warms up. Brian Francis, owner of 99W Drive-In in Newberg, Oregon, greets moviegoers over the announcer inside the projection booth at the start of the evening. Beth Nakamura/Staff The drive-in was build by Franciss grandfather, J.T. Francis, in 1953. Sixty-seven seasons, Francis said. Supposed to be the Summer of Love and look what we got: COVID, he said. 99W Drive-In has its non-pandemic practices, of course. Theyre known for announcing birthdays and encouraging cars to beep a Happy Birthday greeting. At Fridays opening, they instead encouraged attendees to beep in recognition and support of health care workers across the nation. For a little under a minute, the entire lot became a cacophony of sound. Reservations to see a movie at 99W Drive-In can be made by emailing them at 99wreservation@gmail.com. Scroll the gallery for a look at the drive-in amid the pandemic. -- Beth Nakamura Twitter: @bethnakamura Instagram: @bethnakamura A 54-year-old cook, who used to work at a hostel in AIIMS-Delhi, has become the latest casualty of coronavirus. The AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) has blamed the hostel administration for the death of the cook. The association allegedly said that the cook died because the hostel administration did not take precautionary measures as demanded by it more than a month ago. The deceased was from Odisha. He used to work at the hostel mess of Dr. Rajender Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences. The RDA has demanded regular screening and other safety measures such as the provision of thermal scanners, sanitisers, masks etc to ensure mess workers are able to work safely. The association said that these demands had fallen on deaf ears and that's why the cook died. The RDA observed peace and lit candles on Friday evening in memory of the deceased. All the contacts of the deceased, including doctors who attended him and his colleagues in the mess, might need to go under the quarantine process. The resident doctors' association has requested the AIIMS administration to provide compensation to the family of the deceased cook. "The RDA, AIIMS request the AIIMS administration to provide compensation to the grieving family of the mess worker who was serving us during the pandemic," they said. The RDA has also demanded coronavirus-testing of all mess workers of the canteen in order to prevent further casualties. They also sought the appointment of a more receptive and resident-friendly hostel superintendent and senior warden. Incidents of coronavirus infection among health workers and front liners are rising in India. In several hospitals in Delhi, hundreds of doctors, nurses, and other health workers have reported coronavirus symptoms. This week, on May 18, a faculty member in the orthopaedic department of AIIMS was tested positive for coronavirus. Also read: Delhi airport to open from May 25; all domestic flights to run from Terminal 3 Also read: Coronavirus crisis: ICMR approves HCQ for frontline COVID-19 warriors; Lancet has reservations Neither the great distance nor the spread of the novel coronavirus stopped Cuban photographer Eloy Rodriguezs from visiting Vietnam for a few weeks in early March. Cuban photographer Eloy Rodriguez is pictured with one of his cameras. Photo courtesy of Eloy Rodriguez Though the closure of borders across the world forced him to return home on March 18, his short time in Vietnam to visit a "truly important person" made a big impression. Rodriguez is currently a freshman student of the Institute of Superior Arts of La Habana and teaching photography to newcomers in the laboratory of the institute. While he made his trip for love, the strange times of the pandemic offered the 22-year-old photographer a chance to capture beautiful pictures of Hanoi and memories of a lifetime. I couldnt access my planned work sites due to the virus. But most of the places I went werent as crowded as I expected and I worked better when mixing with the people, he recalled. To pay for the journey, Rodriguez worked various jobs for more than a year and a half as he received no support from any institutions or had any commission. When he arrived, he was greatly impressed by the warm and friendly locals who made him feel welcome with their hospitality and open hearts. Though he was only here for a short time, he was given a Vietnamese name Loi by his local friends. It made me feel part of the Vietnamese people, he said. As well as being taken to tourism destinations in Hanoi by his friends, Rodriguez captured the daily activities of locals like having meals or fishing by the lake as well as their portraits he took on the streets. A portrait of an elderly woman in Hanoi, taken by Eloy Rodriguez. All the photos are black and white, taken with his old Rolleiflex and Leica cameras that he purchased in Cuba. Many people think that negative is dead but it is really not. In Cuba, we have a small movement of negative photographers who try hard to keep the medium alive. According to Rodriguez, the producing process is when the artist interacts with the characters or models of their works. Similarly, his inspiration is the emotion that the character arouses in him and on the contrary, he also expects to give that character a certain emotion. One inspirational moment in Hanoi was when he was leaving the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and saw young soldiers marching. There was a little kid crying nearby and then the soldiers walk by put a smile on his face. It was so beautiful and I was lucky to have a chance to capture that moment, he recalled. Rodriguez's photos of Hanoi are all in black and white. Photo courtesy of Eloy Rodriguez He is currently working on a variety of projects about ties between Vietnam and Cuba, one of which is collaborating with Vietnamese publishing Thai Ha Books to launch a photo exhibition about Hanoi after the pandemic subsides. In addition, Rodriguez recently held a lecture in the Vietnamese Department of Cubas Institute of Friendship with others who have visited Hanoi to share their experiences about the city. A photo of a motorbike taxi driver, taken by Eloy Rodriguez. Photo courtesy of Eloy Rodriguez Im also working on a script for a short movie inspired by talks I had with Vietnamese people and wish to have it released next year as a way to get out of my routine and add movement to the images I have in my head. "I will have it done in black and white of course, he added. But what the Cuban photographer wants most is the chance to come back to the country he has fallen for. I would love to get a scholarship from a Hanoi school of arts to live and work there for a few months. I want to learn the language, the local perspectives of arts and enrich my knowledge of the country to be able to make more complete works. I believe that without being there a bit longer, I wont be able to grasp what I want from Hanoi, he said. VNS Luong Thu Huong French photographer tells stories of street tea in Hanoi Vibrant Hanoi has charmed many foreigners with its various unexpected aspects, and Frenchman Joseph Gobin is just the latest example. Advertisement Sunseekers across the country have been treated to their first pint in weeks today as bars at beauty spots and beaches throughout the UK opened up their bars to serve takeaway drinks for the Bank Holiday weekend. Booze-starved Brits were seen queuing up patiently to get their hands on cold beverages at the Hot Rocks Restaurant and Cocktail Bar on Bournemouth beach, which was packed out with hundreds of sunbathers. People also took advantage of relaxed social distancing measures in parks and green spaces, with crowds of people meeting up in commons across major cities for a sunny booze up. Landlords up and down the UK launched takeaway services today, opening up their businesses for the first time in eight weeks in some cases, to capitalise on the long weekend, in which millions are expected to make leisure trips. With balmy temperatures expected over the bank holiday weekend, including highs of 66F today and 77F on Monday, councils with responsibility for beauty spots are warning people to stay away. Following the easing of some lockdown measures last week, there are no restrictions on how far people can go to get to the countryside, National Parks and beaches in England. People also took advantage of relaxed social distancing measures in parks and green spaces, with crowds of people meeting up in commons such as Wandsworth today (pictured) A group of friends enjoy several pints of beer outside Hot Rocks on Bournemouth beach, which was among the busiest beauty spots in the country today One cyclist gets the drinks in for a group of friends at a pub near Wandsworth Common. Several pubs opened for the first time in eight weeks today to capitalise on Bank Holiday trade Sunseekers gratefully cling on to their pints as they make their way down to Bournemouth beach from Hot Rocks, which served drinks from a serving hatch A large group of people enjoy a drink on Wandsworth Common on what police said would be the busiest day of the year for them so far Landlords up and down the UK launched takeaway services today, opening up their businesses for the first time in eight weeks in some cases, to capitalise on the long weekend, in which millions are expected to make leisure trips Dozens of sunseekers and cyclists were pictured taking a break and enjoying a beer under trees at Wandsworth Common today The National Trust is urging people across England to stay close to home and explore local green spaces and countryside this weekend, as part of the collective effort to make easing of the lockdown work. Excited beer-lovers have taken to social media to share pictures of their freshly poured pints after they headed to their local for the first time since a nationwide lockdown saw bars shuttered on March 23. One woman shared an image of her father chugging from a bottle of beer while holding another to social media, after the pair visited the British Oak in Tingley, West Yorkshire. She penned: 'I have actually just walked into a pub with my dad and got some beer to takeaway! Never been so excited.' Another pub-goer posted an image of her pint from The Island in Kensal Rise, London, while she sat outside on her balcony. She wrote: 'Day 4/7 of lockdown life: our local pub is now doing takeaway draught beer! This is the best news Ive had in weeks. Thank you to @TheIslandNW10.' The Prince N22, on Finsbury Road, London, has been selling alcohol through a hatch to thirsty patrons. One customer tweeted a picture of a barman wearing a face mask with the caption: 'Picking up some takeaway cider from our local pub.' Visor-wearing barmen were pictured in London yesterday maintaining strict social distancing as they carried foamy pints to 'collection points' where they were then carried away by customers. And the beer is set to keep flowing as temperatures are expected to hit 73F this weekend, before climbing to 78F on Monday. Friends and family were seen enjoying a drink during what was mainly a sunny afternoon in London today - despite a brief shower in Wandsworth (shown) Three friends enjoy a beer on two on Wandsworth Common this afternoon, which saw one of its busiest days since lockdown began as people made the most of the Bank Holiday sunshine Booze-starved Brits were seen queuing up patiently to get their hands on cold beverages at the Hot Rocks Restaurant and Cocktail Bar on Bournemouth beach, which was packed out with hundreds of sunbathers Takeaways have been allowed to remain open under the lockdown rules, but have been told to enforce robust social distancing Two gentleman enjoy a nice cold beer to kick off the Bank Holiday weekend, which is expected to be warm and dry through until Monday It was mostly sunny and warm in the capital today, but a brief shower did little to dissuade revellers from enjoying a drink on its green spaces Sunseekers across the country have been treated to their first pint in weeks today as bars at green spaces throughout the UK opened up their bars to serve takeaway drinks for the Bank Holiday weekend Drinkers were also seen outside the Black prince pub in Kennington, which is offering collection-only food and drink In Herne Hill, drinkers also arrived to get takeaway beverages from the Canopy Beer company The recent heatwave has pulled the public to packed parks, beaches and beauty spots, where many settled down with drinks bought from nearby pubs. Takeaways have been allowed to remain open under the lockdown rules, but have been told to enforce robust social distancing. At the Althorp pub in Wandsworth, bar staff operating from a hatch are wearing face coverings and dropping drinks off at outdoor tables to avoid person-to-person contact and the possibility of contamination. The Greenwich Tavern in London also served customers from a hatch directly on to the street this afternoon. Because punters are banned from drinking on the premises, booze is primarily being served in plastic cups before been taken to nearby green spaces. In Trafalgar Square, people were out and about. Some sat on the steps leading up to the National Gallery On an ordinary Saturday, Trafalgar Square would be stuffed full of tourists and Londoners People also stopped to take pictures of two ducks which were seen swimming in Trafalgar Square's fountain A large group of surfers gathered together to make the most of the waves at Bournemouth Pier. A blustery day meant fewer people turned out at the beach as expected, but the weather was perfect for these wave-seekers A group gathered together as two people donned wetsuits for an early morning swim on Branksome beach in Dorset today A few people had begun trickling onto the sand at Bournemouth, Dorset, as early birds got to the beach to set up for the day A kite surfer makes the most of the windy weather as they skip along the waves off the coast of Hunstanston People walk down the steps to the beach at Durdle Door in Lulworth amid continuing lockdown across the country A large group of walkers gather together despite social distancing measures asking people to stay at least six feet apart, as they take a walk near Durdle Door in Lulworth Waves crashing against Porthcawl Lighthouse as people start the Bank Holiday weekend by looking over into the water in South Wales this morning A kite surfer headed out to enjoy the steady winds off Branksome beach in Dorset this morning. Martyn Underhill, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, has called on travellers to 'use their common sense' Walkers headed out to enjoy the morning air on Saturday as they headed along Branksome beach, Dorset Single people and couples headed out, keeping at a significant distance from each other, for their exercise in Dorset this morning A tree is pictured having fallen in the street in Middlesbrough as heavy winds sweep the north of England ahead of the Bank Holiday But many places are encouraging customers to bring their own containers, in a throwback to the 1950s when people would fill up casks at the pubs before taking them back home. A stampede of drinkers would come as welcome relief to pubs which have largely shuttered during the lockdown - with the hospitality sector left in the lurch as to when it will be allowed to reopen. Police forces across the UK have warned anyone hoping to buy some takeaway booze to keep two metres away from others not in your household. A spokesman for Metropolitan Police said: 'We have been made aware of a number of proposed plans for gatherings this weekend and we can only reiterate the importance of sticking to the Government guidelines. 'Restrictions around activities that do not support social distancing remain the same, meaning that group sport, outdoor barbeques or parties, and other gatherings are still not permitted. 'Officers out on patrol this weekend will continue to encourage and support our communities to comply with the restrictions to reduce the risk to public health.' In some parts of London, roads have been narrowed to provide more space for pedestrians to observe social distancing The Elk Bar, in Hale Village, Cheshire, is also serving takeaway pints as part of their efforts to keep afloat despite the coronavirus lockdown Drinkers had to wait in line to get their takeaway pints and many of them looked eager to get their hands on alcohol After getting their pints, some drinkers sat down on a nearby bowling green and a small wall Pubs located next to green spaces in London enjoyed their best trade in weeks as hundreds flocked to commons for a break from quarantine Police forces across the UK have warned anyone hoping to buy some takeaway booze to keep six feet away from others not in their household The recent heatwave has pulled the public to packed parks, beaches and beauty spots, where many settled down with drinks bought from nearby pubs A stampede of drinkers would come as welcome relief to pubs which have largely shuttered during the lockdown - with the hospitality sector left in the lurch as to when it will be allowed to reopen Takeaways have been allowed to remain open under the lockdown rules, but have been told to enforce robust social distancing The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) said pubs would have been packed on a normal late May Bank Holiday, with good weather forecast, and the FA Cup final usually held on the Saturday. The trade body noted that pubs were the first businesses to be ordered to shut down by the Government in March and could be among the last to re-open. The BBPA said not all pubs will reopen from July as many won't be able to meet the social distancing measures required by then. Ensuring a distance of two metres will be impossible for some pubs, keeping them closed for much longer, said the BBPA. But the association is glad pubs have been allowed to reopen to offer takeaway options, something that will act as a much-needed boost to struggling independent brewers. As well as drinking, Britons flocked to beauty spots including Durdle Door, in Dorset, to take advantage of 66F temperatures This couple held hands as they walked above Durdle Door as a herd of cows grazed nearby Walkers could not resist taking advantage of the good weather at Durdle Door, which is normally a tourist hotspot Durdle Door is ordinarily a popular tourist hotspot and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year Chief executive Emma McClarkin said: 'It is great to hear about enterprising publicans selling takeaway beer for the sunny bank holiday weekend ahead. 'The growth of takeaway beer during the lockdown shows how the British public are clearly yearning for the pub experience and in particular the unique taste of draught beer. 'Any revenue for pubs at this tremendously difficult time is absolutely vital, this revenue will help pubs across the country reopen when the lockdown lifts, of course what we need is to find a pathway for our pubs to reopen. 'Breweries are also selling their customers favourite beers online and some have even started drive throughs to get fresh beer to their customers. 'Pubs serving takeaway beer are of course implementing social distancing measures and are upholding the highest hygiene standards.' One woman shared an image of her father chugging from a bottle of beer while holding another to social media, after the pair visited the British Oak in Tingley, West Yorkshire Film production formalities across the world came to a sudden halt due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Even as production houses are limping back to normalcy, Avatar 2, the highly-anticipated sequel to the 2009 Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster, Avatar, is all set to resume its shoot. The films unit will be heading to New Zealand next week to kick-start the new schedule. Avatar 2 will be the first Hollywood biggie to resume filming in the wake of the pandemic. Jon Landau, one of the producers of Avatar 2, took to Instagram and made the announcement about the upcoming schedule. He also shared a few Behind The Scenes pictures of the films director James Cameron and his cast. Jon also revealed a picture of two new futuristic boats The Matador, a high speed forward command vessel (bottom) and The Picador, a jetboat, which will be featured in the sequel. Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Kate Winslet, and Cliff Curtis are the major cast in this 3D spectacle. The film will hit theaters on December 17, 2021. Three more sequels are also in the pipeline and a major portion of the shooting has been wrapped up already. Articles that might interest you: By Ayya Lmahamad Head of the World Health Organization's country office Hande Harmanci has hailed Azerbaijan's efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic, saying that the country is first to implement REACT-C19 project. Azerbaijan is the first country implementing a project such as REACT-C19, and in this sense, it can be an example for countries in the world, Harmanci said on May 22, addressing the briefing on the REACT-C19 project results. The aim of the project is rapid development of basic skills related to the treatment of patients infected with COVID-10 in hospitals of Azerbaijan. During the briefing, she stressed that Azerbaijan aims to purchase new developed tests. "So far, PSR tests have been conducted to detect coronavirus. Currently, serological tests for coronavirus are being developed to detect whether a person has been infected with the virus or not, i.e. to detect the presence of immune system antibodies against the virus. Azerbaijan intends to buy these tests. As a result, the number of infected people will become known," said Harmanci. She noted that before developing a vaccine against coronavirus, other issues such as compliance with certain rules to prevent the spread of infection must also be taken into account. It was noted at the briefing that the second phase of the REACT-C19 project, which aims to strengthen basic skills related to measures to combat coronavirus COVID-19 in hospitals in Azerbaijan, has been completed. The delegation of REACT-C19 worked in four hospitals in Baku, and also visited hospitals in Ganja, Agdash, Goranboy and Shamkir, prepared an activity plan and gave recommendations. Over 400 medical specialists took part in the trainings during the period. Furthermore, Harmanci emphasized that more than 100 types of work related to the coronavirus vaccine are being carried out and already 8 vaccines have begun to be tested on humans. "We hope that one or two of them will be used by the end of this year," she pointed. Harmanci stressed that although with the easing of the quarantine regime, the number of affected people is increasing, this cannot be called a second wave of the pandemic. The REACT-C19 project has been launched upon the initiative of the World Health Organization, with support from the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, TABIB, and the Ministry of Health, in a bid to strengthen basic skills related to measures to combat coronavirus COVID-19 in hospitals in Azerbaijani regions. The project involves 19 Azerbaijani doctors working in Turkey. As of May 22, Azerbaijan has registered 3.749 COVID-19 cases and 44 coronavirus-related deaths so far. The total number of recovered patients is 2.340. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Wind Creek Hospitality, owner/operator of the casino property in Bethlehem, is furloughing 2,100 employees as it remains closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Jay Dorris, president and CEO of the Wind Creek Bethlehem parent company, said Friday another 400 employees are being retained once the furloughs begin June 1. Wind Creek will continue to pay for furloughed employees benefits, and they will be eligible for unemployment compensation during the time theyre unpaid. They remain employed and thats been critical to us, Dorris told lehighvalleylive.com. "We want to keep our team intact. Pennsylvanias 12 casinos were ordered shuttered under Gov. Tom Wolfs order March 19 affecting non-life-sustaining businesses. All had already closed by March 17; Wind Creek voluntarily closed its doors at 6 a.m. March 15. The Bethlehem propertys drop in revenue for the March days it was open represented the steepest losses statewide, compared to March 2019. Wind Creek still paid the city of Bethlehem its $2.5 million host fee payment due last month, foregoing a state offer for casinos to defer their first quarter payments because of the shutdown. State casino regulators this week unveiled a 10-page document outlining protocols for casinos to reopen, which cant happen until counties transition to the green phase of Wolfs three-tiered plan to restart the economy. The Lehigh Valley remains in the most restricted red phase, but is expected to transition to the initial, yellow phase of reopening June 5, Wolf said Friday. Getting to the green phase requires maintaining new case counts outlined in the yellow phase for 14 days. Our focus is going to be on how we can present a plan that the government officials and public health officials in the commonwealth will find acceptable, Dorris said. The division of the Alabama-based Poarch Band of Creek Indians plans to reopen its Alabama casinos very soon, Dorris said, and is working with both a pulmonologist and epidemiologist in crafting plans to protect patrons and employees. "We're being very conservative," Dorris said. "We want our customers to know when they come back, we've taken every possible step we can to mitigate the risk of catching COVID-19. And we also want to get back to having fund and providing an escape. "And that plan, we believe, the public health officials will look at very favorably." Wind Creek Bethlehem in April lost a tables game supervisor to the coronavirus illness. Jonathan Jonny Shen was 31 and lived in Bethlehem. Dorris said hes aware of about 50 to 60 employees who have taken leaves of absence related to COVID-19, either because they were infected or were taking care of others who had fallen ill. "It's so random," he said of the disease's impact. "For most folks, it's pretty benign, but if you're not one of those folks that it's benign, it can be brutal. It's awful." Kevin O'Toole, executive director of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, said Wednesday the new operational requirements laid out for casinos are based on best-practices guidelines, along with various plans authored by gaming companies operating in Pennsylvania. While these guidelines for casino operations will be subject to amendment as we move closer to a time of reopening, we believe this plan will be effective in mitigating and reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for all employees, patrons and other guests, OToole said in a news release. Wind Creek Hospitality bought the Bethlehem property from Las Vegas Sands Corp. last June for $1.4 billion and celebrated its grand opening Oct. 10. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Jamal Khashoggi's son says family forgives killers Iran Press TV Friday, 22 May 2020 7:34 AM Salah Khashoggi, son of the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has announced in a tweet that his family has decided to forgive their father's killers. "In this blessed night of the blessed month (of Ramadan) we remember God's saying: If a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah," the tweet read. "Therefore, we the sons of the Martyr Jamal Khashoggi announce that we pardon those who killed our father, seeking reward God almighty," he continued. Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who had become a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed and his body dismembered by a Saudi hit squad after being lured into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Some Western governments, as well as the CIA, accused bin Salman of ordering the killing, an accusation that was initially rejected by Saudi officials. A year after the murder the crown prince accepted responsibility, saying "it happened under my watch." While 31 were suspects linked to the killing, only 11 were put on trial in the capital city of Riyadh behind closed doors. Based on the court ruling five people were sentenced to death, three to jail and the remaining three were exonerated. The United Nations and rights groups condemned the trials as they failed to convict the masterminds behind the brutal killing. However, Salah Khashoggi said of the verdict that "it has been fair to us and that justice has been achieved." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address With industrial and construction work resuming in Jalanadhar, most migrant labourers, who had applied to return to their home states, are refusing to board the Shramik Express in favour of staying back and working. Around 2 lakh migrants had registered on the Jalandhar administrations website, including 1 lakh people from Uttar Pradesh, 75,000 from Bihar, besides those from Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Visakhapatnam, to return home aboard the shramik special trains during the lockdown. So far, 80, 000 migrants have left the city in 65 trains. The state government has reportedly spent around Rs 4.37 crore on facilitating their return. Deputy commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said, Around 50% migrants no longer want to return home, they want to stay back and work. Thus, we had to suspend a number of trains scheduled for UP. Of the 1 lakh migrants registered to return to UP, 48,000 have left the city. Now, only trains for Bihar are running from Jalandhar. The last train to Jharkhand will departure on Sunday, he said. The DC said the Bihar administration had delayed initiation of the train service and so far only 15, 000 migrants had left. The administration expects around 20,000 migrant workers will board the train of the 75,000 who had registered online. EMPLOYERS OFFER INCENTIVES Sham, a worker from UP, who is staying at a quarantine facility at the Radha Saomi centre in Jalandhar, said that he and a relative decided not to return home as their former employer had offered them better wages. Our families are worried for us, which is why we wanted to leave but our situation may worsen there. We may not get employment and be able to support our families should we return home, said a worker, Vijay Kumar. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended in India since 25 March when the Modi government imposed a lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic. New Delhi: India will try to restart a good percentage of international passenger flights before August, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday said, three days after announcing resumption of domestic flights from 25 May. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, few states have questioned the necessity to restart domestic services from Monday, he admitted, adding that some hesitation was expected even as the Centre has been trying to meet their concerns. The minister, while addressing a Facebook Live session, clarified again that Aarogya Setu app is not mandatory for air passengers and they can instead give a self-declaration form. Puri said during the session, "I can't put a date on it (restarting international flights). But if somebody says can it be done by August or September? My response is why not earlier depending on what is the situation." Follow LIVE Updates on Coronavirus Outbreak here When asked about the minister's announcement on resuming international services, Vistara said it will await instructions and guidelines from the Civil Aviation Ministry. Other airlines did not respond to PTI when asked about this matter. "I am fully hopeful that before August or September, we will try to start a good percentage of international civil aviation operations, if not complete international operations," he said. "We must have a more ambitious goal (regarding international flights). Why not start them by mid-June or June-end or in July," he added. All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended in India since 25 March when the Modi government imposed a lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The minister said that the Vande Bharat Mission, which began on 7 May, would be able to bring a total 50,000 Indians, who have been stranded abroad, home by the end of this month. Between 7 May and 21 May, around 23,000 Indians have been repatriated through flights operated by Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express under this mission. Passengers have to pay money to book a seat on any repatriation flight being operated under the Vande Bharat Mission. The minister said if some passengers do not have smartphones, it is not as if they will not be allowed to travel for they do not have Aarogya Setu app. "We have said it is an advisory, it is preferable...If you do not have Aarogya Setu app, you can give a self-declaration form," he stated. Incase a passenger does not have the app, he or she can get tested for the virus two or three days before the flight's departure, get that medical certificate, and just fill in the form that he or she is COVID-negative, Puri noted. "If you have Aarogya Setu app, and if you have got yourself tested for COVID-19 and have been found negative, and if you do not show any symptoms, then I think there is no need for quarantine," he said. With the spike in COVID-19 cases weighing heavily upon it, senior officials of the Tamil Nadu government have expressed concerns about resumption of domestic flights from 25 May. While most states are ready, Puri said few states have talked to his "senior colleagues (ministers) and questioned the necessity of restarting domestic flights so soon". The minister said during the session, "They said the Centre should delay it further by 2-3 days. So, they (ministers) asked the states to send the concerns in writing. But the states did not." "This will keep going on. When we are dealing with a situation like this, we should expect that there would be some hesitation. But it is our (Centre's) responsibility and we should make efforts to make those concerns." Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 10:53:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WELLINGTON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported no new case of COVID-19 on Saturday, said a statement of the Ministry of Health. This means New Zealand's combined total number of confirmed and probable cases stays at 1,504, of which 1,154 are confirmed, it said. New Zealand currently has 1,455 people reported as having recovered from COVID-19, taking 97 percent of all confirmed and probable cases. There is only one person receiving hospital care for COVID-19 and is not in ICU. The death toll remained at 21 in the country. The total number of tests completed to date is 255,850, an increase of 5,604. New Zealand is currently at COVID-19 Alert Level 2. The general public are urged to stay vigilant and adhere to key health measures such as good hand hygiene and social distancing. An official contact tracing mobile app was also launched on Wednesday to help identify, trace, test and isolate any cases of COVID-19. "New Zealand is in a relatively good position with regard to restricting the number of cases of COVID-19, and it's important that we keep it there," said Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield. The New Zealand government will reconsider the maximum number of people, which currently at 10, in a public and private gathering on Monday. Enditem Chip Williams does not waste time, or scraps of wood, when it comes to applying his carpentry skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. Williams, owner and operator of Chips Handyman Service, has used his time over the past six weeks to build items such as birdhouses and flower boxes, free but with one condition. The Army veteran, who is using scrap wood left from other projects to create the items, asks people to donate to the Jacksonville Food Bank in lieu of payment. The organization is close to his heart because of personal experiences dating back several years to when he was a Jacksonville Police Department officer. I started donating to it back in 88 or 89 when I was with the police department, Williams said. I saw, first hand, the starving people especially the kids here in town. Williams and his son, who was a Cub Scout at the time, took part in a food drive. I got the police department all together and I got a whole pick-up truck of food people had no idea there were starving kids, he said. Since then, Williams does what he can to make sure kids dont go hungry. As the state started shutting down mid-March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams was quick to realize that kids being out of school and adults, would be suffering without food. Normal weekends, Im going to poke around, ride my bike or watch my grandsons play baseball or my granddaughters play soccer, Williams said. Well, thats out (because of the pandemic shutdown), so I got all this free time. I still had a bunch of wood scraps left over from this past winter, so I built about 30 birdhouses the first weekend. Prior to the pandemic, Williams would make small gifts out of scrap wood for his customers kids. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he hit on the idea of asking for food donations instead. So far, Williams has built 52 birdhouses during the past six weeks and, as long as he has the materials, he doesnt plan on stopping. As long as I have the wood, he said. Each birdhouse takes him about 20 minutes. In addition to birdhouses, Williams also builds flower boxes, small rocking chairs, wind chimes and emblems. Depending on what project he is working on dictates what scraps he uses, Williams said, adding that decking scraps are perfect for flower boxes. Williams loves to ride his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and frequently does so as part of various charity rides, but hes always looking to donate to a cause, including the Marine Corps League. I make four or five Harley-inspired projects that they auction off, he said of the Marine Corps Leagues charity events. Toys for Tots also is dear to Williams heart. Kids should not go without gifts during Christmas, he said. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said the state would be able to survive any other crisis after COVID-19 as it was in the forefront of developing innovative wasy to fight the pandemic. Kerala is in the forefront of developing innovative ways to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and will be able to overcome any crisis which might come. Most of the cases currently being reported in Kerala have come from outside the state. We must not alienate them. This land belongs to them too, Vijayan said, speaking at the first edition of #AskTheCM organized by Twitter India. He was responding to queries on the return of Keralites from abroad, their employment issues, upcoming monsoon and climate change,chances of a natural disaster and preparedness of the state to deal with it, the agriculture sector, the prerequisites of the lockdown relaxations, among others. Warangal: Mystery shrouded the death of nine people, including six of a family, whose bodies were found in a well, five of them on Friday, near here in Telangana. A day after a 48-year old man, a worker of a gunny bag stitching unit, and three other members of his family were found dead in the well at Gorrekunta village, on the city outskirts, five more bodies, including that of his two sons, were recovered on Friday, police said. The bodies of six members of the family, a friend and two other men were retrieved from the well, Warangal Police Commissioner V Ravinder told P T I. Bodies of the head of the family, wife, daughter and three-year-old grandson were found floating and fished out on Thursday. On Friday morning, some bodies were seen floating following which police pumped out the water from the well and found others. State Panchayati Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, who visited the hospital where the bodies have been kept, said a thorough probe was on into the incident and necessary action would be taken after the facts emerged. Though police, citing the preliminary investigation, had earlier said they suspected it to be a case of suicide, after the recovery of other bodies, they said there were no external injuries in all the nine and the cause of death would be known only after post-mortem. In the absence of visible injuries, police hope to proceed further after the cause of death is known in the post- mortem report. The head of the family had asked his friend, who works elsewhere, to come to the gunny bag unit saying there was more work. Two men from Bihar, who also work there, stay at the same place, sources said. A case under Section 174 of CrPC (police to enquire and report on suicide, etc) has been registered and it would be altered, if need be, as per further investigation, they said. The Minister expressed anguish over the incident and said the government would organise the funeral of the deceased at its cost at Warangal if the families of the deceased so desired or make arrangements to send the bodies to their native villages. The 48-year old man had migrated from West Bengal over 20 years ago and had settled down here. His family had been staying in two rooms on the premises of the unit, police sources said. Missing Ohio teen Madison Bell, 18, has phoned police to say she is safe after disappearing on Sunday, according to police. Madison was reported missing around 11.20am on Sunday May 17 after she left her home to visit a tanning salon a few hours before her high school graduation ceremony. Her car was later found abandoned in a church parking lot, unlocked with her cell phone and keys still inside, sparking immediate suspicion of foul play. However, the Highland County Sheriff's Office now says that Madison has been in contact to confirm that she is safe and left of her own free will, but does not want her location disclosed. Police say no arrests will be made in the case. Missing Ohio teen Madison Bell, 18, has been found safe after disappearing on Sunday Madison's family was certain that she would not leave on her own just hours before graduation, but it now appears that she left willingly and did not want her family to find her The teen's disappearance generated tremendous community concern, and a $15,000 reward had been posted for information leading to her return. Madison's family released a statement saying: 'We ask that the public and media respect our privacy during this difficult time while we are emotionally raw.' 'We are just relieved to know Maddie is alive and not in physical danger.' The family thanked all of the agencies that joined in the massive search for the teen, as well as the community for rallying around them during the trying ordeal. 'Every single effort to find Maddie has touched us and we appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts,' the statement added. The mysterious case quickly attracted national attention, with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine pleading for the teen's safe return, and the FBI joining the investigation. The teen disappeared just two days after tanning businesses had reopened in Ohio following coronavirus lockdowns. When Madison, known to her family and friends as 'Maddie,' did not return home from the tanning salon after about an hour, her mother started texting and calling her, but received no response. Madison's mother, Melissa Bell (left), and the teen's long-term boyfriend, Cody Mann (right), made emotional pleas for her safe return during the week she was missing Madison (pictured left with her live-in boyfriend) was set to graduate on Sunday afternoon. Her mother said she would not have missed it Bell is pictured above in a Facebook photo. Madison's family had released a statement saying: 'We ask that the public and media respect our privacy during this difficult time while we are emotionally raw' Mother Melissa Bell insisted her daughter would never leave her family and friends, especially during graduation week. 'She would always contact me even if she was going to be five minutes late,' the distraught mother said after she disappeared. Concerned that Madison may have gotten into a car accident, her mother and longtime boyfriend drove together to the Good Shepherd Church parking lot near the Corner Market tanning salon, where they found her car. 'The windows are up, we open the door, her phone is laying in it, her keys in the ignition, the change is in the container she had. The car was left unlocked,' the mother recounted to WHIO. 'She would never leave her car unlocked, she would never leave her phone in there.' Bell's car was found abandoned with the keys still in the ignition in the parking lot of the Good Shepherd Church in Highland County (pictured) Bell said she tried to unlock Madison's phone but was unable to and handed it over to law enforcement. Cody Mann, Madison's boyfriend of five years, broke down in tears pleading for her safe return during an interview with WXIX-TV on Tuesday. 'Shes the most loving girl Ive ever seen in my life. I mean, I cant even explain it... I just want her to come home,' he said through sobs. 'Ill see you when you get back is the last thing I got to say', he added. This man, spotted near the area where Madison's car was found, had been sought, but it is unclear whether he has any connection with the case More than 300 volunteers came out to search for Madison on Sunday and Monday, spending thousands of man-hours scouring trails and woods, and distributing flyers. On Thursday, police released images of a man and a car with California plates sought in connection with the case, saying the man was spotted in the parking lot where Madison's car was found. A church worker told police the white four-door vehicle they saw in the lot stood out as there were no services due to COVID-19. They said a white male stood near the vehicle, which they believed to have California license plates. An image released by police was taken at a nearby business. After Madison was confirmed safe, it was not clear whether the man had any connection with her decision to leave her family without informing them. C Shivakumar By Express News Service CHENNAI: Will air service finally resume in Chennai on May 25? The Chennai airport authorities had scheduled a press briefing on Friday evening, to tell the world that they are prepared to resume operations following the lockdown. However, the event was cancelled without any reason being given. While the State has refused permission for the resumption of operations till May 31, officials are waiting to hear from the aviation ministry. According to official sources, the state has written to the centre not to allow the resumption of flights services from Chennai as they fear lot of people will bring the virus to the city. However, it is up to the Centre to take a call, said official sources. Chennai Airport Director Suneel Dutt told Express that state government has taken up the issue with the Centre. However, as far as the Airport Authority is concerned, service will resume from May 25, he added. Meanwhile, sources in the state government said if the Centre wants to resume operation then there may be staggard operations. While the Chennai airport plans to bring in touch-free flying experience for passengers. R Ramanathan, a former all India general secretary, Air Corporation Employees Union, Mumbai, told Express that leaving one seat empty wont be viable for operators but suggested that testing at landing should be made mandatory. Dr Rajesh Gupta, additional director, Pulmonology and Critical Care in Fortis Hospital, told Express that although social distancing in aircraft is recommended but lack of it wont prove a major risk. He stressed on the need for the surface in the aircraft need to be cleaned and air filters maintained properly. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 18:12:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Wang Jiangang UNITED NATIONS, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China has done "tremendous" work in the global fight against the pandemic, and made a "significant contribution to global poverty eradication," a senior United Nations (UN) official told Xinhua in an interview on Friday. "Despite its own challenging situation, China has also provided support to over 150 countries and multilateral organizations through making available financial resources and dispatching technical expertise, as well as providing personal protective equipment, medical equipment and procurement and logistics assistance," said Jorge Chediek, the UN secretary general's envoy on South-South Cooperation. Chediek, who is also director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), also highly commended China's concrete measures pledged at the World Health Assembly to boost the global fight against COVID-19, such as providing international aid. "This is a demonstration of strong solidarity with the international community and true global leadership," said Chediek. Speaking of China's success in eradicating poverty, the UNOSSC director said China has demonstrated to the world that the first goal of "No Poverty" among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is attainable. China, as a country with 1.4 billion people, "has made impressive achievements in the fight against poverty," and has provided the world, especially the Global South, with an example of how economic and social policies have managed to lift millions of people out of poverty, said Chediek. "The targeted poverty reduction policy implemented by the Chinese government and focused support to areas of extreme poverty have proved to be effective in eliminating poverty, which also reflects the commitment and indicator of 'leaving no one behind,' as UN calls for, in its achievement of SDGs," he said. The UNOSSC director said his office has been working with China to support the eradication of poverty through effective and concrete South-South cooperation initiatives. Among them, the South-South Cooperation Facility for Poverty Eradication is a prominent example. The facility is supported by the Chinese government and aims to provide an enabling environment for China and other countries from the Global South to share their solutions, publicize their demands, and connect to foster South-South cooperation and Triangular cooperation opportunities on poverty eradication, he said. Commenting on the Government Work Report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, the national legislature, in Beijing on Friday morning, Chediek said that in recent years, China, as one of global emerging economies, has played an increasingly important role in both promoting global governance, and helping set up new multilateral institutions such as the New Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Noting that South-South cooperation has evolved "considerably" along with the establishment of the BRI, Chediek said the initiative also provides strategic opportunities and resources for the achievement of the SDGs, and contributes to involving participants at both national and sub-national levels. Since no single country or initiative could address all challenges, Chediek called for broader and enhanced international cooperation and solidarity. "In response to global challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, which not only include a public health crisis, but also an economic recession and challenges to human development progress, an open and solid international development community, based on mutual beneficial cooperation, is of strategical importance," he said. Enditem A corona positive woman died at Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences(SKIMS) in Srinagar on Saturday, taking the death toll due to the disease in the Union Territory to 21. Eighty fresh cases were tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, taking the UTs count to 1,569. First case was reported in J&K on March 9. Officials said that a 55-year-old woman, a resident of Botengo Anantnag, who was admitted in SKIMS on May 6, died in the morning. She had come in a critical condition with sepsis and multiple organ failure. We tested her for Covid-19 and she turned out positive for the virus. She was on ventilator and lost her life on Saturday, said medical superintendent of SKIMS, Farooq Jan. So far 21 persons 19 in Kashmir division and two in Jammu division have died in J&K due to the disease. Officials said that of the 80 new positive cases, 59 were reported in Kashmir division, while 21 were tested positive in Jammu division. In J&K, 80 new positive cases have been reported since our update yesterday (Friday), a government statement said. In the 10 districts of Kashmir division, fresh cases were reported in Anantnag, Kulgam, Srinagar, Bandipora, Baramulla,Kupwara and Pulwama districts, taking the count in the division to 1,330. A jump of 36 cases was recorded in Kupwara district, while there were single digit jump in other districts of the Valley. Of the fresh cases in Kashmir, 14 tested positive from the 620 samples tested at CD Hospital, said nodal officer Covid, government medical college, Srinagar, Dr Salim Khan. Among todays positive cases, a doctor, who is a resident of Habak in Srinagar but posted in Bandipora, tested positive for the virus, he said. In Jammu division, the cases were recorded in jammu, Kathua, Ramban, Kishtwar and Poonch districts, taking the tally to 239 there. 54 more patients recovered and were discharged from different hospitals, two from Jammu and 52 from Kashmir, the official statement read. In Srinagar, 21 persons were discharged from Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital, bringing down the active cases to just above 50. Good things take time. Srinagars 21 COVID +ve persons discharged after recovery at JLNM Hospital. Commendable efforts of docs & strength of patients. We now have 50 active cases. Efforts to #BreakTheChain will pay dividends, tweeted deputy commissioner, Srinagar, Shahid Choudhary. So far 774 out of the total 1569 cases have recovered from the disease, which means a recovery rate of 49 per cent. Of the recovered , 702 are from Kashmir and 72 from Jammu division. At present, active cases in Kashmir stand at 609 and 165 in Jammu. Till date, 1.30 lakh people in contact with suspected cases have been put under surveillance 32,056 in home quarantine, 74 in hospital quarantine and 26,686 under home surveillance. Besides, 70,586 people have completed their 28-day surveillance period. 3 fresh cases in Ladakh Three new Covid-19 positive cases were detected in Ladakh on Saturday, taking the tally to 49. Officials said that all three patients were residents of Kargil, had travel history and were in institutional quarantine. Two Iran returnee ( residents of Kargil ) under Institutional Quarantine at #kargil have tested #COVID19 Positive. One Student who returned from Jammu ( resident of Kargil ) tested #covid19 Positve. The student was in institutional quarantine. Now shifted to Covid Hospital, tweeted commissioner secretary,health and medical education,Ladakh, Rigzin Samphel. Total active cases in UT are six, five in Kargil and one in Leh. Family of Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi Pardons Murderers of Their Father Sputnik News 01:07 GMT 22.05.2020(updated 01:10 GMT 22.05.2020) The Saudi journalist was murdered inside the embassy of his own country in Istanbul in October 2018. A Saudi court sentenced five suspects to death and jailed another three for a total of 24 years. The family of the late Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, has pardoned the killers of their father on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, which is approaching its end on Saturday, Salah Khashoggi, son of the journalist, announced on Friday. "In this blessed night of the blessed month (of Ramadan) we remember God's saying: If a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah," Salah tweeted in the early hours of Friday morning. "Therefore we the sons of the Martyr's Jamal Khashoggi announce pardoning those who killed our father, seeking reward God almighty". Khashoggi, a Riyadh insider and columnist for the Washington Post, went missing October 2018 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Riyadh initially denied knowledge of the journalist's whereabouts but investigation later revealed that he was murdered and dismembered while inside the embassy. In December 2019, a Saudi court sentenced five suspects in Khashoggi's murder to death, and jailed another three for a total of 24 years. In late March, the Turkish office of the Chief Public Prosecutor, following lengthy investigation, charged 20 Saudi citizens in absentia for the premeditated murder of the Saudi journalist, including former deputy head of Saudi Arabia's intelligence services, Ahmed al-Asiri, and former royal adviser Saud al-Qahtani. Istanbul authorities charged the two former officials with incitement of first degree murder, and demanded life sentences for the other 18 alleged participants of the crime. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced his "total commitment" to rejecting anti-Muslim bigotry, hate and all forms of intolerance, urging all to draw from Ramzan the lessons of compassion, mutual respect and solidarity. Guterres, in his remarks on Friday to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states on "COVID-19 Solidarity: Promoting Co-Existence and Shared Responsibility", called for solidarity in speaking out against the rise in ethno-nationalism, stigma and hate speech targeting vulnerable communities and exacerbating suffering. "Now more than ever, solidarity and unity must be our leading principles... We also need solidarity in speaking out against the rise in ethno-nationalism, stigma and hate speech targeting vulnerable communities and exacerbating suffering. "You have my total commitment to actively challenge inaccurate and harmful messages, promote non-violence and reject anti-Muslim bigotry, hate and all forms of intolerance," he said. With millions around the world observing Eid in the shadow of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, Guterres said that the pandemic has demonstrated the world's inter-connections, inter-dependence and also "our fragility. Our world is like one body. As long as one part is affected by this virus, we all are affected". The UN chief said that as "millions of Muslims around the world celebrate, let us draw from the many Ramzan lessons of mercy and compassion, of dignity and rights, of mutual respect and understanding, of unity and solidarity". As the world faces a humanitarian and economic crisis due to the pandemic, Guterres underlined the need for solidarity for a large-scale, coordinated and comprehensive health response, guided by the World Health Organization (WHO), with a focus on developing countries, pooling efforts for those at greatest risk, and strengthening health systems as well as humanitarian response. "Solidarity in tackling the devastating social and economic dimensions of the crisis keeping households afloat and businesses solvent. And prioritising the most affected: women, older people, children, low-wage earners and other vulnerable groups. "Solidarity for peace. And I thank so many of you for supporting my appeal for a global ceasefire to focus on the fight against the virus," he said. The UN chief also expressed his gratitude to governments and people throughout the Muslim world who live by their faith, supporting those fleeing conflict in the best Islamic tradition of "hospitality and generosity a remarkable lesson in this world where so many doors have been closed to those in need of protection, even before COVID-19". The OIC, an international organisation comprising 57 member states, states that it is "the collective voice of the Muslim world" and works to "safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Torrey Rowe became hooked on police work and forensics through watching the TV show "CSI" back in the early 2000s. But after signing up for a mentorship program with the Oklahoma City Police Department during her senior year of high school, she realized the profession was much different in real life. I did some real ride-alongs with the crime scene unit with Oklahoma City and it just made me fall in love with the profession and the field even more, she told ABC News. I was on tunnel vision for law enforcement from there on out. Rowe, now 34-years-old, has been a police officer for over seven years with the Edmond Police Department in Oklahoma, where she is also a patrol technical investigator. In that role, she assists with taking fingerprints, capturing photos and collecting evidence. She works the overnight shift, sleeping during the day and working all night until 7 a.m. Some of my friends think I'm crazy because they're like, 'How do you sleep during the day? How do you work all night?'" Rowe said. "But for right now, for me, it's worked for years. As the coronavirus pandemic spread through the country, Rowe has had to adapt her work as a police officer to new limitations and challenges. MORE: No days off for police departments during coronavirus outbreak Rowe stopped conducting minor traffic stops. She's focusing only on policing threats to society and major crimes as well as responding to calls for service. This has resulted in some misconceptions in Edmond. She said a couple of people who were recently pulled over for a DUI had been confused because they thought police were only pursuing felony charges. Obviously, DUI is a threat to public and society so ... they were just mistaken on that and I think that that kind of got around, she said. PHOTO: Torrey Rowe is a member of the Oklahoma City Police Department. (Torrey Rowe) Since the coronavirus spread, Rowe has seen an increase in intoxicating substance calls. She said Edmond has had about five overdoses involving heroin laced with fentanyl, one of which was fatal. Story continues That's a huge problem in Oklahoma right now, currently, not just in Edmond, Rowe said. There's actually two young men that died a couple days ago from pills that look like oxycodone that are actually fentanyl and we have our Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics that are investigating that right now. Rowe said the crisis is affecting everyone, even children, who are used to being able to hang out with their friends. She recently responded to a call where a 7-year-old was going through a difficult time. We just had to sit there and explain to him ... these are the times now. This is weird for all of us. Weird for adults, weird for kids, she said. MORE: Violent crime down in many big cities amid coronavirus lockdown, police say In audio diaries she recorded, Rowe leads ABC News through her experiences as a police officer and how she has seen the effects of the coronavirus, COVID-19, in her community. Her personal story can be heard in this weeks episode of the ABC News podcast The Essentials: Inside the Curve. Before the pandemic, Rowe was looking forward to a number of events that have since been canceled. An avid music lover, she was also looking forward to attending a concert in March for the rock band KISS. I know it sounds crazy, but I went last year with my mom and we had a total blast and she wanted to go again this year, she said. So I'm like, 'Hey, if mom wants to go and deck out her face with the face paint, I'll do what mom wants to do.' Rowe also enjoys running and was planning to complete an annual relay run with her colleagues for the Special Olympics opening ceremony in Oklahoma. PHOTO: Torrey Rowe was planning to complete an annual relay run with her colleagues for the Special Olympics opening ceremony in Oklahoma. (Jenny Wagnon Courts/ABC) Her last photo from a time when she said life felt normal before the pandemic shows her and three of her friends covered in mud after completing a mud run. It was a really nice day, she said. That was before runs and everything started shutting down. Torrey Rowe said this is the last photo she has from a time when she said life felt normal before the pandemic. (Torrey Rowe) MORE: Police implement sweeping policy changes to prepare for coronavirus spread As Oklahoma has started to ease stay-at-home restrictions and businesses have started to reopen, Rowe has seen an increase in calls. Lots of people that are fighting, cooped up in [their] home and not getting along with each other... Lots of different types of drugs going on, she said. It's just kind of been just crazy, crazy, crazy times right now. Despite the challenges of the current situation, Rowe is thankful for the support she has seen from members of the community, who have donated products such as hand sanitizer and masks. It's been pretty amazing, even just if they're dropping off goodies because they know that we're dealing with a bunch of craziness right now, she said. Our community is ... amazing. ABC News' Jenny Wagnon Courts contributed to this report Substance abuse, kids with cabin fever: Police officer on new challenges amid COVID-19 originally appeared on abcnews.go.com President Donald Trump has announced his pick for the Lehigh Valleys representative in Congress. Lisa Scheller and Dean Browning, both former Lehigh County commissioners, are facing off in the Republican primary election June 2 to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Susan Wild in the November general election. Wild is a first-term Democrat representing Pennsylvanias 7th Congressional District, which covers Lehigh, Northampton and southern Monroe counties. On Friday night, the Republican president tweeted his endorsement of Scheller as part of a wave of 2020 race pick announcements, and linked to a website for donations to her campaign. Lisa Scheller (@SchellerforPA) will fight for the incredible people of Pennsylvania in Congress! She strongly supports our Military, Vets, Small Businesses and the Second Amendment. Lisa has my Complete and Total Endorsement! #PA07https://t.co/VMYjdtKMPg Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 22, 2020 Im honored to have the support of President Trump in my bid to defeat liberal Susan Wild in this year's election," Scheller said in a statement sent out by her campaign. "President Trump needs an ally in Washington who knows how to run a business and can help get the economy roaring back from this current crisis." Scheller, of Allentown, took control of her family-owned company, Silberline Manufacturing, after the death of her brother in 1998. The company makes aluminum-based pigments for the automotive and other industries. Browning, of South Whitehall Township, is retired from a career as an executive with Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of the Lehigh Valley, Harvel Plastics and New World Aviation. A third GOP candidate, Matt Connolly, has dropped out of the race. Wild, an attorney who also lives in South Whitehall, does not face a challenger in the Democratic primary as she seeks a second two-year term. The Lehigh Valley is the third-most populous region of Pennsylvania, considered a swing state in the 2020 general election. Trump visited the region May 14, for a tour of an Upper Macungie Township manufacturer of personal protective equipment. He is seeking a second term against presumptive Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Gottschall, however, said there was evidence that the U.S. Bureau of Prisons has struggled to contain the spread of the virus inside its facilities. She also said she believed Lewellen has been rehabilitated since his arrest in Las Vegas a decade ago, and took the government to task for what she said was an overstatement of his crimes. 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 Malta has rescued a group of 140 migrants from a sinking dinghy, but refused to bring them to land, holding them instead on a chartered tourist harbour cruise boat just outside the countrys territorial waters. The rescue was conducted by a Maltese patrol boat in the early hours of Friday after the dinghy drifted into Maltas search and rescue region. The migrants were transferred to the tourist boat on Friday afternoon. They join counterparts on another two tourist boats chartered for the same purpose by the government just over two weeks ago and holding another 160 migrants. The government has insisted it will not allow any migrants to land in Malta, saying other European Union nations have not kept promises to take migrants already brought to the island. Prime Minister Robert Abela has also told the EU that once Maltas airport and harbours have been closed to tourists, they will not be open to migrants. The government confirmed on Friday, however, that a group of 19 including children, their parents and pregnant women who had been among the newly rescued migrants have been brought to Malta for humanitarian reasons. Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo in a statement on Thursday said Maltas migration centres are holding twice the number of people they were designed for, and Malta was at the mercy of people smugglers. We want to protect the rights of people seeking protection, but we can only do so much. We are being left alone. Words of sympathy are not enough; we need practical help, he said referring to the EU. Only eight percent of migrant arrivals had been distributed to the EU over the years, he said. Of 1,500 this year, only France and Portugal had pledged to take migrants, just 36. Malta, he said, was protecting an EU external border, but we cannot become [the] European Unions crisis centre. Bartolo warned that the situation in Libya was worsening and the migration problem, therefore, was likely to also worsen over the coming months. On May 8, Malta pressed its demand for EU migration action by warning that it would vote to freeze financing for a naval mission monitoring arms traffic into Libya. It also told the EU that it would no longer commit a landing party to form part of the mission, known as Operation Irini. Fifteen airlines are expected to reduce their services to airports across the U.S. The Transportation Department said it is tentatively giving the OK for airlines to temporarily suspend services. The changes will not make inadequate capacity or connectivity for airlines serving an area, though, the department said. Fresh coronavirus outbreaks are testing public health networks and the resolve of planners to reopen from pandemic shutdowns. Japan has pushed ahead with relaxing its state of emergency in most regions, not including Tokyo, Osaka and a few other districts. In the Philippines, fears of spreading the virus complicated efforts to evacuate tens of thousands of people ahead of a typhoon that swept through overnight without causing major damage. There was good news from China, where the virus first appeared and where no deaths have been reported in a month. The country confirmed four new cases linked to previous ones in Jilin, in the northeast. Increasingly opening up from widespread shutdowns in February and March, China has maintained social distancing precautions and bans on foreigners entering the country. Its leaders have signalled their confidence with plans to hold the annual session of the communist-ruled countrys ceremonial legislature later this month. Elsewhere, the trends were more troubling. Mexico reported its largest one-day rise so far in coronavirus cases, with 2,409 confirmed, as health officials said the country was facing the most difficult moment in the pandemic. It was the first time in Mexico that the number of new cases has exceeded 2,000 in one day. The country has recorded 4,477 deaths. The increase in cases Thursday came just four days before key industries such as mining, construction and car assembly were due to reopen. (PA Graphics) Colombian President Ivan Duque has ordered all residents of the Amazonas Department, near the border with Brazil, to stay inside except to buy food or get medical care. Local hospitals are being overwhelmed as cases rise in a vulnerable part of the Amazon, home to many indigenous groups. The Amazon rainforest needs your help, teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg said in an online video seeking assistance for Manaus, Brazils biggest city in the vast region. Story continues According to official data, 809 people have died so far in Manaus and 9,410 have contracted the virus. But experts and people on the ground say the numbers are likely to be much higher and that people are dying at home, often buried in mass graves without having been tested and not making it into the official count. In the US, protests and debate persist over how quickly to end shutdowns. Two weeks into a reopening in Texas, where stay-at-home orders expired on May 1, single-day highs of 58 deaths and 1,458 new cases were reported on Thursday. With more restrictions due to end on Monday, including reopening gyms, confrontations were brewing between big cities trying to keep some precautions in place and state officials who want to push ahead. Mariachi musicians wear masks in Mexico City (Eduardo Verdugo/AP) In Virginia, two cities were asking governor Ralph Northam to delay the reopening planned for Friday, saying it is still too soon to ease restrictions. Kansas Democratic governor Laura Kelly hit the brakes on reopening her states economy, ordering bars and bowling alleys to stay closed through to the end of the month instead of reopening Monday. She is also keeping some coronavirus-inspired restrictions in place until near the end of June. A key factor behind the fits-and-starts reopenings is pressure on overtaxed health systems facing crushing patient loads and struggling to obtain vital supplies of masks and other protective gear. The head of a hospital system in Marylands Prince Georges County said the areas intensive care units are bursting at the seams. I would say we are the epicentre of the epicentre, said Dr Joseph Wright, interim CEO of University of Maryland Capital Region Health. He said the three emergency departments his medical system operates are steadily seeing upwards of 70 new Covid-19 confirmed and suspected patients every day. We are certainly still very much in a very busy phase of this surge, Dr Wright said. With more than 1.4 million infections and nearly 85,000 deaths, the US has the largest outbreak in the world by far, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 4.4 million and killed over 300,000. Experts say the actual numbers are probably far higher. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 17:28:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WINDHOEK, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Ten elephants considered problematic have been shot dead in northern Namibia in a move authorities say was aimed at protecting farmers and their crops. Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said on Saturday that 10 elephants that had moved into farming areas during the harvest season were culled by wildlife officials over the past month. Muyunda said officials had no choice but to shoot the animals that were marked as dangerous after causing serious incidents of Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) mainly in the northern parts of the country. Four elephants were shot by MEFT officials in the Omusati region, four in the Otjozondjupa region and two in the Kavango East region. "Normally during this season, people are terrorised by elephants. We had no choice but to be proactive," he said. Muyunda added that elephants may only be put down when there is a need for it and if no other alternative can be found. Meat from the culled animals was given to the affected communities as compensation for their crop losses. Enditem Woodburn Premium Outlets welcomed shoppers back on Saturday with new safety protocols to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, including protective masks, hand sanitizing stations and temperature testing at entrances. Visitors are also seeing signs promoting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for maintaining personal hygiene, coordinated traffic flow signs and markers to encourage social distancing. Stores, which closed March 19 to address the spread of COVID-19, have occupancy limits. Play areas and stroller rental stations remain closed. Health screenings are designed to stop employees from coming to work within 72 hours of exhibiting COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms, according to a news release. Employee are also to follow hand-washing protocols and are being offered personal protective equipment. The outdoor mall, especially high traffic areas such as dining areas, restrooms, escalators, stairs, directories, trash bins and doorknobs, is being sanitized and disinfected using CDC-approved products, according to a news release. Woodburn Premium Outlets is a significant economic generator, providing more than 800 jobs and contributing $1.3 million in property tax revenue to the state, according to outlet owner Simon Property Group. General Manager Sarahjane Cottle said in a news release that reopening the property will help people get back to work and support a national initiative to host food banks, clothing donations, COVID-19 mobile testing and blood drives. Clackamas Countys Phase 1 approval allowed the Clackamas Town Center shopping mall in Happy Valley to reopen Saturday. Shoppers have touch-free interactions and are encouraged to use hand-sanitizing stations and maintain social distancing. Surfaces receive frequent cleanings and seating at the food court complies with the Governors Order, according to the centers website. An online directory of open stores on Saturday listed Hallmark, T-Mobile, Xfinity, The Cheesecake Factory, Chipotle, California Pizza Kitchen, Noodles & Co., Panera Bread and Starbucks. The center will continue to offer curbside pick up for stores and restaurants. Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072 jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories Kara Winstead's 5-year-old daughter Alayah keeps changing her mind on what color she wants to paint her room when they move. Last week, she settled on "rainbow." Now, she's leaning toward pink and purple. "She's already making plans," Winstead says. Whenever she gets a new toy, her daughter sets it aside and says, "This is going to be for my new house, Mommy." Winstead doesn't yet have the keys to that house. Or a lease. Or even an address. But, for the 31-year-old who works as a supervisor at a bank, homeownership is more than just a dream. It's a goal - one that for the first time in her life feels attainable. A year and a half ago, she was working two jobs when a divorce and the loss of child care caused her to fall behind on her rent. Soon, an eviction notice was taped to her door, and she found herself searching online for shelters in the Washington region, fearing she and her daughter were going to end up on cots, sharing a room with strangers. Now, she has money in her savings account, a connection to an organization that helps low-income workers become homeowners and a plan that culminates with her getting her daughter that room by the end of the year. "I'm not going to cry," Winstead says when we talk. "But there is literally no way. No way I would have been able to save up money to buy a home if I hadn't come to St. Ann's." In some ways, life is continuing as normal at St. Ann's Center for Children, Youth and Families in Hyattsville, Maryland: Mothers are working, studying and participating in programs aimed at helping them leave more self-sufficient than when they arrived. Children are learning, playing and thriving in ways other circumstances might not have allowed. But the center, which offers temporary housing, career counseling and life-skill classes to single mothers, has not gone unshaken by the coronavirus pandemic. It has been forced to shift some of its services online, close a child-care center that connected the community with residents and figure out how to instill stability in the lives of single mothers, even as it loses some of its own. This month, the center was supposed to hold a fundraising gala to celebrate its 160th year in the region. A committee had been meeting since last summer to plan the event. They had booked a venue, settled on a menu and sent save-the-dates to a guest list of about 300 people. Now, the fundraiser has been postponed, leaving the center's staff to put together a budget for this coming year not knowing how much funding it will receive. They also don't know when it will feel safe again to start accepting new families and whether, when those families arrive, the staff will be able to offer a hug or hold a hand. "Or wipe a nose of a child," says Sister Mary Bader, the chief executive for the center. She lives among the women and children in the two-building complex, and before the need for social distancing, she could scoop a baby into her arms or let a toddler climb onto her lap. She worries about that loss of touch. "It might sound odd to say this, but I really think it's going to be a huge challenge to us," Bader says. Much of the work the staff does involves helping women and children heal from traumas, and that is difficult to do through a mask, a pair of gloves or a screen. "It's certainly going to change the way we do things," she says. "Our whole means of interacting and relating to people will be different for a while." The Washington region is home to countless local and national nonprofits, and before the spread of the novel coronavirus was even declared a pandemic, some were bracing for what was coming. In the past few months - as the economic and public health impacts of the virus have become clearer - many of the region's nonprofits have had to adjust, rethink and revise how they serve people. And they've had to do that while figuring out how to maintain their own footing because the only certainty in this uncertain time is that more people will need to lean on them. More than 1.4 million in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia have filed for unemployment benefits in the past 10 weeks, and those job losses have occurred to residents in poor and wealthy communities, such as Sterling, Virginia, which has a six-figure median income, according to an analysis of data The Washington Post published Thursday. The numbers are similarly alarming across the nation, with more than 38 million Americans filing for unemployment in the past nine weeks. For some of the organizations holding up the Washington region's safety net, this time will bring unprecedented challenges. For St. Ann's, it will mark a new test in a timeline filled with them. To figure out how to move forward, it just has to look back. The organization was founded during a crisis, and it has reinvented itself time and again since. The theme that had been picked for this year's gala was "Our roots run deep." Those roots started growing in 1860. The organization was created to serve women and children during the Civil War, and it continued to do so through the 1918 flu pandemic, both World Wars, the Great Depression and now, a pandemic. Over the years, it has changed its name and purpose. It went from "asylum" to "orphanage" to "center," which now houses mothers and children, sometimes for years, if that's what they need to escape homelessness. "We've seen incredible success like we never have before in terms of families leaving us and going into permanent housing," Bader says. "It's nothing short of incredible how they are doing that." Right now, one of the residents is studying to become a nurse. Another is working toward getting certified to become a Montessori teacher. A pregnant woman who came to the center with a 3-year-old who has visual and learning disabilities was able to get her GED and move into her own apartment earlier this year. She was working in the center's child-care program before it closed and also earns money making wigs. Winstead says that before she found the eviction notice on her door, she was working 9 to 5 at a bank and spending three nights a week and every weekend working at Capital One Arena as a teller. But she had to cut back her hours, she says, when her ex-husband temporarily moved out of town and could no longer watch their daughter while she worked. Eventually, she couldn't afford her $1,400-a-month rent. When she came to St. Ann's, she and her daughter were given an apartment that came furnished, complete with a shelf filled with children's books. They share a kitchen, laundry room and playground with other families, but otherwise have their own space. Winstead says she used to think it was better to forget the past. Now, she realizes it is something to hold on to and learn from. "I used to say, 'I don't want her to remember any of this stuff,' " she says of her daughter. "Now, I want her to see where we were and how we are in a much more amazing place. I want her to see, 'My mommy did it, my mommy figured it out, she took care of what we had to take care of.' " When they move into their new house, she says, she wants her daughter to know that from these hard times, her mom created something better for them. When it was really warm out, I was like, Holy moly! Gilbert said. I was mowing the lawn and I had my mask on, and there were just all these people out here. As the weather gets nicer, I think more and more people are forgetting about the very real dangers of this virus. So, since we have this prominent stage, were trying to remind people even with something as simple as, you know, unicorns. While hotels across the world are struggling to keep the lights on, the cruise industry is already planning for initial trips to depart in several weeks. Amid the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, however, that will look considerably different from what regular cruisers have come to expect. Among other changes, pre-boarding health checks and masks will be in, and self-serve buffets will be out. Perhaps most notable, the first itineraries wont get you to a different country each day. Post-pandemic sailing will stay closer to homeor at least, home port. But first, given the early spread of Covid-19 among some ships passengers and crew, any line restarting cruises will have the daunting task of convincing customers that their health and safety will be sufficiently safeguarded. Looking for Normalcy in Europe In Europe, where border restrictions are starting to loosen, ocean sailings may resume with short itineraries no longer than a week, focused more on days at sea than visiting many ports. Thats according to Jens Skrede, managing director of Cruise Europe, a business-to-business network of ports and destinations. Local and national authorities have yet to sign off on such plans. Even as international flights begin to connect the EUs Schengen countries, ocean cruising remains at a standstill. Skrede predicts that Baltic and Scandinavian ports will be among the first to turn on the lights. In general, the Northern part of our region seems to have the Covid-19 situation a bit more under control, he says, adding that sailings may not reach a critical mass until 2021. The Regal Princess cruise liner in Cobh. Ocean sailings may resume with short itineraries no longer than a week. Norwegian line Hurtigruten hopes to be the exception; it seeks to open tourism in its home country by mid-June and in the Arctic before the end of summer. Step by step, the pandemic is being brought under control, said CEO Daniel Skjeldam in a prepared statement. Gradually restarting operations within Norwegian waters are natural first steps towards a normalization for us. The same is true for German line A-Rosa, which is looking to relaunch Rhine and Danube itineraries in June. Boutique line CroisiEurope may also fire up its 22-passenger barges in mid-July, focusing first in France, its home country. Says Michael DaCosta, the companys general manager for North America: As the year goes on, we will be able to open up more ships. But that depends on border restrictions, local guidelines, andof coursecustomer demand. Cleaner, Safer, Smaller Cruising The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently has a no-sail order for US waters aimed at ships carrying more than 250 passengers and crew, in effect until at least until July 24. This means that smaller, boutique ship companies will get to blaze a trail ahead of the major players. The fact that we only sail on domestic rivers has definitely provided a greater opportunity to resume our operations in a responsible, safe, and timely manner, says John Waggoner, the founder and chief executive officer of American Queen Steamboat Co., whose American Duchess carries only 166 passengers and 70 crew down the Mississippi. In announcing the companys plans to return in late June with Antebellum South itineraries, Waggoner detailed new safety protocols that include pre-boarding temperature checks, limited-capacity shore excursions, and an end to self-serve buffets. These changes are likely to be echoed by big-ship cruise companies that have yet to reveal their plans. But guests on American Queens riverboats will have an additional benefit: quick, guaranteed access to regional U.S. health-care systems. Passengers who become sick or feverish at any point during their trip will be removed from the ship and transferred to a local hospital, ensuring better medical care and minimizing risk for other passengers. Competitor American Cruise Line is also looking for a June restart on the lower Mississippi and along the Columbia and Snake rivers out westinitially operating two boats at 75% capacity with new health protocols in place, according to a spokeswoman. Those protocols include hourly sanitation rounds and the availability of full personal protective equipment, including face shields and gloves, for all passengers and crew. The company plans to sanitize all luggage before it comes on board, shift all dining away from buffets, and provide disposable covers for much-touched items such as TV remotes. Cleaning standards reflect the most improvement, industry-wide. Colorado-based Avalon Waterways, which focuses on river sailings in Europe and Asia, is eyeing a September return; its ships have taken installation of electrostatic and UV disinfection systems that will help crews sanitize public spaces hourly. In Norway, Hurtigruten, whose ships also carry cars and cargo to remote coastal communities, says the line will add hundreds of small and larger measures to keep guests and crew safe and healthyincluding reduced guest capacity, to allow for social distancing, and strict hygiene protocols. (The specifics of those measures have yet to be disclosed.) The first and only big ship company to lay out enhanced health measures thus far has been Hong Kong-based Genting Cruise Lines. In April, it announced that its Star Cruises and Dream Cruises ships, which may start sailing as soon as July, will have infrared fever screening and sanitizing fogging protocols, whereby entire rooms will be sprayed with disinfecting mists. In addition, guests aged 70 and older will be required to have a doctors certificate stating they are fit to travel. (Crystal Cruises, also part of Gentings portfolio, may set sail as soon as August, though it has made no announcements regarding health procedures.) New, Limited Routes The U.S. focus on Mississippi River trips is part of a broader trend of regionalized, limited itineraries. In Europe, expect to see tried-and-true itineraries cut down to component parts. On the Danube, for instance, trips may stop short of Bratislava and Budapest, sticking to reopened Germany and Austria. Even some ocean voyages will focus on a single country, such as Norway, where theyll spend more time at fewer ports or out at sea. Across the board, the details of where people can sail and what they'll be able to do in the process are still being ironed out. The focus on cruising in just one country isnt entirely a response to border closures, though they present ongoing challenges. (In an extreme example, the Seychelles, off Africas east coast is banning cruises until 2022.) The first players returning to sea are reckoning with sparse air connections, which means cruisers eager to hop aboard need to be close enough to drive to departure points. Its a lot like what happened immediately after 9/11, says Andrew Coggins, a cruise expert and professor of management at the Lubin School of Business at Pace University. Back then, ports of call suddenly became home ports because people were reluctant to fly. In other words, cruise companies are diversifying departure points so more consumers can board a ship without having to board a plane. Border closures present thornier issues for the industrys giants, which helps explain why the most familiar names will take longer to return. A majority of these companies ships are registered outside the U.S., which subjects them to a 100-year-old U.S. law called the Jones Act. Under those provisions, foreign-flagged ships must include at least one international port of call for every U.S.-based voyage. That means that destinations that cruisers may feel comfortable with, such as wide-open Alaska, will remain inaccessible, thanks to border closures in Canada, where such trips need to touch land. The Big Unknowns While its operations remain grounded, the worlds largest cruise brand, Carnival Cruise Line, has also been busy developing its own approach to America, planning to link three Florida and Texas home ports to any Caribbean destination its allowed to visit. But that will depend on the CDC lifting its cruising ban in Julyand Caribbean ports welcoming the vessels. Both are questionable. Thus far, Carnival and its competitors, including Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, have been mum regarding their onboard health plansor how they might handle future outbreaks. The CDC is expected to collect proposals from these companies about post-pandemic protocols before it issues new guidelines. Pace Universitys Coggins says the lines are probably watching as restaurants and movie theatres set the tone on best practices. Sit-down dining may replace buffets, and show productions may add matinees to allow for social distancing in shipboard theatres, he says. To deal with the possibility of a second wave of Covid-19 infections, they may have to set up some kind of flying [medical] squad that can be airlifted to the ship, Coggins adds. Bloomberg The coronavirus lockdown is not over and it's highly probable a second wave of the pandemic will follow. How will the world react to the extention of a lockdown which has proven more devastating on the people and the economies than the pandemic itself? The world has dealt with the crisis in an unavailing manner. The lockdown has proven that the countries have reached a level of negativity that made COVID-19 the dominant actor. I admit I don't understand the reason behind the world's surrender to the pandemic. Other diseases that have swept the world before, from the plague to the Spanish flu, which killed millions, and bird flu and swine flu only a decade ago, were treated and prevented from spreading. So why this exaggerated fear from the coronavirus when the world has reached unprecedented levels of progress? Is it a state of uncertainty and fear of the expected period for controlling the virus? Is it the social media, which amplifies everything around us and is at the very basis of spreading lies and fabrications? Why is everyone, from rich to poor, professionals to laymen, doomed in the presence of COVID-19, believing that it will turn the world upside down? Will a fundamental change truly take place in the wake of the crisis we are living in, which we have been unable to date to distinguish between the extent of its reality and the extent of its fabrication? Speculations and questions surround us, leaving us confused, baffled and unable to find valid and satisfactory answers. There is a lot of misperception about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on globalisation. Is the pandemic boosting globalisation, or is there no relationship between the two? Many writers established a link between the virus and globalisation, which developing countries not long ago described as a calamity for their economies and peoples. This was in the 1980s, when the World Trade Organisation was born after more than eight years of negotiations. Today, we find developing countries more adhering to and believing in globalisation, recognising its advantages for their economies more than developed countries. Others, including George Soros, the outspoken American-Hungarian billionaire, said one thing is certain about the post-pandemic world: there is no return to globalisation. Otherwise, everything is possible: from the United States conceding its leadership, to fighting back the Chinese giant, questioning the future of the EU, the revival of the Cold War and the emergence of a new movement along the lines of the Non-Aligned Movement, a global recession and a threat to our civilisation. The narrative of deglobalisation suits also major transnationals, which were the first to call on countries in the past to embrace globalisation. They abandoned globalisation out of the fear of risking the gains of their boards and directors, if they remain attached to countries, whose economies may collapse in the wake of the pandemic. Many would want to believe that we are facing a new approach characterised by greater patriotism and self-reliance, and the return of states to national production chains. Such speculation is closer to fiction than reality, as it is inconceivable that the transcontinental giants will cease their octopus-like moves and continuing manipulation of states. Companies that have unjustly exploited countries for hundreds of years will not give up seizing natural resources at low prices or through low-wage labour. The prevailing expectations are business as usual. There will be no deglobalisation. Those who promote a new balance that is fairer and more equitable, or find more introverted solutions to spare their countries and peoples the effects of the pandemic, are but deluding themselves. The pandemic will not lead us to the perfect world. There may be new consensus and alterations behind the power game. Industrial focal points may move from China to Mexico or to other emerging countries because of the desire to suppress China. However, the pandemic will not change anything in our world, there will be no retreat from excessive globalisation, and there will be no endeavours to establish a more just and equitable response to the South. On the contrary, Northern economies will seek excuses for not being able to help. What may change, however, is the form of cooperation at the national level between governments and the private sectors, as each on its own cannot bear the repercussions of the pandemic. The pandemic may also have effects on emerging economies, such as Egypts, and stimulate them to rely more on a competitive productive economy rather than on rents that rely predominantly on inflows of financial resources, such as remittances from workers abroad andtourism, which lose their advantage in the post-pandemic period. Nonetheless, states must be certain that the next crisis will result from the waves of human migration from countries whose economies collapsed to those that overcame the virus in Europe, or elsewhere, though their economies remain fragile. It will be the next bomb to which there is no vaccine. States will not be able to tame it and will find it difficult to accept, and inhumane to reject. Now that we are coexisting with the virus, one may ponder whether the reason behind this crisis is real or intentional, which in effect does not matter much today. Whatever the conviction, we should avoid underestimating the consequences, as hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives. Our questions, however, remain open and unanswered. Has the crisis been a weapon China raised against the US to force it to alleviate the fierce trade war against it? Alternatively, should one accuse the US of making the crisis a pretext to prove the righteousness of the "America First" strategy and putting the blame on China? Or, is the reason behind the increasing power struggle in the European Union the imbalance caused by BREXIT and the subsequent disintegration of the German-French league? Or should we believe what the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently stated that the coronavirus is not man-made? Is such a statement made in anger against President Donald Trump, who defamed the WHO president or because of the organisation's loyalty to China? Whatever the reasons behind the crisis and its increased politicisation, only history will reveal the truth. Search Keywords: Short link: Founder of the International God's Way Church, Bishop Daniel Obinim, has finally been released from police grips. Bishop Obinim was granted bail by the District Court after his arrest on the May 19, 2020; the sum of GHC 100,000 with three sureties, one to be justified. He, however, stayed in custody after failing to meet his bail conditions. He is currently receiving medical care after leaving the Police Hospital, his lawyer Ralph Poku-Adusei confirmed in an interview. "We just received information that he has left police custody. The hospital conditions were not good so he is currently with his private doctors trying to check his conditions so that he can be back to normal life." He said. Family members who spoke to the media Thursday, accused police personnel of trying to frustrate efforts to grant him bail. According to them, though they had been at the police headquarters since morning and had provided the required documents as sureties, they had been unsuccessful in executing the bail. About this, his lawyer said: "The CID came up with all manner of requirements that are needless but eventually we met all the conditions and requirements requested and eventually the bail was executed around 3pm this afternoon at the Kaneshie court and he has gone home." Bishop Obinim was charged for offence of publication of false news and forging of documents contrary to Sections 208 and 159 of the criminal and other Offences Act, 1060 (Act 29) respectively. Source: ghanaweb.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 The Irish Wildlife Trust has called on the government to uphold a controversial EU ruling protecting the freshwater pearl mussel in the River Blackwater - putting them on a direct collision course with Cork County Council. The Corkman recently revealed the main channel of the Munster Blackwater has been re-designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for the freshwater pearl mussel - two years after a similar designation was lifted by the government following the intervention of the Council. The move, which arose following a successful High Court legal challenge against the ruling, raised fears among councillors that it would effectively block major residential, commercial and agricultural developments along large stretches of the river. Cllr Gerard Murphy (FG) cited it as the reason behind the refusal of planning permission for a 95-unit housing development in Mallow, saying that it would "cause the sterilisation" of development land from the Kerry border through the heart of Duhallow and North Cork as far as Youghal, as well as at tributaries and steams flowing into river. At the behest of councillors, the authority has written to the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan requesting the 2018 ruling be put back in place. Council chief executive Tim Lucy agreed that this was a "very significant issue" for the future development of North Cork and the solution must come from Minister Madigan's department. "When you consider the extent of growth targets set for this county, it is potentially an extremely limiting factor on the future development of North Cork. For me to say that publicly is quite a stark statement, but that is the situation that presents at this point in time," Mr Lucy told councillors. "We have written to the relevant department pointing out the implications and asking them what is their proposal now to ensure the main channel is again removed from the regulations," he confirmed. However the IWT has called for the latest ruling to be upheld, claiming that the Freshwater Pearl Mussel was "among the most endangered animals in Ireland." They have insisted it was "outrageous that we should continue to be putting our efforts into weakening existing legislation at a time of biodiversity crisis and mass extinction." The Trust said the Freshwater Pearl Mussel requires very clean water to complete its life cycle, pointing out that a 2019 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report outlined that Ireland now has just 20 'pristine' water bodies left, down from 500 in the 1980s. "As a result, nearly all populations of the mussel, which can live for over 100 years, can not produce offspring. The EPA says that the greatest pressure on water quality in the River Blackwater is agriculture, followed by forestry, land drainage and urban wastewater discharges," said the IWT. Its campaigns officer, Padraic Fogarty, said too many people continue to believe it was "ok to drive a species to extinction for the sake of economic growth". "We saw in Cork County Council. It's exactly the mentality that has led to the enormous environmental problems we live with today. Councillors should instead be appalled at the chronic level of pollution and habitat degradation that exists in their county," said Mr Fogarty. "Following the High Court decision, the government and Cork County Council should energetically work towards addressing the serious water quality issues in the county and restoring the freshwater pearl mussel population," he added. Dr Jitendra Nath Pande, former head of the department of medicine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), died on Friday night with coronavirus disease (Covid-19). He was 78. His colleagues and students remember him as an encyclopaedia of medicine, pioneer of critical care in northern India, as well as a dedicated doctor and teacher. As a professor, he used to reach the wards for the morning round to check-in on all the admitted patients before his students. He would be there at 7.30am every day. We were supposed to reach the wards at 8am, check on the patients and report to him, said Dr Anoop Misra, one of his students, and now the chairman of Fortis C-DOC centre of excellence for diabetes, metabolic diseases and endocrinology. There were times when he would look at a patient and give a diagnosis in minutes, he said. Even after becoming a doctor in his own right, when Dr Misra was unsure of any treatment course or trouble with diagnosis, he consulted Dr Pande. Dr Pande was also one of the first to establish intensive care units (ICU) in northern India. It is a great loss to the entire medical fraternity. He helped set up one of the first ICUs in the country. Many of the current leading intensive care experts have trained under him, said Dr Ashok Kumar, who studied under Dr Pande as an MBBS and post-graduate student. He is currently working as director of rheumatology department at Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj. The Supreme Court referred to Dr Pandes teams study on Outdoor air pollution and emergency room visits at a hospital in Delhi in its 1997-98 judgment banning diesel buses in the Capital. Sometimes, when we asked him a question, he would reply with the exact page number and table we should refer to, Dr Kumar said. Dr GC Khilnani, former head of the department of pulmonary medicine at AIIMS, said, He was born to a family of teachers, he was my mentor and one of the greatest teachers I know. At that time, many chose to go abroad and practice medicine but he remained at AIIMS right from his graduation to superannuation. Dr Pande was still practising medicine, consulting about 50 patients a day at Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research in New Delhi. 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 Scores of parents gathered at Ajit Karm Singh International Public school (AKSIPS), Sector 45, to protest against demand for tuition fee amid the Covid-19 lockdown, on Saturday. Parents alleged that the school was charging monthly fee in the name of tuition fee, which was against the directives of the Chandigarh administration. They demanded that the school should not seek fee during the lockdown period. Parents said the amount of fee charged before and after lockdown was the same. Jasdeep Kalra, director of AKSIPS, said, We are following the directives of the court and Chandigarh administration. Some parents informed that they could not pay the fee. We asked them to submit a representation and told them that the management will take note of it. Kalra said, However, we have to pay our teachers. We have been taking online classes from day one of the lockdown. We have not forced any parent to pay the fee. We are only complying with the directives of the administration. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 20:34:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LAGOS, May 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 135 local militants have been killed and others wounded by Nigerian troops in Zamfara and Katsina states, northwest of Nigeria, a defense spokesperson said Saturday. John Enenche, the Nigerian defense spokesperson, who disclosed this in a statement sent to Xinhua, said armed bandits were killed in massive air raids by the the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji at several locations in the two states between Wednesday and Friday. The air raid was part of the renewed offensive to rid the northwest of armed bandits and other criminal elements, according to the military spokesperson. Enenche said the air strikes were undertaken sequel to credible intelligence reports as well as series of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions that led to the identification of the camps. He said the air interdiction missions were undertaken by the attack aircraft to the locations in multiple bombing runs, adding that some were executed simultaneously. Nigeria has been grappling with security challenges, with the over-a-decade insurgency of Boko Haram in the northeast, and frequent armed attacks by militants in the northwest. Nigerian troops have recently intensified efforts to calm the situation with a series of operations against the armed groups in the northwest. Enditem EDMONTON - Doctors at Alberta Health Services say people using hand sanitizer when they are out shouldn't leave it in their cars for too long because it could lead to a fire. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A man dispenses hand sanitizer in a shopping mall in the Montreal borough of Pointe-Claire, Saturday, March 14, 2020, as COVID-19 cases rise in Canada and around the world. Doctors at Alberta Health Services say people using hand sanitizer when they are out shouldn't leave it in their car for too long because it could lead to a fire. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes EDMONTON - Doctors at Alberta Health Services say people using hand sanitizer when they are out shouldn't leave it in their cars for too long because it could lead to a fire. The advice comes in a daily COVID-19 newsletter distributed to physicians, volunteers and staff by AHS president Dr. Verna Yiu and senior medical health officer Dr. Laura McDougall. They said handwashing with soap and warm water is still the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but they noted that's not always practical when outside the home or in a workplace. "As such, many people are using hand sanitizer products as an alternative to hand-washing, when they are out and about," Yiu and McDougall wrote in Thursday's newsletter. With hand sanitizer being in short supply, many breweries, distilleries and community-based companies have started making their own with high alcohol content, which they said should be between 60 and 90 per cent. Yiu and McDougall said not to store any hand sanitizer in your car for long periods of time. "With extended exposure to high temperatures, the alcohol in the hand sanitizer will eventually evaporate, causing it to lose its efficacy," they wrote. "Additionally, there is a potential fire risk to storing hand sanitizer in your car. "In extreme heat, it can ignite due to its high alcohol content." A spokesman with AHS said he doesn't know of any injuries due to hand sanitizer fires in Alberta, noting it's just a general warning from the doctors. There have, however, been cases cited in medical journals including one from 2011 of a health-care worker who was burned when she lit a cigarette after using hand sanitizer. The National Fire Protection Association in the United States also issued a warning in mid-April about the possibility, although it noted there must be an ignition source for a fire to occur. It said spontaneous combustion is highly unlikely unless a vehicle were to reach extreme temperatures. The chief fire marshal in Lethbridge, a city in southern Alberta, added his voice to the warning Friday. "While hand sanitizer is great resource to protect against the transmission of COVID-19, there is an increased fire risk," wrote Heath Wright. "Alcohol-based hand sanitizers have a very low flashpoint (temperature at which its vapours ignite if given an ignition source) due to the percentage of alcohol required in these products. "The flashpoint of hand sanitizers is approximately 20 degrees Celsius." He suggested hand sanitizers be stored in a cool, dry place. Health officials in Alberta also recommend people not ingest hand sanitizer and keep it out of the reach of children. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 22, 2020 Note to readers: This is a corrected story. Previous versions misspelled name as Yui. BERLIN (Reuters) - A Berlin church is hosting Muslims who are unable to fit into their mosque for Friday prayers because of social distancing guidelines. The Dar Assalam mosque in the Neukolln district normally welcomes hundreds of Muslims to its Friday services. But it can currently only accommodate 50 people at a time under Germany's coronavirus restrictions. During the holy fasting month of Ramadan, the nearby Martha Lutheran church stepped in to help, hosting Muslim prayers in Arabic and German. "It is a great sign and it brings joy in Ramadan and joy amid this crisis," said Mohamed Taha Sabry, the mosque's imam, who led his congregation in prayer watched over by a stained-glass window depicting the Virgin Mary. "This pandemic has made us a community. Crises bring people get together." Places of worship reopened in Germany on May 4 after being shut for weeks under a coronavirus lockdown, but worshippers must maintain a minimum distance from one another of 1.5 metres. The church, a red-brick neo-renaissance building in Berlin's Kreuzberg district could hardly offer a sharper contrast to the cultural centre in Neukoelln where the Muslim congregation is accustomed to gathering. "It was a strange feeling because of the musical instruments, the pictures," said worshipper Samer Hamdoun. "But when you look, when you forget the small details, this is the House of God in the end..." The Islamic Council, an umbrella group of 400 mosques, said in April that many face bankruptcy because the closures stretched into the holy fasting month of Ramadan, usually a vital period for donations. The church's pastor, Monika Matthias, said she had felt moved by the Muslim call to prayer. "I took part in the prayer," she said. "I gave a speech in German. And during prayer, I could only say yes, yes, yes, because we have the same concerns and we want to learn from you. And it is beautiful to feel that way about each other." (Reporting by Reuters TV, writing by Katie Stephens and Thomas Escrit; Editing by Gareth Jones) Bengaluru, May 23 : Karnataka is braced for a total lockdown on Sunday after a four-day partial relaxation of its guidelines in non-containment areas or hotspots across the southern state, an official said on Saturday. "As decided by the state government on May 18, total lockdown will be enforced on Sunday again in compliance with the May 17 order of the Ministry of Home Affairs to contain the Covid spread," said the official. Though the central government further extended the lockdown to May 31 from May 18 with greater relaxation of the norms to restore near-normalcy across the country, the state has decided to enforce it (lockdown) only on Sunday, which is on May 24 and May 31. "The lockdown will be strictly observed across the state, as it was during its first phase for 21 days from March 25 to April 14. Barring retail outlets for essential supplies like milk, vegetables, fruits, and medicines, everything will be shut down from 7pm on Saturday to 7am on Monday," said Director-General of Police (DGP) Pravin Sood. Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao told reporters on Saturday that no private or public vehicle would be allowed to ply during the Sunday lockdown and strict action would be taken against violators. "Only ambulances and vehicles on essential duty will be allowed to ply during the Sunday curfew. Shops selling medicines, groceries, vegetables, fruits and poultry and meat products will be allowed to open and they have to ensure customers maintain physical distancing and stand in queues," Rao said. State-run buses, taxis and autos will also be not allowed to operate across the state and private vehicles, including two-wheelers and cars, will be seized if found violating the guidelines. "All main roads, flyovers and enter/exit points on the city outskirts will be barricaded to prevent movement of any vehicle," Sood added. In an appeal to all citizens across the state, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa urged the people to abide by the lockdown on this (May 24) and next Sunday (May 31) to contain the Covid-19 spread. "We have reached a crucial stage in the war against Covid-19. Follow guidelines in the interest and welfare of all to fight the pandemic. Stay at home to be safe," said Yediyurappa. The state government, however, allowed weddings prefixed on Sunday amid the lockdown with a slew of riders to ensure health and social distancing. "Marriages pre-fixed on the two Sundays can be performed in conformity with the partially relaxed guidelines, such as limiting guests to 50, wearing masks, washing hands with sanitiser and maintaining social distance," added the official. Bumblebees bite plants to make them flower early, surprising scientists National Geographic and Bees using secret trick to make plants flower, leaving scientists baffled Independent (Kevin W) Here they come: 17-year cicadas to emerge in 3 states this spring, summer Accuweather (Dan K) Bow, Humans: Trillions of Cicadas Are Going to Rule America Vice (resilc) NASAs powerful new space telescope will be named after Nancy Grace Roman the agencys first female executive, known as the mother of Hubble Business Insider (Kevin W) US Navy disables drone using a high-energy shipborne laser weapon New Atlas (David L) Scientists Identify a Temperature Tipping Point for Tropical Forests Smithsonian (David L) Bigfoot is moving on to the next phase of life Bored Panda (Chuck L) #COVID-19 77 Nobel Laureates Denounce Trump Officials For Pulling Coronavirus Research Grant NPR (NPR) The Interpreter: a mind-blowing Covid conversation New York Times (furzy) China? India New Cold War Big Brother is Watching You Watch Just Turning Your Phone On Qualifies As Searching It, Court Rules ars technica Remote Employee Monitoring Veriato Solutions (Dr. Kevin) Trump Transition FBI director Wray orders internal review of Flynn case The Hill McConnell gives two vulnerable senators a boost with vote on outdoor recreation bill The Hill (UserFriendly) Trump Just Removed the IG Investigating Elaine Chao. Chaos Husband, Mitch McConnell, Already Vetted the Replacement. CREW Trump administration discussed conducting first U.S. nuclear test in decades Washington Post (Dan K) Can Lindsey Graham Win Reelection as a Trump Enabler? Washington Monthly (resilc) Senate Approves Ratcliffe As Nations Top Spy Defense One (resilc) 2020 Once Again, Democrats Are Caught in the Trump Trap Politico (UserFriendly). Key point comes well into the piece: Its often said that Trumps brand of politics requires him to identify enemiespeople want to see who hes against. Whats overlooked is Trumps brand of politics requires other people to identify him as the enemy. Theres never a shortage of volunteers, and none more prestigious than a former Democratic president widely respected by his party. I suggest watching the entire interview below. Charlamagne tha God is arguably the most popular black radio host in the US. Hes also a no-bullshit interviewer. For instance, Hillary made the mistake of mentioning her hot sauce in her purse. Charlamagne asked her what brand it was. Biden repeatedly turned down interview requests from Charlamagne when the primaries were still in play. Pay attention to the arc of the interview. Biden got weirdly combative, and went on way way too long defending his support of the 1990s crime bill (he at least cited a lot of information pretty coherently), and had a foot-in-mouth moment, saying people in prison which is saying people prison cant read (remember about 1/4 are black). After Biden finished that monologue, Bidens handler interrupts to try to cut off the interview (11:20) even though the time had to have been pre-set. Biden waves that off, allowing Charlamagne to continue: Why so much resistance to admitting the crime bill damaged the black community and says that Hillary on his show admitted the bill had a lot of problems and she wanted to atone for that as President. This is where things go even more downhill for Biden as he doubled down. Charlamagne ends with I have more Id like to ask you, which is not confrontational. And rather than giving the usual response, Yes, would love to talk more, Biden goes into his If you aint voting for me, you aint black own goal. Comments on the video are unfavorable to deadly. A tiny sampling: Hes really laying it up for trump to win then in 4 years a democrat will win then in 8 years after than another republican and the cycle will continue business as usual.. this shit is all scripted. Youll never make it. Hes done. This interview is cringeworthy. he said you niccas better not act up AND stay in line. STAY ON THAT DEMOCRACKTIC PLANTATION, DONT TRY AND ESCAPE.NICCA! Wow. Democrats dont like it when we think for ourselves. Smh. I dont know whats worse: this or when Hillary pulled out a bottle of hot sauce from her purse. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD HIM TALK. GROSS AND SCARY Charlamagne tha God defends Bidens support for black community The Hill Note the price point. That is really dumb. They should make them free and charge only shipping: Trump campaign selling you aint black shirts after Biden comment https://t.co/V8dKIRB3eZ pic.twitter.com/bFX7Y8G133 The Hill (@thehill) May 23, 2020 This is a particularly inept frame given that in the eye of religious conservatives, pro-choice Dems are baby killers: Um, I would vote for Biden if he shat those boiled babies in my mouth and made me chew them. We need to get Trump out for the sake of our country. #BidenHarris2020 https://t.co/6BVu6oSFFb Karen Thompson #KhiveForBiden (@Karen_Khive) May 21, 2020 UserFriendly: Theoretically, she has a law degree right? From Candyland University? .@realDonaldTrump, it is a federal crime to withhold money from states with the purpose of interfering with peoples right to vote. You may want to talk to your lawyer Bill Barr about that. Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) May 22, 2020 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has ordered the government to draw up a renewed national approach for the emerging crypto industry. CoinDesk. Dan K: Rouhani wants to be able to track, and probably tax, crypto-currency mining profits. Blockchain currency mavens heads will explode :). Andrew Yang Picks Mike Broihier over McGrath in anti-McConnell Primary Rolling Stone (furzy) Car rental group Hertz prepares to file for bankruptcy Financial Times Ajit Pai doubts Elon Musks SpaceX broadband-latency claims ars technica (Dan K) Class Warfare Antidote du jour (DL): And a bonus from guurst. Moar bears! In California, a mother bear and her three cubs somehow managed to make it into a local marina. All three of her cubs ended up in the water. The mama bear dove in, rescued them, and swam each one back to safety. (@Goodable) pic.twitter.com/VS0kNfljBw Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) May 14, 2020 And another from guurst. This may not do much for you but it does for me! They dont have nice tweety birds in Australia. They have raucous birds. This is exactly the sort of avian serenade that greeted me in the morning in Potts Point, and I miss it. When all your mates turn up for a sing. Spotted at Bateau Bay by Rod Simmons. pic.twitter.com/3OJSjNDsaZ Adam(Alaa) Bujairami (@AdamBujairami) May 14, 2020 See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Weekly state reports tracking coronavirus infections by ZIP code have obscured a large outbreak at the Oregon State Penitentiary. The Oregonian/OregonLive identified the problem Tuesday. As of Friday, it was unclear if, or how, public health officials planned to address the inconsistency in future reports. Were reviewing how we report adults in custody at the Oregon State Penitentiary in our weekly COVID-19 ZIP code data, Oregon Health Authority spokesman Robb Cowie said in a statement. At issue is the official ZIP code for the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem and where public health officials have chosen to list associated infections. The Oregon Department of Corrections has been publicly disclosing infections at the maximum-security prison that, as of Friday, stood at 115 inmates and 26 employees making it the largest known outbreak in Oregon. But those prison infections arent remotely distinguishable in the ZIP code data released by the Oregon Health Authority each week. State officials for the past three weeks have been disclosing ZIP code-level data on Tuesdays, most recently with specific infection tallies for 89 ZIP codes with at least 10 infections. In addition, the health authority has identified 112 ZIP codes with between one and nine infections and the 74 ZIP codes with zero infections. But nowhere on the states list is 97310, the official ZIP code for the Oregon State Penitentiary. Why not? And where are those infections being listed by the state health authority? Cowie offered several shifting explanations. But at the heart of the matter is the difference between a little-known postal ZIP code and the corresponding ZIP code designations created by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Census Bureau created ZIP Code Tabulation Areas -- general geographic representations of ZIP code service areas -- for its numbers gathering. But those tabulation areas dont always include every ZIP code listed by the Postal Service case in point, 97310. The 97310 ZIP code is essentially a mailing designation for the prison and several other state buildings in Salem located within the 97301 ZIP code boundary used by the Census Bureau. When the newsroom first asked whether state penitentiary infections were tracked on the ZIP code report in 97301, Cowie confirmed they were. Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter But when this weeks report did not show a large jump in cases, in conjunction with a spike reported by the Department of Corrections, the newsroom asked again. Cowie then said infections at the state pen were instead being tallied internally under 97310, which doesnt appear on the report. Cowie explained that infections at the state pen were being lumped into a different category for reporting purposes: infections within ZIP codes with less than 1,000 residents. The newsroom asked why the health authority would consider 97310 to have less than 1,000 residents. The state pen has about 2,000 inmates. Cowie said state health officials use Census data, even though the Census Bureau effectively does not recognize 97310. Cowie asserted that inmates are not counted as residents at that location for census purposes. But Census rules clearly state that prisoners are counted at the facility. Census Bureau officials, responding to comments about that long-standing practice when finalizing rules for the 2020 Census, defended that position, writing that a usual residence is defined as the place where a person lives and sleeps most of the time. Therefore, counting prisoners anywhere other than the facility would be less consistent with the concept of usual residence, since the majority of people in prisons live and sleep most of the time at the prison, officials wrote. Its unclear where the Census counts residents from the all-male Oregon State Penitentiary. But they appear to be included in the surrounding 97301 ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which has an estimated population of 55,448. Within that population, 53 percent of adult citizens are male. The Oregon Health Authority isnt the only government agency struggling with where to list infections tied to the Oregon State Penitentiary. Officials in Marion County have created a ZIP code map that also lacks 97310. A county spokesman on Friday said the countys ZIP code map does not include infections at the state penitentiary. He declined to explain why. The Oregonian/OregonLive has been using the states weekly data to build a ZIP code map showing infections. The map includes locations of congregate care facilities with outbreaks, which in some places help explain what is driving high number of infections. Thats why the newsroom wanted to understand how state public health officials were tracking inmate infections. The Oregon Health Authority on Tuesday reported 81 infections in the 97301 ZIP code through Sunday. That was up just 12 from the previous week. Meanwhile, the health authority reported 142 infections in the category for ZIP codes in Oregon with less than 1,000 population. That was a massive increase of 128 from the previous week. Cowie, the state spokesman, said it was unclear Friday how public health officials are reporting infections at other prisons. According to the Department of Corrections, 33 inmates at three other prisons have been infected. Thirty-eight prison employees have also tested positive for the coronavirus. Cowie said those results are reported by the ZIP code where an employee lives. Mark Friesen contributed to this report. -- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. I want to commend the work of our Criminal Investigations Division and the Prosecutors Office for working tirelessly since we learned of this tragedy, Sheriff David Reynolds said in the release. I also again want to send my sincere condolences to the families of Thomas Grill and Molley Lanham. Please continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. By Stewart Gisser It was while walking the dog that it struck me. She was doing her usual over-sniffing and unscheduled stops when I said to her what I always did during these layovers. Rosie, lets go. I dont have all day. Then I realizedI do. I had recently been worried about filling time during my quickly approaching retirement. After working long hours at my companys Morristown headquarters for over 30 years, I wondered, as I am sure others do when confronting retirement, whether thered be sufficient activities to keep me busy, or fulfilled, or at least not bored. These concerns began in 2019, and continued through early 2020 B.C B.C. of course referring to Before COVID, as some commentators have identified the new timeline (along with A.C. which is hopefully imminent). My son assured me, Youll figure it out. So, with my wife having retired a few months earlier, we booked what would be our first trip to Italy for the end of May 2020. We then purchased tickets for performances at the Paper Mill Playhouse, and sprung for the good seats at PNC Bank Arts Center, to see James Taylor and Jackson Browne in August. We began researching other options as well. We planned ahead. My May 1 retirement date arrived after we all had been sheltering in place since March. Italy had exploded, and concerts and performances in New Jersey and New York were canceled or delayed. Retiring in place would be my immediate future. When my colleagues and I left our Morristown offices to begin telework it was unclear how long the shutdown would last. So, with plans of a going-away dinner in the early planning stages, my work departure had been unceremonious. See you guys in a few weeks, was the extent of my hopeful farewell to my workmates. The celebratory dinner became a farewell Zoom cocktail hour, and with no need to drive back home after (or even call an UBER), drinking was certainly not curtailed. Nice things were said about me (was it the drinking?), and I about others. After an hour, the Leave the Meeting icon was universally clicked. The in-person dinner will be rescheduled. Unable to reschedule, however, was the novelty, relief and anticipation of beginning my new phase of life by rolling out of bed the day after retirement with no place to go. Id had no place to go for over a month. On the positive side, I learned that retiring during a lock-down lowers the expectations of friends and relatives, and relieves me of having to provide them with the details of all of the adventures and travels Id be pursuing with my new-found freedom. In addition, social Zooming, although not ideal, is a good second choice for the increased visits I was looking forward to with old friends. I am also checking out lectures online, reading more, and even listening to streaming Supreme Court arguments. I am able to visit with my family with more focus and without the anticipation of the next work email or emergency call. Shooting hoops in the driveway, Ive finally learned that squaring my shoulders toward the basket results in a much higher percentage of successful shots. In the not too distant past, Id need to find a game and prove it to others. Now, Im trying to improve not to compete, not for work performance, but for myself. Ive even begun to make an effort to reduce my (very few, but oft commented upon) perceived annoying behaviors I had displayed at home in the past. As one friend commented, I am on my way to capturing the art of doing what I want or doing nothing at all. When things return to the new normal, whenever and whatever that might be, I know that Ill be able to take it slower. The lock-down allowed me to understand that I can. Im not bored. Im calmer. I look forward to re-emerging less intense, with a new perspective and safely unmasked. Maybe, as my son suggested, I have begun to figure it out. Stewart Gisser is a newly retired corporate in-house attorney. He lives in Livingston. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. 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. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Punjab, West Bengal and Jharkhand have no Covid red districts. Chhattisgarh has just four red zone blocks and Odisha has quarantine centers in Ganjam and Balasore districts as red zones. Haryana has two red districts, Uttar Pradesh five and Madhya Pradesh four. These are just a few examples of the falling number of red category districts since May 17, when the Centre allowed the states to decide on red, orange and green zones. In fact, several states have disbanded the colour categorization and have opted for more dynamic containment zone declaration, whose number can be changed on a daily basis. The health ministry provided a formula on the basis of which an area can be declared as a red zone depending on the number of containment zones or clusters in it. Number of containment zones in an area form a cluster and several clusters constitute a red zone. Only districts with more than 200 positive cases should be declared a red district, according to the health ministrys directive issued on May 16. In the normal course, the red zones or containment centers or clusters should have increased in the states as the Covid cases have seen the biggest spike since May 17. On Saturday, India had about 1,25,000 Covid cases as compared to about 37,200 on May 1, covering about 550 of the total 736 districts in the country. But, most states have not reported substantial increase in the number of even containment zones as they apparently want to ease restrictions and allow economic activities to return to the normal level. We have gone by the Central government rule which allows just a locality or a block to be declared a red zone instead of a district, explained an official of the Chhattisgarh government, which on Saturday declared only four blocks in the state as red zones. Till last week, four districts in the state were in the red zone defined by the Central government. In these 4 blocks, Chhattisgarh has 44 containment centers, same as on May 17, although the number of Covid cases has increased to 172 from 120, a week ago. The zones are declared keeping in mind the present situation and the geographical area, the official said. On Saturday, Jharkhand placed all 21 districts with Covid cases in orange zones with no district in red zone. The states three districts Khunti, Pakur and Sahebgunj, where not a single Covid-19 case has been reported so far, are in the green zone. Ranchi, Garhwa and Hazaribag, which were once red zone districts, have now been converted into orange zones. Presently the state has no red zone district as none of the 24 districts have reported more than 200 positive cases. Therefore, all 21 affected districts are placed in orange zone and three other districts, which have not reported any positive case so far, are declared green zones, said state health departments principal secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni. Similarly, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have done away with the concept of red, green and orange zones, and have instead adopted the strategy of marking very active, active and dormant clusters. Before May 17, Andhra Pradesh had five red districts --- Kurnool, Krishna, Guntur, Nellore, and Chittoor. In Telangana, six districts Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Vikarabad, Suryapet, Medchal- Malkajgiri and Warangal (Urban) were in the red zone. Now, Andhra has 341 clusters and Telangana 130. Andhra Pradeshs nodal Covid officer, Arja Sreekanth, said clusters that report many fresh cases in the last five days are classified as very active; those which report cases in the last 6 to 14 days are notified as active and those reporting cases only in the last 15 to 28 days are classified as dormant clusters. For Coronavirus Live Updates The two Telugu speaking states have given powers to district collectors to identify these clusters and implement strict lockdown norms there. The number of containment clusters keep changing on a day to day basis depending on the increase or decrease in the number of Covid-19 positive cases, S Subrahmanyam, an official in Andhras Covid-19 command control room said. Kerala has also discontinued the zonal classification and adopted a containment area approach and given the police powers not to allow people in these areas to move out of their houses. In the worst affected areas, triple lockdown is in force, meaning only one entry and exit point to help police to keep a tab on each person who enters or leaves. From May 19, Karnataka did away with the colour categorisation of districts and focused instead on containment zones, which are 126 in the state. At its peak, Karnataka had 273 containment zones. The number of containment zones is a dynamic number which changes on a daily basis, said a state health department official, who was not willing to be named. The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19 In Uttar Pradesh, only five districts Agra, Meerut, Kanpur, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad now fall under red zones, as against 15 before May 17. However, the containment zones have increased from 450 to 708. Principal secretary health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad explained that those districts which do not report a large number of fresh coronavirus infection cases will be automatically categorised as green zones. Haryana has classified 22 districts as orange zones. Only Sonepat and Faridabad are now red districts. The six parameters on the basis of which fresh evaluation was done by the state government are total number of active cases, active cases per lakh population, doubling rate (calculated over seven days period), case fatality rate, testing ratio (number of tests per lakh population) and sample positivity rate (confirmation rate), officials said. The state has 261 containment zones. Uttarakhand has seven containment centers with no red district now and Himachal has 12 containment zones with Kangra still notified as a red district. Along with killing tens of thousands of people in countries such as Britain, and inflicting years of subsequent economic pain, the corona crisis should drive lasting change in our perceptions of China. Its not that this virus has changed the nature of the Chinese regime; but it has made its repressive, secretive and self-aggrandising side glaringly obvious. Take Australias perfectly reasonable request for a full and impartial international inquiry into the causes and handling of the outbreak. Chinas first response was to slap a prohibitive 80 per cent tariff on my countrys billion-dollar-a-year barley trade, even though the main sufferer would be Chinas Tsingtao Brewery that relied on this clean Australian product. Then, once the World Health Assembly had agreed to it, Chinas wolf-warrior ambassador in Canberra said that our success in securing a global investigation was nothing but a joke. Of course, none of us should be anti-China. As prime minister, I routinely praised Chinas stupendous achievement of lifting half a billion people from the Third World to the middle class in scarcely a generation. This is probably the largest and fastest increase in material wellbeing in all history. Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army prepare for a military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at Tiananmen Square in October 2019 My government successfully concluded a trade deal with China, its first with a G20 country, despite our flying military aircraft through its self-declared air defence identification zone over disputed islands and routinely affirming our strategic partnership with the United States. And there is a world of difference between the Chinese people who in places such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and elsewhere have shown a remarkable talent for building civil societies; and the current Chinese government which has reversed the modest liberalisation that seemed to be taking place in the three decades after Deng Xiaoping. Even five years ago, we still all hoped that China and the West were on converging paths towards more economic and political freedom. Regrettably, since then, President Xi Jinping has turned himself into a new emperor; and China has militarised its nearby seas, interned up to a million Uighurs, bullied its neighbours, and created a brave new world of high-tech-enabled, state-enforced conformism. Marxism-Leninism seems to have reinforced Chinas traditional sense of itself as the worlds Middle Kingdom, with all other states expected to tremble and obey. Clearly, the world is entering a new and dangerous era of strategic competition between China and the US-led West. Unlike the Cold War, though, with a Soviet Union that had a first-rate military but a third-rate economy; this new cold peace with China involves a first-rate economy thats rapidly becoming a first-rate military power. Take Australias perfectly reasonable request for a full and impartial international inquiry into the causes and handling of the outbreak And we cant assume that it will never be worse than a cold peace. Any attempt by China to reclaim Taiwan by force would, at a minimum, unleash in the Indo-Pacific the greatest arms race the world has seen. Its noteworthy that during the Cold War, there were virtually no trade, investment or academic exchanges between the West and the Soviet Bloc. Since then, there has been a flood of Chinese exports and, latterly, Chinese students and Chinese investment into the West. As a recent report by the Henry Jackson Society has highlighted, the US, the UK and Australia have heavily integrated China into domestic supply chains. Outsourcing much of our manufacturing to China didnt seem to matter so much in the era of strategic convergence; but now its an altogether more serious issue than simply displaced local workers and lost jobs. All Western countries, but especially the key Western allies, need a new plan for their relations with China that doesnt put short-term economic gain above our long-term national interests because if we can too readily be bought, we can too readily be beaten without a fight. It should be based on a clear-eyed understanding that the Chinese Communist Party and, hence, the Chinese government that it totally controls does everything with strategic intent. There are, of course, innumerable Chinese who act out of simple human decency, like the heroic whistle-blowing doctors of Wuhan that the government initially had arrested. But as far as the Chinese government is concerned, ultimately, there are no private citizens and no private businesses. All are to be mobilised in the interests of the Communist Party. For us, trade is about mutual economic self-interest. But for China, its also a way to gain political leverage over its trade partners. For Australia, this need not be a huge problem as the bulk of our exports are commodities. If China refused to take them, others would. In Australia, both sides of politics have excluded Huawei from participation in strategic telecommunications infrastructure This most emphatically does not mean that we should reduce our trade with China, at least in finished products. It does mean, though, that we have to be prepared for it to be turned on or off like a tap depending upon whether the Chinese regime wants to be ingratiating or intimidating. For us, Chinese students are a way to make the most of our outstanding universities. If people from other countries are left with a sense of gratitude and appreciation for Australia, thats a bonus. But for China, sending students to the West is a means to leapfrog its way to technological superiority. This does not mean refusing to take Chinese students. It should mean, though, that our universities treat income from this source more as a bonus than something to be taken for granted. The best way to deal with all this, without singling China out; and, in so doing, giving it another excuse for antagonism, might be to introduce a new principle of reciprocity into our dealings with other countries. You may invest in our strategic infrastructure only under the same circumstances in which we may invest in yours. Your students may study in our universities only under the same circumstances and in the same disciplines where ours may study in yours. In general, we should only be prepared to be dependent on China in circumstances where they would just as readily be prepared to be dependent on us. In Australia, both sides of politics have excluded Huawei from participation in strategic telecommunications infrastructure on the grounds that Huawei has no choice but to take directions from the Chinese government. To us, it does seem strange that Britain, a Five Eyes partner thats just escaped interference from Brussels, should be so blase about exposing itself to interference from Beijing. For all the need to focus on the daunting strategic challenge that China now poses, its worth remembering that the people who know China best, its own citizens, have a remarkable predilection for sending their wealth offshore and for acquiring Western passports. A few of them, perhaps, might see themselves as latter-day economic conquistadors. Most of them, Im sure, are at least tacitly acknowledging the universal pull of the Wests commitment to freedom under the law. That is our abiding strength. Bir-Lehlou (Liberated Territories) 23 May 2020 (SPS) - President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Brahim Ghali, has congratulated President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, H.E. Mohamed Ould Sheikh Al-Ghazwani, on the occasion of the blessed Eid Al-Fitr, offering him and the brotherly Mauritanian people his best congratulations and sincere wishes. With the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the advent of the blessed Eid al-Fitr, I am pleased, on my own behalf and on behalf of the people and government of the Sahrawi Republic, to extend to your Excellency and through you to sister Mauritania, government and people, our warmest congratulations and best wishes, said the President of the Republic. With the advent of the honorable occasion of Eid al-Fitr, we proudly recall the bonds of brotherhood, friendship and cooperation, which are close and rooted, that link the two brotherly Mauritanian and Sahrawi peoples, and we are all determined to promote them to serve the interests of our two countries and peoples and the aspirations of the peoples of the region in devoting peace, security, stability and prosperity, in the context of good neighborliness and mutual respect, he added. (SPS) 062/SPS When will international flight operations to India be fully normal? Heres what govt says Singapore to resume commercial flights from India from Nov 29 India revises Covid-19 guidelines for international arrivals amid Omicron fears, to be effective from Dec 1 Flight services to resume at Mangaluru from Monday India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Mangaluru, May 23: Domestic flight services will resume from Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) from May 25 as per the instructions of Union Civil Aviation Ministry. Six Indigo and SpiceJet flights will be operated from Mangaluru to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chennai. Air-India is yet to finalise its schedule, airport sources said. Domestic flight rules: From web check in to Aarogya Setu, what you should know Three Indigo flights will depart from Mangaluru to Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chennai and three flights of SpiceJet will leave for Bengaluru and Mumbai on May 25. Domestic flights to resume: Everything you need to know about SOPs, fares | Oneindia News SpiceJet flight will take off from Bengaluru to Mangaluru at 8.30 am and7 pm while Indigo will take off from Mangaluru to Bengaluru at 5.55 pm. {quiz_123} SpiceJet flight will take off from Mangaluru at 10.20 am and 9.35 pm while Indigo will depart at 7.30 pm. From Mumbai, Spice Jet flight will take off at 7.05 am and Indigo at 9.30 am. Tamil Nadu not for resumption of flight service from May 25 The Mangaluru-Mumbai SpiceJet flight will take off at 9.05 am and Indigo at 11.40 am. Indigo flight will depart from Chennai to Mangaluru at 5.45 pm and from Mangaluru to Chennai at 8.05 am. Kolkata: Army personnel engage in clearance and restoration operation in Kolkata after Cyclone Amphan ravaged West Bengal, on May 23, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News Kolkata: Army personnel engage in clearance and restoration operation in Kolkata after Cyclone Amphan ravaged West Bengal, on May 23, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, May 23 : The Indian Army rushed five columns to West Bengal on Saturday to help the state in carrying out relief and rescue operations after cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in the eastern state, a senior officer said. In a statement, the Army said: "Based on the West Bengal government's request, the Army has provided five columns to assist the Kolkata City civil administration in the aftermath of cyclone Amphan. Earlier in the day, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had deployed 10 teams in West Bengal for post-cyclone management. It stated: "On receipt of written request from Principal Secretary Disaster Management and Civil Defence, government of West Bengal, for deployment of additional teams, ten additional NDRF teams have been mobilized and are being rushed at the earliest from NDRF locations outside West Bengal." The teams are likely to reach Kolkata late Saturday night. Presently, 26 NDRF teams are deployed in cyclone-affected areas of West Bengal for restoration work. The additional deployment of 10 teams will bring the total to 36 teams of NDRF deployed across six districts affected by Amphan. The cyclone left scores of people dead and devastated various coastal cities and towns after it made landfall on Wednesday, lashing coastal areas with highs-speed wind and rain. The death toll due to the cyclone in West Bengal has risen to 85. The residents in Kolkata has resorted to protest and road blockades over the state administration's alleged failure to restore normalcy even after three days. The West Bengal government had sought the help of the Army and other forces to carry out relief operations. In a statement on social media, the state government said that they have mobilized maximum strength in unified command mode on 24X7 basis for restoration of essential infrastructure and services as soon as possible. It further pointed out: "The Army support has been called for; NDRF and SDRF teams deployed; Railways, Port and private sector too requested to supply teams and equipment." The state government said that the drinking water and drainage infrastructure was getting restored fast. "Public Health Engineering Department asked to supply water pouches in gap pockets. Generators being hired where necessary. More than a hundred teams from multiple departments and bodies working for cutting of fallen trees, which is the key to restoration of power in localities," the Home Department said in a series of tweets. It also stated that West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company and Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation had been asked to deploy maximum manpower, even while lockdown significantly affects the deployment potential of the latter. "Police is also on high alert," the government said. The main purpose of nuclear tests has long been to check the reliability of an existing arsenal or try out new weapon designs. Every year, top U.S. officials, including the heads of the national nuclear labs and the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, must certify the safety and reliability of the stockpile without testing. The Trump administration has said that, unlike Russia and China, it isnt pursuing new nuclear weapons but reserves the right to do so if the two countries refuse to negotiate on their programs. The Federal Government has been commended for finally restoring sanity in Nigerias Free Zones sector. Edward Alibo, a stakeholder in the nations Free Zones, in a statement forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES, Friday, said the permanent removal of the rivalry between the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) has shored up investors confidence and would help boost the nations economy. Mr Alibo commended the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Niyi Adebayo, for implementing the legal advice of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, regarding which of the two agencies has oversight responsibility for oil and gas Free Zones in Nigeria. Mr Alibo, however, said, the federal government should direct a proper technical assessment to ascertain the benefit or otherwise of the nations investment in free zones as recommended by the Orasanya led Committee and adopted by the Federal Executive Council through her White Paper gazetted in March 2014. Read Mr Alibos full statement below: How Sanity Is Returning To Free Zones Sector In Nigeria Edward Alibo Stakeholders of the Free Zones in Nigeria have commended the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Niyi Adebayo, for finally restoring sanity in the Free Zones Sector in Nigeria by implementing the legal advice of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (HAGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN. The justice minister gave his interpretation of the provisions of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Act Cap No 107, LFN 2004 and the Oil and Gas Export Free Zone Act Cap 05 LFN 2010 as to which government agency has oversight responsibility over oil and gas Free Zones in Nigeria in September 2019. In that legal interpretation, Mr. Malami recalled that the attorney-generals office had written earlier in 2008 vide letter Ref. No. HAGF/FMC&I/2008/Vol.1/01 dated 25 March, 2008 on this subject matter, wherein the then attorney-general resolved in favour of OGEFZA that the role of Oil and Gas Exports and administration of the Oil and Gas Export Free Zones was exclusively on OGEFZA on the strength of Section 5(2) of the OGEFZ Act. He further said: On this note, it is our final opinion that the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority and not NEPZA has the sole power over the Oil and Gas Export Free Zones, and should therefore enforce the law, since the onus of ensuring that this Act is implemented to the letter has been imbued on the OGEFZ Authority in line with Section 5, and 25 of the Act and many others. This is the position of the Law. It is therefore very worrisome that rather than applauding the laudable efforts of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment that has permanently resolved the inter-agency friction between two agencies under its supervision, a few past officials of the old Federal Ministry of Commerce and Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) are now up in arms to blackmail and antagonize the minister and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment with campaigns of calumny against a subsisting law being implemented on the express advice and legal interpretation of the chief law officer of the Federation. These persons parade themselves as Free Zone stakeholders not minding the immoral, irregular and questionable manner by which they joined the services of the same Companies that they had facilitated their Free Zone approvals while in Government. For instance, investigations revealed that one of them was high up at the Ministry of Commerce in 2005 when the agency facilitated the licensing of Snake Island as a Free Zone. He ignobly applied his privileged position in Government at that time, to personally corner juicy stakes in a contraption that is now a major stakeholder in the zone. This company was contrived as a monopolistic private business venture that not only manages the facilities in the Free Zone, but also carries out regulatory functions that are statutorily reserved for Government Regulatory bodies. READ ALSO: The individual has since positioned himself at the zone to now act as the antagonist-in-chief against the Federal Government in its implementation of the directive of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for the past 12 years, just so he can protect the personal stakes he immorally and shamelessly cornered for himself through the instrumentality of the position he held in government. In a similar case another former official of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority now consults for Free Zone entities he helped licensed while in office. These persons with doubtful loyalty to the nation, committed even worse kinds of sabotage against the Federal Government of Nigeria when they went as far as misusing their official positions in government at the time, to set up structures that weakened NEPZA as a bonafide government regulator and almost brought the Agency to its knees. The structures were set up through certain irregular provisions they caused to be inserted into the NEPZAs Regulatory guidelines for the operations of Private Free Zones. Through these toxic provisions, they practically transferred some of the most important regulatory powers of NEPZA to the privately-owned Free Zone Management Companies, solely to serve their private interests. Predictably, they have since retired to those so called Free Zone Management companies in which they have taken up positions that practically makes them senior partners to NEPZA in the mandate of regulating the operations of Private Free Zones under the Agency. One is therefore not surprised that some of the companies which these former Ministry and NEPZA officials structured to syphon large portions of revenues for themselves, are taking up to 70 per cent of the revenue which should go to government, while leaving only 30 per cent to NEPZA. This is the brazen fraud and unholy arrangement that these so-called stakeholders have been fighting over these past 12 years to protect and shield from probe and possible indictment. Meanwhile, the arrangement they set up has completely incapacitated NEPZA to the point that the Regulator can hardly sanction any erring Private Free Zone Operator, because these super Free Zone Management Companies, who most often than not, act like untamable shylocks, are the ones running the show by themselves in those Free Zones. The cases of LADOL vs Samsung and LADOL vs Africoat readily come to mind. Today, NEPZA is at the mercy of these former this and former that and government must now call these men to order and set up the necessary machinery to thoroughly investigate the shoddy activities in the Free Zones they claim to be managing, so as to restore regulatory discipline and proper order in the sector. Secondly, government should direct for a proper technical assessment to ascertain the benefit or otherwise of the nations investment in free zones as recommended by the Orasanya led Committee and adopted by the Federal Executive Council through her White Paper gazetted in March 2014. Advertisements The pertinent question to ask is, whose interest have these stakeholders been fighting for over the last couple of years? This question is quite pertinent because as far as all law-abiding stakeholders of the Free Zones Sector are concerned, the process of bringing any Free Zone under the regulatory control of another regulator as directed by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment based on the legal interpretation given by the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice is at no cost to the management companies or the Free Zones. So what are they actually fighting to protect? As Free Zone stakeholders, we are very certain that the revelations that will come out of a proper investigation of the activities of these men in the Zones they claim to be administering on behalf of government will be earth-shaking and damning. Meanwhile, in their numerous lies infested write-ups, these men even attempted to cause some distraction by speculating about the Orosanye Report, just so they could wow their less informed audiences and satisfy their personal fantasies to further expand their illicit control over government revenue sources. Hence they have been assuring their less informed watchers that OGFZA will be merged with NEPZA. They mischievously do this without mentioning that government rejected the recommendation of the Orasanyas Committee on that subject, and have since gazetted a White Paper to that effect. It is very obvious to every discerning Nigerian that the objective behind the ignoble call for merging the two agencies, has very little bearing to the intentions of government in carrying out that exercise. Why should government act that retrogressively to merge agencies that should rather be empowered separately, to ensure better vision actualization through the policy of specificity which encourages efficiency, especially in investment promotion and attracting authorities? When the UAE has up to six different regulatory bodies for their Special Economic Zones, and China has over 20 such regulatory organs both at their national and provincial government levels, why should these detractors continue to tell blatant lies to the unsuspecting public about the need to merge agencies, without telling them that the most successful Special Economic Zones are found in countries like UAE, China, Ireland, Turkey etc that operate multiple Free Zone regulatory frameworks? Why are they always giving instances of countries like Senegal, Kenya, Burkina Faso etc, as models? Are these really the ideal countries that Nigeria should model her economic development strategies after? Meanwhile, the matter that was interpreted by the attorney-general and minister of justice is about the implementation of the provisions of a subsisting Act, which has nothing to do with the issue of the restructuring and rationalization of federal government parastatals, commissions and agencies which the Government already rejected and discarded. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) Lisbon, Portugal Sat, May 23, 2020 19:07 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9d2aaf 2 News Portugal,tourism,Tourist,Europe,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,travel Free Portugal's doors are open to tourists, the country's Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said on Friday, one of the first European countries to welcome back visitors from elsewhere in the continent. "Tourists are welcome in Portugal," Santos Silva told newspaper Observador, explaining that some health checks will be introduced at airports but there will be no compulsory quarantine for those flying in. Portugal, which has so far recorded 30,200 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,289 deaths, is slowly easing restrictions in place since it locked down in mid-March. It has been less affected than its neighbor Spain or Italy, which both plan to reopen next month. Many shops and restaurants in Portugal have already reopened under strict restrictions as part of an effort to revive the country's export-oriented, tourism-dependent economy. "Portugal's health system responds well, and this is very important for us to be able to welcome people," Santos Silva said. The minister's comments came a day after British low-cost airline easyJet, which operates in various Portuguese cities, said it would restart a small number of flights next month. Read also: 'Don't cancel, postpone': Portugal urges tourists in voucher scheme Earlier this month Portugal's flag carrier TAP resumed some of its international operations, with flights to London and Paris. Flights to and from outside the European Union are still temporarily suspended until June 15, with some exceptions, including some routes to and from Portuguese-speaking nations like Brazil. The Spain-Portugal land border, which has been closed to tourists since March, will also remain shut until then. "We are gradually going to start looking at easing border controls," Internal Affairs Minister Eduardo Cabrita said on Friday. The tourism industry, one of the hardest hit by the outbreak, contributed 14.6 percent to gross domestic product in 2018, according to the latest official data, and helped Portugal to recover from a severe debt crisis. The sector registered a 62 percent slump in the number of people staying in holiday accommodation in March from a year ago and total hotel revenues fell by over 57 percent. Unemployment in the Algarve region more than doubled in April compared with the same month last year as the lockdown kept foreign visitors away and wiped out seasonal jobs. The parents of a boy born late Friday night in Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh during a train commute amid the coronavirus outbreak said they wish to name him "lockdown". Reena (32), traveling with her husband Udaybhan Singh Yadav on a Shramik Special from Mumbai to reach Ambedkar Nagar in UP, gave birth late Friday night in the district hospital here. "He has been born in such a situation that we want to name him Lockdown Yadav," she told reporters here. Her husband said he contacted the railway helpline after she went into labour in the train, and officials helped them alight at Burhanpur and took them to the hospital. District Collector Praveen Singh Adhayach said the mother and newborn were doing well and the administration had provided Rs 5,000 as assistance besides clothes, medicine and food. Adhayach said the family was sent to their destination in UP by a private vehicle. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Justice Tanko Amadu at the swearing in ceremony 23.05.2020 LISTEN President Akufo-Addo has on Friday sworn Justice Amadu Tanko into office as a Supreme Court Judge thereby becoming the first Muslim in Ghana to occupy that position. At the swearing-in ceremony, President Akufo-Addo stated that this is the first time in the nations history that a Muslim has been appointed to the highest court of the land. The President said, "I am delighted to have been the President to have the honour of doing so, and to do so appropriately in this Holy Month of Ramadan. Having worked as a lawyer in the great Federal Republic of Nigeria for nineteen (19) years, and going on to found his own firm in 1997, Justice Tanko Amadu was appointed to the High Court in 2008, and, four (4) years later, was promoted to the Court of Appeal, the President stated that, by dint of hard work and merit, he has been further elevated. With the Constitution of the Republic affirming that final judicial power in the State is vested solely in the Judiciary, and not in any other agency or organ of the State, the President noted that the Judiciary has onerous responsibilities to protect the individual liberties and fundamental human rights of citizens, to act as the arbiter in disputes between the State and the citizen, to act as the arbiter in disputes between citizens and all persons, and to serve as the bulwark for the defence and promotion of the liberties and rights of the people. With all other Courts bound to follow the decisions of the Supreme Court on questions of law, it is obviously critical that Justices of the Supreme Court possess a sound knowledge of the law, and of precedent, the principle of stare decisis, he added. The President added that the situation where judges proffer judgements on the basis of decisions from lower courts and cite them as law, is not acceptable, and even less so, when judges cite no authority at all for their rulings, and give orders without reasons. Judges, more so Justices of the Supreme Court, must be learned, know their case law and ensure their decisions and judgements are properly motivated. It is in this manner that judges contribute to the orderly development of the nation, the President said. President Akufo-Addo noted that all Ghanaians, with their different views and their different perspectives, must work together for the realisation of the Ghana project a united Ghana, driven by considerations of social justice and solidarity, and governed according to the rule of law, respect for individual liberties, human rights and the principles of democratic accountability. In these not so normal times, the era of the Coronavirus pandemic, in which we find ourselves, we must hold on firmly to these values, and work, within the confines of an open society, towards the defeat of the virus, he added. As much as Russias dealings with its neighbors are predominantly perceived as an exercise in brandishing the good old energy weapon, Moscow has been having a hard time with its neighbors ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Having incubated political elites that have based their personal wealth on the preferential conditions provided by Russian exporters of oil or gas, Russian authorities have been having a very difficult time in having the near abroad (the term usually used for former Soviet Union nations) pay market prices. Ukraine is a splendid case in point of bilateral relations suddenly turning very sour, yet there might be another candidate in the makings, commonly known as the last dictatorship of Europe, Belarus. Heretofore Belarus had been a stable market outlet for Russian producers its refineries are configured for Russian crude, one of them even co-owned by Gazprom Neft and Rosneft, moreover Belarus is part of the Eurasian Customs Union and thus qualified for duty-free oil trade. Yet the Russian tax maneuver a set of measures created to maximize government revenue from domestic oil production, predominantly the countrys downstream utilizing the difference between USD-denominated world prices and RUB-denominated domestic prices has changed all that. The gradual decrease of oil export duties, which will be lowered by 5% every year until the zero out in 2024, hits Belarus downstream sector directly as its discount to global prices, effectively a previous Russian cross-subsidy, starts to shrink. Against this background, 2020 brought about the perfect storm in the Belarussian-Russian relation. With Moscow becoming increasingly tired of President Lukashenkos antics and according to rumors even seeking to have a more constructive partner in Minsk, the Belarussian President struck back by refusing to sign onto a new oil deal with Russia. Thus, from January 1 onwards Belarussian refineries that usually refine some 1.5 million tons of crude per month have been refining some 0.3-0.4 million tons per month instead. All the major Russian oil companies were absent from the Belarussian market as the January-March 2020 tally amounted to a mere 1.04 million tons, a 77% year-on-year decline. Threats to confiscate oil transiting to Europe, revisiting last years organic chloride contamination story all of this has been well known to Russian policymakers, yet Belarus reaction to the ongoing crude dearth went significantly beyond previous cases. Story continues The past has seen several instances when Belarus bought seaborne cargoes from non-Russian buyers. President Lukashenko has had a brief romance with Venezuela in 2011-2012 which, however, wound down completely after the passing of Hugo Chavez. Then Iran was a personal favorite for a couple of years spearheaded by the Ahmadinejad initiative to produce Iranian cars in Belarus, Belarussian refiners even bought a cargo of Iranian in 2017. Yet this time the Lukashenko reaction seems different as it gradually evolves from a one-off tour de force into a conscious policy with the Belarussian President even declaring that he would want to limit Russian supplies to 30-40% of the total and that the rest would be provided via alternatives routes. Graph 1. Belarus Russian Pipeline Crude Intake (in million tons per annum). Source: data compiled by author. Speaking of alternative routes, Belarus has exactly two. The first route is via the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda with this, the Belarussian buyers would need to rail the crude as there is no functioning pipeline to link Lithuania and Belarus. There was a fully operational Mazeikai-Novopolotsk pipeline when Russian exporters still used the non-Russian Baltic branch, yet it had not been used since 2006 and despite a recent flurry of activity around it remains unusable. The second alternative route involves the Ukrainian route the incoming vessel is to discharge at the main Ukrainian seaborne port of Odessa and using reverse flow on the Druzhba pipeline the crude is moved towards Belarus. This years seaborne deliveries have seen the usage of both, alternating in the function of the crude taken in. Related: Big Oils Best Survival Strategy The first non-Russian cargo of this year was Johan Sverdrup in January, two cargoes thereof to be precise this was not surprising in and of itself since the yield composition of Sverdrup is similar to that of Urals. The only major difference between the two lies in the Norwegian grades sulfur content because of which it is assumed to wield some premium over Urals, i.e. it is costlier to buy per se, not to speak of the rail transshipment. Then came Azeri cargoes delivered via Ukraine, IMO 2020-compliant with an even lower level of sulfur content, which seems a bit counterintuitive for landlocked Belarus that traditionally refined heavier barrels. The third piece of the diversification strategy a cargo of Saudi crude through the Baltics, with the Belarussians availing themselves of depressed differentials. The apogee of the conflict, however, will come in Belarus buying its first-ever US cargo, reportedly an Aframax-worth of Bakken from United Energy Trading. The vessel, judging by early fixtures it would be NS Captain, would arrive in the 1st decade of June to Klaipeda in Lithuania and would be then moved via rail to the Novopolotsk Refinery. Coming after months of US courting of Belarus (including a Mike Pompeo visit and a forthcoming reinstatement of a diplomatic mission), this will be by far the lightest crude Belarus has ever taken. Further oddity to see Belarus buying US crude is that it happens in May 2020 of all times, when US crude exports to Europe have reached their lowest level since August 2017. All this takes place against the background of Moscow and Minsk already agreeing on the details of 2020 supplies and one need not be a clairvoyant to predict the Russian response. By Viktor Katona for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Read this article on OilPrice.com A Mississippi church was burnt to the ground and a message was spray-painted on the ground. YouTube/WKRG A Mississippi church was burned to the ground not long after drawing backlash for violating a stay-at-home order and holding in-person services. The church had sued the city of Holly Springs over the measures, but a judge accused the church of having "insufficient respect for the enormity of the health crisis which the COVID-19 pandemic presents." Local authorities believe the church fire was caused by arson. A disturbing message was spray-painted on the ground in front of the church: "Bet you stay home now you hypokrites." Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. A Mississippi church that drew ire for violating the city of Holly Springs' stay-at-home order was burnt down early Wednesday morning, and a disturbing message was spray-painted on the ground: "Bet you stay home now you hypokrites." The Marshall County Sheriff Department told local media outlets that investigators believe the incident was arson, due to evidence found at the scene. The First Pentecostal Church was at the center of a lawsuit over lockdown measures aim at reducing the spread of the coronavirus. Authorities cited the church's pastor, Jerry Waldrop, for holding an in-person service on Easter despite the city's order against doing so, according to The New York Times. The church sued the city, but a judge refused to block the stay-at-home order, noting that Holly Springs had permitted churches to conduct drive-in services, which would allow for social distancing. Judge Michael Mills said in his opinion that the church was "determined to push the legal envelope even further" and was "proceeding in an excessively reckless and cavalier manner and with insufficient respect for the enormity of the health crisis which the COVID-19 pandemic presents." Mills continued: "Is avoiding the inconveniences associated with drive-in church services worth risking the very lives of their fellow congregants and other members of the community? Unfortunately, [the church] and its members appear to have decided that the answer to this question is 'yes.'" Story continues Some faith leaders across the country are pushing states to let them reopen to hold in-person services, even though scientific evidence shows they're super-spreader hotspots. President Donald Trump on Friday declared places of worship essential, and said he would override governors if they disagree with him, even though he probably doesn't have the authority to do so. In the wake of the suspected arson, Waldrop told Fox 13 Memphis that the loss of the building wouldn't stop the churchgoers from worshipping together. "We are going to keep the faith, and we're going to keep doing what we have always done, and maybe not on this location," he said. "I'll get with our faithful people, and maybe we'll rent a building or whatever we need to do for the time being. Read the original article on Insider By PTI NEW DELHI: Two more employees of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, including a security official, have been found positive for COVID-19, sources said on Friday. With this, three Secretariat employees have tested positive. The first employee to test positive for the virus was a housekeeper, who had been at home since the Budget Session was adjourned on March 23, the sources said. The other two were found positive after Parliament resumed on May 3, when Lockdown 2.0 concluded. One of them was a security official and the other worked in the editorial and translation (E&T) services at the Parliament Annexe building, they said. The E&T official attended office after May 3, they added. However, the Lok Sabha Secretariat authorities had sanitised the entire premises before resuming operations and continued to take all precautions thereafter. Employees are now allowed to enter Parliament only after proper screening. All vehicles are also sanitised before entering the complex. Sources suggested that there have been a few symptomatic cases of the coronavirus among employees working in different secretariats and branches at Parliament and its adjoining buildings. Government buildings in the vicinity of the Parliament complex such as Krishi Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan and NITI Aayog, which have offices of several ministries and ministers, were sealed for a day or two following the detection of COVID-19 cases there. P eople in New York can now gather in groups of up to 10 as long as they maintain social distancing measures, the state's Governor has said. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo dropped the states absolute ban on gatherings of any size on Friday. The order, issued on the eve of the Memorial Day weekend, represents one of the biggest steps yet the state has taken to loosen rules adopted in March that have barred anyone but essential workers from gathering unless they live in the same household. However the order still requires people assembling to follow social distancing protocols and cleaning and disinfection protocols required by the Department of Health. That means people still need to stay at least six feet away from other people, or wear a mask or face covering when they cannot maintain that distance in public. New Jersey has adopted similar rules, allowing groups of up to 25 outdoors and indoor gatherings of up to 10 people. Mr Cuomo had earlier in the week signed an order allowing gatherings of as many as 10 people only for religious services and Memorial Day commemorations. Three people wear protective masks while sitting on the lawn in Bryant Park, New York during the coronavirus pandemic / Getty Images That restriction drew a lawsuit from the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), which said if it was safe to gather for the purpose of honouring veterans and holding religious ceremonies, the Constitution requires the same right be extended to people gathering for other reasons. The NYCLU filed the lawsuit on behalf of New York City resident Linda Bouferguen, who the group says was twice arrested outside City Hall for protesting the states shutdown. She wants to organise another protest on Saturday. NYCLU Legal Director Christopher Dunn said in a statement that the organisation was glad to see the governor reverse course. New York's Coronavirus outbreak - In pictures 1 /34 New York's Coronavirus outbreak - In pictures The Supermoon rises behind the Empire State Building while it glows red in solidarity with those infected with coronavirus as the outbreak of the disease (COVID-19) continues in the Manhattan borough of New York City Reuters A nearly empty Times Square AFP via Getty Images Riders, some wearing masks and gloves as a protective measure over coronavirus concerns, enter a New York City subway train AP People try to keep a social distance while they enjoy a sunny day at Central Park Reuters Nadia, a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo, that the zoo said on April 5, 2020 has tested positive for coronavirus disease WCS/Handout via Reuters People wear face masks AFP via Getty Images A man crosses a nearly empty 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan Reuters US President Donald Trump looks on during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House on March 31, 2020, in Washington, DC AFP via Getty Images Felix Hassebroek waves to his classmates, who he has not seen in 2 weeks through a livestream video meet up during the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Brooklyn, New York Reuters Friends and neighbors, Sarah and Elizabeth, talk about their weekends from opposite sides of the road as they maintain social distance in a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York Reuters Light morning traffic seen on the FDR drive on March 24, 2020 in New York City AFP via Getty Images A subway customer uses a tissue to protect her hand while holding onto a pole AP Workers construct what is believed to be a makeshift morgue behind a hospital during the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the Manhattan borough of New York City Reuters Beds separated by black fabric are set up as a temporary field hospital for Covid-19 patients in Queens, New York AFP via Getty Images New York's Hart Island where the department of corrections is dealing with more burials Reuters Medical workers wait for patients at a special coronavirus intake area in New York Getty Images Patients wear personal protective equipment while maintaining social distancing as they wait in line for a COVID-19 test at Elmhurst Hospital Center AP The One World Trade Center tower in Manhattan is seen illuminated in blue light Reuters Pictures drawn by children as part of the Quarantine Rainbow Project in Brooklyn, New York Reuters U.S. Army National Guard personnel load boxes of free food provided by multiple New York City agencies into a taxi for distribution to local residents in the Harlem neighbourhood of Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID19) in New York Reuters Traders work during the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 17, 2020 at Wall Street in New York City AFP via Getty Images A man in a wheelchair crosses a nearly empty 7th Avenue in Times Square in Manhattan Reuters Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images REUTERS The right to protest and exercise free speech is the foundation of all our other liberties, and during a crisis is exactly when we need to be most vigilant about protecting it. Health experts, elected officials and police officers all agree that people can be outside safely while practising social distancing, and its critical that lawmakers create guidelines and direct law enforcement uniformly. Mr Cuomos spokesman Rich Azzopardi said the new order is in line with Centres for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, which says that gatherings of up to 10 people are safe if people socially distance. Please be safe and wear a mask, he added on Twitter. The coronavirus killed another 109 people in the state on Thursday and around 5,000 people remain hospitalised The daily death toll is down dramatically from early April but has stubbornly remained at just above 100 for five consecutive days. Other regions in the US have also begun easing lockdown restrictions. Nevada is preparing to reopen its shuttered casinos, including glitzy ones in Las Vegas. Governor Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, has set a tentative June 4 date, as Nevada continues to see decreasing cases of the coronavirus and Covid-19 hospital admissions. Some restrictions began to be lifted nearly two weeks ago. Nevadas gambling regulators plan to meet on Tuesday and will consider reopening plans submitted from casinos, which need to be approved at least seven days before restarting. A person pays for a to-go order at Cipriano restaurant in the Soho neighborhood in New York City / Getty Images In Michigan, Governor Gretchen Whitmer extended the states stay-at-home order by slightly more than two weeks, until June 12, while keeping theatres, gyms and other places of public accommodation closed until at least then. The Democratic governor also kept her coronavirus emergency declaration until June 19. Both the stay-at-home measure and state of emergency had been set to expire late next Thursday, though Ms Whitmer said extensions were likely. While the data shows that we are making progress, we are not out of the woods yet. If were going to lower the chance of a second wave and continue to protect our neighbours and loved ones from the spread of this virus, we must continue to do our part by staying safer at home, said Ms Whitmer, whom President Donald Trump has pushed to reopen the state. Michigan on Friday reported 5,158 confirmed deaths due to Covid-19 complications, the fourth largest tally of any state. The daily death toll rose by 29 and the number of new confirmed cases in the state increased by 403, to nearly 54,000 since the pandemic started. Nollywood actress, Victoria Inyama, has stated that there is nothing wrong with women taking control of their sexual urges by masturbating. The United Kingdom-based star said this on Friday when she shared a post to raise awareness about masturbation and women. According to Inyama, Women need to take more charge of their sexual urges by themselves. READ ALSO Report To Police, Not Your Pastor Victoria Inyama Tells Domestic Violence Victims Advertisement Sharing on Instagram, the actress wrote: Im part of @lovehoneyofficial campaign to raise awareness of masturbation as a healthy, safe and natural way for people to express their sexual needs and desires See Her Post Here: https://www.instagram.com/victoriainyama/?utm_source=ig_embed An Indian Air Force officer has been duped of Rs 75,000 by a 24-year-old who posed as a CISF constable and promised to buy an old furniture from him on an e-commerce website, police said on Saturday. The accused, Ajruddin, a resident of Mewat district of Haryana, has been arrested. The Air Force officer told police that the accused reached out to him on an e-commerce website posing as CISF constable Sahil. He agreed to buy the furniture but expressed inability to make the payment or collect the item in person as he was in a remote area of Rajasthan. Ajruddin said he could make the payment online, through UPI, a police official said. "The complainant (IAF officer) gave the number of his sister-in-law. The accused sent a UPI link for payment, but instead of money being credited, it was debited from her account on multiple occasions," Anyesh Roy, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber), said. Police took help of technical experts to investigate the case and arrested Ajruddin and his associates from near Nuh bus stop in Mewat earlier this week, the DCP said. Ajruddin told police he and his associates would create fake IDs of army and paramilitary personnel on e-commerce platforms after downloading their photographs from their social media profiles and would dupe people on e-commerce websites. The DCP said the UPI link generated by them was not meant for crediting money but for debiting money for their potential victims' bank accounts. Police said the accused would keep debiting money from bank accounts on one of the other pretext, adding efforts are on to arrest other members of the gang. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Loading Trump wanted to preserve the appearance of mutual respect with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Until this week. On Thursday, he followed up the "wacko" tweet with a direct jab at Xi. "[China's] disinformation and propaganda attack on the United States and Europe is a disgrace. It all comes from the top. They could have easily stopped the plague, but they didn't!" Trump sees China as a useful foil in the coming election, and the Democrat nominee Joe Biden is happy to fight on this turf. Biden's campaign team has already broadcast racially charged ads accusing Trump of rolling over to the Chinese. A bipartisan escalation appears to be unavoidable. There is a long history of "using China as a campaign cudgel" at election time, dating back to Bill Clinton in 1992, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, wrote in The New York Times this week. But she warns that the old playbook is "particularly dangerous in these tense times when it fuels anti-Asian hostility at home and anti-American sentiment abroad, makes governing more difficult and raises the prospect of a costly Cold War or worse". Australia should pause and reflect. There has been a tendency lately for the Australian and Chinese governments to trade cartoonish insults. Who started it tends to get lost in the mutual indignation. The danger for Australia is that we validate Chinese invective by accepting it as the normal way to do business. The risk beyond the immediate commercial relationship with China is that the rest of the world sees us as a smaller version of Trump's America, and stops taking us seriously. Obviously, the values of Trump's America don't align with ours. Trump divides his country by political reflex. This wouldn't be unusual if he understood where to draw the line between robust debate and vilification, and between the scrutiny of his opponents and the criminalisation of their public service. But he doesn't. The race baiting at home, and abroad, isn't a tactic; it comes from deep within. So do the calls to lock people up. It is who he is. The bully that is supposed to have our back, Washington, is often indistinguishable from the bully who now threatens our economy, Beijing. Loading And Trump's economic interest in promoting an America First international order undermines our interest in a global trading system in which all nations continue to do business in good faith. Australia's two-way trade with China represents 26 per cent of our total trade with the world. Last financial year, that relationship was worth $235 billion, which almost equalled the combined value of our two-way trade with Japan ($88.5 billion), the United States ($76.4 billion), South Korea ($41.4 billion) and Singapore ($32.7 billion), our trading partners ranked second to fifth. Our two-way trade in goods and services with the Chinese has been in surplus since the global financial crisis of 2008-9, and for many decades more with the Japanese. With the Americans, we have always been in deficit. Last financial year, the surplus with China was $71.4 billion, and with Japan it was $34.9 billion. The deficit with the US was $26.9 billion. Australia is the world's largest supplier of iron ore and coal, and China is the world's largest importer of these two commodities. In the year to March, Australia sold $82.6 billion in iron ore and $14 billion in coal to China 64 per cent of our total export of goods to China in that period. The Chinese don't have another quarry, either at home, or overseas, that can easily replace Australia's. Their dependency on our raw materials might increase in the short run as Beijing restarts its industries after the lockdown. Loading If Trump took the time to ponder these numbers he might just advise Morrison to play nice with the Chinese because they let us screw them. He'd also be grateful that Australia allows itself to be ripped off by the Americans. On the other hand, if the Chinese continue to pick off our second-tier exports to teach us a lesson for speaking out, perhaps Trump might want to open up his economy to Australia to compensate us for our losses? For example, Australia is the world's second-largest exporter of beef. But the Americans only bought $1.1 billion from Australian farmers in the year to March, while the Chinese imported more than double that amount $2.8 billion. The Americans would surely want some Aussie wine to go with their Aussie steak. Australia is the world's fourth-largest exporter of wine but once again, the Chinese have been more willing to buy alcohol from us than the Americans $1.2 billion versus $450 million. But this is not how Trump sees the world. He'd like Americans to buy local, and to sell their surpluses to the rest of the world. A world where China cuts out Australia, and leaves us to bargain with a protectionist US, is not one that serves our interests. Amidst burgeoning protests and opposition to the proposed 2,000 MW Sharavathi pumped-storage hydroelectric project inside the Sharavathi Valley between Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada, the Karnataka Forest Department has granted permission to Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) to carry out survey and geotechnical investigation by drilling inside the Sharavathi Valley Lion-tailed Macaque Wildlife Sanctuary last week subject to stringent conditions. The proposal, which was accorded an approval by the State Board for Wildlife in September 2019, was recommended to the Prime Minister-headed National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). The NBWL which met in April 2020 amidst lockdown against the COVID-19 also gave its green signal to carry out the study subject to conditions imposed by the Chief Wildlife Warden of Karnataka. A few days ago, the Chief Wildlife Warden permitting the KPCL to drill 12 bore holes of 2X2 inch diameter. According to the order, a copy of which is with DH, The survey has to be carried without any tree cutting or disturbance to the wildlife. Drilling equipment has to be carried on the head. Drilling is allowed only between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm. No tents or stay arrangements are allowed at the site inside the sanctuary limits during night. The period of the work shall be for one-year term from the date of issuance of the order. Further, the survey work shall not be taken up during monsoon season. Joseph Hoover, Convener of the United Conservation Movement said, The state should not have hurried just because NBWL has given clearance for the proposal especially during the present pandemic situation. The MoEF&CC in its order dated 6 April 20 directed all states to restrict the movement of people to wildlife sanctuaries and national parks besides initiating measures to stop transmission of COVID-19 from humans to animals and vice versa. Despite such an order by the Centre, the state has already given them go-ahead. According to sources in the Forest Department, Sagara, as many as 14 people have come from Haryana to carry out the survey and drilling work inside the sanctuary. They have deployed their machinery at a place near to the worksite. Looking at the machinery itself one can understand that no human can take them inside the forest on head. Locals have also complained to the Tashildar to keep these workers under quarantine as they have come from different states, an activist from Sagara said. Similarly, activists from Bengaluru and power policy analysts have also appealed to the Chief Minister not to pursue even the survey let alone the controversial project. The Project: The project envisaged between existing Talakalale and Gerusoppa reservoir on the downstream of Linganamakki reservoir on Sharavathi River aims to make use of the runoff water by way of pumped storage. Planned to be an underground project, the project with eight units of 250 Mw each would generate about 2,000 Mw catering to the peak hour load. The project, worth Rs 4,862.89 Crores, requires about 153 hectares and of which 150 acres is forest area Suriname will hold legislative elections on Monday that are crucial to convicted murderer President Desi Bouterse's hopes of staying in power for a third term. Under Suriname's political system the president is elected by the 51 members of the National Assembly, who are up for re-election on Monday. The election in the South American country of 600,000 takes place despite a partial lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and amid various corruption scandals and a dire economic outlook. If Bouterse's National Democratic Party (NDP) retains its narrow majority in the legislature, the 74-year-old former military dictator is likely to remain in power. But Bouterse is a controversial figure. Last year he was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a military court for carrying out executions during a previous military dictatorship. He appealed his conviction and the case was postponed until June due to the coronavirus pandemic. - December killings - Bouterse first took power in a 1980 coup and in 1982 allegedly rounded up and executed 15 political opponents, including lawyers, journalists and businessmen, in an incident known as the "December killings." In 1999 Bouterse was sentenced to 11 years in prison by a Dutch court for cocaine smuggling, a charge he denies. After almost a decade out of power, he was first elected president in 2010, which gave him protection from an Interpol arrest warrant. But it didn't save him from being convicted over the 1982 massacre. And even if he is re-elected, Bouterse would still go to jail if he doesn't win his appeal. Surinamese voters will elect 51 legislators for a five-year term, as well as 118 district and 772 local representatives. The 51 lawmakers will then elect the president, with a two-thirds majority needed to win. The ruling NDP is campaigning on its strong track record of substantially increasing social welfare, introducing mandatory health and pension insurances, carrying out major infrastructure projects and granting property to the landless. Opposition parties, though, accuse the Bouterse administration of numerous corruption scandals and have warned that the country cannot afford the NDP's spending. Bouterse's chief rival is legislator Chandrikapersad Santokhi of the Progressive Reform Party (VHP). Santokhi is a former justice minister and police commissioner who investigated the "December killings" and unsuccessfully ran against Bouterse in the 2010 and 2015 presidential races. The financial crisis has been the main campaign issue in Suriname, which exports oil and gold. The Association of Economists in Suriname (VES) has called upon the Surinamese to "vote for good economic governance," accusing the current administration of saddling the country with debt. "In 2019, twice as much money was spent by the government than it received," VES Secretary Steven Debipersad told AFP. "We have (a) budget deficit of seven billion Surinamese Dollars (US$930 million)," said Debipersad. "Our country has borrowed so much that repayment is in danger." Ratings agency S&P says Suriname's "worsening economic, fiscal, and financial challenges" mean it risks defaulting on its debt. The government has also been plagued by a series of corruption scandals, including two last January involving the central bank. - Ethnic voting - Another key player in the election is the General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP) led by Ronnie Brunswijk, a former jungle rebel leader who fought a civil war against Bouterse in the late 1980s. Brunswijk mostly represents the Maroons - descendants of African slaves -- in diverse Suriname where citizens often vote along ethnic lines. Brunswijk has teamed up the Pertjajah Luhur party (PL) led by Paul Somohardjo that represents people of Indonesian origin. Some 380,000 people are registered to vote on Monday with safety measures in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. An 11 pm to 5 am curfew will be lifted on Sunday and Monday to facilitate the election. It will be observed by the Organization of American States and Caribbean Community. Initial results are expected on Tuesday with a formal declaration likely within a month. The new president should be sworn in before August 13. Suriname President Desi Bouterse was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a military court for carrying out executions during a previous military dictatorship. He has appealed the conviction By Trend The Energy Community Secretariat welcomes adoption of key energy efficiency legal acts by the Parliament of Georgia, Trend reports via the European Union (EU). As reported, the two laws - the Law on Energy Efficiency and the Law on Energy Performance of Buildings - transpose the EU Directives in this field. The laws were developed under the coordination of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia in close cooperation with the Secretariat, and with technical assistance provided by the EU supported project EU4Energy for the Buildings Law and by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the Energy Efficiency Law. By adopting the two laws, the Government of Georgia paves the way for significant investments in public building renovation programs in the amount of 80 million euros from EBRD and the German Bank KfW, as well as 26 million euros in investment grants and 8.5 million euros in technical assistance from the EU. The reforms are also financially supported with a 150 million euros policy-based loan tranche from KfW and the French Agency for Development AFD. "The new framework will not only make Georgia's building industry more competitive, but also its households better supplied with energy services and its building stock better insulated. It will boost the usage of greener energy sources for heating, cooling and lighting," said Head of Energy Efficiency Unit at the Secretariat Violeta Kogalniceanu. As he noted, the adoption of the two energy efficiency laws is all the more praiseworthy given that Georgia has managed to stay on course with market-oriented and sustainable energy reforms despite the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Madam Sylvia Annor, Head of Public Affairs at the Electoral Commission, has affirmed that no political party should sympathize with them about the number of months left for the 2020 general elections to take place and their insistence on compiling a new voters' register despite the limited time. According to her, as the election management body, they have weighed all the challenges involved and are already aware of the consequences involved in compiling a new voter register with limited time available. "Even though we will encounter challenges, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages to be encountered during and after the exercise," she said on UTV's 'Adekye Nsroma' morning show programme. " . . nobody should feel we are under pressure to do this because we are not," she insisted. Madam Sylvia Annor indicated that the Commission has outlined safety precautions to be observed during the registering period to ensure Ghanaians are safe. She said they are taking every possible lawful step to compile a new voter register to help the country have a fair and credible register for elections. EC Relentless The Electoral Commission of Ghana says it will definitely compile a new Voters' Register despite calls for them to reconsider due to the outbreak of COVID-19. There have been several calls for the electoral body to only conduct a limited registration exercise instead of compiling a new voters' register. Per the argument, the number of people that will take part in a limited registration exercise will be less than in a new voters' register and can be controlled. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has opposed the EC's decision for a new register before the outbreak of the virus with one of their reason being that it is expensive. Now, their argument is that it is not safe to compile a new voters' register because of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, they have accused the EC of ganging up with the National Identification Authority to rig the upcoming election in favour of the ruling government Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi, [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 Head teachers in Northern Ireland have hit back at the Education Minister over his claim that he is consulting widely with them over plans for a return to school for pupils. They say they were caught completely unaware by the announcement on Thursday that pupils in key years, such as those taking GCSEs or A-levels, and those transitioning from primary to secondary schools, will be the first to return in late August. A wider phased return for other pupils is to follow in September, but Mr Weir said this would involve a mix of learning at school and from home. Read More Geri Cameron, president of the National Association of Head Teachers in Northern Ireland, has called for a greater input from teachers on the front line before decisions are made on how a return can be safely managed. Expand Close Difficulties: Geri Cameron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Difficulties: Geri Cameron A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the issues raised by trade unions were under consideration Ms Cameron also called on the department to consider making school attendance voluntary, at the discretion of parents without punitive measures if any return is to happen. "I don't think people realise the complexities we all face," she said. "Every school will have a cap on the number of pupils they can accommodate and that causes immense practical difficulties. "The First Minister was at Pond Park Primary School in Lisburn earlier this week. That's a new school, large classrooms, wide open spaces, ideal for implementing social distancing and taking in pupils in a safe and orderly manner. But when you compare that to a school like Nettlefield Primary School, an old, listed Victorian building, even the corridors in there are less than one metre wide. How is that going to work? "These things all need to be considered and every school. It's an incredibly difficult logistical challenge to get right. "We need to achieve is the right balance and that's going to be extremely difficult," she said. "We hear that the Education Minister say he's consulting widely with head teachers, but I'm afraid that's simply not the case. We all know Mr Weir has a job to do and we feel every sympathy for the poisoned chalice he has to handle, but what we need is to be involved in the process all the way." Ms Cameron said teachers' heads have been left spinning. "We had no warning of the announcements made on Thursday. What we ask for is for the Education Minister to speak to us before going public with statements. "We are fielding calls from parents who have more than one child at a school and are likely to have to go back to work. "We're taking 50-60 calls a day from teachers who are anxious about going back into the classroom, who have had to deal with abuse from parents. "Over the next few weeks we need to see a checklist emerge on how we are going to be fair to all pupils and parents on which children return to classrooms. "We would advocate that school, in the next school term, is voluntary and that no punitive measures are taken against any parent who wishes to keep their children out of that environment." Keith Wysner, principal at Whiteabbey Primary School, urged parents to show grace and patience. He said: "We have to move forward together, but aside from the practicalities over social distancing, the main difficulty is that we're all heading into the unknown." A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: A very wide range of issues, including those raised by the trade unions, are under consideration and, subject to approval of the Minister, we will be working closely with the whole education sector, including trade unions and school principals to develop appropriate guidance to assist schools with planning provision. Police said a nursing home under strict Michigan coronavirus lockdown measures was unaware of an attack on an elderly patient until a viral video surfaced on Twitter, which prompted a response from Donald Trump. "Is this even possible to believe? Can this be real?" the president wrote. "Where is this nursing home, how is the victim doing?" Is this even possible to believe? Can this be for real? Where is this nursing home, how is the victim doing? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 22, 2020 The 75-year-old man from the Westwood Rehabilitation Nursing Centre in Detroit is being treated in a local hospital after being repeatedly punched in the face by another patient, who appeared to film the attack in two clips posted to Twitter. The woman who first noticed the video and alerted police said that if the Detroit nursing home had been receiving visitors, action might have been taken sooner. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has implemented some of the US's strictest coronavirus lockdown measures, which forbid elderly nursing home patients from having family visit. "It absolutely shattered my heart. It just broke my heart how anyone could be capable of this kind of brutality," Joann Uhler, told Detroit's FOX 2, which reported the video was taken on 15 May. "Honestly I think if they were receiving visitors this would have been addressed a lot quicker than something like this having to evolve on Twitter." Detroit police Chief James Craig said the nursing home was unaware of the attack until seeing the video, which currently has almost three million views on Twitter. "What our investigation has revealed so far was the nursing home was unaware of an assault until they saw the video," Mr Craig said. "We're still investigating that aspect of the case, but there is a suspect in custody." Story continues Detroit police thanked the public for alerting it to the video, which has led to the arrest of a 20-year-old man who was also a patient at the nursing home. "Thank you to everyone for your assistance in bringing the senior home incident to our attention," the department said on Twitter. "The @detroitpolice is investigating the situation, and an arrest has been made. In a statement to The Independent, the law firm representing Westwood said that nursing home staff turned the alleged attacker in the video over to police on Thursday morning. "He is not a long-term resident of Westwood, but he was recently admitted for recovery and rehabilitation purposes on a temporary stay," attorney Saif Kasmikha, or Midwest Legal Partners, said in the statement. "Westwood has been cooperating with the police and will continue to do so." Read more Jimmy Kimmel roasts Trump for falsely saying he was 'man of the year' Barber who defied Michigan coronavirus shutdown can continue, says cou Michigan threatens to sue companies if Trump fails to wear mask As Trump slams Michigan over mail-in voting, governor seeks flood help Two failed dams, flooding in Michigan were a known problem U.S. President Donald Trump called for a rapid de-escalation of the Libyan conflict on a call with Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday, the White House said, after recent gains by forces backed by Turkey prompted threats of retaliation. Ankara said the NATO allies agreed to continue pursuing stability in the eastern Mediterranean region, including in Syria, while a spokesman for Erdogan said the international community must stand with Turkey in the Libyan conflict. Turkey backs Libyas internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), which has made significant military gains in recent weeks in battles with the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) of Khalifa Haftar. With Turkish help, the GNA has seized a string of towns, captured a strategic airbase and destroyed several of the LNAs Russian-made air defence systems. White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement: President Trump reiterated concern over worsening foreign interference in Libya and the need for rapid de-escalation. As the LNA has promised to respond with a massive air campaign, diplomats have warned of the risk of a new round of escalation with the warring sides external backers pouring in new weaponry. Turkey will not bow to threats by Haftar or anyone else, Turkeys presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said separately in an interview on NTV. The international community must take a stand against Hafter. We need to go back to the table for a political solution as soon as possible, Kalin said. Search Keywords: Short link: Gratitude for all the support it's received from its community has inspired Meridian Public Schools to return the favor in the aftermath of the devastating flooding of the Tittabawassee River. Donations of urgently needed food, bottled water, cleaning supplies and personal care items are being accepted every day through Monday during a donation drive at Meridian Elementary School and Sanford Elementary Early Childhood Center. Residents in need may pick up items at Meridian Elementary over the same time period. "This really attests to the willingness people have here to support each other," said Tara Mager, Meridian Early College High School principal, one of the organizers of the donation drive. "Usually it's us (the school district) asking for support, and (voters) just passed a huge bond. "The fact that we're able to step in and support (the community) during a time of great need, is why our staff is so ready to help," Mager continued. "People know how important Sanford and the surrounding areas have been (to the success of our schools). It's so moving for us to repay them." Mager said more than 100 cars came to Meridian Elementary on Friday to accept donated items, and donations continued to come in well past the designated 4 p.m. ending time. Mager stressed that some items which are already in high demand because of the coronavirus, such as disinfectants, hand sanitizer and cleanup wipes, are now also greatly needed for cleaning flooded homes. The donation drive will continue from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day through Monday, and beyond that if necessary. Volunteers can sign up through the United Way to work two-hour shifts at the following website: http://tinyurl.com/merpsvolunteer. "We're planning to run (the drive) through Monday, unless the need is still present for us to extend (it beyond Monday)," Mager said. Those who have donated items and volunteered have included everyone from individuals to private companies to religious groups, she said. A group called Christian Aid Ministries, from Ohio, is proving warm food for the volunteers and is staying overnight at Meridian High School throughout the weekend. Mager said the genesis for the donation drive came from high school teacher Sarah Rivard, who also started a fundraiser for flood relief in Bay City, where she lives. "She was the driving force," Mager said. MPS administrator Megan Thompson is coordinating the donation drive along with Mager. Another concurrent fundraiser is a sale of #SANFORDSTRONG T-shirts, coordinated by Meridian teacher Sarah Larges. The shirts can be ordered through June 10 at tinyurl.com/sanfordstrongshirts. "There's been a ton of response to that," Mager said of the T-shirt fundraiser. SSC chairman B R Sharma, who had recently asked the government to relieve him from the post within a month of getting two-year extension, has been appointed as the chief of Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission, a Personnel Ministry statement said on Saturday. A 1984 batch IAS (retired) officer of Jammu and Kashmir cadre, Sharma served as the chief secretary in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir before proceeding on deputation to the central government. He was in October 2019 appointed as the chairman of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) and was re-employed by the Centre for two years after his superannuation on April 30, 2020. Recently, Sharma put in a request to the Department of Personnel & Training for being relieved from the post of chairman SSC, the Personnel Ministry statement said, without giving further details. On Wednesday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu appointed him as the chairman of J-K PSC till he attains 62 years of age. Newly appointed chairman of Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission (PSC), B R Sharma called on Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh here today, the statement said. While wishing good luck to Sharma, Singh expressed the need to promptly revive the recruitment process to various posts in the new Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. He said, as chairman PSC of the new Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, Sharma has crucial responsibility ahead, for which his long administrative experience and knowledge of Jammu & Kashmir will be of help. Sharma thanked the minister for his continued support and guidance. He also thanked the minister for advising him during his tenure as chairman SSC while handling some of the crucial decisions pertaining to the selection process and other related matters, it said. Sharma also gave Singh an update of the current status of the various selection processes under SSC which had got disturbed due to COVID-19 pandemic. He said, it had been an honour for him to serve in the highly important position of chairman SSC, particularly at a time when the Government of India is seeking to bring in maximum transparency and objectivity in selection to various governments posts, the statement added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Arvind Krishna-led tech giant IBM has joined a host of companies who has started firing employees in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The tech industry has suffered widespread job losses after the pandemic triggered a severe recession. Hewlett Packard Enterprise, the storage and server firm, said Thursday it would save $1 billion by reducing pay and other costs. Airbnb Inc and Uber Technologies Inc have also cut about a quarter of their global workforces. Here is what you need to know: What did the company say? IBMs work in a highly competitive marketplace requires flexibility to constantly add high-value skills to our workforce. While we always consider the current environment, IBMs workforce decisions are in the interest of the long-term health of our business, Ed Barbini, IBMs spokesperson said in a statement. Recognizing the unique and difficult situation this business decision may create for some of our employees, IBM is offering subsidized medical coverage to all affected U.S. employees through June 2021, Barbini added. Who will be affected? IBM, however, did not disclose how many workers are affected but media reports said thousands of employees are set to lose jobs in at least five states of the US. The cuts affected employees in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, California, Missouri and New York, where IBM is based, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter. According to its annual report, IBM had about 352,600 employees worldwide as of December 31. Krishna said in April that more than 95% of them were working remotely. What has new CEO Arvind Krishna said? These would be IBMs first big layoffs under Krishna, who on April 6 replaced outgoing CEO Ginni Rometty. Rometty remains IBMs executive chairwoman through the end of the year. Krishna spoke optimistically earlier in May about how the 110-year-old company could weather the pandemic. The fact that IBM has been here before gives me perspective and confidence, Krishna said at the Think conference for IBM clients and developers, held remotely this year. I believe history will look back on this as the moment when the digital transformation of business and society suddenly accelerated, he had said. However, Krishna had warned investors last month of uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, saying the company made a tough decision to withdraw revenue projections for the rest of 2020. He had said in April at his first quarterly earnings call as CEO that the company will continue to eliminate software and services that dont align with IBMs top two focus areas for growth: cloud computing and artificial intelligence. How has the company been faring? The company has suffered years of falling revenue. The Armonk, New York company reported a 3.4% revenue decline in the January-March quarter from the same time last year, blaming it in part on how the coronavirus outbreak was affecting sales. In an earnings call in January, IBM discussed reducing costs through aggressive structural actions to improve the competitiveness of its Global Technology Services consulting unit, which represents about a third of revenue. In online forums Thursday, dozens of newly unemployed IBM workers, some who said they had been with the company for more than 20 years, lamented the situation and expressed fear over finding a new job in a recession. With the Covid situation, it will be hard to find new opportunities, one wrote. (With agency inputs) The Department of Justice is supporting Illinois state Rep. Darren Bailey's lawsuit over state Governor J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home order, while also warning Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti against a longer-term isolation order. On Friday, the DOJ filed a statement of interest supporting Republican Bailey's lawsuit, which challenges whether Illinois' Democratic governor can keep the state's lockdown order going past the 30 days allowed by state law, according to Fox News. 'In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor of Illinois has, over the past two months, sought to rely on authority under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act to impose sweeping limitations on nearly all aspects of life for citizens of Illinois, significantly impairing in some instances their ability to maintain their economic livelihoods,' the agency said in a statement, according to Fox News. The DOJ intervened in Illinois state Rep. Darren Bailey's (left) lawsuit over state Governor J.B. Pritzker's (right) stay-at-home order Friday Bailey (left) filed the lawsuit claiming Pritzker violated Illinois residents' civil rights with his coronavirus stay-at-home order. Bailey is seen here on May 20, refusing to wear a mask at the Illinois House of Representatives, before his colleagues voted to kick him out of the session Bailey (right) is seen, the next day, on May 21, back at the Illinois House of Representatives meeting, this time wearing a mandated mask The DOJ also said that 'According to the lawsuit, the Governors actions are not authorized by state law, as they extend beyond the 30-day time period imposed by the Illinois legislature for the Governors exercise of emergency powers granted under the Act.' Bailey had filed the lawsuit in April, claiming that Pritzker had exceeded his authority and violated Illinois residents' civil rights with his coronavirus stay-at-home order. A judge granted Bailey, a farmer representing a rural district, a personal temporary restraining order, blocking Illinois from enforcing the stay-at-home order against him, making him the only person besides essential workers exempt from the order meant to keep residents safe and stop the spread of coronavirus, according to the Washington Post. Following the judge's order, Pritzker said during his daily press briefing that 'It's insulting, it's dangerous, and people's safety and health has now been put at risk,' KMOV reported. 'There may be people who contract coronavirus as a result of what Darren Bailey has done now.' Bailey is now seeking to have the ruling extended to all Illinois residents. There have been more than 100,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 4,525 deaths across the state as of Thursday. The civil rights angle allowed Pritzker to move Bailey's lawsuit from state to federal court, which presides over issues involving the US Constitution, according to NBC Chicago. The move was made on Thursday, the day before a hearing was scheduled in state court. Pritzker moved Bailey's case from a state to federal court, but DOJ Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband (pictured) said the case needed to be heard in a state court Pritzker is pictured here on April 17, touring a coronavirus alternate care facility in Chicago Protestors are seen in Springfield, Illinois, clamoring for the reopening of the state Wednesday Dreiband also wrote a letter warning Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (pictured) against the 'arbitrary and unlawful' extension of the county's lockdown Of the move, Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the DOJ's Civil Rights Division said in a statement: 'The Governor of Illinois owes it to the people of Illinois to allow his states courts to adjudicate the question of whether Illinois law authorizes orders he issued to respond to COVID-19.' Dreiband also noted that 'Under our system, all public officials, including governors, must comply with the law, especially during times of crisis. The Department of Justice remains committed to defending the rule of law and the American people at all times, especially during this difficult time as we deal with COVID-19 pandemic.' 'However well-intended they may be, the executive orders appear to reach far beyond the scope of the 30-day emergency authority granted to the Governor under Illinois law,' Steven Weinhoeft, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, said in a statement to the Associated Press. 'Even during times of crisis, executive actions undertaken in the name of public safety must be lawful.' Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul's spokesperson said in a statement to NBC Chicago Friday that his office 'will continue to defend the governors constitutional and statutory right to act to protect the health and safety of all Illinois residents.' In addition to intervening on the Illinois case, Dreiband also wrote to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a Democrat, and Los Angeles Countys director of public health, Barbara Ferrer, saying that the DOJ is worried about the city pursuing 'an arbitrary and heavy-handed approach' to stay-at-home orders. 'Reports of your recent public statements indicate that you suggested the possibility of long-term lockdown of the residents in the city and county of Los Angeles, regardless of the legal justification for such restrictions,' Dreiband wrote according to the Los Angeles Times. 'Any such approach may be both arbitrary and unlawful.' The letter continued, stating that while the DOJ 'recognizes and appreciates the duty that you have to protect the health and safety of the residents of the Los Angeles area' it's true that 'Governmental authority, however, is not limitless, and must be exercised reasonably.' 'Simply put, there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights,' the letter also noted, according to Fox News. Earlier in May, Ferrer had suggested that Los Angeles County's stay-at-home order would likely be extended for a few more months - potentially through the summer - although Garcetti has been slowly loosening restrictions, allowing curbside pickups at businesses and reopening beaches and hiking trails among other outdoors activities. Dreiband's letter to Garcetti and intervening in the Illinois case come on the same day that the White House's coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington DC were coronavirus hotspots. The Haryana government on Friday issued guidelines capping the number of passengers allowed to travel in taxis, maxi cabs and auto-rickshaws in the state for the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown. Only two passengers will be allowed to travel in a taxi, Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma said. Excluding the driver, maxi cabs can carry up to three people and auto rickshaws can carry two, he said. E-rickshaws are allowed to carry two passengers, the minister added. Motorcycles are permitted to ply in the state with one pillion rider but both riders must wear helmets, masks and gloves, an official statement said. Manually driven rickshaw shall carry no more than two passengers, it added. Sharma said only essential activities would be allowed in containment zones. Therefore movement within such zones would be strictly regulated, he added. All drivers and passengers are advised to install the Aarogya Setu application on their mobile phones and regularly update their health status on it, the minister said. He said movement of individuals would be strictly prohibited between 7 pm and 7 am, except for essential activities. People above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years shall stay at home, except for essential and health purposes, he added. Sharma said all drivers and passengers should cover their faces with a mask or cloth at all times. Motor vehicles should be regularly sanitised and drivers and passengers should regularly use hand-sanitizers, he added. Social distancing shall be followed by people at all times, the minister said. The guidelines are in accordance to those issued by the central government, he said. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Each year for decades, Kenneth Littell and fellow members of Albuquerque Elks Lodge 461 have gathered on Memorial Day at Fairview Memorial Park Cemetery to remember comrades who are no longer with them. The event at the Elks Rest part of the cemetery, where between 50 and 60 deceased members of the organization are interred, is a special one for the former exalted ruler, who is now 98. He wrote the memorial that is recited each year by his successors in leadership. He wasnt going to be participating this year because of his frail health. And the COVID-19 pandemic will keep the organization from having a large gathering, so the Elks have decided to bring the ceremony to him. My heart told me we needed to honor him, current Exalted Ruler Pat Shepardson said. Hell be watching from the front porch of his home on Kriss Place in the northeast part of town as a parade of Model Ts and vehicles driven by his fellow Elks pass by, and the memorial that he penned during his time as exalted ruler in 1977-78 will be recited, according to longtime friend Vance East. Hes going to notice a group of Elks dignified, wearing uniforms like they did in the old days, with the jewels on, Shepardson said. I think hell be very, very moved and very touched, Littells daughter Barbi Cappel said. She said Memorial Day is always special to her father with the combination of the military history in his family he is a World War II U.S. Navy veteran and with his history with the Elks. East said Littell wanted to find a way to pay homage to the members who are laid to rest in the plot at the cemetery, especially for those who no longer had family around, which led to the writing of the memorial. Members whose remains are cremated are buried in urns at the site. Lodge members clean up and maintain the site. Littells impact on the Elks goes a little deeper than coming up with a way to honor deceased members on Memorial Day. He joined Elks when I was very young, his daughter said. He jumped in with both feet. He joined the lodges clowns group. He performed magic tricks. Littell found the organization to be a good fit for the unicycle group he belonged to. He did a lot of philanthropy for the kids, not just in Albuquerque, but all over the state, Shepardson said. His unicycle group performed for about 30 years, his daughter said, participating in parades, hospital benefits, childrens events and visiting senior citizens homes. He did about six or seven events a month, his daughter said. The clowns unit he was in performed around the state during the Christmas holidays, Cappel and East said, in Las Cruces, Silver City, Farmington, Santa Fe, Fort Stanton and Fort Bayard. Hes a very special man, East said. Hes a spirited man, full of life, Shepardson said. Always laughing. Always cracking a joke. Littell grew up in Indiana and moved West after he served in the Navy. His daughter said he caught malaria while serving in the South Pacific as a pharmacist mate. He wanted to move away from humid places, Cappel said. He ended up in Colorado, but moved his family to Albuquerque from Colorado Springs in 1959 when he transferred as an employee of Gate City Steel. As China took the first step to impose a new national security law on Hong Kong, international opposition grew Friday, with the foreign ministers of Britain, Australia and Canada issuing a joint statement of alarm about the move and the European Union calling for the need to preserve the city's high degree of autonomy. "We are deeply concerned at proposals for introducing legislation related to national security in Hong Kong," the statement by British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, and his Australian and Canadian counterparts, Marise Payne and Francois-Philippe Champagne, said. "Making such a law on Hong Kong's behalf without the direct participation of its people, legislature or judiciary would clearly undermine the principle of 'one country, two systems', under which Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of autonomy." The three foreign ministers stressed that the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, signed when Britain first agreed to hand over Hong Kong, then its colony, to Chinese control, remains legally binding and requires the city to maintain a high degree of autonomy until 2047. Moreover, they said, the treaty "also provides that rights and freedoms, including those of the person, of the press, of assembly, of association and others, will be ensured by law in Hong Kong, and that the provisions of the two UN covenants on human rights (the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) shall remain in force," they said. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson weighed in as well on Friday, saying Britain "expect[s] China to respect Hong Kong's rights and freedoms and high degree of autonomy. "As a party to the Joint Declaration, the UK is committed to upholding Hong Kong's autonomy and respecting the 'one country, two systems' model," Johnson said via a spokesman. Also on Friday, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, issued a statement on behalf of the entire bloc, containing a thinly veiled criticism of China's bid to unilaterally impose security laws on Hong Kong. Story continues "The EU considers that democratic debate, consultation of key stakeholders, and respect for protected rights and freedoms in Hong Kong would represent the best way of proceeding with the adoption of national security legislation, as foreseen in Article 23 of the Basic Law, while also upholding Hong Kong's autonomy and the 'one country two systems' principle," Borrell said. Hong Kong's Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution, lays out the policies of China on Hong Kong, including the "one country two systems" principle, the local government and the fundamental rights and protections of Hongkongers. Addressing the National People's Congress' annual meeting, where the new legislation was introduced, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday said that Beijing would establish "sound legal systems and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security" in Hong Kong. Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Premier Li Keqiang at the opening ceremony of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday. Photo: Kyodo alt=Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Premier Li Keqiang at the opening ceremony of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday. Photo: Kyodo Under the proposal, Beijing would directly apply new national security law to Hong Kong, bypassing the city's local legislative procedures provided for in both the Joint Declaration and in the Basic Law. The proposal followed almost a year of mass protests by Hongkongers, which erupted over a proposed extradition law that would have left them subject to mainland legal system, then evolved into a larger pro-democracy movement. After its enactment, the new law is intended to prevent, stop and punish acts in Hong Kong that threaten national security. The proposal is said to ban all seditious and subversive activity aimed at toppling the central government as well as any external interference in the city's affairs. There is growing concern whether Hong Kong's pro-democracy supporters might be at risk under the new law, prompting calls for Britain to recognise citizenship rights for those holding the British National (Overseas) passports " which were issued to those born before the handover but do not include the right to live in Britain. "I call on the UK government to give residency rights to British National (Overseas) [passport holders]," Tom Tugendhat, chair of the British Parliament's foreign affairs committee, told the BBC. "Very sadly, General Secretary Xi and his communist tyrannical partners are putting at risk the prosperity of the Chinese people," he added, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping. In February, Peter Goldsmith, a former English attorney general, told the British government to give Hongkongers holding BN (O) passports the right to live in Britain, saying this would not be in breach of its agreement with China. The British government considered the option last year, during the Hong Kong protests, but no conclusion was made, reportedly due to the Foreign Office's opposition. Luke de Pulford, fellow of the London-based Hong Kong Watch group, also called on the Johnson government to extend citizenship to BN (O) holders. Johnson "needs to send a strong and urgent signal to Beijing that their violation of the Joint Declaration comes at a price, and to set out how he intends to help UK nationals, who are on the brink of living under an authoritarian dictatorship," de Pulford said. According to Beijing's plan, the Chinese national security organs could in future set up offices in Hong Kong to enforce the law. Beijing argued the law was needed out of the fear that Hong Kong would be turned into a base for overseas governments to plot secessionist or subversive activities against China. Tugendhat called it "ridiculous" for China to use this as an excuse to curb freedom in Hong Kong. "Hongkongers expressing their views and debating ideas is not subversion, it's what free people do," Tugendhat said. "It's ridiculous to call it anything else. Only a tyrant would call it anything else." 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. Pouring clear water into the glass to facilitate EPEs Numerous investors from Japan and Europe have been working with EY Consulting Vietnam Ltd., to look for support in establishing manufacturing facilities in the country under the export-processing enterprise (EPE) model to export to the United States. According to EY Consulting representative Bui Van Tram, the administrative procedures to secure an enterprise registration certificate (ERC) under the EPE model are arduous. Starting by submitting dossiers to apply for an investment registration certificate (IRC), many complained that there is no clear timeline for the procedure. Even when the applications are refused, they only receive unclear explanations from local authorities which leave them unable to remedy the shortcomings of their applications. A number of investors went to meet local authorities with the expectation of sharing their experiences and receiving specific guidance in building a complete dossier. They thought this would help reduce waiting times but it was all in vain, explained Bui Van Tram, director of EY Consulting. In addition, the lack of specific regulations related to fence and camera systems as well as the material management system to help local customs authorities monitoring and inspection work at export processing zones (EPZs) are causing a great many difficulties to foreign investors. An investor from Europe who worked with Vinh Phuc Industrial Zones Management Authority to establish a $25 million manufacturing factory in Ba Thien 2 Industrial Park was left waiting for more than two years for specific guidance to complete administrative procedures to receive the ERC under the EPE model. The Vinh Phuc customs authority refused the companys application and to comment on the dossier, citing the lack of specific guidelines on customs inspection and supervision. Vinh Phuc Industrial Zones Management Authority advised the company to register to operate as a normal enterprise until there are appropriate guidelines and then complete procedures to switch to the EPE model. In this case, the newly-established enterprise may be able to get a VAT refund for the construction period as well as during operation, provided the supporting documents are in order. Otherwise, the company needs to wait until clear and detailed guidance on EPE is released, then Vinh Phuc Zones Management Authority will grant the IRC to the company. The foreign investor opted for the first alternative to avoid further delays in its investment plan. According to Tram, as of now the government, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and the General Department of Vietnam Customs are discussing specific guidelines for granting IRC and ERC for investors. Issuing new regulations is similar to a filter that prevents an overabundance of licences across the country. However it is necessary to hammer out detailed guidelines otherwise they will accidentally become barriers when interested investors look into the investment environment in Vietnam, Tram added. If the problems are not dealt with in short order, foreign investors may decide against investing in the country. Vietnam could miss many great opportunities from the global relocation of manufacturing operations, which is taking place at a lively pace right now. According to the suggestion of EY Consulting Vietnam, while waiting for more specific regulations, the local authorities should also consider the financial health of the businesses as a basis for licensing. Notably, they can use the investors detailed investment plans, their potential employment capacity, and financial potential as a basis for evaluation to grant the ERC under the EPE model. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] At a time when an entire neighbourhood in east Kolkata has plunged into darkness since Wednesday after cyclone Amphan hit the city, one house in the locality is still lit with power generated domestically, in a true demonstration of the mantra of self-sufficiency. The house belongs to a noted renewable energy expert who has installed rooftop solar panels and produces 1 kilowatt of power when the sun shines brightly. We can run at least six lights, two fans and the television set. We can even charge our mobiles. The power comes from the solar panels installed on our roof top. I can also operate a small pump to fill the overhead tank during emergency, said SP Gon Chowdhury, a renewable energy expert and a Green Oscar awardee. The entire locality of Madurdaha in east Kolkata, barring a few pockets, has plunged into darkness since Wednesday when cyclone Amphan had hit with winds gusting up to 130 km per hour. Locals said that a high tension electric wire, which supplied power to the area, snapped when a large tree uprooted by the storm fell on it. Even the local police station is running on an electricity generator. We are totally aatmanirbhar in power supply in such emergency situation at least. When no other house in my neighbourhood has power connection, we can at least have something to rely upon. We dont need to depend on the power supply corporation in such crisis, he added. In April this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while launching the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-reliant India campaign), had said that the pandemic has offered India a valuable lesson on the importance of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. The country, each state within it, each district within every state, and each village within every district must aspire to attain the twin goals, he had said. The power in Chowdhurys house runs on the grid connection in normal situations. But a combination of solar power and grid not just helps him to save power bills but also manage such crises better. Kolkata being near to the sea is cyclone-prone. The intensity and frequency of cyclones are on the rise because of climate change. I believe every house should have such arrangements to run at least a light and a fan. It doesnt cost much. On the contrary it helps to save power bills as solar power costs less, Chowdhury added. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 00:08:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LONDON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Another 282 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain as of Friday afternoon, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 36,675, British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Saturday. The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community. Meanwhile, 2,959 people have been confirmed positive for the virus, bringing the total confirmed cases in Britain to 257,154 as of Saturday morning. Dr Jenny Harries, England's deputy chief medical officer, told the Downing Street briefing that deaths are starting to come down. "We will be looking to expect that to come down further," she said. Encouragingly, Britain is also maintaining a downward trend in new confirmed cases, she said. During the briefing, Shapps announced the government is investing 283 million pounds (344.3 million U.S. dollars) into the public transport system to increase both frequency and capacity of services while ensuring there is enough space on vehicles to allow for social distancing. "We now have opportunity to use power of transport to improve longstanding national weaknesses," he said. The transport secretary said the measures are "not just to get through (the crisis) but come out of the recovery stronger by permanently changing how we use transport". "Transport is not just how we get from place to place, but it shapes the places," he said. The funding would be divided into 254 million pounds (309 million dollars) for buses and 29 million pounds (35.3 million dollars) for trams and light rail, according to Shapps. "The mission is to level up Britain," he said, "The COVID outbreak must be the catalyst for getting it done." Los Angeles, America's most populous county is targeting a July 4th reopening as experts of public health and policy have said, the COVID-19 crisis has stabilized enough to start recovering from an economic downturn. Officials of the LA county, this week, set the deadline to restart restaurants, retails shops, and malls by Independence Day as stay-at-home guidelines continue taking a toll on almost every industry "from retail to television to movie production." According to Professor Neeraj Sood, also Vice Dean for research at the Price School of Public Policy of the University of Southern California, the pandemic is now under control with the lockdown directives, and can already begin thinking about lessening such orders. Specifically, Sood said, he thinks LA is ready for reopening on July 4th, Independence Day. In order for businesses to operate again, they need to provide the county with their detailed proposals by end-June. The said proposal must outline the safety guidelines they plan to introduce for the protection of their workers and customers, including the social distancing orders and access of the employees to persona protective equipment or PPE. To Move Forward in a Cautious Manner Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors chair, Kathryn Barger said, she believes, "As far as I'm concerned," if the county moves forward in a cautious manner and work with all of the industries, then, "we could be discussing opening" many of the businesses even before July 4. On Friday, the Department of Justice sent LA City Mayor Eric Garcetti and the county's public health director, Barbara Ferrer a letter cautioning that a long-term lockdown maybe both illegal and arbitrary. Also in the latter, the Justice Department said it acknowledged the county and city's responsibility of protecting residents but that particular governmental authority, though, is not unlimited and must be applied reasonably. Meanwhile, the health officials warned that meeting the said target date will be a huge responsibility tied to both data and science and "not public sentiment." Ferrer added, "We have to do a lot of things right" to successfully meet the target date. She said she thinks the reality is that, there is indeed, a need to really aim together to achieve the target as swiftly as possible. The director also expressed the importance of paying attention as well, to science and data. The LA County which has exceeded 2,000 deaths on Thursday due to COVID-19, accounts for almost 50 percent of the 86,000 confirmed cases and fatalities of California. Far from Over As the nation prepares to reopen the economy, a new study that Sood led suggests that more residents have been reportedly infected than the validated case counts at present. Also, based on the ongoing serology research which the county health department and the USC conducted, about three percent of residents have been infected by COVID-19. Meaning, explained Sood, "we are nowhere near the end" of this pandemic. There is a need to have an enduring plan, he continued, "on the horizon for policy planning." According to health experts, the formulation, evaluation, and production of vaccines stay at least one 12 to 18 months from now. They admitted though, that all economies can no longer afford to wait long enough without failing. To date, the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. stated that more than one million unemployment claims have already been filed in the county since the stay-at-home directives were issued in the middle of March. The agency added over 75 percent of the jobs predicted to have been lost compensated below $50,000 annually. A lockdown, Sood specified, "is not sustainable" in any manner health-wise, politically, and economically. Check these out! New York: The more than a century old car rental firm Hertz Global Holdings has filed for bankruptcy protection after its business all but vanished during the coronavirus pandemic and talks with creditors failed to result in needed relief. Hertz said in a US court filing on Friday, US time, that it voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 reorganisation. Its international operating regions including Europe, Australia and New Zealand were not included in the US proceedings. Signage is displayed at the Hertz rental counter at San Francisco International Airport. The company has filed for Chapter 11. Credit:Bloomberg The firm, whose largest shareholder is billionaire investor Carl Icahn, is reeling from government orders restricting travel and requiring citizens to remain home. A large portion of Hertz's revenue comes from car rentals at airports, which have all but evaporated as potential customers eschew plane travel. With nearly $US19 billion ($29 billion) of debt and roughly 38,000 employees worldwide as of the end of 2019, Hertz is among the largest companies to be undone by the pandemic. The public health crisis has also caused a cascade of bankruptcies or Chapter 11 preparations among companies dependent on consumer demand, including retailers, restaurants and oil and gas firms. Toronto police are asking for the publics assistance in tracking down a suspect in a sexual assault that allegedly occurred Thursday afternoon in North York. In a news release late Friday night, police said that the alleged sexual assault took place at the Wilson Heights Boulevard and Ambassador Place area. According to police, at 3:50 p.m., a teenage girl was walking on Wilson Heights Boulevard near Ambassador Place, when an unknown male walked up from behind and sexually assaulted her. Police say the girl fought the male off. The suspect fled the area on foot, according to the release. The suspect is described as an Asian man, 15 to 16-years-old, standing five-foot-five to five-foot-six, with a slim build. Police say he has black medium-length hair, and a dark complexion. He was seen wearing a grey sweatshirt and black pants. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, on their Facebook Leave a Tip page, or by texting TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Legal action by unions if EFC firms cut wages drastically View(s): The Ceylon Federation of Labour (CFL) is perturbed to learn of a purported agreement between the Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) and a rump of four unions claiming to constitute the labour task force to deprive workers in the private sector of their due wages and impose a drastic wage-cut on them. The proposed wage cut amounts to a deep 50 per cent reduction in contrast to the 30-40 per cent demanded from executives employed by EFC companies. These reductions are not only iniquitous but have no support in law they are blatantly unlawful, the CFL said in a media statement last week. It said that the EFC bases its move on the flimsy ground of a so-called precedent one which was never established and is being continuously challenged in the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) by principled unions as a travesty of the eight-hour work-day which the international working class won with much sacrifice. In 2008, when the global economic crisis affected Sri Lanka, the EFC was granted the concession of work to be permitted beyond the stipulated 8-hour work day for a limited period of six months and this practice is unfortunately being continued to this day in violation of the law with the connivance of the authorities and yellow unions. The last sub-committee meeting of the NLAC which deliberated on the matter failed to approve its continuation. Four unions in the NLAC have given notice to the Ministry Secretary and Commissioner General of Labour that they will resort to legal action if the practice is not terminated, the statement said. The EFC is now resorting to yet another ruse by treating those who are made to suffer a pay cut due to non-offer of work as being on the bench an euphemism coined by the EFC to surmount legal implications. It is the considered view of the CFL that the workers who are to be benched in this manner are in fact being laid off for whatever reason by employers and legally entitled to receive their wages. The EFC resorts to such deceptive measures in an attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of labour authorities, it said. The CFL reiterates that on no account should workers be deprived of their wages for no fault of their own. In a situation like the present, it is the responsibility of the state to ensure that the worker and his/her family are not deprived of their means of regular livelihood. The government is duty bound to assure them of wages for the period of lockdown/curfew due to the operation of government health guidelines. While acknowledging that businesses face difficulties due to the sweeping nature of the pandemic, we believe the concessions sought by the EFC on behalf of employers are totally disproportionate, the CFL said, adding: Our employers are seeking financial support in the form of stimulus packages from the government while demanding wide-ranging sacrifices in livelihood, sources of income, social welfare and health and safety from the working population. The employers are aiming at having the best of both worlds. The CFL insists that any stimulus package the government may offer to employers be tied to retention of jobs prior to the outbreak of the pandemic with no reduction in emoluments and terms of employment. The CFL said it appears that labour authorities are pandering to the interest of employers with the Department of Labour (DOL) prematurely seeking information from employers on lay-offs, retrenchments, terminations etc including those intended, without enquiring whether labour department regulations were followed in this process. The absence of a firm declaration from the government against such a move is bound to lead to the opening of the flood gates for inspired shedding of labour. The need for such a commitment from the government takes on a new urgency in view of the forthright statement made by the EFC to its members that it had made no pledge whatsoever that employees would not be terminated, the statement said. A man has been released without charge after the seizure of a gun in Co. Meath. Gardai carried out a search at a house in Drumconrath yesterday and found the firearm, along with a silencer, bullets and a small quantity of cannabis. The Divisional Chairman of the Ghana Medical Association in the Ashanti Region, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo has said that the use of cloth masks is not effective in health environments and therefore has urged health workers not to expose themselves by using those masks as they perform their duties. He was worried about how some Hospital Managers and Administrators in their quest of cutting down cost have been denying their workers' prescribed surgical masks. Speaking on Kumasi based Hello FM with King Edward, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo said some health workers claimed they hardly communicate well with patients during the consultation period which according to him exposes both parties to the virus. He was reacting to the increasing rate of Coronavirus infections among health workers. Some Health workers are now contracting the virus in their line of duty. Ashanti Region alone has recorded 30 cases. Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo said as Health workers especially frontline workers they must always insist on PPEs because its their right. A Virologist at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Dr Michael Owusu also commenting on the risk factors of health workers, advised that health workers with underlying health conditions be withdrawn from the frontline to low-risk areas. Currently, 90,000 Health workers are being infected with the virus worldwide with Africa alone recording 5,011 cases. Dr Michael Owusu also called against the usage of cloth masks in hospitals. However, he admitted that social distancing cannot be properly observed in the various health institutions therefore the need for health workers to be provided surgical masks. When asked about if the country is ready to reopen schools, Dr Michael Owusu posited that the country can only reopen schools provided they have enough data on the vulnerable groups regarding the recovery rate and infected. Ghana has recorded 6,617 cases with 1,976 recoveries and 31 deaths as at Saturday, May 23. Source: Prince Kwadwo Boadu/Hello FM 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 Boris Johnson is to look again at his decision to allow controversial Chinese tech giant Huawei to build more than a third of Britains superfast 5G broadband network, amid fresh concerns by spy agencies. The climbdown comes after a growing rebellion on the Tory backbenches, with Downing Street privately conceding they cannot get the plan through the Commons despite their large majority. New US sanctions imposed on the firm which is closely linked to the Chinese Communist Party outlaw any American intellectual property from being used in the production of Huawei equipment, resulting in fresh security fears. Chips currently manufactured for use in Huawei products use American technology, and Britains spies have warned No 10 that future Chinese alternatives cannot be trusted, scuppering plans to use their kit in 35 per cent of Britains new 5G network. A Whitehall source said: We think the new sanctions slapped on Huawei by the US basically mean that no US intellectual property can be used in the manufacture of Huaweis chips. This means the bits of kit they get from Taiwan and elsewhere, which we think are full of good US stuff, will be cut off from them from the autumn. Theyre likely to turn to cheaper, less secure, local stuff instead. Theres next to no chance we could say its safe enough to use in 5G. It changes the calculation completely. Pictured: Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson applauds outside 10 Downing Street during the Clap for Carers campaign in support of the NHS Last Tuesday, Mr Johnson held a rare meeting of his National Security Council the first since February to discuss the reliance of British supply chains on foreign states amid a growing backlash against the Chinese government. In March, The Mail on Sunday revealed that Downing Street believed China would face a reckoning for its handling of the Covid-19 outbreak, with a vast number of Conservative MPs now openly calling for a reset in relations with Beijing. Huawei, which has been accused by the US of espionage and being in hock to the Chinese Communist Party, was granted permission by Mr Johnson in January to supply equipment for the non-core elements of a future broadband infrastructure. However, the decision requires parliamentary approval. Uniting both wings of the Conservative Party, the growing rebellion against Huawei has intensified in the fall-out from Covid-19 and Chinas initial handling of the outbreak of the pandemic. Pictured: Huawei staff members wearing face masks at the company's headquarters in Shenzhen, Guangdong province There was also international outcry over Mr Johnsons decision, with Donald Trump threatening to ban Britain from intelligence sharing if they let the firm in. Last night, a No 10 source said: The world is a very different place from January and the PM knows we have to look at this again. Huawei has hit back, arguing any U-turn would not make sense. Vice-president Victor Zhang, insisted: As a private company, 100 per cent owned by employees, which has operated in the UK for 20 years, our priority has been to help mobile and broadband companies keep Britain connected, which is more vital than ever in this health crisis. But the No 10 rethink has delighted Tory MPs, with Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, warning that any continuing relationship with Huawei would be extremely problematic because the company is actually owned by the Chinese Communist Party. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 01:03:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese work team members pose for group photos with Chinese Ambassador to Tajikistan Liu Bin (8th R) and Tajik First Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection Umarzoda Saida (7th R) at Dushanbe International Airport, Tajikistan, May 24, 2020. A group of Chinese medical experts arrived in the capital of Tajikistan early Sunday to help the country fight its COVID-19 epidemic. Invited by the Tajik government, the team from China's northwestern Shaanxi Province comprises 14 experts and doctors specializing in respiratory diseases, intensive care, nursing, traditional Chinese medicine, and infectious diseases prevention and control. (Chinese Embassy in Tajikistan/Handout via Xinhua) XI'AN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- An epidemic prevention and control work team departed for Tajikistan from Xi'an on Saturday to join the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, at the invitation of the government of Tajikistan. The 14-member team's expertise extends from infectious diseases prevention and control, traditional Chinese medicine, to nursing and respiratory diseases treatment. The team is expected to share and exchange experience and expertise in dealing with the novel coronavirus with their counterparts and offering training in prevention and treatment. They will also distribute health kits to and provide consultation for Chinese employees and students in Tajikistan. A batch of anti-epidemic supplies donated by northwest China's Shaanxi Province, where the 14 members come from, will be transported to Tajikistan on the same flight. Enditem Click here to read the full article. Argentine Academy Award winner Juan Jose Campanella (The Secret in Their Eyes) is planning Outlaw, a reboot of El Zorro, inspired by his take on the historical figure behind the legend, Joaquin Murrieta, the director announced at an online presentation of Viacom International Studios 2020-21 slate. Part of his first-look deal with Viacom International Studios, Outlaw will be told with much more realism, he added. More from Variety Campanella also announced further details of drama-thriller series Los Enviados, which looks like the first title to go before the cameras from his first-look deal with VIS, announced last May. Led by Pierluigi Gazzolo, president, Studios and OTT, ViacomCBS Networks International, VIS top executives also used the presentation to announce renewals and deliver an update on a swathe of new titles announced over the last few months. Murrieta is still portrayed by some sources as a petty horse thief. Campanella, however, is taking a different tack, framing the figure in a broader historical context. Murrieta enters in action when California, which was Mexican, is annexed as part of the U.S. [in 1848], Campanella said. He added: Mexican citizens suddenly became foreigners, and begin to be pretty badly treated with punitive taxes and the expropriation of their lands. Murrieta was one of the first Mexicans to rebel against that. He became the first terrorist, you might say, in the U.S. Outlaw is written by Adrian Cruz. Season 1 of Los Enviados will be set in a hamlet in Yucatan, Mexico. As the saying goes, small village, big hell, Campanella said. The series protagonists, two priests one from Spain, the other from Mexico, both schooled in science, medicine and law are dispatched around the world by the Vatican to investigate alleged miracles. That can take them to pretty dangerous places, Campanella said, describing the series as a crime investigation thriller with mystic and fantasy elements, and highly challenging visuals and plot. Story continues In further news, VIS is teaming with The Mediapro Studio to produce Season 2 of tween telenovela Club 57 for Nickelodeon Latin America, said Federico Cuervo, SVP and head of VIS Americas. It has also renewed for a fifth season Nickelodeon teen soap Spotlight, set at a Berlin school of arts and produced by UFA Serial Drama, said Laura Abril, SVP, head of VIS EMEA. The new titles join a slate that reflects the robust rampup of production at ViacomCBS International Studios in the space of just three years. In 2020, VIS will add more than 25 productions to its slate, making for 2,500 hours produced from its early 2018 launch. It has 45 projects in development, said Gazzolo. To illustrate VIS breadth in production and distribution Cuervo screened a short promo of recent releases: One was black comedy R, produced by VIS and SVOD platform Claro Video, starring Mauricio Ochmann (El Clon) and debuting in Latin America on April 27 on Paramount Network and on May 7 on Claro Video. Ana, by contrast, is a comedy-drama produced by Mexicos Argos Comunicacion and VIS, starring Ana de la Reguera as a semi-made-up version of herself, which premiered on April 20 on Comedy Central, while streaming on PantaYA for the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Bowing May 20 on Telefe, the Argentine broadcast network, and then on Argentine cable network Cablevisions Flow SVOD service a day later, Los internacionales, also showcased, is a true-facts-based to-catch-a-thief thriller set largely in 2002 Argentina and starring Colombias Juan Pablo Shuk and Argentinas Cecilia Roth. Also featured in the promo reel, Homens? from Brazilian online comedy troupe Porta Dos Fundos, satirizes contemporary male 30something crisis. It first aired on March 18 on Brazils Comedy Central, then on Amazon Prime Video. From Spain, Abril screened a teaser trailer of sentimental dramedy El dia menos pensado, about a group of people from all walks of life even Mexico in the case of a down-on-his-luck musician played by Alfonso Herrera, whose featured scene delivered the biggest laugh of the whole VIS presentation who resort to group therapy to get over the death of their partners. Elite producer Zeta Studios will co-produce. Brief though the videos were, they nail much of VIS DNA. Almost all the shows are co-productions, near always with premiere production companies in Latin America and Spain. The series are made by or frame some of the biggest talents and stars in the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking world; they boast a myriad distribution outlets. As Guillermo Borensztein, VIS Americas VP of sales contents and co-production, commented, analyzing VIS strategy, VIS has made over 20 co-productions in the last two years and has the power to define the commercial cycle of contents, whether releasing on our platforms, distributing with third-parties, or on third-party platforms. ViacomCBS shares jumped early May after first-quarter results announcement on the back of growth in streaming and an expanded carriage deal with YouTube TV. VIS strategy going forward looks, however, to reflect the strategic priorities which ViacomCBS outlined in its February earnings report: Accelerating streaming momentum; maximizing the power of content; increasing revenues in distribution, ad sales and content licensing. Going forward, Borensztein said on Friday, VIS will look to penetrate new territories, such as Africa; continue the sale of formats for U.S. re-versioning, such as YA sci-fi thriller Dani Who? to Nickelodeon; and explore new lines of business. VIS already has its pedal to the metal in Spanish-language content production, Fridays presentation suggested. Abril said VIS EMEA had a multitude of projects in development and showrunners would soon be announced on a bio-series of Spanish boxer Poli Diaz and on a small-screen adaptation of best-selling Spanish novel La novia gitana, produced with Endemol Shines Spanish production house Diagonal TV. Cuervo added that half-hour series Mentiras pasajeras was advancing in development with Pedro and Agustin Almodovars El Deseo; and Viacom would soon confirm new series makeovers of classic Paramount movie titles in the wake of the success of To Catch a Thief. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Leading up to and throughout the coronavirus crisis, the Islamic Republic of Iran has continued its policy of graduated escalation against its adversaries. Tehrans underwriting of such activities while facing a pandemic at home is a measure of their ideational and strategic importance for the regime. This means that Irans five main threat vectors nuclear, missile, maritime, cyber and regional remain relatively unaffected by the onset of COVID-19 and will continue in the short-to-medium term. On the nuclear front, in March, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) detailed Irans ongoing breaches of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). These violations include excess enrichment and accumulation of uranium. Iran now has enough uranium that if enriched to weapons-grade could be sufficient for one nuclear bomb. It has also prevented inspectors from accessing undisclosed facilities. Irans stockpile and other nuclear violations are set to grow this summer. On the missile front, the regime went public this April with what was once a secret Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) space program, and launched a military satellite mounted on a three-stage satellite launch vehicle (SLV). The SLVs functioning second-stage solid-propellant motor furthers the Islamic Republics longer-range missile capabilities and aspirations. According to the 2019 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community, Irans ballistic missile arsenal, which is currently of short-to-medium range, is the biggest in the Middle East. In the maritime domain, the Islamic Republic has been gearing up for another summer of escalation. Tehran has reportedly increased the range of its anti-ship cruise missiles and deployed rockets and anti-ship systems overlooking the narrow Strait of Hormuz. It has also stepped-up harassment and provocations against U.S. vessels actions that had diminished during President Trumps first year in office. In April of this year, 11 IRGC-Navy small boats harassed U.S. forces engaged in a military drill in the Persian Gulf. The harassment followed Irans decision to briefly detain an oil tanker that same month. But perhaps most importantly, Tehran has not ceased using neighboring countries as a theater for furthering strategic competition against its adversaries. In the cyber domain, the Islamic Republic continues to see cyber tools as useful ways to continue conflict with adversaries while limiting the prospects of overt and kinetic escalation. Recently, Iran attacked an Israeli water facility, which is critical infrastructure for the Jewish state. Israel is believed to have retaliated by a cyber-attack against an Iranian port. But perhaps most importantly, Tehran has not ceased using neighboring countries as a theater for furthering strategic competition against its adversaries. Prior to the onset of the coronavirus, Iran was stepping up material support for the Houthi rebels in Yemen. From November 2019 to February 2020, the U.S.-led maritime coalition intercepted two shipments of weapons heading from Iran to Yemen. In early February, a UN Panel of Experts on Yemen found that the weapons from the November interdiction were Iranian in origin. In March, the Houthis attempted to strike Riyadh the first time since August 2019 using a missile that likely came from Iran. Attempts by Saudi Arabia or the UN to midwife a ceasefire in the Arabian Peninsula or deal with intra-Yemeni issues will amount to naught if Tehran continues to pump weapons into the hands of rebels. In Syria, reports of airstrikes likely by Israel against pro-Iran targets imply that the regimes project of trafficking technology related to a precision guided munitions project is continuing. So, too, are efforts to establish warehouses, bases, and a land bridge connecting key routes to surge men and munitions to conflict zones across the region. Recently, an Iranian parliamentarian bemoaned the money his country had spent on propping up the Assad regime in Damascus, placing the figure at $20-$30 billion. For the remainder of the year, the Islamic Republic can be expected to further embrace, rather than shun, the risks of confrontation with America. In Iraq, despite the ongoing health crisis and political turbulence, pro-Iran Shiite militia groups launched at least two rocket attacks this month against the U.S. presence in that country. These strikes bring the total tally of rocket and mortar attacks against the U.S. in Iraq from May 2019 to the present to 45. While militias are facing financial and operational hardships, they remain at the forefront of Iran-backed efforts to evict American forces from Iraq, something Tehran has long hoped for as it continues to try to rope Baghdad deeper into its orbit. If Washington or other international actors are hoping the coronavirus will induce Iran towards restraint abroad, data from the past few months should temper that expectation. Tehran has continued funding its revolutionary foreign policy, indicating that the countrys diminishing revenue streams are likely being diverted or used to support its malign activities. If Washington is hoping to change or reverse Irans gains abroad, it will need to double-down on existing economic tools, as well as explore non-economic tools of punishment, coercion, and deterrence. The connective tissue and domestic engine behind between every single Iranian threat vector abroad is the IRGC. According to analysis of the latest Iranian budget, the IRGCs payout is increasing. This means that more resources are being allocated toward a group spearheading confrontation at the exact same time that a global pandemic is raging. Given what Tehran has been able to do abroad with increasingly limited resources, any attempt to put more resources in the hands of Iranian officials at this time be it through diverted humanitarian aid or potentially even premature sanctions relief by the U.S. will grow the lethality of Irans security policy. For the remainder of the year, the Islamic Republic can be expected to further embrace, rather than shun, the risks of confrontation with America and its regional partners across the nuclear, missile, maritime, cyber, and regional domains. Hit hard by the coronavirus, Iran has been busy locking in, rather than rolling back, longstanding trends in its foreign policy. The opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily the views of Radio Farda White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany admonished the press corps on Friday for refusing to promote unproven theories suggesting Barack Obama and other administration officials sought to undermine Donald Trumps campaign and election with the unmasking of the presidents former aide. Chanel Rion with One America News, which the president has praised for its flattering coverage, asked whether Mr Trump was considering pardoning his predecessor, who hasnt been convicted of any crime, for illegally wiretapping and illegally spying on citizens among other potential crimes as part of the presidents Obamagate conspiracy, in which former Obama officials are accused of entrapping former national security adviser Michael Flynn as part of a deep state sting against his administration. The question appeared to be an assist for the press secretary to read from prepared remarks and show several virtual slides with prepared questions for reporters to ask Mr Obama. Any good journalist would want to answer why people were unmasked, Ms McEnany said. Did anyone take it upon themselves to pose any questions about Michael Flynn and unmasking to president Obamas spokesperson? Not a single journalist has posed that question. Ms McEnany had previously called on the press last week to investigate Obamagate when was asked directly what crimes were committed by Mr Trumps predecessor, after the president failed to explain his accusations. The president later thanked his keyboard warriors on Twitter. Mr Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI as part of the bureaus investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Mr Trumps attorney general William Barr filed a motion to dismiss the case. The former national security adviser pleaded guilty to lying to the bureau about the substance of a phone call with then-Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. During the briefing, the president also announced that we wants houses of worship to open right now and has instructed governors to do so, or he will threaten to override officials who defy him, he said. But Ms McEnany failed to point to any federal statute that gives the president broad authority to do so and suggested that the press wants to continue closing churches, synagogues and mosques. She said: The president will strongly encourage every governor to allow their churches to reopen, and boy, its interesting to be in a room that desperately wants to seem to see these churches and houses of worship stay closed. The president announced that he has labelled houses of worship as essential during the coronavirus pandemic, and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidelines for worshipping with physical distancing and other mitigation efforts as nearly every state begins to ease restrictions from weeks of lock-down measures. White House reporters objected to Ms McEnanys remarks Reuters reporter Jeff Mason told her he is dying to go back to church and pressed Ms McEnany over whether it is safe to reopen in areas where quarantine measures are still necessary. Jeff, it is safe to reopen your churches if you do so in accordance with the guidelines, Ms McEnany said. The CDC guidelines were not issued before the briefing. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Congress released a documentary film on Saturday on Rahul Gandhi's interaction with a group of migrant labourers last week, demanding justice for such workers who are walking hundreds of kilometres to their homes amid the coronavirus lockdown. At the end of the documentary, Gandhi says the government should immediately give Rs 7,500 to the 13 crore needy families through direct cash transfer. The documentary captures the pain and helplessness the migrant labourers and their families are feeling, as they long to return to their villages after losing their means of livelihood in cities due to the lockdown over the novel coronavirus pandemic. Gandhi had interacted with a group of migrant labourers near the Sukhdev Vihar flyover in Delhi last Saturday and asked them about their problems as they walked home amid the lockdown. In an over 16-minute documentary capturing this interaction, Gandhi says that coronavirus has hurt a lot of people, but it has hit the migrant labourers the most. Gandhi, dressed in black pants and a white kurta, is seen sitting on the pavement and giving the migrant workers a patient hearing while assuring them of all help so that they reach their destination safely. In the meeting with the group of 20 migrants, including women and children, walking from their work site near Ambala to their village in Jhansi, Gandhi is heard asking them about the problems faced by them due to the sudden announcement of the lockdown and the loss of livelihood. The migrant labourers also allege that people threatened to beat them in Haryana if they went out of the house. The documentary also shows Rahul Gandhi promising help and subsequently they being transported to their village near Jhansi in vans and cars. Upon reaching their homes, the migrant labourers and their families thank Gandhi for his help. At the end of the documentary, Gandhi's voiceover is heard saying: "My migrant labourer brothers and sisters, you are the strength of this country." "You take the entire burden of this country on your shoulders. The whole country wants justice for you. It is everyone's responsibility to strengthen the power of this country," Gandhi says in the documentary. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented health and economic crisis but it has been made worse by the failures of the two countries that should be leading the response. Ordinarily in a crisis of this sort the world would look to the US and China to step up either at international organisations such as the United Nations or the G20 or by co-ordinating their individual actions. Unfortunately for quite different reasons, both countries seem incapable of taking up this mantle. Many countries distrust China because its slow and secretive response to the initial outbreak allowed the disease to spread. Now that China has the disease more or less under control and is offering to help, many fear it will use its economic and military power to export its authoritarian political system. Chinese President Xi Jinping, centre, and other Chinese leaders stand during the opening session of China's National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday. Credit:AP On the other hand, the shambolic response to the crisis by President Donald Trump has undermined confidence in the US. His rambling pseudo-science lectures at press briefings have raised questions about whether he grasps what is going on. Rather than work together, both the US and China have descended into childish mutual recrimination, spiced up with improbable conspiracy theories. Since he was elected Mr Trumps America First agenda has undermined traditional alliances and multinational institutions. He has oscillated between threatening China with trade sanctions and flattering Chinese leader Xi Jinping. For his part, Mr Xi has talked the talk of global co-operation but has been ruthless in bullying neighbours and suppressing dissent at home. Even this week, he has used the cover of the pandemic to introduce a law that could wipe out democracy in Hong Kong. In this new world, the one positive sign to emerge over the past weeks is the hope that middle-size countries such as Australia can fill the gap and keep things together. That could be the lesson from the positive resolution to what was brewing as a destructive confrontation at a meeting of the World Health Organisation over an inquiry into the origins of the disease. The inquiry into lessons learned should have been uncontroversial but the US and China used the issue to score political points. China wanted to neuter it for fear it might be embarrassed, while the US wanted an inquiry stacked against China to distract attention from its own failings. Over the course of the past week, however, Australia and the European Union have worked constructively together and passed a resolution with broad support. There will be an inquiry some time with input from all parties but, for now, the WHO can get on and do its job. Loading China was annoyed that Australia was the first country to echo US calls for an inquiry and repeated some of the US criticisms of the WHO and China. The EU says Australia played the role of bad cop but Australias strong position has come at a cost: China has retaliated with trade sanctions against our barley and beef. In future, Australia should look to build alliances carefully to reduce its diplomatic exposure to China. As a mid-sized country, we must stand up for our values but we must do so with prudence. To find this middle ground, Australia must be prepared to pursue a different line to the White House. Shanghai International Financial Center, the new office building of Shanghai Stock Exchange, is under construction, Nov. 5, 2019. Photo by Wang Gang/Peoples Daily Online The Peoples Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) recently announced to abolish the investment quota limits for Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) and Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFII). QFII are also allowed to freely choose in which currency and when they remit money to the country. China will also simplify outward remittance procedures for QFIIs securities investment gains and lift other restrictions. These measures are believed to further facilitate foreign institutional investors participation in the countrys financial market. Chinas QFII program approved the first two foreign institutional investors in 2003, serving as a new window for its opening-up of the financial market. Ever since, the program has been developing in an increasingly open manner. Apart from the QFII scheme, new channels are constantly being created to open the financial market. China launched the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program in 2014, and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program two years later. The two-way opening-up model enabled deeper integration of Chinas financial market into the world, and further expanded the opening-up. To pursue mutual benefit and common growth is what drives the Chinese financial market to become opener. The QFII scheme generated strong vitality in the past years because it conformed to the general trend of opening-up and achieved win-win results for each party concerned. Yangshan Free Trade Zone in Shanghais Lingang Area, a newly launched section of the Shanghai free trade zone is inaugurated on May 16, becoming the only special integrated bonded zone among 151 customs special supervision zones in China. Photo by Ji Haixin/Peoples Daily Online The opening-up efforts created important investment opportunities for foreign investors. According to statistics, since the implementation of the QFII and RQFII schemes, more than 400 institutional investors have invested in Chinas financial market in this way. The global financial market experienced huge turbulence this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but QFII are still confident about investing in China. Over 200 companies listed on Chinas A-share market were newly invested by QFII in Q1, as indicated in the Q1 reports of listed companies. SAFE statistics also showed that in the first quarter, direct investment recorded a net inflow of $14.9 billion. Behind the figures is the optimism of foreign investors about Chinas economic prospects. Chinas economy has released multiple positive signals in the first three months this year. The countrys new business models and new driving forces surged against headwind; industrial development demonstrated strong resilience; fundamentals of consumption remained stable; and work resumption was picking up speed. The fundamentals sustaining the sound momentum for Chinas stable and long-term economic development are not changed, and the Chinese economy is able to turn crisis into opportunities and ensure long-term stability. This is also why foreign investors are casting votes of confidence in China with concrete actions. Chinas financial industry has witnessed increasing openness in its development over the past years, and since this year, the opening-up in the financial sector is no longer limited to the QFII scheme. China has removed the restrictions on foreign equity ratios in security companies and approved joint ventures to conduct bank card clearing business in the country. Besides, a slew of opening-up measures were also rolled out in Beijing and Shanghai. It proves that Chinas opening-up is advancing as scheduled, and the steps will not be halted. It is expected that the accelerating pace of opening-up will further enhance the resilience of the Chinese financial market and bring more dividends to financial consumers and investors. It will also create new opportunities for global investors and help them achieve more extensive and intensive growth. An HSBC branch in north Chinas Tianjin municipality. Photo by Du Yu/Peoples Daily Online Nawazuddin Siddiqui's wife Aaliya, who is seeking divorce from the actor, has accused him of being an absentee father, disrespecting her in front of actor Manoj Bajpayee and avoiding being seen with her in public. Aaliya said that they have been living separately for more than four years. She said that the Ghoomketu actor makes excuses when she asks him to visit their children, reported Times of India. "I have not told anything to the kids, though they are upset and keep asking me 'Papa kahan hai?', 'Kahan shoot kar rahe hai?' I keep telling them that he is shooting in New York, US but then for how many years should I do that?" she said. She has demanded full custody of the couple's two children, daughter Shora and son Yaani, in the divorce dispute. Aaliya added, "Despite him being at his office in Mumbai, he never comes and when I tell him to visit the kids, he is like I am busy, have people to meet. So I am forced to tell the kids that papa is busy with shoot." Narrating an incident involving actor Manoj Bajpayee, she said, "A few celebrities have visited my house like Manoj Bajpayee. At that time also I was being humiliated by Nawaz. I was cooking for Nawaz and tried to strike a conversation and he was like 'tumko baat karna nahi aata, tum logon ke samne baat mat kiya karo'. These were his words." Aaliya sent a legal notice to the actor claiming maintenance and divorce on May 7 through email and WhatsApp due to the unavailability of speed post amid the coronavirus pandemic, her lawyer Abhay Sahai said. Nawazuddin is yet to respond. The 45-year-old actor is currently in his hometown Budhana, Uttar Pradesh, with his family members, where he reached on May 12 after getting the necessary permission for travel from the authorities in Maharashtra. Follow @News18Movies for more Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 : Kerala on Saturday reported a record 62 novel coronavirus cases in a single day. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in his Facebook post that of the 62 new cases, 18 had returned from abroad, 31 from within the country, and 13 got the infection from secondary contacts. At present, there are 272 positive patients under treatment across the state. On Friday, the state reported 42 new cases. But senior Indian Medical Association office-bearer S.M. Zulphi said there was no need to worry. "It was expected. The figure may go into three digits as a large number of people from abroad and within the country arrive in Kerala. The state is fully geared and has an excellent system of tracking and tracing. So, there need be no serious worries at all," said Zulphi. Since May 7, hundreds of Keralites started arriving from abroad. By now, 7,303 people have arrived in Kerala and over 4 lakh others are registered to travel to their native state from abroad. Around 78,000 of the over 2 lakh people who have registered for return to Kerala from within India have already arrived. State Minister for Culture A.K. Balan said that everyone was aware that corona cases will increase once Kerala people start returning home and the only way to prevent the spread of cornavirus was to listen to advice of health authorities. "Life has to go on and economic activity has to take place. There is only one way out -- listen to health authorities. We cannot always keep everything under lock and key; instead maintain social distancing and use sanitisers. Kerala did very well in the first two phases and now the cases will increase since people are returning. All people have to cooperate and adhere to protocols," said Balan, whose Palakkad district reported 17 positive cases on Saturday. Meanwhile, Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra on Saturday launched a new campaign 'learn to live with Covid-19' using 75,000 student cadets as volunteers along with their family members. it includes post-card campaigns and handing out face masks to members of the public. Two teenagers have been charged with murder after a man was fatally stabbed in Sydney's west. The 39-year-old man died shortly after emergency services were called to a home in Riverstone about 12.30am on Sunday following reports of a home invasion, NSW Police said in a statement. A group of at least five males entered the home and allegedly stabbed the 39-year-old man before fleeing, police have been told. "It is early in the investigation, but that is one of the lines that we are pursuing, that it was a targeted attack or that the offenders were known to the deceased or the deceased knew the offenders," Superintendent Jenny Scholz told reporters in Sydney on Sunday. In a call with Conservative backbenchers, Chancellor Rishi Sunak made the point that Greece and Italy were already 'opening up' their economies There were more signs of Cabinet tensions over coronavirus lockdown today as it emerged Rishi Sunak told Tory MPs the UK must not be 'the only place in the world' where pubs are closed. In a call with Conservative backbenchers, the Chancellor made the point that Greece and Italy were already 'opening up' their economies. He reportedly said lifting the shutters on UK plc was the 'single best way to help tourism in this country'. Mr Sunak is believed to be one of the most hawkish Cabinet members on the need to loosen the lockdown as soon as possible - as the restrictions threaten to wipe a third off GDP and destroy millions of jobs. There have been suggestions his stance is at odds with Boris Johnson, who has been promising to exercise 'maximum caution' on any easing. According to the Financial Times, Mr Sunak swiped at the 'very cautious' experts on the government's SAGE advisory body during the recent call with MPs. One MP said: 'Rishi said the scientists on Sage were very cautious and that if we believed in opening up the tourism sector we had to make the case for it.' Mr Sunak apparently told the conference call: 'Somehow Greece and Italy are opening up. 'This country can't be the only place in the world where people can't go and have a drink in the pub.' There have been suggestions Mr Sunak's stance is at odds with Boris Johnson (pictured at No10 this week), who has been promising to exercise 'maximum caution' on any easing According to one of those on the call, Mr Sunak said: 'The single best way to help tourism in this country is to allow people to open up.' Aides to the Chancellor refused to comment on private discussions. 'Obviously he believes, and has said before, that the best way to protect jobs is to start opening up the economy, but it has to be done in safe way,' a source said. They dismissed claims of tensions with the PM as 'made up'. There were fresh warnings about looming tax hikes and austerity yesterday as figures showed the government borrowed a record 62.1billion in April. The eye-watering figure was more than double predictions from analysts, amid desperate moves to bail out millions of workers and businesses. It means the government borrowed almost as much in April alone as it did in the whole of the last financial year. The sum is thought to have pushed total public debt to the brink of the 2trillion mark for the first time - roughly the same size as the entire economy. Ex-Chancellor George Osborne warned there will have to be 'hard choices', while the respected IFS think-tank cautioned there is no guarantee the economy will recover quickly enough to avoid belt-tightening. But Tory MPs have insisted there must be no rush to pay off the enormous liabilities, suggesting instead it should be treated like 'wartime' debate and allowed to subside over decades. The Congress on Saturday targeted the ruling BJP for alleged violation of social distancing norms during an event where a group of Congress workers joined the saffron party. More than 200 Congress workers from Sanchi assembly constituency on Saturday joined the BJP at the party's state headquarters 'Deendayal Parisar' here, said BJP media-cell in-charge Lokendra Parashar. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, state BJP president V D Sharma and several other leaders were present during this event. MP Congress Chief Kamal Nath later took potshots at Chouhan on Twitter, saying that during a review of coronavirus situation on Friday "you were giving strict warning to the people on following the rules." Even the number of people that can attend weddings and funerals has been fixed and people are following these norms, the former chief minister said. "But in the presence of your and other responsible BJP leaders, a crowded program is held amid the lockdown today in BJP office," Nath said. Sharing pictures of the event, Nath asked, "Are the rules of Modiji's lockdown only meant for the poor and the common man? These rules do not apply to the leaders of your party? Will its culprits be prosecuted like the common people?" The BJP, however, claimed that social distancing norms were followed at the event. Those who joined the BJP were followers of former Minister and ex-Congress MLA Prabhuram Choudhary. Choudhary joined the BJP along with former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in March. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Labour Party TD for Dublin Fingal, Duncan Smith, has said long-term transport projects such as MetroLink should not be taken off the table amid the current crisis. Deputy Smith said: 'It's important at this time to ensure long-term investment in environmentally sound transport projects such as MetroLink remain on the table. 'This is vital for not only the transport in the Greater Dublin Area but for sustaining high-quality jobs across Dublin. 'MetroLink is going to be a game-changer for those who live and work near Dublin Airport and in and around the M1 corridor.' The Labour TD was reacting to a call from the National Bus and Rail Workers Union (NBRU) to shelve the project. He said: 'I understand the concerns of the NBRU in terms of transport companies needing a cash injection now to deal with a fall in passenger numbers due to Covid-19 but calling for long-term projects that will benefit commuters and transport companies in the long run to be axed isn't the answer here. 'The people of North County Dublin have waited long enough for a project like MetroLink to commence. People who live on the M1 Corridor and in and around Dublin Airport need an alternative to road-traffic. Commuters and transport operators know this, that's why today's calls for MetroLink to be scrapped by those who are very aware of the problems that exist in Dublin Fingal are particularly disappointing.' Swords Labour councillor James Humphreys agreed and said he is concerned by the recent calls by the NBRU for the Dublin MetroLink project to be scrapped because of the coronavirus crisis. He said: 'The Metrolink and improved public transportation is essential for the rapidly growing outer suburban towns, especially Swords, that is already straining from demands placed on our current infrastructure. 'Despite this pandemic we cannot lose focus on our efforts to combat Climate Change and the MetroLink will encourage residents of Swords and beyond, to take public transportation. 'Anybody who has stood queuing for a bus or stuck in a traffic-jam traveling from North Dublin into the City Centre is aware MetroLink is already long overdue.' Cllr Humphreys concluded: 'Swords, with a population of over 45,000, and in the medium term rising to 60,000 and in the long term projected to be 100,000 needs a reliable, sufficient and adequate public transportation system to limit use of cars, reduce the already too long commute, and continue to make Swords an attractive place to live and work.' Jakarta: Indonesia has seen a surge in coronavirus infections ahead of this weekend's celebrations marking the end of Ramadan, raising questions about the commitment to the virus fight from both the government and the public. The country has the most COVID-19 fatalities in Southeast Asia at 1326. It has reported 21,162 confirmed cases, though actual numbers are thought to be far higher. Health officials have blamed the surge in cases in the world's fourth most populous nation on the public not taking proper precautions. Indonesians crowd the Tanah Abang textile market to buy new clothing, a tradition for upcoming the Eid al Fitr holiday in Jakarta, Indonesia. Credit:Getty Images "This illustrates people's discipline in obeying health protocols in fighting the outbreak," said Achmad Yurianto, the national COVID-19 task force spokesman. New Delhi, May 23 : Some migrant workers in south Delhi waiting for medical screening were sprayed with disinfectant by the civic body much against the Central government advice against such a step. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) later admitted its mistake. In a video that surfaced on social media, the migrants can be seen waiting in queues for their medical screening outside a school in Lajpat Nagar ahead of boarding a Shramik Special train. They were sprayed with disinfectant by workers of the SDMC during a sanitisation drive. In a statement, the SDMC said the school was in a residential colony and there was a huge demand from residents for disinfecting the compound and the road. "But due to the pressure of the jetting machine, the worker could not manage it for some time. The staff has already been instructed to be more careful and attentive while doing the job in future. The official present at the site apologised to the public," SDMC said in a statement. The Union Health ministry in April called spraying of chemical disinfectants "physically and psychologically harmful" for humans. The incident in Delhi came weeks after a video emerged showing a group of workers being sprayed with disinfectants in Bareilly while returning to Uttar Pradesh. Thousands of migrants are stuck in big cities with no money or job after the sudden announcement of lockdown in March. Now, they are being sent to their homes on trains by the Centre. The 102-year-old car rental company Hertz has filed for bankruptcy after the coronavirus pandemic caused business to nosedive. At the end of March, the firm was $18.7 billion (15.3 billion) in debt with only $1 billion (820 million) of available cash. Hertz, which has over 400 outlets across the UK and Ireland, recently cut 12,000 staff from its global workforce and put another 4,000 on furlough. Chief executive Kathryn Marinello resigned last week following reports of possible bankruptcy. The company lost all revenue from mid-March when the global travel industry came to a shuddering halt. Much of the firms income is sourced from car rentals at airports but it started missing debt payments in April. Ms Marinello said at the companys first-quarter earnings conference on 12 May: No business is built for zero revenue. Theres only so long that companies reserves will carry them. In the companys first-quarter report earlier this month with securities regulators, Hertz warned it may not be able to repay or refinance debt and may not have enough cash to continue operations. The report said: Management has concluded there is substantial doubt regarding the companys ability to continue as a going concern within one year from the issuance date of this quarterly report. Hertz said in a statement on Friday: The impact of Covid-19 on travel demand was sudden and dramatic, causing an abrupt decline in the companys revenue and future bookings. Hertz took immediate actions to prioritise the health and safety of employees and customers, eliminate all non-essential spending and preserve liquidity. However, uncertainty remains as to when revenue will return and when the used-car market will fully re-open for sales, which necessitated todays action. The financial reorganisation will provide Hertz a path toward a more robust financial structure that best positions the company for the future as it navigates what could be a prolonged travel and overall global economic recovery. Covid-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh doubled in the past fortnight with total cases now over 6,100 with almost entire state affected from the pandemic, the state government data shows. The number of cases rose by 3,000 in the last fortnight after the state took 38 days to get first 3,000 cases when the spread was limited to 24 of the 52 districts, the state governments data shows, hinting that how fast the infection has spread in the state even though the numbers are much less than neighbouring Maharashtra and Gujarat. The data also showed that hourly addition of Covid-19 patients has also increased. Since May 7, eight new patients were reported every hour which in the past one week increased to 10 patients per hour. As many as 49 districts out of the total are now Covid-19 districts covering 96.14% of the total population (States total population is 7.26 crore as per 2011 census), the data shows. Unlike many other states, the migrant labourers contribution to total Covid-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh is just 4.86%, showing the infection has spread fast locally. In Bihar, migrant workers accounted for 57% of the cases while in Odisha it was 62%. According to the Madhya Pradesh health department, about 300 labourers have tested positive accounting for only 4.86% of the total 6,170 patients registered till Friday evening. Around 5 lakh workers have returned to the state so far. Among the six states having highest number of Covid-19 cases, MPs death rate at 4.40% with 272 deaths, is only next to Gujarat which has 6.04% death rate and 1.5 times more than the national average death rate at 2.97%. The saving grace was that the recovery rate of patients in MP is more than 45% and death rate has come down to 4.4% from about 6% a month ago. However, Covid-19 patients were being found in new localities even in hotspots areas. In Bhopal, Ujjain, Indore, the major Covid-19 hotspots, fresh cases are being reported from new localities. To aggravate the situation, the remote districts like Khandwa, Khargone, Burhanpur and Dhar have become major hotspots. Public health expert, Amulya Nidhi said the testing rate in the state was too small. In the last two weeks the infection spread to about a dozen new districts. Madhya Pradesh is lagging far behind the testing capacity. MP has just 20 testing labs, whereas other states which have a comparable population of MP, such as Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have increased the number of labs up to 37 and 67 labs respectively. The number of tests is also significantly low in comparison to Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan, all neighbouring states. Another public health expert, Sachin Jain, said, The government was more focussed on political gains by talking of Jamaats and certain localities being epicentre of the disease and due to this entire state has had to pay the price. Even if the government feels that the virus originated and spread in certain localities it should have had an effective communication with civil society members for counselling, communicating with and convincing people in these localities to come forward to get themselves examined. A government official who did not want to be named, conceded that the government was struggling with a shortage of testing kits. There were suggestions for massive survey, screening, collection of samples and testing in Bhopal, Indore and Ujjain in particular but administration overlooked the advice as the government was struggling to have adequate number of testing kits. The health minister requested the Centre at least twice to send more kits. Also, the community penetration of the administration in Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Burhanpur, Khandwa and Khargone etc has hardly been up to mark. He said, How the government was cut off from the situation was reflected in its decision to notify BMHRC,Bhopal, the hospital meant for Bhopal Gas Tragedy victims, as a dedicated Covid hospital. Most of the tragedy victims hospitalised were shifted to other hospitals. The order was cancelled only when several gas tragedy victims died of Covid-19 and gas tragedy survivors organisations moved the high court. In Ujjain, the government relied on a private medical college despite the fact there were numerous complaints from the Covid-19 patients admitted over there. It was only after the death of a ruling party corporator that the government woke up to appoint an administrator at the medical college, said a health department official who was not willing to be named. Chief medical and health officer (CMHO) at Indore, Praveen Jadia said ensuring compliance of lockdown restrictions and social distancing in congested localities remains a big challenge. The death rate has come down and recovery rate has increased significantly but until and unless social distancing is ensured in such localities its difficult to say how much time it will take to control the situation, he said. Collector Bhopal, Tarun Kumar Pithode also echoed similar concerns about congested localities and said it forced the administration to take people of some localities and quarantine them. Social distancing was practically not possible in such areas line Zinci, Jehangirabad, Aishbagh, Talaiya, Mangalwara etc where we find a Corona cloud, a term we have given not because of any spread in atmosphere but dense population. Thats why we have started taking people out of these localities. We have taken 2,000 people out of Jehangirabad alone. This strategy coupled with strict containment zone plan and legal provisions have helped us and the number of positive cases is decreasing significantly. Additional chief secretary, health department, Mohd Suleman said, The R naught factor (A mathematical factor to indicate gravity of infectious disease) was 1.95 around April 1. This has gone down to 1.27. This suggests that multiplication of the virus has reduced. The doubling rate has slowed down to 17 days from 12 days. Recovery rate has gone up to about 47%. The death rate which used to be around 6% has come down to 4.2%. Our testing has been ramped up hugely which is about 1500 per million population now. All these are good indicators. Our testing and treating capacity has improved considerably. Fever clinics will further help us. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Nathan felt so restricted by pandemic rules at his lodging home that he left and spent two nights in a shed instead. It was his first time sleeping rough. Living in a lodging home is hard. Living in a lodging home during a pandemic is harder. Residents of 88 residential care facilities (RCFs) in Hamilton are under new COVID-19 rules, some of which restrict their freedom. Combine that with RCF operators who fear residents and staff will become infected with the virus potentially causing the kind of deadly outbreaks sweeping long-term care homes and you have conflict. I signed myself out due to the landlord, says Nathan Reid, 31, who lived at Bold Street Residence for just over a month before bailing. He left a week after the emergency lockdown began. The manager of the home called a house meeting and was telling us we couldnt go out, says Nathan. If you guys go out, youre getting kicked out until this whole COVID thing is over, he recalls her saying. The pandemic does not give her the right to almost keep us as prisoners, says Nathan. Many RCF residents share a bedroom, meaning they have no privacy. Often, they dont have a phone. Currently RCFs do not allow visitors. So the only way some residents can interact with friends is to visit in person. As well, walking can be therapeutic for residents. Hundreds of elderly, disabled, mentally ill, cognitively delayed and otherwise vulnerable people live in our RCFs. Some have addiction issues. Some have been in jail. All need help with daily tasks. Some RCFs are privately owned, but 52 more than half are subsidized by the city. Edward John, Hamiltons housing services director, says that at the start of the lockdown, some RCF operators misinterpreted guidelines and informed a few residents who left without identifying where they were going that they were not permitted to return to their home. When the city became aware of this, it clarified the guidelines so residents were permitted to return. Since COVID, housing services and public health have conducted two teleconferences weekly with the Ontario Homes for Special Needs Association, which represents subsidized RCF homes. The association is responsible for passing that information to members. Nathan says he understands the pandemic protocols. He bought a protective mask and wears it out in the community, being careful to keep my distance. On the day he became homeless, he spent hours with friends at the Tim Hortons parking lot at King and Caroline. When he returned to his RCF, he had a confrontation with staff over his long absence. Nathan decided to permanently sign myself out. He went back to his friends: All the shelters are full and I dont have nowhere to sleep. He was told of an unlocked shed behind a business. He spent two nights there. Nathan is currently staying at the Salvation Army and does not want to go to a RCF. Hed rather take his chance on the street with coronavirus. Im actually not afraid to die, he says. The administrator of Bold Street Residence, Judi Vermeer, says nobody was threatened with eviction for leaving the house. But they were educated as to why going out multiple times a day could spread COVID. Meetings were held with residents to convey to them how serious this was, she says. Some of the 24 residents are seniors and at greater risk of contagion. Judi herself is in her 70s. Over at Noyel Lodge in Dundas, owner Veronica Chris-Ike had a similar confrontation with resident John Pitt, who liked to leave the home for hours at a time. I cant legally make anybody stay in the house, she says. But the whole world is in lockdown. Chris-Ike runs the 11-bed home with the help of her four adult children. My concern is for the other residents, she says. If the infection is brought into the home, my whole family might die. I dont wish anybody this stress. A horrific outbreak at the Rosslyn, a combined RCF and retirement home, sent more than 60 residents to hospital and infected 20 staff members. Four residents died and one was inadvertently left behind for nearly a day when the home was evacuated. Chris-Ike says John kicked himself out because he was tired of all the rules. John, 32, has a different take. He says he got kicked out because he went out of the home. I got tired of all the yelling and arguing in the house, he says. Id leave and Id go do something. I was going to the bank and I was going to Tim Hortons. The rest of the time I was walking by myself. John Pitt Sr. says his son who has schizoaffective disorder was illegally evicted from Noyel on Easter Monday. He lived there for three weeks. John Sr. says Chris-Ike insisted John had to stay in the home because of COVID. You cant make someone stay on your property, he says. You cant evict someone during the pandemic. John left his belongings behind and headed on foot, in the rain, to his dads place on Tisdale Street South about 10 kilometres. John is living with his dad now, but hopes to find his own place. Stephanie Cox, a Hamilton Community Legal Clinic staff lawyer, says unlawful evictions have always been a problem at RCFs, but the issue has grown since COVID-19. RCFs are instituting really strict rules due to the pandemic, she says. Some residents are leaving because they dont like the rules or are being evicted for breaking them. Its creating this emboldened entitlement amongst the owners to force someone to leave, says Cox. Owners are bypassing the due process of the Landlord and Tenant Board. The board rarely approves the eviction of a person on a first complaint. Board members recognize a power imbalance between the RCF tenant and a landlord, says Cox. If an eviction is approved, a Notice of Termination is required and the tenant cannot be removed for 14 days. Tensions are so high in these places to begin with, says Cox. The lockdown is difficult on their mental and emotional health Some are treated like domesticated animals. Cox has sent a letter to the City of Hamilton asking it to intervene in the operations of RCFs during the pandemic and change the way it oversees lodging homes generally. Cox has proposed the creation of an ombudsman position to represent the interests of the public. Hamiltons director of housing services says the city will explore the possibility. On April 15 nearly a month after the state of emergency was declared the city issued 31 orders to RCFs in non-compliance with health and safety regulations. Six additional orders were issued April 17 and April 18, three to combined RCF/retirement homes and three to retirement homes. Another six orders were issued April 21: three to RCFs, two to retirement homes and one to a combined home. The city says all facilities are now in compliance and there are no further orders planned. Michelle Baird, the citys director of epidemiology, wellness and communicable disease control says regular public health inspections of RCFs are on hold. Our priority has been ensuring all RCFs are implementing COVID restrictions, infection control measures and having up-to-date outbreak plans in place, she says. Dr. Jennifer Brasch, head of addiction psychiatry at St. Josephs Healthcare, has also heard troubling RCF eviction stories from patients. She is quick to note there are some very good RCFs in Hamilton. One man who Brasch sees weekly at a private opioid therapy clinic, signed a waiver to leave his RCF. Brasch says he is incapable of understanding such a document. He is a drug user in his mid-30s with a severe and persistent psychotic illness. He was found not criminally responsible by the court and ordered to have treatment at the forensic unit of St. Joes. He received methadone daily from a pharmacy to stem his addiction. When COVID hit, arrangements were made for six days worth of methadone to be kept at the mans RCF, to reduce his trips to the pharmacy. When the man signed the RCF waiver saying he was leaving voluntarily, nobody called his social worker. Instead, an RCF staff member drove him to a shelter and handed the methadone to a worker. The man didnt stay long at the shelter. When he left, he was given his methadone to carry with him 140 milligrams worth. For most of us, 60 mg would be deadly. Methadone also has a high street value, according to Brasch. The next morning the man showed up at the methadone clinic. His face was cut and he was highly agitated. He had been assaulted and robbed of his methadone and had clearly been using drugs. The man left and Brasch formed him, meaning he would be involuntarily taken to hospital under the Mental Health Act. It took Hamilton police all day to find him as he wandered downtown. Brasch says the man does not understand the pandemic or physical distancing. He was taken to the hospital, psychotic and highly agitated with stimulants in his system. Living in a RCF is much safer for a resident and the whole community than being homeless, says Dr. Jill Wiwcharuk with the Hamilton Social Medicine Response Team. But there are valid reasons why some of her patients do not want to live in lodging homes. These are often folks who dont have fantastic skills regarding negotiating and compromising, she says. Then they feel like Theyre not even letting me out for a smoke, or to get a coffee. Tempers are flaring. Wiwcharuk suggests easing up on residents to allow them to go out and clear their heads. Screen them when they return and provide masks and hand sanitizer. Educate them about the pandemic. Otherwise, risk more evictions or voluntary walkouts. Possibly with no alternate plan. I see peoples health fall apart when they are homeless, says Wiwcharuk. She calls on the City of Hamilton to recognize this shameful situation and take some firm control. COVID shines such a light on all the fractured aspects of our social systems. May 22 (Reuters) - General Motors Co is delaying the resumption of second shifts at truck assembly plants in Michigan, Indiana and Mexico because of a lack of parts from Mexico, a person briefed on the matter said. The Detroit automaker, which resumed production on Monday after suspending operations in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, will launch a second shift on Monday only at its Lansing Delta Township plant. It will not immediately begin, as it had earlier hoped, second shifts on Monday at its Ft Wayne, Indiana, Flint and Silao, Mexico plants that build full-size trucks, but could resume a second shift as early as later next week, the source said. GM spokesman Dan Flores said "demand for our full size picks has been very strong so we are certainly exploring ways to add production and will do that when it makes sense." (Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Muslims to keep their spirits up in spite of the coronavirus pandemic. Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, said the president made the call in his Sallah message to Muslims on the occasion of this years Eid-el-Fitr. According to President Buhari, the deadly virus, which caught the world off guard, and has put a damper on what would otherwise have been a time of celebration for the Muslim faithful to mark the end of the Ramadan fasting period. The president said, for the first time in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the peoples spiritual, social and economic lives. This years fasting period was particularly challenging for Muslims because they had to forgo many important aspects of their daily worship, including the routine congregations for prayer and the recitation and interpretation of the Holy Quran as well as travelling for the lesser pilgrimage to Makkah. It is not easy to give up many of these important duties and activities, but it became imperative to do so in order to control or limit the spread of this deadly disease. The Nigerian leader commended the sacrifices of both Muslims and Christians for their cooperation in the enforcement of the social distancing guidelines. He said: I am well aware of the inconveniences these tough measures have brought on the lives of Nigerians, including limiting religious activities and gatherings in large numbers. No government would intentionally impose these tough and demanding measures on its citizens if it had a choice. READ ALSO: President Buhari also appealed to other Nigerians whose businesses and means of livelihoods were badly affected by the prolonged lockdown measures for their understanding and cooperation. Assurances He assured Nigerians that the lockdown measures would not go on longer than necessary because they would be reviewed from time to time to ease the increasing hardships on the people. He also urged people with means to continue helping their neighbours and the less well-to-do so that we can all come out of this pandemic stronger and more united. The President told the Muslim faithful that this years Eid event is an occasion for sober reflection rather than celebration because of the long shadows of gloom that the coronavirus has cast on peoples lives. Mr Buhari prayed to Allah to ease the hardship among the people as they struggle hard to flatten the curve, while wishing all Nigerians Eid Mubarak.-(NAN) China has betrayed the people of Hong Kong so the West should stop kowtowing to Beijing for an illusory great pot of gold, said Chris Patten, the last governor of the former British colony. "The Hong Kong people have been betrayed by China," Patten was quoted as saying by The Times newspaper. Britain has a "moral, economic and legal" duty to stand up for Hong Kong, he said. "What we are seeing is a new Chinese dictatorship," Patten said. "We should stop being fooled that somehow at the end of the all the kowtowing theres this great pot of gold waiting for us. Its always been an illusion." By Edmund Malesky Professor, Duke University and Lead researcher of the Vietnam Provincial Competitiveness Index Rising labour costs and tightening labour markets, combined with pressure from international competitors and demands from international buyers, has led many companies to contemplate enhancing productivity by investing in labour-saving automation. Social distancing within the workplace as a response to COVID-19 may exacerbate interest in these technologies, as companies seek to maximise the productivity of their employees with limited space. Not all forecasts are so gloomy, however; others argue that automation can enhance employment by diversifying businesses activities. This year, the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) research team attempted to shed light on this debate within Vietnam by asking businesses about their current use and plans for automation in their manufacturing and service sector operations. We defined automation broadly as three sets of activities. First, using industrial robots in product assembly, distribution, and/or delivery; digitalisation of production or services, such as the use of iPads or tablets for taking customer orders or for back-office activities to reduce error from human input; and adoption of AI, such as autonomous delivery vehicles. We can use that data to answer three questions: What is the extent of current automation in Vietnam? What factors are driving the adoption of these new technologies? And what is the potential impact on the scale and composition of employment in foreign and domestic businesses? Starting with the first question, the extent of current and planned automation in Vietnam is higher than expected. Within the past three years, 67 per cent of both foreign and domestic investors have automated some operations, while 75 per cent plan to automate new tasks during the next three years over the next three years. Domestic ones claim to have already automated about 10 per cent of their operational tasks over the past three years and plan to automate over 25 per cent of their work in the near future. Automation among foreign firms is only slightly more advanced (10.6 and 28 per cent of current and planned tasks, respectively). We can see the motivations behind businesses automation decisions. They are investing in automation for two reasons. They seek to reduce the costs of labour recruitment and training, and they believe these efforts will assist them with global integration, connecting them to overseas buyers and customers. For domestic businesses, the highest levels of current automation are found among those whose primary customers are foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) based in Vietnam. However, those selling to third-party buyers have the greatest plans for automating technologies. Foreign businesses that are part of multinational corporations or sell to third-party buyers have been the most ambitious automators. In further econometrics analysis of foreign businesses in the PCI report, we also identified an important third correlate of investment in automation - labour unrest. Businesses that have observed labour strikes among competitors in similarly situated provinces and industries are significantly more likely to adopt automation than those where strikes have been less prominent. Automation is affecting businesses employment decisions in surprising ways. The impact of increased automation on current employment and future hiring plans is diverse and dual-edged. Some 12.6 per cent of domestic businesses have increased employment as a result of automation, compared to 35 per cent who plan to maintain employment at current levels and 27 per cent of domestic businesses who intend to reduce employment. Of this latter group, over half (15 per cent) plan to do the same activities but with a smaller number of people. Frequency and depth of automation among Vietnamese businesses Drivers of automation Impact of automation on employment decisions By sharp contrast, 17.8 per cent of FIEs expressed their intention to increase employment. This is positive news. Although 33 per cent do still plan to reduce employment, in contrast to domestic investors, a significant share (8.5 per cent) intend to increase the sophistication of their smaller labour forces. Automation is quite diverse across sectors, revealing the dual-edged nature of automated technologies. In some cases, they will lead to redundancies and decreased employment. In other cases, they will lead to enhanced training and greater opportunities for the next generations workers. - We continue to employ the same number of workers, performing the same tasks. - We employ the same number of workers, but they perform different tasks. - We have both expanded employment and automated production. - We employ fewer workers to perform the same number and type of tasks. - We employ fewer workers, and they perform less sophisticated tasks. - We employ fewer workers, but they perform more sophisticated tasks. The impact of automation on the average skill level of companies labour forces will be diverse. For domestic businesses, the most frequent answer was that automation would have no impact on the average skill level of employees (just under 24 per cent). The second most common answer for domestic businesses was that they would seek more high-skilled labour (19 per cent), illustrating that some businesses are interested in upgrading their workforces. For foreign businesses, these answers are reversed. More than 23 per cent of FIEs plan to hire workers with greater skills and just over 20 per cent do not expect to change. This is illustrative of the dual-edged nature of automated technologies. In some cases, they will lead to redundancies and decreased employment. In other cases, they will lead to enhanced training and greater opportunities for the next generations workers. Given that automation is an unstoppable force that is likely to be undeterred by regulatory changes, what can Vietnamese policymakers do to mitigate the harmful effects of new business technologies while simultaneously aiming to take advantage of the opportunities that automation provides? The first recommendation is simple Vietnamese authorities should double-down on their current legislative achievements in education and labour relations. Make sure these laws are implemented quickly and aggressively, and that, in so doing, bureaucrats adhere to the spirit envisioned by the laws architects. The Law on Education and accompanying national curriculum reforms were aimed at enhancing the quality of general and vocational education with the specific goal of improving the skill sets for Vietnamese workers to succeed in an advanced economy. The Labour Code broke new ground for working conditions and employee-labour relations. Both the Law on Education and the Labour Code were legislative achievements, but the corresponding implementing regulations and decrees at both national and local levels have yet to be written. By augmenting the skillsets of Vietnamese employees and reducing misunderstanding between workers and employers, successful execution of both laws will help mitigate any hurt stemming from firm-level automation decisions. According to the PCI data, only 29 per cent of foreign employers and 27 per cent of domestic employers assess the workforce near where they do business in Vietnam as fully sufficient to meet their needs. The cost of retraining employees in-house is the largest contributor to their automating decisions, as businesses have justifiable concerns about investing in training when those workers can so easily move on to competitors. To date, robots have proved more loyal. Better matching general and vocational educational training to business needs will reduce some of the current demands for automation and will prepare Vietnamese workers for better and higher paying jobs both now and after automation occurs. Because it will be extremely difficult for Vietnamese leaders to anticipate what new jobs will be created due to automation, it is important to focus education on providing sets of fungible skills that allows workers to adapt quickly, learn new skills easily, and take advantage of technological change. At the same time, allowing for more constructive conduits between workers and businesses will provide opportunities for collective decision making about how best to prepare local workforces for automation. The Finance Ministry has ruled out GST waiver or deference to businesses as part of the economic relief package to help them cope with the situation arising in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant nationwide lockdown. In discussions within the ministry, it has been said that Goods and Sales Tax exemption or deferral is not required as it would not given any benefit to industry but seriously impact the revenues of both the states and the Centre. With the Centre announcing a mega relief package of Rs 20 lakh crore as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, there have been oft-repeated demands for the GST wavier, this time for a period of six months. The argument given is that GST exemption would lead to revival of demand due to reduction in prices and hence benefit in the fight against Covid-19. The government has provided exemption and moratorium on payment of various taxes and debt as part of the package. Contrary to what is being suggested, government sources said on the condition of anonymity that GST exemption would seriously jeopardise the industry's interests and not result in any significant gains to consumers. Therefore, there is no point to exempt businesses from this tax that would lead to blocked input tax credit (ITC), resulting in increase in manufacturing cost and a higher price for consumers. "Hopefully, the Centre is not considering the demand. Exemption of GST on the final product is never a good idea. It distorts the value chain. It does not necessary lead to reduction in prices. In fact, it adversely impacts domestic industry," Najib Shah, former chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), told IANS. The issue for GST exemption has surfaced particularly with respect to items needed in the fight against the pandemic: Ventilators, personal protection equipment (PPE), Covid-19 test kits, sanitisers, etc. At present, the liability of the inputs "be it 5% or 12% or 18%" is more than offset when discharging the 5% or 12% GST liability on PPE or ventilator, the entire liability being 'paid' by the credit of taxes accumulated at the earlier stages of manufacture. If GST is exempted, this credit facility will be unavailable, leading to higher final price of the equipment. In the past also, when the GST exemption on sanitary napkin was allowed, it led to similar hardship for domestic manufacturers of sanitary napkins. Later, domestic industry complained of adversity. It is also equally important to keep in mind that GST waiver provides much larger incentive for imports because imports do not come with any baggage of input side taxes compared with the domestic supply. GST provides a level playing field to domestic industry vis-a-vis the imports. Illustratively, waiver of tax on a mobile would mean that domestically produced mobile phone has suffered the taxes on its inputs, while the imported mobile phone does not. Hence, imported mobile would be cheaper, making the domestic one non-competitive. "Any decision to review the GST rates cannot be taken unilaterally by the central government. It is the recommendation of the GST Council that prevails in respect of GST rates. With the situation of dire economic crises and states requiring resources more than ever to deal with the post Covid-19 pandemic situation, the Council may not have comfort of this option. It is an option that causes hardship to the businesses and the state finances, while providing virtually no relief to customer in the first place." States GST revenue may see steep fall of 80-90 per cent in April, the first full month of lockdown that saw business and economic activity coming to a standstill. Less than two decades after the legendary Battle of Saragarhi, the much-feted soldiers of the British Empire came up against it in the Komagata Maru incident of 1914. In the last couple of decades, a number of forgotten historical stories have resurfaced, filmed and thus, a whole new generation of people have come face-to-face with these stories. One such story is of the Battle of Saragarhi which took place in 1897. In this stirring tale, a group of 21 Sikh soldiers dug in to make a last stand defending the Saragarhi outpost against hundreds of Orakzai tribesmen in a remote corner of what is today the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was a gallant effort by the Sikh soldiers who all ended up laying down their lives for the British Empire. The battle was celebrated throughout the Empire and the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers, all subjects of the Empire, was much lauded. Yet less than two decades after this legendary battle, the much-feted soldiers of the Empire came up against it in a very different incident that exposed the Empire and what it stood for. The incident of the Komagata Maru in Vancouver in Canada in 1914 saw the notion of subjects of the Empire being put to the test and the Empire coming up woefully short. Canada and the Sikhs The first Sikhs to go to Canada were soldiers from the Indian Army who went there after the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria in London in 1897. To them, Canada, a self-governing British dominion that was part of the British Empire, seemed a land of promise. The Canadian prairies reminded the soldiers of the plains of Punjab and there were opportunities there for employment as farmhands. From 1905 onwards, small numbers of Sikhs began to trickle into Canada. By 1908, close to 4000 Sikhs had settled there, most of them farmers. A few found work in the lumber and saw mills, laying railway tracks and other labour-intensive activities. The Canadian government viewed the growing numbers of Sikhs with much concern and corresponded with the British government in London on this matter. The British government appreciated Canadas position and recognised Canadas right to keep the dominion as 'a white mans country not only for economic and social reasons, but highly necessary on political and national grounds.' In 1908, the Canadian government passed the Continuous Passage regulation, which required immigrants to come from the country of their birth, or citizenship, by a continuous journey, using tickets purchased before leaving the country of their birth or citizenship. This meant that if one was born in India, went to China, and then continued on to Canada, it was illegal. In those days, there were no steamships which travelled directly between Calcutta and Vancouver. Even if an Indian managed to make a continuous journey, another law stated that they needed $200 on their person to be welcomed into Canada. The policies were clearly designed to curb the flow of Indian immigrants. This law was greeted with much outrage from Indians. But most people in Canada had made up their minds on the matter of Sikh immigration and were against allowing further immigration. They even sought to bar the families of the settlers who were already in Canada from entering. A few voices (Reverend Dr Wilkie, a pastor, Robert Clark, a political leader and a few others) spoke up for the Sikhs. Dr Wilkie, who had lived in India for two decades reminded Canadians about the Sikh contribution to defending the Empire, especially in 1857. Clark asserted that as subjects of the Empire, the Sikhs had a right to reside in Canada. But most whites remained unconvinced and unwilling to accept further Indian immigration and it seemed that there was no scope for compromise. The Komagata Maru Into this powder-keg of a situation, stepped in Gurdit Singh (1859 1954). A businessman based in Malaya, Singh was enterprising, bold and fearless. On a visit to Hong Kong sometime in 1911, he had met fellow-Punjabis who were trying to get to Canada, but had been refused tickets by shipping companies. He smelt a business opportunity and first went to Calcutta to attempt to charter a ship that would sail directly to Vancouver. He failed. But persisting in his efforts, sometime in late 1913, he found the Komagata Maru in Hong Kong a ship originally used for coal transport. Singh opined that since Hong Kong too was a British colony, he could still meet the continuous journey clause. In late 1913 as well as in early 1914, there were mixed signals about attempting a journey to Canada given the legal hurdles. Some like Bhai Bhagwan Singh had been deported twice. But others had mounted legal challenges and there had been some favourable judgments. Also, the Vancouver Khalsa Diwan Society assured Gurdit Singh of help. Singh himself believed that given that the Sikhs had soldiered with valour for the Empire on many different occasions, they would be given some consideration. Authorities in Hong Kong attempted to stymie the journey by posing various legal hurdles, including arresting Singh on 24 March 1914 for selling tickets for an illegal voyage. But Singh was not one to be cowed down. He matched the authorities punch for punch, even going to court against the police, his lawyers contending that the police had no right to stop the Komagata Maru. Ultimately, Singh was given permission by the governor to set sail. To the shouts of Bole So Nihal Sat Sri Akal, 165 passengers boarded the ship, now rechristened Guru Nanak Jahaz, on 4 April 1914. The journey had begun. A further 111 passengers boarded at Shanghai and 85 passengers from Manila and Nagasaki boarded at Moji in Japan, a total of 376 passengers340 Sikhs, 24 Muslims and 12 Hindus, all Punjabis and British subjects. Many of the Sikhs were army veterans and believed that the British would treat them fairly. On 21 May, the ship arrived at Vancouver and on 23 May, it proceeded to Vancouvers Burrard Inlet where its journey would come to an end. In their best suits and ties, the passengers eagerly waited to disembark. The first inklings of trouble came when a police cordon was thrown around the ship. The Immigration Control chief, Malcolm R Reid was determined to prevent the passengers from disembarking. He was backed by Hopkinson, a British spy who kept a watch on the Sikhs in Canada and their seditious activities. The local MP, Harry Stevens was another Reid ally. What transpired over the next two months was high drama. Reid vehemently denied entry to all the passengers citing the rulebook. As the days passed, stocks of food and water began to run dangerously low. Desperate, Gurdit Singh despatched telegrams to the King Emperor, Sikh Miaharajas and the Chief Khalsa Diwan in Amritsar. Nothing came of these appeals. Reid was unrelenting and was not shy of using strong-arm methods to intimidate the passengers. Eventually, 24 passengers who were able to prove that they were already Canadian residents and not new immigrants were given entry. The rest were deemed illegal. The Punjabi community in Vancouver raised funds for instituting legal proceedings and filed a writ petition on behalf of on one passenger as a test case on 25 June. On 7 July, the petition was dismissed. Turning Back Eventually, Gurdit Singh was forced to accept that theirs was a hopeless situation. Reid now attempted to seize the ship by tying the Komagata Maru to another ship called Sea Lion and taking it out to sea. Singh and the passengers were determined that they would sail back only after stocking up with sufficient food and water for the return journey. They resisted, showering coals on the police and braving hot water sprays rained on them. Cooler heads soon prevailed and a further show of force was prevented when food and water was provided for the return journey. On 23 July, the ship set out on its return journey. The ship was disallowed from Hong Kong and directed to proceed to Calcutta, eventually arriving there on 27 September. The police in Budge Budge near Calcutta now attempted to forcibly get all passengers to board a train to Punjab. Sixty-two passengers did so while others rallied round Gurdit Singh who wanted to stay back in Calcutta. Talks failed and a violent confrontation soon ensued that resulted in the death of 19 passengers in police firing. Amidst the mayhem, Gurdit Singh vanished and would not resurface till 1921 when he offered himself for arrest (responding to an appeal from Mahatma Gandhi) and was sentenced to 5 years rigorous imprisonment. In January 1915, a commission appointed to probe the Budge Budge incident placed the blame for the firing on Gurdit Singh and the passengers. A 1974 movie, Jeevan Sangram starring Shashi Kapoor, is based on the Komagata Maru incident and dedicated to Gurdit Singh. In May 2016, the Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau formally apologised for the incident. The incident of the Komagata Maru was something of a catalyst to the Ghadar movement which was ignited by overseas Indians in the USA in 1915. Their plan, which came up short, was to foment an army mutiny in India and thus overthrow the British. Clearly, the Battle of Saragarhi notwithstanding, Sikhs and indeed, all Indians, were foster-children of the Empire and many doors and opportunities in its territories were closed to them. The Empire had claimed to be a paternalistic provider to all its subjects. That it clearly was not. It was merely a glorified profit-seeking operation that sought to maximise its returns with minimal benefits to those of its subjects who enabled the Empire to obtain those returns. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The family of slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi announced on Friday they have forgiven his Saudi killers, giving legal reprieve to five government agents who had been sentenced to death for an operation that cast a cloud of suspicion over the kingdom's crown prince. We, the sons of the martyr Jamal Khashoggi, announce that we forgive those who killed our father as we seek reward from God Almighty, wrote one of his sons, Salah Khashoggi, on Twitter. Salah Khashoggi, who lives in Saudi Arabia and has received financial compensation from the royal court for his father's killing, explained that forgiveness was extended to the killers during the last nights of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in line with Islamic tradition to offer pardons in cases allowed by Islamic law. The Saudi court's ruling in December that the killing was not premeditated paved the way for Friday's announcement by leaving the door open for reprieve. Additionally, the finding was in line with the governments official explanation of Khashoggi's slaying that he was killed accidentally in a brawl by agents trying to forcibly return him to Saudi Arabia. The family's decision to pardon Khashoggi's killers comes as questions continue to linger over who ultimately ordered the operation and whether his sons have come under pressure. The trial was widely criticized by rights groups and an independent U.N. investigator who noted that no senior officials nor anyone in charge of ordering the operation was found guilty. The independence of the Riyadh criminal court was also brought into question. Prior to his killing, Khashoggi had written critically of Saudi Arabia's crown prince in columns for the Washington Post. He'd been living in exile in the United States for about a year as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman oversaw a crackdown in Saudi Arabia on human rights activists, writers and critics of the kingdom's devastating war in Yemen. Story continues In October 2017, a team of 15 Saudi agents was dispatched to Turkey to meet Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul for what he thought was an appointment to pick up documents needed to wed his Turkish fiancee. The group included a forensic doctor, intelligence and security officers and individuals who worked for the crown princes office. Turkish officials allege Khashoggi was killed and then dismembered with a bone saw. The body has not been found. Turkey, a rival of Saudi Arabia, apparently had the Saudi Consulate bugged and has shared audio of the killing with the CIA, among others. Khashoggis Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, said Friday that the killers came from Saudi with premeditation to lure, ambush & kill him. Nobody has the right to pardon the killers. We will not pardon the killers nor those who ordered the killing, she wrote on Twitter in response to the family's pardon. Agnes Callamard, the U.N. special rapporteur who investigated his killing, said the announcement of forgiveness was anticipated. All of us who, over the last 20 months, have reported on the gruesome execution of Jamal Khashoggi, and absence of accountability for his killing, expected this," she said in a Facebook post and added that Saudi authorities were playing out what they hope will be the final act in their well-rehearsed parody of justice. The grisly killing, which took place as Khashoggi's fiancee waited for him outside the consulate, drew international condemnation of Prince Mohammed. The 34-year-old prince, who has the support of his father King Salman, denies any involvement. U.S. intelligence agencies, however, say an operation like this could not have happened without his knowledge and the Senate has blamed the crown prince for the murder. After initially offering shifting accounts of what transpired, and under intense international and Turkish pressure, Saudi prosecutors eventually settled on the explanation that Khashoggi had been killed by Saudi agents in an operation masterminded by two of the crown princes top aides at the time. Neither was found guilty in trial, however. In addition to the five who had been sentenced to execution, the Saudi trial concluded last year that three other people were found guilty of covering up the crime and were sentenced to a combined 24 years in prison. In all, 11 people were put on trial in Saudi Arabia for the killing. Saudi media outlet Arab News sought to clarify Friday that the announcement made by Khashoggis sons may spare the convicted killers from execution, but does not mean they will go unpunished. In an interview in September with CBS 60 Minutes, Prince Mohammed said he takes "full responsibility as a leader in Saudi Arabia. But he insisted that he had no knowledge of the operation, saying he cannot keep close track of the countrys millions of employees. As Iowa businesses begin to slowly reopen, we at First Security are considering the pros and cons of this decision for our bank lobbies. We know many of our customers are eager for a return to normal, and so are we. Still, we will take a measured approach, erring on the side of caution. Currently, First Security has no plans to reopen lobbies over the next several weeks. We are leaning toward caution because, so far, limiting the number of people in our buildings has worked well for keeping customers and employees healthy. Iowa is still seeing significant effects related to coronavirus, and we are not yet ready to increase the risk of transmission by reopening our lobbies yet. One big reason: were the only bank in the local area with interactive teller machines (ITMs). Nearly anything you can do in the lobby, you can do through video banking at an ITM from a safe distance. You can speak with a teller who works in Iowa. That teller can answer your questions, and you can make a withdrawal, deposit a stack of cash or checks, make a transfer, cash a check down to the penny, and more. Were also doing much more so you can take your bank with you wherever you go. With our mobile app, you can open an account, deposit a check, or send money to friends and family. You can apply for certain loans right on your phone, and we've introduced e-signing for many loan documents to further reduce the need to visit the bank. These services are easier and more convenient than going to the bank building, and they allow you to do basically everything you need to do in banking from a safe social distance. As we continue to navigate the recovery stages of the pandemic, we will do so with your health in mind. Right now, that means keeping our distancing measures in place. We appreciate your patience as we rely on those services to keep you and us healthy. Matt Bradley, VP/Marketing Manager, First Security Bank Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP president Sharad Pawar on Saturday held a review meeting on the Covid-19 situation in the state. This was the third meeting on the issue between the two leaders in the last eight days. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage The NCP tweeted that its Maharashtra unit chief and the state water resources minister Jayant Patil, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut and chief secretary Ajoy Mehta too were present. The meeting took place after Raut met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari earlier in the day, which a Raj Bhavan statement described as a courtesy call. The NCP chief has been insisting on resumption of economic activities in a phased manner and also restarting road transport within the state. Pawar has also been insisting on holding dialogue with industrialists and experts to increase imports, exports and inland shipping. As on Friday, Maharashtra has 44,582 Covid-19 cases, and 1,517 deaths from the infection, both figures the highest in the country. For Northwest Adventure Tours, 2020 was set to be its busiest year yet. Its owner William Britton was looking forward to a summer of showing off Sligo's unrivalled adventure tourism offerings. The summer was already booking up nicely, but, on March 12th that all changed. "The 12th of March when the schools closed was the first main hit of cancellations. We were in the middle of programs with pre schools, primary and secondary schools, after school clubs and third level colleges," Britton explains. "Bookings went from no days off for the foreseeable future to zero," he adds. From corporate groups to custom adventure holidays, overnight Northwest Adventure Tours immediately felt the impact of Covid-19. "Over the coming days everything else followed suit. "All our domestic and international tours, hens and stags, youth groups, corporate groups, kids camps, challenge events all cancelled." Though managing to postpone some tours to later in the summer, how the phased reopening of the country will dictate to a certain extent what will go ahead. Now, Britton is concentrating on ensuring when the business can open, it will do so adhering to all social distancing guidelines for the safety of his clients. "Group sizes, social distancing, lockdown areas, procedures for doing everything safely, accommodation, buses, every activity and event is being looked at for solutions." On the back of a busy winter, Britton was looking forward to heading into his busiest year yet. "We were super excited knowing that come the end of the summer we would be in a great position to grow the business. "The bookings were there we just needed to enjoy the work. "It has taken a long time to get to this point for us, eight years to be precise." Chairperson of Adventure Sligo, Mr Britton acknowledged the dedication of networks who worked so hard to put Sligo on the map. "It's also taken Sligo a long time to get to this level of tourism. "Last year, Adventure Sligo and Sligo Tourism did amazing work in promoting the county. Now everyone wants to come and visit but can't." Though keen to get up and running again, Northwest Adventure Tours is taking no chances and says the safety of its customers is paramount. "Customers have been in touch and are just as eager to get back into nature as are we. "For us and the other providers it's going to be difficult, but we know we can adapt. "We are working hard behind the scenes to make this happen. "We are also waiting for clearer guidelines from our governing bodies,"says Mr Britton. Mr Britton says being part of Adventure Sligo has been invaluable during these times, with all providers sharing information on how to operate post lockdown. "We are all in the same boat and I cant recommend getting out with any of them enough when they are back up and running." One thing is for certain, when restrictions are lifted, adventure awaits. Meanwhile, the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation has called for the appointment of a dedicated minister for tourism with "significant economic clout" to lead the sector's revival following Covid-19, as well as a 5 per cent VAT rate for the duration of the next government. Along with this, it is seeking that households receive 'staycation vouchers' of "a significant monetary value" to boost the sector. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to burden the healthcare system, a union representing 1,500 nurses at two shore hospitals took the first step Friday toward authorizing a strike should contract negotiations with Hackensack Meridian Health fail. The nurses at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin voted to allow the union bargaining committees to call a strike or another form of concerted activity if they are unable to reach an agreement, Health Professionals and Allied Employees announced. The union is seeking weekly meetings with management to discuss the availability of protective equipment in case the virus returns aggressively, as many public health experts have predicted, HPAE President Debbie White said. The contract expires on May 31. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage As we head into a busy holiday weekend, we have concerns that there could be a spike even sooner if people arent observing the strictest social distancing protocols, White said. Our nurses had a desperate need for PPE during this pandemic and were not well protected. Adding insult to injury, while many of them got sick and some died, employers were disciplining healthcare workers for persisting in discussing their safety concerns on the job. A Hackensack Meridian Health spokeswoman issued a statement calling HPAEs decision to take a strike vote fairly common. Hackensack Meridian Health is engaged in ongoing discussions with HPAE and will continue to negotiate in good faith to reach a new contract. We would prefer to settle these negotiations without unnecessary disputes or delays, according to the statement. Should HPAE choose otherwise, we have a comprehensive strike contingency plan so our patients will continue to receive the safe, quality care they expect from Hackensack Meridian Health. Tensions have been high between the hospital and the labor union throughout the outbreak. HPAE has filed complaints with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, alleging the medical center has failed to provide sufficient personal protective equipment, like respirators, gloves and gowns, as well as other unsafe practices. The union also cried foul last month after Jersey Shore fired a nurse, who is also a union official, for publicly defending a colleague complaining about the lack of personal protective equipment. At the peak of outbreak on April 14, 8,084 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, according to data from the New Jersey Hospital Association. On May 20, 3,208 patients were hospitalized, a 60% decline from the peak. Jersey Shore and Southern Ocean Medical Center are two of Hackensack Meridian Healths 12 acute-care hospitals. It is the largest hospital network in the state. Local journalism needs your support. Subscribe at nj.com/supporter. Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. driven by a compounded growth of 4. 9%. Color, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 6%. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. New York, May 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Masterbatch Industry" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05112929/?utm_source=GNW Poised to reach over US$4.5 Billion by the year 2025, Color will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth. - Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 3.7% growth momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over US$137.4 Million to the regions size and clout in the next 5 to 6 years. Over US$109 Million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of Europe markets. In Japan, Color will reach a market size of US$186.3 Million by the close of the analysis period. As the worlds second largest economy and the new game changer in global markets, China exhibits the potential to grow at 7.9% over the next couple of years and add approximately US$1.2 Billion 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. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05112929/?utm_source=GNW MASTERBATCH MCP-6 MARKET ANALYSIS, TRENDS, AND FORECASTS, MAY 2 CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. MARKET OVERVIEW Masterbatch: An Integral Color Imparting Component Current and Future Analysis Recent Market Activity Packaging: The Largest End-Use Market for Masterbatch Color Masterbatches Continue to Lead Masterbatch Market, Additive Masterbatches Promise High Growth Color Masterbatch: Enhancing Aesthetic Appeal and Functionality of Plastics Additive Masterbatch Market - High Growth in Store Rising Demand for Plastic Products Surges Demand for Masterbatch Reshoring of Plastic Production to Developed Markets to Fuel Masterbatch Demand Developing Economies Present Positive Outlook for Masterbatch Market Material Shortages and Price Increases Are Already Evident Competitive Landscape Global Competitor Market Shares Masterbatch Competitor Market Share Scenario Worldwide (in %): 2020 & 2029 Impact of Covid-19 and a Looming Global Recession 2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS A. Schulman, Inc. (USA) Americhem, Inc. (USA) Ampacet Corporation (USA) BASF SE (Germany) Cabot Corporation (USA) Clariant International Ltd (Switzerland) Colortech, Inc. (Canada) Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals Mfg. Co., Ltd (Japan) DIC Corporation (Japan) Dongguan JinZhen Plastic Masterbatch Co., LTD (China) Dow Corning Corporation (USA) Multibase SA (France) GABRIEL-CHEMIE Gesellschaft m.b.H. (Austria) Hubron (International) Ltd (UK) Ingenia Polymers Corporation (Canada) Italmaster Belgium NV (Belgium) PolyOne Corporation (USA) Plastika Kritis S.A. (Greece) Polyplast Muller Group (Germany) RTP Company (USA) TABB Packaging Solutions, LLC (USA) Teknor Apex Company (USA) The Ravago Group (Belgium) 3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS Improvement in Global GDP Performance Bodes Well for the Market Innovation to Kindle Market Growth Carbon Black Masterbatches for Polymers Clariant Develops PV Fast Yellow H4G YInMn Blue - A Vibrant Blue Pigment Cooling Masterbatch for Greenhouse Film Applications Test Specimen to Gain Perspective on Masterbatch Prior to Full -Scale Production Helian and Eastman Chemical Produce Styrene-Free and Low-Odor Polymer for 3D Market TenasiTech Developing High-Functioning Additives Graphene: The Latest Find in Masterbatches Market Masterbatch from Recycled Tape - A New Technique Increasing Demand for Recycled Resins Overcoming Challenge Posed by Black Pigmentation of Recycled Resins Customized Masterbatches from STEER Evolving Plastic Packaging Market Fuels Demand for Sophisticated Masterbatches Green Trend Makes Waves in Plastic Packaging Growing Focus on Lightweight Vehicles Spurs Demand for Masterbatch Growing Demand for Masterbatch in Building & Construction Market Masterbatches in Medical Devices: Facilitating Economical Production Plastic Use in Consumer Electronics Industry Drives Demand for Masterbatch Search for High Quality Masterbatch Carrier Polymers Continues Bio-Compatible Masterbatch: A Market to Mine Biodegradable Polymers: Opportunities in Store for Bio- Masterbatches Nanotechnology to Play Key Role in Masterbatch Market Silver-Based Anti-Microbial Masterbatches Gain Popularity Optimizing Pigment Dispersion and Mixing Characteristics through Twin Screw Extruders Factors Affecting the Formulations & Cost of Masterbatches Growing Use of Flame Retardant Masterbatches 4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE Table 1: Masterbatch Global Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 2: Masterbatch Global Retrospective Market Scenario in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 3: Masterbatch Market Share Shift across Key Geographies Worldwide: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 4: Color (Type) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 5: Color (Type) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 6: Color (Type) Market Share Breakdown of Worldwide Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 7: White (Type) Potential Growth Markets Worldwide in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 8: White (Type) Historic Market Perspective by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 9: White (Type) Market Sales Breakdown by Region/Country in Percentage: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 10: Black (Type) Geographic Market Spread Worldwide in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 11: Black (Type) Region Wise Breakdown of Global Historic Demand in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 12: Black (Type) Market Share Distribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 13: Additive (Type) World Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 14: Additive (Type) Market Historic Review by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 15: Additive (Type) Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 16: Filler (Type) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 17: Filler (Type) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 18: Filler (Type) Market Share Distribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 19: Polyethylene (Polymer Type) World Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020 to 2027 Table 20: Polyethylene (Polymer Type) Market Worldwide Historic Review by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 21: Polyethylene (Polymer Type) Market Percentage Share Distribution by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 22: Polypropylene (Polymer Type) Market Opportunity Analysis Worldwide in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020 to 2027 Table 23: Polypropylene (Polymer Type) Global Historic Demand in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012 to 2019 Table 24: Polypropylene (Polymer Type) Market Share Distribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 25: Polyvinyl Chloride (Polymer Type) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 26: Polyvinyl Chloride (Polymer Type) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 27: Polyvinyl Chloride (Polymer Type) Market Share Breakdown of Worldwide Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 28: Polyurethane (Polymer Type) Potential Growth Markets Worldwide in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 29: Polyurethane (Polymer Type) Historic Market Perspective by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 30: Polyurethane (Polymer Type) Market Sales Breakdown by Region/Country in Percentage: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 31: Polyethylene Terephthalate (Polymer Type) Geographic Market Spread Worldwide in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 32: Polyethylene Terephthalate (Polymer Type) Region Wise Breakdown of Global Historic Demand in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 33: Polyethylene Terephthalate (Polymer Type) Market Share Distribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 34: Polystyrene (Polymer Type) World Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 35: Polystyrene (Polymer Type) Market Historic Review by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 36: Polystyrene (Polymer Type) Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 37: Other Polymer Types (Polymer Type) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 38: Other Polymer Types (Polymer Type) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 39: Other Polymer Types (Polymer Type) Market Share Distribution in Percentage by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 40: Packaging (End-Use) Global Opportunity Assessment in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 41: Packaging (End-Use) Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 42: Packaging (End-Use) Percentage Share Breakdown of Global Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 43: Building & Construction (End-Use) Worldwide Sales in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 44: Building & Construction (End-Use) Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 45: Building & Construction (End-Use) Market Share Shift across Key Geographies: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 46: Automotive (End-Use) Global Market Estimates & Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 47: Automotive (End-Use) Retrospective Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 48: Automotive (End-Use) Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 49: Consumer Goods (End-Use) Demand Potential Worldwide in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 50: Consumer Goods (End-Use) Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 51: Consumer Goods (End-Use) Share Breakdown Review by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 52: Textile (End-Use) Worldwide Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 53: Textile (End-Use) Global Historic Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 54: Textile (End-Use) Distribution of Global Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 55: Agriculture (End-Use) Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Years 2020 through 2027 Table 56: Agriculture (End-Use) Analysis of Historic Sales in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Years 2012 to 2019 Table 57: Agriculture (End-Use) Global Market Share Distribution by Region/Country for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 58: Other End-Uses (End-Use) Global Opportunity Assessment in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 59: Other End-Uses (End-Use) Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 60: Other End-Uses (End-Use) Percentage Share Breakdown of Global Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 III. MARKET ANALYSIS GEOGRAPHIC MARKET ANALYSIS UNITED STATES Market Facts & Figures US Masterbatch Market Share (in %) by Company: 2020 & 2025 Market Analytics Table 61: United States Masterbatch Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 62: Masterbatch Market in the United States by Type: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 63: United States Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 64: United States Masterbatch Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 65: Masterbatch Market in the United States by Polymer Type: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 66: United States Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 67: United States Masterbatch Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 68: Masterbatch Historic Demand Patterns in the United States by End-Use in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 69: Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown in the United States by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 CANADA Table 70: Canadian Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 71: Canadian Masterbatch Historic Market Review by Type in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 72: Masterbatch Market in Canada: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Type for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 73: Canadian Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 74: Canadian Masterbatch Historic Market Review by Polymer Type in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 75: Masterbatch Market in Canada: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Polymer Type for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 76: Canadian Masterbatch Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 77: Masterbatch Market in Canada: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by End-Use for 2012-2019 Table 78: Canadian Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 JAPAN Table 79: Japanese Market for Masterbatch: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 80: Masterbatch Market in Japan: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2012-2019 Table 81: Japanese Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 82: Japanese Market for Masterbatch: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 83: Masterbatch Market in Japan: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2012-2019 Table 84: Japanese Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 85: Japanese Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Masterbatch in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 86: Japanese Masterbatch Market in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 87: Masterbatch Market Share Shift in Japan by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 CHINA Table 88: Chinese Masterbatch Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 89: Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in China in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 90: Chinese Masterbatch Market by Type: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 91: Chinese Masterbatch Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 92: Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in China in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 93: Chinese Masterbatch Market by Polymer Type: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 94: Chinese Demand for Masterbatch in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 95: Masterbatch Market Review in China in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 96: Chinese Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 EUROPE Market Facts & Figures European Masterbatch Market: Competitor Market Share Scenario (in %) for 2020 & 2025 Market Analytics Table 97: European Masterbatch Market Demand Scenario in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 98: Masterbatch Market in Europe: A Historic Market Perspective in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Period 2012-2019 Table 99: European Masterbatch Market Share Shift by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 100: European Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2020-2027 Table 101: Masterbatch Market in Europe in US$ Million by Type: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 102: European Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 103: European Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020-2027 Table 104: Masterbatch Market in Europe in US$ Million by Polymer Type: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 105: European Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 106: European Masterbatch Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 107: Masterbatch Market in Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2012-2019 Table 108: European Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 FRANCE Table 109: Masterbatch Market in France by Type: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 110: French Masterbatch Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 111: French Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 112: Masterbatch Market in France by Polymer Type: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 113: French Masterbatch Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 114: French Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 115: Masterbatch Quantitative Demand Analysis in France in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 116: French Masterbatch Historic Market Review in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 117: French Masterbatch Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by End-Use for 2012, 2020, and 2027 GERMANY Table 118: Masterbatch Market in Germany: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 119: German Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 120: German Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 121: Masterbatch Market in Germany: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 122: German Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 123: German Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 124: Masterbatch Market in Germany: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 125: German Masterbatch Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 126: Masterbatch Market Share Distribution in Germany by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ITALY Table 127: Italian Masterbatch Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 128: Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in Italy in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 129: Italian Masterbatch Market by Type: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 130: Italian Masterbatch Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 131: Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in Italy in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 132: Italian Masterbatch Market by Polymer Type: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 133: Italian Demand for Masterbatch in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 134: Masterbatch Market Review in Italy in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 135: Italian Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 UNITED KINGDOM Table 136: United Kingdom Market for Masterbatch: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 137: Masterbatch Market in the United Kingdom: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2012-2019 Table 138: United Kingdom Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 139: United Kingdom Market for Masterbatch: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 140: Masterbatch Market in the United Kingdom: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2012-2019 Table 141: United Kingdom Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 142: United Kingdom Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Masterbatch in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 143: United Kingdom Masterbatch Market in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 144: Masterbatch Market Share Shift in the United Kingdom by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SPAIN Table 145: Spanish Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 146: Spanish Masterbatch Historic Market Review by Type in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 147: Masterbatch Market in Spain: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Type for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 148: Spanish Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 149: Spanish Masterbatch Historic Market Review by Polymer Type in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 150: Masterbatch Market in Spain: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Polymer Type for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 151: Spanish Masterbatch Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 152: Masterbatch Market in Spain: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by End-Use for 2012-2019 Table 153: Spanish Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 RUSSIA Table 154: Russian Masterbatch Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 155: Masterbatch Market in Russia by Type: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 156: Russian Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 157: Russian Masterbatch Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 158: Masterbatch Market in Russia by Polymer Type: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 159: Russian Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 160: Russian Masterbatch Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 161: Masterbatch Historic Demand Patterns in Russia by End-Use in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 162: Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown in Russia by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF EUROPE Table 163: Rest of Europe Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2020-2027 Table 164: Masterbatch Market in Rest of Europe in US$ Million by Type: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 165: Rest of Europe Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 166: Rest of Europe Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020-2027 Table 167: Masterbatch Market in Rest of Europe in US$ Million by Polymer Type: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 168: Rest of Europe Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 169: Rest of Europe Masterbatch Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 170: Masterbatch Market in Rest of Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2012-2019 Table 171: Rest of Europe Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ASIA-PACIFIC Table 172: Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 173: Masterbatch Market in Asia-Pacific: Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Period 2012-2019 Table 174: Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 175: Masterbatch Market in Asia-Pacific by Type: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 176: Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 177: Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 178: Masterbatch Market in Asia-Pacific by Polymer Type: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 179: Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 180: Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 181: Masterbatch Quantitative Demand Analysis in Asia-Pacific in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 182: Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Historic Market Review in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 183: Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by End-Use for 2012, 2020, and 2027 AUSTRALIA Table 184: Masterbatch Market in Australia: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 185: Australian Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 186: Australian Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 187: Masterbatch Market in Australia: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 188: Australian Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 189: Australian Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 190: Masterbatch Market in Australia: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 191: Australian Masterbatch Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 192: Masterbatch Market Share Distribution in Australia by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 INDIA Table 193: Indian Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 194: Indian Masterbatch Historic Market Review by Type in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 195: Masterbatch Market in India: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Type for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 196: Indian Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 197: Indian Masterbatch Historic Market Review by Polymer Type in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 198: Masterbatch Market in India: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Polymer Type for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 199: Indian Masterbatch Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 200: Masterbatch Market in India: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by End-Use for 2012-2019 Table 201: Indian Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SOUTH KOREA Table 202: Masterbatch Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 203: South Korean Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 204: Masterbatch Market Share Distribution in South Korea by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 205: Masterbatch Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 206: South Korean Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 207: Masterbatch Market Share Distribution in South Korea by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 208: Masterbatch Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 209: South Korean Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 210: Masterbatch Market Share Distribution in South Korea by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF ASIA-PACIFIC Table 211: Rest of Asia-Pacific Market for Masterbatch: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 212: Masterbatch Market in Rest of Asia-Pacific: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2012-2019 Table 213: Rest of Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 214: Rest of Asia-Pacific Market for Masterbatch: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 215: Masterbatch Market in Rest of Asia-Pacific: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2012-2019 Table 216: Rest of Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 217: Rest of Asia-Pacific Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Masterbatch in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 218: Rest of Asia-Pacific Masterbatch Market in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 219: Masterbatch Market Share Shift in Rest of Asia-Pacific by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 LATIN AMERICA Table 220: Latin American Masterbatch Market Trends by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020-2027 Table 221: Masterbatch Market in Latin America in US$ Million by Region/Country: A Historic Perspective for the Period 2012-2019 Table 222: Latin American Masterbatch Market Percentage Breakdown of Sales by Region/Country: 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 223: Latin American Masterbatch Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 224: Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in Latin America in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 225: Latin American Masterbatch Market by Type: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 226: Latin American Masterbatch Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 227: Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in Latin America in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 228: Latin American Masterbatch Market by Polymer Type: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 229: Latin American Demand for Masterbatch in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 230: Masterbatch Market Review in Latin America in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 231: Latin American Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ARGENTINA Table 232: Argentinean Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2020-2027 Table 233: Masterbatch Market in Argentina in US$ Million by Type: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 234: Argentinean Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 235: Argentinean Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020-2027 Table 236: Masterbatch Market in Argentina in US$ Million by Polymer Type: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 237: Argentinean Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 238: Argentinean Masterbatch Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 239: Masterbatch Market in Argentina: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2012-2019 Table 240: Argentinean Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 BRAZIL Table 241: Masterbatch Market in Brazil by Type: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 242: Brazilian Masterbatch Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 243: Brazilian Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 244: Masterbatch Market in Brazil by Polymer Type: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 245: Brazilian Masterbatch Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 246: Brazilian Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 247: Masterbatch Quantitative Demand Analysis in Brazil in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 248: Brazilian Masterbatch Historic Market Review in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 249: Brazilian Masterbatch Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by End-Use for 2012, 2020, and 2027 MEXICO Table 250: Masterbatch Market in Mexico: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 251: Mexican Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 252: Mexican Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 253: Masterbatch Market in Mexico: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 254: Mexican Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 255: Mexican Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 256: Masterbatch Market in Mexico: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 257: Mexican Masterbatch Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 258: Masterbatch Market Share Distribution in Mexico by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF LATIN AMERICA Table 259: Rest of Latin America Masterbatch Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 260: Masterbatch Market in Rest of Latin America by Type: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 261: Rest of Latin America Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 262: Rest of Latin America Masterbatch Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 263: Masterbatch Market in Rest of Latin America by Polymer Type: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 264: Rest of Latin America Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 265: Rest of Latin America Masterbatch Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 266: Masterbatch Historic Demand Patterns in Rest of Latin America by End-Use in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 267: Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown in Rest of Latin America by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 MIDDLE EAST Table 268: The Middle East Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 269: Masterbatch Market in the Middle East by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 270: The Middle East Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 271: The Middle East Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 272: The Middle East Masterbatch Historic Market by Type in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 273: Masterbatch Market in the Middle East: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Type for 2012,2020, and 2027 Table 274: The Middle East Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 275: The Middle East Masterbatch Historic Market by Polymer Type in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 276: Masterbatch Market in the Middle East: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Polymer Type for 2012,2020, and 2027 Table 277: The Middle East Masterbatch Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 278: Masterbatch Market in the Middle East: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by End-Use for 2012-2019 Table 279: The Middle East Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 IRAN Table 280: Iranian Market for Masterbatch: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 281: Masterbatch Market in Iran: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2012-2019 Table 282: Iranian Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 283: Iranian Market for Masterbatch: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 284: Masterbatch Market in Iran: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2012-2019 Table 285: Iranian Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 286: Iranian Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Masterbatch in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 287: Iranian Masterbatch Market in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 288: Masterbatch Market Share Shift in Iran by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ISRAEL Table 289: Israeli Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Type: 2020-2027 Table 290: Masterbatch Market in Israel in US$ Million by Type: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 291: Israeli Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 292: Israeli Masterbatch Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020-2027 Table 293: Masterbatch Market in Israel in US$ Million by Polymer Type: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 294: Israeli Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 295: Israeli Masterbatch Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 296: Masterbatch Market in Israel: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2012-2019 Table 297: Israeli Masterbatch Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SAUDI ARABIA Table 298: Saudi Arabian Masterbatch Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 299: Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in Saudi Arabia in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 300: Saudi Arabian Masterbatch Market by Type: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 301: Saudi Arabian Masterbatch Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 302: Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in Saudi Arabia in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 303: Saudi Arabian Masterbatch Market by Polymer Type: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 304: Saudi Arabian Demand for Masterbatch in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 305: Masterbatch Market Review in Saudi Arabia in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 306: Saudi Arabian Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Table 307: Masterbatch Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 308: United Arab Emirates Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 309: Masterbatch Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 310: Masterbatch Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 311: United Arab Emirates Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 312: Masterbatch Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 313: Masterbatch Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 314: United Arab Emirates Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 315: Masterbatch Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF MIDDLE EAST Table 316: Masterbatch Market in Rest of Middle East: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 317: Rest of Middle East Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Type: 2012-2019 Table 318: Rest of Middle East Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 319: Masterbatch Market in Rest of Middle East: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type for the Period 2020-2027 Table 320: Rest of Middle East Masterbatch Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2012-2019 Table 321: Rest of Middle East Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 322: Masterbatch Market in Rest of Middle East: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 323: Rest of Middle East Masterbatch Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 324: Masterbatch Market Share Distribution in Rest of Middle East by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 AFRICA Table 325: African Masterbatch Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 326: Masterbatch Market in Africa by Type: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 327: African Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 328: African Masterbatch Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Polymer Type: 2020 to 2027 Table 329: Masterbatch Market in Africa by Polymer Type: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 330: African Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown by Polymer Type: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 331: African Masterbatch Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 332: Masterbatch Historic Demand Patterns in Africa by End-Use in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 333: Masterbatch Market Share Breakdown in Africa by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 IV. COMPETITION Total Companies Profiled: 134 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05112929/?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 Keir Starmer was challenged to 'get off the fence' over the schools reopening row last night after admitting his own children have been going to classes. The Labour leader revealed his son, 11, and nine-year-old daughter were attending lessons in Camden, North London because his wife Victoria has key worker status working in an NHS occupational therapy department. Sir Keir said that 'our children have been in school throughout [the virus crisis]' adding that the perception that all schools were shut was wrong. Keir Starmer, pictured with wife Victoria during the Clap for Carers on Thursday, was challenged to 'get off the fence' over the schools reopening row last night after admitting his own children have been going to classes But his comments sparked anger from Tories who have accused him of avoiding a confrontation with the teaching unions by not speaking out on the controversy of whether schools should begin to re-open across the country from June 1. One Tory MP attacked the Labour leader for apparently not realising that so far 'only a fraction' of pupils were attending classes in person. Sir Keir has sparked private concern from some of his MPs for 'going missing' in the thorny debate over getting children back to school. He has allegedly left it to the party's schools spokesman Rebecca Long-Bailey to show backing for unions over their safety concerns of returning to class. But in an interview, the Labour leader insisted he wanted the process of getting children back in class 'to happen as soon as it can' as long as it was safe for them to do so. He called on unions, parents and the Government to come together to achieve that, urging Boris Johnson to 'build consensus'. Sir Keir told the Daily Telegraph: 'Rather than accentuating the differences here, the Prime Minister should pull a task force together, and say, 'Right, we are going to lead from the front'. If the Prime Minister said, I'll set up a task force of teaching unions, parents, local authorities and government, everybody else who needs to be around the table, to put your shoulder to the wheel, let's get on with this, then I would certainly support that. Sir Keir allegedly left it to the party's schools spokesman Rebecca Long-Bailey, pictured, to show backing for unions over their safety concerns of returning to class The Labour leader stopped short of openly backing the giant National Education Union (NEU) which is leading opposition to a June 1 return. But he said the union's five tests for reopening including a national plan for social distancing were 'perfectly reasonable tests that can be met'. Sir Keir faced criticism last night that his call for unity 'rings a bit hollow' given the union opposition to a phased reopening of schools. Tory MP Tom Hunt, a member of the Commons education committee, also said that the Labour leader was still not 'coming off the fence he still seems to be perched on one'. He added: 'Clearly things seem to have worked out ok for his children as they've been eligible to attend school throughout this period and I would imagine are receiving a good education. 'However, the reality is that only a fraction of school age children are currently attending school and only a small proportion of those who are eligible to do so are. 'The reality is that his children will most likely not fall behind as a result of this crisis. Sadly, this isn't the case for many millions of other children who are not eligible to attend school and could be dependent on home environments that are far from ideal for school learning.' Sources close to Sir Keir last night rejected the Tory criticisms of his schools policy. In his interview, the staunch Remainer made it clear he would not seek to take the UK back into the EU. And he added that Labour should not be 'shy' about being seen as 'patriotic'. In 2009 when John Ola landed a job as a contract staff at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), his take-home pay was 15,000. Not someone that keeps quiet when not pleased, he and his fellow domestic workers soon demanded a pay rise. They got it in 2011, and it would remain at 20,000 for another nine years. Mr Ola, a father of three, and his colleagues kept pushing for more. Not only did this win him foes on the hospitals management side, it denied him a chance to be made permanent staff. But he did not flinch. A breakthrough came his way March this year, a day after a protest on March 13, the date on which they were paid for February. We are always paid the salary of the previous month in the middle of the next month, he said. By April 2, with the protest still fresh in mind, they got their pay for March, this time it had been upped to 30,000. They were very happy, Mr Ola recalled, but it would last for that month alone as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold of the world. They were anticipating April pay when their employers invited them to a meeting. Mr Ola could not make the meeting, but his colleague, Chinedu Festus, 21, did. At the meeting, Mr Festus said they were told coronavirus has diminished the hospitals revenue due to low patient inflow caused by the closure of numerous sections of the hospital. They were given two options: either half of them are laid off or their newly introduced 30,000 is cut by half. That would take them back to the 2009 rate. None of these was an option for us. Work hasnt reduced, why would pay reduce? Mr Festus said. But his objection did not matter. Their pay for April paid this month was 15,000. Zero benefits Domestic staff like Mr Ola, about 2,000 of them, are employees of LUTH Initiative Limited, the private wing of LUTH, established by its management to give high-end medical services to patients who can pay more. The management also uses them to keep the hospital running when, for instance, permanent staff go on strike. Ironically, while these staff work to get the nation well, they are amongst some of the poorest paid public workers in the country. They are not listed for benefits beyond the meagre salaries and their employment terms are vague with no official accepting responsibility. The LUTH Initiative website says the unit is headed by a neurosurgeon who reports to the chief medical director of the hospital, but the CMD, when reached by PREMIUM TIMES, claimed only the board of the hospital could comment. Interviews with several workers portrayed an exploitative arrangement in which the domestic staff are not treated as a staff of the hospital but as casual workers with little or no bargaining power to negotiate their fate. READ ALSO: Based on PREMIUM TIMES assessment, the least the workers have spent in the company is four years. Some have spent 13 years, yet, they have had a very sluggish pay rise: 15,000 in 2009; 20,000 in 2011; and 30,000 in 2020; and now, 15,000. All the staff who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES said they are neither on any salary grade level nor do they get periodical pay increment, except by protests, which they hardly try. We are not paid leave allowance if we ever go on leave. No free medical treatment is extended to us, said Onu Chidi, another domestic staff. The worst is the exclusion from contributing to the national pension commission which is compulsory for all workers to rely on at old age, another staff said. The staff said they never received insurance, hazard allowance, health insurance or any other allowance whatsoever. But they cannot speak out because they fear retribution. Those who spoke for this report agreed their names be changed for this reason. More risk, less pay If it becomes law, an amendment to the Labour Act in the House of Representatives would criminalise casualisation of workers for more than six months. A maximum of 2 million or imprisonment of two years or both is the proposed penalty for the director of defaulting companies. Also, the Pension Reform Act 2014 mandates public and private employers (with more than 15 workers) and the employees to respectively contribute a minimum of 10 per cent and eight per cent of employees salary to a pension scheme account run by the pension commission every month. Tajudeen Olatunji, the president of the Lagos State chapter of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), said the LUTH Initiative is capitalising on the high rate of unemployment in the country to exploit these staff. Nobody with right thinking sense will take this kind of offers, he added. With the coronavirus risks, allowances promised to healthcare workers in Lagos are not extended to these workers. They feel disappointed that they are not getting any kind of recognition for what they are doing. One of them is Shehu Yusuf, 34, who works as an oxygen attendant in the engineering department of the hospital. Advertisements The father of four had been on the job for 13 years. Despite risking our lives every day to save people from the virus, he said, all we get is pittance at the time of a pandemic. In a recent example, Hannah Emmanuel, 40, was quarantined for two weeks after five doctors, some of whom she and seven other domestic workers had had contact with, contracted coronavirus. I was very afraid. It was only God that saved me, she said, wondering how she would have coped had she had the virus with her two children to cater for. Ms Emmanuel works in the labour ward. Her job is to clear and clean the ward. She said she was part of the team that delivered a 68-year-old mother of her baby in LUTH last month. They may be at the base of the power pyramid, but theyre also at COVID-19 risk, tweeted Fisayo Soyombo, a journalist who blew the pay cut whistle at the time. They clean the wards all the blood & fluids in the theatre and the wards. They clear all the waste products. Mrs Emmanuel said despite her job prescription, she buys protective clothing like face masks herself, a claim made by five other workers. The cut on their salaries to 15,000 is unfair, they said. Things are not quite easy for us, Ms Emmanuel said. I buy a face mask (myself). Like her, Dennis Daniel, 32, said he is drowning in financial woes. In his fourth year as a porter in the hospital, he said a pay cut at this time is devastating. This is so because, on transportation alone, he spends about 500 daily from his Bariga residence to Idi-Araba, where LUTH is located. This means at the end of each month, he would have spent half his 30,000 salary on transportation. But now that his transport fare is equal to his salary, he cannot but despair. With his 9-year-old daughter also to cater for and his debt already high, Mr Daniel said he barely feeds twice a day. They use us like machines. We are humans. We have not seen a single cent as an allowance, he said. In the hospital, contracting the virus is easy. Some of my doctor friends have it. They have insurance but we dont. We are done for. Dodgy officials Three representatives of the LUTH Initiative eluded requests for comment. One of them whose contact is on the companys letterhead identified as John by Truecaller responded rudely over the phone before he hung the call. Oga, go and call CMD. Dont call my number again, he said. The chairman, medical advisory committee, Lanre Adeyemo, also declined comment. He directed all comments to the CMD. The chief medical director of the hospital, Chris Bode, on Tuesday, said the workers are not LUTH staff and he could not comment on behalf of the company. He added that the company works on a hire and fire basis, and it does not report to him but to the board of LUTH. They do not work for LUTH. They work in LUTH, he said, adding that they do not also have contact with frontline health workers. Contrary to what Mr Chris said, however, information on the companys website shows that the coordinator of LUTH Initiatives, presently Femi Bankole, reports directly to the Chief Medical Director of LUTH. On Thursday, Mr Chris declined further comments. LUTH Initiatives is shrouded in secrecy, a LUTH resident doctor who spoke under strict anonymity, told PREMIUM TIMES. She said the hospitals management is taking advantage of the unemployment in the country to hire with no rules, no regulations, no strict code of conduct. They just do as they wish. Meanwhile, workers like Mr Ola and Mr Yusuf have side hustles apart from the pittance they get as domestic staff. So they say they could afford to walk away from the job anytime. But there are others who have nowhere to turn. For them, as they run from contracting the virus by doing their jobs as carefully as they can, their financial woes keep catching up with them. SCHENECTADY City planning officials voted to unanimously shelve a multi-million proposal by the owners of the McDonalds on Upper Union Street to build a more modern eatery that many homeowners contend flouts Schenectadys design standards and would ruin the charm and pedestrian-friendly nature of the neighborhood and popular business district. Several of them reiterated their concerns at Wednesdays special Planning Commission meeting where the fast food company was seeking site plan approval as well as a special use permit because of the drive-thru and two variances for the project, one of them for exceeding the amount of parking spaces for that lot permitted by the city's zoning laws. Currently, there are 34 parking spaces, but city zoning rules only allow for 25 with the proposed building, which means the company will need to get a variance for the 30 it wants. Two of the more objectionable aspects of the plan for the proposed 4,350 square-foot McDonald's call for knocking down the vacant store next door on Union Street and a residential structure behind it on Dean Street and the addition of a second drive-thru. In the past McDonald's has argued in an engineer's report that they were not requesting two drive-thru lanes but instead wanted "to split the ordering windows in two locations to improve drive-thru efficiency," which would result in fewer cars idling on-site and, as such, would have a "positive impact on the neighborhood." And that they design on the table would not reduced the street wall, a building wall or portion of a wall facing a street. Engineer Steve Wilson, who is representing McDonalds on the application, said during Friday's webinar that representatives with the fast food company met at least twice with some residents to hear them out and modified the proposal based on their comments. As we moved through this process, we kept trying to address the neighborhood concerns as best we could while balancing obviously the need to have an economically viable project that makes sense, he added. Art Clayman was among more than a dozen people who either appeared live during Wednesday's virtual meeting or sent in letters in opposition to the proposal for 1673 Union St. Clayman described the project as bad urban design that violates Schenectadys design guidelines and would seriously harm the nature and character of the neighborhood. He suggested that repositioning the building so its closer to the sidewalk with the longer sides parallel to Union Street. David Orr, who lives on nearby Regent Street, also said what McDonalds wants to build in his neighborhood is more appropriate for Wolf Road in Colonie, a decidedly un-pedestrian-friendly area. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. On Friday, John Reeher, who co-owns the McDonald's with his wife, Kathie, said while they have not made a final decision, they have to factor in what makes the most business sense. The eatery is open 24 hours. The plan that weve presented is the best plan for the business, and the plan I can support and makes sense for me financially, he said. Planning Commission Chairwoman Mary Moore Wallinger said Friday that she and several other commissioners largely agreed with the criticism of the project. In particular, she pointed to the planned demolition of the vacant building next door and the residence, adding it would be very detrimental to the streetscape. "I thinking maintaining the street wall is critical and plays a big role in the feel and success of Upper Union Street and I also think that the district has been designed to facilitate pedestrian movement as much as possible, and the plan as it was presented a lot of conflicts regarding pedestrian movement," Wallinger said. "If they had a nice relationship between the building and the street, and have the cafe seating in front, then maybe more people that walk on Upper Union Street would support the restaurant, and then maybe they could generate some of the business that they were looking for from cars from pedestrians." Tom Carey, president of the 12309/Upper Union Neighborhood Association, said Friday that he hopes McDonalds got the message and will do the right thing. We dont have anything against McDonalds, we support all the businesses in the area, we just think the way they designed this project is inappropriate for our community, he said. If they came back with something that fits in our community and meets our design guidelines, Im sure we would support it. Economic activity crawls back from hibernation By Jayani Madawala View(s): View(s): Public and private sector economic activity is limping back to normalcy, now that coronavirus containment restrictions in Colombo and Gampaha districts are being eased. In the rest of the country where the curfew is lifted during day, the situation should further improve. At operations that are allowed to open, Public Health Inspectors are checking on social distancing, face masks, and other virus preventive measures. We are only permitted to do hair cutting, colouring and certain other services. As beauticians we are following all the health measures advised by officials, Sri Lanka Association of Hairdressers and Beauticians president, Nayana Karunaratne told the Sunday Times. After receiving the approval from the PHI only can we open the salon. After the salons are opened health officials will further monitor them, she said. She said maintaining social distancing is challenging. It is a bit hard because we have to get close to our customer to provide the service. Ms Karunaratne claimed that it is the salon owners and beauticians who are more exposed to the virus, rather than customers. M. G. Upul Rohana, president of the Public Health Inspectors Association of Sri Lanka (PHIASL) said public and private sector workers have resumed work. Private sector workers can cross into other districts by showing their office identification to the police. We have advised people to maintain a minimum number of staff in their institutions. All the sectors will be monitored every two days, he said. Still we have not been authorised to allow restaurants, gyms, and educational institutions. The owner of the Style clothing centre, Santha Karunathilake, said: We have kept hand sanitisers in accessible places for staff and customers. Sometimes multiple sanitisers are being used. To be fair, it would be exceedingly difficult to maintain the one-metre distance due to the structure of our building. We are managing so far, and we are not allowing people to try on clothes. Meanwhile, except in the high risk districts of Colombo and Gampaha, public transport for regular passengers has begun. But three wheelers and taxi services can only take two passengers at a time. The chairman of All Island Three Wheel Drivers and Owners Association Sudhil Jayaruk, said as advised by health officials, three-wheelers are running except in Colombo and Gampaha. W.D. Indika Nishantha, 41, a three-wheel driver, said passengers are hard to come by because many are using their own vehicles. Transporting only two passengers is a loss for us. For many people following the health precautions is a new experience, but we are trying our best to adapt. Rajitha Galabadaarachchi, 28, a site engineer, said everyone must wear masks and keep their distance. We are keeping people as safe as possible, but sometimes its difficult during the day time to work wearing masks. Food outlets were allowed to sell food, or accept telephone orders. We are awaiting permission to open our restaurants though few people turn up and buy food. People are still reluctant to eat out, said Shanil Jayasekara, a restaurant owner from Borella. A day after a repatriation flight ferrying 116 Indians stranded in Canada landed at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport here, 171 more Indians evacuated from Canada arrived here on Saturday. Ajnala sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Deepak Bhatia said the flight landed at the airport at 2 am and after medical checkup, all the passengers were sent to their respective districts where they will be put under quarantine at government centres and hotels, as per their choice. Similar flights from Birmingham and Singapore are scheduled to land here on May 26 and May 27, respectively. Notably, these flights are being operated under Vande Bharat Mission launched by the central government to evacuate the Indian nationals stuck in various countries due to the lockdown imposed to contain the Covid-19 outbreak. New Delhi: Sticking to her controversial remark that Pakistan is not hell, actor and politician Ramya aka Divya Spandana on Tuesday told News Nation that her statement has been blown out of proportion and that BJP was playing politics over it. Ramya is facing sedition case for praising Pakistan after attending a SAARC Young Parliamentarians Conference in Islamabad recently. Ramya, 33, who is a member of Congress since 2011, was referring to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's statement that "going to Pakistan is like going to hell" as she said, "Pakistan is not hell. People there are just like us. They treated us very well." Below are the excerpts from her interview: #I am not surprized because everybody is being slapped with sedition case #This is exactly what BJP does. They try to misuse the law. They file sedition cases against anybody who is entitled to an opinion #BJP is trying to supress the freedom of speech #People in Pakistan were really nice to us #Don't know why people have taken offence to that statement. All I said was that I disagree with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar that "Pakistan is hell." #Pakistan is definitely not hell. Pakistan is just like us and we were treated well there. #My statement is being politicised Ramya has drawn flak from political activists, who are calling her "anti-national". Moreover, a sedition case has also been filed by a lawyer against Ramya in a court in Kodagu in southern Karnataka. The lawyer, Katnamane Vittal Gowda, has reportedly said that he was "appalled" by Ramyas praise for Pakistan. Ramya has also been trolled on Twitter for her controversial remarks. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. LPETTET/iStockBy SHANNON K. CRAWFORD, ABC NEWS (WASHINGTON) -- A group of Republican senators is urging the Department of Justice to open an investigation into dozens of Planned Parenthood clinics that may have received a portion of the $80 million in potentially forgivable federal loans contained within the Paycheck Protection Program. In a letter to Attorney General William Barr released Thursday, the lawmakers wrote: "These Planned Parenthood entities self-certified eligibility for these loans despite the clear ineligibility under the statutory text of the CARES Act," which established the PPP to aid small businesses. The senators said the nonprofit's loan applications were "fraudulent" and that submitting them could "trigger both civil and criminal penalties." Planned Parenthood denies the accusations. "Like many other local nonprofits and health care providers, some independent Planned Parenthood 501(c)(3) organizations applied for and were awarded loans under the eligibility rules established by the CARES Act and the Small Business Administration (SBA), which they met," Jacqueline Ayers, Planned Parenthood Federation of America's vice president of government relations and public policy, said a statement Wednesday. Ayers added: "This is a clear political attack on Planned Parenthood health centers and access to reproductive health care. It has nothing to do with Planned Parenthood health care organizations' eligibility for COVID-19 relief efforts, and everything to do with the Trump administration using a public health crisis to advance a political agenda and distract from their own failures in protecting the American public from the spread of COVID-19." The letter sent to Barr was signed by 27 of 53 Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and Mitt Romney. Fox News was first to report on some Planned Parenthood affiliates receiving PPP loans. DOJ has not said publicly whether it will investigate the matter. The PPP program itself has been criticized over a lack of transparency, and a group of news outlets, including ABC News, is suing the SBA for access to government records that show which companies and nonprofits have received loans. Planned Parenthood declined to confirm to ABC News how many loans its affiliates had received or the total dollar amount of said loans. The SBA didn't immediately return a request for comment. The SBA has notified at least one Planned Parenthood affiliate that it should return its PPP loan. The Republican senators argued in their letter to Barr that the SBA's affiliation rules link Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its members, which means they're part of an entity too large to be considered a small business. But SBA affiliation rules aren't black and white, and they've already caused significant confusion tied to PPP lending. That said, the SBA has said that "generally, affiliation exists when one business controls or has the power to control another," and that control "may arise through ownership, management, or other relationships or interactions." More than 10,000 work at Planned Parenthood locations, including independent affiliates. Republicans are arguing that independent offices adhering to common bylaws constitutes a management agreement and therefore establishes impermissible affiliation, rendering individual facilities ineligible for PPP. "In order to be a Planned Parenthood affiliate, you have to get approval of the parent board, the one that's located here in Washington, D.C., a parent board that is sitting on -- according to their own numbers, in 2018 -- close to half a billion dollars in net assets," Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, said Wednesday. "They just don't qualify under the affiliate rules. It's as simple as that. Leave aside all the other issues, they do not qualify. So they need to return the money, and if they did this knowingly they need to be held accountable. And whoever helped them do this knowingly needs to be held accountable." Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved Everyone is up in arms after the former vice president to the nations first black president made a joke at the end of an appearance Friday morning on New Yorks famous morning radio show, The Breakfast Club, about how If you have a problem figuring out whether youre for me or Trump then you aint black. Biden apologized hours later after the clip immediately went viral. I shouldnt have been such a wise guy, he said in a hastily arranged call with the U.S. Black Chambers. I shouldnt have been so cavalier. Look, Bidens joke was clumsy but his sentiments are on the money. As for the Trump campaign call where Katrina Pierson said that Joe Biden has a history of saying dehumanizing things when it comes to black Americans and Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) accused him of negative race-baiting Dont even get me started. Wise Guy Biden Apologizes for You Aint Black Gaffe All the racist, dehumanizing, nasty stuff that Trump says on a regular is unconscionable and this is what they are concerned with? They need to have several seats! Here is the point we should not miss: Yes, of course black people have the right to both be and vote Republican. Thats the beauty of America. But, I think to any objective observer this presidents behavior toward and treatment of black and brown people is appalling. Consider his racist attacks on the squad (all elected women of color, two black, one Latino, and one Muslim), and on reporters like Abby Phillips of CNN, Yamiche Alcindor of PBS and April Ryan of Urban Radio. How he once referred to his former aide Omarosa as a dog. Remember how he underplayed the horrific display of white nationalism and racism in Charlottesville by saying there were very fine people on both sides there rather than calling out torch-carrying nazis for what they are: racists. I could go on and on about the economy that is devastating to black and brown people right now, as well as the COVID-19 death rate that has struck down more than its share of black and brown people all across America while the president talks about his record TV ratings and does nothing to address racial health disparities. Story continues This President performed poorly with black voters in 2016 (getting 8%), and will likely do so again in 2020, though hes hoping to at least improve into double digits. Trust me, I get it. The GOP has been on a downward spiral with black voters for decades. I used to be like Shermichael Singleton and other black Republicans who against the odds try to argue that the black community must not put all of our eggs in one basket. On that much, we still agree. The Democrats have taken the black vote for granted. They have often treated black women, their most loyal base, like an afterthought. But just consider the alternative right now. Biden has vowed to pick a woman as his vice president, and to finally put a black woman on the Supreme Court. Trump just this week refused to unveil the portrait of the first black president; you know, the one he spent years suggesting wasnt really an American, or a Christian. He praised Henry Fords good bloodlines. Yes, black voters deserve a choicejust not in 2020. Donald Trump is a racist. Joe Biden made a bad joke. Joe Biden remains a trusted and beloved figure in the black communityjust ask black South Carolinians, who revived his dying campaign this past February. Theres only one reasonable choice for black voters this November. His name is Joe Biden. 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. With complete lockdown in 3 stages there has been a vexing question on the government on how to reopen the economy and the education. The pandemic is still evolving and the government is brainstorming on how to gingerly reopen without the risk of reigniting the infection. There is also a pressing question for us on how prepared are we to work while still social distancing. With social distancing being the new normal we are literally into a digital world, and hugely dependent on the robustness of digital infrastructure we are operating on. Whether its school's online classes, webinars, or online payment to remote working options we have turned into a digital economy unanticipatedly. Digital infrastructure which was once considered a luxury has become most essential for all of us. It's an unprecedented time for all whether an individual, an educational institute, companies, or government, and we all are posed with this difficult situation unequipped and trying to understand the pros and cons of it while sailing through it. Most of the companies are operating in the remote working model and initially thought it to be a temporary measure but with lockdown getting extended in 3 phases it gave them a sense of treading water. With lockdown relaxation in phase 4 and starting of business as usual companies heaved a sigh of relieve. Now the organization needs to chalk out plans on how the work culture will be in this new normal. They need to conceptualize the idea of having a new work environment to keep a balance on government guidelines, employee welfare, and business goals. During COVID lockdown many companies have realized that location flexibility has brought in a big boost to productivity. Post COVID we might see companies having operational models emphasizing the effectiveness of remote working models. Working in shifts and partial work from home can be a good way to implement social distancing in work environment. Another area of big concern is reopening the schools while the pandemic is still unrestrained. Kids are at higher risk to get the disease and closure of schools is a good idea to contain the outbreak of the disease. However, the downside of it is stated by UNESCO that extended school closure might have a lasting impact on students. Shutting down of schools has led to social isolation for kids, it was a centre for social activities and interaction for them daily. Online classes and teaching kids at home are intensely stressful for parents and teachers. Distance learning is a new concept for many institutes and is turning out to be messy and frustrating with the best of attempts. Schools need to work on ways to reopen, access to clean water and soap, social distancing, having double shifts, and emphasizing a blend of remote and on-campus learning could be a few areas to work on as suggested by UNESCO. Life after lockdown is not going to be easy and also not going to be the same as it used to be. The virus is still amongst us and we have to craft our lives around social distancing and innovative means to protect ourselves from infection. Lets restart our lives avoiding social gathering in any form and staying at home as far as possible, we must work together to stop any second wave of coronavirus spread in our country. An exhausted emergency department nurse in New Jersey, too worried to sleep, jots down her 401K password in a note to her husband in case she dies. A single mother in rural Oregon spends $250 of her own money to buy protective gear from a farming supply store, mindful that her 9-year-old boy now dissolves into tears when she leaves for work. A nursing director of 13 skilled nursing facilities in Upstate New York describes how her entire family works in health care: I realized my whole family could be wiped out by COVID, just based on what we do, she said. Nursing is the nations largest health care profession, with 3.8 million registered nurses, or three times the number of doctors, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. That means the hour-by-hour care of hospitalized victims of the novel coronavirus falls largely on their shoulders. See the complete Year of the Nurse section in The Star-Ledger. Their dedication and professionalism during the pandemic have prompted a nightly chorus of cheers from big-city balconies, free pizza delivered to local hospitals by grateful communities, and a flood of homemade masks sewn by an impromptu army of civilian seamstresses. Their work has required frontline exposure to COVID-19, an illness whose vicious and unpredictable severity has left them stunned and fearful. Theyre afraid for themselves, but even more terrified that one tiny lapse in caution could bring the coronavirus home to their loved ones. That fear has been exacerbated by spotty availability of the most basic personal protective equipment, or PPE. Ive dealt with every kind of infection you can imagine: H1N1 (flu), MERSA (drug-resistant staph bacteria), and was able to do so without getting sick and dying. The difference is weve always had the equipment to do that, said Tiffany Simmons, the Oregon nurse who bought her own equipment, including a half-face respirator from a welding shop. There is a threat that when I go to work, I could contract something that they dont have a treatment for. I never thought Id be fighting for my life at my job, said 57-year-old Sheryl Mount, who volunteered to return to the intensive care unit because she knew shed be assigned there once the wave of COVID-19 cases hit her South Jersey community. Everyone is scared to death. By mid-April, more than 9,000 health care workers had contracted COVID-19, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The average age of those testing positive for the virus was 42; the bulk of the 27 reported deaths occurred among workers older than 65. Ive never been so scared to be a nurse and so proud to be a nurse, Mount said. Adding to the stress are shifting COVID treatment protocols that mean nurses cant practice their profession the way they always did, or even the way they were trained. They have to limit their interactions with their patients, and some safety protocols have abruptly changed. They have always discarded surgical masks after leaving each patients room; now theyre being told to wear the same one all day. Jennifer Tinn, an ICU nurse at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Somerset, New Jersey, describes herself as a Type A who would normally pop into a patients room as often as she could, even if just to straighten out the sheets. Now, she has been told to bundle her tasks so she completes them all in a single visit. Patient IV poles have been outfitted with extra-long tubes so they can be rolled into the hall and adjusted there. She sits on the safe side of a glass partition, monitoring her intubated and eerily silent patients but unable to soothe them. On many of her 12-hour shifts, shell arrange a FaceTime call to relatives so they can glimpse their sedated loved one or watch the chaplain praying over them. You cant reach out to touch their hand. You cant talk to them, says Mount, the veteran South Jersey nurse. They cant really see your face or your expression. You cant stay in their room for very long. It tears away at your insides. That kind of nursing takes its toll. Tinn, 27, said she drives to each shift consumed by dread that never lifts. Theres just this emotional aura, or vibe, that is just emotionally heavy. I dont usually go to work feeling anxious or feeling worried. But this is a type of anxiety Ive never had, because I dont know what the day is going to bring for these patients, who are so, so sick, she said. Just as COVID-19 patients appear to be improving, the virus can throw a sucker punch that causes their vital signs to plunge. The medical term is decompensating. The hospital lingo is crumping. Im sleeping late, which isnt like me. I think its just emotionally exhausting, she said. I go home and all I think about are my patients. I think about them even in my dreams. You cry, then you get better, then you go back to work, then out of nowhere you cry again, said Simmons. Nurses have a long, proud history of combating contagious disease, whether polio, AIDS, or the 1918 Spanish flu, said Arlene Keeling of the University of Virginia School of Nursing and editor of the Nursing History Review. In both the AIDS and polio epidemics, nurses worked before effective treatments were available and while the means of transmission were still unclear, she said. Traveling nurses often took care of polio patients on the assumption theyd already acquired immunity. Im not sure they knew exactly how it was transmitted either, so maybe they didnt know what to be afraid of, she said. During the 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic, many of the patients were tended to by student nurses, since most experienced nurses were away at war. The nurses were mostly single as well because a student had to leave nursing school or a hospital job when she got married, Keeling said. That meant they were treating contagious diseases unburdened by any fear of infecting their own children, unlike todays nurses grappling with COVID-19. Nor did those earlier nurses have to deal with home-schooling their children after their shifts ended. But thats Jessica Collums schedule. She works three overnight shifts a week in the emergency department of Ocean Medical Center along the New Jersey coastline, returning home at dawn. When she gets home from her shift, she strips off her uniform in her garage, steps carefully along a series of bathmats placed in a connecting hallway, then jumps into the shower. She washes her blonde hair so rigorously she jokes she now looks like that guy from Van Halen. Normally shed see her three boys off to school and her husband off to his construction job, then get five or six hours of sleep. Schools are closed, however, so she spends big parts of her day overseeing online lessons for her 7-year-old while keeping her 4-year-old twins occupied. She survives on brief catnaps. She takes only a reference book on medication and a pen and scissors with her into the hospital, leaving her coat in the car. Shes wary of sharing keyboards and desk phones with her coworkers. Wearing a mask and gown for her 12-hour shift often causes her to overheat. She frets, unable to decide if shes just too hot or actually developing a fever. The possibility she might be coming down with COVID-19 herself has triggered panic attacks, she said. On one recent day, five nurses went home with fevers. Simmons, of Oregon, strips in the garage as well, then makes sure to sanitize anything she has touched, including her car keys and cellphone. She doesnt even remove her contacts until after shes showered. While nurses are going to extraordinary lengths to prevent exposing their families to the virus, the looming danger is evident not only to them, but to their loved ones. I constantly hear, This is not what I signed up to do, said Mount, the veteran nurse of nearly 40 years. Husbands are pushing back: This is not what our family needs. Youre being exposed to something that could kill us all. Planning for and around that fear is on the To Do list of MaryPat Carhart, vice president of clinical services for a Syracuse-based company that operates 13 skilled nursing facilities in Upstate New York. Since February, shes kept a little notebook on her bedside table to jot down issues that need addressing, no matter what time of night they occur to her. The current pandemic reminds her of her early years in nursing, when treating AIDS patients was fraught with concerns about the unknown. Its just human nature. People are going to be afraid. Theyre going to be paralyzed, she said. But thats my goal: to eliminate the paralysis. Theyve chosen this, and this is their calling, she said of her nurses. But their biggest fear is taking it home to their families. So we have to make sure that if we get COVID in one of our facilities, theyll be OK. That means rigorous safeguards, plenty of safety equipment, back-up plans for the back-up plans, and training, training, training. This is what we do in health care but really on steroids, she said. But this is what we do. Kathleen OBrien is a freelance writer in northern New Jersey. She can be reached at ksobksob@gmail.com. With over 5.2 million confirmed cases and with over 335,000 deaths, the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the world's worst global health crises in recent history. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of things we don't know even after months since it started. Coronavirus Transmission From a Dead Body In a report by WACH FOX News, the National Association of Medical Examiners issued a statement suggesting the possibility of a dead coronavirus patient transmitting the disease to a healthy person. According to the release, they initially thought that the transmission of the virus after the patient died is minimal, but since experts believe SARS-CoV-2, or the novel coronavirus, can live on surfaces for far longer, they don't want to rule out the possibility no matter how low the risk is. Reaching out to the Department of Health and Environment Control (DHEC), the news outlet asked for further comments about the likelihood of a healthy person getting sick after touching a deceased COVID-19 patient's body. DHEC also explained CDC's current guidelines about the coronavirus pandemic. Read Also: COVID-19 Update: 99.9% of coronavirus Can be Killed by Germ-Zapping Robot Used by Hollywood; Study Shows COVID-19 Can Block Human Genes How to Avoid COVID-19 Spread The department emphasized that people should avoid touching any recently deceased body if they have died from the viral infection until the body is ready for viewing. "Though we are still learning more about how COVID-19 spreads, it may be possible that you could get COVID-19 by touching the body of someone who has died of COVID-19," DHEC declared. "After the body has been prepared for viewing there may be less of a chance of the virus spreading from certain types of touching, such as holding the hand or hugging." In addition, they reminded people to do the precautionary measures against catching the virus, including washing their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as well as using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. DHEC also reminded people to avoid activities like kissing, shrouding, and washing the body before and during preparation. With this information, people who are working at funeral homes are among the people who are at high risk of getting infected with COVID-19 from a deceased patient. That is why funeral homes have decided to implement stricter guidelines to fight the pandemic. Among their precautionary measures are limiting the number of people who could attend the viewing and mandating the wearing of masks for its duration. Read Also: COVID-19: Blood Test Could Tell Doctors if Coronavirus Patients are Likely to Become Seriously Ill Creative Funerals in Times of Crisis For people handling the bodies, the news outlet reached out to the employees of a funeral home in South Carolina, Myers Mortuary & Cremation Service. According to their employees, they always don full protective gear when they are handling bodies, especially of those who died from the coronavirus disease. In addition, the funeral home has also opted for creativity to make funerals intimate despite social distancing and stay-at-home orders, including using streaming the funeral through platforms like Facebook. They also ask their clients to follow the funeral director's directions as much as possible to avoid touching and crowding. Nevertheless, the fact remains that it is incredibly difficult for people to pay tribute to their loved ones in these trying times. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The FDA blocked 29 manufacturers, many of which are based in China, from selling coronavirus antibody tests in the U.S. on Friday. Why it matters: Antibody tests help medical workers find out how widespread the coronavirus is in a given community, even if someone is asymptomatic which New York state has pursued in recent weeks. However, the American Medical Association has cautioned that the tests should not be used to determine immunity to the coronavirus. Details: The FDA did not specify why the tests were barred from distribution in the U.S., but reasons include a test having significant problems or if an emergency authorization request is not submitted in time. Flashback: The FDA "does not automatically independently verify performance" of antibody tests after granting them emergency authorization, the AMA wrote earlier this month and tests that are not commercially marketed do not require FDA authorization. Go deeper: CDC is conflating diagnostic and antibody tests for coronavirus By PTI MUMBAI: Maharashtra recorded 2,940 new coronavirus patients on Friday, the highest one-day spike so far, taking the overall tally in the state to 44,582, health officials said. As per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, 1,751 new cases were found in the state capital Mumbai. With 63 COVID-19 patients dying, 27 of them in Mumbai, the death toll due to the pandemic in the state reached 1,517. On the other hand, 857 patients recovered and were sent home taking the total number of persons discharged from hospitals to 12,583, state officials said. Out of 63 deaths, 27 were reported from Mumbai, nine from Pune, eight from Jalgaon, five from Solapur, three from Vasai-Virar, three from Aurangabad city, two from Satara and one each from Malegaon, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, Ulhasnagar, Panvel, Nagpur. In the overall figures so far, Mumbai alone accounts for 27,251 cases and 909 deaths. The worst-hit Mumbai Metropolitan Region which comprises Mumbai and surrounding satellite towns, has reported 34,107 positive cases and 1,027 deaths so far. There are 1,949 containment zones in the state. 4,69,276 people are in home quarantine and 28,430 in institutional quarantine. Coronavirus figures for Maharashtra: Total cases: 44,582, new cases 2,940, deaths 1,517, active cases 30,482, discharged 12,583 and samples tested 3,32,777. On the other hand, the Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Union government to file an affidavit by May 27 clarifying whether it will impose a cap on the price of N95 masks. A bench of Chief justice Dipankar Datta and Justice SS Shinde also permitted the Association of Medical Consultants, a private city-based body, to intervene in the issue. The bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by Sucheta Dalal and Anjali Damania claiming such cap on pricing is required to curb black marketing of masks during the novel coronavirus outbreak. On the previous hearing on May 19, the petitioners' counsel, senior advocate Mihir Desai, told the court there already existed a shortage of N95 masks for frontline healthcare workers and, therefore, it was imperative that hoarding or black marketing of such masks be prevented. The Maharashtra government had, however, told the HC at the time that it had already written to the Centre seeking that a maximum ceiling be fixed for the sale price of N95 masks. On Friday, the Centre's counsel Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh sought more time to respond to the plea. While granting the Centre such time, the bench also allowed an intervention application filed by the Association of Medical Consultants that had told HC that the petitioners' grievance seeking a maximum price limit on the sale of such masks was a valid one. "Having regard to the nature of controversy that has been projected before us, we are of the considered opinion that the opinion of medical consultants might be beneficial for due administration of justice," the bench said while allowing the intervention application. As per the PIL, though N95 masks have been declared an essential commodity under Essential Commodities Act, hoarding and profiteering from their sale by black marketeers continues in the state. Therefore, it was imperative government authorities ensured fair pricing of such masks, the plea says. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, meanwhile on Friday, asked officials to check if cinema and television shooting can begin in Mumbai's Film City while adhering to all norms in place for the novel coronavirus outbreak. He gave the directives after meeting representatives of the Indian Broadcasters Foundation through video conferencing. The foundation should submit an action plan on how they propose to commence film shootings in non-red zones and the government would take a decision accordingly, Thackeray said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Air India pilot unions IPG and ICPA on Saturday threatened they might not be able to extend support to the airline's "normal operations" and in the matter of flight duty and time limitations (FDTL), alleging that financial and other issues of employees remain unresolved. The two unions, which represent the pilots operating Boeing and Airbus aircraft of the airline, in a joint letter to the personnel department, also sought to know the outcome of the various cost-cutting measures which the carrier initiated in March to deal with its precarious finances in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) and the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) letter comes ahead of the resumption of commercial passenger services on domestic routes from May 25, which were suspended about two months ago along with international services in the wake of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdown imposed by the government on March 25. Air India had announced a host of measures to reduce costs, including withdrawing special allowances for pilots and other facilities for its officials, a 10 percent deduction in allowances (excluding basic pay, HRA and variable dearness allowance) in respect of all employees, except cabin crew, for a period of three months effective from March. It had also announced undertaking negotiations to review all agreements with lessors and hotels to reduce their rates. 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 "We have communicated our precarious financial situation to your office with sufficient notice and clarity. Since it has fallen on deaf ears, we would like to inform you, we may not be in a position to extend FDTL and support for normal operations if the management does not take care of the frontline workers categories and move forcefully to generate revenue for Air India," the two unions said in a joint letter on Saturday. It may be mentioned here that both the IPG and ICPA have sought "urgent financial support" from the government on May 7 in a joint communication to Minister of State for Civil Aviation Hardeep singh Puri, saying that "the Air India management has not taken paying wages on time seriously for a long time". The office order on cost-cutting measures is just "smokes and mirrors," the pilots unions alleged, adding, "other than hastily cutting the hard-earned wages of frontline employees, the management is yet to make any tangible progress on meaningful austerity measures". "However, that has not stopped the personnel department from blissfully carrying out promotions right in the middle of a raging epidemic escalating the financial expenses. We fail to understand as to how the management legitimise such en-masse promotions simultaneously while endorsing cost cutting measures," the unions questioned. "We would like to know the progress and the quantum of money generated from the measures such as negotiation with lessors and whether these agreements have been reviewed and renegotiated with lessors to reduce the rates, especially aircraft lease agreements...," it said. The two unions have also sought the details of number of cargo flights operated by Air India to generate revenue more particularly considering that most of such flights, including in-cargo flights, were operated by the private carriers, despite both the ICPA and IPG writing to the airline management in as early as March to utilise its grounded fleet for such an operations for maximum revenue generation. The pilot unions also alleged that certain retired employees were still being retained instead of engaging serving employees, further draining the finances of Air India. "While the office order explicitly mentions "except for pilots" the contract of all retired re-employed pilots including those who operated Wuhan evacuations are suspended inharmoniously. This is a case of prejudice towards the pilot community by your office," it alleged. New Yorkers experiencing cabin fever after two months of coronavirus quarantine received an unexpected reprieve when Gov. Andrew Cuomo eased the state's ban on gatherings in time for the Memorial Day weekend. But beachgoers faced inclement weather Saturday that dampened crowds. A look at those and other coronavirus developments in New York: ___ New York state on Saturday reported its lowest number of daily coronavirus deaths 84 in weeks in what Cuomo described as a critical benchmark. The daily death tally peaked at 799 on April 8. Reducing the state's daily death count to fewer than 100 seemed almost impossible several weeks ago, the governor said. That figure, considered a lagging indicator, has remained stubbornly high even amid other signs of encouragement. In my head, I was always looking to get under 100, Cuomo said. For me, it's a sign that we're making real progress. The number of hospitalized patients also continued to fall, dropping to over 4,600. Cuomo announced that the Mid-Hudson region the area along the Hudson River north of New York City and south of Albany is set to begin reopening on Tuesday, and Long Island could follow suit Wednesday. Cuomo signed an order late Friday allowing people to assemble in groups of as many as 10 as long as they stay at least 6 feet from other people and wear masks when they can't maintain that distance. The surprise order came hours after the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit challenging earlier rules allowing gatherings only for religious services and Memorial Day commemorations. The NYCLU argued the Constitution requires the same right be extended to people gathering for other reasons. Cuomo's move could clear the way for New Yorkers to picnic together in parks and backyards if they don't get too close to their friends. They can also head to New York City beaches this weekend, but they shouldn't expect to get in the water, and they'd better be wearing a mask. While beaches elsewhere in the region will be open for swimming, Mayor Bill de Blasio has said swimming is not allowed at the city's beaches and may not be all summer. I've been really clear about the beaches; they are closed for swimming, de Blasio said Friday at his daily coronavirus briefing. There will not be lifeguards. People are not supposed to go to the beach to swim. The danger of swimming without lifeguards on duty was made clear Friday when a 24-year-old man drowned off Rockaway Beach in Queens. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh government is developing a dedicated job portal for migrants who are returning from various states amid lockdown to contain coronavirus cases. Revenue department of the state is involved in the process of developing the online portal, where details of the skilled labourers would be uploaded. This would help in speedy recruitment process by interested companies or agencies. Over 2.1 million labourers have returned by trains and roadways buses to UP from states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand. "Most of these migrants are skilled workers and posses skills in different fields, including metal, concrete etc. The website will help them get suitable employment," said UP additional chief secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi in Lucknow today. Railways to start ticket booking at 1.7 lakh common service centres from tomorrow: Goyal Awasthi said migrants will be asked to fill the 'job cards' at the quarantine centres in order to get information about their skills and arrange jobs for them after they return to their homes, according to a report in Business Standard. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has already directed officials to ensure creation of more than 2 million local job opportunities for migrants. The state government has also planned to boost the rural sector industries and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) through one district one product (ODOP) scheme to create fresh jobs. Over 2.1 million labourers from other states have returned to the state through 1,018 trains and roadways buses, while 178 additional trains are en route to the state and expected to arrive later today or tomorrow, Awasthi informed. About 150,000 workers are returning to UP on a daily basis. Meanwhile, the Yogi government will create a 'Covid Volunteer Force' for promoting awareness related to covid-19 crisis. "We will mobilise the NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra cadres apart from other youth organisations to volunteer for social service," said UP medical and health principal secretary Amit Mohan Prasad adding youth, boys or girls, should be of age between 21 and 30 years to volunteer. Coronavirus lockdown: Railways to run 200 Mail Express trains from June 1, fares unchanged Roughly 1,300 patients at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities have received hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 since late March, according to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. In a letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, this week, Wilkie said that, between Feb. 1 and April 23, the VA purchased more than 6.3 million tablets of the antimalarial drug, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in late March on an emergency use basis to treat the novel coronavirus. Read Next: 'She's Doing Well:' Esper Discusses Young Sailor Who Took Down Corpus Christi Gunman Hydroxychloroquine is normally used to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and the VA dispenses roughly 1 million pills of it a month for those conditions, according to Wilkie. The secretary said the VA purchased such a vast amount to ensure that it had a sufficient supply for patients with those diseases, as well as those with COVID-19. "During this tracked time period, VA used about 18,000 of the tablets for COVID-19, which equates to .28%," he wrote. Wilkie's letter was a response to Schumer's request May 10 that the VA explain its bulk purchases of the medication and use to treat veterans with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Hydroxychloroquine has been widely touted as a treatment by President Donald Trump, who admitted this week that he has taken it as a prophylaxis to prevent infection. Schumer said he and several veterans groups have concerns about the use of the medication on VA patients, many of whom are older and have underlying health conditions that make them more susceptible to the drug's most severe side effect, a disruption of regular heart rhythms. "Veterans' groups remain deeply concerned that the VA has made large purchases of this drug and appears to have administered it to veterans despite the well-known, and in some cases, fatal risks," he wrote Wilkie. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., attends a ceremony to unveil a portrait honoring former Speaker of the House John Boehner on Capitol Hill, on Nov. 19, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Michael A. McCoy) On Friday, after receiving Wilkie's response, he blasted the VA for not disclosing the outcomes of the 1,300 veterans who took the medication and failing to say where it plans to conduct additional research on hydroxychloroquine. "We need to know who is authorizing these new trials, what facilities are participating and what families are being told," Schumer said. A retrospective review of the use of hydroxychloroquine on VA patients with COVID-19 showed that 28% of veterans who received the drug died; 22% of those who received hydroxychloroquine, along with the antibiotic azithromycin, also died, while just 11% of patients in the study who received standard care died. But the research, which was not a rigorous scientific study but simply an analysis of data, noted that the majority of patients given the medications were severely ill, on ventilators and had underlying health conditions. They were all men, mostly black, with a median age over 65 -- demographics that placed them at higher risk for severe cases of the coronavirus. Other studies of hydroxychloroquine have shown mixed results. An ongoing study at New York University's Grossman School of Medicine found that patients who received hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and zinc were 44% less likely to die from COVID-19. A study of 1,500 patients conducted by the New York State Health Department and State University of New York Albany School of Public Health found that the medications did not reduce hospital deaths. Wilkie said the VA's own Office of Research and Development is planning a study on hydroxychloroquine's effectiveness as a preventive measure for those exposed, and it is also working with pharmaceutical company Novartis on a "national multi-site clinical trial that will look at the medication, along with azithromycin, as a treatment." The San Francisco VA Medical Center has another study of hydroxychloroquine underway, and several VA medical centers are examining the effectiveness of other medicines to treat SARS-CoV-2 infections, including the rheumatoid arthritis drug sarilumab and degarelix, a prostate cancer drug. After receiving the VA's response, Schumer said the department now needs to "come clean on the full extent of its use of the drug on veterans, and its basis for doing so." "We need to know what the basis was for using this drug against the consensus of science, which called into question its effectiveness in treating COVID-19," Schumer said. More than 13,000 veterans in the VA health system have been diagnosed with the coronavirus since the end of January, and 1,112 have died. The VA has seen its number of active cases fall from more than 5,500 on May 1 to 1,709 on May 22. It experienced a slight uptick this week after steady declines, however. On Thursday, the number of active cases was 1,702. Thirty-one VA employees have died of the coronavirus. In his letter, Wilkie pushed back on any suggestion that he or his department was pressured by the White House to purchase or use hydroxychloroquine or other medications to treat COVID-19. "The idea that VA health care providers would make treatment decisions based on anything other than the best medical interests of our patients as individuals is preposterous," Wilkie wrote. "VA, like so many medical facilities across this Nation, is in a race to keep patients alive during this pandemic, and we are using as many tools as we can." -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Drug Touted as COVID-19 Treatment Has Troubling Side Effects, Experts Say Former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John E. K. Odigie-Oyegun, a former Governor of Edo State, has issued a strong warning to the controversial APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to stay off the primary election of the party for the nomination of governorship candidate for the September election in Edo State, as well as Ondo State. Oyegun in a statement on Wednesday cautioned Oshiomhole to eschew from any form of interference with the APC primary election and perish any plan to impose governorship candidate on the party or the people of Edo State. The former APC national chairman further warned against the use of thugs to obstruct the electoral process in the state. He decried that weeks INEC has released the timetable for the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states the national APC leadership has not considered it necessary to issue guidelines for the primary election and nomination of candidates in Edo and Ondo states. This, he said, raises suspicion of grand plot to scuttle the partys primary election, warning of the consequences that it is no longer business as usual. The former APC national chairman acknowledged the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari of the agreement to resolve the leadership crisis in the party, as well as return the governors of Edo and Ondo states for second tenure. I also welcome most warmly the news that Mr. President has firmly endorsed the agreement reached to settle the disruptive leadership crisis at the national level that was threatening the very existence of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He advocated for consensus to return the governors of Edo and Ondo states for second tenure since they performed creditably in the first tenure. The immediately relevant part of the agreement was that both the governors; Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki of Edo State and Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu SAN of Ondo State have performed creditably and should be returned unless they do not so wish. This means that the party, in unity, should organise to support the return of both governors, Odigie-Oyegun declared. The former APC national chairman maintained: therefore, given the widely known peculiarities of Edo State, if a consensus cannot be built behind the incumbent, everything must be done to ensure that the persons in the leadership of the party at the centre who are part of the contrived crisis in Edo State must not even remotely be allowed to plan, participate or supervise the primary election. It is of critical importance that the primary be seen even by a blind man, to be free and fair, otherwise, there would be political consequences. Oyegun further cautioned that allowing any member(s) of the national leadership who have been involved in the contrived crisis in Edo State would equate making such person or persons judges in their own case. This, he stated, is contrary to the principle of natural justice and will be naturally resisted. Oyegun insisted that transparency must start with the guidelines as to how the primary elections will be conducted in Edo and Ondo states. He decried that this is yet to be issued, even though dates have been announced. The former APC national chairman warned that the nature of the primary election in Edo State will determine the shape and survival of APC as a political party. It will show Nigerians, and indeed the world whether APC is a party of truth, change and progress, driven by the principles of fairness, social justice and equity, or if it has become a party that believes and promotes business as usual! Oyegun declared. The former Edo State Governor had acknowledged the election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for Edo and Ondo states. I welcome the recent announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), indicating the reopening of their offices in Edo and Ondo States in preparation for the forthcoming governorship elections in both states. This is very heartwarming, more so giving the ravaging effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also an indication that, whatever the situation during the dates for the said elections, INEC will be prepared for free, fair and crisis-free elections in both states, Oyegun stated. The former governor declared: Our democracy, of course. has no room for imposition. So, the party must accept and also present any member that offer themselves to serve in the positions being occupied by the incumbent governors. It is my hope and prayer that a consensus can be built behind the incumbent governor of Edo State for the following reasons: 1. He has not offended against any aspect of the APCs constitution nor has he, in any way, brought the party to disrepute. 2. He has performed in an exemplary manner. In his time, there has been peace and freedom for the ordinary Edo man and woman from harassment by official thugs. In addition to improving all aspects of infrastructure in the more rural areas of the state, he has significantly impacted on job creation by opening up opportunities for our youths in the rapidly expanding high-tech industry. Also, since the crisis, the Governors popularity has grown tremendously, for obvious reasons, and across party lines. 3. Through him, Edo State must prove that our democracy can only survive if we do not create a situation where an individual or a small group can make or unmake our Governors or other elected officials at will. New Delhi : Shiv Sena comes heavily on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat over his statement which he made while addressing a large gathering in Agra on Saturday. Mr. Bhagwat in his long lecture asked, Which law asked Hindus to produce fewer children, he asked responding to a question on the alleged rising growth rate of Muslim population in India. Who has stopped them [Hindus], he said responding to a participant. Disapproving of Bhagwats statement, Shiv Sena in its Marathi-language newspaper Saamna wrote, Growing population of Muslims in India is indeed a concern, asking Hindus to produce more kids is also in nations favour but PM Modi is not going to endorse this. Further criticising Bhagwats statement he added, He should not give out such speeches, it doesnt suit the ideology of Hindutva. Not only this, he also suggested the government to implement a universal policy of family planning which will be applicable to all religions and sects. In Saamna, it also raised the concern over growing population and its effects on the country. Unemployment, poverty, starvation already afflict the country and Bhagwats such advice to Hindus is of no use. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai, May 23 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, here on Saturday, praised the Covid-19 pandemic warriors for waging a 'war without arms' against the invisible virus for the safety of people. In an open letter, Thackeray said he was filled with pride by the services rendered by the corona warriors, engaged in a difficult combat in these critical times. "Now, many more are inspired like you. Each citizen of Maharashtra is like a soldier tackling this pandemic. This is in a way a worship of the country and the lord, in the established ancient culture and traditions of this state," Thackeray said. Responding to the Chief Minister's recent call, over 21,750 people have offered to work as corona warriors and lend a helping hand to the authorities as Mumbai and Maharashtra remained the worst-affected by the pandemic. The applications include over 12,100 who are directly connected to the health sector, like doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lab technicians, ward boys and paramedics. The remaining 9,650 are from the IT sector, teachers, security services and social workers. Of the total, over 3,700 have expressed readiness to serve in the red zones. For Mumbai, more than 3,750 have expressed readiness to work in the jumbo healthcare (Wuhan type) facilities, set up by the state government, to house Covid-19 patients of different categories at NESCO, Goregaon, NSCI Worli and Bandra Kurla Complex. The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation and other departments are completing the necessary formalities to take on board the new Covid-19 warriors. US-China Tensions Rise as Beijing Signals Tightening Controls on Hong Kong By Lin Yang, Nike Ching, Yi-Hua Lee, Tina Chung May 22, 2020 China's decision to propose new legislation tightening control over Hong Kong has sparked a wave of condemnation from American lawmakers and officials, in yet another sign of worsening relations between the economic superpowers. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a statement Friday saying he "condemns" China's parliament for proposing legislation that he claimed "would be a death knell for the high degree of autonomy Beijing promised for Hong Kong." He also vowed that "any decision impinging on Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms would inevitably impact our assessment of One Country, Two Systems and the status of the territory." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, also denounced Beijing's moves, saying China has used the global crisis around the pandemic as cover for increasing authoritarianism. "A further crackdown from Beijing will only intensify the Senate's interest in reexamining the U.S.-China relationship," McConnell said. White House report Even before Beijing's Hong Kong announcement this week, the Trump administration was reviewing its China policy, publishing a strategic report aimed at changing Washington's long-term approach to China The report highlights how four decades of U.S. government policy of engagement with Beijing, dating back to the administration of President Richard Nixon, has failed to encourage China's government to be a responsible stakeholder in the international community. "If you take a step back and you look at the past 40 years of U.S. policy towards China, the Trump administration has really almost done a 180 divergence from that policy," State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told VOA on Thursday. According to the administration report, the Trump administration sees "no value" in engaging with Beijing for symbolism and pageantry, and will publicly increase its pressure on the Communist regime. This week showed examples of what that approach may look like. In recent days, U.S. officials have showered Taiwan's president with praise, announced new measures that could further restrict Chinese tech giant Huawei's access to key technologies, and directly appealed to the Chinese people in Mandarin to explain U.S. criticisms of Chinese government policies. Huawei Says 'Survival' at Stake After New US Sanctions US restrictions on foreign chip makers threaten to devastate Chinese tech company Beijing also expressed its "strong indignation" this week over U.S. criticisms, with statements from China's foreign, defense and Taiwan affairs departments accusing Washington of violating the One-China Policy and interfering in China's internal affairs. Bipartisan criticism The U.S. Congress remains sharply divided along party lines on many domestic issues, but on China policy there is broad agreement among lawmakers to reexamine the U.S. approach. Democrat Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, and Senator Pat Toomey, a Republican from Pennsylvania, said Thursday that they plan to introduce a bill that would impose sanctions on Chinese officials for violating Hong Kong's independence, and also impose secondary sanctions on banks that do business with entities found to violate the law guaranteeing Hong Kong's autonomy. Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida told VOA that China is taking away the basic rights of Hong Kong citizens, and "that's wrong." He visited Hong Kong last year amid its pro-democracy protest against the then-proposed extradition law, which would have allowed Hong Kong to detain and transfer people wanted in other countries, including China. "We've got to start standing up to communist China. They are going to do it here and then they're going to try to do it in Taiwan," he told VOA. Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey told VOA that Beijing's unilateral push for the security law is "another oppressive snap by CCP." Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas released a statement on Twitter that said "there must be consequences for Beijing's tyrannical actions against the people of Hong Kong." Zhang Jian, director of Hong Kong/Macau Department of Shanghai International Studies Institute, offered a contradictory stand, telling VOA that Hong Kong's independence movement and "foreign forces" involvement make the new national security legislation urgent and necessary. "The existing laws are not enough in maintaining national security," he said. "Of course Hong Kong's legislative body will still exercise its function, but I expect more national security regulations from the central government in the future." High-profile support for Taipei America also showed its support for Taiwan this week by offering high-profile congratulations to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen for her inauguration and approving a possible arms sale to the island off mainland China gestures that have drawn sharp criticism from Beijing. Addressing Tsai formally as "president," Pompeo became the highest-level U.S. official to offer congratulations to a Taiwan president. In the past, top U.S. officials refrained from speaking out in order to not offend Beijing, which does not recognize Taiwan as an independent country. Russell Hsaio, executive director with Global Taiwan Institute, told VOA that the U.S. needs to send a strong signal of political support to Taiwan at this moment. "This was probably as much a signal to Beijing as it was to Taipei," he said, "To the former, while the United States still adheres to its One-China Policy, Washington will not allow Beijing to dictate how it conducts relations with a democratic ally and important security partner of the United States." A day after Tsai's inauguration, the U.S. approved a possible sale of heavy weight torpedoes to Taiwan in a deal estimated to cost $180 million, a gesture certain to anger Beijing. Hsaio said the enhancement of U.S.-Taiwan ties is a function of growing trust between Washington and Taipei. Katherine Gypson contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thermochromic paints & coatings are designed in such a way that they change the color at a specific temperature, providing a visual indication of a temperature change. A special type of pigments, known as thermochromic pigments, are available in the market to manufacture thermochromic paints & coatings. In recent years, thermochromic paints & coatings have grown extraordinarily with the global thermochromic market attracting a significant share. Request For Report Sample @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/9905 Research Methodology The thermochromic paints & coatings market has been analyzed by utilizing the optimum combination of secondary sources and in-house methodology along with an irreplaceable blend of primary insights. The real-time assessment of the market is an integral part of our market sizing and forecasting methodology. Our industry experts and panel of primary participants helped in compiling relevant aspects with realistic parametric estimations for a comprehensive study. The participation share of different categories of primary participants is given below: Key Market Insights Thermochromic paints & coatings have created a niche market in various applications. Thermochromic paints & coatings can be used for many different reasons, including safety indicators on thermally sensitive systems or indication of the thermal history. The demand for thermochromic paints & coatings is surging in the food industry. Two main types of thermochromic paints & coatings are available in the market, i.e., reversible-based and irreversible-based. The extensive use of these products in decorative and food sectors has given a massive boost to the thermochromic paints & coatings market in recent years. The rapid growth in economies across the globe and the increasing per capita income among consumers in developing countries are increasing the demand for decorations. This, in turn, is increasing the demand for thermochromic paints & coatings in infrastructure. The infrastructure sector is presently leading the market and is expected to remain the same during the forecast period. Emerging economies such as China, India, and Brazil are looking forward to take advantage of the benefits of thermochromic paints & coatings. Further, the industrial and FMCG packaging market growth is expected to foster the thermochromic paints & coatings market. Get Complete TOC with Tables and Figures@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/9905 North America is the largest thermochromic paints & coatings market globally due to the presence of export-oriented manufacturing capacities and intense domestic demand from various end-user industries. The increase in food manufacturing and building construction is further driving the market growth in the region. The anticipated economic stability in Europe is expected to boost its manufacturing sector, complementing the growth of the thermochromic paints & coatings market. North America is likely to remain as the key region with a significant contribution coming from the US. Few of the prominent companies operating in the thermochromic paints & coatings market are Sherwin Williams, AkzoNobel N.V., RPM International, Axalta Coating Systems Ltd., and Arkema. Types: Reversible Irreversible End-users: Decorative Food Industrial Others Geography: Asia Pacific North America Europe Rest of the World <<< Get COVID-19 Report Analysis >>> https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/9905 An animal lover has raised a baby kangaroo as her own after she was found inside her mother's pouch after she was hit and killed by a car. Luna the kangaroo was found at just five months old near a road in Esperance on Western Australia's south coast. She was then taken in by Richelle Waideman, 29, who lives on a 300 hectare farm along with her partner and various other animals including border collies, a cat and horses. The pair have since been on several adventures together including going to the shops and even to the beach. Richelle Waideman, 29, is raising Luna the kangaroo as her own after her mother was killed by a car The pair have ventured to various places together including the beach and the shops Ms Waideman said initially raising Luna was like looking after a 'newborn baby' as she had to wake up several times to feed her throughout the night. 'I bring her in at night as it is cold but eventually she will be released back into the wild as she will go off to find a mate - she may or may not come back,' she told Caters. Ms Waideman works for a grain company and said one of the truck drivers found Luna beside the road. After her company was informed, the 29-year-old offered to take her in. 'Throughout the day, she roams the farm and winds the cats up but loves playing with the dog,' Ms Waideman said. Luna loves to play with the other animals on the farm where Ms Waideman lives in Western Australia Luna sleeps inside a pillow case inside the house and gets up once each night to go to the toilet. She also acts like any other household pet, with Ms Waideman saying she 'snuggles' with her on the couch and bed while watching TV. Luna regularly visits a kangaroo sanctuary where she can play with other animals like her, as Ms Waideman believes Luna sometimes 'thinks she's a dog'. Eventually Luna will be released back into the wild but her new mum is hopeful she will return. 'I hope she returns with her babies - I will feel like a proud mum!' Digitalization holds the key to growth of businesses, be it brick-and-mortar or purely web-based. This is why technology giants are rushing to bring the majority of the worlds population together through Internet connectivity. Big techs such as Facebook, Inc. FB, Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN and Alphabet Inc. GOOGL have been scaling up their efforts to provide Internet services around the world, particularly to rural and remote areas. Let us thus take a look at some of these projects and note which companies may benefit from the expansion of Internet connectivity. Facebooks Massive Undersea CablesAroundAfrica The social media giant is building a huge underwater cable around Africa, in order to bring Internet connectivity to the continents 1.3 billion inhabitants.Facebook has partnered with companies such as China Mobile, South Africas MTN, Frances Orange and Britains Vodafone along with local network operators on the project, dubbed 2Africa, per a CNBC report. The company has given the responsibility of building the subsea cable to Nokia-owned cable systems provider Alcatel Submarine Networks. The cable is expected to be 37,000 kilometers or about 22,991 miles long. The cable will connect 23 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Europe, Facebook said. Alphabets Loon and Equiano Alphabets project for providing Internet services to remote and rural areas could be just a few weeks away from launching its first commercial service in Kenya. Project Loon, which uses high-altitude balloons to offer Internet connectivity, has been tested extensively by the company. The project is part of the companys many moonshot projects that are moving toward providing real commercial services. Another project by Alphabets Google is building a new subsea cable called Equiano to connect Africa with Europe, since it boosts its cloud computing infrastructure. Equiano is Googles third private international cable. According to the search engine giant, Equiano will be the first subsea cable to integrate optical switching at the fiber-pair levelinstead of the traditional approach of wavelength-level switching. Story continues Google said that a contract to build the subsea cable with Alcatel Submarine Networks was signed in fourth-quarter 2018. The first phase of the project, which connects South Africa with Portugal, is expected to be completed in 2021. Amazons Satellites for Low-Cost Internet Connectivity Amazon is looking toward a space-based web service. The companys Project Kuiper plans to launch more than 3200 satellites into space to offer low-cost Internet services around the globe. In fact, Amazon is one of the key players in a bankruptcy bidding game for the assets of the OneWeb satellite venture. OneWeb has 74 satellites launched into orbit to prepare for providing high-speed Internet service, starting in the Arctic and then going around the world. In March 2020, the company filed for bankruptcy when Japans SoftBank Group, a major backer, withdrew its funding because of the coronavirus pandemic. Should Amazon manage to secure the satellite venture, it would certainly have an edge over other companies in the arena of offering Internet services. Digital Population as of the End of April 2020 According to a report by Statista, the number of active Internet users as of the end of April 2020 was 4.57 billion, accounting for 59% of the global population. Speaking in terms of countries, China, India and the United States led the way with the highest number of Internet users. 3 Stocks to Buy We have hand-picked three stocks that could gain significantly from the aforementioned Internet projects. All of these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and have gained since the beginning of this year. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Services of Netflix, Inc. NFLX are in high demand around the world, owing to its streaming shows and unique content. Increased Internet access could further boost the stock. Shares of the company, which belongs to the Zacks Broadcast Radio and Television industry, have gained 36.6% so far this year against the industrys decline of 0.2%. Netflixs expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 55.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the companys current-year earnings has moved 6.3% north in the past 60 days. Activision Blizzard, Inc. ATVI is a developer of video games for mobile, PC and console. Shares of Activision Blizzard, which belongs to the Zacks Toys - Games - Hobbies industry, have gained 22.8% so far this year compared with the industrys rise of 6.8%. Activision Blizzards expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 18.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the companys current-year earnings has moved 7.7% north in the past 60 days. Shares of Microsoft Corporation MSFT, which belongs to the Zacks Computer - Software industry, have gained 14.5% so far this year compared with the industrys rise of 7%. Microsofts expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 19.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the companys current-year earnings has moved 1.2% north in the past 60 days. Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2020 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-hold tickers for the entirety of 2020? Last year's 2019 Zacks Top 10 Stocks portfolio returned gains as high as +102.7%. Now a brand-new portfolio has been handpicked from over 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. Dont miss your chance to get in on these long-term buys. Access Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2020 today >> 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 Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Activision Blizzard, Inc (ATVI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Facebook, Inc. (FB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Since she burst onto our screens ten years ago as Downton Abbeys Lady Mary, all cut-glass vowels and nerves of steel, Michelle Dockerys kept us in a permanent state of emotional whiplash with the sheer variety of roles shes taken on. She was a drug-addicted con artist in the 2016 TV series Good Behavior, a gun-totin cowgirl in the acclaimed 2017 drama Godless, and a Cockney gangsters moll in Guy Ritchies crime caper The Gentlemen. One thing you will not see, she insists, is Michelle Dockery playing a piece of arm candy. I like to play strong women, she says when we meet for coffee pre-lockdown in New England, where shes been shooting her new TV mini-series Defending Jacob. Michelle Dockery, 38, from Essex, is best know as Downton Abbeys Lady Mary and said at 38, shes finding herself feeling sexier than ever And even if theyre not strong, they have to be interesting. Multi-faceted, complex, complicated, three-dimensional... and flawed too, because people are. Anything but boring! That doesnt mean they cant be sexy though, and she says the added bonus to playing these characters is that, at 38, shes finding herself feeling sexier than ever. Sexy is not about having anyone else make you feel sexy, its about how you feel inside, and I have certainly felt sexier as Ive got older. But I think thats a confidence thing too. Ive been lucky enough to play such strong, confident women, and when you do that you definitely take something from them with you into your real life you sort of get inspiration from them. Her latest character in the thriller Defending Jacob is a straightforwardly good woman although one thrust into bewildering circumstances. Laurie Barber is happily married to handsome local Assistant District Attorney Andy Barber (Captain America film star Chris Evans), and mother to her wise-cracking 14-year-old son Jacob (Jaeden Martell). Shes the sort of woman who goes for a run before breakfast, then quizzes her son on vocabulary over coffee before heading to her high-profile job managing a home for abused children. Shes just so together... until her son is accused of one of the most hideous crimes imaginable the cold-blooded murder of a classmate and her entire life and social circle begin to unravel as the police investigate. Its a really gripping story, because its so difficult for this couple to comprehend that their child might commit any sort of crime, let alone a murder, says Michelle of the story, based on the 2012 novel by William Landay. Michelle in Defending Jacob, with co-stars Jaeden Martell and Chris Evans. Her latest character in the thriller Defending Jacob is a straightforwardly good woman although one thrust into bewildering circumstances Theyre both defending their son, and like any parent would, Lauries asking at the same time, Where did I go wrong? 'Theres conflict between Laurie and Andy because at the start of the story shes the emotional one and hes the calm one, but then as the story goes on theres a need for Andy to be emotional too. 'So theyre always seeing things from a slightly different perspective. Its a very human, raw story about what something like this can do to a family, and whats so interesting about Laurie is that as her life is turned completely upside down, she also begins to question things about her family How well do you really know your partner? How well do you really know your child? Michelles own family background is modest but as stable as anyone could wish for. The youngest of three girls born to Irish-born lorry driver turned surveyor Michael Dockery and his redoubtable wife Lorraine, a former shorthand typist turned social worker, she was brought up in Romford, Essex, working class and proud of it. THE MANY FACES OF MICHELLE DOCKERTY HOGFATHER (2006): Michelle made a supernatural start to her career with this TV movie of Terry Pratchetts book, in which she played Deaths granddaughter, Susan, alongside David Jason. DOWNTON ABBEY (2010-2015): The role that made her was that of icy Lady Mary Crawley in Julian Fellowes period drama. The death of Marys husband Matthew was the TV moment of 2012. GOOD BEHAVIOR (2016): A seductive thriller starring Michelle as thief and con artist Letty Raines, who falls for a hitman after being released from prison. GODLESS (2017): She was cast as aloof widow Alice Fletcher (below) who sides with an outlaw in this gritty US Western drama, voted one of the ten best shows on Netflix that year. THE SENSE OF AN ENDING (2017): She joined a top-notch cast in this film version of Julian Barness novel, playing Susie, the pregnant daughter of main character Tony (Jim Broadbent). THE GENTLEMEN (2019): Starring in a Guy Ritchie crime thriller had been her dream, and it came true with this role as gangsters moll Rosalind Pearson (with Matthew McConaughey as Mickey). Advertisement My mum is loving but shes also strict, says Michelle. When I was about seven I stole some penny sweets from a shop. Mum caught me and made me go back and apologise to the shopkeeper, and Ive never stolen anything since! She was also raised as were her sisters Louise and Joanne to speak up for what was right. I was brought up to stand up for myself. To speak up when I felt passionate about something, when I felt the need to make my voice heard about something that mattered. 'I think a lot of that comes from having sisters, because weve always supported each other all along. 'If Ive ever felt bullied or pushed into a corner, Ive always been able to stand up for myself. And if I see it happening to someone else, especially younger actresses, Ill stand up for them too. I hate bullying. I have huge admiration for women in Hollywood and elsewhere who have come forward to tell their stories about that, and have stood up against people like Harvey Weinstein. 'Its horrendous what they experienced and Im glad something has been done about it. Its safe to say no one has succeeded in taking advantage of Michelle, and she says now that when she first broached the idea of going into acting to her parents they were not in the least bit concerned. They werent alarmed by it at all! she laughs. They made sure I had a good education so I had something to fall back on. 'Both my parents are wonderful. My mum is the most incredible woman, she inspires me. 'And my dads amazing too even though he spent our growing-up years with a bathroom that was never free! They let me be who I want to be. 'So between them and my two elder sisters, who are still my best friends, Im very lucky. We call ourselves the Essex Mafia! Her career choice can hardly have come as a surprise to the family, as she says she wanted to be an actor ever since she can remember. Michelle was cast as aloof widow Alice Fletcher who sides with an outlaw in this gritty US Western drama, voted one of the ten best shows on Netflix that year When she and her sisters were small they attended a stage school in the evening, and they would put on plays at home to entertain the family. Michelle apprenticed at the National Youth Theatre when she was a teenager, and as soon as shed taken her A-levels she enrolled at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. I feel I learned more at drama school than I did anywhere else, she says. Even when I was at regular school I was never out of the drama department, so I didnt do very well in other subjects. 'I just didnt want to be taught anything else. But theres a huge amount you learn in drama school besides acting, like history and literature, and that was where I came into my own. It was, of course, Lady Mary who made Michelle famous. It happened overnight, she says. Well, Id been working in the theatre for seven years, so it wasnt really overnight, but I remember after the first episode of Downton Abbey aired, walking into my newsagents where I was living and seeing a picture of myself, Laura Carmichael and Jessica Brown-Findlay, the three Crawley sisters, on the cover of three papers and that was huge. 'Then the first time I was recognised on the street was in New York, and that was even bigger because thats when it hit me how big the show had become if I was being recognised in America. With talk of another feature film in the works after last years hit Downton movie, she says playing Mary is as comfortable as slipping into a second skin. I have huge fondness for her, shes been a big part of my life. That was a very special show, and I hope its one that stays with people forever. It was through Downton that she met the man she thought shed be married to now. In 2013, her co-star Allen Leech, who played chauffeur Branson, introduced her to Irish-born public relations executive John Dineen. She and John fell in love, became engaged and were in the process of planning their wedding when John was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. He died in December 2015 with Michelle by his side. She joined a top-notch cast in this film version of Julian Barness novel, playing Susie, the pregnant daughter of main character Tony (Jim Broadbent) At his funeral, the day after her 34th birthday and a day before what would have been his 35th, she told mourners, He was my friend, my hero, my king, my everything. 'We celebrate him, we honour him, and we will miss him. She has not spoken out about her grief, but has admitted that it was her friends and family who helped her pull through, saying, They are the ones who see you through the most difficult times. She has been dating Jasper Waller-Bridge, brother of Fleabags Phoebe, for a year now. They met through friends and Jasper, who is six years Michelles junior and the creative director at a talent agency, accompanied her to red-carpet events before lockdown. It was also reported that she bought a 1.7 million house in north-east London before Christmas. Michelle hasnt commented on the relationship but she does say that a sense of humour surely a given with any member of the Waller-Bridge family is vital in a relationship. My parents always taught me to see the funny side of life and never to take myself too seriously. 'I find that more and more as I get older Im finding ways to laugh things off much more than I used to be able to. Right now, Michelle Dockery would seem to have plenty to smile about. The world cut its carbon dioxide releases by 17 percent at the height of the COVID-19 shutdown last month, a new study says. But now, as life returns to more usual operations, carbon dioxide is increasing again. And, the brief period of reduced air pollution is unlikely to have any substantial effect on climate change, scientists say. The international research group Global Carbon Project did the study. The organization publishes a yearly estimate of worldwide carbon dioxide releases. The findings show that for a week in April, the United States cut its carbon dioxide levels by about 30 percent. In China, the worlds biggest polluter, carbon dioxide releases decreased by almost 25 percent in February. The study also shows levels dropped by 27 percent in India and 26 percent in Europe. The biggest drop happened from April 4 through 9. The world released 17 million metric tons of carbon pollution less than recorded on New Years Day. The magazine Nature Climate Change published the study. The reports writers say pollution levels are already heading back up. However, they predict that 2020 will see a total carbon dioxide release of 4 to 7 percent lower than 2019, depending on COVID-19 restrictions. That would be the biggest yearly decrease in air pollution since World War II. But, climate scientist and study leader Corinne LeQuere says the 2020 reduction could be meaningless if the world continues to slowly increase pollution levels. LeQuere is with the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. By April 30, the world carbon pollution levels had grown by 3 million metric tons a day from its low point earlier in the month. Independent experts praised the study, saying it showed how much effort will be needed to stop additional climate change. Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann put it this way in an email: Individual behavior alone ... wont get us there. He called for structural change, in how the world deals with carbon dioxide. Im Susan Shand. The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story carbon dioxide n. a colorless gas that is emitted from cars and other polluters WASHINGTON Senator Elizabeth Warren, whose full-throated opposition to high-dollar fund-raising events was a central tenet of her presidential campaign, has agreed to host such a gathering of donors for Joseph R. Biden Jr., the presumptive Democratic nominee, who is considering her to be his running mate. The online event is set to take place on June 15, according to three people with knowledge of the plans, who spoke under condition of anonymity to share the details. During her presidential run, Ms. Warren explicitly vowed not to attend private fund-raisers or dial up rich donors. A Massachusetts progressive, she championed tax increases on the wealthy and at times sharply criticized big-money donors. Her rise in public opinion polls last summer deeply concerned many veteran Democratic donors, particularly those on Wall Street and in the banking sector who believed she would damage their industries. Ms. Warrens spokeswoman declined to comment. Biden campaign officials did not respond to requests for comment. A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Skechers (SKX). Shares have added about 18.4% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Skechers due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts. Skechers Beats on Q1 Earnings, Coronavirus Hampers Sales Skechers first-quarter 2020 results. Reduced activity in China majorly hurt the companys quarterly performance. Margins also declined in the quarter. Owing to uncertainty tied to the current backdrop, management did not provide any revenue or earnings guidance. Nevertheless, the company has been seeing strength in its e-commerce business amid such crisis. Impressively, company-owned e-commerce sales increased more than 70% in the first quarter and crossed 250% in the month of April so far. Management will continue to invest in the e-commerce business, with rolling out a POS system, new websites, mobile application and loyalty program. Lately, the company has been seeing a positive sales trajectory in its China business. It also looks to reopen stores globally. Meanwhile, the company has taken steps to strengthen its business during such unprecedented downturns in the form of drawing down of its senior unsecured credit facility, controlling operating expenses and managing inventory levels. The company has drawn $490 million from its senior unsecured credit facility. Skechers reported adjusted quarterly earnings of 39 cents a share that outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. However, the bottom line tumbled 45.1% from the year-ago period. The company generated sales of $1242.3 million that beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,225 million, marking the fourth straight quarter of a positive sales surprise. However, the companys top line declined 2.7% (or 1.2% on a constant-currency basis) from the year-ago period, thanks to significant reduction in activity in China in the months of February and March, and shutdown of majority global markets by mid-March. Sales declined 6.8% at its international business, while the same rose 2.9% in its domestic business. Its distributor business improved 1%. The companys international wholesale sales slipped 8.4% due to a 38.9% plunge in its joint ventures. The performance was mainly hurt by results in China, which saw a sales decline of 47%. The decline was somewhat offset by a 9.4% rise in sales at wholly-owned subsidiaries. Notably, international wholesale business would have increased 6.2%, excluding China. The company registered growth across various markets but sturdy performance came from subsidiaries in Germany, Central Eastern Europe and Japan, and our distributors in Australia, Scandinavia and Turkey. However, domestic wholesale sales increased 9% from the prior-year period, mainly benefiting from strength in women's and men's Go, men and women's USA, and street and work categories. Meanwhile, direct-to-consumer sales fell 4.2% owing to an 8%-fall domestically, offset by a 2.5% rise internationally. Comparable same store sales in company-owned direct-to-consumer business dropped 8.1%, hurt by a decline of 4.7% in the United States and 16.6% internationally. This reflects the closure of most of its stores since mid-March. However, we note that in the first two months of the reported quarter, worldwide comparable same store sales grew 9.8% across company-owned direct-to-consumer business. Margins & Other Key Things Gross profit in the reported quarter dropped 7.2% from the prior-year figure to $547.7 million. Moreover, gross margin contracted 220 basis points to 44.1% on soft international results. Meanwhile, SG&A expenses came in at $508.1 million, up 18.2% year over year, and as a rate of sales, the metric grew 720 bps to 40.9%. Higher selling expenses were mainly attributable to increased digital advertising costs domestically. Also, higher costs in relation to the direct-to-consumer business led to the upside. Operating income came in at $44.8 million, down significantly from $165.9 million in the prior-year quarter. Operating margin also contracted 940 bps to 3.6% in the first quarter on lower gross margin coupled with higher SG&A as a rate of sales. Skechers ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $1,158.8 million, long-term borrowings (excluding current installments) of $669.2 million, and shareholders equity of $2,347.7 million, excluding non-controlling interests of $240.7 million. Further, total inventory was $985.7 million, up nearly 33% from the year-ago period. Managements capital expenditures of $61.3 million during the quarter were related to the acquisition of an office building in Shanghai and new retail outlets in China, directed toward direct-to-consumer stores and e-commerce investments and associated to enhancing distribution capabilities globally. Given the prevailing retail backdrop, the company has prioritized necessary and strategic projects, and now projects capital expenditures of $100-$125 million for rest of the year. This will mainly be used for the completion of its first company-owned distribution facility in China. Also, it has slowed down new store openings. During the quarter, Skechers opened 14 company-owned stores in the United States, while shuttered three, taking the total domestic count to 508, as of Mar 31. Further, it opened two company-owned international stores and 25 joint venture stores in the reported quarter. Simultaneously, the company closed one company-owned international store and two joint venture stores, reaching the total company-owned international store count to 304 and total joint venture store count to 377. Furthermore, the company inaugurated 51 distributor, licensee and franchise stores in the first quarter, and closed 58 such outlets, taking the overall store base to 2,386 at quarter-end. Adding these outlets, Skechers total store count stands at 3,575 as of Mar 31. Story continues How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then? It turns out, estimates review have trended downward during the past month. The consensus estimate has shifted -31.62% due to these changes. VGM Scores At this time, Skechers has a poor Growth Score of F, however its Momentum Score is doing a bit better with a D. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Outlook Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Skechers has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. 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 Skechers U.S.A., Inc. (SKX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Through words and clear actions, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has always emphasized the importance of respect for the Judiciary. This is why it came as no surprise to those who know His Excellency when he deflated the expectations of some of his party members when he swore in Mallam Safiyanu Yahaya of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Chairman of Magama Local Government Council. This was in obedience to Minna High Court 5 ruling which quashed the election of Salihu Ubandoma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the elected Chairman of Magama local government in the November 30, 2019 local government election on the ground of pre-election offense and declared Safiyanu Yahaya winner. Of those who were not only members of the APC but also of the PDP who expected that the Governor will behave as others before him have behaved. History of Niger State will acceptin contestably the right of place of Governor Bello as a respecter of due process, as a defender of the principles of democracy and as an upholder of the rulings of the judiciary. As far as this government lasts, Nigerlites will go to court in sure confidence that they will always get justice even if the rulings cannot be reconciled with the interest of the government, the Governor or his party, the APC. President Rajapaksa also briefed PM Narendra Modi on the steps being taken by his government to restart economic activity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the phone, regarding COVID-19 pandemic and its likely health and economic impact in the region. Prime Minister Modi assured President Rajapaksa that India would continue to provide all possible support to Sri Lanka for mitigating the effect of the pandemic. President Rajapaksa also briefed Modi on the steps being taken by his government to restart economic activity. In this context, both the leaders agreed on the need to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka. They also discussed the possibilities of promoting investments and value-addition in Sri Lanka by the Indian private sector. Sri Lanka is fighting COVID-19 effectively under his leadership. India will continue to support our close maritime neighbour in dealing with the pandemic and its economic impact. We agreed to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka, and also strengthen investment links, said Prime Minister Modi on Twitter. Prime Minister Modi conveyed his best wishes for the health and wellbeing of the Sri Lankan people during this period of the ongoing crisis. Modi also spoke to his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth and appreciated his governments efforts in effectively controlling the spread of the deadly virus in the country. Last week, India delivered half a million tablets of hydroxychloroquine to Mauritius as per their request. Mauritius is one of the first countries to receive supplies of this medicine after a special exemption was granted for a few countries. The consignment of essential medicines will be followed by a second consignment in the coming weeks. Our people share warm and special ties based on shared culture and values. Indians will stand by their Mauritian brothers and sisters at this difficult time, Prime Minister Modi said further. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Russia Rejects 'Ultimatum' After US Move to Quit Open Skies Treaty Sputnik News 18:08 GMT 22.05.2020 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia will not accept any ultimatums and is determined to engage in dialogue based on equal terms, the Foreign Ministry warned Friday, after the United States said it will exit the Open Skies Treaty. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Thursday that Washington would pull out in six months unless Russia started adhering to the pact, which allows reconnaissance flights over some 34 participating countries. Russia denied breaching its terms. "It is an ultimatum. We will not talk on such terms. We are open to dialogue but only if it is based on equality and mutual respect. But Washington is not ready for this," the Russian ministry said in a statement. Russia deeply regrets the US intent to quit the landmark 2002 treaty as a serious blow to European security, the ministry added. It cautioned Washington that its "destructive course" could undermine allies' trust in its ability to compromise and stick to its commitments. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India is committed to strengthening the multi-faceted ties with Sri Lanka, especially the historical and deep civilisational, religious and cultural bonds, said the new Indian envoy to the island nation on Saturday. Gopal Baglay, the new High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, on Saturday visited the religious cultural sites here which he said were important in furthering the historical bonds between the two South Asian neighbours. Baglay visited the prominent Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple, which is over 120 years old, and prayed for the health, peace and prosperity of the people of Sri Lanka and India and their friendship and cooperation, the Indian High Commission said in a statement. This was his first movement from his official residence after observing stipulated health protocols since his arrival on May 8 on a special flight carrying a gift consignment of medicines and medical items from India to Sri Lanka. Baglay presented his credentials to President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on May 14 during a ceremony held in Colombo through video-conferencing, a first of its kind conducted due to the coronavirus pandemic. The High Commissioner stressed the commitment of India's leadership to strengthen multifaceted ties, especially the historical and deep civilisational, religious and cultural bonds, with Sri Lanka. He later visited the St Anthony's Church to pay homage to the victims of the last year's Easter Sunday terrorist attacks that killed nearly 260 people, including 11 Indians, in one of the country''s worst terror incidents. Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gesture of solidarity in visiting Sri Lanka and the Church at the first possibility after the Easter attacks, the High Commissioner prayed for peace, safety and security of the two countries. The Indian envoy reiterated India's abiding commitment to develop even stronger all-round cooperation with Sri Lanka, including in the sphere of people-to-people relations. Earlier while presenting his credintials, the High Commissioner recalled that as Sri Lanka's closest maritime neighbour, India has been the first responder when Sri Lanka faced difficulties, be it natural calamities, or the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. India has sent four consignments of essential life-saving medicines and medical material weighing over 25 tonnes to Sri Lanka in the last few weeks as goodwill support from the people of India. When biotech company Moderna announced early Monday positive results from a small, preliminary trial of its coronavirus vaccine, the companys chief medical officer described the news as a triumphant day for us. Modernas stock price jumped as much as 30 per cent. Its announcement helped lift the stock market and was widely reported by news organizations, including The New York Times. Nine hours after its initial news release and after the markets closed the company announced a stock offering with the aim of raising more than $1 billion (U.S.) to help bankroll vaccine development. That offering had not been mentioned in Modernas briefings of investors and journalists that morning, and the company chairman later said it was decided on only that afternoon. By Tuesday, a backlash was underway. The company had not released any more data, so scientists could not evaluate its claim. The government agency leading the trial, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, had made no comment on the results. And the stock sale stirred concerns about whether the company had sought to jack up the price of its stock offering with the news. The Moderna episode is a case study in how the coronavirus pandemic and the desperate hunt for treatments and vaccines are shaking up the financial markets and the way that researchers, regulators, drug companies, biotech investors and journalists do their jobs. Drug companies accustomed to releasing early data to attract investors and satisfy regulators suddenly find themselves accused of revealing too much, or not enough, by a new, broader audience. Journalists may be scolded for hyping early findings, while those who ignore sketchy data may be blamed for missing the news. Scientists who take the traditional time to gather and analyze their data for publication in mainstream journals are criticized for sitting on life-saving information. Upstart websites beat the journals and break the usual rules by publishing unvetted studies, some of dubious quality. And President Donald Trump uses his bully pulpit to promote unproven treatments. You have these wild swings based on incomplete information, said David Maris, managing director of Phalanx Investment Partners and a longtime analyst covering the pharmaceutical industry. Its a crazy, speculative environment because the pandemic has caused people to want to believe that theres going to be a miracle cure in a miracle time frame. Modernas chairman, Noubar Afeyan, defended the decision to open a stock sale hours after releasing limited data. He said the companys board had been considering an offering before Mondays announcement but finalized the decision only late in the day. It was based on our looking at the data and concluding that we needed to have our own resources going in to develop this vaccine and not simply wait for government grants, he said. Moderna has a deal to receive up to $483 million from the U.S. government to pursue a vaccine. While corporations and scientists are under incredible pressure to develop a vaccine and raise money for research and manufacturing, vaccine companies are also vying for attention from investors amid a crowded field and are seeking to lift their stock prices in a global recession. Nearly all are trying to compress the timetable for developing vaccines that normally takes years, sometimes decades, into a year or so and still ensure that the vaccines will be safe and effective. At the same time, a torrent of information is blasting from medical journals as well as company and university news releases. Articles are posted on so-called preprint websites of studies that have not been peer-reviewed by experts, unlike articles in mainstream medical and science journals. Clinicaltrials.gov, which lists medical studies, showed that 1,673 were underway for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, as of May 23. News outlets are rushing to stay on top of new findings and feed a public hungry for any advances in potential treatments or vaccine candidates that hold promise against the highly infectious virus. Some news organizations would prefer to maintain traditional practice and ignore early results of medical studies, waiting for peer-reviewed data, but they are also competing to report on the latest studies. Still, concerns arise routinely about the quality of rapidly posted data and the motivations behind announcements. Why does any company release early data? Maris asked. Clearly there is an appetite for it. People want to know that we are making progress. Having a vaccine is the clearest way to a full reopening and putting this behind us. Modernas preliminary results were promising. Its vaccine, the first to be tested in humans, appeared safe and stimulated antibody production in the first 45 study participants. And of eight who have undergone further testing so far, all produced so-called neutralizing antibodies, which can stop the virus from invading cells, and should prevent illness. But there were no details no charts, no graphs, no numbers, nothing published in a journal. Releasing sparse data is not unusual in the biotech world, where companies often present early trial results months before they are published in journals. Publicly traded companies are required to disclose material information that might lead an investor to buy or sell shares. The company said federal researchers who are conducting the trial would be responsible for submitting the data to be reviewed and published. Maris said that he would leave it to regulators to decide if the company had acted inappropriately in not announcing the stock sale sooner and added that investors should have been told earlier that the company was considering a stock offering. Theres something wrong with that, he said. Moderna, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, went public in 2018 and has been a favourite of biotech investors, given its focus on the hot area of immuno-oncology and its partnerships with companies like Merck and AstraZeneca, and with the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Its technology, based on genetic material called messenger RNA, or mRNA, is considered highly promising. Messenger RNA is one of the hot new platforms, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the infectious disease institute, said in an interview Thursday, adding that it can be adapted quickly to produce new vaccines and scaled up easily. Although Moderna has other vaccines in its pipeline, none have come to market, and the viability of its mRNA vaccine-making platform the basis of the company is on the line. It is a front-runner in the coronavirus vaccine race, and its stock has risen more than 250% since the beginning of the year. It closed at $69 a share Friday afternoon, down 26% from a high Monday of $87. Afeyan acknowledged that companies were now subject to far more intense scrutiny with so much riding on the outcome of drug development. People are basically saying, you know, one shouldnt do this, Afeyan said. And if you dont put out data, people will say, why are you withholding the data? People are trading without knowing the data. So its a tough situation to be doing science in, and we have no choice because were trying to develop a vaccine. With so many different interests demanding the latest information including governments around the world the company couldnt withhold it from the public, he said. As a public company, if we have it, we cannot give this to them and hide it from other people. Fauci said that while companies often release partial data, my own preference, and what my group will do, will be to wait until we get the data solid and then publish it in a paper saying, In the first phase this is what we saw. Still, he considers Modernas preliminary results encouraging. The levels of neutralizing antibodies in the eight people tested for them appeared high enough to be protective, Fauci said. But he emphasized that eight is a small number. I have to underscore its still limited, he said, and thats the reason why I just withhold my enthusiasm, but I still have some cautious optimism. Fauci said the big question remained: Will the vaccine work? When youre developing a vaccine, he said, nothing is guaranteed. Moderna is not the only company that has failed to release detailed scientific data. Little has been known about another closely watched product, remdesivir, an experimental treatment for COVID-19 developed by drugmaker Gilead. On April 29, Gilead announced that it was aware of positive data about remdesivirs performance in a federal trial. A few hours later, from the Oval Office, Fauci said the drug could modestly speed recovery in patients. Although he said it was not a knockout, Fauci his agency ran that trial, too said the drug could become the standard of care. A few days afterward, the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency authorization to use remdesivir to treat COVID-19. Weeks passed with no detailed data about the clinical trial being published, even though doctors were administering the drug with little information to guide them. It was a highly conflicted statement from a highly respected and deservedly respected scientist, said Gary Schwitzer, publisher of HealthNewsReview.Org, a watchdog publication that argues for more accurate science journalism. So it brings you back to, what do we believe? Whom do we believe? Fauci said he and his research team decided to report some results when the study was stopped after an independent safety board found that the treated patients were recovering faster than those receiving placebos. For ethical reasons, all patients had to be offered the drug. The information would likely have leaked out especially given that, two weeks earlier, information from another remdesivir trial had been disclosed to the news site STAT, sending Gileads stock up. Fauci announced that patients treated with remdesivir recovered in 11 days, compared with 15 days for those getting placebos. That was all the data we had, he said. The full results were published Friday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The fast pace of research has caught many news organizations off guard, prompting case-by-case discussions on tight deadlines to decide whether and how to cover scientific news even when the quality of studies wouldnt normally meet their standards. Scientific articles normally take months to go through peer review. But now, many papers are being published on preprint servers, where scientists are posting research before it is accepted by a journal. The site medRxiv, which was founded in June, had 10 million views in April and has posted nearly 3,100 papers related to COVID-19 since January. A similar site, bioRxiv, has posted about 760 papers on the virus. People recognized that there was an urgent need to disseminate information, said Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist and health care researcher at Yale University and a co-founder of medRxiv, which is pronounced med archive. People recognized that even weeks matter in this moment when we dont know very much. Asked about criticism that sites like medRxiv encourage the rash publication of bad science, Krumholz said these conversations were healthy and noted that articles in peer-reviewed journals could also be flawed. Submissions go through basic vetting to ensure the research is legitimate. Engage in whether its good science or not, he said. Lets engage in the consequences of this. Russia Accuses U.S. Of Undermining Security With Open Skies Treaty Move By RFE/RL May 22, 2020 A top Russian diplomat has accused the United States of seeking to undermine international security after President Donald Trump gave notice on withdrawing from the Open Skies treaty, citing what U.S. officials said were repeated Russian violations. Speaking on May 22, one day after officials said the United States would move to withdraw from the 18-year-old treaty, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Washington had provided no facts to back up its allegations that Moscow has repeatedly violated the terms of the Open Skies treaty, which allows members states to conduct surveillance flights over one another's territories to observe military installations. The U.S. claims "are totally unfounded," he said. The U.S. announcement is the latest move by the Trump administration to pull out of major international treaties, exits that have prompted watchdog groups and some members of the U.S. Congress to warn of the increased possibility of an arms race or accidental military confrontations. In a statement on May 21, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington will provide notification to the other 34 signatories that it will withdraw in six months, but may reconsider "should Russia return to full compliance with the treaty." Trump also gave mixed messages as he made the announcement, signaling that the move might be a bargaining ploy to get Russia to hold new talks on the treaty. He said there was a "very good chance we'll make a new agreement or do something to put that agreement back together." He did not give any further details. The United States and Russia have a very good relationship, he told reporters on May 21, "but Russia didn't adhere to the treaty. So, until they adhere we will pull out." Signed in 1992, Open Skies entered into force a decade later and now has 35 members. The agreement aims to increase international stability by allowing nations to conduct surveillance flights over one another's territories to observe military installations and other objects. Pompeo alleged that examples of Russia's violations include the denial of access to observation flights within a 10-kilometer corridor along Russia's border with Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Arms experts say this restriction may technically not fall under the agreement's provision. Pompeo said Russia has also placed restrictions on some flights around the Baltic Sea region of Kaliningrad amid a military buildup that he said might include short-range nuclear-tipped missiles. Russia has also designated an airfield in the annexed Crimean Peninsula as an Open Skies refueling base, Pompeo said. He alleged that was illegal attempt by Russia to cement its claim to the Ukrainian region, which Moscow seized in 2014. 'Flagrantly And Continuously' Violated Pompeo insisted the United States and its partners that signed the treaty have lived up to their commitments and obligations, but Russia "has flagrantly and continuously" violated it in various ways for years. The exit has upset European allies, many of whom are members of the treaty, and some members of the U.S. Congress. France, Germany, and eight other European countries said they regretted the U.S. move. "We regret the announcement by the United States of its plan to pull out of the Open Skies treaty, even though we share the concerns about how the accord is being carried out by the Russian Federation," the countries said in a joint statement issued by France's Foreign Ministry. EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell later said that "withdrawing from a treaty is not the solution to address difficulties in its implementation and compliance by another party." "While continuing to urge Russia to return immediately to the full implementation of the treaty, I call upon the United States to reconsider their decision," Borrell said. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged Russia to comply with the treaty in the hope that Washington might reverse its decision to withdraw from the accord. "All NATO allies are in full compliance with all provisions of the treaty," Stoltenberg said, while for many years Russia had "imposed flight restrictions inconsistent with the treaty, including flight limitations over [its Baltic exclave of] Kaliningrad, and restricting flights in Russia near its border with Georgia." U.S. Representative Eliot Engel, the Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the move to withdraw was illegal, arguing that existing law required the White House to give Congress 120 days' notice. "There is something particularly dangerous about a president, a secretary of state, and a secretary of defense knowingly breaking the law in ways that jeopardize our safety and national security," Engel said in a statement. The threatened withdrawal was the latest effort by the Trump administration to unravel major global security treaties. Last year Washington withdrew from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, also accusing Russia of repeated violations. The last major bilateral arms control treaty, New START, is scheduled to expire in February 2021. While Russia has pushed for a five-year extension, the Trump administration has balked, saying it wants the deal to be broadened to include China. That agreement caps the number of nuclear warheads and so-called delivery systems held by the United States and Russia. Trump's lead arms negotiator, Marshall Billingslea, said on May 21 that U.S. officials planned to hold talks with the Russians over the future of New START, even as the Chinese have signaled they do not plan to join that first meeting. "The United States cannot keep participating in this treaty if Russia is going to violate it with impunity." Billingslea said. The idea of allowing Russia and the United States to conduct aerial reconnaissance flights over each other's territory was first put forward by U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower in July 1955. But the Soviet Union balked at the idea. There was no movement toward a treaty until 1989, when President George Bush breathed new life into it. With reporting by Reuters and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-says-it- will-exit-open-skies-treaty-over-russian -violations/30626067.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 Prince Philip, right, with his uncle Lord Mountbatten who was killed in 1979. (Getty Images) Prince Philip called his uncles death a senseless act of terrorism in a poignant letter to a friend sent after Lord Mountbatten was killed by the provisional IRA. The letter was written by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1979, to actor Lionel Jeffries, who had expressed sympathy to the royal over the loss of his uncle. Louis Mountbatten was a British Royal Navy officer who was killed in August 1979 by a bomb which was left on his fishing boat in Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, Ireland. The radio controlled bomb had been placed on the boat, called Shadow V, one night, and it was detonated the next day, 27 August, when he was a few hundred metres from the shore. He was 79. In the letter from Philip to Jeffries, he said: Let us hope that the great wave of revulsion against this senseless act of terrorism may yet help to bring a change of heart in those who believe that violence and brutality are the only solutions to their problems. Lord Mountbatten lost his legs in the blast and was pulled out of the water alive, but died of his injuries. There were several other on board with the statesman, including his teenage grandson Nicholas and a teenage boathand Paul Maxwell who were killed. The letter was written to Lionel Jeffries after the murder of Lord Mountbatten. (Dominic Winter Auctions) British race car driver Graham Hill talks with Lord Louis Mountbatten and Prince Charles. (Getty Images) Read more: Buckingham Palace floor plans revealed: Exactly what's inside the Queen's main residence The letterhead indicates Philip, now 98, was in Balmoral Castle when he wrote the letter. While the main body is typed, theres a salutation and signature hand signed. The letter has come up for auction with Dominic Winter, and is thought to be able to fetch between 100 and 150. According to the lot, there are a number of other letters to Jeffries included, from the Queen, the Queen Mother, Prince Charles and Princess Margaret. There are also telegrams from Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips as well as Prince Charles and Princess Diana, thanking Lord Snowdon for the good wishes on their wedding and engagement respectively. Details of those letters have not been shared by the auction house. Story continues Louis Mountbatten with his daughter, Lady Patricia Bradbourne, and her children, from left, Joanna, Philip, Norton and Amanda, in front of Classiebawn Castle, Co Sligo. (Getty Images) Read more: Royal blood: How celebrities from Ellen DeGeneres to Ralph Fiennes have royal relations Lord Mountbatten was the last viceroy of India and was said to be a strong influence in Charles upbringing. Its also thought he was behind the first meeting of Philip and the future Queen Elizabeth II. Lord Mountbatten was the one who arranged the visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to Dartmouth Naval College, and put his nephew Philip in place to entertain princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. The IRA claimed responsibility for his death. Thomas McMahon was later convicted of the assassinations and jailed, later released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement. Read more: Who are Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex? Lord Mountbatten, known as Uncle Dickie, was played by Greg Wise in season 1 and 2 of The Crown and Charles Dance in season 3. Its likely season 4 of the Netflix show will deal with his death. The letters have been put up for auction by the estate of Jeffries, who died in 2010. He is best known for playing Grandpa Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Press Release May 23, 2020 Bong Go highlights need to rationalize bed capacity in DOH-run hospitals as more health facilities experience congestion amid COVID-19 health crisis As the health crisis brought about by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues to challenge the healthcare sector, Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go emphasized the need to make the process of increasing the bed capacity and capabilities of Department of Health-run hospitals easier and more systematic. One of Go's filed bills, Senate Bill 1226 or the proposed DOH Hospital Bed Capacity and Service Capability Rationalization Act of 2019, aims to authorize DOH to increase the bed capacity and service capability of its retained hospitals and to allow it to promulgate evaluation and approval guidelines. "Under current regulations, a DOH hospital can only increase its bed capacity and improve its service capability through legislation," the Senator said, noting that there should be a more efficient way of enhancing capabilities of public hospitals and, at the same time, empowering the DOH to fulfill its mandate of improving healthcare in the country. "Ayusin po natin ang proseso para matulungan ang ating mga kababayan na nangangailangang magpagamot. Kapag maayos ang kalusugan ng mga Pilipino, mas dadali ang pag-asenso ng bayan," Go said as he emphasized the importance of health in making citizens more productive. "Nakita naman po natin ang epekto ng COVID-19 sa buong mundo. Let's learn from this experience and create a better healthcare system for our country to better respond to these kinds of health emergencies," he explained further. SB 1226 requires the DOH to provide Congress an annual report of hospitals with approved bed capacities, along with the necessary funding requirements. The report will be the basis of Congress in including the funding requirements of the hospitals in the annual General Appropriations Act. SB 1226 also obliges the DOH to "develop the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) to guide the modernization and development plans of all government health facilities, and in order to access capital outlay investment through the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the DOH and other national government capital outlay investment mechanisms." He noted that DOH hospitals often serve patients beyond their authorized bed capacities and are further constrained by the lack of adequate staffing, maintenance and operating resources, resulting in longer waiting times for patients and delays in their treatment. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, several cases of denied admission in many hospitals had been reported due to unavailability of the necessary equipment, particularly hospital beds, because of surge capacity. One of these cases involved a pregnant woman in Caloocan City. A certain Katherine Bulatao initially gave birth at her home but needed surgery. She was allegedly refused admission by six hospitals before finally getting admitted but was already declared dead on arrival. In Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, a 65-year-old named Ladislao Cabling was also reportedly refused admission by six hospitals. He eventually died without getting the necessary medical emergency attention. Other cases of patients allegedly being refused admission by hospitals have been reported the past weeks and Go has since called for the investigation regarding these alleged refusals of medical facilities to administer emergency treatment. "Ayusin natin ang ating mga ospital para hindi magkaroon ng rason para hindian ang mga pasyenteng humihingi ng tulong medikal," Go said. "Panahon na para tugunan natin ang mga kakulangan sa mga ospital. Sa pamamagitan ng SB 1226, magkakaroon tayo ng pagkakataong maibigay sa mga Pilipino ang nararapat na serbisyong medikal na kailangan nila lalo na sa oras ng pandemya tulad ngayon," Go said. Meanwhile, Go also reminded the public to remain vigilant and follow health protocols as the country continues to put a stop to the spread of COVID-19. "Huwag muna po tayo maging kampante dahil habang sinusubukan nating matigil ang first wave, mas nakakatakot kung magkaroon pa ng second wave ng pagkalat ng sakit na ito. Kung hindi tayo susunod sa patakaran, mas tatagal pa lalo ang krisis," he said. He emphasized why it is important to continue improving the country's health facilities amid the pandemic. "Kung mas rumami pa ang mga pasyente at tuluyang malampasan ang bilang ng mga pasyente na kayang alagaan ng ating mga health facilities, babagsak po ang ating healthcare system," he said in a previous statement. "Magbayanihan po tayo dahil kung ano po ang gagawin natin sa susunod na mga araw, kung paano po tayo magtutulungan na maiwasan ang pagkalat ng sakit, kung paano po natin mas maisasaayos ang ating health facilities -- ito po ang tanging makakapagsabi kung kailan tayo makakabalik muli sa normal na pamumuhay at tuluyang matapos ang krisis na dulot ng COVID-19," he added. The Senator also mentioned that the proposed measure will complement the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Program of the government by ensuring health facilities in provinces will have sufficient capacity to take care of their constituents. "Once we have well-equipped hospitals with increased bed capacities in the provinces, we can assure Filipinos that a better life is waiting for them in the rural community," he added. The number of people in hospital with coronavirus in France fell by 205 to 17,178 on Saturday, continuing a gradual decline that has lasted more than five weeks since a high of 32,292 on April 14. The number of people in intensive care fell by 36 or 2.1% to 1,665. France did not publish a revised number of deaths on Saturday and said the COVID-19 toll will be updated on Monday. As of Thursday, a total of 28,215 people had died from the virus. Search Keywords: Short link: Oregon election officials say they got their usual rash of complaints this year from voters who were certain they had registered as Democrat or Republican and were upset when they received a non-partisan ballot for the May primary without contests for president, Congress, secretary of state or the Legislature. Many voters called election offices, complained to friends and took to social media to insist something nefarious had occurred. The Republican Party of Oregon, which normally hears such complaints in onesies or twosies per election cycle, has been hit with an absolute avalanche of complaints this month, said spokesperson Kevin Hoar. Readers claiming to be lifelong Democrats as well as a few who say they registered as Republicans have insisted to The Oregonian/OregonLive in recent weeks that someone switched them to unaffiliated status without their knowledge. But election officials say they never change a voters party identity unless the voter makes such a request. To change party identification, a person must know the voters name, birthdate and Oregon driver license or state ID number and indicate the new party identity online. We get a lot of (such complaints) every primary election where party matters, said Eric Sample, spokesperson for the Multnomah County elections office. But no one is going in and changing voter registration except when a voter requests it online. Andrea Chiapella, spokesperson for the Oregon Secretary of States Office, which oversees voter registration, said, We dont change party unless requested by the voter. So even if they were inactive for a time, it would not revert to (non-partisan) for any reason other than the voter requesting that change. Hoar said his party is taking the complaints seriously but hasnt dug deeply enough to determine any wrongdoing occurred or even understand patterns in the complaining voters histories. Republican party officials certainly arent accusing Republican Bev Clarno, Oregons chief elections officer as secretary of state, of failing to ensure election security, he said. The state party hasnt lobbed any such accusations or anything like that, Hoar said. We are just trying to respond to voters. You have to look into the facts and the circumstances. When voters think their party identification has been changed, typically from Democrat or Republican to unaffiliated with any party, what actually happened is almost invariably one of two scenarios, according to Chiapella, Sample and party registration records obtained in previous years by The Oregonian/OregonLive under a public records request: >> The voter was registered to vote at the DMV under Oregons motor voter law. All Oregon citizens who obtain or update a drivers license or state ID and are not already in the states voter registration database are registered to vote as non-partisan electors. They are then sent a follow-up post card that allows them to decline to be registered or to register as a member of a party, either online or by returning the postcard. The vast majority of voters registered in that way take no action and remain unaffiliated with a party. >> The voter updated their registration, inputting a new address or similar information, and also changed their party affiliation in that online request. Those requests may have come in through a third-party portal, such as the U.S. Post Office-endorsed site mymove.com rather than directly from a state or county elections web site. Oregon elections officials advise Oregonians to always use the state election website or their county elections website. In the cases of voters who complained that they suffered an unfair switcheroo and were willing to provide their names, The Oregonian/OregonLive found that nearly all had never before voted in a primary election. In a general election, all voters see the nominees from both major parties on their ballots. In other words, if you were a huge fan of Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump in November 2016 or rooted for Knute Buehler or Kate Brown for governor in November 2018, and saw that candidates name on your ballot, thats wasnt an indicator you were registered as a Democrat or a Republican. Oregonians increased reliance on the motor voter registration system, and the huge rise in non-partisan registration that came with it, meant more than 200,000 Oregonians were added to the rolls of voters not affiliated with any party. That led to more complaints about non-partisan ballots in 2016 and 2018 than in previous years, Sample said. So Multnomah County sent a postcard in April to every registers voters household to warn of the you may not be able to vote for president problem. Oregon has closed primary elections. This means that if you wish to vote for either the Republican or Democratic presidential candidates, you must be registered to vote with either the Democratic or the Republican Party, it warned. It went on to tell voters how they could easily check their party registration online and change it if they wished. The Oregonian/OregonLive published a similar warning in an April news article headlined Attention Oregon: To vote for Biden, Trump or even Sanders in May, Tuesday is deadline to register as a Republican or Democrat. Still, many more voters than usual seem to have been caught unaware and have complained vociferously. Not being able to vote for the candidate of ones choice for president, secretary of state, Congress or the Legislature feels wrong in a Democracy. Sample said that was why his office sent out the unprecedented notification this year: We wanted to make everyone aware, with the primary, Hey make sure you are registered with the party you want to be. -- Betsy Hammond; betsyhammond@oregonian.com; @OregonianPol Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Navigating the world of car insurance might be hard, but getting the best car insurance policy at affordable prices is worth it., said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents several tips that can help drivers pay less on their car insurance rates. For more info and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org For many drivers, paying the monthly car insurance bill can be quite difficult. More and more drivers are wondering if they can save some of the money they spend on insurance. 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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. overview: In the recent times, a new trend is gaining popularity in the software development life cycle called DevSecOps . This technology bridges the gap between development, operations, and security teams to speed up the software development process through collaboration and communication among the teams. The goal of DevOps is to give more ownership to the development team for developing and monitoring applications. Security plays a key role by providing high-end security to the applications. Request For Report Sample @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/9910 "DevSecOps = DevOps + Security" The rising adoption of various software applications among businesses and consumers has opened new avenues for hackers to hack data leading to the lack of security in terms of coding or configurations. DevSecOps is expected to play a vital role at this point in maintaining the security by collaborating various departments at the initial stages of product development. Market Analysis: According to Infoholic Research, the global DevSecOps market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 33.7% during the forecast period 2017-2023. The rising security breaches, awareness about DevSecOps platforms, need for improving SDLC by reducing the time wasted, and the increasing investment activities have led to the demand for DevSecOps. In addition, the growing demand for advanced technologies, such as AI, automation, and cloud technologies, are expected to support the DevSecOps market growth. The market is analyzed by regions, deployment type, and enterprise type. Segmentation Analysis: Regions and Deployment type Region-wise: The Americas leads the market followed by Europe. The US, Canada, UK, Germany, and France are the major revenue generators owing to the rising security breaches, advanced technology, demand for high-end software products, and government rules and regulations related to security. Asia Pacific is always an attractive market for the key stakeholders to enhance their business or product portfolios. Especially, India, China, Japan, Singapore, Philippines, and other country enterprises are showing interest in the DevSecOps platform. It shows that DevSecOps platform adoption rate is about to witness a lot of investment in the upcoming years. Finally, MEA is an emerging market for the key stakeholders during 2017-2023. Get Complete TOC with Tables and Figures@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/9910 This report provides details about DevSecOps deployment type. Most of the DevSecOps players are offering cloud and on-premises deployment modes for their customers and most of the enterprises are still demanding for the on-premises model. In the recent years, the enterprises are moving from on-premises to the cloud, but cloud providers need to ensure security at each stage of the product development involving security, developers, and operational professionals. The cloud deployment model is expected to contribute the major market share followed by the on-premises model. Enterprise type Analysis Globally, all kinds of enterprises are falling under security breaches somehow, especially SMEs are always targeted by the hackers due to the lack of IT infrastructure and knowledge about security threats. Whereas, larger enterprises are adopting more and more digital, advanced technologies to reach their customer demands, but security loopholes on software product/services may impact their customer experience. Thus, enterprises are showing interest in adopting the DevSecOps platform and using it. The large enterprise segment is leading the market, followed by the SMEs, but in the future the SMEs segment is expected to increase its revenue contribution toward the market growth. Key Vendors and Competitive Analysis Some of the companies covered in the report include IBM, Splunk, Chef Software, Puppet, Amazon, CA Technologies, Qualys, and others. The small and growing start-ups are focusing to provide high-end Dev Secs tools and are receiving a good number of customers. The big players are enhancing partnerships and M&A strategies with the small players to increase their footprints in the market, and thus, gain a leading position in the DevSecOps platform market. Players are investing in building an expertise workforce in the DevSecOps area to satisfy the ongoing and future demands. Benefits The report provides an in-depth analysis of current and future market status for DevSecOps. The report aims to provide an opportunity for key players to understand the latest trends, demands, players' initiatives, and technologies related to the market. This report gives the complete details about regions, country wise details, adoption and plan ratio of DevSecOps, revenue, and key trends. In addition, it helps the venture capitalists in understanding the profile of the companies. <<< Get COVID-19 Report Analysis >>> https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/9910 Hailey Bieber has revealed she shared her first kiss with Justin after sneaking out of her house because her parents didn't want her going out with him on her own. The model, 23, was still living with her parents at the time, but her older sister Alaia helped make the date happen by telling mom and dad Hailey was staying with her. 'The story behind that actually is that he asked me to go out for sushi with him, and I called my parents to ask them if I could go, and they said no,' Hailey said on Facebook Live on Friday. 'They were like, "absolutely not, you are not going to dinner with Justin by yourself. It's not happening." 'My older sister kind of covered for me': Hailey Bieber has revealed she shared her first kiss with Justin after sneaking out of her house because her parents didn't want her going out with him on her own 'Cause I still lived at home at the time, and my older sister kind of covered for me and was like, "Oh yeah she's gonna sleep over at my apartment, and all good," and she covered for me... We didn't get caught,' she said. The couple's date took place in New York, where they went to the movies and got dinner together. 'The first time we kissed, we were in New York, and we had gone to dinner together, and we were just hanging, and we went back to watch a movie, and we kissed,' she reflected. 'Was I good?' Justin asked. Locking lips: The couple shared a passionate kiss in London in 2018 Date night: The future married couple were in New York at the time, where they went to the movies and got dinner together 'Was I good?' Justin asked his wife of their first kiss Hailey laughs. 'Were you a good kiss?' 'Was I a good kiss?' Justin asked again. 'Yeah!' Hailey said. 'Well I'm glad it was good for you. It was good for me,' he said. True love: The couple were answering questions submitted by fans, where they shared how they knew they were in love with each other Good old days: The future married couple were seen out in Los Angeles in 2015 'You don't even remember!' she teased. 'I remember!' he insisted. The couple were answering questions submitted by fans, who also asked when they knew they were in love with one another. 'I think just time being around each other, just spending time just started realizing more and more qualities I liked about you and more things that were so endearing,' Justin said. 'I also think I was really stubborn, I would never admit to his face that I was in love with him... until it just was obvious... but I never said it to his face, like, "Oh I'm in love with you."' Hailey said. Hailey and Justin, who are back in Los Angeles after quarantining in Canada together, married in a courthouse in New York in 2018, followed by a more lavish ceremony in 2019. Meant to be: Hailey and Justin, who are back in Los Angeles after quarantining in Canada together, married in a courthouse in New York in 2018, followed by a more lavish ceremony in 2019 Meanwhile: Bieber was pictured during a masked-up outing in Los Angeles on Saturday Sri Lankan health authorities announced on Friday that the total number COVID-19 infections had risen to 1,068 but that the official death toll remained at nine. The government is using these relatively low numbers to claim that the coronavirus is under control and that the existing, but limited, national curfews can be lifted. The low number of infections, however, is because of the small number of COVID-19 tests being conductedan average of less than 600 per day between February 18 and May 20. On May 11, President Gotabhaya Rajapakse declared a reopening of the economy. About one third of employees from the state-owned and private sector returned to work in Colombo and Gampaha, the countrys main working-class centres. Since then the government, with corporate media backing, has conducted a living with corona or new normal campaign, promoting the illusion that the pandemic danger is receding. These false and reckless claims are being made as the coronavirus pandemic continues unabated around the world with over 5.2 million infections reported yesterday and the death toll climbing to almost 340,000. On Thursday, World Health Organisation (WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared: We still have a long way to go in this pandemic. We are very concerned about rising cases in low and middle-income countries. His remarks came as 106,000 new cases were recorded the previous daytwo-thirds from the US, Brazil, Russia and India. Yesterday, India reported 6,088 infected cases, the highest number recorded in one day in that country and the death toll rose to 3,583. Notwithstanding the governments optimistic rhetoric, the mass spread of COVID-19 is a dangerous threat to the Sri Lankan masses, the working class and poor, in particular. Dr. Lakkumar Fernando, head of Sri Lankas Centre for Clinical Management of Dengue and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, told the Sunday Times that, even if many people had recovered, Sri Lanka could have 2,0003,000 active cases and that low-grade community spread of virus had begun. A Kandy Hospital nurse told the WSWS that nurses in the outpatient department (OPD) could easily be infected. All the patients suffering from fever, cough, and pneumonia first enter the hospital through the OPD. However, the nurses and other health workers working in this section have not been supplied with PPE [personnel protection equipment], including N95 masks. About one month after the lockdown began we were provided with locally made PPE. But you cannot use it because of the intolerable heat when wearing it and you cannot work with patients. In order to observe social distancing, the number of health workers in the wards has been reduced by 40 percent. So this means that only four people are working in a ward where previously there were ten. Health workers have a right to be guaranteed that they are not going to be infected but there is no way that we are being PCR tested. While the government insists that workers should return to their jobs it only gives lip-service to social distancing work practices. One worker from the Brandix company, told the WSWS that social distancing was difficult because of existing work practices at its factories. The company employs a total 47,000 people at several Sri Lankan plants. Employees at the Ratmalana government railway workshop made the same point to the WSWS. Government claims that the pandemic is being brought under control are exposed by the fact that one of Sri Lankas largest clusters is at a 5,000-strong navy camp at Welisara, seven kilometres from Colombo. On Thursday, Army Commander Shavendra Silva told the media that 2,193 sailors had been sent to quarantine centres and that 341 of the 578 infected navy personnel were still being treated for the virus. Military authorities previously claimed that the sailors had been infected while tracing individuals suspected of contracting the virus near the camp. Later it was announced that the sailors had been infected while renovating an ICU unit at the nearby Ragama Teaching Hospital. Whatever the reason, the media has reported that the sailors involved in tracing the virus cases had not been provided with protective gear. Army chief Silva also admitted that the lower-rank sailors were living in old military barracks where physical distancing could not be observed. On May 20, Sri Lankas chief epidemiologist, Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, said that coronavirus control at the camp had failed and there would be a considerable number of patients. Under the banner of fighting COVID-19, President Rajapakse has mobilised military intelligence and thousands of soldiers, mainly in the Colombo district, to supposedly ensure social distancing is being observed. The current army chief has also been appointed head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19. Every day the presidents website posts the latest infection figures along with details about the governments policies. Its latest report concludes: The Sri Lankan model is an aggressive, strenuous and continuous process but comparison of data related to COVID-19 in the world suggests that Sri Lankan approach is a unique and a dynamic model. These claims are false. The governments largely improvised health measures are doing little to combat the deadly and highly infectious disease. The authorities, for example, have pragmatically resorted to spraying disinfectant on people and various locations. Last week, the WHO declared this practice was unscientific and unhealthy. It said: This could be physically and psychologically harmful and would not reduce an infected persons ability to spread the virus through droplets or contact. Instead of mass testing, Director General of Health Service Dr. Anil Jasinghe admitted last week: It was never the strategy to test everyone. His remarks were made in response to the large number of coronavirus infections at the Welisara navy camp. In line with years of public health cost-cutting, the current government regards full-scale testingas recommended by international medical scientistsas too expensive. Epidemiologists have called for a minimum of 5,000 tests per day. The reopen the economy push by the Rajapakse government and its big business backers, like their counterparts around the world, have intensified in line with the deepening global economic crisis accelerated by COVID-19. The Colombo government faces massive foreign debt repayments and escalating falls in export earnings. W.D. Lakshman, governor of Sri Lankas Central Bank, has warned that the government faced a formidable foreign debt service obligation with payments of $US3,420 million due between May and December this year and $4,310 million in 2021. The countrys foreign exchange earnings from garment exports will fall by 40 percent and remittances from foreign employment by 15 percent this year, he added, and that special arrangements on existing loans with India and China would be needed to make debt repayments. On May 22, an editorial in the state-owned Daily News wrote: Now with the virus threat brought to manageable proportions (though still hanging like the Sword of Damocles going by the opinion of health experts) [it is time], like the president noted to redirect the focus on the economy and stabilise the fiscal situation. While big businesses has used the pandemic to slash jobs, wages and workers rights, the cash-strapped Colombo government is imposing more austerity measures on workers and the poor. Yesterday, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, who is also the finance minister, announced a special commodity levy on about 30 items, which will sharply increase the price of essentials. These attacks will fuel the already deep-seated social opposition of workers and the poor against the government, the opposition parties and the capitalist class as a whole. Coronavirus could be completely wiped out in the UK on September 30, according to modelling from scientists. A team at the Singapore University of Technology plotted data from the pandemic to pinpoint the date cases will die out in countries hardest hit by the disease. They predict a total eradication of the bug in Britain with no new cases - or a second wave - at all from the end of September. The US, where most Covid-19 deaths have been recorded, will extinguish the infection by November 11. The model by the Singapore University of Technology predicts the pandemic in the UK will be over by September 30 The US, where most Covid-19 deaths have been recorded, will extinguish the infection by November 11 Are more men dying from coronavirus because of testosterone? By Stephen Adams for The Mail on Sunday Testosterone could be the key reason why so many men are dying from coronavirus, doctors believe. Twice as many males are succumbing to the disease as women in a pattern that has baffled scientists around the world. Although theories put forward to explain the difference include men being more likely to smoke and the possibility of genetic differences that make their immune systems weaker than womens, it could be simpler than that. Prostate cancer experts have now uncovered intriguing clues that the sex hormone testosterone seems to play a crucial role by inadvertently helping the virus infect cells. Italian medics discovered that prostate cancer patients given powerful drugs, known as androgen deprivation therapy, to radically cut testosterone levels were four times less likely to die of Covid-19 than those not on them. Testosterone drives up levels of a protein called TMPRSS2, which is implicated in prostate cancer. But scientists have recently found that the coronavirus also uses this protein to unlock cells. Now medics at Londons Institute for Cancer Research are examining the link further, while counterparts at the University of California, Los Angeles, are looking at testosterone-blocking drugs as a potential Covid-19 therapy for patients in hospital. Professor Nick James, of Londons ICR, said it was biologically plausible that testosterone made men more susceptible to the coronavirus. Advertisement The model predicts the trajectory of the spread of the virus over time while tracking the actual number of new confirmed cases per day in a given country, as of May 12. By plotting the acceleration and deceleration rates of each country's outbreak, the scientists have conjured up a prediction of when the virus will wane. In other developments to Britain's coronavirus crisis yesterday: Two new witness testimonies reignited calls for Dominic Cummings to be sacked; The first claimed to have seen Mr Cummings at a town 30 miles away from his parents' Durham farm where he was self-isolating with his wife and child; A second witness then said they sighted Mr Cummings back in Durham on April 19, five days after he had returned to work in Westminster; Boris Johnson mounted a determined defence of Mr Cummings, telling allies: 'It's not like he was visiting a lover'; It emerged that travel firms are already planning to exploit a loophole in the 14-day quarantine period by flying holidaymakers into UK via Dublin (which is exempt from new isolation rules); Labour leader Keir Starmer revealed his children have attended school throughout the coronavirus crisis as he called for classes to resume 'as soon as possible'; Employers were told they will have to pay 25 per cent of wages of furloughed staff from August, raising fears of a wave of redundancies; Boris Johnson will drop drop the 'track' in his 'test, track and trace' system that is designed to get Britain out lockdown because the NHSX app will not be ready for weeks. This positive news out amid the crisis, which has killed thousands and placed millions under lockdown, will come as relief for many. As of May 8, the coronavirus pandemic in Italy was on track to end October 24 This positive news out amid the crisis, which has killed thousands. Pictured: People meeting up in Wandsworth, London, yesterday Britain announces 282 more coronavirus deaths including a 12-year-old child - taking official number of victims to 36,675 By CONNOR BOYD HEALTH REPORTER FOR MAILONLINE Britain today announced 282 more coronavirus deaths, including a 12-year-old with an undisclosed underlying health condition - taking the UK's total fatalities to 36,675. Today's death jump - which takes into account all settings - is the lowest recorded on a Saturday since March 21 (56), three days before the UK went into lockdown. The 12-year-old victim passed away in a hospital in England and becomes the fourth child under the age of 15 to succumb to the virus in the UK. Britain's youngest victim was a six-week-old baby who died earlier this month. Just 157 deaths in the last 24 hours were in hospitals, with the rest of the fatalities registered in the wider community and care homes - where the virus is still running rampant. The figures were announced by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps at tonight's Downing Street press conference, where he also revealed 2,959 more Britons had tested positive for the disease. Advertisement Britain yesterday announced 282 more coronavirus deaths, including a 12-year-old with an undisclosed underlying health condition - taking the UK's total fatalities to 36,675. However, researchers noted the predictions by nature are likely to be uncertain due to the complexity of the virus as well as other factors including the restrictions and testing protocols in place in a country. They write: 'The wicked and uncertain nature of this pandemic makes the intent for prediction accuracy misleading.' They add: 'No model and data can accurately nor fully represent the complex, evolving, and heterogeneous realities of the pandemic in different countries. 'Acknowledging the extreme uncertainty and wicked nature of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, what are eventually and fundamentally needed are the robustness, flexibility, resilience, creativity and entrepreneurship of people, organizations and governments, as well as sharing and collaboration across disciplines, professions and regions, to deal with any unpredictable undesirable future scenarios.' The study found predictive monitoring in early May showed the US - and second worst-hit country Brazil- could still suffer for the remainder of the year, without stricter restrictions or a vaccine. For Italy, which once led the world in the number of coronavirus cases, could recover by October 24, according to modeling as of May 8. The news that the pandemic could be over in a matter of months contradicts stark warnings from senior medical officials who believe the crisis will last years. The World Health Organization's (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan warned it could be four to five years before the Covid-19 pandemic is under control. She told the FT's Global Boardroom digital conference in May: 'I would say in a four to five-year timeframe, we could be looking at controlling this.' In Trafalgar Square, people were out and about yesterday. Some sat on the steps leading up to the National Gallery Influential factors include whether the virus matures, the containment measures put in place and the development of a vaccine, she told the conference. Coronavirus 'uniquely adapted to infect humans', top vaccine scientist warned By Ian Birrell for The Mail on Sunday A team of scientists has produced evidence that the pandemic virus is uniquely adapted to infect humans, raising fresh questions over whether its origins were natural. Professor Nikolai Petrovsky, a top vaccine researcher who headed the Australian team, said the virus was not typical of a normal zoonotic [animal to human] infection since it appeared with the exceptional ability to enter human bodies from day one. He said the virus should have emerged from an animal through a freak event of nature but the possibility that it had leaked from a laboratory could not be ruled out. Petrovsky runs a biotech research unit that will start human trials for a Covid-19 vaccine next month. I havent seen a zoonotic virus that has behaved in this way before, he said. He said new viruses crossing over from animals normally strengthen as they adapt to human hosts, but this new coronavirus seems perfectly adapted to infect humans without the need to evolve. He pointed to the coincidence that the most closely related known viruses were being studied in a laboratory in Wuhan and insisted that the possibility of a leak should not be ignored in the search for its origin. Advertisement Yesterday, it was revealed that a much-anticipated coronavirus vaccine trial only has a 50 per cent chance of success - because the disease is disappearing so rapidly. Just days ago, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced it had the capacity to make one billion doses of Oxford University's promising jab, with Britain striking a deal for 100 million 'as early as possible'. That came after ministers said they hoped a third of those would be ready for September, at which point, if proven effective, people would be allowed to go back to work and businesses given the green light to reopen and start rebuilding the economy. However, Professor Adrian Hill told The Sunday Telegraph the rapid disappearance of the virus itself in the UK has thrown doubt on the team's ability to meet the deadline in four months' time. If Covid-19 is not spreading in the community, volunteers will find it difficult to catch, meaning scientists can't prove whether the vaccine actually makes any difference. Some 10,000 people are being recruited to test the jab over the coming weeks, but Prof Hill said he expected fewer than 50 of those to catch the virus, and the results could be deemed useless if fewer than 20 test positive. It was reported earlier this month that America's coronavirus crisis will take up to two years to extinguish, according to top pandemic experts. Their report painted a bleak picture for the near future, with people continuing to die in all possible outcomes mapped out by the scientists. Only once roughly two-thirds of the population has been infected, and herd immunity has been reached, will the disease finally fizzle out, they claimed in the paper. A large group of surfers gathered together to make the most of the waves at Bournemouth Pier. Lockdown measures were eased this month The team from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) said: 'The length of the pandemic will likely be 18 to 24 months, as herd immunity gradually develops in the human population. 'This will take time, since limited serosurveillance data available to date suggest that a relatively small fraction of the population has been infected and infection rates likely vary substantially by geographic area. 'Given the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2, 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the population may need to be immune to reach a critical threshold of herd immunity to halt the pandemic.' Coronavirus track-and-trace army of 25,000 recruits will go into action this week - if the 'world-beating' app's glitches can be solved By Glen Owen and Stephen Adams and Jake Ryan For The Mail On Sunday Ministers will launch the vaunted new track-and-trace programme this week with an army of 25,000 recruits battling to lead Britain out of the coronavirus crisis. The plan to track down those who have been in close contact with Covid-19 victims and isolate them to stop the chain of transmission will swing into action as part of the largest virtual call centre operation in the country. Using a model which has proved effective in other countries and which has been trialled with an app on the Isle of Wight, tracers will contact those who test positive for the virus. The coronavirus track-and-trace programme will be launched by ministers this week with 25,000 recruits helping out to operate the system The tracing app has been successfully used in other countries and was recently trialled by the UK in the Isle of Wight They will then ask them for information about people they have been in prolonged contact with who may have been exposed most likely household members or workplace colleagues. A No 10 spokesman said: A test-and-trace system lets us identify and isolate new infections so that we can control the spread of this virus, which will be vital while coronavirus remains present in the UK. As we continue on the road to recovery this will mean that, in time, lockdown will no longer be necessary for the majority of the public and instead it will be possible for there to be a targeted lockdown for a small number of people. The announcement came as Baroness Dido Harding, appointed to lead the programme, was revealed to have sat on the board of the Jockey Club, which gave the controversial green light for the Cheltenham Festival. It was blamed for causing a spike in Covid-19 infections in the area after 60,000 racegoers descended on the course on March 10 for the four-day event. Baroness Dido Harding (pictured), who gave the green light to let the Cheltenham Festival go ahead in March, is leading the contact tracing app planning process Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured) promised MPs that a 'world-beating' tracing system would be in place by June 1, though the recruitment and training of contact tracers has been 'chaotic' How many Covid alerts have been issued by the NHS track-and-trace app being tested on the Isle of Wight? Only ONE person has been found... and it's the local MP's girlfriend By Ian Gallagher for The Mail on Sunday Early on Friday morning an orderly queue formed outside the newly-opened Paradice Ice Cream Parlour on the High Street in Cowes. Nearby a cafe was doing steady trade selling coffee, tea and pastries, while along the harbour, a group of fishermen sat in the sunshine, six feet apart, hoping to land a bass or two. This was the Isle of Wight home of the NHS's Covid-19 track and trace experiment dipping its toe into the 'new normal'. More than a fortnight ago, the island began testing an app which aims to halt the spread of the disease by identifying the infected and alerting those with whom they've come into close contact. But having spoken to dozens of islanders the only person The Mail on Sunday found who had heard of anyone receiving an alert was the Isle of Wight's MP Bob Seely. His girlfriend, he says, was notified told she'd been in contact with someone showing symptoms of coronavirus. She was urged to follow health advice. Cynics suggested the trial was doomed from the outset because the islanders would struggle with the technology. Yet acting for the greater good and proving they know their way around a smartphone, some 55,000 have downloaded the app, a figure greatly exceeding expectations. Although the population is 140,000, there are 80,000 smartphone owners available to use the app. In the days after the app was launched, islanders talked of little else. 'We'd come out after shopping and straight away check our phones to see if we'd received an alert,' says Maxine Simpson, 60. 'The supermarket, we reckoned, was the most dangerous place. I don't know anyone who has got one. I still check after leaving the supermarket.' She was with her mother, Elizabeth Brittan, 86, who has the app, and her 37-year-old daughter Emma Appell three generations of the same family meeting for the first time since lockdown began. 'We feel as though we've done our bit,' said Mrs Brittan. 'It would be great if the app can do some good,' adds Emma. Across the island posters declare: 'Isle of Wight Lead the Way.' Advertisement An investigation by The Mail on Sunday has also revealed that the recruitment and training of contact tracers for the programme has been chaotic, despite Boris Johnsons pledge to MPs that a world-beating system would be in place by June 1. Insiders who volunteered for senior clinical contact tracing positions told this newspaper how the programme has been beset by teething problems. In one case, an environmental health officer (EHO) who had himself designed a contact tracing system for infectious diseases gave up on being recruited after getting lost in NHS bureaucracy. It was like banging your head against a brick wall, he said. In another, a nurse said she could not undertake online training because the modules were not ready yet. Its been incredibly frustrating, she added. And basic technical issues, such as contact tracers working from home who found themselves unable to log in to the computer system, are continuing to dog efforts. Ministers had been warned by their scientific advisers of the importance of having manual tracers to keep a lid on coronavirus and how their original plan, which relied on unqualified call centre staff on minimum wage, would not work. It led them to increase the number of clinical contact tracers required people such as doctors, nurses and EHOs from 3,000 to 7,500 in what experts see as tacit recognition that the original scheme was flawed. Despite the improvements, however, many clinical contact tracers have been disappointed by their experience with recruiters at NHS Professionals. The EHO, who is recently retired, was approved but said he was then advised to contact NHS organisations himself to offer his services. I couldnt find any that were recruiting contact tracers, he said. The EHO then sought advice from NHS Professionals. I tried to call their number 12 to 15 times over four days but no one picked up. On one occasion, I let it ring for 40 minutes, he said, adding that in the end he gave up trying to offer his services. It all seemed a bit of a mess. Im happy to help but Im not desperate for the work and, at the end of the day, its just not worth the grief. The nurse said that after signing up last week the online training modules simply werent there. She added: Its concerning were having to wait for the training when were supposed to be carrying this out as a matter of urgency. Has it been thought through? It doesnt feel like it it comes across as though theyre making it up as they go along. A Department for Health and Social Care spokesman disputed the EHOs account of recruitment problems, adding: We are rolling out this programme at unprecedented speed to tackle coronavirus outbreaks and, over time, help us to safely lift some lockdown measures. It was Britain's lowest point of the Second World War. Amid scenes of chaos and desperation, and under a relentless assault from bombs, mortars and gunfire, our Armed Forces, helped by civilians with boats, were tasked with rescuing well over 300,000 servicemen from a small French harbour. They say that when the going gets tough, the tough get going and, at the height of Operation Dynamo, as the rescue mission was called, no one showed more grit, determination and courage than Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews. In fact, he was the only serviceman to be awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for the Dunkirk evacuation, and he was also the Army's very first VC to be announced during the 1939-45 war. Captain Harold M. Ervine-Andrews of the East Lancashire Regiment, who won a Victoria Cross in 1940 for service in Dunkirk, France Yet, in many ways, Harold Marcus Ervine-Andrews always known as Marcus was an unlikely hero. He was the son of a provincial Irish bank manager, Cyril Ervine-Andrews, and his wife Margaret, and his Army career had been relatively routine for eight years as he carried out tours of duty in the Far East and India as a junior officer. However, on the night of May 31/June 1, 1940, Ervine-Andrews displayed such courage that he would, two months later, be awarded Britain and the Commonwealth's most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy. Just days before the 80th anniversary of his VC action, it is appropriate to recognise the full extent of his valour. To start with, however, the circumstances of his courage need to be put into context. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. Two days later Britain and France, which had earlier pledged support for the Poles, declared war on Germany. As with the start of the First World War, the government sent a British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to France, but along with French troops, they opted to stay behind the fortified Maginot Line rather than attack the enemy. Indeed, it was the Germans who made the next significant move in the land war, invading Denmark and Norway on April 9, 1940. A month later, on May 10 (the same day Winston Churchill was appointed to succeed Neville Chamberlain as Prime Minister), Germany launched its Blitzkrieg against France and the Low Countries. On May 14, the Netherlands capitulated and the Belgian defences at Liege, Maastricht and along the Albert Canal were overrun. From May 15 on, the main British Army was forced into a series of staged withdrawals towards the coast of northern France. As the situation worsened, May 26 was declared a national day of prayer, and a special service, attended by King George VI, was held at Westminster Abbey. The Archbishop of Canterbury called for prayers 'for our soldiers in dire peril in France'. Just before 7pm, Churchill ordered Operation Dynamo to begin. The first full day of the evacuation began on May 27, the day before Belgium surrendered. The previous day the Germans had captured Calais, which had forced the fleeing British troops to head towards Dunkirk and the area of coast running to the east. The success of the evacuation during the six-week-long Battle of France was possible only because so many Allied servicemen, notably British and French troops, were willing to engage the enemy during the retreat. Without such a courageous stand, tens of thousands of British troops would have been massacred or taken as prisoners of war. 1940: British and French troops waiting among the dunes of Dunkirk beach for their evacuation Nobody put up a more fierce resistance than Ervine-Andrews, then aged 28, and his men from The East Lancashire Regiment. On May 31, the regiment's 1st Battalion, having earlier been forced out of Belgium, were north of Warhem, holding a section of the Canal de Bergues. This section ran parallel to the coast and some five miles inland from it. I will allow the splendid citation for Ervine-Andrews' VC (which incidentally misspelt his Christian name as 'Harald') to take up the story: 'For most conspicuous gallantry on active service on the night of the 31st May/1st June, 1940. 'Captain ErvineAndrews took over about a thousand yards of the defences in front of Dunkirk, his line extending along the Canal de Bergues, and the enemy attacked at dawn. 'For over ten hours, notwithstanding intense artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire, and in the face of vastly superior enemy forces, Captain Ervine-Andrews and his company held their position. 'The enemy, however, succeeded in crossing the canal on both flanks; and, owing to superior enemy forces, a company of Captain Ervine-Andrews' own battalion, which was dispatched to protect his flanks, was unable to gain contact with him. 'There being danger of one of his platoons being driven in, he called for volunteers to fill the gap, and then, going forward, climbed on to the top of a straw-roofed barn, from which he engaged the enemy with rifle and light automatic fire, though, at the time, the enemy were sending mortar-bombs and armour-piercing bullets through the roof. 'Captain Ervine-Andrews personally accounted for seventeen of the enemy with his rifle, and for many more with a Bren gun. Later, when the house which he held had been shattered by enemy fire and set alight, and all his ammunition had been expended, he sent back his wounded in the remaining carrier. Captain Marcus Ervine Andrews (top deck) wins the VC defending the perimeter Captain Ervine-Andrews then collected the remaining eight men of his company from this forward position, and, when almost completely surrounded, led them back to the cover afforded by the company in the rear, swimming or wading up to the chin in water for over a mile; having brought all that remained of his company safely back, he once again took up position. 'Throughout this action, Captain Ervine-Andrews displayed courage, tenacity, and devotion to duty, worthy of the highest traditions of the British Army, and his magnificent example imbued his own troops with the dauntless fighting spirit which he himself displayed.' It was estimated that at one point in the battle, just 40 men from the battalion were fighting more than 500 German troops. Every hour that Ervine-Andrews and his men were able to hold their position was vital to the evacuation, although nobody will ever know exactly how many lives they saved. In a tape-recorded interview with the Imperial War Museum, many decades later, Ervine-Andrews said of his VC action that there had been a heavy artillery attack on their position and that he and his men were so short of ammunition that they searched dead bodies for bullets. 'We were able then to hold up the attack we held them for quite a long time until we ran out of ammunition.' The captain said he and his men fought under a heavy mortar and shell-fire. 'Luckily I had some excellent men with me and we were able to do the job. 'I took it on myself to do most of the firing, even though I say it myself I was an exceptionally good shot and my men knew it. 'They realised that it was much better that I should do the shooting rather than waste ammunition.' He said that, during the evacuation, sailors threw weapons into the sea because they did not want them taking up space that could be used for men. Dunkirk beach at the evacuation, May 1940, where troops lined up waiting for boats 'The ship was like a sardine box with men,' he added. Sailors gave the soldiers oranges and chocolate because they had not eaten properly for days. Sir John 'Jackie' Smyth, who served in the Second World War after being awarded the VC during the First World War, was present at Dunkirk and he was in no doubt that the role played by Ervine-Andrews and his men had been vital to the evacuation effort. He later said: 'For over ten hours, under intense artillery, mortar and machine-gun fire, Ervine-Andrews and his company held their position 'Had he and his company not been so steadfast in repelling the fierce German attacks at this critical time it might have been even more difficult than it was to embark the last divisions of the BEF.' Ervine-Andrews was able to depart from Dunkirk with the other survivors from his battalion the next day, June 2, on board HMS Shikari, an S-class Royal Navy destroyer and he arrived in Dover the following day. His VC was announced on July 30, 1940 and he received the decoration from King George in an investiture at Buckingham Palace on August 6, 1940. Ervine-Andrews served for the rest of the war, taking part in Operation Overlord, the codename for the Battle of Normandy that began with the D-Day Landings of June 6, 1944. He led from the front once again, taking part in heavy fighting outside the French coastal town of Caen. Ervine-Andrews continued his Army service after the conflict ended. Eventually, he retired in the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in January 1952, aged 40. He had married Emily Torrie in October 1939, soon after the start of the war, and the couple went on to have a son and daughter. However, the couple divorced in 1952, the same year that he left Army service. Originally from Cavan in Co Cavan and later educated at Stoneyhurst College, Lancashire, he faced hostility from the IRA when he returned to Ireland. This was because of the anger felt by nationalists to his long British Army service and so Ervine-Andrews decided not to resettle in his homeland. Instead he moved to Cornwall, where he worked as a pig farmer and played a prominent role in the Bodmin branch and Cornwall Executive of the Royal British Legion. In 1981, Ervine-Andrews got married for a second time (his first wife had died), this time in Cornwall to Margaret Gregory, who had a daughter from a previous relationship. In his final years, he lived at Gorran, near Fowey, on the south coast of Cornwall. For over ten hours, under intense artillery, mortar and machine-gun fire, Ervine-Andrews and his company held their position He died on March 30, 1995, aged 83. At the time of his death, Ervine-Andrews was the last surviving Irishman to be awarded the VC and today his medal group is on display at the Blackburn Museum, Lancashire. The story of the Dunkirk evacuation has been told many times in books and films, most recently on the big screen in Christopher Nolan's epic 2017 film Dunkirk which he wrote, directed and produced. The Dunkirk evacuation had been a huge challenge. On the first full day only 7,669 Allied soldiers were evacuated, but by the end of the operation 338,226 had been rescued by a hastily assembled fleet of more than 800 vessels. Many troops were able to embark from the harbour's protective mole on to 39 Royal Navy destroyers, along with a smaller number of Canadian and French destroyers and a variety of civilian merchant ships. So was Dunkirk at defeat or a victory? In many ways, it was both: it was a defeat in that the British were retreating having been overrun by the advancing German forces. Yet it was a victory in that the British managed to get so many Allied troops back to England so that they could regroup and live to fight another day. On May 28, the second day of the evacuations, Churchill had warned the House of Commons to expect 'hard and heavy tidings'. After the evacuation was over, Churchill referred to the outcome as a 'miracle' and the evacuation is sometimes called the Miracle of Dunkirk. The British press presented the evacuation as a 'disaster turned to triumph' so successfully that the Prime Minister had to remind the country in his famous 'we will fight them on the beaches' speech to the House of Commons on June 4 that 'wars are not won by evacuations'. There had been heavy losses too: between May 10 and the German armistice with France on June 22, the BEF 'lost' 68,000 soldiers, who were dead, missing, wounded or captured. All the British tanks, well over 400 in total, that had been sent to France were abandoned along with a mass of other military equipment. Six British and three French destroyers were sunk, along with nine other major vessels. In the nine days of Operation Dynamo alone, the RAF lost 145 aircraft including 42 Spitfires. However, the loss of life and military hardware could have been so much worse. Whether historians decide to look upon the Dunkirk evacuation primarily as a defeat or a victory remains open for debate. What is certain, however, is that the bravery of Captain ErvineAndrews over that ten-hour period must never be forgotten. Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC is an international businessmen, philanthropist, author and pollster. For information about his work, including his six books on bravery, visit www. lordashcroft.com. Follow him on Twitter @LordAshcroft In a shocking incident in Delhi's Jagat Puri, people looted mangoes from a hawker amid the coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown. The video of a crowd looting the mangoes from the baskets of a hawker has gone viral on social media platforms. Mangoes worth nearly Rs 30,000 was looted from the man. The incident took place in the afternoon of May 20 and the video shows people flouting the norms of social distancing to get mangoes. It is to be noted that the poor hawker sells mangoes in the area and had an argument with a rickshaw puller that day. When he was asked to move his cart, he pulled it forward and no sooner had he done that, the people passing nearby jumped at the baskets kept under the cart. The video shows people taking arm full of mangoes and throwing away the empty baskets. A man present at the scene made the video. The man, who was looted, filed a complaint against the miscreants. However, the police is yet to find the culprits. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has sent a document to South African schools outlining the standard operating procedure for schools during the COVID-19 lockdown. The document, which was seen by MyBroadband, follows a press briefing by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on 19 May confirming that schools would reopen for Grade 7 and Grade 12 students on 1 June 2020. The standard operating procedure document explains how a number of important issues must be handled. In the document, the government provides an example screening questionnaire from the Department of Health which shows the type of questions that may be asked of learners. These include the following: Do you have a high temperature? Do you have a cough? Do you have a sore throat? Do you have difficulty breathing? Do you feel weak and tired today? Can you taste food and drinks normally? Can you smell normally? If the learner or employee answers all of the questions in a way which indicates a lack of COVID-19 symptoms, they will be allowed to enter the school for a temperature check. If the subject answers any of the questions in a way that could mean they have COVID-19, or has a temperature higher than 38 degrees Celcius, they will become a person under investigation and will be isolated and referred for testing. Schools must also identify a room which can be used to isolate suspected cases and people under investigation by local health authorities. The document states that extra precautions must be taken with learners and staff who have pre-existing conditions and staff who are over the age of 60 with one or more chronic illness. It is advisable that such learners and staff should be allowed to work from home, where possible, states the document. Rules for learners and teachers The document also contains rules for all learners, educators, support staff, officials, parents and communities. Avoid gatherings. Maintain a social distance of at least 1.5-2 metres to others, where possible. Every learner, staff member and visitor must wear a cloth mask at all times. Avoid direct contact with others e.g. shaking hands or hugging. Frequently wash hands with water and soap. Avoid touching the face (i.e. eyes, nose, mouth) with unwashed hands. Eradicate all forms of stigma and discrimination as a result of COVID-19. The document further requires schools to encourage learners to: Wash their hands frequently, always with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Keep their nails and teeth clean. Refrain from touching their eyes, mouth and face. Not share cups, eating utensils, food or drinks with others. Sneeze or cough into a bent elbow or tissue, and to discard the tissue safely in a bin with a lid, then wash their hands immediately. Refrain from teasing anyone about being sick. Share what they learn about preventing disease with their family, friends, and siblings. Tell their teacher or parents, if they feel sick, and to stay at home. Other visitors All visitors, parents, and vendors are not allowed to enter school premises unless the nature of their visit is essential. In such a scenario, they will need to sign a register, wear a face mask, and sanitise their hands. They must report to reception and, with the exception of government officials, must make an appointment and state the nature of their business. Schools must regularly communicate with parents via newsletters, phone calls, SMSs, emails, and other similar methods so that the need to physically meet with parents is minimised. If such a physical meeting is necessary, meetings must be limited to a single parent per learner, and social distancing protocols must be adhered to. What to do if a COVID-19 case is confirmed If a learner or staff member is confirmed to have COVID-19, the school will be contacted by public health officials to identify those with whom the infected person has been in contact. Public health officials, with the assistance of the appropriate staff, will conduct a risk assessment and will provide recommendations on how the situation should be managed. In case a school is not contacted by public health officials, they have been provided with the appropriate provincial official to contact and can alternatively use the NICD toll-free emergency hotline to be referred to the correct person. In most cases, closure of the school will not be necessary, states the document. The decision to close will be school- and context-specific. School administrators will not need to make these decisions, the document states this will be the job of departmental officials. Large event cancellations or school dismissals may be recommended for 14 days, or possibly longer, if advised by local health officials, the Provincial Head of Department, and the DBE, the document states. In the case of staff being confirmed to have COVID-19, they must be granted sick leave, and if they have used up their sick leave, they must be granted incapacity leave and ill-health retirement processes. If an employee is exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, they must be quarantined for 14 days as per regulations and can be requested to work remotely. Hostels All rules and regulations applicable to schools will also apply to hostels. However, the document states that extra caution should be taken at hostels in particular with regards to social distancing and hygiene practices due to the intimate nature of these institutions. All hostel staff must be trained in COVID-19 prevention, and all support staff will need to wear personal protective equipment when on duty. Sanitisers or soap must be available at all entrances, exits, dining halls, and study rooms, and learners must wash daily with warm water and soap. Visits to other boarders rooms are prohibited, and everyone in the hostel will be obliged to wear a mask. Should any learner, teacher, or staff member not feel well, they must immediately be isolated and health services must be informed. Learner transport The document states that the Department of Transport is responsible for all legislation, regulations, licencing, and enforcement when it comes to the transportation of learners to and from school. All of these vehicles will need to abide by the regulations already present for public transport, including: I live in France, more precisely in Normandy. I am writing to you because I just read your article titled Cemetery preserves history of San Antonio area ranching families, published Dec. 21, 2019. I am searching for information about a Martinez family that owned a ranch near San Antonio. I recently lost my grandmother, Marie-Paule Nabucet. When she was young, she worked at the NATO base in Orleans, France, as a secretary, until 1967. Before she died, she revealed to my mother, Sandra, that she was not the daughter of Marie-Paules husband, Louis. My grandmother met him in 1970, and my mother was born July 14, 1967. My mother told me that she had had many doubts (about her parentage) since she was a child, but she never dared to ask her family. Her real father and my real grandfather was an American soldier based in Orleans. His name was Frank Martinez and he was from Texas, where his family owned a ranch and were well known. According to my grandmother, he was born during the 1940s or at the end of the 30s. (She was born in 1942.) He had black hair and brown/black eyes. My grandmother thought they would marry, but he left France before my mothers birth, and my grandmother never heard from him again. (My grandmother told my mother that Frank left a few days after she told him she was pregnant, but we dont know exactly what happened. The base was about to be closed, so he would have left France anyway.) She thought he died during the Vietnam War. (We dont know how she knew it; maybe a friend of Franks told her.) Since I heard about this story, I feel like something is missing. I loved so much my grandfather Louis, but I have to know who was Frank Martinez and what happened to him. My mother wished she had met her father or at least saw a picture of him. (My mothers stepsister has found a picture of my grandmother with a man who might be Frank.) As Im actually trying to have a child, I would like to be able to tell my future baby about my real grandfather. Your article gave me hope because it is about a family that could be the one my grandfather described. I tried to find contact information for the Juana Padilla and Jacob Zimmerle Cemetery Association (administered by members of a Martinez family), but it was in vain. Could you please help me? Cecile Combes Since we first corresponded, you have heard from Alfred Martinez, representing the Padilla-Zimmerle Cemetery Association, and learned that the Frank Martinez who served with the U.S. Army during the mid-1960s in France was not part of his family. Youve also heard from the National Archives and Records Administration, which keeps government documents including military service records. It found one Frank Martinez who is the right age (born in 1943), but the record it provided is sparse only the year of death, 1971, is provided; source of death, residence and information about his beneficiary are blank. Because it includes his Social Security number, I was able to find out a little more online. The first three digits indicate that it was issued in California; I found an Oct. 10, 1943, birth date and that he was a resident of California in 1965. Theres a little more about this Frank Martinez in his death file with the U.S. Veterans Affairs Departments Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem that makes it look as if he couldnt be your grandfather. He enlisted March 26, 1969 too late to have met your mother at the NATO Base in Orleans, which closed in 1967 in accordance with the French withdrawal from the NATO Command Structure. He left the Army on Nov. 9, 1970, and died Sept. 10, 1971; so this Frank Martinez couldnt have died serving in Vietnam. Because Frank Martinez is a common name, Im sharing your story with our readers. If anyone knows of a family member whose age and Army service fit this story, please let them know their French relatives would like to know them. To get in touch, contact this column. STONES UNTURNED: Readers with an interest in the unidentified stone ruins maybe the remains of a mill or the Confederate tannery at the Headwaters at Incarnate Word nature preserve (discussed here May 17) wrote to share information they had come across, with further conjectures about their origins. Gerald Mulvey, chair of the environmental science department at the University of the Incarnate Word, has been researching the legendary Lost City of Avoca and spotted a reference to the ruins in a 2017 report, Archaeological Investigations of the Alamo Dam and Upper Labor Dam, Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, by Clinton M.M. McKenzie, published by the University of Texas at San Antonios Center for Archaeological Research. It quotes earlier studies of the site. The ruin described sounds like the one still extant off St. Brigids Path the remains of a foundation situated across a now-intermittent stream which is a tributary of the San Antonio River interpreted as a mill, as a guardhouse or possibly as part of the CSA Tannery complex. The recent study says that archival research (including Bexar County deed records and a newspaper advertisement) suggests the site is Alsburys Mill, constructed by Hanson Alsbury and Francois Marchant in 1853. Mulvey suggests that it is very possible that this site was used for several purposes during this period, as the social, economic and political conditions evolved. Environmental scientist Gregg Eckhardt, curator of the Edwards Aquifer website, edwardsaquifer.net, shared that one of the earlier studies quoted by McKenzie was The Archaeology and Early History of the Head of the San Antonio River, by Karen E. Stothert. This 1989 report on the part of the Olmos Basin that contains the Blue Hole at Incarnate Word, thought to be the origin spring of the San Antonio River, includes some additional discussion and theories about the stone structure. One is that it could have been built in the early 20th century to be occupied by a watchmen employed by the Sisters of Charity (of the Incarnate Word) to prevent trespass from adjacent Brackenridge Park. Stothert casts some doubt on the Confederate tannery theory, since the ruins are far from the tannerys probable site near the San Antonio Zoo, and notes that while the structure may have been built by the Alsbury family, there isnt enough evidence to indicate that it was a mill. The so-called Old Mill Site, she concludes, illustrates how the interpretation of old buildings can be a problem. historycolumn@yahoo.com | Twitter: @sahistorycolumn | Facebook: SanAntoniohistorycolumn Chernivtsi, Rivne, Lviv, Kyiv, Zakarpattia and Volyn regions are not ready to ease the security measures since they do not meet the criteria of COVID-19 illness toll, the number of beds in hospitals and the number of tests that would allow us to switch to adaptive quarantine at the current stage. As the president's press service reported, a detailed transition to adaptive quarantine was discussed at a traditional meeting on combating coronavirus on Saturday, chaired by President Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers and law enforcement agencies. "Certain mitigations are allowed in other areas, but they are not obligated to this, because the local authorities should look at how much it is possible to implement these measures in a given situation," the report said. The matter concerns the opening of kindergartens, the launch of public transport, sporting events without spectators with the participation of no more than 50 people, religious events with the participation of no more than one person per 10 square meters of the building area, the work of hotels, except for the functioning of restaurants and spa areas in them. "All this is subject to the security measures," the president's press service said. According to the data published on the website of the Ministry of Health on May 23, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Luhansk regions do not meet indicator 3 (testing coverage is not lower than the incidence level, that is, the average number of tests by PCR and enzyme immunoassay over seven days should be more than 12 per 100,000 population). In Volyn, Zakarpattia, Kyiv, Rivne and Chernivtsi regions, the incidence rate 1 was exceeded (the number of new cases of COVID-19 over the past seven days per 100,000 people, which should be less than 12). Chernivtsi region also does not correspond to indicator 2 (the congestion of beds in health care facilities meant for hospitalization of patients with COVID-19 should be at least 50%). Rahul Gandhi's recent video performances offer little hope -- the first fell flat in attacking government 'strategy'; the second showed him in a position unbecoming of a leader, argues T N Ninan. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Any government needs a good Opposition -- to act as a check by presenting the threat of an alternative. For the last six years, India has not had one. The regional parties have been marginalised, coerced into silence or bought over, and the Congress has had poor leadership from Rahul Gandhi. His mother, also his predecessor and successor as party president, appears to be preparing the ground for his return by side-stepping one set of aging, unelectable advisors to appoint another, younger set of the same. And so Mr Gandhi, like Robert Bruce's spider, may try yet again to project himself as a serious, thinking, politician. But, as in the 2019 and 2014 election campaigns, are he and his party misfiring again? As a backdrop, the prime minister's ratings in a couple of opinion polls (assumed to be reliable) have soared to unimagined levels. Many country leaders elsewhere have also seen a bump in their ratings in recent weeks, as did Donald J Trump too until very recently, but none of them on the scale seen for Narendra Damodardas Modi. Only George W Bush enjoyed something similar, immediately after 9/11. People tend to rally round the flag during crises, but the imbalance between Mr Modi and the rest is extraordinary. That is not entirely Mr Gandhi's fault; Mr Modi's skills as a politician devoted to image-building and to presenting failures as successes are formidable. Nevertheless, as Mr Modi approaches the first anniversary of his second government, what price a good Opposition in the foreseeable future? Take a look at Mr Gandhi's two video performances recently. His press conference, conducted remotely, has been trolled for repeated use of the word 'strategic' (and its variants), but his reasoned attack on the government's 'strategy' for tackling COVID-19 was easily countered. Increased testing has not raised the percentage of positive results, the government has already become 'strategically' selective by demarcating red, orange and green zones, and the recovery rate has improved while the death rate remains low. There could be a second wave of infections after the 'pause' of the lockdown, as Mr Gandhi has warned, but we have to wait for that to happen. Mr Gandhi's second video outing saw him in conversation with Raghuram Rajan, with Mr Gandhi asking most of the questions and Dr Rajan responding. This was an odd position in which to place the putative leader of the largest Opposition party, as someone seeking wisdom rather than providing answers or solutions. Dr Rajan has been an informal advisor to Mr Gandhi for some time, but a leader does not present himself publicly in a shishya-guru relationship. It is hard to imagine the leader of the Opposition in any other large democracy choosing such optics. As for the Congress, it scored an own goal by criticising the government's decision to temporarily freeze dearness allowance payments to government employees. The party runs the government in Rajasthan, and is a coalition partner in Maharashtra; both state governments have announced pay cuts. And Manmohan Singh (who voiced the party's criticism on the DA freeze) forgot that he was chief economic advisor back in 1974, when Indira Gandhi froze half of DA increases and placed them in compulsory savings that would be fully reimbursed only over six years. The real problem, though, is that the Congress leadership shows its privileged bias by voicing its opposition in English, to a relatively minuscule audience, while Mr Modi speaks in a mass idiom in Hindi. Jairam Ramesh, Shashi Tharoor, and others like them (including a senior leader like P Chidambaram) may come up with sharp arguments and valid criticisms, but on the political battleground they are snipers, not the cavalry or artillery. And Mohua Moitra shows Priyanka Gandhi what she decidedly is not. If the Congress is to score even with the English-speaking, middle-class audience, it has to come up with answers that make sense when everyone can see that government revenue has sharply eroded. If businesses are to survive in a dramatic recession, they have to lower fixed costs, like wages. Is it asking too much of the Congress to offer criticisms and realistic solutions that recognise such realities? Production: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com United Nations, May 23 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for solidarity and unity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in his Eid message. "Our world is like one body. As long as one part is affected by this virus, we all are affected. Now more than ever, solidarity and unity must be our leading principles," he said on Friday in an interactive discussion with member states representing the Organization of Islamic Cooperation ahead of Eid al-Fitr, which falls on this Sunday, Xinhua reported. He called for solidarity for a large-scale, coordinated and comprehensive health response, guided by the World Health Organization, with a focus on developing countries and vulnerable people. He called for solidarity in tackling the devastating socio-economic dimensions of the crisis -- keeping households afloat and businesses solvent, and prioritizing the most affected: women, older people, children, low-wage earners and other vulnerable groups. He called for solidarity for peace and solidarity in speaking out against the rise in ethno-nationalism, stigma and hate speech targeting vulnerable communities and exacerbating suffering. He called for solidarity to ensure that the recovery from the crisis leads to more equitable, inclusive and sustainable economies and societies that are stronger and more resilient. "As millions of Muslims around the world celebrate, let us draw from the many Ramadan lessons of mercy and compassion, of dignity and rights, of mutual respect and understanding, of unity and solidarity. Let us recognize, above all, that we are indeed one body. One world. And one United Nations," he said. Latest updates on Eid al-Fitr 2020 -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text The Centre has decided to provide additional testing equipment to Bihar in an effort to scale up their testing for coronavirus as the number of infections in the state grew by an average 13% every day in the last one week, officials said Saturday. An empowered group of officers (EG-2), created by the Central government to implement Covid-19 containment measures in the country, has recommended strengthening testing capability at the ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS) in Patna. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage It cleared the decks for equipping the RMRIMS with a Cobas 6800, a high-throughput instrument for conducting real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR), which is a confirmatory test for Covid-19. The instrument will be dispatched from ICMR-Bangalore in a couple of days. The instrument will allow the RMRIMS to test 1,000 samples a day. It is likely to be dispatched in a couple of days from ICMR-Bangalore, said CK Mishra, secretary, ministry of environment, forest and climate change, also the head of the Centres EG-2 on Covid-19. This group looks after medical aspects like testing, hospital preparedness and critical care. The Central government has created 11 empowered groups of officers for Covid-19 management. We have also sent 22 TrueNat machines to Bihar, while also facilitating ICMRs approval to a private testing lab in Patna for conducting RT PCR tests. With these, Bihar will be able to selectively test little more samples, said Mishra. He said the high positivity of cases to samples tested in Bihar was little worrying. Bihars positivity of cases was around 12% as compared to the national average of 5%. However, with increased testing and better contact tracing, the state can do well to contain the spread of the virus, Mishra added. In the last one week, (May 15-May 21), the number of new infections has grown by an average 13% every day, said Bihars principal secretary, health, Uday Singh Kumawat. Bihars case doubling period was eight days (as on May 19) against the national average of 13.28 days. It was testing 466 out of every 1 million people, as of May 21. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has already asked his officers to ramp testing from an average 2,000 to 10,000 per day. The state had tested a total of 2,920 samples on Thursday after eight health facilities in districts were recently equipped with TrueNat and CB-NAAT machines. Seventeen out of every 1 million people have now tested positive for the virus in the state, with the migrants accounting for almost 59% of the states total Covid-19 cases, which was 2,263 on Saturday afternoon. Eleven people infected by the virus have died so far. As of now, the RMRIMS has a capacity to test 800 to 1,000 samples a day. Once we get the Cobas 6800 instrument, we will be able to test 1,800 samples in a day, said its director, Pradeep Das. The instrument requires negative-pressure room (Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms, which help maintain clean conditions). We are talking to different air-conditioning firms and it may take us a week or so to have the system in place, said Das. Meanwhile, the ICMR has given its nod to the Sen Diagnostics Pvt Ltd in Patna to conduct RT PCR tests. This is in addition to the Dr Lal Path Labs in Patna and the Path Kind Diagnostics Pvt Ltd in Patna and Muzaffarpur. We are arranging to have the system functional soon after creating a separate kiosk for collection of swab samples. We will conduct the confirmatory test for 3,000, said Dr Sandeep Sen, director of the Sen Disgnostics. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Members of the federal and state government addressed the Midland community Saturday, May 23, at a press conference, providing an update on where relief efforts are at regarding the flooding events this week. Those in attendance included U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, and Congressman John Moolenaar. In addition, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regional Administrator James Joseph addressed the group of media members at the Law Enforcement Center on Saturday. Together they explained what they had seen in a tour of the area and Sanford earlier in the day stating they had seen not only the devastation but they had been inspired by the community spirit, optimism and morale of Midland County residents. Were all going to pull things together; do whatever it takes to whatever resources are available, were going to all fight certainly, as a federal and a state team to make sure that we are providing resources that are available, Stabenow said. Peters said though an official investigation has yet to take place, this event was completely preventable from his perspective. He said something has to be done to make sure these kinds of disasters never happen again and resiliency must be at the forefront of the rebuilding process. We had dams that were clearly weakened, and folks knew that they could give in a very severe storm, he said. We are now entering a period of human history where were going to see, with climate change, were going to see severe storms more regularly; were going to see the magnitude of those storms increase as well and we need to be prepared. He said federal regulations of privately-owned dams which Stabenow mentioned most in Michigan are privately owned need to be stricter and there needs to be more transparency for residents living near them about the associated risks. When you have a private operator, well have to have regulations to make sure the operator keeps those dams or facilities up to those standards and there needs to be penalties if they dont, Peters said. ... Clearly from this example, it has to be stricter. We had a dam here that was failing for a number of years and was able to continue to fail for a number of years without subsequent action. That cant happen again. Stabenow jumped in and said the owners of the dams, Boyce Hydro, slow walked and fought federal regulators for years. She said these privately owned dams could have been addressed beforehand, if the owner had only stepped up. This is the reason why we need major investments from the federal and state level in infrastructure for the future, she said. Update from FEMA Joseph said his FEMA team arrived in Lansing yesterday to speak with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and today they have begun to look at the damage that has occurred locally. He said in crises like these, the local communities are considered the first responders. I know these are early steps, but were encouraged by the progress thats being made," Joseph said. He explained the emergency declaration signed by President Donald Trump allows for federal resources to provide for assistance in the response phase of the event, however, this differs from a major disaster declaration, which will come with assessment of the damage. However, he said Midland wont see a team of FEMA personnel going door to door to verify the local damage assessments, which would typically occur. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, FEMA will verify a vast majority of the damage assessments virtually, Joseph said. We are not going to stop short of any assessment or any support; however, we will not be going door to door, he said. We are going to respect, No. 1, the cleanup effort that the impacted families are going through; we want to respect their personal space, but we also want to ensure were protecting the health of our FEMA, state and local government employees as well. This will be done with aerial photography and if needed by the couple FEMA employees in Lansing. Joseph clarified that FEMAs assessment is only done after the local and state governments have done their assessment so there will be no stone unturned. Whenever we do an assessment in any community, in any disaster ... were coming to validate assessments that have already taken place at the county or the local level and state level, he said. So, when FEMA comes in, that is not the first assessment. In addition, Joseph said the most important thing is that every individual needs to understand their own preparedness, insurance policies and to gather as much data and documenting on damage as possible. He said the more data that can be provided that shows the extent of damage is whats needed for quality assessments. Its always devastating to me after a flooding event how many people learn for the first time that their standard homeowners insurance policy will not cover the effects of rainwater or flood waters that come into their homes, he said. In terms of immediate relief and support, Joseph said residents should turn to their local community leaders as FEMA and the state government are not considered first responders in crises. Because the water is just now receding, he said a complete idea of what the needs are is still being put together and support from the state and federal government is down the road. Midland County Emergency Management is now taking damage reports for the recent flooding in Midland County. If you are a homeowner, business or non-profit organization that has sustained any damage or loss as a result of the flood, you can complete a report at https://arcg.is/1H00aG. Use the search tool on the map to locate the damaged property before proceeding with the damage assessment form. T he actions of Dominic Cummings has made policing the coronavirus lockdown "much harder", the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner has said. Mr Cummings is accused of breaking coronavirus lockdown rules by making a 250-mile journey to Durham with his family, when his wife had coronavirus symptoms. Downing Street has defended Mr Cummings' actions, insisting he "acted in line with guidelines" and that his journey was "essential" because it related to the welfare of his child. Boris Johnson's chief adviser, who was not ill at that point, has also said he did the "right" thing. In a statement on Saturday, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said "people will now say there is one rule for them and one rule for the Prime Ministers political advisers". The former Labour MP has called for Mr Johnson to sack Mr Cummings to "restore public confidence". The polices job of enforcing the lockdown has been made much harder after both the actions of Dominic Cummings travelling over 260 miles and the flexibility with which the Government now seem to interpret the guidance," he said. People will now say there is one rule for them and one rule for the Prime Ministers political advisers. Dominic Cummings: I behaved reasonably and legally in travelling to Durham Across the country, millions of people are making sacrifices, including scores of police officers and staff who have separated from their families to protect their health and the health of the nation. It seems beyond belief that to justify the breach of guidance they appear to now be questioning the honesty and credibility of Durham Police. The Prime Minster, Boris Johnson, should sack Dominic Cummings forthwith, to restore public confidence and some credibility to his handling of this dreadful Covid-19 crisis. A snap poll by YouGov found that 68 per cent of Brits think Mr Cummings broke coronavirus rules by taking his family to Durham, while 52 per cent think he should resign. Dominic Cummings pictured on Saturday / AP The survey of 3,707 adults, carried out on Saturday, showed just 28 per cent think he should stay on, with 20 per cent on the fence. Meanwhile, the poll revealed Conservative voters were split over whether he should retain his position, with 41 per cent of those who responded saying he should quit while 43 per cent want him to remain as senior adviser to Boris Johnson. Chris Curtis, political research manager at YouGov, said: These are clearly troubling numbers for the Government and Mr Cummings. "The public already thought that the Government was too hasty in lifting parts of lockdown and its likely they will be even less impressed if key public figures are perceived to have broken rules they think are not strict enough. Of course, the Government will be hoping everyone quickly moves on from a story about a relatively unknown adviser, but its going to be tough when the public thinks he was wrong and that he should go. UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures 1 /38 UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures Londoners returning to work near London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Cyclists travel in central London AFP via Getty Images Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Alan Price on his Penny Farthing this morning on Battersea Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Delivery men are seen outside a reopened McDonald's with take-out only deliveries in Dalston Reuters Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Worlds End Nurseries in Chelsea opens for business. Customer Nika Kucifer is shown flowers by Janson Lotery Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn People ride bicycles in a cycle lane in Chelsea PA Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases. Nigel Howard Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Vehicles are seen on the M56 motorway near Manchester, Reuters Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Monty's first day back. West Highland Terrier Monty commutes to work on his bike on his first day back with owner Darragh McElroy. Monty, who's Instagram account is @monty_whitehall_westie, works at the Cabinet Office in Whitehall with his owner Darragh who is Deputy Director of Coronavirus Communications at the Cabinet Office Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn A commuter wears a mask at Canning Town station Reuters Rush hour on the M6 at the junction for Birmingham/Walsall on the first morning of the eased Coronavirus lockdown PA Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen on a London Underground tube, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease Reuters Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen at Stratford station, Reuters Cyclists in Chelsea today. Nigel Howard Speaking to reporters outside his house on Saturday evening, Mr Cummings said he will not be considering his position. "Obviously not," he told journalists. "You're not going to consider resigning? The public are probably very angry," one reporter asked. He replied: "You guys are probably as right about that as you were about Brexit - remember how right you all were about that?" It comes as Grant Shapps suggested it is up to each individual to decide how best to follow lockdown measures, as he joined a chorus of support for Mr Cummings over his trip during lockdown. Facing a deluge of questions at the Downing Street daily briefing about whether Mr Johnson's chief aide had flouted the Government's own guidelines, the Transport Secretary insisted people should adhere to the rules "to the best of your ability" but that there might be times when "not all these measures will be possible". The minister said he didnt know the personal circumstances of the Cummings family that prevented them seeking help closer to home, as opposed to travelling to Durham. He said: As we all do in moments of crisis, we always seek to have our family, those who can assist us around us and I think thats all that has happened in this case." PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-23 01:56:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 525 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Members of the United States Armed Forces take action every day for the betterment of the American people; Newswire invites veteran-owned businesses to share news of a new business or project this Memorial Day at no cost and support them in any way possibleNEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 22, 2020 / Memorial Day may look a little different this year in our local communities, as self-quarantine policies may result in a few less barbecues and social gatherings. But for many active members of the United States Armed Forces, this Memorial Day will be much like ones in the past - a day spent serving their country and defending the freedoms of the American people.Newswire Extends Thanks and Gratitude to Veteran-Owned and Supported Businesses on Memorial Day"Memorial Day is a day in which we thank these people for their sacrifices. Many will spend this day separated from their family, friends, and loved ones. They do this for us, the citizens of this country. At Newswire, we want to give back to the veteran community with our thanks and with an offer for free press release distribution at no cost to help share their story to the world. They deserve the help and support when launching a new business and announcing new projects," said Charlie Terenzio, Newswire's VP of Earned Media Advantage Business.Newswire announces press release distribution at no cost for veteran-owned businesses and those who support veteran owners to enhance their brand awareness, drive traffic to their site, and increase overall sales. Serving the needs of customers and the community they reach, Newswire provides an integrated media and marketing communications platform that allows meaningful stories and news to be shared across many channels."You really can't summarize in words the strength that our veterans show on a daily basis, and I would argue that that assessment is only amplified given the current circumstances," said Terenzio. "We try our best to give veteran business owners the products and services that they will need to ensure that their media, marketing, and communications campaigns run smoothly." Rated No.1 in customer satisfaction, Newswire continues to excel in industry with its best-in-class platform and customer service by providing businesses a cost-effective media and marketing solution to support their sales and marketing efforts.If you are a veteran-owned business or your business support veterans, connect with the Newswire team at 1-800-713-7278 to learn more about the Memorial Day invitation at no cost to lend a helping hand for your next campaign.About NewswireNewswire delivers press release and multimedia distribution software and services (SaaS) that empower the Earned Media Advantage: greater brand awareness, increased traffic, greater return on media and marketing communications spend and the competitive edge. With over a decade of experience, Newswire continues to provide its customers with the ability to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time through the right medium. To learn more about how Newswire can help you, visit http://www.newswire.com Contact InformationCharlie TerenzioVP of Earned Media Advantage BusinessNewswireOffice: 813-480-3766Email: charlie@ newswire.com SOURCE: Newswire ROANOKE If wind turbines are allowed to tower up to 680 feet into the sky from a Botetourt County mountaintop, they would be higher than the tallest ones currently in the United States. But should the countys board of supervisors approve a request from Apex Clean Energy to build up to 22 modern windmills as tall as a 50-story building, it wouldnt necessarily set a new record. Thats because at least three other wind farms with even higher turbines are likely to go up before Apex completes its renewable energy project, according to Ben Hoen, a research scientist with the U.S. Wind Turbine Database. Others, in addition to the Rocky Forge Wind Project atop North Mountain, are in the works. So, although these heights sound enormous (and they are undoubtedly very tall) they are not unique, Hoen wrote in an email last week. Green energy advocates say the latest technology allows taller turbines to more efficiently generate electricity from the wind, reducing carbon pollution from the burning of fossil fuels. Opponents counter that the bigger they are, the greater the problems with noise, shadow flicker, harm to wildlife and spoiled scenic views. All the negative impacts of the towers just got a whole lot worse with the 680 -foot height, Tenney Mudge of neighboring Rockbridge County told the Botetourt County Planning Commission during a public hearing earlier this month. The commission voted unanimously to recommend that the board of supervisors change its ordinance regulating wind farms and amend Apexs special exception permit to allow for turbines up to 680 feet tall. When the board first granted approval in 2016, it was for 550-foot tall turbines. A public hearing on the matter is scheduled for the supervisors meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Going big Currently, the tallest operating onshore turbines in the United States stand at 654 feet at the Big Level Wind Project in Pennsylvania, according to Hoen and the American Wind Energy Association. Apex said it has data to indicate there are 660-foot tall turbines in Missouri and North Dakota. The average turbine built in 2019 was 494 feet tall. However, more and more projects are choosing taller towers and longer blades to access stronger, steadier winds and open up new areas for development, such as Virginia, the association said in a written statement in response to questions from The Roanoke Times. Rocky Forge would be the states first onshore wind farm. The Federal Aviation Administration has approved more than 300 turbines in three projects yet to be completed that are higher than 680 feet, ruling that they would not be a hazard to passing aircraft, Hoen said. One is for 699-foot turbines in Illinois. Hoen is a research scientist who leads the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in maintaining the turbine database. The American Wind Energy Association and the U.S. Geological Survey also are involved in the project. There are more than 3,000 turbines taller than 680 feet that are currently under consideration in 18 states, he said. When Apex first proposed a wind farm in Botetourt County, elected officials welcomed the additional revenue it would bring in addition to its contribution to the green energy movement. The board of supervisors drafted an ordinance to regulate utility-scale windmills, and in 2016 granted Apex a special exception permit that allowed it to build up to 25 turbines no higher than 550 feet. But the Charlottesville-based company struggled to find a buyer for the approximately 75 megawatts of electricity the wind farm would produce, and an isolated 7,000-acre tract for the project north of Eagle Rock sat largely undeveloped. Then, late last year, Dominion Energy agreed to purchase the electricity and then sell it to Virginia as part of a renewable energy package that will also include solar power. The agreement was billed as a way to help Virginia meet its goal of getting at least 30% of the electricity consumed by the states agencies and executive branch from renewable sources by 2022. A few weeks later, Apex requested that Botetourt County allow the turbines to be up to 680 feet tall. One way that turbines have become more efficient is by getting taller and having bigger rotors; these changes allow them to collect more energy from the wind, Apex spokeswoman Natasha Montague wrote in an email last week. As wind turbine technology improves, it is possible to produce more energy from a smaller number of turbines. Furthermore, these technological improvements are allowing new areas of the country to take advantage of the economic development opportunities associated with wind energy generation facilities. Apex told the county that it will build no more than 22 turbines at a height of up to 680 feet. But the towers may not be that tall, it says. And depending on the final height, fewer than 22 could be needed to meet its energy production goals. In response to questions from the planning commission at its May 11 meeting, development manager Charlie Johnson said the number could range from 13 to 18 if the turbines are built 680 feet tall. An exact number is tough to nail down at this point, he said. County staff issued a report that expressed concerns about the lack of specificity with regards to the turbines models and heights. The planning department proposed changing the county ordinance and amending Apexs special exception permit, but said it did not endorse the move. Opposition sharpens Plans for the wind farm have been met with less community opposition in Botetourt than in other localities, perhaps because its location along 3.5 miles of a ridgeline is far from populated areas. The project is backed by the Roanoke chapter of the Sierra Club, the Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition, the Virginia Conservation Legacy Fund and Conservatives for Clean Energy, among other groups. Supporters outnumbered opponents by more than 2-to-1 at a board of supervisors meeting in 2016. But with the increased heights, opposition appears to have sharpened. Eric Claunch of Eagle Rock says an analysis by Virginians for Responsible Energy shows that the turbines would be visible from McAfee Knob in Roanoke County, a popular spot on the Appalachian Trail about 27 miles away. The irony is that in the interest of attempting to protect the environment, the siting of this project does the opposite, with repercussions far beyond the county, Claunch said. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, however, has not opposed the project. From my perspective, given the distance ... its difficult for me to see how this is an A.T. issue, said Andrew Downs, a Roanoke-based regional director of the conservancy. Computer simulations done for Apex show the wind farm would not be highly visible in many parts of Botetourt County. Even with the taller turbines, its a pretty minimal change to the eye, Johnson said. Although the simulations did not include areas as far away as McAfee Knob, the consultant who did the work said it was unlikely the turbines would have a visual impact on the landmark, according to Montague. Supporters say taller turbines are needed to spur wind energy development in Virginia, where the wind is not as strong as other states that have had wind farms for decades. A height of 680 feet is on the tall end of the spectrum, according to Jeroen van Dam, a principal engineer for the National Wind Technology Center, but is not unrealistic. Apex says it hopes to complete its wind farm by the end of next year. New approvals are also needed from the FAA and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. When DEQ approved the project the first time, it found that the spinning blades could be a hazard to flying bats. Apex agreed to turn the turbines off at night during the warmer months, when bats are most active. Of all the turbines built last year, 38% ended up being smaller than their permitted height, Hoen said. Other proposed projects never got off the ground earlier, including several attempts in Southwest Virginia. And, again, there are a number of irons in that tall-turbines fire in the U.S., he wrote in an email, so who knows what will happen in the next few years. A veteran Aboriginal art centre boss allegedly exploited the artists he represented in a remote far north Queensland community. Brett Evans is accused of carrying out deceptive art deals while chief executive of the Mornington Island art centre between 2011 and 2014. Indigenous artist Sally Gabori's colourful and expressive abstract paintings are held in collections around the world. He was charged with 35 counts of dishonesty following an investigation by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC). "Exploitation of Indigenous artists is a chronic blight on the art industry," Registrar Selwyn Button said on Friday. By William Schwartz | Published on 2020/05/21 On May 20th Kim Hee-sun made an Instagram post featuring photos of the actress at her surprise birthday party. In her social media posting. Kim Hee-sun thanked her friends for their spy-like diligence in making the party happen. Lee Min-jung and Lee Joo-yeon are among the celebrities identifiable in the posts, alongside several personal staff members who Kim Hee-sun mentions by name. Advertisement In general the post is not particularly remarkable save for the setting. The party appears to have taken place in a custom designed party car, going by the peculiar seating. Consequently, Kim Hee-sun was praised by commenters for taking COVID-19 social distancing guidelines into account and avoiding areas where large numbers of people could be expected to traffic. Such concerns have been especially pronounced following a recent secondary outbreak centered around clubs in the Itaewon district. However, this praise turned to bitter criticism once it was revealed that the party actually took place in a cafe in the Chungdam neighborhood of Seoul that was simply designed to look as if it were a custom designed party car. Further clarifications to the effect that guests only stayed long enough to drop off presents and take pictures and that the party only last about half an hour has done little to abate further criticism on the topic. Written by William Schwartz Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal In a phone call from the Santa Fe Penitentiary, Vincent Delara tells his wife that if hes going to die, he would rather die at home. Currently behind bars on a probation violation, the 43-year-old suffers from diabetes, sleep apnea and autoimmune deficiencies. My husband, if you were to look at him youd probably say hes not afraid of much, Kim Delara told the Journal. But hes been in tears a few times, its just hard. And hes not the only one going through this. Many prisoners are in fear as COVID-19 cases among detainees, at least 149 as of Friday, surge in state and federal facilities across New Mexico. And some local attorneys and advocates say they believe the number is actually much higher due to limited testing, lack of protection and crowded facilities. Officials at the New Mexico Department of Corrections say they are boosting testing and protocols to prevent the spread in their prisons but the agencies that oversee the federal facilities U.S. Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have remained largely mum on the issue. As of Thursday, the New Mexico Department of Health reported 108 cases at federal facilities and 41 at state prisons. The lions share of cases among detainees are concentrated in Otero County with 66 at the ICE Processing Center and 79 at the neighboring Prison Facility. The Prison Facility, which houses federal and local detainees, has 39 cases among federal detainees and 40 among state detainees. Of other federal facilities, there are two cases at the Cibola County Correctional Center and one at the Torrance County Detention Facility. There is also one case at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility, a state prison, in Valencia County. There were also five positive cases among staff members at state facilities, two at Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center and one each at Otero Prison, Western New Mexico Correctional Facility and Guadalupe County Correctional Facility. Plan to test all inmates State prison officials say they are doing their best. Eric Harrison, a New Mexico Corrections spokesman, said the department is boosting prevention measures across the board and trying to lessen the risk at Otero County Prison, the epicenter of the outbreak. To that end, 39 inmates were moved from the facility, after being tested, to the Santa Fe Penitentiary to make more room available at Otero Prison. Harrison said all inmates and staff at Otero have been tested in the past week. Some results are pending. All inmates who tested positive have been separated into a designated COVID-19 unit. One has been hospitalized in El Paso and, so far, the rest are asymptomatic and under medical observation. Harrison said to protect the other 10 facilities from a similar situation every incoming inmate is automatically tested and quarantined. NMCD is working with the NMDOH toward a goal of testing all inmates statewide over the next few weeks. He said inmates were given a reusable cloth mask three weeks ago, but NMCD is planning to hand out a second round of masks. Staff are required to wear protective gear and will be continually screened and tested as time goes on, with Harrison calling the process a long term thing. The staff are the ones that could pose the threat to the inmates, they could be the ones bringing the virus, he said. But I think that our staff has done a good job, and they really care about the well-being of the inmate population. Positive cases in solitary Attorney Margaret Strickland called testing protocols at the Otero County Prison Facility unfathomable and may be resulting in unreported cases. Strickland, former president of the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, said her client a federal inmate with underlying medical conditions has headaches and trouble tasting and smelling. Up until recently, he shared a pod with those who tested positive. But, she said, the facility wont test him until he has a fever. He tells me the same is true for others, Strickland said. Everybody in the jails and prisons shouldve been tested by now, weve got the tests. She said federal detainees are also wary of being tested as positive cases are placed in solitary confinement units usually a form of punishment since the medical units filled up. Strickland said a priority should be on releasing those accused of nonviolent crimes. The No. 1 concern is jail reduction for anybody that can get out of jail, people were not afraid of, people who arent violent, Strickland said. Like many attorneys, Strickland is trying to get her client out of the facility on a GPS monitor and other conditions. She said few have had success. It is tragic that so many detainees are being forced to live under very dangerous conditions during the pandemic, she said. The pandemic is another highlight of the high price we pay for our broken criminal justice system. I hope we get some relief soon. They kept it crowded Joachim Marjon, an immigrant rights attorney, said its been radio silence from ICE officials in charge of the Otero County Processing Center. Marjon, who works with the American Civil Liberties Union, said they reached out to local and federal officials in February about their plans to prevent an outbreak at the facility. We basically got stonewalled, he said. The governor expressed desire, empathy, but said that she had no power to act on it. Since then, Marjon said they have filed lawsuits asking for the release of three medically-vulnerable detainees. One has since been released. But Marjon said he receives calls from dozens of detainees at the facility describing the crowded conditions, flimsy cloth masks and a lack of hand soap. Those inside say the positive cases that get taken to medical have not returned with no word on their fate. They are people that are terrified, he said. They want the world to know what is going on. Since the outbreak, Marjon said the facility has released some people on monitoring and release conditions, but he doesnt know how many. Either way he said it was too little too late. We saw it coming and they kept it crowded, transferred people from different facilities and dormitory to dormitory he said. Every time youre exposing new people into these environments, its like exposing bacteria into a petri dish. DHS to conduct review In April a letter was sent from all five members of New Mexicos congressional delegation demanding a review from the acting director of ICE after an employee and detainee tested positive at the Otero County facility. A spokesperson for Sens. Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall said the delegation never received a response to that letter, but a second letter, sent April 28 to the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General, did garner a response. The DHS said it would conduct a review and remote inspection of ICEs efforts managing the pandemic at its facilities with plans to release a final report this summer. A joint statement from Heinrich and Udall called the response a good first step and said they expect the IGs review to be fully transparent and thorough. And we will be closely watching to ensure that ICE follows OIGs recommendations to protect the health and safety of the detainees, facility staff, and of New Mexicos communities, the joint statement read. Unrelenting kindness in the face of seemingly insurmountable limitations Not Rated | 1h 46min| Biography, Drama | 28 July 1962 (USA) The 1962 production of The Miracle Worker is based on an autobiographical work by Helen Keller that she wrote in 1902, titled The Story of My Life. This cinematic version is itself the re-creation of a Broadway play that debuted in 1959 (also titled The Miracle Worker), which was penned by screenwriter William Gibson. Directed by Arthur Penn, the film certainly opens on a dramatic note. New parents Captain Arthur Keller (Victor Jory) and his wife, Kate (Inga Swenson), are tending to their newborn daughter, Helen, who is ill. Things go from bad to worse for the baby, as her severe illness has rendered her both blind and deaf. Kate lets out a blood-curdling scream when she first realizes this horrifying fact, in a gruelingly long camera take. At 7 years old, Helen (Patty Duke) is spoiled by her parents and older brother, James (Andrew Prine), as they try to deal with the enormous stress due to her condition. For instance, in one scene, Helen walks around the dinner table, and while her family members chat, she grabs food from their plates and stuffs her mouth with it. As Helen begins to become increasingly combative and disruptive of her familys affairs, they decide to hire a teacher to help her learn how to communicate. They employ an Irish immigrant by the name of Annie Sullivan (Anne Bancroft), who was originally blind herself (she still has to wear dark-tinged sunglasses in order to protect her eyes), in the hopes that the teacher will make some sort of breakthrough with their daughter. Battles of Will Things get off to a rocky start when the Kellers more genteel Southern ways brush up against Annie, who is a strong-headed young woman with pragmatic sensibilities. And things dont let up from there; the Captain and Annie increasingly butt heads as wife Kate plays a more neutral role between the two. When Helen makes little progress, the Captain suggests to his wife that they fire Annie. Captain Arthur Keller (Victor Jory) and Annie Sullivan (Anne Bancroft) increasingly butt heads. (United Artists) Meanwhile, attempting to teach Helen has become increasingly difficult for Annie to handle. Like most children her age, Helen is starting to rebel. This is compounded by her inability to effectively communicate, which in turn makes her lash out, sometimes violently. The only thing that brings a smile to Helens face is her little doll. Helen Keller (Patty Duke, L) is frustrated and unable to understand what her teacher (Anne Bancroft) is trying to communicate to her. Her brother James (Andrew Prine) watches. (United Artists) As things get more challenging and relations between Annie and Helens parents become increasingly strained, the parents discuss sending Helen away to an asylum. That thought is quickly put to rest after Annie reveals that she spent part of her youth in an asylum, and breaks down how horrible it was for her. The Kellers decide to keep Annie on, at least for a little while longer. But Annie has some rules of her own for the family to follow; if shes going to continue helping Helen, her family are to stop doting on her and let Annie take full charge. The Captain is taken aback by Annies fierce determination, but she convinces him to arrange for separate lodgings for both Helen and herself so that she can more effectively instruct the child. The rest of the film is centered on Helens initial resentment of Annie, resulting in a battle of wills, and the latters indefatigable patience in trying to reach her. Annies kind stubbornnessher tough loveeventually leads to some breakthroughs that are both tear-inducing and exhilarating. Helen (Patty Duke, L) in the moment that she understands the sign-language sign for water, as taught to her by Annie Sullivan (Anne Bancroft ). (United Artists) The message that the film makes is that simple acts of kindness, strict discipline, and a herculean amount of grit can sometimes be all that it takes to affect others in positive ways. Beautifully shot and ably helmed by Penn, The Miracle Worker is also helped along by its two main actresses, Bancroft and Duke (relative no-names in the film industry at the time), who were completely immersed in their roles as the struggling yet determined teacher and her impaired student, respectively. In lesser hands, the roles could have easily been overacted and come off as smarmy and needlessly sentimental. The two have such organic chemistry together that they light up the screen whenever theyre on it. Helen Keller (Patty Duke L) surrounded by her parents, Captain Arthur Keller (Victor Jory) and Kate (Inga Swenson), in an emotional moment. (United Artists) This is a supremely positive piece of cinema that is not only deeply moving and emotionally stirring, its also not too self-important or preachy. The Miracle Worker Director: Arthur Penn Starring: Anne Bancroft, Patty Duke, Victor Jory Rated: Not Rated Running Time: 1 hour, 46 mins Release Date: July 28, 1962 (USA) Rated: 4 stars out of 5 Ian Kane is a filmmaker and author based out of Los Angeles. To see more, visit DreamFlightEnt.com or contact him at Twitter.com/ImIanKane Long-term care facilities have emerged as the epicentre the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Rates of COVID-19 infections have been disproportionately worse than in other developed countries. In Ontario, over 1400 care facility residents, and a number of front-line staff have died. Care-home residents account for more than eighty-per cent of the total COVID-19 fatalities. The situation represents an unprecedented catastrophe in the history of the province. This week the Ford government seemed to acknowledge the severity of the situation. The government announced its intention to establish a commission to examine the long-term care sector and make recommendations for reform. Details regarding the commissions composition and mandate have yet to be determined. But the Premier was clear in his remarks on May 19, that it is not to be a judicial inquiry along the lines of those called into the Walkerton drinking water disaster, SARs epidemic, or Wettlaufer nursing home murders. The governments proposed commission falls far short of what is being demanded by the families of long-term care home residents, staff, experts on long-term care, and the legislative opposition. It also falls far short of what is needed in response to the scale of the disaster that has unfolded in the long-term care sector. It is already painfully clear that the long-term care sector was hopelessly unprepared for a pandemic. That was despite earlier experiences with SARs, long-standing warnings of the likelihood of similar global outbreaks and concerns over staffing practices raised by the Wettlaufer inquiry. COVID-19 situation has made it is clear that a fundamental rethinking of care models for the most vulnerable members of society, including, staffing, funding, oversight and inspection practices and the roles of for-profit operators in the system, is essential. A formal judicial inquiry is the only appropriate mechanism to investigate a tragedy of the magnitude that has occurred in the sector. Unlike the kind of informal commission apparently being proposed by the government, a formal inquiry, established under the Public Inquiries Act, and led by a sitting or retired senior member of the judiciary, would have the ability to require access to documents and compel testimony on the part of key actors in the decisions and events surrounding the long-term care sector. Those tools will be essential to establishing the facts around the COVID-19 situation, and an understanding of the roles, actions and motivations of the individuals and organizations involved. They are also fundamental to ensuring that those who made decisions, and those who were in a position to influence and oversee those decisions, have to explain their actions and choices, on the public record, before victims and survivors. As was demonstrated in the Walkerton case, the credibility of the inquiry process helps to ensure that governments carried through on the inquirys final recommendations. At the same time, the existence of an inquiry does not, as the premier seemed to assert this week, prevent government from implementing measures in the short term to address immediate needs and gaps in the sector. A formal inquiry can provide another critical function that an informal commission cannot. In cases where there have been significant injuries, illnesses or losses of life, inquires can make significant contributions to the grieving and healing processes of survivors and the families of victims. The act of establishing a formal inquiry is itself a public acknowledgement of the significance of the events and losses that have occurred. Perhaps even more importantly, inquiries provide a structure for survivors to give meaning to their losses specifically in making sure that there is a full public understanding of what went wrong, and what steps can be taken to prevent anyone else having to suffer the same tragic outcomes. The decision on whether to call a formal inquiry into the long-term care sectors handling of the COVID-19 pandemic is a test of whether the provincial government really meant what it said about an iron ring of protection around the care-home sector. And whether it really is prepared to learn from past mistakes and take steps to make sure they are never repeated. Willamette Valley Vineyards in Turner is bringing cutting-edge ultraviolet light technology to bear on a problem faced by many Oregon wineries: how to reopen their doors while protecting employees and customers against coronavirus. Willamette Valley Vineyards has been closed to the public for 66 days to comply with Gov. Kate Browns Stay Home, Save Lives Executive Order. When Brown approved Marion Countys move to begin their Phase 1 reopening on May 22, the winery had a plan with a Space Age twist to safely welcome back customers. The visible portion of Willamette Valley Vineyards coronavirus program includes separating tables a minimum of six feet for seated tastings, limiting the size of parties and utilizing outdoor spaces. What visitors will not see when they visit any Willamette Valley Vineyards facility, or tasting room is the ultraviolet light motif recently introduced by Bernau. My research led me to conclude ultraviolet light is a powerful weapon against the coronavirus. We know it can kill this thing, Bernau says. Jim Bernau, the founder of Willamette Valley Vineyards, is getting the Turner winery ready to welcome customers back. (Photo by Michael Alberty) Bernaus research led him to install the Air Scrubber Advanced with ActivePure Technology in all Willamette Valley Vineyards facilities and tasting rooms, including their Tualatin Estate Vineyard in Forest Grove. The total cost of the installation performed by Gagles Heating in Salem was $30,000. The ultraviolet light air filtration system is made by Aerus Enterprise Solutions in Dallas, Texas. Aerus began as Electrolux in 1924, but they have clearly moved well beyond vacuum cleaner technology. The system is installed in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ducts of a building. Oxygen and water molecules in the air enter into the system and pass through ultraviolet light and a filtering system called the Coated Honeycomb Matrix. Aerus claims those molecules are then converted into superoxides and hydroxyls, which are pumped back into the room. There they will seek and hopefully - destroy common bacteria and viruses in the air and on surfaces. Dave Thomas, Aerus regional vice president, says the laymans term for those super-charged molecules is friendly scrubbers. An entry on a NASA website describes the process in greater detail. Called ActivePure Technology, and commercially available since 2013 as the Air Scrubber Plus, the key to its function is a proprietary blend of reactive metals added to the original titanium dioxide coating. When exposed to ultraviolet light, these metals mix with the surrounding air and humidity to produce charged clusters of hydrogen and oxygen such as hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyls, and superoxide ions, which are antimicrobial agents also found in nature. We have always wanted a safe environment for our employees and guests at Willamette Valley Vineyards. These days we just have to be a little more creative, Bernau says. -- 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. SPRINGFIELD A major expansion of voting access for the 2020 general election is headed to the desk of Gov. J.B. Pritzker after the Illinois Senate overwhelmingly passed the measure Friday. After more than an hour of floor debate, the upper chamber passed Senate Bill 1863 by a 37-19 party-line vote. Three Democrats Jacqueline Collins, of Chicago, Robert Martwick, of Chicago, and Pat McGuire, of Crest Hill did not vote. The bill, which Pritzker has said he supports, expands mail-in voting for the Nov. 3 general election in anticipation of social distancing and other restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic that will make in-person voting more challenging. The bill requires Illinois local election offices, by Aug. 1, to mail or email vote-by-mail ballot applications to any voter who cast a ballot in 2018, 2019 or 2020, as well as voters who registered or changed addresses after the March primary. Bill proponents estimate 4.8 million people will receive applications. The bill also states that by Sept. 15, the secretary of state must send a notice to people who received an application but have not yet returned it. Completed ballots would be returned via mail or in new collection sites, that would consist of boxes placed in locations at the discretion of local election officials. As for voting in person, the bill would allow local election authorities to implement curbside voting, in which voters can drive up, be handed a ballot and fill it out in their cars. SB 1863 would also expands the existing Election Day a state holiday for state employees to include public schools and universities, but only for the 2020 election. The collection site and curbside provisions are optional for local clerks. They would also have the option to facilitate early-voting hours for people with certain health conditions. Among the issues that Republican senators raised to state Sen. Julie Morrison D-Lake Forest, the bills lead Senate sponsor, were costs, input from county clerks, the security of collection sites and ballot applications being sent automatically and, in some cases, by email. State Sen. Paul Schimpf, R-Waterloo, took issue with a provision that allows citizens as young as 16 to be election judges. Morrison said that is to make up for an expected decrease in elderly judges, many of whom did not show up during the March primary because of safety concerns. We lost a great number of experienced election judges who are retired and older people who quite simply have a great deal of hesitation now in performing those election duties that theyve enjoyed for so many years, Morrison said. She added it is also an excellent way for us to engage the younger generation in our government. Schimpf also argued the bill creates a system with significant costs that are unnecessary given that Illinois already allows any citizen to vote by mail. He added it would also place a significant burden on local election authorities, whom he also argued have not been able to offer enough input. The Illinois State Board of Elections filed a fiscal note saying that if the bills provisions are fully implemented by every local election authority, it would eat up every dollar of the more than $16.7 million the state will receive from the federal CARES Act for elections. House sponsor Rep. Kelly Burke, D-Evergreen Park, however, said during floor debate on Thursday, that ISBEs estimate is extremely generous because she does not expect every election office to implement every provision. Voting on legislation has been different for the Senate during this weeks special session as lawmakers practice social distancing. Senators have had to come to the floor in groups of 10 to vote, a process that takes slightly longer. Pritzker threw his support behind SB 1863 on Thursday, saying during his daily briefing that it balances voting access with available resources. Im very much in favor of making sure that everybody gets a ballot who is eligible to vote and then returns that ballot, he said. The measure passed the House of Representatives 72-43 on Thursday evening after a nearly three-hour debate that featured Republicans grilling Burke. Multiple GOP representatives expressed their concerns over the collection box system, for example, which Rep. Lindsay Parkhurst, R-Kankakee, argued could lead to voter fraud. Theres not enough checks and balances, theres not enough security, theres not enough integrity to this ballot-harvesting drop-box system, she said. To address security concerns related to the optional collection sites, Senators passed House Bill 2238 on Friday before debating SB 1863. That trailer bill would, among other things, require collection boxes to be locked and opened only by election authorities. It also requires ISBE to establish additional guidelines. The trailer bill will need to be passed by the House in order to go to the governors desk. SB 1863 applies to only this Novembers general election. The charge sheet, filed earlier this month, named as accused Rana Kapoor, his wife, daughters and three firms associated with them among others. Mumbai: A special court in Mumbai on Saturday took cognizance of the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Yes Bank scam and issued summons to the bank's co-founder Rana Kapoor and seven other accused. The charge sheet, filed earlier this month, named as accused Rana Kapoor, his wife, daughters and three firms associated with them among others. After taking cognizance of the offence, the special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act issued process (summons) against the eight accused, ED lawyer Hiten Venegaokar said. The accused have been asked to appear before the court on 5 June, he added. The ED has already arrested Kapoor who is now in judicial custody. The agency has pegged the proceeds of the crime in the case at Rs 5,050 crore. It is primarily investigating Kapoor, his wife and three daughters over Rs 600 crore received by a firm allegedly controlled by them from an entity linked to the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL). Kapoor, his family members and others got benefits of Rs 4,300 crore through companies controlled by them as kickbacks for sanctioning huge loans, the ED has alleged. He is also accused of receiving bribes for going easy on loans given to a few big corporate groups that had turned into non-performing assets (NPAs). The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is also probing a related case. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) Workers in industries allowed to resume operations amid quarantine need not request travel authority to be allowed past checkpoints, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reminded on Saturday. "Kung kayo po ay papasok sa trabaho, all you need to show to the police is just your company ID or kung anong dokumento na nagpapatunay na kayo ay nagttrabaho sa isang industriya na pinapahintulutan ng IATF na mag-operate," DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said in a Laging Handa virtual press briefing. [Translation: If you are coming to work, all you need to show to the police is just your company ID or any document proving that you are working in an industry which the IATF (Interagency Task Force) has allowed to operate.] Such workers will allowed past checkpoints if their company is included in the list of establishments allowed to re-open, added Malaya. "Hindi po kayo kailangan humingi ng travel authority. Ang mga travel authority ay para po yan sa stranded invididuals," he explained. [Translation: You don't have to ask for travel authority. Travel authorities are for stranded individuals.] Millions of employees returned to work on May 17, a day after the modified enhanced community quarantine took effect in Metro Manila, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Zambales, Angeles City, and Laguna. Several nonessential sectors have been allowed to operate again in these areas, provided the observation of safety protocols, including one-meter distancing between employees, the wearing of face masks, and temperature checks. With all parts of the country under community quarantine, checkpoints are stationed nationwide to ensure quarantine rules are observed. For the DMK, V P Duraisamys exit by itself may not make for much change in the partys electoral victories in the western belt, where he comes from and which has remained the DMKs weak spot. Much of the western belt votes and seats have been with the AIADMK for long. It is also one and possibly the only region in Tamil Nadu where the dominant backward class Vellalar Gounder community and the labour-class Dalit-Arundathiyars are on the same political side in electoral terms -- with the AIADMK. Hence Duraisamys exit will in no way upset the poll scene in western Tamil Nadu, says N Sathiya Moorthy. IMAGE: V P Duraiswamy (right) being admitted into the BJP on May 22, 2020, in Chennai. Photograph: Courtesy, Tamil Nadu BJP on Twitter. By inducting sacked Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam deputy general secretary V P Duraisamy into the party a year ahead of the state assembly elections, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre is not going to gain a great electoral foothold in Tamil Nadus western region. If his personal voter-pull was any indication, Duraisamys presence as one of the two deputy general secretaries of the DMK should have helped the substantially in his native Namakkal district in the West, where the party has remained weak for decades now. On the eve of Duraisamy signing in as a BJP member, in the presence of state party chief L Murugan and party veteran L Ganesan -- no relations -- in the state Kamalalayam headquarters in Chennai, DMK boss M K Stalin divested him of the deputy general secretarys post. That followed Duraisamy paying what he said was a courtesy call on Murugan, that too a couple of months after the latter had taken over as state BJP president. That meeting also took place at Kamalalayam, a couple of kilometres from the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam, but popularly known as Arivalayam since the days of late patriarch M Karunanidhi, who built it and christened it in full. The nation was in "safe hands" with the BJP, Duraisamy said after joining the party. You can protect the country if you accept the BJP's ideology." Duraisamy declared that the chose to tread a different path, adding, "When those in the DMK deviate from the core ideology from which the movement emerged, what's wrong if I quit (the DMK). Duraisamy did not explain -- especially where and how the DMK deviated from the core ideology -- nor did he define what the latter either was. Only the previous evening after Stalin had replaced him with another Dalit-Arundathiyar party leader, Andhiyur P Selvaraj, as deputy general secretary in his place, Duraisamys statement said that the DMK had allowed himself to be misled/manipulated by those around -- and against him. He did not talk of ideology, he did not say that the nation was in the safe hands of the BJP at the time. Duraisamy is not the first DMK leader -- or, from the larger Dravidian polity with their sharp anti-Hindutva and anti-North political ideology -- to join the BJP. In 2014, D Kumaresan, popularly known by his filmi name Napolean, signed up for the BJP. That owed to continuing personal differences with his brother-in-law and DMKs strongman in undivided Tiruchi district, K N Nehru. Nehru promoted Napolean in Tamil filmdom through his contacts, as the other one desired it. He inducted and promoted Napolean in politics because he needed a loyalist. Napolean was the minister of state for social welfare in the UPA-II under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, from 2009-13. In the process of continuing family feud with the more powerful brother-in-law Nehru, who was/is a Stalin loyalist, Napolean identified himself with the latters estranged elder brother M K Azhagiri, who anyway had been sacked from the party after the DMK lost the 2011 assembly polls the midst of the 2-G scam that rocked the state and the nation alike. Napolean joined the BJP in the presence of then party president Amit Shah in Chennai, and was promptly name a vice president of the state party. He has since spent most of his time in the US, attending to his sons health issues. Likewise, Radha Ravi, the popular-actor son of M R Radha, the Dravidian ideological Pitamaha in the Tamil tinsel world of the 40s and the 50s joined the BJP recently, after the DMK sacked him over a controversy flowing from his negative remarks about women in general. For the state BJP, it all had begun with the arrival of the late Rangarajan Kumaramangalam, who went on to become a cabinet minister in the Vajpayee-led BJP-NDA government at the Centre after the 1998 polls. Ranga, as he was popularly known, remained as minister after the 1999 LS polls, too, until early death took him away in August 2000. A former Congress leader at the national level, who was a compatriot and competitor to present-day Rajya Sabha member P Chidambaram, who was also PM Manmohan Singhs senior ministerial colleague, Ranga owed his electoral victories to the AIADMK (1998) and DMK (1999) allies. The BJP did not have many votes in the Tiruchi LS constituency from where he won both times, nor did his tracing the family ancestry to the locality mattered in contemporary electoral terms. For the BJP, Rangas visibility both in the state and national-level mattered, as much as his political pedigree. Rangas grandfather, Dr P Subbarayan, was the elected chief minister of Madras Presidency (1927-30), under the British Raj. Subbarayan was also the last president of the Justice Party in the second half of the 30s, the party identified as the fountainhead of the Dravidian social justice ideology. One of Subbarayans sons and Rangas father, the late Mohan Kumaramangalam, was a top ministerial aide of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and is remembered more for his coining the terminology committed judiciary in the years ahead of the infamous Emergency (1975-77). As if this were not enough, Subbarayans daughter Parvati Krishnan was a leading light of the communist party movement in the country. It is not that the DMK was the only Dravidian party from which the BJP effected such poaching. From the rival AIADMK, even when Jayalalithaa was around, the partys one-time Tirunelveli strongman and one-time state minister, Nainar Nagendran, joined the BJP in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. The BJP fielded him in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Ramanathapuram constituency, where Nagendran did not belong. In the company of the erstwhile AIADMK ally, he lost to the DMK-backed Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) candidate V Navaskani by a margin of over 1.27- lakh votes. It was also among the low victory margins for the DMK-Congress alliance, which swept 38 of 39 LS seats by huge margins. Ahead of the assembly polls due next May, for the state BJP, the addition of Duraisamy is not an electoral asset by itself. But the new party president Murugan can flag him as a big catch, especially to the national leadership, which took time naming him, months after the previous incumbent Tamizhisai Sounderarajan was elevated Telangana governor, post haste after the parliamentary polls last year. As Duraisamy explained his courtesy call before the DMK divested him of the party post, the two of them hail from the western Namakkal region. Both of them also come from the Dalit-Arundathiyar sub-sect, which is numerically substantial in the western belt. In terms of education and employment, they are still in the lowest rung among the three major Dalit sub-sects in the state -- the other two being Adi Dravidars (North) and Devendra Kula Vellalar, DKV (South). A clear idea about the state BJPs acceptance of Murugan, who is otherwise seen as a stranger and rank outsider to the partys politics in Tamil Nadu, will emerge only after normalcy is restored post-Covid. For the DMK, Duraisamys exit or even Selvarajs elevation by itself may not make much change in the partys electoral victories in the western belt. Other than in electoral waves in its favour, as in 1996, 2004 and 2019, the western belt has remained the DMKs weak spot. Whatever votes the Congress party had in its time has migrated towards the BJP since the post-Coimbatore blast polls of 1998 -- then, stagnated or decreased. Much of the western belt votes and seats have been with the AIADMK for long. This time round, despite the AIADMK-BJP combines huge reversal in the LS polls last year, the assembly polls, especially in the region, have become a prestige issue for Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), who hails from Salem district in the west. It is also one and possibly the only region in the state, where the dominant, backward class Vellalar Gounder community and the labour-class Dalit-Arundathiyar are on the same political side in electoral terms -- with the AIADMK, that is. While the DMK has been trying its best to make inroads into the twin-community combo-hold of the political rivals, it had not borne fruits when Karunanidhi was around. It is true that the DMK did win the post-MGR 1989 assembly polls on its own steam, but much of its seats continued to come from the Vanniar-strong northern belt, where the presence of the PMK has ensured a loss of five per cent vote-share for the two Dravidian majors put together -- but much of it otherwise going to the DMK. They need a few (more) seats from the west, also to make up for the losses, but that is not happening in any hotly-contested poll. Hence, the DMK first making Duraisamy deputy speaker of the state assembly, first from 1989-91, and later in Karunanidhis last term as chief minister (2006-11). He was also made the deputy general secretary. As if to balance the local Arundathiyar politics in the western belt, the DMK nominated Andhiyur Selvaraj, a former state minister (1996-2001), for one of the three Rajya Sabha seats that the party could win in a total of six in March this year. Yet, the fact remains that despite the presence of two supposedly strongmen from the community in the region, the DMKs vote-share from among the Arundathiyars has not improved through the past years. Worse still, Karunanidhis chief ministerial announcement to provide a three-per cent internal share for the Arundathiyar community from within the constitutionally-mandated 17 per cent for all Dalits in the state, too, did not impress the community voters. Sections within the state DMK has blamed the community-based DMK leaders for not carrying the message effectively to the grassroots-level. Thus, other than making headlines for a day amidst Covid-centric news, in the state and somewhere in the national media, the current defection is not going to make any electoral impact. Conversely, should the BJP tie up with the AIADMK in the assembly polls, then the chances of the former insisting on retaining the maximum number of constituencies in the region in seat-sharing talks can upset Duraisamys calculations on that score. In between, considering that the Modi government is going to be here for at least until the 2024 LS polls, intended defectors from other parties to the BJP will be seeing the kind of treatment and postings that Duraisamy gets before considering their options. For other sections within the state BJP leadership, that will also be indicative of president Murugans clout with the national leadership. N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and political analyst, is Head-Chennai Initiative, Observer Research Foundation. She is the 39th Premier of Queensland who is at the ready with a trick for those struggling to spell her surname. It is P, A, L, A, Sydney Zoo, Canberra Zoo, UK. Until Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young gave the green light, the states borders would remain closed to interstate visitors without an entry pass. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is not for turning. In a week when so many weighed in on whether the state should reopen its borders, the leader held firm and vowed to only heed the counsel of one. The Queensland Premier is the granddaughter of a Polish migrant who fled Europe after WWII and landed in Australia, seeking to carve out a better life for his family. His first stop was the Wacol migrant camp before settling in Inala a vibrant multi-cultural suburb 15 kilometres south-west of central Brisbane with a typical weekly household income of about $850 - where he remained until his death. At night he would read encyclopaedias to find out as much as he could about the world. He did not have any opportunities for education when in his early adult years he was in a German slave labour camp. He installed in my father a strong sense of education. My father became a schoolteacher before entering this House. He then passed those values on to me, she said in her maiden speech. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with her parents Henry and Lorelle on election night in 2017. Credit:Dan Peled/AAP Palaszczuks father Henry was a long-time Labor MP, serving as the Member for Archerfield from May 1984 to September 1992 and the Member for Inala from September 1992 to September 2006. He took on a range of ministerial portfolios from communities to mines during his time in Queensland Parliament. A suspended Asbury Park cop who said he suffered years of discrimination and retaliation is suing to get his job back. Kamil Warraich, the departments first Pakistani-American and second Muslim officer, was repeatedly called Taliban and terrorist by colleagues, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in state Superior Court in Monmouth. Supervisors passed him over for promotions while advancing white colleagues, according to the suit, and his attempts to raise concerns drew him into a bureaucratic nightmare that ultimately led to his demotion and an involuntary disability retirement. Mr. Warraich was a trailblazer who wanted nothing more than to serve the people of Asbury Park, David Castellani, one of Warraichs lawyers, said in a statement. Unfortunately ... Mr. Warraich faced a hostile work environment created by people within the APPD who did not want to see a dark-skinned police officer. Warraich was fired last summer, which he believes was part of a retaliation campaign against him because he had flagged problems within the department. (Police officials said he racked up multiple disciplinary charges and failed a fitness for duty test, which he disputes, according to the complaint.) The suit also accuses city officials and the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office of mishandling his complaints. Representatives for both declined comment, and a spokesman for the police department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Warraich first joined the department in 2004, according to online pension records, and he was hired full time about three years later, according to the complaint. During his tenure he both held prestigious positions and was accused of insubordination," according to the lawsuit, and officials repeatedly ignored rules and regulations whenever he said he was being treated poorly. After he and other minority officers were kept out of union activities, he and almost a dozen predominantly black officers formed a new union last year, according to the suit and an announcement from the states Fraternal Order of Police. The one white cop who joined them was called a race traitor by other officers, according to the complaint. Warraich also accused his predominantly white colleagues of targeting minority communities and using excessive force against residents, and he said supervisors encouraged officers to sometimes hide when they used force. Warraich was an outlier when it came to force. The former officer previously reported using restraints, pepper spray and other types of force more than almost any other cop in New Jersey, according to The Force Report, an NJ Advance Media analysis of five-years-worth of data. No other Asbury Park officer reported using more force from 2012 through 2016, and only ten officers statewide reported higher numbers. During that period, 87% of the people Warraich used force against were black, a larger share than the department. I only used force when it was justified and absolutely necessary," Warraich wrote in an email sent by a spokesman. His numbers were high because of his work on a gang unit, he said, and they stood out because colleagues didnt always report when they used force. Furthermore, the color of someones skin was never a factor for me when using force, he said. The lawsuit asks for lost wages and his reinstatement as a lieutenant, among other requests. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Warraich was fired. He is on paid leave pending hearings in his involuntary disability retirement. Staff writer S.P. Sullivan contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BCunninghamN. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips. There have been many, many pandemics throughout the ages. Most killed many thousands of more people than COVID-19. Compared to so many others, this one is relatively nominal. Never before has a global, let alone the American, economy, been shut down this hard. Why this? Why now? Because the American left sees an opportunity. So infected with hatred of President Trump are they, that the destruction of the nation is not too big a price to pay to see him defeated. This is all part of their plan: Destroy the middle class, the small business people who are the American economy, institute a permanent, dependent underclass that will vote for them in perpetuity, and their absolute power will be secured. Thats their strategy. It has been their agenda for decades. COVID-19 is their dream come true; the more deaths, the happier they are. They actually believe that this master plan will win over the American people. That is how dumb they think we are. They have nothing but contempt for all Americans outside of their elite club of self-appointed rulers; rulers in the medieval sense of the word. They mean to control our daily lives and they are, at the moment, revealing just how anxious they are to do just that. Governors Andrew Cuomo, J.B. Pritzker, Tom Wolf, Gretchen Whitmer, Gavin Newsom, et al have all revealed their absolute contempt for their own citizens by treating them like errant children unable to act in their own self-interest. These state leaders have so easily, so willingly leapt into the role of absolute ruler we should all be very afraid. It is shocking how malleable their subjects are. Based on totally false predictions, thoroughly wrong computer models that predicted mass death, millions of them have willingly sacrificed their basic, essential constitutional rights on the arbitrary whims of these wanna-be dictators. For over a hundred years progressives have made common cause with their communist brothers-in -arms. The proletariat is to be used and abused by their betters of a self-appointed elevated class with stature unattainable for the working class. This is what our predatory left is all about. Does anyone think for one minute that Nancy Pelosi or Chuck Schumer cares one bit about the American people? They do not. We are mere pawns in their game of seek and destroy; seek the means of our destruction and destroy our means of survival. That is why they have zeroed in on this pandemic as a long-awaited opportunity. They are the fox-hunting royalty, we are the foxes. They think that this time theyve caught us and that our president will be driven from office as they continue their relentless attacks on him, blaming him for the virus. That is how little regard they have for the sixty-three million of us who voted for this president. They loathe us with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns. (Cheers.) We are unworthy. Conservatives have long been the prey of the left. On CNN and MSNBC, ABC, CBS, etc. we are maligned 24/7 by Democrat activists who hold court on those not-news outlets seven days a week. The mind-numbed hosts on those outlets, virtually indistinguishable from one another, spew their venom to their blinkered viewers and purposely omit reporting any news that may reflect poorly on their side of the aisle. Their viewers still think Trump colluded with the Russians to steal the election from Hillary Clinton. They still think Gen. Michael Flynn is guilty of something that should land him in prison. They still think Hillary Clinton deserved the presidency. That is how deluded, how ignorant, those who limit their news input to CNN, MSNBC, the NYT and the WaPo are. In short, they know nothing but what they think they already know, what they choose to believe is true. Like Joe Biden, they choose facts over truth. Like Joe Biden they are unable to discern the difference between facts, truth, propaganda and outright lies. They choose to be ignorant. So the predators are not so smart but the prey has long been far too trusting, too easily manipulated, too afraid of the predators. Why did fifty-one House Republicans retire before the 2018 election? Because they were cowards, as cowardly as field mice, the most submissive prey in the animal world; all they do is hide. We hardly need to name names; there are too many to list but Paul Ryan and Trey Gowdy come to mind. This much is true: The media governs this country by fiat. The Democrat establishment justifiably relies on their media partners in crime to inculcate and mesmerize a long-indocrinated public. The media dutifully reports what their Democrat bosses require them to publish. How else could the wholly fabricated Russia-collusion hoax have been so successfully wrought upon the public? This was the most egregious, most treasonous crime ever committed in America. The predators successfully effected a monstrous crime on its credulous prey. Had those fifty-one Republicans who retired had the courage of any convictions, they would have retained the House. They are all traitors to their party. President Trump is and remains a hero to the Americans who elected him. He is not prey, he is a natural predator. He was elected to drain the swamp but even he had no idea just how deep, or how corrupt, that swamp was and is. It is positively depraved; think James Comey, John Brennan, James Clapper, Peter Strzok, Andrew McCabe, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Adam Schiff et al. Trump has been fighting corruption each and every day since he was elected in an attempt to bring America back to what it was before Obama fundamentally transformed it and our law enforcement institutions were polluted. Obama weaponized the federal government, made them something like the Soviet KGB, FSB or the East German Stasi. The damage done by the Obama administration is incalculable. Trump was elected to undo that damage. Despite the full power of the left media against him every minute of every day, he has prevailed. He revived the dormant Obama economy to glorious heights only to be sabotaged by the despicably wrong computer models Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx used to shut down the America s lifeblood its small businesses, and many large. Trumps only mistake was believing them. We can be sure he knows better now. He needs the nation behind him now to fix the damage done by this cabal of so-called experts who were wrong on every level. He is the first president since Ronald Reagan to truly love America and the people who make it great. It is time for the sleazy, malevolent Democrats to become the prey of all Americans. Vote them all out of office for they do not have our best interests at heart. Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of public domain sources. Could SJR in Scandinavia AB (publ) (STO:SJR B) be an attractive dividend share to own for the long haul? Investors are often drawn to strong companies with the idea of reinvesting the dividends. On the other hand, investors have been known to buy a stock because of its yield, and then lose money if the company's dividend doesn't live up to expectations. With SJR in Scandinavia yielding 9.8% and having paid a dividend for over 10 years, many investors likely find the company quite interesting. We'd guess that plenty of investors have purchased it for the income. Remember that the recent share price drop will make SJR in Scandinavia's yield look higher, even though recent events might have impacted the company's prospects. Some simple analysis can offer a lot of insights when buying a company for its dividend, and we'll go through this below. Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis OM:SJR B Historical Dividend Yield May 23rd 2020 Payout ratios Companies (usually) pay dividends out of their earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, the dividend might have to be cut. Comparing dividend payments to a company's net profit after tax is a simple way of reality-checking whether a dividend is sustainable. Looking at the data, we can see that 109% of SJR in Scandinavia's profits were paid out as dividends in the last 12 months. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, from the perspective of an investor who hopes to own the company for many years, a payout ratio of above 100% is definitely a concern. While the above analysis focuses on dividends relative to a company's earnings, we do note SJR in Scandinavia's strong net cash position, which will let it pay larger dividends for a time, should it choose. We update our data on SJR in Scandinavia 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. SJR in Scandinavia has been paying dividends for a long time, but for the purpose of this analysis, we only examine the past 10 years of payments. The dividend has been cut on at least one occasion historically. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was kr0.25 in 2010, compared to kr1.60 last year. Dividends per share have grown at approximately 20% per year over this time. SJR in Scandinavia's dividend payments have fluctuated, so it hasn't grown 20% every year, but the CAGR is a useful rule of thumb for approximating the historical growth. Story continues So, its dividends have grown at a rapid rate over this time, but payments have been cut in the past. The stock may still be worth considering as part of a diversified dividend portfolio. 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. Over the past five years, it looks as though SJR in Scandinavia's EPS have declined at around 7.6% a year. A modest decline in earnings per share is not great to see, but it doesn't automatically make a dividend unsustainable. Still, we'd vastly prefer to see EPS growth when researching dividend stocks. We'd also point out that SJR in Scandinavia issued a meaningful number of new shares in the past year. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective. Conclusion Dividend investors should always want to know if a) a company's dividends are affordable, b) if there is a track record of consistent payments, and c) if the dividend is capable of growing. We're a bit uncomfortable with its high payout ratio. Earnings per share have been falling, and the company has cut its dividend at least once in the past. From a dividend perspective, this is a cause for concern. To conclude, we've spotted a couple of potential concerns with SJR in Scandinavia that may make it less than ideal candidate for dividend investors. Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For example, we've picked out 4 warning signs for SJR in Scandinavia that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our curated list of dividend stocks with a yield above 3%. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. President Donald Trump announced Friday he has deemed churches and other houses of worship essential in the United States and is calling on governors across the country to allow them to reopen this weekend despite the ongoing threat of the coronavirus. Gov. Phil Murphys office told NJ Advance Media that church services in New Jersey will remain limited despite the presidents call, though Murphy and Trump had a productive talk about the issue Friday. Trump, a Republican, made his announcement during a hastily arranged press conference at the White House, where he didnt take questions. Today Im identifying houses of worship churches, synagogues and mosques as essential places that provide essential services," the president said. Trump said if governors dont abide by his request, he will override them, though its unclear what authority he has to do so. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage Indoor church events have been limited to 10 people since Murphy issued stay-at-home orders to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the governors office said. That prohibits typical services but does allow for small gathering and bible studies. Alyana Alfaro, a spokeswoman for Murphy, said Trump and Murphy on Friday had a productive discussion on the need to continue to move forward intelligently regarding religious services as New Jersey continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Governors orders will remain in effect, this matter continues to be under serious consideration as New Jersey moves toward Phase 2, Alfaro added. Murphy, a Democrat, said earlier this month churches can also hold drive-in services if worshipers stay in their cars. And on Friday, he announced the state is increasing its limit for outdoor gatherings from 10 to 25 people including for churches as signs continue to show the outbreak is slowing here. Murphy on Monday outlined a multi-stage plan for reopening New Jersey and said the state is currently in Stage 1. He did not provide hard dates for the next two stages to begin and stressed the state needs to move responsibly to make sure cases and deaths dont surge again. New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has reported at least 10,985 deaths attributed to COVID-19, with at least 152,719 cases, since the outbreak began March 4. Only New York has more deaths and cases among American states. Officials reported 146 new deaths and 1,394 new positive tests in New Jersey on Friday. A reporter Friday asked White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany what authority Trump has to override governors. Youre posing a hypothetical, though, McEnany responded. "Youre assuming that governors are gonna keep churches shut down and keep mosques shut down and keep synagogues shut down. That is a hypothetical question. Well leave it to these faith communities to reopen. Soon after President Trump said he will "override" governors to open places of worship, McEnany says this is "hypothetical" and it's "up to the governors" https://t.co/Nj065CIsxp pic.twitter.com/UsGW0eqAQI CBS News (@CBSNews) May 22, 2020 Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White Houses coronavirus task force, said faith leaders should speak with local health departments about reopening and that people with high-risk factors in places with a high number of cases should consider waiting awhile. Maybe they cant go this week, Birx said. But, she added, there is a way to social distance in houses of worship. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had prepared a draft of reopening guidelines for churches and other houses of worship weeks ago that included measures like maintaining distance between parishioners and limiting the size of gatherings. But that guidance had been delayed for more than a month by the administration until Trump abruptly changed course Thursday. I said, You better put it out. And theyre doing it, Trump said Thursday at a Ford Motor Co. plant repurposed to make ventilators in Michigan. And theyre going to be issuing something today or tomorrow on churches. We've got to get our churches open. Trump on Friday stressed the importance of churches in many communities and took issue with some of the businesses that had been allowed to reopen. Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential but not churches, he said. Its not right. So Im correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential. These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united. The people are demanding to go to church and synagogue, go to their mosque," Trump said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. On the Frontline Against China, the US Coast Guard Is Taking on Missions the US Navy Can't Do Competition with China has drawn more Pentagon resources to the Pacific, but the most visible U.S. military presence there... A new Meals on Wheels service has been rolled out in Carnew. A collaboration between staff at Carnew Community Care and a group of volunteers, the service was set up in mid-March in response to coronavirus. While long-term residents at Carnew Community Care remain in their homes, the centre's day care service had to close its doors to comply with social distancing guidelines. However, the HSE asked Carnew Community Care to find ways to provide a meal service to older members of the community who were cocooning. Meetings took place and the new Meals on Wheels venture was put in place to respond to the needs to those in the community who were cocooning. The take away meal service provides a main course, soup and dessert in sealed containers that can be re-heated. Meals are prepared by staff of Carnew Community Care with around 60 to 68 meals prepared a day. They are then delivered by volunteers to homes in Carnew, Coolboy, Tinahely and Shillelagh and the surrounding rural areas on Mondays to Fridays. Councillor John Mullen, who volunteers with the service, said that funding has been secured from the HSE to keep the wheels turning for several months. 'Volunteers are delivering meals to Carnew, Coolboy, Tinahely and Shillelagh. We've secured some HSE funding for the project until the end of August. The aim is to support older people who may be cocooning or more vulnerable members of the community.' Meanwhile Carnew GAA will also be raising funds for Carnew Community Care this weekend as players and club members aim to complete at least 1,000 km on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24. The Annual Summer Bazaar, which is one of Carnew Community Care's main fundraisers, cannot go ahead this year. The centre's boutique charity shops in Carnew have also had to close their doors during the Covid-19 outbreak. Players, club members and those in the community who wish to support the fundraising event are asked to run, walk or cycle whatever distance suits best to help them reach their goal of 1,000 km and log it on their Facebook page. Carnew GAA is aiming to raise 5,000 for the service. Donations can be made on Carnew GAA's Facebook page or via donation boxes in Osbornes Centra and Candys Costcutter in the town. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > COVID Crisis and Cultivation: Looming Agrarian Disaster in India by Annapurna and Navneet Sharma Which scientist or doctor is not secretly praying for a miracle? Which priest is not secretly, at least submitting to science? Arundhati Roy The covid -19 and ensuing crisis, in all domains of human life whether social, political or economic is going to be a juncture where the life, empathy, development and harmony will also be studied in pre and post covid phases. This humongous crisis will also have its impact on the basic requirements for life, food and water. Food and hunger will mean different in post covid world. Similarly, running water and its availability to wash hands frequently to combat corona spread will also be seen differently post this pandemic. The lockdown and its essentially elitist nature is going to affect the idea of food, food production and its distribution and the severest impact will be borne by farmers. The food growers in our country may get more dis-enchanted with farming or may commit suicide in more numbers. This disaster and Indias preparation or rather no preparation will write a new chapter on deprivation in India and unfortunately farmers will be the centre piece in this. In this article we are going to focus on how this covid spring will be a bane for farming and cultivators and we also dread to imagine how it will influence the future of agricultural production consumption and distribution in India. It has been no less than a miracle that the farmers in India produce bumper harvest despite the utter laggard of the system of the distribution and consumption but it is only the science of agriculture which can uplift the situation of the farmer the most. It is the time of year when there is a harvest ready to be reaped and further processed and sold. It is when the field is prepared for the next crop. The mandis brim with the harvest and is the time to reap money as a reward for the hard labour which the farmer has put in through the year. But this covid - 19 and the consequential lockdown will have a different kind of influence on agriculture and farmers and will also create new domains for deprivation. It is ironical that India, a Krishi Pradhan nation, wherein agriculture contributes seventy five percent of the countrys GDP. The two-third population of the country with farming as a profession interwoven into their lifelines are not able to successfully challenge the pandemic whose only solution is going organic. Farmers always strive hard over whatever the available resources are available with them to get a higher yield from last year in a hope for a better future. But thanks to covid, the farmer is struggling hard for even getting the half of the investment they made while growing the crop. Vagaries of vegetable farming There are vagaries of vegetable production. For diversification and reaping more benefits, a farmer grows vegetables, but to their dismay, if their crop ever survives long to reach mandi, either the demand of that vegetable plummets or supply is more in respect to demand. This year is no different. The overall vegetable production this year is estimated to be on a significant rise from 183 million tonnes in 2018-19 to 188 million tonnes in 2019-20. The raised production of vegetables this year would obviously have incurred more labour more money and more hopes. Though in normal days it would have been a great achievement but it has became a problem for the growers for lack of sale, supply and transportation due to covid lockdown. There are estimated increases in the production of potato and tomato from 50 to 52 million tonnes and from 19 to 19.32 million tonnes respectively this year as compared to previous year. Tomato is being sold at 2 rupee per kg at farmers end while in metros people are paying 60 rupees for a kg of tomato which only reflects the uneven distribution and transportation, benefiting neither the producer not the consumer but the middleman. Onion grown in Maharashtra has lost its market either for fear of covid or because of the lock down. The production of Onion was estimated to rise above 24 million tonnes compared to 23 million tonnes in 2018-19. Last year the prices of onions skyrocketed up to 160 rupees per kg and this year it crashed to 20 rupees per kg in Maharashtra. One can imagine the whole sale rates for onion and what farmers would be getting for their produce. Onion still continues to make eyes teary as price is raised in other states while farmer is not able to access the mandi. Cabbage and cauliflower have the same fate being sold at 1rupee for a kg in mandis. Broccolis being sold at 10 rupees per kg, for pea growers, no markets are there after covid cases were reported from Azadpur mandi - the biggest mandi of Asia. The vanished demand from restaurants, catering firms, hotels, public gatherings has seen the prices plummeting. Though the raised demand of super foods like garlic and ginger could not help the growers make any profit but losses fall in their share only. The rumours claiming their origin from World Health Organization claimed that the cabbage consumption has been forbidden for their content of covid virus. And that vegetable intake ensures the maximum stay of the virus in the body. Traders have stopped taking calls from cabbage growers. Farmers had to cull the whole cabbage crop in the field itself for getting no takers for their produce. The vegetable produce is seasonal and cannot be stored for long either due to their high perishable nature or costly storage mechanism and no access to it. The farmers even who are out of the debt net have to sell their produce at lower prices or simply have to throw it on the street or feed it to their cattle. This cash-strapped farmer will be pulled into the debt net and then the sordid story of deprivation and death will haunt the farmer again. Fruition of fruits Fruit farmers have no different story to tell. This year due to favourable weather conditions, farmers are expecting a bumper mango crop after two consecutive years of losses up to fifty percent. In such circumstances, heavy losses even after a bumper produce are estimated for this King of fruits too as there is no export, no processing and no transport. At the peak season for mango, as per APMC reports, one lakh boxes are received everyday and the export estimates to about forty percent of the total produce. This covid story is all set to make the mango market suffer too. Hence, sharp fall in prices of fruits like mango and banana that is, which were being sold at six rupees per kg a week ago. Banana harvest commences from March and continues till august. The Jalgaon bananas are mainly exported to Gulf countries, but during this crisis, traders are not ready to give more than four rupees for a dozen of banana. Farmers cannot hold it back owing to its very high perishability. All eating joints, fruit juice vendors, restaurants, hotels, commercial, social and religious places being in standstill or locked down have crashed the fruit consumption. It is unfortunate that farmers growing fruits cannot see the fruition of their hard work into rich dividends. Fruits like pomegranate, grapes and banana which are major produce from Maharashtra have got stuck as the lockdown came into effect. A young farmer committed suicide just after the day he reported a snap in the supply chain. Being the first case in the row, we hope not to hear any more deaths due to distress. With the apple season arriving, the losses are to get manifolds as getting right prices and a proper sale of their produce is the biggest challenge for apple growers. As apple travels long distances and this is a preferred fruit and readily consumed fruit year round in both upper and upper middle class in India. The proverb An apple a day keeps doctor away has made people from even lower middle class people preferring it over other seasonally available fruits in the market. To arrange the packaging material for apple packing and their supply is a big challenge in front of the growers. Crops like grapes, guava and strawberry are very remunerative crops for farmers but they are being fed to cattle for being perishable. Grapes in a bumper crop are a waste as there is no transportation and no chemicals and resources for their processing into raisins. Similar being the case for all such fruits. A calibrated approach on lifting the interstate labour movement is necessary for preventing further losses in seasonal fruits. Neither Oil nor Grain Wheat and oilseeds farmers cannot have a sigh of relief. The record production of 326 million tonnes of food grains and oilseeds is waiting for harvest in the fields. Because of the lockdown, no labour is available and neither transport nor mandi. Desperate farmers have to sell the Mustard at a price as low as thirty four rupees per kg while Chick pea in Maharashtra is being sold at twenty five rupees per kg, which is very lower than the government announced procurement prices. Farmers are asked to hold the harvest and to store the harvest with them till 20th April. But majority of the farmers in India are resource poor. They have to vacate the field for the next crop. They do not have storage facility for such huge quantities and above all there is a threat of sudden spell of hail storm and rains if the produce is left in the field or in open. The procurement of seeds for next crop is yet another question and no one knows from whom to seek the answer. The impact is yet to come to picture say in November - December when the kharif sowing reports will be generated. The lack of resources and funds for next sowing and even the inability to sustain life and food for self and family makes farming distressful occupation. Agricultural economy has been badly hit by the pandemic. India has been first in exporting Cashew, dairy and spices and second in food grains and horticultural produce, but despite increased production, the unavailability of labour and transport has marred the process of its export, sale and consumption. Though the government has taken some steps as it could realize the urgency for requirement of transport for perishables and has prioritized their smooth flow but losses would be estimated in long run but the further policies need to be worked out for the free movement of agricultural produce and food. Agriculture and food industry is the largely impacted. The crash in food processing industry is experienced because of the lack of labour and supply chains. Crashing farm gate prices for export oriented food like mango, pomegranate, grapes and sea food have put the sector in deep distress. The crash of major export items like tea, spices, meat, mango which have a major market in Europe, China, US have created a great stress to the people associated with export of such items. Unto the blossoms The tale of sorrow does not end here. Floriculture being the worst hit amongst all farming sectors amidst lockdown. The zero returns on huge investments have ruined the florists. It does not take only water for the flowers to bloom. Growers are seen feeding their colourful blooms, pink desi roses, carnation, jasmine, marigold to cattle, dumping them in waste pits, making compost of them. Flowers are rotting and stinking as they dont enjoy the status of essentials in the lockdown. The labour intensive process of harvest is crucial as leaving the flowers on plant eventually impacts the productivity of the plant and it takes at least six months to prepare a new productive plant. There are many villages in Bengaluru, Ujjain, Chennai, Pune and many other such parts of country that are solely dependent on floriculture have incurred huge losses. Farmers who expected a bountiful jasmine crop with forty percent increase in production this year from last year whose production was to commence from mid march have suffered a great loss. Jasmine crop continues for three to four months starting from march and under current scenario this season, the crop is lost. Some exotic flowers like lilies, gerberas, miniature roses which can be cold stored for a month, too shall not be of much use as immediately after the lockdown is raised, no social, religious or other events will commence. Losses to floriculture sector in one month have been estimated more than 250 crore rupees. In Haryana a bumper lily crop was grown by a farmer for the upcoming marriages season is now under dilemma that whether what to do with the beautiful crop in the green house, as he is left with the only option to feed it to the cattle. While the nations hues and cries amidst lockdown, all religious places are closed, no religious gatherings, no social function mark a severe impact on the floriculture sector. Indian Floriculture industry estimated worth 188.7 billion in 2019. Flowers being an integral part of Indian lives and are consumed for various purposes ranging from social to aesthetic and religious. Growing western influences have given it a regular market. The lockdown has brought every such opportunity to an end. Karnataka being the leading state around 30000 hectare area under flowers, followed by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana. Cotton cultivation always has its own share of pain. This only crop of Vidarbha, is now dependent on MSP only as exports and private buyers are not among the players this year. China contributing a major purchase will not be importing cotton from India this season. The Prime Minister Kisan Scheme has offered an advance payment of 2000 rupees along with a moratorium on loan repayments all this seems insufficient in such circumstances. Rumours raise the toll. As the talk of consumption of garlic and turmeric raising the immunity levels against corona, haunts the galleries of social media, it may have or have not hiked the profit of the growers but the one that has brought the existence of many poultry farms under threat, had nothing to do with the pandemic. An estimate says that the poultry farms with 1500 birds will vanish from the market. No wonder that poultry farm owners are bound to cull their birds for not having enough to feed them till this indefinite lockdown continues. Losses are estimated above 1000 crores in this sector since last one month. On the other hand, feed prices are anyway falling in such areas where the stocks are stuck due to lack of transport for the lockdown. Soon after this pandemic came to news, people stopped eating animal food. More than half of the total maize and soybean produced in the country in consumed by the poultry sector. Even after FSSAIs report that non vegetarian food sources have no proof of spreading the disease and that the Government of India has listed animal food under the essential items category still the fate of the poultry farmers has not changed. In some states still sale of animal food is banned. Dairy too is no exception. As unlike crops which yield twice a year, cattle being a regular source of income for about seventy million rural households, they need a daily regular market which also assures their feed. Last year feed prices had a hike in from 900 to 1300 rupees per bag at once, but since March, the falling milk prices and scarcity of feed has made it even worse for the farmer to meet ends. On consumption front too, the situation is worsened with no demands from restaurants, hotels, catering industry, no demands for sweets and milk products. Farmers are compelled to throw hundreds of litres of milk in canals along with selling it for least. In rural households, death has many faces. Corona may be only a new addition with hunger, debt and disease. Earlier this year like every year repeated hail storms untimed rains ruined the crops. For the crops insurance formalities the assessment was awaited and lockdown came upon suddenly. Now till this lockdown clears nothing would be left on the field to be assessed. Amidst hues and cries of malnutrition because of a majority of population not being able to arrange the 400 grams per day recommended dose of vegetables and fruits per individual per day, still 30 percent of the horticultural produce is wasted for adequate storage and processing facilities. The need of cold storage facilities has always been talk of the table but it is always realized when it is too late. The required cold storage capacity is estimated at 350 lakh tonnes while it is still at 226.7 lakh tonnes of which sixty percent is occupied by potato alone. Still the farmers do not get the right price for their produce and situations for other vegetables are even worse. In this rising heat, the farmers have nowhere to store the perishables and thus have to dump it either on roadsides or to feed it to cattle. Doubling farmers income shall remain a myth until the produce saved from spoilage and is converted into cash. Striving hard to meet their regular domestic needs and to pay their dues, they seem to be the sole bearer of the distress. Conclusion Indian farmer seems to lurch from one crisis to another. The outlook has always been consumer centric. With causes deep rooted and the government even after making genuine efforts fail to bring it at par. The outbreak of this pandemic has an adverse impact over everything, be it export, import or manufacturing but the worst hit remains the Agriculture. This Corona crisis could have been faced more bravely had we organised and re-structured the agricultural production, distribution and consumption in the country; had we organized it properly we would have not seen the crisis of migrant labour and labourers because it was only when local employment and agricultural commerce could not support people, they tend to migrate to other places. The crisis reflects the story of Kisan becoming Kisan and landless Kisan to a labourer (mazdoor). This pandemic asks us and the nation-state, to re-chart our priorities and as Krishi Pradhan Desh or else we will not be able to survive the tali- thali antics as thalis will remain empty and there will be no energy to clap or we need to rewrite karma-phal and Jai Vijnyan Jai Kisan, narrative to see that the sickle does not become blunt enough to seek its survival in Corporate Social Responsibility only. References: Annapurna & Sharma, Navneet (2018). Cultivating Loss Reaping Suicides: Perlis of being a Farmer in the Republic of India, Mainstream, VOL LVI, No. 12, March 10, 2018, ISSN 0542-1462 Annapurna & Sharma, Navneet (2018). Conquering Hunger: The Battle for Right to Food, Mainstream, VOL LVI, No. 45, October 28, 2018, ISSN 0542-1462 Chaudhry, S. A., (2020), Covid-19 puts Indias Food supply chain to a stress test. The Hindu Retrieved from: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/covid-19-puts-indias-food-supply-chain-to-a-stress-test/article31173973.ece# Pinto, V.S. and Jha, D. K., (2020), Mumbai, Corona virus outbreak-Poultry firms farmers hit due to massive culling. Business Standard Retrieved from: https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/coronavirus-outbreak-poultry-firms-farmers-hit-due-to-massive-culling-120031600026_1.html Press Trust of India, (2020), New Delhi, Govt expects onion output to rise 7%; sees fall in fruits, spice production. Business Standard Retrieved from: https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/govt-pegs-7-pc-rise-in-onion-output-this-yr-sees-production-fall-in-major-fruits-120012700668_1.html Puri, S., (2020), Florists ruined, Himachal Pradesh starts survey to assess loss. The Times of India, Retrieved from: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/florists-ruined-hp-starts-survey-to-assess-loss/articleshow/75089520.cms Roy, Arundhati. (2020), The Pandemic is a Portal, Financial Times. Retrieved from: https://www.ft.com/content/10d8f5e8-74eb-11ea-95fe-fcd274e920ca Sainath, P. (1996), Everybody Loves a Good Drought, Penguin, New Delhi Sharma, Devinder. (2019), Indian Agriculture is under an Invisible Emergency. Down to Earth, Retrieved from: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/agriculture/indian-agriculture-is-under-an-invisible-emergency-68524 Singh, I. S., (2020), Agriculture in the time of covid-19. The Hindu, Retrieved from: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/agriculture-in-the-time-of-covid-19/article31248717.ece?utm_source=taboola The Hindu, (2019), Indias cold storage capacity stands at 226.7 lakh tonnes, Retrieved from: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/indias-cold-storage-capacity-stands-at-2267-lakh-tonnes/article30269045.ece Vora, R. and Kulkarni, V., (2020), Flower growers trade wilts under lockdown across the country, Business Line, Retrieved from: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/flower-growers-trade-wilts-under-lockdown-across-the-country/article31311365.ece Annapurna, PhD, is a freelance consultant and an activist for women SHGs. She has received her doctoral degree in Horticulture from Banaras Hindu University. Navneet Sharma, PhD, is an Assistant Professor, Department of Education, School of Education, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala. He can be contacted at navneetsharma29[at]gmail.com M ore than 75,000 people have taken part in a series of virtual iftars during Ramadan. The Naz Legacy events have been held via Zoom, Facebook and Muslim media channels in the UK The Prince of Wales spoke at the launch, while an interfaith iftar was attended by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Bishop of London Sarah Mullaly and the Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis. It comes as stars including baker Nadiya Hussain, TV presenter Konnie Huq and Citizen Khan creator Adil Ray have urged Muslims celebrating Eid this weekend to follow social distancing guidelines. The festival is traditionally marked with communal prayers in mosques and visits to friends and family but Muslims are instead being encouraged to stay at home and celebrate with their families online. In a video posted online, Great British Bake-Off winner Hussain said: Now could not be a better time to put others first. Almost from the day it was announced, restaurant owners have been complaining that the $670 billion Paycheck Protection Program doesn't work for their industry. Congress has clearly heard them. Last week, Reps. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, introduced the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act, which would extend the period in which small businesses can use the money and ease restrictions on the amount they can spend on non-payroll expenses such as rent. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., signaled that she would be willing to hold a vote next week on the act, a shift from her recent strategy to focus only on major coronavirus relief bills, according to a Politico report. The effort appears to have bipartisan support in the House and Senate as a quick fix to the Small Business Association program that has drawn widespread criticism from restaurateurs whose PPP money would convert to a two-year loan if they don't follow the terms of the program. What's more, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, introduced a bill Wednesday that aims to help restaurants ride out the pandemic as they face a future of limited dining capacity, public fear and rising costs to cover masks, gloves and cleaning products. The Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed to Survive Act of 2020, or simply, the Restaurants Act, would create a $120 billion grant program to help an estimated 500,000 independent restaurants survive a potentially long period when they may earn only a fraction of their former revenue. Under the act, money would be administered by the Treasury Department and available only to independent establishments with fewer than 20 locations under the same name, a caveat designed to avoid a repeat of PPP embarrassments in which chains such as Potbelly, Shake Shack and Ruth's Chris received funds meant for small business. (Some of the companies, such as Shake Shack, gave back the money.) The National Restaurant Association has made a similar plea to Congress, but the Restaurants Act would target only small independents, which represent 70 percent of all restaurants. The grants would cover the difference between revenue from 2019 and those projected for 2020, with a cap of $10 million per grant. Restaurants are "uniquely vulnerable as we face the covid-19 pandemic," Blumenauer said in a statement. "Few industries have been as uniformly ravaged as the food service industry, which is why I am working with a coalition of culinary experts and advocates and pushing my colleagues in Congress to provide support. Local, independent restaurants are the beating heart of our communities. They need relief now." The legislative efforts come after weeks of lobbying from the National Restaurant Association and the recently formed Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), as well as a Monday meeting at the White House, where 10 restaurant executives expressed their concerns to President Donald Trump. Last month, the IRC sent a letter to both chambers of Congress, asking for the restaurant stabilization fund. Will Guidara, a founding member of the IRC and the former owner of the Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York City, alluded to the grant program in the meeting Monday with the president. The program, Guidara said, "will put all of those people that are currently unemployed back to work, such that, by the third quarter of this year, we're going to be looking at unemployment reports that are astonishingly good, not to mention the supply chain that we represent. . . . Our plan helps bring unemployment back to where it needs to be, and it supports a lot of our other industries that rely on independent restaurants for their survival." Naomi Pomeroy, the James Beard Award-winning chef behind Beast in Portland, Oregon, said that although the PPP had good intentions, it doesn't do much for independent restaurants, 40 percent of which are closed, and the rest limping along as carryout and delivery operations. As originally written, the PPP required operators to spend their money over an eight-week period, use 75 percent of the funds on payroll and hire back their employees by June 30, or risk converting the money into a two-year, low-interest loan. The Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act would extend deadlines and eliminate restrictions. "I am sitting on it and crossing my fingers that the change is coming fast enough for me," Pomeroy said about her PPP money, which remains untouched in the bank. "I feel relatively optimistic about that right now, to be honest." If the changes aren't made, she added, she will give the money back because she cannot afford the debt. To Pomeroy, the stabilization program is key. It would provide relief funds to get through the pandemic, not just an eight-week window. This is particularly important for a place like Beast, a small, fine-dining destination in a city that has yet to reopen restaurants. But even when it does reopen, Beast could potentially seat only 10 guests because of social distancing requirements, making it next to impossible to stay afloat without breaks in rent, government assistance or both, while the coronavirus continues to spread unchecked and owners spend more money on sanitation and protective gear. "I mean, right now, we've got a bridge halfway over the water, right? Thank you," Pomeroy told The Washington Post. "Yes, a halfway-built bridge is better than no bridge. But we have to figure out how to get us to the other side of that, and that's really going to happen through the stabilization fund." Just as important, the funds will help chefs and owners like Pomeroy figure out how to reinvent themselves in a landscape that is expected to change dramatically in the months leading up to a vaccine, and maybe even after. "The deal is this: I have to change the model of my restaurant, and so do almost everybody else that I know. I have to reconfigure my tables, possibly even change to being almost like a meal-delivery service. . . . So we need to restructure," she said. The fund "will get me to the other side, where I can start to really figure out a game plan that's going to make sense and push us forward. Our industry is important, and we need to save it, and we just need that bridge to be built all the way." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Los Angeles, United States Sat, May 23, 2020 14:05 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9ca540 2 Entertainment shipwreck,Hollywood,united-states,film,Movie,Lord-of-the-Flies,Rutger-Bregman,Netherlands,Humankind Free The remarkable story of six boys stranded on a remote island that has been dubbed the "Real Lord of the Flies" is to become a Hollywood movie, it was announced Friday. Dutch historian Rutger Bregman pieced together the true tale of how a group of Tongan teenagers ended up shipwrecked together in the Pacific for 15 months, after stealing a fisherman's boat in the 1960s. A newspaper article Bregman penned to promote his book Humankind went viral two weeks ago, sparking a fierce bidding war among Tinseltown studios. "The Real Lord of the Flies will become a movie!! The last two weeks have been a crazy rollercoaster," tweeted Bregman Friday. NEWS! The Real Lord of the Flies will become a movie!! The last two weeks have been a crazy rollercoaster (thread) /1 https://t.co/yrR3qG0Zkg Rutger Bregman (@rcbregman) May 22, 2020 "Lots of Hollywood studios suddenly wanted to buy the rights to the story of Sione, Luke, Mano, Tevita, Fatai and Kolo," he added. Unlike in William Golding's classic novel Lord of the Flies, the real-life boys peacefully co-operated during their time on the uninhabited rocky islet of 'Ata. "The kids worked together in teams of two, got a fire started and never let it go out, and stayed friends this whole time," Bregman wrote in an earlier tweet. They survived on fish, coconuts, birds and eggs, drew up strict rosters for their duties, and even created a makeshift gym and badminton court. Rutger's article published by The Guardian describes how the author tracked down an Australian ship captain who miraculously spotted and rescued the boys. It has reportedly received 8 million views. Read also: Taika Waititi to direct new 'Star Wars' film After interest from "a lot of studios" who "bombarded" him with inquiries, Rutger spoke with the captain and four surviving castaways on a Zoom call. They decided to sell the rights to The Revenant and 12 Years a Slave producer New Regency, and share the proceeds, Rutger wrote. Hollywood trade publication Deadline said "a low seven-figure deal" was being negotiated amid competing bids from the likes of Netflix and MGM. New Regency did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. Speculation had been mounting in Hollywood over a possible movie version. Maori filmmaker Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) earlier tweeted that any film should "prioritize Polynesian (Tongan if possible!) filmmakers." Rutger said New Regency had promised to "do everything to strive for cultural authenticity and work as much as possible with local crew/filmmakers," and would hire the castaways and other Tongan consultants. "Finally, after 50 years, the survivors have reconnected and the world will hear their story," said Rutger. He added: "And we all look forward to the day we meet on the red carpet!" Hong Kongs pro-Beijing politicians sought to allay worries about the impact of Chinas proposed national security legislation on the Asian financial hubs business environment, saying it would boost investor sentiment. The legislation aims to tackle secession, subversion, terrorism, and foreign interference and could see mainland intelligence agencies set up bases in Hong Kong, raising fears of direct law enforcement. US government officials have said the legislation would end the Chinese-ruled citys autonomy and would be bad for both its and Chinas economies. They said it could jeopardise the territorys special status in US law, which has helped it maintain its position as a global financial centre. Bankers and headhunters said it could lead to money and talent leaving the city. Hong Kong stocks slumped 5.6% on Friday Upon her return from Beijing late on Friday, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the stock market goes up and comes down and it was in fact the large scale pro-democracy protests in 2019 which destabilised the business environment. Especially having gone through almost one year of disruptions, violence and uncertainties, anything particularly in safeguarding national security that will help stabilise the environment is indeed very good for local investment sentiment, she said. Henry Tang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, said the legislation was beneficial for the business environment as it brings stability and strengthens the rule of law. Local newspaper Mingpao quoted a Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce statement saying that while more details and explanations were needed to preserve confidence, the chamber always wanted to see social stability and peaceful business environment, and not violence. Former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-Ying pointed to large US investments in mainland China despite national security laws there. Can businessmen tell Hong Kong people, why are there more US companies, US businessmen and US investments in mainland China than Hong Kong? he wrote in a Facebook post. On his Facebook official page, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi expressed congratulations to Egyptians on the occasion of Eid El-Fitr. Eid El-Fitr will start in Egypt tomorrow, on Sunday. "I pray to God to grant us many happy returns in blessings and prosperity in order to build a better future for Egypt and all Egyptians," El-Sisi said. "I take this opportunity to offer the utmost gratitude and appreciation to all the families of the righteous martyrs of Egypt, who embodied the most wonderful examples of courage and sacrifice and performed acts of heroism on which the waves of terrorism and evil have been shattered, allowing for Egypt to enjoy security and stability," the president said. Happy Eid, the president concluded. Search Keywords: Short link: California Unemployment Rate View Photo Sonora, CA While the states jobless rate hit 15.5 percent in April, Tuolumne Countys topped that while Calaveras came slightly under that rate. Californias unemployment rate increased 10.2 percentage points since March when it was recorded at 5.3 percent, according to the figures released by the Employment Development Department on Friday. The number of unemployed Californians rose to almost 2.9 million over just two months, surpassing the previous 2.2 million peak during the recession that took more than two years to reach. Tuolumne Countys rate surpassed the states and nearly tripled, skyrocketing from 6.2 percent in March to 17.2 percent in April, leaving 3,750 unemployed out of its labor force of 21,840. Calaveras Countys jobless rate soared by nearly double, reaching 13.3 percent last month from 5.4 percent the previous month. That resulted in 2,730 unemployed out of its 20,560-workforce. Marin County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 11.1 percent and Imperial had the highest at 28 percent. Below is an EDD chart outlining the change in the states labor force. Every one of Californias 11 industry sectors lost jobs in April. The Leisure & Hospitality industry posted the largest job loss at 866,200, which was more than double that of Trade, Transportation, and Utilities at -388,700, the states second-largest industry sector loss. Mining & Logging posted the smallest job loss at 500. This latest EDD report was conducted the week of April 12th with the number of claims highlighted in the graphic below. Department officials note that the numbers will be higher for the entire month of April as it reports 5.1 million people have filed for unemployment benefits since March. Liaison office of China's central gov't in HKSAR says national legislative session's agenda on HKSAR imperative People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:08, May 22, 2020 HONG KONG, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said Friday that the ongoing national legislative session's agenda on the HKSAR is an imperative move to close the legal loopholes in the SAR concerning national security. The deliberation by China's national legislature of a draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security is fundamental to ensuring that "one country, two systems" goes steady and far, said a spokesperson of the office. The move fully reflects the strong will and firm determination of the central government to safeguard national security. It also fully demonstrates the resolute defending of and utmost care for the overall interests of Hong Kong and the fundamental wellbeing of Hong Kong compatriots, the spokesperson said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 10:51:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DENVER, the United States, May 22 (Xinhua) -- American political leaders have set this autumn for an awards ceremony honoring more than 18,000 Chinese Americans who served U.S. forces in World War II (WWII), NBC news website reported Friday. A spokesperson for U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the media that organizers hoped the event, cancelled in April due to COVID-19 concerns, can be rescheduled for later this year. The Chinese American veterans were collectively honored in 2018 with the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation's highest civilian honors, with the official ceremony originally scheduled last month at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. Ed Gor, national director of the Chinese American WWII veterans recognition project, told NBC that fewer than 300 service members are still alive today, who had never been acknowledged for their service. It is estimated that between 12,000 and 20,000 Chinese Americans served in the United States during WWII. Enditem Brave Little Boy Once Abused by His Uncle for 4 Hours Amazes Family With Incredible Progress A mixed day of weather is ahead to kick off the holiday weekend, with rain and showers followed by falling temperatures. After a cool and even chilly night in spots, we'll get back to sun and milder temps tomorrow into Monday. Then, summer shows up with a shot at our first 90-degree day on Wednesday, followed by a cold front and storms on Thursday. Today and Tonight We have quite the mix of variables for our weather today, and I'm going to sort those out for you First, temperatures: upper 40s and low 50s in the Adirondacks, with cooler readings north under clearer skies. Elsewhere, under the clouds, many of us are in the 60s. Second, clouds: they tell the story as a ridge of high-pressure north has kept skies clear (and has given us some great weather this week), while an east-moving low along the southern Pennsylvania border throws clouds, humidity and some showers our way. Check out the cool satellite photo here. Not pictured is a cold front, which will be a true dividing line between warm, humid air and cool, dry air. As it makes its way in later today, we'll see temperatures fall off from late afternoon into this evening. So for the day, here's how that all adds up: Scattered showers will continue to develop this morning and push north. As they run into the high, they'll be dried up and turned away. This places the best opportunity for showers from the Mohawk Valley to Clifton Park to Bennington and points south. As we get into this afternoon and that low moves out to sea, the showers will taper off and go with it. The heaviest rains will fall from the Catskills across the mid-Hudson Valley into the southern Berkshires. Once those showers exit, cooler and drier air will be filtering in from the north and northeast. Skies will clear out as we get into the evening, which will aid in the dropping of temperatures. Highs today will top out in the 60s and low 70s, but those will come earlier in the afternoon. Later in the afternoon and early evening, temps will be falling off into the 60s and 50s and overnight, lows will settle in the 40s with a few 30s north. Tomorrow and Memorial Day Tomorrow brings us back to the sun. With a cooler start to the day, highs will be lower than they've been of late but it'll be a great day just the same with highs in the 60s to the middle 70s with lots of dry air in place. Not as cool tomorrow night and as we head into Monday, we'll have a mix of clouds and sun but also some milder temperatures. Highs will be in the upper 60s to the upper 70s. There may be a spotty shower or 2 earlier in the day as you head out the Mohawk Valley but it's not to be any big deal. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Tuesday through Thursday Summer shows up as we flip a switch to get into some heat and humidity. Tuesday will be a sunny day with some afternoon clouds, feeling more humid too with highs in the 70s to the middle 80s. Wednesday will feature our first shot at 90 degrees in Albany. It'll be a hazy, hot and humid day with an isolated storm or two. Thursday will feel like the dead of summer. Temperatures to start the day will be well into the 60s with highs back into the 80s to near 90 again. A cold front will be on the way, which will touch off some afternoon and evening storms. It's a long way out but bears watching, as it could be a day with some severe weather. Again, once we get through today's variable weather, we'll steady the course for the weekend as we await the return of summer on Tuesday. Have a great day! JasonsWeather There will be a Memorial Day ceremony Monday in Radnor to honor the men and women who gave their lives defending the countys freedoms, rights and liberties, according to the township website. Radnors Memorial Day parade is one of the largest in the area and normally begins in St. Davids and parades west along Lancaster Avenue to the Township War Memorial on West Avenue. The Memorial Day Parade Committee said they and veterans from the American Legion Post 418 and 668 have been working for weeks to remember the nations heroes. During the morning, citizens are welcome to drive past the Radnor War Memorial to honor the fallen or to leave flowers. The ceremony will be broadcast live at noon on Comcast/Verizon channel 21. Residents should not attend the event but are encouraged to watch it on television. Were going to watch people parade past the memorial. They can drive by, pay their respects, to look at the memorial, Martin Costello, American Legion officia,l said. Well have a ceremony, advancement of the colors, invocation, pledge, guest speaker Commissioner Don Curley, laying of wreaths, reading of the 118 names on the wall and the 11 who have died in the war on terror, all of them from Valley Forge Military Academy. Veterans will also be placing flags in area cemeteries. Were going to respect the war dead. Whether it is one of us up there or five of us, we are going to read those names, Costello said. (Photo : 5 Factors to Consider Before Investing in Gold) Gold is an ancient asset that has predominantly retained its value despite constant changes in the market. Many investors find the investment of gold beneficial as it is immune to uncertainties. However, if you are a beginner in the gold investment, you need to be cautious before attempting to penetrate the market. For instance when acquiring Ingot 1kg in Covid-19 you need to be smart in your purchasing decision to acquire the best deals in the market. 1. Legitimate dealers The standard of maintaining a decent lifestyle is quite high in today's era, and most jobless citizens are turning to scammers to make a living. If you don't have prior experience handling the gold coins or bullions, then it is almost impossible to differentiate genuine from fake gold. Adequate research is necessary to ensure you are dealing with genuine dealers. There is a need to ensure that the dealer is verified and not a scammer. In times like now, where there is a global crisis due to a pandemic, it is crucial to be intelligent while committing your income. The best dealers have a good reputation and favorable prices. 2. Costs of acquiring the asset Genuine gold is a rare metal globally, and securing such an asset attracts a considerable high amount of money. Most sellers will require you to pay a premium amount in addition to the gold market value. If you are not in a financial position to secure the investments, you can opt to try out in the future. The costs can also differ by country. If you're looking to invest in gold in countries like Denmark for instance, the price could be different from the United States 3. Storage consideration The demand for gold is considered high, and improper storage will leave it vulnerable to thieves. If you are considering investing in the physical metal, you need a secure place for storage. The best option is to approach banks and secure a safe to ensure proper storage. But if you have a safe storage facility on your premises, you can store it there comfortably. 4. Type of gold you are interested in Gold has diversified forms in the market. You can select from coins, bars, or bullion depending on your needs. Each of the gold types has its merits and demerits; thus, before investing, ensure you are well informed. Also, the prices of gold tend to differ depending on market conditions and availability. For instance, the cost of Ingot 1kg in Covid-19 is different from that of last year when the economic conditions were favorable. 5. Taxation considerations The taxation of gold differs depending on the type. For instance, if you have physical gold, it is not prone to tax in your possession. But once you opt to sell the asset, the gains from the sale are taxable. Other forms of gold are taxable, but their tax rates are quite low compared to other assets. Bottom Line Due diligence is critical before opting to invest in the gold market. Despite many investors claiming that the assets are not prone to price volatilities in some instances, it is affected. Lastly, there is an increase in scammers in the industry, and you need to e cautious before investing your hard-earned cash. Vaccination opponents have flooded senior government ministers with unprecedented levels of correspondence, as experts warn a new wave of sceptics anxious about a potential coronavirus vaccine are reinvigorating the movement. Health Minister Greg Hunt's office and the federal Department of Health have received more than 1500 items of anti-vaxxer correspondence since April 1. Social Services Minister Anne Ruston's office has received at least 600 hard-copy letters on the subject this month. Senior government ministers have been inundated with unprecedented levels of anti-vaxxer correspondence. Credit:Facebook Experts warn that anxieties caused by the coronavirus crisis and associated economic downturn, as well as prolonged discussions about a potential coronavirus vaccine, have revitalised an anti-vaccination movement turbocharged by star power and social media. This month, a small group of NRL players resisted a code-mandated influenza vaccine and celebrity chef Pete Evans repeatedly backed the anti-vaccination movement on social media after he was sacked by Seven West Media. Fortnum and Mason staff clad in masks, gloves and visors greeted customers to its Piccadilly flagship store today after it reopened its food halls during the week. The upmarket London department store opened its main food floors including the basement food hall on Thursday after being closed because of the coronavirus lockdown. Its partial reopening comes after Selfridge's opened its food hall on Oxford Street earlier this month as the government begins easing lockdown. McDonald's opened 33 of its drive-through restaurants earlier this week as more fast food restaurants begin to open their doors. The company plans to open the first floor of the store on May 28 and the second and third floors selling clothes and perfumery on June 1, when 'non-essential' shops across the UK will be allowed to open. Fortnum and Mason reopened the foodhalls of its world famous Picadilly department store in London on Thursday as staff wear face masks Commercial director Lucy Williams told suppliers that the retailer laid out 'rigorous controls to ensure both our teams and our customers safety' Customers queue up while obeying social distance rules inside the store's food hall today Shoppers must go round the store in one direction to minimise contact. They are asked to stay two metres apart Staff also wear personal protective equipment visors as the public are welcomed back into the store It opened from 11am to 7pm and in-store bars and restaurants were shut in line with lockdown rules. The company plans to open the first floor of the store on May 28 and the second and third floors on June 1. Commercial director Lucy Williams told suppliers that the store laid out 'rigorous controls to ensure both our teams and our customers safety'. It has sent guidelines to suppliers on ensuring health and safety when making deliveries direct to the shop. Chief executive Ewan Venters celebrated the store's reopening on Thursday. He said: 'Weve been around for 312 years and we are going nowhere, other than getting back to business and serving our customers better than ever before.' Fortnum and Mason has sent guidelines to suppliers on ensuring health and safety when making deliveries direct to the shop A customer looks at the Champagne on offer at the store today after the food hall reopened on Thursday A doorman is quizzed by people about his face shield as he stands outside the main entrance of the store Chief executive Ewan Venters says 'weve been around for 312 years and we are going nowhere, other than getting back to business and serving our customers better than ever before' The store's headquarters at 181 Piccadilly was established in 1707 by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason The store's headquarters at 181 Piccadilly was established in 1707 by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason. It also has stores at St Pancras Rail Station, which it says it aims to open on May 26, and Heathrow Airport. The company's reputation was built on supplying quality food as a grocery store and it saw rapid growth throughout the Victorian era leading to worldwide fame. A history of Fortnum and Masons The store was co-founded by William Fortnum, a footman for Queen Anne. As a perk he was allowed to take the ends of candles that had burned low in the palace candlesticks. These he sold to the ladies of the court,doing so well that he joined forces witha local shopkeeper friend, Hugh Mason,and together they opened their groceryshop in Piccadilly. As the British Empire expanded, sodid the store's reputation and soon evenBritons abroad came to rely on Fortnum'sfor service and quality. In the1850s, Queen Victoria ordered the storeto send Florence Nightingale a hugeconsignment of concentrated beef teafor the wounded in the Crimea. A 1922 Everest expedition set out with60 tins of Fortnum's quail in foie gras,while officers serving in the far cornersof the Empire could order turtlesoup for eight shillings (30today) a pint, jugged hare forthree shillings (about 12) andChristmas pudding for 2 2s(160) a pound. When Edward, Duke of Windsor,was in France preparingto marry Wallis Simpson afterthe Abdication, he made sureFortnum's shipped out hisfavourite daily breakfast marmalade and a fresh kipper. Advertisement William Fortnum was a footman for Queen Anne and convinced his landlord Hugh Mason to open the store with him. During the Napoleonic Wars it supplied died fruit, spices and other preserves to British officers. In the Victorian era it was frequently called upon to provide food for prestigious court functions. The company also claims to have founded the scotch egg in 1738. Now, the store has several other departments outside of food, as well as restaurants and cafes, which remain closed for the time being. In September 2014, the emporium was forced to apologise after it falsely labelled its meat products as coming from the Royal Estate, despite sourcing its pork and bacon products from elsewhere in the country. It ended its 150-year history as the royal grocer as a result. Prior to that, the store had been a favourite of the Queen, who regularly visited the iconic Victorian building in Green Park, the heart of London. Fortnum's is perhaps most famous for its luxury hampers, which can host thousands of pounds and include goods such as Champagne, caviar, smoked salmon and truffle oil. Its partial reopening comes after Selfridge's opened its food hall on Oxford Street earlier this month. Selfridges was one of the first UK retailers to temporarily close its stores before the Government introduced a nationwide lockdown. Food director Michael Weber said: 'We are pleased to be reopening the doors to our food hall and to begin serving our local community once again. 'We are working hard to ensure our customers and our team members are met with a secure and welcoming environment, including a few Selfridges experiences to bring a little brightness to everyones day.' More than two weeks after state higher and technical education minister Uday Samant announced that all university students, except final year students, will be promoted based on a gradation formula, the University of Mumbai (MU) released a circular clarifying the rules of gradation. According to the release, MU has requested all affiliated colleges to promote students from non-traditional courses on a 50:50 formula, where 50% is based on internal tests and other projects in the current semester and the other 50% is based on the students performance in the previous semester. If there are any internal exams yet to be completed, colleges should conduct the same online or over phones, stated the circular released late on Friday. For those from traditional courses (BA, BCom and BSc), where students have no internal marks component, the university has stated that colleges should promote such students on the basis of their performance in the previous semester alone. MU further highlighted that in courses where exams have already been conducted, assessment should be conducted at the earliest. Colleges should work on the gradation process for all students and results should be declared accordingly and soon, so that institutes can start the process of admissions for all students into the next academic year, stated the circular. The education minister in his brief earlier this month had requested state universities to schedule all final year exams between July 1 and 30, however, earlier this week Samant approached the University Grants Commission (UGC) requesting permission to skip final year exams and instead promote all students based on their previous performance. However, his recommendation was questioned by the governor of Maharashtra, who is also the chancellor of all state universities. In a previous circular, MU has also made it clear that students with Allowed-To-Keep-Term (ATKT) remarks in their previous semesters will be promoted to the next academic year. Instead of wasting another academic year, these students are being given a chance to get promoted to the next year, provided they clear these subjects within 120 days of the start of the 2020-21 academic year, stated previous the university circular. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON If she could just talk to you, tell you, shake you, make you listen to her, maybe, she thinks, youd understand how crucial it is to wear a mask, stay home as much as you can, wash hands even more than that. Youd understand how easy it is for COVID-19 to slip into your lives and devastate your whole family. If you could just step into my shoes, Shelley Plath says, maybe you could feel what we have lost. And maybe, she hopes, youll understand how the next loss could be yours. They lost John Lawrence Plath, Shelleys father-in-law, first to COVID-19 on April 8. They lost Johnny Walter Plath, Shelleys husband, to COVID-19 on May 8. In between, six more family members plus a home health care worker tested positive for the virus, each experiencing symptoms to varying degrees, despite all the precautions and all the testing and because that very first test result came too late. The tragic cautionary tale of the Plath family begins in happier times when a bright young man from Topeka, Kansas, found his way to New Mexico, graduated from Albuquerque High in 1946, enlisted in the Marines, married Naydene, raised five children and became a pioneer in the art of creating neon signs. Two of those children inherited John Plaths love of neon signs and carried on his business, Southwest Outdoor Electric, after he retired. One of those children was Johnny, the eldest son, who in later years served as the president of the New Mexico Sign Association and as an active member of the New Mexico Route 66 Association, devoting his time and expertise toward restoring many of the iconic neon signs that glow along the Mother Road. All the neon that was on the street, it rivaled Las Vegas, he told a KRQE reporter, a sparkle in his eyes, at the relighting of the refurbished De Anza Motor Lodge sign on Central in January. For the brightness, the intensity, the motion, the animation was just a wonderful sight to behold. Those were the signs John and Johnny Plath loved. They were the perfect metaphor for father and son, both who were bright, intense, animated, wonderful. When John Plath, 91, came home from a rehabilitation center in early April, there were different signs that something was wrong. Shelley Plath said the family asked that he be tested for COVID-19 because he had a fever three days before his release, but the request was declined because the fever had abated. Yet without a test, few home health workers agreed to care for the elder Plath. So Johnny Plath, a sister and her husband settled in to take care of him. Five days later, John Plath known as Pepa to his 11 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild was tested for COVID-19. He died that same day. The result came back positive after his death. Concerned about their contact with the virus, Johnny Plath, his sister and brother-in-law were also tested. The first tests on Johnny came back negative, Shelley Plath said. But Johnny, who had been a healthy and active 68-year-old just weeks before, deteriorated quickly. He remained on a ventilator in the hospital for the next 16 days but was taken off the ventilator when it appeared he was rallying. Three days later, his condition worsened. The last test came back positive for COVID-19. He died a day later, his family left to say goodbye in a video chat. Plaths sister and her husband also tested positive for the coronavirus but survived. Another sister and a sister-in-law also became ill with COVID-19 as did Johnny and Shelley Plaths daughter. All survived. Shelley Plath had tried to be so careful not to become contaminated with the virus. Since March 23, she had tried to isolate herself from the family, afraid she would become infected and give the illness to her 91-year-old mother. But the virus got her, too. I had a fever for two days, body aches, no coughs, she said. But I never went around my mother again after that. She couldnt bear to lose anybody else. The obituaries for both men were published together in the Journal on May 17. A reader spotted the obituaries and wrote to me, noting that father and son had both died on the 8th, a month apart. He was especially moved, he wrote, by the selfless sacrifice of a son who took care of his father, unknowingly infecting himself with a virus that killed him. What a hero, the reader wrote. Because of COVID-19, there can be no funeral gathering, no mourning together. A virtual memorial service via Zoom was planned for Saturday. The family has suggested that planting a tree in honor of father and son would be a nice way to remember them both. But remember them also in the brilliant glow of neon that colors Route 66 like a rainbow in the night. Remember them by wearing a mask, by staying home as much as you can, by washing your hands even more than that. Remember them in the words of Shelley Plath who asks you to imagine, to feel, what she has lost. Take it all as a sign. UpFront is a front-page news and opinion column. Reach Joline at 730-2793, jkrueger@abqjournal.com, Facebook or @jolinegkg on Twitter. CARACAS, Venezuela - A U.S. judge on Friday approved moving forward with the sale of Venezuelas prized U.S.-based CITGO refineries, allowing a Canadian mining company to collect $1.4 billion it lost in a decade-old takeover in the South American nation by the late socialist President Hugo Chavez. The ruling strikes a blow to Venezuelas opposition led by Juan Guaido, which was banking on profits from the Houston-based company to finance the crisis-torn nations recovery if they were ever able to force President Nicolas Maduro from power. The order by Chief Judge Leonard P. Stark of U.S. District Court in Delaware follows a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday that upheld an earlier ruling by Stark authorizing CITGOs liquidation. Before moving ahead with CITGOs sale, the bankrupt Canadian mining company Crystallex must first get a license from U.S. Treasury officials, which had temporarily shielded Venezuelas opposition from losing CITGO. Crystallex and attorneys for Venezuela also have to agree on how it will sell CITGO, Starks latest ruling said. Chavez took over the gold mining firms Venezuela concession and the local operations of other international companies as part of his Bolivarian revolution that has left Venezuela spiraling into deepening economic and political turmoil. Crystallex, which went bankrupt, sued Venezuela to recover its lost investment in Venezuela. The case is unique, because the court allowed Crystallex to attach assets of CITGOs parent company, the Venezuelan state-run oil firm PDVSA, finding that Venezuela had erased the lines between the government and its oil firm. Venezuela has owned CITGO since the 1980s as part of PDVSA. It has three refineries in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois in addition to a network of pipelines crisscrossing 23 states. It provides between 5% and 10% of U.S. gasoline. Guaido, the head of Venezuelas opposition-led National Assembly, claimed presidential powers in early 2019, vowing to end Maduros rule and two decades of socialist leadership. After the Trump administration recognized Guaido as Venezuelas legitimate leader, U.S. courts granted approval to a board appointed by the opposition to take control of CITGO, valued at an estimated $8 billion. However, more than a year later, Maduro remains in power, with firm military support at home and backing from key international allies including Russia, China and Iran. Omjasvin MD By Express News Service CHENNAI: The COVID-19 pandemic has not spared the frontline warriors in Chennai with 15 doctors testing positive during the past few days at the famed Stanley Medical College Hospital, according to top sources. The sources said that out of the 15, four were doctors treating COVID patients while nine others were part of the task force attending group meetings. The other two are PG doctors. Hospital authorities also confirmed that the doctors, who tested positive, are all stable. Operations at the hospital continue to run smoothly, they added. "The hospital is in the red zone and is also under a containment zone. A maximum of 3,000 to 4,000 people with severe illness and fever come daily. The source of infection can't be ascertained. All the doctors are provided adequate PPEs and the situation at the hospital is under control," a top official told The New Indian Express. ALSO READ | No special classes to be held for 10th students amid COVID-19 lockdown: Tamil Nadu minister Officials said that the UG students hostel has been cleared and the doctors have been kept under observation there. Five of those affected are said to be women doctors. While top officials claim that patients might have been the source of the infection, others known to the infected doctors said they might have caught it from other doctors. "Nine of the affected doctors are professors in the medical college and they never went to the COVID ward. Some of the affected doctors in the frontline would have entered the taskforce committee room where meetings were held," the sources said. Stanley Hospital currently has 744 positive cases, said sources. "Even though the shifting of asymptomatic patients has been happening, cases from north Chennai come to Stanley first. We try to give preference to severely critical patients who need supportive treatment," said sources. While there are concerns over lack of adequate PPEs, hospital authorities and doctors have both brushed them aside. "Adequate PPEs are definitely provided to all the doctors but the risk factor remains high as the hospital is situated in the heart of Royapuram, the worst-affected zone in Chennai," said a frontline doctor. Stanley Hospital Dean Dr Balaji said, "The rest of the available doctors are in the ward and are working tirelessly. There's nothing to worry." While some investors are already well versed in financial metrics (hat tip), this article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE) and why it is important. To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, we'll use ROE to better understand Britvic plc (LON:BVIC). ROE or return on equity is a useful tool to assess how effectively a company can generate returns on the investment it received from its shareholders. In other words, it is a profitability ratio which measures the rate of return on the capital provided by the company's shareholders. View our latest analysis for Britvic How To Calculate Return On Equity? Return on equity can be calculated by using the formula: Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) Shareholders' Equity So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Britvic is: 20% = UK81m UK412m (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2019). The 'return' is the income the business earned over the last year. So, this means that for every 1 of its shareholder's investments, the company generates a profit of 0.20. Does Britvic Have A Good ROE? Arguably the easiest way to assess company's ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As you can see in the graphic below, Britvic has a higher ROE than the average (14%) in the Beverage industry. LSE:BVIC Past Revenue and Net Income May 23rd 2020 That's what we like to see. With that said, a high ROE doesn't always indicate high profitability. Aside from changes in net income, a high ROE can also be the outcome of high debt relative to equity, which indicates risk. To know the 5 risks we have identified for Britvic visit our risks dashboard for free. Why You Should Consider Debt When Looking At ROE Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the case of the first and second options, the ROE will reflect this use of cash, for growth. In the latter case, the use of debt will improve the returns, but will not change the equity. That will make the ROE look better than if no debt was used. Story continues Britvic's Debt And Its 20% ROE Britvic does use a high amount of debt to increase returns. It has a debt to equity ratio of 1.66. There's no doubt its ROE is decent, but the very high debt the company carries is not too exciting to see. Debt increases risk and reduces options for the company in the future, so you generally want to see some good returns from using it. Conclusion Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. Companies that can achieve high returns on equity without too much debt are generally of good quality. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, I'd generally prefer the one with higher ROE. But when a business is high quality, the market often bids it up to a price that reflects this. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth -- and how much investment is required going forward. So I think it may be worth checking this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. The streets of Jasper are eerily quiet. Businesses are struggling to stay afloat and the stress is having an impact on people's mental health, says the municipality's mayor. It's going to be a little longer before things will start to turn around and when they do reopen, the community will be more dependent on Alberta tourists than ever before, Mayor Richard Ireland told CBC Radio's Edmonton AM on Friday. "It is very strange. I've never seen a time like this at any time in my life and I was born in the community," Ireland said about the empty streets and closed businesses. "It is very surreal. People are referencing it appearing to be a ghost town and that's probably accurate." In mid-March, less than a week after COVID-19 was declared a worldwide pandemic, Marmot Basin suspended its operations and Jasper National Park officials urged tourists to stay away, effectively cutting the winter tourism season by about six weeks. The May long weekend normally signifies the start of the summer tourism season but this year, the municipality sent out a plea to would-be travellers to abide by provincial recommendations and stay away. But the effort to protect the health and safety of Jasper residents has also shut off the main engine that drives its economy. Adrienne Lamb/CBC "Businesses have been shut down for about 10 weeks. It's been devastating to our local commercial sector. It's just about across the board that businesses are shut down because we rely almost entirely on tourism here," Ireland said. "So on the one hand, they need to see some revenue, they have to get back to work. There's health, mental health reasons as well. People need to get back to employment." But residents also understand that things can't be rushed, he added. "People understand that they have to be cautious, they have to be careful, they have to provide a safe environment Those things have to be balanced and people are working hard to be in that position. But we're not there quite yet." Story continues Most of Alberta was allowed to start down the path to reopening on May 14, including restricted openings of restaurants, retail and salons. Ireland said Jasper businesses have also started the process of reopening without really having a market to sell to. "Parks Canada, which is of course the draw to our community, is not yet in a position to welcome visitors," he said. June 1 has been identified by Parks Canada as the likely date that it will start reopening. Hotels, including the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, will reopen on that day. Camping in national parks will follow on about June 21, he said. The "slow ramp-up" will be exacerbated by the lack of international tourists, Ireland added. In the year ending March 2019, the seven mountain parks, all located in Alberta and B.C., hosted almost 16 million visitors, with the Banff and Jasper parks among the most popular. Ireland believes that international travel is "probably at least a year away," meaning that visits from Albertans and, he said, eventually other Canadians will be critical to getting the town back on its feet. "So many people regard Jasper as their backyard and we're thrilled that they do. And as soon as the backyard is able to receive them, we'll welcome them back and they will be the ones that help us launch our local recovery," he said. "Right now, we're interested in getting the message out that now is not yet the time. It soon will be, but in the meantime, you could have an active hand in helping keep Jasper safe and then we will welcome you enthusiastically when the time is right." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Cairo, Egypt Sat, May 23, 2020 15:06 607 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd9cc24b 2 Art & Culture Egypt,sculpture,sculptor,Adam-Henein,arts,Sphinx Free Prominent Egyptian sculptor Adam Henein, who led the restoration of the Great Sphinx in Giza, died on Friday at the age of 91, the culture ministry announced. The acclaimed artist, who passed away after a struggle with illness, leaves behind a rich legacy of artwork, much of which draws inspiration from Egyptian heritage. "The Egyptian visual arts scene lost a genius," Culture Minister Inas Abdel-Dayem said in a statement, describing Henein as "unique". Henein was born in 1929 in the Bab al-Shaaria district in Cairo to a family of silversmiths and jewelers. He demonstrated artistic talent from an early age, modelling a clay figure of ancient Egyptian King Ramses II at eight years old. "My father used to display my work in the window of his silver workshop and it received wide acclaim," Henein said in a 2019 documentary by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Read also: Transfer of sphinxes to Cairo square stirs controversy Henein studied at Cairo's School of Fine Arts, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1953. He continued his studies in Munich and later lived in Paris for more than two decades before returning to Egypt. In the 1990s, he led the team that restored the Great Sphinx at the Giza plateau near Egypt's famed pyramids. Henein's home in Giza, which was converted into a museum, boasts a variety of paintings and sculptures. In 1996, he founded the annual Aswan International Sculpture Symposium (AISS), which draws artists from around the world. Henein's work has been exhibited in Egypt, Europe and beyond and he received many awards, including the Egyptian State Merit Award for arts in 1998 and the Mubarak Art Award in 2014. U.S. congressional lawmakers have complained to the White House about the shipment of dozens of U.S.-built ventilators to Russia, saying the move was done without justification and could potentially deprive coronavirus-infected Americans of treatment. The May 22 letter, signed by five Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives, was the latest development in the ongoing story of how and why medical supplies were shipped by Russia to the United States, and the reciprocal gesture made to Russia by the U.S. administration this week. The State Department announced that around 200 ventilators, valued at around $5.6 million, were being sent to Russia in what was described as a "humanitarian donation." A military plane carrying the items arrived in Moscow on May 21. In their letter to President Donald Trump, the lawmakers questioned the White Houses rationale for the shipment. "It does not appear that your Administration has any policymaking process in place to determine whether these ventilators are going to the countries where they are needed most and whether their delivery will advance our national security," they wrote. "Instead it appears you may be providing or selling ventilators to other countries as gifts or favors to serve your own political or personal interests without any meaningful strategic justification, thorough interagency process, or policy rationale for doing so," they said. There was no immediate response from the White House or the U.S. State Department. The U.S. gesture followed an earlier shipment of 45 ventilators, and other medical supplies, that Russia sent to the United States in April. Both the Kremlin and State Department hailed the delivery as an example of collaboration despite the toxic state of relations between Washington and Moscow. However, that shipment has been dogged by confusion over who paid for what, whether the Russian companies involved were subject to the U.S. sanctions, and whether the U.S. administration vetted the shipment ahead of time. On May 13, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency said that the ventilators were never used by the New York region hospitals they were intended for and they were being returned to the agency "out of an abundance of caution." The announcement came around the same time that Russian regulators ordered a suspension of use of the ventilator model in question, following two deadly fires at Russian hospitals. Short-circuiting ventilators were blamed for the blazes in St. Petersburg and the Moscow region. Meanwhile, the Russian ventilators that were sent to the United States were not authorized by U.S. regulators, the Reuters news agency reported May 22. Nor did the ventilators even obtain special emergency authorization under a procedure put in place by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters said. A solicitor previously under threat from notorious gangland criminal Alan Wilson has been arrested as part of a major probe into the forgery of property deeds. The 60-year-old is due to be sentenced in a separate fraud case in July at Dublin Circuit Court after he admitted six sample charges of obtaining money by false pretences at a court sitting last January. The Herald can reveal that he was arrested at his Rathmines home yesterday morning and taken to Terenure Garda Station, where he was still being questioned last night. Involved He has been the focus of a lengthy investigation by the gardai's National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB), which was alerted that "forged deeds in relation to two properties were sent into the Property Registration Office". "Gardai are investigating if this individual was the solicitor who acted for criminals who made over 200,000 in relation to these properties which are located on the northside and the southside of Dublin," a senior source said. Expand Close Maoira Rostas / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maoira Rostas "This case is about the re-registering of vacant properties in the city. "The question is, how involved was the solicitor in this enterprise? "It's a complex case that has been ongoing for some months." The solicitor is no stranger to brushes with the law, and was arrested in 2009 for withholding information in relation to the murder of Romanian teenager Marioara Rostas. The 18-year-old was abducted from a street in the south inner city on January 6, 2008, but her body was not found until just over four years later. It is suspected she was sexually assaulted before being shot four times in the head. Her body was then buried in the Dublin Mountains. Notorious gangland criminal Wilson (41) was the chief suspect in the case, but he was cleared by a jury of murder in July 2014. Wilson, from the south inner city, is currently serving six years for plotting a murder attempt on Gary Hanley in November 2017 as part of the Hutch-Kinahan feud. The solicitor who was arrested yesterday by fraud squad detectives was previously "well-known" to Wilson, but was never a suspect in Ms Rostas' murder. He was released without charge after being questioned in October 2009 about withholding information about it. The solicitor was also questioned for withholding information about a plot uncovered by gardai in which associates of Wilson were to organise the murders of a respected garda and a journalist in November 2011. Months later, Wilson turned on his former pal, and his associates plotted to kill the solicitor, resulting in his being officially warned of an active threat against his life. Note However, the plot was foiled in April 2012 when officers discovered a handwritten note in Wilson's cell. That happened during a raid that revealed the plot that would have led to the solicitor being murdered in Rathmines by two gangsters. Gardai were forced to act quickly after the discovery of the note, which gave details of the murder bid, including where and when it was to be carried out. Detectives told the solicitor of the threat against him. They moved him out of his home in Rathmines and took him to a secure location for some days. The solicitor has since spoken out against Wilson, saying he was targeted by the gangster because he convinced another criminal to give evidence against the gangland psycho in the Rostas murder. As river levels slowly recede back to normal limits, local officials are moving forward to assess damage, and prepare for the potential of more flooding. The Tittabawassee River was at 24.93 feet at 4:15 p.m. Friday, with the river expected to fall below flood stage of 24 feet by Friday night. The flood warning for the Tittabawassee River downstream to Saginaw is set to expire at 5 a.m. Saturday. "The next chance for any significant rainfall comes Saturday night, with around a quarter-inch average across the river basins," according to a statement from the National Weather Service/Detroit. "This much would affect the river levels little to none." Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Midland County administrator/controller Bridgette Gransden said while the structure itself is still intact, the Sanford Dam has "essentially failed," with the entire earth and berm embankment on the west side of the gates having been washed away by floodwaters. The eastern side of the embankment is still intact, and is holding back a small amount of water. Gransden said while water levels have receded to be around the normal "flood" stage after cresting at 35.05 feet Wednesday, local officials will be closely monitoring the water as the potential of more rain next week draws closer. "We don't know what the water levels are going to do, particularly when we have a whole week of rain forecasted," Gransden said. "We've been keeping in good contact with the National Weather Service to try and make sure we're monitoring that. That fact of the matter is, it doesn't matter where the water comes from -- any more water could have an impact on this event and how we're responding." According to the Weather Channel, every day between Sunday, May 24 and Friday, May 29 has at least a 40% chance of precipitation, with an estimated 80% chance Wednesday through Thursday. Assessing damage Midland County Emergency Management is now taking damage reports for the flooding. Homeowners, businesses or non-profit organizations that have sustained any damage or loss as a result of the flood are asked to complete a report at https://arcg.is/1H00aG. City and county officials cautioned people from going near the flood water, as it is likely contaminated with sewage, and even still moving fast in some places. As residents begin to discard the contaminated and damaged contents of their homes and properties, the city will begin collecting trash from curbsides through the weekend and Monday. Midland city manager Brad Kaye said residents should not wait for their weekly refuse day. The city is also implementing and enforcing an anti-scavenging ordinance to keep people from picking through trash from flooded homes, as the materials are contaminated and can cause sickness. "It is not safe to take; it is not safe to take to your homes and we would strongly discourage people from doing so," Kaye said. At Friday's press conference, Kaye addressed the residents of Riverside Place, the city-owned senior housing near the river, from which all residents were evacuated. The lower level of the complex had 16 inches of standing water and mud and the nine units on that floor, in addition to kitchen and other facilities, were devastated, Kaye said. In addition, the roof of the facility allowed water into the fourth level as well. The city has contracted a flood restoration crew to restore the damage; however, residents will not be able to return until further notice, with no timeline available at this time. As for one of Midland's "community gems" - the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library - Kaye announced that with help from library staff, the U.S. National Guard and United Way volunteers, almost all of the contents of the lower level were able to be saved, including 120 years' worth of historical Midland Daily News records. At this time, the city's main concern remains on the safety of residents; however, it is currently unknown just how many people have been displaced. Three of the five original emergency shelters remain - Midland High School, West Midland Family Center and North Midland Family Center. In addition, according to a post on Midland County's Facebook page, the Midland County Courthouse will be closed until at least Wednesday, May 27, and likely will have to remain closed all of next week due to the need to replace mechanical equipment, as well as additional cleaning. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, has assembled and deployed teams to Mid-Michigan tasked with completing site assessments and evaluating dams impacted by severe weather, according to a press release. After a request by the State of Michigan, the Detroit District is performing technical assistance for Midland and Gladwin Counties. Coordination is ongoing with state and local leadership to identify opportunities to provide technical expertise in assessing the conditions of the dams on the Tittabawassee River and to reduce further risk of failure, the release states. Power outages declining As of Friday afternoon, some 2,600 Midland County customers remained without power, according to the Consumers Energy outage map. Those affected are in the areas of downtown East Main Street, St. Charles Park, Poseyville Road, Northwood University, Perrine Road, and the Wildes subdivision off M-20. Sanford also is affected, with outages in the West Saginaw Road/U.S.-10 area in Jerome Township and North Lake Sanford Road. Gladwin County outages had nearly been restored Friday afternoon. Governor expands state-of-emergency to Gladwin, Arenac and Saginaw Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has expanded the Midland County state-of-emergency to include Arenac, Gladwin and Saginaw. Midland County was devastated by flood waters that toppled infrastructure and displaced thousands of families and individuals. However, it was Gladwin County that took the first punch after the Edenville Dam collapsed on the county border. "Thousands of residents in these communities have been impacted by the widespread damage this flooding has caused," Whitmer said. The town of Beaverton took a devastating blow. City Manager Heath Kaplan said he's relieved there will be additional support. "I just hope the resources and assistance that the county needs right now becomes quickly available because we need it available right away," Kaplan said. Kaplan worked alongside their state legislators and county officials to inform the governor. "I hope the next step is we get the National Guard or the Army Corps of Engineers to start looking at the roads and bridges that need to be repaired right away in order to bring transportation avenues back to life that are desperately needed," Kaplan said The damage in Gladwin is centered around the Tittabawassee River, south of the Secord Dam. Gladwin County Emergency Manager Robert North reported The Highwood and Estey Road bridges are down along with around 40 other roads. "We're getting to the end of the response stage, but we have not reached the recovery stage," North said. President Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference on his first year in office promised Ukrainians affordable lending, a record mileage of repaired roads, as well as pension reform, while the government partially resumed public transport services, and the IMF approved a new $5 billion cooperation program - these are the latest economic developments in Ukraine over the outgoing week. Volodymyr Zelensky's big presser was at the center of attention this week. Speaking of his first year in office, Zelensky noted his main achievements and future priorities. He promised the Ukrainians to restore all state motorways across country that's some 25,000 km in total before the end of his cadence. For 20200, he announced a nine-fold increase in the mileage of repair and construction works year-on-year. Also, the president promised to launch a program for the construction and repair of bridges. Zelensky didn't pass by the topic of lending, which is no less painful for Ukrainians, promising that soon, mortgage lending would be available at 10 percent. Banks will be more willing to provide loans to citizens, which is especially important in the light of falling incomes amid the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. "At a technical level, we will ultimately succeed in putting pressure on the banking system of Ukraine, despite the fact that it is very independent in our country [] banks will not be just way too picky in issuing loans to the population. That's because the population needs help, especially now, when there's crisis, not in Ukraine, but worldwide. This is a global crisis, but we will think about our country and our citizens," the president emphasized. Also, Zelensky promised that in the near future Minister of Social Policy Maryna Lazebna would present a vision of a new pension reform. Meanwhile, after the introduction of the "80 Plus" program since April, when each pensioner over 80 is paid UAH 500 per month, a similar program will be developed to support citizens over 75. Also at a meeting with reporters, the president said that another attempt to launch major privatization in Ukraine will start once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, and that in the coming months the government will introduce a program to increase the minimum wage. Relaunch of public transport Last week, the Cabinet made another decision to further ease quarantine measures: from May 22 to June 22, the country will see a so-called "adaptive quarantine". Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases has already exceeded 20,000 across country. Only a third of that number recovered. The Ministry of Health notes that only 13 regions are ready for Phase 2 of quarantine relaxation, while 11 regions, as well as the capital city of Kyiv, fail to meet the necessary statistical requirements. From May 22, the following opportunities will open up in areas with a favorable epidemiological situation: holding sporting events with no more than 50 participants without spectators, holding religious events with no more than one person per 10 sqm of the indoor area, and reopening hotels. Kindergartens are allowed to open from May 25, while in Kyiv they will resume work from June 1. And most importantly, the Cabinet approved a schedule for relaunching ground public transport. The government promises to return to the issue of resuming regular flights by June 15. Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Kryklii noted that regular and irregular urban, suburban, regional and international passenger transport by road is resumed from May 22. Also, from May 25, the government promises to allow the reopening of subway, and from June 1 urban, regional, long-distance domestic and interregional rail passenger services. Kryklii emphasized mandatory requirements for transport: face masks, temperature screening, and constant disinfection of vehicles. "In the case where a destination is a region where anti-epidemic measures haven't been weakened, transportation is allowed with a 50% load, with empty seats provided around all seated passengers," the minister said. He also promised that rail and bus prices would not rise in post-quarantine period. New IMF program The outgoing week brought Ukraine closer to receiving financial support from the country's key creditors the International Monetary Fund and the European Union, which will come in handy in the conditions of the economy struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, the International Monetary Fund announced an agreement reached with the Ukrainian authorities on a new 18-month stand-by instrument in the amount of $5 billion. This support will help the country cope with the effects of the pandemic in the economy and health sector. The agreement is subject to approval by the Fund's management and Executive Board in the coming weeks. In addition, the Council of the European Union supported the proposal of the European Commission to allocate EUR 1.2 billion in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine to overcome the economic consequences of the pandemic. Now the European Commission is set to sign a memorandum on the allocation of funds with the Government of Ukraine. Financial resources will be available within twelve months from the date of approval, while payments will be made in two tranches. The maximum average loan maturity is 15 years. Financial assistance is quite timely as Ukraine is going through a difficult crisis period provoked by the novel virus-related lockdown pretty much like the rest of the world. The State Statistics Service says the year-on-year decline in Ukraine's industrial output in April accelerated to 16.2% after falling by 7.7% in March. Taking into account the calendar-day adjustment, industrial output plunged 16.7%. The largest drop was recorded in the processing industry (20.3%). In the mining industry, the decline stood at 11.2%, while that in the supply of electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning at 7.2%. In terms of major industrial groups, the largest drop was recorded for durable consumer goods and investment goods at 40.4% and 34.3%, respectively. For intermediate consumption goods, production fell by 22.1%. In the last week of spring, Ukrainians will be learning to live in conditions of the adaptive quarantine. The further pace of return to normal life and the chances of a speedy recovery of the country's economy will depend on how responsibly citizens behave in the first weeks of relaxation. Anna Bredikhina A 20-year-old school dropout was arrested for allegedly stalking a girl in west Delhi's Paschim Vihar area, police said on Saturday. The accused has been identified as Rahul Chillar, a resident of Rajdhani Park, Nangloi. He was arrested on Friday, they said. On Tuesday, a woman lodged a complaint at the Paschim Vihar (West) police station alleging that Chillar was stalking her daughter and called her frequently. He studied in same school as the girl's and is her senior by two years, a senior police officer said. He used to talk to the girl but now she refuses to talk to him, which annoyed him, the officer said. On Tuesday, he barged into the girl's house. He was carrying a pistol and threatened the girl and her mother, according to the officer. The woman's nephew reached there and snatched the pistol from Chillar's hands. Thereafter, the accused fled from the spot. He left behind his mobile phone, the officer said. Chillar has been arrested and further investigation in the matter is underway, the police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By PTI KOLKATA: Cyclone Amphan has ravaged the farming sector in at least 14 of the 23 districts in West Bengal and the loss incurred may create an all-time record, state Agriculture Minister Ashish Banerjee said on Friday. According to initial estimates, Hooghly and Birbhum districts have incurred a loss of Rs 600 crore and Rs 462 crore respectively, Banerjee told PTI. In East Midnapore, a coastal district, crops in around 47,000 hectares of land were destroyed, while 70 per cent and 50 per cent of paddy in Burdwan East and Bankura districts were lost, officials said. ALSO READ | Work comes to virtual standstill as super cyclone Amphan cuts Kolkata off the grid The agriculture department is trying to collect data about the devastation from other districts. "There are at least 14 districts where agriculture has been devastated. We have not received reports from all the districts as connectivity is yet to be fully restored. But from the initial reports, we can understand that the losses could be an all-time record," Banerjee said. The minister held a meeting with Pradip Majumdar, the advisor to the chief minister on agriculture, and other senior officials at the state secretariat on Friday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered to estimate the losses incurred in the horticulture and agriculture sectors due to Cyclone Amphan within a week. In East Midnapore, paddy crop in around 30,000 hectares, sesame in around 12,000 hectares and vegetables in around 5,000 hectares of land have been lost due to the cyclone, a senior official of the agriculture department said. Betel plant cultivation in the district has also been hit "very badly", he added. "Farmers had hoped that after the lockdown is lifted, they will be able to sell their produce and compensate for their losses. The cyclone has thrashed all their hopes," the official told PTI. Birbhum District Magistrate Moumita Godara said an estimation of the loss caused by Cyclone Amphan was being done and the picture will be clear in a day or two. In Burdwan, most of the lands where paddy was cultivated have been inundated. "We had managed to harvest only 30 per cent of the paddy cultivation. The rest is now under water. The entire paddy is lost," an official said. In Bankura, there has been a huge loss in the harvesting of Boro paddy and vegetable farming. "Around 50 per cent of the Boro paddy was lying in the fields. They are under water for two to three days. So it is a total loss," a senior official of the agriculture department said. The mango orchards in Murshidabad district were also badly hit by the cyclone, he added. "Around 30 per cent of the mangoes have fallen from the trees during the cyclone. It will be very difficult for the farmers to make any profit. Rather, they are likely to incur a huge loss," the official told PTI. The flower growers of Howrah and Hooghly districts are also severely affected, he said. Several attempts to contact senior officials of South 24 Parganas, one of the worst-hit districts, failed because of connectivity issues. The agriculture minister is slated to hold a meeting with officials of East and West Burdwan, Bankura and Birbhum districts on May 26 in connection with the estimation of the losses. Global Aerospace Logistics (GAL) has signed an agreement with Etihad Airways to support local jobs and training enabling Etihad staff to be seconded to GAL. GAL is a leading regional provider of integrated aviation readiness solutions for military and civilian entities. It is part of the Mission Support cluster within EDGE, an advanced technology group for defence and beyond, that was inaugurated in November 2019. Initially for a six-month period, the partnership will enable GAL to leverage the expertise and experience of Etihad staff from a range of functions including maintenance, operations, supply chain and commercial departments to enhance several of its major aviation projects. The deal will also extend Etihads specialised career training and development. The bipartisan agreement was initiated under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Vice Chairman of GAL and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports Company, ADAC, in partnership with Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways. Commenting on the new partnership, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan said: "In the current environment, with the Covid-19 pandemic having such an impact on us all, it is only right that organisations within Abu Dhabi come together to support each other through innovative new working partnerships, ensuring we make the best use of the resources and the many talents available to us across our great nation." He added: "The aviation sector is one of the cornerstones upon which our socio-economic future will be built, and it is this type of cooperation that will ensure we come out of the current crisis stronger and more resilient than before." Douglas said: "I am delighted to work in partnership with Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan and the other members of the GAL Management team. Like airlines the world over, Etihad Airways is having to review its current structure and resources and this partnership allows us the opportunity to retain talent for the future; while supporting colleagues in another Abu Dhabi aviation organisation." For his part, Khalid Al Breiki, President Mission Support, EDGE, said, "Across the EDGE group, we attract the worlds brightest minds to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions to counter next-generation challenges. At a time when the commercial aviation sector has been heavily impacted as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, GAL is propagating best practices from the military and commercial aviation MRO market to challenge the status-quo and provide the best-in-breed service to its customers." - TradeArabia News Service Unlike the UK and many other countries, Germany never gave up on contact tracing, even as infections ballooned. While Britains Ministers stopped trying to keep tabs on new infections on March 12 believing there was little point as cases were likely to head into the millions Germany persevered by doggedly pursuing the contacts of each new confirmed Covid case. In part, that was because Germany could. It had the testing capacity to identify most new cases, which the UK did not. While the UK had to scrap contact tracing on March 12 due to a large volume of people already contracting the virus, Germany (above) never gave up on the idea And it means that while Britain has had to create a contact tracing system largely from scratch, Germany had the simpler task of upping capacity. And Germany hasnt been dazzled by the beguiling prospect of a mobile phone app that can solve all its contact tracing problems. Thanks to some of the worlds toughest privacy laws, its politicians decided they could not rely on digital surveillance alone. Instead, it is developing a smartphone app that is seen as an adjunct to what public health experts describe as the shoe leather approach old-fashioned, tried-and-tested, manual contact tracing of infectious disease. While Germany are developing a smartphone app, the country realised that it could not rely on digital surveillance alone Wherever possible, tracers are drawn from the ranks of the medical professions including students and the retired backed up largely by other public sector workers who are used to dealing with people in their work, such as firefighters and teachers. Perhaps because of this, they seem less bound to a rigid script than may be the case in the UK. One tracer, Joachim Lazarek, 39, from Wurzburg, likened it to detective work, saying: We try to understand the person and get a picture of their whole lives. Did you talk over the fence with someone? Were you at the doctor? Were you walking with your partner? When I call someone who has tested positive, I must first gently break the news that the person has Covid-19. Its about taking away peoples fears and informing them very clearly what they can do. Once I have established a rapport, I tell the patient how to quarantine. Then I begin the laborious process of making a list of everyone the infected person had face-to-face contact with for more than 15 minutes, starting two days before their symptoms began. While similar numbers have been recruited so far in both countries between 20,000 and 25,000 how they are organised is very different. In Britain, a centrally planned system will have call centre-based tracers ringing up people all over the country. As one recruit was told: It doesnt matter if youre calling from Brighton, Belfast or Bolton. By contrast, Germans are keeping contact tracing local, with each of its 16 states responsible for its own recruitment. Germany have kept their contact tracing local - the 16 states which make up the company are responsible for their own recruitment of contact tracers who help work out who has the virus Most have published detailed figures on how many they have recruited, in marked contrast to the opaque situation on numbers here. For example, Bavaria has just under 2,000 tracers and is recruiting another 1,250. Lower Saxony has 1,000 and wants to double that. Baden-Wurttemberg aimed for 2,750 but now has more than 3,000. Germanys public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, explained: Central government acts in close conjunction with the states, but the decision was taken early on that individual states would themselves be responsible for contact tracing as people know the communities they live and work in. The other big difference, of course, is that Germanys contact tracing system is already up and running while in the UK it is not. Advertisement By Governor Andy Beshear May. 22, 2020 | FRANKFORT By Governor Andy Beshear May. 22, 2020 | 02:23 PM | FRANKFORT It is hard to believe that Kentucky saw its first confirmed case of COVID-19 just over two and a half months ago. The virus began spreading quickly, escalating like past pandemics such as the Spanish flu. Areas like New York and Louisiana saw spikes that exceeded their health care capacity, and the losses mounted. Here in Kentucky, we took quick and decisive action, declaring a state of emergency after the first known case. We closed schools to in-person classes, had to temporarily close many forward-facing businesses and we asked people to be Healthy at Home. It worked. Kentucky "flattened the curve," stopped the rising rate of infection, and ensured there were enough hospital beds for everyone who needed them. History will show this is one of the most effective responses to a pandemic. And all the credit goes to you. Kentuckians came together to do the right thing and put the health of their neighbors first. Each Kentuckian who made good decisions and sacrificed is a hero. Everyone from the senior citizens who could not celebrate a birthday with family to the high-school graduate whose graduation was virtual should be celebrated in that their actions and sacrifices have saved lives. Yes, we still have many challenges ahead. Opening the economy and restarting our businesses during this pandemic is challenging. But I know we can do it. Because the people of Kentucky have shown who they are: strong, resilient, kind and compassionate people who do the right thing and look out for one another. Soon, this pandemic will be behind us. But if we keep showing this unity and togetherness, our best days are in front of us. Governor Andy Beshear Views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of West Kentucky Star.com, Bristol Broadcasting or any employee thereof. Bristol Broadcasting makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd. (KNPL) has recently announced a first of its kind industry-wide initiative, titled #PaintTheirFuture, to extend a helping hand to the painter community in India. As part of this initiative, a crowd sourced fund has been created to provide financial aid to painters and their families in case they get infected by the novel Coronavirus. The fund has been created in association with one of Indias largest and trusted donation platform, GiveIndia. To this effect, the brand has released a video featuring Mr. Anuj Jain, Executive Director, Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd. appealing to citizens to contribute as much as they possibly can to safeguard the lives of painters who have always spread cheer by transforming peoples homes using colors and their own hardworking and skilled hands. The amount collected through this platform will be used to provide financial aid of up to Rs 7000 each, to those painters suffering from Covid-19. Nerolac has further made an initial contribution of INR 500,000/- to set up the fund. The painter community in India comprises of approximately 2.5 million workers and like other daily wage earners they too are in grave financial distress because of this adversity. This is an initiative to extend support to secure the lives of these painters and their families in case they are unfortunately struck with this adversity. The brand has also made an appeal to all the brands in the segment, encouraging them to come together for this cause. Kansai Nerolac was one of the first brands in the country to announce relief measures immediately after the first nationwide lockdown was announced. Anticipating the financial adversity that the situation was about to have on people at large, especially the daily-wage earners, the brand announced an early disbursement of funds to its painter community falling under the Nerolac Premium Painter Pragati (NPP Pragati) Programme. The initiative provided much need interim relief to over 30,000 painters. Maldives has come out in defence of India at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meet and called out Pakistans rising Islamophobia propaganda against India. As per reports, Pakistan tried to push the narrative of rising Islamophobia in India. Maldives, however, called it out and said that isolated statements by motivated individuals along with the misinformation campaign on social media cannot be taken as the feelings of 1.3 billion Indians. As reported by news agency ANI, Maldives Permanent Representative to the UN Thilmeeza Hussain said that alleging Islamophobia in context of India would be factually incorrect. Let me state that singling out India, the largest democracy in the world and multi cultural society and home to over 200 million Muslims, alleging Islamophobia would be factually incorrect. It would be detrimental to the religious harmony in the South Asian region. Islam has existed in India for centuries and it is the second largest religion in India with 14.2% of Indias population, she said. Maldives, which is also an Islamic country, said that India, in recent years, has developed stronger ties with Islamic nations such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan and Palestine. Prime Minister Modi has been given high civilian awards in these countries. India-Maldives diplomacy Amid the Chinese coronavirus outbreak, when India evacuated its citizens stuck in Wuhan, China, the epicentre of pandemic, 7 Maldives nationals were also evacuated. During the debate on Citizenship Amendment Act where allegations were put that it is anti-Muslims, Maldives Speaker Mohamed Nasheed had cited his own example and said that India is a safe haven for minorities. When the Article 370 was abrogated and Jammu & Kashmir was made integral part of India without any riders attached, then, too, Maldives had stood by India stating that Kashmir is Indias internal matter. The Buhari administration has restrained cabinet ministers from directly removing heads of agencies and parastatals they supervise. Now in place is a multi-layered procedure that appears to strengthen the role of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in the disciplinary process, a government circular exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES shows. The circular, dated May 19 and endorsed by the SGF, Boss Mustapha, conveyed the concern of the government about the tendency by some ministers to arbitrarily remove chief executive officers of agencies and its impact on stability and service delivery. The circular was dispatched to all ministers and several other senior officials, including the head of service, the presidents chief of staff, military chiefs, the central bank governor, and permanent secretaries, among others. Ministers had in the past arbitrarily exercised powers to discipline heads of agencies, commissions or departments they supervise, including suspending and dismissing them from office. For example, In January, the power minister, Sale Mamman, removed Damilola Ogunbiyi and Marilyn Amobi, respectively the chief executives of the Rural Electrification Agency and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company apparently without clearance from the presidency or adopting a process of query and panel probe. President Muhammadu Buhari would later reverse the ministers action. But the minister in the past days has also sacked the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Usman Mohammed, alongside four directors of the company, although he said his action was approved by Mr Buhari. The SGFs circular now protects heads of agencies from their supervising ministers arbitrariness but may have created a hurdle of red-tapism that may delay or even prevent sanction for abuses. Also, ministerial threats of sanctions in the event of no performance, like the one issued by communications and digital economy minister, Isa Pantami, to agencies under his ministry last August, may no longer yield any effect. When serious misconduct is reported against a chief executive, the new procedure set by the circular requires a minister through the permanent secretary to refer the matter to the governing board of the affected agency in line with its enabling law and chapters three and 16 of the Public Service Rules on discipline and government parastatals. The board will then issue the affected official a query and subsequently advise the minister of its findings and recommendations. But whether the board is itself the source of the allegation of misconduct against the chief executive or the chief executive is the chairman of the board, the minister, on the advice of the permanent secretary, still has to ensure a query is issued, requesting an explanation from the accused official. The Minister after due consideration of the submission from the Board shall, on the advice of the Permanent Secretary, forward the ministrys position along with the recommendations of the Board and explanation of the Chief Executive Officer to the Secretary to Government of the Federation for processing to Mr President, for a decision, the circular states. Upon receipt of the submission from the minister by SGF, the procedure then establishes another layer of probe, requiring the SGF to without delay cause an independent investigation and advise Mr President on the appropriate course of action, including interdiction or suspension in accordance with the principles guiding Sections 030405 and 030406 of the Public Service Rules, pending the outcome of the independent investigation. Based on the outcome of the independent investigation, it shall be the responsibility of the SGF to further advise Mr President on the next course of action, the circular states. Continuing, the memo said it is the SGF that will implement and/or convey the approval and directives of Mr President on every disciplinary action against the Chief Executive Officers in the Public Service. The SGF, Mr Mustpha said this procedure shall serve as a mandatory guide and all ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and any other Public Officer in a similar supervisory role are enjoined to strictly abide by its content. For emphasis, on no account shall a Minister of the Federal Republic unilaterally or arbitrarily remove a serving Chief Executive Officer, without recourse to the procedure contained in this circular, Mr Mustapha added. See Circular Here Iran's president on Saturday warned the United States not to interfere with a shipment of oil bound for Venezuela after the South American nation said it would provide an armed escort for the tankers. In a statement posted on his website, Hassan Rouhani said the United States had created unacceptable conditions in different parts of the world, but that Iran would by no means be the one to initiate conflict. If our tankers in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world face any problems caused by the Americans, they will face problems as well," he added. We hope the Americans will not make a mistake. Rouhani made the remarks in a call with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the ruling emir of Qatar, which has close relations with both Iran and the United States. The five Iranian tankers now on the high seas are expected to start arriving in Venezuela in the coming days. They are carrying gasoline to alleviate severe fuel shortages in the country that have caused days-long lines at service stations, even in the capital, Caracas. Venezuela said Wednesday that planes and ships from the nation's armed forces will escort the tankers in case of any U.S. aggression. President Donald Trump imposed heavy sanctions on Iran after he withdrew the US from Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The administration has ramped up sanctions on Venezuela to try to force President Nicols Maduro from power. A force of US vessels, including Navy destroyers and other combat ships, patrol the Caribbean on what U.S. officials call a drug interdiction mission. Venezuelan officials paint them as a threat, but U.S. officials have not announced any plans to intercept the Iranian tankers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Syracuse, N.Y. Dozens of Syracuse hospital patients have recovered from the novel coronavirus but remain stuck in hospital beds. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said Friday that 40 patients are well enough to return to the nursing homes from which they came, but a state order keeps them isolated in hospital beds until they test negative for the virus. That can take up to two months; in the meantime, hospitals required to maintain open beds are getting crowded and taking yet another financial hit from the pandemic. And high numbers of people in the hospital could jeopardize the expanded reopening of Central New York because the state had made hospitalizations a crucial test in whether a region can continue easing strict social distancing regulations. If the numbers of recovered patients confined to hospital beds continues to grow, hospitals might even have to postpone some money-making elective procedures that they were just allowed to resume after a two-month shutdown. Everybody loses, said Tom Dennison, a Syracuse University health care policy professor and former hospital executive. The hospital doesnt want patients who dont need acute care because its not financially good for them, Dennison said. Its not good for the patient because theyre isolated in a room with no stimulation and no activities. McMahon and Upstate Medical University officials say theyre trying to work with the state on a solution, such as designating an all-Covid-19 nursing home. So far, no luck. We understand the spirit of this direction, and Im sure it came from a positive place, but I think there are solutions to be explored that could be more advantageous for the patients, the facility and others who need care, said Dr. Amy Tucker, Upstates chief medical officer. Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an order on Mothers Day requiring hospitals to keep nursing home residents admitted for Covid-19 until they test negative. Cuomo said that would reduce the spread of the virus to nursing home patients, the most vulnerable to the disease. Cuomo had also ordered hospitals to keep at least 30% of their beds open at all times in case the number of Covid-19 patients spikes. That remains one of the criteria Cuomo has set for regions to reopen and keep open their economies Cuomos two orders are clashing as hospitals are forced to fill beds with well patients while simultaneously trying to keep beds open for potentially sick patients. Its compounded by the fact that Cuomo shut down elective surgeries in March, which are profit-makers for hospitals. Those surgeries have been resumed, but hospitals might be forced to limit them again if the population of Covid-19 patients continues to grow. If we have a number of those and the number were to increase, would we be able to provide service for other patients who need it? Tucker asked. A lot of people have been waiting to get things done that are medically necessary, and if we dont have the bed capacity we cant serve them. Hospitals are largely eating the cost of the long Covid-19 stays because reimbursements from Medicaid and Medicare are based largely on the complexity of the case, not the number of days a patient is in the hospital. If a patient with a certain mix of illnesses gets well quickly, hospitals make money. If another patient with the same mix stays longer, hospitals lose. Its the law of averages, Dennison said. Under agreements with Medicare, hospitals must keep patients until there is a safe and appropriate discharge plan. Youre not going to send a patient to their home if the family cant cope with the situation, or if its a congregate setting they need to make sure the patient isnt contagious, Dennison said. Tucker said Upstate has 12 to 15 Covid-19 patients who have recovered but still test positive. They must be isolated, and in some cases, they are in double rooms, effectively tying up two beds that could be used for other patients. The duration from when a patient is infected until they test negative varies, Tucker said. Many people will become negative after two or three weeks, she said, but it can stretch out as long as six or even eight weeks in some unusual circumstances. Its not clear how contagious someone is between recovering and finally testing negative. We dont have a solid handle on that, Tucker said. Theyre likely to be less contagious or not contagious, but were not completely sure. McMahon has complained about the governors policy several times this week at his daily briefings, saying the countys hospital numbers are inflated and shouldnt affect the countys ability to move beyond phase one of the economic reopening, which started last week. On Friday, 83 Covid-19 patients were in Syracuse hospitals, but 40 of those were ready to be discharged, McMahon said. We dont have 83 people in the hospital who are sick right now. We have 43, he said. The total hospitalization numbers, he said, are skewed and theyre not accurate, so that cant be used against us in a restart in phase two and three and four. Cuomos office referred questions to the state Department of Health. In the event hospitals are unable to manage their capacity we will work with hospitals to balance their patient load with another facility, the department said in a statement. Crouse spokesman Bob Allen said by voicemail the hospital had few Covid-19 patients. St. Josephs Health did not return phone calls and emails. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources Destiny USA gearing up to reopen Can store owners require you to wear a face mask to enter? No in-person summer school in NY; too early for decision on fall, Cuomo says Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com LONDON: Britain will introduce a COVID-19 quarantine for travellers arriving from abroad from June 8, interior minister Priti Patel said on Friday, a measure that airlines have warned will devastate their industry. All international arrivals, including returning Britons, will have to self-isolate for 14 days and provide details of where they will be staying under the plans, which were criticised by airlines, business groups and politicians alike. "Now we are past the peak of this virus, we must take steps to guard against imported cases triggering a resurgence of this deadly disease," Patel said at a news conference. Those who breach the quarantine in England could be fined 1,000 pounds ($1,218), and spot checks would be carried out by health and border officials. The quarantine will not apply to those arriving from the Irish Republic, or to freight drivers, medical professionals and seasonal agricultural workers. The measures will be reviewed every three weeks. Transport minister Grant Shapps has suggested the government would seek to negotiate "air bridges" for travellers coming from countries with low virus infection rates. In France, Britain`s closest neighbour on the continent of Europe, the government said it regretted Britain`s decision. It stood ready to impose reciprocal measures, AFP news agency cited the French interior ministry as saying. Unlike many other countries, Britain has carried out few tests and checks on visitors, with quarantine limited only to arrivals from China at the start of the outbreak. Spain and Italy have introduced rules that mean international arrivals must self-isolate for two weeks, while on Friday Ireland gave further details for its own quarantine proposals. AIRLINES DISMAYED The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said the blanket quarantine was deeply concerning and could be avoided with strong safety measures. "This approach will damage international business and investor confidence at a time when it is vital to demonstrate that the UK can open for business safely," BCC Director General Adam Marshall said. The opposition Labour Party supported the measures but said the government`s handling of UK arrivals had "lacked urgency, coherence and clarity from the outset". Some members of Prime Minister Boris Johnson`s Conservative party have also criticised the plan. Chief among industry critics are airline bosses, who have said the measures would have severe repercussions. Michael O`Leary, Ryanair`s chief executive, said they would be "unenforceable and unpoliceable." Ryanair and easyJet have outlined plans to restart some flights in the coming months. But under the quarantine plan, Virgin Atlantic will not restart until August at the earliest. "Introducing a quarantine at this stage makes no sense and will mean very limited international aviation at best," said Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry body Airlines UK. "It is just about the worst thing government could do if their aim is to restart the economy." Evangelical pastors respond to Trumps call for churches to reopen CDC releases health guidelines for worship services to resume Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Evangelical pastors and leaders expressed their gratitude for President Trump Friday after he urged the Center for Disease Control to release guidelines for reopening houses of worship. At my direction, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is issuing guidance for communities of faith. Im identifying houses of worship churches, synagogues and mosques as essential places that provide essential services, the president said at news conference on Friday. The president said he also plans to override governors who are not allowing churches to reopen. Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential, but have left out churches and other houses of worship thats not right. So Im correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential. Agreeing with Trump, the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez of New Season church in Sacramento, California, wrote that the spiritual health of our nation is essential. Churches can reopen safely with all CDC recommendations in place. Rodriguez, the president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, thanked the president for federally recognizing this truth. Jentezen Franklin, author and the senior pastor of Free Chapel, a multi-site church based in Gainesville, Georgia, also praised the president's comments, in a post on Twitter, saying, Thank you Mr President! @realDonaldTrump you always have the back of people of Faith!!! We appreciate this very much. We will use wisdom about reopening but its our call, not the governments!!!! Franklin added. On Friday, the CDC released interim guidelines encouraging church staff as well as attendees older than age 2 to wear masks. It also said churchgoers should remain 6 feet apart, whether standing in a line or seated. While the CDC acknowledged that millions of Americans embrace worship as an essential part of life," it also cautioned that gatherings present a risk for increasing the spread of COVID-19." The CDC guidelines also advise churches to temporarily limit the use of prayer books and hymnals that are touched by multiple people, and to cease using a communal cup for communion. It also encouraged churches to add outdoor services or additional in-person worship times so that the number of congregants attending each service is reduced. Pastor Miles McPherson of Rock Church in San Diego said in a statement to The Christian Post that he's glad "churches are finally being acknowledged as essential," but added that his church won't be reopening on Sunday. "... The community often turns to their local church in a time of need. No one can find hope in the aisle of a department store or by sitting in a restaurant. Churches specialize in offering hope and spiritual support through prayer and counseling. We look forward to churches across the U.S. being able to open again and provide that much needed hope and service to their communities," he said. "As for this Sunday, we need a bit more time to have things in place so that attendees can worship in a socially distant setting. We will continue to follow the county's guidelines implemented during this time. We look forward to worshiping together in person as time permits," McPherson added. The Rev. Johnnie Moore, a commissioner at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, wrote that virtually every church, synagogue & mosque, etc. has been totally responsible. "And they WILL BE responsible, deliberate & patient in reopening, he added. The 40,000-member Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, announced that it will be reopening services on May 31, which is Pentecost Sunday. I didnt want to come back looking like a MASH unit, Jack Graham, senior pastor of Prestonwood, told Faithwire. When people come back, we want it to be a Prestonwood experience, a true worship experience Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 01:11:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISTANBUL, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed regional issues "particularly the situations in Syria and Libya" on a phone conversation, local media reported on Saturday. Erdogan and Trump agreed to maintain the close political and military cooperation between the two countries to promote peace and stability in the region, the state-run Anadolu agency said. They further reaffirmed the importance of cooperation and solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Anadolu. The two leaders also exchanged views on bilateral relations, the agency added. LOS ANGELES - Californians entered the Memorial Day weekend with newly expanded options for beachgoing, barbecue and, of course, retail therapy as stay-at-home restrictions eased across much of the state. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/5/2020 (607 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A construction worker wears a face mask as he looks through a window of a new real estate development in the Korea District of Los Angeles, Friday, May 22, 2020. Millions of Californians are heading into the Memorial Day weekend with both excitement and anxiety after restrictions to control the spread of the coronavirus were eased across much of the state. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) LOS ANGELES - Californians entered the Memorial Day weekend with newly expanded options for beachgoing, barbecue and, of course, retail therapy as stay-at-home restrictions eased across much of the state. Some 45 of 58 counties have received permission to reopen most stores at least for curbside pickups and many public spaces by meeting state standards for controlling the coronavirus. Some saw it as a safety test as the state prepared to celebrate its first major holiday weekend since a statewide order in mid-March clamped down on all but essential trips and businesses. Social distancing practices have been cited as the main reason rates of deaths and hospitalizations have slowed in many counties, and people were urged to keep their masks on and their guard up while enjoying recently reopened bike paths, hiking trails and beaches. Many Southern California beaches were open only for swimming, running and other activities. Sunbathing and group activites such as volleyball were prohibited. Police, lifeguards and other officials were warning people to not forget about the seriousness of the virus as they enjoy their newfound freedom. Dont go crazy and stay out all weekend. Dont get as close as you can to as many people, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. Dont go out without a mask. You see people without masks, avoid them. Its also something that just saves more lives, including, perhaps, your own, he said. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. Los Angeles County, the states largest with 10 million people, has been hardest-hit by COVID-19, with more than 43,000 cases and well over 2,000 deaths. However, hospitalization and other figures show progress in slowing the spread of infections, health officials said, and Garcetti announced Friday that the Venice Beach bike path was reopening. Dozens of counties also got the go-ahead to allow some restaurants, which have survived on deliveries and takeout orders, to reopen limited seating. At the sprawling Liberty Public Market in San Diego, patio seating reopened Friday. I think people are going to be so happy to be able to go back out and not eat out of a plastic container or cardboard box, said David Spatafore, who owns the Blue Bridge Hospitality restaurant group. I know I am. Im over the compost-able clam shell. The state is still seeing troubling COVID-19 flare-ups, however. Imperial County, across the border from Mexico, has seen a surge. In Northern California, Santa Cruz Countys public health officials were investigating four separate clusters of COVID-19 cases involving family gatherings, including a multi-generational Mothers Day party and a large gathering involving individuals who travelled from out-of-state. Avoiding temptation might be difficult, however, with forecasts calling for temperatures to heat up over the weekend, reaching into the 90s and even 100 degrees in some inland valleys by Sunday. On Friday, George Cruz relaxed at an outdoor beach restaurant in San Diego as a waitress wearing a face covering rushed by, carrying a tray with a pina colada in a pineapple-shaped cup. An employee in a face covering stood nearby with cleaning supplies in his gloved hand, ready to sanitize any empty tables. The odd mix of pumping music, cocktails and health precautions did not seem to deter anyone. Beach House Grill known for its ocean views and fire pits was already filling up on a sunny afternoon less than 24 hours after San Diego County was given permission by the state to allow dine-in restaurant service. Cruz could only imagine the crowds over the holiday weekend. Thats why we decided to come now, said the engineer, who was dining with his wife and 6-year-old daughter. The family planned to stay home. There definitely will be a surplus of people at the beach, he said. I just hope everybody is smart about how they go out. In San Francisco, officials drew large chalk social distancing circles on the grass at parks to show people where to sit. Dolores Park has seen large masses of people on sunny weekends, prompting Mayor London Breed to warn that she would shut it down if people werent more responsible. Some popular getaway communities, which are suffering economically after more than two months of business shutdowns and stay-away crowds, welcomed visitors. Big Bear Lake, a couple of hours northeast of Los Angeles, said officials wont enforce Gov. Gavin Newsoms COVID-19 safety orders. But South Lake Tahoe in the northern Sierra Nevada and Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern Sierra urged non-residents to stay away, concerned that swarms of tourists might spur more COVID-19 cases and overwhelm their medical systems. 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. We would love nothing more than to welcome everyone to Tahoe right now, but thats not the safest way to bring people back, City Manager Joe Irvin said in a statement. We need to be responsible and make sure we are doing our part to keep our neighbours safe and Tahoe safe. The Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Office warned that its beaches would be closed except for a few hours in the morning and strongly discouraged tourism from the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Valley and Sacramento areas. North of San Francisco, Humboldt County, home to several parks with majestic redwood trees, was open for residents only. Do not travel into our county, Sheriff William Honsal said in a video Thursday. People want to come here, find relief because the temperatures are rising in the valley, coming to the coast, coming to the beach. We ask those people that are from another county to please stay in your county. _____ Associated Press writers Julie Watson in San Diego, John Antczak and Frank Baker in Los Angeles, Juliet Williams in San Francisco and Martha Mendoza in Santa Cruz contributed to this report. Protests continued in several areas of Kolkata on Saturday as parts of the metropolis remained without water and power since cyclone Amphan ravaged the city. From Behala in the south to Belgharia in the north, armed with placards, people blocked roads with empty buckets and utensils. Protests were also reported from Sapuipara and Pallishree areas in Jadavpur, Garfa, besides Narkeldanga and Telangabagan. The protesters, many of whom were women, said they are under extreme hardship as there was no electricity and water for the past three days and repeated calls to power utilities CESC and WBSEDCL went unanswered. They said that due to the power cut they cannot pumpwater from the supply lines to the tanks of their respective houses, leading to a dire situation amid the rising mercury. While some of the protesters blamed the lack of preparedness on the part of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) despite repeated warnings of the severity of the cyclone by the weather office, many pointed fingers at the response of the power utilities to the crisis. There has been no word from CESC on when the power will be restored. A tree, which fell on the transformer in our area, was not removed. The KMC staff said they dont have the tools, while CESC said they can start work only after the tree is removed. We are living in inhuman conditions, a middle-aged man from Jadavpur said. Many others said they cannot continue with work from home due to the lack of power and internet connectivity. We are forced to buy mineral water cans at higher prices. Forget about working from home, we cant even take baths and do other normal things, said a woman, who is in her 20s, in the Garfa area. Police had to chase away protesters at Dopariya in Ghola area off Kalyani Expressway as the blockade continued for over an hour. Officials said locals refused to lift the blockade till power lines were restored in the area, following which police had to step in. With uprooted trees blocking several arterial roads, police faced a tough time to keep the city moving as the blockades continued. A police officer said protesters in some areas went back to their homes after persuasions and assurances. Officials of the two power utilities said with thousands of trees uprooted across the city, it was taking time for restoration of electricity. Power was being restored in phases, they said. Similar protests were held on Friday as well in several areas, which people said have turned into islands as connectivity -- power, water, internet, mobile network and cable television -- remained severed following the cyclone. Flash The World Health Organization (WHO) reiterated on Friday that COVID-19 vaccines must be recognized as public goods for the whole world, and that all countries must contribute. "We can't prevent pathogens, germs from crossing our borders. And that's why these vaccines have to be recognized as protecting the whole of the world and the contributions from every country to do that," Katherine O'Brien, director of WHO's Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, said in a press conference in Geneva on Friday, reiterating COVID-19 vaccines be recognized as "global public health goods." "The outbreak of pathogens don't recognize borders. Although one country may be able to vaccinate a high proportion of individuals, and in fact, even induce herd immunity in the country, the transmission of pathogens crosses borders," she said, adding that "we're all at risk when any country is at risk". O'Brien gave a classic example of measles for illustration: "Measles anywhere is measles everywhere. And when we have measles anywhere, it means every country must continue to immunize and immunize at the rate that it does protect every individual in the community." Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, a global Vaccine Alliance, said that it's important to "think about the fact that immunization is not only about protecting the individual, but it's also about creating herd immunity and protecting the rest of society". "And that's a critical point, because even if you know if your child or your family cannot be immunized, because they have an immunosuppressive disease or because the vaccine doesn't take. What protects them, is the fact that other people around them are protected, " he said. "That's why immunization has the characteristics of a global public good, and why in the discussion now, as developing COVID-19 vaccines, one of the critical issues there, is to think about the role it will play in ending the pandemic," he added, stressing the vaccines' ability "to get rid of infection in surrounding communities, to get rid of reservoirs of infection, etc." Countries should "be prepared, be innovative, think of vaccines as an investment," said Henrietta Fore, executive director of UNICEF, emphasizing that it's smart, strategic, and also an obligation for children. "So what we worry about most are the countries that are very poor ... the poorest households in every country, and we worry about girls. So as you think about where we need vaccines and how broad it should be, this is our focus and intent, and need as a world," she added. (Photo : Antara Foto/Muhammad Adimaja/ via REUTERS) A medical staff member waits to take a swab sample from a citizen amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Jakarta, Indonesia May 20, 2020, in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Picture taken May 20, 2020. The United Kingdom scientists are to begin testing a treatment that said could counteract the effects of COVID-19 in patients who are most severely ill. Those with the severest form of the disease have been found to have meager numbers of an immune cell called a T-cell. The clinical trial will determine whether a drug called Interleukin 7, believed to raise T-cell numbers, will improve recovery for patients. This includes researchers from the Francis Crick Institute, King's College London, and the Hospital of Guy and St Thomas. ALSO READ: Coronavirus: Will You Gain Immunity After Recovering From COVID-19? Crashing T-cells Researchers believe that checking patients for immune problems at hospital entry could help doctors identify those most likely to decline. They have looked at 60 COVID-19 patients' immune cells in the blood and found an apparent crash in the number of T-cells. The team found in their study that patients who do worse have a problem with a particular type of T-cell that usually eradicates cells infected with viruses. They also have far fewer immune cells that can be involved in tissue repair, called basophils. It indicates that the virus skews the immune response in critically ill patients, and takes out one of the most important natural defenses of the body. Adrian Hayday, who manages Crick's Immunosurveillance Laboratory, said the changes they witnessed in the blood are "not subtle." He added patients with these features seem more likely to experience severe disease, requiring intensive management. Hayday, who also serves as a Crick Institute professor, said it was a "great surprise" to see what was going on with the immune cells. "They're trying to protect us, but the virus seems to be doing something that's pulling the rug from under them because their numbers have declined dramatically," he told BBC. The finding could also be of assistance to researchers developing new treatments and vaccines. If scientists were able to discover what causes the immune cells to disappear and malfunction, they could hunt for a drug to stop it. The team suggests that supplying patients with recombinant IL-7 (Interleukin 7), a natural protein that promotes T cell function, could help with the issue. It has called for immediate trials to see if it will work, the researchers added. ALSO READ: Quicker Than A Ray of Light! Coronavirus Is Now 1,000 Times More Infectious Than SARS! - Study Coronavirus doesn't discriminate Professor Hayday said coronavirus also doesn't simply discriminate according to age and underlying condition. "Although in smaller numbers, younger, healthy individuals can also be struck down with severe symptoms," he said. Hayday said clinical treatment decisions can be guided by the state-of-the-art knowledge of the immune system. Manu Shankar-Hari, an intensive care medicine consultant at the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, told The Telegraph health workers routinely measure white blood cell counts in all hospitalized patients. "Our new study clearly underlines the enormous potential for measuring the status of particular types of immune cells involved in fighting the virus." ALSO READ: [BREAKING] COVID-19 Update: Japanese Company Claims UV Light Robot Can Destroy Coronavirus in 2 Minutes 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. WATERLOO REGION COVID-19 cases in Waterloo Region are up to 1,074. The Saturday morning update by public health is an additional eight confirmed cases on Fridays 1,066. Snapshot of COVID-19 cases in Waterloo Region Updated May 23 112 People who have died 66% Cases that have recovered 31 People in hospital 3 Days, no new death Source: Region of Waterloo public health No new deaths were reported. The total of 112 has remained steady since Wednesdays update. Of the current local cases, 707 are resolved and 31 are hospitalized. One fewer person is hospitalized from Fridays update. Outbreaks are declared at 13 long-term care and retirement homes the same as the previous day. A total of 15,199 tests have been done in the region. Waterloo Regional Police urged local residents on Twitter to enjoy the sunshine this weekend while continuing to practise physical distancing to stay safe. Saturdays forecast calls for mainly sunny weather with a high of 26 C. On Sunday, theres a risk of a thunderstorm and good chance of rain with a high of 21 C expected. Township of North Dumfries Mayor Sue Foxton also encouraged people to get outside this weekend, but not to forget important public health measures put in place to curb spread of the virus. Weve started the new normal. Weve started the next way on how were going to live our lives. And that means we have to watch social distancing, we have to wear masks when we go out in public because sometimes we get crowded together even though we dont intend to be, Foxton said in a Twitter message on Saturday. She reminded people that the battle was not over yet. The success of how we do this allows us to defeat and move forward stronger and better. But we have to do it together. We have to follow the rules, Foxton said. The more things we do right, the less restrictions well have and the more well be able to move forward and outward together and enjoy each others company again. Three workers at a plant operated by Cranswick Convenience Foods in Barnsley, England have died after contracting COVID-19. They have not been named. They were among nine confirmed cases of the disease at the meat processing factory located in Wombwell, near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. Seven workers were hospitalized, including the three who died. Two have been discharged and have returned to work while another has been discharged but not yet returned. The latest case was reported on May 11. The three who died worked in different sections of the Wombwell factory. According to the National Pig Association website, The most recent dates the workers who died had been on the site were March 29, April 6 and April 7. The Wombwell sliced meat factory employs 1,200 workers and is part of the Hull-based Cranswick plca FTSE 250 index-listed company. Cranswick processes a third of all pigs produced in the UK for meat consumption. Overall, it employs nearly 7,000 people across 16 sites in the UK, including one in Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. With revenues of 1.44 billion, it reported pre-tax profits in 2019 of 92 million. The firm produces fresh pork, gourmet sausages, cooked meat, air-dried bacon, cooked poultry, charcuterie, sandwiches and pastry products for supermarkets and exports to Europe, America, and southeast Asia. On May 20, the Guardian reported comments from a family member of a worker in the Wombwell plant about working conditions. Speaking anonymously, she explained that employees had initially been told social distancing was not possible and masks would not be available because they were needed by the National Health Service. Unlike in meat processing plants in Northern Ireland, where COVID-19 cases had occurred, no deep cleaning had taken place. Social distancing had only been implemented in the canteen area over the last week. The family member continued, If you dont feel well and know if you dont go to work youre only going to get the statutory sick pay [95.85 a week] and are not going to be able to pay the bills, what are you going to do? I am scared he could bring it home to us and our kids. They [plant workers] have not been happy, but theyre all scared to say anything because of losing their jobs. Its a shit way to go for 9 an hour. The Food Manufacture website reported May 19, Cranswick started to plan for the impending coronavirus pandemic in late February, and factories are now operating social distancing, staggered shifts, increased cleaning and hygiene including hand sanitisers, screens and personal protective equipment where needed. car parks and public areas have implemented two-metre distancing and additional marquees have been erected with single tables for staff. A spokesperson for the company told the press, Cranswick employees are designated key workers We are doing everything we can to protect them while they carry out this critical role. A company spokesman told the Guardian that visors were available and temperature checks would be carried out on staff as they came into the building. The family member responded by asking, Why are they now implementing things this far into it after the deaths have happened and weve had the risk? The GMB union represents some of the workers at the plant, but as of yesterday, there has been no statement on the deaths by the GMB Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. Cranswick has a record of safety breaches and protests by workers over dangerous working conditions. In May 2007, a cleaner, Lynda Trebilcock, died horrifically with her head cut off in a giant meat blending machine at a DeliCo Ltd plant in Buckinghamshire. DeliCo was bought by Cranswick Convenience Foods the previous year. In 2009, DeliCo was fined just 160,000 over the incident after being found guilty of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. In February 2011, Cranswick Convenience Foods was found guilty at Barnsley magistrates courts of safety breaches and fined 14,000. In December 2009, James Hardcastle, a worker at the Wombwell plant, lost his hand when his arm became trapped in a machine. It was shown that a supervisor had overridden a safety device and Hardcastle, who had been feeding meat into the machine, got his arm caught leading to his hand having to be amputated. Three months later another worker, Liam Hodgson lost the ends of two fingers on his right hand when feeding plastic film used to wrap meats into a machine. In August and September 2012, around 80 butchers at Cranswicks food processing plant at Preston, near Hull, held a series of three strikes. The GMB members were protesting the introduction of a new contract, the use of new machinery and a cut in pay. At the time, the Food Manufacture website cited the comments of the GMBs Dave Oglesby who said, Ive been a union rep for eight years and Ive never seen a company be so aggressive towards its workers. He explained how new methods meant having to work faster to keep up with the speed of the lines and giving notice to use the toilet. Theres been an increase in butchers getting cuts on their hands because theyre being asked to work so much fasterlike machines. Theres fatigue and stress issues too. One chap collapsed on the line a couple of weeks ago. The overriding threat is that if butchers arent working to the correct speed and standard, they will cut their pay even further. A fourth strike was avoided when the GMB reached a deal with the company. In December 2018, around 200 staff at the Preston site walked out in an unofficial strike. They drew up a list of seven demands including increasing the numbers working on production lines and a pay increase in line with the National Minimum Wage rise. A striker told the Hull Daily Mail, The situation has come about from desperate people. We are going to protest outside the factory until we get an answer. A letter drawn up by the strikers said they had previously demanded better conditions, but, Working conditions did not change, and became even worse. The staff is expected to work faster, in [a] stressful and exhausting environment. The pay rates per hour remain the same. The letter asked the company to not increase the speed of the production [line] constantly. Other meat processing plants in the UK have reported cases of COVID-19 infection. These include a worker at a Morrisons-owned meat processing plant in Spalding, Lincolnshire, in April. Also in Spalding, several employees at Dalehead Foodsa division of Tulip Ltdtested positive for the disease. In early May, a worker at Irish-based Greencores processing plant in Northampton tested positive. This month, the Office of National Statistics published a report showing that male operatives in processing plants had a death rate from COVID-19 of 37.7 per 100,000 compared to white-collar workers, where the rate is 5.6. Internationally, meat processing workers have been among the most affected by the pandemic. In the US, there have been COVID-19 infections at over 60 plants, with around 3,500 cases and at least 17 deaths. German meat processing plants that rely heavily on migrant labour from Eastern Europe have seen a high incidence of COVID-19 infections. In just one plant, Muller-Fleisch in Birkenfeld, 400 workers tested positive from a workforce of 1,100, forcing the closure of the plant. In Ireland, there have been over 600 cases of COVID-19 infection among meat processing workers, including one death. Workers should heed the statement made by Cranswick after the deaths. The firm stated, We continue to work with the relevant regulatory bodies including the HSE (Health & Safety Executive), PHE (Public Health England), the FSA (Food Standards Agency) and local EHO representatives (Environmental Health Officers) during these challenging times. Less than four miles from Cranswicks Wombwell operation is a warehouse run by the fashion retailer Asos. The Regulatory Services department of Labour-controlled Barnsley Council has done nothing to prevent that business from continuing its operations. Despite there being nine confirmed cases of the virus at the Asos warehouse, the Community trade union and Barnsley Council worked together in opposition to a call by workers for the closure of the premises to allow the organisation of a deep clean. Meat processing workers at Cranswick and other plants must establish rank-and-file safety committees demanding the closure of factories where infections have taken place. They should only reopen after a deep clean and when all necessary protective equipment and safety measures have been introduced. He said he began to implement some of the lessons hed learned through his research, particularly the Japanese idea of Moai, a tradition in which a child is connected to a group of people beyond their family with the idea of creating a lifetime support group. He decided to create his own Moai, reaching out to two friends hed known for years, but in recent times rarely saw and reconnected with them. They agreed to video conference once a month for at least two hours and that they would be honest about what was going on in their lives whether it was their relationships, money, work, whatever. In between, they make an effort to text and call each other when hard decisions come up. The idea was that they had a support group outside their immediate family. High-intensity fires can destroy peat bogs and cause them to emit huge amounts of their stored carbon into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases, but a new Duke University study finds low-severity fires spark the opposite outcome. The smaller fires help protect the stored carbon and enhance the peatlands' long-term storage of it. The flash heating of moist peat during less severe surface fires chemically alters the exterior of clumped soil particles and "essentially creates a crust that makes it difficult for microbes to reach the organic matter inside," said Neal Flanagan, visiting assistant professor at the Duke Wetland Center and Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment. This reaction -- which Flanagan calls "the creme brulee effect" -- shields the fire-affected peat from decay. Over time, this protective barrier helps slow the rate at which a peatland's stored carbon is released back into the environment as climate-warming carbon dioxide and methane, even during periods of extreme drought. By documenting this effect on peatland soils from Minnesota to Peru, "this study demonstrates the vital and nuanced, but still largely overlooked, role fire plays in preserving peat across a wide latitudinal gradient, from the hemi-boreal zone to the tropics," said Curtis J. Richardson, director of the Duke Wetland Center. "This is the first time any study has been able to show that," Richardson said, "and it has important implications for the beneficial use of low-severity fire in managing peatlands, especially at a time of increasing wildfires and droughts." The researchers published their peer-reviewed findings May 10 in the journal Global Change Biology. advertisement Peatlands are wetlands that cover only 3% of Earth's land but store one-third of the planet's total soil carbon. Left undisturbed, they can lock away carbon in their organic soil for millennia due to natural antimicrobial compounds called phenolics and aromatics that earlier studies by the Duke team have shown can prevent even drier peat from decaying. If a smoldering, high-intensity fire or other major disturbance destroys this natural protection, however, they can quickly turn from carbon sinks to carbon sources. To conduct the new study, Flanagan and his colleagues at the Duke Wetland Center monitored a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proscribed burn of a peatland pocosin, or shrub-covered wetland bog, at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in eastern North Carolina in 2015. Using field sensors, they measured the changing intensity of the fire over its duration and the effects it had on soil moisture, surface temperatures and plant cover. They also did chemical analyses of soil organic matter samples collected before and after the fire. They then replicated the intensity and duration of the N.C. fire, which briefly reached temperatures of 850oF, in controlled laboratory tests on soil from peatlands in Minnesota, Florida and the Amazon basin of Peru, and analyzed the burn samples using using X?ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The analysis showed that the low-severity fires increased the degree of carbon condensation and aromatization in the soil samples, particularly those collected from the peatlands' surface. In other words, the researchers saw the "creme brulee effect" in samples from each of the latitudes. Long-term laboratory incubations of the burnt samples showed lower cumulative CO2 emissions coming from the peat for more than 1-3 years after the tests. advertisement "Initially, there was some loss of carbon, but long-term you easily offset that because there's also reduced respiration by the microbes that promote decay, so the peat is decomposing at a much slower rate," Flanagan said. Globally, peatlands contain approximately 560 gigatons of stored carbon. That's the same amount that is stored in all forests and nearly as much as the 597 gigatons found in the atmosphere. "Improving the way we manage and preserve peatlands is critical given their importance in Earth's carbon budget and the way climate change is altering natural fire regimes worldwide," Richardson said, "This study reminds us that fire is not just a destructive anomaly in peatlands, it can also be a beneficial part of their ecology that has a positive influence on their carbon accretion." Flanagan and Richardson conducted the study with fellow Duke Wetland Center researchers Hongjun Wang and Scott Winton. Winton also holds appointments at ETH Zurich's Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology. Primary funding came from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science's Terrestrial Ecosystem Sciences division (grant #DE-SC0012272). Additional support came from the Duke University Wetland Center Endowment and the Duke University Shared Materials Instrumentation Facility. Pork prices hit a 20-year high of VND103,000 ($4.39) per kilogram over scarcity caused by the African swine fever epidemic last year. The record-high price was confirmed in the southern province of Long An, the highest among all localities in the country. On Friday, prices in the southern region rose to VND90,000-92,000 ($3.84-3.92) in most provinces, with Dong Nai recording a historic high of VND98,000 ($4.18). In the northern provinces, prices rose to VND94,000-100,000 ($4.01-4.26). Giau, a trader in Long An, said prices have been rising in recent days, increasing 10 percent from just two days ago. He said he did not purchase pigs at this price, afraid that the high prices will chase buyers away. A senior official of the Animal Husbandry Association of the South-Eastern Region, who asked not be identified, said that rising prices in the last seven days was caused by a severe shortage of supply. He said authorities last year had made the wrong move of urging farmers to switch from raising pigs to poultry amid the African swine fever epidemic, which resulted in the current pork shortage. The epidemic had led to the killing of millions of pigs. Vietnam has increased imports but locals prefer domestic pork, so it will be difficult to contain the rising prices, he added. Pork imports increased 300 percent year-on-year in the first four months, reaching nearly 70 percent of the entire volume last year. The African swine fever, which is fatal to pigs but does not affect humans, broke out in February last year and caused pig numbers to fall by more than 25 percent between January and December last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) Filipino Muslims will have to celebrate the end of Ramadan differently this year as the coronavirus disease remains a threat, forcing people to stay physically apart. Eid'l Fitr, also called the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," is one of the most important days for Muslims and is an occasion that brings the entire Muslim community together. During this time, families and friends gather to show gratitude to Allah while celebrating the end of Ramadan, the four-week daytime fast that marks the month Muslims believe their Holy Book, the Quran, was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. But Muslim priest Imam Rashid Marneld Indasan told CNN Philippines that this year would be different, as quarantine protocols remain in place to contain the spread of COVID-19. "Traditionally, we Muslims are usually, ngayon pagdating nitong eve na to, tong paglubog ng araw, magyayakapan na kami, maghahalikan kami, brothers, sisters, so isa yun sa mga talagang mahirap," Indasan said in an interivew. "At bukas, kung saan ay dapat masaya kami ay di kami magkakasama, yun po ang ating concern ngayon." [Translation: Traditionally, during this eve, at sunset, we Muslim brothers and sisters start hugging and kissing each other so that's one reason this year is difficult. And tomorrow, when we should be celebrating, we cannot be together. That's our concern right now.] Indasan admitted that he was feeling emotional this year because they will not be able to celebrate Eid'l Fitr as a community. Instead, he and his family will celebrate in the local mosque. Maraming gustong pumunta bukas pero pinipigilan po namin sa pagsunod na rin po ng ordinansa sa lockdown na nagaganap ngayon," Indasan said. "We will do praising, yan ang official call na talagang tapos na po ang Ramadan at ngayon, magbabatian na po kami lahat at may kainan po kami." [Translation: Many members also want to go tomorrow but we told them not to, following the local ordinance on the lockdown. We will do the praising, that is the official call that Ramadan is over and now, we will all greet each other and have a feast.] The Eid'l Fitr celebrations focus on the community and family, and a spirit of generosity is encouraged. Despite the difficulties faced this year, Indasan said he is joyful as he celebrates this day and he encouraged his fellow brothers and sisters to rejoice as they celebrate the Festival of Breaking the Fast. The Islam celebration of Eid'l Fitr on May 25, Monday is declared as a national public holiday. In Proclamation No. 944, President Rodrigo Duterte said "the entire Filipino nation should have the full opportunity to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in peace and harmony in the observance and celebration of Eidl Fitr, subject to existing community quarantine and social distancing measures." T he Labour Party has called for an "urgent inquiry" into the actions of Dominic Cummings, after it emerged he travelled 260 miles from his London home during lockdown. Mr Cummings is facing calls to resign, with Downing Street accused of a "cover up", after it emerged he travelled to Durham with his family, days after Boris Johnson urged people not to travel apart from for "essential" reasons. But Downing Street has insisted it was "essential" for Mr Cummings - whose wife had suspected coronavirus - to travel to ensure his child was looked after, with the adviser believing he behaved "reasonably and legally". Following in the steps of the Scottish National Party, Labour has written to the head of the civil service to call for an investigation into the matter. In a letter to Sir Mark Sedwill, shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves said: The British people have made important and painful sacrifices to support the national effort, including being away from family in times of need. It is therefore vital that the Government can reassure the public that its most senior figures have been adhering to the same rules as everyone else. Labour claims Number 10s explanations for Mr Cummingss behaviour raised more questions than they answer including when the Prime Minister was made aware of his decision to travel from London to Durham during lockdown. The letter adds: The British people do not expect there to be one rule for them and another rule for the Prime Ministers most senior adviser. It comes after the SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford wrote to Sir Mark earlier on Saturday. Dominic Cummings pictured on Saturday / Getty Images Mr Blackford has written to Sir Mark and Boris Johnson with several questions, including when he found out about the trip and what role the UK Goverment played in keeping the public in the dark for eight weeks. Speaking after the daily press briefing in Downing Street, Mr Blackford said: He ought to have resigned by now, but its quite clear after that performance today by the Transport Secretary that there is no real defence and that Dominic Cummings should now be sacked by the Prime Minister. He added: We should have been hearing from the Prime Minister todaythe Prime Minister needs to come clean about when he knew about this, whether or not he authorised this, why he hasnt taken his responsibilities in asking Dominic Cummings to resign? But, failing that, making sure that he sacks him. "Because this man has undermined the public messaging that the UK Government has sought to deliver." After an influx of very troubling stories through the pandemic, the federal ombudsman for victims of crime is calling for Canadas COVID-19 recovery plan to include a violence prevention strategy. As weve been living through the pandemic, its becoming more and more clear that violence is a serious issue that is actually on the rise, Heidi Illingworth said in an interview this week. A resource for victims of crime, the federal ombudsman for victims of crime has, in the last two months, seen an increase in inquiries from victims and families seeking help and sharing stories about violence happening in homes and communities across Canada because of increased isolation, Illingworth said. As the country moves cautiously into recovery, she said now is the perfect time to be addressing the causes of violence exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the massive problem of violence against women. In an open letter penned to Dr. Theresa Tam last week, Illingworth implored Canadas chief public health officer to include violence-prevention in the federal recovery response, saying its critical that resources be directed at preventing behaviours that lead to intimate partner violence, sexual violence and child abuse. We continue to learn of lethal violence during the pandemic with the murder of eight women and one girl in just 36 days in Canada. These femicides can and must be prevented, Illingworth wrote in the May 15 letter. A spokesperson for Illingworth said the office had not yet received a reply from Tam. A spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada said the federal government recognizes that family and gender-based violence are serious public health issues and that the agency supports a variety of investments to prevent violence and its health impacts. We are continuing to support projects in communities across the country, as many of them explore new ways to reach individuals, families and communities in the context of COVID-19 and beyond, the spokesperson said. The impact of the pandemic will be far reaching and stress factors caused by the pandemic will continue to heighten the risks of violence, Illingworth wrote in her letter, including financial stress, increased reliance on alcohol or drugs, greater child-care responsibilities and lack of access to positive coping mechanisms. In some Canadian cities, police and womens shelter workers have seen an increase in violence involving an intimate partner; others have reported a drop in calls for service, which experts in this violence say could signal an inability of the victims to call for help safely, not a decline in incidents. Illingworth notes in her letter that many victims have lost access to telephones or computers, including children who may be in danger. While she welcomes the $50 million the federal government put towards womens shelters and sexual assault centres at the outset of the pandemic, Illingworth said these centres react after the problem has gotten out of hand. She urged the Canadian government to target those at lower levels of risk, to prevent current tensions at home from escalating to violence. That could include immediate attempts to reach victims and potential perpetrators through public awareness efforts, including advertising campaigns to educate the public about their role in violence intervention and prevention. We can prevent a lot of violence if we teach people how to resolve conflict in a positive way, she told the Star. We cant just throw more money at the response; lets put money at the beginning, upstream. Lets put money into stopping this violence. The head of the Health Service Executive has urged the public to hold firm over Covid-19 restriction measures. Paul Reid, chief executive of the HSE, acknowledged that the public are worried about jobs and bills, but added that there are bright days ahead. He made the comments as the number of patients with Covid-19 in hospitals continues to fall. Recent figures show that by Friday, 298 patients with coronavirus were admitted to 29 hospitals across the state. The number of patients with #Covid19 in hospitals across Ireland is thankfully continuing to fall. This is down to you, your family & your community. Your efforts are keeping people well, keeping people out of hospitals & saving lives. Please keep up the public health measures pic.twitter.com/8Y0cYTW9to Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 23, 2020 In a tweet Mr Reid said: Like many people, today I feel for my family and friends who are worried about their jobs, are anxious over bills and are feeling stress. I miss our family and our grand daughter abroad. There is lots of help out there though and there are bright days ahead. Hold firm. Minister for Health Simon Harris said the falling number of patients admitted to hospitals is falling because of actions taken by the public. Your efforts are keeping people well, keeping people out of hospitals and saving lives, Mr Harris said in a tweet. Please keep up the public health measures. Expand Close People on Henry street in Dublins city centre as restrictions put in place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic have been eased (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People on Henry street in Dublins city centre as restrictions put in place as a result of the coronavirus pandemic have been eased (Brian Lawless/PA) Meanwhile, Irelands chief medical officer said he had not seen a worrying trend in peoples behaviour since lockdown was eased earlier this week. The majority of people were adhering to restrictions, Dr Tony Holohan added. The latest data on infection, influenced by behaviour during an earlier period, showed the rate of spread was below one. Photos published earlier this week displayed people congregating on busy beaches near Dublin after the area in which people can exercise was extended to five kilometres. Dr Holohan said: I have not seen any worrying trend in relation to those but it is too early to say. On Friday the senior medic said 11 new deaths had been reported, bringing the toll to 1,592. Another 115 new cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 24,506. One new admission to hospital intensive care was recorded. Dr Holohan said there was not widespread immunity to the virus. The percentage of people who have evidence of having been exposed to this and who did not know as individuals, that they were exposed to this, percentages are quite low and not nearly large enough to have any impact on the progression of the further wave. It does mean therefore that from the point of view of infection it would behave exactly the same way. Dr Holohan said the public health emergency team had recommended that the HSE build on the very significant work to date in expanding the testing capacity, to ensure that there is an integrated and co-ordinated clinical and public health-informed approach to the establishment and implementation of a national testing strategy. The extent and risks associated with recreational abuse of laughing gas and psychostimulants by young people have today been revealed in two studies reported at the European Academy of Neurology Virtual Congress (Vienna, Sunday, 24 May, 2020) The extent and risks associated with recreational abuse of laughing gas and psychostimulants by young people have today been revealed in two studies reported at the European Academy of Neurology Virtual Congress. In one study, researchers from Turkey reported increasing stimulant use among medical students approaching their final exams, despite the substantial risks to their health. In the second study, researchers from the Netherlands detailed the neurological outcomes associated with recreational use of laughing gas (nitrous oxide), suggesting that, for some individuals, permanent neurological damage can occur. Increasing use of psychostimulants among medical students: The increasing and widespread use of psychostimulants among medical students as they progress through their training has been revealed by a team of researchers from Istanbul in Turkey. The team studied 194 medical students who completed an online survey evaluating their stimulant use, side effects, and academic performance grades. First-year students (n=93; control group) were compared with fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-year students (n=101; study group). "Non-medical use of prescription stimulants has become a growing public health concern on university campuses over the past two decades," explained Dr Suna Ertu?rul from the Demiroglu Bilim University in Istanbul, Turkey, who presented the results of the study. "Medicine is one of the longest and most competitive degrees to study for and many students believe that using stimulants helps to enhance their academic performance and live an active life." The Turkish researchers found that 16.1% of their study group were using psychostimulants such as methylphenidate and modafinil compared with 6.8% of the control group. Three-quarters of the study group reported experiencing side effects, including insomnia, high heartrates and agitation. No differences were observed in the academic performance between the stimulant users and non-users. "Our study confirms that stimulant use increases during the course of studying for a medical degree, but that this does not improve academic performance as these students believe," said Dr Ertu?rul. Recreational use of laughing gas: The recreational use of laughing gas, which is used as an anaesthetic agent in dental practices and during labour, is on the increase, resulting in growing numbers of patients with neurological problems reporting to specialist outpatient clinics and emergency rooms. "In our neurologic practice, we are seeing more and more patients with neurological problems resulting from recreational use of laughing gas," explained Dr Anne Bruijnes from the Zuyderland Medical Center in Heerlen, Netherlands, who presented the study findings at the meeting. "We saw our first patient in 2017, and since then the number has increased steadily, so we decided to conduct a retrospective study to describe the clinical features and outcomes of the patients we've seen." According to the study team, 13 patients with an average age of 21 years were treated at the medical centre between 2017 and 2019. The most common symptoms reported were paresthesias (tingling and numbness in the hands, legs, arms and feet) and lower limb weakness. Eight patients (62%) were given a clinical diagnosis of axonal polyneuropathy, two (15%) showed evidence of spinal cord degeneration, and three (23%) showed clinical symptoms of both polyneuropathy and spinal cord degeneration (myelopolyneuropathy). All patients received vitamin B12 supplementation and were advised to stop using laughing gas. Laughing gas usage is thought to be on the increase with one in 11 young people aged 16-24 using it annually. Many users are unaware of potential consequences, which can also include paranoia, breathing problems and even death. "Most of our patients made a full recovery, however, some continued to have minor symptoms and three experienced difficulties with everyday activities and were referred to a rehabilitation physician," she said. Dr Bruijnes believes the true extent of the laughing gas problem may not be known, with many abusers failing to seek medical help. "This is a major cause for concern," she said. "Whilst this study is on a relatively small sample, we know that laughing gas use is on the increase. We now know that it causes a vitamin B12 deficiency, which can affect the spinal cord and lead to permanent damage if not treated promptly." ### Notes to Editors: Press Enquiries: For further information or to speak to an expert, please contact Luke Paskins or Sean Deans at press@ean.org or call +44 (0) 1444 811099. About the Expert: Dr Suna Ertu?rul is from the Demiroglu Bilim University in Istanbul, Turkey. Dr Anne Bruijnes is from the Zuyderland Medical Center in Heerlen, Netherlands. EAN - The Home of Neurology: The European Academy of Neurology (EAN) is Europe's home of neurology. Founded in 2014, through the merger of two European neurological societies, EAN represents the interests of more than 45,000 individual members and 47 national institutional members from across the continent. In the interest of the health, safety and well-being of all registered attendees, patients and families, as well as the general public, EAN decided to cancel all in-person attendance and face-to-face activities at the Annual Congress, of May 23-26, 2020 in Paris. The decision was taken due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic and in full support of public authorities in Europe and the World in their effort to slow the spread of the disease. Accordingly, the EAN Board decided to organize the 6th EAN Congress as Virtual Congress for May 23-26, 2020 and offer to the neurology community the possibility for education, scientific news and best practice exchange without leaving home. The EAN Virtual Congress will also cover all neurological diseases and disorders, including the big 7: epilepsy, stroke, headache, multiple sclerosis, dementia, movement disorders, neuromuscular disorders. References: 1. Bogle KE, Smith BH. Illicit methylphenidate use: a review of prevalence, availability, pharmacology, and consequences. Curr Drug Abuse Rev 2009;2(2):157-76. 2. McCabe SE, Knight JR, Teter CJ, et al. Non-medical use of prescription stimulants among US college students: prevalence and correlates from a national survey. Addiction 2005;100(1):96-106. 3. Teter CJ, McCabe SE, LaGrange K, et al. Illicit use of speci?c prescription stimulants among college students: prevalence, motives, and routes of administration. Pharmacotherapy 2006;26(10):1501-10. 4. Conjaerts SHP, Bruijnes JE, Beerhorst K, Beekman R. Nitrous oxide induced polyneuropathy. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2017;161:D204. 5. Lan SY, Kuo CY, Chou CC, et al. Recreational nitrous oxide abuse related subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord in adolescents - A case series and literature review. Brain Dev 2019;41(5):428-35. 6. The Guardian, Nitrous oxide users unaware of health risks, nurses warn, 21 May 2019. 7. Choi C, Kim T, Park KD, et al. Subacute combined degeneration caused by nitrous oxide intoxication: a report of two cases. Ann Rehabil Med 2019;43(4):530-34. 8. De Bruin, et al. Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord due to recreational use of nitrous oxide. Tijdschr Neurol Neurochir 2019;120(2):68-72. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police have arrested a man after allegedly killing a 79-year-old cyclist riding his bike in Bulls Head Friday morning. Zudi Daci, 79, of Bulls Head initially reported to be in his 60s was found unconscious and unresponsive following a collision with a pickup truck near Arlene Street and Signs Road, according to an NYPD spokesman. Zudi Daci, 79, of Bulls Head was killed riding his bike after a collision with a pickup truck near Arlene Street and Signs Road, according to an NYPD spokesman. (Facebook) At approximately 8:21 a.m., NYPD responded to a 911 call and the man was transported to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton in critical condition, police said. The NYPD roped off Signs Road and Arlene Street, where a bicycle and pair of shoes were seen lying on the pavement in the cordoned off area. A pick-up truck for a landscaping company was also cordoned off by police. On Saturday, police announced they arrested Faustino Garcia, 43, of Tottenville and charged him with second-degree Aggravated Unlicensed Operator and failure to use due care. A preliminary investigation conducted by NYPDs Collision Investigation Squad determined that Garcias 2000 Ford pick-up truck was traveling eastbound -- toward Victory Boulevard -- on Signs Road, when he made a left turn onto Arlene Street and struck the bicyclist traveling westbound, toward Richmond Avenue, on Signs Road. The driver of the vehicle remained on scene following the incident and was later taken into custody, police said. It is a very, very dangerous intersection, said Niki, who lives in the neighborhood and declined to have her last name published. They really need to put a traffic light here. She noted that children are among the bicyclists who use the New Springville Greenway paved recreational path and then cross the street at that intersection. Every day from my window, I see people go through this intersection, Niki said, adding, I see accidents on this corner all the time. (From left) Bino, Manoj and Biju from The Holy Grail) with Nollaig McGrath (Clinical Nurse Manager) and Jenny Dowling (Assistant Director of Nursing) at St Johns Hospital and Dr George Leslie from Slaney Medical Centre The nurses and staff in St John's Hospital in Enniscorthy have been recognised for their commitment to the residents and for being fearless in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr George Leslie, a GP with the Slaney Medical Centre, wanted to recognise the staff in the facility to coincide with International Nurses Day last Tuesday. Speaking to this newspaper Dr Leslie said he approached his friend, Biju, who owns the Holy Grail restaurant in Enniscorthy, with the idea and he was delighted to help. 'I initially thought about giving something to one ward in the hospital just as a token of appreciation,' said Dr Leslie. 'However, when I approached Biju he said he would give a free meal to everyone up there,' he added. Dr Leslie said he regards nursing staff all over Ireland, back home in his native India, and all around the world as being the 'forefront fighters' against the pandemic. 'Doctors are doing great work but for the most part it's the nurses who are putting themselves in danger because they are the ones who are constantly in close contact with people,' said Dr Leslie. From the Kerala region of India, Dr Leslie has been coming to Ireland regularly since 1998 and while he worked as a locum for many years has been working with the Slaney Medical Centre for the last year and is very popular in the local community. In addition to being a medic, he also writes a regular column for one of India's most popular magazines and through that has focused attention on aspects of Irish history and mythology - something he has a deep interest in. 'I have written about things like myths, traditions, the banshee, holy wells and Huntington Castle,' he said. He also tries to promote positive living and recorded a short video clip in which he promotes 'the two Cs' - don't complain and don't compare. 'It's about people believing in themselves and being positive,' said Dr Leslie. He visits St John's regularly through his role with Slaney Medical Centre and he said the work being done there is exemplary. Both he and Biju were delighted to be able to offer a gesture of appreciation to those in the hospital and when the food was delivered there last Tuesday Biju enlisted the help of his two brothers, Bino and Manoj, who runs the Holy Grail restaurant in Wexford. Dr Leslie said the gesture was a show of appreciation to all nursing staff around the country. 'While we just did it in St John's, it was really to show appreciation to nursing staff everywhere,' he said. 'Our catchment area is Enniscorthy and that is why we decided to go to St John's but it was in acknowledgement of everyone in the country.' He also praised the local community and people here in general for their sense of unity in fighting Covid-19. The area where Dr Leslie comes from in India is known for the amount of medical professionals that emanate from there. 'Around 99 per cent of the [Indian] doctors and nurses who are here come from there,' he said 'In that region we have three Covid-19 deaths and we have flattened the curve,' he added. 'We are proud of that but it is spreading badly in other areas,' he said. He pointed out that other areas of India are being very badly affected by the worldwide pandemic. 'The nursing staff in St John's were delighted with the gesture from Dr Leslie and Biju and they expressed gratitude to them for what they did. To anyone whos watched, theres more that binds Yamiche Alcindor, Kaitlan Collins and Weijia Jiang than an impromptu display of teamwork at a recent White House news conference. Each reporter has a knack for getting under President Donald Trumps skin and an equal ability not to let it knock them off stride. They symbolise the test of covering a White House like none other, with a president who views the press as an enemy yet is accessible almost daily. A question may elicit a candid response, misdirection, falsehood or attack you never know whats coming. Trump has reacted to questions by Alcindor, Collins and Jiang by calling them nasty or racist, and effectively telling the journalists to pipe down. How do you call out whats happening without making yourself the story, and refocus on what the public policy should be? said Jessica Yellin, a former CNN White House reporter who now does a daily Instagram newcast. 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 Its incredibly challenging. Theyre showing us how its done and figuring it out at the same time. The unexpected cooperation came during an outdoor news conference when Jiang, of CBS News, asked Trump why his claims that the United States tested more than any country mattered at a time people were dying of COVID-19. Trump said that maybe thats a question you should ask China. Dont ask me. Ask China that question. He looked to move on but CNNs Collins, in line to ask the next question, let the exchange play out. Jiang who was born in Xiamen, China, and emigrated with her family to West Virginia when she was 2 wondered why the president directed that remark to her. Trump said he would say it to anyone who asks a nasty question. He tried to wave off Collins and motion for the the next questioner Alcindor. The PBS NewsHour correspondent waited as Collins tried to ask a question before Trump, apparently frustrated, called an end to the news conference. Jiang later tweeted thanks to both Collins and Alcindor. It was a good example not always common of reporters working together to prevent a president from dodging a question, said Lynne Adrine, a former Washington news producer and now professor for Syracuse University. Not everyone has the same perspective. Jiang was criticized for grandstanding and insinuating that Trumps response to her question was racist. Only a partisan hack could interpret Trumps response as racist, Kylee Zempel wrote in The Federalist. The president routinely shuts down reporters who ask bogus questions, as he should. Two years earlier, when Alcindor asked Trump about nationalism, the president labeled the question racist. More recently, he objected during a coronavirus briefing when she prefaced a question about ventilators and masks by noting that he had said some governors didnt actually need equipment that they requested. When he denied having said it, Alcindor said she quoted him from an interview with Foxs Sean Hannity. Trump said she should be more positive. Alcindor tried again to ask her question. Excuse me, you didnt hear me, Trump said. Thats why you used to work for the (New York) Times and now you work for somebody else. Look, let me tell you something. Be nice. Dont be threatening. She proceeded to ask her question. Alcindor, who, like the other White House reporters was not made available to the AP for an interview, later noted that she wasnt the first human being, woman, black person or journalist whod been told to be nice and not threatening. Alcindors roots are in print journalism, and she covered Trumps campaign for The New York Times. She joined PBS in 2018. It should never be about me, she said on Pod Save America earlier this year, because Im so focused on all the people in this country who will never see the White House, who will never get to speak to the president. And they deserve me to be professional and not lose my cool and to be so focused on the truth that Im not wavering on anything else that goes on around me. CNNs Collins pressed forward like an automaton in a recent exchange with Trump about a whistleblowers accusations. She completed her question on the fifth try despite Trumps attempt to stop her. CNN is fake news. Dont talk to me, he said. I watch them and I say, these women are smart and theyre stoic, and theyre asking questions that the public wants answers to, said Jill Geisler, a professor on media and leadership at Loyola University in Chicago. Theyre not there to start a scene. Collins, who came to CNN from the conservative website Daily Caller in 2017, has been tested repeatedly. The administration barred her from an outdoor news conference in 2018 and last month to force her into a seat in the back of the White House briefing room. She wouldnt budge. This week she responded to Trumps critical retweet of a video that showed her removing a mask while leaving a news briefing by tweeting, Nearly 90,000 Americans have been killed by coronavirus, and the president is tweeting about me pulling my mask down for six seconds. A response that attacks rather than defends is dangerous, however. Taking the bait and becoming known for hostile exchanges with a president can make a reporter a hero to some and a less effective showboater to others. Theres something unique about the way television reporters try to create moments that they can use on the air, said Trumps first press secretary, Sean Spicer. You dont see this problem with print reporters because, generally speaking, theyre not going to get on the air. He senses reporters trying to prove themselves to colleagues. A reporters job is to get information and to hold people accountable, Spicer said. They dont have to be jackasses about it. Trumps current press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, did not respond to a request for comment. Its a reporters job to do what they need to do get answers and its a presidents job to try and remain above the fray if he wants to deliver his message, said Nedra Pickler, a former White House correspondent for The Associated Press. This president doesnt live by those rules. Jiang, Collins and Alcindor arent the only reporters to tangle with Trump. CNNs Jim Acosta has turned his experiences into a book. Some believe Trump is particularly angered by tough questions from women and minorities. Spicer disagrees, noting Trumps respect for Maggie Haberman of The New York Times. The president is a fighter, Jiang told Syracuse University students recently. Certain reporters I think get under his skin more than others, and you just have to be aware that you could be one of those that day. Indonesian influencer, Sara Keihl has offered to sell off her virginity to raise money that would be donated to coronavirus frontline workers. According to Daily Mail, the Instagram model uploaded a video this week saying she was willing to sell her virginity for a starting price of two billion Indonesian rupiahs or AUD$206,855 (110,035). She told her followers that all proceeds would go toward helping coronavirus frontline workers and those who were economically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A pretty tough decision in my life. Maybe some of you understand this, but Ive decided Ill do so to raise funds to help those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, she said. Ms Keihls offer was however confronted by harsh criticism and she was slammed for being desperate with viewers labelling the video as online prostitution. ALSO READ: 18-Year-Old Girl Sells Her Virginity For 17,000 On Auction Site Following the backlash, the beautiful influencer was forced to clarify that the video was actually a joke and she was not actually auctioning off her virginity. She said the stunt was meant to be an ironic jab at people who were not taking the coronavirus crisis seriously. Im sorry for creating the controversy. In truth, the virginity auction was my idea of satire of those who arent sensitive to the situation, she said. Me Keihl said she and her family have been receiving abuse over her post, so she offered to pay for 1,000 bags of grocery aid with her own money as an apology, noting that she had never sold myself or my dignity. Im really sorry for all the inconvenience caused. I didnt mean to come up with such degrading post and I didnt even mean to sell off my virginity in the first place, she added. The model primarily uses her Instagram account to post a range of glamorous selfies and promote skincare, clothing and beauty products. ALSO READ: Politician Buys Top Models Virginity For 2 Million, Hes Fixing A Date To Break It [Photos/Video] [May 22, 2020] TUPPERWARE INVESTIGATION INITIATED by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates the Officers and Directors of Tupperware Brands Corporation - TUP Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP). On February 24, 2020, the Company disclosed that its 10-K report would not be filed timely due to an ongoing investigation into accounts payable and accrued liabilities at its Fuller Mexico beauty business resulting in an expected full-year 2019 negative impact on an adjusted pre-tax basis in the range of $19-21 million, expected total impairments of approximately $31 million, and total pretax impact for 2019 of approximately $50-52 million, among other negative effects. Then, on March 12, 2020, the Company filed its 10-K confirming a host of negative results, and that its investigation had identified certain activities of "operational risk" potentially involving fraud, unauthorized activities or other types of errors or breaches. The Company and certain of its executives have been sued in a securities class action lawsuit, charging them with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federalsecurities laws, which remains ongoing. KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Tupperware's officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to Tupperware's shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws. If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Tupperware shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn ([email protected]), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-tup/ to learn more. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200522005416/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] China's foreign ministry branch in Hong Kong hit back on Saturday at "meddling" countries and said proposed national security laws would not harm the interests of foreign investors in the city. The security legislation, which could see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases in Hong Kong, has sent chills through the business and diplomatic communities. US government officials have said the legislation would end the Chinese-ruled city's autonomy and would be bad for both Hong Kong's and China's economies. They said it could jeopardise the territory's special status in US law, which has helped it maintain its position as a global financial centre. Britain has said it is deeply concerned by the proposed security laws which it said would undermine the "one country, two systems" principle agreed when Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Bankers and headhunters said it could lead to money and talent leaving the city. Hong Kong stocks slumped 5.6% on Friday. A spokesperson of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Hong Kong said in a statement the city's high degree of autonomy "will remain unchanged, and the interests of foreign investors in the city will continue to be protected under the law." Beijing's move comes after pro-democracy protests in 2019 plunged Hong Kong into its biggest political crisis since the handover. Communist authorities see the protests as a security threat and blame the West for fomenting unrest. The commissioner's office described statements by "meddling countries" as "double standard and gangster logic." "No matter how venomously you smear, provoke, coerce or blackmail us, the Chinese people will remain rock-firm in safeguarding national sovereignty and security," it said. "Doomed is your plot to undermine China's sovereignty and security by exploiting the troublemakers in Hong Kong as pawns and the city as a frontier for secession, subversion, infiltration and sabotage activities against China." Chris Patten, the last governor of the former British colony, said China has betrayed the people of Hong Kong and the West should stop kowtowing to Beijing for an illusory great pot of gold. Business environment Over the past 24 hours, Hong Kong's pro-Beijing politicians have also responded to concerns that the national security legislation could take the shine off China's freest and most international city. Upon her return from Beijing late on Friday, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said the stock market "goes up and comes down" and it was in fact the protests which had destabilised the business environment. Henry Tang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, said the legislation was "beneficial" for business as it brings stability and strengthens the rule of law. Former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-Ying pointed to large US investments in mainland China despite national security laws there. "Can businessmen tell Hong Kong people, why are there more US companies, US businessmen and US investments in mainland China than Hong Kong?" he wrote in a Facebook post. Hong Kong publishing tycoon Jimmy Lai, an outspoken critic of Beijing who faces charges of illegal assembly, said on Twitter the legislation would bring the end of "China's last miracle" and the communist party was slaughtering "the proverbial golden goose." Dozens of protesters gathered in a downtown shopping mall, on Saturday holding banners with slogans against national security legislation. As activists called for protests on Sunday in central Hong Kong, police said in a statement it "will deploy adequate manpower in relevant locations." Shiv Sena leader and the partys Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut on Saturday met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan. Later, Raut said that it was a courtesy call that lasted for around 40 minutes and there were no differences between Sena and the Governor. Raut, who met Koshyari after the tussle between the Governor and Uddhav Thackeray led-Maha Vikas Aghadi, comprising the ruling coalition of the Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Congress, over the government formation last year, remarked that the relations between the two are like father and son. The relations between the Governor and chief minister Thackeray are cordial and they respect each other. Therere no differences between the two. Their relationship is like a father-son duo, Raut told media persons. Later, Raj Bhavan authorities also tweeted about Rauts courtesy call. The meeting assumes significance as Raut had criticised the Governor for the delay in appointing Thackeray as Maharashtra CM after the MVA unanimously elected him as its leader on November 26, 2019. The Governor on Friday had taken exception to the higher and technical education minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samants letter to the University Grants Commission (UGC), urging it not to conduct the final year examinations for college and university students because of the unprecedented coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak. Governor Koshyari urged the CM to resolve the issue of holding examinations in the larger interests of the students amid speculation that the incident is the latest point of friction between the MVA and Raj Bhawan. Raut, however, tried to downplay the Samants UGC letter row. The letter is the ministers personal opinion. While the Governor is also entitled to his own opinion. The issue will be resolved soon, he added. Mumbai, May 23 : Amitabh Bachchan seems to be clueless about Christopher Nolan's forthcoming biggie "Tenet", evident from his hilarious Twitter conversation with filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh. On Friday, Sujoy Ghosh tweeted about the just released trailers of two films, Christopher Nolan's "Tenet", and Shoojit Sircar's "Gulabo Sitabo" featuring Amitabh Bachchan. The filmmaker wrote: "Tenet yesterday. gulabo sitabo today." Reacting to his tweet, a completely confused Amitabh Bachchan wrote: "Aie what is 'tenet' ??" "Films we are eagerly waiting for... but not being shown before official release," Sujoy explained. However, it seems Big B did not understand what is "Tenet" even after that. Instead, he complained most probably referring to his upcoming "Gulabo Sitabo" that he has not been shown the final film. "But mera bhi TENET hai .. i have not been shown final movie," replied Amitabh Bachchan. Reacting to the veteran actor's tweet, Sujoy Ghosh expressed in Bengali: "Sir my tenet is that GS ta fatafati hobey (Gulabo Sitabo will be amazing)." Incidentally, the makers of the comedy drama "Gulabo Sitabo", which also stars Ayushmann Khurrana, made headlines an while back announcing they were taking their film directly for an OTT release on Amazon Prime Video, bypassing traditional theatrical release. In contrast, on Friday, Christopher Nolan made a characteristically quiet statement that his upcoming spectacular spy thriller "Tenet" would only release in theatres, with a declaration at the end of a new trailer that said: "Coming in theatres". Needless to say, social media is thrilled, and netizens have been profusely showering Nolan with praise for his stance. Interestingly, when Nolan arrived in India in 2018 on the occasion of a Kodak film facility opening in Mumbai, it was Bachchan who had blogged to confirm the news to the world for the first time. Nolan's "Tenet" is one of the most aniticipated films in the coming months anywhere in the world. The film stars Robert Pattinson, John David Washington, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Michael Caine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Clemence Poesy and Indian actress Dimple Kapadia in key roles. Last September, key action scenes of the film were shot in a 10-day schedule at Mumbai's Gateway of India. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Picture of Hikvision cameras in an electronic mall in Beijing on May 24, 2019. A new report claims that Amazon and Microsoft are among a number of American firms that are providing various web services to Chinese surveillance firms accused of human rights abuses and which are now on a U.S. blacklist. Top10VPN, a site that reviews virtual private network (VPN) services and researches topics on privacy, said in a report that it had identified U.S. technology giants that provide "essential web services that power these companies' websites." While the report initially stated that Google was among those firms, the website has since clarified with CNBC that while two blacklisted Chinese companies use Google's web services, it doesn't necessarily mean the U.S. search giant has an active relationship with these firms. CNBC reached out to the U.S. firms named in the report as providing such services to the blacklisted Chinese surveillance companies. None were immediately available for comment. In October, some of China's most valuable surveillance artificial intelligence firms were put on the U.S. Entity List, a move designed to restrict their access to American technology. That is the same blacklist that Huawei sits on. Washington alleged that "these entities have been implicated in human rights violations and abuses in the implementation of China's campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, and high-technology surveillance against Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups" in China's Xinjiang region. The territory has made headlines for its detention and "re-education" camps that reportedly hold an estimated 1.5 million Muslims, many of them for violating what Amnesty International describes as a "highly restrictive and discriminatory" law that China says is designed to combat extremism. Flash Russia is open to dialogue with the United States on the Treaty on Open Skies, but only if it is based on equal rights and aimed at mutual consideration of interests and concerns, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday. Earlier on Friday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the ministry had received an official note about the U.S. decision to begin the procedure of withdrawal from the treaty. "This is deeply regrettable, as significant damage is being done to the European security," the ministry's statement said. "The security of the United States itself will not be strengthened, and its authority in international affairs will certainly suffer," it added. The ministry recalled that U.S. official representatives said that the United States may reconsider its decision to withdraw from the treaty if Russia in the coming months unconditionally fulfills all their requirements. "This is an ultimatum. On this basis, the dialogue will not work," said the statement. The U.S. decision to pull out of the treaty raises questions about Washington's policy consistency, and caused serious concern even among the U.S. allies, it said. Washington's decision did not take Russia by surprise, as it fully fits into its line on the destruction of the whole complex of agreements in the field of arms control and confidence-building in the military field, the statement said. Russia will build its policy regarding the Open Skies treaty, proceeding solely from the interests of its national security, in close cooperation with its allies and partners, the statement said. The treaty, which became effective in 2002, allows its states-parties to conduct short-notice, unarmed reconnaissance flights over the others' entire territories to collect data on military forces and activities. Currently, 35 nations, including Russia, the United States, and some other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, have signed it. Kyrgyzstan has signed but not ratified it yet. The treaty is aimed at building confidence and familiarity among states-parties through their participation in the overflights. Britain's Got Talent's judges were left gasping for breath during Saturday's auditions, as they watched one of the show's most terrifying acts yet. Alesha Dixon confessed she felt physically sick as she watched Christian Wedoy attempt to escape from an underwater box by picking a series of locks. If that wasn't tense enough the judging panel were responsible for helping Christian escape, by picking the right key to unlock the box in which Christian was trapped. Scared: Britain's Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon admitted she felt physically sick during Saturday's show, as she watched one of the show's most terrifying acts yet Ahead of the audition, Christian explained he would be submerged in the box, while his colleague Hans provided the judges with a selection of keys. After he was placed in the box, chained up and put underwater, a clock started to count each heart-stopping second he would be forced to hold his breath. Once the clock started, Hans proceeded to offer each judge to choose a key, snapping each incorrect one with a pair of pliers. Tense: The act saw Christian Wedoy attempt to escape from an underwater box by picking a series of locks, but only after the key to the main padlock was located by the judges Scary: The dramatic act left the judges and audience gasping for breath, as Christan attempted to free himself Drama: Meanwhile his performing partner Hans asked the judges to each choose a key which may be able to free Christian, snapping the fake ones with a pair of pliers Eventually David Walliams chose the right key, meaning Hans could unlock the box and give Christian, with the entire display last more than two minutes. The entire audience gasped in horror as they watched Christian try to pick the locks while trapped underwater, and even a medic was seen standing on the edge of the stage ready to step in. Luckily the daredevil eventually freed himself after nearly four and a half minutes underwater. Taking a few moments to catch his breath, Christian climbed out of the water to a thunderous reception, along with plenty of praise from the judges. Terrifying: The entire audience gasped in horror as they watched Christian try to pick the locks while trapped underwater He's free! Luckily the daredevil eventually freed himself after nearly four and a half minutes underwater Alesha confessed she found the entire act 'hard to watch,' adding: 'I felt physically sick the whole time, but so thrilling so congrats to the both of you.' David said in disbelief: 'How come you're not dead?' while Amanda Holden added: 'It was very exciting it was a thrilling act so well done.' Simon Cowell praised: 'This was amazing. I love these kind of acts, particularly on live TV.' Christian and Hans went onto earn four yeses from the judges and a spot in the next round. Currently it's unclear when the Britain's Got Talent live shows will air, though ITV bosses have said they hope to air sometime later this year. Britain's Got Talent continues next Saturday at 7pm on ITV. Well, well. The president says he is taking hydroxychloroquine. Sean Conley, the White House physician, said in a memo that he had discussed the drug with Trump, not prescribed it, although together he and the president concluded it was worth the risk. But if you take the president at his word something I admittedly almost never do, but lets just say it does make perfect sense. In Donald Trump, you have the patient perfect storm: a science denier, a devotee of medical quackery, and above all else, I cannot emphasize this part enough a powerful and narcissistic celebrity. This is what happens when your rich and famous VIP client (think Michael Jackson, but with nuclear codes) also has a nutty perspective on medicine and an even nuttier one on facts. You get a statin-taking, extravagantly overweight man demanding a drug that increases the risk of cardiac arrest. We already know a great deal about Trumps science-denialism and fondness for snake oil. So Id like to focus mainly on the most under-discussed variable in this equation: the fact that Trump is rich and powerful and very famous. People like him often seek out doctors wholl follow their patients egos, not science and data. We saw this quite clearly during the presidential election, when Trumps personal physician, Harold Bornstein, wrote a letter saying Trumps lab work was astonishingly excellent; that his physical strength and stamina are extraordinary; and that, if voters chose him, Trump would be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency. It then turned out Bornstein didnt write it. He (Trump) dictated that whole letter, the doctor told CNN. Time and time again, weve seen it: celebrities nagging their physicians to administer questionable and risky therapies, sometimes with tragic consequences. (Elvis being the most obvious example, but also, yes, Michael Jackson). In 1964, a Maryland psychiatrist named Walter Weintraub even coined a term for this problem: VIP Syndrome. I often say that celebrities get the worst treatment, Richard Friedman, a psychiatrist at Weill Cornell Medical College (and a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times), told me. One, they often are not properly diagnosed, because doctors dont want to ask embarrassing questions about substance abuse and sexual histories, for instance. And two, celebrities are often driven by fads, not data, and while doctors want to do whats right, they also know that celebrities have the power to make their lives very difficult. I had my reasons for phoning Friedman. He treated Philip Roth a fact I never learned from Friedman, obviously, but came out after the author died, in a memoir by a friend. It led me to conclude that Friedman has probably cared for his share of famous patients. He demurred when I asked but told me his own solution, when his patients are being unreasonable, is to say yes, they are extraordinary, but that they arent immune to the laws of physics. So now consider the case of Donald Trump. He is already a germaphobe. He has no grasp of science, singing the praises of bleach elixirs for COVID-19. He rejects or cherry-picks his facts, at best viewing them through a political prism: He said the data showing the hazards of hydroxychloroquine came from his detractors it was a Trump enemy statement when in fact they came from his own Food and Drug Administration. To bolster his case, Trumps campaign manager, Brad Parscale, tweeted an endorsement of the drug by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. It sounds like an unbiased professional organization. The name is deceptive. It is decidedly partisan. It opposes abortion. It opposes Obamacare. It opposes, of all things, mandatory vaccines. Until 2019, Trump himself recycled the dangerous canard that vaccines were linked to autism, only recanting his views after a measles outbreak. He is now in charge of a country in a quest for a vaccine during a plague. One shudders to think of it. This happens against a larger backdrop still, in which radical individualism has been extended to our health, with Americans often deciding they know better than doctors whats best for them; our trust in mainstream medicine has eroded right along with our trust in the media, government, our fellow countrymen. You see it with alternative medicine on the left. You see it with the hawking of nutritional supplements by Alex Jones and Mike Cernovich on the right. You see it in the Oval Office. You must pity the doctors who try to care for our president. They have the worlds most powerful patient on their hands, and very likely its most impossible. Hes not powerful enough to destroy facts. But hes more than influential and narcissistic enough to make sure they never get in the way. @JenSeniorNY New Delhi, May 23 : A day after the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) sprayed disinfectant on workers in Lajpat Nagar, Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), here on Saturday, termed it a "criminal act". In a video on social media, the migrants can be seen waiting in queues for medical screening outside a school in Lajpat Nagar, ahead of boarding a Shramik Special train, on Friday. They were sprayed with disinfectant by SDMC workers during a sanitisation drive. In a tweet, the AAP said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had been consistently misbehaving with the poor workers during this Covid-19 crisis. "The BJP-ruled MCD's behaviour with workers is bound to raise questions that the BJP doesn't consider the poor workers as human beings," the AAP said. Terming it a criminal act by the MCD, AAP national spokesperson Raghav Chadha said, "Spraying of disinfectant on people can lead to irritation of eyes, skin and potentially gastrointestinal effects, like nausea and vomiting. Inhalation of sodium hypochlorite can lead to irritation of membranes of nose, throat, respiratory tract and cause bronchospasm," he said. The SDMC, however, said the school was in a residential colony and there was huge demand from residents for disinfecting the compound and the road. "Due to the pressure of the jetting machine, the worker could not manage it for some moments. The staff has been instructed to be more careful and attentive while doing the job. The official present at the site apologised to the public," SDMC said. The Union Health Ministry had said in April that spraying chemical disinfectant was "physically and psychologically harmful" for humans. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Saturday handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh to the wife of constable Sanjay Gurjar who died in the line of duty here. The corona warrior' was returning after delivering PPE kits at a quarantine center here earlier this month when he fell off his motorcycle. He succumbed to injuries at a hospital a day later. The ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh was given to the late constable's wife Priyanka out of the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. After handing over the cheque at the CM residence, Rawat assured her of all support and also asked DIG Arun Mohan Joshi to expedite the process of her appointment in the police department. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A2B Australia Limited (ASX:A2B) shareholders should be happy to see the share price up 18% in the last month. But will that heal all the wounds inflicted over 5 years of declines? Unlikely. Like a ship taking on water, the share price has sunk 85% in that time. While the recent increase might be a green shoot, we're certainly hesitant to rejoice. The real question is whether the business can leave its past behind and improve itself over the years ahead. While a drop like that is definitely a body blow, money isn't as important as health and happiness. See our latest analysis for A2B Australia 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. A2B Australia became profitable within the last five years. Most would consider that to be a good thing, so it's counter-intuitive to see the share price declining. Other metrics may better explain the share price move. The most recent dividend was actually lower than it was in the past, so that may have sent the share price lower. The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). ASX:A2B Income Statement May 23rd 2020 This free interactive report on A2B Australia's balance sheet strength is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further. What About Dividends? It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. In the case of A2B Australia, it has a TSR of -74% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments! Story continues A Different Perspective We regret to report that A2B Australia shareholders are down 56% for the year (even including dividends) . Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 12%. However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 24% over the last half decade. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand A2B Australia better, we need to consider many other factors. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for A2B Australia (1 is a bit unpleasant) that you should be aware of. If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on AU exchanges. Love or hate this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email 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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. China recorded no new confirmed cases of the coronavirus at the end of Friday, marking the first time it saw no daily rise in the number of infections since authorities began reporting data in January. The development came a day after Communist Party leaders celebrated major achievements in the fight against COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus. While there were no confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, the National Health Commission reported two new suspected cases: An imported case in Shanghai and a locally transmitted one in the northeastern province of Jilin. China has seen a sharp fall in locally transmitted cases since March as major restrictions on peoples movement helped it to take control of the epidemic in many parts of the country. Health authorities have reported a total of 82,791 cases in the country of 1.4 billion. The official death toll stands at 4,634, well below the number of fatalities in much smaller countries. Al Jazeeras Katrina Yu, reporting from the Chinese capital, Beijing, described the lack of cases as a milestone. Now, this is by no means an end to the fight against the virus, she said, noting the emergence of new clusters of infections in recent weeks. That includes cases in the northeastern border provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang. Earlier this month, Wuhan, the central city where the virus was first detected late last year, also reported its first cluster of infections since a lockdown on the city ended on April 8. The discovery triggered a campaign to test all of the citys 11 million residents for COVID-19. Yu also said there were doubts about the reliability of Chinas numbers because of repeated changes to counting methodology in China. Theres also questions about transparency here in China This is an authoritarian government and leaders at the local level are under immense pressure to keep those numbers down. Given the good streak here, you wouldnt want to be the only official who reports a cluster or cases. And that has raised questions over whether we can believe what we are seeing, she said. The United States has led the charge in questioning how much information Beijing has shared with the international community, accusing China of a cover-up in the initial days of its outbreak. That came amid reports authorities in Wuhan reprimanded and silenced doctors who first raised the alarm about the virus late last year. Beijing has strenuously denied accusations of a cover-up, insisting it has always shared information with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries in a timely manner. Since first emerging in Wuhan the virus has spread across the world, claiming more than 335,000 lives globally. On Friday, Li Keqiang, the Chinese premier, told the National Peoples Congress that China had made major strategic achievements in our response to COVID-19. But the country still faced challenges, he warned. At present, the epidemic has not yet come to an end, while the tasks we face in promoting development are immense, Li told delegates at Beijings Great Hall of the People. Citing great uncertainty ahead, Li also took the rare move of refraining from announcing a 2020 growth target for Chinas pandemic-battered economy, offering only a promise to address mounting joblessness and to improve living standards. Rebellion against governors irrational and unscientific shutdown orders is growing across the country. As we have noted before, the revolt is especially strong in rural areas. What is striking is how sane and thoughtful the critiques from red America are, compared with the submissive hysteria that dominates most urban areas. This is just one example among many, an account in the Mille Lacs Messenger, a central Minnesota newspaper, of a meeting of county commissioners. Compared to the crazed colloquys we see on social media and the hysteria that predominates in liberal media, it is like a transcript from the Constitutional Convention: Sheriff and county attorney weigh in on Governors order against business openings During the Mille Lacs County Board of Commissioner work session on Tuesday, May 19, Mille Lacs County Sheriff Don Lorge and Mille Lacs County Attorney Joe Walsh were asked to weigh in on the current situation regarding Governor Walzs executive order limiting which businesses can operate. Sheriff Lorge began by saying we are in unique times and that he gets calls daily from business owners who are frustrated about why other big box stores are allowed to be open and why they cant. He said he has taken an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution and there are questions about whether what the Governor is doing is Constitutional or not. Lorge said he personally struggles with some of the decisions the Governor is making and believes what he is doing is not Constitutional. There are many sheriffs across the country who have weighed their obligations under the Constitution and have declined to enforce extreme shutdown orders. I would feel differently if it (decisions made about businesses being open) was across the board, said Lorge, adding that these businesses who have had to remain closed were struggling already and often live paycheck to paycheck. Its a horrible situation. These businesses feel they can do a better job of social distancing and yet they are not able to do that. Lorge brought up the restraining order that was placed against a Stearns County business owner, Kris Schiffler, by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. I question how they are able to get a restraining order without them (the business owners) even opening their doors, said Lorge. There are people out there that struggle to get a restraining order for other practical purposes. The Sheriffs instinct is well founded. Minnesotas Attorney General Keith Ellison acted improperly in obtaining an ex parte order when he was perfectly well aware of who represented Kris Schiffler, and could easily have given the lawyer proper notice. Lorge said he believes we should move on and open businesses. Livelihoods are at stake, and by picking and choosing who can and cant open, in my opinion, thats a dictatorship, and I dont agree with it. He added that he hasnt arrested anyone nor does the department plan on arresting any business owners. Commissioner Roger Tellinghuisen said, I would like to add that it seems wrong to be able to buy booze and candy and not be able to get a haircut. Common sense is not quite dead in America. County Attorney Joe Walsh spoke to the enforcement and Constitutionality of the Governors order. He said the Minnesota Department of Public Safety issued guidance that was intended to be educational to get people into compliance and at worse, up until last week he said, a misdemeanor. He added that only the courts can decide whether something is unconstitutional or not and that they use three levels of scrutiny. As rights are more fundamental, more intense scrutiny is applied by the court. Walsh added that different courts might disagree and that these things can be difficult to determine. I do agree with the sheriff that the more arbitrary the order is, the more likely it is to be found unconstitutional, said Walsh. Travel firms are already looking to exploit a 'Dublin dodge' loophole in Britain's new quarantine rules that allows those arriving from Ireland to avoid having to isolate at home. Home Secretary Priti Patel announced plans for a tough new quarantine regime requiring almost all arrivals into the UK to immediately self-isolate for 14 days as of June 8. The move, unveiled on Friday, received widespread backlash both at home and abroad, with France threatening to impose a 'reciprocal measure' on Brits arriving at its borders. The travel industry also lambasted the rules, labelling them as 'ineffective and unenforceable' given that those travelling to the UK from Ireland were exempt from the rules. It means flyers can first travel into Dublin and then either jet into the UK or get a bus across the border with Northern Ireland, avoiding the self-isolating rules. Mike Woolridge, founder of Flyaway Weekends, predicted that travel firms would be quick to cash in on the loophole. Travel firms are already looking to exploit a 'Dublin dodge' loophole in Britain's new quarantine rules that allows those arriving from Ireland to avoid having to isolate at home He said: 'We can see a real demand for short-notice travel once restrictions are slackened, and are already looking at offers that divert via Dublin so were ready to help plan weekend breaks as demand starts to return.' Travellers coming into the UK from Ireland are exempt from the restrictions due to it being a member of the Common Travel Area, along with the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. Meanwhile, Ireland's own coronavirus rules stipulate that travellers do not need to quarantine if they are getting an immediate connecting flight or bus into the UK. A spokesperson for the Home Office said: 'Anyone travelling from Ireland will be exempt. 'However, given the high levels of compliance we have seen to date, we expect that the majority of people will do the right thing and abide by these measures.' Miss Patel last night confirmed that the new quarantine regime would apply to almost all arrivals, including people returning from holidays abroad. But she also revealed a list of 39 categories of people who would be exempt from the rules, including healthcare workers and pilots. She said that 'air bridges' could be agreed with certain countries with a similar or lower Covid-19 infection rate, meaning citizens could travel between each nation without the imposing of self-isolation. Home Secretary Priti Patel has received widespread backlash both at home and abroad after unveiling the new quarantine measures on Friday However no such agreements had been finalized as of Friday's announcement, while preliminary talks between the UK and France about a quarantine-free corridor with no checks abandoned two weeks ago. Currently, Britons can only fly to France on 'essential' business, a position it said earlier this week would be reviewed on June 15. Responding to the UK's announcement last night, a spokesman for France's Interior Minister said: 'We take note of the British governments decision and we regret it. 'France is ready to put in place a reciprocal measure as soon as the system comes into force on the British side.' Who is exempt from the government's mandatory Here is the list of people exempt from the 14-day self-isolation requirement. - A road haulage worker and road passenger transport worker - A transit passenger, an individual transiting to a country outside of the Common Travel Area, who remains airside and does not pass border control - An individual arriving to attend pre-arranged treatment, when receiving that treatment in the UK - A registered health or care professional travelling to the UK to provide essential healthcare, including where this is not related to coronavirus - A person who has travelled to the UK for the purpose of transporting, to a healthcare provider in the UK, material which consists of, or includes, human cells or blood which are to be used for the purpose of providing healthcare - Quality assurance inspectors for human medicines - Sponsors and essential persons needed for clinical trials or studies - Civil aviation inspectors engaged on inspection duties - Eurotunnel train drivers and crew, Eurotunnel Shuttle drivers, freight train drivers, crew and essential cross-border rail freight workers operating through the Channel Tunnel - A Euratom inspector - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works, related to water supplies and sewerage services - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works related to a generating system, an electricity interconnector, a district heat network, communal heating, automated ballast cleaning and track re-laying systems or network - A worker undertaking activities in offshore installations, upstream petroleum infrastructure, critical safety work on offshore installations and wells - Workers engaged in essential or emergency works - Drivers and crew of trains operated by Eurostar International Limited, essential cross-border workers working for Eurostar International Limited - Operational, rail maintenance, security and safety workers working on the Channel Tunnel system - A worker with specialist technical skills, where those specialist technical skills are required for essential or emergency works or services - Seamen and masters - A pilot, as defined in paragraph 22(1) of Schedule 3A to the Merchant Shipping Act - An inspector, and surveyor of ships - Crew, as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Air Navigation Order 2016(h), where such crew have travelled to the UK in the course of their work - Nuclear personnel who are essential to the safe and secure operations of a licensed nuclear site - Nuclear emergency responder - Agency inspector - An inspector from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a specialist aerospace engineer, or a specialist aerospace worker - A person engaged in operational, maintenance or safety activities of a downstream oil facility that has a capacity in excess of 20,000 tonnes - A postal worker involved in the transport of mail into and out of the UK - A person involved in essential maintenance and repair of data infrastructure - An information technology or telecommunications professional whose expertise is required to provide an essential or emergency response to threats and incidents relating to security - A person who is engaged in urgent or essential work on electronic communications networks - A person who is engaged in urgent or essential work for the BBC's broadcasting transmission network and services - A seasonal agricultural worker - Members of diplomatic missions and consular posts in the United Kingdom - Crown servants or government contractors returning to the United Kingdom who are either: required to undertake policing or essential government work in the United Kingdom within 14 days of their arrival, have been undertaking policing or essential government work outside of the United Kingdom but are required to return temporarily, after which they will depart to conduct policing or essential government work outside the United Kingdom - International prison escorts - a person designated by the relevant Minister under section 5(3) of the Repatriation of Prisoners Act 1984(a) - A person responsible for escorting a person sought for extradition pursuant to a warrant issued under Part 3 of the Extradition Act 2003 or sought for extradition pursuant to any other extradition arrangements - Defence personnel and contractors doing work necessary for the delivery of essential Defence activities, including Visiting Forces and NATO - An official required to work on essential border security duties - A person who resides in the UK and who pursues an activity as an employed or self-employed person in another country to which they usually go at least once a week Advertisement Raffaele Trombetta, the Italian ambassador to the UK, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that no discussions had yet taken place between the two countries. He said: 'There is always a large number of British tourists coming to Italy, it's one of Britain's preferred destinations. 'We had 40 million trips from the UK to Italy last year. We know how much they love Italy. We are still open, welcoming them. 'We believe that this is pandemic is a global problem so the best thing to do is to tackle it with a coordinated approach.' Mr Trombetta pointed to Italy's own plans to lift quarantine rules for those travelling from the UK and the EU as of June 3. He said: 'We have made it clear what we are going to do and its important for British people to know that they can come to Italy. 'We understand that the UK's new rules will be reassessed after three weeks so hopefully there will be an easing of the measures as we are doing in Italy.' Several exemptions to the new rules were announced last night, including those living in Ireland, healthcare workers pilots. However Ms Patel's plans were also panned by the travel industry, which pointed out that those arriving in the UK will be allowed to use public transport to reach their address, possibly infecting others. They also said that people could get around the rules by first flying into Ireland, which is exempt from the quarantine rules, before then travelling into Britain. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, was among the first to hit out at the new guidelines, which Ms Patel has already admitted would be under constant review. In a statement, it described the regime as 'unenforceable' and said it was 'strongly opposed to ineffective non-scientific measures'. A spokesman added: 'This isolation measure simply does not work unless passengers arriving in international UK airports are detained in airport terminals or hotels for the 14-day period. 'Once these arriving passengers have travelled on the crowded London Underground, or the Heathrow and Gatwick Express, or buses or taxis to their destination, the subsequent quarantine is pointless. 'If this measure had any basis in science, then the Irish visitors would not and could not be exempt.' British ministers are said to be examining the idea of 'Covid passports' that could allow those who have had the disease to travel more widely without the need to undergo quarantine on their return to the UK. The plans to get tourism moving are being promoted by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who is said to have the backing of both Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Miss Patel last night confirmed that the new quarantine regime would apply to almost all arrivals, including people returning from holidays abroad at ports and airports. Under the plans, travellers arriving at all ports and airports will be ordered to go into self-isolation for a fortnight and to provide an address and contact details. They will not be allowed to accept visitors, unless they are providing essential support, and should not go out to buy food or other essentials 'where they can rely on others', the Home Office said. There is a small number of exemptions for truck drivers and some other critical roles while transit passengers who do not formally enter the UK will also be exempt. Public health officials are expected to conduct approximately 100 spot checks every day to ensure people are sticking to self-isolation. Those checks will start from the middle of June. People who arrive in the UK without accommodation arranged will have to pay for Government-arranged accommodation themselves. Despite Ms Patel insisting the policy will be reviewed every three weeks, Whitehall sources have played down hopes that the measures could be lifted before the summer holiday season. Virgin Atlantic warned the plan would keep planes grounded. 'The safety and security of our people and our customers is always our top priority and public health must come first,' a spokeswoman said. 'However, by introducing a mandatory 14-day self-isolation for every single traveller entering the UK, the Government's approach will prevent flights from resuming. 'We are continually reviewing our flying programme and with these restrictions, there simply won't be sufficient demand to resume passenger services before August at the earliest.' The airline instead called on the Government to introduce a 'multi-layered approach' with targeted public health and screening measures to allow the safe restart of international travel. The chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, Karen Dee, had earlier told the Home Affairs Select Committee that drastic reductions in passenger numbers 'may simply lead to a prolonged shutdown of all aviation'. A spokesperson for the Association of Independent Tour Operators told The Daily Telegraph: 'As with so many Government 'initiatives', the 14-day quarantine rule comes across as a bit of a stab in the dark, quite possibly to be changed as quickly as it was introduced, as with the mooted air bridges. 'In reality, quarantine should have been put in place right at the start of the pandemic, as our European neighbours did we are now out of synch with them, as they emerge from quarantine and we go into it.' Piers Morgan lead calls for transparency about why coronavirus carriers were able to fly into the UK in the first place. He wrote: 'Of all the inexplicable decisions this Govt has made during the coronavirus crisis, quarantining people who fly into the UK after 20 million people have already flown in and 62,000 people have already died is the most... inexplicable.' France immediately hit back at the UK last night, saying it 'regretted' the decision and would look to impose a 'reciprocal measure' on Brits arriving at its borders Nigel Farage tweeted: 'The government quarantine should have been three months ago, not now. Far too late.' Ms Patel insisted the Government does 'recognise how hard these changes will be for our travel sector' and that ministers will work with the industry to find 'new ways to reopen international travel and tourism in a safe and responsible way'. A former head of Border Force said today he was 'surprised' quarantine measures had not been brought in at UK borders sooner. Tony Smith, now chairman of the International Border Management and Technologies Association, told the Commons Home Affairs Committee today: 'Yes I was surprised that we hadn't seen earlier measures introduced at the UK border.' Mr Shapps on Monday raised the idea of 'air bridges' with popular tourist destinations such as Spain. Madrid yesterday signalled it might be prepared to welcome UK tourists from July without asking them to self-isolate for 14 days. Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: 'We need to find a way that the vast, vast, vast majority of people who don't have a disease can still fly.' European fury at Britain's chaotic quarantine rules: French hit back with their own isolation rules for Brits after their exemption was rejected and UK reveals full list of 39 categories of people who WILL be let in European leaders have reacted with fury after Britain revealed its plans for a tough new quarantine regime requiring arrivals into the UK to self-isolate for 14 days. Home Secretary Priti Patel has received widespread backlash both at home and abroad after unveiling the measures, which have been dubbed 'ineffective and unenforceable' by the travel industry. Ms Patel's announced yesterday that anyone arriving into the UK from June 8 would be legally required to self-isolate for two weeks or face fines of up to 3,200. France immediately hit back at the UK last night, saying it 'regretted' the decision and would look to impose a 'reciprocal measure' on Brits arriving at its borders. Meanwhile Italy, which at one point was the epicentre of Europe's coronavirus crisis, said it hoped Britain would rethink its rules and called for a 'coordinated approach'. Miss Patel last night confirmed that the new quarantine regime would apply to almost all arrivals, including people returning from holidays abroad. But she also revealed a list of 39 categories of people who would be exempt from the rules, including healthcare workers, pilots and those coming over from Ireland. Pictured: Passengers wearing PPE queue up to board a China-bound flight at Terminal 2 of Heathrow Airport on Friday She said that 'air bridges' could be agreed with certain countries with a similar or lower Covid-19 infection rate, meaning citizens could travel between each nation without the imposing of self-isolation. However no such agreements had been finalized as of Friday's announcement, while preliminary talks between the UK and France about a quarantine-free corridor with no checks abandoned two weeks ago. Currently, Britons can only fly to France on 'essential' business, a position it said earlier this week would be reviewed on June 15. Responding to the UK's announcement last night, a spokesman for France's Interior Minister said: 'We take note of the British governments decision and we regret it. 'France is ready to put in place a reciprocal measure as soon as the system comes into force on the British side.' Raffaele Trombetta, the Italian ambassador to the UK, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that no discussions had yet taken place between the two countries. He said: 'There is always a large number of British tourists coming to Italy, it's one of Britain's preferred destinations. 'We had 40 million trips from the UK to Italy last year. We know how much they love Italy. We are still open, welcoming them. 'We believe that this is pandemic is a global problem so the best thing to do is to tackle it with a coordinated approach.' Mr Trombetta pointed to Italy's own plans to lift quarantine rules for those travelling from the UK and the EU as of June 3. He said: 'We have made it clear what we are going to do and its important for British people to know that they can come to Italy. 'We understand that the UK's new rules will be reassessed after three weeks so hopefully there will be an easing of the measures as we are doing in Italy.' The strict new rules What is going to happen? All passengers arriving in the UK will have to fill in a form before heading to Britain. This will include British nationals coming home, as well as foreign visitors. You must provide the address at which you will be staying in the UK and self-isolate there. You will not be allowed to leave that address at all, or receive visitors, for 14 days. How will it work? Passengers will be able to complete 'contact locator form' on the Government's website up to 48 hours before departure. There will be no paper versions of the form. Failing to complete the form before travelling is a crime, but there will be a short grace period and allow travellers to fill in the form electronically in the arrivals hall. How will this be enforced? There will be spot checks to ensure all passengers have completed a form. Border Force staff will interview people as they leave planes and at border checkpoints. What happens if I refuse to fill in a contact locator form? You will be given an on-the-spot 100 fine by Border Force officers. When will this come into force? June 8. What checks will take place during the 14-day period? Public health officials will carry out random checks by telephone. If these raise doubts, police will visit the address, issuing a fine where necessary. What happens if I leave the address I provide in the form? In England, you will be issued with a 1,000 spot fine. You could even be prosecuted, and face an unlimited fine if convicted. The fine could increase beyond 1,000 if the 'risk of infection from abroad increases', the Home Office says. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will have their own enforcement systems. Advertisement Several exemptions to the new rules were announced last night, including those living in Ireland, healthcare workers pilots. However Ms Patel's plans were also panned by the travel industry, which pointed out that those arriving in the UK will be allowed to use public transport to reach their address, possibly infecting others. They also said that people could get around the rules by first flying into Ireland, which is exempt from the quarantine rules, before then travelling into Britain. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, was among the first to hit out at the new guidelines, which Ms Patel has already admitted would be under constant review. In a statement, it described the regime as 'unenforceable' and said it was 'strongly opposed to ineffective non-scientific measures'. A spokesman added: 'This isolation measure simply does not work unless passengers arriving in international UK airports are detained in airport terminals or hotels for the 14-day period. 'Once these arriving passengers have travelled on the crowded London Underground, or the Heathrow and Gatwick Express, or buses or taxis to their destination, the subsequent quarantine is pointless. 'If this measure had any basis in science, then the Irish visitors would not and could not be exempt.' British ministers are said to be examining the idea of 'Covid passports' that could allow those who have had the disease to travel more widely without the need to undergo quarantine on their return to the UK. The plans to get tourism moving are being promoted by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who is said to have the backing of both Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Miss Patel last night confirmed that the new quarantine regime would apply to almost all arrivals, including people returning from holidays abroad at ports and airports. Under the plans, travellers arriving at all ports and airports will be ordered to go into self-isolation for a fortnight and to provide an address and contact details. They will not be allowed to accept visitors, unless they are providing essential support, and should not go out to buy food or other essentials 'where they can rely on others', the Home Office said. There is a small number of exemptions for truck drivers and some other critical roles while transit passengers who do not formally enter the UK will also be exempt. Public health officials are expected to conduct approximately 100 spot checks every day to ensure people are sticking to self-isolation. Those checks will start from the middle of June. People who arrive in the UK without accommodation arranged will have to pay for Government-arranged accommodation themselves. Passengers wearing personal protective equipment queued up to board a flight at Heathrow Airport on Friday Despite Ms Patel insisting the policy will be reviewed every three weeks, Whitehall sources have played down hopes that the measures could be lifted before the summer holiday season. Virgin Atlantic warned the plan would keep planes grounded. 'The safety and security of our people and our customers is always our top priority and public health must come first,' a spokeswoman said. 'However, by introducing a mandatory 14-day self-isolation for every single traveller entering the UK, the Government's approach will prevent flights from resuming. 'We are continually reviewing our flying programme and with these restrictions, there simply won't be sufficient demand to resume passenger services before August at the earliest.' The airline instead called on the Government to introduce a 'multi-layered approach' with targeted public health and screening measures to allow the safe restart of international travel. The chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, Karen Dee, had earlier told the Home Affairs Select Committee that drastic reductions in passenger numbers 'may simply lead to a prolonged shutdown of all aviation'. By Express News Service KADAPA: A woman, who arrived in Kadapa from Kuwait for her son's funeral, tested presumptive positive for Covid-19 and she was not allowed to attend the last rites of her son. A couple from Bestapalli village in Penagalur mandal sent their son P Satish Reddy (19) to Ukraine to pursue medicine in Kharkiv National Medical University by paying Rs 25 lakh fee in 2018-19. According to information received by the family, who are in Kuwait for livelihood, Satish Reddy fell off the bed in his hostel on May 10. He was initially declared brain dead. Later, he died while undergoing treatment. His parents wanted to have a last glimpse of their son and asked the Ukraine authorities to send the body to their native village. "We paid Rs 5 lakh for the expenditure involved in shifting the body from Ukraine to Kadapa," a family member said. Though Satish Reddy's father could not get permission to visit India, his mother, maternal uncle and aunt got the travel permit. Satish Reddy's mother, her sister and brother landed at Renigunta airport on Friday night in the flight operated by the Centre as part of Vande Bharat Mission to bring back more than 1,100 NRIs to India from Kuwait. Satish Reddy's mother and uncle tested presumptive positive for Covid-19 in the rapid test conducted at the airport and they were shifted to quarantine centre at Annamacharya Engineering College in Kadapa. His aunt Sridevi, however, tested negative and she was allowed to attend the last rites of Satish Reddy at Bestapalli on Saturday. The mother's wish to have a last look of her son remains unfulfilled, his family members said. Rajampet DSP V Narayanaswamy Reddy said apart from Satish Reddy's mother and uncle, a pregnant woman who travelled in the flight, also tested presumptive positive for the virus. "We shifted all of them to the District Covid-19 Hospital in Kadapa," he said. The coronavirus pandemic has brought our nation suffering and pain and has shown us we are all mortal. The virus knows no boundaries and can attack any person, regardless of their ethnicity, race or nationality. My prayers are with all who have been harmed by this crisis. The pandemic has also revealed that immigrant workers, who dwell on the margins of society, are present on the front lines of this battle, risking their own well-being to serve the nation at a time of crisis. They are health-care workers and first responders helping victims of the virus to survive. They are agricultural workers laboring in Americas fields, meatpacking plants and canneries, ensuring we maintain our food supply. And they are employees at the local grocery store or restaurant and food delivery persons, bringing food to our tables. The large majority possess tenuous legal status or are without legal status. They include Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, temporary workers on time-limited visas and the undocumented. Without their hard work, our state and nation would be in a more precarious position today. In New Mexico, immigrants work in vital industries and help keep our economy afloat. According to a recent report by several New Mexico immigrant rights organizations, there are over 15,000 immigrant-owned businesses in the state. Immigrants both legal and undocumented pay $393 million in state and local taxes a year. Nearly 22% of the employees in the restaurant industry in New Mexico are foreign-born. Nationally, at least one-half of farmworkers and one-third of workers in Americas meatpacking and poultry plants are undocumented. They have been classified as essential workers but toil in dangerous working conditions. We would not have food in our stores at this critical time without them. Nevertheless, legal and undocumented workers have been unable to obtain governmental assistance to help survive this crisis. Legal immigrants are afraid to access unemployment payments and other public services because of the public charge rule recently adopted by the Trump administration. DACA and TPS recipients, who contribute as essential workers in the health-care and food industries, have been unable to get their work authorizations extended, leaving them unable to support their families. Moreover, mixed-status families which include at least one undocumented person have been excluded from direct cash payments under the CARES Act. In New Mexico, two-thirds of immigrants live in mixed-status families. Undocumented workers do not qualify for Medicaid and fear receiving treatment for COVID-19, leaving them at higher risk for contracting the virus. Undocumented workers also are not eligible for direct cash payments or unemployment insurance. Ironically, the importance of immigrant workers to our state and nation has been tacitly confirmed by the Trump administration, which excluded medical workers and agricultural laborers from its short-sighted ban on the issuance of green cards. They also saw the wisdom of excluding from the ban hard-working immigrants already in the country and all workers on temporary visas. Yet they take every opportunity to scapegoat immigrants, divide their families and exploit the pandemic to deny them their rights, including the right to asylum. The inconsistency or should I say hypocrisy of our immigration system in this country is being exposed by this crisis. At the same time, some of our leaders attempt to score political points on the backs of immigrants, while our country benefits from their life-saving work. As a moral matter, this cannot stand. My hope is that one outcome of this crisis is that, as a nation, we see the contributions of immigrants with new eyes and develop a greater appreciation for their contributions to our society. Rather than relegating them to a hidden underclass, we should bring them out of the shadows by putting them on a path to citizenship. They have earned it. Reserve Bank of India governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday announced a cut in the repo rate by 40 bps to 4 per cent. The reverse repo rate stands adjusted at 3.35 per cent from 3.75 per cent earlier. Further, the monetary policy committee (MPC) maintained an accommodative stance on the policy until growth revives. The governor has announced these measures along with few others such as extension of moratorium on term loans as a solution to the ongoing crisis. However, these are not quite an antidote to deal with the problem at hand. Business Today spoke to M S Sriram, Professor at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and an expert in public policy, financial inclusion and problems of urbanisation. While he welcomes the measures announced by the RBI governor and finds them true textbook solutions to stimulate the economy from a monetary side, he feels more than the liquidity, issues around demand-side are what needed to be addressed. "Reduction in repo rate from 4.4 per cent to 4 per cent and the similar other measures announced earlier by the RBI in March, are all attempts at trying to come up with a supply side fix to a problem which is a demand side problem." In a scenario where there is no credit offtake happening and where risk-averse banks would rather park their funds in RBI bonds than lend to industry, reductions in repo rate is unlikely to help. Also, the cash-strapped industry, faced with little clarity on the emerging consumer behaviour post lockdown or in a post-COVID world, appears to be in no mood to take more credit and add to the interest burden. Even if there is a welcome extension of the moratorium on interest repayment, it has to be repaid as it is a loan and not a grant or an interest free loan. "What instead may help in the current scenario is measures by the government to put more money in the hands of people. The Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package is far from adequate to spur the demand due to low net credit outflow from the government. Various reports suggested that it is not more than Rs 2.5 lakh crore and that the hit on the budget is, therefore, just little over 1 per cent of the GDP. Further, RBI estimates suggested that the non-food credit growth decelerated to between 6 per cent and 7 percent in March 2020, from over 12 per cent in March 2019 due to NPA crisis and rising corporate debt. Similarly, credit growth to agriculture and allied activities decelerated to 4.2 per cent from 7.9 per cent during the same period and the credit growth to industry was down to 0.7 per cent from 6.9 per cent in March 2019. The deceleration in credit growth was also in the services sector and in personal loans. Now, with job cuts and no wages emerging as bigger worries, a wholesome effort at addressing the demand-side challenges could be the only hope. Also Read: RBI rate cut: For home loan of Rs 50 lakh, EMI to reduce by this much Also read: Mukesh Ambani scores 5th cheque! KKR to invest Rs 11,367 cr into Jio Platforms RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- The Bennett sisters are redefining what it means to be college age. For them, college doesnt follow high school; its more like college begins after the sixth grade. Thats right: Angel, Amber and, beginning this summer, 11-year-old Anita Bennett see college as something you do while also attending grade school or high school. Their mother, Angelita Bennett, who operates a home-based early childhood daycare, has seen to it that her daughters (with the exception of 18-year-old Angels kindergarten and first-grade years) have always been taught at home and online. Angelita, who with her husband, Geoff, and their four daughters, including 3-year-old Ashley, live on Richmond Road, has two associate degrees from Cuyahoga Community College and a bachelors degree from the University of Cincinnati. With support from their parents and one another, the sisters have gone on to redefine the term getting an early start. As of today, the rundown of the sisters academic accomplishments looks like this: -- Angel is set to graduate from the online Ohio Connections Academy (OCA) in a virtual ceremony June 13. She began going to Tri-C at age 12 and has earned two-year associate degrees in arts and in science. She is heading later this year to Ursuline College, where she plans to major in fashion design. -- Amber Bennett just turned 15. She, too, has two Tri-C associate degrees, in art and science. About to begin her high school years at OCA, she will also begin taking classes in December at Notre Dame College. She expects to graduate in about two-and-a-half or three years from college -- just about the time of her 2023 high school graduation. -- Anita just completed sixth grade with OCA and, wasting no time, plans to begin an English class May 26 at Tri-C, followed in June by a health class. She plans to follow in her sisters footsteps and earn associate degrees in art and science. At, 11, when asked what she would eventually like to do career-wise, Anita did not hesitate. I want to become an early childhood care provider, like my mother, and eventually take over the business from her. Of course, Angel and Amber have already set their goals, as well. As for where she would like to be in 10 years, Angel answered, I want to have my own fashion line of clothes, and I would like to collab(orate) with other big brands. Asked what her goal might be by the time she reaches 30, Amber replied: I would like to be a psychologist, maybe start a family practice -- I know some of my other family members are interested in psychology. I want to be well established by then. The Bennett family of Richmond Heights consists of, from left, Amber; father, Geoff; mother, Angelita, holding daughter Ashley, 3; Anita; and Angel. (Photo Courtesy of the Bennett family) All three of the sisters are well on their way to establishing themselves. Angelita said the whole idea of her daughters starting college classes early began when Angel was 12. "Angel was doing really well in school and the school felt that they wanted her to have something else to do so she wouldnt get bored, so they said lets try the College Credit Plus program (CCP), and I didnt know what it was. "They explained it to me and it sounded really good. She could get out of the house, go to school with adults and meet mature people, and still learn her high school things and college things. They suggested (Angel) start with something simple, like a health class or a dance class. We did, and everything went great with Angel. The Ohio Department of Educations CCP program allows for free tuition and books and no fees if a student maintains grades of As, Bs or Cs while taking college courses. Angel received her first associate degree, in arts and with honors, at age 16. She received her science degree, again with honors, the next year as an 11th-grader. She began with online classes, then mingled in on-campus classes. My main concern was about the (college) environment, Angel said of herself at 12, but once I got there, all my nerves were calmed, because everyone was so mature. It was refreshing to be around mature classmates. Of her friends and their reactions to her two college degrees, she said: They are so shocked about it and say, Wow, Im so proud of you.' They ask me questions frequently about it and I try my best to answer them. Angel, who enjoys sketching fashion ideas in a notebook, said earning her degrees wasnt that difficult. I felt I had so much support in my corner. Everyone was rooting for me. It was such a positive environment for me. All my classes have been online before, so I knew how to manage my schedule. If you believe it, you can achieve it, she said. The skys the limit, and reach for the stars. Angelita said that Amber was helped by Angels experiences. Amber, I wouldnt say she was bored in school, but we could see something in her. She followed her sister a lot and Angel would always help her with things, same with Anita, so she just wanted to follow her and try (college)," Angelita said. I would say family support makes all the difference, Amber said of her success. This stuff is kind of difficult, so Im glad I didnt have to do it alone. Having my sister do it before me helped a lot. She told me what to expect, so I said, I might as well try it." Amber, who followed Angel in attaining her degrees with honors, enjoys singing, drawing and following the Cleveland Cavaliers. She has recently been jumping rope and does combat hapkido, a martial art form. Reflecting on what she has already accomplished scholastically, Amber said, Every now and then, especially when people say to me, Wow, this is really great. I didnt get to go to college,' or some people tell me they havent graduated from high school, and they say, This is really incredible what you guys are doing, it just really gives me a moment of realization that this is actually happening, and its something that doesnt happen often. As for young Anita, looking ahead to the following week and the start of her college career at 11, she said: Im pretty confident about it all. I have a lot of support and help if I need any. That confidence also comes from the fact that, for the sixth grade, her report card reads all As. Youngest sister Ashley is only 3, so she has a few years left -- but not too many -- before she starts on her college career. When that time comes, it is certain that -- be it from her mother or her sisters -- there will be plenty of support to help her thrive. Read more from the Sun Messenger. The government has set an additional criterion for foreign students hoping to receiving cash handouts of up to Y200,000 ($1,900) for students struggling financially amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, making only those in the top 30 percent of grades eligible. The additional condition, which will create a gap in the financial support for students facing hardship in paying for tuition or living costs, has sparked criticism, as many foreign students experience the same challenges as their Japanese counterparts. Members of a student advocacy group that has been calling on the government to reduce school expenses called the decision acomplete discrimination.a On Twitter, a Japanese hashtag meaning aThe education ministry should give all foreign exchange students the cash handouta has also been gaining traction. In explaining its decision, the education ministry said, aWith many foreign students eventually returning to their home countries, we have set a condition to limit the handout to promising talent most likely to contribute to Japan in the future.a As the government will rely on institutions to determine which of their students should receive the assistance, those not meeting the criteria may still be eligible for the handouts, it said. Education minister Koichi Hagiuda indicated that students from overseas would be eligible for the program during a news conference Tuesday, when he announced that cash handouts would be provided to around 430,000 university and other students in Japan. But he made no mention of the additional criteria foreign students needed to fulfill, which only came to light during communication with universities and other institutions. According to the ministry, requirements for program eligibility include a reduction of over 50 percent in the monthly income from part-time jobs used to support tuition fees and, in general, a yearly allowance of less than A1.5 million from family. The student must also be living away from home. In addition, foreign students must be achieving high marks and have attained a grade point average of at least 2.30 in the past academic year. This accounts for the top 25 to 30 percent of students, the ministry said. The number of coronavirus cases continues to rise at the Oregon State Penitentiary, which this week became the source of the single largest known outbreak of the virus in the state. On Friday, the Oregon Department of Corrections said a total of 141 people at the prison -- 115 inmates and 26 employees -- have tested positive. A Southeast Portland nursing home is the source of the states second largest outbreak. Four inmates at the maximum-security prison in Salem have been treated for the disease at local hospitals, including one man who died Wednesday. It was the first inmate death from coronavirus in Oregon. The man had been transferred Monday to Salem Hospital and was tested that day. On Tuesday, the results confirmed he had the virus. He died the next day. Like the vast majority of people who have died from the illness in Oregon, the man had an underlying health condition, prison officials said. Citing the confidentiality of medical information, the state declined to identify the man, saying only that he was between 50 and 60 years old, and wouldnt disclose his underlying condition. Dr. Christopher DiGiulio, the chief of medicine for the Corrections Department, said inmates movements within the prison are restricted to contain the spread of the illness. Built in 1866, the state penitentiary, a hulking complex of imposing cellblocks, was not designed with a pandemic in mind, DiGiulio said. That is one of the most difficult aspects and the biggest challenge managing this, he said. The building is over 100 years old. It was not designed for social distancing. It was probably designed before germ theory was established. So the idea of social distancing inside of OSP is difficult. He said hundreds of men live "in very close quarters on multiple tiers. Corrections officials had been moving almost all infected inmates to Coffee Creek Correctional Institution in Wilsonville, where the infirmary is equipped with rooms that limit air circulation. But the rising number of cases has prompted the agency to shift away from that practice, DiGiulio said. The infirmary continues to take people who are considered medically vulnerable and have a serious case of the virus, but people with symptoms who are in better shape are treated in a converted housing unit at Coffee Creek, the state womens prison. DiGiulio said people who test positive but dont have any symptoms and are otherwise healthy have remained in quarantine at the state penitentiary. Inmates are routinely screened for symptoms, he said, but testing remains a hard sell among the men who fear they will test positive and end up moved away from their cells and placed in an even more restrictive setting. Only about 15 percent of nearly 2,000 inmates at the penitentiary have been tested. Statewide, about 4 percent of inmates have been tested in a population of about 14,000. The state does not have data on numbers of workers who have been tested since those are done by employees medical providers. We have the capacity to test pretty much as many patients as we would like but there is some natural resistance to (inmates) wanting to be tested, he said. The state this week also began antibody testing in its prisons, though no results are in yet. The tests, which detect the presence of coronavirus antibodies, were offered at Shutter Creek Correctional Institution, which had 25 cases of the disease. The agency said the testing will help us quantify the breadth and scope of the virus in prisons where the disease is present. It is unclear how much long-term protection antibodies offer, DiGiulio said. We dont know for sure if these antibodies are completely protective, he said. We dont know if they are partially protective. At this point, there is still quite a bit of uncertainty. -- Noelle Crombie; ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Easyjet's outspoken founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has suffered a bruising defeat after he failed to oust four of the airline's directors. He accused the airline of 'voting fraud' after he lost a shareholder ballot to unseat bosses including chief executive Johan Lundgren and chairman John Barton. Almost 60 per cent of shareholders opposed his motions, which also included sacking finance director Andrew Findlay and non-executive director Andreas Bierwirth. In a tailspin: Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou accused the airline of 'voting fraud' after he lost a shareholder ballot to unseat bosses The Greek-born entrepreneur called the meeting to protest against the board's refusal to cancel a 4.5billion deal for 107 planes with Airbus. He believes the order will bankrupt the company as it contends with the coronavirus crisis and has waged a war with management over it for the past two months, vowing to pick off directors. Last week he even offered a bounty of up to 5million for anyone who could provide evidence that could get the contract scrapped. After his loss he said the results 'constitute voting fraud' because at least 15 per cent of the shares were held by three 'straw men' organisations. Stelios claimed these three investors, which included Invesco and Phoenix, are 'controlled' by Airbus and should not have been counted. At the meeting, Stelios had asked the board if any shares were indeed controlled by Airbus. Barton said he didn't believe any were and that he had not asked Airbus an answer which Stelios branded as 'pathetic'. Stelios said: 'Ask the bloody question Mr Barton and get a bloody answer out of Airbus. Yes or no.' Stelios went further still accusing Findlay and former Easyjet directors, now-ITV chief executive Carolyn McCall and Stobart Group boss Warwick Brady, of having a secret dinner in 2016 with a lawyer in Switzerland he believes is linked to Airbus. Easyjet later said the allegations were 'simply not true'. Stelios pledged to sue management if Easyjet goes bust later this year. He set up the airline in 1995 and he and his family still own 34 per cent of shares. To stay afloat during the crisis, Easyjet has grounded its entire fleet of 344 planes and sought a 600million loan from the Government. The budget airline plans to restart flights across the UK and France next month. (Natural News) President Donald Trump has declared places of worship, such as churches, synagogues and mosques, as essential services and has called on governors to allow these religious institutions to reopen. The president has also said he will override the decisions of any state leaders who dont agree to reopen churches. The ministers, pastors, rabbis, imams and other faith leaders will make sure their congregations are safe as they gather and pray, said Trump at a hastily scheduled appearance Friday in the briefing room of the White House. The presidents order comes as he criticizes the hypocrisy of some governors who have allowed liquor stores and abortion clinics to remain open while keeping houses of worship under lockdown. Its not right, so Im correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential, Trump told reporters. In response to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, most houses of worship in the U.S. have closed their doors for the time being, with some providing virtual services. However, others have tried to continue with normal services and bringing their congregations together, which has prompted some pushback from local authorities. (Related: Churchgoers vow they would rather DIE than skip services during coronavirus lockdown.) State and local officials critical of order Trump made no mention of how exactly he would compel governors and state authorities to reopen religious institutions. Currently, legal experts are saying that the president has no power to compel state governments, especially if the order to shut down places of worship was done lawfully. State and local politicians have similarly expressed resistance to this order. Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said she will not alter her states lockdown protocols to reopen churches. Similarly, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that her city will be ignoring Trumps demand. By no means can the president order any locality, any state to do something that he doesnt have the power to do, said Lightfoot. And he cant do that here. Public health experts have raised concerns about the risks entailed with reopening religious institutions, especially when there have already been several cases of outbreaks spreading from church congregations. A small outbreak of COVID-19 broke out in rural Arkansas which spread from a pastor and his wife to around three dozen of their parishioners. At least two churches in Texas and Georgia have already shut down after reopening when several of their members tested positive for the coronavirus. Listen to the Health Ranger Report with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, as he talks about how the lockdowns have been weaponized to the detriment of humanity. CDC issues guidelines for reopening of places of worship The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released guidelines Friday afternoon about what communities of faith should follow if they want to maintain good health when they reopen. Religious institutions should, above all, establish and maintain lines of communication with local and state authorities, provide proper protective equipment for staff and congregants and abide by local, state and federal laws and regulations put in place to protect everyone. Once churches reopen, the CDC laid out seven key guidelines they need to follow: Follow social distancing regulations Limit the size of gatherings and consider holding services in large or outdoor areas. Limit the size of gatherings and consider holding services in large or outdoor areas. Encourage the use of face masks Both staff and congregants should wear face coverings, especially when social distancing is difficult to follow. Both staff and congregants should wear face coverings, especially when social distancing is difficult to follow. Intensify cleaning, disinfection and ventilation efforts Develop a proper schedule when employees will clean and disinfect all frequently touched surfaces in the building. Increase ventilation in the building and ensure that the churchs current ventilation systems are working properly. Develop a proper schedule when employees will clean and disinfect all frequently touched surfaces in the building. Increase ventilation in the building and ensure that the churchs current ventilation systems are working properly. Promote healthy hygiene practices Encourage both staff and attendees to practice proper hygiene, such as the washing of hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Encourage both staff and attendees to practice proper hygiene, such as the washing of hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Provide childcare services for congregants Consider opening proper childcare services, or partnering with nurseries in the area. Consider opening proper childcare services, or partnering with nurseries in the area. Minimize the sharing of worship materials and other items Consider temporarily limiting the sharing of materials, such as worship aids, prayer books and other items. Consider temporarily limiting the sharing of materials, such as worship aids, prayer books and other items. Train staff Train both clergy and staff in the above-mentioned guidelines. The CDC further stated that, during these troubling times, faith leaders should continue providing congregants with spiritual and emotional care and counseling services. Despite these guidelines, it remains unclear if Trump can force state and local authorities to reopen houses of worship. The U.S. Constitution reserves considerable powers to states and several courts have already set restrictions on in-person worship services during the pandemic for the promotion of public health. Sources include: WSJ.com Politico.com CDC.gov Tea exports drop by 50% in two months By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s): Sri Lankas tea exports are half the normal quantities at this time of the year due to worker shortages amidst increased demand from overseas buyers. Tea Exporters Association Chairman Jayantha Karunaratne said on Tuesday that the March and April exports had dropped by about 50 per cent compared to last year. He noted currently tea prices are high but exporters are fighting hard since they are not yet fully geared to work since all workers have not been able to report to work. While most workers are finding it difficult to report to work, others concerned about the COVID 19 refuse to return to Colombo under the circumstances, he explained. Meanwhile tea exports have seen prices rise due to the limited amounts available and since most buyers were buying continuously due to concerns that there might be future lockdowns and difficulties could arise in transporting these to the market, it was pointed out. However Sri Lanka is likely to see some improvement in the crop going forward as they expect increased production compared to the low crop experienced during the first quarter of this year. Currently the key concern is the exporters inability to meet export orders to capacity, it was pointed out. Mr. Karunaratne noted that at the moment the expensive teas are fetching higher prices since the average teas that can be bought from many countries can now only be purchased from Sri Lanka. Other problems faced by exporters are that there are delayed payments from buyers and this finally impacts on the exporters borrowing costs, he said. In addition, tea exporters are currently in discussion with the authorities on lifting of the ban on the import of tea packaging material as these are needed in exporting teas. A South African nurse working for the UK's national health service (NHS) who died after contracting the new coronavirus was planning to return to her home country next year. Josephine Peter had worked as an NHS nurse for 18 years, including on the frontline on wards treating those infected with the new virus, at Southport Hospital, in Merseyside, in the north of England. Tributes were paid to Josephine Peter by her NHS colleagues, who gave her casket a guard of honour by clapping as it drove past the hospital. Her family in South Africa, who had been eagerly awaiting her return to Dunnottar, near Johannesberg, when they got news that she had become seriously ill after becoming infected with the new virus. They had to make do with watching the funeral via video link, as they were not permitted to travel Her daughter, Buhle Peter said she and her mother last spoke when she had been moved to the intensive care unit. Peter had worked for the NHS for years, and had volunteered to work on COVID-19 wards when Britain's outbreak first began. Her friend, and fellow nurse, Cynthia Charles said: "She was a brave girl. For the mere fact that she actually gave herself, offered herself." "And she went, very confidently so," Charles said. Despite losing her when they were anticipating her return to South Africa, her daughter says she doesn't regret her working for the NHS in the UK during the new virus pandemic. "Why would I regret that she was helping other people, they loved her, she was amazing," her daughter said. New Delhi The Indian government on Saturday added 141 more flights to West Asian countries for the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission, its massive repatriation programme for citizens stranded overseas because of Covid-19-related travel restrictions. With these new flights, more than half of them to the United Arab Emirates, the total number of flights in the second phase of the programme has gone up to more than 400, people familiar with development said on condition of anonymity. The flights were added due to increased demand from citizens stranded in West Asian countries and the availability of adequate quarantine facilities in states for the returning Indians, the people said. As with all the flights operated so far under Vande Bharat Mission, priority will be given in the second phase to Indian nationals with compelling reasons for returning to the country, they added. The additional flights are from the UAE (81 flights), Oman and Saudi Arabia (15 flights each), Kuwait (14 flights), Qatar (11 flights) and Bahrain (five flights). A majority of the flights are bound for Kerala (84 flights), while the other destinations are Delhi (10 flights), Tamil Nadu (nine flights), Telangana (six flights) Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir (five flights each), Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (four flights each), Punjab (three flights), Odisha and West Bengal (two flights each), Chandigarh, Karnataka and Goa (one flight each). The other 260-odd flights being operated during the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission are from Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tajikistan, the UK, Ukraine and the US. The second phase of the repatriation programme began on May 16 and will continue till June 13, with all the flights being operated by state-run Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express. Private airlines are likely to be included in the third phase. In an order issued on Friday, the Centre relaxed travel restrictions to allow certain Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders, including children of Indian nationals living abroad, to come to the country. As of Thursday, a total of 23,475 Indians have been repatriated under Vande Bharat Mission. The second phase includes new destinations such as Istanbul, Ho Chi Minh City and Lagos, and more flights to the US and Europe. More than 259,000 Indians in 98 countries across the world have registered to return under Vande Bharat Mission. Most of them are workers (28%), students (25%), professionals (14.5%), and short-term visa holders such as tourists (7.6%). Fishermen, deportees and Indian nationals who benefited from visa amnesties have also registered. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As suggested by the title, this piece is a reflection on the scandals that blew open in the Imo State House of Assembly since this year regarding the genuineness of the Academic credentials of the members of the state legislature including the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly. The reflection on the worrying situation in the Imo State House of Assembly has become imperative because all around the World, believers in Constitutional Democracy are conscious of the pivotal place of probity, integrity, credibility and dignity in the private and public life of public office holders. Importantly, of the three arms of government namely the Parliament, the Executive and the judiciary, the institution that gets the highest degree of public scrutiny is the legislature because this is the segment of the constitutionally organised democratic system of administration that is closest to the citizens. Originally, when the Greeks started the practice of democracy, it was basically a representative system of governance in the sense that all component part of the collective are represented in the Parliament so every constituent parts are involved in the law making process of the society. In Igboland before the coming of the Western powers, there used to be a quasi parliamentary system of decusion making whereby all the male members of the community assemble under the central field of such communities to take far reaching decisions on the wellbeing and welfare of the communities respectively. It is in line with this universal mindset that the decision by the Nigerian President to sign the Executive Order which gives effect to the autonomy of the state legislature and the judiciary attracted considerable attention. Although the issue of separation of powers are clearly provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended) in Sections 4, 5 and 6, it is trite that the policy initiative by President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Executive Order regarding the financial and operational independence of the state legislature and the judiciary is being discussed from all sides of the divide. It is even a pleasant surprise that this action has come from the President that has shown a clear lack of leadership in many areas of his primary assignment since he was elected in 2015 and again in 2019 in which case his then Chief of Staff the late Abba Kyari amassed so much political power and influence to such a level that President Muhammadu Buhari asked his ministers to seek permission from the then Chief of Staff before seeking any audience with him. Muhammadu Buhari abdicated his primary power and function of defence of the nation's territorial integrity to the extent that a public spat blew open between his National Security Adviser (NSA) and the then Chief of Staff Abba Kyari who was accused by the NSA of cornering the powers only left for either the Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces or his military advisers. The respected The Guardian newspaper in an editorial on the appointmemt of the new Chief of staff Professor Ibrahim Gambari Yesterday stated what millions of Nigerians were thinking about President Muhammadu Buhari when the newspaper described what it calls "the predilection of a seemingly tired president who may well be better known as a delegator or abdicator-in-chief. " The Guardian wrote further: "President Buhari has been criticised for being a paladin for abdication of his duties and surrogate administration. first coming as a military head of state, as a Perhaps, the policy somersaults from public servants working at cross- purposes, the disregard for institutions and the impunity associated with near-rudderless leadership owe their prevalence to this sustained abdication. An administration whirling in the most odious kind of lethargy, crass ineptitude and unacceptable negligence." Any wonder then that the signing of an Executive Order for the implementation of financial autonomy for the legislature and the judiciary at the state level has been eliciting pleasant surprise and criticisms. The new order follows a Presidential Implementation Committee constituted to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of financial autonomy for states Legislature and Judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution. Section 121 (3) of the 1999 Constitution states: Any amount standing to the credit of the judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State shall be paid directly to the heads of the courts concerned. The new order tagged Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 for the implementation of Financial Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary Order, 2020 is aimed at strengthening the financial autonomy of the judiciary and legislature at the state level. According to a statement issued by Mr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the new order will further make the two arms more independent and accountable in line with the tenets of democracy. The President signed the Executive Order number 10 based on the power vested in him as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under Section 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended), which extends to the execution and maintenance of the Constitution, laws made by the National Assembly (including but not limited to Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended), which guarantee financial autonomy of the State Legislature and State Judiciary, Gwandu said. According to the statement, the Order provides that The Accountant-General of the Federation shall by this Order and such any other Orders, Regulations or Guidelines as may be issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, authorise the deduction from source in the course of Federation Accounts Allocation from the money allocated to any State of the Federation that fails to release allocation meant for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in line with the financial autonomy guaranteed by Section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended). Although this fundamental initiative has come from a President that has become so absent-minded and has failed to show leadership for instance in the efforts to combat COVID-19, and un the defence of Nigerians from terrorists and armed bandits, however, the far reaching reforms embedded in the Executive order have wider implications regarding what quality of law making mechanisms are put in place in the 36 States of the Federation. The larger issue for the good people of Imo State as well as all other states, is to ensure that those that they elect to make laws for them are people that possess those fundamental qualities of integrity, Credibility, honesty and must be persons that surrounds themselves with the mantle of transparency and accountability. Coming specifically to Imo State, there is the renewed demand for those who are in the Imo State House of Assembly just like Ceaser's wife to be above board since he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. Imo State people should therefore be worried that those who purport to make laws for them are persons who have allegations of certificate forgeries tied around their necks dangling like the sword of Damocles. The other day, the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Mr. Chiji Collins, had reportedly indicted some lawmakers in the state, saying they are currently being investigated over the authenticity of their educational certificates. Mr. Collins in the evaluation of some reporters has been on the spotlight recently as he has come under severe attacks from some quarters alleging that he has been parading fake certificates and should be persecuted. The Guardian reports that consequently, the House had in November last year set up an ad-hoc committee headed by a former Majority Leader, Chigozie Nwaneri, to investigate the matter after a prominent journalist made the allegations. Also, a former lawmaker in the state, Lawman Duruji, had recently accused the Speaker of prevailing on the ad-hoc committee to sweep the matter under the carpet, insisting that such attempt would not save him from being prosecuted. He said, Quote me, Chiji parades fake credentials, his PhD is fake and he also forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate. Why has he refused to publish his certificate for public scrutiny? No amount of delay tactics and intimidation can save him this time. But Collins, who insisted that his credentials were authentic and verifiable and that his position was not under any threat, stated that the Committee was not specifically set up to investigate only his certificates, but those of other members of the House. He disclosed that NYSC has also cleared him on the allegations, and challenged his opponents to take him to court if they feel otherwise. This writer is hereby calling on the Imo State House of Assembly to ask their Speaker to step aside until such a time that a transparent investigation is completed to determine his culpability and otherwise in the allegation of certificate forgery. The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences commission (ICPC) should step in and investigate all the members of the Imo State House of Assembly because as far as most decent people are concerned, that place(Imo state House of Assembly) is filthy and stinks of certificate falsification which is unhealthy for the smooth exercise of this financial and operational independence that the Constitution has guaranteed and which the recently signed Presidential order is set to validate. The Judiciary in Imo state need not be carried away by the gifts of the N24 million SUVs from the office of the Imo State governor and then become subservient to the governor. The legislature and the judiciary at the State levels must respect themselves and be independent of their governors. But first, he who must go to equity must have a clean hand. The need for a thorough probe of the certificates paraded by the state legislators in Imo State has become compellingly imperative. *Emmanuel Onwubiko is the Head of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria [email protected] ; www.emmanuelonwubikocom; www.thenigerianinsidernews.com ; [email protected] In the past month, Maharashtra Covid-19 mortality rate has fallen from 4.76% to 3.49%, as of Thursday, according to the data from the Maharashtra Health Department. However, during the same period, the number of deaths went up drastically to 1,454 on Thursday, from 269 deaths on April 22. On April 22, the total number of Covid-19 cases in the state was 5,649, with a mortality rate of 4.76%. On May 21, the total number of cases in the state was 41,642, with a mortality rate of 3.49%. As of Saturday, the total number of Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra stood at 44,582, and the number of deaths was 1,517, which resulted in a mortality rate of 3.40%. However, the analysis of Saturdays data is yet to be released by the Maharashtra government. The mortality rate in Maharashtra has steadily dropped for the past one month. According to the state health departments data, the mortality rate was 4.76% on April 22, 4.24% on April 26, 4.37% on April 30, 4.22% on May 1, 3.85% on May 9, 3.7% on May 14, 3.62% on May 16 and 3.49% on May 21. The number of tests during this period also went up from around 89,000 on April 22 to 3.22 lakh tests as of Saturday. Madhav Sathe, a former microbiologist at Nair Hospital, said, The mortality rate going down despite the deaths going up is actually a good thing. The total number of tests and positive cases have also increased. Sathe added, The more the virus spreads, the less dangerous it will get. So, it will spread more than what we have now, but it will get less severe. Also, mortality rate going down is also because of early detection, with medical experiments yielding positive results. I assume that in the coming days, though cases will go up, the mortality rate will remain the same or come down slightly. Data from the state medical education and drugs department has revealed that 86.74% of the states 39,144 Covid-19 patients are below the age of 60. The department has analysed data till May 20. Of these patients, 3.61% cases are of people up to 10 years, 7.05% are between 11 and 20 years, 21.08% are between 21 and 30 years, 21.44% are between 31 and 40 years, 17.76% are between 41 and 50 years, and 15.80% are between 51 and 60 years. However, highlighting that people in the 50-plus age group are most vulnerable to the disease, the department put the number of fatalities in this age group at 71% of the 998 deaths. State health department officials said measures to isolate and treat people who are over the age of 60 with comorbidities, have helped keep them from contracting the disease. Maharashtra has clocked more than 2,000 new infections every day for the past six days, recording 14,042 new cases and 382 deaths. The state has witnessed a significant rise in Covid-19 cases since May 6, when it started reporting more than 1,000 cases daily. The health department officials, however, said the state has not reached the community transmission stage yet as the growth in cases is not exponential. Meanwhile, more than 300,000 migrant labourers from Konkan division alone returned to their home states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan by Shramik Special trains. The Konkan division includes Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Palghar districts. Passengers travelling in Shramik Special train from Bengaluru to Darbhanga, Bihar resorted to violence and damaged railway property at three places in Unnao on Saturday, while protesting scarcity of food and water during their travel, said Ravindra Kumar, district magistrate Unnao. The migrants complained that the train was running much behind the schedule and alleged that even the toilets had no water. The migrants along with their families are travelling on the train for the last four days in dire situations, he said. The passengers targeted Unnao railway station where they pelted stones damaging the room of the station master and some furniture in the station. The train had been stopped at the Unnao outer for more than an hour and when it reached Unnao railway station, the passengers went on a rampage, railway officials said. The railway protection force (RPF) and government railway police (GRP) personnel pacified the passengers and the train started its onward journey. Similarly, incidents of violence were also witnessed at Ajgain and Sonik railway stations. They passengers destroyed the cement benches and pelted stones on the railway property, officials said. The railway officials have been directed to make all necessary arrangements, including potable water at the platforms as per norms, said DM. The workers were pacified after the officials assured them of all possible help. Later, the DM and SP also visited the roadways bus stop and directed the concerned officials to make arrangements for drinking water. In Auraiya, nearly 1000 workers entered a residential area to get drinking water. The locals ran away from their houses as they saw the approaching workers, who had arrived by the special train heading to Chapra from Dadri. For Coronavirus Live Updates Stationmaster of Kanchausi railway station, Vishambhar Dayal Pandey said the train was stopped for two hours to let the superfast trains pass first. The local police had a tough time in getting the workers out of the residential pocket. These incidents have been reported on a day when the railways ministry held a press conference in Delhi to claim it had providing millions of free food packets to passengers and transported close to 45 lakh migrants on inter and intrstate Shramik specials so far. It acknowledged delays experienced by trains heading to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and said alternative routes had been operationalised to deal with the issue. Also Read: Railways diverts UP-bound Shramik train via Odisha due to heavy traffic congestion A long-awaited report modelling the impact of easing lockdown is being pushed back 'several weeks' after Imperial College London scientists behind the paper complained their work had been 'politicised'. The team's modelling is considered the gold standard by the Government and its decisions throughout the epidemic have been heavily influenced by the London epidemiologists. But the group has been embroiled in a series of public controversies in recent weeks, which has prompted prominent politicians to raise doubts about their competency. The Imperial team was thrust into the spotlight when its most prominent scientist, Professor Neil Ferguson, flouted lockdown rules - which he had a heavy hand in imposing - to have secret trysts with his married mistress. The team's modelling is considered the gold standard by the Government and its decisions throughout the epidemic have been heavily influenced by the London epidemiologists. It was thrust into spotlight when Professor Neil Ferguson (pictured) flouted lockdown rules Then the group of scientists were accused of using an outdated mathematical model in a March report which predicted half a million deaths could occur in the UK if a nationwide quarantine was not immediately imposed. A senior member of the team said the latest report had been handed to Government but was being withheld from the public for fear of backlash. They told the Financial Times the new report would not be made public for another few weeks after it was peer-reviewed by other scientists and published in a journal. Their report in March was released as a 'pre-print', meaning it was made public before it had been reviewed by other experts. They said: 'Examining exit strategies from lockdown remains a top priority of the team, and we currently are supporting multiple governments in their planning for this.' 'Given the increasingly politicised nature of debate around the science of Covid-19, we have decided to prioritise submitting this research for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and will release it publicly at that time.' A senior member of the team said the latest report had been handed to Government but was being withheld from the public for fear of backlash (file image) Commenting on the news, eminent statistician Sir David Spiegelhalter said 'major analyses should be made public as soon as possible'. But he admitted that there is a fine line between public transparency of the Government's decision-making and making sure scientists were not subjected to personal attacks. It comes after scientists levelled a flurry of criticism against Prof. Ferguson's modelling which warned 500,000 people could die from coronavirus and prompted Britain to go into lockdown. Modelling from Imperial College London epidemiologist Professor Ferguson, who stepped down from the government's Sage group at the start of May, was described as 'totally unreliable' by other experts. The coding that produced the sobering death figures was impossible to read, and therefore cast doubts on its strength, The Telegraph reported. It is also some 13 years old, it said. Modelling behind Professor Neil Ferguson's claim that 500,000 Brits could die from Covid-19 has been criticised by scientists When other scientists have tried to replicate the findings using the same model, they have reportedly failed to do - but Imperial refutes the claims and says its code 'has held up to scrutiny'. Prof Ferguson's model is understood to have single-handedly triggered a dramatic change in the Government's handling of the outbreak, as they moved away from herd immunity to a lockdown. Competing scientists' research - whose models produced vastly different results - has been largely discarded, they claim. David Richards, co-founder of British data technology company WANdisco said the model was a 'buggy mess that looks more like a bowl of angel hair pasta than a finely tuned piece of programming'. He said: 'In our commercial reality we would fire anyone for developing code like this and any business that relied on it to produce software for sale would likely go bust.' A spokesperson for Imperial said: 'The Telegraphs reporting of Imperials modelling has been inaccurate, leading to multiple corrections and clarifications after several false claims in the paper. 'Imperials code has held up to scrutiny, as confirmed by the very many independent experts in software engineering and public health who helped review our work.' Today marks a week since Boris Johnson addressed the nation and changed England's coronavirus message from Stay Home to Stay Alert, with 34,636 deaths recorded by the Government. The easing of measures comes almost two months after Britain was placed in lockdown, with government making the decision on, at least in part, the advice of Imperial College London and Prof Ferguson's model outlining the potential harm coronavirus could do to the country. WHAT DID PROFESSOR FERGUSON'S WORK SAY? The scientific paper published by Professor Ferguson and his colleagues on the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team was credited for persuading Boris Johnson's Government to ramp up their response to the coronavirus. The paper, released on March 17, and titled Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID19 mortality and healthcare demand, predicted that the Government's original plan to 'mitigate' the outbreak instead of trying to stop it could have led to a quarter of a million people dying. Using data from Italy and China, the scientists predicted how different Government measures would have different impacts on the outbreaks. If no action at all had been taken against the coronavirus it would have claimed 510,000 lives, the team's report said. Had the Government stuck with their strategy of trying to 'mitigate' the spread allowing it to continue but attempting to slow it down with limited measures such as home isolation for those with symptoms this number would be roughly halved to 260,000. If the strictest possible measures are introduced, the number of deaths over a two-year period will fall below 20,000, the scientists said. Other points in the Imperial College report, titled Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID19 mortality and healthcare demand, included: Lockdown measures could be brought back if the virus resurfaces after this epidemic is over The coronavirus outbreak is worse than anything the world has seen since the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic Dramatic measures to suppress an outbreak carry 'enormous social and economic costs which may themselves have significant impact on health and well-being' Virus transmission happens evenly one third of cases are caught in the home, one third at work or school, and one third elsewhere in the community People are thought to be infectious from 12 hours before symptoms start, or from four days after catching the infection if someone doesn't get symptoms Patients who do get symptoms are thought to be 50 per cent more infectious than those who don't People are thought to develop at least short-term immunity after catching the virus, meaning they can't catch it again Approximately 4.4 per cent of patients need hospital care. 30 per cent of those need intensive care, and 50 per cent of intensive care patients can be expected to die, according to data from China The average length of a hospital stay for a coronavirus patient is 10 days eight days for those who recover quickly; 16 days for those who need intensive care Advertisement On March 17, just days before the country was placed into lockdown, Imperial College London published research titled urging a lockdown to be put in place to stop the virus spreading. Researchers from the university warned 510,000 people could die from the virus if no action was taken. Had the Government stuck with their strategy of trying to 'mitigate' the spread allowing it to continue but attempting to slow it down with limited measures such as home isolation for those with symptoms - this number would be roughly halved to 260,000, the report said. It showed that mitigation would not be insufficient to prevent the NHS becoming overwhelmed by looking at bed capacity. If the strictest possible measures are introduced including school closures and mandatory home quarantine the number of deaths over a two-year period will fall below 20,000, the scientists said. As a result, the Government announced people should stop travelling, stop socialising and work from home. But critics have today described the coding used by Imperial as 'totally unreliable'. John Carmack, an American developer who helped refine the code before the paper was published online, said some parts of the code looked like they were machine translated from Fortran', an old coding language. After growing pressure, the Imperial team released their code, which simulates homes, offices, schools and people movement, and sceptics were quick to point out it was 13 years old. Furthermore, when analysing the validity of the staggering death estimates, scientists have claimed that it is almost impossible to reproduce the same results from the same data, using the same code as Imperial, The Telegraph reported. University of Edinburgh researchers reportedly found bugs when running the model, getting different results when they used different machines, or even the same machines in some cases. The team reported a 'bug' in the system which was fixed - but specialists in the field remain staggered at how inadequate it is. Four experienced modellers previously noted the code is 'deeply riddled with bugs', has 'huge blocks of code bad practice' and is 'quite possibly the worst production code I have ever seen'. Weeks after the model's grim prediction, the University of Edinburgh's Professor Michael Thursfield criticised Professor Ferguson's record as 'patchy'. He was referring to Professor Ferguson's predictions in the early 2000s that up to 136,000 people could die from mad cow disease. The Imperial College teams modelling led to the culling of 6million livestock and was later criticised by epidemiological experts as severely flawed and a tragedy for rural Britain's economy. The team also predicted 200million could die from bird flu and a further 65,000 from swine flu. The final death toll in each case was in the hundreds. Dr Konstantin Boudnik, the VP of architecture at WANdisco, told The Telegraph: 'The facts from the early 2000s are just yet another confirmation that their modelling approach was flawed to the core.' Professor Ferguson defended Imperials foot and mouth work, saying they were doing 'modelling in real time' with limited data. He added: 'I think the broad conclusions reached were still valid.' Imperial College London published a paper in mid-March on the potential impact of coronavirus. It weighed up options on how a lockdown could reduce demand on hospitals The true death toll of COVID-19 has far exceeded what was predicted by Imperial under the total lockdown scenario (20,000 over two years). The Government's total death toll currently stands at 34,466. Using data that collects death certificates, it is more in the region of 39,000. The Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team came to their predictions with a number of mathematical calculations. They looked at the most vulnerable people deemed to be 'at the greatest risk of death,' typically elderly people or those with serious underlying health conditions. England's top statisticians estimate that 0.27 per cent of the population has been infected with COVID-19 on any given day over the past fortnight - equal to around 148,000 people and certainly between 94,000 and 222,000 The model simulated transport links, population size, healthcare provisions and social networks to predict how the pandemic would spread. Professor Ferguson and other Imperial College researchers predicted these measures would reduce demand on the healthcare system while protecting those who were most at risk: Speaking at the time of the paper publication, Professor Ferguson said: 'No country in the world this far has seen an epidemic that large [250,000 deaths], this is an early extrapolation of an early epidemic that was suppressed in China. 'But we have no reason to believe that's not what would happen if we frankly did nothing, and even if we did all we could to slow, not reverse, the spread, we'd still be looking at a very large number of deaths and the health system being overwhelmed. Professor Ferguson stepped down from his role on Sage, the board of scientists advising the government through coronavirus pandemic, at the start of the month after it was revealed he had broken lockdown rules he helped to inspire. Antonia Staats (pictured) visited Professor Ferguson at his London flat while Britons were being told to stay home 'Initially when we came up with these kid of estimates they were viewed as what's called the reasonable worst case. 'But as information has been gathered in recent weeks, from particularly Italy but other countries, it has become increasingly clear that actually this is not the reasonable worst case it is the most likely scenario.' He added: 'It is likely such measures most notably, large scale social distancing will need to be in place for many months, perhaps until a vaccine becomes available.' While there was overwhelming praise for the research for triggering a much-needed lockdown, criticism of Professor Ferguson's research was voiced at the time. Professor John Ashton, a former regional director of public health for North West England, accused No 10 of relying on a little clique of researchers and failing to consult a wider pool of academics. These guys are being regarded as demigods, he said in April. Here we are talking about science but this research is being given a kind of religious status, like tablets of stone from the mountain. Elevators are an everyday part of our lives, especially in places like our offices and shopping malls. With the advancement in architecture, the requirement for escalators has increased, and a mall in Thailand is taking it to the next level. According to a Reuters report, a mall in Thailand has replaced the lift buttons with foot pedals, as a measure to reduce people to people contact and subsequently, the spread of coronavirus. To motivate shoppers to return to the establishment, Bangkok's Seacon Square mall suprised its customers with the foot pedals inside and outside the elevators. YouTube The mall wants to ensure that there is zero contact among people which help in the curb of the deadly virus. A customer told Reuters, "They did a good job in preparing this. I feel much safer because we use our hands to do various things all the time. Now that we can use our foot to press the elevator, it's really great." Reuters Vice President of Seacon Development, Prote Sosothikul added, "The easiest way to get infected is when you touch an object that has been contaminated. Eventually touch your face and the virus will go into your mouth, your eyes, or whatever. So we came up with this idea of hand-free, foot-operated elevator." The South Asian country reopened its malls and other stores on Sunday after almost two months of remaining closed due to the pandemic lockdown. As number of COVID-19 cases are decreasing in Thailand, the country is witnessing a second phase of relaxing measures. Thailand has a total number of 3,037 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The death toll stands at 56; 2,910 people have recovered from the highly-contagious disease. Thailand has reported 3,037 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as per Johns Hopkins University. The virus has claimed the lives of 56 people, while 2,910 have recovered. Khamenei On Qods Day: Yell At America, Israel Will Be Eliminated! Radio Farda May 22, 2020 The Islamic Republic of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has once again called on Palestinians to continue their struggle against Israel and called the Palestinian question an international problem rather than an Islamic or Arab issue. Speaking on the occasion of the anti-Israeli Qods Day created by Iran after Islamists took over the country, he once again assured his supporters that Israel will be eliminated. Khamenei also called for the expansion of Jihad for Palestine and vowed that Iran will do everything to support Palestinian fighters. Khamenei claimed that the United States has been responsible for the creation of ISIS and called on the nations of the world "to yell at America." He advised the Palestinians not to trust Western governments, adding that westerners are guilty of many crimes. He said the United States and Europe are responsible for wars and bloodshed in many parts of the world. Khamenei also criticized the United Nations Organization for what he called its double standards and called it "the so-called United Nations organization." He also repeated his suggestion for holding a referendum in Palestine to determine the political system of "the country of Palestine." Khamenei read out his message from a paper, as he recently does, possibly because he can no longer trust his memory. He did not look very well and his voice was not as assertive as it usually sounds. Khamenei delivered his Qods Day speech on live TV from his quarantine as the anti-Israeli rallies for the day have been cancelled due to what has been described as a second surge in the coronavirus outbreak in most parts of Iran. Khamenei read out his message from a paper, as he recently does, possibly because he can no longer trust his memory. He did not look very well and his voice was not as assertive as it usually sounds. He presented his own version of the history of Israel and blamed Western powers for the creation of Israel which he said was "a criminal act." Meanwhile, he condemned all international initiatives to bring about an Israeli-Palestinian settlement, adding that the establishment of an Islamic government in Iran was a turning point in the history of Palestine. Khamenei praised the contribution of Palestinian groups such as HAMAS to what he called the increasing power of the resistance front. In preparation for the day, earlier in this week Khamenei's website featured a poster that carried the Nazi rhetoric about "Final Solution" while calling for a referendum in the Palestinian territories. The propaganda stunt annoyed many Iranians as well as people and politicians in various parts of the world. He explained later in a tweet that the rhetoric meant to attack the Israeli government, not the Israeli people. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/khamenei-on- qods-day-yell-at-america-israel-will -be-eliminated-/30627400.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 Businessinsider.com As of May 20, oil production rate decreased by about 20% compared with that in March. This was reported by the Financial Times, citing data from the Wood Mackenzie consulting company. It is noted that the U.S. oil production fell by 2.3 million barrels per day from a peak in March that made 13.24 million. The article clarified that such a reduction is almost equal to the volume of production in Saudi Arabia and the Russian Federation under the OPEC+ agreement. We recall that in early May, Saudi Arabia pledged to further reduce oil production by 1 million barrels per day. Related: Iran to issue $ 217 million Islamic government bonds for gas and oil projects US President Donald Trump threatened Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud with the withdrawal of U.S. troops in the event that OPEC+ countries do not reduce oil production. This was reported by Reuters with reference to its sources. As the United States pressed Saudi Arabia to end its oil price war with Russia, President Donald Trump gave Saudi leaders an ultimatum. In an April 2 phone call, Trump told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that unless the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) started cutting oil production, he would be powerless to stop lawmakers from passing legislation to withdraw U.S. troops from the kingdom, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Trump delivered the message to the Crown Prince 10 days before the announcement of production cuts. The kingdoms de facto leader was so taken aback by the threat that he ordered his aides out of the room so he could continue the discussion in private, according to a U.S. source who was briefed on the discussion by senior administration officials. Three fresh COVID-19 positive cases were reported from Kargil district of Ladakh on Saturday, taking the total number of active positive cases in the Union Territory (UT) to four. Two Iran-returned (Residents of Kargil) under Institutional Quarantine at #Kargil has tested #COVID19 Positive. One Student who returned from Jammu (Resident of Kargil) tested #covid19 Positive (sic) Commissioner Secretary Health, Ladakh, Rigzin Samphel, tweeted. He said all the patients, who were under institutional quarantine, have been shifted to an isolation facility. READ | J&K Govt Issues Quarantine Protocol As Flight Services All Set To Resume Coronavirus status in Ladakh Kargil district of Ladakh UT was declared COVID-19 free on May 15 after the last two patients, including a two-year-old boy, were declared recovered and subsequently discharged. Similarly, neighbouring Leh district had become COVID-19 free as 19 more positive patients were discharged from a hospital in Leh district on May 19. Ladakh has so far recorded a total of 47 positive cases with 43 among them have recovered. The UT, which has a population of 2.74 lakh (2011 census), was one of the first few regions in the country to report a coronavirus positive case. The first two positive cases in the UT were reported on March 7 with both the patients having travel history to Iran. READ | Jammu And Kashmir Admin To Notify 10,000 Posts For Accelerated Recruitment Of Domiciles New COVID death Meanwhile, a 55-year-old woman from Urnhal area of south Kashmir, who had tested positive for COVID-19, died at the SKIMS Soura on Saturday, taking the overall death toll due to the infection in Jammu and Kashmir to 21. Medical Superintendent SKIMS Soura, Professor Farooq Jan said that the woman was admitted to the hospitals isolation facility and had underlying ailments including chest infection. She had tested positive for the novel coronavirus earlier and died today, he said. With her death, the toll due to the coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir has risen to 2119 from Kashmir and 2 from Jammu. READ | Jammu And Kashmir Administration To Sent Returnees Into 14-day Institutional Quarantine READ | Mercury Shows Upward Trend In Jammu, City Records High Of 41.5 Deg C On Friday Sixty-one more people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Bihar, taking the total number of Covid-19 cases in the state to 2,166, health department officials said. Of the fresh cases, the highest number was reported in Buxar (13), followed by Khagaria (nine), Gaya (seven), East Champaran (six), five each in Bhagalpur, West Champaran and Sitamarhi, three each in Begusarai, Muzaffarpur and Munger and one each in Arwal and Kaimur districts, they said. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage Late on Friday evening, the health department tweeted, 61 more Covid-19 +ve cases in Bihar taking the total to 2166. We are ascertaining their trail of infection. The patients from Buxar include two one-year-old boys and a seven-year-old girl, it said. #BiharFightsCorona 2nd update of the day. 61 more #COVID19 +ve cases in Bihar taking the total to 2166. The details are as following. We are ascertaining their trail of infection.#BiharHealthDept pic.twitter.com/csOUwPKnYk Bihar Health Dept (@BiharHealthDept) May 22, 2020 A 22-year-old migrant worker, who died three days ago soon upon his return from Delhi, was acknowledged on Friday as Bihars 11th Covid-19 fatality by the state health department. According to a senior health department official, the deceased, who belonged to Khagaria district, had returned to the state by a special train on Tuesday. He had a high fever and died within hours of arrival, following which his sample was collected and sent for testing. The report confirmed that he was infected with the dreaded novel coronavirus. The contagion has so far claimed the lives of 11 people, including two each in Patna, Vaishali and Khagaria districts and one each in Rohtas, Munger, East Champaran, Sitamarhi and Begusarai districts. Of the total 2,166 positive cases in the state, 1,526 are active while 629 Covid-19 patients have recovered. At 186, Patna topped the list of positive cases, followed by Munger (140), Begusarai (125), Rohtas (123), Madhubani (115), Buxar (113), Jehanabad (106) and Khagaria (105). A total of 58,905 samples have been tested so far at seven facilities in Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga. Workers at one nursing home said they were given rain ponchos to protect from infection. Twenty-seven employees at the facility, where most residents are African American, tested positive for the coronavirus. One of the many black residents of a nursing home in Belleville died in April amid a coronavirus outbreak. But his niece complained that he was never tested for the virus. A staff member at a predominantly Latino nursing home where an outbreak emerged said she was given swimming goggles before professional gear could be obtained. She said she later tested positive for the virus. The coronavirus pandemic has devastated the nations nursing homes, sickening staff members, ravaging residents and contributing to at least 20% of the nations COVID-19 death toll. The impact has been felt in cities and suburbs, in large facilities and small, in poorly rated homes and in those with stellar marks. But COVID-19 has been particularly virulent toward African Americans and Latinos; nursing homes where those groups make up a significant portion of the residents no matter their location, no matter their size, no matter their government rating have been twice as likely to get hit by the coronavirus as those where the population is overwhelmingly white. More than 60% of nursing homes where at least one-quarter of the residents are black or Latino have reported at least one coronavirus case, a New York Times analysis shows. That is double the rate of homes where black and Latino people make up less than 5% of the population. And in nursing homes, a single case often leads to a handful of cases and then a full-fledged outbreak. The nations nursing homes, like many of its schools, churches and neighborhoods, are largely segregated. And those that serve predominantly black and Latino residents tend to receive fewer stars on government ratings. Those facilities also tend to house more residents and to be located in urban areas, which are risk factors in the pandemic. Yet the disparities in outbreaks among homes with more Latino and black residents also have unfolded in confusing ways that experts say are difficult to explain. The race and ethnicity of the people living in a nursing home was a predictor of whether it was hit by COVID-19. But the Times analysis found that the federal governments five-star rating system, often used to judge the quality of a nursing home, was not a predictor. Even predominantly black and Latino nursing homes with high ratings were more likely to be affected by the coronavirus than were predominantly white nursing homes with low ratings, the data showed. The coronavirus has been infecting and killing people of color at disproportionately high rates in the United States, data has shown. And officials in the nursing home industry say the situations playing out inside homes largely reflect the circumstances unfolding outside their walls. Typically, what occurs in the general population is mirrored in long-term care facilities, said Dr. David Gifford, chief medical officer for the American Health Care Association, which represents the industry. Nursing homes within communities that have been hot spots for the virus are more likely to see outbreaks, he said, especially in large facilities with lots of employees coming in and out. Small nursing homes, which are disproportionately occupied by white residents, tend to have fewer outbreaks than larger facilities, and urban nursing homes have more outbreaks than suburban or rural ones. But the Times analysis found a racial disparity remained even after accounting for a variety of factors, including the size of a nursing home, the infection rate in the surrounding county, the population density of the neighborhood, and how many residents had Medicaid or Medicare. About 1.3 million people live in the nations nursing homes, according to federal data. About 80% of those residents are identified as white by nursing home administrators. Long before the pandemic, there was disparity in homes. Those with more black and Latino residents tended to score worse than mostly white homes on quality metrics used by regulators. And they were more likely to have been punished for serious rule violations. Nationally, at least 106,000 people have been sickened by the virus in more than 4,000 skilled nursing facilities, which do not include stand-alone assisted living centers, retirement communities and other long-term care facilities. Almost 19,000 people have died, and that is quite likely a significant undercount. All sorts of nursing homes, including those with mostly white residents, have been affected. In some facilities that had coronavirus outbreaks, concerns about how residents were being cared for came well before the virus. Bria of Belleville, in southern Illinois, has been tied to at least 22 cases and two deaths. It is one of more than 300 nursing homes in the state where the virus has been detected. Bria, where many residents are black, has a one-star overall rating, the lowest available, from the federal government. Juanita Willis helped look after her uncle, Ralph Wellmaker, who had lived at the home since last summer. Willis said she had raised concerns about sanitation and staffing at the home, and she described the care there as just horrible. Willis, a nurse at a St. Louis medical center, still is unsure if her uncle had the virus. She last visited him in early March, shortly before visitors were told to stay away. In mid-April, she received a call from a hospital social worker asking about funeral arrangements for her uncle, learning for the first time that he had died two days earlier. His death certificate listed cardiac arrest as a cause of death, but records indicate he was not tested for the virus, according to the local coroners office. It is very upsetting, Willis said. I think once they got the first case, they should have tested everyone in the facility. In a statement, Bria officials defended the quality of care at the Belleville facility, noted the difficulty in securing coronavirus tests and said Wellmaker lived in a part of the center separated from people known to have had the virus. The Kogi State Governor, Yayaya Bello, who was also the APC candidate for the 2019 governorship election in the state has recorded another victory at the Governorship Election Tribunal. This is as the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja dismissed the petition by the Action Peoples Party, (APP) against the Governor and his party. Naija News understands the petition was dismissed on Friday for lack of merit. The three-man panel of Justices, led by Ibrahim Kaigama, said the petitioners failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt and also awarded a N100,000 against the petitioners. As previously reported by this online medium, the tribunal earlier in the week also dismissed the petition filed by another candidate, Barrister Natasha Akpoti of the Social Democratic Party, SDP for lacking in merit. A cost of N600,000 was also awarded against her and her party. Meanwhile, the tribunal has picked Saturday, 23rd May to rule in the petition jointly filed by Engr. Musa Wada and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP challenging Bellos victory in the November 16th poll. Share this post with your Friends on This is a work of historical fiction. But a lot of the really bad history really happened, the opening card on Operation Buffalo tells us. Maralinga, a largely untold chapter of Australian history, comes to life in a new ABC miniseries by writer / director Peter Duncan (Rake, Children of the Revolution, Passion). What we get is certainly unexpected: a theatre of the absurd an atomic comedy of errors, where the principal characters are the Aussies and Brits playing wargames with the lives of invisible indigenous. Major Leo Carmichael (Ewen Leslie) oversees the towers standing distant in the South Australian desert in 1956, from which bombs will be tested by the Empire. Left largely to his own atomic devices (save for the diminishing faculties of his commander, General Crankford), Leo has a wild ol time flying in hookers from Adelaide, including Molly (Bojana Novakovic), and making merriment for the boys in the army. But when Canberras Attorney-General Dick Wilcox (Tony Martin), Defence Minister Lachlan (Alan Duke) and British High Commissioner (Willian Zappa) pay an unexpected visit, Leo has his hands full: a hooker is missing, and Nurse Corrine (Adrienne Pickering) is worried there are rapes going unreported. You cant report anything in this place. Especially if youre a woman, and especially if the rapist is someone with clout, she tells Leo. While General Crankford (James Cromwell) has a black tie dinner party to host for his guests the day before the latest atomic testing, the visiting officials are dismissive of any obliteration of Aboriginals that may be necessary. We both know theres people out here dont we, Dick? asks Defence Minister Lachlan. Depends how the Constitution defines people, the Attorney-General replies. Meanwhile Indigenous locals Sam (Shaka Cook), Ruby (Frances Djulbing), Peggy (Shantae Barnes-Cowan), are justly suspicious of these strange men from the place where the big clouds come. For the record, these characters do speak a local language with English subtitles. The cast also includes Jessica de Gouw as a mysterious meteorologist Eva Lloyd-George. Yet while the horrors of what is taking place unfold the balance of the story -at least initially- is given to boys hijinks and stuffy shirts in the Aussie outback. Duncan takes a satirical approach to the subject. The title and rollicking music are dead giveaways this is detouring from any worthy, serious path at high velocity. By episode 2 scientists turn practically vaudevillian Perhaps, like Catch-22 or The Dish, the intent is to highlight the ridiculousness of such grand folly except that this was a shameful and tragic chapter in our history and as a national broadcaster drama, I found this a challenging choice. While Ewen Leslie admirably strives for sincerity, sometimes there are pantomime performances surrounding him notably James Cromwells tickity-boo General, and the fine talents of Tony Martin resembling something closer to Fairfax & Carstairs in Allo Allo. Fa, fa, fa, fa. To be fair, producers Porchlight Films did consult with the Maralinga Tjarutja community, with Translators / Advisors Gavin Peel & Dennis Brown, plus Indigenous Cultural Consultant Dr. Jared Thomas. A documentary this most certainly is not, as the opening card declares (ABC airs a Blackfella Films doco tonight). Hopefully by the end of the series the balance of this tragedy is not overwhelmed by its opening capers. Operation Buffalo airs 8:30pm Sunday May 31 on ABC. BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- World experts and scholars have paid close attention to China's government work report, saying that the report reflects the central government's firm determination to achieve poverty alleviation goals this year, despite impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday delivered the annual report on the work of the government at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, the national legislature. Jorge Chediek, director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), told Xinhua in an exclusive interview through email that "poverty alleviation is a priority of China," and "China gives us an affirmation that SDG 1 - No Poverty is attainable even in a country with 1.4 billion population." China provides the world, especially the Global South, an example of how economic policies and social policies have managed to take hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, Chediek said. "The targeted poverty reduction policy implemented by the Chinese Government and focused support to areas of extreme poverty have proved to be effective in eliminating poverty," said the UNOSSC director. Ivona Ladjevac, head of the center for the Belt and Road Initiative at the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Serbia, said that the report "reaffirmed the government's decisiveness of fulfilling the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and fight against poverty." Ladjevac said that 2019 has been a successful year for China. "The international scene became very demanding, so China put a lot of efforts to keep stable its internal development no matter to external influences," said the scholar. Adrian Bonilla, a professor at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Quito (FLACSO) and an expert on international politics, said China has withstood the test of the epidemic and he believes that China will definitely minimize the impact of the epidemic on economic development and reach the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects this year. Noting that China has placed poverty alleviation on top of the country's economic and social development agenda, the expert said China's efforts and achievements in poverty alleviation have set a good example to the world. China has, through arduous efforts, achieved decisive results in curbing the epidemic. According to the government report, in the face of global challenges including the public health crisis and severe economic recession, all countries should work together. China stands ready to work with other countries to strengthen international cooperation on epidemic control, the report said. In this regard, Bonilla said that China has taken the lead in shaking off the impact of the epidemic and has made remarkable achievements in economic and social development, which will have even greater positive impact on the world. His words were echoed by Jan Hovorka, president of the Endowment Fund for Support of TCM and Alternatives in the Czech Republic, who told Xinhua that a strong country can not only overcome its own difficulties, but also can offer wisdom, solutions and help to other countries. The shock of the COVID-19 pandemic has sent the world economy into a severe recession, disrupted industrial and supply chains and caused a contraction in international trade and investment as well as volatility in commodity markets, said the report. Hovorka noted that he looks forward to seeing China strengthen cooperation with international organizations such as the UN and the World Health Organization as well as other countries. It is a wise decision that the report has set no specific target for economic growth for 2020, while highlighting the importance attached to promoting employment, giving full play to market entities and improving people's livelihoods, according to Liang Guoyong, an economic affairs officer with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Facing various uncertainties, the officer said it is imperative to implement the strategy of expanding domestic demand and promote the transformation of the economic development pattern. China on Thursday raised the curtain for its annual political high season. This year's "two sessions" are expected to highlight China's final push in poverty alleviation and completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. She's the beautiful Australian model who is rumoured to be engaged to Riverdale star, Skeet Ulrich, 50. And on Friday, Megan Blake Irwin took some time out to enjoy a beach day with her famous beau and their pet pooch. The 25-year-old showed off her sensational figure in a white bikini as she soaked up the sun. White Hot! Megan Blake Irwin showed off her sensational figure in a bikini as she enjoyed a day at the beach with Riverdale star Skeet Ulrich on Friday In the image shared to Skeet's Instagram story, the couple cuddled up close as they relaxed on the sand, laying side-by-side on matching beach towels. Megan's slim physique and toned arms were on display in a white string bikini top, which was tied at the shoulders. The blonde stunner went makeup free and accessorised with a simple gold and diamond cross necklace. Looking good: American actor Skeet, whose real name is Bryan Ray Trout, showed off his buff physique as he went shirtless Stunner! The Australian model quickly won the Hollywood hunks heart and he recently moved into her LA pad American actor Skeet, whose real name is Bryan Ray Trout, showed off his buff physique as he went shirtless. The couple have isolating together at home in Los Angeles, amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Sunday, Megan appeared to announce their engagement. She sent fans into meltdown when she posted a photo of herself with Skeet while sporting a diamond ring on her wedding finger. Wedding bells? On Sunday, Megan appeared to announce their engagement In the black and white photo, Megan was pictured draping her arm around her much older beau's shoulders, as they posed in formal attire. 'Always & forever mine,' she simply wrote in the caption alongside a love heart emoji. Megan made sure to get her ring finger in focus by resting her palm on top of Skeet's hands. Loved up: Megan also shared a sweet photo of the pair kissing after what could well have been the moment he proposed Fellow model Delilah Belle immediately commented on the post to ask the question on everyone's mind: 'Does always and forever mean ENGAGED!?' However, Megan kept her cards close to her chest by simply replying with five kissing-face emojis. Meanwhile, Megan also shared several photos of herself posing and with her new ring via Instagram Stories. 'Mine forever,' she wrote next to one photo of the couple sweetly cuddling after what could well have been the moment he proposed. The Multinational Joint Taskforce movement of West African nations have carried out airstrikes on several terrorist camps in the Lake Chad basin wetlands, surrounding islands and Tumbuns, all in Chad. The Lake Chad multinational Joint Taskforce aircrafts including Tchadian SU-25 Frogfoot, Nigerien MI-24 Hind Helic, Cameroon ISR aircraft and Nigeria Alpha trainer Jets did carried out airstrikes on several Terror camps in the LCB wetlands, islands and Tumbuns, private Military Contractor and Counter Terrorism/insurgency expert simply and mysteriously known as Edward, tweeted. The Lake Chad multinational Joint Taskforce aircrafts including Tchadian SU-25 Frogfoot, Nigerien MI-24 Hind Helic, Cameroon ISR aircraft and Nigeria Alpha trainer Jets did carried out airstrikes on several Terror camps in the LCB wetlands, islands & Tumbuns. Edward (@DonKlericuzio) May 23, 2020 The countries include Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad. Chad has a history of carrying out unexpected and devastating counterattacks on terrorists groups that skulk the borders of Chad and Nigeria. These terrorist groups include the notorious Boko Haram and Jamaatu Ahlis-Sunnah LiddaAwati Wal-Jihad (JAS). Chadian army officials on the 10th of April, 2020 reported that their military forces killed a whopping 1,000 Boko Haram extremists in an operation on the islands of Lake Chad. In a video statement on the attack, Army spokesman Colonel Azem Bermandoa said the eight-day operation cleared the extremists from the islands in a vast area between Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon. The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) is a combined multinational formation, comprising units, mostly military, from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. It is headquartered in NDjamena and is mandated to bring an end to the Boko Haram insurgency. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-22 20:54:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on May 13, 2020 shows the container terminal of Weihai Port in Weihai City, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Zhu Zheng) BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China will advance opening-up to a higher level as it pledges to further stabilize foreign trade and actively leverage the role of foreign capital, said the report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the opening meeting of the annual national legislative session on Friday. The country will significantly shorten its negative list for foreign investment, while a negative list will also be drawn up for cross-border trade in services, said the report. New pilot free trade zones and integrated bonded areas will be established in the country's central and western regions, the report said. China will also focus on quality in the joint pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative, firmly safeguard the multilateral trading regime and actively participate in the reform of the World Trade Organization, according to the report. This year, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought shocks to the global economy, weighing on both the supply side and the demand side of China's foreign trade and investment. To cope with the challenges, China has taken various measures to keep foreign investment stable. Photo taken on Jan. 7, 2020 shows China-produced sedans at Tesla's gigafactory in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) The foreign investment law took effect at the beginning of this year. To render a better business environment and provide overseas investors with stronger protection, the government has ramped up efforts to implement the law throughout the year. The implementation of the foreign investment law shores up foreign-funded enterprises' confidence in Chinese market, said Jiang Ying, vice chairman of Deloitte China, adding that more opening-up measures will be of great significance to China's sustainable development as well as global economy. China's opening-up endeavors have won widespread recognition. According to a World Bank report, China ranked 31st globally for ease of doing business, up from 46th in its previous annual report, and China's strong reform agenda placed the country in the world's top 10 "most improved" list for the second consecutive year. China has abundant and high-quality labor resources, a mature and supportive industrial system and a market with a population of 1.4 billion, all of which are advantages in attracting foreign investment, Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said. "No smart entrepreneurs will give up the huge Chinese market." According to the Ministry of Commerce, foreign direct investment into the Chinese mainland expanded 11.8 percent year on year to 70.36 billion yuan (about 9.92 billion U.S. dollars) in April this year. Despite disruptions from the pandemic, the Chinese market will remain the most noteworthy business environment in the world for a long time, as long as China maintains strong domestic demand and innovation momentum, said Hungchih Liu, vice president for Asia Pacific of engineering multinational AECOM. In light of the pandemic situation and the global economic recession, China needs to push for an opening-up with wider scope, higher quality and inclusiveness, said Wen Bin, chief analyst with China Minsheng Bank. Jackson College of Education, Ghanas premier private college of education continues to maintain its status as one of the most prolific donors to the Police and Prison Services in the Ashanti region over the years. For many years, the College has been donating essential items including food, detergents, toiletries, medical supplies as well as cash to the Kumasi Central and Manhyia Prisons. It renovated the washrooms at the administration block of the Kumasi Central Prisons and also re-roofed the entire cell of the Manhyia Prison which was badly leaking. The Regional Police Command has also received several donations from the College which included office equipment curtains and other logistics. These notwithstanding, the College on Friday, made yet another massive donation to the two institutions following a needs assessment conducted by the College weeks earlier. The Police Command received items such as one air conditioner, one executive desk with swivel chair, two laptops, two desktop computers, two printers, three boxes of A4 sheets, 200 pieces of flat files, 500 pieces A4 bag envelopes and 10 packs of staple machines. The rest were 30 packs of royal clips, 50 packs of office pins, 30 packs of foolscap notebooks, five boxes of blue pens, five pieces of perforators, 2,000 pieces of white envelopes, 15 rims of official sheets and 20 packs staple pins. The Central Prison also received 240 pieces of hand sanitizers, five gallons of hand sanitizers, 10 veronica buckets with metal stands, and 2,200 pieces of proper washing powder. Others were 2,200 packs of toilet tissues, 12 pieces of hand tissue, one carton of liquid soap, 2,200 pieces of bar soap and a hamper for staff. The Deputy Regional Police Commander, ACP David Agyemang Adjem who received the items acknowledged the long-standing relationship between his outfit and Jackson College. He said College has, over the years been a solid partner that had always supported the service in its quest to combat crime in the region. Making a donation of this magnitude in this COVID-19 era where most private institutions are suffering shows how committed Jackson College is to the cause of the Police Service, ACP Adjem observed. He entreated other public-spirited organizations to emulate the good example of Jackson College to collectively make the region one of the safest in the country. The Ashanti Regional Commander of Prisons, Deputy Director of Prison (DPP) Samuel Owusu Amponsah, praised Jackson College for the immense support to both inmates and staff of the Central Prison. He said all the items donated were essential to the upkeep of the inmates, adding that, the veronica buckets and hand sanitizers would also enhance efforts to prevent infections of coronavirus in the prison. Mrs. Theodosia Jackson, Principal of Jackson College of Education who presented the items, said it was the collective responsibility of all Ghanaians to support the Police and Prison Services to perform efficiently. She said quality service delivery by the two institutions would inure to the benefit of the entire populace and stressed the need to consistently support them as stakeholders. She counseled the public to desist from crucifying the Police Service for the infractions committed by a few but rather give them the needed support to safeguard peace and security in the country. As pointed out in prior published opinions, legal education and the legal profession have lagged behind technology and have been slow to make changes required to provide graduates with the skills to succeed and lawyers with the skills that provide sufficient value required by Information Age clients and government departments. Addressing these concerns, in mid-May, a group of Oxford professors led by Professor Rebecca Williams presented the findings of their research project, which explores the relationship between legal education, professional training and technology. The thesis underlying the study was that a major limitation for both the profession and legal education was the limited skills possessed by lawyers. The report suggests five core skills areas that should be addressed to fill this skills gap in terms of mindset understanding, data-oriented thinking, agile system and design thinking, commercial awareness, digital ethics, and the law of AI and digital technology. Mindset understanding encompasses a grasp of the world and thinking behind computer science and how it operates, including its strengths and weaknesses. Data-oriented thinking refers to lawyers being aware of the role and importance of data and information science in improving decision making and devising creative solutions to clients' problems. Also, a core skill for lawyers is the ability to apply design thinking and work with professionals in other disciplines to devise creative, holistic and systemic solutions to complex problems faced by clients and governments. Commercial awareness refers to the ability to see law as an information service and appreciate the commercial value, threats and opportunities for clients in today's society where disruption and rapid change are the norms. Finally, new technologies raise significant ethical and legal issues, the resolving of which requires lawyers to be key players in devising solutions that enable clients, specifically, and society, generally, to reap the rewards of technology and minimize its potential harms. The report leaves unresolved questions about how to best design and deliver the training required to meet the skills gaps identified. My view is that there will be multiple and diverse solutions. Universities should be proactive in breaking down the barriers between disciplines by designing and delivering courses that meet this need. Law firms, technology firms, government and others should be proactive in creating and offering shorter professional courses for those already into their careers and seeking to deal with such issues. Law schools, computing schools, business schools, public administration and other disciplines should consult with the professions and industry and review their curricula to ensure they are responsive to the needs of the 21st century. Indeed, I am reminded of one of Australia's first E-business Law and Management Courses, designed with my University of Canberra colleagues and delivered over 20 years ago. It brought together people from law, computing, government, business and other disciplines. All benefited from the cross-pollination of ideas and shared understandings necessary to evolve genuine and workable solutions to questions raised by new technologies. Through such engagement, all professions will develop the skills, experience and wisdom required to move us forward to a better and more prosperous society. Finally, I note that this work is part of a larger project on Unlocking the Potential of Artificial Intelligence for English Law. Given China's leading role in the development of AI, it will be exciting to see corresponding Chinese efforts to develop its legal technologists required to enable the legal profession and society to effectively realize the full potential of AI. Eugene Clark is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/eugeneclark.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. China's national legislature starts annual session PLA Daily Source: Xinhuanet Editor: Chen Zhuo 2020-05-22 15:49:16 BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China's national legislature started its annual session Friday morning in Beijing. Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders attended the opening meeting of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, held at the Great Hall of the People. Attendees at the meeting paid a silent tribute to martyrs who died fighting COVID-19 and compatriots who lost their lives in the epidemic. After the mourning, Premier Li Keqiang delivered a government work report on behalf of the State Council to the legislature for deliberation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here. Amid the relentless stress imposed by the global coronavirus pandemic, parents have found comfort in the fact that young COVID-19 patients mostly display mild symptoms, or none at all. According to a study cited by the CDC, 13% of children who contract the virus are asymptomatic. But more recently pediatricians are sharing stories of infected kids in rare cases falling ill with a life-threatening inflammatory syndrome called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). Should parents be worried, especially as society and the economy begins to reopen and kids starting venturing outside the house more? To answer this question and for the latest information around coronavirus and kids we checked back in with UCSF pediatrician Dr. Lisa Dana, who sees hundreds of local kids at Golden Gate Pediatrics with locations in both S.F. and Mill Valley and is also part of the clinical faculty at UCSF. (Read the SFGATE interview with Dr. Dana done in March.) SFGATE: What are the symptoms of MIS-C? Dr. Lisa Dana: Fever, stomachache, vomiting, rash, pink eye and red and cracked lips and tongue. They usually do not present with a cough. We believe that children with MIS-C are presenting on average 4-6 weeks after first contracting coronavirus. They may have few or no symptoms associated with the COVID-19 virus. This is an inflammatory syndrome that occurs later. SFGATE: Which children are at the highest risk for MIS-C? Dr. Dana: Children in school-age range seem to be more at risk for this post-viral inflammatory syndrome. SFGATE: What are the odds of my child suffering from MIS-C? Dr. Dana: MIS-C is very rare, but we are learning more about this syndrome every day. We have seen more than 200 cases in the United States of MIS-C but there are new reports of this syndrome daily. There has been at least one reported case in the South Bay. SFGATE: Have you treated any children with MIS-C? Dr. Dana: Thankfully, we have not seen severe disease in our patient population. SFGATE: As things start to reopen, Im hearing of parents holding backyard play dates with their kids. Is this OK? Dr. Dana: It is so important that you continue to practice social distancing and emphasize the importance of this to your children. We are all getting tired of this virus, but this virus is not losing steam. It is still a terrible virus. Young children can not socially distance when playing with friends in a backyard or on a play structure. A walk to the park with another friend and maintaining that six-feet distance is OK, but if you think your preschool-age child is not able to do this, then I would go on a walk without friends. Keep in mind that your toddler may not need the same social interaction that you need. SFGATE: Is it OK to take my kids to the grocery store with me? Dr. Dana: If possible, do not take your kids to the grocery store or pharmacy. The more people in those crowded locations, the more likely the virus will continue to spread. SFGATE: Should my child wear a mask? Dr. Dana: Per CDC guidelines, everyone over the age 2 should wear a mask and should practice social distancing. According to the CDC, "Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children younger than 2 years of age, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cover without assistance." Masks decrease the transmission of this virus. If your 4-year-old is not wearing a mask, he can contract COVID-19 and may not show symptoms, but may transfer the virus to your family. It is not just enough for mom or dad to wear a mask. The kids need to wear them too. A cloth mask with ear loops that fits well above the nose is the best option. Parents can practice mask-wearing with their kids at home. SFGATE: Is it OK to take my kids with me on walks with the dog? Can my child pet other peoples dogs? Dr. Dana: Take your family on a walk with your dog. You should keep your distance from other families. You should never be so close to another family that you can pet their dog. SFGATE: Can children visit with their grandparents? Dr. Dana: Extended families are beginning to meet and shelter together. Grandparents are helping with childcare as parents are continuing to work from home and juggle childcare and work. This comes with risk, and every family is evaluating this risk based on the CDC and California Department of Public Health recommendations. I think it is still safest to shelter away from grandparents as they are at increased risk of complications from Coronavirus. The best way you can keep your grandparents alive is to Facetime with them or give them a call. SFGATE: What should I do if I think my child has coronavirus? Dr. Dana: If you are concerned that your child may have COVID-19, call your doctor to make an appointment for advice on how to manage symptoms and to set up an appointment. In our office we are seeing patients virtually whenever possible. It is best to stay home. If your child is in respiratory distress and is having difficulty breathing, go to the emergency room and/or call 911. SFGATE: My child is due for his one year check up. Should I still go? Dr. Dana: Yes. You should keep your routine scheduled check-ups. Your one year old will receive important vaccines to keep him healthy. SFGATE: If my child has an injury, is the emergency room safe? Dr. Dana: Yes. The ER is safe. Do not delay getting urgent care for your child. If you have any concerns, call your doctor. SFGATE: If I have a non-urgent medical issue, what should I do? Dr. Dana: Call your doctor. They can schedule a virtual visit. We are doing virtual visits in our office every day and into the evening hours. 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. BURLINGTON, Vt. - A former emergency room doctor at Vermonts largest hospital who was charged last month with setting up a video camera in a staff bathroom is now facing federal child pornography charges. Eike Blohm, 38, of South Burlington appeared in court Friday where he was ordered held pending trial. In a Friday news release, prosecutors said state investigators found hundreds of videos from a secret camera that were taken in a staff bathroom at University of Vermont Medical Center and other locations. Among the videos are 21 that allegedly show a child bathing at a location associated with Blohm. Blohms attorney declined to comment Friday on the case. Investigators said they also found more than 130 images of child pornography, involving other minors after receiving a warrant to search Blohms iPad. Last month Blohm was charged in state court with multiple counts of voyeurism. He has since been fired by the hospital, which is the largest in the state. The former doctor, who holds both U.S. and German citizenship, is facing a 15-year minimum prison sentence and he has significant financial resources, prosecutors said. Experiencing the precipitous fall from successful doctor to inmate in federal prison may be too much for Blohm and, given the foregoing, makes it very likely that he would choose to flee, prosecutors wrote in court documents. He presents a significant risk of flight. Officials noted Blohms case is part of the Department of Justices Project Safe Childhood, which is an initiative designed to protect minors from online exploitation and abuse Blohm is scheduled to appear in federal court on June 1. The Health Minister Simon Harris has announced the establishment of a Covid-19 nursing home expert panel. It will look at the measures currently in place here to protect residents and review the international response to coronavirus in those settings. Up to 867 people living in nursing homes in the Republic have died from Covid-19 so far. The expert panel will start its work next week and prepare a report for the Minister by the end of June. Minister Harris said "Throughout the response to the pandemic there has been a particular focus on the challenges in the nursing home sector and it has been and remains an absolute priority for me in the overall response to Covid-19. "We must continue to plan appropriately to meet the ongoing challenges of Covid-19 into the foreseeable future. "I believe that the establishment of a Covid-19 Nursing Home Expert Panel to examine and advise on these matters is a crucial aspect of good planning to support Irelands navigation through the Covid-19 landscape and ensure the best possible safeguards are in place to protect the many people who call nursing homes their home. The panel will be chaired by Professor Cecily Kelleher, Principal of the College of Health and Agricultural Sciences at UCD. She will be joined by retired geriatrician Professor Cillian Twomey, who worked at Cork University and St. Finbarrs Hospitals in Cork for 31 years and Petrina Donnelly (Group Director of Nursing, RCSI Hospital Group). The panel will be completed by Bridget Doherty, a qualified general nurse and midwife who has worked in healthcare in Ireland and the UK for over 45 years. Ms Doherty was a Patient Advocate from 2010 until her retirement, providing direct advocacy support and guidance to individuals who believed they have had an adverse outcome as a result of an experience within the Irish healthcare system. An organisation hoping to develop the historic Boomhall Estate in Derry has received a funding boost. The 34-acre estate, which includes the derelict Boom Hall, stretches across a large section of land close to the Foyle Bridge at Culmore. Appeals have been made in recent years for more to be done to preserve the famous hall which is such bad condition that the land around it has been secured off. The new company, which has charitable status, is called the Boomhall Trust. The organisation has been awarded a Project Viability Grant by the Architectural Heritage Fund to help them explore uses which could revive and sustain the 'historically significant and challenging' building. Speaking earlier this year when the new organisation was launched, Boomhall Trust chairman, Jim Sammon, said the buildings and land on the site have been unused and run down for the past 50 years. A restored Boomhall Estate will be a powerful statement of optimism and confidence in the future of the region, and send the strongest signal to everyone that five decades of decay are coming to an end in the North West, he said. Mr Sammon said the Boomhall Estate is mostly owned by Derry City and Strabane District Council which has commissioned a conservation plan for the buildings and landscape. He said the new company is consulting with the council on the options for the site. He added that the Department of Communities has also part-funded the Boomhall Trust to undertake an archaeological investigation of the site in partnership with the archaeology department of Queens University of Belfast. Our intention is that Boomhall will remain in public ownership and generate resources for local communities to sustain themselves for generations to come, said Mr Sammon. One of the most grotesque aspects of the criminally irresponsible drive by governments across Europe to roll back all measures enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus is the push by the European Union (EU) and national governments to restart the tourist sector. Even as hundreds of Europeans continue to die every day from the highly contagious virus, for which no treatment is yet available, leading politicians are urging their populations to get ready to jet off to beach resorts and packed hotels in southern Europe with airlines who are refusing to adopt even the most basic social distancing measures. The reviving of the tourist industry amid the pandemic is a key part of the reckless drive to reopen the economy. In Germany and France, schools have been reopened despite warnings from scientists that they will accelerate the spread of the virus and an immediate outbreak of COVID-19 forcing fresh closures. Virtually all limited restrictions on industry, retail, and even cultural and leisure activities have been or are being lifted. Millions of workers are being forced back to unsafe workplaces, where they risk infecting themselves and their loved ones. The starting gun for the tourist sector was fired by the EU Commission, which last week presented a document, Commissions guidance on how to safely resume travel and reboot Europes tourism in 2020 and beyond. Given that the document contained a series of irresponsible measures to abandon even limited restrictions on movement under conditions in which the virus is by no means under control, the references to safety and observing health precautions were for public consumption alone. Piling one lie on another, the Commission claimed its guidelines would restore transport services across the EU while protecting the health of transport workers and passengers. They would also allow people to safely stay at hotels, camping sites, Bed & Breakfasts or other holiday accommodation establishments, eat and drink at restaurants, bars and cafes and go to beaches and other leisure outdoor areas. The public justification for such sweeping proposals, which from a medical and public health standpoint are criminal, is that the jobs of 37 million people employed in the tourist industry across Europe need to be protected. EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton declared, Millions of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and family-run businesses working in accommodation, restaurants, passenger transport and travel agencies risk bankruptcies and job lossesthey urgently need to go back to work. Such posturing is cynical and dishonest. The EU and its member states have spent the past weeks funnelling trillions of euros into the coffers of the major banks and corporations, which have been aimed at guaranteeing the wealth of the super-rich and facilitating a comprehensive restructuring of wide swathes of the economy at the expense of the working class. Governments across the continent have given tens of billions of euros to the major air travel and tourism companies while doing next to nothing to support workers and small business operators. In fact, the major bailouts have been bound-up with a jobs massacre in the travel and tourism sectors to ensure the profitability of the major corporations and guarantee returns for shareholders. They have been aimed at strengthening national flagship carriers, which remain important assets for advancing the predatory interests of each countrys ruling elite, under conditions of mounting international conflicts and trade war tensions. Some of the largest bailouts include: Lufthansa is likely to receive up to 9 billion from Germanys federal government. The airline has already announced the destruction of up to 18,000 jobs. TUI, the largest travel company in the world, received a state-backed loan of 1.8 million from Germanys Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW). A few weeks later, the company announced 8,000 job cuts. Air France/KLM is receiving 9 billion in support from the French and Dutch governments. The airline group has called a strategic workforce planning meeting with trade unions for June to discuss job cuts that could be as high as 2,000. International Airline Group, which owns British Airways and Iberia, has received 1 billion from the Spanish government. British Airways is cutting 12,000 jobs. Scandinavian Airlines is to receive a credit line worth more than 300 million guaranteed by the Swedish and Danish governments. It has announced 4,900 staff layoffs. Having organised a multi-billion euro transfer of public money into the coffers of the major corporations, Europes governments now want to risk the lives of airline workers, caterers, hotel workers, transport providers, and tourists themselves to boost corporate profitability in an economic sector that accounts for 10 percent of the EUs GDP. If hundreds of thousands are infected and tens of thousands die in the process, so be it! Greece announced this week that it will reopen its islands to tourists as of July 1, with hotels opening their doors two weeks earlier to domestic visitors. The implications were made clear by Gkikas Magiorkinis, an assistant professor of hygiene and epidemiology who sits on the body of public health experts that advises the Greek government on COVID-19. If nine million tourists come and just 1 percent falls ill that means 90,000 new cases, he told the Guardian. Safeguarding workers jobs in the tourist industry and the livelihoods of small business owners is only possible by recognising the fact that the travel and tourism sector cannot safely operate during a pandemic caused by a disease for which no treatment is yet available. Tens of billions of euros should be allocated to pay full wages to everyone prevented from working by the medically necessary coronavirus regulations, including operating costs for small, family-run businesses. Society has more than enough financial resources to do this. The European Central Banks first tranche of stimulus funding for the big banks and financial markets of 750 billion announced in March would suffice to provide every one of Europes 37 million employees in the tourist sector with more than 20,000 of assistance. Moreover, it is obvious that the 37 million workers in the tourist industry, who are spread across every corner of Europe, require an international solution to the economic and social crisis they confront. In contrast to the ruling elites obsession with defending their own airlines as profit-making concerns, workers in the tourism sector should unite across all national borders and fight for the safety and lives of workers and tourists alike to be placed ahead of private profit. Instead, the policy being pursued will inevitably trigger a catastrophic second wave of the pandemic across Europe. Tourists from every corner of the continent will be herded at close quarters through airports onto tightly packed aircraft. The airlines have already made clear that social distancing is a non-starter, given the impact on their bottom lines. Airlines for Europe, representing the main carriers, wrote to the EU Commission demanding that any regulations be kept proportionate. Social distancing is neither necessary nor viable on board an aircraft, asserted Thomas Reynaert, the managing director of industry association Airlines for Europe. Ryanair, Europes largest budget airline, threatened to ground its entire fleet if the EU enforced a token measure to force airlines to keep the middle seat in each row free of passengers. Unsurprisingly, the proposal was dropped and replaced by non-binding recommendations. One report noted that if strict social distancing were being enforced on planes, each passenger would require seven seats. The contempt being displayed for workers and their families was underscored Monday when German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas organised a video conference with 10 foreign ministers from countries with large summer tourist industries. On a day that saw 16,760 new infections and 780 deaths across the continent, Maas blustered that Germanys worldwide travel warning would be lifted on June 14 and replaced by travel advisories so that each customer can decide where they can travel, what they can expect there, and where they should perhaps avoid travelling to this summer. A second conference followed Wednesday between Germany and its nine neighbouring states to push ahead with plans to relax travel restrictions for tourists. Germanys approach is part of the EUs push to remove all blanket travel restrictions for cross-border traffic and abolish 14-day quarantines for new arrivals. In the lead-up to Mondays conference, Spanish officials pointed out that it would be difficult to explain to the population why the borders were being opened for tourists when portions of the countrys residents remain under lockdown. However, this did not stop regional governments in the Balearic and Canary Islands from announcing pilot projects to welcome German tourists as early as late June. Berlin is organising the project in consultation with TUI. Maas and others have repeatedly claimed that they do not want to trigger a race to attract tourists. But this is precisely what their policies are doing, and they know it. With Athens to begin flying in guests from countries with low infection rates via so-called air bridges July 1, Italy said it will open its borders to tourists on June 3. These reckless policies are being implemented as the pandemic continues to rage across the continent. There are still more than 850,000 active COVID-19 cases in Europe, including over 223,000 in Russia, 55,000 in Spain, 60,000 in Italy, 89,000 in France, and 11,800 in Germany. The mass media has taken up the challenge of encouraging a largely sceptical and even hostile population to risk their lives. Summer holiday: What is possible where? asked a report featured prominently by broadcaster ARDs Tagesschau, while the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung enthused, Holiday in the Mediterranean is getting closer. Leading medical experts are already sounding the alarm. Hans Kluge, the Europe director of the World Health Organisation, stressed that authorities should spend more time focusing on preparations for the second wave of infections that will be produced by the lifting of lockdowns. Now is the time for preparation, not celebration, Kluge told Britains Daily Telegraph. Frank Ulrich Montgomery, president of the World Medical Association, sharply criticised the role of the German government. Calling for border controls to remain in place, he stated, The government is acting here exclusively for business reasons, and is underestimating the health risks. We cant go back to normality yet. He added that a second, more deadly wave of infections would likely be triggered. These warnings carry even more weight given that a refusal to impose restrictions on the lucrative tourist industry played a substantial role in spreading the virus across Europe in February and March. Several ski resorts in Austria and Italy emerged as hotspots for infections, with visitors carrying the virus to all parts of Europe and the world. In Ischgl, a tourist resort in the Austrian state of Tyrol, tourist firms kept operations running for eight days after initial reports of a coronavirus case emerged. According to the Consumer Protection Association in Vienna, customers from 45 countries have signed up for a class lawsuit after they were infected following travel to Ischgl. Twenty-five people who were infected there are known to have died. The Antitrust Case Against Google Is a Story About America Commentary A year after a flurry of headlines proclaimed that antitrust authorities were investigating Googles advertising practices, a new flurry announced that charges were imminent. Prominent alumni of the Obama antitrust team weighed in on May 17 with a 40-page detailed roadmap for a case against Googlea case likely to come from both the Trump Department of Justice and a near-complete array of state attorneys general. Thats the sort of bipartisan backing we rarely see for anything. The potential implications to Google, its competitors, and its advertisers are clear. A successful government antitrust action could alter the terrain for advertising on the Internet. Buried in the background, however, is a far more important story. Its a story about the direction the United States will choose for its future. Its a story that pits predictability, safety, and control against innovation, competition, and risk. Its a story worth understanding. The bipartisanship is a tip-off. The United States today cant rally bipartisan opposition to Iran, China, or the Muslim Brotherhoodforces far more noxious than Googles advertising engines. Whats really going on here? Perhaps its a government shakedown. Cash-rich companies prefer paying fines to subjecting themselves to government scrutiny. Or perhaps its a legitimate effort to force Google to change its business model in a meaningful way and/or to divest itself of some major assets. Perhaps. But if it were merely a shakedown, Google would have paid off enough players to shatter the bipartisan alliance. And not only does imposing meaningful behavioral or structural change take years, but such victories are particularly elusive in the tech sector. What, then? For answers, lets turn back the clock. In the late-1990s, two technology stories dominated the news: the rise of the commercial Internet and the governments antitrust case against Microsoft. Though few appreciated it at the time, those stories were intimately intertwined. The rise of the Internet challenged longstanding principles of copyright law, state and local taxation, community standards of decency, defamation, privacy, and fraud. Significant new laws attempted to keep preexisting rights intact without strangling this marvelous new communications infrastructure. Twenty-plus years later, the Internet has become the backbone of global commerce. The regulatory regime that guided it through its infancy cannot meet the challenges of a mature Internet. The time has come to revisit Internet regulation. That need is so obvious that it commands bipartisan support. Thats where antitrust comes in. When an industry gets put under the regulatory microscope, its dominant players take center stage. Given the opportunity, every large company would lobby for rules that entrenched its own position and made life painful for new entrants. Left unchecked, a handful of tech giants would dominate the regulatory debate, cut deals among themselves to benefit their own interests, curtail innovation they cant control, and attempt to manage the future of their industry. A government antitrust case shifts at least some power from the corporate giants to the regulatorseven on issues unrelated to the antitrust suit. Thats precisely how the government minimized Microsofts flexibility during the first round of Internet regulation. Government regulators tend to appreciate anything that enhances their power at the negotiating tableindependent of party. Thats why its so easy to get bipartisan support behind doing something to restrain Google. The bipartisanship will prove unsustainable, however, when the discussion moves on to doing something specific. The parties have long been split on regulatory philosophy. Democrats tend to favor regulations that promote stable oligopolies. If a small number of large companies dominate an industry, its easy enough for regulators to call them all together and hammer out an agreement. Big government offers big business a set of rules designed to complicate entry; big business returns the favor by giving politicians excellent talking points and campaign contributions. Republicans tend to favor small businesses and competitive environments. Industries organized along those lines are innovative, energetic, chaotic, and far harder to control. Someone will always cheat, violate regulations, and do it in a small enough way to escape detection. Competitive companies compete not only with each other; they also compete with the authorities, who may have a hard time tracking them down. The bipartisan push to restrain Google heralds an imminent wave of Internet re-regulation. Novembers election will tell us whether the new regulations will push for predictability and control or enable competition and entry. The Internet has flourished over its first quarter century because the late 1990s were glory years for free markets, competition, innovation, experimentation, and risk. Today, far too many people view such things with suspicion and fear. The next few years will tell us whether our information infrastructure will revive the excitement and expectations of its youth or fade into a comfortable, settled, controllable middle age. What appears at first glance to be a dry story about antitrust and Internet advertising is indeed a story about America. Bruce Abramson, Ph.D., J.D., is the founder of the American Restoration Institute and the author of American Restoration: Winning Americas Second Civil War. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. New Delhi : In the last five odd years, Indian government has banned thousands of websites and URLs leaving people disappointed, but there were no fines for visiting those sites. However, now if you visit a torrent website you may end up in jail for three years along with a fine of Rs 3 lakh. The reports suggest that it would be considered an offense even if someone looks at a torrent file, or downloads a file from a host that may have been banned in India, or even views an image on a file host like Imagebam. Merely accessing any information under a blocked URL will land you in jail and cost you Rs 3 lakh. The following warning will pop up on the computer screen if you visit such blocked URL: This URL has been blocked under the instructions of the Competent Government Authority or in compliance with the orders of a Court of competent jurisdiction. Viewing, downloading, exhibiting or duplicating an illicit copy of the contents under this URL is punishable as an offence under the laws of India, including but not limited to under Sections 63, 63-A, 65 and 65-A of the Copyright Act, 1957 which prescribe imprisonment for 3 years and also fine of upto Rs 3,00,000/-. Any person aggrieved by any such blocking of this URL may contact at urlblock@tatacommunications.com who will, within two days, provide you the details of relevant proceedings under which you can approach the relevant High Court or Authority for redressal of your grievance" Earlier, simple message used to pop up on the blocked URLs that would read that the URL has been blocked at the direction of DoT. It would not provide any explanation per se. But, now it comes with an explanation, which is a welcoming change. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The South Korean Government through the United Nations Habitat Programme (UN-Habitat) has given a $25,000 grant (about N10 million) to support the Niger State government in preventing the spread of coronavirus in the state. This is contained in a statement issued by Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chairman, Niger State Task Force on COVID-19 Pandemic, Ahmed Matane, on Saturday. He said the support by the South Korean government was for the execution of two demonstration projects to help curb further spread of COVID-19 in the state. Mr Matane said the first project to be carried out with the support was the construction of a smart-metered solar borehole aimed at providing clean and steady water supply to the COVID-19 Isolation Centre at the General Hospital, Minna. The second project is the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), face shields and hand sanitiser to frontline health workers dealing with the pandemic across the state, he said. READ ALSO: The SSG disclosed that as soon as the projects were completed, the South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria would be invited to commission and hand over the projects to the state government. Mr Matane expressed Governor Abubakar Bellos appreciation on behalf of the people and government of the state to UN-Habitat and South Korea, while commending the Niger State Urban Support Programme (NSUSP) for securing the grant for the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the South Korean Government had earlier approved $900,000 grant to the Niger government for the preparation of the state urban policy. (NAN) To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! US President Donald Trump will attend the May 27 launch of two astronauts aboard a SpaceX mission -- the first crewed space flight from US soil in nine years, the White House said Saturday. "Our destiny, beyond the Earth, is not only a matter of national identity, but a matter of national security," Trump said in a statement ahead of the visit, which will underline his push for a return to work in the US amid the coronavirus pandemic. US astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley are scheduled to blast off from Kennedy's historic Launch Pad 39A at 4:33 pm (2033 GMT) on Wednesday for the International Space Station, arriving the next day. The mission is seen as a crucial step towards ending American dependence on Russian rockets. Asked about going ahead with the mission in the midst of the pandemic, Behnken told reporters: "Where there's a will, there's a way." Behnken and Hurley have been in strict quarantine since May 13, but they said their actual isolation began as far back as mid-March. However, the launch plan could be hit by bad weather, with a 60 percent of a postponement according to official forecasts. Though it is one of the biggest cities in the country, Naples is often thought of as the messy brother or crazy uncle of Italian cities, the one that doesnt quite fit in, and certainly doesnt try to. Located under the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius, only a few kilometers north of the picturesque Amalfi Coast and a short train ride away from the historic sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum, Naples is one Italian city that falls off the beaten tourist path for many foreigners. For those willing to get to know it, Naples is one of the liveliest, most culturally rich cities Italy has to offer. In order to do this, one must understand the truth behind the common misconceptions that deter most tourists. Is Naples dangerous due to the Mafia presence? Though Naples has its fair share of pickpockets and petty thieves, for tourists and visitors, it is no more dangerous than most big cities. The presence of the Camorra, the regional Campania mafia, impacts Naples on a systemic and economic level, but its effects are barely noticeable within the atmosphere of the central areas of the city. For tourists, Naples is as safe as any Italian city. One reason this misconception still remains relevant is Naples history with the Camorra. Until the early 2010s, the Camorra played a large role in Neapolitan daily life. For example, the trash crisis, caused by the Camorras infiltration of the waste business, lasted from the 1990s to the 2010s. The crisis resulted in trash build up and sporadic trash dumping in the city streets. Not only did this impact the health and safety of the Neapolitan people, it gave Naples a reputation of being dirty and generally unpleasant. The city was left with a dwindling tourism industry. The government took a stand against the Camorra in 2012, and though this mob is still active behind the scenes, the atmosphere of Naples has steadily improved. Occasional trash pile build-ups still occur within the city, but tourists need not worry--they are generally caused by worker strikes. As of 2020, Naples ranks #95 on Numbeos World Crime Index by City (ranked most to least dangerous), not far from Rome at #110. That being said, tourists should take precautions to mind their possessions and be wary of being ripped off by tourist scams, as in any tourist destination. Is Naples not as rich in history as other Italian cities? Castel dell'Ovo While no city can compare to the historical-richness of Rome, Naples is certainly not lacking in its share of historical sites to see. Known as the Paris of the south before Italys unification, Naples has always been a symbol of active city life. This can be experienced wandering down Spaccanapoli, the long, narrow street that divides Naples Historic Centre in half. Along this streer, tourists can get a first-hand sense of what it was like to live in ancient Rome, as Naples boasts the most intact Roman street plan, according to the Smithsonian. Castel dellOvo, located along the seaside of Naples, was built in the 12th century and remains intact and free to the public. Also read: Naples is dotted with countless other historical sites: Underground Naples, an underground slice of preserved ancient Greek and Roman life, the tomb of the poet Virgil, Teatro di San Carlo, Museo di Capodimonte, and of course, the National Archaeological Museum. For history buffs traveling to Italy, Naples is a worthy destination. Is Naples full of reckless drivers? To outsiders, driving culture in Naples seems completely reckless and unsafe. Cars and scooters drive quickly, swerving around each other to get where they are going, and suddenly slamming to a halt when they need to in a fashion that has earned Naples the title the Bangkok of Italy from many overwhelmed tourists. For this reason, visiting the city is much more relaxing when one plans to get around by foot or with public transportation instead of renting a car. However, a common tourist misconception is that, because driving culture is crazy, tourists are at risk of being hit by cars or scooters. In truth, tourists have an extremely low chance of being hit by a car or scooter in Naples. Drivers are used to stopping quickly, so they will do so if someone is crossing the street. The best thing for a tourist to do when crossing the street is move confidently and quickly, and, if in doubt, follow Neapolitans. Do you need to go to Naples for authentic Neapolitan-style pizza? Naples is where pizza was born, and though it has since blossomed into a food art-form all over the world, nothing compares to the original--literally. The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) is a legal food quality organization that, in 1984, presented strict guidelines of how a pizza must be made in order to be truly Neapolitan. The AVPN guidelines include specific ingredients, ingredient amounts, and formulaic cooking instructions. As for the final result, a Neapolitan pizza must be soft and fragrant, with a puffy outer-crust, and topped with fresh basil. The process of making the authentic crust is complex and time-consuming, which is why, when a pizzeria obtains an AVPN certification, it is regarded as a stamp of quality excellence. The majority of AVPN-certified restaurants are located in Naples. Despite this, many uncertified restaurants all over Italy sell Neapolitan-style pizza, and use the term to describe any pizza with a puffy crust. Not only does this mislead tourists, it cheats them out of wanting to experience authentic Neapolitan pizza because they believe they already have. As specified by the AVPN guidelines, the best Neapolitan pizzas are those with fresh ingredients sourced from the Campania region. Contrary to the common misconception, if tourists want to eat the best pizza in the world, they must go to Naples. Is Naples not a tourist-friendly city? To unprepared outsiders, Naples comes across as rough and unruly. While many Italian cities such as Rome, Florence, and Venice have areas that specifically cater to tourists, with English spoken on the streets as prevalently as Italian and international dishes on restaurant menus, Naples does not. Naples is strictly Neapolitan, and has no intention of changing. The misconception is that, because of this, tourists are unwelcome--when in fact, Neapolitans are known for being exceedingly friendly and generous. Tourists who visit Naples with the intention of being immersed in the culture will have a much better time than those who expect a traditional tourism experience. Additionally, while many Neapolitans speak English (especially in the central areas of the city), it is not as commonly spoken as it is in other, more popular tourist destination cities. For non-Italian speaking tourists, learning a few key words and phrases for making purchases, eating in restaurants, and getting directions can greatly improve ones experience in Naples. Common misconceptions about Naples give tourists a bad impression of the city, often convincing them to leave it off their itineraries. In reality, it is a vibrant city full of cultural, historical, and culinary experiences awaiting those willing to get to know it. Another Nollywood actor, Prince Femi Oyewumi, known as Laditi, is dead. Laditi, a prince of Soun of Ogbomoso, died in the early ho... Another Nollywood actor, Prince Femi Oyewumi, known as Laditi, is dead. Laditi, a prince of Soun of Ogbomoso, died in the early hours of Friday after he was rushed to the hospital on Thursday night. The 51-year-old actor was said to have been suffering from chronic back pain for some months before his death. Those who watched him in the epics like Aye toto; Koto Orun; Ija eleye and so on wont find it hard to remember a character called Laditi and his brilliant roles in the film industry. Femi Oyewumi, an actor and a producer who is a specialist in a stage play, epic, and historic film, started his carrier in the 80s. Ogunojalu Ogbomoso was his last work. However, Ajoke Kosemani, a Nollywood actress close to the actor, described his demise as a great loss to the movie industry in Nigeria. [May 22, 2020] Desert Financial Arena Community Blood Drive on May 31 Aims for 350-Plus Donors Every day in hospitals across the country, millions of patients depend on lifesaving blood donations to survive and thrive. But in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of blood drives were cancelled due to school and business closures, causing a significant drop in blood donations. With elective surgeries resuming in Arizona hospitals, blood needs are on the rise. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200522005465/en/ Your donation of blood helps kids like 4-year-old Adelyn, who just had her 66th blood transfusion. (Photo: Business Wire) Healthy, eligible donors are invited to the Desert Financial Arena Community Blood Drive Sunday, May 31, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Desert Financial Arena on the Arizona State University campus in Tempe. Participants are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes early. Visit here for details, maps and registration. The first 350 donors will receive an ASU/Desert Financial T-shirt in appreciation for giving blood at this crucial time. Vitalant, Arizona's largest nonprofit community blood provider has partnered to host the blood drive. While there is no inherent risk of contracting coronavirus while donating blood, Vitalant is following current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Extra precautions will be implemented with regard to social distancing, health screening and sanitation to protect staff and donors. Donors are encouraged to arrive early. They will be invited to wait n their cars or other comfortable and convenient locations, and alerted just prior to their appointments via text. Masks will be required during donations and provided by Desert Financial. Additional precautions taken during the blood drive include the following, and FAQs can be found here. Temperatures taken at registration; those higher than 99.5 are not eligible to donate Waiting areas will accommodate social distancing measures of 6 feet apart Pre-packaged, single use servings of snacks/beverages available Donors are required to wear masks; Desert Financial will supply for one-time use Masks and gloves will be worn by Vitalant staff Donor-touched areas will be sanitized frequently and after every collection Donations will be taken using sterile, one-time use collection sets Donors' arms will be swabbed with an antiseptic for 30 seconds Children and other visitors are discouraged from accompanying donors "Over the past few months, we've been reminded just how much we need each other. We've been encouraged by the many stories of generosity and acts of kindness across our community, and we encourage those in good health to step up in a big way. It's safe, it's easy, and nothing feels better than giving back," said Jeff Meshey, President and CEO at Desert Financial. Blood donors help Arizona kids like 4-year-old Adelyn who received her 66th blood transfusion on May 6. She was born with Diamond Blackfan Anemia, a rare disorder that prevents her body from producing red blood cells. Every three to four weeks, she relies on the generosity of blood donors to keep her alive - a need that is expected to continue the rest of her life. "Adelyn has taught us the importance of donating blood," says her mother Kami. "We are forever thankful to each and every blood donor." "ASU wants to open its doors for this important life-saving opportunity," says Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, ASU Vice President for Cultural Affairs. "Connecting the community during a blood a drive is a way for people to give in a powerful way and impact us all." About Desert Financial Credit Union Celebrating 81 years in Arizona, Desert Financial is the state's largest local credit union with $5 billion in assets, more than 330,000 members and 47 locations across the Valley. As a not-for-profit cooperative, Desert Financial takes pride in sharing success. In 2019, Desert Financial gave nearly $11M to Valley nonprofits, the community and members. Learn more at desertfinancial.com. About Vitalant Vitalant ("Vye-TAL-ent") is a national community blood service provider, supplying comprehensive transfusion medicine services for nearly 1,000 hospitals and health care partners for patients in need across 40 states. Vitalant inspires local communities to serve the needs of others and transform lives through the selfless act of donating blood. Every day, almost 5,000 blood donations are needed to meet the needs of people throughout the country, and Vitalant's 800,000 donors supply 1.8 million donations a year. In addition to blood products, Vitalant offers customers transfusion services, medical consulting, quality guidance, ongoing education, research and more. For more information and to schedule a donation, visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825). Join the conversation about impacting the lives of others on Facebook, Twitter (News - Alert) and Instagram. To learn more about Vitalant's COVID-19 efforts, visit vitalant.org/COVIDfree View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200522005465/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By Trend On May 22, 2020 Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov held a telephone conversation with his colleague from Russia, Sergei Lavrov, Trend reports citing MFA press service. The Ministers exchanged views on measures taken by both states to fight the global pandemic. Cooperation on multilateral platforms, especially the actual issues on the agenda of the Commonwealth of Independent States were discussed by the Ministers. The general exchange was held on the recent online session of the World Health Organisation in Geneva, where mainly the issues related to fighting against coronavirus pandemic were addressed. Bengaluru, May 23 : Migrant workers from north and north-east states, including Manipur, descended in thousands on Palace grounds in the city centre to board special trains to their native places on Saturday. "As the sprawling Palace grounds is in the city centre with lot of open space, the migrants assemble here for boarding buses to the railway station where they will board the special trains to their home states after screening and checking," a state nodal officer told IANS. As per the standard operating procedure of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, migrant workers wishing to go back to their home state have to register their name and other details on Karnataka's dedicated portal (Seva Sindu) to enable the state government arrange special trains with the South Western Railways from a designated station in compliance with the lockdown guidelines. "About 1,80,594 migrants have been sent till Friday in 128 Shramik (labourer) trains since May 3 from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi, Bellari and Hospeta across the state to dozen northern and north-eastern states in coordination with the respective states," said the official. After Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Friday tweeted that the state government would bear the train fare of migrants going to their native place from Karnataka, the portal has seen a surge in the registration with hundreds of migrants ready to catch the earliest train to their home state. "The migrants are intimated through an SMS to their mobile number to assemble at the grounds 2-3 hours early for screening and taking them in special buses to the designated station from where their special train will depart," said the official. The zonal railways has arranged a dozen Shramik trains through the day to ferry the migrants, including distressed workers, students, pilgrims, tourists and others who have been stranded over the last two months since the lockdown was enforced on March 25 and extended four times till May 31 to contain the coronavirus spread. "As on all other days, the Shramik trains will leave from Bengaluru station to various states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Tripura and Odisha, carrying about 1,400-1,500 migrants in each train in coordination with the state government," a railway official told IANS. Sikkim reported its first coronavirus COVID-19 case on Saturday as a 25-year-old student who recently returned from Delhi tested positive for the disease, a senior official said. The sample of the student was sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri for testing. The report came back positive, Health Department Director General-cum-Secretary Pempa Tshering Bhutia told reporters here. The student, who hails from Rabangla in South Sikkim district, is undergoing treatment at Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital here, he said. The student was in Delhi to prepare for competitive examinations. The Sikkim government had on May 22 nnounced that schools and other educational institutes in the state will reopen on June 15. Education Minister Kunga Nima Lepcha had said the decision was taken by taking into account the importance of higher classes and board exams. Both the government and private schools will resume for classes 9 to 12 by complying government's guidelines regarding COVID-19, he had told reporters. However, nursery to class 8 will remain suspended until further order, the education minister said. Online education will continue as usual in Sikkim, Lepcha said, adding that the daily assembly of schools will be suspended for this academic session. The minister had said education is of paramount importance and it should not be hampered at any cost and for that purpose his department is trying to reach out to students within and outside the state. On the opening of colleges and universities, Lepcha had said that classes will be held in two shifts by duly adhering to social distancing and other guidelines. The annual examinations will be postponed to February 2021 so that the focus is more on studies, he had said. Schools will remain open on all Saturdays as well, he added. By Aleksandar Vasovic BELGRADE (Reuters) - Hungary's nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orban, said on Friday he expected to renounce a set of much-criticised emergency powers to fight the coronavirus this month. Parliament granted Orban the right in March to rule by decree indefinitely to fight the pandemic. The law has triggered criticism from opposition parties, rights groups and Europe's main rights forum, the Council of Europe. "We expect the government will be able to return the special powers to tackle the coronavirus pandemic to parliament at the end of May," an announcement on Orban's Facebook page read. After meeting his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Orban said this would "give a chance to everyone to apologise to Hungary for the unjust accusations". "There was no basis for the criticisms," he added, "and once they apologise, we also expect their admiration for the success of Hungary's defence (against the virus)," he said. So far, Hungary has confimed 3,417 coronavirus infections and 442 deaths. Orban and his ruling Fidesz party have been repeatedly accused in the past by rights watchdogs and members of the opposition of abuses of power and of putting pressure on media to give more loyal coverage, accusations that they deny. Serbia this month ended its own state of emergency designed to curb the coronavirus, which had meant the closure of borders and airports, a curfew and restrictions on movement: at weekends and holidays for most, and all week long for the elderly. Opposition groups and rights watchdogs in Serbia have also accused Vucic and the ruling coalition led by his Progressive Party, which faces an election on June 21, of a heavy-handed approach to the pandemic. So far, Serbia, a candidate for EU membership, has confirmed 10,374 infections and 224 deaths among its 7 million people. Vucic, a nationalist firebrand during the Balkan wars of the 1990s who later adopted a pro-European agenda, dismissed international criticism of Orban's emergency powers. Story continues "And so I'll 'have to appear' before some liberal-left or anarcho-leftist circles ... and some newspapers to criticise our Hungarian friends," Vucic said. "That won't happen." Last week, in its annual report, the Freedom House rights watchdog accused Serbia and Hungary of leaving "the group of democracies entirely". (Additional reporting by Gergely Szakacs in Budapest; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Argentina has defaulted on sovereign debt for the ninth time in its history as the country failed to repay around $500 million in already delayed bond coupons on Friday. The default on three bonds comes amid talks to restructure around $65 billion in foreign debt by the South American nation. A person with knowledge of the development told Reuters that the two sides could reach a comprehensive deal in a matter of days. Argentina and its creditors, who held negotiations in April, have said they are working to prevent a default that could spark years of litigation and lock the major grain-producing country out of global capital markets. Argentina has pushed the deadline for reaching a deal to June 2 amid signs the two sides may be coming closer to an accord. However, the default will lead to complications for the nation. "Argentina today failed to pay $503 million in interest which was originally due on April 22," Gabriel Torres, a Moody's vice president said. The bond payments had a 30-day grace period. "We expect the road ahead for Argentina's debt restructuring is likely to become more problematic," Torres added. Earlier, Argentina's ambassador to the US wrote in a letter that the country would default on payments Friday considering the "prospect of reaching an agreement with its creditors on new terms for their bonds." Economy Minister Martin Guzman said the interest payment formed part of a wider restructuring discussion "and we expect it to be addressed in the broader agreement that we are pursuing." On Thursday, the minister said the government planned to amend its offer to creditors based on negotiations over the coming days. "These are critical times. What's achieved now will affect the lives of millions of people and will likely have spillover effects on an entire class of assets," he said. By PTI MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday allowed home delivery of liquor in Mumbai, except in containment zones even as the city recorded its highest ever one-day increase in the number of coronavirus patients at 1,751, which took the city's tally of cases to 27,068. Earlier, the highest one-day surge was recorded on May 17 when 1,571 new patients were found in the city. Further, with 27 new deaths, the toll due to the pandemic in the country's financial capital reached 909 on Friday, the BMC said with 7,080 recoveries. Liquor home delivery has still been given a green signal despite surging cases, however, over-the-counter sale of liquor will not be allowed yet, BMC said. "E-commerce platforms may be utilised by the liquor shops permitted to do home delivery," said the BMC order. After lockdown began, liquor sale was completely banned in the city, which is worst affected by the coronavirus outbreak in the country. The civic body said that it has decided to allow home delivery of liquor in the city in view of the extension of lockdown and revised guidelines on the measures to be taken for containment of coronavirus. Liquor shops can deliver sealed bottles of tipple to customers at home address, the order issued by Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Chahal said. The order comes five days after the Maharashtra government allowed home delivery of liquor in red zones. "All the concerned are directed to comply with above orders in toto failing which action under relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897; Disaster Management Act, 2005 and section 188 of Indian Penal Code (not complying with government order) will be initiated against the defaulters," it read. On May 5, the BMC had ordered that liquor shops be closed again as there was crowding after shops reopened and social distancing norms were ignored completely. Chinese FM blasts US warning on HK natl security law, WH anti-China report Global Times Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/22 19:27:46 A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson refuted US President Donald Trump's response to the Chinese central government's proposed national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, mentioning the word "unswervingly" three times to show China's determination to safeguard national sovereignty and interests. Reuters reported Trump warned that Washington would react "very strongly" against any attempt to gain more control over Hong Kong. The report said the US State Department also warned China, saying a high-degree of autonomy and respect for human rights were keys to preserving "the territory's special status in US law," which has helped it maintain its position as a world financial center. In response to the Trump administration's reaction, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Friday's routine press conference that the Chinese government will safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests unswervingly, implement the principle of "one country, two systems" unswervingly and oppose any outside interference in Hong Kong affairs unswervingly. National security is the basic premise for the survival and development of a country. No country in the world allows secessionist or other activities that endanger its national security to be carried out on its territory, Zhao said. Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. The issue of national security legislation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is purely China's internal affairs, and no foreign country has the right to interfere, Zhao noted. A draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security was submitted to the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) for deliberation on Friday. Zhao also responded to the Trump administration's report of the US Strategic Approach to China consistent with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, in which the report said more than 40 years later, it has become evident that since the US and China established diplomatic relations in 1979, US policy toward China was largely premised on a hope that deepening engagement would spur fundamental economic and political opening in China and lead to its emergence as a constructive and responsible global stakeholder with a more open society. More than 40 years later, it has become evident that this approach underestimated the will of the Chinese Communist Party to constrain the scope of economic and political reform in China. To respond to Beijing's challenge, the administration has adopted a competitive approach to China, the report said. Zhao said over the past 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese people, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, have embarked on a development path suited to China's national conditions, made great achievements that have attracted worldwide attention, and contributed to world peace, stability and development. History and reality show that the path of development chosen by the Chinese people is completely correct and we have high confidence in it. "We will continue to forge ahead on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and continue to score new and greater victories. No one can stop China from growing stronger," Zhao said. The history of diplomatic ties between China and the US over the past 40 years more fully demonstrates that cooperation is the only right choice for both sides. For the two major countries with different national conditions, mutual respect, treating each other as equals and seeking common ground while shelving differences are the way to get along. The US also said in the report that it does not seek to control China's development. We urge the US to match its words with deeds and earnestly respect China's core interests and major concerns, rather than saying one thing and doing another, Zhao added. China's policy toward the US is consistent and clear. China-US relations are now at an important juncture. A stable and growing China-US relationship serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples, and is what the international community is looking forward to, he said. "We urge the US side to abandon its Cold War mentality and ideological bias, follow the trend of the times, and work with China to bring bilateral relations back to the track of normal development," Zhao stressed. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address One of Britain's senior-most Indian-origin woman police officers, who took legal action against Scotland Yard over allegations of racial and gender discrimination, has struck a confidential settlement with the UK's largest police force. Parm Sandhu, a Chief Superintendent with the Metropolitan Police, had claimed that she was denied promotions and opportunities at work due to her race and gender. The 55-year-old said she had agreed to a confidential settlement after she left the Metropolitan Police last year having been cleared of gross misconduct. I have settled my claims with the MPS (Metropolitan Police Service). The terms of the settlement are confidential. I have no further comment to make, she told the Daily Mirror. She is likely to have received a six-figure sum in pounds and signed a non-disclosure agreement, which means the details of the case cannot be aired in public. Worked with some fabulous people. Had some good times and painful experiences but I know I made a difference, Sandhu said soon after she quit the Met Police in October last year. The former officer took the legal step at the end of an internal Met Police investigation, which exonerated her of gross misconduct in June last year. The inquiry, launched in June 2018, focussed on whether Sandhu encouraged her colleagues to support her nomination for a Queen's Police Medal (QPM), which is awarded twice a year by Queen Elizabeth II as part of her honours' lists. The medals are given to serving police officers in the UK in recognition of distinguished service or outstanding courage in the line of duty. The internal Met Police investigation concluded that Sandhu had "no case to answer" and would face no further action, with restrictions on her duties at work being lifted. Sandhu, who joined the police service in 1989, rose through the ranks to become Borough Commander in Richmond-upon-Thames. She was one of the most senior ethnic minority woman officers in the Met Police and in 2006 received an Asian Women of Achievement Award for her achievements in the police force. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Illinois Senate voted along party lines Friday to approve a measure aimed at expanding voting by mail in November amid ongoing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The measure, which was approved by the House on Thursday, would create an enhanced vote-by-mail plan for the Nov. 3 general election. The Senate approved the bill on a 37-19 vote, with all Republican members in opposition. It is now headed to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has said hell sign it. The legislation would have vote-by-mail applications sent to everyone who voted in either the 2018 general election, the 2019 municipal election or this years March 17 primary, as well as to voters newly registered since the primary or who changed their addresses. It would also make the day of the election, Nov. 3, a government and school holiday so schools can be used as polling places without risks to students and teachers. The measures Senate sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Julie Morrison of Lake Forest, said the bill is an example of the state fulfilling its responsibility to plan and prepare during the pandemic, something that wasnt possible for the March primary. In response to criticism from Senate Republicans in a committee hearing a day earlier, Morrison introduced a companion bill that would require ballot dropboxes set up by election authorities to be secure, and would make it easier for a three-person panel of election judges to reject mail-in ballots that lack signatures. The changes werent enough to win support from any GOP senators, all of whom voted against the companion bill, which also was approved 37-19. Morrison said House sponsor Rep. Kelly Burke, an Evergreen Park Democrat, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker both support the modifications. The Senate changes now must be approved in the House before going to the governors desk. Voting by mail in the coronavirus-era has been a point of partisan tension nationally, with President Donald Trump going so far as to threaten to withhold federal aid to Michigan for expanding vote-by-mail applications. We dont want them to do mail-in ballots because its going to lead to total election fraud. So we dont want them to do mail-in ballots. We dont want anyone to do mail-in ballots, Trump said Thursday before departing to a Michigan Ford assembly plant. Trump submitted a mail-in vote to cast his ballot in the March Florida primary from the White House. In Illinois, Republicans have opposed an expansion of the states already liberal vote-by-mail laws. They have contended existing law is sufficient for anyone who wants to vote by mail to get a mail-in ballot. Sen. Steve McClure, a Springfield Republican, described the bill as the voter fraud legalization act. After this, vote early and vote often wont be a joke anymore because itll be codified into our law, McClure said. But Democrats countered that the legislation will ensure people are able to vote in November without fear of contracting the coronavirus. Whats a fraud is that people that I represent and people that you represent couldnt vote in the primary because they felt like they would be exposed to a disease, said Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat from Bunker Hill. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A soldier and three other suspects have been arrested over the kidnap and murder of Leo Micah Isiah, whose death angered people which led to the hashtag #JusticeForLeo. The suspects already confessed to killing the 21-year-old student of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri FUTO, after they emptied his account of N800,000. suspects Few weeks ago,one of the members of the gang, named Godson Chimezie who was caught while trying to steal the vistims car, led SARS officers to the place where the body of Leo Micah Isaiah was dumped in Anambra state after he was kidnapped in Imo State . Beside the victims decaying body was the large stone which they used to kill him. He said they had stopped him when they saw him with his car and they accused him of being a Yahoo boy. They then led him away with his car and took his money before killing him. The others involved in the killing have now been caught and they said they killed the undergraduate after taking the money in his account so that our image will not be dented. One of the suspects, Ifeanyi Nwaiwu of the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering, Makurdi, Benue State, said he ordered Isiahs killing after he received N200,000 as his share of the money collected from the victim. Godson Chimezie, 28, who is a military deserter and also a member of the gang, said they ran into Isaiah while he was inflating his car tyre. He said: We saw him while he was pumping his tyre in Owerri and we sensed that a small boy like him driving that kind of vehicle must be a Yahoo boy. We quickly accosted him and I took his phone, went through it and discovered that he was an Internet fraudster. We immediately kidnapped him on the pretext of an arrest. We took him to our hideout and the young man agreed to pay N800,000. We collected the money, but Corporal Ifeanyi Nwaiwu of the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering, Makurdi, insisted that we must kill him. According to him, the man would dent his image if he walked away alive. I regret everything I have done. I know I deserve to die, because I have done wrong. I didnt plan to end this way, but I only plead for mercy. We didnt plan to kidnap him. We just ran into him. Parading the suspects, the state Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede, said the gang members were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the command. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a show-cause notice to a general physician from Ghatkopar for violating the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guideline by allegedly prescribing a coronavirus swab test to an asymptomatic patient. The civic body has also threatened to cancel the doctors registration if he fails to respond to the notice within 24 hours. The development has garnered criticism from the medical fraternity. As per the show-cause issued by the assistant commissioner of N ward, who owns a clinic at Ghatkopar has been found in violation of the Epidemic Disease Act 1897; the Disaster Management Act, 2005, as well as the guidelines issued by BMC over Covid-19 testing. Now, it has come to the native of this office, based on reports of one number of patients that you have not been following the said ICMR guidelines scrupulously, especially regarding the testing of asymptomatic patients, reads the notice signed by the assistant civic commissioner Ajit Ambi. In the second para, the officer has been directed to respond to the letter and explain why his licence should not be cancelled. Despite repeated attempts, Ambi did not respond to HTs calls till the time of going to the press. However, one of the doctors colleagues, said, These are the ways the corporation is trying to scare us so that we dont run many tests and so that they can show lesser number of Covid cases. If a patient doesnt show symptoms but based on our expertise if we feel the need to run a test then the corporation has no right to stop us. According to the rules of Indian Medical Council (IMC), the apex body holds the power to cancel the licence of any doctor. Dr Shivkumar Utture, president of the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), has confirmed the development and said, The corporation cant cancel the registration of any doctor. We are the only authorised body. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has criticised the move and termed it discouraging and demoralising, especially as the development comes a day after a general physician had lost his life to Covid-19 in Chembur. We dont need threatening letters, we need safety gears. Such arrogant behaviour will discourage doctors, said Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president, IMA, Maharastra. - The World Bank Group approved a loan program to help countries in Africa and the Middle East fight the locust swarms invasion - The Emergency Locust Response Program will focus on providing immediate assistance to help poor and vulnerable farmers overcome the locust upsurges - It will provide immediate support to affected households through targeted social safety nets like cash transfers - It will also be investing in the medium-term recovery of agriculture and livestock production systems and rural livelihoods in affected countries - The loan approved for Kenya will finance grants to an estimated 70,000 pastoral households and 20,000 farmers - It will help them to quickly rehabilitate crop and livestock production systems disrupted by the locust swarms The World Bank has approved a record $500 million (over KSh53 billion) in grants and low-interest loans to help countries in Africa and the Middle East fight locusts. The Emergency Locust Response Program (ELRP) was approved on Thursday, May 21, by the World Banks Board of Executive Directors. READ ALSO: Eunuchoidism: Key roles played by aunties in identifying nephews with reproductive challenges Locust swarms have infested 23 countries across East Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, the biggest outbreak in 70 years. Photo: Citizen TV. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Queen Elizabeth approves knighthood for inspiring 100-year-old war veteran who raised over KSh 5B for charities It will focus on providing immediate assistance to help poor and vulnerable farmers, herders, and rural households overcome one of the worst locust upsurges in decades. Locust swarms present a double crisis for countries that are also battling the COVID-19 pandemic, said World Bank Group President David Malpass. This food supply emergency combined with the pandemic and economic shutdown in advanced economies places the worlds most vulnerable people at even greater risk. he said. READ ALSO: Donald Trump finally spotted wearing mask in public The ELRP was expected to provide support to affected households through targeted social safety nets like cash transfers while investing in the medium-term recovery of agriculture and livestock production. World Bank said four of the hardest-hit countries - Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda - will receive a total of $160 million (KSh 17 billion) immediately. Kenya's $43 million (KSh 4.8 billion) loan will finance grants to an estimated 70,000 pastoral households and 20,000 farmers to quickly rehabilitate crop and livestock production systems disrupted by the locust swarms. READ ALSO: I love you: Emotional moment couple married for 70 years reunited after lockdown The Emergency Locust Response Program (ELRP) was approved by the World Banks Board of Executive Directors. Photo: World Bank. Source: UGC Holger Kray, a senior World Bank official said Yemen, Somalia and other affected countries could tap funds as needed. The Horn of Africa finds itself at the epicentre of the worst locust outbreak we have seen in a generation, most probably in more than a generation, he said, According to him, the new coronavirus pandemic that has crippled the global economy was exacerbating the crisis. READ ALSO: Fighting coronavirus: Nairobi man volunteers to sanitise police stations Locust swarms have infested 23 countries across East Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, the biggest outbreak in 70 years, the World Bank said. It threatens food supplies in East Africa where nearly 23 million people are facing food shortages. The World Bank estimated the Horn of Africa region could suffer up to $8.5 billion in damage to crop and livestock production by year-end. READ ALSO: Madagascar to sign confidentiality clause with WHO on COVID-Organics This was without broad measures to reduce locust populations and prevent their spread. Even with the measures, losses could be as high as $2.5 billion, it said. Desert locusts can travel up to 150 km (95 miles) a day, sometimes in swarms as large as 250 km (155.34 miles) across, eating their own body weight in greenery. In Kenya, the locusts are eating in one day the amount of food consumed by all Kenyans in two days, Kray said. READ ALSO: Kericho: Police shoot, injure medic during curfew The new World Bank program will help farmers, herders and rural households by providing fertilizer and seeds for new crops, and cash transfers to pay for food for people and livestock. It will also finance investments to strengthen surveillance and early warning systems so that countries are better prepared to combat future outbreaks. World Bank approved the loan for Kenya barely days after it approved Kenya's request for KSh 106.8 billion to strengthen Nairobi's budget from the impact of COVID-19 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 Josh 'The Fat Jewish' Ostrovsky has revealed the celebrities who are winning quarantine with brilliant social media posts that are bringing him and countless others joy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking to DailyMailTV, while enjoying a bubble bath at home, the 38-year-old influencer listed his favorite A-listers to follow during the global crisis, noting that not everyone has handled being in lockdown with grace. 'A lot of celebrities in quarantine have lost their minds, right? They're, like, are we important? Does anyone care about us anymore?' explained Josh, who has more than 11 million followers. 'Most celebrities have been unraveling like, we've had full-blown Vanessa Hudgens meltdowns,' he added, referring to the 31-year-old's flippant Instagram video in which she called coronavirus containment efforts 'bulls**t.' But Ostrovsky pointed out that there are plenty of celebrities who are making the most out of living in lockdown and coming up with stellar content. The social media sensation lauded everyone from Britney Spears, who admitted to accidentally burning down her home gym, to John Krasinski, who has been lifting people's spirits with his feel-good web series 'Some Good News.' Britney Spears Fan club: Ostrovsky is one of Spears's 24.3 million Instagram followers, and when he said she has 'been on fire,' he meant it literally and figuratively Social media star: Spears, 38, revealed on Instagram last month that she had accidentally burned down her home gym, saying: 'I had two candles, and, yeah, one thing led to another.' Even though she only had two pieces of equipment left, she didn't let that stop her from showing fans one of her workouts Success: Ostrovsky also noted that Rolling Stone recently crowned Spears's hit song '...Baby One More Time' the greatest debut single in history Jerry O'Connell No top, no problem: Whether he is hanging out in his beloved Bravo T-shirt or homeschooling his daughters, Ostrovsky can't get enough of watching O'Connell live his best quarantine life New hobby: The actor is a huge fan of Bravo, especially the Real Housewives franchise, and he has been paying homage to the network by wearing his commemorative tee whenever he can. He is also learning to play the saxophone. 'If I could see O'Connell shirtless, playing a sax...that would really be some quality content,' Ostrovsky said. 'Jerry, if you see this, I'm personally requesting that content' Keeping it real: Like most parents in the pandemic, O'Connell and his wife, Rebecca Romijn, are navigating their 11-year-old twin girls Dolly and Charlie's online schooling, and he openly admitted that they can't do fifth-grade math Martha Stewart Domestic goddess: Unsurprisingly, Stewart, 78, is using her time quarantined in her farmhouse in Bedford, New York, wisely and recently launched her new how-to series, Homeschool with Martha, with the editors of Martha Stewart Living. 'Martha is just doing her thing,' Ostrovsky said. 'She is just like absolutely living the dream and, like, I'm loving it' Added touches: Stewart has also been helping the masses get through the pandemic with her cheeky cooking tutorials, and in one clip, she can be seen pounding a baked potato on the counter to the tune of Charli XCX's hit 'Boom Clap' Second thoughts? Stewart recently shocked fans with the suggestive caption she posted alongside a video of herself tenderizing chicken. 'Martha pounding butterflied chicken breasts wishing she was pounding someone's ??????' she wrote before changing it to something less sexually-charged Ina Garten Quarantine queen: Garten, 72, became the celebrity chef to watch in quarantine after she shared a hilarious video of herself mixing up an enormous Cosmopolitan. 'Its always cocktail hour in a crisis!' she captioned the now-viral clip, which was posted at 9:30 a.m. Amazing: The Food Network star used an entire bottle of Grey Goose vodka to make the cocktail and then poured it into a martini glass that was roughly the size of her head. 'She's just made the glasses bigger and bigger at this point. She's drinking out of basically a barrel,' Ostrovsky said of the Barefoot Contessa What we need: In her latest how-to video, Garten demonstrated how to grill the perfect New York strip steak just in time for Memorial Day weekend and she also enjoyed a glass of red wine Stanley Tucci Cocktail time: Tucci, 59, had pulses racing last month when he shared a video of himself mixing a Negroni for his wife, Felicity Blunt, while giving his 334,000 Instagram followers a mixology lesson Added bonus: 'He also has a sick body,' Ostrovsky noted. 'So, for his perfect cocktails and his like out of bounds body, like, Tuch, you get a chef's kiss. Incredible' Latest clip: Tucci has taken his lessons to the next level with his recent tutorial on how to make gnocchi, leaving fans begging for more Leslie Jordan Influencer: Jordan, 65, has become quarantine's breakout social media star thanks to his daily lockdown updates that have earned him a whopping 4.5 million Instagram followers. Gotta love him: 'He's one of the cutest human beings on earth,' Ostrovsky said. 'And everything he's doing in quarantine and on Instagram is perfect...it kind of feels like you're basically best friends with him and you're, like, at a sleepover' Naturally funny: Jordan never set out to make viral content. It's his truly genuine off-the-cuff takes or 'pillow talk' as he as dubbed it, that make the videos a pure joy to watch John Krasinski Hit show: Krasinski, 40, rounded out the list with his self-produced web series, 'Some Good News,' which he launched amid the coronavirus pandemic to bring people, you guessed it, some good news Hard to resist: Ostrovsky admitted that he was not immune to the pull of the feel-good show. 'I'm, like, cynical. You know, I'm a New Yorker. I want to talk more about Britney burning her gym down,' he said. 'But even I found myself being, like, damn...because, like, honestly, it's beautifulit kind of warmed my heart a little bit' About 90 per cent of international trade is carried by sea, with thousands of ships transporting goods across the globe, ranging from oil and wheat to cuddly toys. London is at the centre of this trade. Shipping magnates come from far and wide to arrange deals, secure finance and seek advice in the capital. Braemar is one of the companies those businesses turn to. A global leader in the shipbroking field, Braemar has a decades-long heritage and a reputation for top quality service. All aboard: Tankers en route to deliver oil are now serving a vital role in holding supplies ahead of a surge in demand The company said last month that trading had held up well since the Covid-19 pandemic erupted. Nonetheless, the shares have been savaged, tumbling from 2.24 in early January to just 99p when the market closed last week. The fall seems unjustified. Shipping is the lifeblood of the global economy and, even if the coronavirus induces a worldwide slowdown, essential goods still have to be transported from A to B. Virtually every shipment requires a broker, who acts as an intermediary between the cargo's owners and shipping companies, and is paid a commission for their work. Trust is paramount in this industry. Ships can be worth more than 100million each, their cargo may be highly valuable and transporting goods around the world is a risky business, so everyone involved needs to feel confident that they are in good hands. Shipowners need to know they will be paid for their work in a timely manner, while cargo owners need to know that their goods will be handled with due care and attention, and will arrive on time. Braemar is known for going the extra mile in this regard. The group has built a network of relationships across the globe, and many of its customers have been with the business for years. Braemar's core business focuses on commodities such as wheat, soya, oil and steel, which play a critical role in our everyday lives. Happily for Braemar, there is no direct link between the underlying commodity prices and orders for shipments. Indeed, when the price of crude oil tumbled last month, Braemar did well, as cargo owners scrambled to find tankers that could store their surplus fuel. The group makes three quarters of its money from shipbroking, but provides a range of related services too. When shipowners are looking for finance, Braemar can help them find investors. This division was formed in the teeth of the 2008 financial crisis and tends to do well when times are hard and banks reluctant to lend. The company has also built a huge research database. This can provide cargo owners and shipowners with valuable guidance. But it can also track when ships may be coming to the end of their useful life. Braemar can then step in and offer advice on shipbuilding, ship financing and chartering, often finding owners long-term cargo contracts once their new vessels are seaworthy. Braemar is chaired by Ron Series, who has decades of experience in international trade and logistics. Appointed just over a year ago, he has already helped the company to dispose of non-core divisions and become more focused. At last month's trading update, Series disappointed some investors by saying there would be no final dividend for the year to February 29. However, this was attributed more to prudence than underlying concerns about the business. Looking ahead, Series is confident of Braemar's prospects and stockbrokers are too. Turnover of 123million is forecast for the year to February 29, 2020, with profit of 9million. Those figures may dip slightly in the current year, but results should recover next year. Series is also committed to restoring dividends as soon as is practicable. At least 5p is expected for the year to February 28, 2021, putting the stock on a yield of 5 per cent, rising to 7.5p the following year. Midas verdict: Shipping is a cyclical business but the long-term outlook is benign, particularly as Asian economies pick up steam. With offices around the world, a global reputation and a robust management team, Braemar is well placed to benefit from underlying industry trends. At 99p, the shares are undervalued. Buy. Representative image As many as 12 people were arrested for offering prayer inside a house in violation of the coronavirus-induced lockdown norms in Uttar Pradesh, police said on Saturday. Residents of the Sisoli village under Bhorakala Police Station, those arrested have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Epidemic Diseases Act, they said. Coronavirus India News LIVE Updates The group was offering friday prayers inside a house in violation of lockdown norms, a police officer said. Authorities have imposed Section 144 of the CRPC in Muzaffarnagar district barring assembly of more than four people as a precautionary measure against coronavirus. 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 Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here At the beginning of the week, the state of Saxony resumed unrestricted full operations at primary schools and day-care centreswithout minimum distance requirements, class and group reductions or the compulsory wearing of masks. The state governmenta coalition of the Christian Democrats, Social Democrats and Greenunder Michael Kretschmer (CDU) is thus specifically opposing the current federal hygiene regulations. Primary schools are operating their normal classes. Children attending day-care go to their normal group. There is neither any dividing up into smaller groups nor staggering attendance times. Minimum distance and face masks are expressly not prescribed. Group separation only takes place between individual classes through staggered break times, which usually works only to a limited extent and does not reduce the risk of infection without any professional disinfection happening in between. No additional coronavirus tests are being provided. Instead, parents must provide a daily written assurance that neither their child nor other people in the household are displaying COVID-19 symptoms. Christian Piwarz (CDU), the responsible state minister, justifies this completely reckless policy with the argument that distancing rules are de facto not feasible at schools and day-care centres. Politicians therefore had only two options, he claimed. Either abandoning day-care facilities and to a large extent the teaching at elementary schoolsand possibly for a long time to comeor waiving the distancing rules. The Saxony state executive decided in favour of reopening schools and day-care centres and against the distancing rules. School children, toddlers and their parents are thus once again in close, daily contact. They are being forced to move about during rush hours on public transport. And if they do not need to follow social distancing or face masks in school and day-care, why then on the train and bus? A storm of protest broke out when this decision became known. The parents of a 7-year-old primary school pupil in Leipzig filed an emergency suit with the Administrative Court to prevent the school from reopening without observing the minimum distance of 1.5 metres, which was upheld. Minister Piwarz immediately appealed to the Higher Administrative Court and stuck to his aggressive reopening plans. The court temporarily suspended the obligation to attend school, so it is left to parents and students to decide on school attendance themselves. However, this decision is also extremely limited, because with the reopening of schools and the start of regular classes, the offer of online lessons has largely been eliminated. Piwarz justified his decision with unsurpassed cynicism. His main concern was the well-being of the children. They should not be allowed to fall by the wayside in the crisis, he stressed. Small children needed care from specialists and primary school children were often overwhelmed by digital teaching, the minister said. He is receiving support from the CDUs coalition partners in Saxony. The Greens describe the reopening of schools as an important step towards more educational justice because the coronavirus crisis mainly affects children from socially disadvantaged families. The Social Democrats (SPD) praise the measure as a great relief for parents, especially single parents. In reality, it is about the profit interests of big business and the resumption of production. The employers associations have long been calling for schools and day-care centres to be opened up again to allow parents to be released from childcare and return to work. Workers are being forced to resume work on production lines and in offices facing the same criminal methods and in completely unsafe conditions which now expose pupils, teachers, children and carers to the virus without protection and is turning schools into virus incubators. Mr. Piwarz is a right-wing Christian Democrat who, five years ago, attacked the chancellors refugee policy and fully represents the interests of the business associations. Saxonys brutal reopening of schools is at the forefront of the campaign to resume production in all areas. Because this ruthless and criminal policy is meeting with resistance, it is being accompanied by an intensive political and media campaign to play down the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, four medical societies published an appeal calling for kindergartens and schools to be reopened immediately despite the coronavirus pandemic throughout Germany. In their joint statement, the German Society for Hospital Hygiene, the German Society for Paediatric Infectiology, the German Academy for Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine and the Professional Association of Paediatric and Adolescent Physicians in Germany wrote, Day-care centres, kindergartens and primary schools should be reopened as soon as possiblewithout restrictions. The reason given for this is the following: Especially in children under 10 years of age, the current data speak for a lower rate of infection, as well as for a significantly lower rate of infection. In contrast, the social and health consequences of closure are serious. These professional associations thus contradict the warnings and clear recommendations of Christian Drosten and other virologists, who stress that previous studies do not give the all-clear regarding the risk of infection and spread of the virus by children and adolescents. A look at the authors also makes it clear that the appeal by the professional associations is not aimed at the welfare of children, but at the welfare of the trade associations. For example, the head of the Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, Prof. Dr. Martin Exner, is co-author with the virologist Hendrik Streeck of the controversial Heinsberg study, which claims a very low mortality rate of the coronavirus pandemic and advocates the accelerated relaxation of safety measures. A second author, Dr. Peter Walger, is spokesman of the board of the German Society for Hospital Hygiene (DGKH). He had already called for the immediate opening of day-care centres and primary schools in the Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung at the end of April. His statements left no doubt even then that his concern was a return to work. He said, The damage caused by the closures of day-care centres and primary schools is enormous. The emergency provisions only cover a small part of the damage. Thousands and thousands of fathers and mothers are not working because their children are not being looked after. If we wait any longer, the secondary effects will escalate. The media hype surrounding the right-wing coronavirus demonstrations is also directed against resistance to the governments loosening of the lockdown and herd immunity policies. Although the right-wing extremist protests are rejected by a large majority of the population, they receive great attention in the media and from politicians and are systematically boosted. As with the far-right anti-immigrant Pegida demonstrations, top politicians and state representatives make pilgrimages to the right-wing marches. In Dresden, Saxonys state premier Michael Kretschmer personally attended along with the few hundred demonstrators. He demonstratively wore no face mask and disregarded the distancing rules. Franziska Schubert, leader of the Green parliamentary group in the Saxony state parliament, also paid her respects to a coronavirus demonstration in Zittau. She carried a sign saying, Ready to talk. Afterwards, she told the media she was against sweeping judgements and demanded that the call for relaxing the lockdown be taken seriously. Her colleague, Green member of the European Parliament Christin Melcher, explicitly defended Piwarz decision and his false reasoning. She said, I welcome the reopening of schools and day-care centres. It is an important step towards normality for our children. The lack of direct communication with fellow pupils and teachers has put a great strain on the learning situation of our children. The reaction of many teachers, students and parents is completely different. On social media, fear, anger and indignation are spreading. On Twitter, Johann van de Bron writes, What does reality look like? The virus is not gone. We have hundreds of times more people infected than when the first wave broke out. Children are just as infectious as adults. In France, 40 percent of all pupils and teachers in a school have become infected. Both students and teachers report catastrophic conditions in schools. Public transport is a hotbed of disease that spreads the infection between schools. Outbreaks are already occurring in many schools. Pora writes, Its time for students, teachers and parents being sacrificed to fight back! The claim that children are less at risk and less likely to become carriers of the disease is completely unfounded. There are studies that say the opposite, what is the basis for what they claim?! Why is there so little testing? Think! A week ago, when the plans of the state government became known, teachers and students of the Kurt Masur Primary School in Leipzig wrote a protest letter to Education Minister Piwarz and declared that it was in no way comprehensible that intentionally, the infection prevention measures prescribed in private and public spaces were being overridden. The complete reopening of one of the largest elementary schools in Saxony would have completely unforeseeable and possibly catastrophic consequences. Early awareness of the pandemic, appropriate, drastic and people-centric measures as well as public support are what behind Vietnams successes in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc made the comments on Thursday in response to questions from Ha Noi-based correspondents of foreign media including US Bloomberg, Russias TASS news agency and Japans NHK TV and Akahata newspaper. The Prime Minister also emphasised the persistent view of the Party, State and Government of Viet Nam to be proactive, not subjective, and to "fight against the pandemic like fighting the enemy". The country had also successfully mobilised the strength and the participation of the whole political system and community in making pandemic prevention a priority, preventing the risk from outside, zoning off areas, treating diseases effectively, as well as sacrificing immediate economic benefits to protect people's health and lives, he said. The Vietnamese PM said that facing the negative impacts of the pandemic, the Government had also implemented many measures to support the economy, remove difficulties for production and business, especially taking into account the concerns about the lives of people and having packages to support workers and ensure social security. Therefore, Viet Nam had basically controlled the pandemic, at the same time, maintained the macro economy and, moved into a "new normal" state with determination to achieve GDP growth of 4.5-5 per cent in 2020. Speaking about Viet Nam's international co-operation in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister said that there had been many practical activities to support and co-operate with other countries and international organisations, which were highly appreciated by the international community, including sending medical masks and supplies, and sharing of information and Viet Nams pandemic prevention experience. On this occasion, Prime Minister Phuc thanked the international media and press for paying attention and made comprehensive and objective assessments on the situation and positive results of Viet Nam in the prevention and control of COVID-19. He considered it a great encouragement for the Government and people of Viet Nam in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign correspondents congratulated Viet Nam on its success and highly appreciated Viet Nam's measures to effectively prevent the COVID-19 pandemic. VNS This week, the Midland area community withstood two crises at once a deadly pandemic and a 100-year flood that caused multiple dam failures and all the while, dispatchers at 211 Northeast Michigan were taking calls to direct people to potentially life-saving resources. Anyone within the crisis centers 23-county coverage area can use the free service to connect to local resources for food, shelter and more, which Executive Director of 211 Northeast Michigan Sarah Kile said is more pertinent than ever. She said in the current climate, there are people in crisis who have never needed help before and therefore might not know how to connect. But, this is what 211 does and knows best. Actually, the local nonprofit call center was born from a crisis as a collaborative solution envisioned more than a decade ago. In 2008, United Way of Midland County was operating a program called First Call For Help when the Great Recession hit America, and subsequently the Midland area. At the time, the program was heavily an in-person resource and relied on thick printed binders of information that were subject to quickly be outdated. United Way of Midland County Executive Director Holly Miller said the recession taxed that system. She said it was the first time in a generation that America had seen double digit unemployment numbers and people who had never found themselves in peril before didnt understand how to connect with help. United Way had droves of people reaching out. It drew our attention to how ill-equipped we were to deal with this face-to-face and that we didnt have a repository, Miller said. So, many people were tripping over each other because we didnt have a repository of resources that were vetted; we didnt have a systematic way to say this this is helpful and this isnt helpful. We didnt have a system for managing it. This left United Way scrambling to create an ad hoc database to put on their website filled with local resources and phone numbers. Miller said it was rudimentary, but the message was focused on hope in the darkness. It was a great learning opportunity to realize that in times of crisis, resources and connecting to resources and connection to people play such a vital role, Miller said. Shortly after, in 2009, 211 Northeast Michigan was launched by visionaries who recognized the resource would be needed outside of Midland as well. Original board members represented community stakeholders such as Chemical Bank, Dow, Consumers Energy, United Way and more. Needs dont stop at borders, Miller said. And so many of us cross those county borders on a regular basis from working to home to family and so recognize that this was bigger than a single county. Together, they collaborated to create the 211 service that also covered five neighboring counties, in addition to Midland. However, the organization didnt stop expanding and eventually filled in the gaps so that every rural Michigan county was covered by a 211 call center, completing the state in 2017 by covering St. Clair County. The vision that started here in Midland, completed the picture for the entire State of Michigan, Kile said. Today, 211 Northeast Michigan is one of seven call centers in the state and serves 23 counties Alcona, Alpena, Arenac, Bay, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Iosco, Isabella, Midland, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Sanilac, St Clair, and Tuscola. Now, it has gone beyond being just a crisis hotline to offer text message help, online chatting and an extensive online database, offering valuable person-to-person connection when needed quickly and easily. Data is part of the beauty of 211, but part of it is that a person talks to you, and they listen to you and they empathize with you and they try to understand what youre facing, Miller said. 211 is an organization that connects people to other organizations and resources that can help with needs, such as food, housing, shelter and more. For more information or help, dial 2-1-1 on your phone, text your zip code to 211, or visit https://www.211nemichigan.org/ to chat with someone online or browse local resources. Editor's note: This article is the first installment of a weekly, local impact campaign the Daily News is launching in partnership with 211 Northeast Michigan to raise awareness and provide continuing education about this vital service. Burger King has debuted 'social-distance crowns' designed to keep customers 6 feet apart from each other as its restaurants reopened in Germany. The huge golden crowns, feature the Burger King logo, and ensure that the wearer can't get too close to a fellow customer. 'We wanted to reinforce the rules of high safety and hygiene standards that the BK restaurants are following,' a Burger King representative told Business Insider. 'The do-it-yourself social-distance crown was a fun and playful way to remind our guests to practice social distancing while they are enjoying food in the restaurants.' The huge golden crowns, feature the Burger King logo, and ensure that the wearer can't get too close to a fellow customer (customers pictured in Germany) In Italy, the chain is selling what it's termed a 'Social Distancing Whopper,' which contains three times the amount of raw onions, in a bid to put people off getting too close because of onion-induced breath. Burger King is one of a number of restaurants to introduce quirky distancing measures. A Dutch restaurant has trialed five dining greenhouses to ensure social distancing. The Mediamatic Biotoop eatery erected five dining pods along a canal on the island of Oosterdok, Amsterdam. Staff members walk through the Bay area in Maryland and down a pier inside the tables, which are designed to look like inner tubes Named Serres Separees, meaning 'separate room' in French, the restaurant hopes that the greenhouses will allow customers to eat safely and securely while abiding with social distancing rules amid the pandemic. Waiters pass through dishes from a safe distance. The restaurant will only allow people dining together who live in the same house. In Maryland, a restaurant has unveiled innovative 'bumper tables' on wheels - designed to keep diners safely six feet apart. Customers sitting outside Cafe & Konditorei Rothe in Schwerin, Germany, all wore straw hats with two swimming pool noddles taped to the top as the cafe makes sure they do not flout social distancing Fish Tales, nestled by the Bay in Ocean City, showed off the 'social distancing tables' in a Facebook livestream when they arrived at the seafood eatery on Saturday. Shaped like inner tubes, the ten custom-made tables aim to keep customers six feet apart while they enjoy drinks from the bar. The customer would stand at the center of the ring of rubber, which is fitted onto a metal frame with wheels to allow patrons to move around the premises. In a video posted to the Fish Tales Facebook page this weekend, staff members are seen emerging from the back of a truck inside the 'social distancing tables'. Earlier this month, a German cafe made their customers wear swimming pool noodles as hats to make sure they obeyed social distancing measures. A similar strategy is also being used in Thailand. At one restaurant in Bangkok, people eat their meals next to pig balloons, which occupy seats as part of social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease at the restaurant. Diners are pictured here on May 21, 2020. Customers sitting outside Cafe & Konditorei Rothe in Schwerin, Germany, all had to wear straw hats with two swimming pool noddles taped to the top. Cafe owner Jacqueline Rothe introduced the inventive rule to make sure her customers were not flouting social distancing rules. A picture of the cafe's unique policy was shared on Facebook, with people flocking to share their reactions to the cafe's noodle technique. A Dutch restaurant believes its special greenhouses could be the future of dining out during the coronavirus pandemic At one restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, people eat their meals next to pig balloons, which occupy seats as part of social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease at the restaurant. In Japan, restaurants are installing clear screens in the middle of tables which will ensure customers can safely eat out with people outside their immediate homes. Pictured here, customers toast beers across the plastic transparent board at Kichiri Shinjuku, a Japanese style pub known as an 'izakaya', in Tokyo. Meanwhile London could lead the country out of lockdown, with talks taking place next week over allowing the capitals cafes and restaurants to open for outdoor service. In Japan, restaurants are installing clear screens in the middle of tables which will ensure customers can safely eat out with people outside their immediate homes. Pictured here, customers toast beers across the plastic transparent board at Kichiri Shinjuku, a Japanese style pub known as an 'izakaya', in Tokyo Ministers launched a Transition Board for the city yesterday to coordinate efforts to lift restrictions. The body is the first of its kind in the country. Downing Street confirmed last night that London could move out of lockdown first. Asked whether it could see measures eased before the rest of the country, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: As we are able to gather more data and have better surveillance of a rate of infection in different parts of the country, then we will be able to potentially lift measures quicker in some parts of the country than in others. And equally we will be able to put the brakes on in some parts of the country. This article originally appeared in The Inquirer on July 22, 1993. By Kathleen Martin Beans, INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT Ligia Iacob returned home to her native Romania yesterday a different person than when she left there 10 months ago. She has a new face and a new way of looking at the world, thanks to many people in the Doylestown community. Its like night and day, said Bruce Young, a member of the Doylestown Rotary Club, the group that sponsored the 20-year-old Iacob in the United States. Before she started treatment, she stood out in the crowd. Now you can tell she has had work done on her face, but she certainly is 100% better. Its a miracle. It really is. Born with hairy nevus, a rare and disfiguring condition on her face, Iacob was unable to lead a normal life. Wherever she went, people stared at the spongelike, pigmented birthmark with long black hairs. The birthmark covered about two-thirds of her forehead, her eyelids and eyebrows, her entire left cheek and part of her left ear, said Marvin T. Hunter, the plastic surgeon who donated his services to remove it. He performed six operations over the course of 10 months. She will return to Doylestown Hospital again next year for more plastic surgery on the scars that resulted from the operations. Iacobs plight came to the attention of the Doylestown Rotary Club through Bill and Janet Haines of Buckingham, who are on the board of directors of the Pearl Buck Foundation. Janet Haines, who is in Romania teaching English, took a photograph of Iacob during one of her trips and showed it to several people in the Doylestown Rotary Club. After the Romanian revolution in 1989, the Rotary Club began a program to help foreigners get medical treatment in the United States. Iacob is the second person helped by the program, said Bill Haines. The first, a 15-year-old Romanian girl with severe leg burns, was treated at Shriners Hospital in Boston three years ago and is living with the Haines family. Iacobs flight to the United States was paid for by philanthropist John Crossley of Erwinna. Crossly was contacted by three Romanian sisters living in Erwinna who are friendly with Iacobs family. Hunter, contacted by Young, agreed to donate his services. Doylestown Hospital agreed not to charge for Iacobs stay there. Rotary Club members provided Iacob with financial and moral support while she lived in Erwinna with the Romanian sisters. It is a true community project, said Young. Americans can be wonderful people when they reach out and help others. Hunter said Iacob, who speaks little English, was remarkably well-adjusted for someone who was raised in a closed society. He was pleased to see her walking without being self-consciousness through the Delaware Valley College campus at the colleges agricultural fair in the spring. Trained as a nurse in Romania, Iacob plans to work in that profession in her own country. Without the surgery, Hunter said she would have continued to hide her face in social situations. She would not be seen, Hunter said. In the Middle Ages, she would not have been able to survive. WASHINGTON The Trump administration has discussed whether to conduct the first U.S. nuclear test explosion since 1992 in a move that would have far-reaching consequences for relations with other nuclear powers and reverse a decades-long moratorium on such actions, said a senior administration official and two former officials familiar with the deliberations. The matter came up at a meeting of senior officials representing the top national security agencies last Friday, following accusations from administration officials that Russia and China are conducting low-yield nuclear tests an assertion that has not been substantiated by publicly available evidence and that both countries have denied. A senior administration official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive nuclear discussions, said that demonstrating to Moscow and Beijing that the United States could "rapid test" could prove useful from a negotiating standpoint as Washington seeks a trilateral deal to regulate the arsenals of the biggest nuclear powers. The meeting did not conclude with any agreement to conduct a test, but a senior administration official said the proposal is "very much an ongoing conversation." Another person familiar with the meeting, however, said a decision was ultimately made to take other measures in response to threats posed by Russia and China and avoid a resumption of testing. The National Security Council declined to comment. During the meeting, serious disagreements emerged over the idea, in particular from the National Nuclear Security Administration, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The NNSA, an agency that ensures the safety of the nation's stockpile of nuclear weapons, didn't respond to a request for comment. The United States has not conducted a nuclear test explosion since September 1992, and nuclear nonproliferation advocates warned that doing so now could have destabilizing consequences. "It would be an invitation for other nuclear-armed countries to follow suit," said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association. "It would be the starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race. You would also disrupt the negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who may no longer feel compelled to honor his moratorium on nuclear testing." The United States remains the only country to have deployed a nuclear weapon during wartime, but since 1945 at least eight countries have collectively conducted about 2,000 nuclear tests, of which more than 1,000 were carried out by the United States. The environmental and health-related consequences of nuclear testing moved the process underground, eventually leading to near-global moratorium on testing in this century with the exception of North Korea. Concerns about the dangers of testing prompted more than 184 nations to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty, an agreement that will not enter into force until ratified by eight key states, including the United States. President Barack Obama supported the ratification of the CTBT in 2009 but never realized his goal. The Trump administration said it would not seek ratification in its 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. Still, the major nuclear powers abide by its core prohibition on testing. But the United States in recent months has alleged Russia and China have violated the "zero yield" standard with extremely low-yield or underground tests, not the type of many-kiloton yield tests with mushroom clouds associated with the Cold War. Russia and China deny the allegation. Since establishing a moratorium on testing in the early 1990s, the United States has ensured that its nuclear weapons are ready to be deployed by conducting what are known as subcritical tests or blasts that do not produce a nuclear chain reaction but can test components of a weapon. U.S. nuclear weapons facilities have also developed robust computer simulation technologies that allow for modeling of nuclear tests to ensure the arsenal is ready to deploy. The main purpose of nuclear tests has long been to check the reliability of an existing arsenal or try out new weapon designs. Every year, top U.S. officials, including the heads of the national nuclear labs and the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, must certify the safety and reliability of the stockpile without testing. The Trump administration has said that, unlike Russia and China, it isn't pursuing new nuclear weapons but reserves the right to do so if the two countries refuse to negotiate on their programs. The deliberations over a nuclear test explosion come as the Trump administration prepares to leave the Treaty on Open Skies, a nearly 30-year-old pact that came into force in 2002 and was designed to reduce the chances of an accidental war by allowing mutual reconnaissance flights for members of the 34-country agreement. The planned withdrawal marks another example of the erosion of a global arms-control framework that Washington and Moscow began hashing out painstakingly during the Cold War. The Trump administration pulled out of a 1987 pact with Russia governing intermediate-range missiles, citing violations by Moscow, and withdrew from a 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, saying Tehran wasn't living up to the spirit of it. The primary remaining pillar of the arms-control framework between the United States and Russia is the New START pact, which places limits on strategic nuclear platforms. The Trump administration has been pushing to negotiate a follow-on agreement that includes China in addition to Russia, but China has rejected calls for talks so far. Trump's presidential envoy for arms control, Marshall Billingslea, warned that China is the "midst" of a major buildup of its nuclear arsenal and "intent on building up its nuclear forces and using those forces to try to intimidate the United States and our friends and allies." One U.S. official said a nuclear test could help pressure the Chinese into joining a trilateral agreement with the U.S. and Russia, but some nonproliferation advocates say such a move is risky. If this administration believes that a nuclear test explosion and nuclear brinkmanship is going to coerce negotiating partners to make unilateral concessions, thats a dangerous ploy, Kimball said. We believe that this work that usually takes place in an out-of-school space is critical to youth development, Madison said. Part of their development should be connected to experiences, particularly outside of school, that help them explore their interests, discover their talents, connect to peers, (find their people) among their peers, and also connect to caring adults who can be a part of their social network and help them not only dream about what the future could look like, but actually build a pathway to that future. Howard University was the dream. The prestigious historically black university was one of Azcia' Flemings reach schools, one she applied to even though, maybe, it was beyond her reach. It wasnt. After I got accepted, my family was super excited," she said. Theyd planned to visit in April, but by March, the coronavirus and efforts to slow its spread began to snowball, and Fleming began to explore other options. She applied for the Susan Thompson Buffett Scholarship, which pays tuition and other costs to Nebraska schools, and she got it as did her twin brothers, who graduated a year early from Lincoln High with their older sister. Flemings mom hadnt wanted her daughter to go to a school shed never seen in person even a prestigious HBU in Washington, D.C. and the pandemic was creating uncertainty about finances and everything else. So the scholarship sealed it. After I got that, I thought staying here might not be the worst thing to happen, she said. Even though I will be here in Nebraska, theres no limit to what I will be doing. Fleming, who will attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with her brothers, is among more than 3,000 high school seniors in Lincoln graduating into a world nobodys navigated before, staring into a pandemic that has closed schools, slashed families economic security and, for many graduates, changed their college plans. National surveys done in March and April indicate that the pandemic has affected a significant number of graduating seniors plans. A survey in March by the Baltimore-based Art and Science Group found that 63% of the respondents were worried about being able to attend their first college choice because of the pandemic, and 17% had changed their plans. Of those who had changed their plans, most planned to take a gap year or attend college part time. One by Virginia-based Simpson Scarborough found 24% of students said they might change their plans and one in five werent going to attend college because of the pandemic. In Nebraska, UNL officials say its too soon to know how many students will choose to defer a year, especially since the university has moved the acceptance date back to June 1. Nebraska Wesleyan officials said theyve had very few students ask to defer for a year. But just what to do has been a hard decision for many seniors. Greg Sederberg, the counseling team leader at Lincoln Southwest High School, said many students had questions about how fourth-quarter pass/fail grades would affect college admissions and NCAA eligibility. But hes also had a couple of students decide to go to Southeast Community College to save money before transferring to a four-year college. And hes heard from other counselors that some students have decided to take a gap year. North Star's Layla Omari had chosen Denver University because of its international relations program. But as the pandemic played out, her parents worried about the continued spread of the virus and the financial impact of a plummeting economy, and Omari changed her plans. Shell attend UNL now. There isnt a program here similar to the one in Denver, so shell pick a major with a pre-law concentration. At first, I was not too happy about it. I was pretty upset, she said. Im a lot happier now. Its a pretty good alternative to what I had planned before. During high school, she had internships at local businesses and the opportunity to shadow senators, and thinks those connections will offer her opportunities. And the plan all along was law school, no matter the undergraduate program. For me, as a minority and a person of color, I feel theres not enough representation for us, she said. I just feel like we need a voice, and I want to be that voice. Lincoln Highs Alicia Haar and Southwests Ingrid Gessert are sticking with their plans: Haar is headed to the University of Rochester in New York this fall, Gessert to the University of Southern California. But those decisions still come with uncertainty. Haar, who attended the International Baccalaureate Program, said shes always wanted to go out of state and decided to stick with her top choice, despite the distance and the fact that New Yorks outbreak at least in New York City, which is hours from Rochester was worse. But the prospect of online classes is worrisome. Shed stay at Rochester if the university did online classes for a short time, but if it continued for a year or more at a school where shes paying out-of-state tuition, shed rethink her decision. Shes hoping for the best, though this isnt the way she thought the end of her senior year or the beginning of college would look. Its definitely not what I envisioned, she said. Gessert and her family had traveled across the country visiting colleges last summer, and this fall she applied to 15. As a high school student, she immersed herself in theater and show choir, and wanted to pursue either music or theater in college. She applied for both programs, and just before things started closing traveled to Florida for an audition at the University of Miami. She landed on USC's theater program. Because she wants to pursue a career in music or acting, USCs location is important and shed visited the campus and loved it. It wasnt vital to go so far away, but I definitely think Los Angeles was a huge draw to USC, she said. Its location (was important), with the industry I want to go into. Her main worry, she said, is the uncertainty about in-person classes. If the school announces it will have classes online, she might decide to defer for a year. But thats worrisome, too, she said, because she doesnt want to lose her spot or the scholarships making it possible for her to attend. Summer orientation has gone online, she said, but shes holding out hope that shell be able to be on campus this fall. It just really wouldnt be the same online because I want to take acting classes, and I want to be on campus thats part of (the decision to attend) USC being on campus and in Los Angeles. For Fleming, Howard University would have given her the opportunity to explore her African American heritage, something shes not really gotten to experience in a predominantly white city. I havent really gotten to experience the other half of who I am, she said. I wanted to experience that part of myself and be around people who have shared experiences. But she figures everything happens for a reason, and she can also share the experiences shes had as an African American with people here who havent had those experiences, and thats important too. Fleming, who attended Lincoln Highs IB program and was involved for years with the Martin Luther King Youth Rally and March, loves history and wants to teach. She also wants to be an activist, an advocate for the issues she cares about and that will happen no matter where she gets a degree, she said. It feels more important than ever now. The pandemic, she said, has exposed all the issues the country has struggled with for years: the disparities between whites and people of color, the struggles of the poor. The essential workers during this pandemic, who are most often people of color, have always been essential, she said, just not valued. And its given her generation an opportunity. I think my generation has the responsibility to rebuild and make it better, she said. "I just think things need to be better than they are now. Im going to take that responsibility by the horns. Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSreist 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. Army chief General M M Naravane on Friday made a quiet trip to Leh, the headquarters of the 14 Corps in Ladakh, to take stock of the operational situation along the disputed Line of Actual Control amid rising tensions between India and China, sources said. The Army Chief's visits are usually well publicised by the Army but this time there has been no details or photographs that have been made public. Sources say Gen Naravane did not visit any forward areas but spent half a day speaking to Commanders at the 14 Corps HQ. He was accompanied by Northern Command Chief Lt Gen YK Joshi. The Army chiefs visit comes at a time when troops of both countries are involved in a face-off in at least 4 areas along the LAC in Ladakh. A day ago, New Delhi said China was hindering Indias normal patrolling patterns along the unresolved border, which has witnessed rival troop build-ups after violent clashes. Both India and China have pumped in additional troops, built fortifications and pitched tents at a few stretches along the LAC in three areas in eastern Ladakh, which include the northern bank of Pangong Tso, Demchok and Galwan Valley areas, after the violent clashes between the rival soldiers on May 5-6. Around 250 Indian and Chinese army personnel had clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in the Pangong Tso lake area in which soldiers on both sides sustained injuries. In a separate incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector on May 9. At least 10 soldiers from both sides sustained injuries. At least five rounds of talks between Indian and Chinese troops since then have failed to de-escalate tensions in Ladakh as the two sides have maintained aggressive posturing in the disputed border areas. There was very little chance of easing of tension anytime soon as both sides are aggressively holding onto their respective positions, government sources said. The PLA muscle flexing is in response to a 255 km Darbuk-Shyok-DBO road that India has built on its side of the border last year. It provides access to the Depsang area and Galwan Valley while ending near the Karakoram Pass. India has traditionally downplayed tensions along the LAC with China as "routine and temporary", one that occurs because of "differing perception of the LAC". But in a change of posture this week, the MEA said "Indian troops are fully familiar with the alignment of the LAC and abide by it scrupulously". The MEA statement went on to accuse the Chinese of hindering Indian troops while patrolling. The Chinese have been far less polite. Its state media has called this the "biggest escalation since Doklam" and warned that "if India exaggerates the friction, the Indian military will have to pay a heavy price for it." Global Times, the official mouth piece of the Chinese regime claims the border standoff is an attempt by the Indian government to deflect attention from its "poor handling of the Covid-19 pandemic". The reopening of schools is making headlines on several media discussions in Ghana today following governments letter to the teacher Unions soliciting their views on a roadmap to the reopening of schools. It is emphatic to note that three out of the four teacher unions made up of NAGRAT; GNAT and CCT vehemently opposed any attempt by the government to reopen schools immediately should the ban on social/public gathering be lifted at the end of May. This stand taken by these teacher unions have met a mixed reactions from the general public and other agencies operating within the educational sector. One popular personality who also joined the discourse on the reopening of schools is the good old Professor Emeritus Stephen Addei. This good old professor is reported to have suggested that teachers should be ready to accept 50% pay cut if they want to stay at home (I believe he thinks teachers enjoy staying at home). Recent utterances from this professor regarding teachers have made many to wonder whether old age or grey hair is synonymous with wisdom as found in the popular adage. But the big questions one needs to ask are whether we are ready and prepared for schools to reopen amid the increasing numbers of confirmed cases? Do we as a nation have what it takes to ensure the safety of teachers and students should schools reopen today? The answer to these two questions is a big no. To reopen schools now will mean government will have to provide both teachers and students with PPEs. This is something that looks highly impossible taking into consideration the number of students and teachers we have in Ghana. Even with the few health facilities we have, government finds it difficult providing them with adequate PPEs, we hear them complain day-in-day-out. Or you think parents can and will be willing to provide their wards with adequate PPEs to stay in school? To reopen schools now will mean all students, teaching and non-teaching staff including their families will have to be tested to ascertain their Covid-19 status. And this testing cannot just be done ones but on a regular basis. Is this something that government can afford? Even with the few contacts of confirmed cases that are been traced it takes several days to get results of samples taken. Also, conditions within the school setting will definitely not favor the observation of the WHO guidelines on curbing this pandemic. Classroom sizes are large in many school in Ghana talk less the situation in the dormitories in many boarding schools. How will a teacher explain to a KG or nursery pupil what social distancing is and let them understand why they should practice it? Will they (KG and nursery pupils) even be able to practice it if educated on it? There is a saying that prevention is better than cure. In as much as we will want to see our children back in school, we must hasten with care. We have perfect examples of countries that have ease restrictions and went ahead to open schools and recorded a spike in cases to learn from. Or we also want to put ourselves in the same condition. Its only a fool who doesnt learn from the mistakes of others. God helps those who help themselves. Lets remain focus and God will help us curb the spread of this virus. Schools can reopen at a later date and measures can be kept in place to cover the time lost. It is only when you have life that you can think of other things. Pius Doozie @Emerging Hope group Shipments cause a diplomatic standoff between Iran and Venezuela and the US as both nations are under US sanctions. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned on Saturday of retaliatory measures against the United States if Washington caused problems for tankers carrying Iranian fuel to Venezuela. A flotilla of five tankers carrying Iranian fuel for gasoline-starved Venezuela is approaching the Caribbean, with the first expected to reach the countrys waters on Sunday, according to Refinitiv Eikon tracking data. If our tankers in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world face trouble caused by the Americans, they [the US] will also be in trouble, Rouhani said in a telephone conversation with Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani , the semi-official news agency Mehr reported. Iran will never initiate a conflict, Rouhani said. We have always the legitimate right to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity and to serve our national interests, and we hope that the Americans will not commit an error. Iran is supplying about 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and alkylate to Venezuela, according to both governments, sources and calculations made by TankerTrackers.com based on the vessels draft levels. The shipments have caused a diplomatic standoff between Iran and Venezuela and the US as both nations are under US sanctions. Washington is considering measures in response, according to a senior US official, who did not elaborate on any options being weighed. The US recently beefed up its naval presence in the Caribbean for what it said was an expanded anti-drug operation. But a Pentagon spokesman, Jonathan Hoffman, said on Thursday he was not aware of any operations related to the Iranian cargoes. Venezuelas defence minister has said its military will escort the Iranian tankers once they reach the nations exclusive economic zone (EEZ). TankerTrackers.com estimated the lead vessel in the flotilla, the Fortune, would arrive in Venezuelas EEZ between 9pm and 11pm local time (01:00-03:00 GMT), according to time and speed calculations. Iran seized a British-flagged tanker in the Gulf last year after British forces detained an Iranian tanker off the territory of Gibraltar. Both vessels were released after a months-long standoff. Photo: RCMP Found remains discovered in a rural area of Quesnel on May 6 have been confirmed to be that of a man reported missing to local RCMP. Investigators from the BC RCMP North District Major Crime Unit, in partnership with the B.C. Coroners Service have now confirmed the remains are that of Louis Korkowski. Police say Korkowski was reported missing to the Quesnel RCMP on May 4 after possibly being abducted. Criminality is suspected in his death and investigators are continuing to seek information related to the two vehicles and Louis' whereabouts leading up to the discovery of his body. Particularly from May 4 at 7 p.m. to May 6, 2020. The Ford Explorer involved is described as: 2003, Green in colour BC license plate KF087R Dent in the passenger door Roof rack Black tinted windows Grey five prong rims Chrome body trim The Toyota Matrix involved is described as: 2007, Grey Black paint and peeling damage to roof Sticker residue on the passenger side door Both vehicles were last seen in the area of Sylvias Cafe, in the 5600-block of Nazko Highway, Quesnel just after 9:p.m. on May 4. S/Sgt. Todd Wiebe of the BC RCMP North District MCU states, We strongly believe there are people who have information and have not already spoken to us. If you have information which can assist in finding the person responsible for Louis' death, you are urged to call and speak to an investigator." If you have information related to Louis' death or the two vehicles, please contact the Quesnel RCMP at 250-992-9211. KYODO NEWS - May 23, 2020 - 22:26 | World, All, Coronavirus Gunmen believed to be separatist rebels on Saturday attacked two medical workers fighting the new coronavirus pandemic in Indonesia's restive province of Papua, killing one of them, police and military said. Col. Eko Daryanto, spokesman for Papua's Cendrawasih Military Regional Command, said the attack occurred around 1 p.m. when the workers, part of the province's task force for COVID-19 mitigation, were transporting medicine for infected patients in a remote village in Intan Jaya Regency. Papua Police spokesman Ahmad Musthofa Kamal said the injured worker, who heads the local public health community center, is in critical condition and being treated at a pastoral service center. The other medical worker was a civil servant at a local health agency, he added. Police and military personnel have been dispatched to the village to evacuate both of them. It is unclear who was behind the attack, but both the police and military believe the assailants might be members of the Free Papua Movement. The western half of New Guinea was taken over by Indonesia from Dutch colonialists in 1963 and incorporated into the country after a 1969 U.N.-sanctioned plebiscite. Since then, it has had a long-running separatist movement led by the Free Papua Movement, whose military wing is known as the West Papua National Liberation Army. Related coverage: Some Indonesian crew of virus-hit ship in Nagasaki to be sent home Q&A: Japan's coronavirus-related border controls Smoke from Indonesian fires may add to respiratory illness spike Indonesian ex-child soldiers' long journey to rediscover peace Being a husband, dad, and provider has put a lot of pressure on me. I am sure you are going through the same and probably even more than I will ever know. Fortunately, four days before my birthday in April 2020 I received a special surprise gift via email from the Africa Scholars Forum of UMass Boston. It stated that they wanted to recognize me for my community leadership efforts and invited me to give a keynote lecture at their eUbuntu African recognition event. To be honest, I was initially shocked by this recognition. Although I have occupied leadership roles and volunteered my services to the public through non-profit affiliations and so forth, I never really expected to receive such appreciation for genuine efforts. In fact, I had to let this invitation marinate in my mind for a bit. I then travelled down memory lane and realized that I have done a lot work behind the scenes for various African Diaspora nonprofits as a volunteer and by way of my entrepreneur journey as a Ghanaian-American. One not-for-profit, African Coalition (AC) in Massachusetts, USA, came to mind, which was the first I joined forces with after graduate school. On one random spring day of 2016 while at work, I engaged in a short and casual conversation with a fellow African co-worker who was putting together a list of names for an African social club. Without much hesitation, I wrote my name down. A couple of months later, I found myself registering AC as a nonprofit organization in June of 2016. Now, I never imagined that joining a social club to support a diverse group of fellow African co-workers morally, socially, and financially would have led me to be an active member doing administrative duties. For instance, in 2017, I took the lead to help this same nonprofit to obtain tax exempt status. I later decided to start my own small business that same year. I spent the rest of 2017 building an online business directory for African professionals, entrepreneurs, and companies worldwide. Towards the end of 2017, I took the lead to help begin the process of registering a staff placement agency for AC. In 2018, the not-for-profit organization was approved as a staff placement agency in Massachusetts. I later took the lead to build the Staff Agency for AC. I laid the foundation and established the structure from the ground up. I was determined to provide job opportunities for African immigrants and others. In 2018, I also took initiative to launch an online donation platform between USA and Ghana to solve global problems for women, children, elderly, and entrepreneurs. In addition, I took initiative to write articles about African businesses, culture, and philanthropy for online publications. Lastly, in 2019, I continued to facilitate online donations and publish articles. I reminded myself of all these efforts to scratch the surface of me leading by example, taking on initiative, as well as showcasing where my passion and purpose in life resides as an American of Ghanaian descent. There is more work that I have done and will continue to do behind the scenes for the African community worldwide. Thus, this alone sums up a decent compilation of endeavors that are deserving of some acknowledgement, especially for those who witnessed it all in real life. To be frank, I did not expect someone from the outside looking in to acknowledge my work. In this case, it happened to be an institution of higher learning. After more than 24 hours absorbing this unbelievable praise, I responded to the email and wrote; Thanks for the recognition, invitation, and great opportunity! A few days later I officially accepted my invite to do the keynote lecture and to receive my community engagement award, which ironically took place on my birthday, April 18th. On one hand I was grateful for the invite and on the other hand I was more grateful to be alive for another year, especially during COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, I must give thanks again to the African Scholars Forum at UMass Boston for recognizing my community engagement efforts and contributions to the African community locally and globally. I really appreciate it! I am truly honored and grateful, especially for the following post-keynote words of positive energy. Dear Tony, I wanted to thank you so very much for delivering such an inspirational keynote address to our graduates at our eUbuntu African recognition ceremony last Friday! Our graduates have informed me that they felt uplifted by the insights that you presented about your rich experience and background! What a journey!- #eUbuntu2020 ~KEYNOTE eUBUNTU 2020 MORE ABOUT THE AWARDEE Tony K Ansah, Jr., M.P.A. is a self-published author and a social entrepreneur based in Rhode Island, U.S.A. He has written and published several books and content via poems, quotes, fiction, non-fiction, blogs, and articles. His new book, Diary of a Ghanaian Diaspora Entrepreneur 3.0 can be found in text @ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0871PJN4C & audio @ http://www.audiofrica.com/set/12-d-g-d-e-progress-revolving-around-african-business-innovations. Tony has also received national & international recognition from Face2Face Africa, Modern Ghana, The African, Ghana News Online, SDG Philanthropy Platform and Alliance Magazine (just to name a few) for his articles about African business, culture, and philanthropy. Syracuse, N.Y. Onondaga County will begin testing some 480 jail inmates next week for Covid-19, one of the first efforts in New York state to test an entire county jail population for the novel coronavirus. County officials say they also will offer tests to more than 430 guards, medical personnel, food vendors and other staff who work at the two county lockups. Sheriff Gene Conway on Friday said there have been no confirmed Covid-19 cases among inmates or staff at either the Justice Center jail or Jamesville Correctional Facility. But Conway said its important to test all inmates and staff to identify any unseen infections and ward off an outbreak. All of us are (concerned) about not knowing where the exposures lie, Conway said. County Executive Ryan McMahon last week issued an executive order to test inmates in the two facilities. The tests will be conducted next week by NaphCare, the countys vendor for jail medical services. During the planning process, Conway said, he asked that deputies and corrections officers be included in the testing. McMahon confirmed Friday that staff will be tested. Testing is voluntary for inmates and staff. As of Friday, there were 330 inmates at the Justice Center jail in Syracuse and 152 at the county penitentiary in Jamesville, Conway said. County staff at the two facilities total about 430, with 180 at Jamesville and 250 associated with the Justice Center. Not all the staff have direct contact with inmates. In addition to county employees, there are contracted medical personnel, food vendors and others who work in the facilities, Conway said. Testing will be available to all, said Justin Sayles, speaking for the county executive. Conway, who participates in at least a couple conference calls each week with the states other sheriffs, said he is not aware of any other county that has conducted mass testing in jails. I believe we are, if not the first, one of the very first facilities to be testing inmates, he said. Like other so-called congregant settings, jails have been a focus of concern during the coronavirus pandemic because of the likelihood that an outbreak will spread once the virus enters a facility. Across New York, 16 state prison inmates and four prison staff members have died of Covid-19 as of May 21, according to the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Some 1,244 prison staff and 477 inmates have tested positive. Infections have varied widely by facility. Both Auburn and Cayuga correctional facilities had recorded zero cases among inmates as of May 20, for example. But two state prisons in the lower Hudson Valley have had big outbreaks. Fishkill Correctional Facility in Dutchess County had 85 cases and five deaths. Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Westchester County had 51 cases and four deaths. Conway said his staff has cleaned the jail and penitentiary aggressively in response to the pandemic, and all inmates and staff have been given masks. Inmates are not forced to wear the masks, he said. As far as the inmates, you can only really recommend, Conway said. Were not punishing anybody obviously for not wearing a mask, but were pointing out how important it is. Some inmates at Jamesville have begun making masks, he said. The prison has acquired about 10 sewing machines, and inmates thus far have made 300 to 400 masks for use at the facility. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources Destiny USA gearing up to reopen Can store owners require you to wear a face mask to enter? No in-person summer school in NY; too early for decision on fall, Cuomo says Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Tim Knauss is a public affairs reporter for syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Contact him anytime: email | twitter | | 315-470-3023 Marianne Parker picked up her older brother from St. Louis in early March for what she thought would be a short visit to her home. The 64-year-old retired educator and entrepreneur had spent months finding a new living and care situation for her nomadic brother, who suffered from dementia after a massive stroke last fall in Florida. Parkers plan included a long-term care facility near her home in Quincy, Illinois. Then the coronavirus pandemic changed everything. Bureaucratic delays and state lockdown orders kept the siblings confined to Parkers small house. And fears of COVID-19 had Parker contemplating keeping her brother, John Boyce, with her at home. But then, days apart in late April, Boyce suffered a sudden cognitive decline and Parker injured her back. Both were hospitalized, and doctors told Parker she had only one choice for her brothers care: a nursing home. It was an excruciating decision and it's even more excruciating with the restrictions of COVID-19, Parker said. Across the country, families like Parkers are struggling with what to do about long-term care for loved ones who need specialized attention. Months into the coronavirus pandemic have cemented the reality that nursing homes can be one of the most ripe and deadly settings for an outbreak. And what can already be a murky and frustrating web of healthcare choices, cost barriers and quality issues is now overlaid with a deepening fear and worry about safety. More than 16,000 residents and staff of long-term care facilities have died from COVID-19, according to data officials released earlier this month after mounting public pressure. Nursing home workers hold a vigil outside of the Downtown Brooklyn Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on May 21, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough in New York City. Nursing home workers are advocating for hazard pay, better access to personal protective equipment and respect from their employers, said a representative from the Healthcare Workers Union. The AARP told USA TODAY that as of this week, it has fielded direct inquiries from nearly 4,000 families since the pandemic began on what to do about long-term care, which it said is causing high anxiety. Virtual town halls on the topic have drawn more than 50,000 participants each. People are understandably very wary about how to provide long-term care for their loved ones that need it, or even for themselves, said Lori Smetanka, executive director of National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, a nonprofit advocacy organization. What we're seeing in nursing homes is really causing, frankly, all of us as a society to rethink what our long-term care system looks like. Story continues More than 1.3 million people live in nursing homes nationwide, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The country's long-term care system, patient advocates say, is too expensive for most people, limits choice and varies wildly in terms of quality. Within Americas fragmented health system, nursing homes also are used as rehabilitation centers for people who have had strokes or heart attacks or elective surgeries. Marjorie Moore is executive director of VOYCE, which implements a long-term care facility ombudsman program in the St. Louis metro area and northeast Missouri region up to the Iowa border. The organization covers more than 300 long-term care facilities. Moore said theres been an uptick in calls from confused families as the pandemic has unfolded. Some say their loved ones have been discharged improperly from hospitals or from facilities. In the early days of the pandemic, she said, people also pulled their relatives from facilities only to find out later that it was too overwhelming to care for them at home. Others still are seeking guidance about whether to put someone in a nursing home. We know that facilities are trying hard. We know that there are some bad actors in those facilities. We know that there's people that are overworked and tired, Moore said. People have always been afraid of putting a loved one in a nursing home, you know, and so that's not new. But I think the problems nursing homes have had for years were made more apparent to the public because of this pandemic. A sign posted near the entrance to the Kimberly Hall South nursing home shows the home closed to visitors, Thursday, May 14, 2020 in Windsor, Conn. Navigating long-term care options not easy, but there's help Parker got a crash course in navigating the long-term care system late last year once it was clear Boyce, 65, was permanently changed by the stroke. The family agonized what to do next. Parker and her brother had only sporadic contact in the past four decades. I mean, I really don't know this man. I think he's an interesting man. But it's not a brotherly thing, she said. It's just that, by gosh, a person essentially lost their brain overnight. Overnight. Completely lost their independence. And then it just seemed like the natural thing to do, that this person needs an advocate. But her brother was uninsured. And it was incumbent on the family to figure out how to pay for long-term care. The learning curve was steep. Parker didnt know Medicare didnt pay for nursing homes, and she had to figure out how to get her brother signed up for Medicaid. Marianne Parker and her brother John. who suffers dementia, celebrated his birthday in mid-March at a restaurant in Quincy, Illinois. Soon afterward, a coronavirus lockdown started, disrupting and altering the family's long-term care plan and ultimately resulting in John having to go to a nursing home in April. She wanted to put him somewhere that specialized in memory care, but those are often private-pay. Some places cost upwards of $20,000 a month. It didn't take long for me to come up with a theory that the really wealthy people in this country got together at a country club and decided, You know what? We're getting old. We're getting dementia. And we really don't want to go live with all these other people. We need to build places of our own so that we can live, you know, with it in the manner in which we're accustomed,' Parker said. And I don't really mean that sarcastically. Parker says she sometimes spent 10 hours a day trying to figure out options. She eventually found a long-term facility that specialized in memory care and recently started accepting low-income patients under Medicaid. It's just been a very, very long journey. It was literally a full-time job. Phone calls, interviews, going to Social Security, going to Medicare, going to Medicaid, being interviewed, seeing lawyers, she said. It shouldn't be this hard. And I don't say that on my behalf. It shouldn't be this hard for anyone to speak for the voiceless. Experts say it is hard, but there is help. Most families, when they're going through things, they tend to start going it alone because they don't realize that a lot of other folks have been there for them, said Bob Stephen, vice president of caregiving and health programs at AARP. So what should you do if you or someone you love needs long-term care during the pandemic? First, get connected to your local ombudsman program, which can often connect you to support groups and resources. The federal government mandates states have these programs and you can look up yours here. Next, gather information on the facilitys coronavirus plans and any cases theyve had. Not all states are releasing names of nursing homes with cases, but USA TODAY has created a searchable database of facilities that have been disclosed. Find out the level of personal protection equipment they have. Inquire about their testing regime. Ask about their staffing levels. Get an explanation of their communication plan during this pandemic. The most important step in all that we've looked at though is really to understand their (family members) medical needs, Stephen said. "Because then that allows you to start looking at what's capable in the different settings and what you're able to do. This is the part thats causing much of the turmoil right now, long-term care experts say, as families either scramble for resources or try to figure out the safest and best care. Elizabeth Clarkson (l) and her family were faced with the decision to move her recently widowed 77-year-old mother, Jean, who has dementia, from a long-term care facility in Illinois to one in Oregon during the COVID 19 crisis. Elizabeth Clarksons family found how difficult it was to find long-term care amid the outbreak after her stepfather died unexpectedly from a short illness in late February. Clarkson and the rest of her siblings were thousands of miles away in Portland, Oregon. Her mother lived in a private memory care nursing facility in her hometown of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, because of dementia. And I told my siblings, mom was not going to stay in Illinois alone, Clarkson said. And at this point, from what I remember, it was like we were just kind of hearing on the news that there was this disease in Wuhan or something. At the end of one visit in mid-March, the charge nurse told Clarkson that was the last day they were being allowed to visit. She cried at the nurses station. I mean, even the caregivers were scared, she said. It was devastating. Back in Portland, her family frantically made calls to dozens of facilities. They were able to tour a few of them before they, too, shut out visitors and in-person tours because of the pandemic. On March 19, Clarkson flew with her mom to Oregon. All the while, news headlines were getting scarier. Nursing homes across the country were having outbreaks. The family had another decision to make. Would they go through with a facility at all? Should they? They considered extreme solutions, including Clarkson quitting her job and moving into a new house altogether, one her mom could navigate. It felt like gambling, she said. And I am not a gambler. The family was also trying to reconcile the fact that their long-term care experience has not been bad. In fact, they felt like their mom had been improving in a facility. We knew she was going to take a cognitive hit with us with the transition moving across the country, leaving everything she knew to come out here, she said. Tensions were really high. It was really emotional. Because all of this is so dangerous. Clarksons mother ultimately moved into a studio at a private-pay private facility about 30 minutes from Portland. The facility has allowed one person from the family to be an unofficial part of their moms care team. But Clarkson had to follow strict rules to get inside. Mary Mack, right, a resident of senior housing, is tested for COVID-19 in Paterson, N.J., Friday, May 8, 2020. New York City is offering to test all nursing home residents and staffers for the coronavirus. She is first buzzed through a locked door. Shes given a mask and paperwork. They take her temperature. Once inside, she and her mom are confined to her room, although they recently got to see some of her new neighbors when the facility hosted hallway bingo, where residents played bingo from their doors as a staff member walked the hallways calling out numbers. Its unclear when and if other families will get such access. For many, access to family members in long-term facilities has ranged from window visits to video and phone calls to nothing at all. Guidelines for reopening nursing homes includes latitude On Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued guidance for relaxing nursing home restrictions. It encouraged facilities to take into account infection rates, staffing, PPE and testing, but ultimately left it to states to work with facilities. Stephen, of AARP, said the scrutiny on nursing homes is causing many people to seek out other options if they can. But things arent necessarily booming in the home health care industry either. It's kind of a mixed bag, said Bill Dombi, president of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice. Theres increased demand from people who may not want to be in facilities, Dombi said, but a decrease from those who may have used home health care following elective surgeries, which were paused for several weeks. For Parker, whose brother is in the Illinois nursing home now, the path forward is uncertain. The nursing home staff is nice, she said, but she worries her brother is declining. The family hopes to transfer him to the permanent facility that specializes in memory on June 1. And then one day she hopes to take her brother to the new aquarium in St. Louis, like she promised him a couple months ago. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nursing homes are taking new patients as coronavirus cases soar The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared South America a new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic while US President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on local governments to speed up the reopening of the reeling American economy. Surges in infections across much of Central and South America have driven the global case count to nearly 5.3 million, with more than 340,000 deaths, even as Europe and the US cautiously move into a recovery phase. The death toll in Brazil has soared past 20,000, and with 310,000 reported cases, it has the third-biggest caseload in the world behind the US and Russia. South America has become a new epicentre for the disease, WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan said on Friday. Weve seen many South American countries with increasing numbers of cases... but certainly the most affected is Brazil at this point. Infections rose and ICUs were swamped in Mexico, Peru, Chile and Ecuador, countries lauded for imposing early shutdowns. Mexico passed 6,000 deaths on Wednesday. It recently reported more than 400 deaths a day. In Chile, more than 90% of intensive care beds were full last week in Santiago, where the main cemetery dug 1,000 graves to prepare for a wave of deaths. Peru has 2.5 intensive care beds per 100,000 people, one quarter of the global standard. Brazilians, meanwhile, got a shocking look at an expletive-laced meeting between President Jair Bolsonaro and his cabinet when a judge released a video at the centre of an investigation targeting the countrys leader. The video includes Bolsonaro using profanity to insult governors. In Washington, Trump ramped up pressure on local governments, saying, The governors need to allow these essential places of faith to open right now. If they dont do it, I will override the governors. In America, we need more prayer, not less. Russia, meanwhile, has so far recorded 3,249 deaths - with a caseload of more 325,000 infections, second only to the US. Meanwhile, Spains PM Pedro Sanchez has announced that overseas visitors can return to the country from July. Bob Barrnett, PWs Rep of the Year for 2020, never intended to pursue a career in the book business. The Fort Worth, Tex., native fell into it after graduating with a degree in natural sciences from Steven F. Austin University. I thought I was going to spend my life in a lab, Barnett says from his home in Louisville, Ky. But when he graduated in 1981, the country was in a recession, the job market was terrible for new graduates, and Barnett needed some money. I grew up in a trailer park, and my dad was a mechanic for Pontiac, so a bookstore never really crossed my mind. But Id been out of college about six weeks when a friend who was going off to grad school said, Hey, you can have my bookstore job. So I jumped into it. Nearly four decades later, Barnett is still in the business of selling books, today serving as sales manager for the University of Texas Press. This year marks Barnetts 25th anniversary as a repa career he fell into much the same way as he fell into bookselling. A bookseller first The first store where Barnett worked was J. North Bookseller in Fort Worth, he then moved on to Fort Worth Books & Video, and later to Garner & Smith in Austin. In 1991, when he was managing the books section of the University Co-op at the University of Texas in Austin, the American Booksellers Association put out a call for applicants for the Charles Haslam Scholarship for Young Booksellers. The prize was a paid trip to the International Congress of Young Booksellers, which was held that year in Canada, as well as to the ABA convention in New York City. Barnett applied, writing an essay on the topic of how independent bookstores could compete with the big-box superstores that were emerging at the time. I recently went back and dug up that essay, he notes. It says exactly the same things that you have been hearing for all these years now: stay connected to your local community, have a strong identity, curate your title selection. Barnett won the scholarship. As part of the prize, I spoke at an authors breakfast at the ABA convention, where I shared the stage with Alice Walker, Jeffery Archer, and Mary Gay Shipley, owner of That Bookstore in Blytheville [Ark.], 1991s PW Bookseller of the Year, he says. But that wasnt the important part: in the audience was Mark Brumberg, who later that year offered me the job to manage the Globe, his wonderful indie bookstore in Northampton [Mass.]. At the Globe, Barnett met Mark Saundersthe late University of Virginia Press director. Mark was then my rep for Columbia University Press, and we really hit it off, he says, bonding over Tex-Mex and Shiner Bockwhich were hard to find in New England. When he became sales director at Columbia, he asked me to join him and become the Southern sales rep for the press. But I was reluctant: I was at the top of my game at this really cool indie that was doing really interesting stuff. I still had kind of a Willy Loman viewpoint about sales reps, which I saw as lonely traveling salesman. What changed Barnetts mind was Saunderss pitch: He told me, Just as a bookseller handsells to their customers, a rep handsells to bookstores. Youre doing the same work, just doing it at a different part of the chain. Ive thought of it that way ever since. Becoming a rep Barnett and Saunders remained close until Saunderss death last year at age 52. I cant tell you how big a gap the absence of Mark has left in my life, Barnett says, adding that the relationship changed the trajectory of his career. He moved to Washington, D.C., in 1994 for the Columbia job, where his first sales call was with Carla Cohen, the late co-owner of Politics and Prose. Mark knew her and softened her up in advance for me, he recalls. I have been a rep ever since. After Columbia, Barnett went to W.W. Norton, where he would form two more of the most important relationships of his life. The first was with his boss, longtime Norton v-p and trade sales director William Rusin, whom Barnett credits with teaching him how New York trade publishing worked and what their priorities were. The second was with Johanna Hynes, now manager of field sales for Ingrama fellow rep who got hired on the same day, whom he later married. Norton was followed by an invitation to start the U.S. sales force of Phaidon, from which Barnett moved on to a succession of other jobs, repping for Continuum, Cambridge University Press, the History Press, and now University of Texas Press. In addition, he now also reps for Bloomsbury Academic, MIT Press, University of Iowa Press, the University Press of Kentucky, and West Virginia University Press. For the majority of this time his territory has encompassed the mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, and, predominantly, the South. Barnett says that selling in the South was a boon to his career. When he started at Columbia, Saunders handed him a dot-matrix printout with some 300 storesmost of which had never seen a rep beforeand the keys to an aging Honda Civic, then wished him well. The early period in my career, when I was a bookseller in Texas, was the same period of time when BookStop opened and Crown opened, Barnett says. And both of those were big-box discounters, so we caught that early. But when I became a rep, the South was still relatively untouched by national bookstore chains, largely because Barnes & Noble had not really expanded there. And there were still some really big stores in the territory too. For example, you could spend 10 days in the Atlanta metro area going to storesCharis was around then, Emory had a storeand there were two mini-chains, Oxford Books and Chapter 11. Adapting to change When I first began in 1994, the impact of the accelerated growth of the superstore chains was just beginning, and the ecosystem of bookstores was diverse, Barnett says. Fifteen years later, the landscape was altered. Borders closed. The Great Recession arrived. Digital books were introduced, and online shopping became commonplace. Regional chains collapsed and independent stores struggled to retain their place in the industry. Sales forces were reduced, many becoming increasingly reliant on email and telephones instead of in-store visits. Barnett says that today, reps face competition from digital catalogue tools, such as Edelweiss, which have made it more convenient for booksellers to get information and put together lists of books to order. Unfortunately, he adds, the digital tools, some of which make predictions about books that should sell based on algorithms and prior sales data, are cold, blunt tools that do not account for the insight that firsthand knowledge of a store brings. The upside of all this, Barnett says, is buyers have become more adept at data input and analysis. But the results are not always satisfying, and bookstores risk becoming defined less by their buyers choices and more by publishers marketing strategies. Relationships still matter a great deal, however. Ive known Bob Barnett for all 25 years of his career as a rep, says Mitchell Kaplan, owner of Books & Books in Coral Gables, Fla., one of nearly a dozen booksellers who supported Barnetts nomination for Rep of the Year. Ive not met anyone more knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and committed to the books and bookstores he or she represents and services. He truly understands the power of indie and university presses and has turned me on to some of our bestselling titles that I wouldnt have come across but for Bob knowing me and my store so well. Looking ahead, Barnett says the challenge facing reps is how to keep offering a high level of service to bookstores when their doors are closed. I think the fact I know what stores and their communities were like pre-pandemic will help in a post-pandemic worldone where your ability to travel or visit a store in person will be limited, he notes. There has to be value in having that prior knowledge. All this means that though the job may change, the fundamentals remain the same. According to Barnett, success as a rep still demands informed and trustworthy conversation, especially when it comes to working with independent booksellers. More data or smarter analysis is not the only answer, he says. Expensive marketing strategies are out of the question and reap mixed results. The best answer will be the opportunity for someone to start a conversation with a bookseller about books, make a connection, and work together to grow their success. A successful transaction is always simple, and when it comes to introducing new titles to booksellers, Barnett says, it can often be modest: I think this book fits your store. And, if the bookseller agrees, a satisfactory reply will be, Okay, lets start with two copies. Rep of the Year judges: Hilary and Mike Gustafson, Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Melinda Powers, Bookshop Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, Calif.; Doug Robinson, Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur, Ga.; Nicole Sullivan, BookBar in Denver; Suzy Takacs, the Book Cellar in Chicago; and Meg Wasmer, Copper Dog Books in Beverly, Mass. Attention! PW Awards Ceremonies Go Virtual With the cancellation of this years in-person BookExpo, PWs 2020 awards will be given out virtually. The 2020 Bookstore of the Year award ceremony will be held on June 11 following ABAs town hall, which takes place during the New England Independent Booksellers Associations virtual Spring Forum (June 1011). The 2020 Rep of the Year award will be given at the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliances virtual Discovery Show (Sept. 1113). More than 7500 people in Sremanu, Tsivakorpe, Kukorme, Zemu, and Adeheta mostly peasant farming communities in the Akatsi South constituency in the Volta Region are all praising THE SKY IS MY LIMIT, an (NGO) for assisting them with a mechanized borehole. The Country Director, Mr. Michael Nyahe reiterated to community members the need to work in unity so these projects could benefit them and the generations to come."Some few months ago, I came and saw the water problems faced by the people in Sremanu upon a request made by then Assemblymember Aspirant of the Area, Mr. Japhet Festus Gbede, and the other villages and we came forward to assist them. I hope the communities will take very good care of the projects so that they can have long-term benefits from it.",Mr. Nyahe added."When we didn't have the borehole, people used to depend on stagnant well water, which was not safe. We had a borehole before but it was badly damaged last two years. "However, our prayers were answered when we raised our concerns in the Media earlier this year and within 4 months the project was completed. More than 1500 residents are receiving water from each of the mechanized boreholes provided by the Brain Mosko led"THE SKY IS MY LIMIT". Mr. Michael Nyahe, THE SKY IS MY LIMIT Country Director who commissioned the projects on Wednesday, stressed that it will replace the hitherto contaminated wells, and save women and children the long distances they trek daily for unclean and unsafe drinking water.Mr. Japhet Festus Gbede, the Sremanu development committee Secretary also said assistance from the SKY IS MY LIMIT was a timely one and they were grateful to the Organization. Mr. Japhet commended the overload of Avenor Traditional council, Togbuigah Doglo Anumah(IV) for seeing the goodness in Mr. Brain Mosko, the International Director of THE SKY IS THE LIMIT. Togbuigah Doglo Anumah (IV) the Paramount chief of Avenor Traditional Council enstooled Mr. Brain Mosko, the International Director of THE SKY IS THE LIMIT as Torgbui Agamah Dormenyo(I) and made him a member of Avenor Traditional Council. In an Interview, Mr.Japhet Festus Gbede commended the work of THE SKY IS MY LIMIT in the country, which he noted had complemented the governments efforts of improving lives and stressed that the Assembly was finding it difficult to meet all the needs of the people. Mr. Japhet Festus Gbede added that the borehole would help reduce health issues associated with drinking unclean water and also save time and resources involved searching for water in communities, kilometres away. The Regent of Sremanu communities, Torgbui Logah seized the opportunity to Thank Mr. Francis Teku, the Engineer who supervised the projects until completion. He uses the opportunity to ask the Good Lord to bless Mr. Brain Mosko, Donors, and fundraisers. He said the Sremanu community doors were opened to all development partners, and appealed to the SKY IS THE LIMIT to help develop economic empowerment programmes that would enable women in his community to take good care of their families. Premier Jason Kenney says changes are coming to Alberta's immigration practices as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Although the government won't yet release details, the premier said the province can accommodate fewer newcomers as a result of global travel restrictions and Alberta's economic crisis. He made the comments during a Facebook live video question and answer session on Wednesday night. He said the government will push Alberta employers to "do everything they possibly can to look within Alberta to the huge and growing number of unemployed people" when hiring. A formal policy announcement should come within weeks, a government spokesperson said Thursday. However, immigration lawyers cautioned any rapid changes to immigration rules could have unintended consequences. Although business prospects are rough right now, Calgary lawyer Evelyn Ackah said they will bounce back. When they do, they're going to need immigrants to do the jobs Canadians just won't do, she said. Few Canadians apply for jobs in slaughterhouses or at fast-food restaurants, lawyers say. Submitted by Evelyn Ackah Ackah said as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, prospective immigrants are contacting her from China and India. They're interested in buying and running businesses in Canada. Those job creators are who the province should be attracting, she said. "Quick changes, boom boom boom, they have long repercussions and it takes a long time to resolve, and so, I really want to not let this crisis change the direction and the trajectory of immigration's process," she said. Limited provincial control With immigration being federal jurisdiction, there are limited steps Alberta's government could take to curtail newcomers, said Megan Dawson, a partner at McCuaig Durocher in Edmonton. The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program allows the provincial government to select immigrants who are already working temporarily in Alberta to apply for permanent resident status if their skills and education fill an economic need in the province. Story continues It's a joint program with the federal and provincial government. In 2019, the province sponsored 6,000 immigrants through the program. From January 2015 to March 2020, nearly 50,000 people came to Alberta through the program, said Adrienne South, press secretary to the minister of labour and immigration. The nominated immigrants are a fraction of the more than 232,000 people who became Canadian permanent residents during the same time period and intended to live in Alberta. The federal government controls the admission of temporary foreign workers, refugees and other express entry newcomers, Dawson said. Employers must often recruit workers with specialized knowledge and skills when people with the right training can't be found in the province, she said. Those economic immigrants often train Albertans and help companies create new jobs for locals, she said. Alberta has a list of workers it doesn't need, including teachers, actors, athletes and real estate agents. Dawson said the province could potentially expand that list of categories. "There already are safeguards in place to show, that we did our best to hire Canadians for this job first," she said. "I think the ramifications could be potentially unintended or unexpected in a negative sense for some Alberta businesses if they're not able to staff their business with foreign workers." Pandemic slowed immigration process Although the provincial immigrant nominee is still accepting applications, the lawyers say the pandemic has made the bureaucracy of immigration more difficult. Ackah said some temporary workers in the midst of applying for permanent residency have been laid off, which could affect their eligibility. Government programs have been accommodating and allowed extensions while applicants seek jobs in their fields, she said. Other people ready to come to Canada can't find flights or cross borders due to travel restrictions. Dawson said offices that process visas and collect biometric data, such as fingerprints, are also closed. "There's essentially a large pause button on people trying," she said. According to Statistics Canada, the proportion of Alberta's population consisting of immigrants more than doubled between 2001 and 2016. During the last census in 2016, nearly 24 per cent of people living in Alberta were immigrants. MOSCOW The strongman leader of Chechnya, a close ally of President Vladimir V. Putin, is hospitalized with possible symptoms of the coronavirus, state-run news agencies say. A spokesman suggests he is just keeping a low profile because he is thinking. Uncertainty over the health of the leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, has broad implications, coming just as the virus is shaking the volatile and predominantly Muslim Caucasus region of southern Russia. Even Chechnyas very status as part of Russia at issue in two wars in the post-Soviet era revolves in no small part on the close ties between Mr. Kadyrov and Mr. Putin. This entire system depends on the personal relationship between Putin and Kadyrov, said Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, a specialist on human rights in the region, who is based in St. Petersburg. It cant be easily passed on. With nearly $19 billion of debt and roughly 38,000 employees worldwide as of the end of 2019, Hertz is among the largest companies to be undone by the pandemic. The public health crisis has also caused a cascade of bankruptcies or Chapter 11 preparations among companies dependent on consumer demand, including retailers, restaurants and oil and gas firms. The firm, whose largest shareholder is billionaire investor Carl Icahn , is reeling from government orders restricting travel and requiring citizens to remain home. A large portion of Hertz's revenue comes from car rentals at airports, which have all but evaporated as potential customers eschew plane travel. Hertz said in a U.S. court filing on Friday that it voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 reorganization. Its international operating regions including Europe, Australia and New Zealand were not included in the U.S. proceedings. The more than a century old car rental firm Hertz Global Holdings filed for bankruptcy protection on Friday after its business all but vanished during the coronavirus pandemic and talks with creditors failed to result in needed relief. U.S. airlines have so far avoided similar fates after receiving billions of dollars in government aid, an avenue Hertz has explored without success. The Estero, Florida-based company, which operates Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty car-rentals, had been in talks with creditors after skipping significant car-lease payments due in April. Forbearance and waiver agreements on the missed payments were set to expire on May 22. Hertz has about $1 billion of cash. The size of Hertz's lease obligations have increased as the value of vehicles declined because of the pandemic. In an attempt to appease creditors holding asset-backed securities that finance its fleet of more than 500,000 vehicles, Hertz has proposed selling more than 30,000 cars a month through the end of the year in an effort to raise around $5 billion, a person familiar with the matter said. On May 16, the board appointed executive Paul Stone to replace Kathryn Marinello as CEO. Hertz earlier laid off about 10,000 employees and said there was substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Hertz's woes are compounded by the complexity of its balance sheet, which includes more than $14 billion of securitized debt. The proceeds from those securities finance purchases of vehicles that are then leased to Hertz in exchange for monthly payments that have risen as the value of cars fall. Hertz also has traditional credit lines, loans and bonds with conditions that can trigger defaults based on missing those lease payments or failing to meet other conditions, such as delivering a timely operating budget and reimbursing funds it has borrowed. Hertz earlier signaled it could avoid bankruptcy if it received relief from creditors or financial aid the company and its competitors have sought from the U.S. government. The U.S. Treasury has started assisting companies as part of an unprecedented $2.3 trillion relief package passed by Congress and signed into law. A trade group representing Hertz, the American Car Rental Association, has asked Congress to do more for the industry by expanding coronavirus relief efforts and advancing new legislation targeting tourism-related businesses. Even before the pandemic, Hertz and its peers were under financial pressure as travelers shifted to ride-hailing services such as Uber. To combat Uber, Hertz had adopted a turnaround plan, aiming to modernize its smartphone apps and improve management of its fleet of rental cars. Hertz traces its roots to 1918, when Walter Jacobs, then a pioneer of renting cars, founded a company allowing customers to temporarily drive one of a dozen Ford Motor Model Ts, according to the company's website. 23.05.2020 LISTEN The President of Freedom Movement and the CEO of Kwarleyz Group, Freedom Jacob Caesar popularly known as Nana Kwame Bediako has paid a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam, His Eminence Sheik Osman Nuhu Sharabutu at his residence in Accra, as a gesture in recognition of the significance of the last ten days of Ramadan. During the last ten days of Ramadan, Muslims around the world seek to observe Laylat Al Qadr (The Night of Power). Muslims also get ready for Eid Al Fitr. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said Laylat Al Qadr occurs during the last ten days of Ramadan, but it is highly speculated that it is either on the 26th or 27th night of Ramadan. What makes Laylat Al Qadr special is that it is supposed to be the night when the Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). This night also has an entire surah (chapter) dedicated to it in the Quran. He also commended His Eminence Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharabutu for being an epitome of peace through his leadership and proactive steps to resolve major conflicts in the country. The revered National Chief Imam, who recently turned 101, on his part, expressed gratitude for the gesture from Nana Kwame Bediako and his team for the good works towards the fight against COVID-19 following which he said special prayers for him and his team as well as the rest of the nation. He finally donated an undisclosed amount of money, as well as several bags of rice, boxes of tin tomatoes, liquid soaps, etc to chief imam as support towards the celebration of this festival. According to the Chief Imam, Islamic Religion recognizes multi diversity and the complementary role each group plays in ensuring peace in the country. He also stated that Allah has favoured Ghana as a country. The Chief Imam expressed his willingness to support Nana's mission 'creating a New Africa by adding value and stability to local communities'. A man from Florida was prosecuted for a federal terrorism charge. He was coughing on and spitting at police officers and he claimed he is infected with COVID-19 according to the report. Based on court records, a Tampa federal grand jury, on Wednesday, returned an accusation, charging 31-year-old James Jamal Curry, with "perpetrating a biological weapon hoax." The same records stated that Curry had also been indicted last month, by criminal complaint. He reportedly faces five-year federal imprisonment if sentenced. Samuel Landes, the suspect's lawyer stated via an email that prosecutors are extending a law intended for terrorists to conceal an ordinary encounter with police. He added that "the United States Attorney's stance in this case" would turn each of the now over 5.2 million COVID-19 patients "in possession" of a so-called biological weapon. Responding to a Domestic Violence Call The court documents indicated that police officers at St. Petersburg responded on a call specifically regarding domestic violence involving the suspect on March 27. During his arrest, according to the police, Curry declared he had COVID-19 then, he coughed on the arm of an officer. The next day, Curry bailed out of jail. Later on, police were again called to the same location where they had arrested the suspect the day before. And, on his second arrest, he spitted multiple times, on an officer, the prosecutors said, "hitting the inner part of his mouth with blood-filled saliva." For the second time, Curry claimed he had COVID-19, laughed, and declared that he was spreading the infection all over places. Meanwhile, the authorities had obtained a warrant for the suspect's tests for the virus and the result turned out to be negative. Serious Offense While intentionally spitting in public, not to mention, on others, has been regarded as criminal, retribution for such violations, according to law, "will be far more radical because of the threats now postured from the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. Essentially, in late April, Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen sent the federal law enforcement agencies and the US attorneys a memorandum advising the officials of the Department of Justice to consider indicting specific "purposeful infection or exposure of those with COVID-19" under statutes that are federal-related. This, reportedly resulted from intelligence which the FBI gathered, indicating "racist extremist group" which include the neo-Nazis, were reportedly urging members who are infected with COVID-19 to spread the virus to Jews and cops. In an alert obtained by a News outlet, the FBI's New York office reports that "members of extremist groups are encouraging one another to spread the virus, if contracted, through bodily fluids and personal interactions." In late-March, according to reports, the FBI 's New York office alerted and told the local police departments that extremists want their members to try using spray bottles "to spread bodily fluids to police on the street." It was also reported that the extremists directed their members to spread the virus to Jews by going to any place they may have an assembly such as the places of worship, political offices, and markets, among others. The FBI declined to give any comment on the said alert. However, it issued an official statement saying the bureau's field offices had routinely shared information with their respective law enforcement partners to assist in the protection of the communities they are serving. Check these out! Scotch whisky is one of the UKs largest export sectors, but the coronavirus pandemic has spiked it to such an extent that 87 per cent of distilleries in Scotland have either closed entirely or are operating at reduced capacity many producing hand sanitisers in bulk. There are currently 133 Scotch whisky distilleries operating in Scotland, shipping 1.3 billion bottles to 175 markets around the world, including India. The industry contributes over 5 billion to the UK economy, but the figures are set to be more sober in the current year. According to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), the industry has significantly scaled-back operations to protect the safety of workforce during the pandemic. Many have switched to producing hand sanitisers and ethanol to support health services. All sites that continue to operate have strict social distancing in place to protect employees87% of production sites are either operating at reduced capacity or have closed entirely, the SWA says in its latest analysis of the industry. Latest estimates show that a number of companies are either manufacturing hand sanitiser on-site or providing high strength ethanol to other manufacturers, amounting to 14.1 million litres enough to make around 56 million bottles of hand sanitisers. The outlook for our sector, as for many others, is uncertain. The collapse of global hospitality, tourism and travel retail sectors is a very real concern and this year we are likely to experience a significant downturn in exports, the SWA adds. The SWA has long been campaigning for improved market access to India, where Scotch whisky is estimated to account for barely 1% of its 300 million-case market. India imposes 150% tariff, besides other levies by state governments. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has often remarked that Scotch whisky would be one of the top items in talks on a free trade agreement with India after Brexit. In 2019, Scotch whisky exports to India were worth 166 million (19.7% rise on 2018 figures) based on shipping 131 million bottles (16.1% rise on 2018). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bihar police on Friday arrested two migrant labourers for allegedly gang raping an 18-year-old girl with five other locals of Jogani village of Rohtas district. The two migrants had been staying at a village school which had been turned into a quarantine centre in the village which is about 150 km southeast of the capital Patna. A case for rape, assault and rioting under Sections 376, 354 a, b and c of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the two migrants, Chanchal Yadav and Suresh Kumar Yadav, and village youths identified as Arvind Yadav, Vijay Yadav, Mukesh Yadav, Amit Yadav and Chullli Paswan on the basis of the victims statement on Thursday. Chanchal and Suresh were arrested from the quarantine centre on Friday and raids were on to arrest the other accused, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Bikramganj, Raj Kumar said. The girl was sent to Sasaram sadar hospital for medical examination and age determination test and reports are awaited, the SDPO said. The incident occurred on Wednesday night when the victim had gone out of her home. Arvind Yadav had threatened the girl at knife point if she raised an alarm, following which he called the two migrants and other village residents. According to the victims statement to the police, they also took pictures and recorded the crime on video and threatened her of posting it on social media if she informed her family about the incident. Police did not say how the two migrants managed to leave the quarantine centre. The current Coronavirus pandemic has forced a lot of countries to opt for a complete lockdown. For those who are liking this time in self-quarantine and isolation, NASA has the perfect job. The US space agency, NASA is seeking candidates for a social isolation study that will help in future missions to Mars and space. Also Read | Elon Musk Lauds 'incredible Work' By NASA & SpaceX For Demo-2 Mission Astronauts experience different aspects of social isolation and confinement during their space missions. Researchers at NASA are working to learn more about the physical and psychological impact of confinement and isolation on humans. The selected applicants will spend eight months in isolation with a small international crew in Moscow, Russia. The aim of this mission by NASA is to help them prepare in their future expeditions to moon and Mars. Also Read | NASA Gives Go-ahead For SpaceX's Historic Crewed Mission To The ISS Next Week The participants will be in isolation where fake mars will be created to study the effect of condition and environment at Mars on humans. The selected applicants will experience environmental aspects similar to that on Mars on this fake Mars mission. Participants will be paid for their time on fake Mars by NASA at different levels. The level of payment will depend upon if the applicant is associated with NASA or not. The employment status at NASA will also be a major deciding factor in the compensation paid to the applicant. The upcoming study of this fake Mars mission by NASA will be building on a previous four-month study that was conducted last year. Also Read | NASA Scientists Claim There Is No Proof Of A Parallel Universe Also Read | NASA Invites People To Join Celebrating Historic Launch America Space Flight, Virtually How to apply on this fake Mars mission at NASA This might sound like one of the most interesting jobs but there are some requirements for an eligible candidate. The primary criteria for application are that the willing candidate should be willing to spend eight months in isolation. Apart from that, there are other requirements too. Here are the detailed requirements for the fake Mars mission by NASA. The candidate applying for this mission should be holding US citizenship. The candidate should be aged 30 to 55 years of age. The candidate should be proficient in both, Russian and English language. The educational and work experience required are as follows: M.S., PhD., M.D. or completion of military officer training. Participants with a Bachelors degree and other certain qualifications (e.g., relevant additional education, military, or professional experience) may be acceptable candidates as well. The candidates are advised to check the official website of NASA to check for latest updates and news regarding the mission. See the official announcement by NASA here Update 27 May: Suzie Burnett has been located safe and well, gardai have said. Gardai have thanked the public their assistance. RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil became the world No. 2 hotspot for coronavirus cases on Friday, second only to the United States, after it confirmed that 330,890 people had been infected by the virus, overtaking Russia, the Health Ministry said. Brazil registered 1,001 daily coronavirus deaths on Friday, taking total deaths to 21,048, according to the Health Ministry. In Sao Paulo, the worst hit city, aerial video showed rows of open plots at the Formosa Cemetery as it rushed to keep up with demand. Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has been widely criticized for his handling of the outbreak and is at the center too of a deepening political crisis. The former army captain has seen his poll ratings drop, hurt by his opposition to social distancing measures, support of the unproven remedy chloroquine, and tussles with experienced public health officials. The true number of cases and deaths is likely higher than the figures suggest, as Latin America's top economy has been slow to ramp up testing. The outbreak is accelerating. On Monday, Brazil overtook Britain to become the country with the third highest number of infections. It surpassed Russia on Friday, but is unlikely to pass the United States soon. The world's No 1 economy has more than 1.5 million cases. Since the outbreak began, Bolsonaro has lost two health ministers, after pressuring them to promote the early use of anti-malarial drugs like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. Several high-profile public health experts have also left. Many have been replaced by soldiers. On Wednesday, Interim Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello, an active-duty army general, authorized new guidelines for the wider use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in mild cases. (Reporting by Pedro Fonseca; Writing by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Chris Reese and Rosalba O'Brien) COVID-19 cases in Colorados corrections system have shot up in recent weeks, putting the rate of infections inside prisons, jails and halfway houses far above the rate for all other Coloradans while a previously unreleased state report predicts the virus will cause hundreds of deaths in Colorado prisons. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Sporting an orange shirt and striped pants issued by the Los Alamos County Detention Center, Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan was arraigned and released from custody Friday, after being arrested the day prior for failing to comply with a search warrant. Espanola police and Taos County deputies arrested Lujan when he refused to unlock a cellphone officers believe was used while Lujan obstructed an active SWAT standoff in March. The arraignment was moved to Los Alamos after both magistrate judges in Rio Arriba County recused themselves. Los Alamos Magistrate Court Judge Pat Casados said Lujan would be released on his own recognizance. Under his conditions for release, Lujan is not allowed to possess a firearm, consume any alcoholic beverage or enter a liquor establishment. However, Lujan and his attorney Nathaniel Thompkins said the sheriff would need his gun while still working as the head law enforcement official in Rio Arriba. I understand that you are an officer, Casados said. It does worry me, but Im going to put that you can have a weapon only at work. Casados also said Lujan could enter a liquor establishment if required to do so while working as a law enforcement official. Ninth Judicial District Attorney Andrea Reeb, who will prosecute Lujan in a separate obstruction case in district court, said she was not surprised that Lujan was allowed to keep his firearm, but that most police officers would have been put on administrative leave and had their gun confiscated. She also said its unclear exactly when Lujan would be off duty, since many sheriffs are on-call at all hours. State Attorney General Hector Balderas appointed Reeb to prosecute the case against Lujan after 1st Judicial District Attorney Marco Serna recused himself. Balderas also granted Reeb the authority to prosecute any charges stemming from Thursdays arrest. Reeb said she will file to combine the charges, meaning Lujan will face three charges of resisting and obstructing officers. So far, five of the eight judges in the 1st Judicial District Court have recused themselves from overseeing Lujans case. As of Friday, Judge Bryan Biedscheid is the assigned judge. Montreal, with a metropolitan population of 4 million some 40 miles from the U.S. border, is the epicenter of Canadas outbreak, with more than one-quarter of the countrys cases. Matthew Oughton, an infectious diseases specialist at the citys Jewish General Hospital, said the viruss unfortunate predilection for the vulnerable people in our social fabric has played a role. The city has some of Canadas poorest neighborhoods. Cllr Bernard Moynihan and Eileen Ankettell help Mayor Ian Doyle with his shopping at the Boherbue Co-Op Super Valu on Monday CORK County Mayor Ian Doyle visited Duhallow on Monday to pay tribute to volunteers, front line workers, and staff in shops for their outstanding services to their local communities during the pandemic. The whistle stop tour was organised by Councillor Bernard Moynihan, who said it was great that the mayor acknowledged the input of people who kept vital services afloat during these difficult times. Speaking to The Corkman, Mayor Ian Doyle said that the focus of his trip around the county was to congratulate the fantastic people who from the start of this crisis have been on the front line. "This is Volunteer Week and in line with Cork County Council's Covid-19 Community Response Programme, all these people have done tremendous work, the Gardai, HSE personnel, volunteers, carers, staff in shops and many more people in various other fields" the mayor said. His first port of call was to Kanturk Community Hospital where he met Director of Nursing Ber O'Leary and staff. He praised them for their outstanding care of residents at the hospital, and especially in recent months. Then it was on to IRD Duhallow where he visited the Community Laundry and the Furniture Revamp Department where workers have been producing PPE masks for frontline workers. The mayor complemented the hard work and flexibility of the staff in responding to increased demand arising from the Covid-19 restrictions. Laundry Supervisor Anita Castle told him that, in addition to their usual customers, they have seen further demand from family carers and the elderly after home helps were stood down and people were at home more with their dependents. Mary Wallace, Chair of IRD Duhallow Social Enterprise Group, told the Mayor that the demand for the collection and delivery service had more than doubled and staff have had to be redeployed from other departments and a van put in place in order to meet the demand from older people who are obliged to cocoon and people who cannot travel due to caring for family members. Councillor Bernard Moynihan elaborated that he is a frequent visitor to the IRD Duhallow Community Laundry as he often brings in and collects laundry on behalf of others. He praised Anita and Margaret for their friendliness and courtesy and to all the staff for the very professional and discreet work they do. He encouraged the team to continue to get the word out as there are several people that would benefit greatly from this affordable service. Moving on to Boherbue Co-Op, the Mayor and Councillor Moynihan complimented Declan O'Keeffe and his team at the Super Valu store, the Hardware Department, and the Farm Store for keeping the entire retail park stocked with essential items and greeting customers with cheerful smiles throughout. The Oregon Health Authority on Friday reported two new deaths from the novel coronavirus, raising the states toll to 147 people, as known cases climbed to 3,864. A 53-year-old Marion County man and 83-year-old Multnomah County man were the latest Oregonians to succumb to the illness, the health authority said. In the last 24 hours, state health officials reported 45 new confirmed coronavirus cases and three new presumptive cases. They were linked to 11 of Oregons 36 counties: Clackamas (5), Clatsop (2), Curry (1), Jackson (3), Linn (2), Malheur (4), Marion (8), Multnomah (11), Polk (1), Umatilla (1), Washington (10). Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter The overall 3,864 case count includes 3,770 positive test results and 94 presumptive cases. Death toll: People have died from the virus in 12 counties: 58 people from Multnomah, 25 from Marion, 17 from Washington, 10 from Polk, nine from Clackamas, nine from Linn, seven from Yamhill, five from Benton, three from Umatilla two from Lane, one each from Josephine and Wasco. Their ages ranged from 41 to 100. Among those who have died, 62 were women and 85 were men. [Read about Oregon coronavirus deaths. Help us learn more.] County case totals: Seven counties -- Multnomah, Marion, Washington, Clackamas, Linn, Deschutes and Umatilla -- have reported 100 coronavirus cases or more. Gilliam, Lake and Wheeler have yet to document a single coronavirus case. Heres the overall count -- confirmed and presumptive cases -- by county: Baker (1), Benton (55), Clackamas (289), Clatsop (44), Columbia (16), Coos (31), Crook (1), Curry (6), Deschutes (116), Douglas (25), Grant (1), Harney (1), Hood River, (12), Jackson (55), Jefferson (25), Josephine (25), Klamath (41), Lane (66), Lincoln (8), Linn (112), Malheur (28), Marion (890), Morrow (12), Multnomah (1,037), Polk (95), Sherman (1), Tillamook (6), Umatilla (108), Union (6), Wallowa (1), Wasco (18), Washington (669) and Yamhill (63). Testing: Another 2,613 people received coronavirus test results, up from the previous days 3,083, according to figures published on the health authoritys website. So far, 107,745 Oregonians have been tested for the illness since the state confirmed its first case on Feb. 28. Ages: Of the states confirmed and suspected coronavirus cases, 2,101 people, or 54%, are under age 50, state figures show. Another 569, or 15%, are 70 and older. Heres the breakdown: ages 0-9 (50), ages 10-19 (148), ages 20-29 (581), ages 30-39 (657), ages 40-49 (665), ages 50-59 (677), ages 60-69 (517), ages 70-79 (338), ages 80-plus (231). Gender: So far, 2,029 of the cases are among women, or 53%, and 1,830, or 47%, are among men. But more men have died: 83 compared to 61 women. Hospitalizations: At least 737 of the states COVID-19 patients, or 19%, have been hospitalized at some point during their illness, according to the health authority. Currently, 51 people with confirmed coronavirus cases are hospitalized, including 25 in intensive care and 13 on ventilators. Senior care homes: Six out of 10 coronavirus deaths in Oregon a total of 83 are associated with a care center, the most recent state data show. At least 545 senior care home residents, staff and close contacts from 64 nursing, assisted and retirement homes had contracted the coronavirus. Recoveries: The median recovery time for infected Oregonians is 20 days and goes up to 24 days for people who were hospitalized with the infection, according to numbers released by state health officials Tuesday. At least 1,795 COVID-19 patients have recovered from the illness, the health authority said. Underlying conditions: The Oregon Health Authoritys most recent weekly report didnt include a list of underlying medical conditions most common among people who have died. An earlier analysis by the health authority proved confusing, it said, because it was based on limited medical information. The list caused "unwarranted apprehension about which groups might be at greater risk of dying from COVID-19, the report said. The health authority is now analyzing more complete medical information on the underlying conditions of hospitalized coronavirus patients and may include it in the future. Cases in Oregon prisons: The Oregon Department of Corrections has reported a total of at least 148 cases among inmates so far, including one death. Positive cases have been reported at the Oregon State Penitentiary (115), Shutter Creek Correctional Institution (25), Santiam Correctional Institution (7) and Two Rivers Correctional Institution (1). Nationwide: The U.S. has identified almost 1.6 million cases. More than 95,000 people have died. -- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632 Email at skavanaugh@oregonian.com Follow on Twitter @shanedkavanaugh Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories Barley farmers say China's 80 per cent tax on produce imported from Australia couldn't have come at a worse time. Victorian barley farmers say they were on track for a bumper winter crop this season after years of drought, but now have nowhere to sell their product. Barley, a key ingredient in beer, is a massive import in China - the world's largest beer-drinking nation. The tariff imposed earlier in May is 'payback' for Australia's push for a COVID-19 inquiry, according to experts. Chinese President Xi Jinping has praised Victoria for signing a trade agreement while simultaneously hitting Australian barley farmers with an 80 per cent tax Victorian barley farmers have said they are on track for a bumper winter crop this season after years of drought but now have nowhere to sell their product David Drage a barley farmer from Warracknabeal in Victoria said the move means farmers will struggle to stay afloat. 'With the whole eastern seaboard looking at a good winter crop production, Victoria will be back to having close to 1 million tonnes, potentially $300 million worth of barley to export to a world which won't want it,' he told The Age. Farmer Brent Sheahan, who has a property on the Avoca River in northern Victoria was in the process of planting 1,200 hectares of barley when the tax hit. 'Overnight, the price dropped $50 a tonne,' he said. Another farmer said they had lost $100,000 in potential profits in 24 hours. In 2018-19, China bought more than 60 per cent of Australia's barley exports, according to the Department of Agriculture. At about 2.5million tonnes that amount more than triples the next highest market of Japan which is closely followed by Thailand and Vietnam. While the tariff has been seen as a warning to Australia over calls for an international inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic, China has said it is because of Australia's unfair trade practices. In November 2018, Beijing accused the Australian government of 'dumping' barley, a practice in which a country will export a commodity below market value to cut out local producers. They also complained our farmers were being unfairly subsidised in the form of drought assistance and the diesel fuel rebate. Industry organisations in Australia have estimated China's tariff move will cost Australian barely growers about half a billion dollars a year. While barley farmers will take the hit other producers have yet to be affected - particularly in Victoria with the state pushing ahead with its Belt and Road Initiative agreement with the Chinese government. The initiative is a non-legally binding agreement to mutually beneficial trade, investment, and infrastructure. Victoria went ahead with the agreement against the position of the federal government and security agencies. Liberal senator James Paterson, Nationals senator Matt Canavan, and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton have spoken out criticising the Victorian government. Persecution.org introduced two former Muslim Iranian women who after being saved by Jesus Christ, decided to spread the Word of God to other people; they actively were involved in evangelizing and smuggling Bibles in Teran. Eventually, they had been caught by police and were sent to the notorious Evin Prison, commonly known as Iran's "terror factory." When they thought everything was over for them, they realized the secrets to deep suffering through persecution. Maryam and Marziyeh helped to distribute 20,000 New Testaments in different parts of Tehran for three years. Distribution of the Bible is illegal in Iran, so they had to risk themselves and smuggled Bibles secretly. "Usually at night we would carry all those New Testaments in our backpack, about 140 New Testaments each night. We would take them to different areas and put them in the mailboxes," said Marziyeh. "Everywhere we go, we had Bibles in our purses, like 10 New Testaments, very small New Testaments. And even we went for shopping, everywhere we went, we had those Bibles and we would hand them to people." Because of the activities they had been doing for four years, police were monitoring them. At that time, they were very open to their faith and preaching the Word of God to their neighbors, and somebody had reported them to the police. "They entered, they ransacked our apartment, and they took both of us with all our belongings, like Bibles, Jesus movies, everything they had discovered and was related to Christianity. And they transferred us to the police station that first day," said Maryam. They hugged each other and thought it was their last days on earth. When police physically tortured them and they started praying in tongues. They praised "God for this gift" because they "could see how in those difficult moments, the presence of the Holy Spirit really strengthened" them and helped them pray on their behalf. Afterward, they were sent to Evin Prison and they thought everything was over for them. However, when they got sent to prison, they realized that God had placed them there. The prisoners at Evin Prison were "hopeless, who were going through extreme stress and who were desperate." In prison, people were without any resources to rely on and they were hungry for God. This was yet a perfect position for them because they didn't have to worry about being caught anymore in prison. They spent a lot of time sharing the gospel, brought a lot of people to Christ. They had many great opportunities to share their faith with other prisoners because they were now more free than outside, they could now talk to anybody and nobody could stop them since they are already in prison. Before going to that prison, they "had to pray and ask God to show" them "the right person to speak." But inside Evin prison, they could talk to anybody. "And I remember one day, one of our interrogator was very angry because they heard that we talked to prisoners about Jesus and he shouted at me and told me during my interrogation, he told me that, 'I heard that you are talking to prisoners about Jesus. You should shut your mouth here, not talk about Jesus. You're brainwashing people.' And I told him, 'I'm so sorry. I believe this is not our fault. This is your fault because you arrested us. You put us in this prison and prisoners are curious. They ask us, 'What is your charge? Why are you here?' So we have to explain to them why we are here. That's why we talked to people.' And they were so desperate. We could see that. That they couldn't do anything else because we already were in that prison. That's why we believe we were more free inside prison," said Marziyeh. Iranian Christians learned that God does work in their life through suffering. They were put in a position where only God was the source of their lives. They realized that they don't have strength on their own. When all of their hope was taken away, they were able to fully embrace the suffering that was given to them and realized that through suffering, God's work is revealed through them. Through suffering, they have become a better leader and their faith has deepened. This story showed that God can really get into people's hearts and work. Britain's interior minister, Priti Patel, said on Friday that international arrivals to the UK must self-isolate for two weeks to prevent imported cases of Covid-19. Patel said the UK government was following the science and reducing the possibility of a potential second wave of coronavirus infections in the country with Europe's highest death rate of more than 36,000. "Imported cases could begin to pose an increased threat," said Patel. The British government had decided to impose restrictions on international arrivals to the UK to protect that hard-won progress that the Covid-19 lockdown had secured, the Conservative party politician added. The British government had flip-flopped over exemptions for travellers from France. But despite working closely with the French authorities, Patel said arrivals from France would have to go into quarantine. Patel said new arrivals to the UK could now have a bigger impact on the number of infections given that domestic transmission of the coronavirus was no longer at a peak. "By taking these steps we could save many more lives," she said. June start for new measures Travellers to the UK will be expected from 8 June to provide contact and address details, as well as an outline of their travel plans, said Paul Lincoln, the head of the UK's Border Force. Those exempt from the 14-day self-isolation include road haulage and freight workers, medical workers and foreign officials, said Lincoln. Self-isolation would not apply to the Common Travel Area, meaning travellers from the Republic of Ireland going to the UK would not need to quarantine themselves. Fines of 1,000 (1,100 euros) would be handed out to those breaking the restrictions. The British authorities would be carrying out spot-checks and those refusing to comply with the measures would be refused entry to the UK. The restrictions will be reviewed every three weeks, according to the interior minister. After shutting down two months ago due to coronavirus concerns, See's Candies is reopening candy kitchens in San Francisco and Los Angeles. (File photo) While Sees Candies may have shuttered its doors for Easter and Mothers Day, the chocolate confectioner will be back in production this holiday weekend. Pat Egan, Sees president and chief executive, emailed patrons today sharing that the 99-year-old company recently reopened its San Francisco and Los Angeles candy kitchens. While this means we are now able to safely make our candies, you can almost say we are starting from scratch, Egan said in a statement. Egan noted that the entire Sees selection of candies would not immediately be made available since the company would slowly reopen but assured customers that no items will be discontinued. We may not have everything in stock, but this is a great time to try a new flavor and explore our assortment, Egan said. Along with online sales, Sees will be offering contact-free pickup at certain stores, including in Anaheim, Long Beach, Reseda, South Pasadena and Torrance. Customers can visit pickup.sees.com to find the closest location. Egan said he expects this service to increase to more stores in the future. We're so happy to be back! We hope to either bring joy to your doorstep or see you pick up your treats contact-free at one of our shops. https://t.co/WxQb502LFe See's Candies (@seescandies) May 22, 2020 We appreciate your patience as we restart this grand business so we can serve you even better in the years to come, he said. Sees initially shut down over coronavirus concerns in March for only the second time in its history, and the first since World War II. Egan did not mention in the email what safety precautions the company has taken since the shutdown that allowed for a reopening. A call and email to Sees were not immediately returned. Egan did note, Because we wont cut corners, and because our employees are like family, we meticulously worked through every step in the process to make sure were safe before well re-initiate production or open shops. The first See's store was opened in Los Angeles in 1921 by husband and wife Charles and Florence See and Charles mother, Mary. All three were Canadian immigrants. Mary and Charles originally moved to Pasadena in 1919. Under confinement in the capital, Tunisian philosopher and anthropologist Youssef Seddik has been spending time dissecting the meaning of words, and with them, the world. From the coronavirus pandemic, he hopes to witness the birth of a rediscovered spirituality. What has changed? "It has changed me by making me think about words, about sayings that were self-evident and that we thought were automatic. "For example: killing time. What is time killed? It is no longer positive," he told AFP in Tunis. "Confinement must change our automatic response to language and force us to reflect more, to no longer trust the obvious and ready-made formulas. "Perhaps we are about to inaugurate another way of thinking, rather like when we went from the Middle Ages to the Age of Reason. "It would entail a revolt against the imperialism of method, gain, profit and monopolisation of wealth by the few. "We are fed up with our time which gave us two (world) wars. "To this day, we are living out the rest of this period, the division of the world into rich countries, developing countries and countries that are former colonies. "This has negatively coloured humanity. Now is the time, during this pandemic, that we can completely change the data. Effect on spirituality? "I've found something very common to all nations experiencing the pandemic today, it is the relationship with death. "Citizens of all countries and even young people, children, have more humility to say they are alive and more courage to look at death. "For Islam, the four religious pillars (Ramadan, the hajj, giving of alms and prayer) have become more individual, they have been confined to the person himself. "This is very important because for a very long time in our Muslim countries, the collective and religious dimension have taken precedence over the contemplative dimension of the individual. "If this continues, it's a very good thing. "This will help Islamic societies get rid of all that is collective, what I call the belief of the herd, one that is easily led by a leader, a sheikh or whatever ideology. "I believe this heralds a very broad future for Islam and a way of thinking about Islam that many thinkers, works and creations since the start of the last century have failed to stir up. "Today, with the ban for hygiene and health reasons of most collective practices, I believe people will reflect on this forgotten truth that the relationship must be direct and without mediation between the divine and oneself. Recommendations for world after? "First, fight hard against the tendency of people to amass money for nothing and luxuries that serve only a few. "Perhaps we should educate people, and educate our children from kindergarten on the principle and the truth that a solitary pleasure is not a pleasure and that it is multiplied when it is shared. "The whole pedagogy of conviviality and sociability should be reviewed. "If we want man to have positive command in future, education has to change completely. "Let people be taught not to decipher the alphabet or to dissect a text, but to read the world. "When you read the world, you realise that the most accomplished alphabet is the human being himself. Well now its time to say Howdy to Jed and all his kin. And they would like to thank Rick Scott fer kindly inviting them, the lyrics continue. Theyre all invited back again to this locality/ To have a heapin helpin of Florida hospitality/ Pill Mills that is. Buy some pills. Take a load home. Yall come back now, yhear? Following reports that Dominic Cummings travelled from London to Durham while sick with the coronavirus, Downing Street has come to the defence of the prime ministers chief aide, stating that the trip was essential so that Cummings could ensure his child could be looked after. It was reported that Mr Cummings and his wife had travelled 260 miles to his parents home so that they could help take care of their young son. A No 10 spokesperson said that it was essential for Dominic Cummings to ensure his young child could be properly cared for, due to his wife being infected with suspected coronavirus and the high likelihood that he would himself become unwell. They added that Mr Cummings sisters and nieces had volunteered to help so he went out to a house near to but separate from his extended family in case their help was needed. The government stressed that Mr Cummings actions were in line with coronavirus guidelines. However, some have questioned whether the long journey was warranted amid lockdown for Mr Cummings to ensure he had childcare support. What are the NHS guidelines on self-isolation? The NHS states that if you or someone you live with shows symptoms for Covid-19, you should not leave your home for any reason nor have any visitors to your home, including friends or relatives. If you have symptoms of coronavirus, you are advised to self-isolate at home for seven days, while members of your household should self-isolate for 14 days from the day your symptoms first started. However, if a parent or guardian shows coronavirus symptoms and is unable to adequately take care of the children in their household, self-isolating for seven to 14 days may not seem like a feasible course of action. At the governments daily press conference on 24 March, Englands deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries spoke of the exceptional circumstance of an adult unable to care for a young child during the pandemic. A small child clearly is a vulnerable individual, so in this case, although we are encouraging everybody to stay in their own households thats the unit with the same risk of exposure clearly if you have adults who are unable to look after a small child, that is an exceptional circumstance, Dr Harries said. Can children stay with grandparents if their parents show coronavirus symptoms? In a speech delivered by the prime minister on 18 March, Boris Johnson warned of the risks of children coming into contact with older relatives. I also need to remind parents that, as we have already advised, children should not be left with older grandparents, or older relatives, who may be particularly vulnerable or fall into some vulnerable groups and I know that will be difficult too, Mr Johnson said. The NHS states that people who are aged 70 or older are deemed at moderate risk from coronavirus. The health services says it is very important for anyone at moderate risk to follow social distancing measures, which includes staying at home as much as possible. On the other hand, while children can contract Covid-19, very few children develop severe symptoms, even if they have an underlying health condition, Great Ormond Street Hospital explains. How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Show all 6 1 /6 How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Milan, Italy REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities North Jakarta, Indonesia REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Jakarta, Indonesia REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Venice, Italy REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities New Delhi, India REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Islamabad, Pakistan REUTERS Can you ask another adult to help provide support? If you felt it were necessary for another adult to help with childcare in your home while you are unwell, then they would need to remain in the household for two weeks in accordance with self-isolation guidelines. In guidance on the governments website mostly recently updated on 22 May, it states that in the case of children whose parents or guardians live apart, they are permitted to move between households. Where parents or someone with parental responsibility do not live in the same household, children under 18 can be moved between their parents home to continue existing arrangements for access and contact, it says. However, this guidance does not reference cases where one of the parental figures has coronavirus symptoms. GP Nicola Harker warns that moving children between households when a parent is ill may mean spreading the virus further. Ideally, you need to find a person you can ask to come to you and isolate with you for two weeks. This would pose the least risk to the relative and would contain the virus within the same household, Dr Harker says. Where else can you seek help? During the daily press conference on 24 March, Dr Harries outlined how parents may be able to access childcare support if they are unable to look after their children. If the individuals do not have access to care support, formal care support or to family, they will be able to work through their local authority hubs, the deputy chief medical officer for England said. As part of the measures recently announced to ease lockdown restrictions in England, the government said that from Wednesday 13 May, paid childcare can be provided to the children of one household. However, the government added that paid childcare, including nannies and childminders, can only be carried out subject to being able to meet certain public health principles. The governments document states that your employer has a duty to assess and manage risks to your safety in the workplace. This implies that in the case of a parent showing coronavirus symptoms, it would be their duty as the employer to determine the risk of allowing a worker to enter their home to help look after their children. Slow West, Finding Dory, Alpha Dog. Saturday is movie day on UK television and theres a huge selection to choose from, so let us guide you to something to suit your tastes as TopFilmTip brings you the best films on TV today: Saturday, 23 May. Some films may require a Sky subscription. Self-educated/reliant infant inflicts poetic punishment upon abusive adults in Roald Dahls magical marvelous merriment Matilda 1:30pm Comedy Central Now a warning? Everyone wants to talk about Madeleine Ashton in lady vs lady blasting, tumbling, shattering satire Death Becomes Her 2:20pm 5 Star Meryl Streep and Bruce Willis sitting on the floor shock at what they see in a scene from the film 'Death Becomes Her', 1992. (Photo by Universal Pictures/Getty Images) Multiple lives of a reincarnating pup trace the life lessons, loves and licks of cross section of society in feel good family fun A Dog's Purpose 2:40pm Film4 Mysterious, malevolent Media moguls life is explored in loss of innocence lamenting masterwork and unbettered classic Citizen Kane 3:00pm BBC Two Woody Allen applies his neurotic prism to children's animation as an individual breaks the system in inspiring kids's film fun Antz 3:10pm ITV2 Headstrong teenager trains with legendary surfer to ride mythical, gnarly wave in whitecap shredding true story Chasing Mavericks 4:40pm Film4 Memory impaired Blue Tang seeks parents: in whale-talking, Sigourney Weaver-sirening, septopus-assisting affecting fun Finding Dory 6:20pm BBC One Monochrome genocide survivor rallies furious furry five to defeated panda persecuting peacock in canon blasting fun Kung Fu Panda 2 7:10pm E4 Suave sentinels seek superiors' soul, prize-fighter's pride prevents profit and odd date accidentally ends in OD in Tarantino's flawless masterwork of script and style Pulp Fiction 9:00pm Sony Movies Colossal savanting, sadistic sponging, infectious drama from Stephen King as an innocent man walks The Green Mile 9:00pm Film4 Desert drifter plays rival gangs off each other and gives harsh hand-gunning tutorial in corpse kidnapping classic A Fistful of Dollars 9:30pm ITV4 Four moustached gunmen pit wits and wiles against murderous cowboy gang in quick-drawing, bullet blasting, character quipping fun Tombstone 9:45pm Sony Movies Action Story continues Coffin punching, eye plucking, bucket schlepping, 5-point-palm-exploding-heart-techniquing kung fu film homage in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 10:00pm SyFy Disillusioned prof's teaching of ambitious working class woman causes her familial friction, in Pygmalion reimagining Educating Rita 10:35pm BBC Four 'The Boys from Brazil', 1978. The thriller, directed by Franklin J Schaffner (1920-1989) , starred Peck as 'Dr Josef Mengele'. (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images) A nazi hunter uncovers terrifying, creepy plot to begin a Fourth Reich using Hitler's sperm and a rainforest The Boys From Brazil 10:40pm Talking Pictures Street kid's tenacious life of scraps and scams fortifies him for game show millions in colourful love story Slumdog Millionaire 11:15pm Channel 4 Wiley weirdo witches find support and solace wreaking magical vengeance for wrong wicked men only to face consequential fury of their own wishes The Craft 11:25pm 5 Star Inspirational OCD insomniac brutalises Russian mobsters in intelligently expositioned, character led B&Q badassary The Equalizer 11:40pm ITV4 Three disparate individuals are unknowingly tied together by fate in heart-breaking, non linear, complex-character drama 21 Grams 11:05pm Sony Movies Based on a true story a young wannabe gangsters semi-serious kidnapping rapidly descends to chaotic and fearful panic Alpha Dog 00:20am Sony Movies Action Lovelorn dreamer and bountyhunting brute traverse the far country in search of hearts' desires in exquisitely beautiful gem Slow West 00:40am Film4 Korean resistance and Japanese authorities deceive and infiltrate each other in maelstrom of torture and treachery The Age of Shadows 00:45am BBC Two Terminally ill odd couple reach mortal acceptance and find life's ineffable joy in uplifting, poignant wonder The Bucket List 1:30am 5 Star Emotionally fragile post-graduates inexperienced failure of intimacy precipitates night of improvised corpse disposal in understated body-blender A Young Man with High Potential 2:20am Film4 Statuesque incest survivor reluctantly embarks on path of vengeance in Blinding, surreal, nightmarish neon-noir Only God Forgives 2:35am Sony Movies Everything new on streaming in May: Netflix UK: Mays new releases NOW TV: Mays new releases Amazon Prime Video UK: May's new releases Disney+ UK: May's new releases THE SOUND of children laughing and having fun in the playground in Pallasgreen will be a constant reminder of the late Michael Ryan. Mr Ryan, aged in his early seventies, drew all the maps for the planning process free of charge. He passed away following a fall from a ladder at his home in Kilduff, Pallasgreen, last week. Cllr Olivia OSullivan, a relation, said Mr Ryan was a wonderful man and will be missed dearly by his family. He was a regular visitor to us in the city throughout my childhood, when home on visits from London where he worked as an engineer. After retiring and moving back home to Pallasgreen he still visited my mother regularly in Caherdavin. He was great company, warm, courteous, and always smartly dressed the definition of a gentleman, and thats how I will remember him, said Cllr OSullivan. On top of being well known in Pallasgreen, he would be widely known in Doon too having gone to school there with his cousins who were all very close. Mr Ryans namesake, Michael Ryan, chairman of Pallasgreen-Templebraden Community Council, said they were shocked at his sudden passing. The community council would like to commiserate with his entire family. The community is in mourning at the moment because we have had three deaths Mr Ryan, Nancy Marrey, and Paddy Greene, both from Nicker. They were all lovely people. Its a huge shock to the entire community, said Mr Ryan. The AONTU general election candidate described Mr Ryan as a very talented man. The engineer may have left Pallasgreen for work but Pallasgreen never left his heart. Following his retirement, Mr Ryan returned to his homeplace and used his skills to help improve it. He was very interested in all community projects. He had a huge interest in everything in the community. He was a member of the Combined Villages Association of New Pallas, Old Pallas and Nicker for a number of years. He had a lot of talent, particularly in design and drawing maps. When we were applying for the planning permission to put up the children's playground, he was hugely helpful to us. He drew all the maps for the planning. He did it free of charge. We slightly changed the location of it so he drew up two sets of maps, said Mr Ryan. Nothing was too much trouble to the late Mr Ryan. He was also involved in the plans for the extension to the hall. "He worked very hard for the betterment of the entire community, said Mr Ryan. The late Mr Ryan, a single gentleman, is survived by his sisters and brothers, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, nephews and nieces, grand nephews and nieces, and extended family. May he rest in peace. A fire broke out in an operation theatre and recovery room at the third floor of Cygnus Orthocare hospital opposite IIT here in south Delhi on Saturday evening, officials said. This is a reserve hospital for COVID-19 patients and there were eight patients present when the incident occurred but all were evacuated safely. According to the fire officials, the information regarding the blaze was received at 5.54 pm. Eight fire tenders were rushed to the hospital and the fire was brought under control, the official added. There was no patient on the third floor of the building where the fire broke out. All the eight patients were on the ground floor, he said. A team of firemen focused on evacuating the patients to a safer place while the others contained the fire in the building which comprised a basement, ground floor and three floors, said the senior fire official. With summer, there has been an increase in the number of calls about fire. So, the Delhi Fire Service has advised everyone to get servicing done of air-conditioners and other electrical appliances before opening offices. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) LONDON Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a torrent of calls on Saturday to dismiss his most influential adviser, Dominic Cummings, after reports that Mr. Cummings had visited relatives in northern England while he was ill with the coronavirus a violation of Britains lockdown rules. Mr. Johnson appeared determined to stand by Mr. Cummings, an enigmatic figure who helped mastermind his election victory last year and the Brexit campaign that resulted in Britains departure from the European Union. But the reports that Mr. Cummings had driven to his parents house in Durham in April when the government was urging people to stay home particularly those with symptoms of the virus set off a political tempest, with critics accusing him of flouting the rules that apply to everybody else. The British people do not expect there to be one rule for them and another rule for Dominic Cummings, said a spokesman for the opposition Labour Party, who added that he had breached the lockdown rules. The Army was deployed in Kolkata and neighbouring districts on Saturday for restorating essential infrastructure and services in the wake of the destruction caused by Cyclone Amphan, a defence official said. Five columns of the Army have been deployed in different parts of the city and North and South 24 Parganas districts, he said. These three parts of the state reported the maximum damage due to the cyclone. The deployment was made following a request by the West Bengal government, according to the official. "The Indian Army has provided three columns to assist the ... Ever since the start of the COVID-19 market crash, the Canadian dollar has been trading below its previous range. Going for US$0.72 as of this writing, its well below its pre-crash level of US$0.75. In the past few weeks, the loonie has recovered some of its value, rising from a March low of US$0.69. However, its still comparatively cheap by historical standards. A weak Canadian dollar is actually good for Canadas economy in many ways. Its bad news for travellers and those buying goods from the U.S., but its fantastic for Canadian exports. Its also a big benefit to many Canadian stocks. Canadian companies that make most or all of their money in the U.S. earn higher profits when the Canadian dollar is weak. Accordingly, investors could take the following course of action to profit off a weak Canadian dollar. Buy stocks that make money from the U.S. Most people know that Canadian exporters make more sales when the Canadian dollar is weak. What many dont know is that its not only exporters that make money off a low Canadian dollar. Any Canadian company with a U.S. presence will make more money when the loonie is weak whether thats due to exports or a physical presence in the U.S. TD Bank, for example, doesnt export anything. However, because it earns interest revenue in U.S. dollars, that translates into higher Canadian dollar revenue. This, in turn, can translate into higher Canadian dollar profits. One example of such a company One company that stands to benefit from a weak loonie is Canadian National Railway (TSX:CNR)(NYSE:CNI). As a railroad whose reach spans all across North America, it earns a good portion of its money in U.S. dollars. In the first quarter, CN saw its revenue jump 29%, despite Februarys rail blockades and Marchs COVID-19 lockdowns. This was partially due to the fact that the Canadian dollar was weak in that period. In Q1, CN earned $1.34 for every U.S. dollar it brought in. That helped support the companys profitability. Story continues While the exchange rate was similar in Q1 2019, the companys profits would have been lower in Q1 2020 if the Canadian dollar had strengthened. If the Canadian dollar weakens further in Q2, then CN will see its reported CAD profits increase directly because of the exchange rate. Foolish takeaway A weak Canadian dollar is bad news for consumers. For investors, however, it can be an opportunity. Not only does it mean higher profits for Canadian companies that earn money in the U.S., but it can also increase your Canadian dollar returns on U.S. stocks. As we saw with CN Railway, Canadian companies that do business in the U.S. materially benefit from a weak Canadian dollar. If you own shares in such companies, the phenomenon could result in higher returns. The post Canadian Dollar: Do THIS if the Loonie Keeps Plummeting! appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Andrew Button owns shares of Canadian National Railway and TORONTO-DOMINION BANK. David Gardner owns shares of Canadian National Railway. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Canadian National Railway. The Motley Fool recommends Canadian National Railway. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020 The Shiromani Akali Dal on Saturday alleged a close associate of a Punjab Cabinet minister was involved in the manufacturing of "spurious" paddy seeds. Paddy seeds, which were not approved by the Punjab Agricultural University, were being sold to farmers, senior leader SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said in a statement here. An FIR had been registered in this regard after a farmers' group raised the issue, the Opposition leader said. Majithia said no action had been taken against the seeds manufacturer as he was a close to a ruling party leader. The Akali leader said the FIR was registered in Ludhiana after the farmers approached the agriculture department with information that "spurious" seeds were being sold at inflated rate -- Rs 200 per kg. Majithia said a raid was conducted at a seed shop in Ludhiana and more than 750 quintals of seeds -- packaged as PR-129 -- and 100 quintals of seeds -- packaged as PR-128 -- were seized. Demanding an inquiry into the matter, Majithia said it was clear that both the manufacturer of the seeds and the sellers had committed fraud against the farmers who are going through a crisis and many were committing suicide. Aside from allegedly abusing Johnny Depp, Amber Heard also reportedly used her ex-husband to be the famous actress she is now. Depp starred in various award-winning films throughout his career, including "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory" and the more recent "Harry Potter" prequel series, "Fantastic Beasts." His claim to fame is perhaps when he starred in the Disney franchise "Pirates of the Caribbean" for over 15 years, with the 2017 movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" as the last one. However, behind his great success was a woman who enjoyed her newfound fame when she started dating him. According to Heard's former personal assistant Kate James, the 34-year-old "Aquaman" star was verbally and mentally abusive to her and others. James submitted a sworn statement to Circuit Court of Fairfax Count in Virginia. According to her, throughout her work contract from March 2012 to February 2015, the actress made her go to every newsstand to purchase multiple copies of the magazines that featured Heard in every week ever since she started dating Depp. "Once I left some out in the apartment by mistake, and Amber flipped out at me over that," James said. She said that the Heard got furious when she failed to hide the copies from Depp since she did not want the actor to know how obsessed she was with her skyrocketing fame after she started dating him. James went on and revealed that Amber "relished the fame that came with dating Johnny." "She eventually took over an entire penthouse apartment in one of Johnny's penthouse at the Eastern Columbia building to house her massive collection of designer clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry," James continued. Per her former PA, Heard would always ask for designer clothings and items for free because she was Depp's girlfriend. Because of this once-in-a-lifetime perk, Heard asked James to contact every brand to get free items (all while refusing discounts). Heard Belittled Depp Despite the perks she got throughout her dating and marriage life with Depp, Heard reportedly referred to Depp as "old man" and even body-shamed him numerous times. When James became Heard's assistant, the "London Fields" actress was already dating Depp. She then recalled how Heard often used derogatory comments whenever she talked about her then-boyfriend. "At first, Amber didn't tell me who Johnny was, and would speak in disparaging terms about him," James added in her statement. "She would say that she was 'dating this old man' and suchlike. Shen then disclosed that it was Johny Depp, and I met him shortly after that." Meanwhile, Depp's former employee Tara Roberts also revealed that the actress insulted and called the actor "fat" and "washed up" back in December 2015. "She was insulting him, calling him names, and in the middle of this onslaught I heard her say specifically 'your career is over,' 'no one is going to hire you,' 'you're washed up,' 'fat,' 'you will die a lonely man,' and also screaming things that were incomprehensible," Tara narrated. Protecting women during the pandemic By Davide De Beni and Federica Maurizi, exclusively for the Sunday Times in Sri Lanka View(s): View(s): BANGKOK Last month, Sheuly rushed into a Dhaka hospital in need of emergency treatment. The 25-year-old Bangladeshi woman had just given birth at home thinking it a safer setting than the hospital during a pandemic. But as she began to suffer from post-partum hemorrhage one of the leading causes of maternal death worldwide avoiding exposure to COVID-19 was the furthest thing from her mind. The same was true of Majufa Akter, the midwife who sprang into action and saved Sheulys life, despite not having yet received adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). Giving birth is an intense moment in a womans life under any circumstances. Doing so during a pandemic imbues the experience with a new form of stress. Mothers do not know whether to go to hospitals where they fear exposure to the coronavirus, personnel shortages, or separation from their partners or to give birth at home, where medical complications often become far riskier. This is just one example of how the imperative of managing the COVID-19 pandemic is complicating the delivery of essential health services and leaving women, in particular, highly vulnerable. Around the world, when health systems are overstretched, services for women are often among the first to suffer, resulting in increased maternal and child morbidity and mortality. To illustrate the risks, we have modeled the pandemics possible impact on three key sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services: births assisted by skilled health-care providers, including midwives; births taking place in health facilities; and access to contraception. While reduced access to SRH services is a problem in many parts of the world, including developed countries like the United States, we focused our analysis on 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific region that are particularly vulnerable: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. All already have high maternal mortality ratios more than 100 deaths per 100,000 live births, which often reflect lower use of health services, such as giving birth in medical facilities or with the help of skilled birth attendants. The best-case scenario, according to our model, is a 20% decline in use of the three key services. That would lead to a 17% increase in maternal mortality ratio, equivalent to 25,493 additional deaths this year alone. The worst-case scenario a 50% decline in use of services would produce a 43% increase in maternal mortality, or 68,422 additional deaths. Of these additional maternal deaths, a considerable proportion would be attributable to the increase in fertility resulting from reduced access to contraceptive services. In fact, reduced access to contraception and family planning services further exacerbates risks. Border closures and other supply-chain disruptions could reduce the available supply of contraceptives, which are often out of stock even in normal times. Movement restrictions could prevent women from getting to pharmacies or clinics, particularly if family planning is not deemed essential. And fear of exposure to the coronavirus could stop women who have access from pursuing services. Together, these factors could cause the unmet need for family-planning services to spike in 2020, increasing to 22% in our best-case scenario or to 26% in the worst case, from a baseline of 18.9% of women of reproductive age in 2019, as women who previously had access to a modern method of contraception lose that crucial service. That means that the unmet need for family planning could increase by up to 40% in 2020 alone. The result would be thousands of unintended pregnancies in each of the 14 countries, and a higher risk of adverse health outcomes for millions of women and newborns. And yet these figures are just the beginning: the COVID-19 crisis will almost certainly last beyond the end of this year. The costs for economies, health systems, and womens wellbeing will continue to mount. Recent progress toward more effective and inclusive health systems and gender equality may be reversed. Action must be taken to limit the fallout. At the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, the worlds governments committed to providing SRH services to all a commitment they reiterated at last years ICPD25 Nairobi Summit. As countries design economic and public health interventions, they must ensure that they are honoring this commitment. For example, leaders must ensure that essential health personnel like midwives are not diverted away from their primary task of assisting mothers and newborns, and that all personnel receive the PPE they need. Policymakers must also safeguard access to contraceptives. And, where possible, telemedicine and other innovative approaches to health-care provision should be considered. If this pandemic has shown us one thing, it is the lifesaving potential of technology and connectivity. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has rightly called the COVID-19 crisis the greatest test the world has faced since World War II. To pass it, leaders everywhere must recognise that, while the pandemic affects everyone, those who were already marginalised including women, ethnic minorities, and the poor are likely to suffer the most. That is why no pandemic-response strategy is complete without a plan to ensure uninterrupted access to essential sexual and reproductive health services for all. Davide De Beni is a health economics adviser. Federica Maurizio is a sexual and reproductive health and rights analyst at the United Nations Population Funds Asia-Pacific office. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2020. www.project-syndicate.org I remember 12 as a particularly stressful age. My family had recently moved to England, and for a time I was the center of attention, asked to repeat things in my funny accent and regale everyone with what was happening in American television. I simultaneously loved it and desperately wanted it to stop one wrong move and they could all turn on me. It was a relief when they got used to my pronunciation of aluminum and I could quit performing. Henry Khoo in Remy Lais FLY ON THE WALL (Holt, 336 pp., $16.99; ages 8 to 12) has the opposite problem. Quiet and odd, he is adrift and invisible at school. So invisible, in fact, that hes able to eavesdrop on everyone and craft the stories he hears into a vicious little webcomic drawn by his alter ego, Fly on the Wall. From the principal who doesnt wash his hands after using the bathroom (scandalous in this day and age) to a student rumored to have body odor, Henry skewers them all. Even his former best (and only) friend, Phoebe, who stabbed him in the back for mysterious reasons. No one is safe from Fly on the Wall. While Henry is invisible at school, at home hes anything but. He has a helicopter family, choosing his clothes, picking his after-school activities, making sure theres no trace of shellfish in his pizza. With so much suffocating attention, Henry is left gasping for air. So he decides to declare his independence in an unexpected way by running away to Singapore. OK, thats overly dramatic. The flight from Australia to Singapore isnt all that long. And his dad lives there. But its still alarming and exciting to see a child navigating international travel in secret, no less. The author goes to great pains to make sure we know this is all legal and aboveboard, and Henry fastidiously pays his mom back after borrowing her credit card. But hes being pretty darn bold. Three Japan Railways Group firms said Friday they plan to scale back cancellations of regular bullet train services ahead of a recovery in travel demand expected from the government's lifting of the state of emergency in many areas of the country. Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Central) will fully resume regular shinkansen operations on June 1 but extra services will remain suspended. The daily number of Nozomi trains on the Tokaido bullet train line will be down 30 percent on average from the year-before levels, compared with 60 percent at present, JR Central said. East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) and West Japan Railway Co. will also scale back major shinkanse suspensions. Tokyo-based express bus operator Willer Express, which has fully suspended business, will resume daytime services on seven routes, including between Tokyo and Osaka, on June 1. Karnataka is heading towards a home quarantine regime to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic because of the immense stress on the infrastructure available to put travellers under institutional quarantine, Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said Saturday. We have a limitation for institutional quarantine. If travelers start coming in lakhs of numbers, we dont have enough facilities. Then, we will have to resort to home quarantine, which will be the ultimate, practical and pragmatic solution, Sudhakar, who looks after COVID-19 affairs in Bengaluru, said during a live Facebook interaction hosted by Deccan Herald. Were creating all the models for it on how effectively surveillance can be done and implemented. In a day or two, detailed guidelines will be issued. Weve had a detailed discussion on this with the chief minister, Sudhakar said. Karnataka has seen a huge surge in its COVID-19 tally, which is largely due to inter-state travellers testing positive. According to data by the State COVID-19 War Room, there are 1.15 lakh inter-state travellers currently under institutional quarantine. The government has approved another 1.23 lakh people to come into the state. Sudhakar said the high numbers over the past couple of days is not a cause for concern. Theres no community spread, he said. These are cases of people migrating from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. We knew this would happen, but the government took a considerate view in the interest of these people, he said, adding that out of about 1,000 positive cases since May 1, some 500-600 were inter-state travellers. About 40 per cent of people travelling from Maharashtra are testing positive, he pointed out, and thats why cases in Mandya and Chikballapur have gone up. Revising its standard operating procedure, the government has now mandated a 7-day institutional quarantine for people coming from the high-risk states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, followed by a 7-day home quarantine. Those coming from other states will be home quarantined. Handling COVID-19 will be different going forward, Sudhakar said. Coexistence is the only way forward with the right health and hygiene protocols. He added that a vaccine for COVID-19 will take not less than 8-10 months. He also ruled out herd immunity. Herd immunity develops when at least 60% of the population gets infected. For Karnataka, thats about four crore people. Lets not even think of it, he said. The Pakistan International Airlines crash Friday is just the latest deadly incident for the national carrier that has long had a poor safety record. The airlines CEO said the cause of the crash has not yet been determined, but two airline officials said mechanical failure related to the landing gear brought down the plane. A government investigation into the incident was launched Friday. Foreign investors are speeding up the restructuring and reallocation of their production networks globally, with Vietnam considered a bright candidate for investment given its location within the worlds most dynamically-developing region. The countrys prestige and position have improved in recent times thanks to its achievements in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a chance for the world to know about Vietnam as a safe investment destination that is keen to receive new investment flows, said Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung. According to the ministrys Foreign Investment Agency (FIA), FDI in the first four months of 2020 to Vietnam stood at 12.33 billion USD, equal to 84.5 percent of the figure in the same period last year. Though newly-registered capital and additional capital to existing projects increased, capital contributions and shares purchased by foreign investors fell remarkably, resulting in a decline in total capital. FIA Director Do Nhat Hoang said the result is acceptable given the significant falls in investment activity seen around the world. Minister Dung stressed that foreign investment is the main factor behind Vietnam being listed among the worlds 30 leading exporters. During January-April, the foreign-invested sectors export turnover reached 56.49 billion USD, up 1.5 percent against the same period last year and accounting for 70.2 percent of the total. Its import value hit 46.32 billion USD, up 2.9 percent year-on-year and making up 57.6 percent of the total. Hoang said Vietnam possesses huge potential in foreign investment attraction as investment safety will be a top priority of investors for the foreseeable future. Vice President of the Korean Business Association in Vietnam Hong Sun said that success in fighting COVID-19 and stability in its business and investment environments have positioned Vietnam as a safe destination for investment projects. The countrys potential has yet to be tapped fully, offering many cooperation opportunities for foreign businesses, he added. Minister Dung affirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic has created new perceptions, new consumer trends, new business models, and new value chains. This really is an opportunity, he went on, for businesses to look back on their capacity, resistance, and adaptation in regard to market changes and restructure production and change strategies accordingly. New free trade agreements such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) taking effect will also help Vietnamese enterprises participate in global value chains and increase their capacity and competitiveness, he added. Economists, meanwhile, have advised Vietnam continue improving its business and investment environment, creating the conditions necessary for enterprises to overcome the difficulties caused by COVID-19 and intensifying investment promotion through overseas diplomatic offices./.VNA Where will FDI head after leaving China? Foreign investors are considering relocating their production bases out of China, and many of them are heading for Vietnam. Missouri Governor Mike Parson not only allows graduation, but keynotes granddaughter's ceremony O'FALLON, MO (AP) - In a year when many states are prohibiting in-person graduation ceremonies due to the coronavirus, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is not only allowing them, but also spoke at one. The Republican governor had a special connection to the indoor ceremony Thursday night at Sparta High School in southwestern Missouri: His granddaughter was among the 42 seniors receiving diplomas. A really nice family gesture basically seems to work to debunk a great deal of what the public has heard this for the past three months along with continued calls for caution . . . Here's a bold, and some would say risky, move that was downplayed by most media outlets: Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment For many westerners, India is an exotic travel destination, offering colorful cultural sites and warm-hearted hospitable people. However, thanks to the new Hindu nationalist leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), todays India is increasingly marred by religious conflict and Christian persecution. The Purty familys double tragedy serves as a sad example of this. And for some Indian Christians, their story is not so unusual. Chamu Hassa Purty was a Christian pastor from Sandih village in Jharkhand State. Late one night in October 2015, he was asked to pray for a sick child. He rushed to the familys home, prayed for the boy and helped the parents admit him to a local hospital. Shortly after Pastor Purty returned to his own home, eight armed men forced their way into his house. He and his wife urgently warned their daughters, Sharon and Neelam, to immediately leave the house through a back entrance. In an interview with Morning Star News, Sharon recalled, As we were about to move, two of them held us and brought us back to the front room. They fired at my father many times Pastor Purty died of gunshot wounds that night. After the murder, the Purty family left their village and rarely returned. But recently, because of the coronavirus, it was necessary that they be reunited in their home. And very soon thereafter, on April 16, anti-Christian terrorists once again appeared at the Purty house. Sharon and her younger brother answered the door and found themselves confronted by two gunmen. Is this the house of the pastor who was killed? one of the intruders demanded. Sharon stared at him as he ranted, That pastor was killed but you didnt learn your lesson. Youre still assembling in large numbers for Christian prayers. And wheres the woman whos working as a spy? There are no spies here At that moment Neelam, hearing angry voices, entered the room. The gunman shouted, Shes the one! Shes the spy! He aimed his gun and pulled the trigger. Our father was shot to death in that same room, Sharon Purty said later. We cried for help as the two gunmen jumped on a motorbike and fled. Neelam Purty sustained serious injuries and was bleeding heavily. She was rushed to a hospital, where it was determined that a bullet was embedded in her thigh and her thighbone was shattered. Only after major surgery was she able to begin her painful recovery. The police were notified. Evidence was recorded. But it should come as no surprise that there have been no reports of the gunmen being apprehended. Attacks like those against the Purty family are on the rise in India due to a dangerous ideology gaining steam in the world's largest democracyHindu nationalism. It asserts that India is a nation for Hindus, marginalizing Christians and other minorities. This movement often inspires mob attacks against Christians. Such attacks, when committed by Hindus, are rarely rebuked by the present Indian government, and the legal system often fails to bring perpetrators of mob violence to justice. In one instance earlier this year, an Indian pastor was dragged out of his church mid-service by a mob of Hindu nationalists and beaten for hours. Yet when the police arrived, they charged the pastor with violating a blasphemy law rather than charge the radicals for their violent assault. Even Indian laws pose a threat to minorities, though according to the constitution, India is a secular country. Yet, anti-conversion laws remain on the books in several Indian states. These laws are intended to prevent forced conversions. In reality, they restrict the right to change one's faith and discourage conversion away from Hinduism. Some Hindu nationalist leaders are deeply paranoid about Hindus converting to Christianity or other religions. One former member of parliament and member of the BJP party called Christian missionaries a threat to the unity of the country. Inflammatory rhetoric from national leaders, a growing exclusionary movement that ostracizes religious minorities, and draconian blasphemy and anti-conversion laws form a perfect storm for the persecution of Christians in India. Indias dire religious freedom problems deserves far more international attention than they receive. India is the world's largest democracy and a strategic partner of the United States, so it is disappointing its government is failing to protect the fundamental human right to freedom of religion. This makes advocating for religious freedom in India a sensitive subject for some. But the United States has prioritized religious freedom in our foreign policy and must urge all governments around the worldwhether friend or foeto protect it. The United States has an obligation to speak up on behalf of religious minorities in India, even if it ruffles the feathers of our ally. Over five lakh migrant workers from Madhya Pradesh, who were stranded in different parts of the country due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, have been brought back to their home state, a government official said on Saturday. As of Friday, the state government had brought back over five lakh migrants, mostly by buses, additional chief secretary ICP Keshari said. At least 3.52 lakh migrants have returned to MP by buses while 1.46 lakh others returned on 119 special trains, said the senior bureaucrat, who is in-charge of state control room. Keshari said 2.02 lakh migrants were brought back from Gujarat, 1.12 lakh from Maharashtra and 1.10 lakh from Rajasthan. Apart from these, stranded migrants were also brought back from Goa, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, he said. The state government has also been transporting migrant workers coming from other states to the Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh border. In view of the plight of migrant workers stuck in different parts of the country amidst the lockdown, the Railways started operating 'Shramik Specil' trains on May 1. The Centre had announced considerable relaxations during the third phase of the lockdown, which had kicked in on May 4, regarding the inter-state movement of migrant labourers, students, tourists and other people with priority accorded to those stranded in green and orange zones. The lockdown was subsequently extended till May 31. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SUICIDE prevention charity Pieta has honoured an internet influencer, who raised more than 90,000 in a tough time for them. Dooradoyle-born fashion blogger Louise Cooney, who has more than 200,000 viewers on the internet social media web site Instagram, used this platform to raise the money via people paying online. On Monday, she presented the cheque to Pieta at its premises at Ard Aulin in Mungret. Mungret native and National Fundraising Manager for Pieta Kieran OBrien approached Louise in the hope she could help, after its annual Darkness into Light fundraiser was cancelled due to Covid-19. He said: It's unbelievable. She has really come up trumps for us. Its an unbelievable amount of money shes raised. Louise, who is isolating in Doolin, Co Clare, explained how suicide has impacted her personally. She said her aunt, who lost her son, her cousin Nicky to suicide, recorded a video. She shared her story, and the message was powerful. People know how hard it can be. People were very generous. They donated. With Darkness into Light cancelled, that's a walk that raises so much money, and we were able to raise so much from our little fundraiser which was just amazing, Louise, who is normally based in New York, told the Limerick Leader. I have a platform of over 200,000 followers on Instagram. I just wanted to help. The services there are really needed, especially the free ones, she added. Louise also thanked her followers from around the world who donated to her GoFundMe page, adding: I'm really proud of my followers for doing something so good. Having gone through this before, that devastation will never leave. It's not something I feel happy about, but at least I've helped somebody else. That's what my aunt wanted to do. To donate to Pieta, or if you require the charitys support, please visit www.pieta.ie, or telephone 061-484444. Delhi Police said tDaati Maharaj and others shown in photographs were prima facie found to have committed an offence under Sections 188. A case has been registered against self-styled godman Daati Maharaj for allegedly violating lockdown guidelines by offering prayers at Shani Dham temple in Asola area here, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Atul Thakur said on Saturday. According to the police, a preliminary enquiry has revealed that chief pujari Daati Maharaj, along with some others, had performed a ceremony at the temple at around 7:30 pm on Friday flouting social distancing norms issued amid the lockdown. It had come to notice that some photographs of a ceremony at Shani Dham temple were being circulated on social media wherein the social distancing norms were not being followed and a religious congregation was organised in contravention of the lockdown guidelines, Thakur said. Police said that Daati Maharaj and others shown in photographs were prima facie found to have committed an offence under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 34 (acts by several in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Diseases Act. A case was registered at Maidan Garhi police station today and investigation has been taken up in the matter. This comes as public gathering at religious places are barred across the country amid the ongoing lockdown, imposed for nearly two months to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Daati Maharaj is also accused of raping a woman devotee in Shani Dham a few years ago. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Mosques across the country could start sounding the daily call to prayer through loudspeakers following a series of unofficial pilot programmes. Scores of communities were allowed to use public address systems to alert the faithful during the holy month of Ramadan, which ended last night. Several councils gave permission for the call known as the adhan to be broadcast each evening to help followers keep in touch with their places of worship during the lockdown. Mosque elders are now planning to apply to councils to make the adhan a permanent fixture after Ramadan. Mosques across the country could start sounding the daily call to prayer through loudspeakers following a series of unofficial pilot programmes. Pictured: Newham's Minhaj-ul-Quran mosque, in London, hopes to make the call to prayer every day Allama Sadiq Qureshi, who is an imam at the Minhaj-ul-Quran mosque in Newham, East London, said: 'We want this practice to continue in the future. 'But at the same time, we must be bothered about our neighbours, we need their permission. If they are happy, then we are going to start it. 'Just one symbolic adhan per day, if Newham council allow us. Just one adhan at the day time, at dhuhr [afternoon prayer], then it will be really good.' He said the Newham Muslim Forum, a local umbrella body of mosques, is considering making the application after Ramadan. At least 25 mosques in London and dozens more across the country have joined over the past four weeks. The initiative began when Kensington and Chelsea Council in London gave permission to the borough's biggest mosque, known as the Al-Manaar, to start broadcasting out the nightly reminder. Scores of communities were allowed to use public address systems to alert the faithful during the holy month of Ramadan, which ended last night. Pictured: London Central Mosque, near Regents Park Following that, Waltham Forest Council in North-East London allowed nine mosques in the borough to broadcast the adhan every evening and again on Friday afternoons to mark the beginning of the most important ceremonial prayer of the Muslim week, known as jumuah. One of the biggest mosques in the borough, the Waltham Forest Islamic Association (WFIA), sounded the adhan loud enough for it to be heard within a one-mile radius. Video footage was posted on social media showing the muezzin the cleric who makes the call to prayer reciting from the rooftop of the mosque. Other mosques in the borough have placed concert-style speakers on their front doors to make the call. Yesterday, Raja Ilyas, the general secretary of the WFIA, said: 'My wish is that if we can recite adhan at least at jumuah or one time [per day], but it's my wish. 'I can't force my wish on anybody, especially on the local council and local residents it's my wish being a Muslim.' Meanwhile, council leaders have said the response they received from the community has been broadly positive, although there were some complaints. Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, the Conservative leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said: 'Allowing the adhan to be broadcast has helped encourage people to stay home and stay safe while maintaining the sense of togetherness and community. 'We've had a really positive response overall.' Elsewhere, a cleric performed the adhan as a one-off outside the towers of Canary Wharf for the evening prayer. Other venues included Chesham, Buckinghamshire and Preston, Lancashire. In Islamic countries, the adhan is broadcast from mosques five times a day for each of the daily ceremonial prayers. The first call happens at dawn and the last one, known as isha, takes place around bedtime. Until now, most mosques in Britain have been banned from using loudspeakers on noise pollution grounds. Just a few short weeks ago the future looked decidedly bleak for Ireland's first charity-led air ambulance, with the operators of the Rathcoole-based service starkly warning that a lack funding threatened to ground the service. While the service, which has flown more than 380 missions since going live last July, did manage to remain airborne by implementing sweeping cost-cutting measures and reducing weekly operational times to five days, doubts clouded its future as dwindling funds ran dangerously low. Its financial woes were exacerbated by the imposition of COVID-19-related restrictions, forcing the cancellation of fundraising events. However, in similar fashion to the drive to get the service operational in the first place, the public has responded to appeals and, through a combination of donations and virtual fund-raisers, helped secure the funding needed ensure the service will resume full-time operations from next month. Irish Community Rapid Response (ICRR) operations manager Ruth Bruton said the return to seven-day operations had remained a key priority for the service. "We are thrilled to finally see this critically needed air ambulance be where it should be - in the air when we need it most," said Ms Bruton. She said that innovative fundraising ideas such as 'Duhallow's Fittest Club', which pitted 23 North Cork GAA clubs against each other in a bid to raise funds for causes including ICRR, had thrown the charity a "huge lifeline". Thus far, its GoFundMe page has raised more than 35,000, with Ballydesmond and Kiskeam set to go head-to-head on Saturday for the title. Event organiser Sean Linehan said they chose to support the air ambulance as it is a vital service. "Not just for the Duhallow area, but the entire Munster region. Participants were delighted to get some fun exercise in whilst also help raise vital funds. Some age-old rivalries also surfaced of course, but it was all very much well natured," he joked. Ms Bruton described the efforts of individuals and groups to raise the money needed to keep the service operational as "overwhelming and uplifting." "From myself and all the ICRR crew, we are so grateful for the outpouring of support and donations from people across Ireland; we sincerely thank each and every person who answered our call. The online community spirit, by way of donations and showing support with beautifully drawn pictures being posted to our crews, has made this difficult time an easier journey," said Ms Bruton. "However, the ongoing challenge of keeping it there is our priority and continued support from those than can give is vital. Every mission counts, so every donation counts too." Victoria was the last state to announce an end date to remote learning, as the government and its chief health officer took a cautious approach to resuming face-to-face classes. We cannot have a million students moving around the Victorian community every day; all that will do is spread the virus, Mr Andrews said last month. The states initial plan was to revert to remote learning for all of term two, but thanks to relative success in containing the virus, students in grades prep, one and two, in years 11 and 12 and at specialist schools will return to the classroom on Tuesday. Other year levels will follow on June 9. There is exuberance among students who are heading back. Frank Bevacqua, a year 11 student at Ivanhoe Grammar, said excited messages were bouncing around between him and his friends when the news broke that they would soon return. Im excited to go back, he says. Its not that I hated online learning, but I felt like I was at my end with it. The overwhelming feedback I have received is that in every school there have been students who have thrived under remote learning. Education Minister James Merlino But as those self-isolating students of CRC Sydenham could attest, the period of remote learning is almost over but the pandemic is not. Mr Watson predicts his school will not be the last to deal with potential exposure to COVID-19 this year. This could be the new normal, he says of his plan for blended physical and online classes. Unless we get a vaccine, this could actually be what were living with for who knows how long. The new normal came quickly for Australian schoolchildren, their teachers and their parents, who have had to scramble to transplant the school environment to the home. In the past two months, principals and teachers have sacrificed their Easter break to prepare remote learning plans. Parents have assembled home offices in the next room to the learning spaces of their children, and taken on an assisting role in educating them they never contemplated. In the main, teachers and students say they have missed each other more than they would have guessed. We have missed them," Mr Watson said. "Schools are just buildings. What is the heart of a school is the students. But many are also questioning if the school system should return to the way things were, when so many valuable lessons have been learned so quickly about new ways of teaching and learning. Loading Even before students return, some schools are already looking at which aspects of remote learning they might run with. Some have even begun to explore the concept of remote learning on a lasting basis. Last week, Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals President Sue Bell told the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee that many schools had stumbled on a never-before-seen enthusiasm for learning among school refusers and disengaged students. Theyre thinking, how can we keep a component of that if a student has an anxiety disorder and finds it hard to be in the classroom, Ms Bell said. Those principals have already gained the ear of Education Minister James Merlino, who told The Age he had directed the Department of Education to report back to him with an analysis of the experience of remote learning and the benefits that emerged for some students. The overwhelming feedback I have received is that in every school there have been students who have thrived under remote learning, Mr Merlino said. This is a real opportunity to improve our education system and learn lessons from this remote teaching experience. Ms Bell said school leaders would seek to tap into the skills and knowledge of Virtual School Victoria in doing this. Virtual School Victoria is the states largest school, although its 4000-odd students do not attend its Thornbury headquarters. Most study there due to geographic remoteness or because they are interested in a particular subject that is not offered at their own school. But a fast growing cohort is taught there for social and emotional reasons. Data provided to The Age shows the number of enrolments at Virtual School Victoria due to medical, social and emotional issues has risen 96 per cent since 2016, from 383 students to 752 this year. Without Virtual School Victoria, those students would have been lost to the school system, the Department of Education and Training said. The medical, social and emotional category provides an opportunity for education for students who would otherwise not be in education at all, a spokesperson said. One teacher with knowledge of the situation said many students on the autism spectrum had come to the school to escape constant bullying. These young people are typically introverts, while the majority of rewards in a face to face setting go to the extroverts, the teacher said. Being asked to speak in class is often agony and to be avoided. Many teachers do not cater to different forms of learning, especially in secondary settings. Loading Horsham College in western Victoria is one school that is already trying to redefine the notion of school attendance based on what it has learnt. Principal Rob Pyers said the regional school, which already offers virtual classes to students in remote locations in the Wimmera and beyond, would seek to trial a mix of face-to-face and virtual lessons in VCE English and further maths. Mr Pyers said the education system was still rusted on to the face-to-face model it had used since schools opened in Australia, but the past six weeks of remote learning had proved it was ready for change and that it does not fit every type of student. "Over the last six weeks, there is some absolute gold in terms of what's taken place; we have had the most intensive period of professional development," he said. Victorian education policy requires students to attend school every day and for schools to record each students attendance twice daily in primary schools and for every secondary school class. But Mr Pyers said the education department would need to redefine its definition of attendance for his schools trial blended model of learning to become permanent. Can a student still be considered to be attending school without being at school? The department will need to provide some definition around that, he said. Attendance rates have been much higher than normal in the period of remote learning. The average absentee rate among Victorian students so far this term is almost half what it was in term two last year, department data shows, dropping from 10.3 per cent to 5.7 per cent. But amid the jubilation at returning among most students, and the exciting unearthing of a cohort of kids whose interest in education has come alive without the peer pressure of being at school, are concerns that there are many students for whom lost learning time could do permanent damage. The Grattan Institute is analysing the lost learning among socio-economically disadvantaged students in the past two months and believes the setback will be significant. It is very likely disadvantaged students would have learnt less, the think tank's education fellow, Julie Sonnemann, said. There are a number of barriers to them learning well remotely. These include access to computers, less help from parents when they get stuck, and the mere fact that they are statistically likely to already be trailing their more privileged peers by many months. Loading Its hard to keep pace with your classmates when youre home alone and already months behind, Ms Sonnemann said. Ms Sonnemann argued that the Victorian government should invest in tutoring for students in this position, noting most families cannot easily afford private tuition. We know that tutoring for disadvantaged students has really big impacts, she said. If you look at evidence from the UK and US, in a 12-week tutoring program they can gain five months in their learning. CRC Sydenhams principal is equally concerned about the obstacles his senior students will face when they graduate. The youth unemployment rate rose to 13.8 per cent last month as 213,500 jobs for people aged 15 to 24 disappeared. I fear that were heading for youth unemployment numbers that could be a record high, and that would be devastating for so many families and young people, Mr Watson says. We journey with young people to set them into the world with a whole lot of aspirations and dreams and we want to see them realised. Gandhinagar, May 23 : After raising the issue of Gujarat government procuring inefficient or substandard ventilators by getting local made machines like Dhaman-1, the Congress on Saturday alleged that the ruling BJP government was profiteering through the sale of N95 masks in dire situation like Covid-19. Amit Chavda, the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president, said, "After the Gujarat chief minister carried out a marketing strategy for his Rajkot friend, by endorsing local Ampu pump as ventilator and thereby playing with the precious lives of people during the Corona outbreak, has now come up with profiteering through N95 masks and looting the public." "The N95 masks are being sold at Amul parlours across the state, and are being procured by the Gujarat Medical Services Corporation Limited (GMSCL), a government undertaking. The GMSCL had fixed the price of the masks at Rs 49.60 per unit on March 30. Now they are selling the same masks at Rs 65 to the public. Our question to the government is why such profiteering of Rs 15 at a time of crisis like this? Chavda questioned. "During such crisis, when there should be efforts to avail such masks at minimum prices by doing away with the GST on it, the state government is bent on profiteering, why? For whose gain they are doing such things? The Gujarat chief minister should answer this and explain why are they looting the public?," asked Chavda. Businesses in Kenya suffer, as coronavirus lockdowns hit the normally busy Eid al-Fitr holiday trade. The coronavirus pandemic is limiting Eid holiday festivities around the world. Muslims in the eastleigh neighbourhood of the capital Nairobi will be among the millions celebrating under lockdown. But some businesses are suffering under the restrictions. Al Jazeeras Mohammed Adow reports from Nairobi. The Sikkim government on Saturday took exception to an advertisement of the Delhi government that clubbed the hill state with Nepal and Bhutan, saying it was immensely hurtful. The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha-led government and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang separately reacted to the 'Join Civil Defence as Volunteer' advertisement issued by the Directorate of Information and Publicity of the Delhi government in which Sikkim has been shown as a separate county like Nepal and Bhutan. "This is immensely hurtful to the people of Sikkim who take pride in being the citizens of our great country ever since it became the 22nd state of Indian Union on May 16, 1975," Sikkim Chief Secretary S C Gupta said in a terse letter to his Delhi counterpart Vijay Kumar Dev. Gupta demanded an immediate withdrawal of the advertisement and issuance of a suitable communique to assuage the feelings of the people of Sikkim. Chief Minister Tamang also condemned the advertisement and said it was regrettable, objectionable and harmful to the federal structure of India. "I am deeply hurt by an advertisement published by the Government of Delhi terming the people of Sikkim as different citizens equated with Nepal and Bhutan," he said in a Facebook post. The people of Sikkim are emotionally integrated with the nation since 1975, Tamang said, adding he cannot think that such a mistake has been committed by a responsible government. "The people of Sikkim are the lover of democracy and amalgamated with the national ethos and purity of nationhood engraved in their heart," the chief minister said. Observing that the "ignorance or intentions" (behind the advertisement) were unpardonable, Tamang demanded an unconditional apology to the people of Sikkim by the Delhi government. "I urge the Chief Minister of Delhi to give an unconditional apology to the people of Sikkim as the people are agitated with this type of mistakes from an accountable Government," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-24 01:12:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said on Saturday that the east African nation will start engaging in massive cultivation of oil palm from October to end importation of edible oils. A statement by the Prime Minister's office issued in Kigoma region after Majaliwa had inspected oil palm seedlings nursery owned by Bulombora National Service, an affiliate of Tanzania People's Defense Forces, said the premier told oil palm farmers in the region to get prepared for massive cultivation of the crop. "Massive cultivation of oil palm starts in October. Each farmer, be individuals or cooperative farming groups will be provided with free-of-charge seedlings across the region," said Majaliwa. The statement said the Prime Minister said 1.8 million oil palm seedlings have already been grown for distribution to farmers, adding that Tanzania looked forward to end imports of edible oils. In February, 2019, Majaliwa announced that the government had set aside 4.3 million U.S. dollars to boost cultivation of oil palm as part of its strategy to ending importation of edible oils. The Kigoma region accounts for more than 80 percent of the palm oil produced in the country and has the potential to make Tanzania one of the world's leading producers and exporters of palm oil due to its soils and weather. Tanzania imports almost half of its total edible oils despite having a vast and promising production potential in palm oil and sunflower sub-sectors. Enditem The Army was deployed in Kolkata and neighbouring districts on Saturday for the restoration of essential infrastructure and services in the wake of the destruction caused by Cyclone Amphan, a defence official said. Kolkata: The Army was deployed in Kolkata and neighbouring districts on Saturday for restoration of essential infrastructure and services in the wake of the destruction caused by Cyclone Amphan, a defence official said. West Bengal: Army personnel undertake restoration work at South Avenue in Kolkata. Five Army columns have been deployed in Kolkata to assist the city administration in the aftermath of cyclone Amphan. 86 people have lost their lives due to Amphan in the state,according to the CM. pic.twitter.com/P4bfuavnIf ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2020 Five columns of the Army were deployed in different parts of the city and North and South 24 Parganas districts, he said. These three parts of the state reported the maximum damage due to the cyclone. The deployment was made following a request by the West Bengal government, according to the official. "The Indian Army has provided three columns to assist the Kolkata city administration in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan," he said. Army personnel equipped with road and tree clearance equipment were deployed at Tollygunge, Ballygunge and Behala in south Kolkata, he added. Army columns were also deployed for restoration work at New Town in North 24 Parganas district and at Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas district, he said. An Army column has 35 men, including officers and junior commissioned officers. Ministers have pushed for the two-metre social distancing rule to be eased as the Government considers lifting more Covid-19 restrictions. Separately, it emerged that new measures to alleviate the strain inflicted on children due to the coronavirus and allow them more freedom for activities this summer are expected shortly. At a Cabinet meeting last night, some ministers suggested Ireland should follow other European countries in reducing the strict social distancing rule to one metre. The move would have significant implications for businesses seeking to reopen, and allow schools to have more students in classrooms when they return. The two-metre social distancing rule is based on the spread of droplets. It was noted the World Health Organisation (WHO) advises one metre, rather than two. However, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control suggests the farther distance is best. Sources said Disability Minister Finian McGrath and Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O'Connor raised the issue. Expand Close Finian McGrath. Photo: Arthur Carron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Finian McGrath. Photo: Arthur Carron After the meeting, two other Cabinet ministers also said reducing the distance should be considered to make it easier for businesses and schools to reopen. "If you had a metre between each desk in a school or tables in a restaurant that would make a big difference," a senior minister said. "It's not one for today or tomorrow, but it could become a big issue in a few weeks' time." The Restaurants' Association of Ireland told the Irish Independent it would be "a "game-changing decision" if the rule was reduced to one metre. Meanwhile, Labour Party leader Alan Kelly said it would "make life much easier for society and businesses" if the social distancing rule was reduced to 1m. Separately, the pressures on children were discussed at the meeting of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) yesterday in the Department of Health, with a view to allowing them more freedom from early next month after being in virtual lockdown for months. Dr Holohan confirmed: "We are very sensitive to this and to the impact it has had on children, taking away from them the features of everyday life, whether in school, play, social engagement or sport that they enjoy." Expand Close Dr Tony Holohan (Photocall Ireland/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dr Tony Holohan (Photocall Ireland/PA) He said they are now in talks with the Department of Education and the Department of Children on how to progress this. Dr Holohan was speaking as the deaths of another 11 people were reported. A further 115 confirmed cases of Covid-19 were also diagnosed. It brings the level of infection to 24,506. Separately, the GAA is preparing to relax its approach to the ongoing closure of facilities by reopening designated walkways in clubs on June 8, the day phase two of the Government roadmap towards easing general restrictions implemented during the Covid-19 emergency kicks in. Some clubs have developed walkways around the perimeter of their grounds and the growing feeling throughout the association is that these facilities, at least, should be reopened with set times for over-70s to use them. Frontline Star of the Week We want to honour the heroism of our frontline workers, with our Frontline Star of the Week award in association with our partner, The Croke Park Hotel. Help us by nominating your frontline star. Do you know a doctor, or nurse, or someone else excelling in our health service? A caring neighbour, shop worker or someone in a community project going above and beyond? Each weekly Frontline Star will receive a complimentary dinner, bed & breakfast stay at The Croke Park Hotel. To nominate someone, email your submission (100 words max) telling us about them, along with a photo, to frontlinestar@independent.ie CHISINAU (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st May, 2020) Moldova recorded 213 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours that brought total tally to 6,553 amid the recently introduced public health emergency, the state secretary at the Health, Labor and Social Protection Ministry, Constantin Rimis, said on Wednesday. Previous reports indicated that the country had 6,340 coronavirus cases and 221 related fatalities. "Another 213 cases of the new coronavirus infection were registered today in Moldova, the total number of people diagnosed with COVID-19 has reached 6,553. A total of 2,953 people recovered and 228 died from the disease," Rimis stated. The Moldovan authorities have imposed a 30-day public health emergency starting from May 16. Earlier, the republic suspended air traffic with all countries, as well as closed land borders. Mass cultural and religious events are banned, while all classes in education facilities are canceled. Residents of the country are required to wear masks in public transport and closed public places. The Kaduna State Healthcare Workers Unions and Associations have commenced a 7-day warning strike as earlier notified from 12 noon, Fr... The Kaduna State Healthcare Workers Unions and Associations have commenced a 7-day warning strike as earlier notified from 12 noon, Friday, May 22, 2020. The Kaduna State Government had rejected the planned strike action by the Congress of Health Workers Unions and Associations in the state. The state government said it has therefore introduced a register to be signed by those willing to work with the government, despite the salary cut-down. A communique issued and signed by Dr Danjuma Sule, Dr Emmanuel Joseph, Dr Sayyid Egbunu Mjhammed, Mr Ibrahim Abashe, Pharm. Bagu Great David, Ibrahim Lawal Suleiman, Ayuba Magaji, Nurse Ishaku Yakubu, Dr Stephen Kachi Akau, Dr Jinad Jibril Olawale, Lawal T. B., Enock I. Dodo, William Anthony and Saadatu Abdulwahab from MDCAN BDTH, ARD, Kaduna, ARD BDTH, National Association of Pharmaceutical Technologists Nigeria, AHAPN, Kaduna branch, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Kaduna state chapter, NANNM, Kaduna state council, NMA, Kaduna state chapter, Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy, Kaduna state chapter, AMLSN, Kaduna branch, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, NANNM BDTH and AHAPN BDTH respectively at the end the joint meeting of Kaduna State Healthcare Workers Unions and Associations said the meeting was called to assess the response of the Kaduna state government to their earlier communication and notice of a 7- days warning strike to press home their demands. The meeting observed that the Kaduna state government deducted 25% of the salaries from about 11,000 of her Healthcare workers in the midst of COVID 19 ( April and May), stressing that the action was done in violation of section 5 of the Labour Act. The communique noted that healthcare workers feel rejected and unappreciated by the Kaduna state government and are therefore demoralized and unmotivated. We also note that there are inaccuracies in the reportage of our challenges and the issues at hand, the communique stressed. The communique clarified, Kaduna State Government paid between 150,000 to 450,000 naira as Occupational Safety incentives to about 300 selected HCWs and non HCWs working as staff or volunteer in the IDCC and isolation centre or serving in some of the CoViD 19 pillars. Less than 2% of the HCWs in the State benefited from the packages. They promised 10 per cent incentives for other HCWs though inadequate are yet to be paid. Most HCWs that were infected with COVID-19 are from health facilities outside the IDCC and isolation centres and none of them have been paid the purported #100,000 daily for 10 days. None of our members working in hospitals have been contacted to give their details for the widely publicized N5million and the N2 million life and disability insurance respectively. All health workers are exposed to varying degrees of risk of infectious diseases such as CoViD 19, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, Lassa fever, Ebola fever among others. There are no adequate PPEs in the State hospitals as evidenced by Patients buying their own gloves and, HCWs getting their own personal facemask and eye goggles among other basic PPEs. The communique explained, Up until Thursday 21st May 2020, the Unions and Associations were opened to negotiations and honoured an invitation for a meeting called by the honourable commissioner of health even at very short notice. However issues raised at the meeting were not considered by the government, rather our members were inundated with a Circular signed by the Commissioner of health, threatening no work no pay. This was followed by a press release with a threat from government to sack any of our members who Participates in the strike action. On the basis of the above, we wish to state that the 7- days warning strike has commenced as we earlier notified from 12 noon today Friday 22nd MAY, 2020. We want to thank our members for complying with the directive of the unions and associations in the Kaduna Health Sector. The general public should take note that we are open to dialogue and should therefore prevail on the state government to listen to the voice of reason and do the needful to avert the avoidable crisis in the Health Sector of the State. Following the centres new guidelines allowing states to categorise areas in their territory into different zones, Jharkhand decided not to place any of its districts in the red zone and instead categorised all 21 affected districts as orange zones. The states three Covid unaffected districts-- Khunti, Pakur and Sahebgunjwere put in the green zone. Ranchi, Garhwa and Hazaribag, classified as red zone districts during the third phase of lockdown, have now been converted into orange zones. Presently the state has no red zone district as none of the 24 districts have reported more than 200 positive cases. Therefore, all 21 affected districts are placed in the orange zone and three other districts, which have not reported any positive case so far, are declared green zones, said state health departments principal secretary Nitin Madan Kulkarni. He added, The state currently has 106 containment zones in which 1.09 lakh people reside. A total of 19,200 samples have been tested which shows that as many as 198 people from these containment zones were infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus. For Coronavirus Live Updates As per the guidelines of ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW), the green zones will be districts with either zero confirmed cases till date; or with no confirmed case in the last 21 days. Whereas, districts will be marked as red zones or hotspots on the basis of six different parameters including more than 200 active cases, high doubling rate and sample positivity rate greater than 6%. Feedback from the district officials will also be taken into consideration. Those districts, which are neither red nor green, are categorised as orange zones. Jharkhand has so far reported 330 positive cases including 191 active ones, 136 cases have recovered and three people have died. The state has been witnessing a steep surge in Covid-19 cases after May 1 when stranded migrant workers started returning to the state. According to the state disaster management department, about 1.38 lakh migrant workers have arrived so far with more to come. About 3 lakh workers have expressed interest in returning to Jharkhand from different states. As many as 19,686 migrant workers have so far been tested for Covid-19 and 147 of them were found infected with SARS-COV-2 virus. About 8% of these patients have returned from Mumbai, a Covid-19 hotspot, health secretary Kulkarni said. He added that the state government was putting all migrant workers in quarantine centres and tests are being conducted on those found symptomatic. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival announced Friday that David Schmitz would be the festivals fourth executive director, stepping into the role in September. In July, Schmitz will move to Ashland with his family from Chicago, where he as worked for the Steppenwolf Theatre Company for 15 years. Though Schmitz was hired before coronavirus ground the United States economy to a halt, he will be tasked with helping the festival recover in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The festivals fall 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19 earlier this month. The health and safety of our entire Ashland community, including artists, staff, volunteers, patrons, and Festival partners, is our highest priority, Nataki Garrett, artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, said at the time. It is with great sadness that we are forced to cancel OSFs 2020 Fall season." While Schmitz may not have been able to predict the coronavirus and its fallout, he said Friday that he believed the Oregon Shakespeare Festival was ready to handle what comes next. He said the festivals experience dealing with wildfire smoke, which shut down 26 productions in 2018, had created resiliency inside of the organization." Its already an organization that is prepared for, shall we say, disaster response, Schmitz said. Thats the great advantage of walking into a team that has already had that experience. Schmitz knows there are many challenges for the festival in the coming months, among them, convincing theatergoers not only to come to see productions, but to travel to and stay in Ashland. No one can predict when audiences will feel that it is safe enough to return he said, adding, If we could do that it would be called future telling and we could make a whole lot of money. Still, Schmitz said, there are many reasons the festival will overcome the evolving challenge of coronavirus. Whats great is that OSF has some incredible foundational elements to it, he said. The passionate audience, the committed donors and the Ashland and Rogue Valley community, Schmitz said, strongly support the festival. The pandemic has changed everything, but it has also not changed everything, Schmitz said. The great strengths of OSF are still the great strengths of OSF. That incredible staff, the absolutely world-class art that is created on those stages every night. Its not happening right now, but it will be happening as soon as we can make it happen," he said. Schmitz said that the companys commitment to equity was another strength. Organizations that lean into their values are going to come out of this in a much stronger place and thats what well do, he said. -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 15:34:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SANAA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- At least nine fighters were killed as the Yemeni government army defeated an overnight attack by the Houthi rebels to the northeast of the rebel-held capital Sanaa, a government security source said Saturday. The Houthi attack late Friday night targeted positions of the government forces in the area of Najd al-Atak and the mountain of Salb in Nehm district, about 60 km northeast of Sanaa. "At least eight rebels and one soldier were killed in the fighting and dozens from both sides injured," the source in Nehm told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the Houthi-run al-Masirah television said the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen launched 13 airstrikes on several areas in Nehm, without giving further details. Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized control of much of the country's north and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa. The United Nations has called for a total cease-fire in Yemen to help combat the coronavirus pandemic. Enditem WASHINGTON - The Trump administration has discussed whether to conduct the first U.S. nuclear test explosion since 1992 in a move that would have far-reaching consequences for relations with other nuclear powers and reverse a decades-long moratorium on such actions, said a senior administration official and two former officials familiar with the deliberations. The matter came up at a meeting of senior officials representing the top national security agencies last Friday, following accusations from administration officials that Russia and China are conducting low-yield nuclear tests - an assertion that has not been substantiated by publicly available evidence and that both countries have denied. A senior administration official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive nuclear discussions, said that demonstrating to Moscow and Beijing that the United States could "rapid test" could prove useful from a negotiating standpoint as Washington seeks a trilateral deal to regulate the arsenals of the biggest nuclear powers. The meeting did not conclude with any agreement to conduct a test, but a senior administration official said the proposal is "very much an ongoing conversation." Another person familiar with the meeting, however, said a decision was ultimately made to take other measures in response to threats posed by Russia and China and avoid a resumption of testing. The National Security Council declined to comment. During the meeting, serious disagreements emerged over the idea, in particular from the National Nuclear Security Administration, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The NNSA, an agency that ensures the safety of the nation's stockpile of nuclear weapons, didn't respond to a request for comment. The United States has not conducted a nuclear test explosion since September 1992, and nuclear nonproliferation advocates warned that doing so now could have destabilizing consequences. "It would be an invitation for other nuclear-armed countries to follow suit," said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association. "It would be the starting gun to an unprecedented nuclear arms race. You would also disrupt the negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who may no longer feel compelled to honor his moratorium on nuclear testing." The United States remains the only country to have deployed a nuclear weapon during wartime, but since 1945 at least eight countries have collectively conducted about 2,000 nuclear tests, of which more than 1,000 were carried out by the United States. The environmental and health-related consequences of nuclear testing moved the process underground, eventually leading to near-global moratorium on testing in this century with the exception of North Korea. Concerns about the dangers of testing prompted more than 184 nations to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty, an agreement that will not enter into force until ratified by eight key states, including the United States. President Barack Obama supported the ratification of the CTBT in 2009 but never realized his goal. The Trump administration said it would not seek ratification in its 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. Still, the major nuclear powers abide by its core prohibition on testing. But the United States in recent months has alleged Russia and China have violated the "zero yield" standard with extremely low-yield or underground tests, not the type of many-kiloton yield tests with mushroom clouds associated with the Cold War. Russia and China deny the allegation. Since establishing a moratorium on testing in the early 1990s, the United States has ensured that its nuclear weapons are ready to be deployed by conducting what are known as subcritical tests - or blasts that do not produce a nuclear chain reaction but can test components of a weapon. U.S. nuclear weapons facilities have also developed robust computer simulation technologies that allow for modeling of nuclear tests to ensure the arsenal is ready to deploy. The main purpose of nuclear tests has long been to check the reliability of an existing arsenal or try out new weapon designs. Every year, top U.S. officials, including the heads of the national nuclear labs and the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, must certify the safety and reliability of the stockpile without testing. The Trump administration has said that, unlike Russia and China, it isn't pursuing new nuclear weapons but reserves the right to do so if the two countries refuse to negotiate on their programs. The deliberations over a nuclear test explosion come as the Trump administration prepares to leave the Treaty on Open Skies, a nearly 30-year-old pact that came into force in 2002 and was designed to reduce the chances of an accidental war by allowing mutual reconnaissance flights for members of the 34-country agreement. The planned withdrawal marks another example of the erosion of a global arms-control framework that Washington and Moscow began hashing out painstakingly during the Cold War. The Trump administration pulled out of a 1987 pact with Russia governing intermediate-range missiles, citing violations by Moscow, and withdrew from a 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, saying Tehran wasn't living up to the spirit of it. The primary remaining pillar of the arms-control framework between the United States and Russia is the New START pact, which places limits on strategic nuclear platforms. The Trump administration has been pushing to negotiate a follow-on agreement that includes China in addition to Russia, but China has rejected calls for talks so far. Trump's presidential envoy for arms control, Marshall Billingslea, warned that China is the "midst" of a major buildup of its nuclear arsenal and "intent on building up its nuclear forces and using those forces to try to intimidate the United States and our friends and allies." One U.S. official said a nuclear test could help pressure the Chinese into joining a trilateral agreement with the U.S. and Russia, but some nonproliferation advocates say such a move is risky. "If this administration believes that a nuclear test explosion and nuclear brinkmanship is going to coerce negotiating partners to make unilateral concessions, that's a dangerous ploy," Kimball said. Weather Alert ...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM EST FRIDAY... * WHAT...Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 20 to 29 below zero. * WHERE...Central, northern and southern Vermont and northern New York. * WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 10 AM EST Friday. * IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Temperatures will drop well below zero tonight into early Friday morning with northwest winds of 5 to 10 mph expected across the region. The coldest wind chills are expected between 5 AM and 9 AM Friday with winds expected to weaken as the day progresses. Temperatures will remain on the cold side throughout the day with high temperatures only climbing into the single digits above zero. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves. && A Hudson County roads inspector is accused of accepting a cash bribe to delete violations he may have issued a construction project in Bayonne, authorities said. Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said Barry Smith, 52, of Bayonne, was arrested Thursday and charged with bribery, theft by extortion and official misconduct. Suarez said Smith offered to delete violations related to a construction project in the area of Kennedy Boulevard and 15th Street in exchange for a cash payment. The charges against Smith also allege he previously accepted a similar cash payment in December 2019. Prosecutor Suarez credited the Hudson County Prosecutors Office Public Integrity Unit, Special Investigations Section and the Special Investigations Unit of the Bayonne Police Department with the investigation and arrest. The HCPO asks that any other individuals who may be victims of Smith to contact the Public Integrity Unit, Special Investigations Section at 201-795-6400, ext. 6724 or 6727. Local officials gathered outside the Missoula County Courthouse on Friday to honor the one-year anniversary of Trooper Wade Palmers return to Missoula after his life-saving surgeries in Salt Lake City. The Missoula Board of County Commissioners declared May 22, 2020, Trooper Wade Palmer Day to honor the Montana Highway Patrolman who was shot multiple times in his patrol car while responding to reports of an armed and violent man on March 15, 2019. Missoula County Sheriff TJ McDermott said Palmers continued progress recovering from his injuries have been an inspiration to keep looking forward, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. I can speak for many when I say if we were able, this event would be attended by an entire community, McDermott said. As we look forward to the years to come, we honor his courage, we remember his sacrifice and thank him for being part of our law enforcement family. The proclamation ceremony had strictly limited attendance due to the pandemic, with about 30 officials and law enforcement officers present. A Missoulian photographer/videographer attended in person, and the Missoulian also reported via audio recording due to attendance limitations. Commissioner Dave Strohmaier read the proclamation dedicating the day to Palmer, who was in attendance, honoring both Palmer and the lives and public service of all law enforcement past and present. The shooting spree before midnight on March 14, 2019, targeted three people in a pickup on Expressway west of Missoula. An hour later, Palmer was shot in his patrol car on U.S. Highway 93 North as he approached the suspect's vehicle. Palmer is one of the two who survived the attacks, albeit with injuries that left him unable to talk as of March and require him to rely on a wheelchair, though his recovery is ongoing. Shelley Hays, 28, and Julie Blanchard, 52, both died from their gunshot wounds; Hays was pronounced dead at the scene while Blanchard succumbed to her injuries months later while undergoing rehabilitation in Washington. Julie Blanchard's son, Casey, was paralyzed from the waist down in the shooting. Before he returned to Montana, Casey Blanchard and Palmer both spent the initial throes of their recovery at University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City. In March, Sgt. Sean Finley, who served as Palmer's supervisor at the Montana Highway Patrol, recognized Palmer's dedication to public service during an update on Palmer's recovery. "Trooper Palmer gave everything for this state," he said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: With its economy taking a huge hit from the coronavirus pandemic, China on Friday announced that it will not set a GDP growth target for this year. This is for the first time since 1990 that China is doing away with setting an annual economic growth target. This is because our country will face some factors that are difficult to predict in its development due to the great uncertainty regarding the Covid-19 pandemic and the world economic and trade environment, Premier Li Keqiang said at the start of the countrys annual parliament meeting. Analysts say Fridays decision may have been taken as China is set to miss a key political goal of doubling its gross domestic product from the 2010 levels, which would be a blow to the ruling partys pledge to provide prosperity. Before the pandemic, China was widely expected to announce a growth target of about six per cent for the year. However, with COVID-19 causing economic growth to shrink 6.8 per cent in the first quarter, the Chinese leadership felt such a target would no longer be feasible. Premier Li said the country will instead give priority to stabilising employment and ensuring living standards. Li also said the government will tighten its belts at all levels, and that all types of surplus funds will be withdrawn and re-allocated, to be put for better use. The country also doubled down Friday on efforts to combat the pandemic and create jobs as the number of people thrown out of work soars worldwide. The help for the worlds number two economy, the main driver of world growth in recent years, followed news that nearly 39 million Americans have lost their jobs since the crisis accelerated two months ago. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, the top economic leader, said Friday that Beijing would give local governments 2 trillion yuan ($280 billion) to help them undo the damage from shutdowns imposed to curb the spread of the virus after it first appeared in central China in late 2019. Li told the annual session of the largely ceremonial National People's Congress that the battle against the new coronavirus, which has infected at least 5.1 million people worldwide according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, has not yet come to an end. The lawmakers were meeting under strict health precautions in Beijing after the gathering was postponed for nearly two months. China is still striving to snuff out outbreaks. It reported four new confirmed virus cases on Friday and no new deaths. (With Inputs from Associated Press) Burma This Week in Parliament Myanmars Lower House of Parliament shortly before starting its session on May 18. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy Monday (May 18) Union Health Minister Dr. Myint Htwe submitted a bill to Parliament aimed at controlling communicable diseases. The bill is an updated version of the 1995 Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases Law and is designed to help the government effectively prevent and control communicable diseases and carry out actions in accordance with the rules and regulations of the World Health Organization, he said. Tuesday (May 19) Lower House lawmaker U Sai Tun Aye of Shan States Mong Hsu Township denounced the governments move to extend operation of the Tigyit coal-fired power plant in Shan State despite the fact that local residents have long complained about its impacts on their health and environment. The government gave the go-ahead in 2019 for the plant to continue operation until May 2022. Deputy Minister for Electricity and Energy U Khin Maung Win replied that the plant benefits the countrys electricity sectoran answer that drew the ire of environmentalists. Wednesday (May 20) Lawmaker U Tun Tun posed a question about the amount of foreign and local investment in Myanmar between April 2016 and December 2019. Deputy Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations U Bharat Singh said Myanmar received US$19.5 billion worth of foreign investment and 8.9 trillion kyats (US$6.3 billion) in local investment during that period. A total of 35 countries made investments and Singapore is Myanmars biggest investor, with US$9.3 billion, followed by China with $2.9 billion and Hong Kong with $1.8 billion. Thursday (May 21) The Union Parliament voted to postpone a national referendum on constitutional change that was expected to cost around 15 billion kyats (US$10.44 million) to carry out. The referendum is required in order to approve two minor changes to the Constitutions Article 32(a) and 32(b), which received the required support of more than 75 percent of lawmakers in Parliament in March. Deputy Planning and Finance Minister U Maung Maung Win and Vice Governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) U Bo Bo Nge explained a proposal by President U Win Myint to borrow 1.3 trillion kyats (US$925 million) from the CBM in order to top up for the 2019-20 fiscal year. Friday (May 22) The Union Parliament approved U Win Myints proposal to borrow a US$50 million loan from the World Banks International Development Association to fund emergency health care response efforts. Eleven lawmakers also discussed the presidents proposal to obtain a US$700 million loan to fund the budget deficit. Military-appointed lawmaker Major Aung Naing Oo said Myanmar faces a budget deficit every year and this is not a new problem caused by COVID-19. He urged the government to reduce expenditures and be thrifty. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Parliament Set to Discuss Ethnic Chin Lawmakers Abduction by AA This Week in Parliament Release stocks or face punitive action, Govt. warns millers By Kasun Warakapitiya View(s): View(s): The Government has warned four major rice millers, providers of the countrys major requirements, to put out their rice stocks or face punitive action. The Sunday Times learns that the warnings have gone to the popular brands of Araliya, Nipuna, New Ratna and Lathkandura. The move comes hard on the heels of the Government imposing enhanced import taxes, prompting price increases in dhal, tin fish, sugar, red onions, potatoes, garlic and dried chillies, among 26 items. The taxes came into effect on Friday. The Consumer Affairs Authority has received complaints that these millers were hoarding large stocks of different varieties of samba rice. This was after sales had dropped with the closure of hotels and restaurants. They were urging dealers to pay for Samba rice to provide them with Red Kekulu and Naadu rice. We have already given them a serious warning not to impose conditions and thus create a shortage in the market, CAA chief Major General (retd.) Shantha Dissanayake told the Sunday Times on Friday. Though paddy milling is an essential service, he said, despite our warnings, they seem to be continuing with the practice. The latest warning comes as the Sri Lanka Army stepped up its purchases of paddy stocks from small scale producers to supplement existing stocks. The Armys Agriculture Director, Brigadier Indrajith Kandanarachchi told the Sunday Times, We are providing logistical support to the Paddy Marketing Board. We have so far been able to help them with 25,000 metric tonnes of rice. He said the role of the Army came on a directive from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to ensure there is no hoarding and rice stocks were readily available to the people. The CAA chief, Maj.Gen. Dissanayake said there had been a successful Maha harvest and there was no cause for fear of any shortage. He appealed to both wholesale and retail agents to complain to the Authority about millers who were placing conditions so they may act against them immediately. He added that millers were holding large stocks of different varieties of Samba. Some were being sold at higher prices. SPRINGFIELD All of the states 5,000-plus child care providers not in operation will be advised to reopen Friday, May 29, provided the states four regions under Gov. J.B. Pritzkers reopening plan continue to progress toward the third phase of the plan by that date. Providers that have been closed must develop a reopening plan that ensures they have revised operational and preparedness policies in place before opening, the governor said. All providers will be expected to resume compliance with all licensing standards related to curriculum, learning environment and staff qualifications. All four regions in Pritzkers Restore Illinois plan are on pace to enter Phase 3 next week. We can't have a conversation about going back to work without talking about child care, Pritzker said during his daily COVID-19 briefing from his Capitol office Friday. If we don't have child care, a large portion of the workforce, especially women, who too often bear a disproportionate burden, will be without any way to move forward without caring for their child themselves. Pritzker said for the first four weeks that they're open, providers will be able to serve up to 10 children per classroom. Once they have provided care safely for four weeks and have gotten accustomed to the new health, social distancing and sanitation routines, they will be able to expand to larger group sizes, though not yet at their fully licensed capacity, he said. Pritzker called the plan a cautious approach as the scientific community collectively continues to learn about how the virus spreads. He said the effort would bring Illinois to three-quarters of its pre-pandemic child care capacity. Since the initial stay-at-home order was signed in March, Pritzker said the states child care had been operating at about 15% capacity as about 2,500 child care homes or 700 centers remained open. Under the new guidance for group child care settings, capacity would be roughly 30% lower than their pre-pandemic levels. For smaller licensed homes, most will be able to operate at standard capacity. Providers that have been operating as emergency child care providers can move immediately to these new maximum capacities when their region enters Phase 3. The governor announced the plan as the state announced another 110 deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total of virus-related fatalities in the state to 4,715. There were another 2,758 confirmed cases among 25,113 persons tested in the past 24 hours. There are now more than 105,444 confirmed cases in 100 counties out of 697,133 specimens tested. Hospitalization numbers remain relatively flat, as there were 3,928 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of midnight Friday, with 1,060 of them in intensive care unit beds and 589 on ventilators. As Illinois prepares to enter Phase 3 of 5, Pritzker also addressed the potential of reopening religious institutions on the same day President Donald Trump deemed those facilities essential and called for mass reopenings. My team and I have received a lot of excellent proposals and ideas from different religious groups on how to safely expand their services, Pritzker said. From a broad standpoint, I can say that outdoor faith services, including but not limited to drive-in church services, will be welcomed in Phase 3. And we continue to collaborate with faith leaders to ensure that they can hold services in safe and creative ways that allow for worship, while protecting their congregants. When asked about Trumps call for reopening, Pritzker encouraged faith leaders to stay the course in not holding mass religious gatherings indoors. We're gonna continue to operate on the basis of science and data and I'm as anxious as anybody to make sure that our churches, our mosques, our synagogues open back to where they were before COVID-19 came along, he said. We're gradually moving in that direction, but there's no doubt, the most important thing is we do not want parishioners to get ill because their faith leaders bring them together. Pritzker also said he was looking for help from the General Assembly in terms of enforcing the stay-at-home order. Pritzkers administration withdrew an emergency rule this month that would have allowed for the filing of Class A misdemeanor charges against those who disregard his stay-at-home order amid opposition from lawmakers in a key committee. He said Friday he would be disappointed if lawmakers did not approve a measure to allow for lesser fines without misdemeanor charges if a business ignores his order. He said the General Assembly does not appear to want to raise and hold a vote on such a measure. I mean the Legislature has been asking for months and months, they've wanted to come together, because they consider themselves, and they are, a co-equal branch of government, along with the judiciary branch and the executive branch, he said. And it is their obligation, frankly, to do their duty. They don't seem to want to help in any way, dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, by offering us the ability to use a small enforcement mechanism that we've asked for. Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said as Memorial Day weekend approaches, its important to continue to take precautions to ensure that Illinois remains on a pace to safely reopen. Although it's unfortunate that we can't throw a barbecue with 100 of our friends, I think it's clear why we are in that situation, she said. And I know that you're doing your part to make sure that we will get to celebrations so that we can celebrate with more normalcy in the future. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service PATNA: In a first for the country, the state Disaster Management Department in Bihar after conducting a micro analysis of ratio and rate of migrant workers testing positives and the places wherefrom they have returned from, has introduced a new 3-tier quarantine level. Over 5 lakh migrant-labourers have returned so far from other states and more than a thousand of them tested positive from May 3 to 21. According to an official figure 1,184 migrant-labourers returned from other states including Delhi and Maharashtra, have been tested positive since May 3 to 21. Among them highest number of333 are from Delhi followed 293 from Maharashtra 212 from Gujarat,80 from Haryana and 62 from West Bengal. In initial days of the outbreak of pandemic and subsequent lockdown, the migrant workers or whosoever returned from outside the state were quarantined at Panchayat level of quarantine centres. But now the surging number of migrants and majority of them being tested positive every day, the strategy of providing them quarantine has been elaborated with due to consideration ensuring effective social distancing. "Now, the state is providing the migrant workers or whoever return by the Sharmik special or other means of communication under the three categories from the village, Panchayat to block levels of quarantine," shared principal secretary of Disaster Management Department Pratyay Amrit to this newspaper. Detailing about the strategy, he said that those who return from Surat, Ahmadabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune,Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gurgram, Noida, Kolkata and Bangalore are placed under quarantine at 'A 'category of centres set up at block level. The district magistrate of every district has been authorised to include the city of returning of migrant workers as per the emerging situation. All other cities of the country have been placed under the Category-B and the migrant workers who return from anyone of those cities are being quarantined at Panchayat level of centres if they are found developing some symptoms of COVID-19 or are suspected in the initial screening. At the block level of quarantine centres, if the migrants are not found with some symptoms of COVID-19 during the 14 days of stay, they are allowed to ho home with a condition to maintaining at least seven days of home quarantine also. Pratyay Amrit further confirmed the migrant workers, who return from the cities excluded from the category of 'A" are sent for home quarantine if they don't show a sign of infection of COVID-19. "All details of migrant workers are taken at the time of their return including the bank account numbers with the Aadhaar card numbers so that they can be financial assistance including the reimbursement of travel costs can be done," he said. Meanwhile, official sources said that 1.81,500 migrant workers returned to Bihar from outside by 110 Sharmik special trains on Friday while 1,93,400 migrant worker are scheduled to return on Saturday by 118 special trains. FM Minh shared Vietnams measures to curb COVID-19 and develop the economy in the post-pandemic period. He affirmed that Vietnam is willing to share its experience and coordinate with Ireland to enhance their medical capacity in response to the pandemic and also support each other in citizen protection. Coveney highly appreciated Vietnams strong measures and active roles as ASEAN Chair 2020 and non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2020-2021 in promoting regional and global cooperation to push back the disease. He suggested the two countries further step up their partnership in the cooperative frameworks between the European Union (EU) and Vietnam, and between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the EU, as well as at international forums, especially the United Nations, regarding issues of mutual concern. He affirmed that Vietnam is a responsible partner of the international community, and always closely works with partners, including Ireland, at multilateral forums, to make more contributions to peacekeeping, stability, respect for international law, and response to global issues. The Deputy Prime Minister thanked Ireland for supporting the signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). He recommended the two sides cooperate to optimise opportunities from the deals, thus helping the two economies overcome the current challenges. The two officials recognised positive progress in bilateral relations and agreed to jointly organise activities marking the 25th founding anniversary of Vietnam-Ireland diplomatic ties (1996-2021), while enhancing multifaceted cooperation, especially in relation to the economy, trade and development cooperation. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. The frontal organisations of both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress are trying to outdo each other in relief distribution and quick response to distress calls during the coronavirus-induced lockdown across the country. The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and the Youth Congress have been flooding the social media platforms with posts regarding their relief activities during the pandemic. Medicines for a cancer patient in Bihars Rajendra Nagar and for another with a neurological ailment in Mumbais Goregaon; money and food for a group of 18 people, including children from Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, and for nine others, including a pregnant woman from Nagaland who ran out of essentials during the lockdown are on top of the BJYMs list of quick responses. Taking a cue from its parent political outfit, the BJYM has set up helplines to offer aid to those in need. A toll-free helpline that works 24x7 was set up and social media platforms were used to disseminate information about the BJYMCares initiative launched on April 1. We realised that the pandemic is a great equaliser; and we could use this as an opportunity to use our ideological training in seva (voluntary work). So we set up a system where our members could reach help down to the mandal level, said BJYM president Poonam Mahajan, who is also a Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai North Central. On the other hand, the Youth Congress since the beginning of the nationwide lockdown on March 25 too has supported the needy, distributing food, groceries, water and medical facilities to stranded migrants and the poor, including the Hindu refugees from Pakistan living in the national capital. The Youth Congress turned its Delhi headquarters into a 24x7 food bank, installed a roti (bread) making machine to ensure that a large number of people are served food. On the instructions of our leadership, we will continue to provide help to the migrants and the poor and try to minimise the far-reaching consequences of this draconian lockdown imposed upon the people and do so till the nation wins this fight against deadly coronavirus, said Youth Congress president Srinivas BV. The BJYM has also formed a national coordination team with states being clubbed into six zones. A team of 100 people monitor online requests in different shifts, BJYM functionaries said, adding requests are routed to the teams on the ground and a report sent to the national team. The turnaround time is short with medicines, packed food and ration being provided in most cases within 30 minutes to an hour. Over the last few weeks, the BJYM, which claims to have over 10 crore members, has focused on distributing homemade masks, distributing personal protection equipment apart from helping migrants sort out train registrations. No call for help goes unheard or unassisted, said Mahajan. For its part, the Youth Congress has also started campaigns such as Meri Zimmedari, Hume Garv Hai and 1 crore mask distribution. Under the Meri Zimmedari campaign, the Youth Congress instructed its volunteers to provide relief in any form possible to the needy, through Hume Garv Hai it felicitated Corona warriors and sanitation workers. The Youth Congress has so far distributed once crore masks to the people, Srinivas said, adding these masks were produced at its Delhi headquarters and offices across the country by those who lost jobs due to the lockdown. The BJYM has also collected more than 58,000 blood units donated by its workers and volunteers and a list of more than 1.5 lakh donors are on standby to meet exigency. Like the BJYM, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad or ABVP, the students wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), too organised blood camps. An ABVP functionary said volunteers have been distributing masks, sanitisers, ration and cooked food in collaboration with local administration. We also reached out to landlords who have provided accommodation to students and appealed to them to forego their rents. We have also been receiving calls for help from students from the Northeast, said ABVP general secretary Nidhi Tripathi. The medical divisions of ABVP, Medivison and Jigyasa, in collaboration with local administration in Rajasthans Jodhpur and Bikaner, Bengaluru, Kerala, Gujarat and Haryana, offer free aid; while in Pune, volunteers are involved in door-to-door scanning, The ABVP, which claims to have over three million members, is also organising remedial classes and online guest lectures. The Youth Congress too organised blood donation camps and facilitated travel of migrant workers. Similarly, medical supplies and food is also being provided for those returning to their homes through trains at different railways stations and bus terminals. The entire Youth Congress family, right from the block level to the national level, is working with great enthusiasm and determination. We are determined to continue this fight against corona, its effects and the government apathy and relief is being given to all without any discrimination, Youth Congress national media in-charge Amrish Ranjan Pandey said. John Wick creator Derek Kolstad expects Keanu Reeves to return for a fifth film (Image by Lionsgate) Derek Kolstad, the co-creator and screenwriter on all three John Wick films, has provided an update on the franchise, teasing that the upcoming fourth will probably be followed by a fifth one, too. Kolstad admitted as much during his recent interview with ComicBook.com, but only after discussing how honoured he feels that Keanu Reeves keeps on returning to the titular character, especially since the actor has done very few sequels. Read More: 'John Wick' directors hopeful for a best stunt Oscar in the future He found something very special in John Wick that is very important to him, that is both spoken and unspoken. I don't know how many more there will be, but I think the plan right now is, at the very least, four to five." HOLLYWOOD, CA - MAY 15: Derek Kolstad arrives for the Special Screening Of Lionsgate's "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" held at TCL Chinese Theatre on May 15, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images) Regarding the upcoming sequels, Kolstad added, "The idea being if we can... Shoehorn is the wrong word. It's very negative, but if you can look at Chapter 4 and go, 'Is it one long movie, or do you take your time, let it breathe, be its own creature as four and five? I think that's where he would be incredibly happy. He's taken ownership of this character. He's made it his own in the best ways possible, and so it isn't a matter of deferring to a guy like Keanu. It's a matter of all of us excited to play again." Read More: John Wick 4: Everything you need to know The problem for those involved in John Wick 4, and potentially John Wick 5, is that Reeves has to finish shooting The Matrix 4 before he can play the assassin again. Unfortunately, production on The Matrix still wasnt finished when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, meaning that John Wick 4s planned release date of May 21, 2021, has now been pushed back all the way to May 27, 2022. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said West Bengal will urge the Centre to postpone resuming domestic flight services at Kolkata and Bagdogra airports by a few days as the state will be busy with managing the damage caused by Cyclone Amphan. The flight services are scheduled to begin on May 25. Banerjee said she has asked the chief secretary to request the Civil Aviation Ministry to defer the services at Kolkata airport to May 30 and at Bagdogra airport to May 28. The state has already urged the Centre to put off the movement of special trains till May 27. Banerjee said authorities will ask people returning to the state to go for home quarantine for 14 days but urged them to cooperate with the government and follow the protocols. "Nothing can be better than home. But you must follow isolation guidelines," she appealed, adding there will be testing facilities in each district for the returnees. Citing an MHA order on preventing any religious gathering, Banerjee urged people to celebrate Eid-ul-fitr at home this year. "Please cooperate with us. The Bengali New Year could not be held earlier due to lockdown and coronavirus pandemic. The Annapurna puja could not be held. Please avoid gatherings to offer Eid prayers now. A large gathering may cause contamination within a few seconds," she said. Hugh Sheridan is known for the likes of Packed to the Rafters, The Real Dirty Dancing and Isn't It Romantic. And on Saturday, the Australian actor revealed that he'll be directing a semi-autobiographical film about young ballet dancers, called The Dance. The 34-year-old studied ballet throughout his childhood and said that with the film, he hopes to shed light on mental health. New project: Packed to the Rafters star Hugh Sheridan revealed this week that he'll be directing a semi-autobiographical film called The Dance to shed light on mental health 'The plot centres on a group of young ballet dancers and the trails and tribulations they face with the challenges of living away from home at such a young age and the complexity of friendship versus love,' Hugh told The Daily Telegraph at the weekend. He added: 'I hope it will shine a light on mental health among young people.' Hugh had previously attended the Australian Ballet School, but left to pursue acting. He's a talent! Hugh had previously attended the Australian Ballet School, but left to pursue acting (pictured dancing) Familiar face: Hugh Sheridan is known for the likes of Packed to the Rafters, The Real Dirty Dancing and Isn't It Romantic (pictured) Speaking to Now to Love last year, Hugh candidly revealed he has struggled with mental health issues in the past. Growing up in Adelaide, Hugh said moving away to finish school in Melbourne was one of the hardest things he had to do. 'I've had moments with myself when I was younger, living away from home,' the actor explained. 'I moved away when I was only 16 to finish school in Melbourne and that was probably the hardest that I've ever had it.' Honest: Hugh has spoken about his own mental health struggles in the past Hugh said at the time he had burning questions about his career and personal direction. 'When I was younger, I'd sometimes wonder where I am going and what I am doing with my life,' he added. Hugh said often the best way to deal with the issues was to talk to someone. If you or anyone you know is struggling, contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue. driven by a compounded growth of 5. 3%. Polymer-Free, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 5. 6%. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. New York, May 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Drug-Eluting Stents Industry" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05443570/?utm_source=GNW Poised to reach over US$5.3 Billion by the year 2025, Polymer-Free will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth. - Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 4.1% growth momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over US$82.2 Million to the regions size and clout in the next 5 to 6 years. Over US$67.4 Million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of Europe markets. In Japan, Polymer-Free will reach a market size of US$286.2 Million by the close of the analysis period. As the worlds 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$705.1 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. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05443570/?utm_source=GNW DRUG-ELUTING STENTS MCP-1 MARKET ANALYSIS, TRENDS, AND FORECASTS, MAY 2 CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. MARKET OVERVIEW Coronary Stents Market - A Prelude Recent Market Activity Competitive Scenario J&J Exit from DES Market Improves Prospects for Competitors Evolution of the Drug-Eluting Stent Evolution of Drug-Eluting Stents (DES) Over the Years Comparative Analysis of Drug-Eluting Stents in Terms of Physical Parameters Bioabsorbable Stents New Stents with Biodegradable Polymers Completely Bioresorbable Scaffolds: Potential Game-Changer Noteworthy Clinical Studies and Innovations Study Proves Efficacy of Very Thin Strut DES On Par with Durable Polymer Stents Drug-Eluting Stents and Drug-Coated Balloons for Non-Coronary Indications DES for Large Sized Arteries Addressing the Unmet Challenges in Patients with Diabetes Biosensors Commercializes BMX-J DES System SLENDER DES Set to Downsize the Future of Interventional Cardiology Other Novel DES Launches Researchers at University of Strathclyde Evaluate VAN 10- Small Molecule DES Safe for Vein Grafts Procedures Global Competitor Market Shares Drug-Eluting Stents Competitor Market Share Scenario Worldwide (in %): 2018 & 2029 Impact of Covid-19 and a Looming Global Recession 2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS Abbott Laboratories (US) AlviMedica (Turkey) Arterius Limited (UK) B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany) Biosensors International Group, Ltd. (Singapore) Shandong JW Medical Systems LTD. (China) Biotronik SE & Co. KG (Germany) Boston Scientific Corporation (US) Cook Medical Inc. (US) Elixir Medical Corp. (US) KYOTO MEDICAL PLANNING Co., Ltd. (Japan) Lepu Medical Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (China) Medtronic plc (Republic of Ireland) Micell Technologies, Inc. (US) Opto Circuits (India) Ltd (India) Eurocor GmbH (Germany) OrbusNeich Medical Company Limited (Hong Kong) QualiMed (Germany) Shanghai MicroPort Medical (Group) Co., Ltd. (China) Sino Medical Sciences Technology Inc. (China) STENTYS SA (France) Terumo Corporation (Japan) 3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS Key Market Drivers & Restraints Aging - A Key Market Driver Global Aging Population Demographic Statistics: Key Opportunity Indicator High Diabetes Incidence Worldwide Drives Demand for Cardiac Surgery and Stents 4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE Table 1: Drug-Eluting Stents Global Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 2: Drug-Eluting Stents Global Retrospective Market Scenario in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 3: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Shift across Key Geographies Worldwide: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 4: Polymer-Free (Coating) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 5: Polymer-Free (Coating) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 6: Polymer-Free (Coating) Market Share Breakdown of Worldwide Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 7: Polymer-based (Coating) Potential Growth Markets Worldwide in US$ Million: 2020 to 2027 Table 8: Polymer-based (Coating) Historic Market Perspective by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012 to 2019 Table 9: Polymer-based (Coating) Market Sales Breakdown by Region/Country in Percentage: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 10: Coronary Artery Disease (Application) Global Market Estimates & Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 11: Coronary Artery Disease (Application) Retrospective Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 12: Coronary Artery Disease (Application) Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 13: Peripheral Artery Disease (Application) Demand Potential Worldwide in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 14: Peripheral Artery Disease (Application) Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 15: Peripheral Artery Disease (Application) Share Breakdown Review by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 16: Cardiology Centers (End-Use) Worldwide Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 17: Cardiology Centers (End-Use) Global Historic Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 18: Cardiology Centers (End-Use) Distribution of Global Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 19: Ambulatory Surgical Centers (End-Use) Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Years 2020 through 2027 Table 20: Ambulatory Surgical Centers (End-Use) Analysis of Historic Sales in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Years 2012 to 2019 Table 21: Ambulatory Surgical Centers (End-Use) Global Market Share Distribution by Region/Country for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 22: Hospitals (End-Use) Global Opportunity Assessment in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 23: Hospitals (End-Use) Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2012-2019 Table 24: Hospitals (End-Use) Percentage Share Breakdown of Global Sales by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 III. MARKET ANALYSIS GEOGRAPHIC MARKET ANALYSIS UNITED STATES Market Facts & Figures US Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share (in %) by Company: 2018 & 2025 Market Analytics Table 25: United States Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Coating: 2020 to 2027 Table 26: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in the United States by Coating: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 27: United States Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 28: United States Drug-Eluting Stents Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 29: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Demand Patterns in the United States by Application in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 30: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown in the United States by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 31: United States Drug-Eluting Stents Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 32: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Demand Patterns in the United States by End-Use in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 33: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown in the United States by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 CANADA Table 34: Canadian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Coating: 2020 to 2027 Table 35: Canadian Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Review by Coating in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 36: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Canada: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Coating for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 37: Canadian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 38: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Canada: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Application for 2012-2019 Table 39: Canadian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 40: Canadian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 41: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Canada: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by End-Use for 2012-2019 Table 42: Canadian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 JAPAN Table 43: Japanese Market for Drug-Eluting Stents: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 44: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Japan: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2012-2019 Table 45: Japanese Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 46: Japanese Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 47: Japanese Drug-Eluting Stents Market in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 48: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Shift in Japan by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 49: Japanese Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 50: Japanese Drug-Eluting Stents Market in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 51: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Shift in Japan by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 CHINA Table 52: Chinese Drug-Eluting Stents Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 53: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in China in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 54: Chinese Drug-Eluting Stents Market by Coating: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 55: Chinese Demand for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 56: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Review in China in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 57: Chinese Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 58: Chinese Demand for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 59: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Review in China in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 60: Chinese Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 EUROPE Market Facts & Figures European Drug-Eluting Stents Market: Competitor Market Share Scenario (in %) for 2018 & 2025 Market Analytics Table 61: European Drug-Eluting Stents Market Demand Scenario in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 62: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Europe: A Historic Market Perspective in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Period 2012-2019 Table 63: European Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Shift by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 64: European Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Coating: 2020-2027 Table 65: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Europe in US$ Million by Coating: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 66: European Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 67: European Drug-Eluting Stents Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 68: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2012-2019 Table 69: European Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 70: European Drug-Eluting Stents Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 71: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2012-2019 Table 72: European Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 FRANCE Table 73: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in France by Coating: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 74: French Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 75: French Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 76: Drug-Eluting Stents Quantitative Demand Analysis in France in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 77: French Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Review in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 78: French Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 79: Drug-Eluting Stents Quantitative Demand Analysis in France in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 80: French Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Review in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 81: French Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by End-Use for 2012, 2020, and 2027 GERMANY Table 82: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Germany: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 83: German Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 84: German Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 85: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Germany: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 86: German Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 87: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in Germany by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 88: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Germany: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 89: German Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 90: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in Germany by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ITALY Table 91: Italian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 92: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in Italy in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 93: Italian Drug-Eluting Stents Market by Coating: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 94: Italian Demand for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 95: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Review in Italy in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 96: Italian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 97: Italian Demand for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 98: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Review in Italy in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 99: Italian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 UNITED KINGDOM Table 100: United Kingdom Market for Drug-Eluting Stents: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 101: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in the United Kingdom: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2012-2019 Table 102: United Kingdom Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 103: United Kingdom Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 104: United Kingdom Drug-Eluting Stents Market in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 105: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Shift in the United Kingdom by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 106: United Kingdom Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 107: United Kingdom Drug-Eluting Stents Market in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 108: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Shift in the United Kingdom by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SPAIN Table 109: Spanish Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Coating: 2020 to 2027 Table 110: Spanish Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Review by Coating in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 111: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Spain: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Coating for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 112: Spanish Drug-Eluting Stents Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 113: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Spain: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Application for 2012-2019 Table 114: Spanish Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 115: Spanish Drug-Eluting Stents Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 116: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Spain: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by End-Use for 2012-2019 Table 117: Spanish Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 RUSSIA Table 118: Russian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Coating: 2020 to 2027 Table 119: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Russia by Coating: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 120: Russian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 121: Russian Drug-Eluting Stents Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 122: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Demand Patterns in Russia by Application in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 123: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown in Russia by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 124: Russian Drug-Eluting Stents Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 125: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Demand Patterns in Russia by End-Use in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 126: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown in Russia by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF EUROPE Table 127: Rest of Europe Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Coating: 2020-2027 Table 128: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Rest of Europe in US$ Million by Coating: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 129: Rest of Europe Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 130: Rest of Europe Drug-Eluting Stents Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 131: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Rest of Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2012-2019 Table 132: Rest of Europe Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 133: Rest of Europe Drug-Eluting Stents Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 134: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Rest of Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2012-2019 Table 135: Rest of Europe Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ASIA-PACIFIC Table 136: Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 137: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Asia-Pacific: Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Region/Country for the Period 2012-2019 Table 138: Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Region/Country: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 139: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Asia-Pacific by Coating: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 140: Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 141: Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 142: Drug-Eluting Stents Quantitative Demand Analysis in Asia-Pacific in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 143: Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Review in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 144: Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 145: Drug-Eluting Stents Quantitative Demand Analysis in Asia-Pacific in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 146: Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Review in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 147: Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by End-Use for 2012, 2020, and 2027 AUSTRALIA Table 148: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Australia: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 149: Australian Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 150: Australian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 151: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Australia: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 152: Australian Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 153: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in Australia by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 154: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Australia: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 155: Australian Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 156: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in Australia by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 INDIA Table 157: Indian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Coating: 2020 to 2027 Table 158: Indian Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Review by Coating in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 159: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in India: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Coating for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 160: Indian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 161: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in India: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Application for 2012-2019 Table 162: Indian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 163: Indian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 164: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in India: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by End-Use for 2012-2019 Table 165: Indian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SOUTH KOREA Table 166: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 167: South Korean Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 168: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in South Korea by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 169: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 170: South Korean Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 171: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in South Korea by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 172: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 173: South Korean Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 174: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in South Korea by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF ASIA-PACIFIC Table 175: Rest of Asia-Pacific Market for Drug-Eluting Stents: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 176: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Rest of Asia-Pacific: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2012-2019 Table 177: Rest of Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 178: Rest of Asia-Pacific Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 179: Rest of Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Market in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 180: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Shift in Rest of Asia-Pacific by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 181: Rest of Asia-Pacific Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 182: Rest of Asia-Pacific Drug-Eluting Stents Market in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 183: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Shift in Rest of Asia-Pacific by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 LATIN AMERICA Table 184: Latin American Drug-Eluting Stents Market Trends by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2020-2027 Table 185: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Latin America in US$ Million by Region/Country: A Historic Perspective for the Period 2012-2019 Table 186: Latin American Drug-Eluting Stents Market Percentage Breakdown of Sales by Region/Country: 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 187: Latin American Drug-Eluting Stents Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 188: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in Latin America in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 189: Latin American Drug-Eluting Stents Market by Coating: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 190: Latin American Demand for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 191: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Review in Latin America in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 192: Latin American Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 193: Latin American Demand for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 194: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Review in Latin America in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 195: Latin American Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ARGENTINA Table 196: Argentinean Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Coating: 2020-2027 Table 197: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Argentina in US$ Million by Coating: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 198: Argentinean Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 199: Argentinean Drug-Eluting Stents Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 200: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Argentina: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2012-2019 Table 201: Argentinean Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 202: Argentinean Drug-Eluting Stents Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 203: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Argentina: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2012-2019 Table 204: Argentinean Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 BRAZIL Table 205: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Brazil by Coating: Estimates and Projections in US$ Million for the Period 2020-2027 Table 206: Brazilian Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Scenario in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 207: Brazilian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 208: Drug-Eluting Stents Quantitative Demand Analysis in Brazil in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 209: Brazilian Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Review in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 210: Brazilian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 211: Drug-Eluting Stents Quantitative Demand Analysis in Brazil in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 212: Brazilian Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Review in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 213: Brazilian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by End-Use for 2012, 2020, and 2027 MEXICO Table 214: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Mexico: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 215: Mexican Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 216: Mexican Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 217: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Mexico: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 218: Mexican Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 219: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in Mexico by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 220: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Mexico: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 221: Mexican Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 222: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in Mexico by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF LATIN AMERICA Table 223: Rest of Latin America Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Coating: 2020 to 2027 Table 224: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Rest of Latin America by Coating: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 225: Rest of Latin America Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 226: Rest of Latin America Drug-Eluting Stents Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 227: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Demand Patterns in Rest of Latin America by Application in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 228: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown in Rest of Latin America by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 229: Rest of Latin America Drug-Eluting Stents Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 230: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Demand Patterns in Rest of Latin America by End-Use in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 231: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown in Rest of Latin America by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 MIDDLE EAST Table 232: The Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Region/Country: 2020-2027 Table 233: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in the Middle East by Region/Country in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 234: The Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 235: The Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Coating: 2020 to 2027 Table 236: The Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market by Coating in US$ Million: 2012-2019 Table 237: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in the Middle East: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Coating for 2012,2020, and 2027 Table 238: The Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 239: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in the Middle East: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by Application for 2012-2019 Table 240: The Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 241: The Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 242: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in the Middle East: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Million by End-Use for 2012-2019 Table 243: The Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 IRAN Table 244: Iranian Market for Drug-Eluting Stents: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 245: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Iran: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2012-2019 Table 246: Iranian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 247: Iranian Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 248: Iranian Drug-Eluting Stents Market in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 249: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Shift in Iran by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 250: Iranian Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 251: Iranian Drug-Eluting Stents Market in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 252: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Shift in Iran by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 ISRAEL Table 253: Israeli Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Coating: 2020-2027 Table 254: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Israel in US$ Million by Coating: A Historic Review for the Period 2012-2019 Table 255: Israeli Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 256: Israeli Drug-Eluting Stents Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by Application: 2020-2027 Table 257: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Israel: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2012-2019 Table 258: Israeli Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 259: Israeli Drug-Eluting Stents Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020-2027 Table 260: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Israel: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2012-2019 Table 261: Israeli Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 SAUDI ARABIA Table 262: Saudi Arabian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Growth Prospects in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 263: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in Saudi Arabia in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 264: Saudi Arabian Drug-Eluting Stents Market by Coating: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2012, 2020, and 2027 Table 265: Saudi Arabian Demand for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 266: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Review in Saudi Arabia in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 267: Saudi Arabian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 268: Saudi Arabian Demand for Drug-Eluting Stents in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 269: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Review in Saudi Arabia in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 270: Saudi Arabian Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Table 271: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 272: United Arab Emirates Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 273: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 274: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 275: United Arab Emirates Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 276: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 277: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 278: United Arab Emirates Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 279: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 REST OF MIDDLE EAST Table 280: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Rest of Middle East: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Million by Coating for the Period 2020-2027 Table 281: Rest of Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Market Analysis in US$ Million by Coating: 2012-2019 Table 282: Rest of Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 283: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Rest of Middle East: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by Application for the Period 2020-2027 Table 284: Rest of Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by Application: 2012-2019 Table 285: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in Rest of Middle East by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 286: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Rest of Middle East: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use for the Period 2020-2027 Table 287: Rest of Middle East Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Retrospect in US$ Million by End-Use: 2012-2019 Table 288: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Distribution in Rest of Middle East by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 AFRICA Table 289: African Drug-Eluting Stents Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Million by Coating: 2020 to 2027 Table 290: Drug-Eluting Stents Market in Africa by Coating: A Historic Review in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 291: African Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown by Coating: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 292: African Drug-Eluting Stents Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by Application: 2020 to 2027 Table 293: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Demand Patterns in Africa by Application in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 294: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown in Africa by Application: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 Table 295: African Drug-Eluting Stents Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Million by End-Use: 2020 to 2027 Table 296: Drug-Eluting Stents Historic Demand Patterns in Africa by End-Use in US$ Million for 2012-2019 Table 297: Drug-Eluting Stents Market Share Breakdown in Africa by End-Use: 2012 VS 2020 VS 2027 IV. COMPETITION Total Companies Profiled: 35 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05443570/?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. __________________________ CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 As more people keep hand sanitizer in their cars due to the coronavirus pandemic, firefighters in Wisconsin are issuing a warning. The Western Lakes Fire District in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, posted a photo of a burnt car door on Facebook, cautioning people not to leave hand sanitizer in a vehicle on hot summer days because it may contain alcohol and be flammable. Keeping it in your car during hot weather, exposing it to sun, and particularly being next to open flame while smoking in vehicles or grilling while enjoying this weekend can lead to disaster, the fire department said Thursday. Please respect the possibilities and be fire safe." Can hand sanitizer really catch on fire in your car? Questions have been raised about whether the concern is real. According to Poynter, the image of the burnt car door wasnt from a hand sanitizer fire in a Wisconsin vehicle it was from a Thailand media report about two Saudis who set their door on fire with an aerosol can and a lighter. WNTV reports a study also found hand sanitizer would need to reach a temperature of approximately 300 degrees in order to combust. Most vehicles can only reach 160 degrees, though thats hot enough to injure or kill people and animals. The WLFD admitted the photo was not from a hand sanitizer explosion, but defended its message after it went viral. Its a fire in a door panel. We frequently see the same issues and level of damage from smoking in vehicles," the fire department wrote, adding that a clear bottle of hand sanitizer could reach 300 degrees with light through the container. This is the difference we are talking about, the WLFD said. Clear water bottles have been known to focus light to the point that they boil the water and explode. Its also possible when other substances are heated to extreme temperatures. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources Can store owners require you to wear a face mask to enter? No in-person summer school in NY; too early for decision on fall, Cuomo says 1 new coronavirus death in Onondaga County; 44% of recent new cases had no symptoms Ask Syracuse.com: When can we visit the parents? When will the DMV, gyms reopen? Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Hawaii Democrats released results Saturday for the state's party-run primary. Joe Biden finished first with 63% of the vote, winning 16 of the 24 pledged delegates. Bernie Sanders received 37% of the vote, winning the other 8 delegates. Note that voting in this primary began before Sanders withdrew from the race on April 8. The primary, originally scheduled for April 4, was changed to be run exclusively by mail in response to the pandemic. Ballots were due back by May 22. While Biden is the presumptive nominee, he has not yet reached the 1,991 delegates needed to officially clinch the nomination. That could change on June 2, when the first set of primaries after the Memorial Day holiday is held. 7 states, as well as the District of Columbia will hold contests that day, several of them rescheduled from earlier dates. 479 pledged delegates will be available on June 2. Biden needs 425 of them, based on the latest count by NPR and the Associated Press. That may be a reach, with Bernie Sanders still seeing enough support in some locations to add to his delegate count. The Director of Public Prosecutions has appealed against the sentence imposed on a truck driver for the careless driving death of three-year-old Estlin Wall and causing serious bodily harm to her father, Vincent, three years ago. The DPP is claiming that the sentence imposed by Judge Gerald Keys last month at Ennis Circuit Court on Senan O'Flaherty (63), of Lower Gowerhass, Cooraclare, "is unduly lenient", the Courts Service yesterday confirmed. In his sentence, Judge Keys imposed a 750 fine on O'Flaherty, for the careless driving, causing death of Estlin on March 15, 2017. He also fined O'Flaherty 750 for careless driving, causing serious bodily harm to Mr Wall. Judge Keys - who retired this week - also gave O'Flaherty a four-year driving ban. The judge stated that O'Flaherty's culpability was low and "at the bottom end of the spectrum" in the accident near the village of Inagh. In court, Estlin's mother, Amy, wept at the sentencing, remarking from her seat "that's how old my daughter was - four years" in reference to the driving ban. O'Flaherty had pleaded guilty to both careless driving offences - careless driving, causing the death of an individual carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail. The appeal came after Estlin's parents wrote a letter urging the move. "It is great that the DPP has appealed. I am very happy with that and we feel vindicated," Mr Wall said yesterday. "I don't think we ever had high hopes that the trial or the court experience would make us feel that justice had been done but after the sentence, we were in shock as we never expected coming away that there would be an injustice. It was quite deflating." Mr Wall said that Amy had their third child, Lucie, last week at a hospital in Limerick. The couple called the baby Lucie as that was the name Estlin had picked for the couple's second-born while Amy was pregnant - the baby was a boy and the couple named him Mannix. Cocoon "We are home now with Lucie and back into our cocoon and very happy to be new parents of our third child," said Mr Wall. "It is a happy situation but quite sad as well - Estlin will never be forgotten. "Overall, we are happy to be home and happy that everything went well and happy that the DPP will try to rectify that sentencing." The crash left Mr Wall unconscious for weeks meaning he missed Estlin's funeral and today continues to struggle with the effects of a brain injury. Sadly, missing from the welcome for Lucie was Mr Wall's mother, Patricia, who died from cancer in January 2018. When Katy residents Barb and John Barajas drove to the Heights to run errands on Friday with their adult daughter Kelsey Barajas, they couldn't resist stopping by Eight Row Flint. Barb and John Barajas were there just before the lockdown in March. Chron.com: These Houston bars and nightclubs reopen this weekend It was at the top of their list to return this week as bars were allowed to reopen May 22 under Gov. Greg Abbott's new restrictions, including 25 percent capacity, table-only seating with bar tops blocked off and barstools removed and parties limited to six people. "Their frozen gin and tonic is my favorite drink in Houston," said Barb. "We are thrilled to be here." The Kogi State Governorship election tribunal sitting in Abuja has dismissed a petition brought before it by Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the re-election of Yahaya Bello as governor. Mr Wada had approached the tribunal to challenge the re-election of Mr Bello and the All Progressives Congress (APC). In the election, Mr Bello polled 406,222 votes to defeat the (PDP)s candidate, Mr Wada, who scored 189,704 votes. The petitioners lawyer, Jibril Okutepa, had urged the tribunal to uphold the petition and declare Mr Wada as the duly elected governor of Kogi state. Mr Okutekpa argued that his clients won the majority of lawful votes cast in the election. They called a total of 32 witnesses to prove their claim that the election was marred by irregularities, violence, ballot snatching and non-compliance with the electoral act and the constitution. But Mr Bello and the APCs lawyer, Joseph Daudu, said the petitioners were unable to prove their claims, and urged the court to dismiss the petition. Only one witness was called. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was represented by Alex Izinyon and no witness was called. Tribunals decision Delivering the judgement on Saturday, with one out of three justices dissenting, the court, led by, Kashim Kaigama, held that the petitioner failed to prove the allegations of over voting, massive thumb printing, voter intimidation and other electoral malpractices. In his dissenting judgement, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele, nullified the election of Mr Bello and ordered INEC to conduct fresh elections in 7 local government areas where the petitioners proved their allegations of over voting, thuggery, voter intimidation, massive thumb printing and other electoral malpractices. The tribunal also awarded a cost of one million naira to be paid by the petitioners, PDP and Mr Wada to the respondents; INEC, Mr Bello and APC. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said Friday it was still not safe enough in Illinois to allow churches, synagogues and mosques to hold indoor services. As the state moves toward the next phase of reopening in a week, the Democratic governor says outdoor faith services are welcome but he doesn't want to risk seeing worshippers get sick because they're not able to social distance inside. President Donald Trump said Friday he has deemed churches and other houses of worship "essential" and called on governors across the country to allow them to reopen this weekend, even as some parts of the nation remain under coronavirus lockdown. Pritzker said Friday "we're going to continue to operate on the basis of science and data" in determining when churches may re-open for indoor services. Churches around the country have filed legal challenges to the virus closures. Public health agencies have generally advised people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people and encouraged Americans to remain six feet (1.8 meters) away from others when possible. - Aubameyang was another Premier League star who clearly had a bad hair day during lockdown - The superstar was spotted in a training session in Londons Conley grounds - Fans took to Twitter to poke fun at the striker who looked different from his flamboyant self Arsenal is among the Premier League sides which have stepped up training in preparation for the anticipated restart slated for mid-June. As excited as fans are to see their players back in group training, some of the superstars gave the public a little more to talk about other than their skills on the pitch. READ ALSO: Allan Makaka: Former rugby sevens star dies in road accident along Mombasa road READ ALSO: Manchester United youngster Max Taylor signs contract extension months after beating cancer One such case was striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, whose new look after weeks in isolation left online users in stitches. The Gunners initially trained at the London Colney since April 27, but after concerns, training sessions were cut to smaller groups as per government protocol. One of the players who remained in Colney was Aubameyang, who had an understandably longer-than-usual hair. The natural hairstyle was quite unusual to see in the 30-year-old, who is mostly associated with flamboyant looks. READ ALSO: Brandon Williams: Man United youngster leaves dad emotional after buying him brand new car And fans did not waste time in poking fun at the lethal striker for his new looks, with other cheeky ones going a step further to actually photoshop him to with hilarious effect. READ ALSO: South Korea club fined KSh 8 million for filling stands with mannequins TUKO.co.ke also earlier highlighted Liverpool players Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino who also seem to have had bad hair days with the absence of barbers during lockdown. 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 slept with multiple women, did all sorts of drugs before God changed me - Pastor Chris | Tuko TV: Source: TUKO.co.ke Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > US rhetoric about nuclear arms in Europe harms Russia-NATO relations (...) TASS, 19 May, 20 Earlier US ambassador in Warsaw Georgette Mosbacher said the US might redeploy its nuclear weapons from Germany to Poland MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. US rhetoric over the redeployment of American nuclear weapons from Germany to Poland is a factor worsening relations between Russia and NATO, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in response to a statement by US ambassador in Warsaw Georgette Mosbacher about the possibility of bringing NATOs nuclear weapons closer to Russian borders. We hope that Washington and Warsaw are aware of the dangerous nature of such statements, which further worsen Russia-NATO relations during this no easy period in their history, as well as jeopardize the very material basis of European security, harmed as a result of unilateral US steps, in the first place, the pullout from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Zakharova is quoted as saying on the Russian Foreign Ministrys website. The return of American warheads to the US territory would be a real contribution to strengthening European security. Russia had taken such a move a long time ago by bringing all of its nuclear arms to its national territory, she said. Zakharova recalled that in fact Mosbacher had addressed Germany with an ultimatum in response to the discussion regarding the expediency of US nuclear weapons further presence in Germany. Such statements by the US side, she said, reflect the current condition of transatlantic solidarity: The main partner takes the liberty of exerting outright pressure and in some cases resorting to blackmail of its allies. All this is aimed at making them increase the spending on the purchase of US defense industry products, including dual purpose aircraft. In the meantime, it is the allies prerogative to decide how to build relations among themselves, Zakharova said. She stressed that Russia regarded such joint nuclear missions within NATO as violations of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Also, the possible redeployment of nuclear weapons closer to Russias borders which Mosbacher had mentioned would constitute a violation of NATOs obligations under the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation of May 27, 1997. In the last three months, while the entire world was preoccupied with its fight against COVID-19, Afghanistan was forced to focus on the threat posed by the Taliban and the continuing political fragmentation within the ruling elite in that country. The situation was so serious that despite travel restrictions and country-wide lockdowns, Zalmay Khalilzad, the special envoy of the American president for Afghanistan, has continued to travel to the region. On May 17, after months of bickering and bitter political exchanges, President Ashraf Ghani and his main rival, Abdullah Abdullah, signed a deal to end their political differences (for now) and share power. As per the deal, Abdullah Abdullah will be able to appoint half of the cabinet members of Ashraf Ghanis cabinet and will also head national efforts for peace and reconciliation with the Taliban. For Afghanistan, it was hoped that the signing of the deal between the US and the Taliban on February 29, 2020, would pave the way for intra-Afghan peace talks and rapprochement between the Kabul government and the Taliban. However, the Talibans behaviour over the last three months demonstrates that peace seems a distant possibility for the war-torn country. An emboldened Taliban In fact, the Taliban feels emboldened by the deal and has found little incentive to cooperate with the regime in Kabul. Talibans maximalist demands and hardening positions regarding the prisoner swap with the Kabul government was the first sign of increasing belligerence of the insurgent group. Despite the peace deal, the Taliban has not ceased violence and in fact, has intensified attacks. Recently, a ghastly attack took place in a maternity hospital in which pregnant women and babies were targeted. Even by the standards of Afghanistan, it was an unprecedented development. The American special envoy attributed this attack to the Islamic State. However, it was seen as a desperate attempt to salvage the deal with the Taliban by deflecting the blame. This week, the Talibans attack on the northern city of Kunduz was repelled by the Afghan security forces. Besides, in northern Afghanistan, despite the holy month of Ramadan, a mosque was also attacked and worshippers returning from prayers were killed. Although the Taliban has denied its involvement in the attack on a mosque, it has rejected the Kabul governments offers for a ceasefire. Hence, as a response to the repeated attacks by the Taliban, the Afghan security forces were ordered to shift their strategy from being defensive to offensive. Interestingly, since the peace deal between the Taliban and the US, foreign troops have not faced the brunt of attacks. Fighting seems limited, primarily, between Afghans. New political conditions & COVID-19 spread The continued prevalence of terror attacks, violence and political uncertainty creates favourable conditions for the Taliban to operate with impunity and also allows other groups such as the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) to launch attacks with ever greater intensity. It seems that with the arrival of ISKP as a force to reckon with, it now has become a triangular fight. While the political conditions within the country are not conducive to peace, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread to different parts of Afghanistan. In the last three months, infections have steadily gone up and as of now, they stand at 8,145 cases. However, with more testing, it is likely that these figures would go up significantly. Moreover, due to the decades of war and instability, Afghanistans health infrastructure is woefully underprepared to deal with COVID-19. Hence, beyond major cities like Kabul, it would be extremely difficult for authorities to control the spread of the pandemic. It would also be a challenge to provide modern healthcare in Taliban-controlled areas. As countries around the world are fighting the pandemic within their own borders, it seems difficult for them to provide much-needed international assistance to Afghanistan. Conversely, despite COVID-19, the diplomatic efforts to stabilise the country have not stopped. Indian role and concerns In this context, India finds itself in a difficult position. India is a major donor and an important strategic partner for Afghanistan. However, in the evolving international efforts, India seems to have been sidelined. Indias lack of direct geographic access only compounds this problem. It was visible in the latest UN meeting on Afghanistan where all six physical neighbours along with the US, Russia and the Kabul government were invited. But India had no place in this meeting. In early May, Zalmay Khalilzad had visited the region and had held meetings in New Delhi with Indias Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval. During his visit, Mr Khalilzad while speaking to a newspaper also suggested that India should directly discuss its concerns with the Taliban. However, Indias Afghanistan policy has for long been beset by the dilemma of whether or not to engage with the Taliban. In the 1990s, India had joined hands with Iran and Russia to support anti-Taliban forces. However, in the evolving political situation, if all other powers including Iran and Russia are willing to engage with Taliban, it makes little sense for India to try to keep its powder dry by not talking to Taliban. Talibans close ties with Pakistan are a matter of concern. India is also worried that Taliban-controlled territory might be used to train anti-India terror groups. However, by shutting the door completely on the Taliban, India stands to gain little, if anything. Therefore, it may perhaps be necessary for India to open some sort of channels of communication with the Taliban and explore if core Indian interests regarding Afghanistan can be accommodated by the Taliban as well. Whether in the coming months, India can make this difficult choice or not will shape Indias role and position within Afghanistan. (Sankalp Gurjar is a research fellow with the Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi. Views are personal) The views expressed above are the authors own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 16:21:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Jorge Chediek, secretary-general's envoy on South-South Cooperation and UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) director, briefs journalists on the upcoming annual Global South-South Development Expo (GSSD Expo) at the UN headquarters in New York, Nov. 26, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) "Despite its own challenging situation, China has also provided support to over 150 countries and multilateral organizations," said a high-ranking UN official. UNITED NATIONS, May 23 (Xinhua) -- What China has done in supporting the international community in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated "true leadership," a high-ranking UN official said Friday. "China has done a tremendous work in containing the outbreak domestically," Jorge Chediek, UN secretary general's envoy on South-South Cooperation and director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), told Xinhua in an exclusive interview through email on Friday. "Despite its own challenging situation, China has also provided support to over 150 countries and multilateral organizations through making available financial resources and dispatching technical expertise, as well as providing personal protective equipment, medical equipment and procurement and logistics assistance," said Chediek. The UNOSSC director also highly commended China's concrete measures pledged at the World Health Assembly to boost global fight against COVID-19, such as providing international aid. A staff member transports medical supplies donated by the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee in Havana, Cuba, May 6, 2020. (Photo by Joaquin Hernandez/Xinhua) "This is a demonstration of strong solidarity with the international community and true global leadership," said Chediek. Talking about the cooperation between UNOSSC and China, he said that his office has been working with the Chinese government in making available financial resources to support developing countries' efforts in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. "We are also working with many partners from China including the Alibaba Group ... and many others, to coordinate knowledge exchanges among medical professionals on COVID-19 prevention and treatment between China and developing countries, and pledging and mobilizing donations of PPEs and medical equipment to developing country partners and institutions," said Chediek. China's Push to Impose National Security Law in Hong Kong Draws Fire from Critics, Locals By Verna Yu May 22, 2020 China's plan to impose a national security law on Hong Kong to prevent and punish acts of "secession, subversion or terrorism activities" that threaten national security has drawn fire from critics and ordinary Hong Kongers alike, with many lamenting this is the end of the free and open city that the world has known. The plan also would allow Chinese national security organs to set up agencies in Hong Kong "when needed." China has long indicated its intention to bring Hong Kong under tighter control -- it warned in a 2014 policy white paper that it has "comprehensive jurisdiction" or "comprehensive power to rule" over Hong Kong. The millions-strong, often violent protests last year sparked by a controversial extradition law shocked the Chinese leadership and in recent months, Chinese officials have unequivocally ordered the city to enact legislation to bar subversion, separatism, and foreign interference to plug the national security "loopholes" that threaten the country's stability. In the communique of a key Communist party meeting in November, the Fourth Plenum, Beijing told the city to "perfect" its legal system to safeguard national security. Critics say Beijing's efforts to incorporate Hong Kong into its national security system through bypassing the city's parliament amount to a breach of its promise of the "one country two systems" policy enshrined in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration that is meant to guarantee Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy. At the opening of China's annual parliamentary session Friday, Wang Chen, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said a draft version of the proposal had been submitted to the legislature for deliberation. In the proposal, the parliament would authorize the standing committee to formulate laws on "establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for [Hong Kong] to safeguard national security" to prevent and punish acts in Hong Kong seen as subversion, terrorism, separatism and foreign interference, or "other acts that seriously endanger national security, as well as activities of foreign and external forces that interfere in the affairs of Hong Kong." He also told the parliament that "when needed," China's national security organs will set up agencies in Hong Kong to "fulfill relevant duties to safeguard national security." He said relevant national security laws will be implemented through Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law's Annex III, which allows national laws to be applied to the city. However, Martin Lee, a drafter of the Basic Law and founder of Democracy Party, pointed out that the Basic Law mandates that national laws to be applied to Hong Kong in Annex III should be "confined to those relating to defence and foreign affairs" and "other matters outside the limits of the autonomy" of Hong Kong. Under the article 23 of the Basic Law, Hong Kong is meant to enact laws "on its own" to prohibit "treason, secession, sedition [and] subversion" against the Chinese government, and other acts including the theft of state secrets and foreign political organizations engaging in political activities in the city. Given the widespread opposition over the years, though, Hong Kong's inability to legislate such a law of its own accord made it necessary for China to take action, Wang told the parliament. "More than 20 years after Hong Kong's return, relevant laws are yet to materialize due to the sabotage and obstruction by those trying to sow trouble in Hong Kong and China at large, as well as external hostile forces," Wang said. "Efforts must be made at the state level to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for [Hong Kong] to safeguard national security, to change the long-term 'defenseless' status in the field of national security," Wang said. He justified China's move by saying "the increasingly notable national security risks in Hong Kong have become a prominent problem" and protests activities have "seriously challenged the bottom line of the 'one country, two systems' principle, harmed the rule of law, and threatened national sovereignty and security." The drastic move caused jitters across Hong Kong, among ordinary Hong Kongers and the business community. "The national security law is clearly pushing Hong Kong towards an end. Apart from the impact on freedom of speech it also tells us how useless the Legislative Council is because the National People's Congress standing committee can totally bypass it," said a 17-year-old student who did not want to give his name. "If it can happen once, there is a high likelihood that the same thing will happen again for other laws." Many said the move was a wake-up call that provided fresh impetus for the year-old anti-government movement that has largely stalled amid the COVID-19 pandemic and authorities' intensifying clampdown. "We cannot deceive ourselves anymore," said a post on LIHKG.com, a site popular with protesters in the anti-government movement. "Many people have felt discouraged and helpless, while feeling there was nothing they could do except to watch Hong Kong die, then this national security law came along and our fighting spirit has returned!" said another post. "I know this is the end of Hong Kong, but it's also the beginning of the Hong Kong people." Michael Davis, a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center and former law professor at the University of Hong Kong, said Beijing's imposition of the national security law "clearly flies in the face of the Basic Law." Beijing's hardening policies also show that it has not understood what caused discontent in Hong Kong in the first place, he said. "It has long been clear that most protests in Hong Kong are driven by Beijing's interference that weakens Hong Kong's autonomy and the rule of law. Instead of taking on board that message, they have continually doubled down on their interference." China's move is also expected to lead to the flight of capital and talent from the Asian financial hub, and some wealthy individuals have already begun to scout for investment options elsewhere, bankers and headhunters told Reuters. Hong Kong's main stock market index tumbled the most in almost five years after Beijing's plan was revealed. The benchmark Hang Seng Index dived 5.6%, or 1,349.89 points, to 22,930.14 on Friday, its biggest decline since July 2015. The jitters have also caused some to want to emigrate. "We have kids, we really have to think about leaving," said a parent on an online chat group. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ten more persons, including nine Mumbai returnees tested positive for coronavirus infection on Saturday, taking the number of cases in the state to 179, the officials said. Of the new ten cases, six are reported from Kangra and four from Mandi district, they added. Nine of the fresh cases are those of Mumbai returnees while one returned from Jalandhar, they said, adding four of them are women. In Kangra, two women, aged 70 and 44 years, from Lambagaon, in Jaisinghpur and Bhawarna respectively tested positive, a district official said. Similarly three men, aged 48, 49 and 50 years from Lambagaon in Jaisinghpur, Palampur and Jaisinghpur respectively tested positive on Saturday. All had reached the state from Mumbai in a special train on May 18 and were quarantined at Paraur in Palampur subdivision. The 70-year-old woman is being shifted to DCHC, Dharamshala, while the rest four are being shifted to Pri Baijnath. Besides a 68-year-old man presently admitted at Sari Tanda arrived from Jalandhar has tested positive in Kangra district, he added. In Mandi, the four COVID-19 patients include three members of a family a woman and her son and daughter. They were already in a quarantine centre, Chief Medical Officer Jeevanand Chauhan said. The woman's husband also returned recently from Mumbai, but his report was negative, Chauhan said. A 61-year-old taxi driver, a resident of Mumbai, also tested positive for COVID-19. He had brought some residents from there a few days ago and was quarantined after developing influenza-like symptoms, the official said. The number of active cases of the pathogen in the state is 116 and 59 people have recovered so far, according to officials. Hamirpur has the maximum number of active COVID-19 cases at 55, followed by Kangra with 36, eight in Mandi, five each in Solan and Bilaspur; two each in Sirmaur, Una and Chamba, and one in Kullu, the officials said. Four people have died of coronavirus infection in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "COVID-19 is a killer and its devastation across the world was very scary," Volta Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Edward Oduro Kwarteng, has emphasized. For that reason, he stressed that it was about time Ghanaians came to terms with the reality of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic. DCOP Oduro Kwarteng made the observation during the Volta Region launch of the Ghana Police Service -- Zoomlion Ghana Limited nationwide fumigation and disinfection of police facilities exercise. A total of 167 facilities comprising 59 police stations/offices and 108 barracks/accommodations will be disinfected in the region. The week-long exercise began with the disinfection of the Volta Regional Police Headquarters, Ho, and the District Police Headquarters/Central Police Station/Barracks, Ho. According to the regional commander, it was sad that people were still doubting the existence of Covid-19. "I daresay that they are being misled," he stressed. Against this backdrop, DCOP Oduro Kwarteng stressed the need for Ghanaians to religiously practice the Covid-19 preventive protocols--observing personal hygiene, social distancing, using alcohol-based hand sanitisers, and avoiding handshakes and social gatherings. He reiterated the need for residents in the region to wear nose masks and comply with the social distancing protocols. DCOP Oduro Kwarteng, however, recounted that the region recorded few incidents of non-compliance. But he added that necessary steps were taken to bring sanity within the region. "Let me once again remind all of us that we are not in normal times and so we must all put our hands to the wheel to drive the invisible killer away as soon as possible," he encouraged. He commended Zoomlion for its role in the fight against Covid-19. "We need to applaud them for a yeoman's job," he said. In a brief remark, Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Pastor Johnson Avulatey, also admitted that Covid-19 was a killer disease. "We, therefore, need to tighten our belts, observe the protocols so we can fight this common enemy," he urged. He went on to intimate that the only medicine for the virus was adhering to the preventive protocols of washing hands, applying alcohol-based hand sanitizers, and practicing physical distancing. He said the disease was no respecter of persons, adding that "that is why we need to be extra careful." He, therefore, entreated the Zoomlion team to do an efficient job to ensure the safety of police personnel in the region. For his part, the General Manager, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Volta Region, Solomon Denyo, disclosed that about 500 personnel including chemicals and other logistics have been deployed for the exercise. He said the aim of the exercise was to protect police personnel from the attack of Covid-19. He was optimistic that they will finish it within five days. Mr. Denyo also used the opportunity to encourage other corporate institutions to take advantage of Zoomlion's disinfection programme for their facilities to be disinfected. Staff at SuperValu in Donabate can now deliver to your home. SuperValu has adjusted to new ways of shopping during COVID-19 by expanding the reach of its online shopping services to include two more Fingal stores. With online grocery shopping at an all-time high, delivery and collection slots are in high demand in SuperValu stores across the country. To cope with this growing demand and to ensure that customers can shop safely, SuperValu is now bringing its Click and Collect Service to six new stores in Dublin, including Supervalu stores at Rush and Donabate. The service allows customers to select their groceries online in advance of their trip. Once they have finished shopping, their order will be hand-picked with care by SuperValu staff and safely packed away to be collected at a time that suits. This helps customers maintain social distancing and spend less time outside their home. The SuperValu Click and Collect Service is contactless - customers simply park outside, call the store and their shopping is brought directly to their car. In addition to Click and Collect, the SuperValu stores in Rush and Donabate are also offering a Home Delivery Service. For the ongoing safety of customers and staff members, SuperValu continues to adhere to social distancing measures, sanitising guidelines and plastic liners for crates, so customers don't need to worry - their shopping will be dropped to their door with adherence to all safety protocols. SuperValu drivers will deliver customers' shopping to outside their home but will not enter the premises. Elderly or disabled customers can add a note to their online order requesting assistance, in which case SuperValu drivers will bring their shopping indoors while observing social distancing guidelines. Eavan Keane, Head of eCommerce at SuperValu said: 'We are delighted to announce that more collection and delivery services are now available to our valued customers during this incredibly difficult time. 'As online shopping demand continues to grow, our retailers have worked quickly and put structures in place to meet this demand and these additional six new stores will allow us to significantly increase our capacity. 'Our customers and their communities are the most important thing to us at SuperValu, and we are committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable in our society can shop safely and with their mind at ease.' To avail of Home Delivery or Click and Collect services go to www.supervalu.ie. RELIGIOUS leaders from across Limerick have joined up for a prayer of solidarity and hope in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The Church of Ireland, Judaism, Islam and the Sikh faith communities accepted an invitation of the Bishop Brendan Leahy and the Catholic Diocese of Limerick to record a special moment of prayer and reflection in the midst of the global fight against the deadly disease. Each recorded their own player on their phones and these were then combined into a comforting two-and-a-half-minute video. Those who took part were Bishop Leahy, Imam Khalid Ghafour of the Limerick Islamic Cultural Centre; Bishop Ken Kearon, the Church of Ireland's Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe; Dr. Wolodymyr Vlad Smishkewych, a member of the Munster Jewish community, Gurmukh Bimbra Singh and Rajwinder Kaur Bimbra, members of the Mid-West Sikh community and Dr Patricia Kieran of the Mid-West Interfaith Network. Bishop Leahy said: "All over the world, people are striving to stop the Covid-19 pandemic: researchers, health care workers, governments and many more. But today across the world, theres a particularly beautiful manifestation of human fraternity in that faith communities and many traditions are joining in prayer to ask for us to be relieved from this pandemic. "As difficult as the coronavirus has been for all of us, we have seen a lot of very positive things happening at this time, people reuniting across the internet in many new ways, young and old writing letters, people singing for each other, groups of all kinds coming together in ways they havent before. Its a heartening flourishing of unity in the face of the pandemic. "Todays coming together of our faith communities here in Limerick is another powerful example of this. All who were asked took up the invitation despite each being very busy. Its something we will look back on in time as a very positive moment for us all." The Police Command in Borno has announced restriction on vehicular movement in Maiduguri metropolis during the Eid-el-Fitr prayers. This was contained in a statement by the spokesman for the command DSP Edet Okon. Okon said that the action was taken to ensure hitch free Sallah celebration. Residents of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere Local Government Area (LGA) are hereby informed that there will be restriction on vehicular movement up until 1200 hours on Sallah day. The restriction will affect all vehicles, tricycles, wheelbarrows, bicycles, and all form of animal transportation. Worshipers are therefore advised to arrive early at prayer grounds nearest to their homes for security screening, to avoid eleventh hour rush and avoid stampede. Also, owing to the ravaging effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, they are advised to ensure the use of face masks and observe social distancing, among other safety measures put in place by the government. For the avoidance of doubts, bags, weapons or sharp objects of any kind will not be allowed into the praying grounds. Parents and guardians are reminded to be mindful of their children and wards at the praying grounds to avoid incidents of missing persons, NAN quoted Okon. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates The FDA granted approval to Bristol-Myers BMY & Roches RHHBY PD-L1 inhibitors, Opdivo and Tecentriq for expanded lung cancer indications and AstraZeneca AZN/Mercks MRK Lynparza for prostate cancer. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson JNJ announced plans to permanently discontinue sale of its talc-based Johnsons Baby Powder in the United States and Canada. Recap of the Weeks Most Important Stories: J&J Discontinues Talc-Based Baby Powder Sales in U.S./Canada: J&J said that it is permanently discontinuing sale of its talc-based Johnsons Baby Powder in the United States and Canada. The company said that the demand for the product has been declining, blaming it on misinformation around the safety of the product amid a barrage of legal challenges. J&J faces thousands of lawsuits, which claim that its talc-based products, primarily its baby powders, cause cancer. There have been verdicts against J&J in its talc lawsuits. J&J has consistently denied allegations and insisted that talc-based products are safe and do not cause cancer. FDA Approves Bristol-Myers& Roches Drugs for Expanded Lung Cancer Indications: The FDA granted approval to Bristol-Myers dual immunotherapy Opdivo plus Yervoyas first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors express PD-L11%. The approval was based on data from part 1a of the phase III CheckMate -227 study. In the study Opdivo + Yervoy showed superior and durable long-term overall survival versus chemotherapy. This is the fifth indication for which FDA has granted approval to Opdivo + Yervoy combination. The FDA also approved Roches Tecentriq a first-line treatment for metastatic NSCLC in patients whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression. The approval was based on data from the phase III IMpower110 study. This is Tecentriqs fourth approval for a metastatic NSCLC indication. Story continues The FDA also approved Bristol-Myers multiple myeloma treatment Pomalyst (pomalidomide) for patients with AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. FDA Approves AstraZeneca/Mercks Lynparza for 4th Cancer Type: The FDA approved AstraZeneca and Mercks Lynparza for HRR gene-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. The approval was based on data from the phase III PROfound study. Lynparza, was until now approved in three tumor types ovarian, breast and pancreatic and pancreatic cancer is the fourth tumor type for which Lynparza is now approved. AstraZeneca Gets $1B Funding from BARDA for Coronavirus Vaccine: AstraZeneca announced that it has received more than $1billion in funding from BARDA to help produce the vaccine which it is developing with Oxford University. Last month, AstraZeneca entered into an agreement with Oxford University for the global development and distribution of the Universitys potential recombinant adenovirus vaccine, now known as AZD1222, to prevent COVID-19. AstraZeneca secured the first agreements to supply at least 400 million doses and plans to begin the first deliveries of the vaccine from September 2020. AstraZeneca has also agreed to provide the United States with up to 300 million doses. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca also said that it has the capacity to produce one billion doses if the vaccine is approved and continues to increase capacity further. AZD1222 is currently being evaluated in a phase I/II study, which began last month. Data from the study is expected to be released shortly. If the data is successful, late-stage studies with 30,000 participants are expected to begin in a number of countries. The FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) to AstraZenecas Enhertu for HER2-mutant metastatic NSCLC. The BTD was based on data from the ongoing phase II ESTINY-Lung01 study. This is the third BTD for Enhertu, with the first BTD granted in 2017 for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Last week, the FDA granted BTD to Enhertu for HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer. Enhertu was approved for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in December 2019. Meanwhile, AstraZenecas Bevespi Aerosphere was approved in China, as a maintenance treatment to relieve symptoms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Bevespi Aerosphere is a fixed-dose, long-acting dual bronchodilator in a pressurized metered-dose inhaler device, which is already approved in the United States, EU and several other countries. Glaxos Long Acting HIV Injection Betters Daily Pills in Large Study: Interim data from Glaxos GSK HPTN 083 study showed that its investigational, long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB LA) administered every two months is 69% more effective than daily pills in preventing HIV acquisition in the study population. The interim analysis was conducted by the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), which recommended thatthe study be stopped early. The participants who were receiving the current standard of care, Truvada daily pills (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 200 mg and 300 mg (FTC/TDF)) will be offered CAB LA. Glaxo also announced a long-term partnership with South Koreas Samsung Biologics under which the latter will provide Glaxo with additional capacity for large scale manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products. The deal is worth more than $231 million over the next eight years. The flexible manufacturing capacity will be initially used for commercial production of lupus drug Benlysta and the first commercial supply is expected in 2022. Pfizers New Data on DMD Gene Therapy Candidate: Pfizer PFE presented new phase Ib data on its investigational gene therapy, PF-06939926 in ambulatory boys with Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD) at a medical conference. Preliminary safety data on nine ambulatory boys (aged 6 to 12) with DMD showed that treatment with PF-06939926 led to durable and statistically significant improvements across multiple efficacy-related endpoints measured at 12 months post-infusion. This included sustained levels of mini-dystrophin expression and improvements in muscle function measured by the North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) rating scale. Pfizer believesthe data supports the advancement of the candidate into a pivotal phase III study. Novartiss SMA Treatment Zolgensma Gets Approval in Europe: The European Commission granted approval to Novartis gene therapy, Zolgensma to treat babies and young children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Zolgensma was added to Novartis portfolio with the 2018 acquisition of AveXis. Zolgensma was approved by the FDA last year for the treatment of pediatric patients less than two years of age with SMA. The NYSE ARCA Pharmaceutical Index declined 0.37% in the last five trading sessions. Large Cap Pharmaceuticals Industry 5YR % Return Large Cap Pharmaceuticals Industry 5YR % Return Large Cap Pharmaceuticals Industry 5YR % Return Here is how the nine major stocks performed in the last five trading sessions. Last week, AbbVie rose the most (3.4%) while Merck declined the most (4.4%). In the past six months, Lilly has risen the most (29.6%) while Merck declined the most (10.7%). (See the last pharma stock roundup here: FDA Updates for LLY, AZN, MRK, BMY and SNY) What's Next in the Pharma World? Watch out for regular pipeline and regulatory updates next week. Today's Best Stocks from Zacks Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2019, while the S&P 500 gained and impressive +53.6%, five of our strategies returned +65.8%, +97.1%, +118.0%, +175.7% and even +186.7%. This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000 2019, while the S&P averaged +6.0% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +54.7% per year. See their latest picks free >> 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 Johnson Johnson (JNJ) : Free Stock Analysis Report AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Roche Holding AG (RHHBY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Pfizer Inc. (PFE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Merck Co., Inc. (MRK) : Free Stock Analysis Report GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) : Free Stock Analysis Report BristolMyers Squibb Company (BMY) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research May 23 : The Outpost based on the deadliest battles of the Afghan War releasing on 3rd July, 2020. The wait is finally over! The trailer for 'The Outpost', an upcoming war drama film about the Battle of Kamdesh has been released. The film is based on the book of the same name 'The Outpost: An Untold Story of Amercian Valor' by Jake Tapper. One of the first films to return to the big screen amid the corona virus pandemic, this film was scheduled to premiere at the 2020 South by Southwest Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to Covid-19. Now the film is releasing just a day before America's Independence day i.e 3rd July, 2020. Film revolves around a battle when a small number of American soldiers at Combat Outpost Keating, a remote base in eastern Afghanistan repelled an attack from more than 300 Taliban fighters on October 3, 2009. The battle was surely won by the Americans but it came with a heavy price. No doubt, it resulted in killing of 150 enemy fighters but eight American soldiers were also killed and 27 were wounded. The film stars Orlando Bloom, Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Milo Gibson, Jack Kesy and Will Attenborough. The film has been directed by Rod Lurie who himself is an Army Veteran. The screenplay is written by Paul Tamasay and Eric Johnson. The Outpost also features veterans of the battle in the film. Film will hit the theatres on 3rd July, 2020. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said all those coming to the state, whether on domestic flights or trains or buses, will have to compulsorily undergo home quarantine for 14 days. He ruled out any complacency despite Punjab posting the highest recovery rate of 90 per cent in the country. Screening of those entering the state would be done at all state and district border entry points, as well as railway stations and airports, and those found symptomatic would be sent into institutional quarantine, while others would have to undergo mandatory two-week home quarantine, the chief minister said in his live Facebook programme '#AskCaptain'. Rapid testing teams would check on the home-quarantined persons while those found symptomatic would have to undergo thorough testing in hospitals, Singh said in an official statement also here. He made it clear that his government would not rely on any certificate of testing from any part of the country or the world. He cited Punjab's experience with those who came from Maharashtra and Rajasthan, as well as more recent cases of Dubai, from where Punjabis coming back had tested positive despite carrying medical certificates showing them to be negative. Notably, those returning to India via special international flights are already required to undergo institutional quarantine, as per the Central government's guidelines. With a large number of Punjabis coming home, and more and more investors also showing keenness to resume business in the state, the chief minister underlined the need for strict caution, asserting that we will not let the pandemic spread further in Punjab, which has so far managed to keep the situation under excellent control. In response to a question, the CM said there is likelihood of infection coming here from Punjabis returning from other countries and states, but the state is taking no chance and has made elaborate arrangements for their testing and quarantine. Five flights have come today, and a total of 20,000 people are expected to come from other countries on 88 flights, while 60,000 are expected from other states. I will not let this infection spread any further in Punjab, he asserted. Expressing his appreciation and gratitude for the cooperation of the people in checking the spread of COVID in the state, which has done exceedingly well in controlling the situation, Singh said the success of Punjab's strategy is evident from its slowest doubling rate of 86 days against the national average of 14 days. Of the total 2,028 confirmed cases in the state, 1,819 had fully recovered, he said, expressing confidence that the 200 patients under treatment would also be fine soon. There is no patient on oxygen support and only one patient on ventilator support, he disclosed. As far as high recovery rate is concerned, he said it had been possible only due to Punjabis following strict discipline in maintaining all social distancing norms. It was unfortunate, however, that 39 people died in the state, with many more deaths reported nationwide. The chief minister warned that social distancing and compulsory wearing of masks would need to be strictly followed to keep the situation under control. He said he had directed police to take stringent action against such offenders. On some schools not following directions regarding online fee charges, the CM asked the Amritsar resident who raised the issue to share details of the school and promised strict action. The CM said the decision on opening gyms would be taken after May 31, in line with the government of India's guidelines. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This follows a statement by Mr Duncan Amoah, Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), that the recent products were contaminated and could cause fire. However, in an official statement, signed by Mr Ernest Ko Owusu-Bempah Bonsu, Head, Corporate Communications of Ghana Gas Company, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, on Friday, said as a leading producer and marketer of domestic LPG, the Company had always ensured that the quality of LPG and the standards for quality determination were in alignment with both local and international standards. "LPG produced from the Atuabo Gas Plant is from a rich and sweet feedstock with negligible or trace amounts of undesirable compounds, the statement emphasised. It explained that LPG was a gas mixture mainly made up of Propane and Butane, adding that, the presence of propane in LPG amongst many other constituents, contributed to the vapour pressure, density and the caloric value. The average vapour pressure of the Ghana Gas LPG over the last six months, it said, was 7.46kg/cmz, which was well below the 9.5kg/c1n2, required by the Ghana Standards Authority. It is instructive to note that the lower vapour pressure reflects a stable product with low volatility, " it said. "We have consistently marketed LPG of exceptional performance and of the highest quality whilst ensuring that the propane content is always within the acceptable specications of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and National Petroleum Authority (NPA) requirements". It said due to the natural odorless and colourless nature of LPG, an odorant was added to it to enable its detection whenever there was a leakage or fugitive emission. Thus an odorant is only added as a safety measure, it explained. Touching on the LPG pricing, the statement said the mechanism for LPG produced by the Ghana Gas at the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant was derived from the National Petroleum Authority's (NPA'S) bi-weekly market driven Argus Butane ARA/UK large cargo price index. This, it said, provided the guideline for the commodity portion of imported LPG, adding that the non-commodity charges were outside the Company's domain. The Bi-Weekly pricing comprises two pricing windows for each month. The first pricing window for any current month references the Argus Butane CIF ARA cargoes price assessment for the period between the 12th and 26th of the previous month. The second pricing window references the Argus Butane CIF ARA cargoes price assessment from 27th of the previous to the 11th of the current month, it said. The statement said the Company was mindful of its strategic role and impact on the downstream LPG market, adding that, Unlike other suppliers of LPG who add the producer's premium to the benchmark pricing, the Management of Ghana Gas, as a matter of responsiveness to the Ghanaian consumers, decided not to add premium on the benchmark FOB price. ---GNA Anyone reading through a circular dated 19th May, 2020, from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) will only arrive at one solemn fact: Boss Mustapha is untowardly interested in goings on in the power sector. And his actions have begin to re-inforce talks in various quarters that he is a major beneficiary of the proceeds of darkness. The circular, in short, was a direct response to the sacking of the TCN MD by President Muhammadu Buhari on the recommendation of the Honourable Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman an action that was popular as it was necessary. The circular, citing all sorts of rules, said the minister lacked the power to sack the erring MD. But nothing could be further from the truth. And this latest adventure clearly shows he is on a collision course with his own boss the President himself. Is he trying to over rule his own employer? The Minister sort the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari officially in written form before implementing such directives! Has he had also done on previous occasions involving NBET and REA. Because for those watching events closely, this may yet be another move to humiliate the minister by reversing a very effective decision just as it happened earlier this year. If that happens again, it would be an unmitigated tragedy both for national leadership, cohesion and indeed the entire power sector. Im a power sector activist so I should know. Many of the decisions taken by the minister are not only right but actually necessary if we must wade out of the embarrassing darkness we found ourselves. But officialdom, small-minded meddlesomeness, and outright corruption keep getting in the way. The activities of Boss Mustapha, in particular, are worrisome. I have some questions for Boss Mustapha. 1. Why does he always become restive with anything in the Power Ministry? 2. Why didnt he say all of these when the Minister of communications, for instance, made some changes recently in top position of that Ministry or when the Minister of Education recommended the removal of the former boss of TETFUND? 3. Why didnt we hear his (Boss) voice when similar reorganisation happened in key parastatal of the Ministry of Humanitarian Services when DG NEMA was replaced? 4. Is it true the rumours making the rounds that he (Boss) benefits directly from some agencies within the power Ministry? The speed with which he acted when NBET MD was sacked is still fresh in my mind. 5. Is Boss Mustapha angry with the minister because SIEMENS company got a contract he is interested in? Why has be been so hard on local contractors making it difficult for them to meet targets. Things to ponder If there is anyone here acting outside the stipulated Government rules, it is the Managing Director of TCN who was recently relieved of his position, Boss Mustapha is unaware that Mr. Gur has been playing the role of a demigod at the TCN over the past couple of years, implementing decisions outside his approval Sphere and actively lobbying not to have a Board of Directors to put him in check. He has over the years dismissed staff of the company without following due process, most recently the dismissal of Dr. Chris Okonkwo whom was the General Manager, Special Duties and SSAEAC Union President, which led to the intervention of the Minister of Power. Mr. Mohammed Gur is one of the most incompetent hands ever to Grace the power sector, Nigeria has witnessed more system failures (National Grid Collapse) under him than in anytime preceding his appointment as superintendent of Nigerias Electricity Transmission infrastructure. Should the Minister allow such to continue? Nigerians will sooner or later have to chose between effectiveness and strangulating official procedures in addressing the power sector conundrum. The honourable minister must be empowered to go beyond those administrative red-tapism to deal with matters heads on. Procedures are great but not when an emergency like we have now has to be addressed. The removal of the TCN boss was greeted with widespread jubilation in the industry especially by Patriots who want to see an end to darkness. The former MD was practically against the FGs effort with SIEMENS and was openly granting interviews against the company due to his vested interest. By recommending the replacement of Mr. Gur with a sound professional, Eng Abdulaziz, the minister demonstrated that he was willing and in fact, capable of delivering on his mandate. He, the minister, must not be frustrated in this bid. And Boss Mustapha must clearly know his place at the Federal Executive Council. A minister of the federal republic is clearly ahead of him in the Federal Executive Council (FEC). He must not be seen as rubbing shoulders with his superiors. Edem Edem is a power sector watcher based in Sweden New Delhi, May 23 : The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has evacuated children lodged in one of its shelter homes in Nabikarim area to another in Peeragarhi after a coronavirus positive case was found in the former area. In a statement, Women and Child Development Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam's office said the children were evacuated by the DCPCR and Revenue Department officials following a complaint. "The complaint talked of inadequate water supply and hardships children are facing since the area was declared a containment zone," the statement added. The Minister said Nabikarim containment zone posed a health emergency for children living in the shelter home. "Timely evacuation by the DCPCR with the help of the District Magistrate and other local bodies was needed. It is our duty to ensure safety and protection of children," Gautam said. However, the government did not reveal the number of children evacuated. Skin irritation is a possible side effect of taking hydroxychloroquine, but that can't explain President Donald Trump's rash actions against agency watchdogs. During a six-week period beginning April 3, he moved to fire or displace five inspectors general (also known as IGs), whose investigations could potentially cast sunlight into the administration's dark corners. It's the most aggressive IG purge in four decades, another indication of Trump's allergic reaction to independent oversight. His moves have generated calls for greater protection from presidential interference for the inspectors, who lead teams of auditors and investigators in federal agencies. Current law "is a weak statute with very little incentive for presidents to do the right thing," said Paul Light, a New York University public service professor who has studied inspectors general. Presidents are required to tell Congress 30 days in advance of firing an IG, but Light calls that "pretty thin gruel." The five inspectors who have lost their jobs or certain duties under suspicious circumstances are: - Michael Atkinson, former intelligence community inspector general, was fired on April 3. He forwarded to Congress the whistleblower complaint that led to Trump's impeachment. - Glenn Fine, former acting Defense Department inspector general, was removed from that leadership role on April 7, while being allowed to remain with the office. After Fine was selected to chair the council of inspectors general who will oversee the government's pandemic response, Trump replaced him with another acting IG, leaving Fine ineligible to lead the oversight panel. - Christi Grimm is the Department of Health and Human Services' principal deputy inspector general. On May 1, Trump nominated a permanent replacement overseeing her after her office released a report citing serious shortages of supplies needed in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. - Steve Linick was fired as the State Department's inspector general on May 15. Last year, he sent Congress a report about politically motivated mistreatment of employees who were accused of being disloyal to the Trump administration. He also gave Congress information related to the president's impeachment. - Mitch Behm was removed on May 15 as acting Transportation Department inspector general, though he will remain with the office. A letter from House Democrats to Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao noted that the agency's IG office was probing her "possible conflicts of interest" regarding "preferential treatment to Kentucky, where your husband, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, is seeking reelection." Trump's IG offensive leaves "our constitutional system . . . hanging in the balance," said Danielle Brian, executive director of the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), which tracks IG vacancies. Last month, POGO led a letter to congressional leaders from 34 organizations expressing "grave and urgent concern for the independence of federal inspectors general." Trump's moves are the most aggressive presidential assault on IGs since 1981, when Ronald Reagan got rid of 12 at once but hired some back after an outcry. Barack Obama fired one IG over eight years, and George W. Bush forced two to resign. The 75 IGs are located within agencies and have a statutory level of independence needed to probe waste, fraud and abuse, including among top executives. Generally, they can dismissed at will. So, what can be done when a president dumps inspectors whose probes could embarrass his administration? Nothing of consequence. Members of Congress can send letters, issue statements and hold hearings. But Trump largely ignores them, because the law gives him the power to jettison IGs - even for dubious reasons - without meaningful repercussions. There are ways to maintain a president's power to hire and fire while providing inspectors greater protection from improper interference. Defined terms is one way. Under legislation sponsored by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., inspectors general would have seven-year terms. Presidents could fire them only for specific causes, including "permanent incapacity, inefficiency, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or conviction of a felony or conduct involving moral turpitude." The U.S. comptroller general has a 15-year term and may be removed through an impeachment process or a joint congressional resolution, with a hearing, for certain causes. Norman Ornstein, an American Enterprise Institute political scientist, suggested presidents nominate inspectors from a list of candidates submitted by a panel of experts such as current or former inspectors. While Ornstein is critical of Trump's dealings with IGs, he also blamed the Republican controlled Senate for not conducting better oversight of "a president who sees any independent ability to maintain integrity in government as a direct affront to him." Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is one Republican who has questioned the president's actions against IGs, but with little result. On Monday, following Linick's removal, he told Trump - again - that his weak reasons for dismissing IGs don't meet the test the law requires. "As mentioned in previous letters, Congress's intent is clear that an expression of lost confidence, without further explanation, is not sufficient to fulfill the requirements of the IG Reform Act," Grassley said in a letter to the White House. He wrote a similar letter when Atkinson was fired, asking Trump for a reply by April 13. Six weeks later, Grassley still waits for the president's answer, confirming Light's "thin gruel." So, where does that leave us? "I think you're going to have a harder time recruiting the best people if they know that when they come out with hard-hitting, aggressive findings . . . there's no compunction about removing them from office," said I. Charles McCullough III, a former intelligence community IG. Will inspectors "be aggressive with their findings and their reporting and their disclosures," he asked, "or is some of that going to be tempered?" Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Jayant Patil on Saturday praised Bollywood actor Sonu Sood for arranging buses for migrant workers desirous of returning to their homes. Noting that Sood has played a villain in some of his films, the water resources minister termed the actor as an "inspiring hero" in reality. "Sonu Sood is arranging buses for migrants who want to go back to their homes. He is trying to help as many migrants as he can. The on screen villain is an inspiring hero in reality! God bless him @SonuSood," tweeted Patil, who heads the state NCP unit. He also shared a picture of Sood standing near the buses reportedly arranged by him to ferry migrant workers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Members of a far-right group threw fireworks and smoke bombs and clashed Saturday with security guards at the headquarters of Ukraines largest Russia-friendly political party. Police detained 17 people, including figures from both side, in the disturbance outside the offices of the Opposition Platform-For Life Party. The party is led by Viktor Medvedchuk, an associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is the godfather of one of his daughters. "We think it was nationalists taking revenge on our party," said Viktor Chornyi, Deputy of Opposition Platform - For Life Party. With 44 seats in Ukraines 450-member parliament, it's the largest opposition party in the legislature. The protest included several dozen members of the National Corps, a far-right group accusing party leaders of treason for contacts with Moscow. A 77-year-old woman infected with coronavirus dies in hospital at Rafah Crossing, says Gaza health ministry. Authorities in Gaza have reported the first novel coronavirus fatality in the besieged territory, after a sharp rise in confirmed infections in recent days. Fadila Muhammad Abu Raida, 77, from the Khan Younes governorate, died in isolation in hospital at the Rafah Crossing due to her infection with coronavirus, the health ministry said on Saturday. A wave of coronavirus infections among residents returning to Gaza has more than doubled the number of cases in the coastal enclave in recent days, raising fears of a bigger outbreak. Gaza had managed to limit the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to no more than 20, with its borders with both Israel and Egypt closed to prevent the spread of the respiratory disease. But in recent days, around 1,500 Palestinians who had been stuck in Egypt were allowed to return via the Rafah crossing, while smaller numbers were permitted to enter from Israel. They were all placed in confinement, but 35 new cases have been confirmed among them, including 25 on Thursday, authorities announced, raising the total number to 55. Health ministry official Yussef Abu al-Reesh said on Thursday that those infected had mingled with other returning residents, including in the quarantine centres. Authorities were verifying whether any had met with Gaza residents before entering quarantine, he added. In recent weeks, preventive measures in the enclave had been relaxed, with cafes and restaurants allowed to reopen. Khalil al-Hayya, a senior official with the Hamas movement, which runs the enclave, told a news conference on Thursday that authorities were considering imposing a curfew. The United Nations has warned that a coronavirus outbreak in Gaza could be disastrous, given the high poverty rate and weak health system in the coastal strip under Israeli blockade since 2007. Gazas healthcare system is fraying under the weight of an Israeli-Egyptian blockade, internal Palestinian division and a several wars and skirmishes between Israel and Palestinian armed groups. Home to two million people, the Gaza Strip has only a few more than 60 ventilators and a chronic shortage of medication. Since mid-March, Hamas has enforced mandatory quarantining at hotels, clinics and schools for all residents returning via Israel and Egypt. With the recent spike of cases, Hamas said it was closing Gazas borders for all arrivals until the end of June. But on Friday, mosques were reopened for noon prayers across the territory, with worshippers bringing their own prayer rugs, wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and receiving hand sanitiser. Authorities say the partial reopening of the mosques after nearly two months of closure came after relative success at keeping the virus at bay and preventing an outbreak. Schools and wedding halls remained closed in Gaza. Hamas interior ministry said public and amusement parks are not allowed to open during Eid al-Fitr, a major holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, that starts Sunday. When Ruth Langmore first appeared on Ozark, viewers almost immediately fell in love with her sharp-tongue and southern accent. However, Julia Garner didnt receive a coveted Primetime Emmy nomination for her portrayal until the second season, which she won. In a Deadline: The Actors Side interview, Garner explained why shes kind of happy she didnt receive a nomination for the first season. Julia Garner | Steve Granitz Julia Garner portrays Ruth Langmore on Ozark The Netflix crime drama follows financial adviser Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman), who must relocate his Chicago-based family to a small town in Missouri to set up a money-laundering operation for a Mexican drug cartel. The father-of-two ran into local criminals Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner) and her family when they attempted to steal the $8 million meant for Marty to begin laundering. The cunning 19-year-old convinced Marty to hire her as a dishwasher at the Blue Cat, where she initially intended to learn his operation and then rob and kill him. Who else can hear Ruths piercing voice on Ozark from this picture alone. she is an amazing actress no doubt pic.twitter.com/7RlwBD0p8z SwaggerDaddy (@ernieomene) May 19, 2020 RELATED: Ozark Season 3: Is Ruth Langmore to Blame for the Death of [Spoiler]? However, the two developed a close relationship as Marty took notice of the intelligent local criminal and promoted her to his right-hand person. She began to see the financial adviser as a father figure and chose him over much of her own family. The dynamic duo worked side by side until the third season when an unexpected relationship caused Ruth to look at the Byrdes differently. Julia Garner won a 2019 Emmy for performance on Ozark In the second season, Marty gave Ruth more responsibilities, even entrusting her with his cash. She becomes conflicted when she has to choose between her deadbeat father, who wants her to kill Marty and steal his money, and her new mentor, who she genuinely trusts. Ruth consistently proved her loyalty to the financial adviser. Therefore, he left his illegal businesses in her hands and told her details of the cartel operation when he temporarily fled to another country. RELATED: Ozark Julia Garner Won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Emmy Over Game Of Thrones Stars Unfortunately, her decision to choose Marty over her family ended up alienating one of the only people closest to her. Garners impressive performance in Season 2 earned her individual nominations from Screen Actors Guild and Critics Choice Television Awards as well as the 2019 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She won the prestigious award over four of the leading Game of Thrones actresses and Killing Eves Fiona Shaw. Julia Garner kind of happy she didnt receive an Emmy for first season Viewers fell in love with Ruth Langmore almost immediately and thought Garner deserved an Emmy nomination for the first season. However, the actress thinks not receiving a nomination then happened for the best. In a Deadline interview, she explained that not everything is about awards, instead, its about the work. Garner continued and noted that once people get nominated, they dont keep up with the work, which results in the audience forgetting about the actor or actress. #Ozark's Julia Garner during her #Emmys speech: "This looks like a piece of chocolate in a candy wrapper I'm sorry I'm so nervous" pic.twitter.com/UbNkt3ONhD Variety (@Variety) September 23, 2019 RELATED: Ozarks Julia Garner Will Never Star in a Teen Movie Therefore, shes kind of happy people thought she should have gotten nominated and didnt because it taught her patience. When the actress won, she described the feeling as crazy and admitted she froze on stage once she received her award because she stupidly looked at the audience. Additionally, Garner revealed she made direct eye contact with A-list celebrities Michael Douglas and Heather Zeta-Jones, which ultimately threw me off. She closed her story by joking, thats what winning an Emmy is like. All three seasons of Ozark are currently available to stream only on Netflix. Authorities tighten surveillance along Belize, Mexico border in bid to avoid coronavirus Rio Hondo, Belize Belize police will maintain a permanent presence in the Rio Hondo river area of the Belize-Mexico border after two incidences this week involving Mexican nationals. Surveillance has been tightened along the border area for fear of coronavirus infection after four Mexican nationals were found in the territory. On Thursday, an undocumented Mexican national was found in the country, having entered illegally. He was taken to a Belize quarantine house. Earlier in the week, three Mexican nationals were discovered by Belize Coast Guard fishing after accidentally crossing into Belize territory. The trio of men were quarantined while waiting for coronavirus test results, however, they escaped. Both Belize and Mexican officials continue to search for the three, who are originally from Xcalac, a town south of Mahahual. Those entering Belize illegally often do so via the Mexican community of Alvaro Obregon Viejo by crossing the river. It is one of the most widely used crossings for smuggling purposes. The increased security comes after Police Commissioner Chester William visited the known smuggling access point in the Corozal district. To date, the country has only had 18 reported coronavirus cases and two deaths. A Colombian advertising company is pitching a solution for shortages of hospital beds and coffins during the coronavirus pandemic: combine them. ABC Displays has created a cardboard bed with metal railings that designers say can double as a casket if a patient dies. Company manager Rodolfo Gomez said he was inspired to find a way to help after watching events unfold recently in nearby Ecuador. Families in the coastal city of Guayaquil waited with dead loved ones in their homes for days last month as coronavirus cases surged. Many could not find or were unable to afford a wood coffin, using donated cardboard ones instead. Poor families dont have a way of paying for a coffin, Gomez said. Gomez said he plans to donate 10 of his new beds to Colombias Amazonas department, where resources are in short supply. So far there is no indication whether the beds will be put to use or not. No orders have ben placed so far, In another single-day surge, India on Saturday reported 6,654 new Covid-19 cases, taking the national tally to a whopping 125,101. Indias coronavirus death toll stands at 3,721 fatalities while more than 50,000 patients have recovered from the disease across the country. A look at state-wise breakup of Covid-19 figures suggest that Maharashtra continues to the lead the state tally with the highest incidence of coronavirus infections - nearly one-third of the national total. Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Delhi are three other states in the country where coronavirus cases are on a rapid rise and have crossed the 10,000-mark. Also read: India records another biggest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases, tally rises to 125,101 The big 4: States with over 10,000 Covid-19 cases Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra crossed the 44,000 on Saturday with 44582 patients. The state has recorded 1,517 deaths so far, highest in the country, while over 12,000 patients (12,583) have recovered from Covid-19. Mumbai alone has over 27,000 coronavirus cases. Tamil Nadu has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in the country. The state has reported 14,753 coronavirus cases so far while 7,128 people have recovered and 98 patients have died. The Covid-19 tally in the state, as per the Ministry of Health, stands at 13,268 - third highest in the country. Gujarat has seen 5,880 people recover from coronavirus while 802 people have died. In the national capital, the Covid-19 has jumped to 12,319. Two hundred and eight people have died from the infection here while 5,897 have made a recovery. Also read: Curbs during lockdown averted up to 78,000 deaths, says Govt States with over 5,000 cases Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are the states where the coronavirus cases have breached the 5,000-mark and are rapidly inching towards 10,000. Coronavirus cases in Rajasthan touched 6,494 on Saturday. The state has reported 153 fatalities while 3,680 patients have recovered from the infection in the state. In Madhya Pradesh, as many as 6,170 people been infected from Covid-19 till date. Two hundred and seventy-two people have died from Covid-19 in the state while 3,089 have recovered. The number of Covid-19 positive cases have jumped to 5,735 in Uttar Pradesh. While 3,238 people have recovered from coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh, 152 have died from the infection here. States with over 3,000 cases The number of infected cases in West Bengal reached 3,332 on Saturday. There have been 265 deaths and 1,221 recoveries in the state. States with over 1,000 cases States like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Punjab, Bihar have reported over 1,000 but less than 3,000 Covid-19 cases till date. In Andhra Pradesh, coronavirus cases are rapidly inching toward the 3,000-mark. The state has witnessed 2,709 positive Covid-19 patients and 1,763 cases of recovery. Fifty-five people have died of coronavirus here. As many as 1, 761 people have been infected from coronavirus in Telangana till date. Thousand and forty-three people have made a recovery from the virus while 45 people have died from Covid-19. In Punjab, the coronavirus tally jumped to 2,029 on Saturday. While 39 people have died here, 1,847 patients have recovered. Bihar, on the other hand, has reported 2,177 cases of coronavirus till date. Eleven people have died while 629 patients have recovered. Karnataka has recorded 1,743 Covid-19 cases. As many as 597 people have been cured and discharged while forty-one patients have died. The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir has seen the number of Covid-19 patients rise to 1,489. Twenty people have died from the infection while 720 have been were cured. Odisha has 1,189 Covid-19 positive patients, 436 have recovered while seven people have died. Haryana has reported 1,067 coronavirus cases so far. Sixteen people have died from Covid-19 in Haryana while 706 people have recovered from Covid-19 in the state. States with under 1,000 cases Kerala reported 732 coronavirus cases on Saturday. Four people have died due to coronavirus in the state while 512 people have successfully recovered from the disease. In Jharkhand, the coronavirus cases have jumped to 308, three patients have died and 136 have recovered. The North-Eastern state of Assam has reported 259 Covid-19 cases. Four people have died due to coronavirus here while 54 people have recovered. Over 200 people (218) have contracted the Covid-19 disease here. While 178 have recovered, three have died. In Chhattisgarh, 172 people have tested positive for coronavirus. The number of Covid-19 recoveries in the state has risen 62 while no death has been reported. One hundred and twenty-three people have been infected by coronavirus Uttarakhand till date. Fifty-six patients have recovered from the infection, one patient has died. In Himachal Pradesh, 168 people have contracted Covid-19. Three patients have died and 59 have recovered. Coronavirus cases in Goa have gone up to 54. As many as 16 people have recovered from the deadly contagion here. The Union territory has witnessed 44 cases of coronavirus of which 43 people have recovered. All 33 coronavirus cases reported in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have recovered. No deaths have been reported here. Puducherry has reported 26 cases of coronavirus. Ten have recovered, no deaths have been reported. The North-East state of Meghalaya has reported 14 cases and one Covid-19 death so far, 12 patients have recovered. In Manipur, 26 cases of coronavirus have been reported, two patients have recovered while in Tripura, Covid-19 cases have zoomed to 175. One hundred and fifty-two patients have recovered from coronavirus here. States and Union territories with just one positive Covid-19 case include Dadar Nagar Havel, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. All patients in Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram have recovered. Note: Figures are from official data released by the Ministry of Health, and may differ from realtime numbers released by various state governments subject to confirmation from the Centre. People struggle against the wind on the Bull Wall in Dublin. PA Photo A woman was rushed to hospital after strong winds toppled a tree that crushed her car and left more than 12,000 ESB customers across the country without power yesterday. The woman was shocked but miraculously escaped serious injury when the tree on Clonliffe Road, Drumcondra, north Dublin was blown down by strong winds at around 9am yesterday. A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said: "A number of trees came down overnight throughout the city due to high winds. One of them was on the Clonliffe Road. "As usual any incident resulting from a fallen tree will be examined." Meanwhile, ESB crews were hoping to restore electricity by yesterday evening to around 12,000 homes, businesses and farms that were left without power throughout the day yesterday as winds toppled trees and brought down power lines across the country as a status yellow warning remained in place for most areas until 9pm last night. Around 700 buildings in the Dublin region were also left without electricity. "The damage is mainly attributed to trees, now in full leaf, causing damage in the high winds," ESB Networks said in a statement. Met Eireann had warned the 'unseasonably strong winds' would bring potentially "damaging" gusts of between 100-110kmh to some areas throughout the day. Exposed mountains and hills and coastal areas were the most at risk of being battered by the strongest gusts from the extremely blustery southwest winds. In Galway, a chimney at the Old Connacht Laundry site on St Helen's Street collapsed due to the high winds, forcing the closure of the road for a time. Met Eireann had warned on Thursday that the "unseasonably windy weather" had the "potential for wind- related impacts such as debris from trees and movement of unsecured outdoor items". AA Roadwatch also urged motorists to use extreme caution while driving and that "pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and high-sided vehicles are most likely to be blown off-course in high winds". The blustery conditions are expected to last throughout today, according to Met Eireann. Meanwhile, it will be cloudy over Leinster and the northern half of the country today with a mix of sun and showers in the south. Temperatures will remain mild with highs of between 12C-16C but there will be fresh gusty winds and strong to gale-force westerly winds in the northwest, while tomorrow will see an improvement with mostly dry conditions and highs of 15C-20C. The best of the sunshine tomorrow will be over the southern half of the country. Even though more people can now gather outside in New Jersey during the coronavirus pandemic, dont start searching for al fresco restaurant bookings or planning a high school graduation ceremony. At least not yet, Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday. Murphy announced the state is increasing the number of people allowed to gather outdoors in New Jersey from 10 to 25 as the states outbreak continues to show signs of slowing as Memorial Day weekend arrives. But the governor said that does not include outdoor dining or graduation ceremonies. Eateries have been limited to takeout and delivery since March 17. Murphy said Tuesday he hopes to allow outdoor dining at restaurants in a matter of weeks. But he said Friday were not there yet" as the state continues to cope with the second-most COVID-19 deaths and cases among U.S. states. While its outdoors, youre in close proximity and youre sedentary by definition, the governor said during his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton. Youre sitting, youre having dinner. We want to make sure we get that right. I hope were sooner than later on that. Meanwhile, some lawmakers, parents, and students have called on Murphy to allow socially distanced graduation ceremonies outdoors, especially for high school seniors who have are already confined to remote learning as schools remain closed for the rest of the academic year. Murphy said only Friday that he hopes to have some guidance on that by next week. We want to get this right, obviously, he said. Because this would be a big gathering, and it has to be done right. Murphy did not provide any specific data for why its now safe to allow gatherings of 25 people, nor why either outdoor dining or socially distanced graduations remains dangerous. But he said the goal is to avoid a surge in deaths and cases. Please, folks, were not doing this for any reason other than to keep as many people healthy and alive as possible, the governor said. State Sen. Troy Singleton, D-Burlington, asked Murphy on Friday to take action on graduations, saying hes confident school districts can find a way to do the ceremonies safely. Graduating from high school is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone that must not be missed," Singleton said. These students have grown-up together, worked hard together, studied together, and trained together for four years, and this accomplishment should be celebrated publicly. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage New Jersey, a densely populated state of 9 million residents, has reported at least 10,985 deaths attributed to COVID-19, with at least 152,719 cases, since the outbreak began March 4. Only New York has more deaths and cases among American states. Officials reported 146 new deaths and 1,394 new positive tests in New Jersey on Friday. But with the states numbers improving, Murphy has been slowly peeling back his stay-at-home and business-closing restrictions the last few weeks. He has allowed parks to reopen, permitted nonessential retail businesses to offer curbside service, and said beaches can be open for the summer. Murphy said Thursday morning more businesses such as salons and gyms may be allowed to reopen with guidelines in a matter of weeks. Still, with the economy suffering massive losses, some lawmakers, businesses, and residents have been pushing the governor to move more quickly, allowing more businesses to allow customers inside as long as there are safety precautions. More than 1.1 million New Jersey residents have filed for unemployment since mid-March, causing the states unemployment rate to surge to 15.3%, though the number of claims has fallen in recent days. Many say theyve been waiting for weeks to get paid and have struggled with the states busy phone and online systems. On Friday, a group of Democratic South Jersey lawmakers Singleton, Assemblyman John Burzichelli of Gloucester County and Assemblymen John Armato and Vincent Mazzeo of Atlantic County lobbied Murphy, a fellow Democrat, to allow for areas of the state that have seen fewer infections be given a more detailed timetable for reopening. Atlantic City and other shore communities around Cape May, Cumberland, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem counties, need the summer season to carry their families through the difficult off-season and winter months, Burzichelli said. Murphy said earlier this month New Jersey will not take a regional approach to reopening because the state is the most densely populated in the nation. Were all packed in together, the governor said. Meanwhile, the state Republican Party announced Thursday it is suing Murphy to reopen small businesses, arguing he arbitrarily declared which businesses are considered essential. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. California voters will decide this November whether to exempt app-based drivers and couriers like those working for Uber, Lyft and DoorDash from a state law that sought to classify the drivers as employees. A measure proposed by the three companies qualified Friday for the statewide ballot, Secretary of State Alex Padilla said. If voters approve the measure, app-based drivers and couriers would be exempt from Californias new gig-work law AB5, which classifies these workers as independent contractors so they would be guaranteed some benefits, such as a form of workers compensation and disability insurance. Padilla will certify the initiative as qualified for the November 3 General Election ballot election on June 25. The petition to add the measure to the ballot garnered nearly 755,000 signatures, considerably more than the 623,212 signatures needed to qualify. App-based delivery drivers and services are essential to deliver warm meals, medicine and groceries to families and seniors forced to shelter in place, said Jim Pyatt, who is doing delivery driving during the coronavirus outbreak, in a statement circulated by the measures supporters. The ballot measure, he said, is needed to ensure these essential services continue to exist. Art Pulaski, the executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, which opposes the measure, said in a Friday evening statement: Were confident voters will reject this cynical measure to ensure these multi-billion dollar companies play by the same rules as all other law-abiding businesses. 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 ballot measure fight could end up as one of the most expensive in California history, pitting the war chests of companies like Uber, Lyft and Doordash against that of organized labor. Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByLHernandez U.S. FDA Approves Takedas ALUNBRIG (brigatinib) as a First-Line Treatment Option for Patients Diagnosed with Rare and Serious Form of Lung Cancer Details Category: Small Molecules Published on Saturday, 23 May 2020 13:26 Hits: 1743 - Long-Term Results from the Phase 3 ALTA 1L Trial Established ALUNBRIG as a Superior First-Line Treatment Compared to Crizotinib for People with ALK+ Metastatic NSCLC, Including those with Brain Metastases CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA & OSAKA, Japan I May 22, 2020 I Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ALUNBRIG (brigatinib) for adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as detected by an FDA-approved test. This approval expands ALUNBRIGs current indication to include the first-line setting. ALUNBRIG is a potent and selective next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) designed to target ALK molecular alterations. Were extremely proud of the positive results ALUNBRIG has shown for newly diagnosed ALK+ NSCLC patients, particularly those with brain metastases, said Teresa Bitetti, President, Global Oncology Business Unit, Takeda. Through a robust clinical development program and ongoing investigations across the NSCLC treatment landscape, Takeda is committed to uncovering solutions for people living with devastating forms of lung cancer in need of new options. We believe this approval for ALUNBRIG is a substantial step in the right direction and represents significant progress for Takedas broader lung cancer portfolio. The approval is based on results from the Phase 3 ALTA 1L trial, which is evaluating the safety and efficacy of ALUNBRIG compared to crizotinib in adult patients with ALK+ locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have not received prior treatment with an ALK inhibitor. Results from the ALTA 1L trial add brigatinib to the very short list of first-line treatment options for ALK+ lung cancer patients that have proven to be superior to crizotinib. Compared to crizotinib, brigatinib demonstrated superior efficacy, especially among those with brain metastases at baseline, and a low pill burden, at one pill a day, which is an important factor when we could be controlling disease for years, said Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, Joyce Zeff Chair in Lung Cancer Research, University of Colorado Cancer Center. These data have established brigatinibs potential in the first-line setting, and Im confident the FDA approval will open a new window of possibilities for physicians and their patients. After more than two years of follow-up, results from the ALTA 1L trial showed ALUNBRIG demonstrated superiority over crizotinib, with significant anti-tumor activity observed, especially in patients with baseline brain metastases. ALUNBRIG reduced the risk of disease progression or death twofold compared with crizotinib (PFS hazard ratio = 0.49), with a 24-month median progression-free survival (PFS) as assessed by a blinded independent review committee (BIRC) versus 11 months for crizotinib. ALUNBRIG demonstrated a confirmed overall response rate (ORR) of 74% (95% CI: 6681) for ALUNBRIG and 62% (95% CI: 5370) for crizotinib as assessed by a BIRC. ALUNBRIG demonstrated a confirmed intracranial ORR for patients with measurable brain metastases at baseline of 78% (95% CI: 5294) for patients treated with ALUNBRIG and 26% (95% CI: 1048) for patients treated with crizotinib. As with many forms of lung cancer, ALK+ NSCLC is a complex and aggressive cancer that presents various treatment challenges for patients who are newly diagnosed, including those whose disease has spread to their brain, said Andrea Stern Ferris, President and CEO, LUNGevity Foundation. Having this option for newly diagnosed patients is exciting news for the ALK+ NSCLC community and adds to the remarkable progress we have witnessed in lung cancer treatment over the past decade. About the ALTA 1L Trial The Phase 3 ALTA 1L (ALK in Lung Cancer Trial of BrigAtinib in 1st Line) trial of ALUNBRIG in adults is a global, ongoing, randomized, open-label, comparative, multicenter trial, which enrolled 275 patients (ALUNBRIG, n=137, crizotinib, n=138) with ALK+ locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who have not received prior treatment with an ALK inhibitor. Patients received either ALUNBRIG, 180 mg orally once daily with seven-day lead-in at 90 mg once daily, or crizotinib, 250 mg orally twice daily. The median age was 58 years in the ALUNBRIG arm and 60 years in the crizotinib arm. Twenty-nine percent of patients had brain metastases at baseline in the ALUNBRIG arm versus 30% in the crizotinib arm. Twenty-six percent of patients received prior chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic disease in the ALUNBRIG arm versus 27% in the crizotinib arm. Blinded independent review committee (BIRC)-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) was the major efficacy outcome measure. Additional efficacy outcome measures included confirmed overall response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1 and intracranial ORR. The warnings and precautions for ALUNBRIG are: interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis, hypertension, bradycardia, visual disturbance, creatine phosphokinase (CPK) elevation, pancreatic enzyme elevation, hyperglycemia and embryo-fetal toxicity. In the ALTA 1L trial, serious adverse reactions occurred in 33% of patients receiving ALUNBRIG. The most common serious adverse reactions other than disease progression were pneumonia (4.4%), ILD/pneumonitis (3.7%), pyrexia (2.9%), dyspnea (2.2%), pulmonary embolism (2.2%), and asthenia (2.2%). Fatal adverse reactions other than disease progression occurred in 2.9% of patients and included pneumonia (1.5%), cerebrovascular accident (0.7%), and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (0.7%). The most common adverse reactions in the ALTA 1L trial (10%) with ALUNBRIG were diarrhea (53%), rash (40%), cough (35%), hypertension (32%), fatigue (32%), nausea (30%), myalgia (28%), dyspnea (25%), abdominal pain (24%), and headache (22%). About ALUNBRIG (brigatinib) ALUNBRIG is a potent and selective next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that was designed to target anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) molecular alterations. ALUNBRIG is currently approved in more than 40 countries, including the U.S., Canada and the European Union (EU), for the treatment of people living with ALK+ metastatic NSCLC who have taken the medicine crizotinib, but their NSCLC has worsened or they cannot tolerate taking crizotinib. ALUNBRIG is also approved in the EU as a monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with ALK+ advanced NSCLC previously not treated with an ALK inhibitor. ALUNBRIG received Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA for the treatment of patients with ALK+ NSCLC whose tumors are resistant to crizotinib and was granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA for the treatment of ALK+ NSCLC, ROS1+ and EGFR+ NSCLC. About ALK+ NSCLC Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for approximately 85% of the estimated 1.8 million new cases of lung cancer diagnosed each year worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.1,2 Genetic studies indicate that chromosomal rearrangements in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) are key drivers in a subset of NSCLC patients.3 Approximately three to five percent of patients with metastatic NSCLC have a rearrangement in the ALK gene.4,5,6 Takeda is committed to continuing research and development in NSCLC to improve the lives of the approximately 40,000 patients diagnosed with this serious and rare form of lung cancer worldwide each year.7 Takedas Commitment to Oncology Our core R&D mission is to deliver novel medicines to patients with cancer worldwide through our commitment to science, breakthrough innovation and passion for improving the lives of patients. Whether its with our hematology therapies, our robust pipeline, or solid tumor medicines, we aim to stay both innovative and competitive to bring patients the treatments they need. For more information, visit www.takedaoncology.com. About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Diseases, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries. For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com. 1 World Health Organization. Latest Global Cancer Data. https://www.who.int/cancer/PRGlobocanFinal.pdf. Accessed May 11, 2019. 2 American Cancer Society. What is Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-small-cell-lung-cancer/about/what-is-non-small-cell-lung-cancer.html. Accessed May 11, 2019. 3 Kris MG, et al. JAMA, 2014;311:1998-2006. 4 Gainor JF, Varghese AM, Ou SH, et al. Clin Cancer Res. 2013;19(15):4273-81. 5 Koivunen JP, Mermel C, Zejnullahu K, et al. Clin Cancer Res. 2008; 14(13):4275-83. 6 Wong DW, Leung EL, So KK, et al. Cancer. 2009; 115(8):1723-33. 7 Chia PL, Mitchell P, Dobrovic A, John T. Clin Epidemiol, 2014;6:423-432. SOURCE: Takeda Pharmaceutical Co BOIS BLANC ISLAND, MI - Two people were airlifted off Bois Blanc Island in Lake Huron Friday afternoon after an explosion and fire leveled a cottage, fire officials said. One of the victims was trapped inside the remains of the home and had to be extricated by Fire Chief Brandon Schlund and others at the scene. We have no further information on their condition, but our thoughts are with them and their family members at this time, island fire officials said early this morning in a Facebook post about the incident. Bois Blanc Island sits just southeast of Mackinac Island. Its about 12 miles long and is home to year-round as well as seasonal residents. As with other Michigan islands, when emergencies happen there it means help comes from across the water. Mackinac Island Fire Department sent out two crews to help Bois Blanc firefighters. They were brought over by Mackinac Island Marine Rescue. A contractor also brought an excavator to the fire scene to help knock out the hot spots. Photos shared by the fire department show a large area of flattened and smoking debris. Hawks Landing Island Store brought in food for the firefighters, who were on scene for several hours. Fridays fire quickly caught the attention of people on Mackinac as well as the mainland. Photos posted to social media showed a big plume of gray smoke rising from Bois Blancs pine trees. No firefighters were injured in the incident. We are glad to report that all members of the BBIFD and MIFD are safe. Thank you for your messages of concern and kindness. Members of the BBIFD returned to their homes shortly before midnight on Friday, 05/22/2020, after a late afternoon... Posted by Bois Blanc Island Fire Department on Friday, May 22, 2020 Eric Roberts had mixed feelings about Joker (Image by Warner Bros) The Dark Knight actor Eric Roberts has criticised Joker, while at the same time praising Joaquin Phoenixs performance as the titular villain. Roberts told NME that Phoenix gave one of the most fun performances he had ever witnessed, something that the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences firmly agreed with as they gave him the Best Actor Oscar for his turn in the film. Read More: 'Joker' is the most Oscar-nominated comic book movie of all time Roberts, who played gangster Sal Maroni in the 2008 blockbuster, even insisted that he loved [Joker] visually, too. But it was at this point that he admitted he founds its story just nasty. I did not love the story, he continued. But thats because Im an actor. I live in hope, and that guy was not hopeful. Eric Roberts was a big fan of Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Joker, though. (Image by Warner Bros) It was at this point that Roberts spoke about the differences between Phoenix and Heath Ledgers portrayals of the Joker, admitting that he saw similarities between their characters, even though the films themselves were very, very different. Both those guys got the bone marrow of that guy, but they both had different blood types, if you know what I mean by that. Ones an O-, ones an O+ and they cant be similar except in the make-up really. Read More: Oscars 2020: Joaquin Phoenix admits he's 'hard to work with' in epic Best Actor Oscar speech Even the make-up was different, but it was reminiscent so you saw it as kind of related. Theyre both genius performances, and theyre both genius actors and we unfortunately lost one. Of course, Ledgers Joker performance in The Dark Knight was just as lauded as the one Phoenix gave in Joker, as it earned him the Best Supporting Actor award at the 2009 Academy Awards. Unfortunately, Ledger wasnt able to pick up accolade himself, as he died at the age of 28 on 22 January, 2008, just a few months before The Dark Knight was actually released. Why it matters: Square Enixs remake of Final Fantasy VII is off to a strong start. According to The NPD Groups analysis of last months US video game sales, the PlayStation 4 exclusive was the best-selling game in April despite only launching on the 10th. Final Fantasy VII bested both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the top spot. The other two titles finished in second and third place, respectively, according to NPD. The impressive showing doesnt end there, however, as the new Final Fantasy entry is already the third best-selling game of 2020 (behind Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, in that order). It was also the top-selling PS4 game in April. Mat Piscatella, executive director of games at NPD Group, told GameDaily that April was the best launch month ever for a Final Fantasy game. The previous record was held by Final Fantasy XV in December 2016. Pulling back to look at the industry in general, for the month of April, total sales in the US reached $1.467 billion, an increase of 73 percent compared to the same period a year ago. Hardware sales shot up a staggering 163 percent which is virtually unheard of this late into console life cycles. Piscatella, who has been working with video game sales data for over 15 years, said April was by far the wildest month hes ever seen. Masthead credit: charnsitr One Million Steps Challenge is being undertaken by 15 friends of a Skerries woman who sadly lost her life to suicide - in a bid to raise funds for Pieta House in her memory. In May 2017, Sarah Jane Branagan died suddenly and tragically. Her friends have described her as 'one in a million.' In an update on the 'One in a Million for Sarah' JustGiving fundraising page, Sarah Jane's friends have said their lives changed forever with the loss of Sarah Jane. 'Sadly, our story is not unique. Suicide has become one of the leading killers of young people in Ireland today,' the post on the fundraising page stated. The 15 friends - who have named themselves Team SJB - live all over the world - from Dublin to Vancouver, Toronto, San Diego, Sydney and Beijing. On Saturday, May 23, they will walk one million steps - or approximately 80km within 24 hours for Sarah Jane in a bid to raise vital funds for Pieta House. 'Team SJB has only 24 hours to complete this challenge,' Team SJB said on its fundraising page. 'To ensure we reach our goal, five members have committed to walking 100,000 steps in a day - approximately 80km - to help carry Team SJB to the finish line.' Team SJB are now encouraging people to get out and walk on the day for their 'one in a million.' 'For those of us living in the same area, we will all be following social distancing rules while walking,' Team SJB said. 'On that day, we are inviting you all to get out and walk with or for your one in a million and tag yourself using the hashtag #oneinamillion on Instagram. 'If you knew Sarah or even if you didn't and would like you to have your steps included in the final count, you can dm a picture of your steps to @onemillionstepsforsarah on Instagram or email your steps to onemillionstepsforsarah@gmail.com.' Team SJB is encouraging people to donate whatever they can to the fundraising efforts for Pieta House. Pieta House provides free therapy to those engaging in self-harm, those struggling with sucidal ideation or bereaved by suicide. Pieta House relies on the generosity of the public whose donations and fundraising makeup over 80% of their income. And with the charity's major worldwide annual fundraising event - Darkness Into Light postponed, and without the funds raised by this event, all of Pieta House's services are now facing an immediate and devastating financial crisis. All the donations raised from the One Million Steps for Sarah will go directly to Pieta to enable them to continue carrying out the superb service they provide to every community around the country. To donate to One Million Steps For Sarah go to Justgiving.com One Million Steps For Sarah All fundraising income is used to directly support people with therapy who may be engaging in self-harm, struggling with suicidal ideation, or bereaved by suicide. State Rep. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, was back in Springfield on Thursday. This time he was wearing a surgical mask. This time he was following the rules. Bailey on Wednesday was kicked out of Bank of Springfield Center, where House members are meeting to follow social distancing recommendations, because he wouldn't put on a face mask. His refusal was not surprising. Bailey has morphed into one of the biggest critics of Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the state's stay-at-home order. He's challenging the Democratic governor's use of emergency powers. He's taken to court a case alleging violations of rights. On Wednesday, Bailey was one of 12 representatives who voted against a proposal to require representatives wear masks in the convention center, where tables were spread out and body temperatures were checked before entering. The General Assembly took the historic step so lawmakers wouldn't be in close contact. He was the only one removed. Bailey said he was speaking on behalf of those who feel captive and burdened by restrictions. And then he was escorted from the arena. It was a remarkable scene, and that's probably what Bailey wanted, as foolish as that is. His act of defiance meant he couldn't be there to have his voice heard on other important issues. We also are frustrated with the slow pace that the regional reopening of the state has gone. We also feel held captive by the state's requirements that have gone on and on. But there are plenty of rules we don't like that we still have to follow. Pritzker on Wednesday said Bailey has shown callous disregard for life, callous disregard for peoples health .... The representative has no interest in protecting others. We don't know Bailey, but we'd like to believe his actions Wednesday were intended to be more spectacle than purposely trying to hurt people. We know a sideshow when we see one. We're glad he's finally following the rules. 18 presidents who have been to Central Illinois Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 NAMANGA, KENYA - When Habibu Juma Ali lined up his truck full of Whitedent toothpaste behind hundreds of others waiting to cross the border from Tanzania into Kenya, he didn't expect to wait two weeks to get tested for the novel coronavirus. Truckers are permitted to drive across the otherwise-closed border between East Africa's two biggest countries, but for the first two months of the pandemic, they had to get tested at the crossing. More than 150 tested positive and were turned back. The rest spent interminable days waiting for their results. Ali has spent his days on both the Kenyan and Tanzanian sides of the border town of Namanga, where, when you're on foot, you can cross the border as easily as crossing a road. He has bought food at shops, exchanged money at banks and, at night, he sleeps huddled with other drivers on cardboard mats underneath his truck. They cook and share meals with newcomers as the line of waiting trucks grows. Others find racier ways to pass the time - chewing khat, shooting dice, hiring sex workers. The truckers' growing web of interactions points to a dilemma at international borders: How to let essential trade through without the virus slipping in with it. At a meeting to resolve the growing crisis Friday, Kenya and Tanzania agreed that starting next week, drivers will have to get negative test certificates before starting their journeys. To many of the thousands of truckers who already spent days or weeks in Namanga waiting for tests, that decision will have come too late. "If my results come back positive, who can say how many people I'd have infected?" said Ali, 47. "I'm almost sure most of us here have now got the virus." The porous border, inefficient testing and limited contact tracing made this town an ideal place for the coronavirus to spread. Truckers say the long waits left them more susceptible to the virus and cost them time and money. The town's business people, who interact with them on a daily basis, were caught between fear of contagion and unwillingness to give up their livelihoods. Truck drivers distribute goods but also sometimes diseases, as became especially clear during HIV's spread in Africa, where they carry the virus at double the rate of the general population. Truckers' contacts are harder to trace than people who've traveled by airplane, for instance, where passenger lists are available. In Namanga, truck drivers have blended into the town as they wait, making contact tracing nearly impossible. Kenya's tests at the border have been the only real indication of the extent of the outbreak in Tanzania: The government hasn't released data on new cases since April 29. Tanzanian President John Magufuli has said numbers are falling, but a U.S. Embassy statement last week said many hospitals in the former capital, Dar es Salaam, had been overwhelmed and that the likelihood of contracting the virus in that city was "extremely high." Tanzania has taken fewer day-to-day measures to control the virus' spread than Kenya, which has a dusk-to-dawn curfew, mandatory mask-wearing and localized lockdowns. Kenya has over 1,100 confirmed cases and has been generally praised for the seriousness of its response, despite crackdowns on curfew offenders that have killed more than a dozen people and evictions of slum dwellers who've been left homeless at a time when hygiene and sanitation are paramount. In Namanga, Kenya only traces contacts of positive cases, and the lag in getting results means truckers can rack up hundreds of contacts before knowing their status. And because Kenyan authorities simply turn around infected Tanzanian truck drivers instead of quarantining them at the border, they also lose the opportunity to interview them in person about contacts. "Contacts are traced using phones or physically by community health volunteers, area leaders or security agencies," said Esther Somoire, who directs health response in the Kenyan county where Namanga is. "But it's complicated, especially at international borders like Namanga." The growing number of positive cases at the border escalated into a confrontation between the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments. A Tanzanian regional government official said on Wednesday that Kenya was falsely reporting positive test results for Tanzanian truckers as "a deliberate sabotage strategy designed by Kenya against our tourism industry" and that the government had done its own tests on those drivers and they came back negative. The two countries compete over lucrative wildlife tourism. In his daily briefings, Kenya's health minister, Mutahi Kagwe, has called the border posts "hot spots" but has offered assurances that diligent testing means infected Tanzanian truck drivers are not "in our midst." Friday's agreement stipulated that the results of all further tests of truck drivers will be released publicly but "without mentioning the nationality of the infected." In Europe, many countries have exempted truck drivers transporting goods from checks at their borders. The United States and Canada don't test truckers crossing their 5,500-mile border. In East Africa, though, testing is more common: Uganda has found dozens of infected Kenyan truck drivers, and Zambia closed its border to Tanzanian truckers after an outbreak at the border created a hot spot there. Truckers like Ali who are hoping to enter Kenya were at wits' end Wednesday as they waited hours for health officials to take throat swabs. Dozens of them were told to wait in a bare concrete room with no seats. Some crouched with their heads in their hands, trying to nap while waiting. When a health official showed up, he asked the drivers to practice social distancing, and the crowd lunged at him, many saying it was ridiculous to expect them to distance when they weren't even given a place to sit. "Really, honestly, you are not preventing, you are spreading," said Robert Kimani, a Kenyan driver transporting tomatoes from Iringa, in central Tanzania, who had his own reason to be angry. He had initially been tested five days ago, but when results were announced, his name was missing from the list. "There were four of us like that. They didn't even have the courtesy to tell me what happened," he said in an interview later. "In the days I've been waiting, where have I not been? I have been all over. Maybe the virus can be all over, too." Kenyan health officials declined to comment on the missing results. Everyone who relies on the border town's economy, from shop owners to sex workers, are warily continuing business as usual. For most, that involves crossing the invisible border that runs through it. Jenny Heri, 39, and Marcy Mwajuma Kioko, 32, said they get paid to have sex with six to 10 trucker clients a day, mostly Tanzanians. On Wednesday, they were on the Kenyan side to pick up hundreds of condoms at a government clinic, as well as change Tanzanian shillings into Kenyan shillings to wire home to their children. Kioko put some of the condoms in a dispenser in a men's bathroom at the entrance to the border post before looking for more clients among the drivers waiting on the Tanzanian side. Heri said she and other sex workers have adopted new practices like not facing clients while having sex and sanitizing the parts of their bodies their clients touch, but that they knew they were putting themselves at high risk. "We know it's not perfect," she said. "But this job we do, we do to make enough so our kids don't suffer." Business people in Namanga who interacted with Kimani, the driver who said his first test sample went missing, described a deep sense of worry about coming into contact with so many truck drivers on a daily basis. "If they are really serious, they would follow up with us," said Elizabeth Wanjiku, 42, who runs a small money exchange. "Or government should give us money to stay home if they want to protect us." Unlike Ali, who sleeps under his truck, Kimani can afford to stay at Joseph Kitalama's guesthouse, where sanitizer is provided. But Kitalama's rooms are often rented and shared by strangers looking to save money. "People are doing so much to protect themselves - washing hands all the time, making their own masks out of cloth," said Kitalama. "We are doing our best, but the government should also do its part." File photo No less than seven people were shot and killed during an alcohol-fuelled fishing trip in central Ukraine. The murder occurred is a rare mass shooting in the ex-Soviet country, police said on Friday. According to the Agence France Presse, AFP, eight people from the capital Kiev went fishing on a lake in the neighbouring Zhytomyr region when a local host attacked the guests with his hunting rifle, said Ukraines deputy interior minister Anton Gerashchenko. The attack took place early on Friday when the local man a professional hunter reached for his rifle in the middle of an alcohol-fuelled quarrel and shot two of the guests. Then he shot and killed five more people who were sleeping in a shed on the bank of the lake near the village of Novoselytsya. He managed to shoot and kill seven people, Gerashchenko said in a statement on Facebook. Just one person upon hearing the shots managed to escape into the woods, reach the village and call the police. The suspect has been detained and faces life in prison, said Gerashchenko. The cause of the argument was not immediately clear. Aged between 30 and 50, the victims had previously fought as volunteers against Russian-backed separatists in Ukraines war-torn east, local media reported. Diana Doria found her purpose sharing a lifetime of experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer. Then, seven months into her two-year assignment in the Dominican Republic, Doria, 75, received a shocking email from her supervisor she had to evacuate the country. All volunteers were to report to the capital, Santo Domingo, by 5 p.m. the next day. Doria rushed to pack two bags and arrange transportation to the airport before the country closed its borders. Her flight left at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday the airport closed at 6 a.m. the next day. It was the first time in the history of the Peace Corps that all of its volunteers were recalled from around the world. Doria was among more than 7,000 volunteers evacuated from posts in 60 countries. It was a little disheartening, she said in the living room of her North Side home. People dont understand that as a returning volunteer, youre going through a grieving process. You joined because you wanted to do a job and then boom youre gone. On ExpressNews.com: Young hunger fighter works with San Antonio Food Bank as AmeriCorps volunteer, serving the community she loves About the author A 22-year veteran of the Air Force, Vincent T. Davis embarked on a second career as a journalist and found his calling. Observing and listening across San Antonio, he finds intriguing tales to tell about everyday people. He shares his stories with Express-News subscribers every Monday morning. See More Collapse After tearful goodbyes to her host family, the volunteer who always wore a wide-brimmed straw hat, boarded a Guagua, (pronounced wawa) a minivan of sorts, her mode of transportation during her stay in the rural area. As the white minivan rolled along, she took one last look at the cacoa trees and sugar cane fields that stretched across the lush countryside. Hours later, Dorias plane landed at the Miami airport, packed with travelers from around the world, many without personal protection equipment. During her three-hour wait in customs, she kept her mask and gloves on, a practice she started aboard her plane. While cashiering at a San Antonio International Airport gift shop, Doria learned about the Peace Corps from a gray-bearded man. He put a couple of magnets on the counter he was buying for his friends in the Ukraine, where he was a Peace Corps volunteer. She told the 70-year-old retired computer science professor from St. Marys University that she was too old to join the organization. He said that there wasnt an age limit on Peace Corps volunteers. What can I do? she said. I dont have a teaching certificate. Im not a certified engineer. No, but you have something others dont, he said, pointing his finger towards her, you have life experiences. That encounter led to Doria researching the organization. Doria retired from IBM after 44 years, she said, often the only female in the boardrooms. Moving wasnt a problem. Shed lived all over the country traveling for the company. She decided the Peace Corps answered the why in her life. Her three children and family supported her decision. She filled out an application in January 2019 and after a background check, she received notification in August she had been accepted. You dont have to be locked into retirement and youre bored, she said. The Good Lord has blessed me with good health. There are options out there. She arrived in the Dominican Republic on Aug. 20, 2019. There were weeks of training in the capital and the town of Peralvillo, where she learned about living in a small pueblo. She lived in Sabana al Medio or Sabana in the Middle, an area without internet, transportation, a clinic, supermarket, or mail service. She learned to coexist with native creatures from the land, including a tree frog on her bedroom wall, a hand-sized tarantula on the front porch and a snake coiled in the bathroom one early morning. Thats part of the adventure, she said. Her hosts were the Brios family, that included the mother Daisi; her son DOmar, 17, and daughter Ambar, 12. Doria recalled evenings sitting on the front galleria or porch of the green-painted house, waving to passersby and watching the world go by. She was assigned to the pueblos school, where she used her bilingual skills as a youth development coordinator in the community school. The students treated her as if she was their grandmother. Dorias first project was to clean up the trash littered across the town. Over the course of one afternoon, she joined 60 students to gather the rubbish strewn across the grass and beneath the foliage. When they finished, 50 large bags of trash were piled beneath a sprawling mango tree. A precursor to the perilous days ahead came with a presentation about the coronavirus. The teacher, with glitter on her hands, shook the kids hands as they entered the room. When she asked the class to raise their hands if they had glitter on themselves, a large number raised their hands. You now have the virus, the teacher said, explaining that the glitter represented the disease. Thats how easily its transmitted. Doria said the students shared the information with their parents and families about the importance of washing hands and social distancing. Since her return to San Antonio, shes only seen her family through social distancing. She still hasnt hugged any of her sisters or children. She has also met with the group Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of San Antonio to talk about shared experiences. Some members had returned 50 years ago, some just a month ago. There are quite a number of volunteers who are older than 50 said Joshua Castro, regional recruiter for South Texas. Castro, 31, said there were more than 230 volunteers from Texas in the field before the evacuation. More than 8,700 Texans have served since the Peace Corps was founded in 1961. When people ask him about volunteering, he said he answers, why not? A lot of people want to do something impactful on the grassroots level, Garcia said. Its not too late to follow new dreams. Castro said there are around 150 members on an email chain and 30 attendees at monthly meetings. On ExpressNews.com: Food distributor continues fathers legacy of charity across San Antonio Doria still thinks fondly of her host family and her unfinished mission. She talks to her former hosts on the phone about a day in the future when they can visit her and learn about the country they only know about via television. Theres a lot of misconceptions about us, Doria said. Thats where the Peace Corps plays a vital role. Its part of our mission to help them understand America. Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Vincent, become a subscriber. vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis Hundreds of migrant labourers stuck without work and wages in Mumbai would have felt relief as they finally managed to board a train to return to their rural homes in Uttar Pradesh. But when they woke up the next morning ready to go home and put their ordeal behind them, they found themselves not in their intended destination of Gorakhpur, but nearly 750km away in Odisha. The special train, which left from the Vasai station in Maharashtra on Thursday, had travelled a completely different route overnight and taken them to Rourkela. Angry and confused, when they asked why this had happened, they said they were informed by officials present there that the trains driver had lost his way because of some mix-up. But the Railways has denied that the wrong route was because of the driver losing his way and said the change of destination was by design. We have decided to run a few of the Shramik trains on diverted routes. Some trains were diverted for Bihar via Rourkela to clear congestion, officials told News18. But the question remains why the migrant workers travelling in the train were not informed. They have also not been told about when the train will leave Rourkela for Gorakpur. For now, the migrant workers find themselves stranded in Odisha and wait for the railways to sort this mess out. Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition and Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras - Heathcliff O'Malley Sir Keir Starmer's children have been able to go to school during the coronavirus pandemic, the Labour leader has disclosed as he urges Boris Johnson to work with parents and unions to build a consensus for primaries to reopen in England next month. The Labour leader said in an interview today that he knew the importance of keeping children in education because his son and daughter had both attended local state schools in his north London constituency during the lockdown as Sir Keir's wife Victoria is a key worker in the National Health Service. Reopening schools is seen as a vital step in getting Britons back to work after the nine week coronavirus lockdown which has forced the economy into reverse. But Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, is facing a struggle against a combination of over 50 councils and teaching unions which are refusing to agree to a partial reopening of English primary schools in the week starting June 1. Sir Keir said that his children - an 11 year old son and nine year old daughter who he has never named publicly - are already at local schools in Camden because his wife Victoria has 'key worker' status because she works in the National Health Service. Speaking to the Telegraph's Chopper's Politics podcast, Sir Keir said: "Our children have been in school throughout [the coronavirus crisis] and it's a reminder that this perception that schools are shut at the moment and the question of whether we open them is wrong. "They're open at the moment, teachers, staff are on the frontline, every day. The question is, can we increase the numbers of children going back into school, and I want that to happen as soon as it can. But of course it's got to be safe." Sir Keir added: "The task of the Prime Minister is to build consensus, to give people confidence. Most of the polling I've seen ... show that parents are about 50/50, they're genuinely worried... Rather than accentuating the differences here, the Prime Minister should pull a task force together, and say 'right, we are going to lead from the front'. Story continues "If we can get a consensus we will give people confidence because what people need more than anything at the moment is confidence. "If the Prime Minister said 'I'll set up a task force of teaching unions, parents, local authorities and government - everybody else who needs to be around the table - to put your shoulder to the wheel, let's get on with this' - I would certainly support that." While not overtly backing the National Education Union which has set five tests that must be met before any return - covering lower Covid-19 cases, a national plan for social distancing, better access to testing, protocols for outbreaks and protection for vulnerable staff are satisfied - Sir Keir described them as "perfectly reasonable ... tests that can be met". On Friday, the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) published the evidence it used to advise ministers on reopening schools. The papers show increasing concern about the educational, social and developmental harm to children from being kept away from school. However, last night the UK's largest union, the National Education Union, said it had not changed its position that it is unsafe for children to return to the classroom next month. 'Leave vs Remain is over' Labour will not take the UK back into the European Union if it wins the next general election, Sir Keir declares as he says that the Brexit issue is now settled. And the Labour leader draws a line under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership and his apparent questioning of British institutions and symbols by saying his party should not be "shy" about being seen as "patriotic". But Sir Keir gives warning that the estimated 300billion cost of paying for the UK's response to the coronavirus pandemic needs to be borne by middle and higher earners in tax rises. In an interview with this weekend's edition of Chopper's Politics podcast, which is free to listen to on the Telegraph's website, Sir Keir, a Remainer who campaigned for a 'softer' Brexit when Mr Corbyn was leader, makes clear that he wants to move on from the row which split the country for the past three and a half years. Admitting Labour's decision to fudge its response to the Brexit referendum in part helped to drive the party to the 80-seat defeat to Boris Johnson's Tory party in December's election, Sir Keir says the "Leave/Remain argument is over". Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition and Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras - Heathcliff O'Malley Sir Keir says: "We've left the EU, and therefore, the Leave/Remain argument is over and the only argument now is what sort of a deal we have with the EU and what sort of deals we have with the rest of the world." He adds: "It's very important for the Labour Party to be clear that whatever position we and others may have taken in the last three and a half, four years, that divide between leave and remain is now over." Sir Keir went further saying that if he leads Labour to victory at the next general election, expected in 2024, he would not try to take the UK back into the European Union, telling the podcast: "I don't think there's a case for rejoining the EU and I'm certainly not making that case." Proud to be patriotic and not preaching to the converted In a clear break from the recent history of the Labour party which saw questions over Mr Corbyn's republican views, Sir Keir - who became leader on April 4 - says he wants the party to be proud to be patriotic. He says: "I'm proud that we're patriotic, I don't think we should be shy about it, I think it is something we should be very proud of and I think the fact thousands and thousands of activists give up their free time to try and improve our country is a real reflection of just how patriotic, they are." Sir Keir says that he would not refuse to attend a state banquet given in honour of Donald Trump, as Mr Corbyn did during the US President's visit to the UK in April last year, saying: "I've never shied away from these events, I've attended them when I was Director of Public Prosecutions, no doubt I'll attend them as leader of the Labour Party." In another break from the Corbyn past, Sir Keir makes clear he is determined to put the party's anti-Semitism controversies behind it, saying: "I don't want a Labour Party that's just got an effective mechanism for dealing with anti-semitism. I want a Labour party that hasn't got anti-semitism in it." Sir Keir has so far been judged to have performed well in this three encounters with Mr Johnson at the dispatch box during Prime Minister's Questions and he admits that the deathly quiet House of Commons chamber - deserted due to MPs' social distancing during the Covid-19 crisis - is helping him as he had expected there to be "a lot of Tories trying to put you off your pace". Unlike Mr Corbyn who was criticised for rarely stepping outside his ideological comfort zone, Sir Keir wants his policies and ideas to be challenged, and so is inviting non-Labour activists to his 'Call Keir' events which is currently organising virtually twice every Thursday until he can travel physically around the country. He says: "I am keen to make absolutely clear that the Labour Party wants to appeal very broadly across the whole population ... it's very, very important to be clear about reaching out, wanting to reach all sections of society. "I actually want people who are not Labour voters and I want them to challenge me, be frank with me and be blunt with me. So my preference is to speak to those people around the country rather than having rallies of Labour members and supporters." That includes trying to win readers of the Telegraph round to his position. He says: "What I am keen to do is to make absolutely clear that the Labour party wants to appeal very broadly across the whole population and that's why I'd be very interested in doing things with the Telegraph." Scrutinising the Government's coronavirus strategy Sir Keir is trying to be constructive in his dealings with the Tory Government during the coronavirus crisis. He says: "On lockdown - and the conditions of lockdown - we've been absolutely full square with the Government" but criticises the Government for being too slow on testing and personal protection for NHS and care work. This week he scored a victory when he forced Mr Johnson to agree to his idea to scrap a 400 surcharge on migrant healthcare workers, 24 hours after Mr Johnson told him at PMQs that he would do no such thing. Now he has another idea for the PM to resolve the impasse with unions and some councils over whether schools in England should reopen on June 1: set up a task force comprising parents, unions, councils and officials to agree a mutually acceptable return date. Sir Keir, 57, has not been personally affected by the row as his two children are still at school because his wife Victoria is a key worker. He says: "Our children have been in school throughout [the coronavirus crisis] and it's a reminder that this perception that schools are shut at the moment and the question of whether we open them is wrong. "They're open at the moment, teachers, staff are on the frontline, every day. The question is, can we increase the numbers of children going back into school, and I want that to happen as soon as it can. But of course it's got to be safe." I ask him if this means he cannot understand the pressures for working parents who are also trying to teach their children at home. "I think it is very difficult," he says. "Everybody is struggling with homeschooling, and of course homeschooling is much easier if you've got space and lots of devices in your house, much more difficult if you're in overcrowded accommodation, and you haven't got devices so I completely understand that." Sir Keir has been treading a fine line by not condemning the National Education Union which have been resisting the June 1 return unless five tests covering lower Covid-19 cases, a national plan for social distancing, better access to testing, protocols for outbreaks and protection for vulnerable staff are satisfied, describing them as "perfectly reasonable ... tests that can be met". Who will carry the cost? On how Britons will eventually have to stump up to pay for the measures costing hundreds of billions of pounds taken during the crisis, Sir Keir agrees with the PM on one thing - there will be no return to the austerity policies of the Tory governments (circa 2010 to 2018). But Sir Keir goes further than Mr Johnson, and admits that higher earners will have to shoulder a larger tax burden when the time comes. He says: "We don't yet know what the damage to the economy is. And I don't think it's therefore sensible and possible say, in which bracket will the percentage of tax be 'x', 'y' or 'z', but the broad principle that, you know, those with the broader shoulders should contribute more is one that I think the vast majority of people subscribe to. It has got to be balanced, it's got to be reasonable but it's that principle has been the backbone of economic thinking for quite some time." Questions have been raised about why Sir Keir is happier to be known as plain "Keir Starmer" in the daily Hansard reports of House of Commons proceedings, and not use his knighthood, which he was awarded for services to law and criminal justice after he stood down as head of the Crown Prosecution Service in 2014. He says: "I'm really proud about that ... but I just don't particularly like titles. It was ingrained in the staff to call the Director of Public Prosecutions 'director'. So I said 'Don't call me director, call me Keir'. So this is not to do with the Knighthood, it is that 'Keir' has served me very very well in my life, and I much prefer it." Abhas Jha, an Indian economist, has been appointed by the World Bank to a key position on climate change and disaster management in South Asia, the global lender said. Jha's appointment comes at a time when Cyclone Amphan has badly hit West Bengal, Orissa in India and Bangladesh. In his capacity as World Bank's Practice Manager for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management for South Asia, one of the top priorities of Jha will be to encourage and help the South Asia region (SAR) Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change team to connect and collaborate across Global Practice boundaries, the bank said in a statement on Friday. And also to the World Bank to conceive and deliver innovative and high-quality development solutions to respond to client demands and strengthen disaster risk management and climate action in the region, the statement said. Based out of Singapore, Jha will also work closely with other Practice Managers, Global Leads and Global Solutions Groups to incubate, pilot and scale-up innovative and high-quality development solutions, and to promote the generation and flow of global knowledge to serve these countries, the bank said. According to the bank, Jha's mandate is to nurture, lead, inspire and deploy a team of highly qualified professionals to deliver the best solutions for these countries. Jha, an Indian national, joined the Bank in 2001 in the office of the Executive Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka and has since worked in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia, and East Asia and the Pacific regions. His most recent assignment is Practice Manager for Urban Development and Disaster Risk Management in the East Asia and Pacific region. His area of jurisdiction includes India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Maldives. Also read: Economic stimulus to partially offset negative impact of coronavirus: Moody's Also read: Coronavirus impact: World Bank announces $160 billion assistance to 100 countries US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan held talks on May 23 and discussed the situation in Libya and Syria along with the need to reopen the economies amid the coronavirus outbreak. According to international media reports, a White House spokesperson Judd Deere said in a statement that both leaders discussed progress on reopening and boosting global economies in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, US President voiced his concern over the worsening foreign interference in Libya and the urgent need for de-escalation. Deere also elaborated that Trump and Erdogan reaffirmed the dire need for a political resolution to the years-long conflict in Syria and humanitarian access in the war-stricken country. Read - Virus, Economy, Trump And Cash Hamper GOPs Bid For House Read - Trump To Attend Wednesday's NASA Astronaut Launch In Florida Coronavirus in Turkey, US Erdogans office also released an account on the phone call between the leaders who restated their solidarity in the face of the global health crisis. While the number of people infected with coronavirus in the world has surpassed 5.2 million, US and Turkey have till now confirmed at least 1.6 million and 155,686 cases of COVID-19 respectively. The death toll in Turkey due to the novel virus remains at 4,308 but it has claimed over 96,479 lives in the US. Since Turkey has been witnessing a fall in the rate of infections and access, its transport minister recently said that some of the intercity trains will resume operations on May 28. Read - Trump Slams Guvs For Deeming Liquor Shops As Essential But Not Allowing Churches To Reopen Read - Trump Administration Discussed Conducting Nuclear Test In US: Report Image Source: AP A Syrian court has placed a temporary travel ban on prominent businessman Rami Makhlouf, a copy of the court order posted on the Ministry of Justice's Facebook page showed on Thursday, amid a high-profile dispute over his mobile phone company Syriatel. Makhlouf, the cousin of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and one of the country's richest men, had his assets ordered seized earlier this week. The government says Syriatel owes 134 billion Syrian pounds, around $77 million at the current exchange rate on the parallel market. Makhlouf has addressed the dispute in three video messages in which he has appealed to Assad himself to help save his firm. In his last appearance Makhlouf said he had been told to quit as the head of Syriatel. Once at the heart of Assad's inner circle, Makhlouf has called the asset seizure illegal and an attempt by the government to take the company from him. The unprecedented public tussle has uncovered a rare rift in Syria's ruling elite. The court order said the travel ban comes after a request made by the ministry of telecommunications and would be dropped if Makhlouf paid the arrears, without specifying the amount. One of Garry Newlove's killers could face an extended spell in prison after his impending release from a closed prison was blocked. Jordan Cunliffe, 28, was sentenced to 12 years in prison in January 2008 after he attacked father-of-three Mr Newlove, 47, with two other boys outside the father of the three's home in Warrington. Following recommendations from a Parole Board, Cunliffe was expecting to move to an open prison soon and even hosted a drunken party in his cell to celebrate his upcoming freedom. Jordan Cunliffe, 28, (pictured) could face an extended spell in a closed prison after his impending release was blocked Cunliffe was 16-year-old when he murdered father of three Garry Newlove (pictured), 47, alongside two other teenagers back in 2007 But Justice Secretary Robert Buckland declared there was not a 'wholly acceptable rationale' for this move and Cunliffe will remain in a 'closed' prison until his next parole hearing. A source told The Sun: 'He'll be gutted. The path to release seemed on. 'But many will feel it's nothing less than he deserves.' Cunliffe was 16 when he fatally attacked Mr Newlove in 2007 with the help of Adam Swellings and Stephen Sorton, both 19, after the Warrington resident reprimanded the three teenagers, who were under the influence of alcohol, for vandalising cars on his street. Mr Newlove died three days after the incident and left behind his wife, Baroness Helen Newlove along with his three children. With Cunliffe's 12-year sentence coming to an end soon, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland (pictured) said there was no appropriate rationale to grant him a move to more open surroundings Cunliffe held a drunken party inside his prison cell earlier this year to celebrate what he believed was his imminent release, something which angered Baroness Helen Newlove (pictured), Garry's wife The 47-year-old's tragic death stunned the nation and became a symbol for 'Broken Britain'. Upon hearing about Cunliffe's drunken celebrations ahead of what he believed would be his imminent release, Baroness Newlove said: Its absolutely disgusting. How is he able to have a party in prison with alcohol? It beggars belief. 'Cunliffe was a huge instigator in Garrys death. It feels like he is laughing over Garrys body all over again.' MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd May, 2020) The Ecuadorian government decided to resume up to 30 percent of the air traffic, which was suspended over the COVID-19 pandemic, Interior Minister Paula Romo said. "Passenger flights will be resumed starting from June 1. During the first phase, it will be allowed to resume up to 30 percent of flights, which were carried out in airports," Romo said in a televised address on late Friday. The international airport of Quito expressed its readiness to partially resume the flights. According to the airport of the Ecuadorian capital, the resumption will be gradual depending on the demand and airlines' readiness to do that. The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. To date, more than 5.2 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 338,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University. Ecuador has confirmed 35,828 COVID-19 cases so far, with 3,056 fatalities. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his gratitude after a conversation with Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth of MoReaches. PM Modi has also congratulated him on Twitter for the unprecedented success against the Corona epidemic in Mauritius. Tweeting from his official Twitter handle, PM Modi wrote that, 'Thank you, a conversation with Prime Minister Pravind Jagannath took place today. Congratulations on controlling COVID-19 in Mauritius. It is noteworthy that India had sent a consignment of hydroxychloroquine medicine to Mauritius as a cooperation in combating the corona virus. After this, Mauritius PM Pravind Judnauth thanked PM Narendra Modi for the medical supplies he received from India amid the outbreak of Corona virus. Let us tell you that Mauritius has taken control of the corona virus infection. At present, no new Corona case has come to light in the country. According to the Ministry of Health, there are a total of 332 cases of corona in the country, out of which the number of those recovering is 322. In Mauritius, the number of people who died of corona is 10. The number of corona infections in India is increasing rapidly. So far, Corona's total cases have crossed 1 lakh 20 thousand in the country. According to the Ministry of Health, a total of 1.25 lakh cases of corona virus have been reported in the country, while the death toll has increased to 3,720. It is a matter of relief that 51,784 people have also become healthy with this. Thank you, Prime Minister @PKJugnauth for our warm conversation today! Congratulations for successfully controlling COVID-19 in Mauritius. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 23, 2020 Also Read: British PM's top advisor breaks lockdown, opposition attacks Johnson Britain Southampton University doing corona vaccine trial on 10 thousand volunteers Can corona infection spread from pregnant mother to children? Do doctors know which medicine can neutralize corona? Crash scene: Search teams begin to carry out their task in the Model Colony area of Karachi One of the two survivors of the Pakistan plane crash said the flight had proceeded normally until its descent, when there was a sudden jolt. Passenger Mohammad Zubair said the pilot had warned that the landing in Karachi would be "troublesome" and the plane jolted violently, which he thought was turbulence. Moments later, it slammed into a crowded neighbourhood on the edge of the international airport. Authorities said Friday's crash killed 97 people, all of them passengers and crew members. The Pakistan International Airlines flight was carrying people returning home for Eid al-Fitr, a major holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Provincial health department spokeswoman Meeran Yousaf said only 19 bodies have been identified so far and that most of the victims were badly burned. Three people on the ground were reportedly injured, and rescue crews were still sifting through the rubble on Saturday. The plane crashed near Jinnah International Airport, in the poor and congested residential area known as Model Colony. At least five houses were destroyed. Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Abdul Sattar Kokhar said the Airbus A230 was carrying 91 passengers and eight crew members. The only other survivor of the crash was Zafar Masood, a bank executive. In a telephone interview from his hospital bed, Mr Zubair, a mechanical engineer, said flight PK8308 had taken off on time from the eastern city of Lahore at 1pm local time. It was a smooth, uneventful flight until the aircraft began its descent shortly before 3pm. "Suddenly the plane jerked violently, once and then again," he said. The aircraft turned and the pilot's voice came over the intercom. They were experiencing engine trouble and the landing could be "troublesome", the pilot said. That was the last thing Mr Zubair remembered until he woke up in a scene of chaos. "I saw so much smoke and fire. I heard people crying, children crying." He managed to crawl out of the smoke and rubble, and was eventually lifted from the ground and rushed to an ambulance. Pakistan had only resumed domestic flights earlier this week. Many of the passengers on board were families returning home for the holiday, said Science Minister Fawad Ahmed Chaudhry. Between the coronavirus pandemic and the plane crash, this year has been a "catastrophe", he added. "What is most unfortunate and sad is whole families have died, whole families who were travelling together for the Eid holiday," he told the Associated Press. Social media and local news reports said Zara Abid, an actor and award-winning model, was among those killed. A senior banker, his wife and three young children were also reportedly killed. Shabaz Hussein, whose mother died in the crash, told AP that he had identified her body at a local hospital and was waiting to take it away for burial. Pakistan has been in a countrywide lockdown since mid-March because of the coronavirus, and when flights resumed every other seat was left empty to promote social distancing. Southern Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, is the epicentre of Pakistan's outbreak, with nearly 20,000 of the country's more than 50,000 cases. Pakistan has reported 1,101 deaths from Covid-19s. A transmission of the pilot's final exchange with air traffic control, posted on the website LiveATC.net, indicated that he had failed to land and was circling to make another attempt. "We are proceeding direct, sir - we have lost engine," the pilot said. "Confirm your attempt on belly," the air traffic controller said, offering a runway. "Sir, mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday Pakistan 8303," the pilot said before the transmission ended. PIA chairman Arshad Malik told reporters in Karachi on Friday that an independent inquiry would be held but said the aircraft was in good working order. Airworthiness documents showed the plane last received a government check on November 1 2019. PIA's chief engineer signed a separate certificate April 28 saying all maintenance had been carried out. It said "the aircraft is fully airworthy and meets all the safety" standards. Ownership records for the Airbus A320 showed China Eastern Airlines flew the plane from 2004 until 2014. The plane then entered PIA's fleet, leased from GE Capital Aviation Services. Airbus said the plane had logged 47,100 flight hours and 25,860 flights as of Friday. The plane had two CFM56-5B4 engines. Airbus said it would provide technical assistance to investigators in France and Pakistan, as well as the airline and engine manufacturers. "We at Airbus are deeply saddened by the tragic news of flight #PK8303," tweeted executive director Guillaume Faury. "In aviation, we all work hard to prevent this. Airbus will provide full assistance to the investigating authorities." Telangana continued to witness a jump in COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 52 fresh cases reported besides a death. The number of virus-related deaths in the state rose to 49, a bulletin issued by the state government on Saturday night said. The total number of coronavirus cases in the state mounted to 1,813 after 52 people tested positive for the virus. The bulletin said 25 people were discharged on Saturday. The number of cured/discharged people till date is 1,068. The number of people under treatment as on date is 696, it said. Out of the 52 fresh cases, 33 were reported from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), while 19 were migrants or foreign returnees who arrived in the state in the recent days, the bulletin stated. These 19 returnees include four persons who returned from Kuwait and 15 migrants who came from Maharashtra, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) LORAIN, Ohio -- Lorain County Prosecutor Dennis Will wants a 16-year-old Lorain boy charged with murder in the shooting death of a 21-year-old man to be tried as an adult Will made the request in the form of a motion filed Thursday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. July 9 in Domestic Relations Court Judge Frank Janiks courtroom, according to the motion. Dimehz Phillips died in the shooting that happened about 11 p.m. Tuesday on Denver Avenue just south of East 36th Street, according to Lorain police and court documents. Investigators told cleveland.com Friday that Phillips and the boy have had previous encounters with each other, but could not provide any more details. The boy is expected to appear at a pretrial hearing at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. He will appear by video conference, which is how the court has been conducting hearings for juveniles in Lorain Countys detention center since the coronavirus outbreak, Lorain County Domestic Relations Court administrator Jody Barilla said. Police received a call from someone who found Phillips body Wednesday along a fence line behind a Denver Avenue home after police got a call of shots fired the previous night. Witnesses told police Tuesday night that a group of people was arguing, then shots were fired. Officers returned to the neighborhood Wednesday after someone discovered Phillips body. Lorain County Sheriffs Office deputies were already in the neighborhood searching for Phillips. His family reported him missing Tuesday. Police learned through interviews that the Phillips suffered gunshot wounds after the boy opened fire on three men Tuesday night. Read more crime stories on cleveland.com: Cleveland teen killed in accidental shooting recently lost mother, was best friends with slain teen Alianna DeFreeze North Royalton businessman didnt pay IRS more than $760,000 in taxes withheld from employees, feds say Woman made illegal U-turn before tanker trunk dodged her and overturned on I-90 in Avon, reports say 16-year-old boy accidentally shot to death in Cleveland, police say Man shot in back in early morning Maple Heights shooting, police say The Railways has ferried around 32 lakh migrant workers on board 2,570 Shramik Special trains since May 1, according to official data. The Shramik Special trains are being operated primarily on the requests of the states which want to send the migrant workers to their home states. The Railways is bearing 85 per cent of the total cost of running each of the trains while the rest is being borne by the states. Out of the 2,570 trains, 505 are yet to reach their destination, while 2,065 trains have completed their journey. According to data with the Railways, Uttar Pradesh (1246) has received the highest number of Shramik Special trains, followed by Bihar (804) and Jharkhand (124). Among the originating states, Gujarat (759) has used the most services to sent migrant workers home, followed by Maharashtra (483) and Punjab (291). The coronavirus lockdown has had a devastating impact on the economy as well as on the livelihoods of lakhs of migrant workers. It shone the spotlight on the miseries of the migrant workers whose journeys on foot from several urban centres to their villages hundreds of kilometres away had grabbed headlines for almost the last two months. There were incidents of many of them being killed in road accidents. A number of migrant labourers were even killed by a speeding train after they fell asleep on the tracks. On May 1, the Railways started the migrant special trains to facilitate the movement of such workers back to their home states. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Firefighters struggle to battle a raging inferno at one of the buildings belonging to Royal Foam Limited at Ayigya, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. The fire, which is said to have started at about 5 pm on Friday, gutted one of the buildings where some chemicals are stored. Firefighters are making frantic efforts to prevent the fire from spreading to other warehouses where foams are kept. About six fire tenders are currently at the scene as stranded workers of the company looked on helplessly as fire fighting efforts continue. The immediate cause of the fire is not yet known. ---citinewsroom An eight-month-old baby is severely brain damaged and will never walk or talk again after choking on a piece of mango. Mother-of-two Stephanie Johnson was feeding her two daughters Rani, eight months, and Millie, three, at their home in Emerald, nine hours north west of Brisbane, on April 26 when their lives changed forever. Baby Rani suddenly started choking on a piece of mango that was lodged right at the back of her throat and Ms Johnson and her partner Rogan Macdonald couldn't get it out. Mr Macdonald performed CPR on Rani before paramedics arrived to rush the child to hospital. Ms Johnson gives Rani a kiss. 'We live in hope everyday for a medical miracle for Rani but we have been told that she won't walk or talk for herself again,' she said The lack of oxygen left Rani's brain with 'extensive damage', meaning she will never be able to walk or talk again. Making matters worse, she will need to be fed through a nasal tube for the rest of her life and is likely to be both blind and deaf. Ms Johnson recalled the horrifying moment Rani began choking, saying she immediately went into 'freak-out mode'. She ran outside to call her partner Mr Macdonald, who rushed inside to perform life-saving CPR on his daughter. 'He grabbed Rani and tried to do whatever we could to get it out and then I called an ambulance and he commenced infant CPR,' Ms Johnson told The Courier-Mail. Mr Macdonald performed CPR on his daughter for five minutes before Queensland Ambulance arrived at the scene. Ms Johnson accompanied Rani with the paramedics to Emerald Hospital, where the baby got six hours of initial treatment The mother and daughter were later flown to Queensland Children's Hospital where Rani spent days in an induced coma. Rani's grandmother, her father Rogan Macdonald, mother Stephanie Johnson and three-year-old sister Millie comfort her in hospital. Her father performed life-saving CPR on her prior to coming to hospital On day four in hospital, a heartbreaking MRI revealed the true extent of Rani's brain damage from the lack of oxygen. 'The told us to start with that the brain injury she suffered would be moderate to severe but after a second MRI they said it was an extensively severe disability,' Ms Johnson told The Courier Mail. 'We live in hope everyday for a medical miracle for Rani but we have been told that she won't walk or talk for herself again.' A GoFundMe page called 'Our beautiful Rani' has been started by family friends to support Ms Johnson, Mr Macdonald and their two daughters. 'Rogan, Steph, Millie and Rani have a massive road ahead of them and it is likely that Rani will be in hospital for 12 months or more,' the page read. 'To help ease the burden and to keep the family unit together for as long as possible, we have set up this GoFundMePage and I'm sure they would greatly appreciate anything you can give. 'We live in hope everyday that beautiful Rani will be a medical miracle. Your love, prayers and thoughts are appreciated at this most difficult time.' Since being created on May 3, the page has reached $42,266 in funds, exceeding its $30,000 target. Ms Johnson thanked family, friends and complete strangers who offered to help family of four on May 16. 'We are so thankful for all our family and friends and complete strangers who are reaching out to us and keeping Rani in your thoughts,' Ms Johnson wrote on Facebook. In addition to financial support, people have been feeding their dog, mowing their lawn, providing cooked meals in hospital and toys for Rani and Millie. The mother has been advocating for all parents to learn CPR as it could save the life of a loved one. 'If you havent done your First Aid Course or CPR lately or at all please do it ASAP as it can save the life of a loved one or a complete stranger,' she wrote on Facebook. 'Dont think for one second that it wont happen to you 'cause your life can change in a second.' Scammers are getting away with using Social Security numbers and other identifying information belonging to identity theft victims to commit unemployment compensation fraud, officials at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry warn. Unlike some other states, Pennsylvania is not seeing a large increase in unemployment scams since COVID-19 mitigation efforts began, Secretary Jerry Oleksiak said. "We are working with our partner agencies to keep a close eye on the situation." During times of crisis, like the coronavirus pandemic, thats when officials notice an uptick in attempts to try to take advantage of people and programs, officials said. The state department of labor and industry is working closely with state and federal partners to monitor COVID-19 scams. I urge Pennsylvania workers receiving unemployment benefits to be extremely vigilant about protecting your identity from theft," Oleksiak said. "Make sure you know how to recognize and avoid scams. Employers should also be on the lookout for unemployment claims filed for any of your employees who are still working. If you suspect fraud, report it right away. The following are considered warning signs: For workers receiving any type of correspondence that you filed an unemployment claim when you did not file a claim for benefits. For employers if you notice a claim has been filed for one or more of your employees who are still working. Steps to protect your identity include: Never give out your personal information over email or text message. Dont wire money, and always ignore the following requests: Communications related to your UC benefits from someone asking for money; Someone who says they can help you file for your benefits for a fee; and Anyone claiming to work for L&I who says they need a fee to complete your application. Dont open or respond to unsolicited emails or text messages. Never give out your personal information on websites or social media channels especially those that claim they can help you apply for UC benefits. Third parties cant apply for your benefits. Dont trust or rely on UC info from unofficial websites always visit www.uc.pa.gov for Pennsylvania unemployment program information. L&I may need to call you. If you file a claim, save the following unemployment phone numbers to your phone so you know youre receiving a legitimate call from L&I: 888-313-7284 regular UC 855-284-8545 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) phone number Ways to report fraud Online Identity theft if you suspect or know that someone is using your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, or date of birth without your knowledge or consent to file for UC benefits, complete and submit the if you suspect or know that someone is using your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, or date of birth without your knowledge or consent to file for UC benefits, complete and submit the Identity Theft Form Unemployment claims fraud if you know of individuals who are collecting UC benefits illegally, including people who are working and not reporting their wages for PA UC benefit purposes; or people who cannot work due to an illness, disability or incarceration, complete and submit the if you know of individuals who are collecting UC benefits illegally, including people who are working and not reporting their wages for PA UC benefit purposes; or people who cannot work due to an illness, disability or incarceration, complete and submit the Unemployment Claims Fraud Form Phone PA Fraud Hotline 1-800-692-7469 Police File a police report with the municipality you resided in at the time the unemployment benefits in question were paid. A copy of the police report must be provided to the Office of Unemployment Compensation. If you are a victim of identity theft you may also report it to the Federal Trade Commission and start a recovery plan at https://www.identitytheft.gov/. More Pa. lawmakers welcome plans to lift stay-at-home order; some say it shouldve happened sooner Fauci says prolonged stay-at-home orders could have irreparable damage: report Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger states insists We must begin to respect the rule of law in this country, as he swears in Mallam Safiyanu Yahaya of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Chairman of Magama Local Government Council. Law is law, it is often said. But law is what the leader often wants it to be. Some leaders have again proven this to be true. The leader is often seen as being in a position to voice his interests, even if and when such opposes the rule of law and the constitution. Such an attitude may not always be with some executives who feel the law must be respected, irrespective of personal interests and party positions. There is no better time and avenue for Governor Abubakar Sanni Bello to prove his respect for the constitution and rule of law than the occasion of the upturning of the electoral success of Salihu Ubandoma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the elected Chairman of Magama local government in the November 30, 2019 local government election by Minna High Court 5. The court had upturned the election on grounds of pre-election offence, declaring the runner up in the election, Mallam Safiyanu Yahaya as the duly elected Chairman of the Council. The Court then declared Yahaya of the main opposition, PDP, winner of the election, directing the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) to withdraw the certificate of return earlier issued to Ubandoma and issue same to Yahaya as the duly elected Chairman of the Council. Abubakar did not stop at just declaring We must begin to respect the rule of law in this country, he personally superintended the 15-minute swearing-in ceremony for Yahaya held at the Government House in Minna. This however came amid protests from his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). A source in Government House had clarified What Governor Bello just did has been what we all know with him. He is always factual, down-to-earth, fair and just all the time. Mallam Safiyanu Yahaya, himself had told declared This kind of behaviour is unprecedented. No one ever did anything like this before. But the conduct came to many as a surprise, a revolutionary move which triggered a new age in governance and precept in political conduct of a state chief executive. It opposed all known traditions since the return to democratic rule in 1999. The rule had been that a ruling party would do anything, stopping at nothing to twist and manipulate all processes of local election to have a favourable electoral outing. The party often does this with tacit supports of the state chief executive. Following Ubandomas failure to secure stay of execution from the appeal courts, and complying totally with the verdict of the Minna High Court, Governor Bello saw himself as not only a party leader in the APC, but a leader of all parties, sections and religious groups, insisting Democracy is all about the rule of law. Before the swearing in, the state APC Chairman, Jibrin Imam had personally urged the governor to discountenance whatever pressure to swear in the opposition candidate on the excuse that the APC had appealed against the High Court judgement, noting such a move would jeopardise the interest of the APC. Imam had contended that former governors had at one time or the other defied court verdicts in related cases without any consequence, to favour their own parties. Imam had equally in a press conference just hours before the swearing in, said the case was already before the Appeal Court seeking a reversal of the judgement, noting: It will be counter-productive and embarrassing to the party and current administration if the governor did anything contrary. The governor had opposed him, noting The rule of law must take precedence over any party consideration. He therefore ordered that the Chairman be sworn in, an event which, after about two hours of meeting with stakeholders, he oversaw exactly 4:05pm when he walked into the council chambers where he took his seat as Justice Salihu Alhassan Majidadi administered oaths of office and allegiance on the Chairman. The governor, opposing both his party and the state chairman, maintained that as a two-time beneficiary of court/tribunal judgements in his quest for political headship of the state, his decision to respect the court verdict was right and proper, adding that although many who similarly enjoyed the grace of law had later turned their backs upon the law upon assumption of the number one position in the past. The governor was referring to the two times he had had to defend his electoral success at the Tribunal, succeeding at both times, a development which had hinted watchers the likelihood of his committing any illegality to favour party interests. However, many would believe it would be unfair on the governor to see his latest surpriseas unique. In the preparations towards the primaries of the party to elect candidates for the 25 chairmanship and 224 Councilorship seats for the November 30 local government polls, the governor had similarly resisted all attempts and pressures from individuals and the party to anoint any aspirant. His refusal to side with or anoint any of the candidates then had occasioned some furore, with violence in almost all the local government areas in the state. But the governor had told all aspirants then to campaign for peoples votes, saying the field should be level for results to represent genuine wishes of the electorate. At a stakeholders parley with all the candidates of his party (APC) before the election, Governor Bello had clarified that he would not impose any candidate on the party or anoint anyone as his candidate, maintaining the people must be allowed to make their choice. That is the only way that we can minimize electoral violence in the system. He further warned all elements planning to foist trouble to change their decision, as, according to him, government would not tolerate any act of political violence or brigandage in the state, insisting People want to elect their representatives. He had urged both candidates and party to put their house in order ahead of the election to ensure desired victory. But despite his statements, the declarations were still held by many as a mere political statement, until when the governor lost his central ward in Kontagora local government area to the opposition PDP and all attempts by the party to overturn the result in favour of the governo was rejected by him. He had bluntly insisted if that is what the people want, so be it. He had also come out to tell all contestants across party divides before the polls that peoples votes must count. In his reaction, Chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Niger State chapter, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar Bosso described the governors action as highly commendable, noting that it is high time we began to respect the rule of law and build confidence in the electorate. We cannot continue to reinforce past anti-democratic behaviors. His words: We, Chairmen of local government in the state sincerely commended the action of the governor and we respect his decision, because despite pressures from the party for him not to swear in the opposition candidates Chairman, he chose to obey the rule of law. The governor did what is right even though some governors in the past had disrespected court verdicts in a similar circumstances but we cannot continue to do the wrong thing as a people. We should begin to do things that will make people have confidence in our democracy and the rule of law. I strongly appealed to our leaders to emulate the governor and turn a new leaf. We should try to respect the rule of law in this country, the judiciary is the last hope of the common man and therefore we should not rubbish the judicial process, he submitted. Also, the state commissioner for local government, community development and chieftaincy affairs, Alhaji Abdulmalik Sarkin Daji, advised the party executive not to see the action of the governor as a respect for the party, stressing that the governor is merely respecting the court verdict. He explained that the governor just had to allow the swearing-in of the Chairman for now, adding that if by tomorrow the appeal court decides otherwise, the governor will not hesitate to swear in the party candidate. Said he: But for now, let us respect what the lower court says. There is no point heating the polity, the party should understand with the governor for his stance on this matter, he insisted. After his swearing-in, the new Chairman described Governor Sani Bello as a man of Justice who had demonstrated an absolute respect for the rule of law by acting in compliance with the directive of the Court, adding despite belonging to another political party, the governor took the best decision by respecting the decision of the High Court. By Danladi Mohammed from Minna Conditions at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, where 377 COVID-19 patients have died till Friday, is "pathetic" and the hospital is "as good as a dungeon, may be even worse", the Gujarat High Court observed in an order made available on Saturday. In an order passed in a suo motu PIL on coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown, a division bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and IJ Vora came down hard on the state government on conditions prevailing in Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital, and said it was "distressing and painful". The facility has seen 377 COVID-19 deaths till Friday, which is a sizable portion of the 638 deaths reported in all hospitals during this period. "It is very distressing and painful to note that the condition prevailing, as on date, in the Civil Hospital, is pathetic... We are very sorry to state that the Civil Hospital Ahmedabad, as on date, appears to be in an extremely bad shape" the court observed. "As we said earlier that the Civil Hospital is meant to treat the patients. However, it appears that as on date, it is as good as a dungeon. May be even worse than a dungeon. Unfortunately, the poor and helpless patients have no option," it said. The HC issued a host of directions to the state government to improve conditions for treatment of patients at Asia's largest hospital. The court also asked if the state health minister and senior health department officials had any idea what was going on at the hospital. "Does the health minister of the state of Gujarat have any idea about the problems which patients, doctors, nursing staff and other employees are facing as on date? How many times the health minister has interacted with the medical officers and other staff members in person so as to understand their difficulties and problems?" it said. "Is the state government aware of the hard fact that the patients at the Civil Hospital are dying because of lack of adequate number of ventilators? How does the state government propose to tackle this problem of ventilators?" the court further asked. The HC directed the state government to "immediately transfer" non-performing doctors and bring in senior and experienced doctors from other hospitals "who are ready and willing to render better services in the Civil Hospital". It sought improvement in the working conditions of resident doctors and fix accountability of senior officers "who have failed to improve health care in the Civil Hospital leading to massive loss of human lives". To tackle the issue of lack of ventilators at the Civil Hospital, the court told authorities to admit patients at the Institute of Kidney Diseases and UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology where adequate number of ventilators are available. The court further directed the state government to ask general physicians to run their own clinics or serve in the government's COVID hospitals, in line with the policy adopted by the neighbouring Maharashtra. To reduce co-morbid COVID-19 deaths, the court directed the government "to ensure all the private clinics / hospitals / nursing homes, which have been closed by their owners /management for the past two months, are immediately opened so as to make supplement health facilities available to the noncorona patients at large". It also directed private hospitals not to charge fees in advance and only seek details of people's Aadhaar card and PAN, and recover fees only if patients are capable as per their PAN card details. The court sought creation of a computerised COVID control centre with real-time information on each facility, adherence to treatment protocol and strict discharge policy, transfer of excess staff to other facilities, regular testing of healthcare workers, and conversion of government hospitals with over 50 beds and ICU into community health centres and hospitals, with 20 per cent beds kept for emergency work. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The state of Texas and its 12 largest counties are in a tug-of-war over who is responsible for handing out federal coronavirus relief funding for some small cities. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act signed into law by President Donald Trump in late March sent $11.24 billion in aid to the state. Of that, six Texas cities and 12 counties with a population more than 500,000 received more than $3.2 billion. The other 242 counties and cities within those counties were allowed to apply for per capita funding allocations from the state out of the remaining $1.85 billion earmarked for local governments. With an apparent gray area in the legislation, the CARES Act did not specify which entity the state or the dozen large counties should cover the small cities within the dozen counties that received direct funding. State leaders including Gov. Greg Abbott want the counties to pay; the counties want the state to share more of its cut. The skirmish has meant that months after the major relief package was passed, funding for some Texas cities is in limbo, including for Houston-area suburbs such as Pasadena that have been hit with major outbreaks. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Michel Bechtel, president of the Harris County Mayors and Councils Association and also the mayor of Morgans Point, a city of about 1,500 that has not yet recorded any COVID-19 cases, said he and at least a dozen other mayors agree with the governor. It should come from the county, Bechtel said. Obviously a lot of the cities have had a lot of additional costs, and it appears thats what the intent of the legislation (was). ... They would like to see the money distributed to their cities, so they can take care of their expenses. Abbott as well as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and the state Senate Finance Committee and House Appropriations committee chairs and vice-chairs in a May 11 letter placed the responsibility on the counties. Two days later, the counties wrote to state leadership to ask for their reconsideration. While the counties account for about 69 percent of all COVID-19 cases, they received just about 29 percent of the relief funds, they wrote in a letter shared with Hearst Newspapers. We ask you to address this shortfall, they wrote. Counties are your frontline partners in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Help us help Texans stay in their homes, keep their jobs, and have food on their table. In his letter Friday, Abbott, who declined to comment beyond the letter, did not back down. It is our expectation, and we feel certain it is the expectation of county residents who live in cities within your county, that they be treated equally as citizens in the unincorporated areas of the county, the letter stated. State Sen. Juan Chuy Hinojosa, D-McAllen, sided with state leaders in an op-ed in the Rio Grande Guardian on Thursday in saying that the large counties should step up. These 12 counties need to do their part in ensuring the local governments within their borders receive their fair share of the funds under the CARES Act, Hinojosa wrote. taylor.goldenstein@chron.com Gandhinagar, May 23 : A large swarm of locusts from Africa is headed towards Gujarat. According to the Jamnagar District Collector, the swarm may affect the Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka and Porbandar districts, the westernmost coastal districts of the state. "Large swarm of locusts is headed towards Gujarat from east African countries and in the coming days is likely to reach Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka and Porbandar districts. The farmers in these regions have been warned of the threat," said Rakesh Shankar, Jamnagar District Collector. "We have requested farmers to immediately inform the local authorities any sighting of locusts. The administration is preparing to tackle the looming danger," said Shankar. Till now, locusts have been cited in 62 villages of 17 blocks in 10 districts in Gujarat. The first sighting was on May 8 in the Banaskantha district. The other districts are Patan, Kutch, Morbi, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Amreli and Mehsana. The locusts were spotted scattered in around 346 hectares. The administration has sprayed pesticides in around 122 hectares of this. According to the Agriculture Department, these Locusts are of local variety and don't cause big damage to the crops. But the migratory locusts could be of different variety. Right now, large swarms of locusts are active in eastern African countries and have devastated crops, like wheat, maize and sorghum. Earlier a month ago, desert locusts were spotted in the neighbouring Rajasthan in April. The Kano State government led by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has insisted on conducting the Eid-el-Fitr prayers in the state to mark the end of the Muslim Ramadan fasting month despite the outbreak of Coronavirus in Kano. Naija News reports that a statement issued by the Press Secretary, Cabinet Office, Kano, Uba Abdullahiquoted the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Usman Alhaji on Friday evening to have enjoined the people to uniformly perform the forthcoming Edil Fitr prayers devoid of any celebration. The Secretary to the State Government also warned that the traditional Sallah homage by traditional rulers is restricted to inside the palace only. The statement reads, In line with Kano State Governments decision to allow for the conduct of Jumaat Prayer and Eid-il-Fitr prayers, the state government enjoined the people of all the five Emirates to uniformly perform the forthcoming Eid-el-Fitr prayers devoid of any celebration and ensure that traditional Sallah homage by traditional rulers is restricted to inside the palace only. We further urged the general public to observed the guidelines provided for the containment of this COVID-19 pandemic such as social distancing, and mandatory use of face masks during the prayers. They are also advised not to go along with children and old people instead they should leave them in the home and immediately go back to their respective residence after observing the prayers. The state government wishes the teeming populace a happy and hitch-free Edil Fitr and urged for continuous prayers against the pandemic in the state and the nation in general, the statement added. Share this post with your Friends on - Uhuru Kenyatta said the government was following developments in other parts of the world on return-to-work mechanisms - He said he had directed various ministries to assess various options to ensure Kenyans were allowed to return to work soonest - The nationwide curfew was first declared effective from Friday, March 27, to curb the spread of the virus, but was extended twice Kenyans must return to normal life if President Uhuru Kenyatta's off the cuff remarks are anything to by. The Head of State said his government was keenly monitoring how other nations were monitoring coronavirus situations amidst restrictive movement and stay-at-home orders. READ ALSO: My grandmother would get more votes than Kindiki - Mutahi Ngunyi Uhuru speaking at the State House on May 23. He said Kenyans will not continue staying at home. Photo: State House Kenya. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Playing the next card: Raila meets Jubilee MPs day after party ousted Senate deputy speaker Addressing the pubic on his seventh presidential address on coronavirus in Kenya on Saturday, May 23, Uhuru hinted he may not extend the nationwide 7 pm to 5 am curfew. He noted the economy was badly hurting and as government, they were assessing various options to ensure Kenyans were allowed to return to work soonest. READ ALSO: COVID-19: Youth, vulnerable families to benefit most from Uhuru's 8-point economic stimulus pragramme READ ALSO: Rais Uhuru amtetea Ruto, ataka asazwe na wimbi la mabadiliko "We have seen what the other governments are doing. We cannot continue to stay at home, we cannot ask Kenyans not to attend to their business. But what will help resume our normal life, is what each of us will do. If you don't observe the guidelines, you will harm other. You must be responsible to protect your workmates," he said. At the same time, he confirmed additional 31 cases pushing the national tally to 1,192. The nationwide curfew was first declared effective from Friday, March 27, to curb the spread of the virus, but it was extended for 21 days. The extension was again effected for another 21 days which ends on June 6. Uhuru also announced extension of cessation of movement into and out of the counties of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale and Mandera for the same period of time. The head of state said the decision was agreed based on critical analysis of the situations in other countries which had relaxed their restrictions. "The nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew that is currently in force extended for a further period of 21 days up to and until June 6 2020. The cessation of movement into and out of the Nairobi metropolitan area and the counties of Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa and Mandera that is currently in force shall also be extended upto and until June 6, 2020, he said on May 16. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. My wife pushed me to marry another woman - Pastor Habil Were | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke Neighbours of a wheelchair-bound woman with cerebral palsy who was left to die covered in her own waste say they hadn't seen here for a decade before her death. Ann-Marie Smith, 54, died on April 6 in Royal Adelaide Hospital from septic shock, multiple organ failures from severe pressure sores, and malnourishment. Residents who live several doors down from the well-maintained house where Ms Smith was left in horrible conditions said they last caught sight of her outside more than a decade ago. Another neighbour in Adelaide's exclusive eastern suburbs said she noticed Ms Smith more recently but still at least five years ago, according to the ABC. Most of the street's residents have lived there long term and said Ms Smith had the house built for her 15 years ago and she was regularly visited by a carer. What they are now realising, after a swarm of police and forensic investigators descended on the leafy street, is that the cerebral palsy sufferer had been left in squalid conditions inside for at least a year. A decades old picture of Ann Marie Smith who tragically passed away on April 6 The well maintained house in Adelaide's exclusive eastern suburbs where Ms Smith lived SA Police are conducting a manslaughter investigation to determine what happened to Ms Smith and the case has been declared a major crime. After she was found by a carer in a semi-conscious state she was rushed to Royal Adelaide Hospital on April 5 and died the following day. A police press conference more than a month later asking for people with information about her life to contact them revealed the shocking details. Ms Smith died from septic shock, multiple organ failure, severe pressure sores and malnourishment after she was allegedly left sitting in a cane chair and not moved to even go to the toilet. 'Ann died in disgusting and degrading circumstances and her death was likely preventable,' Head of SA Police's Major Crime branch, Detective Superintendent Des Bray said. 'It was a nice house from the outside, it was in a nice suburb but sadly Ann was living in disgusting conditions inside.' The only visitors Ms Smith had, according to neighbours, were carers. Bram Fynnaart said he noticed a sedan regularly parked in her driveway at 9am and he had heard there had once been live-in carers who were sacked years ago but had refused to leave. 'They refused to move or they claimed squatters' rights after a certain number of years and then there was a security detail out front 24 hours a day for about three or four months,' Mr Fynnaart told the ABC. Hectorville woman Rosa Maione has been identified as Ms Smith latest carer and has hired a criminal defence lawyer. Her employer has sacked her for 'serious and wilful misconduct' but has also been fined for failing to notify the National Disability Insurance Scheme of Ms Smith's death within 24 hours. Integrity Care SA, the company responsible for Ms Smith's care, took two weeks to report her death to the NDIS. The NDIS Commission slapped the care provider with a $12,600 fine on Friday for breaching its obligations. NDIS Commissioner Graeme Head said by law, Integrity Care SA could choose to pay the fine or not, however, if it chooses not to, legal action was a possibility with the maximum penalty being $262,500. 'Reporting serious incidents to the NDIS Commission is a critical safeguarding mechanism for people with disability,' Mr Head said. The NDIS Commission slapped Integrity Care SA with a $12,600 fine on Friday for breaching its obligations 'There have been clear failings in the support given to Ms Smith that warrant our thorough and careful investigation.' Following Ms Smith's death, a 12-member task force was established by the state government to identify gaps within the disability sector. 'This poor woman became so isolated that it effectively looks like there was no-one else in her life other than this one carer,' taskforce chief Dr David Caudrey said. 'I've been in the business of disability and mental health for about 45 years and I haven't heard of anything as hair-raisingly awful as the experiences that Ann Marie went through,' he said. Ms Smith was a client of Disability SA but transitioned over to the NDIS in 2018. Her death has also come to the attention of the royal commission examining the care of the disabled, which has indicated it may conduct its own inquiry at the conclusion of the police and other investigations. North Korean TV covered up Kim Jong Un's Supreme Commander emblem following a change to his official title to Commander-in-Chief. The leader's title was officially changed from Supreme Commander to head of state and commander-in-chief of the military in July last year which helped solidify his rule in the country. The logo, made up of marshal's star and wreath, was removed from several programmes about the North Korean leader as well as a daily feature which shares the country's new year propaganda slogans. Before: Kim Jong Un's emblem used to be seen in the background of North Korea propaganda videos After: The emblem appeared to have been removed in the 15-minute propaganda video as well as other programmes about Kim Jong Un According to NK News, the 15-minute propaganda video was edited sometime between February 18 and 19, reported The New York Post. The removal of the emblem has been linked to the new constitutional changes which came into force in July. Earlier this month, Kim Jong Un made his first public appearance after 20 days of absence, which sparked rumours about his health. In April there were reports he had undergone heart surgery, with one Japanese outlet stating the surgery went wrong and had left the leader in a vegetative state and others claimed he had died. Speaking to a parliamentary committee on May 6, the head of South Korea's intelligence agency, Suh Hoon said there was nothing to indicate the rumours about Kim's ill-health were true. 'The NIS assesses that at least he did not get any heart-related procedure or surgery,' committee member Kim Byung-kee told reporters. Pictured: Kim Jong Un supposedly makes his first public appearance after 20 days of absence that sparked rumours about his health, and suggestions that he had died as a result of a botched heart surgery Missing: The emblem, which features a marshal's star and wreath (pictured), was removed from several programmes on North Korean TV 'He was normally performing his duties when he was out of the public eye. At least there's no heart-related health problem.' But the lawmaker said Kim Jong Un only made 17 public appearances so far this year, compared with an average of 50 from previous years, which the NIS ascribed to a possible coronavirus outbreak in North Korea. Since coming to power in 2011, the previous fewest public appearances Kim has made during those months was 21 in 2017, according to a tally by Chad O'Carroll, CEO of Korea Risk Group, a Seoul-based organisation that tracks North Korea. Tara Reade speaks on camera for the first time: (Megyn Kelly Twitter) The lawyer representing Tara Reade announced he is no longer taking her on as a client. Doug Widgor said the decision to drop Ms Reade as a client was not reflective of his views on the veracity of her claim that 2020 election hopeful and former Vice President Joe Biden sexually assaulted her. "Our decision, made on May 20, is by no means a reflection on whether then-Senator Biden sexually assaulted Ms Reade," Mr Widgor said in a statement given to CNN. "We also believe that to a large extent Ms Reade has been subject to a double standard in terms of the media coverage she has received. Much of what has been written about Ms Reade is not probative of whether then senator Biden sexually assaulted her, but rather is intended to victim shame and attack her credibility on unrelated and irrelevant matters." Mr Widgor ended his representation of Ms Reade on Wednesday, the day after CNN published a piece examining Ms Reade's background. The report suggests Ms Reade did not graduate from Antioch University in Seattle. Ms Reade claims she received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the school. Before representing Ms Reade, Mr Widgor represented clients who've brought sexual assault lawsuits against Fox News and Bill O'Reilly as well as accusers of Harvey Weinstein. Ms Reade's educational background was called into question when Antioch University disputed her explanation for how she received her Bachelor of Arts degree. She claimed that she received the degree as part of a "protected program" wherein she earned her credits while having her identity protected. She said she changed her name in an effort to maintain distance from an abusive ex-partner. She also claimed she worked as a visiting professor on and off for five years. A spokesperson for the university said that Ms Reade had never attended the university and that she was never a faculty member, but did provide administrative work. A university official also said that a protected program never existed and does not currently exist. Story continues Ms Reade graduated from the Seattle University School of Law in 2004, and enrolled under an Alternative Admission Program. Questions over Ms Reade's educational credentials may throw into question court cases in which she testified as an expert witness. According to a New York Times investigation, Ms Reade acted as a government witness on domestic violence cases in Monterey County for nearly a decade. As a result, a number of California defence lawyers are considering challenging the convictions of clients whose cases included testimony by Ms Reade. Ms Reade became the subject of intense media scrutiny after she publicly claimed Mr Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993. She claimed that Mr Biden pressed her against a wall and groped her underneath her clothes, which culminated in him penetrating her with his finger. Ms Reade filed a criminal complaint with police on 9 April 2020 regarding the incident. Mr Biden has faced several claims from women accusing him of inappropriate touching. Ms Reade's account is the only one in which Mr Biden is accused of sexual assault. Mr Biden has maintained that the claims against him are untrue. "The truth matters ... it did not happen. Period," Mr Biden said. Read more Joe Biden says anyone who believes Tara Reade should not vote for him Advertisement With unalloyed compliance with the Northern Governors Forums resolution for the repatriation of Almajirai to their various states of descent, the Kano state government began the exercise and some Almajirai were returned to to Kaduna state. In his usual character, the Kaduna state governor Nasiru Elrufai found in it an opportunity to score cheap political goals of which he announced that 21 out of the 61 Almajirai that were returned to Kaduna from Kano in April were corona virus positive and deliberate pH stepped up stigmatization against Kano and the people of Kano. He insisted that no one from Kano be allowed into Kaduna to avoid spreading of Corona Virus as though every person from Kano was Corona Virus positive. Advertisement He later soured his agitation higher condemning the security personnel of betraying him and insisting that he will man the Kano to Kaduna road himself from morning to evening to turn back whosoever is coming to Kaduna from Kano. A lot of people laughed at that as they saw it as being a little bit to the extreme. He was also at logger heads with the religious scholars who he addressed with total disrespect and disregard to the role they play in the society. At a point he even showed up that he too had studied Islam from Mukhtasar to Akhdari to Kawaidi. Which if he had, he would have arranged it in the reverse order and not in the order which he mentioned. Is just like saying I have been to University, then to secondary school and then to primary school. I was not surprised when I saw a headline saying Gov Orton orders truck which smuggled in Almajirai to take them back. But the content was actually talking about some seven adults who boarded a truck loaded with goods to travel to Benue or beyond, but were described as truck smuggling Almajiris to Benue, and they also insinuated that they were from Kano. As though anybody from the north or Kano is Almajiri. A very wrong impression. Even as Benue is part of the North, though a lot of them believe they are not and call themselves Middle Belt, I was astonished with the way the phobia against Kano had gone across the country. Especially during the so-called mysterious deaths. When it later extended to other places and places like Lagos were complaining that mortuaries were filled up in the state, the story was silenced. Somebody asked why Kano? I answered because it is the most populated in the country, but it is a general phenomenon as it later appeared to be anyway. The question is why would someone like Elrufai a governor in the North engage in stigmatizing Kano and their people? In a statement he issued around March 28, 2020, Elrufai said Earlier this week, I submitted a sample for the Covid-19 test. The result came in this evening, and I regret to say that it is positive. He was positive for COVID-19 even as there was no record of him coming to Kano. He was a case himself because he might have infected several people around him that might have taken it to their families, who might have infected their neighbours. A community transmission introduced even as he later said he has tested negative gain. How many of those he might have infected have been traced, tested and treated? Definitely he might have founded a chain that has resulted into a community transmission and is busy stigmatizing Kano instead of tracing and treating those infected as a result of his infection. While Elrufai was busy exchanging words with the religious leaders in his state, his counterpart in Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje, is adapting by the World Health Organization and UNICEF pattern of Community Health Participation and Involvement by enlightening both the traditional and religious leaders of their roles in the fight against COVID-19. It is such that the religious leaders have also been made to become advocates of the safety protocols against COVID-19. They have in their possession thousands of facemasks and hand sanitizers they are sharing to the communities. They also have roles in identification and sharing of palliatives to the poorest of the poor households. This is a display of perfect administrative reasoning. Further more, while Elrufai is chiding the security agents for inability to stop anybody from Kano from entering Kaduna and even boasting that he would man the road by himself, Ganduje is busy working side by side with the security. He has inaugurated eleven mobile courts that are working with the police to ensure compliance with the stay at home order and other safety protocols. It is such that in compliance with the NGF, Ganduje had Quarantine 2000 Almajirai to be tested and confirmed negative before they are repatriated to their home states. Those found to be infected are placed under isolation until they are tested negative before they are repatriated. Among the Almajirai, those who cannot identify where they come from become beneficiaries of the policy integrating the Almajiri system with the formal education. Dishearteningly, on the other hand, Elrufai is using the Almajirai to gain political scores with no plans for them or their future. One is tempted to ask why the stigma against Kano? After all Kano is a source of personal economy to a large portion of the population in Kaduna. That is why a lot of them cannot do without coming to Kano, the centre of commerce to tap wealth for their sustenance in Kaduna. A lot of those plying the Kano to Kaduna road are not necessarily from Kano but from Kaduna to Kano and back to Kaduna where their governor has killed their individual economy, demolished their market and overstressed them with taxes. Yes, Kaduna has squeezed out tax from citizens and generated more IGR than Kano but doesnt have half as much of infrastructural development to show when compared to Kano. While in Kano it is the governor, his deputy and other political office holders that have slashed their salaries by half to continue to survive under COVID-19, in Kaduna health workers, who are supposed to be in the front line are the ones complaining against salary cuts and threatening to go on strike. What will be the level of sanity of a person threatening to relieve health workers of their jobs if they insist on protesting against salary cuts even as they sacrifices their lives to save the lives of others under the COVID-19 pandemic? On the other hand Ganduje is training health workers on personal safety, providing them with PPEs and promising them allowances for their sacrifices under the pandemic. Definitely there is no logic in joining in stigmatizing Kano and making the world feel as if COVID-19 started from Kano. It is only an act of infatuation. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 12:28:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China's success in poverty reduction has demonstrated to the global community that the first goal of "No Poverty" among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is attainable, a high-ranking United Nations official said Friday. "China gives us an affirmation that SDG 1 - No Poverty is attainable even in a country with 1.4 billion population," Jorge Chediek, UN secretary general's envoy on South-South Cooperation and director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), told Xinhua in an exclusive interview through email. "China has made impressive achievements in the fight against poverty, which is also a significant contribution to global poverty eradication," he said when commenting on the Government Work Report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, the national legislature, in Beijing on Friday morning. China provides the world, especially the Global South, an example of how economic policies and social policies have managed to take hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, Chediek said. "The targeted poverty reduction policy implemented by the Chinese Government and focused support to areas of extreme poverty have proved to be effective in eliminating poverty, which also reflects the commitment and indicator of 'leaving no one behind,' as UN calls for, in its achievement of SDGs," said the official. The UNOSSC director noted that poverty alleviation "is a priority of China and so it is to us in the United Nations. The office has been working with China to support the eradication of poverty through effective and concrete South-South cooperation initiatives." Among them, the South-South Cooperation Facility for Poverty Eradication is a prominent example. The facility is supported by the Government of China and aims to provide an enabling environment for China and other development partners from the Global South to share their solutions, publicize their demands, and connect to foster south-south cooperation and Triangular cooperation opportunities on poverty eradication, he said. "Each country has its own goals, circumstances, capacities, and development paths," said Chediek, but adding that based on similar experiences and shared sustainable development goals, sharing good practices among the global South is extremely useful. "We would expect to see a further expansion of south-south cooperation between China and other Southern countries on the SDG 1," he noted. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all UN member states in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet now and into the future, with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals at its heart. All the member states recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth, while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests. Enditem The return of some kind of normality following the partial lifting of COVID-19 related restrictions is also likely to herald the return of the traffic congestion that has blighted Mallow town centre for years. That's according to local Labour county councillor James Kennedy, who has said the return of traffic jams to the town will be the clearest indication yet of the dire need for the proposed Mallow Relief Road. "The welcome washing of streets, widening of footpaths and local authority repainting scheme will of limited value if large trucks and lorries continue to trundle down the streets of Mallow, choking the life out of hard pressed businesses and the long suffering public," said Cllr Kennedy. Last December, Cork County Council put pen to paper on a contract for the preparatory phase of the multi-million project that will incorporate design, environmental reports and compulsory purchase orders prior to the lodging of a planning application with An Bord Pleanala. Cllr Kennedy said it was his understanding was that the project was "moving ahead apace" with work set to commence shortly on the next phase of revised traffic surveys and remodelling. "It is hoped this will be completed sometime during the autumn, at which stage increased funding would be needed to move it on to the final planning and construction stages," said Cllr Kennedy. "At this critical stage of proceedings it is vital that all stakeholders and political parties come together to ensure, regardless of the make up of the next government, that this project, which has been stalled for so long, moves on to its final stages." With this in mind, he and Deputy Sean Sherlock have penned a joint letter to Labour party leader Alan Kelly emphasising the economic and social benefits the relief road would b ring to Mallow and its hinterlands. "In this respect, I call on all Mallow councillors to canvas their own party leaders to do the same. I cannot emphasise strongly enough the necessity for all interest groups to come together and work in tandem. As a former chief executive of Bord Failte once said, and I paraphrase, it is the towns where all interest groups work together that succeed," said Cllr Kennedy. "Where towns are divided, and not working for the greater interests of the town, failure is sure to follow. The over-arching objective must be to increase footfall in the town that will benefit all businesses." Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Even with about 10 more days to go, New Mexico voters have already cast three times as many absentee ballots as they did four years ago a sign theyre responding to the call to avoid in-person voting. Candidates and election officials throughout the state have been urging New Mexicans to cast absentee ballots as a way to stay safe amid the pandemic and avoid spreading the coronavirus. Just the numbers tell you theyve listened to us, Bernalillo County Clerk Linda Stover said in an interview Friday. Democrats appear to be shifting their participation more sharply than Republicans, but both parties are casting far more absentee ballots than usual in the June 2 primary election. More than 53,000 Democrats have returned absentee ballots so far, or about 3.8 times as many as they cast in the entire 2016 primary, the most recent presidential election, according to state records. Republican absentee ballots 22,903 so far are up 2.5 times from 2016. Libertarians didnt participate in the 2016 primary, so theres no baseline for their comparison. Brian Sanderoff, an election analyst and president of Research & Polling Inc. in Albuquerque, said the mailing of absentee ballot applications to eligible voters a step mandated by the state Supreme Court is a likely factor in the increase. At the least, he said, it reminded voters of the option to vote from home. For years, Sanderoff said, New Mexico voters have been shifting more of their balloting to the weeks before Election Day. But now absentee balloting is surging, rather than casting ballots at early voting locations. Theres no doubt in my mind that voters are taking advantage of voting absentee, by mail, in order to avoid voting in person, Sanderoff said Friday. Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat, is encouraging voters who want to mail in their ballots to do it by Friday next week. Voters can also deliver their ballot by hand to their county clerks office or precinct by 7 p.m. June 2. Stover, a Democrat, said people can still consider in-person voting. Election workers are wearing masks, she said, and the county is sanitizing voting locations frequently. Its probably one of the safest places to be in town, Stover said. But she said she is thankful for the number of people who have voted absentee. Bernalillo County has mailed out more than 101,000 ballots so far, and voters have returned almost 34,000. In the 2016 primary, just over 10,000 people voted absentee in Bernalillo County. In Dona Ana County, Chief Deputy Clerk Lindsey Bachman said her office boosted the size of its absentee precinct board community members of different parties to help handle the influx of absentee ballots. The county has also worked with state agencies, she said, to secure supplies of personal protective equipment for election staffers. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot, Bachman said, is Thursday next week. Voters can request an absentee ballot and track the status of the ballot at NMVote.org. We are asking eligible voters interested in voting via absentee ballots to submit their applications well in advance of the application deadline and return their completed ballots shortly after receiving them, Bachman said in a written statement. More than 101,000 votes statewide have been cast so far this year, including 76,000 absentee votes and 25,000 in-person votes at early voting locations. Only Democrats, Libertarians and Republicans the states major parties can vote in the primary. The winning candidates advance to the Nov. 3 general election. This years ballot includes races for the U.S. Senate and House, all 112 seats in the Legislature and a variety of county offices. We are encouraging folks not to wait until the last minute, Bachman said. The project, which is under the watch of Ing. Chin Pok, a Chinese State Hualong Construction Ghana Limited and under the auspices of the Ministry of Regional Reorganization and Development is expected to be completed in a couple of months. Speaking to the GNA after the tour, Mr Assuah said the visit was to ascertain and monitor the various stages of ongoing projects within the Region. Some of the ongoing projects visited were the Regional Office for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). Mr Assuah indicated that the Region had witnessed a fast progression of development within a very short period and that commendation of the government cannot be swept under the carpet. According to him, the Western North Regional Office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) together with a warehouse were about ninety-five percent complete. Mr Assuah on behalf of the people of the Region expressed great appreciation to the President for the creation of the Region which he said was something they had longed for in ages. He appealed to the people of the Region to give the NPP government the second term come December 7, 2020 so as to further develop the new Region. ---GNA Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > Progressive International - the new offensive against imperialism of (...) by Sankar Ray Progressives the world over democrats, libertarians and the Left look eagerly forward to the inaugural Summit of the Progressive International (PI) in Reykjavik, Iceland, hosted by the Prime Minister of Iceland and the Left-Green Movement in the September this year. The process began in the ending months of 2018 at a meeting between the US Senator Bernie Sanders, representing the Sanders Institute and former finance minister of Greece Yanis Varoufakis on behalf of the Democracy in Europe 25 (DiEM25), a pan-European, cross-border movement of democrats, in November 2018, setting out a seven-year time limit (2025) to save the European Union from what it called as guilty deceit, leading to disintegration of EU. The Sanders Institute endorsed the concept at a gathering in Burlington, Vermont in the same month where an array of activists, thinkers and politicians gathered to discuss pressing issues like climate change, workers rights, and health and perceived the concept of broadening the struggle. The PI is steered by a 40-plus member interim council comprising inter alia Icelands Prime Minister Katriin Jakobsdottir, Latin American stalwarts such as the ex- Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa; former Brazilian presidential candidate Fernando Haddad; former Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim; Bolivian former Vice President Alvaro Garcia, linguistics scholar and a crusader against neo-liberal imperialism Noam Chomsky, Varoufakis authors like Naomi Klein and Arundhati Roy. The initiative has three pillars: the movement aimed to forge a global network; to develop a policy blueprint for a progressive international order; and the Wire which offers a wire service to the worlds progressive forces. Jakobsdottir, Varoufakis, Nanjala Nyabola, Vanessa Nakate, and Renata Avila will host the inaugural event of the PI. The PI is obviously very different from the political parties-based Second and Third (or Communist International or Comintern ) Internationals or the like. Comintern, founded mainly under the initiative of V I Lenin, clamped 21 conditions for seeking affiliation with it. Today, no party will agree to submit to such dictatorial imposition. Consider two of the 21. (a) Every organization desiring to join the Communist International shall be bound systematically and regularly to remove from all the responsible posts in the labor movement (party organization, editorship, labor unions, parliamentary factions, cooperatives, municipalities, etc.) all reformists and followers of the center, and to have them replaced by Communists, even at the cost of replacing at the beginning experienced opportunists by rank-and-file workingmen. (b) Every party desirous of affiliating to the Third International should renounce not only avowed social patriotism but also the falsehood and the hypocrisy of social pacifism: It should systematically demonstrate to the workers that without a revolutionary overthrow of capitalism no international arbitration, no talk of disarmament, no democratic reorganization of the League of Nations will be capable of saving mankind from new imperialist wars. Even official Marxist parties that were affiliates of Comintern or split-away-s thereof are unlikely to endorse such conditionalities. It is likely that the rules of membership will be mainly endorsing the 2597 word DiEM25 manifesto (https://diem25.org/manifesto-long/) that made membership open to both individuals and organisations. The EU will be democratised. Or it will disintegrate! A Manifesto for Democratising Europe. In the founding DiEM25made its total opposition to the Brussels bureaucracy (and its more than 10,000 lobbyists) that calls the shots. Terming the unelected technocrats from other international and European institutions as a Troika that successfully demolished the cardinal principles, based on which the EU was created, DiEM25 made a blistering attack against the hit-squad inspectorates and the Troika. Political parties appealing to liberalism, democracy, freedom and solidarity to betray their most basic principles when in government. Governments that fuel cruel inequality by implementing self-defeating austerity Media moguls who have turned fear-mongering into an art form, and a magnificent source of power and profit Corporations in cahoots with secretive public agencies investing in the same fear to promote secrecy and a culture of surveillance that bend public opinion to their will. Stepping up its anger against the DiEM 25 snapped fingers at the EU. Alas, today, a common bureaucracy and a common currency divide European peoples that were beginning to unite despite our different languages and cultures. A confederacy of myopic politicians, economically naive officials and financially incompetent experts submit slavishly to the edicts of financial and industrial conglomerates, alienating Europeans and stirring up a dangerous anti-European backlash. Proud peoples are being turned against each other. Nationalism, extremism and racism are being re-awakened....Its purpose is to prevent Europeans from exercising democratic control over their money, finance, working conditions and environment. The price of this deceit is not merely the end of democracy but also poor economic policies. : Announcing the formation of PI, Varoufakis said, ...in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic the Progressive International launched with a mission to unite progressive forces in a common planetary front. Now, we are kicking off the P.I. Forum with its inaugural event featuring five members of the PI Council: Prime Minister of Iceland Katrin Jakobsdottir; Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate; Greek MP and DiEM25 co-founder Yanis Varoufakis; Guatemalan human rights & tech lawyer Renata Avila; and writer and political analyst Nanjala Nyabola from Kenya. At this historic juncture, we face a clear choice a choice that PI Council member Noam Chomsky has described as "Internationalism or Extinction." Either we bind our local struggles at the planetary scale. Or we surrender to an authoritarian capitalism that is grinding our species to extinction The new global unity initiative and its t firmly anti-imperialist mood imbibes in part the principles of the International Working Mens Association (the First International), in 1864, drafted by Karl Marx. Evidently the two main personalities in shaping the PI are Varoufakis and Sanders- both known for their unequivocal commitment for liberty and progress. Varoufakis in his 21-page introduction to the Communist Manifesto, published in 2018, wrote Liberty, happiness, autonomy, individuality, spirituality, self-guided development are ideals that Marx and Engels valued above everything else Sanders in an unpublished essay, scheduled to have been published in an anthology on socialism, designed for today, on 1 May but postponed due to Covid 19 pandemic said: his country. What I believe is that the American people deserve freedom true freedom. Freedom is an often-used word but its time we took a hard look at what that word actually means. Ask yourself: what does it actually mean to be free? Advertisement INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION PRESS RELEASE The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met today, 21st May 2020 and approved its Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic. The general purpose of the Policy is to enable officials and staff of the Commission to understand and respond adequately to the challenges of conducting elections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide a guide for engagement with stakeholders as they prepare for elections. Advertisement The clean copy of the policy document, which will be released on Monday 25th May 2020, covers health and legal issues, election planning and operations, election day and post-election activities, voter registration, political parties, election observation, electoral security and deployment of technology. Conducting elections in a pandemic such as COVID-19 is yet uncharted waters. Only very few jurisdictions have any experience with this. That notwithstanding, the Commission is committed to conducting all elections that are due within the extant legal framework. However, in so doing it will put a premium on public safety and mitigation of health risks from COVID-19. Citizens must be assured that they will be safe while participating as voters, candidates and officials. The Commission remains committed to raising public confidence in the electoral process in spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic and to regularly communicate its actions and challenges to the public. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTS In view of the end of tenure Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States scheduled for 19th September 2020 and 10th October 2020 respectively, the Commission will flag off robust engagements with its critical stakeholders to present the Policy Document. To this end, the Commission will meet with: 1. Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Saturday, 30th May 2020; 2. Political Parties on Monday, 1st June 2020; 3. Civil Society Groups on 2nd June 2020; and 4. The Media on 3rd June 2020. CONDUCT OF BYE-ELECTIONS It is to be noted that in addition to the Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States, the Commission has received official declaration of vacancies for 4 Senatorial Districts and read reports of the passing of a Senator and 4 members of some State Houses of Assembly. As at today, the Commission is planning for nine (9) bye-elections across seven (7) States of the Federation as follows: 1. Bayelsa Central Senatorial District 2. Bayelsa West Senatorial District 3. Imo North Senatorial District 4. Plateau South Senatorial District 5. Cross River North Senatorial District 6. Nganzai State Constituency, Borno State 7. Bayo State Constituency, Borno State 8. Nasarawa Central State Constituency, Nasarawa State 9. Bakori State Constituency, Katsina State The provisions of the Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic shall also apply to the conduct of these elections. In conclusion, the Commission urges all Nigerians to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 protocols issued by the health authorities. Festus Okoye Esq. National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee 21st May 2020 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 23, 2020 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against CytomX Therapeutics Inc. ("CytomX" or the "Company") (CTMX) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and indexed under 20-cv-03432, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants who purchased or otherwise acquired CytomX securities between May 17, 2018, and May 13, 2020, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased CytomX securities during the class period, you have until July 20, 2020, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] CytomX was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California. CytomX operates as an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company in the U.S. The Company develops a novel class of investigational antibody therapeutics based on its Probody technology platform for the treatment of cancer. CytomX's lead product candidates in the clinical stage include, among others, CX-072 and CX-2009. CytomX has been evaluating CX-072 in its "PROCLAIM" series clinical program for several years. For example, the PROCLAIM-CX-072-001 clinical trial was designed to assess the tolerability and preliminary antitumor activity of multiple doses of CX-072 as a monotherapy or as a combination therapy with ipilimumab (which Bristol-Myers Squibb Company markets under the brand name Yervoy) or vemurafenib (which Roche markets under the brand name Zelboraf) in patients with advanced, unresectable solid tumors or lymphoma. The Company also began conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial called PROCLAIM-CX-072-002, which was initiated in October 2019 and is an open-label, multi-center clinical trial evaluating CX-072 in combination with ipilimumab in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. Story continues Likewise, CystomX had been evaluating CX-2009 under its own "PROCLAIM" brand clinical program. This program includes the PROCLAIM-CX-2009-001 clinical trial, which is a Phase 1/2 trial evaluating the tolerability and preliminary antitumor activity of CX-2009 as a monotherapy, which CytomX initiated in June 2017. This clinical program also proceeded in multiple parts-Parts A and A2, which are monotherapy dose escalation studies; and Part B, which is a Phase 2 expansion study of CX-2009 monotherapy at 7 mg/kg administered every three weeks in up to 40 patients with hormone receptor (ER, PR) positive, HER2 negative breast cancer, which Defendants announced in December 2019 based on the tolerability and activity data from Part A and A2 of the study. The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about CytomX's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (i) CytomX had downplayed issues with CX-072's efficacy observed in the PROCLAIM-CX-072 clinical program; (ii) CytomX had similarly downplayed issues with CX-2009's efficacy and safety observed in the PROCLAIM-CX-2009 clinical program; and (iii) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On May 13, 2020, during after-market hours, CytomX made available abstracts for the Company's clinical presentations for CX-072 and CX-2009. Results from the PROCLAIM-CX-072 clinical program showed a response rate of 8.8%, compared to a response rate of 18.5% in patients receiving the combination of CX-072 and ipilimumab. Meanwhile, results from the PROCLAIM-CX-2009 clinical program showed "evidence" of clinical activity at doses at least 4 mg/kg 3x/week, but also suggested a significantly higher rate of serious or greater treatment-related toxicity to the eyes at dose equivalents at least 8 mg/kg 3x/week. Following the release of the foregoing data, CytomX's stock price fell $5.21 per share, or 36.08%, to close at $9.23 per share on May 14, 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 SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/591123/SHAREHOLDER-ALERT-Pomerantz-Law-Firm-Reminds-Shareholders-with-Losses-on-their-Investment-in-CytomX-Therapeutics-Inc-of-Class-Action-Lawsuit-and-Upcoming-Deadline--CTMX A missing Mississippi man was found slain Friday night inside an abandoned house in Bessemer. Michael Jones, 45, vanished Wednesday after leaving work in Columbus. His body was discovered Friday night inside a vacant home in the 1800 block of Fairfax Avenue. Jones was seen about 6:15 a.m. Wednesday when he left work at Steel Dynamics/Severstal on Airport Road in Columbus. Family said he was supposed to return to work at 6 p.m. Wednesday but did not show up or call. His supervisor told them that is not typical for Jones. Family on Thursday said he was reported to have been in Bessemer between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. He had driven to Alabama to buy an iPhone. They tried to call him, but to no avail. They had tracked his phone to near where his body was eventually found. Bessemer police on Friday fanned out across the area in search of him. His Ford Ranger 4x4 pick-up truck was found Friday afternoon in the 1700 block of Clarendon Avenue. A continued search led to the discovery of his body several hours later. Police said Jones had been shot to death. Jones was a husband, father, brother and son. His grieving family said he was selfless, kind and a role model to his many siblings. Investigators from Bessemer and Mississippi are working together to determine who is responsible, and why. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Bessemer police at 205-425-2411, the Tip Line at 205-428-3541, Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777, the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office at 662-328-6788 or Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 1-800-530-7151. Gearing up to hit the road: Fears over post-curfew traffic chaos By Nadia Fazlulhaq View(s): View(s): Colombo and suburban roads that saw little vehicular movement are gradually attracting traffic with the authorities relaxing the two-month-old lockdown to bring back normalcy. However, experts express the fear that post-curfew traffic congestion can be overwhelming and stressful to both passengers and drivers. The streets of Colombo were always busy. This is the first time city roads were empty for this long and most people stayed indoors for so long. Once the curfew is lifted, the people will get into the streets especially with the resumption of the public transport service. But the issue is whether they would adhere to strict health protocols, said Dewapriya Hettiarachchi, Secretary to the Automobile Association of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has more than five million vehicles, according to Central Bank statistics. The majority are motorbicycles more than over 2.2 million. There are about 970,000 three wheelers, about 582,000 private cars, about 220,000 goods transport vehicles and about 52,000 buses (both SLTB and private). The Western province has the highest number of 1.5 million vehicles. There are about 20,000 buses in the Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts. The prevailing curfew in the Colombo and Gampaha districts, paired with reduced workforce in offices and schools closure, will see less traffic in the coming weeks. The authorities should conduct awareness programmes on traffic safety in keeping with social distancing and other safety measures before lifting the curfew, Mr. Hettiarachchi said. The Police Traffic Control and Road Safety Director, Indika Hapugoda, told the Sunday Times that Traffic Police had already begun a programme to check vehicles whether they carried travel permits and whether the public transport services carried passengers as recommended by the health authorities. At present essential services are in operation and only one third of employees are reporting to work. We are not sure how the people will behave once the curfew is lifted and public travel resumes, the Senior Superintendent said. According to him, as there will be a limit on the number of passengers a vehicle could carry, private bus and school vans operators will face a major issue with regard to their revenue. Most of them are frustrated as they earned virtually no income in the past two months of curfew. Once they are allowed to operate, they may resort to unsafe competition. Also there is a possibility of increased traffic with people using their own vehicles rather than taking public transport because of the fear of the COVID virus, he said. The SSP said the islandwide night curfew has reduced the number drunk driving arrests. Meanwhile, the National Building Research Organisations senior air quality scientist H.D.S. Premasiri said the air pollution levels especially in Colombo city was gradually rising, after dropping to a healthy level during the full lockdown period. Prior to the curfew, Colombos air quality levels were about 100-150 (unhealthy to sensitive groups) with mainly vehicular traffic contributing towards poor air quality. During the curfew, there were little vehicular movement and industrial activities, leading to the air quality level improving to about 40-60 (good-moderate), he said. Director: Abhinav KashyapCast: Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Sonu Sood, Vinod Khanna, Dimple Kapadia, Anupam KherThe film introduced us to the coolest cop in the Hindi film world -- Chulbul Pandey, played by Salman Khan. Chulbul dotes on his mother (Dimple Kapadia), respects his stepfather (Vinod Khanna) and is affectionate towards his step-brother Makkhi (Arbaaz Khan). We see his courting Rajjo (Sonakshi Sinha) -- who made her debut with the film. His happy-go-lucky life goes for a toss when his mother is murdered by Chedi Singh (Sonu Sood). Chedi tries to harm his entire family but Chulbul overcomes all hurdles. When he comes to know of Chedis involvement behind his mothers murder, Chulbul chokes him to death. It was a total paisa vasool film and marked Sonakshi Sinhas debut as well. It earned 14.50 cr at the box-office.Director: SiddiqueCast: Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Aditya Pancholi, Chetan Hansraj, Raj Babbar, Hazel Keech, Mahesh Manjrekar, Reema DebnathBodyguard was a remake of Siddiques own Malayalam film of the same name which was released one year earlier. It depicted Salman Khan as a bodyguard of a much younger girl Divya (Kareena Kapoor) who falls in love with him. She calls him from another number pretending to be someone else and Lovely Singh (Salman) falls in love with the voice. She wants to reveal her identity and elope with him but when she comes to know that her politician father may kill him because of that she doesnt follow suit. Meanwhile, her friend Maya (Hazel Keech) pretends to be the caller and they marry. Years later, when they meet again, Lovely learns that Divya was the one who had been calling him all along. Maya had passed away by now and Lovely and Mayas young son, who knows about his mothers secret having read her diary, helps reunite Lovely and Divya. The film earned 21.60 crores on the first day of the release.Director: Kabir KhanCast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Ranvir Shorey, Girish KarnadThe film marked Salman Khans entry into the Yash Raj camp. It follows the adventures of an Indian spy code-named Tiger (Salman Khan), who is charged with recovering sensitive information before it falls into the hands of Pakistan and ends up falling in love with the Pakistani agent Zoya (Katrina Kaif), who is sent on a similar mission by her government. The film was shot extensively abroad in places like Dublin, Istanbul and Havana. It was one of the first Indian films to shoot in Cuba. It was praised for its stunts which were mostly executed by a foreign crew. Not only Salman but Katrina too vigorously participated in the stunt work. The film turned out to be a big blockbuster and gave way to a sequel, Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. The film earned 32.93 crores on its opening day.Director: Sajid NadiadwalaCast: Starring Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Randeep Hooda, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Mithun ChakrabortySalman Khan plays a man called Devi who likes to take risks for the sake of the thrill he gets from them. He calls these thrills kick. Hes also a sort of a Robin Hood figure called the Devil who robs the rich and gives to the poor. Hes targeted by an honest police officer Himanshu Tyagi (Randeep Hooda). Devil always taunts Himanshu and often tells him his plans beforehand and even then executes them without a glitch. Hes doing it all for the sake of homeless children and knowing his intentions are good, Himanshu lets him go even when he knows Devis true identity. The film was inspired by the Telugu hit Kick starring Ravi Teja. Its stunts were very much admired and because of its blockbuster success, there are plans in place for a sequel. It earned 26.40 crores on its opening day.Director: Kabir KhanCast: Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Nawazuddin SiddiquiA 5-year old girl (Harshaali Malhotra ) from Pakistan gets separated from her mother at an Indian railway station. Lost and hungry she finds shelter at the home of Pawan (Salman Khan), an ardent devotee of Hanuman, a devout Hindu and hailing from a wrestling family. Pawan takes a vow to unite the child with her family and during the course of this journey, the film moves from the heartland of Punjab, through the deserts of Rajasthan, over the snow-capped mountains of Kashmir. The film propagated Hindu-Muslim, India-Pakistan unity. It made Salman Khan into a kind of messiah. He didnt play the normal action hero here who could battle twenty goons with one of his hands tied behind his back but adopted a non-violence approach to the conflict. The film was a blockbuster not only in India but abroad as well. It earned 27.25 crores on its opening day.Director: Ali Abbas ZafarCast Salman Khan, Randeep Hooda, Anushka SharmaSultan was the classic underdog story with a twist. Salman Khan played Sultan, a traditional village wrestler who loves a girl named Aarfa (Anushka Sharma) who is also a wrestler. He wins bouts to impress her and goes on to become a national and international level wrestler, eventually representing India in the Olympics. Salman Khan kind of loses his way after being successful and starts neglecting her when she needs him the most. Feeling disgusted with him after losing their child, she leaves him initially. To win her back he enters an MMA competition and trains hard for it. His aim is to build a blood bank in the memory of his dead child with the prize money. She comes back to him when he is injured and motivates him to win the tournament when she learns of his intent. Hes able to open a blood bank in the name of his late son with the money earned and wins her back as well. It was a performance full of emotional ups and downs and both Salman and Anushka made you root for their characters. The film earned Rs 36.54 crores on its opening day.Director: Kabir KhanCast: Salman Khan, Sohail Khan, Om Puri, Matin Rey Tangu, Zhu ZhuThe film is an adaptation of the 2015 American film Little Boy and its story revolves around the 1962 Sino-Indian War. Laxman Singh Bisht (Salman Khan) has been a little odd since he was a kid and hence his friends and acquaintances have been calling him Tubelight ever since. His brother recruits in the army during the 1962 conflict and is presumed to be missing in action. Meanwhile, a Chinese woman living in Kolkata has been temporarily shifted along with her young son to their village and Laxman befriends them. A magician has told him that fate can move mountains and he seemingly causes an earthquake using his mental powers. He manages to find his brother, who has lost his memory. Later, thankfully, Bharats memories come back. This anti-war movie garnered Rs 21.15 crores on its opening day.Director: Remo DSouzaCast: Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Bobby Deol, Jacqueline Fernandez, Saqib Saleem, Daisy ShahIt was a pure Salman Khan fest all the way. A dysfunctional, ultra-rich family, shady deals, fast cars, high-speed chases, sassy women, macho men and enough plot twists to make Abbas Mustan go groggy with delight, Race 3 has all these and more. And apart from the razor-sharp action, its also a Karan Johar film at heart, what with it's all about loving your family as a primary motif. The films main plot revolves around Salman and his family undertaking a mission to retrieve a hard drive containing videos of politicians indulging in sexual vices. And in the course of that everyone's core identity is revealed and a dozen skeletons stumble out of the closet. Salman is decked out as a one-man army in the film and takes out a whole army of goons all by himself. What more can one really want? The film earned Rs 29.17 crores on its opening day.Director: Ali Abbas ZafarCast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Jackie Shroff, Sunil Grover, Disha Patani, Nora Fatehi, Sonali Kulkarni, Aasif Sheikh, Kumud Mishra, TabuThe Partition of India serves as the focal point of the film. Eight-year-old Bharat lets go of his younger sister's hands as they are climbing atop a train which will take the family to India from Pakistan. Father (Jackie Shroff) alights to search for her and both aren't seen again. The incident haunts Bharat (Salman Khan) all his life and influences his every decision. So much so, in fact, that he decides to forgo marriage to the love of his life Kumud (Katrina Kaif) because of this. How he finally finds closure forms the crux of the film. The basic idea of the film, taken from the Korean hit Ode To My Father (2014), is to showcase a nation's history through the life experience of a single citizen. Unity and universal brotherhood are celebrated and so is the vast reach of Bollywood films. The film also touches upon the fact that even after all these years, the scars of Partition haven't healed. That people who suffered are still searching for answers. Salman Khan is the perfect heroic figure in the film -- caring towards everyone, loyal to his friends, devoted to his family and having a strong sense of justice. The film earned 42.30 crores on its opening day. A Garristown mum and dad have launched a fundraising campaign for the world's most expensive drug - in the hope that the 2m treatment will save their baby's life. Little Olivia (Livie) - the eight month old daughter of Karen Vickers and Keith Mulhern - has been diagnosed with a rare genetic neuromuscular condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1. This condition causes nerves connecting the nervous system to the muscles to deteriorate and eventually cause the muscles to waste away. Karen and Keith, who now live in Balrath, Co Meath, have said that despite Livie's condition she is a 'happy, smiling baby'. Speaking to the Fingal Independent, Karen said Livie, who is nearly nine months, 'is in flying form'. 'That's the thing, she is still the same little baby she was when she was born. 'She's saying 'Mamma' and 'Dadda' now and laughing and smiling away. She loves being the centre of attention,' said Karen. They also said they have been overwhelmed with the generosity so far of friends, family and complete strangers who have organised fundraising events and donated to their fundraising page on their Facebook page and Go Fund Me both entitled 'A Better Life for Livie'. It was on April 9 when Karen and Keith received the devastating news that Livie has the rare genetic condition. 'It was on April 9 and with the lockdown it took a bit of toing and froing to get our appointment in Crumlin Children's Hospital,' explained Karen. 'And with the social distancing I was only able to go into the doctor with Livie so Keith had to stay at home. ;Within an hour they had clinically confirmed her diagnosis and we called Keith on my phone using the loudspeaker so he could hear too. It was very, very tough.' Karen and Keith explained that they noticed there was something wrong when Livie was four and half months. 'At round the four and a half month mark, typically a baby at that age would be trying to roll themselves and lift their head up,' explained Karen. 'Livie was lifting her head a little bit but never for long periods of time and never fully up and I was mentioning it at various checkups but was told because she is such a healthy baby, perfect weight and good colour in her cheeks, keep going with the tummy time, she'll get there,' said Karen. But, a month later, in mid-February, Karen and Keith noticed Livie had deteriorated with her head movement. Karen explained: 'We noticed then she had deteriorated and couldn't lift her head at all. 'So initially her GP thought maybe it's something to do with her neck muscles. 'I got in touch with a physiotherapist in Trim who works with Enable Ireland and I sent her some videos of Livie playing on the floor and she said Livie looked a little bit weak and suggested we get her checked out by a paediatrician. 'So we got referred to a paediatrician who said to be sure lets get her into Crumlin Hospital and we were lucky we got an appointment fairly quickly which was great.' Karen said she and Livie were there for half a day, but it was within the first hour doctors were able to diagnose Livie with SMA. And now their best hope to give Livie every chance in life is a 2m drug called Zolgensa only available in America. Livie's dad, Keith explained: 'Livie's condition is progressive so over time without any treatment the nerves connecting her nervous system will deteriorate and her muscles will grow weaker and shrink and lose function altogether. 'Up until the start of last year in Ireland, the life expectancy for children with Livie's condition would be two years of age and in terms of treatments options are limited.' SMA was previously thought to be fatal in young children, but new once-off gene therapy called Zolgensma can provide a lifeline to young sufferers of SMA. But, the treatment is only available in the USA at a cost of 2.1m. Keith said: 'We are now looking at the new drug in America - Zolgensma that has shown incredible results. Everything is very uncertain though as Livie's condition is very complex. 'Trials in the US have shown incredible results and the stories from parents of their children reaching milestones.' Both parents said Livie 'is our world'. 'And like anyone, you'd move mountains for her. It's awful it's so expensive but it's our best chance for Livie,' said Karen. And now the fundraiser has gone live, Karen and Keith have been overwhelmed with the generosity of people. 'Everyone is having a tough time as this is a really uncertain time for everyone and 2m is a lot of money to ask people to help raise. 'We could never thank anyone enough. Our families, our friends, our employers and the kindness of strangers is just incredible and unbelievable,' they said. To donate to Livie's fund go to Go Fund Me or Facebook 'A Better Life for Livie.' This was a forerunner of the NSW government decision this year to test the temperature of all new overseas arrivals at Sydney airport if the federal government wouldn't. "We will protect our people," headlined The Sydney Morning Herald in February 1919. Victoria was furious at what it considered unfriendly economic vandalism. The Age newspaper fumed at NSW's "parochial stupidity bordering on insanity". It headed its editorial aimed at the Sydney government: "The crime of egotism." Economic collapse would follow. "Suddenly, on the eve of winter," explained The Age, "comes the startling news that Australia is near the brink of an industrial and domestic calamity", as coal and gas supplies ran low, industries shut down and unemployment soared. Illustration: Jim Pavlidis Credit: The Melbourne newspaper drove hard at Sydney's culpability in April 1919: "It will be interesting for the workman who is thrown out of work and cannot meet his Easter bills to learn that he and his family are paying for the sport of politicians who contend about what they are pleased to call 'state rights.' The magnitude and cost of the NSW administration make it an imposture." It quickly became every state for itself. Victoria imposed no restrictions whatsoever. Other states took a harder line. Indeed, the health measures imposed in some states during that mass infection make today's look like a Burning Man festival, a contemporary Woodstock of libertarian abandon. In most states face masks were compulsory, schools were shut. The WA government seized interstate trains. The federal government tried to exert its authority to keep economic activity alive, but it was exposed as feeble when Queensland refused to allow entry to Commonwealth troops to enforce quarantine. Tasmania ignored the federal government order to shorten its quarantine period on incoming ships. Tasmanians took satisfaction from enjoying ultimately the lowest death rate anywhere on earth, according to a 1976 paper by Humphrey McQueen. If Victoria's initial cover-up made it the Beijing of its time, Tasmania's success made it the Taiwan of the Spanish flu. Sydneysiders wearing masks during the Spanish flu outbreak. From the Mirror, February 7, 1919. Credit:Staff photographer When NSW pubs were allowed to open it was for a maximum of five minutes at a time. Travellers trying to cross the border from NSW to Queensland were blocked and lived in squalid quarantine camps. No hotel quarantine for travellers in 1919. If they eventually were granted entry they still had to pay a substantial fee. The outcome of this failure of cooperation was unhappy. While the COVID-19 pandemic has killed 101 Australians to date, the Spanish flu killed somewhere between 12,000 and 13,000, in waves of increasing severity. It was estimated that about one-third of the entire population was infected at some point. Rait reflects that "the Sydney-Melbourne rivalry developed to the point where it nearly blew the Commonwealth apart. Beyond NSW and Victoria, the interesting thing about our federation is that South Australia and Western Australia in particular are very parochial. This squabbling between NSW and Victoria confirmed their long standing scepticism of the eastern states and they went their own way. "It seems history is repeating itself the smaller states find themselves less trusting of the testing and the capacity of NSW and Victoria", with South Australia, WA, Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory keeping their borders sealed despite the urgings of NSW and Victoria that they should open them. Rait remarks that the decisions by the less populous states to hold fast their borders "plays to the parochialism in their own states they can beat their chests and say 'Look how good we are at protecting you from these feral Newsouthwelshmen and Victorians'". Australia's federation now stands at the threshold of a different test, one it's been failing continuously for decades. Not just to coordinate in one area of policy but to reform the federation itself. To simplify the messy lines of federal-state responsibility and to clear the clogged tax arteries that have helped give Australia an ever-slowing economic growth rate. And, on this task, it is the states that have been leading the way. NSW and Victoria, notably, have overcome their rivalry to embrace the reform task together. The NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, likes to give the example of the current education dysfunction the federal government is responsible for childcare, the states for preschool, the states for schools, the federal for universities and the states for TAFE. Loading Before the coronavirus hit, Perrottet created a federation reform panel headed by David Thodey to produce policy ideas. Better federal-state organisation of services such as health and education are part of its remit. Tax reform is another part. Trying to get any real tax reform in Australia has been the labour of Sisyphus ever since the last major overhaul the GST-based changes of the Howard and Costello government 20 years ago. Like Sisyphus and his rock, the task has proved endless yet fruitless. Says Perrottet: "It's been opposition from Labor and Liberal sides in the past that has stifled reform and probably will do so in the future. If we can't get co-operation across party political lines in a pandemic, we never will." One of the reasons that his evolving partnership with his Victorian counterpart, Tim Pallas, is important is that it promises some hope of doing just this Perrottet is Liberal and Pallas Labor. "Working across party lines can take the heat out of a lot of issues," says the NSW Treasurer. Nasa officials gave the go-ahead on Friday for SpaceX and the agency to continue preparations for a historic liftoff of two astronauts on a rocket from Florida to the International Space Station next week. The launch, scheduled for 4:33pm on Wednesday from Nasas Kennedy Space Centre, may be the start of a new era in spaceflight, one in which Nasa relies on private companies like Elon Musks SpaceX to launch astronauts a task it used to handle itself. On Friday, a spokesman at the White House said on Twitter that Donald Trump will attend the launch in Florida. As during the space shuttle era, Nasa conducts what it calls a flight readiness review about a week before launch to ensure that the spacecraft and launch systems are ready and that any significant concerns have been resolved. The review, which began on Thursday, stretched into a second day. There are no significant open issues, I am happy to report, said Stephen Jurczyk, the associate administrator at the space agency who led the review. At the end, it was a very, very clean review. On Friday afternoon, SpaceX conducted what is known as a static fire of the rocket, testing the engines for a few seconds while keeping the rocket held down on the launchpad. On Saturday, the two astronauts, Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken, will take part in a rehearsal of the launch procedures. Both Nasa and SpaceX officials said they are taking the time they need and not rushing. Just as we need to take care of each other through these interesting times, were needing to take care of the crew and bring them home, said Benji Reed, director of crew mission management at SpaceX. On that sacred journey together, we are all holding each other accountable. While the preparations are proceeding smoothly, the decision to move forward came amid new turmoil at Nasa. The head of the agencys human spaceflight programme, Douglas Loverro, unexpectedly quit on Monday, six months after he took the job. Mr Loverro, who would have lead the flight readiness review instead of Mr Jurczyk, said in an interview that his departure had nothing to do with next weeks mission. But his resignation added to doubts about the Trump administrations pledge to return astronauts to the moon by 2024. This is the second upheaval in less than a year. In July, Jim Bridenstine, the Nasa administrator, reassigned William Gerstenmaier, who had led the agencys human spaceflight programme since 2005. Mr Hurley and Mr Behnken, will be riding inside SpaceXs Crew Dragon capsule on top of a Falcon 9 rocket. They will arrive at the space station the next morning. Their stay in orbit was originally planned for just two weeks but will now be extended because the station is short-staffed. Nasa considers next weeks mission a demonstration to test and verify the spacecrafts capabilities. If all goes as planned, the first operational flight of a Crew Dragon is scheduled for later this year, carrying four astronauts. Weve got two great test pilots in there, and theyre going to be testing out the vehicle, said Kathy Lueders, manager of the commercial crew programme for Nasa. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the companys Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue (Getty) For nearly nine years, after the retirement of the space shuttles, the United States has relied on Russia to provide transportation of astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Nasa had been developing its own new rocket, called the Ares I, but with cost overruns and delays, the Obama administration decided that it would be cheaper and faster to turn to private companies. In 2014, Nasa chose Boeing and SpaceX, with hopes that the first launches would occur by 2017. Using SpaceXs Crew Dragon and Boeings Starliner capsule did prove much cheaper than Nasas original plan but was perhaps no faster in terms of development. However, the new commercial spacecraft also opens up the possibility of space travel to an increasing number of private citizens with the desire and wealth to leave Earth, at least for a short period of time. Nasa is looking to take a similar commercial approach to its next moon missions. The agency recently chose to finance design work on three lunar lander proposals that may be used for a 2024 mission. Mr Loverros resignation on Monday may involve those contracts. The agency provided no explanation for his departure, but in an email to colleagues in Nasas human exploration and operations directorate, Mr Loverro said he took a risk earlier in the year because I judged it necessary to fulfil our mission and that now it was clear the risk was a mistake for which I alone must bear the consequences. Recommended NASA researcher arrested over alleged secret China connections In March, the Nasa inspector general announced an audit of Artemis, the administrations programme to return to the moon. With Mr Loverros departure, his deputy, Kenneth Bowersox, a former astronaut, is again filling in as temporary leader of the human spaceflight programme, a role he also played after Mr Gerstenmaier was reassigned. Mr Bridenstine made no mention of Mr Loverros departure on Tuesday morning during a meeting of the National Space Council chaired by Mike Pence. As you announced just over a year ago, were going to send not just the next man but the first woman to the south pole of the moon by 2024, Mr Bridenstine said rosily in a report summarising Nasas progress. And we have been moving forward very rapidly to achieve that end. Nasa announced Mr Loverros resignation on Tuesday afternoon. The New York Times The Chinese Hospital gave free coronavirus tests to all residents in a single-room-occupancy hotel in San Franciscos Chinatown on Friday to try to prevent another widespread outbreak in these densely packed buildings. Cases have soared among the many vulnerable, elderly people living in these residential hotels elsewhere in the city where tight quarters and communal spaces make it especially easy for the virus to spread. On Friday, those living at a residential hotel on Waverly Place walked down narrow stairs and onto the sunny Chinatown street where a pop-up tent and team of gowned nurses waited. Temperature check, two squirts of hand sanitizer. Each single-room-occupancy hotel resident sat on a folding chair, lowered their mask and tilted their head back. A poke from a long thin swab in each nostril some winced, others coughed, a little girl cried and then it was done. Thirty-four residents of the Ning Yung SRO on Waverly Place were tested for the coronavirus on Friday afternoon through a pilot program spearheaded by the Chinese Hospital, a nonprofit community hospital, and supported by the San Francisco Department of Public Health. The citys Board of Supervisors this week passed an emergency ordinance calling on the health department to follow specific protocols on testing, contact tracing and reporting cases at SROs. The legislation, sponsored by Supervisor Aaron Peskin, came as cases among residents and staff at residential hotels have soared 1,888% since April 1. There were 179 cases as of Monday. We should not be resting on our laurels, Peskin said, adding that he is worried about a second wave of the coronavirus if people become complacent. This is only the beginning. Testing some 30 people in one SRO is not going to yield the information and results and the safety. Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle Still, Gina Yam, the hospitals director of operations, said the testing was smooth as her team wiped and sanitized and peeled off gloves after testing for roughly an hour. I think its a great start, she said. We are hoping that all results are negative. The program will test and track each resident, providing contact tracing, follow-up testing, and additional support and medical care as needed, Yam said. Testing was voluntary, but nearly all residents chose to be tested. The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, which runs the SRO and has an office in the same building, helped educate residents about the program. None of them had symptoms when screened before the tests, Yam said. Jian Zhang, CEO of Chinese Hospital, said the goal is to expand the program to other SROs, but there are no firm plans yet. The program is labor-intensive, and limited resources remain an issue, she said. This is just the first one, Zhang said. Were figuring out how to do more. Another obstacle is that some residents are afraid to be tested because they fear it could mean separation from their family, loss of work or stigmatization, Zhang 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. Dr. Sunny Pak, director of Chinatown Public Health Center, said the citys health department is committed to working with community groups to offer appropriate, culturally sensitive medical care in native languages to immigrant and SRO communities. Stephen Lam / Special to The Chronicle Upstairs at the Ning Yung building, two floors each have a dozen rooms, some with multiple people. The residents, many of them seniors, share three toilets, two showers and a kitchen with one sink and one stove top per floor. Cloth sheets substitute for doors on many rooms. On Friday, a man turned on the shower to wash clothes in a plastic tub. Chinatown has yet to be hit by a large outbreak of the coronavirus, but members of the Chinese Hospital and other community groups say complacency is not an option the pandemic is not over. Being one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the United States, San Francisco Chinatown is at an extremely high risk of a devastating community outbreak, Zhang said. Anna Bauman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: anna.bauman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @abauman2 BRIDGEPORT A city man could face decades in prison after he was indicted on federal charges earlier this week, according to authorities. A federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment Wednesday, charging 27-year-old Anthony Figueroa-Gonzalez with distributing fentanyl, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham. Michelle Vernezze, 43, a nurse from Bristol, is fighting for her life at a Kenosha hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 on May 4. Her husband, Ron Vernezze, 46, shared her story Wednesday to help people understand the brutal attack COVID-19 can have on the body and to thank those who have been praying for her recovery. Its been a long a road thats for sure, Ron said. Im typically a very private person. It was kind of hard to agree to do the story or talk about it, because first of all, it hurts. Sometimes it hurts really badly. Two weeks from now the couple, both of whom graduated from Westosha-Central High School, are to celebrate their 23rd wedding anniversary. They met when Michelle was a senior in high school, have raised four children and recently welcomed their first grandchild into the world. For 26 years now shes been by my side, Ron said. We do everything together. For her to be at her lowest point in life and I cant be there, just its tough. The family has only been able to see Michelle through the ground-floor window since she was admitted and have brief conversations with her when she has been strong enough to communicate. The outpouring of people who have come forward is literally what has been able to get me through this with my kids, Ron said. It is what has kept us going. That support also aims to help the family cover expenses associated with Michelles current and future care. Ron had recently taken a new job and will not qualify for family medical leave. A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $4,000 so far this week. Im not working until shes better, Ron said. When she gets home Im not going to leave her side until I know shes OK. Worked in clinic in Gurnee Ron said they believe Michelle contracted the virus while at work as a nurse at a clinic in Gurnee, Ill. Other than going to work the couple was careful not to leave the house except for essentials. When they went to the grocery story they wore masks and sanitized everything. There wasnt a day that went by she didnt say, Ive got to do more to help, Ron said about Michelles passion for nursing. He said an asymptomatic person had come into the x-ray clinic where Michelle worked multiple times for an unrelated injury before testing positive for COVID-19. On Saturday, May 2, Michelle didnt feel well when she woke up. She said, Im really sick, Ron recalled. It just hit her hard. She said her whole body hurt. Her throat hurt really bad. She contacted her employer and was told she could come in Monday to be tested. By Sunday she was just in such pain she had tears in her eyes and I said, We need to go in, said Ron, himself a paramedic for 16 years. He said it looked as though she had strep throat. She was so sick I had to piggyback her to the car. She could barely walk. After two types of strep throat tests and a test for mononucleosis all came back negative, Michelle was tested for COVID-19 and returned home. She woke up Monday and said her entire body was screaming in pain, Ron said, adding they got the positive COVID-19 result as he was heading back to the hospital with her. Those were the last moments he has been able to physically be with her, as he was not allowed into the hospital. She called him the following day to let him know her white blood cell count was extremely low and doctors thought she might have leukemia. By Tuesday afternoon she was moved to the Intensive Care Unit on the ground floor, and the family called to talk to her as they visited through a window. She could barely lift her arms and the nurse had to help her with her phone, Ron said. The only words she told me were, You need to tell the kids Im going to die. That was really hard. Virus attacks body Over the course of the next week the virus attacked her body in multiple ways. She suffered from sepsis, Lymphedema, kidney failure, cytokine storm, cardiomyopathy and a pelvic infection. She needed to be put on a ventilator and they started dialysis. She was also found to be positive for a rare form of strep throat not initially tested for. They didnt give her much of a chance of getting through this, Ron said. They kept telling me I need to be prepared; that she is extremely ill. An oncologist put her on medication to stimulate the growth of white blood cells. When it didnt initially work, she was scheduled for a biopsy. Literally overnight her white blood count tripled, Ron said, adding the biopsy was put on hold. The doctor said he felt all this was stemming from COVID. She was actually doing fairly well. She could open her eyes and follow commands, Ron said, adding they were able to video chat. That was my relief point; when I could finally let my guard down and think Were going to bring her home. Then, on May 17, he got a phone call and could immediately tell something in their voice wasnt good. Michelle had started to bleed profusely and doctors needed to do emergency surgery to find out where the blood was coming from and how to stop it. They found her left tonsil had split in two and it was removed. As a result of the loss of blood, she needed a blood transfusion. She has since been put back on a ventilator and is on dialysis. While Michelle is asthmatic, Ron said her lungs have been the least affected by the virus. Her lungs are the only things that did not fail her, he said. It affected pretty much everything else. He said it has been frustrating to see people posting statements about how the young people who get COVID-19 must have some underlying issue and that it is a joke or a hoax. This is very real, very real, Ron said. I want people to know its causing multiple organs to fail, not just the lungs. It doesnt matter your health. It can take you down very quickly. The doctors have told me they have seen this cause heart attacks; they have seen this cause strokes. Its all over the place. They are seeing it is causing all of these symptoms she had. Everyone thinks, Oh, its just a respiratory thing. Im younger, I can get through that. Its not so easy. Ron encourages those who have had the virus to be tested for antibodies and, if they have them, to donate plasma. Theyre finding its working, Ron said of plasma treatments. Michelle got that, along with hydroxychloroquine. Those two things probably are what saved her life. He said he was told another medication, remdesivir, has been a good treatment option for some. However, by the time it was available, Michelles kidneys could not handle it. He said there is not a lot of plasma available. There wasnt enough of it when she was admitted, Ron said. She had to wait two days because they didnt have any. He said he is thankful for friends, and even complete strangers, who have started prayer chains and sent good vibes. He said Michelle was still running a fever Wednesday and needed another blood transfusion. They are awaiting word about when the breathing tube can come out. In the meantime, Ron is working on making her homecoming memorable. I planted a flower bed for her to make things nice and we planted a big tree for her, he said. Now, Its just a waiting game. For more information about making a donation, click here. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 1 Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-23 17:31:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DHAKA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh reached 32,078 including 1,873 new cases confirmed in the last 24 hours, the biggest daily jump since March 8, a senior health ministry official told a media briefing on television on Saturday. With 20 new deaths, the COVID-19 death toll in the country reached 452 on Saturday, said Professor Nasima Sultana, additional director general of Directorate General of Health Services under the Ministry of Health. The official said 10,834 samples were tested in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh. Bangladesh earlier recorded the highest 1,773 cases in a 24-hour period on May 21. During the last 24 hours, 296 more patients were released from hospitals and clinics, bringing the number of recovered patients in the country to 6,486. Enditem By Syed Raza Hassan KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - The flight data recorder from the Pakistani airliner that crashed into a residential neighbourhood of Karachi has been found, an official said on Saturday, as the death toll rose to 97. There were two survivors from onboard the aircraft, while no fatalities were reported in the densely populated area of the city where the aircraft crash-landed on Friday. Pakistan International Airlines flight PK 8303, an Airbus A320, was flying from Lahore to Karachi with 99 people on board when it went down in mid-afternoon while trying a second landing attempt. [nL4N2D4374] "The black box had been found late yesterday, we are handing it over to the inquiry board," PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan said. He said that included both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. The airline's chief executive, Arshad Malik, said on Friday the last message received from the pilot indicated there was a technical problem. Another senior civil aviation official told Reuters it appeared the plane had been unable to lower its landing gear for the first approach. Aviation safety experts say air crashes typically have multiple causes. Seconds before the crash, the pilot told air traffic controllers he had lost power from both engines, according to a recording posted on liveatc.net, a respected aviation monitoring website. Airbus said the jet first flew in 2004 and was fitted with engines built by CFM International, co-owned by General Electric and France's Safran. Pakistan's prime minister, Imran Khan, announced soon after the crash that there would be an inquiry, and a four-member team was constituted Friday night, according to a notification from the government's aviation division, seen by Reuters. The team includes three members of the Aircraft Accident and Investigation Board and one from the Pakistan Air Force's safety board. The team will issue a preliminary statement within a month, the notification says. Story continues A statement from the provincial health minister's office on Saturday put the death toll at 97, with no confirmed deaths on the ground. Army and civil administration personnel were clearing through the debris in the Karachi neighbourhood on Saturday and assisting residents whose homes had been damaged. "Rescue Op in progress ... 25 affected houses cleared, their residents accommodated at various places with assistance of Civil Administration," the Army said on Twitter. Pakistan only last week resumed domestic flights it had suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with many people travelling for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, expected to fall on Sunday or Monday in the country. Friday's crash is the worst air disaster in Pakistan since 2012, when a Bhoja Air passenger aircraft, a Boeing 737, crashed in Islamabad, killing 127 people. (Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan in Karachi and by Asif Shahzad in Islamabad; Writing by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by William Mallard and Ros Russell) Chahid El Hafed, May 21, 2020 (SPS) - The President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Frente POLISARIO, Mr. Brahim Gali praised the historical role of Africa in accompanying and supporting the Saharawi people. Brahim Gali, in a speech on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the start of the armed struggle, said: "We salute the historic role of Africa in accompanying and supporting the just cause of our people and we call on the African Union to take more severe measures to curb the constant violation by the Kingdom of Morocco of the founding law of the African Union, especially the clear violation of the borders inherited from colonialism and internationally recognized, as well as the military occupation of parts of the territory of the Saharawi Republic, a founding member of the African Union. The President of the Republic thanked the people and government of Algeria, under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, for their positions of principle and their support for the Sahrawi people and their just cause. Gali also praised the fraternal and friendly relations that unite the Saharawi Republic with the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, expressing his satisfaction in this regard for the level of cooperation and coordination between the two nations. he greeted the international movement of solidarity with the struggle of our people, and strongly condemned the unfortunate attempts being made at the level of the European Union, with the clear support of France and Spain to approve agreements with the Moroccan occupier, including parts of the territory of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, in a cowardly violation of international law and the resolutions of the European Court of Justice itself. SPS 125/090/TRA